1950] 
Young — Geotrupes chalybaeus 
89 
of “Flatwoods” soils. The area actually represents an island, prob- 
ably developed as an offshore bar in the Pamlico or earlier sea, of 
the late Pleistocene epoch. It appears as an isolated, low hill about 
a mile in diameter (Putnam County, T-ll-S, R-25-E, Sec. 17) on 
the topographic map of Florida (Contour Topographic Map, scale 
1 :500,000) prepared by the U. S. Engineer Department. The high 
central part of the “island” is almost pure sand pine scrub sur- 
rounded by a zone of Quercus laevis-Pinus palustris associes which 
grades through an ecotonal belt of Quercus cinerea-Pinus palustris/ 
Pinus elliotti into the Pinus palustris- Aristida associes on Leon sand 
— in local terms “Scrub” surrounded by “High Pine-Turkey Oak” 
grading through “High Pine-Blue Jack Oak” into “Long Leaf Pine 
Flatwoods”. 
Large specimens of the sand pine ( Pinus clausa ) cover the central 
portion of the “island” so closely that there is almost no ground 
vegetation except for a few small and scattered scrub oaks ( Quercus 
chapmani , Q. myrtifolia, and Q. virginiana geminatd) , straggling 
patches of sedges and wire grass, and a few stunted Xolisma, Gar- 
beria, and other shrubs. A very few specimens of Ceratiola ericoides, 
the Scrub Rosemary, were found after some searching. The surface 
of the sand beneath the trees is covered with a thin mat of pine 
needles which together with an occasional fallen pine trunk, scat- 
tered plants of reindeer moss (Cladonia spp.), and occasional poly- 
pore and other mushrooms give the surface a characteristic aspect. 
The porous nature of the soil makes this a very dry situation. It 
was noticed on several occasions that the surface sand would be 
quite dry a short time after a heavy rain. 
In late February, I found yellowish mounds of sand scattered over 
the pine needle mat in every direction. It was soon discovered that * 
these mounds marked the burrows of Geotrupes chalybaeus since an 
occasional specimen could be dug out of the burrow beneath a mound 
by quickly thrusting a trowel or shovel into the ground so as to 
intercept the burrow. In a relatively small area, about 50 by 100 
feet, along the western edge of the pines almost a thousand mounds 
were counted. This was the maximum density encountered, although 
some were found almost everywhere the sand pines occurred. Not 
all were fresh, many showing the slumping effect produced by rains, 
and some were so old that only the difference in color indicated their 
former position. 
A series of “molasses traps” was extended from the edge of the 
