‘Ss K& Gs <—.. i _ 3 (fj \ UR at aC KK LEE, GES é Ec CEES TCE CO CC CE SEE Con LC co RETURN TO LIBRARY OF MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY WOODS HOLE, MASS. LOANED BY AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY oe Crttete O | ‘ fy Nae Mt Wh i SS i NWA Mi Avy Wi) it wy) Las i Su SAS ‘ inert wt} \ eel bist a BIN A ey RAL i Hane SN nie f i sh NN LEA f te i nh Hy a) 5 ¢ oa i's Lia D ieay ' ie Obe Canadian Entomologist WOU ME: Xow EL 1. PRLONUS IMBRICORNIS, EDITED BY THE Rey. CJS, Bethunec wae by G.L: PORT HOPE, ONTARIO. ASSISTED BY Dr. James Fletcher and W. H. Harrington, Ottawa ; H. H. Lyman, Montreal, and Rev. T. W. Fyles, South Quebec. ——»_—_—_ Lonton, Ont.: The London Printing and Lithographing Company, Limited. 1896. ARK LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS TO VOLUME XXVIII. 12AN TRG) BS] Raed AND RG) Deal sa eR Sei ek 4 Rem TINS Pvt? AUBURN, ALABAMA. PRADNIRC Ss ON AGC HAIN eiep rot aem ss sion SEA CLIFF, N. Y. Ee itUN EE. REV. J.S. (ihe Editor). via aoe Port Hore, ONT. PPAR COMO VO WIIG ge boo ety. ss. wc ee INDIANAPOLIS, IND, BRATNERD, DWIGHT: ....: mete caso, 2 ee ORF DRIGAT CLUDE Fed C) SEIN) DY ea fia oral (oP eR oe SP WASHINGTON, D. C, COCKE RBIU TE. DRyAL or sex Sclbicins «+2 So eS TOMA NE Wi MEXICO, (CHONG NGS UI EN 4 OS Pao BS. AVE AG A eer WASHINGTON, D. C. HE ICINUINGISIN GE? SS PING Cen dearest Sesiaiere as So tae eae .. HARTFORD, CONN. HOVE AGI eam LUNs TR URLS OPIN Ge es tery Steen ess, doci'elcer ey ae New YorK. TB NIAMS IRS) JOM SUIT D ee 8 98h i gC 2 TRENTON, ONT. ESM LASSVSSE2r ere Weve Hs Oar aT eee ct oo cs ee Masr YARD, N. H. TPES MC) USS Rie) PUNY (oS) 2) el De eee ee ei eg ... OTTAWA. ROM SOME spy Seon WA O@INGT G00... id. Seer .CAMBRIDGE, Mass. TESTU Spy TN pt Ek YAS as carn ee oe RR ES eee or SOUTH QUEBEC, GIBSON, ARTHUR..... Sener. 28. 8 ye Oe TORONTO, (CIRCANINSS Deeg G22) Bin on 05 SON Ct RI an I ae Sb ORILLIA, Peon eAuRADCLIPE EM. «00... 0. ...deataee HILDESHEIM, GERMANY. BAe MeV TOMIE I O)IN es TO OUTING a tencrece's. 2's ee are eons ALLEGHENY, PENN, HANHAM,.A, W..... PHS hE RO tbe WINNIPEG, PEI SINUN Gan@IN Win ERAT Bs Aes. fee OTTAWA. LEEPBOR VTC) ci (5. | Sha) Seve batten Avante ein ah a Fae CARTWRIGHT, MANITOBA. el OISSTUN Spee Nera tye encaysecseiictolee = ia lo. tae Seer MORGANTOWN, WEsT VA. LE ODN AVENGERS: brie ©) ey efi a RR See, WASHINGTON, D. C. PUN WEIR R Vege Stories Ser ent | cS. LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. JRQUUUSSISKOUNIE NYC CBee Bice nile aren eee aoe Te ge BANA, DEL, NERVE MCN 0 he 2) EO opel Bes et eca Rae EMR COLUMBUS, OHIO, IUIYRS TRS IAN BR 7a) 0 TU as ee . MALDEN, MAss. TININIDIAN Sr Peete) lteter ae a OS MONTREAL, ME (CesT NOIN A eee eee 8s 5. ly nee InnmAGA, N.Y: “ic iGw FEM VEST QUE a ie ia Sa Pape PASHING TON WO: Ge INSIST Sc] Sh) (i LEMONY SN Feo gba Me coo WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND, MOR RAT: in Als LON. <2 Ba istany ivy. LONDON, ON?T. i Oils ON GEARS pS... 4-2... 0.5 ous ee OAR EIN VIELE.» LLL: POP VistiaectW Wek DAU Lay Sales ccc cdic!. 3.2.3.2 alos eae MORGANTOWN, WEsT VA. 1S TE SVL SOURS 2S Rc oe WASHINGTON, D. C. SCIOTO DY ERS GOS Ts like 89 Gk ae, 5 a a a ee fe CAMBRIDGE, MAss, SISLN Nik, DR, WENRY 233: Bk A eae . .. PHILADELPHIA, SVE LTA Ga ET RG ESE TTBS PR C2) ee ae Te Irnaca, N. Y. VE eNO ONEDNG Disc cre ciel ss +2 nthe eeNEMe BRUNSWICK, NJ), SIRI VTE) Ba SNe | Sela eS A aR Os EVANSION, ILL. SEOMEN Sib NiO rats le Vlei. AoC 5 soon cc meee Las Cruces, NEW MExIco. AUR CATE NGS Yo ee ee lS St. Louis, Mo. WUCEIG hes SN eet ost cl SSeS antes Okc Sacre eae eC 7 .LONDON, ENGLAND, \ AVES) VP) EFA RSS 1122) RCO 9 Esc Ue ee WOOSTER, OHIo, TCC DANNY CA is Oi er” ite In nl Iowa City, Iowa, SANTOS Ne al gre aA a al RCS A MONTREAL, VNTR G4) 5d ES Dia pS tN ei a SAN BERNARDINO, CAL. AT RSE E'S EO na pa ‘ Un ~ : ~ - 4 a e 5 4 a - 2 > , ’ ‘ é ize a . " 5 P m . i> a ‘ ee 4 ae a & « ~a EDWARDS. WILLIAM H. the = etna Vou. XXVITL ee JANUARY, eee No. 1. ee a WILLIAM H. EDWARDS. Our readers will all, we are sure, be glad to receive with the first number of a new volume of the Canapian Entomoocist the accom- panying excellent portrait of the well-known and now venerable Entomologist, Mr. W. H. Epwarps, of Coalburgh, West Virginia. Tis life-long work has been the study of Diurnal Lepidoptera, and the results of that work are splendidly set forth in the beautifully illustrated volumes of his ‘‘ Butterflies of North America.” In April, 1868, the first part was issued, and at once commended itself to entomologists everywhere by the exquisite beauty and finish of the plates and their faithfulness to mature. In July, 31872, the first. Series, forming’ a large quarto volume with fifty plates, was completed. The second Series, containing fifty-one plates, was begun in May, 1874, but not finished until Novem- ber, 1884, the less frequent issue of the parts being more than compen- sated for by the increased value of both plates and letterpress. When the work was begun, as Mr.. Edwards stated in his preface, little or nothing was known of the eggs, larvee or chrysalids of any except the commonest butterflies, and accordingly his first volume illustrated only the perfect state. In 1870 he made the notable discovery that eggs could be satisfactorily obtained by confining the female butterfly of any species with the growing food-plant of its larva, and at once began the study of the life-histories of a number of species previously known only | in the imago state. The results of these studies are admirably set forth in the letterpress as well as in the plates of the second and third Series ; on these are accurately depicted eggs and larve in their different stages, as well as chrysalids and imagoes. Many wonderful discoveries have been made during these investigations, among the first being that of the seasonal trimorphism of Papilio Ajax, and the dimorphism of Grafta Lnterrogationis, and of G. Comma. The process. of breeding was soon taken up by Mr. Edwards’s friends and correspondents all over North America, and, aided by the general extension of railways over the Con- tinent, he was.able to get eggs of butterflies from widely distant localities, PF THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. and to follow them successfully through all their stages. Thanks to his efforts, the reproach of ignorance of the preparatory states of our butter- flies has been removed, and though much remains to be learnt, vast progress has already been made. The first part of the third Series was issued in December, 1886, and in October last we had the pleasure of welcoming the sixteenth. Far from showing any decline from the Author’s high standard of excellence, this last issue may justly be regarded as the climax of good work, both on the part of the writer and the artist. All through Mr. Edwards has been fortunate in having his wishes so ably carried out by his artist-assistants, Mrs. Mary Peart, of Philadelphia, who has drawn most accurately nearly all the plates, and, © in order to do so satisfactorily, has reared most of the caterpillars, and Mrs. Lydia Bowen, who has so exquisitely performed the work of colouring. In addition to the great work that we have just referred to, Mr. Edwards has contributed largely to the periodical literature of science, especially to the Proceedings and Transactions of the American Entomo- logical Society and the Canap1an EntTomo ocist. His first contribution to our pages was published in the third number of our first volume, in 1868, and he has continued to favour us with articles of great value ever since ; his last paper, in the September number of Volume XXVIL., being the one hundred and sixty-eighth which he has written for our journal. ey Mr. Edwards was born on the 15th cf March, 1822, and will soon complete his seventy-fourth year. That he may long be spared in health and prosperity to carry on his excellent work is the cordial wish of the writer and all his friends. Cy. Si THE “BOMBYCES”: WHAT ARE THEY? BY HARRISON G. DYAR, PH. D., NEW YORK, It might be better to say “what were they?” in an article addressed to readers of to-day, since the name in its old sense will not be found in the most recent writings of Packard, Comstock, Chapman, Grote, and other authors. However, the group is adopted in our latest check-list (Nos. 877-1459), although without its name, Prof. Smith stating that he could not limit the group to his satisfaction. Also, as recently as 1893, Dr. Packard published an “Attempt at a new classification of the 3ombyces,” including in the group all the families formerly included, but- altering their sequence. Following’ the arrangement of suborders pro-' % / > a — Os THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. posed by Prof. Comstock, and the division into superfamilies which I have suggested and which Mr. Grote has adopted with improved nomencla- ture*, let us see where the families of “ Bombyces ” fall. From the JuGaT#, we find the Hepialide only, the most highly specialized Jugates in respect to the abortion of the mouth parts. From the FRENAT# as follows :— Superfamily Tineides—The Eucleide, Megalopygide, Aoculnsioe dbl and Pyromorphide from the apex of development along the main stem ; the Psychide, Lacosomide and Heterogynide, side branches, but all specialized (the much specialized Sesiide went with the Sphingide), and finally the Cosside, a low type, but of large size. _ Superfamily Agrotides.—All the families, except those called Zygze- nide, the Agrotide and Geometride, the two latter (with the exception of the Notodontidz) the lowest types in the superfamily. Superfamily Bombycides.—The whole group. Superfamily Sphingides.—None, this group. being recognized as distinct, although the Sesiide and Thyride were associated with it. Superfamily Papilionides.— None. Thus it will be seen that the Bombyces consisted of the higher types in all lines of development, regardless of relationship. If we imagine the genealogical tree of Lepidoptera as growing upright from the ground, the several branches and twigs representing the families and being of length proportional to their degree of specialization, the old classification would be represented by horzzonta/ planes. The uppermost would cut off the — very summit of the tree, the Papilionides ; the next would take the next succeeding top branches, perhaps the Sphingides, and the tip of a side branch from the Tineid trunk, say the Sesiide. The next cut might give the old Zygenide, consisting of some families from the Agrotid and Tineid trunks, and the fourth cut is our Bombyces, taking branches of all the trunks that are approximately equal in degree of specialization. The base of the tree would comprise the rest of our old familiar families, the Noctuide, Micros, etc. It is the aim of more recent work to follow the lines of genealogy, a classification cutting our imaginary tree in vertica/ planes, including in each group all families related to each other in the same line of descent, regardless of degree of ‘Specialization. *Syst. Lep, Hildesiz, 1895. 4 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. - CONCERNING FELTIA, AND OTHER MATTERS. pany. BY JOHN B. SMITH, SC. D. The question.asked by Mr. Slingerland in his very interesting paper in the Can. Env., XXVIL, p. 301, is in great part answered by himself. I think he shows very conclusively that swbgothica, Haw., is correctly used for our American species, and has given us a very full statement of the evidence upon which he bases his conclusions, thus removing the matter from the domain of unsupported opinion. From the nature of the case, and in the absence of Haworth’s actual type specimen, the proof cannot be absolute ; but until something more definite is supplied, I think the conclusions of the paper on the identity of sawbgothica, must be accepted. As to the synonymy, I think Mr. Slingerland is also correct. I have not found the A. O. U. Code clear on this matter, though it is as ~ to genera in the same case ; but, after consulting Dr. C. Hart Merriam, a recognized authority on questions of nomenclature, I am assured that Guenée’s name jaculifera must sink as a synonym. On this, the main features of the paper, I accept all of Mr. Slingerland’s conclusions ; but I was a little surprised to find him defending genitalic characters as possibly good for generic divisions, in the apparent belief that I had used these characters as a basis for my division of the mass of species I found lumped as Agrotis ! 1 believe that, with the possible exception of Mr. Scudder, no one in America has studied the genitalia of more insects of all orders than I. Certainly no one has figured more, and no one has insisted more strongly upon the value of these characters for specific distinction. I have examined in some cases over one hundred specimens of a single species without discovering appreciable variation, and while I was engaged in the study of Zachnosterna I examined nearly 2,000 specimens of the fusca group alone, for these characters. Yet, while insisting on their specific - value, I have also pointed out that while easily distinguished species often have very similar genitalic structures, very closely allied species—super- ficially—may have them utterly unlike. Nowhere have I ever claimed that genitalic characters afford good bases for genera ; on the contrary, I am distinctly of the opinion that they should not be used except in very ‘special cases. The only instance where I have yet found it desirable to make use of them as a sole character, is in the series of species: which I have called Porosagrotis. That is an expediency genus, and stated»as such, with the reasons for it, Or THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Yet, somehow, the idea seems to be current that all my work} in Agrotis at least, is based on genitalic characters only! Mr. Dyar, ina book notice, Can. Ent., XXVII., 225, says: ‘‘ Under Agrotis: the genitalic divisions* of Prof. Smith are given subgeneric value only, a pro- ceeding which commends itself to the present reviewer.” So Mr. Slinger- land, on pp. 306 and 307 of the paper already cited, accepts this as a correct statement, and voices a doubt as to the value of such a basis. I was interested enough to write Mr. Slingerland on the subject, and he frankly acknowledged in return: “Yes; I simply followed Grote and Dyar in my statements regarding your divisions of the genus Agrofis.” And Mr. Dyar, I have no doubt, simply followed Mr. Grote! Now, I would not be understood as questioning for a moment the divine right of a critic to condemn without reading or understanding the work criticised, or to impute views to suit himself; but I must confess that I am inclined to have more regard for comments when the criticism indicates an under- standing of the author’s actual position. But perhaps this is merely a prejudice on my part ! Yet it is something of a surprise that Mr. Grote’s statements concern- ing my work or views should find unquestioned acceptance anywhere. When any of my papers are under his consideration, condemnation is nearly always certain, and Mr. Grote is always a _much-abused individual. If the facts do not bear out the desired conclusion, why so much the worse for the facts. For instance, we find in the Can, Ent. for 1894, Vol. XXVI., pp. 82 and 83, the following plaint :—“ Prof. Smith goes still further. He suppresses my reference of the species described by Moeschler as zs/andica to opipara, in 1892, as cited above, and has the courage to write, ‘ the error is Mr. Grote’s for condemning Mr. Morrison’s species on insufficient grounds!’ By also suppressing Moeschler’s original determination, I am brought in for a synonym I never committed!” If reference is made to my Revision of Agrotis, Bulletin No. 38, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 183, the following will be found: “ Mr. Grote was correct in referring ofipara and islandica, Moeschl, (nec Stgr.), as synonymous. The error is Moeschler’s in failing to recognize the distinction between the forms, and Mr. Grote’s for so positively condemning Mr. Morrison’s species on insufficient grounds.” How much now remains of Mr. Grote’s complaint? If the curious reader will take the trouble to look into the *The italics are mine, Note the plural, Mr, Grote uses a// my divisions as subgenera, 6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. oe ee a literature of the subject, I think he will find Mr. Grote’s criticisms on Mr. Morrison’s writings and on the species described by him, at least severe enough to justify my statement. So Iam charged with ignoring Mr. Grote’s work, and of failing to give him due credit. He writes (Abh. des. n-w Ver. zu Bremen, RLV... ps 16 of separate), after quoting my statement of the bases for sub- dividing Agrotis: ‘This is only a restatement of my original recom- mendation. As a matter of fact, throughout Smith merely applies rigorously the structural characters pointed out dy me long before, and which I lacked time and material to ascertain in the case of each species. In this same paper I say : ‘Subdivisions of the genus can be undertaken when the form of the genitalia is studied. This character, taken in connection with the antennal structure, will give us subgenera and assist in the identification of cur numerous species.’ This is precisely what Smith gives us after a lapse of seven years, and without making proper mention of my initiatory work. He follows my lead as if T had not pointed out the way.”* Mr. Grote is quite right in the statement that I gave him no credit for the characters used by me, and this is simply because they were not in any sense of the word original with him. Lederer used them in his work on the European Noctuids, so long ago as 1857, and so many other writers, antedating Mr. Grote, used them, that they long since became common or universal knowledge. I made no claim to originality in their use, and concede none to Mr. Grote. I made a bald statement of the characters employed ; nothing more. I do claim originality, how- ever, for the use of the claspers instead of the side-pieces (harpes) alone. Lederer used the iatter only, and Mr. Grote nowhere went further than Lederer. : . Mr. Slingerland questions also whether we shall use Ae/tza or Agronoma, because Mr. Grote asserts that the two are synonyms and the latter, with vestigia/is as type, antedates Fe/tia. Mr. Slingerland failed to find material in Mr. Grote’s writings to determine the matter and, quite correctly, does not accept his bald statement as decisive. I gave in my Revision (p. 109), under Fé¢/tia, the following: ‘‘ The distinctive characters of the species grouped under the present term are, spinose and quite heavily armed fore tibie ; protuberant, rough front, pectinated or serrate antennze, usually wide wings with dark colours and a tendency to *The italics are mine. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 7 aradiate type of maculation.” Mr. Grote, writing from Europe, of a common European species, presumably had specimens at hand for examination, and to the scientific student it would seem as if a clinching argument could be presented in the simple statement that véstigza/is presented just these structural characters. But except for a reference to the maculation, such a statement is carefully avoided! It may be added, indeed, that in nearly every case where Mr. Grote has replaced a generic name proposed by me by an “earlier” term, he gives no structural characters to sustain his point. It is loose assertion merely. I found in the Martindale collection at the Ac. Nat. Sci. of Philadelphia, a good pair of vestigialis ; through the courtesy of Mr. E. L. Graef, of Brooklyn, N, Y., I obtained another pair; and from the U.S. National Museum I obtained two additional males, by the kindness of the officials in charge. I compared these carefully with the descriptions of the species accessible to me, that no reasonable doubt might exist as to their identity and then found, as I had expected from Mr. Grote’s silence, that there is no pro- tuberant, rough front, and there are no heavily armed fore tibie! The species belongs to Agrotis as restricted by me. If, as Mr. Grote states, vestigialis is the type of Agronoma, this name can never replace Fed¢ia, with ducens (subgothica) as type, whether we use it in a generic or sub- generic sense. I have absolutely no prejudice in favour of any of the generic names adopted or proposed by me, and am ready to suppress any or all of them in favour of others previously used. I ask only that there shall -be a scientific demonstration of their identity ; not merely a loose statement without facts given to support it. Lepidopterists have been too long looked upon as triflers rather than as students, because of this very lack of scientific accuracy in their work ; but I am happy to say that to the more recent writers, including the Messrs. Slingerland and Dyar, this reproach~cannot be made. With the beginning of a Scientific study, structural characters are discovered in all stages that upset our previous notions, and the classification of the order is therefore in an unsettled condition. I believe that it will remain so for some time to come; but every accurate contribution adds clearness, and while their novelty may induce the placing of too much stress upon newly discovered facts, they will, eventually, be fitted into their proper places. Now, concerning the term Voctuzde which Mr. Grote proposes to replace by Agrotide/ He says: “The family name Agvotide is pro- posed instead of the usual term /Voctu/de since the generic title Moctua 8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. is preoccupied ” (Abh. Naturw. Ver. Brem., XIV., p. 1 of separate), and again (l.c,p. 21): ‘ The term JVoctwa, used by authors for this section, is, as I understand the matter, preoccupied in the Birds and, according to : the rules, cannot be used a second time in Zoology.” Again no facts are -given, and again Mr. Dyar repeats, Can. Ent., XXVII., 225, “ The name Agrotide is proposed for the customary /Voctuide, as the term (Voctua is preoccupied in Birds.” Mr. Dyar thus seems to accept the change and repeats, as a fact, Mr. Grote’s positive statement that the name is pre- occupied. It may be so; these gentlemen may have information not accessible to me, and in order to bring it out I state my own knowledge as follows :— In Scudder’s ‘‘ Nomenclator” we find Noctua, Klein, Moll., 1753, Noctua, Fabr., Lep., 1,776, Noctua, Sav., Aves., 1809, Noctuz, Linn., Lep., 1758. In the Century Dictionary, that marvellous storehouse of terms, the same order is observed: (a) an old genus of Mollusca, Klein, 1751; the date here differing from Scudder; (4) a genus in Lepidoptera, and (c) a genus of Owls by Savigny in 1809. I cannot find in any dictionary of Ornithology any earlier use of the term JVoctua, though this of course does not prove that there is none. Noctua, Klein, 1751 or 1753, is certainly the earliest use of the term; but here we run up against the following : “Canon XII.—-The Law of Priority begins to be operative at the beginning of Zoological nomenclature.” “Canon XIII.—Zoological nomenclature begins at 1758, the date of the Xth edition of the ‘Systema Naturz’ of Linnzeus.” We find that the term /Voctwe was used for the Lepidoptera in the very publication with which Zoological nomenclature begins, although Noctua as a generic term in the order is to be credited to Fabricius. It is possible, of course, that some publications exist, which were overlooked by the authorities cited by me ; but if this is'so, Mr. Grote cer- tainly owes it to Zoological Science at large to refer to them, and to give the reasons for rejecting (Voctwa as a term “ preoccupied in the Birds.” re THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 9 LIST OF HYMENOPTERA TAKEN AT SUDBURY, ONT. BY JOHN D. EVANS, TRENTON, ONT. In the following list 283 species are enumerated, 34 not determined specifically, and there are 8 species unknown, making a total of 325 species. I am much indebted to Mr. W. H. Harrington for his very great kindness and valued assistance in identifying these insects. Collecting was also done in some of the other orders, viz.: Diptera, Orthoptera, and Neuroptera ; more especially in the first mentioned, in which many fine specimens were taken, and await determination :— Cimbex americana, Leach. Strongylogaster longulus, Vor. =var. 10o-maculata, Leach. " pinguis, WVor¢. Trichiosoma triangulum, A7rédy. " soriculatus, Prov. = / Hylotoma clavicornis, Fad. " McLeayi, Leach. " scapularis, AZug. Priophorus zequalis, /Vor?. Nematus aureopectus, /Vor‘. " Inquilinus, Wadsh. 1 lateralis, 2Vor¢. 1 luteotergum, /Vor‘?. " malacus, /Vor‘t. 1 placentus, /Vort. 1 rufocinctus, Harg/7. 1 ventricosus, A/ug. 1 -violaceipennis, JVor¢. Harpiphorus maculatus, /Vort. Dolerus aprilus, /Vor‘+. " ~ arvensis, Say. 1 bicolor, Beauv. n sericeus, Say. Monophadnus rubi, Harr. Macrophya albomaculata, Vor‘. " epinota, Say. " flavicoxe, JVort. " trisyllaba, Wort. Pachyprotasis omega, /Vort. Taxonus, .S/. " terminalis, Say. Peecilostoma albosecta, Prov. Tenthredo mutans, JVor‘. " rufipes, Say. " semirubra, /Vor‘. " signata, /Vor?. " verticalis, Say. Tenthredopsis delta, Prov. " Evans, Hargtn. Lophyrus abietis, Harr. 1 _Lecontei, itch. Lyda fascipennis, Cress. 1" pallimacula, /Vor?. Oryssus Sayi, var. affinis, Harr. Xiphydria Provencheri, Cress. Urocerus albicornis, /wd. " caudatus, Cress. " cyaneus, /adr. " flavicornis, adr. 1 nigricornis, /adr. Figites impatiens, Say. Aulacus rufitarsis, Cress. Foenus incertus, Cress. 1 tarsatorius, Say. Ichneumon brevipennis, Cvess. 10 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Ichneumon canadensis, Cress. " cincticornis, Cress. " coeruleus, Cvess. " comes, Cress. " comptus, Say. " duplicatus, Say. r grandis, Brudle. " Grotei, Cress. " inconstans, Cress. " instabilis, Cress. " munificus, Cress. " navus, Say. " nuncius, Cvess. " parvus, Cress. " rubicundus, Cress. " rufiventris, Brae. " similaris, Prov. " subcyaneus, Cress. " trizonatus, Prov. " vecors, Cress. " versabilis, Cress. " Sp. " N. Sp. Amblyteles expunctus, Cvess. " nubivagus, Cress. " ormenus, Cress. " stadaconensis, Prov. " subrufus, Cress. " suturalis, Say. Pheogenes orbus, Prov. " tuberculifer, Prov. Ischnocerus ? sp. Nematopodius, sp. Phygadeuon acaudus, voz. " indistinctus, Prov. " fusiformis, 27ov. " jocosus, /ov. " ‘nitidulus, 27ov. Phygadeuon rotundiceps, Prov. " rubrocinctus, Prov. " Sp. Cryptus extrematis, Cress. " robustus, Cvess. " rufoannulatus, Prov. " Nn. sp. Linoceras Cloutieri, 7ov. Hemiteles mandibularis, Prov. Ophion bilineatum, Say. "1 macrurum, £2727. 1 purgatum, Say. Exochilum nigrum, /rov. " occidentale, Cress. Anomalon anale, Say. " semirufum, /Vort. Opheltes glaucopterus, Zzzm. Paniscus albovariegatus, Prov. " geminatus, Say. Campoplex diversus, /Vor?. " laticinctus, Cress. " vicinus, Prov. " alius, /Vort. " Sp. Limneria Guignardi, Prov. " parva, Prov. rT rufipes, £rov. 7 sp. " sp. " Sp. " n. sp. Pyracmon macrocephalum, Prov. Mesochorus, sp. Exetastes rufofemoratus, Prev. " Sp. Banchus borealis, Cvess. " canadensis, Cress. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 11 Banchus flavescens, Cress. 1 flavovariegatus, Prov. Mesoleptus canaliculatus, Prov. " Sp.. " sp. Megastylus, n. sp. Mesoleius submarginatus, Cress. " sp. Tryphon americanus, Cress. » » pediculatus, Prov. " seminiger, Cress. _ Euceros Couperii, C7. _ Polyblastus annulipes, Cress. Cteniscus clypeatus, Cress. ' Exyston clavatus, Cress. _ Exochoides borealis, Cress. Exochus atrocoxalis, Cyess. " laevis, Cress. Bassus orbitalis, Cress. u _pulehripes, Prov. Coleocentrus Pettitii, Cress. Arotes formosus, Cress. var. Rhyssa persuasoria, Zn. Thalessa atrata, 7d. Bpiialtes gigas, Walsh. " pygmeeus, Walsh. " tuberculatus, Four. Pimpla conquisitor, Say. » 4-cingulata, Prov. 1 Inquisitor, Say. n novita, Cress. 1 Ontario, Cress. n pedalis, Cress. ‘1 tenuicornis, Cress. "1 Sp. Polysphincta texana, Cress. " sp. _Cylloceria occidentalis, Cress, Lampronota americana, Cress. " parva, Cress. " punctulata, Cress. " varia, Cress. I Sp. Meniscus scutellaris, Cress. Phytodietus vulgaris, Cress. Euxorides americanus, Cress. Xylonomus stigmapterus, Say. aon canadensis, Hargt. Odontomerus mellipes, Say. " canadensis, Prov. r n. sp. Echthrus abdominalis, Cress. "niger, Cress. 1 rufopedibus, Hargtn. Bracon dissitus, Cress. 1 obliquus, Prov. ie. ane Spe Rhogas abdominalis, Cress. 1 terminalis, Cress. Apanteles cinctus, Prov. Agathis liberator, Brud/e. Microdus annulipes, Cress. Meteorus vulgaris, Cress. Gymnoscelus pedalis, Cress. Macrocentrus mellipes, Prov. Leucospis affinis, Say. Eurytoma auriceps, Wadsh. Isosoma, sp. Monodontomerus montivagus, Ashm. Perisernus prolongatus, Prov. Proctotrypes rufigaster, Prov. " longiceps, Ashm. Pteromalia, sp. Platygaster aphidis, Asim. Cleptes insperata, daron. Le THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Omalus leviventris, Cvess. Crabro interruptus, St. Farg. Hedychrum violaceum, 4rud/e. maculipennis, /adr. Chrysis hilaris, Dah/d. 1 oblongus, Pack. Camponotus herculaneus, Zn, 1 producticollis, Pack. var. pictus, Fou’. 1 sex-maculatus, Say. Camponotus marginatus, Zatr. » villosifrons, Pack. Formica sanguinea, Zat¢r. Wee aSp. Myrmica, sp. Thyreopus advenus, Syzth. Sapyga maculata, Prov. " coloradensis, Pack. | Martini, Smzth. " latipes, Smith. Pompilus albosignatus, Prov. Eumenes fraternus, Say. : " cylindricus, Cvess. Odynerus albomarginatus, Sawss. » hyacinthinus, Cress. 1 albophaleratus, Sazss. " marginatus, Say. " canadensis, Sazss. " maurus, Cress. : " capra, Sauss. 1. philadelphicus, Cress. " catskillensis, Sazss. " virginiensis, Cvess. " debilis, Sauss. " sp. " leucomelas, Sauss. Agenia pulchripennis, Cress. " philadelphize, Sazss. Priocnemis alienatus, S7z¢th. Polistes pallipes, Leped/. Ceropales fraterna, Smith. Vespa maculata, /ad. Ammophila communis, Cress. 1 scelesta, A/cFarland. " luctuosa, Smth. n vulgaris, Lez. " vulgaris, Cvess. iene i Sphex apicalis, Haz. Colletes americana, Cress. Astata unicolor, Say. Prosopis affinis, Svth. Hoplisus atricornis, Puck. 1 basalis, Swzth. 1» ephippiatus, Pack. Sphecodes dichroa, Smth. 1» phaleratus, Say. " falcifer, Patton. Cerceris nigrescens, Sth. Halictus albitarsis, Cvess. Mimesa basirufa, Pack. " constrictus, Prov. Cemonus inornatus, Say. » coriaceus, Smith. Pemphredon concolor, Say. 1 ligatus, Say. Passaleecus manudibularis, Cress. ) " pilosus, Swzth. Trypoxylon frigidum, Sy7th. " scabrosus, Prov. Crabro ater, Cress. ies, oT 1 chrysarginus, S?¢. arg. i) eR AS Ds ’ u - cubiceps, Pack. Te i ee wa THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 13 Augochlora purus, Say. Megachile consimilis, Cress. ? Andrena frigida, Syth. " grandis, Cress. 1 hirticeps, Smzth. " melanopheza, Syz7rh. 1 nivalis, Syzth. " optiva, Cress. "1 vicina, Sw2th. " pugnata, Say. Re WS " simplex, Prov. Calliopsis xstivalis, Prov. Nomada americana, Avrdy. Epeolus mercatus, Fud. Ceelioxys alternata, Say 7 Melissodes rustica, Say. Anthophora bomboides, A7rby. Clisodon terminalis, Cress. 1 ‘tristis, Cress. ? Apathus Ashtoni, Cress. Osmia bucconis, Say. Bombus borealis, A7z7by. 1 bucephala, Cress. " consimilis, Cress. n frigida, Smeth. 1 fervidus, Fad. n lignaria, Say. 1 dacustris, Cress. ? 1 simillima, Sye7t/. n ternarius, Say. Monumetha borealis, Cress. 1 terricola, Azrdy. Anthidium simile, Cress. n -virginicus, Zznz. THE MEDITERRANEAN FLOUR MOTH, EPHESTIA KUEHNIELLA, ZELLER, STILL IN CANADA. The determined and energetic fight carried on by the miller, the entomologist, and the Local Government in 1889, to stamp out this destructive mill pest in Ontario, is too fresh in the memory of those who witnessed that outbreak to warrant a repetition of the particulars. Suffice it to say that the flour moth is still very abundant in certain Canadian mills. I have received it recently in flour sent me direct from a milling firm in Valleyfield, Quebec, with an urgent appeal for help. The mill has been obliged to shut down several times during the present year to clean out the enormous accumulations of matted flour and webs in the spouts and elevator legs. ‘The mill is a new one and has been running a very short time. It is said the pest came from a neighboring firm. My experience. with this moth in California and other places convinces me that it is the worst pest millers have to combat, and this note should be a signal warning to all those interested in the milling business. I have also recently discovered the same pest in Southwestern New York State, where it has done considerable mischief this year, and is still spreading. It has occasioned much loss on the Pacific Coast also the present season. If something is not done to arrest and destroy this advancing enemy in the United States and Canada, I predict very serious results to the milling - industries of both countries. ' W. G. JoHNson. Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History, Urbana, II], 14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ASPIDIOTUS PERNICIOSUS, Comsrock, anp AONIDIA FUSCA, MaskeLL: A QUESTION OF IDENTITY OR VARIATION. BY W. M. MASKELL, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND. In the “Report of the Entomologist of the United States Depart- ment of Agriculture for the year 1880,” Professor Comstock described (p. 304) an extremely injurious insect of the family Coccide, to which he gave the name ASPIDIOTUS PERNICIOSUS, or “‘ the pernicious scale,” and he stated that this insect attacked a very large number of deciduous fruit- trees in California, ‘“‘excepting peach, apricot, and black tartarean cherry.” Later, this pest was observed, described and discussed by many persons interested in horticulture, and in America it is generally known by the trivial name of ‘“ the San José scale,” and is looked on as a most troublesome thing. An article in “Insect Life,” Vol. VI., No. 5, September, 1894, contains much information relative to this insect, and its occurrence in various places in America since 1880. Here and there the scale appears to have been found on peach, but only in small quantity ; the principal victims are pear, plum, Japanese plum, apple, currant, etc., and most especially pear. In a subsequent article (‘‘ Insect Life,” Vol. VII., No. 2, p. 165) the same trees are mentioned, with the addition of Japanese quince, and elm (American ?). Again, in the same publication (Vol. VIL., p. 285) the pear is given as the chief victim of this scale. In the ee Gazette, of New South Wales, September, 1892, p. 698, Mr. A. S. Olliff reports Asp. PERNICIOSUS in Australia on pear. In September, 1894, I received from Mr. French, of Melbourne, some twigs of peach trees thickly covered with a scale which, in my paper on Coccide (read November, 1894; published in Transac. New Zealand Institute, Vol. XXVII.), I identified as belonging to the genus AOonIDIA, and named AON. FUSCA. In March, 1895, the same gentleman sent me some apple twigs with many scales, which I found to be ASPIDIOTUS PERNICIOSUS. Finally, in July, 1895, Mr. Olliff sent me twigs of pear, peach, and apple, from New South Wales, much infested by AsprDIOTUS PERNICIOSUS. It was whilst examining these last specimens that the characters which I observed in the adult females led me to compare them closely with those of AONIDIA FUSCA, and, as a result, can help being con- siderably perplexed, aes THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 15 The opinion which, for many years past, I have persistently advo- cated, as regards the study of Coccide, is that it is always better to base distinctions, where possible, upon anatomical characters of the insects themselves, rather than upon external features of the coverings, waxy or cottony, or otherwise, under which they are sheltered. These coverings may vary so much according to accidental circumstances that I think they _ should be considered as of secondary, or, even less, importance. In the _ case of the two insects of which I am now treating, I am sorry to say that I did not adhere strictly enough to my own rule. Size, colour, form ot the scale, food-plant, and such like things, have been so greatly insisted upon, as I find, in all the accounts of ASPIDIOTUS PERNICIOSUS, that I have perhaps attached too much importance to them, and, consequently, it is possible that my identification of AONIDIA FUSCA is erroneous. All the authors who describe Asp. PERNICIOSUS give the following characters of it :— 1. The scale is “ gray” ; the pellicles “ yellow or reddish-yellow,” “‘ some- times black.” 2. When on twigs, ‘‘the wood beneath the bark is stained red”; ‘‘ the cambium layer of wood is stained purplish”; the “ peculiar red+ dening effect on the skin is a very characteristic feature” ; ‘“ the » cambium layer frequently becomes deep red or purplish” ; ‘‘if the twig be scraped with the finger-nail, a yellowish oily liquid will appear.” 3. The diameter of the female puparium, or scale, is given by Comstock as about one 13th inch. I do not find it in other writers, 4. The principal food-plant, as mentioned above, is the pear; when the peach is mentioned it is only incidentally, or as very slightly . attacked. — 5. No mention is made by authors of the second female pellicle as being any larger than the adult female. Now, in all the foregoing characters, the specimens on which I founded my Aonip1a Fusca differ from ASP. PERNICIOSUS; and if one might accept as positively final the statement in “Insect Live” (Vol. VIII, p. 289), that “the Safi José scale differs from all others in the peculiar reddening effect which it produces,” then there would be no more to be said; for AonipiA FuscaA produces, as far as I know, no such effect. In size, A. rusca is much smaller, the female puparium having a diameter of one 35th inch. Incolour itis “ very dark brown or dull black ; PRR 16 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, and again, A. rusca is decidedly numerous on peach twigs. Lastly,, the second female pellicle is larger than the adult insect. Judging, therefore, by all the external characters (except that of the | second pellicle, of which I find no record), Aonrpia Fusca is different from ASPIDIOTUS PERNICIOSUS. But a careful comparison of the adult female insects shows that, with the exception of size, their characters are very similar. My specimens of Asp. PERNICIOSUS (originally received from Professor Comstock) average one 25th inch in length ; those of Aon. FUSCA average one 65th inch. In colour the two agree; also in the absence of any groups of “ spinnerets ” ; also in the terminal lobes, hairs, and indentations of the abdomen. The two last characters are of especial importance ; so much so that I am strongly inclined to think that I made a mistake in separating the two insects, at least specifically. The identity of my Australian specimens of ASPID. PERNICIOSUS with those from America is absolute ; my Australian AONIDIA is anatomically very close to both, the principal differences being external. It remains to discuss the generic character of the comparative dimensions of the adult female and the second pellicle, a character which distinguishes Aonrp1a from Asprpiotus. I have already remarked that I _ find no notice on this point in any author as to A. PERNICIOSUS; but as regards A. Fusca I have no doubt, and I possess a mounted specimen of an adult with the second pellicle still attached, the difference in size being perfectly clear ; the pellicle extends all round beyond the adult. Assum- — ing, therefore, that it may be necessary to unite the two insects, and to make FUSCA a variety of PERNICIOSUS on the ground of anatomical similarity, ignoring the external differences, it will become a question, then, of removing PERNICIOSUS from the genus ASPIDIOTUS and of — attaching it to the genus AONIDIa. It is stated in “Insect Life,” Vol. VI., p. 362, that while the origin of A. PERNICIOSUS is uncertain, the PeShability is that it came to America from Japan. I believe that Mr. Koebele is in Japan at present studying - the Coccid of that country; and he has, perhaps, discovered the native home of this injurious pest. But, in a letter which I received from him a few months ago, he says that the Japanese will not permit any specimens of insects to be sent thence by post ; and we must wait till Mr. Koebele himself leaves the country to learn more about this scale. Mr. Benson, of Sydney, however, tells me there have been many fruit trees imported into Australia of late years from japan. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 17 ON AGROTIS TRITICI, Linn., AB. SUBGOTHICA, Haw., AND AGROTIS JACULIFERA, Gv. BY J. W. TUTT, F. E. S.. LONDON, ENGLAND. I have read with interest the paper by Mr. Slingerland, Can. Enr., XXVII., p.p. 301-308, and as my name is occasionally mentioned, I trust to the courtesy of our Editor to allow me to reply. In the first place, I would premise by suggesting that Mr. Grote had more than the bare statement of mine quoted by Mr. Slingerland on p. - 302, and was not guided by that alone. He had, I presume, at least seen my notes in the Zxtomologists’ Record, and in Lritish Noctue and Their Varieties, Vol. If. These Mr. Slingerland appears to have overlooked. I would point out to American readers that Haworth called his book Lepidoptera Britannica, that he described no species knowingly that were not British, and that the onus of proving that he did so rests on Mr. Slingerland, and those who think with him. I would point out also that although Mr. Grote and Prof. Smith may not ‘have ever seen the original description of swbgothica,” yet I can assure Mr, Slingerland that ‘I had, and that as Mr. Grote, according to his letter, based “his recent — revision on the authority of Mr. Tutt,” it matters little whether Mr. Grote saw it or not, for he shifts the onus upon my shoulders. : With regard to the species in dispute, I would refer your readers to the quotation referring to the species Haworth described (wide, ante. p. 302), In which Haworth says of the species ‘‘ Habitat in Anglia valde infrequens.”* Now, Mr. Slingerland has to face this point. ‘The American species does not occur in England; the species Haworth de- scribes does occur in England; therefore the species that Haworth describes cannot possibly be the American species, by any laws of logic I know. As Mr. Slingerland says, ‘‘ No figure of the insect is given”; therefore ‘the whole value of Haworth’s name rests on his description. The first question, it seems to me, is not, ‘‘Is there anything in it that does not apply to our American insect?” for thus far we have not come to the possibility of its being American, but rather, ‘‘ Is there any British insect to which it applies absolutely?” and I say, yes! most decidedly, yes! and the insect to which it applies is one of the endless forms of Agrotis triticz. *This was written in 1810, and Mr. Slingerland does not suggest the possible intro- duction of American specimens into England until 20 years later.—]. W. T. 18 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Mr. Slingerland evidently does not know our British Agrotis tritici; it is outside my brief to go into the protean forms it exhibits, but when I say that my series comprises some 2,500 specimens, which have received something like twenty-five different specific names, and a mere summary of these occupies 15 p.p. in Zhe British Noctue and Their Varieties, your readers will see that Mr. Slingerland is treading on treacherous grounds when he is dealing with the subject, and suggests that British lepidopterists cannot name their own insects, for this is un- ‘doubtedly the ultimate conclusion of his line of argument. Now, it is quite evident from Mr. Slingerland’s, remarks (p.p. 302— 303) that whatever specimens Haworth (before 1810) described his szo- gothica from, Mr. Stephens (1829) did not describe the same specimens, for he described his from specimens obtained from Mr. Raddon, and the — specimens were labelled, ‘near Barnstaple, Devon.” Now, I have to add, as a matter of personal knowledge, that the coasts near Barnstaple, Devon, produce 4. ¢ré¢ic? in immense numbers, and I can assure Mr, Slingerland, and all other American entomologists, that I can match exactly the specimens which Stephens figures, and Humphrey and West- -wood copy, with undoubted genuine specimens of Agrotis tritici, and I quite agree with my friend, Mr. C. G. Barrett, that these figures certainly represent a variety of trétic7. | : We now come to Mr. Slingerland’s first move into the mists of probability, and I would suggest to Mr. Slingerland that probability is not critical science. I refer to Wood’s figure, reproduced in the plate, fig. 1b. Mr. Slingerland says :—‘ I think that a glance at the next figure of the insect that appeared, taken, doubtless, from Stephens’s specimen, * will remove all doubt as to what insect Stephens tried to represent.” I object absolutely to this premise. There is not a scintilla of evidence to warrant such an assertion. We want facts and deductions therefrom. We do not now, three-quarters of a century after publication, want an assertion made as being ‘“ doubtless,” without a single fact to support it. Now, “up to 1847,” Mr. Slingerland very rightly observes that English Entomologists considered swbgothica a British insect, and a dis- tinct species. Then Mr. Doubleday stated that ‘‘ Haworth’s insect is evidently simply a variety of either Agvotis tritici or agutlina. The species described by Stephens is American.” Now, it is strange that I had never noticed this reference before, but it fortifies my position. It B: eee 2, — *] have referred to this. statement in detail farther on, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 19 must be observed that Doubleday was the authoritative link binding the “Stephens ” generation with the present, and his independent opinion alone would not have to be lightly passed over. My own conclusion being at one with his as to swbgothica, Haw., 1 take as affording one more link: in the strong chain of independent evidence that I have been able to collect. On p. 305, Mr. Slingerland says :—‘ Curiously enough” (had I been he I should have said ‘naturally enough’), ‘the English authors have claimed Haworth’s insect as a variety of their fr7tict. Doubleday said it was ‘simply a variety of either ¢ritzci or aguilina,’ but it was soon restricted to the former in British lists, and it is still con- sidered as such by Mr. Tutt.” In Doubleday’s time, Agrotis tritici and A. aguiling were considered as distinct species, but for the last thirty or forty years it has been well known that agwz/ina is simply a local form of tritici, and that the two erstwhile supposed species. copulate indiscrimi- nately*. The Continental (European) and British Entomologists have long ago deprived it of specific rank. ‘Therefore, Mr. Doubleday’s. conclusion and mine are identical. Mr. Slingerland says: that “the evideice in support of considering Haworth’s sudgothica as a variety of ¢ritici (or aguilina) seems to be confined principally to the simple statement of Doubleday, although Tutt intimates that he has seen Haworth’s description.” This is really too ingenuous. Haworth’s Lepidoptera Britannica was the hand book of British Lepidoptera, and in the hands of every British collector unti] the publication of Stainton’s AZanuwa/ in 1858. Every British collector had his “Haworth ” then, just as everyone has his ‘‘ Stainton ” now, and I can only hope that this statement will be sufficient to brush out any doubtful remnants of the implied suggestion contained in this remarkable paragraph. | I am totally unable to untangle the line of thought in which Mr. Slingerland has got on p. 303 when he writes :—‘“ For many years after this the name swdgothica rarely appeared in British lists, and only as a variety of ¢r7tici ; it apparently does not occur at all in'recent lists. It has ‘never been taken in England, so far as I can find any record since “Stephens’s time.” . Evidently, when our leading lepidopterists had worked out the true position of Haworth’s subgothica, it would disappear *For purposes of sale British collectors still keep them separate, and some conserv- ative lepidopterists, who believe nothing they do not see themselves, even write of them as being -so,—J, W. T, 20 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. from the British lists, for, from that time forth, it ceased to exist as a dis- tinct species, and became naturally a synonym of the older name of the same species /¢r7tici, Linn., unless the list contained varietal names as well as specific, when sabgothica, Haw., would naturally fall as a variety of ¢ri¢ici, Linn. To say that subgothica, Haw., has “never been taken in England since Stephens’s time” is absurd, and begging the whole question, for dozens are taken every year (from my point of view), where- as if Mr. Slingerland refers to Guenée jacu/ifera. it, of course, never has been taken in England, neither in Stephens’s time, before his time, or “since his time.” We come now to the first introduction of the species into American literature, the year 1856, Mr. Slingerland informs us, and then Dr. Fitch applied to an American species the name suwdgothica, Haw. On what grounds Dr. Fitch did this we cannot tell; evidently he did not know of Doubleday’s conclusion in 1847, but I will say this—that the general similarity between some examples of the two species, and the small amount of systematic work which had been done in the American JVoctue in 1856, are more than enough to excuse Dr. Fitch for supposing they were identical; nor do I think that Mr. Slingerland scores a point when he states that ‘‘no American writer has seriously questioned the identity of our species with the sabgothica of Stephens and later English writers, or even with the swbgothica of Haworth until 1891, when Mr. Grote changed his mind in accordance with the opinion of Mr. Tutt.” Can Mr, Slingerland wonder at this? What American entomologist had the slightest knowledge of our British Woctue ? I will go farther and ask— What American fas? And now I will execute a bouleversement and ask—What British entomologist knows anything of American Moctue ? You may answer, Mr. Walker and Mr. Butler ; but Mr. Walker’s ignorance Se a was notorious, and the present condition of the Voctue in the British © Museum is sufficient proof that Mr. Butler cannot name the commonest British species. ‘The whole thing is too absurd. The name was never questioned, because there was no one to question it. Now we come to Doubleday’s statement 7e “ the species described and figured by Stephens is American,” and his explanation that he had “traced all the specimens which he had seen of this species (the one described by Stephens) in collections of British Lepidoptera to one source, and I believe the gentleman who distributed them inadvertently mixed a number of the North American insects with his British ones,” THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 7A and goes on with a statement that is utterly damaging to “the gentle- man’s” veracity, or as to his consummate carelessness ; but still the unexplained factor remains, viz., that forms of A. ¢riticé identical with that figured by Stephens are in many British collections, that the locality given by Raddon is a éona fide one for A. ¢ritici, and that at a time when there were fewer collectors and few specimens the form figured may not have been well known to Mr. Doubleday. Now, let us grant for a moment that the variation of A. ¢r7tici and A. jaculifera, Gn., is so closely parallel; nay, so identical, that two specialists at this group, as — suppose Mr. Slingerland and myself to be, cannot see any difference in certain figures claimed for both species—in other words, that what I have no hesitation in referring to A. ¢ritici, he has no hesitation in referring to 4. jaculifera. What bearing, I would ask, has, that on Haworth’s description ? Haworth was dead, and his work was published years before, and he could have had none of Raddon’s specimens. He described, evidently, from perfectly different specimens from those used by Stephens. ‘Therefore, even if Raddon fraudulently deceived Stephens, it is clear that he did not deceive Haworth, and until Mr. Slingerland can show some more definite facts relative to Haworth’s subgothica, he must excuse us if we refuse to change an opinion held by successive generations of British entomologists, viz., that suwdgothica, Haw., is what Haworth described it as, and verily believed it to be, a British and not an American species, and which no one supposed it to be until Dr. Fitch’s introduction of the name in America, for, be it observed, the doubt thrown by Doubleday was not on sudgothica, Haw., but subgothica, Stephens. Mr. Slingerland now touches upon what he evidently con- siders the clinching part of his argument. He asks: “Is Haworth’s subgothica the same as Stephens’s. Probably Haworth’s single type specimen could not now be found, if it exists at all.” Mr. Slingerland can take the latter for ganted. Haworth’s type specimen would have been found years ago were it findable. That being so, we are told we must ‘depend on the original description and a little circumstantial evidence to settle this point.” I have before stated that Doubleday and all British authors for almost a century have known perfectly well that Haworth’s description refers to a well-known form of Agrotis tritici, and the evidence is in favour of this view, but the ‘“‘ circumstantial evidence ” must be examined carefully. Mr. Slingerland says that ‘ Haworth’s Specimen might easily be one which Mr, Barrett recently found in an old bo bo THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. English collection, made up of specimens obtained from older collections by a Mr. Burney, who was contemporary with—and corresponded with— Haworth and others, and many of whose insects fell into his hands.” Now, Haworth died about 1830; Burney died in 1893, aged 79 years. At the time of Haworth’s death, therefore, Burney was a boy of 16, and — his correspondence (if any) with Haworth must have been of the most casual character. Again, Haworth’s insects were sold, and Burney would have remembered had he bought it; but boys of 16 do not, as a rule, affect sale-rooms, and at this time Burney was a boy at school. It is on Haworth’s sale catalogue, Mr. Slingerland says, so, Haworth did not give it to Burney as a result of correspondence. Now we come to “the specimen” mentioned by Mr. Barrett. I also saw the specimen—one of the American jacu/ifera. It had no label, no hint of its origin, and it was present with dozens of other foreign specimens, with not the slightest claim to be considered British. ‘lwo years ago Mr. Burney’s collection was sold. ‘That collection was a marvel. It had been collected just as some men collect “ old pots” or “ toothpicks.” Everything buyable had been bought, and in England, as elsewhere, you can buy anything if you will only pay enough. There were dozens —nay, hundreds of foreign specimens that he had. paid big prices for, and obtained with them a British warranty; many of the insects bore well-known lepidopterists’ names—some bore my own. So gross was the fraud, that I disowned some of the latter in the sale-rrooms. The whole collection was a scientific lie from beginning to end, and among the foreign specimens sold—it was not even labelled or suggested as British—was this American specimen of jaculifera. What Mr. Dale surmises is quite beside the question ; there are hundreds of people in England who can guess—more, perhaps, in America—and when Mr, Dale ventures, without the. slightest shred of evidence, to suppose that it ‘‘ probably came from Mr. Raddon,” his wild guess made of people who lived and died before he was born, helps to cut — away the ground from under Mr. Slingerland’s feet, for even if every assumption be made that this was a specimen introduced into Britain with a fraudulent design in 1829 (the date of Stephens’s ///ustrations), it could not have been the specimen that Haworth described anterior to 1810; and these are the facts on which Mr. Slingerland ‘‘ believes that the weight of evidence indicates that the swbgothica of Haworth and Stephens were the same species.” I would only ask, Is this logic, or is it science ! if not —what is it,? t . ~ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ‘For a scientific man, Mr. Slingerland must be easily satisfied ; but I would urge again that guesswork is not science. [ maintain that _sHaworth’s description of swdgothica refers word for word to a certain form of Agrotis tritici. | maintain that Mr. Slingerland has not brought forward one scintilla of evidence to upset Haworth’s statement. that his species has its “habitat in Anglia ; I maintain that Mr. Slingerland has not brought forward the ghost of a fact to assume that swdgothica, Haw., is or is not even identical with swbgothica, Steph. With regard to the latter, I must assume that Mr. Slingerland has had at least as much experience with the various forms of Agrotis yjaculifera as | have had with those of Agrotts tritici, and, therefore, that his opinion is as good as mine ; but I still maintain mine, he will maintain _ his. Now we come to a matter of expediency. Is it worth while to per- petuate a name about which so much doubt exists? Suppose Mr. Sling- erland and myself let our difference die a natural death, the same duel will be fought again and again between our successors, who will view the matter from our respective standpoints. Now, about Guenée’s figure (1d) there can be no doubt. It does not represent any possible form of Agrotis tritici. Here, then, is the first unquestioned figure of the American insect. It is the only reasonable name to apply to it, but that is a matter for Mr. Grote and Prof. Smith, and not forme. I simply state facts. Ayrotis tritici, var. subgothica, Haw., is a living fact to me, so is Agrotis jaculifera, Gu. For my part I shall continue to write :— Agrotis tritici, Linn. ab. subgothica, Haw. 2. Agrotis jaculifera, Gn. And Mr. Slingerland can add, if he chooses, to the latter (? sub- gothica, St.). This is what facts warrant, and when we change facts for opinion we are doing a sorry thing for science. Mr. Slingerland says, p. 303: “ This figure, which is reproduced as 1b on the plate [it is enlarged to natural size], is from Wood’s /nudex Entomologicus, pl. 9, fig. 149 (1839). All must admit that it is one of the -best figures of our American species ever published.” I have compared it carefully with the figure from nature, and mark the differences: Wood’s figure (tb) may be the best of the figures of the American species ever published, but it represents equally well many specimens of 4. fréfic7 in my cabinet, and the question arises how far we are justified in considering these as two distinct species at all; whilst for two male specimens of the 24 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. same species the abdomina are singularly unlike. Indeed, Mr. Slinger- land’s references to the figures seem remarkably unhappy, for if Wood’s figure is one of the best figures of the American insect ever published, it is singularly unlike the figure frorn nature above it, and to suppose that Wood’s figure (1b) and Stephens’s (ra) are from the same specimen seems to suggest great incapacity on the part of one of the artists to reproduce what he saw. Figs. 1 and 1d represent nothing British, but for the remainder there is nothing toadd. I would now draw Mr. Slingerland’s attention to an important fact that he has altogether overlooked, viz., the connection between Doubleday and Guenée. It is a matter of history that almost all the N. American species Guenée possessed were obtained from Doubleday and Desvignes, and that most of his work was submitted to Doubleday before publica- tion. It was, therefore, with Doubleday’s full knowledge that sacudlifera was described, and I observe that Guenée in his Hiéstozre, etc. ( Noctue- lites), Vol. V., p. 262, actually described his jacudifera, var. B., from speci- mens in Doubleday’s collection. It is quite evident that with the mutual understanding between Doubleday and Guenée, that Doubleday agreed with Guenée’s nomenclature of the American species in 1852, and equally certain, in the face of what he had written in 1847, that he considered the species quite distinct from sabgothica, Haw. Mr. Slingerland, in his quotation of my note that “I do not know the American szbgothica,’ rather misstates my present position. I have examined all the specimens in the British museum repeatedly since 1891, and know well what I am talking about, and his suggestion that I am an “English writer, who does not know the American insect,” is rather startling and far-fetched, and would have been more warranted had Mr. Slingerland written his article five years ago. . One other point only interests me in the note, and in that I am pleased to be able to agree with Mr. Slingerland. There is no doubt Guenée’s name, jacu/ifera, refers to the insect known as such, that his var. B. must be called ¢récosa, Lintner, and that-his var. B. = erz/zs, Grote. It may be interesting as bearing out Mr. Slingerland’s position that Guenée probably Zad no specimens of jaculifera, but that he described Desvignes and Doubleday’s specimens; that these Entomologists must have had several specimens is pretty evident, for Guenée writes (éd@., p. 262): ‘‘Amerique Septentrionale; Canada Coll. Div. Parait trés-commune ; whilst of var. B. he specially notes: ‘‘ Etat de New-Yorck, Coll., Dbday.” I have tried to be explicit even at the risk of offending our Editor by — being too verbose. Iam afraid even now that I may have to explain doubtful points. At any rate I trust I have been logical enough to con- vince my two good friends, Prof. Grote and Prof. Smith, that on the score of “scientific truth,” as well as on the score of “ expediency,” it is not well that two distinct species should be known in Europe and America by the same name, and that the true name henceforth for the American species—much as I detest upsetting old associations—must be Agrotis jaculifera, Gn, Tale THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 25 EXOMALOPSIS, A NEOTROPICAL GENUS: OF BEES IN THE UNITED STATES. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, N. M. AGR. EXP. STA. The genus Lxoma/opsis, Spin., was founded in 1851 on a couple of bees from Para, Brazil. Three years later, F. Smith described three additional species, also from Brazil. More recently, species have been described or recorded from Cuba, Jamaica, and Mexico, but none hitherto from the United States. One species, 2. pudlchella, Cr., has a remarkable range, being found in Cuba (Cresson), Jamaica (Fox), and Lower Cali- fornia (Fox). I myself have taken it in Jamaica. The species now described has rather an extensive range in the upper Sonoran zone of New Mexico. Exomatlopsis solani, 0. sp.— GQ about 8 mm, long, anterior wing about 6 mm. Black, polished, very shiny, pubescence all pale. ‘Head _ broad, subtriangular seen from the front, eyes narrow; occiput and cheeks fringed with pubescence, silvery-grayish and subappressed on’ cheeks ; erect, duller, and subochraceous on occiput. Vertex bare, but: the occipital hairs extend forward behind the ocelli. Front with copious white hairs, seeming to radiate from the antennal sockets ; clypeus and labrum with rather thin yellowish pubescence. Antennz black, the last half of the flagellum becoming rufous ; 2nd joint of flagellum equal with 3rd, or, if anything, rather shorter. Mandibles black; 4th and sth joints of maxillary palpi of equal length, 6th shorter. In another specimen the 4th joint is clearly longer than the 5th. Glossa reddish, the tip obtuse. Thorax with rather dense pubescence, except the scutellum, hind half of mesothorax, and dorsum of metathorax, which are bare. ‘lhe dorsal pubescence 1s dull yellowish-gray, with even a few black hairs immediately behind the scutellum and at the sides of the mesothorax ; on the hind border of prothorax is some dense short pale pubescence, showing through the longer hairs. At the sides of the metathorax and on the pleura the pubescence is whitish. The exposed portions of the meso- and metathorax are practically impunctate, but the pleura is very strongly punctured. ‘Tegule large, piceous. Wings smoky-hyaline, stigma and nervures piceous ; marginal cell long, pointed ; 2nd submarginal not half as big as the rst or 3rd, a little narrowed above; 3rd submarginal narrowed nearly one-half to marginal. Femora and tibie black ; tarsi rufescent. Pubescence of legs whitish, that of tarsi reddish behind. Tibio-tarsal brush of hind legs very large, the hairs very distinctly plumose, 26 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. eres — whitish or dull silky white, not at all gray or black, but rufescent on tarsi beneath. Claws very strongly bifid. Abdomen short, nearly subglobose ; bases of segments with sparse silky pubescence ; hind margins of segments 2-4 and sides of hind margin of 1st segment with narrow even bands of pure white pubescence, very conspicuous. Hab.—First found at Albuquerque, N. M., not uncommon on flowers of Solanum eleagnifolium between the old and new towns, Aug. 16, 1895. On Oct. 13 I took one at Las Cruces, N. M., on a plant supposed to be Flaveria. Specimens were also taken at Las Cruces by Mr. C. Rhodes, on Verbesina encelioides and Bigelovia Wrightii, early in October. Curiously, this insect seems to resemble tne West Indian types rather than the Mexican. I sent one to Mr. Fox, who remarks that it “‘ differs from any in our collection by the narrow, continuous, white fasciz of abdomen, which are more regular than in the related species. From pulchella and similis it differs by the apparently unicolorous pubescence of hind tibiz, and again from szmz/is by the dorsulum being polished and impunctate medially.” The Mexican species nearly all have black pubescence. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. At the annual meeting held in. London, on the 27th and 28th of November last, the following gentlemen were elected to hold office during the ensuing year :— President—J. Dearness, London. Vice-President—H. H. Lyman, Montreal. Secretary—-W. E. Saunders, London. Treasurer—J. A. Balkwill, London. Curator and Librarian—J. Alston Moffat, London. Directors : Division 1—James Fletcher, F.L.S., F.R.S.C., Ottawa. Division 2—Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, F.R.S.C., Port Hope. Division 3—Gamble Geddes, Toronto. Division 4—A. H. Kilman, Ridgeway. Division 5—R. W. Rennie, London. Editor of the Canadian Entomologist — Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, M.A., D.C.L., Port Hope. Editing Committee—J. Fletcher and W. H. Harrington, Ottawa ; H. H. Lyman, Montreai; Rev. ‘T. W. Fyles, South Quebec; J. M. Denton, London. | bo ~I THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. = See eee Delegate to the Royal Soctety—John 1). Evans, Trenton. Committee on Field Days—\L. Woolverton, M.D.; Messrs. Sherwood, McClement, Balkwill, Stevenson, Saunders, Anderson, Elliott, Rennie, and Bowman, London. Auditors--J. H. Bowman and J. M. Denton, London. The annual subscription ($1), now due, should be sent to the Treasurer, J. A. Balkwill. Victoria Hall, London, to whose order money orders or drafts should be made paya'le. BOOK NOTICES. A Hanp-Book oF BritisH LEPID)PTERA, by Edward Meyrick, B. A., F.Z.S., F.E.S., assistant master at Marlborough College. London : MacMillan & Co., and New York, 1895. This book of 843 pages, illustrated by 104 cuts of venation, describes all the British species of Lepidoptera, 2,061 in number, with descriptions of the genera, families and superfamilies. Full synoptic tables are given, leading down to the separation of species. For the recognition of species, for which it is intended, the work seems admirably adapted. A brief notice of the larva of each species is given, but not enough for identifica- tion. What is said, however, is useful and also serves to indicate those species whose life-history is still imperfectly known. The work on the imagoes is stated to be the result of the author’s independent observation, but the larval descriptions are compiled. No species are figurea. The nomenclature, especially of the higher groups, is occasionally unsatisfac- tory. There is no synonymy and no references to literature, so that some of the family names are meaningless till after a careful examination of the species included. Some of the changes seem arbitrary and contrary to the rules of priority ; ¢. g., where the Thyatiride are called ‘ Polyplocide,” and the Eucleidz (=Limacodide), ‘‘ Heterogeneide,” without any ex- planation. The spelling of the family names does not conform to the _ general present custom. A few new genera are described among the Tineids. The most original and most interesting part of the book is the classi- fication of the Lepidoptera into superfamilies. It differs from any hitherto presented, but is strictly on the lines laid down by recent workers as reviewed by Mr. Tutt (Trans. Ent. Soc., London, 1895, p. 343). Nine superfamilies are created, the lowest, the ‘‘ Micropterygina,” correspond- 28 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. —— = —_—— ing exactly to Prof. Comstock’s Jugate, although not elevated to the rank of a suborder. I reproduce the classification in full, adding, in brackets, certain explanations of the family terms. 1. CARADRININA, Arctiade [==Sarrothripus, Cymbide, Lithosiide, Nolide, and Arctiidee]. Caradrinide [=Noctuide with vein 5 of secondaries weak, and Apatelidze]. Plusiade [=the other Noctuide]. Ocneriadz |—Lymantriidx and Colocasia (Demas) ]. . NOTODONTINA. Crambide. Hydriomenide Pyraustide. Sterrhidz [= 'Geome- Pyralididee. Geometride ' tride and Pterophoride. Monocteniade | Brephide]. Orneodide. Selidosemidze 5. PSYCHINA. Polyplocide [=Thyatiride]. Psychide. Sphingidee Zeuzeridz | ==part of Cossidee]. Notodontide. Zygaenidze | —Authroceridee]. Saturniade. Heterogeneidz |—Eucleide]. 3. LastocaMPINA. 7. TORTRICINA. Drepanide. Epiblemide. Endromide. Tortricidz. Lasiocampide. Phaloniade. 4. PAPILIONINA. Try panidee [part of Cossidee]. Nymphalide. 8. TINEINA. ; Satyridee. Aegeriadw [=Sesiide]. Erycinidee. Gelechiade. Lycaenide. Oecophoride. Pieride. Elachistide. Papilionide. Plutellide. Hesperide. Tineide. 5. PYRALIDINA. g. MICROPTERYGINA. Phycitide. Hepialide. Galleriadee. Micropterygidee. It appears that the superfamilies 5 to 8 correspond to my Tineides, 4 to the Papilionides, 1 to 3 to the Agrotides with the exception of two families under the ‘‘ Notodontina,” the Sphingidze and Saturniade, which THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. bo te) I consider as of superfamily rank. With the exception of these two unwarranted (as I think) associations, there seenis little fault to find with the classification. I will leave to Mr. Grote the correction of the family and superfamily names, as he has paid especial attention to the determina- tion of types, and the effects of the application of priority rules. The importance of such work is made very evident by Mr. Meyrick’s book, if we are ever to have a uniform and stable nomenclature. It is evident now that Lepidopterists are practically agreed on the general classification of the Frenate. As to the exact limits of super- family groups, there is yet, unfortunately, scarcely an approach toward agreement. Harrison G. Dyar. THE CAMBRIDGE NaTurAL History, Vol. V. Peripatus, by Adam Sedg- wick, M.A., F.R.S., etc.; Myriapods, by F. G. Sinclair, M.A.; Insects, Part I., by David Sharp, M.A. (Cantab.), M.B. (Edinb.), F.R.S. Macmillan & Co., London, and New York, 1895. Under this title has been given to the public a work which bears out in every way the deservedly high reputation of the writers. From its style of treatment of the subject, the book may be read with pleasure and profit by general student and specialist alike, while to the instructor who wishes to bring before his pupils the results of late researches, though out of reach of large libraries, it will prove a most valuable aid. The chapter on eripatus, by Mr. Sedgwick, is in itself a model memoir, and the twenty-six pages devoted to the curious creature are made up for the most part of original studies by the author, who has previously published important monographs on this subject. The histor- ical and morphological matter, which is fully illustrated by fine figures, is followed by a synopsis of all the known species, with notes on their differential characters and geographical distribution—the map which forms the frontispiece of the volume showed them to be confined to the region south of the Tropic of Cancer. ‘The discussion of the affinities of Peripatus to the Arthropoda and Annelida is of great interest to the zoologist, whatever his beliefs in regard to the theory of descent. From Mr. F. G. Sinclair we have the chapter on Myriapoda. The preliminary account of these animals contains some charmingly written notices of their habits, and marks the author as a faithful observer in the field aswell’ as in the laboratory. A short sketch of the classification follows, with brief definitions of the families and figures of typical forms, 50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Several pages which are devoted to the anatomy and embryology of the group, and are embellished by many useful figures, are succeeded by an account of the fossil forms and by a discussion of the zoological position of the class. Dr. Sharp has taken up the Insecta (Hexapoda) in the third chapter, and nearly five hundred pages are devoted to the general consideration of the subject and a careful review of the Aptera(Thysanura and Collembola) the Orthoptera (inclusive of the Forficulidz), the Neuroptera (under — which name he includes several of the groups given ordinal rank by Brauer, Packard, Comstock, and cthers) and the lower families of the Hymenoptera. The remainder will follow in future volumes, which the Entomological world will look forward to with much interest. No one who is familiar with the work of the author needs to be assured of its excellence, and it will be sufficient to state that the literary side is fully as well upheld as the scientific. ‘The reader whose knowledge of scientific terms is limited will find that careful attention has been given to making them clear, while the specialist will see that many important points, simply touched upon or slurred over by most text-books and “ Natural Histories,” are here elaborated by a master hand. The figures of large and bizarre forms of Orthoptera and the accounts in the text of their wonderful adaptation to environment convey a most instructive lesson. A remarkable case of resemblance to an ant is shown by a small Locustid (Myrmecophana fallax) which, with a form of body recalling in general that of an ant, is dependent for the “stalk” or pedicel of the abdomen upon a white spot on each side of the body, leaving only a narrow dorsal line dark. We have not room to speak of all the groups in detail, but mention | should be made of the very interesting accounts of the Termites, or white ants. To the inquiring mind, also, the practice of citation of authorities — by means of foot-notes must commend itself—this plan being followed . throughout the work. The beauty and careful selection of the illustra- tions deserve special remarks, while the press work is of the best. On the whole, we must consider the enterprise as one meriting the support of every entomologist who cares to see the treatment of his favourites placed in the hands of those competent to properly deal with it and who are able to give us a well-written, thoroughly interesting and reliable guide. H. F. WICKHAM, Mailed January 15th, 1896, = , The Ganadian Hntomalogist Vou. XXVIII... LONDON, FEBRUARY, 1896. No. 2. PLE COLO PP TER A. Ole Gama DAY BY H. F. WICKHAM, IOWA CITY, IOWA. XIV. THE MELOIDA OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC. The Canadian species of Meloide are few in number, but offer con- siderable difficulty to the student, chiefly from the fact that some of them are extremely variable in colour and size, while in the genus JZe/oe we meet with a group in which the specific characters have never been accurately determined. ‘The family is characterized by the vesicant or blistering properties of its members (the ‘Spanish fly” being perhaps the best known in this connection), and, under the name of cantharides, blister-beetles are to be found in every drug store. To the agriculturist they are often a pest, AZacrobasis unicolor often doing considerable dam- age to potatoes. The naturalist finds in the curious modifications of the antenne of the males, a theme worthy of his careful study. The larval habits of but few species have been worked out, and these vary somewhat among themselves. The account of the transformations of some European species of Meloe has been so often copied in entomological text books that it seems scarcely necessary to reproduce it here. It may be enough to note that the larve are hatched as minute six-footed active creatures, which find their way on to the bodies of bees, and are carried in this way into the nests. Here they feed on the provisions and larvee of the bees, changing their form several times before appearing as pupee. | ee Technically, the family characters may be summed up Blistering Beetle. as follows :— Hind tarsi 4-jointed, the others 5-jointed; anterior coxal cavities open behind. Head strongly narrowed at base into a small neck, front vertical; lateral suture of prothorax entirely obliterated. The base of the prothorax js narrower than that of the elytra, the hind cox are large and promi- 32 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLCGIST. nent, and the claws are either cleft or toothed. The chief development of the group in North America is to be found in the regions lying to the westward of the Missouri River and southward of the Platte. Here the species of Cantharis and Pyrota abound, and, with representatives of several peculiar genera which are unknown in the Eastern districts, give . to the fauna a facies which is unmistakable. Some of these Southwestern forms are of considerable size, MZacrobasis longicollis, Lec., reaching the length of an inch, while JZ. aftrivittata is even larger, and is, besides, of great beauty. Cysteodemus Wislizeni, Lec., is remarkable on account of its form—the elytra being convex and inflated, giving a comical appear- ance of obesity to the insect. In colour it is of a bright blue, and a more curious species in most respects does not exist in our fauna. S: The genera reported from Canada may be readily separated by the following table :— Elytra short, overlapping along the suture and leaving most of the abdo- men exposed. Wings absent.......... ++ seen eeeeeeee-+--Meloe. Elytra long, almost or quite covering the abdomen, not overlapping at suture. Wings usually present. Second joint of antennz as long or longer than the third ; first joint elongate in the male .......... .e.ee ee eee eee Macrobasis. Second joint of antenne shorter than the third, usually not more than half as long. Antenne not thickened towards the tip, setaceous, usually much longer than the head and thorax. Surface of body not metallic ¢ ¢-ccicye dsl i paeutel SPSS eee = are eee Antenne scarcely longer than the head and thorax, much thick- ened towards the tip; the outer joints short and broad. Labrum deeply emarginate at middle... ......Pomphopea. Antennz extending beyond base of thorax, the joints bead-like — in form; labrum slightly emarginate at middle. Surface of , bouy: metallic puswecsaice eek ene See jis... Canthatin It will be understood that the above characters are not of necessity essential, and that they are intended to apply only to the Canadian forms constituting the genera. Several species of Cantharis from other regions are not metallic, and there is a great range of variation in the form of the — antenne. This matter is discussed more fully in Dr. Horn’s papers, the titles of which may be found in the bibliography. | THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. oe MeELog, Linn. A most difficult genus to treat. The species are clumsy insects with short elytra, which do not cover the large, unwieldy abdomen. They may be found crawling about on low herbage during the cooler portions of the day, or sometimes on flowers ; apparently they are most common in autumn and spring. When disturbed they emit a disagreeable fluid from the joints As one of the species is lacking in our collection, we have applied to Dr. Horn for the synopsis serving to separate the four Canadian forms among themselves. Thorax evidently longer than wide, sparsley and irregularly punctate. Elytra rather finely strigose and subopaque; general colour dull blue; head scarcely plunctate*.... ..°. Scan atten es BIN er foanas, (Leach: Thorax not longer than wide. General colour black, dull ; thorax coarsely punctured and with an impression on basal half of median line........czmpressus, Kirby. Blue-black, slightly shining; thorax moderately densely punctate, disk not impressed ; elytra not roughly sculptured. ..zzger, Kirby. Decidedly blue and rather shining; thorax very coarsely, deeply, not densely punctured, disk not impressed; elytra rather coarsely SGUMDE MIME ics Nike afoialeh? st sles 4 .20c ee Ne me eNPOUE SL ZOU IES. Says Macropgasis, Lec. Contains only one Canadian species, JZ. unz- color, Kirby. (Fig. 2.) The body is black, covered with whitish hairs which ae give an ashen appearance l to the insect. The male | differs from the female in having the second antennal ee joint longer than the third and fourth together. Length, .32-.64 in. Often occurs in such numbers on potato vines as to do considerable _ mischief. b 5 7 Epicauta, Redt. Four species recorded from Canada are included here. They re- semble only the preceding genus in form and may be readily separated from it by the antennal characters. In habits they also resemble A/acro- . 34 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. basis, being found commonly on flowers or herbage. We have taken trichrus on convolvulus, pexusylvanica on golden-rod, ferruginea on Helianthus, and v7ttata on various low plants along river banks. Elytra yellowish with two black stripes. .50-.80 in...véttata, Fab. (Fig. 3). Elytra unicolorous, never striped. Antenne scarcely tapering to tip, joints nearly cylin- drical. Colour usually black; head in great part red; varies occasionally in being entirely covered with cinereous pubescence ; thorax longer than wide, more densely punctured than the head. .30—, SONI eek. cet eee trichrus, Pall. Colour ferruginous or cinereous, owing to the dense pubes- cence ; thorax not longer than wide, not differently punctured from the head ; antennze short. .12-.36 in.«/ferruginea, Say. Antenne tapering at tip, joints looser and more constricted or narrowed at base. Black, coarsely pubescent ; head and thorax similar in punc- tuation. .28-.50 in.................pennsylvanica, DeG. Fic. 3. PomMPHopaa, Lec. P, Sayi, Lec., has been reported from the Sudbury district. It is a greenish insect, .60-.70 in. long, with short antenne which enlarge towards the tip. The legs are reddish-yellow ; the knees, tips of tibie and tarsi, dark. Cantuaris, Linn. Two very fine metallic green or bronzed species belong here. They separate best by the use of secondary sexual characters, as made known by Dr. Horn, thus :— Fifth abdominal segment of ¢ with a broad emargination, which is bisinuate at bottom ; lateral lobes rather prominent. Female with hind trochanter subangulate. .64-1.10 in.......... Muttalli, Say. Fifth abdominal segment of ¢ with an acute notcn at middle, the lateral lobes broadly rounded. Hind trochanters of ? not subangulate. SSO 7PM 2. 5 ; sees sae Cpantpenntis, Lee In both of the ahaee species the iin ivockannees of the male are armed with a spine at middle, and by this character they may be separ- ated from C. viridana, Lec., which occurs in the Northwest Territory. The males here have the hind trochanters unarmed, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 35 In the further study of the Meloide the student will find the follow- ing works of value :— 1853. Leconte, J. L. Synopsis of the Meloides of the United States. Proc. Acad: Nat! Sets. Phil:, VI 1866. Leconte, J. L. New Species of North American Coleoptera. Smithsonian Institution. Pyrota, p. 159; LPomphopea, p. 160. 1873. Horn, Geo. H. Revision of the Species of Several Genera of Meloidz of the United States. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc., XIII. 1875. Horn, Geo. H. Synonymical Notes and Descriptions of New Species of North American Coleoptera. Zonztis, p. 155. ‘Tr. Am. Ento. Soc., V. 1878. Horn, Geo. H. Contributions to the Coleopterology of the United States, No. 2. Calospasta, p. 59. Tr. Am. Ento. Soc., VII. 1880. Leconte, J. L. Short Studies of North American Coleoptera. Trans. Am. Ento. Soc., VIII. Memognatha, p. 212. 1885. Horn, Geo. H. Studies among the Meloide. Trans. Am. Ento. Soc., XII. In addition to the above, a few notes on the smaller genera have been published, and certain portions of various larger ones gone over, but these titles have been omitted for lack of space. THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF GNATHODUS. BY CARL F. BAKER, FORT COLLINS, COLO. The genus Gwathodus, as at present accepted, includes forms closely allied to Cicadu/a, but differing in having only two apical cells in the wing. They are of a weaker build than species of Cicadu/a, and a characteristic appearance from above makes them readily distinguishable from any of that genus. The species are very variable and difficult to define. They are small, more or less slender, greenish, yellowish, or whitish Jassids, usually without distinct markings. The ocelli are distant from the eyes. ‘The clypeus usually somewhat exceeds the gene. The ovipositor rarely exceeds the pygofers. In the United States at least, most of the species are of very wide distribution. _. TABLE OF SPECIES, A. Head wider than pronotuny ; vertex not at all produced ; colour very pale sordid greenish-fuscous, elytra whitish-subhyaline, sternum black ; length, 3-3.25 mm............abdominalis. AA. Head narrower than pronotum, often much so. 36 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. B. Sternum green or yellow. C. Size medium to small; length, 3-4.25 mm.; vertex not -strongly produced. D. Elytra whitish-translucent; head and thorax ae olive-green ; slender ; length, 3.5-4 mm....: .. wae 0 SMPUTUS, DD. Elytra a itich subhyaline, S ebhish to jello on baal two-thirds; head and thorax yellow or yellowish-green ; robust, length, 3.95—4 MM. sia. weeeees ss dmptctus, var. flavus, n. var, DDD. Elytra pale greenish-hyaline ; head and thorax green ; slender, length, 42 5 itm... 59. c)c Miele atte Ss, = ba Inte uaa. Sl Ee OR CC. Size large; length, 5 mm.; vertex strony irpdlaeddls yellowish throughout, with hyaline elytra..................manitou. BB. Sternum black. E. Face at jeast, and usually vertex, pronotum, and scutel, with dis- tinct fuscous markings. F. Elytra not distinctly maculated with black ; vertex not produced.. santero 2 ok body griseo-violaceous ; antennv about as long as the head, the last segment longest, slightly arcuate. Habitat—St. Lawrence ‘ Island, Behring Sea....................*grandiceps, Reuter. ~30. Mucro with the first tooth distinct, prominent................ at, 7 * Mucro with four teeth, the first minute, at the base of the second, the second long, curved, the third and fourth opposite, of the same length as the second ; furcula long, reaching the ventrai tube ; dentes more than twice the length of the manubrium ; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and another on the inner margin ; inferior claw dilated at base and with a tooth on the inner margin ; body and antennae blackish; furcula and legs * Species not seen. Sit RNP HR Rat ZT First First THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. white ; body, legs, and antenne, densely hairy ; antenne longer than the head. Habitat—Washington, D. C. (Nathan Banks). . ose pane Rie cy Rs os ae . .capitola, N. sp. tooth Bee mucro rane than me eda “if as Jong, subhori- zontal. ee : : Rate ene » pee tooth se mucro as ee as “ithe Acuna shui oes: | and as long as the mucro is wide, the third and fourth subequal, opposite, and smaller than the second; the furcula attaining the ventral tube ; manubrium elongate ; dentes twice as long as the manubrium ; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and another on the inner margin ; inferior claw dilated, with a tooth on the inner margin ; body and antennz black and pur- plish ; legs and furcula brownish; antennz paler at base, longer than the head. Habitat—Ithaca, New York, and Salineville, Ohiow see Saou Tete REN CoS migra, N. Sp. 32. Furcula attained the vebetal Hubes ; Se twice as jai as the manu- brium ; mucro with four teeth, the first small, subhorizontal, and with a distinct hook, the first and third of the same length, the second one-half longer than the third, as long as the mucro is wide, the first, second and third in the same line, vertical, the fourth slightly longer than the third, and pointing slightly caudad ; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and another on the inner margin ; inferior claw dilated at base, with a tooth on the inner margin at middle; antenne and body black; legs and furcula dirty white; antenne of the same length as the head. Habitat——Ithaca, New York, and Salinevilie, Ohio. Bios et Vee sl Rese .terminata, N. sp. Furcula Bore not attains ne rental ae : dates longer than the manubrium ; mucro with four teeth, the first small, not minute, forming a vertical hook at apex, the second and third of the rh. same length, about as long as the mucro is wide, one cephalad © of the other, thé fourth smaller than the third, and placed laterad — of it; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and another on the inner margin; inferior claw dilated at base, in- terrupted at middle, outer angle of dilation with a tooth ; body ~ greenish-white, washed wish purplish in places ; antenne green- ish-white ; apices of segments purplish; legs and furcula white ; antennze longer than the head. Habitat — Beverly, Massachusetts (A. P. Morse).....-..--.- ..lateraria, 0. Sp. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Life Sei inner marginvot inferior claw with;a tooth wer. des0 2 eee Se Inner margin of inferior claw not with 2 tooth, ietiot ae two- thirds the length of the superior claw; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and two on the inner margin ; mucro with two teeth, the first forming a distinct vertical hook, the first and second subequal in length, about as long as the mucro is wide ; furcula reaching to near the ventral tube ; manubrium and dentes subequal in length; body greenish-white, the sides and margins of the segments washed with purplish ; legs and furcula white ; antennze of the same colour as the body; apices of the segments ringed with purplish, longer than the head. This species wil! be easily recognized by the great length of the inferior claw; in all the other species examined the inferior claw is not more than half as long as the superior claw. Habitat— Agricultural College, Mississippi (H. E. Weed)../ongzpenna, n.sp. 34. Mucro with three teeth, the first long, forming a distinct hook, the second and third of the same length, opposite, and about as long as the mucro is wide ; furcula long, attaining the ventral tube; dentes more than twice as long as the manubrium ; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and two on the inner margin; inferior claw with inner margin somewhat dilated at middle, with a verticai tooth; antennz not quite twice asiongas; the head:; eye Spatsuitaclo aw cir cnnla oe... 30. Mucro with four teeth, the first minute, at the base of the second, the second long, forming a hook, the third and fourth opposite, of the same length as the second, about as long as the mucro is wide ; furcula attaining the ventral tube ; dentes more than twice as long as the manubrium ; superior claw with a tooth on the outer margin and two on the inner margin ; inferior claw with a tooth on the dilated inner margin ; antenne longer than the head, purplish at apex; eye spots black; body densely covered with long bristles, one or two on each segment much longer than the others. ite anaes PR ci et (ae 35. Body and legs uniformly eae hie Cron aides Bare among the droppings of boring beetles. | Habitat—Salem, Massa- chusetts Mee Brazos rate ‘Texas eee Banks); Ithaca, New York. BANG Wein eis SILUCH, baeke Body white, the Soitents thaskel aH a toad transverse band of purplish or blue, mottled with paler. ' Habitat—Franconia, New Hampshire (Mrs. A. ‘Trumbull Slosson) . .g7auca montana, n. var. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. or 36. Body yellowish-fuscous, purplish or black without a median black line. By ti : a Seg eee Body in ee part creaae yellow athe a a ey nee line. Habitat— Europe; Massachusetts (Packard); White Mountains, New Hampshire (Mrs. Annie Trumbull Slosson); Long Island (Nathan Banks); Virginia (Wm. D. Richardson); Ithaca, New York. oh a ete seers. viridis riparia, Nic. 37. Dorsum, Brent a few Jellgaaeh dots, eatieely thecons The Massa- chusetts specimens of “sotoma tricolor, together with /sofoma Belfrageit, purpurescens and plumbea, belong to vrais, Bourlet. Habitat—Europe ; Massachusetts, and Waco, Texas (Packard); Brazos County, Texas (Nathan Banks); Beverly, Massachusetts (A. P. Morse); California (Schott); Ithaca, New York. seabate . dvds wo 4d wt EP EAS s BOURNE Dorsum distin aed aes een Evtystt eta a Arapene Seaeiae 205 38. Yellowish with a distinctly marked wide transverse biser Hani on each segment. Habitat—Boreal ee Sia ae cincta, Vullb. Yellowish, but not with such a band. areas g Esa e308 39. Each segment marked at middle ea a “lgop. aped mark, tBie ae of the closed end more distant than those of the open end ; the open end at the cephalic end of each segment ; the closed end sometimes interrupted ; the sides of the segments prominently figured with black. Habitat—Boreal ASV. 4 bic Guar gae Nh AML eae el eee *viridis arctica, Schott. Each segment marked. with ‘three closed and united deltoid-shaped marks.’ Habitat — Agricultural College, Mississippi (EL eke Weed).. BP .viridis delta, n. var. Species that could not be ‘placed from lack of specimens and of figures of the ciaws and mucrones :— _ Lsotoma quadrioculata, Tullb.— Segmentum tertium abdomints brevius quam quartum. in quo furcula inserta est. Ocelli g; 2 tn utrogue latere capitis. Dentes furcule manubris non longiores, recti; mucrones bidenticulati. Long. 1% mm.” WHabitat— Boreal Europe and America. 1872. Tullberg, Sveriges Podurider, p. 48. Tsotoma fimetaria, Linn.—“ Segmentum tertium abdominis brevius guam guartum, in quo furcula inserta est.’ Ocelli nulli. Dentes furcule manubrio fere duplo longiores, recti ; mucrones bidenticulati, Long, 1 mm.” Habitat-—Boreal and Central Europe and Boreal America. 1872. Tullberg, Sveriges Podurider, p- 48. x Species not seen. Mailed February 3rd, 1896. EN, Woks 2OAV|lIiy IPAs 2s CAN, THE CABBAGE CURCULIO (CEUTORHYNCHUS RAPAE, Gull.) The Canadian Hentomologist Vou XXVIII. CEUTORHYNCHUS NAPI OR CEUTORHYNCHUS RAPA. BY F. M. WEBSTER, WOOSTER, OHIO. LONDON, MARCH, 1806. No. 3. In the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for. 1888, p. 136, Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt gives some notes on the development of Ceutorhynchus napi, Gyll., which had worked serious injury to cabbage in Missouri, the species having been determined, as stated by Miss Murtfeldt, by the late Dr. C. V. Riley, at that time United States Ento- mologist. Prior to the publication of Miss Murtfeldt’s notice, she had informed me of her “find,” and on my writing to ask. her if there was not a mistake, and if she did not refer to rapa, she replied’ that she, too, had not felt sure of the correctness of the determination until she had written Dr. Riley a second time with reference to the species, and the determina- tion had been reaffirmed. This appeared to settle the matter, and I was satisfied that az must be correct, though not before known to occur in North America. In Bulletin 22, Division of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture, p. 73, Miss Murtfeldt mentions Ceutorhynchus rapa, Gyll., but does not state whether or not it is the same insect that had been previously mentioned, and there is nothing to imply that such was ' the case. In Bulletin 30, of the same series, p. 50, mention is again. made of ' Ceutorhynchus rape, and this time in a manner that might imply that it was identical with zap, but there is nothing definite to this effect, though a correction might have been made in either this or the reference previously cited. . Miss Murtfeldt was clearly going by the information given her from the Department of Agriculture, and any errors in that information would not be hers, but of the Division of Entomology, whose _ place it was to make proper corrections of such, even though ofa clerical _fature, as a matter of justice to the many who looked to the then United States Entomologist as authority on such matters. as Last May I received young cabbage piants from Montgomery _ County, Ohio, that were being destroyed. by larvee of some insect burrow- HO THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLCGIST. “+S a —- — ing in the stem, especially in the upper portion thereof. I found the larvee difficult to rear in confinement, and only succeeded in securing one adult from plants removed to the insectary June 14. Correctly suppos- ing that I was dealing with the same species as had Miss Murtfeldt, and overlooking her note in Bulletin 30, I presented the matter in my “Notes of the year in Ohio,” at the last meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists, under the name C. zai, Gyll., coupled with the statement that it was not in Henshaw’s lists, and in this condition my paper was placed in the hands of the Secretary for publication. My single speci- men, reared from affected plants, did not exactly correspond with my specimens of rage, and remembering the double determination by Dr. Riley for Miss Murtfeldt, and also not at the time having access to the latter’s note in Bulletin 30, was led to a conclusion that was, perhaps, not justified, and under different circumstances would not have been arrived at by myself. I had no description of zapz and a very poor one of rape, but the work of my larve: corresponded so exactly with that ascribed to the former species, in Europe, as given in Bargagla’s Rassegna Biologica di Rincofori Europei, that I was still further misled. Before my note went to press, however, I was informed that the old determination of C. zapi had been found incorrect, that the species was C. rap, as was probably true of mine. I submitted my single speci- men to Mr. Howard, the present U. S. Entomologist, with the request that, if it turned out to be C. rape, my note should be changed in the proof to correspond thereto. This was all very kindly done, so far as the specific name was concerned (See Bulletin No. 2, New Series, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology, p. 90), but, unfor- tunately, the statement that “the species is not yet included in Mr. Henshaw’s lists of North America Coleoptera,” and which was not intended to apply to C. rap@ at all, but to C. magi, was, through an oversight, allowed to stand, thus placing me in a position that demands an explanation, and which is, here and for this reason, given. C. xapz is not yet known to occur in America. In the accompanying plate illustrating the development of Cewfo- rhynchus rap@, the adult is shown, dorsal view at A, lateral view at B, the larva C, excavation in affected plant in which one or more larve may develop at D. The drawings were made by Miss Detmers, under my supervision, and developed at the Department of Agriculture, the electro- type being kindly furnished me by Mr. L. O. Howard. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 61 To Miss Murtfeldt belongs the credit of working out the life-history so far as this is now known, my own observations being only supplemen- tary. Miss M. records the occurrence of larva, supposedly belonging to this species, in early spring burrowing in the stems of pepper-grass (Lepidium virginicum), and also in the same plant in July, thereby implying at least two annual broods. The injury to cabbage, as observed by her, appears to have been confined to early plants either in hotbeds or soon after having been removed therefrom. In the case of the Ohio outbreak, the attack was among young plants started late for fall and winter use. My attention was not called to the exact trouble until June 4, and both larve and adults were taken from these plants July 18, so that I seemed to have been dealing with the second brood. The plants were growing on low ground bordering on a pasture, and the latitude was nearly the same as that of Kirkwood, Missouri, where Miss Murtfeldt’s studies were carried on. It is, of course, quite possible that the period of oviposition is protracted, and that I was dealing only with the latter part of the first brood. REMARKABLE WORK OF INSECTS. At the meeting (of February 3rd) of the Academy of Science, of St. Louis, Mo, (President Gray in the chair), Mr. Trelease exhibited several specimens, about three feet square, of a curious silk tapestry, taken from the ceiling of a corn-storing loft in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, by Dr. Francis Eschauzier, stating that he was informed that the larger specimen had been cut from a continuous sheet over twenty yards wide and about four times as long. The specimens,of a nearly white colour, and of much the appearance and feeling of a soft tanned piece of sheepskin, were shown to be composed of myriads of fine silken threads, crossing and recrossing at every conceivable angle, and so producing a seemingly homogeneous texture. Although specimens of the creatures by which they are produced had not been secured, it was stated that there was no doubt that these tapestries are the work of lepidopterous larvee which feed upon grain, the presumption being that they are made by the larvee of what has been called the Mediterranean Grain or Flour Moth (Lphestia Kiihniella). The speaker briefly reviewed the history of this insect and its injuriousness in various parts of the werld, and quoted from a report of Dr. Bryce, showing that in Canada, where it became established in 1889, “‘ a large warehouse, some 25 feet wide, 75 feet long, and four stories high, became literally alive with moths in the short course of six months.” = = =WILLIAM TRELEASE, Recording Secretary. 62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. A FEW NEW SPIDERS: BY NATHAN BANKS, SEA CLIFF, N. Y. Micaria gentilis, n. sp. ‘ Length, 3.6 mm.; ceph.: long, 1.4 mm.; broad, 1 mm. Cephalo- thorax, sternum, femora i. and ii., blackish; rest of legs i. and ii. pale yellowish ; legs iii. and iv. yellow-brown, the femora scarcely darker ; abdomen black above, with a narrow white band across the middle and a white spot on each anterior lower side; venter pale. Cephalothorax broad, in ¢ a little narrower ; posterior row of eyes procurved. the P. M. E. oval, fully their diameter apart, and about as far from the P. S. K anterior row strongly procurved, the A. M. E. fully their diameter apart, and about as far from the larger A. S. E. Sternum oval, pointed behind ; legs of moderate length, femora i. and ii. stouter than others, femora ii. slightly excised before the tip behind. Abdomen not constricted, quite broad, somewhat’ depressed, epigynum appearing much like JZ, montana, Em., but the openings are farther apart and more oblique. Tibia of g palpus has short projection at tip on the outer side ; the bulb is triangular in side view, the red parallel marks are ae the outer edge ; near the middle is a short tube. Several specimens from, Franconia, N. H. [Mrs. Annie T. Slosson]. Related to JZ. perfecta from Colorado, but larger and with a broader sternum. Scius montanus, n. sp. | Length, 2.1 mm.; ceph.: long, 1 mm.; broad, .6 mm. Jet black, shining, almost coppery ; extreme tips of palpi, tips of maxilla, a spot on each coxa and trochanter, and an elongate spot on the femur, pale; the tarsi infuscated; pale dots on legs at origin of hairs. Cephalothorax long, moderately low, nearly flat, sides almost parallel. Eye region one- third broader than long, occupying not much over one-third of the cephalothorax; a trifle broader in front than behind; eyes of second row full as close to the dorsal eyes as to lateral eyes; A. M. E. large, distinctly separated, plainly farther from the S. E. Sternum one-fourth longer than broad, broadest in middle, pointed behind, truncate in front ; cox 1. separated by full width of lip; legs short, fourth pair longest, femora i. thicker than others; only a few indistinct spines, those on mietatarsi iv. are at apex. Abdomen barely wider than cephalothorax and but little longer, pointed behind. Body and legs clothed with scattered black hairs. The ¢ palpi short, the tibia with a short process on the ‘ - t THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65 outer side, twice as long as wide, and appressed to the tarsus so as to be hardly visible except in side view; palpal organ very large, with the lower part full and extended over the base of the tibia’; on the outer side near tip is a crescent-shaped yellowish mark; the bulb is small and on one side, and is tipped with a minute spine-like tube. One ¢, Mt. Washington, N. H. [Mrs. Annie T. Siosson]. A very distinct litile species, and doubtless peculiar to mountains. Dismodiscus alpinus, n. sp. Length, 2 mm. Cephalothorax pale yellowish, blackish around eyes, _ sternum ihfuscated, abdomen -dark gray, legs almost white. Structure somewhat like Loph. decem-oculatum, Em., with a large lobe on the clypeus as in that species, but the lobe on the head is higher, narrower, rounded above, not bilobed, clothed with short hairs on top and in front, and rises suddenly from the surface of the cephalothorax in front and behind; the P. M. E. are on the cephalothorax at its base, and not on the lobe ; the holes are in a large groove on each side. The posterior row of eyes is straight, equal in size, the P. M. E. fully as far from each other as from the S. E.; the anterior row is slightly recurved, the A. M. E. very small and close together. Sternum but little longer than broad, _ truncate at base, pointed behind, sides rounded. Legs slender, a spine above on patella and two on tibia iv., tarsus 1. plainly shorter than the metatarsus. The tibia of the ¢ palpus has above two short spines and two projections at its tip, the outer one the broader and pale, the inner one more pointed and reddish ; the palpus-is barrel-shaped, the tube _ going once around the tip as in Diplostyla; there is a large curved hook at base. One ¢, Mt. Washington [Mrs. A. T. Slosson]. Although this species docs not strictly agree with Simon’s description of the genus Dismodiscus, I believe it should go here, as also Loph. decem-oculatum, Em. The best character for the genus to me is the clypeal lobe. Dicyphus, Menge, which Simon unites to Gonatium, I would agree with Kulezynskiin keeping as a separate genus, and closely related to _ Dismodiscus. The head of the ¢ has a lobe above which does not bear the P. M. E.; there is no clypeal lobe. I have seen two species from the United States, the first of which has much affinity with the type of the genus, D. dbituberculatus. Dicyphus bilobatus, n. sp. Length, ¢,2mm. Cephalothorax orange, a little black around the 64 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. eyes, the lobe on top yellow, a black line from the hole on each side ; abdomen blackish above and below, the spinnerets pale, sternum yel- lowish, legs and palpi pale, clothed with fine hairs. Just behind the eyes is a large bilobed body with a hole at base each side; seen from above each lobe is elliptical, and scarcely twice as long as broad, shorter than in D, bituberculatus. Posterior row of eyes nearly straight; P. M. E. once and a half their diameter apart, slightly farther from the S. E.; A. M. E. very small and about touching. Sternum as broad as long, triangular ; legs moderately long, no spines above on tibiz, tarsus i. shorter than metatarsus. The tibia of ¢ palpus has a long projection above near tip, much as in D. ditubercudatus, but it is more slender, more straight and but little curved at tip; on the outer side of tibia is a very small hook-shaped appendage ; the tube is moderately long, bent in the middle, and the tip HEPA by a hyaline sheath. The palpi are comparatively small. Two males, one from a deep swamp near Ithaca, N. Y., the other from Olympia, Wash. [Trevor Kincaid]. Dicyphus trilobatus, n. sp. Length, ¢, 2 mm. Cephalothorax yellow-brown, black about the eyes, lobe yellow ; abdomen black, with a few light cross-lines near tip ; sternum and venter black ; the spinnerets pale; legs and palpi yellowish, a little brown on the coxe. Posterior row of eyes straight; P. M. E. twice their diameter apart, much closer to the S, E,; A. M. E. close together, not so very much smaller than the S. E. Just behind the eyes is a large triangular flat body, trilobed in front, the lobes of about equal size. The sternum is broad, projecting between the hind coxe, the sides rounded. Legs moderately long, hairy, no spines on tibie. The ¢ palpi are long and slender, the tibia has above a large bifid process ; there are two tube-like pieces : one, starting from near the middle of the bulb, bends out and then toward the tip of the palpus ; the other, starting from near the inner tip of bulb, extends toward the base of the first one ; on the outer side there is a quite prominent pale-coloured projection—it is somewhat like a sheath or support for the tube. One specimen from Ithaca, N. Y. The genus Erigonoplus has the head lobed as in “the preceding genera, but differs from them at once in having the anterior metatarsi of the male swollen. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65 Erigonoplus gigas, n. sp. Length, 2.2 mm. Cephalothorax yellowish, black around the eyes and on the clypeus ; legs and palpi pale, patelle of legs a little darker ; abdomen blackish, with narrow pale chevrons above, spinnerets pale ; sternum yellow-brown. Head broad and swoilen in front; posterior row of eyes slightly procurved ; P. M. E. nearly twice their diameter apart, about as far from S. E.; A. M. E. far in front of P. M. E., small and close together. Behind the eyes there is a small, low, yellow body, trilobed in front and with a smaller lobe on each side. ‘The legs are long and hairy, without spines above; metatarsi i. much enlarged in the middle, fusiform. The sternum is short, pointed between the hind coxe, fully as broad at coxe il. as in front. The tibia of the ¢ palpus has on the outer tip a short, stout projection ; a large hook across basal part of bulb with a projection outward from it; the tube starts from near the middle, curves along the bulb to the tip, then extends outward and cufving, so as to nearly form a square. One male irom a deep and cold swamp near Ithaca, N. Y. (May). A REPLY CONCERNING NOCTUA AND AGROTIS. BY A. RADCLIFFE GROTE, A. M., HILDESHEIM, GERMANY. Prof. John B. Smith on page 8 of this volume criticizes my rejection of the terms JVoctua and WVoctuide and says: ‘I state my own knowl- edge as follows: In Scudder’s ‘Nomenclator’ we find “ Noctua, Klein, Moll., 1753. Noctua, Fabr., Lep., 1776. Noctua, Sav., Aves., 1809. Noctuz, Linn., Lep., 1758.” I may say, that were this ‘“‘ knowledge” the utmost we could attain to, my statement that ‘‘ Noctua is preoccupied in the Birds” wouid be justified. The term ‘‘ Noctue, Linn.,” 1758, is, according to Prof. Smith, to be rejected and the generic term is to be credited to Fabricius, although Guenée and others write ‘‘ Noctua, Linn.,” so that the date 1758 would be ruled out. The citation “ Noctua, Fabr.,” 1776, if looked up, would show that it represents a bare name, and therefore [see Comstock’s observations | this would also fall. We would then come to Savigny, 1809, and this would be the proper use under the rules, according to the * Nomenclator ” as cited by Smith, of the name “ Noctua.” But while Prof. Smith’s knowledge, as above stated, justifies me, it is not final. 66 TILE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Prof. Comstock finds that Fabricius in 1792 uses ‘‘ Noctua” for 380 species, and this is not in the ‘‘ Nomenclator.” More than this, I have - found that Fabricius uses the term “ Noctua” for 309 species already in the Mantissa, 1787.* So that we are getting more light and more facts, and it may be that my rejection, although warranted by the ‘“Nomenclator,” may have to be reconsidered. But there remains the fact that the type is unknown [pending what we may hope to hear from Mr. Kirby’s researches] and, also, that no author is obliged to use a generic term which has not a properly designated type. In this case I have shown at — least the necessity for reviewing Guenée’s statement, that Azs genus “ Noctua” is a proper restriction of the Linnean term. And now as to Agrotis and Prof. Smith’s statements on page 6. He does not quote my full text on p. 16 of the Bremen List, where I show that he copies the sense and as near as may be my words as to the: char- acters on which we may divide the genus, without any acknowledgment. He excuses the omission now by the “bald statement ” that the contents of my paper} were not ‘‘in any sense of the word original,” and that Lederer used the characters in his work on ‘‘the European Noctuids so long ago as 1857.” This is the first I have heard that Lederer had worked up the American Agrotids; it would have spared me much trouble had it been so. In reality Lederer.only discusses the European species, and my work on the American and my suggestions as to the characters to be found serviceable was in so far original. But the state- ment that the characters proposed and observed by me were not “original” seems incorrect. First: Lederer does not propose to use the unarmed fore tibiz as an excluding character. He alternates groups of the species with armed and unarmed tibie.{ ~ So that I should have been credited for this original suggestion. Second: I am the first to discover — the tuberculate front in Agroftis; this discovery is ‘ original” and it does not detract from its originality that I only applied Cavneades to the two species which I examined and only could examine at the time of my dis- covery, I being then very ill and having parted-with my collection. That some of the European species probably have the tuberculate front 1s implied by Prof. Smith when suggesting that Cera should. replace Carneades. But Lederer does not mention the clypeal tubercle or elevation at all. * Grote, Die Apateliden, Mitt. Roem. Mus. San., 1896. + CAN. ENT., XV., 51, 1883. t Lederer, Syst. Noct., p. 81. I have constantly in my writings given Lelerer ; ‘every credit for his observations on the characters in-this family. - . THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 67 THE COLEOPTERA OF CANADA. BY H. F. WICKHAM, IOWA CITY, IOWA. XV. THE CHRYSOMELIDZ OF ONTARIO AND QUEBEC. The above family is of immense extent and attains, in the tropics, a considerable development in the size of its members, though not equalling in this respect its wood-eating neighbours, the Cerambycide. Towards the north, many groups fade out entirely and the large or gaily-coloured species decrease in number. Nevertheless, the representation in Canada is quite considerable, and since many of the species are closely allied and separate with some difficulty, while tables of genera are widely scattered, or, in many cases, not readily accessible, it has been deemed worth while to bring together the salient characters by means of which the collector in Eastern Canada may hope to identify his captures. According to the classification followed in this country, the members of the family agree in these points: The tarsi are broad, spongy beneath, the fourth and fifth joints being so closely anchylosed as to give the appearance of but four joints ; the head has the front smail and oblique, the antennz are moderate or short and not inserted upon frontal prominences. The prothorax is most frequently margined and the tibial spurs usually wanting. A few exceptions occur to each of the above characters, but most of the Chrysomelide may easily be recognized at sight by their resemblance to a few common types, such as Donacia, Cryptocephalus, Chrysochus, Chrysomela, Galeruca, Haltica, Micro- rhopala and Cassida. There is, however, .no uniformity of family habitus, as many of the Cassidini are extremely broad and flattened, while the Cryptocephalini are occasionally nearly globular. All of the Chrysomelide may be said to be vegetable feeders, and most of them are to be found in every stage upon the leaves, in the stems or about the roots of their food-plants. The larve are not ofa very uniform type of structure, but are modified to suit their particular habits of life. Most of those that feed freely upon the surface of leaves are of rather heavy, subcylindrical or subglobular form and slow in movement. A good example of this type is to be seen in the young of the Colorado potato-beetle. Other leaf-eating larvse, such as those of Copfocyc/a and its allies, are flattened and curiously armed with spines or covered with a coat of their own excrement. ‘The leaf-mining or stem-boring kinds are usually of more slender, elongate shape and without the conspicuous 68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ornamentation displayed by so many of the free-feeding forms. A few are case-bearers and occur either at large on their food-plants or in nests of ants; to this category belong Coscinoptera and Chlamys. ‘The larva of Chlamys plicata occurs commonly on grasses in the Lake Superior district, carrying its little case about and protruding only the front part of the body when feeding or crawling. When the inhabitant is ready to pupate, the open end of the case is sealed to a blade of grass and the transformations take place within. The economic importance of the group has been recognized by all Entomoloygists, and certain species claim their share of our crops from year to year in spite of the constant war waged against them. The imported elm-leaf beetle, the Colorado potato-beetle, the corn-root worm, and the striped cucumber-beetle are only a few of the many injurious Chrysomelide which have to be fought each year in the regions which they infest. Secondary sexual elds are to be found in the antenne, the tarsi, the claws, and the ventral abdominal segments of many species, and are often of great value in the separation of otherwise almost indis- tinguishable forms. ‘These will be referred to in the proper places when necessary for identification. On account of the great size of the family, it seems best to avoid a long, complicated generic table by the adoption of the groups indicated in the Leconte and Horn ‘ Classification.” Each tribe will be taken up by itself and the genera contained in it separated by a table. A slight modification of the tabular synopsis presented in the work above cited may be used to advantage as follows :— A. Outline of body elliptical or nearly circular ; prothorax and elytra with broad expanded margins, head concealed.... XI. Cassidint. AA. Outline of body variable, prothorax and elytra without broad ex- panded margins. Head usually plainly visible from above. b. Front of head inflexed, mouth inferior, body wedge-shaped, Broad and truncate behindi2es.: sii itet X. Aispint. bb. Front of head not inflexed, fiputh anterior. c. Last dorsal abdominal segment not exposea, Widdie ventral segments not narrowed. d. Prothorax usually margined. e. Antenne approximate at base ; front coxe conical and prominent . esate 1X. Galerucini. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 69 ee. Antenne widely separated at base. Front cox transverse, third tarsal joint usually entire. 2c ee LL, Chr ysomelene. Front cox rounded, third tarsal joint ilo bed’ .).\s4 dears ene the Vik Aer yrad Dp 1902. dd. Prothorax not margined at sides. f. First ventral about as long or somewhat shorter than the two following. , Claws aa elytra punctato- striate. Be fe) eee TI. Criocerinz. Claws aris or euwd ayes a aneeares PEPER UAT. .\caere sae ene U1. Sagrinz. ff. First ventral about as hes as all ae fathers united.. . Dette Re .L. Donaciint. cc. Last dorsal abeomival segment C anoeed! declivané. Form of body robust, compact, subcylindrical. g. Surface of body pee tuberculate above. bane hee sett OA LEM V ALIG0. gg. Surface of Rodly not - duberenieees Prosternum not separating front coxe; antenne shortand. serrate <<.airarene sone clat IV. Clythrini. Prosternum extending hetween front coxe, antennee usually long and slender..... VI. Cryptocephalini. The Roman numerals before each tribal name show the order in which they are taken up in the following pages. TriBe I.—DONACIINI. Contains two genera, which are composed of very neat, graceful and usually active species, found on or about such aquatic or subaquatic plants as water-lilies, arrowheads (Sagittaria), pond-weed, and various sedges. They have a habitus peculiarly their own, which if once ap- preciated renders their future recognition easy at a glance. The head and thorax are narrower than the elytra, which are attenuated toward the tip—sometimes almost triangularly so. The antenne are rather long, extending back beyond the base of the thorax ; the under surface of the body is finely pubescent. In colour most of the species are metallic, varying to blue or green, a a few are testaceous, at least in part. Elytra simple at tip . si. 4 9! lereeaita fa Ram ati eat yo . Donacta. Wlyirandistinetly,spinose at tip... 3%. pexiee veel oa oe ih Beppe / 70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Donacia, Fabr. Numerous Canadian species are known, which, from their general uniformity of appearance, are often difficult to identify. Careful attention to the points recently elaborated by Mr. Chas. W. Leng, and published by him in a late paper on the genus, should result in correct names, however. The following table is based on that of Mr. Leng, though I have changed the arrangement somewhat, in order the sooner to eliminate the more easily recognized species :— A. Head, thorax and elytra pubescent. .40-.44 in... pudicollis, Suffr. AA. Head and thorax pubescent, elytra eno .36-.44 In. ae eth .hirticollis, Kirby. AAA. Head sometimes, chiorake and “alytra never, Fuibeoeae b. Elytra distinctly rounded at tip ; form convex. c. Thorax peta no median nor basal line. .24-.32. read : HE a . pusilla, Say. cc. Thorax convex, basal hike diSaee pa mannel one usually so. d. Legs dark ; body usually metallic blue. 2A 2OVID. cs icra tels ee .emarginata, Kirby. dd. Legs reddish-yellow. Baaly shale copper-bronzed. Thorax thickly punctured. .28-.36 in. favipes, Say. Thorax sparsely punctured. .26-.30 in...7afa, Say. bb. Elytra truncate or subtruncate at tip. e. Middle coxze separated by about their own width ; body broad, distinctly flattened above. f. Second and third ae of antenne nearly equal. .28-.44 in. BEMen s woe .cincticornis, Newm. ff. Third joint ie antenne Reed longer than second. Elytra truncate at tip. First ventral ¢ simple. 365.44 INS Steen oe as Oe teh PaMNata, lee Elytra subtruncate at tip. First ventral ¢ witha pit at middle. .26-.40 in.......péscatrix, Lac. ° ee. Middle cox separated by less than their own width. Body usually convex above, narrower than in preced- ing group. g. Prothorax scarcely tuberculate at sides, surface with coarse uniform punctures. 284A AD sO eC EN Is ele ne OUI CECE Dy bein THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Tt gg. Prothorax tuberculate at sides, disk uneven. Sutural margin of elytra not sinuate, disk with two transverse indentations. .22-.28 in..aeguwadis,Say. Sutural margin of elytra sinuate near the tip. PRO=A ZO, J... « LSet Mahe meme nnas es distincta, Lec. It will be noted that several of the names on the Canadian list do not appear in the above table. These have been reduced to synonymy by Mr. Leng, as follows: D. cuprea becomes pusilla, D. rugifrons 2s way to emar. sida D. jucunda to flavipes, and D. Kirbyi to rufa. p Both proxima and magnifica are considered by him to rank only as varieties of cincticornis, proxima having the prothorax punctate only at base and apex, while in magnifica it is coarsely punctured over the whole surface. He reduces (with an expression of doubt) ¢orvosa to a varietal form of distincta, from which it differs by Dr. Leconte’s description in being of a blackish-violet colour and in having the pro- thorax somewhat elongate, while the same author t 6 describes his a@ist:ncta as coppery, with the thorax t i quadrate. It is a matter of remark that Mr. Crotch Soe should have placed these forms in different and apparently well-founded divisions in his synopsis, while Mr. Leng thinks them only varietal. Fig. 4 shows the form of body common in the genus. Hamonia, Latr. The only North American species is 1. xigricornis, Kirby, which resembles a small Donacia in form. Beneath, the body is blackish, the upper surface and the legs are reddish-yellow. The head, antenne and tarsi are dark. The elytra are marked with ten long rows of punctures and a shorter one near the suture at base. Length, .2z0-.28 in. It is said to occur on Fotamogeton. Tribe II.—SAGRINI. The few species comprised in this group are remarkable for the plasticity of their characters and the difficulty of accurately defining their limits of variation. They are of small or moderate size and agree in having strongly punctured elytra, which are wider than the thorax. The mouth is rather prominent, the eyes very convex, giving the head a width 72 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. about equal to that of the thorax. The antennz are moderately distant at base. The armature of the thorax will serve to differentiate the Canadian genera thus :— Sides of prothorax much rounded and rather suddenly narrowed be- hind, giving a somewhat bell-shaped appearance. ....Orsodachua. Sides of thorax with large,distinct tubercle; small species. Zeugophora. Sides of thorax broadly angulate, more or less distinctly three- feothed ;. larger, species... ate n wi. 0 POC ee een ON eas OrSODACHNA, Latr. A single species of extreme variability (O. atra, Ahr.), belongs here. It is common on willow blossoms in spring, several colour-varieties often occurring together on the same tree. All intergrades are known, from entirely blackish individuals, through forms in which the thorax becomes red, with or without a central dark spot, to those with vittate elytra or even of an almost uniform testaceous. From the notes of Dr. Horn, the following key has been constructed as a guide to the best-marked varieties, but it must be borne in mind that numerous intergradations will be met with, not referable to any of these :— A. Elytra blackish. Thorax blackish, legs dark. . SARS er ee aR LL) 4 oe SN ie Thorax blackish, tibiz and feniae testaceous.....¢¢b/alis, Kirby. Thorax reddish, with central dark spot............/uctuosa, Lec. Thorax: entirely: red i2sa8i).° -.s\chat. re REDALICHy Daye , AA. Elytra vittate or spotted. — Elytra dark, each with narrow yellow stripe.. we 5 an ..vittata, Say. Elytra wallow vith sihural ‘ana lateral dark S11) O] oer tas 9 et TAWnte are Peta trivittata, Lac. i} Elytra dark, with humeral and apical yellow spot Fic. 50 (Fig: 5) isistbee es ee to nee hilarent ein bye In general, they agree in these characters: ‘The prothorax is some- what bell-shaped, rather coarsely punctured, less so at the sides; the elytra are broad at base and with numerous closely placed, rather coarse punctures which show some slight tendency to a serial arrangement. Sides of elytra nearly parallel to about the apical third, whence they are rounded to tip. Length, .16-.28 in. 4 =~! 2 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ZEUGOPHORA, Kunze. Three are reported from Canada. They are small insects, somewhat of the form of Ovrsodachna, but proportionately shorter and more robust. The punctuation, especially of the elytra, is coarse and the prothorax has a large tubercle on each side. Z. abnormis, Lec., 1s black above, the antenne and fe legs red ; it reaches the length of .16 in. Z. varians, inven Ge Cr. (Fig. 6.), is a trifle smaller (.13~.14 in.), and rather prettily coloured, the thorax being mostly piceous above, with a yellowish median stripe ; the elytra are dark around the margins, the disk being occupied by a large oval or somewhat heart-shaped yellowish spot. Specimens of Z. varians from the Pacific slope seem tolerably constant in having the median yellow stripe of the thorax obliterated and the sides more broadly pale, while the elytra have, in addition to the usual spot, a smaller common sutural one of the same colour, near the tip. This is connected with the anterior one by a narrow yellow line. Z. puderula, Cr., differs from varias in having the thorax entirely, yellow, the elytral yellowish area ill-defined. The punctures are close together, the outer joints of the antenne black. A specimen has been sent from Toronto by Mr. Crew. Synetra, Esch. Represented by S. ferruginea, Germ. (.30-.32 in.), a yellowish or reddish-yellow beetle of rather coarse sculpture. The thorax is angulate, with three more or less well-marked teeth on each side. The elytra are marked with four coste of various degrees of distinctness. It is often beaten from hazel thickets. TriBE III.—CRIOCERINI. A few Canadian beetles of neat form and usually striking coloration belong here. The thorax is much narrower than the elytra, which are punctate in rows. ‘The two genera differentiate easily, thus, so far as the species under consideration are concerned :— ; Prothorax with a constriction about the middle, elytra striped..Zema. Prothorax cylindrical, elytra spotted’... 00... es ee. ¢» Criocerts, 74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Lema, Fabr. L. trilineata, Oliv. (Fig. 7), is the only Canadian species. It is of a », reddish colour, with two thoracic spots, the antennee (excepting the first joint), Ss tips of tibiz and tarsi, blackish. The elytra are of a clear light yellow, or = nearly white, with a common sutaral SBN black stripe, and each with a narrow submarginal vitta of the same colour. Length about .25 in. (Fig. 8: aa represent the larva with its singular covering of excrement, J the last joints of the abdomen, ¢ pupa, @ the eggs.) CRIOCERIS, Geoff. Fic. 8. Two imported European species are known from the adjacent regions, though but one of these seems to have been actually reported from Canada. They prey upon asparagus, and from the striking pattern of coloration are easiiy known. C. asparagi, Linn., is from .16 to .24 in. long, of a greenish or bluish- black colour; the thorax red with two black spots of variable size usually present. The elytra are reddish-yellow, with a blue-black cross formed by the crossing of a — longitudinal sutural stripe and trans- Fi. 9. verse median band, and with an apical and basal spot of the same dark colour on each ; or they may be blue-black with the outer and apical margin and three spots on each yellow. (Fig. 9 represents the eggs, larva and beetle much magnified.) — C. 12-punctata, Linn., is .19-.24 in. long, dull red, each elytron with six black spots of variable size. The antennz, knees, and tarsi are also black. I desire to acknowledge the kindness of Mr. W. S. Cody, B. A., of Windsor, Ont., in contributing a Canadian specimen of Argynnis Tdalia to the Society’s collection. I am indebted to Mr. Wm. Loch-_ head, of Napanee, Ont., for the information that this handsome butterfly | has been added to the Canadian List. J. ALston Morrat, Curator, ~I Or THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. CANADIAN HYMENOPTERA, NO. 7. BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, F. R. S. C., OTTAWA. The object of this paper is chiefly to record some observations, made last summer, on a few parasitic forms, but mention is first made of two phytophagous species. STRONGYLOGASTER ? MARGINATA, Prov. Selandria marginata, Prov., Add. Faun. Hym., 1885, p. 8. Eriocampa marginata, Prov.,Cresson, Cat.N. Am. Hym., 1887, p.162. Strongylogaster primitivus, MacG., Can. EntT., 1893, Vol. XXV., p. 241. Tenthredopsis primitivus, MacG., Can. Ent., 1894, Vol. XXVL, P32 7; Mr. MacGillivray has recently kindly sent to me one of his types of primitivus for comparison with that of Provancher’s marginata, and I find, as was already evident from the description, that it is the same species. The generic position of the species is, however, not so readily determined ; Mr. MacGillivray being now of opinion that it belongs neither to Tenthredopsis, Strongylogaster or Taxonus, but probably to some yet undescribed genus. It certainly does not belong to Tenth- redopsis as adopted by Cameron in his monograph of the British Phytophaga, nor to Selandria, so that I have left it for the present in Strongylogaster, to some of our accepted species of which it is very similar in appearance. Several of the groups of our Tenthredinidz require revision, the classification of species solely from wing venation being unsatisfactory, for in the phytophagous hymenoptera the venation is much more unstable than in the other divisions of the order. I fear, for instance, that Mr. MacGillivray’s genus Bivena (Can. Ent., Vol. XXVI., p. 327) has been founded upon the accidental occurrence of a supplementary marginal cell. CrEPHUS PYGMuUS, Linn. The continued spread of this wheat-stem sawfly is evidenced by the occurrence of two males in a small collection made on sth July, at Indian Head, Assa., by Mr. Fletcher, during his trip to British Columbia last ‘summer, PrzomacHus Pettitil, Cresson, CAN. ENT., 1892, Vol. IV., p. 61. @. Pezomachus sulcatus, Prov., Add. Faun. Hym., 1885, p. 77. @. Stibeutes Pettitii, Cr., Riley and How., Ins. Life, 18go, Vol. IIL, Pp. 154. 76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. This is the commonest species of our wingless Cryptids, but I have noted only one mention of its having been bred, which is in the list pub- lished in Insect Life (Joc. cit.) of bred parasitic hymenoptera in the United States National Museum, the record being as follows :— “ Bucculatrix found on stone, Virginia, April gth.” The species is there referred to the genus Stibeutes, which in Cresson’s synopsis is said to have the ‘‘ Metathorax completely and regularly areolated,” while in Pezomachus it is ‘‘not, or irregularly areolated:” None of my specimens show any areolation, the indications of any metathoracic carine being of the feeblest nature. This insect has frequently been taken with the sweeping-net on foliage from June to September, and on one occasion in the latter month, as I was reclining under a pine tree, near Aylmer, I observed numerous examples running about on the carpet of dead pine leaves which covered the ground. They had a remarkable resemblance to some of the ants which are always roaming around in such places. Last April I obtained, under a large flake of loose bark on an elm stump, a number of egg-cocoons of an undetermined spider. They were hemispherical in shape, and made of a very white silk, and were covered by irregular tent-like masses of the same flocculent, viscid silk, spun between the bark and the surface of the wood. On opening one of the egg-masses I found two hymenopterous larvee among the yellow eggs, . and therefore secured a number of the cocoons, which, when removed, adhered to one another and formed a sticky mass in the small box in which I had to place them. ‘Two of the parasites emerged on May roth, — and proved to be males of a Hemiteles not in my collection. Two days later a similar winged male appeared, and also three wingless males, which I saw belonged to Pezomachus Pettitii. Four wingless males, one winged male, and one female emerged the following day, and others followed until, in all, I obtained four females, seven wingless males, and six winged males. There can be no doubt that the winged forms, though differing in the shape of the thorax from those without wings, are speci- fically the same. This rearing confirms the opinion held by many authors [For example see Walsh, Can. Enr., Vol. IL, p. 1o.], of the identity of the genera Hemiteles and Pezomachus, and I have special — pleasure in recording it at the present time, in view of the following recent reference to the subject by Dr. Sharp (Cam. Nat. Hist., Vol. V., p. 556): “The little Ichneumons of the genus Pezomachus are quite destitute of wings, and somewhat resemble ants ; they are quite common SD a THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Th ee Sage ee wt ae —-= ao 8 i insects in Britain. Only the female sex is known, and it is believed that the winged Ichneumons assigned to the genus Hemiteles, of which no females are known, are the males of Pezomachus. Repeated efforts have been made to place this beyond doubt, but they have usually failed, for when a brood of these parasites is reared the individuals generally prove to be either all Hemiteles or all Pezomachus. It is to be hoped that this interesting case will be fully elucidated.” Of the American species assigned to Pezomachus, several are known in both sexes. Mr. Howard, for example, describes both @ and ¢ of P. micarie (Proc. Ent. Soc., Wash., Vol. II., p. 194), bred by Mr. Emerton from the egg- cocoons of a species of Micaria. Individuals of P. Pettitii vary some- what in colour and in shape of thorax, the anterior node of which is often sulcate, as in Provancher’s type of swdcatus. Nearly all those taken in the field have the abdomen entirely dark, except the apex of first segment, while all the bred specimens have the apex of second segment also pale. The winged males appear slightly larger than the wingless, and have the abdomen slightly more elongate, but its markings are exactly the same. The fully developed thorax is black, and the wings have a large triangular stigma of a dark brown colour. The antenne are darker, and apparently more slender. PEZOMACHUS OTTAWAENSIS, N. Sp. Female, length, 5-6 mm. Rufous, with abdomen in part black. Head transverse, slightly narrowed behind; occiput concave ; antenne long and rather slender, 23-jointed ; face subtuberculate, as also clypeus slightly ; mandibles sometimes paler, with the teeth black. Thorax binodose, the nodes subequal; the rounded metathorax not areolated, but with the posterior face flattened obliquely. Abdomen with a broad rufo-orange band covering nearly all the second segment, the petiole also rufous ; the second segment narrowly black at base, and the following segments black, polished ; ovipositor exserted about 1 mm., sheaths black at tip. Described from 23 females bred, with two exceptions, from egg- cocoons of spiders. This is a large, handsome Pezomachus, very con- stant in coloration, especially of the abdomen. The base of petiole, posterior coxze, and femora are darker in a few specimens, and the vertex of head is occasionally clouded ; individuals may possibly occur with the head in part black. The egg-cocoons in which this species breeds are 78 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. flattened, scale-like objects, ro-12 mm. in diameter, adhering closely to stones, and often irregular in shape to conform to the uneven surface. When new, the silk of which they are spun is of a delicate drab shade, but weathered cocoons found in spring are of a dull, dirty gray. A single larva of the Pezomachus occupies each infested cocoon, and when it has devoured all the spider’s eggs it spins its own elongate cocoon within that of its host. This insect must be a great check upon the increase of its spider-host, for of scores of cocoons examined in one locality last spring hardly ten per cent. had escaped infestation. Through the kindness of Mr, L. O. Howard, one of these cocoons has been examined by Mr. Nathan Banks, who pronounces it to be “ almost cer- tainly a Drassid cocoon, possibly Micaria, but more probably Prosthes- ima.” The cocoons are sometimes found on the under surfaces of stones and pieces of wood, but more frequently on the upper surface of large embedded rocks. HEMITELES OTTAWAENSIS, Nn. Sp. Male, length, 5 mm. Black, with segments two and three of abdomen yellowish, Head black ; palpi pale ; antenn blackish, slender, about 25-jointed, scape, pedicel and base of third joint pale. Thorax black, finely punctulate or shagreened ; tegule pale ; legs rufo-testaceous, including cox; the posterior tibie and tarsi brownish ; wings as usual, stigma brown; metathorax feebly areolate, the lateral and posterior transverse carine more distinct. Abdomen narrow, segments two and three yellowish, remainder black. Described from one male reared from egg-cocoon of spider. The cocoon was one of a lot, gathered at same time and locality, which yielded several individuals of the previously described species, and the Hemiteles is probably the male of that species. I have, therefore, given to it the same specific name. As it differs, however, in the evident, though imperfect, areolation of thorax, and in colour of abdomen, etc., it may be better to separate it for the present. The abdomen i is narrower and less robust than that of the winged males of P. Pettitii. MASTOCHARIS WILDERI, Howard. Twenty-two examples of this little Chalcid were bred from a hemi- spherical egg-cocoon of a spider, attached to the under surface of a hickory leaf, ‘They issued, however, from the cocoon of an Ichneumonid, prob- THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 79 ably a species of Pimpla, which had devoured the spider's eggs. The greenish-blue reflections of the head and thorax of the females, and the bright coppery gleam of the smaller males, make these little creatures, when alive and hurrying to and fro with trembling antenne, objects of considerable beauty. Mr. Howard records the species (Proc. Ent. Soc., Wveash.,. Vol. lI, p.*299)from James, Island; (Ss) €,; Brooklyn, N. Y.; Sea Cliff, L. I; Washington, D. C.; and Los Angeles, Cal., showing a very wide distribution. TELENOMUS, Nn. sp. ? From two eggs found attached, and side by side, on the upper sur- face of a hickory leaf, I obtained thirty-one individuals (25 ¢,6 ¢) of a Telenomus, which appears to be undescribed, but as the genus is such an extensive and difficult one I do not care to name it. The eggs, which are those of our beautiful pale green, swallow-tailed Luna moth, are round and flattened ; white above and below, and surrounded by a dark brown band. They are about 2 mm. in diameter, and not much more than 1mm. in thickness, so that when one was tenanted by at least sixteen larvee, their quarters could not have been over spacious. It requires somewhat careful examination of the egg to find the minute hole from which the parasites issued. ACOLOIDES SAITIDIS, Howard. From the same batch of spider-cocoons which produced the seventeen examples of Pezomachus FPettitii, there came forth, a few days later, a host of minute Prototrypids, which seem to belong to the species named as above by Mr. Howard (Ins. Life, Vol. II., p. 270), and constituted the type of his new genus; the type specimens having been bred from eggs of the spider Sactis pulex. My specimens differ from the description only in having the apex of the first abdominal segment yellowish. They commenced to appear on June 4th, and by the evening of June 6th there had issued 160, nearly all of which were females. ‘The total number that came forth was 206, consisting of 162 9 and 44 g¢. Such figures might indicate this to be a very common insect, yet I had never met with it in my collecting. Previous records for the species are Lincoln, Neb., and ~ Oxford, Ind. CHRYSIS NITIDULA, Fabr. One example of this beautiful green Chrysid was bred from an _ almost black cocoon, which was found in a cell of Odynerus catskillensis, 80 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Sauss. The Odynerus cells were built of clay, upon the under surface of a stone, and formed a compact mass which could not be removed without rupturing the cells, as their silken lining adhered directly to the uneven surface of the stone. CHRYSIS PARVULA, Fabr. This pretty species very closely resembles the preceding, but is easily separated by the shape of the terminal segment of abdomen, which is truncate and tridentate (the central tooth strongest), instead of quadri- dentate, with curved emarginations separating the teeth. Two examples were bred from cocoons taken from the cells of Pelopeus cementarius, Drury, the slender-bodied wasp whose large clay-built groups of cells are so frequently seen under window-sills and other ledges in the city, and are placed under stones in the fields. The cocoon of the parasite occupies one end of the cell made by the industrious wasp as a home for its own young, and is almost identical in shape and colour with that of the other Chrysid. The insects emerged on June 2nd and 4th, the cells having been obtained some weeks previously. Mr. Ashmead has recorded (Psyche, Vol. VII., p. 79) the rearing of C. perpulchra, Cr., and C. ceru/ans, Fabr., from the same host. CEROPALES FRATERNA, Smith. While searching, one day in early spring, for the potato-like galls which are produced by Tribalia upon the roots of wild roses, I found under a flat stone, slightly imbedded in the turf, about a dozen fusiform hymenopterous cocoons, about 15 mm. long. ‘They were scattered on the surface of the soil, and some had already become mouldy from the dampness of the ground. From those which were not so affected 1 obtained in due time a female and four males of Pomptlus luctuosus, Cr., which liberated themselves by neatly cutting off the large end of the cocoon. From one of the larger cocoons there emerged in the same manner, instead of the velvety-black Pompilus, a long-legged, yellow- banded Ceropales. AGENIA ARCHITECTA, Say. The mud cells of this pretty little blue wasp are not uncommon under stones in dry fields near woods. ‘They are cylindrical in shape, and several may be found on the same stone, but they are not massed together and cemented into one lump, as are those of the mud-wasps previously mentioned. The wasps have been bred several times, but I have as yet reared no parasites. = THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 81 ON THE STRUCTURAL AFFINITIES OF THE GENUS DEMAS. BY J. W. TUTT, F. E. S.. LONDON, ENGLAND. In the Journal of the New York Entomological Society, Voi. III., pp. 130-131, Mr. Harrison G. Dyar writes as follows: ‘ Prof. E. B. Poulton has shown that dorsal eversible glands are of general occurrence throughout the Zymantritde (Trans. Ent. Soc., Lond., 1887, p. 300) on the tenth and eleventh joints (segments), or rarely only on the eleventh joint (Das- ychira pudibunda). Probably these structures are characteristic of the family, but Prof. Poulton did: not find them in Demas. This genus has been considered to belong to the Moctuide, but English authors assume it to be a Lymantriid. Mr. J. W. Tutt remarks, in speaking of Prof. J. B. Smith’s recent ‘Catalogue of the Noctuide’ (Ent. Record, VI., p. 70) :— “The obsolete position of Demas among the JVoctusde is retained.” Now, is this position ‘obsolete?’ The absence of the retractile tubercles certainly throws doubt on the matter. Now,I have shown a character- istic difference in the arrangement of the thoracic tubercles between the Lymantriide and the Woctuide (Trans. New York Acad. Sci., XIV., p. 57), and Demas shows the Noctuid structure. Therefore, on all essential larval characters Demas is a Noctuid. It might, indeed, be an Arctian, as far as the larva goes, but not a Lymantriid. As concerning the structure of the imago, Demas seems to have greater affinity with the Noctuide than any other family ; in fact, it appears to me that the placing of Demas among the Lymantriide may properly be characterized as premature.” Further, Mr. Dyar writes as follows :— “ Pupa, shining dark brown with a large wrinkled cremaster and three movable incisures. Of the usual Noctuid appearance (quite unlike Orgyéa) and passing the winter.” This statement regarding the pupa must be read carefully in connection with the remarks of Dr. Chapman quoted below. Now, I would call Mr. Dyar’s attention to the following statements made by Dr. Chapman some two or three years ago. He writes :—‘‘We now come to the two species, Demas coryli and Diloba caeruleocephata, _ that are certainly not very much related to each other, and though they have some indications of affinity with Acronycta, are not near enough to be placed in the same family. WD. corydz, I should certainly restore to its old place in the Ziparide, to which it is far closer than to the Acronyctas. , . . . But neither of them seemed to me to be nearer to Acronycta 82 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. than is Arctia or Liparis, or Orthosia, or Xylina, which appear to be perhaps the families nearest to Acronycta in different directions ” (Entom. Record, Vol. III., p. 249). Dr. Chapman then gives (Ibid. pp. 249-251) a most exact and scientific description of the egg, the newly-hatched larva, and the larva after each change of skin, of D. cory/i, annotating his description throughout by comparison with the Liparide (or Lymantriide, as it appears to be called by American lepidopterists). After thus exhaustively dealing with the structure of Demas in its various stages, Dr. Chapman concludes :—‘‘ The larva of D. cory/z is clearly a Liparid, not, therefore, perhaps so very remote from Acronycta, but, still, distinctly a Bompyx (if that name still has a definite collective meaning) and not a Noctua. The pupa of D. cory is not that of a Noctua, though the character of ‘the anal armature has some resem- blance to various Nocrua forms” (Entom. Record, Vol. IV., p. 97). The larva is excellently drawn and figured in the same volume of the magazine (Pl. 1x., Fig. 2), where the newly-hatched larva is shown x 20 diams., and compared with the Acronyctids, with which it has been sug- gested to have certain affinities. The pupa is also figured in the same plate (Fig. 5, pupa of D. coryli, nat. size; Fig. 5a, pupa of D. coryZi, showing dorsal view of armature ; Fig. 5b, pupa, showing ventral view ; Fig. 5c, pupa, showing lateral view ;—the three latter x 15 diams. It is clear that neither Prof. Smith nor Mr. Dyar have ever seen these excellent papers by Dr. Chapman. It is equally clear that it should be the business of every lepidopterist of repute to do so. One of the greatest complaints that I have to offer against critical writers on American lepidopterology is their general ignorance of British work. Surely the Zyansactions of our leading Entomological Societies and the leading magazines should be a part of every entomologist’s monthly or quarterly pabulum. If they were, one would have to complain less of misunderstanding due to a want of knowledge of all the facts bearing on the case. I trust if Mr. Dyar or Prof. Smith should be inclined to challenge the above facts, they will read Dr. Chapman’s articles first. The above are necessarily brief excerpts, and the whole bearing of Dr. Chapman’s position can only be understood by reading his complete essays. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 83 A NEW COCCID FROM TEXAS. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, NEW MEXICO AGR. EXP. STATION. Aulacaspis texensis, n. sp.— 9 scale circular, 173 mm. diameter, very slightly convex, dull brownish-gray or sepia-brown, becoming transparent at the edges ; sometimes entirely whitish. Exuviz exposed, sepia-brown, not far from central, tst skin to one side of 2nd, but wholly on it, with some white secretion extending over the centre of the 2nd. ? alive, plump, dull pale greenish-orange. When dead and dry dark yellowish-brown, remaining so when boiled in soda. Outline circular, pygidial portion striated ; anal orifice rather small, as far behind level of caudolateral groups of glands as they are behind cephalolateral. A marginal row of 3 or 4 longitudinally elongated pores; and a sub- marginal row of pores, the two caudad longitudinally elongate, the 3 cephalad small and round ; 5 groups of ventral glands, caudolaterals ro, cephalolaterals about 16, median about 8. Median lobes wide apart, with a slight prominence between them bearing a pair of small spines. Median lobes oblique, much as in 4. dromelia, but the long inner slope convex, with 5 very distinct serrations, counting the one which forms the tip ; outer short margin with one serration. Immediately outside each median lobe, and touching it, is a spine-like plate, its tip about or hardly on a level with the tip of the lobe. Then comes a very small and low, strongly bifid 2nd lobe, then a spine, then a rather large spine-like plate, then a very low and broad trifid lobe (one might almost as well say 3 serrations on the margin), then a spine, then a spine-like plate, then two serrations, and a very rudimentary third (sometimes all three obscure), then another spine-like plate, and after a short interval another, then after a short interval a pointed prominence followed by a notch, then 3 spine-like plates at rather long intervals. ¢ scale 1 mm. long, white, tricarinate, but the lateral carine rather feeble ; exuviz very pale ochreous. The ¢ scales occur in patches on the leaves, much as in Chionaspis exercitata, Green. Hab.—San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 27th, 1895, on both sides of leaves of Sophora secundiflora. [C. H. T. Townsend. | The species was first collected by Mr. Schwarz; and afterwards Messrs. Howard, Schwarz, and Townsend found it very abundant near San Antonio. The plant was determined by Mr. Coville. This is the first native North American Aw/acaspis. 84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. PHOTOGRAPHS WITHOUT SHADOWS. A large percentage of the half-tone reproductions from photographs, for illustrating Experiment Station Bulletins, are greatly reduced in value because of a Jack of detail caused by heavy shadows, resulting from the use of opaque backgrounds near the objects photographed. To overcome this difficulty and to make such pictures of more value to special- ists working in the fields of entomology, botany, and _horti- culture, a device, which is the outcome of combining several represented. Many details can be easily photographed. and reproduced usually obtained by pen and ink tion entering into such work is thus eliminated. The salient features of this device are: no shadows, accu- details and time are saved. All haps, the saving of time; but after a second thought, this is also obvious, as the objects to be photographed are simply laid Soe o: lar surface. Dr. Holland, of Pittsburgh, Pa., a Lepidoptera specialist, on a well-known principles, is here’ by this arrangement which are © drawings, and the personal equa- — racy of colour values and form ; — these features are evident from a _ glance at figure 11, except, per-— on a horizontal plane instead of — being fastened to a perpendicu- — recent visit to our Station, saw the arrangement and was much pleased — by the advantages it offers to any of his plans for obliterating shadows in photographing butterflies and moths. Pictures being more easily understood than descriptions, we have made a photograph of the outfit shown in figure 10, and also one showing a butterfly taken with the device, figure rr. & * THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 85 The apparatus consists of a four-legged stool, in this case 2% feet high, with an opening in the top and a copying camera placed over the hole. A pane of glass (C) is now placed on the upper or lower rounds of the stoo! (A or B), according to the distance you wish your object to be from the lens. The objects to be photographed are placed upon the glass, and. for a background a sheet of paper or other material is laid on the floor (D) under the glass. In this case a white background is used because the butterfly is principally of a dark colour. By a glance at figure rr you will see that the objecuonable shadows are obliterated. In photographing pinned insects it is necessary to have some scheme for holding them on the glass in the posi- tion desired. This is easily done by gluing a small piece of cork on the glass surface in which to insert the pin holding the insect. It is necessary to have the cork small enough so that it does not protrude beyond the specimen when looked at through the camera. This device can be easily modified to | suit an ordinary view camera by simply | | adding a piece of board to the top of the stool and letting it extend in a perpendic- - ular manner similar to E in figure to. By Fic. 11. having a hole in this board one can fasten a camera in place with a thumb- screw, precisely as it is fastened to a tripod, with the exception that the lens is directed downward. TeHicuines RS RAS OE W. EarRL RUMSEY, : Asst. Entomologist. West Virginia Agr. Expt. Station, Morgantown, West Va. A NEW TYPHLOPSYLLA FROM MEXICO. BY CARL F. BAKER, FORT COLLINS, COL. Belonging to that group of the genus having head combs arising in front of the antennal grooves ina line nearly perpendicular to the long axis of the head, instead of along the lower margins of the cheeks, and which includes the two species graci/is and fraterna. Typhlopsylla mexicana, n. sp.—Female. In form resembling Z: musculi. Head rather strongly pointed, face receding. Bristles on head numerous, strong and spine-like, one on either side of extreme tip, short 86 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. and stout. Antennal groove open, spines on second joint equalling tip of joint 3. Head comb of four short, heavy spines, their tips very obtuse and sides nearly parallel ; the second from above reaching as far back as tips of antenne, and slightly longer than the others, which are nearly equal in length. Maxille very acute, rather broad at base. Maxillary palpi stout, the joints decrease in size in the following order: 1, 4, 2, 3, the third being shortest, the fourth narrowed to a slender tip. Mandibles reaching two-thirds length of anterior coxes. Pronotal comb of twenty- two close-set spines. Bristles on dorsal abdominal segments in two rows, the second of ten to fourteen long and strong bristles, on ventral segments in single rows of four to eight similar bristles, the tuft on apical ventral segment rather large. Legs rather strongly spined, close-set even rows of spines on posterior margins of all tibiae being especially conspicuous. Apical spines on hind tibie extending nearly two-thirds the length of first tarsal joint. In middle tarsi joint 2 equals 5, 3 is half of 1 and three-fourths of 5, 5 is twice 4. In hind tarsi joint 1 is as long as 2, 3, and one-half of 4 together, and about three times the length of 3, 2 equals 4 and 5 together, 3 nearly equals 5. Colour pale brownish. Length 2.5 mm. Described from a single female taken from ‘“ A/us rattus” at Guanajuato, Mexico, by Dr. Alf. Duges. This very distinct species is easily separated from either gracilis or fraterna by the above description. BOOK NOTICE. Mittheilungen aus dem Roemer—Museum, Hildesheim. No. 3.—Januar, 1896. Dik APATELIDEN, von A. Radcliffe Grote, A. M. (Mit 2 photographischen Tafeln und 3 Zinkographien im Texte.) Mr. Grote here defines the family Apatelide and gives a list of the species which can be referred to it with reasonable certainty in the present state of our knowledge. The subdivision of the genus Apatela on larval and on pupal characters is discussed at some length, and 15 subgeneric names are recognized, including both European and American species. Two of these names are new, and one new species is described, Panthea portlandia, Grote. The two plates represent a number of ‘typical European Apatelide. The moths are excellently done, but the larvze are only imperfectly shown, as their cylindrical bodies fail to focus sharply in the photographs. This paper may also be consulted for a concise statement of the classification of the Lepidoptera on larval characters (page 3), and a con- tinuation of the discussion of the generic term Noctua (p. 4). HaRRISON G. DYAR. Mailed March 3rd, 1896. The cal ntomologist. “Vou. XXVIIL LONDON, APRIL, ee, No. 4. A CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF NORTH AMERICAN SYRPHID&. BY W. D. HUNTER, ASS’T IN ENTOMOLOGY, UNIV. OF NEBRASKA, [The material mentioned in this paper (with the exception of the type of ChzJosia Townsendi, n. sp., from the collection of the Cal. Acad. of Sciences) is in either the collection of the ‘University of Nebraska or of Prof. C. W. Johnson, of Philadelphia. In each case I have taken care to mention in which one of these the specimens may be found. ] Callicera Johnsoni, n. sp. Male.—Eyes contiguous for about two-thirds their width above, densely long, white pilose, with a sharply defined vertical black band about one-fifth their width ; above, the two bands are confluent: Occiput shining olivaceous, white pilose. Ocellar area with a tuft of ferrugineous pile. Spot above the antenne bare, shining black. Face shining black, except the tip of the indistinct tubercle, which is opaque ; covered, except an indistinct median stripe, and more densely below, with abundant long light yellowish pile ; very indistinctly concave below the antenne. Cheeks shining olivaceous, except an anterior velvety cross-band and an indistinct spot below the lowest margin of the eyes; long yellow pilose. Palpi clavate, testaceous at base, apical half black. Antenne entirely black, with short stiff black hairs on the first and second joints; first joint cylindrical ; second expanded at apex, less than half as long as the - first ; third joint bare, over twice as long as the first and second together, expanded on basal half, flattened, bent outwardly at middle. Style short, obtuse. Thorax: dorsum shining olivaceous, with five opaque, very indistinct, longitudinal bands; pile obscure yellowish, abundant. Pleura shining, with more distinctly yellow pile. Wings a trifle tinged with yellow anteriorly, veins testaceous. Anterior cross-vein distinctly betore _ the middle of the discal cell. Last section of the fourth vein with the first third straight, distinctly sinuate inwardly. Tegule white, ciliate. Abdomen entirely covered with moderately long yellowish-white pile ; first segment entirely opaque ; second, except a broad cross-band, ' expanded medially into a large triangle, the apex of which reaches 88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLCGIST. the anterior margin, shining olivaceous ; third segment entirely shining. Legs : femora, except the extreme tips, black; long white pilose ; tibiz testaceous at base, at apex ferrugineous. Tarsi ferrugineous, darker at tips. L, 10% mm. One specimen [Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, Pa.], collected by Mr. Chas. I. Greene and kindly transmitted to me by Prof. C. W. Johnson, of the Wagner Institute of that city, to whom I most respectfully dedicate it. This species differs from the European C. ena, Fabr., to which it is allied, in the markings of the abdomen, the absence of the ‘snow-white style,” the general dull colour, and in several other respects ; from the only other described North American species, C. montensis, Snow, in not having the face and front black pilose nor the thorax and abdomen golden pilose. Mr. Snow writes me that he has never observed any variation in the colour of the pile in sonfensis at all. There are other differences in the coloration of the antenne and legs and in the form of the fourth vein. The capture of this insect is deemed worthy of more than passing notice. The species of Cad/icera are found almost exclusively near the tops of mountains. The only species up to the present time found outside of Europe was C. montensis, Snow. The three type specimens were taken on the top of Mt. Deception, in Colorado, at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Later, two more specimens were taken on one of the peaks of the Magdalena Mountains, in New Mexico, at an altitude of 9,500 feet, also by Snow. The Species was described by Snow, in Kansas Uni. Quart. Vol. I., p. 33; July, 1892. In Europe, as far as I have been able to ascertain, there is bly one record of the capture of a Ca/dicera except on a mountain top. Prof. Stein has this note in the Berlin Ent. Zeitschr., 1860, 325 [translating]: “Callicera fulva, Schaum.—lI captured a female of this species on the first of June, in the vicinity of Frankfurt-a.-d.-O. It was resting on flowering Spartium scoparium, which was, perhaps, only accidental. A thorough search of the same place eight days later yielded no result.” The present is, therefore, the second record of the capture of a species of this genus at a remarkably low altitude, the altitude in this case being considerably, lower than that of Frankfort-on-the-Oder, which is about 125 feet. Fairmont Park lies on both sides of the Schuylkill River, adjoining Philadelphia on the Northwest, and probably in no eee exceeds an altitude of sixty feet. oes THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 89 See ee ee The occurrence of the first discovered specimen of this European genus in the western part of North America was another verification of the well-known biological law that European forms are more likely to occur in the western than in the eastern part of this Continent, as pointed out by Snow. It is clear now, however, that since two species have been discovered, one eastern and the other western, and the eastern as closely related to the typical European forms as the western, that any such conclusion in regard to this genus is no longer valid. Microdon fulgens, Wied. This species was included in Williston’s Synopsis of N. A. Syrphide, on the authority of Wiedemann, who described the species, Aussereu- ropeischen Zweifl., Insecten 82 (I.), from a specimen “In Berliner Museum, aus Neugeorgian,” and on Macquart’s statement, Dipt. Exot. Ter. Suppl., 122, of habitat as Florida and Guiana. Wiedemann’s short, terse description is abundantly sufficient to separate it from its congeners. It is as follows :— ‘Antenne black. Face steel-blue, thinly yellowish-white pilose. ‘Thorax golden-green ; in certain reflections there appear copper-coloured stripes. Ante-alar callosities (Vorflugeldreieck) steel-blue; front between green and blue-metallic. Wings nearly pure brown, on the thin veins only brownish; tegule white with a black ciliate border. Legs green or blue” [translation by Williston]. The front is mixed white and black pilose, front and middle tarsi opaque black, pulvilli light yellow. Scutellum very broad, the posterior margin almost parallel with the anterior; the spines distinct. The outer cross-veins are distinctly sinuate. One specimen, a female [St. Augustine, Florida; Prof. C. W. John- son], now in the collection of the University. The robust form, entirely metallic colour, black antenne, and large size are such as to make the species unmistakable, Chrysotoxum derivatum, Walker. This genus is a very difficult one, and much confusion prevails even in Europe as to the limitation of the species. Even such structural characters as the comparative length of the antennal joints are of very little value, although such an authority as Schiner has used them. They all show a very great resemblance in coloration, and the species are very variable. In Europe there are about fifteen described species, and in this country ten, one of which must be dropped on account of the imperfect description. 90 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. The material in the University collection contains numerous speci- mens that must be C. derivatum, but it is only by a process of elimi- nation that this conclusicn can be reached. As Mr. Snow states of other specimens: ‘They seem to belong here, however, better than else- where.” These specimens were taken in extreme North-western Nebraska, and in the Big Horn Mountains, in Wyoming. They exhibit all the variations in the markings of the abdomen that Snow has mentioned (Kans. Uni. Quart. Vol. I, 35). Besides these, there are three specimens of both sexes—two taken at Lincoln and one at Har- vard, Nebraska—that differ as follows: The anterior margin of the wings is only very lightly tinged with yellow, whereas in the others they are always very distinctly so ; the abdomen is covered with erect, light- coloured pile, while in the mountain specimens it is provided with only very short black hairs ; the median stripes of the thorax are very distinct, while in the others they are obsolete or entirely wanting ; the four anterior femora are entirely yellow, while in the others there is a distinct black spot near the base. From this I conclude that these specimens are of a different species, which I am quite certain is pubescens, Loew, although the only differences in the descriptions of these two species are that in one there are distinct dorsal vittee and the wings are tinged with brown anteriorly, while in the other these points are not mentioned, and hence, may or may not be present. But from a study of this material, part of which must be derivatum, 1 am certain that pubescens and derivatum are both good species, and should stand, no matter how many of the other species of this genus must fall. I am thus enabled to give the following amended descriptions of the two species. C. derivatum, Walker. Second joint of antenne one-fourth to one-half as long as third, sometimes shorter than the first ; arista yellowish. ‘Thorax with the median vitte at all discernable only in the female. Abdomen every- where covered with short sparse black hairs. First segment black, second lateral margin black, except sometimes the posterior corners, the yellow band is very distinctly interrupted, the two parts arcuate and often expanded medially, posterior margin black. Band of third segment more equal in width than first, interrupted or entire, not always reaching the — lateral borders, which are mostly black; entire posterior margin expanded in the middle, yellow. The black markings of the fourth segment vary from an anterior uninterrupted band, expanded to include most of the ce THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 9] lateral borders, and a complete arched band in-the middle of the segment to a very narrow anterior band, sometimes interrupted in the middle, and not including all of the lateral margins, and an indistinct middle spot with a very slender, elongate spot at each side of it. On this segment the yellow posterior margin may be entirely separated from the anterior band, but usually they are confluent at the corners. Fifth segment with an anterior black band, expanded to include more or less of the lateral margins, and a black spot like an inverted V or Y. Often this spot is obsolete, leaving only three small spots to form the outline of a V. Legs yellow. All the coxe, and trochanters, and a distinct shining spot at the base of each of the four anterior femora, black. Posterior tarsi tinged with reddish. Wings very distinctly brownish (less so in the female) on anterior third. C. pubescens, Loew. Very much like derivatum, but differing in having the legs entirely yellow, the abdomen everywhere covered with erect yellowish pile, and the median thoracic stripes distinct. The wings are much less distinctly marked with yellow. Second joint of antenne longer than first ; third joint in female about equal to the first two; in the male it is slightly longer. Abdomen marked like that of derzvatum, except that the pos- terior margin of the second is always yellow, and the anterior corners of segments three and four are reddish. The black mark on the fifth segment is like an inverted V or Y ; or the branches may be arcuate. Psilota buccata, Macquart | Dipt. Exot. II., 2, 107, pl. xvili, fig. 2]. The history of this species and its attribution to the United States is as follows : It was described by Macquart, in the Memoirs of the Society of Arts and Sciences of Lille in 1841, and the locality given as ‘‘Carolina.” It was here placed in the genus /f7za. In the fifth supplement to the Dipt. Exot., which was published in 1855, Macquart describes a species, flavidipennis, for the first time under the genus Ps:/ota, which was founded by Meigen, in his Syst. Beschr. III, 256, in 1822, several years before the other species, duccata, was described under the genus Pfzza. In 1862 Dr. Loew, in the Monographs of the Dipt. of N. A., I, 27, in mentioning the various genera of Syrphide that have been recorded from North America, states that Macquart has recorded a Psz/ota from North America, but that, as that genus had been misunderstood by most authors, he would not venture to mention it among those truly represented in N. A. The reference mentioned above was undoubtedly his authority for this statement. 9? THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. The next step comes in 1878, with the appearance of Osten Sacken’s second edition of his Catalogue of N. A. Diptera. In that he includes Psilota flavidipennis, Macq., giving the author’s habitat, Philadelphia, and calling attention to the note by Loew just referred to. It is very certain that if hé had found the species in nature, he would have mentioned the fact. We must hence conclude that he had not, and included it simply on the authority of Macquart, which makes it very uncertain that the species is North American at all up to this date. Between this time and the time of the publication of Williston’s Synopsis it is evident that some specimens were captured in this country. For Williston states that he found two specimens in the Loew type col- lection which were labelled Psé/ota flavidipennis at Cambridge. Hence, it is certain from this time on that this species is a North American one, and that Macquart’s locality was probably correct, as was his determination, Now, Williston states that he has no doubt that these specimens so labelled are duccata, but that they are favidipennis is doubtful. In other words, he thinks that the correct determination of the specimens is as buccata, and that Macquart’s other species, favidipennis, may or may not be the same as that species. Hence, in his Synopsis he places Macquart’s description of favidipennis along with that of duccata, as revised after an examination of the specimens at Cambridge. Without assuming that my opinion will settle the matter at all, | may say that it seems that they are two distinct species. The colour of the legs and of the abdomen is quite different. The two specimens from Georgia that Williston mentions [Syn. App., 292] may and may not be the true favidipennis of Macquart. It is very doubtful. The less shin- ing abdomen would seem to favor the conclusion that they are, while the more concave face would point to an opposite conclusion, There are known in collections specimens of this species as follows : In the Loew type collection, at Cambridge, two specimens ; in the U. S. _ National Museum, eight specimens, six from Texas and two from Georgia ; in Mr. C. W. Johnson’s collection, at Philadelphia, several specimens from Texas ; and in the collection of the University here, one specimen from Blanco County, Texas ;—this specimen has the pile everywhere pure white. Chilosia prim, Nn. sp. Female.—Zyes and arista bare (when magnified twenty diameters, . <> aon the arista shows distinct hairs). Face not pilose, scutellum without dis- tinct marginal bristles; legs almost entirely yellow. x ay, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 93 Front distinctly trisulcate, sparsely punctured, shining black, with moderately long whitish pile more abundant between the lateral sutures and the eye margin. Occiput opaque, white pubescent, except near the eye margin, where it is shining olivaceous and pilose. Face shining black ; viewed from in front, covered, except broadly on the tubercle, with very fine pubescence (viewed from the side it appears bare); very deeply con- cave below the antenne and indistinctly so below the tubercle, with a few short hairs between the facial sutures and the eyes. ‘Tubercle round, subacute, shining, much more prominent than the antennal elevation, situated below the middle of the face. Epistoma not projecting, in profile obliquely truncate at apex, lower margin straight and horizontal, Cheeks narrow, coloured and provided with pile like the face. Proboscis large, flabellate, dark ferrugineous; palpi cylindrical. Antenne and narrow margin of the orifices bright reddish-fulvous, first joint slightly darker, second with a few short dark bristles, third joint somewhat longer than broad and a little fattened above and below, large and nearly oval. Arista basal, black, micro-pubescent, not incrassate. Humeral callosities ferrugineous, inwardly silvery pollinose. Dorsum slightly metallic, sparsely punctured, more coarsely so posteriorly, with sparse erect light yellow pile. Pleura shining olivaceous, with very sparse whitish pile. Scutellum coarsely punctured, black, rather long pilose and with slightly stronger hairs on the border. Abdomen robust, distinctly expanded on segments two and three, sparsely but distinctly punctured, with short sparse yellowish pile, everywhere shining except a broad median stripe on the second segment. This stripe has a small shining area in its middle anteriorly. There is a general, almost indiscernable, purplish cast to the abdomen. Venter shining, polished anteriorly, light yellowish pilose, the apical margins of the segments reddish. Legs light fulvous, with moder- ately long whitish-yellow pile ; middle and posterior coxe black ; the apical joint of all the tarsi, and a large spot on the outside of the posterior tibie, brownish. Claws black, pulvilli whitish. Wings hyaline, veins testaceous, apical cross-vein parallel to the margin of wing, meeting the third vein at an acute angle. Tegule and narrow base of the wing aa distinctly yellowish. Long. corp., 11 mm.; L. alae., 8.5 mm. One specimen [Philadelphia, Pa., 9-4-91], collected by Prof. C. W. Johnson. The type is now in his collection. el , This species falls in the group with bare eyes and arista, which includes: as North American species, capi/lata, Loew ;- comosa, Loew ; 94 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. nigripennis, Will. ; versipellis, Will.; parva, Will. ; Zeucoparea, Loew ; tarda, Snow ; and Zucta, Snow. From all these, except parva, Will., it is easily separable by the colour of the legs, which are almost entirely yellow. From parva it is separabie by the abdominal markings as well as by the much larger size. Chilosia Townsendi, n. sp. [To Prof. C. H. Tyler Townsend. | Male.—FEyes bare, arista very long plumose, face not pilose, scutel- lum with very distinct bristles, third joint of antennz quadrangular, one and one-fourth times as long as broad, slightly concave above, the angles scarcely rounded. Pile of vertex long, black. Front unisulcate, very slightly shining, black pilose. Eyes contiguous for one-half their width. Antenne small, ferruginous, apical third of third joint darker. Arista situated at extreme base of the joint, obscurely reddish, long plumose except at the extreme apex. Face covered, except broadly on the tubercle, with short appressed whitish pubescence, everywhere slightly shining, in profile distinctly concave below the antennz. ‘Tubercle below the middle, very obtuse, more projecting than the antennal prominence. From tubercle to, epistoma, which is projecting, deeply concave. Epistoma beneath almost horizontal, in front obliquely truncate. Cheeks coloured and pubescent like the face, narrow with a transverse sulcus in the middle. Occiput olivaceous dull silvery pollinose. Proboscis very small. Humeri obscurely reddish-white pubescent. Dorsum subopaque on the side, shining, with erect black pile which grows into bristles posteriorly and laterally. Pleura shining olivaceous with erect yellowish pile Scutellum shining, finely punctured, with very long distinct bristles on the margin and a fringe of white pile below, elsewhere it is black. Abdomen with sides nearly parallel, laterally with dense, bushy pile, which is white, except at — the posterior corners of segments three and four. On the top the pile is sparse, black in the middle and yellowish at the sides. First segment entirely, narrow anterior margin of the second and third, shining metallic, fourth segment everywhere shining, but less metallic. _Hypopygium shin- ing, white pilose. Venter distinctly punctate, obscurely reddish laterally ; first segment shining white pilose and pubescent, second opaque with mixed black and white pubescence, third shining, black pubescent, and with very narrow posterior margin reddish. Legs black, mixed black and white pilose, al) the trochanters, coxze and narrow base and apex of the femora, posterior tibiz except a wide median annulus and their tarsi THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99 except the first and last joints, reddish; anterior and middle tibiz except wide median annulus and their tarsi except the apical joint, yellowish. All the femora have a fringe of strong black hairs on the apical portion of the posterior side. Claws, except their apical half, reddish. Wings long, everywhere tinged with brownish ; veins all brownish. Long. corp., To mm; al., 9 mm. This species is very closely allied to C. fristis, Loew, but is easily separable from that species by the colour of the antenne and the form of the third joint, which is not at all ‘‘subrotundo,” as well as by several other characters. . One specimen [Marin County, California; Haines], in the collec- tion of Cal. Acad. of Science. It was kindly transmitted to me for examination by Mr. Chas. Fuchs, through the courtesy of Mr. H. H. Baer, of the Academy. This specimen is the identical one referred to by Mr. C. H. Tyler Townsend, in the Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., Ser. 2, Vol. IV., 611, under the head of CAzZosia, n. sp. ? Allograpta fracta, O. S. Western Diptera, 331, 1877. The type of this species, a single male, was captured by Baron Osten Sacken, at Santa Monica, California, February 20, 1876. Since then no record has been made of its capiure. In the collection of the University of Nebraska is a single female specimen captured at Los Angeles, Cali- fornia, November, 1887, by Prof. Bruner. It differs in no respect from Osfen Sacken’s description of the male. The front is yellow laterally and the first segment of the abdomen has the sides as well as the anterior margin yellow. It is quite a remarkable fact that of the two specimens of this species known in collections, the latter one was captured in exactly the same locality as the type, though eleven years later. Mesogramma parvula, Loew. This species has been recorded from Florida and Georgia only. * There is a male specimen in the collection of the University, labelled Orizabo, Mex., Jan., ’92; Prof. Bruner. It agrees exactly with the description, except that the black of the second segment of the abdomen is entirely shining and that the third and fourth segments have the black markings very obscure, but like the typical ones in outline. Two other specimens from St. Augustine, Florida, collected by Mr. C. W. Johnson, of Philadelphia, 96 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. A careful study of this material seems to make it clear that JZ Boscii, Macq., and WZ. parvula, Loew, are one and the same species. Absolutely the only differences in the descriptions of these two species are in the markings of the abdomen, and they are notoriously variable in the species of this genus. In Sosciz the first segment is black and the anterior half of the second is yellow; in parvuda the anterior margin of the first segment is yellow and the anterior margin of the second is black. Now, one of these specimens shows a very narrow yellow anterior margin on the first segment, and the other specimen has it entirely black, but in both the second segment is black on the anterior margin. Such a combination of the only characters that separate these species in individual specimens seems to make their identity certain. Mesogramma marginata, Say. One specimen from Orizabo, Mexico; Jan. This species has been recorded from all parts of the United States and from several points in Mexico. Baccha Tarchetius, Walker. There has been recorded only one specimen of this species besides the type in the British Museum ; this one was from New Jersey [Mr. Keen] and is now in the National Museum. In the collection of the University are two specimens—one from Philadelphia, Penn., and the other from Mobile, Ala.—both taken by Mr. C. W. Johnson, and from his collection. They are both females and differ from the description of the male in having two yellow spots similar to those on the third segment on the fifth. In all other respects the description applies exactly. Baccha clavata, Fabr. This species is a common one in the Southern States. It has been recorded from Georgia, Florida, Arizona, and two localities in New Mexico ; Schiner mentions it ‘‘aus Sud-America.” The capture of a specimen at Lincoln is therefore quite remarkable and gives the species a very much enlarged range. This specimen, a male, was taken near the flowers of a species of aster growing near the water, in September, by the writer. ‘The larva of this species is a very beneficial one in districts where oranges are grown, as it feeds on the aphids that often infest the trees, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 97 Baccha notuta, Loew, Diptera Americe septentrionalis, Cent. VI1., 65, rS6r. Mate.—‘‘OCHRACEOUS } VERTICAL TRIANGLE AND SPOT ON THE FRONT, BLACK ; DORSUM OF THORAX, EXCEPT LATERAL BORDER, DARK OCHRACEOUS, MARKED MEDIALLY WITH A GREENISH - BLACK STRIPE ; ABDOMEN WITH DARK LINES; WINGS INFUSCATE, TOWARDS COSTA LUTES- CENT. “‘ Head luteous ; occiput cinereous ; vertical triangle black ; front opaque, black pilose, and with a minute black spot ; frontal lunule naked, near the antenne black. Antenne ochraceous. Face light ochraceous, semi-transparent, entirely shining. Thorax ochraceous ; dorsum, except the wide lateral margins, dark fuscous, with two median lines abbreviated posteriorly and double iateral marks shining virescent. Scutellum ochraceous ; metanotum bronzy- black ; pectus marked with black. Abdomen ochraceous, with fuscous longitudinal lines; hypopygium bronzy-black. Legs ochraceous; apical third of posterior femora and posterior tibia, except a wide subbasal annulus, subfuscous. Wings infuscate, towards costa yellowish ; marginal and apex of the submarginal cells distinctly coloured with fuscous.” [Translation. | One specimen, a male, agrees in almost all respects with Loew’s description. The coloration of the wings is much less marked, however. They are subhyaline, iridescent, costa tinged with testaceous. The posterior femora are testaceous except a dark annulus on apical third ; the posterior tibia except basal third are dark. The abdomen is furnished with moderately long light pile, especially on the first and second segments, First segment, except a broad, uninterrupted band on posterior margin, yellow; second segment fuscous subtranslucent with a distinct light band just beyond the middle ; remaining segments yellow, except the lateral margin and four slender black bands slightly expanded at the apex. Third joint of antennz very short; oval. One specimen [Charlotte Harbour, Florida; Mrs, Slosson]. This species was described by Loew, in 1861, from a specimen collected by Gundlach, in Cuba. The present is the first record of its capture since that time and the only record of its occurrence in the United States. My thanks are due to Prof. Williston for aid in determining this specimen, '£ristalis latifrons, Loew. This is a very widely-distributed and common species in the West. 98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Snow has recorded it from five different localities in Colorado and from four in New Mexico. Besides this, it has been recorded by Williston, from California, Kansas, Arizona, Texas, and Mexico, and from the latter locality also by E. Giglio-Tos.. In the collection of the University there are numerous specimens from Lincoln and West Point, Neb., Custer, S. D., Los Angeles, Cal., and Lerdo, Mexico. The three female specimens from the latter locality are not in the least different from the others. Several female specimens that are not otherwise different have a very large spot of brownish in the middle of the wing. One female specimen from Lincoln, Neb., lacks the opaque spots on the third segment of the abdomen, as did several male specimens from California that Prof. Williston mentions. Eristalis Broust, Will. There are specimens in the collection of the University from Hot Springs, and Custer, S. D., Soda Springs, Idaho, and Laramie, Wyoming. One female specimen has the spots on the second segment of the abdomen yellow and distinct, as Snow has observed in other specimens. This species has been recorded from Alaska to Colorado and to New England. LEristalis montanus, Will. A male specimen collected at Soda Springs, Idaho, by Prof. Bruner, agrees exactly with Williston’s description, except that the eyes are dis- tinctly contiguous, and that the black of the third segment of the abdomen is not contiguous with that of the second; the margin of the second segment posteriorly is yellow slightly tinged with reddish. The type specimen of this species, a single male, was captured at Como, Wyoming, at an altitude of 7,000 feet. The present is the only record of its capture since that time. A female specimen taken also at Soda Springs, at an altitude of 5,000 feet, on flowers near the water, in August, shows the following differences from the male, which have never been described: The second segment of the abdomen has the black as wide on the posterior margin as on the anterior ; the posterior margin black, third segment mostly shining black, with sides broadly yellow, with an anterior spot and narrow posterior margin opaque ; fourth like third, except no opaque spots ; fifth entirely shining black. The front is black with yellow pile, and the vertex is black pilose. Otherwise it is exactly like the male. cw A ee THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99 Eristalis hirtus, Loew. This is a very widely-distributed and common species all over the West. It has been taken at four different localities in Colorado, as well as New Mexico. The collection here contains numerous specimens taken at Custer, South Dakota. Eristalis flavipes, Walker. There are two specimens of this species in the collection of the University. One of them, a male, captured at Lincoln, Nebr., is a typical form; another, a male, captured near Lake Winnipeg, on the Saskatchewan River, in Canada, by Prof Bruner, in September, is Loew’s £. melanostomus, or, as it is now considered, Zréstalzs flavipes, var. melanostomus, Loew. It is worthy of note that this species is predaceous, quite anomalously among the Syrphide. The latter of the two specimens just mentioned was captured sucking the substance of a small grasshopper, Ch/oéaltis curtipennis, which it held in its grasp after the manner of many of the Asilide. Pteroptila cincta, Drury. Two males and one female from Jamaica, W. I., have the abdornen and scutellum entirely of a strong reddish colour. The hypopygium is large and shining red. Collected at Portland, Jamaica, by C. W. Johnson, of Philadelphia. Mallota cimbiciformis, Fall. There is a specimen in the collection of the University taken at Milford, Nebr., in June. There is another specimen that is very difficult to place. It was taken in War Bonnet Canyon, Sioux County, Nebr. Williston has described a species, 17. Sackenz, that differs trom cimbiciformis only in having the eyes separated in the male, and the wings marked with a distinct brown spot. ‘There is perhaps also this difference, viz., that in Sackeni the marginal cell is closed in the margin, while in cémbiciformis it is distinctly open. Williston states, in litt., in reply to a letter in which I expressed some doubt as to the right of JZ. Sackeni to stand as a species : “The question of the ‘art recht’ of JZ. Sackeni is doubtful. I found specimens, however, from Mexico agreeing perfectly with the type speci- men (a note of which I made in the Biol. Central Amer.), and thus con- tinued the name. It is not at all improbable that the species runs into the older species, and that the name can only be used with a varietal meaning,” 100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. The specimen above mentioned has the eyes distinctly separated, and would hence fall into JZ. Sacken?. But the wings are not more distinctly marked than in AZ, cimbiciformis, the marginal cell is distinctly open, and the last segment of the abdomen is covered with long erect yellow pile, while in Sackeni the abdomen is entirely black pilose. These points together would seem to make it distinct from that species, although the very strong character of the eyes being separated would make it that. It differs from ail the forms of JZ. cimbiciformis in the above-mentioned pilosity of the abdomen, and in the separation of the eyes. I have con- sulted almost a dozen different descriptions of AZ. cimbiciformis, which it is more than probable represent all of the different variations, and invariably the abdomen is described as entirely black pilose, except the first segment. There is a further difference in the form of the face below. After thus stating the case, and exercising all the care that should be exercised in erecting a new species in a genus where the synonymy is already immensely complex, I feel justified in describing the specimen as new. Matlota facialis, n. sp. Male.—Antenne obscurely reddish, shining except the third joint, arista yellow. Wide facial stripe and cheeks shining. Face white pubes- cent and pilose, strongly projecting below, so that a line from the tip of the tubercle to the tip of the epistoma would have a distinct outward slant ; the epistoma projects distinctly further than the antennz [the out- line of the face is quite different in the other species of this genus]. Eyes bare, very narrowly separated. Pile of thorax and scutellum bright yellow. Thorax black, scutellum translucent. First segment of the abdomen but little shining, whitish pilose ; second and third segments shining, and everywhere covered with short, stiff black hairs; fourth shining bronzy, everywhere covered with abundant long, bright yellow pile. Legs black, all the tarsi, and tips of femora strongly and fore and middle tibize entirely and basal half of posterior tibiz weakly reddish. - Posterior tibize without spur. Wings very slightly marked with brown at the separation of the second and third veins. One specimen [War Bonnet Canyon, in extreme North-western Nebraska |. Xylota analis, Will. There are known specimens of this species as follows: In the U.S. National Museum, one male from Cala. [Baron], and two females from rv / THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 101 New Mexico [Gaumer]. which form the types of the species ; in the collection of the Kansas University, two males from the Magdalena Mountains, in New Mexico [Snow]; and in the collection of the Uni- versity of Nebraska, one male, taken in War Bonnet Canyon in the extreme north-western part of Nebraska. This last specimen agrees exactly with Williston’s description except that the antennz are entirely red. Xylota flavitibia, Bigot. This species has been recorded from Colorado, by Williston, and from Colorado and New Mexico, by Snow. The collection of the University contains one male specimen taken in War Bonnet Canyon, Nebraska. Xylota fraudulosa, Loew. The collection of the University of Nebraska contains numerous specimens taken near Milford, Neb., in June, on the flowers of Prunus americanus, It has also been recorded from several localities in the East, and from Illinois, Wisconsin, and Washington, in the West. Xylota augustiventris, Loew. This species has been recorded from New York, Penn., and IIl., but not. hitherto west of the Mississippi River. A single male specimen from War Bonnet Canyon, in extreme North-western Nebraska, has the wings hyaline, the third segment of the abdomen shining, except a very broad posterior band which projects almost to the anterior margin. The fourth segment is entirely shining. Xylota obscura, Loew. There is in the collection of the University of Nebraska, one female specimen taken in War Bonnet Canyon, Nebr. This species has been recorded from Oregon, California, and the Red River of the North. The description applies exactly. Spilomyia quadrifasciata, Say. One female specimen taken at Lincoln, Nebr., in September, by the writer. With the exception of the record of several specimens in Eastern Kansas, by Snow, this species has not been recorded outside of some of the extreme Eastern States. This specimen was taken on the flowers of Aster multiflorus. Sphecomyia vittata, Wied. In the University collection there are two specimens, one from Belmont, Nebr., and the other from War Bonnet, thirty miles distant. This species has been recorded from the Eastern and Southern States, and Minnesota and Colorado, in this country, as well as from localities in Northern Europe and Siberia. 102 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. PIERIS -RAPA! AND AGRAULIS VANILLA. BY W. G. WRIGHT, SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA. P. Rape, the introduced ‘‘ European cabbage butterfly,” on its westward march across this Continent, was first taken in Nebraska on August 3, 1881. (See Can. Ent., 1882, 39.) In May, 1883, I took one male in Southern California. At that time I did not know its name, but I spread it and placed it in my cabinet as unknown. Ina few years an Eastern Entomologist called on me, and at once identified it as P. Rape. It was yet other years before I saw another specimen in flight, though collecting diligently every season. About 18go0 or ’g1 other specimens were observed, and thereafter every year brought them in rapidly increas- ing numbers, till now they are extremely abundant, flying early and late in the day, and early and late in the spring and fall, and at times, as in cold or cloudy weather, when only a very few of the native species can fly, indicating that it is more hardy than the native species, and that it will eventually dominate. As might be expected, the larvee feed in good part on cabbage plants, but yet they are not at all dainty or particular as to food, and many other plants are used. Last year I raised some fine specimens from eggs laid on leaves of common nasturtiums, in the garden, and wholly fed upon those leaves. The native Pierids, P. Protodice, P. Beckeri, and P. Sisymbri, do not Oviposit on any cultivated plant so far as I know, preferring wild plants, while Rapz apparently prefers cultivated ones. Evidently Rap will in a few years become a great pest. Already they fly in numbers everywhere, but especially about the Chinese vegetable gardens, and the flower gardens and dooryards of the towns. Another introduced butterfly is that beauty from the Southern States, Agraulis Vanilla. This species came into California over the Southern Pacific Railroad soon after trains ran through from Louisiana, or say in 1885. I well remember the first ones I ever saw. There were two of them ina front dooryard feeding on the flowers, and I was in a buggy driving along the street ; but my net was handy, and I instantly went in pursuit of the red beauties, capturing them both as a first move, and explaining to the surprised people of the house afterward. Now Vanillee is everywhere in evidence, and its larve are so abundant that large old passion vines are sometimes wholly denuded of leaves by them. Vanillz is also extremely hardy and vigorous, flying, like Rape, at unfavourable times and seasons, as if bent on conquest. Still, it has not increased so rapidly during the last few years as has Rape. These two species are the only ones as yet brought into the State from the East. 1 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 ON THE POSITION OF THE GENUS DEMAS. BY HARRISON G. DYAR, PH. D., NEW YORK. In the March number of the Can. Ent., pp. 81-82, Mr. Tutt falls back upon the writings of Dr. Chapman to support his position for this genus as among the Liparide*. As Mr. Tutt has thus gracefully retired from the discussion without making a direct answer to my facts, I can only, in reply, briefly notice Dr. Chapman’s position. In the egg of Demas, Dr. Chapman, on a matter of detail, seems to imply an absence of relation with the Apatelide ; but the fact remains that the egg is vertically ribbed as in the Noctuide, Apatelidz, and Thyatiride, which I take to be the essential character. The Lymantriide, which belong to the Notodontian-Lasiocampid series have smooth, or obscurely reticulated eggs, the vertical lines having no tendency to become prominent. In the young larva, Dr. Chapman has not discovered the peculiar arrangement of the warts, on which I lay special stress. He would ally Demas to Liparis on “the abundance of hairs and their length, the character of the tubercles, the anterior trapezoidal being more important than the posterior and the colouring.” ‘The hairs and colouring may be dismissed at once, as they are notoriously adaptive and variable charac- ters. The statement about the tubercies is surprising. While it is correct of Demas as figured, the reverse is strikingly the case in many Lymantriids. The anterior trapezoidal (tubercle i.) in this group have a marked tendency to disappear, and I can only suppose that Dr. Chap- man has made some mistake. His own figure of Dasychira pudibunda (pl. ix., fig. 8) shows the anterior trapezoidals clearly the smaller. The structure in Demas really tells in favour of my view. In the second skin, Dr. Chapman describes a medio-dorsal depres- sion on joints 5 to 11 and 12 ‘‘in the position of a peculiar organ in various Liparids.” I see no good reason for the inference that these are the homologues of the dorsal eversible glands of the Lymantriide. In the first place they seem not to have any indication of the structure of such glands, and in the second place they are not homologous in position. In the Lymantriide, the glands occur on the roth and rith segments only ; when others appear on the anterior abdominal segments, as in Stilpnotia salicis and Lymantria dispar, they are paired, not single. *The name Lymantriidz, as this. family ‘‘appears to be called by American authors,” was adopted by me from Mr. G. F. Hampson’s Moths of India, 104 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Dr. Chapman then remarks that in the further skin the larva has a more Liparid-like general appearance. The ‘‘appearance” is to me, however, not Liparid, but Arctian. When I first saw the larva, years ago, I took it for Halistdota Harrisii, till I noticed the different arrange- ment of the hair-pencils. Next, he states that the habit of living between spun leaves is not that of an Acronycta. It is, however, decidedly so of our Charadra deridens, one of the Apatelide. But if Demas stood alone in this respect it would form no valid argument to remove it from the Apatelide, so slight and little specialized is the habit, evidently a recent adaptation. As concerns the pupa, I do not pretend to be so conversant with the subject as Dr. Chapman is, and therefore his positive statement that “the pupa of D. coryéi is not that of a Noctua” is entitled to consider- ation. However, I do not find the statement in “The genus Acronycta and its allies,” a little book containing reprints of these articles, kindly sent me by Dr. Chapman, nor do I notice the positive characters which would lead to such aconclusion. Indeed, Dr. Chapman admits that “ the character of the anal armature has some resemblance to various Noctua forms.” But, indeed, suppose that the pupa be really ‘not that of a Noctua,” the fact could only be applied to this discussion if it were shown that the pupe of the other Apatelidas were true Noctue pupe, since it is equally true that the larva of Demas is ‘not that of-a Noctua”; but neither are those of any other Apatelide. Now, Dr. Chapman says, speaking of the pupz of the genus Apatela: ‘ The pupa is less charac- teristic [than the larva]; it serves rather to divide the genus 7 than to define the group as a whole. The pupa of the rumicis group is very characteristic and rather bombyciform in iis aspect. The others are more of an ordinary Noctua pattern, but present features that separate them from other families. This is a somewhat rash statement to make, since I must confess my knowledge of Noctuze pupe is of a rather super- ficial character.” These are all the points which I can gather from Dr. Chapman’s account, and I do not think that they go far to refute my position, drawn from positive structural characters in the larva. Indeed, I should not feel called upon to criticise Dr. Chapman’s interesting and valuable papers, except to examine the grounds of Mr. Tutt’s position. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 105 SOME ARGYNNIDS OF PARK CITY, UTAH. (Elevation, 7,000 feet.) BY ARTHUR J. SNYDER, EVANSTON, ILL. Any time before the middle of June, entomological studies in the mountains are apt to be interrupted by snowfalls; but from that time to September, one will seldom find a better or more interesting place for study. The climate is delightful, and though the common opinion is that no rain falis upon the great plateau, here as elsewhere, suppositions are not facts. My brief experiences (covering portions of two summers) would indicate that Utah receives as much rain during July and August as the State of Illinois. During the latter month, in 1893, there were frequent showers, and at least two heavy rains. In July, 1895, we experienced a very rainy day, and several showers. Nevertheless, at times it becomes so dry on the mountains that one must seek the low, irrigated meadows to find butterflies abundant. The genus Argynnis is well represented in the West and North-west. From low lands to an elevation of 9,000 feet one finds many represent- atives. The most striking species, as to colour and size, which I have found there is 4. Zefo. This insect must be seen alive to be fully appreciated. Whether seen on the wing, or resting on a thistle blossom, it is a prize well worth the collector’s attention. It appears in Utah (Park City) early in July, and its numbers gradually increase, until in August it may be called almost common. As is so frequently the case, the males appear first, and were found in the ratio of ten to one as compared with the females. Mr. Maynard says Ze¢o is found in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Montana. It has been my good fortune to capture it in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. Ido not know how far East it has been taken, but my friend, Mr. William S. Bates, took several specimens of a female Argynnis, which I am satisfied are Zefo, in Michigan during the past summer, and I have heard that it has been taken in Minnesota. I have never read that the female of Zefo is dimorphic, but would not be surprised to learn that it is, or that Zefo and Cyde/e are, or were at some time not far distant, one and the same species. It is not difficult to secure eggs of Zefo, and were it not for the fact that the larve hibernate, there would be no difficulty in rearing the 106 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. species. I believe Mr. W. H. Edwards has done so. Females confined over fresh violets oviposited readily, and in 1893 a number of larvee were brought to Illinois, and subjected to ‘the cold-storage process” for the winter. In the spring, however, they failed to awaken from their lethargic condition. A. eurynome was very common on low lands near Park City. At least 600 were taken in 1893. In one open meadow covered with flowers there were thousands of this species. Two forms or varieties were found, the ordinary one with silvered spots below, and a variety with all the spots below yellow. The ratio was about one yellow form to twenty-five of the silvered. A remarkable fact was noted. A silvered ? and a yellow ¢ were taken in coctu; a yellow 9 and a silvered ¢; a silvered ? anda silvered ¢, and also a yellow 9 andayellow ¢. Iam positive of all the statements except the last concerning the yellow ? and yellow ¢. We know that peculiar specimens are sometimes the result of hybridism. Melanism may result from cold, drought, etc., and almost everyone has seen “sports” in the insect world. I await with interest the results of future study concerning these subjects. It is commonly asserted that hybrids are never fertile. Is this known to be true? A. myrina was abundant in the meadow mentioned above, but I do not remernber having seen it elsewhere in Utah. A. epithore was found on low ground flitting among the leaves of a large canna-like plant. One specimen also was taken beside a small mountain stream. A. kremhild was taken in the same locality. A. egleis was taken on a hillside near town, in an open spot, where the sun’s rays seemed to linger at eventide, but near the underbrush where it was easy to escape among ihe scrub oaks and sage bushes. In its habits it much resembles A. coronis. A. coronis was rare at Park City, but more common in the mountains, near Salt Lake City and Ogden. A. Nevadensts and A. Meadii were also rare at Park City, but more abundant near Salt Lake. In habits they were quite unlike coronzs and eg/eis, always being found on the flowers or else crossing swiftly to some place where flowers were more numerous, never dropping to the ground and flitting below the sage bushes, but seeking escape in swift flight. They also seemed to prefer lower ground,—the valleys instead of the hillsides, {HE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 107 A. montivaga.—One specimen taken. A. Edwardsii.—Only one specimen taken. A. liliana.—Only one specimen taken. Mr, W. H. Edwards says that the 4. coronis and A. nevadensis taken in Utah are larger than ordinary. To my mind the 4. coronis taken in Utah are unlike those taken in Colorado, both as to size and colour, but I have seen very few of the Colorado specimens. In my collection are a number of Argynnis which seem to be unnamed, For identification of specimens I am indebted to Prof. G. H. French, Dr. Henry Skinner, and Mr. W. H. Edwards. My studies of this group lead me to believe that it sadly needs revision ; that when it is studied carefully by someone who has facilities for comparing all the species and varieties described, many so-called species will prove to be synonymous; that when all the species have been bred and the stages studied, some surprising truths will be unearthed. With a collection containing thirty-five species (?) and_ several varieties (?), I am willing, for the present at least, to say “don’t know ” to many things concerning the genus. I am anxious to find out some- thing and contribute my mite towards unravelling the remarkable tangle. LUNA EGGS—A CORRECTION. Mr. Dyar kindly points out that the eggs mentioned by me on page 79 of the March number are not those of Actias Luna, as stated, but are those of TZelea Polyphemus. He adds that “Luna eggs are quite different, being almost entirely black, and laid in little clusters on the twig, not on the leaf.” Not having bred these moths from the egg, I had to rely on such descriptions as were at hand. Rogers [Can. Enrt., VIL., 199| describes the eggs of Luna as ‘dark brown or chocolate colour, flattened at the sides, smooth, and about .o5 of an inch in length; the sides were of a lighter shade.” Saunders [Sixth Ann. Report, 41] says of Polyphemus: ‘The egg is about one-tenth of an inch in diameter, convex above and below, with the convex portions whitish and the nearly cylindrical sides brown.” Minot [Can. Enr., II., 27] also describes Luna eggs as very dark sepia, although some were ‘almost entirely white. My eggs appeared to me to answer “better to the description of those of Luna, and as the difference in method of attachment to food-plant was not given, I came to the conclusion that they were those of Luna, as the moth is usually abundant in the grove of hickories where the eggs were obtained. W. Hacue HarRINGTON, 108 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. A CANADIAN TRIGONALYS. BY W. H. HARRINGTON, F. R. S. C., OTTAWA. Trigonalys Canadensis, 0. sp. Male.—Length, 10.5 mm. Black with yellowish markings. Head transverse, as wide as thorax, about twice as wide as long when viewed from above; face above the antenne, and vertex, polished, impunctate, without apparent sutures and with sparse blackish pubescence; the cheeks and under surface with pubescence more dense ; clypeus polished ; palpi slender ; antenne as long as head and thorax, rather stout, eighteen- jointed, segments subequal ; eyes small but prominent ; ocelli small, in a triangle on a line witk the posterior margins of the eyes. Thorax rugose with coarse, irregular punctures, those of the pleura and pectus smaller and more numerous; posterior angles of prothorax yellow ; legs rather slender, coxa and femora black, remainder yellow, the tips of tibize and tarsi somewhat dusky ; wings subhyaline, with dark stain covering marginal cell and extending slightly beyond each end of it, stigma and costal nervures black, remaining nervures reddish, second and third sub- marginal cells subequal; scutellum abruptly rounded posteriorly, post- scutellum yellow, prominent, subpyramidal, notched at apex, in suture on each side several deep shining foveze ; metathorax very short and rounded at sides, without prominent angles, a small yellow spot on each side. Abdomen polished, impunctate, apparently with six segments ; second segment as long as all the following and with a yellow central band, or elongated spot on each side ; a yellowish spot at lateral base of segments 3 and 4, very faint on the latter; venter slightly pubescent, with double row of yellow spots on eoacnte 1 to 5, largest on 2nd. This is the first record of the occurrence of any Fig hee of the family Trigonalide in Canada, and I am indebted for the privilege of describing the specimen to Mr. Fletcher, who received it in Sept., 1893, from Mr. Wilkinson, of Victoria, B.C. It was taken from the cell of a wasp (probably Vespa occidentalis) which had built on his verandah, and he had observed that the wasps were rapidly decreasing in numbers, apparently from the presence of this parasite, and of a smaller species of hymenopteron, of which, unfortunately, no specimens appear to have been preserved. \ \ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 109 ITHYCERUS NOVEBORACENSIS, FORST. In former years I had found this beetle, the largest and most con- spicuous weevil of our fauna, to occur only upon beeches, as noted in my sketch of the Rhyncophora, in Eleventh Annual Report. Such, also, was Mr. Chittenden’s record [Ent. Am., Vol. VI., 168]. Its infestation of the twigs of oak had been recorded by Riley, who described the larva. Its occurrence upon hickory is noted by Mr. Beutenmuller [Can. ENT., XXII., 201], and it is known as injurious to apple and other fruit trees. ~ On June oth, 1895, I observed a pair in co/tu upon the trunk of a hickory (Carya amara), where there were no beech trees near by, and on care- fully examining other hickories in the immediate vicinity I found five more pairs. Two or three days later I examined the same trees and could not detect a single beetle, nor did I find any on subsequent examinations. This shows that missing the exact date for such an insect might lead to its escaping observation entirely, as those trees had been examined in former years. W. Hacue Harrincron. A CORRECTION. For the new genus of Megalopygidee, Arachycodion, described in the last volume of Can. Ent., read Azvos, Hubn. The genus is not in Kirby’s Catalogue, and I thus came to overlook it. The following is the synonymy :— Genus Arpos, Hiibner. 1818. Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett., p. 191, No. 1962, Brachycodion, Dyar. : 1895. Dyar, Can. ENT., XXVII., 244. Type A. amanda, Stoll. I must apologize for this synonym by hastening to correct it. Harrison G. Dyar. been put in possession of his paper on the Apatelidze, noticed by Dr. H.G. Dyar, in Can. Ent., Vol. XXVIII., p. 86; also, the original photographs of the plates, beautifully executed, and greatly admired by all who see them. The form and ornamentation are displayed with remarkable life-like distinctness, even to the tubercles and rounded bodies of the larve, which are somewhat lost on the plates, but well defined in the photos, testifying to the great advance that kas been made in this method of illustrating entomology since Mr. Grote first adopted it twenty: years ago. J. Atston MorrFat, 110 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. e NOTES ON NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA HYMENOPTERA.: BY C. H. TYLER TOWNSEND, LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. With the exception of some undetermined gallflies and parasites, the following list of 86 species contains all the Hymenoptera collected (and bred) by the author, in the South-west, of which it has proved pos- sible to get the names, except four mentioned in Can. EnT., 1892, p. 200. The gallflies and parasites above referred to will be recorded in some papers to be published in the future. The cottonwood, Llennocampa, mentioned in Can. ENT., 1893, p. 304, and in Zoe, iil., pp. 234-236, should also be included in the above exception. As the list is not large, the species are arranged alphabetically. The — fact that I have not been able to refer to Cresson’s catalogue explains this, as it does the absence in most cases of the authorities for the species, In the four cases where the query and asterisk occur, two species got mixed under one number in sending for identification to Hut. ews, so that it is uncertain to which the locality and notes belong. Agapostemon melliventris, Cr.—La Vega de San José, Valencia Co.,N. Mex., August 4. One. A small, elongate species, with head and thorax entirely vivid Paris-green colour. Abdomen, legs, and antenne yellow, the hind borders of segments brown. Det., Fox. Allantus unicinctus, Nort.—Hart Little Spring, Arizona, July 14. Seven specimens. Det., Fox. Andrena, sp.—Las Cruces, N. Mex. One ¢. A moderately small, elongate, entirely black species. Wings slightly fuscous. Det., Fox. Andrena, sp.—Las Cruces, N. Mex, One ¢. .Clypeus white. A small, elongate species. black; thorax and head whitish pubescent. — Wings slightly smoky, Det., Fox. Anthidium, sp.—Las Cruces, N. Mex., May 17. One ¢. A mod- erately small species with clear wings. Thorax with yellow border, except in front, and two delicate yellow vitte. Abdomen black, with yellow hind border to each segment. Det., Fox. Anthidium, sp. near mormonum.—Las Cruces, N. Mex. One. A small form, with wings clear. Abdomen black, with irregular yellow hind borders to segments, interrupted in middle on six segments. Det., Fox. Anthidium interruptum, Say.—Chaves, N. Mex., August 6. Three. — Las Cruces, N. Mex. One. Det., Fox. Anthophora, sp.—Hart Little Spring, Arizona, July 14. _One speci- men. A grayish pilose bee, larger than Megachile relativa 3 , and with the abdominal bands of pile gray. Det., Fox. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 111 Anthophora, sp., probably n. sp.—Chaves, Valencia County (near Los Lunas), N. Mex., August 6. One ¢. A species of moderate size, fulvous pilose, including first abdominal segment, rest of abdomen black’ with white or yellow hind borders to segments. Wings clear. Det., Fox. Anthophora, n. sp.—La Vega de San José, N. Mex., August 4. One ¢. Wholly yellowish, whitish pilose, with clear wings. A rather large species. Det., Fox. (?) * Anthophora maculifrons ?—Las Cruces, N. Mex. One 4. Small species, grayish cinereous pilose all over, only front border of abdominal segments 1 to 3 showing black. Pile on abdomen very short. Wings elear.' “Det., Fox. Anthophora montana, Cr.—La Vega de S. José, N. Mex., August 4, Two specimens. Det., Fox. Anthophora occidentalis, Cr.,6.—La Vega de S. José, N. Mex., Aug. 4. One $. Wholly yellowish, whitish pilose, with clear wings. A rather large species. Det., Fox. (?) * Anthophora Walshii, Cr.,$.—La Vega Ge San José, N. Mex., Aug. 4. One. Clypeus white. Six abdominal segments with white hind margins. Det., Fox. : Braconid.—Grand Canyon, Arizona; Hance trail, July rith. One specimen, A bright red species, with wings fuscous or black. Det., Fox. Calliopsis, sp.—Las Cruces, N. Mex. Two. Det., Fox. Ceceris (sic Cerceris ?) venator, Cr.—Chaves (near Los Lunas), N. Mex., August 6. One. Very like Zucercerts, sp., but basal abdominal ~ segment smaller and black. Det., Riley. Centris, sp. 2 (@ of Zanosa ?).—Las Cruces, N. Mex. One. Det., Fox, Cerceris bicornuta, Say.—La Vega de San José, N. Mex, August 4. Two. Det., Riley. Chalybion ceruleum, L.—La Vega de San José, N. Mex., August 4. One. A small bluish-black wasp, a common species in the Eastern U.S. Det., Riley. Chelonus sericeus, Say.—Continental Divide, Tenaja, N. Mex., Aug.2. One. A blackish saw-fly (?). Det., Riley. Chlorion occultus.—La Vega de San José, N. Mex., Aug. 4. One specimen. El Rito, N. Mex., Aug. 5. One specimen. Det., Fox. Crabro, sp.—Hart Little Spring, Arizona, July 14. One. A black, shining hornet, with abdomen banded with yellow, but no yellow on scutellum. Det., Fox. 112 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Crabro, sp., near Packardi.—Hart Little Spring, Arizona, July rq. One. A black hornet, of narrowed form. Abdomen banded with yellow, legs yellow. Det., Fox. Crabro delectus, Cr., %.—Continental Divide, Tenaja, N. Mex., Aug. 2, One.