* fe" ‘sat = re whi f tetssr fi ih ah ov vege fly G “SSSA Cg ‘jl ib 5) Wie Hat if f/f / i / / yg {if in [VY id VY Wg Vy 7 by, fe) K Zz ing =| j= uJ of LIBRARY OF MBRINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY WOODS HOLE, MASS. LOANED BY AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ay i ye fi pie 7? (ite PAL A, Ay THE CANADIAN AE @OAwte.. Gis. sae A OME MT Hee Ve EDITED BY THE Reo. ©. J. S. Bethune, M. a., B. C. L., PORT HOPE, ONTARIO. ASSISTED BY J. Fleteher, Ottawa; H. H. Lyman, Montreal, and Rev. T. W. Fyles, Quebee. London, Ont. LONDON PRINTING AND LITHOGRAPHING CO. 1892. LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS VOLUME. CANON ae Deer Eve MIC eerste ts tered soe PNTADIRINGIEL,. 12INCON Re) Gala) Aas tee eemeabes > ac JAS EENERAID SS SWi (Es 7 Meir s cca BPAUINIRGS se NIAWIEEWAUN Ge pacgents oie sete: ioe BETHUNE, REV. ee le Si (The Editor). . BEACH EMIGENeW NES One ety meee: ics) oe BIRO IU, IDNR NAMI oo un cy cos meet o (CUNW/DN SI NS ING Neh oe BNA oes ee CLAY POEE, DRS Es Wis COCKE IVE ICG eliss Di eAceramemetisty tists «oct COO UME Taye = Vie rata. DOLANOERVWE Et eee. DAPNROT Ce ner Loerie i ae ADWARIS We Hs oe eet... EERNAD DL PROF, Co Hts... oe: PISO HiRes: GPii an Soha oe... ae FLETCHER, Ee OES Suir or Ante’. . mk ONG RIES eee gsc ; FRENCH, PROF. G. H. i RVCES SPENT WG to en het «seer GEL REE SGr yak ol aeanenc: . ie GOSSARD, H. ht ol eee CROMEY ASR it ns eer bs PAMILLON GDIRG FOHN lve... 02 EDAR RING TON Wintinete soak. soe HOLLAND REV. We losin... cone HUBBARD, H G. it), ee EUURESI RIE VAN: Hie rc enn eee KPEUIeOl TAP ROR Da swat .. kc ECUIN Gb OD Rev h Hin y the Oi ae oe TONING SEL? Ei tent nae ie: Sag PIR AD Ree eee ee as MORNAA HI eR recast. 2S MURTFELDT, MISS Maen ee ae NEUMOEGEN. B......... ares ae OSBORN, aoe erp aie, Meas Ae OO 2 MEE Rs GOIN Wie Paeic hen. : «Sock SCH AUBUSSNC mbes >. Oi. . ae SCRINGARZ gh peat emer mii)... ee SINNER, DROEH. tenet. en: we SHPOSSONM NIRS Ape... cee STV Hie ADH Soh Elsie ores hee ee SEALE VEO Seieee retro: Eo SIVILES DR Carn es dae VAN DUZEE, BPE ee. ee WE BSE Re PRO Iba Hew Vikiy hese cisteteis carom WEED EIOWARDD SE NGAIRARS 2) astra WEES yy Acs Gar Rimiarrcietie saan as <5 3 WUC RIGO NIMIS IS IRD Goose adc.m meee c WORST Gs ETERS Vi cen beeen rested cls ster "el oes a . PHILADELPHIA, PA. BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA. .. WASHINGTON, D. C. PEO BAN Giclin by yNe Yo. .PorT HOPE. . TERRE EHIAUTE, INDIANA. TORONTO. . RINGO, INDIAN TERRITORY. AKRON, OHIO. . KINGSTON, JAMAICA. ..Los ANGELES, CAL. COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND. Roxpury, Mass. .. COALBURGH, WEST VA. AMHERST, MASs. BUFFALO, N. Y. OTTAWA. . PHILADELPHIA, PA. . CARBONDALE, ILL. SOUTH QUEBEC. Fort CoLLiIns, COLORADO. .. AMES, Iowa. .. BREMEN, GERMANY. ALLEGHENY, la. OTTAWA. PITTSBURG. PA, .. DETROIT, MICH. BROOKLYN, N. Y. CoLuMbus, OHIO, New YORK. MONTREAL. WASHINGION D. C. OVIEDO, FLORIDA. LONDON, ONT. .. KIRKWOOD MISSOURI, NEw YORK. .. AMES, Iowa. WASHINGTON. D. C. MEISSEN, GERMANY. WASHINGTON, D. C. .. PHILADELPHIA, PA. NEw YORK. NEw BruNSwIick N. J. MARSHALL, MISSOURI. WASHINGTON. D. C. .. LAS Crucks, NEw MEXxIco. BUFFALO, N. Y. WoostTER, OHIO. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MIss. . CHESTNU'’ HILL, MAss. Iowa City, Iowa. SAN BARNARDINO, CAL. VOL. XXIV. LONDON, JANUARY, 1892. No. I. CAN INSECTS SURVIVE FREEZING? * BY H. H. LYMAN, MONTREAL. In a foot note to his paper on “The Butterflies of Laggan” (Can. Ent., XXII., 129), Mr. Bean says: ‘I hope none of my younger readers entertain the absurd medizval superstition that hibernating caterpillars pass the winter in a frozen condition. In successful hibernation they do not get near to such a condition; but if they do absolutely freeze, then are they undone caterpillars. Valkyria gives them sleep, unmixed with dreams, and they wake in Valhalla.” Without entering into any discussion as to my relative age in compari- son with Mr. Bean’s, I may confess that I have long believed that some caterpillars, as well as insects in other stages, can and do survive freezing. And, finding my belief so distinctly challenged, I have endeavored to find some light upon this subject from such literature as is accessible to me, and from personal testimony. The first work to which I turned was Scudder’s “ Butterflies of New England ”. In this work there is an Excursus, No. XVII., on “ Lethargy in Caterpillars ”, and another, No. XXII., on “The Hibernation of Cater- pillars,” but in neither is any light thrown upon this question. In the same author’s ‘“ Butterflies” but little more is said upon this subject. On page 135, in writing of Colas philodice, he says: ‘‘ Winter overtakes at once caterpillars of various ages, chrysalids and butterflies, and probably eggs. The experience of breeders, and the diversity in the time of appearance of the butterflies in the spring, render it probable that the cold season kills not only the butterflies and eggs, but perhaps the chrysalids as well, leaving the caterpillars to renew the life of the species in the spring.” *Read before the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario, November 25th, 1891. 2 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. But, though I have failed to gather from his works any information upon this subject, I have learned from him personally, and by letter, some facts which may be thought to throw some light upon this question. About thirty-five years ago Mr. Scudder was prodding for beetles in some hole of a rotten stump in winter at Williamstown, Mass., and came across several caterpillars of Isabella, and breaking at least one in two found it brittle, like an icicle, and he believes he noticed crystals within, and, therefore took two or three home to his room to see if they would come to life, which one or more did. Mr. Scudder, however, does not lay much weight on these facts, and adds: ‘‘I may or may not have broken more than one, and do not at all remember whether only one or all came to life, but of course I may have broken only one, and that one already dead.” I have recently seen somewhere, where I cannot now say, though I have spent hours in searching for the reference, an account of a caterpillar being found frozen into a cake of ice. The finder cut out a cube of the ice containing the caterpillar by means of a red-hot poker, and then left the block on the sill outside his window for several days, while the tem- perature ranged below zero. Upon bringing it into the house and thawing out the larva, it revived, and became quite active, but further experiment was prevented by its spinning its cocoon. In Mr. Fletcher’s report for 1889 (Fxperimental Farm Reports, 1889, p. 79), it is recorded that four larve of the Mediterranean Flour Moth (Ephestia Kiihniella, Zeller) were placed in a glass vial out of doors for half an hour when the temperature was only five degrees above zero F., and as a result were frozen hard, so that they “ rattled like glass beads against the sides of the bottle”. Of the four, two never recovered at all, but the other two revived partially and retained their natural appearance for about a fortnight, and moved their bodies a little, though they finally succumbed. The Rev. T. W. Fyles has kindly given me the following particulars of his experience with larvee of Coleoptera: ‘In the winter of 1864-5, I was splitting up decaying hemlock logs in my pasture at Iron Hill, P. Q., intending to burn them in the spring. On several occasions I found in these logs numbers of the larve of Orthosoma unicolor in a torpid state. In some cases the water had percolated into the burrows of the insects and frozen around their occupants. One day I picked out a number of the largest grubs from their icy envelopments, and found them rigid and seemingly lifeless. I took them to my house and watched them as they slowly thawed into activity.” » THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. vo Dr. John Hamilton, of Alleghany, Pa., on the other hand, found, as related in his interesting paper in Can. Ent., XVIL., p. 35, that he could not revive specimens of Coleoptera which were unquestionably frozen, though some larve inclosed in cylinders of ice were still found to be flexible, and regained activity on a rise of temperature. Though Dr. Hamilton’s experience was decidedly against the theory that actual freezing does not necessarily cause death in insects, he still admits that a good deal of evidence has been adduced on the other side, and that records of the survival of frozen insects cannot be summarily dismissed. To turn to some of the older writers on entomology, I may quote the following from Kirby & Spence’s “Introduction to Entomology ”, Vol. II., second edition. On page 231, after referring to some very extra- ordinary instances of the survival of insects under such trying circum- stances as immersion in gin for twenty-four hours, and immersion in boiling water, the authors say: ‘Other insects are as remarkable for bearing any degree of cold. Some gnats that De Geer observed survived after the water in which they were was frozen into a solid mass of ice: and Reaumer relates many similar instances.” Later, on pages 452-3 of the same volume, in treating of ‘‘ Hibernation of Insects” I find the following very interesting remarks: “ But, though many larve and pupz are able to resist a great degree of cold, when it increases tu a certain extent they yield to its intensity and become solid masses of ice. In this state we should think it impossible that they should ever revive. That an animal whose juices, muscles and whole body have been subjected to a process which splits bomb shells, and converted into an icy mass that may be snapped asunder like a piece of glass, should ever recover its vital powers, seems at first view little less than a miracle ; and, if the reviviscency of the wheel animal ( Vortrice//a rotatoria) and of snails, etc., after years of desiccation, had not made us familiar with similar prodigies, might have been pronounced impossible ; and it is probable that many insects when thus frozen never do revive. Of the fact, however, as to several species, there is no doubt. It was first noticed by Lister, who relates that he had found caterpillars so frozen that when dropped into a glass they clinked like stones, which nevertheless revived. Reaumer, indeed, repeated this experiment without success, and found that when the larve of Bombyx pityocampa, F., were frozen into ice by a cold of 15° R. below zero (2° F. below zero), they could not be made 4 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. to revive. But other trials have fully confirmed Lister’s observations. My friend, Mr. Stickney, the author of a valuable ‘ Essay on the Grub’ (larva of Zipuda oleracea )——to ascertain the effect of cold in destroying this insect, exposed some of them to a severe frost, which congealed them into perfect masses of ice. | When broken their whole interior was found to be frozen ; yet several of these resumed their active powers. Bonnet had precisely the same result with the pups of Papc/io brassice, which, by exposing to a frost of 14° R. below zero (0° F.), became lumps of ice, and yet produced butterflies. Indeed, the circumstance that animals of a much more complex organization than insects, namely, serpents and fishes, have been known to revive after being frozen, is sufficient to dispel any doubts on this head.” In Burmeister’s ‘Manual of Entomology” the above instances are also referred to, though at much less length ; but, as no additional facts are adduced, it is unnecessary to quote from his work. The above would seem sufficient to establish the proposition that some insects can survive freezing, and, indeed, when one remembers that insects successfully maintain their existence in the most arctic lands which have ever been visited by man, it seems strange that anyone should ever have questioned it. Is it conceivable that these tiny creatures, when in a state of lethargy and partaking of no nourishment, could successfully resist yielding to frost in regions subject to a temper- ature of 75° F. below zero, and where in summer the soil only thaws to the depth of twelve or fifteen inches, the ground below this depth being perpetually frozen ? The meteorological tables of the English arctic expedition of 1875-6 show that the mean temperature of the winter: months at the stations of the two vessels, “ Alert” and ‘“ Discovery”, varied from 5° F. below zero in October, and 17° F. below zero in April, to 40° F. below zero in the middle of the winter, and that the minimum temperatures reached were :—7334° F. at the winter quarters of the first named vessel, and —70.8° F. at the station of the latter in Discovery Bay. In spite of these terrible temperatures the naturalists attached to the expedition were very successful, and’ Mr. Robert McLachlan, F. R. S., to whom the collections of insects were submitted, wrote as follows in his THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 5 report: ‘The materials brought home from between the parallels 78° and 83° N. latitude, showed quite unexpected, and in some respects astonishing results. I have no hesitation in saying that the most valuable of all the zoological collections are those belonging to the entomological section, because these latter prove the existence of a comparatively rich insect fauna, and even of several species of showy butterflies, in very high latitudes.” But the most interesting account of experiments on this subject which I have seen, is that given by Commander James Ross, R. N., F. R.S., and inserted by Curtis in the Entomological Appendix to the ‘‘ Narrative” of Sir John Ross’s second arctic voyage. The experiments were tried upon the caterpillars of Zarza Rossii, a very abundant species in Boothia Felix, and doubtless all through the artic regions of this continent. The account (page Ixxi.) is as follows: ‘‘ About thirty of the caterpillars were put into a box in the middle of September, and after being exposed to the severe winter temperature of the next three months, they were brought into a warm cabin, where, in less than two hours, everyone of them returned to life, and continued for a whole day walking about ; they were again exposed to the air at a temperature of about 40° below zero, and became immediately hard frozen ; in this state they remained a week, and on being brought again into the cabin, only twenty-three came to life ; these were, at the end of four hours, put out once more into the air, and again hard frozen ; after another week they were brought in, when only eleven were restored to life ; a fourth time they were exposed to the winter temperature, and only two returned to life on being again brought into the cabin ; these two survived the winter, and in May an imperfect Laria was produced from one, and six flies from the otier.” That a caterpillar infested with parasites should have been able to survive such severe treatment and spin its cocoon is most remarkable» and it is not to be wondered at that alternate freezing and thawing should have been disastrous to the majority of those exp2rimented upon. Many other similar accounts doubtless exist, but I think that the records which I have thus brought together are sufficient to prove that actual freezing is not necessarily fatal to insects, and that Mr. Bean had no sufficient warrant for the statement quoted at the beginning of this article. 6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME BUTTERFLY LARVA FROM YOSEMITE (V.), AND THE LIFE HISTORY OF CALLIDRYAS EUBULE. BY HARRISON G. DYAR. Pyrameis cardui, Linn. The life history of this well-known species has not been written, to judge from the references given by the late Mr. Henry Edwards in his useful catalogue, so I present it here ;— £gg.—Cylindric-conical, the base flat with the usual vertical ribs ; colour pale yellow ; diameter .6 mm. Laid singly. First larval stage-—Head rounded, black and shining ; width .3 mm. Cervical shield and anal plate black ; body very blackish with a number of short dark hairs ; feet normal. The larva lives under a slight web on surface of leaf. Second stage-—Head as before with a few hairs ; width .6 mm. Body dull black, furnished with rows of short conical blackish tubercles each with a long hair; the tubercles of the rows (1) and (2) on joints 6, 8 and 1o are pale yellow. Hair blackish ; feet black. Third stage.—Head slightly bilobed, black, shining, a few black hairs from minute tubercles ; width 1.1 mm. Body black, covered with spined processes arranged as in Grafta*, all black except the three dorsal ones on joints 6, 8 and 10 which are yellow, but with black spines. Fourth stage.—Head bilobed, uniform shining black, with many black hairs arising from elevated bases ; width 1.9 mm. Body black, minutely dotted with yellow ; processes black except the bases of the three dorsal ones on joints 6, 8 and ro, which are dark yellow. As the stage advances a very narrow geminate dorsal and single subventral broken yellow line appears. The larve live singly under nets constructed of silk supported on a leaf. Fifth stage—Head rounded, uniform sublustrous black, the mouth parts paler and bases of antennz reddish; covered with black hairs of considerable length, which arise from small tubercles; width 3.5 mm. Body deep black, brownish subventrally and on the legs, with numerous minute yellow piliferous tubercles bearing whitish hairs. The shafts of the processes are all more or less colourless, but the branches and tips are all black and the bases are shining blue-black. ‘There is a row of inter- * See ‘‘ Descriptions of some Butterfly larvae from Yosemite,” No. VI. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, ~ segmental stigmatal red dots and a similar row of larger substigmatal yellow dots. Claspers of abdominal feet pale. In some examples the substig- maial yellow dashes almost form a continuous band, and there are indications of a geminate yellowish dorsal line ; but this latter marking almost disappears under a lens. Chrysalis.— Head large, eyes prominent, thorax very slightly ridged along the dorsal line with an elevated point posteriorly centrally and a pair of smaller subdorsal points, two points on the lateral edge of wing cases and one near the middle of outer margin of wing. Abdomen rounded dorsally, nearly straight ventrally, with a subdorsal row of conical points ; cremaster broad and flat, colour sordid white with an obscure golden tint, dotted with black and shaded with smoky gray, broadly so dorsally (except a narrow dorsal line), narrowly stigmatally, broadly ventrally, and more irregularly and clouded over the thorax and cases. All the points tinged with shining gold or bronze. Length 13 mm.; width 6 mm. Food-plants.—Lupine (Lupinus) and thistle ( Carduus ). Callidryas eubule, Linn. Egg.—Spindle shaped, truncated on basal end, distinctly vertically ribbed and faintly transversely striated. Colour pale white, becoming ochre yellow before hatching. Length r mm.; diameter .3 mm. First larval stage-—Head round, smooth, ochre yellow, the ocelli dark brown ; width .3 mm. Body smooth, concolorous with head, with a number of long tapering setae, curving forward, about six on each joint. Second stage.—Head rounded, subtranslucent yellowish ; width.5 mm. Body cylindrical, pale yellow, with many short hairs arising from granu- lations of considerable size. Some of these hairs overhang the head and many terminate in a little knob. Under the microscope the setae are seen to be ail glandular, transparent and swollen at tip, and arise from large conical tubercles, between which the body is very minutely punctured. Third stage.—Head pale green, mouth parts yellowish, many short pale setae ; width.8mm. Body annulated, about six annulets per segment. Colour yellowish green, not shiny, with a distinct rather broad, pale green stigmatal line. The fleshy tubercles on the body are slight, the setae very short but slightly blackish and bear at tip large, round, clear liquid drops. 8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. fourth stage.-—Head round, leaf green, mouth parts yellow; many short hairs arising from black conical granulations ; width 1.5 mm. Body leaf green with a paler stigmatal line and thickly covered with black con- ical granulations, some of which are larger than others and surrounded by pale green, and all bear short setae. Under the microscope these granulations are seen to arise from swollen green bases and the setae each terminate in a clear spherical drop. fifth stage.—Head small in comparison with body, round, leaf green, thickly covered with conical granulations bearing minute setae, concolor- ous with head, but a few of the larger ones are blue-black ; width 2.4 mm. Body cylindrical, 5 mm. thick, dark leaf green witha distinct rather broad, yellow stigmatal line strongly. shaded with orange, extending the whole length of the body and berdering the anal plate. Six annulets per segment, each annulet containing some twelve conical blue-black granu- lations, surrounded by bluish green at the base. Only a few of these occur below the stigmatal line and then in the middle of the joints where, also, just above the stigmatal line, and sometimes partly below it, the granulations are connected by black, forming incipient transverse bands on the annulets. The granulations are each tipped by a short black seta. Feet and venter pale green, nearly smooth. The body is very minutely punctured between the granulations when seen under the microscope. Chrysa/is.—Suspended by the cremaster and a long very slight silken loop. Thorax bent up at an angle of 45° with the body, rounded, a slight depression posterior to it ; a long pointed process on the head like a horn, almost continuous with the sides of the body. Wing cases enormously, developed, projecting more than the thickness of the body, evenly rounded along ventral line, flattened laterally and tapering ventrally to an edge. Abdomen cylindrical, tapering; cremaster flattened, a little excavated below. Colour dark pinkish vinaceousy, or pea-green}, with a greenish dorsal and lateral band, bordered with pale yellow; ventral line and veins of wing-cases narrowly yellowish. Length 25 mm; thickness through wing cases from dorsum to venter ro mm.; thickness of abdo- men posterior to cases 4 mm.; width of body 5 mm. Food-plant.—Senna ( Cassia.) Larve from Santa Barbara, Cal. + Ridgway’s Nomenclature of Colours, pl. iv., fig. 18. + Op. 'Cit.; pl. x., fig: 9. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 9 REVISION OF THE BOMBYLID GENUS EPACMUS (LEPTOCHILUS). BY D.' W. COQUILLETT, LOS ANGELES, CAL. In the CanapIAN Enromo ocistr for May, 1886, I gave descriptions of the only two species of Zeptochilus at that time known to inhabit North Ametica. Iam not aware that any additional species have been described since the appearance of that paper. My collection contains representatives of three as yet undescribed species which will be found duly characterized’ below. ss “In the: Biologia Centrali Americana, Part Diptera, the Baron Osten Sacken calls attention to the fact that the name Leftochilus, first applied to this genus: by Dr. Loew, is preoccupied, and proposes the name Epacmus to be used in its stead. It is to be regretted that the rules of nomenclature will not permit us to attach Dr. Loew’s name to this new term ; the génus is rightfully his from the fact that he first characterized it‘after an extended Search among the writings of other authors, and it seems hardly fair to deprive him of this honour simply because he inad- vertently applied to it a name already in use. Perhaps we might com- promise matters somewhat by writing the name of this genus: Epacmus Osten Sacken-Loew, wis would indicate a joint work of these two authors. Following is a table of the species of Zpacmus known to me to occur in’ North America : . Ground colour of the abdomen black : A ' 2 Ground colour of the abdomen yellow, its tomentum Bolden -yellow except a white crossband on the second segment . concinnus, n. sp. 2. Wings (except sometimes the costal and subcostal cells) wholiy hyaline, front and face furnished with tomentum SL ye: Wings smoky-brown at the base, front and face destitute of tomen- tum - “ : - : : 4 3. Scutellum shallowly concave behind, hind and middle femora and front tibie provided with bristles. : modestus, Lw. » Scutellum convex behind, all femora and the front tibize destitute of bristles . : pellucidus, 0. sp. 554. Hind femora and front bias piovided with bristles, scutellum pol- ij ished black ; : transitus, Coq. Hd femora and front tibize ddannae bf bristles, scutellum opaque Sumosus, 0. sp. 10 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Epacmus concinnus, n. sp.—Head black, front densely white pollinose, destitute of tomentum, the middle portion sparse white pilose, the orbits and space in centre of lower third of front bare-; face much retreating below, densely white pollinose, destitute of tomentum, the lower three- fourths densely white pilose. Proboscis not projecting beyond the oral margin. Antenne having the first two joints yellow, the third black and nearly twice as long as the first two united ; styliform portion of the third joint one-half as long as the thickened basal part. Occiput yellowish tomentose. Thorax black, the anterior third white tomentose, the re- mainder yellowish tomentose ; pile of thorax sparse and mostly yellowish, the bristles also yellowish ; pleura dense white tomentose and sparse yellowish pilose. Scutellum opaque black, rounded behind, white and yellowish tomentose, the bristles yellowish. Abdomen reddish-yellow, its tomentum and pile golden-yellow except a wide crossband of white tom- entum on the second segment; venter yellow, blackish at its base, its pile and tomentum yellowish except that at the base, which is white. Legs yellow, a black spot at base of each trochanter ; tomentum and bristles of legs yellowish, hind femora each with three bristles. below, ront tibiz provided with bristles. Wings wholly hyaline. Stalk of halteres brownish-yellow, the knob sulphur yellow. Length 7 mm. San Diego county, Cal. A single female, in May. Epacmus pellucidus, n. sp.—Black, the femora, tibiz and base of each tarsus reddish. Front densely dark brown and yellowish-white tomentose and pilose, the pile very short; face slightly produced below, white tomentose and yellow pilose. Proboscis not projecting beyond the oral margin. Antenne having the second joint minute and scarcely apparent ; styliform portion of the third joint equal in length to the thickened basal part. Occiput white tomentose, that in the middle above reddish-brown. Thorax reddish tomentose, the bristles white (only two in number, one in front of each wing) ; pile and tomentum of the pleura, breast and coxe white. Scutellum opaque, rounded behind, reddish tomentose, the pile and bristles wholly wanting. Abdomen mixed reddish and yellowish tomentose, that on the last two segments wholly white ; last segment pol- ished black, the pile on its apex golden-yellow ; dorsum. nearly destitute of pile, first segment toward its sides abundant white pilose ; venter yellowish-white tomentose. Legs white tomentose, all femora and the front tibia destitute of bristles. Wings hyaline, apex of subcostal cel] THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Tal yellowish. Stalk of halteres dark yellow, the knob light yellowish. Length 6 mm. Los Angeles county, Cal. A single female, in June. Epacmus fumosus, n. sp.—Black, the tibiz largely reddish. Front black pilose, destitute of tomentum ; face slightly produced below, des- titute of tomentum, the pile yellow, that in the middle black. Proboscis not projecting beyond the oral margin. Antenne having first joint twice as long as the second, styliform portion of the third joint once and a-half as long as the thickened basal part. Occiput light yellow tomentose and pilose. Thorax light yellow tomentose, the bristles yellowish ; pleura having pile of the upper part yellowish, that on the lower part, breast and cox white. Scutellum opaque, rounded behind, yellow tomentose, the bristles reddish. Abdomen somewhat abraded in my specimen, but ap- parently wholly light yellow tomentose ; pile of dorsum sparse, yellowish, that on the sides more abundant, especially on the first segment, white ; venter white tomentose and pilose. Legs mixed white and yellow tomen- tose, all femora and the front tibiz destitute of bristles. Wings hyaline at the apex, the costal cell, bases of marginal, first submarginal, first and second basal and of the anal cell smoky-brown, which colour does not have a well defined limit outwardly. Stalk of halteres dark yellow, the knob light yellow. Length 6 mm. San Diego county, Cal. A single female, in May. HETARINA AMERICANA. There was brought to me by Mr. T. H. Hill, of this city, one of our young collectors, a dragon fly captured at Delaware, a village a few miles west of here. It was one I had not seen before. On referring to Glover’s Plates I found it there, figured and named. It is Heterina Americana, Fab., the Zestes basalis of Say, in the family Agrionide ; a beautiful creature. Its most noticeable characteristics are the bright sanguineous colour on the base of the wings, the clear copper colour of the thorax, and the brilliant gem-like ornamentation of the head. Say gives the habitats as Missouri, Indiana and Massachusetts. Abundant, and easily taken. I am not aware of its being hitherto reported from Canada. Mr. Hill kindly donated one to the Society’s collection. J. Atston Morrat, London, Ont. 12 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. CANADIAN GALLS AND THEIR OCCUPANTS—AULAX ‘: NABALIT, N. S. BY WM. BRODIE, TORONTO. Gall at the base of the stem of (Vabalus altissimus, usually in masses surrounding stem, often extending down on main root, rarely on main fibres of root, usually about an inch under the ground, sometimes partly above the ground. Galls roughly spherical, 5 mm.—1o mm in diameter, ~ each containing 1-10 cells, usually aggregated in irregular cylindrical’ masses of 2-14, resembling small knobby artichokes or irregular small’ white potatoes. The interior of the gall has the appearance and con- sistence of a raw potato. They are mature about the middle of. September, and retain their white appearance through winter, but in’ spring the colour darkens. They dry up when the interior presents the - appearance of a congeries of corky, fibrous folds. The average size of ' 20 of the cylindrical gall masses was, diameter, 14xx ; length, 22xx. The cells are small, closely confining the larva. : In the spring of 1880 a friend handed me one of these galls, and informed me he had found it on the stem of an aster. For several seasons I carefully searched our asters, but failed in finding the gall, and’ it was not until the spring of 1885 when I found it’ on the root of: Nabalus altissimus. My friend had mistaken the nude, dry stem of’ the nabalus for an aster. In April, 1887, I made a collection of 33 gall masses from Vabalus altissimus growing on clay banks in open woods in St. James’s Cemetery, Toronto. The galls were at the base of the stem, immediately above root. Usually the mass of galls surrounded the stem ; occasionally but a few on one side. From these galls I reared 115 producers—79 @s, 36 6s, and 57 parasites, ¢s and 9s, of two species. ; The producers came out 1-6-87—9-6-87 ; the parasites were a few. days later. ag A collection was made from WVadalus roots growing on. clay soil in open woods a few miles north of Toronto, 20-10-88, and kept in a glass jar over winter. These galls were nearly spherical, 5x-10x dia., usually | grown together in masses of 2-14, usually quite surrounding the SKE each nodule having from 1-10 cells. These gave producers 17-5-89—28-5-89 ; parasites 21- 5: epee 6- me THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3 A collection of 71 gall masses made in Taylor’s woods north of Toronto, 13-9-90, resembled artichokes or small white potatoes ; the: interior white, about the consistency of raw potato.. Each nodule con- tained from 1-3 cells ; cells small, closely confining larva. _ These gave producers 13-5-91—20-5-91 ; parasites 19-5-91—1I-6-91. 2 producers were more numerous than ¢s. A collection made from several localities near Toronto from stems of Mabalus altissimus growing on clay soil in open woods, 5-4-91, of 87 nabalus stems gathered 68 were gall bearing. The galls, as usual, a mass of rounded nodules surrounding base of stem an inch or two under ground ; occasionally a few nodules on one side of stem, rarely a few nodules extend into pith canal. These gave parasites, Hurytoma, 5-5-9t ; producers first out 12-5-91 ; producers, 29 9s and 5 gs; out, 25-5-g1 ; numerous parasites 9-6-91 —25-6-91. One Eurytoma 22-7-91. ‘This lot of 68 gall masses containing probably 1,000 cells, gave of producers 153 @s and 81 fs, and of parasites, of 3 species, 185 ¢s and @s, a total of 419 specimens. When collected in the fall season these galls may be kept in moist sand in a glass jar, but the occupants seem to be hardy, and do not appear to be injured by the drying of the gall. However, it is best to collect in April or early in May. .. These galls have been increasing during the last ten years, and have now probably reached a maximum. ‘The parasites are now becoming more numerous. - The producer is held to be an undescribed species of Aulax, for which I propose the name A. nabalz. . The following is a. description :— 2. Length 2.50xx. Antenne 13 jointed, uniform brown, head and thorax black, abdomen shining brown, with a large anterior dorsal spot black ; all the tibiz, femora and tarsi brown, a little paler than the abdo- nen; wings ample, veins well defined, hyaline, irridescent at certain angles. ae, Abdomen of ¢ darker brown, and without the dark dorsal spot. From numerous specimens. I have bred from this gall numerous specimens of the Braconid., Dacnusa crassitela, Prov. Provancher in his original description of this species gives Ottawa ‘as,’ the locality and Guignard as the collector. He does not say how the); 14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. specimen was obtained, nor does he say anything of the ¢, which differs considerably from the 9. I have also bred numerous specimens of the Chalcid Aurytoma aulacis, Ashm.; and I have reared two species of Coleoptera, probably accidental occupants, and many specimens of a Dipteron which Prof. Riley has kindly determined for me as of the genus Leucopis, sp. I am greatly indebted to the courtesy of Prof. Riley for this and many other identifications. ENTOMOLOGY FOR BEGINNERS—No, 1. NOTES ON KILLING, PRESERVING AND RELAXING INSECTS. BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA. The editor informs me that he wishes to publish in this year’s volume of the CanapDIAN ENTOMOLOGIST several short articles for the benefit of beginners and many others, who, although they do not aspire to being considered entomologists, yet would like to know something about our common insects, and the best way to preserve such interesting specimens as may chance to come in their way, until they may have an opportunity of mounting them for their own collections or giving them to interested friends. I have been asked to send some notes on the above subject. There is perhaps no statement more frequently made to entomologists by observant travellers, or those who live in localities far removed from civilization, than ‘Oh! I wish you had been with me, I so often saw lovely insects ; but I did not know how to save them for you.” From novices the enquiry often comes, ‘‘ What is the best way to relax speci- mens after they have become dry.” Killing and Preserving.—Having collected a specimen the first thing, of course, is to kill it. For beetles and hard-bodied insects nothing is simpler than to drop them for a second or two into scalding water ; they must be taken out again at once and dried on blotting paper, or upon a cloth. The easiest way, however, for killing all insects is to make a ‘* cyanide bottle.” This may be made either by placing a small quantity of cyanide of potassium in the bottom of a wide-mouthed bottle and pouring in sufficient wet plaster-of-paris to cover it; or a hole can be hollowed out in the cork and a piece of cyanide inserted. This can be kept in place either with a plug of cotton wool, or a piece of chamois THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 15 leather or linen may be tied over the cork. It must be remembered that the active principle of cyanide of potassium being prussic acid it is intensely poisonous—any left on hand after the bottle is made should be at once destroyed. Insects put in this bottle will be killed in a few seconds by the poison- ous fumes given off by the cyanide of potassium; they should then be taken out and packed away whilst soft and pliable. After a few days they become dry and are very easily broken. If there are only one or two specimens these may be wrapped in soft paper or cotton wool, and put away in a suitable box. If the collector, however, is likely to get several specimens, it will be well to prepare a box or bottle on purpose. Beetles or bugs may be preserved for a long time in clean saw-dust dampened with alcohol; grasshoppers, ants, wasps, bees, flies, etc., although they are far better preserved by being pinned at once after killing, may be packed away like beetles and bugs in tubes of paper, These are made by winding two or three thicknesses of a strip of paper 1¥% inches wide around a lead pencil, leaving about one-quarter inch over the end, which is turned in and pressed flat before taking the case off the pencil. Into this short, hollow tube drop the specimens and turn in the other end with the tip of a pencil, or fill up the mouth with a plug of cotton wool. Several specimens, according to their size, may be placed in each tube, and the date and locality having been written on the outside they are ready to be packed away ina dry place. Being slightly elastic and very light they pack closely, and a large number can be sent by mail at the same time. Moths, butterflies and dragon-flies may be killed in the ordinary ‘‘ cyanide bottle,” and then placed in three-cornered envelopes made by taking small squares of paper and folding them across, almost in the middle, so as to make a triangular form with one flap a little smaller than the other, when the insect is placed between the two flaps, the two edges of the larger one are folded over the lesser, and the specimen is then ready to have the date and locality written on it and to be packed away where it will not be disturbed. Relaxing.—The easiest way to soften insects is simply to place them in a covered jar upon damp sand for from 12 to 24 hours. A few drops of camphorated spirits dropped on the sand will prevent mould from forming on the specimens. Pinned specimens can be either placed in the sand jar or pinned upon a piece of cork and floated on water in a closed 16 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. jar, or in a basin with a damp towel over the top. Butterflies and moths’ stored in the envelopes mentioned above are best relaxed by putting the’ envelopes carefully without opening them, between the folds of a damp i towel placed between two sheets of glass. The cloth should be wetted and then wrung out as dry as possible with the hands. Fold it smoothly and spread out the envelopes separately between the folds. Small butter:’ flies and moths will relax in 12 hours and the largest in 24 hours. Beetles’ and bugs in paper tubes may be dropped into warm water and will be’ ready for setting in a few minutes ; wasps, bees and flies shouldbe placed’ in the sand jar to soften. Mr..W. H. Harrington, who uses these tubés: extensively for all kinds of insects, finds that specimens can be con-: veniently relaxed by putting the tubes on a piece of wet blotting paper in- the bottom. of one saucer with another inverted over the top. ‘The advan-> tage of this plan is that if specimens should be accidentally forgotten, or’ it-should be inconvenient to mount them at once, the small amount. of- moisture-soon evaporates, and there is no danger of. mould. = - teea ene S BUTTERED IES@IGAT BATE” in fis cca ~~ In Goldthwaite’s Geogl. Mag., Vol. 2, p. 738 (Nov., 1891), is-a paper: on “‘ Butterflies that Bathe”, giving observations of M. G. Lyell, jr., in, Australia, on certain butterflies, species not stated, that ‘‘ backed into the. water until the whole of the body and the lower part of the hind legs were under water, the two forelegs only retaining their hold on dry land. After remaining in this position something like half a minute it flies away, ap- parently refreshed. During the morning I noticed a number doing the same thing. In one instance no less than four were to be seen within a_ space of not more than three yards * * *. While in the water the fluttering of the wings was suspended, and so intent were the butterflies in the enjoyment of the cold bath that they could hardly move, even when actually touched by the net * * *. Immediately upon emer- | ging they flew up again to the hill sides.” I do not know where this was _ . originally published. Mr. W. G. Wright sent me the copy of the Geog. Mag., and remarked that it was a case of depositing eggs on plants in the water, and that the larve must be aquatic in their habits. I think there. canbe no doubt of that. Further observations ‘on this butterfly would’ be welcome; and lepidopterists: would be-glad to know what genus and. species has so unusual a habit. ey é W. H. Epwarps, Coalburgh, W.' Va. THE CANADIAN. ENTOMOLOGIST. : 17 AN. . EXPLANATION. On the Report of the Entomological Club, as given in the CanapIaNn Enromo.Locist for November, pp. 246-247, I would make the following remarks :-— Mr. Smith’s statement that there are two distinct series in the Sphingide, as also that the Smerinthine have their probable orgin in Ceratocampid forms of the Bombycide are both original with myself. The series Hemaris, Choerocampa and Smerinthus belong together. So far as I know, I am the first to show, from imaginal and larval characters, that Choerocampa and Smerinthus are allied, and I am the first to describe an ocellated Choerocampid from Brazil. The anal horn of the Sphingide is to be regarded apparently as the last remnant of the Bom- bycid dorsal series of thorns. So far as known to me, I am the first author to point out that older Lepidopterous types occur in America than in Europe, and that from the study of our Bombycid fauna fresh sugges- tions are offered to the probable course of evolution in the order. To the statement as to the Zygaenide, p. 246, 1 would say that I followed Dr. Packard’s views in his paper in the Essex Proceedings. Criticisms as to my arrangement in my Lists are sufficiently answered by this statement. To the remark upon the Dvofit:de, p. 247, I would state that I am not “responsible” for the reference of Phryganidia Californica to this family, but Mr. Butler, whose reference will be found in the pages of “Papilio”. To the remarks on the /Voctuéde, I would state that I consider the group as one farnily with four unequal sub-family groups: Zhyatirine m. (= Thyatiride m.), Noctuine, Pack., Catocaline, Pack.,and Deltoidine, Lntr. I have shown in my writings that these groups are further divisable by sufficiently definable characters for classificatory purposes, and I have used the idea of tribes for these subdivisions in the Lecontean sense. It is Mr. Smith’s practice to take from my writings what he can use, without credit, and to hang upon minor points of difference, upon which I have nowhere insisted, criticisms which are generally uncalled for, and, as above instanced as to the Dioptid@, sometimes incorrect. A. R. Grore, Bremen, Germany. 18 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. MELITAA PHAETON. About the first of July I was informed by Mr. W. E. Saunders that shortly before, when out on one of his Ornithological and Botanical excursions, he had seen JZe/itea phaeton, in a cedar swamp, two miles from Komoka station, which is ten miles west of London, on the Grand Trunk line. I took the first favourable opportunity of getting a sight of that insect alive, which occurred on the ninth. I found the swamp, and soon saw the butterflies disporting themselves in the sunny spots, seem- ingly quite plentiful. They would not have been difficult to secure had the footing been solid, but a previous heavy rain had set that afloat. I took five, and saw quite as many more during the short stay I made in the woods. J. Atston Morrat. CORRESPONDENCE. PETROPHORA SILACEATA. Dear Sir; At our recent annual gathering the Rev. T. W. Fyles had brought with him a box of insects for the purpose of obtaining their names if he could. Amongst them was a Geometer, which I recognized as identical with one I have had for four years awaiting a name. When Captain Geddes arrived he also had another of the same kind amongst the material which he had brought. As no clue to its identity could be obtained from the authors we consulted, I thought the time had now arrived when we ought to know something about it, so I applied at headquarters for information, going into communication with the Rev. Geo. D. Hulst, who kindly returned my specimen with the name Petrophora silaceata, Hub. It proves to be an exceedingly interesting species, widespread and variable. Mr. Hulst mentioned that one of his specimens is from Labrador, sent to him by Moeschler. As I could not find the name in any of our N. A. catalogues, I turned to the European, and found it in Edward Newman’s “ Illustrated Natural History of British Moths” as Cidaria silaceata, Hub. It is therein illustrated by figures of six well defined varieties. Newman does not give any variety names, but Mr. Hulst determines my specimen to be ‘‘ var. deflavata, Stdgr.,” yet it is not identical with any of Newman’s figures, although closely resembling the sixth, which is one of the least ornate. Newman says: ‘“‘ The moth appears in May, and a second brood in August, and is regarded as common in England, Scotland and Ireland.” London, Dec. 18th, 1891. J. Atston Morrat. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 19 PROF. J. B. SMEFH’S LIST OF LEPIDOPTERA. BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL. While I recognize the fact that each one of us has a right to make lists of insects to suit himself, and others are not obliged to follow them, errors of identity are not a matter of opinion, and are therefore subject to criticism. With this view I wish to point out a few errors in the genus CatocaZa in Prof. John B, Smith’s new “ List of Lepidoptera.” First, var. Virens, French, is not a variety of Cordelia, Hy. Edw., but of Amasia ; and Cordelia is not the one figured by Dr. Strecker, pl. 9, f. 12. My examples of Corde/ia were identified by the author of the species. Second, there is no good reason for separating the two forms of Retecta. Ihave taken hundreds of them; they fly at the same time and behave alike in the woods, and grade into each other. /Vedbi/is is not a variety of Retecta, but an insect of very different habits. Dr. Strecker’s figure, so often referred to, pl. 9, f. 4, is not /VZebz/is, but a small form of Desperata. I had an example from Dr. Strecker, and have bred it from Desperata eggs. I cannot regard Ulalume as a variety of Lacrymosa, as they have very different habits in the woods, as well as the differences of size and markings that are seen in the insects in cabinets. JI have taken all the named forms of Zacrymosa, as well as numerous intergrades; have taken quite a number of examples of Vlalume, but no intergrades with any form of Lacrymosa. THE LARVA OF ANCERYX FASCIATA, SWAINS. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, KINGSTON, JAMAICA. In July, 1891, Mr. I. I. Bowrey gave me a sphingid larva, about to pupate, which I described as follows :— Larva.—Cheerocampa - like, ground colour pale ochreous, sides immaculate. Dorsal region (sharply defined from sides) dark, from a close, fine black marbling or mottling, which tends to run in anteropos- terior lines. A band-like process of this marbling enters the side area on each segment, obliquely projecting towards, but hardly reaching the spiracle. Underneath the larva is more or less mottled, and there is a narrow black ventral line. Abdominal legs dark. Thoracic legs rather pale. Anterior part of fourth segment above heavily marked with black. Head pale, with a dark brown band down each side of the face. Caudal horn small and pale. Food-plant.— Carica papaya, Linn. (West Indian Papaw.) Hab.—Kingston, Jamaica. The imago emerged Aug. 7th, and proved to be Amceryx fasciata. The present larva differs appreciably from that of A. edwardsii, Butl., as described by Mr. Hy. Edwards in Entom. Amer. II1., p.165. So far as the larval characters go, Anceryx and Dilophonota (whether regarded as two genera or one) seem to belong rather to the Chcerocampince than the Sphingince, with which they are placed in Prof. J. B. Smith’s new list. The moths, also, while coloured like Sphingince, have a somewhat Chcerocampa-like build. 20 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, BOOK NOTICES. Insects InjJURIOUS TO FOREST AND SHADE TREES, by Alpheus 5S. Packard, M. D., Ph. D. (Fifth Report of the Entomological Com- mission of the United States). «1 vol., 8vo., pp. 957. Washington : Government Printing Oifice, 18go. About ten years ago (in 1881) what was then called the United States Entomological Commission, consisting of Messrs. Riley, Packard and Thomas—three very eminent men—issued a work by Dr. Packard on “Insects Injurious to Forest and Shade Trees” (Bulletin No. 7), a goodly volume of 275 pages, well illustrated and replete with valuable informa- tion. Recently a revised and much enlarged edition of this publication has been issued by the Department of Agriculture at Washington, bring- ing the original work more nearly down to date, and furnishing, as far as possible, a complete manual on the subject. The new volume is more than three times the size of the former edition, consisting of no less than 950 pages, illustrated by over 300 wood cuts and forty plates, twelve of which are coloured. Some idea of the extent of the work, as well as of the importance of the subject, may be found from the fact that descrip- tions are given of over three hundred species of insects that affect the oak, and the names of nearly 150 more are mentioned ; sixty-one are described as attacking the elm, and thirty more mentioned ; one hundred and fifty-one described that affect the pine, and a list of twenty more given ; and so on for a large number of other trees. Economic entomo- logists for the most part devote their attention to the insects that attack fruit trees, crops and vegetables, as these most directly affect the public ; but surely no more important matter can be studied than the preservation of our forests, which are annually being depleted for the purposes of commerce, as well as by fire and insects. It is high time that more atten- tion was paid to this matter, and that people generally should be aroused to the dangers that will surely result if we allow our country to be stripped of its woods and forests. In some countries of Europe, notably in Ger- many, a very rigid oversight of the forests is maintained by the govern- ment, and no wanton or careless destruction is permitted. In connection with this, they encourage scientific men to devote their studies to the insect enemies of trees, and as a result some magnificent books have been published, chief among these are the grand work of Ratzeburg and the perhaps less widely known publications of Kaltenbach. Alongside of these Dr. Packard’s book will assuredly take its place, as his work is THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 21 _— very carefully and completely done. The life-history of each insect de- scribed is as far as possible fully given; the best published descriptions of each stage are quoted and references given wherever the author has not made personal observations himself, or whenever he thinks that some- one else’s record is better or fuller than his own. Thus the work is made complete to date, and succeeding observers will know what investigations have been made, and what remains to be done in this vast field of ento- mological research. The coloured plates are beautifully and accurately done, and the wood cuts and other illustrations give careful details or full representations of a large number of the insects referred to in the text. Such a publication ought to encourage our own Government to follow the noble example set them in this respect at Washington. A SERIES OF THIRTY COLOURED DIAGRAMS OF INSECTS INjJURIOUS TO Farm Crops. Drawn from nature by Miss Georgiana E. Ormerod, W. & A. K. Johnston, London, England, r89t. These diagrams are beautifully and accurately executed, and will be found most useful by any one who is called upon to lecture to classes in entomology, or give addresses to farmers’ institutes. They are sufficiently large, being thirty inches long and twenty-two wide, to be seen at some distance in a hall or class-room, and will serve to illustrate descriptions of an economic character. Though intended for England, nearly all of them are equally applicable to this country. They are divided into five sets of six each, which deal with the following objects :—(1) Common Insect Attacks: Ox Warble Flv, Horse Bot-fly, Large White Butterfly, Cockchafer, Turnip Flea-beetle. Onion Fly; (2) Insects Affecting Various Kinds of Crops: Surface Caterpillars, Daddy Longlegs, Eel-worms, Plant Bugs, Hessian Fly, Wire-worm; (3) Insects Affecting ParticularCrops: Mangold Fly, Hop Aphis, Bean Beetle, Corn Thrips, Gout Fiy, Corn Saw-fly ; (4) Insects Affecting Fruit Crops: Winter Moth, American Blight (Aphis), Gooseberry and Currant Saw-fly, Apple Blossom Weevil, Codlin Moth, Magpie Moth; (5) Insects Affecting Trees: Pine Beetle, Pine Weevil, Pine Saw fly, Goat Moth, Spruce Gall Aphis, Leopard Moth. The diagrams are sold singly at one shilling and six- pence each, or in sets. On each is shewn the natural size of the insect as well as the greatly enlarged picture, a very necessary matter, as otherwise most erroneous impressions are formed by the ignorant of the real dimensions of the creature referred to. There is also printed on each a general description, by Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, of the life-history of the insect depicted, and of the best remedies to be employed against it. ae THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. A Manuat or NortH AMERICAN ButrerFLigs, by Charles J. Maynard : 8vo., pp. 226. Boston: DeWolfe, Fiske & Co., 1891. We are always glad to welcome the publication of a new book which is likely to render more easy, and consequently to popularize, the study of entomology. The author of the work before us has, no doubt, had this object in view when preparing this manual, in which are brought to- gether ‘‘for the first time, descriptions of all the species of butterflies which occur in North America, north of Mexico.” He has evidently taken a great deal of pains in the execution of his task, and expended much labour upon the descriptions of over six hundred and thirty species of butterflies, and in the preparation of the illustrations, for “not only is a coloured plate given of one species of nearly all the genera, but wood cuts are given of some portion of about 250 species, illustrating some peculiar character bv which the insect may be known ; both plates and wood cuts have, with a single exception, been drawn and engraved by the author himself.” The wood cuts, giving a wing, or a portion of a wing, of a number of closely allied species, will be found very useful helps by any one employing the book for the identification of his specimens, and are much superior to the coloured plates. Anyone with a 1ore 2e stock of speci- mens on hand, and with a few named in different genera tu start with, will find this book a very useful and handy manual for the naming of his material, but this, we fear, is the extent of its value. ~The author has adopted the comparative method in his descriptions, Which! involves a constant reference to some other species, which the beginner uuthe study may chance not to have, and be woefully puzzled in consefiendg. There are no synopses, or comparative tables, of either genera or species given, but the author selects a species as his “type” and compares the other mem- bers of the genus with it. If the student possesses a specimen’ of this typical species his way will be fairly easy, but without it the investigation will be sadly difficult, if not hopeless. Another very serious defect in the book is the entire absence of all reference to the preparatory stages of the insects, and consequently to their food-plants, habits, dates on ap- pearance, etc. We trust that the author may be enabled to issue a second edition of the work, and make it a thorough and complete ‘‘ manual” by remedying the defects that we have referred to. Thatthis may be done in a concise form and in a mest useful manner is admirably proved by Stainton’s ** Manual of the British Moths and Butterflies,” which we would commend to our author as a model for imitation when he enters upon the preparation of his next edition. Mailed January 14th. Si om beam VOL. XXIV. DOR DOM, FEBRU ARY, 1892. No. 2. ENTOMOLOGY FOR BEGINNERS—No. 2. THE NorTHERN MOLE-CRICKET (Gryllotalpa borealis, BURM.) BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA, ONT. Anyone finding the strange-looking insect shown at fig. 1 will at once recognize it as the Northern Mole-cricket. Itis apparently an un- common insect in Canada, and it is partly to ascertain from the readers of the CANADIAN Entomococisr whether or not this is the case that I am writing these notes upon a specimen which I have had in confinement for some months. I have been trying for years to get living specimens, but only succeeded last autumn when I had a fine female sent to me by Mr. W. W. Hilborn, who had caught it in his garden at Leamington, in Essex County, Ont. A short time afterwards I received from the same locality, from Mr. G. H. Mills,a male, but this was unfortunately injured in transit and died the day after arrival. There is to my mind nothing more interest- ing than keeping insects alive and watching their habits. This, too, after a little experience, becomes an easy matter if their habits are considered. I cannot, however, say that my Mole-cricket has been a very entertaining pet owing to its subterranean and nocturnal habits. I prepared a home for it in a large glass jar, 8 inches in diameter, and filled to the depth of about a foot with light, rich, sandy loam. Upon this was placed a potato and a small sod of lawn grass. The potato and grass soon threw out vigorous roots which now reach to the bottom of the jar. In the soil were also placed some earth-worms, as the food of Mole-crickets (like that of the other members of the Gry//ide, or crickets to which it belongs) is of a mixed nature, and they are said to be particularly partial to earth- worms. The name Mole-cricket is very appropriate for this insect, it is plainly a cricket, and at the same time its habits and even general appearance, but particularly the form and uses of its strong fore-legs, closely resemble those of the little mammal from which it takes its name. Our excellent 24 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. figure, which has been kindly lent by Prof. J. A. Lintner, shows the female natural size. The sexes differ very little. The male is slightly smaller. West- wood says :—‘‘ Indeed, as the females are destitute of an exserted ovipositor, it is only by a minute in- spection of the veins of the wing covers that the sexes may be distinguished. The females in this family are not able to make a noise, the veins of their wing covers being more regularly disposed. The males are, morever, distinguished by having eight ventral segments in the abdomen, whilst there are only sevén in the females.” (Mod. Class. I, 443). There is only one species of Mole-cricket recorded from Can- ada. Itis of the form shown above, of velvety seal- brown colour, which is darkest on the thorax. The wing covers are greyish, with dark veins, and the true wings are white and folded together likeafan. They are much larger than would be imagined from their small tail-like tips, which show beyond the wing covers on.the back. The most remarkable feature of these insects is the strong fore-legs, with their expanded paw-like shanks, which bear four claw-like curved and hollowed projections at the lower edge ; two of these are jointed at.the base, and are in fact claws. The feet consist of three joints, which are attached about the middle of what, by the shanks being twisted obliquely outwards, is now the outside instead of the lower side. They consist of three joints: the first and second are large and claw-like, the second the smaller but reaching almost as far as the tip of the first ; the third is very small indeed, and bears two weak true claws. The first two tarsal joints being of the shape described give great strength to the insect’s ‘“‘ paw” when used for digging, for they lie right in front of the two articulated projections of the shank which fit closely to them, and the weak terminal joint lies between. The adaptability of these limbs for their required use is at once seen by the rapidity with which these insects dig down out of sight again when disturbed. As stated above, Mole-crickets are nocturnal in their habits. They live in moist ground and near streams, where they sink their burrows some inches beneath the surface ; but also throw up little ridges as they burrow nearer the surface, like miniature mole-runs, Fi@. 1. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ZO They have not the power of jumping highly developed like other crickets, but can swim with ease if they fall into water. Their little shining black eyes, velvety coats and flexible bodies recall strongly the appearance of the otter, particularly when emerging from the water or crawling over stones. On the whole these interesting creatures are the most mammal-like insects | have ever seen. They keep in their burrows the greater part of the time, and I have only been able to catch sight of my specimen by going in quickly at night with a light. They move backwards with almost as great ease as forwards, the two caudal bristles being evidently very sensitive, for which reason they were designated caudal antenne by one writer. The song of the male is described as ‘a low, continued, rather pleasant trill, quite similar to that of the common toad, but more shrill.” In Europe the Mole-cricket is described as being very injurious in certain localities from eating the young roots of plants and burrowing amongst the roots. There seems to be as much controversy, however, with regard to it as there is amongst farmers as to whether the mole is an injurious animal or not. Dr. Ritzema Bos says those who think that the Mole cricket is only injurious by burrowing beneath plants make a great mistake. The methods suggested for destroying it, should it at any time occur in large numbers, are the destruciion of the eggs, which are laid to the number of from 200 to 400, in chambers about six inches beneath the surface of the ground, or killing the adults by means of poisoned baits, as grated carrot or potato mixed with arsenical substances. Dr. Lintner says, Rep. VI., p. 151: “A method recommended by Kollar and approved by Curtis, as probably the best where the insect abounds, is to dig pits in the ground in the autumn, of a foot in diameter and two or three feet deep, to be filled with horse-dung and covered with earth. At the first frost all the crickets will be attracted to and congre- gate in these pits for warmth, where they can be conveniently killed.” | shall be glad to hear from any reader of the ENroMoLocGist who may find this insect in his neighborhood, and also for any definite information con- cerning the food and habits. My jar is well filled with roots, and I frequently put a piece of raw meat on the surface of the ground, but I cannot say that I have ever seen that either it or the roots were much eaten. ‘The ground is burrowed in every direction by clean burrows about as large as an ordinary lead pencil, and the Mole-cricket may sometimes be seen at night moving about in these burrows apparently in good health and quite at home, 26 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. TWO NEW ORTHOPTERA FROM INDIANA. BY W. S. BLATCHLEY, TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA. LocustiDAE—XIPHIDIUM. Serville. Xiphidium Scudderi, nov. sp. Female.—Front and sides of head and body dark reddish-brown ; vertex, disk of pronotum and tegmina greenish-brown in life, (dull yeiiow after immersion in alcohol). A dark reddish-brown stripe extends from the front extremity of the fastigium to the posterior border of pronotum, and contrasts strongly with the general colour of vertex and disk of pronotum. Femora greenish-brown punctate with many dark brown impressions on their upper surface ; the tibia darker. Antenne with the basal third reddish, the remainder fuscous. The apex between the eyes rather broad, with the sides rounded; the cone projecting strongly upward and forward and much more prominent, though narrower, than in X. strictum, Scudder. The tegmina cover two-thirds of abdomen; the wings are shorter, reaching to middle of abdomen. _Ovipositor of excessive length, almost twice as long as body ; slender, and nearly straight until near the apex, where it is curved slightly upward. The posterior femora and tibie are also longer and more slender than is usual with members of the genus. Measurements: 9, length of body, 18 mm.; of antenne, 52 mm.; of tegmina, 9.5 mm.; of wings, 7 mm.; of posterior femora, 16 mm.; of posterior tibiz, 16 mm.; of ovipositor, 30 mm. A dozen or more females of this striking species were taken from the margins of a large pond in Vigo County, Ind., on October rith, 1891. Although in company with Xiphidium strictum, Scudder, and X. brevipenne, Scudder, yet it was at once noticeable on account of its dark glossy- brown colour and exceedingly long ovipositor. Careful search was made for the males, both then and two weeks later, when the pond was again visited, but none were found, and on the latter visit but one female was seen. Those taken were on the stems of the partially fallen rushes and sedges which filled the margins of the pond. When disturbed they gave two or three enormous leaps, and then moving rapidly for some little distance would endeavor to hide beneath the mass of fallen vegetation. Since the above was in MSS., Mr. S. H. Scudder, in whose honour the species is named, and to whom specimens were sent, suggests that - THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ea — as _ = —— —— ee McNeill’s Xiphidium sp. ?, mentioned in PsycHe, VI, 24, as being deformed and having the ovipositor two and a-half times as long as the body, may have been this species. GRYLLIDAE—APITHFS = (Hapitruus), Uhler. Apithes McNeilli, nov. sp. Female.—Front margin of pronotum of same width (3.5 mm.) as head, slightly incurved ; posterior margin but little broader, truncate. Tegmina slightly exceeding the abdomen, entire at the tip, the dorsal field the longer. Wings extending 2.5 mm beyond the tip of tegmina. Posterior femora stoutish, exceeding the abdomen. Posterior tibize of same length as the femora, armed with two slightly divergent rows of spines on lower face—eight on the inner margin and five on the outer, besides the three at the apex on either side, the middle one of which is twice as long as any of the others. Between each two of the larger spines in the outer row are two small ones, about one-fourth the length of the large ones. The basal joint of tarsus has also a row of five spines on either margin of its lower face, the apical pair of which are much the longer. The top of head, disk of pronotum, and the tegmina, are covered with a fine soft pubescence, visible only with the hand lens. All the tibize and upper and lower borders of posterior femora more coarsely pubescent with yellow hairs. General colour, after immersion in alcohol, a dull brownish-yellow. A dark brown stripe reaches from eye to posterior border of pronotum. The tegmina with a small brown spot at their base, and the, vein separating the dorsal from the lateral] field with a number of oblong dark spots ; the cross-veinlets are also much darker than the ones running lengthwise, giving the dorsal field a checkered appearance. All the femora are rather thickly marked with small dark spots, those on the posterior pair being arranged in regular rows. Extreme tip of ovipositor black. Length of body, 16 mm.; of antennz, 42 mm.; of tegmina, 14.5 mm.; of posterior femora, 9 mm.; of ovipositor, 12 mm. A single female, the type specimen, was taken October 21st, 1891, from the lower leaves of a golden rod, So/tdago latifolia, L., which grew jn a thick upland woods in Vigo County, Ind. I have named the species in honour of Prof. Jerome McNeill, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, a well-known writer on Orthoptera, and my first instructor in entomology. 28 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. SOME INDIANA ACRIDIDA.—II. BY W. S. BLATCHLEY, TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA. ’ Since my first paper on “ Indiana Acrididz,” which was published in the Enromotoctst for April and May, 1891, was prepared, six additional species have been taken in Vigo County. Of these, one is new to science ; a second has been known in the United States only from Florida and North Carolina ; of a third, but one specimen, a female, has hitherto been recorded, and from it Dr. Thomas described the species ; while a fourth has not before been taken west of New Jersey. With the habits and local distribution, as far as noted, of these six species, together with the description of three of them, the present paper deals. The following works may be added to the list given in the preceding paper to which the synonymy refers :— Comstock, J. H.—An Introduction to Entomology, I., 1888. Fernald, C. H.—The Orthoptera of New England, 1888. McNeill, Jerome—‘“ A List of the Orthoptera of Illinois” in Psyche, April and May, 189r. Scudder, S. H.—Boston Journal of Natural History, VII., No. IIL, 1862. Thomas, Cyrus H.—In “U. S. Geological Survey of Montana and Adjacent Territory,” 1871. ACRIDIDZ. ACRIDINA. TRUXALINI. 1. L¥PTYSMA MARGINICOLLIs, Serville. Opomala marginicollis, Thomas, Syn. Acrid. N. A., 1873, 66, 196, 250 (note). Leptysma marginicollis, Scudder, Proceed. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XIX., 1877, 87. Leptysma marginicolle, Comstock, Introduction to Entomology, I., 1888, 111, fig. 102. On October 11th, and again on the 24th, a number of specimens of this slender-bodied, graceful species were taken from the tall sedges and rushes which grew near the margin of a large pond in the river bottom of the southern part of Vigo Co. Its range has heretofore been supposed to be a strictly southern one, and Thomas, in the note, loc. cit., states THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, bS co that it is doubtful if it really belongs to the U.S. fauna. Mr. S. H. Scudder has, however, since recorded it from Florida, and in a personal letter says that it has also been taken in North Carolina, but not farther north. Its occurrence in numbers as far north as Central Indiana is therefore worthy of record, and can only be accounted for by the presence of the broad and sheltering valley of the Wabash, within the confines of which it finds a climate and vegetation congenial to its taste. If its habits be the same elsewhere as in Indiana, the name ‘“ grass- hopper ” is for it a misnomer, for here it is never seen on the grass or ground, and never hops when disturbed, but moves with a quick and noiseless flight for twenty or more feet, to a stem of sedge or rush, on which it alights. The instant it grasps the stem it dodges quickly around to the side opposite the intruder. ‘Then, holding the stem firmly with its short front and middle legs, it draws its slender hind femora close up against the body, and folding the tibiae into position, hugs its support as closely as possible, and remains perfectly motionless. Its body is almost cylindrical, and being of the same general colour as the stalk of the plant on which it rests, it is almost impossible to detect it, unless one sees exactly where it alights. Eight times out of ten a person by approaching quietly can reach his hand about the plant stem and grasp the insect. Its habits excellently illustrate the so-called ‘‘ protective mimicry ” of form and colouring, as it always seems to choose a cylindrical object, and one similar to its own colour before alighting. As the description given by Thomas, loc. cit., is the only one in American works of reference, and, moreover, is a very short and poor one, I append the following drawn from fresh specimens, and hope that cellectors throughout the Northern States will be on the lookout for this interesting and peculiar species :— Body very slender, sub-cylindrical. Antennze short, somewhat ensiform. Vertex extending far forward in the form of an equilateral triangle, slightly sulcate on its anterior half. Face very oblique, median carina weak, narrowly sulcate for its entire length ; lateral carinz slight and straight. Pronotum almost cylindrical, slightly diver- gent on posterior half; median carina present, distinct only on posterior lobe ; lateral carinz obsolete. Prosternal spine short and rounded. Face, vertex, occiput, and disk and sides of pronotum densely punctured. Tegmina exceeding the abdomen by 3 to 5 mm. Wings equal to tegmina in male, slightly shorter in female. Posterior femora very slender, not reaching tip of abdomen. Anal cerci of male slender, tapering, and bent abruptly upward and forward near the base. Sub anal plate narrow, upturned and tapering to a point. The ground colour is a fawn, unbroken except by a narrow, yellowish stripe, ex- tending from the hind border of eye, along the lower edge of pronotum to coxa of hind 50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. leg In living specimens this line is bordered above by one of dark brown. When the insect is dried the brown fades and the tips of tegmina become darker. Length of body to tip of tegmina, male, 30 mm.; female, 37 mm., of antennz, male, 8 mm.; female, 6 mm.; of tegmina, male, 20 mm., female, 26 mm.; of posterior femora, male, 14 mm., female, 17.5 mm. OEDIPODINI. 2. SPHARAGEMON BOLLI, Scudder. Spharagemon bolli, Scudd., Proceed. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVIL., 1875, 469. McNeill, “Orthop. of Ill,” Psyche, VI., 1891, 64. Dissosteira bolli, Fern., Orth. of N. Eng., 1888, 43. This species is much less common than S. dal/teatum, Scudd., but three specimens having been secured. It may be readily known from balteatum by the higher crest of the pronotum, by the general colour being darker, the bands across the tegmina more distinct, and by having the tip of wing as black as the median arcuate band. It frequents high, dry woods, and moves with a quick, almost noiseless flight, but is clumsy as a hopper. Sept. rst, Oct. 17th, in copulation. ACRIDINI. 3. MELANOPLUS GRISEUS, Thomas. Caloptenus griseus, Thos., Geol. Surv. Terr., 1871, 454. Id., Syn. Acrid. N. A., 1873, 165. A single ¢ of this handsome JZe/anop/us was taken in Putnam County, on August 25th. It hopped across a roadway in the woods in company with numerous specimens of M7. femur-rubrum, and was at once detected on account of its peculiar coloration. On October 17th, a ¢ and @ were taken from near the base of trees in a high woodland pasture in Vigo County, and again on November 15th a single female was found in a similar locality, These four are all that I have ever seen. No one of them took to flight, and their movements on the ground were exceedingly clumsy, they being easily captured with the hand. As Thomas, loc. cit., described the species from a single @ taken in Ohio, and as I| can find no reference to the species other than those cited above, I add the following description of the ¢, drawn from a fresh specimen, together with accurate measure- ments of both sexes, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 31 The length of 47. femur-rubrum but thicker bodied. Head rather large with the occiput elevated ; eyes prominent. Vertex very narrow between the eyes; the fastigium deeply sulcate ; foveola present but minute, their outline circular. Frontal ridge rather broad, sulcate at the ocellus, convex between the antennz, punctate with black depressions along each margin for its full length. Lateral carinee prominent, but little divergent. Pronotum nearly uniform in width, expanding slightly pos- teriorly ; the median carina distinct only on the posterior lobe, and deeply cut by the three transverse sulci; posterior lobe punctate with dark impressions. Tegmina extending 5 mm. beyond the tip of abdomen ; wings but little shorter. The terminal ventral segment turned up, narrow, acuminate, entire. The anal cerci are strongly bent upward near their middle, and bear on their lower edge a broad, triangular, wing-like expansion, the apex of which is opposite the bend. Colour.—Face, occiput, and disk of pronotum a grayish-lilac with numerous fleckings of sooty black. A broad stripe of black starts from the eye and extends back along the upper side of pronotum to the posterior transverse sulcus. Tegmina grayish-olive, marked regularly over almost their entire surface with subquadrate fuscous spots which are much larger than those possessed by femur-rubrum. Wings transpar- ent, tinged with pale yellow on basal third, the veins of apical fourth fuliginous. Three bands of black cross each femur and are alternated with bands of grayish-blue of the same width. Posterior tibiz with the basal third red, the remainder gray with black spines; knees black ; venter pale yellow, (alcohol changes the black to a reddish-brown, and the grayish hues to a dull yellow). Dimensions :—Length of body, ¢ 24 mm., ? 27 mm.; of tegmina, ff 20 mm., 2 22 mm.; of antenne, ¢ II mm., ? 12 mm.; of posterior femora, ¢ 14 mm., 2 15 mm. The peculiar mottled appearance, and the broad expansion of the anal cerci of the ¢, serve to distinguish this species from all other Melanopli of the E. U.S. 4. PEZOTETTIX HOOSIERI, NOV. sp. Antenne of ¢ very long, exceeding the length of posterior femora. Vertex between the eyes narrow, scarcely as broad as the basal joint of antenne, (broader in the ?), expanding and prominent in front of the eyes where it is broadly but shallowly sulcate ; foveola about twice as long as wide, slightly narrowed in front, more prominent in the @. Frontal ridge rather broad, regular, scarcely if at all sulcate below the ocellus ; OS bo THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. lateral carinze well developed, but little divergent. Pronotum broadening slightly on posterior half, (more noticeable in the ?); median carina distinct and equal throughout, the transverse sulci scarcely noticeable in the @, distinct but shallow in the ¢; the lateral carine present but rounded obtusely off ; the disk and sides of posterior lobe densely and rather coarsely punctate. Teginina oblong, two and a-half times as long as broad, reaching to middle of abdomen and slightly over-lapping on the median dorsal line, the wings but little shorter. Last ventral segment of the abdomen of ¢ broader than high, tumid posteriorly, the lateral edges higher and flaring slightly outwards. Cerci long and slender, gently incurved, narrowed at the middle, with the apical third flattened and slightly hollowed on the exterior face. Colour of living specimens :—Male—Antennz rufous, infuscated at tip, and with the apical sixth of each segment yellowish. Face green, clypeus and mouth parts yellow. Vertex, disk of pronotum and tegmina plain olive, immaculate. Lateral lobes of pronotum greenish-yellow below ; above with a broad, shining, black line reaching from the eye to their posterior edge. The venter pale yellow, and the meta-pleural episterna with an oblique yellow line. Femora green ; knees black ; posterior tibize greenish, rufous at base, with black spines. Female— Duller ; the disk of pronotum and tegmina sometimes with minute fuscous spots; a black stripe on the sides of abdomen, above which are numerous small black blotches. Measurements:—Length of body, ¢ 22 mm, ? 31 mm.; of antenne, ¢ 15 mm., ? 11 mm.; of tegmina, J 10 mm., ? 13 mm.; of hindfemora, f 14mm., 9 17.5mm. 13 6’s,11 Q’s. About the margin of the pond above mentioned, this Pezotettix was found in numbers on October 17th. It was at once noticeable on account of the length of the male antennz, and the black stripes on the sides of the abdomen of the female. The pond was aimost dry, and the dense growth of sedges and rushes which had filled its shallow margins, were, in some places, burned away. Over the burned spots had sprung up a dense green vegetation, and here this Pezotettix flourished in company with Zyuxalis brevicornis and Chrysochraon viridis, while a few feet away Leptysma marginicollis found a suitable home amongst the rushes and sedges still standing. Both sexes of 2. hoosieri were very active, leaping vigorously when approached, and difficult to capture except by throwing the net over ” ) THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ae them as they rested on the ground. The females were exceedingly difficult to kill in the cyanide bottle, ‘‘ coming to” after having been kept in it for several hours, although the males and the other insects above mentioned were killed in a few minutes. On Oct. 27th the spot was again visited, and, although several heavy frosts had occurred, yet the species was still fairly common. At this time, however, they were all found in the small patches of grass which grew among the fallen leaves a few yards from the edges of the pond proper. TETTIGINA. 5. BATRACHIDEA CARINATA, Scudder. Batrachidea carinata, Scudd, Bost. Jour. Nat. Hist., VIL, 1862, 479. Thos. Syn. Acrid. N. A., 1873, rgo. Fernald, Orth. N. E., 1888, 409. Tettix cristatus, McNeill, Psyche, May, 1891, 77. Two males of this species were taken, in company with numerous young and adults of B. cristata, Harris, from a grassy hillside on April 1st, 1891. Although Bolivar, according to McNeill, has made carinata a synonym of cristata, yet, in my opinion, the two are as distinct as are the two common species of TZettigidea. Carinata has the pronotum extending 3 mm., and the wings 4 mm. beyond the tip of abdomen, whereas cristata has the pronotum of the same length as the abdomen and the wings lacking 2 mm. of reaching its tip. Moreover, the median crest of the pronotum is not so prominent nor so strongly arched in carinata as in cristata. Length of pronotum of cristata, g 7 mm.; of carinata, 6 9.5 mm. Carinata has not before been reported west of New Jersey. 6. TETTIX CUCULLATUS, Burm. Tettix cucullata, Scudd., Bost. Jour. Nat. Hist., VII, 1862, 475. Thos., Syn. Acrid. N. A., 1873, 185. Tettix cucullatus, Fernald, Orth. N. E., 1888, 47. McNeill, Psyche, VI., 1891, 77. Several half-grown young and two adults of this species were taken on April rst, and on Sept. 15th a large number of adults were secured. It appears to be widely distributed over the Eastern U. S., its occurrence having been observed from New England to Sherman, Texas, at which latter locality I took a number of specimens on July 11th. It is evidently a water-loving species, as those taken in Texas, and most of those secured o THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. in Indiana, were found along the damp, sandy or muddy margins of small streams, in company with Ga/ewdus oculatus, a common Hemipteron, which abounds in like situations. Cucu//atus, when disturbed, has a more prolonged flight than any other of our Zeftigine. The life-history of the ‘‘ grouse locusts” is, as yet, very imperfectly known. In the proper localities mature specimens of most of the six species so far noted in Indiana can be taken almost any day in the year. Tettix ornata, Say, and Tettigidea polymorpha, Burm, were found in copulation on April 18th, and the latter species again on May gist ; while, as noted above, the half-grown young of two species were collected on April rst. No. 18, Fezotettix: viridipes ? Walsh, Mss., of my first paper, is Pezotettix viridulus, Walsh, as I have since determined by comparison with specimens of the latter taken by Prof. McNeill at Moline, Ill. It was the third full-grown species, other than Ze¢tigine taken last season, having been preceded by Chortophaga viridifasciata, De Geer, Apr. 26th, and Arphia sulphureus, Fab., May 20th. Two mature males of P. viridulus were taken on May 30th, and others were found at intervals throughout June, but it is by no means a common species in this locality. FURTHER NOTES ON GELECHIA GALLADIPLOPAPPI, AND DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF BRACON. BY REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. In a paper entitled ‘‘A Day in the Woods,” I brought under the notice of the Entomological Society of Ontario, at its annual meeting held in London, on the 27th of August, 1890, the galls formed by G. gadlle- diplopappi, and gave an account of the chrysalis and perfect insect. I also alluded to two kinds of parasites preying upon the species. The description of the moth was reproduced in the December number of the CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST of that year (Vol. XXII., p. 248). The insect has again come under my observation, and I am able to furnish these further particulars concerning it :— The larva of the species when full grown is four lines in length. Its colour is light seal-brown, and it has a dorsal line of darker brown, and a few dark patches on the three last segments. Its head is black. There are a few bristles on the head and along the sides. It assumes the chrysalis form in the beginning of july. Or THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, The moths continue to appear from the tst of August to the close of the month. . At least three kinds of parasites molest the species :— 1. Pimpla pterelis, Say, which, in August, issues in its perfect state from the chrysalis of the moth. (See 22nd Ann. Rep., Ent. Soc. of Ont., p. 18). This species was identified for me by Mr. Harrington. 2. An insect which, in its larval condition, leaves the chrysalis of the moth about the roth of July, The larva is nearly four lines in length, and is white with a tinge of pink. It spins a white cocoon within the gall. I have two or three of the cocoons, and hope to obtain the perfect insects in due course. 3. A Bracon.—The larve of this, numbering from four to ten in a batch, consume the remains of their host at the end of July, and then spin their light drab cocoons in a cluster at the bottom of the gall. The flies appear about the roth of April. The perfect insect has the head and thorax black. The abdomen, which is somewhat spindle-shaped, and is attenuated at the junction with the thorax, is honey-yellow, with a brown patch on the upper part of each segment—in some instances the upper part of each segment is entirely suffused with brown. The mouth organs are honey-yellow, and the legs, with the exception of the tarsi of the hindmost pair, which are light brown, are of the same colour. The ovipositor of the female is longer than the abdomen. Its sheath is blunt, hairy and black at the tip, and does not divide in drying. I cannot learn that this insect has hitherto been described or named. I would therefore suggest for it the appellation Bracon furtivus. NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF AGALLIA SANGUINO- LENTA, Prov.* BY HERBERT OSBORN AND H. A. GOSSARD, AMES, IOWA. This leaf-hopper is considered a clover pest, but is also known to feed on beets, rutabagas, cabbages and blue grass. It is active even in midwinter on sunshiny days. The eggs are thrust beneath the epidermis of the food-plant, and the first brood of larve appears from the middle of May until July rst. The earliest individuals of the brood are nearly mature by the first of July and are supposed to begin egg-laying a little later. Larve can be found in all stages of growth from this time until the advent of winter, but most of the individuals are believed to be included in two broods. 36 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ON THE ORTHOPTEROUS FAUNA OF IOWA.* BY HERBERT OSBORN, AMES, IOWA. The Preliminary List of the Orthoptera of Iowa, published by Prof. C. E. Bessey in the Seventh Biennial Report of the Iowa Agricultural College, is revised, a number of species being added and a number of names taken from incorrectly determined specimens rectified. The revised list is represented thus in the following families :— Family Forficulide. One species. Family Blattide. Four species. Family Phasmide. One species. Family Acridide. Forty-one species. Family Locustide. Twenty-three species, probably twenty-four. Family Grydlide. Ten species. Total, eighty or eighty-one species. HOW THE FEMALE OF CACOECIA SEMIFERANA PRO- TECTS HER EGG-CLUSTERS.* BY C. P. GILLETTE, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. The Box Elder Leafroller, Cacoecia semiferana, was very abundant in many places in Colorado last summer, and in July the moths were swarming in the trees in the evening, presumably to deposit their eggs. The eggs were found beneath a gluey mass, somewhat similar to that used by the tent caterpillar in protecting her eggs, but it was largely covered with what appeared to be scales from the moth, placed like the shingles on a roof. A careful examination of these shingled patches under the microscope makes it seem certain that the eggs are first all deposited, the glue is then added, and after this the abdomen is laid at full length in the sticky substance until it hardens, when the abdomen is removed, and the scales covering its under side are drawn and left covering the eggs. *Abstracts of entomological papers read before the Iowa Academy of the Sciences, Des Moines, Iowa, December 28 and 29, 1891. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. a NOTES ON COLEOPTERA.—No. 9. BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA. Philydrus, Can. Ent., XVI., 186.—The paragraph commencing with ‘© Philhydrus” should be corrected as follows :—Philydrus perplexus, Lec., and P. Hami/toni, Horn, are found [on Brigantine Beach] in the fresh water pools which form at the base of the sand-hills, with ydro- philus glaber and Copelatus glyphicus; while Philydrus reflexipennis occurs in the salt marshes under pieces of wood and recent tide-drift, seeming to inhabit salt or very brackish water, as it has not been taken in fresh water with the species mentioned. When the paragraph was penned P. Hami/toni, since described, was supposed to be reflexipennts, and the true reflexipennis a variety of ochraceus. Philydrus fimbriatus, Can. Ent., XX., 63.—The variety noticed as inhabiting hill and mountain rivulets has recently been described as a species, and is Cymbiodyta Blanchard, Horn. Cercyon littoralis, Gyll.—This nice species occurred very abundantly in September at Longport, near Atlantic City, New Jersey. It inhabits under the softer grass washed from the Bay deposited on sand flats, and which has remained there long enough for breeding purposes. Though represented as very variable in colour and markings, the only differences observed in several hundred individuals examined was that about one-half were entirely piceous black, while the remainder had the posterior fourth of the elytra pallid. Cercyon has heretofore been much neglected by most American collectors, but the genus having been recently monographed by an able hand, and the species defined by characters usually of easy observation, they are likely to become better known. All things con- sidered, this species seems to be native in North America as well as in Europe. Here it has been taken on Magdalen Island, Gulf of St. Lawrence ; Coney Island, New York ; the New Jersey sea coast, and in Illinois (Horn, monograph). In Europe, skirting the Western Mediter- ranean shores, it follow the Atlantic Coast to N. Lat. 66° 50’, and also occurs in Northern Asia on the shores of the Obi. The Cercyons, so far from being despicable, are very interesting beetles, and no genus of equal extent contains so many forms common to the Old and New Worlds. In fact, of the 25 American species monographed by Dr. Horn, 14 like- wise occur in Europe. Trogophloeus convexulus, Lec. — Several examples (it occurred abundantly) of this minute beetle were taken on the salt marshes near 38 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Longport, New Jersey, in September. The identification is due to Mr. H. Ulke, confirmatory of a like diagnosis by myself. The most, or in- deed all of the species of Zrogophloeus which I have heretofore taken, occur wandering about in very wet places, taking refuge under leaves, sticks, &c.; but the present species differs in being found in places com- paratively dry, and in constructing surface galleries like many of the species of Bledius, some of which it closely resembles. Dr. Leconte described the species from an individual from New York, and another from Kansas, which, till the present time, do not appear to have been duplicated. These two examples, measuring each .o7 inch in length, represent the smallest individuals ; the length of a number taken together averaging over .og inch. There are no thoracic impressions whatever visible in the great majority of individuals, but occasionally one of the larger ones bears indistinct traces of the usual basal marks, barely discernible in certain lights. The smooth thoracic line is usually conspicuous, which, with the piceous or black antennz and parti-coloured feet, make this species of easy recognition. This species likewise occurred on Brigantine Beach, and may be looked for in the salt marshes anywhere along the Atlantic Coast. Callichroma splendidum, Lec.—This well-known and highly-prized beetle is distributed along the Atlantic coast from Delaware to Key West, Florida, around the Gulf of Mexico to Southwestern Texas, and northward along the Mississippi to Arkansas. It is known to breed in the trunk and immense roots of a tree growing in the Southern swamps, especially in such as sustain Cypress, and is known in different places by such names as Sour Tupelo, Large Tupelo, Wild Olive, Wild Lime, Gum-Elastic Tree, &c., being the Vyssa uniflora, Walt., congeneric with NV. multiflora, Weng., the abundant and well-known Gum Tree, or Pep- peridge, common in many of the Northern States. The leaves and fruit of this tree, with several of its brilliant inhabitants, were recently received from Alabama, by which I am able to confirm the one or two observed records of its larval habits. It may, however, breed in other species of trees, as the first example in my collection was presented by a young naval surgeon, who took it on Key West, Florida, a place where yssa probably does not grow. The individuals of this species vary considerably in size, the sculpture of the thorax, and the colour of the elytra. An individual from Delaware measures .85 inch in length; the one from Key West and another from Texas 1.70 inch each, but the average THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 39 appears to be near 1.30 inch. The colour of the thorax is uniformly a brilliant fiery copper, with green reflections when seen after night or in certain lights, and is a specific character; the thorax differs in individuals from being deeply rugous to comparatively smooth, and in the promi- nence of the lateral spines and tuberosities. The elytra in the large majority are deep sericeous green, but in some examples, more or less shot with copper, which in some individuals becomes the prevailing colour, known in some collections as wvescens. Some time ago I had an opportunity to examine several examples of each of two species of Ca//ichroma taken in Cuba, one of which, labelled columbina, Dej., seems only to differ from sp/endidum by having the thorax colored coppery bluish or violet; if other differences exist they escaped observation. This species was described very briefly by Dr. Leconte under Dejean’s catalogue name sflendidum, with Cerambyx elegans, Fab., Oliv., Hald., im synomymy (jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phil, 2d Ser., II., 37). Dr. Asa Fitch, however, states (Rep. 4, 711,) that Linneeus had previously described it under the name svaveo/ens, from an example sent him from Carolina by Dr. Garden. (Appendix to last Ed. Syst. Nat., III., 224, 1770.) At one time this species was considered an inhabitant of the West India Islands, being probably mistaken for co/umbina or some allied species. In fact, some of the species of Cad/ichroma, of which I have seen nine, are uncomfortably close, and separated by characters which, in many genera, are of little moment. C plicatum, Lec., is strikingly like splendidum, but the green colour of the head and thorax is constant and devoid of any coppery reflections. The habits of the two species, if I am rightly informed, are more confirma- tory of their being specifically different than anything yet observed in their external structural characters. A friend (not an entomologist), from Hamilton County, Central Texas, says this species breeds in old cactus. While requiring further confirmation, this statement is probably correct, from the fact that there has been no record observed of its having been taken in swamps with sf/endidum, and from the fact that it occurs only in cactus regions in Texas to Arizona, where it was taken near the south- eastern boundary at Camp Bowie. (Wheeler’s Reports on Exp. and Surv., Vol. V., Zoology, p. 821.) Eupogonius tomentosus, Hald.—Here this species is not common B 4() THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. till recently all the examples in my collection were bred from dead hickory limbs (once). All other observed records of its habits represent it as inhabiting in its early stages pines. This is with scarcely a doubt the species Dr. Fitch describes under the name ‘‘ Z. sznivora, Pine-eating Gay-beard” (Rep. iv., 712), which he says differs from £4. ¢omentosus by the erect hairs on the body and antenne being black, a different form of spots on the elytra and the smaller size. The last two are of no value, as the length of fomentosus varies from .20 inch to .33 inch, and the elytra from having scarcely perceptible patches of pubescence to the high ornamentation of Dr. Fitch’s pzuzvora, while the black colour of the erect hairs was very probably an optical deception, from a perhaps care- less comparison of bright fresh examples with older faded ones ; any one who has the insect can readily see how this might occur, by examining a specimen after night, or by a dull light. This species is distributed from Florida to Canada, occurring in New York and Michigan. The locality from which the hickory limbs from which my examples were bred were obtained is remote from any place growing pine, and the occurrence can scarcely be regarded as fortuitous. £. vestitus is very commonly bred here from hickory. Elleschus, Can. Ent., XVI., 106.—The Léleschus bipunctatus, mentioned at the place cited, proves to be one of the forms of &. scanicus, Payk., as determined by Dr. W. G. Dietz on comparison with authenti- cated European examples. The colour and the elytral markings of this species seem to be locally variable, and in the present instance scarcely or not differing from those of d:punctatus. This form has been sent me from Europe as dipunctatus, but an examination of the structural characters shows it to be the same as my American form. The typical form of Paykull was rufo-testaceous with fasciate elytra, and a similar form was taken by Dr. Dietz at Hazleton, Pennsylvania, from which a redescription of the species was made and a figure drawn (Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., 18, 264, plate vil., fig. 35, 35a). As he had not then seen this form it is not mentioned in Dr. Dietz’s excellent paper, and from his descrip- tion and figure of the species it would not be readily recognized as the same. Some individuals have no markings whatever, not even a trace, and all others have, more or less visible, the small spot on the disk of the elytra before mentioned, any others being attributable to abrasion. The colour varies from piceous to pale. This species is only known from here, and at Hazleton certainly. Common throughout Europe on willow, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 4] Dr. Dietz records £. d¢punctatus as occurring in Canada ; Hubbard and Schwarz, in Northern Michigan. Anthonomus musculus, Say, and A. signatus, Say.—In 1831 Say pub- lished in his Curculio, p. 15, a description of A. musculus, and on p. 25 that of A. szgnatus, and from the descriptions it is evident he had before him two distinct species. In Leconte and Horn’s Rhyncophora, a species is assigned to each name separated by definite characters; and in Dr. W. G. Dietz’s elaborate revision of the tribe lately published, these are still more clearly defined. One of these species is of economic import- ance, being occasionally exceedingly destructive to the cultivated straw- berry. Owing tothe difficulties encountered in attempting to separate them, some economic entomologists now solve the matter by uniting the species, unfortunately, under the name of the one having typographical precedence— musculus. Prof. C. V. Riley devotes several pages in one of the Government agricultural reports (1885, p. 276—282,) to the discussion. The true muscudus is not very common here, and is usually found in colonies on huckleberry blossoms—I have never taken a specimen on anything else—and occurs here from the middle of May till the first of June. Whole acres may be hunted over without obtaining a single specimen. ‘The individuals seem to vary only from degrees of maturity, Say’s description having been drawn from examples recently disclosed, while his variety is the more mature. A. szgnatus, on the other hand, is protean in colour and elytral ornamentation, so much so that judged by this alone it might be divided into several species. It appears about the first of June, and may be found more or less abundantly all summer. It eats the leaves and blossoms of many species of trees and shrubs. I have taken it abundantly on Tilea and Rhus, and it seems to have a decided taste for certain Rosacezee—notably, Rubus. Diligent search has several times been made in the fields of the cultivated strawberry without finding any Axnthonomus, and efforts to obtain the strawberry form from correspondents have equally failed. 4, signatus, however, is often seen on the leaves of the wild strawberry, through which it eats holes like it does to the leaves of Rubus. Both species may possibly depredate in strawberry plantations, but it would be a wide departure for the true mzscu/us from any of its known habits. From the unanimity of systematists in maintaining the distinctness of the species, it wil] be necessary for economic entomologists, if they care 49 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. for accuracy, to make further investigation and ascertain which it is by which the mischief is done, or whether both species may not be concerned in different places. ‘There will be little trouble in doing this, provided the huckleberry insect can be found with which to make the comparison, as they are only moderately difficult to separate when both forms are at hand. NOTES ON THE AEGERIADZ OF CENTRAL OHIO. BY D. S. KELLICOTT, COLUMBUS, OHIO. The Lepidopterous family to which these notes pertain is a homo- geneous and distinct one, clearly and sufficiently separated from other families. The larve, so far as known, are borers in roots, stems, branches, or excrescences of trees, shrubs or annuals, yet all strictly retain the structure and appearance of the young of their order. Most of them pass the winter buried in the food plant. A few, however, hiber- nate as pupze or as larve, protected by cocoons. The most remarkable variation of the adolescent period is in the variable length of time from egg to pupa. Certain wood-boring species, Harmonia pini for example, pupate and disclose the imago the third year from the egg; others complete their changes ina few weeks. The pupe are quite similar. The clypeus is usually armed with a protuberance, and the abdominal rings with transverse rows of spines, agreeing in this respect with normal pup of Tortricidee, Cosside and Hepialide. The moths are among the most beautiful of insects, and in other ways they are no less attractive. Their exquisite form, coloration and graceful- ness of motion appeal to every one permitted to see them, but the highest enjoyment is reserved for those who appreciate the extent and exactness of protective mimicry exhibited by these insects. So intimately do they simulate the appearance, aided many times by sounds, odours and attitudes of wasps and bees, that the very elect in entomology are often deceived and cheated. Again, their habits render many of them grave pests, compelling attention from horticulturist and economic entomologist. In spite of these reasons, and more that might be alleged for their collection and study, they are not well represented in collections. In fact, in a majority of collections which I have had the pleasure to examine A®geriade, like Odonata, are few and ill-favoured. This is to be regretted ; but since we have the material in abundance, the defects may THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 43 and will be remedied. The situation is relieved somewhat by the thought that there is certainly one unique collection of the A®%gerians in this country, namely, that of the late Henry Edwards. What disposition is to be made of it I know not. Perhaps no one does. All sincerely hope that it may speedily find a safe resting-place, accessible to the interested student, and where it will be properly cared for, and will duly honour our foremost student of this group. The list of species of this family thus far collected at Columbus, I am aware, is.only a partial one—one which it is hoped may be greatly increased in the near future. Such facts as are at hand, it is hoped, will prove interesting and suggestive. I follow the generic arrangement of Henry Edwards in Grote’s Check List of N. A. Lepidoptera. Melittia ceto, West., (cucurbite, Harris).—The squash-borer occurs abundantly in Central Ohio, and, indeed, throughout the State. Jn localities where cucurbitaceous plants are cultivated on a commercial scale it isa veritable pest. Isitdouble brooded? Since Dr. Harris’s account of its habits more than sixty years ago, it has been regarded as single brooded, the moth. appearing in early summer, the mature larva enter- ing the soil in July and August, enclosing itself in a gummy cocoon in which it remains until the following spring, when it completes its trans- formations. During the last days of August Prof. F. M. Webster and myself found in squash vines on the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station Farm larve of different sizes ; a few inches below the surface cocoons containing larve were found, and one fresh imago was taken resting on the leaves. By September 20 all the Jarve were out of the stems and could be found in their dark, oblong cocoons from two to four inches beneath the surface. My friend Webster asked me if the species was two-brooded. I replied by asking him the same question. At the time I did not recall the paper by Prof. S. H. Scudder in Psyche, vol. iv., p. 303, in which he recounts finding in squash vines on Cape Cod in September two larve, one much larger than the other and apparently specifically distinct. He describes each and raises the question, Is 47. ceto double brooded or are there two species passing under that name? Only the larger forms found by the writer were preserved and carefully examined; they were typical Melittia ceto. The single imago was likewise a typical example of that species. It seems probable from the facts at hand that in Central Ohio and South the species is double brooded. 44 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Alcathoe caudatum, Harris.—This unique species is the sole repre- sentative of its genus. It was described by Harris in vol. xxxvi. of Silliman’s Journal. His description has been copied by many authors and nothing added. This is evidently due to the fact that the insect is rare. A number of working entomologists have assured me that they had never taken it. The latter part of August, 1889, three examples were seen by me visiting blossoms of A7/zdeo/otus on the Ohio State University grounds ; two males were captured, the third, a female, escaped. Harris describes the forewings of the male as “transparent from the base to the middle.” In both of my specimens there are only clear streaks, one on either side of the median vein ; indeed, when first taken these lines were scarcely perceptible. The coxz and femora are black ; tibiz orange, with more or less perfect black rings at base and apex of second and third; tarsi tawny orange, with first joint of last pair surrounded by a heavy band of orange hairs and a few black ones out- wardly at the base; the palpi are light, bright orange below, darker above, whilst the antennz are of the same shade as the upper surface of the palpi, but having the double row of fringes blackish. The caudal appendage, which is fully as long as the abdomen, is bright orange ; the caudal tufts are black and orange. Harris gave the black currant as the larval food-plant. Henry Edwards, in Transformations of N. A. Lepi- doptera, mentions the stems of CZematis also. I have not been able to find the larva in either of these plants. Bembecia marginata, Harris.—This species occurs everywhere about Columbus in the native blackberry. Thus far I have not heard that it has given trouble to the cultivator. The moths may be taken in Septem- ber resting on the foliage of plants near the food of the larva. Podosesia syringe, Harris.—As the specific name implies the Jarval food-plant is the lilac. If it would confine its attention to this old- fashioned ornament of lawn and garden it would have far less economic interest. But, unfortunately, it attacks and destroys the white and the European ash, as well as the mountain ash, Pyrus Americana. Large numbers of them were found in the trunks of the last in April, 1891 ; several trees on the Ohio State University campus were found greatly damaged by them. It may, therefore, yet be found to injure other and | more valuable rosaceous trees in cultivation. Sannina exitiosa, Say.—The AZgerian peach-tree borer is far too abundant wherever the peach is cultivated. Central Ohio is not an exception, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 45 Aigeria gallivora, West.—In May last I obtained from a globular excrescence on an oak twig three A‘gerians—one male and two females. They were at first taken to be ygerta hospes, Walsh, until a careful comparison was made with the original description of that species in vol. vi., p. 270, of the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia, when I found good evidence that the moths were not of that species. The following characters seem to afford sufficient grounds for this conclusion :—1. They were larger, expanse .75 inch ( Hospes .57 inch ); 2. there is a well-marked black band at tip of hind tibize, in the female as wide as half the length of the joint, or the whole space distal of the middle spurs ( Hosfes has the tibiz tipped with blackish only) ; 3. the second abdominal band of female is broad and the yellow ventral patch much longer and more clearly defined than in the male (according to Walsh, this band is not broad and the spot is only half as long as in the male) ; 4. the expanse of Hospes female is .50 inch, of these .75 inch; 5. and again, these have a yellow collar and the first joint of the antennze maculate in both sexes, whilst the female Hoses has the first antennal joint immaculate (Walsh). Are these moths Westwood’s Zrochilium gallivora ? His description is inadequate, and without a comparison with the type there must always remain some uncertainty. Nevertheless, I refer my specimens to that species for the following reasons :—1. Westwood’s specimens were bred from galls of Quercus palustris received from U. S. (Papilio II., p. 97). 2. The size is nearly the same ( Gad//ivora, alar expanse 8 lines). 3. “Legs yellow, with a dark ring around the tibie near the tips,” characterizes this feature exactly, especially true of the hind tibiz ; the first and second pairs are yellow, with more or less blackish on the outside of the tibia] extremities. The sexes of what I take to be 4gerza gallivora agree almost exactly in size and closely in ornamentation ; the lower part of the front and a ring about the eyes milk white, above the white of the front shades into yellow, which extends about the first antennal joint, and is overhung by rather long blue-black scales, concolorous with the ground colour of thorax and abdomen; the palpi are yellow, blackish above; and the abdominal bands are two in both sexes, narrow in the male, the first narrow and the second broad in the female. Althotgh my material is scanty, I have reached the following con- clusions regarding these gall-feeding and evidently inquiline species from 46 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. oak and hickory: /ospes is a good species, but what Walsh has said about the supposed female pertains to a species as yet unnamed ; and Gallivora is now rescued from forgetfulness. “Eegeria pictipes, G. & R.—This moth is quite abundant throughout this district, and does serious injury to wild and cultivated cherry, as well as the plum. I have seen at least a score of pupal skins protruding from one tree at the same time. igeria acernit, Clemens.—Great numbers of our maple shade trees are injured, often ruined, by this species. It is, however, rarely seen in the forest. Eegeria tipuliformis, L.—The imported currant-stem borer is said to occur in Central Ohio. I have not yet taken it. Aigeria lustrans, Grote.—I have two examples. The type was cap- tured by G. R. Pilate near Dayton, O., and is said to be ‘‘common in one place.” The food-plant is unknown. ZEgeria corni, Hy. Edw.—A moth taken at Sugar Grove, O., July 3, 1891, visiting the blossoms of basswood, I refer, with some hesitation, to this species. It resembles Acernz, but is smaller, and in every way more delicate. The agreement with Mr. Edwards’s description of Cornz (Papilio 1, 190,) is close, except the blackish third article of the palpi is not mentioned, and the underside of the caudal tuft is reddish orange or tawny, and not “bright orange.” The expanse is 18 mm. instead of 15 mm. Carmenta pyralidiformis, Walker.—Rare at Dayton. See List of GioRe) Pilate; Papilio (1-465. Albuna modesta, n. sp. I propose this name for a species taken on the University campus at Columbus in August last, resting on foliage. I have compared it with all of Mr. Edwards’s descriptions of species in Aigeria, as well as A/buna, and examined as many of his types as I have been able to consult; also the species in the National Museum at Washington. I cannot recognize it among the descriptions or specimens. The female has the head, thorax, abdomen and wings black above ; the palpi are rather long, sordid white below and inwardly, blackish above and outwardly ; the eyes are bordered by pale yeliow scales; the antenne are black, with a white patch on the upper posterior surface one- fourth the length from the tip ; apical tufts black ; thorax and abdomen without streaks or bands above, beneath both are paler, with a few yellow scales on the sides of the metathorax. The anterior vitreous space of THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 4” the fore-wings is small and triangular, the posterior one likewise small and oval; interveinular spaces of the apical patch golden ; hind-wings with very narrow black border, fringes throughout blackish ; beneath hind- wings as above, fore-wings yellow to the discal spot, with interveinular spaces beyond of the same hue. Fore-coxe black, with pale scales, especially on lateral edges ; femora black, with more or less pale ; tibie black, with the spines and a few scales at tip sordid white ; tarsi blackish, ringed with dull white ; abdominal tufts slight, concolorous, with a few yellow points at base laterally. Expanse, 18 mm.; length, 9 mm. I have referred the moth to A/buna rather than M#geria for the following reasons: 1, ‘‘the head is narrower than the thorax, which is not produced far beyond the base of the wings ;” 2, ‘the antenne are comparatively short,” not reaching to the discal spot; 3, the legs are relatively short, on the other hand the tibiz are not more than usually clothed with scales; 4, ‘“‘the markings of the wings are heavy, the space between the submedian nervure and the inner margin is clothed with scales,” except a minute clear space proximate of the clear triangle, and within the submedian ; 5, the abdomen is fusiform without the apical brush. The finding of the male may make the generic reference more certain. BOOK NOTICE. List of Lepidoptera of Boreal America, by John B. Smith, Se. Ds etc., Philadelphia, American Entomological Society, 1891. Prof. Smith divides the Lepidoptera into seven suborders :—(1) The Rhopalocera, containing .four families ; (2) the Heterocera, containing twenty-three families, and comprising the Sphingide, A®geriadee, Thyride, Zygaenide and Bombyces of Grote’s list ; (3) the Noctuina, containing three families; (4) the Geometrina, containing the single family Geometridz, divided into nine subfamilies ; (5) the Pyralidina, containing seven families ; (6) the Tortricina, containing three families ; (7) the Tineina, containing twenty families. Prof. Smith has been assisted by Dr. Skinner in the Rhopalocera, by Dr. Hulst in the Geometrina and Pyralidina, by Prof. Fernald in the Pyralidina and Tortricina, while the entire list of the Tineina is by Dr. Riley. The list contains 6020 numbered species, which includes the unidentified species described by Walker (243 in number) and other authors (in all, 79 names). 48 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. There are a few inaccuracies and omissions among the Bombyces which I should like to notice :— Family Nycteolide, page 23, add Sarrothripa reveyana,S.V. (See Hy. Edw., Bull. 35, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 55). Family Lithostide, No. 966, Wola minuscu/a, Zeller, should have precedence as it was described in 1872 (Verh., d. k. k. Zool. Bot., Gesell. XXII., 455), while fuscuda, Grt., was not described till 1881 (Papilio, Le, 716) Family Arctiide, p. 27, No. 1113@, Arctia sciurus, Bdv., is given as a variety of Luchetes collaris. Mr. Hy. Edwards once stated to me that it was the same as his &. yosemite. This would be a more probable synonymy, scéurus having precedence. Family Liparide, p. 28, No. 1166, Walker's c/andestina was referred to Gluphisia by Mr. Grote (Can. Ent., 1X, 21), but I do not know it, and it may really be Dasychira. Family Notodontide, p. 30, add Gluphisia avimacula, Hudson. No. 1277 is the same as No. 1285, Pheosia dimidiata, H.-S ,and I am of the opinion that A rimosa and P. californica are synonyms of this. (See Psyche, VI., 194.) No. 1289, Edema albicosta is given as a synonym of E. albifrons. The forms can be distinguished, and I am not aware that they have been proven varieties. Nos. 1300 and 1302 are better referred to Schizura in my opinion. (See Psyche, VI., 177.) Page 31, No. 1339 is probably a synonym of No. 1345. No. 1342a@ is not a variety of. Cerura occidentalis, but of C. cinerea. Perhaps I am responsible for this error, as my table in Can. Ent., XXIII., 87, may be a little ambigu- ous, for I placed the var. cimereoides before cinerea instead of after it on account of the arrangement of the table. No. 1343, C. sectiscripta is given as asynonym of C. cinerea. This is surely a mistake. So far as I know it is a good species, and J have referred candida, Lint., as a variety of it, and not of cimerea, as it stands. C. candida, Lintn., has no affinity with céwzerea, but the three forms, scztiscripta, candida and multiscripta, constitute a distinct group of the genus. Add Cerura modesta, Hudson. Family Ceratocampide, p. 32, add Dyocampa riversiz, Behr. Family Bombycide, p. 33, “emileuca neumoegeni, Hy. Edw., seems to have been overlooked. No. 1401, Céléstocampa strigosa, Str., is a synonym of C. coustricta, Str. Gastropacha alescensis, Pack., seems to be wanting, (See Stretch, Zyg. and Bomb., N. A., p. 113.) No. 1419% should be Zhauma ribis, to keep the original orthography. (See Hy. Edw., Proc. Cal., Acad. Sci, V., 265.) And, finally, Autheca mora, Grote, has been left out. (See Bull., U. S. Geol. and Geog. Sur. Terr., Haydn, VI., 257.) The list will be the standard for some time to come, and should be in the possession of every entomologist. Harrison G. Dyar. Mailed February Oth. a - = Che Wanatliay Kutomologist WOT XOCLy, LONDON, MARCH, 1892. No. 3. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON BUTTERFLIES, LARVA, ETC. BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, WEST VA. 1. An albino male Colias Philodice. I received this example from Mr. H. E. Wilford, of Batavia, N.Y., last fall. Mr. Scudder, Butt. N. E., p. 1285, says :—“ Instances of albinism are confined, so far as we yet know, to the Rhodoceridi” (which term he uses to include Co/zas, under his name of Zurymus), ‘and to the female sex.” In colour this male is white, with no tint of yellow; the borders of both wings are of median width, and solid—in all respects like the usual border of the yellow male. It was taken at Batavia last summer. Mr. Wilford wrote that at the time albino females were unusual- ly plentiful. 2. An abnormal Papilio Asterias. Mr. David Bruce sent me several larvee of Asterias from Platte Canon, Colorado, 1st August, 1891, and I reared them to imago. One of these butterflies is a male by its body and claspers ; female, by its wings. The male Asterzas has two longitudinal abdominal rows of yellowish spots, sub-dorsal and lateral, and this example shows these rows, and no other yellow markings ; the female Astevias has not only the same two rows, but a semt-row on either side the mid-ventral line on the three or four last segments. The hindwings are of the usual type of the female Asterias, and therefore without the mesial yellow band, which belongs to the male. The forewings are destitute of this yellow band, and also of the extra or discal row of yellow spots to be founa in both sexes of Asterias. The submarginal row of yellow spots is present, but the spots are very small. So that the only yellow found on the forewing is in these submarginal spots. On the under side of the forewings, however, the extra discal spots are present, and the spots of the submarginal row are as large as is usual ini female Asterzas. Mr. Scudder says, p. 1759: “Specimens showing a “tingling of the characters of the two sexes, called 50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. gynandromorphs, are by no means unknown.” He mentions seventy- one published examples of such, of which eight belong to the Papilionine : ‘most of these show complete bilateral distinction, the wings of one side being of one sex, of the other of the opposite sex. Dr. W. J. Holland writes me that he has a Papilio Polyxenes” (Mr. Scudder’s name for Asterias) ‘‘collected by Mr. Mead, in which the abdomen is female, while the wings have the mate colouring.” The example I describe above is, then, just the reverse of the one in Dr. Holland’s collection, the abdomen being male, the wings female. I hope to get this specimen, as well as the albino male Colias, figured in my Volume III. 3. Papilio Bairdiz. Mr. Bruce also sent me eggs of P. Bairdii, from West Colorado, in 1891, obtained by confining the female over the food-plant ; and from these I reared several larve to pupa and imago. The butterflies in no way differed fromm the typical forms. The larve were distinctly different from the Asterzas larve, which were feeding at the same time. I have the set of drawings of them by Mrs. Peart, and shall certainly figure the stages in Butt. N. A. 4. New species, Papilio Hollandi?. Mr. Bruce obtained in West Colorado three examples, male, of a Papilio wholly unknown to me, and which lies between the sub-groups of P. Zolicaon and Asterias. Like the species of the former sub-group, the abdomen is yellow. In all the members of the other sub-group the abdomen is black, with rows of yellow spots. The upper side of both wings in these examples is not distinguishable from the male Bairdiz, the yellow bands and spots being of the same character, and the anal ocellus has its sub-oval pupil connected by a black ligament with the marginal stripe. On the under side the facies is quite different from Bairdii, by reason of the marginal yellow spots being very large and confluent ; the spots of the mesial band very large, fully as much so as on the upper side. The abdomen is wholly yellow, except for a black dorsal stripe and four fine lines beneath, two on either side the venter. : It has been suggested that these might be hybrids between Zo/icaon and Bairdi. I know nothing of hybrid butterflies, and if there is THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Gy positive evidence of such a thing in nature, I do not remember to have heard or read of it.* It would not seem very likely that a colony of hybrids, so numerous as to allow of catching three individuals in one district, would be discovered. Now, I have a female Papilio, taken in Arizona years ago by one of the Wheeler expeditions, that must be of the same species as these males from Colorado, The hindwings are wholly wanting, but the forewings are good and agree with Lazrdii; while the body is exactly like these males, allowing for the difference of sex. This specimen had always been a puzzle to me, and I looked for light on its peculiarities to come some day. I do myself a pleasure in naming this Papilio after my dis- tinguished friend, Dr. Holland. Mr. Bruce will probably get eggs from the female of this species next summer. *Under the heading of ‘‘ Hybrids” in index to Butt. N. E., I find five pages referred to. On p. 283, we read ‘‘ that hybrids occur between this species ( Astyanax,”’ (i.e. Ursula ) “and Archippus” (i.e. Disippus ) ‘‘is rendered probable by the remark of Mr. Mead, who found an Astyanax on whose upper surface the blue was supplanted by fulvous,” etc.; and also of Grey, who says, CAN. ENT., XI., 17, he possesses ‘‘a melanitic form of Dzs¢ppes with all the markings of Ursz/a on the under surface.” Now these may be cases of hybridity, and may not. The American species of Zzmenitzs are so closely allied that they would seem to be but one remove from a common parent, and as probably as not one of the black species is nearest that parent. These variations in occasional individuals of one species in the direction of another species may be cases of reversion or mere sports. Hybridity is conjectured, not proven. On p. 289 et seq., is a discussion of the supposed hybridity by wholesale of Limenitis Poserfiza (between males of Arthemzs and females of Urszla, and vice versa). I have shown the improbability of this mixing up in Can, ENT., XXIIL., p. 49, et seq., and that all the phenomena may be accounted for in a different way, with no violation of probabilities. On p. 445, we read: ‘‘Mr. H. Edwards describes a hybrid between Pyrameis Atalanta ani Carye:’ ‘‘ The under side is that of Atalanta.” Mr. Scudder adds here : ‘Hybrids among butterflies are of extreme rarity.” Cases of copulation between butterflies of different species of the same genus have several times been observed and recorded, even of different genera. I reported one in C. E. recently between two of different families, viz., a Melitazaa and Chrysophanus. But I do not know of instances (though such there may be) where such copulation has led to eggs from which the larvze were bred to pupze and butterflies produced. In only this way could we be sure of hybridity. On p- 1212, we read thata Pieris Aafe paired with a Pieris Protodzce (these at least belong to different subgenera) and the female laid eggs which hatched. But the larvze all died, and so nothing came of this conjunction. On p. 1363, under Papilio Asterzas ( Polyxenes), we are told: ‘‘ No hybrids are known”; after which it is related that ‘‘ Mr. Edwards possesses an hermaphrodite ” specimen, etc. I conclude, knowing Mr. Scudder’s habit of thorough research, that no other instances of possible or probable hybridity have been reported among American butterflies. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Or LSS 5. Papilio Oregonia. Until recently this species was known only in east Washington and Oregon ; but the late W. S. Foster, two vears ago, took a fine example at Park City, Utah. Mr. B. Neumoegen has sent me for inspection a male taken somewhere in Utah. And, in 1891, Mr. Bruce found several examples in west Colorado. It is evidently a desert species, ranging from Washington to Arizona. In 1890, I had larve sent me from east Washington, believed to be of Oregonia. But, as they were found on the plants, the sender could not be certain. I saw all the stages fromm second to adult larva, and obtained one pupa. Of the last two larval stages, I have drawings made under the supervision of Prof. Riley. The larval markings and colours were unlike any Papilio larve I have known, and I think the species is certainly Ovegonia; it can be nothing else, coming from that locality. But, as the pupa died before imago, I could not figure these stages on a plate as Oregonia. Now, I hope to obtain eggs and begin from that stage, and so get the set of drawings for publication. 6. Anthocharis Sara and A. Reakirtiz. On March 31st, 1888, I received eggs and larvee (hatched on the way) of Reakirtit, laid 22nd inst. One larva passed first moult, end April ; second moult, 4th ; fourth moult, 8th April, and pupated on 13th This pupa gave a true Reakirtiz imago the next year, 12th April, 1889. On June 4th, 1888, forty-three eggs laid by Sara, in confinement, were sent me by Mr. A. Koebele, but the plant with them rotted, and not more than two larve reached me alive on r1th. Mr. Koebele wrote that Sara, of May and June, proceeds from eggs laid by Reakirtiz in March ; but that some pupz went over the winter to produce Reakirtiz in the early spring ; also that the product of Sava was Reakirtiz of the next spring. ‘The dimorphism is as that of Papilio A7ax. It is very common for pupz of Anthocharis to go over two winters Mr. Koebele wrote me, in 1888, that he then had pup of Sara and Cethura that formed in 1886, and one of the first named he sent rhe, labelled May, 1886. This, soon after I got it, gave imago Reakirti. I have a living pupa now of Genutia of 1890, the only instance I have known in that species. A. Ausonoides passes two years in pupa some- times. Both P. Rutu/us and P. Daunus sometimes pass two years in pupa. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 53 7. Caterpillars that go over two years. I had a larva of Ccenonympha Zvornata out of egg received from Mr. Fletcher, at Ottawa, go over two winters. Three larve hatched 18th August, 1888. One of these became lethargic after second moult and hibernated. On 6th May, 1889, it passed the third moult ; the fourth, oth June. In July was asleep again, and so passed the winter of 1890, and died in the following spring without further change. Others, of a lot from Montana, hibernated after second moult and pupated the following spring. A similar habit has been noticed in Melitea Azzcia, Doubleday. This species is common on the tops of the highest peaks in Colorado, and so north to and beyond Laggan Until recently, the lepidopterists of this country were uncertain what Anicia was, and the name came to be applied to a rather large red species found in Nevada and California. But Mr. Henry Edwards, on his last trip to London, examined the type specimens in British Museum, and having with him several of his own Melitzas, identified the right one, and distributed examples of it to some of his correspondents. It is a small dark and dull species, and is said by Mr. Bruce to swarm in its localities. I received eggs of Anicia from Mr. Bean, at Laggan, 5th July, 1889. The larve fed here on Pentstemon, and at once from the egg protected themselves under a common web. The first moult took place on rrth July ; the second, on 14th; third, on 2oth July ; and in August all were asleep and were sent to Clifton Springs. They were received again, 2nd April, 890, and soon began to feed. On 12th April several passed the fourth moult, and near the end of the month had gone to sleep again. Up to middle of September no change had taken place, but late in the fall they were found to be dead. In a state of nature these larve would pass the hibernating period on the ground among leaves and rubbish, but I could not attempt to imitate the conditions without certainty of mould, and so destruction. I wrote Mr. Bean about this experience, and he replied (last of Oct., r890,):—‘‘My four Anicia of 188o still stay with me.” Later, 17th Nov. :—‘ Two of the 1889 Anicia went into hiberna- tion alive.” Whether any of the species of Chzonobas in America require two years between egg and imago has not yet been ascertained. Mr. Scudder, Butt. N.E., is inclined to think Semzdea has “‘a biennial cycle”; and 54 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Mr. Fletcher, that A/acounii (from Nepigon), has that habit. C. Brucei, allied to Semidea, nas with me reached adult larva the first season, and probably the Colorado Semidea would behave the same way. But the conditions in Colorado, even on the highest peaks, are not so trying to insect life as on the White Mountains. 8. Food-plants of certain Colias larve. The larvee of C. Scudderii and Nastes feed on willow. I found those of the former would not touch white clover (or any clover) which the other alpine species, Weadii, Elis, Alexandra, eat ; and it occurred to me to try willow. I gave them tender leaves of weeping willow, and they took to it at once. Mr. Bruce saw the female laying on a species of Vaccinium at Hall Valley, caught and confined her and got twenty eggs. He told me that he had often noticed the females flying in and out the dwarf willows as if laying eggs. I got the larve past second moult and then lost the whole of them. As to Wastes, Mr. Bean, at Laggan, wrote :—‘ The larve feed on willow, and not mountain willow only, but from the banks of the Bow. I don’t find any eating Vaccinium, but a lot on Hedysarum are doing well.” Messrs. Fletcher and Scudder obtained eggs of C. Juterior, at Nepigon, and distributed part of them. I had fifteen or twenty, and they hatched ; but the larve refused white clover and several other sorts of leaf which I tried them on, and all starved. I did not then know that willow was a food-plant of any Colias. Neither of the gentlemen named had better success than I had. Mr. Bean told me later that the food- plant of Zuterior was Vaccinium. 9. Colias Meadii and Elis. These species, in their early stages, cannot be separated. The larve are precisely alike, even under the glass, so far as I have been able to discover, and they differ in appearance from all other larvee of the genus observed by me, being thickly coated with short, black bristles, or stiff hairs. There is a basal stripe of pure white, with no red in it, and a sub- dorsal stripe of yellow-white. Many of the imagos of M/eadz taken at Hall Valley and on the higher levels, in September and October, are very pale coloured (as to both the orange and black), and are undistinguish- THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 55 able from examples of /Vec/a from the Arctic Sea, except that the AZeadz males (as well as E/és) have the mealy spot on costal margin of hind- wings, which Hec/a shows nothing of. If a Hecla ever appeared with that spot, I should say the two were forms of one species. I sent a pair of these to London to be submitted to two of the most experienced lepidopterists there, and asked them to tell me in writing what the species was. I gave no information about the pair, except that they were taken somewhere in America. Both the experts replied that the species was Hecda, but they noticed the presence of the mealy spot. In the museum collection, all the male Hec/a were without that spot, and I cannot learn that it is known in any collection. These pale examples are not worn but are fresh and evidently not jong out of pupa. They must be the product of eggs laid by the earlier imagos the same season. Mr. Bruce wrote 7th Sept., 1890, that he had ‘just been up Gibson Mountain; elevation 14,000 feet ; all barren and desolate. All I saw was two Alexandra and three Scudderii, half a dozen Meadiz, a dozen Arg. Eurynome, and as many P. Smintheus. I send two of the AZeadiz to show you the colour.” These were the first examples I had seen approaching /Zec/a, and on calling Mr. Bruce’s attention to them, he presently took several others of same type about Hall Valley. ‘That the imagos do sometimes come out the same season the eggs are laid, appears from my experience with larve at Coalburgh. On 23rd July, 1888, I received larve just out of egg from Mr Bruce ; these passed the first moult, 27th ; one passed the third moult gth Aug.; the fourth, r4th; pupated, 19th ; and the imago came out 25th August. The rest of the larvee passed the third moult and hibernated. I sent them to Clifton Springs, N.Y.; got the survivors back in April following, and on 21st and 23rd April they passed the fourth moult; on sth May one pupated, and gave imago rath May. In 1889, on 30th August, or five weeks later than in preceding year, I received eggs. Between the 23rd and 3oth of September, all the larve were in hibernation after only two moults. The same year a second lot of eggs came 1st September. The larva hibernated after second moult. In r8go eggs were received 8th August; nearly all the larve hiber_ nated after second moult, but a few went to third and one to fourth, but 56 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. all these died before reaching pupa. In all cases observed the larve hide themselves in and among the dead leaves at the base of the clover plant, and so hibernate. Of Zits, I received from Mr. Bean, at Laggan, 23rd July, 1889, several larvee just out of egg, the eggs having been laid 17th. They passed first moult 28th; second, 1st and 2nd August. On te2th one passed third moult. In all, six got through third moult, and shortly after went into hibernation, and were sent to Clifton Springs. Two came back alive 2nd April, 1890, and they passed fourth moult r2th and 14th April. One passed the fifth moult on 24th; was sent to Mrs. Peart, at Phiia- delphia, and pupated there 4th May ; was mailed to me and never arrived. The other larva died before pupa. On 2oth and 22nd July, 1890, eggs and larve just out arrived. Nearly all the larve hibernated after second moult, but two reached fourth by 2oth August. One of these died shortly after that, the other went on to the end of the stage ; changed colour for pupation, and then died. But I concluded from this that in native conditions some £//s must reach imago the same year in which the eggs are laid, as with Meadzz. On 24th May, t891, I received six larve from Mr. Bean which had hibernated at second and third moults. They were sent just as they were taken out of the snow, and were but half awake when I received them. Had not suffered on the journey, though sealed up in a piece of cork and six days on the way. From these were obtained three imagos,1 f and 2 9 2, on 28th and 2oth and 3oth May. To me Z/is is a very puzzling species, exceedingly close to Jeadiz in some examples, but considerably different in others. Mr. Bean, who lives in the AZ/zs district and has caught multitudes of them and bred from the egg many, is fully of the mind that the species is distinct ; and I defer to his judgment. [ro BE CONTINUED. | lod THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 57 PAMPHILA MANITOBA, SCUD., AND ITS VARIETIES. BY H. H. LYMAN MONTREAL. In 1874 Mr. Scudder published his paper on ‘‘ The Species of the Lepidopterous Genus Pamphila” in the Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, in which the following species were described as new :—Nevada, Colorado and Manitoba, and Sassacus; Ottoe, juba, Comma of Europe, and Sylvanoides were also treated of. None of the descriptions are detailed, but are altogether comparative, pointing out the differences between the closely allied forms, and in the case of Manitoba the comparisons instituted are exclusively with the European Comma. The four specimens, 2 ¢s and 2 9s, illustrated, are all from the west of the continent, or rather, I should say, from the west and centre. One specimen was from Lake Winnipeg, one from Colorado, and two from British Columbia. The figures show specimens of which the underside of secondaries is dark greenish or greenish-brown, and with considerable variation in the prominence or restriction of the markings. Though no figure of any eastern specimen is given it is stated in the text that the species had been taken at Riviere du Loup by Mr. Couper. Since then it has been repeatedly taken on the Lower St. Lawrence by other collectors at Cacouna and Riviere du Loup, Metis, and even as far as Gaspé by myself in 1888. The form found on the Lower St. Lawrence is very uniform in colour and has the outer third of the underside of the forewings and the whole of the underside of the hindwings, with the exception of the inner margin and hind angle, of a dark brown colour, though occasionally with a slightly greenish tinge. In 1890, on returning east from a trip over the Canadian Pacific Railway, I stopped for a day at Regina, the date of my visit being August sth, and as usual devoted a good part of the day to collecting Lepidop- tera. Among other things, I collected a good series of males of a Pamphila of the Manitoba group, which was new to me, but only succeeded in securing one female, it apparently being a little early for that sex. During October of that year I paid a flying visit to New York and Boston, taking a few specimens with me for comparison, among them a specimen of this skipper, which I showed to Mr. Henry Edwards, who a8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. said that he did not know it, and thought it must be new. Mr. Scudder said it might be new, but one needed a very full series in that group. I afterwards showed it to Mr. Fletcher, and asked him if he had ever seen that form, and he immediately said “ Yes, at Regina.” He added that he had sent a specimen to Mr. Eugene Aaron, who had pronounced it to be only Manitoba, but Mr. Fletcher expressed to me the opinion that it was at least a very distinct variety. The point in which this form chiefly differs from Manitoba of the Lower St. Lawrence is that those parts on the underside, which are brown in the latter, are of a very pale greenish-yellow or yellowish-green in the Regina form, but it also differs somewhat above in that the males are usually of a yellower tone while the brown of the female is decidedly darker and the spots of the forewing decidedly lighter, some of them being almost white, than in the Eastern .specimens. Wishing to get further light upon the probable relationship of these forms this year, I took a number of specimens of each with me on a trip to Boston and New York before returning home from a short holiday on the Atlantic Coast, and through the kindness of Mr. Scudder was enabled to examine his original types of Manitoba. One of these agreed exactly with my specimens from the Lower St. Lawrence, while the ones from British Columbia and Colorado were greener, but none agreed with, or even approached the average of the Regina specimens. Mr. Scudder, however, on account of the close similarity of the markings, seemed to be of opinion that the Regina form must be a variety of Manitoba. At New York Mr. Neumoegen kindly allowed me to compare my specimens carefully with the Pamphilas in his magnificent collection, but no specimen was found which at all agreed with the Regina form, and Mr. Neumoegen expressed the opinion that I should be safe in describing it ; but in order to guard against all danger of being accused of rashness, I took the specimens out to New Brunswick, N. J., to Prof. J. B. Smith, who very kindly, at my request, dissected the male abdominal appendages of one of the Regina specimens, which upon examination were seen to be practically identical with the illustrations of those of Manitoba, drawn by the late Mr. Edward Burgess, and published by Mr. Scudder. The form would therefore seem to be only a variety of Manitoba, but Prof. Smith expressed the opinion that it might very properly receive a varietal name as a distinct geographical race. Mr. Scudder, howeyer, in his “ Butterflies of New England” would seem to - THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 59 have adopted this form as the basis of his description of Manitoba, as he describes the underside of the hindwings as being, except for the markings, “almost uniformly greenish-yellow,” although he has no specimen of the Regina form in his collection. I am, however, strongly of opinion that the difference between the Eastern specimens and those from Regina is sufficiently great to be wortiy of being indicated by varietal names, and if the name Manitoba is to be restricted to the dark-brown or greenish brown specimens, as I believe it was originally applied, I would suggest the name, var. Assini- boia, for the light greenish-yellow Regina form. If, however, it is preferred to call the latter Manitoba, I should suggest the name, var. Laurentina, for the dark-brown form of the Lower St. Lawrence. NEW SPECIES OF PYRALIDA:. BY GEO. D. HULST, BROOKLYN, N.Y. Myelois fructetella, n. sp.— Expands 16-18 mm. Head dark fuscous ; maxillary palpi fuscous, becoming black on end member. Antenne and thorax fuscous-gray to dark fuscous ; abdomen yellowish-fuscous, ringed with dark fuscous on anterior part of each segment ; forewings light gray, heavily marked with fuscous and black; base to basal line, with black scales, which become very heavy within basal line along inner margin ; middle field much darkened on posterior half, with fuscous continuing along both lines, broad and black at costa along basal line, and narrow and black at costa along outer line ; outer field broadly black along costa outside of outer line, becoming lighter posteriorly and along outer margin ; fringe very light gray ; basal line white, straight in direction or somewhat dentated, near middle distinct; outer line less distinct, with a large but not deep sinus outwardly at middle; hindwings translucent fuscous becoming darker at edges. I have four specimens—all females—from Arizona and Texas. The insect very much resembles dark specimens of I/ineola juglandis, Le Baron. Myelois elegantella, 0. sp.— Expands 29 mm. Gray, more or less 60 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. overlaid with black scales. Forewings, lines white, distinct, edged narrowly on both sides with black, the basal line well out from base with two dentations inwardly at middle, the outer line with a strong subcostal dentation, then finely serrated till near inner margin. The gray of the ground colour is at places much overlaid with the black scales, becoming very distinctly black at middle of basal space, across the middle field and along outer border. The outer edge is black broken by the fine, light gray lines of the veins. Hindwings translu- cent fuscous, darker on outer edge and with a fine black border line. The aspect of the insect is much like that of a Salebria. Seattle, Wash. Myelois texanella, n sp —Expands 19 mm. _ Head, thorax and forewings light gray, composed of chalk white with a light mixture of dark scales. Forewings with a blackish space at extreme base near middle; lines faint but distinct, the inner slightly bent near costa, slanting thence outwardly to inner margin, the outer angulated outwardly at middle, rounded inwardly below costa, somewhat dentate above inner margin, outer margin with a series of black triangular points, two black superimposed discal points ; all lines white, narrowly edged with black ; hindwings translucent fuscous. Blanco Co., Central Texas. Myelois leucophacella, n. sp.— Expands 22 mm. Head, thorax and forewings uniform dull fuscous-gray ; lines of forewings distinct but not sharply defined, both dull white, the basal running obliquely outward from costa with two large dentations, the outer well towards outer border, evenly and sharply dentate below the middle. Hindwings even dull fuscous. Iowa. Acrobasis cirroferelia, n. sp.— Expands 18 mm. Head light gray in front, otherwise fuscous ; palpi light gray, dark on last segments; antenne light gray at base, beyond fuscous. Thorax dull fuscous. Fore- wings dull fuscous gray, lighter and clearer along costa, on basal and median spaces; ridge of basal scales black, preceded by gray, not extending to costa; a biack line begins at costa just above scale ridge, and bending evenly outward and downward, follows then to costa parallel with the scale ridge ; outer line very close to border, very nearly lost in the general fuscous colour, but most distinct costally, and only slightly bent medianly in its course. Abdomen fuscous, segments lined, Austin, ‘Texas. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 61 Salebria levigatella, n. sp.—Expands 28 mm. Head and thorax blackish. Forewings smooth, of an even fuscous, the costa more rounded than usual, basal space to basal line of a dull red colour, lines indistinct, the basal faintly discernible, dentate, the outer very faint or entirely obsolete. Hindwings fuscous, darker outwardly. Amherst, Mass., from Dr. C. H. Fernald ; also froin Wisconsin. Salebria purpurella, n. sp.—Expands 27 mm. Face and palpi gray, mixed with black; the summit of head stained with reddish. Thorax and abdomen fuscous, with reddish stain. Forewings gray, heavily washed with reddish-purple, the gray being more clear before basal line and along costa before outer line. Basal line near base, apparent only on posterior half, lined on each side with black ; outer line very faint and indistinct close to margin. Hindwings fuscous, tinged slightly with reddish near anterior angle. New Mexico. Zophodia bella, n. sp.—Expands 28 mm. Head and palpi fuscous- gray ; thorax fuscous ; abdomen fuscous ; the segments lighter posteriorly. Forewings gray, clear along costa, washed with fuscous behind sub- costal vein, this running in longitudinal lines on the veins and interspaces, being especially distinct on the veins. Basal line suggested by diffuse blackish spots; outer line quite indistinct, oblique from costa, then strongly dentated ; a subterminal line of diffuse black spots; two discal dots black, diffuse, the anterior more distinct. Hindwings light fuscous with marginal black line. Massachusetts. Ocala, n. gen.—Labial palpi long, porrect ; maxillary palpi distinct, pencil tufted; tongue long, antennne bent above base with tuft of scales in bend; forewings 11 veins, 4 and 5 stemmed, ro separate ; hindwings 7 veins, 3 and 4 stemmed, 5 wanting. Abdomen in ¢ tufted. Very near to Dolichorrhinia, Rag., and differing principally in the presence of the pencil tufted maxillary palpi and tufted abdomen, Ocala dryadella, nu. sp.—Expands 18 mm. Palpi and head fuscous gray, thorax light fuscous or dirty white, abdomen same colour with heavy anal tufts beneath and on sides in male ; forewings fuscous gray, basal line well out near middle of wing, faint, edged outwardly with diffuse broken black, outer line close to margin, indistinct, rounded, serrated ; two black discal dots, very small ; a comparatively large, oval black spot on basal space near basal line just above inner margin. Hindwings translucent, light fuscous. 62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Charlotte Harbor, Fla. From Mrs. A. T. Slosson to whose kindness I am indebted for many favours, and to whom I give my grateful thanks. Diviana nympheella, n. sp.—Expands 21 mm. Palpi very long, much exceeding head, the second member especially being lengthened, dark fuscous, whitish in front. Head blackish fuscous, collar blackish. Thorax dull gray. Abdomen lightish gray. Forewings fuscous gray lines indistinct, the basal indicated by a deepening of the dark colour on either side, outer line near outer edge and parallel with it ; discal spots distinct geminate, a marginal line of black spots. Hindwings light fuscous. Charlotte Harbor, Fla., from Mrs. A. T. Slosson. It was my intention to erect a new genus Pa/atka for this species, more especially on account of the very long erect labial palpi, but I have concluded to place it under Dzviana, which it nearly approaches. I mention this, as I gave the MS. name, Pa/atka, to Dr. J. B. Smith, and on this account the species stands under that generic name in his lately published “ List of Lepidoptera.” Chipeta, n. gen.—Labial palpi long, slender, arched on second mem- ber, horizontal at end, 2nd member very long, end member short ; maxillary palpi small, ocelli distinct; antennz crenate pubescent. Tongue short, but not obsolete. Forewings long, narrow, oval, g veins 5 and 8 wanting, 3 and 4 separate, 10 separate. Hindwings 7 veins, 2 at angle, 3 and 4 stemmed, 5 wanting, 8 distinct. Near to Zampa Ragonot ; the generic name from Chipeta, wife of Ouray, Chief of the Ute Indians. In Dr. Smith’s List of Lepidoptera the genus is under the name Osceo/a, but that is preoccupied, so I change it to Chzfgeta. Chipeta perlepidella, n. sp.—Expands 22 mm. _ Palpi, head and thorax dark red. Abdomen yellowish fuscous, with a reddish tinge. Forewings with costa narrowly white, the line not reaching apex, the rest of the wings bright reddish, quite even in colour. Hindwings white, narrow ; pointed. Fla. Lipographis subosseella, n. sp.—Expands 16 mm. Head, thorax and forewings of a dull white colour, rather evenly washed with light fuscous, giving a dirty white appearance, and this all sparingly mixed with blackish scales ; line of forewings indistinct, shown rather by a darkening of edges which give a blackish blotch by basal line near inner margin and an even subterminal dark rather broad band. ‘Two discal dots also indistinct. A marginal line of indistinct black dots. | Hindwings fuscous, darkest at THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 63 edges. Abdomen light fuscous, the segments blackish dorsally, especially anally, the extreme end yellowish. Bahama Is, West Indies. This species, while not North American, is described, as I have given it to Mr. Ragonot under this MS. name. The generic reference is by Mr. Ragonot. Paralipsa decorella, n. sp—Expands 27-30 mm. Palpi and head whitish, collar whitish, thorax light gray, abdomen fuscous gray, antenne whitish at base becoming fuscous outwardly ; forewings gray costally, gray washed with fuscous posteriorly ; lines quite indistinct, the basal near middle of wing and strongly dentated, the cuter scarcely evident ; a black stripe from base at middle reaching out to basal line and much broadening there, forming a diffuse blackish spot along costa towards | apex, and the marginal space much stained with dark fuscous ; a black marginal line, fringes fuscous. In some specimens there is on the basal and middle fields a faint reddish shading, especially posteriorly. Huind- wings light fuscous, beneath nearly even fuscous on all wings. Along costa in ¢ there is concealed a very large tuft of cottony hair, the hair being nearly a quarter of an inch in length, very fine and very dense. My specimens are from Buffalo, N.Y., and London, Ontario. Loxostege baccatalis, n. sp.— Expands 22-24 mm. Palpi rather short, dark buff in colour stained with blackish beneath on first and second segments with rather long pure white scales. Front and antenne buff, slightly stained with blackish; the clypeal tubercle broad, conical, not much extended. Thorax whitish below in front, dull golden yellow above, sometimes slightly shaded with fuscous. Forewings dull golden yellow generally, somewhat washed with fuscous, a little more decidedly on the central field ; lines as such indeterminate. On each wing are three sets of dull white spots, all edged with blackish, the outer and inner sides being the heavier, and these in part at least being the broken remnants of the cross lines. All the spots are behind the subcostal space, and in each case the anterior spot begins on that space. The first set is basal, the anterior spot being oval-triangular on outside of basal line, and the posterior larger, quadrate, on the inside of the basal line, not extending beyond the middle of wing. The second set is discal, the anterior quadrate oval, representing the discal spot, the posterior larger, quadrate reaching to vein 1. The third set is on the outer line, the anterior largest of all the spots, quadrate, on inner side of the line. The next is below on outside of line, made into two or three 64 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. by the veins, which are fuscous, flattened basally, rounded conical outwardly,. the dark edging forming rounded dentations, The third spot is inside the line, posterior to the last, subquadrate rather large, reaching vein 1. Hindwings yellowish, becoming quite whitish translucent basally, and on middle field cross lines quite distinct, the first near the middle, the outer not far removed, and having at the middle three white spots long oval, divided by the veins, and strongly edged all around with blackish. Wings beneath as above, less sharply determinate in markings, the yellow more whitish and more washed with fuscous. Abdomen yellowish, with a narrow line, more whitish on each segment. In the male the abdomen is slender, extended, the. genital armour protruded, and with a long tuft of hair on either side of last segment. Blanco Co., Central Texas. Specimens taken in April, July, September and October. The single specimen taken in April is darker than the rest, and there is some variation among all in the size of the whitish spots. The generic reference is from Dr. Smith’s new List of Lepidop- tera, and so on Dr. Fernald’s authority. NOTES ON NORTH AMERICAN TACHINIDA, WITH DE- SCRIPTIONS OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES.—Paper V.* BY C. H. TYLER TOWNSEND, LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. The Tachinide herein described and mentioned are from the more northern parts of the U. S.; from Colo., Kan., Dakota, Iowa and Minn. to Tills:, .Mich., -Pa.; N. Y:, N. > an@eeycC. Blephartpeza bicolor, Mcq A small specimen from Dixie Landing, Va. (D. C.), Sept. 21, is evidently this species. It measures 9 mm. Blepharipeza exul, n. sp., &. Eyes light brown ; frontal vitta light brown, with a reddish tinge ; sides of front cinereous ; face and cheeks silvery ; facial ridges bristly half way up, sides of front bristly, sides of face bristly below frontal bristles ; antennz blackish, first two joints and base of third rufous, arista blackish ; third antennal joint little more than twice as long as the * Paper I. was published in Pron Ent. SOGe. Wash., HUGS papers Hand III. in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XVIII. and XIX.; paper JV. in Ent. News, ILI. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65 elongate second joint ; proboscis blackish, labella large, brownish ; palpi rufous black bristly, rather stout; occiput silvery-gray, hairy. Thorax blackish, faintly silvery-pollinose, with five narrow black vittz, the outer pair obsolete in front ; scutellum brownish-rufous, as is also the thorax on hind margin and sides posteriorly. Abdomen dark rufous, a median broad vitta and posterior margins of segments black. Legs black, tibize rufous, femora silvery on outside, especially front ones; claws and pulvilli somewhat elongate, the pulvilli tawny-whitish. Wings grayish- hyaline, yellowish-brown at base; hind cross-vein strongly sinuate ; tegulz brownish-fuscous, halteres tawny-brownish. Length of body, nearly 10 mm.; of wing, 9% mm. Described from one specimen ; New Hampshire (C. W. Johnson). This species differs from £4. adusta principally in the rufous basal joints of antenne, the rufous tibiz, and the brownish wing bases and tegulz. Seven specimens from N.Y. (Comstock) are perhaps this species. They are to-13% mm.; the antennz are black, inclining to rufous at base ; the frontal vitta dark brown ; the cheeks, sides of face and front much less bristly. The females have two orbital bristles, and the males have the claws well elongated. Gonta sagax, n. sp. fg. Eyes brown; front almost one-half width of head; sides of face, cheeks and whole front, including frontal vitta, light golden-yellow ; facial depression silvery-white and about two-fifths width of face ; vibrissz decussate, inserted a little above oral margin; sides of face, cheeks and front covered with bristly hairs ; antenne nearly as long as face, second joint rather short, third about five times as long as second, first two joints same pale yellow as front, third joint clear orange-rufous ; arista brown, second joint distinctly longer than last joint ; proboscis black, tip and base brownish; palpi yellow, curved and thickened at tip; occiput blackish, except vertical area yellow, thickly clothed with yellowish-gray hair. Thorax shining metallic-black, posterior corners and margin and scutellum testaceous, scutellum with four pairs of macrochetz besides a discal pair. Abdomen shining black, bases of segments two to four silvery-white, or slightly golden in some lights, most broadly on anal segment ; first and second segments with a lateral macrocheta and a median marginal pair, third with eight or more marginal, anal with several macrochete, Legs black, foot-claws and pulvilli nearly as long 66 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. as last tarsal joint, pulvilli smoky. Wings grayish-hyaline, costo-basal portions broadly yellowish ; tegule nearly white, halteres brownish-yellow. Length of body, 1014 mm.; of wing, 714 mm. Described from one specimen ; Ames, Iowa (Osborn). Pseudogonia ruficauda, n. sp., 3. Eyes light brownish ; front more than one-third width of head, frontal vitta dark brownish ; sides of front brassy-golden, face and cheeks silvery- white, epistoma yellowish, antennz and arista deep black, first two antennal joints rufous; proboscis black, tip and base brownish, palpi pale rufous ; occiput cinereous, thickly yellowish-gray, hairy. Thorax black, silvery-pollinose, leaving four black vittz, humeri and pleure silvery with a brassy tinge; scutellum testaceous, somewhat silvery. Abdomen black, first segment slightly silvery behind, second and third segments more or less thinly and anal segment thickly brassy-pollinose, tip of anal segment rufous ; first segment with one lateral macrocheta, second with one lateral and a median marginal pair, third with a mar- ginal row of ten or twelve, anal with a marginal row of about as many; hypopygium black, hairy. Legs black, front femora thick silvery on underside, all femora bristly, middie and hind tibize with strong . macrocheetz, claws and pulvilli elongate, pulvilli tawny-fuscous. Wings _ grayish-hyaline ; veins on costo-basal portions, also middie portion of marginal cell, pale yellowish ; tegulz white, halteres fuscous. Length of body, 11 mm.; of wing, 8 mm. Described from one specimen; Brookings, So. Dakota (J. M. Aldrich). I refer this species to Pseudogonia, Br. & v. Bgst. The second antennal joint is elongate, third two and a half times as long as second ; arista geniculate, second joint elongate; sides of face bristly, as in Cnephalia and Gonia, but the second aristal joint less than half as long as third ; proboscis longer than height of head, slim ; palpi long, slender basally, thickened apically. A ¢ specimen from N. Y. (Comstock) differs chiefly in the anal seg- ment being wholly black at tip, not at all rufous ; the third antennal joint blackish, rufous at base, arista brown. If these differences are, as I believe, entitled to specific value, the species may be known as PL. odso/eta. It is 1x mm. long. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 67 Siphoplagia anomala, Twns., Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XVIII, p. 350. This species was described from Southern New Mexico. A ? ‘specimen from So. Ills. (Robertson) proves to be the same species. It is 8 mm. long. Plagia americana, v. d. Wulp, Biol. C.-A. Dipt., II., p. 102, pl. 3, f. 19. A specimen from N. Y. (Comstock) agrees with v. d. Wulp’s descrip- tion in all except that the third vein of the wing is bristly only to small cross-vein, not beyond it. The wing, however, differs from the figure in the origin of the hind cross-vein being considerably below instead of opposite the small cross-vein. I am unwilling to consider it a distinct species without further proof, as it otherwise agrees so closely with the description, though the difference in venation can hardly be varietal. Plagia aurifrons, n. sp., 3. Eyes light brown ; frontal vitta and sides of front golden, insensibly shading on sides of face into the silvery of the face and cheeks ; front one-third width of head ; three orbital bristles, the hindmost one weaker, frontal bristles descending about half way down sides of face ; antennz and arista black, the second antennal joint silvery, the third twice as long as second ; proboscis brownish ; palpi yellowish rufous, blackish at base ; occiput cinereous, gray-hairy. Thorax black, slightly silvery, with five more or less distinct blackish vittee, the middle one obsolete anteriorly ; scutellum black, more or less silvery. Abdomen shining black, bases of segments two to four broadly but faintly silvery, the silvery becoming most distinct when viewed very obliquely ; first segment with a lateral macrocheta and bristles, second with a lateral one and median marginal pair; third with about eight marginal, the median two more removed from margin ; anal with a median discal pair, a sub-marginal sub-lateral pair, and a marginal row. Legs black, femora and front tibize silvery on outside, claws and pulvilli elongate, the pulvilli smoky whitish. Wings grayish-hyaline, yellowish-fuscous along veins on costal half, first vein bristly its whole length, third bristly to small cross-vein, fourth vein with slight wrinkle at bend; hind cross-vein nearly parallel with inner- margin of wing, but its origin considerably behind the point opposite small cross-vein ; tegule whitish ; halteres pale rufous, blackish in middle. Length of body, 7 mm.; of wing, 524 mm. Described from one specimen ; Pennsylvania, June 4 (Johnson). 68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Trixa gillettei, n. sp., ¢. Eyes brownish ; frontal vitta brown, narrowed posteriorly ; front very narrow behind, wide before ; face, cheeks and sides of front silvery~ pollinose, latter shading to darker, cheeks with a brown area anteriorly * antenne and arista blackish, first two antennal joints and base of third rufous ; second antennal joint bristly, with a long bristle on front edge, third joint as long as second ; proboscis as long as height of head, rather slim, blackish; palpi slender, brownish, rufous at tip, bristly ; occiput silvery, clothed with yellowish hairs. Thorax black, slightly silvery, with four (?) indistinct black vitte ; scutellum black, slightly silvery. Abdo- men black, more or less deeply silvery-pollinose according to lights, except first segment ; first two segments with a lateral pair of macro- cheetee, and a median discal and marginal pair ; third with a median discal pair, and a marginal row ; anal with a more or less regular discal and marginal row. Legs black, claws and pulvilli very elongate ; pulvilli tawny-fuscous, claws brown at base, black at tips. Wings grayish- hyaline, tawny at base, without costal spine; tegule nearly white, halteres rufous or brownish. Length of body, 10 mm.; of wing, 9 mm. Described from one specimen ; Colorado (C. P. Gillette). This species differs from both of Mr. v. d. Wulp’s Mexican species described in the Biologia Centrali-Americana, 7: obsoleta and T. differens, by having discal macrocheetz on the abdomen. Miltogramma kansensis, n. sp., 3. Eyes light reddish-brown ; frontal vitta nearly obsolete, concolorous with front ; sides of front, face and cheeks silvery white, the front shading to dark, epistoma and facial depression more or less yellowish ; three orbital bristles, continued in front by a row of minute bristles ; antennze orange rufous, third joint about one and a half times as long as second, arista black ; proboscis elongate, fully as long as height of head, rather slender, black, base and tip brownish, labella developed ; palpi elongate, yellow, filiform, hardly at all thickened ; occiput cinereous, black hairy. Thorax silvery, with three blackish median vittze placed closely together, the middle one obsolete in front, and two heavier vittz outside them ; scutellum black, silvery pollinose. Abdomen red, a median triangle on first segment and a large triangle extending from median portion of base of second to posterior lateral corners of third segment black, anal segment THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 69 black ; second and third segments silvery-white pollinose basally, anal segment wholly so ; first two segments without macrochete, third and anal with a marginal row. Legs black, femora silvery on outside, claws and pulvilli quite elongate, latter tawny. Wings almost hyaline, tegulz white, halteres pale yellowish. Length of body, 8 mm.; of wing, 5% mm. Described from one specimen ; Kansas, June. Metopia luggert, 0. sp., 9. Eyes light brown; front extremely prominent, frontal vitta obsolete before, blackish behind, the sides of front abruptly black behind and pure silvery-white before ; face and cheeks silvery-white ; antenne and arista black, third antennal joint very long, fully five times as long as second, nearly reaching epistoma; proboscis blackish, labella brownish, palpi black ; occiput cinereous, thinly black-bristly. Thorax black, thinly silvery-white pollinose, with four black vitte ; scutellum’ black, slightly silvery. Abdomen black, almost wholly silvery-white pollinose, except first segment and hind margins of others; first two segments with a median marginal pair of macrochete, and some lateral bristles ; third segment with a lateral pair and a median marginal pair ; anal segment with a marginal row. Legs black, femora more or less silvery-pollinose, claws and pulvilli very short. Wings grayish-hyaline, tegule whitish, with rust-yellow borders, halteres rufous, Length of body, 534 mm.; of wing, 4% mm. Described from one specimen ; Minn. (Lugger). Thryptocera americana, n. sp., 2. Eyes bare, light brownish; front about one-third width of head, frontal vitta light yellowish ; frontal bristles descending a little below base of antenne, four posterior pairs directed backward, two orbital bristles ; face, cheeks and sides of front silvery-white, the sides of face extremely ‘narrow, the facial ridges bare except a few bristles next vibrissz, the latter quite strong and inserted exactly on oral margin ; antenne as long as face ; third joint very wide, rounded, and about two and one-half times as long as second, first two joints light rufous, third joint light brown ; arista somewhat rufous, brownish at tip, more or less geniculate, 3-jointed, second joint elongate ; proboscis short, fleshy, pale yellowish, labella large ; palpi pale yellow, rather long, curved, thickened distally ; occiput cinereous above, pale yellowish below, sparsely bristly. Thorax 70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. silvery cinereous, with two narrow concolorous median vitte reaching scutellum, humeri and pleurz silvery-white ; scutellum pale testaceous. Abdomen pale yellowish rufous, silvery-pollinose, with a median black vitta which widens over most of third segment and all of anal; second segment with a lateral macrocheta and a median marginal pair, third and anal segments with a marginal row ; venter pale yellowish at base, darker toward anus. Legs pale yellowish, tarsi blackish, femora and tibize hairy and slightly bristly ; claws and pulvilli very short. Wings grayish- hyaline; first, third and fifth veins spined their whole length, except tips of two latter ; apical cell narrowly open exactly in tip of wing, fourth vein roundly curved at bend, hind cross-vein slightly nearer to small cross-vein than to bend of fourth ; tegule nearly pure white, halteres yellow. Length of body, 4 mm.; of wing, 344 mm. Described from one specimen ; Washington, D. C., August. Myobia diadema, Wa. Mr. v. d. Wulp (Biol. C.-A. Dipt., II.) describes this species as having the epistoma ‘slightly prominent”. A ¢ specimen from N. Y. (Com- stock), which I refer to this species, has the front golden like the thorax, the face silvery, and the oral margin or epistoma is what I should call “ very prominent ”. [TO BE CONTINUED. | GETTING BUTTERFLY EGGS. BY W. G. WRIGHT, SAN BERNARDINO, CAL. It is generally understood, I believe, that to get eggs the requisite plant must be also enclosed in the gauze bag with the female insect. Such is often, but not always the fact, and it will lighten the labours of the biologist and simplify his methods if a more correct statement be made. That one genus of butterflies should not use or require living plants to receive their eggs, while others will fret and die without ovipositing if . their peculiar plant be withheld, indicates a relationship, or gives a hint as to grouping of genera upon natural lines. But if so, it plays havoc with existing groupings, and will cause the arbitrary to give place to the natural when these things become better understood. The genera of butterflies, with the iiving forms of which I am acquainted, and of which the females do not require plants in ovipositing, are as follows :—Parnassius, Argynnis, Euptoieta, Neonympha, Ce- THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. TL nonympha, Hipparchia, Satyrus, Chionobas, and in part, Chrysophanus. Females of all other genera, so far as I know, will die rather than oviposit when their respective plants are not present, and it is necessary also that the plants be bright and fresh ; when even slightly wilted the insects will ignore them, and die without ovipositing. Having thus stated the matter generally, let me now give more in detail the habits of some typical species of both groups as to ovipositing, and my experiences in getting eggs from them. /arnasstus Hermodur, when ovipositing, alights upon the ground among the grass and crawls about in a restless way at random, dropping egg after egg as they mature indiscriminately upon the bare ground or dead rubbish or wherever they may chance to faJl. When thus engaged she is as readily approached as if feeding or. flowers. When the 2 is confined in a bag she is not unruly but remains rather quiet, scattering her eggs about, singly, as they ripen, and most of the eggs attach to the gauze of the bag, to which they adhere but slightly. I have never observed ovipositing of PP. Smzntheus, but believe it to be identical with Hermodur, as related. The habits of all the other genera named are the same in this particular, that the eggs are laid singly, and not in masses, as is the habit of some genera. Different species of Argynnids have different methods of ovipositing, but none that I know of require a plant. A. Ca/lippe goes crawling about on the ground and under bushes like a Parnassian, and oviposits by extending the abdomen down among the dead twigs and dry leaves like a grasshopper. This habit renders the species somewhat difficult to manage in a bag, as the eggs will be pushed down into the ground if possible. Other species, as Semzramis, oviposit on the wing without ever alighting, but hovering over suitable places and dropping the eggs at pleasure. The reason for this peculiar habit seems to be to avoid small lizards, which abound and which are alert to seize any flying insect. Semiramis is a difficult species to manage in confinement. Lively, vigorous and restless, they take confinement hardly. When ovipositing in a gauze bag they drop the eggs at random, and only a few become attached to the gauze, but most of them drop to the bottom, where they are likely to be lost unless precaution be taken. A. Leto also oviposits on the wing. In 1890 I took a fine ? Zefo near Mt. Shasta, in northern California, and as I was on my journey southward and could not well wait to get eggs in the usual way, I put her ina smail tin box without any food or plant except a few blades of grass to ey THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. serve her as a foothold, and putting the box in a hand-grip carried it home, a distance of goo miles, and with stops taking five and a-half days. Upon reaching home I opened the box, gave Zefo sun and air, then fed her with sweetened water, then put her in gauze bag in the open window without any plant in sight or other thing which could remind her of the home she had left so far benind, and she lived several days and gave me a nice lot of fertile eggs. This Zeto was not fractious, but as she had been shut up in a dark box nearly a week it could hardly be called a fair test. Leto, of all Argynnids, is a strong and tireless flyer, vigorous and full of life and activity, and seldom at rest. It is, therefore, but reason- able to suppose that they would rebel if confined. I have had other 9? Letos in confinement, but out in the open country, and unattended, so that I could not watch them. Coenonymphas are very gentle and traciable. They worry but little, and remain very quiet. As the eggs mature and become ready to deposit they are stuck on to the gauze singly, adhering rather firmly. These eggs are rather small, but are safely taken in a coarse netted bag, as they are coated with a glutinous substance, by which they adhere at once to any fibre, and so do not fall away and get lost. The greatest difficulty I have had with Ccenonymphas is in the matter of shade. A little too much shade and she will not lay her eggs ; a little too much sun and she incontinently dies. A piece of thin muslin makes a better shade than a leafy twig. One would think from the Omithoptera-like shape of the wings of Chionobas that they were of rapid flight, wild, and generally unreasonable. But such is not the case. They are very gentle, flying about but little, and usually returning to the spot they started from, where they settle down again slowly and deliberately. I have found C. Gigas to be easily handled in captivity, and have got eggs without difficulty. In the interior of Vancouver Island I took a 2 upon the top of a high hill, and immedi- ately put her in a bag and laid it down on the grass by the side of a big rock where it would be sheltered from the cold wind, and with no shade from the sun, as it was not hot at that height, and did not go to it again for thirty-six hours. Then, when I went to it I was delighted to see some eggs sticking to the gauze. I could not remain any longer, nor could I return another day. So I took a small tin box and carefully put the bag, insect, eggs and all together in it and tied it to my belt for safety in going away through several miles of dense thicket, and so carried it to my hotel, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. es and thence by rail to Victoria. There I removed the eggs already laid, and placed the bag in the sun in the open window, staying the gauze with pins to keep it steady in the breeze, and so I got another lot of eggs in the middle of the city and without plant or other accessory Of genus Chrysophanus I can speak but with some doubt. Some of the species, as Gorgon and Xanthoides, appear always to oviposit like the Argynnids upon the ground or among dry rubbish, while /edocdes always uses a plant, Polygonum aviculare, or in Alaska, where this poly- gonum does not grow, on some allied plant. It is thus seen, in short, that these enumerated genera of butterflies which require no plant are most of them easy to manage, and that they can be safely and readily carried a long distance alive and well, and eggs afterward obtained at the home of the student, with little trouble; and that course I advise in all such cases. On the other hand those butter- flies which require a plant on which to deposit their eggs are more difficult to handle, because you have not only the butterflies to manage but must provide a fresh plant as well. Yet the difficulties are not so great as is feared. I have found it best, usually, when a suitable 9 is caught, to tie the bag at once upon a living plant, and then put in it the ?, and arrang- ing suitable shade leave it for a day or two. These plant-loving butter- flies all lay their eggs upon the plant, and not upon the bag, except accidentally. Ants, birds and boys must be guarded against—a trio of terrors. Ido not use a large bag; one large enough to hold a quart or two is large enough, either with the plant or without. It is not best that the butterfly should be able to fly about and flutter in its bag ; they become much more quiet and reasonable in a small one. The plant problem is often the one most difficult of solution. Cuttings from delicate plants and such as speedily wilt and perish, can be carried home in a tin box in which they will keep fresh for several days. In that way I have gotten eggs and raised larve in my laboratory when the plants grew ten miles away, by going once a week for fresh cuttings. But some cuttings wilt immediately if exposed to the air. To avoid this, put the cuttings into a glass fruit jar, then put in the Q and shut it up tight. The closing of the jar prevents the plant from wilting, and by that method I have had good success in getting eggs, notably from the large Papz/io Rutulus, and in raising larve. This P. rutudus gave me no end of trouble to get eggs in the open air, but oviposited freely when shut up with willow twigs in a half-gallon fruit jar. 74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. When you know months beforehand what plant you will require, it is best to transplant them to your own grounds, and so have them at hand fresh and growing. By such means I have successfully handled, both for eggs and for larve, such species as Colias eurydice and Lycena sonorensts, both of which species it would seemingly have been impossible to manage otherwise. Breeding is the touchstone which tests all species of butterflies, and by it must they all stand or fall. The larva is as much the individual life as is the imago, and we cannot thoroughly know a species unless we have seen its earlier as well as its later stages. Therefore anything which simplifies the management of the early stages is of interest to the biologist. CORRESPONDENCE. PROBE) Wi. 3B. SMITH’S LIST OF LEPIDOPTERA. Dear Sir: Prof. French in the January number criticises in some points Prof. Smith’s catalogue of the Catocale in the New List of Lepidoptera. As I was primarily responsible for the list of the Catocalz, will you and Prof. French kindly allow me an explanation? st. Prof. French says “ var. Virens is not a variety of Cordelia, Hy. Edw., but of Amasia; and Cordelia is not the one figured by Dr. Strecker, pl. 9, f. 12.” But cordedia, Hy. Edw., is a synonym of amasia, Ab. & Sm., and Dr. Strecker’s figure is not amasia, Ab. & Sm. The error comes from the fact that Abbott & Smith figured two species as # and 9 of amasza, the description being of the upper one only. The insect represented by the lower figure of Abbott & Smith was distributed by Mr. Grote, and figured by Dr. Strecker as amasza. Of course the name attaches to the figure described, as afterwards Guenee located it, calling the lower figure connubialis. The lower insect I afterwards described as sancta, regarding Guenee’s name as without authority, as the description was from a picture. Whether I was right or not I will not here say, but the insect distributed by Mr. Grote, and figured by Dr. Strecker as amasiza, is either connubialis, Gn .,or sancta, Hulst ; while the amasia of Abbott & Smith is the cordelia of Hy. Edwards, as Mr. Edwards afterwards acknowledged to me. Vivens was put as a variety of amasia, Ab. & Sm., because Prof. French thus located it, and I supposed he meant amasia, Ab. & Sm. 2nd. Prof. French says “there is no good reason for separating the two forms of vrefecta.” I am not sure what he THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 76.3) means by the “two forms of ~retecta;” but if he means retecta, Grt., and J/uctuosa, Hulst, then, in view of what he says after, luctuosa becomes a variety of vretecta, Grt. 3rd. Prof. French Saysu""/¥ebifis is not a variety of erecta,” etc.’ ‘Dr. Strecker’s figure, pl. 9, f. 4, is not ffebz/is, but a small form of Desperata,” etc. Dr. Strecker does not call figure 4 frebz/zs, but a variety of it. It is, however, except in the biack dashes, as near as can be the exact counter- part of pl. 9, fig. 3, which is febz/zs, taken from Mr. Grote’s type. Also these two, save in the black dashes, are the counterparts of pl. 9, fig. 2, which is ve¢ecta, and which is from Mr. Grote’s type. Having seen the types of both retecta and /lebz/is I can bear witness that the figures are very excellent. Mr. Grote had among his types of retecta one or more specimens of Zuwctwosa, Hulst, but his description is of the form figured by Dr. Strecker. 4th. I am glad to learn more of U/ulume, Streck. I have seen the type, have one of the specimens from which the description was made, and so know the insect. At the time of publishing my synopsis in the Brooklyn Bulletin, Vol. VII., 1884, pp. 13-56, I regarded it as a variety of /acrymosa, as did also Dr. Strecker. Let me add that very few of all the so-called varieties of the U. Catocale are varieties in the scientific sense. ‘They are simply colour variations, and the centinuance of their names is, in the majority of cases, only a convenience, and without scientific authority. Gro. D. Hutst, Brooklyn, N. Y. SECTION F OF THE A. A. A. S. Dear Sir; In the January (1892) number of the Botanical Gazette, Dr. B. D. Halsted, Secretary of Section F of the Association, suggests the formation of a Botanical Section, to be separated from Section F. This is a matter in which entomologists have some interest, and concerning which it might be well to have an expression of opinion. All who have attended recent meetings of the American Association must have noticed what a remarkable development of interest there has been in both botany and entomology, and how crowded were the programmes, not only of Sec- tion F, but of the Clubs. At the Washington meeting the writer was on the Sectional Committee, which passed on the papers offered, and even after excluding all of doubtful value or interest, it left so many that a proper presentation was out of the question. A most interesting series of papers on parasitism in insects was read at breakneck speed, and not a word of discussion was allowed. I myself had three papers, for which I had prepared charts in illustration, and which 76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLGIST. presented the results of original work. I barely had time to hurry through the abstracts, and could not even explain my charts. The botanists occupied fully one-third of the time of Section F, and had a large programme for the Club besides. The entomologists had many papers before the Club which were well worthy of presentation to Section F, Botany is quite sharply separable, has a sufficient number of members to present a full programme as a section, and would leave Section F for zoology in general with more time for the proper discussion of papers. As matters now stand, papers are grouped—botanists desert Section F when entomological papers are read, and entomologists usually do as much when botanists hold forth. In the orderly evolution of the Associa- tion botany is entitled to a separate section, and entomologists should aid the botanists in securing the necessary action at the next meeting. Joun B. Smiry, New Brunswick, N. J. NOTES. ADDITIONAL NOTE ON AMBLYOPONE PALLIPES, HALD. On page 138, Vol. XXIII., is mentioned the finding, in rotten logs, of colonies of this species. The fate of the specimens taken on 30th April may be related. Unfortunately the individuals then taken were not counted, but they consisted of workers and larvze, the latter being more numerous. The box was examined on 1st June and it was found that many of the larve had formed cocoons, and that the remainder were feasting on a green caterpillar, which had been dragged down into the nursery. The ljarve were thickly scattered over it, evidently sucking the juices from it, and it was much shrunken. On 21st June another examina- tion was made and a census taken of the inhabitants, which numbered 27 adults (all workers), 23 pupz (in cocoons) and 48 larve. ‘There were also a number of empty cocoons. On sth July the numbers were reduced to 23 workers, 11 cocoons and 15 larvee, and, what was a surprise to me, about 30 eggs, cylindrical in shape, with rounded ends and about twice as long as wide. On 13th July there were 23 workers, 7 cocoons, 13 larve and about 15 eggs. When I left home shortly after this the box was placed outdoors, and during my absence the insects all died or wandered off. I was disappointed in not obtaining specimens of the ? and ¢, and regret that the colony was not housed so that continuous observations could have been made of the inmates and the doings. W. Hacue HarrIncton, Ottawa. Mailed Mared 9th. ees AD a Aa | The # anadliay Lantomologist VOL. XXIV. LONDON, APRIL, 1892. No. 4. NOTES ON NORTH AMERICAN TACHINIDA, WITH DE- SCRIPTIONS OF NEW GENERA AND SPECIES.—Paper V. BY C. H. TYLER TOWNSEND, LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. Loewia ruficornis, nu. sp., 3. Eyes cinnamon brown ; frontal vitta brown, much narrowed poster- iorly, front at narrowest point about one-half its width at vertex ; sides of front, sides of face and facial depression black, thinly silvery-pollinose ; cheeks blackish posteriorly, thinly silvery, the pregenal area very broad, brown, extending upward between sides of face and facial depression ; antenne and arista rufous, third antennal joint little more than one and a half times as long as second, with a somewhat darker shade on outer side ; proboscis brownish, palpi rather fuscous, tips rufous ; occiput black, black-hairy. Thorax and scutellum shining black, black-hairy and bristly. Abdomen shining dark metallic-green ; second segment with a median marginal pair of macrocheeie, third with six or more marginal, anal with about six marginal; hypopygium rather exserted, concolorous. Legs black, knees slightly rufous, front femora bristly; claws and pulvilli elongate, pulvilli smoky-whitish. Wings slightly grayish, nearly hyaline, costo-basal portion and veins golden; tegule rather smoky-golden, translucent ; halteres clear yellow. Length of body, 6% mm.; of wing, 544 mm. Described from one specimen ; Constantine, Mich., August 27. This species seems to connect the genera Zoewza and Ennyomma. The species of Zoewza usually have the eyes contiguous in the male. while in this species they lack considerably of meeting. and the apical cell, though it cannot be said to be open, is rather widely closed in margin, if the expression may be allowed. In Axznxyomma the apical cell is open. Loewia nigrifrons, n. sp., 3. Differs from ZL. géobosa Twns. (Ent. News, III.) as follows: Sides of front and sides of face shining black, not silvery ; facial depression slightly silvery ; pregenal area light-brownish ; proboscis and palpi blackish, id THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST Wings smoky golden, all except internal border ; tegule golden fuscous, halteres concolorous. Length of body, 5 mm.; of wing, 4% mm. Described from one specimen ; So. Illinois (Robertson). Ennyomma clistoides, Twns. Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XVIII, p. 371. A ¢ specimen from So. Dakota (Aldrich), August 12. Measures 44% mm. Clista americana, Ni. sp., 2. Eyes brown ; frontal vitta dark brown, blackish, averaging one-third width of front, front averaging one-third width of head; sides of front, sides face and facial depression black, thinly silvery-pollinose ; cheeks posteriorly black, thinly silvery, rest included in the large brown pregenal area, an angle of which runs upward between sides of face and facial depression ; sides of face fringed with bristles on inner border, cheeks on lower border ; antennz entirely rufous, third joint about twice as long as second, arista brownish ; proboscis and palpi brown or blackish, the proboscis fleshy, not as long as height of head, the palpi curved and thickened at tip; occiput black, black-hairy. Thorax and scutellum shining black, the thorax in front slightly silvery, leaving three black vittee which become lost near suture. Abdomen shining black, with a hardly greenish reflection, broad, flattened, rounded ; first two segments with a lateral and a median marginal pair of weak macrochete ; third with about eight marginal, and anal about six marginal macrochete of normal size. Legs black, claws and pulvilli only a little elongate, pulvilli smoky-yellowish. Wings grayish-hyaline, base and veins yellow ; tegule brassy-yellow, front scales white on outside, the rest transparent ; halteres yellow, tinged with rufous toward base. Length of body, 614 mm.; of wing, 5134 mm. Described from one specimen ; So. Illinois (Robertson). Tryphera americana, ni. sp., 9. Eyes bare, brownish ; front more than one-third width of head, frontal vitta velvety brown ; frontal bristles descending to base of third antennal joint, vertical bristles strongest, and with three next pairs directed backward, two orbital bristles ; sides of front shining black ; facial depression and sides of face black, somewhat silvery, epistoma pale luteous; cheeks shining black, anteriorly somewhat rufous ; facial ridges bare ; vibrisse decussate, inserted on oral margin ; antenne rufous, more or less blackish, third joint blackish-brown in some lights, fully two and one-half times as long as second, somewhat widened ; arista brown, 3-jointed, often some- THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 79 what geniculate, second joint slightly elongate ; proboscis short, fleshy, dark brown; palpi yellow, a little thickened at tip; occiput shining- black, somewhat bristly. Thorax, scutellum and abdomen wholly shining greenish-black, scutellum with a weak apical decussate pair of bristles, a sub-apical decussate (?) pair of macrochete, and two lateral pairs. First abdominal segment with one or more lateral macrocheetze ; second with a lateral marginal one, a lateral discal pair, a median discal and a median marginal pair ; third with a lateral discal pair, three lateral marginal ones, a median marginal and a median discal pair; anal segment with a discal row and a few marginal macrochete. Legs black, claws and pulvilli short. Wings grayish-hyaline, basal portion and costal border yellowish, with small costal spine, third vein bristly at base ; apical cell closed in tip of wing, fourth vein curved, hind cross-vein nearer curve ; tegule pale tawny, halteres brownish. Length of body, 314 mm.; of wing, 3 mm. Described from one specimen ; So. Illinois (Robertson). Tryphera polidoides, n. sp., &. Eyes light brown, thinly hairy ; frontal vitta light brown ; apparently three orbital bristles amongst other weaker bristles ; sides of front shining black ; sides of face and facial depression black, thinly silvery, epistoma paler ; cheeks and occiput shining black, with slight greenish lustre, hairy, cheeks bordered anteriorly with a narrow brownish pregenal area ; antenne and arista black, first two antennal joints rufous, third joint about three times as long as second, moderately wide; proboscis brownish, palpi yellowish. Thorax, scutellum and abdomen dark metallic green ; first segment with a lateral marginal macrocheta ; second with a lateral discal and marginal one, or pair, and a median discal and marginal pair ; third with a lateral discal and median discal pair, and a quite distinct marginal row; anal with a discaland marginal row. Legs blackish; claws and pulvilli only a little elongate, pulvilli tawny-whitish. Wings slightly grayish, nearly hyaline, veins yellow, third vein spined at base ; tegulz dull whitish, translucent ; halteres brownish. Length of body, 514 mm.; of wings, 324 mm. Described from one specimen ; N. Y. (Comstock). CLISTOMORPHA, N. gen. Much the general form of C//sta, but greatly resembling Hyalomyia in the form of the head. Belongs in Phytoine. Head in general profile triangular, the fronto-facial profile sinuate in outline, bulging above. Front not prominent, very narrow in ¢, the eves closely approximated in 80 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. front of ocelli but not contiguous, front a little widened at vertex, more so at base of antenne, face widening at same angle, about one-half width of head at widest which is the lowermost portion ; frontal bristles weak, in single row, terminating at base of antenne, directed forward and inward, decussate, except vertical bristles which are directed backward and hardly stronger than the others ; no orbital bristles (¢). Face not receding, rather advancing, nearly perpendicular, epistoma prominent, oral profile long ; facial depression about four-fifths width of face, rather triangular in ouline, very shallow ; facial ridges bare except some very small bristles just above vibrisse, only a very little constricted a good distance above oral margin where the weak non-decussate vibrisse are situated, the latter being distinct from the shorter bristles below which make up the uniform row on the cheek borders; sides of face very narrow, bare ; cheeks very narrow, bare. Eyes bare, descending far below vibrissae and about as low as oral margin. Antenne inserted nearly on a line drawn through middle of eyes, short, about three-fifths length of face, third joint hardly longer than second, elongate-round ; arista bare, apparently only 2-jointed, basal joint short, terminal joint thickened at base. Proboscis nearly as long as height of head, rather slender, labella somewhat developed ; palpi small, slender, filiform, but slightly thickened at tip. Thorax not so wide as head ; scutellum with an apical decussate, and two lateral pairs of macrochete. Abdomen rather wider than thorax, much rounded, somewhat flattened, but convex above, first segment not shortened ; macrochete weak, discal and marginal; hypopygium concealed. Legs not long, not stout, very little bristly, claws and pulvilli of ¢ only a little elongate. Wings much longer than abdomen, without costal spine, third vein without bristles at base ; apical cell closed in border at tip of wing, fourth vein curved, apical cross-vein nearly straight ; hind cross-vein nearly straight, about in middle between small cross-vein and bend of fourth. Type C. Ayalomoides, n. sp. Clistomorpha hyalomoides, n. sp., 3. Eyes cinnamon brown; frontal vitta velvet-black, narrowed pos- teriorly ; sides of front, face and cheeks silvery-pollinose ; antennz and arista blackish, second antennal joint more or less brownish ; proboscis brown, palpi pale tawny; occiput black, silvery below. Thorax soft black, humeri broadly silvery-cinereous, continued backward on sides of thorax to scutellum, pleure silvery ; scutellum black. Abdomen black ; second segment narrowly at base and with median line, third more broadly at base and broadest on sides and in middle, and anal almost THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 81 wholly except tip, silvery cinereous ; macrochztze weak and more or less bristle-like, first segment with a median marginal pair, second with a median discal and marginal pair, third with a median discal pair and a marginal row, anal with a marginal and two discal rows. Legs blackish, femora more or less brown, claws and pulvilli but little elongate. Wings grayish-hyaline, very faintly tawny at base, veins brownish; tegulz smoky yellowish-gray ; halteres rufous, knobs flesh-coloured. Length of body, 534 mm.; of wing, 444 mm. Described from one specimen; N. Y. (Comstock). Phyto senilis,n. sp., 3. Eyes brown ; frontal vitta velvet-blackish ; sides of front black, more or less silvery-pollinose ; face and cheeks blackish, silvery-pollinose ; antennez and arista blackish, first two antennal joints rufous, sometimes also base of third ; third joint hardly one and one-half times as long as second ; proboscis brown, palpi yellow; occiput blackish, black-hairy. Thorax and scutellum shining black, with an opaque more or less distinct median pair of vittee lost at suture. Abdomen black, hairy ; first three segments with a marginal row of macrochete, anal segment tipped with weaker ones ; hypopygium rather exserted. Legs black, femora hairy, tibiz bristly, claws and pulvilli elongate, pulvilli tawny fuscous. Wings grayish-hyaline, basal portions and veins pale tawny; costal border of wing swollen on second costal cell, costa drawn in at termination of auxiliary vein ; tegulz whitish, margins yellow ; halteres blackish. Length of body, 614 mm.; of wing, 514 mm. Described from one specimen ; N. Y. (Comstock). Macquartia johnsont, n. sp., 3. Eyes light brown, rather thickly hairy ; frontal vitta black, about one- third width of front, narrowing behind as front grows narrower, the front about one-third width of head before ; frontal bristles strong, not descending below base of antenne, three posterior pairs directed backward, decussate except second pair divergent, others directed forward and decussate ; two orbital bristles ; vertex golden ; sides of front, face and cheeks silvery- white, not hairy nor bristly ; facial ridges bare, vibrissz strong, decussate, inserted on oral margin ; antennz blackish, first two joints and base of third rufous, third joint about two and a half times as long as second ; arista blackish, pubescent basally ; proboscis blackish, labella and palpi rufous yellow ; occiput silvery or brassy pollinose, golden above, thickly gray hairy. Thorax brassy-golden pollinose, with two median vitte which 82 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. become obsolete about half way between suture and scutellum, and a heavier lateral vitta which is interrupted at suture ; scutellum brassy pollinose. Abdomen shining black, bases of second to anal segments broadly silvery pollinose with a brassy tinge, also sides of first segment ; first segment with a lateral macrocheta and bristles, and a median marginal pair; second with a lateral one, and a median marginal and discal pair ; third with a median discal pair and a marginal row of about eight ; anal segment with a discal and marginal row Legs black, tibie rufous, bristly, femora silvery on outside, claws and pulvilli quite elongate, pulvilli yellowish. Wings grayish hyaline, tegulz whitish, halteres yellowish. Length of body, 814 mm.; of wing, 7 mm. Described from one specimen ; Penna. (C. W. Johnson). Polidea americana, sp., 36. Eyes nearly black, pubescent ; frontal vitta back, one-third width of front, front one-third width of head ; one orbital bristle on left side, none on right ; frontal bristles descending below base of third antennal joint ; sides of front shining dark green as far down as lowest frontal bristles ; sides of face and facial depression silvery-pollinose ; cheeks and occiput shining dark green ; antenne and arista deep black, third antennal joint wide, two and a half times as long as second ; proboscis brownish, palpi pale rufous, darker at base. Thorax, scutellum and abdomen dark metallic green; first segment with a lateral marginal macrocheta amongst other bristles ; second with a median discal and marginal pair, and a lateral marginal and discal one, or pair; third with a median discal and lateral discal pair, and a marginal row; anal with a discal and marginal row ; hypopygium somewhat brownish. Legs black, knees hardly rufous, claws and pulvilli only a little elongate. Wings slightly grayish, nearly hyaline, veins yellow, third vein spined nearly or greater way to small cross-vein ; tegule nearly white ; halteres rufous, knobs black. 9. Differs as follows :—Frontal width about the same, two orbital bristles (only one on right side in one specimen) ; third antennal joint not widened. Claws and pulvilli not quite so long; front tarsal joints widened. Length of body, ¢ 6mm., @ 522 to 5%3 mm.; of wing, g¢ 4 mm., 2 4% to 4% mm. Described from one male and two females; Constantine, Mich., August 24. I have also a ¢ from Orono, Maine (Harvey), which I doubtfully refer to this species. It has no orbital bristles, and the apical cell is very narrowly open. It measures 5% mm. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 83 CLERCK’S ICONES. BY W. J. HOLLAND, PH.D., D.D. Under the title ‘ /cones Jnsectorum Rariorum cum Nominibus corum trivialibus, locisque e C. Linnet Arch: KR: et Equ: Aur: Syst: Nat: allegatis,’ Charles Clerck, a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Upsala, commenced the publication at Stockholm, in the year .1759, of a series of plates intended to illustrate the species of exotic lepidoptera recently named by his distinguished fellow-countryman, the immortal Linnzeus. About a month ago I received from Mr. Felix Dames, the well-known bibliopole of Berlin, a letter informing me that he had succeeded in securing a remarkably fine copy of this exceedingly rare work, which he held at my disposal. I immediately cabled to him that I would become its purchaser. But six or seven copies of the book are known to be in existence, and not all of these in perfect state. The one I own, which has just come into my hands, and which is the only copy which has ever crossed the Atlantic, is in superb condition, and enjoys the distinction of being, with the exception of the copy in the library of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stockholm, the only example in which there are the plates, so far as published, of the Third Section of the work which Clerck did not live to complete. He died on July 22nd, 1765. Hagen, in his Bibliotheca Entomologica, states that the work consists of two sections, the first of which, in addition to the title page and dedication, has eight pages of Swedish and Latin text, together with sixteen plates ; and the second, in addition to the dedication, contains three pages of text, thirty-eight plates, and an index of three pages. The copy lying before me contains, in addition to the parts described by Hagen, seven plates, numbered from 4 to 10, of which the first two are coloured, and the next to the last (pl. 9) is partly coloured. The extreme rarity of the book is well known to lepidopterists. Gottlob Wilhelm, in his “ Unterhaltungen,” Ins. II., page 16, published in 1779, is quoted by Strecker in his ‘‘ Butterflies and Moths of North America,” p. 218, as having described the work in the following terms :— “« Fifty-five pages large 4to, a simple register, together with a dedica- tion and preface, compose the whole work, which, at auction, was sold for 600 Swedish dollars.” Hagen tells us that the book was distributed by the Queen of Sweden in the form of presentation copies, and that it 84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. was never put upon the market, and hence became scarce. Linnzus, in his Systema Nature I., iil. p. 535, speaks of it in laudatory terms as “ Clerckit icones insectorum, pulcherrimum opus, quod etiamnune vidit orbis literatus.” Prof. Zeller, in the Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung, Vol. XIV., p. 199, after describing at length the longing desires he had felt to get a glimpse of the work, and how at last, through the kindness of Alexander von Humboldt and the Librarian of the Royal Library at Berlin, the wish kad been gratified, and how it happened at the same time that he was allowed the use of a mutilated copy belonging to Dr. Herrich-Schaeffer, of Regensburg, goes on to state his disappointment with that part of the work which is devoted to the illustration of the European Geometridz and Pyralide. He says:—‘ Welches war aber der Eindruck, den das pulcherrimum opus, als ich es nun endlich vor Augen hatte, auf mich machte? Hatte ich auch keine Bilder wie in British Entomology oder wie in der Exploration Scientifique de Algerie erwartet, so wusste ich mir doch nicht sogleich Rechenschaft zu geben, wie Linné so jaemmerliche Malereien fuer etwas so Herrliches erklaeren konnte. Das ergab sich denn wohl, dass nicht die Abbildungen Europaeischer Nachtfalter sodern die der grossen, bunten Exoten Linnés Augen bestochen und ein so viel sagendes Urtheil hervorgerufen hatten.” While it is undoubtedly true that the figures of the smaller forms are measurably disappointing, and are not to be for a moment compared with the splendid productions which have come to us in recent years from the press of Europe and America, yet as a whole they compare very favourably with the illustrations given in many of the works of the older authors, They are equal to those given in Drury’s illustrations, and are vastly superior to the great majority of the figures given by such an author as Cramer. Zeller calls attention to the fact that there are differences in the two copies which he had under his eye at the time he wrote his critique, due to the work of the colourist. The uncoloured plates in the copy before me explain the manner in which these variations came to take place. The figures prepared by the engraver were simply outlines done in copperplate, and all of the shading, as well as the colouring, was left to the artist who wielded the brush, and who can have had nothing to guide him in his work except the original drawings, or the insects themselves. Under the circumstances it is very plain that minor discrepancies must have inevitably occurred. The North American insects figured in the work are the following :— THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 85 Papilio glaucus, P. asterias, figured under the name P. Ajax, Vic- torina steneles, Colenis dido, Gyencia dirce, figured under the name Papilio bates, Agraulis vanille, Danats plexippus, Detopeia ornatrix, Samia cecropia, Fachylia ficus, Erebus odorata, (sic), Actias luna, Nyctalemon lunus. The latter is common in Jamaica. The insects figured in the supplementary plates which are found in my copy, and to which there is no reference made by Kirby in his Synonymical Catalogue,’are the folllowing :— PLATE 4. Fig. 1, Papilio (Argynnis) niphe. 2 figs. Upper and lower sides. fa ay Ace (Precis) almana, vera. 2 figs. Se ‘6 <3, “ (Grapta) caureum. 2 figs. ‘e és “ 4, ‘ (Junonia) enone. 2 figs. 6s i PLATE 5. Fig. 1, Papilio (Danais) plexippus. 2 figs. Upper and lower sides. Ser (Danas) chrysippus. 2 figs. e: oe ane. ail LAces aig, XXX 72 fies. ee Ys: (This is the wet season form known by authors as P. asterie, L.) ‘© 4, Papilio (Neptis) leucotoe (sic). 4 figs. Upper and lower sides. (Athyma ) (The two left hand figures represent JVep¢zs /eucothoe, and the two right hand figures represent Athyma perius, which has been confounded by synonymists with the preceding species, which in turn has been unaccountably given by Kirby, who refers to Cramer’s figure as a synonym for WV. aceris, Lep. Weptis leucothoe, figured in Cramer, and in the unedited plate of Clerck, whose figure is a good one, is a Celebesian insect.) PLATE 6. (Uncoloured.) Fig. 1, Papilio Demoleus. 2 figs. Upper and lower sides. Se’ 5 aegistus. 2 figs. ‘6 « (er ume we (eas) pasted (Sic) eo. es; Z “ <4, ee ( Lerias,): hecabe: 3 figs. ee “6 (Twe forms of this species are given, one with the black marginal border not quite as broad, nor as deeply sinuate inwardly as the other.) 86 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. PLATE 7. (Uncoloured.) Fig. 1, Papilio ( Melanitis) leda. 4 figs. Upper and lower sides. (The two upper figures represent the form in which the falcation of the primaries is most noticeable, and in which the outer margin of the secondaries is freely produced at the extremity of the third submedian. It may be that the figure was drawn from an African specimen, in which case the form Sanksia is probably intended to be represented. The lower of the two figures represents a smaller form in which the falcation of the primaries is scarcely perceptible, and the secondaries are rounded posteriorly and not produced. I have such specimens of Zeda in my collection from Perak and from Kumaon.) Fig. 2, Papilio (Precis) lemonias. 2 figs. Upper and lower sides. cee, “o) (Mycotests) mincus..” wanes. 2? ad ce 4, (Cynthia) alimenta. “paues. os " (This is not Hypolimnas alimena, of which a good figure is given on plate 32, but undoubtedly represents Cyzthza deione. Alimenzia, Clerck, must therefore be added to the synonymy of that species. Fig. 5 unnamed, but easily recognizable as Junonia atlites. ) PLATE 8. (Uncoloured. ) Fig, 1, Papilio Memnon. 2 figs. Upper and lower sides. 2, “ (Luplea) midamus. Bags. = a (The two lower figures may represent £. mzdamus, but they have not the exact form of that species, and are too large. There is nothing but an outline. The two upper figures seem to represent Z. Core.) PLATE 9. (Partly Coloured.) Unnamed, but a fairly good figure of Attacus atlas. PLATE 10. (Uncoloured.) Fig. 1, Papilio Agamemnon. 2. figs. Upper and lower sides, (The tailed form of this species.) THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 87 Fig. 2, Papilio, unnamed. (The cuts represent the upper and under sides of a specimen of Papilio Antiphates, Cram., the tails of which have been cropped off with a scissors. The outline faithfully reproduces the mutilation, so as to render it recognizable by any one familiar with the species.) Fig. 3, Papilio panope. A good outline of the upper and under side of this species. The only commentary upon the Icones of Clerck which I have been able to find is embodied in the papers of Prof. Zeller, alluded to already in this article, and a paper by Herr Werneburg, published in the Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung for the year 1856, in which the writer under- takes to solve some of the problems as to synonymy, which he regards Prof. Zeller as having left untouched. These all, however, as the comments of Prof. Zeller likewise, relate to the European micro- lepidoptera figured in the work. I may at a later date furnish a paper upon the synonymy of the exotic micro-lepidoptera, in regard to which plainly something remains to be said. Chancellor's Office, Western University of Pennsylvania, Feb. 2, 1892, Pittsburgh. HERMAPHRODITE GYPSY MOTHS. BY C. H. FERNALD, AMHERST, MASS. Two specimens of this moth (Ocneria dispar, L.) were taken in Medford, Mass., last summer, which are what Ochsenheimer called perfect Hermaphrodites. One is much larger than the other, having an expense of 52 mm., and has the right half of the body, with the wings and antenne of that side, of the form, colour and markings of the female, while the left side of the body, with its wings and antennz, are male. The other example has a wing expanse of 39 mm., and is a male on the right side and a female on the left. In both specimens the frenulum is single on the male side, but divided on the female. As the sexes of this moth differ so strongly in the form and colour of the wings, and in the pectinations of the antenne, an Hermaphrodite is a remarkable insect to look at, and seems almost to suggest that it is a work of art. Hermaphroditism in this species is occasionally met with in Europe, several cases being on record in the European journals. 88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. A CLASSIFICATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN SPIDERS. BY NATHAN BANKS, WASHINGTON, D. C. The author has frequently been asked why he did not make a key for the families of spiders. He has answered that a correct key was impossible. But as such questions are getting more numerous, and connected with a desire to know something about spiders, the author has decided to put together what he could as a contribution to the classification of our spiders, principally for the use of those who are unable to obtain the costly works necessary for study. I shall consider the family the highest group separated by definite characters ; not but what certain families possess transition forms, but that the groups higher than the families are not defined by definite characters, but by tendencies. ‘Two groups above the families I shall recognize, the higher the division, the lower the section ; the section embracing certain families, the division one or more sections. To these I shall not attempt to make a key, but. only designate their general characters and the families which they embrace. In the key for the families I shall be arbitrary ; but in the system which follows I shall try to indicate the natural affinities. The classification of spiders is difficult because of the few characters that can be used. This is not often understood by those who study nsects. Let the entomologist cut off from his insect the wings, the antenne, one pair of palpi, unite the abdominal segments, obliterate all sutures, and how many characters will he have left! Yet even then he will have far more than the student of spiders can find in his subject. A few words in explanation of the characters used in the key. The body of a spider is very definitely divided into two parts—the anterior. the cephalothorax ; the posterior, the abdomen. Upon the anterior part of the cephalothorax are the eyes ; the region they occupy is called the eye region. The eyes are arranged in transverse rows ; abbreviations referring to them are frequently used, as S. E. side eyes ; A. E. anterior eyes; P. E. posterior eyes; M. E. middle eyes ; from these are made compounds, A. S. E. anterior side eyes, etc. Dark coloured eyes are diurnal, light coloured eyes are nocturnal. The region between the anterior row of eyes and the anterior or clypeal margin of the cephalothorax is called the clypeus or fillet. A groove on the meson toward the posterior part of the cephalothorax is called the median groove. ‘There are more or less distinct furrows extending from the groove to the sides, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. &9 these are the radia! furrows ; the region of the cephalothorax between the anterior pair and embracing the eye region is called the head or pars cephalica. The mandibles are the anterior pair of mouth-parts ; they are two-jointed, the second joint being called the fang, and furnished with the opening of the poison gland. The maxille form the second pair of mouth-parts ; to the sides of the maxillee are attached the palpi, which in the adult male have the terminal joint peculiarly modified for sexual purposes. Between the maxille and articulated to the sternum is the lip. The sternum is the ventral plate of the cephalothorax, the entire region between the base of the legs. The legs, of four pairs, are numbered from before backward, I., II., etc. The legs are seven-jointed ; the joints are called, beginning at the most basal, coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, and tarsus ; in a few peculiar groups there is an eight joint, the onychium. At the end of the tarsus, or onychium if present, are two claws, equal in size ; below and between them is frequently a third, smaller and more curved. The claws may be furnished with teeth, and are called dentated. Sometimes under the two larger claws, in place of a third, is a dense brush of hairs called a scopula. The abdomen is joined to the cephalothorax by a slender pedicel. At, or near, its extremity on the under side or venter are the spinning organs called spinnerets ; these are of three pairs, the middle pair smaller and concealed by the other two. The spinnerets are probably always two-jointed, but in some spiders one pair is very prominently so. At the base of the lower pair of spinnerets is sometimes a transverse surface provided with spinning tubes; this is called the cribellum. Complementary to this in function is a row of stiff hairs or bristles on the posterior metatarsi called the calamistrum. Near the base of the spinnerets is a pair of stigmata, which are sometimes placed much more anteriorly, even nearer the basal than the distal end of the abdomen. When so situated there is formed a transverse ridge or fold on the venter. Near the base of the venter is a pair of transverse slits ; these are the lung-slits. In some spiders there are two pairs. Between them on the median line is the opening of the genital organs ; in the female called the epigynum. Its structure, together with the structure of the male palpal organ, is of utmost importance in the determination of species. Because of certain peculiarities, I shall treat the cave forms separately in the key. The characters of the families as indicated in the system should be used in connection with the key, 90 THK CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF SPIDERS OF THE U. S. Fang moving vertically, usually two pairs of lung slits......... 31 : $s 8 ¥ Pp § 3 ( Fang moving horizontally, but one pair of lung slits..... .... 2 ( GAVE SRE CIOS. cais-5c0 ase. poeeig eR tds QA clos esate ee | INGE ACA ONS DECIOS .. 5d) cic. c Naat np Vat vace cece vats aa Six eyes, in three groups of two each, body round...... Dysderide 3 Eyes not so arranged, body more elongate..... Kis Wee oie a ea Twovclaws ito tats tic.) 5 Seas - Ses ae ee ci Co mnzpeera te +) hree claws, tO. tarsi: sa.» .tMMMMes «6. cn os © obo eenamlunennmenice py Eiiyes SIX. Oe... reer own eb. 5) Eyes eight. . ees. . Peer er NG ate Me ce TD 6 { A pair of stigmata just caudad of the lung slits......... Dysderide | No stigmata close to lung slits.. PE ne ors 8 Se Thessix eyes in three groups of wo each...............scylodiag The six eyes 1.two:.eroups,of amee each. . 2. = 25.2.5. 8 8 (legs very long:and) slender: "Sie. . ..:.- (Spermophora) Pholcide hubers short... Shas. lek, ee eS .....(Meophanes) Dictynide Cephalothorax produced in front of pars cephalica, which is very small, | maxille closely surrounding the lip, mandibles small, cephalo- thorax ‘roundish... .V.: See 2. : . ote eee operates eee tener 10 Noitisuch ‘spiders 20. J. Sates. 2 5 bs ote ee eae eens 12 S. E. touching. . er . Pholcide S. E. separated, P. S. E. and P. M. E, touching. . Ae shee Apex of abdomen surrounded by a circle of bent hairs....Urocterde Abdomen without’stch hairsy. game. ..2 + “S22 eee: .....filistatide Io IJ * Eyes equal or subequal, often dissimilar *, more or less in two rows ae, variously curved, forming a group much wider than long... .20 Eyes unequal, similar, in three or four rows, aaa a group almost ( as long or longer than wide... cscs ware LT2 f ( With a calamistrum and cribellum.. .. | (Lbptiotes Uloboride 13 i : 5 ° | Without calamistrum or cribellum......... as ey. Largest ‘€yes' in “anterior rOws.umeee = = «5 SDT SE ae Larestieyes not im anterior tOVgeme «.\<. > «i. setyastycenias oReetO paves mthree rows.j> 226 3a eal. hang Bee ee obese re Eyes in) Our: LOWS awe vinci: ce EE: 1 os we Ge eamimi oe Two claws to tarsi, only two eyes in anterior row.......... Ctenide ‘Thiee claws to tarsizt,:.. . 5) eae; & «sis Sai ae ore eee ag, a8 16 * Dissimilar=eyes of twocolours, dark and light ; similar= eyes of but one colour, oo THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. QO] : (eae ete ee » RR ots aly a abe G10 hae 18 7 POWGEVCSMAAMECHIONEOWoe <5. . -AMeaees. 65 6. alge nye stad ae oes LO 18 | Ponte: Chy peliswaa... Sees te «= eee Beate asl wb aeeie .. Oxyopide MuMOst no cly pews’... 2-s.cc+6. 0 sau RReE Me spttaa see te .Podophthalmida Eyes of second row immensely larger than those of the third row... BOE MRAM Saintes a toceidy speicecsscentgsek-. « ..-.Lalpimanide PGHILee alts OL SPIMMETEES, 7. . . . « sretemeetastern siche, a) eine (etevaie) aoe aye etiote 28 28 Clypeus wider than ocular areas.csssescer ose » wo. cobieoe) aaa nm AUee ieee Nee Smee The Zheraphosine may be divided into two tribes. ‘Rhree (Claws) TO taYSl 35.0 sacee> cae: ~ + o>. naeeen eee een eee Trioncht Two claws’ tO: tarst\...)020/ 22. Sage. «- eo dee coo Re eee me Dioncht The Dionchi have one genus Lurype/ma; the true tarantulas. The Trionchi may be separated into two groups. nee groove longitudimal, ..¢ame.---s-..cmasampermenced Mecicobothri Median @roove trans Verse 2... cemitin <4 «0.2 iseeeeenep rere Ai picephali Family 3, Hypochilide. This is represented by one peculiar genus Aypochilus. In the shape of the body and the length of the legs it has great resemblance to a Pholcus. (thas a calamistrum and cribellum. The only species in the U. S. spins a web similar to some Zheridide. Family 4, Catadyside. Represented by one genus Catadysas, which has not been seen since described by Hentz. It stands on the dividing line between the typical members of this division and the more typical spiders, in having but two lung-sacs. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 93 Division Il.—JAZicrognathe. With but one section. Section II.—This includes spiders of the most primitive and com- prehensive form ; ‘‘ prophetic types” as the older naturalists would call them. They havea roundish cephalothorax which projects in front of the small pars cephalica. The maxille closely surround the lip. The mandibles are small. The legs are usually long and slender, and they make irregular webs. Family 5, /2destatide. These are the lowest spiders. The pars cephalica is no larger than the eye-tubercle of Pha/angida with which it is homologous. The male palpal organ is the most simple, only a tube at the end of the tarsus. Filistata occurs in the southern parts of our country. Family 6, Urocteide. This family is represented by one species of Za/amza in the Southern States. Family 7, Scytodide. This distinct group is represented by two genera, somewhat rare in the Southern States. Family 8, Pholcide. Here the legs are long and slender, the tarsus in the typical forms being furnished with an eighth joint. The forms are principally southern. I include in this family Pholcus, Spermophora and Spintharus. Division III.— Vere. Here we come to the typical and more common spiders. It embraces three sections. Section III.—This is about the same as the Zuditelarie of certain writers. The cephalothorax is usually low and elongate. The abdomen also is commonly elongate and low. The legs fitted for running. The eyes are equal in size and plainly in two rows. Family 9, Dysderide. These have but six eyes; just behind the lung-slits is a pair of’ stigmata. The forms are uncommon. 94 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Family 10, Prodidomide. We have but one genus and species in the Southern States. Family 11, Drasside. This embraces a number of common spiders. The body is low and flat, the legs short and stout, the spinnerets usually projecting behind. They spin no web but lead a wandering life in search of prey, mostly at night. There are two sub-families. A dorsal groove present ae ewe cae Becetaeliccsk uiamenyeaae teers Drassine. No dorsal groove present :7....1.2eteee. 2 Flahnine | No ventral furrow, spinnerets as UStal. 22... 2. 21... cee tenes Agalenine The latter may be divided into two tribes. jeUipper:spinnerets long) two-jointedtans.H250c:0 ieee son vanense-s: Agalent UeAilesminnerets. SHOT sien ct-aac+--- Seer teeeak sees Odenanace ste, rein HOMO ROEA Family 14, Enyoide. The lower spinnerets here are long and two-jointed. Otherwise much like the preceding family. | We have one genus, Aadbronestes, in the Southern States. Family 15. Palpimanide. Peculiar in having but one pair of spinnerets. One genus, Lutica from Utah. Family 16, Déictynide. This family is much like Aga/enide, but have the accessory spinning organs. They are usually smaller. They spin small irregular webs, hanging from the under side. Section IV.—This includes a large number of common spiders. They spin webs to catch prey. Most of the forms are very much alike in appearance. ‘The abdomen short and rounded, the cephalothorax short with well developed pars cephalica, and the legs somewhat long, always with three claws. The spinnerets are short, the male and female organs well developed. Family 17, Theridiide. This is the largest family of spiders, and many of its members are very small. They spin irregular webs, and hang inverted from the under side. The males frequently possess peculiar sexual modifications of the head. They can be arranged in three sub-families whose limits are not distinct. Their general characters are as follows :— Theridine. The abdomen is large and roundish, the cephalothorax short, the legs long and quite slender ; mandibles thinner than femur I.; male palpal organ without tarsal hook. 96 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Erigonine. These are smaller species, the abdomen not very much larger than the cephalothorax, and a little elongated. The legs are shorter than in the Theriding, and the male palpal organ has a tarsal hook; the epigynum not projecting, the legs without long spines, head of male often curiously modified. Lingphine. These have longer legs than the preceding, and they are more spiny ; the epigynum often projects. They are more usually marked than the Erigonine, and are generally larger. Family 18, Zpeiride. This includes the common orb-weaving spiders; a few other genera are included—Pachygnatha, Glenognatha, Bellinda and Mimetus. ‘They are very similar to the Zheridine, but have a low clypeus. Three sub- families may be recognized. : Body with spine-like projections..2¢¢...-.). . .caedecs!--- Gasteracanthine Body without such projections, at most with two basal humps..... 2 | Male mandibles large, body elongate..................--. Zetragnathine Mandibles small, body shorter SSIES sos cows ceicect nn eRe asim Lpeirine ‘These sub-families, like those of the Zheridiide, also intergrade. Family 19, Uloboride. Related to the Hpezride by their habit of building orb-webs, but their structure quite distinct. We have but two genera, U/oborus and Hyftiotes. Section V.—This includes the Laterigrade of authors. ‘The body is flattened, the first two pairs of legs long, the abdomen short and roundish. Family 20, Zhomiside. These are frequently found upon flowers and fences waiting the approach of some insect. There are a great number of cases of protective resemblance in the group. They walk most easily sideways, and many throw off their legs very readily. { Two front pairs of legs much larger and longer than the others, no SCOP gevake ohne jonas eGiet cs 660 MOOMEESUVE Two front pairs ‘of legs not larger than ‘the ‘others, a scopula present. ( Bae sso RE See oo SIRNA CEET ROOD _,.Philodromine Family 21, Sparasside. These resemble the /Philodromine of the preceding family. They occur in the south and southwestern parts of the U. S. aS EEE ” THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 97 Division 1V.—Ocudate. Here the eyes are strongly unequal in size ; the pars cephalica very large, the eyes in three or four rows. They are the most active and highly developed spiders. They spin no web but kunt their prey. Section VI.—This includes the Citigrade of most authors. Family 22, Crenide. These have much affinity with the Sparasside. There is but one genus in the Southern States. Family 23, Lycosida@. These are the “ wolf-spiders ” which run among leaves and grass and over rocks. Their legs are moderately long and quite stout, with many hairs and spines. The mandibles are large and strong. Ocular area slightly broader than high .............:6...008 Dolomedine Ocular area as high or higher than broad................0.0000 Lycosine Family 24, Dinopide. One genus quite peculiar in the South. Family 25, Podophthalmide. One peculiar genus in the Southern States. Family 26, Oxyopide. Three genera, mostly southern and western forms. Somewhat inter- mediate between the Zycoside@ and the Attide. Section VII.—The Sa/tigrade of authors, the “ jumping-spiders ”. Their body compact, the legs short and stout, the size medium. The Hymenoptera of spiders. Family 27, Attide. This contains nearly all the forms of the section. Three sub-families may be recognized. Caer spiders slender legs, ..::-semensces. « darted vi oreel as Synemosinae INGA Me wleesrmIOLe SLOUL ,. sccm te acth saucy ac mead Cees accel see 2 tye region lomger than thoracic weeton.......cee-2 4) csssaenseek Ballinae ive cegion shorter than thoracic: TEGromss, - 2.02) .5.)ckr ste ose Attinae The latter may be separated in two tribes. (Cephalothorax lowyidepressed .sc.sismnicniv nevsenl an sume ce dioes Marptusi qCephalothoraxsbigh, caised ....,2cesteeses des acenuinry hiss seehnd Phidippi Family 28, Lyssomanide. One genus in the Southern States. 98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. CANADIAN HYMENOPTERA.—No. 1. BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA. Under this heading, I propose to give from time to time descriptions of new species in my collection, and such notes on other species as may seem of value to students of our fauna. NoTopyGUS AMERICANA, n. sp. — Female, length 1o mm.;_ head, antenne, thorax, cox and first segment of abdomen, black ; remainder of abdomen and legs red; antenne as long as head and thorax, filiform, joints short and subequal ; thorax elongate, shining ; metathorax, rounded and obliquely truncate ; wings, slightly infumated, with black nervures ; abdomen shining, as long as thorax, triangularly clavate, truncate at apex, with the ovipositor curved upward ; sheaths black. Described from one 9? captured on 16th June, 1891. This fine species is the first of the genus to be recorded from Canada, and may be readily recognized by the conspicuous, erect ovipositor. PRIONOPODA CANADENSIS, Nn. sp.—Female, length 9 mm.; head above antenne, thorax, coxeze and trochanters, posterior tibie and tarsi, base and apex of abdornen, black ; face below antenne, the cheeks, anterior and middle legs, posterior femora and base of tibiz, abdominal segments two, three and base of four, and venter, red ; head very large, wider than the thorax, cheeks much swollen ; antenne very long, brownish above, pale beneath ; third joint globose, smaller than second, fourth nearly as long as five and six; thorax short and robust ; metathorax rounded ; scutellum rather prominent, rounded; wing without areolet ; posterior legs long, femora slightly clavate, coxze large, globose ; claws strongly pectinate ; abdomen fusiform, somewhat compressed at apex. Described from one ? captured on 2oth June, 1891. This is a very handsome species, owing to its coloration and highly polished appearance (no punctures are visible under a strong hand lens). It should perhaps form the type of a new genus, as it differs greatly in structure of thorax, etc., and in wing venation from P. scutel/ata, Ashm. ISCHYROCNEMIS OTTAWAENSIS, n. sp.—Female, length 7 mm.; black with the legs, scutellum, mouth parts and orbits of eyes honey-yellow ; head slightly swollen so that the face is feebly carinate ; antennz long, pubescent, with longer erect hairs at apices of joints ; thorax shining ; THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99 metathorax rounded, faintly areolated ; scutellum elevated, smooth, red on the disc ; legs not very stout, posterior femora but slightly swollen ; wings large, hyaline, stigma pale-yellow, areolet rhomboidal ; abdomen polished ; apex of segments one and two narrowly margined with red ; ovipositor exserted, red, sheaths black. Described from one @ captured some years ago, and differs abundantly from 7. carolina, Ashm. MESOLEPTUS NIGRICORNIS, Prov. (Add. Faun. Hym. gg), must be removed to the genus Crenopelma. ‘The type which is in my collection has the claws so distinctly pectinate that I do not see how this character was overlooked. I have a second 2 taken shortly after the first one was described. PIMPLA ELLOPIZ, n. sp.—Female, length to mm; black with red abdomen ; face coarsely punctured, with feeble smooth ridge below antennee, which are long and slender ; thorax shining, punctures shallow ; legs black, anterior femora and tibiz with pale line, anterior and middle tarsi rufous, base of posterior tibiez and the tarsi piceous ; abdomen red shining ; punctures fine ; ovipositor half as long as abdomen. Male, length 8 mm.; posterior femora red, and abdomen slightly darker and not so polished as in the 9. Described from one 9 and one ¢ received from Mr. Fletcher, who bred them from pupe of Zv/opia somniaria from Victoria, B. C. (See report of Experimental Farms, 1890, page 177.) OUR WINTER BEETLES. BY H. F, WICKHAM, IOWA CITY, IOWA. Though the winters of Iowa are quite severe, there are, nevertheless, always a few days when the weather is moderate enough to admit of the entomologist getting out for a few hours work at his favourite pursuit. When the sun comes out and the snow disappears in sheltered spots, a little investigation will yield much that is of interest, and throw considerable light on the habits of many of our insects. Among the Carabide to be found in February may be mentioned 100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Tachys levus, Pterostichus patruelis, Platynus lutulentus and Stenolophus conjunctus ; all except the first quite common under stones and chips— the Prerostichus and Platynus preferring moist places, while the others like to rest under objects which lie on turf. Some water beetles ( Zydroporus modestus and Laccophilus fasciatus ) 1 have taken in water beneath the ice. What explanation can be advanced to account for their remaining active in such a cold medium when their terrestrial relatives are torpid ? Scydmaenus fossiger and basalis may be taken under stones and chips which are resting lightly on turf, in company with Ctenistes piceus, Decarthron abnorme, and one or two other Pselaphidze. Staphylinide are the most numerous of all, both in species and individuals, and all of the following species may be taken at any time during the winter :— Pederus sp., Sunius binotatus, S. longiusculus, Falagria venustula, Tachyporus brunneus, Stilicus angularis, Diochus schaumit, Olophrum rotundicolle and two or three species of S¢enws, all under stones or chips, some being found also in moss. Scaphidium quadriguttatum | also find in moss during cold weather, and in fact have not met with it at any other time. Our Iowa specimens are the variety called pzceum. Of Phalacride I always find numerous O/ibrus nitidus and O. consimilis, of Corylophide Sericoderus flavidus, and of Erotylide Languria mozardi, all under loose stones and chips, in company with Corticaria pumila. The remaining families appear to be represented more sparingly if we consider the great number of species that some of them contain. Cerambycidz have been rarely reported as winter insects, so I was surprised one New Year’s Day, six years ago, to come across one of them alive, resting under a stone. Judging from memory alone (for the specimen has gone out of my possession) it was probably Leptostylus aculiferus. Of Chrysomelide I take occasionally Chrysomela suturalis, and also have Mantura floridana down on my list for the year 1886. The only Scarabeid I take is Aphodius inguinatus, not a bona fide native of our country, though evidently come to stay. The Tenebrionide, so charac- teristic of hot and dry climates are represented only by a Paratenetus which, however, is often seen in considerable numbers. A species of Apion and Sphenophorus parvulus, which are of occasional occurrence, finish the list. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 101 Many species no doubt pass the winter in the perfect state, but being either buried deep in the ground or imbedded in the substance of trees escape our notice, and as few entomologists are sufficiently enthusiastic to make large and deep excavations with so little prospect of return I fear our knowledge of such as are included in the former category. will long remain incomplete. My own exertions at the wood pile have yielded only bark beetles (and larve) during the winter, though some evidently spend this season more or less deeply imbedded in sound or decaying wood. (See note by Mr. Blanchard, Can. Ent. VIT., p. 97.) | Any comparison of such an incomplete list of our winter insects with the forms known from the inhospitable climate of the far north would be vain; but I would remark the preponderance of Staphylinide, as suggestive, when taken in conjunction with the nature of the species of the other families here noted, of at least an apparent similarity. CHIONOBAS UHLERI. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA. Mr. W. H. Edwards, in his most interesting account of Chzonobas uhleri, (Butt. N. A., Pl. XII., Vol. 3) remarks that he can find no evidence that it is found in the south of Colorado. It may, therefore, be as well to record that I found it near Swift Creek, in Custer County ; and Mr. H. W. Nash informed me that it occurred at Rosita, in the same county. These localities are just north of 38° N. Lat. With regard to the variation in the ocelli of this and other Satyride, it becomes rather difficult to give statistics without the use of some regular formula. Mr. Edwards gives the zumber of ocelli observed in different individuals, but we are left in doubt as. to which particular ones were present, and which absent. A convenient method of indicating the exact nature of these variations . is to have a series of figures corresponding to the interspaces, numbering from above downwards. If a butterfly had fully developed pupilled ocelli in all the interspaces, the formula would read P. (for primary) 1234567, S. (for secondary) 1234567. When an ocellus was wanting, o might be 102 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. substituted, and for an ocellus which had no pupil, we might put a small figure below the line, thus,. Two or more ocelli joined would be bracketed together, so (12), and a continuous band would consequently be represented by all bracketed together, thus (1234567). Up. s. and und. s. might be used to indicate the upper and under sides respectively ; and in the case of asymmetrical specimens (which are rather frequent in some species) the left and right sides would require sparate formule. To give examples, the figures of C. wh/er? on Mr. Edwards’s plate would have the following formulz :— Fig. 1, up. s. P. 00,0900 S. 0000000. Fig. 2, und.s. P. 00,0000 S. 0000000. Fig. 3,.up..s. P. Oa .S. 0234560. Fig. 4, und. s. P. 0034560 S. 0234560. Fig. 5, up. s. P. coo S. 00,0,,0. Fig. 6, up. s. P. 00340,0 S. 0,,00,0. This looks complicated, but the method is really simple and easy to understand, and as short as any which exactly defines the character of the variation. HOW'TO TAKE THE OIL OR GREASE OUT OF SPECIMENS OF NATURAL HISTORY. BY PH. FISHER. When a specimen has become oily (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Orthop- tera, etc.,) use a bottle with a neck wide enough to let the specimen slip through easily, pin and all. Put in this bottle enough common naphtha to fully cover the insect, and introduce it into the fluid. Leave it in the bottle from to-1rz2 hours. Then take it out, and lay it on some blotting paper, where it will soon dry. If not yet clean, introduce in fresh naphtha once more. This treatment will not injure the insects in the least ; they will come out brand new. Before publishing this, I have tried it on the most delicate Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, with the best results. If the body only is oily, break it off gently, and treat in same way. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 CORRESPONDENCE. PROE. J.B: SMITH’S LIST OF LEPIDOPTERA. Dear Sir: There be criticisms and criticisms ; those intended as friendly and those intended as destructive in character, and sometimes one is as unwittingly unjust as the other may be intentionally so. Mr. Dyar’s notice of the List of Lepidoptera, in the February number of the Can. Enrt., calls forth this moralizing expression. Mr. Dyar is evidently a friendly critic, and I feel obliged for his kind words ; but some of the ‘‘ inaccuracies and omissions” are misleading. The List went to the printer in June, the Bombycids were printed in August, and Mr. Hudson’s descriptions of Dasychira and Cerura did not appear until September or October. Sarrothripa reveyana, S. V., is not an omission. Speyer showed years ago that the American forms were distinct from the European, and he named the Americans S. /intneriana. I might have cited reveyana in error as a synonym of /intneriana; but can hardly be charged with an omission. Gastropacha alescensis, Pack., is unknown to me, except in the casual reference by Stretch. It is not given in Dr. Packard’s monograph of the Bomb yceid , nor does it appear in Mr. Grote’s lists. I have not examined all of Dr. Packard’s writings ; but in the list of ‘‘ The Entomological Writings of Dr. Alpheus Spring Packard,” by Samuel Henshaw, Bulletin 16 of the Division of Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture, there is no mention of any G. adescensis in the “‘ Systematic Index of the New Names Proposed.” It is quite fair to assume that no such species was ever described, until Mr. Dyar points out the place of original description. The compiler of a list cannot reasonably be held to a special knowledge of all groups, and if he gives the condition of affairs as it stands in literature at the time, he has made no error. As literature stood when I wrote, Arctia sciurus had been referred to Euchetes collaris, and I could not know that Mr. Edwards had reached a different conclusion—even now Mr. Dyar does not state positively that sciurus is not a variety of collaris. Unpublished synonymy does not form a good basis for a charge 104 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. of inaccuracy. As to Edema albicosta, Hbn., I find on my cards after the reference to the original description :—‘ 1825, Treit. Schmett. Eur. V., 2, 167==