Dec. 1S9S.] Motter : Study of 'jhe Fauna of the Grave. 225 
On dogs buried for five months were found Conicera sp., adult 
flies and larvae, together with Uropoda sp., identical with that found 
on dogs after three months’ interment, but differing from that found 
on human cadavers ; and, finally, an Elaterid beetle, Monocrepidius 
belIns Say, identical with that found on human cadavers after three 
years and two months’ interment. 
At this point the experimental work with dog cadavers ceased ; 
fiist because there was such abundant material from the cemetery, and, 
secondly, because, according to Dr. Wyatt Johnston’s experience, the 
results would be apt to be more confusing than helpful. Writing of 
his own observation in this line, Dr. Johnston said: “We were 
especially struck with the circumstance that Coleoptera which attack 
the bodies of animals early, i. <?., in a few days, will not attack human 
bodies unless these have been exposed some months. For this reason 
we avoided control experiments with dead animals and dead meat, as 
unreliable and misleading-.” 
One other line of experimental investigation proved interesting 
and suggestive, though it was pursued in but two cases. At the sug¬ 
gestion of Mr. E. A. Schwarz, we buried in a cemetery, at a depth of 
three feet, two empty boxes which had been thoroughly cleaned and 
then closed with a well fitting cover securely nailed on. As it hap¬ 
pened, we were enabled to place each of these boxes in a lot adjoining- 
one in which an interment had recently been made, thus approximat¬ 
ing, as nearly as might be, the conditions of an actual interment. After 
two months one of the boxes was taken up and found to contain a 
young Araneid, Agalena ncevia Htz., several young Acarids of the 
Gamasid family, many Podurids (Thysanura), an undetermined 
Psocid, one small beetle, Trichopteryx haldemani Lee., and three 
Mycetophilid flies, Sciara sp. The second box, which was buried 
for a little over three months, was not quite so prolific, containing 
only one Araneid, Theridium tepidariorum Koch, and a few Podurids 
and Lepidocyrtus sp. (Thysanura). These small insects were no 
doubt feeding upon the delicate black fungus with which the boxes 
had become lined. 
It is highly probable that further experiments, in this line might be 
productive of interesting results. In the last case noted in the above 
list (No. 150) an empty (?) coffin, exhumed after seven years and 
three months, contained, among other things, the same beetle, Eleusis 
pallida Lee., which was found in such great numbers and under such 
