| bh se = =HGl rake STORAG VE RR Yo. 4 _ maohiy \ \NCH . ~ Biological EN'Lyy "AL SOCIETY | & Medical J ANUARY, 1911. > ONT ARLO Serials | “SBNTOMOLOGIGAL NEWS Vol. XXII. No, 4. » | { » ix 3 : we i» ‘ e ~ Major John Eatton Le Conte, 1784-1860. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Editor. E. T. CRESSON, Jr., Associate Editor. HENRY SKINNER, M. D., Editor Emeritus. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: EZRA T, CRESSON. ERICH DAECKE,. J. A. G. REHN, PHILIP LAURENT. WILLIAM J. FOX. H. W. WENZEL. PHILADELPHIA: ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, LOGAN SQUARE. : .— Entered at the Philadelphia Post-Office as Second-Class Matter. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Published monthly, excepting August and September, in charge of the Entomo- logical Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and the American Entomological Society. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 IN ADVANCE. 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FOR SALE Living pupae of P. ajax, cresphontes, troilus, turnus, Citheronia regalts, E. imperialis, Triptogon modesta, Sm. excaecatus, S. eremitus, A. nessus, HT diffinis, A. luna, P. cecropia, T. polyphemus and eggs of Catocala cara, piatrix, innubens, vidua, retecta. R. R. ROWLEY, Louisiana, Mo. JAPANESE AND FORMOSAN BUTTERFLIES AND OTHERS IN PERFCT CONDITION Papilio agestor, bianor, 15¢c.; chaon, castor, cloanthus, mikado, paris, prote- nor, rhetenor, sarpedon, 10c.; Hebom. glaucippe, Melanitis leda, Euploea mida- mus, swinhoei, 12¢c.; Prionus thestylis, Cyrestis thyodama, 10c.; Kallima inachis, 25ec.; Charaxus rothschildii, 25e.; Stichopthalma howqua, 50c.; Ornith. aeacus, 50c. Special list on application. T. FUKAI, Entomologist, Konosu, Saitama, Japan. BOOKS ABOUT INSEC#e FRANKLIN BOOK SHOP S. N. RHOADS, PROP., 920 WALNUT ST., PHILADELPHIA Second-hand books and excerpts relating to natural history, CATALOGS When Writing Please Mention ‘‘ Entomological News.” 4 EnT. NEws, VoL. XXII. Plate I. HENRY SKINNER, M.D., EDITOR EMERITUS. 1910. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. Vou, XI: JANUARY, 1o11. No. 1. CONTENTS: Editonal@hanees,o.- 5. ciececsccs nc ==: I Kellogg and Paine—Mallophaga from Coolidge & Clemence—A new Hesperid 3 Bolivian! BirdSheee.. ono =e = rni0 19 Rehn and Hebard—Orthoptera found Rohwer—A new genus of Nomadine about Aweme, Manitoba.......... 5 BECS eee comes b ne fele'aye'e!jala 53,39... Sept. 6, 30; 2¢, 19. All taken on the prairie. Hippiscus tuberculatus (Pal. de B.) May 26, 14 ; June 3, 5, 9, 10, 19, 21, 23;938,592. Label- led: damp meadow; near woods, dry land, open meadow in woods. Hippiscus maculatus Sc. June 2, 9, 19, 23;76,52. Labelled: dry prairie, dry sandy hill, dry sandy land. All the specimens before us have the disc of the wing very pale lemon yellow, with the exception of one male which has that part of the wing colored pale sal- mon pink. With the small amount of material at hand we are unable to decide the validity of the several closely allied species: Hippiscus maculatus, tigrinus, latifasciatus and zapotecus (?). The series before us belongs assuredly to but one species; we have used the name “maculatus” as the spec- imens agree with the description of that species, and of the species above mentioned this name has priority of date. As Dr. Walker has mentioned in his recent paper, Scudder’s char- acters for this genus are almost wholly useless, and, in con- sequence, it probably contains numerous synonyms. Dissosteira carolina (Linn.) July 30,2¢,1¢. All taken on a sand bank. 8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Jan.,. 755 Spharagemon collare (Sc.) Aug. 18, 27, 305816, 10.9; ‘Sept. 6, 1. 6-8Och meas shew: of this series have the collar of the pronotum marked lighter than the general color of the insect. All taken on the prairie, many in sandy situations. Spharagemon bolli Sc. July 26,16 ; Aug. 19, 12. Both specimens captured on the prairie. Mestobregma kiowa Thom. July (26, 20:12: , 5.2 ; Aug. 4, 26; 16519 All takenvon dry hillsides and prairie land. Trimerotropis agrestis McN. Aug. 22;176,8¢@. All taken in drifting sand. Circotettix undulatus Thom. July 25, 26; 24,39; Treesbank, Manitoba. The specimens were taken on a sand beach. Melanoplus atlanis Riley. July 10; 13, 14, 15,16, 245 1016 , 99°: AUS. LE, 14 See ROM SEM L560, 18) 255.40, 02 + Oct, 1729. — All pueier specimens of this series of thirty-four, have the caudal tibiae colored pale glaucous. Taken in dry fields, cultivated land, fow lands and on the sandy prairie. Melanoplus dawsoni (Sc.) AUS Se Lees Sep. Lh20 13's, 19 ¢ Oct. 1g ae 29. eee series was captured on the dry prairie, on the edge of wet land and in meadowlands. All are brachypterous. Melanoplus gladstoni Sc. AUR LS, 21; 22,23 6: 64,3 2 = Sep. 15, 16, 18, 25, eggs 62: Oct. I, 2,3; 346,32. Almost the entire series was cap- tured on the prairie. A very few specimens were taken in the dry scrub and in damp meadow lands. Melanoplus femur-rubrum (DeG.) Aug. 30;12. In meadow. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 9 Melanoplus extremus ( Walk.) July 1; 12. In damp meadow. In this individual the teg- mina extend to the base of the genicular arch. Melanoplus angustipennis (Dodge). ivi is. 10; Aid, 19? Aug: 15; 46,29): Sep. 8, 16; 24,22: Oct. 1,6;86,12. Captured in the following locali- ties: dry field, dry edge of bush, low open bush, prairie, damp meadow, edge of wood. The low bush land seems to be the favorite habitat of this species. All the specimens in this series have red tibiae. Melanoplus packardii Sc. July 14, 15;4¢,92. All taken in a dry field. Melanoplus minor (Sc.) June 22, 23:1 6,1 9. The male was captured on dry land, the female in a damp meadow. Melanoplus luridus (Dodge). Aug. 3, 15, 30; 26,12: Sep. 16;192. Taken in low open bush, dry field and dry sandy land. Melanoplus bivittatus (Say). NiGiveiaans. id), 19 : Aug. 10, 30; 5 4 : Oct. 1,6;4¢. This series was captured in meadowlands and cultivated areas. Scudderia pistillata Brunn. Peter tt 14,16, 10, 21,22, 23,27; 116,59. Labelled; in meadowland, in high weeds in meadow, among sandy hills, in dry bushy land; the last situation being apparently pre- ferred by this species. Conocephalus fasciatus (DeG.) Aug. 21, 22;14¢,82,1nymph. All taken in meadowland. Conocephalus saltans (Sc.) mpueee id, 19. Laken on the prairie. Anabrus simplex Hald. July 18, 23; 44. Captured on the prairie. Gryllus pennsylvanicus form neglectus Sc. Wameemes 6 2:9 + Sep. 12, 13; 22,233.50, 29. 10 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Jan., ’11 g Caudal Femur. Ovipositor. June 21 9.5 mm. II June 21 9.5 mm. II Sep eZ 9.5 mm. 16.5 SeEp.2 23 IO mm. 17 Nemobius fasciatus form abortivus Caud. Sep. 22; 44: Oct. 5,6; 39. The series was collected in meadowlands. Length, elytra, male, 4 to 4.5 mm., female 3 to 5 mm., poste- rior femora, male 4.5 to 5 mm., female 5.2-6 mm., ovipositor, 5 to8 mm. Two of the females have short rounded tegmina, these two have ovipositors 5 and 7 mm. in length. A New Lestodiplosis. By EP. Fexr, Albany, N: Y- The species described below was reared by Mr. C. H. T. Townsend of Piura, Peru, from Hemichionaspis minor Mas- kell, and submitted to the author for determination through Dr. L. O. Howard, Chief of the Federal Bureau of Entomol- ogy. Lestodiplosis peruviana n. sp. Male—tLength, 1 mm. Antennae twice the length of the body, rather thickly haired, yellowish, the basal nodes of the flagellate seg- ments slightly fuscous; fourteen segments, the fifth having the two portions of the stem, each with a length about three and one-half times the diameter, the basal enlargement subglobose, with a sparse sub-basal whorl of long, stout setae and a well developed circumfilum, the loops of the latter extending nearly to the base of the distal en- largement, which latter is pyriform, has a length one-half greater than its diameter, a sparse whorl of long, stout setae and basal circumflum with rather short loops; the distal node with loops reaching nearly to the apex of the segment; terminal segment having the basal por- tion of the stem with a length six times its diameter, the distal en- largement subcylindric with a length three times its diameter and nar- rowly rounded apically. Palpi; first segment probably quadrate, the second rectangular, with a length over twice its diameter, the third as long as the second, more slender, the fourth one-half longer than the third, more slender. Face probably yellowish. Mesonotum pre- Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS II sumably light brown, the submedian lines sparsely haired. Scutellum and post-scutellum presumably yellowish. Abdomen sparsely haired, apparently yellowish, with a fuscous spot basally. Wings faintly spot- ted near the middle of the third vein and along the branches of the fifth; subcosta uniting with costa near the basal third, the third vein just before the apex, the fifth at the distal fourth, its branch near the basal half. Halteres yellowish, reddish orange subapically. Coxae yellowish; femora, tibiae and tarsi a variable fuscous straw; claws slender, evenly curved, simple, the pulvilli nearly as long as the claws. Genitalia; basal clasp segment long, slender, with a small, triangular lobe at the internal basal angle; terminal clasp segment somewhat swollen basally; dorsal plate long, deeply and triangularly emargin- ate, the lobes rounded and sparsely setose; ventral plate probably broadly rounded, setose. Other structures indistinct. Larva.—Length, 1.5 to 2 mm.; probably yellowish orange. Head long, tapering to a narrowly rounded apex. Antennae slender, taper- ing and with a length nearly twice the diameter of the head; breast- bone apparently wanting, ocular spot indistinct. Skin finely shagreened, the segments dorsally, each with subdorsal, sublateral and lateral setae near the anterior third, the longest having a length equai to about half the body diameter; terminal segment reduced, with a diameter about half that of the preceding segments and distally with a median, rounded process. Conical, fleshy prolegs occur on body segments 2-10. The above descriptions were drafted from balsam mounts and the color characteristics as a consequence are hardly those of the living insect. A Day with Euchloe cethura. By Kart R. Cooince. Euchloe cethura, a butterfly confined to Southern Cali- fornia, is a much to be desired prize. About Pasadena we looked for it minutely, but always without success, and it seems at the present time to have disappeared. In former years, however, it was taken here in considerable numbers and is said to have been abundant at Elysian Park, between this city and Los Angeles. Learning that it occurred quite commonly in the vicinity of San Bernardino, we decided to pay a visit there in quest 12 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [jana of the little beauty, and incidentally pay our respects to Mr. William Greenwood Wright, the pioneer Lepidopterist and author of the “Butterflies of the West Coast.” March 6th found Pasadena wrapped in a dense fog, and for a time we feared that our prospects were very meagre. However, after an hour’s ride from Pasadena, passing through mile after mile of citrus groves, we were greeted by the sun shining forth un- hindered by fog or clouds. San Bernardino, with its snow capped mountains looming up behind it, was reached about ten, and we proceeded at once to F Street, where we were fortunate in finding Mr. Wright at home. Hearing we were fellow “bugologists” he greeted us with open arms and de- voted himself entirely to our entertainment. Several hours was spent in looking over his valuable and extensive collec- tions, with exception of his types which he has wisely placed in safe storage. Then, hitching up “the old hoss shay,” we drove to Little Mountain, about two miles to the north of the city, accompanied by our host, who assured us we would be successful. After a hard scramble we reached the summit, and Mr. Wright, though he must be well along in the sixties, kept pace with us, giving one of the best illustrations of what the study of entomology accomplishes for her students, per- fect health in old age. In less than half an hour our first cethura was bagged, and before the day’s hunt was over, seven more fell victims to our butterfly nets. One of the specimens taken is typical of E. cethura deserti which Mr. Wright, in his Butterflies of the West Coast, describes as a desert form of cethura. It seems, however, to be but an individual variant. Little atten- tion was paid to other species, but occasionally a specimen reached the “Happy Flying Grounds” via the unlimited Cya- nide Route. Thecla dumetorum was in its prime, flying in large numbers, and T. iroides was not uncommon. Up on the summit the little Alypia ridings gyrated about and we could have taken a large series had we so desired. Now and then the swift Colas eurydice whizzed by, and a stray Papilio zoli- Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 13 caon flew lazily about. Thanaos juvenalis we found abundant, and several early Melitaea wright and M. augusta were net- ted. The everywhere P. rapae, E. sara reakirti and others were noticed. We had an additional pleasure in having the exact type localities of Melitaca wrightii, M. augusta and M. cerrita pointed out to us. About three o’clock our appetites got the best of us, and in a half falling-sliding manner we returned to the buggy, where cold chicken, pie, and other related species of edibles awaited us. Needless to say, we were quite as successful with these as we had been with the butterflies. Still another pleas- ant hour remained before our train pulled out, and we found the time all too short. Mr. Wright ceremoniously labeled the ’ day “Cerrita Day,” after M. cerrita, over whose type locality we had sacrilegiously tramped. The laws of nomenclature compels us, to our regret, to change the name to “Wrightii Day,” perhaps more appropriate, as cerrita was taken in com- pany with and appears to be but an extreme aberration of M. leanira wrighti Edwards. Truly, we shall look back with pleasure to “Wrightii Day” —our first introduction to the dainty Euchloe cethura, and to William Greenwood Wright, one of the few men now living who had for his contemporaries and friends such men as Wm. H. Edwards, Henry Edwards, Samuel H. Scudder, Hermann Strecker, and Dr. Behr. Euchaeria socialis—The larval nest of this interesting species, closely allied to our Neophasia, is put to a curious use by the Mexicans in the Sierra Madres of Sonora. The nest, being of a tough and leathery texture, is deprived of its occu- pants and becomes metamorphosed into an excellent tobacco pouch. Many a sefior, sefiora and dark-eyed senorita defty roll their cigaritos from species of “My Lady Nicotine” drawn from plundered larval nests of E. soczialis. The Trustees of the Mass. Agric. College dedicated the new building for Entomology and Zoology Friday, Nov. 11, tg10, at Amherst, Mass. 14 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Jan., 45 Standards of the number of eggs laid by Insects—IX.* Being Averages Obtained by Actual Count of the Combined Eggs from Twenty (20) Depositions or Masses. By A. ARSENE GIRAULT. 13. BLATELLA GERMANICA Linneus. No. |Date 1910 Deere muceestive Bay ret, | Max. Min. | Range | zt \Sep. 20 38 38 38. 2 40 78 39 3 40 118 39-3 4 40 158 39 5 5 48 206 41.2 48 6 38 244 40.6 af 42 286 4o § 8 44 330 41.2 9 38 368 40 8 10 42 410 4! Il 40 450 40.9 2 O Ctr 42 492 AI. 13 36 528 40.6 14 38 566 40.4 | 15 39 605 40.3 16 44 649 40 5 | 44 693 40.7 | 18 34 727 40.3 34 | WY) 4o 767 40.3 20 44 811 40.5 14 811 40.5 48 34 14 | Finals The egg-capsules used here were taken from living females occurring in a kitchen of a hospital at Dunning (Chicago), Illinois, September 15, 1910; they had all been rotated. When the embryos neared perfectness they were dissected out and counted. This procedure is not necessary, however, for the outline of each egg is well defined exteriorly and their num- ber is easily determined. As a rule there are an equal number of eggs in both sides of any single capsule, hence the even numbers shown in the table. Wheeler (Journal of Morphology, Boston, III, 1889, p. 292) states that oviposition occurs at all times of the year. The same author (Ib., p. 301) gives the average number of eggs * For the first eight of this series, see ENT. NEWS, 1901, p. 305; 1904, pp. 2-3; 1905, p. 167; 1906, p. 6; 1907, p. 89; 1908, pp. 4, 383; 1909, Pp. 355-357. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 15 in a capsule (taken from 34 specimens) as being near 40 and the range from 28 to 58. “The number varies in different localities and is doubtless dependent on the food of the female insect. In several capsules obtained where amylaceous food was abundant the average was much higher than in a much greater number of capsules obtained from a place where fatty food was the only diet.” In the same place on a later page (p. 302) he again states: “Taschenberg (46) claims that the female regularly lays only one capsule and dies soon after its deposition. My observa- tions on fifty females, whose wings were clipped as soon as they had formed their first capsule, have convinced me that they certainly lay two perfect capsules as a rule, and possibly more, in the course of the year.” Wheeler is also certain that the young hatch without assistance from the female a fact easily observed by keeping egg-capsules isolated and protected from dryness. The young escape without difficulty from them. It follows from what has been written in this connection that the total number of eggs deposited by single females of this species will have to be determined by observation on living females kept under as natural conditions as possible. The number must average at or above 8o. A New American Sitarine Beetle (Col., Lyttid.). By CREIGHTON WELLMAN, Oakland, California. The writer recently received for determination from Pro- fessor S. J. Hunter, of the University of Kansas, a collection of Lyttidae secured last June by Mr. F. X. Williams, of the same University, in Gove County, Kansas. Among the speci- mens are a series found by Mr. Williams in bees’ nests and which represent an interesting new species described in the following paper. These insects belong to the genus Hornia Riley (hitherto known to contain but a single species) which is the only genus representative of the Sitarini yet found in the western hem- 16 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [jan., ee isphere with the exception of the Old and New Mexican genus Leonidia Ckll. (containing two species) from which Hornia may be separated by the following table: I. (2) Antennae of Io articles, abdomen partly membranous, claws ALT AGTIVC G4 apes eye oka arie ereke ersteve veto ete eee Hornia Riley. 2. (1) Antennae of Io articles, abdomen entirely subcorneous, claws armed with a long basal spine.............. Leonidia CkIl. The new Hornia may be characterized as follows: Hornia gigantea n. sp. Color, head dark castaneous with irregular ferrugineous markings on the frons and vertex, thorax black clouded with castaneous, scutel- lum brownish black, elytra transparently ferrugineous the sutural mar- gins slightly infuscate, abdomen with chitinous portions colored much as head and thorax, legs black; head broadly triangular, back and sides with black pubescence; labrum transverse, somewhat excavated on its upper surface, apically broadly rounded, the free edge thickly fringed with short golden hairs a few of which are paler and subsetac- eous, the lateral margins slightly raised, the punctuation finer and thicker towards ihe center; clypeus transverse, anterior border almost straight, sides and posterior border somewhat convex, punctuation rather stronger and more irregular than that of labrum; mandibles black, robust, rather sharply truncate; labial palpi with last article longer than the other two and fusiform, the extreme apex knobbed; mavzillary palpi with first article minute, second very long, obconical, third shorter, also obconical, the last rather shorter than preceding, fusiform (slight- ly obconical) apex broadly and roundly truncate; antennae submonili- form, first article shortly subglobose, second similar but smaller, third to tenth gradually becoming more cylindrical and slenderer, last article slightly longer, apically narrowed and truncate, the joint between the tenth and eleventh articles indistinct; eyes small; neck distinct, head and thorax not closely joined; pronotum convex, almost subglobose, narrowed in front and behind, posterior margin everted, pubescence black and most abundant at sides; scutellum transverse, roundly tri- angular, with a few deep punctures; elytra irregularly and roundly triangular, ora somewhat raised but not prominent. surface irregular- ly rugose, with a few erect black hairs; abdomen large, as in Meloe L., membranous, nine dorsal and seven ventral chitinous plates obvi- ously visible; Jegs with femora robust, sparsely pubescent, tibiae more strongly pubescent; tarsi small, claws slender. Sexual characters: 4, the punctuation of the head is sparse, fine and deep, the antennae reach to the middle of the elytra (5.5 mm. in Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 17 the type), the thorax is sparsely and finely punctured, a few coaise punctures intermixed in the center of the disk, the eyes are reniform, the scutellum small, the elytra about twice as large as in the 9, and the front tibiae armed; 9, the head is more coarsely sculptured, the punctures being larger, thicker and more irregular, the antennae reach not quite to the middle of the thorax (3.5 mm. in type), the thorax is very coarsely and strongly punctured, especially on the anterior por- tion of the disk, the eyes are longly oval, the scutellum large, the elytra much smaller and more hairy than in the ¢, and the front tibiae unarmed. Early stages: Exuvia of third larva hairless and unarmed, nymph (almost completely transformed), ¢, much as in imago but not chiti- nized. Length, $, 19 mm.; width, 6.7 mm.; 9, length, 19 mm.; width, 7.2 mm. (types); extremes, 24x9.5 mm. 6, 14x5.I mm. @. Geog. Dist., Gove Co., Kansas (2813 ft.), June, 1910, “para- site in the nests of Anthophora occidentalis,’ 17 specimens (F. X. Williams). Types (8, 2, nymph, larval skin) in the collection of the University of Kansas; cotypes: eight in the collection of the University of Kansas, six in the writer’s collection. The variation in the size of the elytra, in the color and in the dimensions of the specimens is considerable. They may be told at a glance from the only other species in the genus (minutipennis Riley) by the marked difference in facies. The following table will facilitate the more exact separation of the two species: 1. (2) Light ferrugineous, head slightly wider than pronotum, which foestppanailel sat Sides. «...s0.00023 ss minutipennis Riley. 2. (1) Dark castaneous, head almost a third wider than pronotum, which is markedly arcuate at sides....... gigantea Wellm. The species just tabulated represent the extreme of degen- eration from parasitic habits as it occurs among the Lyttidae, and Mr. Williams’ discovery is most important, suggesting as it does that further careful examination of bees’ nests may reveal other striking additions to our coleopterous fauna. ——_—__> ¢.___ Proressor H. F. WicKHAM, Professor of Entomology at the State University of Iowa at Iowa City, Iowa, wrote in November: “Although entomology is entirely elective here, I have 100 students working at it.” 18 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [ Jan.) "ae A new Bee from New York State By T. D. A. CockERELL, Boulder, Colorado. I have just received from Dr. E. P. Felt a couple of speci- mens of Osmuia, collected at Karner, N. Y., June 24, 1902. Dr. Felt writes that he has reared a parasite from the species, and is anxious to know its name. It proves to be new, and may be described as follows: Osmia felti n. sp. ?. Length about 12-13 mm.; head and thorax strongly and closely punctured, dark blue, suffused with green, especially on supraclypeal area, front, mesothorax, scutellums and metathorax; head rather large. broad, cheeks large and swollen; clypeus normal, very densely punc- tured, with the lower margin black, smooth and shining, straight, with- out teeth or emargination; mandibles thick, tridentate; antennae black, scape punctured; no distinct malar space; hair of head and thorax above white, with a faint creamy tinge; a little fuscous hair about ocelli; hair of face white, but of clypeus largely or moderately mixed with dark fuscous; lower part of cheeks with some fuscous hair; hair of thorax nowhere mixed with dark, that of pleura, metathorax etc. all white; area of metathorax wholly dull, granular, faintly rugulose at base; tegulae shining piceous; wings strongly brownish infuscated; b. n. going basad of t. m.; legs black, not even the hind coxae metallic; middle femora swollen and obtusely angulate below; hair of hind tarsi dark fuscous; abdomen shining, rather sparsely punctured, dark steel blue, with white hair on first segment, very short thin fvscous hair on the others, and a slight fringe of minute shining hairs (not making a visible band) on the third and following segments; sides with some white hair; ventral scopa black; last dorsal segment with appressed pale yellowish hair. In all things this is very close to O. densa Cresson, but densa has much long coarse black hair on the face and front, the dark hair of the abdomen is longer and more evident, while the shining red or pale hair so evident on the middle basitarsus of densa is scarcely or not developed in feltt. The type locality of O. densa is Pike’s Peak, Colorado. It ex- tends thence northwestward to Washington State. O. felti might be regarded as a geographical race or sub-species, but even so it would deserve recognition. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 19 Mallophaga from Bolivian Birds. By V. L. Kettoce and J. H. Partne, Stanford University, California. The following determinations and descriptions of new spe- cies of Mallophaga refer to a small collection of specimens from Bolivian birds in 1901 by the late Perry O. Simons. (This unfortunate collector of birds for the British Museum was murdered by Indians in the Bolivian mountains in 1902 (?) In Simons’ notes the birds are listed only under Bolivian vernacular or descriptive English names, and we are unable to ascribe them with certainty to their proper species. The English names reveal at least their general sort, as duck, hum- ming bird, eagle, etc. Docophorus laticeps Giebel. Several specimens from the “white-headed oriole” (Choro, Bolivia, 3500 metres, dry season). Docophorus communis Nitzsch. Specimens from “bird” (Choro, Bolivia). Docophorus fissi-signatus n. sp. (Fig. 1.) Two females from “desert curlew” (Lagonillas, Bolivia). This species belongs to Piaget’s type fisignati from the Spoon bills and Ibises and is the second of this type that we have found on curlews in this country. Description of female—Body length, 2.4 mm.; width, 1.06 mm. Signature double. Head: Length, .66 mm.; width, .68 mm.; quite dark in color except for the clypeus; signature double, somewhat lighter in color than the rest of the head except for its two posterior pro- longations; margin and space between the portions of the signature transparent. Clypeus truncate; rounded on the angles, sides slightly diverging, suture distinct. The antennal bands extend over half the length of the clypeus. A prominent hair arises just forward of the termination of the antennal band and another shorter one on the margin at the termination of this band; also a short hair near the suture with another long one arising on the dorsal surface further forward; a hair arising from the ventral surface extending beyond 20 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Jan., ’11 the lateral margin near the center. On the margin just behind the clypeal suture are three rather long hairs, a short one on the base of the trabeculae and a long one on the margin near the basal segment of the antennae. Temples broadly rounded with three long hairs and three short spines; a hair and one spine arising from the prominent eye. Occiput nearly straight, very slightly sinuous; the occipital bands are prominent and are prolonged in the antennals. Second seg- ment of antennae nearly as long as the last three; third shortest; sec- ond and third very light in color, the basal and terminal two being somewhat darker. Thorax shorter than head and nar- rower; length, .4 mm. Prothorax, a trifle less than half that length; quadrangular with a lateral marginal band which also extends along the posterior margin nearly to the center. Median portion of segment light in color. Metathorax with sides di- verging, posterior angles broadly rounded and posterior margin con- vex; a row of pustulated hairs ex- tends around from the straight diverging sides half way to the center of the posterior margin. There are two blotches leaving a narrow un- colored line down the center; darker marginal bands extend from the an- | terior angles to the median uncolored Fic. 1—Dacophorus fissi-signatus n.s.9 line. Abdomen elliptical with segments of nearly equal length except the ninth, which is very small and bilobed; color pale except for the dark, sharply defined, triangular transverse blotches on the first seven segments which extend in about two-thirds of the way to the center; These segments also have pitchy lateral bands. A spiracle occurs in a clear space on segments two to seven. The eighth segment is dark in color except along the margin; two hairs arise near the center of this segment from clear pustules. The last two segments are round- ed, the eighth with straight, almost parallel lateral sides, and a fringe of hairs on the posterior margin. There is a row of hairs across the middle of each of the preceding segments and several in each posterior angle. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 21 Nirmus fuscus Nitzsch. Several specimens from “hawk” (Cochabamba, Bolivia) ; also from “hawk” (Charuplaya, Bolivia). Lipeurus temporalis Nitzsch. Several specimens from “river duck” (Charuplaya, Bolivia). Lipeurus epiphanes n. sp. (Fig. 2.) | Male and female from “desert curlew” (Lagonillas, Bo- livia). Description of female.—Body. length, 2.88 mm.; width, .56 mm. Head: Length, .6 mm.; width, .34 mm.; conical. Clypeus parabolic in front, sides almost straight and parallel; edge transparent with signature concentric to it; suture distinct; a rather long hair at the Fic. 2—Lipeurus epiphanes n. sp.—a, female; 4, tactile hairs «f the postero-lateral angle of the metathorax; c, head of male; d, last abdominal segments of male. angle between the straight side and the parabolic front, and three long ones at the suture. Sides of head behind the clypeal suture straight, diverging to the antennae and bordered by the prominent antennal bands; these bands turn inward at the clypeal suture, fol- 22 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [jan., (1 lowing it and almost meeting at the center; three hairs, evenly spaced, on the margin between the clypeal suture and the short trabeculae and another one arising on the ventral surface extending beyond the margin at a point between the anterior two of those mentioned above. From a point near the posterior ends of the antennal bands arise two internal bands which extend obliquely inward a short distance, then curve forward and run parallel to the posterior lateral angles of the clypeal signature. A narrow dark band extends entirely around the posterior part of the head connecting the ocular bands; temples ai- most straight and slightly converging behind the eyes, rounded at the posterior angles; occipital margin concave; occipital bands nar- row, distinct. Eye prominent with a short hair on the dorsal sur- face and a short spine at its posterior margin; six short hairs and spines on the temples. Antennae pale, second segment as long as the last two, third segment shortest. In the male antenna the first seg- ment is large and about as long as the following three segments to- gether; the second segment comes next in length and the fourth is the shortest; the third has a narrow pointed appendage; there is a horseshoe-shaped blotch at the base of the first segment. Thorax trapezoidal; prothorax quadrilateral, with sides slightly di- verging behind; coxae show through plainly; length, 16 mm.; width, 28 mm. Metathorax length, .36 mm.; width at posterior angles, .4 mm.; sides diverging behind; posterior angles rounded; lateral mar- gins notched at a point about one-third the distance from the an- terior angles with a dark blotch, probably marking the suture be tween the metathorax and mesothorax. There are six hairs arising from the dorsal surface in the posterior angles; the outer one is very long and arises from -a large curious papilla; the second is short, arising from a small papilla; the other four are very long and close together in a group. (See b, Fig. 2.) The abdomen is long and rather narrow, expanding slightly to the fourth segment which is widest; last segment bilobed, straight across the posterior margin in the male. There are narrow dark lateral bands on each segment except the last and transverse blotches, which extend about a third the way across the body, and there are also faint lengthwise median blotches. Each lateral band extends into the segment in front and has two long appendages which curve back making a clear space in the anterior margin of the transverse blotch of the segment to which the lateral band belongs. The blotch on the last segment is median and bilobed; the margin of this segment is transparent. There are about six hairs on each segment except the last, and several hairs in the posterior angles. In the male the pos- terior margin of the last segment is straight. The genitalia of the male are as shown in Fig. 2, d. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 23 Goniodes aliceps Tasch. Four specimens from “Colloma’’ (San Ernesto, Bolivia), “Colloma” being merely the local name, we are able to make from it no determination of the bird, but from the kinds of its parasites we can say, almost with certainty, that it is some species of Tinamou, probably Crypturus sp. Goniodes agonus Nitzsch. Six specimens, including one male, from “‘Colloma” (San Ernes- to, Bolivia) collected with G. ali- ceps. The male of the curious species has not heretofore been re- corded. Our male specimen unfor- a ffi cegtiients tunately has the head damaged and of Goniodes agonus Nitzsch. ¢ the antennae lost. We figure (fig. 3) the last segments of the abdomen which differ greatly from the female. Colpocephalum osborni Kellogg. Several specimens from “red-headed bustard” (Choro, Boli- via, 3700 metres, dry season). Colpocephalum flavescens Nitzsch. Two females from “hawk” (Charuplaya, Bolivia, 1350 metres, dry season) : Menopon maestum Kellogg and Chapman. Three specimens from “bird” (Choro, Bolivia). Menopon sp. (juv.). One specimen from “blue finch” (Choro, Bolivia). Trinoton luridum Nitzsch. One specimen from “river duck” (Charuplaya, Bolivia). Trinoton lituratum Nitzsch. Two specimens from “river duck” (Charuplaya, Bolivia). 24 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS fatty, ae Laemobothrium sp. Two specimens from “grasshopper hawk’ (Charuplaya, Bolivia). Although this species differs obviously from any Laemobothrium yet described in satisfactory manner, we shall not add a new species to this genus until the existing species determinations have been thoroughly revised. The genus is at present in a simply impossible condition. Physostomum doratophorum Carriker. Several specimens from three (three species?) “humming- birds.” (Choro. Bolivia.) > A New Genus of Nomadine Bees. By S. A. RoHwer, Washington, D. C. Some time ago Professor T. D. A. Cockerell requested in- formation as to the generic position of Pasites pilipes Cresson. Late in October, Mr. J. C. Crawford, Jr., examined Cresson’s type, which is in Philadelphia, making sure that the speci- mens in the U. S. National Museum were the same species as the type. On examination it was found that this species rep- resents a new generic, or subgeneric, group in the family Nomadidae, differing from Pasites and the other genera in a number of points. The accompanying figures were made from camera lucida sketches: Nomadosoma new genus. Type of the genus: Pasites pilipes Cresson (Cuba). Rather small bees of Nomadine habitus; smooth and shin- ing; mandibles simple; maxillary palpi as in figure 1; labial palpi four-jointed, the two basal joints as in figure 2, the two apical joints were accidentally broken; third antennal joint but little shorter than joints four and five; frontal carina almost wanting; scutellum flat, level with the mesonotum, somewhat depressed in the posterior middle; anterior coxe with short tubercles, which are more distinct in the male, legs of the fe- male more hairy than in male, and more hairy than in most Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 25 Holarctic species of Nomada; gaster as in Nomada, except that it is more flattened in female, with the venter more than normally pubescent, tergal segments shining very sparsely punctured ; last apical segment of the male entire; fore wing as in figure 3, hind wings normal for Nomada. SSS ae oe Fic. 1.—Maxillary palpi of Nomadosoma pilipes (Cresson , with the articulating maxilla. The shining appearance, flat scutellum and two cubital cells distinguish this at once from its allies. In Robertson’s tables (Can. Ent. Vol. 35, 1903, p. 173, etc.) Nomadosoma runs in with Phor Robertson and Holonomada Robertson. The male ze 22 22 Mays, Fic. 2.—Two basal joints of labial palpi and tongue of Vomadosoma pilipes (Cresson). 26 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [ifs Paar runs to Holonomada Robertson. If the coxz were said to be spined both sexes would run to Ciphen Robertson. In Ashmead’s tables (Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., Vol. 27, 1899, p. 49, etc.) it will not run satisfactorily. In Cockerell and Atkin’s table based on the trophi (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Ser. 7, Vol. 10, July, 1902, p. 42, etc.) Noma- dosoma runs to Nomada fucata Panzer. Pasites Jurine, Biastes Panzer and Nomadita Mocsary be- long to the Nomadinz and have two cubital cells. Pasites and Biastes have the gaster of the female of the cylindrical Noma- dine type, the third antennal joint is much shorter than four plus five, the frontal carina is strong, the body is strongly punctured; Pasites has the radial cell truncate and the scutel- lum bilobate; Biastes has the scutellum rounded. Nomadita Mocsary, which is known from the male only, may have the venation as in Heminomada Cockerell, but as it is compared with Biastes perhaps has the venation as in that genus. It has, however, a strong frontal carina and the “scutellum bitubercu- latum.” Heminomada Cockerell has the first transverse cubitus (not the second) wanting, and differs in many other ways from Nomadosoma. Nomadosoma pilipes (Cresson). Cresson (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., Vol. 4, 1865, p. 183) de- scribed his Pasites pilipes as follows: “Chestnut-brown, polished; sides of face, clypeus, collar, tubercles. two spots on pleura, postscutellum and narrow bands on abdomen, white; hind legs of Q densely pilose; wings hyaline, costa-apical mar- gin fuscous. “Female.—Chestnut-brown polished, clothed with pale pubescence; face flat, highly polished, impunctate; sides of the face obscurely, and the clypeus, whitish; cheeks and labrum densely pubescent; anten- nz piceous, paler at base. Thorax indistinctly punctured, pleura and metathorax rather densely clothed with silvery-white pubescence; a line on the collar, tubercles, two spots on pleura, two small spots on scutellum, and the post-scutellum, white; scutellum slightly subbilo- bate; tegule brown, the outer margins pale. Wings hyaline, faintly tinged with fuscous, slightly iridescent, the costa-apical margin broad- Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 27 ly fuscous. Legs chestnut-brown, clothed with pale pubescence, which is long and dense on the posterior tibiz and tarsi; posterior coxe dilated and flattened, with a whitish spot at tip. Abdomen broadly ovate, convex, polished, rather densely clothed with short pale pubescence on the sides and apex; on the middle of the first, second, fourth and fifth segments above, a narrow, rather uneven, whitish fascia, that on the fourth segment interrupted on the middle; on each extreme side of the third segment a short, narrow, whitish line; apical segment trun- cate, densely clothed with fuscous pubescence; beneath chestnut-brown, immaculate. Length 3% lines; expanse of wings 6% lines. “Male—Resembles the female, except the abdomen is longer, not so broad, and pointed at tip as in males of Nomada; the posterior legs are not densely pilose as in the 2. Length 3 lines; expanse of wings 5% lines. “Collection—Ent. Soc. Phila. Two specimens. “This species has much the general appearance of a Noma- da, and in the ¢ specimen, the only difference I can see is, that the anterior wings have only two submarginal cells, instead of Fic. 3.—Anterior wing of Nomadosoma pilipes (Cresson). three; but in the @, the form is more robust, and the hind legs are densely pilose, which is never the case in the females of Nomada.” The chestnut color in the specimens in the U. S. National Museum is replaced almost entirely by black. The female came from Cuba, the male was collected by Mr. A. Busck at Baracoa, Cuba, Aug., 1902. Proressor W. M. WHEELER, of the Department of Economic Ento- mology, Bussey Institution, Harvard University, started on his vaca- tion November 1 and spent some days in the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. 28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Jan., *11 The Musical Habits of Some New England Orthop- tera in September. By H. A. Attarp, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Primarily to become better acquainted with the call notes of some New England katydids and grasshoppers, the writer spent the first three weeks of September, 1910, at Oxford, Mass. Throughout this period the days and evenings were pleasantly occupied in rambles through the fields and pastures in the beautiful Fort Hill region.* The stridulations of a num- ber of musical Orthoptera were carefully studied. Observa- tions concerning these may be of some aid to those who have become interested in the habits of musical insects. The following species, including a few unmusical ones, were observed or captured: In the fields and meadows: Orchelimum vulgare Harris; Conocephalus ensiger Uarris; Amblycorypha rotundifolia Scudd.; Scudderia texensis S. & P.; Scudderia furcata Brun- ner ; Xiphidium fasciatum DeG. ; Xiphidium brevipenne Scudd. ; Gryllus pennsylvanicus Burm.; Nemobius fasciatus (vittatus) Harris; Stenobothrus curtipennis Harris; Melanoplus femora- ius Burm.; Encoptolophus sordidus Burm. In weeds, vines and shrubbery: Oecanthus niveus DeG.; Oecanthus angusti- pennis Fitch; Oecanthus nigricornis Walker; Oecanthus quad- ripunctatus Beut. Beneath leaves in damp localities: Ne- mobius palustris Blatchley. In wells, beneath stone piles, etc.: Ceuthophilus maculatus Harris. In lofty trees: Cyrtophyllus perspicillatus Linn.t * About Sept. 22 the writer spent several days at Crestwood, Yon- kers, N. Y. During warm, sunny afternoons many males of Con- ocephalus triops, Linn., were stridulating in the fields and meadows. In a small area hardly larger than 25 square feet, and overgrown with grass, weeds and asters the writer captured half a dozen specimens. The note is a keen continuous z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z. This Conocephalus is probably common throughout western and southern Connecticut. as the writer heard the same stridulation in this region on his way into New York from Providence. +. The writer is indebted to Mr. A. N. Caudell, of the U. S. Nation- al Museum, who has kindly confirmed or made all identifications of Orthoptera listed in this paper. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 29 The writer arrived at Mr. Howard’s farm on Fort Hill in the afternoon of August 29, 1910. At this time the nights had become very cool, damp and autumn-like. Light frosts were expected in low grounds in some localities. As far as the eye could see across the hills, the fields were a fresh, alluring emer- ald green. Hosts of stridulating creatures were active by day and by night, producing a chorus of soothing sounds and har- monies. In the clover fields and in the weeds by the roadsides were small colonies of Orchelimum vulgare Harris. The notes of this locust are rather soft, and are delivered in a leisurely man- ner, tsip-tsip-tsip-tseeeeeeeeeeeeeece. This locust is a late sum- mer species and stridulates persistently by night as well as by Gay. At night, especially if the weather is chilly, its notes are not as brisk and as persistent as the day notes. Scudder says of its notes: “The night song differs from that of the day simply in its slower movement; the pitch of both is at B flat, two octaves above middle C.” Late in the evening and well into the night Conocephalus ensiger Harris, adds to the noisy chorus of insect sounds. This locust prefers the fresh herbage of cultivated fields, and is es- pecially to be looked for in the fields of corn. One oftentimes finds a noisy singer yerched 6 or 7 feet from the ground on a corn stalk or tassel. The call notes of this Conocephalus are intermittent and fol- low each other rather briskly, tsip-tsip-tsip-tsip. These stridu- lations are con%inued indefinitely, and, to the writer’s ears, lack any decided harshness or buzzing characteristic of C. brunert and others. They are rather soft and lisping, recalling to mind the staccato lisps of an Orchelimum. C. ensiger is the only species with which the writer has become acquainted in this region It is a very common species in nearly all upland lo- calities. One sometimes meets with it in large colonies among the luxuriant weeds and grasses in lowlands. McNeill says of this Conocephalus: “Its song is a loud rasping zip-zip-zip repeated indefinitely.” He also states that 30 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [Jan., ’11 it recalls the staccato lisps of Orchelimum vulgare. The last comparison is more accurate, since the notes of this Cono- cephalus do not impress me as at all rasping. A very common katydid at this season is the pretty Ambly- corypha rotundifolia Scudd. Its notes may be heard at all times during the day as well as during warm nights. This Amblycorypha occurs everywhere in the grass, weeds and shrubbery of fields and pastures. It was especially abundant among the shrubby pasture growths, consisting mainly of spe- cies of Vaccinium, Gaylussacia, Kalmia angustifolia, and the two species of Spiraea, i. e., tomentosa and salicifolia. Its notes are soft and lisping and continue indefinitely. They may be expressed thus: Tsip-i-tsip-i-tsip-i-tsip-i-tsip. These stridu- lations recall the dainty lispings of part of the song of Am- blycorypha uhleri. The writer’s observations of its stridula- tions are very similar to those of Scudder. Scudderia texensis S. & P. prefers particularly the open grass and clover fields. At Oxford, Mass., the writer has studied two distinct methods of stridulation produced at will by this Scudderia. The usual note heard from Massachusetts to Geor- gia is a soft sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh occasionally repeated. This note is produced by a rapid shuffling of the wings very briefly. At other times and much more rarelv the call consists of a succes- sion of sharp, keen, distinctly rasping notes slowly delivered, zeet-zeet-zeet-zeet. These notes, which are so unlike the usual call, are usually answered at once in a similar manner by an- cther individual elsewhere. One is at first tempted to assign them to some other insect. By creeping carefully toward a musician, the writer has watched this mode of stridulation close at hand. The tegmina are very slowly and deliberately opened and rasped upon each other slowly several times. These notes are really more in keeping with the incisive notes of other Scudderias. It is evi- dent that these notes are not accidental. They probably convey some definite meaning to other individuals within earshot. Scudderia texensis becomes noisy as soon as the afternoon Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 31 sun gets low, and continues to stridulate into the evening. These locusts sometimes congregate in small colonies of half a dozen or more in favored spots. It is a persistent singer, al- though its notes are delivered at rather irregular and infrequent intervals, a characteristic of most Scudderias. I have as yet noted only the usual sh-sh-sh-sh at Thompson’s Mills, Georgia, where it is very common. Scudderia furcata Brunner, is possibly less common in cen- tral Massachusetts than the preceding species. At least it is much less frequently heard in stridulation. Its calls are de- livered only at long and irregular intervals, and consist of a single, keen, incisive zeep, or sometimes three slowly in suc- cession, zeep-zeep-zeep. One warm, sunny afternoon in early September, I9gI0, in order to locate and capture one of these katydids which had just produced its single zeep, the writer lay down on the grass in the vicinity and waited. The insect did not repeat its note until nearly two hours later, after which the capture was easily made. This katydid stridulates during afternoons and less frequently at night. Its call is delivered only at long and ir- regular intervals, so that much patience must be exercised to locate a singer. Riley’s description of the notes of Scudderia furcata is very exact: “It consists of a softer zeep, zeep, sometimes uttered singly but generally thrice in succession.” A few times the writer has heard in this locality as late as the last week of October the single incisive zeep of some be- lated katydid. The call usually issued from the green foliage of some shrub or apple tree which had delayed shedding the leaves. It is possible that this was the call of Scudderia fur- cata. Scudderia texensis had long since become silenced by the cold days and nights of this season. The tiny Xiphidium fasciatum DeG. prefers the tangles of weeds and grasses bordering the grass fields, and may often- times be found in large colonies. Its notes are extremely faint, and in manner of delivery are the exact counterpart of an Orchelimum’s notes. The staccato lisps nearly always precede 32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Phan. / 41 the phrase tseeeeeeeeeeeeeee. The entire song may be writ- ten thus: Tip-tip-tip-tseeeeeeeeeeeeeee. The entire stridula- tion is so faint as to escape the hearing. The staccato lisps, tip-tip-tip, were so faint the writer could hear them only by the closest attention, although the wings could be seen in mo- tion at the time. At this season of the year, with the usual New England breezes stirring the herbage violently, and accompanied by the incessant chirpings of Gryllus pennsylvanicus and Nemobius fasciatus vittatus, the attenuated lispings of Xiphidium fascia- tum became quite inaudible. It seems as if the notes of the New England individuals are considerably fainter than those the writer has studied in Northern Georgia. Representing graphically the preceding staccato lisps by dots and the pro- longed phrases tseeeeeeeeeeeceee by dashes, the successive notes of an individual which the writer observed in a box were thus: It is evident that from three to six staccato lisps preceded each time the phrase tseeeeeeeeeeeeeee. This method of repre- senting the notes at once shows the relative frequency of the staccato lisps and the longer phrases, as these vary greatly with different species, both Xiphidiums and Orchelimums. McNeil says of Xiphidium fasciatum: “Its song is a faint echo of that of Orchelimum vulgare. with the zip-zip omitted.” He speaks also of its “faint little quaver.” It is evident that McNeil had failed to catch the staccato lisps which are always present in the call notes of this tiny locust. Another tiny Xiphidium occurring in all situations in com- pany with Xiphidium fasciatum is Xiphidium brevipenne Scudd. It is possibly less common in this locality than fascia- tum. The writer could not determine its stridulations in the field, so a number of males and females were placed in a paste- board box together with some grass. In a few minutes a num- ber were in continuous song throughout the afternoon and night. The stridulations of this Xiphidium are the least audi- Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 33 ble of any locust the writer has ever observed. Although a persistent singer, the notes become inaudible only a few feet away. In the fields they are quite lost amidst the sounds of rustling foliage, the chirpings of crickets, etc. The notes of Xiphidium brevipenne are very brief and much more hurried in their delivery than those of X. fasciatum. In this respect they approach more nearly the dainty stridulations of X. nemorale Scudd. In the song of X. brevipenne usually only one or two almost inaudible staccato lisps precede one, two or even three of the brief, faint phrases, tseeeeeee-tseeeeee. The phrases tseeeee are of much longer duration in the song of X. fasciatum, and are rarely heard without the preceding stac- cato lisps which are of indefinite number. Graphically represented, the notes of an individual X. brevi- penne were as follows: Gryllus pennsylvanicus Burm., at this season may be found in great numbers crawling over the grassy upland fields chirp- ing incessantly in the sunshine. Its notes in New England are always a brief intermittent musical chirp-chirp-chirp. Nemobius fasciatus (vittatus) DeG. occupies the grassy fields and pastures everywhere, trilling incessantly during the hours of sunshine. In some localities the trill is very brief and shrill tiiii-tiiii-tiiii. In others the trill is exceedingly high and indefinitely prolonged ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti. The prolonged tril- lers appear to be confined almost entirely to dry, grassy, up- land situations. The intermittent singers seem to prefer low, wet grounds. This distribution is rather clearly defined. 34 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS Janke it Piers who has carefully studied some of the Nova Scotia Orthoptera, found this Nemobius exceedingly abundant in the fields around Halifax.* His excellent description of its inter- mittent notes is as follows: “Its notes are one of the most familiar sounds of autumn and are heard both during the day and night. The stridulation is produced by lifting the wing covers about 45 degrees above the abdomen and then shuffling them together producing a sound resembling the word plee-e-e-e plee-e-e-e plee-e-e-e or cree-e-e-e. It has been suggested that these notes can be reproduced by taking a silver half dollar be- tween the fingers and striking the coin with the edge of a nickel.” A very common little grasshopper in nearly all warm, sunny, grassy situations is Stenobothrus curtipennis Harris. The writer found this insect particularly common in dry upland fields with a sunny southern exposure. Small colonies were always evident by their brief faint silken lispings several times repeated at irregular intervals. This little Acridian is heard only during the day. Its stridulations are produced by sawing the inner surface of both thighs simultaneously against the edges of the tegmina. Blatchley finds it more abundant in In- diana in damp grounds near tamarack swamps. Melanoplus femoratus Burm., and Encoptolophus sordidus Burm., are two common field insects in late summer and early autumn. The former is clumsy and apparently unmusical. The latter is a vigorous flyer and produces a lively crepitation during its flight movements over the fields. Four fragile-bodied musical tree crickets occupy almost ex- clusively the shrubbery and vines. These are all species of Oecanthus, namely, O. niveus, O. angustipennis, O. nigricornts and O. quadripunctatus. Oecanthus niveus DeG. is usually called the fall cricket. This beautiful pearly-winged creature takes up its abode in our grape arbors, hedges, etc. Its notes are low, deep-toned, * “Preliminary Notes on the Orthoptera of Nova Scotia,” ‘by Harry Piers, in Proceedings and Transactions of the Nova Scotia Institute of Science, Vol. IX, 1895-06. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 35 and solemn in their effect upon the mind. Single singers some- times continue to stridulate by day, but the great synchronal chorus begins at evening. If the night is warm and moon- light, waves of solemn, rhythmical music soon swing backward and forward between the hedges. It is worth while to hear this grand, antiphonal serenade, for it induces a peculiar, in- describable psychic state—an intermingling of sadness and re- poseful meditation. It is a “slumbrous breathing” to the mind of Thoreau. Hawthorne calls it an “audible stillness” which “if moonlight could be heard, it would sound like that.” Laf- cadio Hearn in Japan may as well have heard these same sol- emn cricket sounds when he wrote: “The pleasure-pain of autumn’s beauty, the weird sweetness of the voices of the night, the magical quickening of remembrance by echoes of forest and field.” This tree cricket sings until the nights be- come so cold that the intermittent c-r-e-a-k—c-r-e-a-k is very slowly delivered. The notes of this cricket have been more carefully described than the notes of most other species, by Davis, McNeil, Fitch, Burroughs, Thoreau, Hawthorne and others. Scudder’s description of the song of Oecanthus niveus does not well apply to the intermittent notes of this cricket. He says: “The song of the male is an exceedingly shrill and rapid continuous trill; its ‘dry rosined wings’ must play upon each other with wonderful rapidity, for at its slowest, and the rapid- ity varies somewhat, there are at least sixteen beats a second; the trill is nearly uniform and lasts for from two or three sec- onds to a minute or two.”* The shrill pitch and the prolong- ed trill make it very probable that Scudder had heard the trill of O. nigricornis or O. quadripunctatus. McNeil aptly re- marks that Scudder’s description and musical notation of niveus “seems to be the song of fasciatus.” Oecanthus angustipennis Fitch, is considerably less com- mon than the other species of Oecanthus at Oxford, Mass. It prefers the abundant foliage of the sweet fern, and is very ~*® “Some American Crickets,” by S. H. Scudder, in Harper's Maga- Zane Vol. XCIII, October 1806. 36 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS (jan: 14 musical on cloudy days and at night. It may sometimes be heard in low trees. This tree cricket appears to be more sus- ceptible to cold than the others, and sooner becomes silent at the approach of autumn. Its notes are a faint, intermittent phrase—treeeeeee—with nearly equal intervals of silence in- tervening. Davis accurately describes it as “a faint, continu- ous whir, lasting only about five seconds, with an equal inter- val of rest.” Blatchley’s description is very similar. W. Faxon* describes them as “consisting of a trill of several seconds’ duration succeeded by a short pause; this song suggests the spring note of the toad heard afar off.” Oecanthus nigricornis Walker is not as arboreal in its habits as the preceding species. It dwells among weeds, grass and golden rods nearly everywhere in fields and pastures. Its song is a steady, quavering, sustained trill. The trill of some in- dividuals is strong, deep and rich-toned, recalling the mellow trill of O. latipennis. The pitch and volume of sound vary noticeably with different individuals of this species. This Oecanthus is a common species at Oxford, Mass., in August and September. Oecanthus quadripunctatus Beut., is also a common species, preferring the same environment of weeds and low shrubs as O. nigricornis. The writer has been unable to find any con- stant differences which serve to distinguish the trills of these two species. That of O. quadripunctatus is long sustained and sometimes shrill. The notes of other individuals are stronger and deeper-toned, recalling the melodious trill of O. latipennis as do those of O. nigricornis. The stridulations of O. quadri- punctatus in New England have alwavs seemed louder and lower-toned to the writer than the weaker and shriller trilling of the same species in Northern Georgia. This Oecanthus is a persistent triller throughout the days and nights. Faxon says: “Song similar to No. 3 (meaning O. nigricornis) but clearer in tone and no doubt sufficiently distinct on close ac- * “Habits and Notes. = the New England Species of Oecanthus,” by Walter Faxon, in Psyche, Vol. 9, No. 300, April root. Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 37 quaintance.”’ The writer has not yet been able to distinguish them this readily. Beneath the matted leaves and grass in damp spots and gullies by the roadsides, and in low, wet grounds the little Nemobius palustris Blatchley, dwells. In such situations small colonies of four or five individuals may be heard in stridulation. The stridulation of this pretty Nemobius is a faint, quavering, high pitched trill almost indistinguishable from the trill of the more southern Nemobius janus Kirby. The notes of these two species are so closely alike that the writer thought he had heard N. palustris around Washington, D. C. It proved to be the trill of N. janus, however. Its weak trill and the habit of keeping well concealed beneath stones and leaves, together with its local and irregular distribution in any locality have no doubt caused this little cricket to be many times overlooked. In comparison with N. fasciatus vittatus, it is not an especially common species at Oxford, Mass. A naturalist, however, familiar with its habits and stridulation could capture a fair supply of specimens in this region. It is a very shy cricket and can rarely be seen in stridulation. The writer has taken Ceuthophilus maculatus Harris, several times at Oxford, Mass. Once or twice it was found deep down in the crevices of a stone pile, and at other times in crannies in covered wells. It is an unmusical insect. At Oxford, Mass., the big katydid, Cyrtophyllus perspicilla- tus L., is not especially common judging from the numbers heard in song at different localities. In some localities it is en- tirely absent, especially in the West Oxford district. Each year one or two small colonies may be heard in some big maples on Mr. Howard’s farm near Fort Hill. It is an ex- ceedingly common and noisy insect in some big woods near Quinnebaug, Connecticut. This katydid stridulates almost entirely after dark, although its notes are sometimes heard during the day. There are few insect stridulations as loud, rasping and grating as those of Cyrtophyllus perspicillatus. It is not by any means an easy 28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS ers es ui matter to locate and capture one of these insects on the topmost branches of a maple. The writer heard a few of these katy- dids on Fort Hill as late as September 20, I1g10. At this season when the nights were coolest the notes of this katydid were so slowly and difficultly delivered that they had become almost painfully rasping and grating in character. One dark, windy night the writer spent an hour or more trying to locate a male in the top of a lofty maple. By the aid of lighted matches the position of the insect was located. The insect was so benumbed with cold that it could barely rasp its tegmina upon. each other. Scudder says that its stridulation “has a shocking lack of melody * * * so that the air is filled by these noisy trou- badours with an indescribably confused and grating clatter.” In many respects autumn is a particularly favorable season for the study of musical insects. Insects are very susceptible to changes of temperature. Many musical insects, which in midsummer stridulate almost entirely after dark, gradually cease their nocturnal stridulations as the autumn nights become colder. Day by day, as the season advances, and the chill of evening becomes more noticeable, the musical katydids and crickets usher in their chorus a little earlier each afternoon, until practically all the nocturnal singers are in full chorus shortly after midday. At Oxford, Mass., the writer entered the following notes in his journal concerning lower tempera- tures and insect stridulations. September 15, 1910, “following recent rains the nights have become very cold. They would be almost silent but for the slow, painful raspings of a few individuals of Cyrtophyllus perspicillatus and the synchronal music of Oecanthus niveus. Amblycorypha rotundifolia becomes quite silent, or at least barely audible if the nights are not too cold. Conocephalus ensiger is less sensitive to the cold and continues to stridulate persistently, even after Amblycorypha rotundifolia has been silenced by the evening chill. Insects which I heard almost entirely after dark a few weeks Vol. xxii] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 39 ago I now hear from midday until sunset, when most species again become practically silent. If the afternoon is warm and sunny, however, the fields and pastures are filled with various insect sounds. By the roadsides, in the fields among golden rods and asters, the happy musicians disport themselves. Am- blycorypha rotundifolia, Conocephalus ensiger, Orchelimum wulgare, Scudderia texensis, Scudderia furcata, all are as noisy as they can make themselves. It is a simple matter now to observe and capture almost any musician, for all seem less inclined to fly after experiencing the cold nights of this season. If the weather moderates suddenly and the evenings become warm with threatening thunderstorms, the usual nocturnal awakening follows. Oe¢ecanthus niveus suddenly starts the warm night air into an almost audible pulsation; the big Cyr- tophyllus perspicillatus rasps out a faster tune; Conocephalus ensiger, Amblycorypha rotundifolia and Scudderia furcata lisp their loudest each in his own manner, until it seems as if the silent shrubs of a few nights ago had transformed their leaves into living, lisping creatures.” Although the stridulations of insects become noticeably slower and fainter in cold weather, the pitch and manner of delivery characteristic of each species does not materially change. —- —~-~~0er -—__—__ Mr. J. CHESTER BrapDLEy, Special Assistant Entomologist of the Georgia State Board of Entomology, Atlanta, Georgia, has undertaken the preparation of a preliminary catalog of insects of that State, and will appreciate greatly any co-operation on the part of those possessing records of Georgia specimens. Dr. F. D. GopmAn has acknowledged the receipt, in London, of the first and principal set of his own Mexican and Central American Odonata, described and enumerated in the Biologia Centrali Ameri- cana, from Dr. P. P. Calvert. The specimens will be placed in the British Museum of Natural History. Mr. R. J. Tiryarn’s recently published “Monograph of the genus Synthemis” (Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, 1910, Vol. XXXV, pp. 312-377, 6 plates, 2 of them colored) contains some observations on Corduline dragonflies and their affinities, of interest to students of this group in all parts of the world. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS solicit and will thank- fully 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.—AIl contributions will be considered and passed upon at our earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of reception. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumference, as to make it neces- sary to put ‘‘copy” into the hands of the printer, for each number, four weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five ‘‘extras,’’ without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged.—Ed. PHILADELPHIA, PA., JANUARY, IQII. In another place in this number attention has been called to editorial changes in the News staff and the hope has been ex- pressed that the friends and supporters of this journal in the past will continue their aid as contributors to its pages and as subscribers to its resources. We ask not only for the systematic, life-history, anatomic and physiologic papers on insects, arach- nids and myriopods, but also for the proceedings of entomolog- ical clubs and societies and all notes, brief or longer, which, to quote the original prospectus of the News, dated December 1, 1889, “will keep entomologists en rapport with what is being accomplished in serials and by monographs at home and abroad, and which will also give the items of interesting news concerning explorations and explorers, collections and col- lectors.” ga@s- PLease Norice that after January 10, 1911, the NEws will be mailed only to those who have renewed their sub- scriptions. —___—~—@—e- ERRATA IN VOLUME XXI. Page 467, line six from the bottom, for foeresteri read foersteri. Page 469, for Pterygophorus civetus read P. cinctus. Page 470, seventh line from bottom, for discordal read discoidal. 7) Jan. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. i EXCHANGES. Not Exceeding Three Lines Free to Subscribers. 4as- These notices are continued as long as our limited space will allow; the new ones are added at the end of the column, and only when necessary those at the top (being longest in) are discontinued. Wanted—Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., Vol. ii; Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., Vol. iii; Experiment Station Record, Vol. iii, No. 4, and Vol. iv,No. 5; Bull. of Brooklyn Ent. Soc., Vol. iii. Will pay cash or exchange.—R. W. Harned, Agricultural College, Mississippi. Wanted—Riley’s gth Mo. Report. Have Riley’s 4th and the Supple- ment to 9th and index to the gth Mo. Reports for sale.—E. O. G. Kelly, Wellington, Kansas. Polyphylla variolosa offered in exchange—Have you fine specimens of this rare North American beetle in your collection? If not, send mea list of not over twenty rare species that you have to offer in exchange. My supply of specimens is limited.—-Philip Laurent, 31 East Mt. Airy Ave., Philadelphia, Penna. Coleoptera exchanged for native or exotic specimens new to my collec- tion List on application.—Emil Liljeblad, 1018 Roscoe St., Chicago, II}. Wanted—All kinds of pupae and cocoons either for cash or good ex- change.—Herman H. Brehme, 74 13th Ave., Newark, N. J. Have for Exchange—Eggs of Catocala innubens, cara, ilia, neogama, vidua, piatrix, scintillans and pupae of modesta and other hawks and pupae of ajax, cresphontes, duna and others. Wish eggs or imagoes of marmorata, etc.—R R. Rowley, Louisiana, Mo. Imported Indian Cocoons of a¢/as, mylitta, roylet, ricint, trifenestrata, selene, leto and others, and hybrid seZene-/una in papers for regadis, verst- colora and other live native pupz.—James L. Mitchell, 212 Indiana Trust Building, Indianapolis, Indiana. North American and exotic Lepidoptera wanted. Will offer North American Coleoptera in exchange.—G. Chagnon, Post Office Box No. 186, Montreal, Canada. 1 collect in all orders for cash. Locals only. Unique field. Hand- written price lists for intending buyers, two cents. Specialists served.— A. H. Manee, Southern Pines, N. C. Diptera—Will give duplicates in exchange for identification —A. J. Weidt. 439 Washington Street, Newark, N_ J. Duplicates—Fine Farnassius ex. Thian-Shan, Turkestan, including romanovt, appolonius and ab. flavomaculata, Staudingert. nubilosus, intermedius, etc. ; rare Saturnids in paper as: Philosamia, ricini, Attacus, Edwardsi, atlas; var. ex. java: Argema mimose,; Actias selene ; Anth rea mylitta and var. sivalica; Nudaurelia menippe, ringlert, caffraria, etc., Cricula andrei n. sp.; life histories. Cocoons, hybrid cynthia x ricini (Bengal) and plenty of common species in papers and cocoons. Will take in exchange cocoons or moths of rare Saturnids or Parnassius ; particularly want Cad/eta, Colombia cocoons—any Arizona, California or New Mexico species of Hemileuca or Saturnia —J. Henry Watson, 70 Ashford Road, Withington, Manchester, England. I have for exchange living pupae of P. asterias, Sp. achemon, quin- guemaculata, sexta, chersis, A. luna, A. myron, A. aurora, E. tityrus and octomaculata. Want pupae of others not in my collection —Joseph N. Lang, 619 Bunker St , Chicago, IIl. Lepidoptera—[ have for exchange living pupae of Adelocephala bico- lor, Sphinx jamaicensis; also in papers, A/eganostoma caesonia, Apan- tests virguncula and Catocalae.—James Tykal, 2807 Ridgeway Avenue, Chicago, Ill. il ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan. Micro=Coleoptera—Isaac B. Ericson, Molndal, Sweden, is working up the Micro-Coleoptera of the world and desires to exchange specimens.— G. A. Akerlind, 664 Monadnock Block, Chicago, Illinois, will act as intermediary if desired. Wanted—In the spring or early summer, four live female Anxosia plex- ippus to be posted to England, liberal prices paid.—Kindly apply to Hon. N. Charles Rothschild, Arundel House, Kensington Palace Gar- dens, London, W. Will purchase Cicindelae in series of the more common forms from all over the United States. Dates and localities necessary.—E. D. Harris, 280 Broadway, New York. 1000 PIN-LABELS 20 CENTS Smallest Type—Heavy White Paper—20 all alike on a Strip—No Trimming—One cut Makes a Label—Order in Multiples of 1000—Limit: 25 Characters—12 to a Line— Not over 3 Lines (includes Blanks)—1ec. Extra per M for each character over Limit C. V. BLACKBURN, 77 CENTRAL STREET : - STONEHAM, MASS. THE POMONA JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY Published by the Biological Department of Pomona College The only entomological journal published on the Pacific Slope. A well-established, high-class quarterly in its second year, fully illustrated, and devoted to original investigations in economic, biologic and taxonomic entomology. Indispensable to working entomologists everywhere. Price merely nominal, $1.00 to domestic, and $1.25 to foreign postal countries. Sepa- rates of any articles always available. Address Pomona Journal of Entomology, Claremont, California JUST PUBLISHED Catalogue of the Nearctic Hemiptera- sean ys by Nathan Banks. ey] OJ OPM a mye oy, aA $1.00 Descriptions of new N. American Hemiptera, by E _P. Van Duzee. 16 pp. aI Revision of the Blastobasidae of North America, by Wm. G. Dietz, 72 PP. 4eplateSyau ee. 75 Miscellane: ous Notes and Descriptions of North American Coleoptera, yi Ge 2Kall Tog: ppekr tei git ac cee ie oe eee Aree eee a ete raed Peri RC. New ia Little-known Bees, by TA, Coe kerell, 51 PDeos aod: .50 New species of Noctuidae for 1910. No. 2, by J. B. Smith, 16 pp. 4 50 Please send your list ot Desiderata for Quotation THE KNY-SCHEERER CoO. DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL SCIENCE. G. LAGAI, Ph.D:, 404 W. 27th Street, New York, N. Y. za = | PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION Gold Meda! PARIS EXPOSITION: Eight Awards and Medals ip AN ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION: Grand Prize sa Gold Medal ENTOMOLOGICAL SUPPLIES AND SPECIMENS North American and exotic insects of all orders in perfect condition. _ Single specimens and collections illustrating mimicry, protective coloration, dimorphism, collections of representatives of the different orders of insects, etc. Series of specimens illustrating insect life, color variation, etc. Metamorphoses of insects. We manufacture all kinds of insect boxes and cases (Schmitt insect boxes Lepidoptera boxes, etc.), cabinets, nets, insects pins, forceps, etc.. Riker specimen mounts at reduced prices. Catalogues and special circulars free on application. Rare insects bought and sold. When Writing Please Mention ‘Entomological News.” Stockhausen. Printer, 5355 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia. ia ih a 7 Pe ae a t-—. the ~ 2 prey Or