G ^ ? ? 1/ ■ ^e>-3o HARVARD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY 0 2> I, 5~(c SxX^ruAjdt i]^/yiA^Qjur 13, MAR 19 1923 A Journal of Entomology Volume XXIX 1922 Edited by Charles T. Brues Published by the Cambridge Entomological Club, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass., U. S. A. Printed by The St. Albans Messenger Company St. Albans, Vermont Arn 13 1922 A I, Jfsin PSYCHE A JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY Established in 1874 VOL. XXIX FEBRUARY, 1922 ""X .-T'\ •-.l Cr‘5 fbdl I o<5 '•''fllSk 1 i ff. > r~C\ HSUUaJi fe . / ^ • NO. 1 Eggs of Three Cercopidae. . G. W. Barber & W. O. Ellis 1 A New Species of New England Coleoptera. C. A . Frost The Embolemid Genus Pedinomma in North America. C. T. Brues A New Schendyloid Chilopod From Mexico. Q R. V. Chamberlin Parasitic Hymenoptera from the Fiji Islands. C. T. Brues ‘ ‘ ’ Evidences of Relationship Indicated by the Venation of the Fore Wings of Certain Insects with Especial Reference to the Hemiptera Homoptera. 23 G. C. Crampton The Seal of the Cambridge Entomological Club 42 A. P. Morse Cs. CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB President . OFFICERS FOR 1922 W. M. Wheeler Vice-President . L. R. Reynolds Secretary . . J. H. Emerton Treasurer . . F. H. Walker Executive Committee Nathan Banks , W. L. W. Field, P. G. Bolster EDITORIAL BOARD OF PSYCHE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF C. T. Brues, Harvard University ASSOCIATE EDITORS C. W. Johnson, Nathan Banks, Boston Society of Natural History. Harvard University. A. L. Melander, A. P. Morse, Washington State College. ■ Wellesley College. J. H. Emerton, J. G. Needham, Boston, Mass. Cornell University. W. M. Wheeler, Harvard University. PSYCHE is published bi-monthly, the issues appearing in February, April, June, August, October and December. Subscription price, per year, payable in advance: $2.00 to subscribers in the United States, Canada or Mexico, foreign postage, 15 cents extra. Single copies, 40 cents. Cheques and remittances should be addressed to Treasurer, Cambridge Entomological Club, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass. Orders for back volumes, missing numbers, notices of change of address, etc., should be sent to Cambridge Entomological Club, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass. IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS. Manuscripts intended for publication, books intended for review, and other editorial matter, should be addressed to Professor C. T. Brues, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston to’ Mass. Authors contributing articles over 8 printed pages in length will be required to bear a part of the extra, expense for additional pages. This expense will be that of typesetting only, which is about S2.00 per page. The actual cost of preparing cuts for all illustrations must be borne by contributors: the expense for full page plates from line drawings is approximately $5.00 each, and for full age half-tones, $7-50 each; smaller sizes in proportion. AUTHOR’S SEPARATES. Reprints of articles may be secured by authors, if they are ordered before, or at the time proofs are received for corrections. The cost of these will be furnished by the Editor on appli- cation. Entered as second-class mail matter at the Post Office at Boston, Mass. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1017 authorized on June 29, 1918. APB la 1922 PSYCHE VOL. XXIX. FEBRUARY 1922 No. 1 EGGS OF THREE CERCOPIDdE. By Geo. W. Barber and Vm. 0. Ellis. Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture. In Eastern Massachusetts, Philcenus leucophthalmus Linn, and Philcenus lineatus Linn which Prof. Herbert Osborn (Bull. 254, Me. Agri. Exp. Sta. 1916) has designated as the Meadow Froghopper and the Grass-feeding Froghopper respectively, are undoubtedly the most numerous species of Spittle insects. Philaronis bilineata (Say) is also found, sometimes in large num- bers, usually on grasses, near or on the extensive salt marshes of this region. In August 1921, the writers confined adults of these three species in separate lantern-globe cages in which plants of Setaria cglauca were growing. This grass was used because it was near at hand — not because these insects had showed any partiality for it as a food plant. Eggs were easily obtained in this way, and the method of oviposition was found to agree exactly with that observed during 1920 when eggs of P. leucophthalmus Linn, were obtained in confinement and found in the field on Tansy, Tanacelum vulgare. Oviposition of these three species is very similar indeed. Individual eggs nearly agree both in shape and in color and are deposited in the same manner. The eggs are laid in single rows, side by side, in numbers of from 2 to 24. Individual eggs are imbedded in, and the entire mass is surrounded with a white, frothy appearing material which is tough and inelastic and securely holds the individual eggs so that they can be dissected from it only with difficulty. This protective material is more plentiful about the edges of the mass and becomes sparse at the top and bottom where the mass lies in close contact with the stem and sheath of the plant. 2 Psyche [February The eggs are inserted between the stem and the leaf sheath at a point where the sheath adheres closely to the stem, the mass lying parallel with and very near to the edge of the sheath. It is evident from all the egg masses thus far observed that the female does not^thrust her ovipositor thru any portion of the plant tissue, Fig. I. A, P hilar onia bilineata (Say), egg mass; a, egg of same; B, Philaenus lineatus Linn. eggs in situ; b, egg of same; C, Philaenus leucophthalmus Linn, egg mass; c, egg of but merely inserts the eggs between the stalk and leaf sheath. Frequently the masses can be seen thru the leaf sheath, particu- larly when the latter is dried. Sometimes a portion of the mass can be seen exposed along the edge of the sheath. 1922] Barber — Eggs of Three Cercopidce 3 Individual eggs are smooth, shining, slightly flattened, more than two times as long as wide, one end tapering, the other bluntly rounding; sides each convexly curved or with one side slightly incurved. They are light yellow in color, usually with a slight lemon tinge. Prof. Osborn (ibid 1916) described and figured the eggs of P. leucophthalmus Linn, dissected from the female adult. Our description nearly coincides with his. Philcenus lineatus Linn.1 Egg; Length. 98 mm; Width .37 mm. Protecting material only moderately abundant to sparse; individual eggs scarcely separated Eggs per mass 2 to 24. Philcenus leucophthalmus Linn. Egg: Length 1.03 mm; Width .39 mm. Protecting material abundant; individual eggs slightly separated. Eggs per mass 2 to 18. Philaronia bilineata (Say.) Egg: Length 1.22 mm; Width .42 nmm. Protecting material abundant; individual eggs more noticeably separated by protect- ing material. Eggs per mass 5. iSince this paper has been in the hands of the publisher there has appeared a study of Philaenus linealus Linn., (Philip Garmon, Conn. Agri. Expt. Sta. Bulletin 230, in which the eggs are described. 4 Psyche [February A NEW SPECIES OF NEW ENGLAND COLEOPTERA. By C. A. Frost, Framingham, Mass. Cantharis ( Telephorus ) andersoni, sp. nov. Size and form of rotundicollis Say. Color entirely testaceous except for the following black, or at least dark piceous areas: the outer joints of antennae, a diamond-shaped spot on the vertex a spot between the front coxae and one on each side of the gular suture, the meso and metasternum, the greater part of the first six ventral segments, the hind tibiae and generally the middle tibiae and the distal ends of the hind femora, a dark spot occa- sionally on the middle femora above at the knees, the scutellum generally dark and sometimes black, the tarsi more or less dark especially beneath. Head sparsely punctured and pubescent, tumid between and in front of the antennae, with a transverse impression above each antenna, the second joint of which is short and the rest subequal. Thorax orbicular, nearly smooth and sparsely pubescent; front and side margins translucent and reflexed, more deeply concave at the sides before the middle, the tumid cordiform area of the disk abruptly limited by a deep groove in front of the hind margin of the thorax, the median impressed line faintly indicated at the middle becoming deeper and broadly triangularly depressed behind. Elytra more densely pubescent with yellowish hairs, smooth (finely punctured at the insertions of the hairs) at the base, becoming gradually strongly granulato-rugose to the apex. Beneath finely punctured and pubescent, more sparsely so on the abdomen. Anterior claw on all the tarsi with a basal tooth which is more slender and with the inner edge more curved on the hind and middle ones. Length 11 to 13 mm. The sexual characters are as usual not strongly indicated. The male antennae are slightly longer, the second joint being- shorter in comparison with the third, and the basal tooth of the claw on the anterior tarsi are broader than in the female; the seventh segment of the abdomen is broadly emarginate, ex- posing an eighth segment, in the male. 1922] Frost — A New Species of New England Coleoptera 5 There seems to be little variation in the 13 males and 8 females from Belmont, Mass., or in the two males and four females from Mt. Desert Island, Me. One of the females has the elytra distinctly darker and in another the occipital spot is obsolete. The dark portions of the 5th and 6th abdominal segments show a tendency to vanish on the median line behind and almost disappear in some of the males. This species belongs near rotundicollis but can easily be dis- tinguished by the color, orbicular thorax and sculpture of the elytra. Specimens of both these species were sent to Dr. Horn of Berlin, Germany, who writes that they are distinct from known European forms although the present species slightly resembles obscura L. The species was first brought to my attention by a specimen in some material sent me in the summer of 1920 by Mr. C. S Anderson to whom the species is dedicated. On May 28 he took 50 specimens at Belmont, Mass. May 18, 1921, a few specimens were seen and on May 20 he made a special visit there without success. On May 22 he found them present in great numbers on Japanese barberry, and also in lesser numbers on grasses and other plants; 72 were taken, and 50 more on the 25th. The owner of the estate said they had first been noticed in 1918 but in much less numbers. A few scattered specimens were noticed in Arlington in June and July. Mr. G. C. Wheeler took two specimens in Forest Hills on English elms. Mr. C. W. Johnson took one specimen on July 18, 1919 at Jordan’s Pond on Mt. Desert Island, Me., and on June 7 and 8, 1921 he found it very common around hedges and on fences at Bar Harbor on the Island. Like the parallel case of C. neglectus Fall (which is, however, much less strikingly differentiated from its congener carolinus with which it was undoubtedly confused) we have here a still stranger and more sudden appearance in numbers of an undes- cribed species of this genus in these comparatively well-collected regions. It would seem to have been extremely rare or local to have escaped the notice of Dr. Harris, Frederick Blanchard 6 Psyche [February and the many other assiduous collectors who have diligently combed this section of New England. Paratypes are in the collections of Mr. H. C. Fall, C. S. Anderson, Col. T. L. Casey, U. S. National museum, Boston Soc. Nat. History, Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cam- bridge, and the National Museum at Ottawa, Canada. THE EMBOLEMID GENUS PEDINOMMA IN NORTH AMERICA. By Charles T. Brues. Bussey Institution, Harvard University. Several years ago Dr. Joseph Bequaert showed me a strange wingless Hymenopteron that had been collected by Air. Wm. T. Davis on Staten Island, New York in 1910. Neither of us was able to recognize it at the time and he kindly allowed me to re- tain the specimen for closer study. During early May of the present year, when collecting insects in the Stony Brook Reser- vation near Boston, Mass., Professor W. M. Wheeler found a second specimen beneath a stone which I saw at once was exactly similar to the one obtained by Mr. Davis. During the remainder of the afternoon we searched carefully for further specimens in the neighborhood, but were unsuccessful. The insect proves to be a species of Pedinomma, a genus described nearly a century ago by Westwood1 and not known outside of Europe till 1912 when Kieffer2 described as P. angus- tipenne a species obtained by Prof. F. Silvestri at Coipue in Chile. The North American specimens agree quite closely with Westwood’s European species, Pedinomma rufescens as nearly as I can ascertain from descriptions which have been given by several writers3, but it does not seem probable on account of its wingless condition that our American species can be identical with the palcearctic one. 'Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 6. p. 496 (1833). 2Bol. Lab. Zool. Gen. Portici, vol. 6, p. 174. 3 Westwood (loc. cit.) . Forster, Keiffer and Marshall. 7 1922] Brues — The Genus Pedinomma in North America Pedinomma 1 near cti cum sp. nov. , 14mm.; No. 2, 8 mm.; No. 3, 6 mm.; and No. 4, 5 mm. In each cell at about two millimeters from the inner wall was suspended from above by means of a fine thread about a millimeter in length a white, glistening egg. The egg, which resembled almost exactly eggs of other members of this genus which I have observed, was about 2.5 mm. long, subcylindricab concave dorsally (?) and convex ventrally (?) (Fig. 3). In some cells it hung freely; in others, where the provisions were more tightly packed, it was pushed firmly against the upper wall of the cell. Cell No. 1 was provided with ten caterpillars, No. 2 with six, No. 3 with three and No. 4 also with three. The cater- pillars were of uniform size, about 12 mm. long and all appeared to be of the same species, probably of the family Tortricidse- They were imperfectly paralyzed and responded to mechanical stimulus by quick, jerky movements of the abdomen. The head and thorax, however, seemed little capable of movement, the mouth parts and legs scarcely responding to the touch. It would seem then that the sting of the wasp must be introduced in the region of the thorax, thus bringing about partial paralysis of the parts which might tend to injure the egg or young wasp. The cells of the nest were separated by partitions one milli- meter in thickness, constructed of earth of a fine clayey consis- tency and moistened with water (and perhaps secretions) to form a cement which at first had a brownish color but became gray after drying. The partitions were not laid with precision transversely in the tube, but were often irregular with a slight oblique tilt. The inner surfaces of the partitions appeared more rough than the outer surfaces, due to their having been smoothed out by the wasp’s mandibles. In constructing these partitions the wasp first lays down the rim, flattening out her first lump of 4in designating the cells of a particular nest the numbers i, 2, 3 etc. refer to the order in which the cells were constructed by the wasp. Thus the innermost cell is no. 1, the next, no. 2 and so on. 52 Psyche [April mud between the mandibles and adding further material con- centrically within until only a minute opening remains. This she plugs with a small bit of mud and then apparently smooths out the surface of the whole. In the nest of wasp No. 2 a vacant space about 10 mm. long was left between the outermost oc- cupied cell and the entrance.5 The closure was flush with the surface of the entrance block; it was a plug of cement twice as thick as the partitions within and not smoothed off outwardly. The nest of wasp No. 3 was made in a tube which differed slightly from that shown in the figure (Fig. 1) in that the outer end of the tube was flush with the entrance, there being no en- trance block. In this nest the outermost cell reached the entrance of the nest, no empty space having been left by the wasp as in the former case. The glass tube had an inner diameter of only 5 mm. The wasp had adapted her construction to this smaller diameter by making the cells longer. The comparative lengths of the cells in this nest and the number of caterpillars provided in each were as follows: cell No. 1,-17 mm., 6 caterpillars; No. 2,-17 mm., 7 caterpillars; No. 3,-11 mm., 3 caterpillars; No. 4,-5. 5 mm., 3 caterpillars. The caterpillars appeared to be of two species and perhaps represented two families (Pyralidse and Tor- tricidse?) . The following tabulation gives the life histories of the wasps in nests 2 and 3. Nest No. 2. Date of Cell No. 1 Cell No. 2 Cell No. 3 Cell No. 4 $ N cf cfl Oviposition June 13 June 14(?) June 14(?) June 15(?) Hatching June 16 June 17 June 17 June 18(?) Cocoon spinning * June 23 June 23 June 23 Pupation June 30 June29(?) June 29(?) June 30 Imagination July 13 July 9(?) July 9 (?) July 10(?) Emergence July 15 July 11 July 11 July 11 Death Oct. 15 July 19 Oct. 15** Aug. 17 *This wasp curiously spun no cocoon, only a few loose threads. It became inactive June 25. **Death of this male may have been hastened by falling into the sirup, supplied as food. ^According to Roubaud (1916) such empty cells are evidently for the purpose of confusing parasites. 1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 53 Nest No. 3. Date of Cell No. 1 Cell No. 2 Cell No. 3 Cell No. 4 9(f) (?) c? d' Oviposition June 16(?) June 16 June 16 June 17 Hatching * June 19(?) June 19(?) June 20 Cocoon spinning ** June 24 June 25 Pupation June 29 June 30 Imagination July 10 July 10 Emergence July 14 July 11*** Death Oct. 6 Aug. 27 *Did not hatch. **Died June 22. ***Emergence probably premature ; cocoon broken open for observation. The above tables give the following as the lengths of the stages in the life of Ancistrocerus tardinotus : egg, 3 days; larva, 10-14 days; pupa, 11-14 days. The larger figure for the larval and pupal stages represents the length of these stages in the single female which reached maturity, from the innermost cell of nest No. 2. The other five individuals which matured from these two nests were all males. The eggs of this species, like those of other species noted here, show the first sign of hatching by a swelling of the chorion on one or both sides. This seems to be due to the flattening of the larva, the pleura becoming somewhat protuberant. (Fig. 4). The chorion then becomes ruptured at its anterior or lower end, and the minute larva by slow movements works about three- quarters of its body out. Thus suspended it remains for half or three-quarters of an hour during which time it appears to derive some nourishment through the integument of the caterpillars which it may be able to reach. Figure 5, sketched from an un- determined larva of Ancistrocerus illustrates the appearance of the larva in this position. Soon freeing itself from the chorion, the larva moves about actively, finally taking a position with its mouth closely applied to the integument of one of its caterpillars often just behind or near the thorax. At first it appears to feed 54 Psyche [April without biting the skin of its prey and its feeding is indicated only by the rhythmic movement of its body, but as it increases in size it may be seen to bite rather ferociously at its caterpillar, sinking its mandibles and even its entire head into the now lacerated body. Growth is rapid and usually the food is con- sumed to the last bit, even the heads being eaten by some of the more voracious individuals. When all the food is gone the larva may be observed moving about its cell, its mandibles constantly working along the walls. Whether it is searching for more food or attempting to begin its cocoon is not entirely evident. At any rate, the result of this activity seems to be that all the de- tritus in the cell, including the excrement of the caterpillars and whatever of the food supply may occasionally remain uneaten, becomes gathered at one end or along the lower wall of the cell, so that it does not interfere with the spinning of the cocoon. Before actually spinning the cocoon the Ancistrocerus larva makes a rather coarse-meshed network closely applied to the walls of the cell, entirely lining it and excluding all debris. The cocoon is variable in shape, irregularly cylindric-elliptical with one of its ends and its lower surface touching the walls of the cell, usually at the inner and lower end. It is tough, closely woven, translucent and semi-transparent, usually of a pale brownish tint with a slight silky lustre. Figure 2, though per- haps of a different species, illustrates the position of these cocoons in situ. Pupation does not take place immediately, the larva remaining quiescent in the cell for from five to seven days. As in most nidificating Hymenoptera which construct similar nests, the outermost occupant of the nest is the first to emerge, though it is necessarily the product of the most recent egg laid by the builder. All the males reach the adult stage at about the same time, but until the one nearest the entrance makes its escape, there appears to be no attempt on the part of the others to break out, though they often may have already broken from their cocoons and are free to emerge as soon as the way is clear. Once the first male has made its escape the others follow in rapid succession, the females only remaining after the males have been gone for some little time. 1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 55 In the species of Ancistrocerus which have come to my notice, the wasps which have developed from the innermost cells of a nest have been invariably females. These inner cells are always of greater capacity and more bountifully provisioned than the smaller, outer cells, which are destined to give forth males6. In a very painstaking study Fabre (1884) found a similar distribution of the sexes in the nests of certain solitary wasps and bees. Later Verhoeff (1892a, 1892b) made like ob- servations and gave the name proterothesie to this phenomenon. Bordage (1912) and Roubaud (1916) have found it also in solitary wasps of the Malagasy and Ethiopian regions. This dis- position of the males and females is supposed by authors to permit the males on emerging to fly about and thus come in contact with females from other nests, achieving cross-fertilization. In one of the nests which I had in confinement, however, (nest no. 2) one of the first two emerging males constantly sat at the entrance of the nest from which it had just escaped, apparently waiting for a female. The next wasp to emerge was another male; the new arrival was met with palpations of the antennae similar to those which precede copulation. In nature, however, this might not have occured. In- confinement copulation was witnessed. The female ap- parently copulates but once, as the one observed repeatedly rejected males after having been fecundated. The males, on the other hand, are apparently able to fertilize more than one female, since they make repeated attempts after their first mating. The tables given above show several instances of longevity among individuals of this species, both in males and in the single female, one individual of each sex living longer than three months. Whether the period of life would be as long under normal con- ditions of subsistence and expenditure of energy is perhaps questionable, but it seems highly probable that a single female lives sufficiently long to construct several nests of the type described in this paper. 6This difference in size is evidently the general rule. Aberrations have been noticed and one of these is shown in figure 2, where cell No. 2 is larger than No. 1. This condition seems to be exceptional. 56 Psyche [April Ancistrocerus capra de Saussure. The habits of this wasp have been recorded briefly by the Peckhams (1900), who describe three successive nests cons- tructed by this species in the mouthpiece of a tin horn. Their observations differ from mine in that they found the duration of the egg stage to be four days instead of two. These authors point out the similarity of the habits of this species to those of the European A. nidulator de Saussure, observed by Fabre (1891). The Raus (1918) have published observations on a nest made by capra in a woody elder twig, in which the innermost cell was of much greater capacity than the seven (one empty) additional cells, but no mention is made of the sex of the wasps reared from the nest. Observations of Rev. T. W. Fyles, reported b}^ Ash- mead (1894), show that this species provisions its nest with larvae of the larch saw-fly ( Lygceonematus erichsonii Iiartg.) Unfor- tunately I did not preserve any of the larvae used by capra, but I am almost certain that in this case they were lepidopterous rather than of saw-flies. It seems probable that species of An- cistrocerus do not limit themselves to a particular kind of cater- pillar, but avail themselves of whatever desirable food may be abundant. Nest No. 6. At 3:30 P. M. on June 20, I observed a large Ancistrocerus apparently just selecting her nesting place. She made repeated entrances, coming out each time and flying off for a short distance, apparently carrying nothing. She was possibly making a long distance locality study. Soon she began to bring in mud, out of which she constructed a basal partition at about 7 mm. from the interior end of the tube. During the cons- truction of this partition I took many liberties with the nest, removing the glass tube during the wasp’s absence and sometimes failing to get it replaced before she returned. She seemed little disturbed. Once, as she hovered before the window sill where her nest should have been I slowly placed it in front of her and she entered as though nothing had happened. Perhaps as a result of this interference, she abandoned her first partition and started another about 5 mm. from the first. When this was 1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 57 finished the wasp backed out of the tube, turned about and backed in presumably to oviposit, but strangely no egg was laid until half an hour later (5:30 P. M.). At six o’clock she brought in a caterpillar and suspended operations, remaining asleep in the cell all night. During the building of the partition described above, I re- moved a small stone which had been resting on the nesting block and placed it a few inches to one side of the nest while the wasp was away. On her return, instead of flying directly to the en- trance as she had been doing, she made for a position just beneath the misplaced stone. Discovering her mistake, she soon found her nest by flying about at a few inches from the wall. A little later, while examining the tube during the wasp’s absence, I placed the entrance block on the window sill at a short distance from its right position. The wasp returned and entered the hole in the entrance block. Finding nothing behind it, she retreated for some distance, and the nest meanwhile having been replaced, she then entered without hesitation. This would seem to in- dicate that certain objects, such as the stone, serve as guides to the wasp, but this and further observations show that the wasp is not helpless when such guides are removed, since after once finding her nest in the absence of the stone she apparently made use of other means to locate her nest. June 21 at 9:15 A. M. wasp No. 6 was carrying in mud. This she deposited and went off again returning with a drop of water shining at her mouth. She was apparently just finishing a partition, for she appeared at the entrance, came out and backed in, remaining within for three minutes to lay an egg. Oviposition finished, she appeared at the entrance and after ex- citedly waving her antennae, flew off. At this time I made a further test of her ability to locate her nest by placing a similar nesting block about five inches away from the original and marking it with the stone which had for- merly served as a guide. At 10:00 A. M. the wasp came back, bearing a large green caterpillar; she flew directly to the wrong nest, but did not enter, retreating from it and approaching it 58 Psyche [April several times, finally flying to a tree twenty feet distant. The stone was then replaced on the true nest. The wasp returned, still bearing her prey, tried the false nest as before, but almost immediately went to the right nest and entered. This wasp was captured for identification as she was about to complete her nest at 1 o’clock (June 21). Nest No. 7. Another Ancistrocerus capra was discovered constructing her nest on the same day at 5 P. M. Two hours later she had made a basal wall of mud, deposited an egg and was resting in the tube. During the mud-carrying operations of this wasp, I re- moved the stone which marked her nest and placed it six inches to one side. Returning, she flew directly for a point beneath the removed stone, discovered her error and flew along the wall in a horizontal direction, pausing before another nesting block, similarly located on an adjacent window ledge and similarly marked by a small stone. She hovered in front of this empty nest, still holding the lump of mud she was carrying, then sud- denly made a swift flight perpendicularly from the building? turned and made a bee line for her true nest, which she found without delay. The stone was not immediately replaced, but the wasp on subsequent trips entered her nest without hesita- tion, approaching it, however, in a perpendicular direction, instead of obliquely as she had done before her landmark had been misplaced. When the stone was replaced she continued to enter the nest without confusion. The second day of this wasp’s activities was extremely hot and humid. I had always believed that such a day would be particularly conducive to work with the wasps, and was surprised to find that this individual responded to the heat in much the same manner as her observer, for she remained in her nest the greater part of the day and brought in only three caterpillars? one in the early morning and two in the late afternoon. The following day (June 23) heavy clouds kept off the heat of the sun during the morning so that by ten o’clock four caterpillars had been stored. A half hour later the rim of the closing partition of 1922] Taylor — Biology of ITasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 59 a second cell had been made. The mid-day heat doubtless de- layed the closing of the entrance until about 4 P. M., when the wasp was captured before she had quite finished. The nests built by these two individuals of Ancistrocerus capra were similar to those described for A. tardinotus. As men- tioned above nest No. 6 had two basal partitions, one 7 mm. from the inner end of the tube and the second about 5 mm. from this. There were four cells, the first, between the two basal partitions, empty; the second, 28 mm. long, was provided with a suspended egg and four caterpillars; the third was 26 mm. in length and had the same amount of provisions with an egg; the fourth cell was 25 mm. long and quite empty, its closing partition, incom- plete, was about 12 mm. from the entrance. The entrance was not closed, as the wasp was captured before she had been able to do so. The inside diameter of the tube was 6 mm. Nest No. 7 contained a tube having an inside diameter of 7.5 mm. Its basal partition was constructed at about 15 mm. from the inner extremity of the tube. The first cell was 25 mm. long and contained its suspended egg and seven caterpillars; the second cell was empty, its length about 40 mm. and at about 8 mm. from its base was a very light rim of cement where the wasp had started and abandoned a partition. The closing partition of this long empty cell was about 12 mm. from the plug which closed the entrance, the latter being incomplete since the wasp was captured during its construction. I was unsuccessful in rearing the wasps from nest No. 6. The egg in cell No. 1 adhered to the wall of the tube, because of excessive moisture and did not develop. The second egg became detached from its filament, hatched in two days and lived two days longer, attaining a length of about 7.5 mm., when it suc- cumbed to the unfavorably moist conditions. The single egg in nest no. 7 hatched (June 23) also in two days, after having become detached from its hanging position. On June 28 it had reached a length of 15 mm. and was vigorously feeding on the remnants of its provisions. In feeding it held it- self in a curled up position, its back nearly forming a circle, the 60 Psyche [April piece of food held down against its ventral abdominal segments beneath its head. On June 29 it started spinning, but did not finish its cocoon until July 2. Six days later it pupated and on July 24 shed its pupal skin, emerging the next day. In captivity this wasp, a female, lived until August 22, nearly a month after emerging. The lengths of its stages were as follows: egg, 2 days; larva, 15 days; pupa, 16 days. Ancistrocerus albophaleratus de Saussure. Two nests built by wasps of this species came under obser- vation. Ashmead (1894) records it as having been bred from an oak gall in Massachusetts. Nest No. 14- This nest was started July 4 at about 4 P. M. The nest builder was observed rather constantly until July 10, when she was found dead within the entrance of her uncompleted nest. The preceding day had been rainy and may have brought about her untimely death, but the somewhat erratic construction of her nest may indicate that she was at the- end of her resources. Nest No. 21. This nest of albophaleratus was commenced July 19 and finished five days later. During a cool, wet day the wasp was inadvertently knocked from her nest, while she was apparently sleeping and lost in the grass. Although she re- turned the next day, her absence may have given an opportunity for a fly to enter her nest and deposit eggs, the larvse from which later destroyed the entire nest and its contents. The tube in which nest no. 14 was built had an inside diameter of 7.5 mm. Its inner end being completely closed, the wasp built no basal partition. The first cell was 18 mm. long and contained about 14 caterpillars; the second, 15 mm. in length, contained only six; the third cell, 16 mm. long, was empty; the fourth cell had a very imperfect basal partition, in which spaces had been left and was 10 mm. long. There was an egg suspended in this cell, but no caterpillars had been provided. It was in this cell that the wasp was found dead. A rim of mud about the periphery of its outer end showed that an attempt 1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus (31 had been made to close the cell. Evidently the wasp had been unable to provision this last cell and was in the act of closing it when she met her death. The tube utilized by the other wasp of this species (No. 21) had an inside diameter of 6 mm. The nest had three cells, the basal partition of the first having been built about 5 mm. from the plug of cotton which stopped the inner end of the tube. Cell No. 1, 30. mm. long, had 13 caterpillars, cell No. 2, 28 mm. long, had seven and cell No. 3, 13 mm. long, contained eight. All were provided with eggs suspended in the usual manner. The entrance to the nest had no closing plug, the outer wall of the third cell being about 12 mm. from the entrance and the space beyond it was entirely vacant. Only one wasp from these nests reached maturity, a female. The duration of the stages in her life was as follows; egg, 3 days; larva, 16 days; pupa, 13 days. The larva became inactive about six days after hatching and spun no cocoon. The imago lived thirty-five days. Miscellaneous Notes. Other nests built by undetermined species of Ancistrocerus were observed during the summer, but with most, because of parasites or other unfavorable conditions, the data obtained are too fragmentary to be of further use than to substantiate the findings on the species treated in more detail. In general the observations on these nests are consistent with what has already been recorded. Nests started later in the summer (four in number, built Aug. 8, 16, 17, and 22) have a somewhat different history. Instead of pupating a few days after spinning, individuals from these nests still remain as larvie during the winter and will probably not complete their development until the following June. Not a few nesting places presented evidence of nests having been started by wasps and abandoned in an incipient stage. In some basal partitions were made, never to be utilized. In two 62 Psyche [April tubes an initial cell was provided with an egg and several para- lyzed caterpillars and then abandoned. In both of these, eggs and caterpillars disappeared within a day, and the presence of ants in both leads me to believe that these depredators may have been guilty of the robbery. Whether the nests were abandoned by their builders before the incursions of these ants or whether the desertion was a result of their intrusion could not be deter- mined. The paralyzed caterpillars and the wasp egg would doubtless be attractive to these insects and it is not unlikely that the presence of a few worker ants in a nest would drive the owner away. Three nests of Ancistrocerus were infested by dipterous larvae. In one of these the eggs were very evidently deposited in the nest by the adult fly; the others may have been deposited on the caterpillars before they were brought to the nest. In all three nests the behavior of the fly larvae was the same — they devoured everything. After consuming the contents in one cell they broke through the mud partition and fed on the contents of the next and so on until the entire nest was destroyed. At- tempting to rear the adults for identification, I placed the pupae of these Diptera in glass tubes fitted with tight cotton plugs, thinking to prevent their escape. But the adults were evidently well provided with means for escaping from wasp’s nests, for on emerging they worked their ways through the cotton and were lost. An undetermined species of Chrysidid, which I shall men- tion elsewhere, was also associated with wasps of the genus Ancistrocerus observed during the summer of 1921. Summary and Conclusions. Observations on the three species of Eumenidae treated in this paper ( Ancistrocerus tardinotus Bequaert, A. capra de Saussure and A. albophaleratus de Saussure) bring out the fol- lowing facts concerning their biology. 1. These species appear to nest usually in suitable cracks and crevices adapted to their needs. 1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 63 2. The nests made by these wasps in glass tubes have the following characteristics : a. Tubes having diameters of from six to eight millimeters were utilized by the wasps. b. Nests consist of from one to four cells, these apparently varying in length conversely to the diameter of the tube, the inner cells being usually larger than the outer. The cells are separated by partitions of mud which the wasp makes by mixing fine sand and water. c. The cells are each provided with an egg, suspended by a filament from above and each contains from three to fourteen caterpillars; these are supplied after the egg has been deposited. 3. The caterpillars are paralyzed by the wasp by stinging probably at some point near the thorax. 4. From rather fragmentary evidence it appears that the larger, inner cells contain eggs which are destined to produce females, while the smaller, outer cells contain those which are to become males. 5. There are probably two generations of these wasps annually, the eggs of the first being laid from mid to late June, the adults from them appearing during the first half of July. The eggs of the second generation are laid during the latter part of July and the first of August, the wasps from them hibernating as larvae and probably emerging in June. 6. From the longevity of certain of these wasps in captivity it is concluded that the females live long enough to construct several nests of the sort described here. 7. The females are apparently guided to their nests by certain landmarks, but are not helpless when such landmarks are removed or distrubed. 8. Dipterous larvae, Chrysiclidae and perhaps ants have been observed as enemies of the species studied. 64 Psyche [April Literature Cited. 1894 Ashmead, W. H. The habits of the aculeate Hymenop- tera, IV, Psyche, 7, pp. 75-79. 1912 Bordage, E. Notes biologiques recueillies a File de la Reunion. Bull, scient. France et Belg., 7e ser., 46, pp. 29-91. 1882 Fabre, J. H. Nouveaux souvenirs entomologiques (Souvenirs entomologiques, ser. 2), pp. 77-98. Paris, Delagrave. 1884 Etudes sur la repartition des sexes chez les Hymenopteres. Ann. Sci. Nat., (6) Zool. 17, Art. 9, pp. 1-53. 1891 Souvenirs entomologiques, ser. 4, pp. 162- 190. Paris, Delagrave. 1895 Ferton, Ch. Observations sur Finstinct de quelques Hymenopteres clu genre Odynerus. Act. soc. Linn. Bor- deaux, 48, pp. 219-230. 1901-1921 Notes detachees sur Finstinct des Hymenopteres melliferes et ravisseurs. 1901, ser. 1,* Ann. Soc. ent. France, 70, pp. 83-148; 1902, ser. 2,* ibid., 71, pp. 499-531; 1905, ser. 3,* ibid., 74, pp. 56-104; 1908, ser. 4, ibid., 77, pp. 535-586; 1909, ser. 5,* ibid., 78, pp. 401-422; 1910, ser. 6*, ibid., 79, pp. 145-178; 1911, ser. 7,* ibid., 80, pp. 351-412; 1914, ser. 8*, ibid., 83, pp. 81-119; 1921, ser. 9,* ibid., 90, pp. 329-375. (The series marked with asterisks have notes on Eumenidse.) 1905 Hartman, C. Observations on the habits of some solitary wasps of Texas. Bull. Univ. Texas, 65 (Scient. ser., 6), pp. 1-72. 1912 Hungerford, H. B. and Williams, F. X. Biological notes on some Kansas Hymenoptera. Ent. News, 23, pp. 241- 260. 1913 Isley, D. The biology of some Kansas Eumenidse. Ivans. Univ. Sci. Bull., 7, pp. 335-309. 1900 Beckham, G. W. and E. G. Additional observations on the instincts and habits of the solitary wasps. Bull. Wis. Nat. Hist. Soc., 1 (new ser.), pp. 85-93. Psyche, 1922 Vol. XXIX, Plate IV 1 2 Taylor— Biology of Ancistrocerus 1922] Taylor — Biology of Wasps of Genus Ancistrocerus 65 1905 Wasps, social and solitary. Cam- bridge, Houghton-Mifflin. 1918 Rau, Phil and Nellie. Wasp studies afield. Princeton, Princeton Univ. Press. 1916 Roubaud, E. Recherches biologiques sur les guepes solitaires et sociales d’Afrique. La genese de la vie sociale et revolution de l’instinct maternel chez les Vespides. Ann. Sci. Nat. (9) Zool. 1916, pp. 1-160. 1892a VerhoefT, C. Neue und wenige bekannte Gesetze aus der Hymenopteren-Biologie. Zool. Anzeiger, 15, 362-370. 1892b Beitrage zur Biologie der Hymenop- tera. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. f. Syst., 6, pp. 680-751. Explanation of Plate IV. Fig. 1. Longitudinal section of nesting block, showing glass tube in position and nest no. 2 containing four cells, each with its egg and caterpillars. natural size.) Fig. 2. Nest built by Ancistrocerus sp. showing three cells with larvae in cocoons. natural size.) Fig. 3. Egg of Ancistrocerus sp. with suspending filament. (This and the next two figures enlarged about fifteen times). Fig. 4. Same egg as in figure 3, about to hatch. Fig. 5. Larva (just hatched from egg shown in figure 3) suspended from the shrunken chorion. 66 Psyche [April BIOLOGICAL NOTES ON PARTHENOGENETIC MACRO- SIPHUM TANACETI LINNAEUS (APHIDIDiE, HOMOPTERA)1 By Leopoldo B. Uichanco College of Agriculture, university of the Piiillipines Los Banos, P. I. The data on which the present paper is based have been collected while I was conducting experiments on Macrosiphum ta?iaceti, in connection with another problem. The work was done at the Bussey Institution during the earlier part of the summer of 1921. A few of the facts brought out in the discussion are somewhat fragmentary, and require more thorough investi- gation; but, in view of the scarcity of such records of aphid behavior in the literature, they have been introduced here, in the hope that they may help to stimulate further research along these lines. I. Ecdysis. There are no appreciable differences in the behavior of Macrosiphum tanaceti during the four successive molts. No attempt, therefore, will be made in the present paper to describe the methods separately for each ecdysis. Preliminary to the process, the nymph ceases to feed for a few minutes, and in the meantime holds with its claws on the surface of the sup- porting part of the plant. The position of the insect during molting has always been found to be such that the head points toward the ground. The legs are spread far apart, so that the prothoracic pair is directed anterolaterallv with reference to the insect’s body; the mesothoracic, ectolaterally; and the meta- thoracic, posterolaterally. The haustellum is held close to the sternum. The subcaudal portion of the abdomen almost touches the surface of the plant. The antennae are directed posteriorly, and are subparallel to the lateral margin, but diverge at an angle of about thirty degrees above the dorsal surface of the body. A longitudinal mesal rupture then appears at the head, adjoining iContribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University. No. ioo. 1922] Uichanco — Notes on Parthenogenetic Macrosiphum m the base of the clypeus. The insect slowly forces its wa}^ through the opening thus made, in the meantime increasing the length of the rent posteriorly along the dorsomedian line of the body, until the caudal margin of the metanotum is reached. The method of formation of the initial rupture has not been observed. Neither has the mechanism of propulsion of the aphid, as it glides by degrees forward, out of the exuviae, been satisfactorily determined. It is, however, evident that the legs are not of assistance until later in the process. In all probability, the force of expansion of the insect’s body itself directs the course of the movement through the slit, this opening furnishing the point of least resistance in the tightly fitting exuviae. The head naturally goes out first, being nearest the rupture; and the opening enlarges as the more bulky thorax and abdomen pass out. The pro- and mesothoracic legs soon become disentangled, and it is remarkable how quickly the insect is able to spread them apart and use them to help force the rest of the body out. Apparently, sometime before, or during the earlier part of ecdysis, the chitinous coating of the appendages of the future succeeding instar has a chance to harden. The concluding part of ecdysis, when only the caudal portion of the abdomen and a fraction of the metathoracic tibiae and their tarsi remain in the exuviae, goes on as slowly as the earlier part of the process. The insect never seems to be in a hurry about extricating itself, and, on the whole, the molting of an aphid is an extremely sluggish operation- Finally, the hind legs are set free, but, even then, the insect con- tinues to remain attached with the abdominal cauda enclosed within the ensheathing exuviae. The legs sway up and down and the antennae remain in their posteriorly directed position. Ap- parently this delay in freeing itself is an important step in the molting process, as it enables the chitinous layer of the body and of the appendages to get dry in the outside air and increase in firmness, until it is safe enough for the insect to turn itself loose. After about five minutes, or so, the fore and middle legs execute a forward crawling motion and the hind legs kick against the exuviae, the aphid ultimately making its escape in this manner. The entire molting process, from the appearance of the initial 68 Psyche [April rupture to the final escape of the insect, lasts from about twenty to about thirty minutes.2 The freshly molted aphid is at once able to walk, but is incapable of resuming feeding until about one-half hour, or more, later. One other point may be noted here in connection with ecdysis The layers of the black pigment which in this species give the antennae, haustellum, wing-pads, legs, cornicles, and abdominal cauda their characteristic piceous color are intimately associated with the chitinous exoskeleton, and are cast off with the exuviae at each molt. They are then formed anew in the succeeding instar. The freshly molted Macrosiphum tanaceti is uniformly light green, except the eyes, which are reddish vermillion. The light green color is due to the presence of characteristic green substance in the fat cells and other body tissues, which shows through the semitransparent cuticle. This coloring matter has been the subject of investigation years ago by various workers, notably by Macchiati (1883), who claims to have found chloro- phylloicl substances in Siphonophora malvce and in S. rosce, and by Przibram (1906, 1909), who has observed that aphids fed on etiolated leaves of onion plants that have been kept in the dark assume the pale yellow color of the latter, suggesting thereby that the green chlorophyll of the plant probably has some relation to the green substance in the aphid tissue. More recently, Glaser (1917) has reported that by chemical tests he has been able to detect the presence of red pigments in Pterocomma smithies Monell which seem to be localized in the cytoplasm of the fat cells, and which give color reactions suggestive of an- thocyanin found in plants. The characteristic piceous color of the exoskeleton in the regions enumerated above is restored in less than an hour after molting. How this relatively rapid change in color is brought about is difficult to explain. Two possible conditions suggest themselves: (1) After molting, these pigments, with their de- finitive dark color, are segregated as such by some very active plyysiological process; or (2) prior to, or during, molting the „7 2About the same length of time has been observed in Toxoplera graminum Rondani by Webster and Phillips (1912). 1922] Uichanco — Notes on Parthenogenetic Macrosiphum 69 future dark pigments are deposited in the form of certain achro- matic substances and in the succeeding instar assume their characteristic tint upon exposure to light and to other external stimuli. Janet (1909) has classified in a succinct form the steps in- volved in ecdysis among insects into four general successive phases. The following quotations from this author are repro- duced here for the purpose of comparison and correlation with the foregoing observations and deductions on aphids. 1. “Le clecollement de la cuticule ancienne, decollement qui commence generalement dans la region superieure de la cap- sule cephalique et se propage vers l’arriere. La cuticule ancienne, decollee, demeure autour du corps sous forme d’une exuvie fibre, intacte, et constitue une enveloppe protectrice, momentanement indispensable a cause de la clelicatesse de l’epiderme mis a nu.” 2. “Accroisement en surface ou transformation du modele de l’epiderme libere de sa cuticule.” 3. “La formation des premieres strates de la cuticule nou- velle, cuticule dont F apparition rend inutile la protection que fournissait l’ancienne cuticule exuviee.” 4. “Le dechirage et le re jet de F ancienne cuticule.” It appears in the case of the aphids, as well as of other in- sects, that the above four steps overlap, one into the other. During the detachment of the old cuticle from the insect’s body-wall, there undoubtedly occurs simultaneously an increase in surface area of the hypodermal layer. In fact, the stretching effect resulting from the latter cause, together with the steadily augmenting pressure from the developing internal organs, evi- dently provides the immediate mechanical means for separating the old chitinous from the hypodermal layer. Under the protec- tive cover of the freshly loosened exoskeleton, the new chitinous layer which has been secreted by the hypodermal cells has a chance to develop a firm, although somewhat delicately soft, consistency before the initial rupture appears in the exuviae. In aphids, the hardening of the newly formed exoskeleton occurs mainly during the lengthy process of casting off the old skin. Summary of Section I. Feeding ceases a few minutes prior to molting. The head of the insect is pointed toward the ground 70 Psyche [ApYil during the process. The rupture of the chitinous exoskeleton appears first near the base of the clypeus and extends dorsome- dially to the posterior margin of the metanotum. The entire molting process, from the formation of the initial rupture until the aphid extricates itself, lasts about thirty minutes. It is able to walk soon after escaping from the exuviae, but is incapable of resuming feeding until about one-half hour, or more, later. The characteristic piceous color in certain parts of the body is either located in, or intimately associated with, the chitinous exoskeleton, and is cast off at each ecdysis, reappearing, however, in the newly formed integument in less than an hour after molting. The light green color which characterizes the larger portion of the body is due to certain substances in the fat cells showing through the semitransparent cuticle. The new chitinous layer is deposited sometime before the molt. It has a chance to harden during the lengthy process of casting off the old exuviae. II. Locomotion. The principal and usual method of loco- motion, even in alate individuals, is by walking. The wings are used very rarely, and perhaps in connection only with migration from one plant to another when the aphids on a particular host begin to become overcrowded or when the supply of plant sap becomes inadequate. The flight is very feeble, and it is doubtful if the insect can traverse any considerable distance by this means alone. In walking, the antennae are directed anteriorly, describing in that position an angle of about forty-five degrees. They con- tinually sway obliquely in alternate turns in an entodorsal and ectoventral direction. The rate of this movement is apparently correlated proportionately with that of the legs; and under ordinary conditions, when the insect is not disturbed, or other- wise excited, the antennae sway one hundred and twenty times in one minute. This figure has been found to be approximately correct for all instars. After numerous attempts at following the movements of the legs while the aphid is walking, I have come to the conclusion 1922] Uichanco — Notes on Parthenogenetic Macrosiphum 71 that they do not follow any regular schematic sequence. Further, it appears that no two legs move synchronously in the same direction, and that there is no definite rule as to the order in which the legs follow one another. The time intervals between successive steps, irrespective of the sequence of leg movements, appears to be maintained at a uniformly similar rate for a given speed. Summary of Section II. 1. The principal method of locomotion, even in alate individuals, is walking, the feeble wings being used rarely. 2. The rate of diagonal swaying of the antennae and the rapidity of walking appear to be correlated, the movement of the former being in direct proportion to that of the latter. 3. The movement of the legs do not follow any regular schematic sequence, although the time intervals between suc- cessive steps appear to be uniformly maintained in a given speed. No two legs move synchronously. III. Feeding Habits. Macrosiphum tanaceti has been known to occur only on Tanacetum vulgare Linnaeus. This species of aphid apparently has no secondary host plant. No attempt will be made in the present work to describe the mechanical and physiological relation of the mouth-parts to the plant tissue during the process of feeding. Considerable work has been done in connection with this problem in com- paratively recent years, notably by Biisgen (1891), and by Zweigelt; the latter author has been working on this and related subjects during the past decade. Zweigelt (1915) suggests the following three possible means by which suction of plant sap is accomplished in aphids. “1. Eine bestimmte Zelle wird angestochen und ohne Verletzung der ausseren Hautschicht des Protoplasten ausge- saugt; 2. die Aussaugung bestimmtcr Zellen erfolgt wahrend deren vollstandiger Durchbohrung; 3. die Aussaugung gcht zufolge einer dem Speichel innewohnenden starkcn osmotischen Saugkraft bei interzcllularem Stichverlauf ohne mechanische Verletzung der Zellen vor sich.” 72 Psyche [April Macrosiphum tanaceti feeds on the growing regions of the stem, on which different instars of this species are found in large numbers from early spring until late in the fall in Boston and vicinity. The more succulent portions of the petioles are also feeding places for the later nymphal instars and the adults, although they are found here only occasionally. While the aphid is feeding, its head points toward the ground, the antennae are directed lateroposteriorly with reference to the body, and the legs are spread apart. The haustellum is at right angles with the body or inclined somewhat anteriorly. The labium, which serves as the sheath for the rest of the mouth-parts, except the labrum, remains straight. No posterior bending is observed at the point of junction of any two labial segments, which is a charac- teristic feeding habit of the members of a closely allied order the Heteroptera. The latter group resorts to this contrivance in order to enable the setae to penetrate deeper into the plant tissues. In Macrosiphum tanaceti the tips of the setae apparently do not go far beneath the epidermis of the plant, perhaps reaching only a small portion of the cortical layer. This supposition is based on the fact that in all the specimens examined while in the act of feeding it was found that the setae protrude less than a millimeter beyond the distal end of the labial sheath. The position assumed by the insect while feeding is in- teresting. It is not easy to see why the insect should prefer to remain in that seemingly uncomfortable posture in which the abdomen is situated uppermost. The following experiments were conducted in order to find out the possible explanation for this peculiar habit: Growing tips of Tanacetum vulgare, with numerous tansy aphids in different instars feeding on them, were carefully bent down without injuring the plants and were made to remain in this position by fastening them with strings. In this way, the aphids, without being disturbed, are reversed in their position, now with the head uppermost. These experiments were per- formed in the morning when it was still cool, at noon, when the sun was very bright and the temperature was about 32° C. (90° F.) and in the evening when it was almost dark. The results in all 1922] Uichcinco — Notes on Parthenogenetic Macrosiphum 73 cases have been found to be identical: The aphids sooner or later return to their former position, that is, with the abdomen uppermost and the head directed toward the ground. The degree of ability to orient itself in this manner apparently differs with the age and morphological characters of the individual. The alate adults turn around almost instantly after their former position is reversed. The nymphs in the first instar are the slowest to respond to the treatment. The later nymphal instars of the future alate and apterous individuals and the apterous adults do not react at once, as in the case of the winged adults, although the repsonse takes place much more quickly than in the first-instar nymphs. The following interpretations are offered for the foregoing- behavior: the tansy aphid, like the parthenogenetic forms of the other species of this family, feeds practically all the time. It is interrupted in this activity only when it changes its feeding location, after the supply of food material in a given part of the plant becomes temporarily used up. In a healthy plant, where there is an abundance of succulent tissue at the growing region, this change in location takes but a short time. The feeding oper- ations, of course, require that the aphid remain stationary in one poistion during the process, and, consequently, it has to stand still almost all the time. Now, under these conditions, prolonged exposure to the direct rays of the sun, especially at midday, when they are very intense, is undoubtedly uncomfortable, if not ruinous, to the eyes of the aphids. The tansy plants generally grow in unsheltered places and the growing tips on which the aphids feed are fully exposed to the sun. The habitual position of Macrosiphum tanaceti is probably an adaptation to that en- vironmental condition. By locating itself on the plant in such a way that the aphid’s head is directed downward, the rays of bright sunlight from above do not strike the eyes directly. With this view in mind, however, it is difficult to find an explanation for the maintainance of the same behavior by the insect in the morning, when the rays of light are not so intense, and in the evening when it is almost dark. One probability is that the heliophobic reaction of the aphid has brought about secondary 74 Psyche [April effects which cause the insect to assume this position irrespective of the immediate presence of the causative stimulus. One other explanation may be offered here: The aphid possibly assumes this position for mechanical advantage, in the way of bringing about optimum efficiency in the functions of the sucking mouth-parts, and of minimizing the strain on the muscles of the legs and other parts of the body which is occasioned by the insect’s having to remain in one position for considerable lengths of time while feeding. The fact that the aphids turn around and resume feeding in the reverse direction with respect to the plant when the tips of the tansy on which they are situated are bent indicates that this behavior of Macrosiphum has not been brought about as an adaptation to any peculiarity in the structure of the host. The characteristic feeding position of Macrosiphum tanaceti has also been observed by me in other species of Macrosiphum. It is interesting to note that the aphids of other genera which I have studied3 do not seem to exhibit this peculiarity. They almost all indifferently assume any position while feeding. It may be mentioned, as a possible explanation of this difference in behavior, that these other aphids generally feed on the nether surface of broad leaves, or are otherwise protected from the direct rays of the sun. Thus the main stimulus which, as I have sug- gested above, is probably responsible for the characteristic position of the Macrosiphum species is suppressed in the case of the other aphids. Summary of Section III. 1. Macrosiphum tanaceti appears to be confined to a single host plant, Tanacetum vulgare. From early in the spring until late in the fall in Boston and vicinity, this aphid in diffierent instars is found feeding on the more succulent portions of the plant, principally on the growing regions of the stem. 2. The head of the insect is. directed toward the ground 3Anoecia, Lachnus, Longistigma, Drepanaphis, Drepanosiphum, Myzus, Eriosoma, un- identified aphids on Berberis vulgaris Linn., Celaslrus scandens Linn., Lylhrum salicaria Linn., Sherpherdia ( Elaeagnus ) argentea Nutt., and Viburnum sp., and others. 1922] Uichanco — Notes on Parthenogenetic Macrosiphum 75 during feeding, as in ecdysis, which has been previously des- cribed. One or both of the following explanations may account for this peculiar behavior: (1) In order to avoid the rays of the sun from streaming directly into the eyes. (2) For mechanical advantage, the feeding apparatus perhaps attaining its maximum efficiency or the strain on the muscles being probably minimized when the aphid assumes this position. The second explanation is purely speculative. This characteristic position is evidently not an adaptation to any peculiarity in the structure of the host. 3. The setae of this aphid apparently do not penetrate very deeply into the plant tissue. IV. “ Death-Feigning The habit of dropping to the ground when disturbed and remaining motionless for a time is a very peculiar characteristic which is exhibited by many species of Macrosiphum.4 M. tanaceti responds readily in this manner and on reaching the surface of the ground, the insect behaves in either of the following two ways, depending on its position after it drops: (1) If it lands on its ventral side, it simply stands on its legs and remains motionless in this attitude. The antennae are directed posteriorly. (2) If it lands on any part of the body other than the ventral side, the legs are folded so that the tibiaee are also directed posteriorly and the insect remains perfectly quiet. The nymphs of the first instar do not seem to have the ability of “death-feigning” to any marked degree. They are practically the only ones that remain on the plant, after the latter is jarred and individuals of the second and later instars drop to the ground. The adult individuals always regain their standing position very quickly and remain in this position, no matter which portion of the body touches the ground first. The wings remain folded and the insect does not seem to use them as it falls. The biological significance of this peculiar behavior has been the subject of discussion and speculation by various workers who Un my own work, I have not come across a single species of Macrosiphum which does not exhibit “death-feigning.” However, Dr. A. C. Baker, of the Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, in a letter dated at Washington, D. C., January 18, 1922, informs me that there are some Macrosiphum species which do not possess this habit. He further men- tions the interesting fact that “death-feigning” is not confined to Macrosiphum, for this peculiarity is also met with in the Callipterina. 76 Psyche [April have observed it in other groups of insects, notably by Fabre on Scarites gigas Fabricius (Coleoptera) ; by Holmes on Ranatra sp. (Heteroptera) ; and by Rabaud and by Bohn on several orders (Bouvier, 1919, pp. 79-89). In Macrosiphum the habit of dropping to the ground and remaining motionless for a time is evidently a means of eluding a pursuing enemy. Summary of Section IV. Many species of Macrosiphum possess the habit of “death-feigning” when disturbed. 2. The habit is exhibited by Macrosiphum tanaceti in all of its stages, except in the first instar. V. Parturition. At birth, the caudal portion of the nymph appears first at the vaginal slit. The antennae are directed pos- teriorly and closely appressed to the body walls. The legs and cornicles are also in the same condition, the appendages thus following the general contour of the body. The tarsi of the metathoracic legs are in intimate contact with each other, forming at the caudal portion of the abdomen a conspicuous acutely subconical projection. The color of the nymph at birth resembles that of the freshly molted nymph or adult. The body and appendages are uniformly light apple-green and glossy, and the eyes are reddish vermillion. The enveloping membrane covering the young at birth, which has been described by Webster and Phillips (1912) in Toxoptera graminum Rondani, by Baker (1915) in Eriosoma lanigerum Iiausman, and by other authors in other species of aphids, has also been observed by me in Macro- siphum tanaceti. The results of the present work agree with Baker’s account in that the envelope ruptures while the nymph is partially extruded from the vaginal slit of the mother. The nature of this membrane is still in question; although, from my observations on M. tanaceti, I am led to believe that it probably arises from the follicular epithelium, which persists to this stage without degenerating. A more detailed discussion of this sub- ject will be given in a later paper on aphid embryology which I am publishing. If my observations, therefore, are correct, this envelope is not a homologue of the vitelline membrane of the eggs of amphigonous aphids, as Webster and Phillips have 1922] Uichanco — Notes on Parthenogenetic Macrosiphum 77 claimed, since the latter membrane arises as a secretion of the egg-periplasm, and has no direct relation to the follicular epithe- lium. The extrusion of the nymph from the vagina, from the time the caudal portion of the abdomen of the former begins to pro- trude until the entire body is exposed, takes about five or ten minutes. The insect remains in the condition described above) attached by the anterior margin of the head and the bases of the antennae to the external opening of the mother’s vagina for about ten or fifteen minutes. At the end of this time, the young insect has dried its skin well enough to set the appendages free from their attachment to the body. A waving motion of the antennae and of the legs then ensue; but the nymph does not seem to struggle to make its final escape. After about five more minutes, the chitinous exoskeleton has probably hardened sufficiently, and the mother then executes two or three sudden peristaltic movements of the abdomen, which set the young nymph free. The newly born aphid usually remains in close proximity to the place where it is deposited by the mother. In about fifteen or twenty minutes after birth the nymph begins feeding, and by this time also the characteristic colors of the body and appendages become evident. The position of the mother during parturition is the same as that described in connection with her feeding habits. The abdomen is situated uppermost and the head directed toward the ground. In fact, parturition goes on simultaneously with feeding, apparently without in the least interfering with the latter process. Summary of Section V. 1. At birth, the young makes its appearance with the caudal portion of the body first. 2. After extrusion from the vagina, the nymph remains attached by the anterior margin of its head to the vaginal slit of the mother until the exoskeleton of the young hardens. The process requires about ten to fifteen minutes, when the nymph finally becomes separated from the mother. 78 Psyche [April 3. At birth, the nymph is covered with a membraneous envelope which usually ruptures when the former is partially extruded through the vaginal slit. The nature of this envelope is still in question. I infer from my own observations on Macro- siphurn tenaceti that the membrane arises from the egg-follicle, which apparently does not degenerate. 4. The nymph begins to feed in about fifteen to twenty minutes after birth. 5. The position of the mother during parturition is the same as in feeding. Parturition apparently does not interfere with the latter process. LITERATURE CITED. BAKER, A. C. 1915. The woolly apple aphis. U. S. Dept. Agric. Rept. No. 101: 1-56. PI. I-XV. 3 text-fig. BOUVIER, E.-L. 1919. La vie psychique des insectes. iv 30 pp. Paris: Ernest Flammarion. BUESGEN, M. 1891. Der Honigtau. iv 90 pp. PI. I and II. Jena: Gustav Fischer. GLASER, R. W. 1917. Anthocyanin in Pterocovima smithice Mon. Psyche 24: 30. JANET, C. 1909. Sur l’ontogenese de l’insecte. 1-130. Li- moges: Ducourtieux et Gout. MACCHIATI, L. 1883. La clorophilla negli afidi. Bull. Soc. Entom. Ital. 15: 163. PRZIBRAM, H. 1906. Aufzucht, Farbenwechsel und Regene- ration einer agyptischen Gottesanbeterin ( Sphodromantis bioculata). Ztschr. Entw.-Mech. 22: 149. 1909. Aufzucht, Farbenwechsel und Re- generation der Mantiden. Archiv f. Entw.-Mech. 28:561. WEBSTER, F. M., and W. J. PHILLIPS. 1912. The spring grain-aphis, or “green bug.” U. S. Dept. Agric., Bu. Entom., Bull. No. 110: 1-153. PI. I-IX. 48 text-fig. ZWEIGELT, F. 1915. Beitrage zur Kenntnis des Saugpha- nomens der Blattlause und der Reaktionen der Pflanzen- zellen. Centralbl. f. Bakt., 2. Abth., 42: 265-334. PI. I-II. 1 text-fig. 1922] Johnson — Notes on Distribution and, Habits of Bird-Flies 79 NOTES ON DISTRIBUTION AND HABITS OF SOME OF THE BIRD-FLIES, HIPPOBOSCIDdE. By Charles W. Johnson, Boston Society of Natural History. The following notes on this interesting group of flies have been brought together in the hope of thereby encouraging orni- thologists to observe more closely the occurence of these insects on the various species of birds. While the wide distribution and great diversity of hosts frequented by one species seems some- what at variance with the distribution of other insects as well as their hosts, it is impossible with the limited material and data at hand to arrive at any other conclusion regarding the species. Highly specialized forms always lose many of the distinguishing specific characters present in the species of the higher groups less restricted in their habits. Living as these flies do under similar and uniform conditions, notwithstanding their wide distribu- tion, they would naturally show but little variation. The occurence of the same species of fly upon non-migrating birds confined both to the tropical and boreal regions would in- dicate that they are naturally transmitted from one to the other by the migratory species; and the interesting example of phoresy recorded below shows how the various species of the wingless Mallophaga are also distributed. One of the peculiar habits of these flies, and one which probably accounts for so few of them being taken by ornithol- ogists, is that they are rarely seen while the bird is warm, but as the dead bird becomes cold they dart from it as if terror-stricken at losing their host, for if another cannot be found soon, it pro- bably means death. If in this quick flight they happen to alight on one’s clothes, there is a possibility of capturing them, if caught firmly between the thumb and finger, for their smooth, flattened bodies slip easily through one’s fingers and when once they escape they are rarely seen again, as they dart into any little crevice that offers protection. Their method of reproduction admits of no great increase, producing but one large egg at a time, which develops into a so Psyche [April peculiar larval condition within the parent, and pupating at birth. The decrease in the number of birds will undoubtedly diminish these flies, which deserve a great deal of careful biological study, for our knowledge of the group is still very inadequate. The following records are in part based upon specimens in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Boston Society of Natu- ral History, and the author’s collection. Ornithoica confluenta (Say). Ornithomyia confluenta Say, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Ill, 103, 1823. Ornithomyia confluens Wied., Auss. Zw., II, 611, 1830. Ornithomyia vicina Walker, List Dipt., IV, 1144, 1849. Ornithoica confluenta Speiser, Ann. Museo. Civ., NX (2d ser.) 558, 1899; Ent News, XVIII, 103, 1907. Ornithoica confluens Aldrich, Cath, 655, 1905. Say recordedthis species from“ A rdea candiclissima,” — Snowy Heron ( Egretta candidissima) . No locality is given, and it may have been collected in “Pa.,” “or west of the Missouri River.” Wiedemann gives Pennsylvania. Walker’s 0. vicina was from “Jamaica, on Ephialtes gram??iicus” [Jamaica owl] (Gosse Coll.); also on Psittacus leucocephalus. Nothing further regarding the habits of this species appeared until 1878. Osten Sacken in his catalogue of Diptera, page 263, says: “ Ornithomyia confluenta Say will, I suppose, form a new genus, on account of its peculiar venation. An apparently diffierent species of the same group was found by Mr. Wm. Holden on Accipiter fuscus near San Jose Cal.” A study of this specimen in the Museum of Com- parative Zoology shows no character to separate it from specimens referable to O. confluenta. There are also in the above Museum four specimens from Cuba, one collected by Poey and three by Gundlach. There is in the old collection of the Boston Society of Natural History a specimen marked “Mass.” The latest and most interesting capture of this species was that of two specimens by Mr. W. S. Brooks at Wilson Mills, Oxford County, Maine, Nov. 4, 1921, from the Canada Jay 1922] Johnson — Notes on Distribution and Habits of Bird-Flies 81 (. Perisoreus canadensis). It was these specimens from a non- migratory bird of Canadian life-zone that led to a study of this species and the finding of an almost parallel case in the distribu- tion and habits of Ornithomyia anchineuria. Some specimens are slightly darker than others and vary from 2 to 2.5 mm. The wing is shown in figure 1, and the following species in figure 2. Fig. 1. Wing of Ornithomyia confluenta at left; of 0. anchineuria at right. Ornithomyia anchineuria Speiser. Ornithomyia pallida Say, 1823, nec Latreille, 1811. Ornithomyia anchineuria Speiser, Zeitschr. f. Hym. u. Dipt., 1905, V, 348. Say’s type was taken on the Bluebird, “Sylvia sialis.” No locality is mentioned. Wiedemann gives “Pennsylvania,” and in Aldrich’s Catalogue is “West of the Mo. River.” In Smith’s Insects of New Jersey, 1899, p. 699, I recorded it from the Bobolink or Reed-bird ( Dolichonyx oryzivorus ) and Red-winged Blackbird ( Agelaius phoeniceus). The specimens were collected by Mr. Charles Liebeck along the Delaware River below Phila- delphia, Aug. 19 to Sept. 27, 1892-97. A specimen was taken on a Hermit Thrush ( Hylocichla guttata pallasii) at Clifton, Pa., Oct. 19, 1897, by Mr. C. A. Voelker. A specimen was also ob- tained from a Robin ( Planesticus migratorius) at Southbridge, Mass., Aug. 18, 1914, by Mr. S. W. Bromley, and from a young Junco ( Junco hyemalis ) at Woodstock, Vt., Aug. 1911, by Mr. A. P. Morse. In the Museum of Comparative Zoology is a specimen from the Red Crossbill ( Loxia curvirostra minor ) collected at North Bay, Onatrio, Sept. 7, 1896, by G. S. Miller, Jr., and from the Catbird {Dumetella ccirolinensis) , at Worthing- ton, Mass. Another specimen in the same Museum was collected by Mr. W. S. Brooks at Ellis Bay, Anticosti Island, Sept. 3, 1919. from a new Jay ( Perisoreus barbouri) allied to the Canada Jay, 82 Psyche [April This specimen has attached to it two Mallophaga, one on each side of the abdomen just back of the posterior edge of the first segment; in the dried specimen they extend beyond the end of the fly’s abdomen, with the ends of the Mallophaga touching each other. It is an interesting example of phoresy and shows how many of the Mallophaga are probably distributed.1 On Aug. 29, 1921, Mr. A. B. Fuller obtained two specimens from the Savannah Sparrow (Passer cuius sandwichensis savanna ) at Essex, Mass. One of the flies had attached to it a pupa, black and polished in appearance, but when enlarged twenty- five diameters it shows an irregular mosaic-like pattern. At one end there is a slight contraction, forming four or five slight nodes. Its length is 2.5 mm., while the total length of the dried fly is 4 mm. In a recent “Annotated List of the Dip- tera or Oregon,” by Cole and Lovett (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., 1921, 4th ser., XI, 344), this species is recorded from “Upper Alsea Valley, Benton Co., on Steller’s Jay.” Coquillett records it from Washington D. C., to California. Except for size, I see little to separate this species from the European 0. avicularia Linn., and it is probably what Van der Whip had before him when he recorded the latter from Wiscon- sin (Tijdsch. v. Ent., XII, 80, 1869). As Coquillett suggests (Ent. News, XVIII, 290, 1907), it may represent one holarctic species. The 0. avicularia also frequents many species of birds, including hawks, owls, woodpeckers, herons, ravens, jays, par- tridges, peacocks, crossbills, sparrows, skylarks etc. Olfersia albipennis Say. It is a question whether 0. albipennis and what we are calling 0. ardece are not one and the same species, but whether it is the same as the European species is still another question. When the light strikes the wings at a certain angle, especially when they overlap each other, they are often decidedly whitish in color, hence Say’s name. As it is an older name than 0. ardece, tThis specimen was recorded by Nathan Banks in Psyche, Vol. 27, p. 20, 1920, and by W. L. McAtee in Ent. News, Vol. 33, p. 20, 1922. The bird however was not mentioned. 1922] J ohnson — Notes on Distribution and Habits of Bird-Flies 83 I am using it for the American species. It has been taken from the following species of birds: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea lierodias ) T. Say. Black-crowned Night Heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax). Alston, Boston, Mass., Aug. 1, ’12; Hampton, N. H., May 13, ’17 (S. A. Shaw) ; Delaware River, below Philadelphia, Oct. 15 ’96 (C. Liebeck).- Little Blue Heron ( Florida ccerulea). Bristol Isl., Delaware River (Fowler). White Heron or Egret ( Herodias egretta). St. Augustine, Nov. 8, ’87. American Bittern ( Botaurus lentiginosus) . Delaware River below Philadelphia, Sept. 13-Oct. 12, ’85 (C. Liebeck). Least Bittern ( Ixobrychus exilis ). Delaware River below Philadelphia, Sept. 18, (C. Liebeck). Olfersia americana (Leach) This species is known to frequent the following birds: Great Horned Owl ( Bubo virginianus) . Wenham, Mass., Dec. 2, TO (Dr. J. C. Phillips), Dover, Mass., Dec. 24/94 (A. P. Morse), San Jose, Cal. (W. Holden). Barn Owl ( Aluco pratincola). San Jose, Cal. (W. Holden). Long-eared Owl ( Asio wilsonianus) . Hampton, N. IE, Apr. 9, ’09 (S. A. Shaw). Barred Owl ( Strix varia ). Framingham, Mass., Nov. 1/10 (C. A. Frost). Screech Owl ( Otus asio floridanus) . St. Augustine, Fla. (C. W.J.) Western Screech Owl ( Otus mecallii). Calif. (M. C. Z) . Red-shouldered Hawk ( Buteo lineatus). Wenham, Mass., Aug. 14/14 (J.C. Phillips), Sherborn, Sept. 21/98, (A. P. Morse); Dunmore Lake, Vt. (C. E. Brown). Red-tailed Hawk ( Buteo borealis ). Illinois (M. C. Z.). Broacl-wingecl Hawk ( Buteo platypterus) . Texas (G. IP. Rags- dale). Pigeon Hawk ( Falco columbarius) . (B. S. N. H.). 84 Psyche [April Huffed Grouse ( Bonassa umbellus). Liberty Hill, Conn., Oct. 1896 (0. Bangs). Olfersia sp. From Chuck- wills- widow ( Antrostomus carolinensis) , St. Augustine, Fla. (C. W. J.). Ornithoctona erythrocephala (Leach) This has been found on the following species of birds: Red-tailed Hawk ( Buteo borealis). Cuba (M. C. Z.). Broad-winged Hawk ( Buteo platypterus) . Cuba (M. C. Z.). Sparrow Hawk ( Falco sparverius). Porto Rico (Coquillett). Ruddy Quail-dove ( Geotrygon montana). Holguin, Cuba (M. C. Z.). Yellow-crowned Night Heron ( Nyctanassa violacea). Dominica, May 25/01 (0. Bangs). Pigeon Hawk ( Falco columbarius) . Metis, Quebec, collected by L. M. Terrill. The last record, received through Mr. Albert F. Winn, is especially interesting. Although Osten Sacken recorded this fly from Quebec, this is the first record of a host north of the West Indies; Mr. Terrill captured the hawk on her nest and seven specimens of the fly were taken. Since writing the above Jos. Ouellet informs me that he has taken this species on the American Bittern, near Montreal, Aug. 1902. Pseudolfersia fumipennis (Sahlberg) (P. maculata Coquillett). From the Fish Hawk or Osprey ( Pandion halicetus carolinen- sis). Cape May, N. J., Aug.; Lahaway, N. J., Apr. 1 (J. T. Brakeley); St. Augustine, Fla. (C. W. J.); Sand Point, La., and Cuba (Mus. Comp. Zool.); Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucoce- phala). Hampton, N. H., May 17/05 (S. A. Shaw); and Loon 0 Gavia immer). Wisconsin (Coquillett). 1922] Hussey — Notes on Neottiglossa trilineata 85 Pseudofersia spinifer (Leach) Taken on the Florida Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax auritus floridanus ) at Great Sale Key, Bahams, July 17/05, by Dr. G. M. Allen. A widely distributed species of the tropics, frequenting the Man-o’- War-Bird ( Fregata aquila ), Gannets and Black Vul- ture. NOTES ON NEOTTIGLOSSA TRILINEATA KIRBY (HEMIPTERA, PENTATOMID7E)1 By Roland F. Hussey In Richardson’s “Fauna Boreali-Americana” (Vol. 4, 1837, p. 276, pi. vi, figs. 6, 6a), W. Kirby described and figured a Pen- tatoma trilineata, from one specimen “taken in the road from New York to Cumberland House” [Saskatchewan], and proposed for it a new subgenus, Neottiglossa, which he characterized, in the following words: “Nose shorter than the cheeks. Bed of the promuscis elev- ated on each side at the base. “In the typical Pentatomce, the part which I regard as ana- logous to a nose is of the same length with the two lateral lobes of the front, and the base of the cavity in which the promuscis reposes when unemployed is not so elevated.” Whatever may be said of this generic diagnosis, whose in- completeness led to the redescription of the genus under different names by Dohrn (1860) and by Fieber (1861), Kirby’s description of Pentatoma trilineata serves amply for the identification of the species, and it is surprising that it has not been better understood. Dallas (List of Hemip., i, 1851, p. 224) records the species from Hudson’s Bay and from Nova Scotia. Uhler (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xiv, 1871, p. 96) placed trilineata as a synonym of Neottiglossa undata Say, in which he was followed by Stal (Enum- Hem., ii, 1872, p. 18). A few years later, Uhler (Bull. U. S. Geol. Geogr. Surv., iii, 1877, p. 401) separated the two species, ^Contribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University, No. 200. 86 Psyche [April recording trilineata from Dakota, British Columbia, California, Nebraska, Canada, and the region of the Mackenzie River, and stated that trilineata differs from undata “in being larger and more robust and blunt anteriorly, the head entirety black and more coarsely punctate, the venter more widely black, and the femora much more invaded with black.” Forty-five years have elapsed since Uhler published these notes, yet no one has given us any further information regarding Kirby’s species. Among some Hemiptera collected in northern Michigan by Mr. S. Moore of Detroit, recently submitted to me by the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan, there is one Specimen which I refer without hesitation to Neottiglossa trili- neata. It agrees well with Kirby’s original description, differing only in its slightly smaller size (53/2 mm. as compared with 3 lines) and in the markings of pronotum and scutellum; but these differences are no greater than may be found in a series of N. undata. The specimen before me differs more considerably from Kirby’s figures, but these agree neither with each other nor with his description, for in one figure the lateral margins of the pronotum are represented as concavely sinuate, and in the other as straight and concolorous, while the description reads “Pro- thorax. .with the lateral margin, .white.” Neottiglossa trilineata, as I identify it, differs from N. undata in its darker coloration anteriorly, in the more obtuse apex of the head, in the more broadly flattened pronotal margins, in antennal structure, and in the form of the ventral abdominal segments. Since the species has been so little understood by American entomologists, I have thought best to give a full des- cription of the specimen before me, together with figures illus- trating some of the characters by which it differs from N. undata- Head, black, a little bronzed, somewhat shining, deeply and closely punctate, the punctures somewhat finer on the base of the vertex. Sides of head subparallel for a short distance before the eyes, thence concavely sinuate to a point beyond the middle of the tylus, thence straight and converging at an angle of about 110°; extreme lateral margin very lightly reflexed; apex 1922] Hussey — Notes on Neottiglossa trilineata 87 of head slightly but distinctly emarginate. Head, seen in profile (Fig. 1, A), less abruptly deflexed than in N. undata (Fig. 1, B), and the apex less acute. Ratio of lengths of antennal segments 19:23:20:35:45 (in undata the ratio of segment II to segment III B Fig. 1. — A, head of Neottiglossa trilineata ; B, head of N. undata-, C, Apical ventral seg- ments of N. trilineata-, D, ventral segments of N. undata. is 23:17); the three basal segments yellowish, the third darkened toward the apex and on the sides, fourth and fifth segments black. Rostrum nearly reaching the hind coxae, apical segment piceous. Pronotum black and closely punctate on the anterior half, obscure testaceous and more sparsely punctate on the posterior half ; median line and a small irregular spot behind each callosity yellow. In the specimen before me the median line is obsolete behind the middle of the disc. Lateral margins straight, white, impunctate, broader than in N. undata ; when viewed from above, there appears to be a narrow black line along the extreme edge, but this is not visible when the pronotum is viewed from the side. Anterior and humeral angles as in N. undata ; postero- lateral margins a little more oblique and the posterior angles less broadly rounded than in that species. 88 Psyche [April Scutellum testaceous, sparsely punctate with black, the basal angles impressed, black, the apex with a piceous spot. Median line yellow, extending back from the base for about two-thirds the length of the scutellum, suddenly abbreviated; a transverse yellowish line crosses it at the middle of the scutel- lum and joins at each side a sublateral line which extends forward to the base of the scutellum; all these lines are faintly margined with piceous, and form a distinct trident-shaped marking. Base of the scutellum between the arms of the trident infuscated or piceous, and more densely punctate than the remainder of the scutellum. Hemelytra testaceous, sparsely black punctate, with two piceous spots on the apical margin of the corium, one near the inner angle, the other at the end of the cubitus. Membrane white. Abdomen black above, connexivum white. Beneath bronze- black, closely punctate; coxal cavities and legs yellowish, the femora spotted and lined with black, the tibiae with short black lines on the distal half of the anterior and posterior faces, the third tarsal segment piceous. Sixth ventral segment more produced anteriorly ( $ ) (Fig. 1, C) than in N . undata (Fig. 1, D). Length, 5 x/2 mm. Redescribed from one female taken on the beach of Lake Michigan (in wash-up?) near St. Ignace, Mackinac County, Michigan, May 31, 1921 (S. Moore), and deposited in the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan. Ward’s Natural Science Establishment 84-102 College Ave., Rochester, N. Y. Best equipped establishment in the United States for furnishing Entomological Supplies and Specimens American Entomological Insect Pins. Hand-made Schmitt and other Insect Boxes. Cabinets and Exhibition Cases of the finest workmanship. 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Not over 4 Lines nor 30 Characters (13 to a line) Additional Characters, 2 cents each, in total and per line, per 500. Trimmed. Prices subject to change without notice. C. V. BLACKBURN, 30 South St., STONEHAM 80, MASS., U. S. A. CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB A regular meeting of the Club is held on the second Tuesday of each month (July, August and September excepted) at 7.45 p. m. at the Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston. The Bussey Institution is one block from the Forest Hills station of both the elevated street cars and the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Entomolo- gists visiting Boston are cordially invited to attend. WANTED:— Small, bright colored butterflies. Will pay cash for them in quantities. We desire Lycaenas, Small Coppers and any other bright colored small flies for use in butterfly work. THE CASINO STUDIO SALEM, MASS. FOR SALE: Tropical African (Uganda, Kenia Colony) Butterflies and Moths, etc. etc., in great variety and beauty. Special Bargain lot of 200 Specimens (50 species) at 25 Dollars Post Free . Remittance with order. R. A. DUMMER, Care S. A. Museum, Cape Towrn. •M, Hs(o PSYCHE A JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY Established in 1874 VOL. XXIX JUNE, 1922 NO. 3 CONTENTS The North American Species of Cryptolucilia Brauer and Bergenstamm. ( Pseudopyrellia Girschner); Diptera, Anthomyidse). J.Bequaert 89 Notes on the Puffball Beetle, Caenocara oculata (Say). H.B. Weiss 92 Records of Hymenopterous Parasites in Pennsylvania. A.B. Champlain 95 On the Hymenopterous Genus Harpagocryptus and its Allies. C.T.Brues 101 A Bibliographical Notice on the Reduviid Genus Triatoma (Hemip.) R. F. Hussey 109 Proceedings of the Cambridge Entomological Club 123 CAMBRIDGE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB OFFICERS FOR 1922 President . . W. M. Wheeler Vice-President L. R. Reynolds Secretary . J. H. Emerton Treasurer . F. H. Walker Executive Committee Nathan Banks, S. W. Denton L. W. Swett EDITORIAL BOARD OF PSYCHE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF C. T. Brues, Harvard University ASSOCIATE EDITORS C. W. Johnson, Nathan Banks, Boston Society of Natural History. Harvard University. A. L. Melander, A. P. Morse, Washington State College. Wellesley College. J. H. Emerton, J. G. Needham, Boston, Mass. Cornell University. W. M. Wheeler, Harvard University. PSYCHE is published bi-monthly, the issues appearing in February, April, June, August, October and December. Subscription price, per year, payable in advance: $2.00 to subscribers in the United States, Canada or Mexico, foreign postage, 15 cents extra. Single copies, 40 cents. Cheques and remittances should be addressed to Treasurer, Cambridge Entomological Club, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass. Orders for back volumes, missing numbers, notices of change of address, etc., should be sent to Cambridge Entomological Club, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass. IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS. Manuscripts intended for publication, books intended for review, and other editorial matter, should be addressed to Professor C. T. Brues, Bussey Institution, Forest Hills, Boston 30, Mass. Authors contributing articles over 8 printed pages in length will be required to bear a part of the extra, expense for additional pages. This expense will be that of typesetting only, which is about $2.00 per page. The actual cost of preparing cuts for all illustrations must be borne by contributors: the expense for full page plates from line drawings is approximately $5.00 each, and for full age half-tones, $7-50 each; smaller sizes in proportion. AUTHOR’S SEPARATES. Reprints of articles may be secured by authors, if they are ordered before, or at the time proofs are received for corrections. The cost of these will be furnished by the Editor on appli- cation. Entered as second-class mail matter at the Post Office at Boston, Mass. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 19x7, authorized on June 29, 1918. JUN 24 1922 PSYCHE VOL. XXIX. JUNE 1922 No. 3 THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF CRYPTOLUCILIA BRAUER AND BERGENSTAMM (PSE UDOP YRELLI A GIRSCHNER) (DIPT ERA, ANT HOMY I DM). By J. Bequaert. Some time ago I sent to the eminent French dipterist, Dr. J. \ illeneuve, a series of specimens of the common blue-green anthomyid fly which is passing in this country under the name “ Pseudopyrellia cornicina.” Dr. Villeneuve called my attention to the fact that these specimens were not true cornicina but belonged to a related species, ccesarion (Meigen). On taking the matter up with Dr. J. M. Aldrich and Mr. C. W. Johnson, and on examining a number of public and private collections, it becomes apparent that these two species are generally confused here. Aldrich (Cat. North American Dipt., 1905, p. 524), for instance, treats cornicina and ccesarion as synonyms. It seems useful therefore to point out the main differences between them, so as to facilitate their identification by local entomologists. As indicated by Stein (Arch. f. Naturg., 83, Abt. A, Heft 1, 1919, p. 105), the name Cryptolucilia Brauer and Bergenstamm (Denkschr. Ak. Wiss. Wien, 60, 1893, pp. 179 and 206; type: C. asicitica Brauer and Bergenstamm = Musca ccesarion Meigen according to Stein) has priority over Pseudopyrellia Girschner (Berlin. Entom. Zeitschr., 38, (1893) 1894, p. 306), since Girsch- ner’s paper was not issued until January 1894. The species of Cryptolucilia have long been placed among Lucilia, which they resemble in color and general appearance. They are, however, easily separated from the latter genus by the absence of hypopleural bristles and the arrangement 1 : 2 of the sternopleural bristles. Cryptolucilia therefore belongs to the Anthomydise as defined by Girschner. Of the Nearctic anthomyid genera, Pyrellia and M or cilia alone have a similar metallic blue-green color. Cryptolucilia can 90 Psyche [June be distinguished from these by the contour of the fourth longi- tudinal vein, which in its apical part is bluntly angular and a little sinuate beyond the bend, whereas in Pyrellia and Morellia the curve of the distal section of the fourth vein is broad and gentle. 1. Cryptolucilia caesarion (Meigen) ( =Musca ccesarion Meigen, Syst. Beschreib. Europ. zweifl. Ins., 5, 1826, p. 57). Thorax with a pair of acrosticals before the transverse suture, usually placed rather irregularly in an oblique line; three pos- terior dorsocentrals. Front of the male about one-sixth the width of the head; in the female comparatively wide, measuring over one-third of the total width of the head. This is a common and widely distributed North American species and, as stated above, is labeled “ Pseudopyrellia cor- nicing’ in American collections. The figures given by Hough (Biol. Bull., 1, 1899, p. 27, fig. 9) for cornicina undoubtedly refer to this species. I have seen specimens from the following States: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, South Dakota, Arizona, California, and Washington; also from Canada (Ontario, Quebec.) In addition, Dr. Aldrich possesses specimens from Kansas, Idaho, Nevada, and New Mexico. The brilliant blue larva lives in cow manure and the adult flies are commonly found on fresh cow dung. This is evidently the species which was reported by Howard (Proc. Washington Ac. Sci., 2, 1900, p. 579), Brues (Psyche, 9, 1902, p. 354), and F. C. Pratt (Canad. Entom., 44, 1912, p. 181) under the name “ Pseudopyrellia cornicina ” as having been bred in abundance from cow manure. Howard figures the early stages. Among the very large number of Cryptolucilice from North America examined, I have found only one in which the anterior acrosticals were lacking, but as this specimen possessed three posterior dorsocentrals, I believe it is an abnormal example of C. ccesarion. The North American Species of Cryptolucilia. 91 1922] 2. Cryptolucilia cornicina (Fabricius) (=Musca cornicina Fabrieius, Spec. Insect., 2, 1871, p. 438). Thorax without acrosticals before the transverse suture; four posterior dorso- centrals. Front comparatively narrower in both sexes. This species is thus far unknown from North America. In Europe, however, it is not less common than the foregoing. I have examined a male from Rambpuillet, France, kindly sent to me by Dr. Villeneuve. Stein (Arch. f. Naturg., 83, Abt. A, Heft 1, 1919, p. 105) synonymizes Pyrellia frontalis Thomson (Eugenies Resa, 2, Zook, 1, Diptera, 1868, p. 545), from California, with C . cornicina. Whether this is based on an examination of Thomson’s type specimen is not known, but the description applies equally well to C. ccesarion. The failure of North American entomologists to separate ccesarion and cornicina is evidently due to the confusion on this subject which has been allowed to prevail until recent years by European dipterists. Even Girschner while establishing his genus Pseudopyrellia on “P. cornicia Fll.” was evidently using specimens of ccesarion , since he expressly mentions among the generic characters the presence of a pair of heavy acrosticals. Schnabl and Dziedzicki (Die Anthomyiden. Nov. Acta Ac. Leop. Car. Nat. Cur., 95, 1911, pp. 224 and 229) repeated the same error. The two species, however, have been correctly separated by Stein (Arch. f. Naturg., 81, Abt. A, Heft 10, 1916, p. 18), who has also examined their type specimens. Considering the constant association of Cryptolucilia ccesarion with cattle dung, the question might be raised whether this fly has not been imported from the Old World through the agency of man, at a comparatively recent date. It is, moreover, remarkable that of the two common Palearctic species, only one has thus far established itself in North America. 92 Psyche [June NOTES ON THE PUFFBALL BEETLE, CMNOCARA OCULATA (SAY) By Harry B. Weiss, New Brunswick, N. J. This member of the family A nob i idee was described by Say in 1824 (App. vol. II, Keating’s Exp. to source of St. Peters Riv. under Maj. Long, Phila., 1824, p. 273) and has long been known to collectors as being associated with the fungi commonly called puffballs. Blatchley (Col. Ind., 1910, p. 884) records it from Indiana as occurring throughout the state on low vegetation in damp localities and also in small puffballs (Lycoperdon). Smith (Ins. N. J., p. 307) records it as common throughout the state but docs not mention any host. For the past two years it has been noted at Monmouth Junction, N. J., breeding in a species of puffball known as Scleroderma vulgare and undoubtedly occurs in many localities where its host grows. Lcng (Check List Col. Amer. N. of Mex. p. 244) indicates its wide distribution by the following localities — Ct., Fla., New Eng., Ariz., Ind. Fungi belonging to the genus Lycoperdon are small puffballs with somewhat thickened bases or stalks. When young the interior is soft, white and firm; later it becomes yellowish and finally forms a purplish brown, dusty mass consisting of spores and threadlike filaments. Species of this genus appear in the summer and autumn and are common on the ground or on old stumps, usually in clusters. In the genus Scleroderma , the plants are sessile or nearly so. The pcridium is thick and leathery and sometimes becomes cracked and ruptured at the apex. Scleroderma vulgare in which Cocnocara oculata was found breeding is about 5 cm., in diameter, subglobular, with a thick, yellowish or pale brown scaly or warty, leathery pcridium. The spore mass is purplish black. This species is quite common and occurs in dry places and on hard ground. At Monmouth Junction, N. J., the fructifications were found in the dry parts of a large wooded area. 1922] A Totes on the Puffball Beetle. 93 On September 5, several adults of Ccenocara oculata were noted with their bodies projecting slightly from small circular holes in the walls of the fungi. Upon cutting such fungi open, they were found to contain, in addition to the blackish, powdery mass of spores, numerous full grown larvae some of which had constructed pupal chambers or cells. One puffball contained fully 100 larvae. Many of the larvae pupated by September 9 and on September 22 fully colored adults were found in the cells. When full grown each larva constructs an oval cell in the spore mass. These are about 4 mm., long and 2 mm., wide and many are attached to the inner side of the peridial wall. Pupation takes place in these cells and when the adult is ready to emerge it simply eats through the wall of the fungus. Upon examining these exit holes it will be found that they are shallow and extend in only to the depth of the pupal cell. The larvae undoubtedly do most if not all of their feeding in the fungus when it is young as at this time, the interior is' solid and fleshy. When ripe, the spore mass is dry and powdery. Larvae. Length about 4 mm. Width about 1.5 mm. Form subcylindrical, tapering toward head, posterior end rounded, somewhat white grub-like in appearance. Body curved, almost semicircular in outline. White except for brownish mouth parts. Head small, subcircular, bearing minute hairs; collum absent; antennae single jointed, minute, almost obsolete; ocelli absent; cranial sutures indistinct; gula membraneous; ventral mouth parts fleshy. Clypeus and labrum distinct, former transverse, latter small, semicircular bearing several minute hairs on anterior edge. Mandibles comparatively large, heavy, broad across base, narrowing toward tip which is strongly bifid. Lacinia and galea distinct, well separated, each bearing chitinous hairs; maxillary palpi two-jointecl, second joint tapering and twice as long as the first; labium with mentum and submentum indis- tinct; labial palpi two-jointed. Body segmentation indistinct; body bearing numerous minute hairs and irregular transverse rows of larger hairs on raised dorsal folds of thoracic and ab- 94 Psyche [June dominal segments. Anal end of body and anal area bearing numerous longer hairs. True legs absent, indicated by ambula- tory tubercles. Pupa. Length about 3 mm. Width about 1.8 mm. White; oval; posterior end of abdomen terminated by a pair of tubercles each bearing a short, weak spine; remainder of body surface devoid of spines or hairs. Aclult. Reference to the place of original description has already been made and Blatchley’s description (Col. Ind. p. 884) is available if the original is not. The adult is interesting on account of its ability to pack itself up into a little globe or ball. The legs shut together; a cavity on the breast receives the antennae and large mouth parts and the head is folded down over the chest closing this cavity. In such a closely packed condition, the insect resembles a small seed. When disturbed, it immediately folds up. 1922] Records of Hymenopterous Parasites in Pennsylvania. 95 RECORDS OF HYMENOPTEROUS PARASITES IN PENNSYLVANIA By A. B. Champlain. Bureau of Plant Industry, Harrisburg, Pa. Definite breeding records of Hymenopterous parasites are a’ ways valuable contributions to our knowledge of this order of insects. The following collection of fragmentary records of parasitic Hymenoptera and their hosts are from rearings by the author, and from notes in the file of the Bureau of Plant Industry, extending over a period of years. Due credit for the records obtained appears throughout the paper. The recorded species which are in the collection of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Plant Industry were all identified or verified by leading authorities on Hymenoptera, — S. A. Rohwer and R. A. Cushman of the U. S. National Museum, and some by H. L. Viereck of the U. S. Bureau of Biological Survey. The. abbreviations — Det. Roh., Det. Cush., Det. Vier. — designate; the species identified by each. Evaniidce Hemistephanus sp. (Det. Cush.). Hummelstown, Pa., Rockville, Pa., Magnolia, McL, is a parasite of Dicerca divaricata in Betula lenta and of unknown borers in Quercus bicolor and Quercus sp. Notes by PI. B. Kirk and J. N. Knull. Oleisoprister abbotii Westw., Hummelstown, Pa., reared from Liriodendron tulipifera infested by Leptura mutabilis. Odontaulacus bilobatus (Prov.), (Det. Roh.) Mt. Holly, Pa., June 14, 1921 — Knull and Champlain. Adults were flying around and alighting on dying hemlock Tsuga canadensis. Upon cutting into the bark a heavy infesta- tion of Melanophila fulvoguttata was found in adult and pupal stages. In some cells adults and pupae (one to a cell) of 0. bilobatus were found with remnants of the host. 96 Psyche [June Odonlaulacus rugitarsis Cress. (Det. Cush.) New Bloomfield, Pa., June 16. Adults were plentiful flying around and alighting on cut white pine ( Pinus strohus ) infested by Scolytoids and Cerambycids. Pammegischia burquei Prov. (Det. Cush.), Harrisburg, Pa. A parasite of Xiphidria champlaini Roll, in dead branches of Carpinus caroliniana ; A", attenuate Nort. in dead branches of Tilia americana and of X. maculata in dead Acer rubrum. Adults fly during May. Braconidce Macrocentrus delicatus Cress. (Det. Vier.). Willow Street, Pa. Reared from pupae of Mineola indiginella. Ilelconidea ligator Say (Det. Cush.), Hummelstown, Pa., Jan. 23. Reared from oak ( Quercus bicolor ) infested by Purpuricenus axilaris. J. N. Knull; West Chester, Pa. Reared from dead Morus sp. infested by borers, Camp Hill, Pa., from dead Robinia pseudacacia, infested by Neoclytus erythrocephalus, F. M. Trimble. Ilelconidea borealis Cress. (Det. Roh.), Harrisburg, Pa. Parasite on Cerambycid larva in dead Rhus toxicodendron, H. B. Kirk, Hummelstown, Pa. Parasite of Cerambycid larvae in dead mulberry ( Morus rubra) branches, — J. N. Knull. Ilelcon pedalis Cress. (Det. Roll.), Hummelstown, Pa. Parasite on Xylotrechus larvae in dead hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ), — J. N. Knull. I chneumonidce Nemeritis canescens (Grav.) (Det. Cush.), Butler, Pa., IX. 25. In flour mills. A parasite of Mediterranean flour moth. Orthopelma luteolata (Grav.) (Det. Cush.), Chester, Pa. VI-27. Reared from Cynip galls on wild rose. 1922] Records of Hymenopterous Parasites in Pennsylvania. 97 Cremastus gracilipes Cush. (Det. Cush.), Rockville, Pa. Reared from cat tail rush infested by Dicymolomia julianalis ; Collins, Pa. Lepidopterous larvse infesting “cat-tails” growing along canal, caged IX-22, indoors — Nov. 23 to next April, many moths and ichneumonid parasites emerged — A. F. Satterthwait.” Identified same as above. Labena apicalis Cress. (Det. Cush.), Rockville, Pa. Parasite of Stenosphenus notatus in Hicoria sp., I-II, — J. N. Knull. Xorides calidus (Prov.) (Det. Roh.), Harrisburg, Pa. Parasite of Phloeotrya 4 — maculata in dead sumac ( Rhus typhina). Odontomerus canadensis Prov. (Det. Cush.), Hummelstown, Pa., V-18. Parasite of Cerambycid in sumac ( Rhus sp.), Knull. Glypta simplicipes Cress. (Det. Cush.), Philadelphia, Pa., V-20. Reared from larva of leaf tyer on Azalea sp., — J. K. Primm. Scambus ( Epiurus ) tecumseh Vier. (Det. Cush.). Host — -Dicy- molomia julianalis Walsh, in cat-tail rush, Rockville, Pa., VI-6 to 19. Tromatobia rufopectus Cress. (Det. Cush.). “Harrisburg, Pa., collected egg mass of garden spider from shrub. On opening egg cocoon found that eggs had been parasitized by an Ichneumonid, and the case contained a dozen or more whitish cocoons matted together. Upon opening one of these cocoons found the parasite in mature larval stage. Material caged. March 22 the parasites had emerged. There were twelve females and one male, — J. R. Stear.” Scambus indigator Walsh (Det. Vier.), Willow Street, Pa. Reared from pupa of Mineola indiginellci Zell. Perithous pleuralis Cress. (Det. Cush.), Hummelstown, Pa. Cocoons found in old (borer?) burrows in Platanus occi- dentalism 11-17 — Knull. Ephialtes aequalis (Prov.) (Det. Cush), Ledy, Pa., from Codling moth puparia. 98 Psyche [June Ichneumon irritator Fab., New Cumberland, Pa. Host — Cyllene pidus. Hummelstown, Pa., parasite of Chrybothris sp. larvse found in sapwood of dead Cercis canadensis, — Kirk and Knull. Ichneumon comstocki Cress. (Det. Vier.), Rockville, Pa. Reared from Evetria comstockiana, — V. A. E. Dsecke. Rhyssa lineolata Kirby (Det. Cush.), Mt. Holly, Pa., June 14. Adult female ovipositing in dead hemlock infested by Urocerus albicornis. Urocerus albicornis Fab., New Bloomfield, Pa. This horntail infested hemlock stumps, trees cut one year ago. At this time (Aug. 1) adult females are flying. Cutting into infested stumps we found pupae of males and females, also mature larvae, small larvae and apparently newly hatched larvae, as well as parasites. Among the parasites, R. lineolata was common. Adults were collected from July 10 to 30 at various localities. On Aug. 1, at New Bloomfield, pupae and newly transformed adults were chopped from the Urocerus cells. Observation by Knull and Champlain. Rhy sella humida Say (Det. Cush.), Rockville, Pa. A parasite of Xiphidria champlaini Roh. in dead Carpinus caroliniana. Megarhyssa nortoni (Cress.), New Bloomfield, Pa., July 21 and August 1. Adults ovipositing in stumps infested by Urocerus albicornis,— Knull and Champlain. Arotes formosus (Cress.) (Det. Cush.), Dauphin, Pa., Clarks Valley, VI-5. Parasite of Bellamira scalaris in dead river birch ( Betula nigra), — Kirk and Champlain. Gelis bruesi (Strickl.) (Det. Cush.), Rockville, Pa. Parasite on the eggs of Drassid spider. The spider egg cases were collected from the under side of stones. The cocoon of the parasite was in the space originally occupied by the spider egg mass. 1922] Records of Hymenopterous Parasites in Pennsylvania. 99 Gelis obscurus (Cress.) (Dot. Cush.), Rockville, Pa. Parasite on the eggs of Drassid spider. Both winged and wingless forms were reared. Acroricnus junceus Cress. (Det. Vier.), Conewago, Pa., V-7. Reared from nest of solitary wasp on Juniperus. Also reared from nest of Odynerus tigris, — V. A. E. Daecke. Itamoplex vinctus (Say). (Det. Cush.), Chambersburg, Pa., Reared from cocoons of peach tree borer ( Synanthedon exitosa), — E. M. Craighead. Agrothereutes nuncius Say (Det. Vier.), Harrisburg, Pa. Very common parasites in the cocoons of Callosamia promethea. Lagarotis cliprioni Roh. (Det. Cush.), Wyomissing, Pa. Reared from the cocoons of Diprion lecontei. Chromocryptus nebraskensis Ashm. (Det. Cush.), Obelisk, Pa., XI-18. Reared IV-21, from the cocoon of Tolype velleda. Amblyteles. Many species of this genus overwinter in the adult stage in cracks in bark, in old borer cells in logs and beneath stones. During the winter months they may be found packed closely together in cells in logs, six to a dozen specimens, sometimes one species, often a number of species together. Many of the records show that they are primary parasites of Lepidoptera, and usually emerge after the host has entered the pupal stage. Amblyteles malacus Say (Det. Cush.), Harrisburg, Pa. Emerged IV-18 from Arctiid pupa from beneath bark in old willow log. Linglestown, Rockville, Harrisburg, Pa. Reared from Arctiid pupae, — Kirk and Champlain. Amblyteles cincticornis (Cress.) (Det. Vier.), Enid, Pa. Reared from moth pupa on cabbage. Adults collected in hiber- nation. Amblyteles subcyaneus Cress. (Det. Vier.), Harrisburg, Pa. Reared from Arctiid pupae from under bark of willow log, — A. F. Satterthwait & W. S. Fisher. 100 Psyche [June Amblyteles extrematatis (Cress.) (Det. Vier.). (Det. Cush.), Penbrook, Pa. Reared from pupa of Arctiid ( Gaberasa ambigualis) , D. K. McMillan. Also reared from Arctiid pupae from other localities in Pennsylvania. Amblyteles unifasciatorius (Say) (Det. Cush.), Harrisburg, Pa. Reared from Lepidopterous pupa. Amblyteles paratus Say (Det. Cush.), Linglestown, Pa. Reared from small moth pupa, — Kirk and Champlain. Amblyteles rufiventris Brulle (Det. Cush). From pupa of Vanessa hunter a— D. K. McMillan & W. S. Fisher. (Det. Vier.). Emerged from pupa of Vanessa cardui, — P. R. Myers. Amblyteles duplicatus Say (Det. Cush.), Enola, Pa. Reared from pupae of Eudamus tityrus, — Kirk and Champlain. Amblyteles cceruleus Cress. (Det. Cush.), Harrisburg, Pa. Reared from moth pupa, — Kirk and Knull. Amblyteles sp. near signatipes (Cress.) (Det. Cush.). Reared from moth pupa collected beneath bark, Harrisburg, Pa., 11-24,— P. R. Myers. V anhorniidce V anhornia eucnemidarum Cwfcl. Parasite of Tharops ruficornis in dead maple, Hummelstown, Pa., — Knull and Cham- plain. Ibaliidce Ibalia ensiger Norton, (Verified Roh.) New Bloomfield, Pa., — VIII. Ovipositing in hemlock, August 1, pupae and adults from cells of Urocerus albicornis in stumps of hem- lock,— Knull and Champlain. Ibalia maculipennis Haldeman. (Det. Champlain). Very com- mon in the vicinity of Harrisburg where it is a parasite of Tremex columba in hickory. 1922] Hymenopterous Genus Harpagocryptus and its Allies. 101 ON THE HYMENOPTEROUS GENUS HARPAGOCRYP- TUS AND ITS ALLIES.1 By Charles T. Brues. In the October issue of the Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society for 1908 Bridwell (’08) described a peculiar genus of Hymenoptera from Queensland, which he named Harpagocryptus and placed in the Family Diyiniclse. Harpagocryptus differs from all other genera of Dryinidae except Dryinopsis Brues (TO)2 in having the antennae of the female 12-jointed, but Bridwell was influenced in placing the genus in this family by the habits of the larva which forms a sac on the side of the abdomen of crickets after the fashion of certain well known Dryinids. About a year later (’10) the present writer described the genus Algoa, based on an anomalous insect from Cape Colony which he was unhble to place with certainty in any family. At the time I did not compare it with Bridwell’s description of Harpagocryptus, as I did not think the South African insect could be a member of the Dryinidae. The two are, however, closely related, and I regarded them as synomous until recently, when Air. Nathan Banks of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, gave me a specimen of a subapterous Hymcnopteron from Long Island, New York, belonging to the same group. After a careful comparison of the two species before me with Bridwell’s description, I have come to the conclusion that three closely related genera are concerned. I find also that I have a male of Algoa heterodoxa which is entirely wingless and distin- guishable from the female only by the presence of two spines at the apex of the abdomen, and of thirteen antennal joints, while the femora are much more slender than those of the female. ■‘Contribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University, No. 205. 2This genus is similar in many respects to Methoca and apparently still more like Andreus Ashm. (03b), although I know the latter only from the description. Unfortunately the male is unknown and may or may not prove to be of the Thynnid type. Inasmuch as the systematic position of Methoca itself must still be considered as somewhat doubtful, I am unable to form a satisfactory opinion concerning the affinities of Dryinopsis. 102 Psyche [June Still a fourth member of this group is Olixon Cameron (’87) described from Panama and later redescribed by Kieffer (’ll) from Mexico, as Saphobethylus. Turner and Waterston (’17) have shown these two genera to be complete synonyms as the type species of both are identical. Cameron regarded Olixon as an anomalous Braconid, but thought that it showed resemblance to certain Bethylids, particularly on account of its greatly thickened fore legs. Kieffer placed Saphobethylus in the Bethy- lidse without question, but Turner and Waterston have referred the insect to the Rhopalosomatidae. All four genera are closely related, but are, I think, un- doubtedly separable on good characters. They may be distin- guished by means of the following key, which is based solely on the females, except in the case of Olixon. 1. Second segment of abdomen much the longest 2 Second segment of abdomen only a little longer than third, head transverse, vestigial wings present, reach- ing to base of abdomen, but without nervure; tarsal claws with a small subapical tooth . . .Olixon Cameron. 2. Tegulse well developed; anterior wings present, but reduced in size and reaching to the tip of the propo- deum; antennse much longer than the head and thorax together, slender 3 Tegulse and wings absent; antennse stout, barely as long as the head and thorax Algoa Brues 3. Mandible with a long apical tooth and with three minute subapical teeth on the inner edge; head seen from above transverse. . . Harpagocryptus Bridwell Mandible with a long apical tooth, the inner teeth large and well-developed; head seen from above as long as broad Nealgoa gen. nov. Of the three genera, Algoa and Nealgoa are distinguished by a number of characters which are indicated in the generic diagnoses that follow; likewise Algoa and Harpagocryptus are separable by several clear-cut structural differences. Harpa- 1922] Hymenopterous Genus liar pay ocry plus and its Allies. 103 gocryptus and Nealgoa are evidently more closely similar, although many characters which might be useful are not given by Bridwell, and were it not for the great geographical separation, I should hesitate to propose a new genus for the North American species. The characters which appear useful in differentiating the four genera follow. Olixon Cameron. Biol. Centr.-Americana, Hymenoptera, vol. 1, p. 412 (1887) Kieffer. Bull. Soc. Sci. Bruxelles, vol. 35, p. 216 (1911) ( Saphobetliylus ) OPTEH \ - labium Antenna four jointed. Labium with medium lobe undcfl (* entire) PHOflOUI’IU'M Terminal (4th) segment of antenna rtcuned, .'lender, ns long as third segment is wide Terminal (4th) segment of antenna orbicular or discoid, or rudimen- tary when much thorlcr than third segment is wide (sec figure under Gompiiinae) Gouriiua Lateral labial lobe with lharp, incurred hook nt npex, or at lensl nerer rounded at apex Abdominal segments H and 0 tcith prominent apical spine OrnioooMPHCB Lateral labial lobe rounded nt npex Abdomen circular in outline almost as wide as long Abdomen orate or lanceolate in outline at leaet twice ns long os wide IIagexius An ax Gomi'Haescuna. Mature larva unknown Hind margins of head rountled nr tubangular Lateral spines only on abdominal segments sewn to nine Literal spinra on abdominal segments Jour. /worsts to nine •Vo dors.,1 books on abdominal segments NaMOSWUNA Mortal hook, 0n abdominal segments »etrn to “i|ir Literal spines on abdominal segment* /Ire nr sir to EnAKBCHNA Literal spinet on abdominal segments jour to nine Basiaeschna A|>ex of lateral labial lobe acute. Labium untootked on either side of median cleft A|ie\ of lateral labial lobe blunt labium UuOted on either title of median cleft