Entomological News

AND

PROCEEDINGS

OK THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION

OF THE

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.

VOLUME XV, 1903.

EDITOR :

HENRY SKINNER, M. D. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE :

EZRA T. CRESSON HENRY L. VIERtCK J. A. G. RKHN

PHILIP LAURENT WILLIAxf J. FOX CHARLES \V. JOHNSON

PHILADELPHIA:

ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF

THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES,

LOGAN SQUARE.

1904.

P. C. STOCKHAUSEN

PRINTER 53-55 N. ?TH ST., PHILADELPHIA

INDEX TO VOLUME XV.

(* Indicates new genera, species or varieties)

THE GENERAL SUBJECT.

Alaska Expedition, Harriman . 219 Alstead School of Natural His- tory 171

American Entom. Society, 79, 139,

347-

Arizona, Collecting in 308

Brooklyn Entom. Society, 44, 109,

140, 175, 286, 313, 318, 349. California, An early collector in

202.

Case for galls 319

Case for Schmitt boxes .... 177

Classification 179

Copulation between different

species 47

Cork, Substitutes for . . . 255, 305 Cotton Belt, Meeting of Official

Entomologists of 310

Cotton insects 42, 78, 310

Cyanide bottles, Micro . .219, 228 Destructive insects, 19, 42, 78, 140,

306, 307, 310, 313, 350, 351. Doings of Societies, 43, 78, 107,

138, 172, 223, 256, 285, 313, 346. Doubleday, Letter of Edw ... 46 Duck, Internal parasites of . . 136 Duplication of specific names . 138 Economic Entomologist, Rela- tion of the Systematist to . . 193 Editorials, 36, 75, 103, 137, 170, 218,

254, 283, 305, 343. Eggs laid by insects, Number

of . .2, 109, 188, 319, 336.

Elm twig borers 140

Entomological Literature, 37,

104, 219, 255, 285, 312. Entomological Section, Acad.

Nat. Sci. Phila., 48, 78, 108,

174, 287, 316.

Entomological Section, Chica- go Acad. Sciences, 43, 108, 138, 173, 224, 256.

Feldman Collecting Social, 48, So, 108, 139, 172, 223, 256, 285,

317, 346.

Field and forest burning, Ef- fects of 44

Fig-insects in the Philippines . 342 Fire, Insects destroyed by . 44, 77

Forceps net 306

Forests, Insects injurious to . .19 Fossil insects .... 224, 287, 314

Fungi and insects 80

Gasoline for killing insects ... 74 Grape stems gnawed by insects 313 Great Lakes in 1766, Insects of 286.

Gum for insects, Best 109

Harris, Letter of T. W. . . . 46 High prices for insects . . . .110 Homonyms, How to correct . . 76 Horse-hair for mounting insects 172.

Klages Collection 74

Landscape gardening and de- structive beetles 19

Lead-eating wasp 307

Lorquin, P. J. M 202

Lower California, Collecting in

in, 140.

Mail, Sending insects through . 25 Mammoth Cave, Insects of . . .45 Maple leaf petioles bored by

larvae 313

Moth catchers 77

Museum pests 350, 351

Myrmecophiles 250.

Newark Ent. Sn< irty, 70, 17^. 2SS, 315.

11

INDEX.

Obituary :

Behr, H. H 142

Brown, J. E 56

Klein, J. T. . . 352

Koons, B. F 112

M'Lachlan. R 226

Schaupp, F. G 352

Schmitt, J 224, 225

Pacific Coast Entom. Society,

43, 107, 223, 348. Pennsylvania, Catalogue of In- sects of, 48. Personals :

Baker, C. F 255

Banks, N 222

Beyer, G in

Cockerell, T. D. A. . . 255

Daecke, E 137, 256

Davis, C. A 254

Geddes, J. M 138

Kearfott, W. D. . . 137, 256

Kellogg, V. L 254

Laurent, P 137

Patch, E. M 256

Schaeffer, C 222

Skinner, H 137, 256

Snow, H. F 308

Snyder, A. J 138

Wickham, H. F 284

Pins, White vs. black 67

Pitcher-plant insects . . . .14, 318 Poison-tubes for killing insects 219 Protective coloring, 139, 239,

307, 313- Schools, Insect collections for

38, 349- Smith Collection, H. H 78

Southwestern geographical

names 24

Sparrows feeding on cicadas . . 141 Systematic to the Economic Entomologist, Relation of the

193-

Tarsus, Reduplication of ... 237 Telephone cables, Insects in- juring .... .306

Temperature, Effect of on ma-

culation no

Texas, Collecting in 349

Theory of oviposition and con- struction of nidus 189

Transformation delayed .... 47 Walsh's first report on noxious

insects. . . 37

Wants of the systematist . . . 102

ARACHNIDA.

Araneus singcsformis* . . . . 259 Egg-cocoon of triangle spider . 278

Hyfiofes cavatus 278

Kansas, A. of 257

Long-lived tick 186

Lycosa wacondana * 260

Phidippus ferrugineus * ... 258 Xysticus modestus * ...... 257

COLEOPTERA.

Adrane ccecns 317

Agabns iccniolatus 109

Amphicoma spp 349

Anophthahnus 46

Anthaxia viridicornis . . . .140 Ants, C. associated with. . 250, 339

Aphodius cribricollis 348

Arizona, C. of . . . . 217, 239, 307

Attelabus bipustulatns 1 89

Balaniinis spp 346

Bembidimn conciununi .... 349 Bembidium pcrconcinnum * . . 349 Bombarding by Galerita . 42, 138

Brachynus altcrnans 138

British Columbia, C. of . . . . 315

Brontes spp So

California, C. of, 44, 107, 140, 188,

223, 337, 348, 349-

Calospasta wenzeli* 217

C. destructive to trees 19

( 't'plieiniinin coiporosiDii . . . 223

Chariessa clegans 349

Chlceiiius erythropus 138

( 'n'i/u/t'/a li'pida 286, 318

Cicindela pitrpitrea /iinbalis . . 346

INDEX.

in

Cicindela rugifrons 318

Cicindelidae . 26, 112, 286, 318, 346

( '<r/ainbns fare/us 109

( '<>llops 349

Conotrachelus leucophccus ... 80

Corymbites nee virens 48

Cychrus elevatus nnicolor . . . 285

Cychrus luberculatus 315

Cychrus viduus 347

Cychrus violaceus 48

Cyllene picta 173

Diabrotica dorsata 53

Delaware, C. of 310

Dichromatism in C 348

Donacia floridecc 48, 318

Dromceolus calif ornicus . 188, 223 DroiiKzolns hospitalis * .187, 223 Drouitfolus hmneralis .... 223

Dysphaga tenuipes 299

Ecitopora nitidiventris * ... 250

Elater sayi 287

Elm twig borers 140

Epicauta abadona * 217

Epicauta alastor* 217

Florida, C. of 138

Fuchsina occulta 348

Fungi and C 80

Galerita 42, 138

Galeruca dorsata 53

Galerucella nyinphcsa .... 286

Hippodamia 286

HydrobiustesseHatus . . . 316, 318 Hydrocanthus puncticollis . .318 Hydrocharis obtusalus .... 237 Hydroporus ciniicoides . . . .109

Hydroporus spurius 318

Ignotus cenigmaticus 36

Illinois, C. of 19

Lepturges regularis 285

Lino, spp 349

Lower California, C. of . . . .in

Megasoma thersites in

Mclasini 52

Muscles of C. during metamor- phosis 255

Neoclytus erythrocephalus . .140

Neoclytus jouteli* ... ... 34

New Jersey, C. of, 34, 48, So, 109,

223, 285, 286, 287, 310, 316, 318,

346.

New Mexico, C. of 152

New York, C. of 142, 310

North Carolina, C. of . . 26, 48, 112

Ohio, C. of .52

Oinus sequoiarum 34 s

Oviposition of C 109, 189

Parandra spp . . 175

Parnidas wanted 217

Pennsylvania, C. of, 42, So, 175, 285,

287, 310, 317, 318, 347.

Philonthus spp 223

Prionus lalicollis - 109

Protective resemblance . . 239, 307 Psephenus lecontei . . . . . . 3 1 s

Pterostichus incest us 318

Quedins fulgidits erythrogas 'er 348 Rats' nests, C. in .... 223, 348 Reduplication of tarsus .... 237

Rhabdoscelis tennis 223

Saperda calcarata adspersa . .142

Saperda tridentata 140

Sphcrridiuin scarabceoides, 287, 310

Tachygonus spinipes 80

Texas, C. of 250

Trechus 46

Tylophorus sellatns 286

Virginia, C. of . . . . 175, 299, 346

Wisconsin, C. of 339

Xenodusa cava 339

DIPTERA.

sEdes sinilhii 318

Anopheles crucians 150

Anopheles franciscanus * ... 12

California, D. of 9

Callopistria annulipes . . . .172 Catalogue of N. Amer. D. . .115

Chlorops annulata * 304

Chlorous cciiinia * 304

Chlorops lasciva * 303

Chlorops pul la * 3. > ,

Chlorops rubriritlata

• 304

IV

INDEX.

Colorado, D. of 303

Culex aurifer 148

Culex cantator 256

Culex discolor 147

Oile.r dupreei 49, So

Culex inconspicuus * 333

Culex nigritu/us 73

Culex pretans * 332

Culex squamiger So

Culex trivittatus 145

Diachlorus ferrugatus . . 290, 346 Dismal Swamp, Yellow fly of . 290 Grabhaniia jamaicensis . . . .81

Habits of Ortalids 171

Habits of Try pet a 309

Louisiana, D. of 303, 304

iMcilia ccesar 136

Massachusetts, D. of 304

Mosquitoes, 9, 49, 73, 80, 81, no, 145, 170, 176, 256, 313, 318, 319,

332- New Jersey, D. of, So, 145, 157,

3l8, 332, 333, 346.

New York, D. of 256

North Carolina, D. of . . 270, 302

Oncodes costatus 285

Parasites of Duck, D. as inter- nal 136

Pennsylvania, D. of 285

Phormia regina 136

Pseudotephritis van 172

Tabanidae .... 270, 290, 302, 346

Trypeta solidaginis 309

Virginia, D. of 290

Yellow fly 290

HEMIPTERA.

Anasa tristis 335

Aradidoe wanted 222

"Bug," Old meanings of ... 308

Chionaspis furfurus 3

Coccidae, Number of eggs of . . 188

Coruco 307

Gerris (Limnoporus) rufoscn-

tellatus 220

Htzmatosipkon itiodora .... 307

Kermes gillettei 188

Notonecta lutea 220

"Oaring" in water bugs .... 344

Ormenis pruinosa 344

Oviposition of H iSS, 335

Seventeen year cicada . . . 141 Texas, H. of . . . . 344

Trionymus liordei 40

Water-bugs, Method of swim- ming of ... 344

HYMENOPTERA.

Andreii a spp 64

fragariana * 64

persinii/is * 66

wheeleri* 65

Andreninae 74

Antliidiinn illustre 284

Anthophora sta-nfordiana* ... 32

Apis inellifica 176, 285

Arizona, H. of 87

Aspilota ceylonica * 113

Bee-visitors of Pontederia . . . 244

California, H. of 33

Ceratina dupla 333, 346

Ceylon, H. of 113

Chlorion 117

Cladocerapis * 292

Colletes 276

robust us * 251

Colorado, H. of 33

Conohalictoides* 245, 261

lovelli* . . . 245 Construction of cells . . .176, 284

Cryptohalictoides * 261

spinifcnts* . 261

Curriea fasciatipennis * . . . .18 Dianthidium jugatorum . . . .84

Emphytes gillettei 284

Formica sanguined rubicunda 339 Habrocryptus grcenicheri* . .333 Hadronotus cariiiatifro/is . . . 337

I lalictns niarhuis * 99

97

292 Honey bee 176, 285

INDEX.

v

Hypanthidium* 292

Indiana, H. of 21

Kansas, H. of .... - 252

Kradibia brorvnii * 342

Liberia, H. of ... - 18-

Maine, H. of . 244

Maryland, H. of 244

Megachile laliinanus grindelia-

rutn* 33

Megachile sexdentata 17 1

Monedula Carolina 142

Myrmecophiles 250, 339

Nebraska, H. of 252

Neohalicloides * 261

Nevada, H. of 262

New Jersey, H. of . . ..21, 97, 126 New Mexico, H. of . . . . 171, 252 New York, H. of . .... 142

Osniia spp 171

Pennsylvania, H. of ... 214, 244

Perdita gerhardi * 21

vionardcz * 22

Philippine Is., H. of 342

Protandrena 126

Ptinobius dysphagce* 300

Ropro nia garmani .... 212, 316

Sphecius speciosus 142

Sphex . . 142

Sycoryctes philippinensis* . .342 Tachysphex propinquus* . . . 87

Texas, H. of 250

Torymus wickhaini * 302

Trichocerapis * 292

Utah, H. of 302

Virginia, H. of 300

Wasp, Lead-eating 306

Wisconsin, H. of . . . 64, 335, 339

LEPIDOPTERA.

Acherontia atropos 346

Acronycta aniericana . . . 47, 140

funeralis 288

Agrias sardanapa/us, PI. I.

Aletia argillacea 346

Amblyscirtes elissa 344

Anartia fatima 350

Arclia arge no

Arizona, L. of . . . 141, 239, 344

Allacus 4

Atteva aurea 347

Bee moth 346

Bembecia niar^inata albicoma 68, 79.

Borneo, L. of 215

British Columbia, L. of . . 72, 298 California, L. of, 44, 97, 107, 108,

114, 224, 348. Catocala .... 139, 142, 313, 314

herodias 286

Calopsilia eubule . . 41, 78, no, 138

Ceylon, L. of 215

Chionobas 224

Chiysophanus g organ 97

Ciris 76

Cirrhophanus triangulifer . . .317

Classification 179

Clisiocampa aniericana 2

Cocytius cluentius 345

Coleophora limosipennella ... 54

Colias cczsouia no

Colossal silk-worm moths .... 4

Connecticut, L. of 41

Copidryas cosyra 350

Darapsa my ran 313

Delayed transformation, 47, 140,

141. Delias descoinbesi, PI. I.

Eacles imperial's 175

Ecpantheria nuiziiia . ... 350

scribonia 79

Epipyrops barberiana 344

Florida, L. of 4°, 47

Goniacidaliafurciferata . . . 253 Hepialidse, Flight of . . . . 348 Holland's Moth Book, 37, 104, 105, 221, 222.

Homogl&a carnosa 286

Hyparpa.v venus 79

Kricogonia lyside 350

Lycccna podarce 224

Maculation affected by temper- ature . . .110

VI

INDEX.

Massachusetts, L. of . . . . 78, 138 iVelanochroia inonticola .... 344

Rlelipotis nigrescens 109

Melitcea parlula 350

Michigan, L. of 204, 345

Microlepidoptera, Suggestions,

89, 127, 165, 207, 219, 229.

Missouri, L. of 346

Neonyrnpha arcolatus 317

New Jersey, L. of, 41, 79, 109, in,

142, 286, 288, 301, 317.

N,ew Mexico, L. of 72

New York, L. of, 41, 45, 47, 54,

no, 142, 175, 320.

Nisoniades potrillo 351

North Carolina, L. of . . . 40, 120

Ohio, L. of 48, 253

Ornithoptera ritsemce tantalus* 214 cambyses * . . .215

Pamphila leonardus 142

Papilio klagesi* 215

cedippus PI. I.

philenor ivasmuthi ... 47

troilus iii

Pennsylvania, L. of, 41, 68, 72, 79,

317, 347-

Pholisora libya 348

Platarctia hyperborea 175

Polychrysiaformosa ... . 301 Polygrammodes hirtalis . . . 253 Protective coloring. . 139, 239, 313

Pseudanophora tnora 79

Pupal stage, Duration of . 140, 141 Pupation of Vanessa aiiliopa . . 6

Pyrgus pastor 351

Roth schil dia 4

Rubbed specimens 74

Sabulodes sulphurata 79

Sainia (Philosamia) cynthia, 45, 47, in, 320.

Scarcity of L. in 1903 204

Sciagraphia punctolineata . . . 253 Scoparia cinereomedia * . . . .72

fernaldalis* 72

normalis * 71

tricoloralis * 72

Sesia acerni 71

Shoemaker's paintings of L . . 140

Spin* elsa 141

franckii 175

perelegans 224

Syinphysa adelalis 109

Texas, L. of 79, 344, 350

Thanaos callidus * 114

ncsvius 40

Thecla dumetorum 224

johnsoni* 298

Tinea pellionella 350

Tortricidse wanted 222

Trichotaphe nonstrigella . . 48, 253

Tutt's British L 312

Uniformity in use of check lists 218

Vanessa antiopa 6, no

Venezuela, L. of 215

Washington, L. of 298

Xerociris * 76

Zeuzera pyrina MO

NEUROPTERA.

Anax longipes 317

sEschna siichensis 288

Allolrichamaculata* . . . .116

Atropos divinatoria 351

B cetis propinquus 289

California, Odonata of .... 109 Central American Odonata

wanted 345

Columbia, N. of District of . .116

Cordulegaster spp 288, 316

Costa Rica, Odonata of . . 216, 288

Courtship of may-flies 289

Duration of larval stage of

Odonata 136

Florida, N. of 171

Formosa, Odonata of 288

Georgia, Odonata of 288

Habits of Odonata 316

ffagenius brevistylus 317

Hetczrina americana 317

Ischnnra barberi 109

Libellula quadrimaculata . . .316 Maine, Odonata of . . . 106

INDEX.

VI 1

Mantispa viridis

May-flies 289, 318,

Mexican Odonata wanted . . .

Michigan, Odonata of

Micrathyria berenice

New Jersey, N. of . . . 80, 317, New York, Odonata of ... Nicaragua, N. of . . . . North Carolina, N. of . . . 100. Ortliotriclia americana * . . .

Panorpa rufa

Pennsylvania, Odonata of, 277,

347-

Psolodesmus dorothea * . . . . Ptinx appendiculalus ....

Selys Collection

Somatochlora provocans . . . tenebrosa . . . .

Termes flavipes

Thaumatoneura pellucida * . . Virginia, N. of

ORTHOPTERA.

Anabrus simplex

Arizona, O. of 244,

British Columbia, O. of ...

California, O. of

Chorisoneura

plocea * . . , ,

Colorado, O. of

Conocephalus spp

Copulation

Ischnopterajohnsoni

Melanoplus canomcus ....

inipennis

stonei *

Michigan, O. of 229,

Missouri, O. of

New Jersey, O. of . . . 85, 108,

(Ec an thus niveus

Ohio, O. of . .

Ovulation

Par o. \yia sciidderi

Pennsylvania, O. of

Phasmontantis Carolina . . . in/iabi/is* .

171

319 345 288

174 347 •38 171 171 116 171 316,

249 . 80 284 317 347 ,48 216 116

309 . 62

280

139 164

321

317 321

'39

- 40 109

.85 263 282 325

- 57 253 321 109

3'7

253 282

Pristoceuthophilusinarmoratus*2'8o

Protective resemblance . . 239, 307 Snowy tree cricket ... .57

South Carolina, O. of . . . 139, 164

Tfcniopoda 357

Virginia, O. of . 139

THYSANOPTERA.

California, T. of ....... 293

Caliolhrips * 296

woodworthi* . . 297 Criptothrips californicus* . . . 293

Euthripspyri* 294

Sericothrips apteris * 295

AUTHORS.

Adams, C. F 303

Ashmead, W. H. . 18, 113, 302, 342

Banks, N 116, 171, 172, 290

Barrett, O. W 74

Blaisdell, F. E. . . 44, 108, 224, 349

Blanchard, F 187

Bradley, J. C 212

Braun, A. F 253

Brimley.C. S., 100, 120, 136, 270, 302

Brues, C. T 250, 255

Buchholz, O. . 79, 80, 172, 288, 316

Bueno, J. R. de la T. 221

Calvert, P. P., 106, 216, 228, 345

and Index.

Castle, D. M 108, 138

Caudell, A. N 62

Cockerell, T. D. A., 24, 32, 40, 76,

84, 126, 171, 276, 292.

Comstock, J 43

Conradi, A. F 306

Coquillett, D. W 73

Crawford, J. C., Jr 97

Daniel, S. M 93

Davis, W. T 34

Dury, C 52, 67

Dyar, H. G 71

Ehrmann, G. A 214

Engel. H. . . . .68

Fernald, H. T. . .117

Kit-Id, A

Vlll

INDEX.

Field, W. L. W 6

Fox, W. J., 48, 80, 139, 173, 223, 256,

286, 318.

Fuchs, C 337

Gillette, C. P 321

Girault, A. A., . .2, 189, 299, 335

Graenicher, S. 64

Grinnell, F., Jr. . . . .114, 202

Grossbeck, J. A 332

Grundel, J. G 97

Hebard, M ... 40

Herrick, G. W 8r

Himebaugh, L. C 188

Holland, W. J 41- 345

Hoover, W. W 54

Hornig, H 255

Houghton, C. O 57, 310

Howard, L. 0 25, 103

Johnson, C. W 157

Jones, F. M 14

Ke'arfott, W. D. . 89, 105, 127, 165,

207, 222, 301, 312.

Kirkaldy, G. W 308, 344

Knaus, W 152

Kunze, R. E 239

Kwiat, A 139, 174, 224, 256

Lovell, J. H 35

MacGillivray, A. D 285

McCracken, 1 9

Melander, A. L 19

Merrick, F. A 218

Moore, R. M 289

Merrill, A. W 311

Muckermann, H 339

Newcomb, W. W. . . 204, 220, 346

Osborn, H 222

Osmun, A. V 136

Packaid, A. S. . .... 4

Reading, J. H 305

Rehn, J. A. G. . 85, 164, 229, 263,

280, 325.

Richardson, W. D 217

Sanderson, E. D 43

Scheffer, T. H 257, 278

Schmitt, J 42

Sherman, F. Jr., 26, 40, 100, 112,

270. Skinner, H., 36, 37, 38, 48, 75, 79,

109, 137, 140, 170, 175, 1 86, 217,

219, 254, 283, 288, 298, 317, 343,

347-

Slingerland, M. V 222

Smith, E. J 77, 221

Smith, J. B 49. 104, 145, 179

Smyth, E. A., Jr 106

Soule, C. G 138

Stevenson, C 228

Swenk, M. H 251

Viereck, H. L., 21, 74, 87, 138, 177,

244, 261, 305, 333.

Webster, F. M 193

Weeks, A. C., 47, 142, 176, 320, 252.

Weeks, A. G., Jr 78

Wickham, H. F 237, 307

Williamson, E. B. . . . 40, 247, 277

EXT NEWS, VOL. XV.

PI. I.

AGRIAS SARDANAPALUS 'BATES). DELIAS DESCOMBESI <BOISD. >. PAPILIO CEDIPPUS

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS

AND

PROCEEDINGS OF THK ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.

VOL. XV.

JANUARY, 1904.

No. i.

CONTENTS:

Frontispiece i

Girault— Standards of the Number of

Eggs Laid by Insects — II 2

Packard — Colossal Silk-worm Moths of

the genera Attacus and Rothschildia 4 Field — Notes on Pupation of Vanessa

Antiopa 6

McCracken — Anopheles in California,

vvilh Description of a new species 9

Jones— Pitcher-Plant Insects 14

Ash mead— Description ol the type of the

genus Curriea Ashmead j8

Melander— Destructive Beetles: a note

on Landscape Gardening 19

Viereck — Two new Species of the Bee

Genus Perdita from Indiana and

New Jersey 21

Cockerel! — Southwestern Geographical

Names 24

Howard — S ndnig Insects Through the

Mails 25

Sherman— List of the Cicindelidae of North Carolina, with notes on the

Species 26

Cockerell — Two New Bees 32

Davis— A New Beetle from Newjersey.. 34

Editorial 36

Entomological Literature 37

Notes and News 40

Doings of Societies 43

Our frontispiece shows the beauties arid possibilities of the three-color process for insects like butterflies and moths which have a plane surface. These brilliant butterflies have been photographed direct, and the three-color plates were made by the well-known house of illustrators and engravers, Gatchel & Manning of Philadelphia. The plates were made to test the possibilities of the colored inks made for this kind of work by the Charles Eneu Johnson Co. of Philadelphia. We are firmly convinced that the possibilities of photography for the illustration of insects is by no means fully realized, but it is necessary to have more than a commercial interest in it. The entomologist, the plate maker and an expert photographer should work together to achieve the best results, more espe- cially when the smaller species are figured.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

[Jan., '04

Standards of the Number of Eggs Laid by Insects. II.

Being average obtained by actual count from the combined eggs of twenty

(20) depositions or masses.

BY A. ARSENE GIRAULT.

Standards, of course, are absurd ; there are none in such cases as this. The following are offered to serve as general averages of the number of eggs laid normally, and to fix a more or less definite range. Time is saved.

The idea of compiling these was suggested by the fact that the estimates and ratings of authors — founded on one or two counts, and too frequently being but estimates in the true sense of the word — differed so widely as to cause a little confusion.

A few examples given below will illustrate. Only two insects are included in this installment ; more are to follow whenever the conditions are such as to make it practicable : (i.) eggs in definite masses ; (2) eggs in sufficient quantities.

The first of this series was published in the ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, 1901, p. 305.

2.* CLISIOCAMPA AMERICANA.

No.

Date— 1903

No. counted, per mass

Successive totals

Av. per egg mass

Max. Min.

Range

I

Feb. I

324

324

324

466

2

" 10

332

656

328

3

" 10

313

969

323

313

4

" II

400

1369

342

5

" 16

354

1723

345

6

March 6

335

2058

343

7

" 6

376

2434

347-7

8

' 6

370

2804

350.5

9

6

376

3180

353-3

10

6

332

3512

351-2

ii

6

417

3929

357- 1

12

7

443

4372

364-3

13

7

401

4773

367-1

14

7

363

5136

366.8

15

7

33i

5467

37 1- 1

16

9

433

5900

368.7

17

9

366

6266

368.6

1 8

9

368

6634

368.5

19

16

406

7040

370.5

20

17

466

75o6

375-3

466

313

20

75o6

375-5

466 313

153

Finals

* For the first of these series, see ENT. NEWS, ubi su/>ni.

Jan., '04]

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

The lowest recorded count — not included here, being abnor- mal— was pp.

" The females lay their eggs, about three hundred in num- ber, in a belt."— C. H. Fernald, Bull. Mass. Hatch. Exp. Sta., No. 12, p. 23.

"'.... about 2^0 eggs, . . ."—Bull. Neb. Exp. Sta., No. 14, June, 1890, pp. 25, 29, quatis.

"The eggs are deposited during that month upon the smaller twigs of our fruit trees in ring-like clusters, each com- posed of 15-20 rows, containing in all from tu*o to three hun- dred." — Saunders. " Insects Inj. to Fruit," p. 48.

'. . . . (about joo in number) . . . ." — Lugger. Bull. Minn. Agr. Exp. Sta,, No. 61, Dec., '98, p. 192.

3. CHIONASPIS FURFURUS.

No.

Date— 1903

No. counted, per mass

Successive totals

Av. per egg mass

Msix- Min.

Range

I

Nov. 1902

79

79

79

84

2

* 1

63

142

71

3

1 1

&3 225

75

4

Nov.

42

267

66.7

5

• i

62

329

658

84

6

i ;

84

413

68.8

7

( <

63

476

68

8

Mch. 27 '3

61

537

67.1

9

i 4

79

616

68.3

10

4 (

70

686

68.6

it

t<

75

76i

69.1

12

28

82

843

70.2

13

28

33

876

67.3

33

14

31

59

935

66.7

15

31

82

1017

67.8

16

31

59

1076

673

17

Apl. i '03

59

U35

66.7

18

4

76

121 I

67.2

'9

4

58

1269

667

20

7

62

1331

66.5

20

1331

665

84 33

51

Finals

The lowest count recorded is that given in foregoing ; the highest, not mentioned in foregoing because suspected to be the combined eggs from two scales, is 122. The estimates on the number of eggs of this species are about correct.

Howard, from many counts, gives as the average number of eggs in healthy masses of a closely related species, pomorum, from 65-75, and the range from 50-100.

4 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

The Colossal Silk-worm Moths of the Genera Attacus and Rothschildia.

BY ALPHEUS S. PACKARD.

The word colossal is used advisedly in speaking of these moths, for they are mammoths compared with the most primi- tive Lepidoptera, such as Eryocephala and Microptcryx, which are no larger than small-sized caddis-flies.

The species of Attacus comprise the largest in size and ex- panse of wings of all the Lepidoptera, although the bulk of the body is exceeded by some Sphingidae. The lamented Mr. Grote had justly separated the American species, before that referred to Attacus, under the name Rothschildia from A. atlas. Our own studies both as to the larval and adult characters had also led us to regard the American Attaci as belonging to a distinct genus, and we had given a ms. name to the group. In their venation and the antennae as well as other characters the species of Rothschildia, which among Lepidoptera are typically neogsean, not occurring in Africa or Asia, present constant differences from Attacus. There are also noticeable differences in the markings, Attacus alias and its congeners presenting constant differences.

The presence of a lanceolate oval clear spot in the last sub- costal cell shows that Attacus is more specialized than Roths- childia. The ocellus present near the apex of the forewings of Rothschildia is wanting in the species of Attacus, its place being taken by a deep indian red slash, ending in a fine line passing to the outer edge of the wing.

As regards the larval characters of the two genera in all their stages we now have very fair material. We are indebted to M. G. Poujade for excellent figures of the larva of Attacus atlas, (Annales. Soc. Ent. France, 1880, PI. 8). I have, with the aid of Mr. L. H. Joutel, reared the larva of, and have colored drawings of RotliscJiildia oriiaba, /\. jonilla (duct us}, and in the American Museum of Natural History is a series showing the three stages of A', jacobcie from Buenos Aires. Burmeister has also given good colored drawings of the cater- pillar of A', hcspct'us, cthra, aurota , bet is, and spcculifcr.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5

In their early stages ( r and 2) the two genera are much alike, especially K. orhaba and A. atlas, but the freshly hatched larva of Attacns differs in having much longer tuber- cles. In the second stages the differences are still more pro- nounced. Now in the third stage, or with the second molt, as is well known, there is a great acceleration of characters, and the larva suddenly assumes the markings and armature of the last stages, with of course some important differences. From this time on the two genera, Asiatic and American, follow widely divergent paths. In the neogaeic genus (Rothschildia > the tubercles tend to become reduced, becoming in the fully fed larva small and button-like, until in K. betis they have, judging from Burmeister's figure, become wholly atrophied.

In Attacns, however, after the second molt the tubercles be- come long and finger-shaped, while the spines have disap- peared. This specialization is maintained through all the suc- ceeding stages with the result that we have a very different larva from that of Rothschildia, the tubercles of the dorsum more especiall}7 being long, digitiform and somewhat pointed ; it has also retained the long tubercle in front of each protho- racic spiracle, of which only the merest vestiges are present in Rothschildia.

The genus Attacns is evidently the end or terminal twig of a series of Attacine forms, as shown both in its larval and adult characters. The great size of the species is a feature of its specialization, just as the big mammals, such as the ele- phant, hippopotamus, and whales, are the result of extreim- specialization clue to their habits and surroundings.

Of the genus Attacns there are four species, inhabiting southeastern Asia, or the oriental region of arctogsea. Of these A. atlas appears to be probably the stem form, and occurs in Southern China (Macao and India). A. cramcri, apparently the most extreme and recent form, inhabits Amboina, .1 cfesar Mindanao, . /. atlas var. lorqninii also the Philippines, and . •/. iinf>cnitoi\ Rohot, one of the Philippine Islands ; all these forms being local varieties resulting from local variation and isolation. The magnificent and very rare form, Coscinoccra, Queensland (Tring Museum), Northern New ('.uim-a. New

6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

Ireland, which is a brown, tailed form, and seems to have diverged from Attacus crameri, or an earlier form, is an instance of the origin of a local genus, originating from some sport perhaps, becoming an island form of generic value.

The American genus Rothschildia is represented by fifteen species, most of which appear to be valid. They are confined to Central America and the forest regions of South America ; none occurring on the Pacific coast of South America, in Chili, or in Patagonia. Two species (R. jondla (cinchis), R. orizaba) cross into Arizona, and R. erycina {Attacus splendidus Beauv. ) occurs in Texas.

It is worthy of notice that species of neither of these two genera occur in Africa, where, however, four species of Philo- samia are found, while P. cynthia and its offshoots or local forms inhabit the Oriental Realm. With little doubt, however, Callosamia and Philosamia are on the whole more primitive forms, and the latter genus may have given rise to Attacus.

Notes on the Pupation of Vanessa Antiopa.

BY W. L. W. FIELD, Milton, Mass.

I. INTRODUCTORY. — Unusual climatic conditions during the spring and early summer of 1903 delayed the maturing of the first brood of Vanessa antiopa, and the larvae of the second brood were consequently very late in appearing. In some localities the pupae of the second brood were not formed until the middle of October. This belated transformation gave opportunity for some interesting observations upon the re- sponse of the insects to conditions of light and temperature encountered upon the bare walls of a building in the short days of mid-autumn. The main school building of Milton Academy is built of red brick with white stone trimmings, and faces nearly south. There are tall white columns at the entrance, and all the window casings are painted white. A row of elm trees and a dark green fence separate the school grounds from the street at this point.

II. MOVEMENTS OF THE L/ARV.E. — Larvae of antiopa began to leave the elm trees about October ist. For two or three

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7

days they appeared only in small numbers : but, by the end of the first week, the migration had begun in earnest. The larvae were to be seen crawling along the paths, but always toward the front of the building. Reaching the vertical wall, they would climb upward until turned from this direction by a projecting course of brick or a window ledge. Anything of this sort, having a horizontal under surface exposed, seemed inviting to the larvae, and many secured themselves for pupa- tion in such situations.

It soon appeared, however, that the front of the building was not equally favored by the larvae at all times. In the early forenoon the eastern end attracted them, and in the afternoon the slanting rays of the sun led a few late wanderers around the corner to the western wall. Most of these wanderers, how- ever, ultimately returned to the front of the building. The few which pupated on the end wall chose brightly lighted situations, either on white-painted woodwork or directly against the vertical surface of a brick.

On the front of the building, at. noon of a clear day, the heat and light were intense, and the larvae observed there at such times were seen to seek the deep shade of the water- conductors in the angles of the basement wall. At other times, when the conditions were not so extreme, they suspended themselves in the broad daylight. Finding available situa- tions on both bricks and woodwork, each larva appeared to make its choice with reference to the temperature of the air near the wall and the amount of sunshine.

No larvae or pupae were found upon the north wall at any time during the whole period. This may be largely due, of course, to the fact that this was the aspect of the building most distant from the elm trees.

Two or three larvae sought the green fence, and pupated in the partly-shaded angles of that structure. I did not see these until pupation had been accomplished.

III. COLORS OF THE PUP.E. — The experiments reported by \Vood i iS67), Poulton (1890) and others, showing that the colors of certain pupae are determined by the colors of neigh- boring objects, are well known. Poulton has further shown

8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

that the period of susceptibility is brief, and immediately pre- cedes the act of pupation.

The pupae which I had under observation nearly all showed this phenomenon to a marked degree. The whole number of larvae which pupated successfully on the building and fence was 71. Of these, 29 were on white surfaces, and all formed pupae of a pale ashen color ; 34 were on red surfaces, and 32 formed pupae conspicuously marked with brick red ; 8 were on dark surfaces, all formed black or dark gray pupae.

The exceptional cases were two in the second group, which were black. It is possible that with these individuals the period of susceptibility was reached during the night.

Of four larvae taken from the building and kept in the labo- ratory, three, which were placed in light-tight wooden boxes, gave black pupae ; and one, which was kept in a white paste- board box covered with glass, gave a pale ashen pupa.

The three groups of pupae were kept under observation until the butterflies emerged, to see if any significant difference in the duration of the pupal state appeared ; but none was dis- covered.

CONCLUSION. —The larvae of Vanessa antiopa, when about to pupate, react to light, heat, gravity and contact, as summar- ized :

IviGHT. — The larvae give clear evidence of their preference for ordinary daylight over deep shade on the one hand, or the glare of reflected sunlight on the other. The reaction to light is secondary to the heat-reaction until the larva has suspended itself, when the period of greatest susceptibility to light begins.

HEAT. — A certain optimum temperature, apparently not far from 60° F. , encouraged pupation in the most diverse situ- ations. A much lower temperature drove the larvae to shel- tered nooks with southern exposure ; a much higher one sent them into shaded spots.

GRAVITY AND CONTACT. — The responses to gravity are complex and at first somewhat obscure. The larvae crawls down the trunk of the tree and up the front of the building. Favorable conditions of heat and light being found, contact stimuli probably lead it to spin its cushion of silk. Response

ENT. NEWS, VOL. XV.

PI. II.

ANOPHELES FRANCISCANUS (LARVA.) ANOPHELES FRANCISCANUS 5.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 9

to gravity is seen in the hanging position which the larva then assumes.

Valuable assistance in these observations was given by sev- eral of my pupils in Milton Academy.

REFERENCES.

Wood, T. W., 1867. Proc. Ent. Soc. Lond , pp. 99 mr. Poulton, E. B., 1890. The Colours of Animals.

Anopheles in California, with Description of a

New Species.

BY ISABEL MCCRACKEN, Stanford University, Cal.

(With Plate II.)

In September, 1901, I began to look for individuals of the mosquito genus Anopheles in the vicinity of Stanford Univer- sity. The University is situated near the base of the San Francisco peninsula, which is thirty-five miles long and about twenty-five miles broad at its base, and extends north and south between the Pacific Ocean and a long southern arm of the Bay of San Francisco. Running its full length about midway between ocean and bay is the Santa Cruz (or Sierra Morena) Range of mountains, the altitude of the crest being about 2,500 feet in the south, and only slowly decreasing in altitude toward the north. My collecting ground, in the vicin- ity of the villages of Menlo Park, Palo Alto, May field and of the University, has been on the bay side of these mountains in the southern or basal portion of the peninsula.

The locality is not a malarial region. Several cases of malaria have been reported by resident physicians, but it appears, upon inquiry, that each patient so reported had either recently been away from the town or had recently come from a distance.

The various lakes, pools, streams and troughs in the neigh- borhood were .visited continuously from September 5 to Decem- ber i, 1901, and again from March i to May 10, 1902, at inter- vals of a week or two.

Anopheles punctipennis and Anopheles tnaculiponiis were found at various times and in various places, A. maculipennis

10

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

[Jan., '04

having the wider range and being more abundant in this lim- ited area.

The following table gives the distribution, association and date of finding :

Date

Species.

Locality

I

Sept. 5 oi

A. punc. L. Francisquito Cr.

With Culex (species

not identified.

2

7

L.&P Flume

Abundance of Algae.

3

12

i ( ( i i <

Francisquito Cr.

Without Culex (oppo-

site side of stream

from i.

4

" 19

" " &mac.L

1 1

A mile or so below

where i and 3 were

found.

5

19

A. mac. L&P

Pasturage Trough

With Culex incidens.

6

" 29

1 1 t i i (

it < i

A mile or so west of

trough where 5 were

found.

7

" 29

( < « ( T

Flood Lake

With Culex tarsalis.

8

Oct. 5

A. punc. &

Pasturage Trough

Same as 6.

mac. L

9

5

A. mac. L

i i 4 *

A mile or so east of

trough where 5 were

found.

10

5

" " L&P

( i t (

In a field on opposite

side of road from 9.

ii

6

" L,P&E

Tank overflow

With Culex tarsalis.

12

6

A. punc.L& P

Francisquito Cr.

100 yds. or so above

where 4 were found,

in foul water.

13

" 12

A. punc. L&P

Los Francos Cr.

About a mile above

where it enters Fran-

cisquito, with Dixa.

14

Nov. i

" "L, P&E

Francisquito Cr.

About a mile above

where it is joined by

Los Trancos, with

Dixa.

15

" 5

A. mac. L&P

Tank overflow

With Culex tarsalis

and Dixa.

16

8

«

Felt Lake

With Dixa.

17

17

t i

( i i i

and Culex

tarsalis.

18

Mar. 14 02

Tank overflow

Same as u, with dra-

gon-fly and beetle

larva? and tadpoles.

'9

" 28

A. mac. L Felt Lake

With dragon fly larva

20

April 8

L&P Roadside pool

Near where 9 were

found last year — not

so abundant — tad-

poles.

21

s

" L Frenchman's Lakr

22

May 3 ". " L&P Kelt Lake

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. II

The collecting points were all within four miles north or south of the University, and within six and a half miles of each other. Felt Lake, the farthest point in one direction, is between 200 and 325 feet above sea level. It is a. reservoir that lowers during the summer months below its outlet, but does not dry out entirely. Flood Lake, the farthest point in the opposite direction, is within a half-mile or so of tidewater and usually dries out during the summer months. A. maculi- pennis was found in both. The troughs visited contain water all the year round. The creeks frequently dry out during the summer months. The tank overflow has been permanent. Frenchman's Lake is a small reservoir that dries out.

At no time or place were the larvae of either species very abundant. No adults were seen flying except on the evening of April 23, 1902, in the neighborhood of Francisquito Creek, in the willows and alders, when they were quite abundant.

The larvae were, with one exception, found in comparatively clear water. On October 6, 1901, A. pundipennis was found in the creek, in very foul water.

On September 29th, 1901, a few full-sized larvae and several pupae were brought to the laboratory from Felt Lake. A few days later the adults issued, and proved to be an unidentified species.

This species was found continuously in small numbers at Felt Lake from October 5th to November 8th, 1901, invaria- bly in company with Di.va, occasionally in company with A. maculipennis, and, on November 8th, with Culc.\ eggs that later development proved to be those of a new species, Cnli\\ ktilogiiT\\., recently described by Theobald ( Canadian Ento- mologist, vol. xxxv, p. 211, August, '03.'.

In general appearance and habits, the larva of this new Ano- pheles is not unlike that of •maculipomis, as described by How- ard (" Mosquitoes," p. 103 et seq.'), and in greater detail by Nuttall ("Studies in Relation to Malaria, " Jour, of Ify^ifin •, vol. i, 1900, p. 51 et scq.}

In detail we find, in a fully-grown larva of this species, on the ventral surface of the thorax, three sets of lobes, bearing characteristic hairs : (a) a pair on the prothoracic part of tlu-

12 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

*

thorax, bearing four stout, bristle-like, unbranched hairs, three of equal length and one half the length of these; (£) a pair on the meso- thoracic part of the thorax, bearing two stout, bristle-like, unbranched hairs, unequal in length ; (r) a pair on the meta-thoracic part of the thorax, similar to, but shorter than those of b. These parts differ somewhat from correspond- ing parts in other species examined.

The pupa agrees in a general way with the pupa of A. macu- lipcnnis described by Dr. Nuttall, and with my own observa- tions upon A punctipennis . There is to be observed, however, a difference in the character of certain hairs on the posterior lateral margins of the abdominal segments. In the species under observation, these are stout and simple on each segment from the second to the eighth, becoming branched on the eighth, agreeing in this particular with A. maculipennis, but not with A. punctipennis.

There is also a characteristic difference in the marginal teeth on the posterior fins. In the new species these are short and sharp, and appear in three longitudinal rows, the teeth decreas- ing in size postero-anteriorly.

It is in the adults, male and female, that the most character- istic difference between species is found, noticeably in the markings of the palpi, the setae on the genital lobes of males, scales, and the markings of wings on both males and females.

The following is a description of the adult of the new spe- cies :

Anopheles Franciscanus n sp.

Male. — Head dark brown, with short, dark, erect scales toward the nape, emarginate and slightly forked, vertex and anterior part of occiput with short, light brown scales not forked, a tuft of light brown hairs projecting forward between the eyes, a row of similar hairs projecting forward, encircling the eyes posteriorly ; eyes deep purplish brown ; antennae about two-thirds length of palpi, yellowish-brown hairs, basal joint dark brown ; palpi equalling proboscis in length with emarginate scales from base to tip on under and outer surfaces, those upon outer surface dark, upon under surface light, long light hairs covering distal third, becoming short and stout at -

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 13

the apex : a light area at base of three distal segments, giving a slightly banded appearance ; two distal joints spatulate, pro- boscis scaled except labella, labella covered with medium stout setse, a few light hairs at apex.

Thorax: prothorax lobes dark ; mesothorax dark brown at the sides, with scattered light hairs, a broad light brown patch in the middle ; within this light area a median line and obscure lateral lines ; scutellum light with single horizontal row of hairs ; metanotum dark without hairs ; halteres dark, covered with thick pubescene and emarginate scales ; stalks light without scales.

Abdomen, basal area of each segment light, covered spar- ing!}' with long, light hairs ; two stiff hairs on posterior mar- gin of distal segment, stout hairs on margin of genital lobes.

Legs, coxa and trochanter light ; trochanters, femora, tibise and tarsi covered with short, dark, emarginate scales and setse; ungues of front legs very unequal, the larger one with a large median tooth and a smaller basal lobe ; middle ungues curved, with blunt basal lobes ; posterior ungues equal, simple ; posterior metatarsus slightly longer than tibia.

Wings with dark costa, with two distinct, nearly equal, yel- low spots — one at distal end of sub-costal vein, one at and involving distal end of first long vein ; fringe dark, wnth a yel- low spot at the end of each vein except at the end of the sixth : the first spot carried on to the first long vein, the apical spot carried past over long vein on to the upper branch of the sec- ond long vein ; the second long vein dark except for a few7 basal light scales ; third long vein yellow in the middle, dark at the base and apex ; light area at base of third long vein carried over the fourth on to the upper branch of the fifth, with a few light scales at base ; main branch of fifth long vein light, except at base and apex : distal half of sixth long vein dark, except at apex, basal half light ; sub-costal with a light spot carried to the the first long vein ; ( in one specimen the light spot on sub-costal missing ) ; third long vein prolonged slightly into the basal cell ; first sub-marginal cell longer and slightly narrower than second posterior cell, stem twice the length of the cell ; stem of second posterior cell prolonged to base of

H ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

wing ; supernumerary cross vein adjacent to or but very shortly removed from mid cross-vein and equal to it in length when removed nearer to apex of wing ; posterior cross- vein a little longer than mid cross- vein and varying in distance from it from one-half to almost twice its own length ; third long vein prolonged slightly into the basal cell, darkest scales on costal, sub-costal and first long veins.

Palpi of the female equalling proboscis in length, light area at base of three distal segments, giving a banded appearance, clothed with scales, short hairs and setse as in male, distal joints not spatulate ; legs with the ungues equal ; otherwise agreeing with the male.

This paper was prepared in the Entomological Laboratory of Stanford University, under the direction of Prof. V. L,.

Kellogg.

— i •«> . —

Pitcher-Plant Insects. BY FRANK MORTON JONES, Wilmington, Del.

(Plates III, IV.)

In the rolling sandy country characteristic of the south- central portion of North Carolina, Sarraceniaflava, the pitcher plant known locally as "fly-catcher" or "trumpets," grows to perfection. Great clumps of its greenish-yellow foliage fringe the ponds or occupy springy places on the slopes and in the hollows. Sometimes single leaves reach a height of more than three feet, but even in favorable situations the average height of the mature and well-developed leaves is not more than twenty-six inches. In August, most of the leaves are tough and mature, their secretion of nectar as a bait for insects seems to have ceased, and evidently the most active period for the capture of insects is over for the year ; so that by gather- ing an armload of the larger leaves and carrying them to some drier, shadier spot for examination at leisure, we may get a very fair idea of the season's catch. The wide upper portion of the tube is usually empty, but on cutting down to where it narrows we soon come to the more recent victims, and some

interesting moths in fairly good condition were secured in this way. Agrotis ypsilon was the largest living moth observed.

Not infrequently two or three large beetles would be found,

~-r 'l^f J2 •

ife •

PITCHER PLANT INSECTS UONES>.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 15

tumbling over one another in fruitless efforts to climb the smooth walls, which sometimes bore evidence that a strong- jawed victim had vainly endeavored to eat his way out through the leaf.

Below the dead and dying captives of recent date are usually several inches of insect remains, the upper portion of the mass dry and showing little trace of the action of the liquid secre- tion of the plant. Only one butterfly, Pyrameis cardui, was recognized ; but moths in great numbers and variety make up a large portion of the mass. Catocala palcogama, a small sphinx-moth and many Noctuidse of smaller size were noted. Of other orders Coleoptera probably predominated, the upper portion of the mass containing many entire beetles and the lower portion being well studded with the horny legs and elytra of others more completely digested. Hymenoptera, Diptera and Orthoptera were all well represented, the latter order by a large green katydid and several specimens of Dis- sosteira Carolina, with other smaller species.

Further down in the tube the remains become more and more fragmentary, the lower portion consisting of a gray, vile-smelling, semi-liquid mass of decaying material, with only here and there a trace of the hardest part of some insect ; and here almost invariably are to be found one or more larvae of the fly, Sanophaga sarmcenitz, which Riley described in 1874 from specimens bred from Sarracenia variolaris.

If we walk through a clump of S. flava and bend up the hoods or covers as we pass, here and there we will find, sitting with folded wings in the pitchers, one, sometimes a pair of little moths. Attempting to frighten them out, they respond by backing further into the tube, which may be carried about almost indefinitely and handled very roughly before the little moth can be persuaded to leave its shelter. Once dislodged it flies quickly to another pitcher, alights outside near the rim, and runs in over the edge. A collection of these little moths from S. jlava shows them to be of at least three species. The largest and most abundant of these, E.\yra ridin^xii (Plate IV), was described by Riley in 1874 from specimens cap- tured in Alabama. It varies much in the proportion of black

1 6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

and dull straw-yellow markings; of a series of twenty, the uppermost figure on Plate III shows the lightest, and directly below this the darkest specimen. Below these is shown the second and much less abundant species, Exyra scmicrocea Gn., side by side with Xanthoptera semi/lava Gn., with which it has been confused in some collections, the colors and pattern being almost identical ; but semicrocea is readily distinguishable by its brownish-black head, collar and front of thorax, and by the direction of the line separating the yellow and black areas on the primaries. The third species, the lower pair illustrated on Plate III, has been identified for me by Dr. Dyar as Exyra rolandiana Grt. The smaller examples with blackish wings relieved by only a few red scales, approach E. fax ; and the larger paler specimens exhibit varying proportions of yellow, purplish-red, and smoky-black.

To what extent the larvae of these three species of Exyra haveS.flava as their foodplant, the few hours spent among the plants was not sufficient to determine. The small pitcher- plant, ^. pnrpurea (Plate III, middle figure) grew abundantly close at hand ; some of its leaves showed evidence of feeding, and it is known to be the foodplant of rolandiana. All the larvae observed in flava seemed to be of one species, and a small number of moths bred from this plant all proved to be Exyra riding si i. The general appearance of the larva is shown on Plate III. When full grown it is brownish-maroon in color ; head pale brown with darker band and spots ; feet black ; the larger tubercles spine-like, bearing fine hairs.

The young larva spins a fine silken net like a cobweb, closing the mouth of the pitcher. This web is often absent, sometimes ruptured and not repaired. Below this web the larva feeds on the inner surface of the leaf, moving about on a carpet of silk, and leaving the outer wall of the leaf intact. Soon its sawdust-like droppings effectually plug the small end of the pitcher, and this rapidly accumulating mass of cork- like fragments precludes the possibility of any danger to the caterpillar from the secretions or trap-like structure of the plant. Before spinning its cocoon the larva sometimes cuts a straight narrow groove around the pitcher, causing the upper

PITCHER PLANT INSECTS (JONES'.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 17

third to collapse and topple over, thus effectually closing the mouth of the tube. This habit was not noticed in time to ascertain how general it is, but the straightness of the groove and the evident care exercised to make this girdling operation complete, is not exaggerated in the drawing on Plate III. The cocoon is flimsily constructed, either in or just above the corky frass which falls the tube for several inches. The pupa is pale amber-brown, the colors and markings of the moth showing through before emergence. It is worthy of note that both Prof. Riley and Dr. Mellichamp describe the larva of E. scmicrocea as closing the mouth of S. variolaris (Plate III, right hand figure) by fastening down the hood of the pitcher with silk, no trace of which habit was observed in S. flara.

Of >S. sarraceni<z and E. semicrocea in relation to Sarracenia variolaris, Riley says : " These two insects are the only spe- cies of any size that can invade the death-dealing trap with impunity, while the leaf is in full vigor." At least one other insect makes its home in 5. flava, however ; for. of some hun- dreds of leaves cut open, four or five contained the nest of a solitary wasp. In each case the wasp had plugged the bottom of the tube, usually with fine dry grass, — in one instance with sphagnum moss ; the three to five cells were divided by loosely packed masses of the same material, and the top closed with a tightly packed wad. The cells of one nest were packed with freshly gathered tree-crickets (CEcanthits}, and in the one in- stance where the builder could be identified this proved to be Isodoiitia p/iiladelp/iicus Lep. (Plate III, nest and wasp).

The above observations are the result of a few hours spent among the pitcher-plants of Richmond County, North Caro- lina, in the month of August. Anyone who has opportunity to observe them throughout the season, and especially in the early spring, would doubtless make many interesting discove- ries in regard to these most curious plants and their insect visitors and victims. There is a problem for someone to work out in regard to the relation between the plants and certain ants whose colonies adjoin them, and there is a great deal more to be added to these necessarily fragmentary notes.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

[Jan., '04

Description of the type of the genus Curriea Ashm. BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, M. A., D. Sc.

The genus Curriea was characterized in my generic table of the tribe Braconini in my Classification of the Ichneumon- Flies, in the Proceedings of the United States Museum, vol. xxiii, 1900, p. 137, upon a unique specimen collected by Mr. Rolla P. Currie, in 1897, i11 Liberia, Africa.

The genus is easily recognized by the very large eyes, which occupy the whole sides of the head, extend to the base of the mandibles, and are emarginate within opposite the insertion of the antennae. It is the only genus, falling in the sub- family BraconincE with emarginated eyes. Below I give a figure and description of the type.

Curriea fasciatipennis new species.

9. — Length 7 mm. ; expanse of wings 18 mm. ; ovipositor longer than half the length of the abdomen. Uniformly brown- ish yellow, polished, impunc- tate, the eyes and the sheaths of the ovipositor, black ; wings yellowish-hyaline, with three transverse fuscous bands, the first across from the parastigma, the second across from the ex- treme apex of the stigma, the third at the apical margin and connected with the second by a fuscous streak along the front and hind margins of the wing ; the hind wings have their apices fuscous ! the costal vein, the parastigma, the post marginal vein except at apex, and the median vein, are fuscous, while the stigma and internal veins are yellow. The abdomen is shaped as in Melanobracon ; the first segment has a deep furrow at each side, leaving a lanceolate elevation on the disk ; the second segment has a triangular elevation at basal middle, with a depression on either side, the depres- sions with elevated lines ; the third and the following segments are smooth, with the extreme apical margins rimmed, the third being sep- arated from the second by a crenulate furrow.

Type.— Cat. No. 7320, U. S. N. M.

Mount Coffee, Liberia. Described from a single specimen taken by Mr. Rolla P. Currie, in honor of whom the genus was named.

>

£

S

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 1 9

Destructive Beetles: A Note on Landscape

Gardening. BY A. L,. MELANDER, Chicago.

(Plate V.)

The group of inland lakes feeding the Fox River in northern Illinois has lately sprung into popularity. Pistakee Bay is one of these pleasure resorts where the busy people of Chicago find a summer's recreation. During the times of its inhabi- tation by the Indians the region about this picturesque spot had become thickly studded with a forest of oaks and hickory extending far inward. The advent of the pioneer farmer in 1825 necessitated the clearance of the oak forest, but for prac- tical, if not for aesthetic reasons a narrow fringe of timber was left outlining the rolling gravel banks along the shore. Twenty years ago sportsmen from Chicago discovered this re- treat and advertised its popularity.

The wooded shore line, which had been regarded as useless farm land was surveyed and the lots found ready purchasers. One of the first who chanced upon this delightful place was especially assiduous in introducing " improvements," which consisted chiefly in keeping the grass cropped and free from fallen autumn leaves.

All went well until about five years ago. Then the twigs clipped by Elaphidion villosum became especially numerous. Qrthosoma, Clytus and Saperdas flew nightly to the lighted windows. The shelf-fungus, Polyponts, started growing on some of the grander old oaks, and suddenly the fact was noticed that the prided trees were better in a wood-pile. The accom- panying photograph clearly shows their condition at the time.

Why should not the dying trees have included the neigh- bors ? A line of dead trunks practically marked the limits of the property under notice, while on either side the trees were still flourishing. The contour of the land will help to answer this question. The lots mentioned were selected on account of their wooded hills. On either side the land lies low, mucky from the drainage of the higher ground. This conformation manifests itself also in the character of the trees : in the low- lands the oaks are magnificient, higher the hickories appear. This difference in elevation, although less than twenty-five

20

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

[Jan., '04

feet, causes corresponding differences in vegetation striking enough to be classed almost as mesophytic and xerophytic.

Nature had long ago distributed her trees so that the leaves of the past year helped to grow those of the present, read- justing any unbalance caused by a deficit in the food-material of the soil. Mans' improvements, grass-cutting and leaf-rak- ing, naturally impoverished the soil rendering the incipient xerophytic hill a poor producer. The trees were slowly starved, and in their weakened condition succumbed to the attacks of their insect foes. On the other hand the healthy trees of the lowland were able to withstand the depredations of fungi and boring insects, which probably would have had no incentive for attacking them.

A word of suggestion to similar land owners may be given. If these trees had been kept in health by artificial fertilization possibly they could have withstood the leaf-raking. To re- place the abstracted nourishment trenches could have been dug around the trees to be filled with manure or other suitable food at the close of each season. Had this been done the trees would probably have been preserved more effectually than by waging war on the insect foes.

LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL BEETLES INFESTING THE TREES.

Bark-beetles and fungus feeders.

Hister Lecontei Mars.

Ips quadriguttatus Fabr.

Tenebrioides mauritanica Linn.

Pyrdchroa flabellata Fab.

Boletophagus bifnrca. Wood-borers.

Melanotus communis Gyll.

Melanotns decuinanus Er.

Melanotiis fissi/is Say.

Dicerca divaricata Say.

Dicerca asperata Lap & Gory.

Melanophfla dr/iinuiondi Kirby.

Chrysobo/hris femorata Fab.

Chrysobothris azurea Lee.

Lncanus datna Thunb. Orlhosonia brnnnenui Forst. Eldphidion villosuin Fabr. Elaphidion nuicronatnin Fabr. Eburia quadrigeminata Say. Xylotrechus colonus Fabr. Urographis fasciatus Peg. Alobates pennsylvanica Deg. Me rin us laevis Oliv. Xvlopinus saperdioides Oliv. Tenebrio tenebrioides Beauv. Diaporns liydni Linn. Msracantha contracta Beauv. Scofobates ca/carafns Fabr. riatydcnia siibfostatiaii Lab.

Tenebrio and Alobates outnumbered the others, and at the time of emergence could be found by dozens under the loosened bark. The presence of so many wood-borers attracted num- bers of parasitic insects, especially ichneumons and Braconids. The wasp Cerceris was also noticed, possibly searching like its European relatives for the Buprestidse.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 21

Two New Species of the Bee Genus Perdita from

Indiana and New Jersey.

BY HENRY L. VIERECK.

Perdita gerhardi n sp.

My friend Mr. \Vm. J. Gerhard recently sent me specimens (four 9 and two £ ) of a little bee with the observation " They were taken on or hovering over Monarda pnnctata." Their color is much like the hue of the bracts and corolla of the flower they visit. My finding this little bee undescribed prompted me to determine a species I had taken in New Jersey on the same flower — this likewise proved to be an undescribed species.

I sent a specimen of P. gerhardi to Prof. Cockerell who kindly sent a table of allied forms.

P. gerhardi has characters of Philoxanlhus Ashmead and Perditella Ckll. Length of female 5.5 mm.

Color — Bright yellow' with brownish tinge; scape, head, dorsulum, pleura and legs with a ferruginous tinge ; greater part of flagelluni, spot mesad of each fovea, foveae, spot on lower third of mesopleura, tarsi of posterior legs and posterior margin of femora of last pair of legs black or blackish. Margins (posterior) of first three dorsal segments of abdomen blackish. Wings pale yellowish, stigma pale yellow, nervures brownish.

Head very finely granulose. Clypeus and sides of face adjoining with sparse indistinct punctures. I<\n'ea on front extending fi oi/i a little below tlie supraorbital line, nearly to the level of the insertion of antennce, close to the eye margins and s/ia//ow. Face distinctly quadrate. Clypeus truncate. Labrum nearly finite as wide as high, V on anterior margin. Clypeus semicircular at base. Space behceeu anterior and lateral ocelli about one-half tlie distance between posterior ocelli; distance between posterior ocf Hi a little greater than that between them and nearest e\ e margin. Xo malar space. Cheeks narrow and rounded. Scape cylin- drical as long as or a little longer than first four joints of flagelluni ; pedicellitm broader thati and longer or about coital to the first joint of the flagellnm ; joints of flagellum subeqiial JMa.villary palpi .v/.r/V -/;//<•</, joints subeqital, labial palpi four jointed, first joint nearly twice the length of the other joints fused. Kach side of face with a shallow pit near the insertion of antenna-.

Thorax. — Dorsulum dullish, finely granular, with sparse indistinct punctures and a median impressed line extending from the anterior margin to near tlie middle. Tcgnltz more shining than dorsulum, rest of -the thorax ( except metathorax posteriorly which is more shining) sculptured nearly like dorsulum. /"osta ior fact- of metathorax. with

22 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

a slight median line on the upper half and a narrow, median line or rather impression on lower half. Metatarsus as long as the other joints fused. Claws cleft, the tooth distinctly shorter than the claw. Transverse median nervure received by the median cell about one-fourth mm. basad of the basal nervure ; first and second recurrent nervures in- terstitial or nearly i. e. a little basad of interstitial zvith (but with no space whatever between} the transverse cubili. Area of marginal cell about equal to second cubital j stigma at least four times as long as high and a little longer than the marginal cell, distance between stigma and insertion of first transverse cubitus in the marginal nervure about equal to the width of the truncation in the latter; second division of radius longer than the first, third longer than second, about as long as first plus second.

Abdomen. —Sculpture much like that of dorsulum ; segments depressed along posterior margin, more in the middle than on the side. Pygidial plate flat, shining, triangular, narrowly but deeply emarginate at apex forming a w.

$• Length 5 mm. Much like the other sex except in color. Frontal foveae a dot. With exception of some blackish sutures, spot on meso- pleurae, spot on face mesad of fovea and dark tubercles, yellow. Wings as in the female, but the recurrent nervures instead of being inserted slightly basad of transverse cubiti are slightly beyond interstitial. Type locality of gerhardi East Chicago, Indiana. Prof. Cockerell' s table of the Yellow species of Perdita is as follows :

" About 4 mm. long, cheeks of $ armed with a stout spine i

Larger, about 6 mm. or over, cheeks of $ not armed 2

1 Head very large larreae Ckll.

Head not nearly so large larreae var. modesta Ckll.

2 8 mm. long, mesothorax pubescent, pleura with a black patch

beata Ckll. Smaller about 6 mm. long 3

3 Very pale yellow 4

Bright yellow 5

4 Pleura with a black patch wootonae Ckll.

Pleura without a black patch . . , . . perpallida Ckll.

5 Pleura with a black patch, mesothorax hairy ; abdomen without Jis-

tinct black bands gerhardi Vier.

Pleura without a black patch 6

6 Abdomen with four narrow black bands . howardiCkll. (flies in spring.) Abdomen without such bands luteola Ckll. (flies in fall.)"

Perdita monardae n. sp.

Type locality, Riverton, New Jersey.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 23

9 Length 6 mm. The characters in italics in the preceding species occur in this one too.

Head as broad or a little broader than thorax, very finely granulose, dull ; clypeus a little pointed medially on the anterior margin, at base. Distance between posterior ocelli distinctly less than that between them and nearest eye margin. Scape cylindrical, equal to or a little longer than first five joints of flagellum fused ; face rather flat, no shal- low pits. Rest of the insect sculptured like head, metathorax and abdo- men inclining to shiny. Posterior face of metathorax at base with a shallow pit. Claws simple. Area of marginal cell greater than the area of the second cubital. Distance between stigma and insertion of first transverse cubitus on the radial nervure greater than the width of the truncation, second division of the radius shorter than the first, third division nearly equal to the first plus the second.

Color. — Dark metallic green, face with white and bronzy black marks, the bronzy black marks on the clypeus and supraclypeal mark ; scape and fUgellum yellow below, blackish above. A short line at base of poste- rior orbits, spot at base of mandibles, line from corner of pronotum to tubercles, tubercles, tegulae and a spot on lower half of mesopleura 'whitish. Labrum and mandibles yellowish to ferruginous. Legs yellow except femora, four anterior tibice on posterior surface and posterior pair of tibia; and legs which are dark brown to black. Abdomen colored like the legs /. e, yellow and black or dark brown, venter yellowish marked with brown.

cT Length 4 mm. Claws cleft, otherwise like the other sex in structure and sculpture. Color pattern like that of the female, less black on the face, no broad suture of black between the dog ear marks and adjoining parts ; supraclypeal mark and upper edge of lateral face marks yellow, below all is whitish, two small black spots on clypeus, tip of mandible brownish ; about one-half of the cheek yellow. Scape in front and fla- gellum beneath yellow, scape on posterior surface and flagellum above dark brown to black. An interrupted band on pronotum, tubercles, greater part of propleura, large mark on mesopleura, tegula?, base of wings, greater part of metapleura and legs (excepting stripe on femora and tibiee, and tarsi of posterior pair of legs which are dark brown) bright yellow. Pale color pattern corresponds to that in the female, apex of fifth segment, all of sixth and entire venter brownish yellow. Apex of abdomen an acute angle, brownish testaceous. Wirgs pale, nervures pale brown, stigma nearly as pale as the mtmbrane of the wing. Recurrent nervures interstitial.

Judging from the series of both species (gcrhanii 4 992

$ $ , monardte 7 99 28 <? £ ) one is lead to believe them very

constant in every way. Monardtc has the dog ear marks ab-

M nt more often than present, the pleural marks vary in si/e

24 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

but do not disappear ; the abdominal marks are contiguous with the base of the segments, thus leaving a dark space be- tween themselves and the apical margin.

Monarda differs from Cockerellia Ashmead in having all claws of the male cleft. Both species are thinly pubescent with whitish hair. Monarda was captured August n, IQCX, by the writer, the species being abundant at the flowers of Mo- narda punctata. Gerhardi was taken August 28, 1903 Pcr- dita octo metadata, Say, was taken on Aster, Big Timber Creek, New Jersey, September 22, 1901, and on Solidago, L/awndale, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1901, by the writer,

Southwestern Geographical Names. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL

'•I

I have lately received two very excellent papers — one by Mr. O. A. Johannsen, on Aquatic Nematocerous Diptera, and the other, by Mr. A. L. Melander, on Mutillidge — both con- taining erroneous interpretations of Spanish-American geo- graphical names. I would not offer any criticism at this time, were it not that the errors are by no means new, the literature of American entomology being scattered with them, so it be- comes necessary to present some sort of a protest.

(1) Arroyo. This is the name universally used in the south- west for a dry watercourse ; that is, one which is occupied by water only after heavy storms. Professor Townsend collected a large number of insects in an arroyo near L,a Luz and Tula- rosa, New Mexico ; and the records of these are getting into the literature. In a paper of mine in the Annals and Maga- zine of Natural History, the word arroyo is followed by a comma, which was not in my MS., the printer evidently think- ing it the name of a town. But in Mr. Melander's Mutillidae paper I am horrified to see numerous species reported from a place designated "Arrogo, New Mexico" ! This paper has several other names of localities spelled wrongly ; but this is the characteristically persistent error.

(2) Baja California. " Baja, a place in California," has

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 25

long been celebrated in our literature. One might as well write of 'New, a place in England." Baja California is Lower California, and is in Mexico. Because of this misunderstand- ing, Mr. Johannsen introduces Simulium cinerium erroneously as a species of the United States. Both this and S. tamauli- pense (alleged to be from Texas) are exclusively Mexican so far as records exist.

Both Messrs. Melander and Johannsen write C. H. Town- send for C. H. T. Townsend. The error is a serious one, as C. H. Townsend is also a distinguished naturalist, and an en- tirely different person.

— -«•*- —

Sending Insects Through the Mails.

BY L. O. HOWARD.

While there has been a very general exchange of cabinet specimens of insects by means of the United States mails, and while people have sent to the State Entomologists and to the government Entomologists living specimens with supplies of food, Section 494 of the Postal Laws and Regulations (page 226) specifically excludes insects from the mails, The enforce- ment of this regulation by a southern postmaster recently caused Mr. Wilmon Newell, State Entomologist of Georgia, to urge me to inform him accurately as to the attitude of the Post Office Department on this subject. I therefore prepared for the signature of the Honorable Secretary of Agriculture, a letter addressed to the Postmaster General asking for a modi- fication of this section on the ground that its enforcement would hamper the work of the Department of Agriculture, and would cause serious inconvenience to entomologists all through the country. The Postmaster General replied promptly and wisely, and courteously agreed to the sugges- tion of Secretary Wilson, and urged that a representative of the Department of Agriculture be appointed to discuss any proposed amendment with the Superintendent of the Railway Mail Service. I was designated to act for the Secretary of Agriculture, and after consultation with Mr. Alexander Grant, Assistant General Superintendent of the Railway Mail SIT-

26 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

vice, the following order was prepared and was issued by the Postmaster General.

' ' Office of the Postmaster General,

Washington D. C., Dec. 16, 1903.

Order No. 12693.

Modify the Postal Laws and Regulations, edition of 1902, as follows :

Section 494, paragraph i, line 3 ; omit the word " insects."

Section 496 : Omit paragraph 7 and insert in lieu thereof the following :

7. Queen bees and their attendant bees, the "Australian lady bird," insects (live or dried), and dried reptiles may be sent in the mails when so put up as to render it practically impossible that the package shall be broken in transit, the per- sons of those handling the mails injured, or the mail bags or their contents soiled. (See paragraph i of this Section.)

H. C. PAYNE, Postmaster General."

Knowing that this order will be of wide interest to ento- mologists, I trust that this communication will be published in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

List of the Cicindelidae of North Carolina, with Notes on the Species.

BY FRANKLIN SHERMAN, JR., Entomologist N. C. Dept.

Agriculture, Raleigh.

In the Canadian Entomologist for August, 1902 (vol. xxxiv, p. 217), Mr. Edward D. Harris has a paper entitled " Notes on Cicindelidae in North Carolina," in which he mentions six species and varieties ; and this has stood alone, so far as I am able to learn, as a contribution to our knowledge of this family in North Carolina. The present paper is intended to be com- plete so far as it has been in the power of the writer to make it so, and is based largely on collections made in various parts of the State in the last two years. All actual captures of unques- tionable authenticity of which I can find positive record, are

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 2J

included, but no place has been given to doubtful or "prob- able " species. We have specimens of most of the species and varieties enumerated, as mentioned in the text.

The determinations have been made by Mr. E. A. Schwarz of the National Museum and Mr. Charles W. Leng of New York City, to both of whom thanks are due. The nomen- clature adopted is that of Mr. L/eng in his " Revision of the Cicindelidae of North America."

In this list "Hen. No. - ' refers to the numbers given to the corresponding species in Mr. Samuel Henshaw's " List of the Coleoptera of North America." The letters in parenthesis (E, NE, etc.), immediately after the name of a locality, denote its general position in the State, as east, northeast, etc.

1. Tetracha Carolina Linn. Hen. No. 12.

Only records are from east central part of the State. Speci- mens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Raleigh (E. C.) July 1900, C. S. Brimley. July 26, 1901, F. Sherman. July-Aug. , 1902, frequent on pavements under electric lights ; F. Sherman. July-Aug., 1902, common under stones in garden ; C. S. Brimley.

Princeton (E. C.) July 28, 1902, F. Sherman.

2. Tetracha virginica Linn. Hen. No. 13.

Only records are from east central part of State. Specimens in N. Car. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Raleigh (E. C.). July 8, 1902, under board in sod orchard ; F. Sherman. July 8-Aug. 16, 1902, eleven specimens under stones in garden ; C. S. Brimley.

Smithfield (E. C.) July 30, 1902, under board near river bank ; F. Sherman.

3. Cicindela unipunctata Fab. Hen. No. 17.

Only records are from western part of State. One specimen from collection of Morrison in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection ; others in U. S. Nat. Mus. Collection.

Retreat (W.), June 8 (yr.?), Hubbard and Schwar/..

Mountain roads < \V . i, Morrison, Blanchard.

28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

4 Cicindela scutellaris var unicolor Dej. Hen. No. 193.

Only records are from southeastern part of State. Speci- mens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Southern Pines (S. E.), Mch, 1901 ; common on sandy soil near pine woods ; F. Sherman.

Montague (S.E.), early May, 1902, E. D. Harris.

Wilmington (S.E.), Wenzel.

4.1. Var. modesta Dej. Hen. No. 190.

Only record is from eastern part of State.

(ioldsboro (E. ), early May, 1902, in road; E. D. Harris. 4b. Var. rugifrons Dej. Hen. No. 191!.

Only record is from east central part of State. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Raleigh (E. C.) Sept. u, 1902, C. S. Brimley.

5. Cicindela sexguttata Fab. Hen. No. 24.

All records from central and eastern parts of State. Speci- mens in N. C. Dept. Collection.

High Point (C..}, early May, 1902, E. D. Harris.

Jamestown (C.), early May, 1902; along paths in woods near river ; E. D. Harris.

Chapel Hill (£. ) Apr. 4, 1888, G. F. Atkinson.

Ma.\ton (S.E. ) May 5, 1901 ; common on banks of ditch in pine woods ; F. Sherman.

Garysburg (N.E.), Apr. 7, 1902 ; under loose bark of fallen tree ; F. Sherman.

Goldsboro (E. ) early Ma}-, 1902, in woods ; E. D. Harris.

5a. var. harrissii Leng. Hen. not listed.

Only record is from western part of State. Mountain Roads. (W ) Beutemniiller.

6. Cicindela patruela Dej.— Hen. No. 24 b.

Only records are from western part of state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. .Agr. Collection.

Blowing Rock, ( W. ) June 27, 1901. Not rare along paths at 4,000 ft. elevation. F. Sherman.

Spruce f>iii(\ ( W. ) Sept. 24, 1902, about 2,000 ft. elevation. F. Sherman.

"Mountain roads" ( W. ) Beutetimiiller. Morrison.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 29

7. Cicindela purpurea Oliv.— Hen. No. 25.

Only record is from high mountain elevation in western part of state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Blowing Rock, (W.) Aug. 15, 1902. Common along path through pasture at 4,000 ft. elevation. F. Sherman.

8. Cincindela splendida Hentz.— Hen. No 25, i.

Only definite record from mountains in western part of state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Homestead, (W. ) Sept n, 1902. Roadside, very active and shy. F. Sherman. " Ar. C." Morrison.

9. Cicindela vulgaris Say.— Hen. No. 32.

Evidently throughout the state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Raleigh, ( E. C. ) Sept. 26, 1900, Oct. 1900, May 17, 1901, Mar. 29, 1902, Apr. 7. F. Sherman.

Montague, (S. E.) Earl}- May, 1902 (specimens of typical size.) E. D. Harris.

Goldsboro, ( E- ) Early May, 1902 (Dwarf form.) E. D. Harris.

Hamlet, (S. E.) Early May, 1902 (Typical.) E. D. Harris.

Southern Pines, (S. E. ) Oct. 15, 1900, Mch. 1901. F. Sherman.

Jamestown, (C.) Early May, 1902, (Typical) on banks of Deep River. E. D. Harris.

High Point, (C.) Early May, 1902 (Dwarf. ) E. D. Harris.

Charlotte, (C.) Early May, 1902, abundant (dwarf) along creek. E. D. Harris. Apr. 25, 1902. F. Sherman.

Burnsvillc, (W.) Oct. 3, 1902. F. Sherman.

Blowing Rock, (W.) Aug. 29, 1902. F. Sherman.

10. Cicindela repanda Dej —Hen. No. 33.

Abundant near water. Probably throughout the state, though all records but one are from central and western parts of state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Hamlet, (S. E. ) Early May, 1902. E. D. Harris.

Raleigh, (E. C.) Oct. 1900. Abundant on sand near stream. F. Sherman. July, 1902, common. F. Sherman. Oct. 26,

3O ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

1902. Numbers found under about ^ in. of sand on bank of stream, perhaps hibernating. F. Sherman.

Jamestown, (C.) Early May, 1902, abundant on banks of Deep River. E. D. Harris.

High Point, (C.) Early May, 1902. E. D. Harris.

Charlotte, (C.) Early May, 1902, on banks of stream— 'in unusual range of size." E. D. Harris.

Old Fort, (W.) Sept. 9, 1902, common near stream. F. Sherman.

Whittier, (W.) Sept. 1902, common near stream. F. Sher- man.

Linville, (W.) Aug. 1902, common near stream at about 3,000 ft. elevation. F. Sherman.

11. Cicindela 12-guttata Dej.— Hen. No. 33 c.

Probably throughout the state, though all records are from Raleigh to westward. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collec- tion.

Raleigh, (E.G.) Sept 1900, Oct. i, 1900, Apr. 5, 1901. F. Sherman. Oct. 26, 1902, found under about % in. of sand on bank of small stream, perhaps hibernating. F. Sherman.

Snow Camp, (C.) Aug. 22, 1902. F. Sherman.

Oakdale, (C.) Aug. 22, 1902. F. Sherman.

Jamestown, (C.) Early May, 1902. Banks of Deep River. E. D. Harris.

Charlotte, (C.) Early May, 1902. Banks of stream. E. D. Harris.

Homestead, (W.) Sept. u, 1902. In road near stream. F. Sherman.

•

12. Cicindela torticollis Say.— Hen. No. 35.

Only record is from seashore. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Beaufort, {Sliakleford Banks^) {Extreme _£". ) Aug. 9, 1902. Along inlet shores in company with C. dorsalis var. media and C. marginata. F. Sherman.

13. Cicindela punctulata Fab.— Hen. No. 40.

Common apparently throughout the state along paths. Spe- cimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 31

Beaufort, (Extreme E.) Aug. n, 1902, common. F. Sher- man.

Raleigh, (E. C. ) July 15, 1902. F. Sherman.

Chapel Hill, (C.) Sept. 17, 1885. G. F. Atkinson.

Oakdale, (C.) Aug. 1902. F. Sherman.

Greensboro, (C.) Aug. 25, 1902, common. F. Sherman.

Newton, (C.) Aug. 1902. F. Sherman.

Burnsville, (W.) Sept. 1902, Oct. i. 1902. F.Sherman.

Blowing Rock, (W.) Aug. 1902, common along path. F Sherman.

Waynesi'ille, ( \V. ) July 1901, common along path. F. Sher- man.

Retreat, (W. ) May 15. Hubbard and Schwarz.

14. Cicindela dorsalis var. media Lee.— Hen. No. 42 a.

Only record is from seashore. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collections.

Beaufort, (Shakleford Banks) (Extreme E. ) Aug. 9, 1902, common on inlet shores in company with C. marginata and C. hirticollis. F. Sherman.

15. Cicindela marginata Fab. — Hen. No. 44.

Only record is from seashore. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Beaufort, {Shakleford Banks) (Extreme E.) Aug. 9, 1902, on inlet shores in company with C. dorsalis var. media and C. hirticollis. F. Sherman.

16. Cicindela blanda Dej.— Hen. No. 49.

There is but one indefinite record for this species. ' ' N. C. River banks." L/econte record.

17. Cicindela gratiosa Guer.— Hen. No. 54.

Only record for this species is from Wilmington, seven miles from seashore. Specimens were probably taken on shore. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Wilmington, (S. E.) Wenzel.

18. Cicindela rufiventris Dej.— Hen. No. 64.

All records are from middle part of state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan. '04

Raleigh, (E. C. > July 15, 1902. Along road in open mixed woods. F. Sherman.

Durham, (C.) Aug. 1902. In field near mixed woods. F. Sherman.

Oakdale, (C.) Aug. 22, 1902. F. Sherman.

Greensboro, (C.") Aug. 1902. F. Sherman.

19. Cicindela abdominalis Fab.— Hen. No. 67.

Only records from southeastern part of state. Specimens in N. C. Dept. Agr. Collection.

Souther)! Pines, (S. E. ) Aug. 15,. 1902. At edge of pine woods. F. Sherman.

Wilmington, (S. E.) Wenzel.

Two New Bees.

BY T. D. A. COCKERELL.

Authophora stanfordiana n. sp.— ?. Length about 15 mm. ; black, with erect black hair, except that the mesothorax as far back as the hind edge of the tegulae, and the dorsum of the second abdominal segment except basally, are thickly covered with ochraceous hair, and there is a little pale hair in other places, namely on the face, labrum, hind margin of third dorsal abdominal segment, and especially on the fourth and fifth ventral segments of the abdomen, where the light hairs are both numer- ous and long. The femora are dark red, but the tibiae are reddish-black, while the tarsi are dark with the small joints reddish ; the hair on the legs is black, but the middle tibiae are tipped with pale, and there is at the apex of the basal joints of the hind tarsi a very conspicuous golden brush ; the spurs of the middle legs are dark with strongly curved red tips. Tegulae black and shining, with close minute punctures ; wings fuliginous, basal nervure meeting transverse-medial.

$. Length about 15 mm. ; black, the clypeus, supraclypeal stripe, labrum, spot on mandibles, lateral face-marks and front of scape, light yellow ; the upper edge of the lateral face-marks is deeply concave, the orbital side ending in a sharp point at the lower level of the antenna' sockets ; flagellum entirely black ; hair at face, front and cheeks long and white, of occiput black ; hair of thorax long and creamy-white, except on hind part of mesothorax, scutellum, and between the wings and the middle and hind coxae, where it is black ; mesothorax and scutellum with smooth and shining areas ; wings considerably lighter than in the female ; legs with mixed black and light hair, long and white on outside of tibiae

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 33

and tarsi, purpureo-fuscous on inner side of basal joint of anterior tarsi, bright orange-ferruginous in the same position on the middle and hind tarsi ; middle legs simple ; basal joint of hind tarsi flattened and con- torted, with a large tooth on the anterior margin ; abdomen with erect hair, entirely yellowish-white on the first two segments, sparser and black on the others, with some long white hairs at the sides ; apical segment strongly convex, bidentate, tomentose basally, with a slight longitudinal keel ; venter with a band of light hair.

Hab. — One of each sex, collected May 17, 1892, by W. G. Johnson on the campus of Stanford University, California. The species is allied to A. boinboides, and would even better merit the name than that insect. It is one of the finest and most interesting bees in our fauna, and it seems remarkable that it has so long remained undescribed. Prof. V. L,. Kellogg, to whom I am indebted for the specimens, kindly gives me the following information ; " I have, among other specimens, per- haps two dozen taken from a single colony, the individual nests of which were all put in close together. This colony was situated in the side of a deep bank in somewhat sandj^ but nevertheless very hard and compact soil. Each entrance was capped by a long tube, two or three inches in length, made of bits of soil stuck together, and bent down so as to make the entrance obscure when looked at from above ; also so as to protect the opening from falling water. The nest-tubes were about one-half inch in diameter." (Litt, Nov. 20, 1903.)

Megachile latimanus grindeliarum subsp. n.

9 . Length 14 millim. ; the light pubescence yellowish throughout; vertex and disc of mesothorax with much black hair (as in i/u'ndica), but scutellum with yellowish hair ; abdominal bands weaker and nar- rower (with shorter hair), yellowish-tinged, with the overlapping pale orange hairs on the last two bands conspicuous ; the erect black hair does not overlap the bands, nor does it project laterally (as it does in monai'dariini} so as to be conspicuous at the sides when the abdomen is viewed from above ; ventral scape orange throughout ; second recurrent nervure ending very near to the second (morphologically third) trans- verse-cubital ; hair on inner side of basal joint cf all the tarsi blight orange ; apical dorsal segment of abdomen with erect yellowish bristles ; abdomen perceptibly narrower than in laliiiiiimis.

Hab. — Colorado Springs Colorado, Sept. 10, (Cockerell). One at flowers of Grindelia squarrosa. Another, with denuded mesothorax, from the same locality.

34 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEXVS. [Jan., '04

The discovery of the male will probably show whether grindeliarum is really a race of latimanus, or a valid species. It seems just possible though not at all probable that it is the female of M. avara, of which the male only is known. It will be known from M. ncvadensis by the ventral scopa being without black at the tip ; the dorsal apical segment in neva- di'iisis is said to be pale sericeous, that is, resembling that of M. mendica, and not that of the restricted group of latimanns, Robertson's genus Xanthosarus. The very much denser punc- tuation of the mesothorax, as well as the absence of projec- tive black hairs at the sides of the abdomen, readily distin- guish grindeliarum from monardarum. The description of M. vidua, Smith, so nearly accords with grindeliarum that I at first thought it possible that it might be applicable ; but our insect is so unlike M. maritima (the European representative of vidita} that I do not think it can be vidua.

A New Beetle from New Jersey. BY WM. T. DAVIS.

(See Plate VI.)

L/akehurst, New Jersey, once called Manchester, has been to some of the New York City entomologists what Anglesea is to those from Philadelphia, or what " Butterfly Station" was to the insect collectors of Albany in the days of Mr. Bailey and Dr. L/intner. This is synonymous with saying that many interesting insects have been collected at L/akehurst, and it gives me pleasure to add to the number a L,ongicorn beetle pro- nounced by both Mr. L/erig and Mr. Schseffer to be a new spe- cies. It is true that but one specimen has been taken, but its characters are such that it has been considered worth while to bring it to notice. It was collected last July while beating into an umbrella, and was pointed out as a valuable acquisi- tion by Mr. L/ouis H. Joutel, for whom I am pleased to name it.

Neoclytus jouteli n. sp.

Black, head, thorax and elytra, except apical third, finely rugose. An- tenna; dark brown clothed with light hairs ; second joint short, as usual ; outer joints slightly thickened. Head black, not carinated, eyes entire, oblique ; front clothed with lighter hairs. Thorax black, clothed beneath

XK\VS, VOL. XV".

ri. vi.

NEOCLYTUS JOUTELI (DAVIS'.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

35

with lighter hairs; longer than broad, sides slightly arcuate, little wider than the elytra, and with fine strongly elevated transverse rugae at middle and others on each side. Elytra, black with two oblique bands of white hairs, the anterior band narrow and the most definite. Beyond the pos- terior band much smoother ; shining ; slightly tu'berculate and with minute pubescence. Abdomen black beneath ; the meta-sternum dark brown with two transverse stripes of white pubescence. Legs dark brown, the femora black, or nearly so.

The length of the type is 6 mm., but the size will no doubt vary considerably as in other species of the genus. The in- sect is about the size and general aspect of a black Euderces picipes, but the structural characters are entirely different, and the resemblance does not extend beyond the first glance.

NEWS DON'TS. — Don't fail to pay your subscription at once.

Don't forget to fill out the subscription blank.

Don't make money orders or checks payable to the Academy of Nat- ural Sciences, the Rev. Henry Skinner, Dr. Henry Skinner, M.D., O. H. Skinner, or anything else but ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.

Don't send mail intended for ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS to P. O. Box 248.

Don't leave out words ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS when you wish to reach the NEWS.

Don't forget that the Academy of Natural Sciences is not ENTOMO- LOGICAL NEWS.

Don't forget that this journal should be addressed as follows: ENTO- MOLOGICAL NEWS, ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, 1900 RACE ST., PHILADELPHIA, PENNA

P. S. — Don't forget to remember what you have just read.

A subscription-blank is placed in each copy of this number of the NEWS. It does not mean that you have not paid your subscription ; but, if you have not paid it, please fill it out at once and remit year subscrip- tion for this year.

WALDOBORO, MAINE, December 4, 1903.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. — Enclosed please find %\ in renewal of my subscription for the ensuing year. I am much pleased by the position taken by the NEWS on the question of species and genera. I! it were not for such protests there would be great danger that our system of classification would be reduced to a meaningless mass of names. The wholesale formation of monotypic genera and the description of species based on trivial characters should be stopped. Authors should, more- over, be compelled to deposit their types in some large museum, where they would be accessible to all students, before their descriptions are published. There is no influence to-day in American entomology so strong as that of the NEWS.— JOHN H. LOVELL.

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 our 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., JANUARY, 1904.

Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell has made a suggestion which we considered well worthy of being adopted by the NEWS. In- stead of placing on the cover of the NEWS what he was pleased to term a monstrosity, he proposed a figure of the most interesting insect described during the previous year, and said that in his opinion Ignotus (enigmaticus, Slosson,* was pre-eminently the one to use for this year, and we coincided in this opinion. This curious beetle was de- scribed by Mrs. Slosson in the Canadian Entomologist, vol. 35, page 183, and the account of its discovery is interesting reading. That most eminent savant, Mr. E. A. Schwarz, had the figure made for the NEWS. We. have always found him more than willing to do anything to un- selfishly advance the interests of entomo- logy. In the future we propose to adopt the same plan of using a figure of the most interesting insect de- scribed during the previous year, for the cover of the Januarj' NEWS, and will be glad to receive any and all suggestions as to which species shall be selected. The selection will be made by the Editors in conjunction with the Advisory. Committee.

* Described as being the size of a tiny brown ant.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 37

Entomological Literature.

THE MOTH BOOK. A Popular Guide to a Knowledge of the Moths of North America. By VV. J Holland. With Forty-eight plates. Doubleday, Page & Co. New York. Price $4.00 net. Postage 34 cents extra.

There are 1500 figures in the colored plates and 300 text cuts. This work is uniform in size and typography with the well known Butterfly Book by the same author. Probably no book on any branch of American entomology has been anticipated with such keen interest as this one. The literature of the subject is greatly scattered through many publications and papers, and figures of our moths are by no means numerous. There existed no one book which the beginner could consult, and this work will be invalu- able and will undoubtedly stimulate a much greater interest in these most interesting insects. The author has figured many species in a beautiful manner, as the three color process gives mechanical accuracy in macu- lation even though in some cases the color values are not quite perfect. \Ve believe that the process, even with this imperfection, gives the best results attainable for any but the very small species. The author has wisely omitted descriptions and has been content to give notes in relation to food plants and distribution. The classification follows the recent literature of the best authorities on the subject. As a whole the work is well done, and the author has made a good selection from the abund- ance of material. When we take into consideration the fact that there are over 6000 species of moths in America north of Mexico it is a splendid contribution to the subject to have 1500 or more of them figured in one work. The book will be an absolute necessity in the library of every lepidopterist, and a valuable one to all persons interested in entomology or natural history in general. — H. S.

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT ON THK Noxious INSECTS OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. By Benjamin D. Walsh, M.A., Acting State Entomol- ogist. From the Appendix to the Transactions of the Illinois State Horticultural Society for 1867. Second Edition.

The original report has long been out of print. Prof. Forbes says of it: "lam pleased to have the opportunity to issue a second edition of this useful and interesting document, to the number of one thousand copies, and 1 do not doubt that its republication at State expense is amply warranted by the intrinsic value of its contents, and by its import- ance as the lust of a long series of reports of the official entomologists of this State." We are glad to see this reprint and fully endorse all Prof. Forbes has said about it. We quote from the preface as follows : " In a memoir intended for publication in the proceedings of some grave scientific society, il would, of course, be highly indecorous to break the

38 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

dreary monotony of scientific hair-splitting by a single remark, which had the slightest tendency towards extending that convulsive movement of the midriff, which the vulgar herd of mankind call 'laughter.' But as this Report is intended chiefly for the use of common folks, who do not think it beneath their dignity to indulge occasionally in a hearty laugh, I shall be pardoned, if I inadvertently here and there drop a word which may cause the cheek of the reader to mantle with a smile. Four hundred years ago Martin Luther said, that ' he could see no reason why the devil should run away with all the good tunes.'

" I can see no reason, in the year 1867, why the pestilent yellow-covered literature of the day should monopolize all the wit and humor. If there is one thing which I have at heart more than another, it is to popularize science, to bring her down from the awkward high stilts in which she is ordinarily paraded before the world — to show how sweet and attractive she is when the frozen crust in which she is usually enveloped is thawed away by the warm breath of Nature — and more especially to demonstrate how delightful that particular branch of science, to which I have devoted half a life-time, may be made to any one, who will keep his eyes wide open as he walks through his garden or his orchard. If I merely succeed in enticing away a single young woman from her mawkish novelettes and romances into the flowery paths of Entomology, or if I can only induce a single young man, instead of haunting saloons and lounging away his time at street corners, to devote his leisure to studying the wonderful works of the Creator, as exemplified in these tiny miracles of perfection which the people of the United States call ' bugs,' I shall think that I have not written altogether in vain."

SYNOPSIS OF INSECT COLLECTIONS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOLS. Lepidoptera. By Charles A. Hart, Illinois State Labo- ratory of Natural History, Urbana, Illinois.

This work lists and briefly describes the commoner insects and those of economic importance. References are given after each species to figures and fuller descriptions in the literature of the subject. This method of issuing collections to schools is a most valuable method of instructing young people and will undoubtedly create a great interest in this branch of natural history among young people. We wish this method would be adopted in every State and Territory in the Union. — H. S.

AQUATIC INSECTS IN NEW YORK STATE. A". Y. State Museum Bulletin 68, August, 1903, Part 3, Life Histories of Odonata, Suborder /.\ - goptera, Damsel Flies, by James G. Needham, pp. 218-263 •' -Ap- pendix on Odonata, pp. 263-276, James G. Needham ; Distribution of Neiv York Dragonflies, Additional J)ata, pp. 276-279, Dr. P. P. Calvert. Mailed about October i, 1903.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 39

In liis remarks introductory to this bulletin, on p. 203, Prof. Needham states: " My chief contribution to this bulletin is the description of the life histories and habits of the damsel flies (order Odonata, suborder Zygoptera). I have been able to describe the nymphs of all our 10 genera and 23 of our 42 known species all these descriptions being new." And on p. 218 he continues, "Of these 23, three are Calopterygidie, five are Lestitue and the remaining 15 are Agrionin^e ; and fortunately the nymphs of all our genera are now known."

Directions and suggestions for collecting life history material in this sub- order are given on p. 219. Keys to families, subfamilies, genera and spe- cies of images and known nymphs follow. Detailed notes on the scope, range and general ecology of the larger groups are interspersed ; and for each species the more important bibliography, special habits, and a de- scription of the nymph, if known, are given. On page 222, in the key to species of Caloptery.v, aniaia is stated to have the wings uniformly colored. As originally described by Hagen and as verified by the examination of a considerable number of specimens, adult males have the hind wings api- cally brown. On p. 245, a new genus, Chromagrion, is described for Agrion condHiini Hagen, which, since 1876, has generally been written ? Eryf/iroinina condition. The genus is defined both for the imago and nymph, and finds its nearest affinities with Erythronnna and Pyrrhosoma. On p. 251 it is stated, " they ( Enallagmas) do not, so far as I have observed, descend beneath the surface of the water in ovipositing." At Round Lake, Whitley County, Indiana, Enallagnia signatitin in couple has often been seen submerged ; and see McLachlan, Ent. Mo. Mag. (2) Vol. 10, p. 207. On p. 253 the name anne.vinn is retained for the species which, as determined by Calvert and Williamson, is identical with cyaihigerum. Agrion posilum Hagen, usually known heretofore as Nehalennia posita, is, with reason, taken from Xehalennia, (not Xchallennia, as in the bul- letin under review) and placed in Ischnnra, though it also shows affinities with Ena/lagina.

Appendix on Odonata, page 263 : " During the past season there has been opportunity for making some further observations on the Odonata- Anisoptera. * :~ It is now possible to add descriptions of the nymphs

of eleven additional species with new data on some of the others" dis- cussed in Bulletin 47, New York State Museum, September, 1901, pp. 429-540. On page 264, the past confusion between Gomphus fraternus and G. c.r/er/ms may have resulted from a mistake made by Professor Needham in comparing his specimens with the Illinois State Laboratory specimens, rather than through an error by Hagen, — an error hardly pos sible in, the light of the figures drawn by Hagen for the M«no^> aphie des < ioinp/ihies, PI. 7, fig. 4, 1855, and PI. 21, fig. 2, 1858 Gomphus borealis is now regarded by Professor Needham as specifically distinct from (/. descriphts. (,'<>inp/ins dilalaliis is designated as the type of (;<.ni/>hnrns. and the remarkable nymph of this species is described. On p. 275, the habitats of the nymphs of 62 species of Odi mates are given in tabular

40 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

form. It is of interest to note "that, while the majority of the species live in ponds or still water, the more generalized members of both suborders live in rapids of streams." Pages 276-279 by Dr. Calvert are notes sup- plemental to the two lists of N. Y. Odonata published by himself. At the present time about 125 species of dragonflies are known to occur in New York.

In Part 2 of this bulletin, on pp. 212 and 213, is a discussion of the ecology of ^Eschna constricfa, especially with reference to its economic importance in relation to brook trout. — E. B. W.

Notes and. News.

ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS

OF THE GLOBE.

Melanoplns canonicus. — Scudder describes this species from the " Grand Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona, (L. Bruner)." It ought to be recorded that the specimens, though from Prof. Bruner's collection, were collected by Prof. C. H. T. Townsend, who obtained them (accord- ing to a MS. note of his in my possession) down in the canyon, about 3000 104000 feet above sea level. — T. D. A. COCKERELL.

A THIRD TRIONYMUS. — In Mrs. Fernald's Catalogue of the Coccidas there are two species of this genus recorded, one American, the other European. I find from an article by Sajo in Zeits. fiir Pflanzenkrank- heiten, 1894, p. 151, that there is a third species, Trionymus hordei (]]Tcstzvoodia hordei, Lindemann), found in Russia and Hungary. As this insect has apparently been overlooked by coccidologists, it is just as well to call attention to it. — T. D. A. COCKERELL.

IN the Nov. NEWS, page 297, Mr. Philip Laurent doubts the capture of Danais berenice strigosa by myself at Miami, Florida. It would have been more logical for Mr. Laurent to have seen my specimens before ex- pressing his convictions, as there is no doubt about var. strigosa being found there. I took about ten specimens of Timetes petreus at Miami which were identified for me as eleuchea. I did not discover until the present time that they had been erroneously determined for me as eleu- chea and so published in my list. — MORGAN HEBARD, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia.

I CAN GO Mr. Morgan Hebard and Mr. Ellison A. Smyth one better on the northern distribution of Thanaos naevius. I have in the collection of the Dept. Agriculture, a specimen determined as this species on authority of Dr. Dyar, which was taken by Mr. C. S. Brimley, at Raleigh, N. C., on May i8th, 1902. — FRANKLIN SHERMAN, Jr., Ent. Dept. Agr., Raleigh, N. C.

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 41

THE DISTRIBUTION OF CATOPSILIA EUBULE. — The range of this spe- cies seems to be attracting the attention of some of the readers of the NEWS, and, observing the note of Mr. Witmer Stone in the October number, I am tempted to say that having for a number of summers made my home at Spring Lake, New Jersey, and other points on the New- Jersey coast, I never failed to find the insect quite abundant in August and September. In the summer of 1896 and 1897, it was particularly common, so that we ceased to pay any more attention to it than to the common Colias phiiodice. My friend, Dr. A. E. Ortmann, informs me that the species is very abundant at Princeton, New Jersey, in the fall, and that he has found the larvae on its food-plant, Cassia marylaiidica, all through the Stony Brook valley, near Princeton. In western Penn- sylvania it is scarce, but it has been taken a number of times in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, and I have a specimen taken as far north as Mead- , ville, Pa. It occurs. occasionally in Ontario and Wisconsin, and in the lower valley of the Ohio it is not at all rare.

By the by, the generic name of the inseci is the one above given. The name Callidryas, according to the best usage, is confined to the species occurring in the old world and the name Ca/opsilia to the species of the new world. There is a clear line of structural difference between the Indo Malaysian and Ethiopian species on the one hand, and the Neotro- pical species on the other. — W. J. HOLLAND, Director Carnegie Museum.

CATOPSILIA EUBULE NORTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. — I have read with interest the remarks published from time to time in the NEWS regarding the northern range of Catopsilia enbiile. Mr. Stone, in the November issue, remarks that he has not until this year observed it north of Cape May County, New Jersey.

More than twenty years ago I used to take this species near East Hampton, Long Island, where it occurred in September. It was not es- pecially rare, though usually very difficult to capture, seldom alighting, but flying steadily across country or along the ocean beach. I never observed it more than a mile inland, where vegetation begins to grow- more thickly. Petunias, Gladioli, and other flowers around the seaside cottages would occasionally tempt one of them and make its capture possible.

Summer before last (1902), for the first time, I observed rubiile at Greenwich, Conn., near the shore of the Sound, and last summer several were seen, in October.

The remark of Scudder (Guide to the Butterflies, 1899), that the ap- pearance of C. eubule\\\ the northern States "maybe entirely due to migration" seems to me at least very possible. Its habit of flight as observed on the Long Island coast would suggest this, and in this con- nection is another observation that has always impressed me ; C. eubnle is an extremely wary and strong flying butterfly when seen in this region, but in Florida it is not especially so. In fact, 1 have usually found it there among the easiest species to capture.— W. C. WOOD.

42 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

THE communication of Dr. Castle in the September number of ENT. NEWS, page 244, to the effect that, while collecting in Florida, he there encountered a species of Galerita, which bombarded like the spe- cies of Brachynus, recalls the only experience of the same kind that I have had, and which now seems not unworthy of publication. Among a colony of about a dozen specimens of our common Galerita janus, con- gregated under a stone and found on the Chestnut Ridge in the spring of 1899, there was one that, much to my surprise, distinctly bombarded like a Brachynus. This it did but a single time, and no effort on my part could force it to repeat the performance. Ever since this occurrence I have been paying close attention to the various colonies of Galerita that I have met, but in no case did another evidence of their power of bom- barding come under my observation, and hence I considered it anoma- lous and exceptional and not generally possessed by all the individuals of Galerita janus, or but extremely seldom employed by them when disturbed.

It would be interesting to ascertain whether, as implied, Dr. Castle has observed many, or at least several of the Florida Galerita in the act of bombarding, or. as in the instance here recorded, but a single specimen. P. JEROME SCHMITT, O. S. B , St. Vincent's, Beatty, Pa.

PROBABLY no State in the Union is more agitated over insect pests than is Texas ; and in very few States is as much entomological work being done. On November 5th and 6th a Cotton Convention was called at Dallas, Texas, the principal subject of the discussion being the Boll Weevil and Boll Worm. This was the second session of this Conven- tion, the first being held in December, 1901. At the close of the session, Prof. F. W. Mally, formerly State Entomologist of Texas, very hospit- ably entertained the other Entomologists in attendance. The following note given in the Texas Farm and Ranch is sufficiently accurate with the exception of some of the details of the menu :

ENTOMOLOGISTS' BANQUET. — "After the late Cotton Convention in Dallas, Prof. F. W. Mally, of Garrison, Texas, entertained a number of distinguished entomologists at a banquet at the Oriental. Among the guests were: Prof. W. D. Hunter, Victoria, Texas; Prof. Sherman, Raleigh, N. C., Prof. H. A. Morgan, Baton Rouge, La , Prof. E. Dwight Sanderson, College Station, Texas, and Prof. A. L. Quintance, Victoria, Texas.

Farm and Ranch was not furnished with a copy of the menu, but it as- sumes that it ran something like this :

Weevil an naturel. Bullion d'insecte. • Boll Worm Cocktail.

Weevil on the Square.

Bolls a la puncture. Boll Worm Roti.

Cotton Stalk Tips. Alkali Cotton a la Shear.

Big Bugs a la Wilson. Cotton Blanche au Jester. Exterminators."

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 43

All of those present with the exception of Prof. Sherman of North Carolina and Prof. Mally, who is now engaged in the nursery and fruit business at Garrison, are actively engaged in entomological work in Texas. In addition to these gentlemen there are now working in Texas the following: As assistants to Mr. Hunter, Mr. W E. Hinds, Mr. (.. H. Harris and Dr. Morrill, Mr. A. F. Conradi, Assistant State Entomolo- gist, and L H. Scholl, in charge of the Experimental Station Apiary at College Station.

The work of the Division of Entomology of the Department of Agri- culture and of the State Entomologist has resulted in demonstrating prac- ticable methods of fighting the Boll Weevil and Boll Worm, and it is now largely a question of getting the cotton planters to adopt the im- proved methods of culture outlined. — E. DWIGHT SANDERSON, State Entomologist.

Doings of Societies.

A regular meeting of the Entomological Section, Chicago Academy of Sciences was held in the John Crerar Library, Thursday evening, November 19, 1903. Seven members pres- ent. Mr. Longley in the chair.

The election of an Honorary Curator of the Section being in order, Mr. Comstock nominated Mr. A. B. Wolcott.

No other nominations being made, the Recorder, on motion of Mr. Ktirst, cast the ballot. Mr. Wolcott was unanimously elected.

No further business being before the meeting, Mr. \V. L,. Tower took the floor for a talk of entomological interest on Mexico. JOHN COMSTOCK, Recorder.

The Ninth Regular Quarterly Meeting of the Pacific Coast Entomological Society was held at the Cafe Odeon, 8 and 10 O'Farrell St., San Francisco, on the evening of August i5th.

President Fuchs in the chair.

Twelve members and eight visitors were present. Two new members were elected.

President Fuchs delivered his annual address, which was followed by the election of officers. Result : For President, Charles Fuchs ; Secretary and Treasurer, F. E. Blaisdcll : for Assistant Secretary, Leon Munier.

44 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

Mr. James Cottle reported his "Second Trip to Shasta," giving a list of the species captured — the following not having been included in his report given at the sixth meeting of the Society (see ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, vol. xiv, No. 2, p. 60) : Argynnis leto and rupestris, Satyrus sylvestris, Theda melinus, Philampelus achcmon, Dcilephila lineata, Protoparce celeus and Sphinx perelegans.

Prof. H. F. Wickharn, being present, responded to a call by giving some observations made during his collecting trip, not then completed. Mr. Alex. Craw gave an account of his work in the introduction of parasitic insects.

Mr. George Coleman gave a talk on the ravages of Dendro- tonus. Mr. L. E. Ricksecker exhibited a scolytid beetle that he has observed attacking fruit trees, on the shaded sides of the trunks and branches. Mr. F. W. Nunenmacher exhibited specimens of blown larvae that showed great skill in the art.

Mr. James Cottle, specimens of Sphinx lineata with a very marked variation in color markings ; Coleoptera : Pityobius mnrrayi $ and 9 , Hylotrupes anicthystiniis, Pachyta spurca and Cychrns convergers (— opacicollis Casey) — all four near Mount Shasta. Mr. J. C. Huguenin, specimens of Argynnis adiaute ( 9 ), liliana and a Satyrus near sylvestris — all from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Dr. F. E. Blaisdell, a box of Elcodcs (sub genus Eleodes} , showing the new arrangement according to his recent studies.

F. E. BLAISDELL, M. D., Secretary.

Minutes of meetings of Brooklyn Entomological Society, Brooklyn, N. Y. (Continued from p. 31, Vol. xiii. )

April //, IQOI . — Twenty-two persons present. Prof. John B. Smith presiding. Messrs. Eugene A. Bremser and Lawr- ence Ericson were elected members.

Announcement was made that the Trustees of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences had conferred the title of Patron upon Mr. Edward L,. Graef, by reason of the gift of his library and collection to that institution. Archibald C. Weeks read a paper upon the " Injurious Effects of Field and Forest Burn- ing in Greater New York and Vicinity," showing that tin-

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 45

miscellaneous annual burning of meadow and woodland de- stroyed much organic matter, rendered the landscape unsightly, exposed the soil so that it became parched, caused the drying of small ponds and streams, killed young trees and plants, and destroyed more1 beneficial and harmless insects than injurious ones ; while the destruction of plant and insect life caused many birds to be driven away.

Discussion by Messrs. Graef, Smith, Roberts, Watson, Wa- smuth and Weeks.

May 2, igoi. — Twenty-four persons present. Prof. John B. Smith presiding. Messrs. Carl Schaeffer and G. N. Barber were elected members.

Lecture by Dr. R. Ellsworth Call, on " The Mammoth Cave and its Entomological Fauna," illustrated by lantern views, showing almost all the known . species taken therein. Collect- ing was a matter of great difficulty, as the interior of the cave was absolutely dark, and the only illumination was by means of oil lantern. By this light the collector often laid face downward and captured whatever appeared to move. Cave crickets {Ceutophilus) were abundant more than a mile from the entrance. The organs of vision were lacking in most of the species of cave inhabitants ; in many forms their position was indicated by pigment. With one or two exceptions, the cave insects differed completely from the out-of-door forms occurring in the vicinity.

June 12, lyoi. — Twenty-six persons present. Prof. John B. Smith presiding. Messrs. Roy S. Richardson and Howard Bennett were elected members.

Prof. Smith presented a series of lantern views illustrative of " Some Notes on Economic Entomology in Europe," which he had obtained while on a visit abroad .during the previous summer, and gave descriptions of the scenery and inhabitants, and of the methods of dealing with destructive insects.

October j, 1901. — Twenty-four persons present. Drs. John L. Zabriskie and Otto Seifert were elected members. Discus- sion as to the introduction of Samia cvnthia in the vicinity of New York, and the extent to which it was subject to parasit- ism. Mr. Johnson stated that the introduction of S. cynthia

46 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., '04

in this locality was due to the fact that at one time the strain of Bombyx i/iori became depreciated, and in the course of ex- periments to provide a substitute, the United States Agricul- tural Department sent him one hundred cocoons. After three years' confinement, some of the larvae were placed upon an Ailanlhits in his yard ; from whence the moths escaped and spread. For a number of years they were free from parasites, but were now subject to the same attacks as our allied native species. Sparrows destroyed the larvae after the first moult, though- but rarely after the second. Dr. Meeske and Messrs. Roberts and Weeks instanced the parasitization of cynthia by Ophion macrurum and a species of Smicra. Prof. Smith noted that this moth preferred to frequent the vicinity of large cities. This, however, might be due to to the greater supply of food plant to be found in such localities. Mr. Akhurst related his experiments in breeding jama-mai for its silk. The insect so far, however, had refused to become acclimated.

Dr. Call read copies of two interesting letters : one by Ed- ward Doubleday to S. Calverley, formerly of Brooklyn, dated at Epping, England, December 17, 1840; in which, among other things, Mr. Doubleday states that he is preparing a work on United States L,epidoptera, and had 967 species enumerated. The other was by Dr. Thaddeus William Harris to Mr. Cal- verley, dated at the Library of the University, Cambridge, Mass., November 16, 1848, written in response to Mr. Calver- ley's request for a copy of " Insects Injurious to Vegetation," and in which Mr. Harris inquires who had identified Mr. Calverley's specimens, as he did not " suppose there were five persons in the United States who could do it. ' '

Dr. Call also read a paper upon the species of Anophthalmus occurring in the United States. Although there were a num- ber of names, some were probably synonyms ; which would reduce the actual number of species to eight. In fact, the generic name could be eliminated, and the several species merged with Trechus, since there were no structural differences upon which to base distinctions ; the aborted eyes not being recognized as a generic character. Prof. Smith preferred re- taining the generic name, because it was desirable to have a

Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 47

distinctive nomenclature in cases in which peculiar features were present, even if little value had been assigned to them elsewhere.

November 7, IQOI. — Twenty-nine persons present. Prof. John B. Smith presiding. Mr. John Kalbert was elected a member.

Prof. Smith spoke upon the structure, life history and de- struction of certain species of mosquitoes. He made detailed explanation of their methods, the result of their attack and their position as purveyors of various febrile and malarial diseases. His remarks were illustrated by lantern views and embodied many of his original investigations and observations.

December 5, ryor. — Twenty-five persons present. Prof. John B. Smith presiding. The death of Dr. Herman Strecker was announced, and Messrs. Graef, L,ove and Weeks were appointed a committee to prepare suitable resolutions.

Dr. Love exhibited a box of Ichneumonidae, and suggested the propriety of noting and preserving carefully all parasites emerging from pupae, for the purpose of increasing our knowl- edge of this family.

Dr. Seifert exhibited, some 750 bred specimens of Arctia nais supposed to be var. vittata, and related his experience in breed- ing from a gravid female which he took in Florida in March, and his inability to mate its progeny with vittata in this local- ity. He had also made experiments in rearing the larvae of nais upon various food plants, and had subjected the pupae of different broods to extremes of heat and cold.

Discussion as to effects of heat and cold and aestivation, by Prof. Smith, Messrs. Franck, Graef, Meeske and Weeks. Mr. Weeks instanced an A crony da chrysalid found in March, 1901, the larva of which undoubtedly pupated in the fall of 1900 and which had so far failed to emerge, though still alive. (The moth proved to be A. americana, and appeared in May, 1902).

Mr. Franck exhibited a second specimen of P. p/n'/o/or, var h\is»mt/ii, which had been taken in Flatbush the previous summer, and stated that a S. cynthia $ had been found /// copulo with a P. cecropia.

ARCHIBALD C. WEEKS, Secretary.

48 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan. '04

At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social held No- vember :8th, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South Thirteenth Street, Philadelphia, seven persons were present.

Mr. Beutenmueller stated that the American species of Corymbites hitherto referred to C. vireus of Europe, is not that species and must receive another name.

Mr. Haimbach exhibited a box of microlepidoptera including two specimens of Trichotaphe nonstrigella taken at Cincinnati, Ohio. This is a rare species hitherto only represented in col- lections by the type specimens.

Mr. H. Wenzel referred to Mr. Beutemnuller's paper on North Carolina Coleoptera, and "stated that the typical Cychrus violaceus and the variety of that species figured therein are no doubt the two extreme forms of the species.

Mr. Daecke recorded the capture of Donacia floridcc in large numbers on Hammonton Lake, N. J., August 23.

WILLIAM J. Fox, Secretary.

A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia was held November igth. Mr. H. W. Wenzel, Vice Director, presided. Fourteen mem- bers and two visitors were present. Twenty-one species of Dytiscidae were presented by Mr. H. W. Wenzel.

Mr. C. B. Hardenburg stated that a circular would be sent to all collectors of insects in Pennsylvania requesting informa- tion in regard to all orders of insects with a view of publishing a catalogue of the species of the State with exact data. Mr. Rehn strongly advised the movement, and said a beginning should be made along the lines indicated. Dr. Calvert said he favored such a list and would gladly aid with the Odonata. Dr. Calvert also gave an account of the course on entomology he was giving at the University of Pennsylvania. While en- gaged in the preparation of the course he had become spe- cially interested in the Termites. T. flavipes were found to swarm in about equal numbers as regards sex. None of the winged individuals ever produce young so far as had been ob- served in this species. Mr. R. Godfrey was elected an Asso- ciate. HENRY SKINNER, Recorder.

ENT. NEWS, VOL. XV.

PI. VII.

CULEX DUPREEI coo.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS

AND

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.

VOL. XV.

FEBRUARY, 1904.

No. 2.

CONTENTS:

Smith — Notes on the Life History of

Culex dupreei Coq.. 49

Dury— Notes on Coleoptera— on Me!a- sini, etc 52

Hoover— Notes on an Elm Leaf Case- bearer, Coleophora limosipennella (Duponchel) 54

Houghton — An Unusual Injury by the Snowy Tree-Cricket and Notes on its Feeding Habits 57

Caudell— Notes on Some Orthoptera from British Columbia 62

Graenicher— Wisconsin Bees : Genus

Andrena 64

Engel — Observations on Bembecia mar- ginata var. albicoma and Sesia

acerni. 68

Dyar — New North American Species

of Scoparia Haworth 71

Coquillett— Notes on Culex nigritulus 73

Editorial 75

Notes and News 76

Doings of Societies 78

Notes on the Life History of Culex Dupreei Coq.

BY JOHN B. SMITH.

(With Plate VII.)

This is a small mosquito originally described from Louisiana, and it ranges in color from grayish brown to nearly black. The dorsum of the thorax is taken up by a silvery white stripe with diffuse edges, and this white is continued on the head ; filling up most of the space between the eyes. It re- sembles serratus on a smaller scale ; but the stripe is not so well defined and the rnaculation of the abdomen differs.

The species was first found in the larval stage July 29, 1903, by Mr. Clarence Van Deursen, an office assistant, in a woodland pool near New Brunswick, New Jersey. Several other species were associated with it, but this larva was at once recognized as distinct by its unusually long anal gills, the apparent ab- sence of a breathing tube, and by its habit of remaining close

49

50 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

to the bottom. This is a singular character, and in confine- ment they have never been observed to rise voluntarily to the top, for air. When disturbed they sail rather than wriggle toward the surface ; but immediately descend as soon as quiet is restored. So inconspicuous and transparent are they, that a jar containing them would be set aside as empty, unless critically examined, and this, together with their habit of hiding amongst the leaves at the bottom of the pools, renders them difficult to secure.

A number of pupae were brought in with the larvae July 2gth, and from these came i $ , July 3oth, and 2 $ , July 3ist. Some specimens of the larva were preserved, others pupated and yielded adults August 2,3 9 ; August 3, i 9 ; August 4, i 9 ; August 5, i $ ; August 6, i 9 . The period of the pupal stage averaged about 3 days and offers nothing abnormal.

Another collection was made in the same locality August 1 3th, and a mixed lot of nearly full grown larvae and pupae were secured. From the pupae i £ adult emerged August 1 5th, and 8 £ , August iSth; a very long period. Larvae began to pupate August i5th, and adults were secured as fol- lows : August 19, 5 <? ; August 20, 7 <£ i 9 ; August 21,

2 $ i 9 . The average duration of the pupal stage in this lot was 4 days.

September 3rd, another collection was made and larvae were secured in an earlier stage ; but these did not do well in con- finement and only i £ adult was obtained, September i5th.

Full grown larvae were again met with by Mr. John A. Grossbeck, one of my field assistants, September gth and loth, in woodland pools in the Great Piece Meadow, an extensive swamp area along the Passaic River in the northern part of Essex County. Pupation began at once and adults were ob- tained as follows : September 13, 8 $ ; September 14, 6 $ ,

3 9 ; September 15, 2 $ , 2 9 ; September 16, i $ , 6 9 . Tins also gives an average duration of four days in the pupal stage.

Half grown larvae were secured in the same place September 24th ; but none were brought to maturity.

This record indicates continuous breeding from the latter part of July to the end of September, and of course it is prob-

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5!

able that the breeding began much earlier in the season and continued at least a little later. No adults were taken on the wing and no observations were made of any attempts at bit- ing. Practically the species is of no importance : technically it is of the greatest interest.

The larva, figure i of plate vii, is whitish, almost transparent, and 5-6^2 mm. in length. The head is almost twice as broad as long. Antennae half as long as the head, almost uniform in thickness two-thirds from base, then tapering slightly to the tip where there are four articulated spines and a stout little joint. The hair tuft, figure 5, issues from a point slightly above the middle, and is sparse, not extending beyond the tip. At figure 2, is a drawing of the head beneath, made from a cast skin. The rotary fan tufts, figure 3, have the hairs pec- tinated at the tip ; most obviously so toward the centre of the structures. The mandible, figure 4, and the mentum, figure 6, offer nothing of special importance.

The thorax is one and one-half times the width of the head, with the sides a little angulated : tufts as shown in the figure.

The anal siphon is 45^ times as long as its width at base and tapers rather evenly toward the tip. It is really a very incon- spicuous affair in the larva and readily overlooked in the living specimen. At figure i, its relation to the entire larva is brought out, and at figure 7, its relation to the immediate sur- soundings is shown. This drawing was made from a mounted cast skin, and the tube seems in consequence stouter than is really the case. There are 12 spines in each of the lateral rows, and their average form is shown at 9.

The lateral combs of the 8th abdominal segment consist of from 8 to 10 scales each, arranged as shown at 7, and indi- vidually like figure 8 on plate.

The anal gills are more than double the length of the anal siphon, slender, drawn to a point, with the tracheal tubes readily visible through the transparent walls under low powers of the microscope.

Altogether this is a very distinct little species in all the known stages. Of the egg, or of its method of hibernation, I have no information.

52 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

Notes on Coleoptera.

BY CHARLES DURY, Cincinnati, Ohio.

On Mclasini.

I have taken here from time to time specimens of a Nema- todes that was locally associated with N. atropos and N. peue- trans. Its elytra and body beneath are black. Head and thorax reddish brown covered with golden hairs. Body shorter and stouter than atropos, with the thoracic fovese round and much deeper. Antennal joints 4 and 5 short, not longer than wide. Joints 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and n longer than wide. It has quite a different facies from either atropos or pcnetrans, and will come between them in Dr. Horn's table, given in his ex- cellent monograph of the North American species of Eucnemini (Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 1886, p. 5.) In this paper Dr. Horn makes mention of such a species. Mr. Fleutiaux of Paris has suggested that it might be Bonvouloir's Nematodes collaris. After a comparison of the specimens with his ( Bon v.'s) descrip- tion of collaris, I am satisfied that it is that species. Bonvouloir gives Brazil and ' l|La. ' ' as the localities, though mentions La. as doubtful. The three species of Nematodes we find here, have the same habits. They run rapidly on the trunks of dead Beech, Elm and Maple trees, hiding under the bark and in crevices. When disturbed they drop to the ground. They emerge from round holes which they cut through the wood. In his classification of this sub-family (Societe Entomologique de France, L,XX, 1901), Mr. Fleutiaux uses Melasincr in- stead of EucnemincE. In revised list of Coleoptera observed near Cincinnati, Ohio (Journal Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist. XX No. 3), I have enumerated twenty-five species of this sub-family, the result of over twenty-five years' collecting. I thought I had taken all the local species, but was surprised June 10, 1903, to find a large well-marked species that had hitherto escaped observation. It proved to be Hylocharcs nigricornis Say. They were cutting their way out of the trunk of a huge dead White Elm, ( Ulmus americana) making round holes. The area of emergence was about 6 x 24 inches, and from this spot I secured 107 fine specimens. The species is well de- scribed in Horn's paper referred to, but the extreme of size in

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 53

my series is 5 to 10 mm. Stethon pectorosus occurred from June 28 until July 7 on dead elm. I took two specimens of Adelothyreus dcjeanii Bonv. running on the trunk of dead Beech. Nematodes atropos and penetrans both occurred, June and July, on dead trees and logs, the former rare and the latter common. Mr. Blanchard of Tyngsboro, Mass., reminds me that in Revised List Cin. Coleop. I had overlooked the fact that Fornax hornii Bonv. was the other sex of calceatus Say, as mentioned in my former list, and the genus Tharops has been superseded by Isorhipis (See Biologia Vol. 3, pt. i.) This makes twenty-eight species of the sub-family occurring

here.

Rediscovery of a Lost Species.

While collecting insects in a Beech woods near this city June 24 to July 8, 1903, I observed a bright green chryso- melid running rapidly over the leaves of " Boneset" (Eupato- riiiDi ageratoidcs.} The beetle was Very shy, taking flight quickly if approached. By rapid strokes of a butterfly net I captured 31 specimens, both males and females. An examina- tion reveals some characters of considerable interest. I feel satisfied that the species is Say's long lost and doubted " Ga- leruca dorsata' (See Horn's Galerucini, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. xx, p. 132.) Say gives the " Arkansa above the Virdi- gris," as the locality of his type. The female is }£ inch long, as given in Say's description, but the male is a little less. The color is bright green, shining. By oblique light it changes to deep blue. There is a pale border around the elytra. Say's description fits the female well. He evidently did not see the male, as he does not mention the remarkable male characters, which are, a large deep fovea with a short groove leading into it, situated near the suture, a short distance from the apex on each elytron, and a curious modification of the anteunal joints 5-6 and 7 best shown in the drawing.

The species seems to be a Diabrotica and not Galeruca, and should stand as Diabrotica (forsafa (Say.)

54 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

Notes on an Elm Leaf Case-bearer, Coleophora limosipennella (Duponchel.)

BY WALTER W. HOOVER, Brooklyn, New York.

I met this little insect for the first time in the latter part of June, 1902, and have observed it pretty closely from time to time since then. My attention was first attracted to it by the numerous little brown patches on the leaves of the English Elms (Ulmus campestris) in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. An ex- amination of the leaves revealed the fact that the patches were made by a case-bearing insect, the larva of a small moth belonging to the genus Coleophora. The exact species I could not determine at the time but I now believe it to be limosipennella .

The case-bearers were first noticed in Prospect Park about 1894 or 1895, but it is not improbable that they existed here long before that, but had not become numerous enough to at- tract attention. They are now found in nearly all parts of Prospect Park, and in several places in Brooklyn outside of the Park, but they occur in greatest numbers on the English Elms on what is called South Lake-Drive. While showing a decided preference for the English Elm I have found them on the American Elm, and on the Camperdown Elm. This de- cided preference for the English Elm leads me to believe that like the Elm-leaf Beetle, which also prefers the European Elms but has become a formidable foe to the American Elm, this case-bearer is also an importation from Europe.

The case-bearer is only about J/s, of an inch long and the case is about ^4 inch in length. The case is made from a por- tion of the leaf and resembles both in color and shape a diminutive cigar.

The manner of feeding is rather interesting and is somewhat as follows : The caterpillar selects a place almost invariably on the underside of the leaf usually near a vein branching from the midvein ; here it fastens the case and proceeds to make a small round hole in the skin of the leaf. As soon as the epidermis is eaten through and the hole thus made is large enough to admit its head, the caterpillar begins feeding upon

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 55

the soft green tissue which fills all the space between the tipper and lower skins and the large veins. Usually they eat out all the mesophyl between two parallel veins and as far as they can reach in the other two directions without entirely leaving the case. It will be remembered that the case is at- tached to the leaf and its door is exactly over the hole in the epidermis. Once or twice I have seen a caterpillar voluntarily leave the case altogether, but usually they keep a tight grip upon the case, and when disturbed duck back into it with sur- prising rapidity.

Adult moths emerged from the cases on July igib and continued coming out for about two weeks. They are light grey in color with beautifully fringed wings. They spread a little over half an inch. I kept a number of them in my breeding cage hoping to get some eggs, but in this I was disappointed.

On July 3ist I found a minute yellow speck on an elm leaf which under the microscope proved to be a mass of deeply pitted lemon yellow eggs. Since none of the eggs hatched I am not sure what they were, but as they closely resembled the eggs of another species of Coleophora, as described by Professor Slingerland, I am inclined to believe that they were the eggs of this species.

Although none of the eggs hatched in my cages, young case-bearers were abundant on the English Elms during the first week in August. They evidently construct their cases almost as soon as they are hatched, for I have never been able to find one without a home. The young brood do not differ materially in habits from the old. They construct their cases as neatly, and in the same manner as the spring brood did.

With the approach of Autumn I was anxious to know whether the case-bearers would fall with the leaves, as in that event they could easily be destroyed by gathering the leavi > and burning them. I was lead to hope that such would be the case, since in my breeding cages they adhered tenaciously to the leaves even after they had withered and become quite dry. In fact I often had to detach them from the dry leaves and place them upon the fresh food in order to keep them alive.

56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

I found, however, that by the middle of September, several weeks before the leaves dropped, the case-bearers were already firmly attached to the stem. Clustered around the bud at the base of the petiole of the leaf upon which they had lived, they passed the winter, ready to begin work upon the unfolding leaf which the first warm days of Spring should bring out. Thus they passed the Winter not as pupae but as hibernating larvae.

With the advent of Spring the caterpillars begin to feed upon the unfolding leaves. Soon they feel the need of larger quarters, but instead of building an addition to the old case, each caterpillar makes a new case. The case-bearer selects a place near the edge of the leaf and usually near the base, at- taches its case and begins to make a burrow in the soft green tissue just as it normally would in feeding except that it does not eat out so large an area as it ordinarily would, but simply makes a burrow large enough to accommodate itself comfort- ably and enough more to allow for growth. It then weaves a silken web all around the interior of the burrow except at the hole where it entered, which is left as the mouth of the case, and a narrow slit at the opposite end which serves as a back door for the exit of excrement. The new case is still attached to the leaf, but in a day or two it becomes dry and brittle, and the wriggling of the caterpillar causes it to break away from the rest of the leaf, and soon the caterpillar walks off carrying his case with him.

The life of the case-bearer during the next few weeks may be briefly described as spent in eating, resting quietly sus- pended on the under surface of a leaf, and in seeking a new place to feed. It is a curious sight to see one of these little insects moving along a leaf with its case held out at a right angle with the surface of the leaf upon which it is moving ; it reminds one of a very small Bag- worm, Thyridopteryx cphc- mertzformis.

By the first week in July the larvae pupate, remaining in the pupa condition about two weeks, and the adult moths emerge about the middle of July.

MR. JAY ELMER BROWN died in February, 1903. He was an ardent collector of Lepidoptera and resided at Pasadena, California.

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 57

An Unusual Injury by the Snowy Tree-cricket and Notes on its Feeding Habits.

BY C. O. HOUGHTON, Newark, Del.

On May 28th, 1903, there was brought to the Station for examination the trunk of a young plum tree, something over an inch in diameter, which contained a great many small, round punctures scattered irregularly over nearly the entire surface. Surrounding some of these punctures were irregular depressed areas in the bark of considerable size and in some cases a considerable amount of a gummy substance had exuded from the wounds, entirely covering the apertures.

I had seen nothing of the kind before, and an examination of the literature at hand on the subject of insects affecting the plum and other fruit trees threw no light upon the matter. Examination of the punctures revealed in each the presence of a small elongate egg, or egg-case, set in obliquely with one end near the opening and wholly contained within the bark or very nearly so. I was not familiar with the eggs and the trunk was left upon a table in the laboratory to await further examination. While working in the laboratory that evening I chanced to see, running quite rapidly about on the surface of the bark, three orthopterous nymphs, slender-bodied, light in color and about a half an inch in length, including the an- tennae, which were considerably longer than the body. A fourth one had not wholly freed itself from the egg-case, being still held by the antennae and one of its legs. This left no doubt in my mind as to whether or not the others had emerged from some of the other punctures in the bark. I at once came to the conclusion that these active little fellows were the young of a species of tree-cricket and began to look up the literature on the subject. I found plenty of references to these insects and their injuries, but nothing. that was at all comparable with the case in hand until I came to a bulletin by Dr. Hopkins,* while connected with the West Virginia Agricultural Experi- ment Station, in which he gives some notes on O<*C(i>it/ins sp. injuring branches of apple trees in old orchards. His experi- ences, up to the point of finding the eggs, were very similar to

i '

* Bull. 50 W. Va. Agri. Expt. Station, p. 39 et seq.

58 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb. ,'04

my own, but as he had not seen the young, or been able to more than guess at the identity of the species, I was naturally anxious to bring the young crickets to maturity and thus establish the identity of the author of this peculiar injury. Accordingly I captured the four specimens, placed them in shell vials and carefully examined the trunk for more, but without success. Thinking that more might emerge during the night and not having anything at hand large enough to enclose the whole trunk of the tree, I tried the experiment of suspending it at some distance from the floor by means of a piece of fine wire fastened to it near the middle. I thought the young crickets would probably be too timid to jump from the trunk, but in this I was mistaken, if any emerged, (as was quite probable) for I found none upon it on the following morning. I soon found that the young crickets jumped readily and considerable distances shortly after emerging from the egg-cases.

Having a supply of aphides, principally from cherry trees, in the laboratory, I placed from two to six of them in the vials with the young crickets, and out of six which I put in one vial with a cricket but one was alive the following morn- ing. On the agth, I sawed the trunk into pieces about a foot in length and put them inside a glass cylinder, covered with cheese cloth, in order to secure any other crickets that might emerge. On the following morning I found five more young crickets, one of which was held by the hind legs in much the same manner as the one previously described. This one never succeeded in freeing itself and soon died. Doubtless this would have been the fate of the first one had T not helped to free it from its egg-case, and as it was it died later, within 24 hours and never was able to move about much. The other four were bright and active, and when resting usually sought light colored places, as a point where a limb had been cut off or the sawed end of one of the pieces, evidently realizing the protection afforded by such places.

When but a day old one of the crickets killed two good sized aphides and apparently sucked the juices from them, in a period of five or six minutes.

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 59

May 3ist being Sunday I did not visit the laboratory, but on the morning of June ist I found twelve or fifteen more crickets in the cylinder. Most of these were resting on the cheese cloth over the top of the cylinder.

Between June ist and 8th about a half dozen more crickets emerged, but none were found in the cylinder after the latter date. Apparently the last specimen emerged on the night of the jth. Thus the time of hatching had extended over a period of eleven or twelve days with me, but I estimated that probably one-half the young had emerged before the tree trunk had been brought into the laboratory.

A few of the young crickets died, probably more from lack of food than from any other cause, but on June gth I had about twenty-three in good condition, most of them in shell vials, usually but one in a vial. On that day I noted the first case of cannibalism. An empty shell vial had been placed in a glass cylinder in which a few of the crickets were inclosed, and two of them had fallen into it. They had not been there long, but one— the larger — had killed and partly devoured the other. One or two other cases of cannibalism were noticed later, but only when there was a scarcity of food.

As was to be expected, feeding was done principally at night or in the evening, and they kept comparatively quiet during the day, but if very hungry and they were given fresh food they would usually feed at any time. After a night's feasting the slender-bodied active insects would be transformed into sluggish creatures with greatly distended abdomens.

As they grew older they apparently became accustomed to being handled, and exhibited but little signs of fear when being changed from vial to vial or when having their food supply replenished. Occasionally one would jump, and the distance to which it would leap and the suddenness of the movement would cause me to wonder that they did not all escape from captivity at some time or other.

They were always very cleanly in their habits, and it was quite amusing to see them cleaning their long antennae by slowly drawing them through their mouth parts or to see them reach their heads back under their bodies in their efforts to

60 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

remove, by means of their mouth, any particles of dirt that might have become attached thereto.

On June i2th I left Newark for a month's vacation at my home in northern New York, and took my entire colony of twenty odd crickets along with me. They were placed singly in shell vials holding about six drams, tightly corked, and a number of aphides, with a little vegetation, were enclosed with each.

Up to this time they had been fed principally on aphides from cherry and peach trees, but with a change in section of country a change in food was necessary, and during their month's stay in northern New York their food consisted almost entirely of the currant aphis.

I soon found that the shell vials were too small for my cap- tives, as some lost their lives by becoming fastened by their long antennae to the sides of the vials, apparently rendered sticky by the moisture from the vegetation enclosed, and the honey-dew from the aphides. Accordingly the survivors were transferred to jelly tumblers turned bottom upwards over pieces of paper ; usually but one was placed in a jar, as I feared more cases of cannibalism. I was not able to watch them very closely, so could not get any very definite molts, but the first sign of wings appeared on an individual in which one of the moults occurred on July 4th. The wings appeared at that time as little pads in which state they remained for a con- siderable length of time. The skin cast by this individual at this time was only partially eaten, I think.

On July 8th I left home for Newark, and at that time had but seven living crickets. The plant-lice on the currant bushes having at this time practically disappeared, I found it necessary to look for other food for them on their trip back to their native State, and found this in the shape of some large plant- lice on rose bushes.

These seemed to " fill the bill," and all of the crickets reached Newark safely. There the food question was a greater problem than at Potsdam, for it was next to impossible to find plant lice of any kind. I succeeded in finding a few colonies on young pear trees, but these were soon gone, and I was

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 6l

forced to look elsewhere. A garden weed yielded a very few large lice of a species not previously fed to them, and these were eaten like the others. It was not long however, before I found it impossible to find even these, and I began to despair of ever bringing any of the crickets to maturity. On July 2oth I had but three left, and one of these was rather small and unpromising. With their natural food supply exhausted I thought the case nearly hopeless. It then occurred to me that perhaps they might eat insects other than plant-lice, so I captured some specimens of Pieris rapes, snipped off their wings, cut the bodies partly open and placed them in the jars with the crickets. On the following morning I found to my great satisfaction that they had been feasting upon them. Later, house flies were added to their menu, and were fed upon, and this, in one case at least, in the afternoon. On the night of July 24th, the largest one of the three specimens moulted again, and on the morning of the 25th, I found a full-grown female specimen of Occanthus niveus DeGeer in the jar.

In looking over the literature on the species I had found in one of Prof. C. M. Weed's reports* while Entomologist for Ohio, the statement that OecantJnts niveus is carniverous when young, but " when full-grown, however, the insect becomes a vegetarian." f I had been feeding my adult specimens princi- pally upon a diet of flies, but thinking that possibly a vege- table diet might be preferred, I placed in the jar one night several kinds of young and tender leaves and a single house fly. The leaves were small and were carefully examined, so that had any part of them been eaten I could have easily de- tected it. On the following morning only the wings of the fly remained ; the leaves were untouched. This specimen lived until August 4th, and so far as I could ascertain no vegetable matter was ever eaten though various kinds of leaves were placed in the jar with her.

*7th Ann. Rept. Ohio Agric. Expt. Station p. 155.

f It is but fair to Prof. Weed, however, to add that in his " Insects and Insecticides," published soon after this Report, he states that these in- sects "feed upon plant-lice and other insects during their entire exist- ence."

62 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

Notes on some Orthoptera from British Columbia.

BY A. N. CAUDELL, Washington, D. C.

The collecting trip to British Columbia made this Summer by Dr. Dyar, Mr. Currie and myself, while generally success- ful, was a dismal failure orthopterologically so far as actual number of species taken are concerned. Less than one hun- dred specimens were collected and over a third of these were Mclanoplns atlanis. This widely distributed species occurred rather commonly in the valleys visited ; but its congener, M. femur-rubrum , was not often met with in the vicinity of Kaslo, where most of our collecting was done. M. dawsoni var. tcllustris and M. fasciatus were also taken, but in limited numbers. The former was raised from nymphs collected above the show banks back of Bear Lake at an altitude of about 6500 feet on July 29th, the adults issuing on August I2th. M. fasciatus was taken at Mirror Lake, a small lake a couple of miles below Kaslo, on July lyth.

Besides Afelanoplus atlanis but one grasshopper occurred in any considerable number, Circotettix suffusus. The first mature specimen of this was taken at Kaslo on July i3th. One spe- cimen belonging to this genus was referable to Kirby's species verruculatus. These two species are very nearly related and will very probably prove to be forms of the same species.

Camnula pcllucida, often so injuriously common in some localities, was seen but twice, a mature female being taken at Kaslo on August 5th, and a nymph on June 24th.

Of grouse-locusts three species were taken, Tettix granula- fus, T. crassus and T. brnnneri. Brunneri occurred in both the macropterous and the brachypterous form. I owe its de- termination to Dr. J. L. Hancock who will later describe the long winged form, which he wrrites me is new. Crassus has previously been reported only from Michigan, Nebraska, Colo- rado and New Mexico. The single specimen taken by us agrees with authentic specimens of this species identified by Hancock.

I take this opportunity of expressing my perfect inability to use Dr. Hancock's synoptic tables. They seem carefully prepared, yet the dichotomous method is not consistently pur-

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 63

sued. It is to be greatly hoped that Dr. Hancock will, in a promised supplement to his otherwise valuable monograph, revise his tables and present them in the ordinary form.

Among the rarer species of Orthoptera taken by us in British Columbia may be mentioned Podisma polita and Ceutho- philus hcnshaici. The former was taken on the Kitchener Glacier on Mt. Kokanee on August loth. C. henshawi was taken in numbers at sugar at Kaslo during the months of June, July and August. They came out after dark, and after eating of the mixture of beer, rum, molasses and sugar until they were stupid, fell an easy prey. These ''drunken ceu- thops," as Mr. Curris and I facetiously nicknamed them, were so numerous at sugar that several dozens might have been taken in one evening. Though so much in evidence at night I saw few during the day time, in fact I saw no more than half a dozen specimens during the many days of diligent search spent in that region. This remarkable species seems worthy of generic distinction.

Cyphoderris monstrosa was also a much prized capture. An immature, but almost full grown, female specimen of this rather interesting species was found by Dr. Dyar at Ains- worth. It was found floundering about in a wagon track on a damp mountain trail. This specimen agrees with the adult, a specimen of which was kindly presented by Dr. Fletcher, except that the wing pads are still smaller and the pronotum does not extend back so far over the basal segment of the abdomen. This immature specimen was taken on July loth, and the adult given me by Dr. Fletcher, was taken at Banff, Alberta, on August 8th.

Cockroaches thrive in British Columbia as they do almost everywhere. The common species there seems to be the Ger- man roach or croton bug, Blattella gcnnaiiicu. They are in every thing, even the food. On this trip I had them served to me in three different styles, alive in strawberries, a la carte with fried fish and baked in biscuit. In justice to our amiable host of the Kaslo Hotel, where we stayed most of the time, be it said that these little appreciated delicacies were not served at his table.

64 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

Wisconsin Bees : Genus Andrena.

BY S. GRAENICHER, Milwaukee, Wis.

The three species described below bring the number of new species of Andrena from Milwaukee County, Wis., up to sev- enteen. My sincere thanks are due to Prof. T. D. A. Cock- erell for the interest taken in the study of these bees, as also for the very liberal aid given me in various ways.

Andrena fragariana n. sp.

9- — Length about 6 mm. Black. Pubescence whitish, thin, and of moderate length. Head broad, distinctly striate below the ocelli. Fa- cial foveae narrow, extending below the base of the antennae, and con- taining light-brown pubescence. Cheeks narrow. Clypeus slightly convex, shining, with sparse, shallow punctures. No median impunctate line. The pubescence is short and sparse on the clypeus, longer on the cheeks and sides of the face. Process of labrum short, semicircular. Flagellum somewhat testaceous beneath. Joints 4 and 5 subequal, both together about as long as 3. Mandibles reddish at the tips. Mesonotum dull, finely roughened, with shallow, hardly visible punctures. Pleura and sides of metathorax clothed with long white hairs, while those of the mesonotum are rather short and thin. Enclosure of metathorax mod- erately broad, defined by impressed lines, coarsely roughened through- out. The sculpture of the surrounding area is much finer. Wings yellowish hyaline, stigma and nervures testaceous. Second submarginal cell more than one-half as long as third, receiving the first recurrent nervure at or slightly before the middle. Tegulae testaceous exteriorly, of a darker shade than the stigma. Legs black, with short white hairs. Tibial scopa also white. The small joints of the tarsi are somewhat fer- ruginous. On the inner side the basal joints are covered with light yel- lowish pubescence. Abdomen shining, broad and flattened, with poorly developed apical hair-bands, and narrowly testaceous apical margins. Upper surface of segments minutely tessellate, without punctures. Anal fimbria inclined to fulvous.

<3\ — About 5 mm. long. Very closely resembling the female. Pubes- cence more cinereous than in the other sex, also longer and more dense on clypeus, cheeks, pleura, and sides of metathorax. Cheeks regularly rounded. Joint 3 of antennae about as long as 4 + 5. Second submar- ginal cell narrower than in the female, and apical margins of abdominal segments more distinctly testaceous.

Milwaukee, Wis., 10 S and 16 9 specimens, collected from May 15 to June 15, 1903, on the flowers of our commonest wild strawberry, Fragaria virginiana This bee is an oligo- tropic visitor of these flowers, and has not been observed on the flowers of any other plant.

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 65

The female might be mistaken for that of Opandrena zizice, but the facial fovea is much narrower, the metathoracic en- closure narrower, but more coarsely sculptured, and the anal fimbria considerably lighter than in O. zizice. Besides, the latter has a greenish reflection, which is especially noticeable on the scutellum and postscutellum of local specimens, and it is a somewhat larger insect. A. fragariana is the smallest species of Andrcna sens. lat. occurring in our locality. The male of this species, with its black clypeus, is at once separated from the white-faced male of O. zizice.

Andrena wheeled n. sp.

9 . — Length 8 mm. Body black, covered with thin, whitish-yellow pubescence, except on mesonotum, scutellum and postscutellum, where it becomes distinctly ochraceous. Head as broad as thorax, with ex- tremely broad facial fovese. The pubescence of the latter light ochra- ceous, when viewed from the side or from above. Front below the ocelli minutely striato-punctate. Vertex and cheeks finely roughened, impunc- tate. The pubescence is moderately long on sides of face, vertex, and cheeks, short and scanty on the clypeus. The latter is somewhat shin- ing, with an impunctate area in the middle. Punctures on the sides of the clypeus small and crowded, becoming large and sparse towards the middle. Process of labrum rounded. Joint 3 of antennae equal to 4+5. Flagellum clavate, reddish beneath towards the tip. Mesonotum and scutellum faintly shining, with sparse, small, shallow punctures. On the mesonotum the hairs are erect, short and scattered, while those of the scutellum and postscutellum are rather long and brightly colored. Metathoracic enclosure broad, roughened, rugose at the base, with impressed smooth lines at lateral borders. Surrounding surface more finely roughened. Wings hyaline, with a yellowish tint. Nervures, stigma and tegulae testaceous, the latter dark brown anteriorly. First recurrent nervure entering the second submarginal cell at the middle. the4atter nearly quadrate, about half as long as third. Legs dark brown, inclining to testaceous on the posterior tibiae and tarsi. Yellowish pubescence of the legs nowhere abundant. Abdomen broad oval, shin- ing, bare, without a trace of hair-bands. Segments 2, 3 and 4 depressed more than one-third. Depressions impunctate, the remaining parts with very small, not close punctures. Anal fimbria fulvous.

cf.— Length 7 mm. Pubescence more uniformly whitish-yellow through- out than in the female, and longer on clypeus, cheeks, and mesonotum. Cheeks regularly rounded. Joint 3 of antennae considerably shorter than 44-5, hardly longer than 5. Nervures and stigma darker, and apical depressions of abdominal segments narrower than in female, less than one-third the length of the segment.

66 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

Milwaukee, Wis., 3 £ and 13 9 specimens, taken on the flowers of Ticnidia C/izia) integcrrima and Thaspium trifoli- atum auremn, from June 8 to June 18, 1903. This is undoubt- ed!}7 an oligotropic bee of the l^mbellifer<z. It is named in honor of Prof. Wm. M. Wheeler, who, within the last few years, has contributed so largely to our knowledge of North

American ants.

Andrena persimilis n. sp.

?. — Length about 9 mm. Black, with dirty white pubescence on head and thorax, and grayish-white hair-bands on the abdomen. Facial foveae moderately broad, covered with light pubescence. Clypeus shining, with small and close punctures, and a narrow impunctate median line. Process of labrum truncate. Cheeks considerably swollen, shining, thinly pu- bescent. Flagellum rufo-testaceous beneath near the apex. Pubescence of thorax long and thin, partly concealing the surface. Disc of meso- notum and scutellum highly polished, with very minute punctures ; meta- thoracic enclosure defined by impressed lines. Its surface, as also that of the surrounding parts, dull and rather smooth. Legs dark brown, with white hairs, those on the inner surface of the basal joints of hind tarsi yellowish. Tibial scopa dense, plumose. Wings clear white, with dark nervures. Tegulae and stigma testaceous, the latter less than half as wide as the marginal cell. Third submarginal cell shorter than the first, but nearly three times as broad as the second, which is hardly nar- rowed above, and receives the first recurrent nervure behind the middle. Abdomen shining, flattened, broad and oval, without punctures. Con- tinuous broad hair-bands of white appressed pubescence on segments 2 to 4. Anal fimbria dirty-white, with a reddish tint.

Milwaukee, Wis., one female, taken August 24, 1903, col- lecting pollen on the flowers of Solidago canadeiisis. The structure of the tibial scopa places this species in the genus Pterandrena Rob. In man}' respects it answers the description of A. distans Prov. , but differs as follows: wings distinctly clear, stigma pale testaceous, not ferruginous, second submar- ginal cell hardly narrowed above, and abdominal hair-bands composed of short, appressed pubescence (long in di*ttt>ts \.

Andrena parnassise Ckll. Andrena parnassiae, Cockerel!, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 7, IX, 105. 9,

9. — The females are mostly larger than the type, some of them reach- ing a length of nearly 10 mm.

r?. — Length 8 mm. Head enormously developed, much wider and higher than the thorax. Cheeks broad and shining, moderately convex,

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 67

with a rounded angle above the middle of the eye. Margin of the angle reflexed. Upper part of cheeks bare, joint 3 of antennae longer than 4+5. Mandibles long, slender and distinctly curved. A distinct notch remote from the tip. Pubescence longer and more whitish than in the female, black on vertex and mesonotum only. Hair-bands of abdominal segments very poorly developed.

Milwaukee, Wis. , 5 $ , 20 ? specimens. This bee flies from August 25th to September 26th. The size of the head of the male is very remarkable. lu this respect the male surpasses the male of any other species of Andrena sens. lat. known from

this locality.

Andrena viburnella Graen.

Andrena viburnella, Graenicher, Can. Ent., XXV, 165. 9- 9- The second submarginal cell is very large, in most cases fully as long as third.

cf . — Length S-io mm. Pubescence lighter than in the female, dirty- white. Punctuation finer and closer. Cheeks broad, evenly rounded. Antennae rather short, and stout for a male, joint 3 not quite as long as 4 + 5. Wings with a ferruginous tint. Nervures and stigma distinctly light ferruginous. Second submarginal cell shorter than in female, about two-thirds as long as the third on cubital nervure. In the smaller specimens the legs show hardly any ferruginous coloration at all, while in the larger ones this color is present on all the tarsi, the tips of all of the tibiae, and the bases of the posterior tibiae. Slightly developed hair- bands on the margins of abdominal segments 2 to 5, widely interrupted on 2 and 3.

Milwaukee, Wis., 6 $ , 8 9 specimens, taken from May 29th to June 2oth, on the flowers of Viburnum lentago, Rubus vil- losus, and Thaspium trifoliatum aureum.

WE HAVE received a blank renewal blank from Montreal, Canada, and wish we were mind readers. Send us your name so we can give you credit for $1.00.

WHITE vs. BLACK PINS. — My insect room is very hot and dry, during the summer months. The high temperature has so hastened greasing of the specimens, and the formation of "green oxide" on the white pins, that I have been obliged to discard them, and use the black japanned steel pins. These have the advantage of being sharp and stiff, though they are not very smooth ; however they work well in this very dry room. But while at Brownsville, Texas, during last April and May, the black pins rusted badly. I am sure a long stay in such a damp locality would ruin them. — CHARLES DURV.

68 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

Observations on Bembecia Marginata var. Albicoma

and Sesia Acerni.

BY HENRY ENGEL, Pittsburgh, Pa.

For several seasons I have been on the lookout for Bembecia marginata in this vicinity, but had no success until I found part of an empty pupal shell protruding from a dead cane of red raspberry on June 28, 1903. On further examina- tion of the cane and roots, the feeding habits were noticed, and a search for larvae resulted in finding three in a small patch of red raspberry. From that date to July 22, nearly every day, one to two hours were devoted to hunting larvae and pupae of this species, resulting in the discovery of two hundred and forty specimens. These were found in a com- paratively small area in a ravine having clusters of blackberry bushes here and there. Only five were found in raspberry bushes. Both sexes of the typical form and also of the var. albicoma occurred among the images resulting from the pupae collected. Apparentl)7 the female of the variety albicoma was unknown when Mr. Beutenmuller concluded his Monograph of the Sesiidae. A brief mention of its points of difference from the typical form is appended.

Bembecia marginata var. albicoma Hulst, 9.

Head, thorax and abdomen sooty-black, all lines and markings on col- lar and thorax reduced and straw-yellow. The line which crosses and ends in a triangular patch on each side of thorax in the typical form is interrupted in albicoma, extending only to lateral lines above the inter- section of the primaries. The rings on the first three segments are only faintly indicated on top and are narrower on the under side than in mar- ginata. The tuft of hair on the dorsal part of the third segment is all black. The rings on the abdomen and last two segments are straw- yellow, with black hairs intermingled on the last. two segments. The legs are clothed with brown hairs. The margins of the wings are some- what darker brown than in marginata.

Ova of marginata were obtained. The following description has been prepared by Dr. \V. J. Holland :

" Eggs of B. marginata: .80 mm. in length ; .60 mm. in width ; ob- long oval viewed from above ; greatly flattened on base, and flattened ovate viewed laterally ; profusely covered with minute, irregular, reticu- lated ridges enclosing deeper pitted depressions. Deep chestnut-brown in color."

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 69

Interesting points in the habits of this species were observed. The time of day when they emerge differs from all Sesiids known to me. The males emerge from noon till 4 P.M., the females from 3 to 5 P.M. No notice was taken of this unusual behavior when two males emerged on August 8th and i4th, respectively, but when eight males and one female appeared during the afternoon of August i5th, my interest was aroused and I determined to learn their mating time. The males were bottled and the female placed in a cage and exposed all day August i6th. She remained inactive until 3 P.M., when, in a clumsy manner, she commenced flying about the cage. At nearly 5 P.M. the first male appeared, and more at short inter- vals until 6 P.M., when I had taken fourteen. A male was placed in the cage, and copulation took place, which lasted till 8.45 P.M. Subsequently I mated a number of pairs, but copu- lation never lasted more than forty-five minutes to one and one-half hours. From August 22d onward females were ex- posed every day, but males never appeared as early as the first day the experiment was tried.

Mr. Beutenmuller, in his Monograph, p. 226, under the heading "Habits of Iiuagos" expresses the view that mar- ginala is probably nocturnal in its habits. He came close to it. In all the experiments, excepting the first day, males were attracted from 6 P.M., sometimes 6.15 P.M., till 7.20 P.M., when it was quite dusk. This, however, is as far as its habits ap- proach the nocturnal stage. After copulation they remain inactive until the following day, when about 10 AM. several females became active and deposited a few ova on the screen of the cage. In the field I have seen only two females. These were found about 2 P.M. on September 6th, resting on leaves of hawthorn and blackberry, respectively. Mr. Zahrobsky, of \Vilmerding, Pa., observed the female flying about noon de- positing ova on the base of blackberry canes. About one hour after emergence the males take to the wing and must be removed from the cage, otherwise they quickly reduce their wings to fragments. The pupae and images show a remarka- ble variation in size. The male imagos range from 17 mm. to 26 mm., the females from 26 mm. to 32 mm., with a corre-

70 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

spending variation in the bulk of the abdomen. This, no doubt, is caused by abundance or lack of food. Taking the difference in size of the male and the female into consideration, all the larvae found in vigorous and strong plants were of uni- form size. In the district where I collected these larvae and pupae is a miniature mountain of coal-slack on which stunted and dwarfed bushes exist. Although the canes were scarcely thick enough for the larvae to form their pupal cells, nearly every bush harbored a larva. All these were smaller in size. Right after the change to the pupal stage the pupae are cream- colored, but change gradually to reddish brown in the course of two days. The larvae and pupae were left in sections of roots or in a part of the cane, and these were placed on damp soil in the cage, but nearly one-half of the number collected succumbed to the unnatural conditions. Some of the larvae perhaps were not mature when carried in. From 240 in all, 129 examples emerged, as follows : 71 males and 39 females of marginata and 9 males and 10 females of the var. albicoma. There were 168 males attracted to females, of which number 29 were albicoma. The two forms readily interbreed. I have mated female marginata and male albicoma and vice versa. Larvae and pupae were collected from June 28th to July 25th. The first pupae were found on July 2d. By July 2oth the majority were in the pupal stage. The first imago emerged August 8th, with males strongly in the majority until August 25th ; after that females were more numerous. The last few days of August are the height of their period of flight. Fe- males exposed on August 2gth to September 3d attracted only eleven males. Stragglers appeared in the cage up to Septem- ber 1 2th, mostly all females. The pupal stage lasts from twenty-five to thirty days. Males attracted by females could be seen from some distance ; they have a slow and hesitating flight and carry the antennae erect when on the wing. Males of albicoma are readily distinguishable from margiuata even when flying. The rings on the abdomen in newly emerged males of albicoma are nearly white, and contrast strongly from the deep-black abdomen ; but, as in all Sesiids, the lustre of

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 71

their markings soon fades after death and leaves the colors

duller.

-x- •;•:- *• -x-

Concerning Sesia accrni, Mr. Beutenm tiller, in his Mono graph of the Sesiidae, on page 296, writes: "According to Mr. Hulst, the eggs are probably laid at night. The moths emerge soon after sunrise and are on the wing a few minutes after emerging from the pupa-. ' '

My observations on this species totally disagree with this statement, and I recount what I have observed. Occasionally we find a lonely example of this species in a woods where dif- ferent species of maple grow. To find them in abundance we must seek the silver maple, Acer dasycarpum Ehrhart, which is extensively used as a shade tree in suburban sections of cit- ies. In Knoxville Borough, near Pittsburgh, nearly all of the streets are lined with this maple. Here I have observed and collected accrni for many years. Often from 50 to 100 empty pupal shells may be seen protruding from the trunk and main branches of a single tree at the end of its period of flight. Females were collected at all hours from noon to 5 P.M. de- positing ova. A female will often distribute from 10 to 15 ova on the same tree. There is nothing unusual in its time of emergence. On bright, warm days accrni may be found emerging from 8 to 1 1 A.M. The males, after their wings are developed, which, however, takes more than a few minutes, as stated above, soon fly in search of mates. The females mostly remain on the trunks of the trees till after copulation. On cloudy days very few emerge, and these may be found resting on the trees ; none were seen flying on such days.

New North American Species of Scoparia Haworth. BY HARRISON G. DYAR, Washington, D. C.

Scoparia normalis n. sp.

9 Expanse 26 mm. Pale grey ; a black shade at base of fore wings ; t. a. line dark, slightly bent at middle, thickened on costal two-thirds by a broad black bar which absorbs orbicular and claviform ; reniform fused to costa by a black shade, formed of two superposed confluent ellipses, partly filled with black ; t. p. line pale, narrowly black shaded within, In-ill outward slightly beyond reniform ; terminal space irregularly black

72 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

shaded, the shades succeeding the t. p. line on costa and inner margin and on center of outer margin ; a row of black terminal points ; fringe dark gray with white dashes at the ends of the veins. Hind wings soiled whitish, darkest along outer margin.

It resembles the cT of centuriella Schiff., but is very different from the 9 of that species.

One ? Beulah, New Mexico, 8000 feet (T. D. A. Cockerell). U. S. National Museum, type No. 7654.

Scoparia fernaldalis n. sp.

$ 9 expanse 14-18 mm. Very similar to basalts Walk, (libel/a Grt. ), but rather larger, seemingly somewhat narrower winged and generally darker in color. The markings are the same, varying considerably as in basalis. It is perhaps a western form of basalis, which I take pleasure in dedicating to Professor C. H. Fernald, who examined a specimen and thought it worthy of separation from the eastern species.

1 88 specimens, Kaslo, B. C., Canada, 1700 feet. (Currie, Caudell, Cockle and Dyar.)

U. S. National Museum, type No. 7655.

Scoparia tricolor alls n. sp.

tf 9 expanse 19-21 mm. Light gray, shaded with black ; a black patch at base of fore wing on costa ; t. a. line pale, slightly oblique, bent a little at the middle, followed on costal two-thirds by a heavy black band that absorbs the orbicular and claviform ; reniform small, of two super- posed black spots, followed by a large, contrasted, brown cloud ; t. p. line narrow, white, narrowly dark edged within, roundedly, evenly and strongly bent outward beyond the reniform ; terminal space heavily black shaded, cut outwardly centrally by a diffuse pale arc, representing the subterminal line. Fringe pale, black checkered at base. Hind wings blackish shaded, subpellucid along internal margin.

Four specimens, Wellington, B. C. (Theo. Bryant), Kaslo, B. C. (Caudell, Currie and Cockle.) U. S. National Museum, type No. 7656.

Scoparia cinereomedia n. sp,

cf1 9 expanse 14.5 mm. Pale gray ; basal space heavily, but not jcon- tinuously shaded in black as far as the t. a. line ; center of wing clear gray, the outwardly placed reniform composed of two superposed ellip- ses, clouded and fused to costa by black ; t. p. line narrow, pale, crenu- late, bent opposite reniform but not forming an arc, black edged within. Terminal space shaded in black, leaving a pale space below apex and above anal angle ; terminal black spots diffuse ; fringe white with a dark basal line. Hind wings grayish, subpellucid.

Two specimens, New Brighton, Pa. (H. D. Merrick. ) U. S. National Museum, type No. 7657.

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 73

Notes on Culex nigritulus.

BY D. W. COQUILLETT.

In the autumn of 1902 specimens of a small Culcx were received from Prof. J. B. vSmith, with the statement that they were bred from larvae living in the salt marshes of New Jersey ; they agreed so well with the published descriptions of Cti/< \ nigritulus Zetterstedt that they were referred to that species. The recent appearance of the third volume of Theobald's Monograph of the Culicidae, however, has thrown a grave doubt upon the correctness of this reference, since the figure which he gives of the male clasper on page 201 is very differ- ent from the same organ in our species. In the second volume of the Monograph, upon which the identification of our species was chiefly based, no mention was made of the male claspers, but in the remarks on this species near the bottom of page 141 occurs this statement: "I can detect no difference in the $ ungues or any important structural detail from C. pip/ens," thus implying that the claspers are like those of the latter species, figured on page 134.

Prof. Smith assures me that repeated searching by himself and his assistants has failed to discover larvae of our species in fresh water, it being essentially a salt-water species. Mr. Theobald tells us that the specimens of ui^n'ti/lus treated of in the second volume of his Monograph wrere collected by him- self " in great numbers in and over half-filled water-butts" presumably of fresh water. The specimens upon which Zet- terstedt founded his original description were from Quickjock, in the northwestern part of Sweden, within the Arctic Circle and over one hundred miles from salt water.

Thus all the facts indicate that nigritnlus is a fresh- wau-r species distinct from our salt-water form ; the latter will, therefore, require a new name, for which Culex sa/inariits is proposed. The male is so similar to pipicnx that, as yet, I am unable to point out any distinguishing character ; the first joint of the claspers bears beyond the middle of the inner side an irregular row of about five chiefly flattened spines, while near the outer end of this row is an elongate-oval lamella.

74 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

The female is also remarkably \\Vi& pipiens, but the cross-bands of yellowish scales on the abdomen are narrower, being scarcely apparent on the anterior segments.

The larva has been well figured by Dr. H. G. Dyar (Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc. , XI, Plate II, Figure 3); strangely enough, it has not a rounded head and robust subanal tube, as in pipiens, but a subquadrate head and long, slender subanal tube, as in territans, from which it can scarcely be distinguished except that the spinous processes on the subanal tube have three or four branches, while in tcrritans they usually have a

single branch.

— • <»» • —

H. G. KLAGES has disposed of his foreign collection to the Carnegie Museum, and is about to sell his North American material and give up entomology.

ANDRENIN^; (Andrena s. 1. etc.) and Parnopes of North America; Philanthidse of New Mexico and bees of the Northwest (Oregon, Wash- ington and Vancouver) ; all these are being arranged systematically. Persons having specimens in these groups from the territory mentioned will add to the completeness of. the work by sending their material to the writer for examination. — HENRY L. VIERECK, Connecticut Agricul- tural Experiment Station, New Haven, Conn.

IN THE December issue of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS we note with in- terest that " the immediate immersion of insects in gasoline in collect- ing" was suggested, "as they frequently injure themselves in fluttering about the collecting bottle."

How delightfully ridiculous it is that the amateur collector will go on year in and year out stuffing his sphingids and large " flies " into some sort of a death-trap poison-chamber, and cheerfully acknowledging that the specimens are "only slightly rubbed!" He knows that he must never touch these wing surfaces with his fingers, yet he persists in thrust- ing violently active specimens into the death chamber, knowing full well that the " dust " will fly from said wings till the last struggle is over. He knows, too, that it is no easy task to paper the remains of said specimens when extricated from said slaughterhouse ; and the fact that the speci- men may come to life if removed too soon is frequently too obvious.

Gasoline injection, — the only simple, safe, and sure method of killing large insects — has been described once or twice in the NEWS ; but the amateur, plodding collector would not mend his ways even if extra edi- tions of warning notices were placarded all around him.

Verily, we shall have the needlessly " slightly rubbed " specimens with us forever. — O. W. BARRETT, Mayaguez, P. R.

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 our 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, 1904.

It is a trite saying that there are always two sides to a story. Prof. Cockerell has called attention to errors in regard to South- western Geographical names, and his article is timely, but it also calls attention to an unfortunate condition of affairs. Eve^one has not been in the Southwest, and everyone does not have a Spanish dictionary at his elbow. If we were to see the words Arroga near San Ignario, at light, we might suspect what was meant, but would not blame the person who did not.

It would be much better when one means to refer to Lower California to use that name and not Baja California.

We are constantly having trouble in deciphering and trans- lating names of places from which collections have been re- ceived. The celebrated collector Mr. Jones has been in New Mexico or Old Mexico. He has collected at some celebrated town, not mentioned on any map, and consisting of one street of mud-houses. Mr. Jones of course knows where Mr. Jones has been, and if the world does not know this also, it is the fault of the world. He ivrites ? his labels but of course no one can read them. Another collector has visited Tuxpan and ad- mits it, for which we feel very grateful, and look in the geog- raphy for the place and find four of them — there is nothing like being liberal. We only know things by comparison, and probably would not appreciate an honest man if there were no thieves, so when a collector goes West (or any other direc- tion) and on his return sends you printed labels for the speci-

75

76 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

mens collected, you should be profoundly grateful, and as our school-boy reports say, " may he continue to deserve commen- dation."

Printed labels are very inexpensive and save endless bother, but if you can't get them printed, write the names of all small and doubtful places legibly.

We have analogous trouble with the names and addresses of people. Mr. Blank was born in Blankville, so his mother told him, and has resided on Blank street ever since that momen- tous event. Mr. Blank may be a man of parts, or he may not, we never met him ; we have never been in Blankville, therefore never saw Blank street, but we are sure that Mr. Blank thinks we have by the way he signs his name and writes his address.

Moral — start the New Year by having printed pin labels for all your specimens and send them to your friends when you make exchanges.

Notes and News.

ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS

OF THE GLOBE.

"AREN'T you glad the Christmas holidays are over?" asked the bachelor. " Glad ! " snorted the father of eight, as he thought of all the stockings he had filled. " I guess I am. I'm glad I'm not the head of a family of centipedes."

THE NAME CIRIS. — I find that the name Ciris, Grote, Pr. Ent. Soc. Phil., 1863, applied to a genus of Noctuidce, will have to fall because of Ciris, Koch, 1850, in Arachnida. The noctuid genus may be called Xerociris, n. n., type Xerociris wilsoni (Grote). In a recent part of Proc. Ent. Soc., Washington, there is a discussion concerning the circum- stances under which it is proper to change a preoccupied name. I think that when the author of the original name is living he should be asked to propose the new term, unless he has shown himself regardless of such matters. At the same time I am not sure it would not be better to form committees to look after these matters in different groups, because I have found that many authors either refuse to do anything or postpone action indefinitely, when their attention is called to homonyms they have pub- lished. Would it not be possible to form a committee to examine all the generic names given to American insects with respect to homonymy. and remove from our lists all names found untenable on this account? — T. D.

A. COCKERELL.

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77

I ENCLOSE some clippings from an adv. of a " Moth Catcher" which I think are worth copying for the edification of the readers of the NEWS. How humiliated the average collector must feel when he reads that a lot of obscure and unknown persons have succeeded, without any effort on their part, in getting information about insect life, which he, notwith- standing all his study has never suspected ! to think that the ichneumons sting fruit instead of caterpillars ! It will doubtless be hard for the man who has raised about a million ichneumons from pupsefrom which he ex- pected some choice moths, to swallow the new idea, but he must come to it if the great moth catcher ina/i says so. And to think of the great dis- covery that a moth makes the lice on cabbages ! Surely some of our " louse specialists " must look into the matter. Now if they can tell us what kind of timber produces wood ticks, and what breed of colts can be got from horse chestnuts, and where to find mare's nests, they will oblige E. J. SMITH, Natick, Mass.

"ARROYO GRAND, CAL., Dec. 30, 1901.

This is to certify that I have used the Haseltine Moth Catchers the past summer and found it to be a perfect success. I caught CODLING MOTHS, the POTATO MOTH or FLY, and the MOTH THAT MAKES THE CABBAGE LOUSE. I had no wormy apples to speak of, although bad in 1900 — THOMAS H. KEOWN."

"RICHLAND, Mo., Dec. 9, 1901.

I used one of S. A. Haseltine's Moth Catchers in my cabbage patch. I caught the white moth and kept the green worms out of my cabbage.— MAGGIE A. ELDRIDGE."

"The Ichneumon fly, which is called by the book-learned professors a friendly insect, has been seen by practical orchardists to be the guilty fellow that stings the fruit and gives it the appearance of a pepper box. It destroyed the fruit of Austria and Hungary in Europe, and stung and injured the trees. Some of them were found dead with the stings in the twigs of the trees. Col. A. Harrington of Springfield, Mo., saw this (friendly) insect stinging his fruit, and he got the Moth Catcher and cleared them out and made fine fruit. So this so-called (friend) was seen by an orchardist, A. T. Warner, of Lawrenceville, 111., stinging his fruit and ruined its commercial value this year, 1902."

SINCE the recent fire in Wicken Sedge, when the growth of about twenty acres of the Fen, the property of Mr. G. H. Verrall, entomolo- gist, of Newmarket, with the rare insects, etc., which find sanctuary there, was destroyed by fire, the Cambridgeshire County Police have been making diligent inquiries as to the cause of the fire, with the result that on Monday four University men from Cambridge called on Mr. Ver- rall and acknowledged that one of their number caused the fire by acci- dentally throwing down an unspent match, The sedge adjacent to the spot where it fell quickly caught fire, and, seeing what had been done,

7§ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

all four of the collegians ran away. They readily acknowled they acted very foolishly in not staying and attempting to put out the fire, but said they lost their heads. All four undertook to reimburse Mr. Verrall for any loss and expense their action had entailed, and with this understand- ing Mr. Verrall expressed himself satisfied. — STANDARD, (London), June 17, 1903.

HERBERT H. SMITH has given up entomology and collecting and has sold his collection to the Carnegie Museum, at Pittsburgh, for three thousand dollars.

THE MINER is in receipt from an agricultural bureau, of a neat little portrait, life size, of the cotton boll weevil whose depredations in southern cotton fields bid fair to make the product of the silk-worm cheap in com- parison with the " fruit of the loom." The picture represents this enemy of "King Cotton" as a rather ungraceful oblong creature, much out of proportion, with six very crooked legs and a long sword-like beak. A fierce mustache, consisting of one hair, curls sarcastically on either side its mouth, above which the eyes, somewhat resembling shoe buttons, glare defiance at the world at large. The picture has been hung in the Miner's art gallery and the cotton growers of Montana are welcome to inspect it at any time free of charge. The people of Montana cannot fail to be as appreciative of the gift as were the natives of a tropical isle for a consignment of warmingpans once bestowed upon them. — Bntte (Montana] Miner.

ON PAGE 41 of your January number I notice a note on the distribu- tion of Catopsilia eubule. Two Sundays ago I had three young boys at my house to see my collection, and they had with them two females and one male of this species which they had captured in Bridgewater, Mass. Mr. S. F. Denton, of Wellesley, has seen these, and I think he was as much surprised as I that they should have been captured in this State.— ANDREW G. WEEKS, JR.

Doings of Societies.

At a meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, held December 17, 1903, Dr. D. M. Castle, presided, and twelve persons were present. The following gentlemen were elected to serve as officers for the present year : Director, Philip Laurent ; Vice Director, H. W. Wenzel ; Treasurer, E. T. Cresson ; Conservator- Recorder, Henry Skinner; Secretary, Frank Haimbach. Pub- lication Committee, J. H. Ridings, C. W. Johnson.

Feb., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 79

A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held December 17, 1903, Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, in the chair. Twelve persons were present. The report of the treasurer was read and referred for audit. Reports were read from the Cu- rator, Secretary and Librarian. A letter was read from Mr. J. C. Bradley in regard to the loan of books on certain condi- tions. The matter was referred to the Executive Committee for examination and report. Mr. Ilg exhibited specimens of Bembecia marginata reared from blackberry by Mr. Engle. of Pittsburgh. Mr. Matthews exhibited Ecpantheria scribonia denudata, 9 , with a single bar on the hind wing. The follow- ing were elected officers for the year 1904 :

President, Philip P. Calvert, Ph.D. ; Vice- President, H. W. Wenzel ; Treasurer, E. T. Cresson ; Recording Secretary, Henry Skinner ; Corresponding Secretary, Frank Haimbach ; Librarian, J. C. Bradley.

Publication Committee, E. T. Cresson, C. Few Seiss, B. H. Smith ; Executive Committee, P. Laurent, H. W. Wenzel, Frank Haimbach ; Finance Committee, J. W. McAllister, C. S. Welles, D. M. Castle, M.D.

HENRY SKINNER, Secretary.

The January meeting of the Newark [N. J.] Entomological Society was held on January loth, with President Keller in the chair and seventeen members present.

The resignation of Mr. W. Rienecker was read and accepted.

Mr. Bronson was elected to honorary membership.

Mr. Brehme showed a series (about twenty specimens) of Pseudohazis eglanterima, var. shastasnsis, and Mr. Keller a //r- parpa.v venus, caught in Burnett County, Texas, in May.

Mr. Broad well reported the capture of Pseudanophora wora, October 8th, and Sa bit/odes sulp/uirata, July 29th, both in Newark. OTTO BUCHHOLZ, Srarfarv.

The December meeting of the Newark Entomological Society was held on the i3th with Vice President Stortz in the chair and ii members present.

Mr. Brehme reported as curator of lepidoptera ; he com-

80 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '04

mented upon the small number of specimens in the Society's collection, and made the proposition that if each member would from now till March donate 10 specimens to the collec- tion, he would present the Society with 100 specimens repre- senting 50 species new to the collection ; his report and offer were accepted.

Mr. Henry Wormsbacher, of- Jersey City, was proposed for membership and unanimously elected.

OTTO BUCHHOLZ, Secretary.

At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held December 6, 1903, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South 1 3th Street, Philadelphia, eight members were present.

Mr. Bland exhibited some Coleoptera collected in Septem- ber around English Creek, N. J. He also showed Brontes dubius and B. debilis, the former from around Philadelphia, the other from English Creek, N. J., September nth, thus proving that both are northern species. Other interesting forms were spoken of, including Conotrachelus leucophceus, new to the New Jersey district, and Tachygonus spinipes, taken on September 23d.

Mr. Hardenberg asked regarding the relationship of insects to Fungi.

Messrs. Wenzel, Hardenberg and Bland believed that the same beetles do not live on more than one species of fungus.

Mr. Daecke exhibited the imago and supposed larva of Ptinx appendiculatus , from Da Costa, N. J. The larva was beaten from a tree and had been kept alive for fourteen months, being fed with caterpillars. He also exhibited the remains of a mass of unmounted mosquitoes which had been destroyed by a moth larva.

Prof. Smith stated that he had bred Cn/c.v dnprcci from larva taken in two different localities in New Jersey. The larva remains at the bottom of water, its gills being supplied with trachea. Also Culex sqnamiger, a California:! species, had been captured at Westville, and near New Brunswick, N. J.

WILLIAM J. Fox, Secretary,

ENT NEWS, VOL. XV.

PI. VIII.

CRABHAMIA JAMAICENSIS.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS

AND

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES,