378 
Psyche 
[September-December 
screen io cm from the top) on a double layer of cheesecloth sup- 
ported by the screen. A 40 watt bulb was used over the litter. Two 
thin wood strips held the top o'f the funnel above the rim of the 
bottom and provided ventilation and for the escape of excess moisture. 
Beetles stopped falling into the collecting bottle at the bottom of the 
funnel in less than 12 hours. During periods of maximum operation, 
up to 24 funnels were used, each holding three liter samples of sifted 
litter for twelve hours. Thus, up to 144 liters of sifted litter could 
be processed each day. 
From 1967 to 1974, in search of Catopocerus and other leiodid 
beetles, I have extracted the fauna in the above method from 4361 kg 
of sifted forest litter from the eastern United States. Most of the 
beetles extracted have been deposited with the CNCI and FMNH, 
and the arthropod residues are in the FMNH. 
Barber’s Fluid (Valentine, 1942) was used as a preservative under 
the funnels. Species determination can be reliably made only by 
examination of the male genitalia. This examination is facilitated bv 
the Barber’s Fluid which does not harden the tissues of the beetles 
as does alcohol. The few specimens found under rocks were collected 
into Barber’s Fluid. Some specimens were collected in caves at rotted 
pig liver bait, and in carrion baited pitfall traps (Peck, 1973). 
Specimens were cleaned of adhering debris by an ultrasonic cleaner. 
Dry material was relaxed in boiling water. Dissections were made 
with minuten needles, in alcohol. Genitalia were observed in alcohol, 
as temporary glycerine mounts, and dry. Specimens were mounted on 
points using an alcohol soluble glue. Illustrations were prepared 
from temporary glycerine mounts. 
Measurements are given in millimeters, and were made using a 
calibrated ocular micrometer disc. The following abbreviations are 
used in the paper: HW, head width; PW, pronotal width; PL, 
pronotal length ; EL, elytral length ; and EW, elytral width. Lengths 
were measured along the midline. Elytral lengths are from the apex 
of the scutellum. Widths are maximum widths. Rounded surfaces 
are measured as chords of arcs. 
The following abbreviations are used to indicate the sources of the 
material examined: AMNH, American Museum of Natural History; 
ANSP, Academy Natural Sciences Philadelphia (Horn colln., now 
in MCZ) ; CAS, California Academy of Sciences; CM, Carnegie 
Museum; CNCI, Canadian National Collection of Insects; FMNH, 
Field Museum of Natural History; INHS, Illinois Natural History 
Survey; MCZ, Museum Comparative Zoology, Harvard University; 
SBP, Stewart B. Peck; SVAM, St. Vincent Archabbey Museum 
