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r\OTES ON INSECTIVOROUS COLEOPTERA. 

B·f S. A. FORBES. 

1lou'1.'H STRUCTlJRES OF CARAJ~IDJE. 

111 Htl1(1}ri11g· tl1e foocl of l)i1·ds, I f 01,1nd it 11ecessa1·)7 to 
c·o11st1·uct a ke}T to tl1e g·e11era of tl1e Ca1"abidre, basecl })1·i--
1ua1·ily lll)011 tl1e mol1tl1 st1--11ctl11--es, a11d p1·e1Ja1·ed £01· this 
J)lll"pose a la1"g·e 111.1mber of slides of tl1e mo11tl1 1)a1·ts oi: 

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Illi11ois species. 111 st1,1clying these, two c11a1--acte1"s we1·e 
11oted, wl1ich p1--o,,.ecl to lJe of co11siclerable se1",rice ·for 
classifica.tio11. The fi1"st of tl1ese is t]Je f1"eque11t oblite1·ct­
tion of the s1,1t1.,1re bet,,Tee11 tl1e ment1.1n1 a11d the gl1la 
( callecl tl1e '' g·11la1" Sl1tl11·e '', l)),. D1 ... LeC011te, i11 ]1is ("'1lassi­
fication, Pt. I, l)}). X, XIII, 14, 15 ancl 16), tl1e n1e11tl1111 
l)ei11g, i11 sl1cl1 cases, co11nate with tl1e gula. This is t1·11e 
of Blecl1r1.,1s, altl1ougl1 in Trecl1ict1s a11d l\{etabletl1s of tllcj 
same g·rot1}) tl1e Sl1tl11·e is distinct. Tl1e ment11m is agc1i11 
conna.te in many s1Jecies, at least, of seve1"al gene1"a of 
Dapti a.11d E •t1r3rt1"icl1i; .. \'iz., GeopinllS, Anisoda·c·t3rlllS, 
Xesto11ot.11s, S1)ongo1111s a11cl ..c\.m1)]1asia; l)ut is 11ot co11-
11ate i11 N otl101)us, Piosomc:1, Discoderes 01· A11isota1"st1s. 
Tl1is cl1aracter was noticed no,,T l1e1--e else exce1)t i11 A 112 ct ,·ct 
an.(Jitstata, ~"'l1icl1 differs in tJ1is respect £1,om all tl1e otl1e1" 
1-1.marre 1n t]1e Labo1"ato1·y collectio11. Tl1is species is also 
1)ecl1lia1" i11 tl1e ver)T great develo1Jment of tl1e 11111scl1la 1· 

1--jdges 011 tl1e 11pper s11rface of tl1e mentum. 111 the Lel)ire 
tl1is 1ne11tal Sl1tu1"e is c1istinct in tl1e midc1le bt1t obsolete 
at tl1e e11cls. 

The seco11d characte1· 1"ef e1"1"ec1 to is f 01111cl i11 tl1e stiJ)es 
of the maxilla. Tl1is bocly is covered wit11 tl11·ee 1Jlates­
a11 011ter, closely co1111ected witl1 the palpus, a lower~ f1"om 
wl1icl1 the two lobes of tl1e 111axilla sp1"ing, a11cl a11 ll}Jl)ei· 
11late, wl1ich is a1Jplied to tl1e 1.,1nder surface o·f the mandi­
l;]e. Tl1e last of these ust1ally p1--esents, in the Harpalidm, 
n more 01" less promine11t ang·le at about the anterior tl1irc1 
of tl1e ot1ter margin, altl1ol1gh tl1is margin is sometimes 
1·eg11la r·l~y~ ct1J·,.,.ecl. I11 t,,ro g·e11e1·a, 1-\.go11ode1·u s and Sten-



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lti8 N ates on Insectivor·ous Coleoptera. 

olophus, tl1is l)late is produced forward and outward be­
yo11d the articulation with tl1e pal pus ( which th11s seems 
to spring from beneath it), forming-- an oblique lamina 
,,,itl1 a rounded oute1" a11gle and an acute tip. This cha1·­
acter seems to disting·11isl1 Stenolopl1us from Harpalus, 
as far as I ha,re been able to compa1"e the species. 

Foon oF THE C'ARABIDJE. 

Tl1e large numbers of Carabidre eaten by seve!al of ou1" 
con1mo11 birds make it important that the somewhat · 
dol1btfl1l foocl l1abits of this family should be more tl1or­
ougl1ly studied; and I l1ave undertalren the microscoJ)ic 
examination of tl1e co11tents of stomachs and intestines as 
one b1"anch of tl1is investigation. The facts thus obtain­
al,le pe1"l1aps cannot give 11s a com1::>lete idea of the foocl 
of tl1ese jnsects, b11t sho11ld probably be tal{en i11 co11nec­
tio11 v\7ith field observations, as tl1ese beetle.s are said fre-

, ql1ently on]y to suck tl1e juices of their pre3r, rejecting 
the solid }Jarts ; and w he1"e this has bee11 done tl1e fact will 
l)e 011ly obsc11rely indicated l)y tl1e contents of the alime11-
ta1"1T ca11al. 1Vhere this contained an abundance of fattJ" 

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r.h3rme witl1110 solid tissues to fix its so11rce, I have some-
times clo11btf11lly inferred such an event; bl1t 11sl1all~r 
liql1irl food will escape detection. 

Tl1e 1·esults of the exami11ations tl111s f a1,. macle a1"e s~ 
inte1"esti11g tl1a.t I am impelled to g·ive tl1e metl1od I ha,,.e 
1Jo1111d most s11ccessf11l a11d con,re11ie11t, witl1 the 11ope tl1a t 
otl1c\1•s 1nay tlll"n tl1ei1-- attention to tl1e san1c s11l)ject. Tl1e 
c1issectio11 sho11ld be macle as soo11 as 11ossil>le afte1· tl1c 
l)eetlc is talten-,vitl1jn a few d,1ys }tt fartl1eRt-as tl1e 
mo1"e u118tal)le elements of tl1e f oocl a1·e a1J1)a1·c11tlJ~ s0011 
cl1a11ged, e,re11 in st1"011g f1lcol1ol. lf tl1c l)cetle is ~1s la1·g·c\ 
as M e,qilla 111ac1llatct, tl1c elyt1"a a11(l wi11g·s may be Cllt off 
ancl tl1e11, w]1ile tl1e insect js l1elcl l)0t,, .. ee11 tl1c tl1t1ml) ~l11<l 

:finge1 .. of tl1e left ]1a11d, t]1e e<lg·es of tl1e abc.lon1e11 n1a.v l>r 
ca1·efl1lly t1·immccl away witl1 a 1Jair of fine scisso1--s (tl1ose 
~-itl1 c111"vrcl blades a1~e hest) leaving tl10 soft dorsal co,r­
c1--i11g· attacl1ed 011ly at tl1<\ l)ase nncl ti11. If 011e blrtc1e of' 
tl1e sc.i~sor·s l)c now ca,1·e1't1l])r 11<"tssecl 1111clc1· tl1is c1<)1·s,tl i11-

t0g11n1e11t, it n1a)r l)c c11t ac1·oss ,111d 1·cfl<)rtc(l (\>\ritl1 tl1e 



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Nut e~· uJi Jn,sectivo J'·oits Coleopte1"ct. 169 

f 01·c·ep s a11cl a mot111tecl n eedle) for,varcl s ancl backwards 
clll(l ct1t e11ti1·el~T awa)". It will next l1e necessary to un-
1·oof tl1e 1neso- a11cl meta-tl101"acic segme11ts, whiclJ. usually 
ro11t,c1i11 at le,1st a 1)a1--t of tl1e c1"op. It will not be difficult 
t(1 cl1t tl11 .. ot1g·h tl1e CI'l1sts of tl1ese seg·me11ts at eacl1 side 
"-it]1 t 11e scisso1"S-})Oi11ts . The terga may then be 1"emoved 
as l)efore, with fo1,.ce1:>s a11d 11eedle. The s1)ecimen (if not 
too la1 .. ge) sl1ould 110,v be trans£ er1 .. ed to a watch crystal, 
C<)\"e1~ed ,,Tith glycerine and placed on the stag·e of the 
n1ic1"oscope; ( a dissecting micr<Jscope is a convenience, 
b11t 11ot i11dis1)ensable ). With mounted needles· the repro­
<t11ct~, ,.e 01,.g·ans, t1rinary tubes, etc., can be pushecl out of 
i l1 e wa~ ... , v';T l1e11 tl1e c1--op, sto1nach and intestine will be 
scJe11, , ,.a1·iot1sl:"'" a1·1 .. ang·ed according~ to the family and 
ge11t1s. It is an easjr matte1" to cut the ·alime11tary canal 
loose at eitl101 .. end a11d to 1"e111 0,, e it f1"on1 tl1e l1ody, plac­
i11g it 111Jo11 a slide in a sl1allow cell, witl1 glyceri11e e11ot1gh 
to 1no1111t the co11tents. H e1"e tl1e s111Je1'flt101,1s strt1ctures 
sl1ot1lcl be picl{ed awa},., as f a1" as possible, ancl tl1e11 tl1e 
st omacl1 a11cl i11testines n1a)r l)e toi~n open ,,ritl1 neeclles, 
a11d thei1-- co11te11ts spreac1 ot1t a11cl picl{ecl i11 l)ieces t11)011 
tl1e slic1e. --'-i\_fte1" tl1e remo,ra l of the r·emna11ts, the cell 
1nay be co, ... er ecl a11d tl1e co11te11ts st11died witl1 an;r l)Ovve1" 
11ecessa1"3r. The covc1" sl1ot1l(l, of cou1'se, be finally ce­
me11 tecl clo,,11 a11d tl1e slicle p1"ese1~ved f 01" , ,e1"ification a11cl 
1--epea tecl examina ti 011. 

Gclle1,.ita janus.-A s1)ecimen of tl1is insect, taken at 
Bloomi11gton, in S e1)tember, containecl l1t1t little foocl. 
All tl1a t was 1"ecognized consi sted of i11sect f 1"ag·ment s, 
o~e of " r]1icb was a S})i11ose tibia. It was irn1)ossil~)le even 
to tell tl1e order of tl1e insect ea te11. 

Loxopeza ct.triventris.-Fou1" specime11s of this species 
,,Te1"e exami11ed, tb1"ee of ,,r l1icl1 w er e tal{en in J u11e a11d 
tl1e oth e1' jn Septeml)er·. Tl1e a limentary canal of tl1e first 
was e11ti1'ely em1Jty. Tl1e second, sent me 11y Mr. A. S. 
l\fcBr·ide, f1"om DeKalb cot1nt3T, l1ad eaten imme11se num­
bers of mi11ute, oval bi-nl1cleate cells, wl1icb, believing 
t he111 to lJe spores of fungi, I 1--eferred to Prof. T. J. Bu1"­
rill, of tl1e Illi11ois I11dust1"ial U niv.,.er sity . He re·portec1 
t }1P111 to l)e '' S}Jor es of 81)b~r o11emei, pro ba1)l~r Pl10111a' '-

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J 70 N ates 01i Insectivo,,.oits Coleopteir·a. 

,l ft1ngus w l1icl1 f 01"ms small, blaclt specks 011 dead woo cl, 
stems of weecls, etc. A tl1ird specime11 from the sa111e 
:source l1ad eaten some t1ndetermi11ed i11sect ancl abo11t 
equal quantities of tl1ree elements; viz., the above s1)01·es 
of Phoma, l)ollen and the antl1ers of g1--ass ( dol1btless 
l)lue-grass upon which the insect was talten) . A fe,,.,. 
c.lava te lJodies v\Te1"e also noticecl, co11sisti11g of a si11g·lc 
l"OW of nt1cleated cells-eviclently tl1e ac1"ospor·es of s0111e 
fu11g11s . r\. September specime11 - ,,Tas taken at N 01--ma1. 
Its c1--op was distended witl1 an oily liql1id, 1)11t co11tai11ecl 
no other visil)le food except a fe,v acrospores of a f1111g·l1s. 
This specime11 l1acl e,ridentl3r bee11 f eedi11g· lll)Oll a11i111al 
food of some sort. 

C alatli1f s g r·ega1ri2Js.-Tl1rce i11(li,7 i(l11als of tl1is :-;1 >(•cies 
were examined, all cat1ght 011 bll1e-g·rass in blosson1, b3r 
Mr. VVebster, of W ate1·ma11, a11cl J\llr. ~{cB1--ide, of F1--ee-
lancl. The cr·op a11cl msoyJl1a.g'us of the fi.1·st we1"e dis-
tended ,,Titl1 a l)row11 mass wl1icl1 p1·ovecl to be \\Tl1oll~; 
macle 11p of tl1e l)ollen ancl frag·me11ts of tl1e a11tl1e1·s of 
g·rass. A seco11d s1Jecime11 co11tai11ecl a s1nal]e1" an101111t 
of pollen a11d a11tl1e1·s of blt1e-g·I·ass, witl1 1ni11t1tc f1·c1p:­
ments of a blaclr and Rparsel)r l1ai1"y insect. ..._~11 a11tE\1111a 
proved that it was a lar,ra-p1"obabl37 a ")701111g cate1·1)illc11'. 
The third co11tainec1 t1"aces of a simila1" la1",,.<1 c111c1 t11e 
fragrnen ts of tl1e cor11ea of a 1)e1"f ect i11sect-e,"i(1cnt1 )- c1 
remnant of some former 1·epast. 

A nisodactyl1is balti,111 o 1·e1isis .-Tl1e si11gle s11ecin1c1l of 
tl1is s1)ecics l1ad 11ot recently tal{e11 foocl. Thr sto111clrl1 
,vas en1pt:)r; 1111t in t]1e intcsti11es was a la1·g·e a1l101111t of 
cl1yme w11icl1 possil)l}7 indicatrcl liquid animal f oocl. A 
speci1nen of A. r1vsticit s ga,,.c 011ly sin1il,11" 11cg·ati,1 t\ 1·e-
sults. 

A·nisodactyli,s ser-ice1t.CJ.-A speci1ne11 tal<e11 i11 ,T 1111t\ 

sl1owecl f1·agmcnts of a11tl1rrs and pollc11 of g·1·ass, " ri t l, 
other vcg·etal)lc tisst1es, a.pp a 1·011 t ]y de1"ivecl f 1·(11)1 t 1 ll~ 

seeds of grass. A small insect l1ac1 also l)ee11 rn ten, ,tR 

sl1own by particles ml1ch too fc,¥ and minl1tc f 01· <lcte1·­
mination. A seconcl specimen l1a.d tal<cn prccisrly si111il rt1· 
food-the insect ]1erc bei11g ro1)1·cse11tccl U)' cl fc,,,. 1·,tc1, t:4 
of the cornea. 



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"J,..T ates 01i lnsectivo,;·ous Coleop,te1~·a. 171 

A >tia1·a a1ig'ltstata.-One of tl1is s1)ecies, lil{ewise talcc11 
i11 Ju11e, l1ad also fed on ,regetatio11, as indicated l)y a few 
})articles of 1)a1·encl1yma. too f a1 .. dig·ested for 1·ecog·nition; 
l>t1t fully 11ine-te11tl1s of its food co11sistecl of s11he1·ical 
egg·s, in cliff e1,.e11t stag·es of develo1Jmo11t, rna11")7 of tl1e1n 
easily recog·11izable a8 tl1e egg·s of mites. The 1nost ac1-
, .,.a11ced e1nbr3ros l1ad six leg·s and a })ai1-- of larg·e l)ftl1)i; 
a11d, by the sha1Je of tl1e abdome11 a11d tl1e positio11 of tl1e 
Ieg·s, recalled the larvre of tl1e s1)i1111i11g n1ites ( Tetra--
11ycl1i). 

H ar·p·alrts p1e ti1isylva1r2icus DeG.-J\. s1)ecimen of tl1is 
s1)ecies taken r·t11111ing· in the 1"oad, at N or·1nal, At1gt.1st 31st 
l1ad the alime11ta1•3r canal ,\.,.ell filled witl1 , reg·etal,le tis­
sues, some of whicl1 were e,ride11tly deri,Tecl f1·0111 tl1e 
ovules and roots of grass. Amo11g these ,,Tere t]1e ti1Js of 
a11 ovule witl1 tl1e styles u11broke11 a11cl tl1e ti11 of a 1 .. ootlet 
witl1 the root-cap e11tire. A single mite was fo1111cl, a11cl a 
few ac1·ospo1·es of fu11g·i. Tl1is beetles "ras i11fcstecl h3r a 
lar·g~e 1111111l)e1" of i11t<:~sti11al parasites of the g·e1111s G1,.eg­
arina. A seco11c1 s1)ecimen l1ad eate11 similc1.1· , reg·eta1)1e 
food. llere a piece of tl1e e1)ide1"mis of a 1"ootlet, still cov­
ered vvith tricl101nes, was 11otecl, as well as se,1 e1 .. al I"oot­
tips and f rag·me11ts from the g·1"0,,Ting· ti11s of g1·ass. Pieces 
of tJ1e epide1"mis of grass witl1 their· pec11lia1· zig·zag· cell 
boundaries, co11firmed tl1ese dete1·mi11a tio11s. A detacl1ec1 
stigma of a g1"ass £101,.et and a few stylos1)01~es co1n1)letecl 
the food. A third s1)ecime11, taken at N 01·n1al 011 tl1e 5t11 
of Septembe1·, co11tai11ec1 some , .. egeta l)le tiss11es "Tith 
spiral cells, tl1e ma11clible a11d max11la of a11 c111t ant1 ,Ta;"'t 
numbe1·s of mi11ute, spl1e1·ical corpuscles, wl1icl1 P1·ofesso1-­
Burrill regarded as fo1--ms of bacte1"ia st1cl1 as occur· on 
stagnant water. Tl1is beetle l1acl a I)par·en tly sl{in1med tl1is 
minute vegetatio11 from tl1e su1"face of some pool. Tl1e 
fourtl1 specime11 of this species, received in Se11ten1ber·, 
from Mr. Webster, who collected it fro1n tl1e l1loss()1ns of 
ragweed, I fot1nd to l1ave eaten large ()uantities of veg·e­
table tissue, tl1e fr·agme11ts of ,i\rl1icl1 sho,i\red b1·anchecl 
bundles of spiral ducts ,vitl1 pare11cl1yma betwee11. These 
were evidently the l,racts or otl1er flo1"al organs of t.l1e 
ragweed. 



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J 72 Notes on Insectivorous Coleoptera. 

H ar1Jalus caliginosits.-A single individual, running 
free upon the ground, had gorg·ed itself with pla11t and 
animal food-apparently about three times as mucl1 of 
the forme1" as of the latter. In the crop were a few hai1"s 
of a caterpillar a11d much half-dig·ested muscle, witl1 
spores of f 1111gi, a little e1Jidermis of some graminaceous 
l)la11t a11d a f e .. \\T 1, olle11 g·rains of Compositre. In the stom­
ach was a g1--eat d eal of cl1}rme, with fragments of tl1e 
wi11gs and tarsi of some mi11ute di1Jter, more pollen of 
C'o1npositre a11d some veg·eta.ble parencl1yma, apparently 
derivec1 f r·om u11ripe seeds of g·r·ass. In the ilel1m ancl 
colon these last-me11tioned tiss1,1es preclominated, al­
though the ·1atter c911tained also a large quantit3r of pol . 
len of Compositre i11disting11ishable from tl1at of 1--agweed 
(Amb1~osia). Here we1"e also fot111d two feet of a larva­
IJossibl3r of tl1e previously me11tioned caterpillar. It is 
wo1--th>'" of 11otice that these Harpali were fl1ll of eggs, of 
,,¥hich the1~e were abo11t six i11 eacl1 abdomen. Tl1e c1~op of 
tl1e seco11d specimen, talten at Normal, in Septembe1--, was 
cliste11cled with a b1,.ow11, oily fluid, contai11ing no recogniz­
able mate1"ial. In the intestine was a small mite and con­
siclerable veg·etal)le parenchyma, apparently de1·ived 
f1"om some yo11ng· seecls or ovules of plants. A little par·­
allel-vein ec1 ,regetal,le tisst1e ,,ras also see11, e,ri<le11t1>~ 
cle1,.i·ved f 1"om g~rass. 

H a1·1J1alu.s lierbivagit s .- A specin1en of this l)eetle, tal{en 
hy l\{r. McBride in J t1 ly, \\Tas filled with _cryptogamic veg·­
etatio11 wl1icl1 l1ad tl1e f or1n of a dense mat of sle11de1· 
l)ra11chi11g~ tul,es enclosi11g~ 111any spl1erical cells. This, 
P1"of esso1-- B11r1·ill, to \\rhom 011e of tl1e slides of this ma­
terial was 1"ef er1--ed, 1·eg·arcled as a flesl1y or ca1"tilag~i11011s 
f1111g·11s witl1 Palmella rrlls, a.ltl1ot1gl1 110 tl1ol1gl1t tl1at it 
might l1a,re been tle1·ived f1"0111 a licl1e11. .Lt\_ scconcl speci­
me11, ol1tainecl by Mr. W el1str1~, in Ma1"cl1, l1a(l e,ridentl)'" 
been feeding 011 tl1e yo1111g s11oots of grass. 

C i·at ctca1itl1,us d1ibi'l1 s .- 011e of tl1is species, t<:llte11 ,t t 
N or"n1al, in A1tgust, co11tained 110 apparr11t food except a 
f ew s po1"cs of fu11gi. In tl1e stomach were gr·eat 11t1111be1·R 
of G1·0g·arina, apparently of tl1e san1c s11ccies as tl1ose 
f Ol1ncl in H a1·1?al1r,,c; penn.'iylva11ir·1tts. I11 tl1r col<>11, eR110-



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I 

.Votes on Insectivorous Coleop 1tera. 173 

cially, sco1"es of tl1ese pa1"asites i11 the '' resting· state'' 
formed considerable masses whicl1 l1alf filled the i11tes­
tines. 

Evartlirus colossu1s.-One of this species, take11 in Sep­
tember, l1ad eaten a brown beetle of medium size, the 
fragments of which filled tl1e whole alimentar3r ca11al. 
:B7 1"om the ge11e1--al appea1--ance of these, from tl1e ti1Js of 
011e ante1,.ior and one middle tibia a11d from a n1axilla1"y 
palpus, it was inferred that this beetle was 011e of the 
Scarabreidre. A fragment of a mandible showing· a ridg~ed 
masticato1"y surface, made it likely that it ,,Tas a veg·e­
table feeder·. There v?as no trace of vegetable food in t11is 
Evarthrus. Another specimen, taken at N 01·mal, i11 Sep-

• 

tember, l1ad eaten a la.rge Coleopterous lar,7a a11d two 
mi11ute, indeterminable insects. Trac.es of co11f e1--voicl 
.LL\.lgre were also discovered in tl1e intestine. 

Pterostichus sa,yi.-A specimen of this species, talre11 
at Normal, in September, was full of the remains of a11 
t1nrecognizecl hai1--y insect ,vitl1 two tarsal claws. 

Pterosticliu:s lucublandus.-Tl1is specim.en, taken like­
wise at Normal, in Septembe1--, contained a mt1ltitude of 
f1"agments of some Hymenopterous insect, .including~ a 
maxillary palpus and a labrum nearly entire, with pieces 
of the legs and tarsi. This beetle had also ea ten a small 
mite and a few acrospoI·es of fungi. 

C'hl(13niits to1nentosus.-One of this species, taken at 
Normal, in September, co11tai11ed tr·aces of insect foocl 
not otherwise determined, ancl a nematoid parasite. 

Chl(131iius diffinis.--A specimen of tl1is species, taken 
·L1nder a log, near Normal, in September, contained traces 
of some crt1staceous insect, with pieces of vegetable tis­
sue (apparently wood) penetrated by the mycelium of a 
fung'lls. Large vegetable fragments were also seen, whic]1 
Professor Burrill determined as pieces of a large, fleshy 
fungus. The stomach likewise contained acrospores of 
Dematiei. 

Bradycellus dichrous.-A specimen, tal{en at Bloom­
ington, i1L September, had eaten insect food not other­
wise determinable. 



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17 4 1Votes oii lnsectivo1·01,s C oleoptera. 

Twent)r-eig·ht specimens of Carabidre, representing sev-
011teen s1)ecies, are l1ere 1"eported. It will be see11 that 
twenty-one specimens, belonging· to fifteen species, hacl 
0aten a11imal food, a11d that twenty specimens, belonging· 
to eleve11 species, had eaten vegetation of some sort. I 
estimated as caref11ll3r as possible the relative amounts 
of tl1ese t,,ro kin els of food in the alime11tary canal of eacl1 
i11sect, a11cl from tl1ese data concluded that abot1t half tl1e 
food of these t,,,enty-eight specimens consisted of vegeta­
tion, a11cl tl1at one-tl1ird of it consist ed certainly of i11-
sects-tl1e 1"e1naincler being made 11p of ~loubtful animal 
matter. -Al1out 011e-tl1ird of the vegetable food had been 
de1"ived f 1·0111 cryptoga.mic plants and a11otl1er from the 
differe11t strt1ctl1res of g1--asses, Compositre and otl1e1-­
n1iscella11eot1s , 1 egetatio11 making~ 11p tl1e remainde1--. C'o11-
sidering· tl1e fact, l1owe,re1", that tl1e commonest species 
we1--e f ou11d feeding 11po11 vTegetatio11 far tl1e most g·en­
erall)r, it is lil{ely tl1at, tal{i11g the Carabidre as a group, 
11ot mo1"e than one-tl1irc1 01" one-fo11rth of their average 
food co11sists of animal matte1". 

Foon OF PoDABRUS. 

The conte.11ts of tl11·ee stomacl1s of P ocl ab ,·1ls to11ie11 -
tosils we1--e exami11ed; a11d all t l1ese l1ad eate11 011ly tl1e 
spo1·es of Pl10111a me11tionecl u11de1" LoxQpeza. Tl1e speci- · 
mens wer·e all sent .1110 i11 J111}7, b3r ~!1·. A. S. ~!fcBridc, of 
Freelancl, Ill. 

:B1 oon OF CoccrNELLIDJE. 
C oc·ci1·iella nove11•l-tl otatc, ... -Two specime11s wl1ich were 

t~1ke11 at N 01--mal, i11 A11g11st, ~7e1--e cxa111ined, ag·1"eeing 
,rery closely jn tl1ei1· f oocl, eacl1 ]1 aving eate11 various 
s1)01--cs of fu11g·i ( a l>o11t 11inet3,. per cent.) a11cl 1)la11t-lice 
( t e11 pe1-- ce11t.). 1\.n1011g· tl10 fl1ngus spo1--es, Prof esso1· 
Bur1"ill, to ,,,.l1om tl1e3r we1"e s11l)mitted, 1"ecognized Sl)Ol"CS 

of U stil a,qo anrl H el1111,i1itlio,~po1··iit,111; and a few ]ic1tc11 
8po1·es we1--e also 11oticed. 

Brachyctcan th1a ·1tr-.c,ina.- Tl1e stomac]1 of 011e indivicl11c1l 
of this s1Jccics contujned only a few fung·l1s spo1"'es. * 
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* I l1ave assu1·ecl m yself tha t none of the fling·i fot1 nd in ll1e .. 1li1ne11tn,1·y 
<'flnals of t1'1 ei:-e beetles were entophytes. 



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Flippoda1'liici co1z·ve1rgens.-A speci1nen, ca1Jturod in 
... t\.t1gl1st, at N 01·n1al, l1ad eaten gr·eRt quantities o·f ft1ngus 
S})OI"es, wl1ich com11osed about th1--ee-fot11"tl1s of its food. 
F1·ag111ents of a mite a11d a plant-lot1se and a little polle11 
of f:01l1positffi we1·e also f otmd. In a seco11d specimen, 
take11 in Se11tembe1", tl1e remains of a my1 .. iapod belong­
in~ to tl1e family Geopl1ilidre, acros1)ores of a f11ngus, the~ 
pollen of Co1npositre anc1 tl1e 1"emains of a plant-louse 
,~y•e1·e the 011ly elen1e11ts noticecl. 

JJJ eg·illa 11iac·ulata,.-Tl1ree specimens of this species 
,, .. ere dissectecl-one recei,red from Mr. Webster in May, 
one from 1\{r. 1\1cB1"ide i11 J ul}r, ancl one take11 at Normal 
j11 Se11tember. Tl1e specimen from Mr. ,~ ebste1-- was cap­
tt1r·ed 011 tl1e flo,,re1"s of c1andelio11s. Its entire alime11ta1"y 
ca11al was closel)r pacl~ed witl1 l1exag·onal, spinose polle11 
cells, dot1l1tless taken fr·orn tl1at plant. A seco11d had 
ea tf1n tl1e a11tl1e1"s and J)olle11 of grass witl1 a few spores 
of l\1J1 xog·astres. * Tl1e tl1i1-c1 S})ecimen contained polle11 
tt11d fung·t1s S}J01"es i11 about equal q11antities. Wl1ile these 
C'ocri11ellidre l1acl 111acle g·oocl tl1eir 11st1al 1"e}Jt1tatio.n aR 
011e111ies of })lant-lice, it sho11ld be noticecl tl1at these con­
stitutecl onlJr al)ot1t te11 pe1" cent. of tl1eir food. 

If these specimens of the ,Tarious families of p1·ecla­
ceous 1Jeetles a1"·e fair· examples of tl1ei1" class, t]1e al,ove 
facts implJT tl18.t tl1e i11di\Tidual c.a1 .. nivoro11s insect is 
1nl1cl1 less ,Tall1a l)le tl1an l1as l1sually been supposed, wl1ile 
111"edar-ro11s i11sects as a class are m11ch more beneficial. 
If these SJJeci es a1"e I)I"eclaceol1s, as a rule, not more tba11 
from 011e-fourtl1 to 011e-tl1ircl of the time, the injury done 
l}y tl1e dest1"11ction of 011e of tl1em is very mucl1 less than 
if tl1e)" were, as is 1,1sually supposed, almost ,,1 l1oll3r car-
11i ,roro11s. B11t, 011 tl1e ot]1er hand, if tl1ey can live on tl1e 
soft })arts of plants ,vl1e11 animal food becomes scarce, 
their nl1mbers ,,1 ill be maintai11ed at a far l1igher figure 
tl1an wol1ld be possible if tl1e)T we1~e dependent t1pon a11i­
:tna,l food alo11e. Pref erru1g animal food to vegetal1•le, as 
t11ey do11btless do wl1en eqt1ally obtainable, they operate 
as a much more effective cl1eck on the undue i11crease of 
otl1er insects tl1a11 if tl1eir nl1mber were at all times strict-

* Burrill. 



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17 6 Notes on I nsectiv 01,·oits C oleo pt era. 

ly limited by the 11u1nbers of tl1eir food s1)ecies. v,7 e 
should remember, i11 tl1is connectio11, that we cannot 01;­
dinarily ex1)ect of any predaceo11s animal tl1at it ,,rill clo 
more tha11 to eliminate tl1e excess of the species it p1--e>~s 
11pon, kee1)i11g· their numl,ers clown witl1in ce1"tai11 co11-
stant limits. As a p1--udent sove1--eig·n finds it "\i\rortl1 wl1ile 
to n1ai11tain a ml1cl1 large1-- fig~11ting .force tha11 is 11eces­
sary to tl1e ordinary administ1 .. ation of bis gove1--nn1e11t, i11 
order tl1at he may have always a 1--eserve of powe1-- witl1 
which to meet aspiring· rebellion, so it is to the ge11e1"al 
a dv·an tag:e tl1a t carni vo1 .. ol1s i11sects shol1ld a bol111cl i11 

<...; 

larg·e1" numbers than col1ld fi11d s11stenance i11 tl1e 01--cli-
nary st11,.plus of insect 1--ep1"oduc.tion. They ,,rill tl1e11 l)e 
p1 .. eparec1 to concentrate a11 o,rerwl1elming attacl{ upon 
any g1 .. oup of insects which becomes suddenly s11pe1--al)u11-
clant. It is evide11tly impossible, l1owever, that tl1is 
1"ese1 .. ve of predaceo11s s1Jecies sl1011ld be maintainec1 un­
less they co11ld be s11pported, at least i11 part, upo11 foocl 
derived from otl1e1" sol1rces tl1a11 the l,odies of livi11g 
animals. 

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