eer & 3 no eee ol noe 3 a Pe JANUARY, 1906. — BNTOMOLOGICAL NEWS “i Vol. XVII. No. 1. x , Limnophila aspidoptera Coquillett. a ; EDITOR: Bey HENRY SKINNER, M. D. R PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor. er | o ADvIsoRY COMMITTEE: ®ZRA T. CRESSON. HENRY L. VIERECK. J. A. G. REHN. 5 PHILIP LAURENT. WILLIAM J. FOx. CHARLES W. JOHNSON. PHILADELPHIA: q ‘J ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS oF | THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, q LOGAN SQUARE. Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Published monthly, excepting July and August, in charge of the Entomological! Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Entomological Society. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, $1.00 IN ADVANCE. ee Outside of the United States and Canada, $1.20. Advertising Rates: 30 cents per square inch, single insertion ; a liberal discount on longer insertions. No advertisement taken for less than 60 cents— Cash in advance. jes All remittances should be addressed to ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, Academy of Natural Sciences, 19th and Race Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. EXOTIC LEPIDOPTERA. — ERNEST SWINHOE, 6, Gunterstone Road, West Kensington, London, W Cat. No. 15 for 1906 free. ~ The only dealers’ list giving authors’ names throughout. too named speci- mens, I qual: ex Assam, 40 different species in papers, including Papilio b00- tes, gyas, etc., mailed free on receipt of Post Office Order $4.00 Explanatory Catalogue, with over 300 descriptions and many interesting notes I2 cents. PARCELS SENT ON APPROVAL FOR SELECTION, FOR SALE CHEAP for cash—-collection of Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera. | 5000 species, 25,000 specimens contained in 250 Schmitt and other boxes. All in first-class condition. Determinations by best Amer. and Europ. specialists WM. A. NASON, ALGONQUIN, ILLINOIS. NEW PUBLICATIONS COLEOPTERA Revision of the Ptinidz of Boreal America, by H. C. Fall. 200 pp., 1 pl (Frans. 1605). 65) 6 ice Pe Ra ee $2.00 HYMENOPTERA Notes on Some Bees in the British Museum, by T. D. A. Cockerell. 56 pp. (Transp 1905): 6 ait Ns ans Sah ly oe oa -50 Synopsis of Euceridz, Emphoride and Anthophoride, by Charles Rob- ertson:. 8 pp. (Tras... 1908) e205 heaven ee ee 10 Descriptions of new species of Neotropical Hymenoptera; Descriptions of four new species of Odynerus from Mexico, by P. Cameron 19 pp { ftans., 1908) 6a ec Sst ee a 20 oS Se OR A Revision of the Mouth-parts of the Corrodentia and the Mallophaga, by R. E. Snodgrass. 11 pp., 1 pl. (Trans. 1905) ...,...-. «AOD MAILED ON RECEIPT OF PRICE E. T. CRESSON, Treasurer, P, O. Box 248, Philadelphia, ' a. When Writing Please Mention ‘“ Entomological News.” : pe = Bntomological News PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. VOLUME XVII, 1906. EDITOR ; HENRY SKINNER, M.D. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: EZRA T. CRESSON HENRY L. VIERECK J. A. G. REHN PHILIP LAURENT WILLIAM J. Fox CHARLES W. JOHNSON PHILADELPHIA : ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF THE ACADEMY OF NaTURAL SCIENCES, |5 it} | LOGAN SQUARE. - 1906. tie wee He ened California INDEX TO VOL. XVII. (Notes and articles on geographical distribution are indexed under the names of the States or countries concerned, and NOT under the species listed therein, except in the case of new or redescribed species. New generic and specific names are marked with a ,.) GENERAL SUBJECTS. Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila., Entom. Section of, 102, 182, 183. Alpine region of Mt. Wash- ington, Insects of......... American Entomol. Society, IOI, 103, 184, 185, 220. American Mosquito Extermi- nation Society, 15, 60. Announcement of changes in MPEGS 8g dw ee eee - Antedating publications, 181, 224, 264. Association of Economic En- tomologists, 100, 399. Berlese’s apparatus for col- lecting small Arthropods, 49, 182. is Berlese’s Gli Insetti.......... Blind beetles, 76, 105. British Columbia Entom. So- ccc tess Brooklyn Entom. Society, 36, 141, 267. Academy of Science, Ruins of.......... Chiggers, Remedy for ...... Cotton Belt, Association of Official Entomologists of... Earthquake and fire in Cali- fornia, 222, 261. - Economic Entomology, Value See SOL pa datieie bias 0 s.0 Editorials, 29, 68, 100, 140, 180, 221, 261, 308, 346, 308. Emergency case in insect arch- RS Entomological literature, 262, 263, 309, 400. 323 308 402 221 187 399 347 140 139 ' Entomological Society of America, 352, 354. _ Explanation of Terms used in Entomology, Smith’s ...... 309 Feldman Collecting Social, 37, 70, 102, 185, 186, 265, 311, 403. Field mice destroying insects. 102 _ Floor maggot, Congo........ 64 _ Folsom’s Entomology ....... 262 Formaldehyde as an_insecti- CHA seer is oa eno 130 Faunal relations of west coast of North America ......... 227 Geographical. races.~......... 43 Griffon vulture, Biting louse BOM: od. iu womens 62 Hasty publication, 32, 181, 224, 264. | Hawaiian Entom. Society.... 225 Hybrid larve of moths...... 396 Deeect SMe ee ins hiro t hchicce bo 34 Kansas University Collection 348 Letters to Editors, 15, 32, 60. Male moth largely colored Sm SEINE. Fee's Wis +c I4I Malpighian tube within the heart, 113, 179. Medical entomology ......... 180 Method of preparing wings for SE I ie... 218 Mexico,. Collecting in, 26, 399. Ns 5 ee ea 103 Mosquito extermination ..... 36 Newark Entom. Society...... 35 Newspaper entomology, 35, 311, 307. Number of eggs of insects.... 368 W\ ii INDEX. Obituary : Gia ipa aaa 230 Osten Sacken, C. R... 209, 273 Ohio University Lake Labora- Mae ee ss soe cap 122 Pacific Coast Entom. Society, 104, 105, 226. Pennsylyania Board of Agric., Entomologists to .......... 311 Pennsylvania Insects, Data RMRERE WOE). 5 oak wo Saw d Shae 230 Pennsylvania Mountains, Col- lecting in, 263, 312. Personals: Bethune, -C: ‘J. S... iy, 220 Calvert, Pa Paes 309, 399 Coquillett, D. W...224, 264 Cotten, Bott. eee . 309 yar, 20) as oe eee II5, 224, 264, 300 Mitcook: 13\C... . eee 225 Mueschen, K........... 309 Pore, 0. Goo5). . aeees 309 CT Beg Be ae © sper a ++ 322 Skinner, H.. rot Oe Slosson, hice. x T., . 181 ees FS Tes ins Pee 309 SST TEs ge co wees 300 Van: Duzee, ES Pst II2z MV tereck. FEB. SS es 150 Willing, T.-N.isvi 0.5 3909 Plants: Asclepias, Pollen of borne by butterflies.. 268 Chestnut worms....... 311 Corn, Insect injury to 311, 361 Date palms, Strategus Ute os eS AL 34 Gooseberries, Aphid at- tackitig i ones. 1adenne SO Grain injured by chinch WAGE icy Sein Watley bia esa 301 S5reatl MtRO iho) so ee 327 Grape-foliage, Beetle in- RE 2 i's 0.0 5 2b 212 Huckleberries injured -by Rhagoletis ....... 37 LOCust BOreTE ne a. cis 404 Maples, Insect injury tO” sucess een 313, 317 Oats, Aphid Os 5 a eae 290 Peach-foliage, Weevil injuring .......seeme » 210 Rosin-tubes, Insect from. ......+s055nneee 403 Scarlet sage defoliated by Aleurodes........ 403 Scleroderma, Beetle lar- es RE Re eg 115 Popular ignorance of insects. 346 Preservation of related spe- cies, A factor mm... iacueee 146 Progression, Ways of........ I Pronunciation of entomologi- cal names... 2; <.. <0 or Notes on the Egg-laying Habits of Culex curriei Coq. By H. J. QuAyYLE, Ames, Iowa. During the past summer the writer was engaged in mosquito control work along the portion of the San Francisco bay shore extending from San Mateo to South San Francisco. ‘The ter- ritory contiguous to the marsh here has long been noted for its abundant supply of mosquitoes, and the species giving the bulk of the trouble was Culex curriez Coq. Early in the campaign, my attention was directed to the fact that larvee were appearing exclusively in pools that were reached only by the monthly high tides, and which were dry for a portion of each month. This led me to infer that, like the salt marsh species in New Jersey, this species chose the mud of the drying pools rather than water in which to lay its eggs. Consequently mud was taken from such pools and submerged with ordinary sea water when, in the course of two or three days, wrigglers invariably appeared. Another — method of studying this egg-laying habit consisted in sinking ordinary soap boxes, with the bottoms first removed, to a depth of two or three inches in the mud of pools, where larvze were likely to appear. These boxes were thoroughly screened at the top to prevent the entrance of adults, and were kept _Jan.,’06) ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5 _ from floating away with the tides by means of stakes driven into the ground. When the monthly high tide reached the - pool, water covered the mud within the box by seepage from below, the top being above high tide water, and in due time wrigglers would appear inside the box as abundantly as in the - pool outside. These experiments, and the fact that through- out the season larvee appeared in such situations only, con- vinced me that Culex curried lays its eggs in mud by preference, a if not exclusively. I have negative evidence to the effect that this species win- ters in the egg state, but space here will not permit of an account of this. During the past year (1905) the eggs first began to hatch in February, the first larvee appearing on the 1. Despite the fact that no adults were seen after April, > the effective control work, larvee appeared in these tem- pools in increasing numbers with each high tide until ing the season of 1904, a brood of curriet fe ES each as regularly as the tides from February to September ve, making eight in the season. In arid climates like found in the hills toward the ocean, ten miles from its breed- ing ground, along the bay shore. It is hardly necessary to add that this species is a strictly salt marsh form in this sec- tion, and is the most abundant and annoying mosquito of the _ Bay region of California. 3 —~er z How doth the busy little bee Peet ity. Improve each shining minute? By flying ’round the can to see The good things that are in it, 6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., 06 Standards of the Number of Eggs Laid by Insects—IV.* Being averages obtained by actual count of the combined eggs from twenty (20) depositions or masses. By A. ARSENE GIRAULT. 5. ARILUS CRISTATUS Linnaeus. No. | Date, 1903 ee ame je Pag Bes pend ped Max. Min. | Range 1 | Mar. 20 160 160 160 172 2 136 296 148 3 136 432 144 4 138 570 142.5 5 II4 684 136.8 6 118 802 133.6 7 go 892 127.4 8 167 1059 132.3 9 |, 159 1218 135-3 10 126 1344 134.4 II 125 1469 133-5 12 133 1602 133-5 13 16 ce) 1721 132.3 14 , 153 1874 133-7 15 105 1979 132 16 I51 2130 133 ‘7 III 2241 132 18 42 2283 126 42 19 172 2455 129.2 172 20 I12 2567 128 42 20 2567 128 ‘172 +42 '| 130 |Finals The egg-masses were collected at Annapolis, Md:, in a small peach orchard, where they have been unusually abundant for the past three or four years. In other orchards, in the imme- diate vicinity, none could be found, nor on trees other than fruit trees, except rarely. The insect apparently shows quite a preference for peach, as a place of deposit for eggs, and it seems to have a tendency to exist in isolated colonies. Most of the estimates of the number of eggs deposited by this insect fall below the average obtained. i the first three of this series see ENT. NEWS, 1901, p. 305; 1904, pp. 2-3, and 1905, p. 167. eet > M. WITTE says the peace of Portsmouth was signed in order to get rid of the mosquitoes. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7 arasitic Be erditee of Algonquin, I[linois.—III*. “igs - PROCTOTRYPID&. on cera armifera Say. cimens =—or Notes on Collecting in Mexico. By J. F. McCLENDON, University of Pa., Philadelphia. In the summer of 1902, while seeking the cool plateau of Mexico as a quiet retreat to pursue my studies, I found near Guadalajara, Jalisco, some Neuropterous insects that were new to me, and the next summer planned a trip to Jalisco to col- lect insects and some other zoological specimens. Many of the specimens I took have been used in preparation of the Biologia Centrali-Americana, and at the request of Dr. P. P. Calvert I give the following account of my trip: On June 12, 1903, I crossed the border at Eagle Pass and reached Guadalajara by the Mexican International & Central Railways. Most of the suburbs of this city are covered by crops of corn and tobacco, but the ravine of the San- tiago forms an admirable collecting ground for an entomiol- ogist, and here and in some deserted parks I spent most of my time. The altitude and the frequent rains of this sea- son made the air very cool and most of the insects caught were nearctic, save at the bottom of the ravine, where, amid oranges, bananas and other tropical plants, are found many forms that have strayed from the hot shores of the Pa- cific. The further down the river I went, the more tropi- cal forms were met with, but as the natives were not in- clined to be civil, I did not go further than the Barranca de San Juan. One hideous night at that hacienda discouraged my scientific zeal, and I préferred to lose a few hours on mule back each day rather than repeat such an experience. I went up in the mountains as far as Zapotlanejo, about 20 miles east of Guadalajara on horseback, and succeeded ‘in returning with some specimens. Although I did not = jan., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 27 have to sleep in the forta/, as at San Juan the best ‘‘ room’”’ I could get had no window. In September I spent a week at Tuxpan, near the construc- ; tion camp of that branch of the Mexican Central Railway and - about 30 miles from the volcano of Colima. ‘That was a lonely = place, but the volcano, looking down on all the country round © _ and expressing its varying moods in wreaths of white steam or black smoke or casting a red glow on the clouds at night, was _acompanion to me. Although much nearer the sea level, _ Tuxpan is cool in summer and has many nearctic besides tropical forms of insects. The leaf-cutter ant cuts roads through the grass and the Kelep ant swarms up the stems of shrubs in the same field. At this time I did not know that this large ant was the one introduced against the boll weevil, although I looked forthe latter in vain. The natives of Tux- pan have some strange ceremonies developed from Indian dances and ideas gotten from Spanish missionaries, and the place is of interest to a tourist. Returning to Guadalajara I remained until the latter part of September, when I left the Republic. A New Fossil Ant. By T. D. A. CocKERELL. Florissant, not far from Pike’s Peak, in Colorado, has long been Enown as a wonderful locality for fossil plants and insects. It is, in fact, a sort of Tertiary Pompeii where the fauna and flora of an ancient period are almost perfectly preserved in fine _mud and sand, ejected by the volcanoes which at that time _ were in full operation in the Rocky Mountain region. During the present year, collections have been made at Florissant by Judge J. Henderson and Dr. F. Ramaley, of the University of Colorado, and while most of the specimens are plants, there are a few insects. In the first railroad cutting east of Floris- sant was obtained an excellently preserved spider, C/udbiona arcana Scudder, ¢; at a different place, the northwest corner of ‘‘ Fossil Stump Hill,’’ an ant was found belonging to an undescribed species. 28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., 06 Ponera hendersoni n. sp. . Q. Length about 11 mm. ; black; anterior wing about 8 mm. ; head rather small, length slightly over 2 mm. ; width of abdomen a little over 2mm. Nervures strong and dark ; the venation is in general similar to that of P. coarctata Latr., (cf. Wheeler, Biol. Bull., 1900, p. 47), but dif- fers as follows: Stigma longer and narrower, its lower edge nearly straight ; marginal cell longer, but not approaching so near the apex of the wing, the latter being also more produced ; costal cell broader in the middle, and giving off the basal nervure further from the stigma ; first submarginal cell long, though not as long as the marginal ; the first sub- marginal extends further basad than in P. coarctata, but not so far apicad, as the radial nervure is given off about the middle of the stigma, instead of beyond its middle as in P. coarctata ; first discoidal cell longer, being much longer than high, with the first recurrent nervure more oblique ; second submarginal cell about as in P. coarcfafa. Femora rather broad. The abdomen and other parts seem to present no distinctive features, except tbat the ocelli are smaller and closer together than in P. coarctata. Named after the collector, who is a well-known student of Colorado paleontology. ‘Type in the University of Colorado Museum ; it is intended to publish a figure later in connection with a general account of the Florissant collections. Children, if you meet a cricket, Please remember not to kick it; Not a youth whose nature’s sweet’ll Strike a ladybug or beetle. If a daddy longlegs passes, Do not slay it (as alas! is Often done by wicked urchins; Who deserve the soundest birchin’s). When a gnat—that lively hummer, ~ r Which you’ll hear when it is summer, Comes a-buzzing round your hat, it | Is wrong to throw a pebble at it. Do not think me sentimental When I ask you to be gentle With the insect population Of our free and glorious nation. If you’re kind in this partic’lar, They will buzz in your auric’lar ; Every child, of course, can see What a pleasure that will be.—London Globe. - ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL News solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author’s name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] To Contributors.—All contributions will be considered and passed upon at out earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put ‘‘copy’”’ into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five ‘‘ extras,” without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Eb. PHILADELPHIA, PA., JANUARY, 1906. It will be remembered that we decided to place on the cover of each volume of the NEws the most interesting, curious or wonderful insect described from North America in the pre- ceding year. We asked for suggestions from our subscribers as to the selection of the insect, but never received any, so if our selection is poor they can have no legitimate complaint. Our first effort resulted in a bee- tle being selected (/enotus enig- maticus Slosson), the second was a bee, and now we present a dip- teron. ‘This curious species was described by Mr. D. W. Coguil- lett in the Canadian Entomolo- gist, p. 347, 1905. Specimens were collected by Prof. Cockerell on the summit of Las Vegas Mountains, New Mexico,. and by Mr. Henry L. Viereck on top of the main range of the Rocky Mountains, near Beulah, New ss hg aspidoptera Coquillett. i Mexico. ‘These are probably identical localities. The specimens collected by Mr. Viereck are in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. In the future we hope to have aid from our subscribers in the selection of each year’s insect. 29 30 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., ’06 Notes and News. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. NOMENCLATURE OF CERTAIN NORTH AMERICAN ODONATA.—Recent work on the ‘“ Biologia Centrali-Americana”’ has directed my attention to‘questions of nomenclature of-some familiar North American species as follows : 1. Hagen, in his Synopsis of 1861, gave, as one of the species of Libellula, L. luctuosa Burm., and placed Z. dbasalis Say as a synonym thereof. In his Synopsis of 1875, he gave dasa/is Say as the name of the species and placed /ucfuwosa Burm. as the synonym, and American authors since have followed his later example. Hagen’s reversal was apparently due to a change in his ideas as to the relative priority of Burmeister’s and Say’s names, both of which were published in 1839. On this question I have no fuller information than that given by Hagen in Psyche, v, p. 369, but the correct name of this species now appears to be ascertain- able on other grounds. Mr. Kirby, in his catalogue of 1890, p. 29, uses luctuosa as the name of the species and dasalis as the synonym. He does not indicate his reason for so doing, as he has done on the same page in the case of axilena vs. lydia. A study of this Catalogue, how- ever, led me to the following data: Newman, in 1833, described Sympe- trum basalis (now regarded as a synonym of S. samguineum Miiller, 1764). Stephens, in 1835, redescribed Newman’s species as ZLibe//ula basalis ; consequently both Say's Zzbedlula basalis of 1839, and Libellula basalis Burm., 1839, a name for a still different species, are homonynis ~ and must be rejected. The proper names and the synonymy of the last two species would therefore be— Libellula luctuosa Burm., 1839. Libellula basalis Say, 1839. Libellula odiosa Hagen, 1861. Belonia luctuosa et odiosa Kirby, 1890: Tramea incerta (Ramb., 1842). Libellula basalis Burm., 1839. Tramea basalis Kirby, 1890. . 2. Hagen, in his Synopsis of 1861, established the genera Erythemis (p. 168), under which stand as species: 1. furcata Hag., 2 bicolor Erich., 3. dongipes Hag, and Mesothemis (p. 170) including 1. simpi- cicollis Say, 2. collocata Hag., 3. corrupta Hag., 4. illota Hag., 5s. attala Selys, 6. mithra Selys, 7. longipennis Burm. He did not spe- cify a type-species for either genus. This was first done by Mr. Kirby, in his Revision of the Libellulinz of 1889, in which he named dico/or as the type of Zrythemis, and simplicicollis as that of Mesothemis. Bicolor is a synonym of peruviana Ramb., and between this species and simp/i- cicollis 1 can find no differences of generic value. B6th peruviana 9 Jan., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 31 (bicolor) and simplicicollis must be placed in the same genus, and as Erythemis precedes Mesothemis in Hagen’s work, Erythemis must be the name of that genus. Consequently a very familiar dragonfly of the United States must be styled Erythemis simplicicollis (Say). A different conclusion will be drawn by those who take the first species enumerated under a new generic name asthe type thereof. Furcata Hagen is generically different from dicolor Erichs. and is a Cannacria Kirby. To the “‘first species = type” school, simplicicollis will remain a Mesothemis, and Cannacria will disappear as a synonym of Arythemts. Present rules, however, would appear to favor the preceding view, which is that which has been adopted for the ‘ Biologia.’ 3. I merely mention that in the ‘Biologia’ return has been made to the original spelling -Zshua, instead of the later Zschna. PHILIP P. CALVERT. CORRECTION TO THE List oF NEw ENGLAND Oponata.—In the recently (October, 1905) published list of New England Odonata (Occa- sional Papers, Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vii, Fauna of New England .6. List of the Odonata), I included Argia apicalis (Say) on the authority of the late Prof. Harvey. Prof. Harvey’s record was published in the News, ii, p. 51. Mr. E. B.e Williamson, who recently acquired part of Prof. Harvey’s collection, writes me as follows: ‘‘Isee Arg. apicalis is recorded from New England on Harvey’s collecting. You will notice in Harvey’s record in Ent. News that this specimen was taken same date and place as putrida. A few days ago | started to list the Harvey collec- tion. . . andI finda 2 Argia labelled by him apicalis, date as recorded in Ent. News, associated in box with 29 , unlabelled. All three are very adult specimens of putrida. As you have probably noticed, the very adult 2 2 of putrida become pearly-blue like apficadis and not a dense, dingy-white pruinose like old males.’’ Aficalis is consequently to be stricken from the list, until, as is likely, it be found in New England.— PHILIP P. CALVERT. Rare Onto LEpipopTrera.—I send a few records of rare captures which may be of interest. On July 2nd, 1905, I took a fresh specimen of Calephelis borealis, and on October 3rd a torn specimen of Ca/opsilia eubule, both new to this locality. While bush-beating for larvz on linden I got a larva, which hatched out on August 3rd a fine § of Thecla m-album. Only once before has this been taken here. I saw in the News that Eros aurora had been taken in numbers in the East. On September 17th, around two rotten stumps, I took twenty-five fresh specimens, and might have taken more if it had not set in to rain. I took several more later. Previous to this I only had one specimen. I have been especially interested in the Bombycidz and Geometridz, and the past season reared quite a number of the larvze of those species. —G. R. PILATE, 321 Forest Avenue, Dayton, Ohio. 32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., ’06 Our criticism of the hasty publication of entomological facts has brought us a letter from Mr. Sherman and a note in print from Miss Soule. Both make the excuse that literature is difficult of access. It is a maxim that ignorance of the law excuses no one. Ignorance of pre- vious work should result, not in hasty publication, but in consultation of someone better posted, or in discreet silence. The officers of the U.S. National Museum will always reply to questioners seeking information of this nature. We would reply to Miss Soule that we have no objection to ‘‘popular” articles that are frankly such and give proper credit to antecedent work. We have criticised authors for hasty and uncritical work ; but there is another aspect of the case. What is the condition of editorial respon- sibility in a journal that accepts these articles without question >—HArR- RISON G. DYAR. GUELPH, CANADA, Dec. g, 1905. EpiITor NEws :— I must confess to a feeling of relief upon seeing Dr. Dyar taken to task in the last issue of the News by both Dr. Skinner and Miss Soule, for it shows that Iam not alone in my dislike for unnecessary and caustic rebukes. The brief article which I recently contributed to the News on the pupating habit of Harrisimemna tris@nata was not specially in- tended for use as a leading article, but even if it did so appear it does not seem to me that it need bring out any severe rebuke. Two other entomologists kindly wrote me immediately after the appearance of the article giving me the information I needed, and which I asked for, while Dr. Dyar published a brief and caustic rebuke a month later, so that it was of no help to me whatever. I do not see the use of one being so anxious to critizise every imaginary or real mistake. I wrote Dr. Dyar . a personal letter containing much the same sentiments expressed in Miss Soule’s note, and had no intention of taking this matter into print and only do so now lest my reticence in the matter should be misunderstood. If anyone will read my article in the News for October, I think he will agree that Dr. Dyar’s remarks in the issue for November are needlessly harsh, if not altogether uncalled for.—FRANKLIN SHERMAN, JR. WE can’t refrain from noticing Dr. Dyar’s criticism as it is so mani- festly unjust. We were not previously aware that the law and entomol- ogy were ona par, but, as Dr. Dyar says they are, that is the end of it. If writers for the NEws wish to submit their articles to the officers of the U. S. National Museum we offer no objection. That the polyphemus moth has stemmed and stemless cocoons has been known to the Editor of the News for at least thirty years, and, moreover, he published the fact six years before the citation given by Dr. Dyar. He is alsoaware that the same thing was published in 1797, and by later writers, includ- ing Dr. Riley, in the Missouri Reports. The writer wrote to Miss Soule stating he had found many such cocoons, but as he was interested in her studies of the matter and thought other News readers would ., 706] _ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 33 e also, he put the article in the NEws. Miss Soule has a love - natural history and her endeavor to find out the distribution E the stemmed and stemless cocoon is most praiseworthy. She vives her experience with cocoons in Eastern New York, Massa- Shoset New Hampshire and Vermont, and the pith of the whole atter is in the concluding paragraph on page 175 of vol. xvi. We are not greatly troubled by Dr. Dyar’s remarks on ‘‘ The condition of editorial responsibility,’’ as the success of the NEws shows. We pub- lish in the News what we think of interest to its readers, and the assump- tion that everything is new and that ifit is not it is due to ignorance of the facts on the part of the editors is preposterous. We don’t live on ice water. We were also aware that the life history of Harrisitmemna trisignata had been studied by a number of entomologists, but as the article on that subject interested our readers and brought valuable com- __ ment we are also satisfied on that score. Our space is too valuable and 2 aenifod to publish a bibliography with each article.—H. S. sy dp Polyphemus Cocoons.—In answer to my question about the forms of Me Biaipncmis cocoons, I have had many interesting letters - whose reports 3 give briefly. _ From Massachussetts, Rhode Island, Coniecticnt and Vermont ‘‘ no ‘stems ”? were reported ; “never heard of one with a stem ”’ Bree: added more than once. _ Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania report both forms, sometimes ‘one given as predominating, sometimes the other. One collector in New Jersey gives figures: out of 20,000 cocoons but ‘200 had stems. Missouri has both forms according to two collectors ; all stems, accord- ing to one, all stems except one specimen, according to another. Sane aee all stems except one specimen 5 _ Ohio—all stems, ‘‘even when spun in a cage,”’ one student writes. - From Canada a small percentage of stems is reported, and this form is thought, by two persons, to be made by diseased or parasitized larvee in Canada. _Cocoons with stems, sent me from the West, gave superb moths, but % two similar ones gave parasites, indicating that these have no connection with the form of cocoon. Of course, these reports are not enough to justify any theory, and the reports from any state might be balanced by the experience of collectors who have not sent any information, so there is nothing final reached. One interesting fact was given. A collector wrote that the form with stems was always found on maples on the streets of towns, while the _stemless form was found in the woods, either on the ground or spun ; against the trunk or branch of a tree. The same difference was noted by _two other persons, one of whom suggested that the suspension might be _ because in the streets the leaves on the ground were cleared away in the autumn, —CAROLINE Gray SOULE. 34 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., ’06 STRATEGUS INJURING DATE-PALMS.—Professor R. H. Forbes recently sent me a fine male S/rategus julianus, which he reported as eating roots of date palms in Arizona. I am indebted to Mr. Fall for assist- ance in determining the species. In Alabama, S. anf@us has been reported to injure peach roots (c/. Bull. 22, Div. Ent., Dep. Agr., p. 105. —T. D. A. CoCKERELL. . . THE DistTRIBUTION OF HELICONIUS CHARITONIUS LINNAZUS IN THE UNITED StateEs.—That this distinctly tropical butterfly has a wider range within the United States than has heretofore been assigned to it by authors has come to the knowledge of the writer. One of his valued correspondents, residing in Waco, Texas, informs him in a recent letter that he has captured three specimens of the insect at the latter place, and he is further informed by one of his assistants, who was long resident in Kansas, that he himself has seen several specimens in the possession of local collectors in Kansas, which were taken in the southern part of that State. That these specimens taken in Kansas are individuals which strayed northward is no doubt true, but that the insect occurs in considerable numbers as far north as central Texas is proved by recent observations. If occurring as far north as Kansas, it may also well occur, and undoubtedly does occur, in Louisiana, and possibly also as a straggler in Arkansas.--W. J. HOLLAND. INsECT GaLLs.—There has just come to hand a very useful and nicely- illustrated paper on the ‘‘Insect galls of Indiana,’’ written by Dr. M. T. Cook (who is now in Cuba), and published by the Department of Geo- © logy and Natural Resources of Indiana. It is much to be hoped that this paper will stimulate interest in this rather neglected subject, which in Europe has such a large following that a journal is published, devoted exclusively to it. While we must confess that galls have received only a small fraction of the attention they deserve in this country, we must protest against the idea prevalent in some quarters that nothing has been done. On two different occasions, Dr. Bessey referred (in Sc7z- ence) to Dr. Cook’s papers as if they constituted practically the first lit- erature on galls in America. Even Dr. Cook himself, although he announces that he is working on a monograph of the insect-galls of North America, states that Coccid galls have only been reported from Austra- lia, whereas they are known from the United States, Ceylon, South Africa, etc. ‘ I notice that Dr. Cook retains the name Pemphigus vagabundus Walsh, for the gall on cottonwood usually known by this name. Oestlund (Aphididz of Minnesota, 1887, p. 22) showed that. this was not the true vagabundus of Walsh, but did not propose a new name. I propose that the P. vagabundus of Oestlund, described in the place cited, be known as Pemphigus estlundi. It is found as far west as Colorado. Walsh’s species is probably unrecognizable.—T. D. A. COCKERELL. | in., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 35 _A FEATHERED worm has made its appearance in different parts of the tz te of North Carolina, and a number of people have been made very | by its bite. — - The insect is not unlike a white earth worm, but has a covering of bi own down, similar to that of a young bird. Its bite is so poisonous that in a few seconds after receiving the wound the victim swells enor- 10usly and displays symptoms not unlike those of a snake bite. The worm feeds on maple trees and rose bushes. Its presence on the utter accounts for the number of women victims. No one is able to classify the insect. Several specimens are being prepared for shipment to Washington for examination to establish its identity. — New York Times. Doings of Societies. The October meeting of the Newark Entomological Society was held on the 8th, with President Keller in the chair and 24 members present. Messrs. J. Schmich, M. Schulze and B. Porter were proposed and elected to membership. _ The following captures were reported : _ Arctia rectilinea, by Mr. Wormsbacher. _Melanomma auricinctaria (Lep.) and Catocala relicta at New- ark, by Mr. Broadwell. Mr. Buchholz exhibited a 6 of Argynnis idalia, caught = by himself at Plainfield, N. J., with primaries almost black ; | secondaries entirely black on top and marginal row of silvery spots underneath absent; submarginal row almost wanting and inner ones greatly reduced. Semiophora janualis, Agrotis geniculata, Porosagrotis mure- _ nule, Mamestra laudabilis and Acronycta tritona at Lakehurst, _ N.J., were reported by Messrs. Keller and Buchholz. _ After adjournment of the business meeting the 21st anni- __versary of the Society was celebrated; a good supper and _ refreshments were amply provided for by the committee in _ charge. The music wasfurnished by Professors Weidt and _ Wormsbacher and an all around good humor prevailed until the end. _ The November meeting of the Newark Entomological So- _ ciety was held on the 12th, with President Keller in the chair and 13 members present. |The officers’ election resulted as follows: President, Mr, 36 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., ’06 Geo. J. Keller, re-elected ; Vice President, Mr. H. H. Brehme; Secretary, Mr. Otto Buchholz, re-elected ; Treasurer, Mr. S. Seib, re-elected ; Librarian, Mr. Wm. Broadwell, re-elected ; Curator (Lep.), Mr. J. B. Angelman, re-elected; Curator (Col.), Mr. E. A. Bischoff, re-elected. Mr. Wasmuth exhibited some rare specimens of Lepidoptera; among them were: Sphinx franckit, Sphinx canadensis, Ellema coniferarum (larvee), Papilio philenor wasmuthi, 2 of Arctia nevadensis, Catocala elda anda 9 of Argynnis nokomts. Mr. Buchholz had specimens of a new species of Acronycta caught at Elizabeth, N. J. OTtro BucHHOLZ, Secretary. Minutes of meeting of Brooklyn Entomological Society, held at the residence of Mr. George Franck, 1o40 DeKalb avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y., on October 5, 1905. Highteen persons pres- ent, the president in the chair. Mr. James Lever, of Brook- lyn, was duly elected a member. : Prof. John B. Smith gave an outline of the work connected with the extermination of mosquitoes in Staten Island and the adjacent Long Island salt marshes, with photographs showing apparatus and localities. Investigation had proved that in the spring of 1905, Culex sollicittans did not breed in New Jersey, but did breed on Staten Island, from whence the insects had been traced in their flight to the Orange Mts. and thence to Madison and Morristown, N. J. It became essential therefore that action should be taken by the New York City authorities, who had accordingly, upon application, appropriated $17,0v0, based on the report and estimate of Mr. Brehme, who had ex- amined the conditions on the Island. This sum had been further reduced on advertised bids to $15,500 and the work of elimina- ting mosquito breeding areas there was rapidly progressing. The Brooklyn City Railroad Company was also greatly aiding in the matter by removing ashes on specially constructed box cars, each car conveying four giant ash cans holding many tons of material, which, by means of cranes, was expeditiously dumped upon the Coney Island and Gravesend marshes, whereby, not only was the refuse promptly taken away, but much worthless meadow was being reclaimed and made val- ., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 37 - uable and incidentally the breeding places of mosquitoes were g becoming greatly diminished. Professor Smith further explained that the unusual freedom from mosquitoes which large sections of Long Island enjoyed _ the past summer was due to the lack of rain during the pre- 4 vious spring and the consequent drying up of pools and _ marshes to such an extent that subsequent showers proved insufficient to provide moisture enough for the development of the eggs and larvee. “Mr. Wasmuth exhibited a fine series of Apantesis otthona and variation vecti/inea, the latter heretofore recorded only from the Mississippi Valley, which he had found resting on grass stems in a field near Woodhaven, L. I., about May 15. Mr. H. H. Newcomb, of Boston, being present, gave the Society much interesting information concerning the progress of things entomological and collections in that city. | peaner ARCHIBALD C. WEEKS, Secretary. A stated meeting of the Feidman Collecting Social, of Philadelphia, was held November 15, 1905, 11 members pres- ent. eae ; a _ Mr. Laurent exhibited specimens of Zvrann7s tiliaria and 4 Euchlaena obtusaria, taken at Mount Airy, Philadelphia. The _ first-named species was not in Mr. Laurent’s list of Pennsyl- vania moths published some time ago. _ Mr. Daecke stated that he had received a communication from Professor Hine in which he reports a typical specimen of Chrysops amazon from New Hampshire. Mr. Daecke also exhibited specimens of Rhagoletis pomonella, bred on huckle- berry. _ A few overripe huckleberries infested by small dipterous larvee were collected at Da Costa, N. J., Aug. 16, 1904. The larvee went into the ground to pupate. One imago emerged May 31st, 1905, and proved to be Rhagoletis pomonella Walsh, belonging to the family Trypetidz. ‘The larva is the well- known apple maggot. Mr. Wenzel exhibited the work of a Scolytid in roots of huckleberry. The species is Corthylus punctatissimus, taken by 38 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Jan., ’06 Mr. Wenzel, Jr., on October 22nd, at Cape May Court House. This is the only subterranean Scolytid known. Mr. H.W. Wenzel exhibited a collection of Coleoptera, made by H. Wenzel, Jr., on Tybee island, on the coast of Georgia, during the latter part of July, approximating 3,000 speci- mens. The collection contained a great number of very interesting species. Carabidae were rarely found on the ground. A species of Gelasimus (fiddeler crab) is sole pro- prietor of all soil in the woods. In going over the collection the speaker dwelt on the following species: By beating trees, Pterostichus submarginatus, Plochionus amandus, and other Carabidae were found. Among the Histeridae a beautiful blue species near Paromalus—probably a new species. In the Elateridae several very interesting species—Dendrocharis flavi- cornis, Stethon errans, Nematodes pavidus ; a species near Mono- crepidius, unknown to the speaker, was found at night on the sand hills near the beach ; this is a pale unicolored insect. In Buprestidae—Xenorhipes brendeli, Actenodes auronotatus and other species. Dyrapetes geminatus and D. rubricollis. In Cler- idae Hydnocera aegra and other species. Ptinidae—twenty species were taken, including several species recently described by Mr. Fall. In Scarabzideze, a number of species, Lachnos- terna glaberrima being common. Cerambycidae are repre- sented by a number of species. Lypsiména fuscata in numbers showing a great difference in size. Chrysomelidae represented by a number of species. Aruchus coryphae and B. cruentatus, the former a most beautiful species, in numbers. . Tenebrio- nidae not numerous, Platydema cyanescens, a fine species was taken. Oedemeridae, Mordellidae and Anthici are represented, formicomus scitulus a beautiful little species was found com- mon with Mecynotarsus candidus and Anthicus pallens. ‘The Curculionidae are well represented, especially Conotrachelus and allied genera, probably one or two new species. Scoly- tidae not numerous. Anthribidae are well represented. A complete list of all species found on Tybee Island by Dr. Castle and Mr. Wenzel will be published in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. F. HAImBACcH, Secretary. - FL ty wm 4 ry +f 4 A a ~ GE -Ss ° EnT. NEws, Vol. X VII. 99 9 8 2 4994 4 v99 9 99 99 499 a nr y 4 = (oy) qm ES BS «-O © CO 49999 60 63 64 65 66 o7 EYE MACULATIONS OF THE GENUS CHRYSOPS. All figures are taken from feniales except those marked ¢. - 4 C. celer 16 C. montanus 29-30 C. bistellatus 50-51 C. sequax 5 C. fugax 17-19 C. callidus 31-32 C. moechus 52 C. striatus 6- 7 C. niger 20 C. delicatulus 33-35 C. obsoletus 53 C. cursim 8 C. amazon 21-23 C. dimmocki 36-39 C. univittatus 54-60 C. pudicus g C. plangens 24 C. indus 40-42 C. fallax 61-62 C. brunneus 10-13 C. nxigribimbo 25-26 C. morosus 43 C. marens 63-67 C. flavidus 14-15 C. dbrimleyi 27-28 C. hilarts 44-49 C. vittatus _ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS _ PROCEEDINGS OF THE SToMoLeetCal SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. Vou. XVII. FEBRUARY, 1906. No. 2. => CONTENTS: t eT aaah See wh Daecke—On the Eye-Coloration of the Smith—Some Notes on the Bee Genus PUMMOS CCUTYGODS. 2.6.5.6 60s cceses. 39 Cemmolicatia Sacro. os occa uaeaks 57 Wickham—The Races of Cicindela Troop—A New Aphid ..........+...6.. 59 _ tranquebarica Hbst.............+++ 43 | Brues—A New Subapterous Encyrtid.. 61 Coquillett—A New Tabanus Related to Kellogg—A Gigantic New Biting Bird- NEN Gayo biae n'elslely 0. d be e-0ie 48 eNO ys Se ALA Sah eee eke eee 62 Howard—Prof. Berlese’s Apparatus for Wellman—Observations on the Biono- Collecting Small Arthropods Rap- ‘mics of Auchmeromyia luteola Fab. 64 idly and in Great Quantities....... Bh 8s TUN i Wc cre eakes din nio 05 SONY ah howler 68 Dela Torre Bueno—On Some Aquatic Notes and NewS.......ssseeesesee ot PSD . ; Hemiptera from Costa Rica, Cen- Doms Of “Societies 6355 eFesn whi eevee 70 SN MNNNOR ypc Vie ie veldeesscssccls 54 On the Eye-Coloration of the Genus Chrysops. By E. DAECKE. (Plate 1.) ‘Little has been recorded on the eye-maculation of Chry- sops, yet every student of this interesting genus, when in doubt of where to place a specimen will examine the eyes in order to obtain additional information to separate it from its allied forms. Baron Osten-Sacken, in his Prodrome, Part 1, page 369, has _ briefly referred to this character. _ ‘The fact that the design disappears as soon as the insect is ied makes it inconvenient for study, and to relax the speci- _ men, which will bring the image back again to some extent, is _ done at the risk of ruining it. This, combined with the fact that the design-variation in some species is so great as to run into and correspond with that of other species, likely has _ caused students to carefully avoid writing on this subject. The vast design- variation in the species renders a synoptic 39 40 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 table of this genus by this character impossible, but enough matter of value remains that I deem it expedient to offer these remarks accompanied by the figures, and hope that it may stimulate to further research in this direction. My observations were mainly made on the New Jersey species, though a few others, so far not recorded from New Jersey, have been figured. The figures are taken from females except Nos. 19, 32, 40 and 43, which are marked ¢. The design of the male eye necessarily differs from that of the female. The male eye being holoptic the design is longer and drawn toward the vertex. As arule it is indistinct in the vertical region or fades away entirely, a reddish bronze lustre frequently taking its place. The upper spot near the frontal margin is seldom recognizable, The middle spot, gen- erally present, rarely corresponds in shape with that of the female. It is generally elongated toward the vertex, in which direction it frequently loses its definite contour. In C. cali- dus the shape of lower frontal spot and its contiguity to the frontal margin (Fig. 19), in C. moechus the arrow-head (Fig. 32) betray the identity with their respective females. The male fallax resembles the female in its linear shaft which is disconnected from the arrow-head and occipital border (Fig. 40). On account of their scarcity the eyes of males of only a few species have been studied. The normal eye of Chrysops consists of six purple spots on a green ground-color. 1. The occipital border, generally indentated in the middle, along the occipital margin. 2. The arrow-head, in front of the indentation of the occip- ital border, pointing downward. 3. The shaft, either attached to or disconnected from the arrow-head, upwards. 4. The upper frontal spot 5. The middle frontal spot ? along the frontal margin. 6. The lower frontal spot It does not matter what shape these spots assume or in what manner they combine with each other, these six spots Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 41 can always be recognized by their relative positions. There __ may be two, three, four, five or all connected with each other, _ thus it will happen that in C. dimmocki and C. indus all spots are connected in some way. Again there may be as many ten spots (C. flavidus), but it will be readily seen that this greater number is caused by the subdivision of some of the above-named maculations. _ The arrow-head and middle spot either coalesce or are sep- arated in the same species (see celer, niger, callidus, dimmockz). The same may be said of arrow-head and occipital border be- low (nigribimbo, dimmocki, flavidus, etc.) The coalescence of upper spot, shaft and occipital border near vertex is equally unreliable as a distinguishing character (umzvittatus, pudicus) _ but the connection and separation of border and occipital mar- gin appear to be singularly permanent ; thus in all specimens a examined of flavidus the occipital border is separated from the margin, while in drunneus, a closely allied species to flavidus, itis united to it. (Fig. 61 is taken from a New Jersey speci- men, Fig. 62 from a specimen from Ohio). - The eye of pudicus resembles that of brunneus, here the Ds border also joins the occipital margin, but the middle spot is distinctly different from that of drunneus. See figure. _--—«*‘The eyes of pudicus and cursim seem to be identical in -maculation. Not enough specimens of cursim were procurable to enable me to come to a definite conclusion. In brunneus, flavidus, pudicus and cursim the shaft is always disconnected from arrow-head. __.__Vittatus has its border joining the occipital margin; in one case only it was found to be partly separated. : All specimens examined of striatus and seguax had the bor- : Niger and brimleyi are closely allied species and also have a strong resemblance in their eye-maculation. In drimleyi, how- 42 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 well for all specimens examined of fugax. Nos. 1 and 2 are the rule, Nos. 3 and 4 the exceptions of celer. About fifty specimens of p/angens were examined and Fig. 9 suffices for all of them. The eye of amazon resembles that of ce/er but the shaft of amazon is curiously divided in the middle, the upper part con- nected with occipital border, the lower part with arrow-head. In fallax the shaft is generally free, that is, neither con- nected above or below ; in rare cases it is connected with arrow- head. In this species the occipital border is subdivided in the middle, the lower portion of border partly coalesces with occi- pital margin. Callidus, dimmocki and indus are the only New Jersey species in which the upper and lower frontal spots coalesce with frontal margin. ‘The pattern of dimmocki is generally very heavy, the green background often reduced to fine lines surrounded by the purple maculation. The design of cal/idus corresponds at times with that of zzdus, but as a rule the lower frontal spot of callidus has a tendency to terminate scroll-shaped, which has not been observed in zzdus. The two figures of Jdzstellatus show the extreme range of maculation of all the known specimens. Delicatulus has often been mistaken for a light and small form of callidus ; the eye, however, shows decided differences. The upper and lower frontal spots of delicatulus are not con- nected with the frontal margin, the upper spot merges into the occipital border, crowding out the shaft which, at this juncture, is usually disconnected. fiilaris, which has so far not been recorded from New Jersey, is the only other species thus far examined in which the upper spot joins the occipital border without allowing the shaft its respectively intermediate position, the shaft frequently being abbreviated. This paper represents the result of only one summer’s ob- servations, and there is no doubt that many other variations of the species figured will be found. It remains to be seen to what an extent the widely distributed species will show design- variation from those that have been studied. -Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 43 The Races of Cicindela tranquebarica Hbst. By H. F. Wicxuam, Iowa City, Iowa. ac. ig Almost every writer who has had occasion to treat of C7z- a ~ cindela tranquebarica Ubst. (C. vulgaris Say), makes some mention of the extraordinary range of variation exhibited. Nor need we wonder at this variation, when we consider for a moment the vast extent of country inhabited by tranguebarica in some of its many forms. From the low- lands of the Gulf States, Mississippi, Georgia and Louisi- ana, it reaches northward through the Carolinas to Up- per Canada and the maritime provinces. It occupies prac- tically the entire region drained by the Mississippi River and its tributaries, from the Alleghenies to the Rocky Mountains, extending far into the British possessions of Manitoba and Alberta. On the great interior plateau between the Wasatch and the Sierra Nevada, it runs and flies along the scanty streams, or hunts its prey on the bitter flats of the alkaline lakes. ‘To the south the Rio Grande basin is also invaded, and the western outposts, split more or less into beautiful local races, occupy the vales and mountains of the Pacific Coast. a In spite of the differences in size, color and hairiness ex- : hibited by specimens from different parts of the country, it is no easy matter to settle upon characters whereby the races may be accurately defined. In some districts a form may occur which, within a limited area, seems to be definable by features of constancy and apparent importance—and we are tempted into describing it as a new race or subspecies. But in another locality, we find these characters utterly unstable and consequently have to abandon them as bases of subspecific ___ separation, unless we make the citation of a locality label the __ most important part of our diagnosis. q The separation of the species into ‘‘ varieties’? by Mr. Leng, in his recent ‘‘ revision’’ is to my mind, open to certain ob- jections. Some of the characters used are shown by sufficient material to be entirely ephemeral and not confined to speci- mens from any special district. In one case, I believe, he has 44 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 been misled by wrong interpretation of the meaning of an earlier writer. Iam also at loss to understand why he sinks tranqguebarica Hbst. as a synonym, giving precedence to the much later name vu/garis Say. If we are satisfied that the name /vanqguebarica was applied by Herbst to this species, the fact of the habitat being wrongly attributed is, under present laws of nomenclature, no valid excuse for its rejection. It is not my intention to propose new names for any of the numerous local forms, readily enough separable by an ex- perienced eye, though possessing no positive definitive char- acters; but rather to call attention to some of the districts over which these imperfectly differentiated forms are distri- buted and the manner in which they again subdivide and inter- grade. In general it may be said that the following rules hold good with the aggregate known as C. tranquebarica (or vulgaris) and its varieties, race or subspecies. Exceptions oc- cur, of course. 1. The specimens from the extreme southeastern portion of the range are small and nearly dead blackish, with scarcely any trace of cupreous on the upper side. A series from North Car- olina (given me by Mr. Edw. D. Harris) and from Mississippi, runs only about .50 inch inlength. The markings in this form are narrow, the humeral lunule shorter and more transverse than usual. 3 2. Inthe upper Mississippi valley, the Middle States, New England and Canada, occurs a larger form, with the upper surface obscurely bronzed or nearly black, the markings broader and better developed, the humeral lunule longer and less transverse. In size the average is about .60inch. This is presumably the type described as vulgaris by Say, and is so called by Mr. Leng. 3. In the more northerly portion of this range, is found occasionally a form more bronzed and a little hairier, called by Mr. Leng, C. horiconensis. This name, I think unnecessary, the abberation being illy defined and not a geographical race in the true sense of the word, occurring side by side with the blackish specimens. It also passes insensibly into the next, and I should follow Dr.W. Horn in relegating it to synonomy. Feb., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 45 _ 4. In the arid and semi-arid regions of the middle west, from New Mexico through Colorado, eastern Montana, Kan- sas, Nebraska, Dakota, Manitoba, Assiniboia and Alberta, we find a better marked race of (usually) rather distinctly metal- lic upper surface, with broad markings, the humeral lunule complete and the middle band frequently expanded on the margin. This is od/iguata Kirby, and is so recognized by Mr. Leng. It is, however, not very well differentiated, a great number of the specimens being about equally well referable to obliguata or to horiconensis. Others runinto vibex. Dr. Horn sinks it as a synonym, and I am disposed to agree with him in this course, recognizing, however, that od/iguata is much more worthy of being retained than is horiconensis. ‘The ex- treme specimens are very different-looking from the eastern tranquebarica. 5. In specimens from the western edge of the ordinary range of the above form, we find a well-marked tendency to partial obliteration of the humeral lunule. Asa rule, this is accompanied by a preponderance of the greenish cast in the coloring of the upper surface, until in some portions of the Pacific district and the adjacent interior basin the coppery color is almost entirely replaced by a brilliant green. These green forms have thus been classified by Mr. Leng, in his Revision : , ‘Bright green, humeral lunule broken . : vibex Horn. Brilliant blue-green, humeral lunulelacking . sierra Leng. Dull green, humeral lunule broken . . voguensis Harris. All of these forms are well represented in the material be- fore me, but I do not agree with Mr. Leng in his assignment _ ofnames. The types of Mr. Harris’ C. voguensis were from a _ locality distant but fifty or sixty miles from that of the type of vibex and some specimens of the first named (in my collection) from the Rogue River might well be called rather bright green, _ though in general they are somewhat dull. I think the name _ roguensis should sink as a true synonym of vibex, the distinc- ie. tion being merely the evanescent one of depth or brilliance in color. In fact, soI am told by Dr. Walther Horn, the type of vibex is not of the brilliant green of the San Bernardino Co, 46 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 (California) specimens, which have been doing duty as vzbex, but of a duller shade. He writes me of an interesting fact in this connection, of which J was altogether ignorant, namely, that in southern California vzbex is dimorphic, apparently ac- cording to season. He says that the bright green form occurs from May to October, the dull form in April. The explana- tion, he suggests, may be sought in the effects of the winter rains upon the development of the early spring form. — It is worth mentioning that the bright southern Californian speci- mens are much more brilliant than any of those from Oregon. C. sierra Leng, the remaining described green form, occur- ring in the Sierra Nevada, may stand for the time as a fairly well-marked subspecies. It is a mountain race with much reduced markings, but this feature in itself is of little value, as will appear shortly. Several weeks ago, I received from Mr. Knaus a pair of a bright green species of Cicindela taken near Las Vegas, Ne- vada, by Mr. Tom Spalding. They were of rather smaller size than the average videx (measuring .52 inch), with short humeral lunule, middle band minus the deflexed portion, apical lunule complete. Misled by the general appearance, I at first took them for representatives of a new form of the vepanda group, but subsequent examination of the labrum and vesti- ture showed them to belong to the ¢vanquebarica series. A request for more specimens brought two others from Mr.’ Knaus and two from Mr. Spalding, the six representing his whole catch. The remarkable feature of this little collection is that no two of the individuals are alike, but they exhibit among themselves various modifications of pattern from full development to almost the reduced style of stevra. The figures annexed will show the gradation. With only 4, 5 and 6, at hand, I should probably have separated a new “‘ race’ to be characterized by the small size and the loss of the 4p of the humeral lunule (a rare feature in the tranguebarica aggregate ) but the examination of the others induced me to refrain from adding anothername. Iconsider these specimens as belonging to a plastic local race, closely related to the brilliant southern Californian vzbex (aut. post.), showing the intimate relations Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 47 of the green races and their probable late development. It will be noticed by those who have plenty of material, that the bright green San Bernardino specimens tend to complete mark- ings, without the interruption of the humeral lunule that should really J fo) 3 characterize videx. ‘The discovery of , a variable green form in the Great Basin is of much interest, the remark- able influence upon the beetles colo- 1 2 3 nized within its limits having already been touched upon elsewhere. The 2 9 ) small lakes, now rapidly drying up, evidently obtained their littoral faunze from some common source, as I have shown.* Minor modifications of color 2 , and pattern, resulting in the formation of more or less important local races are commonly noticed among the faunze of the various lake shores and Cicindela tranquebarica is, in this respect, no exception. The type of this species found most abundantly in the Great Basin is the form od/zqguata in some of its manifestations —that is to say, a rather widely marked insect of large size, more or less metallic above. ‘There is, however, in Utah specimens, a strong tendency to disappearance of the sub-basal portion of the humeral lunule and the marginal part of the median band, producing an elytral pattern like that of typical vibex. Several of my specimens from Provo are almost identical in this respect with others from British Columbia, sent me by Mr. Harris. At Great Salt Lake, Sevier Lake and Humboldt Lake, there seems to be a larger proportion of blackish, almost non-metallic specimens (the ground color of the upper surface being referred to) with moderately wide complete patterns, while at Bridgeport, California (still within the Basin), occurs a form almost dead black above, fully and widely marked, very different in appearance from those of the more eastern portions of the Basin. | I have not seen C. plutonica Casey, which is classed by Dr. *American Naturalist, Sept., 1904. Report Entom. Soc. Ontario, 1904. 48 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 W. Horn as a subspecies of ¢vanguebarica. It is described from Placer Co., California, and is reported by Mr. Leng as occuring also in Oregon. Accepting Dr. Horn’s dictum in regard to the position of this form, my suggested arrangement of the ¢vanguebarica series would be as follows : Cicindela ¢tranguebarica Herbst. Syn.—vulgaris Say, obliguata Dej., Kby., kirbyt Lec., horiconensis Leng. Subsp.—zibex Horn. Syn.—voguensis Harris. Aber.—vzbex aut. post. Subsp.—szerra Leng. Subsp.—plutonica Casey. From what has been written concerning the various geogra- phical races and local forms, it will be noticed at once that the species as a whole is more homogeneous in the northern parts of the range, while to the south it tends to split into many imperfectly differentiated assemblages of less than specific value. A nice problem is offered to some student who will undertake to work out the details of probable origin and dif- fusion of the many types of Czcindela in North America. A New Tabanus Related to punctifer. By D. W. CoguiLLEtTt. Tabanus subniger n. sp.—Near punctifer but larger, base of front tibize not whitish, abdomen with white hairs along the sides and apex, etc. Black, with a tinge of brown, the mesonotum and scutellum brownish yellow, gray pruinose and covered with white hairs ; elsewhere the hairs are chiefly black except along the sides and apex of the abdomen where there are many white ones which become more numerous posteriorly ; front calypteres also fringed with white hairs. Front very broad above the subcallus with parallel sides, this portion being about two and a half times as long as wide, subcallus opaque, grayish pruinose, callus pol- ished, transversely oval and with an indistinct, linear prolongation above. Eyes bare. Wings gray; costal cell and stigma pale brown, a brown cloud at base of second submarginal and of the posterior cells. Length, 25 mm. Lake Forest, Illinois. A female collected March 27, 1904, by Dr. J. G. Needham. Type No. 8301, U. S. Nat. Mus. _ Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 49 Professor Berlese’s Apparatus For Collecting Small ‘Arthropods Rapidly and in Great Quantities. | | By L. O. HowARD. While visiting the laboratory of Professor Antonio Berlese in Florence in June last, I was greatly interested in an appar- atus which he has prepared for collecting small insects and other arthropods very rapidly and in very great numbers, and which it seemed to me obviated in large measure the la- borious process known to entomologists as ‘‘sifting.’’ He showed me the apparatus practically in operation, and showed me further large numbers of vials filled with Thysanura, My- riapoda, Acarina and the like, which in number and variety afforded a perfect revelation to me. Since returning to this country I have had one of the smaller styles of the apparatus made, and have tested it during the month of December with leaves and rubbish collected on the grounds of the Depart- ment of Agriculture and with very considerable success; so much so, in fact, that I wish to bring the apparatus to the at- tention of English-speaking entomologists. No doubt had I used leaves or top soil of old and long undisturbed wooded regions the results achieved would have been vastly greater than they have with the material tested; but even this, as just stated, has been very satisfactory. Professor Berlese’s description and statement concerning results was published in Redia, vol. II, No. 1, shortly after my visit, and his article, very freely translated, is as follows: Within this last year I have devised an apparatus which is very simple and very effective, with which I collect in great numbers and without fatigue, the small Arthropods as well as insects of all the following orders: Myriapoda, Symphyla, Pauropoda, Chelifera and Arachnida, and especially Acarida however small, without any danger of being able to escape. Of the Collembola, which are so difficult to collect because they spring, I have taken a very great number. All those living creatures which are found to be present in _ the mosses, among the dead leaves under the trees, in decay- _ ing wood, in humus, in decomposing substances, etc., are col- 50 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 lected in a tube containing alcohol, which is attached to the apparatus under discussion, and on the part of the naturalist there is no further trouble than to separate them and study them. ‘The apparatus consists of a large funnel which slides into a glass tube containing alchohol and this funnel is sur- surrounded by water heated to 60° to 100°. On top of the funnel there is placed a sort of square tray of metallic net- work (a sieve) upon which is placed the material to be ex- amined, and this material should naturally be sufficiently humid to restrain the living insects from escaping. Whether ee (- Z / Lp), P=: V, WA pie KWH} ‘ WY, A WINWWN HE Yj = Fic. Rs cr ie for direct heating: A, exterior receptacle containing water; 2, interior funnel; C, vessel having the bottom of metallic net work; D, substance for ex- amination; £, funnel for introducing the water; /, small glass tube containing alcohol, where the insects are collected, this being connected to the apex of the funnel by a short tube (a) of India rubber ; G, feet supporting the apparatus ; Z, Jamp for heating; /, India rubber tube for carrying off the gas; JV, faucet for discharge. the material in the tray, passing gradually (although rapidly enough) through and losing some of its moisture causes the insects to fall to the bottom, or whether these are attracted by the heat beneath, it is certain that they all try to reach the metallic net and there they pass through, falling into the metallic funnel. 7 Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 51 But the walls of the funnel, thanks to the water surround- ing them, are so warm that the insects cannot remain, and they fall, rolling downward until they enter the tube contain- ing alcohol, in which only a very small quantity of detritus is collected. It is necessary, however, not to shake or stir the apparatus or the material during this operation, to avoid the falling of too much detritus together with the insects. » \ 9 5 % il S . WW} u t SS SSN y Q er RUM TOM omni unineme! 7 quer TIT TTT nT : ote ‘lll _ Fic. 2,—Apparatus for indirect heating by means of the boiler og): In the figure at the right we see the manner of inserting the glass tube containing the alcohol into the apex of the funnel, that is by means of a ring or very short tube of India rubber (a). ql The figures, which show two styles of such apparatus, repre- sent in one case (Fig. 1) the heating by direct application, and in the other case (Fig. 2), by means of a species of boiler, always using a Bunsen or an alcohol lamp by which to main- _ tain a high temperature in the water for a long time. As for the rest, any one can vary the construction of the apparatus as he may think best, granting that the walls of the funnel be always much inclined, at least 60 degrees. The diameter of 52 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., ’06 the funnel should be about a half metre, and the tray itself should be movable in order that it may be refilled with the material when separated from the funnel. I have used to great advantage a small apparatus of this style (the funnel being only 30 centimetres in diameter) dur- ing the last year, and have thus discovered several new species of Italian Acarida, illustrated in this journal, while I have collected an enormous quantity of other small arthropods, especially of Collembola, Symphyla, Pauropeda, etc. (Fig. 1). These, especially the Collembola, and also the Thysanura all remain on the surface of the alcohol, not becoming sub- merged, while the other insects all fall to the bottom of the tube. Thus, it is easy to collect the said Collembola with a brush, from the surface of the alcohol without further disturbance. After the excellent results secured from the small apparatus referred to, I had another, much larger, constructed which has been operated since November. It is composed of a case of wood, the interior of which is covered with lead, and has a capacity of six hectolitres, and contains four large funnels in square sections the sides of which are 50 centimetres. Thus I have an extent of one square metre upon which to arrange the material for examina- tion, and I can place four different kinds of material from four different localities on these sieves. The water is about three hectolitres and is kept at 60° or 70°, and for some hours the temperature is maintained by means of a large gas heater. This heater which serves me well also for heating the room in which it is placed, consumes about three cubic metres of gas per day, which proves that with an expense of about one lira, I daily obtain without any trouble, a greater number of small insects than ten persons with all the fatigue and patience possible, would be able to collect in the same length of time, and besides, I have the assurance that scarcely an individual insect has escaped. (Fig. 2). Material to be examined.—Mosses, fallen and decayed leaves, humus, soil under stones, etc., are very rich in various forms Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 53 of insect life at all seasons of the year, and this material is treated very easily and with complete success in the apparatus described. Manure.—The manures, especially from the stable, harbor great numbers of various arthropods which are not easy to col- lect because of the rapidity with which they escape, and also because the material itself is frequently anything but pleasant to examine. Instead, with the apparatus, one is certain to secure all the arthropods hidden in the manure, since by their voluntarily seeking the heat, they fall continually into the tube in great numbers. Myrmecophilous Arthropods.—Everything is caught, even including the ants, by putting upon the sieve some of the earth and detritus from the ant-hills. Bark from trees.—The effect is marvelous which is obtained _ by treating the bark from various large trees, in this apparatus. Under the bark there are found a great variety of insects which hibernate, either in a state of maturity or as larve. All these fall into the tube of alcohol almost entirely free from detritus of any sort, so that it is easy to quickly recognize the fauna thus sheltered during the winter by a given tree ora given species of plant. Green parts of the plants.—In summer, better than in winter, the insects which live upon the foliage can be collected, however minute, by placing this, when fresh and just gathered, upon the sieve of the apparatus. Parasites of the Vertebrata.—The host being dead and left cold for a few hours (bird or mammal), is then placed upon this apparatus and rapidly loses its exterior parasites (Puli- cidz, Anoplura and Pediculidz, Acarida, etc.), which being attracted by the artificial heat, abandon the host hastily and fall into the tube containing alcohol. These researches, otherwise so troublesome and difficult under ordinary methods, are, by this apparatus, effected auto- matically and with absolute results. _._In many other special cases I have obtained extremely use- _ ful results from the employment of the described apparatus which I recommend to naturalists. 54 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 06 On Some Aquatic Hemiptera From Costa Rica, Central America. By J. R. DE LA TORRE BUENO. It has been my good fortune to become acquainted in the past year, through correspondence, with Professor Paul Biolley, of San Jose de Costa Rica, who has sent me from time to time whatever he has collected for me in aquatic Hemiptera, prin- cipally in the Cryptocerata. In this period I have received from him a number of the bugs noted by Champion as from that country and some others not heretofore recorded from that region. They are as follows: 1. Acanthia sulcicollis Champion. One specimen from La Palma, taken in April at an altitude of 1,600 meters. This species is not recorded from Costa Rica in Biologia Centrali-Americana, although it occurs in Guatemala and Panama. 2. Gelastocoris bufo. Herrich-Schaeffer. Found abundant on the shores of the Rio Surubres, near San Mateo, at an altitude of 250 meters, on the Pacific side of Costa Rica, in company with the two following species : 3. Gelastocoris vicinus Champion. Rio Surubres near San Mateo. 4. Gelastocoris sp. near vicinus Champion. Rio Surubres near San Mateo. In the present uncertain condition of the specific differences in the Gelastocoride it is dificult to pronounce on any distri- bution, which may or may not be real. 5. Mononyx fuscipes Guerin. One specimen only, taken in the Reventazon Plain, near Santa Clara, on the Atlantic slope. This individual was found in a rotten log in December, 1904. It isan extremely wide- spread form throughout North and Central America. 6. Mononyx nepaeformis Fabricius. One specimen taken at the same time as the Ge/astocoris under a stone at the edge of the Rio Surubres, in February. This species extends from Mexico south to the Argentine Republic. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 55 7, isuoosie stali Montandon. Rio Surubres near San Mateo, one specimen only in Feb- ruary. According to Champion, this species is found in Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia. 8. Amorgius colossicum Stal. ‘Taken at electric light at San Jose, from which locality it is also recorded by Champion. g. Amorgius annulipes Herrich-Schaeffer. - Taken at San Jose at various times, under electric lights. This species is recorded from as far north as California, and is said to be found in Brazil. a. to. Abedus signoreti Mayr. Be: I have received long series of these from Rio Maria Aguilar near San Jose, where it was found in muddy pools, at an ele- vation of 1,160 metres, in May; from Vista del Mar, on the Pacific slope, at an elevation of 1,400 metres, in March, and from San Jose in January. ‘These are new localities for Costa Rica. 11. Belostoma fusciventris Stal. An abundant form near San Jose, which is the first Costa Rican record for this bug. Heretofore, it has been noted only 4 as far south as Honduras. 4 12. Belostoma micantula Stal. 4 Two specimens of this pigmy form were taken in the Rio Surubres in February. It extends from Guatemala to the Argentine Republic. 13. Notonecta mexicana Amyot and Serville. _ This has come from the Rio Maria Aguilar in January ; taken at Vista del Marin March and in La Palma in April. Both forms, var. ceres and var. hades Kirk. are represented. The types of the varieties are also from this region and col- __ lected by Prof. Biolley. + 14. Buenoa crassipes Champion. _ One specimen from Vista del Mar in March. This form is i _ recorded by Champion from three localities in Guatemala ee Bont. 56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 06 15. Buenoa pallipes (Fabricius) Champion. I have received a long series taken in the Rio Maria Aguilar in January. In Biologia Centrali-Americana it is given from Vera Cruz in Mexico to Darien in Panama. This is now re- corded for the first time from Costa Rica. 16. Buenoa carinatus Champion. One example from San Jose. This does not attain the smallest dimensions given by Champion for his species, but in other respects it answers tothe description. It is not recorded from further south than Guatemala and Honduras. 17. Rhagovelia crassipes Champion. There is in this lot of insects a female from Vista del Mar, taken in March, which is the first record for Costa Rica. ‘The types were from Panama, where they were found in plenty in two localities. 18. Rhagovelia armata Burmeister. Two females were received from San Jose. Champion re- cords it from Mexico, fde Burmeister and Signoret, but evi- dently did not possess it himself. 19. Rhagovelia spinigera Champion. A long series of this form came to hand from Rio Maria Aguilar in January and San Jose in August. This species was described by Champion from one female example taken in Guatemala. Consequently, this is the first record outside of the published locality. 20. Microvelia n. sp.? This is apparently an undescribed form, of which numbers were taken at San Jose in January. 21. Gerris cariniventris Champion. A good number of this species, both winged males and fe- males and one apterous female were taken at Rio Maria Agui- lar in January and May. This is apparently common and numerous from Mexico down. | 22. Gerris (tenagogonus) opaca Champion. Two specimens from the Rio Surubres in Febru: Re- corded by Champion as plentiful in Bugaba, Panama, the type locality. Both this and the following are listed under the generic synonym Limnometra. 3 Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 57 23. Gerris (tenagogonus) quadrilineata Champion. Three or four specimens from Rio Maria Aguilar in January and May. ‘The distribution given in Biologia Centrali-Am- ericana is rather disconnected. ‘This is the first record from Costa Rica. 24. Potamobates unidentatus Champion. One macropterous and two apterous individuals, male and female, from Rio Surubres. Recorded by Champion only from Bugaba, Panama. <0 —=—or Some Notes on the Bee Genus Caupolicana. By Harry S. Smit, Lincoln, Nebr. Caupolicana albicollis n.sp.—’. Length 19-21 mm. Black ; head, with exception of the vertex, covered with a long, dense, whitish pubescence, that on the face very slightly ochraceous, that on the occiput snow-white ; labrum and mandibles dark rufous, sometimes black, the latter with a dense fringe of long whitish hairs on the lower side ; clypeus finely and irregularly punctured except the apex, which is impunctate and narrowly margined; antennz black, grayish brown beneath; second joint of flagellum longer than style and almost half as long as the remaining por- tion of the flagellum ; malar space short, about one-fourth as long as wide. Thorax finely and closely punctured, mesonotum, as far back as the tegulze, covered with a short but dense erect whitish pubescence, very slightly tinged with ochraceous; the remaining portion of the thorax black, the hairs on the scutellum and post-scutellum much longer than those on the mesonotum. Abdomen black, opaque, minutely indis- tinctly punctured ; first dorsal segment covered with a long sooty black pubescence like that of the scutellum, 2-4 almost bare excepting their apices, 6 and apex of 5 with long black hairs; segments 2-4 with broad silvery fasciae, that on 2 sometimes slightly narrowed on the disk ; ven- tral segments 2-4 clothed with long white pubescence, the segments with black hairs. Coxae usually with a few long white hairs ; femora and tibize black, with black pubescence ; tarsi ferruginous, covered with a fine short fulvous pubescence, metatarsus black with inner side brownish. Wings smoky hyaline, slightly iridescent, veins and tegulz ‘brownish black ; first and second recurrent nervures confluent with first and third cubital nervures. Length of wing 12-14 mm. ?.—Similar to 3’, but differs in having the venter black, and in having somewhat broader fasciz ; a short dense black scopa on-the posterior legs, metatarsus twice as witle asin o'. The distance between the eyes at vertex is also about twice that of the <%. 58 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Feb., ’06 1? and 3% specimens, Mendoza and Bahia Blanca, Argen- tina (L. Bruner). Collection University of Nebraska. In the coloration and markings of the head and mesothorax this species resembles C. /ugubris F. Smith, but differs in hav- ing all the femora entirely black and in its greater size. Caupolicana fulvicollis Spinola. The $ of this species, besides the usual sexual characters, differs from the ? in having a white fascia on the fifth dorsal segment, and in having the first four ventral segments clothed with long thin silvery white hairs. In both sexes the pubes- cence on the first dorsal segment varies from pale fulvous to grayish white, and in no case are the tibiz and tarsi clothed with black pubescence as in C. gayz Spinola, but are bright fulvous, the tibize sometimes with a few white hairs on the inner side. The intermediate and posterior femora are usually white, but the anterior femora are concolorous with the thorax. Dr. H. Friese, in his monograph of the genus in 1898, ex- presses some doubt as to whether this form is entitled to specific rank, and thinks that it may be a variety of C. gayz Spinola. The ¢ was unknown to him, and differs from Friese’s description of the ¢ of the C. gayz in having a white fascia on the fifth dorsal segment. ‘This, with other minor characters, such as color of pubescence on legs, etc., is suf- ficiently characteristic to make it distinct. 5¢ and 4Q specimens, Cacarana, Argentina (lL. Bruner). Collection University of Nebraska. Caupolicana nigriventris Friese. One ¢ specimen I have identified as this species, but the white fasciae on the third and fourth segments are wanting on the disc, showing only on the posterior corners of the segments. Probably worn off. Bahia Blanca, Argentina (lL. Bruner). Collection Univer- sity of Nebraska. Caupolicana albiventris Friese. A single ¢ specimen which agrees with Dr. Friese’s des- cription in every particular. Arequipa, Peru, Oct. 28th, 1898 (A. G. Weeks). Collec- tion University of Nebr. Feb., ’06] . ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 59 A New Aphid. By JAMES TROOP. Aphis houghtoneisis n. sp. During the summer of 1904 plant lice were discovered to be very abundant in a field of Houghton gooseberries, near the city of Indianapolis. ‘The peculiar manner in which they worked attracted attention, and specimens were taken and sent to Dr. L. O. Howard, at Washington, who pronounced it a new species. Drawings were accordingly made by Mr. Heidemann of the Division of Entomology. In the field of gooseberries mentioned, there were scatter- ing plants of another variety and it was noticed that none of these plants were infested by the 4phis. I then made several attempts during the summer of 1904 and also 1905 to colonize them on various other varieties of gooseberry, but in no case did I succeed in inducing them to feed. ‘They multiplied so rapidly, however, upon the Houghton, that the owner was obliged to give up the fight, after two seasons’ experience, 60 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 06 and destroy the entire five acres of plants. Hence I have designated it as Aphis houghtonensis. Fig. 1 shows the pe- culiar manner in which it crumples the leaves. < Description.—The wingless SQ females of the summer broods are about one-sixteenth of an inch in length, of a pale green color, and somewhat hairy; eyes prominent ; antennze and legs of a yellowish tint and covered with scattering short spines, except the terminal joint of the antennee. Anten- nze a little more than half the length of the body; honey \ tubes prominent, nearly as Pe long as from their base to the " FIG. 3. tip of the abdomen (Fig. 2). The winged forms measure nearly three-sixteenths of an inch to the tips of the wings when folded. Color of the wings and body a shade darker than the wingless forms; antennz nearly one-half longer than the body ; spread of wings three times the length of the body ; eyes somewhat darker than the wingless form, while the legs are not as spiny ; honey tubes about the same length i in both forms. (Fig. 3). Feb., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 61 A New Subapterous Encyrtid. By CHARLES T. BRUES. In 1900* Ashmead described as Anxusia neomexicana the first species of this genus known to occur in North America. At ; _ this time I have the pleasure of describing both sexes of a second North American species from Central Texas. a ‘Anusia xerophila sp. nov. _ Male.—Length, 1.2mm. Yellowish ferruginous, legs more yellowish, middle tibiz white. Antennz black, except the scape above which is brown, and the apical three joints, which are snow-white. Head slightly ‘rostriform. Mandibles dark at tips, palpi pale, last joint piceous ; lower part {of front between the antennz slightly elevated but not carinate ; above finely shagreened, the ocelli forming an equilateral triangle, the lateral pair nearly as far from the eye as from each other. Antenne I1-jointed, large and conspicuous, the scape obovoid, flattened, near the tip as wide as the eye and longer ; pedicel small, sub-triangular. _ Flagellum, flattened leaf-like, about three times the length of the scape ; __ second and third joints widest, wider than the scape, from thence nar- rowed toward tip ; the last three joints closely united, as long as the two preceding. The small joints at the base of the scape are unusually large, the first of them nearly as long as the pedicel. Mesonotum finely : ra _ * Proc. U.S. National Museum, XXII, 1202, p. 355. 62 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 06 shagreened ; wings small, finger-shaped, reaching but little beyond the middle of the abdomen. Axillz just meeting at the base of the scutel- lum, the latter a little longer than wide, sub-triangular, the tip nar- rowly truncate and the posterior angles microscopically dentate and black. Abdomen slightly longer than the head and thorax, oval, at the sides of the second segment with a small black tubercle which bears two > long black setze. Legs rather slender. Female,—Length 1.2-1.3 mm. This sex differs by its smaller head, the eyes being much closer together on the front, and the lateral ocelli nearer to the eye margin. The mandibles are stouter, distinctly biden- tate, and the antenne are wholly black except the upper part of the scape. The flagellum is sub-cylindrical, but little flattened, nearly one and one-half times as long as the scape ; the joints wider than long, the last pointed and twice as long as the penultimate. The legs are darker especially the middle tibiz. Described from one male and three female specimens col- lected at Austin, Texas, during May, 1900. A. xerophila is related to A. neomexicana Ashm., but differs by its much shorter scape. The species: was fairly abundant on an arid hill-slope near Austin at the time the types were collected. They were mov- ing actively about in the bright sunshine on the bare parched soil, where other insects were very scarce. Associated with them was found the closely related Henicopygus subapterus Ashm. | 40> = —=—er Doings of Societies. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held De- cember 20th, 1905, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, ten members were present and Dr. Molson, visitor. President Daecke in the chair. Mr. Laurent exhibited bred specimens of Pamphila manataaqua and cernes pointing out how to dif- ferentiate the two species, but adhering to Dr. Skinner’s remark that they are closely allied specifically, and he asked to know the structural differences by which the two species were placed in different genera by Dr. Dyar. Mr. Haimbach exhibited some specimens of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera,taken at Roxborough on December 3rd, under bark. Among the latter there were several specimens of Phyllocnistis vitigenella Clem. ‘This species is represented in the speaker’s collection by specimens taken at Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 2nd, August 25th and October gth, and at Roxborough, Phila- delphia, on December 3rd. ' | F. HAIMBACH, Secretary. 70° Ent. News, Vol. XVII. Pia 2 ie Be 8 ©. 2% 60-6 See $882 e os 6 © E 2% =) ov oe x “de NEW CALIFORNIAN COLEOPTERA -BLAISDELL. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION © ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. OS eee — VoL. XVII. MARCH, 1906. No. 3. ae CONTENTS: 4 Blaisdell—New Californian Coleoptera 71 | Bridwell—A second species of the Hy- i Brimley—Notes on the Odonata and menopterous Genus Odontophyes a other Insects of Lake Ellis, North Konow (Xyelinze) .......eeseeeeees 94 ee ee oe eee 81 | Skinner—New Butterflies and Moths, , Hancock—Descriptions of new Genera with notes on some species........ 95 a and Species of the Orthopterous Busck—Description of Amer. Moths of -< MPO ROUIGIG ices sees ee cee 86 the Genus Cerostoma............-- 96 a 2 ps Sega Carolina Records of BOOT AE issn i. hs evn bak ae 100 ~ Odonata in 1904 and 1905, with cor- Pima Cad NGWS .< ines cauetasrsens IOI rections of some previous records 91 | Doings of Societies..........-.2...+-5: IOI % McClendon—Notes on true Neuroptera 93 ; . ’ F New Californian Coleoptera. s = By.F. E. BuarspEuL, M. D. (Plate II.) " Becent collecting in California has brought to light a most. q interesting blind Tenebrionide, and while making it known, I have grasped the opportunity to describe other new species, as follows : bad caseyi sp. nov.—Elongate, parallel and shining, color pasta, when mature rufo-piceous, with legs rufous. Head, about equal in. width to the elytra, about as long as wide, evenly convex ; sides very feebly arcuate, about parallel, broadly and evenly rounded at base ; eyes, small, not in the least prominent ; punctures moderate in size, \g irregular, sparsely placed at centre of frons, denser at the periphery : __ antennz rather stout and short, joints two and three obconical and sub- " equal in length, fourth rather short and apparently wider than long, fifth _ to the tenth inclusive about as wide as long, eleventh pointed oval and * alittle longer than wide. Prothorax oblong-oval, a little longer than g _ wide, sides parallel, angles broadly and evenly rounded, the anterior _ scarcely more so than the posterior; punctures similar to those on the ad, sparsciy and irregularly arranged, median smooth line rather nger and one-fourth wider than the prothorax ; punctures subseriately _ 71 72 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 placed, becoming quite irregular at the periphery, rather coarse and slightly impressed. Abdomen parallel and about as wide as the elytra, surface throughout extremely finely rugulose. Male.—( Fig. 3 of plate). With the sixth segment at apex rather deeply emarginate, bottom of the emargination rounded, sinus about as wide as deep, sides divergent, angles rounded and witha narrow membranous margin ; surface at apical two-thirds with a large median oblong-oval impression, the latter set with small, short, black chitinous points, the sides of the concavity fringed with sparsely set inwardly curved hairs, the concavity is continued to the segmental base by a broad, glabrous, shallow groove. The apex of the fifth segment is more or less slightly sinuate at middle ; surface marked with a broad, shallow, glabrous longi- tudinal groove, which passes at middle third into a rather broad circular concave impression that is glabrous and guarded laterally and pos- teriorly by two small, short, black chitinous, obtuse and more or less incurved tubercles. The groove at apex has a few scattered hairs. Female—With the sixth ventral broadly and obtusely rounded at tip, and apparently with a minute triangular impression at middle. The fifth ventral is unmodified. Measurements—,j'. Length, 8.0 mm.; width 1.0 mm. 9—Length, 7.0 mm.; width, I.o mm. Hab.—Shasta Retreat, Siskiyou Co., California ; elevation, 2,416 feet. A large series of this species was taken by sifting along the banks of the mountain streams in July, at the above-named — locality. The secondary sexual characters are sufficiently dis- tinct to justify my describing it as new. I cannot refer it to any of the species described by Maj. Casey from single fe- males. In some points it appears close to validiceps. Species possessing a community of habitus should not be founded upon females when the male characters are taken as the criterion. I take pleasure in dedicating the present species to Maj. Thos. Casey in recognition of many favors, and also that his name may occur among the many that he has so aptly de- scribed. In the plate I have figured other species for comparison. A work to be truly valuable should have all of the species figured in some way or another ; no words can convey to the mind of the student the details of morphological characters like a cor- rect drawing or even a simple diagram. Figure 4 of the plate shows the secondary male sexual char- acters of what I recognize as L. puncticeps Lec., although not ar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. as . typical : ‘‘male with a small feeble rounded impression at the apex of = fifth ventral, the apex proediy and feebly sinuato- : Hisure 5 of the plate is taken from what I have found as the most common species: ‘‘ Male with a small unimpressed glabrous area at the middle at apex of the fifth ventral, the © sixth with a triangular impression, the apex broadly, para- bolically sinuate’’ (Casey). It is undoubtedly a jacobina Lec. By the figure it will be seen that the triangular impres- sion of the sixth ventral is clothed with short and minute spicules, and that they do not quite reach the margin. Casey _ does not mention this fact, and leaves the student in doubt. I ive not seen any other form that I could refer to jacobina, dI have examined a large series taken in Alameda, San rancisco, Calaveras and Eldorado Counties. _ Figure 6 gives a form found at San Diego, and appears re- lated to relicta Casey. ‘‘ Male with a small and very faint oval pression at the apex of the fifth ventral, the sixth with a A.C ly parabolic, shallow, gradually formed apical sinus, out a third as wide as the segment, and six times as wide x deep, the surface adjoining extremely feebly impressed, the impression having a small patch of black spicules anteriorly.”’ : a If this is ve/écta it appears as a less strongly devel- ; ed form of jacobina. I find the secondary sexual characters : ia ble. I have figured three distinct forms and each must y considerably, and by experiments in heredity might = to be dominant or recessive forms, as the case might be. ccits obtain a hundred specimens to each one they w collect for a cabinet set, and let them record variations. 1 prove interesting and valuable. following two species of Dasytes belong to that section 74 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 in Casey’s synoptic table in which the submarginal line of the pronotum is strongly impressed and entire, and with the pubescence intermingled with larger black hairs. Dasytes vicinus sp. nov.—Oblong, rather stout, black, shining, with a feeble virido-zeneous lustre, and moderately convex ; antennz black to slightly piceous ; femora black, tibiz and tarsi rufo-ferruginous to pices- cent ; pubescence sparse, long and rather bristling, consisting of more or less suberect and backwardly curved, luteo-cinerous hairs on elytra, those on the head quite erect, on pronotum irregular in direction, otherwise simi- lar, and abundantly intermixed with more or less erect, slightly stouter, black and stiffer hairs, which are on the elytra slightly backwardly curved, irregularly so on the pronotum, more erect on the head and slightly longer about the humeri, gradually becoming slightly shorter toward the elytral apices. Head scarcely transverse, about (') or scarcely (2) as wide as the prothorax at apex, front not impressed, very slightly and evenly convex, quite evenly and not very closely punctate, punctures rather impressed, slightly denser on the vertex, occiput, and tempora, epistoma more or less impunctate ; eyes not prominent and moderate in size, and not very coarsely granulate ; antennz longer than the head and prothorax, rather stout (,j'), or filiform and scarcely longer than the head and prothorax (2); subserrate, joints 3-10 subtriangular (thicker in the 5), third slender and longer than wide (@), eleventh ovate and about twice as long as wide. Prothorax about as wide as long (<') or slightly transverse (92), widest behind the middle, sides moderately arcuate in basal half, less so and feebly converging anteriorly, feebly sinuate behind the apical angles ; edges subserrulate ; apex scarcely as wide as the base, and arcuato-truncate in circular arc; apical angles obtuse and scarcely rounded; base broadly and moderately arcuate, subsinuate laterally; basal angles scarcely evident and obtuse; disc evenly and moderately convex, less so antero-posteriorly, strongly punctate, punctures impressed and separated by less than their own diameters, slightly denser in the 9, intervals smooth, more or less feebly convex, or flat inthe ¢'; submarginal line strong and entire, submarginal area coarsely reto-rugose. Elytra rather large, less than twice as long as wide; sides feebly arcuate, subparallel (‘) or slightly widened behind the middle (Q) ; base slightly wider than the prothorax; humeri scarcely at all tumid; apex rather obtusely parabolic, sutural angles feebly and narrowly rounded; disc moderately convex, punctate, the punctures irregular, coarse, impressed and separated by their own diameters or less, inter- spaces more or less feebly convex with a tendency to form transverse and very feebly evident rugule. Abdomen finely and rather densely punctulate, and apparently more or less minutely reticulate ; pubescence ather sparce and luteous, the hairs recumbent and rather long. Measure- is : . r ase. " adil Sa Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 75 ; “ments—d. Length, 2.5 mm.; width,1.0o mm. 9. Length, 3.0 mm.: _ width, r.3 mm. HTab.—San Diego, California. This species, although related to hudsonicus, differs from it and also from odtusus sufficiently by the coarse punctuation, _ and from expansus by the more convex form and coarser pro- _ notal punctuation. _ The male has the fifth ventral rather broadly arcuato-trun- cate, and the female has the fifth ventral slightly lobed at middle, the sides appear slightly sinuate from being rather strongly reflexed while the middle is subhorizontal and just. slightly deflexed. _ Described from a % and 9, a small series all together, that was not taken at a high altitude. One of the type specimens was examined by Casey and bears his label n. sp. Dasytes shastensis sp. nov.—Stout, oblong, black, moderately convex, feebly shining, lustre slightly dull and feebly virido-zeneous, antenne, tibize and tarsi frequently picescent ; pubescence sparse, moderate in _ length, consisting of rather decumbent luteo-cinerous hairs intermingled with moderately long blackish stiff hairs, which are erect and bristling on head and pronotum and slightly backwardly directed on the elytra. _ Head, evidently transverse, a little wider than the prothoracic apex, _ interocular region rather broad, not impressed and very feebly convex, quite evenly and rather closely punctate, punctures small; eyes rather prominent and somewhat coarsely facetted ; antennz slender and filiform and reaching about to base of the prothorax, third joint slender, obconico- cylindrical and about twice as long as wide, eleventh ovate, laterally com- pressed and somewhat pointed at tip. Prothorax about one-third wider than long, widest a short distance behind the middle ; disc quite strongly convex ; less so antero-posteriorly, punctate, the punctures small, distinct- ly defined and separated by a distance equal to twice or at least their own \ m eter, interspaces flat and rather smooth, submarginal line strong and tire, submarginal area reto-rugose ; sides quite evenly arcuate, feebly nvergent anteriorly, with edges finely and irregularly subserrulate ; apical margin slightly arcuate in circular arc; base moderately arcuate feebly sinuate laterally at submarginal area and a little wider than apex ; apical angles rounded ; basal angles broadly rounded and ; inuing the sides into the ise. Elytra rather broad, distinctly less an twice as long as wide, and slightly widened posteriorly ; base ghtly wider than the prothorax ; humeri scarcely tumid ; sides feebly uate and subparallel ; apex obtusely parabolic, sutural angles very awly rounded; disc moderately conyex, punctate, the punctures 76 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 fine, separated by a distance at least twice their own diameters, inter- spaces flat and obsoletely, minutely reticulate. Abdomen rather densely punctulate and clothed rather densely, especially at the sides and on the fifth segment, with moderately long, recumbent, luteo-cinerous hairs. Measurements— 2 2. Length, 2.8-3.0 mm.; I.o-1.2 mm. Hab.—Shasta Retreat, Siskiyou Co., California, elev. 2416 ft. Beaten from the flowers of Ouercus echinoides var. densi- flora in July. | The specimens before me are apparently all females, the apical margin of the fifth ventral segment is feebly arcuate, and the third joint of the antennze slender. : This species differs from vicinus in its much finer punctua- tion ; from hudsonicus it is recognized by the broadly rounded basal angles of the prothorax. The pubescence is noticeably shorter than in véc¢zus, and less bristling and lighter in color - than in hudsonicus, the prothoracic proportions are quite dif- ferent in the two species. Odtusus occurs in Colorado and has the elytra finely, sparsely and but slightly rugosely punctate. Expansus which occurs north of San Francisco is more de- pressed in form. | Casey’s synoptic table may be modified as follows for the reception of the above species : Pubescence distinctly intermingled with longer erect black hairs. Elytral vestiture blackish throughout; thoracic sculpture rather CengG ae ees ee ee hudsonicus. Elytral vestiture luteo-cinerous throughout except the longer erect, black hairs ; thoracic punctures coarse and impressed.. vicinus. Thoracic punctures fine not impressed. Basal angles broadly rounded 2°05. s+ eis eo eee shastensis. Elytral vestiture cinerous, except the longer erect black hairs; basal angles obtuse and slightly blunt ; thoracic punctures sparse. obtusus. Elytral vestiture cinerous but becoming dark and inconspicuous be- hind the middle; elytra broad and depressed . . . expansus. The following remarkable blind Tenebrionide was discover- ed by Mr. F. W. Nunenmacher on June 11, 1904, at Fairfax, Marin Co., California. ESCHATOPORIS gen. nov. Body moderately depressed. Head not strongly retracted into the prothorax, scarcely narrowed behind, sides not promi- ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77 nent, anteriorly moderately converging ; front not dilated ; -epistoma truncate in feeble arc; labrum moderately transverse and exposed ; mandible emarginate, superior cusp acute and longer than the smaller and shorter cusp ; mentum small and Subquadrate, gular peduncle distinct; labial palpi small ; maxillary palpi with the last joint Ailatad and triangular ; antennze 11-jointed, inserted under a distinct ridge. Eyes absent. Prothorax loosely articulated with the mesosternum ; S prosternum not at all prominent ventrally, rather long iefdre _ the coxe ; propleura slightly convex and not defined from the ‘- ‘prosternum. Elytra at humeri quite rapidly retreating posteri- orly so as to give a feeble sub-pedunculated appearance to the body, not widely nor firmly embracing the flanks of the abdomen; _ epipleura narrow, scarcely inflexed, and not well defined from _ the elytral disc, margin broadly and slightly sinuate behind _ the sterna. Mesosternum and metasternum moderate in is —. the former scarcely more prominent ventrally between _ the coxze than the anterior condylar portion. Scutellum 4 broad and triangular, not prominent nor very distinctly de- _ fined and but feebly entering between the elytra: Epister- { nal pieces not distinctly defined, the metasternal episterna _ evidently narrow with the epimera short and as long as wide. Hind margins of the third and fourth abdominal segments sub- _ coriaceous, with the third and fourth ventral sutures moder- ately impressed, corresponding segments not emarginate at _ apex. Intercoxal abdominal process broad and parabolically rounded between the coxe and about a third of its width wider than the mesosternal salient. Sternal sutures scarcely a allevident. Anterior coxz small and rounded, rather nar- Bin towly separated by the prosternum. Middle coxe rounded, _ moderately widely separated and with a small but distinct ochantin. Hind coxe oval, feebly narrowed externally, nsverse and distant. Legs moderate and simple; profe- ora moderately clavate, mesofemora less so, metafemora but is ightly thickened externally. ‘Tibial spurs small and distinct. ‘arsi obsoletely grooved beneath, and moderately slender ; ws slender and simple. An analysis of structural characters shows that the genus 78 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 Eschatoporis is distinctly related to the tribe Scauvinz, although there are certain disturbing elements, which can no doubt best be brought out by direct comparison as follows : MUTUAL SCAURININE CHARACTERS. CHARACTERS PECULIAR TO THE Scaurini, CHARACTERS PECULIAR TO Eschatoporis. Body elongate and ap- terous; mentum small; ligula prominent; gular peduncle distinct ; maxil- lary palpi with last joint dilated and _ triangular ; antennz I1-jointed. Ely- tra not embracing widely the flanks of the abdo- men; epipleura_ reach- ing tip of elytra. Hind margin of the 3d and 4th abdominal segments sub- coriaceous and _ corres- sponding sutures im- pressed. Anterior coxze rounded; middle coxze with a distinct trochantin ; hind coxe oval and widely separated. Tarsi spinous beneath, Scutellum broad and not penetrating between the elytra. Head prolonged behind the eyes; eyes present ; front dilated; labrum covered; antennz with outer joints broader and transverse. Side pieces of the mesosternum dis- tinct. Third and fourth ventral abdominal seg- ments deeply emarginate, in all genera except one. Legs long, sometimes toothed. Tibial spurs distinct or long. Head not prolonged be- hind the eyes; eyes ab- sent; front not dilated ; labrum exposed ; anten- nz with outer joints scar- cely at all broader. Side pieces of the mesosternum scarcely distinct. Third and fourth segments scar- cely emarginate (as in Eulabis). Legs moderate and simple (as in Zu/a- bis.) Tibial spurs small and distinct. By comparison it appears that if the genus is to be Scau- rinine, the tribal characters must be revised or else two sec- tions be recognized, or else a new tribe (Zschatoporinz) be erected for its reception. The genus /schatoporis is related to fulabis in the form of certain abdominal segments and the legs, otherwise it has a Scaurinine habitus, although very small in comparison to the other tribal constituents. In the tribe Scaurini it must be placed between Zulabis and Cerenopus. Eschatoporis nunenmacheri sp. nov.—Elongate, oblong-oval, about three times longer than wide, rufo-testaceous, sparsely clothed with pale pubescence, more or less glabrous and shining, strongly, coarsely and quite evenly punctate, the punctures more or less distinctly ocellate. Eyes absent.. Head rather small, somewhat coarsely and sparsely punc- Mar., 06} ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 79 tate, each puncture anteriorly with a rather long suberect hair, elsewhere the hairs are shorter and semi-recumbent ; frons nearly plane, limited laterally by the supra-antennal convexities ; frontal suture fine and more or less distinct; vertex slightly and evenly convex, continuously so with the tempora laterally, the latter scarcely arcuate behind the antennz and not in the least prominent ; antennz long, reaching beyond the base of prothorax, comparatively stout, gradually and feebly incrassate, each joint subcylindrical and narrowing slightly from apex to base, joints two and three subequal in length and obconical, joints four, five and six equal in length to the third, suboval in outline with side more arcuate, joints seven and eight slightly longer and a little more robust, the seventh sub- oval, the eighth suborbicular, joints nine and ten stouter, eleventh oval and about one-half longer than wide. Pronotum subquadrate, a little longer than wide, widest at junction of middle and anterior thirds ; disc evenly, moderately and transversly convex, scarcely so antero-posterior- ly, quite coarsely, sparsely and irregularly punctate, each puncture with a rather short, curved and semi-recumbent seta; apex truncate in cir- cular arc, not margined ; sides rather unevenly and not strongly arcuate in anterior moiety, thence very feebly arcuate or straight and slightly converging to base, margin distinct but not beaded ; base feebly rounded and obsoletely beaded and about equal to the apex ; apical angles ob- tuse and not rounded, nor anteriorly prominent ; basal angles more or less rounded. Propleura slightly convex, sparsely and subocellately punctate, punctures smaller than on the disc; surface more or less very minutely rugulose posteriorly. Elytra oblong-oval, about twice as long as wide, widest at middle two-fourths ; base not margined and moder- ately distant from the prothoracic base, the mesonotal condylar region moderately exposed giving a subpedunculated effect ; humeri obsolete ; sides moderately arcuate and rather gradually retreating from the hum- eral region, subparallel at middle two-fourths and thence to apex evenly arcuate ; subparabolically rounded; disc moderately depressed and very feebly convex on dorsum, laterally moderately rounded and not in- flexed, very feebly, evenly and arcuately declivous posteriorly, punctate, the punctures more or less ocellate and distinctly seriate on dorsum, be- coming irregular at the periphery, the strial punctures are comparatively large, circular and somewhat shallow, each with a curved, semi-recum- _ bent, moderately short seta, arising from a centrally placed, minute _ eminence, the interstitial punctures small, each with a seta similar to those of the strial punctures. Sterna and parasterna coarsely and rather % sparsely punctate, and ocellate as above, each puncture with a short seta. _ Abdomen feebly convex, moderately coarsely and sparsely punctate, each puncture with a moderately short nearly recumbent seta. Legs moderate. Tibiz rather slender and clothed with fine moderately long hairs. Tarsi similarly clothed, the feeble grooves beneath margined by pale delicate spinules. Measurements—j.—Length, 3.2 mm.; width, 10mm. Y. Length, 3.9 mm.; width, 1.2 mm, 80 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 Hab.—Fairfax, Marin Co., California, June. Mr. Nunenmacher stated that he obtained the specimens while digging in a ledge near a spring. He did not state whether they were taken in company with ants. He was col- lecting Promecognathus levissimus at the time. At first glance, before examination, this species might be mistaken for Bembidium rickseckeri, but it was lighter in color and of slower movements ; at.a casual glance it more resembles Bembidium laticeps in form and color. The sexual characters are not very evident, the male is evi- dently smaller and narrower. The metasternum is slightly impressed at middle just in advance of the abdominal process. The first abdominal segment is equal in length to the fourth and fifth taken together, and its post-coxal portion is equal to the length of the third ; the second is a third longer than the third. The tibial grooves of the femora are moderately well defined. The tarsal grooves of the tibize are not evident. The protarsi have the first and second joints when taken to- gether about equal to the length of the fifth ; the first slightly longer than the second, the third and the fourth are shorter and not equal in length. In the mesotarsi, joints one and two are subequal in length and together about as long as the fifth ; the third and fourth taken together distinctly longer than the second, the third is distinctly longer than the fourth. The metatarsi have the first joint at least as long as the third and fourth taken together, and about twice as long as the second, the latter being about a third of its own length longer than the third joint. EXPLANATION OF PLATE II. Fig. 1. Lschatoporis nunenmacheri dorsal view, &. *‘ 2. The elytral punctuation more highly magnified. ‘* 3. Secondary sexual characters of Lathrotropis caseyi sp. nov., 3’. 4. Male secondary sexual characters of Lathrotropis puncticeps Lec. 5. Male secondary sexual charrcters of Lathrotropis jacobina Lec. ‘* 6. Male secondary sexual characters of Lathrotropis relicta Casey, Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 81 Notes on the Odonata and Other Insects of Lake Ellis, North Carolina. By C. S. BRIMLEY. On Monday, June 19, 1905, H. H. Brimley, Curator of the North Carolina State Museum, Franklin Sherman, Jr., State Entomologist, and myself, left Raleigh for a week’s visit to the lakes in Craven County, N. C., the main object of the trip being to obtain one or more large alligators for the State Museum at Raleigh. These lakes are part of a large tract of some thousands of acres, leased as a game preserve by Mr. Nicoll, of Newbern, and permission had to be obtained from him before we could visit them. This permission was very readily granted, and every facility was put at our disposal, including the use of the hunting camp near Lake Ellis (Camp Bryan). On reaching the camp, which is some six miles from the railroad at Havelock, we found Mr. Nicoll’s son awaiting us, and after dinner we all started towards Great Lake, where the alligators are said to be most numerous, Mr. Nicoll acting as guide. Now between the camp and Great Lake lies Lake Ellis, a sheet of shallow water some three miles or so across, and at this time only some six inches to two or three feet deep, which was in the past drained and planted in rice, but is now abandoned to natural conditions. This we crossed, wading through the shallow water on the submerged bank of the principal canal, which led us straight toward the woods lying between Ellis and Great Lakes. By this time Nicoll and H. H. B., who were ahead, had got out of sight of us and, finding the path through the woods too indefinite to follow, Sherman and myself, who had loitered be- hind, catching or trying to catch insects of various kinds, turned back and retraced our watery path across the lake to camp, leaving the others to secure, as it happened, the only alligator of the trip, which was killed by H. H. B. after an exciting chase. Next day we crossed the lake again to bring back the alli- gator skin. Great Lake, I may mention, isa much larger 82 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 and deeper body of water than Lake Ellis, and is apparently the home of the most alligators, though they were observed in all the three lakes we visited. Wednesday morning we all started for Little Lake, which is a smaller lake of the same character as Great Lake, but Sherman and myself again lost our way, and instead explored the neighboring shore of Ellis Lake, catching a ait many Odonata and other insects. Thursday was spent at Great Lake and in the woods be- tween it and Lake Ellis; Friday in the same way, except that I again explored the north side of Lake Ellis, for fish, bugs, etc. Saturday morning H. H. B. and myself went to Little Lake to try to kill alligators, but unsuccessfully, although several were seen and shot at by H. H.B. Sherman collected insects near the camp. In the afternoon Mr. Ballard, who had brought us down from Havelock, took us back again to the depot there and our trip was over. Quite a number of insects were collected by Sherman and myself, though by no means exclusive attention could be paid to them. About the first insects which attracted our attention were the Yellow Flies (Déachlorus ferrugatus), which first came round usin small numbers on our way to the camp on Monday, and which were common around the camp and in the woods throughout our stay. ‘These made their appearance soon after sunrise and kept up their attacks all day and even after sunset until it was nearly dark, furthermore coming into camp to bite us at our meals. The bite was sharp and some- times left a small red spot on the skin, but no other effects were produced on any of us, either when the fly was frightened away at once or allowed to suck its fill of blood. Inthe woods they did not attack us while we were in motion, although the different species of Chrysops would then come flying around us, but on stopping the Dzachlorus would at once come and settle all over us, and commence biting with great, if not laud- able zeal. Unlike the Chrysops, which seem to prefer to set- tle on the head and upper parts of the body, Diachlorus would bite anywhere from head to heel. In biting, Diachlorus, which has a short proboscis, has to lower the head and tip the abdo- _ Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 83 men slightly upwards, instead of keeping the body mainly horizontal as Chrysops and Tabanus do. Several species of Chrysops were taken while flying round us in the woods, and a few specimens near camp, which latter __were observed to bite after sunset, but the particular species -_were not noted, nor did they come into camp (which was a -_ two-roomed frame building) to bite us as the Diachlorus did. The abundant species were C. flavidus, C. vittatus and a light variety of the latter which I had not seen before, less - common were C. nigribimbo, C. lugens, and an unidentified species. All these were locally known as Yellow Flies, no distinction being made between them and the Dzachlorus. Small Zasanus, mostly 7. /ineola and 7. costalis, were com- mon around the camp, while one or two 7. melanocerus were _ taken and a few 7. americanus seen. The windows of the depot at Havelock on the afternoon of the 24th were full of Tabanus lineola, hundreds of them in fact. Another 7adanus secured was 7. mexicanus, specimens of which were given us by Mr. Ballard. He had told Sherman on Friday of a green fly that bit stock at dusk and, so far as he knew, all night, and _ Sherman had asked him to secure specimens; on our way a back on Saturday he stopped at his house and brought out a a bottle full of them, which proved to be 7. mexicanus. ‘The same - nocturnal habit is also attributed to them by Mr. G. F. King, of Mimsville, Ga., who sent a number to me this summer. i Odonata were particularly abundant on Ellis Lake which is _ studded with numerous small islands covered with shrubs or _ feeds; they also abounded in the open spaces around the edge _ of the lake and around the camp. The various species met _ with are listed below, those marked with a star have not been previously recorded from North Carolina, so far as I know: ero Calopteryx maculata Beauv. A few seen near camp and one taken. _ Argia fumipennis Burm. Not uncommon near camp, about six taken. _ Argia tibialis Ramb. Rather common in the woods near Great Lake. _ Anomalagrion hastatum Say. One male seen on the lake. Ischnura ramburi Selys. Abundant all over Ellis L. Enallagma durum Hagen. One male caught on Ellis L., June 28, the only specimen of the genus seen, was identified as this by Dr. P. P. Calvert. Telagrion daeckii Calv. Several seen and two males taken on Ellis L. 84 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 * Coryphaeschna ingens Rambur. One male taken by Sherman on edge of Lake Ellis, June 21. Several other large dragonflies that might have been this or piaeschna heros were seen, but no more taken. *Gynacantha trifida Ramb.? A single small aeschnid nymph was taken . on June 23, which Prof. J. G. Needham says is a Gynacantha and possibly ¢rifida. Anax junius Drury. A few seen on the lake. Perithemis domitia Drury. Sherman saw one on Lake Ellis. * Celithemis fasciata Kirby. Common on Lake Ellis in early morning of June 22, but only a few seen at other times. Only three speci- mens taken. Celithemis ornata Ramb. Rather common on and around Lake Ellis. The amount of black was variable, but always less than in the two specimens previously recorded from the state, sol got Dr. Calvert to identify a specimen to make certain of the species. Sympetrum albifrons Charp. One specimen taken in the road on the way to camp on June Ig. Mesothemis simplicicolus Say. Abundant on and around Lake Ellis. Pachydiplax longipennis Burm. Only a few of this species seen on the canal from Lake Ellis. Libellula semifasciata Burm. ‘Tolerably common around the lake, but not seen flying out over the water. Libellula auripennis Burm. The most abundant dragonfly, common every where on and around the lake. Libellula vibrans Fabr. Common in open spots in Great Lake woods. Libellula axillena West. Not uncommon in Great Lake woods and around Lake Ellis, but not seen flying out over the lake. Libellula incesta Hagen. One male taken near camp with hyaline wings, and no basal streaks, but with a small black spot at nodus and wings faintly tipped with dusky doubtfully referred to this form. Tramea carolina L. Rather common on and around Lake Ellis. Among the butterflies, Papilio palamedes outnumbered all others, at least four to one, being quite common on various flowers around the edges of the lake, but only a few of the specimens taken were in good condition. Other butterflies observed were a few 7Jerias lisa, two Phyciodes tharos, a few Junonia coenia, Grapta interrogationis, and Limenttis archippus, one Debis portlandia, a few Neonympha sosybius, one Pamphila vitellius, one Pamphila fusca and a battered Thecla cecrops. Numerous moths of the genus //afloa, apparently all one species, flew up out of the long grass around Lake Ellis, when- ever we walked through it. Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 85 __ Among Coleoptera one Cicindela sexguttata was taken, and _ several C. punctulata, also on the bare ground round the edges _ of the lake. a third Cicindela, not yet identified, which Sher- man was inclined tothink a form of marginata. Rose-chafers were common and had defoliated some of the trees, Sweet Gums (Liguidambar) I think, which rather surprised me, as this species (Macrodactytus subspinosus), though not uncom- mon in western North Carolina, is quite rare at Raleigh. Among other scarabs we caught several Anomala marginata in Great Lake woods. .Si/pha americana was not uncommon, while species of Phanzus and Canthon were common near camp, for obvious reasons. A number of other not yet iden- tified Coleoptera were also taken. Among the Hemiptera the only form of note was a Nau- corid, which fairly swarmed in the lake among the water weeds, and which Mr. J. R. de la Torre Bueno says is near _ some Central American species in his possession. Among the Diptera other than Tabanidez, mosquitoes were quite scarce, contrary to our expectations, although Sherman picked up a few; the only species I recognized was Conchy- liastes musicus in Great Lake woods. I also caught a few _ Asilids and a big Midaid. Sherman caught a queer-looking fly on the wall of the camp which apparently used its forelegs as antennze, to judge by the way it wiggled them about. _Among Orthoptera, Paroxya floridana and Leptysma mar- ginicollis were common in the marshy portions of the country around Lake Ellis, and an Ovphulella, apparently pelidna, _ wascommon inthe drier parts of its vicinity. Some three, _ possibly four, species of longwinged Melanoplus were taken, one of them atlantis. A Mermiria and several specimens of a Spharagemon unknown to me, as well as some Dissosteira caro- lina and a Chortophaga virdifasciata were also taken. Several Specimens of Tettiginze, apparently all Meotettix bolivari and Y ettigidea lateralis, were captured as also a few Gryl/us and some Jattids. The only Locustids secured were three ANanticus, » Amblycorypha oblongifolia and a Xiphidium fasciatum. mong the Hymenoptera Dirtdaubers (Sphecidze) were mon around the camp and several Chrysids and a big llid were also secured. 86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [Mar., ’06 Descriptions of New Genera and Species of the Or- thopterous Tribe Tettigidae. By Dr. JosrEpH L. HAncock, F. E. S. (London). During the preparation of an article on ‘‘ Tettigidz’’ for Wytsman’s ‘‘ Genera Insectorum,’’ I have taken the oc- casion to review a large number of specimens of this group, with the result that I have met with a number of new genera and species. I have deemed it expedient to describe some of these here, in advance of the publication of the article above referred to. The most interesting species in the series is Am- phibotettix longipes. It is to be regretted that no actual observa- tions of their habits have been made, yet there is hardly any doubt, that this species is fond of living in the water, similar to Scelhymena,.* ‘This fact is evidenced by the extraordinary dilatation of the lateral margins of both the tibize, and the metatarsi of the hind legs. SECTION SCELHYMEN A. AMPHIBOTETTIX gen. nov. Characters: Allied to Scelhymena. Body granose, indis- tinctly nodulose, barely fossulate. Vertex short, small, strongly narrower than one of the eyes, middle feebly carinate, the frontal carinze moderately distinct, narrowly convergent forward, formed anteriorly intoa nearly hemispherical margin, not advanced so far as the eyes. Face oblique; frontal costa narrowly sulcate, lightly produced. Eyes globose ; ocelli con- spicuous and placed between and little before the lower third of the eyes. Antennze very slender, reaching the humeral angles, filiform, consisting of fourteen distinct articles, in- serted barely between or just before the ventro-anterior margin of the eyes. Pronotum anteriorly truncate, or little ascendant, produced in a short cylindrical spine, directed upward and for- ward above the occiput, posteriorly lengthily extended back- ward beyond the femoral apices and acute, dorsum distinctly flattened, humeral angles strongly obtuse, often with indis- tinct humero-apical carinze ; median carina of pronotum lightly *The correct spelling of Scelimena Serville, is undoubtedly BioA sae as given by Bolivar, vide Ann. Soc. Ent., France, LXX, p. 581, rgor. Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 87 r compressed, often undulate, subobsolete on the process; pos- terior angles of the lateral lobes turned downward, the inferior _ margin before the angle armed with a long cylindrical, acute spine. Elytra oblong, acuminate toward the apices; wings perfectly explicate. Femora entire, distinctly lengthily at- tenuate ; the anterior nearly as long as the middle femora ; posterior tibize shortened to about three-fourths the length of the corresponding femora, lateral margins strongly dilated toward | the apices, first article of the posterior tarsi much mger than the third, the lateral margins widely expanded, the: pulvilli very small and subobtuse. _ This genus differs from Sce/hymena in the narrower vertex, _ the raised position of the ocelli and insertion of the antenne, ee in the lengthily attenuate legs, and in the turned down pos- terior angles of the lateral lobes. The spiniform antero-dorsal margin of pronotum is probably only of specific importance. I would therefore include in this genus two species namely : pines longipes, the type described below, and Aphibo- ettix abbotti Rehn.* " Amphibotettix longipes : sp. nov.—Body slender, coarsely granulose, ‘ous, posterior femoral margins and ventral surface of body light yel- low. Head not at all exserted ; vertex narrowed forward, considerably narrower than one of the eyes; eyes globose. Pronotum anteriorly produced in a short, rather blunt spine, nearly vertically elevated, the antero dorsal margin transversely somewhat tentate, posteriorly the apical process profoundly prolonged backward, slightly more than twice the length of the posterior femora, the apex acute; dorsum between the anterior margin and the shoulders on either side constricto-sulcate, be- hind the shoulders shallowly bifossulate, with lightly tumose elevations posteriorly ; median carina very little compresso-elevated, undulate, in- terrupted anteriorly and subobliterated backward on the apical process ; humero-apical carinze dividing off rather narrow indistinct scapular areas ; spine of posterior inferior margin of lobes straight and lengthily ae cal acute, almost transverse cr leaning little forward. Elytra elongate, 1€ apex acuminate, surface coarsely granulose, below and toward the ipex finely reticulose ; wings extended backward nearly to the pronotal apex. Anterior and middle femora extraordinarily slender, the anterior age ngly longer than the head ; posterior femora very slender, knee very d ‘row, the antegenicular Beaticie absent, the genicular spine lightly pro- uc ced ; the pulvilli of posterior tarsi equal in length, the third pulvillus i a es dings Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia, 1904, p. 660. 88 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 flattened below. ‘Total length 9, 26 mm.; pronotum, 25 mm.; posterior femora, 9 mm.; anterior femora, 5 mm.; posterior tibiz, 6.80 mm.; 4’, 20 mm.; pronotum, 19 mm.; posterior femora, 7 mm. Eight females and six males from Brunei, Island of Borneo. In my collection. SECTION METRODOR ZA. PLATYTETTIX gen. nov. Characters: Body strongly rugoso-retieulose. Head lightly exserted ; vertex considerably broader than one of the eyes, tridentate anteriorly, consisting of a denticle on each side, and a minute denticuliform produced median carina. Eyes very small, though slightly prominent; ocelli placed between the lower fourth of the eyes. Frontal costa rather widely sulcate, viewed in profile roundly produced between the an- tennze, abruptly sinuate above and below. Antenne inserted below and before the ventro-anterior part of the eyes. Pro- notum anteriorly truncate, posteriorly hastate, the apex acute ; median carina of pronotum strongly cristate anteriorly before the shoulders ; humeral angles obsolete ; posterior angles of the lateral lobes widely laminate outwards, triangularly sub- spiniform produced, obliquely truncate behind. Elytra and wings absent. Legs strongly compresso-carinate ; anterior femora strongly carinate above, below acute lobate; middle femoral carinze sinuate-lobate; posterior femora stout, the antegenicular and genicular spines strongly triangularly pro- duced ; first article of the posterior tarsi provided with sub- acute pulvilli. Platytettix reticulatus sp. nov.—Body short and robust, viewed from above the inferior margins of lateral lobes of pronotum widely dilated backward and acute; grayish-ferrugineous, lightly marked on dorsum with fuscous and also the legs annulated with the same color. Vertex barely more than twice the breadth of one of the eyes. Pronotum with the dorsum strongly compresso-elevated anteriorly before the shoulders ; median carina gently arcuato-cristate forward to near the front border, and backward abruptly descending between the shoulders ; surface on either side of crest and lateral lobes strongly rugose-scabrous ; dorsum behind the crest somewhat flattened and profoundly reticulose-scabrous, presenting many little cratiform elevations ; the median carina of pro- notum here very thin and indistinct; anterior carinz behind the front ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 89 t 1 abbreviated but distinct ; lateral carinz of the posterior process fat hin, lightly compressed, and minutely serrate, the apex of pro- tum produced, little upturned and extended backward to apex of pos- r femora. tal length of body 9 mm.; pronotum 8 mm.; posterior femora 5 mm. ( One female from Marcapata, Peru, South America. In my _ ‘TRIGONOFEMORA gen. nov. Characters: Body coarsely granulose, rugose and spar- sly tuberculose. Head slightly compresso-elevated ; face by ical ; antennze inserted below the ventro-anterior bor- of the eyes ; ocelli placed between the lower third of eyes, ely visible in profile view; eyes small, higher than the sum and scarcely at all more elevated than the vertex ; rtex anteriorly truncate, broader than one of the eyes, said: e lightly carinate forward, on either side between the eyes ove eate ; occiput strongly sloping backward ; frontal costa enly divergent forward but the rami iederatels separated. ‘onotum distinctly flattened on the dorsum, truncate an- rly, posteriorly subulate; median carina of pronotum ind the anterior border often compresso-elevated ; humeral angles laterally prominent, carinate, and obtuse angulate ; th e posterior angles of the lateral lobes rather narrowly sub- ‘rec tang ularly truncate, the inferior margins very little turned ward ; elytral sinus above shallow, the inferior sinus deeply md angularly incised. Elytra oblong; wings perfectly ex- licate. Femora little compressed, elongate, carinze of an- om femora triquetrous, the external pagina with the oblique a ele prominent, the carina of the outer face below sronounced ; femoral and genicular denticles very strongly sularly produced. First and third articles of the pos- farsi equal in length. igonofemora fossulatus sp. nov.—Ferruginous above, legs very light n, ften mottled below with black. Vertex much wider than one of yes, front border truncate and barely advanced so far as the eyes, rior carinze outwardly on each side abruptly curved backward, 1 the eyes on each side foveate, occiput declivous posteriorly. | with the dorsum distinctly flattened, strongly widened between ders ; just behind the shoulders deeply bifossulate, posteriorly abrous interspersed with tubercles ; median carina of pronotum 90 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 close to the anterior margin obsolete, between the sulcations compresso- cristate, but the small crest not elevated above the eyes; on either side of the base of crest presenting a small tumose eminence ; posteriorly the median carina becomes interrupted, being undulate-subserrulate ; an- terior carinz behind the front margin abbreviated but distinct. Elytra oblong subacuminate toward the apex ; wings perfectly explicate, ex- tended backward little beyond the apex of pronotal process. Posterior femora above strongly carinate, provided with a small secondary denticle just above the strongly prominent femoral lobe; posterior tibiz# with both margins sparingly armed with spines; the first articles of the pos- terior tarsus having the pulvilli of gradually increasing length, from the — first to the third. | Total length, 13 mm.; pronotum, 11.5 mm.; posterior femora, 5.5 mm. One female from Callanga, Peru, S. Am. In my collection. STENODORSUS gen. nov. ,; Characters: Body granulose rugulose. Head not exserted or elevated ; face little oblique ; antennz slender filiform, in- serted between the lower part of the eyes; ocelli placed bet- ween the middle of the eyes; eyes moderately small, little elevated but not prominent, viewed from above subreniform, in profile conoidal. Vertex anteriorly truncate, subequal in breadth to one of the eyes, middle indistinctly carinate anteri- orly ; frontal costa narrowly sulcate, the rami almost fmper- ceptibly widening forward to the median ocellus; maxillary palpi slender, the apical article slightly depresso-ampliate. Pronotum anteriorly truncate, posteriorly acute, strongly ex- tended backward beyond the apex of posterior femora ; dorsum very narrow between the shoulders, somewhat flattened ; humeral angles very widely obtuse, the scapular area clearly defined by the presence of humero-apical carinz; posterior angles of lateral lobes subobtusely rounded. Elytra oblong ; wings perfectly explicate. Superior or elytral sinus much shallower than the inferior sinus. Femoral margins subentire ; posterior femora slender; genicular and antegenicular den- ticles small, acute, margins of posterior tarsi minutely serrate and sparingly armed with small spines. First and third articles of posterior tarsi equal in length. . This genus resembles A//otettix, but differs from that genus in the narrower body, the insertion of the antennze between the ventral part of the eyes, and the situation of the superior ocelli between the middle of the eyes. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. gI extenuatus sp. nov.—Ferruginous, sometimes indistinctly . Vertex subequal in breadth to one of the eyes, little narrowed rd, truncate anteriorly, the frontal carina on each side little elevato- e; behind the frontal carine provided with little oblong fossz, ying the space on each side of the median carina between the an- alf of the eyes. Pronotum with the dorsum flattened or barely very narrow prolongate, provided forward on each side with a longitndinal ruga ; median carina of pronotum percurrent, moder- conspicuous, little elevated ; on each side of dorsum forward bet- r the carine longitudinally bicanaliculate, posteriorly the surface e Tugoso-punctulate ; forward between the front of shoulders rarely led with very indistinct abbreviated carina on each side ; humero- ‘carine present, dividing off moderately wide scapular areas over- ‘the shoulders ; apical process of pronotum very lengthily extended rd, little Giioer than the wings, or rarely equal in the male. oblong, acuminate toward the apex; wings perfectly explicate. rior tibiz narrow, very lightly expanded toward the apices, the half little curved outward, the outer margin of the distal third part sd with minute denticles but the inner fifth part unarmed ; the third illi of the posterior tarsi equal in length to the first and second art- mbined, and flat below. Total length of body 2, 16 mm.; pro- 15 mm.; posterior femora, 6.5mm. ’, 14-14.25mm.; pronotum, mm.; posterior femora, 5.25-5.5 mm. erous specimens in my collection from Marcapata, uth America. ‘arolina Records of Odonata in 1904 and 1905 Corrections of Some Previous Records. — By C. S. BRIMLEY. In the following list all noteworthy North Carolina records Idonata for the years 1904 and 1905, except the Lake Ellis ,* are included. The specimens were taken by myself oss otherwise. stated. Species marked with a star *, have : previously recorded from the state. 5 sorditus Hagen. Hobton, Sampson Co., one female April 27, 1904. F. Sherman. y chna furcillata Say. Raleigh, April 19, 27, 1904; April 3, 1905. uC aeschna janata Say. Raleigh, April 14, 1904, a male and female. ja constricta Say. Raleigh Nov. 7, 1904, one male. nia taeniolata Ramb. Raleigh, Aug. 9, 1904, one male. a ulia obsoleta Say. Wilmington, April5, 1905, G. M. Bentley. neuria cynosura Say. Wilmington, April 5, 1905, one; Wal- lace, Duplin Co., April 5, 1905, one; G. M. Bentley. & | 92 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 Helocordulia selysii Hagen. Wallace, April 4, 1904, R. W. Collett ; Southern Pines, March 27, 1905, G. M. Bentley. Both these specimens, which are females, have the triangles of the fore- wings once crossed, the triangles of the hindwings free, and internal triangles present in both hind wings, but two other specimens, male and female taken at Lumberton, April 7, 1903, have the triangles of both fore and hind wings free from cross veins, and internal triangle absent in both hind wings of female, and present in left, but absent in right, hind wing of male. Somatochlora tenebrosa Say. Raleigh, Sept. 15, 1904, one female. This specimen, as also a male of the same species taken at Raleigh, July 10, 1903, and a female of .S. ji/osa taken at Lum- berton, Sept. 6, 1902, have the triangles of both fore and hind wings once crossed. Mesothemis simplicicollis Say. Cape Hatteras, one taken in July by _ my brother’s little boys. Libellula flavida Ramb. Lillington, Harnett Co., June 28, 1904, one; Raleigh, Sept. 17, 1904, one. Libellula cyanea Fab. Lillington, June 28, 1904, one. ; Libellula semifasciata Burm. LaGrange, Lenoir Co., Aug. 9, 1904, Sherman ; Warsaw, Duplin Co., May 19, 1905, Sherman. Libellula auripennis Burm. Cape Hatteras, four taken by my brother’s little boys in July, 1905 ; Raleigh, June 5, 1905, one female. * Tramea lacerata Hagen. Wilmington, July 21, 1905, J. W. Spoon, one male.. Pantala flavescens Fab, Raleigh, Sept. 23, 1905, one teneral male. Lestes forcipatus Rambur. Warsaw, May 1g, 1905, Sherman. Argia bipunctulata Hagen. Lillington, June 28, 1904, one. Argia apicalis Say. Lillington, June 28, 1904, one. CORRECTIONS. 1. The female specimen of Gomphus notatus recorded pre- viously from Lumberton (Ent. NEws, May, 1903, p. 151), is not that species, but apparently Gomphus amntcola Walsh. 2. The three specimens of Gomphus parvulus recorded pre- viously from Lumberton (Ent. NEws, March, 1904, p. 100), are certainly not that species, but so far as I can make out, Gomphus abbreviatus Selys. 3. Iam now ofthe opinion that the specimens of Lzbed/iula axillena, recorded from Raleigh (Ent. NEws, May, 1903, March, 1904), are not that form but Z. zucesta. ‘The Beaufort and Lake Ellis specimens are, however, true axdllena. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 93 ie Notes on the True Neuroptera. _ I.—Brachynemurus Curriei, a New Ant Lion from Texas, ee By J. F. McCLENDON. eenoemares curriei sp. nov. fale.—Length 34mm. Expanse of wings 34mm. Mottled yellow fuscous. Occiput yellow at sides, fuscous in the middle. Vertex scous with a narrow yellow stripe from eye to eye just behind the antennz. ‘The antennz would reach back tothe bases of the forewings ; they are brown, with yellow rings marking the articulations ; basal joint ellow ; basal and second joints swollen. Front yellow, fuscous around e bases of the antennz. Mandibles yellow, tipped with fuscous. Palpi ellow, tipped with fuscous. Pronotum a little longer than broad, taper- ing anteriorly, fuscous with a median longitudinal yellow band ; a few long hairs. Mesothorax mottled yellow and fuscous ; a few short hairs. egs yellow with circular fuscous bands. Tibial spurs reach past three _ joints of the tarsus. Claws fuscous. Wing veins fuscous, interrupted _ with yellow. Pterostigma pale. In forewings a fuscous spot two-thirds he way between pterostigma and posterior margin. Abdomen fuscous, hairy. Genital appendages about as long as diameter of abdomen. _ Female.—Length, 28mm _ Expanse of wings, 4omm. Stouter than ale. Genital appendages shorter than diameter of abdomen. Other characters as in male. ail pe No. 9725 U. S. National Museum collected by Mr. 5. Barber, at Brownsville, Texas. Cotypes: two males 1 Esperanzo, May 20, 1904, and Los Barregos, June 6, 4, both in vicinity of Brownsville ; six females from Browns- e and vicinity, all taken by Mr. Barber, 94 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 A Second Species of the Hymenopterous Genus Odon- tophyes Konow (Xyelinae). By JOHN C. BRIDWELL. Entomological Laboratory, Mass. Agr. Col., Amherst, Mass. Odontophyes ferruginea n. sp. 9, 11.5mm. Length of wing, 12mm. Dull ferruginous, the follow- . ing parts more or less infuscated: eyes, indefinite spot over ocelli, a pair of lateral indefinite spots in front of this, anterior lobe of meso- notum, lateral lobes along the sutures and behind, the lateral spot extending over upon the sides of the scutellum, metanotum, basal plate, two large spots upon second dorsal abdominal segment, the five succeeding dorsal segments excepting their lateral and posterior margins, the latter being extended forward with each side into a light spot nearly enclosed by the dark color. These parts yellowish: basal joint, antennz ae the nine small ter- minal joints, clypeus and face above to insertion of antenne, anterior and posterior orbits, labrum, mandibles except apex, the other mouth parts, tegulz, summits: of coxe, trochanters, anterior and middle femora and tibize in front, base and extreme apex of hind femora, basal half of hind tibize, hind tibize and the venter of the abdomen. Wings yeilowish hyaline, the nervures and stigma brown. The markings of the thorax and posterior regions of the head are fas definite and the colors run into each other. The bands upon the pos- — terior legs are particularly distinct, Described from one ? specimen in the author’s collection taken by him at Baldwin, Kansas, in April, upon the flowers of the early shrub willow. This species agrees perfectly with Konow’s characterization of the genus. From the only species hitherto known O. azi- ingrata Dyar, the ferruginous ground color sufficiently dis- tinguishes it, Dr. Dyar’s species being described as_ steel blue. Odontophyes avitngrata was described in Psyche 8:213, 1898, as a species of Pleuroneuva and the genus was erected by Konow (Wien. Ent. Zeit. 18:41, 1899) for its reception. Our species must resemble rather closely /egaxyela major Cresson, but differs by the generic characters. The genera A/egaxyela, Odontophyes and Pleuroneura are very closely related and care- ful collecting may reveal intermediates. ar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 95 pe eteriics and Moths With Notes on Some Species. By HENRY asta is and on the San Bernardino Ranch in Cochise unty, Arizona. Syssphinx heiligbrodti Harvey, 3, Browns- e, Texas, June. The type of this species came from Bos- > Co., Texas. The books and lists generally give Arizona the locality and omit Texas. , roly pe brevicrista Dyar, &. San Bernardino Ranch, Co- ise Co., Ariz., 3750 ft., August. This gives a definite lo- ity for this diets species. Gonodonta pyrgo Cramer. Brownsville, Texas, June. A igle specimen agrees fairly well with Cramer’s figure. Rhescipha snowi n. sp. 9? Exp. 40 mm.? Head, antenne, palpi, ax, lower half of fore femora and tibiz light brown; underside of <, middle and hind legs white. Primaries light brown and, under ense, irrorate with minute dark brown dots; a brown dot in the cell. ere is an indistinct brown shade extending into the wing from the er angle. Secondaries a lighter shade of brown (fawn) and immacu- € with upper side of abdomen same color as secondaries. The speci- n is fresh, but the tips of the wings are damaged. escribed from a single specimen taken at Brownsville, as, June. This isa new genus to our fauna, and so far I: am aware the second species known. os 0 aridan. sp. Exp. 26 mm. Head, thorax and abdomen yel- ; | antenna and legs fuscous. Primaries crossed by four fascize ; the one black and 4mm. wide; the second yellow and 3 mm. wide : | e th ird black and 3.5 mm. wide; the fourth yellow and lunate, 2 mm. > Me fascia does not cach the costa or outer margin, which is _ Secondaries yellow with a black border 4 mm. in width. i! > species in this genus appear to be of doubtful value, - will take larger series or breeding to diminish them. $ is apparently the first record for this genus in the United . end it was this fact that made it seem advisable to de- e the species. It is related to R. prusias Druce, and is cribed from one specimen taken by Prof. F. H. Snow at tnardino Ranch, Cochise Co., Ariz., 3,750 ft., August. 96 _ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 Cosmosoma rubrigutta n. sp. Exp. 40 mm. Wings hyaline ; antennz black ; head black with blue scales on top ; collar and patagiz orange; thorax black with blue spots; abdomen black with three metallic blue spots on the segments, arranged in a triangle ; legs fuscous. Primaries as in auge, except that the costa, base and interior margins are orange ; there is also an orange spot at the end of the cell, surrounded with black ; this spot is 2 mm. in length. Secondaries, basal half orange, outer part black. C. impar Walk. Biol. Cent.-Amer. Het. tii, pl. 71, f 22, looks very much like this species except in relation to base of the secondaries and the discal spot. Described from one specimen taken by Prof..F. H. Snow at Douglas, Arizona, August. Pyrgus occidentalis n. sp. This is a smaller and generally whiter species than Zessellata Scudder, and is found in the Northwest territory and in the southwest generally. I hope to give figures of this form in the near future. Prof. Snow sent me specimens from San Bernardino Ranch, Cochise Co., Arizona, August, and Browns- ville, Texas. There has been a terrific mix up in the literature in regard to zessellata Scud., syrichtus Fab., and montivagus Reak. All authors have them incorrectly placed. T7essellatus and syr- tchtus are abundantly distinct and montivagus is a synonym of syrichtus. «42> —= (horas oui _ Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 97 a The known American species may be separated by the fol- __ lowing table, which is merely my former synopsis, amplified to include the additional species : 4 Forewings with round second discaldot ... ........... I. Suemeeuwinee Without such dot... ...........-+-:.:2+.- x _ I. With blackish streak above thefold. ....... aleutianella Beut. = ANDO DN i es unicipunctella Busck. Se 2 With longitudinal black streaks... ..........-:.-+. 3. E Without longitudinal black streaks . .. ............ % _ 3. With continuous black streaks from base totip . .. ...... 4. ummemnmnenetreak . we ee 5 _ 4. Black central streak edged with white dorsally ._ . flavistrigella n. sp. a Forewings without white streak. . ....... schwarziella Busck. =e Ss eround Color pure white. ............, striatella Busck. a EMCO so ew ele wn cea ah ores 6. SS manella Busck. a MEWS i i es barberella Busck. OE we ek ke ee ee 8. Sue meeeamotpurewhite. = 2... SS A eet ee 9. ” 8. Forewings with strong well defined markings . . . angelicella Busck. F, Forewings without such markings. ......... vintrella n. sp. _ 9. Apex of forewings cupreous............ undulatella n. sp. Apex not cupreous .. . ee Merge uae ie a ae oe gd TO. to. Ground color ochreous mbite ere a ee eS maculatella n. sp. NN i ee II. eeu @epanselessthaniomm. .........2...2..084. 12. weer eepenuse more than 21mm: . .9.. . 2. ek 13. 12. Membrane between veins 11 and 12 in forewings thickened. radiatella Don. mammmmeme mot thickened. ~. 22... rubrella Dyar. 13. Forewings light olive brown ............ olivella Busck. Forewing dark purplish brown. ......... arizonella Busck. - Cerostoma flavistrigella sp. nov. -Antennz dark fuscous without color annulations. Labial palpi whit- on ochreous, finely mottled with black. Face and head dirty ochreous, each scale tipped with white, preceded by dark brown. Thorax dark fuscous. Forewing dark fuscous, mottlec and streaked with black; especially on the costal half. A continuous black streak from base to jpex limits the darker costal half of the wing; below and edging it through its entire length is a broader longitudinal white streak, which, _ together with the rest of the dorsal part, is more sparsely mottled with _ black Hindwings dark fuscous. Abdomen dark fuscous, tarsal joints tipped with ochreous. _ Alar expanse, 22-24 mm. 98 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [Mar., ’06 Hab.—Coso Valley, California (Koebele coll.) May, U.S. N. M. type No. 9806. Closely allied to C. barberella, but at once distinguished from all described American species by the central longitudinal white streak. Cerostoma maculatella sp. nov. Antennz white, sharply annulated with dark brown except on basal fourth. Labial palpi white. Face white. Head and thorax ochreous white. Forewings ochreous white; basal half of costal edge ochreous ' fuscous. From the base runs a broad, dark, ochreous fuscous band out- wards below the fold, touching the dorsal edge and then curving up- wards to the fold. At the end of the cell is a large, oblong, pronounced, dark fuscous spot, produced into a still larger paler ochreous patch, which covers most of the apical third of the wing and emits three dark fingers to the costal edge. Hind wings paler fuscous. Abdomen ochreous white. Legs white, mottled with black exteriorly. Alar expanse, 20-22:mm. Hab.—Bright Angel, Arizona (Barber coll.) May, U.S. N. M. type No. 9807. | This species is nearest to C. angelicella, and quite similar though not identical in design, but differs in the dingy ground color and the more diffused and darker markings. ’ Cerostoma vintrella sp. nov. Antennz white with sharp prominent dark brown annulations. Labial palpi white. Face, head and thorax pure white, patagina ochreous. Forewings white with indistinct and ill-defined, light ochreous fuscous markings ; the most persistent of these are a central longitudinal row of three large oblong spots, more or less connected by single dark scales, and aseries of equidistant costal, apical and dorsal spots around the edge of the apical third of the wing. There are also two ochreous fuscous costal spots, one at basal third and one at the middle of the wing, and two or more dorsal spots, but none of these markings are very constant and in even slightly worn specimens they are all more or less obliterated, so that the wing appears nearly immaculate or merely dusted with dark scales. Hindwings light gray. Abdomen dark fuscous. Legs white. Alar expanse, 17-22 mm. FTab.—Colorado Canon, Arizona, 2300 feet alt. (Barber coll.) May. U.S. N. M. type No. 9808. Nearest, on account of the white color, to C. striatella, but very different from that and all other described American species, os 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 3 99 Antenne light fisthus with indistinct darker annulations. Labial palpi white, dusted with black. Face, head and thorax bluish white minutely dusted with black atoms, each scale being white with dark lines. Forewings bluish silvery white, densely overlaid with black and E brown, in ill-defined wavy transverse lines. Each white scale is tipped with black. The apical part of the wing is strongly cupreous brown, especially around the edge. Cilia bluish white, dusted with black. indwing light fuscous. Abdomen silvery fuscous. Legs white dusted with black ; tarsal joints black, tipped with ochreous. _ Alar expanse, 20 mm. 4 Hab. —Williams, Arizona (Barber) July. U.S. N. M. g type No. 9809. _ Very distinct from all the known American species of Ceros- oma and at once recognized by the wavy color effect and the = cupreous wingtips. = ——_— . A SUGGESTION TO COLLECTORS ON THE SOUTHEASTERN COASTS OF _ THE Unitep SrarteEs.—Recent study of Erythrodiplax berenice Drury i (also known as Micrathyria or Diplax berenice) and of Hagen’s Dythe- mis naeva make it probable that these two Odonates grade into each other as subspecies in the sense of the Code of the American Ornitholo- gists’ Union. Berenice has been found on the coast from Massachusetts to North Carolina, zaeva in southern Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba, Guate- mala and Panama. Intermediates occur in Texas and Mexico. Of Odo- _ mata from the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, northern Florida and the Gulf nothing is known. Anyone familiar with derenice, visiting these last-named localities, would do well to gather a large series of any forms which appeared to resemble devenice and so shed some light on the rela- tionship suggested above.—PuILip P. CALVERT. - Epiror Entomotocicat News.-I noticed in the Notes and News of the June (1905) News your report of the capture of Pyrgus centauree it fona, N. J., which is, as you state, ‘ apr areeTly the first record for ee vee south of the Orange Mountains.’’ So much attention is now ing given to the making of local lists, and the determination of the : sgraphic range of each species, that the records which I am able to to yours will doubtless be of interest. Though not as far south as a these localities are all farther south than the Orange Mts. The fol- ing captures were made during May, 1904, on the dates and at the s specified: 3d, one < centauree, Millersville, Lancaster Co., Pa.; ne 2 cenfauree, York Furnace, Lancaster, Pa.; 8th, one © cen- e@, Peque Creek, four miles from Millersville ; 14th, one 3 cen- @, Welch Mts., near New Holland, Pa.; 15th, one o', one Q cen- 2, Tucquan, Pa.; 21st, two <’, three 2 centauree, Tucquan, Pa,— ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL News solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author’s name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.]} To Contributors.—All contributions will be considered and passed upon at out earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put ‘copy ”’ into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five “extras,” without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Ep, PHILADELPHIA, PA., MARCH, 1906. More than sixteen years ago, when the first number of the NEws appeared, we had sixteen pages and no illustrations. This number contains thirty-six pages of reading matter, two pages of exchanges and two pages of advertisements and the cover. ) The growth of the NEws has been steady and healthful, and we sincerely hope it may be able to maintain its present size and gradually increase to a fifty page monthly. We have received more praise than condemnation, therefore we have succeeded. We have not pleased everybody, but we are recon- ciled when we remember that the most clubs are found under the best apple trees. | With the aid of our many friends and subscribers we hope to grow and improve and become the greatest journal of ento- mology in the world. From now on we will publish not less than thirty-six pages monthly. THE RECENT meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists in New Orleans was a very successful one, over thirty members being present. About thirty very interesting papers were read. The next meeting will be held next winter in New York City, in conjunction with the A. A. A.S. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, A. H. Kirkland, Malden, Mass.; 1st Vice-President, W. E. Britton, New Haven, Conn ; 2nd Vice-President, H. A. Morgan, Knoxville, Tenn.; Secretary-Treasurer, A. F. Burgess, Columbus, Ohio. For member Committee on Nomenclature to serve three years, Herbert Osborn, Columbus, Ohio. For members Council A. A.A. S.: H. E. Summers, Ames, Iowa; E. A. Schwarz, Washington, D. C.—H. E. Sum- meERS, Retiring Secretary, A. E. £. 100 ., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 101 Notes and News. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. A CorrEcTion.—In a short article published in the ENTOMOLOGICAL News for February, 1905, I stated that Piodes coriacea Lec. had been found in the Province of Quebec. I regret to say that this statement is not correct; I should have said Pachyta rugipennis Newm. I was led astray by Abbé Provancher in his ‘‘Additions aux Coleopteres de la Province de Quebec,”’ 1878, page 14, where he describes P. rugipennis under the name of Piodes coriacea.—G. CHAGNON. EUBAPHE OSTENTA Hy. Edw. was described from one male taken at Prescott, Arizona. This species was so abundant at light in Carr Canyon, Huachuca Mts., Cochise Co., Ariz., during August as to be a nuisance. 3 It fluttered around the lamp in such numbers as to interfere with the col- 4 lecting of other species, and it was necessary from time to time to clear ____ the table of the dead and fallen. The bright crimson and black secon- 4 daries make it a conspicuous object. I generally spoke of it as the red- light nuisance to my host, Mr. Biederman.—HENRyY SKINNER. fr. 5 3 of te Mr. RENE OBERTHUR has been collecting the overwintering nest of Euproctis chrysorrhoea to send to Boston in order that parasites may possibly be reared from them to assist the New England people in their fight against the brown-tail moth. Mr. Oberthur’s collectors have a aroused much interest in some of the country regions in France. The newspaper in a small town coniments upon the arrival at the hotel of a stranger of fine appearance and decorated, who announced that he was willing to buy the nests of caterpillars. Soon large sacks of caterpillar nests were brought in by the farming people, were packed in large boxes and sent to Rennes. The object of this purchase was not announced, but.the people did some guessing. One man suggested that they were intended to make silk to replace that imported from China, since the Japanese, now having control of China, did not wish to sell any more silk to France ; another person suggested that the object was to rear the caterpillars in order to extract the diamonds from the heads of some of them since it is a well-known fact that occasionally a caterpillar is found with a diamond in its head ; a third countryman suggested that the object was to remove the nests from the caterpillars and use them in filtering the city water of Rennes. The editor of the newspaper, with an eye to business, gives these three theories and promises his readers that if they _ will look in the next Sunday’s edition he will give them the true use of these nests.—L. O. Howarp. Doings of Societies. A meeting of the American Entomological Society was’ held June 22d, 1905, Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, in the chair. Nine _ persons were present. Mr. Daecke reported taking fifteen specimens of Chrysops “lax at Winona, N. J., on June 22d. He spoke of the value 102 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. | [Mar., ’06 of differentiating the species of Chrysops by a study of the eyes. Mr. Rehn said he had been making a study of crickets from Costa Rica of the family Trigonidiinze, genera Anaxiphia and Falcicula, and had found still another genus which was new. These generic differences were elucidated. Dr. Skinner ex- hibited Megathymus polingi and Heteropia melon arizonensis, new butterflies. | Dr. Calvert spoke of the A{shninee the largest of dvagege flies and particularly of the genus Gynacantha. Its northern range is Florida, and it is found in both the Old and New worlds. Some of the species are crepuscular. The comparative anatomy of the genus and its allies was discussed. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social held Jan- uary 17, 1906, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia, ten members were present, and Mr. F. Haimbach, Jr., visitor. | The President, Mr. E. Daecke, read his annual address, which was ordered entered upon the minutes. The Treasur- er’s report was read and ordered filed. The Secretary’s verbal report was accepted. The following officers were elected to serve for the year 1906: President, E. Daecke; Vice-President, C. Few Seiss ; ap td Frank Haimbach ; 7veasurer, H. W. Wenzel. Mr. Huntington exhibited a photograph colored by Japanese- Photo Water Color Co. Mr. Laurent reported finding at least 1000 egg masses of . Tenodera sinensis at Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, during the past fall, and suggested that the species should be common this coming season. | Mr. Wenzel dwelt upon the chances of insect life after a severe winter as compared with a mild one, and spoke of the work of field mice destroying a vast number of insects during the winter of 1904-1905. ‘This was discussed by the mem- bers. Adjourned. | FRANK HAIMBACH, Secretary. Cie ar., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 103 E _ A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held - Apri 27, 1905, Dr. Philip P. Calvert in the chair. Thirteen peeteons were present. The President announced the deaths : of Dr. Henri de Saussure on February 20th, elected’ a corres- Z e cine member of the Society January 15, 1866, and of F. _ M. Brauer, who died December 29, 1904, elected a corres- ponding member October 28, 1897. Letters were read from Brunner von Wattenwyl, Ignacio Bolivar and Nicolas Adelung thanking the Society for having elected them corresponding 4 members. ‘Mr. Laurent said he. had observed a specimen of Vanessa _ antiopa on the stairway of his carriage house on Christmas _ day and it remained there until Feb. 17th. Dr. Calvert spoke ' _ of the Odonata collected by Mr. E. B. Williamson in Guate- mala and sent to him for study. ‘Two thousand seven hun- dred specimens were collected in two months. 3 Mr. Weigand spoke of his success in sugaring for moths on a Holly Beach, New Jersey. ‘Taking two hundred specimens in one night was not unusual. Mr. Snyder asked if the issuing of Hymenoptera during the warm fall days has any effect in decreasing the spring brood. Discussed by the members. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, of Philadelphia, was held May 25, 1905. Mr. Philip Laurent, Director, presiding. Twelve persons were _ present. Dr. Skinner exhibited Syntomide from Venezuela, _ which mimic Hymenoptera in a wonderful:-manner. Some _ large Cicadas from Burma and the pretty moth Coptodisca _ splendoriferella, the latter raised from cocoons taken by Mr. Edward Potts, Media, Pa., were also shown. gl Daecke called attention to the value of Canada balsam r mounting small insects as they do not shell off as they do on glue is used. Pic Rehn spoke of his studies of South American Truxa- li e Hylopteriges. Americans use the genus 7ruxalis and Europeans MJetaleptia. The question of the generic syno- 104 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Mar., ’06 nymy of species described by Giglio-Tos and Bruner was dis- cussed by the speaker and his own views given. Mr. Daecke exhibited an Odonate new to the New Jersey list. The species was Gomphus brevis and was taken at Brown’s Mills Junction, May 21st. He also said Basieschna janata was uncommon in collections, but not in the pine barrens of New Jersey. Mr. Haimbach exhibited a box containing the Micro-lepid- optera he had taken during the year, representing forty-four species. Dr. Calvert exhibited carbon tetrachloride and gave some to the members to try as an insecticide. It is less inflammable than carbon bisulphide and of a pleasanter odor. — Mr. Haimbach reported having received Catopsilia philea from Kirkwood, Georgia. HENRY SKINNER, Recorder. The fifteenth regular meeting of the Pacific Coast Entomo- logical Society was held on February 25, 1905, at the Califor- nia Academy of Sciences. President Fuchs in the chair. Eleven members were present. Two new members were elected. Mr. F. W. Nunenmacher exhibited a series of Hippodamia sinuata and americana, the specimens showed that the two species intergrade, the markings forming a continuous series ; all were collected in Alameda County, California; also the following : Coccidula scutellata (Berlin), C. rufa (Berlin), C. lepida (New York), C. occidentalis (Cazaville, Quebec), Adalia bipunctata (Massachusetts), A. ludovice (W. T.), A. frigida var. ophthalmica (Siskiyou Co.), A. humeralis (Tulare Co.). Dr. F. EH. Blaisdell reported the welfare of three larve of Omus ambiguus that had been brought from Mt. Shasta by Mr. Beverly Letcher. They fed on flies and appeared more sluggish and did not hibernate like the larvee of O. sequotarum previously reported. He also spoke upon several forms of Llapstinus, e. g., that he was inclined to refer the species col- lected at Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County, California, to inquisitus, as the two sexes were about alike in form, although the legs were reddish and not dark as in the Truckee form; a Mar., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 105 species taken at San Francisco he referred to fuliginosus, and those taken in Contra Costa County to elongatus. Dr. E. C. Van Dyke thought that each member of the Society should specialize upon some group or order of insects. He also spoke upon the life histories of insects, especially the Carabidz, and the need of such work. Mr. Edw. Ehrhorn also thought it the proper thing for each member to take up some particular group and referred to the myriads of small things to be found everywhere. Dr. Blaisdell exhibited Fleodes riley. Mr. F. X. Williams the following variations in Lepidoptera: 4 Chrysophanus gorgon, Pyramets mulleri 8 , Anthocharis auson- tades 2 , 3 Meliteza chalcedon—one with a simple row of submar- ginal allow spots, another with a whitish discal cell, spring and summer forms, the latter more than twice as large as the former. The sixteenth regular quarterly meeting of the Pacific Coast Entomological Society was the annual field day, and was held at Fairfax, Marin County, California, on June 11, 1905. Nine members and nine guests participated in the outing. Many good things were taken. Mr. F. W. Nunenmacher obtained two specimens of a blind Tenebrionide,* which is undoubtedly a new and remarkable species and will necessitate the creation of a new genus for its reception. It probably represents a new tribe near the Scaurini. This makes the third species of blind Tenebrionideze from California—Alaudes sengularis and Typh- lusedrus singularis being the other two species. Purpuricenus dimidiata and Obverea quadricallosa were also taken. The weather was too dry for fine collecting. The seventeenth regular meeting of the Pacific Coast Ento- pe mological Society was held on August 26, 1905, at the resi- _ dence of Dr. F. E. Blaisdell, President Fuchs in the chair. q ‘Ten members and ten guests were present. President Fuchs ee - kal read the following notice : _ Members of the Pacific Coast Ent. Soc. With sincere regret I have to announce : the death of Mr. '* See p. 76, 106 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. — [Mar., ’06 Beverly Letcher. He passed away in San Francisco, July 17, 1905, at the age of 41 years. Born in San Francisco, Califor- nia. With him were lost not only a good honest friend, but also an excellent entomologist of bright ideas and deep obser- vations in general entomology. His specialty was Lepidop- doptera. I beg all present to rise and pay to our good friend our sincerest esteem. I suggest that the Society draw up a set of resolutions, showing our regard for him and that a copy be presented to his mother, Mrs. Anna Letcher. The following committee was appointed to draw up the reso- lutions: Dr. EK. C. Van Dyke, James Cottle and Dr. F. E. Blaisdell. Dr. E. C. Van Dyke then reported ‘‘A Month’s Outing in Washington.’’ He briefly considered the comparative geogra- phy of Oregon and Washington, stating that he visited Mon- roe, Tacoma, Paradise Park (Rainier) and Mt. Shasta. He spoke of the general conditions in the two States, giving a review of the geology past and present. He also considered the flora and fauna. He gave the results of his collecting at Monroe, in the for- est and clearing, along streams and in the open swampy places; collecting at Paradise Park was then taken up, with results in collecting along the streams, on flowers, trees, on ice fields and about tents, with the report of taking Cicindela depressula, Nebrias on ground and under logs. He stated that he recog- nized two faunas in Eastern Washington. Mr. James Cottle gave a report of his summer’s outing (July 17th to 31st) at Anderson Springs, Lake County, Cali- fornia, stating that he caught many Cafocala as follows: aholibah, pura, faustina, californica, cleopatra, ophelia, violenta, zoe and what is undoubtedly a new species. Mr. J. C. Huguenin gave an account of his outing in the Yosemite National Park in the early part of July. At Wanona, Mariposa County, he took Omus horniz. In the Yosemite Valley he took Cavabus tedatus var., Pterostichus morionides and Lleodes scabricula, parvicollis var. and consobrina var. It proved too early for Lepidoptera. F. E. BLAISDELL, M.D., Secretary. . y ¥ xo i 4 7 : \ tf “~ : ie i aeY as ¥ 3 ; —_ ? * wv H 5 ’ Z 5 ; . . Pa Ent. News, Vol. XVII. Pl. oe R ie NH) \\ gs J 74 ey) CULEX VARIPALPUS coa. -ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS ND p OCEEDINGS OF THE Be aes ocical. SECTION APRIL, 1906. No. 4 CONTENTS: Notes and descriptions of. _ Britton—Some new or little known of Culex varipalpus Coq. 107 | Aleyrodidz from Connecticut—II 127 ty a mew Culex near curriei.. 109 Slingerland—Formaldehyde as an in- a Dr. ote s Review of the BORUNNE So peer cr v oasy esas 130 Beeman Soe ee cht Ay 5... otate 110 =Williamson—Dragonflies (Odonata) ~ collected by Dr. D. A. Atkinson in Bee ya visi. s 5. sca Itz. | Newfoundland, with notes on some | species of Somatochlora ........... 133 Te Se ee oa 3 114 Johnson—An emergency case in insect AT EUICCOLULE: pia Siete sis cu cewmeainks 139 MMe tgs sina: «a bea 116 | Editorial ......... ceeeesse esse eeeeeees 140 i Doings of Socleties..05\.5 vscecvieccesetas I4t aes oe 121 | is «i 1234 _ pus Cog. By F. E. BLAISDELL. (Plate ” thie and acces. awkward movements. All "of the 2 of this species that I have seen were taken from a hole sycamore tree; for the last three years they have been ant, from July to January, when there was sufficient keep: water in the hole. e largest larvee (Fig. 1 of Plate) are 7 to 8 mm. in 1, including the siphon, and nearly six times longer than Son of the prothorax. Color is yellowish to a dirty 107 108 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, 06 white, anal siphon more or less black, head ferrugineous with sutures ventrally and spots laterally piceous. The head is subquadrate, narrower than the prothorax, slightly wider than the abdominal segments, comparatively small in the younger larvae, widest at or just back of the eyes, tempora scarcely at all subangulate, the frontal surface quite evenly and moderately convex. The antennae (Fig. 6) are more or less piceous, usually whitish beneath, slightly more than one-half as long as the head, very feebly arcuate, cylin- drical, slightly and gradually narrowing at apex, and termi- nating in a small colorless, pointed segment ; laterally at mid- dle is a long seta. The mandible (Fig. 9) and palpus (Fig. 10) are sufficiently characterized by the figures. The mentum (Figs. 7 and 8) is triangular with the sides slightly arcuate, and finely subden- ticulo-crenulate, the internal surface (Fig. 8) is clothed with very fine hairs or cilia. The thorax is transversely oval; at each side there are four or five well-developed tufts of long setae, of which the dorsal two are only given in the figure. The abdominal segments, 3 to 7, are subequal, segments I and 2 are apparently shorter. The pecten of the eighth segment consists of a patch on each side of the segment, of about 15 to 19 chitinous scales, apparently arranged in two transverse rows ; one or two scales may constitute another or third row ; the anterior row has 9 or 1o scales, while the posterior some 5 or 6, their line of attach- ment being just caudad to that of the anterior row, and usually alternating with them; sometimes they are arranged in ante- rior-posterior series, which is never perfect ; each scale is elon- gate, flattened, with the margins fringed with spines (Fig. 4), the scales vary in form as indicated by the figures. ‘The anal siphon is about three times as long as wide, ap- parently shorter in the younger larvee. The siphonal pecten consists of a single straight series of 13 scales, situated at basal fifth and reaching the base. Each scale (Fig. 3) is very acute, with one to three smaller spines at proximal side of the base. | ~— si eet - . ie il, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 109 arsely within the branchia, within each circle is a small central circle. ‘The branchia are easily detached. _ The setae of the larvae are peculiar, inasmuch as they are lothec with fine hairs. Figure 5 represents the basal part of thoracic tuft, while figure 2 illustrates | a tuft from the ght ith segment. The larvae are fragile, especially in preservative fluids. E the pupae the respiratory siphons are small and compara- vely inconspicuous, while the two anal branchiz are nearly al, slightly longer than wide, slightly and rather broadly vinate at apex, with a small, slender seta projecting back- ; from the centre of the emargination; margins at sides inute spinulo-denticulate, at apex minutely spinulose. a whole the pupa is slender, the abdomen elongate, and tly dorso-ventrally depressed. 43> —=—or- A new Culex near curriei. By D. W. CoQuiLLETtr. x lativittatus, n. sp. 0 a similar to curriez that I am unable to detect any difference, n the stripe of brown scales in the middle of the mesonotum, In 2sent species this stripe is very broad, covering more than one-fifth | = width of the mesonotum, the borders almost parallel and well ed. In curriei this stripe is much narrower, covering less than one- the width of the mesonotum, its borders not well defined, usually rrow line of brown scales on either side of it, but separated by of yellowish white scales. Clara and Alameda Counties, California. A large of both sexes received from Miss Isabel McCracken. is evidently the species referred to by Mr. Quayle in uary number of the News, under the name of curriei. ter appears to be a fresh-water species. Mr. Frederick informs me that the larvae of the two forms are very 110 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 On Dr. Dyar’s Review of the Hesperidae. By HENRY SKINNER. Dr. Dyar has published in the Journal of the New York Entomological Society * A Review of the Hesperidze of the © United States. The value of the paper is greatly impaired by the lack of sub-family definitions, and it is impossible for any- one not familiar with the sub-families to use the keys to the genera the author gives. Nearly the whole classification of — the Hesperide is based on the presence or absence of the costal fold, a male secondary sexual character. ‘The females there- fore must work out their own salvation. This costal fold ap- pears to be distributed through the family in a most arbitrary way and in closely related species one will have it and the © other not. Unfortunately it has not been used in a logical manner for generic separation. The two species, bathyllus Abbott & Smith, and pAy/ades Scudder, are remarkably close specifically, yet dathyllus is the type of Thorybes Scudder and pylades the type of Coccezus Godman & Salvin. Cocceiusis based — on the presence of a costal fold in the male. The logicand the beauty of this is seen from the fact that in the genus Audamus, stmplicius Stoll has a costal fold while dorantes Stoll lacks it. — Why are they not different genera? This fact invalidates Dr. — Dyar’s first key and makes such a classification absurd. The genus Cogia Butler is based on another secondary sexual char- acter, the presence of a pencil of hairs near the abdominal fold of the secondaries. The species appear to be more nearly related to species in the other genera as segregated. Phedinus caicus Herrich-Schaeffer, moschus Edws., is so close specifically to bathyllus that they are frequently confounded yet they are placed in different genera. The same may be said of dathyllus and pylades. ‘The writer does not admit that a single second- ary sexual character proves their non-relationship. In passing it is noted that in the Biologia, cazcus H. S. and moschus Ed- wards, while not specifically separated, are said to differ by the latter being lighter in color, palpi whiter and hyaline spots — ‘a | larger, yet they separate Pyrrhopyga arizone and P. araxes * Vol. XIII, p. 111. il, 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. III ¢ e Bier and places it as a synonym of sibemicats i lle. Godman and Salvin place one species, albociliata, in garia and say it does not have a costal fold. If we logic- follow out the significance of this we have a single species 1 two genera. This is by no means unusual in ‘‘ up-to-date enera’’ as we see the same thing in Bull. 52 U. S. N. M. ; my knowledge of genera is only ‘‘an opinionated at- — t to discredit them’’ I can’t be expected to follow such ppetes on the presence br a aki pencil on the hind tibiee: a most extraordinary, as syrichtus and montivaga are one ss. LHylephila phyleus and Polites coras Cram. (peckius y ) certainly look lonely. It may be mentioned here that y-five years ago Mr. Scudder erected many genera of the eridee without descriptions. They were only indicated cific types. There were about thirty in all. These have tumbling blocks and our Hesperid genera will bein a condition until they are thoroughly studied. Dr. Dyar ecognized practically all of them, and. this has been the of much confusion, as shown by his Revision. ‘To one ing the species it can be said, without fear of contradic- t in the Pamphilinze the species in given genera are early related to species in other genera than they are to other. This would not be so bad if the genera would irrespective of natural relationship. Caééa hasa single _otho, and Thymelicus twenty, and these twenty will re ater variation in slight differences among themselves hey do from the lonely segregated one. Those undér mnis show a sad mixture and would make five or six gen- of equal value to those used. For example compare /eon- and morrisoni ; juba and metea. In Ochlodes compare I12 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 snowt and verus, nemorum and sassacus. Atrytonopsis hianna and Lerodea loammi are so close specifically that they may be topomorphs, yet they are placed in widely separated genera. 4. python Edws. should not be placed where it is. Compare fusca and fextor in the genus Stomyles. ‘The association of scudderi and aaront may go in an ‘‘ up-to-date classification,’’ but na- ture would never recognize it. Maculata and eufala would never agree to being associated in Lerodes if they knew it. The same theory applies to arpa, palatka, byssus, dion in relation to yehl and pontiac. The species under Prenes are closely related. Padraona dara Kollar is the same species as omaha Edw. Omaha is the type of Potanthus Scudder (1872). Padvraona Moore (1881). Dr. Dyar says Megathymus cofagui Strecker and JZ, streckeri Skinner are not well separated. The specimens and the literature prove other- wise. WZ. aryxna Dyar is a synonym of nzeumoegent Edw. The fig. 3, pl. 69, Biol. Cent: Amer. Het. is not xeumoegeni, as stated by Dr. Dyar. Dr. Dyar assumes that I am not familiar with the genera of the Hesperidz, because I have not used all or many of those proposed. I have not used them because in many cases they ~ are unscientific, illogical and untenable. Dr. Dyar’s Re- vision proves the correctness of my position. I can’t logically be held responsible for not proposing better ones. When I became interested in the family the species were in great con- fusion in collections, and I never saw a collection where they were all correctly named. I have named specimens for many years from all over the country and the species is the unit of classification, and a multiplicity of bad genera—a Tower of Babel. aa ere = I wIsH to report that out of 335 7. polyphemus cocoons about 40 had stems. One contained a parasite.—RICHARD KUSCHEL, Chicago, Illinois. Mr. E. P. VAN DuzgeE, of the Grosvenor Library, Buffalo, New York, has gone to Jamaica for a few weeks’ collecting trip. We may look for- ward to an increase in our knowledge of the Hemipterous fauna of that island. pril, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 113 A Malpighian Tube Within the Heart. By WILLIAM A. RILEy, Cornell University. e are accustomed to variety in the location of the urinary s of the Arthropoda, but one is a little surprised to find falpighian tube within the heart. And yet such a condi- tion sometimes occurs among the insects. So far as has been f und it occurs only in certain Orthoptera. The accompany- , illustration from a cross-section of the abdomen of an ‘idid, the common Melanoplus Lea shows two cross- ections of a Malpighian ube within the cavity of he heart. On tracing > it is seen that they not represent two 5 but rather a sin-— Cross-section of pericardial region of Melanoplus n itself. Semoratus—d, dorsal diaphragm ; /, pericar- A side fr om a brief dial cells; m, mialpighian tube; 4, heart. incidental mention by Kowalevsky, 1894,* this condition eems to have escaped notice. In studying the heart of Pachytilus this worker was surprised to find in the mid- » region of the abdomen, Malpighian tubes within the ty of the heart. Supposing, at first that it was a pa- ological condition, he studied the same region of. the heart yf f Locusta viridissima and found exactly the same condition. this species, it was easy to recognize that the Malpighian reached the heart by way of the cardio-coelomic aper- , and that after a tortuous course it passed through the tdio-pericardial aperture into the pericardial chamber. er, he found the same condition in the nymph of an unde- 1ined Locustid. a result of his studies, Kowalevsky reached the con- mn that this condition was not pathological but perfectly al for the Acrididae and Locustidae. He sought to ex- 1 ee strange phenomenon as a case of physiological attrac- In most animals,—Molluses, Vertebrates, Crustaceans, va Ko ime A. 1894. Etudes sur le coeur de quelques Orthopteres, Cominunication : naire, Arch. Zool. exp. 3 ser. t. 2 pp., 485-490. — 114 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 —the acid and alkali-eliminating organs (distinguished re- spectively by their ability to take up carmine, or indigo-car- mine) are united into one. ‘Thus we have the urinary tubules and the Malpighian corpuscles in the kidney of the Verte- brates ; the urinary canals and the peripheral saccules in the decapod Crustaceans; the pericardial glands and the organs ~ of Bojanus in the Lamellibranchs. In the insects, however, we have these organs, represented respectively by the pericar- dial cells and the Malpighian tubes, entirely separate. Kowa-— levsky concludes that ‘‘there thus results a certain physio- logical attraction between the organs, which leads to the pene- tration of the Malpighian tubes into the region occupied by the acid-eliminating part of the kidney, that is to say, into the region of the pericardial cells.’’ I have studied a number of series of adults of AMelanoplus Jemoratus and of both adults and nymphs of M/elanoplus femur- rubrum but have observed the phenomenon in only the one individual. In addition, I have examined series of Chorto- phaga (nymph and adult), G@canthus, Gryllus, and Blatta, but have met with no further instance. ‘The Orthoptera possess from thirty toa hundred and fifty Malpighian tubes and yet of all these Kowalevsky found but a single one within the heart of any individual. If we have in the phenomenon a perfectly normal case of physiological attraction, why does it affect but a single tube, or how account for the fact that it has never been observed in any other order of insects? ‘The con- dition is an interesting one, but the evidence certainly goes to show that it is a purely accidental one. Whether it is merely mechanical, brought about by the movements of the insect, or whether it is an abnormal method of growth, is a question. —= entomological fraternity. —-ONE OF THE PHILADELPHIANS. al 116 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 Notes on the True Neuroptera. J. F. MCCLENDON. 2.—On Venation in Neuroptera. The wings of Neuroptera have been variously treated by systematists, and a few species have been considered by Com- stock and Needham in their excellent series of articles in the 32d and 33d volumes of the American Naturalist. In 1go1 I commenced to collect material for a developmental and com- parative study of the venation of the group, but on account of pressure of other duties, failed to get many pupae, and had to content myself with studying the tracheation of the fully formed wings by bleaching them for days in chlorine water. In distinguishing the veins, I have used the nomenclature of Redtenbacher as applied by Comstock and Needham. SIALINA. The wings of Szalima are broad and seemingly irregularly reticulated, but if we leave out of consideration the cross veins, the venation can easily be reduced to the hypothetical type of Comstock and Needham. The anal space of the hind wings . is thin and folded when at rest. SIALID. In Corydalis texana, Fig. 1, the sub-costa and radius run i Fig. 1.—Corydalis texana. Fore wing. In this as well as in the suc- ceeding figures the cross veins are omitted, save where they are represented by spaced lines. 3 parallel nearly to the tip of the wing, where they fuse. The radial sector has become pectinate by fusion of 7* and 7, as shown by Comstock and Needham. A’ has three side branches, \pril, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 117 one of which is divided into two. J: and mare fused. Cu! thas three side branches. The first, second, and third anal veins each branch once. In Sialis infumata, Fig. 2, the anterior wing is modified by : the fusion of cz and m for some distance, and asso- ciated with this, the radius assumes a bowed form. J7/' and mm are fused. In the hind wing the bases of the median and cubitus -are fused. and m* are fused. J7/* and m* are fused. Fig. 2.—Siais infumata. : : RAPHIDIDZ. In Raphidia oblita, Figs. 3 and 4, the sub-costa reaches the margin of the wing ‘before the pteros- tigma. In the an-. terior wing the | adius, media, and cu are fused for a short distance. In Fig. 3.—Raphidia oblita. Fore wing. the posterior wing the bases of the adius and media ,— 9% ; Berea are fused for some “ | a ens << distance and cu CSN NN AOS S> ses with the first al through the ddle third of its course. Fig. 4.—Raphidia oblita, Hind wing. HEMEROBINA (MEGALOPTERA),. MYRMELEONIDE. ' In the MZyrmeleonide we have tygical venation save that many accessory veins have been added distally and the branch- 118 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [April, ’06 ing of the median has been almost or quite completely sup- pressed. In Ululodes hyalina, Fig. 5, the sub-costa and radius run parallel to the pterostigma, where they unite. The radial sector is branched dichotomously, though it is functionally Fig. 5.—Ululodes (Ulula) hyalina. Fore wing. pectinate, A+ being united to RX: +3 by a strong cross vein. The media is unbranched. 2, », Cu! and the anal furnish numerous veinlets by pectinate branching. | In ALyrmeleon rusticus, Fig. 6, the number of accessory ja aaa EN. iy er x A» SS 1 S$. & Qe 7. v q Ss ~tmy 2 ae a SSS ' YY \) Dh T\ \ \ ae Eid > Wage Fig. 6.—Myrmeleon rusticus. Fore wing. | veins is very much increased, Cu! having thirteen branches, each of which subdivides once. HEMEROBIDAS. In the Hemerobide the radial sector has become pectinate ~ by splitting of A+ +> as shown by Comstock and Needham for Flemerobius. Heel In the fore wing of Micromus posticus, Fig. 7, the radial sector is suppressed ) and the radius has pas ™ > ZS Mae ee become pectinate. NR rs. a Whether this has been \S Sex’ J ; NG de hee caused by fission or # SQ. 2 Rs Sere S ae “ 2 > coalescence, I have Taina hy b> not enough material Fig. 7:—Micromus posticus. Fore wing. , 06] _ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 119 decide, but when we compare it with the hind wing, where > radial sector is distinct, we see the magnitude of the ange. The cross-vein connecting 7 with 7“ in the hind wing, x. 8, suggests at the change has en brought about [== ee shifting of the % is shat ee trachea from longi- SS udinal to cross 4 ° Cae : i dy k Ss ~~ ins—many tra- Svan 2& wae ch eve are found mis- placed in the pupa, : hoe change might ae occur—the change would then be Fig. 8.—Micromus posticus. Hind wing. eUa; = \ X W \ WS SS . Fig 9.—FPolystoechotes punctatus. Fore wing. ng “* gives tise to-fourteen veinlets, each of which subdivides ice. Cu' has seven such branches. The sub-costa and r 1 Mantispa interrupta, Figs. 10 aa 11, the sub-costa runs a eae ae through the middle 0 oe ee eee Wl ee, Poe of the pterostigma i ig A ee. SS for the last third of ? kK sey SONY its course, and dis- re ew IN rh KAD» appears near its Fig. 10.—Mantispa interrupta. Fore wing. end. The base of 120 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 ———_~=CsAthee:« media: fuses with that a MES ie of the radius for some "~~ distance; and, in the an- nto terior wing, Fig. 10, the media dips down and then fuses with the radius again thus forming a small tri- angular cell. After the media is finally free it Fig. 11.—Mantispa interrupta. Part divides into the typical of hind wing. number of branches. CHRYSOPIDA. In the Chrysopide we find a great modification by coales- gence... In the anterior wing of Chrysopa plorabunda, Fig. 12, the veins in the middle run zigzag and fuse at their angles, forming areticular < structure without the interposition of true cross veins. “ Fig. 12.—Chrysopa plorabunda. Fore wing. - he so . ae ed Where veins have coalesced I have cross vein of represented them slightly separate the ‘‘third cubital for clearness of interpretation. cell’’ (m’*+.*) behaves in a very peculiar manner: m*+* runs obliquely forward and coalesces for some distance with m’ +’, and then separates from it again. The hind wing, Fig. 13, resembles Myrmeleon, save that 7s and mw coalesce for some distance. Fig 13.—Chrysopa plorabunda, Hind wing. ' April, ’06] -ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 121 PANORPINA (MECAPTERA. ) PANORPID. The venation of the Panorpide is quite typical, save for the 3 fusion of veins near the base of the wing, due to narrowing of this region, and the development of a few accessory veins. : In Panorpa confusa, Fig. 14,.7? branches once. Fig. 14.—Fanorpa confusa. Wing. In Littacus strigosus, Fig. 15, m and Cu' coalesce for some distance. Fig. 15.—Bittacus strigosus. Wing. “dp 1% aa An Interesting New Genus and Species of Encyrtidae. E <7 By L. O. Howarp. | 4 The newspapers have given an account of how the State Board of Horticulture of California sent an orange or lemon tree to China in charge of Mr. George Compere, in order to stock it with Chinese parasites of the red scale and then return _ it to California. Mr. Compere has been good enough to send me specimens of the parasites reared in China, one of which a proves to be a small variety of Aphelinus diasphidis mihi, and _ the other is the remarkable form described below. & - COMPERIELLA gen. nov. Female: Body robust, abdomen slightly shorter than thorax; ead not oblong; antennae flattened, broad; tip of scape, dicel, funicle joints and club of equal width, pedicel tringu- 122 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 lar, funicle joints 6 in number, much shorter than broad, compressed, cup-shaped ; club suboval, three-jointed, as long as all 6 funicle joints together, slightly flattened at the tip, first joint longest, third joint shortest Wings with an oblique hairless line running from stigmal vein anally and distally ; three hairless spaces beyond the middle of the wing, and two broad diverging bands of cilia beginning about the middle of the wing, the uppermost ending at wing apex and the other half way from this point to the rounded anal angle. Marginal vein very short; stigmal short, obtuse, descending at nearly right angles to the wing margin. Ovipositor scarcely ex- truded. Male: Unknown. Comes nearest to Habrolepis. Name derived from Compere (George). Comperiella bifasciata sp. n. Length: 1.f mm.; expanse, 2.1 mm.; greatest width of forewing, .33 mm. General color black, with greenish-golden reflections on mesos- cutum, and bluish metallic reflections on mesoscutellum. Head witha central longitudinal occipital band which extends on pronotum, with a yellowish longitudinal band either side. Antennae uniformly dark brown, nearly black, somewhat lighter at tip of club. Front femora and tibiae dusky, becoming light toward the tip of the tibiae; first 4 tarsal joints very light yellow, apical joint dusky. Hind femora and tibiae dark brown, nearly black ; tarsal joints white, except apical joint, which is black. Wings hyaline, except for a dusky patch below stigma, and 2 divergent fascia of a brownish color corresponding almost exactly with the bands of cilia mentioned in the generic description ; a small darker brown spot at marginal vein. Described from one female specimen bred from Aspidiotus (Aonidiella) aurantit Maskell, by Mr. George Compere. Habitat: China. Type to be deposited in the U. §. Na- tional Museum. <0 =oPr- THE OnIO UNIVERSITY LAKE LABORATORY, at Cedar Point, will be open from June 25th to August 3d. The course in entomology will in- clude collecting, mounting, and identifying insects in connection with studies in life history and anatomy. Excellent opportunities for life his- tory studies are offered both on aquatic and terrestrial forms. Prof. Osborn, State University, Columbus, Ohio, will be in charge. ; sah Ent. News, Vol. XVII. PL i J.M.Aldrich del. inet THE DIPTEROUS GENUS CALOTARSA. oril, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 123 The Dipterous Genus Calotarsa, with one new Species. .- By J. M. ALDRICH. © (Plate IV) ‘The discovery of a new species of this charming little group lakes it worth while to give a brief review of the genus. _ ‘Townsend, in 1894 (Canadian Entomologist, X XVI, 50-52, d - figs.), described the genus and its typical species, Ca/otarsa _ ornatipes, from a single male specimen collected at Cham- q _ pater, Ill. He referred the genus to the family Syrphidae, _ in which he acknowledged that it would occupy a very anoma- isis position. The error of overlooking the family Platype- E — zidae was corrected by Banks in the next number of the jour- nal (p. 88); he expressed the opinion that Calotarsa was a a Day bo er of Platypeza, and reported another male specimen in his collection, taken at Ithaca, N. Y. In the following num- ber of the journal, Townsend admitted the relationship of the genus to the Platypezidae, but contended that it was not synonymous with /latypeza (p. 102). Williston in the same 4q number (p. 116) mentioned the genus as probably synony- mous with Platypeza. ; Late in 1894, W. A. Snow published in the Kansas tiaiven sity Quarterly (III, 143-152, 1 pl.), a revision of the North _ American Platypezidae, with several new species; a supple- _ ment to the paper was added in the same publication in Jan- wary, 1895 (III, 205-207). He did not accept Calotarsa, _ teferring ornatipes to Platypeza ; he described another species - with greatly ornamented hind feet, under the name of Platy- _ peza calceata. Of this he had seventy-five males and one _ female, collected in Hop Canyon, Magdalena Mts., N. M., on _ August 19-21, 1894. He also reported another specimen of _ ornatipes, sent him by me, and collected by me on a window 4 at Brookings, S. D. No other species with ornamented hind tarsi have been known up to the present, nor have any other . - specimens of the two described species come to light, as far as mt know. ae my catalogue of North American Diptera, I recognized f Beers as a distinct genus, mentioning that I did so on Mr. es recommendation. sy 124 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 The question whether it is really synonymous with Platypeza I am unable to settle at present, not having access to material in typical Platypeza. Snow declared that a somewhat larger size and the ernamentation of the hind tarsi of the male were the only characters to separate the two genera, and he thought them insufficient. The typical Platypezas figured by Snow show in the male the hind tarsus but little modified—less than in the female—nothing at all of the surprising structures shown in his figures of ornatipes and calceata, which I repro- duce on my plate. ‘The question of synonymy I leave in abeyance, rather hoping that further examination of abundant material may show characters applicable to both sexes; at least we have subgeneric characters in the feet of the male. The two species previously known and the one herein de- scribed will be readily separated by the * characters of the hind tarsi of the males, as shown in the plate. I will only add in this connection that otherwise the three species are exceed- ingly close together, zszgnzs being more uniformly. yellow on the abdomen than the other two. ‘The female of orvmatipes is as yet unknown, while of the other two zzszgnzs has a wholly pure yellow abdomen, differing slightly from caleata. ‘The three species form a very compact group, whether of generic or subgeneric rank. In regard to the habits of the adults and the function of the tarsal ornaments, little has been observed. In ovnatipes, only three specimens are known, one of which was collected on a window—obviously an accidental occurrence. Of zusignzs, the type male was collected hovering in the air in half-shady open woods, about four feet above the ground; the females were all collected in rather open woods, hovering in the air, most of them over a wet spot in a shady road, which no doubt attracted them, as the weather at the time was intensely dry. It was about four in the afternoon, and no males were flying at the time. Snow noted a few interesting points about the habits of calceata. ‘The flies were ‘‘ dodging and soaring in the air * Secondary sexual characters are very constant in Diptera, whatever may be the case in other animals. I remember hearing Dr. John B. Smith say that he found the same constancy in Lepidoptera. I have long believed that Darwin over-estimated the varia- bility of these characters in general. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 125 assemblages of, say, a dozen individuals. None were ght outside an area of about an acre.’’ ‘‘In flight these allow their hind feet to hang heavily downward, and as if they were carrying a burden.’’ His single female ne of a pair that were copulating on the wing. se enlarged feet naturally suggest those of Dolichopus, a of flies somewhat distant from this, in which the males » their tarsal ornaments assiduously before the females. the front tarsi are ornamented, the insect stands on the to display them, but a case is known in which the tarsi are the beautiful ones, and the male of this species over the sitting female so that the tarsi hang before Ca/otarsa it is not unlikely that both sexes are on the ting and remarkable. joints ee and on the inner mie fading in an oval disk ; its basal part is some- kened, and has a few of the blunt hairs before men- nd joint has a similar organ arising in a correspond- mn; in this case the process is smaller, and at the cc mpressed and transparent. third joint has attached to its upper surface, from the tly to the apex, a very thin membrane-like expansion, sof a bright silvery color, and bears a peculiar jet- > ke It has somewhat the appearance of a flag, and 126 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 suggested the specific name (zzsignis, distinguished by a mark), The fourth has a large, comparatively thick expasion up- ward and outward, which is black in color, and is set off from the body of the joint by a white or somewhat silvery crescent. The fifth joint is not at all compressed, and has in facta perfectly normal structure, rather depressed. The figure shows the ‘‘ flag ’’ lapped over a little on the en- larged fourth joint. Calotarsa insignis n. sp. Male.—Length, 6.5mm. Head and thorax black, cinereous; probos- cis, legs and abdomen yellow. Eyes contiguous for a considerable dis- tance on the front, ocellar tubercle prominent, with a few small brown hairs; face black, cinereous, concave and receding below; antennae yellow, short, the third joint, except its base, infuscated, the three joints of successively increasing length; arista apical bare, slender ; proboscis retracted, short, yellow, palpi very small, yellow ; occiput black, rather flat, almost bare. Thorax black, cinereous, especially on the sides ; four faint brown lines on the dorsum, the two inner ones close together, ab- breviated behind, the two outer ones abbreviated In front; on the side of the dorsum, before the transverse suture, are three small bristles ; be- fore the scutellum, at each side, are three or four very small ones; on the margin of the scutellum are five pairs of larger ones, with a consider- able median interval; the scutellum yellowish, except on the disk ; humeri a little yellowish ; halteres yellow, the large, crumpled knob a little infuscated ; squamae yellow, with delicate yellow cilia ; metanotum black. Abdomen yellow, all the incisures, except the first, narrowly. blackish (the first slightly blackish at the sides) ; hypopygium exserted, rounded, rolled up under the fifth segment; on the hypopygium and along the sides of the abdomen are fine, erect hairs, longer, more bushy, and yellow anteriorly ; behind they are brown. Fore and middle legs, including coxae and tarsi yellow, the femora moderately infuscated above, and with a stripe of black hairs on the front; the tibiae gradually and moderately infuscated from near the base; hind tarsi as figured and above described. Wings subhyaline, slightly infuscated toward the apex ; the space between auxiliary and first longitudinal cells yellow ; third vein ending exactly in the apex; fourth vein forked, the posterior branch ending half way between point of furcation and the margin ; hind cross-vein hardly more than half its length from the margin. Female.—Length, 4.8 mm. Front rather wide, narrowing slightly below, opaque dark brown in color, near the antennae cinereous, with a median depression ; proboscis and palpi larger, antennae smaller than the male. The brown lines of the thorax are more distinct. The pos- ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 127 art of the thorax, with only two bristles on each side ; scutellum 1 three pairs of bristles. Abdomen yellow, scarcely infuscated at all. Be lly yellow, except the tarsi, which are somewhat infuscated e end; they are compressed and enlarged as shown in figure. n as figured ; the posterior branch of the fourth vein comes nearer rin than in the male, but does not reach it. rial examined: The type isa male, captured October 5, in the foothills about six miles west of Stanford sity. There is another male (cotype) in the collection he entomological department of Stanford University, col- ed in the vicinity October 7, 1900. Nine females, all ‘ted by myself in the same vicinity as the first-mentioned n October 21 and 28, 1905. ‘Two of these cotype ; will be deposited in the collection of the entomological nent of Stanford University. The type and the other will remain for the present in my own collection. EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV. 7 tarsus of Ca/ofarsa calceata, male, enlarged (after Snow). i tarsus of C. ornatip~es, male, enlarged (after Snow). tarsus of C. insignis n. sp., male, outer side x 20. d of C. insignis, male, front view, x 20. | tarsus of C. insignis, female, outer side, x 25. mna of C. insignis, male, inner side, x 4o. of C. insignis, female, x 15. 42> =<—or n new or little known Aleyrodidae from | Connecticut.—II.* By W. E. BrirrTon. ‘odes forbesii Ashmead. eris Forbes. Name preoccupied). aceris Forbes. 14th Report Insects of Illinois, p. 110, 1884. aceris Forbes. Packard, 5th Report, U. S. Entomological Commission, p. 422, 1890. . Sorbesii Ashmead, Bull. 45, U. S. National Museum, p. 274, \ ae 4. forbesti Ashm. Quaintance, Technical Bull. 8, Bureau of En- - tomology, p. 27, 1900. _A. forbesiti Ashm. Morrill, Psyche, Vol. X, p. 82, 1903. forbesii Ashm. Bemis, Proc. U. S. National Museum, Vol. _XXVII, p. 503, 1904. first paper on this subject, see ENT. News, Vol. XVI, p. 65, March, 1905. 128 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 This is a large species, the pupa measuring about 1.5 x I mm., and from oval to oblong in shape. It is considerably raised above the surface of the leaf, and the pupa case soon falls away, leaving only a portion of the marginal rim of wax. Varying from light yellowish green with purplish markings, to purple or chocolate with green or whitish spots or blotches near the margin. Dorsum flat, without spines or wax rods. I have never seen the adult of this species, but it is described as white or yellowish, with immaculate wings. Larvae and pupae are not abundant, and usually one or two are found upon a leaf. | Collected by the writer September 20, 1904, September 8, 1905, at Westville, Ct.; September 15, 1905, New Canaan, Ct.; on.red and silver maple. At New Canaan it seemed to be most abundant on a cut-leaved variety of the silver maple. Aleyrodes packardi Morrill. A. packardi Morrill, Canadian Entomologist, Vol. XXXV, p. 25, 1903; Psyche, Vol. X, p. 83, 1903; Technical Bull., No. r, Mass. Agr. Expt. Station, August, 1903. For several years this species has been confused with 4. vaporariorum Westwood, and in literature, many references to the latter doubtless refer to 4. packardi. For a more com- plete bibliography the reader is referred to Canadian Ento- mologist, Vol. XXXV, p. 35, and Technical Bull. No. 1, Mass. Agr. Expt. Station, p. 61. Pupa about .80x.48 mm., broadly oval. ‘Dorsal surface nearly flat. Two series of marginal wax rods; the outer ra- diating, somewhat curved, the length about equal to one-half the breadth of the pupa; the inner series are nearly twice as long, and are curved upward and inward over the body. Rather abundant on the leaves of cultivated strawberries at West Hartford, June 30, 1905. Aleyrodes mori Quaintance. A. mori Quaintance, Canadian Entomologist, Vol. XXXI, p. 1. A, mori Quaintance, Technical Bull. 8, Division of Entomology, p. 29, 1900. . A. mori Quaintance, Bemis, Proc. U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXVII, p. 507, 1904. April, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 129 tpa about .7o x .55 mm., elliptical, body black with broad al fringe of white wax. A striking species. Adult h clouded wings. Bin teases of box elder, New Haven, July 22; Fraxinus un vicana, Carpinus caroliniana and Celtis occidentalis, New en, September 20, 1904; Celtis occidentalis and catalpa, w Haven, September 8, 1905. Apo never seen this as abundant as figured by Quaint- (Can. Ent. Vol. XXXI, pl. 1), but usually not more than three or four specimens occur on a leaf. “Morrill described a subspecies maculata Psyche Vol. X, p. 81, 1903), which differed from mori in the adult stage by having a bright yellow body. I have not reared or obtained dults, but Professor Quaintance has examined some of the upa cases, and pronounces the species mor‘. ) f heya odes fernaldi Morrill. A, fernaldi Morrill. Psyche, Vol. X, p. 83, 1903. A medium-sized oval species, pupa case about .78 x .50mm., ith no wax rods. Dorsal surface flat, color pale greenish yhite. Adult, body pale yellow, wings immaculate. Occurring on the under surface of leaves of spiraeas Van ‘outei and Anthony Waterer in a nursery near New Haven, ep’ menor 8, 1905. yrodes vaporariorum Westwood. . g cE -vaporariorum Westwood, Gardeners’ Chronicle, p. 852, 1856. A. vaporariorum Westw. Signoret, Ann. de le Soc. Ent. de 2 France, p. 387, 1867. _ A. vaporariorum Westw. Britton, Bull. 140, Conn. Agr. Expt. i Station, 1902. Report Conn. Agr. Expt. Station, p. 148, 1902. A. vaporariorum Westw. Cary, Bull. 96, Maine Agr. Expt. Sta- tion, 1903. A. vaporariorum Morrill, Technical Bull. No. 1, Mass. Agr. Expt. Station, 1903. Circular No. 57, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agr., 1905. Re * more complete bibliography, see Report of Conn. Agr. . Station, p. 159, 1902, and Technical Bull. No. 1, Mass. \ sr. Expt. Station, p. 52, 1903. his species is probably the most common of all described 130 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ’06 aleyrodids occurrring in Connecticut. In greenhouses and dwellings it lives through the winter on various kinds of plants. Remedial measures are absolutely necessary to save the infested plants, and of these fumigation with hydrocyanic acid gas is perhaps the most successful. House plants can be dipped into a soap and water mixture (1 lb. to 8 gals.) with good results. Larvae and pupae are oval, light green or yellow in color, and abound on the under sides of the leaves. Pupa about .70X.50 mm., with submarginal row of wax rods. Six pairs of long curved wax rods are borne on the dorsum, which is somewhat convex. Body of adult is yellow, wings white and immaculate. A. vaporariorum has been collected and observed upon over sixty different food plants in Connecticut, but it is especially abundant on tomato, melon, cucumber, tobacco, Ageratum, Lantana, Fuchsia and heliotrope. 42> or Formaldehyde as an Insecticide. By M. V. SLINGERLAND. Cornell University recently purchased quite a large quantity of ‘‘ Solidified Formaldehyde,’’ subject to a written contract that ‘‘this material is guaranteed to kill bedbugs, moths and roaches, used with 4 ounces to 1,000 cubic feet and exposure to fumes of gas 8 hours, closed room.’’ ‘This was a good op- portunity to test the insecticidal value of formaldehyde, and I made the following experiment : Five live bedbugs were placed (one in each) in small paste- board pill boxes, which were covered with one thickness of a muslin with meshes about one millimeter square. Ten live cockroaches were placed in each of three glass, pint, fruit- jars, covered with one thickness of a thin muslin with meshes nearly one-half millimeter square. These insects were placed in different parts of a room, some on the floor, others near the ceiling, and some about midway of the room, on top of some furniture, The room contained 1,760 cubic feet, but was rll, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 131 rly one-third full of furniture, so that there was not over 600 cubic feet of air-space to be fumigated. The room was de as tight as practicable and eight ounces of the Solidified ‘maldehyde were used, strictly according to directions, in a nerator specially designed for using it. The fumigation was run at nine o’clock A. M., January 30th, 1906, and the room va s not opened until the next morning, thus continuing the umigation for twenty-four hours. As the formaldehyde costs _ about 35 cents an ounce, it was an expensive operation for a single, medium-sized room. Upon opening the room, the formaldehyde fumes were suffi- ntly strong to make one’s eyes and nostrils smart, and it as several minutes before J could go into the room comfort- oly to get the insects. Although more than the designated amount of Solidified iormaldehyde was used and the fumigation was continued ynger than specified, yet it resulted in not killing a single edbug or cockroach. _ Dr. L. O. Howard writes me that ‘‘ The Public Health and arine-Hospital Service report formaldehyde as not possess- ng insecticidal properties against mosquitoes.’’ Also, that = Mr. Titus, one of his assistants, knows of an instance where large number of Lepidopterous pupae in soil were in a small 90m where formaldehyde gas was generated (strength of the as unknown), and from none of these pupae were adults terwards bred, while from other pupae from the same ma- srial, not in this room, the moths came out in usual numbers. he inference is reasonably plain that the gas killed the pae, but the evidence is not conclusive, as it was not an ex- ‘iment but simply an accident. n1gor, C. L,. Marlatt, of the Bureau of Entomology, re- ted (Bull. 30, New Series, p. 39) some experiments to test insecticidal value of formaldehyde gas. Some earlier us had resulted in indicating little value in the gas for kill- insects. Then a test was made against the Angoumois ‘grain moth and the bean weevil in stored seeds. The gas was _ generated to 3 or 4 times the amount necessary for germicide purposes. Only a few of the moths (some that were flying 132 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 about) were killed, but the weevils were not injured in the least. In 1897 (Rept. Ottawa Expt. Farms for 1897, p. 106). Duchess apple trees were sprayed in Canada with formalin at the strengths of 1, 2, and 4 ounces to 5 gallons water. No injury or benefit resulted to the foliage or fruit, except a slight indication of some deterrent influence against the codling- moth ; plant-lice were not killed. In rg00, C. P. Lounsbury, Government Entomologist of Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, reported (his Report for 1899, p. 17) the following important experiment in fumi- gating railway carriages for bedbugs. ‘The experiment was made under supervision of a professional chemist. ‘* The bedbugs were not destroyed even when left exposed for two full days in a carriage, treated with all the gas contained in 800 c.c. (about 12 ounces of formaldehyde, or not quite as strong as I used it) of the water solution of formalin. The gas was forced into the carriage under heavy pressure, and the bedbugs were enclosed in a piece of mosquito netting sus- pended near the middle of the space. The carriage was of about 2,500 cubic feet capacity, and all its cracks, crevices and air-holes were tightly stopped with cotton wool. House- flies and aphids shut in the carriage were found dead, but larvae and adult scale insects of several species, and plant- bugs of three species were found to have survived. Formal- dehyde gas of far greater but indefinite strength, generated from formalin tablets, was also inefficacious in destroying im- prisoned bedbugs.”’ Finally, there has just come to hand the report of another experiment by Prof. Dr. K. Lampert with formaldehyde against insects in Germany (Zeitschrift fur Wissenschaftliche Insektenbiologie, Vol. XI, January 31, 1906, p. 12). In a room containing about 70 cubic meters (2,400 cu. ft.) 1,100 c.c. of 40 per cent. formalin (= about 17 ounces of formalde- hyde, or stronger than I used it in my experiment) was gen- erated for 4 hours. .A number of cockroaches (2. orientalis — and- germanica), 2 spiders, several larvae of the larder beetle (D. lardarius), some sow-bugs, 3 larvae of saw-flies, meal- 3 f April, 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 133 worms , and earthworms were placed in the room in glasses ¥ Biovered with open netting ; one earthworm was buried in soil. All of the Arthropods survived without any injury the effects of the fumes in which a man would probably die in a short time, and in which dogs and birds perish. Two earthworms exposed to the fumes without soil had dried out and were © dead, while the one in the soil remained fresh and lively. _ ‘This astonishing resistance to the fumes,’’ savs Lampert, ‘could possibly be explained by the tracheal respiration as the animals close the breathing-holes and the air collected in a the tracheze would be sufficient for the little breathing neces- = sary. That the chitinous armor is of little importance in resisting the fumes, is proven by the ability to resist of the thin-skinned saw-fly larvae.” I have found in a hasty review of the literature no other recerds of experiments with formaldehyde as an insecticide. _ The evidence submitted seems to be overwhelming that for- _ maldehyde has little or no insecticidal qualities, when used in ; _ practicable quantities, and especially against household insects. 40> =<—<¢ _ Dragonflies (Odonata) Collected by Dr. D. A. Atkin- son in Newfoundland, with Notes on some Species of Somatochlora. By E. B. WILLIAMSON. (Plates V and VI.) : The only list of Newfoundland dragonflies known to me is g the paper in Ent. Month. Mag. XI, pp. 241-243, April, 1875, ‘ by De Selys, based on collections made by John Milne. De Selys records the following species: Leucorhinia hudsonica, ‘Selys1 ¢, Cordulia shurtleffi Scudder, 1 9°, Epitheca cingulata Selys, 2 3 and3 9, Zfitheca forcipata Scudder, 1 9, Aeschna hudsonica n. sp.1 & and 4 9? (also from Canada), Aeschna clepsydra Say (?) 2 9, Gomphus (?) sp. 1 8, and Aenallagma borealen. sp.1 $ andi Q. In Ent. News, May, 1902, pp. 144-146, I recorded the species aken by Dr. Atkinson at the Magdalen Islands. ‘This list ! was remarkable for its cosmopolitan character. Only 6 species 134 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, ’06 were taken in the almost barren Magdalens, and 3 of these are not represented in the Newfoundland collection: Agvion vesolutum, Enallagma hageni and Aeshna juncea, all widely distributed species which more extensive collecting would probably show as belonging to the Newfoundland fauna. In fact, Aeshna hudsonica Selys mentioned above is probably only a variety at the most, of jwzcea. Dr. Atkinson collected in Newfoundland only two days, July 7 and July 21, 1901, and at two localities, Bay of Islands, and Grand Lake, yet his collection contains 14 or possibly 15 species, and, in its richness of Aeshnas and Somatochloras, it is, for its size, the most inter- esting I have ever studied. The study of these Somatoch- loras from time to time has delayed the recording of Dr. At- kinson’s captures till this late date. Enallagma ebrium. Hagen. Eight males from Grand Lake, July 21, rgor. ; Enallagma calverti, Morse. Five males from Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901. No Enallagmas in the collection agree with the color pattern of Lxallagma boreale Selys, based on a single specimen of each sex taken in Newfoundland. But the description of the abdominal appendages of the male of Joreale applies almost certainly to the species later described by Morse as calverti. In so far as it will probably be possible for some of our European friends to determine this matter certainly by a study of the type of doreale, I have here recorded the species, in conformity with recent usage, as calverti. Enallagma cyathigerum, Charp. Six males from Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901. Four female Enallagmas in the collec- tion I have not attempted to determine specifically. Aeshna clepsydra Say. Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901. 3) and 1 ?; Grand Lake, July 21, 1901, 1 ¢ and29@. To this species for the present are also referred 1 6, Grand Lake, July 21, 1901, and 1 9, Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901. These two specimens were referred to Dr. Calvert, who wrote, under date of January 27, 1904, ‘‘ The & Aeshna from Grand Lake, Newfoundland, is like a $ from Chicoutimi, Quebec, in the broken stripes on sides of thorax,* in denticulated carina of ** Two other ¢¢ from Chicoutimi have the stripes of thorax apparently not broken.’ - April 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 135 superior appendages, and in size add color of pterostigma, but differs in shape of tip of superior appendages, viewed from above, the Chicoutimi 3 having the tip shaped like fig. 7, a Ent. News, 1894, p. 11. The original (from Lake St. Regis, ia N. Y.), of my fig. 5 (1. c.), also has the broken stripes on the _ sides of the thorax, but has the pterostigma of front wing measuring only 3 mm. on its costal edge; length of front wing, 45 mm. A female from Lake St. Regis has stripes on | sides of thorax very nearly identical with those of this ? from Bay of Islands, Newfoundland. It is rather small—abdomen (exclusive of appendages) 45 mm., hind wing, 43 mm.; _ pterostigma smaller, the costal edge of pterostigma of front wing, 3.75 mm. You will see, therefore, that your Grand Lake ¢ is very nearly identical with the Lake St. Regis 3, which, in 1893, I called clepsydra. Whether the breaking up of the stripes on sides of thorax entitles the holder to a dis- q tinct specific or varietal name I will not now decide.”’ : _ ‘The appendages of this Newfoundland ¢ are in bad condi- tion. The color pattern of thorax of both ¢ and 9 are very different from any other specimens of the large series of clep- _ sydra I have seen from Newfoundland, Ohio, Michigan and _ Indiana. In these two the thoracic pattern is more suggestive of juncea though, of course, the lateral stripes are not broken in juncea. Aeshna hudsonica, as Dr. Calvert writes me, seems to be hardly distinct from jwzcea, even as a variety. Aeshna sitchensis Hagen. Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901, 1 ¢ and 19. Determination confirmed by Dr. Calvert. Aeshna septentrionalis Burm. Grand Lake, July 21, 1901, 1 @. Determination confirmed by Dr. Calvert. _ Cordulia shurtlefi Scudder. Bay of Islands, July 7, rgor, Bee ¢ and 1 9. a Somatochlora cingulata Selys. Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901, it ¢é; Grand Lake, July 21, 1901, 1 9. ; + Somatochlora albicincta Burt. Bay of Islands, July 7, 1gor1, me 6 Landi 9. 4 Somatochlora hudsonica Selys. Grand Lake, July 21, 1901, it $; Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901, 2 9. _ Somatochlora forcipata Scudder. Grand Lake, July 21, m i901, 1s. 136 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ’06 Leucorhinia hudsonica Selys. Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901, 4 6 and4 9. Sympetrum costiferum Hagen. A single 9, badly damaged, from Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901, apparently belongs to this species. : Libellula quadrimaculata I, Bay of Islands, July 7, 1901, t.2. Notes on some species of Somatochlora. Somatochlora semicir- cularis, septentrionalis, artica and forcipata are a group of closely related species with long slender abdomens and rela- tively short wings. The difficulty in determining Dr. Atkin- son’s single ¢ of this group led to a study of these four species. Of forcipata I have seen but two specimens, the headless speci- men, collected by Dr. Atkinson, and a male in the Harvey col- lection, S. Lagrange, June 28, 1898, F. L. Harvey, collector. The abdominal appendages of the Maine specimen seen in profile, are much more strongly arched than in the Newfound- land specimen. I have obtained from Mr. R. C. Osburn the specimen mentioned by him as forcipata, in ENT. NEws, June, 1905, p. 191,* from Port Renfew, British Columbia. I refer this specimen to semzcircularis. I am able to separate semzcir- cularis and forcipata only by the abdominal appendages of the — male. The Newfoundland /orcifata is more slender than the Maine semicircularis (a difference pointed out by De Selys for the two species), but the Maine forcipata is about as robust as the two specimens of semicircularis which I have seen from that State —the one figured and a second from Orono, Maine, July 16, 1891, F. lL. Harvey, collector, referred to in ENT. NEws, May, 1892, p. 116, as forcipata. On the basis of this Orono specimen, semicircularis can be added to the New England fauna. Scudder’s description of forcipata fits the two speci- mens which I have referred to this species in the form of the appendages and in the presence on abdominal segment 5 and the two or three following segments of a distinct basal, lateral small yellow spot. These spots are wanting in the single male of septentrionalis I have seen and in semicircularis from Maine *In the same paper by Mr. Osburn, p. 192, he identifies two imperfect fe) of Sympetrum as obtrusum. After a study of both specimens I believe they belong rather to padiipes. Ke AIT ee) Soave I Oe) OS ee tet fet thee Bt ae ee ay fe pie eee eR gy eee eee Ee: April, 06] : ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 137. Zz nd Colorado. But semzcircularis from British Columbia have _ the abdomen either uniformly colored or spotted. Of semdcir- _ cularis I have studied: Maine, 2 $; mountains of Southwest- _ ern Colorado, 11 $ and 4 9 loaned me by Dr. Calvert ; Lang- ford Lake, British Columbia, 2 ¢, R. C. Osburn, collector ; Glacier, British Columbia, 4 ¢, R. C. Osburn, collector ; Port Renfrew, British Columbia, 1 3, R. C. Osburn, collector. Characters of 13 males of this material were tabulated. The abdomen varies from 34:39 mm. in length, averaging between 38 and 39 for all the material excepting the Colorado speci- mens, which are 34. /orcipata measures 37 and 38. In length of hind wing all specimens of semzcircularis are very uniform, varying from 29-32, the majority being 31, which is the exact measurement for this part in both /forcipata. ‘The color of the costa will not separate the two species. Postcubitals in the front wings vary from 5 (in a single wing) to 8 (in 2 wings). The usual number is 6 or 7 in both species. The ____ yellow spots on frons in front are variable in size, regardless of locality. The lateral thoracic stripes are variable in extent .(at least in dried material), and will not serve to separate species or localities. Forcifata (both specimens) and semicir- cularis from Maine have the anterior femora brown beneath ; all the other specimens of semzcircularis, so far as I could de- termine, have the anterior femora black beneath. One semz- circularis from Maine has the upper lip with two clear brown spots. All other specimens of both species have this lip black. Nasus in /forcipata (one specimen) and semzcircularis from _ Maine is dull brown ; in all western specimens of semdcircula- _ vis and in septentrionalis, the nasus is metallic, like the frons, | and the semicircularis from Colorado have the labrum almost _ or quite metallic. So, as stated, I can find no characters 4 other than those of the appendages for separating /forctipata . and semicircularis. These characters, both of superior and _ inferior appendages, seem good so far as specimens before me _ go, but it is possible that more extensive material might ren- _ der these inadequate for the separation of the two species as at _ present understood. _ Septentrionalis, apart from its basal wing markings, is sepa- 138 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, 06 rated from the others by its appendages and the relatively short hind wings (abdomen 36 mm.; h. w. 26 mm.). Somatochlora hudsonica, alpestris, albicincta and probably cin- gulata* form a group of closely related species with relatively robust abdomens and long wings. //udsonica finds its closest ally in the European a/festris from which it is separated, among other characters, by the great development of the basal spine of the superior appendages. In a/festris the basal spine and the spine following it are about equal in size, and the profile view gives an accurate idea of the full size of these spines. In its wing markings Audsonica is like septentrionalis. Albicincta is very distinct from the two preceding species ; and cingulata is at once distinguished from them all by its larger size and the broadly forked inferior appendages. The 9 of hudsonica from which the figure of the vulvar lamina was drawn has the abdomen very flattened and the vulvar lamina much pinched together, so the figure is probably somewhat deceptive. The second 9? collected by Dr. Atkinson has the last abdominal segments wanting. The vulvar laminae repre- sented in figs. 20 and 21 are normal in shape, the abdoney not being distorted. EXPLANATION OF PLATES V AND VI. All specimens figured are in,collection of E. B. Williamson. Fig. 1. Appendages in profile of Somatochlora septentrionalis 3, Orono, Maine, June 18, 1898, Bartle Harvey, collector. This specimen has the left superior appendage wanting and es wings are in bad condition. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5; Somatochlora semicircularis. Figs. 2, 3, abdominal appendages and 4, genital lobe of when brought face to face with a new condition. Ss ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL News solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author’s name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] To Contributors.—All contributions will be considered and passed upon at out earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put ‘‘copy”’ into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five ‘“‘ extras,” without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so’stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Ep. — PHILADELPHIA, Pa., APRIL, 1906. s The recognition of the value of economic Entomology among the people is shown by the fact that two important bills for the suppression of insects are not unlikely to become laws. One is a bill to appropriate seventy thousand dollars a year for five years to suppress mosquitoes in New Jersey”, and the other is a bill presented in the National House of Repre- sentatives to appropriate two hundred and fifty thousand dol- lars to check the ravages of the Gypsy Moth. ‘There can be no question of the value of properly directed scientific work against these pests, and we believe a large return could be had from the expenditure of the money, providing no human para- sites work their way in. The very moment money enters into scientific work there will be some one with an eye on the main chance. Entomologists should religiously frown down all such attempts and endeavor to put the study on the highest plane and thus demonstrate its value to all. —_——>~<4 0 ——_— A CorrECTION.—The larval stages described by Mr. J. G. Grundel in March, ’05 News as Lemonias vigulti are those of L. mormo, a closely allied species. Probably the preparatory stages of vigw/ti are similar, and what will apply to one will apply superficially to the other.—C. R. CooLipnGE, Palo Alto, Cal. * This bill has become a law. 140 April, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 141 Doings of Societies. Minutes of meetings of Brooklyn Entomological Society, "held at the residence of Mr. George Franck, 1040 DeKalb - Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. z November 5, 1905. — Thirteen persons present, the President in the chair. - Mr. George P. Engelhardt was elected librarian, wzce Mr. Ernest Shoemaker resigned. _ Mr. Franck exhibited a specimen of Avgynnis tdalia, from Newark, N. J., showing an extreme case of suffusion. The upper side of the primaries was heavily clouded, while that of the secondaries was almost entirely wanting in maculation. The under side of the wings was similarly affected, the sec- ondaries having only a single row of silver near the inner margin and afew near the base. Mr. Franck also exhibited - a & Ayperchiria io, the wings of which largely partook of the coloration of those of the 9. Mr. Schaeffer presented a number of specimens of coleop- S. tera comprising species not only new to our fauna but to science, which he had taken during the recent summer in the - Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. Among those shown were _ Amblychila baront, Cicindela obsoleta var. santaclarae, Pasima- __—chus viridans, Clerus, n. sp., Romaleum, n. sp., Oncideres, n. Sp., Cassida mexicana, Estola, n. sp., Agrilus, n. sp., anda a number of species of Scarabgidae. C. santaclarae occurred in company with swarms of grasshoppers, which, being similar ___ in color (green), rendered distinction difficult. 4 Mr. Schaeffer gave some further details relative to his method of preservation of specimens and mode of living. A tent was made for shelter which at times barely sufficed to protect the collections and apparatus from rain. a December 7, r905.—Seventeen persons present, the President in the chair. a Mr. Franck announced that a sufficient number of subscrip- _ tions had been obtained to ensure the publication of the oi _ Glossary of Entomological Terms prepared by Prof. John B. Smith. Mr. George P. Engelhardt gave a description of his manipu- 142 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, ’06 lation of and experiences with a hive of bees located in the Children’s Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. The hive was placed at a window facing east and connected with the outer air by a covered passage and was specially constructed for observation, having inner sides of glass through which the operations of the inmates were visible. Exterior doors of wood screened the interior glass sides from light when not subject to inspection. Although in the midst of acity the bees had no difficulty in collecting materials for honey, comb, etc., apparently obtaining sufficient for their purposes from the vegetation in streets and yards and the nearby park. ARCHIBALD C, WEEKS, Secretary. —=or- Dr. DyAr’s Editorial in the March, 1906, Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc. is a work of art. He says I attempt a misrepresentation of his Review of the Hesperide. I did nothing of the kind; I only stated facts which any entomologist can verify from the literature. Dr. Dyar says ‘‘We pre- sume he is right in both cases.”” Why does he say ‘‘ presume” and then proceed to ¢vy and correct his errors? He does not come out and say his genus Anatrytone is a synonym, but says Azryfone may be given an- other name. I quote again, ‘‘the mistakes can be easily corrected by transferring manataaqua to Thymelicus and proposing a new name for Atrytone.”’ Wad Dr. Dyar really known anything about the genera he would never have suggested anything of the kind, as manataagua is the type of Scudder’s genus Limochroes. Dr. Dyar uses this genus and places nine species under it, including the type manataagua. Aégrescit medendo.—HENRY SKINNER. Lady Bug gave a party, It was a grand affair ; The finest Beetle dandies And the nattiest Gnats were there. The Glow Worm glowed his brightest And the Hornet played his horn, The Butterfly brought butter And the Miller Moth brought corn. The Caterpillar sat and purred, The Horsefly galloped high, The Ants came with their uncles And the Spiders came with pie. The June Bug in his buggy came, Dragged by the Dragon Fly, The Centipede gave his last cent To see the pair go by. It was a splendid party, But when the last was done, The Hop-toad sat outside the door And swallowed every?one: a a g " E: ¢ bs (8vt *d ‘LYBAIVO 338) "LHOIW OL 3IVW3S = °1457 OL JIVW "AVS WLOINLSNOO VWNHS3V~ TIA ‘Id ‘TITX “IOA ‘SMUN “ING a MAY, 1906. No. 5. me 0 NTENTS: and Calvert—Copulation of McClendon—Notes on the True Neurop- secs ence ee cree eneeereecen 143 COTA Le sc ectaccctecrecedoenebbecsvnese 169 ‘ ‘Ichneumonid......... .150 | Banks—On the Perlid genus Chloro- ; sitic Hymenoptera from Al me OOM eh ENs nce hse ced epee ea eeeeees 174 Illinois—IV. .:.......-... 151 | Rowley—Notes on Papilio ajax......... 175 of a winter trip in Texas, Kunze—Stemmed cocoons of Telea poly- speserapte list of the Or- DUCT Ae ee 15 i'd seh seen cane 177 MR ie ao alge vi aicrd « ¥p mre DBd te LOLIAN cystic uals 4h 6/5 65,6 oid iidoredeiemed sos 180 geuus Trachykele, with Notes and News...............- oe sao 181 descriptions of other Doings of Societies ........... Peighs es 3s 182 erican Buprestidee dee i 160 I Copulation of Odonata. ae kw E. B. WILLIAMSON. ona the female ba the on. No observa- TS, SO far as I know, have confirmed or corrected ation iiich, eee out? mat, in some oF the Ani- 28 pe ee | n “details in the method of ‘‘coupling’’ in the Zygoptera. The procedure, for the sake of clear- be classified and subclassified as follows : two jaws of the pincers by which the male grasps the female, formed by (1), the superior appendages, and (2), the inferior appendage. In couple the inferior appendage rests on top of the head, and the superior appendages on the rear of the head of the female. SusorDER ANISOPTERA. Positive ob- servations in the case of Celithemis, Sympetrum, (Libellu- - linae), Gomphus (Gomphinae), and Aeshna (Aeshnina). 143 144 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 AA.—The two jaws of the pincers by which the male grasps the female, formed by the two superior appendages, acting forceps-like, or by the inferior appendages, acting in a similar manner. In the case of certain species, judging from the form of the appendages, superior appendages and inferior appendages each act as a pair of forceps, so the female is doubly secured. Also it must be noted that the two superiors acting together may form one jaw of a pair of pincers, the other jaw of which is formed by the two inferiors. In couple the superior append- ages of the male rest behind, and the inferior appendages in front, of the hind margin of the pronotum of the female. Sus- ORDER ZYGOPTERA. . B.—Superior appendages of the male forming two jaws, in couple grasping the most anterior portion of the mesepisternum and the mesostigmal laminae of the female. C.—Inferior appendages of the male in couple extended over the dor- - sum of the pronotum of the female, scarcely or not touching it, and with their apices resting against the rear of the head. When the abdomen of the male was disturbed the inferior append- ages in some cases did not touch the head of the female, in 4 other cases the tips of these appendages were extended to the j top of the female’s head. Undisturbed they rested against the rear of the occiput, performing no work of grasping whatever. LS All female Zygoptera observed when in couple keep the pro- ; thorax drawn tightly against the mesothorax. Zestes. Posi- tive observations in the case of LZ. forcipatus and L. unguicu- latus: CC.—Inferior appendages of the male resting on the anterior side of the hind lobe of the prothorax of the female. He/erina. BB.—Inferior appendages forming two jaws which grasp the anterior surface of the hind lobe of the pronotum of the female, the superior appendages resting in cups formed by depressions in the mesostigmal laminz and the rear surface of the hind lobe of the pronotum and, depending on their form, grasping the mesostigmal laminz or not. The female by drawing the hind lobe of the pronotum closely against the mesostigmal laminz prevents the escape of the male. D.—Dorsum of apex of segment 1o of male modified toform a brace against the middorsal carina or its fork or the cavity in the fork. Anomalagrion, Ischnura, Enallagma. DD.—Dorsum of apex of segment 10 of male with a viscid pruinose tubercle on either side which attaches itself to the mesepister- num of the female on either side of the fork of the middorsal carina, the tubercle which corresponds to the inferior append- age of Anisoptera engaging the cavity in the fork between the mesostigmal laminz. Argia ( putrida and apicalis). ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 145 BF Prec. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. XXVIII, p. 175, I have cussed pruinescence as a sex mark and signal. The pruin- ence ‘of the apical abdominal tubercles of male Argias e gia purpose, i. e., that of making more secure the ling of the sexes. Piackes separated from the males lly iwi a whitish spot on the mesepisternum where the es of the male have rested. The above description in g in group BB shows at once the reason of the inability he male to release the female at will. How secure this up it ¢ is may be known from the fact that I once captured male Enallagma exsulans to whose thorax was attached last nine abdominal segments of the male. Possibly a bird had snapped away the remainder of the body of the above notes are tentative in so far as I have positively ex- d coupling in a limited number of species. ‘To what ex- le superior appendages of the male grasp the mesostigmal 2 of the female in Agrionine is difficult of determination. al species I believe it is very slight, though the append- “course, rest securely against the laminze, so held by notum. In many species of Exallagma and /schnura sence of hooks or teeth on the inferior surface of the appendages indicates that these appendages engage the rear surface of the hind lobe of the pronotum they would be held securely by the opposite pressure nferior appendages on the anterior surface of the hind the pronotum. ough the subject of Odonate copulation has been con- by many authors with ‘ presque toujours une descrip- étailée et souvent poétique,’ I have been unable to find atement concerning the filling of the seminal vesicle of the agonfly, other than that this takes place before copula- n the case of Calopteryx, Argia and Enallagma, where been able to make positive observations, the male fills inal vesicle at once after he has captured the female. s probable that during the wild flight of mating Aeshnas e of the Gomphines (I have noticed especially Dromo- s spoliatus) the seminal vesicle is being filled, and, this 146 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 accomplished, the pair come to rest in tree-top, on the ground, or where not, and copulation takes place.’’—Williamson, Proc. Ind. Acad. Sci., 1901, p. 125: In the final act of copulation still other barmonious relation- ships of parts are necessary. The abdomen of the female must be curved forward and upward and its apex brought into proper position to the accessory genitalia of the second abdominal segment of the male. Often this is accomplished only after repeated trials, and sometimes there is failure to copulate. Any deformity in the grasping apparatus of the male which would tend to hold the female out of proper position, though admitting of securely retaining her, or any malformation of the female’s thorax or head, havy- ing the same effect, might prevent copulation. Abdominal length or brevity of abdomen of either sex might also prevent it. Crooked abdomens or the absence of free articulation of abdominal segments might have a prohibitive effect. And, if the apex of the female abdomen is brought into position with the accessory genitalia of the male, it yet remains, before co- pulation can take place, that these parts should be mutually adapted to each other. So, to sum up, the Odonata, in the securing of the female, the filling of the seminal vesicle and the final act present an example of copulation possibly unique in the complexity of its accomplishment. ‘This complexity explains at once the isolation which certain species enjoy though associated with numerous congeners of similar habits. That such species with their complex sexual adaptations ap- peared by mutation is almost inconceivable. Geographical isolation and gradual modification offer a more plausible ex- planation. Various factors contribute to the preservation of related species when brought in contact with each other in a restricted area. The factor above discussed, z. e., complexity of the sexual act, is almost inoperative probably in the genus Lzbe/- lula for example. Here there is considerable uniformity in size and great uniformity in the structure of all parts con- cerned in copulation. But the males fight for the females in the open, over the water or above the reeds; and it is possible re g i J b- F ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 147 anovice in entomology to readily identify our Libellulas a key based on wing markings. Again in many of the ; eryginze there is great uniformity in the parts concerned ulation but great diversity of wing markings. The Rhinocypha and Calopteryx may serve as examples, and th it has been shown that the sexes are attracted to each er by movements and displays of color. On the other id, the species of Sympetrum, which are, with a few excep- very uniformly colored and without wing markings, yme diversity in the form of the abdominal appendages male and great diversity in the accessory genitalia of e and the vulvar lamina of the female. These differ- reach a maximum of development in the swift-flying tochloras which are, with one or two exception, without ing markings and with bodies uniformly colored, but which yw a remarkable diversity in the abdominal appendages of ale and the vulvar lamina of thefemale. In the Agrion- sand Lestes, species generally with colorless wings and weak _ there is great diversity in the structure of the male ap- es and the female thorax. Upon these parts to a great t all authors have based the most satisfactory definitions cies. That there is a fundamental difference in the which contribute to or determine the preservation of _and that among certain species this factor -is mplexity of the sexual act, and among others it possession of obvious external characters, deter- possibly by sexual selection, is suggested by a com- m of Dr. Calvert’s treatment of the genus —=—or- Dr. SAMUEL G. Drxon, President of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Health Commissioner of Pennsylvania, has directed Mr. Henry L. -Viereck to make a mosquito survey of the State. Last SUMMER, while collecting in a swamp, a skipper, Pamphila mefa- comet, alighted on my hand, turned its abdomen upward and the tip for- ward and discharged a small drop of colorless fluid on my hand. This it eagerly sucked up through its proboscis, repeating the operation not less than halfa dozen times: I then placed the cyanide bottle over it. As soon as its struggles had ceased, I took it from the bottle, pressed the abdomen, and obtained a drop of the fluid. It was tasteless, possibly slightly sweet. This may be a common habit, but I have never happened to observe it before.—E. B. Wi1LL1amson, Bluffton, Indiana. mens, fof °, dc vipes F ‘abr. See 9. , ‘1895. mens, 2. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. I51 Hymenoptera of Algonquin, Illinois.—IV.* By Wm. A. Nason, M. D. (Continued from page 172, Vol. xvi, No. 6 ) Perilampus fulvicornis Ashm. Sept. 4, 1894. I specimen, Q. Perilampus hyalinus Say. Sept. 21, 1894. June 13, 14, July 29, Aug. 16, Sept. 17, 1895. 8 specimens, ¢' @. | Lamprostylus nasonit Ashm. June 4, 1895. 2 specimens, °. Co-types, types in Ashm. coll. Eurytoma auriceps Walsh. Sept-e7,. Oct: 16; 18, 93,2: 1895. 5 specimens, ¢, Q. Eurytoma bicolor Walsh. Sept. 15, 1895. I specimen, @. Eurytoma diastrophi Walsh. Sept. ro, 15, Oct. 3, 1895. 4 specimens, , 9. Eurytoma prunicola Walsh. Sept. 21, 1894. June 11, 1895. 2 specimens, ’, 9 Eurytoma tylodermatus Ashm. Aug. 23, 1894. I specimen, 9. Bruchophagus funebris Howard. Aug. 24, 1895. I specimen, 9. Decatoma nubilistigma Walsh. July 19, 23, 1895. 2 specimens, °. LIsosoma hordei Harris. July 3, 1895. I specimen, Q. ions were made by Dr. Wm. H. Ashmead, of Washington, D. C. 152 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. Monodontomerus montivagus Ash. June 9g, Io, 1894. 7 specimens, Q. Syntomaspis brodei Ash. Sept. 8, 1894. I specimen, Syntomaspis elegans Prov. I specimen, mostly a little shorter winged and greener, suggesting the next. picturata Scudd. C., 12; B., 6. With the preceding. hromorpha viridis Scudd. H., 2. Green variety. bhia xanthoptera Germ. C.,1; H., 4. implex Scudd. H.,8ex. With the preceding on dry sunny open ortophaga viridifasciata DeG. C., 12; B., H., 5; G., 10. Many rs seen. The green form is rarer thai in Illinois. Both sexes were to produce the crackling sound in flight. I was struck by the idance and activity of both young and adults. They seemed thor- sughly at home at this season. / Encoptolophus costalis Scudd. C., 3; B.,4; H., 1. On bare dry ex- _ posures of washed-out roads or stream banks, 158 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 Hippiscus rugosus Scudd. C.,1 Dissostetra carolina Linn. B., I. Trachyrhachys fuscifrons Stal. (Mestobregma) C., 1. On low gravelly mound in stream bed. Conoza amplicornis Caud. (Psinidia sulcifrons amplicornis Caud.) 13,1 2. Among little sandy hillocks, in company with H/e/zastus. *9 Described from a male and female from Victoria, Tex. Apparently a good species. Posterior edge of pronotum dorsally strongly concave each side, with a marked acute process at middle. Wings of female orange tinted. , Pronotal carina deeply cut twice.’ The male is remark- ably small; body 12.5 mm., tegmina 13 mm. antenne g9 mm. Other characters just as described by Caudell. Trimerotropis citrina Scudd. B., 5; G., to. Common on the high banksof the Brazos, and on the sides of the canal at Galveston. Heliastus sumichrasti subrosea Caud. G., 3. Found with the Conoza. The absence of the pronotal carina between the sulci is not ibis evident. Brachystola magna Gir. Rescue, Tex., June 8th (Coll, LS toe H.). Dictyophorus reticulatus Thunb. C., July 20th (Coll. 1. S. L. N. H.). D. marci Serv. C., May 15th; Wellborn, Tex., June 26th (Coll. I. Sv, Ni: Hi; Leptysma marginicollis Serv. G., I. : Schistocerca americana Dru. C., 8; H., 3; G., 4; C. Aug. 8 and 22, and Nov. 18 (Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). Common about trees or bushes, flying to them when disturbed. S. damnifica Sauss. H., 8. Flies up into trees as does americana, but is more inclined to be tricky and exasperating. Paraidemona mimica Scudd. C., 8; B., 1; H., 2; G., 3. In dry, sparsely grassy nooks. - Campylacantha acutipennis Scudd. C., 1; B., 1; Paris, Tex., Oct. 6 (Coll. I.S. L. N. H.). This is the infuscate form, often found associated with C. olivacea, and ee distinct from it. Melanoplus atlanis Riley. B., 10; C., Oct. 28 (Coll. I: Sy te H.). In the corner of a bottom-land cotton- eld. next to a farm yard, Melan- opli were remarkably abundant, attracted, perhaps, by belated plants. The species were aé/anis, femur-rubrum and impiger ? lM. scudderi texensis, n. var. C., 18; B., 2; H., 15. Common in well-sheltered spots with moderately thick grass, associated with JZ plebejus. The length of the furcula, not at all ‘‘exaggerated”’ in Scud- dér’s figure *—in some cases fully one-third the length of the supra-anal plate—the more rounded tegmina, and the very distinct lateral stripe in both sexes, seem to entitle this to varietal rank. Type in coll. I. S. L. N. H. M. femur-rubrum DeG. C., 2; B., 3; C., Oct. 25 (Calyaaa . H.). Infrequent. - One from each locality has glaucous hind tibe. * Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XX, Pl. XIV, fig. 6. ry, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 159 bispinosus Scudd. G., 4. Open pastures among grass and short ds. The two males agree closely with Scudder’s figure* but are considerably smaller than his. The metazona is short, Seceey shorter th n the prozona. The larger male measures: body, 19 mm.; antenne, mm.; tegmina, 15 mm.; hind femora, 10.7 mm. The other is nearly fifth smaller. 1. impiger Scudd.? B., 12; G., 11; C., Oct. 28 (Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). ind in open grassy ped : aithewlarts abundant in the cotton field rred to under ad/anis. All are females, including a number in the CF Laboratory Collection, and a persistent search at each locality d to disclose the male. In the Texas Agricultural College collection are labeled impiger, but the description of this does not fit them , plebejus Stal. C., 14; B., 16; H., 6. Associated with M. scudderi sis; superficially similar, but with glaucous hind tibiz and very e male structures. Those from B. were in margin of heavy forest, ated with WW. robustus. deletor Scudd. C., 1; H., 27. Grassy banks in forest. Near ¢s, but larger. The cercal upper fork is bent up more than Scud- ”s indicates. es l. differentialis Thom. C.,1; Wellborn, Tex., Aug. 25; Brazos R., ; C., Aug. 20 and Oct. 28 (Coll. I. S. N. H.). robustus Scudd. Common in margin of heavy forest area on low, 0 tom land, associated with /. plebejus. ad y Faréata Brunn. C., 6’, 9 (Coll. ILS. L. N. H.). Tarsi, tibee, and tips of hind fetmora blackish, and the tympanum and pos. edge of tegmina fuscous. Genital structures as in furcata. crocentrum laurifolium Linn. C., Oct. 3 (Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). cephalus Juscostriatus Redt.. G., 1. In the folds of the before- ned old pair of pants. mexicanus Sauss. H., 7; G., bhidium strictum Scudld. Weliborn, Tex., June 26 (Coll. I. S. L. or cragini Brun. Wellborn, Tex., June 26 (Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). 7) bius Jasciatus vittatus Harr. B., 1. ocius Scudd. C., 3; B., 6; G., 2. Apparently the commonest ius about ghitivated land. . several species of this genus an in- iate form between the long and short-winged forms has been in which the tegmina are as in the long-winged forms, the dorsal zhtly projecting behind, but the wings are absent—as in Lugger’s of fasciatus vittatus. One of the socius is of this form. meralis, n. sp. C., one female. Rather small, almost wholly antenne Diicsteetaceotis on basal half, except the basal joint, few black annulations; maxillary palpi black, the penultimate Pl. XIX, fig. 6. 160 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 06 joint fusco-testaceous ; a faint dark testaceous margin in front of the eye, and asmall spot anteriorly on the lateral lobe of the pronotum ; abdomen above with gray spots in the usual pattern. Tegmina as long as head and pronotum, rounded and slightly oblique at tip, longitudinal veins prominent, cross-veins very feeble, lateral fields black, dorsal dark fus- - cous, a fine yellow line on vein at lateral margin of dorsal field, con- tinued along apical margin of lateral field. Legs black, tibize with testaceous interrupted line on upper face, first tarsal joint dark testa- ceous, black at tip; spines of hind tibiae testaceous at base and tip. Cerci fuscous ; ovipositor short, black, nearly straight, distinctly denticu- late, slightly exceeding cerci.. Body 7.5 mm. long. Ovipositor 3.5 mm.; hind femora, 5.5 mm.; tegmina, 2.6mm. Type incoll. I.S. L. N. H. N. mexicanus Walk. C., I. NN. carolinus Scudd. B., 1; H., 1 adult, 1 nymph. Gryllus americanus Blatchl. B., 1; C. (Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). From what I have seen of this in Illinois, I should think it was clearly distinct. Scudder’s description of zeg/ectus is right for pennsy/vanicus, but not for americanus. G. pennsylvanicus Burm. G., 9; B., Mar. 22 (Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). Tegmina longer than in Illinois specimens, in the females fully reaching tip of abdomen: The B. specimen is long-winged. Of a large number of nymphs from under boards at C. and B., the majority are probably this species. canthus pini Beut. C. Coll. I. S. L. N. H.). This is the form near g-punctatus, but with a transverse bar on the basal antennal joint in place of the black dot, and assigned to the above species by Titus.* <> On the Genus Trachykele, With Notes and Descrip- tions of Other North American Buprestidae. By H. C. FALL. TRACHYKELE Mars. There is perhaps no genus of North American Buprestidze concerning which so little is positively known as the one here named. Specimens are very rare in collections, our literature is almost bare of allusions to them, and foreign literature of-. fers little more to the inquiring student. The genus was de- scribed in 1865 by Marseul, who based it upon a single speci- men, said to have been found in the Custom House at Paris, emerging from a cedar of Lebanon (‘‘Sortant d’un cedre du Liban’’), by M. Blondel. * 23d Rep. Ill. State Ent., p. 218. ay, 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 161 _ This locality seems to have been early discredited, for in e Catalogus of Gemminger and Harold (1869) the locality Orleans is given for the species. I have been unable to er the origin of this change, but it is doubtless connected the fact that there is in the LeConte collection a pair of - ra fastened to the body of another Buprestide, and bear- the legend in Salle’s handwriting ‘‘ The elytra alone are _blondeli’’ and the locality label ‘‘ Nlle Orleans.”’ the Catalogus the Buprestis leconted of Gory (1840) is and properly referred to this genus, but with the locality Bor.’’ instead of Mexico as originally given by Gory. ig down to the ‘‘ Biologia,’’ the locality of blondeli has been changed, for here we read—‘‘ Said to come from o, but there is some doubt of the correctness of this y. ‘There isa single example in the British Museum it locality, here figured.’’ This figure, Mr. Blanchard “me, agrees very well with the elytra in the LeConte }treatment of the Buprestidee in Wytsman’s Genera rum, Kerremans states with apparent assurance that is from Mexico, and that it is identical with Gory’s It is difficult to know what to make of this state- nce Kerremans admits he has never seen a specimen genus and yet gives no authority for his assertion. He nces Gory’s description as insufficient and his figure nizable and not at all like that given by Waterhouse ologia. Gory’s description is short and unsatisfactory, ue, but it is sufficiently characteristic to warrant our ; ng : that the single examples of /econtez in the LeConte and a Collections—from Georgia and Louisiana—respectively, 2 real thing and a very different thing from d/ondelz. ] 3 < of correspondence between Gory’s and Waterhouse’s es is not at all surprising. ming that the d/ondeli elytra in the LeConte collection correctly labeled, there yet remain two undescribed species our Pacific Coast region, consideration of which has opted this investigation. One of these is a green species bling d/ondelz, and the few specimens known have, I be- 162 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 lieve, been so referred ; the other, a dark bronzed form, is more like /econtez, and has so passed, but it is larger than that species, and in some other respects quite different. The fol- lowing descriptions and notes will help to make these fine Bu- prestides better known to our collectors and students of our Coleoptera. Trachykele opulenta n. sp. Green of varying brilliancy and with more or less evident golden or coppery glints at some part of the surface ; disk of elytra maculate with small velvety black spots which vary much in size and number, but which show a tendency toward arrangement in longitudinal lines extending from the basal to the apical fourth. Upper surface glabrous and ex- tremely densely not coarsely punctate ; beneath with fine rather sparse whitish pubescense, densely punctate anteriorly, apical portion of abdo- men more sparsely so. Front uneven, vertex impressed each side, car- inate at middle. Prothorax nearly one-half wider than long, the length subequal to the width at apex, base a little wider, sides (superior lateral crest) broadly but distinctly angulate just behind the middle, disk with three anterior impressions and two large and deep posterior ones, the median lines sometimes narrowly smooth posteriorly and terminating in a small antescutellar fovea. Elytra about four times as long and one-third wider than the prothorax, humeri rather prominent ; sides parallel to be- hind the middle, thence gradually narrowed ; apex narrowly subtruncate and a little oblique ; disk with from one to three short or incomplete sulci parallel with the suture, one or all of which may become nearly or quite obsolete. Sterna and first ventral segment very densely punctate and dull, following segments more sparsely finely punctate and shining, especially at middle. Length, 16-20 mm.; width, 5-6% mm. In the male the antennz area little longer than the head and pro- thorax ; the front and middle tibiz are slightly curved and denticulate within, and the fifth ventral is squarely truncate. In the female the antennze scarcely pass the base of the prothorax ; the tibiz are nearly straight and denticulate within, and the fifth ventral is rotundate-truncate. Hab.—South Central Sierras of California to Washington (State). J have seen six examples (19, 58s) of this beauti- ful species, all but one of which were taken by Mr. Ralph Hopping in the Giant Forest region, Tulare Co., California. Of these Mr. Hopping writes, ‘‘One was beaten from the foli- age of Pinus lambertiana at 6,000 ft.; others were caught fly- ing in the Giant Forest at 6,400 ft., and one was cut from the burnt standing mast of a Libocedrus decurrens (Incense Cedar) — er ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 163 9 ft. This latter was in its own burrow and there sem to be no doubt that Ldocedrus is a food tree of the The sixth specimen bearing the label ‘‘ Three Rivers, from the same region, and was recently submitted t notes by Prof. C. F. Baker. I learn on inquiry that. uchs has a single 9 of this species from Seattle, and there is also a ‘‘ W. T.’’ example in the Horn on. Miss Julia Wright has taken two examples at les, Placer Co., Cal., (fide Blaisdell). Dr. Van Dyke ;, ‘‘I have never collected a live Trachykele, but have two wing cases, one taken from, I think, a yellow pine at Sesson, Shasta Co., the other in Tuolumne Co.’’ mples received by Dr. Fenyes from Santa Fe., New _ Specimens of each were accordingly sent to Mr. ok Blanchard, who has kindly compared them with eli elytra i in the LeConte collection. Mr. Blanchard wise so closely in accord with dlondeld that he thinks in be scarcely a doubt of their identity. The two Te quite similar in most respects, but on comparison iffers plainly from ofu/enta in its distinctly coarser, se eee pron and consequently more shining surface, more strongly angulate lateral crest and deeper excava- of the pronotum. There is on each elytron of bdlondeli t two-fifths from the apex and midway between the nd side margin, a small transverse impunctate carini- vation or tumidity, no trace of which exists in opulenta. 1er small differences are observable but they are com- ly unimportant and perhaps not constant. The Santa ens are respectively 14 and 17 mm. in length; the elytra indicate a still larger specimen. It is quite that the Santa Fe species ranges south into Mexico, is extent tends to confirm the locality given by Water- 164 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 house and Kerremans for d/ondelz. On the other hand, it seems unlikely that a species living on coniferous trees at an altitude of 7,000 or 8,000 ft. in the Rocky Mts. is also a native of the lowlands adjoining the Gulf of Mexico. The New Or- leans specimen may therefore have been imported in timber ; it should, however, be remembered that 7: lecontez is also re- ported from Louisiana. T. nimbosa n. sp. Very similar in form and size to d/ondeli, of a dull bronze, with sparse subsquamiform pubescence ; the elytra numerously irregularly immacu- late with opaque velvety black spots, three of which ina longitudinal line on each elytron are larger and occupy more pronounced impressions. Head and prothorax densely punctate and impressed as usual in the genus ; the pronotal excavations fully as deep as in d/ondei, the lateral crests even more strongly angulate than in that-species. Elytra each with three or four feeble cost more or less interrupted by the impres- sions, the surface alutaceous and moderately closely punctate, the punctures not crowded as in d/ondeli or more especially in opulenta. Beneath more conspicuously pubescent, sterna densely punctate and dull, the abdomen shining brilliant coppery bronze, the first segment sparsely finely punctate, the following ones minutely and remotely so. _ Length, 15-17 mm.; width, 44%-5% mm. Hab.—This species ranges from Tulare Co., California, to British Columbia. ‘Three examples—all Qs—are before me, two taken by Mr. Hopping at ‘‘ Marble Bridge’’ (5,200) and ‘‘ Round Meadow, Giant Forest,’’ Tulare Co., California. The third specimen was taken by Dr. Fenyes at Glen Alpine (7,000 ft.) near Lake Tahoe, Cal. Theelytra of the latter specimen are completely devoid of pubescence, as is the case in a specimen in the Le- Conte collection from British Columbia, which, however, Mr. Blanchard believes is identical with the Marble Bridge speci- men, which I have taken as the type. Mr. Hopping informs me that the specimens taken by him —three in all—were found flying in the Giant Forest, and he does not know their food tree. Dr. Fenye’s example was found on the trunk ofa fallen coniferous tree which, from memory, he believes to have been a spruce, certainly not a pine. Mr. Fuchs writes me that he once had specimens of this species (which he speaks of as /econte¢?) from Tuolumne, ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 165 ;and Shasta Cos., Cal., but that these are now in the ection. ‘The Shasta specimen he thinks was taken on \ pine (Pinus ponderosa). ei Gory. wae rn from Dr. Skinner that there is a single example of ies in the Horn collection, and from Mr. Blanchard LeConte collection contains a single 3, the igo will ‘ion of which he has kindly sent me. y much smaller and more parallel in form (than imbosa), the x not at all expanded at sides. Front of head similar to the carina and impressions less strongly marked. Thorax some- adrate, apex and base nearly equal in width, sides broadly feebly slightly sinuate behind, the angles arcuate ; margin slightly in- towards the front ; surface impressed similarly to the last, finely sly punctate except the convexity between the posterior im- s, which is impunctate. Elytra somewhat flattened, substriate > suture, an irregular blackish subtransverse impression at an- urth, from outside the middle to the suture, a smaller more one just behind the middle, distant from the suture, and a still oblique one behind the last at posterior third ; surface finely and closely punctate, deeply impressed behind the humeri next argin; dull bronze varied with coppery. Prosternum feebly im- flat, abruptly tumid in front as in the other species ; coarsely, more or less asperately punctate, as is also the meso- and meta- abdomen finely, sparsely punctured and pubescent. Punctures bearing depressed inconspicuous scale-like hairs ; sides of pro- 10re abundantly hairy, especially behind ; similar hades beneath y and at sides, finer more hair like on the abdomen. Last ven- cate and narrowly smooth and depressed at apex. Front and ghtly arcuate and asperate within, but less regularly and dis- y than in ofu/enta. Length, 9 mm.; width, 3.2 mm. ee corgi (LeConte Coll.); Louisiana (Horn Coll.). > more obvious diagnostic characters of our four species sed in the following table : | first ventral segment very densely punctate. Upper surface very densely punctate, side margin (lateral crest) of prothorax ee apeomis (California to pmmerington) ... 6 4 a weve ss Optlenta, _ Upper surface fees densely, more coarsely punctate ; side ---—s margin of prothorax strongly angulate (New Mexico; Mexi- ume? ew Orleans??) ... cee. dss we _ blondeli. 166 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [May, ’06 Bronzed ; first ventral segment rather sparsely finely punctate. Lateral crest of pronotum well developed and strongly angu- late, size larger, 15-17 mm. (California; British Colum- bia). eo ay Se nimbosa Pronotal crest obsolete, sides not angulate; size smaller, 9 mm. (Georgia; Louisiana)\.:, 30%. 2.<. 2 pee lecontei. POLYCESTA. In the January number of the Canadian Entomologist, p. 22, Mr. Schaeffer questions the correctness of my observation (ENT. NEwS, 1905, p. 73) as to the form of the last ventral segment in males of californica, his suspicions being based solely on his study of other species of the genus. In every student’s experience instances have occured where it is much easier to believe a published statement the result of an obser- vational error, than to believe that an insect departs in some particular from a type known to prevail in allied forms. Mr. Schaeffer’s doubts are perhaps natural enough, but they are in this case ill-founded, and I am able to state after a renewed examination, that the facts are precisely as recorded by me in the article cited. In my own collection and that of Dr. Fen- yes are 8$sand 49s of californica. In none of the males is the apex of the last ventral produced in the form of a broad obtuse parallel sided lobe (as is the case in every one of the 5%s of elata at hand), the apex of the segment being very slightly subtriangularly prominent, the sides scarcely at all sinuate, the tip narrowly rounded or subangulate. I should have mentioned in my original notes a very obvious sexual character pointed out to me by Mr. Blanchard, which e/a¢a and californica possess in common. In these two species the first ventral segment is broadly swollen or tumid at middle through- out its length, the punctuation of this convexity being much finer and sparser than the same segment in the female. In velasco and arizonica Schaef. this segment is not sexually modified. "The Yuma male previous referred to by me under velaso, is without much doubt Schaeffer’s recently described arizonica. These two forms are certainly very closely allied ; so closely that I somewhat doubt their being more than vari- etal forms of the same species. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 167 MASTOGENIUS. impressipennis n. sp. r than subcyaneus, black, slightly bronzed, nearly glabrous, mod- shining. Head with violaceous tint, rather strongly convex, coarsely punctate, with a rather deep circular median fovea. An- just passing the hind angles of the prothorax, slender, serrate e fourth joint, second joint globose ; third small, much longer vide, subequal in length to the second and scarcely more than half lon the fourth ; intermediate joints fully twice as long as wide. ax two thirds wither than long, widest at apical third, sides feebly e and a little convergent behind, more strongly rounded in front, sles very slightly obtuse ; surface evenly convex, a small fovei- pression near the middle of the side margin ; punctuation rather and very dense, with slight tendency to transverse strigosity ; a e and faint median impressed line which reaches neither base nor Elytra as wide as the basal width of the prothorax. sides parallel 2-fourths their length, surface a little more coarsely but less den- inctate than the prothorax, rather deeply and narrowly impressed ng t 1e basal margin, and each with three discal impressions, the an- ) one. subsutural. Beneath strongly closely punctate, less closely ard the ventral apex. Posterior margin of hind coxal plates broadly e. Length, 3% mm. | #1 Taste, Lower California (Beyer). Schaeffer has recently described two species of this 5 viz.: reticulaticollis from Brownsville, Tex., and robustus Arizona. From the former of these impressipennis may . be distinguished by the prothoracic and elytral sculp- nd from the latter by the impressed front, less trans- orothorax, and antennal structure. Swzédcyaneus differs by its smaller size, sparser punctuation, differently prothorax, antennal structure, etc. Three other species Tt genus are known, viz.: Solert 'Thom., from Brazil, and icollis Philippi and Rebalielis Sol. from Chile. The last ntioned differs from all of our species by the parallel-sided rax, which is as long as wide; swicicollis is separable by ate thorax, as its name indicates ; of solieri I have seen sription. icanus n. sp. | strongly cuneiform, color dark coppery bronze, elytra with vous appressed hairs, forming an obscure basal spot, a diffuse band, a narrower better defined fascia near the apical fourth, and AGRILUS. 168 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 a small subapical spot connected with the Jatter along the suture. An- tennz slender, not quite reaching the hind angles of the prothorax, joints 1-7 longer than wide, 8-10 as wide as long, the serration beginning with the fourth joint. Head rather deeply unevenly impressed, coarsely closely punctate, the punctures tending to form short strige at some points. Prothorax transverse, sides straight and parallel posteriorly, feebly arcuately narrowed in front, not sinuate before the hind angles, which are strongly carinate ; median line deeply broadly impressed, the concavity constricted near the middle and narrowed in front; surface transversely strigose at middle, obliquely at sides ; side margin sinuous when viewed laterally. Scutellum carinate. Elytra not sinuate at sides, just visibly narrowed to behind the middle, thence more strongly so to apex, the tips obliquely sinuato-truncate interiorly, margin acutely ser- rate; disk flattened along the suture, the depression limited externally by a well-defined costa. Beneath with sparse yellowish pubescence which is not condensed at sides. Prosternal lobe rather strongly emar- ginate. - Described from a single specimen given me by Mr. Beyer, by whom it was taken at El Taste, Lower California. The type isa 8, having the prosternum densely hairy, but with- out ventral characters. The front and middle tibiz are mu- cronate at tip as usual; the hind tibiz may also be armed but the tips are not visible asmounted. ‘The front and middle claws are cleft at tip, the posterior with a broader more basal tooth. a Lucanus would best stand near cavatus as tabulated by Horn. In general facies, and especially in the form of the elytral apices it departs from the prevailing northern type and ap- proaches that of the Mexican species. Dr. Horn is decidedly in error in saying* that the tibiae are unarmed in the females of all our species of Agri/us. In many species the tibize in this sex are armed, the spur or mucro differing from that in the male only in being shorter and less conspicuous ; it is, however, plain enough in the larger species, especially on the niddle and (when present) hind tibize. I have not attempted to verify the presence of the terminal spur throughout the genus, but the following species among others well illustrate the point in question. Cowesiz, cavatus, vittatocollis, bilineatus, angelicus, arcuatus, acutipennis, walshinghamt, politus, nivet- ventris, *Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. XVIII, p. 281. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 169 Notes on the True Neuroptera. By J. F. McCLENDON. re (Plate VIII) 3. A Catalogue of Texas Neuroptera. few Neuroptera have been recorded from Texas, and riting the following list in the hope that it will en- others to make a more thorough study of this inter- group in that region. Through the kindness of Dr. 1ue Henshaw I was allowed to examine the specimens in the 1m of Comparative Zoology, and Dr. L. O. Howard and P. Currie gave me every facility in looking over those National Museum. Mr. Nathan Banks, Asst. Ento- t, Dept. of Agriculture, let me study his collection, contains more Texas material than that of any mu- have visited. Most Texas material is scanty and labeled ‘‘ Texas,’’ and in some cases the genus only be identified. Where the collector's name was not | I have inserted the name of the owner or donor of the Sak SIALIDA. fs SIALIS Latr. (.Sta/is sp.? Austin, McClendon). ce .- CORYDALIS Latr. Linn., Hagen, ’61,* Columbus, E. A. Schwarz; Austin, McClen- Whe . WH : ~Corydalis tex- Fig. 2.—Corydalis tex- Fig. 3.—Corydalis tex” view of head ama, ventral view of head ana, febinm and hypophar- ray and neck. ynx of larva. of Neuroptera of North America, by Hermann Hagen, Smithsonian Institute. 170 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 cognata Hag., ’61,* Pecos River, Hagen. crassicornis McLach., ’67, Jour. Linn. Soc, Zool., v. 9, p. 233, San Antonio, A. Agassiz. immabilis McLach., ’67, Jour. Linn. Soc. Zool., v. 9, p. 235, Waco, Bel- frage. texana Banks, Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc., v. 11, p. 239, Laredo, McClendon. Fig. 4.—Corydalis tex- Fig. 5.—Corydalis tex- Fig. 30.—Corydalis tex- ana, ventral view of thorax. ama, lateral view of thorax. ana, tergites of the thorax. RAPHIDIDA. RAPHIDIA Linn. oculata Banks, ’o5, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., v. 32, p. 4, Austin, McClendon. MANTISPIDA. MANTISPA III. brunnea Say, Hagen, ’61, Dallas, Riley; Victoria, Hinds, Morrill ; San Antonio, Marlatt. interrupta Say, Hagen, ’61, Victoria, Caudell; Brownsville, E. A. _ Schwarz, H. Barber; San Antonio, Banks; Austin, McClen- don. CONIOPTERYGID. CONIOPTERYX Halid. (Coniopieryx n sp., Brownsville, Barber). CHRYSOPID AS. LEUCOCHRYSA McLach. antennata Banks, ’05, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., v. 32, p. 5, Brownsville, H. Barber. americana Banks, ’97, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., v. 4, p. 175, Austin, Mc- Clendon. . CHRYSOPA Leach, oculata Say, Hagen, ’61, Austin. rufilabris Burm., Hagen, ’61, Columbus, Schwarz; Victoria, Schwarz ; Austin, McClendon. y,’06] ~—~—« ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. | 171 ata Burm., Hagen, ’6r, Austin, McClendon. a Fitch, Hagen, 61, Austin, McClendon. da Fitch, Hagen, ’61, Greenville, H. Barber; Austin, Mc- Clendon. a 61, Greenville, H. Barber; Austin, McClendon. rUIS MeLach., 69, Ent. Month Mag., ’69, p. 24, Texas, Mc- Lach. McClendon, ’or, Psyche, v. 9, p. 215; Brownesville, H. Bar- ber; Austin, Banks; San Antonio, Banks; Laredo, Mc- ~ Clendon. \ HEMEROBIDZ. : HEMEROBIUS Linn. nee Fitch, Hagen, ’61, Texas, Belfrage. arvus McLach., ’69, Ent. Month. Mag., ’69, p. 21, Texas, Mc- Bis: Lachlan. | MICROMUS Rambur. Plueco, *86, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., ’86, p. 287, Texas, -Belfrage. Hagen, 61, Columbus, Schwarz. | | Walk., B. M. Cat., Neur., p. 283, Victoria, Schwarz; Austin, McClendon. oy ieee CLIMACIA McLachlan. coli: Hagen, ’61, Columbus, Schwarz; Texas, Belfrage. LOMAYIA Banks. Se: Kaatral Poeun Banks. MYRMELEONID&. (MYRMELEONINZ. ) ACANTHACLISIS Rambur. Hagen, ’87-8, Canad. Ent., p. 197, Texas, Hagen. DENDROLEON Hagen. Say, Hagen, ’61, Blanco Co., Am. Ent. Soc. PSAMMOLEON Banks. us Walk., Hagen, ’61, Columbus, Riley ; Brownsville and Alice, Barber ; Blanco Co., Am. Ent. Soc.; Austin, McClen- don. | BRACHYNEMURUS Hagen. wus Hag., ’87-8, Canad. Ent., p. 93, Blanco Co., Am. Ent. Soc.; _ Brownsville, H. Barber; San Diego, Schwarz; College Sta- ____ tion, Banks ; Carrizo Springs, Hagen ; Anstin, McClendon. 172 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 abdominalis Say, Hagen, ’61, Brazos Co., Banks; Victoria, W. E. Hinds; Alice, H. Barber; Blanco Co., Am. Ent. Soc.; Dallas, Boll; Carrizo Springs, Hagen ; Austin, McClendon. longicaudus Burm., Hagen, ’61, Texas, Riley. peregrinus Hag., ’61, Matamoros, Hagen.. sackeni Hag., ’87-8, Round Mountain, Am. Ent. Soc.; Dallas, Boll. irregularis Currie, ’06, Proc. Ent. Soc., Wash.; Columbus, Schwarz. hubbardi Currie, ’98, Canad. Ent., v. 30, p. 93,=cockere/ii Banks ; Car- rizo springs, Dr. A. Wadgymar ; Columbus, Am. Ent. Soc. texanus Banks, ’03, Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc., ’03, p. 240, Amarillo, Cock- erell ; Laredo, McClendon. dorsalis Banks, ’63, Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc., ’03, p. 240, Laredo. curriei McClendon, ’06, Ent. News, v.17, p. 93, Brownsville, Esperanzo, Los Barregos, Barber. MYRMELEON Linn. immaculatus DeGeer, Hagen, ’61, Texas, Hagen. rusticus Hagen, ’61, Brownsville, H. Barber ; Vic- toria, Caudell, J. Mitchell, Schwarz ; Co- lumbus, San Diego, Schwarz; Pecos River, Hagen; Matamoros, Hagen ; Austin and Laredo, McClendon. texanus Banks, ’00, ENT. NEws, v. II, p. 596, Columbus, Schwarz; Galveston, Mc- Clendon. NEUROPTYNX n. gen. ( = Ptynx Lefeb., preoccu- pied). juvenilis McLach., ’71, Jour. Linn. Soc. Zool., Fig. 31.—Myrmeleon Dallas Boll.; Austin McClendon. rusticus, tergites of the thorax. ULULODES Currie (U/u/a Ramb.) hyalina Latr. Hagen, ’61, Dallas, H. Barber, Boll.; Austin, A. W. Mor- rill, McClendon ; Bosque Co., Belfrage ; Columbus, Schwarz ; Waco, Galveston and Laredo, McClen- don; Brownsville, H. Barber. PANORPIDA. BITTACUS Latr. occidentis Walk., Hagen, ’61, Texas, Banks. PANORPA Linn. nuptialis Gerst., ’63, Stet. Ent. Zeit. ’63, p. 24, Jonesville, Mally; College Station, Banks ; Victoria, Calvert, A. W. Morrill ; Dallas, Boll; Austin, McClendon, Nor- Fig. 32.—Panorpa nup- tialis, tergites of the man, thorax. . gg hereon J me r 2 7 . a w é ing} * > ENT. NEws, Vou. XVII. Pl. VITI. THE TRUE NEUROPTERA McCLENDON. ' , 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. RS EXPLANATION OF FIGURES. — accompanying figures are intended to illustrate some points in s rnal anatomy. Where appendages are cut off, the cut surface is ally shaded with parallel lines. Membranous parts are shaded lightly . ABBREVIATIONS, aah tenna. g. Gena. | ps. Presternum. tecoxal piece. | gw. Gula. - s. Sternum. peus. 7, Labrum. s? Sternellum. st Clypeus. i. Labium. sc. Prescutum. nd Clypeus. | m. Meron. se. Scutum. . eer md. Mandible. | sc? Scutellum. meron. © mx.Maxilla. sce, Postscutellum. sternum. o. Occiput. | Sp. Spiracle. nt. pg. Postgena. nian See 2 Trochantine. : EXPLANATION OF PLATE VIII. _ Raphidia oblita, ventral view of head. _Mantispa brunnea, ventral view of prothorax. = ye anterior leg. | Myrmeteon pusticus dorsal view of head. cP meral Sa 7; “<< 2 . ** posterior view of head. ee 9) ventral. | *--** mesothorax. oa ee se caudal appendages of female. a ee ae ee ‘* male. ge ee maxilla. eh lateral view of mesothorax. Brachynemurus ad magaee anne appendages of female. es ss ‘* male. Sea et Inner parts shaded. ss Ulutodes hyalina, hie. be “ caudal appendages of female. 4 6s “ : | male. ae Bittacus strigosus, ‘‘ st ge heise Panorpa nuptialis ‘‘ ‘* female ; the abdomen is pressed so as to extrude the ovipositor, which is semi-transparent. ae appeadagye of male, dorsal view. Hy 4 pas ventral view. ventral view of mesothorax. 3 rf anterior view of head. « “ posterior “6 | Sie { lateral view of mesothorax. 174° ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 On the Perlid Genus Chloroperla. By NaTHaNn BANKs. The genus Chloroperla was first described by Newman in the third volume of the Entomological Magazine, page 500; the number for April, 1836. He separates the genus from /erla because the subcosta and costa are parallel, and on account of the few cross-veins in this region of the wing. Hesays that the genus includes several species, and mentions Ch. viridis Fabr.,.and Ch. lutea Latr., and describes a new form CA. apicalis. In August, 1836, appeared part of Vol. VI, Mandi- bulata, of Stephens’ well-known ‘‘ Illustrations,’’ containing, . on page 137, the genus Chloroperla Newman MSS. _ This, how- ever is not important as Newman’s own publications of the name antedates Stephens by several months ; so that the type of the genus must be found among the three names given by Newman. In 1839 (Mag. Nat. Hist., n. ser., Vol. III, p. 87) Newman again treats of the genus Chloroferla, dividing it into two sections, aberrant and normal species. Among the normal species are the three names of his first article ; vzvzdzs Fabr., and /utea Latr., appearing as synonyms of C. flava Foure., a possible synonym of C. ¢ripunctata Scop. ‘This synonomy is not accepted by European authors, and the three names of Newman’s first paper on Chloroperla are reduced to tripunctata Scop. and aficalts Newm. Both of these species are placed in the genus /sopteryx by the European writers on Perlide. Therefore Chloroperla Newm., 1836, replaces /sopteryx, Pict. 1841. Chloroperla of authors has no synonyms; the species | of Leptomeres Rambr., and Dodecatoma Dufour, are placed in Tsopteryx. So the Chloroperla of Pictet and later authors is without a name. In Bull. No. 47, N. Y. State Museum, 1go1, page 417, Mr. Needham divides the family Perlidze into two subfamilies— Perlinze and Nemourinze. He bases these groups on the con- dition of the median vein near base of wing; fused with the radius in the Nemourine, distinct and parallel to the radius in © the Perlinzee. There are various exceptions to this rule in both groups, but especially among those forms previously placed in the genus Chloroperla. ‘This character is not of suf- a a a lay, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 175 ficient constancy to divide the emmy into two subfamilies, but T think it may well be used as of generic value to divide the _ Chloroperla of authors into two genera. I therefore do so, : using the name /sofer/a for those forms having the median vein extending basally parallel to the radius, and AJ/loperla for those forms having the median united to the radius at base. The Perla bilineata Say, will be the type of /soperla, which includes also transmarina Newm., montana Bks., 5-punctata | Bks., dbrunneipennis Walsh, and decolorata Walk. The Perla imbecilla Say, will be the type of Adloperia, which includes 3 also coloradensis Bks, pacifica Bks., signata Bks., borealis Bks., | brevis Bks., minuta Bks., marginata Bks., and fallidula Bks. _ Alloperla differs chiefly ou: Chloroperla iocadonars by having _ a folded anal space to the hind wings. <4oe = trees (ten to twelve feet high) rarely yielded any- eggs are little larger than mustard seeds, spherical, een or sometimes streaked or blotched with red, a fea- ‘ten noticed on the eggs of such sphinges as Smerinthus , jatus, S. myops, S. excecatus, and S. modestus. ‘The k eggs we saw were, doubtless, parasitized. | the searches for eggs and larve of ajax, eggs and larvee 1e ‘‘hawk,’’ Dolba hyleus were often found, these latter iffering from the former in size, mainly being deposited underside of the leaf (rarely on the upper side). course there is no mistaking the larva of Doda, as it is reen, slender, with caudal horn and sphingial bands. stages of the larva of ajax the thoracic region is swol- The odor from the retractile thoracic tubes of the larva cis stronger than and entirely different from that of bilio larvee with which the writer is acquainted. chrysalids we obtained, about one-twelfth only were the rest being light reddish or yellowish-brown. other Papilios, ajax is often seen in great bunches at indy or muddy places, but more rarely at flowers. The variation in this insect is well-known to collectors as e differences in the depth of the coloration. 40> <~+or ; Biesuned Cocoons of Telea polyphemus. By Dr. R. E. Kunze&, Phoenix, Arizona. ng the season of 1889 and including 1892, I collected se numbers of Saturnian cocoons, within a radius of two sn miles from New York City, which were exchanged at ym ; c of sent abroad. The localities included the banks of the rlem River, Palisades, the Hudson, swamps of the Hacken- < and the Passaic Rivers, low lands of the tongue of land n New York and Newark Bay, Staten Island, Flatbush, ol oklyn and Long Island City. 178 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 Asa rule I found most of the stemmed Aolyphemus cocoons on the lowermost limbs of shade trees, such as the cut-leaved maple lining the streets and avenues of cities. This habit of fastening such coccons on trees of public highways, must be accounted for in my mind as a protection against birds, as well as being stepped upon or crushed by pedestrians and vehicles. On the other hand the same cocoons spun up in the leaf of white birch, nine times out of ten, would be defoliated and drop to the ground, where, if not destroyed by mice, would develop into imagines of this race unless parasitized. I very seldom found a stemmed cocoon on white birch, and collected hundreds by turning over leaves in the winter under low-growing bushes, and usually on the banks of streams or the roadside of suburban parks. Quite the contrary with stemmed cocoons found on low trees of bush-like growth of swamp or pin oak. I will recall a locality in the heart of a suburb of Jersey City, known then as Bayonne, on a narrow stripe of land bordering on New York Bay on the east, and Newark Bay west of it. Only two blocks from the New Jersey Central R. R., with handsome residences all around, were two squares, where the topography admitted of no residences. The year round this ideal winter collecting ground was under water from 12 to 18 inches deep, and shel- tered birds, butterflies and moths. There must have been warm springs in these two city blocks, because only on the coldest days, with the mercury near the zero mark, could I venture to collect in this marshy place. Thus being less than a quarter mile from either bay, the property could not be drained. . In this swamp I collected one winter, mostly in January, some two hundred and fifty cocoons of polyphemus alone, hun- dreds of promethea and a few of cecropia cocoons. During the same winter I sent to Prof. Levi P. Mengel, of Reading, Pa., 350 cocoons of polyphemus, and over 3000 cecropia cocoons, all collected with the exception of polyphemus on Jersey City Heights and environs. ‘To refer back to polyphemus cocoons I collected from swamp oak, they were dangling from defolia- ted branchlets like nuts from a Christmas tree. , 706] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 179 tseems to me that the larva of polyphemus took this man- of spinning up on the branchlets of this oak, to prevent its g in the water, where in due course of time it would frozen to death. About one mile from Bayonne, at a b known as Greenville, I found on higher ground, reds of white birch bushes, with almost every cocoon of emus spun in leaf and certain to drop below during mn gales. - wish 1 to add my pe regarding the habit of 7. poly- , for the safety of this race, which I was put in mind a note by Miss Caroline Soule, in the December ENT. ~ Vol. XVI. ‘DIT. DRIAL NoteE.—We do not believe this caterpillar sufficiently intel- to make stemmed cocoons over highways. The absence of the cocoons in such places is accounted for by the fact that they pepidly be swept away by the ordinary traffic of the street or high- . Riley’ s article with this title in the April News, page 113, I had 1 out, to my class in Invertebrate Zoology, some transverse sections grasshopper. On looking at one of the students’ slides I noticed two sections of a Malpighian tube within the heart, but thought their ence there to be due to displacement in clearing the sections and dis- -the paraffin. Dr. Riley’s article recalled this appearance and when ss met to study the sections, I at once saw that we had another those apparently rare cases which Dr, Riley has described. Fortu- ly, I still had enough sections of this grasshopper on hand to give lowing account of the course of this Malpighian tube. It entered ¢ “ig surface of the heart by a cardio-coelomic aperture, at a level ‘in front of the hind end of the stomach, passed forward, within art, to a level slightly anterior to that of the hind end of the gastric t upon itself and passed backward, still within the heart, to at 5 far as the level of the anterior part of the rectum. A gap in the sections of this region exists so that I am unable to state whether terminated within the heart, or whether it passed out into the al chamber as in Kowalevsky’s case reported by Dr. Riley. é sshopper was also a Melanoplus, probably W. femur-rubrum, and le. I do not recall having seen any other instance of a Malpighian within the heart, and I would endorse Dr. Riley’s view that such rences are accidental.—Puitie P. CaLvert, University of Pennsyl- , Philadelphia. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL News solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author’s name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.] “4 To Contributors.—All contributions will be considered and passed upon at out earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put “ copy ’’ into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue, Twenty-five ‘‘ extras,” without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Ep. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., MAy, 1906. Several times we have published comments on articles noticed in medical journals and called attention to the neces- sity of medical colleges giving a course on the principles of entomology, in view of the fact that so many diseases are carried by insects. The quotation below is from the April, 1906, ‘‘ Medical Brief,’’ page 282, and carries us back before the time of Dr. Francesco Redi, who lived about 1618. Ithas been questioned whether such a statement as that in the ‘* Brief’ is meant seriously, but from articles we have seen in other medical journals and from conversation with some medi- cal men there can be no question about it. ‘“Take the human seed germs (spermatozoa), put them upon a plate, first spreading some alkaline nourishment upon the plate ; for instance a little soap, place the plate in a room of proper temperature, and in sixteen to twenty-four hours, swarms of avfs will be running about. In other words, these living human germs placed under this different condition other than the mother soil, develop into ants. These little fellows can be watched and be seen to gradually develop and start off onthe run. This would evidently appear that living germs, when placed by accident, or otherwise, under very different conditions, produce very different forms of life. But what relationship do we owe to the ant? Perhaps this is why the claim is made that the ant has more cheretieeee of the human being than any other animal.’’ 180 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 181 Notes and News. INTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS | OF THE GLOBE. A. T..SLosson has gone to Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, to month. -DATE METHODS IN ENTOMOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS.—Separ- n the Journal of the New York Entomological Society for Decem- 6 (which will be published seven months hence), have been dis- by the Government. These separates bear date of March 14, d were distributed April 17, 1906. This paper describes ‘‘ The f Culicidz classified as Independent Organisms. By Harrison ire dates is highly interesting. Species herein described conflict > made known in the Canadian Entomologist and ENTOMOLOGI- ; for April, 1906.* Of course the names in the News and Can- ; paper but only to refer to the dates and the fact that species ribed from larve alone. In looking overit we have come to the that the future synonomy, etc., will be somewhat like a Chinese d reminds us of the question, How old is Ann? We expecta y describing species from the egg or pupa alone.—HENRY Omaha, April 29, 1906. News : Gentlemen—Enclosed please find a paper which I wish San Francisco, Dec. 31, 1905. Rs NEws: Gentlemen.—I enclose a paper for the News, which appear in the next number. Yours truly, JoHN GREEN. e | New York, April 30, 1906. s News: I have just moved; please change my address and ; Manayunk, April 30, 11.59 P. M. s News: Gentlemen.—Enclosed please find paper for the s. I know you have received fifty papers ahead of mine, but nine in the next number. If the News is printed, kindly have a dition struck off and insert my paper in it. Yours truly, JoHN above are only samples.—EDITOoRs). “T HOLD it is not decent for a scientific gent To call another one an ass—or words to that intent. Nor should the individual who happens to be meant _ Reply by heaving rocks at him to any great extent.” gee —‘* TRUTHFUL JAMES.”’ ex sylvicola Grossbeck and Jativittatus Coq. 182 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 Pror. BERLESE’S APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING ARTHROPODS.—Prof. L. O. Howard’s account of the Berlese apparatus for collecting small arthropods (Ent. NEws, 1906, pp. 49°53), reminds me of a simpler method tried many years ago with great success by the late R. Lawson, of Scarborough, England. Instead of the metal funnel to be warmed by het water, he used a similarly shaped suspended canvas bag, and drove the insects downward by placing rags saturated with ammonia above the material on the sieve. The result was the same, everything wanted fall-. ing into the tube of alcohol at the bottom.—G. C. CHAmpion, Horsell, Woking, England. ———_—__—_ Doings of Societies. A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadephia was held Nov. 23, 1905, Mr. H. W. Wenzel, Vice-Director, presiding. Sixteen persons were present. The presentation of 3,167 specimens of Ichneu- monoidea, including types, by Mr. G. C. Davis, was announced by the conservator. Dr. Calvert exhibited a map showing local- ities in Mexico from whence he had recently received Odonata. Every collection showed interesting material in either species new to Mexico and Central America or showing new distribu- tion. MNVephefeltia phryne, which has a curious spine on the metasternum, was exhibited from Guatemala. Dr. Skinner described dragon-fly collecting in the Huachuca Mts., So. Arizona. Mr. Rehn spoke of the Orthoptera he had recently received from Costa Rica and of a paper on the material. Two thousand specimens, 300 species, were under observation, of which 56 proved new. Mention was made of the various col- | lections examined for the report. Mr. Daecke said he had found a nest of Vespa carolina at Riverton, New Jersey. He had taken both sexes and the workers and found V. carolina and I’. cuneata to be the same species; the female queens were carolina and the males and workers cuneata. ‘The nest was about twelve inches in diameter. The entrance was described as being papered and nicely built, the tunnel being nine inches long: Dr. Calvert spoke of the importance of a description of such a nest, as the subject was not well known. Mr. Wenzel said his son Harry had caught a lively male of Vespa german- — zca on January first. Mr. EK. T. Cresson, Jr., was elected a member, and Mr. Oscar Mayer an associate. | HENRY SKINNER, Recorder, iy, 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 183 itural Sciences of Philadelphia was held Dec. 28, 1905. Mr. i a Laurent, Director, presiding. Twelve persons were ent. Mr, Franklin, of Amherst, Mass., visitor. Mr. flatthews, exhibited several short-tailed specimens of Papilio : / = reared from chrysalids received from San Francisco, California. Mr. Franklin made some remarks on the nests of mbus, having examined thirty. He found carbon bisul- e the best medium to quiet bees. In his opinion Bombus ylvanicus is the commonest species in the vicinity of Am- st, Mass., judging by the number of nests. Some remarks also made on the possible correlation of sexes of some of : 4 ies. Mr. E. TI. Cresson described methods used by : s elf in previous years in collecting specimens of this genus. anklin remarked that the only specimens of the genus in early spring were queens. ‘The following were elected ve as officers for the year 1906: Director, Philip Laur- Vice-Director, H. W. Wenzel ; Treasurer, E. T. Cresson ; ° der, Henry Skinner ; Secretary, Frank Haimbach ; Con- ator, Henry Skinner; Publ. Committee, C. W. Johnson, I. Ridings. ; J. A. G. REHN, Recorder pro tem. eeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of ‘al Sciences of Philadelphia washeld Jan. 25, 1906. Mr. resent. Mr. Bradley exhibited plates of Evaniidee show- the various anatomical characters including neuration. icters separating genera and species were shown and ex- ‘d. Mr. Bradley also spoke of his last summer’s trip to elkirk Mountains in British Columbia. Many insects of rest were taken although little of the material has as yet n studied. Some pictures of the scenery of the locality were shown. He said at 6,000 ft. altitude a Leptid was found hich bit. Dr. Skinner exhibited some photos of dragon-fly ings and said they had been photographed against the light h a ground-glass background. ‘This method showed the ration in a satisfactory manner. It is a good method where he wings are to be enlarged and not removed from the body. © ale, said at Cornell University the wings were removed 184 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 and photographed, then the wings were kept separately and mounted on glass. Mr. Rehn exhibited a box of Orthoptera from Labuan, British North Borneo, a small island, to show diversity. He also made some remarks on the genus 77vimero- tropis. A large amount of material from the west had been studied. ‘The color characters used by McNeill in his revision were not considered of very great importance for specific deter- mination. ‘The intergradational color patterns were illustrated by black-board sketches. Dr. Calvert showed a series of tropical dragon-flies, Evythro- diplax connata, showing various color phases. Specimens with a red frons and others with a blue frons, described as different species, were shown by intergradations to be the same thing. Mr. Howard A. Snyder said, in October he had spent a few weeks in the Bermuda Islands but did not find any insects not found in the United States, probably on account of the near- ness of the islands. The character of the climate and flora was mentioned and the insects taken exhibited. Dr. Calvert mentioned Verrill’s work on the islands. HENRY SKINNER, Kecorder. ' A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia was held March 22, 1906, Mr. Philip Laurent, Director, presiding. Ten persons were pres- ent, including Mr. W. M. Beutenmuller, of New York, visitor. The latter presented two hundred specimens of Coleoptera taken in the Black Mts., North Carolina. Mr. Beutenmuller spoke of the necessity of protecting valuable collections from fire, and gave a diagram of the plan for protecting the insect department of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Mr. Rehn said he had recently determined some . Tonkin Orthoptera for Mr. Chas. Schaeffer of the Brooklyn Institute. A fine walking-stick and four katydids were new. HENRY SKINNER, ecorder. A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held: December 28, 1905, Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, in the chair. Twelve persons were present. The report of the Treasurer May, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 185 was read, in which he stated there was a balance on hand of $1,262.97. Mr. E. T. Cresson, Jr., was elected a member. The following were elected officers to serve for the coming year: President, Philip P. Calvert ; Vice-President, H. W. Wenzel; Treasurer, E. T. Cresson; Recording Secretary, Henry Skinner ; Corres. Secty., Frank Haimbach; Curator, Henry Skinner; Librarian, E. T. Cresson, Jr. Publication Committee: E. T. Cresson, C. F. Seiss, B. H. Smith. Execu- tive Committee: P. Laurent, H. W. Wenzel, Frank Haim- bach. Finance Committee: J. W. McAllister, C. S. Welles, D. M. Castle. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held Feb. 15, 1906, Mr. H. W. Wenzel, Vice-Director, presiding. Nine persons were present. ‘Theannual report of the Curator was read. Mr. Laurent said he had first used chip fruit bas- kets for shipping insects about fifteen years ago, and spoke of their value for this purpose. Since that time they had been used more or less by entomologists. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held Feb- _ Yuary 26, 1906, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 So. 13th St., Philadelphia. Eight persons were present. Mr. Carl Schaeffer, visitor. A letter from Dr. Dyar was read, in which he states that Pamphila manataagua and cernes are con- generic. Mr. H. Wenzel read a very interesting note on : Omus from a letter which he had received from Mr. Ralph 7 Hopping, of Kaweah, Calif. The writer says ‘‘I take O. zn- a termedius in one place only (Colony Road, Tulare Co., Calif.), 3,500 to 4,500 ft.; O. sublaevis in pine forest, 5,000 to 7,000 ft. The smooth form 0. Jaevis occurs 8,000 to 10,000 ft. in = my locality, but I have never had the luck to find it. Dr. _ Walther Horn’s elevations for this form are incorrect. The collector unintentionally misinformed him. I went to a great deal of trouble to prove these elevations. ‘The collector sent mea map marking the exact location, and from my intimate _ knowledge of the trails in the Sierras I was able to place the 186 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, ’06 exact locations.’’ Mr. Huntington spoke about photography as it was applied by the Canadian Government in surveying the Rocky Mountains of Canada. Mr. Schaeffer spoke of the dif- ficulty of collecting Cicindela santaclare on the plains at Pal- merlee, Ariz. Mr. Schaffer exhibited some species of the genus Anomala, among them being four entirely new and four being new to North America; one species being from Lower California, two from Texas and others from Arizona. F. HarmBacu, Secretary. A meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social was held March 21, 06, at the residence of Mr. Henry W. Wenzel, 1523S. 13th St., Philadelphia, Mr. Erich Daecke, President, in the chair. Members present: Daecke, Wenzel, Laurent, A. Hoyer, Seiss, Harbeck, Castle and Skinner. Mr. Wm. Beutenmuller, New York, visitor. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Mr. Wenzel said he had received a num- ber of postals from our fellow-member, Prof. J. B. Smith, who _ isabroad. Mr. Beutenmuller said he had collected a number _ of Staphylinidee during trips to the mountains of North Caro- lina in the last five years. Nine species of Oxyporus were taken. /emoralis and major werecommon. ‘The other species found were s/ygicus, vittatus, fasciatus, bicolor, lateralis, lepidus 5-maculatus. ‘They were all taken in the fall execpt stygicus, which was found in May. Dr. Castle said he had found O. major plentiful at Angora, Pa., in the fall. On March roth, — Mr. Harbeck said he took five species of diptera, seventeen specimens, at Germantown, Phila., including Fucellia fucorum, which only appeared while the sun was shining. Mr. Wenzel exhibited a pair of Strataegus splendens from ‘Tybee Island, Ga., taken by H. A. Wenzel. Mr. Daecke reported having been out collecting on March 11th, and took a dipterous larva feeding on spider eggs and some other hibernating imagos and larve. Ina small spot protected from the cold, he took some insects on wild honeysuckle. In a box of farina he found an imago and many larve of Ephestia kuehniella. Dr. Skinner invited the Social to meet at his home at the next meeting (April). HENRY SKINNER, Recorder pro tem. Fs Sg SEE AIT eS pacing ee oe ak ed ‘TIAX “IOA ‘SMAN “LNG ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS D PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. Vou. XVII. JUNE, 1906, No. 6. CONTENTS: Wright—Ruins of the Academy of Sci- Sanderson—Texas Notes—I........... 210 ences, San Francisco.............. 187 | Weber—Notes on mosquitoes.......... 214 Taylor—On some new species of Geo- Skinner—A new Cantharis............. 217 metrid moths from Arizona and Tower—A new method of preparing Dag). oksis os «oe sp ano 0's 188 wings and other parts of insects ‘Caudell—Autolyca doylei, a new Phas- SOM SINE Ns cs aac: tu kip seen he a4 218 mid from So. America............. 192 | Cockerell—A new Sawfly.............. 220 Banks—A rock-boring mite............ TOs ny MELLO ION wie Bic hides Caw web tec eOa Coad ks 221 Weeks—New species of butterflies.... 195 | Notes and News...........scecceeueees 222 Pergande—Description of two new Domes of SOCieties 0 oc ckacsehe se avees 226 genera and three new species of Obituary—Mr. Roland Hayward ...... 230 ET 205 Ruins of the Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Cal. By W. G. WRIGHT. (Plate IX) This view was taken during a rainstorm after the fire of April 18, 1906, and is more of a side view than a front view. The street along which men are walking is Market Street. The main entrance to the Academy is the arched opening under the left electric light. The most of the front of the building is fallen down, but some three or four windows of the front part are shown in the photo. The Museum Building is at the left, the walls mostly stand- ing nearly intact, but it is licked clean by fire, inside, and probably is unfit for rebuilding. The space in front of, or at the right of the Museum Build- ing, and between it and Market Street, was occupied by fine Stores on the ground floor, and by suites of offices in the upper stories ; from the rental of these stores and offices the Academy received its chief income. 187 188 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [June, ’06 On some New Species of Geometrid Moths from Arizona and California. By GrEorGE W. TAYLOR, Wellington, B. C. The forms, described in the present paper, are all of them apparently new to science. The first named is in the collection of the United States National Museum, and for the privilege of examining and describing it I have to thank Dr. Harrison G. Dyar. ‘The other forms described are all in my own cabinet. 1. Melemaca virgata n. sp. This is a very beautiful insect which I thought at first might be JZ, mag- dalena Hulst, but the arrangement of the lines on the fore-wings is not the same, and Dr. Dyar, who has kindly sent me a rough sketch of the type of magda/lena, assures me that it is not that species. Front and thorax pale yellow, palpi a little darker. Ground color of wings orange yellow. Fore-wings with two bands or stripes, one (outer) running from the apex of the wing to the middle of the inner margin, and the other (sub- costal) from the junction veins 7 and 8 to the base of the wing. The color of the first-named stripe is olive greenish, bordered with a narrow deep red line on the inner side and by a conspicuous white stripe on the outer side. Towards the apex of the wing the red line becomes much wider and the olive line narrower. The subcostal stripe is bordered below by a red line and above by a white band, which is followed by a red stripe, the costa itself being of the ground color of the wing. The submargina] space is orange, becoming red at the tornus; fringe pale yellow. The hind-wings are pale orange, the color deepening from base outwardly until a reddish line is formed running in a regular curve from the apical angle to the middle of the inner margin. This is followed by a paler shade, and again towards the margin the color deepens. Fringe paler as on the fore-wings. Beneath, the color is paler, the lines of the fore- wings are reproduced faintly and the extreme apex is bright red. The hind-wings are quite pale. No discal points visible either above or below. Expanse 28 mm. Type.—One %. Huachuca Mts., Arizona, July 16-23. In U. S. Nat. Museum. 2. Hydriomena multipunctata n. sp. Palpi rather large and stout, black on outside, grey on inner side and at tip. Front dark grey. Thorax concolorous with fore-wings. Fore-wing with costa almost straight for three-fourths of its length, then sharply curved so as to make a right angle with the outer margin. Color of fore- wing light fawn. 1n the central area the ground color is overlaid with a smoky shade, forming a band across the wing but not limited by lines. d 4 4 s 7 June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 189 All veins dotted with alternate white and dark brown dots as in the sub- marginal area of fore-wing in Zenophleps lignicolorata. A dark brown discal dot and faint indications of two or three parallel lines in the central band. A marginal row of black dots, one dot on each side of each vein, fringe concolorous with wing. Hind wings smoky grey, darker outwardly. In the submarginal area the veins are dotted as in the fore-wings. A small brown discal dot and marginal black dots as on the fore-wings. Under surface of all wings darkened with smoke color, and on the outer third the veins are dotted as above. The marginal black dots are also reproduced. Expanse 37 mm. Described from one ¢. Mountains near Claremont, Cali- fornia. Collected by Prof. C. F. Baker, who has generously placed the specimen in my collection. This species has a slight resemblance at first sight to Zeno- phileps lignicolorata, but it may be at once distinguished by the thickened and flattened antenna of the male. In Zenophleps the antennze of the males are pectinated. There is not any other North American Geometer known to me to which H. multipunctata bears any near resemblance. 3. Hydriomena magnificata n. sp. This is a species somewhat resembling /ydriomena speciosata Packard but very much larger. The type specimen has an expanse of 45 mm., while sfeciosata ranges from 35 to 40 mm. The prevailing colors are black and green, but in the type (which has been relaxed) the green tints have faded, as such tints generally do, to a light clay color. Palpi long, porrect, green, with spots of black, the extreme tip green. Front green. Thorax green with black spots at sides and a conspicuous black dorsal spot. Abdomen silky grey with black dorsal spots on the posterior segments, the base of the terminal tuft being also conspicuously black. The fore-wings green with black blotches, which appear to be parts of six broken transverse lines. The extreme base of the wing is also black. The first three lines are intradiscal and are separate and con- spicuous on the costa, but are united with an irregularly-shaped blackish blotch, enclosing a green spot, on the inner margin. ‘The fourth line is extradiscal and is marked by about five narrow black blotches on the veins. It does not reach the inner margin. The fifth line is in the sub- marginal space and consists of a square black blotch on the costa, a much larger one between veins 6 and 4 and a third extending irregularly from vein 3 to the outer angle of the wing. The sixth line forms an irregular margin to the wing. The fringe is pale outwardly, darker at base and 190 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June,.’06 cut with distinct black pencils of scales at end of veins, a few white scales being on each side of the pencils of black ones. The hind-wings are clear grey with a few dark marginal cloudings; fringe pale, slightly marked with black at ends of veins. Beneath, the markings of the upper surface are rather distinctly reflected. Described from one ¢. Cochise Co., Arizona, March 4th. It is possible that this very handsome species may be in some collections as sfeciosata Packard, but the true sPectosata is, as pointed out above, not nearly so large and has moreover an unspotted thorax and abdomen, and lacks the reflected markings on the under side of the primaries. 4. Macaria quadrifasciata n. sp. Male antennz dentate fasciculate, more like P*i/obia than Macaria. Palpi and front dark yellow ochre. Wings, thorax and abdomen pale yellowish fawn, rather thickly covered with specks of a darker tint. Fore-wing crossed by four lines. The basal curved out from costa then straight to inner margin. Intra- and extra-discal lines are parallel to each other and to the basal line. The distance between the basal and intra- discal is only half as great as that between the intra- and extra-discal lines. The submarginal line is quite straight, running from costa about 1 mm. from apex to the internal angle. Hind wings with three lines (basal ob- solete), no discal spot, fringe concolorous with wings. Beneath, all the markings are reproduced lines rather diffuse; the extreme margin of wings marked by fine black points between the veins. Expanse 32 mm. Described from one @. Cochise Co., Arizona, July 8, 1904. The type was badly broken in a trip to Washington and back, but the species seems so distinct that I venture to describe the fragments. The type specimen has lost the hind tibia, I cannot therefore be quite sure that the species belongs to M/acaria. I think, however, that I am right in so placing it. 5. Enemera simularia n. sp. Expanse 38 mm. This moth is smaller than Californian or British Columbian specimens of /. juturnaria, but about the same size as speci- mens of that species from Arizona. It is very similar to juturvnaria on the upper side, the main difference being in the single extradiscal line. In juturnaria this line leaves the costa at about two-thirds distance from — OF a pes ah OT — NS eet hay eh ae eo: Ps ™ , re eyes their June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IgI base. It curves regularly outward, being most distant from base at vein 4, thence it curves inward to the inner margin. In stmularia this line commences almost exactly in the mid- dle of the costa proceeding towards the centre of the outer margin in an almost straight line to vein 5, then turning at an obtuse angle and running in a straight line to the inner margin. On the under side the difference is greater. An extradis- cal line divides each wing into two parts. The outer half of each wing is very dark—on the hind wings nearly black. The course of the extradiscal line on the hind wings is peculiar. The ends of the line are not at the middle of the costa and the middle of the inner margin. From each end the lines curves regularly towards outer margin, forming an acute angle on vein 5, recalling the median line on the underside of secondaries in Cenocalpe annellata or Marmopteryx marmorata. Types 1 9 andr % in poor condition. Pasadena, Califor- nia. Mr. F. Grinnell, July 22 and 29, 1903. 6. Eupithecia helena n. sp. Palpi long and bushy, white, with a few black scales, tip black. Front, head and thorax dull white. with slight ochre tint. Abdomen same color, but with rather more of the ochre tint on the anterior segments; the last two segments greyish. Dorsal tufts small, black. Fore wings dull white, overlaid with brownish scales. Basal area blackish. Basal line double. Intradiscal line double, distinct on - costa, faint across the wing, regularly curved, parallel with basal line. The space between basal and intradiscal lines is occupied by a broad, rusty brown, regularly curved band. Extradiscal lines double, white, wavy, very conspicuous on the costa, divided by a fine brown line; the inner white line is marked on inner side on each vein by a black dot. The course of these extradiscal lines is straight from the costa to vein 7, then evenly rounded out to vein 2, then in 2 or 3 scallops to the inner margin. Discal spots large rusty brown. Beyond the extradiscal line there is a rusty brown band which is almost continuous from. costa to the inner margin. This is bounded by a distinct, white, wavy, submarginal line. The marginal space is dark grey. Marginal line distinct, black, hardly interrupted at the veins. Fringe long, color of the wings, marked at base with faint brown spots. Hind wings, color of fore wings, crossed by 7 or 8 dusky grey indistinct lines. The outermost being the most prominent. A submarginal white line and a marginal black one as on fore wings. Discal spot lengthened, blackish. Beneath, white, with indications of all the lines as alone. The rusty brown bands of the upper side show as dark grey bands below, and there is in addition a rather 192 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [June, ’06 conspicuous dark grey line marking the inner edge of the extradiscal lines. In the hind wings there are two extradiscal dark grey bands, the other lines being represented by faint indications only. Discal spots on all wings black, diffuse ; marginal lines black, very distinct. Legs greyish white, the anterior pair banded with black, posterior pair wanting. Ex- > panse 26 mm. Type.—One specimen from Pinal Mountains, Arizona, July 9, 1900. In coloring this species recalls &. mevadata Packard, but in the present species the large costal blotch over the discal spot which is so conspicuous in zevadata and its allies is wanting. The wings in helena are also much rounder, the outer margins being very full. In the shape of the wings and the arrange- ment of the markings, but not in color, this species rather nearly agrees with /. fogata (Hubner) of Europe. Autolyca doylei, a new Phasmid from So. America. By A. N. CAUDELL, Washington, D. C. Male.—Elongate, black, not shining, unarmed ; the entire insect, inclu- ding the legs and antennz, covered with inconspicuous, fine, short black hairs. Head as broad as long, the posterior half of the top and sides yellowish ; antennz black, longer than the body. Pronotum about one- fourth longer than broad; mesonotum about one and one-half times as long as the pronotum and but slightly longer than the metanotum, inclu- ding the intermediary segment, which is not quite as long as the metano- tum proper. Abdomen apically much swollen and, in the only specimen seen, curved strongly upward ; segments 1-6 quadrate or barely elongate, the three terminal segments transverse ; the scoop-shaped ventral pro- cess of the seventh segment is broad and reaches to the tip of the abdo- men ; cerci stout, clavate and incurved, as long as the terminal segment of the abdomen and descending from beneath that segment at nearly right angles. Legs black, except the ventral surface of the tarsi, which is yellowish brown; anterior femora not noticeably curved at the base; all the tibiz areolate- below and slightly longer than their respective femora and not quite twice as long as their tarsi; all the femora, as well as the tibiz, dully and inconspicuously carinate, the posterior femora reaching nearly to the apex of the sixth abdominal segment. Length :— pronotum, 4 mm.; mesonotum, 5.5 mm.; metanotum, including the intermediate segment, 5 mm. ; anterior femora, 13 mm. ; intermediate femora, 10.5 mm.; posterior femora, 15 mm.; width, head, 3.5 mm.; pro- notum, 3.5 mm. ; basal segment of the abdomen, 3 mm.; apical segment of the abdomen, 4.25 mm, oat ———_- ” is —* June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 193 Type No. 9629, U. S. Nat: Mus. One male, taken by C. B. Doyle, at an altitude of 2950 _ meters at Tierra Adentro, Central Cordillera, Dept. of Cauca, Colombia, South America, headwaters of the Palo River, in January, 1906. ‘This interesting insect, which is named after the collector, is easily distinguished from the other members of the genus by the elongate form and especially by the coloration of the head. 40% =<0r A Rock-boring Mite. By NATHAN BANKS. In the fall of 1904, Prof. J. H. Comstock sent me some pieces of rocks taken from a limestone cliff that is moistened by the fall of water. The surface contained numerous small cavities or pits of varying sizes. Most of them had a narrowed orifice, and within each pit was found a mite, approximately of the size of the pit. Although, of course, a mite of such habits must be called ‘‘Aetvophagus,’’ I have no idea that rock forms any part of its diet. The surface of the stone to a short depth is somewhat softened, doubtless by the action of the water, and it is probable that in the minute holes and passages of this softened area there is growing some tiny plant-organism that forms the food of this cave-digging mite. From all appearances the cavities are caused by the mite, and increase in size with the growth of the acarian. Possibly the mite has some secretion that aids in the destruction of the stone. Remarkable as are the habits of this mite, its structure, save that it belongs to a rather peculiar genus, is not exceptional. This habit is the necessary consequence of the conditions of its existence, for if the mite should try to live free on the surface of the rock it would be washed away by storms. ‘To escape, therefore, the ravages of the elements it takes to the cyclone cellar. Migration must be performed over the surface of the stone, but it is probable that the young issue at a season when the stone is not subject to heavy storms. On microscopic examination the mite is seen to belong to the family Oribatidz, or beetle-mites, and to the genus Scz/o- vertex of Michael. We have, at least, one other species of this 194 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 genus in our country, the S. marinus Banks, that occurs on the surface of boulders between tide-marks along the Long Island shore. .S. marinus is usually found in small depres- sions of the stone, but forms no cavities ; and when the tide is out one can find a few wandering over the rock. Four species of Scutovertex are known in England, one was found in moss; one on lichen near the seashore, and two on alge in fresh- water pools near the seashore. Michael has described a spe- cies as taken from marine algze at Terra del Fuego. The new species I describe as follows : Scutovertex petrophagus n. sp. Rather uniform dark brown, a pale spot on middle of base of abdomen above. Body moderately elongate, roughened above; median area of cephalothorax with transverse ridges. Pseudostigmatic organs short, clavate. A ribbed Jamella-like area around base of ab-, domen. Abdomen above with scatter- sae ed rugosities and 3 more or less defi- nite stripes of inter AP laced ridges; at api- cal margin with 4 short, subequal stiff bristles each side. The legs are rather long and heavy, the femora obliquely roughened above near tips, and also on the trochanters ; tarsi very short, and more hairy than other joints, but one claw A to each leg. Venter finely and irregularly Fig. 2.—Venter. Fig. 1.—Scutovertex petrophagus. Fig. 3.—Tarsus and claw. rugose, the coverings of the apertures being longitudinally rugose. The genital opening is about as broad as long, and scarcely its length in front of the larger and more elongate anal opening. The immature stages have a transversely corrugate dorsum. Length 4 mm. Inhabits cavities in the surface of wet rock. Traghanic Falls, near Ithaca, N. Y. This genus is best separated from Carabodes by the fact that the tibize of legs are not pedicellate. a Se ee el ee a ee —-- June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 195 New Species of Butterflies. By ANDREW GRAY WEEKS. Ecesia klagesii sp. nov. Expanse 2.10 inches.—Head above black, with a white dot above each eye and one betwixt the bases of the an- tennze. Antennz black. Club black above, beneath brown, with tawny tip. Thorax and abdomen black or very dark brown above, beneath tawny brown. Upper side of fore wing tawny brown, with black markings. Costa black. Half way up the costa a black band runs downward, across the end of the discoidal space to the first submedian nervule, where it suffu- _ses toward hind margin. Beyond this, on apical side, is an area of ground color of the same width. The apical area, representing one- fourth of the total wing area, is black, with a tawny brown dash in its central portion. In some specimens, owing to lack of any suffusion, this dash may be called a well defined spot. The hind margin is bordered with black from apex down to the second submedian nervule, and in soine specimens this extends to lower angle. The inner marginal area is dashed with black. The median nervure is heavily black from the base up to the second submedian nervule. Upper side of lower wing tawny brown, with black markings. A black line one-sixteenth of an inch wide extends from the base of the wing along the costa nearly to the upper angle. The hind margin is slightly dentated or wavy, and has a black border one-sixteenth of an inch wide, broadening somewhat toward anal angle. From the inner margin near the base of the wing a line of interspacial black spots extends across the wing, curving upward to the upper angle. These are, in some specimens, quite indistinct, owing to being dusted with tawny scales. Under side of fore wing is governed by the markings of the upper.sur- face. The black portions are not so dense and suffused into the ground color. The band of ground color running from costa to hind margin is more yellow, and the apical area is tawny brown. At the apex is a patch of dull yellow, crossed by a dark line which extends. down to the lower angle one-sixteenth of an inch within the hind margin. On the under side of the hind wing, the black line noted on the upper surface, is.repeated. Below this, the area to the row of black spots is dull yellow. Below this spot the area to the black marginal border is light tawny. In the black hind marginal border is a wavy line extending from the anal angle through four interspaces. HTab,—Suapure, Venezuela. Variations.—The chief variations are due to the suffusing of the ground color on the black portion or vice versa. While some specimens are more or less suffused, thus have the mark- ings distinctly outlined, I have one specimen in which the 196 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 row of black spots on lower wing is totally wanting on the upper surface, although it is slightly in evidence on the under surface. This species could not be found in the large collec- tions of this country, nor the British Museum, nor has any description by a previous author been brought to light. Ithomia hamlini sp. nov. Expanse 2 inches.—Head black, with a yel- low dot behind the eyes, also one between the antennz. Eyes surroun- ded by a yellow thread. Antennz dark brown, merging to light brown towards club. Club black, with brown tip, Thorax above black, with a yellow collar and a yellow spot at junction of each costa ; beneath, lemon yellow. Abdomen above black ; beneath, lemon yellow. Legs black. Upper side of fore wing mostly transparent, marked with brownish black and yellowish transparent areas. Costa black, edged with brown along discoidal space. Discoidal space transparent, with a yellowish tinge. From the base of wing a dark club-shaped dash extends upward to centre of discoidal space. From the centre of costa a broad brownish black band extends downwards across the end of discoidal space, termi- nating at hind margin just above the lower angle; the nervures and ner- vules in this band are black. Outside of this band is a broad transparent area, heavily dusted with lemon-yellow scales near costa. The apical area and hind marginal area are brownish black, with a slight suggestion of lighter spots in the interspaces near margin. The median nervure is brown. The inner marginal area below the median nervure is brown suffusing to dense black toward inner margin. The upper side of hind wing has the same colors. The hind mar- gin is bordered with a sixteenth of an inch brownish black border, bearing suggestions of lighter spots in interspaces. Inside of this, toward the base of the wing, is a band of brown extending from the upper angle downward, and swinging across the wing to the anal angle parallel to hind margin. Still nearer the base, bordering this brown band, a darker band runs across the wing horizontally, turning upward to the costa well outside the discoidal space. The discoidal space and the area surround- ing it is transparent, slightly dusted with brown scales. The nervures and nervules are brown. The under side of both wings is the same as upper surface, except that the interspacial light spots along the hind margins are more distinct, be- ing very prominent on the lower wing. ffab.—Suapure, Venezuela. Variations.—The sixty specimens in my collection show no variation in size. The markings are identical in shape and location, but show considerable variation in their density and tendency to suffusion. The typical specimen above described is a fair average. | : June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 197 Thecla madie sp. nov. Expanse 1.10 inches. /ema/e.—Head, palpi, thorax and abdomen above, dark mouse color; beneath, light mouse color. Antennz black, with white annulation at base of each joint. Club black, with tawny tip. Legs light mouse color, with white annulations. Upper side of fore wing dark mouse color. The basal area slightly blue. Upper side of hind wing dark mouse color. Basal area light blue, dusted with mouse colored scales, shading off to mouse color toward upper angle and hind margin. From the lower submedian nervule, ex- tends a delicate tail one-eighth of an inch long, tipped with white, and above it a similar but shorter tail extending from the submedian nervule. From anal angle a delicate white thread, following contour of hind margin, extends toward upper angle, disappearing almost midway. At anal an- gle is a tawny dot. Inner margin light gray. Under side of fore wing light mouse color. A conspicuous dark line bordered with a white thread on outer side extends downwards from near costa to submedian nervule. The hind marginal area, for one-sixteenth of an inch inward, is somewhat lighter than ground color, and has sugges- tion of darker half circles in the interspaces. The inner margin is lighter than ground color, gradually shading into it. Under side of hind wing light mouse color. A dark line, dusted with tawny and bordered by a white thread on its outer side, extends from centre of costa to centre of second submedian nervule, then turning up- wards to centre of inner margin. This line is jagged, with angles in each interspace, and forms a continuation of the line on the fore wing, but more fully developed. There is a tawny spot at anal angle, blackish at angle. In interspaces, between the two tails, is another spot of lighter shade. The white marginal thread of the upper surface is repeated. The light hind marginal area of under side of fore wing is continued on hind wing. The hind margins have a slight fringe of the ground color. f[ab.—Suapure, Venezuela. - This species could not be found in the larger collections in this country, nor in the collection of Druce, the British Mus- eum, etc. It resembles 7. cleon Fabr. Thecla carteri sp. nov. Expanse .80 inch.—Head, thorax and abdo- men nearly black above, with a few light blue hairs. Beneath, gray. Palpi white. Antennz black, with indistinct white annulations at base of each joint. Club above, black; below, tawny. Legs gray. Upper side of fore wing nearly black. The space within a line drawn _ froma point on inner margin just inside lower angle up to centre of me~ dian nervure and thence to base, is light blue. Upper side of hind wing light blue at base, nearly white as it approaches costa and hind margin. There is a blackish border along costa, extend- ing half way down hind margin. At end of submedian nervule is a deli- * 198 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 cate thread-like tail, one-eighth of an inch long, tipped with white. Hind margin has a delicate gray fringe. The edge of hind margin has a fine whitish line, inside of which is a black thread. The submedian interspa- ces show the dark interspacial markings of the under side. Inner margin white. Under side of fore wing grayish white, dusted with brown towards base. One-sixteenth of an inch within hind margin is a wavy line of blackish brown extending down to inner margin. The space between this and the margin is light gray, with prominent interspacial triangular spots of blackish brown, one-sixteenth of an inch within this line is another line extending from costa down to second submedian nervule, the intermediate space being nearly white. There is another similar line running across the end of the discoidal space only. From this line the dusting of darker color increases towards the base. Under side of hind wing the same ground color. At centre of costa is a lunule, brown on its outer edge, white within with a black spot at its centre. From upper angle a brown line extends straight across the wing to the centre of the inner margin. Outside of this is a space one-sixteenth of an inch wide, of light gray. Outside of this, the area to hind margin is dark brown, broken bya series of interspacial lighter brown semicircles near the margin, the interior portion these semicircles being nearly black. The hind margins have a thread of white. fTab.—Suapure, Venezuela. This species is nearly identical with 7. axgiva Hew., which has no tails. It is also near 7. tadita Hew., which is in the Hewitson collection. Thecla hosmeri sp. nov. Expanse .95 inch.—Head, thorax, abdomen above, black. Below gray, Palpi gray. Antennz black, with micro- scopic white annulations at base of each joint. Club black. Upper side of hind wing black, with slaty lustre. At the end of subme- dian nervule is a short thread-like tail. Below this, at end of second sub- median nervule, is another longer tail, both black, with a white tip. Under side of fore wing brownish slate color. From a point on costa, two-thirds distance to apex, runs a brick-red line, bordered. on its outer edge with a white thread, down to submedian nervule. Under side of hind wing brownish slate color. The brick-red line of fore wing is continued running downwards parallel to hind margin and meeting inner margin just above the anal angle. In the four lower inter- spaces this line becomes jagged, forming a series of semicircles. Outside of the first two of these semicircles are patches of brick-red, the lower one having a black point on its lower edge. At the angle is another brick-red patch or spot, smaller than the others, with a black point on its lower edge. Just within the hind margin, running from anal angle to the me- dian nervure is a white thread. Wings have a slight fringe of the ground color. eet ie - we St June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 199 Hab.—Suapure, Venezuela. This species is closely allied to 7. fists Godm. and to 7. gargophia. Described from six specimens in my collection. Euselasia tysoni sp. nov. Expanse 1 inch.—Head, thorax and abdo- men above, mouse color. Below, gray. Palpi white. Antennz mouse color, with minute white annulations at base of each joint. Club black, with whitish suffusion at base. Legs light tawny brown, Upper side of fore wing mouse color. Upper side of hind wing mouse color. Hind margin strongly dentated. At end of submedian nervule is a slight tawny spot. Under side of fore wing light tawny brown. From a point just beyond centre of costa runs a tawny line across end of discoidal space, down to lower submedian nervule. Hind margin bordered with tawny, with a suggestion of a white thread. From a point on inner margin one-six- teenth of an inch from lower angle runs a black thread or dash upwards to submedian nervule. The space between this and hind margin is whitish near the angle. Under side of hind wing light tawny brown. Hind margin bordered with tawny, with a white thread in interspaces. Within this tawny bor- der, near base, is a series of silvery-white elongated spots forming a prominent marginal border. The inner side of these spots is lined with black. The tawny line near centre of fore wing is continued, being par- allel with hind margin and curving upward to centre of inner margin. Hab.—Suapure, Venezuela. There is one specimen of this in the Druce collection, but unexamined. Charis suapure sp. nov. Expanse .95 inch.—Head, antennz, thorax and abdomen above blackish brown. Beneath, somewhat lighter. Legs the same. Upper side of hore wing dark blackish brown. In discoidal space, near base, is a blackish spot, repeated in space below. Beyond this is another similar spot in the discoidal space, repeated and somewhat larger in sub- median space below. Beyond this is a third spot in the discoidal space, but this last is not repeated in space below. Outside of this spot is a broad blackish line of connecting interspacial spots from costa across the end of discoidal space, turning at median nervure and running-parallel to hind margin down to inner margin, near the center of the wing area. Be- yond this is an area of the ground color and then a prominent orange line or band running from a point just above the centre of costa towards hind margin, turning at median nervure and running down to inner margin one-sixteenth of an inch in from hind margin, forming nearly a semicircle. This line, the prominent feature of the markings, is broader at costa and terminates in a point at inner margin. The apical area, outside of this 200 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. . [June, ’06 and the hind marginal area, is the same color as the disdoidal spot, blackish. Upper side of hind wing is the same, except that the spots suffuse, nearly forming a band. The orange band of fore wing is continued, but narrower, extending from upper angle to anal angle parallel to bing mar- gin. The inner margin is of the ground color. The wings have a slight fringe of the ground color. The markings of the under side of both wings are similar to those of the upper surface, although slightly lighter. FTab.—Suapure, Venezuela. This species resembles C. cvcias Hew. Methonella carveri sp. nov. Expanse 1.50 inches. Male.—Head black. Antenne black. Club black, with brown tip. Thorax above black, with yellow hairs at base of wings; beneath, orange. Abdomen above black ; beneath, orange. Legs black. Upper side of fore wing orange, black and yellow. Costa black. The basal area within a line drawn from near centre of costa diagonally across the discoidal space to a point one-quarter of an inch within the margin, thence downwards parallel to hind margin to inner margin is orange, The apical and hind marginal areas, outside this line, are black. In the centre of the black apical area, running from costa diagonally across it nearly to hind margin is a yellow band. Below the end of this, in the margin area, is a yellow spot, with a suggestion of a smaller one below it. Inner margin orange. The upper side of hind wing is of the same orange. Costa orange. From the base a black dash extends upwards a quarter inch along costa. The hind margin has a broad black border, dentated on its basal side. Within this border are a series of interspacial yellow spots. Inner mar- gin orange. Under side of both wings the same as upper surface, except that the coloring is not so brilliant. Female.—Upper surface of both wings the same as male, excepting a fuller development of the markings. The yellow band of fore wing ex- tends or curves downwards to near inner margin, forming almost a semi- circle. There is also a white spot on margin at apex. The yellow spots of marginal area of hind wing are much more prominent, and a white dot appears on the margin at the end of each nervule. Under surface of both wings the same as upper surface, except less brilliant. ffab.—Suapure, Venezuela. Taken in April, 1899. Not in British Museum, or other large collections. * June’ ,06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 201 Nymphidium quinoni sp. nov. Expanse 1.30 inches.—Head and thorax above, dark brown ; beneath, white. Abdomen above, brown, slightly lighter than thorax ; beneath, white. Antennz dark brown, with some- what lighter tip, and very minute white annulations at base of each joint. Legs white. Fore wings above, creamy white, excepting the costal and hind margi- nal areas, which are light brown, with darker markings and spots. The brown of the costal area is well developed, covering nearly all the discoi- dal space, darker at costa than below. In the discoidal space close to the base is a black dot ; beyond this, near centre of discoidal space, is a large black spot; at the end of discoidal space is a black line, and this line, with a little of the surrounding brown area, extends downwards into the creamy white ground color, forming a knob more or less prominent. The apical and hind marginal areas are light brown, edged with darker brown on the basal side. Down the central part of the brown hind marginal area runs a line of interspacial black dots. The hind spots bear a dark border distinctly touched with white at end of the first and the lowest submedian interspaces. Inner margin creamy white. Upper side of hind wing creamy white. The hind margin has a gener- ous brown border, a continuance of the same on the fore wing and iden- tical in every respect, including the interspacial black dots, the marginal white markings, etc. The under side of both fore and hind wings is the same in its markings as upper surface, but the white lacks its creamy tinge, and the marginal border is nearer mouse colorthan brown. The colorings of upper sur- face are repeated but decidedly deadened, and this deadening of under surface color is too well known to need any detailed description. The interspacial dark marginal spots are more prominent, owing to the lighter back ground. The dark edging of the hind margins is also more noticeable, and the white marginal spots of upper surface are much more prominent. fTab.—Suapure, Venezuela. Variations.—Barring variation in size, the ene in var- ious specimens seem much the same. The greatest variation is in the ‘‘jutting’’ of the brown costal area into the creamy white ground area of fore wing, noted above as near end of discoidal space. ‘The density of the brown of marginal border also varies. Taken in November, 1899. It resembles quite closely /V. pelops Cram. Carystus richardi sp. nov.—Expanse 1.30 inches.—Head and collar bronzy brown. Antenne black. Club black above, brown beneath. Thorax above, dark brown, with some dark gray hairs ; beneath, white. 202 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 Abdomen above, dark brown, the segments edged with white ; beneath white. Legs black above, brown beneath. Upper side of fore wing dark brown. Below the median nervure and bordering on it, is a prominent semitransparent white spot, nearly square. Above this, and nearly joining it, is a small white dot in the discoidal space. At the bases of the two interspaces above this large spot are two smaller white spots in a line drawn towards the apex. Below the costa, two-thirds the distance to apex, are two small white spots, the upper one merely a dot. These make a total of six spots. Upper side of hind wing dark brown. A dash of white, or rather a series of interspacial white marks, extends across the centre only of the wing in a line drawn from the upper angle to a point near the base on inner margin. This white area represents a small portion only of the total wing area. Hind margins have a slight gray fringe. Under side of fore wing the same as upper surface, except that below the large white spot is a space of similar size, heavily dusted with white scales, suffusing towards the hind margin. A similar, though less promi- nent, dusting of lighter scales appears outside the two subcostal spots. The lower half of under side of hind wing is dark brown. Above a line drawn from upper angle across the lower edge of the white spots and ending near the base of the wing, the area is a creamy white, excepting the costal area, which is brown. The lower edge of this costal area is separated from the creamy white by a line drawn from base to upper an- gle, no suffusion whatever being apparent. In this creamy white area between the semitransparent spots and the inner margin is a dash of brown. Hab.—Suapure, Venezuela. Described from five specimens in my collection taken in Jan- uary, 1900. The white markings show no variation. This species resembles C. lafrenayi Latr., but the white markings on hind wing are not so large, and in /afrvenayz the direction is from upper angle downwards parallel to hind margin, not straight across the wing. ‘The under side of hind wing differs in location and extent of white markings. Pythonides hoyti sp. nov. Expanse 1.80 inches.—Head, thorax and abdomen above, dark brown, with golden brown hairs; beneath, light brown. Antennz dark brown. Upper sice of fore wing brown. Across the discoidal space is a semi- transparent spot of peculiar shape, straight on its basal side, but forked on its marginal side, forming a figure |®. In the first submedianint er- space is another similar spot somewhat nearer the hind margin. Above the upper point of this, in the interspace next above it, is a square spot. ee ae June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 203 In the apical area are three subcostal elongated semitransparent spots, the uppermost and lowest ones being a little nearer hind margin than the central one. Near base, about one-third distance to apex is an indistinct _ band of dark brown running from costa to inner margin. Another band runs across the two lower interspaces between the first band and hind margin. Below the subcostal spots is a dusting of dark brown. This, with the band last mentioned, suggests a band across the wing broken by . the white spots and ground color at central portion of the wing, this par- tially developed band being continued on hind wing. Upper side of hind wing brown, matching fore wing. The wing is crossed from costa to inner margin, by two darker bands, these being continuations of the bands of the fore wing. The basal and anal areas of the wing are covered with brown hairs, causing an apparant suffusion of the bands. Both wings have a fringe of the ground color, Under side of fore wing very light brown, excepting the costal and api- cal areas, which are darker. The spots of upper surface are repeated, also the dark bands. Under side of hind wing very light brown, the hind marginal and basa areas being somewhat darker. The basal area is dusted with light brown scales. The dark bands of upper surface are repeated. Hab.—Suapure, Venezuela. | The semitransparent spots closely resemble those on P. lucullea Hew. Taken in the latter part of January, 1goo. _ Pamphila bobe sp. nov. Expanse 1.10 inches.—Head, palpi, antennz, thorax and abdomen above, very dark brown, nearly black; beneath somewhat lighter. | Upper side of fore wing dark velvety brown, with no markings, except very indistinct bands of a darker shade, noticeable only on close inspec- tion. The first crosses basal area, the second the end of discoidal space, the third the hind marginal area. In the interspaces along hind margin is a series of similarly indistinct dark markings. Upper side of hind wing very dark velvety brown, costal area some- what lighter. Under side of fore wing lighter than the upper surface, the dark mark- ings being slightly more noticeable. The lower submedian area near base and entire inner marginal area are very light. Under side of hind wing is the same as fore wing, the dark markings of fore wing being repeated. Owing to the very dark shade, these mark- ings scarcely show on the upper surface. HTab.—Suapure, Venezuela. Taken in January, 1900. 204 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 Pamphila brooksii sp. nov. Expanse 2 inches.—Head and palpi, tawny brown. Thorax above, dark brown, with tawny brown shoulders; be- neath, tawny brown. Abdomen above, dark brown; beneath white. Legs tawny brown. Antenne dark brown, whitish at base of club. Club above dark brown; beneath dark brown, with whitish tip. Upper side of fore wing dark brown. Costa tawny brown half way to apex. Basal portion of wing slightly dusted with tawny brown. Across the centre of discoidal space there is a prominent white spot. Below this, in second submedian interspace, is another spot, but nearer the hind mar- gin; still nearer the hind margin, in interspace above, is a third white spot. These three white spots are of nearly equal size. Near the apex, extending from costa downwards are three small white spots, and a fourth one still farther down. Hind margin has a slight tawny brown fringe. Upper side of hind wing dark brown ; costa somewhat lighter. Hind margin has a slight tawny brown fringe. Under side of fore wing nearly black, except the costal and apical areas, which are a rich tawny brown. The white spots of the upper surface are repeated. In the interspaces above the lower of the four apical white spots are two black specks, one above the other, showing a tendency to transparency at their centres. In the lowest submedian interspace, at its centre, there is a dusting of light scales. Hind margin is edged with a fine black thread. Under side of hind wing a rich tawny brown, darker in marginal and basal areas. In the first and third submedian interspaces is a white dot just below the end of the discoidal space. fTab.—Suapure, Venezuela. Taken in the latter part of July, 1899. -_ tlhe RECENTLY the writer described a new species of the genus Lichenoch- vus from Costa Rica as Z. marmoratus (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., p. 814, 1905). It has been found that Sjéstedt applied the same specific — name to a very different species of the genus from West Africa ( Bihang till K. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., xxvii, afd. iv, No. 3, p. 32), and, as his name has considerable priority over my name, that of Lichenochrus deciduus is proposed to replace LZ. marmoratus Rehn.—]. A. G. REHN, PSEUDORTHOSIA VARIABILIS var. PALLIDIOR n. var.—Expanse 40 mm.; anterior wings a warm but not dark reddish, more yellowish basally, with the stigmata dark, but the bands of the type absent, the two pale lines in the subapical field faintly indicated against a reddish background. Glen- wood Springs, Colorado, in Mr. J. Mason’s collection. I had taken it for a new species, but specimens from the northwest, kindly sent to me by Dr. Dyar, show that it is only a pale form of P. variabilis.—T. D. A. COCKERELL. June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 205 Description of two new genera and three new species of Aphididae. By THEO. PERGANDE. While examining a series of Aphids, received by the Bureau of Entomology of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, from Mr. S. I. Kuwana, of the Imperial Agricultural Experiment Station at Nishigahara, Tokio, Japan, I discovered among them a number of specimens of two highly interesting genera, one of which has been previously discovered on the Island of Java. These the writer takes the liberty of describing herewith. NIPPONAPHIS n. gen. This remarkable aphid, which is represented by a single spe- -cies, resembles in venation and in the strongly annulated an- tennz the genus Schizoneura, but differs from the latter in having antennze which are only 5-jointed ; the two basal joints short and subequal in length, the following three joints of almost equal diameter and strongly annulated ; joint 3 is much the longest and longer than the remaining two combined. Head, including the eyes, narrower than the thorax and broader than long, its frontal margin slightly convex. The two discal ocelli are placed in front of the eyes, and the third one at the middle of the anterior edge. Posterior tubercle of the eyes verysmall. Nectaries represented by pores only, and situated far back, apparently on the sixth abdominal segment. ‘Tail short, broad, semicircular; last ventral segment notched at middle of posterior edge. Third discoidal vein of the front wings with one fork. Nipponaphis distychii n. sp. The note sent by Mr. Kuwana is rather short and unsatis- factory ; it reads as follow: ‘‘Head and eyes black. Prothorax dark purplish yellow. Dorsal aspect of meso-metathorax black. Abdomen dark purplish brown. Producing galls on A ‘the leaves of Distychium racemosum at Nishigahara, October 23, 1905.”’ 206 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 The antenne of the migrants—the only form sent—reach about to the base of the abdomen. The two basal joints, as usual, shortest and sub- equal in length ; the first joint cylindrical and originating on the under side of the head ; joint 2 slightly the stoutest and broadly rounded at the apex ; the remaining three joints cylindrical and of almost equal thick- ness ; the third longest, longer than the remaining two combined, being divided by from 41 to 44 rather deep annulations ; the fourth longer than the fifth, with from 20 to 24 annulations; while the fifth is divided by from (1 to 15 annulations, its terminal spur short, stout and truncate at the apex, where it bears three or four short bristles. Thorax about as long as broad and slightly broader than the abdomen. Abdomen elongate-ovoid, tapering posteriorly and furnished on each side with four slightly projecting blackish stigmata in front of the nectar pores. Legs normal and provided with sparse short hairs. Wings pale dusky, with slightly darker shading along the veins ; the costal cell and the stigma still darker, costa, subcosta and the veins blackish. The first two discoidal veins arise quite near each other and are rather far apart at the hind margin of the wing ; the fork of the third discoidal is unusually long and narrow, while at least two-thirds of the > stem of this vein is obliterated ; in rare cases the fork is extremely short, while occasionally the third vein is simple as in Pemphigus. The stigma is long and lanceolate, with the stigmal vein arising about the middle, its basal half gently curved, the rest almost straight and terminating in front of the apex of the wing. The two discoidal veins of the hind wings are at least three times as far distant at the base as those of the front wings. The surface of all of the wings is rather densely scaly. Length of body about 2 mm. ; expanse of wings about 7 mm. TRICHOSIPHUM n. gen. This is another abnormal genus and undoubtedly nearly rela- ted to the genus Greentdea, which was properly established by Schouteden for Szphonophora artocarpi Westw. Both of these genera agree in the very hairy nectaries, a character not ob- served in any of the other known genera. The principal dif- ferences between the two, in respect to the nectaries, are as follows: In Greentdea the nectaries of the migrant and of the apterous female, pupa, etc., are rather long, slender, almost entirely cylindrical, or slightly narrower at both ends and rela- tively of about the same length ; whereas in the new genus the nectaries of the migrant are extremely long and cylindrical, while those of the apterous females are short, very stout and very distinctly fusiform. This diversity in the size and shape of these organs in the different forms justifies my opinion that ae : dete hn Silt SS ~ Te ee! June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 207 this constitutes a genus distinct from Gvreenidea, although closely related to it. . The characters of this new genus are: Antenne of migrant as long or longer than the body, composed as usual of six joints, all of which, excepting the two basal, are furnished with long and bristle-like hairs, the third being longest. Front of head broad and quite straight; posterior tubercle of eyes bearing three ocelli. Abdomen sparsely hairy. Tail short and broadly triangular. Nectaries very long, almost as long as the whole body, cylindrical, straight, curving outwards towards the apex and profusely covered with long, bristle- like hairs. Venation similar to that of Apiis. In the apterous female, the whole body, including the an- tennze, nectaries and legs, is covered with stout hairs or bris- tles; head, etc., asin the migrant. Nectaries short, or about one-fourth of the length of the body, stout and distinctly fusi- form ; curved outwards. Only two species exhibiting these characters are thus far known to me. ‘The first of these represented by migrants, pupee, apterous females and larvee, was discovered by Dr. L. Zehnter, January 10, 1902, at Salatiga, Java, on Avona muri- _ cata. Following is its description: . Trichosiphum anone n. sp. The material representing this species was, as usual, pre- served in alcohol, and for this reason the original coloration has vanished. It appears, however, to have been yellowish green in the migrants, with thé exception of the greater part f of the abdomen above, which appears to have been brown. Migrant.—Antennz 6 jointed ; the two basal joints, as usual, shortest and subequal in length, the first joint stoutest ; joint 3 longest, longer than the spur of the sixth joint and but slightly shorter than the fourth and fifth combined, both of the latter subequal in length; all of these joints are furnished with rather long and stiff hairs ; there are also from four to six small, transversely oval sensoria near the base of joint 3. The . 3 antenne are slender and about as Jong as the whole insect. Front of head quite straight, slightly indented about the middle, and furnished with about six long and slender hairs, while similar hairs are scattered over the upper surface of the head. Head broader than long, and, with the eyes included, broader than the 208 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 prothorax. Eyes large, their posterior tubercle highly developed, each bearing three ocelli. The two ocelli on top of the head are placed close to the anterior edge of the eyes, while the anterior one is situated on the under side of the head. Rostrum long, reaching to the abdomen. Prothorax broader than long and slightly broadest posteriorly, provided with a few lateral hairs on each side. Abdomen about one-half the length of the body, its lateral edges quite straight, and broadest near the region of the nectaries, the terminal end broadly triangular, provided with sparse and fine hairs, which are still more numerous along the sides and on the last segment. : Tail short and broadly arcuate, bearing a small triangular projection at the middle of the external margin, its two sides being quite sharply ser- rate ; each side bearing apparently four bristles, with a few smaller ones on its surface. The last segment is broadly semi-circular, and bears along its edge quite a number of still longer and stouter curved bristles. Nectaries very long, almost as long as the whole insect, cylindrical, straight and slightly curved outwards toward the apex, and covered pro- fusely with long and fine divaricating hairs or bristles. Legs rather long and slender, provided on femora and tibiz with stiff hairs. Front wings much longer than the entire body, the venation re- sembling more or less that of Aphis and Callipterus. The first two dis- coidals are distant at base and about seven ‘times as widely separated at the apex ; the first vein is almost straight, whereas the terminal one-third of the second vein is much curved toward the base of the wing ; the third discoidal with its two forks resembles somewhat that of Ca//ipferus ; the basal half or less of this vein, or the stem of it, is obliterated ; the stigma is long, narrow, parallel ; stigmal vein gently curved and terminating at the apex of the wing. The hind wings are much shorter and much nar- rower than the front wings and have the usual oblique veins, which are quite straight, far apart at base, and more than twice as far apart at apex. The pupz have the body and legs much more hairy ; the hairs of these parts are longer and stouter than in the migrant, while those of the tail and end of the body are shorter and finer. The upper side of the abdo- men is marked with numerous pale brown spots of varying size, followed by a brown band, the latter divided at the middle, and itself followed by a very large spot between and touching the nectaries. In other respects, the pupz resemble the migrant, excepting that the nectaries are not quite one-half the length of the body, and are also comparatively stouter and slightly tapering toward both ends. The triangular point of the tail is also somewhat longer. Apterous Female.—Body pyriform, the head, pro- and mesothorax being narrowest, the rest of the body broadly oval. Front of head straight, or almost so, and destitute of frontal tubercles. Eyes of the usual size, their posterior tubercle prominent and furnished with three large and rather globular ocelli. Antennz about two-thirds the length June, ’06). ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 209 of the insect ; joints 3 and 6, including the spur, longest and subequal in length, each of them about as long as joints 4 and 5 combined ; the fifth slightly longer than the fourth ; all, except the spur, are provided with a few long stiff hairs or bristles. Tail and end of body as in the migrant ; nectaries much shorter than in either the migrant or pupa, or only about one-fourth the length of the body, rather stout near the middle, tapering toward each end and curved outwards. Abdomen without spots, the whole body, including the nectaries and legs, profusely provided with stiff hairs or bristles, similar to those of Chaitophorus. Length about 1.4 mm.; diameter across the abdomen about 0.8 mm. Trichosiphum kuwanai n. sp. 1 Among the material of aphids sent by Mr. S. I. Kuwana, of a the Imperial Agricultural Experiment Station, Nishigahara, Tokio, Japan, were found three parcels of alcoholic specimens of apterous females, larve and a few pupz of this species, though none of the migrants. All were found living upon - Quercus serrata on the 27th and 29th of June, and on the 2nd of August, 1905. Those taken in June are stated to be of a deep black color, whereas those obtained in August are said to be reddish brown. An examination of the entire material convinces the writer that all of them belong to the same spe- cies, which he herewith takes pleasure in dedicating to Mr. Kuwana. : This is, therefore, the second female, in which the nectaries of the apterous females are short, stout and fusiform. Apterous Female.—Antennz about one-half the length of the body; joints 3-6, including the spur, varying more or less in length in different specimens and frequently in the same individual ; the third joint as usual is longer than the two following joints combined, the latter subequal in length. All of the joints, excepting the spur, are provided with long, stiff bristles. Front of head broad and quite straight. Eyes large, their posterior tubercle much elongated and bearing three large ocelli at the end; sides of the thorax quite straight, broadening more or less distinctly posteriorly, while the abdomen is almost circular in outline. The legs are rather long and stout, and like the rest of the insect, profusely cov- ered with stout stiff bristles. Nectaries usually somewhat longer than the third antennal joint, or about one-half as long as the abdomen, stout, ____ tapering toward each end and curved outwardly, covered with numerous long bristles and minute spines. _ Tail short, broadly triangular, bearing a short triangular point at the _ centre of the posterior edge, densely covered with minute sharp points and furnished on each side with three or more long stout bristles. Last 210 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, '06 ventral segment broadly emarginate. In the older specimens the color- ation appears to be quite uniform, whereas in younger females, there are six irregular rows of large, oval or roundish dusky or brownish spots on the abdomen, interspersed with numerous smaller spots of two sizes, each of the latter bearing a slender black hair; there are also four large lateral spots in front of the nectaries, while the head and thorax are entirely of a dark color; there are also two pairs of dark spots on the meso- and meta- thorax, the anterior pair on each of these segments being much the smaller and. transversely linear. The larve are very much elongated, their lateral margins quite paral- lel ; the body is also more or less distinctly spotted, and the hairs of the abdomen are rather long and slender. Nectaries short, about the length of the posterior tarsi, stout at base, elongate-conical, not reaching to the end of the abdomen; just behind each of them is a stout and conical - Jateral tubercle, about one-half the length of the nectaries, bearing at the apex a long, slender, backwardly directed bristle, while a similar though smaller pair of tubercles is situated at the posterior margin of the follow- ing segment. The last dorsal segment is broadly triangular. The pupe are spotted similarly to the younger apterous females, and are also very hairy, though the nectaries are longer, quite slender, though still somewhat fusiform. <4 —=—or Texas Notes—I. By E. DwiGutT SANDERSON. 1.—Omileus epiceroides Lec.—A snout weevil injurious to peach foliage. Injury by this species to peach foliage was first called to our attention by two correspondents in Hast Texas early in March, 1904. ‘The beetles were reported as seriously injuring the foliage of young peach trees. The same insect had done similar injury the year previous. Examina- tion showed them to be wingless, and their control therefore appeared simple. ‘The insects seemed most numerous during the first ten days of April. Visiting Dialville, in the heart of the peach belt, on April 29th, we found them still abundant. The foliage had been eaten much as by Lachnosterna. ‘The sexes had been mating for some time. The beetles were shaken from the trees with great difficulty so that jarring was not feasible. They were noticed most commonly on tender sprouts from oak stumps. It developed that they were injur- ious almost entirely on or adjoining newly planted orchards on land just cleared off and surrounded by oak. It seems to us June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 211 evident that the normal food plant is oak. A band of ‘‘ tan- glefoot’’ was placed around the trunks of several trees at evening, as the beetle seems to feed at night mostly, and several beetles placed at the bottom of each tree. Out of eight, three were found covered with the sticky mixture at the base of one tree and none upon it. There is, no doubt, that such a band placed on trees about March rst will entirely protect them. Where they are already upon the trees, thor- ough spraying with strong arsenate of lead or Paris green, one-half pound per barrel, was reported as effective. The habits of the weevils seem to be much like those known of the imbricated snout weevil (picerus imbricatus), which Eggs on leaf (enlarged) this weevil quite closely resembles. The eggs are laid upon fallen foliage or rubbish, the leaf being folded over them, in bunches of from two to nine, thirty-five averaging four each. While ovipositing the females remain mostly upon the ground, feeding but little, while the males are in the trees and occa- sionally descend to them. In no case were they observed go- ing into the loose soil. Two females laid 50 and 60 eggs. The eggs hatch in from three to eight weeks, averaging about a month, hatching mostly about the middle of May. . The larvze feed upon roots, probably of the oak, but we were unable to rear. them. This species was first described by LeConte and Horn in 212 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 their Monograph of the Rhyncophora from Texas, 1876; since then we have seen no published record of ie species as of economic importance. The close resemblance of this speciee to our common imbri- cated snout beetle (Afpicerus imbricatus) led the writer to question whether or not it too might be wingless, in which case the same means of control would obviously be available. No description of the wings could be found, or any mention as to whether they were functional or not. Mr. E. A. Schwarz of the National Museum, therefore, kindly examined some specimens at my request and writes me: ‘‘I have exam- ined several specimens of our common Epicerus imbricatus and fail to find any trace of hind wings. Moreover, the elytra are connate, the humeri absent and the metasternum short, all characters indicating a wingless genus. Dr. D. Sharp, in the Biologia Centrali-Americana, divides the family Otiorhynchi- dz into two divisions, the winged ones and the wingless genera. The genus Apicerus is placed among the latter.’’ So there is still something to be learned about our most common beetles. Lacking wings, the imbricated snout beetle should also be readily controlled and kept from ascending fruit trees by means of sticky bands around the trunks. 2. The Texas Grape Fidia (/idia cana). Specimens of this leaf beetle were received May 17, 1904, from D. Garner, Dripping Springs, Hays County, Texas, who reported them to be ruining his grape crop. May 29th he wrote us: ‘‘The first I knew of it, it was riddling the tender leaves before the vines bloomed. As soon as the fruit was set they were at work upon it. When we spray our vines they get inside of compact bunches and bite the berries near the stem. ‘They appear to have the trait of ‘sulling’ or dropping to the ground as does the curculio.’’ Specimens of their work sent showed the leaves badly eaten, and the berries gnawed exactly as is done by the grape root-worm (Fidia viticida) of the east. So far as recorded, /. cana, as we determined the insect, is peculiar to Texas, and it seems probable that it may prove equally troublesome to grape growers there. 3. The Southern Corn Root-worm (Diabrotica 12- _punctata June, *06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 213 -Oliv.). The larvee of this beetle caused considerable injury to ‘young corn early in April, 1903, through central Texas. In the worst injured field at College Station, the larve were found working upon the roots of Johnson grass, where they seemed to be older than on corn. About one-third of the hills of corn were killed and a considerable acreage was replanted. Several nearly full grown larve were placed in breeding cages and pupated about April 29th. One beetle emerged from these May 12th. ! January 16, 1904, the adults were found very numerous upon alfalfa. Females of this lot examined” had well-developed eggs. They were again destructive to garden stuff, especially snap beans the first week in April, but the larvee did not do much injury to corn. The adults of the second generation were numerous May 6, 1904. (For the best account of this species on corn in the South, see Quaintance, Bulletin 26, n. s., Div. Entomology, U. S. Dept. Agr., p. 35). 40> —= =—or- THE REyv. C. J. S. BETHUNE has been appointed professor of entomo- logy at the Agricultural College «at Guelph, Ontario, Canada, to which place all communications should be sent. — ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENToMOLOGICcAL News solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author’s name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers. ] To Contributors.—All contributions will be considered and passed upon at our earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ence, as to make it necessary to put ‘‘ copy ”’ into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five ‘‘ extras,” without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Ep. PHILADELPHIA, Pa., JUNE, 1906. Apart from the general loss of life and property brought about by the earthquake in San Francisco, entomologists have doubtless been especially interested in their brethern and co- workers in that unfortunate city and anxious to know how they fared. ‘These questions are as well answered as may be at the present time by Dr. Van Dyke in another part of this issue. All did not fare alike. ‘To the fortunate ones we send congratulations, and to the others our profound sympathy for what they have lost. We would like to be of aid to those who have lost not only their collections and books, but property and employment. We therefore ask our subscribers to aid in helping those that suffered most. We will gladly receive subscriptions to be transmitted to entomologists, and will make a proper distribu- tion of any money entrusted to us. The names of donors will be published in the News, but not the amounts subscribed. 44> “or BULLETIN OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. — The first number of this quarterly has appeared. The formation of this Society and the publishing of its Bulletin show very commendable enter- prise. The officers are as follows: President, G. W. Taylor ; Vice-Pres- ident, T. Wilson; Secretary, R. V. Harvey. There are at present 21 members. 224 322 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 Notes and News. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. THE entomological laboratories and collections at Stanford University suffered practically no injury from the recent earthquake in California. The Stanford buildings, which were wrecked, were the arch, church and new museum, library and gymnasium, the latter two being in course of erection. The various quadrangle buildings, dormitories, etc., were only slightly injured. University work will begun again on August 23rd, the regular date for the opening of the next college year.—VERNON L. KELLOGG. ' EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE NOTEs FROM SAN FRANCISCO.—I have been collecting, as best I could, all information pertaining to the losses sustained by our local entomological fraternity, with a view to having it published in the Ent. NEws. _ From the Academy there were saved simply the boxes containing the types of the Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Hymenoptera. All else in our department was lost. The Behr collection of Lepidoptera, our general collection of insects, including all our types of Odonata, Arachnida, etc., and our entire library. Of private collections, the greatest loss was that sustained by Mr. Chas. Fuchs, he having saved only about twenty-two boxes of specimens, these consisting of his generic collection of Coleoptera. All his books, I think, were burned. Mr. James Cottle lost his entire collection of Lepidoptera and all except one or two of his books. The Beverley Letcher collection of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera and the library, which was stored in Mr. Cottle’s house, was also destroyed. I have heard that Mr. J. C. Hugue- nin lost his collection. That would leave the collection of Mr. F. X. Williams, which was in the unburned district, as the only good collection of Lepidoptera in the city. The owner is still away on our Galapagos Island Expedition, where heis, according to recent letters, doing splendid work. Dr. F. E. Blaisdell had one of his two cases of Coleoptera over- turned by the earthquake. This of course resulted in the mangling of many of his specimens. All specimens of /eodes loaned to him for pur- poses of study, were uninjured. The collection of Coccide belonging to Mr. E. M. Ehrhorn, was, so far as I could learn, unharmed. My own collection of Coleoptera was also unharmed. I simply lost all that was in my down-town office. As a whole, our greatest loss will be our libraries, every big one in the city being burned. The Academy of Science simply saved its records, about one set of its own publications, and six other volumes. Our good friends among the scientific institutions of the country could therefore be of great assistance to us if they would reserve as complete a set of their publications as possible for us until the time when one will have a proper June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7 223 place to deposit them and our finances in condition to begin purchasing them. For some time we will have to depend upon the libraries of our two universities. This has been a tremendous blow to us all and rare is the person who has not lost something. First was the earthquake, which, though caus- ing the loss of a great many lives and much destruction, would not have been greatly noticed. It was the fire that did the great damage, destroy- ing all of the city, except a mere fringe of residences. Dr. Blaisdell and T were fortunately in this belt. The Academy was so much injured by the earthquake that it was only with the greatest difficulty that what few things were saved could be gotten out. Our Director, Mr. Loomis ; our Botanist, Miss Eastwood ; and our Librarian, Miss Hyde, did what they could. The loss in valuables, such as books, pictures, bric-a-brac, records, etc., has been tremendous, for San Francisco was a wealthy city, and had many priceless things stored in both public and private places. Of his- toric places we saved but two, the Museum Dolores and the U. S. Mint. The Pioneer Hall, with its old records and historic relics is a ruin. For- tunately the H. H. Bancroft Library of Early California Records, a price- less library of its kind, now belonging to the University of California, was saved. All other libraries were burned ; the Sutro with about two hun- dred thousand volumes, particularly rich in Shakesperiana and Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century books and manuscripts ; the Public, the Mechan- ics-Mercantile, the Library of St. Ignatius College, where were stored many very valuable original manuscripts, all law libraries, and the library of our own Academy. In the latter, we calculate that we had about twenty-five thousand dollars’ worth of books which cannot be duplicated. There was, fortunately, a great deal of money stored in the Mint and in our banks, which will soon be available. This will enable our busi-. ness people, who are working like trojans, to begin on the work of re- building, almost immediately. In a few years our city will be fairer and almost as extensive as ever. It will always be great to those who love it, and though it may secure many new valuables, will I fear never have again many of the things that some of us knew it possessed. The conditions now are somewhat like those in a bristling frontier set- -tlement. The streets in the unburned districts are crowded, signs are everywhere, big firms doing business from stores that were formerly small stock ones, from private residences, or from counters in vacant lots ; troops patrolling all districts night and day, while all cooking has still to be done in the streets, all of our chimneys being injured to such an extent as to make it dangerous to make a fire indoors. Many are being taken care of by our outlying cities and towns, and many have gone to distant relatives or locations. There are, however, a sufficient number whose interests or whose love is too great to allow of their leaving the stricken city. The blow, while falling heavily upon the wealthy, will cause most suffering among the small clerks, and next among the pro- 224 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Tune, ’06 fessional people. Many of the latter lost their all and have been obliged to leave town. The mechanics and laborers will have more work than they can attend to. In fact, many of the laborers are. better cared for than they have ever been before. This is due to the generosity of our good friends throughout the world. It enabled the rest of us to get our breath. Now retail stores are open, and we can begin to live somewhat as we could before. Dr. Blaisdell will, I think, be able to remain in town and to continue his work as before. Mr. Fuchs cannot expect any work for some time to come from the Academy, but fortunately has his craft to rely upon. He saved his tools and is already, so I am informed, hard at work. He is still cheerful. For the benefit of those who wish to communicate with the burned-out ones, I will give the addresses that I have procured: Mr. Charles Fuchs, 2322 Bank St., Alameda, Cal.; Dr. F. E. Blaisdell, 1800 O’Farrell St., San Francisco ; Mr. James Cottle, 2117% Bush St., San Francisco ; California Academy of Sciences, 1806 Post St., San Francisco. None of our entomologists were injured and all hopeful for the future. To all good friends and well-wishers, please give our most heartfelt thanks.—EpwIn C. VAN DyKg, 2112 Steiner St, San Francisco, Cal. Dr. Dvyar’s SQUARE DEALING.—Readers of ENT. NEws who have seen a copy of the remarkable paper reviewed in the May number (page 181) will no doubt be interested to learn something about the circumstan- ces which preceded its preparation and hurried publication. As soon as Mr. Busck returned from his collecting trip to the West Indies last fall, and turned over to me the specimens of mosquitoes collected, I at once began separating the larve and larval skins into species, intending after- ward to associate them with the bred adults and then definitely identify the various species ; in this way both the larvz and the adults would have been identified with reascnable certainty. Dr. H. G. Dyar, however, to whom had been promised the immature stages of the mosquitoes for writing up for the Carnegie monograph, began to clamor for these, de- manding that they be turned over to him a¢ once, and so persistent and vehement was he in his demands that an order was issued directing me to immediately place this material in his possession. I was further instructed to prepare a provisional list of the bred adults, which I did, marking with a query those species that I was not certain of, and Dyar was instructed to correct this list, indicating those cases, if there were any, where I had confused two species under one name, etc., but this he refused to do. Instead, he prepared and hurriedly published the paper referred to, giving my tentative names but without a word of explanation in regard to their being only provisional, although well aware of the fact that they were so. Moreover, in several cases he has omitted the mark of interrogation, while in others he has craftily transferred it from the name of the species to that of the genus, thus intentionally giving the false impression that it was the genus and not the species that I was in doubt about.—D. W. CoouILLEtTrt. June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 225 A New ENTOMOLOGICAL SoctEty.—The Hawaiian Entomological Society was formed December 15, 1904, and the first meeting held Janu- ary 26, 1905. The present officers are: President, R. C. L. Perkins; Vice-President, G. W. Kirkaldy ; Secretary-Treasurer, Jacob Kotinsky ; Executive Committee, Otto H. Swezey and D. L. Van Dine; Editors of the Proceedings, G. W. Kirkaldy and Otto H. Swezey. Volume I of the Proceedings (for the year 1905) has been issued. It contains important and interesting articles, mostly relating to the local fauna. We wish the new Society great success and prosperity. AS STEMMED folyphemus cocoons are in order, your readers may be interested in my experience. I have been collecting about seven winters in Worcester and Amherst, Mass., and in that time have found on the _ average about two attached cocoons each season. All these, except one, were on white birches (a/ba, weeping, populifolia and papyracea). That _ one was onaswamp maple. Of these all, except one on B. populifolia, "were accidentally attached, but that one had a regular stem like a prome- thea, but very weak and short. This experience seems just the reverse of Dr. Kunze’s, as not one attached cocoon was on oak, or overhanging a street. On the other hand I have found caterpillars as common on such trees as the others. A few weeks ago I found a promethea on some cultivated bush with sessile leaves, which was made without a stem, but attached directly.—Wwm. T. M. Forsgs. ALL the material for my book ‘‘ The Butterflies of the West Coast” in the hands of the publishers, including finished books, plates, stereo- type plates, etc., all is doubtless gone up in smoke, and nothing saved except a few copies in my hands here. I have not yet had positive infor- mation from them, but as they were in the centre of the burnt district I have no hope of anything having been saved. The stereotype plates being lost, the book will not be reprinted.—W. G. WRIGHT. Dr. McCoox’s health is so far restored as to permit him to resume pulpit and platform duty. He therefor announces that he will accept — engagements for special lectures, singly or in courses, in theological seminaries, universities, colleges, academies, private schools, scientific clubs and literary associations. A list of subjects is appended for selection. An early correspondence is invited, which may be addressed to Dr. Henry C. McCook, Devon, Pa.: 1. The Home and Habits of American Ants. A general view of ant life (illustrated) ; 2. Mound-making Ants of the Alleghenies (illustrated) ; 3. Agricultural and Harvesting Ants (illustrated) ; 4. The Honey Ants of the Garden-of-the-gods (illustrated) ; 5. Carpenter, Cutting and Slave- holding Ants (illustrated) ; 6. Maternal Industry and Baby-life of Spiders (illustrated); 7. Trap-door Spiders—their Architecture and Enemies (illustrated). 226 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 Doings of Societies. The 18th regular quarterly meeting of the Pacific Coast Entomological Society was held on November 18, 1905, at the residence of E. M. Ehrhorn, 2524 Filbert Street, San Fran- cisco. President Fuchs in the chair. Fifteen members were present. Prof. J. J. Rivers reported the taking of Eudamus proteus at Santa Monica, California. Prof. J. M. Aldrich gave an interesting talk on Diptera. Mr. J. G. Grundel reported a trip to the Santa Lucia Mts., in San Luis Obispo Co. He found that the Catocalz about willows varied greatly in color and selected spots resembling their coloration ; he wondered whether they were conscious of their color. Mr. Fuchs determined some Coleoptera taken by Mr. Grun- del, namely : Cychrus convergens var., Cicindela oregona, and Pterostichus castaneipes. He exhibited some Sesiidze bred from blackberry, peach and wild cherry, and a species of Satyrus from San Luis Obispo County, a Hepialus sp., and Catocale from Alma, Santa Clara County. Miss Julia Wright a box of exotic Coleoptera from Ceylon. Prof. J. M. Aldrich a Calotarsa n. sp. from near Palo Alto, California. The roth regular quarterly meeting of the Pacific Coast Entomological Society was held at the Café Odeon, February 17th, 1906, No. 8 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco. President Fuchs in the chair. Twelve members were present. Prof. J. M. Aldrich gave an interesting talk on collecting and mounting Diptera. He advised the use of the black Klaeger pins, especially size No. 1, also No. 2 for the larger specimens, too large pins should not be used. The pin should be passed through the thorax at centre or to one side, accord- ing to the value of the median bristles in classification. The cyanide bottle should always be kept dry within, and speci- mens should be collected singly and closely watched at the time for the purpose of learning their habits. Dr. E. C. Van Dyke read two papers that may be epito- June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 227 _ mized as follows: He first dealt with the genus Leftura, par- ticular reference being made to the species found in North America. He spoke of the fact that this, a Palearctic and Nearctic genus of about 175 species, was represented in this country by about 75 species, several being undescribed, or about three times the number found in Europe. _. Two exceptions to the general northern distribution men- tioned were the two species from the highlands of Central Mexico. Mention was then made of the distribution of var- ious groups of these and the relationship that the various members bore to each other. A careful study of the species he said brought out many interesting facts, one being that the Rocky Mountains alone supported no well-marked species— _Leptura nigrolineata being considered at most a very weak | one, though they did harbor several rather interesting varieties. The Sierras, the humid coast belt of the Pacific and the Alle- ghanies, each claimed one or more very distinct species. The Doctor considered that L. guadrillum was closely related to LZ. veratrix, and that cuditalis was not a Leptura at all but an Acm@ops and closely related to dasalis. Later on in the evening he went over the species, and with the aid of the specimens from his collection and a number loaned by Mr. Fuchs to make the series more complete, pointed out many peculiarities. Of 47 West Coast species known to him, all but three were shown. In the second paper an effort was made to show wherein the fauna of the West Coast more closely resembled that of Europe and North Asia, than did that to the east of the Rocky Mts. Mention was made of the statement made many years ago by Prof. Asa Gray, that the flora of Eastern North America as a whole was more closely related to that of the Japano-Manchur- ian region than was that of the west coast. _ The insect fauna of the same regions was also found to bear a similar relationship. ‘The reason the Doctor gave for this, was that the parts of the flora and fauna, which bore this close relationship, were as a rule restricted to low levels, where there was both plenty of sun and moisture. In past geologi- cal ages there was at northern latitudes a great area of com- paratively low land which made it possible for both these areas 228 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, 06 to gain their species from the same source. ‘The West Coast could not get this fauna, because at that period it was barri- caded at the north by great highlands, or else densely forested and quite cool lowlands, districts which the more sun-loving species would not penetrate. The mountains and cool-loving species of the Eastern Continent would here, however, find a congenial home, and as much as the mountain systems of the two Continents there came in close touch with each other, it was a simple matter that there should result a settlement of both regions with a related fauna. ‘This is what no doubt occurred and it is with regard to this fauna—the fauna of the mount- ains and the cool lowlands, that the West Coast is more closely _ related to the Palearctic than is that of the eastern part of this country. In order to bring out this point the more forcibly, he gave the distribution of all the known species of certain genera of the Silphide, the list including the following: Vecrophilus, Hadrame, Pelates, Pteroloma, Agyrtes, Spherites (one of the Nitidulidze, according to Ganglbauer), Lyvosoma, Pinodytes, Platycholeus. Tater on, a box containing all of the American species of this group with the exception of Pinodytes hamiltontz was shown, a new species of Prevoloma among the number. Dr. F. E. Blaisdell stated that considerable time had been spent on the Gyrinide, and that they needed revision. He also stated that he had taken a large series of Gyrinus parcus at San Diego, California, a species heretofore not credited to the State, but from Texas. Mr. F. W. Nunenmacher stated that he had for exhibition a box of Hyperaspis arranged according to Casey’s classification. fT. g-oculata appears as the western form of uzdulata. Mr. Chas. Fuchs read a paper ona trip to the Fort Tejon region. | Mr. Nunenmacher exhibited two new species of Hyferaspis, and a series of 7. dissoluta Cr. as an extreme form of wzdudata. Dr. Van Dyke the Lepturz of the U. S. illustrating distri- butional areas. Miss Julia Wright a box of exotic Coleoptera. Dr. Blaisdell a box of Californian Gyrinide. F. E. BLAISDELL, M.D., Secretary. . June, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 229 A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held April 26, 1906. Dr. Philip P. Calvert, President, in the chair. ‘Thirteen persons present. H. W. Wenzel donated a collection of blind Carabide from caves in Austria. A letter was read from Dr. C. Brunner von Wattenwy]l, acknowledging his election as a corresponding member. Mr. Henry L. Viereck made a communication on the nests of wild digger-bees. Dr. McCook found about two hundred such nests on his place at Devon, and Mr. Viereck made casts of about a dozen of these. They ranged from eleven to twelve inches in depth, and were mostly straight, with a lateral at the end. A cast and entrance of nest were exhibited and the method of making the former explained. Mr. Rehn exhibited some new or rare Orthoptera, among them a new and large Phasmid from Tonkin, and a new J/an- tis from the Huachuca Mts. Mr. Ilg exhibited a specimen of Biston ursarius new to him and taken at Philadelphia. | Dr. Skinner exhibited a new Acmcodera from the Huachuca Mts., Arizona. Mr. Rehn spoke of the collection of Orthoptera made by Prof. Snow at San Bernardino Ranch, Arizona, and the inter- esting species found. Stagmomantis limbata and carolina were mentioned and the differences in their anatomy pointed out. Dr. Calvert exhibited a section of a grass-hopper in which a malphigian tube passed into the dorsal blood vessel or heart. He also said he had kept a lubber grass-hopper (Dictyophorus reticulatis) alive in captivity for four months and two weeks. Mr. Rehn said the species had been found as far north as South Carolina. HENRY SKINNER, Secretary. ae Ee —_—- ProF. M. J. ELRop, in studying the Hesperidz for his interesting work on the Butterflies of Montana (Bulletin No. 30, University of Montana), evidently used a revision based on male secondary sexual characters, as the figure called Och/odes sassacus 2 on page 156 is a Noctuid, Me/ic- leptria sueta Grote. No doubt the table he followed ran out quite natu- rally to this moth.— HENRY SKINNER. 230 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, ’06 Mr. Roland Hayward. Mr. Roland Hayward died suddenly at his home on Brush Hill Road, in Milton, Mass., on April 11th. He was born March 7, 1865, and was the son of Isaac Davenport and Mary Bartlett (Vose) Hayward, and was born and died, as did his father be- fore him, in the house on the estate that had been owned by his family for eight generations. He was a member of the Harvard Class of 1886, though ill health in his senior year pre- vented him from taking the examinations for his degree. He was for fifteen years a member of the Boston Stock Ex- change, and senior partner of the firm of Hayward & Town- send, bankers and brokers, but a few years ago retired from active business, as his health was never robust and he wished to devote himself to scientific pursuits, He was an ardent entomologist and possessed a fine collec- tion of Coleoptera and an excellent scientific library. He was a member of the Boston Society of Natural History, which he joined when a boy, and was treasurer of the Cambridge Entomological Club. He was a lover of nature and delighted in long walks in the woods and pastures about his old home. He was a man of the strictest integrity, and generous and loyal to his friends. He was not married, and leaves one brother, Dr. George G. Hay- ward, and one sister, Mrs. Henry W. Cunningham. Mr. Hayward was particularly interested in the Carabide, and did important work in that family. His studies of Bem- bidium and Tachys are well known. He was a careful and conscientious worker. An important work on the genus Amara was just finished before he died. His large collection has been bequeathed to the Museum of Comparative Zoology, at Harvard College. His library will go to the Public Library, in the town of Milton, Massachusetts. 40> ~~“ WANTED.—Help in procuring Pennsylvania insects and data or data alone of correctly determined species of Pennsylvania insects of all kinds. I desire name and locality and notes on food, enemies, habits and haunts, if possible, for publishing in a full list of the insects of Pennsylvania.— Address H. A. SurFraAce, Economic Zoologist, Harrisburg, Pa, ~ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. VoL. XVII. SEPTEMBER, 1906. CONTENTS: Rowley—Hunting Catocale in daylight 231 Rehn—A new species of Eotettix (Acridi- dz) from Georgia.............-.... 234 Davis and Joutel—Observations on Ci- cada tibicen L. aud allied forms... 237 Nason—Parasitic Hymenoptera of Al- gonquin, Illinois—V ............... 249 Hancock—On the Orthopteran genus Ageneotettix, with a description of a new species from Illinois......... 251 Swenk—New bees of the genus Colletes 257 Cockerell—Preoccupied generic names MU APIEIROE Soce ence. cctecnccesecs SOO 1 PLGICOP ial... 6 asc ccah RORReEe ei tas ¥ e- 261 Mitchell—Notes on Tanypus dyari.... 244 | Entomological Literature.............. 262 Smith—Some new Larridz from Neb. 246 | Notes and News .........seeesssceeees 263 Doings of Societies : cases causes ccsses 265 Hunting Catocalae by Daylight. - By R. R. RowLe&y, Louisiana, Mo. From the standpoint of a laborer, chasing Catocale through the tangled shrubs and vines of a valley, up the hillside, over logs and stumps, under a noonday sun of mid-July, protected only by the friendly shade of the dense foliage, is an exercise that the most energetic might not despise. Divested of coat and vest, we had scarcely entered the little valley before we were dripping wet with perspiration. Blinded by sweat and attacked by gnats and mosquitoes, the chase was anything but pleasant, and to add to our discomfit- ure, swarms of bloodthirsty Chrysopfs pursued us relentlessly. These villainous little dipters, bolder than our other torment- ors, feared neither the hand nor the hat, and desisted only in death. Up the little dry run, beneath the naked roots of a venera- ble elm, we first came upon the quarry. The net had been discarded, and with cyanide jar alone the shadowy nooks were closely scanned for the color-protected 231 232 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., 06 prey. Ina particularly dark corner, fast asleep, a handsome specimen of Catocala cara was trapped. His flutterings in the jar was of short duration and how our hearts beat a tattoo as we made him a prisoner. ‘The beauty of his under wings was a balm for all our sufferings. A few specimens of C. imnubens were taken at the same rendezvous, and we moved on up the valley, poking under overhanging banks and among the roots of trees half undermined. Turning our course np the side of the hill we scrutinized the bark of trees for the black-hind-winged species and took C. epione and C. retecta on hickory. Other trees gave us the lordly xeogama. As the July days waned and August suns scorched the droughty hill sides, other species were added to the list; paleogama, habilis and residua on hickory and hidden away in the foliage of the Virginia creeper. Amica was abundant on oak in early July, and judzth spar- ingly on hickory, vestdua and lucetta scarce at all times. An occasional specimen of Azatvzx on walnut, and the gaudy ama- trix on bark of like color to his own upper wings. The first cava did not furnish us greater delight than the first viduwa that flew at our approach across a little ravine and folded his wings against the bark of a hickory sapling. His capture was comparatively easy, and such a choice fellow he was, ‘‘ without spot or blemish.’’ Mr. E. Dodge slipped away to a particularly dense wood and took Jachrymosa, but the writer never caught sight of that species, though he afterward tramped through its haunts again and again. On the first day of September we were fortunate enough to take two fine specimens of vodinsoni on butternut and hickory. These were the last of our catches as the weather was never favorable after that date. Hidden in the cracks of the bark and the irregularities near the base of one grizzled old elm, at least a dozen specimens of neogama and innubens were routed out of their lurking places on several different occasions. The hollows of old stumps and often the loose bark of dead trees furnished many specimens of innubens and its variety scintillans. Sept., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 233 Alone, one hot day in August, we were tramping along the south hillside, when a large moth flew from the very base of a hickory, straight down the hill toward the bottom. So yellow _ did he look at the first glance that we decided it must be an zo. He was so suspicious of our actions that he would not allow a near approach, but asecond glimpse convinced us that he was a Catocala, but we could not determine him specifically. To follow him was an easy matter, both because of his size and. bright color when on the wing. We were so near him once that we had the top of the cyanide jar off and were about ready to make a final move when he was off again like an arrow. After that, though we followed him to the head of the hol- low, we were unable to get near him, and finally darting away with several iznubens, he was lost altogether. It was the bitterest disappointment of the season, and even now it makes us sick at heart to think what a treasure was almost in our grasp only to slip away. If we had been nervous when we trapped a cara or a vidua, we had a real spell of ‘‘buck ager’’ when the great yellow moth led us the chase up the little val- ley. It was the most conspicuous Catocola we ever saw. At one particularly dark spot beneath a half up-rooted tree _ base, on the bank of the little brook, we always found a fine cara awaiting us. Day after day we took a fresh one there. Once two were within three inches of each other, but the cap- ture of one frightened away the other, so our faithful old tree could never promise us more than one a trip. A single specimen of C. wxor was taken on an oak trunk by our companion, Mr. Ralph Rowley, on one August trip. | Anyone who has collected Catocala by daylight knows that the insect rests with its head down on the bark, the front wings entirely covering the treacherously colored hind ones. With wings half erect, exposing the highly colored second- aries and head up instead of down when he is on the alert or trightened, the chances of placing the mouth of the cyanide bottle over the wary moth are few. Once thoroughly fright- ened a Ca/ocala is hard to catch. The tree trunks should be closely inspected before using a stick to dislodge any unobserved moths, as chases after fright- 234 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 ened specimens are often fruitless, besides rubbing the stick up and down the bark may strike the moth and ruin it for cabinet purposes. However, a ‘‘rousting’’ stick is indispensable, as the moths are sometimes out of the reach of the jar. Climbing may be resorted to in such cases where possible. Hot days are the best for Catocalze hunting, but not necessarily sunshiny days. It has been a puzzle to us to know just what elements of weather constitute a Cafocala day. A sultry, sunshiny day was our first impression, but we sometimes found hot cloudy days just as good. It is quite probable that after a night of rain the rnin take refuge nearer the ground than at other times. Often, unaccountably, there was a scarcity when we expec- ted an abundance, and again when we expected little we reaped a real harvest, still on hot, bright days there were always moths to be found, high or low. About dead stumps and old logs we never took other than innubens and scintillans, with an occasional neogama. White-barked trees, like butternut and hickory, shelter the species with light colored upper wings, while the dark-barked trees furnish protection to the species with darker upper wings. As a matter of fact, each moth seeks the shelter that makes his color inconspicuous. So nearly are the bark and the closed upper wings of the moth alike in color that even a trained eye is often deceived, a most interesting case of protective colora- tion. =or A new species of Eotettix (Acrididae) from Georgia. By J. A. G. REHN. On January 6, 1906, Mr. Morgan Hebard took a male indi- vidual of this genus at T'yty Plantation, south of Thomasville and immediately north of the Florida line, in Thomas County, Georgia. The specimen proved to represent a very distinct new species, which I take great pleasure in dedicating to Mr. Hebard. | Ne bes =o". Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 235 Eotettix hebardi n. sp. Type.—%. ‘Tyty Plantation, Thomas Co., Georgia, Janu- ary 6, 1906. Hebard collection. Allied to £. signatus Scudder, but differing in the narrower interspace between the eyes, the broad frontal costa, the ab- sence of distinct lateral carinze on the cephalic section of the prozona, the rounded caudal margin of the metazona, the eon Fic, 1.—Zotettix hebardin.sp. Lateral view of type. (x 4.) slightly broader interspace between the mesosternal lobes, the shorter and more rounded tegmina, the shorter furcula, the clavate cerci and less distinct tubercle of the subgenital plate, as well as some details of the coloration. S The form of the tegmina resembles £. pu- sillus Morse, but hebardi is separated from that species by the size and the form of the frontal costa. From £. palustris Morse the new form can be separated by the shape of the supra- anal plate and cerci and by numerous color characters. The shape of the cerci, the rather thick blunt form of the prosternal spine and the lack of distinct lateral carinz, as well as the Fic. 2.--Hotettix P : : hebardin.sp. Dor- broad frontal costa seen in this species are at sal view of apex. of ‘ . p . etn -maleabdomen.(x8.) variance with Scudder’s generic description, but this probably requires modification as Scudder knew but one of the four species now credited to the genus. 236 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 Form slender, slightly compressed. Head with the occiput distinctly arched dorsad of the level of the pronotum ; interocular space nar- rower than any portion of the frontal costa; fastigium distinctly but not strongly declivent, sulcate; face considerably retreating; frontal costa broad, slightly but regularly expanding ventrad, not sulcate; eyes large, moderately prominent when viewed dorsad, subovate in outline, the cephalic margin somewhat flattened, length about twice that of the infra-ocular sulcus ; antennz slightly longer than the head, pronotum and tegmina united, proximal joint narrower than the dorsal section of the frontal costa. Pronotum slightly tectate, the dorsum nar- row, the greatest width contained nearly twice in the length ; cephalic margin arcuato-truncate, with a very slight median emargination ; meta- zona very closely and deeply punctate; median carina distinct but not high, lateral carina indicated only by a blunt angle on both the pro- zona and metazona, and a line of coarse punctures on the otherwise smooth prozona ; principal tranverse sulcus distinct, cutting the median carina at.a point distant from the caudal margin about two-fifths the pro- notal length ; lateral lobes very considerably longer than deep, the ceph- alic and caudal margins oblique, ventral margin obtuse-angulate. Teg- mina about four-fifths the length of the pronotum, subovate, the greatest width about two-thirds the length, apical section rounded, subtruncate, veins moderately distinct and closely placed, the sutural margins of the tegmina separated by a space as wide as the frontal costa. Prosternal spine erect, slightly retrorse, thick, blunt. Interspace between the meso- sternal lobes nearly twice as long as broad ; metasternal lobes sub-attin- gent. Abdomen distinctly compressed, except caudad, the extremity be- ing but slightly upturned. Furcula as long as the segment from which they arise, flattened, tips divergent. Supra-anal plate elongate-trigonal, deeply sulcate mesad, broadly and rather shallowly sulcate laterad. Cerci tap- ering in the proximal half, slender mesad, distinctly expanded distad, rounded dorsad, and with a rectangulate lobule ventrad, the distal half distinctly bent mesad, and falling slightly short of the tip of the supra- anal plate. Subgenital plate with the apical margin strongly curved, the apical tubercle thick, blunt and separated dorsad from the apical margin by adepression. Cephalic and median femora robust, inflated, the ceph- alic subfusiform. Caudal femora moderately slender ; caudal tibize with fifteen spines on the external margins. General color raw umber. Head with two widening patches of seal- brown on the occiput, postocular bars distinct and moderately wide, of shining black ; eyes burnt umber. Pronotum touched with burnt umber dorsad ; postocular bar present on the prozona, slightly broader than on the head and with the ventral border more undulate than the dorsad, shining black. Tegmina near Prout’s brown. Abdomen with a broad bar of blackish on the lateral face, broken on most of the segments into a blackish suffusion or blackish spots on the caudal margins of the segment. Caudal femora touched with russet, the genicular arches and ae a i , ene, ~~ a ee a ee ee re 4 q N ; a i Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 237 the greater portion of the lobes on both faces blackish ; caudal tibiz very dull olive-yellow, marked with blackish proximad and the spines of the same color. MEASUREMENTS : Length of body . , ‘ j : P ; 22. mm. Length of pronotum . ; F ‘ : ; aed Length of tegmen : ; : : ; : 3.6 “ Length of caudalfemur . é P : to: ¢"" Mr. Hebard has kindly furnished the following note on the capture of the type: ‘‘ The specimen was taken in the long- leaf pine (Pinus palustris) woods on a very cold day. All other forms of insect life seemed absent, but I noticed this individual springing about in the jasmine and wire grass with great alacrity. It spite of the cold it appeared vigorous, and when released from my pocket in a warm room, sprang about rapidly, jumping several feet at each spring. Observations on Cicada tibicen L, and allied forms. By Wm. T. DAvis AND Louis H. JouTEt. Dr. Harris in his ‘‘Insects Injurious to Vegetation’’ de- scribes Cicada canicularis, which he compares with Cicada pruinosa of Say. He also mentions in a foot-note Cicada tibi- cen of Linnaeus, which he states is even quite common within the limits of the City of New York. Prof. Uhler commenting on canicularis in another foot-note says: ‘‘this is nothing more than a local variety of C. pruinosa Say ; there is no persistency in the form and length of the abdominal valves, and the color- ation and extent of pruinescence upon the insect depend upon various contingencies to which it is liable.’’ Mr. Chas. William Woodworth in his ‘‘ Synopsis of North American Cicadidz,’’ published in Psyche, in June, 1888, fol- lows the lead of Prof. Uhler, and under Cicada tibicen Linn., places as synonyms both Cicada pruinosa and Cicada canicularis. Most authors have, since Prof. Uhler’s note, classed the three species mentioned by Dr. Harris as one, or at most have con- sidered that Cicada canicularis might be entitled to specific rank. 238 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., 06 To this view the authors of the present paper cannot sub- scribe, and after having examined about one hundred individ- uals of what Mr. Woodworth would call ¢dzcen, we are strongly of the opinion that there are three species. We were first led ~ to this view by observing the songs and distribution of the Cicadas about New York City, and later we found that the specimens could be easily separated into three series. TABLE FOR SEPARATING THE MALES. Ld NAME eet i ae vhatemes COLOR, ETC. OPERCULA SEGMENT Thorax with few green or © brownish marks. | Longer than | Nearly | White spots at base of ab- C. pruinosa 31-33, mm. broad. V-shaped|domen conspicuous. 8-10 mm. long Abdomen light colored and pruinose beneath. Thorax with many green or brownish marks, Ae broad as White spots at base of ab- C. tibicen |30-32 mm. lone More jdomen rarely conspicuous ; ; U-shaped | most often absent. 5-6 mm. long : Abdomen pruinose beneath on sides; central portion shining black. Markings similar to the Broader than last, with spots at base of ab- C. canicularis \25-30 mm. long Mote domen rarely present ; more 3-4 mm. long U-shaped pubescent than either prui- nosa or tibicen. The description of Cicada tibicen by Linnaeus would do equally well for the other two species considered below, but we have confined it to what, in our opinion, was the insect Dr. Harris had in mind from Manhattan Island, in New York City. In addition, there is no doubt as to the insect Dr. Har- ris described as canicularis, and the pruinosa of Say is nearly as well characterized. What we have called the last ventral segment in the follow- ee oy ete Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. — 239 ing table is the gouge-shaped piece which terminated the abdo- men of the male Czcada on the under side. The females of Cicada pruinosa are, as a rule, larger than the other two species, and the colors are as given for the males. Cicada tibicen females have the many green or brownish mark- ings on the thorax, and the abdomen beneath with the central portion shining black. Cicada canicularis is the smallest of the three, and the females, as well as the males, are more nearly covered with a fine pubescence, which is often quite conspicu- ous on the dorsal surface of the abdomen. It will be observed from the characters mentioned, and much more markedly from a series of specimens, that Czcada tibicen and Cicada canicularis are more nearly related to each other than to Czcada pruznosa. Cicada priinosa is abundant on Staten Island, where its energetic song forms a conspicuous part of the insect melody of mid-summer. In the collection of New Jersey Cicadas ex- amined by us through the courtesy of Prof. J. B. Smith and Mr. Edgar L.. Dickerson, there are specimens from New Bruns- wick and the Orange Mountains. Cicaden tibicen is not so common as the last species on Staten Island, but is more abundant on Manhattan Island, as at Mt. Morris Park for instance. It is also to be found on top of the Palisades at Fort Lee. Other localities are New Brunswick, Bayside and near Normanock in New Jersey. Its song is not so energetic or loud as that of pruznosa. | Cicada canicularis is more especially to be found on some of the sandy portions of Staten Island, and is otherwise widely distributed. We have seen specimens from Lakehurst, Sparta and Chester in New Jersey; from Sullivan Co., New York ; Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River, and Lake St. Joseph, Quebec. Its song is quite different in tone from that of the other two species, and it may be told by it alone. <0 e =r Mr. Cockroach.—‘‘ The doctor tells me that I have one foot in the grave.”’ Mr. Centipede.—“ Oh, 1 wouldn’t let a little thing like that worry me.”’ 240 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 Preoccupied Generic names of Coleoptera. By T. D. A. COCKERELL. In the course of my work on the list of Coleoptera of New Mexico, I have been struck by the number of preoccupied generic names which are still allowed to stand in our cata- logues. It occurred to me that it would be a useful service to make a complete list of these, and to this end I have examined every name given as valid in Henshaw’s list, with respect to homonomy. Asa result, I find nearly fifty names which are absolute homonyms, and a large number which differ from earlier named only in some minor feature (e. g. termination indicating gender), and would be considered homonyms by many. ‘These latter should not, I think, be disturbed. I have not examined the names of the numerous genera described in recent years, since the publication of Henshaw’s catalogue. In my manuscript, I have provided substitute names for nearly all the homonyms, but only part of them are given here, as although I have made much search for available synonyms myself, and the list has been kindly looked over by Mr. Fall, there is still a probability that several available substitute names will be discovered in the older literature. It is hoped that those who are aware of such will record them. CARABID. — Diplochelia Brullé, 1835 (Diplochila of our lists), is Rembus, Latr.» 1817. The latter name-was alleged to be preoccupied, but ap- parently in error; hence it should be used for our species. 2. Diaphorus Dej., 1831 (not Meig., 1824). Euproctus Sol., 1851 (not Gené., 1840). 4. Nothopus Lec., 1852, is Euryderus Lec., 1848, not Hurydera Lap. I do not consider these names the same, and think that Zuzy- derus should be restored. HYDROPHILIDE. 5. Helopeitis Horn, 1873 (not Signoret, 1858) = Hlelopeltina n. n.; spe- cies Helopeltina larvalis (Horn). SILPHID/. 6. Pelates Horn, 1880 (not Fisch, not Cuvier) = Pe/atines n. n.; spe- cies Pelatines latus (Mann.). 7. Aglyptus Lec., 1866 (not Foerst, 1856) = Aglyptinus n. n.; species Aglyptinus levis (Lec.). _ . Y " ne 4 - ; ~ FETT oe ee eh eae aa Mae Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 241 STAPHYLINIDE. 8. Folystoma Steph., 1835 (not Zed., 1800) ; Amplenota Casey, 1884, is available. 8. Tanygnathus Er., 1837 (not Wagl., 1832). 10. Zrigonophorus Nordm., 1837 (not Hope, 1831, not Steph., 1829). 11. Megalops Er. (not Lacép., 1803). 12. Lphelis Fauvel, 1883 (not Lederer, 1863) = Ephelinus n. n.; species Ephelinius guttatus (Lec.), E. pallidus (Lec.), E. notatus (Lec. ). TRICHOPTERYGIDZ. 13. Trichopieryx Kirby, 1826 (not Huebner, 1816). COCCINELLID/E. 14. Megil/a Mulsant, 1851 (not Fabr., for a genus of bees). Paranemia Casey, 1899, includes our M/. vittigera. 15. JMZysia Mulsant, 1846 (not Gray, 1840, or Brown, 1827). Neomysia Casey, 1888 (not Neomysis Czern., 1887), is available. ENDOMYCHID. 16. Symbiotes Redt., 1858 (not Gerl., 1857). ponomastus Buysson, 1891, is available ; species Eponomaslus ulkei (Cr.), E. minor ce). COLYDIID. 17. Hudesma Lec., 1863 (not Ehr., 1838) = Audesmu/a n. n. ; species Eudesmula undulata (Melsh.). CUCUJIDE. 18. Jno Lap., 1835 (not Leach, 1819, not Oken, 1815). CRYPTOPHAGID. 19. Tomarus Lec., 1861 (not Erichs, 1847). DERMESTID. 20. Acolpus Jayne (not Brandt, 1835). . DASCYLLID/. 21. Allopogon Horn., 1880 (not Schiner, 1866) = Ad/opogonia n. n.; species Allopogonia villosa (Horn). 22. Araopus Lec., 1874 (not Spinola). I have not the exact date of the Spinolian name, but it is certainly older. The beetle-genus may be Arcopidius n.n.; species Ar@opidius monachus (Lec). | ELATERIDE. 23. Tharops Lap., 1835 (not Huebner, 1816), 24. Cryptostoma Latr., 1825 (not Blainv., 1818) = Pal@oxenus Horn. 25. Asaphes Kirby, 1837 (not Walker, 1834) = Hemicrepidius Germ. 242 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. se 33- 37: 38. 39: ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 THROSCIDE, Drapetes Redt., 1849 (not Meg., 1821). There is also Drapetis Meig., 1822. : LAMPYRIDE. Cenia Newman, 1838 (not Desv., 1830) = Ceniedla n. n.; species Ceniella dimidiata (Fabr.), C. amplicornis (Lec.). CLERID. Elasmocerus Lec., 1849, is Monophylla Spin., 1841 (not Monophyllus Leach). If we accept the ‘‘one-letter rule’’ M/onophylla should be restored. PTINIDE. Theca Muls., 1860 (not Sowerby, 1845). Stagefus Woll., 1861, is available ; species Stagetus profundus (Lec.). SCARABAID. Bradycinetus Horn., 1871 (not Sars, 1865) = Bradycinelulus n. 0. ; species Bradycinetulus ferrugineus (Beauv.), B. fossalor (Hald.), B. serratus Lec.), B. horni (Rivers). CERAMBYCID. Eustroma Lec., 1873 (not Hubner) = Zustromu/la n. n. ; species Eustromula valida (Lec. ). LE thecerus Chevr., 1862 (not Wesm., 1845). CHRYSOMELIDAi. Monachus Chevr., 1834 (not Kaup, 1829). TENEBRIONIDE. Cnemodus Horn., 1870 (not Schaeff., 1850) = Cnemodinus n. N.; species Cuemodinus testaceus (Horn). Noserus Lec,, 1862 (not Foerst, 1862; not Noserius Pascoe, 1857. ) Eupsophus Horn., 1870 (not Fitzinger, date uncertain, but much earlier) = Eupsophulus n. n.; species Hupsophulus castaneus (Horn). Aphanotus Lec., 1862 (not Lowe, doubtless earlier). JEGIALITIDZE. Aegialites Mann, (not Boie, 1822). OTHNIID/ZE. Othnius Lec., 1861, is Hlacatis Pascoe, 1860. The latter was “‘ pre- occupied”’ by “vacate Cuvier, and should I think be restored. The family, however, cannot be called Elacatidz, because Elacate is the type of a family Elacatide, in fishes. abel! rae oa - Sept., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 243 MELANDRYID. 40. Cavebara Lec., 1862 (not Westw., 1841) = Rushia morel, 1893 ; species Rushia longula (Lec.). MELOID. Zonoitoides Fairm., 1883 (not American) is a homonym of Zonttoides Lehm., 1862. OTIORHYNCHIDE. 41. Rhypodes Horn, 1876 (not Stal, 1874) = Rhypodillus n. n. ; species Rhypoditlus dilatatus (Horn), R. brevicollis (Horn). CURCULIONID. 42. Triglyphus Lec., 1876 (not Loew, 1840) = Triglyphulus n. n.; spe- cies Triglyphulus ater (Lec.). 43. Macrops Kirby, 1837 (not Burm., 1835, or Wagl., 1830) = Hypero- des Jek., 1864; species Hyperodes vittaticollis (Kirby), H. humilis (Gyll.), H. hirtedlus (Dietz), H. wickhami (Dietz), 1. . sparsus (Say), etc. 44. LHudocimus Schonh., 1836 (not Wagl., 1832). 45. Coelogaster Schonh., 1837 (not Schrank, 1780). Two other homo- nyms are Coélogaster Ashmead, 1893, and Coelogaster Schulze, 1896. 46. Plocamus Lec., 1876 (not Dejean, 1834). CALANDRIDE. 47. Himatium Woll., 1873 (not Clark, 1860) = H/imatinum n. n.; spe- cies Himatinum errans (Lec.), H. conicum (Lec.), 7. nigri- tulum (Casey ). 48. Wollastonia Horn, 1872 (not Heer, 1852) = Wodlastoniella n. n.; species Wollastontella guercicola (Boh.). ANTHRIBIDZ. 49. Ischnocerus 1839 (not Grav., 1829). 50. Phanicobius Lec., 1876 énot Morch, 1852) = Pheenicobiella n. n, species Phewiccbielia chameropis (Lec. ). It is greatly to be hoped that the ‘‘one-letter rule’’ will pre- vail; that is to say, that no name will be considered a homo- nym unless preoccupied by one spelled in exactly the same way. It necessarily goes with this, that the spelling of names must never be changed from the original, except in the case of a misprint. There are many names in our list of Coleoptera which have been so changed, and they should, I believe, all 244 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 be restored to the original form. ‘To give some idea of the disaster that will result from the interpretation of homonymy which is prevalent in certain quarters,* I will cite some of the Coleopterous names which would fall. Agraphus Schonh, 1834, not Agrapha Hubn., 1816. Amblychelia Say, 1834, ‘' Amblychilus Fisch., 1813. Amphicerus Lec., 1861, ‘* Amphiceras Gray, 1847. Aphorista Gohr., 1873, ‘‘ Aphoristia Kaup., 1858. Aplastus Lec., 1859, ‘* Aplasta Hubn., 1816, or Schaum, 1844. Arhopalus Serv., 1834, ‘ Arhopala Boisd., 1832. Asemum Esch., 1830, ‘* Asemus Ranz., 1820. Atimia Hald., 1847, ‘* Atimus Dejean. Chromatia Lec., 1862, ‘* Chromatium Perty, 1852. Chrysophana Lec., 1859, ‘*‘ Chrysophanus Hubn., 1816. Coenonycha Horn., 1876, ‘‘ Coenonica Kraatz, 1857. Colastus Erichs, 1843, ‘* Colastes Hal., 1833. Conoecus Horn, ‘* Coneoeca Scott, 1865. Dromius Bon., 1813, ‘© Dromia Fabr., 1798. Euphoria Burm., 1842, ‘* Huphorus Nees, 1834. Polyphylla Harr., 1841, ‘‘ Polyphyllia, 2 and 9, 1833. In the case of the following, I do not know which has priority : Morio Latr., 1810 (Coleop.) and Morio Month, 1810 (Mollusca). Cyllene Newman, 1840 (Coleop.) and Cydlene Gray, 1840 (Mollusca). <0 er Notes on Tanypus dyari. By EvELYN GROESBEECK MITCHELL, Washington, D. C. This species evidently winters in the larval stage. The earliest larvee which I have found were taken on March 4th from a drinking tank for horses in Rock Creek Park, Washing- ton, D. C. ‘The tank consists of an iron pipe about three feet in diameter and four deep, into which falls a stream of clear spring water, continually running from atap. The inside of the tap was overgrown with a green alga in which the larvee hide and on which they also feed. The larvz pupated the evening of March 4th, and the imagos emerged on the 6th. April 12th two batches of eggs were found at the tank. The larvze of this species are easily raised so long as there - are algee and euglena in the bottle and they are not in too light * For a discussion of this matter, see Palmer, Index Generum Mammalium, pp. 34-37. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 245 a place. Eggs laid June 15th by a captured adult hatched the 17th, the larvee pupated the night of July 1st, and the imagos emerged on the 3rd. If there is not enough food the lar- vee are prone to eat each other. This happened in the case of eggs laid May 17th, which hatched the 2oth, and by June 11th the larve had all disap- peared. On June 22nd larve were found to be abundant in a rain puddle situated ina back yard in this city. The pud- dle was about four feet in diameter, the water perfectly clear, with a soft, muddy bottom. The whole bottom seem alive with the moving heads of the larvee, which were about thirty to the square inch. There were a few red larvee of Chivonomus cristata in the same pool. The dyari from the tank often construct ‘‘ houses’’ in the form of tubes in the alga, fastening together bits of alga and excreta with silk. There evidently cannot be much silk for the tubes crumble easily, unlike those of many gnats. The larve in the puddle did not spin at all, they simply waved about on the surface of the soft mud until they made a hollow, which on deepening allowed the mud to silt in on their backs; or they shove head first into the mud, in either case making a slightly arcuate tube open- ing at the surface at both ends. In this tube they stay, head and thorax protruded, keeping up a constant wav- “ing motion. ‘They almost never come out and swim about. ‘The food in the 246 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 puddle could not have been alge, it might have been bacteria or protozoa. The larvee (see fig.), are remarkably hairy, the first not so much so as the later stage. I think that they molt three times but am not sure, as they molt in their houses and eat their shed skins. The adults emerge from the pupa case rather slowly as com- pared with some of the other gnats, which come out like a flash. The eggs are in a slightly irregular, rounded mass of gelatin, with a thread of gelatin attached. The mass is about one-quar- ter inch in diameter. The eggs are about 200 in number and do not seem to have any regular arrangement in lines. They lie mostly with the small ends turned toward the centre of the : mass, the outer ends being about one-quarter the distance from periphery to center of mass. —~>- Some new Larridae from Nebraska. By HARRY S. SmitH, Lincoln, Neb. Tachysphex punctulatus n. sp. ?.—Length 7 mm.—Anterior margin of clypeus very slightly curved outward, a blunt, obtuse tooth at each side, which is scarcely noticeable ; clypeus, excepting the margin, very strongly convex, and with a few large, widely separated punctures, shining ; sides of face and front with medium sized shallow punctures, the spaces between them with exceed- ingly fine ones ; vertex with punctures a little more widely separated ; a narrow impunctate depression or line extending from middle ocellum to the two supra-antennal tubercles ; depression behind ocelli deep, some- what linear; space between eyes above at closest place about equal to antennal joints 2 and 3; second joint of flagellum about one-fifth longer than first, remaining joints gradually shorter ; mandibles medially and spot on scape beneath, rufous ; sides of face with silvery pubescence. Dorsulum finely punctured, depressed anteriorly, punctures becoming more sparse posteriorly ; scutellum convex, sparsely and distinctly punc tured, shining ; postscutellum with punctures closer, metanotum finely granulated, metapleura minutely indistinctly striate; posterior face of metathorax with very fine striz and a longitudinal balloon-shaped depres- sion, point downward, over which a narrow transverse carina, on a level with the upper surface of the metanotum, projects. Legs black, apical joints of tarsi testaceous ; comb of anterior tarsi with the bristles arranged in groups near the apices of the joints, one group for each joint, about 16 bristles altogether ; tibize and tarsi spinose, middle ones most strongly so. Abdomen dark red, apical segments almost black, broadly margined with Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 247 _ testaceous ; ventral segments finely punctured basally, with a few large punctures interspersed ; pygidial area sparsely punctured, slightly con- cave and surrounded by a narrow raised margin. Wings smoky, outer edges and base lighter, iridescent ; marginal cell truncate; second and third submarginal cells equal at inp third submarginal call extending somewhat beyond marginal. Described from one ? specimen, Sioux County, Neb., May. Seems to be most nearly related to 7. ¢arsatus Say, from which it is easily distinguished by the peculiar punctuation of the front, by its smaller size, and by the sculpture of the meta- thorax. In the punctuation of the anterior portion of the mesothorax this species approaches 7. semirufus Cresson, from which it may readily be distinguished by its much darker wings and punctuation. Aucistromma sericifrons n. sp. ¢'.—-Length 6 mm.—Anterior margin of clypeus slightly emarginate medially, outer angles acute; clypeus rather finely punctured, shining ; front coarse granulate, becoming gradually finer toward the lateral ocelli; vertex finely and closely punctured, the depression behind the ocelli quite strong ; face clothed with a dense mat of short silvery-white pubescence ; space between eyes at top slightly less than length of antennal joints 2 and 3 united ; joints 1 and 2 of flagellum about equal ; mandibles dark basally, rufous apically. Mesonotum finely punctured anteriorly, the punctures becoming coarser on the disk ; scutellum and postscutellum coarsely punctured, entire mesonotum clothed with a thin yellowish white pubescence ; upper face of metathorax comparatively very small, taking the shape of a shield, this face being strongly longitudinally striate, the strie not curving outward as in distincta ; a median longitudinal ridge which is broad basally and gradually narrowed posteriorly, separates the strize ; posterior face transversely striate, with a median depression, and clothed with a silvery pubescence, as are also the metapleura, which are minutely striate. Legs black, strongly spinose, the tarsi reddish. Abdo- men bright red, apical segments black,‘each segment with a narrow band of punctures, these bands becoming wider on apical segments. Pygidial area coarsely punctured, ventral segments finely punctured, apical plate rounded. Wings hyaline, strongly iridescent ; the 2nd recurrent nervure is received by the 2nd submarginal cell at the middle, the 1st is received clese to the rst cubital nervure ; marginal cell truncate. Described from one % specimen, Glen, Sioux County, Neb., August 22, 1905. This is a very distinct and remarkably pretty little species. In Fox’s table it will run to 4. aurantia Fox, from which it 248 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 may be readily separated -by the sculpture of the metathorax, color and punctuation of the abdomen, wing venation and size. Ancistromma bruneri n. sp. 3'.—Length 8-9 mm.—Anterior margin of clypeus strongly rounded out, the outer angles obtuse; clypeus with medium sized punctures, the distance between them variable ; sides of face closely punctured, the front more sparsely so; vertex punctured as front; a shining space in the pit behind the ocelli ; face with sparse silvery pubescence ; mandibles apically and under side of style ferruginous ; space between eyes at top greater than antennal joints 2 and 3, almost as great as 2-4 united ; first and sec- ond joints of flagellum subequal. Thorax with very sparse pale pubes- cence, anterior portion of mesonotum finely punctured, depressed in front and with two distinct parapsidal grooves. scutellum medially impressed, shining, punctures a little more distant ; postscutellum closely punctured; upper face of metathorax finely granulate, with a strong median furrow of uniform width running the entire length and connecting with the de- pression of the posterior face, which is also granulate, more coarsely so below ; metapleura with medium sized punctures. Legs black, apical joints of tarsi reddish, feebly spinose, longer spur of posterior tibia two- thirds the length of basal joint of tarsus. Abdomen black, dorsal seg- ments indistinctly punctured, excepting narrow apical margins of seg- ments, which are impunctate and sometimes testaceous ; pygidial area well defined, coarsely punctured ; ventral segments distinctly finely punc- tured, apices of segments impunctate, 8th ventral plate rounded. Wings subhyaline, strongly iridescent, second recurrent nervure received before the middle of second submarginal cell ; marginal cell truncate, appendi- culation short. Described from five $ specimens, West Point, Neb., June (1. Bruner). Most closely related to A. conferta Fox, from which it differs in the comparative length of antennal joints, punctuation of front and vertex, sculpture of metanotum and color of abdo- men. Dedicated to Prof. Lawrence Bruner, who collected the specimens. =or THE REMAINS OF THOMAS SAy.—Under date of May 28, 1906, Mr. E. B. Williamson wrote : ‘‘Mr. C. C. Deam has just returned from New Har- mony, Indiana, where he attended a meeting of the Indiana Academy of Sciences. You may be interested to know that Say’s body is buried in a brick sepulcher or vault in the garden of Mr. John Corbin. Some time ago portions of the vault which were made of wood fell down, and in repairing the damage the opportunity was taken of examining the re- mains. The original coffins are gone, but the bones are well preserved in natural positions. The vault has been resealed with concrete to re- place the timbers.”’ eels [A description and a picture of Say’s tomb, by Prof. F. M. Webster, ‘were published in the News, vol. vi, p. 101, for April, 1895.—Ebs. ] i a ee ee a we = ‘ Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 249 Parasitic Hymenoptera of Algonquin Iflinois.—V. By Wa. A. Nason, M.D. | The present paper concludes the series cataloguing the Parasitic Hymenoptera of Algonquin, Illinois. Altogether, there have been listed 608 species and Io varieties, under 252 generic names. ‘The following table shows the number of genera, species and varieties belonging to each family : Families. Genera. Species. Varieties. Cynipidze 18 29 Evaniidee 2 2 Ichneumonidze 82 og IO Alysiidzee II 15 Braconidze 55 150 Chalcididze 51 84 Proctotry pidze 30 47 Mymaride 2 Pelecinidze I I 252 608 Ke) _ These parasitic forms of insect life are all dependent upon their hosts for maintainance and perpetuation, and this point of view opens upa most interesting subject of study. The hosts are largely vegetable feeders, and consequently the flora of the regions they inhabit must of necessity, to a great ex- tent, be made up of the plants which furnish them suitable food. All plants and plant societies are dependent upon the existence of suitable soil, and climatic conditions for their growth and continuance. Hence, we must consider, in order to arrive at an intelligent idea of the origin and distribution of these parasitic forms, what are the ecological relations of the regions which control the vegetation necessary to perpetuate these hosts. To do this it is best to first consider the geographical rela- tions of these insect forms, and then the ecological conditions of the fauna and flora of the regions occupied by them. The first object may be first attained by consulting lists of species 250 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’ which give definite localities where the species have been found to exist. ‘The most available records in this line are to be found in the two following publications: ‘‘ Catalogue of Described Hymenoptera of America North of Mexico,’’ by E. T. Cresson, published in 1887, which gives the localities whence the species listed were originally described ; ‘‘ A Monograph of the North American Proctotrypide,’’ by Wm. H. Ashmead, published in 1893, enumerates in like manner, with descriptions, the species of that family. An examination of these two lists enables us to locate the geographic affinities of 371, or over 61 per cent. of the spe- cies embraced in the Algonquin list. They are distributed as follows : =| =| 8] 2/8] Bl eles LOCALITIES @/ | go] 8| 3] S| eles &) 6) 2) 2/8) slsf2 a Q tJ & Py $ ie Cana ee ae se ose Gees 8 | I |140) 36| 10} 6 201 a: New Hinmineite a I I S) “Massactuiaetaes wag thc is ote ee I as 4 A. SOMMBCUCOL Oye oe ee 4 rt ee 7 SSN eW ON, se Bers (ea eS 2 21278 8 By NOW SIBTREN i) caine ess oe 2 2 Py ck COUMOIN MIRED fei. yo eeltte wis, ees 5|4 I TO S. Delawate =<6r On the Orthopteran Genus Ageneotettix, with a description of a new species from Illinois. By Dr. J. L. HAncockK, F.E.S. A study of a series of specimens of the genus Ageneotettix from Illinois has given rise to the question whether there has not been discrepencies, by authors, in the identity of the de- scribed species of this genus. This refers especially to the species found in the region about Chicago, which is evidently undescribed, or more properly has been mistaken for another species. But before further discussing this phase of the sub- ject it may be well first to give a brief resumé of the literature. In 1898, Dr. S. H. Scudder* published ‘‘A Preliminary Clas- sification of the Tryxalinze of the United States,’’ wherein is noted the following definition of the genus Agencotettix : “Pronotum not constricted in the middle, the prozona slightly the longer, lateral carinze obsolete on the prozona.’’ Scud- der + again describes the genus as follows: ‘‘Generally smaller forms. Median carina of prozona not cut by the transverse sulci, foveolee of male subequal, rhomboidal; hind tibize red, lower apical spur of inner side of same fully half as long again as upper spur.’’ McNeill { first proposed the present accepted name Ageneo- tettix, substituting this name for Hvemnus which was preoccu- pied. In his key to the genera of 77yxaline|| we find his genus distinguished as follows: ‘‘Median carina of the prono- tum cut behind the middle of the pronotum. Vertex of the head destitute of a median carina. Posterior margin of the metazone very obtusely angulate.’’ According to this author, * Psyche, viii, No. 267, p. 231. Guide to the Genera and Classification of the North American Orthoptera, p. 31, 1897. Psyche, EP at, et Revision of the Truxalinze of North America, Proc. Daven. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi, 1897. 254 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., 06 there are two species of Agencotettix, namely : deorum Scud- der, and scuddert Bruner. But McNeil] further states in his: Revision, p. 269, that it is quite probable that the former spe- cies is identical with the latter, implying thereby that scudderi is the only representative valid species. In another place he mentions also under /. scuddert Bruner, that ‘‘ One variety of | this species has the vertex usually broad between the eyes, with the anterior margins bounded by carinze, which meet at an angle much greater than a right angle even in the male.”’ This variety, McNeill adds, was received from Prof. Gillette under the name of Aulocara scuddert Bruner, and another form with narrower vertex under the appelation Dociostaurus colora- densis. ‘‘* Both forms being named by comparison with speci- mens determined by Prof. Bruner.’’ The present status of the described species according to Scudder’s Alphabetical Index to North American Orthoptera is that the two species deoruwm and scudderi are the only ones retained. Scudder and Cockerell * noted both species as occur- ing in New Mexico, a third species which was not described is also mentioned by them. 3 As intimated in the beginning of this paper my present con- tention is that still another species occurs in Illinois. Its identity becoming evident after study of a series of specimens from Chicago. ‘The confirmation of this species was made possible by comparison. with a type specimen of scudderz which Prof. Bruner kindly presented to me. ‘The difference be- tween scudderi and the Illinois form, which for convenience is called avenosus, is very marked, yet this latter species has probably been confused by Lugger and Blatchley as scudderi. Both of these writers described and figured it under the latter name in each of their State catalogues of Orthoptera. More- over, McNeill probably also refers to it in part, in his Revision under scudderi, as occuring in a few localities near Moline, Illi- nois. Though the description given by Blatchley +} under 4. scudderi fits avenosus quite accurately, I have drawn up the following comparisons of the two species side by side, that they may be readily recognized : “*A first list of the Orthoptera of New Mexico, Proc. Daven. Acad. Sci., ix, p. 27, 1902. + Orthoptera of Indiana, p. 248, 1902. ~ Se Oe ee, Sept., ’06] scudderi Bruner. © type specimen from Lincoln, Nebraska. Body of moderate size. Vertex distinctly produced, the anterior carinz meeting at an an- gle slightly less than a right angle, the foveolz but lightly impressed. Pronotum with the posterior bor- der distinctly obtuse angulate. .Tegmina nearly reaching to the tips of the knees of hind femora. Hind femora incrassate. Color grayish, tegmina marked by more or less numerous subquad- rate dark spots, hind femora marked by three obscure blackish bands, the middle one more evi- dent than the rest, the knees out- wardly blackish, variegated with gray, deeper black on the inside ; tibize coral red, with whitish annula at the base; under surface of the body yellowish white. Measurements: length of body, female, 22 mm.; pronot.; 3.9 mm.; tegmina, 14 mm.; post. femora, 12.5 mm. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 255 aréenosus Sp. NOV. Type from Chicago, Illinois. Body small, rather slender. Vertex very little produced, the prominent carinz formed ante- riorly into a distinct right angle, enclosing a deep crescentic im- pression, the foveolze deeply im- pressed. Pronotum with the posterior bor- der convexo-subangulate. Tegmina not reaching to the knees of the hind femora.* Hind femora slender. Color dull brownish or purplish- brown, the tegmina marked by numerous, small, dark, quadrate spots. Very frequently a median light testaceous band extends from the vertex backwards on the mid- dle of the head, pronotum and the tegmina to the tips; this band slightly darker forwards on the head and pronotum, here enclosed on either side bya black line which widens into triangular spots at the distal half of pronotal disk ; hind femora marked by three obscure blackish bands, the posterior one broader and more evident, the knees deep black ; tibiz coral red, with a whitish basal annulus, rarely immediately followed by a second dusky anulus or minute pigmented spots ; ventral surface of the body light or darker yellowish brown. Measurements: length of body, female, 19.5-20 mm.; pronot., 2.9 mm.,; tegmina, Ir mm.; post. fem- ora, 11.5 mm. Male measured to end of tegmina, 15 mm.; pronotum, 2.7 mm.; tegmina, 9-9.5 mm. ; post. femora, 10.5 mm. * The figure of scudderi Bruner, given by Lugger, and later copied by Blatchley appears to be the long-wing form of arenosus. 256 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., 706 Habits. —This small locust seems to be quite local in distri- bution, having been taken only at Cheltenham (Chicago). Here I found the entire series of eighteen specimens, living within an area of twenty yards, on light sandy ground, sixty yards from the lake shore. All the mature specimens were found during July and August. In the afternoon of August 26, 1901, a number of this species were discovered at the point above mentioned secreted on the ground among the accumu- lated remains of dried twigs and leaves, fallen from the weeds. Individuals with the light dorsal stripes were especially well protected against this background. Out of six specimens taken on the above date, one was a dull ‘brown, without the median stripe. In fact, the striped form of coloring is the prevailing one. When an attempt was made to capture these shy little insects with the unaided hand, they jumped ener- getically, using their wings rather sparingly in their attempts to escape. 42> =<=or TrRAY, O; SPRAY: (E. G. Packard in Fruitman’s Guide.) Spray, farmers, spray with care, Spray the apple, peach and pear ; Spray for scab, and spray for blight, Spray, O spray, and do it right. Spray the scale that’s hiding there, Give the insects all a share ; Let your fruit be smooth and bright, Spray, O spray, and do it right. Spray your grapes, spray them well, Make first class what you’ve to sell, The very best is none too good, You can have it, if you would. Spray your roses, for the slug, Spray the fat potato bug ; Spray your cantaloupes, spray them thin, You must fight if you would win. Spray for blight, and spray for rot, Take good care of what you’ve got; Spray farmers, spray with care, Spray, O spray the buglets there. 2 € b's i i lh el Sept., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 257 New Bees of the genus Colletes. By M. H. SwEnx, Dept. Ent., Univ. of Neb. Colletes hesperius n. sp. 2. Length 14 mm.—Agrees with C. compactus, to which tt is closely allied, except as follows: Pubescence much paler and more abundant, the hairs of the face, vertex and occiput all pale, or at most a few brown- ish hairs on sides of vertex, the pubescence of thoracic dorsum pale dull gray, with the black hairs comparatively few, sparse on the disk and forming a rather thin scutellar fringe; malar space nearly one-third as long as broad ; joint 3 of antennz a shade longer ; first-abdominal seg- ment uniformly very finely, closely and weakly punctured (as different as possible from the heavy, close double-sized punctuation of compactus), the second segment minutely and indistinctly punctured ; abdominal fas- ciz much broader and denser. oS. Length rr mm.—Sculptured much like compactus 3, but easily distinguished by having the pubescence entirely grayish white, a very few pale brownish hairs on scutellum, du¢ no black ones anywhere, the abdo- minal fascize much broader. Described from a 9 and a % type, both taken by Mr. C. V. Piper at Almota, Whitman County, in western Washington State. Types in author’s collection. Colletes crawfordi n. sp. @. Length 8 mm.—Like C. infermizxtus, but smaller and less robust ; pubescence paler, that on vertex without any dark hairs whatever, that of thorax nearly all pale, the dark hairs confined to a few, scattered ones on disk and the usual scutellar fringe ; supraclypeal area dullish, more punctured ; mesothorax similarly but much more coarsely punctured ; those on mesopleura shallower and more irregular ; scutellum with only a narrow basal impunctate line ; areas surrounding enclosure less coarsely punctured ; first abdominal segment fine/y, closely and distinctly but not deeply punctured (subimpunctate in inzfermixtus), following segments finely, indistinctly punctured ; basal segment with short, sparse hair, the venter densely fringed as in ¢e2xanus; outer spur of hind tibia distinctly pectinate with about a dozen long teeth; antennal joint 3 decidedly ex- ceeding 4; legs with black hair as in 7vtermiatus, but also on upper sur- face of posterior tibiz ; the basal tarsal joint fully three times as long as broad. Described from a single female specimen taken at Dallas, Texas, October 8, 1905, on Physalis. ‘This species is close to C. latatarsts Rob., which also visits Physalis, but differs in the sparsely punctured clypeus, slender hind metatarsi and other minor characters. From C. itntermixtus Swenk it differs as 258 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 above, and moreover flies in the fall while zzfermixtus is a vernal species. I dedicate this species to Mr. J. C. Crawford, from whom the type was received, in recognition of his most meritorious work on our bees. ‘Type in author’s collection. Colletes lacustris n. sp. 2. Length 9 mm.—Clypeus shining, long and prominent, flattened but not sulcafe, its punctures coarse but widely separated and not at all stri- ate, the subapical transverse depression very deep. Supraclypeal area shining, coarsely punctured. Face roughened by excessively small can- cellate punctures, dull, its pubescence short, sparse and pale. Sides of vertex densely, finely, indistinctly punctured, the interocellar tuft and occipital fringe sparse, black, with some pale hairs intermixed. Cheeks with sparse, shallow punctures and short, thin, white hair. Antennze short, black, joint 7 longer than 4, flagellar joints about as long as wide. Malar space about as long as wide. Prothoracic spine very short, blunt. Punctures of mesothorax fairly large, rounded and distinct, very close along anterior margin, medially and posteriorly widely separated and less distinct on a shining surface, this shading further into a large polished impunctate spot on the disk. Mesopleura with distinct well separated punctures. Scutellum with a.wide basal polished impunctate space fol- lowed bya densely, striately, shallowly punctured surface. Postscutellum minutely roughened, opaque. Superior face of metathorax poorly de- fined, its pits rather irregular, longer than broad. Enclosure funnel shaped, the bowl coarsely irregularly rugose, the neck concave, smooth and somewhat shining. Sides of posterior face subopaque, densely shal- lowly rugose, tuberculate. Tegulz large, shining black. Wings clouded by a moderate infuscation, nervures and stigma black. Thoracic dorsum with sparse, erect, b/ack pubescence densest on scutellum and thinnest on disk where pale hairs are intermixed. Postscutellum, metathorax, pleura and below with thin grayish white pubescence. Legs moderately stout, black, their pubescence pale and thin. Anterior coxze with very short inconspicuous blunt spines. Tibial spurs dark testaceous, not pec-_ tinate. Claws rufous, deeply medially toothed. Abdomen stout, sub- oval, almost bare, very polished, two basal segments practically tmpunc- tate, following segments very minutely and indistinctly punctured. Api- cal margins of segments not at all depressed, the fascize on 2-5 reduced to mere fringes, easily worn off. The extreme lateral base of segment 1 has some sparse white hair, and the disks of segments 3-6 have scattered, short fuscous hairs. 3. Length 8 mm.—Differs from the 9: Pubescence of vertex and thoracic dorsum largely pale, well mixed with black on scutellum ; cly- peus basally finely, closely punctured, apically polished and impunctate ; antennz black, the flagellum brown beneath, joint 3 nearly equals 4, taken with 2 much longer than 4, following joints one and one-half times as long as broad, malar space a shade longer than broad; punctures of y -@ antec 7 wee eS ee ee Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 259 mesopleura sparse, shallow and indistinct; basal two segments scatter- ingly, feebly punctured, 2-5 with more decided apical fringes, the seg- ments abundantly provided with long, erect, pale hairs. Described from 1 @ and 8 8 co-types, taken by Mr. Mor- gan Hebard in northern Michigan (Baraga County), along the shores of Lake Superior, as follows : Baraga County, ‘‘barrens near marsh,’’ July 18, 1903, 1 9; July 20,2 ¢. Pequaming, *‘in meadow,’’ July 2, 1 3; July 15, 2 8. Point Abbaye, “‘in huckleberry barrens,’’ July 10, 1 $8; July 24, 1 3. Apparently the species flies principally during July. Colletes pleuralis n. sp. 2. Length 9 mm.—Very close to C. californicus, but differing as fol- lows: Hind tarsi more slender, the basal joint three times as long as wide, the inner surface with the hairs mostly pale brownish instead of all black ; basal abdominal segment with long, sparse, pale hair, 2 and 3 with shorter pale hairs; first recurrent nervure entering second submar- ginal cell basad of middle as in ca/ifornicus, but third submarginal less narrowed above so that its upper length is more than twice as long as that part of the lower length distad of the junction with the second recur- rent nervure; malar space slightly longer, about one-third as long as broad ; entire bow! of enclosure tranversely ridged, the surrounding sides - Opaque, minutely reticulated ; vertex subuniformly more coarsely punc- tured. 3. Length 8 mm.—Much like californicus 3, but easily distinguished by having the pubescence of abdomen wholly or mostly pale, forming apical fringes to the segments, much as in pascoensts, the black hairs be- ing much reduced, very different from the uniform jet-black abdominal pubescence of californicus; malar space decidedly longer, about one- half as long as broad. Described from a pair collected in Gallatin County Montana (6,800 feet), June 27, 1900, by Prof. Cooley. I have also two _ males collected in the same county at an elevation of 8000 ft., July 22, 1900, by Mr. E. Koch. ‘Types in author’s collection. Colletes birkmanni n. sp. ?. Length rr mm.—Stoutly built. Clypeus coarsely striate-punctate, depressea before the transverse apex, supraclypeal area sparsely punc- tured. Malar space one-fourth as long as broad. Vertex with a few scat- tered course punctures, otherwise shining, subimpunctate. Cheeks finely . closely punctured. Antennz black, joint 3 equals 4. Face with distinct deep close punctures, its pubescence short, rather sparse, silvery, intero- cellar tuft and occipital hairs tinged with yellowish. Pubescence of thora- cic dorsum pale ochraceous, very slightly fulvescent, that on metathorax, 260 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, | [Sept., ’06 pleura and below pure white. Prothoracic spine large, /ong, sharp and rather conspicuous. Punctures of mesothorax coarse, round and deep, crowded anteriorly, more separated posteriorly, on a large disk few or none. Punctures of scutellum like those on anterior mesothorax only slightly coarser, anteriorly a shining less punctured line, postscutellum _ rough. Superior face unusually well defined on metathorax, the pits very regular, polished, longer than broad. Enclosure subtriangular, the neck and lateral extensions of the bow] about equal, the whole very smooth and polished. Surrounding sides shining, feebly punctured and with broken feeble reticulations. Mesopleura punctured like anterior meso- thorax. Tegulze dark testaceous. Wings perfectly clear, nervures and stigma blackish brown. Anterior coxz with very short, rudimentary spines. Outer tibial spur not pectinate. Claw rufous, medially toothed. Pubescence of legs white, except for golden inner tarsal apical tufts. Abdomen elongate-conical, segment 1 polished, with a very few scattered very feeble punctures, segment 2 also polished, sparsely indistinctly punc- tured, following segments duller, with coarse but indistinct close punc- tures. Basal segment with long white hair at sides, its apex with a widely interrupted loose white fascia connecting with a broad fascia on base of 2, which with 3-5 is provided with broad, white, apical fasciz, their disks with longer white bristles. Margins of segments not depressed. %. Length 1omm.—Differs from the 9 as follows: Form very slen- der ; clypeus less striately punctured, covered with dense white hair; pubescence of thoracic dorsum dull yellowish gray paling to white on sides and below ; malar space two-thirds as long as broad ; antennal joint 3 shorter than 4, taken with 2 subequal to 4, flagellar joints over twice as long as broad ; punctures of mesothorax much much separate ; those on mesopleura coarse and crowded ; abdomen longer and narrower, basal and following segments more distinctly punctured, more hairy, apices of segments 1-5 distinctly depressed and fasciate, apex with fine brownish red hairs ; claws subapically cleft. This species is described from a ¢ and a 9 type taken April 5, 1904, at Fedor, Texas, by Rev. G. Birkman, to whom, in in recognition of his extensive collecting in that locality, I have dedicated it. I have also four 9 paratypes taken May 5, 1901, May 7, 1901, May 1, 1898, and November 10, 1897, thus show- ing the species to be double brooded in that region as is also C. americanus, though the spring brood, flying in April and May is evidently the principal one. I have also a 2 paratype (No. 308) from Hamilton County, Kansas, 3,500 feet, collected by Prof. F. H. Snow. The species seems to come nearest to the thoracicus group, but has several characteristics of C. ameri- canus. Types in author’s collection. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENToMOLOGICcAL News solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author’s name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers. ] To Contributors.—All contributions will be considered and passed upon at our earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer- ‘ence, as to make it necessary to put ‘‘ copy ”’ into the hands of the printer, for each num- ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five ‘‘ extras,” without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Eb. PHILADELPHIA, PA., SEPTEMBER, I9C6. Many types were destroyed by the earthquake in San Fran- cisco, including Dr. Behr’s types of Lepidoptera. ‘This sug- gests the great advantage to be derived from the wide distri- bution of cotypes or paratypes in various institutions, as it is not likely that all will be destroyed at one fell swoop if they are widely distributed. It is fortunate that typical examples of Dr. Behr’s species are in the Strecker collection. In In Strecker’s Lep. Rhop. and Het., suppl. 3, a list of Behr’s types in the Strecker collection is given. While they are called types they should probably be called metatypes accord- ing to more modern views. It is likely that typical examples of Dr. Behr’s species are also in the W. H. Edward’s collec- tion now in the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh. Accurate figures of the types of American butterflies described by Dr. Boisduval would be very valuable, and it is to be hoped that some day American Lepidopterists will supply the funds neces- sary for the purpose. Modern building construction will do away with the danger of fire, but it is questionable whether buildings will ever be made earthquake proof. We suggest to all authors of new species that they supply our large institu- tions with cotypes or paratypes, or at least with metatypes so as to prevent entire destruction and lessen the distance to be traversed by those wishing to study type material. 261 262 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., 06 Entomological Literature. ENTOMOLOGY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ITS BIOLOGICAL AND Economic Aspects.—By Justus Watson Folsom, Sc. D. (Harvard), Instructor in Entomology at the University of Illinois. With five plates (one colored) and 300 text-figures. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston’s Son & Co., 1012 Walnut Street. 1906. Octavo. Cloth, $3.00 net. Pp. vii, 485. The preface states: ‘‘ This book gives a comprehensive and concise account of insects. Though planned primarily for the student, it is intended also for the general reader. The book was written in an effort to meet the growing demand for a biological treatment of entomology. — The existence of several excellent works on the classification of insects (notably Comstock’s Manual, Kellogg’s American Insects and Sharp’s Insects) has enabled the author to omit the multitudinous details of clas- sification and to introduce much material that has hitherto not appeared in text books.”’ It may be added that this work is also utterly different fron Packard’s Text Book of Entomology ; perhaps it most resembles Carpenter’s In- sects, Their Structure and Life, among recent books in this field, but it devotes still less space to taxonomy, for Carpenter gives us the charac- ters of all the principal families of insects while Dr. Folsom descends to no lower category than that of the suborders. The effort to meet the demand for a biological treatment is shown by the list of chapters and their relative length. Chapters I. Classification, 26 pp., II. Anatomy and Physiology, 119 pp., and III. Development, 38 pp., form about 44% of the reading matter of the volume. The remain- ing Chapters, IV-XIII. are ecological and are the more interesting, partly by virtue of the merit claimed for them in that their matter, in large part, has not hitherto appeared in text books. Their titles are’ worth quoting to give the reader an idea of their nature : [V. Adaptations of Aquatic Insects; V. Color and Coloration (based largely on the works of Mayer, Tower, Edwards, Pictet and Poulton) ; VI. Adaptive Colora- tion (with the whole subject of Protective Resemblance, Warning Color- ation and Protective Mimicry, as interpreted in the light of the results of Finn, Judd, Bates, Wallace, F. Miiller, Dixey and Marshall and Poulton, and illustrated by the colored frontispiece of protective mimicry among butterflies, including that wonderful Papilio merope and its mimicking harem) ; VII. Origin of Adaptations and of Species (general and theo- retical with little direct discussion of insects) ; VIII. Insects in relation to Plants (foods, galls, plant-enemies of insects, pollination, structural mod- ifications in relation to plants, ant-plants) ; IX. Insects in relation to other Animals (as predaceous, parasitic, food, disease-transmitters) ; X. Interrelations of Insects (parasites and hyperparasites, social life) ; XI. Insect Behavior (tropisms, instinct, intelligence) ; XII. Distribution (geo- graphical and geological) ; XIII. Insects in relation to Man (as injurious and beneficial, with an historical sketch of early economic entomology in America based on Howard’s writings). 1 i een & : i ah eee acai ote ea ea a Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 263 Following is a selected, classified literature list of 1050-1100 titles, occupying 57 pages, and an 18 page index completes the volume. The illustrations deserve especial mention for their clearness and clean- ness ; many of them are entirely new and based on original drawings or photographs. : The book seems to us to be excellently adapted as a text-book in zoo- logical courses in which the aim is to understand insects as a whole with- out laying especial emphasis on the taxonomy, or the special morphology or embryology of any particular group or set of structures, nor will the general reader or naturalist regret placing the volume on his own shelves. A few errors or debatable statements have been noticed in a first read- ing. On page 18, ‘‘About fifteen thousand species’’ of Coleoptera is probably a slip of the pen for one hundred and fifty thousand ; p. 70, the view ‘‘that the gonapophyses belong to the segmental series of paired appendages—are homodynamous with limbs—”’ is accepted, although not stated as an unquestioned dogma; p. 72, the claspers (‘‘superior append- ages’’, of the male Odonata are termed cerci, in spite of Heymon’s recent paper.—P. P. C. THE BUTTERFLIES OF MonrTANA, Bull. 30 of the Univ. of Montana Biological Station, is a welcome addition to our literature. The Bulletin was primarily intended by the author, Prof. M. J, Elrod, for popular use for teachers and students of nature study, but it is of much value scien- tifically, as accurate data are given and our knowledge of geographical dis- tribution will be extended. It is illustrated by an excellent colored plate, twelve plates in black and white, and one hundred and twenty-five fig- ures. Asa rule the figures are clear, but in a few cases, and especially in the Agapetine, they are somewhat obscure. There are no serious errors, only a few trivial mistakes, which always occur in scientific publi- cations[!], such as figuring the var. swbpadlida for Aglais milberti. There are good generic and specific descriptions, and in a number of cases the original descriptions are given. The preparatory stages, when known, are described. A number of articles and photographs, for the most part relating to collecting in Montana, will prove interesting. The nomencla- ture is that of Dyar’s list. There is a good glossary and a map of Mon- tana showing the localities where the specimens were collected.—CarL R. COOLIDGE. atten — Notes and News. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. AFTER strenuous effort and much correspondence Messrs. A. E. Lister of Scranton, and W. D. Kearfott of Montclair, N. J., arranged a collect- ing trip to the mountainous wilds of Pennsylvania. On the eve of June 15th, the above mentioned, with H. W. and H. A. Wenzel and Dr. 264 y ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [Sept:, ’06 = Henry Skinner met at Wilkes-Barre. The following morning was spent at Harvey’s Lake, where some fair collecting was had. In the afternoon it rained, and from that time on we lived in hope that sometime it would stop. Sunday and Monday were spent at Ricketts, North Mountain, Wyoming Co. Monday morning we went to Ganoga Lake and managed to pick up a few insects between the showers. At Harvey’s Lake we had the pleasure of having with us Prof. C. O. Thurston of Kingston. — We left North Mountain Tuesday morning. In spite of the continuous rain some nice things were taken, especially by the Micro-Lepidopterists, who will doubtless report later. The locality is in the boreal life zone. A pleasant feature of the trip was the warm hospitality of Colonel R. Bruce Ricketts. Dr. Dyar’s SQUARE DEALING.—Under the above caption Mr. D. W. Coquillett refers to a paper published by Mr. Knab and myself on March 14, 1906, as an advance separate from the Journal of the New York Ento- mological Society. We were obliged to criticize very severely Mr. Coquillett’s work on mosquitoes, and it is therefore, perhaps, pardonable that he shows some rancor in his reply. I should allow him the fullest latitude and withhold any response, except that his statement of the cir- cumstances is faulty, and clearly calls for correction. The work on the Carnegie Monograph was divided, the adults being assigned to Mr. Coquillett, the larvae to me. In accordance with this arrangement, Mr. Busck gave me his larve on his return from the West Indies. Mr. Coquillett asked to examine them, and I allowed him to study them until — I found that, in an access of overzeal, he was attempting to do my work to the neglect of his own. I then demanded the return of the material. This small difficulty was not, as implied by Mr. Coquillett, the cause of the preparation of our paper. That is explained in its own introduction. It only remains to add that its hasty publication was secured to anticipate Mr. Coquillett’s names, which it was expected he would publish on infor- mation secured from me, and on larval characters, with which I consider he is not prepared to deal. In regard to his names being “‘ tentative,” they were so only as subject to my revision on larval characters. They were the best he could do with the adults alone. The matter had con- centrated to a study of the larve as independent organisms, and, as such, I considered the field preeminently my own, including the baptism of the new forms. I was quite unaware that I had changed Mr. Coquillett’s marks of doubt from species to genus, and, if so, it was purely by inadvertence and with- out any such object as Iam charged with. I have tried to deal with Mr. Coquillett’s work as squarely as possible, and if Iam obliged to condemn it unreservedly, it is without any personal animosity. As far as the Carnegie Monograph is concerned, the situation has been finally clarified by removing Mr. Coquillett from any connection with it, which is now in my hands.—HARRISON G. DYAR. E i " 5 2 ae a ue Oe” Tee OTe -Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 265 CONCERNING Monomorium destructor Jerdon.—In a brief paper on cer- tain tropical ants introduced into the United States, published in the Janu- ary number of the Ent. News, I recorded the occurrence of a well-known Indian ant, Monomorium destructor, in Alabama and Florida. The specimens from which this record was made were collected by Mr. Clar- ence B. Moore and sent to the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences. From the occurrence of the ants in two such widely separated localities, I in- ferred that these insects must have been recently introduced at different points on the Gulf Coast or were already widely distributed through the Southern States. Since the publication of my paper, Dr. Skinner has kindly called my attention to certain facts which put the matter in a different light. He writes me that Mr. Moore frequently sends to the Academy sacks of earth from various localities in the Southern States. This earth is sorted over for small snails, and it was from such earth from Black Warrior River, Alabama, and Seminole Point, Florida, that the specimens of AZ. destruc- tor were taken. The following letter from Mr. Moore to Dr. Skinner gives an interesting and satisfactory explanation of their supposed occur- rence in the two localities: ‘‘I am inclined to think that the tropical ants are not found in the localities named in the article describing the ants. _My boat is infested by myriads of these ants, and, no doubt, they got into packages of snails from the places named, after the snails had been brought aboad the steamer. These ants do not make their appearance in cool weather, but appear in myriads when the hot weather sets in. They are fierce little chaps. One night I awoke with my legs stinging all over. I found the ants had swarmed into my bed and had been biting my legs. I found them with their noses buried in the skin. No doubt the ants got aboard originally at some shipping centre, prom ably Jacksonville or Savannah.”’ It is probable that 17. destructor has reached the ports mentioned by Mr. Moore or other ports in the Southern States, from the West Indies. Ernest André recorded its occurrence in Jamaica (Revue d’Entomol., 1893, Pp, 152,) and I recently saw a colony nesting at the foot of a tree near Tallaboa on the southern coast of Porto Rico.—W™m. M. WHEELER. Doings of Societies. A meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social was held at the residence of Dr. Henry Skinner, 716 N. 20th Street, Philadel- phia, on April 18, 1906. Mr. Erich Daecke, President, in the chair. Nine members were present, and Mr. H. A, Wenzel, visitor. 266 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 Mr. H. W. Wenzel exhibited a box of Coleoptera captured April 18, 1906, by Elmer Wenzel at Swarthmore; the follow- ing four species were represented : Cychrus viduus and stenosto- mus, Dicelus polttus and ambiguus. ? Mr. Haimbach read an article from a local newspaper refer- ring to the African sleeping sickness. Dr. Skinner remarked that the Tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans, or other species of Glossina are probably responsible for transmitting the said disease. : Mr. H. W. Wenzel said that he had observed larve of Xylota pigra actively feeding all winter under pine bark, also the pupz were present, and on April 8th the fly made its ap- pearance at Grenlock. | FRANK HAIMBACH, Secrefary. A meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social was held on May 16, 1906, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 S. 13th St., Philadelphia. President Daecke in the chair. Ten members present, and Mr. Henry L. Viereck, visitor. A letter from Professor Smith was read, in which he called attention to the fact that the periodical Cicada is due this year — in the State of New Jersey, and asked Mr. Daecke to look out same and bring same to attention of members and ask them to collect and also try find its limitations. Mr. Harbeck exhibited a box of Diptera and Coleoptera ; of the the latter, one was Corymdites hamatus, taken at German- town, Philadelphia, May 12, 1906; another was Lizmonius stigma, taken at Germantown, Philadelphia, April 13, 1906. Mr. Viereck spoke about the bees which occur around Devon, and said there were probably 260 species to be found there. He did not find any nests, but four species of Audrena were taken along the roads sunning themselves. Mr. Viereck stated that in a letter from Dr. McCook the latter wrote that he had located no less than two hundred bee burrows in a lot about forty feet square. Nests of Colletes inegualis were found in the earth about 12 inches deep, and of them Mr. Viereck stated that he had made successfully casts of plaster of paris. - Sept., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 267 Dr. Skinner exhibited two species of Coleoptera appar- ently new to science, one a Cantharis, the other near to Z/ap- _ hidion. 3 Mr, Wenzel exhibited a box of Coleoptera, captured since the last meeting ; series of the following species were shown : Cychrus lecontei, Phymatodes ater, Callidium janthinum, Neocly- tus caprea and Tillomorpha geminata. ‘The speaker said that he had cut the specimens of Phymatodes from oak branches, the same species taken on Five-Mile Beach are unicolored black, only one specimen having a white humeral band, the specimens cut out of oak in Gloucester County, New Jersey, are all banded, some having two white bands. 7Zilomorpha geminata and a species of Agri/us in the pupz state were cut from the same branches. | ; Dr. Castle said that he had gathered a number of acorns last fall with Balaninus larvee in them, with a view of rearing the said larve. He buried them in a flower pot in the garden, ap- parently well secured, but when he looked for the larvze this spring they had all disappeared. Dr. Skinner reported the death on April 11, 1906, of Mr. Roland Hayward, of Milton, Mass. Mr. Daecke exhibited specimens of of Rhyphus punctatus, Tenthredinidz sp. ? Leptidz sp. ? probably Xylophagus abdo- minalis, the latter species no doubt predatory on larvze of Sco- lytidze. Mr. Daecke also exhibited a nest of Vespa maculata, which had layers of two distinct positions, due to the breaking of the limb upon which it was built. A vote of thanks was extended to Dr. Skinner for the man- ner in which he entertained the Social at the last meeting. FRANK HAIMBACH, Secretary. Minutes of meetings of Brooklyn Entomological Society, at the residence of Mr. George Franck, 1040 DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. January 4, 1906.—Twenty-two persons present, the Presi- dent in the chair. Prof. Smith reported that the manuscript of the ‘‘ Glossary 268 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Sept., ’06 of Entomological Terms’’ was ready for the printer, and Mr. Franck that $710. had been subscribed toward the cost of the publication. The price per copy was fixed at $2.00. Dr. Wm. Barnes, of Decatur, Illinois, was elected a member. The following officers for the ensuing year were then elec- ted: President, Rev. J. L. Zabriskie ; Vice-President, Edward L. Graef; Treasurer, Christopher H. Roberts ; Corresponding Secretary, Archibald C. Weeks ; Recording Secretary, George | P. Engelhardt ; Librarian, Roy S. Richardson ; Curator, Geo. Franck ; Executive Committee, the officers above named and : Carl Schaeffer and Frank E. Watson; Program Committee, George Franck, Carl Schaeffer and Roy S. Richardson; Dele- gates to Scientific Alliance, of New York City, the President ex-officio, Richard F. Pearsall and Archibald C. Weeks. february 1, 1906,—Sixteen persons present, the President in the chair. Mr. Weeks acted as Recording Secretary in the absence of Mr. Engelhardt. Mr. Edgar L. Dickerson gave an outline of the scope and character of the work carried on in the entomological labora- tory of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station since 1889, embracing special investigations and methods of control of the mosquito and San Jose scale and insects infesting the the cranberry, squash, blackberry, etc., instruction in elemen- tary entomology, formation of collections for the use of the Station and the State Museum, and the preparation aud distri- bution of bulletins, reports, lists of insects and other entomo- logical information. Mr. William C. Wood exhibited some microscopical slides showing examples of the pollen of a species of Asclepias having two small pinions with oddily jointed ribs attached to a neuc- — leus which was cleft sufficiently to admit of the insertion of the legs and feet of butterflies visiting the plant and to which the pollen adhered firmly and thus promoted fertilization as the insect flitted from flower to flower. Specimens of /. cenia, P. | troilus, C. eubule and A. cybele, collected at Miami, Florida, in June and July, with pollen clinging to their tibize and tarsi, were shown. ARCHIBALD C. WEEKS, Secretary. - M aes ¢ 3 f er ~~ ; a * ‘ . : ‘ ‘ Ps = P 4 a Oo i ‘ ¢ ; = Fs e » B | _ a 4 : * yi sn 2 y : ai 4 oavhccccepsbesccicsses 309 Grossbeck—A new Limacodid ........ 289: | Doings of Societies 2). 25.2 o< cee eiieee 31I Baron Osten Sacken. By J. M. ALDRICH. (Plate XI) Karl Robert Romanovich, Baron von der Osten Sacken, commonly known among entomologists as C. R. Osten Sacken, was born in St. Petersburg, August 21, 1828, and died at his home in Heidelberg, Germany, on May 20, 1906. In 1849 young Osten Sacken entered the service of the Rus- sian Imperial Foreign Office. After some years of apprentice- ship in diplomacy, he was in 1856 appointed Secretary of Le- gation in Washington. In 1862 he was made Consul General for Russia in New York City, and held the position until 1871, when he retired from the diplomatic service. After several journeys to Europe and back, he again settled in the United States, this time as a private citizen, and remained until 1877 ; in this year he returned to Europe, making his home in Heidelberg the remainder of his life. From 1856 to 1877, it will be seen, Osten Sacken was almost continuously a resident of the United States. Before this he had begun to work on Diptera, especially Tipulide. Imme- We have received two. interesting accounts of the life of Baron Osten Sacken, who may almost be called an American entomologist. These are by two eminent dipterists, and, not caring to discriminate, we decided to publish both.—Ebs. 269 270 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 diately on getting settled in this country he began to organize things for extensive dipterological research. He published (in 1859) a catalogue of the described North American Diptera ; he collected a large amount of materia] in the order; he made the acquaintance of most of the collectors in various parts of the country, and had them send him their Diptera; most of his accumulations he sent to Loew in Guben, Prussia, for de- scription, reserving only a few families, principally the Tipu- lidze and Tabanide, for himself; he also established relations with the Smithsonian Institution which resulted in the publi- cation of a large part of the descriptive matter prepared by Loew and himself in the four volumes called by the general title of ‘‘ Monographs of North American Diptera’’ ; in short, it may be said that for some twenty-one years nearly all the work done on the order was directly due to the tremendous energy of Osten Sacken. Toward the close of the period, after visiting the principal type collections of Diptera in Europe, he published a second catalogue of North American Diptera, this time critical in character and exhibiting the actual status of the order in a manner which for clearness, completeness, and absolute mastery of the subject must for- ever remain an unapproachable model for later workers in the order. Osten Sacken had practically created himself all the main subject matter of the catalogue; hence the impossibility of any later entomologist ever occupying a similar position with regard to it. In addition to the Smithsonian monographs and his two catalogues, Osten Sacken’s Prodrome to a Monograph of North American Tabanidee, published by the Boston Society of Natural History, and Loew’s Centuries of North American Diptera (one thousand new species, published in Germany), embody the principal results of his labors. As a fitting climax to his achievements, Osten Sacken suc- cessfully conducted a rather difficult and delicate negotiation, by which Loew was reimbursed for his labors on the North American material, and surrendered it all to the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, at that time much the best depository in the United States for such material. Osten _- ae a . Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 271 Sacken donated all his own material to the same institution, and the Loew-Osten Sacken type collection of Diptera was thus established ; it still remains in good condition, and we may expect will continue to be useful for many years to come. After returning to Europe, Osten Sacken felt that his labors in descriptive entomology were practically at an end. He continued to publish papers on the larger phases of classifica- tion, on insect habits, historical researches on entomology, etc., up to a few years before his death. In 1886-87 he published 216 pages of Vol. I. of the Diptera in the Biologia Centrali- Americana. In 1903 and 1904 he published his ‘‘ Record of My Life Work in Entomology’’ (parts I and II printed in Cambridge, Mass. ; part III in Heidelberg), which gives not only a review of his own activity, but includes critical esti- mates of several contemporary entomologists, and much his- torical matter on dipterology in general. Osten Sacken’s entomological work was almost completed twenty-eight years ago, hence he seems to belong to a genera- tion that has long passed away. Only one living dipterist of this country, so far as I know, had a personal acquaintance with him—I allude to S. W. Williston, who met him on his last trip to this country. Osten Sacken wrote in Russian, German, French, Italian, English, and on occasion in Latin; he preferred English, in which he had a literary style distinguished for clearness, force and accuracy. ‘The striking qualities of his character were energy, farsightedness, persistence, keen discrimination, and conscientiousness. No pecuniary consideration ever lessened the completeness of his devotion to the Diptera. He always sought to be impartial, but the bent of his mind was such that he could never appreciate the argument of a man who dis- agreed with him. Such people seemed to him either mildly insane, or else animated with a personal animosity towards himself. In a letter to the writer, he says in regard to Loew, ‘*T am conscious of having been perfectly fair-towards him in my Record. I never doubted for an instant that he was a perfectly honest and veracious man. His idiosyncrasies I incline to ascribe to a congenital defect of the brain which 272 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 disturbed its normal function and finally culminated in the brain disease to which he succumbed. Every one of us, very probably, is afflicted with some malformation of this kind which more or less impairs his mental vision.’’ May we be as charitable with Osten Sacken in regard to the two or three animosities which he especially cherished. As a correspondent, he was delightful. During his Ameri- can residence he accumulated large numbers of letters from entomologists in various parts of the country, which it seems from his Record he faithfully preserved till his death. This material would be of great value if ultimately acquired by some American institution; the history of American ento- mology during the ’50’s, ’60’s and ’70’s is largely embalmed therein. Two years ago he wrote, ‘‘ As the Grandfather of American Dipterology, I am very much interested in the progress of my descendants,”’ On another occasion, ‘‘ At my age a man does well, when he is able to do so, to withdraw from his usual occupation or profession, and to leave the field for a younger generation. For about fifty years I have worked hard in my science and have reason to be content with the result. My Record I hope to have published bye and bye, and shall allow myself from time to time to publish ‘‘ obiter dicta’’ on dipterology, like the short articles which have appeared in the Ent. M. M., London, recently. But, with these exceptions, I give up entomology, and shall not take any part in discussions. In many points my opinions are peculiar. I have explained them distinctly enough in my writings, and posterity will pronounce upon them. For this reason I do not enter into any further discus- sion about * * *, the result of which is, for me, of sovereign indifference.’’ And yet again, ‘‘ My health is excellent, but my brain is easily tired and my working power has much diminished. I am in the position of a traveler at a railway station, waiting for a train to depart with. This departure I expect without the slightest apprehension.’’ He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. oe Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 273 Charles Robert v. d. Osten Sacken. By C. W. JoHNson. Baron Osten Sacken was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, August 21, 1828, and died at Heidelberg, Germany, May 20, 1906. Educated in St. Petersburg, he entered into the service of the Imperial Office in 1849. In 1856 he was appointed Secretary: of Legation in Washington, and in 1862 Consul General of Russia in New York. Resigning in 1871, he returned to Europe, and in the autumn of 1873 revisited the United States, remaining until 1877, having been a resident of this country for twenty-one years. _ At the early age of eleven he began to take an interest in entomology, his first paper appearing in 1854, “Proposal for a new classification of the Tipulide brevipalpi,’ based upon a detailed study of their male genital organs.” These ideas were later incorporated in his paper on “New genera and species of North American Tipulide,” etc., in 1860, and in his “Mono- graph on the North American Tipulidz,” in 1869. Additional notes on this family appeared in 1886-87 under the title “Studies on Tipulide.” In 1858 Osten Sacken published the first catalogue of North American Diptera. This work was fol- lowed by that laborious and thankless task, the translating and editing of Loew’s manuscript of his three monographs; the first appearing in 1862, the second in 1864, and the third, after an unaccountable delay on Loew’s part, in 1872. Before the publication of his own monograph on the tipulide (part iv) the original manuscript was destroyed by a fire which occurred at Smithsonian Institution, January 24, 1865, and had to be rewritten, the volume not appearing until January, 1869. In recently referring to this matter, which is not mentioned in the monograph, he says: “The loss did not, in the end, turn out to be a loss to science. During a journey to Europe which I undertook soon after it had happened, I gained a great deal of information in the museums I visited that proved a benefit to the work when I reproduced it.” Following the work on the monographs, his principal publications were: “Prodrome of a Monograph of the North American Tabanide,” 1875 ; 274 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 “Western Diptera,” 1877, and “Catalogue of North American Diptera,” 1878. It is indeed fortunate that such an able, generous, self-sacri- ficing man, having always the interest of American Dipterology at heart, should have taken up the study of this neglected order. In his co-operation with Loew he had an understanding that all species described by him should eventually be returned to the United States. This scheme, he says, “enabled me to receive without stint the numerous contributions in collections and specimens which were most generously put at my disposal by different collectors during my long residence in the United States.” In 1877, owing to Loew’s rapidly declining health, Osten Sacken attended personally to the transfer of the col- lection to Cambridge. This collection contained about 1300 species described by Loew, 330 identified by him, and about 1200 unidentified species; combined with Osten Sacken’s col- lection, which comprises his types of Tipulidz, the entire col- lection of Tabanidz, Western Diptera, etc., makes a total of about 1800 determined species. 3 Since 1877 Baron Osten Sacken made his home in Heidel- berg and continued his studies of the Diptera, publishing numerous papers, including “Enumeration of the Diptera of the Malay Archipelago,” etc., 1881; “An Essay of Comparative Cheetotaxy,” etc., 1881, revised in 1884; “Diptera from the Philippine Islands,” etc., 1882; “The Diptera Orthorrhapha” in “Biologia Centrali-Americana,” 1886; “Studies on Tipulide,” pt. 1, 1886, pt. 2, 1887; On the Characters of the Three Divis- ions of Diptera: Nemocera vera, Nemocera anomala and Ere- mocheta, 1892; On the so-called “Bugonia” of the Ancients, 1893, revised in 1894, with additional notes in 1895; “Record of my Life-work in Entomology,” pts. 1, 2, 1903, pt. 3, 1904. His entomological publications in all number 179, and he described over 360 species of North American Diptera, and about 100 from the Malay Archipelago, Philippines, etc. Baron Osten Sacken possessed what is so frequently wanting in scientific men, a thorough mastery of details, undoubtedly an inborn characteristic, which stood by him to the last and enabled Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 275 him to produce that wonderfully concise book, “Record of my Life-work in Entomology,” a volume which so fittingly rounds out the life-work of this remarkable man. This fascinating book tells, among other things, the many differences existing among the contemporaneous dipterologists—a personal bibliog- raphy, as it were, in which the one at fault is always severely criticised. On the other hand, nieritorious works and deeds are extolled in terms of true and lasting friendship. His man- ner of criticism is perhaps best shown in the following para- graph: “In regard to Loew I state here once for all that, while condemning his injustice in the strongest terms, I do not mean to impugn his personal character as a man of truth and honor. Loew, without any question, was a very superior man, far superior.to me in natural ability, as well as learning. His colossal labors stand for him; what I have done has been to place his work in a better light and to give it a more distinct - definition, which was due to history.” Usually he wrote his name C. R. Osten Sacken. In some of the library catalogues in which they have endeavored to give full names, it is Karl Robert Romanovich baron von Osten Sacken. I have adopted the name as it appears in his last publication, printed below his portrait accompanying part 3 of his life-work in entomology. A new Halictus from Nebraska. By J. C. CRAWForRD. Halictus swenki n. sp.—°. Form rather slender, head and thorax black, segments 1-3 of abdomen red, segment 1 with a blotch of black at base, segments 4 and 5 black; apical margins of segments lighter, of 4 almost hyaline. Facial quadrangle slightly longer than broad, hardly narrowed below, supraclypeal area and base of clypeus finely lineolate and finely sparsely punctured, clypeus apically shiny and with sparse larger punctures; face above antennz shiny, somewhat roughened and with fine shallow indistinct punctures; the whole face almost concealed by white appresed pubescence ; flagellum beneath, except 2 or 3 basal segments, red; mesothorax with rather abundant whitish pubescence, finely lineolate, 276 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 slightly shiny, with very fine rather close punctures; median groove well impressed, parapsidal grooves not very plain; truncation of meta- thorax not surrounded by a salient rim, its surface reticulately lineolate and with a few oblique punctures and from center of base a few short radiating strie; base of metathorax finely reticulately lineolate, dull, with a few irregularly longitudinal striz reaching about half way to apex except occasionally two or three medial ones which reach almost to apex; mesopleure roughened, vertically striate, with oblique punc- tures, more apparent anteriorly; metapleure finely lineolate, slightly vertically striate, with a few scattered punctures more numerous at the upper posteiror angles; wings hyaline, nervures and stigma light honey- color, third submarginal about one-third longer than second, narrowed about one-third to marginal; tegule largely testaceous; legs black, anterior and middle knees, a stripe on front of anterior tibize and apical joints of tarsi reddish; hind inner spur with about four long teeth; abdomen transversely lineolate, closely and minutely punctured, segment 1 almost impunctate; bases of segments 2 and 3 with indistinct lateral hair patches; segments 4 and 5 covered with thin whitish pubescence; _ venter with segments 1-3 red, rest black. Length about 714-8 mm, Six specimens from West Point, Nebraska, June 15, 1905; on Rosa arkensena (Prof. L. Bruner and Harry Smith). This species is named after Mr. Myron H. Swenk, from whom I first received the species, in recognition of his excel- lent work on the bees of Nebraska. In general form this is like H. galpinsiae Ckll., but that species has the head strongly punctured, the mesothorax much more closely punctured, the first segment of abdomen not transversely lineolate, as well as having the entire abdomen black. H. ovaliceps Ckll., the only described species from the United States with a red abdomen, has the face much longer and the punctures of the mesothorax much closer and stronger, nervures dark, etc. This species has a most remarkable resemblance in its general form and color to Sphecodogastra texana Cress., which, in addition to its generic differences, also differs in the strong punctures of the head, larger size, first segment of abdomen not transversely lineolate, etc. The type has been deposited in the National Museum and paratypes in the collections of the American Entomological Society and the University of Nebraska. — eS ee ee, a a ‘5: pa ears anky tar ‘avd SN_LHOINAS *8v4 SNLHOIYAS ” ” "MANNING SITVLN3GIOOO "HANNIXS SITVLNAGIOOO anos VLW1TASSA.L SNOYAd "ands WLW1TESSAL SNOYAd *§ 13 p s3qisy3qNnn ‘§ 43 p saaisuaddn IT ta TIAX “I0A ‘SSMHIN “LNG s : ‘| t Fi } Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 277 Studies of Pyrgus syrichtus, tessellata, occidentalis and montivagus. By Henry SKINNER. (Plate XII) _ There has always been much confusion in the literature in regard to syrichtus, tessellata and montivagus. W. H. Ed- wards placed the latter as a variety of tessellata. Scudder put his tessellata as a synonym of montivagus. Godman and Sal- vin in the Biologia also place tessellata under montivagus. Reakirt’s original.description gives the locality of montivagus as Rocky Mountains, Colorado Territory. (Coll. Tryon Rea- kirt, “Mexico, near Vera Cruz.”) The Reakirt collection was purchased by Herman Strecker, and in the third supplement to his Rhop. et Het. he ‘says he possesses the types of montivagus, “one ¢, one 9, Rocky Mts., Colorado.” | Some years ago I examined these types, and they are syrichtus Fab. The original description also applies better to syrichtus than to tessellata, and I quote as follows: “Hind wings with a marginal and submarginal row of rounded Sspots,’—secondaries (below) “two transverse white. maculate bands; one near the base of three spots, edged posteriorly with brown lines, the other is mesial, of irregular outline, and bor- dered with black lines on both sides.” The maculate bands in tessellata are of a light greenish color, and in syrichtus there are no real mocular bands except as an outline in black.* I have never seen syrichtus from Colorado, and it is possible there may be an error in regard to Reakirt’s locality, such mistakes being common enough in those days. I have a syrichtus from southwestern Texas and Key West, Fla., but from no other places in the United States. There can be no question as to what is means by tessellata, The original description says “mar ginal : row of Spots on upper side of hind wing reduced to *In some specimens the inferiors below are 1 light brown as though covered with a thin wash of this color, and the bands are more or less auasinct, but hardly as well marked as in ¢essellata and not greenish in color, 278 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 a row of mere points or obsolete. Two pale greenish mocular bands on secondaries below.” Syrichtus é has the inner half of the wings covered by long white downy hairs. The females differ in maculation as do the males of the two species, but the differences are not as well marked. Syrichtus Q is more brown than black. They may be separated from tessellata Q at a glance. In the News, vol. xvii, page 96, I indicated a new form under the name Pyrgus occidentalis. This is not a species, but only a form or geograph- ical race of tessellata. It has bothered me for a long time and has frequently been sent to me to name. It is smaller than tessellata and whiter in color, and the spots are larger in pro- portion to the ground color. It expands in the ¢ 25 mm.;_ whereas tessellata expands 32 mm. This is an average size for the two. I have specimens from Northwest Territory (Geddes), Cali- fornia, Arizona, and Texas. Syrichtus and tessellata may be compared as follows: Syrichtus f Tessellata 3. A marginal row of white spots A marginal row of white pin on upper side of inferiors. points on upper side of inferiors or obsolete. | Macular bands on inferiors be- Macular bands on inferiors be- low pale greenish. low white or brownish. Long white downy hair on inner, No such hair. half of wings. The females may be separated in the same way, except that the white hair is lacking in this sex. According to Godman and Salvin the genitalia of the two are different. The distribution of the species outside of the United States is given in the Biologia. <4 =r I HAVE been getting a considerable number of Hesperide to name and I am glad to see such an interest in these little butterflies, which have been so much neglected. Outside of the comma variations they have splendid specific characters, and with so many recent figures it seems strange that they prove so difficult to collectors. I am always willing to name spread specimens in this family. Mr. J. H. Cook (Sept. Jour., N. Y. Ent. Soc.) is to be congratulated on telling us what - Thanaos ausonius really is—HENRY SKINNER, Or ge ee Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 279 Notes on Mosquitoes. By Dr. S. E. WEBER, Lancaster, Pa. (Continued from p. 217, Vol. xvii, No. 6.) DAY MOSQUITOES. Culicada Felt (Culex) canadensis Theobald. This species I have found to be distinctively a day mosquito. Its peculiar habits are somewhat modified according to the stage of the season. Observations were made in rgor on this form in southwestern Pennsylvania, along the Susquehanna River, where it was found in abundance breeding in the waters of the old abandoned tide-water canal. The adults made their first appearance May 23rd, when at 10 a. m. a specimen was captured in the act of probing the point of my finger for blood. The last one of the season was seen October 29th in the after- noon. Their attacks in the early part of the season were invaribly made from 1o a.m. until noon, and in the gloaming of the evening, and by the latter part of September they were noticed during the middle of the day only, and not in the evening, for it seemed now too cool for this species to fly. In October they were numerous in the afternoon, more so between 2 and 3 o’clock, and on warm days were very annoying at that time. In a bark-pile, about 500 yards away from a breeding place, they seemed to have their abode, since they were intolerable at that place. Aside from the Axopheles this was the common species found in the immediately locality of Shenk’s Ferry, Penna. That the day-time habit is not only confined to this species is shown by the fact that C. ¢riseriatus Say will also make her attacks in day time. In the handling of thousands of Culex pipiens none has ever effered to bite me, but Cudicada triseria- tus have alighted directly from the vessel where they were bred on my hand for the first sip of blood. The same peculiarity may also be noted in other genera, notably in Anopheles, but in these species the day-time habit was only noticed in their first appearance in the spring. 280 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., 06 ANOPHELES. The species of this genus most common in the lower Sus- quehanna River breeding district are 4. maculipennits Meig. and A. punctipennis Say, where I have taken the larve from the standing waters in the bed of the tide-water canal. Day HABITs. Adults of both these species were taken from the windows in houses (on damp days) in March, rg01. In April they be- come active outdoors, more particularly in a garden where the © shrubbery seemed to be full of them, In an old shop, close to this garden, they were also numerous, and at these two places the attacks from these insects were fierce and persistent in day time during the month of April. On the 17th, a warm day, were very numerous and seemed determined for blood. ‘They appeared in the garden mostly in the afternoon and allowed themselves to be pushed from place to place on the back of one’s hand. A member of the family while at repose in the middle of the day was bitten on her arm by an A. punctipennis in five places, which was caused by the victim in her sleep push- ing the mosquito around until five rosy spots with pale centres were left on her arm. This demonstrates the persistence in getting the first sop after a season of rest. The more persist- ent specimens seem to have been the gravid females. And this peculiarity attending the day habit of these species I have only observed with their first appearance in the spring. A. maculipennis is the most common in breeding district of the Susquehanna River, where it was found in such abundance that the people living in certain localities were obliged to kill numbers every evening before retiring. In small sleeping rooms in some dwellings gravid females, in some instances of unusual size, even without charge of ova and blood, were taken from rooms where the blood was often extracted from small children. Mosquitoes and malaria in this, like other localities, even these days of better knowledge, is still tolera- ted. From summer cottages on the banks of the Susquehanna I have known whole families to return home with malarial fever, and numerous individual cases whose infection was re- ceived from a visit along the river. ee ee ae LF a eae ee Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 281 The periodic visits in houses some distance away from the canal bed was a peculiarity observed in this species ; these were more prevalent for a few days or a week, and more particularly so on some days just before rain, when they seemed more active in their efforts in trying to get into the houses. Their hibernating as well as abode during activity was found in old shops, pig stables, spring houses, barns, etc. In the breeding and hibernating place reproduction (see PI. IX), we find A. punctipennis the most common species of the Anopheles, which I have found breeding in rain barrels. From observations in neglected yards I infer that these forms breed more in such places than is generally admitted. In the yard illustrated they were found in rain barrels and began to breed in July, lasting until the end of September, being most prolific during the month of August, e. g. in 1904, the highest number in a single barrel was four generations, aggregating upwards of 200 A. punctipennis larvee. ‘The egg deposits have been from six to fifty and upward of sixty. THE NATURAL ENEMY. The dragonflies I have noticed as one of the most import- ant factors in the destruction of mosquitoes in rural districts, but not in cities. I have found several species of mites on the Anopheles mentioned, as well as Chelanops sanbornt and other pseudoscorpions. In the larve the protozoa were of much annoyance in the rain barrel generations, some of them being literally covered with Vorticella so that their movements were much checked. They were most numerous on the first three abdominal segments where they were out of reach from the larva’s mouth brushes, and it required quite an effort for the larvee to keep them from occluding the air tube. The beauti- ful flower-like clusters of Vorticella are not the only infusor- ians, since numbers of Parvamecia and other animalcules were constantly hovering around them, and even at their mouth with safety, when particles of dust, etc., were eaten with dis- patch by the larvee. One of the most important points in control work on mos- quitoes is to distinguish between the various species of larve, 282 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 which are the principal factors with which the sanitarian has to deal. Since the young larvee of Anopheles and that of Culex territans resemble one another in general appearance, and both possess the same food habit and remain at the surface of the water up to the 4th or 5th day, we may briefly compare the two forms, for it is not within the limits of these notes to give an account of the interesting life history of C. ferritans, which has not been treated completely. The egg laying process of C. ferritans is somewhat similar to that of C. Azpzens, the mass is built on the same geometrical plan, but the eggs are smaller and the process of color trans- formations are different. The mass usually contains about 150 eggs, and are of a canary-yellow color when deposited; the usual color changes taking place in about 10 hours when they may be found changed to a polished black color. The egg state in May and early part of June is about 38 hours. The young larvee when first hatched differ from those of C. pipiens in many respects. Up to about 4 or 5 days old they are of a brown color. The thorax is of a pale or whitish color ante- riorly, while the posterior part is brown. The first 3 abdom- inal segments are of a brown color, but the 4th abdominal seg- ment is colorless, and the 5th, 6th and 7th are dark brown. The general shape is more slender than that of C. pipiens of the same age, which renders it a different picture from the latter when seen on the water. It seems more pointed towards the end or wedge shaped like that of A. punctipennis of same age, when seen with the naked eye. It requires close obser- vation to recognize the difference from the latter since they are often found of about the same color and both spotted black and white. In 4. punctipennis the 3rd abdominal segment is white; in C. territans the 4th segment is white at the same age. The larvee of C. ¢erritans at this period of its life seems to lie hori- zontally at the surface of the water like Azopheles, but virtu- ally it is below the surface, generally to the depth of the length of its breathing tube. Like the larve of A. punctipennis those of C. ferritans, when disturbed, will remain on the surface of the water, dart away in different directions in short jerky interruptions of move- ‘ — a — Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 283 ment. The larve of C. pipiens when disturbed will immedi- ately take a drop downward in the water and often a whole gregation will descend in the unison of a single larva upon the slightest disturbance. In my observation on the first generation of C. ferrifans lar- vee I was surprised on morning of the sixth day of the larva on seeing apparently no larve in the vessel. They now changed their habit of remaining on the surface of the water and descended when the vessel was touched, but did not stay down as long as other allied species, and on the whole fed more at the surface than at the bottom. The wide difference psychologically removes C. ¢erritans from the fzpiens group, and is an example of physical expression or actions, etc., in animal life corresponding with anatomical structure. One of the most marked differences is found in the tracheal system. In the larvee of the stage above mentioned we find very little more in the development. than is present in 4. punctipennis larve at the same stage of life. The main tube of the respira- tory system does not contain any dilatation and is of uniform calibre from its opening at the apex of the air tube to its rami- fications in the thorax. ‘The system is constructed so widely different from that of C. pipiens in the same stage that they may be termed incomparable, but are similar to Anopheles. The transformations in the life history of C. ferritans are made with more dispatch than in some other forms, whole genera- tions will pupate inside of 24 hours, and one of the most inter- esting actions is the quick moulting process; when they have arrived at that period they may be scared out of their skin upon the least provocation. If one of these larve is picked up with a pipette it may come out a pupe, so quick is their transformation. The life cycle of this species occupies gener- ally about 16 days, more or less, according to conditions. Breeding is continuous. Winter is probably passed, as adults which make their appearance the latter part of May. I HAveE had occasion to look into the validity of Thecla edwardsti Saunders as a species, which stands in our lists. I have been unable to find any good reason to separate it from calanus Hubn. I will be pleased to have specimens of what is called edwardsii and gladly cor- respond with anyone interested in the subject——HENry SKINNER, 284 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 Some Utah Orthoptera. By James A. G, REHN. The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences having received a small but very interesting collection of Orthoptera, col- lected by one of its expeditions into southwestern Utah, turned the material over to the author fot study. The localities repre- sented are all in Iron, Beaver and Piute Counties, except a few specimens from Salt Lake City, and as the region has been little visited the records are of considerable interest and value. A new species of the genus Platybothrus, was collected and is described herein. Acrydium incurvatum (Hancock). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. These specimens are perfectly typical of this form, which has been recorded from Washington, New Mexico and Colorado. Cordillacris affinis Morse. Buckskin Valley, Iron County; Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. One specimen has the longitudinal bar on the caudal femora as present in C. occipitalis in addition to the transverse blotches, Platybothrus alticola n. sp. Type-—é; Beaver Range Mountains, 8,000-10,000 feet, Beaver and Piute Counties, Utah. [Brooklyn Inst. Arts and Sciences. | Differing from P. brunneus (Thomas) in the considerably smaller size, the slightly more angulate fastigium, the more inflated tegmina and more robust caudal femora. From P. sordidus (McNeill) it differs in the tegmina being hardly shorter than the tip of the abdomen, in the pronotum being divided about in the middle and in the smaller size. Size small; form robust. Head with the occiput moderately inflated, the vertex gently declivent to the fastigium, which, when viewed dorsad, is rectangulate with the margins very slightly concave; foveole strongly oblong, nearly three times as long as the greatest width, strongly impressed; face slightly retreating, arcuate; frontal costa Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 285 broad, slightly narrowing dorsad, failing to reach the clypeal sulcus by a considerable distance, biseriate and irregularly punctate, not sulcate; eye but little longer than broad, in length very slightly greater than the infra-ocular sulcus; antenne in length somewhat greater than the length of the head and pronotum together, depressed, blunt. Pronotum slightly longer than the head, carinz distinct, the lateral subparallel to the first transverse sulcus, slightly and regularly expanding to the caudal margin; cephalic and caudal margins broadly obtuse-angulate, that of the caudal margin more marked than of the cephalic, principal trans- verse sulcus cutting the median carina about in the middle; lateral © lobes regularly but not greatly narrowed ventrad, the ventral width contained about once and a half in the depth. Interspace between the mesosternal lobes nearly twice as broad as long; interspace between the metasternal lobes cuneiform. Tegmina reaching to the tips of the cerci, inflated the broad costal field extending practically to the apex, which is narrowly rounded and nearer the sutural than the costal margin; anal field with its margin gently arcuate. Wings considerably shorter than the tegmina. Cephalic and median limbs not inflated. Caudal femora slightly longer than the tegmina, the greatest width contained about three and a half times in the length; caudal tibiz with thirteen spines on the external margin. General color ecru drab marked with seal brown. Head with a line ventrad of the foveolz, the infra-ocular sulcus and a line behind the eyes seal brown, while the dorsal aspect of the head is broccoli brown; antennz drab except proximad where the general color is present. Pronotum with the maculations on the lateral lobes usually found in this genus seal brown, with a general tone of broccoli brown dorsad, marked mesad of the lateral lobes with clove brown, which fades toward the median carina. Tegmina wood brown with a number of irregularly placed faint maculations. Abdomen marked with clove brown as usual in the genus. Caudal femur with three oblique fasciz on the dorsal half of the lateral face, seal brown in color, a cloud of the same color is present at the base of the ventral section of the genicular lobes and the genicular arches are clove brown; caudal tibie vermilion, pale proximad and distad, spines black in their apical half. : MEASUREMENT. INT AD GME ie oa ns os os cplee ae uae ace 14.5 mm. SME LL OT OMOUINE 95 62s Sn ao odd bld lic dia 3 mm, PEE OP. CORUM osc o)5' i's one oo 0 ound emeace 8.5 mm. Length of caudal femur |.........00eu 00. fees 9.6 mm. A paratypic male has also been examined. Stirapleura decussata Scudder. South Creek, Beaver County; Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. 286 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [Oct., ’06 This species presents a great amount of color variation, some individuals being quite dull and unicolor, except for the markings on the tegmina and limbs, while others have the head and pronotum strikingly marked with dark brown. Stirapleura delicatula (Scudder). Buckskin Valley, Iron County; Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. These fully agree with a Kansas specimen. Aulocara elliotti (Thomas). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Arphia canora Rehn. Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. This specimen has the fastigium slightly thicker than in typical canora, while the general size is slightly less, but other- wise it is inseparable. Arphia teporata Scudder. Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. The specimens examined possess red wings and agree fairly well with representatives from Otero County, New Mexico. Chortophaga viridifasciata (De Geer). Buckskin Valley, Iron County. Camnula pellucida (Scudder). Beaver Canyon and Beaver Valley, Beaver County; Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Hippiscus corallipes (Haldeman). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County; South Creek, Beaver County. Specimens with the disk of the wings both red and greenish- yellow have been examined. Hippiscus neglectus (Thomas). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County ; South Creek, Beaver County. : Considerable variation is noticed in this species, some indi- viduals being decidedly blackish, others have the arcuate band Oct., °06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 287 of the wings faint and one has the caudal margin of the pronotum distinctly marked with pale buff, which strongly con- trasts with the blackish-brown of the pronotum. Hippiscus calthulus (Saussure). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. These specimens (¢ and @) do not wholly agree with Saussure’s description, but are no doubt nearer this species than H. lateritius (Saussure), which has the internal face of the caudal femora unicolor instead of fasciate and the metazona transversely plicato-rugose cephalad. The wings in the speci- mens examined are red. Dissosteira spurcata Saussure. Salt Lake City. Three males and one female of this species constitute the first record outside of California and Oregon. Derotmema cupidineum Scudder. Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Derotmema rileyanum Saussure. South Creek, Beaver County. A specimen from Salt Lake City is also doubtfully assigned to this species. Trimerotropis ierruginea McNeill. Beaver Creek Hills and Beaver Canyon, Beaver County. One specimen of this species is quite hoary, but is otherwise inseparable from a normal dull ferruginous male from the same iocality. Trimerotropis laticincta Saussure. Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. This species has been recorded from Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Nebraska. Trimerotropis strenua McNeill. Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County; Salt Lake City. Trimerotropis vincinculata Scudder. Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Trimerotropis cyaneipennis Bruner. South Creek, Beaver County. 288 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 Circotettix carlinianus (Thomas). Beaver Valley, Beaver County. Circotettix suffusus (Scudder). Beaver Canyon, Beaver County. Circotettix undulatus (Thomas). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Heliastus aridus (Bruner). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County; South Creek, Beaver County; St. George, Washington County. Schistocerca venusta Scudder. Beaver Canyon, Beaver County. Melanoplus cinereus Scudder. Salt Lake City. Melanoplus atlanis (Riley). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Melanoplus femur-rubrum (De Geer). Beaver Canyon, Beaver County. Melanoplus packardii Scudder. Salt Lake City; Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County; Beaver Range Mountains, 8,000-10,000 feet. The single female from Salt Lake City is considerably tsb than the two males from southwestern Utah, and slightly larger than the Beaver Range Mountains female. Melanoplus bivittatus (Say). Beaver Valley. Scudderia furcata Brunner. Beaver City, Beaver County. Anabrus simplex Haldeman. Wildcat Valley, Beaver County. Steiroxys pallidipalpus (Thomas). Beaver Canyon, Beaver County. (canthus niveus (De Geer). Beaver Creek Hills, Beaver County. Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 289 A New Limacodid. By Joun A. GROSSBECK. Deine spadicis n. sp. 6.—Expanse, 22 mm.—Head and thorax bright cinnamon-brown; abdomen buff, reddish at the apex of the segments. Primaries light cinnamon-brown, the outer half somewhat paler; fringe partially dark like basal half. A narrow sinuous white line begins one-third from the base a little below cubitus and extends inwardly obliquely to the inner margin, but does not cross the fringe. A few white scales forming an indistinct broken line on the outer fourth of the wing can also be made out; this begins at the costa and extends but a short distance into the wing. Secondaries uniformly concolorous with the outer portion of the primaries. Beneath both wings are reddish buff, darker on the costal area. Habitat:—Minnehaha, Ariz., August 26. One specimen in good condition from Mr. Hutson. Type:—Col. J. A. Grossbeck. . This is the only western species of the genus so far known. It is a close ally to subdentosa Dyar, but in that species the transverse band is upright and sharply angulate. Pyrgus centauree Ramb. Occasionally, a particular insect is brought to the notice of entomologists in “Notes and News,” or otherwise by a record of a capture, a new locality, or by an unusually late or early appearance, and though some of us have had experiences with the same insect we rarely bring out our own observations until we see that some one else has begun. Then not infrequently a general interest is aroused and the notes resulting form a really valuable contribution to our knowledge of the species. I saw Dr. Skinner’s note on the above species in the June, 1905, number of the “News,” and that by Mr. Cook in the March, 1906, issue, and I thought perhaps a note of mine might not be devoid of interest since it appears that the species is usually taken in single examples only or in threes or fours at most. I have collected on the Garret Mountain, at Paterson, N. J, every spring for the past five years, and find centaureae on the wing sparingly about April 25; in the first days of May it is fairly abundant and is then in a very fresh condition. I have taken a dozen in a walk of a few hours and have seen 290 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 others, when the species was not the special object of my search. May 14 is the date of my latest capture, but the speci- mens at this time are very worn, for their period of flight is short. They are found almost always in open spaces sur- rounded by trees, where the sun shines hottest, skipping around the bluets (Houstonia caerulea), which often carpet the ground in these places. They are very wary and most easily lost sight of on account of their manner of flight and their sombre color. To go after these insects on a cloudy day would be quite useless, for they seem to prefer nooks where scarcely a breeze blows, and disappear among the grass even while the sun is obscured by a passing cloud. Macrosiphum granaria Buckton. By C. E. SAnzorn. Winged viviparous female. Head yellowish green; antenne; first and second segments also base of third concolorous, remainder black. Length of segments, 1, 0.13 mm.; 2, 0.08 mm.; 3, 0.56 mm.: 4, 0.48 mm.; 5, 0.39 mm.; 6, 0.11 mm.; 7,0.67 mm. Total length 2.49 mm. The sixth segment extends to the caudal end of the style. Sensoria circular, seven to ten on the third, nearly in a straight row, none on the fourth, the usual distal one on the fifth, and a group of seven or eight small ones at the distal end of the sixth segment. Eyes dark red, occular tubercles prominent, ocelli prominent. Beak, first segment concolorous, second and third dark, 0.58 mm. long, extending to the meta-coxe. Prothorax yellowish green. Thoracic lobes dark, insertions yel- lowish; wings deflexed and normal, veins brownish, stigma smoky gray, 0.83 mm, long by 0.15 mm. broad. Total wing expansion 7.3 mm. Femora yellowish green proximally, and dark distally. Tibia yellowish green except distals, which are dark. Tarsi black. Abdomen glabrous, yellowish green. Honey tubes cylindrical, black, strongly reticulated, 0.41 mm. long, extending a little caudad the base of the style. Latter yellowish green, halbert shaped, with a few setaceous hairs, 0.33 mm. long. This form was found colonizing the leaves and stalks of oats June 3, 1904, at College Station, Texas. What is apparently the same species was sent from the Naturhistorisches Museum zu Hamburg, by Dr. L. Rep, col- lected February 10, 1904, on oats, at Boernsen, Germany, Oct. , ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 291 On the parasites of Diaspis pentagona. By L. O. Howarp, Washington, D. C. Diaspis pentagona has long been a resident of the District of Columbia, surely since 1892, when it was discovered on the grounds of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (Insect Life, vi, 287). Its prevalence in Italy upon the mulberry tree ren- ders it a very dangerous enemy of the silk industry in that country, and Italian entomologists, notably the late Professor Targioni Tozzetti and Professor Antonio Berlese, have long sought means of eradicating it. In the absence of records of parasitism it was not at first thought to be at all feasible to utilize its natural enemies. In the summer of 1905, however, Professor Berlese urged the writer, in Florence, to send to Italy branches of trees infested by the Diaspis from America in the hope that parasites might be reared. Curiously enough, this scale does not seem to attack mulberry in the United States, and on the grounds of the Department of Agriculture there existed; until within a short time, a peach tree literally covered with the scale, within a hundred yards of mulberry trees which did not become infested. In the spring of 1906, during the writer’s absence on a second trip to Europe, Mr. Marlatt secured a number of branches of lilac from the District of Columbia all abundantly infested by the scale, and sent them, carefully packed, to Professor Berlese. From these scales were bred in Florence three species of parasites: the first, Tetra- stichus canadensis Ashmead; the second, Prospalta murtfeldtiu Howard, and the third, a new species of Prospalta. On the writer’s return to Washington at the end of May other branches were taken from the same tree, and rearing experi- ments were begun here. More than 200 specimens of the new species of Prospalta have been reared, 25 to 50 specimens of Ablerus clistocampae Ashmead, and two specimens of Peris- sopterus pulchellus Howard. We have, then, four species of primary parasites of Diaspis pentagona to place on record, as follows: (1) Prospalta berlesei n. sp. One specimen reared in Flor- ence by Professor Antonio Berlese from scales sent from Wash- 292 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 ington, and more than 200 specimens reared at Washington from June 20 to July 5, from scales taken from the same tree. (2) Ablerus clisiocampae Ashmead. Originally supposed to have been reared from the eggs of Clisiocampa, but, with little doubt, in reality reared from some Diaspine scale covered by Clisiocampa egg-mass. Subsequently reared from Chionaspis furfurus, in the District of Columbia, and from Aspidiotus forbesi on pear and apple, from Champaign, IIl., the latter rearing by Mr. W. G. Johnson. (3) Perissopterus pulchellus Howard. Originally reared from a Lecaniodtaspis on linden in the District of Columbia in 1879; later from a Lecaniodiaspis from East Atchison, Mo.; from Chionaspis pintfoliae from Providence, R. I. and from Aspidiotus forbesi on currant at Champaign, IIl., the latter rearing having been made by Mr. W. G. Johnson; now reared in two specimens from Diaspis pentagona at Washington. (4) Prospalta muritfeldtii Howard. Originally reared from Aspidiotus uvae by Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt at Kirkwood, Mo., in 1888; later from Aspidiotus forbesi on cherry and currant by Mr. W. G. Johnson at Champaign, IIl., and now reared by © Professor Antonio Berlese from Diaspis pentagona at Florence, Italy, received from Washington, D. C. (5) There is also one, presumably hyperparasitic, reared by Professor Berlese at Florence from Diaspis pentagona received from Washington, D. C. This is Tetrastichus canadensis Ash- mead. It now only remains to describe the new Prospalta, remarking upon the strange fact that this presumably American species should have first been reared by Professor Berlese in Florence. Prospalta berlesei n. sp. Female.—Length, 0.73 mm.; expanse, 1.47 mm; greatest width of fore- wing, 0.19 mm. Comes close to P. aurantii. Joint one of funicle about as long as pedicel, but slightly narrower; joint two rather shorter than joint one; joint three longer than joint one, and a little broader; club joints subequal in length, and each about as long as joint three of funicle; the basal joint very slightly wider than joint three of funicle, and the terminal joint tapering from near base to its pointed tip. In general effect the flagellum is longer and more filiform than in P. auran- tit, Surface of thorax smooth. General color, a bright straw-yellow; Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 293 ocelli coral-red, eyes black; mesoscutellar parapsides black; abdomen fuscous, with narrow, light yellow bands between the segments; meta- notum fuscous; antennz light yellow-brown; legs yellowish; wings hya- line, with a very slight dusky shade on disc; veins yellowish; forewings Y 3g ae hg Q x? as with P. aurantii, but proportionately slightly longer and broader; disc densely, uniformly covered with very short cilia; marginal cilia of both wings as with P. aurantii. — Male.—Unknown. Described from many specimens reared from Diaspis penta- gona, Washington, D. C., June, 1906. . Type No. 9942, U. S. National Museum. or _ AppiTionAL Species or Minnesota Driptera.—Since the printing of the Tenth Annual Report of the Minnesota Entomologist, in December, 1905, about 75 additional species of Diptera, captured in.that State, have been named, representing the following families: Agromyzide, Anthomyide, Bibionide, Cecidomyide, Chiromonide, Culicidz, Dolichopodide, Drosophilide, Empide, Ephydridz, Geomy- zide, Helomyzide, Leptide, Lonchopteride, Muscidz, Mycetophilide, Ortalide, Oscinide, Pipunculide, Psilide, Sapromyzide, Scatophagide, Sciomyzidz, Sepside, Simuliide, Syrphide, Tachinide, Trypetidz. These species have been listed, and a copy of the list mailed to each Station Entomologist and others known to be interested. Any one failing to receive a copy, and desiring one, can obtain it by writing to Mr. F. L. Washburn, Experiment Station, St. Anthony Park, Minn. 294 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 Glossina palpalis wellmani: a new Tse-Tse Fly which disseminates human trypanosomiasis. By F. C. WELLMAN. Published under the imprimatur of the Amer. Soc. Tropical Medicine. (Plate XII) INTRODUCTION. When in London last year I was asked by the Dipterologist of the British Museum, Mr. E. E. Austen, to see if I could establish the presence of Tse-tse flies in southern Angola, from whence no specimens had up to that time been received. On arriving at Benguella I accordingly made a short journey up the Katumbela River for this purpose, and succeeded in taking a number of specimens of a fly, some of which I sent to Mr. Austen for determination. I then supposed from my amateur examination of the flies that they were Gl. palpalis Rob.-Des., as I knew that this fly is the principal Tse-tse fly of the west coast,* although I had received some specimens of what I believed to be Gl. morsitans from the interior to the east.t I have since received a letter from Mr. Austen, however, con- cerning them, in which he writes as follows: “The present specimens show that the form of Glossina palpalis found in Benguella represents a new subspecies, distinct from the typical form. I have therefore named it in your honor—Glossina pal- palis wellmani.” Although Mr. Austen’s systematic descrip- tion of the fly} is available, yet in view of the probable future importance of the animal to medical men practicing in south- west Africa, I have thought it worth while to in these columns call further attention to this new subspecies. Glossina palpalis wellmani Austen (1905), Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist, ser. — 7, vol. xv, April, 1905, p. 390. 6, 2.—Frontal stripe pale ochraceous; thoracic markings much re- duced, so that the thorax in a well-preserved specimen appears spotted, the antero-lateral markings taking the form of spots or blotches; the *Vide Austen, A Monograph of the Tse-tse Flies, 1903, p. 75. +Vide New York Medical Journal, August 12, 1905, p. 329. This collection was accidentally destroyed but I have sent to the same district for more. tAnnals and Magazine of National History, Ser. 7, Vol. xv, April, 1905, P. 390. 5 MA Se ee Oct., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 295 spot immediately behind the inner extremity of the humeral callus on each side small, ovoid, or nearly circular, and especially conspicuous when the insect is viewed from above and slightly from behind; femora pale, the dark blotches much reduced. A & _ Glossina wellmant. Katumbela River, Angola, W. Africa; November, 1904 (Dr. F. C. Wellman). Six specimens (1 8, 5 2). Types in British Museum. Remarks. In the paper containing his description just quoted Mr. Austen says, “The British Museum possess two females of G/. palpalis from the Gambia (Dr. J. E. Dutton) belonging to a form somewhat similar to wellmani; in the Gambian form, however, the ground-color of the abdomen is paler and the thorax is less conspicuously spotted.” 296 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., 06 HABITAT. My specimens were taken in a small district lying along both banks of the lower stretches of the Katumbela River, which empties into the sea near the port of Benguella, Portu- guese West Africa. Mr. Austen writes,* “The above speci- mens are of especial interest as being the first recorded ex- amples of any form cf Gl. palpalis from Portuguese West Africa, and as showing that the range of the species in ques- tion, which has recently been stated by Laverant to occur at Sengaleam (about thirty miles from Cape Verde), extends at least as far south as 12° 30’ S. lat. In all probability Glos- sina palpalis wellmani will eventually be proved to exist right down to the Cunene River, the southern border of Angola, if not further.” Mr. Austen also wrote me suggesting that I try to establish the southern limit of the new fly. I have accord- ingly kept a sharp lookout for it and have made further in- quiries concerning it with the meager result that I have received a single badly-damaged specimen of a Tse-tse fly purporting to come from the lower Kukema River, a couple of hundred miles to the east of the place where I found the subspecies under discussion, and a native report to the effect that a “fly belt” is. known to exist on the upper Coanza still further inland. In view of Mr. Austen’s belief that Gl. palpalis wellmant extends to the Cunene River I have visited the upper Cunene but failed to find any Tse-tse flies, and now, in accordance with his suggestion, written me when the flies were first discovered, I hope to, before long, visit the lower river with this object in view.{ At least one species of Tse-tse is common in north- ern Angola and along the lower Coanza. This may very pos- sibly be wellmani. The distribution of the species palpalis (with its subspecies and varieties) is now known to extend practically from Cape Verde to Damara Land.§ aH *Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. loc. cit. i “open Rendus des séances de l’ Academie des Sciences, t. cxxxix, ak A I i te a ee E Mr. Ralstone, of the Benguella Railroad, has recently informed me that a Tse-tse fly i is found lower down on the Cunene River. This is very probably Gi. palpalis wellmani. 2 Austen, Reports of the Sleeping Sickness Commission of the Royal Society, No. vi, August, 1905, pp. 279-80. Oct., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 297 e | NOTE ON BIONOMICS. I can offer no extensive contribution to our knowledge of the habits of the subspecies. I present here a few special notes made at the time of collecting. “Although the district in which the flies were taken contains some game, including eland (Oreas canna livingstonet), kudu (Strepsiceros kudu), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), the duyker (Cephalolophus grimmi) and Speke’s tragelaph (Limnotragus speket), yet I believe that human blood forms the greater part of their food. This is undoubtedly true over at least a part of the ‘belt.’ Along _the right bank of the lower Katumbela from a place called Esupua to a point half a day’s march up the river there lies the great Benguella caravan route near which there is little or no big game and over which constantly pass great caravans of half-naked Bantu rubber, slave and ivory traders. At Esupua one may see half a dozen of these large caravans camping in one place. It is here that the flies are most plentiful. They hide in the tall grass and sedges near the river, also on stones, trunks of trees and vines, and among the leaves of the low trees on the bank. When a native is sent to the river for water the flies rise from their resting places as he passes and follow him seeking for an opportunity to bite. On several different occasions I followed natives going to the river to fetch water. One of these was bitten twice, three were bitten once each, and seven were not bitten at all. The Bantus say the bite is pain- ful, and I noticed that if a fly settled on a porter’s back the man always slapped himself as it began to insert its probosces. Some of the specimens I took had abdomens greatly distended with blood. The flies do not always remain so close to the river. The first one I saw was between three and four hundred yards from the river in thin ‘desert’ bush, consisting of Acacia reficiens and other thorny shrubs which afford practically no shade. I do not believe Gl. palpalis wellmani shares the dislike for human ordure which has been ascribed to its congeners. I have frequently seen it in and around the filthiest native camps at some distance from the river where it had evidently gone for the purpose of sucking human blood. I have made no observa- tions on the life history. I dissected an incomplete larva out 298 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 of the abdomen of a female. It was, I judge, rather more than 2.0 mm. long and of a light dirty yellow color. I have sent to Esupua to procure if possible some living flies and also some in alcohol so as to be able to send Mr. Austen a series of larve. The pupa I have not seen.” THE NEW FLY AND TRYPANOSOMIASIS. I have lately seen three cases of human trypanosomiasis, all of whom had been frequently in the “fly belt” at Esupua. About 500 blood examinations were made, so that about three Fig. 1..—T7r. ? gambiense Dutton. out of every 500 natives living in the districts adjacent to the Esupua “fly belt” harbor trypanosomes in their blood. The try- panosome found seems to be morphologically identical with Tr. gambiense Dutton. The shape of the posterior end, the ar- rangement of the controsome, nucleus and flagellum, as well as the “set” of the organism on the slide, correspond with the same points in Tr. gambiense. The protoplasm stains some- what irregularly with Romanowsky, taking on a basophilic reaction. The centrosome stains a dark purple, and the flagel- lum, which stains pink, seems to rise from or near it. The nucleus lies near the middle of the body and often occupies more than two-thirds the width of the parasite. It is oval in shape and stains red like other chromatin material. Following are measurements of a stained specimen of the parasite: Bengthe 3. bse i ich es) ete Late ae (about) 24 Greatest width. . .. 5 s:«i0--s iso snisisie ae 3.5 Distance of centrosome from posterior end..... 2 Length of free flagellum, ...........0% (about) 9 Largest diameter of nucleus... :.. 07. ae ee 4 Oct., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 299 I have described and figured this parasite in another com- munication to which I refer the reader.* While sleeping sick- ness does not seem to be endemic as yet in the districts adja- cent to the Esupua “fly belt,”+ yet it is endemic in many situa- tions in Angola from the north bank of the Coanza River clear to the Congo. As the country is being opened up it is inevi- table that cases will from time to time be brought from the northern sleeping sickness centers to districts in the south, since many firms have trading posts and the Government has | forts in both districts between which native soldiers and laborers are constantly being transferred. More forts are con- stantly being planted and trading posts established. The Umbundo-speaking Bantus, who number about 200,000, live to the east of the belt infested by the fly, and most of the males of these tribes are porters and rubber traders and constantly pass through the Esupua “fly belt,” through which such occasional cases of trypanosomiasis} from Malange, Cazengo, Ambaca, Dondo and other points in the sleeping sickness districts north of the Coanza, to which I have above referred, are carried by. the activities just mentioned. Thus, the flies have and will have more and more favorable opportunities to become infected and to infect the Umbundos among whom I have recently demonstrated the occasional presence of trypanosomiasis. I! believe for several reasons that this presence of trypanosomiasis among the natives of south Angola is a recent development. Some of these reasons are: (1) Two years ago I examined a series of nearly 400 of these natives with a negative result. (2) Recently about 500 examined by me revealed three infected individuals in practically the same district. (3) No cases of sleeping sickness originating in the dis- trict have yet been seen. | *Interim Report on Trypanosomiasis in Portuguese Southwest Africa. {Vide Wellman, Notes from Angola (Note X, Jour. Trop. Med., November 15, 1905, p. 327.. tAs sleeping sickness cases are occasionally transported, those in the earlier stages of trypanosomiasis are undoubtedly also brought south. {Vide Jour. Trop. Med., February 15, 1904, p. 53. 300 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 (4) Sleeping sickness is reported to be spreading southward through Angola. In view of the considerations brought forward under this head, we need not be surprised (if we remember the history of the spread of scourges of Uganda and the Congo) if Gi. palpalis wellmani play in the near future a leading réle in West African Medical History. RELATION OF GL. PALPALIS WELLMANI TO OTHER TSE-TSE FLIES. The Tse-flies are known from other members of the same family by the palpi forming a complete sheath for the proboscis, by the peculiar antenne with branched hairs on the upper surface only of the arista, by the character- istic wing venation, by the wings closing over one another like scis- sors, by the grooved wing mem- brane and by the peculiar hypopy- gium of the ¢. Following are brief Fig, 2.—Proboscls ald pail aaa notes on the known species with an oo welled Sepia some special remarks on the par- ticular species to which belongs the fly we have been discussing. Genus GLOSSINA Wiedemann. (1) Glossina tachinoides Westwood.—Described in 1850. Carries Trypanosoma brucei of nagana, the Tse-tse fly disease of game and domestic animals in Africa. Hind tarsi dark; abdomen buff with dark transverse bands, oblong pale area in center of second segment. Small species. Length 8 mm. (2) Gl. palpalis, Robineau-Desvoidy.—Described in 1830. Carries Tr. gambiense, the parasite of human trypanosomiasis, which is considered to be the chief factor in sleeping sickness, and also Tr. brucet. Abdomen brown with triangular pale area in center of second segment. Darker than preceding and a larger species. Third joint of antenne dark. Length 8-9 mm. It is a variable species and under it falls the di scngps above considered : Ent. News, Vou. XVII. FE ELL. FIG. 1. HAEMATOPOTA. FIG. 2. GLOSSINA. FIG. 3. STOMOXYS. FIG. 4. RIGHT ANTENNA GL. WELLMANI. FIG. 5. WING OF GL. WELLMANI. FIRST THREE FIGURES SHOW RESTING POSITION OF SOME BLOOD™SUCKING FLIES. a Oct., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 301 Gl. palpalis wellmani Austen—Described in 1905. Differs from type by having the frontal stripe pale ochraceous ; thoracic markings much reduced, presenting a spotted appearance; spot behind humeral callus small, avoid or nearly circular; femora pale, the dark blotches much reduced. There is also an unnamed variety which was at first desig- nated Gl. palpalis var. tachinoides Westw., and was thought to represent a fly which, when true specimens were obtained, was recognized by Mr. Austen to be of specific rank (GI. tachinoides Westw. [vide supra]), the variation from Gl. palpalis remain- ing unnamed at last accounts received here, and I therefore set it down for the purposes of this paper as Gl. palpalis var. a.—It is distinguished from Gl. palpalis principally by its pale femora and a yellow median stripe on the abdomen.* There is also another variation from the typical Gl. palpalis which may be differentiated as follows: Gl. palpalis var. b.—Femora still paler than foregoing ; palpi pale except at tips; abdomen reddish brown with the pale area on second segment oblong.+ (3) Gl. pallicera Bigot—Described in 1891. Color brown to mouse grey. Resembles Gl. palpalis except that third joint of antenne is pale (orange buff). Length.8 mm. (4) Gl. pallidipes Austen.—Described in 1903. Carries Tr. brucei. Mouse brown with longitudinal markings. Front and middle tarsi generally tipped with pale brown or yellow. Large species. Length about 11 mm. (5) Gl. longipalpts Wiedemann.—Described in 1830. Dif- fers from preceding in having black tips to last two joints of front and mid tarsi. Thorax olive grey; head broad; hypopy- gium in ¢@ smaller, darker and more hairy than in foregoing species. Length 9-11 mm. (6) Gl. morsitans Westwood.—Described in 1850. Carries Tr. brucet. Smaller and head narrower; hypopygium of ¢ also — larger and paler than in foreging. Thorax pale in front with brownish longitudinal markings. Eyes in both ¢ and @ con- verge towards vertex. Tips of last two joints of tarsi dark, Resembles Gl. pallidipes. Length 7-9 mm. * Brit, Med. Jour., loc. cit, tIbid, 302) ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 (7) Gl. longipennis Corti.—Described in 1895. Carries Tr. brucei and probably another trypanosome of camels and mules, Brownish; dorsum of thorax with four sharp, dark oval spots in form of parallelogram, two in front and two behind trans- verse suture. Bulb of proboscis brown at tip. Large species. Length 10-11 mm. (8) Gl. fusca Walker.—Described in 1849. Thorax drab. No spots on dorsum of thorax as in preceding; bulb at base of proboscis not brown at tip (pale yellow); abdomen russet brown. Large pale species. Length 11-12 mm. In conclusion, I wish to thank Mr. Austen, the well-known authority on Tse-tse flies, who kindly examined and described my collections and suggested to me the study of the distribution and pathological importance of the subspecies discussed in this paper. <> —_ New species of Vespoidea from Connecticut. “By H. L. Vierecx. Tiphia waldonii n. sp. Related to floridana, from which it is readily distiagutaiee by its structure and the color of the wings. do 8 mm.—Color black. Face shining in part, largely opaque, and mostly closely punctured, the punctures adjoining and sufficiently coarse to give a rugulose appearance. The portion of the face immediately anterior to the anterior ocellus is shining and has well separated punc- tures. The vertex. is sculptured in the same way as the preceding area. The distance between the posterior ocelli is not quite as great as that between them and the nearest eye margin. The second joint of the antennz nearly as thick as the third and of the same length or a trifle shorter. Excepting the first joint, the joints of the antenne are sub- equal. Pronotum distinctly margined anteriorly. The pronotum, meso- notum and scutellum punctured in much the same way as the vertex. The postscutellum reticulate. The metanotum with two oblong areas, that are adjoining and approximately three times as long as wide at base, being a little narrower at the apex than at the base. These areas are formed by rather distinct raised lines, and the spaces themselves are somewhat shining and somewhat roughened. The first abdominal segment approximately as in foridana. The median tuberculate im- punctate at apex of first dorsal abdominal segment extending to the apical margin. The succeeding abdominal segments all punctured, the apical more closely than the basal segments. The wings are hyaline, ee Oct., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 303 cloudy shade. The stigma very dark brown, the nervure brownish testaceous. The third abscissa of the radius with the second transverse culbitus forming an obtuse angle. The tuberculate process on the first abdominal segment is apparently not normal, as in the paratype it is absent. Type locality— New Haven, Conn. One male collected by B. H. Waldon, August 16, 1904. Paratype male from North Haven, Conn., by the same col- lector, August 3, 1905. Tiphia brunneicornis n. sp. In many respects this answers the unsatisfactorily brief description of tarda (say). From the same, however, it dif- fers in having the stigma brown instead of black. Color black, face mostly shining, with close and with greater part almost adjoining punctures. do 7 mm.—The vertex polished and with the punctures quite separate. The distance between the posterior ocelli approximately a little greater than that between them and the nearest eye margin. The relation between the antennz joints practically as in waldonit. The pronotum, mesonotum and scutellum bearing the same relation to the vertex as in the preceding species. The postscutellum closely punctured, having a rugulose appearance. The enclosure on the metanotum in the form of a trapezium, forming but a single area, with the basal and apical sides parallel, the apical side being a little shorter than the basal side. The area shining and finely roughened. The wings practically as in waldonii, but the etoid abscissa of the radius forming with the second transverse cubitus a reversed figure “3.” Abdomen polished with the first and second segments sparsely, finely punctured, the punctures on each succeeding segment becoming closer and more distinct. The first abdominal segment with a median transverse groove as in waldont. Type localtty—New Haven, Conn. One male collected by H. L. Viereck, July 6, 1904. Tiphia eyregia n. sp. ¢ 6 mm.—Head and thorax approximately as in the preceding species. Wings as in waldoni. Abdomen as in brunneicornis, but there is no transverse median groove on the first abdominal segment. The mandibles almost entirely blackish. The antennz brownish beneath, and the tarsi brownish. The area of the metanotum partially bisected by a median raised line. Inclosure is nearly smooth, being finely roughened. Type locality—New Haven, Conn. 304 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 One male collected August 3, 1905, by H. L.. Viereck. Para- type male, collected at West Rock, New Haven, Conn., August 13, 1905, by the same collector. Tiphia relativa n. sp. In structure and sculpture approximately like the preceding species. The antennz entirely black and the tarsi more blackish than -brownish. The inclosure is rather coarsely rugulose with no trace of a bisecting line. In the paratype the inclosure is more or less completely bisected. The typical form has the wings colorless, excepting the nervures and the stigma. Four of the paratypes belong to a variety with brownish wings. Type locality—North Haven, August 3, 1905 (B. H. W.). The var. from E. Hartford, August 2, and Scotland. Odynerus (Ancistrocerus) waldonii n. sp. Closely related to birenimaculatus, but with ornaments white as in albophaleratus. ? 13 mm.—In most respects like birenimaculatus. The metathorax, however, different in that the ridges bordering the posterior aspect are not very transient and lacking two sharp teeth at the summit. The maculation differs as has already been pointed out. In addition to the difference in color, there is a difference in extent and pattern. For example, the scape, postscutellum and metathorax are immaculate, excepting four small dots on the postscutellum. The second dorsal abdominal segment is immaculate, except the apical margin. The clypeus has two brown dots, one a short distance on either side of the center or near the center. There is a median longitudinal brown line on the posterior fourth of the clypeus, extending to the superior margin of the clypeus. On the anterior third of the clypeus, extending to the anterior margin, there is a brown funnel-shaped mark, terminating in a brown line. There are no two lateral oblique spots on the first abdo- minal segment. The coxz are immaculate, as are the femora, except a yellow spot at apex of the anterior femora, and more or less brownish at anterior aspect of the anterior femora, and a narrow brownish margin at apex of middle and posterior femora. The tibiz on the anterior aspect and outer aspect mostly yellow, brown posteriorily and at apex. Tarsi entirely brown. Type locality—New Haven, Conn. One female taken May 15, 1903, by B. H. Waldon. Anoplius humilis Cress. Previously known only in the @ sex. The 4 differs from the @ in the usual way and in having nearly all of the basal half of the posterior aspect of the posterior tibize and the dorsal apical abdominal segments whitish. One ¢, New Haven, June 9, 1905 (B. H. Waldon). Oct., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 305 Notes on some Tortricid genera. By Aucust Busck. In his Handbook British Lepidoptera (1895) Meyrick in- cludes Clemens’ genus E-rartema in the European fauna on the mistaken supposition that it is equivalent to Lederer’s idea of Eccopsis Zeller, and continental authors (Rebei & Baron de Crombrugghe de Picquendaele) have adopted this synonomy. Meyrick defines Clemens’ genus correctly, though not ex- haustively, but the single European species included, lati- fasctana Haworth, does not answer to this description, having veins 3 and 4 in the hind wings distinctly separate, not con- nate or short-stalked as in the type and in the other American species of the genus. Moreover, the hind wings in latifasciana are narrower than the forewings instead of broader, as in Clemens’ genus, and the form of the hind wings is quite dif- ferent, termen being very oblique and nearly straight, while in the American forms it is less oblique, sinuate below apex and bulging out at veins 3, 4 and 5; and the dorsal edge is evenly rounded in /atifasciana, not sharply incised at vein as is char- acteristic of the genus Evxartema. There is, however, another European species, which is in every respect identical in structure with Exartema, namely Hartigiana Ratzeburg, and Lederer’s genus Cymolomia pre- cedes and must therefore supplant Clemens’ genus. No existing generic name seems applicable to the genus with latifasciana as type and it may be known as Loxoterma, which name thus stands for Eccopsis Lederer (non Zeller), and Exartema Meyrick (non Clemens). a—~> A new species of Eulophidae. By A. ARSENE GIRAULT. Eulophus guttiventris sp. nov. Male.—Length, 1.45-1.58 mm.; 1.54 mm., average.—Body brilliant metallic green, with the following exceptions; legs pale straw-yellow, excepting portions, or most of all of the coxa, and the dusky apical tarsal joints; antenne uniformly dusky, excepting the fulvous pedicel, 306 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., ’06 and the metallic-blue scape; mandibles fuscous; venation concolorous with the legs; ventral surface of the petiole pale; wings clear, irride- scent; eyes garnet-red; a large portion of the ventum of the basal half of abdomen, pale, forming a whitish area; face metallic-blue; tibize of the posterior legs more dusky. Head rounded, at least three times wider than long (dorsal aspect), the whole of the face concaved and mar- ginate, shagreened with sparse whitish hairs; eyes large, subreniform,. with minute hairs. Head wider than thorax. Thorax longer than head and abdomen combined, shagreened, pilose; mesothorax with a deep femoral furrow; on each side, just caudad of the insertion of the posterior wings, a conspicuous tuft of stiff hairs. Portions of the pleure and the metathorax glabrous. Abdomen ovate, broadest at caudal — fourth, pilose, the color somewhat variable in intensity. Segment two longest, twice longer than 3; 3 and 4 equal; 5, 6 and 7 equal, one-third smaller than 3; the remaining segments abruptly narrowed, the anal segment acute. Submarginal vein slightly longer than the marginal; postmarginal vein more than one-half as long as the marginal; stigmal vein distinct. Wings normal. Antenne 9-jointed, hispid, 3-branched, a branch arising from the side of the base of each of the three proximal funicle joints, the proximal branch the longest; ring-joints absent; ramifications of the antenne more hispid. Scape nearly club-shaped, thickest at its middle, nearly as long as the next three joints com- bined; pedicel globate, about one-half the length, or more, of the first funicle joint. Joint 1 of funicle cylindrical, about one-third the length of the scape and slightly over half the length of the following joint, its ramification more slender, and at least six times its own length; joint 2, the same, nearly twice the length of joint 1, inter- mediate in length between 1 and 3, its ramification slenderer than itself, and at least three times longer; funicle joint 3 twice the length of joint 1, slenderer, its ramification about equal to it in width, and at least twice its own length. Funicle joints 4 and 5 slender, equal in width to the ramification of the second funicle joint, about equal in length, both slightly shorter than the scape, and one-third longer than joint 3. Club abruptly thicker, about equal in length to joint 3 of the funicle, com- posed of two closely united and unequal joints. From three specimens. Female.—Length, 2.2 mm., average—The same; larger. Color of the ventum of the abdomen more uniform, the large whitish spot more or less indistinct; the thorax and scutellum more strongly shagreened, in fact punctate, the reticulations forming pentagons. Abdomen ovate, wider, broadest at the middle, or at the third segment; second abdo- minal segment much the longest. Scape of antenne pale, the remaining joints dusky. Antenne 9-jointed, including a single ring-joint, cylindri- cal, pilose. Scape long and cylindrical, longer than the first funicle toe ee ee ee Ne SOs Ba ee Oct, ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 307 joint, but much shorter than the pedicel, ring-joint and first funicle joints combined; pedicel cuneate, about the shortest joint, about one- ‘third the length of the first funicle joint; joint 1 of funicle the longest joint of the flagellum, nearly as long as the scape, and twice the length of joint 3 of funicle; funicle joint 2 over one-half the length of joint I of funicle, and one-half longer than the following joint; funicle joint 3 shorter, oval, slightly longer than the two distal joints of the antenne; club 3-jointed, not very distinct from the funicle, its basal joint widely separated and -truncate~cephalad and with somewhat pointed lateral angles; its two distal joints closely united, unequal in size; joint 1 of club slightly shorter than joint 3 of funicle, joint 2 of club slightly shorter than joint 1 of club, ovate; the final joint small, about equal to the pedicel. From two specimens. Described from three males and two females reared from the larve of Tischeria malifoliella Clemens, Washington, D. C., June 14-20, August 5 and 22 (Quaintance), and October 30, 1905, and Newark, Delaware, August 22, 1905 (C. P. Close), on apple foliage, in connection with the Deciduous-fruit Insect Investigations, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture. Type:—No. 9640, United States National Museum, 13,29. This species was pronounced new by Dr. William H. Ash- mead, United States National Museum, Washington, D: C., to whom the writer acknowledges his indebtedness. 40> —~ Notes on Moths. By CAROLINE GRAY SOULE. At one time there was some discussion of the cause of dif- ference in the forms of cocoons of Attacus cecropia, and some very positive statement that the baggy cocoon was always found low on the shrub or tree and in damp lowland places. Last September I found three huge cecropza larvee feeding on red-berried elder by the roadside, in a dry, sunny place. ‘They were so large that I took them, put them in a large box with twigs fastened vertically and horizontally, and the larvee spun the next day. | One made a normal, slender cocoon on a horizontal twig: another made a very baggy cocoon on a vertical twig; the third made a rather baggy one, of a green color except on one side where the normal brown predominated. ‘This cocoon was on a horizontal twig, and against the side of the box. On June oth were laid eggs of Hemileuca budleyi from moths descended from two pairs of moths received in 1903. Their egg-period was 36 days; 1st stage, 7 days; 2d stage, 5 days; 3rd stage, 8 days; 4th stage, 7 days; 5th stage, 10 days; 6th stage, 10 days; 7th stage, 16 days, making 63 days from egg to cocoon, and a sixth moult, which had not occurred in any former brood. Although ‘‘ bred in’’ for three genera- tions they were very large, fine specimens, but very slow in all their stages. One correspondent, to whom I had sent eggs, wrote that his brood left the wild cherry tree on which he had placed them, and marched eight or ten feet to a small apple tree where he found them feeding and thriving. 396 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Dec., ’06 Two 2 Samia cynthia moths mated with ¢ A. promethea, and both sets of eggs hatched. The larve throve on wild cherry, preferring it to any of the leaves which cynthia prefers to cherry—in my experience—yet there was no trace of pro- methea in their appearance. ‘Their cocoons are more like those of ‘promethea, being smaller, browner, and more slender in shape than the usual cyzthza cocoon. When a cocoon was nearly finished the larva would crawl to the upper end, seize a bunch of the loose threads, at the open end, in its mandibles, and, letting go all hold with legs and props, ‘‘ pounce down”’ violently, pulling the bunch of threadsin and down. ‘Then the larva let go the threads, which 6c remained drawn toward the back, or ‘‘stem’’-side, of the cocoon, crawled up to the top and repeated the process until all the loose threads had been gathered close to the back of the cocoon, and its mouth was closed. I have never seen any cynthia larva do this, but I have seen promethea do it. Three of the larvze spun cocoons so small that they could not turn in them, so backed out, deserted them, and tried again. Their silk gave out and they pupated without any cocoon, but not perfectly. In my experience cynthia larvee will not eat wild cherry if they can get anything else, and I have had whole broods starve rather than eat it. These hybrids preferred it to everything else, except some of Miss Eliot’s lot, which took sassafras. Ailanthus I did not have to offer them. One 2 cynthia mated 8 promethea but laid no eggs until mated with ¢ cynthia after which she oviposited abundantly. The larvze were typical cyzthia in appearance, but chose wild cherry for food and spun small, slender cocoons like promethea, Accidentally three boxes containing these larvee, just ready to spin, were put aside reversed, so that the twigs and leaves arranged for normal spinning were upside down. Each of the six larvae spun a normal cocoon, fastening the leaf-stem to the twig as if the twig were uppermost, and wrapping the leaf around the cocoon as usual. Yet the spinning had not begun when the boxes were set aside. Early in August I found hundreds of Dryocampa rubicunda Dec., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 397 larvee crawling, for pupation, on a wooded road. Of the fifty- one which I took and which pupated, thirteen gave the moths on August 22d-25th. ‘These moths mated and their eggs hatched in due time. The other pupz are alive and in good. condition, but seem to be waiting for another summer before giving the moths, a new experience to me. NAMEs OF COLEOPTERA.—In the News of last September I cited Aphanotus Lec. as a homonym of Aphanotus Lowe, but did not propose a substitute. I am indebted to Dr. D. S. Jordan for the information that Lowe’s genus was really Aphanopus, and ‘ Aphanotus,’”’ as given in the Nomenclator Zoologicus, is a mistake.—T. D. A. CoOCKERELL. REMEDY FOR Mosquitors.—A Memphis (Mo.) man has discovered a new way to get rid of mosquitoes. He says to rub alum on your face and hands. When the mosquito takes a bite it puckers his buzzer so it can’t sting. It sits down in a damp place, tries to dig the pucker loose, catches its death of cold, and dies of pneumonia.— Newspaper. Twenty-one Mitiion Butrerrires CAuGHT.—Belgrade, Sept. 8— Owing to the damage done to crops by butterflies, the Servian Minister of the Interior offered four cents for every 500 captured. Although the amount appears small, the pursuit of butterflies is profitable, as already 21,000,000 of them have been tendered for reward. The minister says it is cheap to get rid of these millions at a cost of $4,250—Newspaper. CERCERIS DESERTA Say.—New Haven, 9, June 27, 1902 (E. J. S. Moore) ; 6’, August 16, 1904 (O. H. Walden). Only the =—or RHABDOPHAGA RIGIDAE.—I am much pleased to see the excellent de- scriptions and figures of Cecidomyiide in Dr. Felt’s report for 1905, just issued. I notice on p. 122 that Rhabdophaga rigidae appears as a “new species,” on the ground that Osten Sacken knew only the gall. It may be as well to state, therefore, that in Entomologist, 1890, pp. 278-270, the gall, larva, pupa-shell and imago are briefly characterized.— T. D. A. CocKERELL. 398 Dec., 06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 399 Notes and News. ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. Dr. P. P. CALVERT secured a valuable lot of insects on his recent trip to Mexico. These are in addition to the Odonata to which he gave espe- cial attention. WE have recently had a pleasant visit from Mr. T. N, Willing of Re- gina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He is doing good work in creating an interest in entomology in his district, and is an enthusiastic collector, par- ticularly in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. HicHer Criricism.—-Ascum—‘“So you don’t believe the story of the fall of man?” Doubter—“Not altogether. I don’t believe there was any serpent, although Eve may have honestly thought so. It was probably just an apple worm which her fear magnified.” “Cyiccers.” Leprus IrrITANS AT CINCINNATI, OnIo.—Ten years ago these pests were unknown to me in this locality. Now they have become numerous and exceedingly aggressive. While at work in a thicket, June 30th, digging up an ant hill and sifting it, I secured a fine collection of them, without any effort on my part. I find a preparation called “Libradol,” made by Lloyd Bros., Cincinnati, Ohio, a very effec- tive and instant relief from the irritation, while a little carbolated vaseline quickly heals the pustule which they cause. “Here’s to the ‘chigger,’ who grows no bigger Than the point of a pin. The lump that he raises, itches like blazes, And there’s where the rub comes in!” —CHARLES Dury. PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIA-— TION OF Economic ENTOMOLOGIsTs.—The Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists will be held in New York City on Friday and Saturday, December 28 and 29, 1906. More details concerning the exact place of meeting, hotel accommodations and rail- way rates will be given at a later date. It is desired to make this meeting the best in the history of the Asso- ciation, both as to attendence and number and quality of the papers pre- sented. Reports of the Committees on Nomenclature, Testing of Proprietary Insecticides and on the National Control of Introduced Pests will be pre- sented for the consideration of the Association. If possible, a symposium will be arranged on Insect Legislation. Kindly forward at once the titles of papers you may wish to present. It is suggested that a brief abstract of each paper be sent to the Secre- tary, as this can be used by the press and will make the reports of the ‘meeting more valuable.—A. H. K1rRKLAND, President, No. 6 Beacon St., Boston, Mass.; A. F, BurGsss, Secretary, Capitol Bld., Columbus, O. 400 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Dec., ’06 UNpER the name Zurypodea fredericki Edw. A. Klages has described a remarkable beetle from Suapure, Caura Valley, Venezuela, belonging to the group Copres. The single sheet description was published by the author. <4 =or Entomological Literature. TentH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST OF MINNESOTA. —Fourth Annual Report of F. L. Washburn. The Diptera of Minne- ~ sota. This is a work of one hundred and fifty-five pages and contains two plates in color; the second plate is appropriately numbered as to the names of the species and the first is not: There are also one hundred and sixty-three line and half tone cuts, which are mostly very good. The first fourteen pages are devoted to an account of the Diptera, their economic importance and their anatomy. Then follows a synopsis, after which the body of the work is made up of an account of the families and species inhabiting Minnesota. The work will be very valuable to the people of the State who care to use it. As a popular treatise on the subject it will also be useful to the ame) entomologists who do not make a special study of the Order. A REVISION OF THE AMERICAN PapiLios.*—-By the Hon. Walter owe child, Ph.D., and Karl Jordan, Ph.D. This is a work of 333 pages, with six plates and fifty-nine janeee and covers North and South America and the adjacent islands. It shows very great reseach into the literature of the subject and we presume the nomenclatural opinions of the authors will be largely followed. There has been no attempt to divide the species into ‘‘ up-to- date’’ genera, although this is promised later. We believe the authors are unusually qualified to do this in a scientific way as they say ‘‘ classifi- cation has always suffered from the habit of systematists of studying the systematics of a district rather than concentrating their labors on certain families taking into account all the species of the globe.’? We again quote as follows: ‘‘ The most interesting general result of our researches is perhaps the demonstration of geographical variability in secondary sexual characters apart from the genitalia. The occurrence of such variability is of great bearing on systematics, since many authors con- sider secondary sexual differences to be of generic value.” It should not be forgotten that there are two sexes in insects and the student is not unlikely to have or obtain but one and a unisexual classification won't help him materially, especially in families where there is consider- able antigeny. There is much food for thought of very considerable interest in the preface. The work as a whole is excellent, and while it is quite possible to take exception to the standing accorded a number of forms, the subject is one of great difficulty and our knowledge at present too limited to speak dogmatically on the subject. Trinomials are used ? Novitates Zoologicee, xili., ‘No. 3, August, 1906. / nae, ee eee ae = Tee eer ee Eg a Te ~~ Pa a FE Ee er! oo MT ee, Dec., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 401 and varieties are divided into three categories ; the geographical, the seasonal and the individual variety. Subspecies is used in the sense of essential variety, incipient species or geographical race. It is just here that the personal equation: comes in and we are of the opinion that this work expresses fairly well the relative value of these forms, or as well as may be at the present time, with the knowledge at hand. It will probably be of interest to our readers to speak of the treatment of the species found from Mexico northward. The name ajax is dropped and our species becomes marcedlus marcellus Cram. ; marcellus floridensis Holland ; marcellus telamonides Feld. ; marcellus lecontei Rothschild and Jordan ; philenor philenor L. and philenor orsua Godman and Salvin. Machaon aliaska Scudder, does not differ in any essential way from the Asiatic specimens. We have examples from Eagle City, Alaska, and Sikhim that are identical. P. polyxenes becomes polyxenes stabilis Rothschild and Jordan ; folyxenes asterius Cram. ; polyxenes polyxenes Fab., and polyzenes brevicauda Saund. ; pergamus is given subspecific - rank. Cvesphontes is considered distinct from ¢hoas, and the latter becomes ¢hoas antocles Rothschild and Jordan. T7Zvoz/us is divided into troilus troilus L., and troilus texanus Ehrm. Glaucus becomes glaucus glaucus L. and glaucus canadensis Rothschild and Jordan.. We may mention a few cases where there is much warrant for a difference of opinion in regard to the standing of varieties. FP. glaucus might be more logically divided into three forms, the very large and dark Florida form being of equal value to the boreal. The Cuban folyaenes shows almost no difference of moment from specimens found in the United States; the latter varying to a wonderful degree. Variety curvifascia is said by the authors to occur from New Mexico, to Vera Cruz, Guatemala, and West Mexico, a topomorph covering a great extent of territory, yet it is not given subspecific value. It seems to differ to a greater degree from asferius than does the Cuban polyxenes. Papilio bairdi is given specific rank which is very doubtfully the case. It seems much more nearly related to polyxenes than is americus Kollar. Variation has not been sufficiently studied to permit of an exact nomenclature, and the - values of varieties are by no means parallel, and at present it is psycho- logical so far as the individual observer is concerned. The authors had a wealth of material for study, and the work shows the general result of this in its broad treatment. The ¢soas group represents a special study and a rather large number of names are proposed. Weare inclined to_ ‘think many more names could be applied to some of the other species on the same principles. Perhaps this would invalidate the argument on page 429 in favor of trinomials in preference to citing localities, as the locality would be more indicative of what is meant than a name, which often indicates an inappreciable difference, difficult or almost impossible to express in words. Such works undoubtedly cause an increased inter- est in the group or groups treated and mooted points are more likely to be elucidated thereby.—H. S. 402 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, [Dec., ’06 ’GLI INSETTI, LORO ORGANIZZAZIONE, SVILUPPO, ABITUDINI E RAPPORTI CoLL’uomo.—By Prof. Antonio. Berlese, Director of the Royal Sta- tion for Agricultural Entomology in Florence. Milan, Societa Editrice Libraria, 1906. Published in parts at one lira each. With such excellent recent general American books on insects as those of Kellogg and of Folsom, it would seem difficult for a book in a foreign language to meet any great demand in this country, yet the admirable work of Professor Berlese, of which seventeen parts have already been published, will undoubtedly prove a very important addition to the libra- ries of all institutions in which advanced morphology is being studied and in all laboratories in which the study a insects is undertaken from any point of view. Berlese is a master, a man of broad ideas, thorough training, admirable in technic, clear in demonstration, an excellent writer, and a capable draftsman. .His work when completed will be both sound and compre- hensive. It will comprise two volumes, of which the first will in a general way contain the anatomy, and the second the biology of insects. The first volume will consist of from seven to eight hundred pages, and will be accompanied by about one thousand figures. Of these, 550 pages have been published in seventeen parts, and the printed parts contain six hundred figures and four plates. . The subjects considered in the first volume, by chapters, are: I. Brief history of entomology ; II. Size of insects; III. Plan of the insect struc- ture; [V. Embryology in general; V. Morphology in general; VI. Exoskeleton; VII. Endoskeleton; VIII. Muscular system; IX. Integ- ument and its structure; X. Glands. There still remain to be published chapters on the nervous ovetilth and. organs of sense, organs of digestion, organs of circulation, organs of res- piration, organs of secretion, and sexual organs. In the part already completed, the chapters on morphology are marvels of detail and thor- oughness. The work itself is a large octavo, and more than ninety pages are devoted, for example, to the study of exoskeleton of the head, while nearly eighty pages are occupied with the treatment of the muscular sys- tem. Nearly all of the numerous and strikingly apt illustrations are original, having been drawn by Dr. Berlese himself. Each section of the work is followed by a very complete bibliography, and the author has shown a perfect knowledge of the work of other men, the publications of American authors having been considered and studied with a thorough- ness quite unusual among European authors. The second volume, which has been reserved for the treatment of biology of insects, will contain a careful consideration of all questions of economic importance, and it will undoubtedly te of interest to learn from this work Berlese’s final views on the subject of parasitism, and espe- cially the relations of insects and birds, upon which point he has long been at odds with other Italian zoologists.—L. O. HowaRD. Dec., ’06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 403 Doings of Societies. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social held Sep- tember 19, 1906, eight members were present and Mr. Harry Kaeber visitor. President Daecke in the chair. Mr. Wenzel stated that he had received a postal card from Professor Smith from Brussels wishing to be remembered to the boys. Mr. Harbeck spoke of Zenodera sinensis having been raised at Logan. Mr. Schmitz remarked that he also raised the said species at West Philadelphia, and that he saw imagos in his yard up to about September rst. The insects exhibited by Mr. Schmitz at the last meeting were identified as Aleurodes vaporariorum Westwood. ‘They were found on scarlet sage, of which they had entirely denuded the foliage. : Mr. Wenzel exhibited work in white pine of Zomzicus pint and Pityophthorus sparsus, collected by H. Wenzel, Jr., at Pocono Mountain. Mr. Harbeck reported that the collecting season was very promising up to July 15th, since which time it has been poor. Mr. Daecke exhibited a specimen of Fvetria comstockiana which he bred from a pine rosin tube. He also exhibited a specimen of a Pimpla (Calliephialtes) n. sp., bred from a similar rosin tube which is evidently parasitic upon /vefria comstockiana. Mr. Daecke exhibited specimens of Rhicnoessa albula taken at Stone Harbor, N. J. ; one specimen was mounted on white ocean sand, from which it was difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. FRANK HAIMBACH, Secrefary. At the meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social held - October 17, 1906, at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, there were eight members present. President Daecke in the chair. Mr. Haimbach read an extract from a letter received by him from Miss Annette F. Braun, of Cincinnati, Ohio, referring to her observations of the Life History of 7, enodera sinensis. 404, ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Dec., ’06 Mr. Laurent reported the capture of Pamphila phyleus at Mount Airy, Pa., which he said is the second record of capture _ of this species for eastern Pennsylvania. He also reported capture of Catocala concumbens in Pike County, Pa., which is second record for the State of Pennsylvania. Mr. Laurent also stated that in the northeastern part of this State, locust trees as well as golden rod grow profusely, but - he had not seen any specimens of the locust borer Cylene robinig in the past season, while in the southeastern part of the State the trees were much infested and the insect common, Mr. Wenzel read from Dr. Hopkin’s paper on the life hisgeay of Cyllene robinie. are Mr. Harbeck reported the following Diptera new to New Jersey : Frontina aletie Riley taken at Anglesea, June 11, 1905; Acemyia dentata Coq. taken at Lucaston, September 9, 1905, and Brachycoma sheldont Coq. taken at Trenton, May 23, 1906. Mr. Harbeck also reported capture of Frontina setipes Coq. at Germantown, Pa., September 24, 1905, described from Brookings, South Dakota, ath , Dr. Castle exhibited specimens of Pachyscelus purpur Say, taken at Glenolden, Pa., and stated that his earliest record is April 29th and fant spring record June 12th, and that he found the insect common again on September 21st, which proves conclusively that there is a second brood. Mr. Haimbach exhibited his collection of the Genus Craméus taken in Philadelphia, Pa., and southern New Jersey, number- ing 22 species, one of hints satrapellus, being new to Nem ; Jersey list and one probably new to science. , Mr. Daecke exhibited a & Mydas fulvifrons Ill. and a 2 Mydas chrysostoma O.-S., which were taken in coitu at Stone Harbor, N.J., thus estallighime the synonymy of chrysostoma. He also stated that the new record for New Jersey of Chrysops sordidus O.-S. (meeting of June 27, 1906, published Enr. NEws, Oct., 1906) is erroneous, it should read Chrysops cuclux Whitney. "There i is no reason, however, why Chrysops sordidus O.-S. should not be found in New Jersey. FRANK HAIMBACH, Sacveltinspl = fn Se oe BH) 1 WARS a ae ae f Stoloctest & Medica QL Entomological news 461 E574 l v.17 0 Biological & Medical Serials PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY STORAGE ye FR 2 ee Sele iess : pape Joy tow pues po ee to > - we “Payne Nie Se eS 2 3 e ¥ = epepe Spe Se eo Sie teebes |