!M/W HU I (i I !ntomological News AND PROCEEDINGS OK TI1K ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. VOLUME XVIII, 1907. EDITOR : HENRY SKINNER, M. D. PHILIP I'. CALVERT, Ph.D., Assonat.- Editor. ADVISORY COMMITTEE : / :A T. CRESSON HKNRY i.. VIKKECK J. A. i;. i > LIP LAURENT WILLIAM J. I II. \V . \M PHILADELPHIA : ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS Tin-: ACADKMY OF NATI K \i. S( MM i - LOGAN SQUAKl . 1907. P. C. STOCKHAUSEN PRINTER 53-55 N. ?TH ST., PHILADELPHIA INDEX TO VOLUME XVIII. (Notes and articles on geographical distribution are indexed undei U ,| t | H . States or countries concerned, and not under the specie's listed il, >f new or re-described forms. New generic and specific names are marked \\ ilh GENERAL SUBJECTS. Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila., Entom. Section of 28, 29, 30, 265, 266, 456. Alamogordo, N. Mex., Faunal features of 398 Aleutian Islands, Expedition to 256 American Entomological So- ciety, 31, 32, 266, 267, 268, 454, 455- Apterism, Origin of 16 Army worm 454 Biologia Centrali- Americana, Progress of 106 Bionomics, Insect 426 Bird attacked by Belosioma. . 452 Blood-sucking Psyrhodidae in America 101 Boll-weevil 64, 65 Brooklyn Entomologists, Rem- iniscences of 71 Brooklyn Entomological So- ciety, 69, 70, 71, 72, 257, 406, 411, 412, 457. Bug hunting no California Academy of Scien- ces 109 Cambridge Entomological Club 450 Cards for data 155 Cattle-fly, Hawaiian 262 Cattle tick 66 Central America, Champion's travels in 33, 62 Classification of insects . . . 243 Cocoons, Insects living in ce- cropia 365, 408 Collecting, Most advantageous method of 69 29 1 68 Cotton Belt, Association of Official Entomologists of . . 64 Crippled insects, How to de- velop II2 Cyanitletubes for small insects. 320 Delayed emergence from pupa. 257 DeLuxe editions of entomo- logical works 157 Dimorphism of Aphids (31 Domestic fowl, new parasite of 399 Double mounts, Method of . Economic Entomology . . . Editorials, 25,59, IQ 6, 160, 213, 254, 317, 364, 399, 449- Eggs laid by insects, Number of Entomological Literature, 26, 255, 257, 332, 363, 402, 450. Entomological Society of Amer- ica, 62, 162, 257, 317, 368, 453. Entomologists dine 366 Entomology at 7th Internal. Zool. Congress Errata 216, 454 Feldman Collecting Social, 67, 68, no, 215, 216, 319, 4 409, 410, 45*. Florida, Collecting in . 319. 45-1 Food plants on color, 1 li.- ( t ,,i Frog swallowing dragonfly . Galapagos Is., Expedition to. 105, 164, 260. Glossary of Entomology Glucose in honey Guatemala, Champion coll ing in Habits of . Intho Habits of /;>,/,/;'//<"/ tiiiinti 11 INDEX. Hybrids . . . 265 Hydrochinone crystals, Plodia feeding on 451 Identify insects, Specialists willing to, 59, 105, 161, iSS, 214, 251, 253, 256. Increase and decrease of in- sects, Periodical 257 Increase of insects in cities . 72 International Entomological Congress 399 Lake Laboratory, Ohio Uni- versity 214 Life zones in California . . . 263 Luminous insects 318 Mating of diverse species . . 412 Mexico, Collecting in . . 30, 231 Mimicry 268, 409 Mosquito extermination . . . 263 Mosquito survey of Pennsylva- nia 29 Myrmecophily 328 Newark Entomological So- ciety, in, 264, 265, 367, 373. New species, Sources of error in describing 106 Nomenclature, Dignity of 411, 457 Obituary : Carroll, J 450 Heiser, R 112 Hoyer, F in, 112 Merrick, H. D .... 320 Simpson, C. B . . . 112 Osten Sacken, Books from li- brary of Baron 409 Pacific Coast Entomological Society 259, 260 Panama, Champion collecting in 40 Pennsylvania, most southern insects of ... 456 Personals : Baker, C. F . . ... 402 Bradley, J. C . ... 14 Chambliss, C. E. ... 450 Champion, G. C. . . . 62 Clark, W. T 161 Comstock, J. H . . 334, 444 Cordley, A. B. . . . 138 Cresson, E. T., jr. . . 363 Elrod, M. J 89 Engel, H 214 Fletcher, J 332 Grossbeck, J. A. ... 161 Hebard, M . . . . 334 Kaeber, H 336 McCIendon, J. F . . 365 Needham, J. G 162 Pilsbry, H. A . 26 Quayle, H. J . . . . 132 Rehn, J. A. G . . . 109, 334 Sanderson, E. D. . . . 365 Schaus, W 205 Skinner, H 332 Slosson, Mrs. A. T. . . 251 Smith, R. I 400 Snow, F. H 27 Spooner, C. S 365 Van D.yke, E. C. ... 256 Volk, W. H 132 Wenzel, H. A 336 Willing, T. N 332 Williston, S. W . . 164 Phylogeny of insect orders . 243 Pitcher-plant insects 413 Plants injured by insects : Acalypha 171 Ambrosia 357 Apple 172 Arctium 171 Aster 172 Baccharis 172 Baptisia 362 Cakile 172 Callirrhoe 361 Capsicum 366 Castor oil plant 453 Chestnut 172, 173 Clirysantlu'iniun ... 172 Cotton 64 Cranberry 17 Croton . ^61 INDEX. in Cuscuta 172 Cydonia 172 Deringa 172 Galpinsia 363 Grindclia 360 Hazel 338 Helenium 381 Hickory . 362 Impatiens 341 Iva 172 Locust 454 Mcnlzclia 381 Monaitla 381 Myrtle 172 Parsnip 172 Peach 108 Pine 162 Poplar 173 Potent ill a . . .' . . . 172 Rhamnus 172, 173 Rubus 338 Sarraccnia 413 Sidfi-anthus .... 357, 385 Soianuin 359, 360 Su/idago 172 Straw- flowers 63 Vicia 172 Vinca 172 \Valiiut 340 Washingtonia 172 Willow in Xa n tin 'inn . . . . 380, 385 Xanthoxylum . . 381,384 Yucca 31 Plants visited by bees, 51, 178, 195, 287, 288, 293, 396, 397, 409, 447. Polyembryony 9 Preservation of collections against insect enemies . . . 443 Santa Clara Valley Entom. Club 163, 262, 263 Shade tree-insect problems . 406 Southern California Entom. Club 61 St. Lawrence and Saguenay Rivers, Collecting on ... 258 32 335 Things to be done ...... 160 Variation in offspring .... 314 Variation in venation, Geo- graphical Ventriloquist, An insect . . ARACHNIDA. Caddo spp .......... 161 Greeniella .......... 44* Hacinaphy salis leporis-palus- tris ......... 375. 378 Mites on West African Bees . . .|4S Paragreenia* ........ 448 Phalangid notes ....... 161 Tick parasitized by Hymenop- ter ............ 375 COLEOPTERA. Acmaeodera ........ 176 Agrilus .......... 176 Alaephus puberulus* .... 175 spp ...... 175- 1/6 Aleocharinae, Casey on . . 26, 60 Anthojioinus aeneotinctus . . 366 AphodiHS blaisdclli ..... 177 Arizona, C. of, 7, 261, 301, 305, 306, 410, 457. Baris inonardae* ...... 380 " xanthii* ....... 379 Bee cells, C. from ...... 446 Boll-weevil ......... 64 California, C. of . . . 259, 301, 446 Coccinellids and aphids . . . 171 Colorado, C. of ....... 60 Corymbites ......... 176 Delphastus pusillus ..... 338 Evil-smelling beetle ..... 367 Galeruca poinonae ..... 269 Haliplidae, Characters of . . 70 Hibernation of C ...... n>s Ilololcpta beyeri* ...... 302 spp. . . 301, 302, 303 Idaho, C. of ....... 174 Illinois, C. of .... 60, 108, 269 Inopcplus .......... 251 Labrador, C. of ...... 72 Languria mozardi ovipositing. 366 IV INDEX. Lcptogenius 176 Leptotheca 251 Leptusa caseyi* 61 Louisiana, C. of .... 361,385 Manitoba, C. of 457 Mexico, C. of . 32, 233, 234, 303, 366 Microweisia 176 Missouri, C. of 88 Mounting small C ..... ji iMycetina idahoensis* .... 174 spp. . .... 174 New Jersey, C. of, 63, 266, 320, 408, 409, 410. New Mexico, C. of 458 Nomiu s pygmaeus 367 Ohio, C. of 269 O ma/odes spp 305 Oxypoda dubia* 61 Pennsylvania, C. of . 266, 267, 410, 454. Pepper-weevil 366 Phanaeus 68, 2 1 6 Phengodes 3r8 Plusiotis beyeri 7 Quebec, C. of 258 Rhynchophora . . . 356, 366, 379 Saskatchewan, C. of 457 Scymnits 176 Strawfiowers, C. on 63 Synonymy in Aleocharinae . 60 Texas, C. of .301, 356-363, 380-385 Utah, C. of 175 West Virginia, C. of ..... 60 Zygobarinus* 385 Zygobaris 382 xanthoxyli* . . . 383 Zygobaroides* 384 schwarzi* . . 384 DIPTERA. Apiochacta braunsi* 391 California, D. of, 134, 136, 242, 263, 291, 386. Cape Colony, D. of 392 Cecidomyia acarivora* .... 242 Chilosia spp 239, 240 Chironomidae 400 Chrysogaster spp 238 Chrysops hinei* 143 parvulus* 142 spp. . . . 139 216, 268 Columbia, District of, D. of . . 450 Colorado, D. of, 135, 239, 240, 241, 400. Culicidae, Classification of . . 151 Eristalis spp 241 Florida, D. of 268 Flebotomus cruciatus* .... 102 vexator* . . 102, 177 Guatemala, D. of 102 Idaho, I), of . . 135, 238, 240, 241 Kansas, D. of 239 Lipoptcna subiilata* 290 Maryland, D. of 102 Melanostomu sp 240 Melophagns ov inns, Vitality of. 208 Metelasinus* 292 psendopterus* . . 292 Montana, D. of 135 Mosquito extermination . . . 263 New Hampshire. D. of ... 291 New Jersey, D. of, 68, 139, 216, 320, 408, 411, 455. New York, D. of 400 Paraguay, D. of 292 Pennsylvania, D. of, 216, 288, 408, 410, 455. Pipiza spp 238-9 Plastophora 430 Protenthes* 400 Pseudacteon 430 Psychoda schizura 386 Pupipara of N. America 103, 208, 290. Scale-vestiture of Culicidae . 151 Scellus spp. 133, 136 virago* . . . . 133, 136 South Dakota, D. of . 135, 239, 240 Sphegina spp 241 Subapterous Tipula 15 Tachinidae 288 Texas, D. of 360, 362 INDEX. Tipula simplex 15 Virginia, D. of 450 Vitality of sheep tick .... 208 Volucella sp 241 Washington, D. of 240 Wyoming, D. of ...... 135 Xylota sp : 241 HEMIPTERA. Acanthosoma 49 Agylla 51 Alabama, H. of . . . 124, 125, 187 Aleyrodes coryli* 337 " morrilli* 340 waldeni* 339 Aphids and Coccinellids ... 171 Aphids, Dimorphs of .... 431 Aphids, Food plants of ... 171 Belostoma attacking bird . . . 452 Benacus, Eggs of 113 British Guiana, Reduviidae of 50 Chaitophorus negundinis . . . 431 Cicada da vis i* 127 " linnei* 127 " sayi* 124 " simularis* 125 " spp 67, 68, 72, 116 Clincoris 49 Colorado, H. of 431 Columbia, District of, H. of . 126 Connecticut, H. of 337 Ctenothrips* 247 bridwelli* .... 248 Diaditus pilosicornis* .... 50 Elasmotethiis 49 Elasniucha 49 Florida, H. of ... 125, 126, 128 Illinois, H. of 114,127 Indiana, H. of 125 Iowa, H. of 126 Kentucky, H. of 124 Lachnus platanicola 187 Massachusetts, H. of .... 127 Michigan, H. of 127 Mississippi, H. of 124 New Hampshire, H. of . 250,340 New Jersey, H. of, 32, 67, 109, 116, 124, 125, 127, 128. New York, H. of, 72, 124, 125, 128, 129. North America, Acanthosoma- tinae of 48 North Carolina, H. of . . 127, 433 Nova Scotia, H. of 126 Pennsylvania, H. of . . . 68, 109 Periodical Cicada . . . 67, 72, n s Quebec, H. of 126 Thelocoris 51 Tibicen spp 1 29 Utah, H. of 128 Virginia, H. of 425 Wisconsin, H. of 126 HYMENOPTERA, Africa, Bees of West 447 Andrena, Key to .... 280, 365 spp.* . 280, 283, 284, 285, 286, 455. Anthophora spp and var* . 395-7 Australia, H. of 46 Bee cells, Beetles from .... 446 Bombns spp 91,93, 196-9 " nigrodorsalis* ... 90 California, H. of 187, 446 Colorado, H. of 397 Compendia bifasciata .... 237 Connecticut, H. of . 280. 365, 395 Crocisa beafissima* 46 Encarsia luieola 339 Georgia, H. of 89, 107 Ixodiphagus* 377 " 1 1'. \-amiS" . . 377, 446 Louisiana, H. of 361 Lysiphlebus 458 Macropis clypeata* 293 Maine, Bees of 195 Massachusetts, H. of . . 395 Mexico, H. of 91, 92 Nebraska, Bees of . . 51, 178, 293 New Jersey, H. of, 63, 265, 268, 394, 409. New Mexico, Bees of .... 395 VI INDEX. New York, H. of 412 Nomada ruidosensis .... 398 Panurginus spp.* . . . 179-185 Parasitic H. . 63, 89, 107, 237, 339. 356-363, 375, 384, 385- 448, 458. Parasitic H., Development of 9 Perdita spp.* . . .51-4, 57-8, 393-4 Peru, H. of 93 Podagrion mantis 89, 107 Priophorus acericautis, Para- site of 63 Psithyrus spp 199 Spin oliella helianthi* .... 178 hesperia* .... 186 Sympiesis quercicola .... 63 Texas, H. of, 356-363, 378, 384, 385 Trigona sp 448 Viereckella* 298 spp.* ... 299-300 Virginia, H. of 300 Xylocopa californica arizo- nensis 395 LEPIDOPTERA. Alberta, L. of 327 Anosia plexippus migrating . 402 Anthocharis olympia .... 73 Apatitesis figurata 314 Argynnis nitocris nigrocoe- rulea 318 Arizona, L. of, 29, 32, 68, 200, 205, 252, 264, 345. Battle, Butterflies in 161 Brown-tail moth .... 406, 407 California, L. of, 70, 150, 300, 310, 311, 378, 401. Cecropia cocoon, Insects living in . . . . 365, 408 Cnidocampa flavescens . . . 321 Cocoon of Chelepteryx ... 71 Colias spp 259 Colorado, L. of 48, 327 Connecticut, L. of 62 Crambus daeckellus* .... 44 " placidellus* .... 44 Cymatophora festa . . . 148, 205 " sulphur ea .... 17 Delayed emergence from pupa 257 Depressaria flavicomella* . . 276 Distilled water for larvae . . 373 Elaschista albicapitella* . . . 277 Enchoria 310 Eosin stain for wings .... 215 Erebus odora 453 Euphenolia* 252 " skinnerata* , . . 252 Eupithecia spp.* .... 342-350 Exyra riding sii 413 " semicrocea 416 Florida, L. of 48, 389 Geometrids, Notes on 146, 204, 252, 45i. Georgia, L. of . 48 Glaea sericea 19 Gonodontis^ 451 Gracilaria pennsylvaniclla* . 278 Gypsy moth 406, 407 Haeinatopsis grataria annet- tearia* 45 Hybrid L 265 Hydriomena spp. . . 146, 147, 204 Illinois, L. of . . . . 48, 132, 398 Incisalia henrici, Cook : In defense of 333 Indiana, L. of 74 Iowa, L. of 48 Leucania unipuncta 454 Louisiana, L. of 132 Lycaena cmigdionis 300 Lycaenid caterpillars, Myrme- cophily of 328 Lygranthoecia mortua . 358, 361 Macaria spp _. 149 Manitoba, L. of 48 Massachusetts, L. of, 17, 19, 3 2 i, 347- Massa/a obvertens ..... 251 MelalopJia ornata 200 Mesoleuca hn/sfafa* 311 Mexico, L. of 165, 235 Migrating L 402 INDEX. vn Minnesota, L. of 48 Missouri, L. of, 27, 88, 132, 306, 312, 401. Morpho thoosa 165 Myriads of L. at St. Louis . . 27 Nacophora minima 151 New Hampshire, L. of. 132,279, 327 New Jersey, L. of .31, 44, 45, 48, 82, in, 132, 217, 264, 327, 373, 458. New Mexico, L. of .... 48, 318 New York, L. of 373 North Carolina, L. of . 48, 94, 132, 350, 415- Nova Scotia, L. of 327 Offspring, Variable 314 Ohio, L. of . . . 45, 48, 132, 402 Ontario, L. of ... . . 48, 425 Oregon, L. of 259 Packard's geometrid types . . 451 Papilio ajax 306 Pennsylvania, L. of, 32, 44, 48, 68, 132, 206, 250, 276, 277, 2/8, 279, 453, 454. Plagodis spp.* 206, 207 Plodia interpunctella, New food of. . ... 451 Polygonia chrysoptera .... 401 Preparing L. for the cabinet . 308 Protanibuli.v carteri 389 Quebec, L. of . . 29, 258, 265, 425 Rare butterflies 22, 107 Rhode Island, L. of . . . . 48, 132 Samia spp., Food plants and color of 214 Sciagraphia decorata* . . . 253 Selidosema correllatum . 149, 205 pallescens* ... 150 Sesia titan 398 Sexual characters of Noctuids. 372 Sibine stimulea 453 Somatolop/da untbripennis. 147, 205 South Carolina, L. of . 364, 413, 416 Synallagma* 277 " busckiella* . . . 278 Synchloe olympia 73 Syntomeida befana 25 Thecla calanus .... 47, 266, 420 " damon patersonia* . 82, 364 edwardsi . . .47, 266, 420 henrici .45,129,333 irus 45, 129 " loki* 378 " polios 327 Tennessee, L. of 48 Texas, L. of . 48, 132, 257, 358, 361 Tinagma crenulellum* . . . 279 Utah, L. of 253 Virginia, L. of 364 Wisconsin, L. of 453 NEUROPTERA. Arizona, N. of . . . . 100, 266, 275 Atropid, A new 189 Boyeria grafiana* i Caetiis latipennis* 14 Chrysopa, Oviposition of . 316, 365 Colorado, N. of 6, 399 Columbia, District of, N. of . 393 Costa Rica, Odonata of ... 455 Dilar americana 450 Glenurus snowii* 100 Gomphus sordidus swallowed by frog 455 Indiana, Odonata of 4 Kentucky, Odonata of .... 4 Libellula comanche* . . .201, 456 " Spp 2OI Lipeurus docephoroides . . . 399 Maine, Odonata of 4 Mexico, Odonata of, 30, 201, 231, 266. New Jersey, N. of . . .31, 393, 456 New York, N. of 4, 393 Ocellataria* 189 grai'inymplia"- . 189 Ohio, Odonata of 4 Ontario, Odonata of 4 Paranlliaclisis* 275 Pennsylvania, N. of. 4, 32, 193, 268, 455. Perlidae, Assistance wanted on 162 Vlll INDEX. Somatochlora charadraea* 5 Termesflavipes 392 " virginicus* 392 Ululodes arizonensis* .... 275 Venation, Geographical varia- tion in 32 Virginia, N. of 393, 450 Washington, N. of 14 ORTHOPTERA. Brady notes excelsa* .... 352 British Honduras, O. of . . . 229 California, O. of . 31, 350, 352, 353 Ceuthophilus tuckeri* .... 445 Cuba, O. of 1 66 Cyphoderris piperi 336 Daihinia phrixcnemoides* . . n Dectinae of North America . 404 Egg-capsule of roach covered with paper 455 Florida, O. of 268 Georgia, O. of 89 Hippiscus sierra* 350 Kansas, O. of 445 New Jersey, O. of 457 New Mexico, O. of 13 Oedaleonotus truncatus* . . . 353 Pennsylvania, O. of . . 32, 267, 410, 456. Phoebolampta cubensis* . . . 166 Phrynotettix 21 Sermyle phalangiphora* . . . 229 Stagmomantis Carolina . . 89, 107 Tenodera sinensis . . . .32, 265 Texas, O. of 209 Tristira 21 Ventriloquistic 335 Wasp-like katydid 268 AUTHORS. Akerlind, G. A 83 Aldrich, J. M 103, 133 Baker, C. F 157, 402 Bales, B. R 402 Banks, N. 13, 100, 275, 392, 425, 450 Bergroth, E 48 Biederman, C. R 7 Blaisdell, F. E 261 Bock, G. W 443 Bradley, J. C. . . 162, 257, 373, 453 Bragg, L. C 431 Brehme, H. H 82, 308 Brimley, C. S 94, 433 Britton, W. E 337 Brues, C. T 390, 430 Buchholz, 265 Bueno, J. R. de la Torre . .no, 433 Calvert, P. P. . . 201, 231, 403 and Index. Carpenter, S. C 155 Caudell, A. N n,335 Champion, G. C 33.366 Clarke, W. T 187 Cockerel!, T. D.A.46, 51, 162 178, 200, 251, 256, 395, 399, 448. Cockle, J. W 215 Comstock, J. H 453 Coolidge, C. R 300 Coquillett, D. W. . . lor, 177, 290 Crosby, C. R 161 Crowell, N. H no Daecke, E 139 Davis, J. J 269 Davidson, A. C 446 Dickerson, E. L 63, 64 Doane, R. W 15, 136 Dyar, H. G 204 Engel, H 251, 276 Engelhardt, G. P. . 69, 70, 71, 72, 259, 408, 412, 457. Fall, H. C 174 Felt, E. P 242 Fenyes, A 61 Fernald, H. T 321 Franklin, H. J 17, 90, 247 Fullaway, D. T 386 Girault, A. A. . . 89, 107, 316, 367 Grinnell, F., Jr 366,401 Grossbeck, J. A. 112, 116, 146, 252, 265, 342, 368, 373. Haimbach, F. . 44, 68, 69, in, 215, 217, 320, 409, 410, 41 1,458. INDEX. IX Harbeck, H. S 288 Harvey, E. K 61 Holland, W. J 367, 454 ' Hoopes, A 109 Howard, L. O. . . 237, 375, 446 Johannsen, O. A 401 Johnson, R. H 171 Jones, F. M 413 Jones, P. R 238 Keith, E. D 62 Kellogg, V. L 426 Knab, F 151 Knaus, W 319 Knetzger, A 401 Lawrence, P 452 Longley, W. E 398 Lovell, J. H 195 Lyman, H. H 108, 420 Matheson, R 452 McElhose, H. ' 312 Nason, W. A 108 Needham, J. G 113,162 Paxson, O. S 168 Pearsall, R. F 206 Pierce, W. D 356, 379 Rehn, J. A. G. . 21, 166, 209, 229, 350, 405, 445. Riley, W. A 9 Rothke, M 314 Rowley, R. R 306 Schaeffer, C 301 Schwarz, H 312 Sherman, F., Jr 94 Shull, C. A 73 Skinner, H. . 22, 25, 29, 30, 31, 32, 45, 47, 59. I2 9, 160, 213, 254, 266, 267, 268, 317, 318, 327, 333, 364. 378, 399, 449, 456, 457- Smith, J. B 116 Smyth, E. A., Jr 165,364 Soule, C. G 365 Speiser, P 103 Stebbins, J. H., Jr 451 Strong, K. W 62 Summers, J. N 321 Swenk, M. H. ... 51, 178, 293 Swett, L. W 451 Taylor, G. W 310 Titus, E, S. G 63 Viehmeyer, H 328 Viereck, H. L. . . . 280, 365, 393 Weber, S. E 189 Wellman, F. C 447 Williamson, E. B i Wood, W. C 389 Wood worth, C. W 243 Wright, J. D. E. . . . 164, 263, 264 JANUARY, 1907. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Vol. XVIII. No. 1. Syntomeida befana Skinner. EDITOR : HENRY SKINNER, M. D. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: EZRA T. CRESSON. HENRY L. VIERECK. A. G. REHN. PHILIP LAURENT. WILLIAM J. FOX. H. W. WENZEL. PHILADELPHIA: ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, LOGAN SQUARE. Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Published monthly, excepting August and September, in charge of the Entomo- logical Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Entomological Society. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, $1.OO IN ADVANCE. Outside of the United States and Canada, $1.20. Advertising Rates: 30 cents per square inch, single insertion ; a liberal discount on longer insertions. No advertisement taken for less than 60 cents Cash in advance. 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Papilio turnus, we.; troiltis, ioc.; philenor, ioc.; Eudamus tityrus. ~jc ; Arnpelophaga myron, ioc.; Sphinx litscitiosa, joe.; chersis, ^oc.; Ccratomia 0'iiyntor, ioc.; undulosa, ioc.; Dalba hylceus, soc.; P exca?catus, izc.; my ops ^ I2C.; Crcssonia piglandis, I2C.; Parasa viridis, $c.; Apatclodes forrefacia, $c; Sarnia cynthia, 2C ; A promethea., jc., angulifera, qoc., cecropia, jc.; A. luna, 2oc., $2.00 a dozen ; T. polyphemus, ?c., 7$c. a dozen ; Hyp. io, Sc., S$c. a dozen ; E. iinperialis, I2C., $i 25 a dozen ; Anisota stigma, jc. O. FULDA, 816 BROADWAY, NEW YORK NEW PUBLICATIONS A Revision of the Mouth-parts of the Corrodentia and the Mallopha^a, by R. E. Snodgrass. n pp., i pi. (Trans. 1905) ......... 1() MAILED ON RECEIPT OF PRICE E. T. CRESSON, Treasurer, P. O. Box 248, Philadelphia, Pa. When Writing Please Mention " Entomological Newn." ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. VOL. XVIII. JANUARY, 1907. No. i. CONTENTS: Williamson Two new North American Dragonfiies (Odonata) I Biederman Notes on Plusiotis beyeri Skinner 7 Riley- Some recent work on the devel- opment of Hymenppterous Parasites 9 Caiuk-ll A new species of the Orthop- terous genus Daihinia n Banks A new Mayfly of genus Csenis. . 13 Doane Notes on the Subapterous fe- male of Tipula simplex Doane 15 Franklin Notes on certain Cranberri Bog insects ... 17 Rehn On Phrynotettrix magellanicus Bruner and Tristira bergi Brmmer (Orthoptera> 21 Skinner Rare Butterflies 22 Editorial 25 Entomological Literature 26 Notes and News Doings of Societies 28 Two new North American Dragonflies (Odonata). BY E. B. WILLIAMSON. Boyeria grafiana n. sp. Abdomen d 1 , 48-51; ?, 465/2-47^ mm. Hind wing < 40-43; ?, 43 mm. Specific characters : Body colors, especially the thorax, generally black and gray with little trace of the fulvous which characterizes B. vinosa. The dark brown basal wing spots of vinosa reduced to a trace, and the wing membrane clear hyaline (excepting more or less fumose beyond the stigma) as contrasted with the decided fulvous of vinosa; venation less complex than in vinosa. Stigma paler than ii vinosa and .5 mm. shorter. A decidedly more robust species than vinosa; four dried males of grafiana weighed 12 grains, and four of vinosa weighed g l / 2 grains. <$ Abdominal appendages variable but similar to those of vinosa, generally more robust (two males of grafiana and vinosa from Ohio 1'yle, Penna., Sept. 23, 1906, have the superior appendages respectively 4^/2 and 5 J / 2 mm. long) with the sub-basal inferior tooth less developed. and the inferior appendage dark colored and not yellow as in vinosa Abdominal segments 9 and 10 similar in general color, greenish blue, while in vinosa segment 10 is fulvous and 8 and 9 are decidedly more brown than 10. $. Abdominal appendages very short, about the length of segment 10 ; in vinosa the appendages arc at least l l / 2 times the length of 10. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. Qan. t '07 Color comparison of males based on two of each species collected by J. L. Graf at Ohio Pyle Penna., Sept. 23, 1906. B. vinosa. Face green obscured with brownish. Dorsal thoracic stripes narrow, each divided for a short distance. and metepimeron inferior rounded Mesepimeron each with an yellow spot. Mesepimeron and metepister- num each with a small bluish spot at base of wings. Metepimeron uniform brown with exception of yellow spot mentioned above. Wing bases above and between the wings with few inconspicuous blue spots. Abdominal segment 2 from above with small median basal spot, and a transverse apical spot which is interrupted at the me- dian line. Segments 3-5 each with a very small apical spot on either side of the median line. Segments 3-8 each with a very small obscure pale spot at the transverse carina, each spot di- vided by the dorsal median longi- tudinal carina. Apical half of 8 and all of 9 and 10 obscure brownish yellow, each with a dorsal median brown area; 10 decidedly more yellow than 8 and 9. Seen from the side segments 4-8 each with a very small ob- scure yellowish spot below, the transverse carina dividing each spot more or less completely into two spots. Superior appendages dark limwn, inferior yellow, extreme apex dark. Width of head, g mm. B. grafiana. Clear green. Wider, continuous but nar- rowed where the separation occurs in vinosa. Each with a rounded blue spot, the spot on the metepimeron showing traces of yellow. Spots larger and more distinct- ly blue. With a large at wing base. distinct blue spot With distinct and more numer- ous clear blue spots. Similar and also with a spot at the median transverse carina similar to the apical spot. Spots clearer and more sharply contrasted with the surrounding color. Spots clear blue, sharply de- nned. 8 brownish with a wide black median longitudinal stripe back of the transverse carina ; 9 and 10 pale greenish blue, but lit- tle if any obscured and with black markings more distinct and defi- nite than the brown markings in vinosa. Spots large, clear blue, the color following up the transverse carina to the dorsal spots. Both superiors and inferior dark brown. 10 mm. Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. Average. ci CN CO 6 CN M M CN vO M HI CN CO CO ir> 00 c 10 o 7 CN vo o II CN IO ; VO CN M O CN II Tfr - 10 -1- I ' - CM |. CO ' 1C II M IO VO O ft 10 CN O ^ 10 M 10 10 : X ; - IO II tO II CN II 'C II 10 CM II M II 1 1 tH CN M - VO CN o M , IO CN vg II , .- IO u~. II 10 vo M rO tO 10 II bi) _c VO 1C tN 10 II || ! II II II II T3 II CN 10 i-' t-H ro M VO IO C IO tH tt ^ ^ .- , 'C .' ^ IO CN 10 o II ^ C IE * ft || IO II - || O <0 C ro CM rO ro ro c 4H VO II VO VO k. re s (N M O CN O f? M .- O CN CM .- O CN CN M irj "o V E re C/) to 10 VO M 5 a 'O ^J2 .S.E || || || E II II u * VO CN IO ro re cr, ro M a c C C re bo -C ^ 5^ ^ e\ ^S ^ >.> M .s 2 C < 10 ^ O O CTi io q ,_, O IO tr" L0~ 10 U Z N || II HH II II ** I || ' CN ii 1! *"" II II c " c.E ro CN VO X VO CN ^ *" HI IO J^ o y. o ^ Q. ^> ^ *- - ~ ^ v ^ >S ^ Cx. >! >s o c tj .E "J; ^ O CM IO CN O CN LO 1O co IO II O M || O CN If) ii IO I-H || VO Q || IO II VO IO if II " "E tr" 2 VO t i i II M II ro II ro II vn M II ro JS.S "a> E 13 4-; M ^: o s> . . > > 0, c ON I, IO II I-H ON O IO H 1 10 o VO o , 10 ^ O IO O s| ^ II II II II if N II II o CM CN HI M *- CN CO 10 II 'o ii ^ ^ 1C II >O II vO 1O M CO .- 10 rO ^ O "\\ b CO II ^ 10 if II Ii ^. vg II 10 II + IO f CN 3. IO r CN rO CN ^ II CN vo II o\ O CN M ON I r ro ^ IO || IO IO n ^ -~ O O tN ^ 10 rO IO ro o~ to IO 10 o CQ CQ V. O OH Jj' o CQ o o L* u o CQ o CQ 2 o o u c CQ o CQ CQ CQ X* 6' CQ o CQ Di PC o CQ 4 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 Material studied. With the exception of two males of znnosa and one male of grafiana, all from Old Forge, N. Y., in the collection of Professor Needham, this material is in my collection. Fifty-two males and seven females of vinosa, and fourteen males and two females of grafiana have been studied. B. vinosa. Little Jelloway, Knox County, Ohio. August 18, 1905, d, J B. Parker. Winona Lake, Indiana, 1901, d, E. B. Williamson. Muncie, Indiana, July II, 1903, taken in window in a store, d, E. B. Williamson. Russell Stream, N. E. Carry, Maine, August 28, 1899, 8 dd, F. L. Harvey. Millinocket, Maine, Stone Dam, September 4, 1903, ?, indicated as taken in copulation with a d sEshna sp. Old Forge, New York, August 22, 1905, 2 dd, J. G. Needham. Ohio Pyle, Penna. All collected by J. L. Graf. September 8, 1901, 3 dd', September 10, 1905, 8 dd, 4 ??; October i, 1905,, 2 dd', September 23, 1906, 2 dd, i ? H'eyden, Ontario, Canada. Collected by E. B. Williamson. July 31, 1906, ?; August 2, 1906, 5 dd; August 3, 1903. d* Searchmont, Ontario, Canada. Collected by E. B. Williamson. August 6, 1906, 7 dd; August 7, 1906, 3 dd', August 8, 1906. 6 dd', August 9, 1906, 2 dd- B. grafiana. Cave Branch, Ky., August 28, 1898, d, J. S. Hine. Old Forge, New York, August 22, 1905, d, J G. Needham. Ohio Pyle, Penna. Collected by J. L. Graf. September 10, 1905, d', September 24, 1905, d', October i, 1905, dj September 23, 1906, 2 dd- H'eyden, Ontario, Canada. Collected by E. B. Williamson. August 2, 1906, d- Searchmont, Ontario, Canada. Collected by E. B. Williamson. August 6, 1906, 2 dd', August 8, 1906, 3 dd', August 9, 1906, d, 2 ??. This species is very properly named for J. L. Graf, a devoted and careful, though withal, silent student of nature, who first detected a difference in the Boyerias at Ohio Pyle. Jn the autumn of 1905, among a box of specimens he sent me, he indicated on the envelope of a Boyeria, "colors pe- culiar." In reply to my inquiry, under date of October 4, *Hawking after sunset. Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5 1905, he wrote, "The variety of B. vinosa you mention is not uncommon at Ohio Pyle. I have succeeded in taking three specimens, though I saw a number of others. Their difference from typical vinosa is apparent at a glance, even while they are on the wing, their pale blue markings in marked contrast to the almost uniform brown appearance of typical vinosa. In manner of flight I could detect no difference in the two varie- ties. They both prefer the ripples along the river where there are many stones, and their flight is usually just along the water's edge and but a few inches above the rocks. I observed females of typical vinosa ovipositing while at rest on rocks in the damp algae just above the water." In Canada I was able to distinguish the two species readily on the wing by the color of the apical abdominal segments. As above indicated, I am indebted to Professor Needham for three specimens studied. In his laboratory we examined together some of my material, and he regards grafiana as dis- tinct from z'inosa. Dr. Calvert has sent me notes on venational characters of specimens of the genus in Philadelphia. And on October n, 1905, Professor Hine wrote me, "There is in the collection here (O. S. U., Columbus, Ohio,) one specimen taken at Orwell, Ashtabula County, Ohio, September, 1894, by E. E. Bogue, and labelled vinosa, by Dr. Kellicott. This dragonfly has the character^ you mention of the new species." Somatochlora charadraea n. sp. (charadrczusGr., from a mountain torrent). Abdomen, o* 35; hind wing 35 mm. (S. lincaris, abdomen 45, hind wing 43). Labium pale yellow; lahrum dark yellow, edged with brown; clypeiis brown; frons dark yellow, for nearly its entire width above and for a short distance in front, metallic blue; vertex black, the apex yellow; occiput dull yellow; rear of eyes black. Thorax brown, metallic reflections most evident below on tin mese- pimeron and metepimeron, each of which has a bright yellow stripe, on the first of nearly uniform width and nearly the length of the scleritc, on the second widened and shortened to form an inferior rounded spot; middorsal carina and intcralar sclerites yellow. Costa pale yellow to its termination, and antenodals and nodus largely of the same color; stigma black; all four triangles once crossed;* seven *.\cc(lhani. Aquatic Insects in the Adirondack's, N. Y. State Museum. Bulletin 47, 1001, p. 484, in the Key to N. A. genera of Cordnlhi.e (s. str. ) erroneously places Sonidtochlora under his section "cc Tri- angle of hind wing without cross vein, open." Normally Somatochlora has this triangle once crossed. Of 40 hind wings of \<>iatoclilom elongata which I studied, the triangle in two left wings was not crossed. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 antenodals in front wings and five in hind wings; seven postnodals in front wings and eight and nine in hind wings. Legs black, femora of first and second pair, especially the first pair and especially on the inner surface and basally, with light brown. Figs, i and 2. Appendages of Sowatuch- lora charadreza.) Bear Creek, Canon, Jefferson Co., Colorado, July 31, 1898, E. J. Oslar, collector. Type cf , col- lection E. B. Williamson. Figs. 3 and 4. Appendages of Somatoch- lora linearis, Lake Forest, Illinois, June 27, 1904. cf, collection J. G. Needham. Second abdominal segment with a basal, lateral, inferior and a sub- apical, lateral, superior spot yellow; genital lobe long, yellow, margined with brown; 3 with a basal, lateral, superior and a basal, lateral, inferior spot yellow, these spots not so sharply defined as the mark- ings on 2; remainder of abdomen, including the appendages, black. Described from a single d 1 in my collection, collected by Ernest J. Oslar, Bear Creek Canon, Jefferson Co., Colorado, July 31, 1898. So far as form of appendages go, this species finds its closest ally in 6". lincaris. No other species known to me ap- proaches these two species in this type of appendage. >5\ nasalis is known to me only by DeSely's description of the female, but it certainly cannot be associated with charadraca. In ad- dition to differences indicated in the figures of appendages, charadraca is separated from linearis by a number of charac- Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7 ters, including size, reduction in number of antenodals and coloration. My type has been examined by both Dr. Calvert and Professor Needham. In the figures of appendages of charadraca it should be noticed that the apex of the abdomen has been flattened, so, in profile, segments 9 and 10 appear too wide, and in dorsal view, the apex of 10 is com- pressed and the superior appendages are crowded together. Under date of November 14, 1906, Mr. Oslar writes con- cerning the single specimen : "I took it at an altitude of about 8000 feet, July 31, 1898, in Bear Creek Canon, Jefferson County, Colorado. At the place I took it there were two, but, on account of its warinr^ and the almost inaccessible character of its haunts (on willows overhanging the swift and breakneck dashing Bear Creek), I was unable to secure the other specimen. The one captured was taken with difficulty, as it kept just out of reach of the net. It appeared a weak flier, however, and my opportunity came when an unusually strong gust of wind blew it towards me. I have never seen the like of it since, though I have visited the spot a number of seasons. I have always suspected that it might be new." Notes on Plusiotis beyeri Skinner. By C. R. BIEDERMAN, Palmerlee, Arizona. Most of the letters I get ordering P. beyeri, contain ques- tions about the insect, some complain of the high price, stating that it is reported this species is all over this part of the coun- try and is plentiful. The latter statement is only partially correct, since it is not found above 6,500 or below 4,500 feet. Within that space I have found it for many miles along the Huachuca range. I have known P. beyeri since 1904. That season I found two specimens; next year, 1905, four; this season, 1906, I made a special study of this large and handsome Plusiotis, and from my experience I may safely con- clude the following: That while there are a good many of these beetles within the space mentioned, I have utterly failed 8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., 'oj to establish a rule whereby to locate a single one. There is no time of day it is not on deck ; the noise of his wings in the night can be heard twenty feet away, whereas his flight in daytime is almost without sound. The length of his life is about three months, commencing on the 6th of July, when I found the first one while raking away leaves for a garden- bed. I concluded that this time of year they might be hidden under leaves, and so I started to rake leaves. I think I worked about ten hours, raked over a half acre of ground and never found another ; this did not cure me, however, for at odd times I tried it again, and may have raked over in all about two acres without getting another, although I found some other good things, among them a litter of skunks under a log. The next find I made was a fine female, sitting at the foot of a large oak. This gave me the idea to examine all the old oaks for a mile either way along the Canon, but no sign of bcycri; the fact is, I found only three on the bark of trees ; one, six feet up, the other twenty feet. I also found them in the road or trail, several crushed by animals, but all wide apart, as to both space and time. I found them copulating on the high branches of young' and old oak ; this set me to look at trees for miles and for days without result, except disgust. For several days I did not look for them, but collected other ma- terial, yet the habit once formed for looking for certain things persists so strongly that I could not keep from watching the tree tops. Although I was not thinking of Phtsiotis bcycri, my eye caught the forms of two hugged close among the leaves. Before I had made up my mind how to take them, I saw two more higher up, and I felt like an Apache roasting a lot of sheep guts on a bed of hot coals. Thinking this the right time to hunt him good and hard, I looked for a week and did not get one. Later I found one here, one there; hanging to the dead stalk of a columbine, on the top of a bare precipice, in a prospect hole, an old well in a privy, a blacksmith shop, and one day in an old shoe. This is the way of bcycri, he is everywhere and nowhere in particular. When he walks on the ground he reels like a drunkard, and when he rolls over on Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 9 his back it takes him half an hour before he makes a motion to get on his feet. So far as I can find out, he has no likes or dislikes to make him an easy capture, there is no particular place he prefers to stay, he don't belong to any club, he don't play golf or other games. Clubbing a tree for him won't do much good, as he grits his teeth and stays there, nine times out of ten. I con- clude that he will not be exterminated by collectors, and be- fore all the latter are supplied with a good series, some method of propagation must be invented. Some recent work on the development of Hymenop- terous Parasites. By DR. WM. A. RILEY. In the ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS for September, 1905, I called attention to the discovery, by Marchal, of a new type of de- velopment, occurring in certain parasitic Hymenoptera. In studying the development of Ageniaspis fusicollis and of Poly- gnotus inin itt its, Marchal* found that a single egg, in the morula stage, would spontaneously break up and give rise to many distinct individuals. I referred to the observations of Pergande and of Giard, who found nearly three piousand individuals of Litomadtix trnncatcllns in a single larva of Phisia gam ina, and to Giard's prediction that here, too, would be found a case of polyembryony. There has come to hand a paper by Filippo Silvestrit who has studied the life history of this parasite and brought to light many interesting and striking facts. *Marchal, P. 1904. Recherches sur la biologic et la devcloppemcnt des Hymenopteres parasites, i. La polyembryonie spccifiquc ou gvr- minogonie. Arch. zool. exp. (4) ii, pp-257-335, pis. ix-xiii. fSilvestri, F. 1906. Contribuzione alia conoscenza biolngica drgli imenottcri parassiti. i. Biologia del Litomastix truncatcllus. Fmm Ann. Scuol. Agric. Portici., vi. 51 pp., 5 pi. and 13 text figs. This papiT is a second preliminary note. The first, which summarizes the es- sential features of Silvcstri's work, but is not illustrated, appi'.-nvd \ T ov. 10, 1905, in tin 1 Kcndic. R. Acad. Lincci. scr. 5, vol. xiv. pp. 534-542. 10 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 Litoniasti.v truncatcllus oviposits in the egg of various spe- cies of Plusia. The eggs of the parasite, which may be fer- tilized or parthenogenetic, are deposited singly, but occasionally the same female returns and deposits a second egg within that of the host. Several females may select the same egg, but this probably occurs rarely under natural conditions. The course of development of the fertilized and the parthenogenetic eggs is the same but, as in the bees, the fertile egg gives rise to females, while the unfertilized egg produces only males. Silvestri found in the maturation and early segmentation stages of the egg, features of great interest from an embryo- logical viewpoint, but too technical for discussion here. It may be mentioned in passing, that the polar nuclei and their protoplasm do not degenerate but, later, form an envelope which surrounds the germinal region. In the development of the egg there occurs a process of poly- embryony which, however, differs in detail from that re- ported by Marchal for Encyrtus and Polygnotiis. One of the most striking features is that there are developed two very different types of larvae. From a single egg there originate about a thousand normal larvae of the form typical of endo- parasitic hymenopterous larvae. In addition to these, there are produced one hundred or more vermiform ase.i-ual larvae. These lack any trace of circulatory, respiratory or genital sys- tems, or of malpighian tubes. They are provided with strong- ly-developed mouth parts. The sexual larvae transform into pupae when the host larva has completed its growth, and later, into adults. The asexual larvae, on the other hand, degenerate completely, never giving rise to adults. At first thought it might seem that these asexual larvae are abortive forms, without special function. Considering, how- ever, the development of their mandibles, and of the skeletal, muscular, and digestive systems, it appears to Silvestri natural to believe that, being able to penetrate readily the organs of the body of the host-larva and having mandibles especially adapted for tearing, they have the function of breaking down Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. II the larval organs of Phisia in its last days and thus preparing them to serve as nutriment for the sexual forms. If this he true, we have in Litoinasti.r a larval dimorphism comparable to the polymorphism of social insects. The parasitic life, the factor which has acted to push back to the very egg stage the multiplication of the species, has served to bring about the precocious development of caste. A new species of the Orthopterous genus Daihinia. By A. N. CAUDELL, Washington, D. C. Daihinia phrixocnemoides n sp. Female. Resembles very closely members of the genus Fhn'.vociicmis. but the three segmented first and third tarsi preclude its being placed in that genus. Head moderately large and broad ; occiput rounded, front broadly convex ; eyes small, not prominent ; palpi with the terminal segment about equal in length to the previous one and concave beneath on the apical third and somewhat swollen. Pronotum rounded above, about as long as broad; lateral lobes very broadly rounded below, descending about the same distance as the descending lobes of the meso- and metanotum. Abdomen rounded above ; ovipositor long and moderately slender, three-fourths as long as the third femora and curved gently upwards, the lower valves armed apically with five large recurved teeth, four ventral and one terminal. Legs stout; first and intermediate femora armed below on the inner, or front, margin with a small pregenicular spine; third femora unarmed, one- third as broad as long, nearly straight below, above strongly arched, only the apical sixth subparallel : first tibiae stout and apically swollen, convex outwardly, concave inwardly, armed above with one stout, blunt, down-curved calcarium, and below, on the outer side, armed with four stout, blunt calcaria and on the inner side with four sharp spines, the terminal one very long and with a minute spinule just above it; middle tibiae not swollen, armed on the rounded lower side with two rows of very fine spines, three spiiu's on each side; besides these spines there arc two long terminal spurs on each side, one above and one below; third tibiae rounded below and sulcate above, considerably deeper and some broader at the middle, below armed on the outer side a short distance from the apex with a single very minute inrut here we have living under exactly the same conditions as to time, place, temperature, etc. ; this wingless form, which, if numbers count for anything, is certainly a successful form. It seems that some explanation other than that of natural selection will have to be looked for if we are going to "explain" such cases. Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IJ Notes on Certain Cranberry-Bog Insects. By H. J. FRANKLIN, B. S., Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amherst, Mass. During a five months' stay in the Cape Cod Cranberry region, from May ist to the last days in September of the present year, J was engaged in studying the insects generally considered as being economically important in the cranberry industry. As was natural, I made a considerable number of observations on other species and a portion of these are presented in the following notes. The larvae of the Geometer Cymatophora sulpliurca (Pack- ard) were found in considerable numbers on several cranberry bogs located in the towns of Carver, Wareham and Falmouth early in June. They were so abundant and their manner of feeding was such that they had a marked effect on the crop of berries harvested on one bog. Before the bud at the tip of the upright shoots had been developed to form the new growth, these larvae began their feeding, and the bud at this time being the most tender part of the plant it was the portion chosen almost exclusively by the caterpillar for its food. On the bog where these larvae were found in greatest abundance the win- ter flowage was held late in the spring and the buds had not yet developed into the new growth to any considerable extent even early in June. The caterpillars were at this time feeding voraciously on these buds. Often the entire bud was devoured, but as a rule, only the central portion was eaten out, leaving an outside shell. The larva and pupa of this species have not heretofore been described. Full-grown lari'a. Length, 18 to 20 mm. General color light green. Head normally rounded; lighter in color than the l><>dy and not as distinctly green; without mottlings or markings, with the exception of a narrow cream-colored stripe on each side extending horizontally from the hase of the mandible to the hinder margin, where it merges into the lateral body stripe. I'ody somewhat larger toward the posterior end; finely striped the entire length, both above and below, with longi- tudinal whitish lines, those on the dorsuin being much more distinct than those on the venter. Sides of body with a narrow cream-colored stripe running the entire length, just In-low the spiracles, from the ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 head to the base of the anal proleg and joining anteriorly the stripe on the head already described. Surface of body beariug short sparsely scattered hairs (see Figs, i and 2). Spiracles small, chestnut brown. Anterior prolegs each bearing from seventeen to twenty crotchets which are subequal in length and arranged on a crescentic pad in a FIG. i. FIG. 2. FIG. 3. Fig. i. Arrangement of tubercles and hairs on the metathoracic and first two abdominal segments of the larva of Cymatophora sulphiirea (Pk.), full-grown. S. spiracles. Fig. 2. Arrangement of tubercles and hairs on some of the pos- terior abdominal segments. S., spiracles ; a. p., anterior proleg. Fig- 3- Cervical shield showing arrangement of its tubercles and hairs. single row. Crochets of each anal proleg numbering from twenty-five to twenty-eight and arranged in a crescentic row similar to that on the anterior prolegs. ' Venter lighter colored than dorsum and sides. Most of the larvae found in early June pupated by the middle of the month. Pupation on the bog took place in the sand beneath the vines. Pupa. Length, 8 to 10 mm.. Greatest width, 2 l /2 to 3 mm. General color dark chestnut brown to black. Abdominal segments strongly punctate. Cremaster straight and sharply conical ; in some specimens more or less bifid at the tip, with straight, sharply pointed branches. Cymatophora sulphiirea (Packard) is at least two-brooded on Cape Cod. The adults of the first brood begin to emerge soon after the middle of June and continue to appear until into Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 19 July. This first brood continues on the wing until near the middle of this month. The second brood, which in all re- spects resembles the first, reaches the imago stage during late July and early August. The moths were found riving on every bog which I visited during their time of flight. The females and males of this species both vary somewhat in coloration. The males are always considerably the lighter, some specimens, even when they first emerge, having almost no yellow tinge at all in their coloring. All the females which I reared were on their first emergence strong sulphur-yellow in color. The dark spots usually so conspicuous in the fe- male are in the male often very obscure. During the month of July the larva? of the Geometer Tephroclystis inisentlata (Grote) were found eating holes into the unripe cranberries on a considerable number of bogs, and in some cases were quite abundant. They were also found in a few instances eating similar holes into the unopened buds of Rhe.ria virginica L. During June, Sphinx gar dins Cramer was found in small numbers on several bogs. Late in August and in September, its full-grown and nearly full-grown larvae were also found feeding on the cranberry vines. This was the only Sphin.r found on any of the bogs. Epid curia cpi.vantJic (Boisduval and LeConte) was found flying in great numbers on nearly every bog visited during late June and July. The larvae were certainly not found on the cranberry vines, and it is still a question as to what the food plant of this species is. It seems to be a common bog insect over the entire Cape. The larvae of Epagogc sulfur cana (Clemens) were found on cranberry vines in small numbers, feeding in a manner very similar to that of the larvae of Acleris nrinuta (Robinson). After the larvae became full-grown, they pupated in the spun- up tips as do the larvae of //. nrinuta. The larvae of the Noctuid (ihica scricca Morr. were disci >vered during late A Fay and June feeding at lir.M on the buds at the sum- mit of the old m'owth and later on the new uTowth which (level- 20 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 oped from them. These larvae became full-grown and went into the earth to pupate during the last ten days in June and the first days in July. They reached the period of general pupation about the first of August, and the single moth which I reared emerged on October 6th. Full-grown larva. Length, 29 mm. General color of body light chocolate-brown. Head light yellowish brown and faintly mottled. Tip of mandibles black. A whitish stripe runs the entire length of the body from just back of the head to the anal proleg on each side, passing just below the spiracles and partially including some of them. Occiput of head and collar with an inconspicuous median longitudinal whitish line. A slight dark median shading runs the entire length of the body from just behind the collar. There are also two pairs of inconspicuous dark spots on the dorsum of each of the abdominal segments, the two spots of the posterior pair being placed farther apart than those of the anterior pair. Pupa. Length, 17 mm. Color, light brown. Surface smooth, not punctate. Cremaster consisting of several (about four) straight sharp spines. NEW JERSEY is a place where any genus or species of insect may be found by those who have sufficient faith, and in addition to that it has a wonderful extinct animal. Mr. Rockefeller was very anxious to secure a specimen of the great Hadrosaurus foulki, fifty feet high, a specimen of which had been found in a marl pit. The Professor of Palaeontology of the University of Chicago was sent out to secure a specimen. While crossing the dangerous pine barrens and in ascend- ing a sand dune he severely sprained his ankle. Great was the con- sternation when he did not get back at the appointed time. The Presi- dent of the University telegraphed to the Governor of Illinois, the latter communicated with the Governor of New Jersey, who 'phoned to New Brunswick and at once ordered the State Entomologist to send out a relief expedition. It arrived just in time. The learned Professor was on his back, nearly exhausted, with the left femur of a Hadrosaurus, five feet long, grasped in his right hand. Swinging this in the air he was beating off to save his life, clouds of Coclodiazcsis, Cyclolcpidop- teron, Lutzia, Ccratocystia, Pneumaculex, Panoplitcs, Dcinoccritcs, Ochlcrotatus, Cniicclsa, Pseudoculcx, Culiscta, Culicclla, Mclanoconinni, Mochlostryax, Sabcthoides, Lesticocampa and Aldiborontifoscofoniitin. A Jerseyman, a member of the rescuers, said the poor man nearly lost his life from a joblotia of mosquitoes.* Newspaper. *See Canadian Entomologist for Dec., 1906, p. 384. Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 21 On Phrynotettix magellanicus Bruner and Tristira bergi Brunner (Orthoptera). By JAMES A. G. REHN. In 1872, Glover, in his illustration of North American Ento- mology (Orth., pi. vi, fig. 25), applied the generic name Phrynotettix to the figure of a species of the genus later called Haldiiianclla by Saussure,* who apparently had never seen Glover's work. In a work published several years before the one containing Haldmanella, Saussure described a peculiar South American genus of locusts and applied the name Phrynotettix to it.t From this it will be seen that Phrynotettix must date from Glover and should be used in place of Hald- inanclla, which has already been done by the author,! Phryno- tcttiv Saussure falling on account of preoccupation. The latter genus was described by Saussure as a member of the Oediopo- dinae. In 1900, Bruner described a species of Phrynotettix Saus- sure || from the Straits of Magellan, and two months later, Brunner von Wattenwyl independently described the same species as a new genus and species of Truxalinae Tristira bergi.% Eary in 1906, the author recorded specimens as the latter species, overlooking Bruner's species, as its proper relationship appeared to be with the Truxalinse (Acridinae). A re-examination of the material sustains the opinion that closer relationship exists to the Acridinse than to the CEdipo- dinre, but the. proper position of this as well as several other genera is debatable. From the evidence given above, it is ob- vious that Tristira must be used as the generic name and that magellanicus Bruner has priority over bergi Brunner, the cor- rect combination being Tristira niagcllanica. *Addit. Prodr. Oedipod., pp. 123, 153. 1888. fProdr. Oedipod., pp. 47, 99. 1884. JProc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1902, p. 595. II Ace. Gen. Spec. Locusts Agent., p. 44. Exact date according to Bruner (in Hit.), Aug., 1900. gComunic. Museo Nac. Buenos Ayres, I No. 7, pp. 235-236. Oct. 9, 1900. 22 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., 'o"J Rare Butterflies. BY HENRY SKINNER. The following question has been asked : Kindly state in the NEWS what is considered the rarest butterfly in North America ? That is a very difficult question to answer and may be evaded by asking What is a rare butterfly ? or in other words, what is meant by the term rare. We will consider the question first from the standpoint of rare in collections. A butterfly may be very rare in collections but very common in nature. Butter- flies may be rare in collections from the following reasons : They may live in localities remote from resident collectors ; they may be found in places rarely visited by collectors on account of distance or inaccessibility ; they may be scarce in nature and restricted to a comparatively small area. As a general rule they may be said to be abundant at the proper place, in a given year, in the appropriate season. There are certain names in our lists that represent species of more or less doubtful validity and are probably synonyms, and these make a class that may be called rare for obvious reasons, but need not be considered here. As a subclass under this heading may be considered aberrations that have been given names but seldom recur in nature. A few species that are rare in collections may be considered. Argynnis nokomis, so far as I am aware, has not been taken for over twenty years. The late Berthold Neumoegen received a number from somewhere in the vicinity of Kanab in southern Utah, and supplied most of the collections in the early eighties. Argynnis nitocris was described in 1874. About seven years ago Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell found it in abundance. Prof. F. H. Snow has also taken some of recent years. This butterfly was scarce because it flies late in the season (after August I5th), and is only found, so far as known, at an elevation of about 7200 ft. Argynnis atossa is one of the rarest butterflies in collections. It has never been found outside of a certain place at a certain elevation in the Tehachapi Mountains in southern California. Argynnis astarte was described in iS^j.x and not refound until 1891. It is still rare in collections but is probably found over a large extent of country at certain alti- Jan.. '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 23 tudes. Melitcza albiplaga Aaron is only known from the unique type. It may prove to be an aberration of a common species. Cystineura cana has been found but once in the United States. One specimen of Myscelia skinneri has been found in New Mexico. Junonia negra Felder is only found in southern Arizona and is apparently rare there. A butterfly that is probably only in two collections in the United States is Debis crcola. It is doubtless common in places on the Gulf coast of L/ouisiana and Texas. Another rarity in collections is Neonympha mitchdi, but it is common in certain parts of Michigan. Ccenonympha kodiak comes and goes in its northern home, but seldom finds its way into the cabinet. Ca^nonympha haydcni was very rare until its headquarters were found in Idaho and the Yellowstone. This will be the history of most of them. Erebia fastiata, rossi, vidleri and magdalena all de- light the eye of the collector as they are all rare in the cabinet, as people don't go every day to Mount Cheam and the other localities in the far north. Satyrus pegala comes from a section of the country where there is little interest in entomology and consequently is a very desirable fly. Satyrus wheeleri from Owen's Lake is a very rare species. S. sthenele is possibly the rarest in collections as it is probably extinct. Chionobas pearlier, in honor of Mrs. Mary Peart, one of the greatest entomological artists that ever lived, is only known from type material as it was found in Victoria L/and, British America. Lcmonias duryi is almost unknown to the collectors. Thecla wittfeldi has. not been found since the original catch in 1883. The vegetation on the spot where Dr. Wittfeld took it, on the Indian River, Florida, has been destroyed by cultivation. Thecla Ontario is one of those doubtful things that I have never seen. Our Canadian friends should tell us what it is or is not. Thecla acis was a great desideratum until collectors became frequent visitors to South Florida. For a butterfly that has been found from Canada to Arizona, Thecla lata is very rare in collections and is also an excellent illustration of a butterfly found over an immense area and so far as known nowhere commonly. Chrysophanus hermes was probably only in two or three col- lections but is now being taken in some numbers, and its life history is likely to be published. A little butterfly rare in 2\ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 collections but common in parts of the West is C. zeros. Lyc&na xerces, supposed to be extinct, has come to life, but is very local. Lycana lotis is a very rare butterfly if it is a valid species, as the writer never saw one. The locality is Mendo- cino, Calif. L. aster from Newfoundland is a great rarity in collections. Lycatna striata is also unknown to the writer of this article. Neophasia terlooti was described in 1869 and not again found until 1900. Picris ochscnheimeri from Alaska is in two collections only. Anthocharis pima was unknown in col- lections for a number of years. Arizona and its fauna is be- coming better known every year, although there are vast tracts and man}' mountain ranges yet to be explored. Colias boothi is probably very common in Boothia- Felix, but there is only one specimen of it in the United States. It is probably the rarest butterfly that is still living. Colias behri is a good illus- tration of a butterfly that is rare in collections on account of a limited geographical range. It is an alpine species found about the Yosemite Valley, California. The golden Parnassius evers- manni is a very great rarity in collections, but is beyond doubt very common in its native haunts. Papilio nilra, indra, per- gamus, brevicauda, pilumus, cresphontinus are all good ones and lucky the collector that has them all. Ancyloxypha longleyi was found near Chicago, Illinois, where there are numerous collectors, yet there is but one specimen known. There are certain names in the Hesperidse that represent more or less doubtful species and we will only refer to rare valid species. The following are rare in collections : last/s, cabelus, rhesus, carus, licimis, mcskei, vcrus (the latter is a variety of nemorum}, morrisoni, chusca, mardon, bellus, loammi, hums, panoquinoidcs, errans, python, ccstus, yehl, lagus, arogos, arabus, Carolina, libya, outis, drusius, hes2ts, copafui, streckeri. To refer to the original question again. The rarest butterfly found in North America may be said to be a valid species, represented in a single collection, by one specimen, and it the most difficult species of which to obtain additional material. What is it? The rarest species in nature is the one confined to the least geographical area and producing the least number of indi- viduals. What is it ? ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author's name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] To Contributors. All contributions will be considered and passed upon at out earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put " copy " into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five "extras," without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt o( all papers will be acknowledged. ED. PHILADELPHIA, PA., JANUARY, 1907. For several years it has been our custom to figure the most interesting or remarkable insect described during the year and illustrate it on the cover of the January NEWS. We have asked for suggestions in regard to this matter, but for the year Synlomeida bcfana Skinner. just closed we have had none. The species figured here is probably not by any means the most remarkable but it was available and so here it is. Prof. F. H. Snow discovered the species in the Baboquivari Mountains in Arizona. It was described in this journal on page 379, Dec., 1906. The great necessity for economy of time and energy in routine work in entomology is painfully apparent. This is lin- age of insects and many of us fullv recognize the great value of the study. The subject is such a vast one and the workers so comparatively few, that the necessity for modern aids of 26 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 various kinds is very great. Fortunate are those who can es- cape various kinds of drudgery. What would the business man of to-day think if he were obliged to do without a stenog- rapher, typewriter, filing cases and other things of like charac- ter? Many entomologists could turn out more and better work if they were so situated as to command these necessities. Al- most no financial aid comes to entomology as compared with other researches of natural science, and yet we firmly believe that there is not one that exceeds it in importance. We sin- cerely trust that this condition will not continue. It is very gratifying to see that in far-off Africa, the ice in this respect is being broken. W r e refer to the splendid second report of the Wellcome Research Laboratories at the Gordon Memorial Col- lege in Khartoum. Entomological Literature. OBSERVATIONS ON THE STAPHYLINID GROUPS ALEOCHARINAE AND XANTHOLINI, CHIEFLY OF AMERICA. By Thos. L. Casey. Trans- actions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis. Vol. 16, No. 6. Issued November 22, 1906. This work of 309 pages is devoted to a study of groups of sinal 1 Coleoptera which have been much neglected. The author says : In the Aleocharinre, the parts of the series selected for present review are those which arc of more general interest and therefore somewhat sys- tematically collected, although this is only true in a relative sense, there being many most interesting genera and species still to be dis- covered. Besides these groups of the Aleocharinre, a revision of the tribe Xantholini is presented, based upon such material as could be conveniently brought together. Many new genera and species are described. The author is to be congratulated on presenting to ento- mology such a valuable contribution to the literature of the subject, and it is to be hoped that it will stimulate a greater interest in a rather neglected family of the beetles. Notes and. Ne\vs. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. It has been found that there are 900,000 separate kinds of bugs in Mis- souri. It would appear from complaints in the Boston papers that there are only two kinds in Massachusetts the gypsy and brown-tailed moths. Newspaper. PROF. H. A. PILSBRY of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadel- phia has just returned from Arizona. He collected a number of insects most of which were taken in the Chiracahua Mountains. Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 27 ST. Louis, Sept. 26th. Myriads of butterflies, all moving by flock in a general southerly direction over the city, sometimes circling, attracted much attention this afternoon, particularly in the business streets. Little groups of people craned their necks and shaded their eyes against the sun while they stared at the unusual spectacle. The butterflies were very large, some measuring about three inches from tip to tip of their wings, and were of a light brownish color. The main body of the flock flew high in the air, well above the roofs of the tall buildings. *&- THERE is nothing that Dr. F. H. Snow brought back from his recent collecting expedition in Southern Arizona that he prizes more highly than the Gila monster, which he captured shortly before his return to Lawrence, which gained considerable notoriety by biting him on the thumb. The last five weeks since the return of the expedition the monster has spent in a cage in Dr. Snow's back yard and seems to like its new Kansas home fully as well as its former habitat in the southern hills of Arizona. It has not been sick a single day of its captivity and takes its meals of raw eggs every three days as regularly as clock work, Gila, as Dr. Snow calls the creature for short, is a large lizard, being a little more than a foot long and has a head nearly two inches wide. Its mouth is amazingly large and is entirely out of proportion to the rest of the body. Its body is yellow and dark brown and at a short distance looks like Indian bead work. Hour after hour Gila will lie in its cage without moving and appears as if it were dead, but stir it up with a stick or let it get angry and it will crawl around at a wonderfully fast pace. It is gentle and will never bite unless it is tormented or angry. Once let it get angry and it will seize the end of a stick or anything thrust at it and hold on for dear life. To watch it eat is an interesting sight. In nature the Gila monster lives on insects, but thus far in captivity it appears to be thriving on raw eggs. After a little experimenting Dr. Snow has found that every three days is the right time to feed the creature. When the time for feeding arrives he grabs the lizard by the neck and lays it out on a table or flat box. He then cracks an egg in a saucer and thrusts the creature's nose down in it and the Gila does the rest. It stretches out its long tongue into the saucer and greedily laps up raw egg until it lin- a mouthful. Then it slowly raises its head to a vertical position and lets the egg run down its throat. After it has once started eating, Gila needs no urging, but laps away greedily until its hunger is satisfied. The last time Dr. Snow fed the animal it finished two raw egg?. It would hardly be correct to call Gila a family pet. for all the mem- bers of Dr. Snow's family are afraid of it except Dr. Snow. As far as he is concerned, however, lie handles it about fearlessly in spite of 28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 the fact that it has bitten him once. He took it in the house the other day and, being called out of the room, placed it in a waste paper basket for safe keeping, putting a sofa pillow on top of the basket to keep it from escaping. Before Dr. Snow returned Gila had decided to explore a little, and, crawling up the side of the basket, pushed off the sofa pillow and made its escape. Nothing more was seen of it for several hours, when the family, not wanting to have a live Gila monster roaming around the house any longer, began a determined search for it and finally found it snugly hid behind some books in the bookcase. The question of whether the Gila monster bite is very serious or not is a much disputed one, but Dr. Snow believes it is not. "The effects of a Gila monster bite have been much exaggerated," said Dr. Snow in discussing Gila monsters, and his own pet in particu- lar. "Of course I have not had so very much experience with them, but so far as I could judge I should not call it very dangerous. The one I have in my back yard planted six teeth securely in my thumb, and I suffered no ill effects from it other than from the mere pain of the bite. The prompt application of an antidote which I had on hand, however, may have had something to do with my escape from sickness. A ranchman near where I was bitten seemed much concerned over the accident and told several instances of people having to spend weeks in a hospital as a result of a Gila monster bite." .Doings of Societies. A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia was held May 24, 1906, Mr. Philip Laurent, Director, presiding. Ten persons present. Mr. Ilg exhibited specimens of Anthocharis gcnutia, show- ing variation in size. Mr. H. L. Viereck said he was preparing a work on the Hy- meroptera of Connecticut, with an introduction, containing tables for the separation of families, genera and species, with notes on the latter. He thought the work would number not less than five hundred pages. Mr. Coxey exhibited a collecting paper for insects, on which was printed blank forms for entering data. Mr. Viereck advocated a study of the relation between the weight of insects and their wing expanse, for furthering a knowledge of aerial navigation. Mr. Wenzel said insects usu- ally fly against the wind and their navigation is the reverse of that of a balloon. Jan., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 29 Mr. Matthews exhibited specimens of Periplcmeta anicri- cana, and related his experience in trapping them. He showed winged and wingless forms. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia was held September 27, 1906, Dr. D. M. Castle presiding. Thirteen persons were present. Dr. Skinner exhibited a bred $ of Platysanria ^ln-rcri fn/m the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, and spoke of the differences between its larva and that of cecropia. He also exhibited He plains thnlc, a rare species found at Montreal, Canada. Mr. Daecke said he had located some pitcher plants at Toms River, New Jersey, and determined to examine them this sea- son for Papaipema appassionato,. He found the workings on September 22cl, and exhibited them, but was too late in the season to get images. He also called attention to a method of making double mounts and exhibited the process. Num- ber oo black pins are put through the insect in the ordinary way ; the pin is bent at a right angle under the insect and then pinned into a small piece of polyporus fungus which is on the larger pin. The excess of the small pin is removed with cutting pliers. Mr. Viereck said during the summer he had been delegated by Dr. Samuel G. Dixon, Commissioner of Health, to make a mosquito survey of Pennsylvania. He had one assistant, Mr. J. Invin Zerbe. The principal object in view was to combat malaria, and all the principal cities were examined. Attention was also given to a typical Canadian zone town in Sullivan County, and especial attention was given to the valley of the Susquehanna, as all evidence seemed to point to this being the strategic river valley in the crusade against malaria in the State. Culex pipicns was found breeding by the billion where no Anopheles could be found, but in this case the water was adulterated from refuse discharged by a glue factory. This is possibly the reason for the paradox here. In the acid waters and the oily waters of the coal and oil regions, respec- tively, no mosquitoes of any kind were found, nor were mos- quitoes found breeding in certain cities where every depression 30 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '07 had been filled in with material in the course of city develop- ment. The breeding of mosquitoes was always found great- est where interference with nature's balance by man \vas most marked. Anopheles punctipennis always greatly outnum- bered A. inaculipennis. It seemed quite evident during the course of the visits, that there was no demand for talks on the subject of mosquitoes as there was in the summer of 1903. This indicated to them that there had been a decline in the enthusiasm over the subject. Seemingly unpardonable ignorance of basic facts and prin- ciples in entomology was detected, even among physicians, and in general it was noted that the dubbing of everything that crawls with the term "bug," is still too widespread. It seemed to them that this is due to the fact that entomologists seem loath to translate their study to the public through collections and articles. Hence they are impelled to wish that entomologists may become more concerned in giving their study the place it deserves in the public estimation, and in dispelling, among other things, the allusion to an insect as a despised bug. HENRY SKINNER, Recorder. A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia was held November 22, 1906, Dr. D. M. Castle presided. Thirteen persons were present. Mr. Ilg presented eighteen specimens of blown lame. Mr. Rehn reported the gift of eighty-nine species of Orthop- tera, by Air. Biolley, from Costa Rica. Dr. Calvert described his trip to Mexico during the past summer. He visited Hermosillo and Nogales in Sonora ; Guz- man, Chihuahua City and Santa Rosalia in Chihuahua ; Tor- reon, San Pedro and Saltillo in Coahuila; Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Oueretaro, Lake Chapala, Guadalajara, Mex- ico City, Orizaba, Jalapa, Popocatepetl Park and Toluca. The collecting at these various places was described. No new species of Odonata were found. One species new to Mexico was taken, Libellitla flavida Hagen not Ramb. Mr. Rehn exhibited some remarkable forms of Orthoptera purchased by Mr. Hebard. Jan., 'oyj ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 31 Air. Viereck made a communication on the parasites of man and spoke especially of insects as factors in the transmission of disease. The fact that under certain conditions insects change their hosts was mentioned. Mr. Daecke said in regard to a previous communication he had made an error. At Weymouth, N. J., he had found Yucca. He showed the stems from which he had raised a number of moths which he thought were Pronuba ynccasclla, but on fur- ther investigation they proved to be Prodo.rns intcrnicdins. Pronuba ynccasclla only breeds in the capsules or seed pods. The pupa cases of the two show remarkable differences. The Ynccasclla pupates on the ground; the larvae of inter- incdius do not leave the plant. Dr. Skinner exhibited a picture of the larva of Cruwdcs bicdcnnani made by Mr. Weigand. HENRY SKINNER, Recorder. A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held June 28, 1906, Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, in the Chair, and ten persons present. Mr. C. Few Seiss presented a piece of ebony perforated by the so-called ship-worm (Teredo), which was turned over to the Conchological Department of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Mr. J. A. G. Rehn said he had received some interesting Orthoptera from Prof. C. F. Baker, taken on Mt. Tyndall, in California. A Bradynotcs and a Hibiscus were of especial interest. The Hip pise us represented a small species compared to those taken at lower elevations where much larger species in the same genus occur. Also a katydid taken by C. R. Biederman at Florence, Arizona. Mr. E. Daecke reported the capture of Cordnlc^aslcr inacnhi- tits, at Lacey, Xew Jersey, on May 2/th, this being the second specimen recorded from the State. On June 24th, at Browns Mills Junction, he took Hageirins brct'istylns while it was in the act of capturing Dorocordulia Icpida. Chrysophanus cpi.ranf/ic, June i/th, and Gastropacha nincricana on April 2Qth, wnv 32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan.,'oy recorded from the same locality. On June 3d, at Dacosta, N. J., he captured Tetyra bipunctata, a hemipterous insect, representing a family new to the State. Dr. Calvert said in his work on the Biologia Centrali-Ameri- cana, he \vas particularly interested in the study of widely distributed species and mentioned the coast form Erythrodiplax bcrcnicc, which is found from New Jersey southward to Pan- ama. Going from north to south, the veining of the wing in this species becomes less dense. The same speaker also made remarks on the transition or intergradation of butterflies and beetles, as they are distributed from north to south. Dr. Skinner exhibited Xylophancs falco, a sphynx moth fiom the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, and new to the United States. It was captured by C. R. Biederman. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held October 25, 1906, Dr. Calvert, President, in the Chair. Nine persons were present. Mr. Ilg presented twelve blown larvre to the collection. Tie also exhibited specimens of Utethesia be! la, showing variation, and among them two specimens of U. oniatri.r, all found at Philadelphia. He was inclined to believe that bell a and onia- tri.r were not different species. Dr. Calvert said five specimens of Tcnodcra sineusis were seen in Woodland cemetery, West Philadelphia, during the second week of October, which had probably been introduced from the adjoining grounds of the Botanical Garden of the University of Pennsylvania. He also said the Argia tninslata taken at Roxborough. Philadelphia, by Mr. Haimbach in 1905 was the first record for Pennsylvania. The same gentleman took two female speci- mens in the same locality this year. It was described from Venezuela. Dr. Calvert captured Clirysina macropns under the electric lights in Jalapa, Mexico. lie also saw the species flying dur- ing the day. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. HfiZOfia LEPIDOPTERfl aofl COLEOPTEBfl For COLEOPTERA. Plusioti* bei/eri 2.50, passable 1.00, P. lecontei .50, P. gloriosa .75, Euphoria .25, Pnnimnchus mexicanus .75, Pasimachus sp. 1.00, Clernx bimaculatus .50, I'lm apricheunus 1.50, Gymnetis cretacea 1.50, Oncideres quercus .75, Metalejittix Imtrxi .75. i,i/nji- hnloilf.n trtichi/tleroitles 1.00, Eltiphiilion (trizon/'iixi* .50. Di/iuistex grant i l.(H). H.CH .25, (?. exflsa .50, Notes on American Hemiptera. BY E. BERGROTH, M.D., Duluth, Minn. III. The Acanthosomatinae of North America.* In his "Check-list" (1886) Uhler enumerates five North American species of this subfamily. By placing three of them as synonyms Van Duzee has reduced this number to two in his ' ' Annotated List of the Pentatomidse Recorded from America North of Mexico" (1904), but he describes one new species and one new variety. All the North American species are placed in the genus Acanthosoma by these authors. Since my moving over to this side of the Atlantic, I have had occasion to examine most of the American forms of this group, and find * Nos. I. and II. have been published in the Canadian Entomologist. Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 49 that the genus Acanthosoma does not occur in America at all, the species referred to this genus by the American authors belonging to other genera. That they have not hitherto been correctly located may partly be due to the circumstance that the palearctic genera of this subfamily have been badly mixed up in the catalogue of L/ethierry and Severin. By aid of the following characters our species are easily located : Acanthosoma Curt. Mesosternal lamina not prolonged back- ward. Mesosternum at the base behind the lamina a little elevated ; the elevated part longitudinally excavated or sul- cated (Old World genus). Elasmostethus Fieb., Stal. Mesosternal lamina prolonged backward between or behind the middle coxae. Posterior lat- eral margins of the pronotum neither depressed nor ampliated. Posterior angles of pronotum obtuse, not projecting backwards. Orificia long, about three times as long as the distance between their apex and the anterior angle of the metasternum. To this genus belong (i) cruciatus Say, (2) atricornis V. Duz., (3) cooleyi V. Duz., which I have not seen. It is de- scribed as a variety of cruciatus, but, judging from the descrip- tion, I think there can be no doubt that it is a different species. Elasmucha Stal (Clinocoris Hahn). Mesosternal lamina as in Elasmostethus. Posterior lateral margins of the pronotum depressed and ampliated. Posterior angles of pronotum angu- larly projecting backwards. Orificia rather short, less than twice as long as the distance between their apex and the ante- rior angle of the metasternum. To this genus belongs (4) lateralis Say. The name Clinoco- ris cannot be accepted for this genus, being pre-occupied by Fallen for the bedbug. According to Distant, A picicolor Westw. , described from an unknown locality, is a synonym of lateralis Say ; but Horvath, who has also examined West wood's type, says that it is the same species as the palearctic fiebcri Jak. Both these authors may be right, for it is not impossible that fiebcri will prove to be identical with the nearctic lateralis. I have no specimen of fiebcri here for comparison, and must leave this <|tu-st.ion unsettled. Distant has described an Acanthosoma jlaiumata 50 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 from Mexico. From the quite inadequate description it is impossible to say to what genus it belongs, but it is very un- likely that it is an Acanthosoma. IV. On Two Reduviidse from British Guiana. Repipta spinosa Fabr. Mr. Van Duzee has communicated to me specimens of this (or a very closely allied) species. In describing the types in his ' ' Hemiptera Fabriciana ' ' Stal placed Zelus spinosus Fabr. and sexdens Fabr. in the genus Repipta Stal, but later, when the types were not before him, he removed them to the genus Corcia Stal, apparently with some hesitation. They are, however, much better placed in Repipta. Diaditus pilosicornis n. sp. Testaceous, membrane and inner part of corium pale grayish ; the ocelliferous tubercle, the rostrum, two median pronotal vittce coalescing; on the anterior lobe ; a sublateral basal streak to scutellum ; an abbrevi- ated claval streak ; a streak near the inner apical angle of the corium and a shorter outer streak in front of the discoidal cell ; two somewhat obscure longitudinal fasciae to the meso- and metapleura ; two elongate spots, the posterior of which is shorter, to the lateral margins of the abdominal seg- ments, and a sublateral ventral vitta, fuscous ; a large triangular poste- riorly sinuated spot on the discoidal cell ; an irregular abbreviated basal streak on the inner basal cell of the membrane ; a small basal spot and a broad vitta, sinuated anteriorly and strongly narrowing posteriorly, on the outer basal cell of the membrane, very close to the external margin, velvety brownish black ; the other parts of the membrane mottled with pale fuscous ; apex of femora and of tibiae and the tarsi infuscated ; head with the apical processes starting from a common base, somewhat re- flexed, not quite reaching the middle third of first antennal joint, sepa- rated by a very narrow subparallel interstice, with the internal margin straight and the external margin distinctly longitudinally convex ; ocelli placed on the outer side of a raised, rounded tubercle, which is longitu- dinally sulcate in the middle ; interocular space on the underside some- what broader than the rostrum ((^) ; first joint of antennae a little longer than the distance between the interocular furrow and the aptx of the antenniferous tubercle ; glabrous ; second joint twice as long as first, longly erectly pilose ; third and fourth joints short, firel) pilose ; fourth longer than third ; pronotum rectangular at apex, with two obtuse keels somewhat diverging backwardly in the hind lobe ; lateral angles acute a little raised and distinctly prominent ; scutellum horizontal at apex ; hemelytra almost reaching the middle of the last dorsal segment (cf')i abdomen ($) with the last dorsal segment rounded, rather broadly and Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 51 deeply sinuate at apex ; carinated on the under side from its base to the apex of the fifth segment ; second male genital segment four times as long as first, sinuate at apex. Length, <^ 11.5 mm. Demerara (R. J. Crew). Akin to D. hirticornis Champ., but it is larger ; the frontal spines are not divergent ; the first antennal joint is much shorter ; the lateral angles of the pronotum are more acute and prominent, and the last dorsal segment of the male is dif- ferently shaped. This is the insect referred to by Van Duzee in Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., 1901, p. 350, as Narvesus sp. N. B. The allied Australian genus Agylla Stal must bear the later name Thelocoris Mayr, the first name being pre- occupied (Walker, Lepidoptera, 1854). The Bees of Nebraska. I. FAMILY PANURGID.E. Genus PERDITA F. Smith. BY MYRON H. SWENK AND T. D. A. COCKERELL. 1. Perdita albipennis Cresson. This species is present over the entire State, specimens from Sioux County, Bridgeport, Haigler, Spring-view, Cams, West Point, Lincoln and Nebraska City having been examined. It flics from June 23 to September 14, visiting abundantly the flowers of Helianthns annuus and allied species, but is to be found on Solidago, Grindelia and Rndbeckia also. 2. Perdita lacteipennis n. sp. $. Length, 9-10 mm. Head and thorax blue-green, the former ele- ment predominating on head and metathorax, the latter on mesothorax, which has also an aeneous tinge. Ends, of mandibles, a narrow cuneate mark in the middle of the otherwise unmarked, shiny and sparsely punctured clypeus, a quadrate mark on each side of the face between the clypeus and the eye, a line on .scape in front, a line on prothorax, a very large spot on tubercles, all of the knees and a broad stripe down the front of anterior tibise, yellow. Flagellum reddish testaceous beneath. Wings milky white, nervures and stigma pallid. Teguhe pale. Abdomen black, the first segment with a large spot on each side, segments 2-5 crossed by very broad yellow bands, the first two sub-basal, oblique, and strongly notched on the posterior margin (some- times completely narrowly interrupted), the last two submedian, trans- 52 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. . [Feb., '07 verse and continuous. Pygidium brown. Pubescence of head and thorax short, erect and white, densest on the cheeks and pleura, grayish white on the legs, the hair on last three abdominal segments and the ventral fringe ochraceous gray. c?. Length 8-9 mm. Black, the head and thorax strongly reflecting blue, only the mandibles, a narrow line on front of scape, knees and a variably-sized stripe on anterior tibiae yellow ; tarsi brownish ; pygidium abruptly yellow ; apical margins of the segments depressed, impunctate, steely. Types : Pair taken in copula, Niobrara, Nebraska, August 13, 1902, on Helianthus annuus (M. H. Swenk). There are also 49 female and 71 male paratypes from Long Pine, Cams, Neligh, Springview, Glen, Crawford, Warboiinet Canon, Im- perial and Haigler, Nebraska, thus representing the entire northwestern half of the State. While most frequent on Helianthus, this species visits also, but not frequently, the flowers of Rudbcckia, Petalostemon violaceus, Campanula pctiolata, Mcdicago sativa, Carduus altissimns and Verbena sp. It flies from June 23 to August 25. Perdita lacteipennis is quite close to P. albipennis, but differs at once in its larger size and in a reduction of the yellow mark- ings. The male of albipennis may easily be told by its yellow markings on clypeus and sides of face (completely lacking in lacteipennis}, much broader stripe on front of scape and on anterior tibiae, larger knee spots, more yellowish flagellum and yellow tarsi ; the female of albipennis has the apical margin of the clypeus yellow, in addition to- the median cuneate mark, more yellow on scape and legs, and much narrower abdominal bands. One would be inclined to consider it merely a variety of albipennis were it not for the fact that in western Nebraska both species occur together and are yet perfectly distinguish- able, lacteipennis running out eastwardly so that albipennis occurs alone in eastern Nebraska. 3. Perdita latidncta n. sp. $. Length about 5 mm. Head and mesothorax brassy-green, the prothorax and metathorax blue. Clypeus black, with a large subpyri- form yellow spot occupying most of the median area, the sides of face between the clypeus and eye with a small quadrate yellow spot, which sometimes extends up a short distance along the orbit, the mandibles and a spot on tubercles also yellow. Scape in front and ilagellum Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 53 below yellowish. Tegulaa yellow. Wings milky white, the nervures and stigma pallid. All of the knees and the front face of the anterior tibiae yellow, legs otherwise brownish black. Abdomen brownish black, all of the segments except the last, crossed by very broad, sub- basal, yellow bands, the first three notched medially on the posterior margin. Pygidium and venter brownish black. Pubescence short, erect, pure white, densest on cheeks, pleura and as fringes on the last three abdominal segments. o*. Length 4-5 mm. Mandibles, labrum, a line half way up posterior margin of eye orbit, clypeus, supraclypeal area, sides of face in a broad line extending far beyond insertion of antennas and ending truncately, scape and all except a portion of upper surface of flagellum, deep yel- low, the dogVear marks contrastingly black. A line on prothorax extending to large spots on the tubercles, yellow. All the knees, the front face of all the femora and of first four tibiae and anterior tarsi within yellow. Abdomen five-banded as in ?, the two last segments dark. Otherwise like ?. Types: Glen, Sioux County, Nebraska, August 20, 1906, on Helianthus petiolaris (H. S. Smith), ? $. Paratypcs : 23 9 $ and 49 $ $ from the type locality, "\Yarbonnet Canon, Crawford, Niobrara and Neligh, Nebraska. This species flies from July 12 to August 24, and though pri- marily a visitor of Helianthus, it occasionally strays to the flowers of Solidago missouriensis and Melilotus alba also. It is very distinct in its markings and has no close relative. In the tables of Pcrdita in Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci. the 9 runs to bigeloviac and the $ to sphacralceac var., but it is not either of those. 4. Perdita nebrascensis n. sp. 5. Length 6 mm. Head, prothorax and mesothorax aeneous green marked with yellow, the metathorax abruptly blue. A basal trilobate clypeal mark (the lateral lobes being very small and short, the median one large and broad), the supraclypeal area, subtriangular lateral face- marks running up contiguous to the orbits and terminating acutely just beyond level of insertion of antennas, spot at base of mandibles, whole scape and the flagellum beneath, a large spot on tubercles, first four tarsi, their tibrc inside and below, and all the knees, yellow. Tcvjul.r yellow. Wings hyaline, their nervures dark, the stigma pale centrulK. Abdomen black, the middle of segment I with a narrow, medially inter- rupted yellow band, the base of segments 2-5 with similar narrow transverse bands, continuous but not attaining the lateral margins of the segments, the last one very narrow, the pygidium pale. Venter 54 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 brown, the segments broadly edged with testaceous. Pubescence all pure white, longest on cheeks, pleura and tip of abdomen. c?. Length 5.5-6 mm. A streak contiguous to lower half of posterior orbits, mandibles, labrum, whole of face up to one-third the distance between insertion of antennae and anterior ocellus, and farther laterally, whole of antennas except a dorsal spot on pedicel, a line on prothorax connecting with the spot on tubercles, four anterior legs except broad lines on tibiae and femora behind, posterior coxae, trochanters, femora in front and all the knees, bright yellow. Abdomen with yellow bands in middle of i and bases of 2-5, broader than in $, usually all medially interrupted or notched, the last ones broadly so, segment 6 dark, venter pale yellowish. Otherwise like the ?. Head round, face and whole of thorax hairy. Types: Neligh, Nebraska, August 7, 1901, on Hclianthus (M. Gary), 5 $ . Paratypes: 14 $ $ ; type lot, 9 $ ; type locality, July, 3 $ ; Niobrara, Nebraska, August 13, 1902, on Hclianthus (W. D. Pierce), 2 $ . This species is most closely allied to the recently described P. dallasiana Ckll., but differs from that species in larger size, deep yellow of face, less yellow on cheeks, no yellow marks on pleura and different abdominal markings. It looks much like P. spliacralccae Ckll., especially the abdomen, but the head and thorax are quite different. The female runs in the tables to P. bigeloviae van, but is not that species. 5. Perdita dolichocephala n . sp. ?. Length, 6 mm. Head and mesonotum dark metallic green, strongly and densely punctured, the prothorax, metathorax and pleura dark metallic blue and much more finely punctured. Face unusually long and narrow, with the inner margins of the orbits subparallel. Clypeus very sparsely and shallowly punctured, typically with a large median subpyriform area and lateral margins expanding into a spot in the lower corners, pale creamy yellow, but sometimes entirely black. Typically, also, with yellow lateral face marks running up along the orbits to terminate truncately at level of antenna; and below swollen into a large spot, but these also sometimes lacking. Mandibli-s usually yellow, sometimes black, labrum always black. Antenna,' dark, sometimes yellow for a short distance at extreme base. Teguke pale, the wings clear and with pale nervures and stigma. Legs blackish except the anterior knees and inner surface of anterior tibire. which are yellow. Abdomen varying from black to brownish-black, the base> of the first three segments typically with two short yellow marks, one on each side, marking the rudiments of a semi-obsolete, widely inter- Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 55 ruptcd hand, these marks sometimes entirely absent. Venter hlack. Cheeks, occiput, pleura, legs and last three abdominal segments with long, erect, pure white hair, the clypeus, face and mesonotum with shorter and thinner pubescence. d. Unknown. Type: Warbonnet Canon, Sioux County, Xel)raska, July 23, 1901, on Hcliunthits (M. A. Carriker, Jr.), I ?. I'aratypes: Niobrara, Nebraska, August 13, 1902, on Hclianthns (W. D. Pierce), 2 9 . The three specimens placed here differ widely in their face and abdominal markings, but on close study prove to be but variations of a single very distinct species, characterized by the long head, which is suggestive of Conanthalictus. The type has well-developed face marks and abdominal marks, but one of the paratypes completely lacks all trace of face markings and has even better developed abdominal marks than the type, while the other paratype has the face marked like the type, but lacks any abdominal marking. 6. Ferdita fallax Cockerell. This species has been taken only in Sioux County, where it flies from June 27 to August 19, visiting a small species of Hclianthns and also, though less commonly, Gutierrezia saro- thrac. A series of 14 females and 15 males was collected in Warbonnet Canon, July 12, 1901, on a small Hclianthus, and the occurrence of so many at the same time on the same flowers leaves no doubt as to the correct matching of the sexes. The females, while not typical, are so close to falla.r that no separa- tion from that species can be justified, while the males prove to be unquestionably the same as the type of P. crii^cronis Ckll., known only in the male, and described from Mesilla Valley. N. M., at lin^ci-oii, in May. P. eri^cronis Ckll., then, must be considered as the unknown male of P. falla.r Ckll. 7. Perdita affinis Cresson. \\Yst Point, Cedar Bluffs and Nebraska City, Nebraska, August 30 to September 12, uncommon at flowers of Solidago ri -Ida, and, late in the season, on ,-lstcr. 8. Perdita bruneri Cockerel!. Lincoln and West Point. Nebraska, August 6 to September 56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 12, abundant on Solid ago rigida and Grindelia squarrosa, es- pecially the former. 9. Perdita cockerelli Crawford. Lincoln, West Point, Broken Bow and Sioux County, Ne- braska. In Sioux Count}- it flics during August or longer, vis- iting the flowers of Solidago missouriensis. In eastern Nebraska it flies from August C> to October 6, almost exclusively on Grindelia squarrosa, but also, rarely, on Aster late in the sea- son. This species is not nearly so common as bruncri, which it so much resembles. 10. Perdita crawfordi Cockerell. Lincoln, Nebraska, August 22 to September I, abundant at flowers of Grindelia squarrosa, rarely straying to fleliant/nis animus also. Strangely, this species has never been taken away from the environs of the salt flats west of Lincoln. 11. Perdita ignota Cockerell. No additional specimens of this species have been captured since the one recorded from Lincoln in September, in Ent. News, viii. p. 24. It has been taken by Messrs. C. R. Jones and \Y. D. Pierce at Clarendon, Texas, at flowers of Grindcliu squarrosa. 12. Perdita punctata Cockerell. Also known from Nebraska only through the one 9 speci- men captured at Lincoln in September, and recorded with ignota. 13. Perdita maura Cockerell. Lincoln, West Point and Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, July 27 to October i ; at flowers of Physalis, and, late in the season, on Aster. 14. Perdita gutierreziae Cockerell. Four females and twenty- four males collected August 18 to 22, Kjo6, at flowers of Cuiicrrczla sarolhrac at (Hen, Sioux County, Nebraska. The female of ^nlicrrcrjiae has never been described, and is exceedingly similar to P. rJioditra Cockerell, but the male of rhodnra is quite distinct from that of guticr- resiae. Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 57 15. Perdita melanostoma n. sp. $. Length, 5.5 mm. Head dark green, changing to greenish blue on occiput and cheeks, and to deep black on the clypeus, the mesonotum aeneous green, with remainder of thorax deep blue. Usually a round yellow spot on each side of clypeus, and mandibles more or less com- pletely yellow. Antenna- brownish black, the flagellum yellowish be- neath. Levs black, with all the knees, first four tibiae in front, and the anterior tarsi, yellow. A small spot on tubercles, whole of tegulse and bases of the wings yellow. Wings clear, nervures blackish, stigma brownish fuscous. Abdomen black, the middle of segment i and ba-es of 2-4 with broad, narrowly medially interrupted or notched, transverse yellow bands. Venter fuscous. Cheeks, mesonotum. pleura, legs, last two abdominal segments above, and whole of venter with peculiar, sparse, very erect, bristle-like and heavy, pure white pubescence, long only on abdomen tip and posterior legs. c?. Unknown. T\ pe : Glen, Sioux County, Nebraska, August 19, 1906, on Gitticrrczia sarothrae (P. R. Jones), 9 . Paratypes: 25 9 9 from type locality, August 18-22, 1906, on Guiicrrczia sarothrae. This species runs out near P. snbfasciata and sphacralccac, but is neither; the former has the whole head and thorax dark- bluish green, almost black, and the mandibles wholly dark, and flies at flowers of Chrysothammts. 16. Perdita luteola Cockerell. Thirty-eight females and nineteen males. August 12-22, 1906, on Gnticrrczia sarothrae at Glen, Sioux County, Nebraska. 17. Perdita perpallida Cockerell. The co-types of this species, taken at Neligh, Nebraska, in July (M. Gary), at flowers of Pctalostcuwn violacens, are the only specimens so far captured. 18. Perdita wootonae Cockerell. This species flies in abundance in northwest Nebraska, visit- ing exclusively the flowers of Nuttalia nnda from July 28 to August 22. A series of over 250 specimens from Crawford and ( ilcii shows that the male is dimorphic, some specimens hav- ing very small, round, unarmed heads, while others have enor- mous, heavy heads with strong cheek spines. These two ex- tremes intergrade. The type of wootonae has black tarsi, but this character is variable and all the Xebraska specimens ex- amined have the tarsi pale. The pleural spot is also variable 58 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 in size, and is frequently entirely lacking-, so that this character cannot be depended upon to separate ivootonac from perpallida. However, perpallida has the second submarginal cell more nar- rowed above and is of a paler color generally, lacking the greenish tinge to the scutellum, metathorax and pleura which o o makes these parts contrast with the mesonotum and vertex in ivootonac. The two are very close and may not be specifically distinct, but the difference in the flowers visited would argue for their separation. 19. Perdita zebrata Cresson. Glen, Crawford, Bridgeport and Gering, Nebraska, July 28 to August 22, at flowers of Clcoinc serrnlata, HcliantJius petio- laris and Solidago inissoitriensis. On. close examination of a series of nearly 200 specimens the supposed- external distinc- tions between P. zebrata and P. bakerae break down; the geni- talia characters have not been further investigated. 20. Perdita stottleri flavida n. subsp. ?. Length, 7 mm. Similar to P. stottleri, but larger, with the light parts ot the abdomen canary yellow instead of cream color, the dark parts of the head and thorax sen eons green instead of bluish green, and the hind femora entirely yellow, lacking the large black mark of typical stottleri. J 1 . Differs from the <$ of stottleri by the aeneous green instead of bluish green color of the head and thorax and the presence of a black mark on the hind tibiae. Type : Glen, Sioux County, Nebraska, August 22, 1906, on Gnticrrezia sarothrac (L. Bruner), 9, $. Paratypes: Type lot, 355 and 2 $ $ ; type locality, August 17, 1906, on Solidago uiissouricusis (P. R. Jones, i This subspecies is quite near to P. stottleri Ckll., which was described from Tularosa Creek at edge of Mescalero Reserva- tion, New Mexico, and which also visits Gitticrrczia, but differs from the type as above, apparently representing a valid sub- species. Of the above twenty species, eleven have their type localities in Nebraska, five were originally described from New Mexico, three from Colorado, and one from Xew Mexico and Colorado. There are also before us five unique male Perditas from Nebraska, some of which are apparently new, but their naming is deferred until the accumulation of additional material. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author's name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] To Contributors. All contributions will be considered and passed upon at oui earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put " copy " into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five " extras," without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged. ED. PHILADELPHIA, PA., FEBRUARY, 1907. Entomologists in general are desirous of having their col- lections named, and in many cases do not know the persons studying special groups to whom they could apply. We have thought it would he useful to publish the names of those per- sons who are willing to do this work. We will also be pleased to hear from specialists who are willing to send in their names for this purpose, and we will publish them in our next issue. The XKWS assumes no responsibility in this matter, and all details should be arranged between the collector and the per- sons making the determinations. The following persons will be pleased to name the groups mentioned : Mr. William Beutenmuller, American Museum of Natural History, 77th St. & 8th Avenue, Xew York, N. Y. Cynipifhe and Catocala. Professor Herbert Osbnrn, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Homoptera. Professor E. A. Smyth, Jr., Virginia Polytechnic Institute', Blacksburg, Virginia. Sphingidre of the world. Dr. Henry Skinner, Academy Xatural Sciences, i<)oo Race Street, Philadelphia, Penna. Xorth American P.utterilics ( Ex- panded ). Dr. I'hilip P. Calvcrt, Academy Xatural Sciences, 1900 Race Street, Philadelphia, Penna. Odonata. J. A. G. Rehn, Academy Xatural Sciences, 1900 Race Street. Philadelphia. I'enna. Orthoptera. This list should be greatly increased, and we hope to get many names. We could add more now. but don't like to do so without permission. 59 60 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ' OJ Entomological Literature. THE ALEOCHARIN^; BY CASEY. The Academy of Sciences, of St. Louis, has lately published a paper from the pen of Major Thomas L. Casey with the title "Observations on the Staphylinid Groups Aleocharinae, etc." A few criticisms of this paper are offered here. Page 144. Aleochara fuscipes Gravh. is synonymous with cnrtula Goeze. Specimens so identified are in my collection from Colorado, Illinois, and West Virginia. Aleochara Insirica Say is a variety of curtula Goeze. Aleochara latcralis Heer is synonymous with crassicornis Boisd., Lac. Page 147. Aleochara (Xenochara} puberula King is a cosmopolitan species. I have a specimen from Pasadena. Aleochai-a inilleri Kr. is a true Baryodma. Page 152. Aleochara castaneipennis Esch. should read Mannh. Poge 158. Aleochara (Baryodma?} densiventris Casey. The specific name is pre-occupied. Dr. M. Bernhauer described a Californian species under this name (Deutsche Ent. Ztschr., 1906, Heft ii, p. 146). Major Casey writes me that he himself has discovered this synonomy. Page 1 60. Aleochara (Baryodma} nitidicollis Casey is also pre-occu- pied by Solier (Gay, Hist. Chil. iv, 352). Fauvel believes that the spe- cies so named by Solier belongs in the genus Homalota(? }. Page 162. Aleochara cuniculorum Kr, belongs in the subgenus Rheo- chara (teste Bernhauer). Page 163. Aleochara bipunctata Ol. is synonymous with bipnsiulata L. Page 164. Aleochara nitida Gravh. is synonymous with bipustiilata L. Page 165. Aleochara languida Gravh. should read Sachse. It is either identical with verna Say or a variety of the same. The five species created by Major Casey at the cost of Aleochara sulci- collis M mnh. are local forms of a very variable species hardly worth naming. Page 182. Aleochara (Polychara] graciliformis Fauv. in litt., is gra- cilicornis Brnh. (Stett. Ent. Ztg., 1901, 372), and is described from Mas- sachusetts. It occurs also in Canada (teste Harrington), Sparman Lake, Out. (teste Hamilton), and Mount Washington (teste Slosson). Page 191. The width of the abdomen of Trachyota lativentris Casey is given as 7.2 mm., a typographical error. Page 244. Falagria (Lorinota} gracilis Casey is said to visit pines, an accidental habitat, as Falagroid species occur mostly near water. Lori- nola will probably prove to be identical with Falagria, and the species gracilis Casey will have to receive another name (vide gracilis Motsrh. from India). The above remark applies also to Falagria (Lorinota} parra Casey, vide parva Kr. from Ceylon. Page 259. Falagria vaga Lee. is a Myrmecopora. Page 267. Stictalia arcuata Casey. Stictalia will probably prove to be Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 6l identical with Bolilochara, and the species arcuata Casey will have to receive another name {vide arcuata Fvl. from Chile). Page 273. Venusa blanchardi Casey is a synonym of Bolitochara picta Fvl. Page 279. Diestota mayeti M. & R. is a synonym of tcstacea Kr. Page 282. Eumicrota huineralis Casey. Eumicrota will probably prove to be identical with Gyropheena, and the species hunieralis Casey will have to receive another name {vide humeralis Shp. ). Page 287. Phanerota angularis Casey. See above remark {vide Gy- rophcena angularis Epp. from West Africa). Page 29 r. Gyrophcsna flavicornis n. sp. is a typographical error, and should read Melsh. Page 315. Oxypoda ancilla Casey. The specific name is pre-occupied, vide O. ancilla J. Sahib. Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl. xvii, 86, 1 880-81. I change the name of the species to dubia. Page 322. Drusilla Leach is pre-occupied ; Astilbus Steph. takes its place. Page 336. Macroterma borealis Casey. This genus will probably not stand, and borealis is pre-occupied by Atheta borealis Sahib = alramen- taria Gyllh. Atheta {Homalota} granulata Mannh. Mannerheim described the spe- cies as an Aleochara, and not as a Homalota ; granulata is identical with graminicola Gravh. The generic name Elytrusa is superfluous. Page 351. Leptusa tricolor Casey. The specific name tricolor is pre- occupied by Scriba for a species from Spain (Scriba, Heyd. Sp. 75). I change the name of the species to caseyi. A. FENVES, M. D. Notes and Ne\vs. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. I HAVE taken the liberty of writing you on this occasion concerning a matter which I feel sure will be of interest to you and worthy of your consideration. This is in relation to the forming of an entomological club here in Southern California. The time is surely at hand when an organization of this nature should meet with success. Within the past few days a num- ber of enthusiasts in this line have assembled and discussed the matter in question, and they are all of the opinion that the project will surely carry. The names of those interested in entomology in and about Los Angeles have been listed, and notices will be sent out to all with the hopes of their becoming interested in the matter, and so much so that they will attend the first meeting for organization, to be held at my residence, 1410 South Burlington Avenue, on the evening of Thursday, January 17, at eight o'clock. E. K. HARVEY. 62 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 No one has done more to advace our knowledge of Central American insects than Mr. G. C. Champion, now of Horsell, Woking, England, who has not only made large collections in all orders for the Biologia Centrali Americana, but has also described important sections of the Coleoptera and the Heteroptera in that work. The Editors of the NEWS therefore take much pleasure in presenting to our readers, on another page of this issue, an itinerary of his travels, which Mr. Champion has kindly prepared at our request. IF You lack a number of Entomological News, dont wait four or five years to ask for it as your chances of getting the number will be very small. The demand for the NEWS has been very great and back volumes are rapidly exhausted. If you do not get your copy send a postal to the NEWS at once. I WOULD like to see some more on Noctuidas within the NEWS. Couldn't you prevail on somebody to write some articles on the life histories of our eastern Plusias especially the larval stages and food plants? EDWARD D. KEITH, Providence, R. I. LAST October my father brought me nine specimens of Vanessa j album from Norfolk Conn. He said he had seen a number of them around the hotel, some of them tapping against the windows as if they desired to winter there. Last summer there was found here a pecular looking caterpillar. It was yellow with the oblique bands pink. It was evidently C.juglandis, for when it changed to a chrysalis it was exactly like other C. juglandis pupae. KATE W. STRONG, Setauket, Long Island, N. Y. THE initial meeting of the Entomological Society of America was held in the American Museum of Natural History at New York City, December 28, 1906. On the evening of December 28, Prof. Wm. M. Wheeler delivered be- fore the society an illustrated lecture on "The Polymorphism of Insects." Immediately after the lecture occurred the business meeting. Prof. J. H. Comstock of Ithaca, N. Y. was elected chairman and E. S. G. Titus of Washington, D. C. secretary of the meeting. The new society then adopted a constitution and by-laws and elected officers and members of the executive committe. The following are the officers: President, J. H. Comstock, Ithaca, N. Y. ist Vice-President, James Fletcher, Ottawa, Can., 2nd Vice-President, Henry Skinner, Philadelphia, Pa., Secretary-Treasurer, J. Chester Bradley, Berkeley, Cal. The Executive Committee consists of the officers and the following fel- lows : Wm. M. Wheeler, New York, N. Y., John B. Smith, New Bruns- wick, N. J., Herbert Osborn, Columbus, O., C. J. S. Bethune, Guelph, Ont., F. M. Webster, Washington, D. C. and Chas. W.Johnson, Boston, Mass. Following the business meeting was a smoker at the Hotel Endicott Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 63 given by the Newark, Brooklyn and New York Entomological Societies to the Association of Economic Entomologists and the Entomological Society of America. The executive committee at a meeting held December sgth, decided to call a meeting of the society at Boston, Mass., in connection with the meetings of the International Zoological Congress in August, 1907. Fuller announcement will be made later. The dues of the new society are one dollar a year and all pen-ons in- terested in entomology in "The Americas" are invited to apply for membership. The membership now exceeds two hundred and fifty. The American Association for the Advancement of Science granted affiliation to the new society at their New York meeting. E. S. G. TITUS, Secretary. A PARASITE OF THE MAPLE LEAF STEM BOKER, Priophorus acericaulis MAC GILLIVRAV. In the November number of the NEWS, Dr. W. E. Britton in his account of the maple leaf-stem borer or sawfly, Priophorus acericaulis Mac Gillivray and its occurence in Connecticut, mentions the fact that this was undoubtedly the species found by Dr. J. B. Smith in New Jersey. This was the case and with us the insect was very local occuring on only a few trees in South Orange as may be seen by referring to the reports of the New Jersey Agriculture Experimental Station. Our experience with the insect was similar to that recorded by Dr. Britton, except that we did not breed out the adults. We did rear, however, some half dozen examples of a parasite not recorded as infesting this insect and not mentioned by Dr. Britton unless it is one he refers to as resembling Pteromalus. This was sent to Dr. Ashmead who determined it as Sym- piesis quercicola Ashm. The parasites emerged on June 16. EDGAR L. DICKERSON. INSECTS GATHERING ON STRAW FLOWERS. While in the vicinity of Bridgeton, N. J., September n, 1906, my attention was called by the grower to a small patch of straw flowers which were infested with insects. This plant is a species of Compositse and the flowers which are greenish in color, are used for winter decorations, etc. Upon examining the pate h I found a number of specimens of Tragidon coquus Lee. many of which were in copulation. They apparently were not feeding but had gathered on the plants for the purpose of copulation. Besides these, a number of specimens of Euphoria inda L. and sepulchralis Fabr. were feeding upon the succulent stems of the plants and the sap or juice exuding at these injured places had attracted a few specimens of Ips fasciatus Oliv. Numerous insects of various orders were observed about the plants or on the blossoms and among them Lebia grandis Hentz, analis Dej. and Brachyacantha 4-punctata Melsh. resting on the leaves The plants were located in one of the rear fields of a rather sandy farm near woodland and owing to the absence of any other plants in bloom, at the time, in the near vicinity, formed the center of attraction for the numerous insects. 64 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 I requested the owner to send me such insects as he might find on the plants within the next few days and accordingly received a few more specimens from him. In all I obtained 46 samples of Tragidion coquus Lee all similar in markings, being black with red elytral spots and a like number of Euphoria sepulchralis Fabr. and inda L. besides those species already mentained and several more of Coleoptera and other orders. EDGAR L. DICKERSON. Doings of Societies. Meeting of the Cotton Belt Entomologists, The annual meeting of the Association of Official Entomolo- gists of the Cotton Belt was held at Baton Rouge, La., on No- vember 1 3th and I4th, in the Agricultural Building of the Louisiana State University. Entomologists from the North as well as the South were in attendance, the following States being represented : Louisiana, by Wilmon Newell, B. H. Guilbeau, C. W. Flynn, J. B. Garrett, M. S. Dougherty, Harper Dean, A. H. Rosenfeld and R. S. Howell; Mississippi, by Glenn W. Herrick; Alabama, by R. S. Macintosh ; Florida, by E. W. Berger ; Georgia, by R. I. Smith and W. W. Chase ; Tennessee, by H. A. Morgan ; Arkansas, by C. F. Adams ; North Carolina, by Tait Butler and R. S. Wog- lum; New Hampshire, by E. Dwight Sanderson; Illinois, by S. A. Forbes ; Iowa, by H. E. Summers, and the Department of Agriculture, by W. D. Hunter, W. Dwight Pierce, F. C. Bishopp and W. A. Hooker, of the Bureau of Entomology, and Cooper Curtice and B. H. Ransom, of the Bureau of Ani- mal Industry. In the absence of the chairman and secretary, Professor Wil- mon Newell called the meeting to order and Professor E. Dwight Sanderson and W. A. Hooker were elected chairman and secretary, respectively. Tuesday's session was devoted to a discussion of the cotton boll weevil. Mr. W. D. Hunter, in charge of the boll weevil investigations of the Bureau of Entomology, opened the meet- ing, giving an account of the progress made in the boll weevil Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 65 investigations during the past year. He spoke of the factors, natural and artificial, that assist in the spread of the weevil ; of the studies that have been made on the hibernation ; the factors in its natural control and of the observations made on its habits in Guatemala by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, and its adaptation to local conditions in this country. State Entomologist Herrick spoke on "Mississippi and the I5oll Weevil Problem." He does not anticipate greater injury than Louisiana has experienced and proposes that the cultural methods be demonstrated in Mississippi by experimental farms and institute work. He stated that he was in favor of a law compelling the destruction of stalks before frost. State Entomologist Smith, of Georgia, spoke of the attitude of the people and officials of the Eastern States to the boll weevil problem. He mentioned the > interest which had gradually de- creased in the last few years was now increasing as the weevil approaches. Mr. C. W. Flynn, Assistant Entomologist of the Louisiana State Crop Pest Commission, gave an account of the recent changes in boll weevil quarantines in the Southern States and the status of quarantines at present in force. Concerning the situation in Louisiana, it was explained that the quarantine line is extended as made necessary through the dissemination of the weevil. In August, the quarantine in Louisiana was removed, but three \veeks later replaced by a demand from the parishes, only cotton seed and seed cotton being quarantined against. Mr. Hunter cited a case, as bearing on the subject, where an infes- tation in West Texas was found to have been carried in cotton seed by a wagon to a distance of fifty miles. Prof. Herrick stated that in Mississippi quarantine regulations were erron- eously omitted from the new code, and consequently that State now has no regulations against the importation of cotton seed from the infested districts. Dr. Adams, State Entomologist of Arkansas, spoke of the proposed quarantine laws of that State. Mr. J. D. Garrett, Assitant Entomologist of the Louisiana State Crop Pest Commission, presented a paper on the areas covered by the 1906 migration in Louisiana. It has this year entered Arkansas and Indian Territory and is within twenty- 66 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 five miles of the Mississippi line. He stated that 64% of the * cotton producing area of Louisiana has now been reached as against 31% at the end of 1905, that in the northern portion of the State a forward movement of seventy miles had been re- corded the present year. Mr. W. D wight Pierce, of the Bureau of Entomology, closed the Tuesday session with an exhaustive paper on the studies made of parasitism of the boll weevil. Mr. Pierce, during the past year, has made a study of the parasites of the Rhynco- phora, especially of the boll weevil. He has found from the examination of many thousand infested squares that already in some localities in Texas they are an important factor in the con- trol of the weevil. These he further found to have come from the native weevils, the prevailing parasite varying with the locality. The Cattle Tick. Wednesday, the cattle tick, the sole transmitter of Texas fever in cattle, came up for discussion, the session opening with Professor Summers in the chair in the absence of Pro- fessor Sanderson. Dr. Cooper Curtice, of the Bureau of Ani- mal Industry, first addressed the meeting, telling of the work of eradication as now carried on by that bureau. Mr. Malcomb B. Dougherty, Assistant Entomologist of the Louisiana Crop Pest Commission, followed Dr. Curtice, speak- ing on the results of studies made in connection with the life history at Baton Rouge. Mr. W. D. Hunter then addressed the meeting and discussed the results of the cattle tick investigation and survey in Texas as carried on by the Bureau of Entomology. He reviewed the progress made in our knowledge of the biology of the tick, referring to Professor H. A. Morgan, who, through his studies of the life history, worked out the system of rotation which now makes eradication practicable. He spoke of the climatic factors which make eradication in the Gulf States quite a different problem from that along the present quarantine line. Dr. Tait Butler,- of North Carolina, who has already cleared no less than ten counties in that State, next addressed the meet- ing on the work that has been carried on under his supervision. Feb , '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 67 The many difficulties that arise in the work were mentioned and the ways in which they may be overcome were described. The secretary read a paper reviewing' briefly the study of ticks other than the cattle tick, their transmission of diseases as demonstrated by Lounsbury and others, describing" the ticks that have been brought to light recently by the Bureau of Ento- mology and their biology so far as studied. Some species hitherto unknown in their country, that may transmit disease, were mentioned. Professor H. A. Morgan, of Tennessee, closed the meeting with an address on "A Review of the Inception and Develop- ment of the Cattle Tick Eradication Movement." He dis- cussed the work which brought about an appropriation by Con- gress for tick eradication. The speaker expressed his confi- dence in the possibility of complete eradication of the cattle tick through national aid and State co-operation. This he stated will open the stock markets of the North, and as a result stimulate the cattle industry of the South upon which its agri- culture is based. W. A. HOOKER, Secretary. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held on the evening of November 28, 1906, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South I3th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., twelve members were present, and Mr. Kaber, visitor. President Daecke in the chair. Professor Smith said that the periodical cicada, brood 8, had been due in New Jersey this past summer, and that it had been sought for in different parts of the State, but that it had not put in its appearance. He further stated that our common "dog- day harvest fly" has been erroneously referred to Cicada tibicen L., and that it is not tibicen at all, and, furthermore, that there are four distinct species, where heretofore it had been sup- posed that there was but one. Three of these species can be recognized by their song, and they are all generally distributed throughout the State of New Jersey. Mr. Harbeck exhibited his collection of the genus Chrysops. Mr. Daecke also exhibited his collection of Chrysops, which 68 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 'cy represented all the species so far known from New Jersey, be- sides a number of species from other States. He spoke briefly on some differentiating characters of species in this genus. CJirysops cursiin Whitney he said to be undoubtedly distinct. He handed in the record of Chrysops sackeni Mine, taken at Da Costa, N. J., June 3, 1906, as new to the State of New Jersey. Mr. Laurent spoke about the importance of the "Entomologi- cal Society of America," which was discussed by the members and particularly by Dr. Skinner and Prof. Smith. Dr. Skinner exhibited specimens of Homoglaca carnosa, taken at Luzerne County, Pa., and Matigramma rnbrosuffusa, taken in the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. The same speaker reported the occurrence in the past summer of Tibicen septen- decitn at Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa. FRANK HAIMBACH, Secretary. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held on December 19, 1906, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South 1 3th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., there were eight members present. Mr. Bland exhibited a specimen of a supposed aquatic para- site, taken from an aquarium, in which the gold fish were dying, supposed to have been caused by the presence of this parasite. Mr. Wenzel spoke about the color variation in the genus Phanacns, exhibiting specimens from Florida, Wilmington, N. C., and Balsam Mountains. He pointed out that the Florida specimens are metallic-bronze, deeply striated, and those from North Carolina are dull green, the stride hardly noticeable. Mr. Harbeck recorded the following species of Diptera, new to the New Jersey list: Stiirmia normnla Van der Wulp., taken at Clementon, May 30, and Trenton, September 7. Hypostcua barbata Coq., taken at Trenton July 7, also Chaetona -macro p- tcra Van dcr Wulp. Habitat, Mexico, taken at Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa., May 21, 1905. Mr. Daecke reported the capture of Tabanns typhus Whit- ney at Da Costa, on June 4th, as new to the State of New Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 69 Jersey. Mr. Daecke also exhibited a specimen of an Ainino- p/iila, mounted in a sleeping- position, taken in this position in the evening at Willow Grove, Pa. Mr. Haimbach exhibited specimens of a pink variety of IJaeniatopsis grataria; also specimens of Blepharomastix stcnuilis Guen and Gcshna primordialis Dyar, which two species had until recently been lumped in collections under the name of the former. A paper on Insect Life in Florida Caves, by the late H. G. I lubbard, was read. FRANK HAIMBACH, Secretary. Minutes of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, Brooklyn, N. Y. Meeting of March ist, 1906. President Dr. J. L. Zabriskie in the chair and seven members present. Dr. Zabriskie addressed the society on " Microscopical Ex- aminations of External structures of Hemipterons Insects of Genera Anasa and Lygaeus." The remarks related chiefly to curious structures which are to be seen after suitable bleaching and microscopical mounting of dissections of the insect, and found in connection with the antennae, mouth parts, legs, pronotum, coxae and wings. The address was illustrated by thirty-nine lantern slides of his own preparation, which com- prised etchings on sheet-gelatine, tracings of sketches through the camera-lucida, from microscopical mounts of his own dissections. GEO. P. ENGELHARDT, Secretary. Meeting of April 5th, 1906. The President Dr. J. L. Zabriskie presided with twelve members and one visitor present. Mr. Robert W. Dougherty of Brooklyn, N. Y. was elected a member. Mr. Franck read a paper announced under the title of "The Most Advantageous Method of Collecting in the Elevated Regions of Placer and Plumas Counties, California", illustrated by specimens. His point, that it is more advantageous to col- lect in one locality throughout a season, than to move about 7O ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 'o"J to different localities and altitudes, he showed by comparing the results of two collectors. Commencing at an altitude of 2500 feet he gradually worked up to an elevation of 6500 feet until June when he left for Plumas Co., where he collected at an altitude of 11500 feet. Of the three shipments received by Mr. Franck the second and third shipment represented for the greater part insects contained in the first shipment, the repeti- tion of species showing a seasonal retardation corresponding with the altitude in which they Avere collected. About 200 species of lepidoptera were taken. The following insects were among those selected to illustrate the subject arid were taken in all the localities and altitudes visited by the collector : Hepialus lenzi, Axenus arvalis, Meliclcptria villosa, Syneda edzuardsi, PIcliothis phlogophagus, Annaphila deria, Heliaca diminutiva, Heiuaris thetis, Plusia calif arnica. The second collector remained in one locality near Colorado Springs, Colorado, from May i5th to the end of August, and while his catch did not exceed in number of specimens that of the first collector, he secured 531 species. GEO. P. ENGELHARDT, Secretary. Meeting of May 3rd, 1906. The President Dr. J. L. Zabris- kie presided with twelve members and one visitor present. Prof. Smith, on behalf of the glossary committee, submitted a galley proof of the " Glossary of Entomology " for the inspec- tion of members and reported that the book will contain about 150 printed pages and in addition several plates of illustration. The price per copy w r as voted by the society to be $2.00. Mr. Chas. Westphal of Brooklyn, N. Y. was elected a member. Mr. Roberts spoke on the waterbeetles belonging to the Haliplidae and he exhibited all the described species, save one unknown to him, and nine new species with manuscript names. In describing his methods for determining species he called particular attention to the shape and incrassation of the front and middle tarsi of the males, which are simple in the females and are characters not heretofore used, Other characters men- tioned were the markings on elytra, and the shape of the Feb., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7 1 coxae, plates and prosternal process and variations in the for- mation of the metasternum. Mr. Roberts also explained his method of mounting small specimens of Coleoptera on card points. He recommended points not too finely tapered and the use of the best white shellac and highest proof alcohol. The specimens should be dry, the shellac applied thinly and the points bent slightly downward, so that one side of the specimen can be placed on the point, leaving the other side and middle clear. Prof. Smith called attention to the 17 year cicada due to occur this year in some sections of New York and New Jersey and asked the members to report their observations. GEO. P. ENGELHARDT, Secretary. Meeting of June 7th, 1906. The Vice-President, Mr. E. L,. Graef presided with eleven members and one visitor present. Mr. Davis reported that at the joint field meeting of the New York and Brooklyn Entomological Societies on May 3oth at Great Notch, N. J., fair collecting, beautiful weather and delightful scenery combined to make the day enjoyable to all participants. Mr. Franck exhibited a crippled but living specimen of Chelcpteryx collcsi from Australia and the cocoon from which it had emerged. The wings of the moth had not expanded, thus showing more clearly the enormous size of its body. The large oval cocoon was constructed of coarse silk, bristling with with the stiff hairs of the caterpillar, which caused considerable irritation by adhering to the skin when touched. GEO. P. ENGELHARDT, Secretary. Meeting of October 4th, 1906. The Vice-President Mr. E. L. Graef in the chair and thirteen members and one visitor present. Mr. Graef read a paper on " Reminiscences of some Brooklyn Entomologists. ' ' He spoke of the great difficulties experienced by him and his contemporaries, A. R. Grote and Frederick Tepper, in getting their specimens named when commencing their collections about fifty years ago, as then only few books 72 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '07 on American insects were extant and very few people in Brooklyn were interested in Entomology. He dwelt on his acquaintance with Stephen N. Calverly, Herman Strecker, J. A. Lintner, Rev. John G. Morris, W. K. Morrison, W. V. Andrews, John Akhurst, and the genial Harry Edwards and in this connection mentioned many incidents of historic interest. The organization of the Brooklyn Entomological Society was chiefly effected by the efforts of F. G. Schatipp and Mr. Graef . That Mr. Graef's interesting paper should be published in printed form was the sentiment of all members present. Mr. Weeks exhibited specimens of the 17 year cicada col- lected in June at Yaphank, L. I., in the same locality where he remembers that they were exceeding!)' abundant in the year 1855, or Just 51 years ago. GEO. P. ENGELHARDT, Secretary. Meeting of November ist, 1906. The President, Dr. J. L,. Zabriskie, presided with eleven members and one visitor president. Following a report by Prof. Smith, the motion by Mr. Weeks was approved : that the report of the Glossary Com- mittee be accepted, the recommendations adopted and the committee discharged with thanks. In recognition of valuable assistance in connection with the Glossary of Entomology, John Grossbeck, Dr. Folsom, Dr. Calvert, Dr. Skinner, Prof. Johnson, and Nathan Banks have each been presented with one copy. Mr. George Franck was appointed sales agent of The Glossary. Frederic M. Schott, W. F. Bather and J. J. L/evison, all of Brooklyn, N. Y., were elected members. Some causes of the extraordinary increase of insect life and species in the vicinity of cities : (a) destruction of birds, () extensive variety of vegetation, as presented by Mr. Weeks, furnished a subject for general discussion by the society. Mr. Roberts obtained Hydroporus arcticus from Hopedale, Labrador, the first record of this European beetle from North America. GEO. P. ENGELHARDT, Secretary. Jrizona LEP1PTEBB and COLEOPTERfl For COLEOPTERA. Plusiotis beyeri 2.50, passable 1.00, P. lecontei .50, P. gloriosp, .75, Euphoria holochlori* .25, Pasimachiis mexicanus .75, Paximachns sp. 1.00, Clems bimaculatus .50, Chalcolepidius apncheanus 1.50, Gymnetis cretacea 1.50, Oncideres quercns .75, Metaleptus butesi .75. t.liinp- halodes trachyderoides 1.00, Elaphidion arizonensis .50. Dynaste* granti 1.00, Chrysobothri* lixa .25, (7. ezesa .50, C. libonoti .50, (7. area .25, C. ladificata .25. LEPIDOPTERA. Cntocala pura 2.00, desdemona .75, Crinodes biedermani 3.00, pair 5.00. Xylophones falco 2.00, Pholns ti/phon, passable 3.00, Samia gloveri .50, Glooeria psidii 1.50, Aulomeris pnminn 8.00, pair 15.00, cocoons 3.00, Megathymus neumcegeni .25, Neophasia terlooti 1.00, Plestia dorns .25. Orders of $10.00 or over 10 per cent, discount. Cash in adv-Hiice. Referen- ces: National Bank, Tucson, Arizona; Henry Skinner, Philadelphia. C. R. BIEDERMAIM, Palmerlee, CocMse Co., Arizona EMBITIOH OF TERNS USED IN ENWIOG1. A substantially bound book of 155 pages, with definitions of over 4500 terms used in Entomological work, three plates, illustrating body structure and venation, and one plate illus- trating color terms. Prepared by PROF. JOHN B. SMITH, Sc D., of Rutgers College and State Entomologist of New Jersey, and published by THE BROOKLYN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY An indispensible book for collectors as well as working entomologists and students. "Will be sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, $2.00, by the selling agents. The American Entomological Company 55 Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. QUALITY THE HIGHEST PRICE THE LOWEST LOCALITY PIN LABELS 20 cents per thousand (Postpaid), any number of lines. Printed from smallest type made. Best heavy linen bond paper No trimming One cut of scissors makes a label 30 labels on a strip Something different No less than 500 of each label printed ORDERS MUST BE IN MULTIPLES OF 500 C. V. Blackburn, 101 Pine St., Woburn, Mass. (Member Cambridge Entomological Club) ISTED No. 10, VOL. X, ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. WE HAVE FOR SALE AN UNBOUND COPY OF VOL. VI. R. A. COOLEY, Montana Agricultural College, Bozeman. Montana. When Writing Please Mention " Entomological New." THE MY"SCHEERER CO. Department of Natural Science, G. LAGAI, Ph. D. 225-233 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. SPECIAL OFFER. Just received, living pupae of Lapara coniferarum 75c., three for $1.80 " " Sphinx kalmifs 25c. each Mounted specimens, ex-larva : Grapta j-album, male 25c. " " Apatura clyton lOc. " " " " Gyrocheilus tritonia 50c. " " " Papilio ajax lOc. " " " " Hemaris diffinis lOc. " " Deidamia inscription lOc. " " " Paonias myops lOc. " " " " Cressonia juglandis SAN DOMINGO AND HAYTI. Regular shipments from our collector of Natural History specimens, especially insects, mammal and bird skins will arrive within a few weeks. Send your lists of desiderata. New Illustrated "Special Circular" ready for distribution. THE KNY SCHEERER CO. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCE. G. LAGAI, Ph.D., 225-233 Fourth Ave., New York, N. Y. PARIS EXPOSITION: ; PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION : Eight Awards and Medals Gold Medal ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION : Grand Prize and Gold Medal ENTOMOLOGICAL SUPPLIES AND SPECIMENS North American and exotic insects of all orders in perfect condition. Single specimens and collections illustrating mimicry, protective coloration, dimorphism, collections of representatives of the different orders of insects, etc. Series of specimens illustrating insect life, color variation, etc. Metamorphoses of insects. We manufacture all kinds of insect boxes and cases (Schmitt insect boxes, Lepidoptera boxes, etc.), cabinets, nets, insects pins, forceps, etc.. Riker specimen mounts at reduced prices. Catalogues and special circulars free on application. Rare insects bought and sold. Whi-n Writing Pleaae mention "Entomological News." P. C. Stoekhausen. Printer, 53-55 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia. MARCH, 1907. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Vol. XVIII. No. 3. Syntomeida befana Skinner. EDITOR : HENRY SKINNER, M. D. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: EZRA T. CRESSON. HENRY L. VIERKCK. J. A. G. REHN. PHILIP LAURENT. WILLIAM J. FOX. H. W. WENZEL. PHILADELPHIA: ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, LOGAN SQUARE. Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Published monthly, excepting August and September, in charge of the Entomo- logical Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Entomological Society. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, $1.OO IN ADVANCE. Outside of the United States and Canada, $1.20. Advertising Rates : 30 cents per square inch, single insertion ; a liberal discount on longer insertions. No advertisement taken for less than 60 cents Cash in advance. All remittances should be addressed to ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, Academy of Natural Sciences, 19th and Race Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA. ERNEST SWINHOE, 6, Gunterstone Road, West Kensington, London, W Cat. No. 16 for 1907 (now ready) mailed free on demand. The only dealers' list giving authors' names throughout. 100 named speci- mens, i qual : ex Assam, 40 different species in papers, including Papilio boo- tes, gy a $, etc., mailed free on receipt of Post Office Order $4.00 Explanatory Catalogue, with over 300 descriptions and many interesting notes 12 cents. PARCELS SENT ON APPROVAL FOR SELECTION. FOR SALE CHEAP for cash collection of Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera. 5000 species, 25,000 specimens contained in 250 Schmitt and other boxes. All in first-class condition. Determinations by best Amer. and Europ. specialists WM. A. NASON, ALGONQUIN, ILLINOIS. COCOONS Attacus orizaba, isc. ; promethea, 3C ; angulifera, 4oc.; cecropia, 3c ; poly- phemus, yc., 75c. a dozen ; H. io, 8c., 8sc. a dozen ; S. cynthia, 2c. Special Offer. Perfect specimens of Morpho menelaus, expanded. $1.00; Erebus strix, $2 oo to $3.00, according to size ; Urania croesus, $2 oo to |4.oo ; Ornithoptera euphorion, $5.00 a pair; Orn. hephaestus, 75C. ; Pap. ulysses v. joesa, $2.50; buddha, 5oc.; blumei, $2.50. Lists of other specimens on appli- cation. State desiderata. Riker mounts. Supplies, etc. O. FULDA, 816 BROADWAY, NEW YORK NEW PUBLICATIONS A Revision of the Mouth-parts of the Corrodentia and the Mallophaga, by R. E. Snodgrass. n pp., i pi. (Trans. 1905) ......... IO MAILED ON RECEIPT OF PRICE E. T. CRESSON, Treasurer, P. O. Box 248, Philadelphia, Pa. When Writing Please Mention " Entomological News." ENT. NEWS, VOL. XVIII. PI. I. 9 " - - . '- ^s^ 3 i t -as* ANTHOCHARIS OLYMPIA EDWARDS. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. VOL. XVIII. MARCH, 1907. No. 3. CONTENTS: Shull. Life History and Habits of An- thocharis (Synchloe) Olympia Edw, 73 Brehme A new var. of Thecla damon. 82 Akerlind Insect Hunting as a Pastime 83 Girault Standards of the number of Eggs Laid by Insects. V 89 Franklin Notes on Bombinae, with De- scriptions of New Species 90 Brimley and Sherman List of Butter- flies of North Carolina 94 Banks New Ant Lion-fly from Arizona loo Coquillett Discovery of Blood-sucking Psychodidae in America 101 Speiser Check-List of North American Diptera Pupipara 103 Editorial 106 Notes and News 107 Doings of Societies no Obituary 112 Life History and Habits of Anthocharis (Synchloe) Olympia Edw. By CHARLES ALBERT SHULL, Lexington, Kentucky. (Contributions from the Biological Laboratory of Kentucky Univ., No. i.) Thirty-five years ago William Henry Edwards* gave us the first description of Anthocharis olympia from specimens cap- tured near his home at Coalburgh, West Virginia. Later, Strecker,t and Scudderf also, gave accurate descriptions of the imago, in their works on butterflies. This species was found to have a very broad range, being reported in most of the states from West Virginia to Colorado, and from the Northwest Territory in Canada to Texas. Not- withstanding its wide distribution, nothing was known con- cerning its preparatory stages for over twenty years. It was *Kclwards, W. H., 1871. Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., vol. iii, p. 266. fStrecker, F. H. H., 1874. Lepidoptera Rhopaloceres and Hetero- ceres, Indigenous and Exotic, p. 64. PI. viii. Fig. 9. tScudder, S. H., 1889. Butterflies of the Eastern United States and Canada, vol. iii. p. 1844. 73 74 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 not until 1891 that Mr. Edwards captured a female in the act of depositing her eggs on a species of Sisymbrium. He watched the development of the larvae and gave a very brief description of them in the supplement to his monumental work, "The Butterflies of North America," in 1897. || His description of the adult larva is fairly accurate, but the only specimen which attained its full growth died in pupation, and so our knowledge of its life history was left incomplete. In the spring of 1905 my attention was called to the pres- ence of Anthocharis olyinpia in the dune region about the southern end of Lake Michigan. During the past season it has been possible for me to study the complete life history and the habits of this extremely interesting butterfly, both in its native habitat and in the laboratory. The locality studied lies between Clarke Junction and Pine, Indiana. The first collecting trip to that region was made April 28, 1906, and a number of specimens were captured, all of them being the typical A. olympia, as figured by Edwards, although some of them show a larger "white interior patch" on the fore- wings than the one figured from Whiting, Indiana. It was found to alight almost exclusively upon the flower clusters of Arabis lyrata L., the only Crucifer which can be found in bloom at this early season in the dune region. A second visit was made May I2th, and more adults were cap- tured, but none of them seemed to be ovipositing. Being firmly convinced that A. lyrata was the food plant, I made a careful search, and, after a great many had been examined, was rewarded by finding a few eggs. Edwards describes the eggs as red. If they are red when first laid, they must turn orange yellow as development pro- ceeds, for every egg seen was of this color. The eggs are laid singly, usually only one, and very rarely more than two, upon a single plant ; and in this case the eggs may have been laid by different females. They are nearly always placed on the sepals of the younger, centrally located buds, rarely on the | [Edwards, W. H., 1897. The Butterflies of North America, vol. iii. Supplement, p. 2. Edwards, W. H., But. of No. Am., vol. iii. PI. 2. Anth. Fig. 5. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 75 peduncle just below the bud. Fig. i shows the usual situation of the egg. It is important to the young- larva that these young central buds be chosen rather than the outer ones which bloom first. For the sepals of A. lyrata are caducous ; and if the eggs were placed on the older buds, the sepals would fall before the egg hatched, and the young larva would die of starvation. This happened in one instance in the laboratory. Just before the egg hatches, it changes from orange yellow to a dull yellowish brown. The larva, measuring a little over i mm. in length, eats away one side of the shell, creeps out, and usually begins to feed at once, leaving the shell as when it emerged. My observations on this point are at vari- ance with the statement commonly made, that butterfly larvae devour the shells from which they emerge before beginning to feed upon the food plant. The duration of the instars varies with different individuals, and the moults occur more rapidly indoors than out, especially if an abundant food supply is kept on hand. The larva watched most closely as regards the time of moulting, hatched on May I3th. The first moult occurred at 9.30 A. M., May i6th; the second on the i8th, the third on the morning of the 2Oth, and the last early on the 22d. The adult larva, 28 mm. in length, left its food plant near noon on the 25th, and began to crawl about on the sides of the bell jar which was kept over the vessels containing the food, as if seeking a suitable place for pupation. It continued this for more than four hours, and then became very quiet. At six o'clock it was spinning the silken carpet on which they always pupate, and a half hour later it had begun the "button" to which the posterior end is finally attached. It is interesting to note that this mass of silk is nearly always spun while the larva hangs head downward. There seems to be a geotactic stimulus of some kind, for in one case the larva was carefully inverted four times successively after the carpet had been spun, and each time after about ten minutes it turned slowly around without leaving the web al- ready spun, and assumed this inverted position. After turning 76 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 the last time it began to spin the button of silk, and then, al- though its position was reversed, it continued spinning for an hour, and finally attached itself. After the spinning was completed, the larva turned slowly around and felt about carefully with the posterior end until it came into contact with the mound of silk, when, with a deft motion, the hooks of the anal prolegs were inserted and twisted firmly into it. Thus it is seen that the stimulus which impels the reversed position during the spinning really anticipates an upright position for the pupa. After a short period of rest the larva began to spin its girdle. This was accomplished exactly as by Pieris rapae L. The head and thorax are bent sharply backward and the thread is attached at one side of the body. Keeping the anterior end in this flexed position, it carries its head by torsion to the opposite side, where the thread is again attached. Back and forth it keeps spinning, strand by strand, until the girdle is strong enough to support the pupa properly. Two specimens were observed, and the one spun 24 strands, the other 33. Thus the girdle spans twice the diameter of the body, and perfect allowance is made for the increased diameter of the pupa. When the spinning of the girdle is completed, which takes from 20 to 25 minutes, the head is slowly and care- fully withdrawn from the loop of silk. On the following day, May 26th, about 3 P. M., the pupa emerged. The entire larval period, then, is from 12 to 14 days in the laboratory, some growing faster, others slower, than the one described above. But in the field the period seems to be longer. On May I2th no larvae were to be seen on any of the food plants, and on May 26th, the same day pupation occurred in the laboratory, the larvae in the field were in all stages from the second to the beginning of the fifth instar. Assuming that other eggs pf the same age as those collected were left in the field, the larval period must be several days longer than in the laboratory. Probably this can be accounted for by the cooler nights and less abundant food in nature, both of which would tend to decrease meta- bolic processes and so increase the length of the larval life. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77 The color changes which take place during this larval and early pupal life are very remarkable. Eggs sectioned at the time they turn brownish are found to contain a fully formed larva. The body is doubled up in the egg with the ventral surfaces together, the head lying next to the micropyle. At birth the larva measures less than 1.5 mm. in length. The body is lemon-yellow with grayish tubercles bearing large glandular hairs, just as in other Anthocharid larvae. The head is very dark, and before the first moult, becomes a shiny jet black. After the first moult the head is no longer black, but green- ish gray, and the whole body becomes green, due, perhaps, as Poulton* suggests, to transformed plant pigments. Before the end of the second instar the longitudinal stripings begin to show. There is a grayish-green median dorsal line ; then on each side, a subdorsal light yellowish-green line, a lateral gray- green line, and a narrow infralateral yellow-green line be- between the spiracles and the base of the prolegs. The ventral surface and legs are grayish-green. During the third instar the colors as described by Mr. Ed- wards are fully developed. The dorsal and lateral lines be- come slaty in hue, shading out into green which merges into the yellow of the subdorsal line. The infralateral line becomes pure white beneath the spiracles, and a very narrow light- yellow line lies just below the white. In the fourth and early part of the fifth instar these colors do not change except to become brighter and more contrasted. The dorsal and lateral slate-green lines are certainly correlated with physiological processes, for they lie exactly peripheral to the dorsal and lateral blood vessels, which may be seen pulsating beneath them if examined with a hand lens. As the last instar is nearing its end, the brilliancy of the color pattern is lost. The green becomes ashy gray-green, and the yellow portions turn olive and are somewhat reduced in size. Shortly after this a peculiar purplish tinge makes its ap- pearance at the posterior end and about the thorax. This *Poulton, E. B., 1893. Experimental Proof that the Colors of certain Lepidopterous Larvae are largely due to modified plant pigments derived from the food. Proc. Roy. Soc. of London, vol. liv., pp. 417-430. 78 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 purplish color gradually extends anteriorly until the whole body shows it. This change immediately precedes and accom- panies the wandering of the larva while seeking a place to pupate. The color becomes very dark, and by the time the larva has spun its girdle, every trace of green has disappeared from the body. The dorsal and lateral green stripes, the ventral surface and the head are all very dark bluish-purple. On close observation the traces of the subdorsal yellow lines can still be seen. The infralateral line of white remains very brilliant, and is accompanied by a trace of the yellow ; but it no longer extends the whole length of the larva. It is interrupted in the second and third thoracic segments, which become swollen and turn purple as the wing rudiments develop beneath the old cuticle. As pupation approaches, the color lightens somewhat, and when the pupa emerges it is a beautiful rosy purple, with a white infralateral line extending from the tip of the wing to the tip of the abdomen. A short time before pupation takes place, very slight peristaltic contractions begin in the abdominal region, passing anteriorly. These contractions probably serve two purposes : to loosen the old cuticle, and to distend the anterior portions of the body where the rupture of the larval skin is to take place. The weak contractions give way to very strong peristalsis just as pupation commences. The old cuticle ruptures over the thorax and down the me- dian line of the head, and is soon cast. As a last act the anal segment is withdrawn from the old skin, and the cremaster is thrust into the button. The beautiful color of the pupa does not last long; within a few hours the rose-purple fades, being reduced to various shades of brown. Since no account of the pupa has ever been given, a more detailed description might be appreciated. In profile the dorsal line is almost straight, being but slightly concave just over the wings. The average length is 18 mm. ; the greatest width, 3 to 3.5 mm. at a point 6 mm. from the anterior end; the greatest depth is 3.5 to 4 mm. about 9 mm. from either end. Figures 5 and 6 show the general shape of the pupa. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 79 \Yhen the final color change occurs, the dark anterior region becomes dark brown; and the most important elements of the color pattern are longitudinal dark lines, of which there are five usually well marked: a median dorsal, two laterals, and tw r o which lie more ventrally to either side of the median ventral line. The latter is marked by only a few dark dots back of the apices of the wings. The paler dorsal areas lying between these darker lines are marked with small black dots which seem to occupy the same relative position on the seg- ments as the black tubercles on the larvae. See Figures 2, 3 and 4. The wing cases also bear dots lying in rows exactly above the veins of the wings, and a submarginal row between the veins. The antennas are also outlined by rows of minute dots. Experience has shown that there is considerable variation in the minute markings of both larvae and pupae, and more detailed accounts are of little value for this reason. The habits of the imago and the full-grown larva in their native habitat are worthy of careful study wherever this interesting species may be found. The species is monogo- neutic, and the butterfly is on the wing from early in April to the end of May, depending on the season. Thus the pupal life extends over a very long period. The conditions of life are extremely rigorous in this region. The temperature extremes of summer and winter are excessive and subject to great and sudden changes ; the relative humidity is low, even as low as 30 per cent, at times ; the sand blast is strong enough to erode the standing trunks of dead trees ; and enemies, such as tiger-beetles and ants, abound. It is there- fore of interest to learn where in such a region the pupa would spend ten months of the year. On May 26th a number of half-grown larvae were located, and on June ist the region was visited again. Most of the larvae had disappeared, but at one of the stations a single larva remained. It was already purplish, which indicated that it was ready to leave its food plant. Carefully removed from the plant to the ground it was allowed to go whither it would. It crawled along usually on some plant stems a few inches 8O ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 above the ground. In that way it avoided the unpleasant heat of -the sand (which was very often found to be above 40 C.), and also any tiger-beetles that might have been lying in wait. After a short time it entered a clump of the bunch grass, Andropogon scoparius Michx., which is very abundant in this region. The grass clump was about a foot in diameter, and the larva clambered about in it, up and down and back and forth for nearly six hours. Finally it became quiet and began to spin its scala or carpet of silk just a couple inches from the ground, in the midst of the grass. I was compelled to leave it at this point; but on the next visit, June 9th, the pupa was found in the same situation, head upward. Many similar clumps of Andropogon, Elymits, and other dune grasses were searched carefully for other specimens, but it was like hunting for a needle in a haystack, since the grass clumps are very numerous and the pupse relatively rare. No others were found. However, this may be taken as a probably typical habitat. And certainly none could be , found better adapted to a long quiescent existence. Andropogon retains its dead leaves and stems the year round, the new ones growing up through the old ones. The excessive heat of summer is mitigated by the shade of the leaves, protection from the winter cold is secured in the same way, the humidity of the atmosphere is somewhat more constant in such a situation. The dune grasses are noted for their ability to stop the sand blast and form embryonic dunes about their bases wherever the sand is shifting. And the love of tiger-beetles for open sand is well known. It is an admirably chosen location. The habits of flight of the imago are very interesting. It flies near the ground, following a rather uncertain course, dancing tremulously this way and that. It requires but a few moments' observation to note, however, that the direction of movement is determined largely by mechanical factors. Even in a gentle breeze, the butterfly, no matter how irregular the course of flight it may pursue, exhibits a strong positive anemo- taxis, nearly always alighting on the racemes of its food plant Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 8l with its head toward the wind, or at a very slight angle to it. The reason for this is perfectly obvious. It assumes the posi- tion in which it offers the least resistance to the wind, in which it needs to exert no muscular effort to keep its wings folded, and in which the muscular effort of flight is exerted symmetri- cally. Occasionally a butterfly would attempt to turn away from the wind while resting upon the clusters of flowers; but it was unable to maintain this position. The wind would either shift it back again, or blow the wings forward over its head, thus rendering the insect helpless. On May I2th I was able to observe their flight in the face of a gale. It was a bright, hot afternoon and the wind was blowing at the rate of from 45 to 50 miles per hour. Since A. olympia is a weak flier, it could not face a blast like this. The wind swept directly across the crests of the low sand ridges, and the only place that specimens could be found at all was on the leeward sides of the dunes, or immediately behind protecting groups of willows and pines which are often found in the moist depressions between them. Protected thus from the direct force of the wind, the butter- flies were seen pursuing an irregular course, dancing from side to side, but always headed toward the wind, and making slow progress toward the crests of the dunes. This advance was continued until the crest was reached ; but no sooner had one reached this point than it was caught in the wind and hurled backward and downward by the eddying blasts, to begin anew the ascent of the leeward slope. This process was observed again and again. It is not hard to find in this mechanically determined flight a great advantage to the insect. Flight toward the wind tends to keep it within the limits of its habitat. The enforced retrograde movement is counterbalanced by the progress of the butterfly toward the wind. If it flew with the wind, either it would be blown inland, far away from the habitat of its food plant, or it would perish in the waters of Lake Michigan. The habits described above depend, no doubt, upon struc- tural characters, and do not owe their origin to natural selec- tion ; for it is recognized that natural selection can be exer- 82 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 cised only upon such structures and habits as already exist. The structural characters which condition the habits may have arisen by mutation or by any other process by which heritable modifications may arise. Having arisen, and being adapted to the needs of the insect, the structures and consequent habits will be preserved by selection. For, if certain specimens by mutation should become still weaker, they might be blown from their restricted habitat, and so perish. If, on the other hand, they should become stronger, so as to attempt to fly with the wind, the same fate would befall them. If the assumptions here made are correct, the habits of the imago are probably preserved by the destruction of those individuals which depart from the most nearly adapted condition. It is to be hoped that others who live in regions where Anthocharis olympia is found will observe the habits and history, and note the variations which a different environment may bring about. A new Variety of Thecla damon. By H. H. BREHME, Newark, N. J. Almost every collector in Newark, and even in New York and Brooklyn, knows, when he wants specimens of Thecla damon, to go to Garret mountains at Paterson, N. J., for this species. I have myself collected this insect for a num- ber of years past, and have taken over a thousand examples, mostly of the spring brood, though also some of the summer brood. All of these specimens were of the usual bright ful- vous color with dark borders, and none showed any tendency toward a black variety such as is described below. Scudder, in his Butterflies of the Eastern United States and Canada, mentions having a single specimen from Long Island. It is apparently a good variety, there being no intermediates, so I propose the name patersonia for it in order that it may be here- after referred to by name, Thecla damon Cram, var patersonia, nov. var. Of the same size as the usual form, upper surface of both pairs of wings even blackish-brown, with a very few scales Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 83 scattered over the primaries and several near the anal angle of the secondaries ; basal half of inner margin of secondaries paler than rest of wing, beneath as in the normal form. Type : one 9 from Paterson, N. J., dated July 25, in the collection of the writer. The specimen was bred by Mr. J. A. Grossbeck from larvae of the spring brood which were found on red cedar. Insect Hunting as a Pastime. By G. A. AKERLIND, Chicago, 111. Last summer I had occasion to stay in St. Louis, Mo., dur- ing the months of August and September, and as I was a stranger in the city, and there was "nothing doing" particularly, I devoted my evenings to insect hunting in the streets, and my Sundays to roam the woods for butterflies and the like. I had previously beconie interested, through some Chicago friends, in the entomological section of the Academy of Science, but I had not taken up the "sport" in earnest until my St. Louis sojourn, of which I should like to say a few words. It takes some little experience to appreciate what it means to live in a hotel in the business section of a large city during the hottest season of the year, particularly so if you are not a "traveling man," and therefore pretty certain to have only yourself for a companion. The heat prevents you from pur- suing any studies indoors, and out of doors well, there you are hunted by insects. Consequently, I took up insect hunting as a pastime, but after a few evenings' "work" it became a sport with such pleasant and recreative effect that I am sorry that I did not take it up twenty years ago. In hunting and fishing you are generally confined to certain localities, but in insect hunting during the summer, it is not so, at least not in St. Louis, where the "game" is waiting for you outside your door and even in your bedroom. Through the kind assistance of an old German jeweler near my hotel I rigged up the necessary killing bottles, and that was the only equipment needed for a start. This venerable Ger- 84 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 man, by the way, came to St. Louis in 1856, when that city was the peer of Chicago and believed to be destined to remain so forever, which is very queer to contemplate for a modern Chicagoan. I had observed that the electric lights in front of the large store windows were hung unusually low, about eight feet, and a great abundance there were. This, I figured, would be favorable for bug hunting. The first clear evening I started out on an expedition and had not walked far before I came across a rather large bug sprawling on its back in its efforts to come on right keel. I had before this learned not to fear any bug (except the electric Belostoma americana}, and I therefore unhesitatingly pounced on this one and had him in the bottle in less time than it takes to tell it. I bottled quite a few that evening, and after a tramp of some four or five miles up and down the streets I retired to my hotel and had a night's solid sleep. The next morning I was curious to see what I had found during my initial expedition. There were the common large ground beetles and a number of smaller ones, but there was one with an elegant form and a dark blue border around the elytra. This beetle, the Carabus sylvosus, we do not have in Chicago, at least I have never found it there, and I felt very much encouraged to continue the hunt. Almost every evening I found something new in the way of insects, besides seeing interesting things that ordinarily escape our notice. After the day's work in the office I never had to wonder how I would spend the evening. After supper and a perusal of the newspapers I would start out about 8.30 o'clock on my hunt, returning about 10.30 with my "game." This period appeared to be the best, as I seldom found anything before 8.30 or after 10.30. The people on the street did not bother me much. Nobody knew me and I did not know anybody. The policemen appeared to be about as scarce in St. Louis as in Chicago, and if they noticed anything queer about my actions they apparently considered me harmless. But one even- ing I very nearly got into trouble. As I walked along I per- ceived on the pavement a moving object in the uncertain light of the reflection from an electric light. "What is that? that is Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 85 a funny kind of grasshopper ! You must have been too close to that electric light," I thought. In stooping down the "grasshopper" appeared to me to have a strange resemblance to a giraffe, and when I cautiously grabbed for the wings the head was quickly turned around and I received a smart little bite that did not particularly hurt, but which completely took mv nerve for the moment. At the same time it aroused -' my hunting passion to its highest pitch. I fell on my knees, buffeting the fierce little monster with one hand, while I pulled out my handkerchief with the other, and after a great bustle I finally succeeded in getting him securely enveloped. When I arose there was a crowd standing around, apparently at a loss to make out what was the matter, but as I walked briskly away and probably appeared sane, no one molested me. I went straight to my hotel and put the captive with hand- kerchief and all in a fruit jar previously loaded for butterfles, and spent the next hour pondering over what kind of an insect I had found. A grasshopper does not turn his neck around and bite, at least not those I have come across, neither does a locust or dragon fly, or anything in that line. Cautiously opening the handkerchief, out fell a beautiful specimen of praying mantis, Mantis rcligiosa* which I had seen pictured in books, but never found before. That I was proud of this evening's catch goes without saying, and it is also certain that my anticipation for the future was considerably freshened. I did not succeed, however, in encountering any more such lively prey on the pavements of St. Louis, and I will there- fore leave the "bugs" for the present and relate something of my butterfly hunting expeditions. By experience I have learned that a hat is a poor instrument for catching butterflies, and I therefore bought a frame for a landing net in a sporting goods store, and a piece of netting, the name of which I do not know in a dry goods store. Needles and thread have been part of my bachelor equipment for the last quarter of a century, and soon my fly-net was completed. With the assistance of my old German friend I had made a powerful killing bottle of a fruit jar that just *Stagmo mantis Carolina. Eds. 86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 fit into my coat pocket, and Sunday morning, bright and early, I started out on my first trip. Anyone visiting St. Louis in the summertime should not fail to take an electric car ride to Creve Cceur Lake (The Bleeding Heart) about thirty miles from the city. The cars are open, the road absolutely dust- less, and the speed up to forty miles an hour. The double track runs through a most beautiful coun- try, with wooded hills and valleys, fruit gardens and corn- fields. Small colonies formed by city people are rapidly growing up along the line, and at the terminal, Creve Cceur Lake, improvements are constantly being made to increase the attractions of the place. The electric road ends on top of a "bluff" about 250 feet, I should judge, above the Creve Cceur Lake. The plateau is only a few acres in extent, but on both sides are other "bluffs" with deep ravines between them and below the lake shore, with all the attractions cus- tomary to such a place. The scenery from the bluffs is truly grand and passes my ability to describe. The vegetation is rich and varied. On the bluffs oak, elm, walnut and hickory, and on the bottom land immense cottonwood trees and syca- mores. Of weeds and grass there was an abundance, as well as of blackberry bushes and burning nettles ; in fact, some parts of the limited area of the woods,, I traversed were well- nigh impossible to penetrate. A scaly lime rock formation formed the "bluffs," and towards the lake the rock cropped out, forming walls of considerable height, with water trick- ling out between the layers forming cascades, or rather sug- gestions of such. Viewed from the lake the hills had the same appearance as those along the Mississippi River, and it is quite evident that Creve Cceur Lake is formed by the river, and, I was informed, is yet filled to overflowing at times when the river is unusually high. About 9.30 that beautiful Sunday morning I arrived at my destination, and had hardly ordered my breakfast when a fine cresphontes came sailing along not ten feet from the table. A hurry-up warning to the waiter was the first effect, and when a few minutes later a beautiful Popilio aja.r came almost within striking distance I forgot what little I know of table Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 87 manners and finished that breakfast in "no time." In a few minutes I was out in the woods with the net ready for action. Ha ! There is a cresphontes, but how high he flies ! and there is the Papilio aja.r, but how he is diving and criss- crossing ! I might as well try to chase a sparrow with my net as that fellow. But watch ! He is coming this way ! A wild "strike" sent me sprawling in a bed of burning nettles, but what did that matter? In the net was fluttering a real Papilio aja.r, the first one I had seen at such close quarters, and not willing to take any chances by "bottling" in the usual way, I pressed his thorax between my fingers and then I could plainly feel his heart beat, or perhaps it was mine ! "Un- manly?" Well, yes, perhaps. A good many things a man does at times can hardly be called "manly" or "noble," but will, nevertheless, make an impression upon his mind more lasting, and I may say, more recreative than "big" deeds, like stopping a runaway horse or licking a tramp. It is now a year since I caught my first Papilio aja.r and cresphontes, but how many times during this past year have not the incidents been gone through ! How vividly have I seen the blue sky, the majestic trees and the many-colored flowers, heard the soft winds, the harmonious songs of the beautiful birds, and above all as centers of attraction, the butterflies, the winged and non-winged creatures that make up the insect world ! Is not this true recreation for the business man, the engineer and all "intellectuals" in general, as well as for the man in the humblest calling? It is a happy sign of the time that nature study is coming more and more to the front, and any one who has taken up any branch of this study and pursued it far enough to get a real interest in it. will surely agree with me that it is as healthy and as inspiring a form of recreation and pastime as can be well enjoyed by the average man. This tale has already grown too long, and I will only men- tion that Horse Shoe Lake on the Illinois side of the river is another locality near St. Louis worth visiting, besides all those of which I do not know anything. A partial list of specimens I found in St. Louis and vicinity last summer and a few I found 88 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 there this summer during a short stay is given below, as de- termined by my friend, Mr. Emil Lilejeblad, a veteran insect hunter, and will show, I hope, that insect hunting as a pastime is a success, at least in St. Louis. LIST OF COLEOPTERA. Cicindela repanda. punrtulata. macro,. Carabus sylvosus. Calosoina scrutator. sayi. callidum. Panagaeusfasciatus. Pterostichus femoralis. Dicaehis splendidus. Lebia grandis. Harpalus vulpeculus. caliginosus. Anisodactyhis baltimorensis. Dineutes vittatus. Hydrocharis obtusatus. Silpha surinamensis. Staphyhnus maculosits. Megilla maculata. Coccinella sanguined. Monocrepidius lividus. Megalodacne fasciata. Alans oculatus. Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus Lucanus dama. ' ' placidus. Canthon chalcites. Choeridium histeroides. Copris minutes. " anaglypticus. Trox capillaris. Pelidnota punctata. Ligyrus gibbosus. Allorhina nitida. Chrysochus auratus. Chrysomela cost a. Diabrotica 12 punctata. Epicauta puncticollis. SPECIES TAKEN: Epicanta vittata. cinerea. Pyrota engelmanni. LEPIDOPTERA. Iphidicles ajax. Papilio turnus. ' ' troilus. " cresphontes. Laertias philenor. Eureina nicippe. lisa. Charidryas nycteis. Phyciodcs tharos. Polygonia comma. Thymelicus taumas. Enodia portlandia. Sphinx plebeja . Haploa lecontei. militaris. Leptarctia lena. Apantesis virgo. 1 ' parthenice. figurata. Schinia arcifera. brevis. Tarache aprica. Catocala obscura. ' ' palaeogama. Eupsyche M-album. Thee la edwardsii. Achlarus lycidas. Thorybes bathyllus. Pholisora catulhts. hayliurstii. Hesperia tesse/latus. centaureae. Hemaris axillaris. Lpimesis virginaria. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 8 9 Standards of the Number of Eggs Laid by Insects W |: Being averages obtained by actual count of the combined eggs from twenty (20) depositions or masses. BY A. ARSENE GIRAULT. 6. STAGMOMANTIS CAROLINA Linnaeus. No. Date, 1906 No. counted per mass Successive totals Av. per egg mass Max. Min. Range I Nov. 25 109 109 109. H5 2 6 4 173 86. 5 3 49 222 74- 49 4 87 309 77-3 5 82 391 7 8.2 6 89 480 80. 7 9i 57 1 81.6 8 95 666 85-8 9 96 762 84.7 10 TOO 862 86.2 ii H5 977 88.8 H5 12 105 1012 84.3 13 93 IIO5 85- 14 9i 1196 85.4 15 105 1301 86.7 16 87 I 3 88 86.8 17 no 1498 88.1 18 86 1584 88. 19 90 1674 88. T 20 98 1772 88.6 49 20 1772 88.6 H5 49 66 Finals The egg-masses were collected at Myrtle, Ga., November, 1906, from peach trees. They were found to be freely para- sitized by Podagrion mantis Ashmead, which was found ovi- positing into them during the month of November. Owing to the peculiar construction of the case, in order to count the individual eggs in each, they had to be sectioned longitudinally through the side, and then dried. Some of these sections exposed quite large larvae of mantis, and occasionally living adults. The eggs are quite common in this locality. PROF. M. J. ELROD of the University of Montana is giving considerable attention to photographing Indians in his part of the world. * For the first four of this series, see ENT. NEWS, 1901, p. 305 ; 1904, pp. 2-3 ; 1905, p. 167 ; and 1906, p. 6. go ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 Notes on Bombiriae, with Descriptions of New Species. By H. J. FRANKLIN, B. S. Massachusetts Agricultural College, Amhcrst, Mass. Bombus nigrodorsalis n. sp. ?. Length, about 19 mm. Labrum sulcate in the middle. Clypeus rather smooth and shining, very delicately and sparsely punctate over entire surface except the corners. Malar space distinctly longer than it is wide at the apex ; about one-third as long as the eye. Third antennal segment somewhat longer than the fifth; fifth distinctly longer than fourth. Ocelli normal and placed near the supraorbital line, above the narrowest part of the front. Hypopygium without median carina. Head with face, occiput and sides behind the eyes all black except for a very slight sprinkling of light hairs, visible with a lens, above the bases of the antennae. Labrum fringed on free edge with yellowish fulvous hairs. Thorax with pleura covered with light yellow pile from the tegulse to the bases of the legs, the yellow on the two pleura being connected by a rather narrow band of the same color which crosses the dorsum of the thorax in front. This yellowish band does not nearly extend back on the middle of the dorsum to even with the tegulse, but its posterior border is curved forward strongly from them on each side. Metanotum with a mere fringe of yellow pile behind. Otherwise the thoracic dorsum is entirely covered with black pile, there being, however, a very small bare spot on the center of the mesothoracic disc. Abdomen above with the three basal segments entirely and rather densely covered with bright yellow pile ; fourth segment entirely black and bearing black pile ; fifth segment clothed with black pile, except its apical margin, which bears dull fulvous hairs ; sixth segment dull fulvous and fringed with pile of the same color. Ventral surface of abdomen black toward the base, but with the hair which thinly fringes the apical margins of the second, third and fourth segments light yellow ; hair fringing the apical margin of the fifth segment and the entire sixth segment dull fulvous. Middle and posterior coxae bearing some yellow hairs. Hind femora entirely black, with no light or yellow pile. Anterior and middle femora and tibiae all black and without light pile. Some of the hairs fringing the corbiculas behind tinged with fulvous. Wings somewhat stained with brown. $. Length, about i2, l / 2 mm. Like the $, except in point of size, but the corbicular fringes arc entirely black and the pile of the r.pical abdominal segment and the apical fringe of the fifth segment arc much less strongly fulvous than in the ?. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. QI Described from one female, and one worker (cotypes) in the collection of the U. S. National Museum. Five female paratypes and one worker paratype are also in that collection. Subspecies laticollis. 9 . Like the typical nigrodorsalis except that the band of yellow pile running across the anterior part of the dorsum of the thorax is much wider and reaches back in the middle to even with the tegulre. Middle and hind coxse and bases of posterior femora within bearing consider- able yellow pile. Posterior fringes of corbiculae strongly fulvous. Described from one female (type) in the collection of the U. S. National Museum. Specimens collected by C. H. T. Townsend in Meadow Val- ley head of Rio Piedras Verdes (6 miles south of Colonia Gar- cia), Sierra Madre of Western Chihuahua, Mexico about 7,000 ft. alt. Some of the specimens of this species have the coxae and posterior femora, as well as the fringes of the corbiculae, all black. The cox?e of the workers sometimes bear yellow hairs and their corbicular fringes are sometimes tinged with light or fulvous color. This species may prove to be only a variety of B. weisi Friese, which in turn is possibly only a form of B. ephippiatus var. laboriosus Smith, but, if this is the case, then certainly laboriosus Smith and pitlchcr Cresson should not be included as varieties of the same species, as they are listed by Dalla Torre on the authority of Handlirsch. B. nigrodorsalis 9 has a distinctly longer malar space than has B, pulcher 9 , and this is an exceedingly constant specific character in Bombus. Bombus haueri Ant. Handlirsch. $. Length, about 23 mm. Malar space somewhat wider at the apex than it is long. Clypeus rather strongly punctate. Third antennal segment fully as long as the fourth and fifth taken together. Ocelli large, placed below the supraorbifal line, in the narrowest part of the front. Hypopygium without median carina. Head with face, occiput and sides behind the eyes all black. Thorax with anterior part of dorsum and the metanotum densely covered with deep yellow pile. A broad band between the bases of the wings and the pleura from the level of the tegulre to the bases of 92 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ' OJ the legs densely black and covered with black pile. The black band between the wings slightly more than one-half as long (from front to rear) as broad (from wing base to wing base). Tegulae completely surrounded by black pile. Abdomen above, with the first two segments densely clothed with yellow pile and the remaining segments covered with rich deep fulvous pile. Ventral surface of abdomen black, except toward and at the apex, where the segments are quite heavily fringed, especially on the side margins, with deep fulvous pile. Coxae, trochanters, femora, and tibiae all black and bearing no light pile ; corbicular fringes black. Tarsi more or less light brown ferruginous. Wings dark, as in B. crotchii Cr. $. Length, 17 mm. Like the ?, but smaller. Tegulae not entirely surrounded by black pile, but reached by yellow pile in front. Third antennal segment scarcely equal in length to the fourth and fifth taken together. c?. Length. iy l / 2 mm. Eyes greatly swollen, bulging out from the sides of the head. Ocelli large and placed far below the supraorbital line. Malar space very short, not much longer than the pedicel of the antenna. Antennse with third segment fully as long as the fifth, the fourth much shorter than either. Head black, but with face below the bases of the antennae rather strongly yellow, black hairs, however, being intermixed. Sides of head behind the eyes black. Occiput rather weakly covered with yellow hairs. Thorax with pleura covered with yellow pile to the bases of the legs. Dorsum of thorax entirely and densely covered with yellow except for a broad but rather indefinite (due to the intermingling of the yellow hairs) black band between the bases of the wings. Abdomen above with first three segments covered with dull tawny yellow pile. The remaining segments shading off toward the apex of the abdomen into rich fulvous. Abdomen beneath black at base, but, beginning a little behind the middle, the apical margins of the segments are fringed more or less heavily, especially toward the side margins, with fulvous hairs. Coxae and femora all black. Tibiae and metatarsi all black, except their points and the inner sides of the metatarsi, which are light brown ferruginous, as are also the remaining segments of the tarsi. Locality labels of specimens as follows : Mexico City, i 9 ; Mexico, i 9 ; Eslaya, Mexico, i $ ; Meadow Valley, Mexico (C. H. T. Townsend, Collector), i $ . The % and $ of this species have not been heretofore described. The types ( 9 and $ ) are deposited in the col- Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 93 lection of the U. S. National Museum. The $ type is not in good condition, the pile of the abdomen being matted. Were I to follow Robertson and recognize the genus Bom- bias, I should include this species under that genus. For certain reasons, which I hope to give in full in a later paper, however, it seems to me that Bombias should not be given more than subgeneric rank, though its standing as a good subgenus cannot be questioned. Bombus handlirschi Friese. Friese's original description of the worker of this species, translated freely from the Latin, is as follows : ". Black, for the most part fulvous or ferruginous hairy; head short; head and thorax above cinereous sides ferruginous hairy; seg- ment i, ferruginous; 2 and 3, fuscous or fuliginous 4-6, ferrugin- ous hairy; wings fuliginous. Length, 13-15 mm." To aid students of the group in determining this species, I append to this description the following: Ocelli near the supra-orbital line, above the narrowest part of the front. Clypeus smooth and shining, rather delicately punctate. Malar space distinctly longer than it is wide at the apex, a little more than one- fourth the length of the eye. Third antennal segment somewhat longer than fifth ; fifth distinctly longer than fourth. Hypopygium with- out median carina. Head with face, occiput and sides behind the eyes, as well as the entire dorsum of the thorax, including the metanotum, bearing dark ashen gray pile. Pleura from about the level of the tegulas to the bases of the legs covered with rather light rusty brown pile. Abdomen above with segments one, four, five and six, covered with pile of about the same color as that covering the pleura ; seg- ments two and three, except the very side margins, covered with dark fuliginous pile. Abdomen below rather scantily clothed with light rusty brown pile, as are also the side margins of the second and third dorsal segment. Pile on the leg (except on the anterior tibiae in front and on their inner sides, where it is fuliginous), including the cor- bicular fringes, all of the same color as that on the pleura and on the venter of the abdomen. Wings strongly infuscate. Described from three specimens (workers) from Peru, re- ceived from Staudinger; in the collection of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Bombus parvulus Fabr. It is doubtful if this species be- longs to the Bombinae. Is the type in existence? 94 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 List of Butterflies of North Carolina. BY C. S. BRIMLEY AND FRANKLIN SHERMAN, JR , Raleigh, N. C. The records presented in this paper are gathered mainly from the experience of the authors. Mr. Brimley has for many years kept a record of the more common species occurring at Raleigh, and of recent years his list has been extended and kept with even greater care and detail. The notes on seasonal distribution are based mainly on his records, amended to con- form to the records obtained in other localities. Mr. Sherman has collected many specimens from widely separated localities throughout the State, and it is mainly from his records that the geographical distribution is given. Notes on the occurrence of eighty species at Try on, at the edge of the mountains near the South Carolina line, have been kindty furnished by Mr. W. F. Fiske, Special Agent, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture. A list of species known at Cranberry, in the mountains near the Ten- nessee border (where high mountains furnish a touch of boreal fauna), was published by Dr. Henry Skinner, in ENT. NEWS, March, 1893. Another list for the same locality, by Mr. Lancaster Thomas, appeared in the NEWS for May, 1899. A number of scattered records from various localities are from captures by representatives of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and from reliable published records. Our survey of the butterfly fauna of the State is by no means complete. While we believe that we have collected nearly all of the species (one hundred and eleven being here recorded), there are no doubt several, especially among the Hesperidae, which we lack, and extensive collections have been made in so few localities that much is yet to be added to our knowledge of exact distribution. But, as we have both ceased to actively collect these insects, we feel that it is best to publish the list while the records are fresh. We have here followed the classification of Smith's Check- list of Lepidoptera (1903), and, although we prefer the sepa- tion of the Pierids as a separate family, we believe the sequence Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 95 and names here used will at least be more convenient than that given in any other recognized list. The letters in parentheses after the localities (C.), (E.), (E.-C.), etc. refer to the locality in the State, as central, eastern, east-central, etc. NYMPHALIDAE. 1. Danais plexippus Linn. Generally distributed. Late March to end of November. 2. Agraulis vanillae Linn. In mountains of western section, especially southward, and at Raleigh (E.-C.) in 1905. Not noted pre- viously. 3. Euptoieta claudia Cram. Generally distributed. Middle of July to end of November, sparingly from April to July. Larvae some- times destructive to violets and pansies. 4. Argynnis diana Cram. Principally confined to mountains, but two have been noted at Raleigh (E.-C.). Mid June to September. 5. Argynnis cybele Fabr. Common in mountains, sparingly in middle section, and rare at Raleigh. End of May to middle of Sep- tember. 6. Argynnis aphrodite Fabr. Abundant in mountains but not noted elsewhere. June to September. 7. Argynnis myrina Cram. " Mountains of North Carolina." Holland Butterfly Book, pp. 129-130. 8. Argynnis bellona Fabr. One taken and two others seen in drive along mountain roads of Watauga Co., near Tennessee line, in late August, 1906. 9. Melitaea phaeton Drury. Two localities, both in mountain section ; Tryon (SW. ) in May and Cranberry (W. ) between June and October. 10. Phyciodes nycteis Db. and Hew. Three localities, all in mountains Tryon (SW.), Cranberry (W.), and Blowing Rock (W.). May and June. 11. Phyciodes tharos Drury. Generally distributed. From late March to end of November. 12. Grapta interrogations Fabr. Generally distributed. Hibernates. Recorded on wing at Raleigh, every month except December, as late as November 30 and early as January 22. 13. Grapla comma Harr. Common in mountains, uncommon at Raleigh, though abundant in fall of 1904. Seasonal range same as pre- ceding, though not so fully recorded. 14. Grapta faunus Edw. Two localities, both in mountains. Cranberry (W.) and Blowing Rock (W.) (elevation, 4000 ft.). Common July to September. A strictly mountain species. 96 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 15. Grapta progne Cram. Cranberry (W.). ENT. NEWS. May, 1899. 16. Vanessa antiopa Linn. Occurs at Raleigh in February, March, and April, and in September and October. Also taken in several western localities in mountains at same seasons, and also in August. 17. Pyrameis atalanla Linn. Generally distributed. Early April to end of November. 18. Pyrameis huntera Fabr. Generally distributed. Common from end of March to end of November. 19. Pyrameis cardui Linn. Generally distributed. Not observed all years. At Raleigh common, '03 and '05 ; not observed other years. One at Faison (E.), October, 1900; Cranberry (W.), 1899; at Tryon (SW. ) and Brevard (SW. ) in 1904; common at latter place. 20. Junonia coenia Hbn. Generally distributed. End of March to end of November ; common ; abundant latter part of season. 21. Limenitis ursula Fabr. Recorded in middle and western sections; At Raleigh early May to middle of October. 22. Limenitis archippus Cram. Generally distributed. At Raleigh in early May and from early July to middle of October. 23. Apatura celtis Bd. and Lee. Recorded from only two points, Smithfield (E.-C.), July, 1903, and Bushnell (W.), September, 1904. 24. Apatura clyton Bd and Lee. One at Raleigh, 1896. 25. Debis portlandia Fabr. Generally distributed. End of May to end of October. 26. Neonympha cant hits Bd. and Lee. Cranberry (W.) (ENT. NEWS, March, 1893). 27. Neonympha gemma Hbn. Raleigh (E.-C. ) and Tryon (SW. ) End of March to end of October. 28. Neonympha phocion Fabr. Recorded from eastern and middle sec- tions of State. End of May to end of September. 29. Neonympha eurytris Fabr. Generally distributed. At Raleigh from early May to early July, but taken September ist at Bushnell (W.) in the mountains. 30. Neonympha sosybius Fabr. Recorded from edge of mountains east- ward. Early April to early October. 31. Satyrus pegala Fabr. To this species we refer a number of our east- ern specimens on account of their large size and the absence or rudimentary condition of the eye. spot in the males. At Raleigh from July ist to October ist. 32. Satyrus alope Fabr. To this species we refer a smaller form taken in the mountains in July and August. LIBYTHEIDAE. 33. Libythea carinenta, var. bachmani Kirtl. Rare at Raleigh in April and May. One at Highlands (W.) in mountains in September, 1906. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 97 ERYCINIDAE. 34. Calephelis caenius Linn. Fayetteville (E.), July, 1903. LYCAENIDAE. 35. Thecla halesus Cram. Tryon (SW.), May; Lumherton (SE.), Sep- tember ; Wallace (SE.). March. 36. Thecla m-album Bd. and Lee. Three localities, all in mountains, April and August. 37. Thecla melinus Hbn. Generally distributed. End of March to end of October. 38. Thecla edwardsi Saund. Tryon (SW.), July. 39. Thecla calanus Hbn. Tryon and Cranberry ; June, July. 40. Thecla dainon Cram. Several localities, from edge of mountains eastward. End of March to middle of August. Never common. 41. Thecla cecrops Fabr. Generally distributed ; common at times, but seemingly rare at Raleigh. Early April to early September. 42. Thecla augustus Kirby. Tryon (S W. ) . Middle of March to late May. 43. 7 hecla irus Godt. Raleigh and Tryon. April and May. 44. Thecla niphon Hbn Three localities, from edge of mountains east- ward. Middle of March to end of June. 45 Thecla titus Fabr. Raleigh and Tryon ; one record each. June and July. 46. Feniseca tarquinius Fabr. Four localities, from mountains to east. middle section. May, June, and October. 47. Chrysophanus hypophlaeas Bdv. Many localities, from east-central section westward. Late March to late November. 48. Lycaena pseudargiolus Bd. and Lee. Generally distributed. Middle of March to early October. 49. Lycaena cotnyntas Godt. Generally distributed. Late March to middle of November. PAPILIONIDAE. 50. Pieris protodice Bd. and Lee. Generally distributed. Middle of March to end of November. Not common at Raleigh. 51. Pieris rapae Linn. Generally distributed. Early March to end of November. A pest. 52. Anthocharis genutia Fabr. Raleigh and another central locality. End of March to late April. 53. Catopsilia eubule Linn. Generally distributed. Early April to mid- dle of November, but with a season in summer when none are taken ; much more common in late fall. 54. Colias caesonia Stoll. Generally distributed. Has been common at Southern Pines (E.-C. ) ; rare at Raleigh and in the mountains (VV. ). March, April, July, August, October, and November. 55. Colias eurylheme Bdv. From Raleigh (E.-C.) westward. End of March to end of October. 98 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 56. Colias philodice Godt. Generally distributed ; abundant in moun- tains. March to November. 57. Terias nicippe Cram. Generally distributed. Early March to late October. 58. Terias lisa Bdv. Generally distributed ; less common in high moun- tains. Middle of June to end of November. One at Raleigh in early April. 59. Terias delia Cram. Three localities, from Raleigh (E.-C. ) westward. At Raleigh, middle of September to middle of October. At Tryon, April 3d and July ist. At Raleigh this species is not noted every year. 60. Terias jucunda Bd. and Lee. Generally distributed. At Raleigh, middle of August to early October. Like delia it is absent some years. At Tryon, observed in late March and early April. 61. Papilio ajax Linn. General from edge of mountains eastward. Late March to late August. 62. Papilio philenor Linn. General from Raleigh westward ; much more abundant in the mountains. Early April to late September. Larva a pest on Dutchman's pipe in ornamental nursery in mountains. 63. Papilio polyxenes Fabr. Generally distributed. Late March to end of October. 64. Papilio troilus Linn. Generally distributed. Late March to middle of September. 65. Papilio palamedes Dru. Common in southeastern section. April to July. Not observed at Raleigh. 66. Papilio glaucus Linn. Generally distributed. Late March to middle of September. 67. Papilio thoas Linn. In extreme southwest in mountains and along coast. Not taken at Raleigh. June and August. HESPERIDAE. In this family the collections are so scattered that the dis- tribution is not well shown ; hence, we usually indicate the few localities in which each species has been taken. 68. Ancyloxypha numitor Fabr. Generally distributed. Middle of May to end of September. 69. Pamphila zabulon Bd. and Lee. Generally distributed. Late April to middle of September. 70. Pamphila hobomok Harr. Blowing Rock (W. mountains), August, 1901. 71. Pamphila metea Scud. Raleigh (E.-C.) and Tryon (SW.), April and March. 72. Pamphila attains Edw. "NC" (Skinner, Cat. of N. A. Rhop.) ; aiso Edwards (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., vol. xi, p. 310, as senii- nole. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 99 73. Pamphila campestris Bd. Generally distributed. May to middle of November. 74. Pamphila phylaeus Drury. Generally distributed. Early August to end of November. 75. Pamphila brettus Bd. and Lee. Raleigh and Beaufort (on coast). Early August to early October. 76. Pamphila otho Sm. and Abb. Generally distributed. Early August to early September. 77. Pamphila peckius Kirby. Several western (mountain) localities. May and August. 78. Pamphila manataaqua Scud. Raleigh (E.-C. ), Tryon (SW.), Cran- berry (\V. ). Middle of May to middle of August. 79. Pamphila cernes Bd. and Lee. Raleigh, Tryon, Blowing Rock. Middle of May to middle of August. 80. Pamphila verna Edw. Raleigh, Cranberry. July and August. Si. Pamphila metacomet Harr. Raleigh. August. Rare. 82. Pamphila accius Sm. and Abb. Generally distributed. Late June to end of November. 83. Pamphila loammi Whit. Same references as for P. attains. 84. Pamphila panoquin Scud. Beaufort (on coast), June, 1903. Abun- dant. 85. Pamphila ocola Edw. Raleigh and Beaufort. Middle of June to late October. 86. Pamphila yehl Skinner. Washington (on coast), July, 1903. 87. Pamphila vitelliiis Fabr. Raleigh, Tryon. June, July, and August. 88. Pamphila fusca G. and R. Raleigh, Tryon, Cranberry. May, June, and July. 89. Pamphila hianna Scud. Raleigh and Tryon. May. 90. Pamphila Carolina Skinner. This species, described from this State, has never yet to our knowledge been recorded from any point outside the State. Described from Hamlet (E.-C.). Raleigh, late March ; Lumberton, April. One at Raleigh, August 24, 1903- 91. Amblyscirtes vialis Edw. Generally distributed. Middle of April to middle of September. 92. Amblyscirtes samoset Scud. Tryon, May 28, 1904. Only record. 93. Amblyscirtes textor Edw. From mountains eastward. April, July, August, and September. 94. Pyrgus tessellata Scud. Generally distributed. April to end of November. 95- Pyrgus centaureae Ramb. Tryon (SW.), Montvale (SW.). April. 96. Nisoniades brizo Bd. and Lee. Raleigh. Late March and April. 97. Nisoniades icelus Lint. Tryon. April. 98. Nisoniades lucilius Lint. Raleigh. May. 99. Nisoniades persius Scud. Tryon. May. 100. Nisoniades martia/is Scud. Raleigh (E.-C.), Southern Pines (SE.), Tryon (SW. ). April, July, and August. IOO ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 roi. Nisoniades juvenalis Fabr. Raleigh, Tryon, Cranberry. March' April, and August. 102. Nisoniades petronius Lint. Cranberry, between June and October. 103. Nisoniades naevius Lint. Raleigh. May 26, 1906. 104. Pholisora catullus Fabr. Generally distributed. Early March to early September. 105. Pholisora hayhursti Edw. Beaufort (on coast). June 24, 1903. Common. 106. Eudamus pylades Scud. Generally distributed. Middle of April to early August. 107. Eudamus bathyllus Sm. and Abb. Generally distributed. Late March to early September. 108. Eudamus lycidas Sm. and Abb. Raleigh, Tryon, Cranberry. May, June, and August. 109. Eudamus cellus Bd. and Lee. Tryon. May, June, and July. no. Eudamus tityrus Fabr. Generally distributed. Late March to early October, in. Eudamus proteus Linn. Wilmington (extreme SE.), Raleigh, Tryon. July, September, and October. Seemingly rare. A New Ant Lion-fly from Arizona. BY NATHAN BANKS. During the past few years the described species of American Myrmeleonidse have nearly doubled. The greater part of the increase, however, has been in one genus Brachynemunis. The species I now add belongs to the genus Glenurus, of which there was previously but one species, G. grata, a large and handsome form from Florida, and some points on the Gulf Coast. I dedicate this new species to its collector, Dr. Snow, whose energy and perseverance have made the collection of insects of the University of Kansas one of the great collections of the country. Glenurus snowii n. sp. Face black in middle, yellow on sides and under the eyes, black above antennae ; vertex pale with black marks, a transverse line from eye to eye, a median stripe widened in front and divided behind, and a black spot in the yellow each side near eye ; antennae yellowish-brown, basal joint partly black ; palpi black, basal joints mostly yellowish ; pronotum dull black, with a narrow median yellow stripe and a short indistinct yellowish streak in each side ; rest of thorax black, with a median yellow Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IOI line throughout posterior margin of mesoscutellum, a transverse line connecting lateral lobes and an elongate spot each side near middle, yel- low ; apex of metascutellum and a spot on each side lobe are yellow ; abdomen black, a minute yellow spot on middle at base of segments 4 and 5 ; 6, 7, and 8 faintly yellow on the posterior margin. Wings hya- line ; hindwings with a large black apical mark, much like that of G. grattis, but its inner margin is irregular and prolonged on middle, and 'eaves three pale spots, the apical one containing a minute dark dot. Between the subcosta and radius is a series of black spots nearly reaching to base of wing, and the longitudinal veins are marked interruptedly with black. The forewings are marked all over with black spots ; the pos- terior apical margin is faintly black, and there are two large irregular subapical spots connected together, and a large spot on the middle of the posterior margin. There is a series of spots, more or less connected, between the subcosta and radius, also between median and cubital veins, several on the posterior margin and many small ones elsewhere on the wings, especially beyond the large subapical spots. Nearly all of the veins are marked With black, the cross-veins mostly in the middle. There are 7 cross-veins before origin of the radial sector in the fore- wings, only i in the hindwings ; about 12 branches to the radial sector in the forewings. Expanse 74 mm. One specimen from the Baboqtiivari Mountains, Arizona (Snow). Professor Snow informs me that he has another specimen. Discovery of Blood-sucking Psychodidae in America. BY D. W. COOUILLETT. Among the members of the family Psychodidse the genus Flebotonnis (or Pklebotomus, as it has been unwarrantedly amended) is the only one known to partake of the blood of man and other animals after the manner of mosquitoes. Up to the present time this genus has been recorded only from the southern part of Europe. Its occurrence on the western con- tinent is now herewith recorded for the first time. In the summer of 1905 Mr. H. S. Barber captured two specimens of an undescribed species on Plummer's Island, Maryland, and in the following year Messrs. Barber and E. A. Schwarz col- lected specimens of a second species in Guatemala, in both of which localities the blood-sucking propensities of the females were fully demonstrated. Both of these species differ from 102 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 the published figures of the European F, papatassii (Loew, Ent. Zeit. Stettin, v, tab. i, fig. 5, and Van der Wulp, Dipt. Neer., pi. ix, fig. 10) in that the first vein of the wings, in- stead of terminating opposite the proximal end of the first submarginal cell, is prolonged to a point opposite about one- fifth of the length of this cell. The male of only one of our species is at present known, and in this the horny terminal portion of the claspers is different from, though on the same plan, as in the two European species as figured by Rondani (Ann. Soc. Ent., France, 1843, P L x ^S s - 2 anc ^ 5)- Flebotomus vexator n. sp. Yellow, the mesonotum brown, hairs chiefly brown ; legs in certain lights appear brown, but are covered with a white tomentum ; wings hyaline, unmarked ; the first vein terminates opposite one-fifth of the length of the first submarginal cell ; this cell is slightly over twice as long as its petiole ; terminal, horny portion of male claspers slender, bearing many long hairs ; the apex terminated by two curved spines which are more than one-half as long as the preceding part, and just in front of these are two similar spines, while near the middle of the length of this portion is a fifth spine similar to the others. Length 1.5 mm. Plummer's Island, Maryland. One male and four females, collected June 23 and July 13, 1905, and July 13, 17, and 29, 1906, by Messrs. H. S. Barber and E. A. Schwarz. Type No. 10,154, U. S. Nat. Mus. Flebotomus cruciatus n. sp. Same as vexator, except that the hairs are chiefly yellow and the first submarginal cell is about three times as long as its petiole. Male unknown. Cacao, Trece Aguas, Alta Vera Paz, Guatemala. Five fe- males, collected April 2, 15, 18, and 26, 1906, by Messrs. H. S. Barber and E. A. Schwarz. Type No. 10,155, U. S. Nat. Mus. As SEEN IN THE PARK. A Boston gentleman and his small grandson were in an electric car one day when a young man with a black band on his sleeve got in. The little boy looked at it and then said, " Grandpa, why does he have that on his sleeve?" His grandfather replied, " Because he has lost some relative. It is called a ' sorry rag.' ' "Oh," said the boy, "I thought it was to keep the caterpillars from crawling up !" Magazine. Mar., 'oyj ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 103 Check-List of North American Diptera Pupipara. BY DR. P. SPEISER, Zoppot, Germany. NOTE. Dr. Speiser sent me the following to be inserted in a supplement to my Catalogue. Not contemplating a supple- ment in this form, I publish it by itself, as it contains the latest views of the chief authority in this group, with some important synonymy. References are given where not found in my Catalogue. J. M. ALDRICH. HIPPOBOSCIDAE. Hippobosca L. equina L. Melophagus Latr. ovinus L. Lipoptena Nitsch. depressa Say (inazamae Rond.). Syn. by Speiser, Ann. Mus. Geneva, 1904, 334. var. mexicana Towns. Onrithoica. Rond. confluenta Say {vicina Walk.). Ornithomyia Latr. avicularia L. butalis Coq. (This is, I believe, but a synonym of the foregoing species.) anchineuria Speiser, Zeitsch. f. Hym. u. Dipt., 1905, 348 (pallida Say, preoccupied). varipes Walk. pilosula Wulp. Note. Austen has mistaken my genus Ornitheza, which is palaearcto-indoaustralian. Ornithoctona Speiser. fusciventris Wied. erythrocephala Leach. bellardiana Rond. haitensis Bigot. Inebulosa Say. Ornithopertha Speiser. nit ens Bigot. geniculata Bigot, Humming Bird, ii, 49. Central America, Spei- ser, Ann. Mus. Hungar. , 1904, ii, 393. anthracina Speiser, Ann. Mus. Hungar., 1904, ii, 393. Honduras. Stilbometopa Coq. fulvifrons Walk. impressa Bigot. 104 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 Olfersia Leach. ainericana Leach. pallidilabris Rond. intertropica Walk. propinqua Walk. ardeae Macq. albipennis Say. angustifrons Wulp. ? villadae Duges. 1 fuscipennis Macq. ? obliquinervis Rond. Note. The last three may belong to Pseu dolfersia. Pseudolfersia Coq. fumipennis Sahlberg, Medd. Soc. Fauna Fenn., v, 13, 1886, p. 150. (maculata Coq. Syn unpublished). sordida Bigot. coriacea Wulp. vulturis Wulp. spinifera Leach. var. sulcifrons Thorns. mexicana Macq. Lynchia (Wyenb.) Speiser. pusilla Speiser Ibrunnea Oliv. Cf. Speiser, Ann. Mus. Hungar., ii, 388. Brachyptomyia Williston. fimbriata Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc., Lond., 1887, 164. (femorata Williston.) STREBLIDAE. Subfamily NYCTERIBOSCINAE. Trichobius (Gervais) Towns. parasiticus Gervais, Atlas de Zoologie, 1844, p. 14. (dugesii Towns. ) major Coq. Aspidoptera Coq. (Lepopteryx Speiser, Arch. Naturgesch., 1900, 53.) phyllosiomatis Perty, Delectus animalium, etc., 1830, 190, pi. xxxvii, fig. 16 (Lipoptena). (busckiiCo<\.). Syn. by Speiser, Arch. Naturgesch., 1900, 53. Pterellipsis Coq. aranea Coq. ( Megistopoda desiderata Speiser, Arch. Naturgesch. , 1900, 57, pi. iii, f. 6.) Syn. in Zoolog. Anzeig., xxiii, 154, 1900, with preceding. Megistopoda Macq. pilatei Macq. Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 105 Subfamily STREBLINAE. Strebla Wied. wiedemanni Kolenati, Die Parasiten der Chiropteren, 1856, 46. (vespertilionis Fabricius, 1895, nee. Nitsch, 1803.) (mexicana Rond.) avium Macq. NYCTERIBIIDAE. Penicillidia Kolenati. mexicana Bigot. Nycteribia Latr. antrozoi Towns. ADDITIONAL NAMES of persons willing to identify certain insects (see February NEWS, page 59) :* Mr. C. T. Brues, Public Museum, Milwaukee, \Vis., Parasitic Hymen- optera and Phoridae. Mr. August Busck, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C., Micro- Lepidoptera. Mr. Nathan Banks, East Falls Church, Va., Neuropteroid Insects, all groups except Odonata. Prof. W. M. Wheeler, American Museum of Natural History, New York, Formicidae. Mr. Frank Haimbach, 150 Sumac Street, Philadelphia, Pyralidae. Dr. E. Bergroth, 7 West Superior Street, Duluth, Minn., Exotic Hemip- tera-Heteroptera, North American Tipulidae. Prof. C. F. Adams, Fayetteville, Ark., Diptera, especially Oscinidae. John A. Grossbeck, 337 Suydam Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Geometridae. Dr. H. T. Fernald, Amherst, Mass., Sphecidae of all America. Mr. E. A. Back, Amherst, Mass., Asilidae. Mr. H. J. Franklin, Amherst, Mass., Bombinae. Mr. H. M. Russell, Amherst, Mass., Ophionini. Mr. A. H. Armstrong, Amherst, Mass., Ceropalidae. Dr. A. Fenyes, Pasadena, Cal., Aleocharinae of the world. J. R. de la Torre Bueno, 25 Broad St., New York, Aquatic Hemiptera (except Corixidae). THE expedition of the California Academy of Sciences to the Galapagos Islands has returned. Many of the coast islands were also visited. An immense series of specimens, both botanical and zoological, were secured. The two entomologists of the party were Mr. F. X. Williams, of Leland Stanford, Jr., University, and Mr. J. S. Hunter, formerly of the University of California. Mr. Hunter, however, devoted most of his attention to birds and mammals. * It will be best to write to these gentlemen before sending insects. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author's name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] To Contributors. All contributions will be considered and passed upon at oui earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put " copy " into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five " extras," without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged. ED. PHILADELPHIA, PA., MARCH, 1907. THERE are certain sources of error in describing new species about which .we are requested to speak. These errors are brought about by two conditions that are not unusual. It should not be forgotten that species that run out in a poor table are not necessarily new. In groups that are little known and complex, and where there are many species and where the group has not been monographed, it takes a good working knowledge of all the species described before it is safe to declare that any species is really new to science. Of course it is a good thing to have tables, but it is bad to rely on them to the exclusion of a more accurate knowledge. Synonymy is an evil unless the synonym has been well described or accurately figured. It is certainly an evil to be too much in haste in describing new forms, or to describe species (so called) that are so close to known species that the differences cannot be adequately made out by word descriptions. PROGRESS OF THE " BIOLOGIA CENTRALI AMERICANA." -With the publication of Part CXCIII, in October, 1906, this work has made the following advances as compared with our account given in the NEWS for December, 1905: Coleoptera, vol. IV, part 4 (Rhynchophora, part), by G. C. Champion, has been completed, and, with parts 3, 5, and 6, by D. Sharp, G. C. Champion, VV. F. H. Blandford, and K. Jordan, in course of publication, this group of beetles is now represented by 1376 pages and 59 plates. The Odonata, by P. P. Calvert, have reached page 268 and plate viii. Vol. II of the Orthoptera, by L. Bruner and A. P. Morse, has attained page 208 and plate ii. 106 Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 107 Notes and. Ne\vs. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. BRIEF NOTES ON THE HABITS OF Podagrion mantis ASHMEAD. During April and May, 1906, these parasites began to emerge in numbers from a lot of egg-masses of Stagmomantis Carolina Linnaeus, collected in the late winter of the same year from various fruit trees. The period of emergence covered a month or more, and the parasites appeared to be in various stages of post-embryonic development at the time they were collected. After all of them had emerged, all traces of them were lost until the following November, when the egg masses of the mantids were again available as hosts. How the period intervening between their emergence in the spring and the deposition of their known host eggs the following fall is passed remains obscure. In November many uf the re- cently deposited egg-masses of Carolina were examined, with the result that the parasites were again present within them in both adult and larval stages, the former apparently about to emerge. Each larva occupied and completely filled, when full grown, an individual egg in the pod. On November 26, 1906, a female was found ovipositing. Thus this fall gene- ration is mixed, but the majority of the brood seem to pass the winter to emerge as adults in the spring of the next year. From 10 egg-masses of the mantid there were reared 578 Carolina, 240 Podagrion, and 12 hyperparasites, making a total of 830 individuals reared, with an average of about 83 to the egg-pod. Including the 12 hyperpara- sites, making a total fatality in Carolina of 252, the percentage of parasit- ism by Podagrion is 30.4 per cent., which seems to be a fair average. The method of oviposition in Podagrion is not unusual, but interesting because of the slenderness and length of the ovipositor. The process takes some minutes, but I was unable to obtain actual records. When the ovipositor has been pressed into the host for its entire length the tips of the valves remain applied to the point of insertion, while they them- selves bend caudad more and more as the ovipositor is thus pressed into the egg-pod for all of its great length, until at last they extend far beyond the body in the shape of a long-armed letter U. This gives the insect a very peculiar and almost grotesque appearance. This insect also feigns death like the curculios. When roughly dis- turbed I have seen them roll over on their side, fold the legs and antennas against the body, and in this position remain motionless and stiff for two to five seconds, and then quickly regain their feet. A. ARSENE GIRAULT, Myrtle, Ga. RARE BUTTERFLIES. The question " Which is the rarest butterfly in North America?" to which three pages were devoted in the January EN- TOMOLOGICAL NEWS, is not one that would be asked by a scientist, but is such a one as I have sometimes been asked by people who neither knew nor cared anything about entomology, but thought it necessary to io8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 try to converse with me upon a subject in which they knew I was inter- ested. Such a question would be foolish unless with the implied qualifi- cation "so far as known," and would probably be intended to a.pply to butterflies in nature rather than in collections, though most people would very naturally suppose that the two conditions would go together. It could also only properly apply to a species, and not merely to an aberration ; nor would it be reasonable to apply it to a species of which only one specimen might have been taken north of the Mexican boundary though abundant south of it. Limited in that way, I would submit that there is no answer, as there is no one species which could be so designated, as there are several ap- parently valid species which are known only from a single type. If, however, one were asked to make choice among these one might, perhaps not unjustly, award the palm of rarity to a species known from a single type, taken many years ago in a well-worked district, in which case it would probably go either to Eudamus electro, Lint, known only from the type in the Edwards' collection, and which was caught at Hamilton, Ont., in 1877, by the late Mr. J. Alston Moffat, or to Ancyloxypha long- leyi, as referred to by Dr. Skinner. I have seen the former specimen and it is certainly most interesting, but Dr. Holland, in whose possession it now is, suggested that it might be an exotic species which had been brought to Hamilton in the pupal stage with some plant. That certainly should be investigated by comparison with the British Museum collection. As to which obtainable butterfly is confined, so far as known, to the smallest geographical area and produces the least number of individuals, I would hardly like to hazard an opinion unless reference is intended to Argynnis atossa. H. H. LYMAN. HIBERNATION OF COLEOPTERA. On December 22d a workman brought me two fine live specimens of Cotalpa lanigera L., and on January 2d another specimen of same species, and also one of Balboceras farctus Fabr., and one of Lachnosterna sp. They were found buried four feet deep in sandy soil, which was being excavated in search of moulding sand. The interest in the " find " consists in the fact that the fresh, per- fect condition of the specimens indicated that they had completed their metamorphosis and assumed the imago form late this fall, and were evi- dently hibernating through the winter before emerging from the ground. The elytra of the C. lanigera were firm and hard, but a delicate creamy color, not darkened by exposure nor marred by any scratches, and con- sequently the insects could not have burrowed at all since entering the imago stage of their existence. The fact seems worthy of record. WJL- LIAM A. NASON, Algonquin, 111. CICADA SEPTENDECIM. I thought perhaps it would be of some interest to you to hear the result of our fight against this destroyer of young trees. We had a block of peaches on the edge of the woods. We made up our minds two weeks ago that something would have to be done or we w ould lose the greater part of them. As there were 240,000 trees in the Mar., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 109 field we felt that we must make some effort to save all we could. \\V therefore, two weeks ago, put seven men in that field and have kept them there ever since. I asked the man who had charge of them one day last week how many he thought they would kill in a day. He said he did not know, but it would run up in the thousands. I then asked him to keep an account the next day of how many he killed. He reported at night 1200, and said he was sure that the seven men would average 1000 apiece. On this basis we have calculated that in that field alone by this time we have killed 70,000 locusts, and have had some men in a smaller field, so we feel we are not exaggerating when we say that \ve have killed 100,000 so far in the last two weeks. There are fewer of them the last day or two, and we hope their season of damage is about over. We had the men count every twentieth row in the field mentioned above of the damaged trees, and on striking an average on the whole lot from the seven rows counted we make our loss over 12,000 in that field alone. ABNER HOOPES, West Chester, Pa., June 18, 1902. THE temporary home of the California Academy of Sciences is at 1812 Gough Street, San Francisco. The second series of informal talks upon the Academy's recent Galapagos expedition was given by Mr. Francis X. Williams, entomologist to the expedition. MR. J. A. G. REHN has recently completed an important paper on Ari- zona Orthoptera which has been presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for publication. The material was collected by Dr. Henry Skinner, Dr. F. A. Snow, Mr. Charles Schaeffer, and Mr. C. R. Biederman. EXPLAINED. A friend from the North had gone to visit the colonel, who lived in the swampy Mississippi River bottoms of Louisiana. There was no mosquito netting over the bed, and in the morning when the negro came with the water and towels the tortured visitor asked : "Sam, why is it that you have no mosquito netting over the beds? Doesn't the colonel have any in his room ?" "No, suh," replied Sam. " I don't see how he stands it," exclaimed the visitor. " Well, suh," drawled Sam, " I reckon it's jes dis way : In de fo' part uv the night, suh, de colonel's mos' gen'rally so 'toxicated dat he don't pay no 'tention to de skeeters, an' in de las' part uv de night, suh, de skeeters is mos' gen'rally so 'toxicated dat dey dou't pay no 'tention to de colonel." Newspaper. TETYRA BIPUNCTATA H. S. Mr. E. Daecke's note before the Ameri- can Entomological Society (ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, January, 1907, vol. xviii, No. i, p. 32) on this rare hemipteron is of interest, as he mentions a new locality. It is not, however, the first record of the family, nor of the species. It was recorded as occurring in Lakehurst, N. J., some distance further north, in the Journal of the New York Entomological Society for HO ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 March, 1905, vol. xiii, No. i, p. 30, where it is stated that it is found not infrequently in that locality, and is ordinarily taken by beating the pines. Of the two specimens I secured there in May, 1904, one was found dead and dry in a bare, sandy spot, and the other on its back, living and vig- orously kicking, in a dusty footpath. Mr. William T. Davis has several of these bugs in his collection and so has Mr. H. G. Barber, all taken in Lakehurst. J. R. DE LA TORRE BUENO. BUG HUNTING. This branch of sport, although extensively indulged in, is seldom enjoyed by the hunter. The dismal hour of midnight is the recognised time for successful bug-hunting in the temperate latitudes. Bugs will lure at most anything, but a hired girl or a schoolma'am is universally believed to be the most killing bait. Bugs have been known to turn up their noses in disgust at a big, sunburnt farm-hand, and then climb three flights of stairs and squeeze through the keyhole to taste the schoolma'ma. However, even the ordinary lank layman may get a few strikes by carefully selecting his place and time. A combination never known to fail is the bridal chamber of a cheap hotel on a Winter night. The necessary paraphernalia consists of a candle, matches and a paper of pins. Having arranged your outfit, retire as quitely as possible, so as not to frighten the wary game, close your eyes and await results. If you are lucky, but a short time will elapse before you detect a nibble. At such a moment exercise rigid caution; a sudden movement might cause the game to flee. Keeping the body perfectly motionless, reach out and light the candle, at the same time seizing a pin firmly between the thumb and first finger of the right hand. Inhale deeply. This keeps your pulse regular and throws the game off its guard. By this time you have accurately located the point of contrast, and with a sudden move- ment, you bring it to view. Immediately the game begins a wild scramble for its native jungle, and here is where the sure eye and the strong arm do their noblest work. Having impaled the quarry, insert the pin in the wallpaper at the side of the bed, where the victim expires. An active, patient man will make quite a catch in a night if his pins hold \out. It requires a week's stay, as a rule, to secure enough for a mess, but the effort will be repaid. Men who make a large kill usually grade their game according to size on cards made for the purpose, and present them to the landlady as a mark of affection. She makes a few well- chosen remarks, the hunter hastily collects his luggage, signals the 'bus, and is off to the other fields of fortune. BY NORMAN H. CROWELL, in Field and Stream. Doings of Societies. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held on January 16, 1907, at the residence of H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South Thirteenth Street, there were seven members present. Mar. '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. Ill The death, on December 28, 1906, of our fellow member, Mr. Frank Hoyer, was announced. The President read his annual address. The following officers were elected to serve for the year 1907 : E. Daecke, President ; H. S. Harbeck, Vice-President ; Frank Haimbach, Secretary ; H. W. Wenzel, Treasurer. FRANK HAIMBACH. The monthly meeting- of the Newark Entomological Society was held January I2th, 1907, in Turn Hall, 184 William Street. Newark, President Dickerson in the chair and thirteen members present. Mr. Frederick Lemmer, of Irvington, was elected to membership, and the topic of willow insects was then discussed. Prof. Wormsbacher enumerated twenty-eight species of Lepidoptera which he had bred on willow and poplar, among the more rare forms being Sphinx luscitiosa, Ecpantheria deflorata, Raphia fratcr and Tolype rcllcda, this latter, per- haps, recorded from willow for the first time. Mr. Dickerson gave an account of the insects of economic importance, which occur on the willow, and stated that Cryptorhynchus lapathi was not destructive to willow and poplar nursery stock in New Jersey. Mr. Bischoff remarked that one hundred or more larvne of C. lapathi may be found tunneling in a few feet of willow branch, and that they were becoming more abundant of recent years at Irvington. Mr. Grossbeck spoke of five species of Sesiids which bore into willow, and stated that he had found old borings in the canes of that plant at Paterson, which were probably those of Sesia bolteri. Both Mr. Brehme and Mr. Angleman said they had bred Sanninoidca c.vitiosa from willow, which appears to be a new plant for this species. Liniciiitis ursnla was also reported by three different persons as being found on willow and poplar. Prof. Wormsbacher reported the following rare species of Lepidoptera which he had taken the past summer: Haploa triangnlaris, Hasbrook Heights ; Acronycta hastulifcra, Pali- sade Park, larva? abundant on alder; Fcltia rolnbilis. Fort Lee, May 30; Bcllura gortynidcs, New Durham, August 19; Plnsia 112 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., '07 on, Rutherford, September 3 ; Eosphoropteryx thyatiroides, Carlstadt, August 1 1 ; Phaeocyma lunifera, Guttenberg, Octo- ber 4 ; Packardia elcgans, Fort Lee, larvae common on Arbur- nmn; Schisura e.vimia, Hasbrook Heights, August 3. He also furnished a note relating his experience with several species of Sphingids which had emerged from their pupae in a crippled condition, and after remaining so for a day were sprinkled with water, which brought about their full develop- ment. The experiment was tried repeatedly, and in all, save one or two instances, with perfect results. JOHN A. GROSSBECK, Secretary. OBITUARY. It was with great regret that we learned of the death of Frank Hoyer, for a number of years a member of the Feldman Collecting Social of Philadelphia. WE regret to announce the death of C. B. Simpson, who has been for nearly three years Entomologist of the Transvaal. He was a graduate of the University of Idaho in 1898 ; studied nearly three years at Cornell after that ; did field work for the Bureau of Entomology in South Idaho two seasons with brilliant results, which induced Dr. Howard to give him his recommendation for South Africa. Over there he was very active and successful, having organized. an extensive department in the short period of his service. One of his principal subjects in that field was locust extermination. He died of typhoid fever on January i4th, at the age of thirty-one years, having been married but ten months. He was develop- ing into a man of commanding ability. DR. RUDOLPH HEISER, of Keokuk, Iowa, died October 27, 1905. He was born in Moehlhausen, Thiiringia, on March 10, 1839, and was sixty- seven years old at the time of his death. He came to this country in the early fifties with his parents, and has made Keokuk his home ever since. In the year 1866 he was united in marriage with Miss Emilie Roos, who, with one daughter, Miss Emma Heiser, and one sister, Mrs. Louis Stracke, of Warsaw, 111., are left to mourn his death. He was an enthusiastic naturalist, taking great interest in the branches of ornithology and entomology, of which he possessed a rare and valued collection. He was a skilled taxidermist, and for many years past was curator of the museum of the old Medical College. In his early life he enjoyed the sports of field and wood, and was one of the few remaining members of the old Nimrod Shooting Club, incorporated in 1870. He was a subscriber to the NKWS for many years. irizona LEPlDOPTERfl ana COLEOPTEBfl For COLEOPTERA. Plusiotis beyeri 2.50, passable 1.00, P. leconlei .50, P. gloriosa .75, Euphoria holochloris .25, Pasimttchus mexicanns .75, Paximachus sp. 1.00, Clems bimaculatus .50, Chalcolepidius apnclieiiniis 1.50, Gymnelis cretncea 1.50, Oncideres qiiercus .75, Meialrptitx hiilesi .75. Gnnp- hnlodes frac.hyderoides 1.00, El aphid ion arisonensis .50. Dynastes granti 1.00. Chrysobothris lixa .25, (7. e^^sa .50, C 1 . libonoti .50, (7. CPK .25, ('. ludificata .25. LEPIDOPTERA. Cdtoeala pura 2.00, ilesdemona .75, Crinodes biedermani 3.00, pair 5.00. Xylophones falco 2.00, Pholus typhon, passable 3.00, Ramia gJoveri .50, Gloveria pxidii 1.50, Automeris pumin/i 8.00, pair 15.00. cocoons 3.00, Megathymus nenmoKijeni .25, Neophnsitt terlooti 1.00, 1'lestin dorus .25. Orders of $10.00 or over 10 per cent, discount. Cash in advance. Referen- ces: National Bank, Tucson, Arizona; Henry Skinner, Philadelphia. C. R. BIEDERMAN, Palmerlee, Cochlse Co., Arizona OF TERMS USED IK ENWLOGY. A substantially bound book of 155 pages, with definitions of over 4500 terms used in Entomological work, three plates, illustrating body structure and venation, and one plate illus- trating color terms. Prepared by PROF. JOHN B. SMITH, Sc D , of Rutgers College and State Entomologist of New Jersey, and published by THE BROOKLYN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY An indispensible book for collectors as v.ell as working entomologists and students. Will be sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, $2.00, by the selling agents. The American Entomological Company 55 Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. QUALITY THE HIGHEST PRICE THE LOWEST LOCALITY PIN LABELS 20 cents per thousand (Postpaid), any number of lines. Printed from smallest type made. Best heavy white paper No trimming One cut of scissors makes a label 30 labels on a strip Something different No less than 500 of each label printed ORDERS MUST BE IN MULTIPLfeS OF 500 Do not send stamps or cheques. Express M. O. preferred. C. V. Blackburn, 101 Pine St., Woburn, Mass. (Member Cambridge Entomological Club) NTED No. 10, VOL. X, ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. WE HAVE FOR SALE AN UNBOUND COPY OF VOL. VI. R. A. COOLEY, Montana Agricultural College, Bozeman, Montana. When Writing Please Mention " Kntomnlogical Newi." THE MY-SCHEEREE CO.' ' Department of Natural Science, G. LAGAI, Ph. D. 225-233 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. SPECIAL OFFER. Just received, living pupae of Lapara coniferarum 75c., three for $1.80 Sphinx kalmice 25c. each Mounted specimens, ex-larva : Grapta j-album, male 25c. " " Apatura clyton lOc. " " " " Gyrocheilus tritonia 50c. " " " " Papilio ajax lOc. " " " Hemaris diffinis lOc. " Deidamia inscriptum lOc. " " " " Paoniasmyops lOc. " " " Cressonia juglandis lOc. " SAN DOMINGO AND HAYTI. Regular shipments from our collector of Natural History specimens, especially insects, mammal and bird skins will arrive within a few weeks. Send your lists of desiderata. New Illustrated "Special Circular" ready for distribution. THE KNY SCHEERER CO. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCE. G. LAGAI, Ph.D., 225-233 Fourth Ave., New York, N. Y. PARIS EXPOSITION : ii^iiSllTjli^ PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION : Eight Awards and Medals ^^^^WX^^S Gold Medal ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION : Grand Prize and Gold Medal ENTOMOLOGICAL SUPPLIES AND SPECIMENS North American and exotic insects of all orders in perfect condition. Single specimens and collections illustrating mimicry, protective coloration, dimorphism, collections of representatives of the different orders of insects, etc. Series of specimens illustrating insect life, color variation, etc. Metamorphoses of insects. We manufacture all kinds of insect boxes and cases (Schmitt insect boxes, Lepidoptera boxes, etc.), cabinets, nets, insects pins, fc -ns, etc.. Riker specimen mounts at reduced prices. Catalogues and special circulars free on application. Rare insects bought and sold. When Writing Please Mention "Entomological News." P. C. Stoekhausen. Printer, 53-55 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia. APRIL, 1907. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Vol. XVIII. No. Syntomeida befana Skinner. EDITOR : HENRY SKINNER, M. D. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: EZRA T. CRESSON. HENRY L. VIERECK. J. A. G. REHN. PHILIP LAURENT. WILLIAM J. FOX. H. W. WENZEL. PHILADELPHIA: ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, LOGAN SQUARE. Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Published monthly, excepting August and September, in charge of the Entomo- logical Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Entomological Society. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, $1.OO IN ADVANCE. Outside of the United States and Canada, $1.20. Advertising Rates : 30 cents per square inch, single insertion ; a liberal discount on longer insertions. No advertisement taken for less than 60 cents Cash in advance. All remittances should be addressed to ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, Academy of Natural Sciences, ]9th and Race Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA. ERNEST SWINHOE, 6, Gunterstone Road, West Kensington, London, W Cat. No. 16 for 1907 (now ready) mailed free on demand. The only dealers' list giving authors' names throughout. 100 named speci- mens, i qual : ex Assam, 40 different species in papers, including Papilio boo- tes, gyas, etc., mailed free on receipt of Post Office Order $4.00 Explanatory Catalogue, with over 300 descriptions and many interesting notes 12 cents. PARCELS SENT ON APPROVAL FOR SELECTION. FOR SALE CHEAP for cash collection of Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera. 5000 species, 25,000 specimens contained in 250 Schmitt and other boxes. All in first-class condition. Determinations by best Amer. and Europ. specialists WM. A. NASON, ALGONQUIN, ILLINOIS. A lot of about 1000 expanded North American Noctuidae and Geometrae, nearly all are named and dated. For sale cheap or given in exchange for bright col. exotics. Special Offer.- Perfect specimens of Morpho menelaus, expanded, $1 00 each. Specimens from South America, India, Europe, Africa Special list on applica- tion. State desiderata. Cocoons. Attacus orizaba, 15c., $1.50 a dozen; promethea, 25c. a dozen; ce- cropia, 30c. a dozen ; polyphemus, 7c, 75c. a dozen ; Aut. io, 85c. dozen ; cynthia, 20c. dozen. Exchange -Specimens of Lepidoptera or cocoons taken in exchange. Send your list. O. FULDA, 816 BROADWAY, NEW YORK NEW PUBLICATIONS A Revision of the Mouth-parts of the Corrodentia and the Mallophaga, by R. E. Snodgrass. n pp., i pi. (Trans. 1905) ......... IO MAILED ON RECEIPT OF PRICE E. T. CRESSON, Treasurer, P. O. Box 248, Philadelphia, Pa. When Writing Please Mention "Entomological Mews." ENT. NEWS, VOL. XVIII. PI. II. 3 EGGS OF BENACUS AND THEIR HATCHING. -NEEDHAM. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. VOL. XVIII. APRIL, 1907. No. 4. CONTENTS: Needham The Eggs of Benacus and their Hatching 113 Smith and Grossbeck Studies in cer- tain Cicada Species 116 Skinner-Studies of Thecla irus Godart and T. henrici Grote and Robinson 129- Aldrich The Dipterous Genus Scellus, with one new Species 133 Doaue Notes on the Habits of Scellus virago Aid 136 Daecke Annotated List of the Species of Chrysops occurring in New Jer- sey and Descriptions of two New Species 139 Grossbeck Notes on some Species of Geometrids ' 146 Knab The Classification of the Culi- cidae according to Scale- Vestiture Characters 151 Carpenter Cards for Data 155 Baker De Luxe Editions of Entomolo- gical Works 157 Editorial 160 Notes and News 161 Doings of Societies 163 The Eggs of Benacus and Their Hatching. By JAMES G. NEEDHAM. (Plate II) Among the largest of insect eggs are those of our aquatic Hemiptera. Some of these are laid under water, some in the air, attached to the stems of plants that project above the sur- face. Few are better known than those of Zaitha, which the male carries through their incubation period in a layer covering his back. Those of Ranatra are familiar enough also, though immersed in the stems of aquatic plants : their presence is always betrayed by the two long micropylar appendages that project conspicuously into the water. Bclostoma and Benacus lay their eggs above water, commonly attaching them in broad one-layered clusters to the vertical sides of dead typha stems. Those of Bclostoma have recently been carefully described by Mr. Rueno. It is strange that those of Benacus, the largest of them all, should still remain comparatively unknown and unnoticed. 114 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ' O"J Bcnacns occurs sparingly in a pond on the campus of Lake Forest College. A few specimens are taken each year in the course of general collecting. During the past eight years I have done more or less collecting there, from the opening until the middle of June, but I have encountered living eggs but once, that was on June 13, 1903. Doubtless they might have been found oftener had I been specially looking for them ; for twice I have found the dead, collapsed, and empty shells still adhering to the typha stems in autumn. The egg clusters are two to three inches long, and contain 75 to 100 eggs of a size, that for insects, is fairly immense. The eggs are attached by one end in more or less regular rows, and they cover in a single layer the broader, flatter side of the stem. They would be conspicuous but for their resem- blance in color to the stem. Protective coloration is common enough among birds' eggs. Here seems to be another genuine case of it among the eggs of insects not a mere general resemblance, such as the green color of eggs placed upon a green leaf, but specific resem- blance to the details of the background against which the eggs are seen. They are longitudinally streaked with brown upon a lighter ground, and the streakings are so placed and so spaced that they fall into line with the flutings of the stem, and greatly assist in the concealment of the cluster. I left the cluster shown in Plate 2, Fig. I, in the field for several days undisturbed after its discovery, to insure the normal progress of its incubation, and watched it from day to day. At each return to it I had some difficulty at first locating it again, although it occupied an exposed situation on the stem. Seen under a lens, the eggs remind one of a pile of Georgia watermelons (Plate 2, Fig. 3). If the color were green in- stead of brown the resemblance would be perfect. Not only is the shape the same, the "blossom end" being plainly sug- gested, and the exposed upper side being slightly more convex than the lower, but the streakings fade out below in a very similar manner. However, a closer inspection reveals a differ- ent feature at each end. At the free end just below the "blos- som scar" there is an obliquely-placed white crescent, whose April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 115 arms extend down upon the sides and mark out the cap that the young Bcnacns will later push off at hatching. The brown lines of the under surface stop short at the edge of this cres- cent ; they are still more abbreviated at the opposite end of the egg. At the basal end the egg is broadly capped with uni- form dark brown (Plate 2, Fig. 2). In Figure I of the plate, a few eggs have been removed from the right side, and two are laid down in an inverted position to show the paler lower side and the brown basal end. The individual egg is 5 mm. long and 2 mm. in greatest diameter. It is oblong-oval in form, with very obtuse ends as shown in the figures, and it is marked longitudinally with twenty or more irregular stripes (often interrupted, cleft fenestrate, or anastomosing, and always with uneven margins), convergent toward the center of the free end upon the upper side. Their incubation period was not determined. The single cluster of unknown age found upon the I3th of June, began hatching on the 23d and finished on the 24th of the same month. Their hatching was a curious sight. The photograph shown in Fig. 3 of the plate, was taken in the midst of the process and shows two empty eggshells, several eggs in the process of "chipping," and four buglings emerging, the uppermost one nearly out and the lowermost, just lifting the detachable cap of the shell. The embryo lies once folded within the shell, its head flexed upon its breast, and its beak and legs extended flat against the venter of the abdomen. Thus the dorsum of the prothorax abuts against the detachable crescentic groove. The eyes appear before hatching as back spots upon the arms of this crescent. The back is almost invariably downward, as seen in the figure, though sometimes turned a little to one side. On account of the obliquity of the pale crescent, and the con- stant position of the embryo in relation to it, these eggs might readily be oriented for section-cutting in embryology. The thin lateral margins of the abdomen unrolling at hatch- ing, and the legs becoming extended, the fledgling at once as- sumes proportions seemingly wholly incompatible with the size of the egg from which it came. Figure 2 of the plate shows Il6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 a newly hatched larva and an unhatched egg taken together for comparison. Figure 4 of the plate is a photograph from life of the adult Bcnacus. It was taken while clinging to a white hoard in an aquarium, head downward (the photo print accidentally mounted in the opposite position for the plate). As is well known, the adult flies freely from pond to pond, coming with Bclostouia to electric lights in cities and towns. It lays its eggs upon a dry stem several inches above the surface of the water. Studies in Certain Cicada Species. BY JOHN B. SMITH and JOHN A. GROSSBECK. Plates III, IV, V. This study originated in the desire of the senior author to prepare for his annual report an account of the periodical Cicada, a brood of which was due to appear in New Jersey, in 1906, and incidentally, to call attention to the other species that occurred within the limits of the State. Messrs. Davis and Joutel had just published their notes in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, Vol. XVII, page 237, and the junior author was assigned to the task of separating out our material which was fortunately quite rich, and to making such drawings and sketches as might be required to bring out the interesting features : ovipositor, stridulating apparatus and the like. It was easy to separate the bulk of our material into the species recognized by Davis and Jo.utel, the more as Mr. Davis had used some of it in his work ; but there remained a puzzling residue, part of which was eliminated when Prof. Osborn published his description of Cicada fulvula in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, Vol. XVII, page 322. None of the recent authors had seemed quite satisfied with the identification of pruinosa Say, and our own efforts to fit the specimens usually listed under that name to the descrip- tion were hardly more satisfactory. But we found among our puzzles a very few examples that did fit, perfectly : the descrip- tion as it stood might have been made from any one of them. But this left the common form nameless, unless some of the terms cited as synonyms of tibiccn might really prove to be this form. The idea of including our study in the annual re- April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 117 port was now abandoned and additional material sought for. As usual, the collections proved poor in the common species, but from the Academy of Natural Sciences of ^ Philadelphia, the Brooklyn Institute Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, the Children's Museum of Brooklyn, the U. S. National Museum at Washington, and from Messrs. W. T. Davis and E. Daecke we obtained series that enabled us to separate our species very nicely. It became necessary now to determine the form to which Linne's term should be applied, and here another surprise was in store for us. The description of course fitted almost any Cicada; and the only pointer given by Linne himself was the reference to Marian's Surinam, pi. 49, where we found a fair figure of a species totally different in appearance from what we had been calling tibiccn. Running down the literature to ascertain /jotc 1 the species came to be identified with our Ameri- can type, we found that it rests upon a casual statement of Stal. The whole matter is interesting enough to warrant detail and both authors have been over some of the volumes to make sure of the facts. On the occasion of a recent visit to Washington, Mr. O. Heideman was good enough to show me the Cicada material from Central and South America, and there is nowhere any specimen that could be mistaken for our so-called tibicen, while there are several of a type resembling Madame Marian's figure and among which I feel very confident the true tibicen may be identified. Mr. Heideman also showed me the works of Mr. Distant, and called my attention to the fact that in the "Bio- logia" tibicen was included only on the authority of Stal and not from any material identified with that species. C. tibiccn was described by Linne in the Syst. Nat. ed., X, p. 426, in the most general terms ; the Merian figure already cited was referred to, and "Habitat in America" was added for locality. In 1767, in the I2th edition of the same work, Vol. I, pt. 2, the description and reference were repeated and nothing was added to modify the original statement as to locality. In 1775, Fabricius in the Syst. Ent., 679, places the Cicada Il8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 tibiccn of Linne in Tettigonia, cites Marian's Ins. of Surinam as before, and also Brown's Jamaica, pi. 43, f. 15. This figure which has been examined by Mr. Grossbeck may or may not be a species of the forms we have called tibicen, but it certainly does not seem to be the species figured by Madame Merian. In 1778, De Geer, in his Insects, III, 212, pi. 32 (not 22 as usually cited), figures his lyricen. He cites tibicen Linn, as the same species, and credits Mme. Merian with the name lyricen or "Herman." He adds to his diagnosis the statement that the species is found in America "septentrionale" as well as "meridionale" and gives a detailed description of his material from New Jersey and Pennsylvania both as larva and adult, including the singing and egg-laying habits of the adult. There is no doubt that De Geer had a North American insect before him and there is no reasonable doubt that this was the exact form that Prof. Osborn has so recently described as C. fulvula. The figure is excellent and the description is accurate in all details. There can be no reasonable doubt as to the identity of lyricen De G. In 1790, Olivier in the Enc. Meth., 749, refers to tibicen Linn., cites lyricen De Geer as a synonym, and quotes Merian as to the habits of the species and the damage done in coffee plantations. As a new species he describes C. opercularis from the Isle of Java and cites Stoll, pi. 13, A and B, for a representation of the species. This figure of Stoll is utterly unlike anything that I know from North America, and is certainly incapable of being twisted into a resemblance to our "tibicen" or even the tibiccn of Linne. In 1794, Fabricius in the Ent. Syst, IV, 18, again refers to tibicen, as before, but adds the reference to De Geer, giving America meridionale as the habitat. On p. 19 he describes Tettigonia ran c gat a, habitat in Carolina, just after scptcii- dcciin, and says of it that it is of the size and build of the preceding, i. e., septendecim. There is nothing in this, and nothing in the subsequent description that refers to any resem- blance or relation to tibiccn. In 1803, Fabricius in the Syst. Rhyng., p. 35, cites tibiccn April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IIQ as before, and again gives America meridionale as the habitat. To this is added, in the Academy copy, in Say's handwriting, "St. Paulo, Brasilia, Germar," indicating that some effort has been made to identify this with a South American form. At p. 37, variegata is again described, placed as before and recorded from Carolina. In 1825, Say described his pruinosa, knowing of the Fabri- cian and Linnsean species ; but what forms he identified with the names I have no means of knowing. In 1830, Germar gives in Thon's Archiv., II, p. 40 et seq., a descriptive list of Cicadids in which he refers to variegata Fabr., describes it at some length, and cites Roesel's Ins., pi. XXV, f. 5, as representative of the species. Roesel's figure, unfortunately, tells nothing. It is not well drawn for identification and may be meant for an}- one of half a dozen or more species. It is said to be an "Indian" variety, but this may mean American as used. Germar also refers to opercnlaris Oliv., gives Java as the habitat, and then adds that he believes it to be a variety of raric^ata in spite of the difference in locality. He cites Stoll's figure as usual and there is at least one important ' hint in this, because Stoll's figure does resemble septendecim in gen- eral build, and the Fabrician comparative reference is there- fore in so far confirmed. Walker's work in 1857 adds little to our knowledge, but he makes lyric en De G., pruinosa Say and mannifcra Linn, syno- nyms of tibiccn, while recording opercnlaris as a species un- known to him. In 1869, Stal in his Hemiptera Fabriciana, II, 6, cites the tibiccn of Linne, gives all the Fabrician references, adds as an additional synonym opercnlaris Oliv., gives America meridion- alis as habitat and then comments : this species inhabits boreal America. Since that time matters have remained much as Stal left them. In 1841, Dr. Harris described canicnlaris in "Insects Injurious to Vegetation," p. 175, but Fitch disposes of that species in his Third Report in 1856. He says pruinosa is tibiccn with the mealy powder not rubbed off, and canicnlaris is only a 120 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 small pniinosa. He quite correctly calls attention to the varia- tion in the opercular plates and says they are not good bases for specific separation. In 1892, Uhler in the Trans. Md. Acad. Sci., p. 149, makes canicularis a good species, but cites under tibiccn, the names lyricen, variegata, opercularis and pniinosa as synonyms. He states that according to Germar the true tibicen is the common form figured by Stoll, and that Olivier's species having been described from that figure must be a synonym. The most recent list of species is by McGillivray in the Can. Ent., XXXIII, p. 74, in which Uhler is followed as to tibicen, without original study of the problem. The conclusions drawn from this study of the literature are that C. tibiccn L. is not a North American species at all ; but that, based on Merian's figure, it is a common Central and South American species. What we have called tibiccn is an un- described species. C. opercularis Oliv. is a Javan form for which there is absolutely no evidence that warrants us in iden- tifying it with any American species. C. variegata Fabr. is an ally of scptcndccim which has not yet been identified in collections. Lyricen De G. has been redescribed as C. fnhnila. De Geer's belief that he had the same form as Linne is based on nothing better than a general similarity. The notes on structure and the specific descriptions are by the junior author, though all points have been verified by both authors. It seems strange that such large and common insects should have received so little careful attention. In most of the col- lections seen by us there were from two to five, and in one instance nine, species under the name tibiccn. It would have been difficult to definitely separate the species in any one col- lection without additional material, and so from a number of sources something over two hundred and fifty specimens taken at many points in the eastern United States and a few from the western and southwestern portions were gathered together. Having established the identity of Say's pniinosa and reached the conclusion that tibiccn did not occur in North America at all, the description and figure of lyricen left no ENT. NEWS, VOL. XVIII. PI III. 10 11 12 4 8 i, Genitalia of C.marginata Sa\ ; _>, C'. pinhmsa Say ; .}. T hieroglyphics Sa\ ; .). t". ditrisi nov. sp. ; .s, r '. canicularii II. mis. ti.nn ^-ide; 6. from ln-lmv; ;. C sp. indet . from tirlou ; s, same, from side ; 9, ( '. .\iini7iiii* im\ . sp. ; 10. 7'. . /'".(- i-1-nsis I'.m ; u, '/". \,-/i/>->/i/,;-i>ii l.inn.; [2, < ". Ivi icni !)<_('.. ENT. NEWS, VOL. XVIII. PI. IV. 12 i, C. pi Kiin^a from beneath, the appenduyvs ivmoved and thoracic sclrritcs named ; 2, abdo- men of typical ( '. luitici^ witli ojien-ula attached; 3, C. caiiicnhii'ii ; \, ( '. lyi i<->->/ ; 5, C '. .MM;; 6, C. davisi ; 7, ist and 2nd ventral abdominal M-^nu-nts of typical C. Ii>nii-i\ ^. ( '. < >j. ( '. .M;I/; [o, C. lyricen; 11. ( '. nun <, nni/n; 12. '/' \r/>/,-ini,-i; i.;. '/'. liii-i niilyf>liii t<-ntli-cim ; 12, one of the side pieces of the tip of ovipositor of T. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 121 doubt as to the species intended and consequently C. fitlrula Osborn falls into synonymy. Canicnlaris Harris is sufficiently well characterized to enable the species to be recognized with certainty. Having thus disposed of or identified all the pub- lished names we are free to name all other forms that are specifically distinct from them. Cicada linnei is proposed for the species which has so long been known as tibicen. Cicada sayi is proposed for the form hitherto erroneously known as pruinosa. Cicada dat'isi, so called in honor of Mr. Win. T. Davis, whose article induced the present critical study, is proposed for a very distinct little species which has been confused with canicularis. Cicada siniilaris is proposed for a Floridan species, close to lyric en in general appearance, but widely variant in genitalic structure. There are other species under our observation from the U. S. N. M. collection, which will eventually have to be named; but which we do not describe, partly because of the scant ma- terial at hand and principally because they are quite without the scope set for this study. The genitalia of one of these species from Mexico is figured, pi. Ill, f. 7 and 8, to illustrate the amount of variation displayed by members of the tibicen group. There is considerable difference between species in a number of structural details, but most of them are subject to some variation. These differences may be used to good advantage for the separation of species, though in a few cases the variation is so great as to leave almost no definite line of demarcation between closely allied species when only one character is used. For the purposes of specific separation no structures are of more importance than the male genitalia, which in the Cicadids arc large, strongly chitinized and easily examined. They are absolutely constant in form, however subtile certain processes may be, and are always to be relied upon. The uncus shows the greatest diversity of form. In the usual type it is broad above, with parallel lateral margins, and from the side is narrow, slightly constricted a short distance from the base, and 122 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, 'c"J there tapered evenly to the apex. From the side it may appear pointed as in canicularis, pi. Ill, fig. 5; or capitate as in mar^i- nata, fig. i ; or subapically dilated as in davisi, fig. 4. In similaris, fig. 9, it has two spinelike processes on the under side, which together show as one from the side. An extreme form from Mexico (sp. indet.) is represented in figures 7 and 8, where it takes the form of a pair of curved horns. The large side pieces also show some difference in shape, though less than in the uncus. The opercula afford good characters. Usually they vary but little, the single instance of great variability being in canicularis, which merges into the opposite extreme of linnci. Even the color of these structures is of some importance. The first and second abdominal segments below are in- timately united and appear almost as one, the first bordering the anterior margin of the second. Taken together they differ considerably in the various species, the greatest variability in any one species again showing in canicularis. The figures of linnci and canicularis, pi. IV, figures 7 and 8, though drawn to one scale, represent large and small specimens, respectively- the average size of each species with size eliminated, the dif- ference is not as great as at first appears ; consequently, the amount of variation needed to bring the two forms together is not really so great. The last ventral abdominal segment, used by Davis and Joutel in their separation of linnei (tibiccn), canicularis and sayi (pruinosa), are also of value. The thoracic sclerites offer practically no differences in shape within generic limits. We have lettered these sclerites (pi. IV, fig. i), using pruinosa for this purpose, but the result is not entirely satisfactory and some changes may have to be made. The prosternum lying between the front coxae is hidden beneath the lower part of the head. The mesosternum is a large, broadly pentagonal sclerite, just anterior to and partly between the second pair of coxae. In the prothorax, the large lateral pieces, immediately posterior to and at the sides of the front coxae, are an inflexure of the pronotnm. The two small scler- ites posterior to it represent the propleural sclerites the proe- pisternum and the proepimeron. Both pleural pieces of the April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 123 mesothorax occupy their proper places and are very little modi- fied. The association of the names with sclerites is somewhat doubtful in the metathorax, and the notes here given are to induce observation. Dr. Sharp, in the Cambridge Natural History, speaks of the opercula as enlargements of the mete- pimera, and we have so designated them. In the structure of the female we merely show the ovipositors of a few species marginata, linnet and septendeciin. The differences between them are not great; in marginata the basal portions are proportionately much larger than in linnei, which is taken as the type form, and the apical portions correspond- ingly shorter; in septendeciin the structure is much as in linnei, but the entire organ is proportionately shorter. One of the side pieces of the tip of the ovipositor of septendeciin is figured, highly magnified to show the hooks by which the splint is pulled out from the slit made in the twig. Cicada prninosa Say. Length <$, 33 mm., to tip of wing 49 mm.; $, 30 mm., to tip of wing 48 mm. Head black, anterior margin on each side of clypeus and posterior margin between ocelli and compound eyes green; center of upper portion of clypeus with an elliptical green spot. Pronotum largely green, with two broad black marks beginning at anterior margin and becoming attenuated posteriorly where they join, inclosing a green, somewhat diamond-shaped spot; two other marks originate back of eyes and curve posteriorly toward the center; posterior and lateral margins wholly green. Mesonotum green, with black marks distributed as follows : On each side of center, beginning at anterior margin, is a broad mark which becomes slightly narrower and rounded posteriorly and ends before middle ; a second mark narrowly separated from the first begins broadly at anterior margin, becomes greatly attenuated and sometimes divides as it proceeds posteriorly, then broadens abruptly and terminates just before the posterior margin; a third near the lateral margin begins as before and joins the second mark posteriorly; in center of posterior portion of mesonotum is a large mark, rounded pos- teriorly and extending in a point between the two central marks of the anterior portion. Abdomen above black, base of first segment with a white, heavily pruinose lateral dash, which encroaches to some extent upon the second segment; a similar but longer and broader lateral dash extends along the base of the third segment and a spot of the same color is on each side of the eighth segment. In the female the dash of the second segment differs from that of the male in not 124 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ' OJ attenuated dorsally, but in being squarely truncated ; the spot on the seventh segment also extends on to the following segment that which ensheaths the ovipositor and is apparent from above. Beneath the abdomen is pruinose on pleura and sides of sternum, the central por- tion shining black. The opercula are as broad as long, excluding the extension beyond the coxal cavity, and overlap slightly in the center. Habitat. Anglesea, September 8th ; Cape May County, Sep- tember 2Oth, and Bay side, October 2ist, all in New Jersey. This is the most invariable of the species before us, as far as can be judged from the eight examples (7 $ and I $ ) studied. The thoracic markings are well defined and illustrate the type of maculation of this group. The abdominal ornamen- tation also is identical in all specimens of one sex. Cicada sayi nov. sp. Length. c?, 30-35 mm., to tip of wings 45-53 mm.; $, 28-34 mm - * tip of wings 43-51 mm. Head black, except for a small green spot just inside the compound eyes; upper portion of clypeus usually all black. Pronotum green, with two marks, sometimes broken, which begin broadly on anterior margin, become narrow and join posteriorly, forming a distinct V; lateral and posterior margins usually black, sometimes with a green spot on each side of the center of the latter, which may broaden or lengthen or, rarely, involve the whole margin save for a small central and lateral mark. Mesonotum black, with a fulvous background showing more or less plainly and the maculation always partaking of the general pattern described for pruinosa. Ab- domen black, with a large white pruinose spot on each side of the first segment. Beneath, the entire body excluding the legs, heavily pruin- ose. The opercula are very large, longer than broad and overlap con- siderably in the center. The genitalia are similar to that figured for C. fuhmla; the uncus dilated and truncated apically. Habitat. Ranges from New York southward to Alabama, and westward to the Mississippi River ; in the vicinity of New York and New Jersey from mid-July to early October ; Ken- tucky, May ; Mississippi, early April. The dates for the Southern States are suggestive. This is undoubtedly the most common form in the eastern United States, and probably occurs from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico east of the Mississippi, though we have no specimens outside the range given above. It is the most robust spears occurring- in New Jersey. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 125 Cicada lyricen De Geer = fulvula Osborn. Fifteen specimens of each sex, which agree in the main with Professor Osborn's description, are hefore us. With this number of individuals the range of variation is considerably beyond that given in his diagnosis. The pronotum in some is all black, except for a broad central line and the mesonotum in such is also black, with narrow fulvous lines indicating the usual pattern. In other examples fulvous is the predominating color, the black maculation being reduced ; but the posterior and lateral borders of the pronotum are always black, except for a small spot which is sometimes present near the head. Green occasionally replaces the fulvous and, rarely, both are present on the same insect, the fulvous occuping the lateral portions of the mesothorax, the green the remainder of the background. The narrow pruinose line at the base of the abdomen is more often than not separated into two lateral linear spots and is rarely absent. Beneath, the black polished center with lateral pruinose borders holds true in all specimens. The opercula are as broad as long and vary in shape posteriorly from rounded or elliptical as described, to the more usual shape for this form, of a sub-quadrangle as shown in the figure. They are of a uniform pale brown color, quite different from the creamy yellow color, with black shadings, of most of the allied species. The genitalia are of the more usual form ; the uncus much dilated and truncated apically. Habitat. New York to Florida and westward to Indiana ; New York Long Island and Staten Island, July to Sep- tember; New Jersey Normanock, July; Newfoundland, July 28; Paterson, July 14; Newark, July 27; New Brunswick, Farmingdale, August 12; Mentone, Alabama, August 10; Georgiana and Archer, Florida, July. Cicada similaris nov. sp. Length : $ 35 mm., to tip of wings 50 mm. This species is very close to C. lyricen, but the great differ- ence in the genitalia (pi. Ill, fig. 9) separates it at once from that species. The clasp or side piece is not very characteristic, but the uncus is curiously shaped like the head of a snake with expanded jaws, and from above the lower "jaw" is deeply 126 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 cleft, dividing it into two lateral spines. The present form differs further by the lateral border of the pronotum being largely green, which may, however, occur in lynccn by the enlargement of the green spot near the head, and by the slightly longer opercula which extend to the end of the third abdominal segment, the border of which is also more strongly reflexed. Otherwise it comes within the range of variation displayed by lynccn. Type : One male from Fernandina, Florida, collection U. S. National Museum. This may be the species which Professor Osborn regarded as the possible male of his fidvnla, since he speaks of the oper- cula having "a distinct reflexed border," while in the true fith'nla they are not more strongly reflexed than in other species. Cicada canicnlaris Harris. Length. J 1 , 27-30 mm., to tip of wings 40-44 mm.; ?, 26-27 mm., to tip of wings, 39-45 mm. The head and thoracic markings are much like those described for fruinosa, but the extreme lateral mark of the mesothorax rarely joins the sublateral one posteriorly. As a rule but little variation is shown, though in a few specimens the two central anterior marks combine, forming one large spot and each of the two lateral marks join in a like manner. The posterior and lateral margins of the prothorax are green, as in the entire background of the thorax, and rarely, in heavily marked examples, there is a tendency for the anterior portion to become black. Abdomen above black, with small linear pruinose spots on the first segment in a few of the males only. Beneath, the center is highly polished black, with broad white pruinose borders. In the specimen from which the figure was made the pruinose border was removed, which shows the major portion of the pleura also black. The opercula in typical specimens are considerably broader than long and are usually dark brown or blackish, though variations run toward larger opercula which are also lighter in color. The uncus of the genitalia is slender when viewed from the side, tapers apically and is slightly swollen in the center. Habitat. From Nova Scotia and Lake St. George, Quebec, westward to Wisconsin and Iowa and southward to Washing- ton, D. C. ; mid-August to mid-October. This form probably occurs throughout the northern United States east of the Mississippi River. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 127 Cicada llnnei nov sp Length. 9, 31-34 mm., to tip of wings 45-50 mm., <$, 29-33 mm., to tip of wings 44-48 mm. This species has been regarded as the tibicen of Linnaeus. Typical specimens are widely different from specimens typical of canicularis, but occasional examples occur which are almost intermediate and are difficult to place correctly. In the large number of both species be- fore us, however, the few such forms compared with the large number which are recognized at a glance leaves small room for doubt as to there being two species. Linnci differs from canicularis chiefly as follows : By the greater size of the individuals and the more promi- nent eyes ; by the thoracic markings, the component parts of the pattern of which arc not so closely set as in canicularis, thus showing 3 greater amount of the green background; by the comparatively larger size of the basal spots of the abdomen of the male (there are none in the female) ; in the greater comparative length of the second abdominal segment of the male, and in the longer opercula, which are usually as long as broad and almost always light in color. The genitalia are like canicularis. There are a few male examples in the series before us which lack the pruinose spots at base of the abdomen, but these seem to have been in alcohol, which causes the disappearance of such spots. Habitat. This has probably the same range as canicularis; specimens before us show its occurrence from Boston, Massa- chusetts, westward to Michigan and Illinois, and southward to Tennessee and Black Mountains, North Carolina, early August to mid-September. Cicada davisi nov. sp. Length c? and $ 29-31 mm., to tip of wings 42-45 mm. Head black, anterior margin betwen the eyes and clypeus and a spot in the center of the clypeus green. Pronotum including posterior and lateral margins green except for a single pair of black marks which begin at the anterior margin immediately behind the eyes, become sud- denly broad, then taper posteriorly, but do not join as usually do the corresponding marks in canicularis; the dilation also begins much farther from the anterior margin, which in canicularis is so close as to be separated only by a narrow line of green ; the space between the pronotal sulcus and the posterior margin is much longer than in canicularis. The mesonotum has markings similar to cauicularis, but the median posterior spot is much shorter, leaving a broad space of green ; the two lateral pairs of marks are fused together. The abdomen is black, without white spots at the base. Beneath it is 128 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ' OJ pale yellowish, probably pruinose in fresh specimens, with a narrow black portion in the center and the pleura also are sometimes black. The opercula are about as broad as long, rather convex and uniformly pale yellowish in color. The uncus of the genitalia is stout and dilated subapically. Types : $ and 9 , in the collection of the New Jersey Experiment Station; co-types in U. S. N. M., and Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia. Described from five males and three females ; Anglesea, N. J., August 25th; Paterson, N. J., September 4th; Miami, Florida, August I3th, Georgiana, Florida. This is a very distinct species hitherto confused with cani- cularis. It may be separated at once from that species by the greater width of that portion of the pronotum posterior to the transverse sulcus, by the shape of the black marks on the anterior portion of the pronotum and by the comparatively narrow black central portion on the under side of the abdomen. Cicada marginata Say. This, the remaining species of Cicada using the term within generic limits in New Jersey, is so distinct from any- thing else that a detailed description of it at this time is unnecessary. It may be recognized by its large size, averaging over 40 mm. to tip of abdomen, and over 60 mm. to tip of wings, and its exceedingly robust form. The thoracic mark- ings illustrate the general type of maculation, and the body above as well as below is largely pruinose. The opercula of the male are broader than long, pale green covered with white, pruinose and the anal abdominal segment below is considerably broader than long. The male genitalia are chunky, with the uncus knobbed at the apex. It occurs commonly in the southern portions of New Jersey, more rarely northernwardly, and is recorded from New York to the Gulf States and as far west as Utah. Plate III, figures 7 and 8, illustrate the genitalia of a Mexi- can species of Cicada, which we have not attempted to identify and present merely to show the variation of the structure in the genus. The specimens were sent from the U. S. N. M., with the tibicen, and were labelled C. opercularis Oliv., which, of April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 1 29 course, they are not. It probably represents a new species. In Plate i, figure 10, we figure the genitalia of Tibicen noraboraccnsis Emmons, a distinct and well-marked species and not a synonym of rimosa, as Uhler contends. It may, however, prove to be the same as T. canadensis Prov., upon further study. The specimen was taken in the Catskill Moun- tains, July 6th, by Mr. R. F. Pearsall and kindly given us. Studies of Thecla irus Godart and T. henrici Grote and Robinson. BY HENRY SKINNER. In this journal, page 45, Vol. 18, I stated my belief that these two names represented one variable species. The state- ment made there has brought me additional material and has led me to again investigate the subject. Having been an ardent collector in the field for many years, and also having accumu- lated a large lot of material and also having determined many specimens for others, I have never been able to make out two species, one for each of the above names. Henrici is described in the Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., p. 174, Vol. I., 1867. The habitat is given as from "Atlantic District (Maine! to Pennsylvania!)" a specimen from Maine is mentioned "which does not differ from a number of specimens from the vicinity of Philadelphia, except in that the secondaries show a very few white scales, very narrowly arranged, edging the secondaries linearily along external margin." They also say, "This species is intermediate between Thecla augustits Kirby (T. augustinus \Yestw.) and Thecla irus, as illustrated by Boisduval and Leconte, and is apparently associated geographically with the former." It would, therefore, seem logical to think that henrici was be- lieved to be a new species because it differed from the figure of irus given by Boisduval and Leconte. I do not believe that the authors knew any T. irus in nature. As Thecla irus, Bois- duval and Leconte, Hist. Gen. des. Lep. et des Chen., pi. 31, figs. 5 and 6, give a somewhat crude representation of a butter- fly that has rather a wide distribution over the United States. The figures show a somewhat larger butterfly than the henriei 130 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ' 07 of Grote and Robinson, and they say henrici is smaller than ints. Coleman T. Robinson presented his collection to the American Museum of Natural History, in New York. Mr. William Beutenmuller, curator of entomology of the insti- tution, published a list of the types in the Robinson collection,* and records that of T. henrici. While I had very little doubt of the identity of inis and henrici, I wished to have a speci- men compared with the type and also have certain questions answered in relation to it. Mr. Beutenmuller has very kindly sent me the following information : "The type of henrici is apparently a female (body missing). It has no stigma on the upper side of the forewing. It has tails on the hind wings like your Nos. i, 2, 3, 4. Our type agrees with your No. I in color and markings on the upper and under sides, except that your specimen has a little more white on the line on the forewing beneath. It expands 27 mm. It is absolutely the same species as your No. I. The locality is Philadelphia, and labeled henrici G. & R. in Robinson's hand- writing. It is from the Grote and Robinson collection." It will be noted that the type came from Philadelphia. If there are two species of The da found here that might be designated as ints and henrici, I have failed to discover the fact. It will be interesting to see what others think of the' two. Wherever there is great lack of unanimity of opinion, the validity of species is open to question. Mr. W. H. Edwards, in his Catl. of Diur. Lep., published in 1877, puts henrici as a variety of ints. In his Catalogue of 1884 he lists it as distinct from ints. Strecker (1877) puts it as a variety of ints, and says, "smaller. Inferiors tailless." S. H. Scudder, iu his Rutt. East. U. S. and Can., puts henrici as a synonym of ints. ]. H. Cook, Can. Ent. page 216, 1905, contends that ints and henrici are distinct species. There are others who have written on the two names, but have probably not investigated them. In the above we see henrici as a valid species (Cook), as a variety (Edwards), and as a synonym (Scudder). In size the species (henrici-irus) varies considerably. The largest specimen I have measures 33 mm. (?) in expanse, and *Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. IV., p. 59. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. the smallest 27 mm. Thirty mm. is about the average size. The male, figured by Bd. and Lee., measures 33 mm. and the female 36 mm. I have not seen any specimens with so great an ex- panse, although I have a number from the Southern States. The size given by Bd. and Leconte probably represents artists' license. All measurements are from centre of body at base of wing to tip, doubled. The color above varies from light greyish brown to dark brown and fuscous. Individual speci- mens have varying amounts of chestnut brown on the wings, from the merest trace on the secondaries at the angle of the wing to the whole upper surface of both wings entirely chest- nut brown. Some have the discal areas chestnut brown, and in some the outer halves of both wings are of this color. This variation is also seen in niphon and aiignstns, and is common in the females. It has no specific value, and is so variable as to be of little use in constituting a variety. The stigma. This is a male secondary sexual character that occurs in some males and not in others. This not only applies to irus-hcnnci, but to some other species in the genus. It has no generic or specific value, and is simply an individual variation. The under side of primaries. We have here a line run- ning from the costa to the first median nervule. It is also very variable and it has no specific value. It varies as to distinctness, and in some specimens it is obsolete. In some cases it is a straight line ; in some, interrupted in the middle, and in some, it is as described by Cook, a series of short dashes. It has no specific value and no proper correlation with other so called specific characters given by Mr. Cook. The under side of the secondary wing is also divided by a more or less distinct line running from the costa to the inner margin. At the costa and at the termination of the line, it is generally white, and between these points the white is very variable, in some cases an entire white line from costa to inner margin. In some cases it is more or less obsolete. Some specimens have a small basal area of gray (see fig. of Bd. and Lee.), and in some the entire inner half of wing is uni- colorous and the intensity of color in this varies greatly, being in some cases light brown, and in others almost black. Cross- 132 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 ing the wing in the centre of the outer area (the area beyond the mesial line) is a more or less distinct row of spots. The hind wings have a small tail. In specimens from Texas there is almost no differentiation between the outer and inner half of the wing by the mesial line, and this line on primaries is more or less absent. There is no correlation between any of these characters given above. Thccla arsace Bd. Lee. is the same species as irus, the differ- ences being varietal only. The figure is very poor, but I have some specimens agreeing with the description. It is a large Southern variety. Distribution of my specimens. New Hampshire ; Lonsdale, R. I., iv. 27 ; v. 2 ; Johnston, R. I., v. 12, v. 26; Philadelphia, Pa., v. 4; Clementon, N. J., v. 7; Almonessen, N. J., iv. 28; Westville, N. J., v. ; Anglesea, N. J., iv. 26; Falling Spring, 111., iv. 12; Cincinnati, O., iv. 15, v. 20; St. Louis, Mo., iv. 21 ; Round Mountain, Texas; ii. 25, iii. 25; North Carolina; Louisiana. I have not seen any specimens from Canada, and would like very much to have specimens from the North and the Pacific Northwest. Sufficient allowance has not been made in our studies for individual variation. There are cer- tain kinds of variation, individual or varietal, and other kinds specific. The basal area on the underside of secondaries of irus varies wonderfully in color and is a common type of indi- vidual variation in butterflies. A similar variation is seen on the upperside of Argynnis cybclc, where the inner area is almost completely suffused with black. Numerous specimens and accurate data will elucidate many problems that confront us, brought about by the lack of material and data of the early students and writers. From the evidence before me I am con- vinced that Thecla irus and hcnrici are one species. MR. W. H. VOLK, who has been conducting experiments for the Uni- versity of California against the codling moth in Watsonville, has been appointed joint entomologist of Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. H. J. QUAYLE has returned from the Iowa State Agricultural College and has accepted the position of Field Assistant in Entomology in the University of California. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 133 The Dipterous Genus Scellus, with one new Species. BY J. M. ALDRICH, Moscow, Idaho. This small genus, with Hydrophorns and Liancalus, forms a distinct subfamily of the Dolichopodidae, characterized hy hav- ing the last section of the fifth vein shorter than the posterior crossvein, the hairs of the back of the head below forming a scattered beard (instead of a ruff in a single row bordering the eye), and hypopygium directed backward or downward, not turned forward under the venter. Liancalus is readily distinguished from its near relatives by having slender fore femora and elongated fore coxse. The difference between Hydrophorns and Sccllns is not very strik- ing when written down, but easily recognized in nature. Scel- lus has long spines on the under side of the fore femora, and distinct, narrow longitudinal lines on the thoracic dorsum ; Hydrophorns has only small spines on the under side of the fore femora, and the dorsum unmarked with lines, or with very slight ones. The species of Hydro'phorus always frequent the edges of water, and are often seen running over its surface. Scellus, however, is never seen at water, but is found on bark of trees, on the ground, or in grass (exceptionally, perhaps on stones). Only six North American species of Scellus have been de- scribed, to which another is added in the present article. Scellus virago new species. Large species, with yellowish-brown wings and greatly elongated antenn?e, with apical arista. Male. Head densely yellowish-brown pollinose, the face more ochre yellow; eyes elongated vertically, the face slender; about eight black bristles behind the eye above, and a pair on the occiput ; antennae inserted high up, as long as the vertical diameter of the eye, slender, the third joint nearly twice as long as the first two, with a short, two-jointed, apical arista. Thorax thickly dusted, still with a faint coppery or rosaceous re- flection showing through on dorsum and sides. Pollen of the dorsum grayish in the middle, with two very fine lines in the center, enclos- ing the single row of six or eight tiny acrostichal bristles; dorsocenii.il 134 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 bristles in two rows, very small, except the posterior two of each row, with slight dots from which the separate bristles arise; along each side of the dorsum a darker pollinose stripe above the pleural suture; before the scutellum a median darker stripe, continuing the two fine median lines to the scutellum (the insertion of the pin prevents my describing this more closely) ; scutellum more bright coppery red, with two bristles ; pleura uniformly and densely pollinose with grey, the coppery ground color but little visible. Halteres yellow. . Abdomen less pollinose and more coppery than the thorax, of four well-developed segments, the others modified ; fourth segment one- third as long as the preceding one ; the "anal appendages" arise on the dorsal side, between the fourth and fifth segments they are a pair of delicate organs, black at base, whitish beyond, each ending in a spoon-shaped, orange-colored enlargement, which bears a dense series of small, dark hairs along the outer side and a tuft of similar ones on the inner apical angle ; third abdominal segment protuberant below, the grasping organs of the hypopygium projecting behind it. Legs blackish-green, somewhat pollinose, of complicated structure. Fore femora with the usual spines beneath ; fore tibiae with a row of stiff hairs on the inner side beyond the middle and a stout thumb- like curved claw on the anterior side before the end ; also, with a striking lobe or lappet on the inner side of the tip. Middle femora slender, a little arcuated ; middle tibiae with a row of erect bristles on the anterior side past the middle, and curled long hairs on the posterior side at the tip. Hind femora, tibiae and tarsi of plain structure, the tibiae without noticeable bristles at the tip. Wings brownish-yellow on the basal half, more brown apically; a large brown spot on the posterior crossvein and another on the arcuation of the fourth vein, before and beyond the latter vein is widely bordered with yellow. Length, including appendages, 7 mm. ; of wing, the same. Female. Antennae much shorter, the third joint only a little longer than the other two, arista apical, a little longer than in the male. Abdomen of five equal segments. Legs destitute of striking modifi- cations, however, the spines under the fore femora are as large as in the male. Wings as in the male. Length, 7.2 mm. The type is a male, collected by myself, October n, 1905, in the salt marshes nearest to Palo Alto, Cal. It was stalking over the ground in a bare spot, and looked more to me like a Tipulid than anything else. I have also a male and a female cotypes, collected in the same vicinity by R. W. Doane, on October n, 1906. He studied the courtship of the species at that time. (Vide postca, page 136). April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 135 NOTES ON THE DESCRIBED SPECIES. Sccllns c.vnslns Walk. This large, black species is so strik- ing that there can be no doubt that it was the one described by Walker, although he mentioned only a few of its characters. I have specimens from Brookings, South Dakota, Montana, and Moscow, Idaho. I have only collected it in beating about the grass of low meadows, and have never seen a specimen before I got it into my net ; hence, I do not know its exact habitat. Sccllns az'idns Loew. This I have only seen in a set of specimens given to me by Professor Win. M. Wheeler, col- lected by him September n, 1895, on Hunter's Creek, Wyoming. The type locality was Fort Resolution, Hudson's Bay Territory. It is one of the larger species, the tooth on the anterior side of the fore tibia is near the base ; the ribbon- like anal appendages are white, blackish at base and tip, with a tuft of brown hairs on the end of the black, spoon-shaped apical part. Scclhis spininianus Zetterstedt. This European species was recognized by Loew in material from Fort Resolution, Hud- son's Bay Territory. As far as I know, no one has seen it from North America since. It should be easily recognizable. Sccllns monstrosns O. S. I examined a male of this species in the University of Kansas collection, captured at Estes Park, Colorado ; it is the only specimen I ever saw. The type locality was British Columbia. It has many characters in common with virago, differing in the antennal structure and in having a long, curved spine at the apex of the hind tibia, etc. Sccllns vigil O. S. Type locality, Webber Lake, California, "resting on stones on hillsides." No other species of the gem^s is known to rest on stones, and I found this rather common ten years ago in the vicinity of Moscow, Idaho, on trunks of pine trees ; hence, I am a little doubtful about the data of Osten Sacken. I also got the species on the side of the university building, however. It is a small species, with pale wings. I have got no more specimens for some years now. Scellus filifcnts Loew. I collected this at Custer, South Dakota, on pine trunks, and near Moscow. Idaho, in the same 136 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 situation. It was not common in either locality, and I have not found a specimen in ten years. I wish the few remarks above about the habitat of species of this genus might interest collectors in scanning trunks of trees more closely. Not only Scclhts, but Medctcrus and Neuri- gona, of the Dolichopodidae, are found there, as well as flies of other families. Students of secondary sexual characters could not find a more interesting group than Scellus; for lack of space, I have not half described the peculiarities of the male in virago, and all the species have nearly as many male characters. TABLE OF SPECIES OF SCELLUS, BASED ON THE MALES. 1. Third antennal joint elongated, with apical arista . . . . virago n. sp. Third antennal joint not elongated, with dorsal arista 2. 2. Hind femora greatly thickened and arcuated, wings wholly blackened. CXUStus Walker. Middle femora arcuated, thickened towards the middle, wings not entirely blackened 3. Middle and hind femora not arcuated avidus Loew. 3. Apical half of the wings black, thorax above with snow-white pollen. spinimanus Zetterstedt. Not as described 4. 4. Anal appendages terminating in spoon-shaped, orange-colored en- largements monstrosus Osten Sacken. Anal appendages not enlarged at tip 5. 5. Hind femora along the middle with abundant, long white pile . vigil Osten Sacken. Hind femora without white pile filiferus Loew. Notes on the Habits of Scellus virago Aid. By R. W. DOANE, Stanford University. The broad salt marshes bordering San Francisco Bay near Stanford University are for the most part covered with the common salt grass (Salicornia ambigiila) , but here and there are larger or smaller spots entirely devoid of any vegetation and glistening white with a thin encrustation of salt. These are favorite places with many of the insects that live on the marsh, seeming to be a sort of general rendezvous, where they can bask in the sun, carry on their courtships or build April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 137 nests in the sand or clay, and, incidentally, be killed or eaten by their larger or stronger neighbors. While collecting on one of these places in October, my attention was attracted by the peculiar actions of a long-legged fly which was running nervously over the ground. Its move- ments were all quick and jerky, running three or four inches, then stopping and spreading the wings out horizontally and folding them over the back again, repeating the operation several times in rapid succession, sometimes squatting low, sometimes rising high on tip-toe. Sometimes it would fly short distances, but always on alighting would go through these same jerky movements. Now and then, in its running about, it would come close enough to one of the little Agromyzids (Rhicnoessa parwtla Lw.), that were quite abundant here, to pounce upon it and suck its blood. The unfortunate little fly is held and manipulated by the fore-legs of its captor, and after being turned over a few times, evidently in order that the blood may be sucked from different parts, the empty skin is dropped to the ground and blown away by the wind, while the vampire goes in search of another morsel. While watching one of these flies, which proved to be a female, she seemed suddenly to become very much excited, now squatting low, now rising high and waving the wings frantically. The cause of this extra excitement was a male fly which, unnoticed by me, had approached to within a few inches of the female. He seemed to be paying but little attention to her, but was running about much as she had before he appeared. He gradually worked near her, however, and for some little time they stood facing each other, going through the curious performance of raising and lowering their bodies and waving the wings frantically. The male then turned away and seemed about to leave, but the female quickly flew in front of him again and began her antics. Several times this was repeated, the male sometimes flying away for a con- siderable distance ; but whenever he came near the female, again she would run in front of him and begin waving her wings. Finally the female flew directly to the male, and I think that copulation took place, although I could not tell 138 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, 'oj definitely. The male then flew away, not to return while I was watching. This same performance, with slight variations, was seen to take place between four different pairs of flies ; but only in the first instance did copulation take place. As in many other of the Dolichopodidas, the males of this species have very striking sexual characters, enabling the sexes to be easily recognized, even at some little distance. The long, ribbonlike anal appendages are reddish or orange-yellow, somewhat twisted, and with the tips broadened or spoon- shaped, making, indeed, a very conspicuous flag or pennant. The fore tibiae are somewhat enlarged and furnished distally with a large, blunt protuberance. The spines on the distal half of the middle tibiae tend to become more curly until toward the end there is quite a tuft of curly hairs. According to observations made by Dr. Aldrich and others on other species of Dolichopodid?e (American Naturalist, 1894, page 35) and according to Darwin's theory of sexual selection, we would expect the male of this species to parade these sexual adornments before the female to attract or excite her. While it is probable that they may serve as recognition marks, enabling her to distinguish a male from another female, they are certainly not paraded before her for this purpose, as in other species. On the contrary, the male seems to take no particular interest in the courtship carried on so aggressively by the female, allowing her to make nearly all the advances. In a few instances the male would alight in front of the female, but seemed to make no effort to display his charms, nor would he begin the rythmical vibration of the wings until the female had evidently in this way first attracted his atten- tion. Dr. Aldrich identifies this fly as an undescribed species of Scellus, and describes it under the name of Sccllus virago. (Vide anted, page 133.) PROFESSOR ARTHUR B. CORDLEY recently paid a visit to California, where he attended the Hanford Fruit Growers' Convention. THE fruit growers of Southern California have asked Dr. Howard to delegate some one to investigate the fumigation of citrus trees in that part of the State. This is a very important work, involving interests amount- ing to very large sums. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 139 Annotated List of the Species of Chrysops occurring in New Jersey and Descriptions of two New Species. By ERICH DAECKE, Philadelphia. (Plate VI.) Since the publication of the New Jersey State List of In- sects, by Prof. John B. Smith, in 1899, in which were recorded sixteen species of Chrysops, the number of species in this genus has been more than doubled. The local interest taken in this genus, as well as in other genera, families and orders, can be traced directly to Prof. Smith's list, which not only served many local collectors as a check-list, but stimulated their work to no small degree. It indicates the value and even the necessity of State lists. The wing picture is an excellent differentiating character in the genus Chrysops, hence I have figured the wing of every species so far collected in New Jersey, avoiding extreme and perplexing forms which at times will occur. The figures are three-fold enlargements from average wings, and the difference in size of figures gives the relative propor- tion between the species. All the figures represent the wings of females. 1. C. excitans Walker. One specimen out of a large series from Bamber, v, 27, has anal cell open. The yellow on sides of abdomen extends to the third, rarely the fourth, segment on the South Jersey specimens. Mr. William T. Davis has collected c.rcitans at Lakehurst, VI, 15. 2. C. celer Osten Sacken. Common everywhere, from middle of May to beginning of July. Specimens worn by flight often lack the charac- teristic fulvous pile on pleura, and are easily mistaken for mitis, and if such specimens happen to have the fifth posterior cell entirely hyaline, as I have occasionally found on some specimens of cclcr, as well as on some specimens of carbonar- ius, they may also be mistaken for the latter. The broad and spatulate grayish-white space between the facial callosities of celer, which is narrower on mitis and almost linear on car- bonarius, will be of value. The difference of infuscation mi 140 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 second basal cell also serves well as a differentiating clue. See figures. 3. C. carbonarius Walker =- fugax O. S. Not rare in South Jersey. The extreme dates of my cap- tures are Lacy, V, 27, and Da Costa, VI, 15. Miss Ricardo has placed fuga.v O. S. in the synonymy after examining the tion, but the student not familia'r with this species must neces- sarily read the description of fuga.v O. S. to understand what carbonarius Walk, is supposed to be. 4. C. mitis Osten Sacken. Two specimens, one in Mr. Harbeck's collection, Jamesburg, July 4th ; another in my collection, Brown's Mills Jc., June 25th. These two specimens are smaller than the normal mitis and may possibly be freaks of ccler, though, according to all recorded characters, they belong to mitis. The eyes of these two specimens are like those of cclcr, that is, with shaft pres- ent. I have examined the eyes of Baron Osten-Sacken's type of mitis in the Academy collection, and they correspond with those of carbonarius-fugax, that is : shaft absent. See Plate I, ENT. NEWS, Vol. XVII. Mitis is very closely allied to carbonarius and may possibly be a variation of same. Mr. Whitney writes me : "The typical mitis is extremely rare here (Milford, N. H.), although fugax is abundant in variety almost to the mitis type. I have no faith in their separateness." 5. C. cuclux Whitney. Only recorded by Mr. A. J. Weidt from the Orange Moun- tains in May. 6. C. niger Macquart. Common everywhere, May I2th-July 4th. 7. C. brimleyi Hine. This species appears about the end of May and is a typical pine-barren insect. 8. C. amazon Daecke. This species is rare, even in its type locality. Brown's Mills Jc., end of June beginning of July. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 141 9. C. nigribimbo Whitney. About the end of June till September, all through the pine barrens. 10. C. plangens Wiedemann. This species is common along salt marshes. Anglesea, May 28th, Newark meadows, June, A. J. Weidt. Staten Island, June 3-10, Wm. T. Davis. 11. C. fallax Osten Sacken. Locally common. Wenonah, June 22; Jamesburg, July 4th. 12. C. moechns Osten Sacken. I have never seen this species in numbers, but Mr. Har- beck records it to be the most common species near Trenton about the first week in July. 13. C. univittatus Macquart. Locally a pest along the edges of woods. My extreme data are from Wenonah, June I4th to July I5th. 14. C. bistellatus Daecke. This species I have only taken so far at its type locality. Brown's Mills Jc., from end of June to middle of July. 15. C. Indus Osten Sacken. Rare in New Jersey. I have only taken it at Clementon, from which locality it has been previously recorded by Mr. Johnson and Mr. Harbeck, May 10 to 15. Mr. Wenzel has taken one specimen at Almonessen, May 2Oth. 16. C. vittatus Wiedemann. A widely distributed and rather common species. Brown's Mills Jc., June 24th ; Wenonah, July 27th ; Lucaston, Aug. 6th; Bamber, Sept. ist. 17. C. striatus Osten Sacken. This species is rare in New Jersey, and in local collections it is not uncommon to find sequa.v and hinei (a new species de- scribed in this paper) under the name of striatus. Delair, Aug. 7th. 18. C. sequax Williston. The New Jersey specimens have a yellowish frontal callus, margined with black ; the types from western Kansas are de- scribed as having a black frontal callosity. There is no other perceptible difference. Wenonah, July 27th. 142 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 19 C. lugens Wiedemann. The only two New Jersey specimens on record were col- lected by Mr. Harbeck at Trenton, July 5, 1906. This species belongs to the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States, where it appears to be smaller and darker. C. lugens var. morosus Osten Sacken. Bamber, July 9; Tom's River, July 12; Newbold, $ $ ; July 14 , 9 9 , July 21. Baron Osten-Sacken was familiar with Dr. Wiedemann's description of lugens when he described his morosus as a new species, and stated in his Prodrome, page 394, that he had never seen lugens. These two forms are ap- parently distinct ; the descriptions bear this out, but Prof. James S. Hine has in his collection the complete chain of inter- grades, hence morosus must be considered a variety of lugens, The wing, Fig. 19, answers for both forms, lugens and moro- sus. While studying these forms I collected more than 125 specimens, with the result that two new species were separated from this group, of which a table may read like this : lugens, abdomen brown, one yellowish longitudinal line. lugens, var. morosus, abdomen brown, three brownish yellow stripes. parvulus n.sp., abdomen altogether brown. hind n. sp., abdomen orange, two blackish stripes. 20. C. parvulus n. sp. 9. Length 5 T /2-7 mm. Face brownish-yellow ; facial callosities, cheeks, and frontal callus black ; front covered with grayish pollen. First antennal segment yellowish, second segment basally brown, the rest black. Frontal spot on eyes more or less excised anteriorly ; occipital border separated from occiput. Thorax brownish-black, sparsely cov- ered with whitish hair; two dorsal stripes barely recognizable cephalad, and this only in a certain light. Pleura brown, with two grayish stripes, the upper one indistinct. Abdomen uniformly brown, sparsely beset with whitish hair toward apex. Venter uniformly brown and glossy. Front tibiae, except the base, also tarsi, dark brown ; middle legs brownish-yellow, except the tarsi apically dark brown ; hind legs, except base of tarsi, base of tibiae, and apex of femora, dark brown. Wings : Costal cells and first basal, except a small spot near apex, brown ; the crossband fills out the discal and fourth posterior cells, its distal convex 'border begins at tip of posterior intercalary and April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. touches the first longitudinal. The apical spot scarcely reaches the third longitudinal. See Fig. 20. Described from 98 specimens taken at Bamber, N. J., July 9, '06; one specimen, Tom's River, July 12, '04; two specimens from Jamesburg, N. J., July 4th, collected by Mr. Harbeck, and one specimen from Lakehurst, N. J., collected by Mr. W. T. Davis. The specimens referred to by Baron Osten-Sacken at the end of his description of C. morosus, Prodrome, page 390, un- doubtedly belong to this species. He writes: "Two females and a male, also from Maryland, are smaller, abdofnen alto- gether brown, front tibiae, etc., etc. I am doubtful whether they belong here." This species would appear to be in line with the variations of lugcns. Hypothetically, lugcns would be the intermediate form between morosns and parvulits, but I have taken the ex- tremes, morosus and panntlus, in great numbers at the same date and place, Bamber, July 9th, while lugcns could not be found. Besides, I offer the following comparative diagnosis as proof of their separateness : parvulus, Size 5^3-7 mm. Oc- cipital borderof eye not connected with occi- put. Frontal spot more or less excised anteri- orly (see fig. and variations of fron- tal spot). Thoracic stripes barely visible. Abdomen uniformly brown. Apical spot of wings scarcely reaches third longitudinal. Hind femora and tibiae dark brown, except ex- treme section of knee. lugens and inorosus. Size 7-8*4 mm. (The two N, J. specimens of lugens are 7^ mm.) Occipital borderof eye connected with occiput. Frontal spot filled out. (See fig. and varia- tions of frontal spot.) Thoracic stripes very distinct, abdomen striped (lugens one stripe ; moro- sus three stripes). Apical spot ex- ceeds third longitudinal. Apical third of hind femora also tibiae yellowish; 21. C. Mnei n. sp. 9- Length 7^-8^ mm. Face, facial callosities, cheeks, and frontal callus yellow, the latter at times narrowly margined with brown. Front dark brown, with grayish pollen. The brown shining occllar tubercle prominent. First antcnnal segment yellow-ferruginous, second reddish- brown, third from brown to black. Thorax and scutcllum brown. 144 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 The greenish gray middorsal thoracic stripes narrowly separated, the lateral stripes yellowish-gray and more prominent in color. Two yellowish-gray stripes on pleura. Abdomen orange, with two longitudinal, well-defined brown stripes, which meet anteriorly at the scutellum and posteriorly at the fifth segment. Apical portion of abdomen tinged with brown. Laterally at base of third and fourth segments a brown spot each as if indicating an omitted stripe. Some specimens show an indistinct, pale brown lateral marking on first and second segments. Venter orange, blackish at tip, one narrow indistinct brownish stripe laterally and a broad central stripe reaching from tip to third segment. Legs yellow-ferruginous. Fore tibire, except base and tarsi brown; distal portion of middle tibia? and tarsi, brown; hind femora basally, hind tibiae and tarsi apically brown. Wings : The costal cells, first basal, discal, and fourth posterior cells infuscated. This infuscation is unbroken to the outer margin of crossband, which begins at tip of posterior intercalary and extends convexly to first longitudinal. The apical spot fills out the apex of wing, leaving but a narrow crescent for the hyaline triangle which widens posteriorly. See Fig. 21. Described from seventeen specimens collected at lona, Aug. 25, '02; Weymouth, Aug. 16, '04; Atlantic County, Aug. 7, and Lakehurst, Aug. 18, Prof. John B. Smith; Lakehurst, Sept. 3 and 16, Mr. Wm. T. Davis. One doubtful $ , collected by Mr. Harbeck, Sept. 7, '05, at Clementon, I refer to this species. Its general appearance, date of capture and locality point toward hind, but I defer description to a later date awaiting more conclusive proof. This species belongs to the lugens-inorosns group, from which it is readily separated by the narrow hyaline triangle, the orange abdomen striped with black and the yellow cal- losities. Named in honor of Prof. James S. Hine, who has added so much to the knowledge of this family. 22. C. obsoletus Wiedemann. Not a common species in New Jersey. Fort Lee, June 23 ; Wenonah, June 22; National Park, Aug. 13. 23. C. delicatulus Osten Sacken. The first New Jersey specimens I collected at Tom's River, July 12, '04, and considered a rare find, but since, I have taken it all through the pine barrens. It is a typical pine barren ENT. NEWS, VOL. XVIII. PI. VI. 1, f.rcitans 2, celi-i 3, cai /'in/in ins 4, null > 5, i iii In i 6, s, am, i :'>i 13, univittatus 19, 14, bistfllatns 20, 9, nigribimbo i.s, nidus 10, f>lanffi->i!, 16, -,'ittiil us n, fa/lii r 17, J2, i 'II//IX 21, Iniit-i 22, ofrsoli-ltl* 23, dt'lical iilits 2>i, />//i/u /is 24, callidus 30, ,in sun 25, dim mock i 2'i. moiilaiiiis 28, /' a: a! us 3', 32, fll'/lllHi'HS 3 .;a, /la: idii s . [la; i, ins l.lHS DRAWN BY E. DAECKE. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. I ^5 species. Brown's Mills Jc., June 25; Da Costa, June 29; Bamber, July 9. 24. C. callidus Osten Sacken. This is about the best known species, it is generally dis- tributed and may be taken from the beginning of June to the latter part of July almost anywhere. 25. C. dimmocki Hine. Closely allied to callidns but has a broader apical spot. Anglesea, May 28; lona, June 2; Cape May, June 7. 26. C. montanns Osten Sacken. Rather local and nowhere common. Clementon, June 28. 27 C. sackeni Hine. Da Costa, June 3; Brown's Mills Jc., June 17; Fort Lee, July 4- 28. C. frigidns Osten Sacken. Dover, June 23, Johnson. This record is taken from Mr. Chas. W. Johnson's Supplementary List of Diptera from New Jersey, ENT. NEWS, May, 1904. 29. C. pudicus Osten Sacken. Da Costa, June 24; Brown's Mills Jc., June 27, July i. I have collected many specimens of this species, but never found intergrades between this and cursim Whitney. The orange abdomen and pale infuscation of the wings are always char- acteristic of cursim, though the eye maculations are identical in both. Should these two forms ever prove by the final test of breeding to be the same, the name cursim Whitney would even then be a convenient means of separating it as a variety from its allied form pudicus O. S. Pudicus is not a common insect, only once I found it in abundance near cranberry bogs. 30. C. cursim Whitney. This species is rare and inhabits particularly the pine bar- rens. Da Costa, July 4, 1901 ; Brown's Mills Jc., July i, '06; Jamesburg, July 4, '05; Harbeck, Lakehurst, June 16, W. T. Davis. 146 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 31. C. fulvistigma Hine. One 2 specimen, Lakehurst, July 29, collected by Wm. T. Davis. 32. C. brunneus Hine. One 9 specimen. Cape May, Aug. 9, 1904; Newark, Salt Meadows, both sexes, July, A. J. Weidt. 33. C. flavidus Wiedemann. A common species in June, July and August. This species is very variable in size, color and wing-maculation. See Figures 33 a, b and c. In looking over a large series I find that specimens from the salt marshes along the Atlantic coast also from the Delaware River front are larger, their wings have a smoky tinge all over, the brown design is rather pale, and the crossband wider (Fig. 333), in a measure resembling bninncns. Specimens from inland localities are, as a rule, smaller, with clear wings and dark brown maculation (Fig. 33 b and c), but there seems to be no character strong or con- stant enough to separate these two forms specifically. Notes on some Species of Geometrids. By JOHN A. GROSSBECK, New Brunswick, N. J. The notes forming the present paper have been in the hands of the writer since early in 1906, and are primarily the result of Dr. Dyar's article in the Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., Vol. VI, p. 222, under the heading "A Few Notes on the Hulst Col- lection." In going carefully over the Geometrid portion of the Doctor's paper, I find that he has unfortunately relegated several of Hulst's species to the synonymy erroneously. Two of his conclusions have already been questioned,* and a> a result, it was believed that certain specimens examined by Dr. Dyar purporting to be types were not types at all. Such other notes as have suggested themselves in the course of this study have been added. Hydriomena curvilinea Hulst. Dyar says of this species : "This is the same as H . occidcns *Can. Ent. XXXVII, 61. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 147 Hulst, the subbasal and outer transverse anterior lines being a little more distinct than in the type of occidens." I have concluded, after close study, that curvilinea is distinct from occidens for the following reasons : the outer transverse anterior line in cnnilinca is single, defined and edged inwardly by a whitish zig-zag narrow line, while in occidens the cor- responding line is diffused, geminate and broad, becoming faint and the component parts merged together toward the center and inner margin of the wing, the whitish zig-zag line being wanting. In occidens a line beginning at the center of the costa and from thence outward and inward to center of wing is altogether absent in cnn-ilinca. The outer line in both species is more or less broken and ill-defined, but at the costa it is double in cnrrilinea and single in occidens. These points are sufficiently strong to hold the species distinct in my opinion. Hydriomeua amorata Hulst. Of the two types, one, a female, is probably Petrophora defcnsaria Guen. The other, which has both anteniue and the abdomen missing, but is otherwise in very perfect condition, is probably also a female. This is a different insect from dcfensaria, the entire median area of the primaries, between the intradiscal and extradiscal lines, being a bright reddish- brown, deeper in the center. There is not even a tendency in this direction in any specimens of defcnsaria I have ever seen. The name amorata will therefore hold, and while its generic disposition is a little uncertain, the character of the wing markings would place it in Pctrophora. Somatolophia nmbripennis Hulst. ( )f this species Dr. Dyar says: "The single 9 type is Aids haydcnata Pack." This conclusion, Rev. Geo. W. Taylor would not accept, because in defining the genus of which nmbripennis is type, Hulst gave characters which were pos- sessed by the male only, and some of which were at variance with the genus Aids. In this he was correct; umbripennis is not an Aids, and therefore not havdcnata; and while the character of the markings are precisely the same, the general color and the structure are quite different. I might say. 148 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 also, that the type in the Hulst collection is not a female, but a male, the antennae of which are broken off ; but sufficient of the segments are retained to show the long pectinations. In the course of the study of this species I was at first in- clined to regard both it and liaydenata as one species, and neither as belonging to Aids, for, under the latter, Hulst had two males, neither of which possessed the hair pencil on the hind tibia characteristic of that genus. They also had the same umber-colored wings, and the dorsal tufting of the ab- domen ascribed to umbripennis was the only structure which separated them. This abdomen of the type appeared to be that of a female, and Professor Smith, to whom the specimen was shown, corroborated my opinion at once and also called my attention to the fact that the body belonged to some other insect. I afterward detached the body to demonstrate this point and found positive evidence of its having been glued on. This was done very neatly, as may be inferred when we consider that it passed through the hands of Hulst, Dyar, Pearsall and myself without any of us suspecting the truth. After these two forms were combined I at first supposed that haydcnata had no hair pencil, but specimens in my own col- lection showed this structure plainly ; so the question arose as to which species Packard's types belong. These types are females, but judging from his description, "uniformly pale- reddish ash-gray," I do not think there can be any doubt but that he had the form with the hair pencil in the male. There are three male specimens of nmbripcmiis before me, and none have the antennae entire ; but I assume that they have a simple apex. Thus, with the abdominal characters of Somatolophia eliminated, our species rests very comfortably in Sclidosona. Cymatophora festa Hulst. Another conclusion of Dr. Dyar's is that "the single $ type [of Cymatophora festa] is Dcilinea puh'craria Hulst," and he adds : "The name festa has priority, but should be referred to Dcilinea." Now, how Dr. Dyar came to say this I cannot even conjecture. The insects are so very different that the statement led Mr. Taylor to say, as he did of the former, that the specimen at New Brunswick cannot be the true type. That April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 149 it is the true type there is not a shadow of doubt, for it agrees, word for word, with Hulst's description of the species. Upon further study, however, I find festa to be the same as Mac aria acqnifcraria Walk., and it should be referred as a synonym to that species. In this connection, I might also say that there are a few other apparent discrepancies which require explanation. In the Hulst collection under the name Macaria quadrisignata Walk., are four specimens which are exactly like Cyiuatof>lwra festa, or more correctly, Macaria acquifcraria^ Referring to Dyar's catalogue we find quadrisignata as a good species of Macaria (3679), and again, following Packard (Mono. Geom. p. 285) as a synonym of Sciagraphia granitata Guen. (3647). Thus, if we accept Dr. Packard's decision, who compared granitata with the type of quadrisignata, we must erase the latter from our lists as a species and leave it as a synonym of granitata; but should the specimens in the Hulst collection be the true quadrisignata, then it must be placed as a synonym of M. aequiferaria. We have a somewhat similar case with Macaria dispuncta Walk., which is given specific rank in Hulst's classification (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., Vol. XXIII, p. 331), and in Dyar's catalogue (3687), and in the latter also, again following Packard, as a synonym of Sciagraphia granitata. Selidosema correllatum Hulst. The two types of Macaria correllata (not correllatum) , referred to Sciagraphia granitata by Dyar, have nothing in common with Selidosema correllatum. They were evidently labelled by Hulst with the intention of describing; but no description has appeared under that name so far as I am aware. The two types of Diastictis scriceata Hulst are both females of Selidosema correllatum. The ground color of the former is very light in color, and thus the fine brown striations mentioned by Hulst in his description show up more prominently than in the latter. The outer transverse lines are also less curved in scriceata, being almost straight. In Dyar's list correllatum is placed in the genus Cleora. but 150 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 I can detect no hair pencil in the male ; neither is it a Cyiua- tophora ( = - Diastictis), as the male antennae are plumose. The two types of the true Selidosema correllatum are not conspecific; the male, from Colorado, is darker, more heavily marked, and is the one from which the original description was chiefly drawn; the female, from California, is a white insect with broader wings and the outer margin of the prima- ries below the falcation is more produced. The Colorado type is, therefore, left to represent Hulst's species, and the Cali- fornian specimen is herewith described as new. Selidosema pallescens n. sp. ^. Expanse, 26 mm. Ground color, creamy-white, except the upper side of the primaries, which is white. Head, palpi, thorax and ahdomen with a scattering of hrown scales. Primaries with dark- brown scales, sparsely and pale brown-ochre ones more numerously scattered over the surface, these latter forming small squares along the inner half of the costa. Basal line brown, broadest between costa and radius, and from there is incomplete to inner margin, where it is very dark brown. Median line visible only on costa, where it appears as a brown-ochre, squarish patch, which extends slightly into the discal space. Discal spot dark brown, transversely oval, situated at end of discal space. Outer space with two widely separated brown lines. The inner begins on the costa one-third from the apex and forms a slight S to inner margin ; below radius 5 to immediately before cubitus 2 this line is very faint, but is otherwise broad and distinct. The outer line begins on the costa, midway between the apex and the inner line, and extends toward inner line to media I and then runs parallel with it to inner margin ; this line is faint in the same place as the inner line, and is also much narrower than that line. In the space between these two lines there is a small brown spot just- above media 3 and a little below this is a large patch, which extends to the inner margin. The marginal line shows only between radius 5 and media 3, where it appears as three black lunules. Fringes checkered brown-ochre and white. Secondaries with a scattering of brown scales along inner margin. Discal spot round, distinct. Mar- ginal line broken ; most obvious toward apex. Outer margin scalloped, each scallop tipped with pale brown. Beneath, the primaries have a scattering of ochreous scales, thickest at the costa and apex; the secondaries are peppered chiefly with brown scales, though also some ochre ones toward outer margin and at apex. Discal spot present on all wings. Type : one female from California in the Hulst collection at Rutgers College. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 15! Nacophora minima Hulst. As Dr. Dyar suggests, Gabriola dyari Taylor is the same as this species. Mr. Taylor's generic description agrees per- fectly with minima, so far as it would apply to the female sex. It may he well to state, in conclusion, that the type of Tdphroclystia brunneipennis Hulst= Percnoptilota tluriuta Hubn. does not hear a "Xyctobia" label, but a Nycterosea label, the genus which was created for the reception of hntn- iicipcnnis, when it was first described. This is merely men- tioned to show that Dr. Hulst never considered it a Xyctohia, as would be inferred from Dr. Dvar's note. The Classification of the Culicidae According to Scale- Vestiture Characters. BY FREDERICK KNAB, Washington, D. C. Plate VII. While, perhaps, sufficient objection has already been made to the use, by Theobald and his followers, of the scale-vesti- ture of the Culicidae in classification,* it seems worth while to give a few illustrations of their worthlessness for such purposes. Even could the different writers agree, as is by no means the case, on the application of Theobald's terminology to the vari- ous forms of scales, the fact still remains that the shape of the scales gives no assurance whatever of the systematic position of the insect. Moreover, the scales show no fundamental dif- ferences of structure but only differences of form, and all inter- grades occur between the scale forms indicated by Theobald for generic division. This question has been so ably discussed by James and L/iston that it would be superfluous to enlarge upon it here, particularly as some of their remarks have- already been quoted (Dyar and Knab, Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc., Vol. XIV, 1906, p. 172-173). At the best the groups accord- ing to scale characters are unnatural and not in accordance with structures of primary importance. The truth is that ver)- * Theobald's classification has been condemned in the following writings which may have escaped English readers : Neveu-Lemaire, Classification : to adapt a meaningful Spanish word. Why can we not have scientific works gotten up on as good a plan as Oxford Bibles, on thin, strong paper, with flexible covers, and with copious marginal notes and references. I would feel contented to pay even six dollars to get the synop- sis of the Chalcids in the thoroughly usable and condensed form in which it might easily have been issued. But to be compelled to burden myself with this elephantine monstrosity, that is as different from what it should be to serve the very pur- pose for which it was intended as a solid- wheeled ox-cart is from a racing sulky, is enough to make one doubt the fitness of some things born of modern scientific activities. And over and above all other considerations, it fills one with regret to think how much more of important and needful work could have been put out within the same cost and space of this one unwieldy tome. Considered from almost any point of view, what could be the benefits to any one in the absurd inflation of a book containing about the material of Cresson's Synopsis, and intended for a working manual, to the size of the bulky and costly tome under discussion. And we are unfortunately compelled to ask the same question about Wytsman's " Genera Insectorutn " and a num- ber of other otherwise extremely important general works being issued to-day. The ridiculous form in which such works are being issued compels small and costly editions of very limited circulation, whereas such works should surely be in the hands of every working student in the country. It often seems as if public institutions of to-day considered it a most noteworthy event to issue a work as nearly as possible in the form of the ponderous and impossible folios of the seven- teenth century. I will agree that such events are always as noteworthy as possible, but they are not praiseworthy! Is there not some publishing house or public institution that will break away from musty and antiquated traditions and give us entomological manuals of which in days to come the number will be legion in a practical, thoroughly usable form, really conforming to the needs of twentieth century workers ? ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author's name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] To Contributors. All contributions will be considered and passed upon at oui earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put " copy " into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five "extras," without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged. ED. PHILADELPHIA, PA., APRIL, 1907. SPRING sits in the lap of winter and at the present writing we have had but few indications of gentle spring. However, we have heard rumors of what some of us are going to do as soon as insects become active. One careful collector has his itinerary made out, and his dates are fixed by certain interest- ing captures that he has previously made. He will visit these places again and will doubtless be rewarded by rarities. The early insects are on the wing, and in the Lepidoptera now is the time to study the individuals from wintering chrysalid?. What should we do at the commencement of the collecting season ? Here are some of the good things to do : collect a lot of perfect specimens of each species as they appear ; study individual variation ; patronize the dealer in pin labels ; study the life-history of some species. There are plenty of them about which we know little or nothing. Send your observations to the NEWS . Do not collect with a view of seeing how many named species you can get, but study your material and make the result known. Soon insect music will resound over the land, and as this is the age of insects ento- mologists should be up and doing. 1 60 April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. l6l Notes and Ne\vs. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. CORRESPONDENTS will kindly note that the address of Mr. John A. Grossbeck is Agricultural Experiment Station, New Brunswick, N. J. I know that you know nothing. Others know not even this. Socrates (revised). W. T. CLARK, until recently connected with the Entomological Depart- ment of the University of California, is now Professor of Entomology in the Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn. ADDITIONAL NAMES of persons willing to identify certain insects (see ENT. NEWS, February, p. 59, March, p. 105) : Charles A. Hart, Nat. Hist. Building, Univ. Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, Orthoptera. J. Douglas Hood, Nat. Hist. Building, Univ. Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, Thysanoptera. Dr. J. W. Folsom, Urbana, Illinois, Collembola and Thysanura. G. Chagnon, Box 186, Montreal, Canada, exotic Buprestidae. PHALANGID NOTES. When in 1904 (Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc., XIII, p. 253) I described Caddo glancopis as new, I was unaware that the de- scription of C. agilis Banks had been taken from immature specimens, that fact being published by Mr. Banks in the same number (p. 256). Mr. Banks has recently been kind enough to examine an adult specimen of C. glaucopis collected by me last June at Sandford, Ontario, and reports that it is the same as the adult of his C. agilis. I regret having made the synonym and take this opportunity to rectify the blunder. I wish also to record here the capture last July at Carlton Station, Orleans County, New York, of an adult male of Phalangium longipalpis Weed, which, as far as I am aware, has heretofore been known only from Arkansas. CYRUS R. CROSBY, Ithaca, N. Y. BUTTERFLIES IN BATTLE. "A battle of butterflies," said the Japanese Viscount firmly. " Impossible !" cried the lady on his right. " Oh," the Viscount insisted, " the thing is authenticated. It happened on August 20, 1889. Tales and poems without number have been written on it. " On the evening of August 2oth two opposing armies of the butterflies fought an aerial battle between Nojima and Kavasaki-Mura. The fight continued till sunset, when the smaller army turned and retreated, the victors pursuing it till all were lost in the rosy sunset haze. The ground beneath the combat was thickly strewn with wounded and dead warriors. "The battle drew a thousand people. It occurred about thirty feet up in the air. The spectators were amazed and horror-stricken to see these gentle blue butterflies grappling and struggling furiously and silently in a blue blizzard above their heads.'* Newspaper. l62 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, '07 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. The membership is already over two hundred and fifty, and these come from thirty-six States, from four Provinces of Canada, from the District of Columbia, from Cuba, and from Hawaii. The next meeting will be held about August igth at Bos- ton during the session of the International Congress of Zoology. The following meeting will be in Chicago during Convocation week in Decem- ber. J. CHESTER BRADLEY, Secretary-Treasurer. CORRESPONDENTS will kindly allow me to state that I am now com- pleting a monograph of American Stoneflies (Perlidae), and have in pros- pect further work upon the world-fauna in this family, and that I arn in need of more material from all quarters for study. Perlidae are so fragile and so unattractive to collectors that museum collections of them are ex- ceedingly scanty. I should be greatly aided if my kind correspondents would send me such material as they have or can get easily in this group- Specimens in any stages, preserved in any way (alcoholic preservation is best for them) even a very few of them would be most acceptable to me. I will determine, or give named exchanges if desired, and T will gladly send my publications on the group to all who will aid me with material for study. JAMES G. NEEDHAM, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, N. Y. AN ENEMY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN WHITE PINE. Some time ago a student of mine, Miss Hazel Schmoll, kindly procured for me some cones of the white pine, Pinus flexilis, from Ward, Colorado, 9000 feet. On opening one of these to demonstrate its structure to the class, it was found that practically every seed was hollow, and contained a living Sco- lytid beetle. The destruction of the seeds so well protected by the structure of the cone from the attacks of squirrels, etc. must be very great, and may account for the fact that Finns flexilis is not so abundant as several of the other conifers. Dr. A. D. Hopkins, to whom I natur- ally referred the beetles, says that they belong to an undescribed species of Conophthorus. T. D. A. COCKERELL. The following prescription is considered an unfailing specific for a dis- ease among entomologists known as Hypertrophied Ego. It is not known to be contagious or epidemic, but it is certainly endemic. The remedy is as follows : Corn meal . . 20 pounds. Sodium chloride . i ounce. Aquae fluvial . . 8 quarts. M. Burlap ... 3 yards S. Heat the water to the temperature of the blood ; stir in the corn meal and salt ; pour the mixture on the burlap and envelope the entire head with the poultice. Allow it to remain on over night. By morning the Ego will be reduced to normal proportions. Repeat if necessary. April, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 164 A NEW local Entomological Society has been started at Palo Alto. Miss Julia Wright and Mr. Fordyce Gtinnell, Jr., are leading spirits in this movement. We wish the new club a hearty success and long life. DR. S. W. WILLISTON has in press the new edition of his "Manual of North American Diptera," which will be illustrated with about a thou- sand figures of flies and will greatly simplify the study of the order for beginners. A DETERMINED fight is being made by the students and other friends of the College of Agriculture of the University of California to secure from the Legislature an appropriation for a large building to house the college. If this is accomplished the Entomological Department will leave its pres- ent temporary quarters and find accommodations in the new building. Doings of Societies. California, despite the seeming setback of April last, still continues to do her part in furthering the Science of Ento- mology, and, indeed, the Golden State offers splendid oppor- tunities for active study, and there are many here who arc doing good work. Broadly speaking, the desire to form a club for any study indicates an earnest desire on the part of those interested for sincere co-operation and progress. The readers of the ENTO- MOLOGICAL NEWS will doubtless be very glad to know that it is with this spirit that an interesting Entomological Club has been organized in Palo Alto, California, known as "The Santa Clara Valley Entomological Club," which covers the territory of the Santa Clara Valley. The initial meeting was held December 5, 1906, at the home of Miss J. D.. E. Wright. Fifteen entomologists assembled to discuss the formation of the society, and a committee on organ- ization was appointed. At the next meeting, held January 19, 1907, Mr. C. E. Pal- mer in the chair, the constitution and by-laws were adopted and the following officers rkrled for the ensuing year: Presi- dent, Mr. R. \V. Doane, Stanford I 'niversity ; Vice-President, Mr. Earl Morris, County Entomologist, San Jose; Secretary- Treasurer, Miss Julia D. E. \Ynght. I'alo Alto. Mr. Karl Morris gave an inlrresling talk on the dulies of the 165 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ' OJ County Entomologist, which prove to be numerous and varied. The President then outlined a plan of work to study the salt marsh fauna, which is interesting and peculiar in this dis- trict. On February 8, 1907, a most successful meeting took place, at which twenty-five persons were present; Mr. R. W. Doane, presiding. Miss Isabel McCracken, of Stanford University, told of her work on a sport of Lino lapponica, with notes of its heredity value, illustrated with formulas of the breeding experiments. A box of specimens and also colored plates of the beetles were exhibited. Discussion followed, by Professor Kellogg, Mr. Doane, Mr. Fullaway, Mr. Derby, Mr. Grinnell. Mr. F. X. Williams, who has recently returned with the expedition of the California Academy of Sciences, to the Galapagos Islands, then gave some of his experiences of the trip and collecting. The expedition as a whole seems to have been quite successful, but the insects were not very abundant, and as regards beetles, very few species were found, while only four species of butterflies were taken, all of which are distributed generally in the southern parts of this country. The meeting then adjourned. The Santa Clara Valley Entomological Club holds its regular meeting once a month, and as soon as the weather permits, field days will be in order and the club will begin its collecting in earnest. The following is a list of the charter members: Professor Vernon L. Kellogg, Mr. R. W. Doane, Mr. J. Chester Bradley, Secretary Entomological Society of America; Mr. C.F. Palmer, Mr. Earl Morris, Santa Clara County Entomologist; Mr. E. G. Dudley, Mr. H. V. Greenwood, Mr. W. M. Davidson, Mr. F. Grinnell, Mr. C. R. Coolidge, Mr. E. W. Rust, Mr. F. X. Williams, Mr. W. L. Scofield, Mr. E. J. Newcomer, Mr. D. I. Fullaway, Mr. A. W. Derby, Mr. J. G. Grundel, Mr. C. von Geldern, Miss Isabel McCracken, Miss Rose Patterson, Miss Alice M. Patterson, Miss Helen A. Lewis, Miss Elizabeth Scofield, Miss Julia D. E. Wright, Miss Edith Patterson. JULIA D. E. WRIGHT, Secretary. Arizona LEPlPTEHfl and COLEOPTERfl For COLEOPTERA. Plusioti* beyeri 2.50, passable 1.00, P. lecontei .50, P. (jloriosa .75, Euphoria holocJilorix .25, Pasimachus mexicanun .75, Pasimachus sp. 1.00, Gents bimaculatus .50, Chalcolepidius apacheannn 1.50, Gymnetis cretacea 1.50, Oncideres quercus .75, Metalej>tnx Imtrsi .75. f/n- halodes trachyderoides 1.00, Elaphidion arisonensis .50, Dynaste* granti 1.00, Chrysobothri* lixa .25, C. exesa .50, (7. liltonoti .50, (7. arar. .25, f. ludific.ata .25. LEPIDOPTERA. Catocaln pura 2.00, desdemona .75, Crinodes Uedermani 3.00, jiair 5.00. Xylojihtnu's fulcn 2.00, Pholus typhon, passable 3.00, Samia gl overt .50, Gloveria puidii 1.50, Aulomeris paminit 8.00, pair 15.00, cocoons 3.00, Megathymus neiimcegeni .25, Neophaxia terlaoti 1.00, Flestia do r us .25. Orders of $10.00 or over 10 per cent, discount. Cash in advance. Referen- ces: National Bank, Tucson, Arizona; Henry Skinner, Philadelphia. C. R. BIEDERMAIM, Palmerlee, Cochfse Co., Arizona EMdiTiOK OF TEBPIS USED IK EKTOPIOLOGY. A substantially bound book of 155 pages, with definitions of over 4500 terms used in Entomological work, three plates, illustrating body structure and venation, and one plate illus- trating color terms. Prepared by PROF. JOHN B. SMITH, Sc.D., of Rutgers College and State Entomologist of New Jersey, and published by THE BROOKLYN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY An indispensible book for collectors as well as working entomologists and students. Will be sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, $2.00, by the selling agents. The American Entomological Company 55 Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y. QUALITY THE HIGHEST PRICE THE LOWEST LOCALITY PIN LABELS 20 cents per thousand (Postpaid), any number of lines. Printed from smallest type made. Best heavy white paper No trimming One cut of scissors makes a label 30 labels on a strip Something different No less than 500 of each label printed ORDERS MUST BE IN MULTIPLES OF 500 Do not send stamps or cheques. Express M. O. preferred. C. V. Blackburn, 26 Maple St., Stoneham, Mass. (Member Cambridge Entomological Club) VENEZUELA LEPIDOPTERA A lot of 3000 specimens to be sold in lots of 100 specimens in 60 species for 10 dollars, or sepa ate at very cheap prices. Many Papilio, Nymphalidac, Sj>hiuv;iii;<-, Tlivsunia. etc. List on app i cation. Special offer : Ornithoptera paradisea, perfect specimens, 12 dollars pair; Hercules ties, 5i-5o to $2.50, as to size ; Goliath beetles, 53.00 to 54 cx,'4 ; as this is only 1/16 inch larger than the $ , presumably it is under the maximum. 165 166 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 The distal borders of the wings, upper surface, in thoosa 9 are not buff as in var. luna; the whole under surface is more buff and has more prominent markings than ? 2 of poly- phemns, but less than luna. The ocelli are more pronounced than in M. thoosa $ , but much less so, and less numerous than in luna or polyphemus. Apex of forewings heavily marked with black as in $ $ , and general color of a greener pearly- lustre than in the two other forms. To describe further were to repeat my former description of the $ . The accompanying illustration best contrasts the two sexes of M. thoosa with those of M. polyphemus; the upper pair are M. thoosa; the lower, M. polyphemus as typical as I could select from 126 specimens. The figures are reduced one-half. As far as I can learn, M. thoosa belongs to the eastern coast, and M. polyphemus and luna to the central and western portion of Mexico. A new Species of Phoebolampta (Tettigonidae, Orthoptera) from Cuba. By JAMES A. G. REHN. Phoebolampta cubensis n. sp. Type:? ; Havana, Cuba. (C. F. Baker.) [A. N. S. Phila.] Closely allied to P. magnified Brunner* from Haiti, but very considerably smaller and with the costal margin of the tegmen much more sinuate in the distal half, and apparently with a greater number of spines on the distal section of the ventral margins of the caudal femur. Size medium ; form distinctly compressed. Head gently sloping to the produced, subequal fastigium, which is very slightly elevated, with a very fine slight median sulcus and a subtruncate apex ; facial fastigium touching the fastigium of the vertex ; eyes moderately large, subspherical, quite prominent when viewed dorsad; antennas filiform, in length distinctly exceeding the body and about equal to two- thirds the length of the tegmina. Pronotum with the dorsum flattened and regularly expanding caudad, the cephalic width about one-third the caudal, cephalic margin truncate, caudal margin arcuate with the faintest possible indication of angulation, lateral angles rcctangulate but not sharp ; disk punctate, much more thickly so caudad than * Monogr. der Phaneropt., p. 352, tab. 7, fig. 103. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 167 cephalad, a distinct V-shaped impressed figure on the cephalic portion; lateral lobes about half again as deep as long, the cephalic margin nearly straight, caudal margin flattened arcuate, ventral margin slightly sinuate with the ventro-cephalic angle distinct, humeral sulcus distinct, but not large or deep. Tegmina glabrous, the greatest width contained slightly more than three times in the length ; costal margin regularly arcuate in the proximal three-fourths, distad of this fol- lowing the general trend of the principal veins for a short distance then rounding to the apex, sutural margin gently bisinuate, one curve at the apex of the dorsal field, the other immediately proximad of the apex to which it rounds obliquely, the immediate apex rounded, width of the tegmen at four-fifths the distance from the base two-thirds the greatest width, which is at about the proximal third ; radial vein diverging shortly proximad of the middle, furcate, the rami reaching the sutural margin. Wing extending beyond the closed tegmina by less than the length of the head, apex rectangulate. Mesonotum and metasternum with triangular lobes. Ovipositor very short, thick, but little curved, slightly narrowed and the apex very bluntly rounded; subgenital plate produced, narrow, compressed, keeled, the apex shal- lowly emarginate. Cephalic femora with four minute spines on the cephalic margin, the caudal margin unarmed ; cephalic tibise with the dorsal margins unarmed except for the apical spines ; auricles rimate. Median femora half again as long as the cephalic, the cephalic mar- gin armed with six or seven small spines, caudal margin unarmed. Caudal femora about half as long as the tegmina, moderately but not strongly inflated proximad, tapering to the distal section which is thick when compared with the proximal two-thirds, ventral mar- gins with twelve to thirteen spines, ventral sulcus narrow proximad, genicular lobes bispinose; caudal tibise considerably longer than the femora, heavy, compressed, subtrigonal in section, dorsal margins regularly spined, spines twenty-five to twenty-six in number, ventral margins with the spines few proximad, more numerous distad. General color of the tegmina oil green, face pale apple green, dorsum of head very pale pinkish buff, dorsum of the pronotum pale malachite green, the lateral lobes and pleura olive-buff and the angles lined with ochraceous buff, eyes prouts brown; limbs wood brown becoming apple green distad. MEASUREMENTS. Length of body 26.5 mm. Length of pronotum 6.8 Greatest caudal width of pronotum 6. Length of tegmen 46. Greatest width of tegmen 13.5; Length of wing beyond closed tegmina 2.3 Length of caudal femur 22.5 Length of caudal tibia 25. Length of ovipositor 3. The type is unique. 168 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, J OJ Economic Entomology. By OWEN S. PAXSON, DEVON, PA. Generally speaking, I am very much opposed to the practise of economic entomology as a usual thing or by the public. Such depredations as are caused by the Rocky Mountain locust, gypsy moth and San Jose scale are indeed serious, and, as these insects affect large areas, it is necessary to exterminate the pests, at least for the welfare of the human race. If allowed to continue they would become unbearable, for their natural enemies or foods are wholly or practically destroyed. The magnitude of the calamity is alone the reason for my change of mind. These cases of such paramount importance should be fought by scientific people. In fact, I think that all points on entomology should be in their hands and under their judg- ment, and not in that of the populace, who know nothing about such matters, and, when once started on these raids, cannot be stopped, except after years of trouble and expenditure. No one living in North America two hundred years ago thought that the millions of birds then inhabiting the vast wilderness, could or would be destroyed in the way they have been. Why do not insects run such a chance, although re- producing themselves much more easily and in vaster propor- tions? It may sound foolish, but I thoroughly believe it will happen at a date not far distant; that is, if civilization will persist in carrying out its present plans. This continual clear- ing and burning leaves few places for insects to transform in or undergo their metamorphoses. All land aroimd our large cities is persistently watched. The majority of private places are kept nearly as clean as a rug, for the leaves, rubbish and trees are continually disturbed. Thus we kill almost all the life and destroy the hibernating places around us. Even the ad- joining fields, meadows and woodlands are watched on a smal- ler scale. They are frequently ploughed or burned over, thus destroying in a single day countless hordes, which serve as food for the wild life. Besides the destruction caused by man, the insects have all their natural enemies to contend with. Year after year ground is reclaimed, so to speak, from nature, May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 169 and, when this happens, the great majority and probably all the life inhabiting this region is killed or driven away. How' can anything contend with this condition ? As the years pass, all these schemes will be multiplied in every way to an enormous extent. Why advise a farmer or anybody to destroy insects just because a few of his plants are affected, and the trouble is only local? If anything is done, leave it to men of science. If the insects become general and a plague is threatened, it is only caused by some of man's ignorant notions in destroying the natural foods or enemies. I have never approved of the general feeling that seems to control the actions of most men, of destroying nature no mat- ter what the form or condition. Those who do so generally say they do it for sport, for under this mask we do things abominable to any decency. Thus the different branches of the several kingdoms have perished, and probably the insects will meet with a similar fate. Surely, these insects and lower animals are a joy to everybody. I cannot realize any person feeling differently. What would the earth be without them? Then let us all, and especially scientists, protect them in every way whenever possible, instead of following the old plan of killing everything we see and for no purpose. I think we live in a golden age; just think of the myriad of insects to delight the entomologist ! They are so easily procured now, but we should look into the future and thus prevent this great catastrophe. Do not overstep our privileges and murder the innocents. History is full of such behavior, always with bad results in the end. The progress of the world, many will say, naturally clears the earth of its wild life, and, of course, this is so as long as we follow the present plan. But, I say, as long as we are civilized, why not act the part of civilization? Leave all, or the great majority, of animals to live the life we are enjoying. Surely, our existence will not be retarded by their presence, but benefited in more ways than we have the least idea of. Of the virgin forests that covered practically all the east and west what a poor remnant remains to tell the sad tale. 1 70 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 Now their grandeur and magnificence are to be seen only in small unfrequented regions. Little did the woodchoppers of three centuries ago think of making such an impression on the solid wall that stretched for miles along the coast and inland for leagues. I doubt if anybody cared. What is the result? Why did not the learned of that day see the great danger? Their thoughts were for its destruction, thus giving them ready cash when other means failed, and at that time the forests were considered a great nuisance, so they were burned promis- cuously and continually. Money is one of the greatest curses the world has known, and is often the real and only cause for the disappearance of nature's beauties. Who has not noticed the vanishing of our lovely wild flowers before the advance of civilization ? They will in many instances die away alto- gether, while the few that are more fortunate may be found in the adjoining country. This year they are quite near home, but owing to the influence of man, will wholly disappear from their old haunts. The next season may see them across a nearby highway. Their pure and wonderful beauty is obliterated to make way for the rude and unwieldy works of man. The buffalo well illustrates the fate of the mammals, for their countless numbers roamed over the broad prairies of the west, even far into Canada and Mexico. They were so thick as to blacken the earth for miles, but now only a few remain. The rest have fallen for money and "sport." How carefully and wisely did the Indians manage the killing of the few they sought, and then only for supplying themselves with food and shelter. It is almost incredible to think that we have behaved so barbarously. The birds likewise have faired badly, and are killed for their feathers. Already many beautiful, useful and wonderful species are practically or entirely extinct. Before this slaughter ceases many more will have perished or be reduced to remnants by the wickedness of man. The insects have not yet decreased noticeably, and, if destined to succumb, will only disappear many years hence. Did not the animals, trees, etc., appear to be inexhaustible when May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 171 they roamed or ranged in multitudes across the new land? Only the thicker settling of the country can affect the Arthro- pods, but I think we are on the straight road to this result. It is now too late, but we are beginning to understand the results of forest destruction. How greatly does it affect the climate ! Or rather, the earth deprived of its covering becomes dried out, so that it is unable to withstand the natural droughts. So it appears to us that there is less rain. In other words, we think the weather has changed. I, for one, do not believe that it seriously changes the prescribed routine. The trees, however, are a great preservative of the earth's crust. 'Hold- ing it much more firmly together they prevent terrible wash- outs at different seasons. All creations were placed here for some good, not to be killed in a few years. The animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms balance each other. When one portion or the other is destroyed in vast quantities the others are unbalanced, and thus the dependent ones also perish or change their food. What right has man to be the judge? The results of his endeavors, as seen throughout the world, are mostly mean and unprincipled. Far better leave these things to nature, for she alone can make and solve her own problems. Economic Notes on Aphids and Coccinellids. By ROSWELL H. JOHNSON, Cold Spring Harbor, New York. An experimental study of evolution in Coccinellids, such as I am engaged in, necessitates a thorough survey of the vicinity for aphids, in order that Coccinellids may be there collected and food furnished them. There naturally results a consider- able amount of data not pertinent to my subject, but yet of value to economic entomology, which I wish to submit, even though it be fragmentary. I have found aphids on the following plants in the vicinity of Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, which I have not seen recorded from eastern North America : Acalypha virginica L. (upon the roots). Arctium minus Schk. 172 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 Aster mnltiftorus Ait. Baccharis haelimifiora L. Cakilc edentula (Bigel.) Hook. Cuscuta gronovii Willd. (indoors). Cydonia japonica. Deringa canadcnsis (L.) Kuntze. Iva fnitescens L. Parsnip (on the flower stalks). Potcntilla litoralis Rydb. (indoors). Rliamnns cat hart ica L. Solfdago sempervirens L. Washingtonia longistylis (Torr.) Britton. A second species has been found upon Vicia faba (indoors) and upon the cultivated chrysanthemum (indoors). A species' occurs on C. fnitescens (indoors) different from either of those on the cultivated chrysthanthemum. I realize that this list has merely the value of directing investigation by students of this family. The variation in resistance to the attacks of aphids in the following plants has seemed to me noteworthy. Two varie- gated varieties of the myrtle Vinca minor are much attacked by Aphis circumflex a, when grown under glass, while the common non-variegated variety is but slightly attacked on its tender shoots. One succulent-leaved variety of the Paris daisy Chrysanthemum fnitescens which I raised from seed un- der glass, was not attacked by the aphid so abundant on the typical specimens of the daisy growing alongside. The coccid of the chestnut is seldom seen, except on strong, rapidly grow- ing shoots sent out from stumps. In collecting an aphid from the apple, I have noticed that full grown trees are not badly infested here, whereas spindling shrubby ones, such as are found along the highways and in orchards neglected from the time of planting, are sometimes much infected. The extermin- ation of such trees, I should think, would assist in the control of the pest. Several of the highly colored aphids can not be successfully fed to Coccinellids, such as Aphis lutcscens, Cladobius sp., and the red aphids of the golden glow, wild sunflower, iva, and May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 173 cockle-burr. The light red aphids of the goldenrod are eaten, however. Although some of the woolly aphids are eaten by Coccinellids, they are apparently discriminated against, es- pecially a woolly aphid on Cratacgus. Alemodcs is not eaten by them. Discrimination is shown by the fact that I have found only the following Coccinellids on the plants indicated : chestnut Cycloncda sanguinea; Carolina poplar Adalia bipunctata; Solidago canadensis, Coccinellai y-notata; willow Adalia bipunctata and Harmonia picta. The fact that Adalia bipunctata only was found on Rhamnus cathartic a and Euonynius europaeus may, however, be due to the season, the aphids on these plants being the earliest species to be abundant. The much shorter generations of Adalia, as compared with Hippodamia and Coccinella, must assist it in its attack on these early aphids. I have noticed the great effectiveness of small yellow syrphid larvae both outdoors and in our vivarium. At some seasons, only a great deal of hand picking makes possible the raising of aphids. The syrphid seems to be more effective than any other enemy of the aphids here, and it attacks nearly, if not all, species, but I have not seen it attack Alcurodes the white fly. Small spiders also are important indoor enemies of aphids. At times a fungus seems to produce a heavy mortality in the aphid of the parsnip. The larvae and adults of iMcgilla maculata are common on maize, and I have also found pupae on the corn silk and leaves of a corn patch, in which I could see no aphids, either on the corn or weeds. They are apparently able to live upon pollen and spores without aphids. This may have some connection with the agility of the larvae, which exceeds that of the other local Coccinellids, except Cycloncda sangitinca. The period during which a female may lay fertile eggs after isolation has, in the case at least of //. coiwcrgus, exceeded that given by i'.urgess, attaining three and one-half months in one instance. I have' noticed that in some cases eggs laid by females, which died within a few days, failed to hatch, although the eggs previously laid had been hatched. The last few 174 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 batches of eggs laid by a female before death have failed to hatch in several cases, even when a male was kept with the female. I am inclined to conclude, therefore, that failure of eggs to hatch is not necessarily due to sterility, as generally assumed, but may result in some cases from an unfavorable condition of the female. This possibility must therefore be borne in mind in experimental breeding. Coleopterological Notes, Synonymical and Descriptive. By H. C. FALL. Several years ago (1901) a supposed new species of Mycetina was described by the writer (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XXVII, p. 304) under the name cndomychoidcs. From a reading of Horn's descripoion the form in hand seemed to be distinct from limbata, but subsequent comparison with the type con- vinces me that the two are identical. Endomychoides, there- fore, falls into synonymy. A little later, on comparing some specimens collected by Professor Wickham, at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and sent me as M. hornii, with California examples of hornii, the two were found to be quite distinct. There can be no doubt that the Calif ornian specimens are the true hornii, the differential char- acters separating this from the Idaho form and the Eastern perpulchra are shown in the following table : Prothorax wider just before the middle than near the base, the sides dis- tinctly sinuate posteriorly : humeral pale spot subbasal, not in- volving the umbone ; dilation of posterior tibiae of male begin- ning at or a little below the middle perpulchra Newm. Prothorax with sides parallel or slightly divergent posteriorly, not evi- dently sinuate before the basal angles : humeral pale spot in- volving the umbones. Form less stout, elytra more finely punctate, size a little smaller ; pos- terior tibiae of male not dilated, but arcuately bent apically. hornii Crotch. Form stouter, elytra more coarsely punctate, size larger ; posterior tibiae of male dilated at apical third idahoensis n. sp. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 175 These three species form a compact group, which must be separated subgenerically, if not generically, from both limbata and tcstacca. The above differences are quite sufficient for mutual separation, but there are a number of others that might be given, such as the relative depths of the transverse basal impression of the pronotum, the form of the scutellum, the prosternal impressed lines, etc. Perpulchra is widely distrib- uted in the Eastern U. S. ; hornii is known to me from both the Sierras and Coast Range of Middle California; Crotch also gives Oregon. Alaephus nitidipennis. This species, described by the writer in The Canadian Ento- mologist, August, 1905, p. 275, is unquestionably the same as macilentns Csy. The overlooking of Major Casey's de- scription was due to the accidental omission of his species from the Henshaw List. The following species recently received is certainly new : Alaephus puberulus n. sp. Rufotestaceous, elytra slightly paler; head and prothorax densely subrugosely punctate and somewhat dull ; elytra more sparsely and finch- punctate, shining; upper surface clothed with rather sparse but quite conspicuous short erect, pale hair. Antennae slender, half the length of the body, second joint a little longer than wide, fourth shorter than the third and barely three times as long as wide; tenth nearly parallel, eleventh a little shorter than the tenth. Eyes much more prominent than the sides of the front, separated above by a dis- tance subequal to the length of the fourth antennal joint, beneath by a distance one-third greater than the length of the second joint. Prothorax one-fourth wider than long, apex nearly as wide as base, sides broadly, evenly rounded, feebly sinuate before the hind angles, which are sharp and but slightly obtuse ; disk evenly convex, broadly, feebly impressed near the middle of the side margins. Elytra four times as long and nearly twice as wide as the prothorax, humeri moderately prominent, sides nearly parallel and slightly arcuate to beyond the middle, punctures separated by rather more than their own diameters. Prothorax beneath closely punctate, metasternum and abdomen finely sparsely so. Basal joint of hind tarsus evidently shorter than the three following united, second and third joints slender, twice as long as wide or more. Length 6 mm. ; width 2 mm. Stockton, Utah. 176 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 Described from a single collected by Mr. Spalding and sent me by Mr. Knaus. Most nearly related to gracilis, but differing in the less elongate form, the erect pubescence of the upper surface, less approximate eyes and some other details. Substituting macttentus Csy. for nitidipennis Fall, and in- cluding the present species, the table given by the writer in The Canadian Entomologist, XXXVII, p. 276, becomes as follows : Table of ALAEPHUS. Eyes small, very slightly more prominent than the sides of the front, sep- arated beneath by a distance which is about three times the length of the second antennal joint ; fourth joint of antennas barely twice as long as wide pallidus. Eyes larger, much more prominent than the sides of the front ; fourth joint of antennje from nearly three to four times as long as wide. Body subglabrous, the pubescence recumbent and very sparse, fine and inconspicuous. Eyes separated beneath by a distance which is nearly twice the length of the second antennal joint ; tenth joint of antennae ob- conical, eleventh not shorter ; elytra not much wider at base than the prothorax, strongly shining niacilenhis. Eyes separated beneath by a distance which is scarcely as great as the length of the second antennal joint ; tenth joint parallel, eleventh shorter than the tenth ; elytra much wider than the prothorax at base, moderately shining gracilis. Body sparsely but quite conspicuously clothed with short erect hairs. Eyes separated beneath by a distance which is about one-third greater than the length of the second antennal joint, tenth joint paral- lel, eleventh shorter; elytra much wider than the prothorax. puberulus. In addition to the above synonymy, the following may be announced at this time: Microiveisia (Smilia) rcversa Fall = atronitens Csy. Scymnus dcntipcs Fall : - the $ of haemorrhous Lee. LeptogeniUs virginicus Fall = brcvipennis Csy. Corymbites tigrinus is probably only a slight variety of triundulatus Rand. Acmaeodera versuta Horn : - the $ of guttifera Lee. Agrilus illcctns Fall : : jacobinus Horn. Jacobinus is out of place in Horn's table and in the following text, it being assigned to the section having the antcnnre ser- May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 177 rate from the fourth joint, whereas the serration begins at the fifth joint. This error is, at least in part, responsible for the re-description of the species, since at the time of writing, com- parison was made with those species only having the same antennal structure. Apliodiits blaisdclli Fall : : sparsns Lee. Both Dr. Blaisdell and myself were at fault in assigning this species to Horn's Group G, in which the middle and hind tibi;e are fimbriate with equal spinules. Mistakes of this sort are very easily made in this genus, especially with specimens in which the spinules have become nearly equal through wear. In the present instance I must confess that I gave this matter no attention, accepting without question the doctor's group dis- position of the species. There are two specimens standing as sparsns in the Le Conte cabinet, the second one, however, is not like the one bearing the label and has probablv since been placed there conditionally; it is probably a member of Group G, but I did not take time to verify this supposition. This species, which was taken in numbers by Dr. Blaisdell, near San Francisco, in a wood-rat's nest, has lately been taken sparingly by both Dr. Fenyes and myself at Pasadena in similar situations. O.voplits marginatus Lec.=the $ of cntcntits Lee. This synonymy is announced in the Le Conte bibliography, by Henshaw, but appears to have been rejected later. Mr. Henshaw tells me that he does not know by whom it was pro- posed, or on whose authority it was annulled ; I have no doubt, however, of its correctness. Clasper of f. vexator Coq., described in this journal, Vol. xviii, p. 102. 178 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 The Bees of Nebraska. II. By MYRON H. SWENK and T. D. A. COCKERELL. FAMILY PANURGID^E (Concluded) Genus SPINOLIELLA. Ashmead. 1. Spinoliella australior Cockerel!. Glen, Crawford and Warbonnet Canon, Sioux County, Ne- braska, July 28 to August 17, common at flowers of Cleonic serrnlata and occasionally on Solidago also. One would expect to find S. scitula Cresson here also, but all the specimens as yet captured are distinctly australior; the differences between the two species, though not great, are very constant. 2. Spinoliella helianthi n. sp. ?. Length 6 mm.; clypeus (except for two large, separated, basal, black spots), labrum, mandibles, supraclypeal area, dog's ear marks, and lateral face marks including whole of sides of face up to level of antennae and a little beyond along the orbits, bright yellow. Rest of head shining black, the front coarsely, distinctly punctured, the cheeks indistinctly so. Antennae black, the flagellum pale brown ex- cept the basal joints above, which are blackish. Front with long, erect, dense, gray pubescence, cheeks with similar but shorter and thinner pubescence. Thorax black, dorsum punctured like the front, clothed with long, gray hair, denser and paler on the pleura. Tegulae shining brown. Wings hyaline, nervures brown. Abdomen black, segment I with a complete, median, deep yellow band, 2 with widely interrupted lateral bands, 3 and 4 with broad complete bands, fifth segment largely yellow. Legs black, with all the tarsi and knees and the anterior tibiae, except for a black spot above and below, yellow. Legs and tip of abdomen with long, erect, whitish hair. Type: Warbonnet Canon, Sioux County, Nebraska, July 12, 1901, on Helianthus (M. Cary), $ . S. helianthi is not close to any described species. It runs in the table in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XXV, p. 195 to 3\ zebrata, which is a much larger and very different species. The deep yellow marks' of abdomen and black spots on the clypeus will serve to characterize the species. Genus CALLIOPSIS F. Smith, i. Calliopsis andreniformis F. Smith. Lincoln, Omaha, West Point, Weeping Water, Cedar Bluffs, and Cams, Nebraska, flying abundantly from May 31 to July May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 179 20. Although essentially a vernal species, there is a female specimen collected at West Point, September 19, 1903, on Aster by Mr. J. C. Crawford, which may indicate a feeble fall brood. During latter June and July it flies principally at Petalostemon violaccns and P. candidus, Rosa pratincola, Symphoricarpos occidcntalis, Asclcpias sp. and Melilotus alba. 2. Calliopsis coloradensis Cresson. Lincoln, West Point, Gordon, and Harrison, Nebraska, fly- ing from August 29 to October i, principally at flowers of Solidago. 3. Calliopsis verbenae nebraskensis Crawford. Lincoln, Neligh, and Glen, Nebraska, July 4 to August 7, at flowers of Verbena. Genus FANDRGINUS Nylander. i. Pamir gi mis malvastri n. sp, < Length 8 mm. ; clypetis evenly convex, very sparsely and finely punctured, and, together with the inner edge of the mandibles, bright chrome yellow, the rest of the head shining black, finely and rather sparsely punctured, closely so on the vertex. Antennae black, the flagellum obscurely brownish beneath. Dorsum of thorax shining, very finely and sparsely punctured, the basal area of metathorax nearly smooth. Tegnke testaceous. Wings clear, the nervures brown- ish basally but becoming black toward apex of wing. Legs mostly yellow, the coxae, trochanters and more or less of the bases of the femora black, the black covering most of the posterior face of the anterior and intermediate femora. Abdomen shining, finely and sparsely punctured, the first segment subimpunctate medially, the posterior margins of segments 1-5 deeply depressed, the depressed margins of 1-3 markedly testaceous. Front, cheeks, dorsulum and pleura, legs and tip of abdomen with long, erect, thin, white hair. ?. Length 9 mm. ; similar to the < but the clypeus and whole of mandibles black, the legs black with only the anterior knees and a stripe down the front of anterior femora yellow, the pubescence every- where denser and tinged with ochreous, abdominal segments 1-4 de- pressed and only first two feebly testaceous. Types: Pair taken in copula, Warbonnet Canon, Sioux County, Nebraska, June 13, 1901, on Malrastnon (M. Cary). Paratypes : Type lot, 3 9 ; Jim Creek, Sioux County, June 22, 1901, on Mah'astntui, 6 $ . [SO ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 This quite distinct species runs out in the tables to P. cly- pcatus Cresson r= P. cressoniellus Ckll., but is easily distin- guished by the color of the legs, and other characters. 2. Panurginus innuptus Cockerell. Present over the entire state, but much more abundant west- wardly. Warbonnet Canon, Jim Creek, Crawford, Bridgeport, Haigler, Springview, Cams, Niobrara, Long Pine, Neligh, Broken Bow, West Point, and Lincoln. Flies from June 16 to to August 28, visiting the flowers of Braimcria angustifolia, Ratibida colitmnaris, Hclianthv.s animus and H. pctiolaris, Grindclia sqnarrosa. Pctalostcuwn riolacciis, Medicago satvra and various species of Solidago. We have numerous pairs taken in copula. The male often lacks the black dots on the clypeus and on the lateral face marks. 3. Panurginus renimaculatus Cockerell. Lincoln and West Point, flying at the same time and upon the same flower as P. ornatipcs, including also species of Aster. In a series of thirty-three specimens of this species from Lincoln, there are two males. The male, hitherto unknown, is distin- guishable by its small size (5.5 mm.), black tubercles, black ncrvures and stigma, and strongly narrowed, deeply emarginate median process of labmm. 4. Panurginus stigmalis n. sp. i$. Length 8 mm. ; clypeus, labrum, mandibles and lateral face marks extending nearly to bases of antennae and ending obtusely, bright yel- low, the remainder of the head black. Median process of labrum with its sides forming distinct ridges, converging toward the slightly emar- ginate tip. Clypeus uniformity closely punctured. Antennae black, with joints 3-11 bright brownish testaceous beneath. Mesonotum coarsely, closely punctured, pleura very coarsely punctured, meta- thorax finely and indistinctly punctured, its base with a row of short irregular strife. Tubercles yellow. Tegulse testaceous. Wings hyaline basally but becoming darkened toward their apices, the nervures brownish fuscous, stigma very large and dark. Legs black, with all the tarsi and knees, anterior tibize except a spot behind, and both ends of intermediate and posterior tibiae, yellow. Abdomen deep shining black, basal segment subimpunctate, the following ones sparsely but distinctly punctured basally and especially laterally, apical margins of May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. l8l segments 1-5 with depressed, smooth, glossy areas. Pubescence very short, scant, entirely white. ?. Length 8.5 mm. ; like $ of P. simulans but nervures paler. Types: Glen, Sioux County, Nebraska, August 12, 1906, on Hclianthns (H. S. Smith), $ , ? . Paratypes: Type lot, i 2 ; Warbonnet Canon, August 16, 1906 (L. Bruner), I $ . This species belongs to the labrosus labrosifonnis solida- ginis group, but is too large for any except labrosus, which, however, has a yellow spot above the clypeus. It must be very close to labrosus, and possibly represents only a larger western subspecies of it. The female differs from that of labrosus in its larger size and black tubercles. We have had no oppor- tunity of making actual comparisons of the two species. 5. Panurginus expallidus n. sp. <$. Length 7 mm. ; clypeus, except for its extreme latero-apical pro- longations which are black, labrum, broad lateral face marks running up almost to bases of antennae and ending acutely, and a small, tri- angular supraclypeal spot, bright yellow, the rest of the head, including the mandibles, black. Clypeus and face uniformly coarsely and fairly closely punctured, much more coarsely and closely so on the vertex. Antennae black, the scape coarsely punctured, joints 4-11 bright reddish brown beneath. Mesonotum coarsely and closely punctured except on the disk, and bearing three short impressed lines in front, mesopleura very coarsely punctured. Tubercles yellow. Metathorax with a row of short striae at base, its posterior and lateral faces finely, indistinctly punctured. Tegulae testaceous. Wings hyaline, the nervures pale brown, the stigma dark brown. Abdomen shining, first segment im- punctate, following segments finely and closely punctured, apical mar- gins of segments 1-5 depressed, smooth, tinged with testaceous. Legs black with all the tarsi and knees, ends of intermediate and posterior tibiae and whole of anterior tibiae, except a black median posterior area, yellow. Pubescence sparse, densest on mesonotum, pleura, legs, and sides and tip of abdomen, entirely white. Median process of labrum broad, its sides moderately converging and straight, its apex distinctly emarginate. $. Unknown. Type: Lincoln, Nebraska, August 28, 1900, on Helianthus (L. Bruner) $ . This species is also a member of the labrosus group, but is too large for labrosifonnis and solida^inis, and differs further 1 82 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 'oj in the yellow tubercles and entirely yellow hind tarsi ; from labrosns it differs in its pale brown, instead of fuscous nervu- ration, its black mandibles and the three impressed lines on base of mesonotum. It is really very close to P. stigmalis, just described, but differs in its uniformly hyaline wings with their paler nervures and stigma, black mandibles, yellow supra- clypeal spot, and differently shaped median process of labrttm. The face markings resemble those of P. rudbcckiae, but it dif- fers at once from that species in its broader face, brown flagel- lum, and pallid nervures. 6. Panurginus simulans n. sp. c?. Length 7.5 mm. ; agrees with the description of P. expallidus to which it is very closely related, but differs as follows : Lateral face marks ending obtusely above ; mandibles with a median yellow band ; median process of labrum narrower and more distinctly emarginate; basal half of clypeus with a median impunctate line; front of scape bright yellow ; striae at base of metathorax extremely short, not over one-third as long as in expallidus; abdomen somewhat less densely punctured. ?. Length 8 mm. ; like the J 1 , except as follows : Head entirely black, much more coarsely punctured, the median impunctate line of clypeus poorly defined; antennal joints 5-10 obscurely brownish be- neath, joint 3 slender, exceeding 4 plus 5; mesonotum much more finely and sparsely punctured, the disk polished and subimpunctate, mesopleura with scattered, coarse, shallow punctures ; stride at base of metathorax longer, irregular, and sometimes indistinct ; entire ab- domen polished and its segments subimpunctate, except basally and laterally where the punctures are small and sparse, segments 1-4 with broad depressed testaceous margins ; legs black except yellow spots on four anterior knees, tubercles black ; median process of labrum with its sides sinuate and its base crossed by numerous oblique striae, its apex emarginate. Types: Nebraska City, Nebraska, September 7, 1901, on Helianthus annmis (M. A. Carriker, Jr.), $ ; do., September, 14, 1901, 9. Paratypes. Type locality, September 14, 1901. on Hclian- thns (M. A. Carriker, Jr.), i 9 ; do. on Grindclia sqnarrosa, i 9 ; Lincoln, Nebraska, i $ ; West Point, Nebraska, Sep- tember 2, 1900, on Helianthus (J. C. Crawford), 4 9 . The relationships of this species are practically identical May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 183 with those of P. expallidus, which it greatly resembles, but from which it differs as above, and the comparison there given will apply equally well, except as to the color of the mandibles. 7. Panurginus ornatipes (Cresson). A critical comparison of $ and 9 cotypes of Panurginus nebrasccnsis Crawford with speciments of P ornatipes Cres- son, shows the two to be synonyms, the name ornatipes having priority. Panurginus boylei Ckll. is to be considered a sub- species of P. ornatipes characterized by its wholly dark scape, representing in the mountains of New Mexico the typical form, which ranges in the plains and foothills from Texas to Ne- braska. We have ornatipes from Lincoln, West Point, Broken Bow, and Glen, August 14 to September 18, flying commonly at Grindclia squarrosa and various species of Solidago, includ- ing rigida and inissouricnsis. The species has been found nesting at the Lincoln salt flats. 8. Panurginus horizontalis n. sp. d". Length 8.5 mm. ; clypeus, labrum, mandibles, supraclypeal area and lateral face marks up to level of tip of supraclypeal area deep yellow, its upper level forming a straight horizontal line. Antennae deep black, the front of the scape with a yellow line. Face coarsely punctured, and with a prominent median ridge between the bases of antennae. Mesonotum shiny, coarsely and closely punctured, the base of metathorax with a row of short striae, rest of metathorax dull, finely, closely punctured. Tubercles yellow. Tegulae testaceous. Wings dusky, especially toward their apices, the nervures black, stigma dark brown. Legs black, with all the tarsi and knees, ends of all the tibiae and the front face of anterior femora, deep yellow. Abdomen finely and sparsely punctured, the basal segment subimpunctate medi- ally, the apical margins of segments 1-5 broadly depressed, the de- pressed portions smooth and impunctate. Sides of abdomen fringed with long pale hairs, crossing in a loose fringe at the bases of the depressions on 2-6. Thorax, head and legs with short scattered pale hair, tinged with ochreous on mesonotum and vertex. 9- Unknown. Type: Glen, Sioux County, Nebraska, August 21, 1906 (P. R. Jones), $ . This species is related to P. ornatipes (Cresson), but is much larger and differs in the face markings, and other details. It is allied to P. compositarum^Rob., but differs in much greater 184 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 size, yellow mark on scape and tubercles, more black on ante- rior femora, etc. It is very close to P. piercei Crawford, but has the front of scape yellow and the wings darker; possibly it may prove to be only a variety of picrcei. 9. Panurginus piercei Crawford. Lincoln, West Point, Gordon, and Glen, Nebraska, August 12 to September 12, flying at Grindelia squarrosa, Hcliantlins animus, Bidcns chrysanthcmoidcs and Solidago. This species is quite variable in the male ; frequently the dog's ear marks are partly or wholly black, and one specimen in our series of eleven has the tubercles black also. The Nebraskan species of this genus may be separated by the following tables : MALES. Pale color of face confined to clypens, which is evenly convex and very sparsely punctured ; 8 mm malvastri n. sp. Pale color of face not confined to clypeus i. 1. Supraclypeal area black, or with only a small yellow spot ; wings hya- line , 2. Supraclypeal area yellow ; wings dusky 6. 2. Labrum and mandibles black ; 7.5 mm innuptus Ckll. Labrum yellow 3. 3. Tubercles black ; nervures blackish ; smaller, only 5.5 mm. long. renimaculatus Ckll. Tubercles yellow ; nervures brownish ; over 7 mm. long 4. 4. Median process of labrum more strongly narrowed toward the scarcely emarginate apex, its sides distinctly sinuate ; stigma brownish- fuscous ; 8 mm stigmalis n. sp. Median process of labrum less strongly narrowed toward the distinctly emarginate apex, its sides straight ; stigma pale brown ; 7.5 mm 5. 5. Clypeus uniformly punctured ; scape wholly black ; lateral face marks acute above ; striae at base of metathorax longer. expallidus n. sp. Clypeus with a basal median impunctate line ; scape yellow in front ; lateral face marks obtuse above ; striae at base of metathorax shorter . simulailS n. sp. 6. Clypeus"uniformly punctured ; upper limit of yellow on face curved ; 6mm ornatipes (Cress.). Clypeus with a median depressed impunctate line ; upper limit of yel- low on face straight ; larger, 8-8.5 mm 7- 7. Scape yellow in front . horizontalis n. sp. Scape wholly black piercei Crawf. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 185 FEMALES. Front and vertex very sparsely and weakly punctured, shiny ; 9 mm. malvastri n. sp. Front and vertex strongly punctured . i. 1. Hind tarsi ferruginous 2. Hind tarsi black 3. 2. Clypeus entirely black, no supraclypeal mark ; 8 mm. . innuptus Ckll. Clypeus with a yellow mark combining with yellow supraclypeal spot ; 8 mm renimaculatus Ckll. 3. Wings smoky, nervures black ; smaller, 7 mm . . . ornatipes (Cress.). Wings clear, nervures brownish ; larger, 8 mm. or over 4. 4. Mesonotum finely punctured, sparsely so on disk ; clypeus separatedly and less coarsely punctured ; joint 3=4 + 5. . piercei Crawf. Mesonotum coarsely punctured ; clypeus coarsely puncto-striate ; joint 3 exceeding 4+ 5 5. 5. Nervures dark brown stigmalis n. sp. Nervures pale brownish-testaceous simulans n. sp. (The females of e.vpallidus and horizontalis are unknown possibly they are not distinguishable from sinmlans and piercei.} Genus PSEUDOPANDRGUS Cockerell. i. Pseudopanurgus fuscipennis (Crawford). The only records of this bee are the two cotypes collected by Mr. J. C. Crawford, at West Point, Nebraska, September 18 and 20, 1903, on Bidcns chrysanthemoidcs. It is suggested that this species is likely to prove the same as P. aethiops Cres- son, but we have not been able to make a direct comparison, so leave it as distinct. Protaiidrenopsis Crawford, however, is the same as Pseudopanurgus Ckll. Genus PROTANDRENA Cockerell. i. Protandrena asclepiadis Cockerell. Entire State except in Transition zone of Sioux County; West Point, Weeping Water, Cams and Dundy County, Ne- braska, flying during July on Pctalostcnnni violaccus, Solatium rostratum, Mclilotus alba, Symphoricarpos occidcutalis and Medicago sativa. P. bancrafti Dunning, described from Colo- rado, is the female of P. asclepiadis Ckll., and the species should be known by the older name, as above. 1 86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 2. Protandrena cockerelli Dunning. Distribution the same as that of asclcpia dis ; specimens of both sexes are from Lincoln, Neligh, Cams, and Benkelman, Nebraska, taken July 1-26, on Petalostemon viola-ecus, Sola- nnm ro stratum and Cassia chaniacchrista. The two species may be separated thus: FEMALES. Tubercles and a spot on tegulae yellow ; supraclypeal area black, a yel- low subtriangular mark occupying the upper half of clypeus ; wings heavily clouded asclepiadis Ckll. Tubercles black, tegulae rufo-piceous, without yellow ; supraclypeal area mostly or entirely yellow, sides of face with yellow spots, the upper half of clypeus yellow, with two black spots ; wings much less clouded *. . cockerelli Dunning. MALES. Tubercles and a spot on tegulae yellow ; upper margin of yellow area on face uneven, highest medially ; less shiny . . . asclepiadis Ckll. Tubercles dark, tegulae rufo-piceous, without yellow ; upper margin of yellow area on face perfectly straight, more shiny. cockerelli Dunning. Appendix : For the convenience of students, we wish to take the opportunity of here describing another interesting new Spinoliella. Spinoliella hesperia n. sp. ?. Length 7 mm. ; clypeus, except two very small basal black dots, labrum, mandibles except tips, supraclypeal area, dog's ear marks and lateral face marks extending above level of antennae and running up in a narrow line along orbits nearly to vertex, bright yellow. Vertex with two large, irregular yellow spots, which occupy most of the area between the lateral ocelli and the eyes. Antennae black, with the front of the scape yellow and the flagellum brownish beneath. Thorax black, the prothorax with a narrow transverse yellow band, the tubercles, postscutellum and a spot at base of tegulae also bright yellow, rest of tegulae black. Wings clear, nervures dark brown. Abdomen black, the middle of segments 1-4 with very broad, bright yellow transverse bands, interrupted medially on I and 2, very broadly on 2, complete on 3 and 4. Legs black, with all the knees, first four tarsi, anterior tibise and intermediate tibiae, except for large spots on each side, yellow. Front, whole of thorax, legs and tip of abdomen with short, erect, fairly dense gray pubescence. o*. Length 6 mm. ; face marked as in $ except that the lateral marks May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 187 run broadly up to vertex and end truncatcly, and there are no yellow spots on vertex. Antennae wholly yellow except for a black line on top of scape which extends, though broken, along the basal half of flagellum also. Segments 1-6 of abdomen with complete transverse bright yellow bands, broad on 1-4 with the anterior middle notched and with an oblong black mark near the posterior margin on each side. Legs bright yellow, except for black marks on the back of anterior and intermediate tibiae, femora, trochanters and coxae, the posterior coxae, trochanters, and basal two-thirds of femora black. Types: Southern California, $, 2. (Collector unknown). Also a single $ paratype from type locality. This species is notable for the light face in both sexes. The general appear- ance of 6". hesperia, is much like -5\ scutellaris, known only in the $ , which was described from the same State, but it is much smaller and differs in several minor details. The hind legs of the $ are suggestive of S. pictipes, which is, however, otherwise quite different. Notes on Lachnus platantcola Riley. By WARREN T. CLARKE, Auburn, Alabama. Early in November of last year, 1906, the writer's attention was drawn to certain aphids found upon limbs of the sycamore in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. On investigation, these proved to be representatives of the species Lachnus platanicola, first described and figured by Riley, in American Naturalist, 17, p. 198; 1883. Townsend, in Insect Life i, pp. 197-198, 1888, and Oestlund, Aphiclae of Minnesota, p. 32, 1887, also made brief mention of the insect, while Weed, in Insect Life, 3, pp. 286-287, re-describes and figures it very fully. Reference is made to the above bibliography for technical description of this giant among the Aphididae, the notes here given being merely intended to record its presence in Alabama as late as November, 1906, and further to record certain observations made upon it at the time. My notes read as follows: "Lachnus platanicola Riley, on Plata-tins occidcntalis (sycamore). Localities, Montgonurv County, Randolph Count}' and Mobile County, Alabama. Invariably on under sides of smaller limbs. Colonies large and l88 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 much exudation of 'honey dew.' Found present apterous and winged viviparous females and winged males." The process of viviparous reproduction was observed. The fully grown female (measuring in the two cases noted, four millimeters in width at the middle of the abdomen and seven millimeters in length), apparently became restless, waving her long hind legs about in the air and swinging on the limb, from side to side, her inserted beak acting as a mooring point. This active and somewhat convulsive movement was kept up for three or four minutes and then the female became quiet. At the end of another three or four minutes activity would again begin, but not so pronounced as at first, and the young insect began to appear. At this point the activity of the mother Lachnus ceased and the new-born insect freed itself from her by its own efforts. For a few minutes after birth the young Lachnus remained quiet, apparently resting from its exertions and drying, and then backed away and found some unoccupied spot on the twig. Here it settled down, and in about an hour after birth it had inserted its beak into the twig and had begun to suck. Observations were made for two hours in each case during the warmest time of the afternoon, from one to three o'clock. In both instances three young were born in the time mentioned. In one case, observations were continued for one hour longer, from three to four, and no young were produced during this period. It was not possible for me to make further observations, but the evidence so far seems to point to the young being born only during the heat of the day. While the winged males were present no oviparous females were seen and no eggs were found. This Lachnus was not generally distributed through Alabama last year, for the winter found but the three trees with the insect present, though many sycamores were examined. It seems to be of no special economic importance. I SHALL be glad to undertake the determination of American Syrphi- dae for any of the readers of the NEWS. RAYMOND C. OSBURN, Colum- bia Univ., New York. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 189 A New Genus of Atropidae. By SAMUEL E. WEBER, Lancaster, Pa. The AtropicL-e were originally set apart from the Psocidoe as pos- sessing neither wings or ocelli, but in the three genera Psoqitilla Hagen, Dor\ptcryx Aaron, Psocinella Bangs (Psocatrofos Ribaga) we find in all of them one pair of rudimendary venated wings. To these I may add a fifth genus with fully developed ocelli and possessing two pairs of venated wings : we have then, as the generic term implies, an Atro- pid with ocelli. OCELLATARIA gen. nov. Fully developed ocelli. Head oblong. Emarginate on the vertex. Clypeus small. Lips prominent. Eyes not prominent, composed of small ocelli. Antennas filiform longer than body, 1 8 to 30 articulations beyond two stronger basilar joints. Palpi four-jointed, the last joint tapered to a point at apex. Maxillae tridentate, meso- and metathorax free. Two pairs of rudimentary venated wings. Femora not dilated. Tibiae half as thick as femora, and longer than femora. Tarsi three jointed, the first joint longest, the second shortest. Claws bidentate. Body very scantily clothed with hair. This genus differs from all the other Atropidae in that it has not a prominent clypeus, and its head is more oblong than that of other genera and is more prominent between the eyes, and is emarginate on the vertex. The ocelli contrast this genus most strikingly from other described Atropidae. A further difference in structure is the two pairs of venated wings found in Occllataria, which does not occur in any of the other genera. Ocellataria gravinympha sp. nov. Length (c?) 1.7-2 mm.; ($) 2.-2.3 mm. (Fig. I.)* The ground color of the body is of a faint yellowish-white covered by a fine granular layer of bluish grey, most profuse on the ventral surface of the abdomen and on the legs, which are darker than the other parts of the body, with the exception of the borders and veins of the wings, which, like the eyes, are black. The head appears lighter in color than the other parts of the body; it is darker from the line *This figure without description appeared in an article on "The Pos- sible Dissemination of Tubercle Bacilli by Insects," N. Y. Med. Journal, Vol. Ixxxiv, No. 1 8, p. 884, November 3, 1906. This paper is an example of the economic importance of the Psoci) veins. The wing presents an undulating surface; the attachment at base is high, then it descends and rises again at the basilar third at about the bifurcation of the vein, which is the highest point of the wave, then it curves downward through middle of discoidal cell, takes a gradual rise, and comes to a higher point at the apica) end of discoidal cell, after which it runs flat to the apex. The pos- May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 193 terior wings are shorter and narrower than the anterior pair, the costal margin nearly straight. Apex obtuse. A simple vein extends from the base obliquely towards the anal side and bifurcates, one simple branch extending to the apical margin on anal side, the other to anal border beyond the middle, forming a triangular cellule. Habitat. Lancaster, Pa. It is an indoor species. Types. Two males and one female, No. 46,844, U. S. N. M. Tn its movements it is unlike many other Psocids, since it generally walks about slowly and runs only when disturbed. It has a peculiar lateral or duck-like motion of the head when walking- which is not possessed by any other species known to me in this family. It does not jump. It does not spin. I have found this species to remain in a cellar, where they were placed in several boxes of bones, and to breed in the original boxes for three seasons. They were also found on wine jugs, barrels and boxes in the same cellar after this introduction. This is the only instance known to me where Atropidre remained where dampness existed. I have noted this form active on April 28, and it is probably the first Psocid to resume activity in the spring. One of the most remarkable features in the life history of this species, in some instances, is the early development and deposition of eggs which occurs already in stage III, the next to last moult. When these gravid female nymphs are seen run- ning among the males and females, the picture is so striking that they seem to be a widely different species, for they are much larger than even their nongravid mothers, and are of a bright yellow color. The eggs are eliptical in shape. The adult usually deposits from five to seven and glues them fast in cracks or other favorable places. They hatch in from eight to ten days, according to conditions. The nymphs moult apparently three times. A great diver- gence in the development occurs between male and female, since the former is born blind and the latter has from three to five ocelli as it issues from the ovum. These blind males have no trace of any development toward the formation of eyes in stage I, and the eye does not develop until late in nymphal life ; they frequently have but two or three ocelli by the time the latter part of stage III is reached ; while at the same time the IQ4 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 ocelli between the eyes become discernible through the appearance of glassy facets, but do not have a fully developed base. The antennae, at birth, have six or seven articulations aside from the two larger constituting the base. The wings are also much slower in developing than those of the female. The antennas after the first moult stage II are composed of from twelve to fifteen articulations beyond the base. Small wingpads now make their appearance. The males are smaller and receive the peculiar color marks of the abdomen, which is not the case with the female until the last moult setting forth the adult form. The lack of development of the eyes in the male nymphs is accompanied by remarkable development of some other parts, e. g. some specimens are found with the antennae having even more articulations than are found in the imago, while the eye is rudimentary. The nymphs of both sexes in stage III have two-jointed tarsi and from nineteen to twenty-three articulations in the antennae. The female nymphs in this stage are of a beautiful faint yellow, with the head of an amber tint. The thorax is of a light reddish-brown color. The ocelli are plainly marked and the eyes are not fully developed. The antennae contain sixteen to twenty-four articulations. The tarsi two-jointed. This latter structural difference, and the short, broad, and uniformly bright yellow-colored abdomen of the gravid female nymph contrasts it readily from the regular female imago of the same species, which is marked as shown in Fig. I. Five large gravid female nymphs taken September 5, 1905, and put in a bottle, were soon thereafter found to have de- posited three eggs, but they did not hatch. In these gravid nymphs the tarsi were two- jointed. Antennae from sixteen to twenty-four articulations beyond the basilar portion. Wings large but no venation. By September 8th they were moulted and had the color of the adult female as per Fig. i. These facts of early oval development occur undoubtedly without the intervention of male and female, and indicate that we have the data of parthenogenesis exemplified in this species. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. The Bumblebees of Southern Maine. By JOHN H. LOVELL, Waldoboro, Maine. The bumblebees of New England have received very little attention since the publication of the late Dr. Packard's paper in tlie Proceedings of the Essex Institute, in 1864. In this contribution he lists the following species as found in Maine: B. fcri'idns, pennsylvanicus, tcrricola, rir^inicns, I'a^ans and tcniarins, the last on the authority of Cresson. Of the species of Psithyrns he mentions collecting several female specimens of P. as/itoiiii at Brunswick, Maine. It is the object of the pres- ent paper to enumerate the species taken in southern Maine, at Waldoboro, and to give a few of the more important flower- records. The earliest date in spring on which females of Boinbns have been observed is April 3Oth, when B. tcrricola and B. tcniariits have been found visiting the aments of Sali.r discolor. During the autumn of the current year (1906) I made a special effort to determine the latest date any of the species continued on the wing. On September i8th, a mild, clear day, I found no bumblebees on the asters and goldenrods, though there were many honeybees at work on the latter. In a field of red clover (Trifoliuin pratcnsc}, however, specimens of B. consiinilis. fcrridus and borcalis were still fairly common. Very likely they continued to fly for a few days longer, but on the night of September 24th there was a hard frost, killing all tender garden plants and turning black nearly all of the clover heads. The following day was clear, warm and calm and butterflies were still flitting about over the clover field, but no bumblebees were to be seen. Apis mellifera L. 1/58. Apis niclUfcra L., Syst. Nat. (loth ed.), p. 576. 1761, Apis incllifica L., Faun. Suec, p. 421. Dalla Torre in his catalogue, following the law of priority, has given preference to the earlier name mellifera, which has also been adopted in the publications of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The question of the nomenclature of the honeybee has been fully discussed by Mr. Frank Bent. HI in Proc. Km. Soc. Wash., 6, 71, 1904. "Why Linn.-eus chose to change the name is not apparent," but it is suggested by Mr. 196 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 Benton that as there were no zoological canons to interfere, Linnaeus considered that mcllifica (honey-maker) was more appropriate than mcllifcra (honey-bearer.) Now after the lapse of nearly 150 years the older name is very properly re- stored. All of the workers of A. mettifera which I have taken in this locality are black or German bees, or are hybrids between this and the Italian variety. The black bee is so called because the entire dorsum of the abdomen is black, while pure Italians have yellow bands on the basal three abdominal segments. By selection bee-culturists have also produced four and five-banded Italians. Hybrids, which can be easily distinguished, are marked with only one or two yellow bands, but hybrids may be entirely black. Wild colonies living in hollow trees in the forest are not uncommon in this locality. The writer has two colonies of black bees which are kept largely for purposes of observation. In the spring of 1906 they left the hive for their first flight on March 28th, a mild sunny day, with a temperature of 48 F. in the shade. Num- bers of the bees which alighted on the snow became chilled and perished. The preceding month of January was exceptionally warm throughout the Northern States, and at Zanesville, Ohio, in latitude 40, the maximum temperature on the 2ist and 22d was 70 and 71 F. respectively, and the honeybees flew as freely as in the springtime, "carrying great loads of pollen from the maples." They were also flying on six other days in this month. At Waldoboro they still continue to leave the hives on every mild day in November. Providing the tem- perature be sufficiently high, -the honeybee then may fly any day in the year. Strictly speaking, the domestic bee does not hi- bernate, since they consume food throughout the winter, and can endure a temperature below 40 F. for only a few days. (For experiments in chilling bees see Gleanings in Bee Culture, 34, 202. Feb. 15. 1906.) BOMBIDAE. Bombus terricola Kirby. 1837, fiombits terricola Kirby ?. Faun. Bor. Am., 4, 2/3. 1863, Bombus terricola Cr., ? $, <$, Proc. Rnt. Soc. Phil., 2, 99. 1864, Bombus terricola Packard, 9 , <3, Proc. Essex Inst., 4, 112. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 197 2 . Scutellnm sometimes entirely black, but often yellow- ish ; margin of the 5th abdominal segment fringed apically with yellow hair. The female has been taken on SalLv discolor, April 30; S. bcbbiana, May 13; Rhodora canadcnsis, May 28; Aesculns liippocastannm. May 31 ; Rosa Iin mills, July ID, and a variety of other flowers as Conius alteniifolia, Viburnum alnifolium and Gaylussacia rcsinosa. . All of the workers have the scutellum black, but the apical margin of the fifth segment is fringed with yellow. Collected on Rosa bninilis, July 10; AraUa hispida, July 16; and later on many midsummer and August flowers, as Solidago bicolor, Ganlthcria procumbens and }"icia cracca. $ . As remarked by Packard, the male might easily be mistaken for a worker; but the clypeus, which in the worker is smooth, is densely bearded with yellow hair in the male; the scutellum is sometimes black, but often with an admixture of yellow hair. Found visiting the flowers of AraUa hispida, July 15; Epilobium angustifoliiun, July 23; and later on Soli- dago bicolor and Enpatoriwn perfoliatnin. Bombus ternarius Say. 1838, Bombus ternarius Say, <$, Boston Jour., Nat. Hist., I, 414. 1863, Bombus ternarius Cr., $ $, c?, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 2, 104. 1864, Bombus ternarius Packard, $ , <$, Proc. Essex Inst, 4, 116. 2 . the yellow pubescence on the scutellum is in some speci- mens separated into two spots as in B. bifarius, which is prob- ably only a variety of this species. Captured on Sali.v discolor, April 30; S. bcbbiana, May 12; Aesculns liippocastanuni. May 31 ; also on Rhodora canadcnsis and Gaylusaccia rcsinosa. . The workers are much smaller than the females and the front is nearly black. Taken on Rlnts typhina, July 10; Solidago, September 8; also on Aralia liispida and Eupatorium perfoliatum. $ . The form of the male is more slender than that of the worker. I have taken it only on Solidago bicolor. Bombus fervidus Fabr. 1798, Apis fcrvida Fabr., Suppl. Ent. Syst., p. 274. 1808, Bombus fervidus Fabr., Syst. Piez., p. 352. 1863, Bombus fervidus Cr., ? $, c?, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 2, 93. 1864, Bombus fervidus Packard, $ $, c?, Proc. Essex Inst., 4, no. 198 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '07 9 . Collected on Rhodora canadensis, May 28; Aesculus hippocastanum, May 31 ; Falcata comosa, August 22; and Tri- folium pratense, September 18. . On Pontederia cor data, July 20; Falcata comosa, Au- gust 22 ; also on various garden flowers. $ . The male has been taken on the pasture thistle from July 3Oth to September i8th. Bombus borealis Kirby. 1837, Bombus borealis Kirby, Faun. Bor. Am., 4, 272. 1864, Bombus borealis Cr., $ , <3, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 3, 41. Bombus borealis differs from B. fervidus in the following characters : the pubescence is tawny yellow ; the clypeus is smooth and shining, impunctate ; the face between the clypeus and ocelli is clothed with pale yellow and the vertex with tawny yellow pubescence ; the yellow pubescence of the thorax does not extend downward upon the pleura, and the black band be- tween the wings is wider. B. fervidus has the pubescence lemon yellow ; the clypeus sparingly punctured ; the front black except for a few yellow hairs above the insertion of the an- tennae, the vertex black ; and the pleura is largely yellow. Both sexes and the workers have been taken in this locality, but they are much rarer than the corresponding forms of fervidus. I have no record of the capture of the females in spring. The workers have been taken on Pontederia cordata, which blooms from July 2ist to August loth ; on Vicia cracca; and on Tri- foliuni pratense, September i8th. Bombus consimilis Cr. 1864, Bombus consimilis Cr., 5, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 3, 41. This is our most common species of Bombus, and according to Cresson it occurs also in Massachusetts and Canada. I have compared the local bees with an authentic set of specimens re- ceived from Mr. H. L. Viereck, with which they very closely agree. In one instance a female of this species has only the basal middle of the second segment yellow, resembling B. rid- ingsii Cr., of which I have specimens from New Haven, Conn. 9 . On the inflorescence of Sali.v bcbbiana, May 13; Loni- cera ciliata, May 18; Rhodora canadensis. May 28; Clint onia borealis and many other plants. May, '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IQ9 . Taken on Rhus typhina, July 10; Epilobiwn angusti- foUuiu, July 23; Pontcdcria cordata, July 20; Falcata comosa, August 22; and Trifolinin pratcnsc, September 18. $ . The male may be easily distinguished from the worker bv a long tuft of pale yellow hair below the antennae. On Pojitcdcria cordata, July 20; and Epilobiuin angiistifolinin, July 30. Bombus bimacnlatus Cr. 1863, Bombus biinaciilafns Cr., c?, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 2, 92. This species is probably only a variety of B. vagans Sm., from which it differs chiefly in having a round black spot on each side of the second abdominal segment. This character is, however, variable, and I have specimens which have the second segment entirely yellow. The female of B. biniaciilatiis is rather common on Rhodora canadcnsis and I have also taken it on Diervilla trifida. Psithyrns ashtonii Cr. 1864, Apat/nts ashtoni Cr.. ?, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 3, 42. 1864, Apathits ashtoni Packard, $, Proc. Essex Inst, 4, 118. 1896, Psithyrus ashtonii D. T., Cat. Hym., 10, 565. The female was taken on Vacciniuin, June 16; and Solidago juncca, August 4. The male, which is undescribed, is smaller than the female, and' the yellow and black pubescence is simi- larly distributed, except that the first segment is clothed later- ally with lemon-yellow hair. Observed on Epilobinin amgusti- foliiiiu, July 23; Aralia hispida, July 27; and the goldenrod, August 21. In fresh specimens the pubescence is a bright lemon-yellow, fading with age to grayish-yellow. Psithyrus laboriosus Fabr. 1804, Apatluts laboriosus Fabr., ?, Syst. Piez., p. 352. 1854, Apathus citriiius Sm., c?. Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus., 2, 385. 1863, Apatlms laboriosus Cr., $, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 2, in. 1863, Jpii tints citriiius Cr., J 1 , Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 2, 112. 1863, Apathus contiguits Cr., < Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., 2, 112. 1864, Apathus citriiius Packard, c?, Proc. Essex Inst., 4, 119. 1864. Apathus contigiuis Packard, c?, Proc. Essex Inst.. 4, 119. 1903, Psithyrns laboriosus Robt., $,