73 £7 3 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Volume XV 1 1 PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY, QUARTERLY BALTIMORE, MD. WASHINGTON, D. C. 1915 BARBER, H. S. CONTENTS OF VOLUME XVII Page BANKS. NATHAN: A new species of Stenares ...... 144 A new species of Mycetaulus ....................... 145 Miscellaneous notes .............................. . 146 Migrating armies of myriopods — 121 Fragmentary notes on the life-history of the myriopod, Spirobolus marginatus .............................. 123 Macrosiagon flavipennis in cocoon of Bembex spinolce. . 187 Migrating armies of myriopods (A correction) ....... 189 Descriptions of new North American Microlepidoptera 79 : Rhabdoblalta brunneonigra, a new cockroach from China ............................. 94 Three interesting Orthoptera from the vicinity of Washington, D. C ............................ 189 A. : Xotes on some bees from Virginia ............. : A review of Henriksen's cerambycid larva? in Danmark's Fauna, Biller III, Traebukke, 1914. . 127 A new species of Secodella ....................... 100 The genus Secodella in Xorth America ............ 14L' Descriptions of new Ichneumonidse and taxonomic notes ........................................... 132 DEGRYSE, J. J. : Some modifications of the hypopharynx in lepidop- terous larvae ................................... 173 FISHER, W. S. : One new genus and two new species of Cerambycidae . GAHAN, A. B. : Notes on two parasitic Diptera ............. ( IREEXE, C. T. : Capture of Callicera johnsoni Hunter ............... HALL, M. C. : A note in regard to Trichodecles hermsi .............. 1s'' HEINRICH, C., and DEGRYSE, J. J. : On Acrocercops strigijinilclln Clemens ................... (> HOOD, J. DOUGLAS: An interesting case of antennal antigeny in Thysanoptera ................................ .. 128 Notes on Ipidse with description of a new species. . 54 On possible poisoning of insectivorous birds in the war against the Gipsy Moth ................... An unusual color in a hornet's nest .................. 148 Annual Address of the President. Some observa- tions on medical entomology ............. 58 A new species of Cephcnomyia from the United States HYSLOP, J. A.: Notes on the habits and anatomy of u/ili rii Horn ....................................... 179 BUSCK. AUGUST CAUDELL, A. X COCKERELL, T. D. CRAIGHEAD, F. C. CRAWFORD, J. C. : CUSHMA.N, R. A.: HOPKINS, A. D HOWARD, L. O. HUNTER, W. D. i IV CONTENTS Page JENNINGS, ALLAN H.: Two new species of Simulitim from tropical America 199 KNAB, FREDERICK : Dipterological Miscellany 38 Commensalism in Desmometopa 117 The secretions employed by rhynchophorous larvae in cocoon-making 154 Dung-bearing weevil larvae 193 KOTINSKY, JACOB : The Bermuda Grass Odonaspis 101 MALLOCH, J. R. : Notes on North American Chloropidae (Diptera) . . . 158 PARKER, H. L. : Pupa of Brachypalmis frontosus 147 PARKER, J. B. : Notes on the nesting habits of some solitary wasps. ... 70 PIERCE, W. D. : The uses of certain weevils and weevil products in food and medicine 151 PIERCE, W. D., and CUSHMAN, R. A.: A few notes on the habits of parasitic Hymenoptera 164 ROHWEH, S. A. : Descriptions of Braconidse 55 A remarkable new genus of Cephida? 114 The mating habits of some sawflies 198 Ametastegia glabrata (Fallen), a holarctic sawfly... 198 ROHWER, S. A., GAHAN, A. B., and CUSHMAN, R. A.: Some generic corrections in the Oph- ioninae 149 SASSCER, E. R.: Catalogue of recently described Coccida?. V 25 SHANNON*, R. C. : Mosquitoes attacking a frog 99 An eastern Chilosia with hairy eyes 168 Captures of the syrphid fly, Merapioidus villasus Bigot 147 Eastern Symphoromyia attacking man 188 TOWNSEND, C. H. T. : Note on spallanziinc flies 41 The family cestrophasiideae and other notes .... 53 Revision cf Myiophasia 107 TURNER, W. F., and BAKER, A. C.: On the occurrence of an inter- mediate in Aphis pomi DeGeer. 42 WALTON, W. R. : On the genus Exoristoides Coq 96 A new and interesting genus of North American Tachinidae 104 A new nocturnal species of Tachinidae 162 The tachinid fly Mauromyia pulla Coq. and its sexual dimorphism 190 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON VOLUME XVII, No. 1 MARCH, 1915 PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE SOCIETY OFFICE OF PUBLICATION 2419-21 GREENMOUNT AVE. BALTIMORE, MD. EDITORIAL OF. ^ WASHINGTON. D. C. Entered aa second-class matter at the poatoffice at Baltimore, Md., February 28, 1913. under the Act of August 24, 1912 THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ORGANIZED MARCH 12, 1884. The regular meetings of the. Society are held on the first Thursday of each month, from October to June inclusive, at 8 P. M. Annual dues of active members, $3.00; of corresponding members $2.00; initiation fee (for active members only), $1.00. OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1915. President .A. N. CAUDELL First Vice-President C. R. ELY Second Vice-President . . .E. R. SASSCER Recording Secretary — A. B. GAHAN Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer S. A. ROHWER U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. Editor...... -, J . C . CR AWFORD Representing the Society as a Vice-President of the Washington Academy of Sciences W. D. HUNTER Executive Committee. THE OFFICERS. E. A. SCHWARZ. A. L. QUAINTANCE. C. L. MARLATT. PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. Published quarterly by the Society at Baltimore, Md., and Wash- ington, D. C. Terms of subscription: Domestic, $2.00 per annum; foreign, $2.25 per annum; single numbers, 50 cents, foreign postage extra. Remittances should be made payable to the Entomological Society of Washington. Authors of leading articles in the PROCEEDINGS will be entitled to 25 separates of each contribution, free of charge, provided the Editor is noti- fied before page proof is returned. Additional copies may be had at rates fixed by the Society. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON VOL. XVII 1915 No. 1 • Two HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH MEETING, JUNE 4, 1914. The 278th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by the bachelor members at the Ssengerbund Hall, June 4, 1914. There were present 20 members and two visitors. The following paper was presented: The Temperature of the Honey Bee Cluster as Modified by External Conditions ..Dr. E. F. Phillips1 Under the head of Notes and Exhibition of Specimens, the following were presented: Note on Rhipidandri — a Correction E. A. Schwarz and H. S. Barber2 CAPTURE OF CALLICERA JOHNSONI HUNTER. BY C. T. GREENE, Bureau of Entomology. A female specimen collected at Falls Church, Va., April 22, 1914, by the writer. The specimen was resting on the ground. The altitude at the point of capture is about 350 feet above sea level, the highest point at Falls Church is about 400 feet above sea level. 1 Withdrawn from publication. 2 Published in these Proceedings, vol. xvi, no. 4. 1 2 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL S()( 11.1V ON POSSIBLE POISONING OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS IN THE WAR AGAINST THE GIPSY MOTH. BY L. O. HOWARD. The speaker mentioned the fact that the extensive use of arsenate of lead in poisoning woodlands around Boston had given rise to rumors that many insectivorous birds were being killed by the arsenic, either by feeding upon insects that had been killed by the poison or by sucking drops of the spray from the leaves of sprayed trees before the moisture had time to evaporate. He stated that Mr. William Brewster, of Concord, had noticed in the woodlands surrounding his place that several species of birds had disappeared and that he feared it was from this cause. The speaker further stated that he had mentioned this matter on a recent Boston trip to Dr. W. M. Wheeler at the Bussey Institution, and that Dr. Wheeler had stated that in his opinion the insectivorous birds had disappeared for the reason that their insect food had been destroyed and they had simply migrated to regions where their food had not been killed by the poison sprays and was therefore normally abundant. Doctor Wheeler stated that he would send his students after class mate- rial into the regions around the Bussey Institution and that they would return with very few leaf-feeding insects. These had become very scarce since spraying had become so general. The speaker stated that he asked the agents of the Bureau of Ento- mology in New England to search for dead birds and to send their stomachs to Washington for chemical analysis whenever they were found. (The author of this note adds, that but one dead bird has been found by the gipsy moth agents up to late September, and that its stomach showed no trace of arsenic.) Two HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINTH MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 1914. The 279th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Mr. B. A. Schwarz in the Saengerbund Hall, October 1, 1914. There were present Messrs. Abbott, Baker, Barber, Busck, Bur- gess, Caudell, Crawford, DeGryse, Ely, Gahan, Heinrich, Hunter, Hutchinson, Jones, Knab, Kotinsky, Myers, Menagh, Middle- ton, Poponoe, Pomeroy, Sanford, Sasscer, Schwarz, Shannon, Townsend, Turner, Walton, White, Wood, members, and Messrs. 5t. N. Summers and Edward R. Speyer, visitors. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, l:H5 3 Air. Busck reported for the Committee appointed to draw up resolutions in commemoration of Dr. Theodore Gill.1 Mr. W. H. White was elected to active membership. At the close of the program the following visitors were called on for remarks: Mr. Edward R. Speyer, a Carnegie student, spoke of ento- mological conditions in England. Mr. John N. Summers of the Gipsy Moth Laboratory, gave a short account of his recent trip to Europe and of the condi- tions present in the forests where the Gipsy moth occurs. The following papers were presented: Reply to Criticism by Aldrich, Presented at the 277th Aleeting.. Dr. C. H. T. Townsend2 A Destructive European Pine Moth, Evelria buoliana, Introduced into the United States August Busck3 NOTES ON SOME BEES FROM VIRGINIA. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, Boulder, Colorado. Mr. S. A. Rohwer has forwarded the following flower records referring to bees collected at Falls Church, Virginia. One of the females is undescribed and is herewith characterized. VISITORS OF Helianttinx abundant, however, there is rarely more than one or two to the leaf. There are a number of generations with considerable over- lapping so that larvae are to be found any time from May till well on into October. The first larval brood appears in spring as soon as the leaves are formed. During July and August the dominant period in the seasonal life of the species is reached. Towards fall there is a gradual diminution in numbers, and during October a partial dying out of the species, due in great measure to the scarcity of new leaves which are necessary to the success- ful maturing of the larva1. In the neighborhood of Washington, D. C., the last larval brood appears early in October. The man- ner in which the species overwinters has not been definitely 1 Elkmont Term., T. E. Snyder, U. S. Bur. of Ent., Collector. OF WASHINGTON, VOLU.MK XVII, 1915 r determined but our observations lead to the belief that the few larvae which are able to feed up during October, make their cocoons before the leaves fall and pass the winter as pupa-. developing into moths curly in spring. SYNONOMY. Gracilaria strigifinitella, Clemens — Proc. Acad. Xat. Sci. Phil., 6, I860. Gracilaria duodecemliniella, Chambers— Can. Ent., IV, 11, 1872. Ornix quercifoliella, Chambers — Cin. Quart. Jn. Sci., II, 116, 187."). Dialectica strigifinitella, Busck— Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., V, 3, 195, 1903. Acrocercops strigifinitella. Meyrick — Gen. Ins. 123 Fasc., 17, 1912. EGG. The eggs (pi. 1, fig. 3) are laid singly on the under surface of the leaves, usually near the base and between the branching ribs. They average about 0.1 mm. in length, are elliptic in cir- cumference, flattened below and convex above, shining pearly white and minutely faceted. The period of incubation for tho-. specimens under observation was from 4 to 6 days. LAKVA. Upon emergence from the egg the young larva makes a short irregular linear mine just beneath the cuticle of the leaf on the under side (pi. 2, fig. 4). In this mine it passes the first two instars during both of which it is of the flat specialized gracilariid type (pi. 2, fig. 5), whitish, without legs, abdominal feet or dis- cernible body tubercles or setae. The head-capsule (pi. 3, figs. 1, 2) is wedge-shaped with the greatest width just forward of the tentorial bridge; the diameter of occipital foramen at dorsal extremity of hind margin £.1 The frons extends a trifle more than %, the frontal ridges diverging slightly to the juncture of the tentorial arms, and then converging to form a short bridge (ob) with the hind margin which projects into head-capsule -] . The adfrontal sclerites are fused with the frontal ridges. The tentorial bridge is a trifle less than -| in length, straight and thickened somewhat in the middle; the upper attachment of tentorial arms well back of middle of frontal ridges. Ocelli dorsally placed, well back from base of antenna1; strongly bui unevenly pigmented; lenses absent. Antennae 3-jointed, the basal joint short and only seen under oil immersion; the larger papilla on second joint extending nearly to apex of antenna, papilla- otherwise normal; setae absent. Post-labrum approximately tri- 1 In the description of the head-capsules all measurements are ex- pressed in proportion to the greatest width of the head. 8 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY angular with apex forward of the median incision of the labrum. Labrum (pi. 2, fig. 2) rather narrow, with two setse-bearing tubercles; median incision deep and strongly chitinized on the edges; between these and extending outwardly a small oval epipharyngeal shield (es) visible only under oil immersion; distal edge of median incision serrate. Mandible (pi. 2, fig. 1) flat; three-toothed; distal fourth of median edge projecting and den- tate. Labium (pi. 2, fig. 3) thrust well forward, spoon-like with distal margin serrate and anterior concavity rounded; no labial palpi; under oil immersion a well defined stipes; labium extend- ing far back into head, with no apparent articulation between mentum and sub-mentum. Salivary ducts plainly visible and joining to the front to form what appears to be a very rudi- mentary spinneret, seen only under oil immersion. Hypopharynx finely haired on forward portion only. Maxilla? with palpus absent; origin of lacinia in palpiger not defined; lacinia bearing two bristle-like digiti; no distinct joint between palpiger and stipes, the latter considerably elongated; cardo small and tri- angular. Triangular plates of hypostoma (pi. 3, fig. 1) small and separated by slightly less than |. On the ventral side of the head-capsule approximate to each antennal ring is a pair of hair- less tubercles. Otherwise the head-capsule is smooth. Length of larva before first moult 0.75 mm. ; before second moult 1.25 mm. After the larva has moulted for the second time it bores into one of the branching ribs which it mines during the whole or greater part of the third instar. The later instars, two of which we are able to account for, are passed in the mid-rib within which the larva mines (pi. 1, fig. 5) up or down, as the case may be, and from which it emerges when ready to spin its cocoon. As a rule the path of the mine is upward, the larva emerging from the upper side of the rib near the tip (pi. 1, fig. 2). In some cases where the leaf is too small for the mid-rib to afford sufficient nourishment, the larva continues to mine from there into the fleshy part of the leaf making a large irregular blotch (pi. 1, fig. i) quite similar to that of Mnemonica. This habit however is quite abnormal. The first two instars are the only ones in which the larva? are of the flat gracilariid type.1 The third instar larva is transitional between these and the typical cylindrical gracilariid form of the following instars, but with pronounced affinities to the latter. It is cylindrical, has well developed spinneret, labial and maxil- lary palpi and appreciable body seta?. There are, however, no noticeable legs or abdominal feet and the head-capsule while 1 During these stages they are what Tragardh designates as sap-feeders. Comp. Tragardh: Archiv. for Zoologi., Band 8, No. 9, 1913. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1913 9 rounded inclines somewhat to the flattened wedge shape. The tentorial bridge and the ocelli are as in the flat instars, the latter however more strongly and evenly pigmented. The mandibles in shape approach those of the last stage. The larva of the fourth instar does not differ essentially in structure from that of the last. The mature larva (pi. 4, fig. 1) is in general body characters typical of the family. It is whitish, or, when it has fed up in the blotch mine, greenish, without color markings. The abdomi- nal feet bear seven crochets in two curved rows all pointing backward (pi. 4, fig. 3). Tubercles and seta3 of abdominal seg- ment as figured (pi. 9, fig. 1); using Dyar's numbers, we would say that I is lower than II with I, III and V nearly in a straight line, IV absent or coalesced with V, VI absent; anal segment as figured (pi. 9, fig. 2). The head-capsule (pi. 5, figs 1, 2) is rounded, the dorsal side projecting over the ventral f ; greatest width slightly lower than middle of head, well forward of tentorial bridge. Diameter of occipital foramen at dorsal extremity of hind margin f , at ventral extremity a trifle under \. Length of frons slightly over \; the frontal ridges converging in curved lines to a longitudinal ridge (f long) connecting them with the hind margin, which projects \ into the head; adfrontal sclerites conspicuous but folded under frontal ridges. Tentorial bridge as in first instar; slightly less than f in length; upper attachment of tentorial arms at middle of frontal ridges. Ocelli, five, in two longitudinal rows; 1, 2, 3, dorso-laterally placed; 1 and 2 grouped approximate to antennal ring; 3 back jj 4 and 5 grouped opposite of 3 on ventral side; all with well developed lenses; pigmented area broad and continuous under all the ocelli. An- tenna (pi. 4, fig. 5) distinctly three-jointed; second joint with two papilte and two hairs, the longer hair not extending beyond the extremity of the antenna; third joint as in G. syringella.1 Post-labrum normal. Labrum (pi. 7, fig. 2) curving well down to the sides over the upper edge of the mandibles; median inci- sion concaved and moderately deep; four pair of setae, V and VI absent;2 sides very thin, the lateral edges strengthened by a chitinous bar with six branches projecting inwardly for a short distance and giving a somewhat scalloped appearance to the margin. Epipharynx (pi. 7, fig. 1) densely tufted with hair- like filaments; the paired epipharyngeal plates tooth-like; epi- phaiyngeal shield, heart-shaped, strongly chitinized and pro- jecting beyond the median incision of the labrum. Mandible 1 Comp. Tragardh: 1. c., pp. 16-17. 2 We have followed the system of numbering used by W. T. M. Forbes (Ann. Ent. Soc. Am., vol. Ill, No. 2, p. 96, 1910). 10 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY (pi. 4, fig 4) with five teeth, one ventrally compressed; when closed the toothed edge is vertical. Labium normal with short membrana articularia; in some specimens mentum and sub-men- tum appear to be fused, in others the articulation is distinct. Cardo pear-shaped with small, irregular, strongly chitinized plate at the base. The triangular plates of the hj^postoma meet ap- proximately, their hind margins forming a rounded arch which projects for I into the head-capsule. Maxillary palpus three- jointed with large palpiger; lacinia has three two-jointed digit! and two setae; the base of the lacinia bears four or five overlap- ping plates connected by a chitinous band with similar plates on the maxillulse1 (pi. 6, fig. 1; pi. 7, fig. 3). Epicranial setrc eleven on the dorsal and seven on the ventral sides; there are also a varying number of punctures and small setitious tubercles on the basal half of the dorsal side. Length of full grown larvn. 6-7 mm. The last instar is a feeding one, the species differing in this regard from Marmara and the true Gracilaria which have a final specialized stage during which the larvae are active and have functioning mandibles but do not use them for feeding. The entire larval period is about twenty days. COCOON. After it leaves its mine the larva lets itself down by a strand of silk to a more secluded place where it spins a cocoon, nearly always on the under side of a leaf near the edge or against one of the ribs. The cocoon is a double affair consisting of a thin outer layer built up from the leaf, and a second, similar, inner layer, everywhere separated from the first by from 1 to 1.5 mm. The cocoon (pi. 1, fig. 4) is 14 mm. long, white, rather flattened, oval and transparent. The outer covering is decorated along the middle with from four to ten small, pearl-like globules similar to those on the Marmara cocoons, but fewer in number and less brilliant. This decorating of the cocoon is quite characteristic of several Gracilariidse. Meyrick2 mentions two Indian species (A. austeropa, Meyr., and Epicephala chalybacma, Meyr.) which have the same habit. These bubbles are also common to the cocoons of all the species of Marmara. Their purpose is con- siderable of a mystery but, as they have the appearance of eggs, they are presumably of some protective value to the pupa. AT 1 The presence of these organs in other Lepidopterous larvae was pointed out by Busck and Boving in their recent paper on Mnemonica auricyanea (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., xvi, 4, pp. 153, 161, 1914). '-.In. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc., p. 118, June 1914. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 11 a former meeting of this society1 Mr. Busck has given an accouni of the manner in which they are made. His observations were on M. salictella Clem., but, inasmuch as there is no reason for supposing the method to be different for the other Gracilariidse having a similar habit, we may note his remarks here. In sub- stance he says: after the outer covering of the cocoon is com- pleted a slit is bitten through by the larva. A small globule secreted from the anus is then forced into th§ opening by the mandibles, fastened by a loop of silk and the slit sewn together. This process is repeated until the bubble content of the alimen- tary canal is exhausted. PUPA. Within its silken enclosure the pupa (pi. 9, fig. 3) is plainly visible. Throughout the pupal period it is noticably active, re- volving rapidly on the axis of the body when disturbed; greenish brown and structurally normal according to Chapman's classifi- cation of the Gracilariidse.2 Pupal period; six to ten clays in summer. ADULT. The imago has steely-greyish-white palpi with two black rings on the terminal joint and two, and a faint third, on the second joint. Head and face whitish, streaked with black or blackish brown, the appressed scales falling well over the eyes and front. Thorax steel grey streaked with black, the dark -portions more crowded towards the center. Forewings grey, suffused with brown giving the ground color a light, rather even, brownish tint; from the costal and dorsal margins several oblique white streaks interspersed with irregular patches and lines of black scales, these markings varying considerably in intensity and dis- tinction of definition in different specimens but averaging as shown in the drawing (pi. 8, fig. 1); the apical area dark brown shading to black; apical cilia greyish white with a median band of black or blackish brown, white at the base, this. white band forming with the costal and dorsal streaks of the apical portion a nearly complete white circle about the darkened area; costal cilia brownish; dorsal cilia brownish grey. Hind wings brownish grey; cilia concolorous, darkening toward apex. Abdomen brown- ish grey above, silvery beneath; the segments diagonally streaked along the sides with black, the streaks meeting obscurely on the dorsum. Legs whitish, striped with Mack. Anal tuft black, slightly marked with grey. Viewed from below the entire inject 1 Proc. Was!!. Knl. Sue., v, 102, 1 {«):>. - The Kntnmoloirist . Loml., vol. xxxv, pp. HI U'J, 1 !«)•_'. 12 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY has a striking black and white striped appearance. The venation is given in figures 2, 3 and 4 (pi. 8). A marked feature of this species is the costal fold in the hind wing of the male shown in figure 4 (pi. 8). Alar expanse 8 mm. In summer the entire life cycle of the insect from egg to imago, is completed in a trifle over a month. It is very improbable that this species should ever prove of much economic importance. Though common, its feeding does not kill or seriously disfigure the infested leaves. As we have noted the larvae only attack the newer leaves at the ends of branches and leaders. This specialized food habit coupled with the scarcity of their proper food supply during fall Affectively prevents them from becoming overabundant for more than a short period during mid-summer. Parasites and predators also play their part. Four species of Hymenoptera,1 parasitic on the larvae have been reared, and on two occasions Chrysopa larvae were found attacking the gracilariid in its mine, piercing the mid-rib with their mandibles and sucking the juices of the larva within. While wandering about after leaving their mines a number also fall victims of the spiders and birds; but these factors of natural control are of secondary importance as com- pared with the failure of large numbers of the fall larvae to secure a proper food supply. In conclusion the writers wish to thank their good friends August Busck- and Drs. Adam Boving and Charles R. Ely for many helpful suggestions. Mr. Busck has also contributed the drawings of the wing venation (pi. 8, figs. 2, 3, 4) for this paper. All the other drawings are the work of J. J. DeGryse. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. PLATE I. Egg, work and cocoon. Fig. 1, blotch mine made by larva after it leaves the mid-rib in search for more food. Fig. 2, opening out by the larva on leaving mid-rib in order to pupate. Fig. 3, egg (greatly enlarged). Fig. 4, cocoon decorated with globules. Fig. 5, normal mode of feeding in chestnut leaf; egg (O); point where larva emerges from mid-rib (ep). PLATE -II. Larva in the first and second instars. Fig. 1, mandible (ventral view). 1 Sympiesis flavipes Ashmead, Pseudopanleles ni gripes Roh., an Arthro- lytus sp. and a single undeterminable male of the tribe Oinphalini. (Det. by S. A. Pi,ohwer.) OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1015 13 Fig. 2, Labrura (Ir); Post-labrum (pi}', Epipharynx (by transparency) (ex); Epipharyngeal shield (es). Fig. 3, Labium (li) ; Hypopharynx (by transparency) (fix") ; Salivary duct (sd) ; Stipes labialis (si); Digiti laciniae (dl); Palipiger (pgr); Stipes max- illaris (s). Fig. 4, mine made by larva in the first and second instars; dotted line indicates path of later stage larvae through branching rib into the mid-rib. Fig. 5, dorsal view of larva of the first and second instars; Antenna (at). PLATE III. Head-capsule of larva in the first and second instars. Fig. 1, ventral side of head: Epicranium (epc); Labium (li); Salivary ducts (sd) ; Stipes labialis (si) ; Maxilla (mx) ; Stipes maxillaris (s);Cardo (c); Hypostoma (h); Tentorial bridge (Ib); Mandible (md). Fig. 2, dorsal side of head: Epicranium (epc); Frons (/); Frontal ridge fused with adfrontal sclerite (adfr) ; Tentorial arms (la) ; Bridge formed by meeting of frontal ridges with hind margin (ob); Rudimentary ocellus (ocl); Labrum (Ir) ; Post-labrum (pi) ; Mandible (md); Hypopharynx (hx); Antennal ring (an) ; Antenna (at). PLATE IV. Mature larvae. Fig. 1, lateral view of mature larva. Fig. 2, thoracic leg. Fig. 3, abdominal leg: diagram showing arrangement of hooks. Fig. 4, mandible (ventral view). Fig. 5, antenna (segments indicated by Roman numerals). (If Dampf's interpretation of the antennal joints is accepted, our joint II would become joint I and the seta bearing papilla at the top, joint III. — Comp. A. Dampf : Zoolog. Jahrb. Supp. 12, Heft. 3, p. 525, 1910). PLATE V. Head capsule of mature larvae. Fig. 1, dorsal view of head: Epicranium (epc) ; Frons (/) ; Frontal ridge with adfrontal sclerite (adfr) ; Tentorial arms (la) ; Ocelli (ocl) ; Antennal ring (an); Antenna (at); Labrum (Ir); Mandible (md) ; Maxilla (mx); Spinneret (sp). Fig. 2, ventral view of head: Epicranium (epc); Maxilla (mx); Hypo- stoma (h) ; Tentorial bridge (Ib). PLATE VI. Trophi of mature larva. Fig. 1, lateral view of labium and hypopharynx: Labial palpi (Ip); Spinneret (xp); Salivary duct (sd) ; Stipes maxillaris (s); Stipes labialis (si) ; Point of attachment of lacinia (a/0; Maxillulac (mxl). Fig. 2, labium and maxillae (ventral view): Spinneret (sp) ; Labial pal- pus (Ip); Stipes labialis (si); Menturn (w); Submentum (sm); Cardo (c); Maxilla (mx); Stipes maxillaris (s); Membrana articularia (mb). PLATE VII. Labrum, Epipharynx, and Hypopharynx of mature larva. Fig. 1, Epipharynx (ex) ; Epipharyngeal shield (ex) ; Internal and external epipharyngeal plates (ep); Epipharyngeal tufts (el); Sensory puncture (spl). Fig. 2, labrum (Ir); Postlabrum (/;/); "Kpistoina (e). PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Fig. 3, maxilla1, maxilluho and hypopharynx: Basal (mp i), median imp u) and apical (mp in) joints of maxillary palpus; Palpiger (pgr~): Right lobe of maxillula? in situ (mxl) ; Left lobe of maxillula1 dissected at base and extended (mxl') ; Overlapping plates on outer edge of maxillula? (pp) analogous plates (ppr) at base of lacinia (I); Hypopharynx (hx); Hypopharyngeal plate (hp). PLATE VIII. Adult and wing-venation. Fig. ], adult. Fig. 2, venation of forewing. Fig. 3, venation of hindwing of female. Fig. 4, venation of hindwing of male. PLATE IX. Larva? and pupa. Fig. 1, abdominal segment of mature larva. Fig. 2, anal segment of mature larva. Fig. 3, pupa. Iii the -discussion of this paper Dr. Boving complimented the authors on their careful work and called attention to the rather scant literature dealing with the epipharyngeal and hypopha- ryngeal structures and especially to the work of the Danish author, H. F. Hansen, who first observed the so-called maxillula? in insects and homologized them with corresponding structures in the Crustacea. Dr. Boving expressed his particular satisfaction in having been able to call the attention of the authors to the very valuable paper by Dr. A. Dampf [Zur Kenntnis gehausetragender Lepi- dopterenlarven (Zool. Jahrb. Suppl. Bd. 12, pp. 513-608, 54 figs. 1910.)] which deals with the same morphological problems as the present paper and as the recent paper lay Busck and Boving [On Mnemonica auricyanea, Wlsm. (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. v. xvi, pp. 151-163, pi. ix-svi, 1915)]. He regretted very much, that he and Busck by an inexplicable slip of memory had overlooked the paper, of which Dr. Dampf had presented him a complimentary copy, when it appeared. It is a very important contribution and deserves careful consideration by all students of the morphology of Lepidoptera. PK< 1C. ENT. SOC. WASH., YOI. XVII. PL ATI: i. 15 PLATE II. PIGl PKOC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. es lr FIG; 3 FIG.B 16 PROC. ENT. SOC WASH., VOL. XVII. I'l ML' 111. rt N G PLATE IV. PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. FKIK-. KNT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE V. 19 I'LATE VI. I' HOC. ENT. SO". WASH., VOL. XV31. s mnxl I'P.OC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE VII. CO / ® £§^pj%' — ' ^.S'Pii*2* e&s?.?? --ft*'.:!- |H (5 M fi M m PLATE VIII. PROC. KNT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. :FIG. fl G.3 10 PHOC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE IX. G5 24 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY NOTES ON TWO PARASITIC DIPTERA. BY A. B. GAHAN. Credit for the following interesting rearings must go to Robert Fouts, a Washington school boy who was employed as helper in the laboratory at College Park, Md., the past summer. The parasitized hosts were in both cases collected and brought to the laboratory by him. On September 3, 1914, an adult specimen of Stagmomantis Carolina was picked up in Washington, D. C. When secured the mantid was alive but had a hole in the side of the abdomen through which could be seen a dipterous larva. Whether this wound was due to an old injury which had become maggot- infested or whether it was made by the dipterous larva prepara- tory to emergence is not known. The mantid was placed in a breeding jar with some earth and on the same date three full grown dipterous larvae crawled out of the aperture and entered the soil. On September 21, three adult sarcophagids appeared in the jar. These have been determined by Mr. W. R. Walton as Sarcophaga (Helicobia) helicis. In his Seventh Report on the Insects of Missouri, Riley records the rearing of a sarcophagid wrhich he determined as Sarcophaga •carnaria var. mantivora from a female Mantis. In referring to this record by Professor Riley, Coquillett in Insect Life, v, p. 23, states the host as Stagmomantis Carolina, but omits the name of the parasite. These are the only records known to the writer of the rearing of sarcophagids from mantids. Mr. E 0. G. Kelly has recently shown Sarcophaga helicis to be parasitic on grasshoppers in Kansas (Jour. Agri. Research, U. S. Dept. Agri. vol. n, p. 441). Two larvae of Leucania unipuncta were taken at College Park, Md., July 27, 1914, and placed in a breeding jar. On July 29 there emerged from one of these Iarva3 a number of dipterous maggots. These pupated in the bottom of the jar and on August 6 two of the puparia produced adult tachinids. These flies were determined by Mr. Walton as Metachcda helymus. This is be- lieved to be the first record of a host for this epecies. In discussing this paper Mr. Busck suggested the possibility that Mr. Gahan's sarcophagid fly-larvae were not normally para- sitic, but that they had gained entrance through the mouth of the mantid while the mantid was eating the mother fly; he told of one such case which he observed years ago. In 1897, he was OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1015 2") taking care of a brood of the large Chinese mantid Paratenodera sinensis Sauss., which had been bred from the eggs in the Insec- tary of the Bureau of Entomology. While the mantid larvae were young and numerous they were kept together in one insect case and frequent cases of cannibalism occurred; but as they grew larger they were separated and kept each one in its own standard Riley insect case; they became quite tame and readily took living lepidopterous larva?, flies, or even pieces of meat held by a pair of forceps. About one dozen reached maturity. One morning one of these was offered a large living sarcophagid fly held by the forceps; the mantid, eagerly grabbing it with its graspers, squeezed some living maggots out of the abdomen of the fly; several of these maggots were eaten by the mantid, two or three crawled out on its chin and were promptly wiped into the mouth. One morning sometime later this mantid was found lying on the sand in the case, alive but weak and as it was picked up three or four full grown fly maggots pushed out through the side of the abdomen; the maggots burrowed into the sand and eventually pupated, but the flies were not reared. Mr. Busck was convinced that these maggots were the ones eaten, by the mantid and that they had passed the mouth parts of the greedy mantid unharmed and had been swallowed alive, and that they in this manner accidentally had become parasitic. CATALOGUE OF RECENTLY DESCRIBED COCCID.*) V.1 BY E. R. SASSCER, Bureau of Entomology. Since the publication of the Catalogue of Recently Described Coccida? — IV, October 19, 1912, l 4 new genera and 103 new species have been described. This makes a total of 3.3 new genera, 9 new subgenera, 643 new species, and 45 new varieties recorded since the appearance of Mrs. Fernald's catalogue in 1903. In preparing these catalogues the cooperation of coccid- ologists is earnestly solicited, especially in adding references which may have been overlooked. 1 This catalogue is believed to be fairly complete to November, 1914, and is the continuation of a series of papers which have hitherto been published by the Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of Agriculture, as Technical Series, No. 12, Tart I ; Technical Series, No. 16, Part III; Technical Series, No 16, Part IV; Technical Series, No. 16, Part VI; and Technical Scries, No. 16, Part VII. 26 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Subfamily MONOPHLEBIN^. Aspidoproctus bouvieri Vayssiere. Aspidiolus bouvieri Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 10, p. 333 (1914). Habitat — Gabun, French Equatorial Africa. On ? Aspidoproctus serrei Vayssiere. Aspidoproctus serrei Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 10, p. 334 (1914). Habitat — Batavia (Java). On? Dr6sicha lichenoides Cockerel!. Drosicha lichenoides Ckll., Jn. EC on. Ent., vi, 1. p. 142 (1913). Habitat — Philippine Islands. On Ficus not a. Lophococcus vuilleti Vayssiere. Lophococcus vuilleti Vayss., Ann. Service Epiphyties, i, p. 424 (1913). Fig. Habitat — Koulikoro (?), West Africa. On Acacia penunln. Icerya genistae Hempel. Icerya genistce Hemp., (1at. Faun. Brazil, in, S. Paulo, pp. 18, 55 (1912). Habitat — S. Paulo, Brazil. On Genista scoparia, Lespedeza striata, strawberry (Frag aria. sp.). Icerya jacobsoni Green. Icerya jacobsoni Green, Tijdschr. Ent.. LV, p. 316 (1913). Fig. Habitat — Java. On Dombeya acutangula. Icerya zeteki Cockerell. Icerya zeteki Ckll., Jn. Econ. Ent., vn. 1, p. 148 (1914). Habitat — Panama Canal Zone. On ? Llaveia luzonica Cockerell. Llaveia luzonica Ckll., Bui. Am. Mus. X. H.. xxxm, Art. xxv, p. 334 (1914). Habitat — Philippine Islands. On ? Monophlebus dugesi Vayssiere. Monophlebus dugesi Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 10, p. 335 (1914). Habitat — Guanajuato (Mexico) . On ? Palaeococcus morrilli Cockerell. Palffococcus morrilli Ckll., Ent. Xews, xxv, 3, p. 110 (1914). Habitat — Arizona. On ? OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 27 Subfamily M ARC ARODI ISLE. Kuwania britannica Green.1 Kuwania l/ri/antiicti Green, Ent. Mo. Mug., 2nd ser., xxv, p. 197 (1914). Fig. Habitat — England . On birch. Margarodes indicus Green. Margarodes indlnix Green. Rec. Indian Mus.. vii. pt. 1. No. .">, p. 0!) (1912). Fig. Habitat — India. On? Margarodes niger Green. Margarodes niy< r Green, Rec. Indian Mus., VM. pt. 1, No. o, p. 7~> (1012). H ab it at — M ysore . In soil. Margarodes papillosus Green. Margarodes papillomi* Green, Rec. Indian Mus.. vn. pt. 1, Xo. o. p. 74 (1912). Fig. Habitat — Mysore. In soil under rose. Genus NEOMARGARODES Green. Type, erythrocephala. Ni'omiirgarorles Green, Novitates Zoologicae, xxi. p. 263 (1914). Fig. Neomargarodes erythrocephala Green. Neomargaroih x (r//(//ri>rr/>/iaIa Green. Xovitates Zoologicae, xxi, p. 263, (1914). Habitat — Sahara Desert, Algeria. On ? Xylococcus napiformis Kuwana. X i/lococcus napiforuiix Kuwana. .In. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, vi, 1, j). I (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On Qurrcitx wrrntn. Subfamily DACTYLOPIN^. Eriococcus cockerelli Essig. EriococcM* cocktrilli Kssig, Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, v, 4, p. 179, (1913). Fig. Habitat — Sonora, Mexico. On "Cliino." 1 This appears to be a synonym of Steingelia goodetskia Xass. 2» PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Eriococcus festucae Kuwana and Fukaya. Eriococcus feslucce Kmv. and Fuk., Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, vi, 1, p. 2 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On Festuca parvigluma. Kertnes branigani King. Kermes branigani King, Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, vi, 2, p. 100 (1914). Fig. Habitat — California. On maul oak (Quercus chrysolepis). Kermes cordiformis Lindinger. Kermes cordiformis Lindgr., Die Schildlause, p. 286 (1912). Habitat — Trieste, Austria. On Quercus robur. Kermes essigii King. Kermes essigii King, Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, v, 4, p. 205 (1913). Fig. Habitat — California. On Querciis agri folia. Kermes lindingeri King. Kermes lindingeri King, Ent. Rundschau, xxxi, 6, p. 34 (1914). Habitat — Germany. On Quercus sessiliflora. Kermes occidentalis King. Kermes occidentalis King, Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, v, 4, p. 206 (1913). Habitat — California. On Quercus sp. Kermes sassceri King. tfermes sassceri King, Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, vi, 1, p. 48 (1914). Fig. Habitat— Mass., Pa., N. Y., Calif., R. I., Canada. On Quercus rubra. Kermes waldeni King. Kermes icaldeni King, Jn. Econ. Ent., vn, 1, p. 150 (1914). Habitat — Connecticut. On Quercus sp. Lachnodius greeni Vayssicrc. Lachnodius greeni Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 5, p. 15(i (191 I'. Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 7, p. L?OS (1914). Habitat — Madagascar. On Coffee roots and trunks (in ground). OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 29 Phenacoccus azaleae Kuwana. I'hcnacoccus azalea Kuw., Jn. Ent. and Zool.. Pomona, vi, 1, p. 1 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On Azalea. Trionymus violascens Cockerell. Trioni/mus ciolascens Ckll., Jn. Econ. Ent., vi, 1. p. 143 (1913). Habitat — Colorado. On Agropyrori. Phenacoccus betheli Cockerell. Phenacoccus Inlheli Ckll., Can Ent., XLIV, 10, p. 301 (1912). Can. Ent,, XLV, 1, p. 14 (1913). Habitat — Arizona, Colorado. On ,1 tnelanchier. Pseudococcus calluneti Lindinger. Pseudococcus cnUmnli Lindgr., Die Schildlause, p. 90 (1912). Habitat — Denmark. On Calluna. Pseudococcus capensis Brain. Pseudococcus capensis Brain, Ann. Ent. Soc. Am., v, 2, p. 182 (1912). Fig. Habitat — South Africa. On I'lii/lol'K'fd dioica, Albizzia lophantha, Solanum sodonmum, Cle- nidtis ri/tilba, Pelargonium sp., Sonchus oleraceus, Senecio riilgarix, Md[rti jnirrijlora, Oxalis cernua, stored pumpkins and vines. Pseudococcus fragilis Brain. Pseudococcus fragilis Brain, Ann. Ent. Soc. America, v, 2, p. 18G (1912). Habitat — South Africa. On Orange. Pseudococcus lounsburyi Brain. 1'xt udococcus lounsburyi Brain, Ann. Ent. Soc. America, v, 2, p. 179(1912). Fig. Habitat — South Africa. On A. 154 (1911). Habitat — XT. S. Wales. On quince trees. Genus COLOBOPYGA Brethes. Type, magnani. Colobopyga Brethes, An. Mus. Nac. Buenos Aires, xxin. p. 279 (1912). Colobopyga magnani Brethes. Colobopyga maynuni Brethes, An. Mus. Nac. liuenos Aires, xxin, p. 281 (1912). Habitat — Buenos Aires. On Chamcerops OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 31 i Subfamily COGCIN/E. Aclerda signoreti Lindinger. Aclerda signoreti Lindgr., Die Schildliiusc, p. 170 (1912). Habitat — P'rance, Austria. On grass. Ceronema africana Scott Mncfie. Ceronema africana Scott Macfic, Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 1, p. 31 (1913). Fig. Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 7, p. 208 (1914). Habitat— Northern Nigeria. On "Pride of Barbadoes" (Cirsalpinia pulchtrrima). Ceroplastes coniformis Newstead. Ceroplastes coniformis Newst., Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 1, p. 72 (1913). Fig. Gowdey, Bui. Ent. Re.s., iv, 3, p. 248 (1913). Habitat — Uganda. On Fie us sp. Ceroplastes excoecariae Hempel. Ceroplastes excaecaricF Hemp., Cat. Faun. Brazil, in, S. Paulo, pp. 33, 66 (1912). Fig. Habitat — S. Paulo, Brazil. On Excoecaria biglandulosa. Ceroplastes gigas Cockerell. Ceroplastes gigas C'kll., Bui. Am. Mus. X. H., xxxin, Art. xxv, p. 331 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Philippine Islands. On ? Coccus citricola Campbell. Coccus citricola Campb., Ent. News, xxv, ~i, p. 222 (1914). Habitat — California. On Citrus. Lecanium filamentosum Newstead. Eidecanium filamentosum Newst., Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 1, p. 74 (1913)- Fig. Gowdey, Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 3, p. 248 (1913). Habitat — Uganda. On unknown forest shrub. Lecanium opimum Green. Lecanium opimum Green, Tijdschr. P'nt., LV, p. 313 (1913). Fig. Habitat — Java. On Cassia fistula. 32 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Lecanium perinflatum Cockerell. Lecanium perinflatum Ckll., Bui. Am. Mus. N. H., xxxm, Art. xxv, p. 332 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Argentine Republic. On herbaceous plant. Lecanium pseudomagnoliarum Kuwana. Eulecanium pseudomagnoliaruin Kuw., Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, . vi, 1, p. 7 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On citrus. Mesolecanium lucidum Hempel. Mesolecanium tuciduni Homp., Cat. Faun, Brazil, in, S. Paulo, pp. 38, 67 (1912). Habitat — State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. On Solanacese. Paralecanium luzonicum Cockerell. Paralecanium luzonicum Ckll., Bui. Am. Mus. N. H., xxxm, Art. xxv, p. 333 (1914). Habitat — Philippine Islands. On Plectronia riridis.1 Protopulvinaria longivalvata bakeri Cockerell. Prolopulvinaria longivalvata l.akeri Ckll., Bui. Am. Mus. N. H., xxxm, Art. xxv, p. 333 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Philippine Islands. On leaves of Voacanga globosa.- Pseudokermes cooleyi King. Pseudokermes cooleyi King, Jn. Econ. Ent., vn, 2, p. 246 (1914). Habitat — Montana. On Picea englcinanni. Pulvinaria citricola Kuwana. Pulvinarta citricola Kuw., Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, vi, 1, p. 3 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On Citrus, Diaspyros /,-«/>•/, Hibim-iix xi/i-iucim. Pulvinaria idesia? Kuwana. Pnlihmriti iilrxicc Kuw., Jn. Ent. and Zool., 1'oiiKina, vi, l,"p. 6 (1914 . Fig, Habitat — Japan. On Idesia puli/cftrjni, Phellodendron amurensis. 1 Incorrectly cited as Alectronia. 2 Incorrectly cited as "bocanga." OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1'H/i 33 Pulvinaria okitsuensis Kuwana. Pulvinaria okitsuensis Kmv., Jn. Ent., and Zool., Pomona, vi, 1, p. 5 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On Orange. Pulvinaria ornata Hempel. /'//// 'innria ornata Hemp., Cat. Faun. Brazil, in, S. Paulo, pp. 28, 61 (1912). Habitat — S. Paulo, Brazil. On Arrabidcea. (Bignoniaceae) Pulvinaria photiniae Kuwana. Pulvinaria photinice Kuw., Jn. Ent. and Zool., Pomona, vi, 1, p. 4 (1914). Fig. Habitat — Japan. On Photinia villosa, Celtis sinensis. Megasaissetia brasiliensis Hempel. Megasaissetia brasiliensis Hemp., Cat. Faun. Brazil., in, S. Paulo, pp. 42, 68 (1912). Habitat — S. Paulo, Brazil. On ? Saissetia lucida Hempel. Saissetia lucida Hemp., Cat. Faun. Brazil, in, S. Paulo, pp. 41, 60 (1912). Habitat — S. Paulo, Brazil. On bark of forest tree. Stictococcus gowdeyi Newstead. Stictococcus gowdeyi Xewst., Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 1, p. 70 (1913). Fig. Gowdey, Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 3, p. 249 (1913). Gowdey, Ann. Rept. Dept. Agr., Uganda Protec.^ p. 29 (1913). H abitat — Uganda. On Haronya madagascariensis; Coffee. Subfamily DIASPIN^. Aspidiotus alatus Froggatt. Aspidiotus alatus Froggatt, Agr. Caz. X. S. \\ ., \xv. '_'. p. 132 (1914). Fig. Habitat — New South Wales, Victoria. On Eucalyptus mxtruid, Km-ali/pius sp. Aspidiotus confusus Froggatt. us confusus Frogg., Agr. Gaz., N. S. W., xxv, 2, p. 136 (1914). Fig- Habitat — Xcw South Wales. On white gum (Kuculi/itlux sp.). 34 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Aspidiotus ephedrarum Lindinger. Aspidiotus ephedrarum Lindgr., Die Schildliiuse, p. 139 (1912). Habitat — Sardinia, South East Spain. On Ephedra nebrodensis, E. scoparia. Aspidiotus gidgei Froggatt. Aspidiotus gidgei Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. W., xxv, 4, p. 313 (1914). Habitat — New South Wales. On Gidgei (Acacia cambagei). Aspidiotus gowdeyi Newstead. Aspidiotus gowdeyi Newst., Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 1, p. 77 (1913). Fig. Gowdey, Bui. Ent. Res., iv. 3, p. 249 (1913). Habi tat — Uganda. On Anona muricata. Aspidiotus junctilobius Froggatt. Aspidiotus junctilobius Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. W., xxv, 4, p. 31o (1«)14; Fig. Habitat — Southwestern New South Wales. On yarran (Exocarpus aphylla). Aspidiotus lenticularis Lindinger. Aspidiotus lenticularis Lindgr., Die Schildliiuse, pp. 149, 230 (1912). Habitat — Denmark. On ? » Aspidiotus rubribullatus Froggatt. Aspidiotus (Aspidiella) rubribullata Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. W., xxv, 4. p. 317 (1914). Fig. Habitat — West Australia, New South Wales. On Eucalyptus. Aspidiotus serratus Froggatt. Aspidiotus scrrata Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. W., xxv, 4, p. 318 (1914). Habitat — New South Wales. On leaves of Gidgei or Mulga (Acacia cambagei). Aspidiotus tafiranus Lindinger. Aspidiotus tafiranus Lindgr., Die Schildliiuse, p. 229 (1912). Habitat — Canary Islands. On Olea sp. Gymnaspis acaciae Froggatt. Gymnaspis acacia; Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. \V.. xxv, 7, p. 604 (1914). Fig. Habitat — New South Wales. On "Weeping Myall" (Acucin /i/ndida). OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1015 35 Gymnaspis africana Xewstead. Gymnaspis africana Newst., Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 1, p. 78 (1913). Fig. Gowdey, Bui. Ent. Res., iv, 3, p. 249 (1913). Habitat — Uganda. On unknown forest shrub. Hemiberlesia nitrariae Marchal. -\xpidiotus (Hemiberlesia) rcifran'« Marchal, Bui. Soc. Zool. France, xxxvi, 45 and 6, p. 150 (1911). Habitat — South Tunis. On Nitraria. Hemiberlesia provincialis Vayssiere. Aspidiotus (Hemiberlesia) prorincialis Vayss., Bui. Soc. Ent. Fr., 7, p. 207 (1914). Habitat — Bouches du Rhone, France. On Grass (Ammophila arenaria (?)). Odonaspis schizostachyi Cockerell and Robinson. Dix i tti-nli/pti Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. W., xxv, 7, p. (HO (1914) Fig. Habitat— New South Wales. On EiicnJi/ptuf! pipcrita. Lepidosaphes juniperi Lindingcr. Lepidosaphes juniperi Lindgr., Die Schildlause, p. INS (1912). Habitat — Turkey in Asia. On Juiii perns exceha. Lepidosaphes lobulatus Froggatt. Mytilaspis lohu'.atus Frogg., Agr. Gaz. N. S. W., xxv, S, p. (iSO (1911). Fig. Habitat— New South W'ales. On Casnarina sp. Lepidosaphes mulgae Froggatt. Mylilnxpi* innlija Frogg., Agr. Gaz. X. S. W.. xxv, N. p. 6X1 (1914). Habitat — New South Wales. On Mulga or Gidgei (Acacia ctnnlmi/i / 1. Lepidosaphes recurvata Froggatt. Mytilaspis recurvata Frogg., Agr. Gaz. X. S. \V., xxv, N. p. OS3 (1914). Fig. Habitat— Xow South Wales. On Black Wattle (Acacia decurrens). 38 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Genus PARLATOREOPSIS Lindinger. Type, longispina Newst. Lindinger, Die Schildlausse, p. 191 (1912). Pseudoparlatoria argentata Hempel. Pseudoparlatoria argentata Hemp., Cat. Faun. Brazil, in, S. Paulo, pp. 51, 63 (1912). Habitat — S. Paulo, Brazil. On Aglnia sp. DIPTEROLOGICAL MISCELLANY. BY FREDERICK KNAB, Bureau of Entomology. EVOLUTION OF THE BLOOD-SUCKING HABIT IN SYMPHOEOMYIA. In several families of Diptera the blood-sucking habit is un- equally developed in different species. Thus, in the Culicidu- we have within the same genus species that are aggressive blood- suckers, others that apparently have but a weak craving for blood, and still others that do not bite at all. Similar conditions appear to obtain in the chironomid subfamily Ceratopogoninte. while in the family Psychodida3 the blood-sucking habit is re- stricted to the genus Phlebotomus-. The leptid genus Symphoromyia has been reported as a blood- sucker several times, but, as its chief habitat is in the compara- tively unsettled Rocky Mountain region, we have very little exact information on the habits of the different species. Prof. J. M. Aldrich, who has recently revised the genus, informs me that two species appear to be the principal biters and that he has only a single record for a third species. These data will appear in a paper which Prof. Aldrich now has in press. Some additional information has recently come to hand and the indi- cations are that certain species of Symphoromyia are aggressive biters, while others are in process of acquiring the blood-sucking habit. Of course, it is possible that some of the inoffensive species feed upon animals other than man and the large mammals. A specimen and note recently sent in by W. H. Boyd of Cotton- wood, British Columbia, adds a fourth species, Symphoromyia pachyceras Will., to the list of blood-suckers. The interesting part of the note is that it appears to show that this species i- in a transition state. Mr. Boyd says that this species "bites for itself on unprotected portions of animals, but seems to prefer to take the blood oozing from a bite left by the larger fly" (Tabanus). It must, however, be remembered that the species of Sym- phoromyia are all similar in appearance and that the individuals lapping the blood from wounds may belong to different species OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 39 from those that actually bite. The case reminds one forcibly of the condition found by Captains Patton and Crags among certain forms of Muscidse in India.1 It may be added thai ;i specimen of Symphoromyia pachyceras (det. Aldrich) in the Na- tional collection, taken by H. S. Barber at Williams, Arizona, bears the label "biting." Recently the same species has been reported as biting by Dr. J. C. Bradley.2 The specimens iden- tified by the writer as pachyceras in a previous paper,3 have been placed by Prof. Aldrich in the course of his revisional work under N. I/ irt a Johnson. MUSCA LEPR.E LINNE. Under the name Musca leprce the following appears on p:igo 598 of the tenth edition of the Systema Naturae: M. antennis setariis atra nitens, antennis pedibusque albis, oculis rufo inauratis. Habitat in Elephantiasi Nigritum Arneri'cse. Rolander. Corpus pedi- culo minus. Abdomen subtus & basi album. Denticulus utrinque ad basin, proboscidis. The description is quite unrecognizable. Later Wiedemann described a small fly under the name Chlorops leprce, but expressed doubt as to its identity with the species described by Linnaeus.4 Becker has recently identified the specimen on which Wiedemann based his description as a species of Hippelates.5 He also ques- tions its identity with the Linnean species, but retains the specific name on the ground that it has been removed to a different genus. For medical entomology the identity of the Linnean specio is a question of considerable interest. No taxonomic data appear in the original description that could serve for accurate identi- fication, but the identity of the fly might be established with the aid of the other data by one favorably situated. Linnaeus evi- dently intended to indicate that the larvae of the fly occurred in cases of elephantiasis and is so interpreted by Wiedemaiin. 1 Patton, W. S., and F. W. Cragg. On certain haomatophagous species of the genus Musca, with descriptions of two new species. Indian Journ. Med. Research, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 11-25; 1913. 2 Riley, Wm. A., and O. A. Johannsen. Handbook of Medical Ento- mology, 1915, p. 112. 3 Knab, Frederick, and R. A. Cooley. Symphoromyia as a blood-sucker. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 14, p. 161-162; 1912. 4 Aussereurop. zweifl. Ins., vol. 2, p. 598 (1830). 6 Ann. Mus. Nat. Hung., vol. 10, p. 172 (1912). 40 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Presumably the larvae occur in lesions in advanced cases of ele- phantiasis and the fly is to be sought for among the scavenger forms. The body of the fly is said to be less than that of a louse. Among such small forms of scavenger habits the group that naturally suggests itself is the Phoridse. They are common in the tropics and infest all sorts of organic substances, from dead insects -and- molluscs to human faeces, one species being known even to invade the human cloaca.1 In a suitable locality, such as some of the West Indian islands where elephantiasis is com- mon, it would be easy, no doubt, to rediscover the fly. A CASE OF PHORESY. A few years ago Mr. Nathan Banks gave a review of the liter- ature treating of insects being transported by other species.2 Many of the observed cases have been Borboridse transported by dung beetles, the flies evidently employing this method to reach suitable breeding places. The habit appears to be a fixed one in certain species and one species, Limosina sacra, has re- ceived its specific name on account of its association with the sacred beetle, Ateuchus sacer. While the habit has been observed repeatedly in the warmer parts of the Old World, there is but one record for America and in that case the flies wrere not identified.3 Mr. W. D. Pierce has handed me several specimens of Borboridae which he captured recently (October 15, 1914) at Madison, Florida, •while they were riding 011 the dung beetle, Canthon viridis. He tells me there were over twenty of the flies on and hovering about the beetle. The flies proved to belong to two very dis- tinct species, a small one with milk-white wings and a larger one with smoky wings. The former proved to belong to the genus Borborus and is probably an undescribed species; probably it is the same one observed by Moulton in Missouri, for he par- ticularly mentions the white wings of the flies The specimens of the second species taken by Mr. Pierce were unfortunately destroyed by an accident, but probably were also a species of the genus Borborus. Under the heading of Notes and Exhibition of Specimens, the following was presented by the author who also exhibited speci- mens and drawings of the flies under consideration: < Austen, Trans. Soc. Trop. Med. and Hyg., vol. 3, p. 229-232 (1910). Laurence, Brit. Med. Journ., vol. 2 for 1910, p. 376. 2 Cases of phoresie. Entom. News, vol. 22, pp. 194-197 (1911). 3 Moulton, ,). T., Flies riding on tumble-dung. Amer. Ent., vol. 3, p. 226 (1880). OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII. l!»i:, 41 NOTE ON THE SPALLANZANIINE FLIES. (AUTHOR'S. ABSTRACT.) BY C. H. T. TOWNSEND, Bureau of Entomology. The two species Pseudogonia ruficauda Townsend (1892) nnd Cnephalomyia floridana Townsend (1912) are so similar in the adult as to be indistinguishable until one has learned the very slight but constant differences that separate them. Their eggs and first-stage maggots are greatly contrasted, though both belong to the microtype-egg stocks. They represent distinct genera, and the former will become the type of a new genus. They are evidently cases of convergent evolution in the adult, in con- junction wit1! divergent evolut'on in the eirly stages, indicated not only by the egg and first-stage maggot characters but also by the character of the slight external differences of the fly, and have traveled separate paths of development from distinct ori- gins within the Spallanzania group, though no doubt of ancient common origin. On external characters alone, one would un- hesitatingly refer both to the same genus, and a nice discrimina- tion is required to satisfy oneself that they are not the same species. This is a notable case of the early-stage characters constituting an index to the value of the external adult char- acters. Full details will be published in due time, including synopses based on adult characters. From Williston's descrip- tion and two figures of the head, it appears that Acroglossa hes- peridarum Williston does not belong in the Spallanzania group, and that a mistake has been made in labeling the type specimen of that species. Two HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FIRST MEETING, DECEMBER 3, 1914. The 281st regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Mr. W. D. Hunter in the Ssengerbund Hall, December 3, 1914. There were present Messrs. Abbott, Baker, Barber, Boving, Busck, Caudell, Coad, Crawford, Cushman, Duckett, Ely, Gahan, Greene, Heidemann, Heinrich, Hunter, Hutchinson, Isely, Knab, Kotinsky, Mclndoo, Middleton, Parker, Pqpenoe, Rohwer, Rust, Sanford, Schwarz, Shannon, Simanton, Townsend, Van Dine, Walton, Webb, White and Wood, members, and Messrs. John E. Dudley, Jr., G. L. Garrison, H. G. Ingerson, R. W. Morland and Mitchell Phillips, visitors. ' 42 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Mr. E. W. Rust and Mr. Dwight Isely were elected to active membership and Mr. A. F. Satterthwaite to corresponding membership. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Presi- dent, Mr. A. N. Caudell; 1st Vice-president, Mr. C. R. Ely; 2nd Vice-president, Mr. E. R. Sasscer; Corresponding Secretary- Treasurer, Mr. S. A. Rohwer; Recording Secretary, Mr. A. B. Gahan; Editor, Mr. J. C. Crawford; additional members of the Executive Committee, Mr. Schwarz, Mr. Quaintance and Mr. Marlatt. To represent the Society as a Vice-president of the Washington Academy of Science, Mr. W. D. Hunter. The following papers were read: ON THE OCCURRENCE OF AN INTERMEDIATE IN APHIS POMI DeGEER. (With Plate X ) BY W. F. TURNER AND A. C. BAKER. The family Aphididse presents many problems for the atten- tion of the student of bionomics which are presented by no other similar group of insects. This, for the reason that the majority of the insects composing this group confine their feed- ing to definite host plants; that many of them cannot, or at least, ordinarily do not complete a year's cycle without the aid of two different species, and usually genera or even families of host plants; that several distinct forms of adults occur during one year's cycle; and finally that two or even three modes of repro- duction may occur in the same period. In the present paper we are concerned only with the last two items. In general, the adult forms may be classified in one of the following groups: First, the stem-mother, which hatches from a hibernating egg, or less often, is born in the fall and itself hibernates. It is parthenogenetic and may produce either living young or eggs. Second, the summer forms, either alate or apter- ous. Here any one of a variety of conditions may exist. The alate forms may occur promiscuously throughout the summer, or they may be confined to certain generations. In the latter event they may occupy those generations in which they occur to the exclusion of the apterous form, or may share the goner- OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, nu:, \l) ation, in which case we have two very different forms, sisters or at least cousins, whose purpose in the economy of the insect may be as widely separated as their forms. Like the stem- mother these forms are parthenogenetic and like them, again, they may be viviparous or oviparous. This group may com- prise from one to twenty or more generations. Finally there occur the sexes; females mate with males and produce eggs. The matter is further complicated by the fabt that there are countless variations of these general types, usually evolved in conjunction with some peculiar mode of life in a particular species, or group of species, or occurring in order to aid certain species to pass through adverse climatic conditions occurring during the year's cycle; for example, certain subterranean and gall inhabiting forms, and the flabellate form of Chaitophorus tesluili- natus Thornton, in which stage the insect passes through the warmer period. However, these different forms may be further combined into two groups, alate and apterous if the general form be the standard, or parthenogenetic and sexual when classi- fied according to the mode of reproduction. To confuse matters still further, several observers have recorded, during the past thirty-five or forty years, adult forms which hold an intermediate position between the two groups, whichever classification be used. What appears to be the earliest record of such an intermediate form is that made by Fatio (1876) in Ph. vastatrix. He speaks of a "pupa" which deposited (sessuali) eggs on the roots. This pupa was undoubtedly an intermediate. Maxitz (1893) describes two anomalous "pupa)" in this species, which in general re- sembled true pupae, but had only foldings of the skin to represent wing pads. He believed these to be fully matured individuals, not pupa? arrested in development but intermediates between the apterous root form and the pupa. In this same specie- Stauffacher in 1907 noted observations on "pupa?" which pos- sessed the "corsaletto" found usually only in the alate insects. In 1908 and again in 1912, Grassi and Foa recorded observa- tions on intermediates, accompanied by quite detailed descrip- tions of several specimens, or groups of specimens. They stun that their observed forms can be arranged in a series from apter- ous to alate. All of these intermediates with one exception, were virginoparae, the one exception being a sexupara. In other Phylloxera Dreyfus (1889) described intermediates (calling them apterous) in coccinea Drey, punctata Licht., and rut /In Drey. He states that he observed apterous sexupara1 with eye- composed as in the alate, or better as in their pupa* and with all three ocelli present. He also observed in rnt-il«. "pupa*" with the "corsaletto" later found by Stauffacher in raxtatr/.r, as already recorded. 44 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Grass! Foa (1908) also found intermediate sexuparae in Ph. Danesii. Among other aphids, Ntisslin observed the normal occurrence of intermediate sexuparse in Mindarus. Mordwilko described inter- mediates in Tetraneura ccerulescens with antennae of six segments and compound eyes of 6-10 facets in one form, and well devel- oped compound eyes in another, neither having any trace of wings. In Dryobius roborsis he describes a viviparous female with rudimentary wings and the dorso-ventral (alary) muscles and the longitudinal muscles of the thorax rudimentary or de- generated. He did not observe the offspring of this form. Bonier (1908) found these forms in various species of the Chermesidoe. He failed to observe the offspring, but apparently considers the adults as virginoparse. In so far as observations on the offspring were noted these records may be divided into groups. It will be noted that all of these observations have been made in species with very speci- alized life cycles, and that this form occurred in the gener- ation in which sexuparse also occurred. All the forms observed in Chermesidse by Bonier, and with one exception, all those observed in Ph. vastatrix by Grassi and Foa, were virginoparse, that is, forms producing a large number of eggs which give rise to parthenogenetic aphids. These virginoparse are normally all apterous at this time of year. The remaining records state that the adults were sexuparse. The majority of the sexuparse in the species under observation are alate, but apterous forms have been described in most, if not all of them. These condi- tions have given rise to various theories, which attempt to explain them. Balbiani appears to have been the first to discover apterous sexuparaa (in Paraphyl'oxera glabra). He believed that these insects were alates in which sexual maturity preceded full somatic development, in other words, that while sexually mature, the insects were still in the larval form. Dreyfus believed that his observations of intermediates confirmed this theory. Borner con- sidered that the apterous and intermediate sexuparse of these two writers had the same value as his intermediates (which were viginoparse) . He believed, however, that they were merely inter- mediates between the normal virginoparse and sexuparse and were fully mature individuals. Mordwilko interpreted his inter- mediates in Tetraneura ccerulescens in like manner. Later (1909) Borner stated that, contrary to the theories of Balbiani and Dreyfus, intermediates are not larvae, since they pass through four moults and attain, with the exception of wings, the more important alate characters. However, he makes a funda- mental distinction between the intermediate virginoparse of the OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 45 Chermesinse and of Ph. vastatrix, and the intermediate sexuparse of the other Phylloxera. The first he classes simply as abnor- malities, forms intermediate between types with diverse modes of reproduction, while the second would constitute a type to themselves, a true wingless form of sexuparse, or one with the wings reduced. Dr. Foa fails to agree with Bonier, first, because there exist in certain forms, alate virginoparse and one would suppose that the intermediate virginoparse would group with these, like the sexuparse with the alate sexuparse; secondly, because the sepa- ration between virginoparse and sexuparse is not absolute, from the fact that some nymphs can become virginopara or sexu- para, because virginosexuparous forms exist. She further states that if the intermediate forms of the grape Phylloxera were found mostly in the spring, one should admit that they repre- sent a series of alate virginoparse in the process of reduction, but having been recovered only in the time and place in which the pupse of alate sexuparse exist, one would be led to believe that they are allied to them. She believes that, for unknown reasons, the Phylloxera is able to change its destiny in different stages of its development and that if it should change it in the first or second stage it would still produce a normal individual, while if it determines itself in the fourth it will probably become an intermediate. The intermediate virginoparse, therefore, would be considered as individuals, which, as far as the third stage were going to become apterous adults. At this point, however, there would come some change, which, while having an influence on the character of the individual, would not be able to modify the nature of the eggs, since this would probably have been already fixed. The intermediate sexuparse would be, instead, individuals which were to become alate, which had changed their orientation in the third stage, when the nature of the eggs was already determined. Dr. Foa appears to be the only worker who has recorded obser- vations on the younger stages of these intermediates. She says that the last nymphal stage of this form, more or less resembles a pupa. She observed the moulting of tAvo individuals. One of these, when adult, had wing rudiments slightly larger than the pupal pads, while in the second they were smaller. During the past summer, in the course of a study of the life history of the green apple aphis (Aphis pomi, DeGeer),at Vienna, Virginia, we made numerous observations on an intermediate form. The insects were reared on small seedling apple trees, in pots, each plant being covered by a lantern globe cage. Alate forms were of very frequent occurrence during the summer and, 4(> PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY in so far as it was possible, we bred the progeny from alate and apterous mothers in all cases. This necessitated the handling of a large number of experiments, there being at some periods as many as two hundred and fifty running simultaneously. It was found to be impracticable, under these circumstances, to select only the first and last born to represent each generation, as appears to be the usual custom. Consequently, we allowed two sisters, or cousins, as the case might be, in one generation, to produce the next and reared from a few to as many as sixty insects to maturity in every case, selecting our mothers for the next generation when they had reached the adult stage. This method has one great advantage over the other, in that it pro- vides an abundance of bred material for further study. In these experiments we obtained an adult form quite distinct from any of the normal adults of the species. This adult was an intermediate between the alate and apterous vivipara, or rather it is an alato with a tendency to degenerate to the apterous condition. In the fourth or last nymphal instar, aphids which will become alate are strongly differentiated from the earlier stages and from the corresponding stage of the apterous form (fig. m). The thoracic segments are more clearly differentiated from each other and from the abdomen. The prothorax is narrow with nearly straight margins, while the proximal angles of the mesothorax form two prominent, rounded shoulders. The entire body is more narrow and elongated. The meso- and metathorax bear large wing pads. The color also varies in this form, the head and thorax being orange yellow with a rosy bloom, while in apter- ous insects they are yellow-green, concolorous with the abdomen. The wing pads are dark gray in color. Because of its resemblance to that form in the metabola, we follow the general custom and call this stage a pupa. It should be stated, in this connection, that the possession of wing pads also pertains to the third nymphal instar of this form, but in this case they are very small and their presence is not accompanied by any of the other special char- acters noted. The fourth nymphal instar of this intermediate is apparently identical with the pupa of the normal alate aphid. The measure- ments of the antennal segments, the cornicles and the posterior tibiae are the same for both. In one case of five pupal moults mounted on a single slide, four being from insects which became normal alates and one from an intermediate, we were unable to separate the moults from each other. In handling the insects we usually transferred the "potential" alates to new plants, in the pupal stage. In no case of the selection and transfer of these OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 47 pupae did we have any suspicion that they would Drove to be anything but normal alate insects. Yet in several cases the adults were intermediate. Upon becoming adult, however, the intermediate, at a casual glance, appeared to be apterous. In fact, it required close exami- nation with a hand lens to perceive that it was not. The darker color of the head and thorax was lost, and instead of being black, as in the normal alate, it was of a uniform green with the ab- domen, as in the apterous forms. Moreover, the shoulder of the mesothorax tended to flatten out, approaching the more uniform line of the apterous adult. In the true alates, the wing venation was found to grade from the most complete nearly to the most reduced type known in aphids. (Exception should be made of one or two species re- cently described in which all veins, except those forming the stigma have been eliminated) (figs. b-d). The great majority possessed the most complete type, while only a small minority had the more specialized venation. The wings of intermediates which approached most nearly to the alate conditions were pro- vided with even fewer veins, if they could be called such, than were any of the normal alate insects (fig. e). They were usually smaller than the wing pads of the pupae, approximating the pads of third instar. This character varied greatly, however, form- ing with the character of the venation, a nicely graded series between the alate and apterous condition (figs. /-&). It is to be expected, if the wing condition of these intermedi- ates were a true reduction and not a mere accidental abortion, that it would be accompanied by a corresponding degeneration in the alary muscles. Such is found to be the case. In all of the specimens figured in the plate both pairs of dorso-ventral and longitudinal muscles were reduced nearly to the apterous condition. In specimen No. 1041, the form most nearly ap- proaching the alate in wing condition, the large dorso-ventral muscles were reduced but little. In No. 910, which closely ap- proximates the apterous form, these muscles were found to be almost exactly as in the apterous condition. In the intervening forms they were reduced almost to the apterous condition, being slightly larger in No. 999 than in the others. While the antennal measurements vary considerably in the intermediate form, there is no appreciable difference in the aver- age measurements of three adult types, nor does there appear to be a greater variation within the intermediate than is found within the apterous and alate forms. This is true, also, of the measurements of the cornicles and posterior tibia-. The variation in one antennal character, however, well shows the intermediate condition of our new form. No sensoria are 48 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY present on the third antennal segment, in apterous adults (fig.r), while in the alate insects this segment bears from four to eight of these sensoria, both the average and the mean being six (fig. ri) . These sensoria are large and generally of uniform size. More- over, in the vast majority of cases, the numbers on the two an- tennae are equal. In nine intermediates, this segment bore from four to six sensoria, the average being slightly under five per antenna and the mean, four. In seven out of the nine cases the numbers on the two antennae were not equal. Moreover, these sensoria were very unequal in size. In some cases they were all large, though never as large as in alate insects, in some small, while in still others they varied greatly in size, the dis- tribution of the small ones also varying (figs. o-q). This form occurred in sixteen different experiments with a known total of thirty individuals. The first occurrence was in the third generation, on May 29, and the last in the twelfth generation, on August 26. It occurred in at least one experi- ment in all of the intervening generations, with the exception of the fourth and ninth. Of these sixteen lots, thirteen were pro- duced by apterous mothers and three by alate. In only two cases did intermediates occur without the presence of alate sisters. Eleven of these series reproduced normally, the other five dying before reproduction took place. All eleven series produced apter- ous offspring and three of them also produced alate forms. In two cases single individuals brought forth progeny, some of which became apterous and some alate-. This polymorphic reproduc- tion is of quite common occurrence in this species among both alate and apterous mothers. All of the young were perfectly normal and in several cases we were able to carry the descendants through several generations (in the case of the earliest through thirteen) to the sexual forms. In 1912 Webster and Phillips recorded the occurrence of a similar form produced under similar conditions in Toxoptero graminum, a species in which, also, the majority of the summer form are apterous, but in which alate individuals occur quite frequently. They stated that they observed one instance in which a puparium produced six young. Apparently they did not rear these young. The note continues. "The cauda of this individual resembled that of an adult insect and the wing pads were aborted, the abdomen being much broader than that of the normal pupa." Through the kindness of Professor Webster, we have since examined this specimen (mounted on a slide) and find it to correspond, as far as reduction is concerned almost exactly to our intermediate. The wing muscles are very much reduced; OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 49 the cauda is that of the adult form; and the antennae are armed with sensoria as are the alate adults, there being four on the right and two on the left. We have also noted an intermediate in Aphis rutnicis, corre- sponding closely to that in. A. pomi, and in a species of Phylloxera on hickory we have observed one specimen with wings about half the normal size. Hunter (1909) and again Webster and Phillips have described forms in T. graminum, which vary between the sexual and par- thenogenetic females. Some of these vary in outward form, between the true female and the alate agamic female; others be- tween the true female and the apterous agamic. Some contain only eggs, others produce both eggs and living young. We believe that all of these intermediates are of like value with that which we have found in A. pomi, that is, they all developed toward the alate condition until the end of the third instar, during which stage the pupal form is determined. In the fourth, or pupal instar, however, they tended to progress to the apterous condition. We find no evidence to support Dr. Foa's contention that insects primarily designed to become apter- ous may later tend to become alate, nor can we agree with Borner in his classification of these intermediate forms. The only condition which necessitates such explanations is that in which the intermediates are virginopara, while normal virginopara are apterous. Has not too much stress been laid upon this dis- tinction between virginopar® and sexuparse? Dr. Foa, her- self, states that she has observed virgino-sexuparse, which would indicate that the line of demarcation is not strictly drawn, and other authors appear to believe that the intermediate virgino- parse are intermediate in position between virginoparae and sexuparse. It is generally accepted that the apterous aphid is a more specialized type, which has been derived from the alate. If this is true, it would seem that the tendency in aphids is to eliminate the wings. At the same time, there would appear a degeneration of secondary alate characters, such as the sensoria on the third antenna! segment, in species like A. pomi. In sup- port of this theory attention is called to the fact that in A. ponti we have been able to breed the insects from the egg stage to the egg stage without the intervention of any alate generations. Moreover, the primitive aphids must have been oviparous insects, reproducing sexually. Variations from this type would be the tendency to eliminate males and to transform from ovipara to vivipara. In some species these variations have been followed to their logical conclusions with 'the apparent elimination of both males and oviparous reproduction. In other cases this has been 50 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY partially accomplished, in that, under the proper climatic con- ditions, males and eggs do not appear in certain species whilo in colonies of the same species living under other conditions they do occur. Granting the above premises, we believe that in these inter- mediates we have to do solely with transitional forms between more primitive conditions on one hand and more advanced con- ditions on the other. We feel confident also, that all these inter- mediates are of equal value. The very fact that variants have been discovered in so many different species, having such diverse habits, seems to us to preclude the possibility that these arise from different fundamental causes. The only difference is that the forms in A. pomi and similar species and the intermediate sexuparse of various Phylloxera are varying in one characteristic, the elimination of wings, while the virginoparous forms in Ph. vastatrix and in the Chermesinse are varying in two characters; the elimination of wings and the elimination of sexes. The inter- mediates described by Hunter and by Webster and Phillips fall into at least two classes, the elimination of wings and the elimi- nation of ovipara. Some of the forms are intermediate in both groups, some only in one. It is possible, also, that there is here, a variation between sexual and parthenogenetic reproduction, but as the offspring were not reared this point cannot be determined. We feel confident that, in the final analysis, these forms are not the result of promiscuous variations, but of deviations along definite lines, which are uniform for the entire family; that changes in outward form are always from alate to apterous; and that variations in the mode of reproduction progress from sexual to parthenogenetic and from oviparous to viviparous. If we are correct in this matter then we are dealing with a group of insects which are at present in an unstable condition and in the various intermediates we are observing the steps by which the more advanced conditions are attained. BIBLIOGRAPHY. (1) BALBIANI, (1884) Le Phylloxera du chene et le Phylloxera de la vigne. Paris, 1884. (Gauthier-Villars imprimeur-libraire.) (2) BORNER, O., (1908) Erne Monographische Studie uber die Cher- miden. Arbeit, a. d. Kais. Biol. Anstalt. Bd. 6, Heft. 2, p. 45. (3) DREYFUS, L., (1889) Neue Beobachtungen bei den Gattungen Chermes L. und Phylloxera Boyer de Fonsc. Zool. Anz., No. 300. (4) FATIO, (1876) Le Phylloxera dans le canton de Geneve d' aotit 1875 a juillet 1876. Rapport au de"partement de 1'inte'rieur du canton de Geneve. 1876. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, Hii:, .1 1 (5) GRASSI and FOA, (1908) Madri radicole con caratheri ninfali. Rendi. della Regio. Ac-cad, du Lineei, Classe de Scienzc, vol. xvn, Ser. 5a, Sem. 2, p. 349-359. (6) HUNTER, S. J., (1909) The (lre.cn Bug and its Enemies. Hull. Tim. Kans., vol. ix, no. 2, pp. 108-116. (7) MORDWILKO, A., (1909) Beitriigc zur Biologie de Pflanzenlau-r. Aphididae Passerini. Biol. Centrabb.. Bd. 29, Xo. 4, p. S5. (8) MortiT/, F., (1893) Beobachtung und Versuche, betreffend die Reblaus, Ph. rnxtulrix PI. und deren Bckampfung. Arbeit, a. d. Kais. Gcsund., Bd. 8, p. 532. (9) NUSSLIN, O., (1909) Die neureen Ergebnissc und Aufgaben der Chermes-Forschung. Zool. Zeit., Bd. xvi, N. 21, 22. (10) STAUFFACHER, HCH., (1907) Zur Kenntnis der Phylloxera raxtaln'.r. Zeits. f. Wiss. Zool., Bd. 88, p. 135. (11) WEBSTER and PHILLIPS, (1912) The Spring Grain- Aphis, or "Green- Bug." U. S. D. A., Bu. Ent. Bull. 110, p. 81. EXPLANATION OF PLATE X. Fig. A, Normal alate. Figs. B-D, Variation in venation in alate wings. Fig. E, Intermediate wing; greatest development. Figs. F-K, Intermediates, showing series between alate and apterous condition. Fig. L, Normal apterous. Fig. M, Normal pupa. Fig. N, Antenna of normal alate, showing sensoria on third segment. Figs. O-Q, Antenna? of intermediates, showing degeneration of sensoria. Fig. K, Antenna of normal apterous aphid, showing absence of sen- soria on third segment. Mr. Barber objected to the term "adults" being assigned indis- criminately to the reproductive stages of the aphids by Messrs. Bilker and Turner. He believes that the aphids should be looked upon as reproducing more through an extreme form of pa-dogeiiesis than as simply agamic females, but that it is very hard to draw a line between simple parthenogenesis and its more complex type that is called psedogenesis. lie believes that the term "adult" is more strictly applicable to forms in which less divergence is found from the normal bisexual mode of reproduction. This normal sexual reproduction is impossible in the so-called agamic "adults" of the aphids which might be regarded as larviu so similar in structure throughout all their stages to the true adults PLATE X. PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL XVII. OF WASHINGTON, VOLl'MK XVII, 1«1.> ')'.) as to be even capable of acquiring wings, an idea which he had previously suggested before the Society (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 15, p. 35). He is not sufficiently familiar with the literature on the aphids to cite references on this point, but in a verbal discussion with Dr. Wm. M. Wheeler he received the impression that the present accepted explanation of the viviparous repro- duction of the aphids is on the line pf psedogenesis. THE FAMILY (ESTROPHASIIDAE AND OTHER NOTES. (AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT.) BY C. H. T. TOWNSEND, Bureau of Entomology. The family divides into the subfamily Ormiinse, which equals the family Phasiopterygidae Townsend (1912); and the subfamily GEstrophasina?, the latter evidently including Phasiops Coquillett as judged on adult characters. The former subfamily possesses eggs which are microtype at time of fertilization but develop in utero to macrotype and disclose in utero a highly specialized planidium type of maggot indicating most likely a parasitism on ant or wasp pupae, the maggots of Ormia possessing heavy strongly-hooked talons on the ventral aspect of the second seg- ment. (Estrophasia has recently been demonstrated to deposit a microtype egg of a distinct character from any hitherto known, indicating nbncomniunity of origin with the masiceratid stocks. Its maggot is also of distinct character from the masiceratid maggot, and while greatly contrasted with the ormiine maggot is evidently of common family origin therewith. Three genera are so far known in each of the two subfamilies, I'/iaxio/ttcri/.i- australis Townsend (1912) becoming the type of a new genus. Adult characters mark this family off conspicuously from the rest of the Muscoidea, and they are well supported by the repro- ductive and early-stage characters. The family is evidently an ancient one, with a remnant persisting exclusively in America and no close existing relatives. The most nearly related group known appears to be the tribe Myiophasiini, but it is much too far removed on adult and all other characters from the (1'stio- phasiidse to be included therein. The family name (Estropha- siidse was proposed by Brauer and von Bcrgenstamm in 18S'.'. Full details, including adult-character synopses, will be pub- lished later. The European Winthemia quadripustulata Fabricius does not occur in America, the American forms being easily separated as 54 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY distinct, among which are thus far recognized militaris Walsh, deilephilce Osten-Sacken and datance Townsend. The original descriptions closely followed will separate these species. Spallan- zania hebes Fallen and Cnephalia bucephala Meigen do not occur in America; the species finitima Snow being congeneric with ruficauda Townsend, while pansa Snow is a distinct American species of tipallanzania as opposed to Cnephalia. Furthermore Gonia capitata DeGeer is not American, frontosa Say being valid, as well as several other easily separable American species. The following papers have been accepted for publication: NOTES ON IPID^E WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES. • BY A. D. HOPKINS. l A subdivision of the genus Ips DeGeer represented by Ips (Tomicus) condnnus Mann, is distinguished from the other divisions by the subcompressed antennal club with the basal joint short and with two broadly procurved annulations on the anterior face. The elytral strise faintly or not at all impressed and the punctures not or but slightly coarser than those of the interspaces; the declivity steep, concave and with three mar- ginal teeth each side, the third cylindrical and prominent. The marginal teeth are coarser in the male than in the female. There are three species distinguished as follows: hi. Pronotal and elytral punctures fine. [Oregon to Alaska, in Picea sitchensix.] condnnus Mann. h2. Pronotal and elytral punctures moderately coarse. Elytra with stria) punctures not distinctly coarser than those of the interspaces. [Berkeley, California, in Pinus radiata, Apr. 18/99, Hopkins collector., Hopk. U. S. No. 3c. Type No. 7461 U. S. N. M. California to Idaho, in Pinus radiata and Pinus contorld.] radiattv 11. sp. Elytra with striae faintly impressed and the punctures coarser than those of the interspaces. [Mexico, in Pinus.] mexicaniis Hopk. (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., Vol. V, No. 1, 1902, p. 75.) 1 This is a contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, Branch of Forest Insects. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 55 DESCRIPTIONS OF BRACONIDJE BY S. A. ROHWER, Branch of Forest Insects, Bureau of Entomol<>/.s //.sAv, Kolnvrr, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 45, No. 1991, 1913, p. 535. Allodorus tompxiae new species. Length 4.5 mm. for both sexes. The female agrees with the above mentioned characters. The males have the head slightly paler than the females often having the face entirely reddish yellow; otherwise they agree with the females. Falls Church, Virginia. Described from three females (one typo and three males (one allotypc) recorded under Bureau of Entomology number Hopk. U. S. No. 10122, which refers to note stating that this species is parasitic on the larvae of Toni/i.rin lineella feeding in brashy wood of Liriodendron stumps. Material collected and reared June 22, 1912, by S. A. Rohwer. Type: Cat. No. 19096, U. S. N. M. 56 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY GENUS NEOFHYLAX Ashmead. This genus belongs to the Agathinse as defined by both Ash- mead and Szepligeti. In Szepligeti's table to the genera of tho Agathinse it runs to the genus Megagathis Kriechbaumer but differs from the descriptioa of that genus in having the de- pression above the antennae with a margining carina and in having the second segment without any sutures. Neophylax snyderi Ashmead. Female: Length 7 mm. Ferruginous; antenna1, extreme apices of the posterior tibia? and the posterior tarsi, black; wings hyaline, slightly dusky, venation yellowish; costa and stigma black. Prescutum denned by foveolate furrows; depression between tho scutum and the scutellum with three longitudinal ruga?; the dorsal and posterior aspects of the propodeum separated by a sharp carina, the dor- sal aspect with four longitudinal carina? which define three rectangular areas, the median one narrower than the lateral ones, the posterior aspect with five rectangular areas the median one slightly broader, dorsally; ab- domen shining, second tergite hearly as long as the first. Luebo, Congo. Described from one female collected by T. W. Snyder. Type: Cat. No. 14162, IT. S. N. M. Macrocentrus aegeriae, new species. Of the described species th is is more nearly allied to mellipes Provancher, but may be distinguished from that species by the sculpture of the prescutum. Female: Length 8 mm.; length of the ovipositor 8.75 mm.; length of the antenna 9.5 mm. Anterior margin of the clypeus broadly, gently, arcuately emarginate; head belosv the antenna? shining, with sparse, widely separated punctures which become closer in the median area, above the antenna?; posterior orbits shining, practically impunctate, except for the setigerous punctures; postocellar line about one-sixth shorter than the ocellocular line; scutum and prescutum shining, the scutum medially with a few large punctures; notauli well defined, foveolate, reticulate where they meet; scutellum shining, with a few distinct setigerous punctures; depressed area between the scutum and scutellum with eleven strong ruga?; propodeum transversely irregularly striate, anteriorly the striations are finer and there is a tendency towards reticulation; mesepisternum shining with uniform, widely separated distinct punctures; first and second tergites with longitudinal striae; on the first the stria; form an elliptical- shaped median area; the third and following tergites practically impunc- tate; second abscissa of the radius but little shorter than the first trans- verse cubitus; nervulus post-furcal by half its length. Black; palpi and tegula? brownish; mcsosternum, lower part of the mesepisternum, spot, on the mesepisternum and legs except the posterior tibia? and tarsi, rufous; the apices of the four anterior legs paler; the posterior tibia? and tarsi brownish black; a narrow pallid band at the base of tffe tibiae; wings hyaline, iridescent, venation brownish. Greenville, South Carolina. Described from one female recorded under Bureau of Entomology number Hopk. U. S. No. 11128o, material reared May 5, 1913, by Carl Heinrich. This species is parasitic on the larva of (Sesia) JEgeria castanece Busck. Type: Cat. No. 19085, U. S. N. M. Actual date of publication, March 16, 1915. ANNOUNCEMENT Separates of all the important papers published in the PROCEED- INGS OP THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON and a num- ber from other journals are for sale at approximately two cents per page (no article less than ten cents). They can be had by apply- ing to the Corresponding Secretary of the Entomological Society, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. No receipt will be mailed for the sale of printed matter unless especially requested. OF SPECIAL INTEREST BAKER, C. F. A Revision of the North American Siphon- aptera or Fleas, Together with a Complete List and Bibliography of the Group. 1904 $1.50 BANKS, N. Bibliography of the More Important Contri- butions to American Economic Entomology. 1888- 1905. Parts 6, 7, 8 $1.50 DYAR, H. G. The Life Histories of the New York Slug Caterpillars. Journ. New York Ent. Soc. 1895- 1899. (Complete) $1.50 DYAR, H. G. Life Histories of North American Geomet- ridae. Psyche, 1899-1905, 63 parts (part 20 missing) $ .75 HEIDEMANN, 0. Some Remarks on the Eggs of North American Species of Hemiptera-Heteroptera. 1911.. $ .25 SMITH, J. B. Contribution Toward a Monograph of the Noctuidae of Temperate North America. — Five parts, Mame|tra, Xylophasia and Superina, Some Taenicompid genera; Homohadena, Agrotes. (May be had separately) Set $2.25 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS NUMBER COCKERELL, T, D. A. : Notes on some bees from Virginia 3 GAHAN, A. B.t Notes on two parasitic Diptera 24 GREENE, C. T. : Capture of Callicera johnsoni Hunter 1 HEINRICH, C. and J. J. DEGRYSE: On Acrocercops striginnitella Clemens 6 HOPKINS, A. D.: Notes on Ipidse with description of a new species. . 54 HOWARD, L. O.: On possible poisoning of insectivorus birds in the war against the Gypsy Moth 2 KNAB, FREDERICK : Dipterological Miscellany , 38 ROHWER, S. A. : Descriptions of Braconidse 55 SASSCER, E. R. : Catalogue of recently described Coccidse 25 TOWNSEND, C. H. T. : Note on Spallanziine Flies. 41 TOWNSEND, C. H. T. : The Family CEstrophasiidae and other notes... 53 TURNER, W. F. and A. C. BAKER: On the occurrence of an inter- mediate in Aphis pomi De Geer 42 PROCEEDINGS OF THF ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON VOLUME XVII, No. 2 JUNE, 1915 PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE OFFICE OF PUBLICATION 2419-21 GREBNMOT7NT AVE. BALTIMORE, MD. EDITORIAL OFFICE WASHINGTON, D. C. Entered aa aecond-olasa matter at the poatoflBce at Baltimore, Md.. February 28, 1913, under the Act of August 24, 1913 THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ORGANIZED MARCH 12, 1884. The regular meetings of the Society are held on the first Thursday of each month, from October to June inclusive, at 8 P. M. Annual dues of active members, $3.00; of corresponding members $2.00; initiation fee (for active members only), $1.00. OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1915. President ..A. N. CAUDELL First Vice-President. C. R. ELY Second Vice-President E. R. SASSCER Recording Secretary . .' A. B. GAHAN Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer • S. A. ROHWER U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. Editor ..J. C. CRAWFORD Representing the Society as a Vice-President of the Washington Academy of Sciences W. D. HUNTER Executive Committee. THE OFFICERS. E. A. SCHWARZ. A. L. QtJAINTANCE. C. L. MARLATT. PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. Published quarterly by the Society at Baltimore, Md., and Wash- ington, D. C. Terms of subscription: Domestic, $2.00 per annum; foreign, $2.25 per annum; single numbers, 50 cents, foreign postage extra. Remittances should be made payable to the Entomological Society of Washington. Authors of leading articles in the PROCEEDINGS will be entitled to 25 separates of each contribution, free of charge, provided the Editor is noti- fied before page proof is returned. Additional copies may be had at rates fixed by the Society. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON VOL. XVII 1915 No. 2 Two HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SECOND MEETING, JANUARY 7, 1915. The 282d regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Prof. A. L. Quaintance at the Sangerbund Hall, January 7, 1915. There were present 48 members and 21 visitors, this being the largest attendance ever recorded at a regular meeting. Those present were Messrs. Abbott, Baker, Barber, Bishopp, Blakeslee, Boving, Busck, Caudell, Champion, Coad, Craighead, Crawford, Cushman, DeGryse, Van Dine, Ely, Fisher, Gahan, Gill, Greene, Heinrich, Hood, Hopkins, Howard, Hunter, Hutchinson, Isely, Kelly, Knab, Kotinsky, Mclndoo, Middleton, Phillips, Pierce, Quaintance, Ransom, Rohwer, Rust, Sanford, Schwarz, Shannon, Siegler, Simanton, Snyder, Strauss, Townsend, Turner, Walton, Webb, Wood, members, and Wm. Davidson, R. J. Fiske, R. M. Garner, E. W. Geyer, R. W. Howe, C. Gordon Hewitt, H. G. Ingerson, A. C. Johnson, J. W. McCulloch, F. L. McDonough, Jas. A. Nelson, Wilmon Newell, A. H. Pottinger, H. K. Plank, H. B. Scammell, E. Schramm, F. L. Thomas, Delmar Webb, R. L. Webster and Carrington B. Williams, visitors. The address by the retiring President was discussed by Dr. Howard, Dr. Hopkins, Mr. Bishopp, and Prof. Quaintance, each of whom complimented the author highly upon the excellence of his paper. Upon request Dr. C. Gordon Hewitt discussed the address briefly. He was of the opinion that medical entomology had done much toward bringing the science to popular attention and favor as in its various phases it made a more direct appeal to all classes of people. 57 58 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY A vote of thanks was unanimously tendered Mr. Hunter by the Society. Mr. Wilmon Newell of Texas, Mr. C. B. Williams of England, and Mr. R. L. Webster of Iowa — visitors — were each in turn called upon by the President and responded with a few appro- priate remarks. The retiring President gave -the following address : SOME OBSERVATIONS ON MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY. BY W. D. HUNTER. It is altogether likely that no branch of entomology will develop as rapidly in the next few years as that which deals with trans- mission or conveyance of diseases. Medical entomology brings the importance of a knowledge of insects home to large new groups of persons, physicians and sanitarians, and thus greatly enlarges its clientele. Until recently it was the producers of crops who were principally concerned, but more and more, as new discoveries are made, entomology comes into importance in connection with the personal welfare of man. There therefore seems to be some little timeliness in observations on the present status of our knowledge of disease transmission by insects, and on possible extensions of the field. The theme also seems to be pertinent on account of the fact that this Society probably con- tains as great a proportion of individuals interested in medical entomology as any similar society in existence. As a prelude attention will be directed to what may be called the biological significance of infectious diseases. This idea was probably first put into form by Lankester but was brought home to us by a former colleague W. F. Fiske. In a broad way the proper study of infectious diseases is essentially a study of para- sitism. The principles involved, as Fiske states, are very similar to those which entomologists have been considering for many years. For instance there is an analogy between the human diseases and the parasites of the boll weevil. In this case there are numerous species of different families which exist on other species of insects which are dependent upon various plants. There thus exists a biocenose or complex and the boll weevil at the center may be affected by something which happens to a plant for instance which may occupy a place on the periphery of the complex. The same inter-relationships occur with the parasites of the Gypsy moth and other insects. If we should substitute OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 59 man for the boll weevil, or for the Gypsy moth, in one of these biocenoses, and substitute pathogenic organisms and their vectors for the parasites we would have a set of analogously interde- pendent relations. There is one striking difference. In the case of the parasites of the boll weevil the purpose of entomologists is to increase their efficiency by adding links in the chain or otherwise; while in the case of parasites of man the purpose is to break up the relations so that the attacks of the parasites against the host will be lessened. Notwithstanding this differ- ence both efforts rest on the same foundation, that is, an inti- mate knowledge of the complicated relations between interlock- ing and inter-independent groups of animals. The time has not arrived for the classification of the conditions under which insects may transmit diseases, as our knowledge is being extended almost daily and unsuspected conditions or sets of conditions are coming to light. For the present purpose, how- ever, certain conditions which seem to be of importance in con- nection with disease transmission by insects will be mentioned, not so much in the way of a classification as an enumeration of the modes involved. Undoubtedly the most important habit of insects which has a bearing on disease transmission is that of sucking blood. This is the basis for the transmission of the great majority of insect- borne diseases. There are probably many complicated inter- relations involved. Among them seems to be the habit of cer- tain parasites of man and other animals, such as the species of Filaria, to swarm in the peripheral blood during the time when nocturnal insects are active and the host is least in a condition to interfere with their attack. Of course some investigators explain this phenomenon on purely physiological reasons, that is, the supposed expansion of the sub-cutaneous capillaries when sleep begins which may allow organisms too large to reach posi- tions immediately under the skin during the day to do so during the night. But we think it not too much to suppose, in view of what is known of the adjustments between other organisms, that the swarming in the peripheral blood is an adaptation to assist in establishing the necessary connection between two interde- pendent forms.1 Another consideration of importance in this connection is what may be called domesticity. This is of great importance, as F. Knab has pointed out,2 in connection with such diseases as yel- low fever, kala azar, and Chagas disease. It must be evident 1 Manson, Patrick. Tropical diseases. A manual of the diseases of warm countries, 1914, 673. - Knab, F. Journal oi Economic Entomology, Volume V, p. 196. 60 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY that the closer the association between any insect and man the greater will be the likelihood of disease transmission, provided the other necessary conditions are fulfilled. Domesticity, there- fore, is a condition which affects profoundly the phenomenon of disease transmission, and the importance of vectors in many cases at least will depend upon the degree to which their domes- ticity has been developed. There is, however, a class of diseases, which is likely to become extended with future study, in which domesticity does not act as an important factor. Such diseases as spotted fever and tsutsugamushi are examples. The essential condition in such cases seems to be a natural contact with the reservoir of the disease, and accidental contact with man. The spotted fever tick is in no sense a domestic species. In fact, it is quite the reverse.1 It decreases in numbers with the advent of man and with his operations in the fields. The tick probably acquires the virus of spotted fever from certain wild animals. A tick infected in this way happens to attach itself to man as it would to any other animal. The attachment is, therefore, to be looked upon as more or less an accident which is of importance by rea- son of the fact that it establishes a connection between man and the virus. Likewise tsutsugamushi fever has its reservoir in wild rodents and reaches man through the intervention of a mite, Trombidium akamushi, which attacks him when he goes into the fields.2 There are no very definitely established cases at present but it is likely that there will be found to be another class of diseases in which insects are of importance, where the essential condi- tion is accidental contact with the pathogenic organism (instead of natural contact as in the -case of spotted fever) , and accidental contact with food. If cockroaches become definitely connected with tuberculosis, or similar maladies, as seems likely to be the case, they will present such a class as we believe will ultimately be found to be important.3 Of course the importance of this mode of transference will be profoundly affected by such condi- tions as the abundance of the insects, and the viability of the pathogenic organisms. Another class of cases is that of diseases which may be trans- mitted by insects which become contaminated by feeding upon or visiting the body discharges of invalids. An example of this is a species of Oscinis which seems to have developed a rather 1 Hunter, W. D. and F. C. Bishopp. Bulletin 105, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 2 Ashburn and Craig. Philippine Journal of Science, B. Ill, p. 1. 3 Barber, M. A. Philippine Journal of Science, B. IV, p. 4. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 61 special habit of visiting the external lesions of yaws.1 It has been noticed that this insect will be found in considerable num- bers on the lesions of patients in hospitals as soon as the bandages have been removed. Of course the house fly is the most con- spicuous example of an insect which may be concerned in the transmission of diseases in this manner. The last class of cases consists of those in which insects serve as intermediate hosts for cestode or nematode parasites. The parasitism of the hog by Echinorhynchus hirudinaceus is especially interesting because the insect concerned belongs to the order Coleoptera which is not generally associated with disease organ- isms. The necessary host for one stage of this parasite is the larva of some scarabseid beetle. In Europe the species of Melo- lontha and in this country species of Lachnosterna are involved.2 The infestation of the swine is rather general and sometimes of grave importance on account of perforations and for other reasons. Occasional human cases are also recorded. This is another case in which the destruction of the insect intermediate host would result in the control of the disease. It is rather novel, however, because the destruction of white grubs is undertaken on account of the injury they do the crops, while ordinarily the destruction of intermediate insect host must be predicated upon the fact of disease transmission or the fact of direct annoyance to man. A similar instance is found in a tape worm of the dog (Dyphylidium caninum). In this case some insect is necessary for the develop- ment of the cysticercus stage of the parasite.3 Usually it is a flea or louse which forms this function. As in the other case man is directly concerned to at least a certain extent, since Blanchard summarized not less than sixty cases which has been recorded in man up to 1907. Among the strictly human cestode parasites, one of the most important is Hymenolepsis diminuta. In this case the necessary intermediate host for the cysticercus stage may be any one of several insects. This has been proven in species of the follow- ing genera — Pyralis, Anisolabis, Ascis and Scaunts* Thus cer- tain common household insects, like the flour moth, have rela- tion to man which is frequently overlooked. In this discussion we have purposely omitted the attack of insects against man in purely mechanical ways, such as myiasis, and have restricted ourselves to the cases in which the injury is not direct but indirect through infection by specific organisms. 1 Xicholls, L. Bulletin Entomological Research, III, No. 14, 199. 2 Ransom, B. H. Yearbook, U. S. Dept. Agriculture, 1905, 155. 3 Castellani, A., and A. .1. Chalmers. Manual of Tropical Medicine, 1913, 502. 4 Id., 503. 62 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Undoubtedly a great deal more will be learned about different forms of direct attack of insects against man, but it is safe to say that our knowledge of that subject is much more nearly com- plete than on the subject of transmission of disease organisms. We shall mention, however, that the most interesting case of a malady due to direct attack is tick paralysis which is just com- ing to be known. The attachment of a tick causes progressive paralysis ascending from the lower extremities until all parts of the body are involved. A peculiarity is that the motor but not the sensory nerves are involved. The disease evidently occurs in Africa, and Australia as well as in North America. That it is not uncommon is shown by the fact that 13 cases have occurred in the practice of a single physician in Oregon.1 No virus has been found and the experiments of Hadwen and Nuttall show that it is not infectious. The malady appears to be unique but may be found to be the first representative of a special class of injuries caused by insects. We are aware that Hadwen and Nuttall2 lean toward the theory of a specific causative organism and this is supported by what appears to be a definite incubation period in the tick. Our reasons for leaning toward the theory of nerve shock are the non-infectiousness of the disorder and the relation of the location of the puncture to the symptoms. At any rate it suggests that we are probably still ignorant of many reactions between man and insects in which the health of the former is involved. Omitting tick paralysis for the present we may summarize the more important conditions involved in disease transmission as follows : 1. Blood sucking. 2. Domesticity. 3. Contact with reservoir and accidental contact with man. 4. Accidental contact with pathogenic organisms, and acci- dental contact with man. 5. Feeding upon and breeding in body discharges. 6. Functioning as necessary intermediate hosts for nematode or cestode parasites. It is possible that several new groups of diseases in which insects are concerned will be found to exist. In the investigation of beri beri and similar diseases in recent years much has been learned about the effects on the system of the presence of toxins of various kinds, and by the absence of certain so-called vitamines. 1 Temple, I. U. Medical Sentinel, XV, 507; see also Parasitology, VII, No. 1, 96. 2 Nuttall, G. H. Parasitology, VI, 299-301; see also Hawden, Para- sitology, VI, 283. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 63 Is it not possible that the presence of insects in considerable numbers in food products may result in the formation of toxins, or at least increase greatly the natural tendency of the products to develop toxins? It is even conceivable that the work of some insect in the food product might result in the destruction, or reduction, of important vitamines. These speculations may be going rather far afield but one recent contribution to our knowl- edge seems to indicate the probability of a new class of maladies caused by insect secretions. Messrs. Seyderhelm,1 working in Germany, have apparently proven that infectious aenemia of the horse, a widespread and mysterious malady, is caused by toxins secreted by the larvae of the species of Gastrophilus. They made injections of extracts made from the larvae of two species of the genus and reproduced conditions in experimental animals which appear to be identical with those of infectious aenemia. The toxin obtained, which they call oestrin, was found in experiments to be specific for the horse and non-pathogenic for other animals. It was even found that the toxin from Gastrophilus hemorrhoidalis is much more active than that obtained from Gastrophilus egui. The probability of the existence of a definite toxin was proven by numerous tests with chemicals and cultural methods which did not reveal any of the indications of plant or animal organisms which might be the cause of the reactions following the injec- tions. These investigators went so far as apparently to cause the disease in susceptible animals through the agency of blood extracted from animals in which the disease had been induced solely by the injection of the toxin derived from the larva?. This phase of the discussion will be ended with a mere refer- ence to the popular belief that the larvae of Chrysomyia are respon- sible, probably through the formation of toxins, for the disease known as limberneck of fowls, and to Doctor Saunders' investi- gations in St. Louis which show various symptoms simulating those of poliomyelitis occuring in animals into the diet of which fly larvae of various kinds have been introduced.2 Whatever the outcome the work along this line which is now under way will add greatly to our knowledge. We propose at this point to make a survey of some of the important diversities which present themselves in the nature and manner of disease transmission by insects. These include pathogenic organisms of widely different groups and striking diversity in the habits and systematic position of the insect vectors. 1 Seyderhelm, K. R., and R. Seyderhelm. Arch. Exp. Pathol. u. Pharmak., XXVI, 1914, 149. 2 Saunders, E. \V. Journal St. Louis Medical Association, IX, No. 12, 385-389. 64 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Among the bacterial pathogenic organisms transmitted by insects are those causing bubonic plague, anthrax, and typhoid fever. They represent, as far as the insect intervention is con- cerned, both accidental and obligatory hosts. As is well known many of the striking diseases transmitted by insects are caused by protozoan parasites, among them malaria, sleeping sickness, nagana, leishmaniasis and numerous trypano- somiases. In these cases the usual function of the insect is that of a necessary intermediate host to permit the development of the causal organism through a certain stage. However, it is evident that mechanical transmission may occur in certain cases. Among the nematodes, species of Filaria are conspicuous ex- amples of pathogenic organisms transmitted by insects. In addi- tion to the human disease caused in this way there is filiariasis of dogs caused by Filaria immitis transmitted by certain mos- quitoes, and it is altogether likely that other diseases of this class will be discovered in the course of time. We may also mention the probable occasional dissemination of Necator by the house fly and the recent work of Fibiger which shows an apparent connection between a nematode carried by cockroaches and car- cinomatous lesions in the internal organs of mice. The work is not all complete, but, nevertheless, may be said to be extremely suggestive of a possible new class of diseases in which the insect may be concerned. Among the cestodes there are cases of the occurrence of insect intermediate hosts. Among them is the disease of dogs caused by Diphlydium caninum which is transmitted by fleas. The pre- cise agency of flies in the transmission of the eggs of human ces- tode parasites has not been made altogether clear although nu- merous laboratory experiments show that such eggs are frequently devoured by flies and discharged in a viable condition. As a matter of fact the house fly and other species seem to have a rather special predilection for the eggs. What remains in this connec- tion is to determine the extent of feeding on cestode eggs under natural conditions, but the laboratory experiments and the known habits of the house fly leave little doubt on this score and show clearly the facility of the dissemination of such eggs when devoured by flies. It will be seen from the foregoing that insects are directly con- cerned in the transmission of diseases caused by organisms ex- tending over four groups from the bacteria through the protozoa and the nematodes to the cestodes. The diversity of the insect transmitters from a taxonomic standpoint is interesting. Examples are found in the mites in two families of ticks and in four orders of insects proper, namely Diptera, Hemiptera, Siphonaptera and Siphunculata. Even the OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 65 Lepidoptera and Coleoptera may be involved in special ways as has been suggested previously. Various relations are found to exist between disease organisms and the insect host, among them the mechanical and special or obligatory relations. It was supposed for sometime that the transmission of disease- causing organisms in which insects are the special intermediate hosts could only occur when the infection was derived and trans- mitted by the same stage. It appeared, for instance, that the persistence of disease organisms from the larval to the adult stage of the house fly would be impossible on account of the processes of histolysis and histogenesis in the pupal stage. Of course, in the best known examples of hereditary transmission of disease organisms, as by ticks, there is no such apparent barrier to the development of the parasite. Recent observations by Graham-Smith1 and others have shown, however, that certain pathogenic organisms may persist through the pupal stage of the house fly so that we may have hereditary transmission by insects with complete as well as with incomplete metamorphosis. At any rate, the investigations have been carried far enough to indicate that spore-bearing bacilli like the Bacillus of anthrax can easily be carried through in this way. There is doubt as to whether non-spore-bearing bacteria will survive, but it is possi- ble that they may do so in some cases. The list of animals in which insect-borne diseases may occur is undoubtedly incomplete but it includes man, rodents, horses, cattle, dogs and birds. In fact, there does not seem to be any restriction on the list of hosts that may become infected. In the modes of infection certain striking diversities are to be noted. For instance, the sucking of blood and its regurgitation, the contamination of food, and possibly the secretion of specific toxins. The geography of insect-borne diseases may also be mentioned here. Although the majority of such diseases known are endemic in tropical and sub-tropical regions we have such noteworthy exceptions as typhus fever which may occur everywhere, and spotted fever in the northern part of the United States as well as such other widespread diseases as tuberculosis and pneumonia in which the function of the insect is altogether mechanical. Such multifarious divergencies in the conditions and modes of transmission, in the functions of the vectors, and in the nature of the causal organisms involved lead us to enquire whether there is no end to the possibilities of insect connection with diseases, and must every disease the etiology of which is not known be 1 Graham-Smith, G. S. Flies in relation to disease, 1913, 186. 66 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY considered as possibly carried by insects. Of course there is a limit to the possibilities and other modes of infection must be well considered. This leads us to mention a danger that con- fronts us, namely, a possible tendency to exaggerate the impor- tance of insect transmission and overlook, even in cases where insects may be occasionally concerned, the greater importance of other modes of infection. The function of air, water, food and contact will always be important and the enthusiast would do well to weigh them deliberately. The danger of drawing con- clusions is shown by the recent history of pellagra. Doctor Sambon evolved a theory of insect transmission which fitted very well into the known facts in the epidemiology of the disease. He found its geography, seasonal incidence, and other features to be explained by transmission by Simulium reptans. Its causa- tive organism could not be found and was therefore probably protozoan and ultra-microscopic like that of yellow fever which is insect-borne. It occurs commonly in persons living near run- ning water. Therefore its possible vector was an aquatic insect. It breaks out in the spring which suggests an insect most preva- lent at that season. Simulium is a biting insect which lives in rapidly running water and is most abundant in the spring. There- fore Simulium was the transmitter. Many interesting details in this theory will be recalled by those who have had the pleasure of hearing the impressive statements of Doctor Sambon. Further work, however, shows the presence of pellagra in regions where Simulium does not occur and the whole theory appears to have been based upon a series of coincidences. As a matter of fact there will always be considerable danger in conclusions based upon epidemiological findings. To find that the range of some insect coincides with the range of a disease especially if the insect meets other requirements is suggestive of some form of some important relation to the malady, but trans- mission experiments are quite necessary to prove it. It is obvious that the danger is greater in the case of diseases in which the causal organism is unknown. Where the organism is known the finding of it in the insect under suspicion is a simple and effective guard against error. All of the foregoing is preliminary to some observations on urgent needs of the present which entomologists should hasten to fill. The whole study of insect-borne and possibly insect- borne diseases is hampered by a lack of sufficient knowledge of the insects involved. To illustrate, at one point in the work of the Thompson Pellagra Commission certain observations seemed to show that the head louse might be the vector. It would possi- bly explain the striking difference in incidence by sex better than any other insect. Exact knowledge about the abundance, habits, OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 67 and dispersion was needed but was it available? No one is mak- ing studies of the insect and one turned to the literature. Piaget is very satisfactory from the purely taxonomic viewpoint but the few remarks he makes on habits were evidently based largely on supposition. In fact, most of the statements go back to Leuck- art's work published in 1863. l We find in it a mass of state- ments about epidemics of psoriasis in the middle ages, about kings and princes and high church dignitaries who succumbed to gross infestation by lice. This is all interesting enough and calculated to reassure us of our advance above the dark ages but it does not supply the information we desire. As a matter of fact entomology failed in this instance to furnish information demanded in the investigations of an important and mysterious malady. There are numerous cases in which exact knowledge of insects under suspicion of disease transmission is required. Some of them, like Stomoxys, are receiving attention but many others remain to be studied. Investigators in related fields, like those of the organisms found in the alimentary tract of insects and of the pathological phenomena connected with insect bites are doing much work, and entomologists working on the distribution, dispersal, habits and development of insects will have to bestir themselves most actively to perform their proper share in the great problems of human health. Consider the potential importance of the biting flies of the family Psychodidse as suggested by the transmission of pappataci fever and verruga in other countries. Our knowledge of the North American forms is not sufficient to answer any one of scores of questions which may arise in relation to the carriage of disease. Other families of blood sucking flies like the Chironomidse are in the same con- dition, and what do we know about the possible vectors among the American Hemiptera? The biological side is largely terra incognita. We know possibly as much about it as was known about geography when Columbus discovered America. The taxo- nomic side, though in a vastly more satisfactory condition, is far from thoroughly explored. We digress at this point to note the vital importance of ento- mological knowledge in connection with the investigation of diseases that may be transmitted by insects. This was never more clearly shown than in the case of a recent investigation in the Canal Zone.2 An equine disease caused by Trypanosoma hippicum was under investigation and a question was raised about the possible carriage of the organism by ants. As the investi- 1 Leuckart, K. G. F. R. Die Menschlichen Parasiten, 1863. 2 Darling, S. T. Tr. 15th Int. Congress Hygiene and Demography, Sec. V, 1913. 68 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY gator stated: "One can readily see the danger of our situation if ants acted as carriers of pathogenic micro-organisms, for it is absolutely impossible to keep them out of the house, and they get into food in spite of our efforts." Two series of experiments were performed to determine whether ants could carry Bacillus typhosus, either in their alimentary tracts, or on the surface of their bodies. It was found under certain conditions that infec- tion of culture media could be brought about by allowing ants artificially infected to come in contact with it. Referring to the other experiments Dr. W. M. Wheeler makes the following state- ments:1 "The other series of experiments gave negative results, for after dissecting ants that had been fed typhoid bacilli, neither these nor any other micro-organisms could be cultivated from the intestinal tract. From these results Darling proceeds to draw an erroneous conclusion which can only be due to ignorance of the anatomy and physiology of ants. He tested his ants for formic acid and found that two of the species with which he worked (Camponotus zonatus and Tetramorium guineense) con- tained 2.1% of this substance, and he believed that because its germicidal value is four times as great as that of carbolic acid, the "ants may effectually sterilize bacteria in their food." Though not definitely stated, it seems that Darling supposed the formic acid to be secreted in the alimentary tract of the ant, which is, of course, erroneous, and he seems to believe that this acid is generally present in ants, whereas it is produced only by certain genera and species." After all but one side of the subject has been touched. We have dealt largely with insects in connection with diseases the exact nature of which is unknown and with an eye to the future. There remains the whole field of diseases in which insect agency is established. There are the malarial mosquitoes, ticks, and the house fly where the problem of control of disease is largely if not essentially the control of the vector. Here are large and immediate demands for entomological research. What may be expected is shown by recent work on the house fly. The first season it revealed a previously untried agent for the destruction of the immature stages in manure that exceeds the substances that had been used in cheapness, effectiveness, and in harmless- ness to the manure as a fertilizer.2 The second season this work yielded a trap which promises to do away with the use of chem- icals altogether under many conditions and results in chemotaxis which will possibly be of great importance in the control of many species. In the work on malarial mosquitoes similar progress is 1 Wheeler, W. M. Am. Journ. Tropical Diseases, II, No. 3, 163. 2 Cook, F. C., et al. Bulletin 118, Bur. Ent., U. S. Dept. Agric. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 69 most likely to be made. Such investigations give much to do but while we are engaged in supplying the immediate demands we should give heed to the inevitable future demands for com- plete information about the numerous insects fulfilling the re- quirements of blood sucking, domesticity or otherwise for the transmission or dissemination of disease. It is only by such means that we can meet the demands that will be made on ento- mology and give the science the place it deserves in relation to the welfare of man. Two HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THIRD MEETING, FEBRUARY 4, 1915. The 283d regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Mr. C. L. Marlatt at the Ssengerbund Hall, February 4, 1915. There were present: Messrs. Baker, Barber, Bishopp, Boving, Busck, Caudell, Champion, Cory, Craighead, Crawford, Cush- man, DeGryse, Fink, Fisher, Gahan, Gill, Greene, Howard, Hutchinson, Hyslop, Isely, Knab, Kotinsky, Mclndoo, McGregor, Marlatt, Middleton, Ransom, Rohwer, Rust, Sanford, Sasscer, Schwarz, Shannon, Siegler, Simanton, Snyder, Stiles, Townsend, Turner and Walton, members, and A. G. Ackerman, W. M. David- son, R. J. Fiske, G. L. Garrison, E. W. Geyer, A. C. Johnson, W. V. King, F. L. McDonough, H. L. Nichols, H. K. Plank, and J. F. Turner, visitors. Messrs. L. 0. Jackson and D. E. Fink were elected to active membership. The following papers were presented: On the Reflex Bleeding of the Coccinellid Beetle, Epilachna borealis Dr. N. E. Mclndoo.1 An Asiatic Insect Pest in America via Europe August Busck.1 Withdrawn from publication. 70 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY NOTES ON THE NESTING HABITS OF SOME SOLITARY WASPS.1 BY J. B. PARKER. I. PSAMOPHILA VIOLACEIPENNIS (LEP.)2 In constructing their nests the wasps of this species dig down more or less vertically to the depth of about an inch and then at the bottom of the shaft construct a brood chamber usually at one side. This is somewhat circular in shape varying from three- fourths to one inch in diameter and is about half an inch in depth. In digging the nest the wasp loosens a quantity of sand with her mandibles and front feet, then gathers it up with her front legs and holds it firmly pressed back into her grasp by the use of her mandibles. With the load of sand thus firmly held she backs out of the excavation to a short distance from the entrance, drops her burden, steps forward over it and reenters the burrow for another load. She is thus continually popping in and out of her nest while it is in process of construction. While digging the sand loose within the burrow the wasp makes a low humming sound much like that which the mud-daubers make when con- structing their nests, but by no means so loud. It requires about ten minutes for the wasp to dig her nest, which is not begun until after a caterpillar has been found and paralyzed. When the nest is complete the wasp hurries away to bring her caterpillar, running over the sand instead of flying. She turns the caterpillar upon its back, seizes it by the thorax with her mandibles and walking astride it drags it to the nest. Whether she uses the second pair of legs to support the larva while trans- porting it I could not positively determine, but I am inclined to think she does. She leaves the caterpillar at the entrance to the nest, goes within, turns round, comes to the entrance and having seized the caterpillar with her mandibles she backs into the nest dragging her prey after her. The egg is placed trans- versely on the side of the caterpillar on one of the more anterior abdominal segments. After oviposition the wasp emerges from the nest and seals up the entrance, in doing which she digs a quantity of sand down into the opening and then rams it down with her head, repeating the performance until the opening is completely filled up. She then smooths over the surface above the entrance to the nest and flies away. 1 Contribution from the Biological Laboratory of the Catholic Univer- sity of America, No. 2. 2 Specimens of this species and also of the two following were kindly identified by Mr. S. A. Rohwer. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 71 Wasp No. 55 was observed running excitedly about over the sand with her abdomen arched and her wings flipping nervously in a manner that characterizes this species when seeking a place for a nest after having captured a caterpillar. She digged her nest about fifteen feet from the point where she had left her caterpillar lying in a clump of weeds. When the nest was com- plete and the wasp had gone to bring her caterpillar I placed my camera in position at the nest. The wasp quickly returned with her caterpillar arid when she had taken it inside I reached down into the nest with a pair of forceps and pulled it out again. The wasp came out of the nest, stepped astride the caterpillar and bending her abdomen beneath the thorax inserted her sting on the ventral side. She then took the caterpillar inside as before and I promptly pulled it out again. This time she came out and with her mandibles seized the caterpillar, which was lying dorsal side up, and inserted her sting on the ventral side of the abdomen five successive times, each time in a different segment proceeding backward from the first or second. Once more she took the caterpillar inside the nest and again I pulled it out. This time, however, she held on to her prey and I pulled her out too. She at once picked up her caterpillar and started off with it. After carrying it about aimlessly for a few minutes she placed it amid some grass near by and began the construction of a new nest some distance from the first one. It required just nine minutes for her to complete this nest. When she had it finished she returned to her caterpillar and took it inside the new nest. In the meantime a number of parasitic flies had discovered the wasp and her prey. So far as my experience goes these flies do not pay any attention to the caterpillar so long as the wasp is not near it; but just as soon as she begins to work with it they seek to place their young upon it or to place them in the entrance to the nest. Since I wished to rear this wasp from the egg I was kept busy chasing the flies away. When the wasp entered the new nest I succeeded in driving all the flies away except one, which I was obliged to capture and which Dr. C. H. T. Townsend finds to be a new species belonging to the genus Hilarella. As soon as the wasp had emerged and sealed up the nest I digged it up and after making a photograph of the egg in place on the caterpillar (fig. 2) I placed them in a glass-covered plaster breeding cell and buried the outfit to the depth of an inch below the surface of the sand in the garden. On the morning of July 22 the egg showed no evidence of hatching but on the following morning at the same hour the larval wasp was feeding on the caterpillar (fig. 3). In the case of this species the head of the larva develops at the end of the egg attached to the food provided by the mother wasp, just the reverse of what takes place in the 72 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY case of species of Bembex and Bembidula. As a result the larva makes a hole through the egg covering where this is attached to the caterpillar and then through the body wall of the cater- pillar. It then thrusts its head through the opening and begins to feed on the internal parts of its victim. Thus the egg still remains in place till the growing larva ruptures it and even then it remains for a time as a collar about the larval wasp where it enters the caterpillar. The young wasp does not change its position but remains with its anterior end thrust inside the caterpillar, which contracts in length as the feeding of the larval wasp proceeds. On the morn- ing of the twenty-fifth the caterpillar had contracted considerably (fig. 4) and the wasp had greatly increased in size. On the twenty- sixth the caterpillar was entirely consumed — nothing remained but a few fragments of integument— and the fully developed larval wasp was spinning threads of silk over the sand in the cell (fig. 5). At six p.m. of the twenty-sixth the larval wasp was busily spinning its cocoon which was fully formed on the morning of the twenty-seventh (fig. 6). The cell with its contents was placed in the sand in the garden and was not again disturbed till September 7, when it became R. cessary to transfer it to another place. To my surprise I found that the adult had emerged in the cell and unable to escape had perished there. The insect was badly decomposed and I should judge that it had been dead for at least a week. Wasp No. 57 was observed July 27 busily engaged in digging a nest and when this had been digged to the depth of about one inch she suddenly backed out of the burrow and, if I may be permitted the use of a vulgar expression, ' 'threw a fit." Appar- ently she had bitten into something that was exceedingly ob- noxious to her. She rubbed her mouth parts violently with her front feet, twisted and contorted her body, bit into the stems and leaves of the weeds about her and displayed every manifes- tation of great distress. I got down quite close to her but could discover nothing on her body or appendages that could be the cause of her strange conduct. After some time she returned to her unfinished nest but no sooner had she thrust her head into the opening than another paroxysm ensued. This was less vio- lent than the first. Again she returned to her nest but was affected as before just so soon as she reached the entrance and she then abandoned her task. Curious to know what had been the source of her discomfort I digged down into the ground carefully following the opening made by the wasp. At the bottom of it I found a living but paralyzed caterpillar, the remains of a second one and the newly- formed cocoon of a wasp, but not of this species. Mingled in OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 73 the sand at the bottom of the excavation made by the wasp there was considerable excrement from the caterpillars but what it was that proved so objectionable to the wasp I could not determine. On July 29 No. 58 was discovered constructing her nest, to complete which required a trifle more than ten minutes. In this case I pulled the caterpillar out of the nest no less than eight times. I hoped to induce the wasp to sting the caterpillar as No. 55 had done but she made no attempt to do so. On three occasions I pulled her out of the nest, clinging to the cater- pillar with her mandibles, yet she never left the nest or made any effort to carry off her caterpillar. This contention over the caterpillar caused considerable sand to roll down into the nest so that on three different occasions the wasp had to lay the caterpillar aside and clean out the nest. A parasitic fly also joined the controversy and in spite of my efforts succeeded in plac- ing one or more larvae upon the caterpillar. None of these things discouraged the wasp; she was determined to put her caterpillar in that hole and I finally permitted her to do so. When the cater- pillar was finally dragged within the nest the fly advanced to the opening, backed around and deposited two or more larvae on the edge of it whence they wriggled off and dropped to the bottom of the nest. The wasp remained within the nest not quite two minutes. After she had emerged and filled up the nest I captured her with my net and digged up the nest. Although less than ten minutes had elapsed from the deposition of the egg of the wasp to the removal of the caterpillar from the brood chamber yet one of the parasitic maggots was upon the egg, three more1 were clus- tered about it at the point of attachment to the caterpillar and a fifth was tucked in between the fourth and fifth abdominal segments on the ventral side. I removed these tiny larvae but in doing so I must have injured the egg for it decomposed in the breeding cell. No. 62 was discovered constructing a nest on August 1 and I used the same tactics with this wasp as with the preceding. Although I repeatedly pulled the caterpillar out of the nest and also pulled the wasp out too on several occasions she made no attempt to sting the caterpillar or to carry it away. On August 8 I discovered No. 64 filling up the nit mure to a nest in which she had just placed a caterpillar. When this task was completed she began immediately to construct n new nest a few inches from the one just sealed up. When the nest was about one inch deep I approached quite close to the nest and the wasp became fright- ened and flew away, which fact leads me to believe that in this case the wasp had no caterpillar in readiness to place within this 74 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY nest; for in the case of each of the wasps previously observed I digged away the weeds and sand up to within a few inches of the nest before the wasp had completed it and yet not one of them abandoned her nest. I waited an hour but the wasp did not return and I then digged up the completed nest. It contained a large caterpillar with three dipterous larvae upon it which were feeding upon the egg of the wasp of which little remained. One thing brought out by these limited observations is the difference in individuality or temperament shown by members of the same species. No. 55 would tolerate no interference with her nesting operations; she picked up her caterpillar, carried it off and put it in a new nest. Nos. 58 and 62, however, could not be driven from their nests by the most persistent interference with their work. These wasps continued the construction of their nests although I completely altered the appearance of the nesting site before the nests were finished, whereas No. 68 aban- doned a half-finished nest simply because I approached a trifle too close. II. OXYBELUS QUADRINOTATUS SAY. There has been considerable discussion and difference of opin- ion as to the manner in which this little wasp carries her prey. In the March number of Psyche, 1894, Ashmead cites Verhoeff as authority for the statement that Oxybelus does not paralyze its prey by stinging it because of the fact that the abdomen is too rigid to permit of this action. This author maintains that Oxybelus kills the flies by crushing the thorax with her mandibles. In the same article Ashmead also cites Fabre as authority for the statement that Oxybelus carries her prey home impaled on her sting. The Peckhams, however, in their work on the solitary wasps, a part of which is the report of their observations upon this particular species (quadrinotatus Say), take Fabre to task on this point and insist that this wasp, unlike other digger wasps, uses her third pair of legs to carry the fly, which is held tightly clasped by the head. In this way they account for the manner in which the fly projects behind the wasp in flight. It is significant to note here that the Peckhams report complete failure in all their attempts to make the wasp drop the fly she carried. The little wasps of this species nest in great numbers in the sand near my home, using the common housefly to store their nests. I found it an easy matter to determine just how this species carries her victim. As the wasp entered the nest, which is always closed after each visit, I seized the fly with a pair of forceps and pulled the wasp adhering to it out of her nest back- ward while observing her under a lens. I did this repeatedly and there is not the slightest doubt of the fact that she carries OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 75 the fly firmly impaled upon her sting. I found it a difficult matter to pull the fly away from the wasp. After having done so I placed the fly still held with the forceps quite near the wasp yet keeping it under the lens and saw her pounce upon it and drive her sting deep into the ventral side of the thorax. Whether she kills her victim by stinging it I cannot say but of her ability to do so there can be no question. When she had fastened her sting into the thorax of the fly she would strive to pull the fly away and she used all six legs to do this. The accompanying photograph (fig. 9) shows the wasp ready to open her nest, holding her prey with her sting, her first pair of legs ready to dig and her second and third pairs resting upon the ground. III. SPHEX URNARIA (DAHLB.) On August 1 a wasp (No. 63) of this species was observed carry- ing a caterpillar to her nest. She carried it ventral side up holding it with her mandibles and supporting it with the first pair of legs while walking with the second and third pairs, vary- ing her proceedure by making occasional flights of a foot or more. When discovered she was more than one hundred feet from her nest yet she went forward to it on nearly a direct line although she had to pass at times through weeds almost as high as a man's head. When she arrived in the immediate vicinity of the nest she had to search about for some time to find it, due possibly to the fact that she was somewhat confused by my presence for I had to follow her very closely to avoid losing her in the weeds. When she found the nest she laid the caterpillar aside and opened the nest by digging away the sand with her front feet and removing with her mandibles the pebbles and bits of wood and coal with which the opening had been filled. After inspect- ing the interior of the nest the wasp came out and seizing the caterpillar backed down into the nest dragging it after her. When she emerged she again filled up the entrance by placing therein the bit of wood and coal and pebbles she had removed in opening it and then digged sand in upon them. When she had completed her task I captured her with my net. The nest contained four "measuring worms," larvae of geo- metrid moths, and a larger caterpillar, the one I had seen her take inside. Upon one of the geometrids was an unhatched egg placed horizontally (fig. 8). Whether this is the usual mode of placing the egg or whether the small size of the caterpillar made it necessary to place the egg thus in this particular case I am unable to say. From the position of the caterpillars in the broad chamber I judge that the one bearing the egg was the first placed in the nest. 76 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY The contents of the nest were placed in a breeding cell which was buried an inch below the surface of the sand in the garden. On the morning of August 2 the egg had not hatched but the caterpillars by spasmodic movements had changed their position in the cell and most of them had passed faeces. They responded readily when pricked with the point of the forceps. On the morning of the third the egg had hatched and the young larva was feeding upon the caterpillar to which the egg was attached, pursuing a ctiurse quite similar to that followed by P. molacei- pennis. On the morning of the fifth the first caterpillar was almost completely consumed and the remaining ones responded but feebly to stimulation. On the sixth the larva was devouring the second caterpillar having its head and thoracic segments thrust within the body of the caterpillar. On the morning of the eighth it had devoured all the caterpillars and was beginning the construction of its cocoon, which was completed on the ninth. The cocoon of this species is yellowish and semitransparent whereas that of P. violaceipennis is almost black and opaque. The adult of the latter emerged from the cocoon at the end of about one month; the former has gone through the winter in the cocoon. Sphex digs her nest and then searches for caterpillars with which to provision it; Psamophila captures her caterpillar and then digs a nest to put it in. Both bring the sand out of the nest holding it with the front legs and mandibles. Psamophila always backs away from the entrance of the nest with her load of sand which she drops and walks over in reentering the nest. Not so with Sphex; after backing out or the nest with her load of sand she turns round and carries the sand forward for some distance from the nest and usually throws it in a neat pile. One individual, however, after backing out of the nest flew up into the air with each load of sand and scattered it in all directions. EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Fig. 1, Psamophila violaceipennis (Lep.) with caterpillar at entrance to nest. X ?. Fig. 2, caterpillar with egg of P. violaceipennis (Lep) in place. Natural size. Egg deposited July 20. Fig. 3, larva from egg in Fig. 2, natural size. July 23. Fig. 4, larva from egg in Fig. 2, natural size. July 25. Fig. 5, larva from egg in Fig. 2, natural size. July 26. Fig. 6, cocoon formed by larva in Fig. 5, natural size. Fig. 7, egg of P. violaceipennis (Lep.) in place, natural size. Fig. 8, content of nest of Sphex urnaria (Dahlb.) in breeding cell, natu- ral size. Fig. 9, Oxybelus 4-notatus Say at entrance of nest holding fly impaled on her sting. X 2 PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE XI. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 77 In discussing this paper Mr. Walton recounted having once observed a species of Sphex in New Mexico attempting to dig a hole in the bottom of a galvanized iron wash-tub. ONE NEW GENUS AND TWO NEW SPECIES OF CERAMBYCIDyE. BY W. S. FISHER, Branch of Forest Insects, Bureau of Entomology. In working over the Cerambycidse received from the field men of the branch of forest insects, Bureau of Entomology, during the past year, the following apparently new species were en- countered. For one of these, a species from California, the larva of which bores in pine cones, it was found necessary to erect a new genus. All types and specimens mentioned are deposited in the United States National Museum in Washington. Hylotrupes juniperi n. sp. Male: Elongate, rather robust, subdepressed, shining black. Antennae three-fourths as long as the body. Thorax rounded on the sides, suddenly narrowed towards the base, wrhich is slightly tubulate, the sides are densely and confluently punctured, the disc with three smooth longitudinal eleva- tions, one median reaching from base to middle, and a crescent shaped one on each side forming a somewhat broken circle. Elytra each with two indistinct lines, surface very densely punctured, the punctures larger and less dense on the basal half, and becoming very small towards the apex, sparsely clothed with short black recumbent hairs. Femora not clavate. Fifth ventral segment truncate behind. Length 22 mm.; width 6 mm. Female: Differs from the male in having the antenna; only two-fifths as long as the body, and the fifth ventral segment broadly rounded behind. Length 25 mm.; width 7 mm. Habitat: Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona. Elevation 4200 to 5000 feet. W. D. Edmonston and M. Chrisman, collectors. Type and allotype: Cat. No. 19129 U. S. N. M. Described from seven specimens. Two males and two females recorded under Bureau of Entomology Number Hopk. U. S. 12698. Material collected December 1, 1914, by W. D. Edmon- ston, from heartwood of green limb on dying Juniper (Jinri/ierus pachyphloca) . One male and two females recorded under Bureau of Entomology Number Hopk. U. S. 12259c, and reared from material collected by M. Chrisman on November 18, 1913, in the same locality from dying Juniper. Larva always makes burrows with the grain of the wood, half in the bark and half 78 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY in the sapwood, occasionally one in the sapwood. Larva when full grown makes burrow straight into the heartwood and pupates. This species is very closely allied to Hylotrupes amethystinus Lee., but is distinguished from that species by having shining black elytra without any trace of the violet color. Hylotrupes amethystinus Lee. has somewhat of a similar habit but as far as known, only attacks dying and felled Libocedrus and Thuja. The larva works under the bark, making broad winding excavations, eating the inner bark and outer sapwood, sometimes separating the bark from the wood, then enters the wood, sometimes burrowing to the heartwood where the burrows become longitudinal, pupating in either bark or wood, but usually in the heartwood. Paratimia new genus. Eyes moderately finely granulated, deeply emarginate, partly envelop- ing the base of the antennae, but not as deeply emarginate as in Atirnia. Head broad and short, the front perpendicular. Labrum transverse, ciliated with long hairs. Palpi unequal, the maxillary about twice as long as the labial last joint triangular. Antennae slender, shorter than the body in both sexes, 11-jointed; second joint less than half as long as the thi d, which i? a little shorter than the fourth, fifth joint longest; punc- tured and pubescent. Front coxa? rounded, narrowly separated by the prosternum, cavities angulated externally, completely closed behind; mid- dle coxa; separated by the mesosternum about twice the distance which separates the front coxa?, cavities slightly angulated externally, completely closed by the sterna. Mesosternum concave between the coxa?, emargi- nate behind. Metasternum deeply emarginate behind. Legs short, femora slightly clavate, front tibise with one, middle and posterior ones with two small spurs, hind tarsi with first joint equal to the two following united. Type: Paratimia conicola n. sp. This new genus belongs to Leconte and Horn's tribe Atimiini but differs from the genus Atimia by having the front coxse nar- rowly separated by the prosternum, the cavities angulated exter- nally, eyes not quite as deeply emarginate and the last joint of the maxillary palpi being triangular. In general form it resembles a Lamiine but the front tibise are without the oblique grooves. Paratimia conicola n. sp. Male: Elongate, slender, subcylindrical. Thorax somewhat cordiform, not wider than long, front angles rounded, sides rounded just before the middle, then obliquely narrowed towards the base, surface fusco-piceus, coarsely and thickly punctured, and rather densely clothed with long pros- trated reddish-brown hairs, those on the posterior half and underside whitish. Elytra a little wider than the thorax, two and one-half times as long as wide, sides nearly parallel, slightly narrowed towards the tips OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 79 which are separately rounded, surface brown, sparsely, rather finely punc- tured, sparsely clothed with long prostrated reddish-brown hairs inter- mixed with long erect ones of the same color, and with a very narrow sutural stripe of dense prostrated whitish hairs. Scutellum subquadrate, rounded behind, surface densely punctured and densely clothed with long prostrated hairs. Underside fusco-piceus, surface densely punctured, clothed with long prostrated whitish hairs. Femora, tibia; and tarsi brown, sparsely clothed with semi-erect hairs. Fifth ventral segment about as long as the fourth, broadly emarginate behind. Length 10 mm.; width 3 mm. Female: Differs from the male in having the fifth ventral segment longer than the fourth and rounded behind. Length 12 mm. ; width 3 mm. Habitat: Monumental Mines, California. Elevation 3600 feet. P. D. Sergent, collector. Type and allotype: Cat. No. 19130 U. S. N. M. Described from five specimens, four males and one female, recorded under Bureau of Entomology Number Hopk. U. S. 10856d. Reared by Mr. J. M. Miller from old cones of Pinus attentuata, collected October 2, 1913, by P. D. Sergent. This interesting species is somewhat suggestive of a narrow Atimia confusa. It differs from that species by its reddish-brown color, elytra with a narrow whitish sutural stripe and tips sepa- rately rounded, thorax not wider than long and being somewhat cordiform. DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW NORTH AMERICAN MICROLEPIDOPTERA. BY AUGUST BUSCK. In one of my early papers (Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc., vol. VIII, 1900, p. 234), I expressed^the opinion, that in the then existing unsatisfactory state of our knowledge of American Microlepi- doptera, it was of little value (or worse) to describe promiscu- ously new species from collected material; only when working up a group systematically did it seem to me excusable to describe species of which the biology was not known. This attitude has influenced my production of descriptive work during the past years and I have described new species only as the demand for names from correspondents necessitated it, or when other considerations made it desirable or obligatory. There are for this reason hundreds of Micros as yet undcscribed in the collection of the United States National Museum. I still have a disinclination for new species of which we know nothing more than the type specimens, (and the present paper 80 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY contains mainly species, of which the life history is known), but our knowledge of the group has now so advanced, that such descriptions can be made with profit to science and I realize the obligation to make our North American fauna known so far as possible. I also fully realize the propriety and value of the Monroe Doctrine as applied to Entomology; it is an advantage to science that American insects should be worked up by Ameri- cans and that the types should be deposited in American Museums in order that it shall not be as necessary for future generations to go to Europe for information on American insects, as it has been for the present generation. If we do not do our own work, others will quite rightly do it and with that result. In a letter lately received from my good friend and master Edward Meyrick of England, which I am permitted to quote, he writes: "As to the principle of describing such species (with- out biological notes) from North America, I describe all the material that I have in hand of a family, before publishing that family in the Genera Insectorum in order to make this work as complete as possible. If you have species in good series, describe them. I have thousands of undescribed species in hand and material coming in constantly from all parts of the world, there- fore I don't want to do American species, if any one else will do them. But I want the North American species described; if you do not do it I will have to do it myself." I quote this not because an excuse is needed to describe our American Micros, but in order to give my indefatiguable learned co-worker due credit not only for his own enormous personal share in the progress of our knowledge of the world's Microlepidoptera, but also for his ever incitating influence on other workers, forcing us to keep step with him as far as we are able. Memythrus perlucida n. sp. Labial palpi bright yellow, shaded exteriorly with vivid red. Head reddish brown. Antennae reddish brown. A narrow collar light yellow, bordered anteriorly with blue metallic scales. Thorax dark reddish brown, narrowly edged posteriorly with yellow. Forewings light reddish brown with the veins bluish black; extreme base of costa light yellow; cilia black- ish brown. Hindwings glassy blue, entirely transparent, except a narrow edge before the cilia, which is reddish brown mixed with black; veins black, touched with red. Cilia backish brown. Abdomen reddish brown with a narrow light yellow annulation on the posterior edge of second joint and a broader yellow annulation on fourth joint. In the male the posterior joints become somewhat lighter, touched with yellow; a short double yellowish brush above the uncus, not projecting beyond the claspers. Legs red, tarsi shaded with yellow. Alar expanse: 28-32 mm. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 81 Type: Cat. No. 19223, U. S. N. M. Reared by Mr. Brunner from Populus trichocapa. The spe- cies is closely allied to the other Populus species, M. dollii Neu- moegen, and castaneum Beutenmuller, but at once distinguished by the clear hind wings. Psacaphora cambiella n. sp. Second joint of labial palpi reddish golden; terminal joint black. Face, head and thorax shiny iridescent black. Antennae black with silvery white tips. Forewings purplish-black with a large, central, light brick-red part, which occupies about half the wing area; within this red part are three small oval black spots edged with purplish silvery scales ; one of these spots is on the middle of the fold, the other at the end of the cell and the third about the middle of the cell, touching the black costal edge of the wing; at apical fifth is a light yellow costal dash, continuing into the cilia and on the terminal edge is a purplish silvery longitudinal streak within the black border; cilia black. Hindwings and cilia purplish black. Abdomen black. Legs black with golden yellow inner sides and with a golden annu- lation on posterior first tarsal joint. Alar expanse: 13-14 mm. Habitat: Evaro, Mont., J. Brunner, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19224, U. S. N. M. Bred from cambium of Salix. Close to P. purpuriella Busck, in coloration, but different in pattern. Eucordylea gallicola n. sp. Second joint of labial palpi white with three indistinct dark brown annu- lations; brush dirty white with dusky tip; terminal joint white with two clear cut black annulations. Antennae thick, ochreous with black annu- lations. Face and head ochreous white, head sprinkled with fuscous. Thorax whitish fuscous. Forewings light fuscous with three black costal dashes, one near base, one on the middle and one at apical third; these black costal spots are exteriorly edged by thin, ill-defined white lines, which continue obliquely across the wing, the two outer ones meeting on termen just below apex; two longitudinal black streaks on the middle of the wing, one just before and one after the end of the cell; before and below the first of these is a small group of slightly raised, rust-red scales on the fold; cilia fuscous dusted with black. Hindwings light fuscous with ochreous fuscous cilia; in the male with a large expansible, bright yellow hair tuft at base. Legs ochreous white sharply barred with black; tarsi with black annulations. Alar expanse: 13 mm. Habitat: Colorado Springs, Colo., S. A. Rohwer, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19225, U. S. N. M. Bred from galls of the Sawfly, Euura macgillivrayi Rohwer, on Salix. 82 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY The species reminds much of the genus Recurvaria from which Eucordylia is a derivative. Recurvaria alnifructella n. sp. Second joint of labial palpi dark fuscous with apex white; terminal joint white with two broad black annulations, one near the base and one just before the tip. Face and head ochreous white. Antennae light fus- cous with narrow black annulations. Thorax ochreous white, slightly sprinkled with fuscous and with two minute black dots at the base of the hindwings. Forewings black with white dorsal edge; an indistinct white, outwardly curved costal streak at apical fourth and an opposite oblique dorsal white streak limit an apical area, which is slightly mottled with lighter scales; three small black tufts of raised scales on the border of the white dorsal part; cilia ochreous fuscous. Hindwings silvery fuscous, semitransparent; in the male with a long ochreous expansible hairpencil at base; cilia ochreous. Abdomen dark fuscous with light ochreous anal tuft and with an ochreous patch on the upper side of the first joints. Legs black with ochreous white annulations at the end of all the joints. Alar expanse; 12 mm. Habitat: Falls Church, Va., Carl Heinrich, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19226, U. S. N. M. The larva feeds in the catkins of alder and hazel in the same fashion as Eucosma walkerana Kearfott, the larva of which is described by Packard in his "Forest Insects" p. 636, misidentified as Gelechia coryliella Chambers (Menesta tortriciformella Clemens).. The full grown larva of the present species is about 12 mm. long with a light brown head, dark brown thoracic shield and anal plate; small brown tubercles, arranged in a transverse row on each segment; body is white with a broad pink annulation in each joint; thoracic legs light brown; abdominal prolegs with a circlet of hooks, which is broken on each side, interiorly and exteriorly. Gnorimoschema gibsoniella n. sp. Labial palpi white dusted with blackish 1 rown scales; ;n ill-defined b ackish annulation on the middle of terminal joint. Face and head white speckled with blackish brown. Thorax white strongly dusted with black- ish brown. Forewings with a bluish white ground color, so strongly suf- fused with brown and blackish scales, as to make it difficult to determine what is the ground color; each white scale has a dark band before the tip; three ill-defined brown spots, one on the middle of the cell, one obliquely below on the fold and one at the end of the cell; basal part and dorsal edge of the wing least suffused with dark scales so as to slightly outline the pattern found in the type of the genus; cilia white strongly dusted with black and brown. Hindwings light fuscous with still lighter cilia. Abdo- OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 83 men light fuscous sprinkled with black; basal joints above short scales, golden yellow. Legs whitish, heavily barred and dusted with blackish brown; tarsi blackish brown with indistinct narrow white annulations. Alar expanse: 22 mm. Habitat: Aveme, Manitoba, N. Griddle, Coll. Foodplant: Solidago rigida. Type: Cat. No. 19227, U. S. N. M. Cotypes in Ottawa Museum. Very close to but quite distinct from the type of the genus. Named in honor of my friend Arthur Gibson, who states that the species makes a gall on Solidago rigida just above or close to the ground. Gnorimoschema petrella n. sp. Labial palpi white, dusted with light fuscous. Antenna? white with dark brown annulations. Face, head and thorax white, strongly dusted with fuscous. Fore wings white, liberally and evenly dusted with brown- ish fuscous atoms and with three small, indistinct, black dots, one on the middle of the cell, one obliquely below on the fold and one at the end of the cell; cilia dusky white, dusted with fuscous. Hindwings dark fuscous with the cilia a shade lighter. Abdomen dark fuscous with whitish under- sides. Legs with heavy dark brown barred exteriorly and with broad dark brown tarsal annulations. Alar expanse: 17 mm. Habitat: Hampton, N. H.; May, S. A. Shaw, Coll. Type: Cat No. 19228, U. S. N. M. Dichomeris vacciniella n. (--p. Labial palpi with moderate, bluntly triangular tuft, brownish fuscous, speckled with white on top of the brush ; terminal joint light brown, dusted with black and with extreme base white externally. Face light browyn. Head dark fuscous. Thorax and patagia brown. Forewings dark brown, sparsely and irregularly dusted with black scales; three small, round, black dots, edged with white scales, one on the middle of the cell, one obliquely below and before it on the fold and one at the end of the cell; apical part of the wing strongly suffused with purplish black scales, the extreme apical and terminal edge black; cilia dark fuscous with light ochreous brown tips. Hindwings light fuscous, suffused with black on the outer costal part; cilia light gray. Abdomen light ochreous brown, dusted laterally with black. Legs light ochreous brown, suffused exte- riorly with black and with blackish tarsal annulations. Alar expanse: 15-17 mm. Habitat: Pemberton, N. J., H. D. Scammell, Coll. Type: Cat, No. 19229, U. S. N. M. A very distinct species, bred by Mr. Scammel from cranberry. 84 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Symmoca novimundi n. sp. Second joint of labial palpi dark bronzy brown with light ochreous inner sides and apex; terminal joint dark brown with the extreme tip ochreous. Face light ochreous. Head dark fuscous. Antennae dark fus- cous with apical third pale ochreous. Thorax dark fuscous with the tips of the patagia and two small posterior dots whitish ochreous. Forewings dark fuscous with a small ill-defined whitish ochreous spot below costa near base; with a concolorous, ill-defined, larger spot on the end of the cell touching costa and with a small whitish ochreous costal spot at the apical fourth, sometimes with an opposite small dorsal dot; cilia dark fuscous. Hindwings light fuscous with whitish fuscous cilia. Abdomen dark fuscous with light anal tuft. Legs dark fuscous with light ochreous annulations at the base of the joints. Alar expanse: 12-13 mm. Habitat: Roxborough, Pa., September, F. Haimbach, Coll ; Montclair, N. J., August, W. D. Kearfott, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19230, U. S. N. M. This is the first record of this interesting old world genus from America; the species is typical of the genus and very close to the European 5. quadripuncta Haworth, but is smaller, with the markings more whitish, not yellow and with the palpi differently colored. Ethmia zavalla n. sp. Labial palpi white, second joint black exteriorly. Face and head white. Antennae dark brown with white basal joint. Thorax white with one posterior and two lateral black dots; patagia white with black basal dash. Forewings white with extreme costal base black and with 10 black dots besides a marginal series of 13 black dots; three dots in a line from base of costa to basal third of dorsum; two others in a line at igh" angles w th the first, to the first costal marginal dot; one dot in the middle of this angle on the cell, two at the end of the cell and one beyond the cell; the first dorsal and the first costal marginal spots are nearly opposite and are both elongated; cilia white with a black apicaltuft. Hindwings whitish fuscous with white cilia; vein 8 free, not connected with the cell by a cross vein. Abdomen whitish fuscous. Anterior legs white, barred with black, tarsi annulated with black; posterior legs whitish with dusky tarsi. Alar expanse: 18 mm. Habitat: Zavalla Co., Tex., April F. C. Pratt, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19231, U. S. N. M. Allied to the following species, E. prattiella and to E. coranella Dyar, in size and ornamentation; different from the former in the fewer and larger black dots, from the latter by the absence of any longitudinal streaks; from both in the coloration of the palpi. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 85 Ethmia prattiella n. sp. Labial palpi pure white, terminal joint unusually short. Face and head white. Antenna; dark brown with white basal joint. Thorax white with two minute anterior black dots and with two lateral dots; patagia white with a small basal black dot. Forewings white with 16 small black dots besides a marginal series of black dots; one dot at extreme base of the wing; five dots in a longitudinal row on the upper half of the wing from base to beyond the first costal dot; two are on the fold, one below the fold, three within the cell, three beyond the cell; cilia white. Hindwings whitish fuscous with white cilia. Abdomen light fuscous. Legs whitish with dusky tarsi. Alar expanse: 17 mm. Habitat: Zavalla Co., Tex., April, F. C. Pratt, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19232, U. S. N. M. Blastobasis eriobotryaB n. sp. Labial palpi dark purplish fuscous with the inner side and extreme apex light ochreous. Face light ochreous. Top of head dark fuscous. Antenna; dark fuscous with light ochreous basal joint; second joint in the male enlarged with a deeply excavated notch. Thorax dark brownish fuscous. Patagia and extreme base of the forewings lighter, mixed with ochreous; rest of the forewing dark purplish fuscous, darkest towards the contrasting light base; a small round black dot on the middle of the cell and two similar black dots at the end of the cell; cilia light ochreous fuscous. Hindwings golden fuscous with cilia concolorous. Abdomen dark ochreous fuscous with lighter undersides and anal tuft. Legs light ochreous fuscous with heavy broad black bars on the exterior side and with the tarsi annu- lated with black. Alar expanse: 14 mm. Habitat: Miami, Fla., E. R. Sasscer, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19233, U. S. N. M. Bred from dry "mummy" fruit of Loquat, Eriobotrya japonica, hanging on the trees; moths issued early in July. Sparganothis albicaudana n. sp. Labial palpi light reddish ochreous. Face straw colored, apparently depres ed, due to h - projecting bright ochreous scales of the head. An- tennae ochreous w'th white upper side. Thorax and forewing brigh yel- low, faintly reticulated with slightly raised lines of golden coppery scales; the fema e has a blackish brown oval spot on th:> middle < f dorsal edge, faintly connected with a ; mall costal spot at basal third by a 1 ; ht cop- pery, angulated line; from the middle of cost a runs a more distinct, out- wardly curved, coppery line across the wing to the dorsa1 i dge just before tornus; extreme terminal edge light coppery; cilia yellow. The male has a small, dark reddish brown costal fold, covering only a sixth of the cost a, and the dorsal and costal spots are much lighter colored than in (he female 86 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY light bluish brown. Hindwings ochreous white. Abdomen white. Legs ochreous white without dark annulations. Alar expanse: 9 20 mm.; d* 17 mm. Habitat: Notch, Pa. Type: Cat. No. 19205, U. S. N. M. Bred by the writer from leaftying larvae on maple together with nearly allied, Sparganothis pettitana Robinson, which occurred in much larger proportions. Spargonothis ferreana n. sp. Labial palpi reddish ochreous, shaded exteriorly with reddish brown. Head light ochreous. Thorax reddish brown, with the posterior tip and the tips of the patagia yellow. Forewings rusty brown with light ochreous markings, made up of small oval spots, separated by veins of the ground color; the basal third of the wing is mottled in this pattern; another aggre- gation of ochreous spots occupy a large semicircle, resting on the middle of the costal edge; a third area of somewhat further separated ochreous spots occupies the apical fourth of the wing; only a broad dorsal blotch at apical third of dorsum with two oblique branches to costa show the unmottled brown ground color; cilia yellow. Hindwings silvery white with a ochreous tinge. Abdomen whitish ochreous. Legs whitish, shaded exteriorly with brown. Alar expanse: 21 mm. Habitat: Ilion, N. Y., H. McElhose, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19234, U. S. N. M. A striking species allied S. reticulana Clemens. Tortrix (Cacoecia) lambertiana n. sp. Labial palpi light reddish ochreous; second joint ascending, terminal joint short, porrected. Face, head and thorax light golden brown. An- tennae light brown with whitish annulations. Forewings light golden brown with silvery ochreous markings, which are edged with darker reddish brown, as follows: an indistinct, strongly angulated fascia from middle of costa to tornus, the lower half of which is nearly perpendicular and broken up into half a dozen spots by thin longitudinal crosslines of the ground color; perpendicular series of similar spots just before apex; all of these markings are in other fresh, bred specimens more or less obliterated by the ground color; cilia silvery white. Hindwings whitish ochreous with white cilia. Abdomen and legs dull ochreous. Alar expanse : 19 to 22 mm. Habitat: Oakland, Oreg., P. I. Sergent, Coll. Foodplant: Pinus lambertiana. Type: Cat. No. 19235, U. S. N. M. Closely allied to Tortrix negundana Dyar and allies, for which Meyrick retains the genus Cacoecia on the single character: as- cending palpi, in difference from his conception of Tortrix, which OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 87 is restricted by him to the forms with porrected palpi; I am at present unable to maintain more than one genus. Abrenthia new genus. Labial palpi long, curved, smooth; second joint rather short; terminal joint twice as long as second; pointed, not flattened. Maxillary palpi rudimentary. Tongue well developed, curled. Antennae half as long as the forewings, thick, smooth, with short joints and very short pubescence. Face, head and thorax smooth. Forewings elongate ovate, apex blunt, termen and dorsum evenly rounded, costa nearly straight to apical fourth; cilia short; 12 veins, all separate; 11 from near base; 2 from before the cell; 3 to 10 from end of the cell; internal vein from between 10-11 to between 7-8; 1 b. furcate at base; 1 c. present, but obliterated towards base. Hind- wings as broad as the forewings, trapezoidal, costa and dorsum nearly straight, parallel; apex blunt, termen straight; tornus rounded; 8 veins; 8 free; 3 and 4 connate; 5, 6 and 7 somewhat approximate at base; cilia short. Posterior tibiae smooth. Type: A. cuprea Busck. The genus is near to Millieria Ragenot, Maclotica Meyrick and Glyphipteryx Hiibner, different from all of these in the smooth, nearly sickleshaped, pointed palpi with the terminal joint much longer than* the second. Millieria Ragenot has incorrectly been sunk as a synonym of Porpe (Choreutis Authors) by Meyrick; the latter genus must be restricted to the species with veins 3 and 4 coincident in the hindwings. Abrenthia cuprea n. sp. Labial palpi light golden purple. Antennae purplish black. Thorax, patagia and extreme base of forewings dark bronze with strong metallic golden reflections. Forewings dark purplish blue with numerous thin, equidistant, longitudinal, whitish violaceous lines from base to apex; apical edge strongly metallic violaceous; cilia dark brown. Hindwings blackish brown with whitish cilia. Abdomen dark purplish brown with silvery underside. Legs dark brown with white tarsal annulations. Alar expanse: 11 mm. Habitat: Roxboro, Pa., June, F. Haimbach, collector; Falls Church, Va., July, Carl Heinrich, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19239, U. S. N. M. A gorgeously colored little moth, unlike any North American species, reminding one of the South American genus Maclotica to which it is allied. Coleophora acamtopappi n. sp. Labial palpi light ochreous, whitish on the inner sides; second joint with small pointed tuft. Antennae light ochreous without basal scale tuft. 88 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Face and head whitish ochreous. Thorax light ochreous with two longi- tudinal white streaks; patagia ochreous with white edges. Forewings light golden yellow with three longitudinal white streaks; one broadly covering the costal edge, one through the middle of the wing, broad to the end of the cell, thence attenuated to apex and one narrow white streak along the dorsal edge, reaching only to the middle of the wing; cilia whitish ochreous. Hindwings dusky ochreous with whitish cilia. Abdomen ochre- ous fuscous with dark yellow underside and anal tuft. Alar expanse: 18 mm. Habitat: Los Angeles, Cal., October, A. Koebele, Coll. Foodplant: Acamtopappus sphcerocephalus. Type: Cat. No. 19240, U. S. N. M. Closely allied to the other California species, C. quadristrigella, Busck, C. entoloma Busck and C. accordella Wlsm., but easily distinguished by the pattern. Coleophora suaedae n. sp. Labial palpi white, touched with yellow on the outer side of second joint, which has a small, pointed, projecting tuft. Antenna? slightly thickened towards base, but without tuft on first joint, light ochreous with narrow white annulations. Face, head and thorax light ochreous. Fore- wings light ochreous with ill-defined broad longitudinal vhite streaks, heavily dusted with dark brown; one such brown dotted streak lies below the costal edge on vein 12; four shorter parallel lines start at the edge of the cell and run to costa, the last one to apex; one line runs along the lower edge of the cell and one on the fold; none of the costal streaks reach quite to the costal edge, which is unmottled and brighter yellowish than the rest of the wing; cilia whitish ochreous. Hindwings and cilia light ochre- ous. Abdomen light fuscous with ochreous underside and anal tuft. Legs light ochreous; posterior tibiae with a longitudinal yellow line exteriorly. Alar expanse: 18 mm. Habitat: Los Angeles, Cal., November, A. Koebele, Coll. Foodplant: Suceda suffrudecens. Type: Cat. No. 19241, U. S. N. M. The case is cylindrical, but rather bulging, rough, made of the foodplant, light ochreous; mouth slightly deflected and cutoff at 45 degrees; the posterior tip pressed together from three sides; length 10 mm. This species is next to but distinct from Coleophora acutipennella Wlsm; it is very different from the other American Coleophora on Suceda, C. sucedicola Cockerell, which is a much smaller white, black speckled species with a dark brown cigar-shaped case. Coleophora manitoba n. sp. Labial palpi white. Face, head and thorax white. Antennae thickened and serrated with scales on basal half, white with dark brown annulations. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 89 Forewings white sparsely dusted with black scales towards apex and with a small, deep r lack dot within the dorsal margin at apical third; cilia white. Hindwings silvery fuscous with dusky white cilia. Abdomen whitish. Legs white; posterior tibiae dark brown exteriorly. Alar expanse: 13-14 mm. Habitat: Aweme, Manitoba, N. Griddle, collector. Type: Cat, No. 19242, U. S. N. M. Cotype in the Ottawa Museum. The species was breu from cases found on grass. The case is dark brown, made of silk with numerous small pieces of gravel incorporated; it is cylindrical with the head opening cut off nearly laterally to the case, without any neck; anal opening pressed together from three sides. Marmara pomonella n. sp. Second joint of labial palpi blackish brown with apex white; terminal joint white with an anterior black spot. Maxillary palpi whitish with black tips. Face, head and thorax in the specimen before me are badly rubbed, but apparently normally blackish brown. Forewings bluish black, shiny, with a large silvery white costal spot on the middle wing, another s'milar costal spot at apical third, and a silvery white fascia just before a;/ex; cilia blackish with apical part silvery white. Hindwings dark fus- cous with lighter fuscous cilia. Abdomen bluish black with silvery under- side and anal tuft. Legs black with broad, silvery white annulations. Alar expanse: 8 mm. Habitat: Corvallis, Oregon, H. F. Wilson, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19243, U. N. S. M. Bred from larva mining just under skin of apple. The work and the larva of this species have long been known and have repeatedly been sent in for determination; the mine is figured in Bull. 10, new series, Division of Entomology, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1898, page 88, fig. 19. Marmara serofinella n. sp. Labial palpi silvery white; second joint with a blackish brown apical annulation. Maxillary palpi dark fuscous. Face and front parts of the head silvery white; top of the head dark brown. Thorax blackish brown. Forewings blackish brown with silvery white markings; broad, triangular, white fascia at basal third is broadest on the dorsal edge and attenuated on the costal edge; oblique white fascia beyond the middle of the wing is thinner on the middle than at the edges of the wing; at apical fourth is a small white costal spot and opposite a similar dorsal spot; beyond this is a small white dash or a few white dots in the costal cilia; cilia dark fuscous. Hindwings dark brownish fuscous. Abdomen backish brown above, under- side and anal tuft silvery. Legs silvery white with dark brown annula- tions. Alar expanse: 6 mm. 90 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Habitat: Falls Church, Va., C. Heinrich, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19244, U. S. N. M. Foodplant: Prunus serotina. Exceedingly close to the type of the genus Marmara salictella Clem., but with less white ornamentation of the apical parts of the wing. The deeply serrated, typical larva makes long mines just under the epidermis of the branches of wild cherry charac- teristic of the genus. Argyresthia castaneella n. sp. Labial palpi golden white. Face and head pure white. Antennae golden with brown annulations. Thorax white; base of patagia golden. Fore- wings white with a broad, bright, golden, longitudinal streak along costal edge, gradually widening f . om the middle of the wing into the darker, golden brown apical part, which is slightly reticulated with white; at the end of the cell is a darker golden brown spot, adjoining the dark costal part of the wing; on the middle of the dorsal edge is a similar dark spot; cilia white; forewings with veins 7~8 stalked. Hindwings dark fuscous with white cilia. Abdomen dark brown above, silvery white on the under- sides with golden anal tuft. Legs silvery. Alar expanse: 10 mm. Habitat: Falls Church, Va., May, C. Heinrich, collector; Hamp- ton, N. H., June, S. A. Shaw, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19245, U. S. N. M. Very close to Argyresthia subreticulata Wlsm., but darker in color and differing by the dark dorsal spot in the otherwise pure white dorsal part of the wing. Mr. Heinrich has bred this species from the bark of chestnuts, infested with Sesia castanece, Busck. Argyresthia franciscella n. sp. Labial palpi, face and head yellowish white. Antennae with white basa' joint, with dark brown annulations. Thorax white. Forewings pearly white, dusted with light brown; an outwardly oblique blackish brown streak from basal third of dorsum is faintly continued to costal edge; a similar, parallel, brown streak from just beyond the middle of dorsum may likewise be faintly traced to apical third of costa, where it meets an ill-defined transverse fascia from apical fourth of dorsum; apical part of the wing strongly suffused with bronzy brown ; cilia white with a few irregu- lar, black dashes at base. Hindwings light fuscous with whitish cilia. Abdomen silvery white. Legs white with dark brown tarsal annulations. Alar expanse: 10 mm. Habitat: San Francisco, Cal., May, E. O. Essig, Coll. Type: Cat, No. 19246, U. S. N. M. Easily distinguished from all the American brown marked spe- cies of the genus by the two dorsal dark streaks. Received from Mr. E. 0. Essig with the label "in tips of Cypress." OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 91 Zelleria haimbachi n. sp. Labial palpi, face and head pure white. Antennae white with ill-defined, light, brown annulations. Thorax white edged posteriorly and laterally with golden yellow; patagia golden yellow. Forewings light, golden yel- low with a broad, central, longitudinal, white streak from base to apex; outer half of costal edge, apical part of the wing and cilia slightly dusted with black; cilia black. Hindwings silvery, whitish fuscous; cilia white. Abdomen silvery white mixed with light yellow, anal tuft pure white. Legs silvery white. Alar expanse: 12 mm. Habitat: Wenonah, N. J., F. Haimbach, collector. Type: Cat, No. 19247, U. S. N. M. Bred from short needle pine by Mr. Haimbach after whom this striking little species is named. The species pupated June 31, and the imago issued July 17. The species reminds one in color- ation and pattern of Cerostoma (Abebcea) gerdanella Busck. Bucculatrix ilecella n. sp. Face silvery white. Tuft and head white mixed with ochreous fuscous. Antenna white with dark brown annulations; eyecaps white. Thorax and forewings white, suffused with light ochreous brown scales; two very ill- defined faint crosslines of blackish brown scales, one from the middle and one from apical third of costa obliquely outwards across the wing; three or four small groups of blackish brown scales on the fold; cilia white with dark brown basal line. Hindwings silvery fuscous with whitish cilia. Abdomen silvery fuscous above with silvery white underside. Legs sil- very white, indistinctly barred with blackish brown exteriorly. Alar ex- panse: 4 mm. Habitat: Victoria, Tex., July, W. D. Hunter, Coll. Foodplant: Ilex species. Type: Cat. No. 19248, U. S. N. M. Probably the smallest species of this genus on record ; it belongs in the pomifoUella group. Bred by Mr. Hunter from holly; the cocoons are pure white strongly longitudinally ribbed; typical of the genus, length 5 mm. Incurvaria gillettella n. sp. Labial and maxillary palpi dark brown, the former with bristles at the end of the second joint. Head rusty red. Antenna' blackish brown with white annulations. Thorax dark brown. Forewings dark brown with three silvery white, angulated fasciae, the first from basal third of costa inwardly inclined and partly obliterated to near the base of dorsum; the second inwardly inclined from the middle of costa, sharply angulated on the cell and thence outwardly bent to apical third of dorsum; the third from apical third of costa, strongly inwardly curved, ending on vein 3, without ;itt:iining the dorsal edge. Cilia brown with white lips. Hind- 92 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY wings loosely scaled, semitranslucent, light brown with concolorous cilia. Abdomen and legs uniformly dark brown. Alar expanse: 25 mm. Habitat: Silverton, Colorado, C. P. Gillette, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19249, IT. S. N. M. This is the largest described American species of this genus, nearest to /. oregonella Walsingham, but easily distinguished by the pattern. Incurvaria itoniella n. sp. Labial palpi yellowish white with a few black bristles; maxillary purplish black. Antennae bronzy, blackish brown. Face and head light reddish yellow with a few scattered black hairs. Thorax and forewings unicolored dark greenish brown with strong bronzy reflections, and in some lights golden; cilia bronzy brown. Hindwings dark purple with scattered golden scales around the edges; cilia purplish brown. Abdomen and legs bronzy brown; posterior tibiae with long silky whitish hairs above. Alar expanse: 11 mm. Habitat: Kaslo, Brit. Columbia, J. W. Cockle, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19250, U. S. N. M. Very similar in size and general habitus to our eastern Eucle- mensia acerifoliella Clemens, but differing generically and in the lighter, more greenish color; it is also somewhat more narrow winged. The genus Incurvaria has been separated by Mr. Meyrick (Hand Book 1895) on the antennal ciliation in the male, and some of the European species as /. capitella, have on this ground been placed in the genus Tinea. This is another striking case, where the use of secondary sexual characters has caused curious mis- takes in generic classifications; /. capitella and its allies are acu- leates and hence do not even belong to the same family as tin- genus Tinea; the genera Tinea and Incurvaria may be best sep- arated by the presence or absence of wing aculeation. Incurvaria cyanella n. sp. Labial palpi golden yellow. Antennae black. Face and head light red- dish yellow. Thorax dark bronzy brown. Forewings dark greenish and bluish bronzy brown overlaid with scattered metallic golden scales; cilia dark bro\vn. Hindwings dark purplish brown with lighter brown cilia. Abdomen blackish brown Legs blackish brown. Alar expanse: 10 nun. Habitat: Oak Station, Pa., F. Marloff, Coll. Type: Cat. No. 19287, U. S. N. M. Very close to the foregoing species I. itoniella Busck, but smaller, darker, more bluish in color and at once distinguished by the metallic golden scaling on the forewings. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 93 Incurvaria cockerelli n. sp. Second joint of labial palpi light yellow, terminal joint black. Tongue black. Antennae black with silvery white tips. Face and head reddish ochreous. Thorax dark metallic green. Forewings dark greenish bronze, with strong metallic golden reflection ; at apical third is a large, transverse, oval, light yellow spot, touching the dorsal edge and reaching nearly across the cell; underside deep blue, sprinkled with golden scales; cilia blackish brown. Hindwings deep purplish blue, with base of costal edge silvery fuscous and with cilia dark metallic brown. Abdomen dark bluish brown. Legs dark bronzy brown. Alar expanse: 11 mm. Habitat: Long Peak and Peaceful! Valley, Colorado, Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19288, U. S. N. M. Named in honor of the collector, who continually adds inter- esting finds to the National Museum. It is close to the following species, I. sedella, but larger, with darker head and with yellow, oval spot at apical third supplant- ing the transverse white fascia. Incurvaria sedella n. sp. Labial palpi yellow with black terminal joint and black setae. Antenna) bronzy black with white tips. Face and head yellowish white. Thorax dark bronzy brown. Forewings dark bronzy brown with a white trans- \crse fascia at apical third; cilia 'bronze. Hindwings dark purple with basal half of costa silvery white; cilia dark golden purple. Abdomen dark purplish brown. Legs silvery, shaded with dark purple. Alar expanse: 9 mm. Habitat: Boulder, Colo., T. D. A. Cockerell, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19289, U. S. N. M. Taken by Prof. Cockerell on Seduni. Prodoxus barberella n. sp. Labial palpi brownish fuscous, touched with white. Maxillary palpi blackish fuscous. Antennae blackish brown, dotted on the upper side of basal half with white and with while basal joint; ciliation in the male 1. Face, head and thorax white. Forewings white with blackish brown longitudinal markings as follows: costal third with short irregular longi- tudinal dashes, which towards apex form three more denned short lines, running obliquely to the costal edge; a large, longitudinal brown dash on the middle of the fold, a small one on the cell and a large one beyond the end of the cell; an approximate semicircular dorsal spot at apical third, an ill-defined series of marginal dark brown spots before the cilia; cilia white, dusky at apex and at tornus. Hindwings semitransparenl with scant, liairlike, dark fuscous scales; cilia whitish fuscous. Abdomen blackish brown with whitish anal tuft. Legs dusky white. Alar expanse: 1-1-17 mm. 94 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Habitat: Ray, Ariz., 4400 feet altitude, H. S. Barber, collector Foodplant: Agave palmeri. Type: Cat. No. 19290, U. S. N. M. I am pleased to dedicate this interesting and pretty species to Mr. Barber who, on January 4, 1914, cut a tall dry flower stalk of the Agave in Arizona and brought it to Washington, where more than a hundred moths issued from it about the middle of March. The Iarva3 are glassy white with light brown head and dark brown mouth parts; they are, as is tyoical of the genus, en- tirely apodal, without any trace of thora* legs or abdominal prolegs; length 12-14 mm.; before pupation .ley bore out to the surface of the stalk, leaving only a thin silk lined circular lid, which is pushed out by the pupa at emergence; the pupal shell is thin and flimsy and remains protruding from the exit hole. The genus Prodoxus Riley has been incorrectly sunk as a syn- onym of Tegeticula Zeller ( == Pronuba Riley) in the Biologia. The two genera are abundantly distinct in all stages; the larva of Tegeticula has thoracic legs, that of Prodoxus is apodal; the pupa of the former is strongly and characteristically spined, while that of Prodoxus is smooth, and the remarkably developed "Maxillary tentacle" in Tegeticula is represented in Prodoxus only by a slight protuberance. RHABDOBLATTA BRUNNEONIGRA, A NEW COCKROACH FROM CHINA. BY A. N. CAUDELL, Bureau of Entomology. Among a few miscellaneous Orthoptera from China recently received for determination from N. Gist Gee of Soochow was a large roach which, according to Shelford's keys, belongs to the genus Rhabdoblatta. The species is apparently a new one and the following description is therefore presented. Rhabdoblatta brunneonigra n. sp. A brownish black roach nearly one and one-half inches in length ex- hibiting the following characters : Head projecting somewhat from beneath the pronotum; eyes large and separated by a distance as great as twice the greatest width of the basal segment of the antenna?; ocelli large and as widely separated as the eyes; antenna; shorter than the body, the basal segment large and over twice as long as broad, the second slightly smaller and scarcely longer than broad, the succeeding ones gradually diminishing in diameter, those of the basal third or so transverse, beyond growing more elongate, those towards the apex slightly more than twice as long as broad. Pronotum about twice as broad as the head, the widest part slightly in advance of the middle, anteriorly very broadly rounded and posteriorly obtuse angulate, the disk with a pair of somewhat obscure shallow de- pressions on each side of the middle. Legs moderately stout, all the OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 95 femora armed beneath on both margins with three or four moderately stout spines; tarsi with distinct pulvilli, the basal segment, especially of the middle and hind legs, long and distinctly armed beneath, except on the apical fourth or fifth which is occupied by the pulvillus, with a double row of short sharp spinules; claws with moderately large arolia between them. Wings black, or nearly so, in the anterior half, the anal area very moderately fuliginous towards the outer margins, basally still less so; posterior ulnar vein many branched, some of the branches ending in the dividing vein; apically the wing s slightly undulate, being somewhat prolonged in the marginal area (fig. 1) , Elytra far surpassing the tip of the abdomen, about as broad as the proniji ,n and about four times as long as broad, the sides subparallel and the apex subtruncate, being somewhat undulate as in the wing. Fig. 1. Rhabdoblatta brunneonigra Caudell. Abdomen with the subgenital plate entire and bearing a pair of short movable styles; supraanal plate mesially depressed longitudinally and apically notched; cerci moderately slender and surpassing the supraanal plate by more than one-half of their own length. General color brownish black; head and pronotum black, the eyes and the ocelli light brown and the antennal scrobir. the mesial portion of the clypeus and some of the palpal segments marked more or loss with the same color. Legs black with the spines a little lighter and the tarsi yel- lowish. Abdomen blackish above, beneath black for the entire length mesially, laterally yellowish, the yellowish margins and black central stripe of subequal widths; cerci and styles and the whole of the subgenital plate blackish. Length: pronotuni, 6.5 mm.; elytra, L><> mm.; cerci, 3 mm.; width: pro- notum at widest point, 7.5mm.; elytra at middle, s mm. Described from one female from Ruling Kiangsi, China, N. Gist Gee, collector. Type: Cat. No. 19125 U. S. National Museum. 96 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY ON THE GENUS EXORISTOIDES COO. (TACHINID/E). BY W. R. WALTON, Bureau of Entomology, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. In following the work of the late Mr. D. W. Coquillett in the Muscoidean flies, the fact soon becomes obvious to the student that he sometimes brought together under one generic name (often by means of artificial characters) several rather widely related forms. This indeed was his usual method of procedure where the material before him was meager and yet seemed of sufficient interest to merit description. I am personally in favor of this system because it obviates the danger of making unnec- essary generic names and still permits the recording of the spe- cific descriptions. These can usually be made broad enough to include any and all characters which may subsequently prove to be of generic importance. The genus Exoristoides1 Coq. is evidently of this character. Mr. Coquillett2 has designated the species jolmsoni as the geno- type. Additional material of the other two recorded species has recently fallen into my hands. Specimens of Exoristoides harring- tonis Coq. collected at Plummer's Island, Md., by Dr. A. K. Fisher, and at Dead Run, Fairfax County, Va., by R, C. Shan- non, show structural characters which demonstrate beyond a doubt that the species is not congeneric with the genotype. The other species, namely, slossonce Coq. seems doubtfully con- generic with johnsoni Coq., the shape of the third antenna! joint is quite dissimilar, and the scanty setulse of the first vein are sometimes missing in the male. When this occurs the species will run to Exorista in Mr. Coquillett's table. Whether or not the missing setulse have ever existed is difficult to decide. But perhaps the species would better remain where it is for the pres- ent. The genus is characterized by Mr. Coquillett as follows: "First vein partly bristly, frontal bristles descending below base of antennas, vibrissae on a level with front edge of oral mar- gin, antennae reaching lowest fourth of face, eyes distinctly hairy, head at vibrissae distinctly shorter than at base of antenna?, sides of face bare, apical cell open, facial ridges bristly on lower fourth, third vein bristly more than half way to small crossvein." The following notes are made from the genotype: Apical cell ending in costa distinctly before wing tip, fifth vein destitute of setula 1 Rev. N. Am. Tach., p. 31. Type species of the N. A. Diptera, p. 544. • This species was originally designated as the type of a new genus in the present paper as read February 4th, but was anticipated under the generic name Hotnalnctia Townsend in Proc. Biol. Soc. Wafh., Vol XXVIII pp. 19-24, February 12. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1015 !)< beyond second basal cell, bend of fourth vein destitute of stump or wrinkle, fourth vein beyond the bend curved gently inward. The two species may be easily separated as follows: First Vein with at most two or three widely separated setulae on outer third, third joint of antenna black, gently concave on its front edge, arista shorter than third antennal joints (fig. 1-2), : slossonce Coq. First Vein bearing setula3 to the number of six or seven on its intermediate third only, third antennal joint in part yellow, gently convex on its front edge, arista longer than third antennal joint (figs. 3-4), = : johnsoni Coq. HOMALACTIA Townsend. Palpi present well developed (fig. 5) ; first vein thickly setulate on its outer two-thirds, third vein setulate to a point considerably beyond small crossvein, fifth vein bearing three or more bristles just beyond second basal cell (fig. 6); lower half of face on sides bare, frontal bristles strongly developed, descending to base of arista, the lowest ones curving upward (fig. 5); proboscis not longer than height of head, fleshy. Apical cell ending close to wing tip, either open or closed and short petiolate. Fourth vein bent violently inward beyond the bend which bears a short stump directly in line with the fourth vein before its bend. Third antennal joint subdentate on its lowest front corner. Ocellar bristles directed forward, head shorter at vibrissse than at base of antennae. Vibrissse on oral margin; eyes thinly hairy; front tarsi of female distinctly dilated, hind tibia& not ciliate. Type: Exoristoides harringtoni Coq. (figs. 5-6). In describing this unusually marked species1 Mr. Coquillett had before him but one specimen which is at present in a poor state of preservation. It differs from the specimens before me in having the apical cell closed and petiolate. The original de- scription of the type makes no mention of the presence of a row of several bristles on the fifth longitudinal vein near its base. The occurrence of these is a rare thing in the TachiimUo. They arc found in Polychcetoneura elyii Walton, and Chcetoplagia atripeinrix Coq. and in a few other genera. The latter fact was overlooked in my description of Polychcetoneura but in no-wise affects its standing as Chcetoplagia belongs to that group possessing a row of macrochsetae on the face. 1 Proc. F. S. Natl. Mas., Vol. XXV, p. 110. PLATE XII. PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 99 EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Fig. 1, Exoristoides slossonce Coq head Fig. 2, Exoristoides slossonce Coq wing Fig. 3, Exoristoides johnsoni Coq head Fig. 4, Exoristoides johnsoni Coq wing Fig. 5, Homalactia harringtoni Coq head Fig. 6, Homalactia harringtoni Coq wing MOSQUITOES ATTACKING 'A FROG. BY R. C. SHANNON, Bureau of Entomology. A bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) , was seen sitting upon a log in a swamp at Dead Run, Fairfax County, Virginia, May 23, 1915, and upon it were a number of mosquitoes which arose from his back in a small swarm when he moved at my approach. The mosquitoes returned as soon as the frog became quiet again and resumed their feeding. When first seen the frog appeared to be unaware of the blood-suckers. When nearer approach was attempted the frog jumped into the water leaving the mosquitoes behind. Four specimens were captured and these have been determined by Mr. Knab as Culex territans Walk.; their abdo- mens were distended and the imbibed blood showed through the integument. Mr. Knab informs me that there has been considerable doubt that Culex territans sucks blood. In spite of the fact that the species is very common in the eastern United States and breeds everywhere in smaller collections of water, no definite feeding record of it has been made, and it has been doubted if it would attack man or other warm-blooded animals. The present obser- vation suggests that the species may confine its attacks to frogs and perhaps other cold-blooded animals. 100 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS SECODELLA. BY J. C. CRAWFORD. This interesting species was first reared by Mr. Marcovitch in 1913 when he secured a very few specimens, but during 1914 it occurred in large numbers and a fine series was sent to me for study. The species of this genus are very striking in appearance due to the lines of cilia on the fore wing and also to the row of bristles on the under side of the wing just back of the marginal vein. Secodella argyresthise n. sp. Female: Length 3 mm! Deep purple with some greenish tints; face with a deep cross furrow in front of anterior ocellus; head with crowded fine punctures, those above cross furrow coarser; antennae brown, scape and pedicel purple; first and second joints of funicle subequal in length, each about one and one-half times as long as the pedicel; third and fourth joints successively shorter, together about as long as the club; meso- notum with fine thimble-like punctures, those on the scutellum finer than on scutum; propodeum very short, with a median carina; wings hyaline, upper surface of fore wings with six rows of cilia, three from stigmal knob as follows: one running apicad and close to anterior margin of wing, touch- ing anterior margin before apex of wing, one curving caudad and running to apical margin, one running diagonally across wing basad to rear of wing and forming the border of the non-ciliated basal area; two lines run from base of ciliated area to apical margin, one close to posterior border, the other some distance anteriad of the former; the sixth originating within the ciliated area and running to apical margin; lower surface of fore wings with a row of five or six long curved bristles close to marginal vein at about its middle; legs purple, anterior tarsi brown, middle and hind tarsi, except apices, whitish; abdomen elongate. Male: Length 1.8 mm. Similar to the female. Habitat: Ithaca, N. Y. Host: Argyresthia alternatella. Type: Cat. No. 19408, U. S. N. M. Described from a series reared by Mr. S. Marcovitch, from whom it was received. Actual date of publication, June 8, 1915. ANNOUNCEMENT Separates of all the important papers published in the PROCEED- INGS OP THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON and a num- ber from other journals are for sale at approximately two cents per page (no article less than ten cents). They can be had by apply- ing to the Corresponding Secretary of the Entomological Society. U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. No receipt will be mailed for the sale of printed matter unless especially requested. OF SPECIAL INTEREST SASSCER, E. R. Catalogue of recently described Coccidae. V $.20 CUSHMAN, R. A. A Revision of the North American Species of the Braconid Genus Habrobracon 20 DYAR, H. G. Synoptic Tables of the North American Species of Chionobas .10 Synopsis of the North American Species of Erebia ... .10 Synopsis of the North American Species of Brenthis . . 10 A Generic Revision of the Hipocritidae (Arctidae) (Can. Ent.) 10 A Generic Revision of the Lachneidae (Lasiocampidae) (Can. Ent. 1898) ' 10 A Review of the Hesperidae of the United States 20 BUSCK, AUGUST. A Revision of the American Moths of the Family Glechiidae with Descriptions of New Species 1 .00 A Review of the American Moths of the Genus Cos- mopteryx Hiibner. .15 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS NUMBER BUSCK, AUGUST: Descriptions of new North American Microlepi- doptera .- 79 CAUDELL, A. N.: Rhabdoblatta brunneonigra, a new cockroach from China -. 94 CRAWFORD, J. C. : A new species of Secodella 99 FISHER, W. S. : One new genus and two new species of Cerambycidae 77 HUNTER, W. D. : Some observations on medical entomology 58 PARKER, J. B.: Notes on the nesting habits of some solitary wasps. 70 SHANNON, R. C. : Mosquitoes attacking a frog 99 WALTON, W. R. : On the genus Exoristoides Coq 96 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON VOLUME XVII, No. 3 SEPTEMBER, 1915 PUBLISHED* QUARTEKLT BY THE SOCIETY OFFICE OF PUBLICATION 2419-21 GRBENMOUNT AVB. BALTIMORE, MD. EDITORIAL OFFICE WASHINGTON. D. C. Entered as Becond-olaes matter at the poatoffioe at "Baltimore, Md., February 28, 191S. under the Act of August 24, 1913 THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ORGANIZED MARCH 12, 1884. X The regular meetings of the Society are held on the first Thursday of each month, from October to June inclusive, at 8 P. M. Annual dues of active members, $3.00; of corresponding members $2.00; initiation fee (for active members only), $1.00. OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1915. President.^ ... A. N. CAXJDELL First Vice-President C. R. ELY Second Vice-President . . E. R. SASSCER Recording Secretary A. B. GAHAN Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer. . . . , .8. A. ROHWER U. 8. National Museum, Washington, D. C. Editor J. C. CRAWFORD Representing the Society as a Vice-President of the Washington Academy of Sciences .s W. D. HUNTER Executive Committee. THE OFFICERS. E. A. SCHWARZ. A. L. QTIAINTANCE. G. L. MARLATT. PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. Published quarterly by the Society at Baltimore, Md., and Wash- ington, D. C. Terms of subscription: Domestic, $2.00 per annum; foreign, $2.25 per annum; single numbers, 50 cents, foreign postage extra. Remittances should be made payable to the Entomological Society of Washington. Authors of leading articles in the PROCEEDINGS will be entitled to 25 separates of each contribution, free of charge, provided the Editor is noti- fied before page proof is returned. Additional copies may be had at rates fixed by the Society. PROCEEDINGS - OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON VOL. XVII 1915 No. 3 Two HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FOURTH MEETING, MARCH 4, 1915. The 284th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by the married members at the Saengerbund Hall, March 4, 1915.. There were present Messrs. Abbott, Baker, Barber, Cory, Craw- ford, Cushman, DeGryse, Ely, Gahan, Gill, Greene, Heinrich, Hunter, Hutchinson, Isely, Jackson, Knab, Kotinsky, Mclndoo, Micldleton, Popenoe, Quaintance, Rohwer, Rust, Sasscer, Schwarz, Shannon, Snyder, Townsend, Turner, Walton, Webb and Wood, members, and Messrs. J. M. Aldrich, F. W. Dry, Jacob Gold- berg, H. G. Ingerson, A. C. Johnson and H. K. Plank, visitors. Mr. E. L. Divens was elected a Corresponding Member. The following papers were presented : THE BERMUDA GRASS ODONASPIS. BY JACOB KOTINSKY, Branch of Forest Insect*, Bureau of Entomology. Shortly after arrival in Honolulu in 1904 I discovered this insect more or less heavily infesting Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylori) or "Manienie," as it is called there. Its habitat is mostly underground but invariably on the stem, never on roots. Once discovered, it is quite conspicuous by its beautiful, chalky whiteness, and oyster shape. It is always lodged under the scale- like bracts at the node. 101 102 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Bermuda grass is apparently the only grass in Hawaii suit- able, and is practically the only grass used, for lawn purposes. It is also well adapted for grazing purposes, especially on the low lands, hence the insect depredation is of some economic value. It is fortunate, therefore, that this scale is kept in check, to a degree at least, by a parasite. This is a beautiful, tiny, metallic green chalcidoid new to science both generically and specifically, according to the late Dr. Ashmead. The writer was certain at the time that the coccid was unde- scribed, and, though he had drawn up a description and prepared drawings, failed to publish it, in the contemplation of publishing a paper covering all the coccids of Hawaii, including descriptions of all species found there new to science. As often happens, this work was delayed until 1909. Meantime, the late Mr. Craw had occasion to refer to the insect in writing to Mr. Ehrhorn, who was then in California, and called it by my MS. name, and the latter incorporated it in one of his reports. In this wise the manu- script name got into print, but sine description. Meantime also, Mr. Brsmner published in the Canadian Entomologist for 1908 a description of Odonaspis graminis, from grass in Cali- fornia, which was so similar to the species in question, that the author took them to be identical, especially since he received the assurance of Mr. Ehrhorn to that effect. It was therefore referred to by that name in Proc. Haw. Ent. Soc. II, 127. I have since been advised by Mr. Marlatt that the species is distinct. Mr. Sasscer, of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology was kind to supply me with the slide he prepared from material originally sent to the National collection of Coccidue. These were used for the following description. Odonaspis ruthae, n.sp. Female scale: Oyster shaped or mytiliform when full grown, about 1.75 mm. long, 0.75 mm. wide; chalk white; exuviae at elevated end, partly or entirely covered with white waxy dust which rubs off easily, straw colored. Ventral scale well developed, with dorsal completely enclosing and seal- ing insect. Male scale: Same shape, but only about half the size of fe- male. Adult female: In balsam (fig. 1), irregularly circular; hyaline, except gland-bearing margin of last 7 or 8 segments, including caudal half of pygidium, and mouth parts, all of which are more or less heavily chitinized. Diameter about 0.63 mm. Pygidium (fig. 2) viewed from head toward median lobes looks like a very regular inverted outline of a bell, the median lobes corresponding to the tongue, 0.36 mm. long over all, 0.315 mm. wide at tips (of "bell"). Segmental sutures distinct half way cephalad from caudal margin. Lobes: 2 pairs, but slightly denser than chitinized margin, not very conspicuous. Median, narrow, parallel, OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 103 rounded caudad, but apparently united, actually separated, like rest of pygidial posterior margin enveloped in a filmy membrane, intervening space at base roundly emarginate, project but 10 n caudad of main marginal line. Second pair but slight, triangular elevations on marginal line. Incisions: None. Paraphyses: Fairly distinct at sutures of two last segments, / I somewhat clavate c e p h a 1 a d . Plates: None. Spines: One each side of median lobes, on dorsum and ventrum; also one dorsal at anterior end of segmental margin. Anal opening: Rather small, evidently posteriorly directed, circular, central within chitinized longitudinally oval area, about one-fourth length from base of pygidium. Paragenitals: 3 groups, the laterals elongate, apparently anterior and posterior group united. Anterior 12-17 glands; lateral 29-33. IIU-CK: Very numerous, especially on more chitinized portions of Fig. 1. Odonaspis ruthae. tour of female. Con- Fig. 2. Odonaspis ruthae. Pygidium of female. abdominal segments, arranged in more or less regular rows longitudi- nally. Basal thickenings: None. }'< i/lrnl thickenings: None. Second stage described by author in paper above referred to. Type: Material and slide in U. S. coccid collection No. 14089, from which this description is made. 104 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY This species is easily mistaken for 0. graminis, but is quite distinct from it when slide preparations are compared. Among the more conspicuous differences are: the greater width of base of pygidium in our species; the dorsal pores and intersegmental sutures on the abdomen are much more distinct. Also, the median lobes of ruthce, as indicated, are more separated, and the species is perceptibly smaller and more hyaline than graminis. Moreover, our species bears paragenital glands which do not occur in the other. A specimen (slide) in the Bureau collection from New Or- leans, La., on Bermuda grass (T. C. Barber) is in its pygidial characters absolutely identical with ruthw, except that the entire body is considerably longer, being oval in outline (0.93 x 0.64 mm.). Paragenital pores in lateral groups more numerous. They may be specimens of this species grown under more favor- able conditions. The drawings were kindly made for me under my criticism by Miss E. Hart from Mr. Sasscer's photograph and slide. A NEW AND INTERESTING GENUS OF NORTH AMERICAN TACHINIDyE. BY W. R. WALTON, Bureau of Entomology, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. Our knowledge of the muscoid parasites of grasshoppers in North America is gradually being enlarged. Some of the genera now known to have this habit are as follows :: Sarcophaga, Ocyp- tera, Hilarella, Trichopoda, Heteropterina, Acemyia, and I now add another, constituting a new and unique genus and species. The former I take great pleasure in proposing in honor of the late D. W. Coquillett whose valuable preliminary work in the super- family Muscoidea is recognized by nearly all students. Goquillettina, new genus. Related to Acemyia Desv. Palpi small and slender, first vein bare, sides of face on lower half bare, proboscis shorter than height of head, eyes bare, lower front corner of third antennal joint bearing a projection, in the male pointing forward (fig. 1-a) in the female, downward and for- ward Cfig. 3b) the lower edge distinctly notched. Eyes bare, front in 1 I view with grave doubt the authenticity of the recorded rearing of Frontina frvnchii, Will, from Dissosteira Carolina, by Prof. Lugger in 1874 as published by Mr. Coquillett. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 105 male very narrow, about one-third width of either eye, in female wider than either eye. Antenna? scarcely reaching to lower half of face, vib- rissse rather weak, situated at least the length of second antennal joint above front edge of oral margin. Facial ridges almost bare, only a few weak bristles on their lower fourth. Cheeks in male almost linear, in female not more than one-fourth eye height in width. Frontal bristles not descending below base of antennae. Ocellar bristles directed for- ward. Wings (fig. 2) whitish hyaline, costal spine obsolete, fourth longi- tudinal vein absent beyond the bend, third vein ending in costa close to tip of wing, anal vein weak, not reaching posterior margin. Puparium with anal stigmata (fig. 4 and 5) projecting, knobbed, closely approximated. Goquillettina plankii, new species. Type, the following new species. Male. Rather compact, entirely grayish pollinose, nowhere shining, length 6 mm. Head hemispherical, slightly wider than thorax, sides of front grayish pollinose, clothed with rather long fine erect hairs, orbits narrowly edged with silvery. Antennae yellow, the outer side of third antennal joint brownish, same slightly longer than second joint (fig. 1-a). Arista brown, naked second joint not longer than broad. Genae, posterior orbits and facial depression silvery pollinose. Frontal vitta brown, very narrow at vertex, widening at base of antenna?. All the macrochaetae of the head weak. Beard short and grayish in color proboscis and palpi yel- low. Orbital bristles absent. Thorax and scutellum concolorous dark grayish pollinose. Four distinct vittse, the inner pair narrow and becom- ing obsolete near middle of dorsum, the outer pair reduced to triangular spots before the suture and short narrow streaks posterior thereto. Post- sutural dorso-central bristles three, sternopleurals two, which are scarcely distinguishable from the long pilose hairs surrounding them. Pleurae cinereous pollinose. Abdomen ovate, cinereous pollinose, a dark circular spot surrounding each marginal abdominal macrochseta. All segments bearing marginals, no discal on any segment. Abdominal vestiture con- sisting of scattered coarse black recumbent hairs. Wings milky hyaline, veins yellowish. Legs, including coxa?, yellowish, the femora brownish on sides. Pulvilli whitish front ones as long as last tarsal joint, claws not greatly elongated. Female. Similar to male except as noted in the generic description and as follows, two pairs or orbital bristles present, frontal vitta occupying nearly one-third width of front. Antennas entirely yellow, third joint, about one and one-half as long as second. Pollen of superior orbit and front with a yellow tinge, posterior orbit about twice as wide as in male. Postvertical bristles well developed, nearly as long as ocellars. Abdomen missing in the unique specimen as are the legs with the exception of one front femur which is clear yellow in color. Pleura- whitish pollinose, sternopleural plate almost naked, excepting the two sternopleural macrochsotse. PLATE XIII. PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Fig. 1. Coquillettina plankii, head of male; a, enlarged veiwof antenna. Fig. 2. Wing of same. Fig. 3. Head of female; 6, enlarged outline of right antenna from inner side. Figs. 4 and 5. Lateral and dorsal views of pupal, anal stigmata with detail showing irregular outline of slits. Fig. 6. Wing of Acemyia tibialis Coq.; r, outline of antenna of samo. 10G OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 107 Described from one female and two male specimens, the former fragmentary. All reared (from a cage in which undetermined grasshoppers were confined) Aug. 8, 1914 at Pasadena, N. J., by H. K. Plank of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology, in whose honor this interesting fly is named. Type, a male, deposited in the U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. This species bears superficially a close resemblance to Acemyia tibialis Coq. but is obviously generically distinct. Nature apparently takes delight in demonstrating how closely she can approximate two entirely distinct forms. REVISION OF ^lYIOPHASIA. BY CHARLES H. T. TOWNSEND. In 1891 the writer erected the two new genera Phasiodista, genotype P. metallica new species; and Ennyomma, genotype E. distoides new species (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. XVIII, 369 and 371). In the same year Brauer & von Bergenstamm erected the new genus Myiophasia, genotype Tadiina cenea Wiedemann (1830) from Montevideo, S. A. (Muse. Schiz. II, 362). The latter authors misidentified Georgia specimens of Phasiodista metallica with Tachina cenea, as indicated by Wiedemann's description,1 and gave therefrom what they considered to be a redescription of the latter species. They explicitly state in their text that they had Wiedemann's badly preserved holotype of Tachina cenea before them at the time, from which it results that their cenea is a composite species; and, if this be not sufficient for the genotype fixation of Myiophasia, their use of the words "Type Montevideo" after the name cenea would seem to fix that species as the genotype despite the misidentification principle involved.2 In 1892 the writer described three new species of this group under the names Loewia globosa (Ent. News III, 129), Lcewia ruficornis, Lcewia nigrifrons (Can. Ent. XXIV, 77), and Clista americana (I.e. 78), the last two being in all probability male and female of one species. 1 The combination (in male) of deeply golden-rayed wings, yellow wing-veins and deep golden tegukv, with strongly oblique crossveins, described by Wiedemann for Tachina tenea, does not occur in any of the North American forms seen by the writer. 2 In order to place the genotype of Myiophaxia beyond dispute, the com- posite species M i//<>/>lm*i'9, I'.IOO, p. -Hi!) CM!. PLATE XIV. PROC ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Syntexis libocedrii Rohwer. 1, Adult female; 2, antenna of female; 3, front view of head; 4, lateral view of thorax; 5, lateral view of abdomen. (Drawings by Miss Mary Carmody.) 116 OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 117 by a very shallow impression; ocellar basin triangular, open below; facial quadrangle wider than high; pronotum subopaque with sparse tubercles; mesonotum similarly scupltured; mesepisternum and sternum shining, under high magnification, very finely reticulate; tibiae and tarsi with weak short spines; abdomen shining; sheath nearly parallel-sided, obtusely rounded apically. Black; mandibles and palpi piceous; inner orbits below antennae, posterior orbits behind the eye, posterior margin of the pronotum laterally and tergites 2 to 8 on lateral posterior margin, greenish white; legs beyond the coxae rufo-testaceous; wings hyaline, slightly milky; venation pale brown anteriorly, pallid posteriorly. Rose Camp, California. Described from two females recorded under Bureau of Entomology, No. Hopk. U. S. 4996a which re- fers to a note stating that these specimens were reared from larvae and pupae collected in the cells near the outer surface of the wood of a large incense cedar (Libccedrus decurrens Torr.). Material collected August 8, 1913, and reared June 22, 1914, by H. E. Burke. Type: Cat. No. 19162, U. S. N. M. Two poorly preserved larva? are available for study but they are not in good enough condition to satisfactorily describe. How- ever, as they appear to lack the cerci which occur on the apical sternite below the anal orifice, and have the antennae more like the Xiphydriidae it is probable that they are more like the larvae of the Xiphydriidte than the Cephidae. GOMMENSALISM IN DESMOMETOPA. (Diptera; Agromyzidcc.) BY FREDERICK KNAB, Bureau of Entomology. The small flies of the genus Desmometopa have been repeatedly observed under circumstances which indicate a remarkable special- ization in habits. There are now on record a series of observations, made independently in widely separated parts of the globe, which all show that these flies feed upon the juices of freshly killed insects; however, unable to themselves kill their prey, they de- pend upon various rapacious arthropods, with whom they appcnr to live in more or less close association. The Hungarian naturalist Ludwig Biro is responsible for the first and at the same time most remarkable observation in this connection. He observed a species, Desmometopa minutissima,1 1 Described as an Agromyza by Van drr \Yulp and so recorded by Banks (Entom. News, xxii, 196; 1911). Mik, in the article quoted in the following, has referred the species to its proper genus. 118 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY in New Guinea resting in pairs on the back of an asilid fly, Omma- tius minor Dol. "They sat on the back of the large fly, be- tween the wings, back to back, so that one of them faced toward the head of the robber-fly and the other toward the abdomen." That their occurrence in this manner was not accidental, Biro determined by further observations. In eight additional cases he found the small flies, as before in pairs and back to back, upon the thorax of the asilid. 1>2 This strange association of these minute flies with the large robber-fly appeared quite mys- terious without further knowledge of the habits of the genus. Shortly afterward Joseph Mik, in Austria, found a little swarm of Desmometopa m-atrum upon the body of a freshly killed worker- bee dangling on a spider-thread. The bee apparently had been just killed by a spider and the little flies, thirteen in number, were eagerly probing about on the body of the bee, pushing their horny probosces among the body-hairs and in particular probing about the roots of the wings. Mik observed them in their occu- pation for fully fifteen minutes, before gathering them in, and compared their behavior to that of vultures about a cadaver.3 The explanation naturally suggested by this second observa- tion is th,at the Desmometopa found riding on the back of the robber-flies by Biro through this association assured them- selves of suitable food. Later observations, made by Biro dur- ing a short stay at Amboina, confirmed this conclusion. It seems worth while to give his interesting account in his own words, and to let his other observations on the subject follow. "In the afternoon hours I withdrew into a young woodland, where first of all Ommatius minor caught my eye, as it fluttered before me from one dry twig to another. Naturally from now on I gave it my undivided attention. "From a distance of a few paces we had taken sharp cognizance of each other. The Ommatius was not resting empty-handed, but held between its claws the dead body of a trigoniid cricket; I could not detect his riders. Although quite close, I neverthe- less took out my opera-glasses and began to observe him through them. Thereby I found at once the solution to this apparently strange association. I immediately detected the Agromyzo [ = Desmometopa], and moreover three of them, as they were probing about the prey. Agromyza minutissima is therefore the 1 Kertesz, Koloman. Uj-Guinea L6gy-Faundjdb61. Dipterologisches aus Neu-Guinea. Termesz. Fiizetek, vol. 20, p. 611-613. 1897. 2 Bir6, Lajos. Asilida cs lovasa. Rovart. Lapok, vol. 4, p. 129. 1897. 3 Mik, Josef. Merkwiirdige Beziehungen zwischen Desmometopa M- atrum Meig. aus Europa und Agromyza minutissima v. d. Wulp aus Ncu- Guinca. Wien. Ent. Zeit., vol. 17, p. 146-151. 1898. OF WASHINGTON, VOU'ME XVII, 1915 !!!> rommeiisalist of Ommatius minor! The insects hopped nimbly about the body of the cricket, stopped to feast, ran up onto the back of the robber-fly and again descended to the branch, ran and flew rapidly about, and could not rest for a minute. "It still remained for me to check the correctness of my ob- servations. Afterwards I amused myself for hours, partly with these first associates, partly with others found in these woods, where (h/nnnthis was far from being a rarity. "In the woods of Amboina I captured the whole of one of these partnerships, then first released the Agromyzas, and afterward the Ommatius. It was easy to recapture the robber-fly, as it soon settled again at a distance of fifteen or twenty paces, and, although now more shy, I could, with sufficient patience and equipped with a long-handled net, recapture some individuals three1 or four times. To my astonishment the little flies had again all congregated upon its back. "I still wanted to determine whether these were always the same individuals of Agromyza. For this reason I drove a speci- men into the tip of the net and with the forceps tore a minute piece from its wing; made recognizable in this manner, I per- ceived that it came back twice, although upon the second instance I had released it at a distance of ten or twelve paces. After- wards I facilitated the experiment by simply tethering the 0»t- nuitius to the end of a twig. "However, not every Ommatius has its companion flies; many Forage about without them. Some harbor only one, some two or three flies, but never more. 'The fidelity of the Agromyza is praiseworthy. It does not easily change its host. I tethered some robber-flies caught flying about unaccompanied to a branch and then released near them some of the little flies whose host I had killed. All scattered and none adopted the host selected for them." As will be seen from the foregoing, Biro was not aware that the flies he had found associated with Ommatius belong to the genus Desmometopa, but they reminded him vividly of the Desmometopa which he had observed repeatedly in southern Europe. When collecting he had never found Desmometopa alone, but always about the prey of some predaceous insect that had just captured a bee, wasp, fly or butterfly. He was first of all impressed by the fact that these little flies showed no fear of spiders, but, on the contrary, boldly participated in their meals. Later he often saw them associated with flower-inhabiting spiders (Misumena arid Thom-isus), as well as with Asilidu*. "Most frequently I found them in the region of Fiume and Buccari at the time when Palum* nciilcntux blooms. The flowers 120 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY harbor the large predaceous bug, Harpactor iracundus, which commonly hunts the workers of A pis mellifica. The pollen and sweet juices covering its body attract many Desmometopa m-nigrum. As long as Harpactor lies in wait, no flies appeared ; but as soon as the table was set, they immediately gathered about. It appeared to be their determination to feast only in the pres- ence of the hunter, for when I had removed the Harpactor I of- fered them the body of the bee in vain; none came to it. But I succeeded in deceiving them by placing beside the bee the killed bug. Furthermore, they must have a good sense of smell, for a dried Harpactor, or one killed some hours previously, failed to attract them. "At Singapore I met with Desmametopa flies again in April of this year. One night I collected a nest of Apis florea Fab., var. andreniformis Sm. with its entire inhabitants, and from the following noon on single small flies came flying to the dead bees and the cells laid out to dry. They were easily recognizable by the M-shaped mark on the frons and in their movements and manner of flight behaved entirely like their European relatives."1 This last observation induced Biro to incline to the belief that the European Desmometopa also might be attracted, if a large quantity of dead bees and comb were suitably exposed. Still another observation made by Biro in Singapore is quoted by Kertesz in connection with the original description of Desmometopa singaporensis.2 According to Biro's note, this species ulives in the same manner as the European species and appears at once when a spider or Harpactor kills a bee." More recently Dr. Carl Lundstrom, in Sweden, confirmed a part of Biro's statements by independent observation. "On June 17 of last summer (1905) I observed a swarm of from 20 to 40 small black flies flying about on the flower-heads of a bush of Cornus alba in the garden of Julia in Kunsto. By close obser- vation I saw that it was not the flowers that attracted the flies, but a recently killed bee which a spider was clasping around the head and sucking. Unceasingly some of the small flies alighted upon the abdomen of the bee, stayed there for a moment, and then flew up to rejoin the swarm and make room for others of the flies; but during the whole time the swarm itself remained in the same position, flying around the bee." Lundstrom caught some of the flies, and of six specimens pre- 1 Biro, Ludwig. Asztalkozosseg a legyeknel. Commensalismus bci Fliegen. Termesz. Fxizetek, vol. 22, p. 190-199, 200-204. 1899. 2 Kertesz, Koloman. Verzeichniss einiger von L. Bir6 in Neil-Guinea und am Malayischen Archipel gesammelten Diptcrcn. Termesz. Fiizetek, vol. 22, p. 173-195 (Bir6 quoted, p. 195). 1899. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 121 served, four belonged to Desmometopa m-atrum Meig., and two to D. m-nigrum Zett. The spider was a full-grown female of Misu- mena vatia Cl. At that time Lundstrom was not acquainted with Biro's observations and had only read the article by Mik. He therefore sought to determine more closety the possible re- lation of Desmometopa to the bees. By catching bee after bee, he satisfied himself that the flies do not travel with them. Freshly killed bees pinned to the flower-heads of Cornus alba failed to attract them, and bits of white paper with honey spread on them also gave a negative result. Lundstrom concluded that Des- mometopa associates with predaceous insects and "immediately after eclosion from the pupa seeks a spider or predaceous insect, to remain associated with it thenceforth and feeding only upon the remains of its prey." In his opinion it is only in this manner that the seeming rarity of these flies, abundant enough under proper conditions, can be accounted for.1 Finally, C. A. Frost, in a short note, has indicated that in America Desmometopa has similar habits, the species observed by him (D. latipes Meig.) being indeed found in both hemispheres.2 All these observations indicate that commensalism in Desmometopa is a well fixed habit, furthermore showing some additional special- ization in certain species. Under the head of "Notes and Exhibition of Specimens/' the following were presented : MIGRATING ARMIES OF MYRIOPODS. BY H. S. BARBER, Bureau of Entomology. Just before dusk one day near the end of May, 1903, a sur- prising migration of myriopods was observed by the writer, the army issuing from the Redwood forest on one side of a logging railroad at Fieldbrook (Buckman), Humboldt Co., Cal., cross- ing the track on both sides of a little hollow spanned by a short trestle and entering the woods on the other side of the cleared right-of-way. The width of the marching army was perhaps 120 feet, and the width of the cleared right-of-way was about 200 feet. One could not walk in this area without crushing many at each step and it was difficult to count the rapidly moving 1 Lundstrom, Carl. Om Desmometopa-arternas snyltgastning hos spindar och rofinsekter. Meddol. Soc. pro Fauna ct Flora fennica, Heft. 32, p. 100-104. 1906. 2 Frost, C. A. Peculiar habits of small Diptera, Desmometopa lali JH •* Meig. Psyche, vol. 20, p. 37. 1913. 122 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY myriopods in such a small area as a square foot. Several attempts at such a count gave the impression that there were from fifty to one hundred individuals per square foot. All were travelling in the same general direction — westward — but their ranks were denser in places and towards the edges of the army there seemed to be more or less distinct columns. Specimens taken for the National Collection were of a pale color, less than an inch in length and looked like half grown individuals of our eastern F ontaria, but have never been determined. About two weeks after the observation just described the writer saw quantities of what he supposed to be the same species lying dead at the foot of an exposed vertical bank near where the Hoopa Trail crosses Redwood Creek at Bair's Ranch, perhaps 25 miles east of Fieldbrook and not in the Redwood Belt. He believes this mortality could be explained by supposing that part of an army similar to that just described was crossing the face of this bank when the early morning sunlight overcame them and killed those which rolled to the bottom where there was no shelter from the sun. In the same way he had seen other unpig- mented inhabitants of the peaty soil of the dark forests such as small myriopods, springtails, and even pale, blind beetles stim- ulated to violent activity ending in a few moments in death, while he was sifting in the bright sunshine. Mr. Banks has kindly referred the writer to the paper by Bollman 1888 (Ent. Amer. vol. 4. p. 3) where Fontaria virginiensis Drury is reported to have been found crawling on the surface of the ground in large numbers at Donaldson, Ark., July 11, 1887, there being perhaps one adult among five or eight hundred young. The only other accounts of such mass migrations of myriopods known to the writer are contained in letters from Mr. Fred E. Brooks, dated July 13 and August 6, 1908, transmitting specimens of Fontaria brunnea from Weston, West Virginia, to the Bureau of Entomology, and stating that they evidently emigrated from the woods, and, moving in armies, invaded dwelling houses and outbuildings, fell into springs and wells and in some cases died in such numbers as to emit a strong stench. In one case the walls of a cellar where they congregated were washed down with hot water several times during their four days' visit at that place and each time two or three gallons of myriopods were taken out. Perhaps a dozen such armies in that section of West Virginia had at that time been reported to Mr. Brooks, who has just replied to a recent inquiry, as follows: "Since writing the letters referred to by you, I have observed migrating armies of the myriopods several times but never in so great numbers as were observed at Weston in 1908. Almost every year 1 hear of such armies OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 123 somewhere in central West Virginia and I think the phenomenon is an annual occurrence here. A friend of mine at Gaston, W. Va., has informed me that a few years ago an army of the myripods invaded and took up their quarters in his strawberry field. They were present at the time the fruit was ripening and were so numer- ous that it was practically impossible for him to gather his crop of fruit. The creatures collected around and fed on the over- ripe fruit. I heard of another instance where an army covered an old boardwalk and fed on the damp and decaying surface of the boards until the discolored portion was all scraped away so that the boards looked like they had been newly made."1 FRAGMENTARY NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE MYRIOPOD, SPIROBOLUS MARGINATUS. BY H. S. BARBER, Bureau of Entomology. The large common julid, Spirobolus marginatus, as determined by Dr. O. F. Cook, is the principal prey of the giant glow-worm Phengodes laticollis Lee., in the vicinity of Washington, D. C., and in breeding experiments with this beetle several thousand individuals of the myriopod have been used as food. In securing this food supply for the beetle larvae some observations have been made which it may be well to put in available form. Mr. Coville has cited this species (Journ. Wash. Acad. Sci. vol. 3, pp. 81-82 and Ann. Rep. Smithsonian, 1913, p. 337.) as one of the important factors in the reduction of the leaf litter into humus, and has alluded to its abundance in restricted localities along the banks of the Potomac River near Plummer's Island where these observa- tions have been made. Throughout the warmer part of the summer the species is to be found above ground in the dark woods during daytime, but its chief habit is to hide beneath the leaves or under bark of dead logs, except during the night when it is crawling about, eating the lichens from the rocks and the weathered surfaces from the logs or the bark of the trees. Most of its food consists of decaying leaves or rotting wood. Specimens of all sizes from less than one inch to about three inches in length can be found under these conditions from early May until late fall, but there are fluc- tuations in the numbers in which they appear, which the writer does not understand. 1 More recently (July 3, 1915) II. A. Gossard ha.s reported a similar abund- ance at McArthur, Ohio, where a species (possibly F '. coriacea Koch, — Banks' determination) was extremely numerous, covering the ground in places and causing much annoyance by getting into wells and springs, but otherwise apparently not doing much damage. 124 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Mating takes place at night on the tree trunks. To endeavor „ to find where the eggs are laid, about twenty large specimens of both sexes were taken in early May and confined in a deep jar filled with ordinary leaf litter and set in the ground. By the end of July young had appeared in the jar although it had ~ previously been examined without finding eggs. At this time, | however, it was discovered that in most cases the excrement Jgel^ | lets^were not solid but consisted merely of a thin shell surrounding ? a comparatively large cavity in which the small brown-skinned j § 't \ I egg was lying loose. 'These pellets showed no external differ- | £ \ ences from the solid normal pellets cast by large individuals of the species, but when exposed to the air for a few minutes the color changed slightly on account of the more rapid drying out ? ? | I g °" = » ^ s s of the thin shell. About a pint of both kinds of pellets was placed in tin boxes where they could be frequently examined. By the middle of August most of the young myriopods had devoured their enclosing pellets and were feeding on the solid | \ ones. They measured 8 mm. in length and had seven pairs of legs, but some were moulting into a slightly longer, many-legged jjj | . ~ 3 (35 pairs) form. Before the middle of September they had re- | | £ " duced all of the frass pellets in the tin into a mass of very fine frass and were crawling on its surface seeking other food. They * | \. I « congregated on bits of rotten wood that were introduced and s I £ f | began feeding, but the condition of this rotten wood was appar- ently unsuitable, and a few days later all were found dead on • f I | the surface, many having had all their legs eaten off by those \\\\ who survived the longest. ! •= l ? The writer has been unable to find intermediate sizes between these small (10 mm.) larvae and those of about an inch in length which are found living free, but he has sometimes found rotten | f ° f logs in a peculiar state of moist, brittle, almost black decom- g f | position in which great numbers of young Spirobolus, one to one ? I i" and a half inches in length, were living, each in its cell and usually ? ? I ; with the remains of one or more cast skins in the same cell. These cells apparently had no external opening and the myriopod was developing by eating away the inner surface of the cell. One such log seen by the writer several years ago had been recently deposited by a freshet on a sand-bar in the river and hundreds of full-grown myriopods were leaving the log and crawling over the sand in all directions away from it. The writer believes that young myriopods enter such rotten wood after freeing them- selves from the egg pellets. The very slow rate of growth of the young larvae and the fact that at anytime at least four distinct sizes of immature myri- OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 125 opods may be found indicate that the development of the individ- uals to maturity is a very slow process and it is now expected that such development from egg to egg-laying adult will require four or more years. As Mr. Coville has indicated, the role played by the species is that of a reducer of the waste material in the forest. From the peculiar symbiotic relationship upon which the digestion of such myriopods is said to be dependent it would appear that anything upsetting the balance of this interdependence would react against the myriopod. Under the original continuously forested condition of the eastern United States the distribution of these myriopods was probably much more general but now they are found in comparatively circumscribed colonies so that the chief enemy of the species may be the indirect influences affecting the forest conditions. The older myriopods are well protected against general predators by a strong acid secretion of the lateral pores, but there are two enemies 'to whom this secretion seems to act as an appetizer. The larvae of Phengo<>al joints darker apically; wings hyaline, veins and stigma fuscous \\hite at base. Male. Length 8.5 mm., antennae 5.5 mm. Differs from female as fol- lows: face relatively somewhat longer; ocell-ocular line somewhat shorter than postocellar line; first tergite about one-third longer than wide, pol- ished medially. The ferruginous color is paler throughout and embraces the entire mesonotum and metapleurae in addition to the areas enumerated in the description of the female; legs paler, front and middle pairs largely white. Host: Anthonomous grandis thurberice Pierce. Type locality: Santa Rita Mts., Ariz. Type: Cat. No. 19157, U. S. N. M. Described from two females and a male reared from larva- of the host in bolls of Thurberia thespesioides, the females from material collected by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, April 12, 1913, in Stone Cabin Canyon and the male from material collected by Mr. Schwarz March 12, 1913 at McCleary's Ranch, both localities in the Santa Rita Mts. The paratype female is almost identical with the type. (Pirnpla) Calliephialtes grapholithae (Cress.) Synonym. — ('allicphialtes xanthothorax Ashm. GENUS HOMASPIS Foerster. The only character used by Foerster to separate this genus from Notopygus Holmgren is the lack of an arcolet in the front wing. The genotype, H. rufinux (Crav.i. lias the arenlet, while Davis's two species and the one described below lack it. Better characters for separating the two genera are found in the apically impressed clypeus in Homaspis and its slender legs, the hind tibiae being much longer than their femora, while in Notopygus the hind tibia* are very stout and hardly longer than their femora. 134 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Homaspis nigripes, n. sp. Distinct from either of the two species described by Davis in its larger size and its largely black legs. Female. Length 16 mm. Head transverse, the temples rather broad and strongly rounded; clypeus hardly more than a fourth as long as wide, sparsely punctured and obscurely transversely rugulose; eyes nearly touching the mandibles, parallel within and broadly, weakly emarginate; face nearly twice as wide as long, gibbous immediately below the antennae, flat below, rather coarsely, densely punctured; front impressed on each side above the antennse, scupltured like the face but smooth in the impres- sions; vertex and temples weakly punctured; ocell-ocular and postocellar lines equal and somewhat greater than diameter of lateral ocellus; thorax weakly, densely punctured, notauli rather weak; propodeum with eight areas, five basal and three apical, areola and petiolar area separated, areola polished, the other basal areas weakly punctured and apical areas more or less transversely rugulose; spiracle oval; abdomen slender, its sides very gradually divergent nearly to apex, weakly punctured; first tergite four times as long as apical width, parallel sided before the spiracles, which are placed somewhat beyond the middle, half as wide at spiracles as at apex, dorsal carinae weak, fading out shortly beyond the spiracles, but with a weak median impression extending somewhat further; second tergite about two-thirds as long as first with weak median impression; third and fourth subequal to second, fifth only about a third as long as the others, mostly hidden above; wings without areolet; nervellus broken slightly above middle; hind tibiae somewhat longer than their tarsi and about a third longer than their femora. Black with abdomen, except basal three-fourths of first tergite, rufous; clypeus, mandibles, except apices, inner orbits below, irregular spot in middle of face, scape beneath, spot above eye, and scutellum above, yellow; wing bases, tegulae, spots in front and below teguke, front coxae outside, two small spots on middle coxae, front and middle tibiae and tarsi and apices of their femora, and articulation between hind femora and tibiae white; legs otherwise black, the front and middle ones somewhat piceous; wings yellowish-hyaline. Type locality: Estes Park, Colo. Type: Cat. No. 19304, U. S. N. M. A single specimen taken by F. H. Snow August 1892 and bear- ing the label U. of K. Col. Lot. 153. Notopygus scutellatus n. sp. In my table1 to the North American species of this genus this species runs closest to virginiensis Gush., from which it is at once distinguishable by its pale scutellum, postscutellum, and front and middle coxae and its apically black hind tibia; and tarsa] joints. 1 Proc. U. S. N. M., vol. 48, 1915, p. 511. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 135 Female. Length 15 mm.; antennae 12 mm. Differs from virginiensis Gush, as follows: antennae black with an obscure indication of a pale annulus about two-thirds of the way to tip; tapering apically, flagellum 45-jointed (in type of virginiensis tips of antennae are broken off) ; propo- deum with middle area transversely rugose at top of posterior declivity, spiracle rather large oval (in virginiensis the spiracle is small and round) ; scutellum and postscutellum, tegula; and spots in front and below, yellow; hind coxa; black, front and middle coxae yellow, testaceous at base; all trochanters yellow, those of hind legs somewhat darker; front and middle femora testaceous, yellow at base and apex; hind femora black, yellow at base and apex; front and middle tibiae and tarsi pale testaceous, the tibise yellow at base; hind tibiae yellow at base, black at tip, their tarsi yellowish, the joints apically infuscate; abdomen piceous-black with apical segments and ovipositor yellowish; first tergite apically, second entirely, except an obscure dark spot on each side of middle, and basal half of third testaceous; first tergite similarly though less coarsely sculp- tured, its sides arcuately divergent beyond the spiracles (in virginiensis the sides beyond the spiracle are at first concave then arcuate); second tergite with carinac weak, more finely punctured; remaining tergites pol- ished, minutely punctured. Type locality: Cornwall, Idaho. Type: Cat. No. 19299, U. S. N. M. A single specimen taken by C. V. Piper on August 1, 1898. (Monoblastus) Trematopygus caliroae (Viereck). The types of Monoblastus caliroce Vier., described from speci- mens reared by the present writer from Caliroa cerasi, run in Davis's table to this genus, and agree very well with his descrip- tion of fusculosus Davis. Davis's description is based on the male sex only. Before me are the two females and the male of the type series of caliroce Vier. together with a male and a female taken by me on cherry trees badly infested with pear slug at North East, Pa. The males have all of the characters mentioned in the description of fusculosus and in addition have the apical tergites somewhat infuscated. The females differ from the males in having the wings somewhat paler, the first tergite red except the extreme base and the caring, the apical tergites red, and the pale color of the coxa?, mandibles, trochan- ters and tegulse more reddish. Trematopygus eriocampoididis n. sp. In Davis's table to the genus this species will run to fusculosus Davis, but differs from that species and caliroce (Vier.) in having the abdomen entirely black. Female: Length 5 mm.; antennae 6 mm. Face polished, sparsely, min- utely punctured, and with a very small, rounded tubercle medially below 136 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY the antennae; clypeus coarsely, rugulosely punctured; inner margins of eyes sinuate opposite the antennal fossae; front and vertex polished and very minutely punctate; mesonotum polished, minutely punctate, im- pressed medially; notauli strongly impressed anteriorly, prescutum trun- cate and prominent; pronotum laterally polished, minutely punctate and somewhat rugulose; mesopleura polished, punctate below and anteriorly, a short, broad impression in the position of the sternauli, prepectal carina distinct and approximating the anterior edge of the pleura about half way up; metapleura sparsely punctured anteriorly, scabrous posteriorly; propodeal carina? strong, basal median and lateral areas polished, all other areas, especially the apical ones, more or less roughly sculptured; first tergite about as wide apically as long, dorsal carinse sharp and extending two-thirds of way to apex, polished between carinas, otherwise punctate, especially laterally toward the apex; second tergite basally fine, rugulose- ly punctate, apically together with the remaining tergites minutely punc- tate, polished; ovipositor nearly perpendicular, barely extending above the dorsum; subdiscoidal vein of hind wing nearly interstitial with lower end of nervellus. Black, with coxa; black, the front and middle ones pale at apex; mandi- bles at base and teguke pale; clypeus piceous at sides; abdomen more or less reddish on the sides apically; legs red with trochanters, front and middle femora apically, front and middle tibiae and tarsi and hind tibiae, except apices, paler; hind tibia? at apex and hind tarsi fuscous; wings dusky, veins and stigma fuscous. Male. Very like the female with a somewhat greater tendency to red on coxa^ and abdomen, and with the antennae paler beneath at base. Host: Caliroa (Eriocampoides) cerasi L. Type locality: North East, Pa. Type: Cat. 'No. 19154, U. S. N. M. Described from six females and four males (Quaintance No. 10934) taken by the writer August 26 and Sept. 5, 1914 on cherry trees badly infested by the pear slug, paratype a in the act of ovipositing in a nearly full-grown slug. This species shows some variation in the color of the abdomen and coxa? and in the sculpture of the propodeal areas, pleurae, and tergites, the color varying toward reddish-piceous and the sculpture showing more or less reduction on the parts mentioned. Paratype b exhibits some curious abnormal characters. In this specimen, a female, the prescutum is impressed anteriorly; the propodeum is very short, the basal areas being almost entirely obliterated; and the abdomen and legs are much shorter and stouter than in a normal specimen. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 137 GENUS OMORGUS Foerster. The following table includes those species of the genus the types of which are in the National Museum, and shows the affinities of the two new species described below. Table of Species. 1 . Posterior orbits sloping roundly inward behind the eyes . . . Posterior orbit straight and broad (j 2. Hind tibiae white at base and in the middle with a black annulus near the base and another at the tip, the two connected below by a reddish stripe; hind basitarsus white at base, front and middle coxae mostly reddish phthorimaece n. sp. Hind tibia? reddish, sometimes infuscated near base and at apex. ... 3 3. All coxa? red; scape beneath not pale; nervellus curved outward and not broken; fovea of second tergite much nearer to base than to spiracle fcrrugineipes Ashm. Some or all of the coxae black; fovea of second tergite but little nearer to base than to spiracle 4 4. Front and middle coxa? red, hind pair black; abdomen largely red, the first and second tergites tipped with red polychruxitlix Vier. All coxae black; abdomen normally entirely black but sometimes red- dish laterally toward apex, the first and second tergites always black 5 5. First tergite with a punctiform median impression somewhat in front of the spiracles, the segment in side view swelling rather abruptly from this point backward; ovipositor three-fifths as long as abdomen; hind trochanters black; wing veins fuscous; nervellus broken some distance above anal vein lurlrir/t/ix n. sp. First tergite without a median dorsal impression and gradually swollen apically; ovipositor half as long as abdomen; hind trochanters red; wing veins rufous; nervellus not broken, the trace of the subdiscoidal vein interstitial nolce Ashm. 6. Hind and middle femora infuscated; scape not pale beneath; ovipositor three-fifths as long as abdomen; nervellus broken well above anal vein ; large species, 8 mm epinotice Vier. Hind and middle femora red; scape pale hcnath; ovipositor half as abdomen; nervellus straight subdiscoidal vein absent; small species, 4 mm iiii/ricincta Ashm. Omorgus tortricidis n. sp. Very closely allied to nolce Ashm., but easily distinguished from that species by the characters given in the table to species. Female. Length 5.5 mm.; ovipositor L' mm. Head opaque granular and clothed with white pubescence; ciypciis slightly elevated and with a shallow median impression, sparsely punctate; malar two-thirds as long 138 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY as basal width of mandibles; eyes very shallowly emarginate within; thorax opaque granular with scattered faint punctures; propodeum with strong carinae, areas granular, the petiolar area transversely rugulose posteriorly and deeply excavated, areola barely angulate at the costulse, basal middle area minute quadrate; areolet minute, with the outer cross vein bullated apically; nervellus distinctly broken some distance above anal vein; first tergite with a punctiform impression medially somewhat in front of the spiracles, the segment in side view swelling somewhat abruptly from this point backward. Black with all coxae and hind trochanters black, rest of legs, mandibles, and scape beneath rufo-testaceous, the front and middle legs somewhat paler, the hind tibiae slightly infuscated apically and near the base; tegulte yellowish; wings hyaline, veins and stigma fuscous. Male. Length 5 mm. Differs from the female but very slightly. Host: Polychrosis viteana. Type locality: North East, Pa. Type: Cat. No. 19155, U. S. N. M. Described from a large series of both sexes reared by the author and his associates, Dwight Isely and E. R. Selkregg, from the above host under Quaintance No. 7895, during the season of 1914. This species has been previously recorded" from the same host by Johnson and Hammar (Bur. Ent. Bui. 116, Part II, p. 48) as Omorgus nolce Ashm. race. The species varies more or less in nearly all the characters men- tioned above, especially in venational and propodeal characters. Omorgus ferrugineipes Ashm. Three females and a male of this species are at hand reared by the writer from larvse of Polychrosis viteana at North East, Pa., during the season of 1914 and under Quaintance No. 7996. These differ only in minute details from the unique type male. In the female the basal middle area of the propodeum is triangu- lar, but not petiolate behind as it is in type. The female is 5 mm. long and the ovipositor 1.25 mm. Omorgus phthorimaeae n. sp. This species is very distinct from all the species included by the annula- tion of the hind tibiae. Female. Length 5 mm.; ovipositor 1.25 mm. In size, form, and sculp- ture very like tortricidis, described above, but differing from that species in the following particulars: clypeus not at all elevated and without shal- low median impression; basal middle area of propodeum twice as wide at base as at apex and about two and one-half times as long as wide at apex, areola distinctly angulated at the costulao, its bounding carinse parallel for a short distance back of the costulae; first tergite without median im- pression and in side view more evenly swelling posteriorly; nervellus !<•-< distinctly broken sometimes not at all. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 139 Black with the coxae and basal segment of posterior trochanters black ; mandibles, palpi, trochanters, except as noted above, and teguhi', whitish; posterior tibiae white with the apex and an annulus near the base black, the two connected beneath by a reddish stripe; hind basitarsus white with apex black; middle tibiae and tarsi with same arrangement of color as in hind legs but the black replaced by fuscous; all femora and front tibise of varying shades of rufous, the hind femora darkest and front tibiae lightest. Male. Differs from the female largely in the more contrasting colors of the legs, the lack of annulation on the middle tibiae, and in having the basal middle area of the propodeum reduced to a triangle connected with the areola by a single short carina. Host: Phthorimaea operculella. Type locality: Pasadena, Calif. Type: Cat. No. 19156, U. S. N. M. Described from 4 females and 6 males reared from the above host by J. E. Graf in November, 1914, under Chittenden No. 22300?. This species varies in the following manner: one of the females has the sides of the abdomen beyond the second tergite largely red; the size and form of the basal middle propodeal ares varies in more or less reduction from the type; and some of the males show a rather distinct color pattern on the middle tibiae. GENUS XENOSCHESIS Foerster. The only species originally included in this genus and there- fore the genotype is Exetastes fulvipes Grav., so placed by Jemil- ler (Ber. Ver. Augsberg, vol. 31, 1894, p. 147). The same species was selected by Kriechbaumer as the type of his genus Glypto- centrus and by Viereck as the type of Polycinetis (Foerster) Dalla Torre and Polydnetus Thomson. The genotype of Polycinetis Foerster as fixed by Woldstedt is Notopygus resplendens Holm- gren. This species is shared as a genotype by Prosmorus Foer- ster, by fixation of Thomson, and, through its variety polita (Foerster) Kriechb., by Eriglcea Foerster, by fixation of Viereck. All of the above was pointed out by Viereck (U. S. N. M., Bui. 83). Examination of specimens of the genotypes, fulvipes as deter- mined by Schmiedeknecht and resplendens as determined by Roman, convinces me that they are congeneric. Therefore Polycinetis Foerster, Polydnetus Thomson, Glyptocentrus Kriech- baumer, Prosmorus Foerster. and Eriglcea Foerster are all syno- nyms of Xenoschesis Foerster. As to the position of the genus, I prefer to place it with the Banchini, rather than with the Mesoleptini. It should be noted 140 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY that in dichotomy 6 in Ashmead's table the first character is useless since the areolet varies in respect to its presence or ab- sence and length of the petiole. In the specimen of the genotype on which my study is based it is strongly petiolate. The posses- sion or lack of a large petiolar area on the propodeum is a specific character. The genotype and resplendens lack the carinae, while of the two American species described below one lacks them and the other has them well defined. Xenoschesis slossonae n. sp. Agrees fairly well with the description of limatus (Cress.) but differs in having the propodeum carinate. Female. Length 11 mm.; antenna? 10 mm.; ovipositor 0.5 mm. Clypeus a third as 'ong as wide, broadly truncate, transversely ruguloso-punctate; face nearly twice as wide as long, densely, rather coarsely punctate, es- pecially medially, slightly elevated above; malar space nearly half as long as basal width of mandibles; eyes sinuate within and parallel; flagellum40- jointed, apically attenuate; front densely, minutely punctate; temples and vertex polished, impunctate; thorax and propodeum polished, rather .densely, finely punctate, the atter short and gibbous above, with the lateral carina; strong beyond the apical carina but subobsolete before, the apical .carina weak, obsolete outside the lateral carinse, areola punctiform, basal median area weakly defined and minute, petiolar area impunctate, spiracle oval; wings with areolet; nervellus broken slightly above middle; abdomen deeper than wide, subpolished, very minutely shagreened; first tergite about three-fifths as wide at apex as long, with two subcarinate dorsal ridges reaching to about two-th rds of the way to the apex and sub end- ing a long'tudinal depression, spiracles placed slightly be ore middle; second tergite about as long as basal width and subequal to third and fourth, others rapidly dimin'shing in length; hypopygium reaching slightly beyond apex of eighth tergite. Black, with clypeus, mandibles, tegulse, wing bases, and apices of ster- nite^ 1-3 white; palpi pale; antenna? brown, paler below, scape and pedicel piceous; legs testaceous except as follows: front and middle femora at apex, all tibiae except apices, front and middle tarsal joints basally white; hind femora and tibia? at apex and hind tarsi throughout black, the basi- tarsus slightly paler at base; hind calcaria? dusky white; wings hyaline, stigma piceous, pale at base. Type locality: Mt. Washington, N. H. Other locality: Spruce Brook, Newfoundland. Type: Cat. No. 19302, U. S. N. M. Two females, the type collected by Mrs. Slosson and the para- type by E. M. Walker on July 24, 1914. The paratype differs from the type in having the clypeus pale only at apex, antenna black, fiagellum 44-jointed, propodeum OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 141 with the carinse weaker, the areola open behind, legs with the colors of the tibiae, especially of the middle legs, more contrasting, tergites 1 and 2 relatively wider. Xenoschensis gracilis n. sp. Female. Length 11 mm.; antennae 8.5 mm.; ovipositor barely exserted. Differs from slossonce, described above as follows: clypeus somewhat shorter; face uniformly densely punctate; flagellum 33-jointed; propodeum not gibbous above, without carinse except lateral carina: at apex, smooth and impunctate, spiracle round; nervellus broken below the middle; abdo- men wider than deep, polished, sparsely, weakly punctate; tergites relatively longer, the first about half as wide as long and without dorsal ridges though with a weak median furrow, spiracles at middle, fifth nearly as long as fourth ; hypopygidium not reaching apex of eighth tergite. Black; clypeus and mandibles whitish; tegulse and wing bases pale fusco- testaceous; legs rather pale testaceous, hind femora apically and their tibise and tarsi throughout blackish; otherwise as in slossonce. Type locality: Franconia, N. H. Other locality: Banff, Alberta, Canada. Type: Cat. No. 19303, U. S. N. M. Two specimens, the type collected by Mrs. Slosson and the paratype without other label than the number 458. The paratype differs from the type in no way except that the areolet is somewhat petiolate. Prosmoridea, new genus. The sinking of Prosmorns (Foerster) Thomson into synonj'my with Xcnoschesis Foerster leaves Pro*t//<>rus (Foerster) Davis without a name. It is for this that I suggest the above name, designating as the genotype Proxmuru* elongatus Davis. It differs from Xenoschesis in having the propodeum completely areolated, the apical carina tuberculate above on each side, in lacking the emargination of the eighth tergite in the female, and in having the sheaths of the ovipositor very broad. It resembles in habitus much more closely ('//inintx and IlancJius and should probably be placed with the Banchini rather than with the Meso- leptini. From the two banchine genera mentioned it differs in the complete areolation of the propodeum, the strong prepectal carina, the small oval propodeal spiracle, the petiolate first tergite with its spiracle at about the middle, the position of the fracture of the nervellus which is at or belinv Ihe middle, the simple claws in the female, and from Cidaphrurus by lacking the scutellar thorn. In Foerster's table it runs to J>> 1*1 Fig. 1. Larinus nidificans. Pupal cells. of the weevil and of the nature of its cocoon. Bargagli cites the names of the substance of the cocoons as thrane, thrale, trehala, tricara and tricala. The cocoons are gathered before the weevils mature. The specimens exhibited are the Lvriimx nidificans Guibourt as denned by Capiomont and Leprieur. Fragments of tin- plant were submitted to Mr. Paul C. Standley and determined by him as a species of Echinops. The genus Larinus is confined in its habits to breeding on ( '<>m- positse related to the thistle. The larva? usually feed at the base of the flower head and then construct a cocoon (fig. 1) This cocoon is made by abdominal excretion, and causes the larva to diminish considerably in size during its construction. Gervais and Van Benedcn as well as other authors quote ( ierbi's reference to the use of the larva? of Hfr/nuci/llus antiodontalgicits 154 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Gerbi, a species nearly related to Larinus, in certain parts of France, for toothache and inflammation of the gums. Merely touching the insect to the aching part was claimed to give relief. This antiodontalgic property is also ascribed by Gerbi to various other weevils, such as Rhynchites bacchus and R. betuleti, and Larinus jaceae. Incidentally it may be stated that various authors cite the fact that the larvae of the palm weevil (Rhynchophorus palmarum Linnaeus) are considered a very delicious food by the natives in Central America. The larvae are roasted and when properly cooked are esteemed rich and delicate eating. There are also suggestions in the literature as to the edibility of Calandra chinensis. THE SECRETIONS EMPLOYED BY RHYNCHOPHOROUS IN COCOON-MAKING. BY FREDERICK KNAB, Bureau of Entomology. The question of the source of the substance constituting the bulky cocoons of Larinus shown by Mr. Pierce is an interesting one. There is good reason to believe that it is at least for the greater part a product of the malpighian tubes, and therefore voided through the anus. Moreover, it would seem that such is the origin generally of the cocoons of very diverse structure and texture constructed by the larvae of many genera of Rhyncho- phora at the time of pupation. The viscous secretion covering the bodies of certain externally feeding weevil larvae is undoubt- edly from the same source. In the discussions of the biology of certain weevils one frequently finds the statement that the larva "spins" the cocoon, the im- pression conveyed being that the process is analogous to the cocoon spinning of lepidopterous larvae. Indeed, labial spin- nerets occur in some weevil larvae,1 and it can not be altogether denied that some of them "spin" in the restricted sense; but this organ is very minute, so that its role must be a very sub- ordinate one. It seems probable that the rectal glands contribute also to the cocoon-forming substance, and possibly there is still another contributing source, the surface glands distributed over the body. Thus, the cocoon may be composed of material from four distinct sources, just as Dr. Boving has demonstrated in such an excellent manner for Donacia.2 1 Henneguy, L. F. Les Insectes, p. 462. 1904. 2 Boving, Adam Giede, Natural history of the larvse of Donaciinaa. Internat. Rev. d. gesamten Hydrobiol. u. Hydrogr., vol. 3, Biol. Suppl. 1, 108 p. ,7 pis. 1910. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 155 My interest in the subject was awakened in 1902, by finding the larvae of Ccelogaster litnratiix Dietz, which are external feeders and cover themselves with their own dung in the manner of the larvae of Lema. It was found that these larvae of Ccelogaster were completely enveloped in a transparent viscous coating. Later, opportunity was found to investigate the production of such a secretion in the larva of Hypera punctata,1 conflicting statements having been found in the literature. Thus De Geer- and Lacordaire,3 discussing the larva of Hypera, state that it is covered with a viscous substance which aids it in locomotion and enables it to cling to its food-plant. Goureau could per- ceive no such viscous substance and asserted that the larva moved and maintained its position solely by means of the series of ven- tral tubercles. He believes that the open-meshed cocoon was spun as in lepidopterous larvae.4 Ferris, in his earlier writings on the subject, takes issue with these authors and asserts that in Cionus5 and Hypera6 the viscous substance is secreted from a papilla situated basally on the upper side of the twelfth body-segment and that the substance is car- ried forward by peristaltic movements of the body. This papill:; is stated to be ordinarily hidden, but protrusile. Ferris states that the cocoons are formed of this same viscous substance, drawn from its source by the aid of the mandibles and palpi. We find the positive assertion that the threads of the open-meshed cocoons of Hypera do not come from spinnerets near the mouth, but are drawn from the gland at the base of the twelfth segment. The statement of Ferris, that the viscous secretion of the larva of Hypera proceeds from a tubercle on the twelfth body-segment, appears to have been very widely accepted and is repeated even in works of recent date. We find it, among others, with Taschen- berg,7 Bargagli8 and Lumardoni.9 But the impression gained is that these statements are not based upon original observation. 1 The name Hypera is used here in the broader sense as synonymous with Phytonomus, over which latter it has priority. - De Geer, Carl. Memoires pour servir a 1'histoire dcs insectcs, vol. .">, p. 233. 1775. 3 Lacordaire, J. Th. Introduction a 1'Entomologie, vol. 1, p. 103. 1834. 4 Goureau. Note pour servir a 1'histoire du Phytoiminus rumicis. Ann. Soc. Ent. France, ser. 2, vol. 2, p. 49-59. IMI. 5 Ferris, Edouard. Notes pour servir ;\ 1'histoire des Cionus. Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, vol. 2, p. 25-29. 1850. 6 Ferris, Edouard. Notes pour servir a I'histoirc dcs Phytonomus et dcs Phytobius. Mem. Acad. Sc. Lyon, ser. 2, vol. 1, p. 93-106. 1851. 7 Taschenberg. Praktische Inscktcn-Kundc, part 2. p. 123. 1N79. 8 Bargagli, Piero. Rasegna , biologica di rhinieofori europci. Bull. Soc. Ent. Ital., vol. 15. p. 319. L883; vol. 16, p. 165. 1NM. 9 Lumardoni, A. Gli Insetti nocivi, vol. 1, p. 339. 1SS9. 156 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY ( 'areful and repeated examination of larvae of Hypera punctata convinced me that no such tubercle exists. Furthermore, larvae were observed at various stages in the process of constructing their cocoons. It could be readily perceived that the thick irreg- ular threads of viscous substance were drawn forth from the anus by means of the mouth-parts, and there could be no doubt as to the origin of at least the bulk of the material. Finally, dissec- tions of Hypera larvae showed an enormous development of the malpighian tubes; just what one could expect to find under the circumstances. Ferris evidently could not afterward verify the presence of the tubercle he had indicated in his earlier writings as the source of the secretion. In his great work on the larvae of the Coleoptera,1 which I have only recently had opportunity to examine, we not only find no mention of the tubercle, but in connection with sev- eral genera the positive statement that the secretion in question issues from the anus. Under Hypera (p. 385) we find the follow- ing: "They have the faculty of secreting from the anus a muci- laginous and viscous substance which spreads over the body in a very thin layer, principally over the ventral surface, and effec- tively aids them in maintaining their position. This same sub- stance, wholly insoluble in water, as it should be, also assists them when they are about to transform to attach themselves to some point, either upon the food-plant itself or to any other, and fi- nally they employ it to surround themselves with an elegant irreg- ularly reticulate cocoon constructed by drawing forth the muci- lage in threads by the aid of their mandibles and palpi and the movements of the body." A statement of the same import occurs under the genus Cwnu* (p. 404-405): "They are habitually covered with a mucilaginous substance which escapes from the anus and is spread over the body by the peristaltic movements of the segments. At last the}' pro- duce this substance in larger quantity, they allow it to harden, and thus they find themselves enclosed in a parchment-like cocoon which remains attached to the leaves, stalks or flowers." Ferris observed that even the internally feeding forms construct their cocoons by the same process. Under Orchestes (p. 402), whose larvae are leaf -miners, we read: "At the last the larva sur- rounds itself with a cocoon which it forms with the aid of its mandi- bles and palpi from a mucilaginous substance which issues from the anus." J. A. Osborne, an English observer, makes a brief corroborative statement. 'The spinneret of the larva of H. rnmicis is anal."2 1 Ferris, Edouard. Larves de Coleopteres. Paris, 1877. sborne, J. A. On the cocoons form,ed by Hypera rumicis and its parasites, and Clonus scroprmla,ria\ Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. 16, p. 16-18, lo/ .7 . OF WASHINGTON', VOLUME XVII, 1915 157 ('. V. Rile}' took exception to this statement ;uxl in contradiction s;iys: "Ph. punctatii* spins with its mouth, bracing itself nonius! the part of the cocoon already formed while constructing the re- mainder. The silk issues from the spinneret in a very perceptibly liquid condition, but soon hardens, . . ." The employment of the viscous secretion from the anus to aid in locomotion is in- dicated on the preceding- page.1 This observation by Riley, of the employment of the labial spinneret by the larva of Hy/x-ra in the construction of its cocoon, is partly corroborated in a recent paper by Folsom, who says: " The actual spinning is done with the mouth. . . . At inter- vals the supply of silk fluid in the mouth gives out; then the larva reaches back to the end of the abdomen and by an assiduous process of nibbling secures a new supply of silk fluid from the rectum, and resumes its spinning. This performance a 1 ways occurs, and can be observed easily with a hand lens in the earlier stages of cocoon-spinning. Riley and J. A. Osborne were each partly cor- rect in their accounts of the spinning."1 These statements, finally, are again opposed by ('. X. Ainslie, who is quoted by F. M. Webster as follows: ''Instead of spinning the silk from a gland that opened into its mouth, as was supposed, the fluid from which the silk is made is taken into the mouth ap- parently from a gland in the caudal segment. The larva applied its mouth to an opening or gland close to the anus."? In conclusion may be mentioned an observation by Montandon, recorded by Bourgeois, that the larva of Herpes porcelhis (Byr- sopida3) makes a reticulate cocoon similar to that of l/n/xra and composed of an anal secretion.1 The statements by Riley and Folsom, that the larva of HI//H ru spins from a labial spinneret, should not be denied altogether. But it appears certain to me that the bulk of the cocoon-forming substance is produced from the anus and primarily from the mal- pighian tubes. Perhaps the lesser supply from the silk glands has some special function. Not improbably it is applied as a coating over the coarser threads from the rectum, to make them insoluble to water. I have noted that the larva passes its mouth along the threads after they have been drawn out and put in place, and it 1 Riley, C. V. Report of the Entomologist. Rept. ( Y in. A»ric. for 1881 and 1882, p. 174, 175. 1882. 2 Folsom, J. W. The insect pests of clover and alfalfa. Univ. Illinois Agr. Exp. Stat. Bull. 134, p. 161. 1009. 3 Webster, F. M. Preliminary report on the alfalfa weevil. U. S. Dept. Agric., Bur. Ent., Bull. 112. 1912. (P. 23, quotes C. X. Ainslie.) 4 Bourgeois, J. Contribution a I'cUude des metamorphoses de 1' Herpes jxircelhts Lacord. Mull. Soc. Ent. France. 19f)i>, p. 94-9.~>. 158 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY seems plausible that at this time the silky coating is being applied. An investigation of the character of the different secretions would easily decide this question. NOTES ON NORTH AMERICAN CHLOROPID^ (DIPTERA). ,T. R. MALLOCH, Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History. In a paper which presented a generic synopsis of the family Chloropidre1 I described an insect which at the time I considered as a possible variety of Chloropisca glabra Meigen, giving it the varietal name clypeata. Since writing that paper I have obtained a number of specimens of clypeata from different localities, and an examination of these has convinced me that they belong to a spe- cies that is distinct from glabra; clypeata should therefore be used in a specific instead of a varietal sense. The species is distinguished from glabra by its larger size, aver- aging 3 mm., and by the differently shaped frontal triangle, which is comparatively longer and narrower than in glabra, with its sides converging appreciably less from front ocellus to anterior margin. The fore tarsi usually have the whole of the first joint and the basal portion of the second yellow, whereas in glabra both joints are blackened except, rarely, the base of the first joint, the clypeus also is generally yellow, very rarely slightly brownish. In addition to the Illinois localities given in connection with the original description — Algonquin and Urbana — I have taken speci- imens at Centerville, August 16, and at Monticello, June 21 ; and I have seen specimens from Plummer's Island, Md., July 4 and 19, and from Anacostia, D. C., July 22, — taken by W. L. McAtee and W. D. Appel. The following new species were taken by Mr. C. A. Hart and the writer in 1914. Chloropisca parviceps, n. sp. Female. Glossy yellow. Head yellow; occiput black, slightly shin- ing; frontal triangle glossy black; basal joints of antennae brownish black, upper margin of third broadly brown; arista fuscous, yellowish at base; face paler than frons; mouth parts entirely yellow. Disc of mesonotum glossy black, shading off into the yellow lateral margins; humeri with a large, poorly defined black spot; mesopleural spot black; sternopleural one yellowish red; scutellum with sides black at base, the remainder glossy yellow. Dorsum of abdomen glossy blackish brown, the posterior margins M'an. Knt. vol. XLYI, 1014, p. 115. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 159 of segments very narrowly yellowish, most noticeably so on the posterior lateral angles. Legs entirely yellow. Wings clear, veins fuscous. Frons slightly wider than either eye; triangle very large, occupying the entire frons with the exception of a narrow stripe on each side of nearly same width as the anterior ocellus extending almost to the anterior margin, where the sides converge, forming a rather obtuse apex; frontal hairs weak; those on the lateral submarginal line of triangle most dis- tinct; third antennal joint large, slightly longer than broad, rounded at apex; arista almost bare, slightly longer than width of frons anteriorly; profile of head slightly retreating towards mouth; cheeks linear, barely distinguishable. Disc of mesonotum with short, rather closely placed, blackish hairs; scutellum rather short, less noticeably flattened and more rounded than in most species of the genus, disc with several short black hairs, the apical pair of bristles rather widely separated, not cruciate. Legs slender; fore tarsi not broadened; sensory area on hind tibiae half the length tibia. Inner cross vein of wing distinctly before apex of first vein; third and fourth veins almost straight; penultimate section of fourth vein about a third as long as ultimate section of fourth and subequal to last section of fifth. Length, 1-1.5 mm. Type locality: Monticello, June 30. Paratypes from Center- ville, August 16, and Mohamet, August 6, — all in Illinois. C. grata Loew differs from parviceps in having the frontal tri- angle gradually tapering from vertex to anterior margin, the cheeks nearly as broad as third antennal joint, the scutellum con- spicuously flattened, bare, with noticeable "rim," and the apical pair of bristles closely placed and generally cruciate; also differs in several minor respects. Genus GAURAX Loew. Through a mistake in selecting the type of the genus Neogaurax the writer, in the paper already referred to, inadvertently created a synonym of Gaurax, as its type possesses the generic characters of Neogaurax. It thus becomes necessary to rename the genus which contains the forms having the scutellum much elongated, flattened dorsally, and ending in an obtuse point, and I here pro- pose for it the name Pseudogaurax, with the genotype Gaurax unchora Loew. In describing 2 new species of Gaurax I take the opportunity of presenting a synoptic key for the separation of the described species of the genus. I am indebted to Prof. J. M. Aklrich for an opportunity to examine a specimen of G. eph/i>/>inni from Mrs. Slosson's collection. I have added dot-tali* Loew and /n'loxula Becker to the species already included in the genus as lliey ob- viously belong there. I have taken the former in Illinois, but the latter I have not seen. I am indebted to Professor Aklrich for in- 160 PROCEEDINGS KXTOMOLOOICAL SOCIETY formation regarding the type of pilosula which has enabled me to place it correctly in the key and also for confirmation of my opin- ion as to its generic position. KEY TO SPECIES. 1. Wings not entirely hyaline, either with a spot at apex of second vein or with a distinct infuscation. . Wings entirely hyaline.. 2. Wings with a small black spot at apex of second vein (Toronto, Can.) pseudostign/a Johnson Wings with their greater portion infuscated. 3 3. Thorax and scutellum black (111.)... . Jumipennis Malloch Thorax mostly yellow and scutellum entirely so. . 4. Third antennal joint black; mesonotum without a white spot behind humeri (N. H.) obscuripennis Johnson Antennae entirely yellow; mesonotum with a white spot behind humeri. ,•-•/>/( in/idus, n. sp. 5. Haltercs yellow Halteres with at least the knob black. • 7 6. Scutellum black (Pa. 111., N. H.).. . .dorsalis Loew Scutellum yellow (N. H.) ephippium Zetterstedt 7. Legs entire yellow (N. H., Vt.) . .montanus Coquillett Legs with distinct black marks 8. Thorax • ' ; black, Lower half of pleura; and scutellum yellow (111.). apicalis, n. sp. Thorax and scutellum yellow, disc of mesonotum with black marks (Pa.) festivus Loew Thorax and scutellum glossy black (La.)... ..pilosula Becker Gaurax apicalis, n. sp. Female. Glossy black. Head orange-yellow; occiput and frontal triangle glossy black, sides of frons posteriorly brownish; face whitish yellow; antenmr yellow, third joint reddish above; clypeus blackish; palpi and proboscis yellow. Thorax glossy black, lower half of pleura and scutellum pale yellow. Dorsum of abdomen glossy black, venter ob- scurely yellowish, subopaque. Legs whitish yellow, a streak of postero- ventral surface of apical fourth of mid femora and the whole of the apical fourth of posterior surface of hind femora black. Wings clear, veins brown. Halteres yellow, knob black. Short hairs on body and legs pale, bristles black. Frons slightly broader than the combined width of eyes, and, posteriorly, broader than long, the sides convergent anteriorly; triangle extending beyond middle of frons, equal-sided, the lateral margins slightly convex: orbits with rather strong hairs; antennae of moderate size, third joint disc-like; arista slightly longer than anterior width of frons, hairs sparse, upright, not very long; cheeks almost indistinguishable. Disc of mesn- OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 161 notum with short, rather closely placed hairs, the surface without distinct punctures; scutellum convex, short, rounded in outline, two long apical and two shorter subapical bristles on margin. Abdomen shorter than head and thorax combined. Legs rather long and moderately stout; sen- sory area of hind tibiae not darker than surrounding portions. Penulti- mate section of fourth wing-vein twice as long as basal portion of third ami distinctly, but not greatly, shorter than ultimate portion of fifth. Length, 2 mm. * Type locality: Mahomet, 111., August 6, 1914 (J. R. Mallocln. Gaurax splendidus n. sp. Male. Yellow, variegated with black. Head yellow; frons orange- yellow, opaque, triangle glossy, the upper margin blackened, vertex and occiput black; face, antenna: and arista reddish yellow: palpi pale yel- low. Mesonotum honey-yellow, with the following black marks, — a nar- row line on anterior margin, a small spot behind each humerus, and a broad dorso-central stripe which does not extend to anterior margin and is connected with a lateral tridentate mark on posterior margin, the outer portion of the latter being indistinctly connected with a spot on lateral margin at suture; anterior to the black lateral spot at suture is a large milk-white spot on each side; pleura- blackened on upper half except one or two small portions where the yellow ground-color shows; scutellum lemon- yellow; surface hairs on thorax silvery white, scutellar hairs and bristles yellow. Abdomen black, yellow at base and on a narrow dorso-central line on second segment; venter greenish yellow; hypopygium black. Legs whitish yellow, blackened on apical half of anterior and postero-ventral surfaces of mid femora, apical half of posterior femora, with the except ion of a narrow portion which divides the black mark, and the mid and hind tibise, except their bases and apices. Wings clear at extreme base, posterior to fifth vein up to cross vein and beyond that point posterior to fourth vein, the remainder black with the exception of a very narrow clear line along posterior margin of fourth vein from base to cross vein. Halteres yellow, knob black. Head, viewed from above, twice as broad as long at, center; frons more than one-third the head-width and distinctly broader than long, triangle extending more than midway to anterior margin; post-vertical bristles long, cruciate; surface of frons with a few hairs, a cruciate pair noticeable on center of anterior margin; antenna' normal in size, third joint, very densely pilose, arista swollen at base, the hairs sparse and very distinct; cheek linear, with numerous hairs; eyes distinctly higher than long, surface hairs distinct. .Mesonotum with silvery hairs which are most conspicuous when viewed from in front; scutellum with two long, cruciate apical bristles, and two much shorter ones which are not exactly on the margin but a short distance from it, on the disc. Abdomen tapering; hypopy- gium very conspicuous, recurved beneath abdomen, each of the lateral 162 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY arms ending in a rather prominent flattened process. Legs normal, the hind tibial sensory area distinct. Venation as in apicalis. Halteres with conspicuously elongated knobs. Length, 2.5 mm. Type locality: White Heath, 111., collected by sweeping herbage on bank of the Sangamon River, May 30, 1915 (J. R. Malloch). This species was noticeable in the net by its very rapid motions, running swiftly up the sides, much more like a phorid than a chlo- ropid, the latter being usually very slow and deliberate in action. Botanobia (Oscinis) proxima Malloch. This species is, I am convinced, a synonym of minor Adams. I have taken it in numbers in Illinois, and have reared it from vol- unteer wheat at Urbana. Genus PSEUDOCHLOROPS Mallock. This genus was founded upon leg characters which readily sepa- rate the genotype from any species of the genus Chlorops and point to its much closer affinity with Chloropisca. An examina- tion of a larger number of species of the latter genus than was possible at the time I erected the genus leads me to believe that although the scutellum in the genotype of Pseudochlorops is not so conspicuously flattened as that in most species of Chloropsia, its possession of a flattened area bounded by a weak "rim," renders it so unessentially different in structure from Chloropisca that it should not be considered as entitled to distinct generic rank. Professor Aldrich informs me that the specimens named Chlorops ii ti /color Loew in the U. S. National Museum are misidentified, be- ing C. integra Becker. This species therefore goes in Chloropisca and Pseudochlorops falls as a synonym of that genus. A NEW NOCTURNAL SPECIES OF TACHINIDAE. BY W. R. WALTON, Bureau of Entomology, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations. Neophyto nocturnalis n. sp. General color obscure grayish, head obtusely conical, antennae very short, wings narrow, slightly infuscated especially bordering veins. Length 6-9 mm. Front in female one and one-third, in male, one-half eye width; cinereous, vitta nearly black; two pairs of orbitals in female, absent in male. Several pairs of smaller bristles, back of the ocellar pair. Frontals (fig. 1) not descending below base of second antennal joint in female, but ending distinctly above same in male. No frontal bristles directed distinctly backward. Antenna black, third joint in either sex subequal with second, tip of antennae descending but little below lower OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 163 margin of eyes. Arista black, bare, bulbous at extreme base. Facial plate very small, vibrissal angles closely approximated, vibrissa? rather weak, but distinct and strongly cruciate, situated well above oral margin. Cheeks in both sexes nearly as wide as eye-height, the anterior two-thirds occupied by the transverse impression which is greatly expanded and dark brown in color. Posterior part of cheeks and occiput cinereous. Facial ridges practically bare. A row of long, slender, ventrally directed macro- chaetac extends on the face from opposite tip of second antennal joint to lower corner of eye, the longest of these subequal in length with arista. Front, on the sides, clothed with short black hairs arranged in more or less regular rows. Proboscis extremely short, labella fleshy, brown, palpi black, bearing a distinct brush of forwardly directed bristles at their tip. Thorax grayish brown, vittse indistinct, pleurae cinereous, sternopleurals usually three, many long erect hairs also present near them. £> Fig. 1-3. Xeophyto nocturnalis Walton. Dorso-central bristles three; sometimes an irregularly placed fourth one present. Scutellum bearing three strong pairs of marginals, apical pair obsolete, Disc of same in the male bearing many long, nearly erect hairs, in addition to a discal pair. Abdomen elongate ovate in female, distinctly elongate and nearly cylindrical in male, slightly marmorate or pseudo-maculate as viewed from the rear. Also traces of a median vitta present in well-preserved specimens. Each segment bearing both discal and marginal macrochaita) although the former are sometimes asymmet- rically placed. A slightly metallic sheen apparent on the darker portions of segments. Genitalia in both sexes retracted. Legs, including cox;e black, claws of male elongated, pulvilli fuscous. Wings (fig. 3) narrow. veins distinctly black. Costal spine fully as long as small cross vein. Apical cell closed slightly before costal margin entering same well before tip of wing. Bend of fourth vein distinctly angulatcd, bearing a wrinkle. Third vein bristly, nearly half way to small cross vein, squama- yellowish white, head of haltere fuscous. The posterior cross vein in this genii- i.~ subject to freakish developments; a specimen of setosa Coq. (fig. 2) in the 104 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY National Museum collection bears stumps of veins on both the inner and outer sides of this vein while one of the females in the series before me possesses an extra short vein, originating at the middle of the posterior cross vein (which is bent outward at a distinct angle) and running parallel with the fourth vein, before its bend, nearly to posterior border in either wing. Species described from four specimens, male and female, all collected at electric lights at night, Forest Glen, Md., by Mr. Otto Heidemann, April 19 to 28, 1914. Structurally this species closely resembles setosa Coq., but dif- fers as follows: Wing veins black, wings distinctly smoky, entire body pollinose and much darker in general color. Sides of face in transverse depression much darker brown, abdomen with re- flecting spots, head more obtusely conical in side elevation, average size much larger. It is possibly entirely and certainly partially nocturnal in habit of flight. Judging from this fact and the habitus of the fly it seems probable that this genus is parasitic upon nocturnal Coleoptera, possibly Lachnosterna. Mr. R. C. Shannon has previously1 mentioned the nocturnal habit of this interesting fly. A FEW NOTES ON THE HABITS OF PARASITIC HYMENOPTERA. BY W. DWIGHT PIERCE AND R. A. CTJSHMAN, Bureau i,f Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture . In the course of several years spent in the study of parasites a number of interesting observations have been made which are of interest to the biological entomologist but have no direct bearing upon any economic problem. A few of these records which are considered worthy of publication have been gathered together to form the present paper. Among the hymenopterous parasites sexual attraction seems to be a strongly developed instinct. In the Braconidse under observation there is no courtship, the mating taking place almost immediately. This was first observed and noted for Sigalphus curculionis Fitch on April 30, 1908 (W. D. P). The male when- ever it came close to the female fanned its wings very rapidly and finally jumped on her back, but was off inasecond. A little later it approached again and this time was attached for forty seconds. < Hisorvutions of other braconids were of the same nature. Among the ( 'halcidoidea studied, a very interesting courtship always precedes mating. On June loth the actions of a pair of lProc. Knt. Soc. Wash., vol. XVI, 1M14, p. ISL>. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, I'.U.i 165 Catolaccus incertus were observed for forty-five minutes i W.D.P). During this time the male was on and off, but for thirty minutes in all he was perched on the back of the female. He was only one-half her length and as he rested on her thorax, with his front feet placed on her face, his hind legs rested on the apex of the thorax, and the tip of his abdomen reached no further. The wings of the male were upright while those of the female lay in repose. The antennae of the latter were very active, communi- cating a message by some wigwag code, now one, now both, now fast, now slow, tapping the face of her mate or moving in his sight ; and in response, the antennae of the male frequently came down and touched the tips of her antennae or tapped on her face. His antennae were, however, much oftener quiet and pointing to the front. Another peculiar action was the sudden darting back to the abdomen, which was sometimes forced by the female push- ing the male back with her hind legs, but he each time, ran back to his original position or jumped off. The male seldom was aware of the presence of the female at a greater distance than a quarter of an inch, but the latter's perception was much greater. When conscious of his mate's presence the male's antennas were' very active in dispatching a wireless message, only ceasing when it was again perched on her back. The actual copulation was not witnessed. On September 10th, the courtship of a pair of Cerambycobius cuskmani ( 'rawford bred from huisache pods was recorded (R. A. C.) This was conducted very differently from that just de- scribed and so is worthy of equal mention. They first met face to face and the male began stroking her antennas which were held up in front of his face. After doing this for a few seconds he jumped on her back and continued very rapidly stroking her antennae, which were held up in front of his face. This action lasted for some seconds, and he then walked backwards down under the end of the female's ab< lomen unt il the tip of his body was just under the anterior end of her abdomen, when the connection took place. This did not last more than a second. When the male left the female his copulatory organ was still protruding about one thirty-second of an inch and appeared black and chitinous. In a few seconds the process was repeated exactly as before except that the copulatory organ was retracted before the male left the female. The courtship and mating of Euri/t<>:!», the author supposes the existence of other muscles, besides those figured in PI. XVII, by so doing he partly solves our difficulty. I have not studied the particu- lar species described by the master, but from a. comparison with other lepi- dopterous larva', it is probable that his muscle 7 should consist of two different muscles /' and 7". 7' is attached dorsally to the mental arm and ventrally to the threadprcss on the salvary glands. 7" is attached dor- sally to the same press and ventrally to the mentum. l-'.ach of thc.-c muscles is provided with a separate embrdnch nt <" and C" of the trachea indicated by the letter C in Lyonet's drawing. (See pi. 10, fig. 7). - "Zur Morphologic der ( l!iedm;issen und Mundthcile bei < 'rustaceen und Insckten." Zool. An*. XVI, 1893, pp. 193-8 and 201-212. 174 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY in Thysanura and Collembola are in reality second maxillae, homologous with the first maxillae of Crustacea. Older authors, considering these organs as part of either the hypopharynx or the labium, called them ^paraglossse." Hansen rejects this term and substitutes for it the term "maxillulse" as a more ap- propriate name. Since the publication of Hansen's paper, several authors have shown the existence of these so-called maxillulse or of apparently homologous organs in various orders of insects.1 Of late, the most interesting contributions on the subject are two papers, one by G. H. Carpenter and Mabel McDowell: "The Mouthparts of Some Beetle-larvae" (Quart. Journ. Micr. Sc. LVII, 1912, pp. 373-96), the other by G. H. Carpenter: "The Presence of Maxillulse in Beetle-larva?" (Transact. 2d. Internat. Congr. of Entom.) The existence of maxillulse in Lepidoptera was first recognized by Busck and Boving. Their description of this organ is found in their joint paper: "On Mnemonica auricyanea" (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. XVI, 1914, no. 4, 151-63). Dr. Boving first dis- covered the maxillulae in the imago of Mnemonica and later pointed out in my drawings, what he considered to be corresponding structures in the larva. In our paper on Acrocercops strigifini- tella (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. XVII, 1915, no. 1, pp. 10, pi. VI, fig. 1, pi. VII, fig. 3) Mr. Heinrich and the writer have de- scribed and figured the maxillulse in the larva of that species. I know of no other direct reference to this organ in the literature on Lepidoptera.2 Independently from the intricate question of their true nature, these organs invite our special attention on account of their in- teresting modifications. The object of this paper is to describe a few of the most extreme types as they appear in the lepidopter- ous larvae. The material examined for this study is scattered over some twenty widely divergent families. Only a few forms are described in this paper as representative of the most remark- able cases met in the course of researches. The maxillulse, or paraglossae or superlinguse3 are situated on the lateral edge of the hypopharynx. In the lepidopterous lar- vae, they essentially present the appearance of protuding fleshy 1 For Bibliography cfr. G. H. Carpenter: "The Presence of Maxillula? in Beetle-larvae." Transact. 2d. Internat. Congr. of Entom, pp. 208-215, in appendix of the article. - Dampf in his paper: "Zur Kenntniss gehiiusetragender Lepidopteren larven" (Zool. Jahrb. suppl. 12 H. 13, 1910.) gives a rough figure of these appendages in Eumeta sp. and considers them as belonging to the hypo- pharynx. 3 The term "superlinguae" is used by Folsom in his text-book on Ento- mology (pp. 39-40), 1906. OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 175 lobes, covering the floor of the buccal cavity wholly or in part only, as the case may be. These lobes are generally clothed with flexible lashes, with hairs or with rows of strong spines. They attain various proportions in all directions; so far, I have found that relatively to the size of the hypopharynx they attain their greatest dimensions in some of the microlepidoptera. In many instances the lobes are also furnished with chitinous blades, these again, are subject to the most extreme modifications both as to their general shape and to their location on the lobes. Although really distinct from the hypopharynx the chitinous projections of the mentum1 marking the exterior of attachmenl of the maxillulae, should be mentioned in connection with these organs, as they are, in some cases at least, subject to modifi- cations of real interest. In Mnemonica auricyanea Wlsghm., arms from the mentum enter the mouth cavity and are fused at the base of the hypopharynx, forming a complete ring, with a conspicuous plate at the point of fusion. The lobes of the maxil- lulae originate at the forward edge of this plate. They appear as membranous flaps, clothed on their inner edge with a row of long cilia-like hairs. The appendicular nature of these lobes can readily be recognized, as they can be laid to one side and of- ten will take this position under the mere pressure of the cover- glass of the microscopic slide. Slightly forward of the above mentioned plate, we find on each side of the hypopharynx a row of four or five minute teeth. These are a part of the maxillul;r. but not the whole organ, as was inferred by Busck and Boving in their paper on this species. (For figure, cfr. Busck and Boving "On M. auricyanea" loc. cit. pi. XI, fig. 8). The mouth-cavity of Ectcedetnia In- in rich i Busck, presents a totally different aspect from that of Mnemonica. Here, the arms of the mentum suggest the shape of a boot. They are very slender and reach only a short distance over the lateral edge of the hypo- pharynx. From the extremities of these arms arise two fleshy lateral lobes, somewhat corrugated in appearance and covered with filaments and spines. They are partly hidden by the blades. These consist of a set of enormously developed plates, they overlap and cover the entire floor of the basal part of the mouth-opening (cfr. pi 18, fig. 5). In a species of Gracilariu col- lected on Alnus by Prof. Charles R. Ely, we find what might be called a typical form of the modifications studied in this paper. 1 The term "Mentum" is applied sensu Dampf: "Zur Kenntniss ^r- hausetragender lepidopteren larven (loc. cit). It applies to the part desig- nated as stipes labii in our paper "On Acroccrcops strigifinitella" (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., loc. cit.); cfr. also Busck and Boving "On Mnemonica auricyanea" (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., loc. cit.). 176 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY The three elements are developed to fairly equal proportions. The arms of the mentum approach in general outline those of Ectcedemia, but they are wider and the foot of the boot becomes much larger. To each of these arms is connected a fleshy lobe with the usual filaments and hairs along the anterior portion and covered with bristly spines, arranged in parallel rows towards the base. The lobes are attached to the upper edge of the hypo- pharynx by means of transparent chitinous rods. The blades projecting from and above these lobes are arranged in a longitudi- nal row. The three front blades are short and broad, the others are slender and finger-like, all arising from a common, narrow base (cfr. pi. 17, fig. 3). The arms of the mentum in Acrocercops strigifinitella Clemens, are very thin bands of chitin, presenting a ragged appearance at their extremities. The lobes are developed to vast proportions and a pronounced chitinization marks their line of junction to the hypopharynx. The interior surface is finely striated, the ex- terior being covered with filaments. The blades consist of a row of translucent plates. They have moved to the apex of the lobes. On examining these blades under oil-immersion it was found that the two lower ones are placed so closely to the arms of the mentum as to appear attached to these processes (cfr. pl. 17, fig. 4). In an undetermined sesiid larva taken from the roots of cotton- wood, we find the arms of the mentum quite long but projecting only slightly over the hypopharynx. The lobes are reduced and covered with spines. The blades are very similar in shape and in texture to those in Acrocercops strigijiniteUa, but their line of attachment corresponds better to that in the other gracilariid larva described above (cfr. pl. 18, fig. 6). Layoa crispata, Papaipema nitela in the macro-lepidoptera and Coleophora veroniaeella in the micro-lepidoptera are represen- tative of the most commonly occurring type, with well defined arms, fleshy lobes covered with spines but devoid of all traces of blades (cfr. pl. 17, figs. 1 and 2 and text fig. 1). From their location in the buccal cavity we naturally assume that the function of the organs described above is relative to the feeding of the caterpillar. Most probably they facilitate the entrance of food into the alimentary canal, maybe they are also, in a certain measure, auxiliary to the mandibles in the mastica- tion of the food particles. In none of the specimens have I found muscles belonging to the maxillulse themselves (viz. lobes or plates). It would appear then, that their movements are controlled by the muscles attached to the mentum and its arms. In this OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 177 event, they are merely secondary to the general functions of the hypopharynx. The main movements of the latter organ are produced by the mental-tentorial muscles B (pi. 19, fig. 7> and the mental-zygomatic muscles A. These, when acting simul- taneously, cause the retraction of the entire labium and act- ing independently cause the elevation and depression of the same. Fig. 1. Papnipema nitela Guenee. Inasmuch as the mental arms are often very thinly diilinixcd and hence more or less elastic, it is not improbable thai a slight inward and downward movement be imparted to the maxillulse by the play of the muscles /' and f", although these are primarily intended for dilation of the threadpivss (pi. 19, fig. 8) and various movements of the spinneret S (pi. 19, fig. 7). 178 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Many questions readily arise in the mind concerning these organs or their parts. The answer to such however must be re- served until more extensive and more minute studies have been completed. Above all things what seems to be of no little sig- nificance is that, so far, we have found a striking conformity of type within the genus and at the same time most widely diver- fent forms within the same family. The writer is greatly indebted to both Dr. .Boving and Mr. Heinrich for many valuable suggestions and especially to the latter for material for study. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. PLATE XVII. Fig. 1. Lagoa crispata Pack. Fig. 2. Coleopohora veroniceella Chambers. Fig. 3. Gracilaria sp. PLATE XVIII. Fig. 4. Acrocercops strigifinitella Clemens. Fig. 5. Ectoedemia heinrichi Busck. Fig. 6. Sesiid larva. Hx =: Hypopharynx; L =• Fleshy lobes; B = Blades; Am = Arms of mentum. PLATE XIX. Telea polyphemus, Cramer. Anatomy of lower lip. Fig. 7. Side view of labium and hypopharynx. A -- Mental-zygomatic muscle; B = Mental-tentorial muscle; Am • Arm of mentum; L =-- Fleshy lobe; S == Spinneret; C, C', C" -- Tracheae; Sd == Salivary ducts; /', /" = : Dilator muscles of the threadpress; G • Filippi's glands. Fig. 8. Threadpress. /', and I" - A few of the muscle attachments. PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE XVIT. Mentum FIG PLATE XVIII. 1'ROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PROC. KNT. SOC. W \SII., vol.. XVII. ]•! \ n. xix. s FIG 7 OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 179 In commenting on this paper Mr. Heinrich stated that in addition to the interesting morphological questions involved, the maxillulae promised to be of prime taxonomic importance as indicating generic differences in the larvae of the specialized micro groups at least. From the material examined it would seem that there are two distinctive types of maxillulse, a simplified type com- mon to the Macros and pyraloid groups and a specialized type common to the Micros, as defined by Mr. Busck. It is also in- teresting to note that while these organs vary according to the manner of feeding, as could be expected, the two types are maintained under the same biological conditions. NOTES ON THE HABITS AND ANATOMY OF HORISTONOTUS UHLERII HORN. (Coleoptera; Elateridoe.) BY J. A. HYSLOP, Bureau of Entomology. The larvae of the tribe Cardiophorini in the Elateridse have long been recognized. Schiodte, Ferris and Henriksen. have all given good descriptions and several good figures have been produced of the larvae of the genus Cardiophorus. Notable among these figures is the excellent one of Cardiophorus asset /i.-- by Schiodte.1 So far as I am aware, the figure of Horistonotitx uhlerii by Mr. W. R. Walton, in the recent Department Bulle- tin2 on wireworms is the first figure of any other genus in this tribe. At the time this figure was prepared only preserved ma- terial was at hand. This spring through the kindness of Mr. E. H. Gibson, I have received several living larvae of this insect from Charleston, Missouri. The larva of Horistonotus uhlerii, as has already been recorded, lives in sandy situations where it feeds on living vegetable mat- ter. The rapidity with which the temperature and humidity of its habitat follows the atmospheric changes is extreme when compared with more impervious soils. The sand rapidly dries out to a considerable depth in dry weather and becomes cold correspondingly abruptly with a fall in atmospheric temperature, the lag being considerably reduced by the open nature of the soil. Elaterid larvae, as we have had very forcibly demonstrated in our rearing experiments with these insects, are extremely 1 Meta. Eleuth. Obs., 1871. 2 Bull. 156, U.S.Dept.Agric., 1915, fig. 3. 180 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY sensitive to rapid changes in temperature and with but few ex- ceptions cannot stand desiccation in the slightest degree. The body structure and activities of H. uhlerii are admirably adapted to overcome these adverse circumstances of environment, not by resisting the elements but by making it possible for these animals to change their position in the soil with the variations of climatic conditions so as to always be in a stratum where the environment is compatable with their development or at least their existence. ' As the sand dries out, or as the cold weather approaches they rapidly burrow downward, conversely as mois- ture rapidly saturates their porous nidus or the temperature rises they move as rapidly upwards, and may even make daily upward and downward migrations to accommodate themselves to the ephemeral changes in temperature and humidity. The nature of their habitat makes the construction of permanent burrows impossible, hence the remarkable development of their bodies. The extremely broad palmate and digitate retractile anal lobes, form a backwardly directed pushing organ wonderfully de- signed to prevent any backward movement of the abdomen w hen burrowing in the loose sand, the spined caudal appendage on the ninth abdominal segment also assisting in this function. When moving foreward the larva contracts the abdomen by completely invaginating the anterior area of each abdominal segment within the posterior area of the preceding segment; the anal lobes are retracted as are also the lateral and ventral ambulatory papillae, thus offering no resistance; the anterior part of the body is pre- vented from moving backward by the broad, spine beset surface of the tibise and tarsi of the legs, which may be assisted by the mandibles. The lateral papillae and anal lobes are now excerted and the body starts to exert a pressure foreward by the longi- tudinal expansion of the segments, the mandibles work rapidly in an absolutely lateral plane, their concave outer surface press- ing back the sand on each side much as do the short marinae of the mole, the mouthparts with their stout brushes probably also assist in clearing the way. These brushes undoubtedly prevent sand from being forced into the buccal cavity. When on a hard surf;! re the larva moves the head and mandibles very rapidly, at the same time tremulously jerking the fore part of the body from side to side. The legs are also kept rapidly moving. When placed on moist blotting paper the head is applied to the paper, and the stout mandibles soon tear an opening through the fibers of the paper, the tearing action is confined to the outward thrust of the mandibles, the stout teeth on the inner surface not com- ing into play and probably only being used to lacerate plant tis- rhen feeding. When moving backward the ventral papilla1 play the most important part. These are directed forward and OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 181 when the hold of the mandibles and legs is released and the body contracted they prevent the segment slipping forward. On a hard surface the caudal lobe of the ninth abdominal seg- ment also assists in backward motion. In this case it is brnt downward and acts as a hook shaped anchor. The following technical description will more fully describe the details of these structures and also serve as a means of deter- mining these larvae: Horistonotus uhlerii Horn. Larva, (pi. 21, fig. a). Elongate, slender and membranous, twenty- seven times as long as wide; color cream white, head ferruginous yellow, pro thorax yellow, mandibles brownish yellow to almost black, spines on legs brownish yellow. Head (pi. 20, figs, a, b) elongate cylindrical, length exclusive of mandi- bles, twice diameter, sides subparallel, very highly polished. Front very narrow, sides almost parallel, diameter at middle about one-sixth diameter of head, extending to basal sixth of head, anteriorly dilated to attach- ment of clypeus; bears a pair of fine hairs near pointwhere it is constricted. Clypeus quadrate, a little longer than broad, anterior angles membranous, anterior margin densely fringed with brush of fine hairs, emarginate and armed at middle with a highly chitinized bidentate prong; the dorsuni bears four pair of short erect hairs. Antenna? slightly received in fossa on dorsal surface of mandibles, very large, almost one-third length of head exclusive of mandibles; first joint clavate and but little longer than broad : second joint depressed, cylindrical, wider at distal extremity which is obliquely truncate, truncate surface bearing on inner part the very slen- der and rather short third joint and the accessory appendage, which hit lei- is white and conical; the third joint is about as long as the first joint, cyl- indrical and three times as long as broad, it is slightly curved and directed at right angles to the long axis of the second joint. Mandibles (pi. 20, figs, d, e,f, g) are two-thirds the length of the head, biramous, and multi- dentate; the outer surface (pi. 20, fig. e) is s ightly concave and each ra- mus bears two longitudinal earinse; the inner surface (pi. 20, fig./) of tin- dorsal ramus bears three stout acute teeth and two smaller teeth, tin- latter situated on each side of the lowest tooth; the ventral ramus is un- armed, at the base of the mandible on the inner surface is a broad oval molar area and a row of bristles continue the armature of the upper ramus. The siiliinentiim (pi. 20, figs, a, c) is almost obliterated, by the highly developed maxillary stipes, it is broadened at the anterior half but almost cut off from the mentum by the maxillary stipes which suddenly converge anteriorly, the submentum bears four hairs on its anterior part and a sin- gle pair at its posterior extremity: the mentum is elongate and clavate, and is adorned with a pair of median hairs near its distal end: the labial palpi are about half as long as the mentum, the first joint is twice as long as broad, the second is conical and one-third as long as broad: the maxil- 182 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY lary stipes are elongate and armed with nine stout spines on the lateral margins; the maxillary palpi are very stout and two-thirds as long as the stipes, the first joint is one and one-half times as long as broad, slightly clavate cylindrical, the second joint is one-quarter longer than broad, the third as long as broad and the fourth twice as long as broad and only half as wide as the third; the galea are two jointed, the first joint elongate and thickly beset with brushes of complex hairs, the second joint is clavate and bears four stout spines at its distal end; a second brush of hairs arises below the attachment of the galea and a third brush is situated on the under surface of the clypeus. The first thoracic segment is nearly cylindrical and almost as long as the head exclusive of the mandibles, the second and third are subequal and about three-quarters as long as the first; the legs (pi. 21, fig. d) are very long and quite stout, the coxae are as long as the femora and tibia? united, and serve to receive these two joints when in repose; inner edge of coxae bears a few long hairs; femora clavate and two-thirds as long as coxa?, tibia triangular, armed with three blunt stout spines near anterior margin, tarsus beset with one large scoop-shaped spine near the distal end, sur- rounded by four blunt spines and bearing three additional blunt spines along its inner side. Abdomen with ten visible segments, segments two to seven are distinctly divided transversely into three distinct areas each, the anterior area of one segment being truncate conical and capable of being invaginated into the posterior area of the preceding segment when contracted, the middle area of each segment (pi. 21, fig. b) is globose, bears the ambulatory papil- lae and the spiracles. Each segment bears two pair of ambulatory papillae, a lateral pair anterior to the spiracles and a ventral pair near the anterior margin; each papillus is bilobed, and retractile; the spiracles are very obscure but of the typical biforian type; the tergite of each abdominal seg- ment is marked by a median impressed line and a pair of shallow lateral grooves, the ventron of the middle area of each segment is divided into two parts by a median sulcus. The ninth abdominal segment (pi. 21, figs, c, e) is thimble-shaped and about as long as the middle section of the other abdominal segments; it bears at its extremity a rounded point which is armed with radially arranged stout spines. The tenth segment is concealed from above by the ninth, near the middle of the ventral side of which it arises, it is depressed cylindrical and directed obliquely ven- trad; the anus is terminal and the anal lobes are arranged as follows: The two lateral lobes are quadri-digitate and longer than the tenth segment, the ventral lobe is short and bidigitate, all these lobes are re- tractile. The larva of Horistonotus uhlerii differs from that of Cardio- rus asselus and probably from all other species of this last genus, in the absence of ocelli. Schiodte has figured a large prom- inent ocellus at the base of each antenna. These ocelli are very seen in Schiodte's specimens, which, through the kindness OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 183 of Dr. Boving who assisted me in many \v;iys in this investiga- tion, I have been "able to examine. They are quite absent from H. uhlerii. The mandibles of C. asselus have a pair of stout teeth on the distal end, and two teeth on the inner face of each dorsal rainus, while in H. uhlerii the distal end of this ramus is rounded and the inner face bears three stout teeth with two smaller accessory teeth. The clypeus of C. asselus bears seven pair of dorsal hairs, while that of H. uhlerii, bears but four pair. The tibia of C. asselus is armed with two terminal spines, that of H. uhlerii with three, the tarsus of the former with one basal spine while the latter has three. Schiodte in his classification says that the spiracles are tubu- lar, this conclusion being probably drawn from their proximity to the lateral ambulatory papilla, which are retractile; the spir- acles are however of the true biforian type and are situated a little behind the papillae, not on them. I agree with Henriksen in believing that Schiodte was wrong in classifying this tribe with his subfamily Agrypninse. He based his conclusions on a mistaken interpretation of the anal lobes. In his preserved specimen these are partly retracted so that they give the appearance of a membranous anal hook, which charac- ter he quite correctly used to limit his group Agrypninae. I dif- fer from Henriksen however, as he considers them in the sub- family Elaterinse, in which subfamily the adults have always been placed. I believe the Cardiophorini of authors should a1 least be raised to equal rank with the other greater subfamilies of the Elateridse (sensu stricto) and it may be eventually necessary to place this tribe in some higher ordinal catagory. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. Horistonotus uhlerii Horn, (larva). PLATE XX. Fig. a. Ventral aspect of head. Fig. b. Dorsal aspect of head. Fig. c. Lateral aspect of mouthparts, mandible removed. Fig. d. Ventral aspect of right mandible. Fig. e. Outer aspect of right mandible. Fig. f. Inner aspect of right mandible. Fig. g. Dorsal aspect of right mandible. PLATE XXI. Fig. a. Dorsal aspect of larvn . Fig. b. Lateral aspect of middle part of fourth abdominal segment. Fig. c. Lateral aspect of ninth and tenth abdominal segments. Fig. d. Left mesothoracic leg. Fig. e. Ventral aspect of eighth, ninth and tenth abdominal seg- ments. PLATE XX. PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. 184 PBOC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE XXI. a 185 186 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Under the heading of Notes and Exhibition of Specimens, the following were presented: A NOTE IN REGARD TO TRICHODECTES HERMSI. (Mallophaga; Trichodectidce) BY MAURICE C. HALL, Bureau of Animal Industry. Kellogg and Nakayama have recently published in Psyche, v. 22, No. 2, April, 1915, a description of a new species of Tri- chodectes (T. hermsi}, from the goat. The authors of this species say of Trichodectes climax: "It is the only Trichodectes until now found on the domestic goat." It seems safe to assume then that these writers follow Taschenberg in regarding T. limbatus and T. caprce as synonyms of T. climax. It seems, however, that they must have overlooked, at the time of publication, the case of Trichodectes crassipes, for they state in regard to T. hermsi: "It shows more of a resemblance, in shape and markings of head, and general appearance of body to T. peniciUatus than to any other species of the genus, which resemblance, if it suggests any near relationship — it probably does not — is most extraordinary, as peniciUatus has been recorded only from a kangaroo!" The species Trichodectes crassipes was described by Rudow (1866) from the goat. Taschenberg (1882), on an examination of Rudow's material, stated it was identical with T. peniciUatus from the kangaroo. Taschenberg states in comment that if one compares Rudow's and Piaget's figures he will regard this as quite impossible, since Rudow's figures are as inexact as his descriptions are noncommittal. It is interesting to note in this connection that Rudow's T. crassipes from the goat came from the Zoological Garden at Hamburg, and that Paiget's T. peni- ciUatus from the kangaroo came from the Zoological Garden at Rotterdam. While one would be inclined to think under these circumstances that we were dealing with a habitual parasite of the kangaroo accidentally present on the goat, and assume that the parasites of the goat were well known, nevertheless the record of Kellogg and Nakayama suggests that there is, on the contrary, a rather widely distributed goat parasite which has been reported once as an accidental parasite of the kangaroo. It would not be safe to say positively at this time that T. hermsi was identical with T. peniciUatus, although a comparison of the figures and descriptions shows only minor differences, but the fact that the resemblance has been noted by the authors of hermsi, and that T. peniciUatus has been reported from the goat and the kangaroo in the opinion of Taschenberg and of OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 187 Railliet, and that Kellogg and Nakayama have apparently over- looked or forgotten this fact, all argue for the likelihood that T. hermsi is a redescription of T. penicillatus. MAGROSIAGON FLAVIPENNIS IN COCOON OF BEMBEX SPINOL/E. (Coleoptera, Rhipiphoridoe) BY H. S. BARBER, Bureau of Entomology. A fully matured specimen of this parasitic beetle was found by MT. J. B. Parker in the still solid cocoon of a wasp (Bembex xpinolce), in a sand pile at Brookland, D. C., June 26, 1914, which I believe is the first host record of this species. Two other host records of the genus in North America are known to the writer. Lugger 1884 (Psyche, vol. 4, p. 211) being quoted as saying that the larva of Tiphia is often parasitized by a (Rhipiphorus) Ma- crosiagon (which statement was commented upon by Riley, 1. c., p. 224) and Wolcott 1914 (Journ. Econ. Ent., vol. 7, p. 387) allud- ing to the parasitism of Tiphia cocoons by (Rhipiphorus} Macrosia- gon pectinatus Fabr., and perhaps another species, in Missouri and Illinois, the details of the life-history not being known. A most interesting account of a European species of this genus, Ennnenadia flabellata Fabr. (this name now appearing in the Reitter catalogue as a synonym of Macrosiagon ferruginea Fab.), was published by Chobaut 1891 (Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., vol. 60, pp. 447-456) in which the rearing of this parasite from the larvae of Odynerus is recorded, and also the oviposition and first stage larvae or triungulinids are described. This last writer cites and comments upon the account by Chapman 18JTO (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. VI, 4 ser., pp. 314-326, pi. XVI) and Murray 1870 (I.e., pp. 326-328) of the life-history of Metcecus paradoxus (Rhipiphorus), parasitic in the nests of Vespa vulgar^. Two species of Rhipiphorus (Myodites of our catalogs) have been recorded by Le Conte 1880 (Monthly Proc. Ent. Sec. Anul. Xat. Sci. Philadelphia, Dec. 13, 1880, p. XXIII) as parasitic, one on Augochlom />nrh»rnK fdxciatus Say on Halictus pruino.tus Robertson. Pierce l'.M)4 (Nebr. Univ. "Studies, vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 153-189) records the oviposition of (Myodites) Rhipiphorus solit . 188 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Epinomia triungulifera Vachal, is attacked and carries them to its colonies. Mr. Schwarz 1909 (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 10, p. 162-3) has already noted the occurrence of the roach parasite, Rhipidius, in coasting steamers to Central America. EASTERN SYMPHOROMYIA ATTACKING MAN. (Diptera, Leptidce.) BY R. C. SHANNON, Bureau of Entomology. The blood-sucking habit of certain species of Symphoromyia has been repeatedly observed in the Rocky Mountain region, but there have been no records of this habit from eastern North America. While collecting on one of the thickly wooded islands below the Great Falls of the Potomac this spring (May 31, 1915), the writer noticed that small swarms of these flies would gather about him while he was moving about. When he remained quiet they would sometimes alight, most frequently upon his uncovered head. One alighted on his neck and started biting but was caught before she had imbibed any blood. The bite was quite as severe as that of Chrysops, while their flight was slower and the buzz lower. It was hoped that more would bite but they were very shy and would remain only a short time. Only six specimens were collected and they were kept alive until the fol- lowing day when attempts were made to induce them to bite the writer's arm, but they refused and remained passive even when blood was supplied by pricking the skin. These flies were taken on a bright midday on the northern slopes of a rocky hillside, which had been burnt over the preceding fall. In other localities of the same region only occasional specimens were taken. These specimens are probably Symphoromyia hirta Johnson, although they do not agree in coloration with typical specimens. The antenna and the legs, except the coxae and the trochanters, are entirely yellow ; the coxae are black, dusted with cinereous, and the trochanters are shining, black. The size and all the other char- acters agree with S. hirta. Besides the above mentioned specimens, the writer has collected one male and two females differing from the above mentioned ones in having the legs, except the knees, wholly black; the male from Virginia opposite Plummer's Island, Md., 18. V. 15; one female, Maryland opposite Plummers Island, 3. VI. 14, and the ier female taken at Dead Run, Fairfax County, Va., 9. VI. 15. Five more females of the form with yellow legs were captured at OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 189 Dead Run, Fairfax County, Va., May 28, 1914, May 23, and June 9, 1915. Mr. Knab is of the opinion that these two forms are but color-variants of one species. THREE INTERESTING ORTHOPTERA FROM THE VICINITY OF WASHINGTON, D. C. BY A. N. CAUDELL, Bureau of Entomology. To our local fauna three species of Orthoptera are to be added. One, Cryptocercus punctulatus Scudder, was taken on Cupid's Bower Island, Md., a small island in the Potomac River some dis- tance below Great Falls. Three specimens of this interesting roach have been taken, two by H. S. Barber on May 23 of the present year and one by R. C. Shannon on May 31. These roaches were taken in decayed pine logs. This species seems to be very local in occurrence but enjoys a wide distribution, ranging from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Canada on the north, south to about the 34th parallel, the furthest southern record, I believe, being Rome, Georgia. Another insect not at all common in the regions surrounding Washington is Melanoplus collinus Scudder. Numbers of both sexes of this grasshopper were taken at Great Falls, Virginia, on September 12, 1912. It occurred in some numbers in the open woods just below the picnic grounds at the Falls. Melanoplus punctulatus Scudder occurs in pine woods and has been taken but once by me in the District, a single male near the upper reservoir north of Georgetown. A male was collected on Plummer's Island, Md., by Douglas demons on August 11, 1905 and the species has also been taken at Falls Church, Va. MIGRATING ARMIES OF MYRIOPODS. (A CORRECTION). BY H. S. BARBER, Bureau of Entomology. Mr. R. V. Chamberlain of the Museum of Comparative Zool- ogy has kindly examined specimens of the Myriopod from Huin- boldt Co., Cal., mentioned on pp. 121-122 of this volume but his reply was received after the number had gone to press. He writ <•> that the specimens are immature and cannot be positively de- termined but belong to the leptodesmid genus Chonaphe and are probably C. armata (Harger.) 190 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Two HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-EIGHTH MEETING, OCTOBER 7, 1915. The 288th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Mr. E. A. Schwarz at the Saengerbund Hall, October 7, 1915. There were present Messrs. Barber, Burgess, Caudell, Crawford, Ely, Gahan, Greene, Heinrich, Howard, Knab, Kotinsky, Mar- latt, Middleton, Pierce, Quaintance, Rohwer, Sanford, Sasscer, Schwarz, Shannon, Turner, and Walton, members and Max Kisliuk, visitor. The Corresponding Secretary presented a communication in- viting the Society to send a delegate to participate in the deliber- ations of the Second Pan-American Scientific Congress to be held in Washington, D. C., December 27, 1915, to January 8, 1916. The Society named as delegate to the Congress, President A. N. Caudell; alternate, First Vice-president C. R. Ely. Mr. Rohwer announced the death of Mr. H. M. Russell, a mem- ber of the Society and moved that a committee be appointed to draw up suitable resolutions. The motion prevailed and the President appointed as a committee Messrs. Quaintance, Hyslop, and Walton. The following program was presented: Parasitic Work of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association, Dr. L. O. Howard1 THE TAGHINID FLY MAUROMYIA PULLA COO- AND ITS SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. BY W. R. WALTON, U. S. Bureau of Entomology, Cereal and Forage Insect Investigation*. In describing this fly2 as the representative of a new genus and species Mr. Coquillett had before him but two specimens of the insect. These he considered as belonging to opposite sexes. Quite recently Mr. E. Daecke of Harrisburg, Penn., submitted to the writer several specimens of Tachinidsp selected from a large series collected by himself at Carlisle Junction, Penn., which Withdrawn for publication elsewhere. - Revision of the N. A. Tachini-- ite sex because occasionally a male would seize another male or more rarely a female would seize another female. Unlike certain other insects the female of this species takes as active a part in looking for her mate as does the males as is proven 1 >v the fact that in a number of instances a female would seize and endeavor to mate with a tired male. In some few instances one female mated with two different males but as far as the observa- tions went no male mated more than once. During copulation the wings are held close against the body or but slightly above it ; the legs are spread rather far apart, the fore extending anteriorly, the middle at right angles with the body and the hind distinctly posteriorly. Copulation occupies about 65 seconds and is accomplished by the two individuals facing in opposite directions. The hy- popygidium of the male extends over the knob at the base of the sheath, the cochlearii grasp the sides of the knob after tl it- fashion of a ball and socket joint, while the preputii and penis are inserted in the opening at the base of the sheath. When mating is completed the female endeavors to free herself of the male by using the hind legs and saw or if unsuccessful at first the sheath is used. There is apparently no expansion or contraction of the muscles of the stipes. After mating both sexes "dress" their abdomen with their hind legs. PTERONIDEA VENTRALIS (SAY). I have never had an opportunity to observe the mating of this species, and the notes here given are taken from a pair captured in coitu (and remaining connected) by C. T. Greene at Plum- mer's Island, Md., July 2, 1912, and from pictures taken at Plui ti- mer's Island, Md., by H. S. Barber. Mr. Barber's photographs are very interesting and would lead one to infer that the female of this species may mate more than once and with different in- dividuals. From the attitude assumed by the male in figure 1 of plate XXII it is evident that the male is more excitable than the female. 198 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY From the pair secured by Mr. Greene the position assumed by certain parts of the genitalia may be described as follows: The hypopygidium fits over the knob at the base of the sheath while the cochlearii grasp the side of the same knob in the manner of a ball and socket joint. The position of the other parts cannot be seen. HYPARGYRICUS FUMIPENNIS (NORTON). Mr. J. C. Crawford captured a pair of this species in coitu. on Plummer's Island, Md., April 22, 1915, and notes that they were facing in the opposite directions. EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXII. Pteronidea ventralis (Say). A and B — Two perfect individuals, male and female, mating. C, D and E — female which has lost her flagelli being "courted" by three males. In D and E the female is mating with the male at the left. (Photographs by H. S. Barber at Plummer's Island, Md., on leaves of Salix niger). AMETASTEGIA GLABRATA (FALLEN), A HOLARGTIC SAWFLY. BY S. A ROHWER Branch Forest Insects, Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D. C. The "dock sawfly," Ametastegia glabrata (Fallen), has been known in America for many years and has heretofore been con- sidered as a native species. Whether it is a native holarctic species or whether it was introduced from Europe may never be decided, but it is very certain that the American and European specimens are morphologically identical and inasmuch as they have the same habits it is believed the following synonymy is justifiable. The European synonymy is copied from Enslin. AMETASTEGIA GLABRATA (FALLEN). Tenthredo glabrata F<en, Svensk. Vet.- Akad. Handl. 1808, p. 108. Tenthredo (Allantus) agilis Klug, Magaz. Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berlin, VIII, 1814, p. 208. mthredo (Allantus) rnfipes Lepeletier, Monog. Tenthred. 1823, p. 81. letastegiafulvipes A. Costa, Rend. Acad. Sc. Napoli, vol. 21, 1882, p. 198. oma Norton, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 9, 1862, p. Tr. Amer. Ent. Soc., vol. 2, 1868, p. 165; Provancher, Nat. Can., . 10, 1878, p. 165; Fauna ent. Canad., Hyin. 1883, p. 214; Jack, PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII. PLATE XXII. f B OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 199 Can. Ent., vol. 25, 1893, p. 183; Chittenden and Titus, Bui. 54, U. S. D. A. Bur. Ent. 1905, p. 40-43; Fletcher, 33d Ann. Kept. Ent. Soc. Ontario 1902 (1903) p. 86; 34th 1. c. 1903 (1904), p. 70; Harrington, 33d Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ontario 1902 (1903), p. 100; Webster. H. L., Jn. Econ. Ent., vol. 1, 1908, p. 310. gylogaster abnormis Provancher, Addit. fauna Can. Hyrn. 1885, p. 10; Dyar, Tr. Amer. Ent. Soc.', vol. 25, 1895, p. 311-312; Can. Ent., vol. 27, 1895, p. 340; Jn. N. Y. Ent, Soc., vol. 5, 1897, p. 199. TWO NEW SPECIES OF SIMULIUM FROM TROPICAL AMERICA. BY ALLAN H. JENNINGS, Bureau of Entomology. During 1913 a commission headed by Dr. Louis W. Sambon was sent from England to the West Indies and adjoining regions to investigate pellagra and its manner of transmission. Through invitation the writer was able to accompany this expedition with the special object of investigating the insects that might have a bearing on the transmission of the disease. Special attention was given to Simulium and among the material collected were the two new species described below. I am much indebted to Mr. Knab for assistance in this connection. Details of the biol- ogy of these species will be published in another place. Simulium samboni new species. Female. Occiput, frons and face black, densely light silvery gray pollinose. Antenna; rather stout, brownish yellow, darker distally, I lie first two joints honey yellow and smooth, the others clothed with short whitish pile. Palpi blackish. Mesonotum bright orange-ferruginous, with four narrow, pollinose, grayish-silvery stripes, the miter ones at the lateral margins, the inner pair sinuate, extending nearly to the scutellum and dividing the disk into three nearly equal parts; vestiture of fine, evenly distributed golden hair-scales not forming regular series. Scutellum paler than mesonoturn, honey yellow; transverse hair-scales on the disk golden, the marginal bristles black. Postnotum ferruginous. IMeiine ocher-yellow, strongly infuscated on the mesosternum. Abdomen sub- cylindrical, black and gray; segments '2 to "> black and with the margins and two longitudinal stripes gray, thus delimit ing three series of large black spots; sixth segment shining, mostly gray. Anterior co\;r yellow, the others infuscated. Legs bright ocher-yel|o\\ , the hind pair with the apices of the femora infuscated and the distal halves of the tibia- blackish, their basal halves with whitish luster: front tarsi blackish, the first joint tinged basally with luteous; mid tarsi with the first joint pale, its distal fourth blackish, the second joint pale on basal half, the last three joints wholly blackish; hind tarsi with the first joint pale, infuscated along its lower margin and on apical third, the second joint pale on basal half, the last three joints wholly blackish; appressed hair-scales partly pah- ami partly black, in correspondence with the ground-color. Claws simple, thickened at base. Wings hyaline, the venation normal; thick veins pale yellow; anal field without iridescent spot. Hal teres pale yellow. Length: Body about 1.5 mm., wing 2 mm. 200 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Male. Holoptic. Antennae much more slender than in the female, Mesonotum strongly convex, the silvery pollinose ornamentation reduced to two short wedge-shaped spots at anterior margin and visible only in certain lights. Empire, Canal Zone, Panama, reared from pupae taken from a small tributary of the Comacho River, October 4, 1913 (A. H. Jennings). Type: Cat. No. 19996, U. S. Nat. Mus. It gives me pleasure to dedicate this handsome species to Dr. Louis W. Sambon. Simulium antillarum new species. Female. Occiput, frons and face black, densely light silvery gray pol~ linose; frons moderately broad, but very slightly narrowed anteriorly, nearly parallel-sided. Antennae rather short, the first two joints ferrugin- ous and nude, the following ones blackish brown and clothed with short whitish pile. Palpi black. Mesonotum bright orange-ferruginous, the region of the humeri and the lateral margins ochreous yellow, a narrow, wedge-shaped dark spot at the lateral suture in front of insertion of wings; on the anterior half two narrow silvery white pollinose stripes, nearly equidistant from each other and from the lateral margins; these stripes are nearly straight, tapered anteriorly and do not reach the anterior margin; vestiture of very fine, evenly distributed black hairs not forming regular series. Scutellum more yellowish than mesonotum, with trans- verse yellowish hairs on the disk and a series of marginal black bristles. Postnotum ferruginous. Pleurae ochreous yellow, with some silvery pollinose streaks and with the mesosternum strongly infuscated. Abdo- men shining, blackish, tinged more or less with yellow-brown basally and distally, the apical margins of the segments very narrowly pale. Anterior coxae yellow, the others infuscated. All the femora yellow; tibiae more or less infuscated, the middle pair lightest, the posterior pair nearly black; tarsi blackish; femora with yellowish hair-scales, tibia? and tarsi mostly with black hairs. Claws simple, thickened at base. Wings hyaline, the venation normal, the costa infuscated and densely black spinulose, the other thick veins yellowish, a minute dark spot on the crossvein; a large but rather faint reddish iridescent area in the anal field. Halteres pale yellowish. Length: Body about 1.5 mm., wing 2 mm. Male. Holoptic. Antennas, much more slender than in the female. Mesonotum strongly convex, the two silvery pollinose marks shorter and broader. Abdomen siender, the first four segments ocher-yellow, the succeeding ones black. St. Croix, Danish West Indies, November, 1913; Hope River near Kingston and Roaring River close to the falls, Jamaica, September, 1913 (A. H. Jennings). Type: Cat. No. 19997, U. S. Nat, Mus. The material was mostly reared from pupae occurring in rapid streams in the above named localities. In St. Croix, on Novem- ber 24 and close by their breeding-place, two specimens were captured while biting man. Actual date of publication December 31, 1915. INDEX TO VOLUME XVII Abrenthia, n. gen., 87; cuprea, n. sp., 87. \iTnporcops strigifinitella, Life history of, 6; Hypopharynx of larva, 176. Address of the President, 58. Acroglossa hesperidarum, 41. Allodorus Foerster. Characters and table of species, 55; tomoxiae, n. sp., 55. \ini-tastegia glabrata, a holarctic sawfly, 198; synonymy of, 198. Andrena carlini, 146. Anomalon, Synonymy of the genus, 149. Aphididae, Intermediates in, 43. Aphis pomi DcGeer, On the occurrence of an intermediate in, 42. Apoidea, Visitors of Helianthus annuus corona- tus, 3; of Phaseolus lunatus, 4; Some from Virginia, 3. BAKER, A. C. AND TURNER, W. F.: On the oc- currence of an intermediate in Aphis pomi DeGeer, 42. Argresthia castanclla, n. sp., 90.; francisella, n. sp., 90. BANKS, XATHAX : A new species of Stenares, 144 ; A new species of Mycetaulus, 145; Miscel- laneous notes, 146. BARBER, H. S.: Migratory armies of Myrio- pods, 121, 189; Fragmentary notes on the life-history of the Myriopod, Spirobolus marginatus, 123; Macrosiagon flavipennis in cocoon of Bembex spinola?, 187; (Remarks on reproductive stages of Aphidids, 51). .Bassus carpocapsse, 142. Bees, Some from Virginia, 3; Visitors of Heli- anthus annuus coronatus, 3; Visitors of Phaseolus lunatus, 4. Bembex spinolse, 187. Bermuda Grass Odonaspis, 101. Biogeographical zones of X. A. insects, 112. Blastobasis eriobotryae, n. sp. 85. Borborus sp. transported by Canthon viridis, 40. Botanobia (Oscinis) proxima, 162. Brarhypalpus frontosus, pupa of, 147. Braconida?, Descriptions of , 55. Bucculatrix ilecella, n. sp., 91. BUSCK, A i <;L-ST: Descriptions of new Xorth American Microlepidoptera, 79. Caceecia lambertiana, n. sp., 86. Callicera johnsoni Hunter, Capture of, 1. Calliephialtes grapholithse, 133; thurberiae, n. sp., 132. Catolaccus hunteri, 166; incertus, lii.~>, 166. Catalogue of recently described Coccida' — V, 2.">. CAUDELL, A. X.: Rhabdoblutta brunneonigra, A new cockroach from China, 94; Three interesting Orthoptera from the vicinity of Washington, D. C., 189. Cephenomyia, A new species from the I i States, 169; pratti, n. sp., 170. Cephidae, A remarkable new genus of, lit. Cerambycida>, On a new genus and two new species of, 77. Cerambycid larvae, Review of Hcnriksen's paper on, 127. Cerambycobius cushmani, 165; cyaniceps, 165, 167. Ceratoacarus, 146. Chilosia, An eastern with hairy eyes, 168; pri- moveris, n. sp., 168. Chloropidas, Xotes on Xorth American, 158. Chloropisca, 162; glabra, 158; parviceps, n. sp., 158. Chonaphe armata, 189. Chrysopa interrupts, 146. Cnephalomyia floridana, 41. Coccida?, Catalogue of recently described — V, 2"). COCKERELL, T. D. A., Notesof Some bees from Virginia, 3. Cockroach, A new from China, !U. Cocoons spun by Rhynchophorous larva-, l.~>t. Ccelogasterlituratus, cocoon of larva, 155: dung- bearing larva of, 193. Coleophora acamtopappi, n. sp., .">7: manitol.a. n. sp., 88; sua?dii', n. sp., 88; veronunOla, Hypopharynx of larva, 17ti. Commensalism in Desmomctopa, 117. Coquillettina, n. gen. 104; plankii, n. sp., 105. CRAIGHEAD, F. C., A ivview of Henrik.-rnV Cerambycid larvae in Daiimark1.- Fauna, Biller III, 127. CRAWFORD, J. ('.: A new species of the m-uu^ Secodella, 100; The genus Secodolla in Xorth America, 142; (Remarks on unusual color of hornet's nests, 148). Cryptoccrcus puuct ul:it u>, lvl Culex territans attacking a fn Curculionida> and their product.- u.-c.l in food and medicine, 1.">1. Curculionid larva-, SIM -ivt inns employed in co- coon-making, 1")1. iluiin-ln-arni!i, l!i:!. .1. J.: Acriiccici>|i- Mrinitiiiitrlla .-, ti; Some modifications of the h.\- popharynx in lepidopterOUS laivii1. 1~:''. Desni' ' 'ommensalism in, 117. Dichonini- vacciniclla, n 3p., 83. 201 202 INDEX Diprion lecontei, Mating habits of, 196. Diptera, parasitic, Notes on, 24; Note on the Spallanzaniine, 41. Note on the family Oes- trophasiidae, 53. Dipterological miscellany, 38. Dung-bearing weevil larvae, 193. Ectsedemia heinrichi, Hypopharynx of larva, 175. Edible weevils, 154. Ennyomma clistoides mesensis, n. n., 110; clistoides sierricola, n. subsp., Ill; robusta madera, n. subsp. 110; robusta neomexicana, n. n., 110. Ennyommopsis, n. gen., 109. Entomological Society of Washington, Election of officers for 1915, 42; Establishment of publication fund, 126; Address of the Presi- dent, 58; Election of delegates to second Pan-American Scientific Congress, 190. Entomology, Medical, Some observations on, 58. Erigorgus, Synonymy of the genus, 150. Ethmiaprattiella, n. sp., S5;zavalla, n. sp., 84. Eucordylea gallicola, n. sp., 81. Eulcewia, n. gen., 109; madrensis, n. sp., 109. Euura macgillivraryi, Mating habits of, 197. Exoristoides Coq., On the genus, 96; johnsoni, 97; slossona?, 97. FISHER, W. S.: One new genus and two new species of Cerambycidse, 77. Fontaria brunnea, 122; coriacea, 123; virgin- iensis, 122. GAHAN, A. B.: Notes on two parasitic Diptera, 24. Gaurax, Key to species, 160; splendidus, n. sp., 161. Gypsy Moth, Possible poisoning insectivorous birds in the war against, 2. Gnorimoschema gibsoniella, n. sp., 82, petrella, n. sp., 83. Gracilaria sp., Hypopharynx of larva, 175. GREENE, C. T., Capture of Callicera johnsoni Hunter, 1. HALL, MAURICE C., A note in regard to Tri- chodectes hermsi, 186. Helicobia helicis, 24. Henriksen's paperon Danish Cerambycid larvae, reviewed, 127. Homalactia, Description of the genus, 97; harringtoni, 96. Plomaspis, Notes on the genus, 133; nigripes, n. sp., I:M HOOD, ,1. Doiui.As: An interesting case of antenii.i! antigcny in Thysanoptera, 128. HOPKINS, \. I).: Noti-s on Ipidtr with descrip- tion ol •! new lli.i! onotus uhlnii. Xotrs on tin- liahits :unl anatomy, 179; l;irv;i of, 1S1. Hornet's nest, Uni .'-of, 148. HOWARD, L. O.: On possible poisoning of in- sectivorous birds in the war against the Gypsy Moth, 2; An unusual color in a hor- net's nest, 148. HUNTER, W. D.: Address of the President: Some observations on medical entomology, 58; A new species of Cephenomyia from the United States, 169. Hylotrupes juniperi, n. sp., 77. Hypopharnyx in lepidopterous larvae, Modifi- cations of, 173. Hymenoptera, parasitic, A few notes on the habits of, 164; Mating habits of some saw- flies, 195. Hypargyricus fumipennis, Mating habits of, 198. Hypera punctata, cocoon of larva, 155. HYSLOP, J. A., Notes on the habits and anat- omy of Horistonotus uhlerii, 179. Ichneumonidse, Descriptions of new, and taxi- nomic notes, 132. Incurvaria cockerelli, n. sp., 93; cyanella, n. sp. 92; gillettella, n. sp. 91; itoniella, n. sp. 92: sedella, n. sp. 93. Insectivorous birds, Possible poisoning of in the war against the Gypsy Moth, 2. Insects, Importance of in transmission of dis- ease, 58; Biogeographical zones of North American, 112. Intermediates in Aphis pomi, 42; in other Aphi- dids, 43; in Phylloxera, 43. Ipidae, Notes on with description of a new spe- cies, 54. Ips concinnus and allied species, Table of, 54: radiatae, n. sp. 54. JENNINGS, ALLAN H.: Two new species of Simulium from tropical America, 199. KNAB, FREDERICK, Dipterological miscellany, 38; Commensalism in Desmometopa, 117, The secretions employed by Rhynchophor- ous larvae in cocoon-making, 154; Dung- bearing weevil larvse, 193. KOTINSKY, JACOB: The Bermuda Grass Odo- naspis, 101. Labidostomma, 146. Lagoa crispata, Hypopharynx of larva, 176. Larinus mellificus, 152; nidificans, 152, syriacus, 152. Lepidopterous larvse, Some modifications of the Hypopharynx in, 173. Macrocentrus aegt'ria-, n. sp., 56. Mucrosiagon flavipennis in cocoon of Bembex spinolae, 187. MALLOCH, J. R.: Notes on North American Chloropid:i-, I ">V Marmara pomoncllu. n. sp., 89; serotim-lla, n. sp., 89. Mauromyia pulhi, Si>\u;il dimorphism in, 190. INDEX 203 Medical entomology, Some observations on, 58. Megachile petulans, female of, 4. Melanoplus collinus, 189; punctulatus, 189. Memythrus perlucidus, n. sp., 80. Merapioidus villosus, Captures of, 147. Metachseta helymus, parasite of Leucania uni- puncta, 24. Microlepidoptera, Descriptions of new North American, 79. Mnemonica auricyanea, Hypopharynx of larva, 17.5. Monoblastus caliroo1, 135. Mosquitoes attacking a frog, 99. Musca lepne Linn6, 39. Mycetaulus pulchellus, n. sp., 145. Myiophasia, Revision of, 107; setigera oregon- ensis, n. subsp., 111. Myiophasiina3, Synopsis of, 108; Geographical distribution of, 111. Myriopods, Migrating armies of, 121, 189. Xeophylax snyderi, Description of female, 56. Xeophyto nocturnalis, n. sp., 162. Notopygus scutellatus, n. sp., 134. Odonaspis ruthse, n. sp., 102. < >( strophasiidse, The family, and other notes, 53. Omorgus (Campoplex) Table of species, 137; ferrugineipes, n. sp., 138; phthorimaese, n. sp., 138; tortricidis, n. sp., 137. < )pliioninae, Some generic corrections in, 149. Orthoptera, Three interesting species from tin- vicinity of Washington, D. C., 189. Oxybelus quadrinotatus, Nesting habits of, 74. Papaipema nitela, Hypopharynx of larva, 176. Parasitic Diptera, Notes on, 24. Parasitic Hymenoptera, A few notes on the habits of, 164. Paratimia, n. gen., 77; conicola, n. sp., 78. PARKER, J. B., Notes on the nesting habits of some solitary wasps, 70. PARKER, H. L.: Pupa of Brachypalpus fronto- sus Lw., 147. Perigaster obscurus, dung-bearing larva of, 193. Philopotamus distinctus, apterous females of, 146. Phoresy, A case of, 40. Phylloxerid;p, Intermediates in, 43. Phytonomus punctatus, 155. PIERCE, \V. DWIGHT,: The uses of certain weevil and weevil products in food and medicine, 151. PIERCE, W. DWIGHT, and (VXIIMAN, H. A.: A few notes on the habits of parasitic Hymenop- tera, 164. Plesiothrips, n. gen., 129, perplexus, 129. Prodoxus, Note on the genus, 94; barbcrella, n. sp., 93. Prosmoridea, n. gen., 141. Psacaphora cambiella, n. sp., 81. Psammophila violaceipennis, Nest ing habits of, 70. Pseudochlorops, A synonym of Chloropisca, 162. Pseudogaurax, n. gen., 159. Pseudogonia ruficauda, 41. Pteronidea ventrali.s, Mating habits of, 1!I7. Rana catesbeiana attacked by Culex territans, 99. Recurvaria alnifructella, n. sp., 82. Rhabdoblatta brunneonigra, A new cockroach from China, 94. Rhipiphoridse, Life-history of some, 187. Rhynchophorous larva?, Secretions employed in cocoon-making, 154. ROHWER, S. A.: Descriptions of Bracoriida-. 55; A remarkable genus of Cephida>, 114; The mating habits of some sawflies, 195; Ametastegia glabrata (Fall6n) a holarctic sawfly, 198. ROHWER, S. A., GAHAX, A. B., AND CUSH.MAN. R. A.: Some generic corrections in the Ophioninse, 149. RTSSELL, II. M.: Announcement of death of, 190. Sarcophaga helicis, parasiteof Stagmomantis, 24. S \^SCER, E. R.: Catalogue of recently described —V, 25. Sawflies, Mating habits of some, 195. Secodella, A new species of the genus, 100; argyresthia, n. sp., 100. Key to females. 142; acrobasis, n. sp., 143; cushmani, n. sp., 142; rugosa, n. sp., 143, viridis, n. sp., 144 Sesiid larva, Hypopharynx of, 17V MI \\NON, R. ('.: Mnsiiuitoes attacking a frog, 99; Capture of the Syrphid fly, Merapioidus villosus Bigot, 147; An eastern ( 'hilosia with hairy eyes, 168; Eastern Symphoromyifl attacking man, 188. Sistalphus curculionis, 164, 167. Simuliuin, Two new species of, from tropical Ameriea, 1'iii; samboni n. sp., 199, antil- larum n. sp., 200. Solitary wasps, Notes on the nesting habits of some, 70. Spallanzaniine Hies, Notes on, 41. >P:M r.aniit l.is albicaudana, n. sp., 85;ferreana, Q. SP Sphex urnaria. Nesting habits cif, 75. Spirohdlii- mars-mat ii.>, Nuteson life-history of, 123. Stenaree eompletus, n. sp., HI Sym -a iHivimundi, n. sp., 84. Sympliorniiiyia, Evolution of blood-BUCking habit in. 38; Eastern, ati n-Uinn man, 188; lurtu, 188. Synte\is, n gen., \\->: libocedrii, n. sp., ll.'i. Syrphus tislieri, 146. 204 INDEX Tachinkhr, A new and interesting genus of North American, 104; A new nocturnal species of, 162. Telea polyphemus, Anatomy of lower lip of larva, 178. Therion, Synonymy of the genus, 149. Thysanoptera, An interesting case of antennal antigeny in, 128. Tortrix (Cacoecia) lambertiana, n. sp., 86. TOWNSEND, C. H. T., Note on Spalanzaniine flies, 41; The Ocstrophasiidse and other notes, 53; Revision of Myiophasia, 107. Trehala manna, an edible substance, 151. Trematopygus caliroae, 135; eriocampoididis, n. sp., 135. Trichodectes hermsi, A note in regard to, 186. TURNER, W. F. and BAKER, A. C.: On the occurrence of an Intermediate in Aphis pomi DeGeer, 42. Vespula maculata, Unusual color of nest of. 148. WALTON, W. R.: On the genus Exoristoides Coq. (Tachinidee), 96; A new and interesting genus of North American Tachinidae, 162; The Tachinid fly Mauromyia pulla and its sexual dimorphism, 190. Wasps, Notes on the nesting habits of some solitary, 70. Weevils and weevil products, Uses of in food and medicine, 161. Xenoschesis, Notes on the genus and synonymy, 139; gracilis, n. sp., 141; slossonae, n. sp., 140. Xiphydria maculata, Mating habits of, 195. Zelleria haimbachi, n. sp., 91. ERRATUM Page 55, line 3 from bottom, for "Vol. V, no. 1, 1902," read "Vol. VII, nos. 2-3, 1906." ANNOUNCEMENT Separates of all the important papers published in the PROCEED- INGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON and a num- ber from other journals are for sale at approximately two cents per page (no article less than ten cents). They can be had by apply- ing to the Corresponding Secretary of the Entomological Society. U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. No receipt will be mailed for the sale of printed matter unless especially requested. OF SPECIAL INTEREST LECONTE, J. L. Synopsis of the Species of Clivina and allied Genera inhabiting the United States 20 CROTCH, S. R. A check list of Coleoptera of America north of Mexico with Supplement (in bound covers and annotated) 1 . 00 LINELL, M. L. Descriptions of New Species of North American Coleoptera of the Families Cerambycidae and Scarabaeidae 15 On the Coleopterous Insects of the Galapagos Islands ... .25 Description of Some New Species of North . American Heteromerous Coleoptera 10 New Genera and Species of North American Curcul- ionidae -.20 PRELL, HEINRICH. Revision of the Dynastinen-Genus Heterogomphus 25 SCHAEFFER, CRAB. A Few New Coleoptera of the Genus Ditoma with notes on Other Colydiidae 10 Additions to the Carabidae of North America with Notes on Species Already Described 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS NUMBER BARBER, H. S. : Macrosiagon flavipennis in cocoon of Bembex spinolce. 187 BARBER, H. S. : Migrating armies of myriopods. (A correction) . 189 CATJDELL, A. N. : Three interesting Orthoptera from the vicinity of Washington, D. G 189 .DEGRTSE, J. J. : Some modifications of the hypopharynx in lepidopt- erous larvae 173 HALL, M. C. : A note in regard to Trichodectes hermsi 186 HTJNTER, W. D. : A new species of Cephenomyia from the United States 169 HYSLOP, J. A.: Notes on the habits and anatomy of Horistonotus uhlerii Horn 179 JENNINGS, ALLAN H.: Two new species of Simulium from tropical America ' 199 KNAB, FREDERICK : Dung-bearing weevil larvae 193 ROHWER, S. A. : The mating habits of some sawflies 195 ROHWER, S. A.: Ametastegia glabrata (Fallen), a holarctic sawfly 198 SHANNON, R. G. : Eastern Symphoromyia attacking man 188 WALTON, W. R. : The tachinid fly Mauromyia pulla Coq. and its sexual dimorphism. 190 3 9088 00908 0235