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THE CANADIAN
e.N LOMOLOGIST.
VOLUME XIX.
EDITED BY: THE
Reo. C. I. S. Rethune, M. A., D.C. *F.,
PORT HOPE, ONT,
SS | Mea pd ig <3 t — a
J. Fletcher, Ottawa ; E. B. Reed and J. M. Denton,
London; G. Geddes, Toronto.
Wondon :
PRINTED BY THE FREE PRESS PRINTING COMPANY
1887.
esata ent ec ieSellace alli
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LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS VOLUME.
NA Wi Eee OOo ok et Na pas bse Madera JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
POMEL SIGE SARS a ies sein cea sie see Raw Gas Ss CALIFORNIA.
BMeLHUNE, REY. C.J. S.. Cree EDITOR.)... 0.00005. Port Hopr.
SEP INR SOILED, rly eo te hays rein ag Cb 4 A velbe ec eb es LOWELL, Mass,
MUS Aa ee eae nao vee kaw lays bis dee Cw cone MONTREAL.
Mei). FOB. rie. 8k PUES a Apa ibe eat ae eae MONTREAL,
rR ee ey a oe yee as ee New York.
FOR Was WS ye ues os kbs cee Wee es AKRON, OHIO,
MRT st le AEP oy oh ke ca cs Shop ae oa aee Los ANGELES, Cat
MAES) OW. TD ieiien Meee Rawr sa Deva tare Woe es ee STATEN ISLAND, N. Y-
Mer ENE PIPE Src ek ais, seo Tews eee enae New York.
EDWARDS, W. H...... Hes) ek oe) na Dac . COALBURGH, West Va.
Pum ALD, PROP. OH ..:: TiN i pe eb imne etre tees ~- AMHERST, Mass,
PEC DA es a eas bene ee ea beeveian «OTTAWA,
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BOR e re, MO ig ts es owed Se eS . cs ba peee es ROUTH QUERRC.
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‘ ME A Be a) ee a es fb as has Cen eee BREMEN, GERMANY,
ME CAR BS Pe Pe A ae ee a ee slee CAMBRIDGE, Mass,
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SANDS RIV OW. Seite seas Weel as Gee co PITTSBURGH, Pa.
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Cnr SACKEN, BARON... 3g ay fas ee ws HEIDELBERG, GERMANY.
BAU NUERS; 41.8.0 6.5 08 eee EA we dowaoe LONDON.
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Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XIX. LONDON, JANUARY, 1887. ee Noy x
AN EXPLANATION.
BY WM. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONT.
A protracted absence from home has prevented me from offering
earlier to the readers of THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST an explanation
of the circumstances which have led to my resignation of the post I have
held so long as Editor of this journal. For thirteen years it has been
my pleasure and privilege to be thus brought in contact with most of the
active workers in the Entomological field, with many of whom I have
held pleasant intercourse both by correspondence and in person, and it
occasioned me much regret when I found it necessary to sever my con-
nection with those editorial duties which had hitherto given me so much
pleasure. Shortly after the proposal was made that the Government should
establish a number of experimental farms in Canada, I was employed to
collect such information as might aid in determining the best course to
pursue. This enquiry resulted in my becoming greatly interested in the
work, and subsequently in my accepting the position of Director of the
same. The duties of this office are so weighty and constant as to make
it necessary for me to give up all other engagements and devote to it my
entire time and thought. Since Economic Entomology is one of the
subjects which will claim attention at the principal or central farm, I hope
still to be able, if not directly, at least indirectly, to aid in advancing this
: important branch of Entomological study. I desire to tender my sincere
* thanks to the many kind friends who have aided me in the past by sup-
4 plying useful matter for the journal, and would bespeak for my esteemed '
: and able successor a continuance of that confidence and support. Our
readers may rest assured that my withdrawal from the editorial chair will
‘. - not in any way lessen the value and usefulness of THE CANADIAN ENTO-
: MOLOGIST ; indeed, I have reason to believe that, under the skilful man-
agement of the newly appointed Editor, the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, the
future of our valued monthly will in many respects be an improvement
on the past,
e
74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
NOTE ON THE EUROPEAN GRAPTA C ALBUM. _
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, Wi VA,
In the Entom. Mo. Mag., xxii, p. 186, Jan., 1887, is the statement
by Mrs. Hutchinson, of Leominster, to this effect: that the writer caught
a female C Album which was hovering about currant bushes,and obtained
from her many eggs, laid between 27th April and 6th May. The eggs
hatched between May 5th and 11th, and the larve were full grown from
17th to 23rd June. The first butterfly came from pupa 26th June, the
last 3rd July. ‘“‘ Zwo of the insects paired on June 30th, and the female
commenced laying on rst July, and continued doing so until the roth,
when there were 120 ova in all.” (Neither one of this pair then could
have more than four days out). From these eggs butterflies were obtained,
from 17th to 27th August. ‘‘ Several pairs were put together, but no ova
were obtained.” I do not know whether this last means that actual copu-
lation took place or not, but should suppose not, as eggs could not have
been formed in the ovaries, these butterflies being of the last brood of the
year, and the one which hibernates.
The interesting point in this narrative is that butterflies will pair in
captivity. I myself have never known such an instance, but in Can.
EnrT., xviii, p. 17, it is recorded that a pair of Satyrus A/ope paired when
put under a net, as observed by Miss E. L. Morton. Some butterflies
come from pupa with eggs mature. I have seen pairs of P. Ajax copu-
lating, when the wings of the female were not yet dry. In case of Heli-
conia Charitonia, the pairing often takes place before the female is clear
of the pupa skin. Argynnis JZyrinva has been recorded as pairing almost
immediately after both sexes left the pupz. And the eggs of P. Zharos
are fully formed on coming from chrysalis. On the other hand, many
species require 10 or 15 days at the least to mature their eggs, as our
larger Argynnids, several Papilios and others. It is well worth while to
experiment with different species in this direction.
These observations of Mrs. Hutchinson settle the question as to C
Album being single or double-brooded. Westwood, in Humphrey’s Brit,
But., 1846, says the species is double-brooded. But Newman, Brit. But.,
1871, p. 50, says that an idea seems prevalent that there are two broods
in the year, but that he thinks it is a mistake, and never had satisfactory
evidence of it. So that up to 1871, it seems not to have been a settled
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3
re 5g
question. No book that I have gives any farther information. The
“ Larve of British Butterflies,” by the late Wm. Buckler, recently pub-
lished, says nothing on the point.
There are three American species of Grapta, at least, which correspond
to, and represent, C A/oum, namely, Comma, Satyrus and Faunus, and
so high authorities as Dr. Staudinger and Mr. Méschler once pronounced
all these to be C A/bum. But after figures of the larva of Comma were
published, 1871, But. N. A., vol. 1, and descriptions of the larva of
Satyrus by Messrs. H. Edwards and Pearson, it was everywhere conceded
that these two were not C Album. ‘That was something gained. But
many, especially European, authors still hold Faunus to be C Album.
Faunus is remarkable for its lack of variability. Examples from all locali-
ties are identical in coloration and markings. Whereas C Album, if all
the phases in color, markings and size, which in Europe pass as C Adbum,
be really but one species, a matter which I very much doubt, varies won-
derfully, and takes in not only phases like the three American species
mentioned, but of three or four others, and some not represented in
America. And now comes proof that C A/bum is two-brooded, while it
is certain that in no part of its territory is Hwunus more than single-
brooded, although in a considerable part of such territory it flies in com-
pany with Comma, and apparently the season is as favorable in these dis-
tricts for two broods in Faunus asin Comma. Faunus is a sub-boreal
species, flying from one ocean to the other, but to the southward it also
occupies Canada and parts of New England, New York, Pennsylvania,
and Virginia, and even to Georgia, in the mountainous sections. And
being boreal and one-brooded, it is fair to presume that it came from the
north ; that at the time, ages ago, when the two continents were united,
the species occupied the northern parts of both. When the separation
took place, the European branch split into numerous varieties, and became
double-brooded, yet retained its identity as one species (that is, if the
European lepidopterists of to-day are right in their views), and shows
nowhere differences between any of its preparatory stages—one multiform
species.
And the other branch, on the western continent, threw off diverse
forms, several of which have come to have very different caterpillars from
the original type. These also came to be two to four-brooded, and two,
at least, became seasonally dimorphic in coloration. But one form,
Faunus, remains single-brooded, and shows no tendency to vary, and may
4 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
be presumed to be nearer to the primeval type of the species than any of
the forms that now compose the group. Of course, this one-brooded,
non-varying form is to-day not the same thing as the two-brooded, very
variable form found in Europe. They have come to be two distinct
species. It is unfortunate that even now so little is known of the early
stages of Faunus. It is a matter that the northern lepidopterists should
have studied, and all stages from the egg might easily have been seen and
described. There may be important differences between the larve and
pupe of Haunus and C Album.
ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANADIAN LEPIDOPTERA.
BY J. ALSTON MOFFAT, HAMILTON, ONT.
I give the following names in the Geometridz as new to the Canadian ~
List :— i
. Caberodes majoraria, Guen.
Endropia marginata, Minot.
" textrinaria, Grote.
Ephyra pendulinaria, Guen.
. Arthena lucata, Guen.
1» albogilvaria, Morr.
. Deilinia variolaria, Guen.
Semiothisa minorata, Pack.
9. Phasiane mellistrigata, Grote.
10. Thamnonoma brunneata, Thun.
11. Cymatophora umbrosaria, Hub.
12. Heterophleps Harneiata, Pack.
13. Lobophora anguilineata, Grote.
SIAM Rw DH
14. " montanata, Pack.
15. Petrophora prunata, Linn.
16, " lunigerata, Walk.
All the common species that were easily obtained in this locality, have
had names in my collection for many years, but owing to the changes that
» were being made in the genera and synonymy of species, I was not in a
ge =
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 5
-
ne) a GR a eo
inter etn See
position to follow them up, so that when Mr. Grote’s ‘“ New Check List”
appeared, which I have followed in this, I found that several of my old
names had disappeared altogether, and others had been rendered doubtful,
: The Rev. Geo. D. Hulst, of Brooklyn, N. Y., opened communication
* with me last fall, with a view to exchange ; he also at the same time kindly
offered to name anything he could for me. Gladly availing myself of the
services of so competent an authority, I sent to him all that I considered
doubtful in my collection, as well as the new and unnamed material I had
on hand. The result was the correction of several errors, as well as the
addition of new species to my list. Nos. 1 and 2 are old specimens. No.
5, One specimen taken last summer. No. 6, quite common here. No. 8,
one specimen, last summer’s capture. No. 11—my Cymatophoras were
badly mixed, and I have some single specimens that yet want determining.
No. 12, quite a common insect here, but which I had the pleasure of add-
ing to Mr. Hulst’s collection, where it was wanting. No. 15, a single
specimen ; 16 a single specimen I have had for years, and have not met
with another, and have only seen one in any other collection. Mr. Hulst
gives, it as Cidaria lunigerata, vir. dispunctaria Pack. Of the other
numbers, I have received the names from different sources in recent years.
Mr. Hulst also named some that are new to me, but already in the
Canadian List. Last summer is generally acknowledged to have been
poor in Lepidoptera, yet I was quite fortunate in obtaining new things in
the Geometride, although so many of them were but single specimens of
a kind.
A NEW HOMOHADENA. :
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Homohadena Elda, n. sp.
Expanse 1.30 inches. Apex very slightly produced, the posterior
angle rounded ; eyes naked ; palpi oblique, projecting beyond the head in
their natural position about the width of the eyes ; tibiz unarmed ; abdo-
men equalling the hind wings ; covering of thorax mostly scales. Color,
warm gray, slightly wine tinted ; basal half line black, not very distinct,
strongly angulated outward on the subcostal vein, a black basal dash
crossing the lower end of this line, the space enclosed between the costa
6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
and these two lines sordid white; t. a..line black, double, the inner ‘por-
tion sub-obsolete, general course nearly straight, but from the costa to
median vein extending slightly inward, and from median to sub-median
slightly arcuate outward, as also from sub-median to posterior margin ;
median shade prominent, smoky black, straight, extending from costa to
posterior margin, in width .o4 of an inch, a gray spot in the lower end of
it, and bordered externally by the internal portion of the black annulus of
the reniform, and below median venules by what seems to be a portion of
the t. p. line; t. p. line obsolete save some black points between white —
on the veins and the arcuate black portion before spoken of, bending out-
ward round the reniform and inward below this ; sub-terminal line whit-
ish, irregular, faintly sending gray streaks to the margin on the veins.
Stigmata large ; orbicular elongate transversely to the wing, black annu-
late with a white shading inside this; reniform kidney-shaped with the
outer depression quite prominent, a prominent black border toward base
of wing, but none or only slight on the outside, inside this a white bor-
dering that extends round the spot. Outer margin a black line, fringe |
concolorous with the wing. Hind wings pale smoky gray, nearly uniform,
slight indication of a line through the middle, fringe whitish, Thorax
gray with the shoulder tufts and posterior scales black tipped. As this
covering had been slightly disturbed, could not tell whether these posterior
scales formed a low tuft or not, but should think they did. Under side
gray, with but faint indication of marks.
Described from two females from Soda Springs, Sishyon Co., Cali- —
fornia, one in the cabinet of James Behrens, and the other in the cabinet
of G. H. French, captured in September, 1885.
NORTH AMERICAN TACHINID:.
GONIA,
BY PROF. S. W. WILLISTON, NEW HAVEN, CT..
The genus Gonia is one easily recognized by reason of its peculiar
structure of the head and antennz ; unfortunately the separation of species
is a much less simple matter. As is so frequently the case, isolated speci-
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, fs
mens frequently furnish grounds for much more decided opinions than a
richer material will sustain. I describe in the present paper five species
that present characters sufficiently decisive to render their recognition not
doubtful ; other species I forbear to name till my material is richer. It
will be seen that I make little use of the structure of the arista, a character
that has been relied upon much in the European species ; but I am satis-
fied that it is a variable one in individuals of the same species, and is,
moreover, distinctly sexual. There is a distinct variation in different
species in the position of the anterior cross-vein, as regards the termination
of the auxiliary ; of how much value the character is I am not yet decided.
Generic characters.—Moderately large species, not very bristly. Head
very large, inflated ; front very broad, only a little narrower in the male,
with numerous, not very strong bristles ; face in profile nearly perpendicu-
lar, the epistoma but slightly projecting ; the oral margin with a row of
bristles, not ascending on the edges of the median facial depression.
Cheeks broad ; bare, or with short bristles. Antenne elongate; third
joint two or three times as long as the second in the female, from four to
eight times in the male ; arista stout, composed of three joints, the second
and third elongate, and joining each other at an angle, as though broken.
Eyes bare. Palpi cylindrical. Scutellum with six strong bristles on its
border. Abdomen broad oval or ovate ; first and second segments each
with a pair of median posterior bristles and one extreme lateral posterior
one ; third segment with a row on the posterior border. No spinule at
tip of auxiliary vein; fourth vein: obtusely angulated, without stump of
vein, terminating in the costa a considerable distance before the tip ; pos-
terior cross-vein much nearer the angle than to the anterior cross-vein.
Head yellow, except the occiput, palpi yellow ; thorax black, margins
of dorsum and scutellum often yellowish ; legs black. Larvze, so far as
known, parasitic on hymenoptera and lepidoptera.
Table of Species.
1.—Abdomen wholly black, or at most only somewhat reddish on the
sides of base ; claws and pulvilli of male small: . FRonTosa Say.
Abdomen largely or wholly red or yellow. .......065 cccsessceesseceeeee ees 2
2.—Face and antenne golden yellow ; claws of male small. . sENILIS, n. sp.
hoee and antenne not coldet Yenow. 1.550 ..0ck. .c.ds ccc edecse secsssece 3
3.—Sides of face, pleuree and femora with cath Laie claws and pulvilli
Pe AIS SIMA chins. -4i fer sekeentaayss owas pees debe oets PORCA, TY Sp,
8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
£.
Sides of face with black bristles; pleurz not with yellow hair... .. 4
4.—Abdomen reddish yellow, with or without small black spots; claws
and pulvilli of male small..........c000:..0 APE DE 8 SEQUAX, N. Sp.
Abdomen largely black ; claws and pulvilli of male large. . EXUL, n. sp.
GoNIA FRONTOSA Say, J. Acad. Phil. vi., 175; Compl. Wr. ii,, 365.
Gonia philadelphica Macquart, Dipt. Exot. il., 3, 51, 6. :
? Gonta albifrons Walker, List, etc., iv., 798.
¢. Length 9.5-10 mm. Face and front light yellow, with a silvery,
or slightly golden sheen ; front a little translucent on the sides when seen
from above ; face on the sides with short black bristles, and a number of
longer ones near the sides of the median depression ; median depression
in its greatest width about as wide as the least width of the sides of the
face; cheeks with short black bristly hairs only. Antenne blackish
brown, the second joint and base of third yellowish; second joint about
one-third the length of the third; second joint of the arista not more than
three-fifths the length of the third. Palpi yellow. Dorsum of thorax
black ; the humeri, post-alar callosities, and scutellum in large part, luteous
yellowish ; dorsum, when seen from behind, distinctly gray pollinose,
leaving four slender stripes.. Bristles of scutellum long, reaching to base
of third abdominal segment. Abdomen deep shining black ; the second
segment with a very narrow, the third with a narrow, the fourth with a
moderately broad, basal white-pollinose cross band. Wings nearly hyaline
behind ; the costal, subcostal and first basal cells very distinctly tinged
with brown. 3
g. Length 9-10m.m. Front distinctly narrower, and more project-
ing below. Median facial depression deeper, larger, and longer, broader
below than the sides of the face. Antenne larger and longer, the second
joint shorter, not more than one-fifth or one-sixth as long as the third ;
arista shorter than the joint, its second joint curved, three-fifths, or three-
fourths as long as the third. Dorsum of the thorax a little more hairy.
Abdomen more elongate or egg-shaped, the sides of the second and third .
segments sometimes reddish. ‘Tarsal joints of front feet a little less disci-
form, the claws a little longer. |
This description is drawn from twelve females, mostly collected to-
gether in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, by Mr. E. Keen, and eight males
from Minnesota, collected together. They are all closely related, and
their absolute identity seems certain, Among these specimens, however,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 9
‘there is no absolute uniformity in the length of the aristal joints, though
not much discrepancy.
All the rest of my specimens, from various localities throughout the
. United States, are larger, reaching twelve and a half millimetres in length
and none of them as small as the largest of the ones described. The
pollinose bands of the abdomen are usualiy broader on the second and
third segments, the wings in none so strongly infuscated proximally, and
‘in most the infuscation is more or less obsolete; the antenne vary from
red to black, the second joint of the arista in the female varies from one-
third to three-fourths as long as the third joint ; in the male from one-half
as long to longer. The dorsal thoracic stripes vary from very slender
ones in Colorado specimens, to broader and more distinct ones in New
‘England, North Carolina, and Southern Californian ones. Specimens from
Carolina and New England have the basal part of the venter yellowish
red, with moderately large spots on the sides of the basal segments aboves
A specimen from Wyoming has the thoracic dorsum strongly pollinose, and
the bands of the abdomen unusually broad. Two others from,California
have the second joint of the arista very short, not a third of the length of
the third, the wings scarcely at all infuscated in front, and, unlike all the
Other specimens, the cheeks do not have black hairs, but yellow pile ;
other specimens from California, however, are like the eastern ones in this
respect. Yet another, rubbed (female) specimen, from Connecticut, differs
in having the sides of the face distinctly narrower, considerably narrower
than the median portion. The bristly hairs on the sides of the face vary
not a little in size; those of the described specimens leave a more bare
space below on the inner side, that is less, or not at all, apparent in the
larger specimens.
- The value of these various characters I confess myself unable to
decide. Only this much seems certain, no, or little reliance can be placed
upon the comparative lengths of the aristal joints; and the second joint
is always longer and more bent in the male than in the female.
: I think there can be little doubt but that this is Say’s species ; his
“large, obsolete, reddish brown spot near the base” of the abdomen is
not usually, though frequently, present. The synonymy of G. philadel-
phica seems equally certain. The species must be closely allied to, pos-
sibly identical with G. fasciata Meigen, of Europe, the larve of which
have been found in nests of Bombus terrestris and Megilla retrusa, where
the flies deposit their eggs. A specimen from the Boston Society of
10 : THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Natural History, somewhat teneral with red antennz, bears the label:
‘From Pyrrharctia isabella, Apr. 24.”
Altogether, I have examined about seventy-five specimens, from New
England, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, Minnesota,
Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, Northern and Southern California.
GONIA SENILIS, n. sp.
g. Length 1om.m. Front and face golden yellow, not very change-
able, the vertex on either side sub-translucent when seen from above;
sides of the face considerably narrower than the median depression,
clothed with short black bristles. _Antennz wholly pure orange-yellow,
the tip of arista brownish, second joint very short, third very long, six or
eight times longer than the second ; second joint of the arista shorter than —
the third. Thorax not densely pollinose, when seen from behind, with
_four slender stripes, scutellum luteous at tip only. Abdomen black, the
sides broadly red, forming a moderately broad lateral posterior margin to
the first and reaching to about the middle of the third segment on the
sides ; pollinose bands broad. Wings nearly hyaline, anterior cross-vein —
nearly opposite the middle of the subcostal section of the costa. Claws
and pulvilli small.
One specimen, Western Kansas. Although I have but the single
specimen, I venture to describe this species. The color of the antennz
seems evidently normal; should it really be darker in other specimens,
however, the other characters given will, I believe, render the species
recognizable.
GONIA PORCA,"n. Sp.
¢@. Length 13 mm. Face and front light yellow with a silvery
sheen, the front, except in a very oblique light, oily translucent on the
sides ; sides of the face without the usual short black bristles, except
above ; the largest part, as also the cheeks,.is clothed with long fine
hairs or pile; the usual row along the sides of the median depression,
Median depression wider than the sides of the face below. Antennz
black, the third joint five or six times longer than the second ; second
joint of the arista shorter than the third. Dorsum of thorax thinly pol-
linose, stripes not very distinct ; the sides more or less and the scutellum
luteous yellow. Pleurz with long fine yellow hairs or pile. Abdomen
yellowish red, shining ; pollinose bands narrow, that on the second very
Sa a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 11
;
narrow ; first segment, under the scutellum, the second with a median
stripe, the third with a stripe more or less dilated behind, and the fourth
chiefly, black. The anterior femora behind with long fine light yellow
hair. Wings nearly hyaline, the costal cells scarcely infuscated.
Two specimens, Mt. Hood, Or. The moderately abundant, long, light
yellow fine hair on face, pleurz and four anterior femora is characteristic.
GONIA EXUL, 0. sp.
2. Length 12,13m.m._ Front and face light yellow, with a semi-
translucent appearance as though oiled ; when seen obliquely, with a sil-
very sheen ; sides of the face with numerous, short, black bristles, on the
inner part, near the sides of the median depression, with three or four
moderately stout bristles ; median depression small and narrow, not as
wide as the sides; cheeks without black bristles.. Antenne blackish
brown, second joint and base of third yellow; second joint about one-
third the length of the third; arista variable, third joint not twice the
length of the second. Dorsum of thorax gray pollinose, when seen from
behind leaving four moderately broad stripes, the margins more or less
and the scutellum yellow. Abdomen yellowish red; first segment under
the scutellum, the second with a broad median stripe, the third except the
anterior angles, or, rather, with a large triangle reaching the whole width
of the segment behind and touching in front more or less broadly, the
dorsum of the fourth wholly black ; pollen of the whole abdomen variable
in different reflections, but most conspicuous on. the base of the third and
the whole of the fourth segments. Wings nearly hyaline, the veins yel-
lowish, except posteriorly.
Ten specimens, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York.
a. Males from California, that I cannot distinguish, have the antenne
wholly black, the third joint five or six times the length of the second, the
face strongly silvery pollinose, and the claws and pulvilli very large, con-
siderably longer than the terminal joint of the tarsi. In some, the black
triangle on the third abdominal segment is much smaller. A female
with them seems to agree in all respects with the Eastern specimens.
6. A female specimen from California, with the abdomen marked
similarly, has the third joint of the antenne shorter, not more than twice
the length of the second, the second joint of the sarista very short, and
the bristles on the sides of the median depression not parallel with the
edge, but divergent, whisker-like.
12 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
c. Two female specimens from Arizona differ distinctly in having a’
broader and more projecting face, smaller eyes, whiter and more dense’
pollen on face, thorax and abdomen. Another specimen with these two, ’
however, though agreeing in the latter respects, has the face of the usual
width. ; :
d. A male specimen from North Park is of a distinct species, though —
closest allied to the present. The sides of the face are unusually narrow,
the front short, convex and almost horizontal, the abdomen marked more
like that of G. sené/is, the size smaller (11 m.m,), the claws and pulvilli
large.
GONIA SEQUAX, 0. Sp. :
@. Length 12-13 mm. Like the males of exu/, except that the
abdomen is either wholly yellowish red, with a black spot under the scu-
tellum, and a brownish hind margin to the third segment, or with a slender
black stripe on the second, and a small triangle on the third and fourth
segments. The claws and pulvilli are very much smaller, much shorter
than the terminal joints of the tarsi. | |
Three specimens, California.
NOTES ON THE GENUS EXOPROSOPA.
BY D. W. COQUILLETT, LOS ANGELES, CAL.
In my paper on “ The North American Genera of Anthracina,” which
appeared in the last volume of the Can. ENTOMOLOGIST (pp. 157-159),
I proposed the name Ve/ocia for those species of Lxoprosopa which have
four submarginal cells in each wing. ‘Through the kindness of Dr. Willis-
ton, I have been put in possession of a paper by Prof. Camillo Rondani,
entitled “ Dipterorum Species et Genera Aliqua Exotica,” published in
1863 in the Archivio per la Zoologia, vol. iii, and on pages 56 and 57 of
this paper Prof. Rondani proposes the name //yfera/onia for the above
group ; this name being the earlier, must supersede the one proposed by
me.
In the same paper Prof. Rondani proposes the name Argyrospil/a for
those species of Lxoprosopa in which the third and fourth veins are joined
together before the margin of the wing, instead of reaching the margin’
ee ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 13
separately ; but I am firmly convinced that this character is too variable
to be used for a generic separation. In a large series of Exoprosopa
doris O. S, collected in Los Angeles County, Cal., every grade occurs, from
the widely open first posterior cell to the contracted, closed in the imme-
diate margin, or some distance before the margin of the wing. Those of
the latter kind do not otherwise differ in any respect from the ones in
which this cell is wide open, and as specimens of the latter kind were
taken at the same time and place as the former, there seems to be no
doubt of their-specific identity.
I have discovered another form, closely related to Hxoprosopa, but
differing from it and from all other Anthracina known to me, in that the
first posterior cell is divided by a cross-vein into two cells ; following is a
description of this new form:
Lxoptata, n. gen.—Third antennal joint furnished with a distinct ter-
minal style ; second vein issues from the third opposite or nearly opposite
the small cross-vein; anterior branch of the third vein connected by a
cross-vein with the second, forming three submarginal cells ; first posterior
cell divided into two cells by a cross-vein placed some distance before tip
of discal cell ; anterior branch of third vein and veins 2, 3 and 4 terminate
in margin of wing; no pulvilli.
Lxoptata divisa, n. sp.—Front obscure chestnut-brown, pale yellowish
tomentose and black pilose ; face reddish-brown, pale yellowish tomentose ;
hyperstoma much produced ; first two joints of antennze reddish-black,
black pilose, third joint black, elongate-conical at base ; style about one-
sixth as long as third antennal joint; proboscis projecting length of
labella beyond the hyperstoma ; occiput black, yellowish-white tomentose.
Thorax black, yellowish tomentose, the sides and collar yellowish pilose ;
bristles above insertion of wings, black ; pleura yellowish pilose. Scutel-
lum reddish-brown, yellowish sornentise: the margin beset with black
bristles. . Abdomen - obscure reddish-brown, irregularly spotted with
black ; first segment and base of the second pale yellow tomentose, apices
of second and third segments black tomentose, base of the third white
tomentose, fourth segment mixed black and yellow tomentose, fifth, sixth
and seventh segments white and sparsely black tomentose ; sides of first
segment and base of second yellowish pilose, sides of rest of abdomen
black pilose ; venter obscure reddish-brown, third and fourth segments
black tomentose except a white tomentose spot in centre of each; other
segments white tomentose. Legs and tarsi wholly black, the tomentum,
14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
pile and spines also black; front femora and tibiz destitute of stout
bristles, claws of front tarsi scarcely visible. Wings blackish brown, the
following parts hyaline; apices of marginal and first submarginal cells ;
second and third submarginal cell wholly ; apical half of outer first pos-
terior cell; second, third and fourth posterior cells except spot in base of
each, that in second posterior cell extending into the third ; apices of
third basal and axillary cells ; and middle third and apex of discal cell.
Veins at bases of first submarginal, inner and outer first posterior, and of
the third and fourth posterior cells, bordered with sub-hyaline. Halteres
brown, the knob yellowish. Length eset m. m. Two specimens. Cal. ;
Ariz. (Williston).
ALETIA ARGILLACEA.
BY A. R. GROTE, BREMEN, GERMANY.
I have found in various collections in Europe, both public and private,
specimens of the moth of our Cotton Worm determined after Hiibner as
above. From a note from Dr. Staudinger, I gather that in his collection
the moth is so determined and as proposed by me. Were I now to pro-
pose to call this species by its synonym, /Voctwa xylina Say, I do not think
any of the entomologists in Europe would agree thereto, or be governed
by Dr. Hagen’s reasons for the change. Say was no Lepidopterist, and
his posthumous description of the moth is not recognizable, only that he -
tells us it is the moth so injurious to cotton. By this we translate his ~
description. But Hiibner’s figure and text are quite sufficient to identify
the species, and he gives us the proper classification of these moths. I
myself have shown how Adetia and Anomis are to be separated. The
latter, with its orange colored and angulated wings, is a sort of tropical
Xanthia. The tropical genera of /Voctuide are all less woolly than the
temperate forms. In A/etia, the smooth, untufted body, the entire wings,
the broad head, prepare us for the Catocaline moths, Poaphila and Agno-
monia. It differs from Anomis erosa by the broader wings, with straight
external margin, and, as I first pointed out to Prof. Riley, by the number
of false feet in the larva. There is a second true species of Adetia in”
Texas, hostia of Harvey, but this second cotton-feeder is also Southern
and may have been described from Mexico or Central America previously.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 45
The generic group is tropical. A/e¢ia extends into the temperate regions,
attracted by its food plant and urged by an inner impulse to migrate
northwardly during our summer, helped on its wanderings by the winds
from the Gulf. But the winter overtakes and extirpates it over a wide
territory, fortunately for the planter.
BOOK NOTICES.
THE BUTTERFLIES OF INDIA.
We believe we are doing the readers of the Canap1an ENTOMOLOGIST
a Service in calling attention to a work on the Butterflies of India,* which
has been in progress for five years, and of which two volumes are now
finished. It was begun by Major Marshall and Mr. de Nicéville, of the
Calcutta Museum, but at the conclusion of the first volume Major Mar-
shall was obliged to withdraw from active participation in the work and
leave its completion to his coadjutor, who has just given us the second
volume. |
The task will be appreciated when its extent is known, “India, the
land of sunshine, is a land of Butterflies,” says the opening passage of the
preface, and yet the empire includes within its limits “‘ every climate, from
the eternal snows to the tropics.” The number of known forms is vast.
- Following the order of Kirby’s Catalogue, the work has reached the
_Lyceenide, and scarcely half is done; yet in these two volumes over six
hundred species are already described from a region less than half as large
as that embraced in Edwards’ Catalogue of our species. The generic and
family descriptions are almost wholly copied from Doubleday and West-
wood’s “Genera,” but the species are freshly described, and there are
added keys to the genera of each family and to the species of every genus
or minor group of species. Geographical distribution, habits and variation
* The Butterflies of India, Burmah and Ceylon. A descriptive handbook of all the
known species of Rhopalocerous Lepidoptera inhabiting that region, with notices of
allied species occurring in the neighboring countries along the border ; with numerous
illustrations. By Major G. F. L. Marshall and Lionel de Nicéville, Calcutta, Vol. 1;
8 + 327 p., 18 pl., 1882-84. Vol. 2; 8.+ 332 p., 8 pl., 1886. 8°,
16 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
are the principal topics treated in the non-descriptive matter, and this is
reasonably full for such a work, and adds very decidedly to our knowledge.
Undoubtedly when the insects come to be reared, many of the nominal
species will be found to belong together, for De Nicéville has already dis-
covered the probable existence of seasonal dimorphism in the Bombay
Butterflies, ‘‘ there being in several species an ocellated form which occurs —
only in the rains, the cold and dry seasoned being non-ocellated.”
We regret, however, to say that the work adds practically nothing to
our knowledge of the earlier stages. This will surely follow the publica-
tion of this first and only handbook to the Butterflies of England’s great
eastern empire, for, as the authors point out, such a work as the present
is a sine gud non to an attempt at that co-operation through which alone
any great advance can be made toward a general knowledge, either of the
elements of the fauna or of the life-histories of its prevailing types. When
we remember, however, that our knowledge of the transformations of
eastern Butterflies has hardly advanced in fifty years as much as it ad-
vanced at a bound a half century ago by the labors of Horsfield alone, we
are glad to be assured that when this present preliminary task is done,
Mr. de Nicéville will direct his energies and the grand opportunities his
position at the Indian Museum afford him to this more telling work. We
wish him then all speed in the completion of the present task. _
One word about the illustrations, which are wonderfully good. They
are drawn by two native artists, Grish Chunder Chuckerbutty and Behagi
Lall Dass—they must be natives—and mostly reproduced by ‘“autotype”
in London; they are therefore monochromatic, but the results are far
superior to nnyiNign we have seen in which photography has borne a part,
The half tones are wonderfully caught, and their closest examination
reveals the unusually skillful and delicate touch of the artist. There are
twenty-six plates in the two volumes, including one good chromo-litho-
graph, a plate of structural details, and one of caterpillars and Shrysals
besides a dozen or more wood cuts in the text.
The book will be completed in four or five octavo volumes of. fine
type, and it is expected within three years. Each of the volumes com-
pleted costs 14 rupees (about 25 shillings), and it is hoped that 60 rupees
will cover the entire cost. Subscriptions can be sent to B. Quaritch, 15
Picadilly, London, Eng. |
Sy Scuppe,
oe ee eee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. re
CaTALOGUE OF: CANADIAN PLants. Parr III: AprEraLa,' by John
Macoun, M. A., F. L. S., F. R. S. C., Montreal. 1886.
The last publication issued by the Geological and Natural History
Survey forms the third part of Prof. Macoun’s Cataiogue of Canadian
Plants. Part I., PoLypETAL#, and Part II., GAMoPETAL#, have already
been noticed in these pages. Part III., ApETAL&, carries the work on to
the end of the Exogens and completes Volume I.
The value of this important work, which is quite indispensable to
every student of Canadian Botany, is much enhanced by the Addendum
and comprehensive Index of the whole volume, contained in the present
Part. In the former we find corrections and additions to the information
recorded under each species in Parts I. and IL, so as to bring our know-
ledge of the whole of the plants mentioned down to date, and in the latter
not only are the orders, genera and species given, but every synonym also
appears. |
In the publication of this work Prof. Macoun confers a lasting benefit
upon the scientific world. No living Botanist has the knowledge of Can-
adian plants which he has acquired. Possessed of a keen faculty of
observation which almost amounts to an instinct, he has had the advan-
tage of travelling extensively and of collecting and studying in their native
habitats most of the plants which have been found growing spontaneously
in Canada. Moreover, by generously assisting all who apply to him for
information, he has secured the hearty co-operation in his work of all the
active Botanists in Canada, so that the ‘‘ Catalogue of Canadian Plants ”
is not only a record of his own vast experience, which extends over a
period of more than 30 years of constant study, but also includes the
work of all other collectors and Botanists who have investigated or written
upon the Flora of the Dominion. |
So closely are the studies of Botany and Entomology associated
together that some knowledge of Botany is actually a necessity to the
Entomologist ; particularly is this the case in the interesting work of in-
vestigating the life-histories of insects. It frequently happens that a very
slight knowledge of the affinities of a given plant may save from starvation
valuable larvee which have been transmitted to a distance from the place
where their proper food-plant occurs. Most larvz will subsist upon plants
of the same genus or others closely allied to them.
A good instance of this is presented in the numerous Codiades, all of
18 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
which will flourish upon the Common White Clover ( Zrzfolium repens ),
although in a state of nature they may, according to the species, feed upon
plants belonging to a dozen different genera, all of which, however, will
be found to be of the same Natural Order as the clover (Leguminose).
The Argynnides, again, will all feed upon our common blue Violet ( V.
cucullata), as will the Piertdes upon common and easily procured cruci-
ferous plants.
On the other hand, for a right understanding of the shapes and posi-
tions of flowers, and for a full appreciation of the beautiful methods by
which fertilization of the ovules is secured, a knowledge of the structure
and habits of insects is of inestimable value.
There is, too, an economic aspect of this case, for if insects will sur-
vive upon plants which are only and perhaps distantly allied to their
natural food, it is obviously necessary that the cultivator should take this
into consideration when engaged in the constant strife which he has to
wage against injurious insects, and we even find that some species will
actually flourish better upon such cultivated plants, when grown in large
numbers ; the Colorado Potato Beetle may be instanced in this connec-
tion, which thrives so luxuriantly upon the cultivated potato, but which,
when confined to its natural food, the Solanum rostratum, eked out but a
precarious existence. Otherwise it is useless to abstain from the cultiva-
tion of any crop which has been badly attacked, as a means of starving
out its insect enemies, in a locality where there are numerous wild plants
or weeds which are allied to the plant which it is desired to grow. This
must be borne in mind with regard to the many pests affecting cereals
which are able to find ample temporary lodgment in the various wild
grasses. J. FLETCHER.
NOTE.
Livinc Pupa#.—The Rev. W. J Holland (5th Avenue, Oakland, Pitts-
burgh, Pa.) has a large number of living pupe of Ze/ea Polpyphemus,
Actias Luna, C. Promethea and Angularis, £. Imperialis and C. Regaiis,
reared in the South, which he desires to dispose of at reasonable rates.
His object is to assist and encourage a poor lad whom he has interested
in Entomology. Application should be made to him at once. .
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 19
CORRESPONDENCE.
BRITISH COLUMBIAN HYMENOPTERA.
_ Dear Sir,—I wish to acknowledge through the pages of THE CANA-
DIAN Entomotocist the following type specimens of British Columbian
Hymenoptera, which will form a valuable addition to the Society’s collec-
tion, from the Rev. George W. Taylor, of Victoria, B. C.:
Ichneumon Vancouveriensis, Prov., CAN. ENT., xvil., p. 114.
Platysoma (nov. gen.) tibialis, Prov., " I15.
Limneria compacta, Prov., " " 116.
Mesoleptus fasciatus, Prov., " " 116.
Phylax pacificus, Prov., " " 117.
Phylax niger, Prov., " " 117.
The types of JZesoleptus fasciatus and Phylax pacificus were unluckily
injured in transmission, but the others are in good order. This donation
was announced at the last annual meeting, but was omitted from the
report of the meeting published in THE Can. Entromotocist. I take
this opportunity of drawing the attention of our members to the import-
ance of following Mr. Taylor’s example in presenting to the Society types
of new species, or unique specimens, so that they may be placed in a
position of safety, and at the same time may be accessible for examination
by all. We have at present the finest collection of Canadian insects
extant, and it is to the advantage of all of us to add to it and make it as
perfect as possible. We have a commodious museum and good cabinets,
so that all donations will be properly cared for and will be highly prized.
JamMEs FLETCHER, President Ent. Soc. Ont.
NORTH AMERICAN BUTTERFLIES.
Dear Sir,—In Mr. W. H. Edwards’ last catalogue of the Diurnal
Lepidoptera of America north of Mexico, is given, on pages 80-81, a list
of species formerly credited to the North American fauna, but which he
20 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
omits for want of authentication. Among the species so enumerated I
find the following :
Callidryas cipris, Fab.
Gonepteryx merula, Fab.
Terias elathea, Cram.
Megistants acheronta, Fab.
Aganisthos orion, Fab.
Now I have specimens of all of these species which I purchased a few
years ago from Mr. Herman Strecker, the locality in which they were
taken being given by him as Texas. Now as it is of course inconceivable
that an Entomologist of Mr. Strecker’s standing would attach a false lo-
cality to a specimen in order to sell it, I trust that Mr. Edwards will in-
clude these species in his next catalogue.
H. H. Lyman, Montreal.
LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVA.
Dear Sir,—In response to the very interesting communication on
page 124 of volume xviii. of THe Canapian Enromotocist, I would
Suggest to the two lady Entomologists that the larva is very probably that
of the Birch Dagger (Apatela vulpinam.) It is certainly, I think, that
of one of the Dagger Moths, and, if there is a variation in the color of the
tufts from published descriptions by Mr. Thaxter, perhaps it is not enough
to suspect a different species. I need not add that it gives me great
pleasure to see the interest which our ladies take in the study of Ento-
mology, nor how very much we owe to them already, as Mr. Edwards has
recently shown in the story of the discovery of the Aphid-feeding larva
of that interesting butterfly, Fenzseca Targuinius. In my earliest papers
I referred to the important discoveries of women in a science which needs
delicate powers of observation and handling. From Madam Merian to
our own day, the list widens gloriously, and I often wish that the names
and addresses of all the lady workers in America could be got together.
When I come home again I mean to try and secure them for publication,
and I hope (as every one must away from home) that the day will be
soon. , A. R. Grote, Bremen, Germany.
Che Canadran Entomologist.
| VOL. XIX LONDON, FEBRUARY, 1887. No. 2
COLLECTING AT THE ELECTRIC LIGHT, 1886.
BY HENRY S, SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONT.
On the evening of Saturday, May 22nd, 1886, being the first warm
evening after the electric light system was started in London, hundreds of
“electric light bugs” (Camptobrochis grandis) and large green Calosomas
( Calosoma scrutator) came into the city, and from that time on through-
‘out the summer, and even as late as Nov. 2nd, the lights continued to
attract hundreds of insects every warm evening.
There are some general points I should like to mention hele giving
the list in detail :—The lights around which all the collecting was done,
were in store windows, or just outside of them, and these were in the
centre of the city ; the insects were either on the glass, on the woodwork
around it, or on the sidewalk, Moths were taken with a bottle as in
sugaring ; beetles taken by hand and put into a separate bottle. Cyanide
of potassium I found the best poison; a few drops of chloroform on cot-
ton would quiet them more quickly, but was more troublesome, the
chloroform having to be frequently renewed, occasionally as often as four
or five times during the same evening, and sometimes even then the
moths would be found alive the next morning. ©
My collecting was all done between 10 and 12 p.m. No lights were
lit on Sundays, and I was out of the city from July 24 to Aug. 9.
On very cold nights very few insects would come out ; on cool nights
a few moths were always to be found, but seldom any beetles ; on warm
nights both beetles and moths were plentiful. Beetles were very plentiful
only on the warmest evenings.
Often on wet evenings the Sphingidz would be plentiful: when there
was scarcely anything else out.
My record of dates is very incomplete, as I had no idea while collect-
ing of publishing them in this way.
There are about 35 Lepidoptera and 5 ee that I have not suc-
59 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ceeded in getting named; the Orthoptera, Hemiptera, etc., I scarcely
collected at all; having but little time at my disposal, I thought it wiser
to give attention mainly to those orders in which I was more particularly
interested.
I take this opportunity of eal Prof. C. H. Fernald, of Amherst,
Mass., Mr. Jas. Fletcher, and Mr. W. H. Harrington, of Ottawa, for the
kind assistance they have given me in naming specimens.
LEPIDOPTERA.
Nymphalidae.
Vanessa antiopa, Zinz., June 21.*
Sphingide.
Deilephila chameenerii, Harr., June
I-22.
a lineata, Fadr., Sept. 4.
Everyx myron, Cram., June 17 to
July 15, constant. Very common.
Ampelophaga versicolor, Harr.,
July 17.
Smerinthus geminatus, Say, June rs. -
Paonias excaecatus, 4. & \S., June
14, July 9. Common.
Calasymbolus myops, 4. & S., July.
Triptogon modesta, Harr., June
29, July 12.
Cressonia juglandis, 4. & S., June
2-18,
Ceratomia amyntor, Hubn.
Daremma undulosa, Wa/dk., June
28, July 10. Common.
Sphinx drupiferarum, 4d. & S.,
June 8 to 22. Common.
‘~~ s kalmiae, 4. & S., June 8.
‘“ eremitus, Hubn., May 31.
Dilophonota ello, ZLzuu., Sept.
28-30.7
Aigeriade.
Trochilium—— ? May 28-29, June
14, July 1-16. Very common.
Eudryas unio, Hvbn., June 15-16,
July 1, Aug. 9. Common.
‘grata, fabr., jue oa
July 1, 7, 19. Common.
Ctenucha virginica, Cha7p., June 19.
Bombyeces.
Nola ——? July 16. 7
Hypoprepia fucosa, Yudn., July 20.
Euphanessamendica, Wa/k.,June2t.
‘Crocota treatii, Gr., July.
Arctia virgo, Linn., var. parthenice,
July 19.
“« Saundersii, Gv., August 24.
Pyrrharctia isabella, 4d. & S., June
5 to July 20, very common.
Phragmatobia rubricosa, SHarr.,
July 15.
Leucarctia acraea, Drury, June a2.
August 19.
Spilosoma virginica, Fabr. Very
common from May 26th to Aug.
20; one taken Oct. 20.
Hyphantria cunea, Drury, June 19,
July 20.
Euchaetes egle, Drury, June 28.
Halisidota caryae, Harris. Very
common from May
27 to June 25.
de maculata, Harris, June
7-25. Common.
* This butterfly I did not see in motion ; it was in rather a sleepy condition, and
may possibly have flown there during daylight.
f Eight specimens of this moth were taken in London about this time.
f
COUR og ee eee tere
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 23
Orgyia leucostigma, 4. & S., July
I4—20, Sept. 24, Oct. 22.*
Euclea querceti, 7 S., June 16,
July t.
Ichthyura inclusa, Yudn., Aug. 11.
= albosigma itch, May
27, June 15.
Datana ministra, Drury, June 14,
16, 23, July 9.
“« _ integerrima, G. & #., June
_ 23, July 9.F
Nadata gibbosa, 4. & S., July 3.
Gluphisia trilineata, Pack.
Seirodonta bilineata, Pack.
Notodonta stragula, Gr.
Ccelodasys unicornis, 4. & S.
Heterocampa marthesia, Cram.
i astarte, Doudl.
of: cinerea, Pack.
Cerura borealis, Bozsd., June 5-16.
*¢ cinerea, Walk:, May 28,
June 15.
Actias luna, Zznuz., June 7.
Telea polyphemus, Cram., June 2
28, 30, July 2. Common.
Platysamia cecropia, Zinn. .
Dryocampa rubicunda, Fadr., May
26 to July 1. Very common.
Clisiocampa americana, Harris, July
£8,
Gastropacha -americana, Harris,
June 16, July 22.
Tolype laricis, Fitch, Aug. 13, 24.
Prionoxystus robinizx, eck.
Noctua.
Raphia abrupta, Gr., (?) June 15.
Habrosyne scripta, Gosse, July 23.
Apatela occidentalis, G. & #., May
29, June 11. Common.
“* -vinnula, Gr.
apareis lepusculina, Guen.
morula, G. & #&., June 24.
«« innotata, Guen.
‘“¢ rubicoma, Guen..
‘¢ americana, Harr., June 9,
18, July 1. Very common.
“ — heesitata, Gr.
‘¢ brumosa, Gwen., June tr.
¢ dissecta, G. & R., July 6.
“« oblinita, 4. & S., June 8,
15. Very common.
Arsilonche albovenosa, G., May 27,
June 9.
Harrisimemna ttrisignata, Wa/.,
July.
Microccelia diphteroides, Guen.,
June 14, 16.
Agrotis C nigrum, Zzzz., June 19,
@F. 24, ees. OF, 34; 26,
30. Very common.
“« -haruspica, Gr., July 7.
“ fennica, Zausch., Aug. to.
“ subgothica, Haw., August
24, 30.1
‘¢ ~ tricosa, Linty., Aug. 12, 13.
« plecta, Zinn., May 29, June
I, 19, 21, 23, 25, Aug.
El, 123-16; 20,. 24, 26,
Common.
‘‘ clandestina, Harris, June
28, 29.
3 scandens, Riley, June 15,
19. Common,
“« mureenula, G. & R.
“« tessellata, Harris, June 26,
29. Common.
‘‘ campestris var. decolor,
Morr., July 2, 6.
“ collaris, G. & R.
ou vannexa,' 2e: (2).
* None seen between July and September ; those taken in the fall were larger and
darker than in the summer,
+ At the time of collecting I did not know the difference between these two species
of Datana ; judging from the specimens taken they were probably both quite common.
~ August 24 was the first time I took this moth, and on that evening it was very
common,
24 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Agrotis volubilis, Havv., June 14.
«« _ypsilon Ao#z., June 17, Sept.
5, Och. 22, Nev 2.
Common.
“« _ pressa Gr.
Mamestra adjuncta, Bozsd., June 4,
Aug. 13.
% lubens, G».
fF legitima, Gr., July 5, 19.
Sg subjuncta, G. & RR. (?)
trifolii, Rott, May 29,
June 15, Aug. 20. Very
common. :
4s renigera, Steph., Aug. 24,
30, Sept. 25. Common.
Ar lorea, Guen., June 18, 21.
Luceria passer, Gwen., June 23,
July 3.
Hadena devastatrix, Brace.
“<") “arctica, Sorsd., June 17,
July 21. Common.
" sputatrix, Gr, Aug. 18.
‘és suffusca, AZorr.
“¢ — mactata, Guen., July 9, 16.
Perigea xanthioides, Guzen.
Dipterygia scabriuscula,
June 7.
Hyppa xylinoides, Guen., Aug. 24.
Valeria Grotei, JZorr., May 29.
Homohadenabadistriga, Gr.,July ro.
Brotolomia iris, Guen.
Euplexia lucipara, Linn.
Helotropha reniformis var. atra, Gr.,
July 3.
Apamea sera, G. & 2&., July 18.
“ nictitans, WZ.
Gortyna cataphracta, Gr., Sept. 24.
Achatodes zeae, Harris.
Sphida obliquata, G. & FR.
Heliophila pallens, Zzun., Aug. 21,
22. Not seen at any
other time.
4 albilinea, Wuzbn.,Aug. to.
4 phragmitidicola, Guen.,
Aug. 10, 12, I9.
Linn.,
Pyrophila tragopogonis, Zinn., July
12. Common.
i pyramidoides,
Aug. 10.
Guen.,
Orthodes infirma, Guen.
Orthosia ferrugineoides, Guen.
a euroa, G. & R., July 16.
Scoliopteryx libatrix, Zznz., Jun
29, July 7. _
Cucullia asteroides, Guen., Aug. 24.
“« intermedia, Spey., May 28.
Adipsophanes miscellus, Gv., July 9.
Crambodes talidiformis, Guen., May
29, July 3.
Nolaphana malana, Fitch., July 19.
Marasmalus histrio, Gr., July 16.
Abrostola urentis, Guwen., July.
Plusia aerea, Hubn.
“< aereoides, Gr.
“ balluca, Gey., July 9.
“ contexta, Gr. (?) Aug. 19. |
‘¢ Putnami, Gr. (?) June 16.
‘¢ mappa, G. & £&., July 19.
‘¢ precationis Guen., May 22,
28, 29, July 15, 21, Aug.
12, 26, Oct. ge). yew
. common,
«simplex, Guen., May 29,
June 21, 25, July ro, 12.
Common. |
Chloridea rhexiae, 4d. & .S.,Oct.20.
Rhodophora florida, Guez., July 8.
Heliothis armiger, Hubn., sept. 24,
Oct. 20.
Pyrrhia (angulata, Gr. or experi-
mens, Wad/k. ?), June 1, July 1.
Tarache erastrioides, Guen., June
15, Aug. 11.
s candefacta, Hudbn.,May go.
Chamyris cerintha, Gwuen., June
19, 21. .
Eustrotia albidula, Guen., June
14, 26.
4 muscosula, Gue., |e
26, July 21,
THE CANADIAN
ENTOMOLOGIST. 25
Eustrotia carneola, Guen., May 29,
30, June 1, 19, 25, 28,
30). Payor: Very
common.
ch apicosa, Haw., June 15.
Placodes cinereola, Guen.,June 9,16.
Drasteria erechtea, Cram., July 15,
$0, 20; 21, ANS. £0;. 11, 18520
Very common.
Catocala | concumbens,
Aug. 24.
briseis, Zdw.,(?) Aug. 26.
parta, Guen., Aug. 20.
Parthenos nubilis, Hudn., July 9.
Panopoda rufimargo, Hudn.
Ypsia undularis, Drury, May 23,
29, June 4, 23.
Homopyralis tactus, Gr., June 15.
Walk.,
i. J 6é
a 66
Rivula propinqualis, Guen., June 9,
14050
_ Phalenophana rurigena, Gv.,June 29.
Capis curvata, Gr., July 5.
Hypena baltimoralis, Guen., June
oi Da Ee
evanidalis, Rod.,July 9,14.
“ scabra, Fabr., Aug. 15.
Geometridae.
Choerodes_ transversata, Drury,
Aug. 12.
Tetracis crocallata, Guen., May 29,
June rt.
$s lorata, Gr., June 1, 5, 7
Matanema quercivoraria, —
July 9.
es carnaria, Pack., Wily
29, June 12.
Buenos alniaria, Zinn., Aug. 24.
Very common.
Eudalimia subsignaria, Hudn., July
nay 20.
Endropia obtusaria, Wbn., June 24,
July 3.
* bilinearia, Pack., July 19.
Pseudaglossa lubricalis, Gey.,July 9. |
Endropia armataria, /7. S., June 14.
Very common.
. hypochraria, #7. S., June
8, 14.
Sieya macularia, Harris, July 3.
Angerona crocataria, /ad., June 21,
‘23, 26, 29, Very common.
Nematocampa filamentaria, Gwev.,
* May 20.
Plagodis phlogosaria, Guen.,July 15.
Hyperitis amicaria, 4. S., June 8.
Aplodes Packardaria, Gr., Mav 23.
Ephyra pendulinaria, Guen.,Aug. 22.
Acidalia inductata, Guen., Aug. 11.
‘ quadrilineata, Pack., June
. 16, 2%.
‘* enucleata, Guen.,July 8.15.
Stegania pustularia, Guen., July 5.
Deilinia variolaria, Guen., July 9.
Semiothisa ocellinata, Guwen.,Aug.11.
Phasiane trifasciata, Pack., Aug. 9.
Lozogramma defluata, Walk,
"June 19:
Eufitchia ribearia, /7tch., July 3, 8
Haematopis grataria, /adr., Aug. 13.
Hemerophila unitaria, /Z.S.,May 29.
Cymatophora pampinaria, Gwer.,
July 21.
Tephrosia anticaria, Wadk., July 7.
Eubyja cognataria, Guven., June 11,
July 9. ¢
“¢ quernaria, 4. & S.,May 29.
Hybernia tiliaria, Harris, Oct. 22.
Heterophleps harveiata, Pack., (‘).
June rr.
Ay triguttata, WS,
June 16,28, July 16.
Lobophora montanata, 7ack.,June 4.
Triphosa indubitata, Gr, Oct. 22.
Phibalapteryx latirupta, Wadk., (?)
July 8.
a intestinata, Guev.,
May 23.
Rheumaptera ruficillata, Guez.
ds lacustrata, Guen.,
May 23, 29.
26 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Ochyria ferrugaria, Zzun., Aug. 13.
< designata, Hubn., May 29.
Petrophora diversilineata, Hzbz.,
July 8.
Hydriomena trifasciata, Borkh.,
July 3; 5+,
Epirrita perlineata, Pack., July.
Plemyria fluviata, Wubn., July 12.
A multiferata, Wadk., June®
te:
Glaucopteryx cumatilis, G. & 2&.-
June 15.
Eupethecia miserulata, Grote, May
28, June 17, 19, 25, July 9.
Common.
Pyralide.
Asopia farinalis, Zzzz., June 16, 29,
July 1, 21. Very common.
** costalis, Fabr., June 28, 29,
30, July 12, 15, 21, 23,Aug.
9,12,24,26. Very common.
“ olinalis, Guen., July 8, 9.
Cordylopeza nigrinodis, Ze//., July.
Dicymolomia decora, Ze//., June 21,
July 5.
Scoparia centuriella, S. V.*
. libella, Gr., June 28, July
3, 15} 5.
Botys badipennis, Gv., Aug. 11.
marculenta, G. R.
‘* — gentilis, Che Aug. 13.
‘* venalis, Gr., July 5.
‘“* illibalis, Hudn.,June 15,July 7.
* plectilisy GA. June ea.
Nomophila noctuella, S. V., July 6,
9, 15. Common.
Diathransta octomaculalis, Fern.,
MSS., July 3, June 15.
Desmia ‘maculalis, Westw., June 24,
July 16.
Hydrocampa genuinalis, Zed., June
12, 15, 16, 18.
“ ekthlipsis,Gv.,Juners.
Cataclysta fulicalis, Clem., June 14,
15, (24;
y angulatalis, Led.,May 29,
Aug 11, Common.
Homophysa (—— ?) July 15.
Nephopteryx basilaris, Ze//., July.
Salebria fusca, Yaw.,June 28, July 3.
Anerastia haematica, Ze//., June 14,
15, 16.
Euphestia ochrifrontella, Ze//., July.
Argyria nivalis, Drury, July 15.
Crambus leachellus, Zzmck., June 21,
July 1, 3.
“ agitatellus, CZem., June 21.
v agitatellus var. alboclavel-
lus, SchZ., July.
ds albellus, Clem., June 28,
July 3, 21.
. bipunctellus, Ze//., July 16.
Af topiarius,Ze//.,July 3, June
14, 23.
exsiccatus, Ze//., May 29;
this specimen much
darker than the others.
June 15, 19, July 3, 20.
Very common.
uy luteolellus, CZem., July 5.
ze ruricollelus, Ze//., Aug. 11.
Schoenobius longirostrellus, CZem.,
July 8. .
© clemensellus, od.,
June. 15 jay =
Common. |
Tortricide.
Caccecia rosaceana,//arris,June 19,
20, Aug. II.
¥ argyrospila, Wadk., July 7.
Loxotaenia clemensiana, /ev7., June
14, 23.
Ptycholoma melaleucana, Weadh.,
June 14, 28.
Lophoderus quadrifasciana, Ferz.,
June 28, July 1, 3.
* Very common on June 28, when I saw it for the first time this season; afterwards
a few only were seen for a week or two, after which I did not see it again,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 27
-Tortrix albicomana, C/em., July 1.
© peritana, Clem., july 8, 0.
— fumiferana, CZem., June 16.
; “ conflictana,. Wadk.*
Cenopis pettitana, Rods., June.
Dichelia sulfureana, Clem., June.
Conchylis angulifasciana, Ze//.,
June 7.
a Pecccsls exoleta, Zell; June 23.
» Penthina frigidana, Pack., July 15.
ee nimbatana, Clem., July 3.
_ Sericoris constellatana,Ze//., June 14.
Steganoptycha pinicolana, Z¢//., Pterophorus marginidactylus, Fitch.,
— July 19. June 24, 28, July 1. Common.
COLEOPTERA.
Carabide. Agonodorus lineola, Faé., June 14.
Very common.
Calosoma scrutator, #aé., May 22—- ‘ pallipes, Aad., May 22,
: 29, June 29. June 14, July 5, 7,
. " Wilcoxi, Zec., June 1. to. Very common.
Nebria r Jime 14,15: Harpalus viridieneus, Seauv.,
Clivina americana, De/. June 14.
Nomius pygmeus, Dey July 8, caliginosus, Faé., July
June 14. Very common. 16, 25, Aug. 9.
- Bembidium planum, Ha/d. July 7. as pennsylvanicus, DeG.,
4 = patruele, De7., July 16. July 5, June 14, 15.
_ Amara avida, Say, July 2, 10, 19. Aug. 6, 20 X1, L2;
* obesa, Say, July 2, ro. 20, 24.
Diplochila major, Zec., June 14,16. Anisodactylus. discoideus, De,
-Badister pulchellus, oe Aug. 21. June 1, 14.
Platynus metallescens, Lec.,June 15. 9
« placidus, Say, July = Dytiscide,
June 15, Aug. ro. - Hydroporus signatus, JZann.
. obsoletus, Say, June 27, Colymbetes sculptilis, Harr., June
July 2. 4, 104.24. Very
Lebia grandis, Hfentz., Sept. 24. common. |
Brachynus cordicollis, De7.,June 15. “i ? July.
Chlaenius sericeus, Forst., June 14, - biguttulus,Zec.,June 15,
15. Common.
tricolor, De7., May 29,
: June 14, July s.
Carpocapsa pomonella, Zzzn., Aug.
12.
Tineade.
Hyponomenta multipunctella, Clem.
July 3, 21.
Coleophora corruscipennella, C/em.,
June 29, July 22.
fterophorida.
Oxyptilus periscelidactylus, Fitch.,
July 1, 3, 5.
(v. c.) 16, July 2, 3, 5.
Very common.
“ ? May 22,July 2,3.
* Saw for the first time on June 28, when it was very common; a few only were to
be seen the next three or four evenings, after which I did not see it again.
28 THE CANADIAN
ENTOMOLOGIST.
Dytiscus fasciventris, Say, May 22,
June 16, July 3, 5, 12,
16, 10, Oct 225° Very
common.
RS cordieri, Aubé., July 1,3,5,
21. Common.
*: Harrisii, Kzrdy, July 5,
19,21. Common.
Gyrinide.
Gyrinus ventralis, Azrdy, July 3, 5.
Dineutes assimilis, Aubé, May 29,
Sept 23. ;
fly drophilide.
Hydrophilus glaber, dst.
Hydrocharis obtusatus, Say, July 3,
5, 10. Very common,
Philhydrus diffusus, Zec., July 5.
Hydrocombus lacustris,Zec.,July 16.
Hydrobius fucipes, Zzmz., June 14,
15, 24, July 3, 10.
Cercyonunipunctatum, Zzzz.,Aug.9.
Silphide.
Necrophorus americanus, O/iv.,May
29, June 16, 24, July
to, 19. Very com-
mon.
orbicollis, Say, June 25,
July 19.
Silpha surinamensis, /ad., May 22,
June 1,2, 8:25) jay. ty 20; 20;
Aug. 23. Very common.
Staphylinida.
Bledius semiferrugineus, Zec., June
14, July 8, Aug. 9. Common.
Coccinellide.
Adalia bipunctata; Zzun., July 19.
Mycetophagide.
Typhcea fumata, Zinm., Aug. 9.
¢é
Dermestide.
Dermestes lardarius, Zinz., Oct. 22.
Attagenus megatoma, /ad., July 6.
Lathridiide.
Corticaria pumila, Zec., (2?) July 16
to Aug. 20. Very common,
Elateride.
Alaus myops, /ad., June 14.
Melanotus communis, Gyd/., June 9,
26, July. 1, 2, 10, Thy; mie eee
common. ,
Athous cucullatus, Say.
Asaphes memnonius, /Zds¢., July 1,
3, 10. Very common.
Lampyride@.
Pyropyga nigricans, Say, July 9.
Photuris pennsylvanica, De G.,June
23, July:2.
Podabrus basilaris, Say.
a" modestus, Say, June 29.
Ptinide.
Trypopitys serviceus, Say, July 15.
Bostrychus bicornis, Wed.
Cupeside.
Cupes capitata, /ad., Sept. 24.
Lucanide.
Lucanus dama, Ziunb., July to.
a placidus, Say.
Passalus cornutus, /aéd.
Scarabaeidae.
Copris anaglypticus, Say, June 14,
15. Common. |
Aphodius granarius, Z7mu., June 14,
May 209.
Odontaeus cornigerus, JZe/sh.
Trox porcatus, Say, June 14.
“ gequalis, Say, June 14 (Vv. ¢.)
“ striatus, JAZe/sh.
Dichelonycha linearis, Schon., May
29.
Achnostéras fusca, /roh., May 29,
22,31. Very common.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 29
Lachnosterna cognita, Burm.
Pelidnota punctata, Zinzz., July 3.
Cotalpa lanigera, Zznn., May 22,
29, 31, June 1. Common.
Ligyrus relictus, Say, Aug. 9.
Xyloryctes satyrus, /ad.
Cerambycide.
Criocephalus agrestis, Kzrdy, June
28, 27, July to.
Very common.
Pion garganicus, Fad., June 14.
Xylotrechus colonus, Fab. July 5.
Centrodera decolorata, Harr.,
June 14.
Monohammus confusor, Kirby.
Urographis fasciatus, De G.,June 14.
Eupogonius vestitus, Say, July 16.
Saperda calcarata, Say, July 3.
oe ** > svestita, Say, June 14.
“ tridentata, O/zv., June 14,
I5, 16. Common.
Chrysomelide.
Diabrotica vittata, /ad., Sept. 24.
Tenebrionide.
Tenebrio molitor, Zzuz., June 14,
July 2,5. Very common.
Hoplocephala __bicornis,
June 14.
Oliv.,
Cistelide.
Allecula nigrans, AZe/sh.
Pythide.
Salpingus virescens, Zec., July 5.
Anthicide.
Notoxus anchora, Henfz.
Curculionide.
Listronotus caudatus, Say, June 14.
x appendiculatus, Bof.,
June 14.
Pachylobius _ picivorus,
June 14.
Hylobius pales, Hds¢., June 15.
Anthribide.
Cratoparis lunatus, Fad., June 16.
Germ.,
ORTHOPTERA.
Platyphyllum concavum, July 16.
HYMENOPTERA.
Ophion bilineatus (?) May 29.
Common.
DIPTERA.
Stomoxys calcitrans.
Chrysops striatus (?)
NEUROPTERA.
Corydalis cornuta, June 26, 30,
Jwy 5: ee
Chauliodes pectinicornis, May 29,
June 1, 16, 25, July 21, Aug. rr,
Ig, 20, 24.
Neuronia postica (?) May 29, June
14, July 1, 9.
HEMIPTERA.
Camptobrochis grandis, May 22, 31, June 1, 9. Very common ; afterwards
_ a few seen occasionally through June, July and August.
30 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
NOTE ON HEMARIS UNIFORMIS AND ARCTIA SAUNDERSIL.
BY A. R. GROTE, BREMEN, GERMANY.
I have sufficiently shown in various places (and the enquiring student
may consult the originals) that Kirby’s description of Ruficaudis contra-
dicts that of Uniformis, in what we must regard as essential particulars
in this genus. We have not here to do with a species; but, according to
Mr. Hulst’s statements, with a dimorphic form of Zhysbe, in which the
inner margin of the terminal band of primaries is even, not dentate, on the
interspaces. Now this character is not at all alluded to by Kirby. He
describes a Sesza allied to the European, and he says and knows nothing
about Zhysbe or Pelasgus or Cimbiciformis. Kirby should not have
described Uniformis without comparing it with its ally—its other well
known form. Notwithstanding the probabilities of the case or the possi-
bilities, it never can be proved from the books that Kirby did describe
Uniformis as Ruficaudis. ‘This is a matter of scientific importance,
because we are the first to point out that two distinct “forms” if not
“¢ species” were passing as Zhysbe, the differences which constantly divide
them being first pointed out by us, first used as the basis by which they
can be correctly separated and named in collections. It is therefore no
matter of simply restoring an older name. It is an attempt at construing an
older name and one which does not really apply. The attempt is therefore
to be deprecated as unscientific. The whole point lies in the separation
of the forms passing current as “ Zhysbe.” In this lay the scientific value
of the writings of Mr. Robinson and myself. This discovery, important
or not important (real it certainly is), was made by us and is covered by
the designation we apply to the plain form, and, according to all sense and
the principles of scientific nomenclature, this name should henceforward
apply. Clemens does not recognize Rujicaudis; Fernald mentions our
insect as “‘ Uniformis,” I take it for granted that these or similar con-
siderations have influenced his course. It is years and years ago since I
studied Kirby in the original, at least fifteen years before Mr. Hulst’s
time. It needed not that this industrious, but in his earlier studies some-
what inconsiderate writer, should tell me of the probabilities of what
Kirby’s might be. At the best they are probabilities. I take it, that to
be correct, scientifically correct, the form of Zhysbe with even edge to the
external band of primaries and of the same or similar size with the type,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. St
should be called Uniformis G. & R., without any reasonable doubt. I
will not enter here into the question of the even banded forms, Buffalo-
ensis and Floridensis. The larva of the former is described by Professor
Lintner. The latter has not been examined in sufficient quantity. I think
now that both these forms are distinct, certainly sufficiently so as to merit
a distinct title, if not of specific value. Fuscicaudis, Boisd., is, from the
markings of the abdomen, certainly a distinct species. After myself ex-
amining specimens I can come to no other conclusion.
Quite similar arguments show that we are justified in calling the
smallet of the two forms of Arctia, which have buff striped, black fore
wings, and red, spotted secondaries, by the name Saundersii. I carefully
considered Kirby’s description of Parthenice after my discovery that two
species were passing as Arctia virgo in collections. The character which
separates the two is the narrower ochre veining of Saundersiz. Again as
with the Hemaris, Kirby fails to compare his species with Virgo Linn.,
which it was his business to know had he intended to describe as closely
allied a species as Saundersii is. I pass by the probably correct surmise
of Mr. Hy. Edwards that Kirby describes an unimportant variety of
Virgo, assuming this author to be correct. But be this as it may, I am
the first to scientifically separate the forms, to carefully describe them, to
figure them side by side (at my own expense, which was a good deal in
those days), to give the essential characters by which they may be known
and named henceforth. This being so, it is inconsiderate, and, scientifi-
cally speaking, an erroneous view which would overturn this real work
and restore a name which can never be proved to be correctly applied.
Always there must be a doubt hanging over the name Parthenice, from
_Kirby’s own fault in ignoring Virgo. But there is no doubt about Virgo
or Saundersiz. I cleared those doubts up years ago, and Mr. Hulst
should have profited by my work rather than attempt to re-introduce the
uncertainty which I had, I think properly, dissipated. |
ELAPHIDION VILLOSUM, Farr.
BY FREDERICK CLARKSON, NEW YORK.
In support of the record relating to the periods of transformation of
this beetle, and the probable cause of their pruning the branches of the
Oak, which I had the pleasure to contribute to the XVII Vol. of this
32 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
journal, I now add some further facts, resulting from a recent visit to
Clermont, N. Y.
On the 29th of October I gathered fron under a group of Quercus
tinctoria, seven branches that had been pruned by this longicorn. The
tunnels were from ten to fifteen inches long, in branches from one-half to
three-quarters of an inch in thickness. The branches I carefully divided
lengthwise, so that the parts could be replaced in position. Six of them
contained the pupa, one the larva, which pupated November 4th. One
of the pupe I preserved as a specimen. ‘The imagines appeared on the
following days: Nov. 14th, 22nd, 26th, 29th, Dec. gth and 25th, all
females.
These transformations were rather hindered than advantaged by
meteorological conditions, for they occurred in a room having a northern
exposure, in which, during the period of the transformations, the ther-
mometrical record differed but little from that in the shade without. —
Had the branches remained upon the ground, the included insect would
have received all the benefits resulting from the direct rays of our Indian
Summer’s sun, as well as the moisture from the ground ; influences that
ordinarily assist development. As the imagines appeared they were
examined and replaced in their tunnels, where they now remain in a
passive state, and not likely, I think, to exhibit their natural activity until
next May or June,
The object of the paper referred to, as well as this article, is to pre-
sent facts that seemingly disprove certain theories relating to the habits
and metamorphoses of this beetle, which have been formulated by dis-
tinguished sires and accepted by their credulous sons. What Drs. Peck,
Fitch and Harris have written upon this subject has been substantially
repeated by almost every entomologist who has undertaken a history of
this beetle. We are very apt to fall into line when we have an abiding
confidence in a leader. While I am unwilling to deny the conclusions of
these naturalists, I yet think that the facts related go to show that the
insect matures at a period earlier than that named by them, and that the
benefits supposed to result from the dismemberment of the branch, in so
far as the changed environment is concerned, are wholly unnecessary to
the development of the included insect, and that there is a plausibility i in
the inference, if not a certainty as to fact, that the object of pruning the
branch is to prevent the flow of sap. If the habits of this beetle as given
by these doctors are to be regarded as ipso facto, then we must admit the
wo a on Nai a a Sel ee i a le e+
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 33
7
possession of a faculty in these lower organisms that towers above instinct
and presents the feature of intelligent reason. This is a subject that
cannot very well be discussed in these pages, yet it may not be out of
place to say that able writers on the question very generally admit that
the habits of insects follow a prescribed law, by some regarded, in a
“materialistic sense, as mechanical ; and by others, spiritually considered,
as in furtherance of a divine edict. This latter view is very cleverly
presented by St. George Mivart, in Organic Nature’s Riddle: ‘ Our
_ experience,” he writes, “is in favor of the existence of an intelligence
which can implant in and elicit from unconscious bodies activities that
are intelligent in appearance and result . . . . . . ‘Uncon-.
sciously intelligent action,’ improperly called ‘intelligent,’ is that which is
called intelligent only as to its results and not in the innermost principle
of the creatures which perform such actions.” ‘ Instinct,” Todd says in
his Cyclopedia of Anatomy and Physiology, “fis a special internal
impulse urging animals to the performance of certain actions which are
useful to them or to their kind, but the uses of which they do not them-
selves perceive, and their performance of which is a necessary conse-
quence of their being placed in certain circumstances.”
If such definitions are accepted, how are they to be reconciled with
the marvellous statement as given by Dr. Fitch? ‘That the larva should
prune the branch to prevent the flow of sap would be a necessary conse-
quence of its being placed in certain circumstances, but to do so that the
branch may fall to the ground presents a course of reasdéning that relates
to a condition foreign to the then existing environment. The habits of
this beetle from the period of egg-hatching, as given by Dr. Fitch, dis-
playing as it did to him extraordinary intelligence, impress me as present-
ing the most natural instinctive qualities. The ova, he says, is deposited
on a small green twig, the soft pulpy tissues of which nourish the infant
larva, which when increased in size and strength, attacks the hard wood of
the branch, transversely, in a circular direction, consuming it all, leaving
the branch supported only by the bark. From these premises, without
pursuing the subject further, it is evident that the infant larva requires
sap-wood for its sustenance, which it derives from the twig, but so soon as
its strength permits, it seeks for dead-wood by attacking the branch,
which is found more and more free from sap as the work of severance
progresses, The aim therefore from the start is to obtain the dead-wood,
\
34 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
agen. <- SeNely pcre ei ee Se aE pene
and when the branch is eaten through the larva continues its feeding in ~
forming a tunnel through that portion of the branch which is cut off from
the supply of sap. e
The instinct of insects is wonderful enough, and more accurate per-
haps than a mental process, but while we justly ascribe to them all the
attributes pertaining to their natural gift, we are not warranted in imput-
ing to them an intelligence only to be arrived at through a course of
reason.
BOOK NOTICE.
Tue BuTTeRFLIES oF New ENGLAND, with original Descriptions, accom-
panied by eight lithographic Plates, in which are given at least two
hand-colored Figures of each Species. By C. J. Maynard. Boston,
Bradlee Whidden, 1886.
The author of this work is a well-known taxidermist and ornithologist,
who here endeavors “to present recognisable figures and intelligible _
descriptions of the Butterflies,” etc. The drawings and descriptions, he }
says, are original, but he has been obliged to compile descriptions of the +
larva and pupa from works of various authors, and is indebted to such :
works for many notes upon habits, distribution, etc.
He has coined a new set of names for the veins of the wings, and
likewise a set of English names for the several species. No authority
follows the specific names in the text, but those “who are curious to
learn who first described any given species, can ascertain by referring to
an Index,” etc. He sees no reason why polymorphic forms, which he
calls “ phases of coloration,” should receive names, and in this connec-
tion thinks that entomologists have overlooked the results of an important ®
law, that of reversion. The classification adopted is that used in the
arrangement of the collection of the Boston Soc. N. Hist., “ merely
because of its simplicity,” and hence the series begins with the Satyride,
and Papilio stands next the Hesperidz. By all which it will be seen that —
the author has ideas of his own, but is not very well read in the recent
literature of lepidopterology.
The plates are described as hand-colored, and it seems to be implied
that the coloring therefore is something superior. Whereas it is very bad
indeed—could not well be worse, This is conspicuously so in Limenitis,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 35
Vanessa, Grapta, Argynnis, and Euptoieta. Papilio Z7oz/us, plate 7, is
simply atrocious. I doubt very much if any one not familiar with the
butterflies could identify several of the species of Thecla from the figures,
and I am sure they could not identify many of the Hesperians. And the
drawing is of the roughest.
In giving a title, the author should have respected the claim of Mr.
Scudder, who, as all the world knows, has been engaged for years on
“The Butterflies of N. E.,” and is about publishing the same.
Whenever in this book larvze or habits are treated of, there are pretty
sure to be errors, both of commission and omission, and this is inexcus-
able, as in nearly or quite every instance, careful descriptions of the pre-
paratory stages and habits were or could have been before the compiler.
The result is such as to destroy largely any value the text might have.
Thus :
Under JV. Canthus, we are told that the larve are green. Now there
are green larvee, but so far as has been observed, the larger number are
buff. See Can. Enrt., xv., 64. Also it is said of this species that the
larva moults three times in fall, then hibernates, and moults three times in
spring. No butterfly larva moults six times, and those treated of vary in
habit. Some moult twice and hibernate, then three times in spring, while
other larve go to pupa in one season with but four moults.
Of WV. Lurytris, we read: “ Larva not dissimilar to that of A/ofe, but
smaller.” There is no near resemblance whatever between the larve of
these two species in any stage, but a great and generic difference.
Of D. Archippus, we read that the larve moult three times, whereas
they moult four. See Psyche, ii, 53.
Of Arg. Cybele: “‘ The earlier stages of this species are not very well
known. ‘The larve have been kept in confinement by Mr. Edwards, and
moulted five times, and during the winter went into the chrysalis state.”
I gave full account of all stages of the larva, Can. ENT., xil., 141, and
therefore the early stages are very well known, and a life history, vol. vi.,
p. 121; and the pupation took place, not in winter, but in May.
L. Disippus: Larva described as having a horn on second ring, and
on third, fifth, etc., a spiny process each, the eleventh with two short
‘spines. Now every ring mentioned here has a pair of processes instead
of a single one. In the account of the habits of this species, not a word
‘is said of the case made by the larva for hibernating. On the contrary,
‘we have the incorrect statement that the larve remain in pupa all winter.
36 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The most remarkable thing in the history of North Am. butterfly larvee is
’ the making these cases by all the species of Limenitis, and it would seem
incredible that the merest collector should not have known that. How
comes it then that no mention of such a habit should be found in a work
professing to have been written for instruction of beginners? Nothing is
said under Ursu/a of such cases, but under Arthemzs we are told that the
larvee ‘‘ construct a case of leaves,” instead of a case from a single leaf.
Moreover the larve of these three species of Limenitis are described as
regards the processes on them as if they were radically different from each
other, whereas they are all built on the same pattern, and where one has
a process all have a similar one.
Of Argynnis AZyrina, we read that the larve moult three times. Now
the larvee of the early brood moult four times, and of the late brood, five.
C. ENT., vii., 189. ‘
Under Mel. Phaeton, we read that these butterflies have restricted
areas, living in peaty meadows, and that the larva make a web, but no
mention is made of the food-plant, Chelone glabra, which grows in such
meadows or in swamps, and is the reason for the presence of the butter-
flies there. :
Under Thecla /rus, we read that Mr. Edwards says the eggs are laid
on wild plum, etc., ‘‘ very interesting,” etc. I said nothing of the kind.
My account was of Z: Henrici, and I expressly said that I could not get
Trus to lay on plum. aes
Under Lyc. Pseudargiolus, Mr. Edwards is quoted as saying that
hibernating larvee produce typical Pseudargio/us in spring. On the con-
trary, the larve in no case hibernate, but the pupze do, some to oe a
Violacea, some. Pseudargiolus.
Of Fenesica Zarguinius, we read that the larve feed on wild currant,
whereas they feed on aphides only.
Of Anthocharis Genutia: ‘ There are two broods in the season, the
first of which appears in July.” There is but one brood in the year, and
the chrysalis hibernates. The early butterflies, from these chrysalids,
appear at Newburgh, N. Y., early in May. Doubtless just as early in
Conn., which is given as their N. England habitat.
Of Papilio Zroi/us: ‘‘ The larve spin a little roof over the leaf, draw-
ing the edges together.” That might do for Pyrameis Ata/anta, but not
for Zroilus. ‘The larva, as soon as out of egg, cuts into the border of the
leaf about one tenth inch and draws the part over, holding it down by a
‘THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 37
few threads. The nearly mature larva turns over the side of the leaf, and
loosely stitches down the edge, but there is at no time a roof spun, nor is
there any roof except what the turned leaf makes.
Such a list of blunders shows heedless and ignorant compiling.
Another class shows want of knowledge of the butterflies. Thus, D.
Portlandia is compared with JV. Canthus, “which it resembles quite
closely.” It has but a very distant resemblance to Canthus, differing in
size, Shape and markings. So fort/andia is compared with VV. Zurytris,
just as erroneously as in the other case.
As to polymorphism, the phenomena are ignored everywhere, and the
names of the forms often, as per Preface, but sometimes the names are
given. |
It certainly is proper that such a remarkable peculiarity in the life
history of a species should be recognised, and the different forms indicated
by name. Indeed they are by lepidopterists. Often they are more dis-
tinct from each other than are many allied species. ‘‘ Mr. Sprague informs
me that the first brood of G. Comma is dark in color, while the next is
lighter.” What Mr. Sprague means is this, that the brood proceeding
from eggs of the hibernating butterflies (form Harriszz), is the dark or
summer form (Dryas), and the late brood, from eggs of Dryas, is Har-
visit. ‘I think however that specimens having the peculiar rusty under
surface to the wings are confined to particular localities, hence, judge that
perhaps different food plants produce varying color.” Now these rusty
examples are the females of the form Dryas, this species being in the
summer form sexually dimorphic, as well as seasonally. J have repeat-
edly showed the distinction between the two principal forms of Comma,
Can. ENT., vi., 157; X., 69; xiv., 189. Also in But. N.A., vol. 1, a plate
is devoted to each form, and each sex is figured on both surfaces. The
dimorphism of both sorts is universal wherever Comma is found, and food
has nothing to do with it, more than has locality.
Under the head of G. Znterrogationis, we are told that there are two
broods, in June and September, and that ‘‘ Mr. Edwards states that he
has raised both forms Fadriciz and Umbrosa from one brood of larve, but
that Mr. Sprague, who has had a wide experience with our native species,
informs me that he has invariably found the dark form is the early or sum-
mer form, and the lighter the later. Consequently very early in the spring
he has caught Fadriciz, this being the autumnal form which hibernates.”’
The dark form is Umbrosa, the name indicating the color, and is the pro-
38 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
duct in New England as elsewhere of the form Fadricii. Our author
proceeds : ‘¢‘ The reason for this variation” (that is, between the dimor-
phic forms) “ is difficult to explain, as neither food nor atmospheric change
appear to have anything to do with it, for we find that Mr. Edwards has
produced both forms where the larve were found under precisely the same
circumstances.” Both the forms spoken of are figured in But. N. A., vol.
1, and the life history at Coalburgh is given at length. Also in C. E., x,
73, and xiv., 201. ‘I gave the result of many years observations at Coal-
burgh on this species, stating that all the hibernating butterflies had been
Fabricii, except in a single instance ; that the eggs laid by females of this
early Fabricii produced a mixed brood, the large majority of individuals
being Umbrosa. And eggs of Umbrosa, of this mixed brood, again pro-
duced a mixed brood, the large majority still being Umbrosa. But that
eggs of these last Umbrosa had produced Faédricii only, late in the year,
and these were hibernators. At the north, where there are two broods
only, the dimorphism is complete, and this is the case with all seasonally-
dimorphic species of butterflies, which are also only two-brooded. But
at the south, or where the length of the warm season permits one or more
additional broods to mature—and these seem to be inserted between the
two original ones—the result in such additional broods is a mixture of the
two forms. But in the case of /nterrogationis, there is a preponderating
tendency towards the summer form, Umérosa, imperfectly counteracting
the inherited tendency of the species to produce the winter form Fabricit,
as it would in New England.
These results are not only interesting but biologically very important,
and the forms are not to be regarded as simple variations. Food has
nothing to do with dimorphism, nor has atmospheric change, but climate
has. Vide Weismann, vol. 1. In my paper referred to, Can. ENT., x.,
p. 73, I offered a conjecture that at the north, Aadriciz would be found to
be the winter form and Umbdrosa the summer, and expressed a hope that
some lepidopterist would examine into the matter and report. If Mr.
Sprague has made the necessary observations, I hope he will publish them.
Under Melitaea (Phyciodes) Zharos, we are told that the larvee of first
brood give the “ butterflies known as Morpheus,” while the larve of the
second hibernate, to produce ‘the butterfly known as A/yrina,” in June.
That is a mistake for MZarcia. But here again the names of the forms
had to be used to make the story intelligible.
Satyrus A/ofe is given as one species, S. /Vephele as another, though
— a a a, ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. : 39
both are but dimorphic forms of the same species, as I have set forth in
C. E., xii., 21. In B. N. A, vol. 2, two plates are devoted to these forms
and varieties, and the whole history is given. It is a very curious history
too, and one not to be neglected in a work meant for instruction.
A particularly objectionable feature of the work in hand is the manu-
facture of English names for the species, one and all. The custom of
applying such names will never become general in this country, and for-
tunately. In Europe, before the binomial nomenclature was invented, it
was natural that there should be local names for such striking objects as
butterflies. A few, some half dozen, European species have become
domesticated on this continent, and I have noticed that Americanized
English collectors are fond of recalling the vernacular names they knew
at home. But even these names have nowhere come to be used com-
monly here. Some of our authors, however, have exerted themselves to
fix such names on all the American butterflies, and the result is fantastic.
The greatest sinner in this respect, I regret to have to say, is Mr. Scudder,
but as he has lately announced, Science, No. 194, that he regards all names
as necessary evils, it would seem to follow that a superfluity of names is
an unnecessary evil; therefore I hope to see these appendages dropped
in his forthcoming work. No one but the contrivers use them ; they do
not stick to the insect. No better illustration of this could be offered than
in Mr. Maynard’s book. What Mr. Scudder calls Blue-eyed Grayling, the
other calls the Yellow-spotted Wood; what one calls Eyed Brown, the
other Ten-spotted Quaker! what one calls The Viceroy, the other the
Banded Red ; what one calls the Great Spangled Fritillary, the other the
Yellow-banded Silver Wing. Now the butterfly last spoken of is known
as Argynnis Cyde/e, the name a beautiful one, by the side of which the
appellations above given are as tawdry as they are long-winded. So all
through. It is best in Entomology, as in every other kind of learning,
that beginners begin right, and as every species has its proper specific
name, by which it is, universally known, and of which it can never be
divested, no elementary work has a right to teach otherwise.
The descriptions of the insects are well enough, except as to the nerves.
of the wings. These organs have ages ago received names which have
been accepted, and there is no reason whatever for changing them, espe-
cially in a work of the character of this one. ‘ Middle” is no more
simple than “‘ median,” and means the same thing ; “ upper vein ” instead
40 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
*’
of ‘“‘sub-costal” is misleading, in fact wrong, because the uppermost vein
is the costal. | i ne
And the arrangement of families was adopted ‘ merely because of its
simplicity,” but wherein that consists it would be hard to discover. It is
not a natural arrangement ; if it was, the Satyridz would next precede the
Hesperide. However there has been a fashion these last years for arti-
ficial grouping of the butterflies, and our author is not without reputable
company in his choice.
In conclusion, the illustrations. in this work, poor as they are, will
answer some purpose ; the text, so far as it is incorrect, is worse than
nothing. ‘The field is still open for a well-illustrated book on the same
butterflies, written by one who is acquainted with his subject.
W. H. EpwarpDs.
CORRESPONDENCE.
ON THE GENUS QUADRINA.
Dear Sir,—I notice the remarks of Mr. Smith, in “‘ Entomologica
Americana” (vol. il., 1886, page 124), merely to state that in my original
description I comment upon this singular genus and say that “it may be
catalogued next to Gloveria.” I further regard its affinities to the Cerato-
campide, and I intended to place it with this group in my catalogue. Bya
mistake of the printer it was thrown into the preceding group. It is clear
that I regarded the insect as allied to Citheronia, and Mr. Smith’s re-
marks as to Heméleuca are uncalled for. I say distinctly, “altogether it is
removed from Coloradia” (Papilio, I., 175). In fact, I regard Quadrina
as the remains of an old type, synthetic, in that it embraces characters of
existing sub-families of the Bombdycide. It is an example of what I have
called attention to, viz., the existence in America of older types than else-
where, such as the Padleohesperide of my classification.. I am decidedly
opposed to the idea that Quadrina is a Cossid. I regard it as a type be-
tween Gloveria and Citheronia. I classed it with the Ceratocampians.
We know neither the male nor the larva. It is premature to be exact as
to its location. It may well afford a new sub-family type. I feel con-
fident that the larva will be an external not an internal feeder. It may
point to the way in which the Ceratocampians and the internal feeders
with similar habitus are phyllogenetically related.
A. R. Grorr, Bremen, Germany.
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XIX. LONDON, MARCH, 1887. No. 3
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
COENONYMPHA AMPELOS, Epw.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, WEST VA.
Ecc.—Conical, truncated, the top nearly flat, slightly depressed, cov-
ered with a fine network of irregular six-sided meshes ; these form four
rings about the central rosette, in middle of which is the micropyle ; the
lower part and base rounded and thickly covered with shallow indenta-
tions ; the sides ribbed, the number of ribs about 34, vertical, slightly
sinuous, more so at lower end, narrow, with rounded spaces between,
-which are crossed by many fine lines ; color yellow-green. Duration of
this stage about 12 days. The egg is like that of Galactinus, but has
fewer ribs.
Younc Larva.—Length, at 24 hours from egg, .11 inch ; cylindrical ;
thickest at 2 to 4, tapering on dorsum and sides to 13, ending in two
short, conical tails, which meet at base ; color pale yellow-green ; a mid-
dorsal reddish line, and three similar lines on the side, the upper one sub-
dorsal, the lowest running with the spiracles, and the middle one nearer
the lowest ; surface covered with fine white tubercles, which give appressed
downy hairs ; among these are white clubbed processes, all bent back,
except those on 2; these form three rows on each side, one sub-dorsal, a
mid-lateral, with a demi-row on 2 to 4 between the long rows ; in all these
one process to the segment ; the third row is at base, over feet and legs,
two processes on each, from 5 to 11; one each on 3 and 4; on 2, 12, 13
two hairs to each, in place of processes; these lower processes are
smaller, and turned down ; head one half broader than 2, rounded, nar-
rowing toward top, a little depressed, granulated; over the face a few
white tubercles with processes as on body, bent down ; color pink-brown.
Duration of this stage about six days,
The young larva is in all respects like agua except slight differ-
ences in coloration.
After First Moult.—Length, at 18 hours from moult, .2 inch ; nearly
_ same shape; color yellow-green ; surface thickly beset with white tuber-
cles, and downy ; a mid-dorsal green line, three similar ones on side, the
two lower nearest together, the lowest being next over the basal ridge,
4? THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
which is light yellow ; ends of tails pink ; under side, feet and legs green ;
head sub-globose, depressed at top, the surface much covered with white
tubercles and hairs ; color green. Duration of this stage about 11 days.
After Second Moult.—Length, at 24 hours, .3 inch ; shape as before ;
color more green than yellow; dotted as before with white tubercles ;
tails rough with tuberculations, reddish ; stripes as at last previous stage,
the two lateral less distinct ; the basal ridge yellow ; head emerald, tuber-
cles as before. To next moult 6 days.
After Third Moult.—Length at 24 hours, .42 inch ; in six days, one
larva of the brood was full grown.
Mature Larva.—Length .7 inch ; cylindrical, a little thickest anter-
iorly, dorsum and sides sloping very gradually, the former to ro and then
rounding to 13, ending in two conical, short, stout tails, which meet at
base, and are rough with tuberculations ; whole surface covered thickly
with fine rounded white tubercles, each of which gives out a fine short
hair, making a downy coating; these hairs are clubbed, or tapering, or
cylindrical ; color dark green, the sides yellow-green ; the tails reddish ; a —
mid-dorsal darker green stripe; on the sides traces of two stripes (the
sub-dorsal having disappeared) ; the basal ridge light yellow ; under side,
feet and legs green ; head broader than 2, sub-globose, a little depressed,
beset with white tubercles and hairs, the surface finely granulated ; color
yellow-green, the principal ocellus emerald in brown ring. From third
moult to pupation ro days.
After Fourth Moult, after hibernation. i Raniah .49 inch ; not differing
in color or markings from third summer moult.
CurysaLis.—Length .4 inch ; greatest breadth, at mesonotum, .12, at
abdomen, .14 inch; shape of Gadactinus ; cylindrical, stout, the upper
end truncated, the abdomen swollen, conical at extremity ; head case nar-
row, ending in a sharp cross ridge which is a little arched, the sides exca-
vated roundly ; mesonotum prominent, arched, the carina rounded trans-
versely, the sides slightly convex, followed by a shallow depression ; color
delicate green ; marked by nine black stripes placed as in Ga/actinus ; of
these, one on dorsal edge of each wing case from base to inner angle of
wing ; a curved stripe on middle of each wing reaching the hind margin; —
a short stripe on same margin on ventral side of the curved one ; two
short stripes on the antennae cases ; besides these, there is a black mark
on either side of 13 ; top of head case whitish. Duration of this stage
a
a
:
a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 43
to days. Whole period from laying of egg to imago, in summer, 49 days,
of which the egg was 12 to 13, larva 25 to 26, chrysalis ro.
After the second and third moult, which took place last of June and
early in July, all the larvae but the one which went to pupation 3oth June,
became lethargic, and evidently would hibernate. I put four of these on
ice, 26th July, and nine others, 4th August, to see if some weeks of that
treatment would not serve for their resting period as well as the entire
winter, with ordinary exposure. On 23rd August, I brought in one of the
first lot, on ice four weeks. This had passed three moults. On 24th, it
began to eat; on 26th, was .48 inch long; grew slowly and eat at long
intervals. By zoth Nov., was .56 inch; and passed the fourth moult znd
December. On 3oth Dec., pupated. The pupa I putin alcohol. Another
larva passed 4th moult, 6th January. Another same, 17th February. This
last pupated 23rd May, and gave imago 3rd June. So that the exposure
on ice, though it more or less fully aroused the larve, does not seem to
have shortened the hibernating period, except in case of the single one
which pupated 30th December. _
The eggs of Ampelos were sent me by Mr. James Fletcher, then at
Victoria, V. I., and were laid 22nd May, mailed 23rd, and reached me
3rd June. The first larva hatched 4th June.
On 21st June, I received a second lot, or rather, young larvae just
hatched, and two eggs. ‘These were laid on gth and roth June, and were
mailed r1th. In both cases the females which laid the eggs were sent.
There seems to be no dimorphism in this species. The butterflies
which came from chrysalis with me did not differ from the parents, and
examples sent, taken in May and in August, were of the one type. Mr.
Fletcher informs me that this was his experience. This species is of the
size of C. Ochracea (smaller than Gadlactinus), of a paler color; the
under side of hind wings gray brown, sometimes paler beyond disk, some-
times of one shade from base to margin ; with an interrupted, irregularly
crenated band across disk ; with no other mark, no spot towards base, no
ocelli or spots along hind margin (all these spots are characteristic of C.
Ochracea), Mr. Fletcher writes: ‘“ I have never succeeded in finding an
ocellus, and I am sure I have examined hundreds of examples.” He also
adds that the species is extremely abundant at Victoria.
Ampelos was described by me, 1871, in Tr. Am, Ent. Soc., from a pair
received from Oregon. So that it probably is found at least from Oregon
44 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
to Victoria, and also probably west of the Cascade Mountains. I have
not seen it from California, or other region.
The larve of this genus are exceedingly sluggish, in confinement rest-
ing on the grass stems or leaves, and scarcely moving except when the ~
supply of food fails. They are easily bred. I am now feeding larve of
C. Ochracea, and will in due time give report of it. I wish some one in
the North-west, interested in these things, would send me eggs of C. /n-
ornata, a dark brown, or brown-ochre species, with black-brown under
side, found along the northern boundary of the U. S. in Dacotah, and in
Brit. Am., on the prairies. Eggs can readily be had by confining females
over grass in box or fruit can.
Notre.—In my paper on the stages of C. Ga/actinus, vol. xvili., p. 201, |
the measurement of the mature larva should read .84 inch (not 1.06 inch).
ON THE GENUS RICHIA.
BY A. R. GROTE, BREMEN, GERMANY.
After examining the European Ammoconia caecimacula (in which the
dq antennz are dentate and furnished with pencilled setae or hair; the
form stout; the tibiae, of the middle and hind legs only, spinose ; the
thorax and abdomen with slight dorsal tuftings), I find that my species
are not congeneric, and I accordingly refer them to this genus named in
memory of a Brooklyn Entomologist, Harvey J. Rich, who died while yet
young, and whom I knew “before the war.” The type of Richa is
Chortalis, and its probable dimorphic form Aratrix, though we do not
know quite surely whether the two are so related or not ; they occur over
the West and Southwest, to Texas. A second species is the Texan &.
sculptilis of Harvey, a fine Noctuid. A third is my Decipiens, with its
red form Parenta/lis, figured in my Essay. These differ by the untufted
abdomen, spinose fore tibiae, the thorax having a ridge of hair (well
shown in my figure, Plate 1, 13), as also by less robust form, agreeing
with Agrotis. The genus, in fact, is not a Hadenoid form, and I refer to
my paper on Agrotis, CAN. ENTOM., Xv., 54, for my views as to its position.
I remember determining a fourth species from the West, and others
doubtless will be found. At present I would thus arrange them :
Genus Richia Grote.
Chortalis Harvey. sculptilis Harvey.
dim. var. aratrix Harv. decipiens Grote.
var. parentalis Grote.
Si ei a Ni ct a ii) i FN it
s
- THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 45
LIMOCHORES PONTIAC AND ATRYTONE KUMSKAKA,
BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
‘In 1863, Mr. W. H. Edwards described a male Hesperian from
‘Michigan under the name of Hesperia Pontiac, closely resembling the
species figured by Boisduval and LeConte, under the name of Arpa, as
well as the larger Florida species Edwards subsequently described under
the name of Pidatka. In the same paper in which Pontiac was described
and immediately preceding it, he described, also from Michigan, a
female under the name of Hfesperza conspicua. ‘These two forms were
subsequently figured in the same volume (II.) of Proceedings of the
Entomological Society of Philadelphia, and were recognized as the male
and female of the same species, after Prof. H. W. Parker had re-described
the male (Can. Ent., III, 51), referring it to HY. conspicua. In his since
published lists, Mr. Edwards has classed them as one species under the
preferred name of Pontiac.
In connection herewith I have made two mistakes : First, in identify-
ing in 1868 an Iowa species as conspficua and describing the proper male
of the same as the then supposed unknown male of conspicua (Trans.
Chicago Acad., I., 336) ; and second, the re-description, very briefly, of
Fontiac under the name of Hedone Orono (Syst. Rev. Am. Butt., 58),
being led astray by my supposition with regard to the Iowa butterfly. I
have since given the Iowa butterfly, which belongs to At¢rytone, the name
Kumskaka, in naming it for others ; but as this name has not been pub-
lished, nor the species fully described, I append herewith a full descrip-
tion of the same. :
The two butterflies concerned belong to two different genera, one of
which (Zzmochores, to which, and not to Hédone, Pontiac belongs,) has a
sexual, velvety dash or stigma on the front wings of the male, wholly
wanting in Atrytone, and they can thus be readily distinguished.
ATRYTONE KUMSKAKA.
Hesperia conspicua, Scudd. nec. Edw. : ;
Head covered above with mingled greenish-yellow and blackish hairs,
the former in excess; on the inner and outer side of the bases of the
antenne a tuft of black hairs; encircling the hinder part of the eye a
series of pale yellow scales ; palpi pale yellow, with a very slight greenish
tint, shading into pale orange toward the tip and there interspersed with a
46 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
few black scales, which on the upper surface supersede the others ; last
joint black ; antennz black, annulated broadly below, narrowly above,
at the base of each joint with glossy, pale lemon-yellow scales, which on
the base of the stem are merged into a common bright patch; club,
excepting as just stated, black; the crook dull castaneous to the very
tip.
Thorax covered above with mingled greenish-yellow and brownish
hairs, the brighter ones more conspicuous on the prothorax and patagia
than elsewhere ; beneath covered with pale yellowish hairs, mingled with
dusky ones. Femora pale yellow, whitish above, the inside of the middle
and hind pair dusky ; tibiz and tarsi dull orange, becoming dusky above,
especially at the tips of the tarsal joints and increasingly so toward the
tips of the legs; spurs pale orange, tipped minutely with testaceous ;
spines testaceous ; spurs reddish ; pad dusky.
Wings above tawny, exceedingly broadly bordered with dark brown,
particularly in the female, where the tawny is reduced to a comparatively
narrow interrupted band. Fore wings with the outer margin broadly
bordered with dark brown, the interior margin of the border passing
‘from the tip of the costal nervure on the costal margin in a bent, slightly
curved, pretty regular line to the middle of the outer two-thirds of the
submedian nervure, and passing midway between the apex of the cell and
the outer margin of the wing ; the inner margin is similarly bordered with
dark brown as far as the submedian nervure ; the costal edge is blackish,
and within these encompassing borders the veins are distinctly marked
-with dark brown ; besides which the outer limit of the cell and the outer
half or two-thirds of the upper limit are rather broadly bordered
externally with blackish, which often reaches to the costal border ;
besides, the basal third of the wing, and especially the part lying
below the middle of the cell, is heavily begrimed with brownish scales,
most conspicuously next the nervures ; and all these latter markings are
so blended in the female that no tawny color whatever is left but a small
quadrate spot (often obsolete) at the tip of the cell, and a transverse, nearly
equal, strongly curving or bent band next the outer bordering, about as
broad as the width of the cell ; this is indeed most frequently reduced to
a series of 7 or 8 unequal longitudinal spots, forming a bent series lying —
farther removed from the outer margin, the upper portion starting from
the middle of the outer half of the costal margin and directed toward a
7 cote vy eer oe at 8 wt Oe IS eee ee ee - re ee
er eae ee ee ee ee r ar 3 ele cre
" eek ‘
~
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 47
point scarcely below the middle of the outer margin ; the other part of it
is directed at right angles to the upper portion. Fringe dull brown,
sometimes tinged with tawny, paling externally.
Hind wings so broadly bordered as best to be described as dark
brown, with the central parts tawny; in the male consisting of a
roundish patch cut by the nervures delicately traced in brown, extending
nearest to the outer border (a little more than an interspace distance
from it) on the lower subcostal nervure, and occupying the space
between this and the tip of the cell, and reaching from the lowest median
nervure to the middle of the subcostal interspace ; within the cell is an
obscure tawny patch, and the medio-submedian interspace is obscured by
some tawny hairs. In the female the fulvous colors are reduced toa
series of longitudinal streaks, separated by broadly marked nervures,
occupying the same place as the large patch of the male, but reduced in
breadth. Fringe pale dull fulvous, the basal half brownish.
Beneath the markings are much the same, though scarcely so intense
as above, and on the hind wings of the male very much obscured ;
the tawny on both wings has become a dull lemon yellow, sometimes in
the female rather pale, and the brown, excepting in the lower half of the
fore wings, where it has turned to blackish fuliginous, has become obscure
tawny brown, in the female tinged with fuliginous; in the brighter
portions the nervures are rather narrowly marked —
with tawny or brownish tawny, in the darker
parts very faintly with yellowish or brownish
yellow ; the tip of the cell in the fore wings of the
male, and sometimes in those of the female, is
marked with an oblique blackish streak, and at
the tip of the cell of the hind wings of the male
is a small obscure blackish spot next the nervure
at either side. Fringe dusky, tipped with pale,
more broadly below than above.
Abdominal appendages Abdomen black, the sides, especially on apical
of Atrytone Kumskaka, half, largely tinged with fulvous; beneath pale
male, viewed laterally; yellowish, becoming tinged slightly with greenish
the lower partial figure toward the tip. The appendages of the male are
sala tio as seem shown on a side view in the accompanying
re. sketch. ‘The upper organ is very strongly arched,
48 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
almost bent in the middle, beyond which the heaviest part is found ;
this is not large but gibbous, transversely convex, and directed downward,
the hooks straight, with a scarcely perceptible separation, together con-
tinuing the taper of the centrum, stout and very blunt and heavy at tip,
where it is scarcely arched; lateral arms stout, curving upward and
inward at tip, meeting just beyond the tip of the hooks. Clasps about —
half as long again as broad ; the upper process broad and short, squarely
docked, scarcely turned upward, but directed backward, a little incurved,
the lower angle sharp, but the upper rounded ; above this the posterior —
margin of the clasp retreats a little, and bears in the middle a broad and
short truncate tooth, overhung by the upper process, the base of which is
curved over so as to be horizontal, is similar to the lower process, but
bears at its lower extremity a long, equal, slightly depressed, incurving
finger, nearly half as long as the breadth of the clasp, its bluntly pointed ©
tip touching the extremity of the upper organ. |
Length of fore-wing, male 15.75-16.25 m.m., female 17.-17.5 m.m.;
of antennz, male 7.75-8.4 m.m., female 7.8-8.1 m.m.; of hind tibise and
tarsi, male and female 7.75-8 m.m.; of fore tibice and tarsi, male 4.9—-5.1 5
m.m., female 5.25-5.3 m.m. |
Described from two males and three females from the Western
States.
PREPARATORY STAGES OF APATELA FELINA, Grote.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Younc Larva.—Length .10 inch; body cylindrical ; head broader
than the body, oblique. Color of the upper part and sides of joints 2, 4,
5, 7,8, 9, 12 and 13, reddish purple ; the rest of the upper part and sides
and the venter dull whitish ; six rows of tubercles from which proceed
small clusters of brown hairs, the four rows of dorsal clusters longer than
the body ; head black ; feet purplish. Duration of this period, 4 days.
After First Moult :—Length .22 inch ; shape about as before. The
joints that were reddish purple during first stage are now black, the
others white, the tubercles small, black ; head black ; hairs from the dorsal
tubercles dark gray, the others white. Duration of this period, 3 days. —
After Second Moult:—Length .35 inch. Color of the upper part
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 49
black and creamy white ; under part grayish brown, with two pretty well
defined streaks of this color on the white part of the sides. The colors
above are as follows: Joints 2 to 5 black, 6 white, 7 to ro black, 11
_ white, 12 black, and the terminus of 13 black ; a fine dorsal line of clear
white ; the tubercles the same as before, each bearing a cluster of hairs of
_ various lengths, the longest nearly as long as the body ; the two dorsal
tufts on joints 5, 7 and 12 with small pencils of short black hairs ; a few
black hairs from the tubercles on the other black joints; the hairs from
the tubercles of the white joints clear white, with a few brown hairs inter-
mingled in the dorsal pencils ; head and’ feet black. Duration of this
period, 4 days.
. _ After Third Moult :—Length .60 inch. On the dorsum are three
stripes, a broad gray one in the middle, in the centre of which is a fine
white line, and each side of this stripe a whitish stripe ; below this most
of the side is pale yellow ; the whole strongly tinged with green. The
tubercles bear thick clusters of short spreading hairs ; the dorsals on
joints 5, 7, 8 and 12 black, with a few black ones in some of the others,
but most of the rest of dorsal hairs white ; those from the white stripe,
white ; those from the yellow stripe, yellow and mostly longer than the
others ; a long fringe each side of the body, extending round the posterior
extremity. Head and thoracic feet black. Duration of this period, 6
days. 3
After Fourth Moult :—Length 1 inch when at rest. Color of body
yellowish green, with a gray dorsal stripe; under parts grayish brown ;
the whole body covered with fine yellow hairs that spring from the gen-
eral surface as well as from the tubercles ; the tubercles or piliferous spots
scarcely distinguishable from the general surface save that from these the
hairs are more in clusters ; a few black hairs in place of the former black
pencils. Head black, the front with the usual pale inverted Y ; the sides
mottled with black and pale brown. Duration of this period from 4 to 5
days.
Mature Larva :—Length when crawling 1.60 inches; when at rest
1.40 inches. Characters the same as at the beginning of the period.
Chrysalis :—Length .80 inch ; to end of wing cases .40, these extend-
ing almost to the posterior part of joint 5; depth from .21 to .22 inch;
cylindrical, tapering gradually from joint 5 back, the tongue case extend-
ing only to the anterior part of joint 5 ; the anterior part of abdominal
Was init a ina et oe Pec eid
50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
joints finely punctured ; head rounded ; wing cases slightly wrinkled. —
Color, mahogany brown, the wing cases and other anterior parts darker.
Cremaster a series of short hooks extending out. laterally, fastened into
the lining of the thin cocoon. Duration of this period from 269 to 275
days.
The eggs from which the larvae upon which the above observations
were made were received from Mr. C. F. McGlashan, of Truckee, Cali-
fornia. They were deposited July 6th, 1885, reaching me the rath, just
as the young larvae emerged from them. ‘This gives the egg period 6
days. ‘This would give us a total from the egg to the moth of 296 days:
This would give ample time for a second brood, as from the egg to pupa-
tion only consumed 27 days of the 296, and add to that 14 days, the
usual pupal period of a great many of our moths. But it is quite proba-
ble that in its home in the Sierras these periods would be considerably
lengthened out, so that the moth would not emerge from the chrysalids
till some time in June, instead of from the znd to the 6th of May, as these
did, as it is generally known that heat accelerates the growth of insects,
and that cold retards the same. In the case of Leptarctia Lena, 1 findan
exception to this general law, however.
The food plant of this insect is willow. In pupating, the larva
fastened its cocoon closely against the side of the box (made of soft pine),
some of the fibre of the unplaned board being woven into the outer part
of the cocoon. ‘The cocoon was thin, firm and tough.
NOTES ON SPECIES OF LEPIDOPTERA,
BY AUG. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY,
A. Observations on the Larve of certain Bombyces.
1. Dryopteris rosea Walk.
The full grown larvee, in the beginning of July, feeding on Viburnum
acerifolium, the “ Maple-leafed Arrow-wood,” * are, in their last stage,
olivaceous brown, pale dorsally ; dorsal line single, dark; a triangular
* The plant was determined for me by Mr, A, Pettingill, to whom I am indebted
for more specimens,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 51
_ dark patch on each side of the body commencing on segment 4 (I do not
count the head) and bordered above the abdominal feet with pinkish ;
anal segment prolonged. Similar anal prolongations occur in the larve
of other genera of this sub-family, and a resemblance to Cerura, where
it is furcate, throws light on the relationship of these moths. _ In resting,
the terminal segment is slightly elevated. A fleshy protuberance on the
dorsal line on third segment. Pupation in a light, close web of pale brown
silk, between the leaves (July 6-8). Coloration protectional, concealing
the larva as it rests on the stem of the leaf. The spotting of the “tail”
with pale is part of the protective coloration. After three weeks in the
pupa the moth appears. Now that the whole history of Dryopteris is
known, it is seen that in the structure of the larva and its habit it closely
agrees with the other genera of the sub-family. It is probably double-
brooded, the pupae of the second brood hibernating. An ally of this
genus is described by Walker from Japan ; whether the genera are distinct
-Icannot say. Walker does not even compare them, calling our moth a
Drepana, while Herrich-Schaeffer calls it a Cz/ix. We have two species
of Dryopteris ; the larva of the second, ¢rrorata Pack., is unknown to me.
In the few descriptions of larvae which I have drawn up, I commence
the numerical series with the first prothoracic segment ; it seems to me
quite wrong to commence with the head, which must be described sep-
arately. Thorax 1-3; abdomen 4-12.
2. Antsota stigma Fab.
The larvze on oak in July are in their last stage, light leather brown, a
sub-dorsal row of stout black spinules, an infra-stigmal series all com-
mencing on segment 2, which is provided with a pair of long black spines
curved backwards ; the skin is dotted over with white, especially on the
segments anteriorly and beneath ; a dorsal series of spinules, of which the
one on 12 is stoutest; two on anal segment. ‘There is a fore and aft
symmetry in the disposition of these spinules, which must be looked upon
as defensive in their nature. This caterpillar differs generically from that
of Sphingicampa bicolor and S. bisecta. There is no doubt that we have
_ two genera, but whether this last genus should not be called Adelocephala
_ of Boisd., I cannot decide without South American types to compare.
Enters the ground to pupate ; a resemblance can be shown between all
these larvee, Citheronia, Hacles, Anisota,a progressive development of the
52 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
spinules into fleshy horns; by the development of the twelfth segment —
and its spine, an approach to the Sphingid@ is signalized, which the form
of the moth somewhat confirms no less than the mode of pupation. I do
not regard the Sphingide as related either to Cossus or Hepialus, but to
the Ceratocampians (Saturniade in part) and JVotodonting. As we
shall see further on, there is a succession of development of the spines
from Dryocampa, where they are merely present anteriorly and posteri-
orily and the body is naked, to Citheronia, where they are fleshy, long,
exaggerated and complicated. I have not at this writing all the necessary
material before me, but I have been interested in describing and figuring
the simplest forms in this group of larve, and in showing that there is so
great a difference and development of larval armature within this one
group that we may use it as a guide in arranging the genera, of which
Lacles would seem to be the highest in the series.
3. Anisota virginiensis Drury.
Already, as in the moth, the larva shows an approach to Dryocampa
by the lessening of the armature. Taken on oak at the same time, this
larva has the infra-stigmatal line of spinules weaker, as also the sub-dorsal
series which rest on the reddish sub-dorsal stripe. The anal spinule of
the dorsal series is shorter than in A. stigma, and this is true of the weaker
thoracic horns, which are more bent and arise with a greater slope for-
wards. The color is obscure greenish, mottled with black ; an infra-
stigmatal reddish stripe. Stigmata distinct, much as in D. stigma. The
anal segment has but one small spinule. Enters the ground to pupate. —
4. Dryocampa rubicunda Fabr.
Larva light green, with longitudinal stripes of a darker shade. The
spinules have disappéared and this is evidently the lowest form in the
group, the larva commencing to look like that of some of the lower moths.
The black horns on segment 2 are retained, as also dorsal spinules on 11
and 12; a pink stripe laterally, the head is discolorous ; the stigmata con-
colorous and concealed, not prominent and discolorous as in Azisota.
But the narrower larva is otherwise quite similar. Enters the ground to
pupate. On oak, maple, and a number of trees. I regret not to know
the larva of var. a/ba Grote, which would be interesting to compare. As
the variety is common, it will doubtless soon be described. Hiibner, with
an eye for the general appearance and structure of moths, calls this group
ie pended yet) ry et, m
Den OR Oe oon ie a 7
ae sees: Siege.”
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 53
communiformes ; 1 fancy he meant by this that the moths approached the
_LVoctuide in their proportions, that the body was heavy and longer than
‘the wings. I may be wrong in this. The moths are interesting to me, as
I have long ago said, from the curious way in which the pattern of the
- upper surface of hind wings is reproduced on primaries beneath ; this is
also the case in the JVoctuide. I have said it is as if the pattern of one
were photographed on the other; we have an approach to this in the .
Smerinthine, in which the under side of fore wings is often rosy. This
is seen more or less in all moths in which the wings cover each other in a
state of rest ; therefore not in the Geometride,not in the Butterflies. The
Ceratocampine, which Grote and Robinson, in correction of Packard,
separate from the Saturnian genera Hemzleuca, etc., are an American sub-
family of Bombyces, probably the descendants of an old type more inti-
mately connected with the Hawk Moths. The eye’spots of Smerinthus
are re-called, the rosy disc of the secondaries is here repeated. The
group is probably South American in its origin. It has a feeble but
beautiful representation in North America.
B. Description of an Unknown Larva belonging to the Geometridae
A small colony of nearly full grown larvz were observed on Syringa
vulgaris, the common lilac, on September 16th, on Staten Island. The
total length extended was then 30 mil. The head was small, the thoracic
segments narrowing anteriorly. ‘The two jointed antennz were provided
with a bristle at the extremity of the second joint. Two pair of abdominal
or false feet. From the 4th to the 7th segment the body was enlarged
and somewhat flattened, the segments provided with a rounded lateral
prominence and with a dorsal transverse ridge showing small yellowish
points on each side, from the inner edge of which points sprang a single
hair. The latter characters were shared by all the abdominal segments.
The 7th to the 9th segments showed a pale yellowish lateral patch, below
which the ventral protuberance was flecked with the same color extending
along the abdominal legs on the latter segment. A more elevated dorsal
hump on the anal segment, consisting of two protuberances; from the apex
of each is emitted a single short bristle. This seems to recall a stage in
the development of the caudal horn of the Sphingide. The whole body
seems naked, but two isolated hairs or bristles are seen to arise sub-
dorsally along the segments. ‘The head is sparsely hirsute. The general
color of this singular larva is dark wood brown, marbled dorsally with a
54 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST’.
paler shade. The whole larva looks like a withered leaf. When dis-
covered the little colony were hanging head downwards, supported by the
two abdominal feet, and giving themselves a slight swaying motion with
the free portion of the body (not unlike that we see in some pendulous
pupz), the resemblance to a dead, half-fastened leaf, preparing to fall
with each stronger gust of the autumn wind, was heightened. My at-
tempts to rear the colony were frustrated by their escape, and before a
drawing could be made, which I intended. Belonging probably to the
Lnnomide, these larvae were remarkable for their mimicry of dead leaves,
The larvee of the Geometride are often very interesting from their bizarre
forms and singular ornamentation, which, of all the groups of moths
known to me, most nearly resembles that of the curious forms among the
higher Butterflies. ¢
C. Lwo Gray Species of Lithophane.
For the synonymy of this genus see Grote, Check List, p. 38, 1876.
It is called incorrectly Xy/ina, whereas Xy/ena, Hiibner, has for type
Hadena lithoxylea. These little 2Voctucde hibernate in the moth state,
inhabiting the north temperate regions. We have a number of species,
among which are two purely light gray forms, Z. fagina Morr., and Z,
Georgii Grote, besides the darker gray and stouter series of ZL. antennata
Walk., Z. Zaticinerea Grote, and Z. Grotei Riley (=cinerosa Gr., n. b. 1.),
and which series is considered varietal by Professor Riley, and one of
distinct but nearly related species by myself, I first separating and
describing them.
Lithophane fagina Morr.
This species differs by the obsolescence of its markings, which gives
the primaries a somewhat narrower appearance, and recalls those of
Cucullia. A white shade, more purely white and more extended than in
any other species of the genus, extends along costa to apical third. The
customary markings are lost or barely indicated by hair streaks of black
scales. The veins are marked finely in black. The series of cuneiform
marks forming the subterminal line can be faintly made out on the shin-
ing gray concolorous wings; the stigmata are lost; hind wings pale
smoky gray with whitish fringes, reflecting the irregular smoky mesial
band and thick discal mark from the under surface, which is paler than
a:
j
ie
a
g
aM
Aa
bP.
or
ey
~
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
above. On the darker fore wings beneath the spot and band are more
faintly repeated. Head and thorax concolorous dark smoky gray, paler
beneath; abdomen like secondaries. Not rare. Canada to Middle
States. Larva unknown. Hibernated specimens are found in April and
May ; the fresh examples may be taken in October.
Lithophane Georgii Grote.
Differs by its warmer and darker gray color; the pale costal shading
of primaries is confined to the shoulder of the wing ; the black angulated
median shade is diffuse and evident; the veins more evidently black
marked ; the subterminal line is distinct, and the customary black basal
ray is to be plainly seen. Beneath the mesial smoky band on the whitish
gray secondaries is wavy, being roundedly indented on the disc, and this
character is very evident on comparison, its course being straight without
prominent inflection in Z. fagina. Mrs. Fernald sends me this species
from Maine ; the type was collected by Mr. George Norman, in Canada.
D. On Parorgyia Clintoniz.
This northern form is allied to the southern /eucophaea of Abbot &
Smith, but one or two specimens from Georgia and Alabama were evi-
dently different, or suggested a rather wide variation. The achatina of
Harris and Packard is not Abbot & Smith’s species, but is based on speci-
mens belonging to C/intonii. The moth described by Dr. Packard as
Platycerura furcilla, is apparently related to this group, resembling the
European Dasychira pudibunda, but of a more compact, noctuid-like
form. Its name is a misnomer, as it is in no wise like Cerura, where it is
placed by my old friend Dr. Packard, in whose monograph, admirable for
its arrangement of the groups, the genera with furcate anal extension in
the naked larva are brought near the group where the anal extension is
undivided, evidently correctly. The larva of /Platycerura is, however,
hairy, as described by Lintner and Thaxter, and resembles the larve of
the Apateline, where I have placed the genus, I think correctly. None
of the European genera examined by me appear identical with Parorgyia,
which genus seems an extension of Orgyza, in which the female is winged
and the whole form in both sexes stouter,
56 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
NOTES ON THE LOCUSTIDA, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A
NEW SPECIES.
BY WM. T. DAVIS, STATEN ISLAND, N. Y.
Whether they fill the listener with a train of happy thoughts, as Gilbert
White says, or whether they produce a sadness because the days of sum-
mer are nearly gone, as Dr. Harris asserts, the songs of crickets and
other Orthoptera have, nevertheless, the merit of always being interesting.
An insect that can sing—that has something to say—even though it be
the same, night after night, enjoys a sort of individuality, and this long
discussion of the .Katydids and the quiet murmur of the tree crickets,
constitute one of the chief charms of our summer evenings. But they do
not always sing or stridulate quite alike, and sometimes, too, their
shrilling apparatus is slightly deformed or injured, producing some curious
sounds when in use.
I once heard a Katydid whose singing apparatus was out of order,
and the sounds given forth contrasted strangely with those of a rival male
in an adjoining tree. Amdblycorypha retinervis produces two somewhat
different songs, or perhaps more correctly, varies the same song in time
or extent of utterance, so that unless the same individual is listened to for
some time, the notes might be attributed to different species. This insect
often lays its eggs on the honeysuckle, and I once observed a female on ©
the 16th of Sept., ovipositing on a low tree by the road side, gradually
biting the bark into a ridge, along which the eggs were laid, tile fashion.
On Staten Island, the first Conocephalus that is heard in the garden is
ensiger, and with k-zk-2k, as if sharpening a saw, enlivens low bushes and
particularly the corn patch. This insect seems to especially delight in |
perching near the top of a corn-stalk and there giving forth its rather im-
pulsive song. I have often watched one crawl, with many a spiral turn,
up the stem, fiddling all the while. My notes on its first heard stridula-
tion show considerable uniformity, and the average date may be taken as
July 15th.
Conocephalus dissimilis is more of a low grass and weed loving insect
than C. ensiger, and also comes later in the season. I have found this
insect stridulating when its head was gone, picked off perhaps by some
Re ENE es OEE
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 57
_ yagrant chick. The brown colored specimens are much more common
in this species than in ensiger.
Conocephalus robustus resides for the most part mid the grass on
sandy ground near the sea shore, though an occasional individual finds its
way inland. Along the sea beach they stridulate in early afternoon,
especially if slightly cloudy, and when approached they have a curious
fashion of dropping to the ground. I have often found them, on such
occasions, actually standing on their heads in the soft sand, leaning
against the grass stems which grow so close together, without in any way
holding on to them, Whether this position is intentional or not, I cannot
say, but certain it is that- when looked for from above they offer the
_ smallest extent of their bodies to view and may thus escape many
- enemies.
I have found another Conocephalus on Staten Island, mid the cat-tails
that grow on the salt meadows, and a specimen sent to Mr. Samuel H.
Scudder was considered by that gentleman to be an undescribed species.
This insect keeps very close to the ground, hiding well in the vegetation,
and is not easily discovered. The sound produced when stridulating is
very faint, not louder than that made by Gry//us abbrinatus, and I was
much surprised to hear such a faint song come from so large an insect.
I have, in consequence of this faint song, named it the “slightly musical ”
Conocephalus.
C. exiliscanorus. A large species, brown or green, the tegmina in
the brown specimens irregularly dotted with fuscous spots. Fastigium
long, moderately pointed, bent downward at apex, slightly flattened and
scabrous above with medial groove or depression, depending tooth at lower
base of fastigium pointed. Pronotum scabrous. Tegmina moderately
broad and slightly falcate. Hind femora with numerous spines beneath,
the other femora with only an occasional abortive spine near tip.
Length of body (including head), 37 m.m.; of fastigium beyond front
edge of eyes, 5 m.m.; of pronotal disk, 9 m.m.; of tegmina, 40 m.m,; of
hind tibiae, 21 m.m.;2 ¢.
‘ This insect is allied to C. ensiger, but readily distinguished by the
longer fastigium, the entire under surface of which, with the exception of
the basal fourth, is of a deep shining black.
58 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
DISSOSTEIRA CAROLINA,
BY JEROME M’NEILL, MOLINE, ILL.
During the past summer I collected at Dublin, Wayne Co., Ind., a
number of @dipodini that seem to be a long-winged variety of the above
named species. A comparison of the dimensions given by Thomas and
Saussure for D. carolina and D. longipennis with measurements taken
from eleven of these specimens, will show what the difference amounts
to. The former, in his Acrididze of North America, page 118, gives for
D. carolina the following dimensions: “ Female—Length, 1.5 to 1.75
inches ; elytra, length of the body; posterior femora, about half the
length of the body. Male—Length, 1 to 1.25 inches ; elytra and wings
passing the abdomen about one-third their length.” The same authority
gives for D. longipennis: “Length, 1.14 inches; elytra, 1.27 inches ;
posterior femora, 0.64 inch ; posterior tibiz, 0.55 inch.” These dimen-
sions are those of the male, the female being unknown to Thomas.
Saussure, in his ‘‘ Prodromus Cédipodiorum,” pages 137 and 138,
gives for the measurements of the first named species: ‘‘ Length, female,
40, male, 33; elytra, female, 41, male, 36 mill.” And for the last men-
tioned species: “ Length, female, 45, male, 35; elytra, female, 46, male,
35 mill.”
It appears from these facts then that while the length of the body is
greater in D. /ongipennis, the wings are proportionally longer in both
female and male of D. caro/ina, and absolutely longer in the male of this
species, so that the latter is, in spite of the name, the long-winged species.
But the Dublin specimens exhibit a much greater contrast in the relative
lengths of the elytra and bodies, as a glance at the following table will
show. :—
No, 1, female, length, 34; elytra, 41; posterior femora, 17; posterior tibize, 14 mill,
No. 2, tt " Ry ar n 4035 " " Oy de w " 5 in
Average u 35653 " 40.53 " " 173 " u Iq¢e5 wu
No. 3, male, length, 27; elytra, 33; posterior femora, 14; posterior tibize, 12 mill,
No. 4, " " 28 ; " 34; " " 153 " " 12 w
No, 5» " " 27 3 i aes " " PG " " I2 nm
No, 6, " " 27; " §=63325 " " ie et " " 12°
No. 7; " " 30; we? 3435 " " 143 " " I2
No, 8, " " 273 n 3335 " " 143 " " 12
No, 9; " " 28 ; " 353 "t " 153 n " 13
No, 10, w " 26 ; " 33; " " 14; " " I2 uw
No, 11, " 29; u «3345 " " 145 " " I2 nw
Average » WBE. SSE S " no 14$3 '" » 12h
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 59
‘ In the female then the elytra are 1.14 the length of the body, while in
_ the male the elytra are nearly 1.21 the length of the body.
, To present this striking difference to the eye then: In the Dublin
specimens the ratio of the elytra to the body is, female 1.14, male
I.21; according to Saussure, female 1.02%, male 1.09; according to
Thomas, about 1.
These specimens have in several cases the black portion of the wings
more or less distinctly fenestrated. This marking is particularly distinct
in one specimen on the basal third of the wings. They all have two pale
bands on the inside of the femora. The elytra extend beyond the body
from .32 to .44 of their length.
NOTE ON THE SAW FLY, HYLOTOMA DULCIARIA, Say.
BY THE REV. T. W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC,
On page 38 of the February number of last year’s ENTOMOLOGIST, is a
note, written by myself, concerning an injurious Saw-fly larva which had
appeared in abundance in the neighborhood of Quebec. I preserved
quite a number of the cocoons of the species, hoping to obtain the perfect
insect from them. Some of the cocoons were kept in a box in my study,
_ others in a tin case placed in the cellar, and yet others in a glass jar half
filled with moist earth. It was from the last lot only that I met with a
successful result. In July last two imagos presented themselves. The
insect in its perfect state is of sluggish habits. Its head and wings are
purple ; its thorax and abdomen yellow. It is about one inch in expanse
of wings. Knowing that Mr. Harrington had given much attention to
the Hymenoptera, I brought the insect under his notice, and he was able
to identify it as Hylotoma dulciaria. ‘The description of the insect given
by Norton is as follows :-— |
H. DULCIARIA.
Hylotoma dulciaria, Say. Long’s Second Exp. II., 1824, 314, ¢.
“Pale rufous; head, wings and feet violaceous black.” Length 0.34-
0.48. Br. wings 0.74—1.04 inch.
. Antennz black, with a violaceous tinge ; nasus emarginate, short ;
head, a spot on pectus and ovipositor sheaths blue-black, remainder of
body testaceous or yellowish-red; legs steel-blue; spines same color ;
60 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
inner spines rather blunt ; wings violaceous, sub-hyaline, less obscure at —
apex, a large darker spot below stigma covering marginal and the upper
half of all the submarginal cells ; under wings with but one middle cell.
Maine, N. Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, N. W. Ter. (Say),
Illinois, English River (Smithsonian Institution).
This is probably the same with HZ pectoralis, Leach, from which it
differs only in the color of the wings and the kg ovip pie
which Say calls the “‘ tail black.”
Cat. of the Tenthredinide and Uroceride of N. Am., by Edward
Norton, from Trans. of Am. Ent. Soc. 1867-9, page 4o.
It was not till the first week in August that the insect appeared in its
natural haunts, At that time I found, along the St. Louis Road, great
numbers of the flies which had been trodden under foot by the passers
by. These flies were somewhat larger than those I had succeeded in
raising ; but there could be no doubt as to the identity of species. This
autumn the larve have been again abundant, but not more so, as far as I
can judge, than they were last year.
THE COCCIDZ IN THE MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE
ZOOLOGY, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
BY DR. H. A, HAGEN,
Having newly arranged the Coccidz of our collection, which have
been named by Prof. J. H. Comstock, I compared them with the Pro-
fessor’s Catalogue for 1883, and ascertained the presence of two-thirds of
the 168 numbers enumerated. [I find that only 27 N. Amer. species are
wanting. Among the insects received in the collection of the Peabody
Academy is Lecanium tilie, A. Fitch, from Mt. Carroll, IL, by Mr.
Shimer, very probably identical with A. Fitch’s species, and Lecanium —
tulipifere, Cook, by typical specimens. A certain number is not yet
determined, also the later accessions have not been put in the collection.
There are some European types of importance. Two of Prof. Ratze-
burg’s are not published ; C. variodosus is believed by Prof. Comstock to
be the No. 122, A guercicola, Bouché ; the other is C. conchatus, both
from the European oak. I am always eager to make the collection of
this family more complete. Perhaps it is not out of place to say that the
Phytoptocecidia in the collection has been enlarged by European and
American species,
4 i wen
CE er RS i Oe ee I I
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isa Ss i
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spi ACT Sta Paks eee ia
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ee Ee a ee eee ee
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Ot OR ee ea
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XIX. LONDON, APRIL, 1887. No. 4
THE LARVA OF LIPHYRA “BRASSOLIS PROBABLY
APHIDIVOROUS.
BY REV. W. J. HOLLAND, M. A., PH. D., PITTSBURGH, PA.
Some two years ago I received from Rev. L. C. Biggs, H. B. M. Chap-
lain at Penang, a parcel of insects collected by Mr. F. G. Durnford in
Sungei-Ujong. Among them was a specimen the envelope containing
which was labelled Charaxes Durnfordi,n. sp. Mr. Biggs, in sending
the lot, called attention to this particular specimen in his note, saying :
‘¢Tt looks as if it were covered with mildew, which Durnford assures me
is really fluff detached at the time of its capture.” I did not examine the
specimen very particularly at the time of its receipt, except to note that
it was covered with a whitish mealy deposit, particularly thick upon the
abdomen, and thatit was not a Charaxes. Some three months or more
ago I undertook the task of expanding this lot of insects and arranging
them for my cabinets. I found, as I was putting the envelopes into the
pans to relax them, several which contained specimens of a large ‘“‘ mealy
bug.” These were laid aside. At last I came to the alleged “ Charaxes
Durnfordi.” What was my delight to find it to be a fine large female of
Liphyra brassolis, Westwood. I had just received from Mr. W. H.
Edwards a copy of his most interesting paper upon the habits of the larva
of our Feniseca Tarquinius, an insect revealing very close relationship to
the gigantic Ziphyra, alike in the form of its wings, their neuration and
their color. The true explanation of the “ fluff” or mealy deposit upon
the abdomen and lower side of the wings of the specimen instantly
flashed upon my mind. I hastily looked up the envelopes containing the
scale insects or “‘ mealy bugs.” A comparison beneath the microscope
of the white particles clinging to the abdomen and lodged upon the wings
of the Ziphyra, with the mealy covering of the shield lice preserved in
the envelopes, revealed their identity. I mentally put the two things
together and conclude :
62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
a. That Mr. Durnford captured this specimen of Liphyra near a
colony of scale insects, which was so large as to attract his attention and
lead him to put a few of them into papers.
6. That this female was engaged in oviposition just before she was
captured by Mr. Durnford, and that the mealy white deposit which Durn-
ford spoke of as “ fluff,” which Mr. Biggs compared to mould or mildew,
is nothing else than fragments of the white covering of the scale insects,
over and among which the butterfly had been flying while engaged in the
act of laying her eggs.
If my conclusion is correct, and it seems to me that there can be no
question of its correctness, we have a second species to add to the list of
those Lepidoptera, the larve of which are carnivorous, or aphidivorous,
or coccivorous, as the reader pleases.
Light is also thrown by this discovery upon the generic relationship of
Feniseca and Liphyra.. The two are brought together into the same
group. ‘The classification of the Lycaenidz of the world is as yet not
fixed upon a final basis, but we are gradually reaching just conclusions.
For my part, I would fail to agree with the assertion of my good friend, —
Mr. Edwards, to the effect that Feniseca is to be referred to the Erycinide.
The formation of the legs, the neuration, the shape of the antennz and
of the chrysalis, is such as to convince me that no mistake has been made
in putting this genus among the Lycaenide. The fact that the larva pre-
sents points of difference from the larva of such a species as L. Pseudar-
giolus, or Chrysophanus Americana, should not weigh as against these
other points in fixing the generic relationship.
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES ON COLEOPTERA—No. ee
. BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
Cicindela punctulata Fab. The Cicindelas are generally regarded as
diurnal, many of them appearing only during the hottest sunshine and ©
disappearing if there comes but a cloud. In one respect Aunctudata is an
exception, for while it flies by day like the others, it is occasionally (if not
habitually) a night-flier. Several times late in summer it has been taken
on my table at night, attracted by the light, and last autumnin a house in
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 63
the outskirts of the city I took in this way a couple, and was told that
' what was considered the same insect was a frequent visitor. This habit
I think is not unknown.
Anisodactylus (Xestonotus) lugubris Dej. is frequently confounded
with 4. Harrisii, both species being often found together, and their
size and general appearance the same. Harrisii, however, has two
setigerous punctures at each side of the epistoma, while /uguédris has but
one ; so that if this is remembered, a glance will separate them. There is
a short description of this species in the Trans. Am. Phil. Soc., N. S., Vol.
X., P. 343 ; and recently the female has been well described by Lieut. T.
L. Casey, Contributions, etc., part 1, p. 9. under the name of Harpalus
Manhattanis.
Pinophilus. The described species of this genus are five in number.
One of these (Zensys) is Californian ; the others belong to the South Atlan-
tic and Gulf, with extensions into the Middle States. P. /atifes occurs
here sparingly, but is not recorded further north; it is variable as to its
habitats ; I have taken it in damp alluvial places under drift, under stones
on dry hills, and under the damp bark on fallen timber. Mr. A.C. Reisig,
of New Orleans, La., who finds this species, as well as picipes, parcus and
opacus, abundantly, states that they occur mostly in wet places around a
small species of Palmetto, between the sheathing leaves of which they often
crawl when the weather is cold, and are taken less often under the loose
bark of trees, which he thinks is too dry for them. Mr. T. L, Casey took
two of the species “‘in damp earth under decomposing vegetable matter,
and in a few instances under stones;” two other of the species were “‘attracted
at night to electric lights at El Paso, Texas.” (Cal. Acad. Sci., Bul. 6, p.:
262.) From the above it will be seen its habitats are various and are
probably all used merely for shelter ; and this does not materially conflict
with the statement in the Classification, p. 99, that the species are “ found
under bark of trees.” That, and similar statements elsewhere, are to be
taken only in the widest sense and are correct enough for all practical
purposes. It does not live in the ejectamenta of animals, nor in putrid
animal matter. The specimens of /. /atipfes found by me under bark
seemingly fed on an abundant liquid of decomposition found there, and
such substances, with small larvae, crustaceans, etc., probably constitute
their food.
Amphicrossus ciliatus Oliv., Europs pallipennis Lec., Bactridium
cavicolle Horn, The first of these was taken plentifully and the others
64 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
sparingly in April and May at sap on the stumps of black walnut, under
chips. Black walnut cut from January to April produces on northern ex-
posures a flow of sap until June, and by the judicious placing of chips, all the —
insects that delight in putridity may be taken, and their number is great.
If the surface of the stump be hacked unevenly, the minute species will be
found in the cracks of the undetached chips. Birch cut in the same way
might do as well, as it flows sap abundantly and for a long time.
Pallodes (silaceus) pallidus Beauv., so abundant in many species of
mushrooms, is here entirely pallid, some specimens having the elytra a little
infuscate at the sides. As it occurs in Florida it appears so different as
not to be readily recognizable by those acquainted only with the pale form.
The head is pale; the thorax has the disk dark piceous, becoming paler to
the margin ; the elytra vary from dark piceous to castaneous, the whole
upper side being highly polished and iridescent. From Dr. Horn’s des-
cription of this species in his monograph of the family, one is scarcely
prepared for such extremes in colour variation, as this is not greatly
emphasized.
Betarmon bigeminatus Rand. Collectors desiring this pretty little
species can beat it sparingly from spruce growing in open places, from June
till August. |
Cleotus aphodioides Ul., is found in early spring (till May) under
the bark of dead standing trees not yet separated from the wood—notably
oak ; last April (25th) I took more than one hundred individuals from
one small tree, from two to eight being packed in one cavity and many of
them in copula, as the day was warm; these beetles were not bred in the
place where found, but came there to hibernate. They enter the tree
through a hole in the bark that has served the previous summer for the exit
of some wood-bred beetle—in the present instance Urographis fasciatus ;
they scoop out when necessary some of the borings of the original inhabi-
tant between the wood and the bark, and in this excavation pack them-
selves closely, leaving the hole by which they entered open. Where their
larval life is spent is unknown, but it would appear to be under ground, as
many—nearly all—of the beetles had the deep submarginal groove of the
elytra filled with white dried mud, giving them the appearance of being
surrounded by a pale cincture. Of the other species (C. g/obosus) Ihave
found but a single individual ; the principal differences between the two
seem to be that in the latter the punctures of the striae are not so close
and the margin of the elytra serrate. Should it be found in numbers these
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 65
differences might be overcome, as some of the individuals of aphodioides
have the margin semi-serrate, and the punctures of the strize nearly as far
apart, and a corresponding approximation of the other species in the other
line would about cause them to meet.
Nicagus obscurus Lec. The position of the genus of which this species
is the only known representative has been a matter of no little discussion
by systematists ; to some it is a Lucanide, while others—among them the
authors of the Classification, find the Scarabaeidan characters to prepon-
derate. See Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., 2 s., v. 1, p. 86; and Classifica-
tion, p. 245. |
April 23rd of last year, I took 63 specimens, five only of which were
females ; these with one exception differed greatly from the other sex in
size and appearance, being much larger, more convex, less hairy and with
the elytra evidently striate, resembling some Serécea. The exception,
however, differed chiefly from the males by its shorter tarsi and stouter
tibiae. In death the joints of the antennal club are mostly open, but in
life they seemed capable of being closed contiguously, though the want of
a lens prevented me from verifying this absolutely.
They were all taken on the margin of a creek on a deep deposit of
loose, white sand, left on the recedence of the spring flood. The day was
very warm, and they were first noticed about 3 p.m. coming seemingly
from an adjoining pasture ground, and disappearing suddenly in about
an hour on the sun clouding over. ‘They flew very slowly, circling around
close to the sand as if in search of something, and alighting in tracks and
indentations, they were easily picked up. Just why they resort to sand
deposits is not understood ; it may be for sexual purposes, but if so they
cannot live there in the larval state, because these sand beds are swept
away by every overflow ; it may be for warmth (as in the case of Cotalpa
lanigera, several specimens of which I took there that evidently came for
the heat), but others have observed them doing the same thing in the heat
of inidsummer ; or it may be in search of decomposing shell fish, but there
were none there, and in fact it is not proven that the larvee live on decay-
ing animal substances, though once found near dead Unzos, and in the
light of other facts I would say such is improbable, were it not that long
ago I adopted the motto “Festina lente,” in deciding adversely to the
opinions of accurate and distinguished observers. The species seems
widely distributed in the Atlantic States, from Michigan southward,
66 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
though few collectors have been fortunate enough to find it more than
once. He who shall make known the manner of its life will have done
something for science. ?
Mantura floridana, Cr. The difference in colour between the speci-
mens found here and in Florida is very noticeable ; here it is a rufous
brown colour above, with the apical third of the elytra paler, the colour
insensibly fading into that of the disk without much contrast. There it
is larger, piceous black, apical third pale whitish, with the separation of
the colours sharply defined, very much as in Cercyon pretextatum. The
characters are the same, though they look enough unlike to be different
species. :
Mesites subcylindricus Horn. I took here a pair of this and would
have had difficulty in recognizing with certainty the female had the male
not been present. The male described by Dr. Horn was probably above
the average size, .26 inch. I have two, measuring .18 and .23 inch.; and
a female .22 inch. The male and female differ greatly in the appearance
of the beak; in the female it is longer, strictly cylindrical, highly
polished, a littie dilated at apex, impunctate except a few coarse punc-
tures at base, where there is also an elongate impression and a puncture
between the eyes, which are small; the antennz are inserted so close to
the eyes as to be sub-contiguous, and the scrobes are obsolete. In the
male it is as described by Dr. Horn, in substance, round, flattened above
and below, dilated over the insertion of the antenne, a short canal-
iculation near base, a puncture between the eyes, and surface apparently
longitudinally strigose, with fine shallow punctures; antenne slightly post-
median. It seems rare.
Cnesinus strigicollis Lec.- Occurs here occasionally on Osage Orange,
which it probably followed from the south.
A GORDIIDIDE FOUND IN BRASSICA OLERACEA,
Whether the individual alluded to is a Gordius, or of some allied
genus, my limited knowledge of the Aznelida does not permit me to
determine. In September a German gardener brought to me what he
called a ‘‘ cabbage snake, a dangerous thing full of poison,” the bite of
which he veraciously assured me he had known in Germany to produce a
“felon.” He had taken it from the middle of a head of cabbage which he
had split open. It was entirely white (the color of the cabbage), as
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 67
thick as a common knitting needle, and twenty-three inches long, as
nearly as it could be measured. I kept it in a 4-ounce bottle in hydrant
water, which was changed occasionally. It amused itself by looping into
all sorts of complex knots, and again straightening out, but so slowly that
its movements were tedious to observe. With age the colour faded to pale
yellow. It lived till March, when unfortunately I supplied it with boiled
water (cold, however,) from the hot water spigot, and when I observed it
again it was lifeless, and had turned brown. It is now in alcohol. This
occurred three years ago, and I was promised more specimens, but till
date none have come to hand. My acquaintance with Gordius is limited
to the statements found in works of entomology, where it is alluded to as
parasitic only on insects and spiders. Though not strictly entomological,
a paper from some one acquainted with this family would prove very
instructive.
TEXAN FORFICULIDA:.
BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
Only seven species of this family of Orthoptera are as yet known from
Texas. More species must occur along the southern border, but so little
attention has been paid to this family that it may be long before the fauna
is fairly well known. Perhaps the publication of this list may help to
swell the number. One species is described more fully than ever before
for readier identification. All the species mentioned are briefly charac-
terized in a synopsis of the N. American species in the Bulletin of the
U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., vol. ii., p. 249. |
Labidura riparia (Pall.) A single specimen, from the collection of
Mr. Uhler, was collected in (western?) Texas by Capt. (now Gen.) Pope,
March to.
Spongophora brunneipennis Serv. A common species, apparently,
in all parts of the State. Mr. Belfrage has taken it at Clifton, and also in
other parts of the State. Mr. Boll found it not uncommon at Dallas.
Immature specimens were taken by him Feb. 17, and mature in bottoms
on Feb. 23 and Aug. 19. ‘This species is the Forf, flavipes of Schaum
MSS., under which name I formerly distributed some specimens. I
append a description drawn up from more than twenty specimens, mainly
from Texas and Florida.
68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Head depressed next the hind border, elsewhere tumid, smooth,
shining, blackish castaneous ; the labrum, neighboring parts and palpi
luteous, the basal joints of the outer maxillary pair obscured a little with
fuscous ; antenne 14-15 jointed, luteous, a little tinged with brown
beyond the base.
Pronotum as broad as the head, scarcely longer than broad, the sides
and posterior border scarcely convex, posterior angles rounded, lateral
edges a little marginate ; surface of the color of the head, scarcely paler
at the sides, slightly wrinkled, but otherwise smooth, flat on posterior
half and sides, the rest a little tumid; a sharp median impressed line.
Tegmina of the same color, nearly twice as long as the pronotum,
slightly and broadly emarginate at the tip, slightly produced next the
inner edge. Exposed part of wings nearly half as long as tegmina,
honey yellow, with a broad inner and apical belt of dark castaneous,
almost or quite as black as the tegmina ; the extreme edge dull luteous.
Legs uniform honey yellow.
Abdomen with nearly parallel sides in the male, a little convex in the
female ; dark, rich castaneous or mahogany brown, much obscured with
black, especially on the sides, at the incisures and down the middle, and
excepting the clearly colored terminal segment, distinctly punctate, less
deeply on the terminal segment ; lateral plications of second and third ©
segments rather slight; last segment quadrate, twice as broad as long, —
with parallel sides, depressed in a triangular space next the posterior
border (2), or tapering a little, with a median longitudinal depression
(2), at the bottom of which is a slight longitudinal depressed line.
Pygidium of female hardly extended, moderate in size, quadrate ; of male
large, triangular, with laterally produced angles, and a more or less broadly
truncate apex, often laterally and concavely excised, the whole broader
than long. |
Forceps of female about half as long as the abdomen, simple, straight,
horizontal, incurved at tip, pretty strongly depressed, bluntly pointed, the
superior inner edge with a quadrate, laminate, depressed, blackened basal
tooth, much broader than long, and followed, after a brief space, by a
series of minute tubercles nearly to the tip; inferior edge blackened,
minutely tuberculato-denticulate, the base largely and obliquely excised.
Forceps of male slender, nearly two-thirds as long as the abdomen,
horizontal, scarcely incurved, excepting at the rather bluntly pointed
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 69
apex, depressed, especially on the apical half, bluntly carinate on outer
' edge, inner edge arcuate, excised as far as the triangular, sharp, rather
prominent tooth on the middle of the basal half; beyond, and sometimes
previously, minutely tuberculate in a double series nearly to the tip.
“, | Length of body, male, 8.5-11.25 m.m., female, 8-11 mm.; of
- antennz, 5-6 m.m.; of tegmina and wings, 4-4.25 m.m.; of hind femora,
2.1-2.4 m.m.; of forceps, male, 3.5-4.75 m.m., female, 2.5-3.5 m.m.
_ Forficula teniata Dohrn. I have seen a pair of specimens from Mr.
Uhler’s collection, coming from Texas.
_ forficula exilis Scudd. The only specimen known comes from
Texas (P. R. Uhler),
I have also another Texan species of Forficu/a from Mr. Uhler’s
collection, but it is immature.
Labia guttata Scudd. Three specimens were taken = Mr. Belfrage
in Bosque county.
Labia minor (Linn.) This widespread species has reached Texas,
and is abundant there. Mr. Belfrage has taken many mature specimens
in June and September at Clifton.
Labia melancholica Scudd. The single specimen known was taken by
Mr. Belfrage (at Waco, or near Austin) on Feb. 24th.
PARTIAL LIST OF CAPSIDA! TAKEN AT BUFFALO, N. Y.
BY E. P. VAN DUZEE.
For the last two seasons I have turned my attention more particularly
to collecting the Hemiptera; and very naturally became deeply interested
in the family of the Phytocoride, or Capside, as they are generally
- called. They are the most distinctively northern family of the Heteroptera,
as the Jassidz are of the Homoptera; but they seem to have been neg-
lected by European as well as American Entomologists, probably because
of the variability of the species, and their frail structure which makes them
difficult of preservation, ‘The literature of the Capside, though perhaps
not as meagre as of the Jasside, is widely scattered and fragmentary as
regards American species, and makes this a difficult family to study.
The species mentioned below have, with few exceptions, been taken
- with the sweep-net from grass, weeds, or low bushes, in open fields and
70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
borders of woods and streams, within a radius of twenty miles from this
city. I have marked with an asterisk such species as I have taken in
Ontario, mostly at Ridgeway; but without doubt most of the species
found here could be found on the Canadian side of the river.
* Brachytropis calcarata Fall,, May to Aug. In damp situations.
* Trigonotylus ruficornis Fall., June and July. Not common.
* Miris instabilis Uhl., AZ. afinis Reut., May to Aug. Common in dry
fields. The dark fuscous form is rare here. Some beauti-
ful green examples taken at Ridgeway; Ont., May, 1886.
* Leptopterna dolobrata Linn., May to Aug. In dry fields. Probably our
most abundant Hemipter. It attains full development
about June ist, and frequently appears in immense swarms
in favorable localities.
* Trachelomiris oculatus Reut., June to Aug. Rare.
* Trachelomiris Meilleurit Prov., Mabidea coracina Uhl., June to Aug,
Common in open rich fields.
Resthenia insitiva Say. One example of the form with black scutellum,
taken July 4th, 1879.
Lopidea media Say, July, common. A few examples of the yellow vari-
ety, named C. robinze by Mr. Uhler, taken in July, ik
Phytocoris eximus Reut., July and Aug,
Phytocoris tibialis Reut., July and Aug. A handsome species, occurring
in considerable numbers among rank weeds, near water.
Phytocoris pallidicornis Reut. One example taken at Colden, N. Y.,
July, 1885.
Phytocoris scrupens Say, June and July. Very variable. The most
abundant form here is the pale or ochreous variety, gener-
ally taken on the Staphylea. One example of the typical
form described by Say was presented to me by Mr. Ph,
Fischer, who took it near this city, and with it another vari-
ety which may prove to be a distinct species ; it has the
pronotum black, with the narrow edge, and three longitudi-
nal vittee ochreous, and differs slightly in other respects from
the ordinary forms of scrupens.
Phytocoris colon Say. ‘Three examples taken in Aug., 1886. This species
was described by Mr. Say in 1831, but seems to have been
overlooked by later Entomologists until 1884, when M,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 71
;
Provancher took it near Quebec. The present examples
add a third locality where this interesting insect has been
captured. As collectors turn their attention more to the
Hemiptera, it will doubtless be taken in most of the Northern
and Middle States.
Neurocolpis nubilus Say, July and Aug. Most abundant on sumach.
Dichrooscytus rufipennis Fall., July. Rare.
* Calocaris rapidus Say, June and July. Very common on flowers of
Bot: the Composite.
Megacelum fasciatum Uhl., July. Rare.
Lygus pabulinus Linn., July and Aug. Variable in size.
* Lygus pratensis Linn., June to Oct. Abundant.
* Lygus flavomaculatus Prov., L. strigulatus Walk., May to Oct. Very
: common.
* Lygus invitus Say, June to Aug. Another common species.
Lygus monachus Uhl. Rare. Kindly determined for me by Mr. Uhler.
* Coccobaphes sanguinarius Uhl., July and Aug. ~
Peciloscytus basalis Reut., June to Sept. A very common and variable
species on Ambrosza, thistles, and other weeds, particularly
in dry fields.
* Pecilocapsus lineatus Fab. June to August. Common.
* Pecilocapsus goniphorus Say. May to Sept. Very abundant and
variable. Var. C.Say and Var. F. Reut., seem to repre-
sent the two extremes as found here.
* Pecilocapsus dislocatus Say. June.‘ Not uncommon, and by Mr, Uhler
| considered as a variety of the preceding.
Pecilocapsus affinis Reut. June. Rare.
* Pacilocapsus marginalis Reut. June and July. This might easily be
. confounded with var & of goniphorus, but on close com-
parison is readily distinguished by the several characters
given by M. Reuter ( Capsina, Bor. Am., p. 75.)
Systratiotus venaticus Uhl. July. ‘
Systratiotus americanus Reut. July and Aug. Swept from rank weeds
in damp situations. Determined by Mr. Uhler.
Camptobrochis nebulosus Uhl. Rare.
Orthops scutellatus Uhl. Not common. Colden, N. Y., July, 1886.
_ Orthops pastinacee Fall. ‘The present. examples seem to agree in every
respect with Douglass and Scott’s description of this species
TZ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
in their “ British Hemiptera,” and I feel but little doubt —
about the determination, although I possess no European
specimens for direct comparison. I think this is its first
reported occurrence in this country. It is not uncommon
here on Umbelliferze, especially Conium maculatum and
Hieracleum sativum, from May to July ; and like the bre-
ceding species, is variable in color and marking. |
* Capsus ater Linn. May to Aug. Abundant everywhere. uke
Monalocoris filicis Linn. July and Aug. Common on various ferns in
deep woods. I have rarely taken it in open sunny places.
Sericophanes ocellatus Reut. Rare. Swept from grass ina dry wat
in June. |
* Tinacora Stalii Reut. July and Aug. Swept from coarse Ohm: in
damp places.
Pilophorus bifasciatus Fab. July and Aug.
* Pilophorus confusus Kirsch. June to Aug. Not uncommon on Pine |
and other trees. :
* Globiceps flavomaculatus Fab. June and Aug. The macropterus
form rare.
Garganus fusiformis Say. July and Aug. Generally taken in company
with Lopidea media Say.
* Stiphrosoma stygica Say. June and July. Very common, espectlly
on wild sunflowers.
Halticus bractatus Say. July. But one fully developed specimen taken.
The undeveloped form common.
Halticus apterus Linn. July. Common.
* Tdolocoris famelicus Uhl. May to Aug. Not uncommon.
Tdolocoris agilis Uhl. July and Aug. Not uncommon. Most of the
specimens which I have examined have the pronotum and
scutellum entirely black. Occasionally an example occurs — :
with the yellow markings as described by Mr. Uhler.
Macrocoleus coagulatus Uhl. June to.Aug. Dry dusty a ai —
from grass and low weeds.
Episcopus ornatus Reut. Two examples of this pretty little Capsid oc-
curred to me while sweeping weeds near this city, July, 1885.
Plagiognathus obscurus Uhl. July. Abundant on various Composite
flowers. ear
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 73
_ Agalliastes associatus Uhl. June to Sept. All the examples I have
taken differ from Mr. Uhler’s description in having the pos-
terior femora mostly black. This, with many other species
of Hemiptera, were kindly determined for me by Mr. W,
: H. Ashmead.
Agalliastes pulicarius Fall. Not uncommon at Colden, N. Y., in July.
No other localities are known to me. It is a common
European species ; but seems not to have been heretofore
— reported from this country.
Agalliastes verbascit H. Schaf. June and July. Common on mullen.
Besides the 53 species enumerated above, I have taken 25 species in
this vicinity which, through the want of the proper material, etc., I have
as yet been unable to satisfactorily determine. ‘The present list, although
_ fragmentary, indicates an interesting field open to northern collectors ;
and we notice with pleasure an increasing interest in the Hemiptera,
_ which have been for so long neglected.
SOME FURTHER NOTES ON PHYSONOTA.
BY F. B. CAULFIELD, MONTREAL.
On May 23rd of the past year (1886) I again found Physonota heli-
anthi, Rand., on its food plant (Helianthus decapetalus) in the same
locality as in the previous year. The insects were now in the spring, or
what I would call their nuptial dress, and were entirely of a bright golden
green, with the exception of the margin, which is transparent with pearly
reflections. In the fall dress the elytra are black, irregularly spotted with
white, the thorax white with five black spots. In the spring dress the
thorax is concolorous with the elytra, and bears on/y three black spots, the
anterior double spot being entirely absent.
During the past summer I examined many specimens belonging to
different colonies, and all were aiike in this respect. They appeared to
be much more lively than in the fall, creeping about the plants and pair-
ing. A specimen taken in the hand, after a few feints, spread its wings
and flew quickly to some shrubs a few yards distant. I brought home a
pair taken zz coitu, in the hope of obtaining eggs, but did not succeed,
although they fed and paired freely in captivity.
74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
On the 25th, they began to lose the bright golden green, changing to *
a dull yellowish green. As the bright green disappeared, the black top
of the head became visible through the thorax, showing the double anterior —
spot of the form 5-punctata. On dissecting specimens and removing the
head, I found that the anterior spots are transparent, while the posterior
spots being opaque, are not affected by seasonal changes of colour. Inthe
nuptial dress the anterior spots are concealed by the bright green, giving
a three-spotted form (elianthi), but in the fall dress the black top of the
head is seen through the transparent spots, producing the form 5-punctata.
On June 12th, I again visited the colony, and found several couples
paired, Many of the females were gravid, but no eggs were found. All
the beetles were in the nuptial dress. Visited it again on June 1gth, with
the same result. On June 26th, I tried again and found several groups
of young larve, showing that I must have overlooked the eggs, although
I had searched carefully for them. Some of the larve had moulted and
the cast skins were on the leaves. As the larvae were of two sizes, eggs
had probably been deposited a week or two previous. All the larvee were
on the under surface, but had eaten holes through the leaf by which their
presence could be easily detected. These young larve are of a paler
green than when full grown, and the yellow stripes are not so bright and
are broken up into spots, giving them a grayish appearance. Their pres-
ence on the under surface of the leaf, near its extremity, gave me a clue
to the whereabouts of the eggs, and after a little further search I succeeded
in finding them. They are deposited in an irregular cluster attached to
the under surface of the leaf, about half an inch from the tip, just where
it tapers off. The egg cluster is just the width of the narrow portion of
the Jeaf, and is about the size of a pea. In general appearance it closely
resembles a gall. In shape it is roughly pyramidal, the base being
attached to the leaf. Its colour varies from green to pinkish brown, the
colours generally appearing in blotches. The eggs are arranged in hori- —
zontal layers lengthwise with the leaf, the number decreasing to the apex,
They are of a greenish white colour, elongate oval, smooth. They adhere
strongly to each other and are surrounded by a tough covering or envel-
ope, no doubt exuded by the female. The eggs are not so firmly attached
to the enveloping substance as to each other, and can be detached with a
little care. One cluster that I counted contained twenty-three eggs, and
this, I think, judging from the groups of young larvee, would be about the
general number. When emerging, the larve either work their way out
Be NS SDS Se pe ae eee ae TRE ED a ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 75
between the covering and the leaf, or cut a hole through the side ; the
former is, I think, the plan generally adopted, as I found many clusters
_ partly separated from the leaf and slightly raised, but only a few with a
_ hole cut in the side. The latter may perhaps be the work of a parasite.
July toth.—Only a few beetles seen, but all were in the nuptial dress.
Larve abundant.
July 24th.—Only one beetle seen, still in the nuptial dress. Larvee of
different sizes plentiful. Some full grown larve brought home at this
date produced the beetle the first week in August, all in fall dress, black
‘and white ; five black spots on thorax.
August 7th.—Nearly all the larve being about full grown, have scat-
tered over the leaves. Found one group lately emerged and one egg
_ cluster not yet hatched. Found three pup, one on under surface of
leaf, two on upper, and one larva about to pupate on upper surface of
leaf. Found one beetle in nuptial dress and one in fall dress. The
former with three spots on thorax, the latter with five.
August 14th.—Found one beetle in nuptial dress ; those in fall dress
becoming plentiful. Could find no fresh egg clusters. Larvee of different
sizes still on the plants.
August 21st.—Beetles in fall dress abundant, none seen in nuptial
dress ; none seen pairing or moving about. A few larvee still on the
plants. Boxed five beetles for home observation.
August 26th.—Three of the beetles, 2 ~,1 2, taken in black and
white dress on August 21st, have changed colour to dull green, with a
slight showing of the bright, golden green of the nuptial dress. A larva
taken on same date has given a dipterous parasite now in cocoon. ‘This
parasite emerged August 30th, but the wings did not fully expand. It
belongs to the Tachinidz, but I have no means of identifying it. It is
rather smaller than a common house fly, and darker in colour.
August 27th.—The bright golden green showing more plainly on the
three beetles ; the anterior spot on thorax being now a patch of bright
green, and the white spots of elytra have almost entirely disappeared.
September 1st.—The three beetles entirely bright golden green ; three
spots on thorax. The other pair retained the black and white dress un-
_ changed, all being kept under the same conditions. None paired or ate
_. anything, generally resting quietly on the sides of the box. All died be-
fore the end of the month,
76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
September 18th.—A few beetles seen, all in fall dress. One larva
found. This larva was brought home, but died before pupating.
October gth.—Searched again for Physonota, but could fine none.
Food plant almost entirely dried up and withered, so that the ppc had
probably gone into winter quarters.
From these observations we may sum up 5 the history of Filton as
it occurs in this locality somewhat as follows :—With the return of sum-
mer the beetles leave their winter quarters, in which dress I have not yet
been able to ascertain, but by the latter end of May all are in the nuptial
dress. ‘They then pair, and through June and July deposit eggs, the bulk
of these being laid during the former month. The larvee when young are
social, but when nearly full grown separate, pupating on the leaves. The
beetles from these issue from the beginning of August to near the end of
September ; the larger number appearing in August. These are all in
the fall dress of black and white, and hybernate before pairing.
The places in which I find the species being rough ground overgrown ~
with plants and shrubs, I have, so far, failed to find them in their winter —
quarters.
As three of the beetles changed from the black and white of fall to
the nuptial dress while in confinement, we might expect to find them do
so under natural conditions, but two seasons’ observations seem to prove
the contrary. Possibly in a more southern locality the species may be
double-brooded.
BOOK NOTICE.
Tue Butrerriies or NortH America. By W. H. Edwards. Third —
Series, Part I. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 4to., Boston. Price, $2.25.
It is with very great pleasure that we receive from our esteemed —
contributor, Mr. W. H. Edwards, the First Part of the Third Series of —
his magnificent work, “‘ The Butterflies of North America.”
The last part of Volume II. was issued in November, 1884. Iti is ac
matter of deep congratulation to all Lepidopterists that the talented —
author now sees his way to resume publication ; but we regret exceed- —
ingly to learn from a notice in Science, of 4th February, that to enable ?
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. TE
him to continue his unselfish labours he had to sacrifice many of the
valuable type specimens in his collection.
_ The Part which has just come to hand contains three plates and nine
pages of descriptive letter-press. Of the former, which have been
executed under the supervision of Mrs. Mary Peart, it is not too much
to say that they are exquisite, and are all equal to the very best in
Vols. I. and II.
Plate I., which is accompanied by a complete life history, illustrates
Colias Eurydice Bd., var. Bernardino Edw., in all its stages, from egg to
maturity, and also a female of var. Amorphe Hy. Edw.
On Plate II. we have a life-like representation of Argynnis LVitocris
Edw., male and female.
On Plate III. we find figures of Arvgynnis Lais Edw., a pretty little
species (but belonging to the same group as Cyde/e, Atlantis and Liecta),
discovered in the Northwest Territories by Capt. Gamble Geddes, in
July, 1883. The artist has been particularly happy in the coloration of
this plate, especially so in catching the peculiar dull ochrey-brown tint
which is characteristic of the female. Of most interest to Canadians,
however, is the fact that although this species is abundant in certain
parts of the Northwest Territories, easily accessible, and comparatively
well settled, nothing is known of its preparatory stages. The eggs of the
species belonging to the same group are easily obtainable by tying
females over growing plants of violets. Surely some of the readers of the
CanaDIAN Enromo.ocist have friends living in the Calgary District, or
at McLean, where it is very abundant, who, even if not entomologists,
would, were the scientific importance of the results placed before them,
at any rate take the trouble to confine a few females in gauze bags over
living plants, and send Mr. Edwards the eggs. There is very little
trouble about this matter ; living roots of violets can be sent by mail in a
piece of oiled-paper, and will grow easily, if kept watered, in any of the
tins used for canned vegetables (flower-pots are rare commodities in the
N. W. T.) All that is necessary is to bend two pieces of wire so as to
make a pent-house over the plant, and then placing a bag of muslin over
the whole, secure it by means of an elastic band round the top of
the can. This should be kept out of doors in a shady spot.
The importance of Mr. Edwards’s studies on the Diurnal Lepidoptera
of North America is perhaps hardly appreciated, until we remember that,
with the exception of a few of our commonest butterflies, almost nothing
78 _ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
was known of their life-histories until he turned his attention to them in
1868. At the present time, however, it is far otherwise; for by close
study, diligent care, and accurate observation, he has himself worked out
the complete life-histories of a large proportion of the recorded North
American species. Moreover, many discoveries of great interest have
rewarded his constant efforts: The tri-morphism of Papilio Ajax and
Colias Eurytheme, the seasonal dimorphism first of Grapta Interroga-
tionts, then of others in the same genus, as well as the effects of cold
upon larvee and the perfect insects, may especially be referred to.
There was a marked advance in Vol. II. over Vol. I. in the amount
of information given concerning the life-histories of the species described.
This is accounted for in the prefatory notice of the present part as follows:
“When Vol. I. was undertaken, in 1868, nothing was known by my-
self or any one else, of eggs, larvee, or chrysalids, except of the more
common butterflies. As an egg or larva could but rarely be traced back
to a particular female, it was impossible that much knowledge could be
gained of the life-histories. Scarcely any advance in this respect had
been made, infact, since the time of Abbott, about 1800.” . . . But
in 1870, I discovered an infallible way to obtain eggs from the female of
any species of butterfly, namely, by confining her with the growing food-
plant . . . and from that day to the present I have so obtained eggs
at will . . . and have reared larvee without end. In this way, many —
cases of polymorphism have been established, and the position of many
doubtful forms settled. A light has also been thrown on the limits of
variation in species. In every case I have preserved descriptions of the
several stages . . . Of a large proportion, also, Mrs. Peart has exe-
cuted colored drawings, magnified when necessary, and my albums con-
tain nearly one thousand figures.”
Mr. Edwards concludes: ‘“ And so, in this Christmas time of 1886, I
commend Vol. III. to the good will of the friends who have made my
small audience for so many years.” :
Surely we may go further—a long way further—than this, and com-
mend it not only to the few friends who have had the good fortune to
listen to Mr. Edwards’s teaching in the past, and perhaps to catch some
of his enthusiasm; but also to every Entomologist or possessor of a
library, whether in America or any other part of the world, who wishes to
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 79
have the most complete, as far as it goes, accurate, and, for the style of
the work, the cheapest—in short, te dest—work yet published upon the
Butterflies of North America. J. FLETCHER.
ON HEMARIS DIFFINIS, Botsp.
BY A. R. GROTE, BREMEN, GERMANY,
In my own collection I labelled a form in which a slight dentation of
the terminal band on primaries was perceptible (and which in this respect
agreed with Boisduval’s figure in the Species General, and with Abbot’s of
Suciformis) as H. difinis. It differed from tenuzs by a greater breadth
of band, a perceptible apical stain, a somewhat brighter or more yellow-
haired body. Whether this was Mr, Strecker’s Aettira, I knew not, since
I was unacquainted with this author’s work, having seen only his numbers
on occasion. JZ. tenuis is more purely a black and yellow species, with
no red; it is the smallest and commonest of our Northern forms; the
bands narrow, quite even, black; the vitreous spaces seeming larger.
Undoubtedly it will be labelled difinis, as, before we wrote, everything
was labelled difinis or thysbe belonging to this genus. This genus is of
the class I have called progenera, the species being near allied in all
stages. Our forms (although axi//aris strikingly contrasts with ¢enzzs )
are near together structurally ; they vary in one direction, viz., the gradual
increase of the apical red stain, of the width and dentation of the band
of primaries, of general bulk. But they are all outgrowths of fuciformis,
so to speak. They are quite different from gracilis. This latter, though
very distinct, appears to me to be strictly congeneric with the European
bombyliformis, rather than with fuciformis, to stand alone without near
allies, hence I divided it sub-generically to draw attention to its value as
compared with the emus series, among which the Californian forms which
I know, palpalis, thetis, range themselves. Quite American, and there-
fore certainly to be considered by themselves, are the forms I separated ©
under Hemorrhagia. The mission of Entomologists is to discriminate,
not to confound. If our categories are unstable, they may be corrected,
but inevitably they must be erected with precision to avoid the popular
error of confounding different looking insects under the same category
and under the same name.
80 _ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
CORRESPONDENCE.
DANAIS ARCHIPPUS.
Dear Sir,—The butterfly Danais archippus is not only harmless, but
beneficial. Its food plant (Asc/epias) is very troublesome to farmers
in this part. The butterfly almost always lays her eggs on the
pedicel of the flower, so that when the larvae hatch, they attack the
flowers and eat down into the ovaries. I have seen an umbel of flowers
eaten almost entirely by two larvae. I think they are quite a check to
this weed, hindering it from seeding. If they only fed on the leaves, they
could not possibly hurt the plant. The mature larva does not feed on the
flowers, probably because when it reaches maturity there are not many
flowers left. :
GrorGE Ha.ey, Brownfield, Maine.
OPHELETES GLAUCOPTERUS PARASITIC UPON CIMBEX AMERICANA.
Dear Sir,—In the autumn of 1884, I picked up in my garden a larva
of Cimbex Americana, Leach. This has always been one of my favourite
insects, not only for the beauty of the pale yellow larva, with the stripe of
deep black down the centre of its back, but also on account of the
interest which centres around the emergence of the imago in spring, to
see, should it chance to be a female, to which of the three “ varieties ” it
might belong. As the larva in question was apparently full fed, I placed
it in a box with some earth and a few of the leaves of its food-plant
(Ulmus Americana, L.) and in a few days it spun its hard, brown cocoon.
The following spring, on looking into the box, I was much pleased to find,
instead of the well known, gaudy and clumsy Cimbex, a fine female of the
handsome Ichneumon fly, Ophedetes glaucopterus, Linn., a species not at
all common at Ottawa. j.
a oe
Che Canadian Entomolomst.
VOL. XIX. ‘LONDON, MAY, 1887. No. 5
ORYSSUS SAYI, WeEstwoop.
BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA.
At the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario in
October, 1885, I read a brief note on Oryssus Say?, which was afterwards
_ published in the Canapian Enromotocist (vol. xviii, page 30). It re-
corded the capture of two 2 and one f on cedar telegraph poles, and
suggested that they might have emerged therefrom. During the early
summer of 1886, I added several specimens of Oryssus to my collection,
and what is of much more importance, succeeded in gaining a. more
definite knowledge of the habits of our species. As no account, other
than the brief note just cited, has ever appeared in the ENTomo.ocist of
these handsome and interesting insects, I propose to give a brief paper
upon them.
_ The genus was established by Latreille, according to Westwood (Intro-
duction to the Modern Classification of Insects, vol. ii. app., page 55), and
Lucas (Dictionnaire Universel d’Histoire Naturelle, vol. ix., page 230),
although Norton, in his Catalogue of the Tenthredinidz and Uroceridz
of North America (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., vol. ii., page 350), and Cresson
(idem vol. viii, page 48) credit it to Fabricius, as does also Provancher
(Petite Faune Entomologique du Canada, vol. ii., page 237).
Westwood, in his generic synopsis of British Hymenoptera, Joc. cit.,
gives the following characteristics :—
Oryssus Zatr., one British species, type O. coronatus Latr.; cylindri-
cal; antenne # 11-jointed, 2 10-jointed; max. palpi long, 5-jointed ;
es Ovipositor spiral, capillary.
Norton gives the generic features in more detail as follows :—
“ Wings with one marginal and two submarginal cells, the first with two
recurrent nervures ; lanceolate cell closed; under wings without inner
cell. Antennz inserted at the nasus, to-jointed in female, t1-jointed in
male (Hartig says: Q 11-jointed, ~ 12-jointed); the third and sixth
longest, the joint before the last thickened. Head large, rounded, wider
than thorax. Mandibles short; labrum entire with two slight lateral im-
82 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
pressions ; maxillary palpi long, 5-jointed, labial palpi 3-jointed. Ovi-
positor concealed in a groove beneath, springing from the last segment,
long and very slender. It is ordinarily concealed in a channel beneath
the abdomen, but is capable of being extended, for which purpose it can
be curved at the base. The terebra is formed like that of Urocerus. The
anterior lobe of the mesothorax is wide and extended back to the scutel-
lum, while the side lobes are very small. The scutellum is widened and
large. Anterior tibize with one end spur, simple in the males, dilated and
incised in the females. Tarsi 5-jointed in males, 3-jointed in females.”
Having now some knowledge of the genus, we can proceed to con-
sider the species. I have not been able to examine a catalogue of Euro-
pean Hymenoptera, but the various authors consulted mention two
species. One of these is O. coronatus Latr., the type of the genus; the
name of the other is not given. Lucas, Joc. cit., briefly describes O. cor-
onatus as “12 m. long, of a shining black, with the abdomen of a tawny
red; the two first segments black, and the last ornamented with a white
spot in the males only.” This description would apply equally well to a
specimen taken by Mr. Fletcher in Vancouver Island, and the figure given ~
might also answer for this specimen. It may, however, have other features
sufficient to readily distinguish it from our species. It inhabits chiefly the
central part of France and some portions of Germany,
The two European species were for a long time the only representatives
of the genus known to Entomologists, and the American species were
apparently first brought to their notice by Harris. In his “ Catalogue of
the Insects of Massachusetts,” published in 1833, he enumerated three
undescribed species, and in the second edition, 1835, he gave to them the
following names: O. hemorrhoidalis, O. maurus and O. affnis ; signify-
ing respectively the red-tailed, the dark-coloured, and the allied. No
description of them was published by him until 1841 in his Report on
Injurious Insects. In 1838, Newman (Ent. Mag., vol. v., page 486)
described the first of these insects under the name of O. ¢erminadis, and
Westwood (Zool. Jour., vol. v., page 440) described the second in 1835
as O. Sayi, having received a specimen from Say. No additional species
were recorded until 1879, when Cresson (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., vol. viii.,
page 48) described O. occidentalis from Colorado and Nevada, and QO. ~~
Mexicanus from Mexico,
All these species have been described from single specimens, or at the
most from a very limited number, and the insects have always been rare,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. _ 83
-as is evidenced by. Norton’s statement that he had not seen either
hemorrhotdalis or maurus.
The first record of a Canadian specimen is by Westwood, who
described the 3 of Sayi from one taken in Nova Scotia, the @ having
been sent by Say from Indiana. Provancher records the occurrence of
haemorrhoidalis in the Province 35 Quebec, a single 2 having been cap-
tured by him.
The first specimen which came under my personal observation was a
-@ captured by Mr. Fletcher in this city in 1883. This insect, through
the kindness of Mr. Guignard, is now in my collection under the name
occidentalis. It was not until 1885 that I succeeded in capturing speci-
mens, as described in the note mentioned at the commencement of this
paper. Last year, 1886, I was more successful, and not only found sev-
eral specimens, but was able to learn something definite as to their habit
of life. Between the gth and 23rd June, I captured more than a dozen,
including representatives of all the American species except Mexicanus.
After a very careful comparison of these and other specimens with one
another, and with the descriptions of the several species, I am convinced
that they are all varieties of one species, and that there are at the most
only two American species, namely, O. Mexicanus Cresson, and O. Say
Westwood, whose name takes precedence over those of Newman and
Harris. The latter, indeed, stated that his afiuzs might be identical with
‘maurus, as it differed only in having the face entirely black and the feet
_ reddish. Provancher (Additions and Corrections, page 27), after record-
ing the occurrence of occidentalis at Ottawa, states that the examination
of a number of specimens might possibly prove it to be identical with
hemorrhoidalts.
As Harris did not publish descriptions when he paid his species,
those of Westwood and Newman must replace them, and the species will
stand at present :—
1. Oryssus Sayi, Westwood—1835 = hemorrhoidatis, Harris.
2. terminalis, Newman—1838 = maurus, Harris,
3 affinis, Harris—1841.
4. occidentalis, Cresson—1879.
I have before me twenty specimens which may in accordance with
descriptions be distributed as follows :—
No. 1. Two 2 (one taken by Mr. J. D. Evans at Sudbury), one 2.
84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
No. 2. Nine 2, one ¢ (taken by Mr. Fletcher at Victoria, V. L,
24-5-85.)
No. 3. One 2 (from Rev. Geo. W. Taylor, Victoria, V. I.), three 3.
No: 4: Two: 2, one 2s
Although readily separating into these groups, they do not offer any
differences of structure sufficient to constitute distinct species. Nos. 1 and 3
have the abdomen entirely black, except that the ¢ of No. 1 has a tri-
angular white spot on apex. No. 2 has four segments black, except the
g, which has only two, as in the European coronatus. No. 4 has only
the first segment black, and the # has a white spot on apex.
The antennez and legs of all have white markings, varying slightly in
extent, and Nos. 1 and 4 have short white lines on face. In the specimens
from Victoria the smoky band of the anterior wie extends to the tip and
also towards the base.
I have vainly sought to find a-record of any definite information as to
the life history of Oryssus. Regarding the European species, Lucas,
loc. cit., says “they are found in our woods, in the spring-time, resting
upon old trees exposed to the sun, and often upon those which have
been cut ; they run very quickly in a straight line, moving also sideways,
and even backwards. Fir trees, beeches and oaks are the trees that they
prefer.” Brullé (Hist. Nat. des Insectes, Hyménopteres, vol. iv., p. 638)
quotes Dahlbom as placing Oryssus near Cynips, and conjecturing that
the larvee live in galls. Blanchard (Les Métamorposes des Insectes)*
states that these insects have, ‘‘ but. without doubt wrongly,” been
attached to the Uroceridz, and that they are ‘rare Hymenoptera yet
unknown in their transformations ; remarkable for the ovipositor of the
females, slender and folded under the abdomen. ‘The type, O. coronatus,
is sometimes met with in the middle of France.” Glover (U. S. Ent.
Rept., 1877, p. 94,) affirms that ‘the larve bore in the wood of the
willow.” This is probably an inference on his part from the statement of
Harris, that ‘these singular insects were taken upon a willow tree by
my friend the Rev. L. W. Leonard” (Dublin, N. H.) Norton says,
little is known of the larva. Latreille and Klug suppose that they
exist upon the wood of standing trees. Scopoli found them upon fir
trees, and Latreille upon old house-beams.” Provancher merely remarks
that the larvz are supposed to live upon conifers ; living trees according
to some, and dead ones according to others.
My specimens have, with the exception of the three noted from
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 85
telegraph poles, all been taken from old sugar maples, Acer saccharinum ;
_ the majority of them upon large dead trunks. They were all captured
- in June upon the following dates: gth. One male and three females, one
of which was under the loosened bark; two others seen. t1oth. Two
captured and one seen. 11th. Three; one of these was observed just
cutting its way through the wood, and its exit was accelerated by the
cautious use of a penknife. This was in an old dead trunk, the bark
having fallen off and the wood being very dry and hard. It was on this
portion of the tree particularly that the insects were observed. 16th.
One. 20th. Two. 23rd. One, a female, which was found ovipositing
in the place just described, the tip of the abdomen being applied closely
to the surface of the wood.
These observations prove that one breeding place of these insects is
the wood of old dead sugar maples, and it may be assumed that they also
infest the willow, and possibly a variety of trees. Having determined so
much, it is hoped that some of our members may succeed in ooserving
the larve, and discover whether they are lignivorous or parasitic in their
habits. The former probably, but it would not be safe to take it for
granted. Insects differing so greatly from other members of the
Uroceridz in structure may perhaps have habits as widely divergent
_ from those of their associates.
For the benefit of those who may wish to make further observations
on the habits of these insects, I will briefly describe their appearance :
They are stout, black, cylindrical; varying in length from less than two-
fifths to nearly three-fifths of an inch. The face is very coarsely punc-
tured, sometimes with a short white line on each side ; the vertex prom-
inent, and the lower ocellus surrounded with conspicuous tubercles ; eyes
moderately large. The antenne are peculiar: in the male they have
_ eleven joints, the third slightly longer, and four to eleven subequal ; in
_ the female they have, however, only ten joints, of which four, five and
ten are very short; in both sexes they are touched with white near the
- middle. The wings are hyaline, with a broad smoky band commencing
ei _near the stigma and extending almost to the tips. The legs have a spot
_ on the tip of the femora, and a line on the tibia without, white. In the
- female the anterior pair are swollen, the tibiz crooked, and the tarsi with
only three joints. The abdomen has the basal segment very coarsely
punctured, or scabrous ; the remaining ones polished, shining, varying in
color as previously mentioned.
86 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The ovipositor is of special interest, as it differs remarkably from
those of other Uroceridz. Usually it is not visible, as when retracted
the tip is concealed in a deep cleft in the terminal segments. It has the
appearance, as stated by Norton, of springing from the last segment, but
it is evidently attached much nearer the base of the abdomen, and is
protruded from beneath a small ventral scale which is apparently a
portion of the fifth segment. It is very slender, hair-like, and nearly —
twice as long as the insect, and must consequently be coiled within the
abdomen in a manner somewhat similar to that of Ibalia. Norton says
it is ordinarily concealed in a channel beneath the abdomen ; Brullé, and ~
other authors, as rolled spirally within it. |
The insects are very lively in their motions, running actively to and
fro, and always on the alert. ‘They have at such times a marked resem-
blance to some species of wasps, and might be easily classed as such by
casual observers. When disturbed they dart swiftly away, but will
generally be found shortly afterwards near the same spot, so that one — j
may frequently, with-a little patience, succeed in capturing them, even if
they have been missed at the first attempt.
In conclusion I will recapitulate what I have been able to learn of
our Canadian species. Its range embraces a vast extent of country,
from ocean to ocean, and apparently far northward.
O. Sayi, Westwood.—Ottawa, Sudbury, Nova Scotia.
var. terminalis, Newman.—Ottawa, Quebec, Vancouver ae
var. afinis, Harris.—Ottawa, Vancouver Island.
var. occidentalis, Cresson.—Ottawa. 3
Breeds in dead, or old decaying sugar maples, and appears in June.
ADDITIONS TO LIST OF MONTREAL LEPIDOPTERA.
BY G. J. BOWLES, MONTREAL.
During the years 1875, 1876 and 1877, Mr. F. B. Caulfield published
in the CaNnaDIAN EnrTomoLogist lists of the Lepidoptera occurring at
Montreal and vicinity, as far as the end of the Bombycidez. Since that
period the following species have been taken here, and are now added so
as to make the list as complete as possible to date. Chateauguay is on
the south shore of the St. Lawrence, directly opposite the upper part -
the Island of Montreal, and only a few miles distant.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 87
DIURNA.
50. Papilio cresphontes, Cramer. Several examples taken by Mr. J. G.
Jack at Chateauguay.
51. Argynnis bellona, Fab. Not common. ‘Taken at Chateauguay and
a Lachine Flats.
52. Euptoieta claudia, Cram. One specimen by Mr. Jack, Chateauguay.
53. Grapta satyrus, Edw. One specimen, Mr. Pearson, Chateauguay.
54. Thecla acadica, Edw. Very rare, Mr. H. H. Lyman.
55. Amblyscirtes vialis, Edw. Rare, Mr. Lyman.
Note.—Of Grapta comma, the forms dryas and Harrisiz have been
taken, and of Lycaena pseudargiolus, the forms viodacea and neglecta.
SPHINGID&.
20. Deilephila lineata, Fab. Very rare, Montreal Mountain.
21. Philampelus achemon, Drury. Very rare, larva found feeding on
vines 1n city. ;
22. Ellema bombycoides, Walker (Harrisii, Clem.) Very rare.
3 AEGERIADZ.
3. Trochilium tibiale, Harris. Rare.
4. Albuna torva, Hy. Edw. Rare.
BOMBYCID&.
60. Clemensia albata, Pack. Rare, Montreal Mountain.
61. Parorgyia Clintonii, G. & R.
62. Phobetron pithecium, A. & S.
63. Limacodes fasciola, H. S.
- 64. Ichthyura inclusa, Hub.
65. Ichthyura albosigma, Fitch.
66. Datana integerrima, G. & R.
67. Gluphisia trilineata, Pack.
68. Notodonta basistriens, Walk.
69. Lophodonta angulosa, A. & S.
70. Oedemasia badia, Pack.
71. Heterocampa biundata, Walk.
_ 72. Heterocampa cinerea, Pack.
73. Heterocampa unicolor, Pack.
74. Prionia bilineata, Pack.
75. Dryopteris rosea, Walk.
All the above species are rare.
88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
76. Prionoxystus querciperda, Fitch. This borer has been taken by Mr.
Keutzing in a small grove of oaks at Hochelaga, the only
known locality near Montreal. ;
Notr.—Of Callimorpha Lecontei, the varieties conjinis and contigua
are not uncommon.
i
*
FURTHER ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANADIAN -
MICRO-LEPIDOPTERA.
BY J. ALSTON MOFFAT, HAMILTON, ONT.
Last season being but a poor one for the Lepidopterist in this locality,
I got but little that was new to me in this department. Being in com-_
munication with Prof. Fernald about the few [had in duplicate, I proposed
to.send all my single specimens to him, to name what he could and return
them to me again. The Professor most generously consented to the very
exacting conditions, and returned my insects, which made the double
journey by express, without a break, accompanied with the following
ames :— 3
34. Botis unimacula, G.-R. 50. Amorbia humerosana, Clem.
35. Diathrausta octomaculalis, 51. C#nectra irrorea, Robs.
Fernald. 52. Cenopis reticulatana, Clem.
36. Nephopteryx undulatella,Clem. 53. do Groteana, Fern.
37. Salebria fusca, Haw. 54. Dichelia caryz, Robs.
38. do contatella, Grote. 55. Platynota exasperatana, Zell.
39. Meroptera pravella, Grote. 56. do sentana, Clem.
40. Ephestia ochrifrontella, Zell. 57. Conchylis dorsimaculana, Robs.
41, Crambus caliginosellus, Clem. 58. Eudemis botrana, Schiff.
42. do _ fuscicostellus, Zell. 59. Eccopsis fasciatana, Clem.
43. Propexus pexellus, Kad. 60. Proteoteras Moffatiana, Fern.
44. Schoenobius Clemensellus, MSS.
Robs. 61. Phoxopteris semiovana, Zell.
45. Teras maculidorsana, Clem. 62. do dubiana, Clem.
46. do Logiana, Schiff. 63. ‘do angulifasciana, Zell.
47. do americana, Fern. 64. Depressaria atroclossella, Clem.
48. Loxotznia virescana, Clem. 65. do applana, Fab.
49. Lophoderus triferana, Walk. 66. Semioscopis allenella, Wlsm.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 89
67. Semioscopis inornata, Wlsm. 74. Gelechia bicostimaculella, Cham
68. Anesychia texanella, Cham. 75. Plutella cruciferarum, Zell.
_ 69. Choreutis leucobasis, Fern., 76, Bucculatrix pomifoliella, Clem.
4 MSS. 77. Adelia purpurella, Walk.
70. (Ecophora argenticintella,Clem 78. Dasycera newmanella, Clem.
71. Gelechia innocuella, Zell. 79. Ypsolophus pometellus, Fitch.
2, do _ flavocostella, Clem. 8o. Tinea granella, Linn.
73: do agrimoniella, Clem.
There were six names besides these that were new to me, but not to
the Canadian list. Twenty-five specimens were returned unnamed. Upon
_ these the Prof. remarks: ‘‘Some of the unnamed ones are too poor to
name ; others are unnamed in my collection, and may or may not be new
species ; and still others I have not seen before.”
I may add here the two following :—
Crocidophora serratissimalis, Zell. Identified by a specimen received
from the Rev. Mr. Hulst. Not uncommon here, but resembling
others, which makes it liable to be overlooked.
Margarodes quadristigmalis, Guen. Also identified by a sp. from Mr.
Hulst ; three taken here last summer for the first time. I also saw
several of them when in London last October, in the collection
made by Mr. Henry Saunders at electric light.
Nore.—In Mr. Moffat’s previous paper (C. E., vol. xix., page 4) the
following errors require to be corrected :—
For ‘5. Arthena” read “ Asthena.”
“2. H. Harneiata” read ‘ Harveiata.”
“76. P. lunigerata” read “ cunigerata.”
And on page 5, line 18, for ‘‘C. lunigerata, var. dispunctaria,” read
** C. cunigerata, var. disjunctaria.”
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONID&.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
1. Palpares inclemens Walk., p. 303, No. 4. |
This is one of the largest species. Length of body, male 75 m.m.;
fem., 60; exp. al., 145-160 m.m. I have before me a couple collected by
Dr. Krauss, Stuttgart, on Cap. b. sp., from the collection of the late Dr,
90. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Schneider, Breslau ; and two females from Zanzibar, collected by Mr. C.
Cooke, Salem, and a female from Zanzibar Island, from Mr. Thorey,
Hamburg. It belongs to this species, P. /atipennis, Gerstaecker, Insects
from Zanzibar, 1873, p. 55 ; a female from the Galla land, 2° latit., which
is compared with the male described by myself in Peters’ Voyage, p. 99. .
But this last male is from Loanda (west coast), and not, as stated by
Gerstaecker, from Mozambique. Dr. Krauss has collected from 1839 to
1840 on Cap. b. sp. and Natal. Therefore, as far as known to me, the
range of this species goes from the Cape along the east coast to the
equator. There does not yet exist a description of this species except
Walker’s, which is correct. I have compared (1857) my specimens with
the types of JZ. inclemens, females, so that I have no doubt about the
identity. The spots of the wings are sufficiently well described, but there
is a character not mentioned which is important. The large transverse
band of the hind wing, following the somewhat incomplete basal band, has
always in its lower half a large horseshoe-like incision looking with the
open side to the base of the wing. This incision is wanting in P. Za#i-
pennis Gerst. ‘The appendages of the male are short, 3 m.m. long, black,
with dense black hairs, cylindrical, straight, very little curvated internally
and at base; tip rounded, a little inflated, covered with short spines.
Below at the base between the appendages is a short, dark, spoon-shaped
plate, with a yellow spot on tip.
McLachlan unites JZ. sol/icitus Walk. and MZ. subducens Walk., both
nearly related to each other, with JZ. cephalotes Klug, as I believe,
erroneously. Both are presented by Lord Byron from the Voyage of the
Blonde, locality unknown. I have carefully compared the Voyage of the _ i
Blonde, because both insects are nearly related to J/. iuclemens, and
supposed to be from Africa. The Blonde stopped at Madeira, October
18-23, going then to Rio. On the way home she came from Talcahuana,
Coquimbo, to St. Helena Isl., staying there from January 23 to 28. All the
time between these dates the Blonde was in the Pacific Ocean. In
Madeira certainly these Myrmeleons have never been observed, and from
St. Helena Island they have not been mentioned by any collectors since
that time. We find it noted that many insects have been observed and
collected during the stopping of the Blonde on the Society and Sandwich
Islands. If my supposition is erroneous for the locality of the species, I
am at least not able to understand how these Myrmeleons could have
been brought home by the ships, except bya purchase in other harbors. —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 91
2. Palpares latipennis, Rbr.
I have never seen the type of Rambur, which McLachlan considers
to be a good species. After Rambur’s description, I have considered to
belong to P. /atipennis, two males from Angola and a female from the
Senegal ; one of the males is not now before me. After comparison with
the types of Walker, I considered JZ. cephalotes Walk. (not Rambur) to
be identical with his J. furfuracens (not Rambur’s species, which Mc-
Lachlan, after comparing the type, found new to him), and both were
identical with my species. Prof. Peters brought home a male from Loanda
a little smaller than the two males from Angola, but perfectly identical ;
it is now in the Berlin Museum. From those four specimens my detailed
description is made in Peters’ Reise nach Mossambique, vol. v., p. 99.
My manuscript was delivered in 1853, printed in 1854, but published only
in 1862. As I have not received any separata, and as the book is rather
expensive, my work is very little known. I shall even now consider my
species as P. datipennis Rbr., until the contrary is shown by evidence.
Length of body, male, 66 m.m.; female, 55 m.m. (not perfect). Exp.
alar., male, 118-136 m.m.; female, 144 mm. The appendages of the
male, now broken, were 3 m.m. long, and similar to those of P. imclemens.
The species, though visibly smaller, is so similar to P. zmclemens that
it was very nearly believed that P. /atipennis is a western variety, or at
least a representative variation of P. zmclemens from the east coast. The
fact will have to be decided by a much larger material than the specimens
at my disposition. The differences are (I can not now compare the
appendages) the dilatation of the black middle band on the vertex, and
the want of a transversal black band below the antennz ; the color of legs
is more yellow, but in one specimen nearly brown; the front wings are
narrower, less gbtuse on tip, the large spots smaller, the apical one rudi-
mentary ; the hind wings are narrower, less obtuse on tip, the three basal
bands smaller, connected with each other, the first basal band nearly rudi-
mentary, forming only an indication of a narrow horseshoe-like incision ;
on the hind margin a number of rounded brown spots.
Knowing the variability of large Myrmeleon, of course my opinion of
the difference of P. tnclemens and J/atipennis has to be supported by a
larger material ; if I am right, and if /. Zatipennis Rbr. is surely different,
a new name should be given for my species.
3. Palpares cephalotes.
99 PRE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIsi.
Myrmeleon cephatotes, Klug, Symb. Phyr., i., iv., pl. 35, f. 1, fem.
This species has been misunderstood by all entomologists, and so by
Rambur, Walker, McLachlan. As the latter says, “‘ Klug n’en a cepend-
ant connu que la femelle,” he cannot have seen the description where
the forceps of the male is described. Professor Ehrenberg has collected
a large number of specimens in Egypt and Dongola, and I have still ©
before me two typical couples, with the name written by Klug still on the
pins. Length of body, male, 67 m.m.; female, 58 m.m.; exp. alar., male, ~
126 m.m.; female, 140 m.m. Pale grayish, a brown dorsal band on the
thorax ends narrowed on vertex ; facies and mouth pale yellow ; antenne
black, the two basal joints yellowish brown ; palpi pale reddish brown ;
last joint of the labials a little incurved, fusiform on tip; mandibles black,
shining, long, much more prominent than in the foregoing species ; thorax
white-villous ; mesothorax above on each side with an obsolete stripe ;
legs ferruginous, femur on tip, tibia on base less dark ; tarsi darker, of the
female nearly blackish. Abdomen of the male pale, basal half enlarged,
covered with a longer dense white villosity ; appendages yellow, 6 m.m.. ©
long, curvated at the base and inward; space between ovoid ; hairy ex-
ternally ; apical half inside with a black brush ending on the somewhat
globose tip ; each on the extreme base inside with two yellow elongated
papill, with a black blunt spine as long as the papillz, articulated to the
tip of the papillae ; between and before the two appendages a small coni-
cal yellow part. Wings of the males nearly hyaline ; smaller, elongated,
narrower, tip less obtuse and more pointed than in the foregoing species ;
front wings with the ante-cubitals brownish at base ; a row of small more
quadrangular spots around the hind margin at the distance of 2 m.m.;
basal part after the 5th vein with more small dots, reaching the hind mar-
gin; in the middle of the wings two small oval spots, oblique, about 6
m.m. long, and a more longitudinal one below on tip. Alind wings with
few dots on the base of the ante-cubitals ; a row of irregular, little larger
dots along the hind margin, some of them reaching the margin ; the row
begins after the basal third of the margin, and ends on the tip ; base to
the fifth vein without spots ; in the middle of the wing five pale brown
narrow bands, of irregular shape, not connected, the apical one more or
less divided. Wings of the female larger, broader; spots larger and
darker, to blackish brown, the two penultimate bands before tip mostly
connected ; the pterostigma yellow. Abdomen of female brown below,
before and around the anus a row of black strong spines.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 93
I have described a larva which belongs very probably to this species.
4. Palpares Burmeisteri, Hag.
Myrmecoleon gigas, Burm., il., p. 998, No. 25.
Palpares cephalotes, Rbr., p. 368, No. 3.
Dalman, Anal., p. 88, describes JZ. gigas only after Drury’s figure, as
Rambur has done also, but Dalman’s description is very incomplete.
Apparently the fact was overlooked by Burmeister, and as he had not at
hand Drury’s figure, he determined JZ. gigas after the insufficient descrip-
tion of Dalman. Burmeister’s type from Winthem’s collection, a female,
is before me. _ I believe it is P. cephalotes Ramb., and therefore Bur-
meister’s species has to be named, until it is proved by evidence that
Rambur’s ?. cepha/lotes is a larger western form of Klug’s species. As I
have no male before me, I am unable to decide this question. The type
is from Senegal. Length of body, 63 m.m.; exp. alar., 150 m.m.
Nearly related to P. cephalotes Klug., but larger, the wings broader,
with a stronger tinge of pale brown, head broader, 9 m.m. (Klug’s species
7 m.m.) ; vertex much more convex, with a broader black band (only
dagger-shaped in K!ug’s spec.) ; black bands on thorax larger. Wings more
blunt on tip, more spotted near the veins and especially near the hind
margin ; hind wings in the apical half of the hind margin a regular row
of rounded brown spots, distant from the margin, and a row of smaller
more irregular spots on the margin itself; this is not the case in Klug’s
species ; of the large brown bands the penultimate is divided, and only
the lower part united with the ante-penultimate band.
It would be useless to give more details till more material of both
sexes is at hand.
(To be Continued.)
BOOK NOTICES.
THe Hessian Fry (Cecidomyia destructor) 1N Great Britain, by
Eleanor A. Ormerod, F. R. Met. Soc., Consulting Entomologist of the
Royal Agricultural Society of England. Pp. 24, 8vo., London, 1886.
The above is the title of an admirable pamphlet just issued by Miss
Ormerod, and adds one more to the many boons for which the agricul-
tural classes in England are indebted to this talented lady. Although all
94 ' THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the information published is contained in 21 of the small pages of a crown
octavo pamphlet, so methodical is the arrangement and so concise are the
statements, that it may be said to contain all that it is important for the
farmer to know of what has been positively ascertained concerning the
habits of this destructive insect and the most approved remedies for keep-
ing it in check. With Miss Ormerod’s pamphlet he can in a few minutes
learn from her excellent illustrations whether an attack upon his crop —
should be ascribed to the Hessian Fly or not. And if so, he will also —
find himself provided with advice as to the best steps to take to limit ie
injury to the smallest possible amount.
Immediately upon the first appearance of the Hessian Fly in England,
Miss Ormerod, with characteristic promptness, visited the fields attacked,
and at once identified the marauder. That there should be no mistake
in the matter, she referred specimens to the highest authorities,and amongst
others to our ex-President, Prof. Saunders. All of them agreed with her
that it was the true Hessian Fly. She then lost no time in writing to the
newspapers and describing how the attack might be recognized. In a few
weeks she had examined all the literature on the subject, and had accu-
mulated a vast amount of information as to the extent of the injury com-
mitted ; so that before the winter set in she was able to give the farmers
good practical advice as to the best means of stamping out the new
enemy. ‘This she has now consolidated into the useful report under con-
sideration. We have, first, a short historical sketch of the fly as an injuri-
ous insect ; then an estimate of the injury caused during the past season
in England and Scotland, which was considerable. In one English and
three Scotch localities the loss was calculated to be several bushels to the
acre. The appearance of the attacked crops is described in a plain, in-
telligible manner, together with the insect in its different stages, from the
_ egg to the perfect fly, and an abstract is given of its life-history. The
important question, ‘‘ Where does the Hessian Fly come from?” is then
discussed. ‘This treats of the different means by which the insect may be
introduced, and it is shown that it may come in the “ flax-seed” state
amongst seed-grain, or in straw which having come from infested countries
either as straw-cargoes, or as packing, is used for horses and cows in
London, and then sent out to farms in the country as slightly used litter,
or as “long manure.” When this is the case, says Miss Ormerod, “a
sufficiently large proportion of the flies in the flax-seed state are likely to
develop to cause mischief such as we have seen in the past season. On
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 95
the first farm on which the attack was observed near Hertford, I found on
2 enquiry that London manure had been used of mixed kind, but mainly
cow and horse manure in very ‘ long’ condition.”
An observation of the greatest importance was made by Mr. Palmer,
of Revell’s Hall, near Hertford, viz., that the ‘“ flax-seeds” are separated
from the straw in threshing. This was previously thought not to be the
case. As, however, they are thus loosened from the straw, they are, of
course, liable to be mixed with grain, and with it transmitted from place
to place; but in Mr. Palmer’s case they were not found amongst the
grain, nor in the chaff, but in the dust and rubbish which falls beneath the
threshing-machine. Ina handful of siftings he found no less than fifteen
‘“‘flax-seeds.” This rubbish is comparatively worthless, and if English
farmers are careful always to burn it upon a waste spot, it will certainly
reduce the number of the parent flies from which another serious attack
may originate. It.is the custom amongst our best Canadian farmers to
do this in districts where the Wheat Midge (‘‘ Weevil”) is prevalent; and
is attended with very satisfactory results.
Our authoress continues: ‘From the above observations it appears
that puparia, or ‘flax-seeds’ may be transmitted in corn rubbish. In
samples of screenings and sweepings from imported corn, I have found,
besides a large amount of live and dead beetles, also weed-seeds, smut
and other matters undesirable to spread abroad (as may easily be done
where these are used for poultry-food, and thus thrown out in farm-yards),
and.as, with these, broken bits of stem are to be found, it appears at least
possible that ‘ flax-seed’ may also be conveyed. In Dr. Packard’s paper
on the subject, he alludes to the possibility of the pest being transmitted
in wheat.”
The best methods of prevention are treated of at some length, and
their applicability to the farming processes in vogue in England are re-
viewed. The favourite preventive remedy—late sowing—is shown to be
applied in England as an ordinary part of the regular arrangements of the
work on most farms ; as a rule wheat is not sown until some time after
the 20th of September, the date which we consider the latest it is neces-
sary to wait to avoid attack, and thus the young wheat plants are not
up till after the autumn brood of the fly is dead. The importance of this
point cannot be laid too much stress upon, for if late sowing be regularly
practised, the Hessian Fly must be dependent for its subsistence upon
self-sown plants in fields which had been attacked, or upon rye or other
96 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
grain sown as sheep-feed. This reduces to narrow limits the lines in
which experiments may be successfully tried to prevent this enemy to
England’s staple crop from establishing itself and getting beyond the con-
trol of the farmers.
Perhaps the most satisfactory feature about this outbreak of the Hes.
sian Fly in England is the fact that it has appeared in so many places, and
has thus been brought forcibly before the attention of farmers in all parts
of the kingdom, and they, being aroused, will now see the necessity of
promptly carrying out the instructions necessary for ' > extermination.
The Royal Agricultural Society through Miss Ormerod, and the Goy-
ernment through Mr. Whitehead, have done everything in their power to
apprise the farmers of their danger, and have put in their hands as wea-
pons with which they may confidently hope to cope successfully with their
new enemy, concise information as to its life-history and habits which will
enable them to recognise it at once, and apply without delay the proper
treatment. Briefly, this consists of (a) late sowing of the main crop, so
that there is no accommodation ready for the autumn brood, by which a
large proportion will necessarily perish without egg-laying ; (b) feeding
off or ploughing in any early-sown or volunteer crops which may be found
to be infested, so that the eggs and maggots may be destroyed ; and (c)
deep ploughing, by which loose puparia or infested stubble may be buried
too deep in the ground to allow the perfect flies to emerge.
From the historical sketch which is given of the occurrence bf C.
destructor, it would appear that although a watch has been kept upon it
since its first outburst as a destructive scourge in North America in the
year 1786, it had never been actually identified as occurring in Great
Britain until July, 1886. The large number of widely separated localities,
however, from which its ravages have now been reported, might lead one
to the conclusion, either that it must have been established for some time
previous to that date, and that it was only Miss Ormerod’s energy and
zeal which then brought its operations to light ; or that some special cir-
cumstance has taken place during the past summer by which it has been
distributed over the whole kingdom ; or again, that some special climatic
condition has allowed it to exist where it had failed to do so before. For
several years Miss Ormerod has had an active and observant body of
intelligent workers in all quarters of Great Britain, and it is strange, if it
existed at all, that nothing has been heard previously of its operations.
Nevertheless, on the other hand, from the large quantities of straw and
A eR yb ra Seana cen irl) pss Se ee eS
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 97
- _ seed grain imported annually into the British Isles from countries known
to be infested by this fly, together with the present rapid and easy methods
of transport, it is at least extremely probable that it has been introduced
over and over again, and it is difficult to understand why it has not long
before now secured a firm foothold there. May it not be hoped that the
law which applies with regard to many noxious weeds, will also be found
to hold good in the case of this injurious insect? The existence of any
plant as an aggressive weed in a given locality appears to be not so much
a question of the introduction of the seed, as of the plant finding there
the conditions suitable to its growth and healthy reproduction. There are
many plants, for instance, troublesome weeds here, which must have been
frequently introduced into Europe from this continent (or in some in-
stances taken back again to the place whence we originally received them),
but which have never yet taken forcible possession of cultivated ground,
e. g., the common Purslane (fortulaca oleracea), Hound’s Tongue or
Burrs ( Cynoglossum officinale), Small Burrs (Echinospermum Lappula),
and the common Foxtail grasses (.Setaria glauca and viridis); and then,
although relatively they are far fewer, there are some which must have
been frequently introduced on this continent, but which, except in a few
localities, cannot (or do not) exist for more than two or three seasons,
-e.g., the common Scarlet Corn Poppy ( Papaver Rheas ), Scarlet Pimpernel
(Anagallis arvensis), common Groundsel ( Sezecio vulgaris), Corn Grom-
well (Lithospermum arvense), and the common Nettles (Urtica dioica
and wrens). Inthe same way there is no doubt whatever that the Colorado
Potato Beetle (Doryphora ro-lineata) has been many times conveyed to
the British Isles on transatlantic steamships, but not finding there condi-
tions suitable to its requirements, it has failed to establish itself.
Miss Ormerod, quoting from Bulletin 4, U. S. Ent. Commission, tells
us that “ the original habitat of the Hessian Fly is considered most pro-
bably to have been Southern Europe and Western Asia, i. e., about the
shores of the Mediterranean Sea,” a district with a summer climate of far
greater heat and aridity than is found in the British Isles. Again, in
North America, where—whether introduced or indigenous matters not in
this connection—this pest to our sorrow flourishes to a most remarkable
degree, it has always dry, hot weather during the panos in which it passes
through its active stages.
In view of the above facts, and notwithstanding that it has occurred in
considerable numbers in many parts of Great Britain during the past’
98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
summer, I think it probable that its wide-spread appearance as an injuri-
ous insect was due either to some special cause which had not existed
before, or to some unusual climatic condition, rather than to its having
established itself in a new habitat suitable to its reproduction and increase,
Furthermore, if the farmers can only be frightened sufficiently to induce
them to obtain the pamphlet under consideration and to follow closely the
advice which is there offered them, I cannot help thinking that before very
long Miss Ormerod will be able to relegate the Hessian Fly to a pee
amongst the foes she has conquered.
JaMEs FLETCHER, President Entom. Soc. of Ontario.
NortH AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA: THE Hawk Morus or NortTH
America, by A. Radcliffe Grote, A.M. Printed by Homeyer
and Meyer, Bremen, 1886.
The above is the title of an interesting brochure by our old friend
Prof. Grote, who has done so much to advance our knowledge of the
North American moths. The press work is superb. For clearness of
print, nice paper, and excellent taste in the selection of contrasting type
for the heading of the sections, this work is a model.
After a graceful dedication to Prof. William Saunders, former editor
of this journal, our author gives directions for collecting and preserving
insects, followed by a chapter on the relation and habits of the
Sphingide. He then takes up their classification, beginning with the
sub-family AZacroglossing, under which he includes the genera Hemaris,
Lepisesia, Thyreus, Enyo and Deidamia. Then follow the sub-family
Cherocampine, including the genera Hveryx, Ampelophaga, Deilonche,
Deilephila and Philampelus ; the sub-family Smerinthine, including the
genera Calasymbolus, Paonias, Cressonia and Triptogon; and the sub-
family Sphingine, including Ceratomia, Daremma, Diludia, Dolba,
Phlegethontius, Atreus, Ellema, Sphinx and Dilophonota. :
The reason for establishing the new genus Dez/onche for tersa, is not
very clear to me, nor do I feel so sure of the wisdom of establishing the
new genus Afreus for the reception of pledbeius. The fact is, that while
studying the Sphingide of New England, I found more genera than I
well knew what to do with, and perhaps I am on that account less
disposed to look with favor on new genera. Our author says, “the type
(plebeius) is, I think, not congeneric with the European péinastri (the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99
type of Hfyloicus) nor can I find an Hubnerian genus for its reception.
I should leave it in Phlegethontius, as Fernald seems to suggest, but it
_ differs in the 12-veined primaries, etc.” It is, perhaps, proper for me to
a ° say that in my studies of the venation of the Sphzngide, I found that the
& ‘species of this family, so far as I had material to study, had either eleven
' or twelve veins in the fore wings according to whether vein 10 was
i. present or wanting. This vein arises from g, near its outer end, and lies
' so close to it as to be easily overlooked. After denuding a long series,
including many individuals of some of the species, I found that while the
other veins were constant as to origin and termination, vein 10 is very
__ variable and not to be relied upon, for in some examples it was present
' in one wing but absent in the other. It seems to differ as to the point of
origin, sometimes arising from vein 9 at some distance from the border
of the wing, at other times nearer the border, again close to the border,
and again it was entirely wanting either in one wing or both; all in the
same species. In my essay on the Sphingide, I stated that it was very
_ doubtful if this vein would prove of any assistance in classification. I
still hold to the opinion that this species will finally gravitate into the
same genus as ce/eus. Finally the generic name Afreus is pre-occupied,
having been used by Hoch in 1837 for a genus of Scorpions, and there-
_ fore cannot be used in this connection.
a Cerisii is placed by itself in the subgenus Copismerinthus, and
7 geminatus under the subgenus Lusmerinthus, with the variety ¢réparti-
tus Gr., given for those individuals which have ¢iree blue spots on the
black anal patch on the hind wing.
Prof. Grote divides the time of the work on our lepidoptera into three
periods: The first including that of Abbot, Boisduval, the elder LeConte,
Say, Peck, Harris, Gosse, Kirtland, and their historian, Dr. J. G. Morris.
The second period, the one which he calls the “ Renascence,” is the
period in which the American Lepidopterists catalogue the different
families of the lepidoptera and thus lay the foundation for present and
future discoveries. This period, which. came to an end with the appear-
ance of Grote’s New Check List, ‘‘ was a time during which a great deal
of work was performed with good huinor and at considerable self-
sacrifice,” and no one did his share of this work, which was more or less
2 _ drudgery, more cheerfully than did Mr. Grote himself.
' The author says that the writings of our entomologists have a flavor-
ing of the localities from which they emanate, thus, ‘‘ in some way the
100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
scent of the Maine woods has got into Prof. Fernald’s writings,” and we
may say in return that a vein of poetry runs all through this charming
saeea work which we are now reviewing.
C. H. FeErRNaLp, Amherst, Mass.
CORRESPONDENCE.
: THE GENUS QUADRINA.
Dear Sir,—Mr. Grote, in the current vol. of the Can. ENr., p. 40,
takes exception to my note on this genus, and says my ‘“ remarks as to
Hemileuca are uncalled for.” The only thing I said in the note com-
mented on by Mr. Grote, in regard to Hemileuca, was: ‘‘ In Mr. Grote’s
Catalogue of 1882, Quadrina diazoma is placed in the ‘ Hemileucini’ and
is associated with Hemileuca, Hyperchiria and Coloradia, which are all
typical Bombycids.” This is the fact, as a simple reference to the list will
prove, and I cannot see in what manner the remark was uncalled for. I
knew of all that Mr. Grote had written on the subject, and simply
assumed, as I had a right to do, that Mr. Grote had changed his views as
to the position of the genus, and that his latest view was expressed in the _
list. That the location was due to a printer’s error I could not know.
However, its position in the Ceratocampide is equally unnatural. As
that group stands in Mr. Grote’s list it is a perfectly natural and sharply
limited one, all the members of which have in the male two branches to
each side of each joint of the antennz, which are moderately long, and
the pectinations do not extend to the tip. In Quadrina, on the contrary,
the joints are extremely short, the pectinations extend to the tip, and are
very long; there is only a single branch to each side of each joint. If
the specimen is a female, as Mr. Grote says, the antennal structure is
unique and out of harmony with that of the other Ceratocampide. It
would break up the group entirely to admit such a form init. But I be-
lieve the specimen to be a male, I do not find in my notes on the species
any mention of the sex, but my recollection is that it was a male. The
species belongs most nearly where Mr. Grote first put it, I quote my
own remark—* nearly related to Gloveria.”
As to the Hemileucini, I have taken from it the genera Hyperchiria
and Coloradia and placed them in the Saturniide, in a recent revision of
that Group in the Proc. Nat. Mus., ix., pp. 414-437.
Joun B. Smiru, Washington, D. C.
DATES OF PUBLICATION, 1887.—January No., March 14; February No., March 23;
March No., March 29; April No., April 22.
he Canadien Entomologist.
ROL. XIX. . LONDON, JUNE, 1887. No. 6
THE EARLIEST BUTTERFLIES AT THE WHITE MOUNTAINS
OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
3 BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
> _A few years ago a visit was made to the Glen, in the White Mts. of
New Hampshire, in the early spring, just as the first tender leafage was
appearing (June 2-5), and a report of the thirteen butterflies then found
was published in Psyche, 1874, vol. 1, p. 13-14, 18-19. Wishing to
secure eggs from some of the wintering butterflies abundant in that place,
which I then failed to secure from being too early, another visit was made
last spring to the same place, and at the same date (June 3-7), as the
season was evidently sufficiently advanced to make it practically at least
a week later ; and so it proved, the vegetation at the Half-way House, at
the upper limit of forest growth on the Mt. Washington carriage road,
being this spring exactly at the stage at which I found it in the valleys at
the previous visit, the difference in elevation being over fifteen hundred
feet. The sky was equally sunny in both cases.
The collecting ground was the same as previously, excepting that on
this occasion there was superadded an ascent of Mt. Washington by
Tuckerman’s Ravine, with a descent by the carriage road; and also a
walk southwardly from the Glen to North Conway.
This last walk showed a very distinct change in the fauna from the
considerable clearing at the Glen to the open country to the south (a
thousand feet lower), after the eight miles of unbroken forest, ending
at Emery’s, was passed. Pamphila sassacus at once appeared in consider-
able numbers ; Brenthis myrina, Phyciodes tharos and Atrytone hobomok
were far more common—all indicating an earlier appearance at this alti-
tude, since they are common enough at the Glen in their season ; while
only two or three Cyaniris pseudargiolus were seen, in place of the
_ abundance farther north, and not a single AmbZyscirtes samoset, which had
been seen sparingly at the Glen for several days.
102 i THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The most interesting observation on the trip, however, was that of
three individuals of Oeneis semidea on the mountain summit. There is
indeed a possibility of error here, for no one of them was taken, though
two were near enough to warrant a dash with the net. They appeared to
be unusually dark, but they had every other appearance of this butterfly,
including size and their manner of flight, when flying tolerably high on a
not windy day. As the caterpillars have been taken fully grown and
wandering in September, it is altogether probable that they pass the win-
ter (as has always been supposed) in chrysalis ; and if so, there seems to
be no reason why they may not emerge as early as this ; but as the but-
terfly has never before been found on the wing earlier than July,* and is
never known to be abundant before the second week in that month, and
disappears by the middle of August, it would seem not impossible and
even probable that the butterfly is double-brooded, at least in part. This
certainly seems strange at such an inclement altitude, especially as the
European Oeneis aedio (which winters, at least sometimes, like many other
Satyrids, as a juvenile caterpillar) is believed to take two years to reach
maturity.
The only other butterflies seen above the timber were Eurymus philo-
dice, twice near the summit and once in Tuckerman’s Ravine; and
Lycaena americana, seen once a mile or two down from the summit. A
single Cyaniris pseudargiolus lucia was seen near the edge of the forest
just before entering Tuckerman’s Ravine.
It may be added that the snow patches about the summit of Mt.
Washington, which were not very extensive—their size, as seen from the
valley, diminishing perceptibly in the few days of our visit—were pep-
pered with minute insects, largely made up of a few species ; the most
abundant were an Aphis, two or three flies no larger than Aphides, some
other minute Homoptera, one or two minute Hymenoptera and equally
small Coleoptera. Among larger forms were a species of the heteropter-
ous genus Acanthosoma, according to Mr. Uhler, probably 4. nedudosa,
which was the most common of all, and Bibio femoratus Wied. (deter-
mined by Dr. Williston) ; every pool of melted snow contained three or
four of the latter, while the former fairly swarmed everywhere.
As to the valley butterflies, the advanced season was as apparent with
* Harris, however, on the authority of Oakes, gives June as one of the months of
its flight.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103
them as with the vegetation, as will be seen by the following serial notes, as
well as by the much longer list. Twenty species in all were seen, fourteen
of them not seen on the previous visit, while, more remarkable than that,
seven of the thirteen species before seen were not now observed.
Basilarchia arthemis, found previously in abundance as a larva just
out of hibernaculum, and #. aisifpe, sparingly in the same condition,
- were not discovered at all. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of the shoots
of black birch were examined, as well as many poplars and willows in
suitable spots, without a trace of anything—not even of a leaf eaten in
Basilarchian fashion.
A single specimen of /olygonia interrogationis umbrosa was seen on
the 7th, on the Notch road south of Emery’s.
Polygonia faunus was taken or seen every day but the 3rd, on forest
roads ; perhaps two or three dozen in all were taken, and about a third
of them were females. None were seen beyond Emery’s, and none in
walking from Gorham to the Glen, the latter on a somewhat cloudy after-
noon. |
P. gracilis was not met with. One butterfly was seen two miles up
the Mt. Washington carriage road, which looked very like P. comma, but
was perhaps P. faunus. None of the females would lay eggs on young
willows, in their two or three days confinement in the Glen, nor on larger
plants in Cambridge after my return home.
Polygonia progne and Nymphalis 7-album were not seen this year.
Two specimens of Papilio antiopa were seen, on the 4th and on the
7th. :
No Aglais milberti was observed on this occasion.
Two fresh specimens of Argynnis atlantis were seen on the 7th, one
in the forest a short distance north of Emery’s, the other half way from
there to Jackson.
Fresh specimens of Brenthis myrina were seen every day after the
first (and either this or the next species on that day), and all taken were
males. The number increased from two on the 4th to three or four times
that number on the 7th, before reaching Emery’s, and after that as many
more, though it was then after 3 o’clock.
Unless the specimen seen the first day was Brenthis bellona, this
Species was only seen on the 5th, in a few examples, in which both sexes
were represented, and all were more or less worn.
Phyciodes batesii was seen on the 7th, and of each sex, three or
104 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
four on the forest road south of the Glen, and abundantly beyond Emery’s.
The larve of Cinclidia harrisii were found feeding on Diplopappus,
in the penultimate and final stages, in a dozen different localities in the
Glen. They were apparently just about as forward as they were on the
previous visit, only then they were found at Gorham, which, though
farther to the north, is 800 feet lower than the Glen, and in a broader,
more open valley, where the spring opens slightly earlier than at the Glen.
The caterpillars taken this year went into chrysalis a>: June e and
13, and emerged June 21-27.
Though half a hundred plants of Zoricera by the roadside were
searched for Luphydryas phacton, this species was not found as on the
previous occasion, nor did any of the plants appear to have been eaten.
During the first half of our stay, Cyaniris pseudargiolus lucia was the
most abundant butterfly, and though afterwards it did not diminish, it was
supplanted by the increasing numbers of the next species. Yet when
most abundant its numbers by no means equalled those at my former
visit, and at no time were more than five or six seen at once. On the last
day, south of Emery’s only a couple of specimens were seen, so that the
first brood was disappearing ; all were of the form /ucia or heavily marked
violacea. Females were enclosed over Amelanchier, Vaccinium and
Cornus, and laid abundantly on the first two, but not on the last. When
the larvee emerged, however, they would not touch either Amelanchier or
Vaccinium. ? a |
In the last half of our visit Zycaena americana was the commonest
butterfly. It was the first seen in the morning, the last in the afternoon,
and appeared everywhere excepting in Tuckerman’s Ravine and above
timber on Mt. Washington, though seen once on the latter. Not a speci-
men was seen on my previous visit. :
Three specimens of Feniseca targuinius were taken, and others were
seen ; one of the two females taken, old and battered, was left three days
enclosed over a branch of A/zus, on which were numerous young and fat
Coccide (none with Aphides were discoverable), but no eggs were laid ;
the other taken the last day, died on the way home, with numerous eggs
in her abdomen.
Eurymus philodice was tolerably common every day, and increasingly
so. On my previous spring visit none were seen. . Two specimens were
seen in the alpine zone of Mt. Washington, and one in Tuckerman’s
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 105
a - Ravine—the only butterfly seen there ; both had probably flown in from
below.
A few fresh specimens of Pieris rape were seen every day but the
first ; most on the last day, below Emery’s.
Six or eight specimens of /. o/eracea were seen, all very fresh ; of the
three or four taken only one was a female.
Though Zuphewades turnus was seen every day in very fresh condition,
it was not yet abundant ; four, however, were seen at one roadside pud-
dle, and all were exceedingly tame.
Several fresh specimens of Zhanaos icelus were seen the first day and
the numbers increased daily, both sexes fresh, but the female predomin-
ating. Several females were enclosed on different species of poplar and
willow, but laid no eggs. :
Two male specimens of Cyclopides mandan were taken by the road-
side on the sth, and one or two were seen north of Emery’s on the 7th.
Males and females of Amblyscirtes vialis were seen every day, but
never more than three or four specimens a day. Enclosed females Jaid
eggs on grass on June 5-6, which began to hatch on June 14; the first one
to change stopped eating on July 18 or 1g, and in about ten days changed ©
to chrysalis. The species has never before been reported from this region.
A couple of specimens of Amdédlyscirtes samoset were seen, and one of
them taken on the 7th, north of Emery’s.
The first Atrytone hobomok was seen on the 7th, in the Glen, another
between that and Emery’s ; but south of that at least a dozen specimens,
all of them males. :
Pamphila sassacus first appeared at Emery’s, south of which it was
twice as abundant as the last species ; a couple of females were taken, but
nearly all the others seen were males. It was evidently going to be very
abundant,
SYNONYMY IN AMERICAN COLEOPTEROLOGY.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
On looking over Melsheimer’s, Crotch’s and Henshaw’s Catalogues of
the described species of North American Coleoptera, many names will be
seen placed as synonymical, or varietal; while a reference to the
bibliography of the many synopses and monographs of families and gen-
106 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
era in the Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., and other publications, exhibits a num-
ber still larger. How were so many originated? and, Have they any
value ? are questions that it may not be unprofitable to briefly consider.
As to their origin, it may be asked: Are they descriptions of the same
forms made by different writers in ignorance of what had previously been
done ? or, of forms that at the time were regarded as distinct, but after-
wards, by connecting links, seen to be but variations within specific
limits ? or, from mistaken identification and other causes? The history.
of American Coleopterology shows all these to have been factors in vary-
ing quantities. Before the year 1824, no description of any species (so
far as known) had been published on this side of the Atlantic ; but, for
more than one hundred years previousty, large numbers had from time to
time been taken over and described in every country of Europe, many of
them several times by as many names. The works of these various
describers were mostly unknown or inaccessible to American students of
that period, so that when Mr. Thomas Say, the founder of this branch of
Entomology here, undertook the description of our species at the year
mentioned, it was often impossible for him to know what had been done
abroad. Haldeman, Melsheimer and others thus continued the work till
1844, they and the Europeans making synonyms reciprocally, in ignor-
ance of what each had done. About this time appeared a talented,
scholarly, enthusiastic young man, who, on seeing so many of “ our finest
insects going to Europe for names,” with Juvenal exclaimed, “ Szccum
jecur ardeat ira,” and forthwith the immortal Leconte devoted his life (as
he informs us) ‘to the classification and naming of American Coleoptera,
even at the risk of creating much synonymy.” How well he did his
work needs not to be told to the Coleopterological world of either hemi-
sphere. The synonymy made proves to be much below what might have
been reasonably anticipated. Mr. S. Henshaw in his Index gives, to that
time, the number of species named by-Dr. Leconte as 4,734, to which is
to be added 80 published posthumously—in all, 4,814. Of these only
864 were considered synonyms, and 188 as races or varieties. This kind
of synonymy may be termed re-descriptive, and with proper care and a
judicious restraint on haste, but little of it should be made with us
hereafter. :
A second source of synonymy arose from the descriptions of certain
forms as distinct, that differed so much from the assumed type—perhaps
in size, ornamentation, or even structure—as to seem different, but subse-
jae
F
RE EAS Se
tat ro
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 107
' quently discovered to be merely variations of one thing ; just as one
ignorant of the variations of Canis familiaris might describe a poodle, a
Newfoundland, a bull-dog, etc., etc., as true species of Camis. In the
early times of description this was unavoidable, as the extremes of many
of the variable species look so unlike that it could not be known they
were the same till it was proved by more extensive collections and after
discoveries. In his lifetime Dr. Leconte eliminated many of the ones
made by himself and others, and Dr. Horn, in his studies, with enlarged
collections and more abundant opportunities, adds to this, and in sup-
pressing species sometimes carries the matter too far to please collectors,
_ but doubtless no further than is warranted by well ascertained specific
variation.
There is another source of synonymy that practically does not differ
from the last, except in this, that it is made intentionally by writers who
are a little mixed, or have a different conception of what constitutes a
species from that entertained by our leading Entomologists, and the
authors of our lists of Coleoptera.
And here it becomes necessary to say something about species. No
definition of this term as applied to organisms bas ever been received as
entirely satisfactory, and a discussion of it here is foreign to the object of
this paper. For practical purposes it was necessary for naturalists to
have a definition of universal applicability, and that of Buffon has gener-
ally been accepted by most of the leading Zoologists and Botanists since
his time, namely: ‘A species is a constant succession of individuals
similar to and capable of reproducing each other.” The believer in
special creation, the evolutionist, and such as hold opinions between these
extremes, can meet here on common ground. Coleopterists on this side
of the Atlantic mostly agree with it in substance, giving it expression in
this form: ‘A species is an aggregation of variable individuals which
have a common parentage.” With this definition, except in case of
uniques, obviously it would be unscientific to make any individual a type.
_ This is the line to which systematists are endeavoring to bring our
species, and the further it is pursued, we find typical superseded by
normal descriptions which embrace the points of agreement of as many
individuals as can be examined, and reject the points of disagreement, as
individual or racial.
The synonymy thus made has not been very extensive, but threatens
to become so through the writings of Mr. Thos. L. Casey, who, for the
108 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
short time since the issue of his first paper, proves to be a very industrious
and prolific author. He does not seem to have accepted the above defi-
nition, or at least to a great extent ignores it in practice, but the idea he
attaches to the term species is only known by inference. He writes, Bul.
No. 6, Calif. Acad. Sci, p. 162: ‘Forms which some Coleopterists
would regard as specific, are held by others to be simply racial, and by
others again as merely accidental variations not even worthy of a name.”
That he entertains the first of these opinions seems to be a correct in-
ference, from the fact he has described as valid among the larger species _ |
a considerable number of forms which others consider as variations.
Now, it can scarcely be supposed that he did not know, in common with
others, the common parentage of many of these ; and, if so, then he does
not fully recognize this relation as essential in the construction of species.
In other words, he founds his species on identity of structure, thus making
them practically artificial, like genera. This brings him imto direct con-
flict with those who regard common parentage as an essential element in
species, and as they happen to be in the majority and control our cata-
logues, many of his species are placed in synonymy at once. Mr. Casey,
among our Coleopterists, seems to stand alone in his views, but Lepidop-
terists for a long time appear to have had a somewhat similar split.
These two views are diametrically opposite. The first recognizes no
single individual as a type when others are at hand, and raises an in-
superable barrier to the multiplication of species. ‘The second describes
more or less minutely any individual, and calls it the type of a species,
but never defines how far it is allowable for other individuals to vary and
still belong to that particular species, and so can offer no defense against
their multiplication ad Zébitum.
The re-description by Americans of our Coleoptera that were first
described in Europe, has been and still is of inestimable value, and it
would have been no loss had every species of ours described there been .
re-described here and placed in synonymy.
The original descriptions were often largely defective and so indefinite
that to make a determination with certainty was impossible, even when
they were accessible. The American descriptions in the synonymy are
much clearer, and from them, with a little practice, except in minute or
closely related species, the insect may be readily known ; and in fact, for
many species are the only accessib‘e or intelligible descriptions we yet
have. As no two writers present the same thing in the same way, by
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 109
synonymy many doubts may be solved that could not be by a single
description.
The second kind of synonymy, which may be regarded to a certain
extent as embracing the third, is likewise more or less useful, when fully
established. The names represent, within specific limits, variations more
or less divergent. These differences may be of a trivial character—of the
kind Dr. Leconte excuses himself for making in early life, on the ground
that, like most young Entomologists, he had magnified characters as of
importance that were merely individual or of no importance; still a
reference to even such may give points of information not likely to be so
lucidly set forth in the normal description of the species. Or, again,
these names may represent the extremes, or even the sexes of a variable
species that in ignorance of their true relationship have been described as
true species. This is the most valuable part of synonymy, because
when a species is treated as a whole, the peculiarities of individuals and
races are usually less clearly stated than when specialized.
A catalogue of our described Coleoptera with the established
synonymy would be exceedingly valuable to all our students of Coleoptera.
It is a desideratum.
It was intended to have closed this paper here, but the occurrence of
Carpophilus hemipterus Linn., affords an opportunity to present a practi-
cal illustration in reference to some of the foregoing statements. This
species is potentially cosmopolite, having been carried to many countries
by commerce, and in Europe has many synonyms. ‘The present colony,
consisting of several hundred individuals, was found in a box of raisins
recently from Spain. It is a good example of the great variableness in
structure and coloration that may occur among the individuals of a
species, as is well pointed out by Mr. A. Murray, in his Monograph, p,
363: ‘* For example,” he says, ‘the following variations occur in the form.
with intermediate degrees of each, viz:
“‘ y,—The posterior angles of the thorax nearly right angles.
‘* 2,—The posterior angles of the thorax nearly rounded.
“ 3,—The posterior angles of the thorax nearly cut off.
“In color, again, it varies as much, the variation, however, being
referable to greater or less intensity of coloring.” I was able to verify
Mr. Murray’s statements in every particular from this single colony. This
is a good demonstration of the impropriety of making any individual the
type of a species, as well as of disregarding common parentage as an
essential element in the construction of species.
110 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from page 93.)
5. Palpares papilionoides Klug.
I have never seen this species, except the couple from Arabia Felix in
the Berlin Museum, described by Klug, Symb. Phys., iv., pl. 35, £ 2 and
3. Rambur, p. 369, No. 5, described the species after Klug’s figures.
Rambur and others, not excepting myself, believed that the male did not
belong to the same species as the female. Klug calls it a variety. After
a thorough study of the species in Berlin, I arrived at the conclusion that
Klug was right, and P. cephalotes Klug shows a similar but not so exag- —
gerated difference between both sexes. I have carefully compared the
types with the figures, and found them to be very exact. Indeed, Mr. —
Weber was one of the best draughtsmen in Germany. JP. papilionoides
had nothing whatsoever to do with P. aeschnoides, as McLachlan sup-
poses. The types of both species are in the Berlin Museum.
6. Palpares immensus, McLachl.
The species is described, 1867, Journ. Linn. Soc., ix., p. 239. Ihave -
to state that the excellent description leaves no doubt that my P. comes
noted without description, 1866, p. 456, is the same species. My speci-
men is a female from the Nagami Lake, presented by Prof. Boheman.
Length of body 66 m.m.; exp. alar. 160 mm.
Iam glad that my manuscript name is explained ; at the same time I
ask to cancel also P.. conspersus Hag., |. c. p. 456, from Nagami Lake, by
Boheman, as the type has been destroyed ; there will be specimens in the
Stockholm Museum. : :
7. Lalpares Caffer, Burm.
This species is mentioned, Burm., ii., p. 998, No. 23, with P. speciosus
L., as follows: “ A very similar but larger species, with the gray spots of
the front wings very small, from south-east Africa, was received from the
collection of Mr. Drége. Iname it JZ. Caffer. The abdomen of both
sexes shows the same difference (as AZ. speciosus).” I have before me two
females, one from Dr. Schneider’s coll., the other coll. by Dr. Wahlberg in
Caffraria, from the Stockholm Museum. ‘Thé British Museum has four
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. , 111
specimens among Walker’s types of J. sfeciosus. Finally I have seen
_ the types of Burmeister in the Halle Museum. The species is mentioned
- by McLachlan in his review of Walker’s paper ; as far as I know, it has
never been described. Fem., length of body, 50 m. m.; exp. al. 120 to
130 m.m. AsI have no males before me, I give briefly the characters to
recognise the females: The front margin of prothorax notched in middle ;
with two transversal rolls, one before the front margin, the other before
the hind margin ; between them a flat, narrow, deepened saddle, perhaps
eight times broader than long ; a longitudinal black median band is only
a little enlarged on the saddle. P. sfeciosus has the front margin straight ;
the black median band fills the saddle on each side nearly to the side
margin; the band is on the front roll triangularly dilated, but is wanting
on the hind roll. This character is very good to separate directly both
species. /. Caffer has the wings broader, more obtuse on tip, less spot-
ted ; front wings saffrony, with smaller ashy gray spots; there are much
less numerous little spots around hind margin, and nearly none on the
disk ; ante-cubitals with black linear bands ; pterostigma straw color ;
hind wings paler, about hyaline, the brown bands less large, not connected,
the penultimate sometimes divided ; abdomen brown, darker below.
The description of the appendages of the male is needed.
I have two females from Pniel Station, Damaraland, which I had
named P. sparsus. As this name is now pre-occupied by a similar, per-
haps the same species, from Damara, by McLachlan, I refrain from giving
a description. It is intermediate between P. speciosus and P. Caffer, but
the black band of the prothorax is as on P. Caffer.
8. Palpares pardalinus Burm.
Burmeister, Vol. ii., p. 997, No..20, describes the male from Orange
River, South Africa, collected by Drége. In 1849 I bought the second
specimen from Drége’s collection, also a male, which I have compared
with Burmeister’s type still present in the Halle Museum. J/yrmeleon
pardalinus Walk., p. 314, No. 26, a female from the Cape, is the same
species. This was doubted by McLachlan, Journ. Linn. Soc., p. 275, and
for the species the name P. drachypterus proposed. Rambur’s species is
different. In 1850, in Peters’ Voyage, p. rot, I had placed P. pardalinus
together with the species of Pamexis. But I have corrected this in Stett.
Zeit., 1860, p. 361, and 1866, p. 457.
112 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
9. Pamexis contaminatus Burm.
McLachlan (Review Myrmel. de Rambur) notes for this species that
there exists an error in my Synopsis, as the WZ. contaminatus Burm. is a
North American species. But he has overlooked that in my Synopsis, p.
433, is quoted AZ. contaminatus Burm., a species only named Vol. ii., p.
995, but the differences stated from JZ. irroratus from S. Carolina. This
species belongs to Macronemurus, Synopsis, p. 424. The type is before
me. Besides, Synops., p. 433, quotes JZ. contaminatus Burm., coll.
Winthem, said to be Pamexis contaminatus ; Synops., p. 457, it is quoted
with this name and the locality, Orange River. In the introduction of
the Synopsis, p. 370, is stated: ‘Sometimes collection-names of unde-
scribed species are quoted, soon to be published, or for another reason.”
The publication was prevented by my going to America a few months
later. The species, of which the type with the name in Burmeister’s
hand-writing is before me, belongs to a genus so far distant from the N.
American species, that it seemed to be not inconvenient to retain Bur-
meister’s name, though he had in his publication not even mentioned it,
as is stated by the words [from Winthem’s collection]. Now Pamexis con-
taminatus is from the collection of Drége, and as his insects were sold to
many museums and collections, I believed that Burmeister’s name would ~
be found in other collections, and did retain it for this reason. Pamexis
contaminatus is identical with the type of Rambur’s P. pardalinus. This —
identity was only recognized by my study of the type after the publication
of my Synopsis, in which P. pardalinus Rbr. is quoted with P. parda-
linus Br. As the description of Rambur is sufficient, and the identity
with Burmeister’s species is beyond doubt, I believe that the name P. con-
taminatus can be accepted, instead of coining a new name for it, and
therefore I propose to name it P. contaminatus.
10. Lamexis luteus 'Thunbg.
The figure and the description of this species (perhaps the type is still
in existence, but since it was nearly fifty years ago that I saw Thunberg’s
collection, I would not state more) belong to JZ. venosus Burm., which
after a careful study subsequent to the publication of my Synopsis, I find
is identical with JZ. conspurcatus Burm.; both types in the Winthem col-
lection. Rambur’s species, after the stadt of the type, I find is bain same
with MZ, venosus Burm,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 413
:
‘NOTE ON ABBOT’S SPECIES IN THE BREMEN MUSEUM.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
In the Bremen Museum are specimens collected by Norwich in the
Southern States in the beginning of the century, which bear evidence of
having been determined by Abbot, as there are one or two MS. names
' credited to him. I note here merely a 2 specimen of Parorgyia leuco-
phea; this is paler, the outer line followed by brown shadings, as com-
pared with our Northern C/intonii, and agrees with a specimen collected
by myself in Alabama, and previously described in Can. Ent. There is
then no doubt that our Northern C7/intoniz is a valid species. There is
also a specimen of Catocala neogama. This bears out my statement that
neogama is distinct from our Northern communis Grote (= neogama Guen.
nec Abbot). The hind wings are lighter yellow as figured by Abbot, while
our Northern communis has them of a dusky ochrey yellow, and there are
a number of other comparative characters whereby the two may be sep-
arated. I should then be disposed to consider all determinations of our
Northern species as zeogama to be incorrect. I may take occasion later
on to allude to other species from the Southern States in the Bremen
Collection.
NOTE ON MISTAKEN IDENTIFICATIONS.
| BY A. R. GROTE, A. M.
In the course of my studies I have been able to point out a number of
cases in which the species illustrated by earlier authors have been identi-
fied with allied forms inhabiting the Middle and Eastern States and parts
of Canada, I must think wrongly. Dr. Harris has furnished a number of
instances in point, chiefly, perhaps, in interpreting the figures of Abbot.
It must not be forgotten that the locality has much to do with the forms
of Lepidoptera. The different climate and physical conditions of the
Southern States could not fail to impress the Lepidopterous fauna of that
region. ‘The topography of the country, the climate, as, indeed, I say on
_ page 215 of the Can. Env. for 1886, must be duly considered in this
question of related forms. In his writings Dr. Harris describes our
Northern Phlegethontius celeus, for the more Southern species carolina.
114 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
He identifies our Philampelus pandorus with the species sated/itia, which
seems to be South American, and not to occur within the limits of the
United States, or, as we write, North America. Equally in the smaller
moths he wrongly identifies his (Parorgyia) achatina, which is not
Abbot’s species, but our northern CZintoniz. In the WVoctuide his identi-
fication of his Apatela americana with either of the forms figured by
Abbot is, at least, probably premature. Abbot’s drawings, which I have
studied as closely as possible, make it probable that there are two
Southern species of Parorgyia, leucophea and achatina, not found in the
North, and I believe I have correctly identified the former in two female
specimens, one of which I found in Alabama.
While writing, I am reminded of another curious identification of Dr.
Harris’s in the Coleoptera. He says, House Report, April, 1838, p. 72:
“In France, a large insect, called vinaigrier (Carasus auratus L.), de-
vours the female A/e/olontha vulgaris at the moment when she is about
to deposit her eggs. I have taken one specimen of this fine Carabus in
Massachusetts.” No other author I have seen refers to this identification
of an American species with the European C. auratus. |
Abbot’s work must be studied in connection with Southern collections,
and his observations be verified in all stages, before we can be quite sure
in all instances that we have his species before us. ‘That he sometimes ~
mixes” his species is, I have thought, proved by his plate of Catocala
amasia, where he gives us different species for sexes of the same ; and
this may not be the only instance. Among Abbot’s smaller moths, I have
at least identified correctly his (Adita) chionanthi, a Noctuid sparingly
found in New York State, but which is so plainly marked that the identi-
fication can be relied upon.
Leaving Dr. Harris and coming to Guente, there is no doubt now
(after freshly comparing Southern specimens) that this eminent writer
wrongly identified our Northern species Catocala communis Grote, with
Abbot’s zeogama. ‘The typical form of communis as it occurs with us has
the primaries of an obscure smooth olivaceous gray with distinctly drown
markings ; the hind wings dusty ochrey or brownish yellow. C. meogama
has the fore wings black shaded over paler, purer gray with bright yellow
secondaries. While the two are of a similar size, there seem also certain
differences in the band of the hind wings. As I originally pointed out.
Guente also mistakes Abbot’s vidwa. It seems to me probable, however,
that the vidua of Guente, or viduata, which I have called Catocala
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. wee Gas
/
_ Guendi (to avoid all further confusion and because Guenéte’s alteration is
__unessential and merely covers a wrong identification) has been sent to
_ Europe as vidua of Abbot, either by Abbot or determined as after Abbot
by collectors in the Southern States at the commencement of the century
(1800). Abbot, I have said, figures probably what Guente calls desperata.
But it is not essential to recover now this name of Abbot’s. It was
applied at a time when black winged Catocale were a great rarity and
when the number of species now known was not guessed at. When we
know all the Southern forms ad ovo, then it is time enough to be certain
what Abbot meant by vidva. If my supposition that thereby he intended
our desperata turn out correct, later lepidopterists may make the change,
I call our Northern species desperata Guen., and Guente’s vidua, which
I have proved not to be Abbot’s and have certainly identified, GUENEI.
HINTS ON COLLECTING HYMENOPTERA.
BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA.
To have the specimens in a collection look well, and at the same time
be in a condition such as to render their examination as easy as possible,
it is necessary that they should be properly collected. The ordinary
cyanide bottles prepared either with plaster of Paris, or sawdust, which
are used for Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, do not furnish good specimens
of Hymenoptera, and those collected in alcohol are less satisfactory. I
have found the method advised by Dr. Williston (Psyche, vol. iv., p. 130)
for collecting Diptera, so satisfactory that I will quote a portion of his
description :—
“IT select several two-ounce, wide-mouthed bottles of the same form,
and carefully line the bottom and sides with a good quality of blotting
paper. Good firm corks are selected, which are interchangeable in the
different bottles ; in one of these corks a small hole is. made, in which it
is better to fit.a small metallic ferule; a strip of blotting paper is thon
coiled within this cavity, and it is over this that a few drops of a solution
. _ of cyanide of potash is poured.”
For those who may not desire to keep on hand a solution of this
poison, I would suggest a modification of this method which I find very
116 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
satisfactory. Scrape a few grains of cyanide into the cavity in the cork
and then insert a small wad of damp cotton wool or sponge. The fumes
will be readily given off, and it is only necessary to occasionally renew the
cyanide. As Dr. Williston suggests, it is well to have several bottles, but
it is sometimes impossible for the collector to take more than the minimum
amount of apparatus, and he will then limit himself to two, reserving one
of them for delicate or smail insects. Bees should never be placed in a
bottle with previous captures, as honey is often disgorged, and the speci-
mens greatly injured by the matting of pubescence and soiling of the
wings ; the pollen which the bees so generally carry is almost as bad in
its effects. The safest and most desirable plan is for the collector to
carry a supply of small pasteboard pill boxes, and transfer his specimens
frequently to these, putting only one specimen of such insects as Bombus
in a box. These boxes can be obtained of very small sizes, permitting a
sufficient number to be packed in a small space. Their use ensures per-
fect specimens and enables the collector to keep a better record of them —
by numbering the boxes, and in his field note-book entering full particulars
of the contents of each. When possible, it is better to pin the insects
before they stiffen, but if time or circumstances do not permit of this, they
will keep safely in the boxes, and may be at any time easily relaxed in a
damp atmosphere, care being taken not to allow them to become wet. In
pinning it is not at all necessary to set the wings and feet symmetrically,
unless one has plenty of time and desires pretty specimens. The wings,
however, should be separated, so as to admit of a full examination of the
venation both of the anterior and posterior ones, and of the metathorax
and the basal segments of the abdomen. |
BOOK NOTICES.
It is a cheering sign of the zeal and energy and ability that are being |
brought to bear upon Entomology that there should be so rapid an increase
in the literature of this department of Natural Science. Thcough several
works of importance have been recently noticed in these pages, there are
still many others which we desire to acknowledge, and to bring before the
notice of our readers. ‘This, however, we can do but briefly, as so much
space has of late been given up to literary notices.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 17
The first work on our list is :—
THE BuTTERFLIES OF NortH America. By W. H. Edwards. Third
Series, Part II., 4to. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston, Mass.
The second part of the new series of this superb work contains the
usual three exquisitely finished coloured plates of butterflies. The first
illustrates the Californian Co/ias Harfordii Hy. Edwards, and its variety
Barbara, giving no less than nine pictures of the imagines, and more thana
dozen of the earlier stages ; the second Argynnis Coronis Behr., giving
both the upper and under surfaces of the male and female of this beauti-
ful Californian species, which extends northward as far as our own North-
west Territory, where it has been taken by Capt. Gamble Geddes ; the
third plate fully illustrates all the stages of Veonympha Gemma Hubn.
and lV. Henshawi Edw. ‘There is the usual letter-press description of
all the species figured, and also a notice of Argynnis Callippe Boisd. It
is hardly necessary to add that no Lepidopterist’s library can be con-
sidered complete without a copy of this admirable work.
REPORT OF OBSERVATIONS OF INJURIOUS INSECTS and Common Farm
Pests during the year 1886, with Methods of Prevention and
Remedy. By Eleanor A. Ormerod, 8vo., 112 pages. London:
Simpkin, Marshall & Co.
We must congratulate our esteemed friend upon the publication of her
Tenth Report. It is full of interesting matter and well illustrated with
excellent wood-cuts, chiefly the work of the talented authoress. The
principal noxious insects treated of are “ Earwigs” affecting cabbage—a
pest that we are happily free from in this country ; Clover Weevils, the
Hessian Fly and other wheat insects, the Hop Aphis, Mustard Beetles,
the Horse and Ox Warble-flies, etc. Economic Entomologists everywhere
may learn much from these pages; though the insects treated of are for
the most part British, many of them have been transported to this side of
the Atlantic and to other distant regions, where they have wrought incal-
culable damage to crops of various kinds.
SYNOPSIS OF THE HyMENOPTERA OF AMERICA, NORTH OF Mexico. By
E. T. Cresson. Parti. Families and Genera.’ 8vo., 154 pages.
This valuable work, published as a supplementary volume by the
American Entomological Society in Philadelphia, is a very much needed
contribution to the literature of this difficult order of insects. With this
118 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
assistance towards classification, we trust that many will be encouraged
to collect and study these particularly interesting creatures.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGICAL SoctEty, and Pro-
ceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural
Sciences. Philadelphia. Vol. xiii, 1886.
This volume is replete, as usual, with papers of high scientific value
by such well-known authorities as Dr. Horn on Coleoptera, Messrs. Ash-
mead, Blake and Howard on Hymenoptera, the Rev. Messrs. Holland
and Hulst on Lepidoptera, and Mr. Williston on Diptera.
THE MULBERRY SILK-wORM; being a Manual of Instructions in Silk
Culture. By Prof. C. V. Riley. Bulletin No. 9. Division of
Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Our SHaDE TREES AND THEIR INSECT DEFOLIATORS; being a con-
sideration of the four most injurious species which affect the trees
of the Capital; with means of destroying them. By Prof. C. V.
Riley. Bulletin No. tro.
The species referred to are the Elm-leaf Beetle ( Calraibea xantho-
melena Schrank.); the Bag Worm (TZhyridopteryx ephemereformis
Haw.) ; the White-marked Tussock-moth ( Orygia leucostigma Sm. & Ab-
bot) ; and the Fall Web-worm (Ayphantria cunea Drury).
Reports OF EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIOUS INSECTICIDE SUBSTANCES,
chiefly upon insects affecting garden crops, made under the direc-
tion of the Entomologist. Bulletin No. 11.
MIscELLANEOUS NOTES ON THE WORK OF THE DIVISION OF ENTo-
MOLOGY for the season of 1885. Prepared by the Entomologist.
Bulletin No. 12.
These four works abundantly testify to the value of the Government
Commission on Entomology at Washington, and to the ability and indus-
try of its members.
ARSENICAL POISONS FOR THE CODLING Motu (Carpocapsa pomonella
L.) By Dr. S. A. Forbes, State Entomologist of Illinois. Bulle-
tin No. 1.
Another valuable contribution to Economic Entomology, the result of
careful and painstaking work in the field.
REE
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 119
CORRESPONDENCE.
USE OF CHLOROFORM IN COLLECTING.
Dear Sir,—In the article of Henry S. Saunders, on Collecting at the
Electric Light (Can. Ent., Feb., 1887), he gives his experience in the use
of cyanide of potassium and chloroform as follows: “ Cyanide of potas-
sium I found the best poison ; a few drops of chloroform on cotton would
quiet them more quickly, but was more troublesome, the chloroform
having to be frequently renewed, occasionally as often as four or five
times during the same evening, and sae even then the moths
would be found alive the next morning,”
I should like to explain my method of collecting with chloroform. I
have found it better than any other, whether at the electric light or in
the field :
Take a glass fruit jar, one in which the lid screws down upon a
rubber cushion or packing. Put a bunch of cotton in the bottom,
retaining it in its place by pressing down upon it a circular piece of
pasteboard, made to fit tightly in the jar, except that two or three
notches should be left in the edge for the chloroform to run through to
the cotton. Saturate the cotton,with chloroform and screw the lid down
tight. The bottle is now ready for use, and it will be found that an
insect dropped into it will be suffocated almost instantly by the fumes of
chloroform that completely fill the bottle. A feeble flutter for a second,
a kick or two, and all is over. As soon as the insect is dropped into the
bottle, screw the lid down again, and as it fits air tight, the chloroform
will not evaporate too rapidly. Less than a teaspoonful will last for a
-whole evening’s work. If on retiring from the work the chloroform seems
nearly exhausted, it would be well to. pour in a few drops more, and then
close the lid for the night. If these precautions are taken the insects
will never revive.
Chloroform, when used in this manner, will be found to possess many
advantages over any other poison. It is quicker in its action, much
more convenient, and under all circumstances entirely harmless. I use
this form of collecting bottle both for the electric light and in the field.
The bottle will contain, without injury to the specimens, the captures
of a whole evening, or a whole day.
If, through carelessness, so much chloroform has been poured into
120 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
the bottle as to saturate the pasteboard on which the specimens rest,
their wings may become moistened and somewhat damaged. To prevent
accidents of this character, pack a bunch of crumpled newspaper tightly
down on the pasteboard before putting in any specimens; the paper will
be dry, and will prevent the insects from coming in contact with the
moist pasteboard.
For Coleoptera I use a morphine bottle prepared in the same way,
except that the newspaper is not wanted, and it is closed with a cork. I
always carry such a bottle in my pocket ready primed, and thus am
always prepared for preserving any specimens captured incidentally while
engaged in other affairs.
J. A. Jackson, Des Moines, Iowa.
FOSSIL BUTTERFLY FOR SALE,
In order'to illustrate more fully his forthcoming work on New England
Butterflies, the undersigned offers for sale for Two Hundred and Fifty
Dollars, that wonderfully preserved Fossil Butterfly, Prodryas Persephone,
:
of Colorado. The accompanying cut gives a rude impression of it. Less
than twenty specimens of fossil butterflies are known in the world, and
this is by far the most perfect and best preserved.
SAMUEL H. ScupDER.
Cambridge, May 9, 1887. [ADv. |
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XIX. LONDON, JULY, 1887. No. 7
ABOUT NAMES.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
I have read, as all of us have, the review of a book by C. J. Maynard,
on our Butterflies, by Mr. W. H. Edwards, and which appeared in the
February number of the Canaprtan Entomo.ocist. Whatever Mr. .
Edwards writes is trenchant and to the point, so that we have received
the impression that Mr. Maynard’s book is really not what it ought to be,
is not up to current scientific knowledge, and is inferior in its illustrations.
There is no more to be said about the book on this head ; its publication
will probably do very little real good, except perhaps that here and there
a reader into whose hands it may chance to fall may have his interest
excited in the subject, and so be led to buy a better one, as, for
instance, that of Prof. French, to say nothing of Mr. Edwards’s splendid
volumes. But I was interested in Mr. Edwards’s remarks about the names
of butterflies, in which the critic leaves his prey to ‘ regret to say that
Mr. Scudder is our greatest sinner in this respect” (p. 39). Mr.
Scudder, who never defends himself, might well need a champion as far
as I understand the average opinion of students. I am all unworthy to
assume such a role, and am not at all called upon to do so, nevertheless
as what I have to say is rather in mitigation of his offence, I must be
regarded somewhat in that light. And first, we are all sinners, miserable
sinners, as the Church puts into our proper confession, but I doubt if it
is right for us to apply the word znter nos. ‘There has been quite a
shower of adjectives unenlivened by wit, as well as of censure unre-
deemed by humor, and often unexcused by candor, in our entomological
press, and to this I have, in my humble way, quite strongly objected.
We are not authorized by our positions to assume so much, nor is our
subject sufficiently important, as the world goes, to warrant the issue of
ukases upon entomological topics. The particular offence of Mr.
Scudder in the matter of names is that of the English ones. Now Eng-
_lish names for insects existed before Latin ones, as might indeed be
122 ‘THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
supposed. I think it is De Saussure who assures us of the ultimate
triumph of the English tongue in the contest for existence between the
languages, and it is a matter of at least secondary importance that the
English names of our butterflies come into use. A butterfly has as good
a right to an English, or common name, in an English speaking country,
asa plant. And plant names are part of our literature, of our poetry.
Perhaps what I said in the “Popular Science Monthly” might be
repeated here. The introduction of common names for our Lepidoptera
is evidently a matter not to be forced, but to be left to itself. The rule
of priority which Linnzeus appointed to govern Latin names cannot
obtain here. Some of our butterflies have received several English
names, as our “ Milk-weed butterfly.” Some of the names for moths in
use in England are very pretty, such as the “‘Arches” and “ Wainscots.”
English names will, it is to be hoped, gradually appear in our American
literature and come -into use. ‘The vernacular names proposed in our
economic works, mere translations from the Latin, are often very ugly
and have nothing to commend them. But see what lovely names they
have in England for their moths! The ‘“ Kentish Glory,” the “ Peach
Blossom,” the ‘ Buff Arches,’ the ‘‘Common Wainscot.” About the
vernacular names for our moths must come the cooling touch of time ;
they cannot be struck out in the heat which accompanies the coining of
a Latin name for a new species (struggling for priority). Around their
cradle some tutelary divinity must hover ; some old and idle tale, like an
ancient crone, must be its nurse ; out of some melody, dedicate to fields
and flowers, must the words be taken which are to serve as the common
title of the insect haunting these pastures. And not the first but the
best known, and in itself the best name, must be chosen, and to exercise
this choice there must be some literary taste in the writer, some quaint
appositeness in the name itself, Here, in Germany, with its wonderfully
supple language, and the frequency of compound words, common names
have been easily made and pass current. My young friend Eugene, as
to trusting whom with a cyanide bottle I feel some scruples, talks quite
glibly and confidingly to me about the ‘*Grosser ” and “ Kleiner Fuchs ;”
the latter he has not been able to catch yet, but he knows how it looks
from his little handbook, which has fairly good figures and the common
name preceding the Latin one for each species. It seems to be a fact,
and I do not see how Mr. Edwards can get around it, that young ento-
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 123
_mologists, wefat 10 for instance, prefer their living nursery language to
the dead one from the tombs. And we are well counselled to remember
the little ones always! What would I not have given to have known the
common names for our insects on Staten Island in the fifties ! |
What Mr. Maynard may choose to call our butterflies cannot be
thrown up against Mr. Scudder, who, as I understand it, has merely pro-
posed corresponding titles for our butterflies with those used in England,
as the ‘ Blues” and ‘ Coppers,” using these names in somewhat of a
generic sense and supplying some fresh titles of his own, whether
fortunately or not, I am not here enquiring. This is a matter subject to
a later review on occasion. Certainly we must be guided by some gen-
eral agreement with English names in use in England for similar but
different species, and this without a too vigorous enquiry. Certain
hairy caterpillars in England (and in Germany also) are called ‘‘ Bears ”
(I don’t know what brings Bacon’s curious sentence, “the body of nature
is elegantly and with deep judgment depicted hairy,” etc., into my mind),
and there are certain common names used in a generic way from re-
semblances occurring to the casual observer. These we must use, and
for my part I think that, in a natural way, we shall come into using
certain common names as collecting becomes popular among the young
and as popular books increase with us.
Far more than on this head am I concerned about Mr. Scudder’s
proposed book on our butterflies. I think there is a mean between Mr.
Scudder’s Latin nomenclature and that of Mr. Edwards, which latter is
based on Doubleday’s, and perhaps since Doubleday we may have
advanced in our knowledge as to the structure of butterflies, and are
authorized to express this advance in our Latin names. It is many
years ago since Mr. Robinson and I set about classifying our Diurnals,
and this was before Mr. Scudder’s classification. I only published about
that time the genera Seniseca and Calephelis, and as these are not
objected to, I think that what I here say, with great diffidence, is entitled
to some consideration on both sides. I am quite satisfied, and was
before Mr. Scudder, that our Hackberry butterflies, ce/tis, clyton, etc.,
do not belong to the European genus Afatura, and that the structural
_ characters separating the two are real and of generic value. Also am I
of opinion that our eastern arthemis, ursula, disippus, eros, form a group
of themselves, distinct from Zzmenitis proper, and that Mr. Scudder’s
: 126 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
term Sasilarchia should be retained. On the other hand I think Mr.
Scudder’s divisions of Argynnis and Lycaena are not valid, as now
shown by Prof. Peabody and others. I hope Mr. Scudder will not
retain these, and also that he will be guided by Dr. Speyer’s classifica-
tion of the Hesperidae. These latter afford good, apparent, readily
understood generic characters as we understand these in the moths, and
there is nothing gained by making too many genera out of them on
“measurements.” These latter are now proved to be illusory, and
should not be again brought forward. As to the general arrangement of
the families, the arrangement of Meigen and others, commencing with
the groups in which the front legs are useless for walking, and which are
taken out of the ambulatory series, has an approved philosophic basis. Itis —
warranted under Prof. Dana’s theory of cephalization. Mr. Scudder’s
paper on the structure of Papz/io in the ‘Transactions of the American
Entomological Society, has not been answered. I think the caterpillars
of Papilio are of a lower type than those of the rest of the true butterflies,
and that there are no reasons for placing the “Swallow Tails” at the
head of the rest except that they are large and showy insects. ‘The
structure of the feet is evidently of importance no less than the method
of pupation, and this is recognized consistently in Mr. Scudder’s arrange-
ment. There is certainly no system in commencing with the groups with
six walking legs, then following with those of four, and winding up again
with those with six. The moths have generally six walking legs, and the
abortive front pair may be consistently regarded as a later phase. I have
great confidence in Mr. Edwards’s remarks as to genera, that these can be
traced in all stages from the egg upwards, and in this respect it would be ~
well if Mr. Scudder, for the sake of reason, which, as Zschokke says, is
the “daylight of the mind,” would abate from hair-splitting, But I have
great regard for Mr. Scudder’s general appreciation of classificatory
characters and those which point to higher or lower rank and which
determine the confines of large groups, and on this head it would be well
if Mr. Edwards relented from his present views. ‘There is then, to my
mind, a possible agreement between the two authorities, and that such
an agreement would be of great value cannot be doubted. Where there
is any reasonable principle involved, I advise neither to give way.
Time, Mr. Strecker’s friend, must level such differences by throwing more
light on the subject. But much that divides the two scientists lies in the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 125
_ wide domains of unreason, upon which we all trespass during our earthly
journeyings, and where many of us, I am afraid, almost permanently
reside.
STUDIES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN PROCTOTRUPIDA,
WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES FROM FLORIDA.
BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
Sub family PLATYGASTERINA.
In this second paper on the North American Proctotrupide, I have
taken up the sub-family Platygastering, comprising, for the most part,
- small black species, all parasitic in larve belonging to the Dipterous
families Cectdomyiide and Tipulide.
It will be seen that I have recognized in our fauna species in all of the
described genera but /phetrachelus Haliday, and one new genus parasitic
on Cecidomyious hickory galls.
: XLVI. Jphetrachelus Haliday.
3 XLVII. Adlotropa Foerster.
5 74 (1). Adllotropa Americana, N. sp.
ee
a
3
a
a *
a
ii
“
og
ie
Ai
"3
Be
g. Length, .o7 inch. Black, sub-opaque, finely punctate, scape and
legs pale brown. Antenne g-jointed, terminating in a 4-jointed club,
joints serrate, flagellum and club dark brown. Mesothorax with two
grooves. Scutellum convex, rounded posteriorly. Abdomen black pol-
ished, first and second segments striate, the second segment greatly
lengthened. Wings hyaline. -
Hab.—Florida.
XLVIII. Aletaclisis Foerster.
75 (1). Metactisis belonocnema, n. sp.
@. Length, .o7 inch. Black, finely punctate. The 10-jointed
antennze and legs pale brown. Thorax with two grooves. Wings hyaline,
Hab. —Florida.
Described from one specimen, reared in April, 1883, from galls.
Belonocnema Trete Mayr, probably parasitic on a Cecidomyious guest
fly inhabiting this gall,
126 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
XLIX. JAZonocrita Foerster.
76 (1). Mounocrita melanostropha, Nu. sp.
2. Length, .o8 inch. Black, sub-opaque, finely punctate, middle
of mesothorax and the somewhat flattened scutellum, polished. Antennze
entirely black, terminal joint one-third longer than the preceding joint.
Mesothorax with two grooves. Legs red, the femora obfuscated or black-
ish. Abdomen polished black. Wings hyaline, submarginal vein black.
Hab.—Florida.
77 (2). Monocrita Canadensis, n. sp.
2. Length, .14 inch. Black, head and prothorax finely punctate.
Antenne 1o-jointed, filiform antenne with the legs are pale brownish yel- —
low. Thorax with two deep grooves, converging and almost meeting —
posteriorly. Scutellum slightly convex, punctate, pubescent, separated —
from the thorax by a deep depression. Wings fuscous. |
Hab.—Canada. Kindly given me by Mr. W. H., Harrington. :
L. Jsostasius Foerster.
78 (1). Lsostasius musculus, N. sp. g
2. Length, .oq inch. Black, polished. Ocelli distant from inner r 4
border of eye. Antennz r1o-jointed, black, club 4-jointed, the joints q
broader than long. Thorax without grooves. Legs black, femora at base —
and tarsi reddish. Abdomen ovate, not quite as long as the thorax, and —
but slightly compressed from above. Wings ‘hyaline, submarginal vein .
black ; no other veins, 2th
Hab.—Florida.
LI. Jnostemma Haliday.
79 (1). Lnostemma Forni, n. sp. q
f, 2. Length, .06 to .o7 inch. Black, sub-opaque, microscopically —
punctate. Antenne ro-jointed, entirely black. The horn in female is P
prolonged over the thorax, extending to base of ocelli, gradually narrowed q
at base. Legs black, tarsi pale brown, in some specimens the tibiae are —
pale at tips. Abdomen acuminate ovate, longer than head and thorax ~
combined. Wings hyaline, submarginal vein black. The male is without —
the projecting horn, and is difficult to distinguish from other species in 4
this group, the shape of the abdomen, which is acuminate ovate, less de- —
pressed than any others, and the basal ocelli, which are contiguous to the —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. +27
inner border of the eye, must be depended upon to separate it. The
mesothorax has two delicate grooves.
Hab.—Florida.
a This species is dedicated to my friend, Dr. Geo. H. Horn, the dis-
a tinguished American Coleopterist. It is at once distinguished from the
_ European Jnostemma Bosci by its stouter form, shorter horn; in that
_ species the horn projects over the entire head; and by its differently col-
_ ored legs. :
80 (2). Lnostemma Cressoni, n. sp.
2. Length, .og to.ro inch. Robust, black, finely punctate. It is
at once distinguished from 7, Horni by its larger, more robust form, its
_ much stouter horn, which is of a uniform thickness throughout, not nar-
rowed at base, and by having rufous colored tibize and tarsi.
_ Hab.—Florida.
Described from two specimens and dedicated to my friend, the learned -
American Hymenopterist, Mr. E. T. Cresson. 7
81 (3). Lnostemma Rileyi, n. sp.
gf, 2. Length, .o4 inch. Black, polished. This species is at once
_ distinguished from all others by its much smaller size, rufous colored
_ femora and tibiz, sometimes obfuscated in the middle, and the horn in
female extends only to the base of the head, |
4 Described from ten specimens, and dedicated to my friend, the emin-
ent economic Entomologist, who so ably fills the position of U. S. Ento-
mologist, Dr. C. V. Riley. :
82 (4). Lnostemma Packard, n. sp.
2. Length, .o7 inch. This species is at once distinguished from the
others by the brevity of its horn, which reaches only slightly beyond the
middle of the thorax and obliquely truncate at tip, not rounded as are the
tips in the other species. Head and pleure punctate. Antenne black,
scape reddish at base. Legs red, coxz at base black. Wings hyaline,
submarginal vein black.
Hab.— Florida.
Described from one specimen, and dedicated to my learned friend,
Prof. A. S. Packard, from the study of whose excellent work, “ Guide to
the Study of Insects,” I early derived so much benefit and imbibed some
of my love for the study of insects,
128 - THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
LII. Acerota Foerster.
83 (1). <Acerota opaca Prov. Add. et Corr. a la Faune Hym., p. 184.
Hab.—-Canada.
84 (2). <Acerota carya@, N. sp.
gS, 2. Length, .o7 to .o9 inch. Black, shining, microscopically
punctate. Antenne and legs pale yellowish-brown. The four-jointed
antennal club is black or brown, in the male the antennz are generally
uniform yellow-brown. The mesothorax has two faint grooves on its
disk ; scutellum prominent, slightly pubescent. Abdomen smooth, pol-
ished. Wings hyaline. ae
Hab.— Florida.
85 (3). Acerota FHloridana, n. sp. | ve.
®. Length, .o7 inch. Black, antennz and legs dark red; two
grooves on mesothorax ; scutellum sparsely pubescent; metathorax with
denser, longer, white pubescence. Wings hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
LUI. Cati/lus Foerster.
86 (1). Catillus maculipes, 0. sp.
2. Length, .o3 inch. Black, polished. Antenne and legs rufous,
femora and tibize with dark blotches above. Mesonotum without grooves,
Wings hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
LIV. Xestonotus Foerster.
87 (1). Xestonotus andriciphilus, n. sp.
Female. Length, .o7 inch. . Black ; face finely punctate. Antennz
and legs brownish-yellow. Mesothorax with two sharply defined, parallel _
grooves. Scutellum not greatly prolonged, but compressed at sides. 4
Wings hyaline. 4
Hab.—Florida. |
Described from one specimen reared from the Cynipidous gall, Andri- 4
cus blastophagus Ashm.
LV. Amblyaspis Foerster.
88 (1). Amblyaspis longipes, N. Sp. 7
Male. Length, .o8 inch. Form somewhat slender, black. Antenne
and the unusually long legs pale yellowish brown ; flagellum darker, the —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 129
last joint being twice as long as preceding joint, cylindrical, the others
_ Narrowed at base. ‘The scutellum is very long, acute, elevated over the
_ metathorax. Metathorax covered with white pubescence. Wings hyaline.
- Hab.—Florida.
This species bears a close resemblance to Amdlyaspis aliens Nees, but
the scutellum is longer and more acute.
89 (2). Amblyaspis Americana, 0. sp.
Female. Length, .o4 inch. Black. Antenne and legs pale brown,
posterior femora and tibiz obfuscated toward tips. The apex of the long
scutellum is yellowish, and the hyaline wings have their borders strongly
ciliate, differing in this respect from all other species in my collection.
Hab.—Florida.
LVI. Leptacis, Foerster.
90 (1). Leptacis cynipsiphila, n. sp.
Male and female. Length, .o5 to .o7 inch. Black. Head in front
finely punctate. Antenne and legs rufous. Antennal club 4-jointed,
dusky. Thorax sparsely, metathorax densely covered with white pile.
Scutellum with a small acute projecting spine at tip. Wings hyaline,
strongly pubescent.
Hab.—Florida. Described from specimens reared from an oak gall.
LVII. J/sorhombus, Foerster.
git (1). JLsorhombus hyalinipennis, n. sp.
Female. Length, .o5 inch. Black. Antenne and legs pale brown ;
the three-jointed club which distinguishes this genus from Zeffacis, is
black or dark brown. The mesothorax is without grooves, the scutellum
slightly pubescent, unarmed. Wings hyaline, almost devoid of pubescence.
Hab.—Florida.
LVIII. LZpimeces, Westwood.
(= Lctadius, Foerst.)
g2 (1). Lpimeces Americanus, n. sp.
Male and female. Length, .o4 to.o7 inch. Slender, black, shining.
The filiform antenne and legs are dark rufous. Mesothorax with two
grooves. Abdomen narrow, elongate, sub-cylindrical, gradually narrowed
towards tip, about one-third longer than head and thorax combined.
Wings hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
130 : THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
This species is very much smaller than Epimeces subulatus ‘Nees
which it closely resembles. The genus Zctadius Foerster seems, withou
doubt, to be identical with this genus, as I have indicated. Birsds. oh
LIX. Sactogaster, Foerster.
93 (1). Sactogaster anomaliventris, n. sp. .
Female. Length, .o3 to .o5 inch. Black, polished. Ante ae
legs black ; tarsi reddish. The joints of the four-jointed antennal club
are broader than long. Mesoscutum smooth, without grooves. ‘Scutellum
armed with a small acute spine. The second abdominal segment is in-
flated below, having the appearance of a small globe ; the other segments
are narrow, cylindrical, and project beyond it in the form of a tail. Wings
hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
LX. Synopeas, Foerster.
94 (1). Synopeas melanocera, 0. sp. .
Female. Length, .1o inch. Black, polished. Face, just above in-
sertion of antenne, grooved, and thence to ocelli finely punctate. An
tennee filiform, black, the terminal joint longer than the preceding. Meso
thorax with two grooves. Scutellum with a small spine near tip. ~ Legs —.
dark red. Abdomen as long as head and thorax combined. Wings :
hyaline. :
Hab.—Florida.
LXI. Anopedias, Foerster.
95 (1). Anopedias incertus, Nn. sp. i.
Female. Length, .o6 inch. Somewhat robust, black. Antone. and 4
legs rufous, thighs obfuscated. Antennal club 4-jointed, brown-black. 4
Thorax without grooves. Scutellum flattened, with a spine at tip. Meso-
pleurz highly polished ; metapleuree and metathorax densely pubescent. —
Wings hyaline. :
Hab.— Florida.
The structural characters of this species seem to agree with the defini-
tion of this genus, but I have doubts as to its belonging here.
LXII. Jsocybus, Foerster.
96 (1). Ssocybus longiventris, 0. sp.
Female. Length, .o4 inch. Black, highly polished. Head ie
cubical. Antenne and legs pale yellowish-brown. ‘Thorax rather ery
'
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 131
much narrower than head, smooth. Abdomen long, acuminate ovate,
nearly twice as long as head and thorax combined. Wings hyaline.
» Hab.—Florida.
_ This species is placed in this genus only provisionally, as the non-
grooved thorax and shape of abdomen will probably exclude it from the
genus.
of LXIII. TZrichacis, Foerster.
97 (1). TZrichacis brunneipes, n. sp. :
7 Female. Length, .10 inch. A slender, elongate, polished, black
_ species. Antenne and legs pale yellowish-brown, flagellum and club rust-
a brown. Mesothorax with two parallel grooves. Scutellum, which is
_ transversely convex, is well separated from thorax by a deep depression,
and has a thick tuft of grey pubescence at tip. Metapleure densely
_ pubescent. Wings dusky hyaline.
. Hab.— Florida.
LXIV. Aypocampsis, Foerster.
98 (1). Mypocampsis Pluto, n. sp.
Female. Length, .o6 inch. This species is highly polished, including
antennze and legs, entirely black. Mesothorax with two grooves. Scu-
- tellum rounded, highly convex. Abdomen with the lateral carina broad
and turned downwards. Wings hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
LXV. Polygnotus, Foerster.
99 (1). Polygnotus solidaginis, ni. sp.
Male and female. Length, .o5 to.o7 inch. Black polished. Antennz
dark reddish-brown, scape paler ; club, female, five-jointed ; male antennze
filiform. Legs dark red, femora black, tibizee obfuscated. | Mesothorax
smooth, without grooves. Scutellum elevated, highly convex, more than
twice as broad as long, and separated from mesothorax by a deep trans-
verse groove. Wings hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
Described from numerous specimens reared from a Cecidomyious gall
( Cecidomyia nebulosa Ashm. MSS.) From six to eight specimens were
reared from each fly ; they make parchment-like cocoons, placed side by
side, as illustrated by Prof. Westwood on the genus Platygaster, ‘“ Introd,
to Study of Insects,” vol. 1., f. 78, No. 14. |
132 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
100 (2). Lolygnotus baccharicola, 0. sp.
Male and female. Length, .03 to .o6 inch. Black, po
from the above species in its smaller size, more slender form
ing uniformly colored dark red gia The femora are not black.
Hab.—Florida. Cee
Described from numerous specimens reared from a Cec
( Cecidomyia baccharicola Ashm. MSS.) ae ;
LXVI. Bidigister Latreille.
tor (1). SPlatygaster pallipes Say, Leconte’s Bd. ‘Sa
383. Hab.—Indiana. oo
102 (2). Platygaster Canadensis Prov. Add. et Co
Hym., p. 181. Hab.—Canada. :
103 (3). latygaster error Fitch. Sixth Rep. N. Ly ‘St:
p. 818. Hab.—New York. oe
104 (4). Platygaster Herricki Packard. ‘Third e]
Comm., p. 220. Hab.—Western States. a
105 (5). Llatygaster Hloridensis, n. sp.
Female. Length, .06 to .o7 inch. Black, polished, m
Platygaster niger Nees. Antenne and legs of a uniform pa.
brown. Mesothorax smooth. The scutellum is convex,
long, and is not separated from the mesothorax by a deer
groove, as 4re the species in the Benn alba, ‘sparsel
towards tip. Wings hyaline.
Hab.— Florida.
106 (6). Platygaster gracilis, n. sp.
Male. Length, .o5 inch. Very slender, pamied, blac
filiform, black, scape at base pale brown. ee reddish '
cated. Wings hyaline.
Hab.—Florida.
The new genus recognized in this family vill be desétibed
paper, when I hope to be able to give a ae illustration of its
characters,
ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 33:
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA, Parr 2.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
1. Species figured in A. Seba Thesaurus.
I have quoted, Synops. Hemerob., p. 457, as belonging to Pamexis, a
new species figured in Seba Thesaur., vol. iv., pl. 86, f. 20. The explana-
tion says, “Color pallide subfuscus, maculis suture fuscis.” I can not
here compare a colored copy of Seba’s work, nevertheless the figure
proves to be a male of a species of Pamexis without antenne. The
figures of insects in Seba are not good ; but as the species belongs surely
to Pamexis, and is larger than the other known species, and different from
them, I wish to draw attention to the existence of a new species of this
curious genus. It is, besides the figure given by Thunberg, the only
species figured. Seba’s collection was sold in the beginning of the last
century to Peter the Great, but as far as I know, was destroyed entirely in
St. Petersburg, as well as the collection of Madam Merian, of which only
a few of the large Lamellicorns are left. Seba has figured on plate 86
six Myrmeleonide, five of which belong to Pal/pares. Fig. 17 is quoted
by Linné, Syst. Nat. ed. xii., in the appendix, to be his Zibe//ula capensis,
p. 904, n. 19. This species belongs certainly to a Pa/pares from Cap. b.
sp. Among the species known to me it is near to P. /atipennis ; the quo-
tation in my Syn. Hemerob., p. 456, by P. /atipennis, f. 5, is a typo-
graphical error for f. 17, as Prof. Brauer justly remarks.
Of the four other figures by Seba, is f. 18, a male of Pa/pares, perhaps
the unknown male of P. Caffer. The fig. 5 is, as Prof. Brauer has
proved, Wien. Z. B. Ges, xvii., p. 521, Wyrmeleon sinuatum Oliv., Enc.
Meth., viii., p. 121, No. 4, from Cap. b. sp., which was described only
from Seba’s figure. The figure well represents Palp. haematogaster
Gerst., except that the posterior margin of the hind wings is not sub-
falcate, as in Gerstaecker’s species. Therefore Prof. Brauer believes it to
be different. McLachlan, Jour. Linn. Soc, ix., 243, has established for
P. haematogaster the genus Crambomorphus, and betieves Olivier’s JZ.
sinuatum to be the same species ; but he has apparently at the time not
compared Seba’s figure, as he would have stated the difference of the hind
wings. For the species P. gigas Drury, contrarius Walk., moestus Hag.,
and falcatus McLachlan, this author has established the genus Symma-
134 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
thetes ; but he writes always, ?. gigas Dalman indies of Drury, |
error probably I am responsible. Dalman has only given a
made from Drury’s figure, which diagnosis is so defective that B
applied it to a very different species.
The figures 12 and 13 on Seba’s plate belong probably
Stenares ; as far as I know, they are not yet determined nor q
where.
2. Acanthaclisis Americana. ) ceo
Drury, Ins., vol. 1, p. 111, No. . pl. 46, f. 4. Tir site
17. Ramb. Neur., p. 380, No. 4. Hag. Syn. Neur. N. Am
No. 1. ‘Taschenberg, Zeitschr. Halle, 1879, vol. 52, p. 186.
literat., Hag. Syn. Hemerob. Stett. E. Zeit., 1866, p. 378.
Brown, clothed with whitish hairs, stout ; front and labrt
the antennz, whitish villous above ; vertex reddish brown wi
the base, the tip obtuse, very little notched. Labial palpi lon
hairy ; second joint curvate on the base, thickened on tip
a little shorter, straight, fusiform on tip, which is yellow, or ye
black, suddenly thinned and pointed. Prothorax a little
broad, narrowed in front ; side margins straight ; front margin
with a small median notch ; a strong transversal dorsal depressi
the middle of the prodanna | is a little curvate, more curvate near
margins ; another smaller depression exists near the mesothorax ;
thorax dull grayish brown, with a large black longitudinal mec
and another on each side on the side margin, not well defined ; |
spot, little visible, each side externally near the anterior depressio
thorax above clothed with long black hairs, and with whitish on
ally. Mesothorax grayish brown, with a black median band, an
on each side ; below the whole thorax is rufous brown, whitish
Legs strong, short, whitish villous, mixed with black hairs, blackist
)
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 135
femur brown, a little fallon at base ; tibia blackish externally, with a nar-
_ row ring, and a spot more apical yellow ; tarsus black, base of last joint
_ yellow ; spurs brown, as long as the three basal joints, pointed, curvate in
_ demzi-circle, but not fractured ; claws brown, after a short, larger base,
suddenly curvate. Abdomen strong grayish black, base whitish villous ;
end of abdomen black. Wings large, hyaline, similar to A. occitanica ;
veins black interrupted with yellow ; space between sub-costa and median
and space between the fourth and fifth vein nearly filled with brown dots ;
some brown apical dots on the small forks of the veinlets ; some brown
shadows on the hind margin after the oblique vein; hind wings a little
longer; space between sub-costa and median a little spotted, and a
brown spot on the end of the hyaline space between fourth and fifth vein ;
the pterostigma of all wings yellow, internally with a black dot, costal
space of front wings in the apical half or two-thirds with a double series
of irregular cells ; costal space of hind wings with undivided ante-cubit-
als ; all wings moderately pointed, hind wings slightly sinuated before tip
on hind margin ; all. wings on tip with a series of small gradate veins be-
ginning behind the pterostigma, running down in a curve in the middle of
this part of the wing and ending opposite to the tip ; in the fore wings
are between 15 to g, in the hind wings 7 gradate veins.
Length of body 47 to 50 m.m. ; length with wings, 64-75 m.m. Exp.
al. r10 to 130 m.m.
Hab.—Newbern, North Carolina, coll. by Ordway, presented by Mr.
S. H. Scudder ; Millin,Scriven Co., Georgia, near Ogechee River, coll. by
H. K. Morrison; Crescent City, Florida, raised by Mr. H. G. Hubbard.
The three specimens before me are all females. I have seen besides
three females. The type of Prof. Burmeister, from South Carolina, coll.
by Zimmermann.* As far as known to me, this specimen was the only
one known to exist in Europe till 1867. I have seen it only after the
publication of my Synopsis. Further; a female from Florida in Mr. S.
Henshaw’s coll., and a female from Sandy Hook, New York, in Mr. H.
Edwards’s coll. As the first specimen described and figured by Drury in
1770 is said to be from New York, Mr. Edwards’s specimen is especially
interesting. He found it in a small inn, inside near the window, last
summer. Mr. L. Cabot told me that he had seen this species several
* The type of Burmeister is described by E. Taschenberg, Zeitschr., 1879, p. 126.
It should have been stated CANAD. ENTOM., vol. xix., p. 111, that the type of P. par-
dalinus Burm. has been described 1. c. p. 184.
136 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
times when hunting in N. Carolina. Mr. H. Garman, from Champaign,
Illinois, informed me that he collected three females in the house of the
John Hopkins Marine Laboratory, at Beaufort, N. Carolina, inside near
the window. Newbern is only a few miles distant from Beaufort. Among
my papers I found a description of a female from Columbia, from the
collection of Mr. H. de Saussure, in Geneva, Switzerland. This species -
is quoted without description in my list of South American Neuroptera,
p. 324, as Acanthochisis striata Hag. The description was made more
than thirty-five years ago, when I had never seen the North American
species. Now in studying 4. americana, I was astonished to find that —
the description of A. striata agrees so well that there cannot be any
doubt of the identity of the two species. Indeed the description printed
above is my old one of A. striata, to which I was not able to make addi- —
tions or corrections after the new material. The specimen was returned
at the time to Mr, de Saussure, and will be in his own collection or in
Geneva Museum.
The figure of the male by Drury is similar to the female, and is ‘ane
well made. The venation is accurate, and gives also an indication of the
gradate series on the tip. The costal space shows a double series of cells
to the base, probably an error, as in the specimens seen by me at least
the basal third has only one series. The basal knob on the hind margin
of the hind wing is wanting in the figure. The anal appendages a little
longer than 3 m.m., are slightly bent. The dimensions of the figure are
like those of the female; the length of body greater, nearly 60 m.m. The
description agrees except that the thorax is said to be yellow, Bek the
figure gives it gray.
(To be Continued.)
A PRACTICAL NOTE-ON COLLECTING INSECTS.
BY PROF. E, W. CLAYPOLE, AKRON, OHIO.
In reference to two notes on collecting in the June number of your
ENTOMOLOGIST, will you allow me to make a few remarks? Entomology
is with me a secondary subject, my time being for the most part occupied
with another science. Perhaps this has led me to devise means for
economizing time and labor more than I should otherwise have done ;
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 137
_ but the study of insects has great attraction for me, and I spend no little
time upon it.
The method which I desire to mention may be too well inn to
deserve any space in your columns—if so, I can only ask you to over-
look my intrusion—but I have never seen it mentioned in print anywhere,
nor have I ever seen it used by any entomologist of my acquaintance.
Perhaps also there may be some objections to its adoption which I have
not discovered in the course of several years’ use. In that case I shall be
glad to learn them.
Your contributors speak of chloroform and cyanide of potassium as
their favorite insecticide materials. Both these I have abandoned for
some years, the former because it is expensive, and the latter because it
is unpleasant and dangerous, especially the latter to young students,.and
both because they are comparatively imperfect in their effects. For
example: I have often known an insect, especially one of the large
bodied Bombycids, that recovered after having been apparently killed by
chloroform, and even after having been pinned out in the case. The
result usually is that it is seriously injured by flapping about. Chloroform
is an aneesthetic and not a poison, and its effect soon passes off unless its
action is renewed or Jong continued so as to insure death.
In regard to cyanide of potassium, I may state that last year I found
one of my cases badly infested with the fur moth ( 7: pellionella Je ok pat
an open bottle containing cyanide of potassium into the case and closed
it. Fora fortnight it remained so, when desiring to know the result of
the poison, I opened it. It was strongly impregnated with the well known
smell of the cyanide. ‘To my surprise, however, I could not find a dead
moth, and the larvz were as lively after breathing for fourteen days the
so-called deadly atmosphere as if they had been all the time in the open
air. Asa substitute for both of these I have for years used no other
insecticide for the purpose of killing my specimens than benzine or
gasoline. ‘The latter at fourteen cents a gallon is merely nominal in cost
and perfectly efficacious in action. I use it without hesitation on the
Lepidoptera in any quantity. With most of them it causes instant death,
and with the few that slightly resist its effects the resistance is very short-
lived. I recollect one day seeing a large Cecrofia moth enter the room
where I was sitting and alight on the knob of the door handle. I took
my bottle of gasoline and poured some of the liquid on the body of the
138 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ee
insect, when it dropped to the floor as if shot and never moved a wing. oe -
The result is not in all cases quite so rapid, but it is never tedious. By ie
this means I prevent the mischief that ensues when a fine specimen i
flutters in a bottle of cyanide or chloroform for several minutes, as is. Ba
often the case. oe
I employ the same plan with all insects, and with equal success. ae
The moths that so long resisted the cyanide vapor, as mentioned above, i
at ence yielded to the deadly gasoline, and in five minutes not a lining :
larva was left in the case. :
I need scarcely add that the use of this exceedingly volatile liquid =
never in the least degree injures the delicate plumage of the Lepidoptera. _
Many of my best specimens have been repeatedly drenched with gaso- Am
line. In five or ten minutes they are as dry as before it was applied. _ bie
Let me add one word more. I find the most convenient way ae
applying the gasoline is to carry it in an ounce phial, having a cork |
through which passes a finely pointed glass tube. The large outer end
of this tube is capped with a small india-rubber capsule. The whole may ae
be bought at a drug store for a few cents, under the name of a dropping =
tube. In this way the tube is always full of liquid ready to be squirted
out on an insect in the net or even at rest in the open air, and the ;
specimen is at once fit to be pinned out, This I do on the spot in a —
cigar box, or in one lined with cork, and so avoid an accumulation of
material, which is a great annoyance to a man whose time is otherwise
occupied, or indeed to any one at the end of a hard day’s work. a
The small weight of the outfit here required is an advantage not to be os
overlooked when compared with the weight of the loaded cyanide bottle as
usually employed. There are one or two other points which I should a 4
like to mention, but having already written more than at the outset Ta
intended, I will forbear.
CORRESPONDENCE.
BRACHYS AEROSA AND BRACHYS OVATA.,
Dear Sir; notice Dr. Packard, in his ‘ Bulletin No. 7,” on “In-
sects Injurious to Forest and Shade Trees,” speaks of Brachys aerosa
M., as probably mining the leaves of our oaks in its larval state, but says
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 139
_ that its life history is not known. I am not aware that the habits of this
beautiful little Buprestid have since been published, and as I have reared
two fully developed specimens from the larvze, I think it may be of interest
to the readers of the ENToMoLoGIstT to know the life history so far as I
have been able to determine it.
. Last Oct., while collecting leaf-miners from not less than twenty dif-
ferent trees and shrubs at the Michigan Agricultural College, I took two
poplar leaves from which I got, to-day, the two beetles above mentioned.
The following is the description of one of the larve made at the time
they were taken :
Mining the leaves of our common poplar next to the upper surface.
_ A whitish larva 9 m.m. long, broadest at head and gradually tapering to
the tail. Jaws brown and first joint back of head with brown rectangular
_ plates above and below, The anal end with a small black spine extending
back which is used by the larva in pushing itself forward. Larva quite
flat and segments deeply notched.
B. ovata Web.—A leaf of either the red or black oak containing a
leaf-miner was taken at the same time, and from this I got &. ovata less
than a week ago. No description of the larva was made.
4 Cy P. Greeerre,
4 Michigan Agricultural-College, May 7th, 1887.
BOOK NOTICES.
RuopaLoceRA Marayana: A Description of the Butterflies of the Malay
Peninsula. By W. L. Distant. London, 1882-86, 4°, 16; 486 p.,
46 plates.
A short time ago we called attention to a work in progress on the
Butterflies of India. Immediately thereafter there came to hand the final
part of another notable work on the butterflies of a region still nearer our
antipodes—the Malay Peninsula. In this instance the work was under-
taken by the author under peculiarly favorable circumstances, inasmuch
as all pecuniary anxiety was removed by the appearance of a Maecenas in
the person of Mr. D. Logan, of Penang, to whom all credit is due by
naturalists the world over, not only for the generous way in which he has
allowed the work to be gotten up and illustrated, but for his excellent
choice of an author. For Mr. Distant, on his side, has performed his task
140 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
in a very scholarly manner, and given us a book leaving little to be de-
sired, beyond that constant and bitter craving of naturalists for a know-
ledge of the earlier stages of life of the insects treated. We could indeed
wish that the structural characteristics of the larger divisions had been
more amply treated, and that the author had not rested satisfied with
groupings in the Lycaenine and Hesperidz, newly manufactured, con-
fessedly artificial and temporary, and to which the very descriptions which
follow do violence. But the excellence of the entire work, the consistent
manner in which the task has been carried out, the technical skill, excel-
lent judgment and broad learning everywhere displayed, as well as the
very considerable addition to our knowledge involved, disarms adverse
criticism and invites only praise. Would that such a Maecenas and such
an author might oftener company together !
The work is published in quarto in sumptuous style, is unexception-
able in typography and profusely illustrated. Besides 46 plates of some —
of the best chromo-lithographs of butterflies which we have ever seen,
there are 129 wood cuts scattered through the text, generally illustrating _
special structural features, especially in neuration and leg structure, which
are of the greatest value. The author, as would have been expected of
one of our best lepidopterists, familiar with the structure as well as the
early stages, the form and coloring of butterflies, has followed closely in
the lines of the classification made prominent in recent years by Bates, in
which the Hesperidz are immediately preceded by their nearest allies, the
Papilionide. It remains only to say that a good deal of interesting read-
ing will be found scattered through the portly volume, and that there are
points in the preface worthy of careful attention. About 500 species are
described. SAMUEL H. SCUDDER.
Tue Orrawa Natura.ist. Vol. i., Nos. 1 and 2, April and May, 1887.
A welcome addition to our few Canadian serials on Natural Science ;
we heartily wish it abundant success. :
A REVISION OF THE LEPIDOPTEROUS FAMILY SATURNIID&. By John
B. Smith. Proceedings of the United States National Museum.
Washington, Dec., 1886. |
A very valuable illustrated paper on this interesting family of moths.
Che Canadian Entomologist
VOL. XIX. LONDON, AUGUST, 1887. No. 8
ELAPHIDION VILLOSUM, Fas.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
The account of this insect given by the early fathers of C2conomic
Entomology is so charming that it seems almost profane to disturb a his-
tory accepted by most of their credulous offspring with unquestioning
faith. Its wonderful habits and supra-rational instincts have been stock
in trade ever since, and, like the fiction of the fly walking on glass by a
sucker arrangement of its feet, is likely to hold its place in paste and
scissor literature for all time to come.
' Divested of all romance and imagination, and descending to facts, the
observations of Professor Peck, Fitch and Harris may be reduced to this.
_ In the month of July the parent lays the eggs on the limbs, or in the axil
of a leaf near the end of the. twigs of that year’s growth of various species
: of oak, and perhaps other trees. After hatching, the young larva (in. the
latter case) penetrates to the pith and devours it downwards till the woody
pase is reached, and so onward to the centre of the main limb; here it
eats away a considerable portion of the inside of the limb, and then
plugging the end of the burrow, which it excavates towards the distal end,
eventually falls to the ground with the limb, which being weakened, is
broken off by the high autumnal winds. ‘They exist here either as larve
or pupe till spring, and emerge in June as perfect beetles. Time, one
year, though not so stated in words. |
The account given in detail below is so different from the above, that
were the identity of the individuals not established by actual comparison
and by recognized authority, it might well be asserted I had given an
account of some other Z/aphidion. :
April, 1883, I procured a barrel of hickory limbs from a tree girdled
early in 1882; the limbs were from one-half to one inch in diameter.
Very few things developed from them that season; but the next (1884)
quite a number of species came forth—C/ytanthus ruricola and albo-
Jasciatus, Neoclytus luscus and erythrocephalus, Stenosphenus notatus, etc.
142 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Many larve of some Cerambycide continued to work on under the bark ; —
late in the fall I observed the most of these had penetrated the wood, but
some remained under the bark till April and May of the next year (1885).
The most of the beetles appeared during the first two weeks of June,
though individuals occurred occasionally till September. A few larvae
were still found at work, but by October they, likewise, had bored into
the wood and appeared as beetles the next June (1886). The normal
period of metamorphosis is therefore three years, but in individuals it sae |
be retarded to four or more years.
At the present writing (June 5th) these beetles are issuing in great
numbers from a barrel of hickory limbs obtained in April, 1885, from a
tree deadened in January, 1884, thus verifying the first observation. ie
How the larve get under the bark could not be ascertained. When i
first examined, in April, they were from 4 to 5 m.m. long; they ate the ©
wood under the bark, following its grain, and packed their burrow solidly
with their dust. Their growth and progress were both slow, for by the
next April they had scarcely more than doubled in length, and had not ;
traveled more than from four to six inches during the year ; but after July
they developed an enormous appetite, and consumed the wood forat least
an inch in length, and often entirely around the limb, ejecting their cast-
ings through holes made in the bark. When full fed, they bore obliquely
an oval hole into the wood, penetrating it from four to teninches. The ec
larva then packs the opening with fine castings and enlarges a couple of ae
inches of the interior of the burrow by gnawing off its sides a quantity of
coarse fibre, in which it lies, after turning its head to the entrance. When
about to become a pupa (I witnessed the process), the skin ruptures on
the dorsum of three or four segments next the head ; the head of the
pupa appears, and after about half an hour’s wriggling the whole body is
divested of its covering. ‘To the observer the pupa appears to crawl out ve
of the skin, but in fact the skin with the large mandibles is forced back-
wards by the alternate extension and contraction of the segments, assisted
materially by the fibre that surrounds it. After its soft body hardens, the
same movements free it from the fibre, some being shoved in advance of
the head, and some posteriorly, the exuviz being often found at the distal
end of the hole. —
The time spent in the pupal state is indefinite, and does not seem to
concern greatly the time of the appearance of the beetle. Sticks split
open at different periods from December till March contained larve and
THE ‘CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 143
“pupe about equally, but no developed beetles. A larva that I observed
to go into the wood in April appeared as a beetle since the first of such
-as had presumably pupated in the fall.
The number of these beetles obtained that and the present season was
great, and afforded a good opportunity to observe individual variations,
and they do differ greatly. In length from 8 to 18 m.m.; in pubescence,
some being nearly naked and unicolored, others having it longer and con-
densed into spots or almost vittate; some being quite slender and
elongate, while others are short and broad; the surface of the elytra is
mostly uniform, but in some, especially such as are narrow and Sener
one or two costz are more or less evident.
Now, although this account differs so widely from that given by Mr.
Fitch, still the beetles are the same. Unfortunately I have never been
able to find any pruned oak limbs from which to obtain the insect myself,
but I have a good set from Mr. Blanchard, of Mass., presumably from
the oak, which are identical. Through the kindness of Mr. F. Clarkson,
I have a set of those described by him in the Can. Enr., vol. 17, p. 188,
from oak limbs, and which became imagos in November, and there is no
perceptible difference. Dr. Geo. H. Horn says, “ they are the same.”
To identify Elaphidion parallelum had always been a puzzle to me,
and I once thought I hada real set ; I obtained it about a dozen times by
exchange, but could never be satisfied that the specimens received were
not pauperized, or peculiar individuals of #. vz/losum. On comparing
my hickory insects with all the descriptions of Z. vi//osum and paral-
Zelum and their several synonyms, as far as I possess them, it was easy to
pick out sets that would answer satisfactorily all their requirements, and I
became satisfied that 2. parallelum could not be separated.
An inquiry of Dr. Geo. H. Horn elicits the following note and kind
permission to use it:
“ Regarding the two species of Elaphidion (villosum and parallelum )
of which you write, I can only say that my opinion, based on the series
in my cabinet and an examination of those in the cabinet of Dr. Leconte,
is that they are inseparable. The slight differences, referred to by Dr.
Leconte, in the last ventral segment of the males, are not real but depend-
ent on the angle at which they are seen.” ‘The differences referred to are
that in 2. vi//osum the last ventral segment of the male is rounded, while
in parallelum it is emarginate. The only other structural difference
mentioned by Dr. Leconte is,
144 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
*¢ Prothorax scarcely longer than wide—villosum:
* Prothorax distinctly longer than wide —parad/elum.”
From the insects before me from the hickory, it is easy to pak out,
some with the thorax fully one-fourth wider than long, and others with 1
one-fourth longer than wide, but they are brought together so insensibly
by intermediates, that where the proper separation into species should
begin it is impossible to decide. ‘The same may be said of the differences
in elongation, narrowness and pubescence; and I can find no basis for
retaining paralle/um as even a racial or varietal name. es
I trust the foregoing may stimulate such as have opportunity to inves! :
tigate the habits of this interesting beetle more thoroughly. I mention ;
some of the points that require clearing up. First, the length of time __
occupied in the metamorphosis of such as breed in the branches of living
trees. One year is certainly an error, as it is opposed to the known his- —
tory of any other Cerambycide having a similar habit. Second, whether |
the falling of the limb is not accidental, the majority containing larvee not
being weakened enough to break. Third, whether the end of the limb
remaining on the tree does not contain the insect equally with that which |
falls—points that might be determined by cutting down a tree in autumn -
from which limbs had been pruned. Fourth, to make 2 cone bat
comparison from each species of tree infested. . :
Besides the accounts of Professor Peck, Fitch and Harris, the follow-
ing bibliography may be noticed : oun
Haldeman—Trans. Am. Phil. Soc., vol. 10, Pp. 34. oan
Larva feeds on the living [?] wood of oak, hickory and cheateiuts also
dead Abies. ;
Riley—American Ent., vol. 2, p. 60; 2d. vol. 3, p. 239.
Larva bores in plum and apple twigs, and in dry grape cane, Nasi
Rep., 3, p. 6. Bores into and prunes the limbs of the apple. - 70. 4, p.
54. Bred abundantly from injured grape stems. ers
Rathvon—U. S. Agricultural Rep., 1861, p. 615.
Merely a synopsis of Fitch’s account.
Packard, jr.—Bul., No. 7, p. 30. U.S. Entomological Commission.
Scissored from Fitch in full. <
Clarkson—Can, Ent., vol. 17, p. 188, and vol. 19, p. 31. |
Discovers that the insect completes its metamorphosis in the fall and
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. — 145
early winter, in oak limbs, and takes issue with Peck, Fitch and Harris on
several points.
_ Townsend, Can. Ent., vol. 18, p. 12.
_ Thinks Mr. Clarkson’s discovery the exception, and not the rule, in
the time of metamorphosis. ve
‘DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN
HETEROCERA, WITH NOTES.
BY HENRY EDWARDS.
FAM. AXGERIADA,
» Fartua Patmtt, n. sp.
Allied to & denudata, but differing greatly in important particulars.
Fore wings are bright shining seal-brown, deep orange along the costa
for the basal half. At the middle of the wing at base is a narrow
denuded space, and the internal angle is also devoid of scales, but much
- more narrowly so than in denudata. ‘The transparent space is golden
_ yellow in shade. Lower wings transparent golden yellow, with very
_ bright but dark opalescent reflection. The margin and spot at the
extremity of cell dark brown. Antenne bluish black, orange brown at
| the base. Head, disk of thorax, and the upper portion of the abdominal
_ segments, black. Eyes black, palpi with black at their base. Front of
4 head, collar, sides and base of thorax, posterior edges of abdominal
_ segments bright orange. Feet and legs wholly orange without any
black bands.
2 Exp. wings 45 m.m. Length of body22m.m. 1 @. Enterprise, .
Florida. Taken by Mr. C. Palm, to whom I dedicate the species.
@ FAM. BOMBYCID&.
: LIMACODES BEUTENMUELLERI, N. sp. 7
. Primaries rich chestnut brown, very glossy and mottled with blue
"metallic scales. Across the median, space, and extending along internal
margin to base is a deep fawn brown shade enclosing darker shades,
| ° and giving a clouded appearance to the wing. The apical part of the
_ margin and the fringe pale fawn drab, passing into darker shade at the
internal angle. Secondaries smoky brown, margins paler. Beneath
146 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
wings wholly smoky brown, with the apices pale. Head, thorax and
abdomen chestnut brown. Exp. wings, 21m.m. Length of body 9 m.m.
Enterprise, Florida. 1 9.
I name this beautiful species after its discoverer, Mr. W. Bevel ’
mueller, an earnest and talented entomologist, from whom good work in
the future may be expected. aa
FAM. NOCTUID&,
SCOTOGRAMMA STRETCHII, n. sp.
With much of the general appearance of Perigea falsa, Gr., but said
by Mr. J.-B. Smith to belong to his new genus Scotogramma. Dark
stone drab, the lines blackish, all much confused, and the ground color of
the wing covered with brownish irrorations. Basal half-line indistinct.
T. a. line nearly straight, with a deep tooth anteriorly pointing towards —
the base. T. p. line dentated outwardly and joining the reniform in a—
darker cloud. Marginal line lost in a row of dark clouds. Intronervule
spaces pointed with black lunules. The basal, median and submarginal
‘spaces are pale by contrast with the dark lines. Lower wings dull stone
drab, a little paler toward the base. Under side uniform stone drab,
with very distinct darker discal spots and a median band common to
both wings. Margins also dark. Thorax and abdomen concolorous.
Exp. wings, 32 mm. 1 9, 2 ¢. Colorado Desert. R. H. Stretch. ae
NOTES.
SpHINX CupPREssI, Bdv.
It has been my good fortune to have the opportunity of examining —
two specimens (both ~¢) of this very rare Sphinx, one taken by Mr. C,
Palm, at Kissimmee, Florida, and the other by Mrs. Slosson, at Enter- —
prise, Florida. I have no doubt whatever as to its being a very distinct
species. Its color is pale fawn, with some whitish dashes over the
primaries, and three brown streaks as indicated in Boisduval’s figure. —
The lower wings are rich brown. Mr. Palm’s specimen was taken in a
cypress swamp, and Mrs. Slosson’s at electric light. Both captures were —
made in May. It is probably an early insect, as the CXAMIDIES were
somewhat rubbed.
PRIONEA LACERTULA, L.
This well-known European moth must be added to our fauna. A
fresh specimen was taken by me in July, 1886, at St. John, N. B. Tam
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 147
inclined to think that this species may be confounded in some collections
with P. bilineata, examples of which from Nova Scotia are in my
— collection.
NOTE ON THECLA AUGUSTUS.
BY REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC.
I beg to record the capture, by myself, in the neighborhood of Berger-
ville, Province of Quebec, of two specimens of Zhecla Augustus. One
_ of them was taken on the 6th, and the other on the 8th of June. I am
indebted to Mr. W. H. Edwards for the identification of the insects.
A figure of Zhecla Augustus is given by Harris in his work on insects
injurious to vegetation, page 279. As he gives no description of the
insect, the following may not be unwelcome to some of the readers of the
CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST :—
Expanse of wings 1 inch. Colour above, umber-brown, darker along
the costa, and at the base in fore-wings. At the centre, in the fore-wings,®
there is a rust-red tinge or blush; and at the anal angle in the hind-
wings there is an indistinct spot of the same color. The under-side of
the fore-wings is of a lighter shade than the upper. Beyond the centre
of the wing is a wavy transverse dark line. The hind-wings on the under-
_ side have a basal patch of dark umber irregularly bordered. The
-_ antenne are ringed black and white.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA, Part 2.
| BY DR. H. A, HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from page 136.)
3. Acanthaclisis Texana Hagen.
I have a male and two females from Carrizo Spring, Dimmit Co.,
Western Texas, just near the frontier of Mexico.
Length of body, male, with app., 50 m.m.; female, 45. Length with
wings, 65 mm. Exp. al., 118 to 120.
Very similar in shape and color to 4. Americana. After long con-
sideration I believe them to be different species, until by a larger material
148 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
it shall be shown that the differences given are such that 4. Texana
be considered to be only a well marked variety. fre
The differences are :— |
1. The vertex is rounded, convex above and before, very sited di
pressed longitudinally in the middle. The vertex of Americana i is *
flattened above, and cut off sharply anteriorly.
2. The last joint of labial palpi is more thickened, the ovddentie co-
arctate tip shorter and truncate on the extreme apex. The same joint of
Americana is less thickened, the tip longer and pointed. :
3. The prothorax is a little shorter, equally broad in front and 1 ear
the mesothorax. In Americana the prothorax i is visibly narrowed
near the mesothorax. I consider the structural differences of the h
thorax and wings important, and was indeed induced only by them |
separate the two species. The difference of the spots on the wings is less
important, the more so as I have noted, Stett. Ent. Z., XIX. p. 12.
specimen of A. occitanica from Russia with similar spotted wings” as
Americana.
4. All wings are sharper pointed, the hind wings are narrower, and the
apex more falcate. The wings are less spotted ; the space between fo )
and fifth vein is without spots, the space between subcosta Red, mda
nearly spotless ; the hind wings less spotted. | ee
5. The color of the body below is yellow, the legs neatly jolla
abdomen above yellow with a longitudinal brown band, divided in
median line ; on each side a lateral dark band ; the segments 5 to 7 wit
a small yellow dot on each side nearer to the base. The appendages of
the male are short, 3 m.m. long, cylindrical, straight, rounded on bn :
black hairs.
4. Acanthaclisis fallax Rbr.
I am not able to give now an exact and sure opinion of this species
as my 12 specimens were destroyed in bringing over my collection, OF
these, seven males were from Brazil and Guiana (JZ. senidis Klug, till
present in the Berlin Museum), and from California. I had provisic nall
separated five of these from Cuba and Venezuela (not described) y
Cubana, mihi. But I have described them all later as A. Salli
(type compared). and A. impostor Walk. (type compared) in. my Synor
of Neuropt. of N. America, p. 223, No, 2, Only two specinieny #8
Sane
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a
i
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7
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7
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 149
we bad condition are now before me, from Mungruba, Ceara, N. E. Brazil,
and from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mex., coll. by Prof. Suamichrast.
A figure, which has been overlooked, is given (1742) in Reaumur, Mem.,
vol. 6, pl. 34, f. 15, and only mentioned, p. 386, as received from Hayti
-by Mr. DuHamel. The figure, a male, is bad, but represents very proba-
bly the same species.
The wings of 4. fa//ax are much paler, less spotted, or not at all.
Otherwise, if my memory is right, they agree with 4. Texana, at least
some small differences in Rambur’s and Walker’s descriptions seem to be
not important. If so, 4. Zexana would be only a northern, stronger
colored form of A. fallax.
Though I have tried to separate carefully 4. Americana from A.
Texana, the assumption that the first species may represent only a more
northern and strongly marked form of the latter one is very inviting.
_ Nevertheless I have before me the raised larva of A. Americana from
Florida, and the supposed larva of 4. fa//ax from Victoria, Brazil. Both
seem to me different, and until now no other Brazilian species is known,
5. Lrevious Stages of Acanthaclisis Americana.
Larva full grown Head oblong, broad, the base covered by the pro-
thorax ; a little longer than broad, above flattened, below slightly convex ;
sides a little curvate, so that the base is narrowed ; front margin notched ;
labrum nearly as broad as the head, on each side covering as a narrow
lobe the base of mandibles ; front margin with black bristles ; eye-cone
with six ocelli, and a seventh below the others among black bristles ;
antennee short, thin, with annulated joints, and a longer, cylindrical apical
one ; mandibles as long as the head, black, powerful; basal half dilated
with three oblique strong teeth, separated, the basal one a little shorter ;
apical half curvated, pointed ; no interior bristles ; head above with short
hairs, directed to the front, on sides and below more numerous ; labial
palpi short, two cylindrical small basal joints; apical as long as both
together, thicker, above triangularly dilated.
Prothorax a little broader than head, above globose ; hind segment
short with two stigmata ; the other parts ovoid, half as broad as long ;
mesothorax broadest ; scars as commonly ; first abdominal segment with
a dorsal stigma, the following ones lateral ; the segments with short black
lateral brushes ; abdomen above with black hairs on the transversal folds ;
last segment round, transversally split with numerous black thorns and
150 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
hairs. Legs moderately long and thick, the claws a little incurvate sos:
tip ; hind legs shorter ; claws short, strong, pyramidal. Color yellowish
gray ; head above with two black bands, enlarged before, and on each
side an incurved black line, touching the front corner of the band and
going behind to the lateral margin ; before the bands two angular spots ;
lateral margin dark ; head below blackish brown on the middle of front
margin, and on the sides below the eye-cones yellowish ; on each side of
the base brownish, less dark ; prothorax with two blackish longitudinal
bands, broader anteriorly ; basal segment with two angular spots ; abdo-
men above gray, checkered with black ; two black bands on each side
are interrupted to form square black spots ; below the abdomen is more
yellowish at base, with angular black spots between the legs, which ¢ are
pale yellow. . :
Long., 23 m.m.; lat., ro m.m.
Comparing this larva with those supposed to belong to J. falls
(Stett Ent. Z., 1873, p. 266), there can be no doubt that they belong to
different sauce Those of A. fallax are longer, more slender, the head
narrower, longer, the lateral margins of abdomen with long black brushes,
the teeth of mandibles different, and the part of the mandible in which
they are inserted more inflated ; besides the colors are different.
The larva of A. Americana is in shape, form and color more like that
of A. occitanica, but the teeth of the latter are more like those of Sallax.
The shed larva skin of Americana, 12 m.m. long, is before me ; cua
the cocoon, 20 m.m in diameter, externally covered with sand.
A nymph just hatched, 26 m.m. long, is still partly in the skin; ‘the
mandibles are just as broad and just as serrated as Brauer figures them
for A. occitanica. In fact all stages are so similar that it is difficult oe
believe them to belong to different genera.
Habitat.—Mr. H. G. Hubbard, to whom I am indebted for this tolls: i
able discovery, writes as follows: ‘‘ The Acanthaclisis Americana I bred
from the larva. One died in quitting the cocgon. I never saw the imago
until I bred it, so it must be very rare in Florida. The larvee I found in
dry sand under a building in Crescent City, Florida. They do not make.
pits, but they prey upon the common pit-fall making Myrmeleon lar
These they chase under the sand, as fish pursue their prey under wa
I found that in confinement they would not eat anything which remair
on top of the sand, nor which I purposely buried for them. But —
SET ROS EN re RE
ait esate os aa ce a
SalI Re
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 151
me captured and ate as many larve of Myrmeleon as I had time to procure
for them.” :
6. Larva. |
Together with the two larve of 4. Americana, Mr. Hubbard sent a
very similar but a little smaller one from the same locality.
The larva is of much brighter colors, long. 17 m.m., broad 7 m.m.,
and is similar to A. Americana, but with only one tooth on the mandibles.
This is so entirely exceptional for Myrmeleon and Ascalaphus (only
Suphalasca Dietrichie, Brauer, is known with one tooth), that at first I
supposed it to be a deformity. Nevertheless both mandibles are entirely
alike, and no trace of any deformity is to be seen. The mandibles are
reddish-brown, shorter than in Americana, and less incurved ; internally
after the third basal part a strong, oblique, conical tooth, much longer and
larger than the basal tooth of 4. Americana; there are no bristles, but
the inner margin of the mandible goes behind the tooth, sloping to the tip.
The eye-cone is lower; antennz with three basal joints longer, conical,
followed by a few annulate short joints, the apical one larger ovoid.
Head smaller ; otherwise the whole larva, colors excepted, is entirely
similar to 4. Americana. The color is light yellow with a grayish tinge
on thorax and abdomen ; two black dots near the front of the head ; pro-
thorax on each side of the front margin with a transversal black band,
notched behind ; two large spots near the hind margin ; mesothorax and
metathorax on each side with a round black spot, divided by a yellow
line; abdomen above with two black interrupted bands, formed by a
square spot on each segment; a strong black brush directed anteriorly on
the side margin of segments; the under side and legs are uniformly yel-
low ; head with a black anterior margin; last segment as in Americana.
I can not say more about this curious larva. Mr. Hubbard writes me
that it was collected in the same place with the others, but that he had
not remarked the difference of the mandibles. Perhaps he will be able to
solve the mystery.
7. Acanthactlisis occitanica, Vill.
The life history of this species is very well described by Professor
Brauer ; all stages are before me. It was known long ago that among
the species of Acanthaclisis in America, Africa, Asia and perhaps Aus-
tralia, a certain number have not the spurs broken in a right angle sud-
denly, and the basal part dilated as in the type. Rambur is supposed to
152 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
have chosen the name of the genus for this character, though I am
aware that he ever had mentioned it; the derivation is given in Agassiz
Nomenclator. ‘The other species have the spurs subuliform, more or le: s
incurvated. This character is indeed very obvious, and so it has been
several times stated that probably the species with subuliform spurs. could.
form a different genus. Mr. Redtenbacher, 1884, remarks that I had not
stated whether the larva of A. fa//ax had bristles between the teeth of the
mandibles or not. Now 4. fa//ax has no bristles, and therefore tl
were not mentioned by me. But I was not then aware of the importance
of this character, otherwise I should have mentioned their absence. The
splendid figures of all my larvee drawn by Mr. Konopicki, Vienna, I have
not yet been able to publish. x
The question whether Acanthaclisis has to be divided « or not, wae
studied by me carefully. The previous stages of Americana, the first
species known with unbroken spurs, except for the entire absence of bristles
between the teeth of the mandibles, seem not to favor a division. I am
until now not able to find differences in the characters, except the
negative one in the larva, and the positive one in the imago. But I think
in Chrysopa and its allied forms similar differences exist. The third N.
American species, my A. congener, has broken spurs similar to those of
occitanica, and my presumed larva (Mr. Redtenbacher supposes it to be-
long to Macronemurus) has bristles on the inner margin of the mandibles.
Mr. McLachlan, Ent. M. Mag., vol. xx., p. 183, says of A. occitanica :
‘‘ Introduced in Prussia.” _If his statement is not based on new facts or
observations unknown to me, I believe that a perusal of the statements
given in Stett. Ent. Zeit., vol. xix., p. 124, and vol. xx., p. 431, will not
warrant us to consider the species as introduced in Prussia It is true
that the species found through seven years in Kahlberg, Prussia, is not
recorded for the whole region between Prussia and Hungary, or beyond
the Alps. But I may remark that 4. Americana is not recorded for the
larger distance from Sandy Hook, New York, to the south of N. Carolina.
It is believed that a number of insects of the southern species, even of
Florida, are to be found in S. Massachusetts, Martha’s Vineyard, Nan-
tucket, as a consequence of the warmer temperature of the Gulf Stream ;
I am assured of the same fact for Sandy Hook. There is perhaps another
explanation of the fact that 4. Americana has not been yet discovered
between New York and N. Carolina. Those large Acanthaclisis belc
to the most sluggish insects known. For the European species I
pais Ban 2t oem
Yo
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. LE
speak from my own experience, which is fully corroborated for the American
species by two entomologists here. In Kahlberg, Mr. Schindofsky came
to show me the insect in the field, and told me he was sure I would pass
by it without seeing it. On a rustic fence I really passed it; the speci-
men had been sitting on the same place at least for two hours, and
matched perfectly with the color of the bark of the fence rail. I threw it
in the air to see it fly. It fluttered in the most lazy and awkward manner,
until it tumbled in a potato field very near ; when I took it up again, -
without any resistance on its part, the same show was experienced. Per-
haps they are more agile during the night. The not uncommon presence
of the insect in the same place was observed during the last seven years
before I left Europe. As later, by order of the Government, a country
road was laid just through the sandy hill where the insect lived, it may
have been destroyed, but I have had no information about it. As I have
been connected most intimately since the first discovery of this species in
Prussia, with the question, ‘‘introduced or not,” I beg leave to give my
objections to the statement that it is introduced, which seems to be an
impossibility.
The following interesting species of an Ascalaphide, described by me
many years ago, but not yet published, has the same distribution as
Acanthaclisis Americana, going even further to the north.
8. Colobopterus excisus Hagen.
Male. Eyes globose, very large, separated above by a narrow, hol-
lowed, dark brown furrow ; front dark brown, along the inner border of
the eyes pale ; near the antennz with long grayish hairs ; each side above
the labrum with dense whitish hairs; labrum yellowish; palpi shining,
blackish-brown, joints paler on tip, which has black hairs around, except
the apical joint ; labium yellow. Eyes blackish-brown behind ; antennz
a little shorter than front wings, blackish, base with grayish hairs, club
large, ovoid, the joints above and below with white transversal lines.
Thorax dark brown with two yellow spots and brown villosity above ;
besides gray hairs. Abdomen a little longer thai the wings, basal half a
little enlarged ; black, segments 2nd to 4th with a long black velvety band
on each side of the apical half; surrounded by yellow, which covers
the basal half, and is separated only narrowly in the middle ; segment 2
with a dorsal brush of erected black hairs in the middle, where the velvety
bands begin ; the three last segments yellowish on tip ; last segment cov-
ering two oblique appendages, the tip somewhat inflated, yellowish ; those
154 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
parts are not well visible. Legs short, black, very hairy ; spurs as :
as four tarsal joints. Wings hyaline, veins brown; extreme base of all”
brownish ; pterostigma yellowish ; hind wings on the basal third of "the
hind margin with a deep semi-circular excision, reaching the ——
veins ; front wings with a very flat notch on the base. uh
Long. of body 34 to 38 m.m,; long. of abdomen 2s to 31 m.m.; long.
antennae 26 m.m.; exp. al. 64 m.m. Lat. of hind woes 7 pres on the
‘notch, 3 m.m. .
Hab.—A male from Florida, by Uhler; a male from Combating Gap
Ky.; a male from New Haven, Conn., by E. Harrison ; a male from F.
mouth, Mass., July 22; a male from Middleboro, Mass.; besides I ha
seen some fresh specimens collected by B. P. Mann in June, in Martha’
Vineyard. The distribution from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard Isl. i
very large. This species is until now the only one known from the U ‘Si
I have before me a sketch of a young larva of an Ascalaphide, made
more than a dozen years ago, which was shown to me by Mr. Riley ; p
haps it belongs to this species, at least it differs from all larvae known.
9. Acanthaclisis congener Hag. ae
_ Synops. N. Am. Neuroptera, p. 224, No. 3. 4
Black with gray villosity; face, palpi and base of the antennze. pe '
neath yellowish white ; antennz short, stout, black, faintly annulated with
yellow, more visible on the apex ; maxillary palpi yellow, slender, cylin--
drical ; labial palpi longer, stronger yellow, last joint with short black
hairs, inflated before the sudden coarctated pyramidal tip ; on the infla
an external impressed longitudinal narrow band; vertex black with two.
anterior transversal bands, the posterior one incomplete, interrupted in the
middle, and two dots posterior to the bands, all yellow ; prothorax
quadrangular, a little broader near the thorax, front margin about straight
black, with some whitish villosity ; some tufts of black hairs on each side
a maculose stripe on each side and two middle spots yellow; posterior
margin fulvous, black in the middle; mesothorax black, covered wi
whitish villosity ; two spots en the front margin, then six in a series, the
intermediate ones triangular, and two posterior, all yellow ; some not well
defined below the wings. Abdomen black with gray pile, more dense
the base ; posterior margin of segments pale yellowish ; segments 5 an
6 of males with a large triangular apical spot, which is bifid on the ‘5t
segment ; last segment short, black ; male appendages very hairy, ligh
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 155
brown, twice as long as last segment, basal half thicker, with a knee
below, apical half cylindrical, rounded on tip, with a brush of black hairs
below ; seen from besides the basal half is triangular, going downward,
the apical half straight horizontal. Abdomen of female a little shorter
and thicker ; last segment below with black hairs, and split in the middle ;
on each side with a yellow cylindrical appendage as long as segments ;
legs short, hairy, fuscous ; tibiz yellowish, annulated with black, or some-
times black annulated with yellow ; spurs brown, dilated, the tip broken
down suddenly in a right angle ; tarsi black, apical joint yellow ; claws
brown, incurved. Wings hyaline, a little acuminate, veins and veinlets
alternately yellow and black; pterostigma small, indistinct, blackish ;
costal space with one series of areoles ; hind wings a little shorter, veins
not so much spotted.; the males at base with a small yellowish pelote.
Long. of body, 36 to 38 m.m.; exp. alar., 70 to 80 m.m.
Hab.—The types (now destroyed) were four females from Pecos
River, Western Texas (now N. Mexico), collected in July on Capt. Pope’s
Expedition ; one specimen of the same lot is still present in Mr. Uhler’s
coll. I have now before me a dozen specimens, half females, one from
Oregon by Mr. H. Edwards, and all others from Ainsworth, Wash. Terr.,
July 20, coll. by Mr. S. Henshaw, Ainsworth, a town, then only a few
months old, is situated in the middle of a sandy desert just near the
‘Columbia River and mouth of Snake River. ‘The little inn where we
had to stay showed the windows and window-sills covered with Myrme-
leons, all of a very sluggish temper. A. congener was common. One
male was collected the day before, July 19, on the Big Bend of the
Yakima River.
About the supposed larva of this species described by me long ago, I
have to speak later.
The species of Acanthaclisis described here are the only ones known
to exist in N. America.
10. Adyrmeleon gulo Burm.
The type of Burmeister, vol. ii., p. 997, No. 18, from Senegambia, in
Winthem’s collection, has been carefully compared by me. Burmeister
quotes JZ. gu/o Dalman, Analecta., p. 89, No. 101, but neither the label
nor the description give any surety that the specimen had been sent by
Dalman as his type, the more so as this is stated for the following species
in Burm. Handb., 47. Hyaena. The type of the latter is now with
156 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Schoenherr’s collection in the Stockholm Museum. Indeed the identity
of Burmeister’s JZ. gu/o with this of Dalman is rather doubtful, as the
following characters of Dalman’s description are wanting in Burmeister’
specimen : vor
1. Liger—alis fuscescentibus—nigro strigosis.
Collare—nigropilosum.
Thorax supra—zmmaculatus.
Pedes—immaculatt. afk
Alar. confertim reticulate; stigmata fusco; punctum Seine me-
dium ante apicem.
As Burmeister’s 17. gu/o is apparently Bi fabbarisr cages distincta Rbr, xe
may retain this name. | eee
2 Spl ses ea
11. MMyrmeleon nigrum Linn. pe
Among Linnzeus’s papers were found the descriptions of some species
which were published by Afzelius in Linnzus’s autograph annotations, p.
138, No. 14. The same was re-published, 1832, by Fee, in the ape bg
Linn , Mém. Soc. Sc. Lille, p. 365 : ie
Myrmeleon nigrum.—Alis medio fascia posticeque maculis albis, :
Hab., Africa, Fothergill. Corpus Myrm. formicarii sed alae latiores, et
totum nigrum. Antenne setacez. Alae nigre concolores ; fascia alba
lineari interrupta in medio, sed postice maculis albis plurimis majoribus
magis sparsis. ae
I am not aware that the species is mentioned by later entomologists. ;
I do not know where it belongs.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOMBYCID:.
BY A, R. GROTE, A.M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
Notwithstanding much that has been learnedly written upon the
family Bompycip&, or Spinner Moths, no strong exclusive structural —
characters have been brought to light which hold the groups together as
a natural family. Following Linné and Latreille, the American authors,
Dr. Harris and Dr. Packard, have, however, considered such a family to
exist. In Germany the different groups, or sub-families, have been raised
to the rank of families, while under the loose term Bombyces the
Spinner Moths as a whole have been designated. In this paper the —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. LO?
American tradition is followed, and the nomenclature adapted to this
classificatory view. The Bombycide are characterized as a whole by
their ample wings and sluggish habit. The head is small and the oval
structure generally weak and undeveloped. The antenne are short,
rather than long, and oftenest pectinated in the male sex. The pieces of
which the thorax is composed present a somewhat different proportion, as
compared with other families of moths, and the thorax appears shorter
and also more elevated dorsally. The legs are weak; the abdomen
cylindrical, untufted as a rule, and not exceeding the hind wings. The
habit of cocoon-making is carried to its greatest development in certain
groups, but the American sub-family Ceratocampine makes no cocoon,
the pupa lying naked in the ground. The strong characters which
mark certain sub-families, such as the Hefza/ing, in the neuration and
thoracic structure, at first sight seem of family rank, but the general
form, which must decide the question, according to Agassiz, enables us
to consider all these groups as interrelated and as the survivors of a
former complex in which there were fewer gaps. The arrangement of
these groups ina linear series must proceed according to our ideas of
rank, and in this case it cannot be doubted that the Wesza/ine are the
lowest. The classification of Harris is thus apparently more philosophic
than that of v. Hainemann and Speyer.
I have only differed from Dr. Packard in eliminating the Hemdleu-
cing, and in separating the Cossine and Hepialing; further, I have
placed the genus Cvocata among the Arctiine; I have also rejected
Packard’s genus //atycerura as not allied to Cerura, but as probably an
Apateloid form. If we do not include this genus among the higher
Owlet Moths, it must find a place beside Dasychira. The moth itself
was one of my own earliest discoveries. I kept back from describing it
on hearing that it was to be published in the well-known Synopsis of the
family which shortly after appeared in the Proceedings of the Entomo-
logical Society of Philadelphia.
The different sub-families of the Bombycide show resemblances to
other families of moths: The Arctiine are with difficulty to be separated
from the lower Zygenide,; the Psychiine run close to certain Zineide ;
the Wotodontine resemble the NMoctuide; the Ceratocampine the Sphin-
gide; the Cochliopodine the Tortricide; the Platypterygine the Geo-
metride. The Cossine and Hepialine are internal feeders in the larval
state, and thus resemble the gerizde. Dr. Packard has most inter-
158 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
estingly shown that the europtera afford a synthetic type among the
orders of insects, and also how the Hepia/ine are related to this order by
their long thorax, the sub-equal wings, the unusual number of veins, their
distance at base, being nearly set on a plane, as the wings of dragon-flies.
So, among the moths themselves, the Spinners occupy a central and
synthethic position, having resemblances to all the other moths, and
probably containing very old types of Lepidoptera. aoe
The caterpillars are usually hairy or provided with warts and bristles, Lk
but not a few are naked and sphingiform, as that of Votodonta stragula.
Probably one of the most remarkable known lepidopterous larvee, that of 2
the European Stauropus fagi, occurs in this family. This brown. :
caterpillar is called “the lobster” by collectors from its odd shape ; the |
thoracic feet are abnormally developed. The moth is not unlike our cs
genus /eterocampa and is sufficiently commonplace. Walker sie 5
credits North America with species of this genus.
_ The sub-family (Vycteoline, of which /Voda is the type, and Tae is
characterized by the weak bushy palpi, while the white and grey moths
look like minute Woctuide (Eustrotia), is represented in North America
by the genera Wola, Argyrophyes and Sarothripus. The palpi exceed
the head, and are somewhat flattened. The second sub-family, or
Lithosiine, is characterized by the absence of simple eyes, or ocelli, and
narrow wings, while most of the genera are, like the Bryophilians, lichen
feeding The genus Crocota is wrongly included here by Dr. Packard.
Prof. Saunders describes the larva of C. guinaria under the name of
Arctia bimacula, and it is quite clear that this frail genus is. to be
classed under the sub-family Arctiine.
In the present brief paper I only direct attention to the bieiuee of
the sub-family Hemileucine. In this sub-family, which I separated from.
the Attacine (=Saturnide of Authors), the mature larva is provided with
short bristles arising in fascicles, and thus in the mature larval stage.
resembles the young larva of the A¢tacine on leaving the egg, such as
that of Platysamia cecropia. The cocoon is not free and spun in the
leaves and branches, but on the ground, amid debris and mixed with sand
and soil. The perfect insect has the antennz less lengthily pectinate, as
compared with the Aftacine, and the broad wings are no longer falcate.
We have to do with a type intermediate between the stfacine and
Ceratocampine. The genera are Pseudohasis, Hemileuca, Argyrauges,
Coloradia and Hyperchiria. Hemileuca contains species so bes.
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 159
allied that it is evident we have to do with one of the kind I have called
Progenera, of which Datana is so conspicuous an example. The moth
H. tricolor Grote, ex Pack., is, however, a true Hemileuca. The cha-
racters of this genus, the black antenne, the red body tufts, are retained in
this faded moth, which has been cited by Dr. Packard as owing its color
to its peculiar environment. The genus and species Argyrauges
Neumoegeni Grote, ex Hy. Edwards, is closely allied, but here the
antenne are yellowish and comparative differences allow us to concede a
new generic type. The relationship is evidenced by the red tufts still,
but the pattern, not the color, has also undergone a modification. It is
quite clear that the genus Zudeucopheus has been misapplied by Henry
Edwards and Mr. Neumoegen. I have not seen the insects described
by these writers, but they must be referred to a different genus, since
Euleucopheus, with its type ¢ricolor, has no standing. They may be
allied to Coloradia.
The sub-family Ceratocamping is first eliminated by Dr. Harris. It
appears to me to be exclusively North American, and even to be con-
fined to the wider region east of the Rocky Mountains, the Sierras and
Cordilleras and Andes of America, the rocky back bone of the whole
continent. Among our Af¢tacinae, the two species of Saturnia are most
interesting, both because they belong to this European genus, and
because they illustrate what I have pointed out among the lower moths,
a certain affinity between the faunas of Texas and California, not
apparent in the Lepidoptera of the Middle States.
SOME EUROPEAN BEETLES IN AMERICA.
; BY SAMUEL HENSHAW, BOSTON, MASS.
On page 114 of the present volume of the Canapian ENTOMOLOGIST
Mr. A. R. Grote in his ‘‘ Note on Mistaken Identifications,” mentions
Dr. Harris’s record of the capture of Carabus auratus Linn., in Mas-
sachusetts, and implies that Dr. Harris has made an erroneous, or
‘ curious,” identification. This, however, is not the case, and it would
be impossible for so careful an observer as Dr. Harris to make a mistake
about a species so well known.
The specimen referred to is preserved in the Harris collection, and, so
far as I know, is the only one on record captured in the United States.
160 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
In the catalogue of the Harris collection we read: ‘‘ 2. Carabus aur ul
L. In Dr. Holbrook’s garden, 1819. Undoabrery introduced in _
of earth surrounding the roots of French trees.” a
Dr. Leconte (Ann. Lyc. 1848, vol. iv., p. 159-160,) also race
this occurrence of C. auratus in the United States, and assigns the same
‘method of dispersion. This record of C. auratus recalls the case of <
another common European beetle found once in Eastern Massachusetts, :
but which has failed to become established. In the Proc. Bost. Soc. Fa :
Nat. Hist., 1869, vol. xii., p. 381, Mr. Ernest Papendiek notes the a
capture in Milton, Mass., of twenty specimens of Si/pha atrata. Hee:
In 1844, Dr. F. E. Melsheimer described as new Onthophadee be
rhinoceros and Aphodius pensvallensis; subsequent study, however, —
proved O. rhinoceros synonymous with O. nuchicornis, and A. pensval —
lensis the same as A. erraticus, both well known European species. —
Drs. Haldeman and Leconte in a foot note to the Melsheimer catalogue e.
doubted the occurrence of both species “ unless introduced by accident,” _
and it is only quite recently that we have been able to add both species”
to our lists. Mr. Otto Lugger reports 4. erraticus as abundant in
Maryland, and in June, 1881, when collecting on several of the Magdalen %,
Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, I found O. nuchicornis abundant in —
cattle droppings. As I have since seen specimens from New Brunswick |
and Rhode Island, the species is probably established in this country. =
On some future occasion it will be interesting to note the species —
erroneously accredited to the fauna of North America, together with p ;
cost common to America and the eastern hemisphere. Pe
REPORT OF THE SELECT STANDING COMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION AND
CoLonizaTIon of the House of Commons, Ottawa, 1886, — 2
In this “Blue Book” we find some valuable information on injurious a
insects given to the Committee by our friend Mr. James Fletcher, who is —
doing much good work in Economic Entomology in connection with the ©
Dominion Department of Agriculture. It must be evident to the Depart-
ment, we should think, by this time that Mr. Fletcher’s services are of Ve
much value to the country that they should be no longer of a purely —
“honorary” character, but should be regarded in the same light as those —
of Prof. Riley at Washington, Dr. Lintner at Albany, Prof. Forbes | ine
Illinois, and many others in various States of the Union.
No. 8 mailed July 30.
eee) rete
7 ;
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XIX. LONDON, SEPTEMBER, 1887. No. 9
SOME NORTH AMERICAN TACHINA.
BY BARON OSTEN SACKEN.
[The following paper was left by Baron Osten Sacken [O. S. had left Washington
_ on Embassy about ten years earlier], with his collection of Diptera, in the charge of
4 Dr. H. A. Hagen, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass., by
'_whom it has been sent to us for publication. The description of the last species,
Tachina theclarum, is by S. H. Scudder.—Eb. C. E.]
Tachina (Exorista) futilis Say., MSS. gf, 2. Palpi, antenne and
legs black; face, front and last abdominal segment with a brassy-yellow
reflection. Length, 7-10 m.m.
Bottom of the antennal fovez silvery gray; the lower part of the
cheeks likewise ; front, lateral parts of the face and the orbit of the eyes
___ below and behind (genal and occipital orbit) brassy-yellowish, the color-
4 ing of the front being of a more saturate yellow than the lateral parts of
'___ the face ; above the antennz, in the middle of the front, a brown stripe,
attenuated posteriorly ; it bifurcates on the vertex, enclosing the grayish
ocellar triangle ; the hind plane of the head (occiput) gray. The row of
frontal bristles consists: 1st, of three bristles pointing backwards, the
uppermost of which is placed on the top of the vertex; znd, of three
shorter bristles pointing forward ; 3rd, of four or five bristles which form
diverging rows, descending on both sides of the antenne, the last being a
little below the end of the second antennal joint. Between the frontal
bristles and the eyes, the front bears numerous little hairs ; between these
rows on the ocellar triangle is the usual pair of bristles pointing forwards.
The females have three supernumerary pairs of larger bristles ; the first is
placed behind the upper corner of the eye, the two others between the
frontal row and the orbit of the eye. Among the above described smaller
hairs, immediately below the last bristle, the brassy-yellow color of the
face shows a brown, changing spot, visible in an oblique light only ;
below this place, the lateral parts of the face are smooth; a short
distance above the oral margin there is, on each side, the usual long
bristle ; above it, some shorter hairs reach to about one-quarter of the
ESS
162 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
distance between the long bristle and the root of the antenne. Antennz
black ; second joint with a grayish pollen, and with a crest of short, stiff
bristles ; third joint long, with parallel sides, more than three times the
length of the second, not quite reaching the edge of the mouth, Sia
distinctly pubescent.
Ground color of the thorax bluish black, almost concealed by five
stripes of gray pollen, with intermediate black lines ; the gray stripes are —
especially apparent when viewed obliquely from the posterior end of the —
body ; in this light the median stripe appears bifurcate posteriorly ; the
next pair abbreviated posteriorly ; the lateral pair very broad anteriorly,
over the humeri. Scutellum bluish-black, with gray pollinose reflections ;
its tip faintly brownish; on the hind edge there are six bristles, the
intermediate pair being the shortest ; above this pair, on the plane of a
scutellum, another similar pair. Pleurz, grayish pollinose.
Abdomen black, marmorate with silvery gray ; the fourth segment
brassy-yellow. The whole abdomen is covered with dense short hairs ;
a pair of longer bristles near the hind margin of the first and second
segments ; a row of such bristles on the hind margin of the third segment, —
and a double row at the end of the fourth. Legs black; pulvilli bits toa ee
knees slightly brownish. Ss
Wings: the first posterior cell open (closed by the prolongation of the
costal vein, however, which nearly reaches the apex of the wing); the.
distance between the tips of the second and third veins is a little longer
than that between the third vein and the apex of the wing ; the elbow of
the fourth vein without stump of a vein (a very minute one in one of the —
specimens); the great cross vein oblique, parallel to the last section of
the fourth vein ; small cross vein (in most specimens) opposite to about
the middle of the distance between the tips of the auxiliary and first
veins. :
Bred froth Vanessa atalanta (T. W. Harris and S. H. ee .
Numerous specimens.
Tachina (Exorista) blanda,n.sp. 4. Gray, thorax with four black
stripes, the lateral ones broken in the middle; palpi and legs reddish; ~
second and third abdominal segments with an additional pair of pea
crochet in the middle. Length 7 m.m.
Distribution of the frontal bristles as in Z. futidis f, that is, on each
side, beginning with the vertex, three longer bristles pointing backwards, three
shorter bristles before the antennz, and three or four bristles descending
on the face, alongside of the antenne. On the ocellar triangle, a pair of
bristles pointing forward. Between the row of frontal bristles and the
eyes, a few scattered microscopic hairs ; sides of the face bare. Front,
face and posterior orbit silvery white. Frontal stripe brown, rather
narrow, enclosing posteriorly the grayish ocellar triangle. Antenne black
slightly tinged with brownish red on the two first segments ; the third seg-
ment is very long, almost reaching the edge of the mouth. Only a few
a sit
Eyes pubescent.
Thorax gray, with a slight yellowish tinge from an oblique point of
view ; two slightly divergent black lines do not reach beyond the middle ;
two lateral black stripes are interrupted at the suture and prolonged
beyond it to the hind border; these lateral stripes are broadest in the
middle and end in a point, anteriorly and posteriorly. Scutellum gray ;
two pairs of large macrochete each side; a third Ie alapstr h very small
pair, on the apex.
Abdomen gray with, a slightly yellowish tinge, especially on
the last segment; somewhat marmorate, with blackish crossbands
on the hind margins of the segments, and a longitudinal blackish line ;
_ the crossbands appear more distinct and broader from an oblique point of
_ __ view ; the longitudinal line disappears when viewed sideways from above.
_ A pair of macrochetz on the hind margin of the first segment ; two pairs
on the second segment, one in the middle, the other on the hind margin ;
on the third segment, a pair in the middle, and the usual row on the hind
margin ; two rows on the fourth segment.
Legs: coxze and femora reddish; tibiz reddish-brown ; tarsi brown.
Pulvilli unusually large ; ungues ?
(The wings in the described specimen are injured.)
A single specimen, bred from Cynthia cardui (C. V. Riley.)
This species is like &. futz/7s in the distribution of the bristles on the
front and in the structure of the antennz. It differs in the presence of an
additional pair of macrochetz in the middle of the second and of the third
abdominal segments ; also in the comparative smallness of the intermediate
pair of macrochetz on the apex of the scutellum.
Tachina (Exorista) hirsuta n. sp. §. Palpi, antenne and legs
black. Length 7 m.m.
Distribution of the frontal bristles like that in Z. futc/is 2 ; that is,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 163
short bristles above the usual long oral bristle. Palpi, reddish yellow.
164 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
besides the usual row of bristles on the front, there is a second row of —
three bristles on each side, between the first row and the orbit of the eye ;
the upper bristle of this second row is placed near the upper corner of
the eye, alongside of the upper bristle of the first row ; the second and
third bristles are inserted lower down on the front. The usual inner row ©
of frontal bristles consists of three bristles on the vertex, pointing back-
wards, the upper one of which is the longest, and of six bristles below
them, descending rather low on the face, considerably below the end of
the second antennal joint. The pair of bristles on the ocellar triangle is
present. Above the usual long bristle on each side of the oral border
there is a row of small hairs, ascending along the ridge of the face, but
not reaching the level of the lowest bristle of the frontal row. Antenne
black, third joint with parallel sides, broader than in Z. futi/is and
E. blanda, but at the same time shorter, as it does not reach the oral
border. First half of the arista remarkably stout ; its basal joint long
and distinct. Palpi dark brown or black. Face and front silvery ; oral
margin pale; frontal stripe brown; ocellar triangle blackish, grayish
pollinose. Eyes pubescent. Thorax bluish-black, grayish-pollinose ;
two sub-parallel, soon interrupted, black stripes in the middle, and two
less definite lateral stripes, black. Pleurze black, with a light-grayish
pollen. Scutellum black, grayish-pollinose, its hind margin yellowish ;
the two lateral pairs of macrochete rather long and strong ; the inter-
mediate one small; a pair of small macrochete on the disc. Abdomen
black, marmorate, with grayish-silvery reflections, especially on the
anterior borders of the segments; a pair of macrochete on the hind —
border of the first segment (I believe that I perceive them in my only —
specimen, although its abdomen is so much crowded against the
scutellum that this character is not easily discernible); on the second
segment, a pair of macrochete in the middle only ; on the third, the
usual row of macrochetz along the hind border ; on the fourth, a number —
of macrochetz, giving it a bristly appearance ; the smaller hairs of the
abdomen are more erect, longer and bristle-like than in 2. /fwtélis or
E. blanda. Feet black. Wings nearly as in 2. futiéis.
Bred from Pieris rape in April (Lintner).
Tachina deilephile, Riley MSS. Q. Palpi yellowish ; antenne and
legs black ; face and front silvery ; abdomen red on the sides ; venter red.
Length 7 m. m,
Face and front silvery, the latter with a blackish-brown stripe ; ocellar
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 165
triangle enclosed in the bifurcation of this stripe ; the remaining portion
of the vertex blackish ; the rows of frontal bristles, on both sides of the
frontal stripe, are short and inconspicuous superiorly, and only of moderate
length near the antenne. Of the three uppermost pairs of long bristles
‘pointing backwards, which exist on the vertex in Z. futz/is, only the
upper one is present ; the lowest bristle of the rows is nearly opposite the
end of the second antennal joint; there are but a few very inconspicuous
hairs on the lower part of the front, between these rows and the orbit;
nearer to the vertex, these hairs become more dense ; a bristle above the
upper corner of the eye (corresponding toa similar bristle in Z. futz/is 2 ,)
is present ; the pair of bristles pointing forward on the ocellar triangle is
also extant. Below the bristles the face is smooth, with but a few almost
microscopic hairs ; a short distance from the oral margin, there is on each
side, the usual long bristle, above it some shorter hairs do not reach very
high on the face. Antenne black somewhat reddish on the incisure be-
tween the second and third joints ; third joint with parallel sides, much
shorter than the corresponding joint of #. /wti/zs and not reaching the
edge of the mouth by about one half ofits own length. yes distinctly
pubescent ; palpi yellowish.
Thorax black, with the usual five stripes of gray pollen on the dorsum ;
scutellum with a brownish tinge, grayish-pollinose ; bristles placed as in
£. futilis. Abdomen blackish in the middle, reddish on the sides and at
the tip ; the red on the second and third segments occupying as much of
the breadth of the dorsum as the black ; the fourth segment is red, with
elongated blackish spot in the middle of its base ; all the segments with
silvery-gray reflections. A row of bristles along the posterior margin of
the third and on the fourth segments ; the pairs of longer bristles on the
first and second segments, which exist in £. /futi/is, are wanting here.
Venter red, densly clothed with black hairs. Venation of the wings as in
E. futilis ; but the costal vein is not prolonged beyond the tip of the
fourth vein ; the great cross vein is distinctly bisinuate.
Bred from Detlephila lineata (C. V. Riley).
Three specimens.
The presence of only a single pair of long bristles on the top of the
vertex, pointing backwards, and the absence of the pairs of macrochetz
on the first and second abdominal segments, prove that this species belongs,
if not to a different genus, at least to a different section of a genus than
E. futilis.
166 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Tachina theclarum, parasitic on No. 30 ( Thecla inorata i}. Ms Ws
Saunders. From life. Length 5 m.m.
Back of head steel gray, covered with short blackish hala Bee a
pale or whitish slate color, with darker reflections and with «veri 3
broad, blackish, frontal band ; on either side a slightly curving row, out-
wardly concave, of black, curving, tapering bristles, directed upward,
P=
extending down the front from the summit to below the base of the
antenn ; outside of the middle of this row a pair of similar downward
directed bristles ; a pair of downward directed bristles near the middle of —
the summit. Antenne dark slate color. Eyes rich brown, covered wae
exceedingly delicate, short, white pile. a ae
Thorax above dark brown with a hoary bloom, covered fecitent
erect, short, black hairs, and infrequent, decumbent, backward directed,
large, black, tapering bristles ; metanotum edged broadly behind with
reddish brown ; thorax and abdomen beneath piceous ; covered profusely
with long black hairs. Abdomen above shining piceous, first joint im-
maculate, second and third, especially latter, silvery or nacreous at base,
obscure in the middle, fading out posteriorly ; fourth segment nacreous at
extreme base only ; all profusely covered with long black hairs ; second
segment with a pair of erect, slightly curving, very long and tapering sub-
dorsal bristles at the posterior border; third segment bristling with a
transverse row of similar bristles, a dozen or more in number.
Legs black ; claws black ; pulvilli pale or colorless ; tongue testaceous ;
covered profusely at tip with rather long colorless hairs ; labial pale
blackish-brown.
SOME NOTES ON THE GENUS COLIAS WHILST ALIVE IN” .
THE IMAGO STATE.
(Being extracts from a paper read before the Entomological Society of reenezeus’
Oct. 2oth, 1886.)
BY GAMBLE GEDDES, TORONTO.
The paper which I have prepared to read upon the genus Colias
differs from any that I have consulted up to the present time, in that it
treats principally of the habits of the different species during lifetime i in Rs
the imago state.
During the last ten years gigantic strides have been made by iesidoge : ‘a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 167
_terologists in breeding the different species of this perplexing family, and
their efforts have been crowned with such success that only a few remain
about which nothing is known of the primary stages. It is about the life
habits in the perfect state of some of these that I propose to address you,
and if my paper does no good, it certainly cannot do any harm, as you
will see by the subjoined list of my captures of the different species of
Coliadz that I have a right to express an opinion in this particular direc-
tion. Every entomologist knows that the only true way of ascertaining
_ bona fide species in any family of diurnals is by breeeding from the egg
and noting the different stages of metamorphoses, and although so much
has been accomplished in this genus Co/éas by enthusiastic collectors, yet
a great deal remains, and where we have not the means at hand to watch
the progress of an insect from its earliest stage, we must content ourselves
‘with the appearance first, and next, the habits of the perfect een:
that are thrown in our way.
The extreme difficulty of obtaining eggs and carrying or forwarding
‘them from long distances is only too well known to active collectors in
outlandish places in our vast Dominion, and my personal opinion has
been, and is, that when I have captured what I know to be a rare or a
doubtful 1 female of any kind, the correct thing is to kill it and pack it safely
in cotton wool and paper, and not to run the risk of attempting to take the
eggs and breed the insects. The fact of keeping the insects alive in a
‘box with the food-plant and travelling by stage or on horseback, as my
principal journeys have been made, almost compels the insect to damage
its wings, and to such an extent that it will be difficult to recognize.
By enclosing what I supposed to be the food-plant of the butterfly
with the female, I have lost, on many occasions, specimens which I would
like to possess now.
There are other risks to be run. The females may or may not lay eggs,
and these eggs may or may not prove fertile, and the young larve may or
may not live after they come to light (this I regret to say has been my
great trouble), and in every event I have always regretted the fact that I
had not killed and preserved the) female.
One instance I may here give of the few specimens of C. Edis
which I was fortunate enough to take. Of this species I did not take
_many examples, and I have always congratulated myself since upon the
fact that the few I did take are now safe in the hands of our leading col-
168 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
—tnamiatittts
lectors, who possess really good representative collections, and fine ex-
amples are to be seen in the National Museum of the Geological and
Natural History Survey of Canada, at Ottawa.
The variations in the appearance of the live females in the Coliadz are
most puzzling, and were it not for the similarity in the flight of several dis-
tinct forms of the same species, I fully believe the nomenclature of this
genus would be even larger to-day than it already is. I beg to call your
attention, as an example, to Co/ias Christina, Edw. |
The variations in size, in colour, and in the markings generally, are so
great, that had not several of the numerous forms been actually taken
in coitu, it would be hard to make a collector believe that they were one
and the same species. |
The females of Col. Christina, as far as my experience goes, may be
better compared to common “ribbon grass” than any other diurnal I have
come across—by which I mean to say, that as it is a difficult matter to
find two blades of grass exactly alike, so it is with the females of Co/.
Christina. ‘The shades run from a pale green (the colour of Actas luna, )
to lemon colour, and from lemon colour to bright orange, and the discal
spot on the primaries is almost obsolete in some, whilst in others great
uneven blotches of black or dark brown appear. When I captured this
species in very large numbers in 1883, whilst collecting for Mr. Henley
Grose Smith, of England, I was passing through what is known as the
Red Deer River country, about seventy miles from Calgary, in the
North West Territories. I was quite under the impression that I had
discovered a number of new species, and that I could on my return home
include a large proportion of my entomological acquaintances in descri-.
bing and naming after them these peculiar butterflies. Imagine my sur-
prise, when after referring about twenty-five or thirty of these females to
Mr. W. H. Edwards, they all came back labelled Co/. Christina, 2.
I now give a list of the different species of Colias with which I am
tolerably familiar, having captured specimens of each myself :
C. Christina, Edw., including southern form Astrea, Edw.
2 quick of flight, like Aurytheme, and difficult to capture ;
2 short flights and slow of movement in the air. (Mr. W. H.
Edwards has already figured Co/. Christina in his excellent
work on the butterflies of North America, but I have since
THE CANADIAN: ENTOMOLOGIST. 169
heard from him with pleasure that he is going to give a
number of varietal forms in the new volume now being
published; the plates will be for the most part figured
from examples captured by me in 1883-4.)
CC. Scudderii, Reak.
2 Slow of movement, like Christina, and easily capteree
CC. Occidentalis, Scud, including southern form Chrysomelas, Hy.
Edw. ee
| A lively insect, only taken when the sun was hottest and the
day brightest.
.C. Edwardsii, Behr.
No notes taken.
C. Alexandra, Edw. .
@ very lively, short flights; 2 not observed.
C. Eurytheme, Boisd.
Winter form Ariadne, Edw.
Keywaydin, Edw.
All the different forms of this insect are the liveliest I came
across in the North West Territories.
C. Hagenii, Edw.
Very like the above, and almost impossible te catch on the
wing, from the zig-zag movement in flying, and its long
flights, often flying high in the air. Was taken in 1886 by
me, at Kakabeka Falls, Lake Superior.
C. Philodice, Godt.
| 5 C. Interior, Scud.
a Apparently a lazy insect ; easy of capture. Very few taken in
- 1883 and 1884.
; C. Elis, Streck. |
| 3 ? has a remarkably short flight, dropping suddenly to the
a ground, getting itself entangled amongst the grass and
foliage ; not alighting, as most Coliads do, where they can
be seen, on a leaf or on a flower.
C. Elis is a new species described by Mr. Herman Strecker, after my
return from the Rocky Mountains, in 1884. At present nothing is defi-
nitely known about the male of this species, although two forms of the
170 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
female have been described—an orange and an albino. Until the males
are obtained from the egg, or until some collector at the summit of the
Rockies, or some other range of mountains, takes the male and female in
coitu, the male will remain a matter of doubt.. ae
My own humble opinion is this: If the female aliens variety—is
Elis, as described by Mr. Stecker, the chances are that there will be —
lemon colored males as well as orange, and that these males were taken —
by me in 1884. There are other species of Colias that have both lemon <
colored and orange males—such as C. Christina—upon some of which
not a vestige of orange can be discovered. ; oe
ON THE POSITION OF COLIAS HAGENII, Epw.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, WEST VIRGINIA.
In’ Papilio, 3, 159, 1883, I described CoLtas HacEenii as a new
species. I related that Mr. T. L. Mead had brought this butterfly from
Colorado, in 1871, and that we both were then satisfied that it was not —
Philodice; that in the summer of 1883, Mr. H. W. Nash, at Pueblo, —
Col., had sent me some chrysalids of this form, and I noticed that the -
dorsum was marked by two longitudinal lines, which seemed to indicate -
sub-dorsal lines in the larva, and which are not present in the larva of
Philodice; that I wrote Mr. Nash to observe as to that, and he soon
replied that the larvae he then had on hand did show sub-dorsal lines :
such as are characteristic of many larvae of Zurytheme,; that I had been
unable to get live eggs from Pueblo subsequently that year, owing to the
heat which destroyed them en route, but that Mr. Nash had made obser- —
vations on the ground, and sent on larvae in alcohol which showed broad —
sub-dorsal bands, that, he said, in life had had red running through them. —
That other larvae showed white sub-dorsal lines only, and still others had —
no trace of such bands or lines, any more than PAé/odice. All which was —
like Hurytheme, except that in that species the red was not within the ©
band, but over it in broken bits ; and also under the bands in Lurytheme ©
were often black points. The larvae of Zusytheme in these varieties are :
figured in But. N. A., vol. 2, plate 21.
I did not at the time describe the species, but mentioned it as the form
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 171
‘common in the Rocky Mtns., from Colorado to British Am., which was
between Lurytheme and Philodice.
| In another paper in same volume of Papilio, p. 173, I said of
_ Hagenii: “The color is yellow, lighter than is usual in Pri/odice, but
varies in that respect, many being very green, and a large percentage,
especially of the females, are not yellow, but of a peculiar shade, a sort
of buffyellow (better chrome-yellow), a shade not seen in Philodice.
Considerably more than half the females, as reported by Mr. Nash, are
of this buff-yellow, and the males frequently show more or less of it, and
occasionally have a flush of orange. The markings of Hagenii resemble
those of Lurytheme and Philodice, in the discal spots, the extra-discal
points on both wings, the patch at outer angle, the shape of the black
borders ; but there is a closer resemblance in the borders of the females
to Eurytheme than to Philodice, these being very wide, and on hind wings
nearly reaching the cell, completely enclosing more or less definite yellow
spots.” I also repeated what Mr. Mead had said, after a season spent in
Colorado, 1871, that “if there could be such a thing as a yellow Zury-
= theme, this was it.”
s From 1883 to the present time I have embraced every opportunity to
get eggs of Hagenii, laid by the females in confinement, and as will be
seen, have raised many broods. Now I will give the results.
tr. On May 11, 1884, received eggs of the first brood of the year. (I
say here that invariably the females that laid eggs have been sent with
them). From these obtained, between June 8th and r5th, 14 butterflies,
10 males, 4 females, all Hagenii.
4 2. June 7, 1884, received eggs of second brood of the year. Result,
| _ between 6th and oth July, 15 butterflies, all Aurytheme, 11 males, 4
q females. Three of these females were albinos.
3. June 27, 1884, received eggs. Result, 12 butterflies, 8 of them
Hagenii, 3 males, 5 females, 4 Eurytheme, females.
4. 29th August and 3rd Sept., 1884, received eggs. Result, 1st to
3rd Oct., 5 Hagenii, 2 males, 3 females.
5. This same year, 1884, I raised a brood of larvae from eggs of
_Eurytheme received 27th June. Result, 9 butterflies, 6 being Zurytheme,
3 males, 3 females, and 3 Hagenzz, 2 males, 1 female.
6. 1885, May 18, received eggs of Hageniz. Result, 13th to 18th
June, 35 butterflies, all Hageniz, 20 males, 15 females. The females of
this brood were very large and most of them were deep colored.
‘
172 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
7. 1886, 31st July, received eggs of Hagenii. Result, 28th to = os
August, 3 males, 2 females, all Hagenzz.
8. 1887, r1th May, received eggs of Hageniz, the first brood of the
year. Result, 9th to 14th June, 22 butterflies, all Hagenit, 15 seat 7
females. |
g. 1887, 24th June,*received eggs of Hagenii, the second brood of the
year. Result, July 16th to 22nd, 16 butterflies, 3 males, 13 cuales all
fHHagenit.
10. 1887, 5th July, received eggs of Hagenii, the second brood of the
year. Result, July 27th to 29th, 18 butterflies, 17 being si hesiiedin 14
males, 3 females ; 1 Aurytheme, female.
So that I have bred nine broods from eggs of Hagenii and one from
eggs of Hurytheme, and the result has sometimes been unmixed, all the
imagos being of the form of the mother, at other times mixed, part Zury-
theme and part Hagenti. There have been no examples which were
doubtful ; all were either distinctly one form or the other. None of the — 4
first brood of any year (1884, 1885, 1887) gave mixed results, all coming — “4
out Hagenii, from eggs of same. But of the second brood of the year
(eggs of Hagenti June, butterflies of July), the results were mixed. Of
the later broods (imagos out in Sept. and Oct.), the result was Hagenii
alone, but the examples in each of the late broods were too few to make
the test satisfactory. :
Therefore this species Hurytheme, heretofore known to manifest itself
in three distinct forms, 4rzadne, Keewaydin and Eurytheme, now be-
comes four-formed, Hagenzz ranking with the others.
I have parted with none of these bred butterflies, and so am able to
have them all before me as I write ; and can state that: 1. Thereisa
remarkable uniformity in the color of the males, and in the width of the _
marginal borders. The color is lemon-yellow. Every one of the June
and July imagos has a broad border on each wing, and the outlines of
inner side of same are essentially alike. Nearly all these outlines may —
be described as erose, and only two may be called dentated. As a rile, —
the borders of hind wings are black, while those of fore wings are densely
dusted with yellow. Every male has an orange discal spot on hind wing.
Now all this is very unlike P/2/odice, in which species there is no end of
variety in color, in width of borders and their inner outline, and i in the
color of discal spot,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 173
As to the females, there is not one of the June and July broods but
has a very broad marginal border to fore wings ; and a broad one to hind
wings, more or less completely enclosing a series of spots of the color of the
yellow ground of wing. In /z/odice, that sort of border to hind wing is
_ the exception, and there is great variation in its border, and in the length
of it, as well as the breadth; while in Hurytheme form of the species that
sort of border is the usual. As to color, most of the females are lemon-
chrome, many very déep, others lighter, running into lemon-yellow. The
darker examples could not be matched in any series of Philodice.
I have but five examples of the last fall brood of the butterfly, which
came from pupae 1-3 Oct. The two feinales that laid the eggs which pro-
_ duced these stand by them, and are lemon-chrome in color, with broad
borders to hind wings. All the five butterflies are small as compared
_ with those of the early broods ; the males have narrower borders, and
__very large orange spots. The three females have a narrow border to hind
4 wing, extending from upper branch of sub-costal to second branch of
_ median ; the color is lemon-yellow, but the hind wings are very green, and
much dusted with fine gray scales, more so by far than any of the June
brood. In fact, there is the same sort of difference between these Octo-
ber examples and those of June and July as there is between the orange
forms Ariadne and Eurytheme,; that is, the form Hagenzz, so far as I can
judge by the examples under view, is itself seasonally dimorphic.
_ On the under side, the June and July butterflies, males, are all
chrome-yellow over both wings, and of a very uniform shade throughout
the series ; all have sub-marginal points or patches on both wings, a patch
at outer angle of hind wing. The uniformity is remarkakle on this sur-
face as compared with Prilodice. Whereas the October butterflies are
pale colored, whitish-yellow, the hind wings densely dusted gray; the
females still paler, still more heavily dusted ; and all have great discal
spots. So that the dimorphism is borne out by the under as well as the
upper side. Further observations are desirable on this fall brood, and I
hope this season to be able to make them.
Colias Hurytheme, as well as Philodice, Alexandra, Meadii, Har-
fordii, hibernates in larval stage, but if the larvae are kept in a warm
room, they often will go on to pupation, reaching chrysalis even in mid-
winter. I suppose my larve of September would naturally have hiber-
nated in Colorado, and in such case the butterflies from them would have
come from chrysalis in early spring. That would make the dimorphism
174 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of this yellow form run parallel with that of the orange, of which Ariadne
is the winter and Lurytheme the summer form. (In Philodice there is no
seasonal dimorphism discernible. )*
Polymorphic forms of butterflies are especially interesting biolonicale
for they may be regarded as species in the making. It is conceivable,
for example, that each one of these forms of Aurytheme, under certain
conditions, might become separated from the other, and breed true to its
own type. In other words, come to be a species, and I doubt not, ai
many species of butterflies have come to be in this way. aes
I have said that none of my bred males have had orange in the wings.
But I have two males, one taken by Mr. Morrison, in south Colorado, —
the other by Mr. Nash, at Pueblo, which have a pretty strong shade of
the chrome color on fore wings that characterises so many of the females. —
Hagenii is known to fly throughout the Rocky Mountain region from
Colorado to British America. I had many examples from Mt. Judith,
Montana ; others from Bismarck, Dacotah, and along the boundary line
of B. America, in same Territory. Mr. Morrison also brought exam-
ples from Montana, but I know not what part. So several have been
sent me from San Bernardino, by Mr. Wright and Mr. Hulst, and I think it
probable the yellow form accompanies the orange over much of the territory
occupied by the latter. On the plains to the east of the nou these
would have been regarded as Pilodice by collectors. , i
The yellow male figured in But. N. A., vol. 1, on plate of Colias Kee
waydin, fig. 7,is Hagenii, a very small example. Mr. Henry Edwardsis. ~
quoted in the text as writing that “ the male of the new phe ( pag oF
is constantly subject to run into the lemon-yellow variety.”
As to the larve, they vary greatly ; some having no trace of a sub-
dorsal band ; others have a slight yellow line in place of band; others
have decided yellow lines or narrow white bands. Not one of my bred
larvee has had a sub dorsal band with red in or running through it. On
the other band, Mr. Nash has sent me several nearly mature larvae which
produced Hagenii butterflies, in which either the white sub-dorsal band
with red line through it was present, or a white band without red. In one ©
letter Mr. Nash writes: “Out of 24 nearly full grown larve of this
Colias that I have, 14 have the sub-dorsal line, but none a distinct white
* Mr. Nash informs me that form Ariadne often flies at the end of the season, at —
Pueblo, the temperature having permitted the larvee to mature.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. LTS
ine (band) with red running through it, as had the one that changed to
_ the chrysalis which I last sent you.”
I happen to be feeding now two mature larve of Hurytheme from
eggs sent from Colorado by Mr. D. Bruce, and these vary as does
Hagenii. One has a mere trace of sub-dorsal band—a line ; the other a
continuous yellow band one-third the width of the white basal band, and
with no red or black about it.*
As will have been seen, I have been under great obligation to Mr.
Nash for the interest he has taken in these experiments, and the aid he
has rendered in these four years. If I have succeeded in raising ten
broods from eggs to imago, I have failed in as many more, from one
_ cause or other, principally, however, the destruction of either eggs or
% young larve in the mail, owing generally to the summer heat in
transit, but the trouble to Mr. Nash was all the same. In spite of mis-
cairiages he persevered in obtaining and forwarding eggs, and felt as
anxious as I did to establish the true position of this form Hagenzz.
I lost some of the first of the broods by disease which attacked either
___larvee or chrysalids, sometimes destroying every example of one or other.
_ This led me to give up breeding in glasses for this species, and try the larvae
on clover growing in pots. I kept half a dozen pots ready, with a sod of
white clover in each, and when young larvae were received placed them on
the leaves, and covered the whole with a muslin bag. When the leaves
_ were much eaten, the larvae were transferred to a second pot, and so on to
maturity. In this way I have avoided disease completely, and it
was little trouble to take care of the larvae, beyond getting the pots
ready. White clover is preferable to red, I find for such purpose, as
_ being low growing with smaller leaves. Many species of Colias also deci-
dedly prefer white to red clover. ‘The same mode of treatment has been
_ successful with other species of Colias. It is necessary to watch for small
spiders, which may be on the plant, but I do not often lose larvae from
_ this cause. Of course I intend in due time to give one, and perhaps two
plates to Hagenzi, after I have learned all I can about its dimorphism.
* These larvee have ‘since writing the above produced Zurytheme, the one with »
yellow s. d. band an orange male.
£76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ON SO-CALLED REPRESENTATIVE SPECIES.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
The species of our insects having near allies in the better knowe or
earlier known European fauna, have been called ‘“ representative ” by the
elder Agassiz. And this term would be sufficiently exact and useful did —
we not associate with it the somewhat metaphysical sense, that these
forms were separately created and owe their resemblance to the arbitrary
will of the Creator. But the fact is that they are allied in blood, and we —
have found that they were once indistinguishable members of a common _
fauna. But now the American forms can be picked out with more or less —
certainty, in their several stages, by experts, and, where this can be done,
the question comes up as to the designation to be employed. Shall we
call them varieties, geographical if you will, or species? For my part,
having studied so many of these forms, I would give them separate
specific titles. For the reason that ‘‘we may regard theoretically all
species as only relatively stable ; practically we have to find out the cycle
of reproduction and be guided by these results in our nomenclature.”*
And, further, because in one and the same fauna, species are so recog-
nized and so named, differing as slightly from each other as do these so-
called “representative” species inhabiting different continents. I would
call, then, our Copper butterfly Chrysophanus Americanus and not
phleas var. Americanus. Only where the insect intergrades, interbreeds,
is the term variety, I think, admissable. As a matter of fact, our Ameri-
can “‘ representative” species do neither. I cannot too often insist that
we, as entomologists, are here to discriminate, to talk about and illustrate _
the differences we find in insects, not to lump and to obliterate. From
observed distinctions are born those wider conclusions to which all
science tends. We need facts bearing upon each other. Here is a dif
ference between the English and the German mind. The latter is too
apt to be satisfied with the mere accumulation of learning, the compilation ;
of literary data, catalogues, the machinery of science. Forgotten papers,
interesting but barren incidents, a penurious dwelling on an undigested —
mass of detail, these often suffice for the learned German. But the Eng-
lish mind uses all this as a workman does his tools. Darwin came, and
the before useless stores of facts were used to open our minds to the —
state of things about us.
* Grote.—The Hawk Moths of North America, p, 13.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ta bys
‘The particular point here, however, is that these “ representative ”
pecies vary uzegual/y. ‘There are all sorts of resemblances, stronger or
weaker. Among the édentical species I have referred to Scoliopteryx
Jibatrix, and this is a remarkable species from its isolated structure. It
is a Xanthid form, so peculiar that it has no quite near ally, and it is the
same in Hudson’s Bay Territory as in Europe. I have reared it from the
thistle near Buffalo. Species which have such strong characters in tuftings
and cut of wing are surely the same, and I have thus no doubt that our
tufted cabbage //usza is the same as the European, whether it was im-
_ ported or whether, like Sco/iopteryx, it is an unchanged survival. Only
_acertain judgment is necessary, arising from the handling of much ma
_ terial, to decide these points. It is a question of the &zvd of difference,
not the apparent quantity. Smaller or less obvious characters are some-
_ times valid ones, while larger and prominent features are invalid. I
_ should never describe asa species a form of the yellow species of Rumia,
u because black and yellow spotted insects, and especially Geometridae, are
' prone to vary very much. Experience is especially needed in species-
' making. It is a little odd to notice, in this matter of varieties, how
_ anxious some writers are to draw in the species of others, even when they
_ absolutely do not know them, and how indifferent they are about drawing
in their own varieties. They remind me of those people in ancient times
who were so attentive to the wanderings of Ulysses and so oblivious of
their own. My own mistakes have been sufficient to make me cautious.
_ Ido not forget that I described Catoca/a sinuata as a species distinct
_ from C. coccinata Grote. But it seems to be better, when one is not quite
sure, to claim the species at first, rather than describe as a variety what
may turn out, in the long run, to be an independent form, having its
cycle of reproduction perfectly distinct, and nowhere in the round of its
life falling in with the circle of its neighbor.
ON THE GENERA ALLIED TO HOMOPTERA.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M.
I have (Can. Envt., vol. xv.) shown the different structure of the
_ tibiee in the genera of N. Am. Woctuide allied to Homoptera Boisd.
But sometime previously I pointed out that this name was used for a
‘section of Hemiptera, and that for this and other reasons we should
probably be thrown back upon Pheocyma of Hiibner.
178 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
This genus seems to differ by the middle and hind tibie being
spinose. While Ysa is so indifferently founded by Guente that he
gives no character at all except a presumed larval one, I find that
Umbrina Grote, and Undularis Drury, differ by the tibie being
unarmed. In the related genus Matigramma the middle tibiee alone |
seem spinose, at least in my rudrosuffusa they are so. But this is not |
the ¢ype, which must be studied for this character. Again, I have many A
years ago proposed to distinguish Za/e by the generic character of the
body tufts. Finally, the otherwise amply distinct genus Homopyradis
has the slender tibiae unarmed. It is evident, therefore, that good and ©
valid characters separate the genera allied to Homoptera, or rather
Pheocyma, and that my Ph. unilineata and the rest may be arranged by —
the tibial armature, although superficially so much resembling Vpsia.
Guente takes no note of this, and seems quite at a loss in this group of |
the Owlet Moths. I had myself very little material in my collection se Pr
these genera, and I neglected their exact study accordingly. ;
It is with much pleasure that we have just learnt of the appointment
of the Rev. George W. Taylor, of Victoria, Vancouver Island, B. C., as
Honorary Provincial Entomologist of British Columbia. Mr. Taylor has —
been an active member of our Society for some years, and has done much —
good work, not only in Entomology, but in general Natural History, by —
working up the little known but exceedingly interesting fauna of Van-
couver Island. He is one of the best Conchologists in the Dominion, :
and has the finest collection of British Columbian shells extant. His :
knowledge of Ornithology and Botany will materially enhance the value
of his work as Provincial Entomologist, and his appointment cannot but —
result in great benefit to the farming community of the Province. We —
tender our sincere congratulations, not only to Mr. Taylor, but also to
the Minister of Agriculture and the Provincial Legislature, for the wisdom
that has been displayed in the choice of an incumbent for this importan
office. There are many “ first-class pests” which require attention in
our Pacific province already, and doubtless, now the Canadian Pacific
Railroad is completed, many others from the east may be expected to be
introduced by that means, and it is only by having the services of a train d
scientific student at their disposal, to identify the marauders, and give
formation concerning the habits and best means of remedying their at ucks
that the farmers can hope to protect themselves against the injuries y' sarly
inflicted by insects. a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 179
ON THECLA FALACER AND INORATA.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M.
_ The object of this note is to draw attention to a paper printed at
- Demopolis, Ala., Dec., 1870, in which I endeavored to reply to Mr. Scud-
der’s objections to our determination of Hiibner’s Plate of ca/anus. I
say: ‘“‘ The chances are against Hibner’s having figured both sexes of
the usually unspotted Z: inorata with the spotted secondaries of calanus
nob. Leconte has certainly figured Z. zxorata, and, as we stated before,
. _ Boisduval has used the specimen of Godart’s 7: falacer (TZ. Edwardsii
s Auct.) while furnishing the text. Boisduval considered Leconte’s Plate
. as representing a form of Z: falacer, and erroneously so, as Leconte
| figured for the first and only time Z° zworata.” Prof. Saunders afterwards
describes the larva of :morata in Can. Env. I conclude that the two —
species are correctly separated and named by us in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc
I., 172, and give the synonymy. I wish to draw attention to this paper
of mine, to state that, in any case, Mr. Scudder’s version of Hiibner’s
Plate is uuzcertain, from the similarity of the two species. Also, that we,
having been the first in print to separate, name, and describe the two, our
determination, being certain, should henceforth obtain and have priority
as regards these two species of Zhecla. The paper above referred to is
now out of print, but is in several libraries and was generally distributed.
| Nore.—Mr. Scudder writes in reply to our enquiry, that ‘there is
not the slightest doubt as to what species Hiibner figured under the name
of calanus ; it is certainly the zzorata of Grote & Robinson.”
“for the proper synonymy of these species, see Buffalo Bulletin, 1876,
p. 110.”—-Epitor ger J. F.]
BOOK NOTICES.
The following publications have been received :—‘ Belostomide
and some other Fish Destroying Bugs,” by George Dimmock:; ‘‘ Maple
Sugar and the Sugar Bush,” by Prof. A. J. Cook ; “ Entomologica Ameri-
cana,” vol. iv., Nos. 1, 2 and 3 ; “ The Conchologists’ Exchange ” ; Journal
of the Columbus, Ohio, Horticultural Society ; Bulletin of the Iowa Agri-
cultural College, Botanical Department ; Proceedings of the Natural Sci-
ence Association of Staten Island ; ‘“*‘ The Owl,” Glen Falls, N. Y.; “‘Sci-
ence Gossip,” Chatto & Windus, London, England ; “The Prairie Far-
mer”; “The American Agriculturist ; ” “The Ottawa Naturalist ;” etc.
180 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
CORRESPONDENCE.
CARABUS AURATUS.
Dear Sir: Mr. Grote’s reference, in your June issue, to Dr. Harris’s
observation on Carabus auratus, deserves some attention. The “ Insects
Injurious to Vegetation” was one of my early helps to an introduction to
Entomology, and in reading the passage referred to, I was led, in my in-
experience, to speculate upon the probability of meeting with the beauti-
ful beetle mentioned.
Many years ago Mr. P. S. Sprague showed me the specimen itself in
Dr. Harris’s collection, now in the care of the Boston Natural History
Society, and told me that he had been led to surmise that this was Dr.
Harris’s first insect capture, and that it had been the means of turning his
attention to the study and observation of insects, with the excellent result
so familiar to us all. It is hardly necessary to say that the identification |
was correct, but the specimen was an entirely accidental introduction, and
did not perpetuate its species.
It seems to me that it would be very desirable if those having a
knowledge of the accidental occurrence of foreign insects in our country
would publish the particulars. :
F. BLANCHARD, Lowell, Mass.
PAPILIO CRESPHONTES.
Dear Sir; On May 8th, I observed four caterpillars of Papilio
Cresphontes about two-thirds grown feeding on the Lombardy Poplar
(Populus dilatata). The Cresphontes has been increasing rapidly since
its first appearance in this locality in 1878. Its caterpillar has hitherto —
seemed to be restricted to plants of the Rue family. Leaving the Orange
of the Southern States, it came north to feed upon the Prickly Ash
(Xathoxylum Americanum) and Hop-tree (fPtelea trifoliata). Both
these being scarce in this locality, it has taken to the Lombardy Poplar.
It may be remarked that Populus is botanically widely separated from the ~
Rutacee. “W. P. SHannon, Greensburg, Indiana. —
June 27, 1887. .
THE ANNUAL MEETING.
The Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario will be
held in London during the month of October. The exact date is not yet
decided upon, but it will be announced in our next issue.
Mailed Sept. 17.
ve
Cy 4
F Che Canadian Entomalogist..
f VOL. xIx. LONDON, OCTOBER, 1887. No. 16
THE NORTH AMERICAN CALLIMORPHAS.
BY H. H. LYMAN, M. A., MONTREAL.
The North American species of the genus Callimorpha are exceeds
ingly interesting both from their beauty and from the extreme variations
to which some of the species are subject, and which has given rise not
_ only to the creation of numerous synonyms, but also to distinct species
_ being regarded as merely varieties of other forms.
A very slight study of the literature of this subject is sufficient to show
that these forms have been very badly treated by the “ authorities,”
' _ whether “lumpers” or “splitters,” who have in this instance been but
blind leaders of the blind; and some of those who during the last two
_ years have endeavored to clear up matters a little, have not succeeded in
making confusion less confounded. This confusion is also largely owing
to the inaccessibility of the figure of Boisduval’s species, and to the
description by subsequent writers of new forms without any illustrations,
which is particularly objectionable in the case of a group subject to great
- variation. | : |
a My attention was first seriously directed to this genus about six or
seven years ago, by a paper read before the Montreal Branch of the
Entomological Society of Ontario, by Mr. F. B. Caulfield, who advanced
the opinion that several distinct species were confused under the all-
embracing name of Lecontez.
At that time the only white and black form which I had seen was the
true Zecontei, of which I had an excellent series showing most extraor-
inary variations, and I was disposed to listen very incredulously to Mr.
_Caulfield’s theories ; but an examination of his specimens convinced me
that he had some grounds for his views, and I therefore turned my atten-
tion to the group, and have studied it as I have had time and opportunity
since. .
182 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Besides my own and the other Montreal collections, which now con-
tain a very good series of these moths, I have had the opportunity of
examining the collections of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at
Cambridge, Mass., the collection of the Boston Society of Natural His-
tory, the Harris collection, the collections of Messrs. Henry Edwards,
B. Neumoegen and Herman Strecker, and last year the British Museum .
collection. I am also indebted to Mr. A. G. Butler, of the British
Museum, for colored drawings of Walker’s type specimens which he sent
me in 1882, and to Mr. B. P. Mann and Mr. Scudder, for a copy of the
original description of SBoisduval’s Leconte. 1 have therefore not —
approached this difficult subject lightly, and it is only because I feel con-
fident that I can clear up some of the errors which have so long prevailed
that I now venture to publish the results of my studies. In any attempt
to unravel the tangle into which these forms have been thrown by the
leaders of entomological science, the first thing to be done is to find out a
what Callimorpha Lecontei of Boisduval really is, instead of jumping to
the conclusion that any white and black specimen, or even a pure white
one for that matter, is that form. The description of Zecontei given in 4
Guerin’s ‘‘Iconographie du Regne Animal de G. Cuvier,” may be trans-
lated as below :
Species with White Secondaries.
CALLIMORPHA LEconTEI, Boisd. Guerin, Iconographie, etc., p. 518,
plate 88, fig. 4.
(Figures 1 and 2.)
“ Body white, with the top of the head of a pale yellow and a black
or brown line extending from the prothorax to the extremity of the abdo- 4
men. a
‘Primaries black or brown, according to the more or less fresh con- —
dition of the insect, each having five large rounded and irregular white —
spots, touching each other sometimes as in the specimen figured,in which :
the two spots in the middle are united, while in another it is the two spots
at the apex which are confluent. 4
« Secondaries immaculate.
“The under side resembles the upper, but having the black parts very
pale. Legs lightly tinted with yellow.
« Expands 52 milli. Hab.—North America. |
This description, taken in connection with the figure of which I pre-
viously had a drawing, but which I had the pleasure of seeing for myself
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 183
—
last year through the kindness of Mr. W. F. Kirby, enables me to defi-
nitely determine the true Zecontei, of which I have a full series, and
typical forms of which are shown in figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
plate.
This species varies in almost every conceivable manner by the spots
becoming confluent in different ways, and it even mimics the forms with
yellow hind wings in occasionally having the white suffused with a tinge
of ochre yellow. But there is one way in which it never varies, and that
is that there is always a prominent process on the brown border of the
inner margin of primaries, nearly one-third from the inner angle from
which a band usually extends towards the apex. In expanse my specimens
vary from 44-52 m.m., the average being about 48 m.m.
C. Leucomelas H. Sch. is only a synonym of Lecontez, being the form
represented in fig. 2, in which the two spots towards the apex are united,
Fig. 3 is only a further variety of Zecontec showing the gradual transition
to fig. 4, which is a true specimen of the typical MZc/itaris of Harris, as
figured and described in his Insects Injurious to Vegetation. Fig. 5
represents a very interesting specimen which, though undoubtedly a
variety of Leconte’, mimics /nterrupto-marginata (what a pity it is that
we cannot use Harris’s manuscript name Anchora/) very closely in
markings.
The form which Walker and many other entomologists have mistaken
for Lecontei is that figured Nos. 7-9, of which I shall have more to say
later on.
~The other forms described by Walker were Conjinis, Contigua and
Conscita.
CALLIMORPHA LECONTEI, var. CoNFINIS, Walk.
LHypercompa Confinis, Walk., Cat. Lep. B. M., III., p. 651,
(Figure 6.) ;
“ Alba; caput, prothorax, abdomen, basi et coxze antic ex parte
lutea ; thorax et abdomen fusco vittata ; alee anticaze marginibus plerumque
fasciaque obliqua fuscis. :
“ White. Head, prothorax, fore coxz and abdomen at base luteous.
Proboscis tawny. Palpi with black tips. Antenne black. Thorax and
abdomen with a brown stripe. Fore wings brown with a discal slightly
angular white stripe, and an elongate triangular oblique sub-apical white
band. Length of the body 6 lines; of the wings 18 lines. a—d, United
States, from Mr. Dyson’s collection,”
184 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
This form varies somewhat, but a fairly typical specimen is shown in
fig. 6. It may possibly be a distinct species, but I believe it to be merely
a variety of Lecontei of the Militaris type, in which the tooth-like pu
jections extending backwards from the costa have cnipreaee :
CALLIMORPHA ContiGcua, Walk.
LHypercompa Contigua, Walk., Cat. Lep. B. M., IIL., page 6st. |
Callimorpha Reversa, Stretch (in part), Ent. Amer., L., p. ila
(Figure 10.)
“Alba; caput et prothorax lutea; palpi nigri, basi lutei ; antenna
nigree ; thorax et abdomen fusco univittata; ale antic ep
plerumque fascia postmedia vittaque subapicali fuscis ; postice macula
submarginali fusca.
_ White. Head, prothorax and fore coxz luteous. Proboscis tawny.
Palpi black, luteous at the base. Antenne black. Thorax and abdomen
with a brown stripe. Fore wings brown, with a white discal stripe, which
widens from the base to a little beyond the middle, and with two large
sub-apical white spots. Hind wings with a small brown spot near the
hind border. Length of the body 6 lines; of the wings 18 lines.
_ “a. United States.” ,
This description, if possessing the merit of briefness, has certainly
very little else to commend it, and so Mr. Saunders in his san are
described the markings of the wings as follows :
* Primaries white with blackish-brown stripes ; one along the costa to
near the tip; one on the inner margin, joined at its extremity with an
oblique transverse band, extending to the costa ; from the centre of this
latter a stripe extends to the hind margin, somewhat enlarged at its termi-
nation, where it is centred with white. Hind margin partially edged with
brownish-black.
“ Secondaries white, immaculate.” ;
In order to make sure that the form so clearly descibed by. Mr,
Saunders was the one that Walker intended by his description, I sent a
drawing of this form and of some others to Mr. Butler, who returned them
to me with sundry notes upon them, and confirming this determination as
correct. These drawings I sent to Mr. Stretch in 1885, upon the appear-
ance of his description of Xeversa, and asked him if his species was not —
the Contigua of Walker as illustrated by my drawing. To this letter a
‘have never received any answer, nor have I been able to get my drawings
4
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. | 185
back, although I have written to him repeatedly to ask him to return
them. My last letter, under date of Nov. 15th, 1886, I registered in
order to make sure that it would reach him, and subsequently learned
from the P. O. authorities that it had been duly delivered to the addressee.
Contigua is a particularly well marked and constant form, and I think
there can be no doubt that it is a good species. It varies slightly as all
species will, but I have never seen an example which tended in any way
to connect it with any other form.
I now come to the form which Doubleday and Walker mistook for
Lecontei, and which has been almost universally confused with that
species, but it differs so greatly from the true Zecontez that I feel con- |
vinced that it is a distinct species. |
CALLIMORPHA CONFUSA, 0. Sp.
Hypercompa Lecontet, Walk. (not Boisd.), Cat. Lep. B. M., III.,
p. 651.
(Figures 7—9.)
Head and collar orange-yellow, the latter with two dark brown spots.
Palpi orange-yellow tipped with black or dark brown. Antennae black.
Thorax white, yellowish towards the abdomen, with a wide central brown
stripe. Abdomen white, yellowish at base and tip, and with a dorsal dark
brown stripe. Beneath, legs ochre-yellow ; anterior coxae with a black
spot ; fore and median femora, tibiae and tarsi, dark brown exteriorly.
Primaries dark brown, with from five to six rather large irregularly
shaped white spots, and two or three small ones. Of the large spots the
one at the base is oblong, the second is generally bifid, but occasionally
entirely divided, forming two distinct spots. The third is usually nearly
round, the apical spot oval or oblong, occasionally united with the third ;
the fifth spot near the outer margin is large, subtriangular and sometimes
broken into several spots.
Secondaries white, immaculate ; but occasionally with a partial brown
border running from a little below the apex to the middle of the outer
margin, and with one or two brown dots near the anal angle. _ Beneath,
primaries have the brown markings much more strongly reproduced than
in Zecontei, and far more suffused with yellow than in that species.
Expands 37-42 m. m. = 11-15% inch. :
Larva found feeding on Cynoglossum officinale, L. (Common Hound’s
Tongue), one or two ona plant, June rath, 1881,
186. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
» Length 1% inch, nearly cylindrical. Head small, black and shining,
with a few short blackish hairs. Body above black, with a yellow mottled -
with orange dorsal stripe, and two similar but very much broken ones —
along each side. Between the dorsal and subdorsal stripes there is a very
broken line of a bluish white colour. Each segment has from ten to_
twelve small black warts from each of which radiate a few black and grey
bristles. Beneath bluish slate grey.
On June roth, it was observed that these larve had changee shanti
appearance as follows: The dorsal stripe is deep yellow and is composed
of two oblong spots placed longitudinally on the middle of each segment,
and several lighter yellow ones placed transversely on the folds between
the segments. The upper lateral stripe. is narrower and more broken,
being composed of marks of irregular shapes and sizes. The lower stripe
is broken up into a few scattered streaks, and the broken line of bluish
white spots has disappeared. .
Beneath, pale drab with a tinge of yellow and a few minute black
dots. Prolegs same colour as the under surface, but with a shining black
patch on the outside of each. Feet dark brown with light markings.
’ Entered pupa stage June roth, 20th; emerged July 1 12th to r4th ;
duration of pupa stage, 23 to 24 days. :
~ One female laid a large batch of eggs July 14th ; examined under the
microscope were found to be smooth, round, flattened at base, honey yel- |
low ; diameter .o28 of an inch. :
joe hatched July 25th ; duration of egg stage 11 days.
Young larvae, length .10 of an inch. Head brown, shining, with A q
few hairs ; ; body transparent yellow, warts placed as in mature larva,
brown, shining, with a few light coloured hairs ; feet brown. I left home
early in August and took these larvae with me, but was obliged to change aa
their food to Dandelion. On August 13th the following description was
taken : ee es Bee
Length of an inch. Head black; mouth parts light coloured.
Body dull white, marked with dark brown and bright yellow. The : 4
dorsal region is white, and there is a double, broken and irregular sub- 4
dorsal stripe of dark brown. On each side there is a broken but distinct _
bright yellow band, and below the spiracles there is an irregular brown
band, lighter than the sub-dorsal one. Warts small, black, shiny, with a |
few short hairs, principally black, but a few light coloured. Beneath dirty —
white ; feet brown ; prolegs dirty white, with a brown patch on outside, _
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 187
When these larve are shaken off a leaf they let themselves down by
a silk thread. Subsequently I lost all these larvee by death. ‘This species
varies almost as much as Zecon¢ei, but not so as to approach any other
form as far at least as I have seen, and I have examined over thirty
specimens. It is much smaller than Zeconte/, and the underside. is
strikingly different. | |
It never varies in the direction of A/7/itaris, and in some specimens
the white spots are very much reduced in size, as shown in fig. 9. As
Mr. Caulfield has pointed out,* Zecontei varies in the direction of albinism
Confusa in the direction of melanism. :
In the Cambridge Museum there are four specimens of this species,
with a blank label attached by Prof. Agassiz. ‘Three of these are from
Trenton, N. Y., which is the locality that the British Museum specimens
came from, and one is from Kanawha, West Virginia.
CALLIMORPHA SUFFUSA, J. B. Smith.
Callimorpha Reversa, Stretch (in part), Ent. Amer. I., p. 104.
Callimorpha Suffusa, J. B. Smith, Ent. Amer. III., p. 25.
(Figure 11.)
This form has been so clearly described by Mr. Smith that it is not
necessary for me to add anything in the way of description to what he
has already published. I had myself intended to describe it as new,
giving it the name of one of the sisters of Clymene, on account of its
remarkably close resemblance, in everything but colour, to the species
named after that nymph, and I cannot help thinking that the name
chosen by Mr. Smith is by no means appropriate.
This form is very distinct and varies very little, if I may judge
from a large series in the Cambridge Museum which were taken by
Mr. Boll at Dallas, Texas. Its distinctness from Contigua is evident, from
the fact that the markings are not only wholly dissimilar, but the
transverse brown line from inner angle reaches the costa about two-fifths
from the base, whereas in the latter the point of contact is about two-
fifths from the apex.
Notwithstanding the total dissimilarity of these forms, Mr. Stretch
has evidently regarded them as one species, but there is one point in
which his diagnosis is unintelligible to me; he says, “in Lecontei the
main transverse band starts from inner angle and goes to the apex,
* 16th Report of Ent. Soc. Ont., page 38,
188 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
while in Reversa it starts from outer margin and goes to the anal
angle.” The italics are mine, and I would suggest that he pro
means the costa or anterior margin.
Mr. Smith is also in error in charging Mr. Caulfield with mistaking
this form for Zecontet, as the three forms to which that gentleman
referred* were Lecontei, Contigua and Confusa. = ee
Mr. Smith is also quite astray in saying that Leconfez is distinct from
_Militaris, and I therefore judge that he has himself mistaken Confusa
for Lecontez.
CALLIMORPHA FuLvicosta, Clemens.
_ Hypercompa Fulvicosta, Clem., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil., Dp: 536.
Callimorpha Vestalis, Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. IIL, p. 108.
Gian 12.)
Head and collar deep yellow, palpi yellow tipped with dark brown,
antennz dark brown. Thorax white, tipped with yellow behind. Beneath,
legs yellow, fore and median tibiz and tarsi brown irs. ‘AbaomES
creamy white, yellowish at base and tip.
Primaries white ; costa, especially below, edged with ochre yellow or
occasionally brownish.
“ Secondaries white, immaculate.
Expands, 48-50 m.m. = 17-2 in. |
This form is, I believe, a distinct species, as I have never seen any
specimens which varied from the type further than in the presence or
absence of a slight brown edging to costa of primaries.
It occurs abundantly along with Suffusa at Dallas, Texas, where a
large number were taken by Mr. Boll. The one figured on the plate was
one of these, and I am indebted to Dr. Hagen for it.
Species with Yellow Secondaries.
These species are fewer and more easily separated than those in the
former section, and if it had not been that one of the forms has been
overlooked by most entomologists, it would not be necessary for me to —
treat of them at all.
CALLIMORPHA CLYMENE, Esper.
Hypercompa Clymene, Esper Schm. IV., 22, 10 pl. 182; Noct, 103,
Fig. 1. \
_ Callimorpha Carolina, Harris. Report, p. 243 (1841).
Head and collar orange yellow, the latter with two deep brown or
* 16th Rept. Ent, Soc,, Ont., page 38.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 189
__ black dots; palpi orange yellow tipped with black, antenne black. Thorax
white, yellowish behind, with a broad central brown band. Beneath,
thorax yellow, legs yellow, fore coxz with a black or brown dot, fore and
median femora and tibiz dark brown exteriorly, fore and median tarsi
brown. Abdomen ochre-yellow with a dorsal row of brown dots which are
sometimes almost obsolete. Primaries marked exactly as in Suffusa,
(fig. 11). Secondaries ochre-yellow, immaculate, or with a brown dot near
anal angle. Beneath, all the wings are deep ochre-yellow, the brown
markings of primaries being reproduced more or less distinctly except
towards apex and outer margin. Expands, 53-58 mm. = 21-24 inch.
‘This species is well known and distinct. It varies somewhat in the
maculation of primaries, but not so far as ever to render its determination
doubtful.
CALLIMORPHA INTERRUPTO-MARGINATA, De Beauv.
Bombix Interrupto-marginata, De Beauv., Ins. Afrig. et Amer.,
p. 265, pl. 24, figs. 5, 6.
Callimorpha Anchora, Harris, MS.
fypercompa Comma, Walk. Cat. Lep. B. M. IIL, p. 652.
Head whitish, front and vertex ochre-yellow, palpi yellow tipped with
black. Collar and thorax white with a broad median brown band. Beneath,
- legs as in CZymene except that the spot on fore cox is wanting. Abdomen
ochre-yellow with a dorsal brown stripe.
Primaries creamy white, suffused with yellow at the apex, with a dark
brown stripe along the costa to near the apex, a band of the same colour
along the inner margin to inner angle, near which it branches, sending
forward half way to the costa a broad, slightly curved band, which marks,
when the wings are closed, have a slight resemblance to an anchor.
Outer margin with an incomplete brown border, widest at the middle.
Secondaries ochre-yellow with a brown spot near anal angle.
Beneath ochre-yellow with the brown markings partially reproduced.
Expands, 47-49 mm.
Hab., Canada to Florida.
This very distinct species seems to be the most constant of any and it
is a shame that it should be burdened with such an abominable name.
The markings are very close to fig. 5, except that there is no spur on the
costal border, and that there is the brown spot on secondaries.
190 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
CALLIMORPHA ConsciTa, Walk.
Tanada Conscita, Walk. Cat. Lep. B. M. XXXIL, p. 377.
Callimorpha Lactata, J. B. Smith, Ent, Amer. III., p. 25.
‘*Mas. Alba; caput luteum ; palpi oblique ascendentes, verticem non
superantes, articulo 3"° longi-conico; antenne nigra, setosz; thorax
antice luteus; abdomen flavum; pedes flavi, fusco varii; ale anticz
costa lutea; postice flave. Var. B. Abdomen flavo-album; ale pos-
tice flavo-albze, anticze costa flavo-alba. Foem.—Antenne sub setulose ;
abdomen album ; ale albz ; anticz costa lutea. —
‘*Male. White; head and fore part of the thorax luteous. Proboscis
tawny. Palpi luteous, pubescent, obliquely ascending, not rising so high
as the vertex; third joint elongate-conical, not more than half the length
of the second. Antennz black, setose. Abdomen yellow, not extending
beyond the hind wings; apical tuft very small. Legs yellow, smooth ;
spurs moderately long; anterior tibiz and tarsi brown above. Wings
elongate, fore wings slightly rounded at the tips; costa luteous. Hind —
wings yellow. Var. B.—Abdomen, except the apical tuft, yellowish *
white. Hind wings, yellowish white. Fore wings, with a yellowish white
costa. Female.—Antennz very minutely setulose. Abdomen and wings
white, except the costa of the fore wings. Length of the body, 7 to 8
lines ; of the wings, 20 lines.” a
It would seem that the female above mentioned must have been a
specimen of Fxlvicosta, but the male is a good species, although its
describer treated it so badly as to put it into a wrong genus. Mr. Butler —
sent me, in 1882, a coloured drawing of Walker’s type, and I immediately
recognized that it bears the same relation to the species with yellow —
secondaries as /u/vicosta does to those with white ones. q
I think that the fact that Walker mistook Fu/vicosta for the female of —
this species should not destroy the validity of his name, and I have there-
fore cited Mr. J. B. Smith’s name Zactata as a synonym. |
The results of my studies would lead me to group these species as
follows :
CALLIMORPHA, Latreille.
1. Clymene, Esper.
Carolina, Harris.
2. Interrupto-marginata, De Beauv.
Anchora, Harris, MS.
Comma, Walk.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 191
Conscita, Walk.
Lactata, J. B. Smith.
Lecontei, Boisd.
Mititaris, Harris.
Leucomelas, H, Sch.
var. Confinis, Walk.
Contigua, Walk.
Reversa, Stretch (in part.)
6. Confusa, Lyman.
Lecontei, Walk. (not Boisd.)
7. Suffusa, J. B. Smith.
Reversa, Stretch (in part.)
8. Fulvicosta, Clemens.
2 Conscita, Walk.
Vestalis, Packard.
I am very anxious to obtain larger series of specimens, showing the
extremes of variation of all the forms, from all over the continent, and will
be glad to purchase or obtain them in exchange for other specimens. Col-
lectors will also confer a favour if they will report to me which species
occur in their localities.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE.
| = ie. x. ° Callimorpha Lecontei, Boisd...i)..0.05;, ... Montreal
q $6 2 Se oF 52 Py Prerte ony a ek oe ae yee Ue is
= ‘“
| q ‘ 3- 6 ie ere Une, AM cumsiceaec oon 9 Rg Um h ere sf
| aes © 4 dp «var. Militaris, Harr. “
q ee, « “6 Mea re cea ss
4g Pk ‘ ‘<6 “var. Confinis, Walk., Minnesota
_ age “a Confusa, Lyman gn 5 cco... Montreal
_ se 8 «¢ ne ek : . *_ ee eo % ? - o:.e - ef ve ae
eC g te 66 hae ead Oe eee $
me 10. ee Contigua, Walk.7 241 3. 7... =
ae? ~ Suffusa, J. B. Sia oes et, Kansas
dgle © F = Fulvicosta, Clemens,.,..., .,..,Texas,
192 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ree On
STUDIES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN PROCTOTRUPIDA,
WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES FROM FLORIDA.
(PAPER No. 3.)
BY WM. H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
Sub-family MYMARIN.
LXVII. Camptotera Foerster.
LXVIII. Ooctonus Haliday.
107 (1). Ooctonus longipes, n. sp. | |
Female. Length .o3 inch. Head and thorax black. Antenne 11-
jointed, scape and pedicel dilated below, flagellum and club pale brown,
funicle joints slender, cylindrical, club greatly and enormously enlarged,
not jointed. Legs long, slender, yellow. Abdomen ovate, black, shining ;
petiole slender, yellowish. Wings hyaline, very narrow, with extremely
long ciliz ; submarginal vein short ; marginal vein punctiform.
Hab.—Florida. Described from one specimen.
LXIX. Limacis Foerster.
108 (1). Limacis aspidioticola Ashm.
Aphelinus aspidioticola Ashm. Orange Insects, 1880, p. 9, pl. ii, f.
1545 7s 9003s |
Hab.—Florida.
LXX. Gonatocerus Nees.
109 (1). Gonatocerus dolichocerus, Nn. sp. 4
Female. Length, .o7 inch. Head, thorax and the sessile abdomen a
above, black, the latter beneath, brownish-yellow. Antenne 11-jointed,
as long as the whole body, black ; the club is greatly lengthened, thick
and not jointed. Legs including coxz, pale yellowish-brown, the fore _ :
tibiz obfuscated along upper edges, posterior tibize and tips of femora,
dusky. Wings hyaline, fore wings broadened and rounded at tips, sur-
rounded with short cilia; sub-marginal vein, the only one apparent, —
black ; hind wings linear. 3
Hab.—Florida. Described from one specimen.
110 (2). Gonatocerus nigritarsis, n. sp.
Female. Length .o5 inch. At once distinguished from the oa -
species by its smaller size, shorter antennz, brown, not black, and the less 4
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 193
thickened antennal club ; the legs are yellowish, the fore tibize not obfus-
_ eated along upper edges, although the posterior pair are ; all tarsi dusky ;
_ abdomen entirely black.
Hab.—Florida. Described from one specimen.
This species somewhat resembles a European species in my collection,
. €., Gonatocerus ater Foerster, but the paler colored legs easily separate
it. .
: LXXL Litus Haliday.
111 (1). Litus armatus, n. sp.
Female. Length .o2 inch. Bright yellow. Eyes and flagellum
brown. Antenne g-jointed, much longer than the whole body ; scape
and pedicel large, dilated below, first funicle joint short, not longer than
__ wide, second as long as the thick club or terminal joint, other joints
_ gradually shorter. Abdomen sessile with a dusky shade above at base ;
Ovipositor exserted, stout, black, about two thirds as long as abdomen.
Wings hyaline, narrow, with long ciliz.
Hab.—Florida.
LXXII. <Alaptus Walker.
112 (1). Alaptus pallipes, n. sp.
Female. Length .o2 inch. Black. Head very large, much broader
than the rather slender thorax. Antennze 8-jointed, brown ; scape short,
dilated, pedicel small, first funicle joint shorter than second, second
longer, third short but thicker than second, fourth much longer and thicker
than third, fifth still longer but not so thick, club greatly swollen, as long
as the scape. Abdomen sessile, ovate, not as long as thorax. Legs pale.
Wings hyaline, with very long ciliz, the fore wings spatulate, the hind
wings linear. |
Hab.—Florida.
LXXIII. Signiphora Ashmead.
113 (1). Signiphera flavopaliata Ashm. Orange Insects, 1880, p.
30, pl. ii.
Hab.—Florida.
LXXIV. LZustochus Haliday.
114 (1). Lustochus xanthothorax, n. sp.
Female. Length .o3 inch. Head, prothorax and abdomen black ;
mesothorax and legs bright yellow; antennz pale brown; tarsi four
jointed ; antennz apparently (?) 9-jointed; tip of abdomen surrounding
194 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
anus, yellow. Wings extremely narrow, with long ciliz; marginal vein
elongated. :
Hab.—Florida.
LXXV. Doriclytus Foerster.
LXXVI. Mymar Haliday.
LXXVII. Pteratomus Packard.
115 (1). Pteratomus Putnamii Packard. Guide to the Study of
Insects, p. 202, pl. ii, f. 8, 8°.
Hab.— Massachusetts.
This genus is probably identical with M/ymar Haliday.
LXXVIII. Cosmocoma Foerster.
116 (1). Cosmocoma elegans Howard. U. S. Agric. Rep., 1880, p
370. Hab.—District of Columbia. :
There is a Cosmocoma elegans Foerster, in Europe, and this species
may be changed to C. Howardiz.
117 (2). Cosmocoma maculipes, n. sp.
Male. Length .o3 inch. Black. Antenne 13-jointed, longer than
the whole body ; scape and pedicel pale brown, flagellum black. Leg
and petiole pale yellowish ; femora and posterior tibiz with a dusky
blotch above. Wings hyaline.
Hab.— Florida. |
This species is allied to C. elegans How., but the blotches on thighs
and tibiz will readily distinguish it.
LXXIX. Ceraphractus Walker.
LXXX. Stictothrix Foerster.
LXXXI. Anaphes Haliday.
118 (1). Anaphes gracilis Howard. U.S. Agric. Rep., 1880, p. 370
-Hab.—California.
119 (2). Anaphes mellicornis, n. sp. :
Female. Length .o3 inch. Shining black. Antenne 9-jointed,
honey-yellow, the club dusky. Legs honey-yellow, femora and posterior
tibiz somewhat testaceous. Wings hyaline.
Hab.-—Florida.
Sub-family DIAPRIIN A.
LXXXII. Coptera Say.
(? Entomacis Foerst.)
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 195
120 (1). Coptera polita Say. LeConte’s Ed. Say’s Works, ii., p
428, Prov., Le Nat. Can., xvi., p. 181.
Hab.—lIndiana, Canada.
LXXXIII. Platymischus Westwood.
r21 (1). Platymischus torguatus Prov. Le Nat. Can., vol. xvi., p.
182. Hab. Canada.
122 (2). latymischus abdominalis Say (Psilus). LeConte’s Ed.
Say’s Works, i., p. 729. Hab.—Indiana. |
LXXXIV. Galesus Curtis.
: 123 (1). Galesus ciliatus Say (Psilus). LeConte’s Ed. Say’s Works,
q i, p. 383. Hab.—Indiana.
E 124 (2). Galesus obtusus Say (Psilus), l. c. i, p. 383.
: Hab,—Indiana.
7 125 (3). Galesus colon Say (Psilus), lL c. ii., p. 727.
Hab.—Indiana.
126 (4). (adlesus guebecensis Prov. Petite Faune Ent. du Canada, ii.,
p. 559. Hab.—Canada.
127 (5).. Galesus floridensis, n. sp.
Male. Length 06 inch. Black, polished, with some sparse scattered
pile, except on collar, where it is dense and white. Face prolonged ;
antenne 14-jointed, piceous, much longer than body, joints with long
white hairs ; scape considerably swollen in the middle. Legs: coxa,
tips of femora, tibiz and tarsi honey- yellow, femora black. Wings sub-
hyaline. Hab.—Florida.
LXXXV, Aneurhynchus Westwood.
128 (1). Aneurhynchus apicalis Say, 1. c. li., p. 727.
Hab.—Indiana.
129 (2). Aneurhynchus spinosus Prov., i C: Tis py BO.
Hab.—Canada.
130 (3). Anecurhynchus inermis Prov. Add. Faune Hym., p. 176.
Hab.—Canada.
131 (4). <Aneurhynchus aneurus Prov., |. c., p, 176.
- Hab.—Canada.
LXXXVI. Ladolips Haliday.
LXXXVII. Cephalonomia Westwood.
132 (1). Cephalonomia hirticollis, n. sp.
Male. Length .o8 inch. Black, highly polished. Antenne 12-
196 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
jointed, dark red, scape paler at base, funicle joints very small. the four
terminal joints greatly enlarged or swollen moniliform, the last joint is a
little longer than broad. Prothorax densely covered with white pile.
Legs dark red. Wings hyaline, veins yellowish.
Hab.— Florida.
133 (2). Cephalonomia floridana, n. sp.
Male. Length.o5 inch. Entirely black, polished, excepting knees
and tarsi, which are piceous. Antennz 12-jointed, three terminal joints
large moniliform, last joint being about as large as the two preceding ones ~
together. Collar hairy ; wings hyaline.
Hab.— Florida.
LXXXVIII. Paramesius Westwood.
134 (1). Laramesius terminatus Say (Psilus). LeConte’s Ed. Say’s
Works, ii., p. 727. Hab.—Indiana.
LXXXIX. J/diotypa Foerster.
XC. Hemilexis Foerster.
135 (1). Hemilexis mellipetiola, n. sp.
Male. Length .o5 inch. Slender, black. Antennz 13-jointed, moni-
liform, gradually incrassated, red-brown ; scape, legs and petiole of abdo-
men, honey-yellow, femora slightly obfuscated. Thorax without grooves.
Metathorax covered with white pile. Wings hyaline, ciliate ; no marginal
vein. Hab.—Florida.
XCI. Spilomicrus Westwood.
136 (1). Spilomicrus longicornis Prov. Petite Faune Ent. du C., ii.,
p. 56. Hab.—Canada.
137 (2). Sptlomicrus foveatus Prov. Add. ala Faune Hym., p. 176.
Hab.—Canada.
XCII. Diapria Latreille.
138 (1). Déiapria brevicornis Say (Psilus), 1. c. 1, p. 221.
Hab.—St. Peter's River.
139 (2). Diapria erythrothorax. 0. sp.
Male. Length.os inch. Stature of Diapria tritoma Thoms. Head
and abdomen black ; thorax red ; antennz and legs honey-yellow ; wings
hyaline. Hab.—Florida.
XCIII. Loxotropa Foerster.
140 (1). Loxotropa mellea, n. sp.
Male. Length .o9g inch. Honey-yellow with long sparse, scattered
a a AN a a al
~
THE CANADIAN ‘ENTOMOLOGIST. 197
pubescence. Eyes and tip of abdomen brown. Antenne 14-jointed, first
funicle joint longer than pedicel or the second funicle joint, other joints
moniliform, of nearly the same thickness. Mesothorax without grooves.
Petiole of abdomen very thick dilated below. - ates hyaline, but with a
yellowish cast, very pubescent.
Hab.—Florida.
: XCIV. Basalys Westwood.
141 (1). Basalys ruficornis Prov. Petite Faune Ent. du Canada, ii.,
p. 560. Hab. Canada.
XCV. Glyptonota Foerster.
XCVI. Monelata Foerster.
143 (1). Monelata mellicoilis, n. sp.
Female. Length .o5 inch. Slender; head, thorax and abdomen
polished black. Antennz 13-jointed, honey-yellow ; scape long, pedicel
longer than first funicle joint, flagellar joints small, moniliform, terminal
joint enormously enlarged or swollen, brown. Collar and legs honey-
yellow. Mesopleurz piceous. Mesoscutum without grooves. Wings
hyaline, with long cilize.
XCVII. Polypeza Foerster.
Sub-family BELYTINZE.
~XCVIII. J/smarus Haliday.
XCIX. Pstlomma Foerster.
144 (1). Psilomma americana, 0. sp.
Male. Length.12 inch. Slender, black. Antenne and legs honey-
yellow. Antennz 13-jointed, filiform, very long, reaching beyond tips of
wings when folded, apical half dusky ; the pedicel is annular, third joint
excised outwardly half its length. Thorax sparsely pubescent, with two
distinct grooves. . Wings hyaline, veins brown; there is a basal cell and
a small, closed triangular marginal cell, the radial vein projecting back-
wards. to the middle of the wing.
Hab.— Florida. 7
C. Oxylabis Foerster.
CI. Selyta Jurine.
CII, Synacra Foerster.
CIII. fantolyta Foerster.
CIV. Zygota Foerster.
198 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
CV. Adclista Foerster.
CVI. Acropiesta Foerster.
CVII. Anectata Foerster.
144 (1). Anectata hirtifrons, nN. sp. .
Female. Length.12 inch. Black, slightly pubescent. Face and
cheeks covered with dense white pubescence. Antennz 14-jointed, and
when bent backwards reach to tip of abdomen; scape long, slightly bent
or curved, pedicel annular, first five funicle joints longer than wide, fol-
lowing joints moniliform, Antenne and legs rufous. Mesothorax with
two grooves. Scutellum convex with a deep transverse groove at base.
Abdominal petiole long, cylindrical, same thickness throughout. Wings
hyaline, veins brown; the closed marginal cell is longer than the mar-
ginal vein.
Hab.—Canada. Described from one specimen kindly given me by
Mr. W. H. Harrington, of Ottawa.
CVIII. fantoclis Foerster.
CIX. Macrorhynosis Foerster.
CX. Xenotoma Foerster.
145 (1). Xenotoma mellipes Say (Cinctus). LeConte’s Ed. Say’s
Works, p. 726.
Hab.— Indiana.
CXI. Leptorhaptus Foerster.
CXII. Cinctus Jurine.
146 (1). Cinctus nasutus Prov. Add. ala Faune Hym., p. 178.
Hab.—Canada. é |
CXIII. Diphora Foerster.
CXIV. Zelotypa Foerster.
CXV. Miota Foerster.
A NEW VARIETY OF PAPILIO AND A NEW CATOCALA
FROM THE PACIFIC COAST.
bY JAMES BEHRENS.
I have received from Mr. Behrens, of San Francisco, the following
descriptions for publication, and with them the specimens to which they
refer. The Papilio is a very extraordinary aberration, probably owing
atc IOE ERS
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 199
a its color to a change in the food plant. I learn from Mr. Behrens that
_ four specimens were obtained, all agreeing with each other, The Catocala
is, I have no doubt, the form referred to by me (Pacific Coast Lepid.,
No. 14, Proc. Cal. Acad Sc., 1875) as having been seen by the late Baron
Terloo at San Jose, Cal. I think it a good species, and in this view I am
sustained by those excellent authorities on Catocala, the Rev. G. D. Hulst
and Prof. G. H. French.
Hy. Epwarps. (New. York.)
Papitio RuruLus, var. AMMONI, Behrens.—A very peculiar form, in
‘which the ground color of all the wings is of a deep but rather dull
orange color, and the bands and marks of the upper side all rather
broader and more distinct than in the normal form. The orange color
prevails also on the lower side, though a little mottled with lighter shades.
Four specimens, male and female. Nevada. Taken by my friend, Herr v.
Ammon, of San Francisco, in whose honor it is named.
CaTocaLa Epa, n. sp., Behrens.—Allied to C. Relicta, Walk., and
more closely to its variety, C. Phrynia, Hy. Edw. It differs from this,
however, by the superior wings being of one shade of grizzled gray, the
whole surface covered with mottled scales obscuring all the lines except —
the t. p., which is straighter than in C. Re/ic7a, and less deeply toothed.
The orbicular is very large and distinct. The inferior wings are very
much like those of C. Re/id?a, only the medium band is much narrower
than in the Eastern species. On the under side the black band and
discal spot are very distinct, black, and not shading into brown, as is
usually the case with the common species. It is also smaller, the expanse
of wings being only 68 mm., while that of C. Re/idZa averages 78 mm.
Three examples. Portland, Oregon. Taken at the light of electric lamp.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Editor Can. Ent.: Allow me to correct two mistakes in my paper
on the Bombycida, p. 156 et seg. of this volume. For “oval” p. 157, line
3, read “oral.” For ‘“‘North American,” p. 159, line 17, read “American,”
as it is, indeed, evident from the context, that I wished to credit the
Ceratocampine to both North and South America. It is, I believe,
200 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ©
absent from the West Indies, and the peculiar distribution “of. this aub-
family has long engaged my attention. — ee Rg Grote. » 3
Bremen, Aug. 15, 1887. © : igh
Dear Sir: In reply to Mr. Henshaw’s note as to Carabus auratus,
I quote here Dr. Harris’s words: ‘I have taken one specimen of this fine
Carabus in Massachusetts and we have several other species which are
equally predaceous,” etc. (p. 72). There is not a word about the proba-
ble introduction of the specimen, and no reader could suppose that Dr.
Harris thought it introduced. As it stands it is most certainly a
“ curious” identification, and seeing that Dr. Harris was by no means in-
fallible (as seen in his describing P. ce/ews as P. carolina L.) it might be
readily doubted. The italics (other) are mine, and certainly this word
covers the origin of C. auratus in North America. In my paperI did
not venture, nor intend, to do more than call attention to this remark of
Dr. Harris’s. If they shall have borne the fruit promised by Mr. Hen-
shaw, my words will have been justified. But when C. auratus comes to
be mentioned, it will be proper to state that Dr. Harris’s reference. to this
species (House Report, April 1838, p. 72) is such a one that the reader
must believe Dr. Harris regarded the European C; auratus as a Massa-
chusetts species also.
The House, before whom Dr. Harris laid his Report, could come to
no other conclusion from its language than that Carabus auratus was
found in Massachusetts as well as in France. As to what Dr. Harris had
then, or at a later date, affixed to the specimen in his collection, the
House could have no knowledge and as little care. Dr. Harris's style is
quite clear. It is not necessary to know German to understand his
English. Therefore, on the whole, I was warranted in calling his identi-
tion as it stands, ‘‘curious.” A. R. GROTE. -
THe ANNUAL MEETING of the Society will be held on 26th and 27th
October, at Orrawa (not London, as stated in our last number), Mem-
bers are requested to bring with them, or send, papers to be read at the
meetings. MSS. and specimens for exhibition or distribution may be .
sent to the care of Mr. Fletcher, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. _
Mailed October 21st,”
— Ohe Canadian Entomologist.
' VOL. XIX. LONDON, NOVEMBER, 1887. | ~—-No. 31
COMPARATIVE TABLES FOR THE FAMILIES OF
BUTTERFLIES.
_ BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
The need of a better knowledge of the actual structure of butterflies
among those in this country who follow their study, is shown by the per-
sistence with which an antiquated classification is adhered to,—a classifi-
cation whose only value is historical, which conceals affinities and takes
no account of the progress of investigation. In the hope of stimulating
the examination of objects and not of books, the following Table for the
determination of the four families of butterflies, originally prepared for
my forthcoming work on the New England species, is here published. As
will be seen, it includes in the analysis every stage of life, and while it
intentionally oversteps the boundaries of New England in some respects,
- it does not, for the earlier stages, pretend to cover the outer field, except-
a ing where it seemed important for some special purpose. Many of the
| characters here tabulated have never before been pointed out; others are
the common property of science; that all characters are exhausted, or
'_ that some, and especially those drawn from the earlier stages, may not
| with increase of information require modification, is by no means main-
tained.
A. Jmago of variable size, usually rather slender, with ample wings.
Head in a vertical plane, the tongue heing inserted opposite the lower
half of the eye. Antennae approximate at the base, the space between
them not equalling half the vertical diameter of the eye, the tip of the
club rarely curved and never produced to a distinct point. Eyes with no
overhanging pencil of bristly hairs, though in rare cases (some Lycaeninz)
asmail tuft of hairs occurs at the base of the antennz ; cornea of eyes
not extending over the posterior fourth of the ocellar globe. Front tibiz
rarely (Papilioninee) with any epiphysis, and hind tibiz with only termi-
nal spurs. Inner edge of hind wings rarely (Papilioninze) plaited, but
202 THE “CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
extending beneath and partially embracing the abdomen; fore and hind
wings in repose resting in the same plane. gg’ either distinctly higher —
than broad and then vertically ribbed ; or sub-globular and then smooth
or reticulate ; or broader than high and then usually echinoid or tiarate.
Larva at birth.—Head usually broader and higher than the body ; the
latter either with ranged appendages (of various shapes) generally longer,
often much longer, than the segments ; or with fleshy tubercles, especially
on the thoracic segments. First thoracic segment with no distinct corne-
ous dorsal shield. Mature darva variable in form, but generally cylin-
drical, often spinous, never with a strongly contracted and distinct neck, —
and without distinct thoracic shield. Generally constructing no place of con-
cealment. Chrysalis generally (excl. Lycaenidz) more or less angulate —
or with projecting shoulders, very rarely (in our species never) enclosed
in a cocoon. Seige
1. Zmago.—Clypeus not only occupying the face, but extend-
ing also over half the crown of the head, and separated from the
epicranium by a distinct (in Danais, slight) transverse furrow
between the antenne. Base of the antennz wholly separate from
the inner edges of the eye. Prothoracic lobes tolerably large and
above tumid. Wings with the outer margins usually crenulate,
dentate, sinuate, or angulate ; front pair with two inferior subcos- _
tal nervules, originating at the extremity of the cell ; inner margin .
of hind wing always embracing the abdomen. ‘Tetrapod, the fore
legs being unused and atrophied, especially in the ~, but in both ~
sexes the terminal appendages of the last tarsal joint absent (ex-
cepting in Libythea, where the claws are present in the 2), and —
both spines and spurs of tibiae obsolete. Agg either reticulate ~
and then sub-globuiar, or else vertically ribbed over at least the ~
upper half of the egg, and then never more than one half as high
again as broad. Larva at dbirth——Head generally larger, never
smaller, than the thoracic segments and generally scabrous ; when —
of the same size, the corneous crown of the head is never en-—
croached upon by the integument of the first thoracic segment, and —
the body is covered either with series of very long hairs (in which
case most of them are acicular and not clubbed at the tip) or with |
extremely short and distant acicular hairs. ature larva gener-
ally cylindrical, the head usually held in a vertical position, larger
than the segments behind it, free and posteriorly contracted. Body
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 203
furnished with continuous rows of spines or smooth lenticular
warts, or with discontinuous rows of fleshy tubercles, or with short
pile ; in the last case either the head is tuberculate or the last
abdominal segment is furcate, or both. Crrysadis generally angu-
late, often strongly angulate, or if rounded, with shouldered promi-
nences. It always hangs in a reversed position by its tail alone,
except in the rare case of a few Satyrinz, which are rounded,
without special prominences, have no cremastral hooks, and un-
dergo their changes in a crevice or a cellinthe ground. Fam, I.—
Nymphalidae.
2. Jmago.—Clypeus occupying but little more than the face
and separated from the epicranium by a slight suture between the
antenne. Bases of antennae inserted in distinct sockets, which
either clearly infringe on the inner edge of the eye, or are open
next that edge. Prothoracic lobes minute, generally appressed to
a mere lamina. Wings with the outer margin generally entire,
especially in the fore wing, but the hind wing often tailed ; fore
wings with only one inferior subcostal nervule arising at the ex-
tremity of the cell ; inner margin of hind wings generally but not
always embracing the abdomen. Hexapod, the front legs being
employed in walking, and not atrophied excepting in some males
(Lycaenidee, esp. Erycininz), where they are partially atrophied, and
sometimes have the tarsi reduced to a single unarmed joint. LZgg
either smooth, or else reticulate (and then tiarate or hemispherical),
or else vertically ribbed (and then greatly elongated, nearly or
quite twice as high as broad). Zarva at birth.—Head always
smaller or no larger than the thoracic segments and usually smooth ;
when of the same size, either the corneous portion of the crown is
partially covered by the integument of the first thoracic segment,
or the body is furnished with very long or very short hairs, almost
all of which are clubbed at the tip. A/ature larva cylindrical, or
anteriorly enlarged, or onisciform. Head usually held in an
oblique position, generally small, contractile and not free. Body .
never furnished with spines, but either naked, or furnished with
discontinuous rows of tubercles (in which case the head is always
smaller than the succeeding segments), or with short pile (when
the head is uniform and the last abdominal segment entire), or with
fascicles of longer hairs, Chrysa/is angulate or rounded, often
204
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
with no prominences whatever. It hangs in various positions, bee
is always attached not only by its tail, but also by a silken girth
around the middle, and in rare cases is also enclosed in a feeble
silken cocoon. Some few tropical Erycinine are said to lack the
transverse girth. f
a. Imago of small size and delicate structure. Front of head
between the eyes much narrower than high. Eyes not project-
ing beyond the general contour of the head, notched on the -
inner margin, to give room for the antennal sockets. Antennae
including the club straight. Metathorax onlv slightly separated
from the mesothorax. Median cell of fore wings closed by a
weak vein ; median nervure of hind wings with three branches ;
the inner margin never plaited. Fore legs with no tibial epi-
physis, sexually heteromorphous, the tarsi of the ¢ being more
or less atrophied. Dorsal margin of the eighth abdominal
segment of ¢ entire. Upper organ of g genitalia with long,
slender, strongly curved lateral appendages. gg tiarate or
hemispherical, and more or less deeply reticulate. Larva at
birth, so far as known, furnished with numerous long, tapering
hairs arranged in longitudinal series. J/ature /arva, so far as
known, either onisciform or cylindrical; in the latter case the
body is furnished with longitudinal series of fasciated hairs.
Chrysalis usually short and stout, always bluntly rounded in
front, the body rarely furnished with projections, and these in-
variably rounded. Median girth always close to the body at
all points, the ventral surface of the body lying in a nearly
uniform plane. Cremaster not at all or but slightly protuberant,
the hooks inferior or apical. Fam. II. Lycaentde (Erycinine
+ Lycaenine). a
b. Imago of medium or large size. Front of head between
the eyes as broad as high. Eyes prominent, not infringed upon —
by the antennal sockets. | Antennae straight, or, especially the —
club, sinuate. Metathorax markedly separate from the meso-
thorax. Median cell of fore wings closed by a strong vein ;
median nervure of hind wing with three or four branches, the
inner margin sometimes plaited. Fore legs of both sexes as
complete as the other pairs, sometimes with an epiphysis «
Leb |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. : 20
the inner side of the tibiz. Dorsal margin of the eighth ab-
dominal segment of ¢# notched or produced to a hook. Upper
organ of f genitalia with no lateral processes. gg sub-
globular and smooth, or very much elevated and longitudinally
ribbed ; (one known exception occurs in Parnassius, in which it
is tiarate, but where, in contradistinction to the Lycaenidae, it
appears to be overlaid with raised polygonal plates). Larva at
birth, so far as known, furnished with longitudinal series of
| clubbed or forked hairs or with prickly tubercles. J/ature
4 darva cylindrical or enlarged anteriorly, covered with very short
pile (in some exotic forms with long hairs), mostly arranged in
transverse rows, or with rather infrequent and irregularly dis-
tributed minute hairs, and often also with series of fleshy tuber-
4 cles or filaments or glabrous scarcely, elevated warts. Crry-
sadis elongate, unimucronate or bimucronate in front, generally
with numerous angular projections. Median girth frequently
free from the body for a considerable part of its course by the
ventral extension of the wing sheaths, the ventral surface of the
body being generally bent near the middle. Cremaster strongly
protuberait and free, the hooks apical. Fam, III. Papii-
onide (Pierine + Papilioninz).
_ B. Jmago of small or medium size, usually robust, with rather small
_ wings. Head in a horizontal plane, the tongue being inserted opposite
' the middle of the eye or even higher. Antennae widely separated at the
base, the space between them more than equalling half the vertical dia-
_ meter of the eye, the tip of the club more or less distinctly pointed and
. recurved. Eyes usually overhung at the outer base of the antennae by a
curving pencil of bristly hairs, the cornea extending over almost the entire
ocellar globe. Almost invariably the front tibiae have a foliate epiphysis
_ on the inner side, and the hind tibiae a middle pair of spurs in addition
a to the terminal pair. Inner edge of hind wings plaited, the fore and hind
_ wings in repose often resting in different planes. Age never notice-
_ ably higher than broad, hemispherical and smooth or domed and verti-
cally ribbed. Larva at birth.—Head always broader and higher than
_ the body, the latter with ranged fungiform appendages, never, excepting
on the seventh and eighth abdominal segments, so long as the segments.
First thoracic segment with a distinct corneous dorsal shield. J/ature
Jarva cylindrical but slightly flattened beneath and stoutest in the middle,
206 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
never spinous, generally minutely and coarsely pilose, ae a large head -
slender neck, and a transverse corneous shield on the upper surface of the 2 |
first thoracic segment. Always living in concealment. CArysa/is smooth —
and uniform, rarely with a mucronate head, always enclosed i in some sort
of acocoon. Fam. IV. Hesperide. ;
THE NUPTIALS OF THALESSA.
BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA.
" For several years I have observed with much interest the oviposition |
of our large and handsome “long-stings,” but not until this summer have —
I been able to witness their actions preparatory to this duty. Although
the males are frequently numerous when the females are ovipositing, the
sexes pay no attention to one another, and this fact led me frequently to
wonder at what time mating occurs. “Last year I had, in company with
Mr. Fletcher, observed the males in strange positions, with the tip of the —
abdomen applied to the bark, or inserted in a crevice, and had suggested i
that they were awaiting the emergence of the female. The supposition —
was, however, not proven, and the actions observed were still a matter of
conjecture, and for further observation. , ‘
On the afternoon of the 7th June last, I visited some a ee ‘
(Acer saccharinum) for the special purpose of making observations on
Oryssus. ‘The trees are in different stages of disease and decay, and are.
correspondingly infested by such borers as Dicerca divaricata, Tremex
columba, Xiphydria albicornis, Oryssus Sayi, etc., while they attract
naturally numbers of our larger Pimplide, such as Zhadessa, Xorides,
Ephialtes and Xylonomus. Upon these trees during their season could
generally be found many specimens of Zha/essa, but I had never seen one
emerge from its prison into the warmth and light of its adult existence.
Upon a tree which for years had been much bored by Zremex, ete., |
upon the above date, saw several specimens of Z: atrata and TZ. lunator
ovipositing, and at some distance below them a group of males in an evi-
dent state of excitement. Three of these had their abdomens inserted
more than half way under a flake of bark. Here, I congratulated myself, a
was an opportunity to ascertain whether a female was about to emerge.
With my knife I pried off the piece of bark, and beheld the head of an
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 207
i insect just appearing through the wood. The males had flown away when
_ disturbed, and I was afraid that they might not return before the female
emerged, but two came swiftly back and commenced to pay her atten-
tions before much more than her head was visible. As soon as she was
out of the burrow she was embraced by one, and copulation apparently
_ followed, but did not last long, as she began to crawl up the trunk, and
_ when I interfered to prevent her getting out of sight, the male flew away.
_ However another was ready to take his place, and the pair were almost
instantly i coitu. A few seconds later the female attempted to fly, and
fell to the ground ; the male disengaged himself and flew away, and his
partner then did the same, starting with a strong and rapid flight.
Visiting another tree not many paces distant, I saw a group of more
_ than a dozen males of /wnator in very evident anxiety and excitement,
_ their long antennae quivering, and their whole demeanor evidencing some
_ powerful emotion. I peeled off a piece of bark at the centre of attraction,
___ but found no sign of any insect coming forth. An hour or so later, when
4 returning from my ramble, the group was even larger, and several were
_ probing a crevice within an inch of the space from which I had stripped
the bark. Thinking that the female might be here, I cut off another piece
q _ of bark, but could find no signs of her, although the males were so excited
__as even to settle on my hands.
a Proceeding to the tree from which I had previously seen a female
a emerge, I found several males clustered about three inches from where she
had come out. Two had the abdomen flexed and the tip inserted in a
small aperture in the bark. Stripping off this fragment of bark, I found
that a female was there, and had gnawed her passage so nearly through
_ the bark as to have pierced the surface. The males fluttered excitedly
: around, and, as in the first instance, she was embraced before she had
_ wholly emerged, and copulation was effected as soon as she was out.
_ Being in a hurry, and wishing to preserve the specimens, I boxed them,
the other males flying around me in great excitement until this was
achieved.
Two days later I was able to visit the same locality for the purpose of
_ making further observations on these insects. On tree number one I saw
at some distance up the trunk a small cluster,of expectant males. By
standing on the top of a dilapidated and shaky fence, I was just able to
reach the spot and with my. knife remove the covering of bark. As my
position was too precarious for comfortable observation, I secured the
208 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
female as she emerged and carried her to another tree upon which were
some males. As soon as she commenced to crawl up the trunk, she was
eagerly followed and embraced by one of the more active males. Copu-
lation took place with four different males—the female falling to the —
ground on each occasion, and being again seized as she crawled up—the —
last union continuing 214 minutes, after which she flew away unattended. —
On proceeding to tree number two, I found a very large and strongly
excited cluster of the males in the immediate vicinity of the spot from
which I had cut the bark on the former day. They were about twentyin —
number, and were packed so closely together that those in the centre
could scarcely be seen. Like the inmates of a burning theatre, they
trampled over one another in their excitement. Displacing them with —
some difficulty, I hewed off a slice of bark and revealed the female cut-
ting her way to a new life, her head being partially visible. Her ardent
admirers immediately swarmed around and endeavored to get their abdo- |
mens down the burrow, an undertaking in which they impeded one
another so greatly that the only result was wedging the female in and
preventing her from emerging. The cluster was soon so dense that she
was entirely hidden, and as there seemed no prospect of her getting out
for some time under the circumstances, I began to drive off, or rather to
forcibly remove one by one, her besiegers. After nearly all were removed,
I saw that one of the few remaining had his abdomen inserted its full
length in the burrow. As the female was still unable to emerge, I drove
off the remaining males, and as soon as the way was clear she came
rapidly out. ‘There was instantly fierce rivalry for her favors, but eventu
ally one stronger, or more agile, than his fellows, succeeded in his desires,
the pair remaining about 1% minutes zz cottu, after which the female
ceased apparently to have further attractions.
The foregoing notes (written upon the second date of cbuecvmiies ‘
show that the males are able to determine where a female is making her
way outward—some time, perhaps, as in the last case recorded, many
hours before she appears. Whether this is ascertained by the sense of
hearing or smell, or a combination of both, I do not attempt to say, but
the antennz are evidently largely used in locating her, as may be readily ©
seen by the way in which the bark is examined with them. When there
is a crevice or aperture, the male bends his abdomen—at the suture :
between first and second segments—until it is at right angles to the
thorax, and endeavors to insert it in the said crevice or aperture. Heh
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 209
_ then the attitude of a female insect ovipositing. As has been mentioned,
_ if the hole is large enough the abdomen will be fully inserted, and it is
perhaps possible that copulation may take place while the female is yet in
the burrow. On emergence she is instantly seized, the legs of the male
clasping the yet unfolded wings with the abdomen, and thus preventing
her from flying. From the large number of males always about at this
season, it is probable that the female seldom, if ever, emerges unattended.
After the very brief honeymoon, she is no longer an attraction to the
opposite sex, and is able to proceed unmolested with her work of deposit-
ing the germs of a future generation. I may add that of the pair con-
fined by me the male died the same or following day, while the female
was strong and vigorous until she unadvisedly entered a cyanide bottle.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA, Part 3.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS,
(Continued from page 156.)
The following species are very interesting, as they possess no spurs at
the end of the tibiz. From N. America are four species, two not yet
described. All agree in the following characters: They are very slender,
more or less hairy or villous ; head small, narrow ; antennz long, as long
as head and thorax, or at least prothorax, stout, cylindrical, becoming
gradually thicker but not clavate ; labial palpi a little longer than the
maxillary ones; last joint very little thickened to the middle, where a
superior depression makes the apical half about cylindrical ; legs short,
not very thick, with numerous spines and bristles, but no spurs ; first
joint of tarsi longer than the following, but shorter than the apical one ;
abdomen of male considerably longer, of female shorter than the wings ;
appendages of male short approximate, cylindrical with strong hairs and
spines, enlarged at the base to reach the dorsum of abdomen; between
them below a very small triangular plate ; female with two short flat
appendages inferiorly ; upper part rounded, split in the middle; wings
elongate, narrow, enlarged to the bluntly pointed tip ; post-costa oblique ;
venation dense, and sprinkled more or less with brown ; costal space of
front wings with two series of areoles (one species) or with one series,
but the transversals in the apical half (or less) forked; at the extreme
210: THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
base of the hind wings of the male is a small white free knob, homologous
to the larger and darker knob of Palpares and Acanthaclisis. The larva
of one species is known; it differs from all others and was dean by
me as perhaps belonging to Acanthaclisis congener.
Mr. McLachlan has described the female of a species from Taskesien 7
as a new genus, Maracanda amoena, which has the same characters as
the N. American species, with one series of areoles in the costal space of
the front wings. The only exception is that the apical joint of the labial
palpi are said to be very much dilated, what is not to be found in the N.
American species. I do not know JZ. amoena, but I should think that its.
difference from J. zmbecil/us Stein., from Greece, should be proved. JZ.
conspurcatus Kolenati, from the same locality with JZ. amoena, can not
belong to Creagris plumbeus, where it is quoted by Brauer and McLach-
lan, as its size is by far too small and only very little larger than amoena.
I can not compare the two Australian species, said to have no spurs.
I possess a couple of JZ. imbecif/us Stein (Berl. Ent. Zeit., vii., p.
421) from Montenegro, Europe, which agrees entirely with JZ, amoena,
and can not be identified with any other described species. The legs have
no spurs,* contrary to Stein’s description, but bristles, yellowish-brown,
straight, half shorter than the basal joint. After this rather long preamble,
I come to the question if perhaps some Myrmeleon, just as among Phry-
ganids some Limnophilids have spurs which can be wanting or
aborted, at least on the fore legs. ‘ee
There are a number of N. American Myrmeleon, M. hagioanee M.
ferus, M. nebulosus and others, which nobody would separate from JZ,
conspersus, except by the presence of spurs. Some have two series of — 4
areoles in the costal space, and some only one series, as in Maracanda.
Nevertheless none of the seventeen JZ. conspersa before me has a spur,
and none of the six J. Jongicaudus and the six M. contaminatus lacks —
spurs. Therefore I have the species without spurs described as belonging
to Maracanda, and propose provisionally for the other a new ru,
Brachynemurus.
Maracanda, McLachlan.
This new genus is described in A. Fedtschenko’s Voyage in Tukeotihs
vol. ii, 5, Moscow, 1875. ‘The largest part is in the Russian language.
As the N. American species without spurs at the tips of the tibiae must
* Mr. H. J. Kolbe, Assistant of the Berlin Museum, has kindly cone Stein’s
type and confirms my statement, eS
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 211
_be compared with this genus, and as only one Entomologist in the U. S.
reads Russian, I give here a translation (by Prof. J. D. Whitney, in Cam-
bridge, Mass.).
Maracanda, nov, gen.
_ Tibiae hand calcaratae. Antennae breves, robustae, clava elongata.
Palpi breves, labiales articulo ultimo valde dilatato. Pedes breviusculi,
tarsorum articulo primo multo longiori quam secundus, sed breviori quam
ultimus. Abdomen alis brevius. Alae elongatae, angustatae, post-costa
obliqua ; alae posticae anticis paulo breviores ; ; femina.
4 This genus, by the want of the spurs on the tibiae, is related to ne
2 nocnemia. ‘The short, thick antennae, the construction of the palpi, how-
ever, make it impossible to put the species described below in the same
genus with G. variegata, the typical species of the genus Gymnocnemia.
~ Remark.—Myrmeleon occultus Walk. and M. malus Walk., from
Australia, also do not have spurs on the tibiae (in the description of these
species, however, this peculiarity is not mentioned). It is very probable
that both these species ought to be included in the genus Waracanda. —
1. Maracanda amoena, McLachl., n. sp., p. 2, pl. 1, fig. 1.
Pallide flava. Antennae brunneae, vix pallido-cinctae. Caput thor-
axque lineis tribus longitudinalibus fusco-nigris supra signata. Abdomen
nigrum vel fuscum, utrinque et infra flavo-lineatum. Pedes flavi, femori-
bus extra nigris, tibiis in medio et ad apicem nigris, articulisque tarsorum
ad apices nigris. Alae albido-hyalinae, punctis plurimis (praecipae apicem
versus) nigris conspersae, venis venulisque albidis, nigrostriatis, pterostig-
mate nigro-signato, femina. 7
a Long. corp. circ. 15 m.m.; exp. alar. 34 to 40 m.m.
s Habitat in deserto Kisil-kum ; five specimens were collected May 12,
1871, in the region of sand-hills about ro versts west of Djusebai Springs.
Antennae longer than the head and the front part of the thorax, gradu-
ally passing into a thick elongated clavate form, cinnamon colored with
the exception of the basal joint ; the cinnamon color of the remainder of
the joints passes with a whitish color on the articulations ; the body is
bright yellow. The head has above three small elongated dusty lines,
which unite with each other in front ; on the side from the end of these
dark spots there extends a single dusty transversal line ; a single knotted
line of the same color is seen on each of the antenne ; finally a single
elongated dusky line extends along the front of the head. The labrum is
212 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
not long, but rounded on the front margin ; the labial palpi are somewhat
longer than the maxillary, with the terminal joint much brceadened,
pointed, outside with a dark, large shining spot. The prothorax has
parallel margins, and above three long, black or dusty lines, equally dis-
tant from each other. On the meso- and metathorax these lines are
separated with distinct spots, among which appear a few small black lines
and spots; upon the side of the thorax two dark lines are seen on each
side. Legs short and not very thick, bright yellow, covered with shining
hairs ; on the outer side of each femur a dusty or reddish line ; each tibia
is surrounded in the middle with a dark ring, frequently wanting in the
posterior tibie. The abdomen is almost entirely black or dusty, with
broad yellow rings on the sides and lower surface ; at the extremity of the
abdomen are found two broad triangular plates, rounded off towards the
end, approximate, surrounded internally with black bristles and covered —
externally with black hairs ; under these plates are placed two auxiliary
palpi, one under each plate, the lower half of the following abdominal —
segment deeply cleft in the middle, and with a lengthened fringe joins a
long cylindrical growth. The wings are long and narrow, the posteriors
somewhat narrower and shorter than the anterior pair, whitish transparent, __
sprinkled with a great number of delicate black spots, particularly thickly —
grouped along the radius and the inner margin of the wings, and form an
almost unbroken line along the outer series of gradate veinlets. The
venation is very open (few transversal veins) ; the veins are pale whitish
or whitish yellow, over the greatest part on the minute black spots ; the
posterior wings have dark lines and spots in a small number; Diergetee
whitish and black internally. (McLachlan.)
Of course I am unable to decide if the Russian translation of the
English original is exact; at least only in one place (genitals of female)
I find some difficulty in understanding it.
2. Maracanda conspersa, Rbr.
M. conspersus, Rbr., 327, 3—Walk., 329, 47.
Body hairy, black, with whitish spots, very slender; head small, face
pale, above with a broad transversal blackish band, in which the antennz
are inserted ; this band is excised below in middle; before the labrum on
each side a brownish spot ; vertex cut straight in front, very little notched
in middle, black, with a faint yellow lateral dot; before the vertex a trans-
versal pale band ; antennz long, 7 m,m., strong, cylindrical, a little thicker
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 213
to the tip, which is bluntly pointed but not clavate; black, very faintly
annulated with pale on a few basal segments; maxillary palpi short,
brown, or blackish brown, base of cylindrical joints pale, last joint very
_ hittle incurved, cut at tip, as long as 3rd and 4th together, 3rd a little
_ longer than 4th, thicker on tip.
a Labial palpi a little longer, basal joint pale ; second longer, enlarged
_ to tip, a little incurved; last joint longer, thicker to middle, above de-
__ pressed, cylindrical, tip blunt ; both joints blackish, pale on articulation.
s -Prothorax short, before the middle a transversal flat furrow, front
margin slightly rounded ; black with three yellow dots anteriorly and a
_ posterior stripe on each side ; with some white hairs, intermixed with
& black ones ; mesothorax dull brownish gray, with a few scattered white
hairs, two yellow dots anteriorly and four in a transversal series in the
_ middle; the conical suture ending in the posterior margin pale yellow
_ with a middle dagger-shaped black line, and on each side a shorter black
line ; in front of it two globular black shining elevations, which are ap-
' proximate and like two ocelli ; metathorax similar with some yellow spots.
Abdomen (male) longer than the wings, very slender, about cylindri-
q cal, blackish hirsute ; brown, shining, darker below and at the apex ; seg.
_ ments 2 to 4 with two pale dorsal longitudinal lines, which are sometimes
partly confluent ; the two following segments with two pale spots in mid-
_ dle; appendages brown, clothed densely with black hairs, straight, the
q _ base triangularly dilated to reach the dorsum of the segment ; shorter than
_ the last segment. Abdomen (female) much shorter than the wings, less
slender, apical half thicker ; color similar, but the long pale dorsal lines
4 represented only by two middle and two apical spots ; genital parts in the
last segment with many strong black spines ; upper part divided in two
pale tubercles ; below with two short brown appendages.
d Legs short, pale, with white hairs, intermixed with a few black ones,
4a principally at tip, densely sprinkled with black, the femurs sometimes
nearly blackish ; tip of tibia black ; tarsi with apex of the two basal
joints, the two following entirely, and tip of fifth, black ; claws long, in-
curved, brown ; spurs wanting.
Wings short, broadest before the bluntly-pointed apex; hyaline with
white shades, a little fumose, the anteriors closely sprinkled with fuscous ;
_ venation dense, veins fuscous interrupted with white ; around the trans-
yersals after the mediana and after the 4th vein, brown shades, sometimes
forming brown streaks on the disk and near the hind margin ; two series
214 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of areoles in the costal space except near the base; hind wings less i
spotted.
Length of body, male, 32 to 44 m.m.; femaie, 21 to 27 m.m. Exp.
al. 42 to 60 m.m. |
Habitat.—I have before me 8 males and g females. From Canina
Upper Wisconsin River, Kennicott; from Hamilton, Ontario, Moffat ;
Michigan, a couple in alcohol, Capt. Meade ; Ludington, Mich., Pierce ;
Port Huron, Mich., Hubbard; from New Jersey, Uhler; from S. Caro-
lina, Zimmerman, the type of J/. Za/pinus Klug.; from Savannah, Ga.,
the type of IZ. irroratus Burm., vol. ii., p. 995, No. 1, with the label in
Burmeister’s hand-writing ; from Millin, Scriven Co., Ga., July, by Morri- :
son; from Florida, Norton.
The range of the species is very large ; the largest specimens are font
Canada and Michigan, the smallest from Georgia. The wings are more:
or less sprinkled. :
The species has been raised from a larva which I had pang to
belong to Acanthaclisis congener, but Mr. Redtenbacher rightly doubted
my determination. I have besides the described larva from Wyoming
before me, one from Port Huron, Mich., and one from Crescent City,
Fla., both collected by Mr. Hubbard. I can not find any difference be
tween them and a larva from Ludington, Mich., by Mr. Pierce, who
intends to describe the full history of the species rained by himself. |
When I was still in Europe, I had determined “with some doubt’
this species as the AZ. abdominalis Say. The large material now at hand
has shown me years ago that Say’s species is a different one. As ther
exist before Burmeister two different JZ. zrroratus, Rambur’s name has
the priority ; his type is a female. The JZ. irroratum Oliv., Encycl., viii.,
p. 126, No. 30 (copied by Walk., p. 408, No. 207), from Italy and Gree
Archipel., is probably JZ. imbecid/us Stein. The JZ. irroratus Klug.
Symb., pl. 35, f 6, from Arabia Felix, has visible spurs. The type is i
the Berlin Mus.; I can not determine the species, but believe it is not
Creagris. After Mr. Taschenberg, there can be no doubt that the type
of Burmeister of his 17. zrroratus in the Halle Museum, is different: from |
his type in Winthem’s Coll. The type in the Halle Museum is JZ. Zongi-
caudus Burmeister, after his type in Winthem’s Coll. JZ contaminatus
Burm. is the female of ¢rroratus type (in Winthem’s Coll.); Mr. Tas-
chenberg’s description is conclusive. AZ. nebudosum Oliv., Enc. Meth.
viii., 127, 35, from New York, is M. conspersus Rbr.; the description 0 0!
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 215
the color of abdomen excludes the other related species. Myrm. con-
taminatus was mentioned in a note to JZ. irroratus Burm., ii, 995, 11.
The probable type was described in Giebel Zeits., vol. 52, 214, 30.
3. Macaranda signata Hag.
Body hairy, yellow, striped with brown; not very slender. Head
- small, face yellow, eyes margined with bright yellow, which is followed
inside by a black line in the groove and another median one ; antennze
_ brown with a bright yellow ring, followed on the face by a brown triangu-
q -lar spot ; vertex elevated; its front margin notched in middle and on each
_ side; above dark brown, sides and occiput largely yellow, also two trans-
verse interrupted bands ; a pale transversal band before the vertex, separ-
: ated from the antenne bya narrow brown one; maxillary and labial palpi
as in WZ. conspersus, yellow, apical joint light brown; prothorax yellow,
: _ above with a broad brown band with a fine yellow Rosia line and a
| E yellow stripe on each side ; sides whitish-villous ; thorax yellowish with
brown stripes, the pattern similar to JZ. conspersa. Abdomen of male
_ about as long as the wings, less slender, whitish-villous, yellow, very finely
7 . sprinkled with blackish dots ; sides and apex blackish-brown ; a fine black
median line on 3rd and 4th segments ; appendages as in M. conspersa ;
abdomen of female much shorter than the wings, black, the apical half
_ with some ill-defined yellow marks on the sides and tip of segments ; legs
4 in shape and color as in MZ. conspersa, but joints 3 and 4 black only on
| 4 tip. The genitals are light brown, similar to conspersa.
a Wings hyaline, not sprinkled ; veins brown, interrupted with yellow ;
_ pterostigma yellow, faintly darker inside ; venation as in conspersa, with
' the important exception that the costal space of front wings has only one
4 series of areoles; the transversals in the apical half of the wing are
_ forked.
Length of body, male, 27 m.m.; female, 2t mm. Exp. al., 46 m.m.
Hab.—A female, fully developed, from White Fish Point, Lake
Superior, by Mr. Hubbard, but the yellow color of the body is more slate
color. Ludington, Mich., Mr. Pierce. The couple before me, in bad
condition, were sent in 1881 ; later, when Mr. Pierce worked here, these
specimens were mislaid and only turned up now. Iam certain that this
_ $pecies was not among the specimens brought over with him. The male
apparently has been transformed only a short time ago, therefore it can be
presumed that its abdomen has not attained its full length.
216 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
4. Maracanda Henshawi Hag.
Body very slender, hairy, striped with yellow. Head very small; oe
yellow, black near antennz ; two small black dots on each side and on
in middle ; antennz longer than head and prothorax, stout, cylindrical, —
tip narrowed ; black, the basal joint and the articulations yellow ; maxil-
lary palpi pale with a brownish tinge, apical joint brownish ; labial palpi
white, apical joint after basal third dark brown ; vertex elevated, black —
anteriorly, with a thin silvery felt; above yellow with two transversal 4
black lines and some spots near occiput; prothorax black, a fine yellow 4
median line and a yellow dot each side of the line near the front margin; —
sides largely yellow, with a blackish stripe ; mesothorax black, anteriorly
with two narrow lines, followed by a median one and two faint lines on
each side, all yellow ; metathorax black with a yellow cross of spots and
lines; sides of thorax black, with two yellow lines; abdomen very
slender, black, segments 2 to 6 with a dorsal yellow band, split by a fain
black median line ; appendages short, straight, cylindrical, brown, with a
brush of black hairs ; base going upward to dorsum ; below between them —
a small black triangular plate, with yellow tip; legs short, thin, pale,
femur externally black ; tibize with white hairs, and some black bristl
around tip ; four anterior tibiz sprinkled with black externally ; tip of al
and tip of joints of tarsi black, more on last joint; no spurs; claws incurved,
reddish-brown. Wings hyaline, narrow ; costal space with one series +
areoles and the transversals in the apical fourth of wing forked; veins
brown interrupted with yellow ; pterostigma small, yellow, with a blackis
spot internally ; wings very little sprinkled; along the anterior longitudin
veins the transversals shaded with brown; front wings with an oblique
dark stripe parallel to the hind margin of the apex; hind oe less
sprinkled along the anterior longitudinal veins.
Length of body 30 m.m.; exp. al., 40 m.m.
Habit.—Umatilla, Oregon; one male, June 24, 1882, collected } b
Mr. S. Henshaw. :
This species is directly separated froin the two foregoing dy its sma
size, and by anterior face of the vertex being black.
5. Maracanda? pygmaea Hag.
Myrmeleon pygmaeus Hag., Syn. N. Am. Neur., p. 231, No. i
The type collected in Mexico by Mr. Deppe is in the Berlin Muset
Not knowing anything more about this smallest described species —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 217
_ what is given in the Synopsis, I have not re-copied my description. ‘The
species arrived just in the last moment, when my manuscript was to be
sent to Washington, therefore I have not given more details. The char-
acters: quoted—antennez short, club large, almost orbicular ; wings short
the apex very much dilated; the venation peculiar, simple—make it
doubtful if 17. ? pygmaea belongs to this genus.
_ FURTHER INJURY TO LIVING PLANTS BY WHITE ANTS.
BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
More than twenty-five years since (Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., v. 7,
p. 287-288) I published an account of serious injury to living grape-vines
in hot-houses in Salem, Mass., by our common species of white ants.
Termes flavipes, No further notice of their injury to living vegetation
appears to have been taken until a few years ago, when Prof. J. H. Com-
stock, then government entomologist, stated (Rep. Comm. Agric., 1879,
207-8) that they had been found in Texas and Florida “ girdling the bark
_ of orange trees and guava bushes near the surface of the ground, or eating
__ out the interior of sugar-cane and other plants.” ‘When white ants infest
___ living plants,” the report goes on to state, “ they attack that part which is
| _at or just below the surface of the ground. In the case of pampas grass,
the base of the stalk is hollowed ; with woody plants, as orange trees and
guava bushes, the bark of the base of the trunk is eaten, and frequently
the tree is completely girdled ; with sugar-cane the most serious injury is
the destruction of the seed cane.”
Still more recently, Dr. H. A. Hagen published in the CaNaDIAN
ENTOMOLOGIST (v. 17, p. 134-136) another instance here in Cambridge
where living maple trees were largely infested by them, though the ants
appeared to have done little damage, the trees being “apparently in good
condition,” but one of them being felled it was found that for a couple of
feet above the ground, to the depth of an inch from the surface, the trunk
was extensively burrowed by the white ants.
In this same article, after referring to the injury reported from Salem,
Dr. Hagen adds: ‘The earth in the hot-houses here in Cambridge is
_ largely infested by white ants, but as far as I know, no destruction of
218 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
plants has been observed.” This is no longer true, for in the autumn of
1886 I was asked to look at the green-house connected with Mt. Auburn
Cemetery, to see if anything could be done to prevent the loss of geranium
cuttings by an insect, which turned out to be the same culprit. The bed
in which the cuttings were set was a long shallow wooden box or tray
placed against the northern wall of the. green-house ; the tray was filled
with moistened sand and kept constantly warm by being directly over a
chamber heated by hot-water pipes. The ants thus found the precise
condition which they prefer, warm moisture, and the wooden sides of the
tray showed everywhere the characteristic gauges of the insect. The
geranium cuttings were plunged near together in the sand, and the ants
entering at the cut end had eaten out everything but the rind, and by the
time they had penetrated the cutting above the level of the sand, the
drooping leaves gave sign of the injury to the plant. Some, the leaves of
which had begun to turn black, were found to have been eaten to the very
bases of the terminal leaves, and a good deal of injury had been done,
hundreds of cuttings having been destroyed ; the trouble had been going
on, I was told, for a year. Asa light porous soil is required for the cul-
ture of the cuttings, and a receptacle allowing the passage of the water
with a certain freedom, I recommended that the bottom of the tray be |
made of slate cr tiles of the material from which flower pots are made,
and the sides of zinc or other metal, in enough to come several inches
above the sand.
ON COLIAS ERIPHYLE Epw., AND C. HAGENII Epw.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA,
In my last paper I showed that C. Hagenii was a yellow form of C.
Eurytheme Bois., and I am now prepared to say that Hagenéz is identical
with Eriphyle, and the name gives way to this. I described Zriphy/e,
Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., v., 202, 1876, from about thirty individuals of both —
sexes, taken in British Columbia, at Lake Lahache, by the late G, R.
Crotch; and related that they were submitted to Mr. Henry Edwards, who
pronounced them distinct from any of the Pacific coast species, an opinion ;
with which I agreed. I said they came nearest PAi/odice, and pointedout
the differences, which seemed to be decisive against their being of that —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 219
_ species; and concluded thus: ‘“ Mr. Mead brought from Colorado, in
1871, a Colias very close to this from Lake Lahache, and which in
Reakirt’s paper on the Butterflies of Colorado (Pr. Ent. Soc. Phil., 1867,
p-. 14) is doubtless the one called Prz/odice. The same form was brought
from Montana,.by Dr. E. Coues, when engaged in the Boundary Line
_ Commission. For the present I shall give no opinion as to these, but
they seem to me nearer Eriphyle than to PAzlodice.” In this last expres-
sion I wasright. The under sides of the Zriphyle were quite free from
markings, sometimes completely so, except the discal spots, but some ex-
amples showed more or less of the sub-marginal spots and the other patches
which are found in both Phzlodice and Eurytheme Now on comparing
the 12 examples of Zriphy/e still remaining in my collection with ex-
amples of /Yagenzz, there is no doubt of the identity of the two. I can
match every Eriphyle by a Hagenti in either sex. The name Hagenii
therefore is sunk, and this form. will be known in future as Colias Eury-
THEME, tetramorphic form ERIpHYLE (pronounced E-riph’-y-le).
The following letter, referring to above, is of importance as showing
that twice Mr. Edwards came to the same conclusion independently con-
cerning this species.—Epiror, per J. F.
Coalburgh, W. Va., 24th Oct., 1887.
The Editor Canadian Entomologist :
My Dear S1r.—To-day, in clearing some loaded shelves, I came on a
bundle of Dr. Coues’ Reports ‘On the Collections of Insects made by
‘Dr. Elliott Coues, U. S. A., in Dakotah and Montana, during 1873 and
1874”—Washington, 1878; of which I supplied the paper on Lepidop-
tera. And to my surprise, for I had quite forgotten particulars of the
paper, not having looked at it for years, I find that I therein named the
Colorado Colias, afterwards called Hagenii, as ERIPHYLE. The paper
was written several years before it was printed, so that this description of
Eriphyle really preceded the one printed 1876, Tr. A. E. Soc., and is
headed Colias Zriphyle Edw., new species. After describing it I added
these lines :
“| first received examples of this species from Mr. T. L. Mead, who
took them in Colorado, in 1871, and was disposed to regard them as a
‘variety of Philodice. Subsequently I received about 50 specimens, taken
by the late G. R. Crotch, in British Columbia, and later, 1874, several
specimens, which were taken by Mr. Pywell on the line of the Northern
220 THE CANADIAN. ENTOMOLOGIST.
Pacific Railroad west of Bismarck. This material enables me to judge
with confidence of the distinctness of this species. It is not, in my ~
opinion, a variety of Phélodice, nor is it Occidentalis, Scudder, to which
it bears some resemblance.” ae
This paper is not referred to in my Catalogue of 1874.
NOTE ON SOUTHERN MOTHS FOUND IN THE NORTH. |
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M. a iii
Not unfrequently do I read of the capture of Southern JVoctuzd@ found
in Canada and the Northern United States, with the added remark that
the specimen was so fresh that it must have just escaped from chrysalis.
These remarks are made while I am always (for ten or fifteen years past)
saying that these are wind visitors, immigrants. So lately of Erebus
odora. Now were this moth really found here as a larva, its large Cato-
caline caterpillar must have been found. It is improbable that the food
plant of odora grows in the North. The scales are strongly adherent in
all these Woctuide fasciate; the “fresh” moth has flown a thousand
miles, more or less, according to my theory, which I seem to support
alone, and of which then nobody canrob me. In fact I would rather be
wrong, because then my ideas are not appropriated. Hiibner has a weak-
ness for considering the JVoctuide fasciate, Geometers; so Ptichodis
bistrigata (CAN. ENT., 12, 87), Eulepidotis alabastriaria (not known to
me), Crochiphora flavistriaria (CaN. ENT., 12, 118) and others. Know- —
ing Brotis vulneraria only from figures, I think it is a Noctuid and a
wanderer from the South. rebus odora may breed in Florida, in Texas, —
New Mexico, So. Colorado, but not with us. This is my theory of immi-—
gration from the South ; no other writer agrees to it or advocates it.
Right or wrong, itis my own. The great question with these species is
the limit of successful hibernation, continuous residence, breeding. The
Northern food plant must be produced by my opponents.
CHANGE oF AppRESsS.—Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod, from Dunster
Lodge, Spring Grove, Isleworth, to Torrington House, Holywell Hill, St. —
Albans, England. Soe
Mailed November Ist.
Che Canadian Entomologist.
Wo. XIX. LONDON, DECEMBER, 1887. _ No. 12
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF ONTARIO.
The Annual Meeting of the Society was held pursuant to notice at
Ottawa, on Wednesday and Thursday, 26th and 27th October, 1887. The
meeting was held in Ottawa at the request of several members, in order
that an opportunity might be afforded to visit the Central Experimental
Farm of the Dominion Government, to examine the valuable collections
of insects in the Museum of the Geological and Natural History Survey
of Canada, and to inspect the collections of the members resident in
Ottawa. Through the kindness of tlie civic rulers, the meetings were
held in the City Hall.
A Council meeting was held on Wednesday, at 10 a. m., on the ad-
journment of which the Museum was visited and the insect collections
examined, the magnificent exhibit of Lepidoptera eliciting universal
admiration.
In the afternoon the Experimental Farm was visited, the Director,
Prof. Saunders, kindly placing carriages at the disposal of the Council.
A Council meeting was held in his office, after which he escorted the
visitors around the farm, and explained the work already accomplished,
and the plans for future operations. The house and barns in course of
construction were justly admired, and it was evident to all that a great
and useful work was being accomplished under the oversight of the
Director and his skilful assistants. 3
In the evening a general meeting of the Society was held in the coun-
cil chamber of the City Hall, and the Annual Address was delivered by
the President, Mr. James Fletcher. Among the large audience present
were, in addition to members of the Entomological Society, many officers
and members of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club, of the Ottawa Liter-
ary and Scientific Society, of the Geological Museum, of various educa-
tional institutions, agricultural associations, etc., as well as gardeners and
farmers from the surrounding country.
922 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The address was a very instructive and practical one, and was listened
to with great attention and interest by all present. It gave a sketch of the
growth of the Society, and an outline of the work being done and to be car-
ried on at the Government Experimental Farms. ‘The value of Natural
Sciences as a training for the mental faculties and the co- relationship. of 7
the different branches was shown. The latter portion consisted of a re-
port on the insect injuries for the year and the broad general principles’ 3
regulating the application of remedies. On its conclusion a vote of thanks
to the President was moved by Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, who described the _
work being accomplished in England by Miss Ormerod, and illustrated it |
by an account of her exertions to ward off the attack of the Hessian Fly.
The vote of thanks was seconded by Prof. Saunders, who confirmed. the
statements made in the address, and gave accounts of some experiments
with solutions of Paris green as a preventive of Curculio in plums, and
Codling Moth in apples. The President's address will appear 7 1 extenso ;
in the Annual Report. 2
A collection of Coleoptera captured in the vicinity of Ottawa was
exhibited by Mr. W. Hague Harrington. It was arranged in 18 cases
and contained about 1,250 species. | |
The annual meeting of the Society for the election of officers, etc., was
held at 11 a. m on Thursday, in a committee room of the Ciy Hal
The President, Mr. James Fletcher, occupied the chair, and the fol-
lowing members of the Council were among those present: Rev. C.J. S.
Bethune, Port Hope; Mr. J. Alston Moffat, Hamilton ; Mr. J. M. Denton,
London ; and Mr. W. H. Harrington, Ottawa. |
The minutes of the previous meeting having been printed and circu-
lated amongst the members, their reading was dispensed with, and. they s
were duly confirmed.
Mr. W. H. Harrington was requested to act as Secretary in the
absence of that officer.
Letters were received from Rev, T. W. Fyles, Quebec ; Mr. E. Baynes :
Reed, London; Mr. H. H. Lyman, Montreal; Mr. W, E. Saunders, Lon-
don ; Mr. J. D. Evans, Trenton ; Capt. Ghinble Geddes, Toronto, and
others, announcing their regret at being unable to be present.
The Report of the Council was read by Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, and.
on motion of Mr. Denton, seconded by Mr. Moffat, it was duly adopted.
The statement of the Secretary-Treasurer (balance sheet) was received
and adopted,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 923
‘The Reports of the Montreal Branch, and of the Delegate to the
Royal Society of Canada, were received and referred for publication.
_ The election of officers was then proceeded with, and the following
gentlemen were duly and unanimously elected :
President—James Fletcher, Ottawa.
| Vice-President—E. Baynes Reed, London.
Secretary-Treasurer—W. E. Saunders, London.
| ~ Librarian and Curator—¥. Baynes Reed, London.
| Councii—--W. Hague Harrington, Ottawa; Rev. T. W. Fyles, Quebec ;
. J. Alston Moffat, Hamilton; J. M. Denton, London; Rev. Geo. W.
a Taylor, Victoria, B. C. | Bi ,
+ «~£&ditor * Canadian Entomologist” —Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, Port Hope.
e Editing Committee—Prof. W. Saunders, Ottawa; J. M. Denton, Lon-
_ don; Dr. Wm. Brodie, and Capt. Gamble Geddes, Toronto.
: Auditors—J. M. Denton and E. Baynes Reed, London.
Delegate to Royal Society—H. H. Lyman, Montreal.
Rev. C. J. S. Bethune read a paper of much interest on the occurrence
_at Port Hope of immense numbers of Aletia argillacea on the 8th and
~ oth of October.
Prof. Macoun suggested the basswood tree as a possible food-plant of
the larve, because there were not in the district sufficient malvaceous
plants to furnish food for such numbers of insects.
Mr. Fletcher said that careful search had been made for several years
on this tree, as well as on all plants allied to the cotton plant, but no
traces of larvee had been found. He had hitherto been inclined to believe
_ that the moth bred in Canada, and that the theory of migration from the
_ cotton States was not tenable, but what he had learned concerning the
__ appearance of these insects this autumn had somewhat changed his views.
| = Mr. W. Hague Harrington stated that the appearance of the moths
| had been very noticeable at Ottawa at almost the same date as they were
_ observed at Port Hope. The first week of October had been compara-
tively wet, with calms and light winds varying from east through south to
west. Sunday, oth Oct., had been a remarkably mild day, and on that
_ evening the moths had swarmed at some electric lights. On the following
_ morning he had observed upon the front of the Ottawa Banka great num-
_ber of moths, at least 250 or 300. ‘The building faced the north, being
situated opposite the Parliament Square, and had in front of it an electric
light. Moths were also seen at several points in the city, but not in any
224 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
great number. From the fresh, unrubbed condition of all those seen he
then thought that they could not have flown far, and that possibly they
might have been bred upon some of the plants on the Government
grounds. Since hearing Mr. Bethune’s paper, however, he was more in-
clined to favor the migration theory.
Mr. J. Alston Moffat reported that on Friday night, 7th Oct., immense
swarms had appeared at Hamilton. He was informed by a friend that —
on that evening they had been around the electric lights literally in mil-
lions—the numbers being so great that he could not attempt to give an
idea of them, other than by saying that all the insects previously observed
by him were as nothing in comparison. Mr. Moffat visited the section of
the city where they had been most numerous, on the following afternoon,
and found the ground for a space of several yards around each electric
light pole covered with these insects, every inch having at least one moth.
Immense numbers had been crushed under foot, but the rest were lively,
and darted off in their accustomed manner when disturbed. That night
they were very abundant, but Sunday evening was wet and their numbers
were lessened.
Mr. J. M. Denton said that in London the moths had not been os
served, although there was an electric light quite near his house.
‘After the discussion the general opinion of the meeting was that a
migration seemed indicated, and it was resolved that endeavors should be
made to find out if the moths had been observed at points intermediate
between Canada and the Southern States. ;
Mr. Fletcher exhibited some beautiful paintings, kindly loaned by Mr.
Scudder, of four species of Thecla, viz., strigosa, acadica, calanus and
Edwardsii, and he also showed specimens of several species of these
butterflies, and pointed out the points of distinction or affinity.
It being one o’clock, the meeting adjourned until 2.30 p. m. |
The afternoon session opened by the reading of a paper contributed —
by Prof. E. W. Claypole, “Suggestions to Teachers on Collecting and
Preserving Insects,” followed by two by Capt. Gamble Geddes on
“Several Remarkable Captures during the Summer of 1887 in Ontario,”
and *‘* Notes on the Genus Argynnis whilst Alive in the Imago State.” In ~
the discussion which followed the former paper, Mr. Moffat described his
own capture of the ~ of Pelecinus polycerator, and Mr. Fletcher de-
scribed the unusual abundance at Ottawa of Codias philodice. At an
excursion of the Field Naturalists’ Club to Brittania, a few miles from the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. AS
city, the sandy shore of the Ottawa had been so thickly covered with
them for a distance of several hundred yards, that at one stroke of the
net he had captured 47, which, strange to say, were all males.
Prof. Saunders stated that he had made search near London for the
larvee of Papilio cresphontes, where it had formerly been captured, but
- without success.
| Mr. Fletcher exhibited a fine collection of Canadian species of the
_ genus Chionobas, and explained the great value of these insects on
account of their rarity hitherto in collections. C. Macounii Edw. was a
new species which had been collected by Prof. Macoun at Nipigon in
1885, and the Rocky Mountains in 1886. Closely allied to it was C.
_ Gigas Butler, of which until the past summer only three specimens were
a known in collections. Other beautiful species exhibited and described
_ were C. Californica, C. Chryxus, C. Jutta, C. Varuna and C. Uhleri, of
_ which Prof. Macoun had taken specimens in the Rocky Mountains,
A pleasant and valuable paper by the Rev. George W. ‘Taylor, of
Victoria, B. C., was read, describing an ascent of Mount Finlayson, B. C.,
_ in search of C. Gigas, and the success which had attended the party.
. Prof. Macoun, who had accompanied Mr. Taylor, described the man-
? ner of flight of this butterfly, which was swift and ceaseless, as was the
__ case with the specimens of C. Macounzi taken at Nipigon; all the speci-
- mens taken, it may be added, of both species, were males.
Mr. Fletcher exhibited three specimens of the rare Papz/io Nitra, two
taken by Prof. Macoun in the Rocky Mountains, the other by Mr. N. H.
Cowdry at Regina, N. W. T.; also some interesting species and varieties
of Colias, regarding which there was discussion by several of the members.
Attention was then called to the valuable paper by Mr. H. H. Lyman
in the October number of the ENromo.ocist, and the beautiful plate
accompanying it. A series of the moths brought by different members of
the Council was examined in connection with this paper.
Mr. J. Alston Moffat exhibited and distributed among the members -
specimens of two new species of moths which had been captured by him
at Hamilton, and which had been described by Prof. Fernald and Prof.
Grote respectively as Proteoteras Moffatiana and Scopelosoma Moffatiana.
-Mr. Fletcher showed specimens of an Halesidota and of its larve,
which had been very abundant and destructive upon the Douglas Fir in
_ British Columbia during the past year. He also distributed a collection
of Coleoptera sent from Vancouver Island for this purpose by Rev. G. W,
Taylor,
226 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Mr. W. Hague Harrington read a paper on the “ Nuptials of
Thalessa,” describing the emergence and copulation of these the a
of our Hymenoptera (Can. ENT., p. 206). oe
Mr. Moffat read a suggestive paper on “Species and Varieties.”
deprecating strongly the doing away with all names distinctive of well
marked varieties. ly ae
Prof. Macoun agreed with Mr. Moffat that every variety » shina have
a name distinguishing it, and that much was lost if such was not the case. —
Rev. C. J. S. Bethune submitted a circular letter from Prof. Alfred —
Wailly, of England, asking for specimens of any silk moths or pegs a
cocoons. Hf
Mr. Fletcher drew attention to an article which had. appednelil in te :
August number of the Canadian Horticulturist, condemning the use of —
Paris green as an insecticide. He considered that article inaccurate and —
very injurious, as it might prevent the farmers from making use of this —
most valuable remedy, and in confirmation of his opinion read a letter —
from Prof. A. J. Cook describing experiments with Paris green, and_
proving that no ill effects could result from eating potatoes or fruit upon —
which it was used in the ordinary manner for the prevention we insect
attacks. | Ned
Mr. Harrington submitted a note on ‘Further Observations on
Oryssus Say,” in which attention was also drawn to a clerical error in
paper on that insect in the May number of the ENTroMOLoGIsT. 3
A vote of thanks was unanimously ordered to be conveyed to the
Mayor and City Council for the use of the council chamber and com- ag
mittee room in the City Hall for the meetings of the Society. —
The meeting adjourned at 6 p. m., sine die. es
W. Hacue Harrincrton, Secretary prot temo 0
rere ene ae
HISTORY OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF COLIAS-
ALEXANDRA, Epw.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, .W. VA. i BOS oe
EGG.—Fusiform, thick in middle, tapering both ways, the base a little
broader than the summit; some examples have the side convex from
middle to either end, but others have the upper half a little incurved ;
ribbed longitudinally, the number of ribs sixteen, three or four of which
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 227
snd at about four fifths the distance from base ; ribs low, narrow, the
spaces between flat, and crossed by many fine ridges ; top rounded ; the
_micropyle is in centre of a rosette of fine cells, outside of which is a ring
_of larger ones; color yel'ow-green. Duration of this stage four days.
YOUNG LARVA.—Length .o7 inch; cylindrical, a little thickest on
2 and 3; on the ridges of the segments are many black points, each of
which gives a short white hair ; among these are rounded black tubercles,
some of which give long black hairs, but most bear short white clubbed
_ appendages, longest on 2 and 13; on 3 and 4 these are in straight cross
a row, four on either side, the lowest being in line with the spiracles, bent
q after 4, and to 12, there are three on either side, disposed so as to make
2 _ three longitudinal rows, of which the sub-dorsal has the appendage on the
front ridge, the upper lateral on fourth ridge, and mid-lateral on second
a ridge ; on 2 are three appendages on either side the mid-dorsal line, two
of them at the front, the third behind and between the others ; lower down
- on same segment are two more in vertical line ; on all segments from 2
are two black hairs over feet and legs, and in same line ; color greenish-
brown ; head rounded, scarcely depressed at top ; color black ; the hairs
_ white. Duration of this stage 4 to 5 days.
After first moult.—Length .14 inch ; nearly same shape ; the appen-
_ dages present, those on dorsum paddle-shaped, quite broad at top, the
thin side running with the long axis of body, those on sides clubbed; all
_ from black tubercles ; color brown-green ; head more green than body,
- rounded, depressed ; with many white tubercles and white hairs. Dura-
tion of this stage about 6 days. )
After second moult.—Length .2 inch; color yellow-green, thickly
covered with a white down; head color of body. During this stage the
a -Jarvee became lethargic, and so passed the winter.
a After third moult, in spring.—Length .36 inch ; color dark green; the
_ basal ridge yellowish, but there is no distinct band ; head as before, yel-
_ low-green. The next moult took place about seven days after the larve
began to feed.
a After fourth moult.—Length .6 inch; color dark yellow-green ; there
is now a band along base, pure white, stained in middle of some segments,
usually 3, 4 and 12, with pink; as the stage progresses, the pink appears
on other segments and in a few hours runs through the length of the band.
MATURE LARVA.—Length 1.1 inch; shape of Aurydice and
_ Philodice ; color one shade of yellow-green, the under side a little lighter ;
228 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
much covered with small black tubercles, the hairs from which are short,
straight, and over dorsum, black, but on the sides, gray ; along base a
white band, with broken dashes of red-orange running through it ; head
rounded, depressed at top ; color yellow-green, studded with black tuber- _
cles, which give short black hairs. From fourth moult to ap epee 33 ‘
days, in April. ve
CHRYSALIS.—Length .8 inch, greatest breadth .2 inch, depths an a
inch; shape of Lurydice and Philodice ; compressed laterally, the thorax
prominent ; the head case pointed, beak-like; the mesonotum rounded —
(almost angular) ; color yellow-green, the dorsal side darker than ventral;
on ventral side of abdomen next wings three small reddish Spots 1 in ae =
Duration of this stage 9 and 1o days. a
On 2oth July, 1884, I received 16 young larvae, hatched en righ
from Rosita, Col., sent by Mr. H. W. Nash, the eggs laid 23rd and 24th
July, on Astragalus. On 2nd Aug., they began to pass first moult, on 8th”
the second moult. Shortly after, they became lethargic, and I sent them
to Clifton Springs, New York, to be placed in the “Cooler” for the
winter. On 7th March, 1885, I received them from Clifton, all dead sei
one, and this died a few days later.
On 18th Aug., 1886, I received six larvae hatched en route, sent Gout
Central City, Col., by Prof. G. H. French, the eggs having been laid on
Thermopsis Tabacea var. Montana. These larvae began to pass first —
moult, 25th Aug.; the second moult was overlooked ; on 4th Sept., two
out of five larvae became lethargic, and by 11th Sept., the other three |
had gone same way. In October, all six were sent to Clifton Springs.
These came back alive, 21st March, 1887, and were placed on white clover —
in pot, and covered by muslin bag. On rst April, they were first noticed
as feeding ; on 7th, one larva passed 3rd moult ; this one passed 4th
moult, 13th April, and pupated 26th April. The imago came on 6th
May, a female of type Ldwardsti in some important points, the marginal
borders to fore wings being unusually broad and heavy.
The second larva passed third moult on 15th April, the fourth on
25th, pupated 5th May, and the imago came out 14th May, a female,
typical A/exandra, with no borders whatever. This one was like the
parent female, and consequently the spring butterfly in this case was like
the fall butterfly that produced it.
On 28th June, 1887, I received four young larve from Cébiial a1 City,
the eggs having been obtained by Master William Lake, at the request « of
»
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 229
Prof. French. These were of the earliest butterflies, and I expected to
raise them to imago the same summer.
On 2nd and 3rd July, all these larvae passed rst moult ; on 6th July,
two passed znd moult; on roth or 11th, one passed 3rd moult. On 27th
July, the three survivors had been lethargic for about a week, as I re-
corded. Later, I sent these to Clifton Springs. So that larvae from the
_ earliest flight of the butterflies, as far as observed, hibernate, as do the
larvae of the later flight, and all would produce butterflies in spring.
How comes it then that there is the appearance of a second brood of the
butterfly in late summer, or August? Apparently one brood flies in June,
another in August, though fresh butterflies are also found in July, and one
would expect eggs of the June brood to produce the August butterflies.
The explanation I conceive may be this: in June, the butterflies from the
lower elevations first come from pupae, in July from higher elevations,
and in August from the highest of all, and a constant stream of fresh
butterflies is kept up from higher to lower elevations. Mr. David Bruce
has collected several seasons in Colorado at every altitude, and in 1887,
particularly, his attention was directed to the habits of A/exandra, and
this is what he writes 22nd Sept., 1887: ‘I think my notes and the speci-
Mens sent will satisfy you that there can be but one brood annually of
Alexandra. ‘This species is a powerful flier and takes very long flights,
and in the narrow canons will fly along the side of the trail or stream
down hill for miles. Even Colias JZeadiz, when it once gets in the canons,
will follow the track, and I have found several at Webster, gooo feet, and
below it, though their proper habitat is 2000 or 3000 feet higher.” AZex-
andra is found at various elevations from 6000 to 10,000 feet.
As to C. Edwardsii and its relationship to A/exandra ; I have of late
years thought it probable that the former might be a dimorphic form of
the other. But if there is but one annual brood of Alexandra, that view
is nottenable. Zdwardsii was named by Dr. Behr, from examples taken
in Nevada, and was first described in vol. 1, But. N. A., in 1869. At
that time very few examples were known, and the same is true as to
Alexandra, originally described in 1863. It was not till Mr. Mead col-
lected in the summer of 1871, in Colorado, that AZexandra became better
known. Since then a vast deal of collecting has been done in Colorado,
and A/exandra is found in every collection. Ldwardsii yet differed
from Alexandra, as known up to 1869, in the shape of the wings, these
being narrow, the fore wings pointed apically, the hind margins incurved ;
230 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
in contrast to the shorter and broader wings of A/exandra, with rounded
apices and hind margins. The fore wing of the female had more or less
of a marginal border, and there was an orange discal spot to hind wing.
In Alexandra, the female had no border, but was immaculate, and there
was but a pale discal spot, if any at all, on hind wing, and never orange. -
There were other differences of less importance perhaps, but the ones
mentioned were enough to make the separation of the two forms not
merely proper but imperative. In 1877, Pr. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci., Mr.
Henry Edwards expressed the opinion that Hdwardsiz was but a variety
of Alexandra, and with my present experience, I can only join in the same
conclusion. ‘The two females which came from one laying of eggs, as
before related, were of the two types in many respects. One was immacu-
late, and altogether, in color and markings, the typical A/exandra as
figured in B, N. A. (and like the mother insect), the other had the mar-
ginal border of Hdwardsii, while both had the pointed wing given as
characteristic of the latter. The species is Alexandra, and Edwardsii a
variety of the same. , :
Among the many examples recently sent me by Mr. Bruce are two
albino females, one with, the other without, any traces of marginal
borders. Usually the discal spot on under side of hind wing is without a
circlet, but I have two males with a narrow brown ring, and one of these’
has a second small spot, such as appears in many species of the genus.
One of Mr. Bruce’s males has a broad, not very distinct, border outside
the ring. Generally the fringes throughout are yellow, but occasionally
they are pale pink. Some examples have no pink at base of hind wings,
others a minute patch of it. In none have I ever seen a trace of sub-
marginal spots on either wing below, or of a patch at outer angle of hind
wing.
NOTES ON THE GENUS ARGYNNIS WHILST ALIVE IN
THE IMAGO STATE.
BY GAMBLE GEDDES, TORONTO, ONT.
1, Arc. Lats, Edw.
A new species discovered by me in 1883, whilst collecting for Mr.
Henley Grose Smith, of England. It was described by Mr. W. H.
Edwards shortly after my return. In the end of June and beginning of
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 931
‘July, I found this insect easy to capture. It was comparatively rare in
- some districts of the North-west Territory, but at the principal crossing
of the Red Deer River and the neighborhood of Fort Edmonton, it was
“quite common. When the orange lilies of the prairies, Li/ium Philadel-
phicum, were in bloom, I took many specimens of both sexes upon these
flowers, and could approach them quite easily with the killing bottle, and
so avoid the necessity of using a net and running the chances of rubbing
their wings. Mr. Edwards has figured this species in Part I., Vol. IIL,
of the ‘‘ Butterflies of North America.”
2. ARG. CYBELE, F.
Taken at Edmonton and surrounding country, flying in company with
Lais and attracted by the blossoms of the numerous vetches which occur
in that district.
3. A. Coronis, Behr.
This beautiful insect I found most common at Fort Macleod, but I
also took specimens in the Kicking Horse Pass, and at Calgary, roo miles
north. Here they were not by any means plentiful. It occurs princi-
pally late in the season when the harvesting is going on, and when the
Golden Rod is in bloom. At the entrance to the Kootenay Pass many
perfect specimens were taken. The specimens captured were very vari-
able, and one was thought by Mr. Edwards to be new; it turned out
however to be Coronis. The specimen was called by him Arg. Baucis,
and is now in the collection of Mr. Henley Grose Smith, Isle of Wight.
4. A. CHaARICLEA, Schneid.
5. A. BoIspUVALLII, Somm.
I took both these species in the Crow Nest Pass, and both at great
altitudes. Strange to say, I saw none of them in the foot-hills, or the
rolling prairie, but last summer Avg. Chariclea appeared in large numbers
in the hills at Port Arthur, Lake Superior. It would be useful to know
from any members of the Society what their observations have been
regarding the localities of these species. They seem to be in perfect
order all through the summer, and quite like 4. AZyrina in this respect.
6. A. ATLANTIS, Edw.
This species occurred in all parts of the Mountains, and was at its
best in the early part of July.
232 _ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
4. A. EuryNomeE, Edw.
First taken about Calgary, N. W. T., and afterwards in all the elie
here and there through the Rocky Mountains. It has many varietal
forms. ‘The silver spots on under side of secondaries are nearly covered
over with yellow and green scales in some specimens, whilst in others
they are silver to the very edges of the spots. This species was abundant
in the vicinity of the Crow Nest Pass in all its forms, including Zrinna
and Avge. Some of the specimens also varied much in size, the smallest
being about the same measurement across the primaries as Arg. Myrina.
This was particularly noticeable in the males, the females being for the
most part of an uniform size.
8. Var. ERINNA.
9. Var. ARGE, Strk.
No notes were particularly taken in connection with either of these
forms.
10. ARG. Cio, Edw.
In capturing this insect in 1883, I thought that I was the happy
possessor of A, Bischofii or A. Opis, and wrote to Mr. W. H. Edwards
to that effect. It turned out otherwise, however. A. C/o was first seen
by me and taken in small numbers in 1883, but in 1884 occurred more
commonly in several distinct localities. |
11. ARG, ARTONIS, Edw. |
This is uncommonly like C/o, in my opinion, and I have not been _
able to distinguish one from the other up to the present time. ;
12. A. Monticoua, Behr.
I took but very few of this species in the Crow Nest Pass, and they
varied much from other specimens I have seen, notably from California.
In the Kicking Horse Pass and other localities in the Rocky Mountains,
however, larger varieties were captured resembling very closely specimens
from the southern slope of the Pacific coast. The silver spots usually
found in the Argynnidze on the under side of the posterior wings were
entirely of a yellow color, and no appearance of silver was visible in the
smaller specimens, whilst in the larger varieties more than two-thirds of
the spots was covered with silvery scales. |
13. A. Epwarpsu, Reak.
14. A. NEVADENSIS, Edw.
A, Edwardsii is a lively insect to follow with a net, and a man must
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 233
be in excellent training to do much with it in that way.. I have been led
_ away a long distance from my camp (and often from a well-earned meal)
upon seeing one of these insects flit by. It is, like its cenfrére Arg.
Nevadensis, a bewitching and tantalizing creature— bewitching because of
the beautiful combination of the pale green and silver of the under side
in the sunlight, and the red and orange of the upper side which contrasts
so wonderfully and at which one gets a glimpse occasionally during its
flight. It flies more like the Satyridz, by which I mean it folds its wings
completely over its back whilst flying, and seems to traverse a long space
until it becomes necessary to open the wings again to prolong its flight, or
_ *to settle on the ground. Tantalizing, I call it, because it indulges in short
and rapid flights, making one suppose it is an easy matter to follow it a
_ few yards and then capture it. I have had to creep along on all fours
sometimes, and occasionally drag myself along on my stomach, to secure
these specimens, and then have missed about 50 per cent. of the number
followed. WVevadensis and Edwardsii do not fly high, and when alighting
_ after a short and rapid flight, they expand the wings to the full extent,
' until the edges touch the ground. This of course is when they alight on
the bare soil, which they frequently do. Like most Argynnide, they are
both fond of the thistle, and are much more easily approached when sip-
_ ping honey from the flowers than when they come down to the ground.
15. A. BELLONA, F.
This small species has been taken in large numbers in the vicinity of
Brandon, Manitoba, and the further west I proceeded the rarer it became.
At Calgary it was quite rare, and resembled 4pzthore very much, with
the exception of the darker colors on both upper and under surfaces of
the wings.
16. A. Myrina, Cram.
4 Only at one point in the North-west was this species common, and
that was about 50 miles west of Calgary. As in this part of the country,
_ marshes and the edges of streams were the principal haunts.
17. A. TricLARiIs, Hub.
_ Taken only at extreme altitudes, where snow was plentiful on the
neighboring hills and peaks.
18. A. Leto, Behr.
This is a remarkable looking insect on the wing, and until the eye
_ becomes accustomed to it, may be taken fora Papilio. I allude to the
234 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
2, for I cannot remember seeing a {# flying, or if I did, was not pre-
pared to make notes about it. As most of our collectors are aware, the
2 andthe ff differ in appearance considerably, the female being a very
dark brown (almost black) and yellow, whilst the male is red and brown
like any other Argynnis.
I append a list of Argynnidz which I have myself taken at different
times, with notes on their flight and habits.
1. Arg. Lais, Edw. Very lively on the wing, but easily captured with
cyanide bottle from flowers.
2. Arg. Cybele, F. Precisely the same as Cyde/e in this Province in
its movements. I never saw Cyde/e from the time I left St. Paul, Minn., “
until I arrived at Edmonton, N. W. T.
3. Arg. Coronis, Behr. Extremely lazy and easy of capture. I have
walked through patches of golden rod and knocked the stalks and flowers
about considerably without disturbing Coronzs. I have also taken them
between my thumb and forefinger without any attempt at escape.
4. Arg. Chariclea, Schneid. ; 5. Arg. Boisduvallii, Somm. Not a
particularly lively fly. Often difficult of capture, as it flies high in the
air at certain parts of the day, particularly the evening. I was not aware
that these were separate species until my return, and so my notes Sppy
to both.
6. Arg. Atlantis, Edw. A curious fact in connection with the dick
variety of At/antis taken in the Mountains is that it constantly alighted
on the trunk of a tree head downwards, like the Graptas often do. Very
lively and about only during the brightest part of the day.
7. Arg. Eurynome, Edw. A slow insect for the most part and easily
approached.
8. V. Erinna; 9. V. Arge, Streck. Not observed.
10. Arg. Clio, Edw. Principally males taken ; very quick and hard
to catch without rubbing the wings.
11. Arg. Artonis, Edw. Same as above.
12. A. Monticola, Behr. Very rapid flight ; hard to take.
13. 4. Edwardsti, Reak. ; 14. A. Nevadensis, Edw. Short zig-zag
flight ; alights quite frequently on the ground ; extremely difficult to take
either in flight or whilst at rest.
15. Arg. Bellona, ¥. Specimens taken altogether whilst okie with
only one or two exceptions. Comparatively easy to catch on the wing.
16. Arg. Myrina, Cram. Same as any locality in Ontario.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 235
_ 17. Arg. Triclaris, Hiib. Slow in flight, but difficult to take, as it
_ flies over boggy and marshy places in the valleys amongst the snow-caps.
I 18. Arg. Leto, Beh. 2 only observed; lively in flight and easily
distinguished from its dark brown and yellow colors.
NOTES ON CALLIMORPHA.
BY JOHN B. SMITH, WASHINGTON, D. C.
In the early spring of 1887, while arranging the National Museum
_ collection of Arctiide, I tried to make out the varieties of Cadlimorpha
econtei listed in our catalogues, and soon came to the conclusion that
_ we had to do with more species than were generally accepted. I investi-
gated the literature of the subject and prepared a paper, the results of
which were first communicated to the Entomological Society of Washing-
ton at ‘their March meeting (see Entom. Americ., ili, p. 20). At this
_ time I had concluded to describe three new species, viz., /actata, suffusa
_ and confusa, and prepared the descriptions for Ent. Am, sending the
MSS. of the monograph to the Proceedings of the National Museum.
For reasons hereinafter stated, I finally identified my confusa with /econtei
Bd., and withdrew my description of that species, changing also the name
in the proof of the monograph.
The descriptions of /actata and suffusa appeared in Ent. Am., iii., 25,
and I refer on p. 26 to the monograph of the genus for the Proc. U. S.N.
Museum.
In August, at the meeting of the Ent. Club, A. A. A. S., I read from
advance sheets of my paper the substance of my conclusions, and tried
to convince the gentlemen present of their correctness—I grieve to say,
with very little success, as a reference to the report of the meeting in Ent.
Am., ili., 103, will show. Mr. Lyman, to whose paper I will presently
refer, had evidently not seen this when his MSS. went to the printer.
Prof. Riley, and Messrs. Hulst and Graef vigorously opposed my views,
and one emphatic gentleman (not in open meeting, however,) pronounced
them profane adjectived nonsense. Mr. Edwards wrote me I was all
wrong, and Mr. Butler, whose reputation as a lumper is none of the best,
considered six species an abundance, and they not very good ones either.
My paper appeared Sept. 16th, and was distributed to correspondents
236 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of the Museum; my extras came in a few days later. No one has
responded as yet, so I do not know whether I have made converts or not. :
Under these circumstances, Mr. H. H. Lyman’s paper on the species —
of Callimorpha, Can. ENT., Oct., 1887, agreeing as it does in the main
with my own conclusions, was most gratifying, and restores to some extent
my faith in the intelligence of Lepidopterists. Mr. Lyman, while agree-
ing in the main with my results (he could not have seen my paper), pre- —
sents some differences to which I beg to call attention. Iwill do itunder —
the call of species, following his order, which differs from my own. .
C. Leconte! Bd.
Mr. Lyman accuses me of aging the type of this species, ant he
is right. My excuse is that I have never seen /econtez as Mr. Lyman
here fixes it. I had seen Boisduval’s figure, and Herrich-Schaeffer’s figure, —
which evidently referred to the same species. I have never seen speci- —
mens like Mr. Lyman’s figures 1, 2 and 3. His figure 4 and all the others _
are familiar to me. The most obvious and striking point in Boisduval’s —
figure was the transverse black band near the base of the primaries, and —
as I knew only one species that had this peculiarity, I referred the name
to that species, crediting the figures with sufficient inaccuracy to cover the _
differences between them and my specimens. I did not deem it possible
that there was a form that I had not seen, so close as to be confusing. —
As it proves, I was mistaken, and I confess Mr. Lyman’s figures 1, 2 and a
3 were a surprise to me. He is undoubtedly correct, however, in his
references and identification of the species.
Var. confinis Wik. This is without doubt a mere synonym of witeered
Harr. Mr. Butler kindly sent me a drawing of that form. The Museum
series readily fills all gaps between figures 6 and 8 on Mr. Lyman’s plate. —
Query.—Is the typical econtei local? “It seems passing strange that
none of the numerous collections I have seen should have a single speci-
men referable to it, so as to save me from blundering !
C. conTicua WIlk. ah
This needs no further reference. I thoroughly agree with Mr. Lyman
in all he says. It may be well to say here that in my paper I have
described and figured the genitalia of nearly all the species, and the differ-
ences there noted bear out the conclusions otherwise reached, vay
C. conrusa Lyman. 5
Undoubtedly a good species, which in my paper I have referred to as_
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. (237
_ ¢econtei. ‘The specific character of markings is found in the form of the
broad half band of the primaries that arises from the internal margin, and
‘sends off from its summit a band to the outer margin below the apex, and
fa spur inwardly, In my paper I figure some varieties with the markings
much more nearly obsolete. Mr. Lintner’s description of the larva of C.
econtet (Ent. Contr., iii, 143) refers to this form. I have seen the
-imagos. Mr. Lintner found it on Spear-mint, Alentha viridis.
I have found the species common in the Catskills, where all the speci-
mens taken were of this species. At first, as above suggested, I was
inclined to consider this a distinct species, and oddly enough selected the
same name for it that Mr. Lyman did. My reasons for changing my
opinion have been already given.
C. surrusa Smith.
This is the species figured by Mr. Stretch in his Zygaenide and Bom-
- _bycide as typical of J/econtei, and he credits Mr. Saunders with the
specimens. This is my authority for the locality, Canada, for this species,
and also my authority for referring Mr. Saunders’s description of the larva
in Can. EnT., i., 20, to this species, though somewhat doubtfully.
_ Umaware of the existence of forms like the true /econtez, I also
assumed from these facts that Mr. Caulfield referred to this form as
5 _ tecontei; he assumed the distinctness of /econtec and mi/itaris, which
proves unfounded, and which also misled me. I am sorry my name does
not please Mr. Lyman. The matter is not so bad as it might be, how-
ever, since, as I shall show hereafter, the name c/ymene is misapplied and
_ Must be credited to a different species. The species varies quite exten-
sively, and I have figured a number of the forms. One specimen is nearly
immaculate, having only the margins dusky.
C. FULVICOSTA Clem.
Mr. Lyman should have cited as a synonym Zanada conscita Wlk., in
part. He cites it for the 2 only.
C. vesTauis Pack.
Mr. Lyman cites this as a synonym of /w/vicosta, in my opinion quite
erroneously. Query—Whether Mr. Lyman really knows vesta/is? It is
smaller, whiter, without any creamy tinge, and appears more frail and
Liuchaetes like. I feel as confident of its distinctness as of any others of
the species, To this I cite Zanada conscita Wik., as I believe Mr,
238 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Walker had this before him, with a yellowish < /ulvicosta. Mr. Butler
writes of this species: ‘A. conscita = vestalis var. = fulvicosta var.”
C. INTERRUPTO-MARGINATA De Beauv.
According to Mr. Butler, this form has been previously described i a
Peter Brown as clymene. ‘The citation and description I have given in —
my paper. This will please Mr. Lyman, since it does away with an ob- —
jectionable name, though it has the disadvantage of compra a new
association between name and insect.
C. CLYMENE Esp. 4
As this name was pre-occupied by Brown as above stated, the next
name in order of time must be used, and this is C, colona Hb.—not cited —
by Mr. Lyman.
C. conscita WIk. Bf
Mr. Lyman cites my name /acfata as a yynotiym caw I think.
Mr. Walker confused two, if not three, species under the one name, and
in addition referred them to the wrong genus. Such a species as that —
intended by Walker never existed, and I do not think any point should —
be stretched in his favor. Besides, Mr. Lyman is not consistent. The
same reasoning that makes /actafa a synonym of conscita, will make
suffusa a synonym of reversa—or worse—Mr. Stretch’s description in-
cludes also confusa Lyman, and on this theory one part of Mr. Stretch’s —
species is a synonym of contigua. I separated suffusa, and the name —
stands for the remaining part, viz., confusa Lyman, which would remain —
only as a synonym of veversa. I scarcely expect Mr. Lyman’s adhesion
to this theory, but unless he so holds, my Zacta¢a will stand.
I propose in view of the preceding, the following synonymy, adopting
here my own order of species:
I. CLYMENE Brown.
interrupto-marginata DeB.
comma Wk.
2. COLONA Hb.
clymene || Esp.
carolina Harr.
3. LACTATA Smith. aq ee
f conscita Wik., in part,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 239
4, LECONTEI Bd.
var, MILITARIS Harr.
. confinis W1k.
conTicua WIk.
reversa Stretch, in part.
SUFFUSA Smith.
a lecontei t Stretch et Auct,
Beats reversa Stretch, in part.
9. CONFUSA: Lyman.
Ew ! Jecontei t Auct.
p ©) " reversa Stretch, in part.
| 8. FuLvicosra Clem.
a a gf conscita Wik., var. db.
- 9. vesTaxis Pack.
2 conscita Wk.
a _ For a full discussion of the generic characters and a history of the
- genus, I refer to my paper in Proc. U. S. National Mus., 1887, pp. 338—-
ae 53, and plates xiii. and xiv.
; — [Mr Lyman’s paper was in type before the end of September, and
_ was in our hands in MS. some time before. He could not, therefore, have
_ seen Mr, Smith’s paper. Our October number was delayed for three
_ weeks, waiting for the Plate.—Ep. C. E.]
| —S- FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON ORYSSUS SAYI.
BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA.
; During the past season I endeavored, as opportunity offered, to con-
| firm and supplement the observations upon this insect recorded in the
_ May issue of the CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, pages 81-86. The insects
: a appeared at least ten days earlier than in 1886, and on 29th May I cap-
_ tured, upon the old sugar-maple near Hull therein mentioned, four males,
which were entirely black—var. afinis. Of these, one was dead in a
spider’s web, and had evidently furnished a meal to the spinner, and
another had just been seized by a jumping spider of moderate size. On
the following day I took a ¢, var. occidentalis, which had sought shelter,
240 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
or concealment, in the burrow of a Dicerca divaricata. I also saw a
specimen just about to emerge from its own burrow, down which it rapidly
retreated backward, when I commenced to dig with my pocket knife in
the tough wood. On 3rd June, Mr. Fletcher and the writer saw a @ var.
terminalis ovipositing in a minute crack in the perfectly dead dry wood
of the same old sugar-maple. ‘The ovipositor of this insect was found to
be one and one-quarter inches in length. At the same time I obtained
two males, var. afinis, and my companion captured two specimens. We
also saw two in their burrows, and tried to cut them out, but the wood
defied our knives, and the insects retired to the interior, their burrows —
being evidently of considerable depth. The following day we saw two
specimens, one on a telegraph pole, the other on an old maple, and on
the 7th I captured on the same maple a @ var. terminalis and two q’s
var. afinis. I saw also two gnawing their way out, but could not get
them. The last date of capture was on 9th June, when I found two just
about to emerge, which I succeeded in digging out after some patient and
difficult cutting. These were both males, one var. afinis, the other var.
occidentalis, with two white marks on face, and a large triangular spot on
terminal segment above.. Of twelve specimens captured by me during
the season (29th May to gth June) there were var. terminalis, three 2 ;
var. occidentalis, one ¢, one 2; var. afinis, seven g¢. This confirms
my previous observations that nearly all those with a portion of the abdo-
men red are female, while those with the abdomen entirely black are
male, although an occasional male will be found partly red, or a female
entirely black. In conclusion, I wish to correct a clerical error in the
paper above mentioned. On page 83, the seventh and sixth lines from
foot should read: 3
1. Oryssus Sayi Westwood, 1835 = maurus Harris.
2. terminalis Newman, 1838 = hemorrhoidalis Harris.
EXCHANGE,
Mr. W. Harcourt Bath, of Ladywood, Birmingham, Ragland is
anxious to correspond with North American Entomologists with a view to
procuring specimens of Canadian Dragon-flies, and is willing to ave inf
exchange British Dragon-flies and Lepidoptera.
ERRATUM.—Page 218, line 10, for “ guages,” read “ gangues,”
Abbot’s species in Bremen myeum,, 113.
About names, 121.
Annual meeting, 221.
Apatela felina, preparatory stages of, 48.
Aphidivorous larvie, 61.
Ar is, notes on the genus, 231.
Ashmead, W. ‘i, arciolee by, 125, 192.
Acanthaclisis Acetate, 134, 149.
" congener, 154,
" fallax, 148.
" occitanica, 151.
" Texana, 147.
Acerota carye, n. sp., 128.
un loridana, n. sp., 128.
" opaca, 128.
Aganisthos orion, 20.
Alaptus pallipes, n. sp., 193.
Aletia argillacea, 14, 223,
v — hostia, 14.
Allotropa Americana, n. sp., 125.
Amblyaspis Americana, n. sp., 129.
" longipes, R. sp., 128,
Amphicrossus ciliatus, 63.
Anaphes mellicornis, n. sp., 194.
aiciaan hirtifrons, n. sp., 198.
Anisodactylus Harrisii, 63.
" lugubris, 63.
Anisota stigma, 51.
» Virginiensis, 52.
Anomis erosa, 14.
Anopedias incertus, n. sp., 130.
Apatela felina, 48.
» vulpina, 20.
Arctia parthenice, 31,
sda aa 30.
" rgo, 31.
Aetiienia’ a. bogilvaria, 4
" lucata, 4.
_ Atrytone Kumskaka, 45.
_ Behrens, J., article by, 198.
Beetles, some European in America, 159.
Bethune, C. J. S., articles by, 116, 160.
Blanchard, F., article by, 180.
Bombycide, classification of, 156, 199.
Book notices, 15, 17, 34, "6, 93, 98, 116, |
139, 160, 179.
INDEX TO VOLUME XIX.
Bowles, G. J., article by, 86.5.
British Columbian Hymenoptera, 19. _.
Butterflies, comparative table for families
of, 201.
" North American, 19, 76, 117.
" of India, 15.
" of New England, 34,
" of the Malay Peninsula, 139,
" pairing of, 2.
" the earliest at the White
Mountains of N. H., 101.
Butterfly, a fossil, 120,
Bactridium cavicolle, 63.
Betarmon bigeminatus, 64,
Brachys rosa, 138.
" ovata, 139.
Callimorpha, on the North American
species of, by 235.
Capside taken at Buffalo, 69...
Catalogue of Canadian plants, 17.
Caulfield, F. B., article by, 73.
Chionobas, Canadian species of, 225. ;
Chloroform, use of in collecting, 21, 119, ‘
37.
Clarkson, F., article by, 31.
Claypole, EK. W., article by, 136.
Coccide in Museum of Comp. ie , Cam*'
bridge, Mass.,
Ccenonympha ampelos, sage stages
Ad
Coleoptera, natural history notes on, 62.
Coleopterology, oes in American,
Colias igre be “preparatory stages Of; t
" -Hagenii, rst ‘the position of, 17 0,
218, c:
» notes on the genus, 166.
Collecting at electric light, 1886, 21.
" insects, practical notes on, 136..
Coquillett, D. W., article by, 1
Correspondence, 80, 100, 138, 180, Bit, ae
Cresson’s Synopsis ‘of Hymenoptera, 117,
Caberodes majoraria, 4.
Callidryas cipris, 20.
Carabus auratus, 114, 159, 180, 200,
242 INDEX TO VOLUME XIX.
Callimorpha confusa, n. sp., 185, 237.
Carpophilus hemipterus, 109.
Catillus maculipes, n. sp., 128.
Catocala amasia, 114.
n communis, 113, 114.
» desperata, 115.
» elda, n. sp., 199.
» Guenei, 115.
n neogama, 113, 114.
vidua, 114.
Cecidomyia destructor, 93.
Cephalonomia Floridana, n. sp., 196.
ee hirticollis, n. sp., 195.
Cicindela punctulata, 62.
Cidaria cunigerata, var. disjunctaria, 5,
Cimbex Americana, 80.
Cleeotus aphodioides, 64.
Cnesinus strigicollis, 66.
Colias Alexandra, 226.
‘nu Edwardsii, 229.
« eriphyle, 218.
» Eurytheme, 170.
» Hagenii, 170, 218.
n philodice, 170, 224,
Colobopterus excisus, 153.
Conocephalus dissimilis, 56.
" ensiger, 56.
" exiliscanorus, n. sp., 57.
" robustus, 57.
Cosmocoma maculipes, n. sp., 194.
Cymatophora umbrosaria, 4.
Davis, W. T., article by, 56.
Danais archippus, 80.
Deilinia variolaria, 4.
Diapria erythrothorax, n. sp., 196.
Dissosteira Carolina, 58.
" longipennis, 58.
Dryocampa rubicunda, 52,
oe rosea, 50,
Edwards, me i articles by, 145, 199.
Edwards, W. H., articles es 2, 34, 41,
: 170, 218, 226.
Electric light, collecting at, 21.
Exchange, 240.
Exoprosopa, notes on genus, 12,
Explanation, an, 1.
Elaphidion parallelum, 143.
" villosum, 31, 141.
Endropia marginata, 4.
" textrinaria, 4.
Ephyra pendulinaria, 4
Epimeces Americanus, n. sp., 129.
Europs pallipennis, 63.
Eustochus xanthothorax, n. sp., 193.
Exoprosopa doris, 13.
Exoptata, n. gen., 13.
vw. divisa, Dh. sp., 15.
Fernald, C. H., article by, 98. ‘
Fletcher, SB articles by, 17, 19, 76, 80, 93.
Florida, new species of Proctotrupide
from, "125...
Forficulide, Texan, 67. av
Fossil butterfly, 120. Hye
French, G, H., articles by, 5, 48.
Fyles, T. Wis articles by, 59, 147.
Fatua Palmii, n. sp.;.145.0° eee
Feniseca Tarquinius, 20. :
Forficula exilis, 69.
n flavipes, 67.
if teniata, 69.
Geddes, G., articles by, 166, 231. »
Gillette, C. P., article bys 138.
Gordius in cabbage, 66. :
Grapta C-album, note on ‘Reropean, 2.
Grote, A. R., articles by, 14, 20, 30, 34,
44, 50, 79, 113, 121, ‘156, ‘
176,177,179, 200, 220. ie,
Galesus Floridensis, n. sp., 195.
Gonatocerus dolichocerus, n. sp.) 192.
" sips n. SP., 192,
Gonepteryx merula, 20
Gonia exul, n. sp., 11.
" frontosa, 8.
n porca, n. sp., 10.
» senilis, n. sp., 10.
nu «6 Sequaa, N. ae 12.
the genus, 6
Grapta C-album, 2
» comma, 3.
» faunus, 3.
» satyrus, 3
Hagen, H. A., articles by, 60, 89, 110,
133, as 209.
Haley, G., article by,
Hamilton, J., artic es rat 62, 105, 141, .
Harrington, W. H., articles by, 81, ea
206, 221, 23m... ee
Hawk moths of North America, 98.
Henshaw, 8. H., article by, 159, .
Hessian aye? 93, Stee
INDEX TO VOLUME XIX.
243
Heterocera, descriptions of new species of
North American, 145.
Holland, W. J., article by, 61.
_ Homoptera, on the genera allied to, 177.
Hymenoptera, British Columbian, 19.
" _ Cresson’s synopsis of N.
American, 117.
" hints on collecting, 115.
ae diffinis, 79.
" ruficaudis, 30.
n thysbe, 30.
n uniformis, 30.
-Hemilexis mellipetiola, n. sp., 196.
a a conspicua, 45,
mtiac, 45.
Hotatop eps Harveiata, 4.
Ticeehidese elda, n. sp., 5.
a Hylotoma dulciaria, 59.
_ Hyperalonia, n. gen., 12.
"a cinta aged Pluto, n. sp., 131.
Ichneumon Vancouveriensis, 19.
Inostemma Cressoni, n. sp., 127.
" Horni, n. sp., 126.
" Packardi, n. sp., 127.
" Rileyi, n. sp., 127.
Isocybus longiventris, n. sp., 130.
Isorhombus hyalinipennis, n. sp., 129.
Isostasius musculus, n. sp., 126.
a Jackson, J. A., article by, 119.
Lepidoptera, additions to list of Canadian,
feet 4, 86, 88.
" " of Montreal, 86.
" notes on species of, 50.
_ Lepidopterous larva, 20.
_ Liphyra brassolis, larva probably Aphidi-
; vorous, 61.
upe, 18.
Apt on, and description of a
Living
Locusti
sp., 56.
Lyman, H. H., eet by, 20, 181.
Labia guttata, 69.
" melancholica, 69.
-_ »__ minor, 69.
__ _Labidura riparia, 67.
Leptacis cynipsiphila, n. sp., 129.
Limacodes Beutenmuelleri, n. sp., 145,
Limneria compacta, 19.
Limochores pontiac, 45,
Lithophane fagina, 54.
" ' Georgii, 55.
Litus armatus, u. sp., 193.
Lobophora anguilineata, 4.
" montanata, 4.
| Loxotropa mellea, n. sp., 196.
Maynard’s Butterflies of New England, 34.
MeNeill, J., article by, 58.
Mistaken identifications, 113, 159.
Moffat, J. A.; articles by, 4, 88.
Myrmelionide, stray notes on, 89, 110,
133, 147, 209.
Mantura Floridana, 66.
Maracanda, n. gen., 211.
" amend, n. sp., 211.
" conspersa, 212.
" Henshawi, 216.
" pygmea, 216.
" signata, 215.
Megistanis acheronta, 20.
Mesites subcylindricus, 66.
Mesoleptus fasciatus, 116.
Metaclisis belonocneme, n. sp., 125.
Monelata mellicollis, n. sp., 197.
Monocrita Canadensis, n. sp., 126.
" melanostropha, n. sp,, 126."
Myrmeleon gulo, 155.
" nigrum, 156,
Names, about, 121.
Nicagus obscurus, 65.
Opheletes glaucopterus parasitic on Cim-
bex Americana, 80.
Ormerod, Miss, observations of injurious
insects, 117.
» on the Hessian fly, 93.
Ostelt Sacken, Baron, article by, 161.
Ooctonus longipes, n. sp., 192.
Oryssus Sayi, 81, 239.
Priam so! affinis, 83, 239.
we var, occidentalis, 83, 240.
» var. terminalis, 83, 240,
Papilio, a new variety of, 198.
Physonota, some further notes on, 73,
Pinophilus, species of, 63,
244 INDEX TO VOLUME XIX.
Plants, catalogue of Canadian, 17.
Proctotrupide, studies of N. American,
125, 192.
Pallodes pallidus, 64.
Palpares Burmeisteri, 93.
" caffer, 110, 133.
" cephalotes, 9I.
" contaminatus, 112,
" inclemens, 89.
" immensus, 110.
" latipennis, 91, 133,
" luteus, 112.
" papilionoides, 110.
pardalinus, 111.
Papilio cresphontes, 180, 225.
* " nitra, 225.
n Tutulus, var. ammoni, 199.
Parorgyia Clintonii, 55, 113, 114,
Petrophora cunigerata, 4,
" prunata, 4.
Phasiane mellistrigata, 4.
Phylax niger, 19.
n pacificus, 19.
Platygaster Floridensis, n. sp., 132.
" gracilis, 0. Sp., 132,
Platysoma tibialis, 19.
Polyqnotus baccharicola, n. sp., 132.
" solidaginis, n. sp., 131,
Prionea lacertula, 146.
Prodryas persephone, 120.
Psilomma Americana, n. sp., 197.
Quadrina, on the genus, 40, 100.
Representative species, on so-called, 176.
Richia, on the genus, 44,
Saunders, H. S., article by, 21.
Saunders, Wm., article by, 1
_ Sphinx cupressi, 146.
- Termes flavipes, EnaEy to living Pleats
ii :
| White Mountains, earliest
101
Saw-fly, Hylotoma dulciaria, note on, 59.
Scudder, S. H., articles by, 15, 45, 67,
101, 120, 139 201, 217.
Shannon, W. P., article ‘py, 18 FST: :
Smith, J. B., articles by, 100, 285.
Southern moths found in the north, 220. |
Synonymy in American Capi i
105.
Sactogaster anomaliventris, n. sD 130,
a minorata, 4,
Scotogramma Stretchii, n. sp., 146, |
Spongophora brunneipennis, 67.
Synopeas enor n. sp., 130,
Tachinide, North American, 6, 161,
Taylor, Rev. Sa Ws: Provincial Entomolo-
gist i in B. C., 178.
y.
Thalessa, the sapeae of, 206.
Thecla augustus, note on, 147.
Tachina blanda, n. sp., 162.
" deilephile, n. sp., 164.
» futilis, 161,
1%, hirsuta, n. sp., 163.
1 theclarum, n. sp., 166.
Terias elathea, 20,
Thamnonoma brunneata, 4.
Thecla falacer, 179.
» inorata, 179.
Trichacis brunneipes, n. sp., 131,
Van Duzee, E. P., article by, 69,
lants by, 217.
White ants, injury to living y
utters at,
Williston, S. W., article by, 6
Xestonotus andriciphilus, n. sp., 128. le
THE CANADIAN
ENTOMOLOGIST.
VOLUME XX.
EDITED BY THE
Reo. ©. I. S. Rethune, WM. 3., B.C. F.,
4 | PORT HOPE, ONT.
ASSISTHD BY
a J. Fletcher, Ottawa; E. .B. Reed, J. M. Denton,
| a and W. E. Saunders, London.
London :
FREE PRESS PRINTING CO.
1888.
- ak en
¥
ae ae
Pat
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS VOLUME. |
0 )SUGN EIA ge Ole re Gr JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
ek bn 6. ech ee dete d) HAWKINSVILLE, FLORIDA.
_ BETHUNE, REV. C. J. S. (rHE EpIToR).. Port Hope.
MPP NU LUE, Wee... cs cites New York.
gE EES SS UR ree Are Newark, N. J.
NID Boe ie os ee ee dee ake MONTREAL,
Pea. HOWARD £E.....0..........Provipence, R. I:
Reem eet, TAL ee ee West Curr, COL.
MORE MEI, ERIGININY 3. os cece soe te New York.
MS NY co PN ree ko Ei wa he ke ako 8 COALBURGH, WEST VA.
Ei oi ig ce ee hlan'e wok ce ees OTTAWA.
m= ©8eENCH, PROF. G. H...............CARBONDALE, ILL.
Me Vio, REV. T. W..................SouTH QUEBEC.
Meeerr eerie, Co Pe ce ee AGRICULTURAL CoL., MIcH.
RUPE PS ik vba ob ean hes aS BREMEN, GERMANY.
Beem, Oh FH. AL ii aa... s. CaMmBRIDOE, MASS.
Pea met ON, DR. JOHN... ........... ALLEGHENY, Pa.
me mL AND, REV. W. J.............+. Pirrspuen, Pa.
Me HOWARD, L. O.........,..........«.Wasnincton, D. C.
m KIRBY, W. F..:... co gee ee eae Lonpon, ENGLAND.
BO PE Pe ek ens seis 6 bas y's MONTREAL.
MARSH, W. D. had sp s44- 9s oe RST COLLEGE. MASS.
MOFFAT, are Me cade ie os in 5 eo
MORTON, MISS E. M ike ok dee eee New Winpsor, N. Y.
Poem, reo. A. S....... he eae PROVIDENCE, R. I.
ETO TPM A cs ee eee es WasHINGTON, D. C.
Me IPeM Rs S, Pe ek. i we es ange RO, eS.
Ee avis ios cb ealen ys one SO RON, DC.
Me ee SP se ok ee ees BurFao, N. Y.
WEBSTER, F. M. ee hes IND.
WHITE, J.. es i ash oe ss 55 es ON TOR,
WILLISTON, PROF. S. Ww Re einen .. NEw Haven, Conn.
emtsttt, W, Gio... .... oe ose venues SAM DERNARDINO, CAL.
The Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XX. LONDON, JANUARY, 1888. No. 1
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
ARGYNNIS ATLANTIS, Epw.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA,
Ecc.—Conoidal, truncated, higher than broad, the base somewhat ~
rounded ; marked vertically by 14 ribs, one half of which reach the sum-
mit, the others nearly as far ; the spaces between the ribs broad, excavated
and crossed by ten or twelve fine ridges; the micropyle at top in centre
of a rosette of five minute flat cells; and about these are successive
irregular rings of cells, each larger than the one next within, to the verge
of top; these are six and five sided, and some are sub-triangular,
deeply excavated ; color greenish-yellow when first laid, soon turning to
brown. In shape, this egg is like that of other species of this genus, but
it is characterized by fewer ribs than any with which I am acquainted.
Duration of this stage 16 to 18 days.
Younc Larva.—Length .06 inch ; cylindrical, even ; color of dorsum
yellow-green, of sides and lower parts more yellow; marked as in other
species of the genus by longitudinal rows of flattened tuberculous brown
spots, there being three on either side over spiracles, each of which gives
one or two long tapering hairs; below the spiracles is another row of
similar spots, smaller, and on part of the segments broken into four spots,
each with its hair; on dorsum of 2, an oval spot of same character as
the others, with a row of hairs in front which are bent forward over the
head, and a shorter row behind these; this oval spot corresponds to the
four upper spots of the other segments ; on the side is one spot above
and another below spiracle, each with two hairs, and over the foot a
smaller one, also with two hairs ; on 3 and 4 each is an additional spot
below spiracle, the three, on 2, 3, 4, making a demi-row ; head obovoid,
black, shining, with many long hairs, The larva hibernates directly from
the egg.
to
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
After first moult, in spring: Length.11 inch; color brown-green ; the
spines in number and position as at maturity, and as in the genus, black,
as well as the tubercles from which they spring ; beset with many short,
divergent, black bristles ; head obovoid, black, with black hairs. Dura-
tion of this stage about ro days. |
After second moult: Length .16 inch ; color gray-black with a green
tint over upper side ; under side pale green ; the spines black, with black
bristles ; all the tubercles pale yellow ; head as before, black. To next
moult about 14 days.
After third moult: Length .32 inch ; color gray mottled with black ;
a double dorsal stripe of gray; spines black; the bases of dorsal rows
black on dorsal side, but yellow on outer side ; of middle and lower rows
dull yellow ; head as before, but reddish-yellow, the back less red, more
yer: To next moult about 10 days.
After fourth moult ; Length .5 inch ; very much as at last ac
stage, the dorsal lines same, spines same. To next moult about 6 days.
After fifth moult: Length .74 inch ; slender; color brown-black, with
a dorsal band of grayish-brown and not clearly defined markings else-
where ; ; these markings became distinct as the stage progressed.
Mature. Larva.—Length 1.5 inch ; slender, somewhat eee in
middle, the segments well rounded ; on dorsum a broad greenish-yellow
band, with a black line through the middle, edged by a little green; a — 7
narrow greenish-gray band between the dorsal and middle rows of spines,
and a short band between the base of each dorsal spine and the next in |
advance of the middle row ; these gray bands are of irregular width and _
the edges are whitish ; the spaces between the bands brown-black ; the
sides, from middle row to the outside of lower row, gray with a rust-red
tint in the middle of this area, and below to feet a darker, or more brown
shade of gray ; the spines are rather slender, swollen next base, above this -
tapering to a small conical top, from which proceeds a straight bristle ; a
few bristles about the sides, each from a tubercle, and standing at about
45° with the axis of its spine; the dorsal row are gray, the middle row
gray tipped with rust-yellow, the lower row all rust color of deep shade ;
feet black, pro-legs gray-brown; head sub-cordate, the vertices rounded ;
color dull dark brown in front, dull yellow at back, with many short ah
hairs. From fifth moult to pupation 9 days.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3
_ Curysaris.—Length .8 inch; shaped as in Group 1 of the genus ;
_head case square, bevelled on either side about equally to the cross ridge ;
mesonotum prominent, carinated, followed by a deep and narrow depres-
sion ; the wing cases very prominent at outer ends ; abdomen conical,
with fine tubercles corresponding to those of the larva; color mottled
dark brown and black; the wing cases gray-brown. The only chrysalis
I had died before imago.
I have several times in previous years had eggs of AZ¢/antis, and the
_ young larve from them, but always had the il] luck to lose the latter dur-
_ ingthe winter. But, 25th Aug., 1886, I received several eggs from Miss
2 _ Caroline G. Soule, then at Stowe, Vt., laid 21st and 22nd. They hatched
4 3rd Sept., and the larve were placed in ice-house, and in October were
sent to Clifton Springs, New York, to go in the “Cooler” at the Sani-
tarium there. They came back to me 21st March, 1887, most of them
alive, and were laid on the tender leaves of a violet plant which had been
forced in anticipation of their coming. One larva passed 1st moult 15th
_ April, others two and three days later. The first to pass second moult
Was on 25th April, two passed same 29th. On gth May, one passed third
- moult, the fourth roth, the fifth 24th, and this larva pupated 3rd June, but
a died during the pupal stage. The other larve had died off from time to
_ time before 4th moult. So that I am not able to give the length of the
last stage to imago, but it is probably about 20 days, as in the allied
species. The habits of the larve in confinement are in all respects like
those of Cybele.
ATLANTIS is found over British America from Newfoundland and Anti-
_ costi to the Pacific. In the United States, over the mountainous parts of
_ New England, New York and Michigan.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
ARGYNNIS EDWARDSII, Reaxirt.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
3 Ecc.—Shaped generally like the eggs of this Group, higher than
e _ broad, about as 15 to 13, the number of ribs 30, conoidal, truncated, the
_ middle but little narrower than the base, the upper half sloping rapidly,
and convex; about one third the ribs reach the summit, the rest end at
re THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
from one half to two thirds distance from base ; the spaces between the.
ribs excavated roundly, and crossed by many fine ridges ; the micropyle
in centre of a rosette of fine minute flat cells, outside of which are four
irregular rings of excavated cells, generally long and narrow, varying from —
sub-crescent to five-sided ; color greenish-yellow. Duration of this stage _
ro to 11 days, in July.
YounG Larva.—Length .o8 inch; cylindrical, even; color yellow-
green ; marked as in the allied species by flattened, tuberculous, brown |
spots in longitudinal rows, three rows on either side above spiracles ; each —
of which gives one or two long, tapering hairs; below the spiracles —
another row of similar smaller spots; on dorsum of 2 an oval dark patch —
with a row of hairs in front, turned forward, and a shorter row behind; —
head obovoid, bilobed, black, shining, with many long hairs. The larva —
hibernates from the egg.
After first moult, in spring: Length .1 inch; color greenish-brown, —
mottled ; the spines as in the genus in number and position, stout at base,
tapering to top, with many divergent short bristles ; head obovoid, black.
Duration of this stage 9 days in April and May.
After second moult: Length .18 inch ; color gray ; a black mid-dorsal
line ; the spines black; the tubercles at base of dorsal spines black, of the —
middie row yellow-brown, of the lower row same and more decidedly; —
head as before, black. To next moult 7 days, in May.
After third moult: Length .25 inch; color gray and black, either dark
gray or whitish, individuals differing ; a broad, ciear gray band fills all the
space between the two dorsal rows of spines, through which runs a black —
line, sometimes macular, or partly wanting ; the spines as at last previous —
stage, the yellow at bases darker; head black over the front, yellowish
behind. To next moult 6 days. |
After fourth moult: Length .46 inch ; color over upper part black
with yellow white and gray bands and stripes ; the dorsal band yellow- —
white, with more or less of a mid line of black ; between the dorsals and
middle row a gray stripe, and from each dorsal spine a similar stripe runs
to the base of the spine next in advance on middle row; all the spaces _
between the band and these stripes black ; the sides gray ; the lower row
of spines deep yellow at base and half way up, all others yellow at base
only, remainder greenish-gray ; head as before. To next moult 7 days,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. se
; After fifth moult: Length .g inch ; color black and gray-yellow, the
dorsal band brown-gray.
Mature Larva.—Length 1.4 inch; stout, the segments well rounded ;
the pattern of the markings similar to that of At/antis; a broad dorsal
band which fills the space between the two dorsal rows of spines, in color
a deep yellow, cut throughout by a black line ; between dorsals and mid-
dle row a narrow gray band, and a short band of similar color between
_ the base of each dorsal spine and the spine next in advance on the
_ middle row, these bands edged with whitish; the spaces between
_ brown-black ; below this area the sides to base are gray, mottled, with a
_ shade of reddish-yellow, most decided in the middle part ; feet black, pro-
_ legs green-brown ; the spines as in Af/antis ; of the two upper rows gray-
green to base, a little yellow about base of those of middle row, and on
_ 2and 3 half up stem ; those of lower row also yellow, except the upper
half ; the two dorsals on 2 are turned forward, but are not longer than the
rest ; head sub-cordate, the vertices rounded ; color dull brown-black in
front, dull yellow about top and behind. From fifth moult to pupation
| 15 days.
CHRYSALIS.—Length .g inch; breadth across mesonotum, .24, across
abdomen, .26 inch ; general shape of this Group of the genus, but long
_ and slender ; head case square, bevelled on both sides to a cross ridge,
_ which is a little arched ; the corners rounded ; mesonotum long, moder-
a ately prominent at rear and rounded, sloping to the front and rounding
4 _ down to head case ; carinated, the sides convex ; abdomen conical ; the
__ wing cases prominent ; color in shades of brown, the anterior parts dark
and reddish, mottled, on mesonotum, with yellowish ; on the tongue and
-antennz cases reddish-yellow streaked and specked with dark brown;
3 wing cases yellow-brown, with dark streaks along the nervules, and a
small spot at end of cell ; the abdomen has on the front of each segment
_ adark brown band, somewhat broken, and serrated ; the rear part of
the segments pale gray, mottled with patches of a darker shade.
Duration of this stage 12 days.
This species is found in the Rocky Mountain region from Colorado to
Montana, and was taken in Br. America by Captain Geddes, at Blackfoot
Reserve (C. E., xv., 222).
6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
SAPERDA FAYI, S. CONCOLOR AND APHODIUS RUFIPES.
sre 12
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D,, ALLEGHENY, PA.
SaPERDA Fayl, Bland.—This beautiful Saperda breeds in the nhl
limbs of Crataegus, especially crus-ga//i and tomentosa, as first observed
by Mr. C. D. Zimmermann, Can. ENT., 10, 220 ; and should it, like some
of its allies, acquire a taste for cultivated fruit geek it would be a formid-
able enemy, as is evidenced by the way it depredates on thorn bushes.
The beetles appear here the last week in May or the first week in June,
according to the season, the males preceding the females three or four
days. They do not appear to eat and are short lived, the whole brood
(except stragglers) appearing and disappearing within the space of ten or
twelve days, so that should the collector be negligent, or the weather un-
suitable for collecting at the time of their appearance, he may get none
till the next season. As soon as ‘the females appear the males are ready
to associate with them, the union lasting three or four hours. They are
not much given to flying about, usually ovipositing on the same tree they
inhabited as larvee. There may be several thorn trees not far apart, and
one will be depredated on year after year till it is nearly destroyed, while
the others will remain untouched till colonized apparently by acciden
The beetles are sluggish, and when approached suddenly fall to the groun
and quickly endeavor to conceal themselves, not feigning death, as many
insects under the same circumstances do ; and when I say feigning death,
I mean it literally, in opposition to an unsupported doginatic statement
which I lately saw in print somewhere, “that insects can 7 no
knowledge of death.”
Oviposition is effected probably during the night, and the process cha
not been witnessed, nor the eggs seen. The limbs selected for this pur-
pose vary from one third to one and one fourth inches in diameter, and
according to the thickness of the limb, the female with her powerful man-
dibles makes from three to six longitudinal incisions through the bark
each about three fourths of an inch long and equi-distant and parallel to
one another, dividing the circumference into sections nearly equal ; an egg
is placed in each end of each of these slits, and as soon as hatched the
larva makes a burrow beneath the outer layer of wood, perhaps one.
eighth inch in length at first, and uses this as a retreat whence it issues to
feed on the diseased wood caused by the incision. These slits and the
~
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
~
ritation produced by so many larvee at work, cause an increased flow of
‘sap to the part, and a consequent thickening of the sections between the
‘slits, so that the injured part soon assumes a gall-like appearance. On
he approach of winter, the larve having now attained the length of .25
inch, retire back a little further and close the opening of their burrows
with borings. One of the larvze, however, and in thick limbs two or three
at each end bore obliquely till one of them reaches the centre of the limb,
‘up which it proceeds, often two or three inches ; the cthers parallel this,
but keep a wooden partition between the burrows. ‘These larve are
_ much larger—often twice the size—of those inhabiting the outer wood,
_ and are the only ones that produce beetles.
a The whole of the interior of the limb is now dead wood enclosed by
pa growth of living but unsound woody tissue, through which some open-
_ ingsremain. The limbs are much weakened at these places, and many
of them, like the oak on which E/aphidion villosum depredates, would
_ be broken off by the winter storms were the fibre not very tough and the
trees very low. And here analogy leads to the conclusion that as the
-larve inhabit the portion of the limb next the tree, equally with that
__ beyond the injured part, this is likely to be the case in the history of the
Elaphidion mentioned.
Many of thé larvee in the outside wood perish during the winter, and
_the survivors, after feeding a while in the spring, likewise die, their mis-
_ sion seeming to have been merely to insure a sufficiency uf dead wood to
| a sustain the life of the favored few destined for full development.
4 In the spring the larve in the deep wood return and feed on the dead
_ wood, which is now abundant enough for all their wants, and by autumn
_ they are nearly full grown; they again retire for the winter, and in the
| spring, after opening up communication with the outside world, feed for a
_ short time, and when full grown measure in length about three fourths of
4 an inch. ‘The larve now return to their burrows for final transformation
a Some of them bore for at least six inches, while others scarcely go from
_ the entrance more than twice their own lengths; the outer ends are
closely packed with borings withont and soft fibre within, which also fills
the inner ends. The head of the larva may be either toward or away
from the opening—seemingly a matter of indifference ; in the former case
the beetle emerges from the place of entrance, in the latter from a round
hole at right angles to the burrow, probably cut by the beetle itself, as no
such hole has been detected in the many limbs I have examined contain-
8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ing pupee with their heads turned from the opening. Pupation occurs —
after the middle of April, and the perfected beetle will be found in the
limbs about the first of May, though few of them emerge till the time —
stated at the beginning of this paper. ‘
The above is the result of three years careful observation of the habits
of this beetle, and imperfect as the history is, the amount of time and
labor expended in developing it can only be understood by those who —
have attempted similar things. How widely this beetle is distributed is
uncertain, as till recently its habitat was unknown. The typical insects
were taken in Ohio ; it is in Mr. Reinecke’s Buffalo Catalogue, and occurs
at Hamilton, Ontario (Moffat). Any one can readily ascertain whether it
occurs in his fauna by examining the limbs of the Crataegus for the un-
mistakable swellings it occasions.
SAPERDA CONCOLOR Lec. appears about the same time as S. Fay, and
like it, is short lived, few individuals occurring after the middle of June.
Its larvee infest the canes of a small willow growing along water courses
and in swampy places—Salix longifolia. The smaller canes are usually
selected for breeding purposes, these varying from one fourth to three
fourths of an inch in diameter. The beetle makes a longitudinal incision
through the bark with her jaws about three fourths of an gnch in length-
and in each end deposits an egg. Usually several incisions are made in
the same cane some distance apart, which often cause its death the fol-
lowing year. The young larve follow the same course as those of S. —
Fayi, only they burrow deeper into the wood, and there are no super-
numeraries, as there is no need for them, the wood of the willow dying —
much more quickly than that of Crataegus, and a warty, gnarly swelling a
occurring around each incisure. ee
The beetle, however, does not always select the smaller canes, some.
times choosing ones from one and one half to two inches thick, in which —
case the larve pursue a different course, for instead of boring up and
down, they take a transverse direction and girdle the stem one third to
one half its circumference, causing a rough annular swelling and frequently _
the death of the cane. Two years is the time usually required to com-
plete the transformation, but some individuals probably pass through all
the stages in a single year. The head of the pupa is toward the opening,
from which the perfect insect emerges. The willow named seems to be
the natural food-tree of the larvee of S. concolor, and, did it confine itself
Ei
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 9
to this insignificant ‘shrub, could scarcely be classed with injurious insects ;
but it appears to have likewise either a natural or an acquired taste for
poplar, and might become very destructive, a fact first brought to notice
in Bul. No. 7, 118, U. S. Ent. Com., where the compiler writes: “ Gird-
ling the trunks of sapling poplars, by carrying a mine around the trunk,
which causes a swelling often nearly twice the diameter of the tree. We
have found numerous saplings of the common poplar in the woods about
Providence with the unsightly swellings around the trunk.” In case this
taste is perpetuated, this beetle will no doubt prove a formidable enemy
to this species of shade or forest tree. But in what State this Providence
is, or what kind of a tree “‘common poplar” is, we are not informed.
Here the common poplar is the Liriodendron tulipifera, but at that
Providence it may be a tree of some other genus. ThisS beetle seems to
have an extended distribution, occurring in Texas, Michigan, Canada and
N ew York, as well as here.
APHODIUS RUFIPES Linn.—This fine beetle is an interesting addition
to our list, and is fully described by Dr. Geo. H. Horn in his exhaustive
Monograph of our Aphodiini, just published, Tr. Am. Ent. Soc. Phil., 14,
1. In Europe it is widely distributed, and, though probably indigenous
here, as observed by Dr. Horn, has only recently been discovered owing
to its inhabiting territory the Coleopterous fauna of which is very imper-
fectly known. Only three American specimens were known while Dr.
Horn was writing the description, two taken at Deer Park, Garret county,
Md., and one at St. Vincent’s Abbey, Westmoreland county, Pa. Dr.
Horn has now two specimens in his collection taken at the latter place,
and I have one from Turkey Foot (now Confluence), Somerset Co., Pa.,
midway between there and Deer Park, which is in the extreme north-west
corner of Maryland, the meridian of which to the north passes over a
rugged semi-mountainous country; first over the hills bordering the
Yonghiogheny thirty miles to Confluence, and thence through the Laurel
Ridge Mountains forty miles to St. Vincents. How much further to the
north or to the south-west from the points named it extends in a long
range of country of the same general character, the future will determine.
The two individuals I have examined, on comparison with my European
specimens, do not differ perceptibly—a proof of the remarkable stability
of species, considering the time that has elapsed since the ancestors of
those of the two hemispheres parted company.
10 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
A NEW SOUTH AMERICAN GENUS OF CONOPINAE.
BY S. W. WILLISTON, NEW HAVEN, CONN.
Hitherto but a single genus (Conops) of this group has received
general acceptance among dipterologists. A second genus, Physocephala,
was based by Schiner on characters in themselves of but little importance,
and which I did not’deem sufficient to separate our species in the first
paper I published * on the North American forms. A further study, how-
ever, convinced me that they were sufficiently constant to warrant their
use, particularly in connection with other important ones in the neuration,
which I pointed out.+ I have recently had the opportunity of studying
sixteen South American species of the two genera, collected by Mr. Her-
bert H. Smith, and I am yet more convinced of the validity of aig oa
cephala as a genus.
A half dozen genera that Rondani attempted to establish (to say
nothing of Lioy’s fanciful productions) were based upon such confessedly
trivial’ characters that they have no where commanded any attention by
entomologists, save by Rondani’s devoted follower, Mr. Bigot, who, in his
last paper { on this family, while rejecting Physocephala, accepts Brachy-
glossum Rond., based upon the comparative lengths of the proboscis. I
do not think Mr. Bigot’s views will receive the approbation of many
dipterologists.
The only other genus which presents any claims for socentaticn is
Pleurocerina Macq., which I suspect was based upon an accidental mal-
formation, the more so as I have seen several specimens of Coneps and
Zodion with a very similar projection of the front, springing from the
frontal lunule, and due to some artificial cause. I am _ not
aware that the type species, described from Tasmania, has been recog-
nized since its original description, and I think the genus had better be
held in abeyance till specimens are again examined.
The sub-family Conepinae, then, consists of two genera, to which I
here add the third, distinguished from the closely allied Conops by excel-
lent structural characters,
*Trans. Conn. Acad., iv., 327,
+ Ibid., vi., 388.
+ Ann, Soc, Ent. Fr., 1887, 31.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 11
TROPIDOMYIA, gen. nov.
Face, in profile, vertical and straight, with a median sharp ridge, on
the sides plane or gently concave, wholly without grooves or lateral ridges.
In front view, the face shows, below, a sharp triangular notch, rising a -
little above the lower border of the eyes, from the apex of which the
sharp carina runs to the base of the antenne. Wings narrow; anterior
cross-vein near middle of discal cell, and opposite the termination of the
auxiliary vein ; termination of second vein remote from that of the first,
_ the interval as great as that between the terminations of the second and
third veins.
The above are the most essential characters, readily distinguishing this
genus from Covofs. Other characters that may or may not be of generic
value are the following: Third joint of antennz very short, scarcely
longer than wide, shorter than the first, the latter about one-third or two-
fifths the length of the second. Posterior cross-vein straight, and rec-
tangular to both the fourth and the fifth veins. Second segment of the
abdomen in the male very slender, somewhat broader in front, nearly as
long as the three following segments together ; in the female the second _
segment is cylindrical, but less slender than in the male, only a little
longer than the third, the sixth segment as long as the three preceding
together, the fifth with a large process below. Proboscis as long as the
hind femora. The legs and front, and general structure otherwise, are like
those of Conops, sens. str. ; the wings with their narrow cells present a
very different appearance, however. ‘The carinate, non-grooved structure
eof the face differs from that of all the other genera of Conopidae save
Stylogaster, a species of which (\S. sty/atus Fabr., which is distinct from
both the North American species) was found in the same region with the
present species.
TROPIDOMYIA BIMACULATA, DN. Sp.
f, @. Face with a silvery, or slightly yellowish, sheen, showing the
black ground-color in different reflections ; a slender median black line on
the carina. Vertical callosity yellowish red below, obscurely blackish
and luteous, save the narrow margins, which are more yellow ; close to
the eyes below, a circular opaque black spot. Antennae brownish red,
the third joint red ; style short, conical, but little longer than the lateral
projection. Thorax opaque black, thinly pollinose on the sides, a slender
12 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
golden pollinose spot on the inner side of the humeri; humeri and scu-
tellum red; disk of metanotum shining. Abdomen black, the second
segment brownish red; sixth segment thickly whitish pollinose ; fourth
and fifth segments (fifth only in female?) with a narrow yellow hind mar-
gin. Legs blackish red ; tibiae more red, tarsi black; a silvery spot on
the outer distal part of the four anterior tibiae. Wings sub-hyaline,
brownish in front, but without a distinct picture. Length 7, 8 mm.
Two males and one female, Chapada (near Cuyaba), Brazil (H. H.
Smith), The yellow, intra-humeral spot and posterior abdominal ei i
appear to be wanting in one of the males.
THREE SPECIES OF MOTHS NEW TO OUR FAUNA.
BY HENRY EDWARDS, NEW YORK.
After all, the geographical range of our fauna, as regards the distribu-
tion of insects, is but incompletely marked, and the fact that artificial
lines cannot limit the habitat of a species is every day made more appar-
ent. The Florida coast is constantly turning up species properly belong-
ing to the fauna of the West Indies, and Texas and Arizona are as often
adding Mexican forms to our list. It is, nevertheless, somewhat strange
that three such conspicuous species as those hereafter noted should have
only recently appeared within our limits, or at least for so long a time
have escaped the watchful eyes of our numerous observers. They may
all be cited as examples of the Mexican fauna, though Pseudosphinxe
Tetrio is also found in the W. Indies, and on the continent reaches as far
south as the Argentine Confederation. As the insects are probably not
known to our local collectors, I have thought it advisable to append
descriptions of each.
FAM. SPHINGID,
PSEUDOSPHINX TETRIO, Linn.
Whole upper surface light gray, the lines and markings brownish black,
The basal half line is whitish, with a black dash behind it obliquely.
Between it and the median line are some waved brownish indistinct
streaks, reaching only from the costa to the middle of the wing. There
is a very prominently marked discal spot, and a sub-triangular brown
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 13
tch near the apical third of the costa. Behind this is a whitish cloud,
_ followed by a darker shade which cuts the wing directly across from about
16 mm. from the apex to about the same distance from the internal angle.
_ This darker shade encloses, a little from the apex, a heavy black streak,
and some shadings of brown. The lower wings are dusky brown, pale
along costa, bluish gray at the anal angle, and there marked by a double
_ dentate streak. Beneath both wings are brownish gray, with a submar-
' ginal dentate line, an oblique simple median line, and on the secondaries
_ the same lines continued, the marginal one being more distinctly curved.
4 Abdomen brownish black, the segments edged rather broadly posteriorly
_ with whitish. A rather indistinct dorsal gray line, much widest in the
male. The thorax is gray, mottled with brown, and from the middle run
towards the junction of the abdomen two black lines forming an acute
angle, something as in SpA. cinerea. Collar transversely marked with
black. The shaft of the antennz is whitish, the pectination pale brown.
Average exp. wings, male, 115 mm.; female, do., 150 mm.
Described from 6 examples in my collection, from Cuba, Brazil,
Mexico and Arizona.
The claim of this species to a place in our fauna rests upon the cap-
_ ture of two specimens, male and female, at Tucson, Arizona, by Mr. W.
S. Edwards, and one male found in N. W. Texas, and now in the collec- :
tion of Prof. O. S. Westcott, Maywood, Illinois.
There is no doubt but that this is the Spr. Hasdrubal of Cramer =
| Macrosila Hasdrubal of Walker, and it has been so quoted by Mr.
_ Grote in his admirable paper on Cuban Sphingidz (Proc. Entom. Soc.
Philad., 1865, p. 64), in which notice the full synonymy of the species is
given. It would seem, however, that in Clemens’ description of JZacro-
sila Hasdrubal Cr., in Morris’s “ Lepidoptera of N. Amer.,” p. 185, the
allusion to the male must have reference to the dark form described by
Butler in “ Revision of the Sphingide,” p. 610, as Pseudosphinx obscurus.
- Poey, in his description, speaking of the male, simply says that “ it is
smaller than the female, with the black lines more distinct.” This is cor-
rect, but the under surface is not “ash gray,” which I take to be the
color of ashes of wood or coal, but brown gray, with the bands of a darker
shade. The larva is described by Poey (Cent. Lepidopt.) and a transla-
tion or adaptation of his description is given by Clemens, loc. cit. A
singular error, however, occurs with reference to the pupa. Prof. Poey
14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
is quoted by Dr. Clemens as saying, “the pupa is represented without
the detached tongue-case.” Now in fact, the pupa has no external tongue- —
case at all, such as is so noticeable in Amphonyx Anteus, Protoparce —
Rustica, in the other species of Protoparce, and to a less degree in those
of Diludia. The pupa of Pseud. Tetrio, of which I possess several ex- —
amples through the kindness of my friend, Wm. Schaus, Esq., jr., is as 4
follows: Pitchy, cylindrical, tapering a little from the junction of the 4
thorax and the head, and more abruptly from the 8th abdominal segment
to the tip. It is swollen on the thorax and on the eye cases, while the
head is distinctly rounded in front. The covers of the antenna and the —
wing bases are slightly marked with transverse corrugations. In the —
earlier stages of the pupa it has a paler tint, and is marked with some —
black transverse bands on the upper abdominal segments, which, however, a
are lost in the ground color as the pupa assumes with age a darker shade.
The pupa most nearly resembles that of the genus Philampelus. Length —
65 mm.; width of head, 11 mm.; width of middle of abdomen, 16 mm. _
PHILAMPELUS TyYPHON, Klug.
“‘Cinereous, reddish beneath. Palpi red. Thorax with two dark d
brown abbreviated stripes. Abdomen with dark brown bands, red onthe
_ sides, Anterior wings glaucescent and testaceous mixed, with several
blackish-brown sub-trigonate patches. Posterior wings red, with a den-
ticulated band, black, varied with glaucescent, with the exterior margin :
brown, and the cilia white.” —-CLEMENS. .
This grand insect, of which a specimen taken by the late H. K. Mor- 4
rison is now in the collection of B. Neumoegen, Esq., is in some respects
closely allied to P. Achemon Drury, but is larger in size, and altogether —
richer and darker in color, while the markings are more diffused, and in 3
stronger contrast to the ground color of the wings. A fair figure of itis —
given in “ N. Amer. Lepidoptera,” Sphingide, pl. 11, by Weidemeyer, —
Calverley & Edwards, while that by Klug in “‘ Neus Schmett,” pl. 3, is
remarkable for its accuracy and fidelity to color. Mr. Neumoegen’s ex- 7
ample was taken in N. E. Arizona. 4
SYNTOMEIDA EPILaris, Walk. 4
Wings, thorax and abdomen bluish black, with a metallic lustre. The —
primaries have five white spots each, one small at base of costa, one in
middle of wing near to basal third, one half way on costa, one smaller a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 15
little behind this, which is cut by the nervule, and one behind the cell
cut by the nervule. The secondaries have one rather large white
central spot, almost reaching to the costa. The abdomen has two basal
ts very clear white, conspicuous, and its sides have also three clear
white spots, the middle one the largest. Tip of the abdomen orange-red.
At the base of the coxz are also white spots. Lower side with the
markings repeated. Exp. wings, 50 mm.
Taken in Florida by Mr. C. J. Maynard. Coll. Muséum Comp.
_ Zoology, Cambridge. * A figure of this beautiful species is given by Mr.
_ Butler in Lepid. Heteroc. B. Museum, Pt. 1, plate 8, Bante 5. Mr. Butler
a cs the locality as Honduras.
DESCRIPTION OF TWO LEPIDOPTEROUS LARV.
a : BY WM. BEUTENMULLER, NEW YORK.
| Botis magistralis, Grote.
___ _ Head pale brown, smooth, shining ; mouth parts dark brown ; cervical
a. shield brown, divided in the middle by the color of the body, which is
translucent greenish-white ; along the dorsal region two rows of shining
| _ pale brown piliferous spots, four on each segment, those on the first seg-
_ ment darker in color. All the spots bear a short light brown hair. Thor-
4 acic feet, abdominal and anal legs concolorous with the body. Length
a 30 mm. _ Lives singly on Clethra alnifolia, in a number of leaves fas-
_ tened together with silken threads. Pupated July 6th. Imagos emerged
July 17th and 18th.
-Botis erectalis, Gr.
4 Head small, jet black, shining ; mouth parts whitish. In some indi-
viduals of the brood the head is marked with dirty white. First segment
dirty white mottled with black. Body. above ochreous, with five rows of
rather large shining jet black piliferous spots on each side, placed as fol-
lows: One row on the dorsal, one on the sub-dorsal, one above, and two
; 3 below the spiracles, which are black. From all the spots springs a short
_ pale brown hair. Anal plate dirty white, spotted with black. Body
_ beneath sordid white; on. the 4th, 5th, roth and 11th segments two
_ shining black spots, and two minute ones between. Thoracic feet jet
black, mottled with dirty white ; abdominal legs whitish with three minute
16 THE ‘CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
black spots outside and one inside ; between the thoracic feet are also a
few minute black spots. Length about 23 mm. a
Lives socially in a web on Indian hemp (Apocyum androsemifolium, —
L.) Sept. Spins a thin cocoon, passing the winter in the larval state, —
and pupates the following spring.
we
DESCRIPTION OF PREPARATORY STAGES OF DATANA |
-MINISTRA, Drury.
BY WM. BEUTENMULLER, NEW YORK,
Ecc.—Pure white, ovoid, with flattened base, the apex with black dot —
showing impregnation. Laid in masses, from 25 to 50 on under side of
leaf. |
Younc Larva.—Head black, shining, second segment orange brown ~
in front, cervical shield black. Body color chestnut brown, with the
stripes a little darker ; anal clasps and thoracic feet jet black. Length
3 mm. :
AFTER First Moutt.—The head jet black, as is also the whole of ©
the second segment and anal segment. Body color now much darker, as :
are also the stripes, these being almost obscured, except along the lateral —
region. ‘Thoracic feet black. Length 12 mm.
AFTER SeconD Mou.t.—Head black, rather small, second segment _
yellow except the cervical shield, black. The thoracic feet, abdominal
and anal legs, and termination of anal segment, jet black, while the stripes — j
are very clear yellow on the chestnut brown ground. Scattered over the
body are also a few short sordid white hairs, Length 20 mm. :
Until after this moult the larvee feed upon the under side of leaf (par- —
enchyma), and do not attack the edges until after the third moult begins.
AFTER THIRD Movuit.—Head jet black, second segment orange, cer-
vical shield black. Body color reddish-brown with rather broad yellow
stripes ; anal clasps, tip of legs and thoracic feet jet black ; under side
striped equally with reddish-brown and bright yellow. Length 30 mm.
A¥rTER FourtuH Moutt.—Head jet black, neck yellow, cervical shield
jet black, shining. Body chestnut brown, the stripes bright yellow and.
equidistant ; the feet and anal clasps jet black, abdominal legs yellow
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 17
banded with jet black outside. The hairs over the body are now quite
long. Length 33 mm.
Mature Larva.—Head jet black, sometimes chestnut-red, shining,
finely punctured, neck bright yellow, cervical shield dull orange. Body
_ pitchy black with four sulphur-yellow equidistant longitudinal stripes on
each side, all being narrower than the intervening spaces, the dorsal space
being the widest ; anal plates jet black, roughly punctured. Under side
also pitchy black with three stripes. Thoracic feet jet black, with their
_ bases yellow ; abdominal legs bright yellow, banded with jet black outside.
On the 4th, 5th, roth and 11th segments two yellow patches. The sordid
white hairs are few to each segment, though long and most numerous on
_ the lateral region. Length 55 mm.
Pupa.—Pitchy black, wing cases brown and very much wrinkled ;
_ head prominent ; segments coarsely punctured about the anterior portion,
smooth at the junction ; cremasters very short, four in number ; spiracles
ovate, very ae Length about 23 mm.; width of wing cases
7 mm.
| Foop PLANTs. Py aiden (Tilia), cherry (Prunus), pear (Pyrus),
_ quince (Cydonia), walnut (Juglans), hickory (Carya), oak ( Quercus ),
chestnut ( Castania), beech (Fagus), hazel (Corylus), hornbeam ( Car-
__ pinus), birch (Betula). Found from the latter part of July to about the
_ middle of Sentember. Single brooded. Subterraneous.
- PREPARATORY STAGES OF CATOCALA RELICTA, Watk.
BY HOWARD L. CLARK, PROVIDENCE, R. I.
q ' Ecc.—Shape of flattened sphere. Diameter, 1 mil. Color, brownish
slate. There are thirty-six vertical ribs, each alternate one only reaching
the apex ; and numerous horizontal parallel striations. The eighteen ribs
which reach the apex there unite with the horizontal lines, forming an
irregular network. Duration of this period 241 to 246 days.
-Younc Larva.—Length, 7 mil. Body very slender and geometrid-
like, the two anterior pairs of pro-legs rudimentary. The two posterior
pairs fully developed. Crawl with a very rapid looping movement. Head
ochreous, large and prominent, with minute black piliferous spots. Color
18 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of body light translucent green, in some cases inclining to olive. Five
longitudinal lines are faintly indicated in shades of the prevailing color.
These markings and the green color becoming more pronounced in the
course of a day or two. Small black tubercles, each with a single black
hair, distributed somewhat irregularly over the body. A dark oval ventral
spot on each segment. Duration of this period five days.
After First Moult.—Length 10 mil. Form much as before, the head
perhaps a trifle less prominent. Hairs and tubercles the same, and the
anterior pro-legs still undeveloped. Head light straw color, with three or
four indistinct wavy brown vertical streaks on each lobe. Immediately
after shedding the skin, the body appears of an uniform light straw
color, nearly concolorous with the head, with three narrow brownish
longitudinal lateral lines on each side. A few hours later, after eating,
the dorsum appears darker ; the spaces between the lateral lines light
cream color, and the food which has been partaken of shows through in —
greenish patches in parts of the body. Ventral spots as before. Duration
of this period seven days. :
After Second Moult.—Length 20 mil. Diameter 2 mil. Head flat
and rather large, of an opaque whitish color, shaded with yellowish. The
lobes are marked vertically with irregular black and brown lines, inter-
lacing with horizontal lines to form a vein-like design. Top of head
marked with black. The body is wrinkled, very slightly constricted at
the third segment, is thickest at the ninth, thence diminishing suddenly
posteriorly. A dorsal excresence indicated on the ninth segment. Color
a uniform greenish cream, with a faint rosy tint at the junctures of the ©
segments, and thickly sprinkled with brownish atoms. Piliferous spots
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 19
very minute. The ninth segment presents the appearance of having been
stippled with lamp black, and there is a less conspicuous repetition of this
marking on the twelfth. Pro-legs greenish, tipped with flesh color, the
two anterior pair still abortive. Venter greenish with dark oval spots.
_A sub-stigmatical fringe of fleshy shreds as observed on larvee of other
_ species. Duration of this period nine days.
After Third Moult.—Length 28 mil. Body shaped and proportioned
much as after the last moult. Ground color the same bluish or greenish
cream, thickly sprinkled with brown dots. ‘The same excrescence and
black markings on the ninth and twelfth segments. The head is shaped
as after the last moult, is opaque white with black markings much as
_ before. Between the markings of the face and the gridiron-like marks
above, is a clear white space forming a sort of crescent-shaped mark at
7 the apex of either lobe. Piliferous spots brown, minute. Stigmata con-
% - colorous ringed with black. Legs more or less green concolorous with
___venter. Black ventral spots conspicuous. Towards the end of this period
the stigmata appear with.a black centre, and the crescent-shaped marks
assume a pinkish hue. Duration of this period seven days.
After Fourth Moult.—Length 40 mil. Body rather more flattened
ventrally ; the hump on the ninth segment is more pronounced and the
a skin is much wrinkled at the junctures of the segments. The ground
_ color has a more distinctly greenish tinge and the numberless dots with
__ which the body is thickly sprinkled are of a paler yellowish brown. The
' black markings on the ninth segment extend on to the anterior portion of
the fourth pair of pro-legs. The twelfth segment also marked with black
as before, and the anal pro-legs streaked with the same. Piliferous spots
| small and concolorous. Stigmata concolorous, ringed with black. Head
very large and prominent, face measuring 4 mil. each way, a trifle broader
superiorly. The gridiron markings above are suffused almost to the ex-
clusion of the ground color, and the lateral marblings are heavier black.
The mouth parts have a violet tinge. The two anterior pairs of pro-legs
still lack their full development. All the legs concolorous with the venter,
which is light bluish green. Duration of this period fifteen days or more.
No more moults observed.
Marure Larva.—Length 60 mi:. Body same shape as before, thick-
est from the fifth to the tenth segment inclusive. The black markings on
the ninth, tenth and twelfth segments are constant, but in some case.
20 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
there are slight black stipplings on other parts of the back. When pro-
vided with dried leaves, the larve drew them together, forming a very
thin cocoon. 3
CurysAa.is.—Length 28 mil. ; length of wing cases, 16 mil. ; depth of
thorax, 8 mil. General shape as far as the ends of the wing cases, cylin-
drical, rounded anteriorly and somewhat constricted dorsally at the junc-
ture of the thorax and abdomen. Remainder of the pupa conical, the
extremity provided with eight hooks, the longest pair curving outwardly,
the next longest pair the same, while the two short pairs at the base curve
inwardly. On each of the two segments, posterior to the ends of the
wing cases, is a pair of ventral protuberances, which appear to be the
rudiments of the posterior pro-legs of the larva. The stigmata are plainly
indicated and the abdomen is provided with a few black hairs. Immedi-
ately after pupation the color is bright green, which, however, soon
changes to a purplish brown, dusted with a whitish bloom. Duration of
this period twenty-five days.
It is probable that in their natural state the mature larvae and pupz
attain somewhat larger proportions than those described above, as the
moths which were bred expanded only from 65 to 68 mil., while the
parent moth from which the eggs were obtained expanded 80 mil. On
the emergence of the larve they were offered leaves of white birch, which,
however, they did not take to very readily. These were afterwards
changed for willow, at the suggestion of Prof. G. H. French, to whom the
writer is much indebted for his kindly interest and valuable instruction in
this department of entomological research. Upon this food-plant the
larvee appeared to thrive, and some ten examples of the imagines were —
obtained. a
The Society’s Coilection of Insects sent to the Colonial and Indian —
Exhibition in London, in 1886, came back in safety, with the exception of
two cases, which were somewhat damaged. We are anxious to replace —
the following species, specimens of which will be thankfully acknowledged, _
if sent to Mr. E. Baynes Reep, London, Ont. :—Parnassius smintheus, —
var. Hermodur; Pieris protodice, oleracea, vernalis, virgintensis, Jrigida
rapa; Colias cesonia, eurytheme, philodice; Terias lisa, nicippe; Erebu
odora; Zale horrida; Homoptera edusa, Saundersii, lunata, calycan
thata, albofasciata, ‘unifera, benesignata, duplicata; Vpsia undularis. —
Ope Canadtan Entomologist.
VOL. XX. LONDON, FEBRUARY, 1888. SE NOp 2
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
Ele COLIAS CAESONIA, Srott. |
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
E _ Ecc.—Fusiform, thick in middle, tapering to a small rounded summit ;
a _ marked by about 18 longitudinal ribs, these being low, narrow, the spaces
_ between flat and crossed by many fine ridges. Color yellow-green.
_ Duration of this stage about four days.
_Youne Larva.—Length .08 inch ; cylindrical, thickest anteriorly ; on
the ridges of the segments many black points, each with a short black
hair ; among these are black tubercles, some with long hairs, but most
_ with white clubbed appendages, which form three longitudinal rows on
e either side, one appendage in the row to the segment; these rows are
_ sub-dorsal, upper and lower lateral ; color greenish-white, with a tint of
_ brown ; head rounded, a little depressed at top; on the face many rounded
tubercles, each with depressed black hair; color pale yellow-brown.
Duration of this stage four to five days.
_. After first moult: Length .14 inch; the ridges thickly beset with
black points, each with black hair ; among these are small tubercles of
same color, mostly on middle of each ridge, with longer hairs ; along base
a yellowish narrow stripe, and over it, on 3 and 4 each, a rounded black
process ; another larva showed this stripe only near the close of the stage,
and had not the black process; color yellow-green; head rounded,
nearly same green as the body, the tubercles and hairs more numerous
than before. To next moult four to five days.
‘After second moult: Length .21 inch; color yellow-green, with yel-
lowish basal band ; the processes on 3 and 4 as before, shining, black ;
head yellow-green, more thickly covered with small tubercles, scattered
~ among which are others, larger. ‘To next moult three to four days.
_ After third moult: Length .32 to .38 inch; color yellow-green, the
band greenish-white ; the two processes on 3 and 4 present; on dorsum
22 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ee pen om
of 2 and following segments are very small black rounded processes in
cross line and equi-distant, placed on the second ring of each segment ;
these are very variable in number ; one larva had four on 2, and two each
on 3 and 4, no others ; another had three on 2, one on one side, two on
the other, six on 3, two on 4, and these last were larger than any others 5
six seems to be the full number on a segment, and they vary from that to
one, present on some segments and lacking on others, with no apparent
regularity ; so also the number of lateral processes differs much ; one.
these on all segments except 2, 5, 9 and 13; as the stage progresses a
yellow stain appears in the band on each segment, and at last is o
orange-tinted ; head yellow-green, a little lighter than body. To next
moult about four days.
After fourth moult: Length .6 to.74 inch; to maturity about three
days. There was much change in the markings at third moult, but still
more at fourth. Some which had been wholly green at this moult dis-
covered cross bands of black and yellow, one or both, and there was
much variation in the extent of these bands.
Mature Larva.—Length 1,1 to 1.3 inch ; cylindrical, of nearly even
thickness from 3 to 11; thickly covered with small black tubercles, each
of which gives a short black hair; color yellow-green, light or dark ; along
base a yellow-white band with a dash of orange on each segment, and
sometimes the orange is nearly continuous ; over the band on 3 and 4
each a large vitreous black rounded process, from the top of which comes
a small hair, and around the base is a ring of black points ; some larve
have additional processes of same character on the succeeding segments,
but there is much variation ; occasionally all are large as on 3, usually
they are much smaller ; in one example they diminished regularly from 4
to 12 ; on dorsum of one or many segments are small black processes on _
the second ridge, varying from six to one, and often wanting; the same ~
ridge is covered by a black band, sometimes present on every segment,
sometimes only on the two or three anterior ones, with broken lines on
dorsum or sides of the succeeding ones, frequently however wanting ; in
many examples the first ridge of every segment is bright yellow, and the
complete series of black and yellow bands is often present ; but others —
have the yellow bands broken up on middle and last segments, or lack —
them on these segments ; others have a yellow line instead of band; and
often there is no trace of yellow anywhere; some larve therefore are
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 23
_ wholly green, some green with yellow bands, some with black bands and
no yellow, but more have both black and yellow, with variation as to
extent of either ; the black bands appeared at fourth moult in examples
which showed no trace of them in previous stage, and some larvee wholly
green to end of fourth stage, at the moult took on all the bands ; under
_ side, feet and legs pale green ; head round, slightly depressed at top, with
many fine black points, each with short, black hair ; color yellow-green:
_ From fourth moult to pupation about six days.
q CurysaLis.—Length .8 inch ; breadth across mesonotum .18, across
4 abdomen .18 inch; greatest depth .24 inch; shape of Aurydice; com-
pressed laterally, the thorax on ventral side prominent, rising to a narrow
ridge ; the abdomen tapering, conical ; the mesonotum low, rounded, with
a slight carina, followed by a shallow excavation ; the head case produced
_ toa point, a little curved up, with a regular slope on both dorsal and
_-ventral sides, angular laterally ; color bluish-green over whole dorsal side,
__ below, the abdomen yellow-green ; the wing and head cases dusky green,
4 on the under side a brown crescent ; on dorsum two rows of black dots
_ from mesonotum to 12. one to each segment, and a small black spot on
either side, abdomen; the whole surface except wings dotted or finely
streaked whitish.
Another example gave same dimensions; the dorsum yellow-green, '
ventral side of abdomen more yellow; a brown patch on under side of
head case. Duration of this stage seven to ten days.
CAESUNIA is a common butterfly in the Mississippi Valley and Gulf
States ; also in Southern California and to the Isthmus. I myself have
never seen it on the wing, and the above descriptions are drawn from
larve sent me during the season of 1887, by Mr. R. R. Rowley, of Curry-
ville, western Missouri. The first lot of larvae were received 2nd August,
mostly young, and with them eggs which hatched a day or two after. On
11th Aug, there came about twenty larve of all stages to mature. Again,
on 26th Aug., came eggs and young larvz, and more on 8th October.
The food plant was Amorpha fruticosa. In California it is Amorpha
Californica, and I was able to feed the larve from plants of this last
growing in my garden. The behavior of the larvee is in all respects as in
Eurydice, Philodice and other species of the genus.
A noticeable feature of these larve is the variation in markings,
Cia
an,
Bt
we
a
%
k
oY THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
described in some degree above, the greatest change occurring
fourth moult. ae
Boisduval, in Lep. de ’Amer., gives a Plate of Caesonia, with larva
and pupa, copied from one of Abbot’s unpublished sheets. This larva i is
roughly done, but shows the phase which has a yellow and a black stri oe
on each segment. The text says the larva feeds on many kinds of :
folium and Glycine, and also Tagetes papposa., oe
In the latter part of the summer and in the fall the females of “hie :
species are apt to be more or less suffused with rose-pink on under side
of hind wing, and about apex of fore wing, and occasionally the male
shows something of this at base of hind wing, and around the margins of
both wings. Mr. Rowley writes: “The females with red under the wings do
not occur at all in the early summer broods. I tookscoresof butterflies this
season in late April, all through May, June and July, and discovered not
a streak on one of them. ‘The first examples with red were taken in.
August. In September they were more numerous, while nearly every
female of late October and November were either heavily streaked or
solidly red below. I have yet to see a red unde e of earlier date than, :
August. The feature is surely a seasonal one.’
NOTES ON THE GENUS COLIAS.
BY H. H. LYMAN, M. A., MONTREAL.
level while very interesting in itself, serves also to show that t |
genus is still in a very unsatisfactory state. That a form which so closely
resembles Phi/odice that nine entomologists out of ten would take it for
that-species, should turn out to be a variety of Aurytheme, emphasizes
Dr. Hagen’s statement “that reliable differences between these two well
known forms are still a want.” Mr. Edwards has also come to the co
clusion that H/agenii is the same as the form previously named
Eriphyle by him, as detailed in the November number of the Canal
Enromotocist. A glance at the history of this form will be ‘fo ;
interesting.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 25
In 1873, ‘Mr. G. R. Crotch collected a number of butterflies at Lake
Labache, i in British Columbia, among which were a number of specimens
hich Mr. Edwards seems to have regarded as Colias Philodice, as men-
tioned in Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., v., p. 15. Subsequently on page 202
of the same volume, he described Bice specimens as a new species under
the name of C. Lriphyle.
In the same place he said that a Colias similar to this had been taken
_ by Mr. Mead, in Colorado, and by Dr. E. Coues, in Montana, and had
_ been referred to by Mr. Reakirt as Prilodice, but was, he thought, nearer,
to Eriphyle than to Philodice. The question now arises as to how these
as discoveries affect the standing of other so-called species of Colias, for it
; would seem that some of these forms are like children’s tin soldiers set
_ near together, in which if you knock down one, a whole row is laid low.
In But. N. A., vol L., plate 15, C. Hurytheme var.- Keewaydin is ex-
cellently illustrated as a distinct species, as it was then believed to be by
a number of eminent entomologists, and one figure—No. 7—depicts a
_ greenish-yellow form with rather pale margins, which is certainly strik-
ingly unlike the ordinary type of Keewaydin, but which was believed by
__ Mr. Edwards to be merely a variety of that form. In the text, page 50,
it is described as follows :
_. Variety A. @. Upper side pale yellow with a very slight tinge of
ce orange on disk of primaries ; sometimes wholly without orange and then
a uniform lemon yellow ; the marginal borders also very pale (Fig. 7.)”
On page 51 the following extract from a letter of Mr. Henry Edwards
is given: ‘I may notice that the flight of the new species is much more
a rapid and varied than that of Eurytheme; * * * thatthe only variety
_ which appears in the latter is in the case of the albino female, while the
male of the new species is constantly subject to run into the lemon yellow
variety, WA eae however, is rarely so well defined as in the specimen [
send you.” [Figured in plate. | :
Subsequently Mr. Edwards ascertained that Aeewaydin was only | a
form of Lurytheme, as was also Ariadne, which had been described as a
‘distinct species in 1870, and he accordingly published in Part vii. of
second volume of But. N. A. (pl. 21, pp. 103-116) a very full account of
Eurytheme and its forms Keewaydin and Ariadne.
wee ings Meet Ss. MRS veins 5
5 aie ES ae Wi eis ai
In the course of this most interesting account he said: “It
(Eurytheme) occupies with Phz/odice the whole of the United States and
26 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
much of British America, and like that species, which it resembles in
every respect but in color, it is subject to great and extreme variation,
there being no feature whether of size or ornamentation that is not a?
unstable.” |
At the close of this notice he said (page 116): ‘ The butterfly os
figured on Plate of Keewaydin, in vol. i., as No. 7, supposed to be a
variety of that species, is regarded by Mr. Henry Edwards as distinct,
and has recently been described by him as C. Harfordii.”
C. Harfordii was described from seven males by Mr. Henry
Edwards, in 1877, in Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sci., and at the same time C.
Barbara was described from two females, but subsequently he came to
the conclusion that they belonged to the same species, in which opinion
Mr. W. H. Edwards acquiesced. In “Papilio,” iii., p. 160 (1883) Mr. W.
H. Edwards described Co/ias Hagenii, and said of it that it was close to
Eriphyle and lay caine Phliodice and Eurytheme, ‘the four species 4
making a sub-group.” iy
In Can. Enr., xix., p. 174, Mr. Edwards said: ‘“ Hagenié is knownto
fly throughout the Rocky Mountain region, from Colorado to British
Amen. * 2 4 * and I think it probable the yellow form
accompanies the orange over much of the territory occupied by the latter.
On the plains to the east of the mountains these would have been
regarded as Philodice by collectors. The yellow male figured in But. N
A., vol. i., on plate of Colias Keewaydin, fig. 7, is Hagenit, a very small
example.” 3
Now if this same much abused butterfly, known as fig. 7, is both 4
Harfordii, of which, as I have mentioned, Barbara is a variety, and also
Hagenii, and if taken east of the mountains would be regarded as
Philodice, and that Hagenii is Eurytheme and also Eriphyle, it must —
follow not only that Lurytheme, Eriphyle, Hagenit, Harfordii and —
Barbara are one and the same species, but also that it becomes —
extremely difficult to separate PAi/odice from the same group. In con- —
nection with this it should be remembered that at least two well marked _
specimens of Zurytheme have been taken in this Province, one, a female,
at Quebec, by the late Mr. Bowles, and another, a male, at Montreal, by BF
Mr. C. W. Pearson, and that specimens of Phélodice slightly suffused with —
orange do occasionally occur, %
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 27
I am, however, not prepared to follow Dr. C. V, Riley in his sugges-
tion that these two forms should be united.
__ The December number of the CaNnapIAN ENTOMOLOGIST contains
another paper by Mr. Edwards announcing a further reduction of species
in this genus by the recognition of C. Hdwardsii as a variety of C.
_ Alexandra. This reduction will, I venture to think, be followed by
3 others, which will considerably curtail our list of species in this genus,
_ for in view of all these discoveries it becomes impossible to believe that
a Occidentalis, Chrysomelas, Emilia, Interior, Scudderii, Pelidne, Paleno,
Chippewa and Boothii are all distinct species.
3 It would of course be rash to try and indicate in what way the reduc-
tion is likely to take place, but I am inclined to believe with Dr. Hagen
_ that Emilia will prove to be a variety of Alexandra, and that Chippewa
will be united with Pa/eno.
_ There are, of course, several well-marked forms other than those
above mentioned which will probably maintain their positions as distinct
_ Species, as for instance d/eadzz, unless it should prove to be a variety of
| Hecla,as Strecker has suggested; Christina, which I believe to be
a thoroughly distinct, but I do not think that the name Astrea should be
retained at all, as I have a 2 supposed to be that form which I obtained
from Mr. Gamble Geddes, whose specimens were determined by Mr.
Edwards, and which agrees exactly with what I consider the typical
orange female of Christzna; LVastes, from which AZoina seems to be dis-
tinct, but may probably prove to be a variety, and Zehriz, which is cer-
tainly distinct from any other American species.
Unfortunately some of these species are only found in very remote
localities, and it will, I fear, be many a long day before their life histories
are worked out, if indeed, of the arctic ones, they ever can be, Let us,
however, hope that the enterprising and hardy race which will result from
the colonization of our mighty Northwest Territories may produce
scientists who will yet push their way into the arctic regions of this con-
tinent in their search after knowledge, and succeed in wresting nature’s
secrets from her.
28 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
PREPARATORY STAGES OF CATOCALA DESPERATA, Gur.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL. © # oe
Eccs.— Diameter, .o4 of an inch ; low conoidal, the edges of the base
rounded ; striated, fifteen of the steams reaching the micropyle, sixteen
more that do not reach the apex, though but few of these are only half .
length ; shallow transverse strie. Color dull brownish olive. | Duration :
of this period 201 days.
Younc Larva.—Length, .15 inch; cylindrical, slender, shape Tike
others of the genus, a looper from the sieiGen of first two pairs of pro-
legs. Color of dorsum and head smoky, the head the darkest, pale
between the joints ; sides a little paler than the back, with three fine
dark red lines. Towards the last of this stage the color is more of a
whitish olivaceous with a slight pinkish tinge, and the head and top of
joint 2 brownish. Duration of this period 10 days.
After rst moult—Length, .35 inch; shape much as before. Color,
purplish black ; four white stripes tinged with the ground color, the two
upper blending on joint 2, the lower situated below the stigmata ; venter
pale with purple black spots in the middle of the joints ; head striped
with broken whitish lines ; thoracic feet pale. Towards the last of this.
Stage the black stripes are separable into a paler center and a darker
border line ; the pale a little lilac tinted. Duration of this period 7 days.
After sui moult.—Length, .85 inch. Colors much as before, four
dark and five light stripes, the pale of the dorsum making a pale stripe, |
each stripe double ; the pale stripes are lilac color, but the two dark
stripes on the dorsum have prominent darker patches in the dark border- oe
ing lines on the posterior part of joints 4 and 5, and some on the joints
back of these, being a spreading of these lines towards the centre of the
body, so that between the two there is only a fine lilac line. Piliferous
spots black, but so small as to be scarcely perceptible ; head about
during preceding stage ; venter with a prominent black patch on middle
of each joint. Duration of this period 3 days.
After 3rd moult.—Length, 1.35 inches. Developing more into thie
usual Catocala larva shape, slightly flattening and fusiform. Striped as
before, but paler; ground color, pale lilac ; the bordering lines to’ the
stripes black, broken into dots and short bars, the central part of the
stripes mottled with black, the mottling in the dark stripes heavier than
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 29
in the light stripes, the one on each side near the subdorsal region with
the black patches on the posterior part of joints as before, the patch on
joint 5 filling the whole stripe, the next a little pale in the centre, those
back of joint 6 a little darker than the anterior part of the joint in the
same region; between the stripes a pale red line ; piliferous spots small,
orange ; hairs gray. Head dull pale purplish red, marked longitudinally
with yellowish white broken stripes, more yellowish towards the mouth.
_ Lateral fringe white, well developed. Legs white, mottled with pale
_ purplish red. Venter white, with large black patches on all the joints.
Duration of this period 5 days.
After 4th moult.—Length, 1.60 inches ; lateral fringe long, profuse,
reaching the ends of the prolegs ; head oblique and flattened slightly as
in other species. Marked and colored much as before, but more of a
pinkish shade. Ground color pale lilac, the stripes as before, even to the
arrangement of the black spots on the dark subdorsal stripes ; the dark
stripes are made dark by mottlings that are mostly black dots, the light
stripes are equally mottled, but the mottlings in the centre are dark red-
dish purple ; in the paler edges—being the dividing lines of the preceding
stage—is a line of purplish red dots ; the dark part of the pale stripes is
narrower than: the dark stripes, though this dark part and the pale
bordering line are altogether wider than the dark stripes. Joint 9 is not
elevated, but is black shaded on posterior part, the shading extending
down the sides and into the anterior part of joint 10. Piliferous spots
orange, their bases the ground color; those on joints 5 to 13 larger than
on joints 2 to 4, each tipped with a short black hair. Head purplish
gray, marked with dull white stripes that are made up of dots, some
orange spots on the vertex with a black hair in the centre of each, these .
orange spots in line with the dark subdorsal stripes, the spots contiguous
so as to make a short line. Lateral fringe of the same color as the body
ground color. Venter white, black patches on all the joints. Duration
of this period 11 days.
After 5th moult.—Length, 1.90 inches. Color and markings about
the same as before, a pale lilac ground color with stripes composed of
black dots giving a grey appearance, the ground color of the dark stripes
being a little darker than that of the light, the light and dark stripes
being now nearly the same color; instead of a black patch in the dark
stripe, each side of the dorsal stripe between joints 5 and 6, and 6 and 7,
i
ain
me:
es
s
te
y
;
co
7
E i
ee
ho
iz
ag
= xy
ae
an
Bo
E}
=
‘ee
x
ay
f
30 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
there is a patch of clear pale olive, without black dots; the dark stripes
on posterior part of joint g olive tinted, giving the joint a darker shade.
Head striped longitudinally with dull lilac and white, the latter broken
and irregular; the top has the lilac replaced by black, with the orange ©
dots of the preceding stage present ; a short black stripe on each side
from the clypeus. Venter white, the joints bearing legs with black
patches tinted with orange, the others with orange patches. ists :
spots the ground color, but a little rose tinted. cone
MATURE LARVA.—Length 2.50 inches, width of middle of es -30.
inch, of head .20 inch; depth of middle of body .25 inch, of head .15
inch. Color ae the same as at the beginning of period ; the three :
anterior ocelli black, the three posterior brown. Duration of this period
15 days. |
CuRYSALIS.—Length from .go to .g5 inch; lateral diameter, cheetahs
joint 5, .33 to .35 inch; dorso-ventral diameter, through the same joint,
.28 to .30 inch ; the cause of the difference being a lateral expansion of
the wing cases; only a slight dorsal depression on joint 1 (referring of
course to the abdominal joints) ; length of tongue and wing cases .60 to
.65 inch, both extending to posterior part of joint 5 ; from joint 5 taper-
ing regularly to the posterior part of the terminal joint, this ending
abruptly in the cremaster ; anterior part rounded, this and the tongue and
wing cases moderately corrugated or wrinkled ; abdominal joints punc-
tured ; the whole covered with a white or glaucous secretion, Agee |
of this period 28 to 30 days.
In this species, as in most I have bred, the eggs continue to Rajah for :
several days after the first ones emerge from the shell, these later speci-
mens being so much later in their pupation and in their other changes, —
when the hatching is not too long delayed. In some cases these belated
examples are weaker than the earlier ones, and either die before reaching
maturity, or produce smaller or imperfect imagines. For these reasons I
have given the changes and characters of the ‘earlier individuals. I be
lieve, however, that in the woods the delayed hatching produces the late
specimens that are to be found in good condition in September and often
later.
The eggs from which these observations were made were obtained
October 29, 1886, by confining a dilapidated female with hickory bark and
leaves, the supposed food plant. They began to hatch April 21, 1887,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 31.
when the hickory leaves began to expand. This would give the egg
period 201 days. ‘They began to spin June 11, giving a larval period of
days. With a pupal period of 28 days, we have a period of 79 days
from the egg to the imago, or 280 days from the egg to the same. It is
evident from my date of obtaining the eggs that they were obtained from
one of the latest specimens, and that eggs from one of the earlier moths
would add one or two months to the egg period, as there is evidently
only one brood in a season of any of our species of Catocale.
The food plant, as given before, is hickory. When ready to spin they
fastened leaves together in the breeding cage, preferring seemingly the
_ dry leaves under the fresh food. Several spun under a leaf lying on the
_ dirt in the bottom of the box, fastening bits of sand together for the bot-
tom of the cocoon and this to the leaf. These points would seem to im-
% ply that they do not spin on the tree, but in the dry leaves under the tree
_ onthe ground. This is further corroborated by several years ago finding
“4 a chrysalis in leaves on the ground under a hickory tree, that produced C.
_ S#lebilis. The cocoon, like the other species, is but slight, with the hooks
_ of the cremaster fastened into the posterior end.
e DESCRIPTION OF A NEW HEMILEUCA.
BY W. G. WRIGHT, SAN BERNARDINO, CAL.
- HeMILEuCA CALIFORNICA, N. Ss.
Expanse, ¢, 2.40-2.50; $, 2.85-2.90. Head black. Antenne,
_ &, stem brown, pectinations black ; 2, wholly brown. Prothorax white.
_ Patagia white in front, overlaying longer hairs of white and black.
_ Thorax black, with tufts of rust-red hairs behind the patagia. Abdomen
black, with a few scattered white hairs toward anal end, and with white
| _ or sometimes yellow hairs in segmental spots on sides beneath; f# with
_ large anal tuft of rust-red, 2 without tuft, but tip is hoary with short hairs
_ of sordid white. Legs—femora with long red and black hairs, tibiae with
fewer hairs of white and black. Wings, above and beneath the same ;
costa dense black to apex, base dense black, at length becoming thinner,
outer margin black and like the intermediate white portion, sub-diaphanous,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Sy)
bo
When quite fresh the wings are clear white and black, and rather opaque, -
but with exposure speedily become sordid, yellowish and less opaque. ‘
Veins all are honey color. Discal spots thin black, touching the costa,
but separated from black base, and yet more widely from dark margin ;
at the cross vein in centre is the lunule, narrow, obtusely angled, the
angle clean cut and pointing toward the head. Discal spots on second-
aries small, black, never with any lunule or central mark whatever.
Habitat, Southern California. Types in author’s museum.
This species has heretofore been run in with A Wevadensis, Stretch,
but must be separated because of the red tufts on thorax, the white spots
on abdomen beneath, the color of the nervules across the black margin,
the angled lunules on primaries and absence of lunules on secondaries, in
all of which the differences are persistent and without intergrades. In-
deed, there appears to be as great difference between H. Cadifornica and
Nevadensis, as between Nevadensis and the Eastern Maia.
Notes ON THE LiFE History OF HEMILEUCA CALIFORNICA.
This insect is quite local, being found in comparatively few places, —
but is fairly abundant in such localities as it frequents. Like many other _
species of Lepidoptera, it is often abundant one year, and nearly wanting
the next. This present season it has been more scarce than I have ever
before found it.
It is first seen on the wing in the latter part of October, itiled and
females appearing at about the same time, and it continues about three
weeks. The flight is labored and clumsy, so that they often fly against —
sticks or twigs, yet vigorous and sustained. It flies only in the heat of —
the day, and by three o’clock, or at the first whiff of cool afternoon air, it
hangs up for the night. The line of flight is undulatory, with a wavy up
and down motion, and slow, so that it is very easily taken in the net, or
it may be often caught in the hands.
The insect does not feed at all, nor drink, but spends the whole time -
of its few days of life in the business of reproduction solely ; its large
body contains sufficient nutriment to sustain it a sufficient length of time
to-enable it to fulfil its destiny. ‘They are rather handsome when fresh,
but a clumsy flight among weeds and bushes speedily ruins ali good
looks. The male is gay with his showy red anal tuft, and his deeply
pectinated antennz show off beautifully as he flies slowly past with them
gracefully arched in front of him. If caught when fresh, he flaps his
THE CANADIAN. ENTOMOLOGIST. 33
wings stiffly together over his back, and curling his anal end round under
his thorax like a caterpillar, remains rigid and immovable ; but if he be
old and worn, he is likely to struggle continuously for .iberty. The female
has similar habits.
- Copulation takes place as soon as the female emerges, often, and per-
_ haps usually, before her wings are developed sufficiently to enable her to
_ fly. The emergence is from the ground, and as she climbs up some grass
stem or weed, shaking out and developing her wings, her presence
becomes known to the males, who cluster around, on the wing and on
foot, fluttering up blunderingly and with clumsy efforts to touch her with
their antenne. And here occurs a most singular thing, that in many
instances, as soon as the male actually touches the female with his
_antennze, he becomes alarmed and instantly flies off in precipitate flight,
_ dismayed and demoralized, and does not return. But there are plenty of
others left, and they crowd around, and it is not long before the right one
arrives and speedily becomes attached, when in a little while all the other
males fly away and leave the pair in peace.
The next business for the female is to lay her eggs. She flutters about
the willow twigs a few feet above the ground, and selecting a suitable twig
a line or two in diameter, catches hold with her claws, and hanging sus-
pended, bends her ovipositor up to the twig and deftly places the eggs in
a solid ring all round the twig. She commonly begins to oviposit in the
afternoon, and continues hanging in the same place all night, placing eggs
occasionally as they mature. When thus engaged in ovipositing, if she be
annoyed or roughly interfered with, she flaps her wings violently back like
those of a butterfly, and remains sullenly immovable. The males, be-
coming weary with their heavy flight, frequently stop to rest by hanging
on a twig or leaf, looking very much like a female ovipositing. He,
also, if picked off in the fingers, suddenly flaps his wings back forcibly,
making no effort to escape, except that probably he will exude upon the
captor a drop or a fine stream of vile fluid, which seems to be his chief
weapon of offence and defence. When at rest, or ovipositing, the wings
lie down over the body the same as do the wings of most moths, but when
caught they throw the wings back and curl the abdomen around under
the thorax, without further effort in self-defence.
. The eggs hatch in the spring as soon as the leaves have grown suffi-
ciently to afford them food ; they are gregarious when young, but become
34 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
solitary toward maturity. They feed chiefly upon white wills
lasiolepis and S. lastandra, or the smooth-barked willow, like th
think that plant can be a normal food-plant. The larvze ‘are
very much like those of Vanessa Antiopa, but are larger and -
or among the rubbish. Such as I have had to pupate in confineme a
so without making any sort of cocoon, but with chrysalis nakee 1 ce
of a butterfly.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA;, Part 4.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from vol. xix., page 217.)
Gen. nov., BRACHYNEMURUS.
Tibiz calcarate ; spurs as long as the two basal joints, ‘or pe ie
shorter ; antennz longer than head and thorax, stout, Biers:
apical haneveeial forked.
{HE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 35
1. Brachynemurus longicaudus Br.
~~ Burm. I1., 994, 8; Ramb.; 386, 2, pl. 12, f. 3; Walk., 329, 46; Hag.
@ syn. N..A., 227, 4.
3 Body luteo-fuscous, hairy, very slender; head very small; antennz
longer than head and thorax, strong, thicker to tip, brown, somewhat
reddish before the apical part ; vertex elevated, with a split in the middle ©
anteriorly, luteous, with a transversal blackish band ; another larger trans-
versal blackish band, in which the antenne are inserted, is notched below ;
face luteous, with a faint black longitudinal line. Palpi short, feeble, pale
luteous; maxillary cylindrical, apical joint brown ; labial not longer,
paler, last joint fusiform, its basal half brown ; prothorax slender fuscous,
7 _ variegated with gray, two pale gray spots near the front border, and some
7 ~ laterally ; mesothorax and metathorax fuscous, with yellowish marks ;
abdomen very slender, a little less long than twice the length of hind wing,
hairy, fuscous, basal half above with a yellowish band, a little enlarged on
the articulation, and divided by a median fine black line ; segments 2 to
5 of equal length, 7 a little shorter ; appendages blackish, fuscous, with
long black spines and hairs ; compressed, about one fourth the length of
the last segment, straight, after the basal half narrowed ; a short triangu-
lar yellow plate below ; legs pale, densely sprinkled with black, with long
bristles ; tip of tibiae, third joint of tarsi on tip, fourth joint entirely, and
tip of last joint black ; spurs light brown, of the fore legs nearly as long
as the two basal joints ; wings narrow, hyaline, venation close, two series
of areoles in the costal space of front wings ; transversals in the costal
space of hind wings furcate in the apical half; veins brown, interrupted
with white ; pterostigma small, white ; front wings rarely sprinkled with
fuscous, with three obsolete dots along the submediana. Male.
Length of body, f 38 to 45, J 27 m.m.; expanse al., 44-48 m.m.
Hab. Georgia, Burmeister’s type with label in his handwriting, from
Savannha, collect. Winthem ; two males from Millin, Scriven Co., Ga.,
July, 1876, coll. by Morrison ; two males from Florida, Cedar Keys, June
4, and Crescent City, by Hubbard ; one male Amer. merid., out of the
late Dr. Schneider’s coll. (perhaps this locality is erroneous).
Burmeister, 1. c., quotes a female: ‘‘Abdomine alis «quali; fusco
hirsutiusculo ; length 25 m.m.” When Winthem’s collection came in my
hands, this female was wanting. Formerly I had this species determined
in my publications as JZ. abdominalis Say ; I believe now this species to
be different.
36 {HE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
hancaeentaitl
Mr. Taschenberg (Zeitschr. Giebel., vol. 52, p. 213) describes the types
of Burmeister in the Halle Museum of JZ. irroratus, from S. Carolina,
Zimmermann. ‘The two females belong evidently to J/. /ongicaudus.
Though I have no female of this species before me, the identity is proved
by Taschenberg’s description and by the mention of the three obsolete
dots along the submediana of the front wings. There can be no doubt
that these females are the types of M7. irroratus,as in the Halle coll., and
in Burm. Hdl., No. 11; but I repeat that the male described by me has
on the pin the label “ ivroratus Burm.” in his handwriting. As the
name ¢rroratus is pre-occupied, no change is needed. Se
2. Brachynemurus nebulosus Ramb.
Myrmeleon nebulosus Ramb., 387, 4; Walk., 330, 48.
Very slender, villous ; head ead blackish ; face dull yellowish, with
a fine transversal line belore labrum and a longitudinal line, black ; below
the antenne an incurvate black line ; vertex elevated, not cut sharply in
front, more rounded, grayish-fuscous, as well as the occiput, with some
blackish not well defined spots; antennz as long as head and thorax,
strong, cylindrical, rather enlarged to tips, rufo-fuscous, articulations faint
yellowish ; palpi dull yellowish, the labials about as long as the maxillary,
last joint longer, cylindrical, its basal half a little thicker and darker.
Prothorax narrow, blackish, with three ill defined yellowish bands, begin-
ning on the front margin; the median very short, split, the two others
running together before the wings ; meso- and meta-thorax blackish, each
above with a yellow geminate spot and some marks near the wings; on
each side above the legs some yellow stripes. Abdomen of the male very
slender, much longer than the wings, villous, blackish; basal half above
with a pale longitudinal band, interrupted on tip of segments ; apical half
black with a pale basal dot, and sometimes another one in the middle ;
appendages about half the length of last segment, with long black hairs,
compressed, the base enlarged to reach the dorsum; below and between
them a very short and small triangular whitish plate. Abdomen of the —
female as long as the wings, compressed on the more enlarged apical
third ; colored as the male ; genital parts in the last segment above yel-
low, split, surrounded with strong black bristles ; below two short thick
black appendages. Legs short, pale yellow, much sprinkled with black,
with white and black hairs ; tip of tibize and of all joints of tarsi (the
fourth entirely) black ; sous brown, as long as the two basal joints ;
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. o7
claws brown, as long as the spurs. Wings narrow, with fringes on hind
margin, which is very little emarginate before tip ; hyaline ; venation pale
interrupted with brown ; base of numerous forks and around many trans-
versals brown ; front wings with many large rusty-brown round spots along
the mediana and submediana ; apical half of costal space with two series
of areoles ; hind wings similarly spotted, but without the large rusty-brown
_ spots. ;
Length of body, male, 38 to 45 m.m.; female, 28 to 31 m.m.; exp. al.,
40 to 50 m.m.
Habit., Millin, Scriven Co., Georgia; July, Morrison. I have before
me two males and three females ; it is a very pretty species and doubtless
Rambur’s M. nebulosus.
I had accepted this species to be WZ. contaminatus Burm., which is,
with a short diagnose, only mentioned by his JZ, zrroratus. Mr. Tas-
chenberg describes a female, which is not labeled, out of Burmeister’s
collection. This female belongs doubtless to AZ. conspersa Rbr.; he calls
the spurs of the anterior legs shorter than the first joint of tarsi, but these
are probably spines. If this is really the type of Burmeister, and I have
no doubt of it, the name has to be dropped, as it belongs to JZ. conspersa.
3. Brachynemurus versutus Walk.
Myrmeleon versutus Walk., 331, 51 ; Hag. Syn. Neur. N. Amer., p.
238, No. 8.
Black, very slender, faintly villous ; head narrow ; front shining, yel-
low, above a broad black band, notched in middle below, narrowly yellow
around the eyes and around the base of antenne ; a black longitudinal
line from the middle of the notch to the epistom, where it is enlarged and
united with a larger transversal black band (which is sometimes divided
into four spots) on the epistom ; labrum black shining with yellow side-
margins ; vertex elevated, rounded, black, with a transversal yellow band,
interrupted in middle, and a posterior one, representing a larger yellow
spot on each side, and a smaller middle one, a little before them ; antennz
of male much longer than head and thorax, about to m.m.; of female
shorter, about as long as head and thorax, 7 m.m. ; long, filiform, a little
thicker to the tip, bluntly pointed; those of female a little more enlarged
on tip ; blackish-brown, the two basal joints shining black ; palpi yellow,
apical joint of the maxillary black shining, and the two foregoing black.
38 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
externally ; labials scarcely longer, last joint shining black, except at ex-
treme base, long, a little inflated, but the apical half thinner. -Prothorax
yellow, as broad as long, a little narrower in front, with two broad black
stripes, each of which includes a yellow dot in front, and another behind
them; meso- and meta-thorax yellow with two interrupted black longi-
tudinal bands and some spots ; sides below the wings black with yellow
stripes and dots. Abdomen of male very slender, much longer than
wings, 40 m.m., blackish-brown, shortly villous, three basal segments dull
yellowish above, with a fine dorsal median black line, the other segments
black, with a fine yellow dorsal line ; appendages testaceous, more yel-
lowish at base and tip, with long black hairs and bristles, long, but shorter
than the segment before last, straight ; between them below a very short
triangular yellow plate ; abdomen of female as long as wings, stouter, en-
larged and compressed to the tip; same coloration; genitals yellow ; a
upper part inflated, with many strong black spines ; below two very short
cylindrical yellow appendages. Legs yellow, largely sprinkled with black,
with numerous hairs ; tip of tibize and of all joints of tarsi black ; spurs
brown, as long as the two basal joints; claws brown. Wings hyaline,
thickly and almost equally covered with small brown dots, which are all
at the base of the small forks, and on base and tip of the transversals ;
veins brown interrupted with white ; pterostigma larger, bright yellow ;
apical half of costal space with forked veins ; wings around and on the
veins hairy.
Length of body, male, 42 to 46 m.m.; female, 28 m.m.; exp. als 55
to 60 m.m. tae
Hab., San Luis, Mexico ; September and October, Dr. Palmer ; three
males and six females. _I think there is no doubt that this is the species
described by Walker after one male. |
NOTE ON LATE PAPERS ON THE NOCTUID&, .
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M.
My last paper in the Proceedings of the Am. Philosopiitad ‘Shsiety,
Philadelphia, contains a number of typographical errors, the most serious
of which I corrected subsequently by an ‘ errata” in a later volume, not
“) Pee inl pace eA Scene ey he s it be ea ie as Sued et i . y ay
iN ane ah li le i asia il eR ld Ad ar a ae Ae oy bla al ae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 39
being able tosee the proofs. This paper reviewed the main and first two
_ groups, leaving the Fasciate (Catoca/ine Pack.) and the Deltoids unre-
vised. I would recognise five very unequal groups both in structural value
and extent. Adopting Packard’s nomenclature so far as he went (this
author excluded the Deltoids at the time), we may call these groups sub-
families, but in Europe my Zhyatiride and the Brephide are taken out
of the Woctuide as distinct families. We have thus the following classi-
fication, which can only be changed by throwing all five together as sub-
families, which does not alter the matter in reality. The larve of the
Thyatiride are, however, almost Notodontiform.
(1). Family THyaririp&.
(2). Family Nocrurpé.
(a) Sub-family /Voctuine.
(b) Sub-family Catocaline.
(c) Sub-family De/toidine.
(3). Family BRFPHID#.
The groups I have recognised and named may be regarded as tribal
with the ending inz, as Hadenini, Orthosiini, Heliothini, Stiriini, Scoleco-
campini, etc. The Deltoids contain two such tribes, viz , Herminiini and
Hypenini. My object has been to bring the classificatory terms to corre-
spond with those in Coleoptera as used by Leconte.
In my last descriptional paper in Can. ENT., the genus and species
(8) Phiprosopus callitrichoides, is omitted accidentally on page 132, vol.
xv. My work is now to bring our genera into closer agreement with
European genera by comparison of types, as I say on page 131 of the
- same volume, to which I direct the attention of students.
CORRESPONDENCE.
CALLIMORPHA,
Dear Sir; Tam sure that Mr. Lyman’s article on Callimorpha, with
its excellent plate, has given an impetus to the study of this genus. It
will be no question with the Derivatists that these forms are all descended
from a single species. The test by breeding from the egg must now
decide whether these forms have each an independent cycle of its own or
‘are interdependent still. The test for species remains to be applied to
40 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
them. As yet we can only cohibeitaesnd Mr. Lyman’s tact in sorting the
moths. I had the opportunity of examining a lot of CZymene, taken: in ir
the vicinity of Buffalo, and I came to the conclusion that it was possible
that the yellow and white forms are yet interchangeable. All the white
forms show traces of yellow on costa or body parts. I also possessed an
example of var. a/banchora m. (corresponding to Lyman’s fig. 5), which
very nearly resembled énterrupto-marginata as to the brown markings, but
on a white ground. __I believe it is Dr. Packard who first drew attention
to the interesting fact that our Callimorphas are buff and white, -_corre-
sponding to the prevailing colors of our Arctiing, whereas the European
species is gaudily tinted, agreeing with the brighter European representa-
tion of the sub-family of which it is a member. Like Datana and
Hemileuca, Callimorpha is an example of a generic group i in which the .
species or forms are more nearly related than usual, and is thus one of
those assemblages which I have called Progeneric. or
A. R. Gide :
NOTES.
Mr. ALFRED WaiLLy, Tudor Villa, Norbiton, Surrey, England, ‘is
anxious to obtain specimens of the wild Silk-worms of all parts of the
world for exhibition in the Department of Sericulture at the Paris Inter-
national Exhibition of 1889. In order to make the exhibition as com-
plete as possible, he wishes to obtain specimens of live cocoons, in large.
quantities or small, with names of food-plants for each species, whenever .
possible, and also specimens of the moths ; any specimens sent will be
purchased or exchanged, as desired. Small samples (in strong tin or
wooden boxes) of live cocoons and specimens of moths, can now be very
rapidly and safely sent by Sample or Parcels Post; to avoid the risk |
emergence during transit, cocoons should be sent before the end of March,
The production of mulberry silk has been so deficient of late years, it is
most important that efforts should be made to utilise as many as possible
of the wild Silkworms, many of which produce silk of great strength any
beauty.
PROFESSOR SAMUEL PreRPontT LANGLEY, LL. D., has been arose
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, to ment
late Professor Spencer F. Baird.
CuancE oF AppreEss,—Mr. C. H. T. Townsend, from Constant
Mich,, to War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, Washington, 1
Che Canadwn Entomologist,
VOL. XX. LONDON, MARCH, 1888. No. 3
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF PAPHIA
TROGLODYTA, Fasr. (GLYCERIUM, Epw., Bur. N. A,
VoL. 1, Pt. 46; ANDRIA, Scup.)
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, WEST VA.
Ecc.—Nearly spherical, a little higher than broad, somewhat flattened
at base and slightly depressed at top ; surface smooth; crossed near the
top—at about one fifth distance from top to base—by two to four parallel
rows of raised points, about 22 in the full circle ; these seem to be placed
in vertical lines ; in some examples the rows are nearer together than in
others, and there is often irregularity in the number or position of the
points, some of the series wanting, or misplaced, in this last case lying
between the rows. Color pale green. Duration of this stage four to five
days. :
Younc Larva.—Length, at 12 hours from egg, .og inch ; cylindrical,
tapering from 2 to 13 on dorsum and sides, the end of 13 rounded ; color
brown-green ; the cross-ridges on each segment studded with small white
rounded tubercles, from the top of each coming a short, fine, white hair ;
there are also four rows on either side of large white tubercles, one to the
segment, three above spiracles, a sub-dorsal, mid-lateral, lower lateral, and
one below spiracles ; each with a short stiff hair; each of the basal row
has a half circle of small tubercles, but larger than those over dorsum on
its lower side ; under side, feet and legs nearly as above, a shade more
green; segments 5, 6, 11, 12 are crossed by two or three rows of
tubercles ; head a little broader than 2, rounded at top, the outline that
of a horse-shoe, the front somewhat flattened ; color yellowish ; across the
forehead a broad stripe of brown, within which are two little patches of
the yellow ground, one on each lobe, and the stripe bends at right angle
and narrowing passes down each cheek ; in a eurve about the top in front
six small tubercles, and near the suture two others which with the second
and fifth of the curved row make a cross row of four. Duration of this
_ Stage three to five days.
42 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
After First Moult.—Length at 12 hours .18 inch; shape as before ;
color gray-green, the dorsum of 12, 13 discolored brown or blackish, and
a sub-dorsal patch of same hue on 8 and 10; thickly covered with fine
‘tubercles as at first stage ; the rows of larger tubercles as before, ivory
white, bell-shaped, the hair or process from top brown or black ; the basal
tubercles large, each with its crescent of smaller ones on lower side ; head
higher than broad, narrowing at upper part, depressed at suture ; color of
the upper front greenish, over mandibles yellow-white, at the back gray-
green ; on each vertex a low duplex black process, the outer part larger
and higher than the other, each with a black short bristle at top ; at back,
on either side the suture, a duplex small yellow process and others down
‘the side of face at back ; over the front minute tubercles as at first stage,
and in addition three large conical white tubercles on either lobe, each
three in triangle with base above, so arranged that four tubercles cross the
forehead in line. To next moult four to five days,
After Second Moult.—Length at 12 hours.25 inch ; shape as before ;
tuberculated as before ; color gray-brown, discolored on posterior seg-
ments as before ; head shaped as before ; the processes on vertex larger,
triplex, shining black, two being in line across front, the outer one larger,
the third lying behind and between the others; the back and the front
face armed as before. To next moult five days.
After Third Moult.—Length at 24 hours .34 inch; shape, armature
and color as before ; there is much variation in the extent of the black ;
on one example 6 and 11 were quite black dorsally, on sides of 8, 9, 10
black patches, on sides of 3, 4, 5 paler black ; another was pale black on
12, 13, a very little of same on 5 and 6, and the sides of 8, 9, 10 pale
black ; head as at last previous stage, the front greenish-black, the vertex
processes black; of the four cones across front the outside ones were
black, the others white, with brown rings at base. To next moult four
and five days.
After Fourth Moult.—Length at 24 hours .7 inch ; after five days was
fully grown.
Mature Larva.—Length 1.3 inch; stout anteriorly, thickest at 3, 4,
tapering on dorsum and sides to 13; the end of 13 rounded and the dor-
sum much curved; color gray-green, segment 2 darker green; usually —
marked by patches of black on dorsum or sides of segments after 6, but
some examples have little, or it is pale colored, and others have none at —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 43
a yey neering ee apn SERS OE ES NE Sere aS. LE
all ; entire upper surface studded with low rounded tubercles varying in
size, but always small, placed on the cross-ridges ; these are whiter than
the ground color and from each proceeds a very short, straight white hair ;
under side, feet and legs a shade lighter than the upper, 5, 6, 11, 12
crossed by tubercles ; head sub-ovate, depressed at top, the height to the
breadth as 8 to 7 ; color gray-green, thickly covered with tubercles like
those on body, small and large ; among these are larger ones, three on
either lobe in triangle, so disposed as to make a row of four across fore-
head ; these are white, with a brown rim about base, or the inner pair are
white, the others black ; on each vertex a triplex process as described at
fourth stage, black ; along the back and sides white processes, of which a
duplex or bifid one, taller than elsewhere, stands on either side suture ;
ocelli black. From fourth moult to pupation ten days. Mr. French, But.
East. U. S., p. 228, gives the length of mature larva as 1.55 inch, and
probably wild examples are larger than my bred ones.
CuRYSALIS.—Length .65 inch ; breadth across mesonotum .38 inch,
across abdomen .4 inch ; shape much as in Danais Archippus, the last
segments retracted in same way, so that the abdomen is greatly shortened,
and the shape that of a dome; the head case short, narrow at top and
bevelled to a sharp, slightly incurved ridge; the sides sloping ; mesono-
tum prominent, carinated, rising posteriorly to a rounded point, the slope
to top of head regular, and at about 45°; the depression behind shallow
and broad ; the dorsal edges of wing cases prominent, the sides exca-
vated ; color light green granulated with whitish ; the edges of wing cases
and top of head case whitish. Duration of this stage nine to twelve days.
Some stages of the larva of this species were figured in Butterflies of
N. A., vol. 1, 1871, under the name of Glycerium. The drawings were
made expressly for me by the late Dr. H. K. Hayhurst, then at Sedalia,
Mo. They are before me as I write. The same drawings were used by
Prof. Riley, before-my Plate appeared, in his paper on P. Glycerium,
Second Ent. Report, Mo., 1870, and his wood cuts were reproduced in
Prof. French’s Butterflies of the Eastern U. S., p. 228, 1886. These are
the only published illustrations of the life history of any species of Paphia
so far as I know, and whatever defects there may be in the figures of the
larvee are common to all three of the works mentioned. The principal
figure is that of the mature larva, and in But. N. A. a fair general view of
the stage is given. But the peculiar armature of the body and head is
not represented, and therefore this figure has very little value, Another
44 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
figure shows the beginning of the case, and a third the completed case,
and this last is best of the three. The pupa is better than the larva, but
does not give the pretty green hue of nature. I intend to give a more
satisfactory Plate of all the stages in Vol. 3. ad. eae
By the kind aid of Prof. Rowley, of Curryville, Mo., I was able to
follow the history from the egg, in 1887. Mr. Rowley not only sent eggs
at different times, beginning with 15th May, and larve of all stages of
growth and pupe so late as August 1, but kept me supplied with the food
plant, Croton capitatum. The eggs are laid on Croton monanthygnum
also, and these are the only plants known to Mr. Rowley. They are laid
usually singly on the under side of the leaf. The young larva, soon after
emerging, constructs for itself a perch on which it rests, after the manner
of a Limenitis. It is at the tip of the leaf, made by eating away along-
side the mid-rib, and using this rib as the base, covering with silk and
lengthening by chewed bits of leaf bound and held by the silk. One
perch in first stage measured .28 in length, and on it the larva rested with
the anterior segments arched, only the pro-legs furnishing the support.
But if there be two larve on one leaf, the second perch may be made
anywhere at the side. After the first moult the perch was lengthened
and made heavier by binding it with larger pellets, so that it looked like
a string of knobs, and the greatest length I observed was.4 inch. The ~
young larva bears much resemblance in body and head to young Zimen- —
itis Disippus, but is more like that larva at second stage than the first,
and the head with its many tubercles and processes on vertices and at
back still more resembles either second or third stage of sii than
the first.
After the second moult, the perch is deserted, and a case is made by
covering the upper surface of the leaf with silk, and bringing the edges
together. ‘The larva lies at first quite concealed, and eats the base of the
leaf. Here the next moult takes place, and the larva then builds a new
case, and goes outside to feed, after the habit of the nearly mature Papilio
Troilus. By the time the fourth moult approaches, the larva is as long as
the case, and the head will be exposed at one end and tail at the other,
the rounded case being a pretty good fit, rather loose. When in suspen- —
sion, the attitude is almost circular, and both ends meet and touch. The
pupa is often found, Mr. Rowley tells me, attached to a branch of the ©
food plant. There are at least two broods of the imago, and it is the ¢
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 45
¥
latter which hibernates. Mr. Rowley calls my attention to a decided
_ seasonal dimorphism in the two broods of the females.
{ ' Prof. French gives the localities as the Western States, from Illinois
_ and Nebraska to Texas, the presence of the butterfly no doubt being
_ determined by the presence of the food plant.
SOME OBSERVATIONS MADE IN 1887 ON DANAIS
- ARCHIPPUS, Fapr.
* BY WM. D. MARSH, AMHERST COLLEGE, MASS.
. Mr. Scudder, in his “ Butterflies,” p. 136, says of this species: “It
a is the longest lived of our butterflies. It leaves its winter quarters later
inthe season than other hibernating butterflies, and continues upon the
__wing until July and August, laying eggs all the time, so that the insect
_ may be found in all its earlier stages most of the summer. oe,
' Whether or not there is a second brood in New England is doubtful ; but
q the earliest butterflies which have not hibernated may be found in July, so
that while the earlier stages are passed rapidly, the perfect insect often
lives a full year, mingling on the wing with its own progeny, and witness-
ing the decay and renewed growth of the plant which nourished it ; for
the milk-weed dies early, and is not sufficiently grown to support the
caterpillars when the first butterflies appear in the spring.”
I understand that Mr. Scudder still holds substantially these views
4 of the habits of Archippus in New England, and at any rate has pubiished
nothing to the contrary.
) Early in the summer of 1887, Mr. W. H. Bet aids wrote me with the ©
request that I would make a study of Archippus. As my college term did
not close till June 25th, all my observations before that date were made at
Amherst ; from June 25th to August 12th, at Randolph, Vt., a hill-town,
e 37 miles N. W. from White River Junction.
| ..-~_Hibernated Archippus were observed at Amherst, May 15 and
_ May 21, and recognised as such by their faded and ragged condition. I
: searched for eggs, but found none. I may say here that at no time after
46 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
this, either in Mass. or Vt., did I see an imago that could have been a
hibernator.
2. A fresh $ was taken at Randolph, July 4th, and another perfectly
fresh was seen the same day. This would be the first generation in
descent from the hibernator. On 2oth July, a larva two thirds grown was
taken, raised to pupa, and sent to Mr. Edwards, Aug. rst. On August
11th, 2 ¢ 1 @, perfectly fresh, were taken, plainly of same generation as
was the larva of July 20—the pupal period being then but g or 10 days.
These imagos were in the second generation from the hibernators.
3. On 5th Aug., found a fresh egg at Amherst, where the season
would be a week or ten days in advance of Randolph ; on 17th and 18th
Aug., two larvee, evidently by their size of the same generation as the egg
of 5th. Continued to find larve all through September, the last one on
30th, in all 34 larve.
4. From 3oth Sept. to 15th Oct., butterflies from pupez bred from
said larve emerge. And besides, many pupe were found in the fields,
and the imagos came from them. These butterflies were then the third
generation from the hibernators, and individuals were seen on the wing
into November. Giving the above facts in a table, thus;
1, May 15th, hibernating female seen, Amherst.
2. July 1st to 7th, imagos of 1st brood from hibernator, Randolph.
3. Aug 1th to 19th, " 2nd 1 " " Amherst.
4. Oct. 1st to Nov. 4th, ard un " " Amherst.
I communicated these facts to Mr. Edwards as they were noticed. I
cannot see wherein the behavior of srchippus is different from that of
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 47
any other hibernating butterfly. Nor have I found any evidence of excep-
tionally long life, or of the old hibernating females being about all summer,
_ laying eggs with their progeny. And of course they do not witness the
decay of the food plant, for the milk-weed does not die early, but lasts
till frost in October, and will stand pretty severe frost. On 28th Sept., I
: wrote Mr. Edwards: ‘(We have had two pretty heavy frosts within a
_ week, but the Archippus larve and more than half the milk-weeds are
- fresh and vigorous.” On 3oth Sept., I wrote: ‘Found the 34th larva
_ this morning. Frosts have not been severe enough to kill larve. Most
of the 34 have been on young milk-weeds, after the first mowing. Now
_ the fields have been mowed the second time, and this explains why the
_ late brood of the jiarva and imago may be scarce in some parts of N.
_ England.”
j On 26th Oct., I wrote: “I now have four pupz, of which one should
_ give imago to-morrow, and three will wait a week. The pupal period in
_ October, the pupze being kept in a cool room, is about three weeks. In
4 September, it was of about 15 days duration. Larve taken 2nd Sept.,
_ pupated goth to 12th Sept., and the imagos came out 25th to 30th Sept.”
I wrote 29th Oct.: “The one pupa has given imago.” On 4th Nov.,
_ I wrote: “ Another imago out this morning, a fine female. I have two
_ pupee left, and send you them by this mail.”
4 It is plain to be seen why imagos are rare in the fall, and therefore
_ more rare in spring, for there must be more or less loss of them in the
winter. In New England quite generally the fields are mowed the second
time, and that very late. Thus, while on Sept. gth were taken nine larvee
in a field near my house from a group of milk-weeds, before larvae of the
same generation could have completed their stages, all the food plants
were cut down. So myriads of larve must be annually destroyed in New
England. |
I saw wild Archippus flying on the 5th of Oct, again on 13th, in
both cases after some frosts, as I have before mentioned. Of course these
late flying ones are the hibernators, and liable to be caught any day at
_ that season by cold that wculd compel them to seek hiding places or else
___ become torpid out of doors.
48 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW GENERA AND SPECIES te
CANADIAN PROCTOTRUPID. 7
BY bla H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
The following paper is devoted to the description of new genera ee
species of parasitic Hymenoptera belonging to the family Proctotrupide, —
collected at Ottawa, Canada, by my esteemed friend, Mr. W. Hague —
Harrington, to whose liberality lam deeply indebted for sending me these —
and many other interesting forms in this family now in my collection. — A q
Sub-family CERAPHRONINA,
The following table will be found useful to separate some forms closely
allied to the genus Megaspi/us Westwood. ' Laas
Eyes hairy. i a:
Metathorax spined .....................Megaspilodes Ashm.
Metathorax not spined. ar te
Wingless, or with rudimentary wings........ Crea
Winged ; a large semi-circular stigma snd a sug vein.
Mesothorax with three grooves; ¢ antennz filiform, ¢ flagel-
lates is hae eu Ol Ie aie Megaspilus Westw.
2. 2 antennz sub-clavate; g unknown...... Eumegaspilus, n. g.
Mesothorax with only a median groove.. Mr &
Megasptlodes Ashm.
The writer has recently characterized this genus ciscivikere! It is at
once distinguished from JZegaspi/us Westw. by having a blunt spine, or ¢ a
bi-forked spine, in the middle of the metathorax. Two species pertain to
it, viz., Aegaspilodes armatus Say, and MZ. fuscipennis Asha.
Megaspilus Westwood.
(1) Megaspilus Harringtoni, n. sp. ae
Male and female. Length .o7 to.10 inch. Black; head and tho
finely reticulately sculptured ; abdomen polished black. Antennz 11-
jointed, the scape and pedicel dull honey-yellow, the flagellum brown-
black. Legs dull honey-yellow, the posterior femora obfuscated, the
anterior and middle cox honey-yellow at apex, while the large posterior
coxe are black. Wings sub-hyaline, heavily pubescent, the large stigma
and stigmal vein brown. ‘The male differs from the female only in its
smaller size, and is readily distinguished by its long, filiform antenna, t
F td
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 49
_ Scape of which at apex and the flagellum, brown ; the joints of the latter
_are about four times as long as thick.
_ Described from two specimens, male and female.
Eumegaspilus, n. g.
_ This genus is distinguished from J/egaspi/us Westwood in being en-
tirely wingless or then with rudimentary wings, and by the shape of the
flagellum, which is sub-clavate. In Megaspilus it is flagellate, i. e., tapers
gradually to a point at apex.
(2) Eumegaspilus Canadensis, n. sp. ,
Female. Length .og inch. Polished black; the head and thorax
_only showing a delicate, reticulated sculpture under a high power lens.
On the head are a few large punctures, particularly on the vertex, two
small fovez or depressions on each side of front ocellus ; occiput pro-
minently margined ; eyes pubescent. The antenne are 11-jointed, wholly
-brown-black ; flagellum sub-clavate, the first funiclar joint longer than the
pedicel, the others sub-equal but gradually widened, the terminal joint
_ being the longest and thickest. Mesothorax with three grooves. Legs,
‘including coxz, of a uniform brownish-yellow. Abdomen highly polished
with a depression near the base.
Described from one specimen.
(3) Lumegaspilus Ottawensis, n. sp.
This species is much like that just described, but it is more slender
and more highly polished ; the head is impunctured, while the scape at
_ base, the pedicel, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th flagellar joints, and the legs, in-
cluding the coxz, are honey-yellow. The rudimentary wings are linear
and reach not quite to the middle of the abdomen.
Described from one specimen, _
Megaspilidea, n. g.
_ This genus is at once distinguished from the others by having but one
~ groove on the mesothorax—the median one, the parapsidal grooves not
4 _ being present ; also by the difference in the flagellar joints.
'. (4) Megaspilidea minuta, n. sp.
' Female. Length.o4 inch. Head and thorax shining black, micro-
scopically, reticulately sculptured. Eyes large oval, pubescent. Antennz
11-jointed, scape ob-clavate, more than half the length of the flagellum ;
_ flagellum sub-clavate, first joint hardly half the length of pedicel, others
2
50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
short, gradually widened toward tips, terminal joint very large and ¢ as long
as the three preceding joints combined ; scape yellowish at base a
beneath, flagellum brown-black. Legs, ielaig COxe, brownish-yellow.
Abdomen highly polished, smooth, excepting a few longitudinal lines near _
the base; the color above is black, excepting a large orange-<9longa 4
blotch across the base; beneath, it is wholly ‘gitar. te. sa a
Described from two specimens. oe oe ie *
Sub-family SCELIONIN2.
Acolus Forster.
(5) Acolus Canadensis, n. sp.
Female. Length less than .o3 inch. Black, shining, sparsely pubes-
cent. Antenne black, excepting the scape at base ; the first and second —
funiclar joints are about as long as thick, third and fourth smaller and not
as long as wide, club very large, joints not well separated. — Scutellum a
sub-lunate. The legs, excepting the honey-yellow knees, are dark red.
Abdomen broadly oval, the second segment occupying most of its surface,
first segment with a transvérse depression occupying nearly its. whole 7
width, striated and with a fringe of white hairs at base. | 7
Described from one specimen.
(6) <Acolus borealis, n. sp. 4
Female. Length .o3 to .oq inch. Differs from 4. Canadensis only —
in being relatively more robust, and in being distinctly, finely, confluently —
punctate ; the lower part of face and the abdomen alone being smooth 3
and shining. The antennze are dark reddish brown. Legs uniformly red, 4
while the abdomen is striated at base. 4
Described from four specimens.
Prosacantha Nees.
(7) Prosacantha brachyptera, n. sp.
2. Length .o3 inch. Black, shining. Thorax sub-opague, ¥ micro- —
scopically punctate ; metathorax with an acute spine on its disk, Antenne a
brown-black. Legs red. Abdomen broadly oval, black, excepting ‘the
first segment, which is red and striated. Wings short, narrow, somewhat
spatulate, not ciliated ; the marginal vein long, black, the cn shored |
post-marginal vein wanting. 4
Described from three specimens.
This species comes nearest to P. minutissima Ashm., from whieh’ iti
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 51
however, readily distinguished by the narrow, non-ciliated wings, and the
color of the first aeoning! segment. |
Pentacantha, vn. g.
This genus is closely related to Prosacantha Nees and Trisacantha
Ashm.; but is at once separated from them by having five spines on the
metathorax, three short ones on the disk and one long one on each side ;
and besides, there is a short, smooth, blunt horn at the base of first seg-
ment, partly prolonged over the metathorax. Its other characters are
exactly as in Prosacantha. The blunt horn issuing from the base of first
segment would seem to indicate a relationship with /zostemma Haliday,
but that genus is in another sub-family.
(8) Pentacantha Canadensis, n. sp.
Female. Length .o8 inch. Polished black ; thorax opaque. Head
smooth, except some lines back of eyes and on occiput, Antenne 12-
jointed, brown ; first funiclar joint twice as long as the pedicel; second
two thirds the length of first ; third about as long as wide ; fourth shorter
than wide ; club large, six-jointed. Thorax and scutellum rather coarsely
rugose ; no parapsidal grooves. Legs, including anterior cox, honey-
yellow, middle of femora and tibiz obfuscated. Abdomen polished
black, the third segment longest and widest ; first and second segments,
and the third excepting on its disk, longitudinally striated. Wings dusky-
_ hyaline, venation as in Prosacantha, veins rufo-piceous.
Described from one specimen.
Sub-family PLATYGASTERIN®.
Metactlisis Forster,
(9) Metaclisis erythropus, n. sp.
Female. Length .o8 inch. Black. Head opaque, coarsely rugose
on vertex and back of eyes. Antenne to-jointed, the terminal joints of
funicle enlarged into an irregularly rounded club; club six-jointed, fili-
form Thorax shining, finely reticulated or scaly ; parapsidal grooves
distinct, converging and meeting at the base of the scutellum. Legs red.
Abdomen polished black. Wings dusky neon
Described from one specimen.
Ectadius Forster.
(10) Letadius Canadensis, n. sp.
Female. Length .12 inch. Polished black. The head is delicately
52 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
transversely striated on vertex back of the ocelli and on the lower portion
of the face. Antennz reddish brown. Legs red, tarsi paler, yellowish.
The thorax has two distinct parapsidal grooves and is delicately micro-
scopically punctate. Metathorax, metapleure and base of abdomen
densely pubescent. Abdomen polished black and prolonged into a long ©
point posteriorly, being more than twice the engin of pe head and thorax |
combined. Wings hyaline. , ; ot) ae re
Described from one BpecHmeEnt ’o lporlone ta
| Sactogaster Forster,
(11) + Sactogaster Howardit, n. sp. ne os : ” - i.
Female. Length .o7 inch. Polished black, Spuacuk ad “Anigone |
and legs dark red, the posterior femora obfuscated, tarsi paler. "The Scie:
tellum is convexly high, striated and ends ina spine. The tail is nearly
twice the length of the inflated venter.. Metathorax and metapleuree
wrinkled. Wings hyaline. Hab.—Washington, D. C. . .
This species is described from one specimen taken by myself last
summer, on the outskirts of Washington. It is dedicated to my : friend,
Mr. L. O. Howard, of the U. S, Dept. of Agriculture. Its much larger
size, striated scutellum and longer tail will at once distinguish it from S,
anomaliventris, described from Florida. In that species the scutellum is. 7
smooth, while the tail is not as long as the inflated venter. . )
gee 9)” see ety a ey
Sub-family DIAPRIINZ.
Aneurhynchus Westwood,
(12) Aneurhynchus mellipes, n. sp.
Female. Length .10 inch. Black, shining, sparsely pubescent: Pe
tennz 12-jointed, red, stout, clavate; the scape is greatly thickened, a
little shorter than half the length of the flagellum ; pedicel thicker, . but
not half as long as the first funiclar joint; second shorter than the first,
and the third shorter than the second ; from thence the joints are shorter
than wide and well separated. Parapaidal grooves distinct. Legs, in-
cluding the coxe, honey-yellow. Abdomen polished black, petiole rugose.
Wings sub-hyaline, pubescent ; the submarginal vein ends in a -callosity
and a short stigmal vein, but it does not reach the contat pee the
sub-marginal vein is very pale. [a va Moe
Described from one specimen, Lae ha Fars
=
Ea
a
&
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 53
Paramesius Westwood.
(13) Paramesius clavipes, n. sp. |
Female. Length .o8 inch. Polished black, covered with some long,
sparse hairs on head, thorax and surrounding apex of abdomen ; the
g metathorax, metapleurz and abdominal petiole densely pubescent. An-
tenne 13-jointed, red, gradually incrassated toward tips; first funiclar
joint very slightly shorter than pedicel, following joints to fifth, sub-equal,
from thence moniliform, slightly pedicellated, the terminal joint more than
twice the length of the preceding joint, fusiform. Thorax without grooves,
somewhat flat, sides compressed ; collar red at sides: The abdomen is
pointed ovate, a deep depression above near base, while the ovipositor is
exserted between two short valves, probably unnaturally so. Legs red,
the femora strongly clavate, the tarsi very long, the anterior and middle
pairs being longer than their tibiz. Wings sub-hyaline, the marginal vein
but slightly developed, not longer than the very short stigmal vein.
Described from one specimen.
Loxotropa Forster.
“(14) Loxotropa pesomachoides, n. sp.
Female. Length .o4 to.o5 inch. A small, highly polished, pack,
apterous species, sparsely covered with some long hairs. ‘The antennz
and legs dark red. Antenne r2-jointed, moniliform, the four terminal
joints being much widened and slightly pedicellated, the last joint of which
is large, fusiform.
Described from six specimens.
ore 5); Loxots opa Harringtonti, n. sp.
Female. Length .o4 inch. Black, polished, covered with some long,
sparse hairs. The collar at sides, metathorax and abdominal petiole well
covered with dense, white pubescence. Antenne 12-jointed, dark red,
the four terminal joints abruptly larger than the preceding, and the species
may be readily known by this character, and by the last funiclar joint
being a little longer and more slender than the preceding one. . The legs,
including all coxe, red. Abdomen clavate, the ovipositor slightly ex-
serted. Wings dusky-hyaline, heavily pubescent and ciliate; the mar-
ginal vein hardly developed, thickened.
_ Described from one specimen.
_ (16) Loxotropa armata, n. sp.
: aekeale Length .o7 inch, This species is very closely related to
54 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
L. Harringtoni, agreeing with it in color, wing characters, etc., but it is_ 3
much larger, the antennz much more incrassated toward apex, the ter-
minal joint being very large and thick, and as long as the three preceding
joints combined ; these four terminal joints, which constitute the club, are
as usual slightly pedicellate. Another character which will readily dis-
tinguish it from all other species is a short conical spine in the centre a
the metathorax.
Described from one specimen.
(17) Loxotropa abrupta Thompson.
This European species must now be added to our fauna, Mr. Harring:
ton having taken a specimen in Canada which I am unable to ot
from types from Europe in my collection.
Monelata Forster.
(18) Monelata hirticollis, n. sp.
Stature and size of AZ. medlicodlis Ashm., but differs in being oie
black ; the collar, metathorax and petiole densely pubescent; antennz
dark ed, the very large terminal joint nearly black, while the legs are
reddish-yellow. Wings hyaline, ciliate.
Described from one specimen.
Sub-family BELYTIN#.
Zygota Forster,
(19) Zygota Americana, N. sp.
Female. Length .14 inch. Polished black, covered with a fulvous
pubescence. Antennz 15-jointed, filiform-moniliform ; first funiclar joint
twice longer than the pedicel, other joints almost round, sub-pedicellate.
Parapsidal grooves of mesonotum broad, distinct. Scutellum with a deep
depression at base. Metathorax carinated. Legs, including all coxe,
honey-vellow ; first tarsal joint of anterior legs long, deeply emarginate at
base. Abdornen ovate, black, a lateral streak on the apex of sixth seg-
ment red ; venter densely pubescent ; petiole twice as long as wide, fluted.
Wings fusco-hyaline, pubescent ; veins brown, the marginal cell not quite
closed. Ss
Male. Length .12 inch, This may be distinguished from the female
principally by the antenne. They are 14-jointed, long, filiform, pubes-
cent, pedicel rounded, the first funiclar joint about five times as long as q
thick, excised at base, the following joints about four times as long as 4"
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 55
_—_-
thick. There is a tooth beneath anterior femora, near the base ; while
the anterior tibiz are peculiarly twisted, the twisted part ending in a
spine, besides the apical tibial spine. Otherwise as in the female.
Described from one male and one female specimen.
AN INTERESTING NEW CHALCID FROM CANADA.
4q ' BY WM. H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLF, FLA,
Among a small collection of’ parasitic Hymenoptera sent me by Mr.
James Fletcher, the Dominion Entomologist, for names, I found an inter-
esting Chalcid belonging to that remarkable Pteromalid genus Caratomus
Dalman, no species of which has as yet been described as occurring in
our fauna ; and as the present species seems to be distinct from the Euro-
pean species, Caratomus megacephalus Dalm., I believe it to be unde-
scribed, and submit herewith the following description :
Caratomus leucophthalmus, n. sp.
a Male. Length .10 inch. Robust, blue-black, confluently, granulately
_ punctate. . The head is very large, its breadth being nearly twice the
__ width of the thorax when measured from eye to eye ; its front is deeply,
broadly emarginated, and there is a deep emargination or broad groove
extending from the eye obliquely towards the mouth, the upper edge of
which forms an acute tubercle, while the lower edge forms an acute ridge
The eyes are satiny white, finely pubescent. The antennz are 13-jointed,
clavate ; scape, the long pedicel, and first and second funiclar joints
_brownish-yellow, the following joints brown. ‘The legs are red, excepting
the trochanters, extreme tips of femora and tibiz and the anterior tibiz,
which are wholly brownish-yellow. The abdomen is oval, with a dull
bronzy tinge ; petiole short, yellow. The wings are hyaline with a large
fuscous blotch across the middle ; veins thick, rufo-piceous ; the submar-
ginal vein is distant from costal edge and nearly three times as long as the
marginal vein ; the stigmal vein is about as long as the marginal, curved ;
while the post-marginal is distinctly longer than the stigmal vein.
Described from one male specimen taken on a window at Ottawa, in
1885, by Mr. James Fletcher,
56 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
MOTHS NEW TO OUR FAUNA.
BY JOHN B. SMITH, WASHINGTON, D. Cc.
Mr. Hy. Edwards, on p. 12 of vol. xx. of the Can. Enr., records
three species of moths as additions to our fauna—two of them Sphingide,
viz., Pseudosphinx tetrio and Philampelus typhon. Mr. Edwards is un-
doubtedly correct in the record of localities, and in calling attention to
their capture within our faunal limits ; but, with all due respect, I do not
think that these species should be added to our faunal list. rebus odora
has been found in Canada, yet it would be an absurdity to cite it as a
Canadian insect. The mere fact that an insect well known and abundant
in one faunal region is occasionally fourfd in another, does not authorize
its addition to the latter fauna unless it breeds in or regularly migrates to
it. Sphinx tetrio is a very common species which we have from Mexico,
South America and the islands of the Carribean Sea. It is essentially a
tropical and sub-tropical insect, and does not come into the temperate
fauna except accidentally. It is undoubtedly true that political boundaries
cannot limit faunal regions, and yet the southern boundary of the United
States very nearly accords with the faunal line separating the temperate
from the sub-tropical fauna. Species occurring near this faunal border,
especially species of strong flight like the Sphingide@, will often cross the
line; but this does not make them members of both sides. The rule
should be that only insects which breed within the faunal limits should be
considered as forming parts of it. Ordinarily the presumption is that an
insect breeds where found. This presumption fails where the insect is
known to breed in a different fauna, and then positive proof should be
required of its right. On this view I must dissent from Mr. Edwards’s
idea that these particular species should be added to our fauna. Ina
monograph of the Sphingide now ready for the press, I have excluded
these species, and in addition Dil/udia brontes and D. leucopheata—both ~
species possibly occasional visitants to our fauna, but really members “i
the next, or sub-tropical.
Southern Florida has a peculiar faite and one that perhaps should
\not be classed within the temperate limit. It really in many respects
should be classed with the West Indian fauna, but on this point I make
only the suggestion. It seems to me that Mr. W. H. Edwards, in the
Rhdspalocera, has followed the wiser plan of separately calling attention
to sthecies occasionally found in but not really belonging to. our fauna. _
‘
i
il ee dale oe ot Sas
a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 57
* DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF DATANA
DREXELII, Hy. Epw.
BY WM. BEUTENMULLER, NEW YORK.
Ecc.—Similar to D. ministra; cannot be distinguished from it. Laid
in masses on the under side of leaf.
Younc Larva, after First and Second Moults.—Cannot be dis-
tinguished from D. ministra. ) |
After Third Moult.—Little change except in size. The stripes are
now confluent about the anal segments. Length 30 m.m.
After Fourth Moult——Head jet black, cervical shield now chestnut
brown instead of black ; otherwise as in D. ministra. Length 40 m.m.
Mature Larva.—Head jet black, shining, slightly punctured ; cer-
vical shield and neck wholly golden yellow. Body black, with four equ-
distant stripes of citron yellow on each side, and three on the under side.
Abdominal legs and bases of thoracic feet orange. The stripes all
become conjoined at the posterior extremity. The anal plates jet black,
very shiny and nearly smooth, and not roughly punctured, as in D.
ministra. The hairs over the body are sordid white. Length 55 m.m.
Pupa.—Cannot be distinguished from D. ministra.
Foop Piants.—Huckleberry ( Vaccintum), and Witch Hazel (Ham-
amelis). Single brooded.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA, Part 4.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from vol. xix., page 38.)
4. Brachynemurus abdominalis.
Myrm, abdominalis Say, Godm. West. Quart. Rep. ii., 163—Edit.
LeConte, Ly: 73. 3
M. juvencus Hag., Syn. N. Am. Neur., 234, 21 (var. with longer
spurs).
Yellowish, slender, faintly villous ; face yellow ; between the antennz
and a little above, a longitudinal median line, connected with a transversal
one on the epistom, all black ; palpi equal, pale, the apical joint of maxillary
and this of iabial, which is very little thickened in the basal half, some-
what brownish ; antennz longer than head and prothorax, in the male
. r
%
\ ‘
a
58 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
fuscous annulated with luteous, especially before the tip, which is clavate ; _
shorter, more clavate in female ; the two basal joints brown, shining ;
vertex elevated, rounded, yellowish with two blackish dots ; prothorax
little longer than broad, yellowish, with two dorsal black lines, ending on
the anterior transversal sulcus ; sometimes a darker spot in front of the
lines ; on each side and nearly below a black band connected with the
lateral one of the thorax ; two black maculose bands including yellow —
spots on the thorax ; mesothorax before wings black, with yellow spots ;
abdomen of male much longer than wings, faintly villous yellow, with a
fine black median line, apical part blackish, yellow on articulation and
some lateral marks ; appendages less than half the length of last seg-
ment, cylindrical, yellowish, brown at base, densely clothed with black
hairs ; below and between them a small triangular yellow plate ; abdomen
of female as long as wings ; coloration similar, but the dorsal yellow band —
divided by a black line reaches the apex ; genital parts yellow, the superior
part split, with many black spines ; below two short yellow appendages.
Wings hyaline with a faint yellowish tint; veins pale interrupted with
brown, which covers in front wings most of base of the small forks and
the base and apex of the transversals ; therefore the wing is faintly
sprinkled, more densely along the mediana and submediana ; hind wing
similar but less and more faintly sprinkled ; pterostigma white, larger in
the female ; wing around and on the venation faintly villous ; apical half
of costal space with forked veins. Legs short, pale, sprinkled with
black, with black hairs ; tip of tibize and of joints of tarsi black, fourth
joint entirely black ; spurs as long as three basal joints, or at least longer
than two, brown. Length of body, male, 30 to 37 m.m.; female, 28 to
30 m.m. Exp. al., 36 to 54 m.m.
Habit., New Jersey, Uhler; Pennsylvania ; Georgia, Morrison ; Wash-
ington, O. Sacken ; Rock Island, Ill., Walsh ; Utah, Lake City, O. Sacken,
August 1, and Packard, August 13 ; Colorado, Golden City, Boulder, July
3, Packard ; Texas, Dallas, Boll ; Waco, Belfrage, June, July, Sept., Oct.;
San Antonio, A. Agassiz ; Carrizo Spring; New Mexico, Zuni, Hayden’s
Exped., July ; Umatilla, Washington Territory, S. Henshaw, June 28 ;
California, Vulcane Mts., Stinking River, H. Edwards.
The size of the specimens is rather variable in the same locality ;
there are before me now more than 50 of both sexes, but I have seen
more. The species seems very common in Texas, Colorado and New
Mexico.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 59
There is not much variation. Texas specimens have on the front part
of the prothorax two brownish spots, and younger specimens are more
bright in colors ; a number of specimens have the spurs longer, equal to
the three basal joints, though others of the same locality have spurs two
joints long, 47. juvencus Hag. is Myrm. abdominalis Say.
a 5. Brachynemurus peregrinus.
a _ Myrmeleon peregrinus Hag., Syn. N. Am. Neur., 234, 20.
Face yellow, with a short black band above, surrounding the antennz
below ; sending a faint black median line on the upper part of the face, not
reaching the clypeus ; mouth yellow ; palpi yellow, the maxillary with the
last joint cylindrical fuscous ; labials a little longer, last joint shining
black, extreme base and tip yellowish, seen from above strongly fusiform
with a kind of ocellus-like transparent median spot ; seen from beside
the joint is less bulky, the third apical part strongly narrowed, conical.
- Antenne longer than head and thorax, strong, clavate, black, scabrous,
' dull, the two basal joints below shining brown; the base and apex of the
antennz sometimes pale brown, and very faintly annulated ; vertex ele-
vated, rounded, yellow ; black in front with three not well defined yellow
_. dots and two black transversal bands, the last one interrupted in the mid-
& dle, and arcuated ; prothorax scarcely longer than broad, yellow on the
4 dorsum, with four longitudinal black lines, and beneath on each side with
_ a black stripe ; the pattern of the dorsum and its many variations is better
to be understood in describing it as black, divided by a narrow yellow
line and each part divided again by a yellow line not reaching the front ;
broken in the middle and forming two elongate spots, of which the inferior
ones may disappear ; mesothorax black with yellow dots near the pro-
thorax ; after this yellow with three black forks ; metathorax yellow with
a black cross; sides of thorax black with some yellow bent stripes.
Abdomen faintly villous; above yellow with three longitudinal black
bands, the median much finer on the male, which has the three last seg-
ments black ; venter fuscous ; abdomen of male much longer than wings ;
appendages light brown with very long black hairs and bristles, very
short, blunt pyramidal, divergent ; between them and below a small plate
of the shape of a leaf, which can be folded in the aperture between the
appendages ; abdomen of female as long as the wings, dilated and com-
pressed to the apex ; genitals light brown, the superiors split, below with
a transversal row of very strong black spines ; below two short cylindri-
60 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
cal appendages, brown with black hairs ; they are retractible into the —
abdomen, and so often not visible. Legs yellow, sprinkled with black, -
and with black hairs ; hind femurs sometimes fuscous in middle ; tip of
tibie and of the joints of tarsi blackish ; spurs brown, as long as the two
basal joints. Wings long, broad, hyaline ; pterostigma yellowish; veins _
fuscous interrupted by pale yellowish ; transversals along the median and
submedian pointed with fuscous ; the points above the submediana are
larger and more numerous, forming nearly a serrated black line ; also the
gradate veins going from the end of the submediana upwards and out-
wards to the tip of wing form often a brown line, more or less visible ; —
the smaller forks along the hind margin dark ; costal space of front wings
only with a few forked transversals before the pterostigma ; hind ith oe a
little shorter, narrower, nearly hyaline. aa
Length of body, male, 42 to 51 m.m.; female, 30 to 36 m.m. Exp. =
al., 60 to 75 m.m. Po oer
Hab., Washington Terr., Ainsworth, July 20, very common ; opposite
Umatilla, June 27 ; Oregon, Umatilla, June 24-25 ; all these set by S.
Henshaw, 1882. California, Fort Tejon, by Xanthus de Vesey ; San
Francisco, 1865. Nevada, Humboldt Station, July 29; O. Sacken.
Colorado, Pueblo. New Mexico (formerly W. Texas), Pecos a July
+ ; and Matamoras, Mexico, Exped. of Capt. Pope.
There are 40 specimens before me of both sexes. In the small town
Ainsworth, in the middle of a sandy desert, the windows of the office in
the littte inn where we had to stay the night, were literally covered. with
specimens. This species belongs to the west of the Rocky Mts. The
‘specimens from Mexice ees smaller than the others, but not
different.
Bakne e |
Tue Burrerriies or NortH America, by W. H. Edwards. Part
iv. of the Third Series has recently been issued. It contains the usual
three magnificent plates ; the first represents both sexes and several varie-
ties of Colias Chrysomelas, the second the upper and under surfaces of
both sexes of the lovely Argynnis Nausicaa, and the third fully illustrates
all the stages of Canonympha Gadactinus, form California. ‘The letter-
press contains much interesting matter on the life histories, in addition t to |
the descriptions of the species. v2 eee
4
Che Canadwn Entomologist.
VOL. XX. LONDON, APRIL, 1888. No. 4
~=
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES ON COLEOPTERA.—No. 4.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
Bembidium undulatum, Sturm. ‘There are now about thirty-eight
species of Carabidz recognized as indigenous to, North America and
Europe, and some of them also to Asia. The most of these are arctic
or very northern, this being one of the few that occur in temperate
America, but how far northward it inhabits is unknown, as I know only
of its occurrence here, though in Europe and Asia it is found in sub-arctic -
regions. Here it is taken abundantly in July and August under decaying
vegetation in moist alluvial places subject to occasional inundation. It is
a Notaphus, .20 inch long, shining, elytra obscurely rufo-piceous, paler at
apex with oblique pale mark, punctures of striz obsolete behind middle
and surface undulated. Identical with European specimens, and also
verified by Dr. Horn.
Bembidium assimile Gyll. (frontale Lec.) is found here with the pre-
ceding, but much more abundantly ; I have it from Florida, and it seems
to occur generally eastward from the Mississippi, and also in Kansas. In
Europe and Asia it has the same distribution as wududatum. On com-
parison with European specimens no point of difference has been dis-
covered.
Platynus pusillus Lec. UHaving recently examined and compared a
number of Anchomenus oblongus Fab. from Sweden with the same number
of the foregoing from Massachusetts, I conclude that Dr. Horn would
have been entirely justifiable in pronouncing the species identical (Tr.
Am. Ent. Soc., ix.,142), where he writes, “the only striking difference
between the two being in the slightly wider thorax of our species.” This
difference, when a number of each is examined, is observed to be merely
individual, and were I to write of the thorax, on the basis of a numerical
estimate of what is before me, the statement in the above quotation would
be reversed. The species has a wide distribution on this continent—-Ver-
mont, Massachusetts, New York, Canada to Kansas, In the Eastern
62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Hemisphere it extends across Europe, and in Asia, throughout Western
Siberia.
Harpalus caliginosus Fab. The stridulation of this common hentia is
referred to in Ent. Amer., ii, 239, as not recorded previously and as a
discovery of Dr. Horn, and also that stridulation takes place only when
the beetle is at liberty, and can not be made to do so when handled.
This species and pennsylvanicus DeG. feed on ragweed (Ambrosia
artemisiefolia) when it is in bloom—here, in July, and both are exces-
sively abundant. Let the entomologist visit on a calm, sultry evening,
before sunset, some stubble field bordered by woods, when this weed is in
flower, and he will eften witness a lively and by no means quiet scene ;
hundreds of the former and thousands of the latter will be seen mounted
on the weeds, each actively and intently employed in collecting the pollen
from the flowers, or licking some delectable morsel from the leaves and
occasionally evidencing its delight in a sonorous manner—a sudden
squeak—somewhat like the noise made by a steel pen scratching rough
paper ; and so intent are they on the business in hand as to be a
before observing the approach of an enemy.
Striduiation is effected in both by the beetles rubbing the large costz
of the wings against the elytra, these coste being coarsely transversely
rugose from the base to near the apex. _Stridulation is readily produced
after death by pressing intermittently on the elytra, provided the costz
are in a position to be brought in proper contact with them. i
H. compar and H. longicollis are catalogued as varieties of A. penn-
sylvanicus, but curiously enough, though abundant, they do not seem to
have the same tastes, as I have never taken a single specimen of either
on ragweed, though carefully sought for. I strongly suspect they are
really three distinct species, notwithstanding the near approach in form of
some individuals, and certainly nothing is gained by the prs n :
classifying them as varieties. |
Graphoderes fasciatocollis Harr. was considered to be the same as’ ‘the
European G. cinereus, till separated by Dr. Sharp in his learned Mono-
graph of the Dytiscidz, p. 693 ; this separation is pronounced “ unwar-
ranted” by Dr. Horn, Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., x., 280. Two primary points
of difference are given by Dr. Sharp ; the first, that the male of faseéato-
collis has ‘‘ twenty-three ” small pallettes on the anterior tarsus and twelve
on the middle, while that of c’xereus has “about twenty-eight” on the
anterior and fourteen on the middle one; the second, that in the former —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 63
_ the punctuation of the elytra is dissimilar in the sexes, being in the female
fine and deep at the sides and somewhat dense at the base, while those of
_ the latter are alike in both sexes. Recently I examined several specimens
of cinereus from Prussia and compared them with American forms, with
the result of confirming Dr. Horn’s opinion. Four males have each from
thirty to thirty-three small pallettes on the anterior tarsus, and four have
twenty-eight—all with fourteen on the middle; one has twenty-five on the
anterior and twelve on the middle, with two rudimentary ; one has twenty-
_ __ three on the anterior. and twelve on the middle, with doubtful traces of two
others. As the pallettes decrease in number they increase in size and
distinctness, but do not equal those in my single American male. The
sculpture of the elytra in the sexes (seven females seen) might be termed
uniform, though the punctuation is more pronounced in two or three
females ; the anterior black band of the thorax does not “ always attain
_ the front margin,” but exhibits the same variableness as exists among
_ American individuals. With the above I have compared one male and
three females of fasciatocollis from Massachusetts and one female taken
here ; the male has twenty-three small pallettes on the anterior and twelve
on the middle tarsus, all larger than in the European forms.’ Whether
_ this number is constant, or variable as in the foreigners, would be desir-
able to know, that is, in a number taken together, for Dr. Horn has
demonstrated the variableness when from distant localities. The three
Massachusetts’ females have the elytra sculptured like the male and could
_ _ not be distinguished in this respect from their European sisters ; but the
. female taken here is much coarser sculptured and punctured than ever
_ Dr. Sharp’s description requires. Both the points insisted on by the
learned Doctor for separate species are shown by the above to be un-
| q _ tenable. — :
Phithydrus fimbriatus Mels., one of the most common of the Hydro-
philide, inhabits in great abundance all wet places, especially where there
is mud—swamps, ponds, springy places, springs on hill and mountain
sides, etc. It is variable in sculpture, size and color. The intention here
is to bring to notice a dwarf race that inhabits the little rivulets that flow
down hill and mountain sides from springs. While the normal form is
piceous black with pale thoracic and elytral margins, and about .20 inch
in length, this might be termed gray with paler margins, and in length is
not over .15 inch. In summer these spring runs are often dry for long
periods, and the beetles then.crawl under stones and rubbish where there
ite tien
64 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
is a little moisture ; these long droughts and the comparative scarcity of
food undoubtedly have dwarfed them, and living in clear water clinging to
stones has called into exercise a potential element that seems to inhere in
many insects of accommodating their colours to their surroundings. The
black colour of the mud-inhabiting race would make them too conspicuous,
so they have changed it to sober gray to correspond with the general ote
of the stones and bottom of the brook.
Oxyporus 5-maculatus Lec. Seven other species of this genus occur -
here more or less abundantly from the middle of August onward, all living
on various species of living mushrooms ; but 5-macudatus appears to be
rare, as I have only taken it three times—two at a time, and like the
others, feeding on mushrooms, but in June, and on rocky, mountainous —
places. It differs remarkably from the other species by having the sides
of the thorax posteriorly so compressed as to elevate the disk at the mid-
dle of each side at base into a flattened tubercle in such a way as to
make the expression, ‘thorax posteriorly concave,” not inippropriate.
Dendrocharis flavicornis Guer. A specimen of this curious insect,
now in the cabinet of Dr. Horn, was recently taken near St. Augustine,
Florida, by Mr. Charles W. Johnson, who dug it out of a tree. This is
the only native specimen in any of our collections so far as know, Aso
figure and description, Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xiii, 12. oS
Meristhus. If the definition of this genus in the Classification,
“front tarsal grooves wanting,” is correct, the two species under it in the
[alogue-should be placed under Zacon, as they have these grooves deep.
~ T suspect a misprint of “tarsal” for tibial, but a careful examination
shows the existence of these grooves quite evidently in some specimens
of cristatus, though obsoletely so in others. There seems to be little
need cf the genus anyhow. < UES
Dicerca prolongata Lec. and D. divaricata Say. <A single character
that will in all cases separate these species infallibly is something not yet
in print. The prolongation and degree of divarication of the elytraare
the same in both; a typical specimen of the former kindly sent me by
Mr. Ulke, collected in Dakota, has the tips of the elytrons as widely
separated as in divaricata, while on the other hand I have a specimen of
the latter with the tips very prolonged and contiguous to near the end
(D. dubia Mels.) ‘The depth and distinctness of the thoracic channel is
not a character to be depended on; my type of pro/ongata has a very
deep and uninterrupted channel, but I have a specimen of the other taken
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65
here approaching it closely, and from this are all degrees of variation to
the slightest noticeable depression. No character can be derived from
he spurs of the middle tibiz of the males, for when a large number of
divaricata are examined, this will be seen to vary from a mere tubercle to
a formidable spur with long teeth on the distal edge. Colour, as a char-
acter, is not worthy of consideration. I have a specimen of prolongata
from Canada with the upper side polished black with a purple reflection
_ and the under coppery black. A point given me by Mr. Ulke (a char-
_ acter given by Dr. LeConte) is more permanent than any of those
_ mentioned above, viz., tips of the elytrons with the angles rounded—/ro-
_ longata; tips of the elytrons with the sutural angles terminating in a
_ small spine—divaricata. This is the most constant character noticed,
__ but by itself fails in individual cases under observation.. I do rot ques-
_ tion the distinctness of the species. Pro/ongata breeds, so far as known,
_ in conifers, and inhabits high altitudes and latitudes, while divaricata is
_ more southern, being abundant in parts of Canada and all the States east
_ of the Mississippi, breeding in diseased or dead deciduous trees, as beech,
maple, apple, cherry, etc.
a Dicerca obscura Fab. For a set of typical specimens of the real
4 obscura as defined by Dr. LeConte, I am indebted to Mr. Ulke, who takes
_ it quite commonly at Washington, D. C., on persimmon (Diospyros Vir-
a giniana). There is a tendency among collectors to confuse this with Dr.
a Leconte’s /urida Fab., as defined in his Monograph, and to give the latter. -
_ either name according to fancy. My observations, however, are that there
_ collector this is the same as if they are separate species. In an examin-
ation of about one hundred and twenty specimens of «rida taken here or
received from other places, I find that the thorax is in every case wider
near the middle than at base, and that behind the middle the sides con-
verge more or less to the base in a line varying from nearly straight to
deeply sinuous. In /urida the reverse occurs, the widest part of the
thorax is the base, and the convergence, though not great, is directed
anteriorly, and from the middle to apex is more pronounced, ‘The direc-
tions of Dr. LeConte in his Monograph, if strictly followed, are quite
sufficient to effect a separation. xzurida breeds in dead and diseased
hickory, and is very abundant, but I have never seen a specimen of obscura
taken here. 3
Dicerca spreta Gory appears to be rare and I have it not, though
: _ are sufficient differences to keep them apart, at least as races, a: ¢ to the
66 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
asperata Lap. & Gor. has been sent me for it by good collectors. — Ete rro
are mostly difficult to eradicate, and this one is not likely to be got rid of
soon, at least not till the genus is monographed anew. The trouble is
about this way. Dr. LeConte in his Monograph (Tr. Am. Phil. Soc., xi., 4
198) fully and clearly described a spreta and an asperata, which, of 7
course, went so into all collections ; but fourteen years afterwards Mr. G.
R. Crotch (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1873, p. 85) states that the names given —
by Dr. LeConte should be reversed, but in his Catalogue misplaces the
species, though giving the synonyms. In Mr. Henshaw’s Catalogue the
same order is foilowed, but the synonyms dropped, and now nothing
points to an error in Dr. LeConte’s Monograph. The error was corrected
in few of the older collections, and is transmitted from them by tradi-
tion, while the latest catalogue indicates no error to one not conversa
with the whole literature of the subject.
Aphodius rufipes Lin. is mentioned at page 9. Mr. Binachiell
Mass., writes that he has a specimen collected in the mountains of North
Carolina. These mountains are the Alleghany, the same as at St. Vin-
cent’s and at Deer Park. ‘Thus, this recent discovery is already traced i in
a direct line over this continuously rugged country more than 4oo miles.
Stenosphenus notatus Oliv. breeds in the limbs of dead hickory ; it
becomes a pupa the latter part of the second year and the imago is per-
fected before winter, but remains in the wood till the April or May follow-
ing. Veoclytus capraea Say, which breeds in ash and often renders worth- —
less logs cut before June, follows the same course. A manufacturer who
uses this timber showed me a log in his shop in December that must have
contained hundreds. When split in any direction the beetles dt out
of the opened burrows and appeared quite active.
Saperda concolor, mentioned page 8, Mr. Blanchard informs gis
breeds in a low willow and in Populus tremuloides—in Massachusetts, the
“ Common Poplar,” but here and everywhere west of the Alleghanies, the
‘‘Quaking Asp.” How many other trees are ‘“ Common Poplar?” :
Chrysomela pracelsis Rogers, when found, is in abundance, but its
habitat is limited, It feeds on the leaves of Convolvules ( Ipomea
pandurata and Calystegia sepium) growing on the banks of rivers and
moist alluvial ground, but not on the same plants when away from water, 2
Its season of abundance is about the middle of June.
Apion herculaneum Smith occurs § plentifully about the last of tia
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 67
e cymes of the maple-leaved arrow-wood ( Viburnum acerifolia) just
they are going out of bloom. The fruit of this does not ripen till
though not yet so proven. This is one of the largest species of the genus,
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
ARGYNNIS HESPERIS, Epw.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
3 Ecc.—Conoidal, round-topped, nearly as broad at base as high, the
_ top depressed’; marked by about 19 thin, elevated, vertical ribs, one half
¥ _ running from base to summit, the others but four fifths or more the dis-
4 tance ; the spaces between crossed by many low horizontal ridges ; the
q micropyle surrounded by two or three circles of-very fine depressions,
outside of which are rows of very large four or five-sided depressed cells ;
color yellow-green. Duration of this stage about ten days.
-Younc Larva.—Length .0o6 inch; cylindrical, thickest in middle ;
color yellow-green ; marked as in the allied species by rows of flattened
| = tuberculous brown spots, each of which gives one or two long, tapering
% hairs ; on dorsum of 2a dark oval patch with a row of hairs in front,
turned forward, and a shorter row behind ; head obovoid, black, with
many long hairs. ‘The larva hibernates directly from the egg.
After First Moult: Length .1 inch; color green, mottled with brown
over dorsum ; the under side pale green; the spines in number and
position as at maturity, and as in the genus, small at base, tapering little,
wholly black, beset with many short black bristles ; head obovoid, black,
with black hairs. Duration of this stage eight days, in April and May.
After Second Moult: Length .r5 inch; color brown and gray; a
_ double indistinct gray dorsal stripe, and a similar one between dorsal and
'_ upper lateral spines ; the spines black ; those of the middle row have the
_ bases on outer side pale yellow, of the lower row the bases are wholly
pale yellow ; head as before. Duration of this stage eight days, in May.
68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
After Third Moult: Length .28 inch ; color black and dark gray, the
sides mottled ; the double dorsal stripe more definite than before ; the
spines as before ; head same also. To next moult four days, in May.
After Fourth Moult: Length .44 inch; color black and gray ; : ‘the a
dorsal stripe now solid, dark gray ; the spines black to bases except those
of lower row, and on 3 and 4 of middle row, all which have yolk-yellow —
at base and half way up the stems; all bristles black ; head brown-black _
over the front with many black Wuirs. long and short, ‘the back brownish-
yellow. ‘To next moult eight days, in May.
After Fifth Moult: Length .7 inch; in about eight days was Sty
grown.
Mature Larva,—Length 1.2 to 1.4 inch; slender, somewhat thick-
ened in middle, the segments well rounded ; color wholly velvet-black or
brown-black (no gray dorsal stripe as before last moult) ; three rows of
spines on either side, as in the genus, all of them yellow nearly to tip, the
rest black ; feet black, pro-legs brown-yellow ; head sub-cordate, the ver-
tices rounded, dull brown in front, dull yellow at back. From te moult —
to pupation 14 days. a
CurysaLis.—Length .g inch ; breadth across mesonotum .26, across q
abdomen .23 inch ; like At/antis in shape, but stouter ; color dark brown
over head and wing cases; so also on the front of each abdominal seg-
ment, in serrations, the rest yellow-brown. Duration of this stage ten
days, in June. : .
HEsPERIS flies in Colorado, Utah and Montana. Mr. Bruce writes —
me of its habits thus: “‘ Hesperis is by far the most abundant species of —
the genus along the canons and water courses of the eastern or front range”
of the Rocky Mtns., in Colorado, at from 6,500 to 8,000 feet elevation. —
It is very active and restless, and difficult of capture except when on
. flowers. They are very partial to the bloom of Clematis, and I have fre-
quently taken several at one sweep of the net on this plant; later in the
season, on the tall Sunflower. The wild Bergamot and Horse-mint are —
much frequented by them, ‘They are also fond of alighting on the ground
in damp places, especially, late in the summer, when they are worn. I
have taken them in Clear Creek and Platte canons from June 16thtillend
of August. Hesperis is a very pugnacious insect, and will circle round —
and boldly flap the Lycaenas and Theclas off the blossoms. I was
amused one day, on the South Platte, with watching a male Hesperis
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 69
‘endeavoring to drive a Zygaenid moth (Anatolmis Grotei) off the blos-
-soms of a large species of Senecio. The moth, which is a sluggish
creature at all times, would not fly, but slowly backed round the corym-
bose head of flowers, occasionally lifting its front legs in feeble protest.
Hesperis followed it, flapping its wings and clawing at it like a cat, till the
persecuted moth at last escaped by slipping over the petals, and hanging
on the under side. It is probably owing to this restless and quarrelsome
disposition that individuals are so soon worn and broken. ‘They vary
much in size and in the color of the spots on under side, some being of a
deep buff, others a dead white, and others with a trace of frosted silver.
_ Ihave taken Hesferi's just below the timber line, but it is not common at
_ such elevations, nor below 6,500 feet in Colorado.”
___ Mr. Bruce sent me eggs of this species from Denver, Colorado, which
I received oth July, 1886, and a second lot three days later. The eggs
hatched at ten days, and after eating the shells, the larve went into
-. lethargy. I sent them soon after to Clifton Springs, N. Y., to go in a cold
room there, and they were returned 21st March, 1887, nearly all alive.
But they came unexpectedly, and a month too soon, and before I could
_ force a plant-of violet for them nearly all had died. Of the few survi-
__vors, one passed 1st moult 2zoth April, the second 3rd May, the third 11th
May, the fourth 15th, the fifth 23rd. This larva pupated 6th June, and
the imago came out 16th June. Another pupated 11th June, but died
before imago. The habits of the larve in confinement are similar to those
of Atlantis. The butterfly is figured in Vol. 1, Butterflies of N. America.
SOME NEW NOCTUID.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL
Cucullia Hartmanni, n sp.
Expanse 1.75 inches, length of body .75 inch. General color of fore
wings pale gray, so suffused in places with dark gray as to give the wings
a moderately dark gray cast, but not so dark as C. intermedia, Spey.
Lines black, basal half line only indicated on the costa. T. a. line double;
the inner part almost imperceptible ; strongly dentate, from its origin pro-
jecting obliquely outward to a strong tooth on the fold in the discal cell,
70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
with a short tooth on the fold between the costal and subcostal veins ;
from discal tooth it recedes to median vein a little nearer the body than
its inception on the costa; from this it extends out in another tooth nearly
twice as far out as the discal tooth, the point resting on the submedian
fold, almost reaching the inflection of the t. p. line, the points of both
lines nearly obsolete in a white patch at this place that fades out into the 4
general color; about the middle of the space from the median vein to
submedian fold a brownish black spur is sent out parallel with the median
vein, terminating above the middle of the white patch ; the line reaches —
the posterior margin by another inflexion on submedian vein, and another
outward tooth below the vein. A fine line extends along the submedian
fold to the white patch. Median shade distinct above the cell, outwardly
oblique. Stigmata only indicated by a slight brown discoloration, except
below the reniform is an arc on the median vein as though part of the
annulus. TT. p. line obsolete except on costa and below second median
venule, the angle next to the white patch filled with a black shading ; from
this a slightly double curved line extends to end of first submedian venule.
Veins finely black ; in s. t. space a tendency to black interspaceal lines. _
Terminal line black, broken, a few inward inflexions. Fringe gray, brown
tinted, a paler central line, cut with white at the end of veins to this line.
Hind wings sordid white, veins dark, a broad smoky black border that |
is narrow at the anal angle. Fringe pale with a dark sub-basal line. —
Palpi porrect; third joint slender, dark brown; sides of first and
second, brown mixed with white, white beneath. Eyes naked, without
lashes. Head gray, a space between the antennz with a black annulus.
Collar gray with three narrow black lines, first space suffused with pale
brown, tips of posterior scales white. Pategia clear pale gray, apparently
a narrow terminal line. Thorax gray, one specimen shows indication of a
very slight posterior tuft, but not more so than some Agrotis. Abdomen
whitish, slight dorsal dark gray tufts on joints 1 to 3, usually a dorsal dark
line, suffusion of pale brown on joints 4 to 7. Beneath whitish with a
slight yellowish tinge ; legs gray, tarsi dark; tibiae unarmed. oe
Described from three specimens taken at Hockley, Harris Co., Texas,
by my friend, Leopcld Hartmann, to whom I have dedicated the species ;
his number, 105, white label. ae
This is near C. serraticornis, l.intn., but differs in the antenne being a
simple, and several points in coloration.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 71
Hadena Evelina, n sp.
Expanse 1.50 to 1.70 inches, length .80 inch. General color of fore
wings dark gray, washed with wine color over subterminal space, between
and beyond the stigmata, and between median and submedian veins
between t. a. and t. p. lines, the gray having a slight purplish reflection
over the rest of wing. Markings black, of a brownish cast, perhaps more
properly vandyke brown. Lines moderately distinct, double, the enclosed
space a little pale ; inner part only of basal half line distinct ; t. a. line
slightly oblique, straight in its general course ; outward teeth on subcos-
tal, median and submedian veins, the last two the most prominent ; t. p.
line only moderately outward curved beyond the cell, dentate ; claviform
extending one third across the median space, the t. a. and t. p. lines con-
nected through this by an umber shade bar; s. t. line sometimes con-
tinuous, ochreous, dentate, the inner teeth interspaceal, these more promi-
nent; five of them continued nearly across the s. t. space by umber
_ dashes, these connected with black interspaceal dashes that extend across
___ the terminal space to the outer margin. In others only the interspaceal
light points are present, with mere traces in places of the line; stigmata
concolorous, annulate with broken ochraceous, with mere traces of a black
annulus ; orbicular large, nearly circular, slightly oblique. A basal dash
below half line. Fringe gray, a fine pale basal line, next to the terminal
black lunulate line at the end of the wing.
Hind wings smoky white, a little more soiled terminally; a black ter-
minal line ; fringe concolorous, pale at the base.
Eyes naked ; antennz of male serrate, female simple ; head, palpi aid
thorax concolorous with fore wings ; a central black line on the collar, a
black line also on pategia ; dorsal tufts on thorax and abdomen prominent,
concolorous. Abdomen darker than hind wings. Beneath, body pale
purplish gray ; tibiz unarmed.
Described from three males and one female taken by Mr. C. F. Mc-
Glashan at Truckee, California ; his number, 93. I have also a faded
specimen from Shasta Co., Cal., taken by Mr. James Behrens.
In color and lack of strong outward inflection of the s. t. line, forming
the usual M, this species belongs with 4 Arctica, Bd., and its western
ally, H. Occidens, Grote. ‘The shade bar between the t. a. and t. p. lines
relates it to H. Bridghamii, G.-R., placing it between /Z. Arctica and H.
Bridghamii.
ibe THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA, Part 4.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from vol. xx., page 60.)
6. ‘Brachynemurus nigrilabris Hagen. N. sp.
Very similar to B. peregrinus. Face yellow, above with a tasks black |
band, which is rounded below and reaches nearly the clypeus ; this band |
is going between and around the antennz and connected above with the —
black part covering the whole anterior half of the vertex ; posterior half
yellow with a broad black longitudinal band, dilated angularly in middle ;
the angle sometimes protracted on each side in fine line, which does not
reach the eyes; labrum shining black; palpi yellow, last joint of the —
maxillary cylindrical black ; labials a little longer, last joint shining black, —
fusiform, sharply pointed, less inflated than in B. peregrinus. Antenne —
longer than head and prothorax, fuscous, the apex nearly luteous ; of the
male, 8.5 m.m. long; of the female shorter, 7 m.m. long, visibly more
clavate. Prothorax a little longer than broad, rounded, before yellow, —
with two approximate black bands, reaching the front margin, connected
below with a shorter black external band, which reaches only the trans- :
versal furrow ; a black line below the side margin ; mesothorax black with
two yellow dots in front, and two on each side near the wing ; on the disc —
two yellow triangles in opposite position; hind middle portion yellow,
with the anterior margin and two longitudinal bands black ; metathorax
similar, a black dot in the yellow triangles ; sides of the chess black with
a few yellow stripes. Abdomen faintly villous, brownish, below fuscous,
articulations pale; of male much longer than wings, three last segments
blackish ; appendages very short, pale brownish, hairy, cylindrical, blunt ;
between them and below a short pyramidal part; abdomen of female as long
as wings, similar, articulations pale, last segment pale, on each side a dark
spot ; genitals pale, superior part split, with a row of strong black spines ;
below two short pale cylindrical appendages. Legs yellow, with black
spines, femurs with a black band externally on the two hind pairs, with a
black spot on tip of fore legs ; tibia internally with a black line, those of
fore legs variegated with brown ; tip of tarsal joints faintly black ; spurs
brown, as long as the two basal joints. Wings hyaline, pterostigma
white ; venation brown interrupted with pale; subcosta and mediana
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 735:
_ Length of body, male, 45 to 55 m.m.; female, 33 mm.; exp. al., 56
to 60 m.m. |
_ Hab., New Mexico, Aug.. 1872, Mr. Yarrow ; Colorado, Manitou ;
Wyoming, Bridger Basin, Mr. Garman ; Salt Lake City, Sept, 1877, Mr.
Austin; Farmington, July 23; Ogden, Aug. 2, O. Sacken ; Dakota, Cus-
ter Co., Garman. Four males and three females in alcohol, and four
- females dry.
7. Brachynemurus blandus.
Myrmeleon blandus Hag., Syn. N. Am. Neur., 235, 22.
Small, yellow, marked with black. Face pale yellowish, with a
_ superior trifid black spot ; it is united with the vertex by a narrowed part
going upward between the antenne; on each side below the pale ring around
_ the antennz it reaches nearly the eyes ; the inferior margin bisinuated, |
_ sending a fine black median line to the clypeus ; labrum yellow : palpi
a pale, maxillary with last joint cylindrical, brownish ; labials scarcely
a longer, last joint fusiform, very pointed, brown except on base. Antenne
a clavate, strong, about as long as head and thorax, a little shorter in the
» female, where they are larger clavate, brown, luteous on clava, visibly
- -annulated with yellow, principally on the basal half; the tWo basal joints
black. | Vertex elevated, cut straight in front, black ; above yellow with
two large approximate black spots, a little dilated externally. Prothorax
as long as broad, yellow, with two black bands, which have anteriorly an
external yellow incision ; the outer part of the black band reaches not the
transversal furrow ; beneath on each side of the prothorax a black stripe ;
- mesothorax and metathorax black marked with yellow similar to B. nigri-
_ _labris; sides below the wings black, with some yellow stripes. Abdomen
clothed with white hairs, yellow above, trilineated with black ; beneath
_ black; of the male longer than the wings, slender ; appendages half the
a length of last segment, pale with long dark hairs ; cylindrical, obtuse on
_ tip, which is bent up a little ; between them beneath a small short tri-
angular plate ; of the female as long as the wings ; genitals pale, the upper
part split with a transversal row of black spines; below two short pale
cylindrical appendages. Legs yellow, sprinkled with black, with black
hairs ; tip of all joints of tarsi black ; spurs brown, as long as the two
basal joints. Wings hyaline, hairy around and on the venation, which is
black, interrupted by pale yellowish ; pterostigma large, pale yellow.
74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Length of body, male, 33 m.m.; female, 26 m.m.; exp. sii: 40° mm.
Habit.—The type, a female in bad condition from New Mexico’ (for-
merly Western Texas), Pecos River, May 14, from Capt. Pope’s Expedi-
tion ; a female from Idaho, Snake River, by Cyrus Thomas, 1872; amale
from Bridger Basin, Wyoming, by Mr. Garman ; Nevada, H. Edwards.
I have never seen more than these four specimens, which are all alike.
The words of my description, Syn., p. 235, “‘ vertex with two trans- —
verse black lines, the hind one interrupted,” are to understand that the a
first line is formed by the front edge of the vertex, the second oy the
spots described.
ON THE DIAGNOSES OF N. AM. PHYCITIDA, BY E. L. ©
RAGONOT.
BY A. R. GROTE, BREMEN, GERMANY.
I have received from the author a copy of this pamphlet in which a
large number of North American species and genera are somewhat briefly
described in anticipation of the publication of a general Monograph.
That M. Ragonot is in a situation to materially increase our generai
knowledge of the group cannot be doubted. He has long collected types’
and specimens, and has studied the characters of the Old World genera.
I have deprecated the description of Phycide without giving the full
structural characters, and in so far as this has been done do I agree with
M. Ragonot’s introductory remarks. But I by no means consider that
American authors should wait upon M. Ragonot to name their material,
nor that what Dr. Staudinger chooses to do is binding upon them in the
matter. I object to any hasty descriptions in this group, without denud- —
ing the wings and studying the head and mouth parts under the micro- —
scope. When this is done and a full description given, the term “hap-
hazard” will no longer apply. For the element of certainty in a generic
reference in these moths is only relative. I objected to Prof. Riley’s
descriptions, not because I differed as to the generic references, but
because the species were described without structural characters being
given, and from the obscure nature of the ornamentation and the great
general resemblance among the PAycide, one can eo determine » a
species from a description of the colour and markings alone, - a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ras,
We must wait upon the “ Monograph” for the reasons which induce
; M. Ragonot to call the Family Pzycitide and the typical genus Phycita,
and not as I have given it, Phycide and Phycis Haw. I have, however,
hot yet seen a copy of Haworth. I regard the Phycide or Phyciine as a
sub-family of the Pyralide ; and M. Ragonot’s Anerastine as merely a
tribal division of the sub-family. I am not then agreed with M. Ragonot’s
_ divisional terms.
I have had no occasion to study M. Ragonot’s types. As the generic
term Cris (p. 17) is long ago used by me for C. Wilsonii, I propose for
discigeredla the name Ragonotia after its learned discoverer.
A NOTE UPON AUTHOR'S TYPES.
BY A. R. GROTE.
It has occurred to me to say a few words upon the subject of author’s
types. It sometimes happens that a specimen is labelled ‘‘ type,” which
_ is not the true type, i. e., the one (or ones) from which the original de-
scription was drawn up and which accords with that description. ‘This is
the criterion for types, that they do not contradict the original description.
The late Mr. Morrison sent me at one time a “type” of Harris’s Agroftis
tessellata. Upon my wonder at his having such a specimen, I found it
was merely a compared example, but it should not have been labelled
“type.” To my certain knowledge, Mr. Morrison on occasion labelled as
types subsequent material (vide genus Agroftis). Only the material at
hand and compared when the original description is drawn up, should be
labelled as “type.” On this head I would say a word as to Walker’s
types. Only when the evidence is complete and satisfactory should an
earlier name of Walker’s replace a designation in use. What I call in-
complete evidence may be recently offered by Mr. Hulst in proposing to
change Se/enia Kentaria. | Dr. Packard it seems had figures drawn from
what are supposed to be Walker’s types. There is no evidence that these
are in every instance the proper types. The cases where more than one
species was included by Mr. Walker are not solitary. Dr. Packard inter-
preted this figure as applying to another form of Se/enza. Mr. Hulst
interprets it differently, and drops a settled name without a question. In
whatever way the matter is finally settled, Mr. Hulst would appear to have
acted without sufficient evidence, Having studied the original collection
70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
in 1868, during Mr. Walker’s lifetime, I am justified in saying that care @
must be taken that subsequently added specimens are not taken for types. a
Restitutions should be left to Mr. Butler and the British Museum authori-
ties. The original description must be studied, and facilities aeher 3 en
Mr. Hulst’s are needed to make such changes.
ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CITHERONIA.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M. 3 see
I wish to draw particular attention to this genus and its allies. I
have, in 1865, drawn a parallel between the group and the Hawk Moths,
from the young stages and the peculiar pupation, and in my pamphlet on
‘‘the Hawk Moths of North America,” I have discussed the probabilities
of their relationship. But I here wish to point out that the group is
American ; that in America we may expect to find old types among that
portion of the fauna which is indigenous, pre-tertiary, and to this Citheronia
belongs. Further than this, the Ceratocampine, which are tropical con-
tinental, or South American rather than North American, but compara--
_ tively equally spread to-day, seem to belong to the Eastern portion of the
New World. ‘That is, east of the Rocky Mountains, the Cordilleras, the
Andes ; east of the great rocky hack-bone of the continent running from cy
north to south. If this is so, it will further illustrate my remarks on the
‘‘ Geographical Distribution of North American Lepidoptera,” which has
recently appeared in the pages of the Canapian Entromorocist. The
sub-family, which I separate from the Saturnine or Attacine, contains
two series of genera cr tribes based on larval structare—C7theronia,
Anisota and Dryocampa (rubicunda and var. alba) standing together, as
opposed to Lacles imperialis and allies. This sub-family, remarkable for —
its form and habit of pupation, its thick wings, velvety-scaled, its short,
sub-simple antenne, stands lower than the Aftacine or true Emperor —
Moths, and seems to borrow some characters from the Cossine. Butthe
larvee are very different ; they approach somewhat Bombyx mori, which
is the most Sphinx-like larva of all the Spinners, yet spins a cocoon, which 4 :
Citheronia does not. ‘That this group is American and has a compara- a
tively defined range, between the mountains and the Atlantic, are matters
of no little interest in the study of the distribution and the*origin of our —
North American moths. In the Annals of the New York Lyceum, col-
ored figures are given by the late Mr. C. T. Robinson and myself of
¢
#
if,
Bi
ye
Fastener
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 77
Citheronia regalis Fabr., C. sepulcralis G. & R., and C. Mexicana G. &
R. The Pine Citheronia, C. sepudcralis G. & R., is found from Massa-
chusetts to Florida, but I have not heard of its being taken farther north,
or in Canada. It seems to be a rare moth, having been taken by Abbot,
who seems not to have known its transformations. It was unknown to
science until we described it from material found by the late Mr. James
O. Treat, of Massachusetts.
NEW WORK ON JAPANESE BUTTERFLIES.
The task of preparing and illustrating a work upon the Butterflies of
Japan, after the model of Mr. Distant’s RuopaLtoceraA MALayana, has
been undertaken by Mr. H. Pryer, of Yokohama, who with persistent
enthusiasm for the past seventeen years has been engaged in collecting
the Lepidoptera of the Empire, and studying their habits. The work,
entitled RHopaLoceRA NIHoNIcA, will appear in three parts, 4to. It is
printed upon Japanese “‘ untearable paper,”’ made of a curious combina-
tion of the fibres of rice straw and silk. The text is in English and
Japanese. The plates are drawn upon stone and printed in colours by
native lithographers under Mr. Pryer’s own supervision, and are truly
excellent. The first part, bearing the imprint of the “Japan Mail”
office, is before us. The writer during a recent stay in Yokohama had the
privilege of examining a portion of the MS. of the Second Part and the
proofs of the Plates which are intended to accompany it, It may be
worthy of note that the letter-press of Parts II. and III. will greatly exceed
in volume that of Part I. |
The Japanese islands, stretching from Shumshu, the northernmost of
‘the Kuriles, in Lat. 50° 40’ N. to the Riu-kiu group in Lat. 24° N., possesss
every variety of climate from the semi-arctic to the tropical. The islands
of the great central group, Yesso, Nippon, Shikoku, and Kiushiu, are
‘traversed by lofty mountain ranges, and dotted with volcanic peaks, some
of which rise from 9,o00-10.000 ft., and one of them to 12,450 ft. above
sea-level. Upon the summits of these mountains perennial winter reigns,
while at their feet a semi-tropical vegetation blooms and flourishes. In
-addition to the wide diversity in climates which prevails in the islands and
the contiguity of colder and warmer climates due to the mountainous
character of the country, there are more subtle influences at work depend-
ing for their operation upon the rainfall and the aerial currents. The
78 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
atmosphere is characterized in spring and early summer by an excessive
humidity, surpassing that of the British Islands, while at other periods of
the year there is a well marked “dry season.” The result of these various
facts, taken in connection with the additional fact that at a remote geo-
logical period the islands doubtless were connected with the Asiatic and
North American mainland, has been the development of a fauna marked
by a wonderfully composite character, and revealing to an unusual extent
the phenomena of varietal change, and in the case of the insect tribes,
seasonal dimorphism. To these phenomena Mr. Pryer has paid especial
attention, with the result of ascertaining that not a few of the so-called
species erected by recent entomologists, into whose hands Japanese col-
lections have happened to fall, must be relegated to the great and ever-
growing mass of synonymical species. This is especially true of the gen-
era Papilio, Pieris and Zerias, in which seasonal dimorphism reveals
itself most strikingly. The course pursued by Mr. Pryer in massing a
large number of forms of the species originally described by Linnaeus
as Zerias Hecabe under the name Zerias Multiformis Pryer, is open to
criticism on the ground that the labour of the elder nomenclator should
have been respected and his name retained, while the names of later
writers should have been adduced as synonyms. Nevertheless the fact
seems to be established beyond reasonable doubt that the species lumped
by Mr. Pryer under the newly coined name AJ/udtiformis, are all mere
local or seasonal variations of Hecabe L. It was the privilege of the writer
to spend many days in Mr. Pryer’s laboratory, and he can testify to the
painstaking care which he has taken to avoid error in his deductions.
The most surprising result of breeding is, however, one which is not alluded’ —
to in Part I. of the RHopaALOCERA NIHONICA, since it was only definitely
confirmed during the past summer, viz., the discovery that Zerzas
Bethesba of Janson is a dimorphic form of Zerias Laeta of Boisduyal.
The entire difference in form of the two has naturally led students unhesi-
tatingly to accept them as widely different species. Careful breeding oo
established their practical identity.
As the first attempt at a comprehensive and accurate survey of a part
of the beautiful insect fauna of ‘‘ Dai-Nippon,” the new work will no
doubt be hailed with pleasure by all entomologists who raise their eyes
beyond the narrow confines of their own immediate neighborhoods, and, |
seek to ascertain the truth as to the whole of Nature.
W. J. Hottanp, Pittsburgh, Pa.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 79
CORRESPONDENCE.
CALLIMORPHA.
Ld. Can. Ent.— Dear Sir: In reference to my former note on Ca//?-
morpha, 1 would state that in my ‘ Check List” the white forms were
' referred to Lecontei as varieties. I was totally unacquainted with what
may be a more Northern form, viz., confusa Lyman. Mr. Lyman’s ex-
cellent plate and paper must be commended, but I must zws7s¢t that neither
Mr. Lyman (nor Mr. Smith for that matter) have done more than separ-
ate the forms in the perfect state ; and in this Mr. Lyman seems to have
shown great tact and is the more correct, having made no fresh synonyms.
The yellow species commence the series in my Check List, in which ves-
talis and fulvicosta are distinguished as different forms or varieties, and I
have only to add to my former communication respecting the interchange
of yellow and white in this Subfamily, that it notoriously occurs in the
sexes of Leucarctia acraea. ‘The American species of Cadlimorpha are
probably not long separated from an original type—they form to-day a
pro-genus, like Datana. In such cases where the naturalist attempts to
still further separate the species or races as Mr. Smith has done, the work
of all previous describers should be studied and certainty attained as to
what forms have been already named and what remain without a designa-
tion. In all this work there is nothing really original. When some one
breeds all these forms, as Mr. Edwards does the doubtful Butterflies, there
will be a real scientific addition to our present imperfect knowledge.
A. R. GRore.
——
Dear Sir: Dr. Harris, in his well known work on Injurious Insects,
states that the caterpillars of the Callimorphas conceal themselves in the
day time under leaves and stones. According to my experience, the larvee
of Lecontei and confusa may be found on the food plants at all hours of
the day. About ten or twelve years ago, Zecontei was rather abundant
on certain parts of Montreal Mountain, and I observed quite a number of
the larve, from some of which I reared the moths. I unfortunately
neglected to take a description of the larva, nor did I ascertain what the
food plant was. When the Mountain was opened as a public park, a
carriage drive was cut right through the Zecontec ground, and since that
time it has become very scarce, and I have so far failed to re-discover the
8Q THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
laiva ; however, as I have elsewhere stated, I feel confident that careful
breeding will prove Lecontei, confusa and contigua to be good species. In —
his paper on Callimorpha (Can. ENT., vol. xix., p..237), Mr. Smith is in
error in stating that I “assumed the distinctness of Zeconted and mi/z-
taris.” I gave militaris as a variety of Zecontei and assumed the dis- __
tinctness of Zeconted and confusa, which is a very different thing, and
should have aided rather than misled him. I have found hibernated —
specimens of Lecontei and confusa easy to rear, the latter in confinement
feeding freely on almost any kind of leaf. Might not these hibernating
Arctians be reared by placing them on ice, as Mr. Edwards has done so
successfully with the diurnals ?
F. B. CAULFIELD, Montreal.
.
_ Dear Sir: In reference to Dr. Hagen’s recent notice of Calverley’s
illustrations of Sphingidz, I would say that the plates are neither “un-
known” nor “forgotten,” but simply “unpublished.” References to
their existence may be found in my printed papers. To certain of the
figures I furnished the types. Dr. Hagen makes some remarks as to the
quality of the illustrations. It is perhaps not remarkable that he does not
notice that many figures are copies from Cramer and Drury, and that the
plate of Papilio Calverleyi is the same as published in Proc. Ent. Soc.
Phil., on different paper. Copies of Calverley’s Sphingidae were sent to
a few principal libraries, hence it is not extraordinary that Dr. Hagen
should have found one at Harvard. The work owes its inception perhaps
to the zeal of the late Mr. Stephen Calverley, who was a correspondent
of Doubleday. The names of its two original authors are remembered in
Limenitis Weidemeyerii and Papilio Calverleyi, as well as Detlephila
Calverleyi from Cuba. The text should have been written by myself, as
at one time at least intended, but the plates were finished at such irregular
periods and over so many years (1860 to about 1869) that were
never placed complete in my hands for the purpose.
Av R Grote,
ERRATUM. On page 57 (March No,), line 11 from the bottom, fee ** vol. xix.”
wead ‘*‘ vol, xx.’
Mailed April roth. Delayed by accidental loss of proofs in transmission.
Che Canadian Entomolonet.
VOL. XX. LONDON, MAY, 183838. No. 5
DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF MELITAEAS
BELONGING TO NORTH AMERICA.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
1. M. BRvCcEI.
Mave.—Expands from 1.5 to 1.7 inch. Upper side brown-black,
marked with spots of red and yellow in transverse bands ; there are three
well marked varieties, in one of which red predominates, sometimes almost
to the exclusion of yellow ; in another red and yellow, much as in other
allied species ; on the third much yellow, very little red; in all the spots
are small, so that the black surface is more exposed than in many species*
1. Theredform. ‘The spots dull ; the common marginal row wholly
red, the submarginal row sometimes red on primaries, sometimes red
partly replaced by yellow, and secondaries always red and yellow; the
third row is red and yellow on primaries, red on secondaries, the fourth
row just the reverse of this ; at end of cell on primaries a short red and
yellow band, in the cell four spots, red and yellow alternately, from the
arc, the yellow ones very small ; on secondaries, a red stripe along upper
side of cell, two small yellow spots in cell ; fringes black at ends of the
nervules, yellow in the interspaces.
2. The spots of the second row red and yellow on primaries, yellow
on secondaries, of the third yellow on primaries, red on secondaries ; of
the fourth red and yellow on primaries, yellow on secondaries ; the two
next costa sometimes red on the posterior side ; the yellow spots in cell
of primaries large, and a large yellow patch below cell.
3. Nearly all spots yellow; the marginal red; no other red on
secondaries, or a mere trace of it indicating the spots of the third row,
which are otherwise suppressed ; the submarginal row of primaries repre-
sented by a few scales only, as are also the spots in cell.
On the under side all these forms agree ; primaries dull red, almost
without black ; the marginal spots a deeper red, the next two rows yellow, |
82 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the submarginal obsolete on lower half; a yellow patch subapical on
costa, another outside arc of cell ; the two cellular spots yellow, dusted
red.
Secondaries have all the spots clearly defined; the marginal row red,
the second row of yellow lunules; the third wholly red ; the fourth yel-
low, the spots of upper half elongated and cut unequally by a black line
from costa to lower discoidal nervule ; beyond to base red, with a straight
row of four confluent spots from costa to submedian, and a fifth at besa
of cell.
FEMALE.—Expands 1.7 to 1.8 inch. -
Varies as-the male, but some examples stiil more widely, the yellow
spots being very large. On the under side as in the male, except that.
some examples have the red submarginal spots of secondaries slightly
edged with yellow; in the more yellow upper side examples the yellow
edging to these spots is broader, and even sometimes extends along the
marginal side. :
_ This small Melitaea has long been known in collections, but till re-
cently I myself have seen few of them, and knew nothing of its localities
or habits. Mr. Bruce, who took great numbers of examples, says: af
found it only on bigh mountain tops (in Colorado) ; this was strictly the
rule. These tops are in most cases extensive plains covered with flowers, —
chiefly yellow Composite, and the Melitaeas in question sit on every
blossom in numbers, and are very sluggish—or rather I may say, they sit
and cling tightly to the flowers to prevent the brisk wind, that is generally
blowing at this elevation, from taking them away. Ihave never seen ~
them down the slope lower than a few hundred yards. It is an abundant
species on the Snowy Range at not lower than 12,000 feet, and must
appear early in pron as many of my specimens taken early in daly are
rather worse for wear.’
The species comes also from Montana, Washington Terr., and British
America, in the Rocky Mts.
2. M. TAYLORI.
Male.—Expands from 1.6 to 1.8 inch. |
Upper side brown-black, the costal margin of primaries next bate
dusted yellow; marked with red and clay-yellow spots disposed in trans-
yerse bands ; the hind margins have a common row of red spots, almost
’
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 83
confluent on primaries, and a submarginal row of yellow, usually very
small on primaries ; on same wings a third row of large yellow spots, and
a fourth row red, or sométimes red partly replaced by yellow ; around the
end of cell and to lower median nervule a yellow row, sometimes obsolete
below cell, the remainder appearing to branch from fourth row ; in the
cell four spots, red and yellow alternately from the arc, and a yellow patch
below cell. On secondaries the third row is of large red spots, the fourth
of large yellow ; a red stripe along upper side of cell and at end; two
yellow spots in cell and another below ; fringes blackish at the ends of the
nervules, white in the interspaces.
On under side the spots are repeated, enlarged, nearly concealing the
black ground on both wings ; and on primaries are as distinctly defined
as on secondaries, the red bright; the spots of common marginal row
confluent, of the submarginal large, crescent ; the red spots of third row
on secondaries have each a slight yellow edging except on the posterior
side ; next comes a black line, and a row of narrow red spots entirely
across wing as in Rudbicunda, separated by a black line from the dorsal
row of yellow spots; thence to base red, with four yellow confluent spots
crossing the area from costa to submedian, and a fifth at outer end of cell.
FeMALE.—Expands 2.7 to 1.8 inch.
Like the male on both surfaces. *
The preparatory stages of this species were described by me in Can,
Ent:, vol. xvii., p. 156, 1885, as of 17. Rubicunda, H. Edw., but a better
- acquaintance with both forms makes it certain that they are distinct
species, though closely allied. Zay/or7 is considerably the smaller, more
constant to one type, the spots of under side not light yellow, as in Rudi-
cunda, but either white or white with a mere tint of yellow. Rudicunda
is a very variable species in all its markings.
I have named this Melitaea for the Rev. Geo. W. Taylor, of Victoria,
by whose kind aid very much knowledge has been gained of Vancouver
butterflies. I received larve from Mr. James fletcher, Sept., 1884, sent
him by Mr. Taylor. bis
These were in hibernation, lived through the winter, were fed on
Chelone glabra, the plant of 17. Phaeton, and some of them pupated and
gave butterflies. I related in the paper spoken of that one larva, soon
after waking in spring of 1885, became lethargic, and on 23rd May I
returned it to the ice box. On 6th July, I brought it to my room, but
84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
after two days, as it had eaten nothing, though it had changed its position,
I returned it to the ice box, where it was in good condition on 2oth Aug.
The larva died some weeks later, instead of passing the second winter as
I thought it perhaps might do. Of the extent of territory on the main
land occupied by Zaylori, I am unable to speak.
NOTES ON DANAIS ARCHIPPUS.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
Now that the observations of my young friend, W. D. Marsh, on this
species, have been given in the Can. ENT. (xx., p. 45), I think no reason- —
able person can doubt that it is at least three-brooded in New England, —
and that the late butterflies hibernate there. Very late in the fall of 1887,
Mr. Marsh saw individuals flying, long after severe frosts had been felt, _
and still later, he had butterflies come from pups. These late fliers are
the hibernators. And early in the spring a hibernator had been seen at
Amherst. It seems that Rev. H. W. Parker, when a resident at Am- ;
herst, some years ago, saw a hibernated Archippus, 12th May, 1871, as 3
appears by his notes published in Am. Nat., vol. vi., 115. This mention
had been lost sight of, but has recently been re-discovered by Mr. Scudder,
who called my attention to it. Of course this settles the matter, taken —
together with the observations of Mr. Marsh, as to Archippus hibernating
in Mass.
Mr. Marsh has stated, and it is an original observation on his part, so
far as I know, that a great destruction of Archippus larve takes place in
the fall, owing to the prevalent custom in New England of cutting the
grass a second time. Were it not for that, probably hibernated imagos
would be as abundant in the spring as they are in West Virginia.
I asked Miss Emily L. Morton, residing at Newburgh, N. Y., to make
observations there on Archippus, for Newburgh is in sight of the hills of
New England, and it is not to be supposed that the behavior of any
species of butterfly would be different at Newburgh, in the latitude of
Northern Connecticut, from what it would be inside the bounds of New
England. Miss Morton wrote me that she had taken hibernated Archip- |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 85
pus on 3rd, 4th May (1887), at lilac blossoms, and that at the date of
writing, June 27th, fresh males of the first brood of the imago were flying.
Mr. Marsh says that at Randolph, Vt., far to the north, a fresh male was
seen a week later, on 4th July.
On 16th August, Miss Morton wrote that a new brood of the butterfly
was flying in abundance. Mr. Marsh says that at Randolph, 2 9,1 Z,
perfectly fresh, were taken 11th August.
On 2oth Sept., Miss Morton wrote: “ Fresh examples are emerging
every day now, and there are numbers of them in the clover field.” Mr.
Marsh says: ‘“ From 30th Sept. to 15th Oct., butterflies from pupe bred
from said larvee emerge, and besidés, many pupz were found in the fields
and the imagos came from them.” So running parallel to Miss Morton’s
account.
On gth Oct., Miss Morton again wrote: ‘On 6th and 8th of this
month, we saw numbers of perfectly fresh examples of Archippus. We
caught several, and in some the wings were still quite fresh, showing their
recent advent from chrysalis. On none were there any signs of age.” And
she adds: “These are: doubtless the hibernators.” Mr. Marsh had
imagos out of bred pupz so late as 29th Oct. and 4th Nov.; and saw but-
terflies on the wing on 5th and 13th Oct. The history is identical in New
England and eastern New York.
Years ago I followed up the life history of Archippus carefully in West
Virginia, and in Psyche, vol. 2, p. 169, 1878, and Can, ENT., Xiil., 211,
1882, I showed that the hibernators of this species came out of winter
quarters as early as other hibernating butterflies, and with them gathered
about the first blossoms of the year, which here are on the wild plum and
cherry trees ; that eggs were to be found, and old females were to be seen
ovipositing on milkweeds but just out of ground ; that in a very short time
the old hibernated individuals had totally disappeared, undoubtedly dying
soon after laying their eggs, as is the invariable rule with butterflies ; that
within a month a generation fresh from pupae was flying ; and that so,
certainly three, possibly four, generations of the butterfly followed the
hibernators. In fact, that the habits of Archippus were in no way abnor-
mal, nor was the species so long lived as others where there is but one
brood per year in descent from the hibernators (as for example, in Grapta
Faunus).
I made observations myself here at Coalburgh last season, to some
extent, on this species. I found an egg roth May, on an Asclepias but
86 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
four inches high. On 27th May, I found a pupa mpnging to the outer ride
of a rail, as I crossed the railway to my garden. I then, in the fall,
searched daily for eggs, to see how late they were to be found. On 2nd
Sept., I found 2 eggs; on 4th, 1; on 8th, 1; on roth, 1; on r4th, 1, and |
saw the female lay this egg; on 16th, found 3; on 2oth, 2; on 22nd, r.
I found no eggs later than this. Mr. Marsh found larve up to 3oth Sept.,
though he obtained no eggs apparently later than 5th Aug. But the “ses
to produce his late larvee must have been laid early in September. —
26th and 27th Sept., I had occasion to drive many miles, and ne
numbers of the fresh butterflies flying about the Actinomeris flowers. My —
last imago, from one of the eggs fotind, was 12 days in pupa and came
out 11th Oct. So that the butterflies were coming out of aries ee if
anything, at Amherst than they were at Coalburgh. a
It had been said that no one ever found an 4rchippus egg in New
England, or on very young Asclepias plants, that could have been laid
by an hibernator, though thousands of plants had been searched, at
different localities, by many persons. Negative evidence is no evidence ”
at all in such a case. If one thousand plants 'had failed to produce an
egg, the one thousand and first plant nevertheless might have it. The
hibernated females are very few, as there is every reason to believe, after
hearing of the wholesale destruction over large areas of country of the —
late larve ; and Asclepias plants are exceedingly plenty in the spring, 4
thousands of them to one Archippus egg, no doubt. So that a “person 4
might very possibly look all day and not find an egg. And on the other —
hand, the first plant touched might have an egg on it. That the eggs
are there is sufficiently proven by the resultant butterflies. 1 ee
ON THE NATURE OF SEASONAL DIMORPHISM IN
RHOPALOCERA.
BY T. D, A. COCKERELL, WEST CLIFF, COLORADO, |
In studying the seasonal variation exhibited by various inesies: of
butterflies, I have been struck by the fact, that whereas in most instances ‘
the form emerging in the spring is darker and smaller than the summer —
brood, there are also exceptions to this rule, in which the ican mer
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 87
gence is the lighter. Take, for instance, the genus Pieris. The vernal
broods of P. wapi and P. protodice are distinctly more dusky than those
which have undergone their whole metamorphosis in a single season ; but,
: on the other hand, the spring emergences of P. rape and P. brassice are
| _wont to be pale, and the spring-emerging P. wirginiensis is pale, and as’
| Mr..W. H. Edwards remarks (“ Papilio,” 1881, p. 97), more like the
summer than the winter form of its progenitor P. zapz._ In Japan, it would
_ appear ( “ Entomologist,” 1888, p. 24,) that the vernal form of P. napi
is less dusky than the summer emergence.
_ _.. Hitherto it has been held by the majority of Entomologists that
the darkening of vernal forms was due to the cold to which the pup were
_ subjected during the winter, and this view seemed to receive ample con-
| . firmation when Mr. W. H. Edwards proved experimentally that cold
applied to pupze did produce darkening of the forms.
+» $upposing, then, that cold is the sole cause of the darkness of vernal
broods, why are not @// vernal broods dark, since they have all been
subjected to a greater amount of cold in the pupa-stage than the summer
ones?
It seems to me that this question is unanswerable on the supposition
that duskiness is the simple effect of cold, and I have therefore been led
to seek another explanation of the phenomenon.
- On one occasion, I bred a specimen of the European Geometra
papilionaria Linn., and paid particular attention to the appearance of the
pupa before emergence. I noted that although there could be no doubt
that the vital organs of the body were gradually formed during a consider-
able period before emergence, the wing-pigments did not begin to be
developed until the last few days. First of all the pigment appeared
brown, and only just before emergence did it assume the vivid green
characteristic of the insect. |
Now suppose that G. papilionaria were a species hybernating in the
pupa-state, how would cold effect the formation of the wing-pigment?
Obviously, not at all, since the pigment is not called into existence until a
short time before emergence, that is to say, not until the warm spring sun
has wakened the sleeping pupa into new life.
[have not had the opportunity of making careful observations of a
similar kind with the pupze of Rhopalocera since I began to pay special
attention to the subject, but I think it will generally be accepted as a fact
88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
that the wing-pigments are not formed until a short time before i
In all the cases of which I have recollection this has been so. :
But I imagine that the ratio between the growth of the wing and the a
metabolism of its pigment is not always the same, nor is that between the
wing-formation and the growth of the vital and reproductive organs con-
stant, and herein I believe lies the key to the solution of the problem.
Rapid metabolism produces darkness of colour, while slow change
accompanied by growth gives rise to a larger expanse of wing, on which
the pigment ts paler, lighter, and often more brilliant. |
The vital and reproductive organs of a butterfly will develop sooner
and at a lower temperature than the pigment of the wings ; and hence
in a country where the winters are cold and the summers hot, the hiber-
nating pupz will have reached a nearly full development by the time the
warm weather comes on, except as regards the pigment of the wings.
This will undergo very rapid metabolism to be ready by the time of emer-
gence, and the result will be a dusky and small winged form. On the
other hand, if the spring comes gradually, and the winter is warm, the
wing-pigment will develop more slowly, the wings will have longer to grow, —
and consequently the vernal brood will be paler even than that of the
summer, t
And this is precisely what we find ; Pieris virginiensis is a pale spring
form taking the place of the dark oleracea-hyemalis of the more northern
portion of the continent, while P. rape and P. brassice, which do not
exhibit dusky vernal broods, are natives of Europe, where the winters are
milder and the advent of spring more gradual than in North America, —
It may here be objected, why are not tropical species, whose develop- —
ment is often excessivly rapid, uniformly dusky or black? That they are —
in many cases darker than their representatives in more temperate regions
will I think be admitted, but I would point out that they are not by any
means in the same position as North American vernal forms. The vital
organs must in any case take a certain time for development, which is
always longer than that necessary for the metabolism of the pigment. So_
that in the case of any summer brood, however rapidly developing, the
temperature being high enough to allow the development of the pigment
at the same time as the organs of the body, it has ample time for sufficient —
metabolism— less indeed than in the case of a warm and gradual spring,
but more than in that of a frigid winter and quick coming summer, where
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 89
= emergence must rapidly follow the first wakening to life by the hot rays of
the sun. —
So I believe that sudden warmth after a period of prolonged cold,
and not the cold itself, is the cause of the duskiness of North American
vernal forms of Lepidoptera, and I will not hesitate to advance the same
reason for the darkness of Arctic species, and of Mr. W. H. Edwards’s
_ specimens which he experimentally subjected to cold. I cannot prove
_ anything as yet, but I put forward this theory, which has commended
itself to me, in the hope that your readers, who have had much more ex-
perience in practical entomology than I, may be able to put it to the test,
and either prove its accuracy, or propose some other which may serve
better to explain the facts.
I believe there is a phase of melanism caused by moisture, quite
distinct in its nature from the duskiness dealt with in the present paper,
but I have already dealt with this question elsewhere (‘‘ Entomologist,”
1887, p. 58,) and need only point out the distinction here. It becomes
every day more evident, in dealing with colour-variation. that different
colours do not necessarily denote essentially different pigments, and seem-
ing identical colours may be quite unlike in their composition, though we
at presentdo not know precisely what that is.
CAPTURES MADE WHILE TRAVELLING FROM WINNIPEG
TO VICTORIA; BC.
BY REV. W. J. HOLLAND, PH. D., PITTSBURGH, PA.
It was my privilege ast summer to accompany the expedition sent out
by the National Academy and the U. S. Navy Department to Japan for
the purpose of observing the total eclipse of the sun which took place
upon the 19th of August, 1887. The route selected by our party was the
one just opened to the far East over the Canadian Pacific R. R., and I
was the first passenger booked in Chicago for Yokohama, and my col-
league, Prof. Todd, was the first passenger booked in Boston for the same
port, over the new line, We left Winnipeg on the morning of June 13th,
and were borne westward without any detention until the 15th, when,
90 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
F pes Acre
owing to the fact that the railroad bridge at Duthil had been partially
carried away by a freshet in the Bow River, we were compelled to lie at
Canmore Station for about twenty-four hours. The delay was rather
acceptable to me, as it enabled me to do a little collecting in a region
wholly new to me. We reached Vancouver upon the evening of June
17th, and on the morning of the 19th were courteously permitted by
Captain Marshall, and Captain Webber, the Naval Superintendent of the
Can. Pac. R. R., to go to Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, where the
‘“‘ Abyssinia” took on her coals. Upon the morning of the 2oth, while
the ‘black diamonds ” were being poured into the hold of the great ship,
I took refuge from the dust and discomfort which prevailed on board, and
with the assistance of a couple of Indian lads, spent two hours in collect-
ing specimens a few hundreds of yards from where the ship was tied up
to the shore. My captures consisted exclusively of Coleoptera. I saw a
specimen of Argynnis, and a fine male of Papilio Lurymedon, but neither
came within reach of my net, and after giving chase for a moment, I
reverted to the more profitable task of gathering the beetles, which
appeared to be abundant. The result of my collecting at Canmore and
at Nanaimo is given in the accompanying lists. I am indebted to my
good friends, Dr. John Hamilton of Allegheny, and Dr. Geo. H. Horn.
of Philadelphia, for the determination of the Coleoptera.
Species Collected at Canmore, June 15th, 1887.
LEPIDOPTERA.
1. Papilio zolicaon, Boisd, 1 ex. 9. ChionobasChryxus,
2. Colias var. occidentalis f 1 0 Dbly.-Hew., 1 ex.
3. Thecla Trus, Godt., 4 10. LVisoniades Icelus, Lint., 3 1
4. Lycaena antiacis, Bdl., 13 1 11. Heliothis, sp., 2n"
5: 1 a@amyntula, Bd., 7 » 12. Rheumaptera, sp., Ion
6. Phyciodes Montana, Behr.,1 » 13. Hupithecia, sp., Ion
7. Argynnis Freya, Thnb., 2 » 14. LVephopteryx, sp., In
8. Lrebia Epipsodea, Butl., 1 ex.
COLEOPTFRA.
1. Pterostichus Luczotii, Dej.,1 ex. 4. Acmaeops pratensis, Laich., 3 ex.
2. Trichodes ornatus,Say, 2 1 5. Saperda tridentata, Oliv., 1 »
3. Dichelonycha Backii, 6. Lepyrus gemellus, Kirby, 1 »-
Kirby; 39 eae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 91
At North Bend Station, B. C., after lunch, I succeeded in taking before
the train started four specimens of Cicindela Oregona, Lec.
My search for Lepidoptera and Coleoptera at Canmore was interfered
with by the presence of larger game, and I was so much engrossed by the
chase of a lynx that I neglected my entomological opportunities, as I have
now occasion to regret, inasmuch as the lynx in the end proved missing.
List of Coleoptera taken at Nanaimo, June 20, 1887.
. Notiophilus Sibiricus, Mots., 24.
_
Corymbites fallax, Say, 1 eX.
Tex. 25. " inflatus, Say, Ion
2. Pterostichus lustrans,Lec,1 1 26. Chalcophora angulicollis,
3. Amara fallax, Lec., t''" Lec., 9 0
4. Harpalus rufimanus, Lec.,t 27. Dicerca tenebrosa, Kirby, 1
* ¥i escent dial igs et 28. Buprestis aurulenta ( lauta)
ee ap Teac Lec., 33 0
6. Silpha Lapponica, Hbst.,1 » 29. Melanophila longipes, Say,
7. Coccinella abbot | a ee Io "
8. Anatis Rathvoni, Lec., 1 1" — 30. " Drummondi,
9. Psyllobora taedata, Lec., 3 "1 Kirby, 18 «
10. Scymnus Phelpsiit,Crotch,1 1 31. Chrysophana placida, Lec.,
Trogosita virescens, Fab., 24
. Peltis Pippingskoeld,
Mann., 3
. Adelocera profusa, Cand., 1
I
. Podabrus piniphilus,
Esch., 2
. Lelephorus Curtisit, Kirby,
14. Alaus melanops, Lec., a ede Fe " divisus, Lec., 1 1
15. Cardiophorus tenebrosus, 35. Clerus sphegeus, Fab., 7 OW
Eee.,t «36. £¢ilinus dasatts 2; Lec., 1%
16. Elater apicatus, Say, Iu 37. Ceruchus striatus, Lec., 2 «
17. wu var. phoentcopterus, 38. Asemum atrum, Esch. 3 «
Germ.,1 " 39. Zetropium velutinum, Lec.,2 1
18. Agriotes Thevenetiz, Horn,1 1 40. Xylotrechus undulatus, Say,
19. Dolopius lateralis, Esch.,2 1 41. Rhagium lineatum, Oliv., 1 1
20. Melanotus fissilis, Say, 1 1 42. Leptura obliterata, Hald.,1 1
21. Limonius Californicus, 43- " chrysocoma, Kirby,1 1
Mann., 1 "= 44. u scripta (var. @)
22. Athous vittiger, Lec., Ion Lec,, 2 0
23. u n.sp.(fideDr,Horn)1 « 45. Syneta albida, Lec., Tou
92: . THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
46. Haltica bimarginata,Say,23 ex. 53. Anaspis atra, Lec., —~ 8 ex.
47. Phellopsis porcata, Lec, 1 " 54. v PPE, SOV 3 1 oe
48. Eleodes cordata, Esch, 7 " 55. LEMME campanulatus,
49. [phthimus serratus, Mann.,5 1 Lec.y 1
50. Platydema Oregonense, 56. Rhynchites bicolor, Fab., 3
Lec., 4" 57. Amnesia granicollis, Lec.,1 1
51. Helops pernitens, Lec., 1 1 58. Sciopithes obscurus, Horn, 1 1
52. Cistela variabilis (var. c) 59. Dorytomus luridus, Mann, 2
_Horn,1 1 60. Orchestes canus, Horn, 1
While lying in the harbor of Victoria for a few hours, during which I
did not have the privilege of going ashore to collect, I climbed to the
main-top of the steamer, and while sitting at the cross-trees a specimen
of Pachyta liturata, Kirby, came flying toward me and settled onmy arm, 7
It was promptly captured and tied in a corner of my handkerchief, and is
now embodied in my collection. Numerous specimens of Melanophila
Jongipes also came on board and sought refuge in the seams between the
planking of the deck. I caught a dozen or more, and for two days after-
wards, when fully six hundred miles off the coast, a stray specimen would
now and then turn up upon the spray-swept deck of the vessel.
The success which attended my efforts to collect at Nanaimo reveals . 4 |
the richness of the locality. I was absent from the steamer about two
hours, from 7.30 a.m. until a little before ro a.m. My collecting was all
done in a little clearing made by an Indian for the purpose of planting a
few rows of beans and potatoes. The area covered did not exceed 75
yards square. The sun was shining brightly, and about the trunks of the
freshly fallen fir trees and under their bark the Buprestide and Elateridze
were particularly abundant. It was with pleasure that I recognized Zro-
gosita virescens in this high northern latitude, as heretofore it has been
represented in my collection mainly by specimens from Florida. Most of
the specimens have dark blue elytra, but a few have the typical green. I
trust at some future day to be able to explore patiently and thoroughly
the length and breadth of Vancouver Island and the coast of British
Columbia lying to the East and North. |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 93
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA, Parr 4.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from vol. xx., page 74.)
8. Brachynemurus Carrizonus Hag., n. sp.
Yellow with black lines ; face yellow, above with a transversal narrow
black band, separated by a yellow crescent from the antenne, and by a
narrow yellow line between the antennz from the vertex ; a faint median
black line goes from the black band nearly to the clypeus ; labrum. yel-
low ; palpi short, pale yellowish, maxillary with apical joint, cylindrical,
black except on tip, the two preceding joints with a brownish mark in the
middle ; labials a little longer, apical joint hirsute, black shining except on
base, fusiform, thickened, the apical third thin, pointed; on the inflated
part an ocelius like spot. Antenne not fully as long as head and pro-
thorax, strong, clavate, black, faintly annulated, the two basal joints
shining brown below, yellow above, club luteous; antenne of female
shorter, club broader; vertex elevated, rounded, yellow, before a yellow
transversal band ; above two black transversal bands, the last one dilated
behind on each side of the middle to a larger triangular or square spot ;
one specimen with the anterior band interrupted in the middle. Prothorax
little longer than broad, rounded before, yellow with four black longitu-
dinal bands, the internals approximate ; space between the externals with
a yellow band, or divided in two elongate spots ; the two externals some-
times broader near the head, and a little divergent ; one specimen has the
externals reaching only the transversal furrow. Mesothorax black, with
two anterior yellow dots and some near the wings, two yellow angular
bands divided from behind on the disk ; the hind part yellow with two
black approximate anterior spots ; metathorax similar but the yellow pre-
dominant ; sides of thorax black with yellow marks.
Abdomen slender, of male longer than wings, very finely clothed with
white hairs, black, the two basal segments above yellow with a broad
black median band, the following similar, but the black band broader ;
the last four segments black ; appendages pale with long black hairs, as
long as the last segment, slender, a little incurved ; the last segment below
at the end with numerous long black hairs ; it can not be ascertained if
among the hairs is a triangular plate ; abdomen of female a little shorter
94. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
than the wings, the yellow lateral marks on all segments ; genitals yellow,
superiors split with two transversal rows of strong black spines ; below
two very small cylindrical appendages.
Legs short, yellowish, strongly sprinkled with black and with black
hairs, tip of tibia, of third and apical joint of tarsus black, fourth entirely
black ; spurs brown, incurved, as long as the two basal joints.
Wings hyaline, pterostigma small, yellowish white, interiorly a dark
dot ; only the last costals before it forked ; venation dark, largely inter- — a
rupted with white ; along the mediana and submediana the costals marked
with dark, also the base of the small forks on the apical and hind peti
of the front wings.
Length of body, male 35 m.m.; female 25 m.m.; exp. al., 45 to 50
m.m.
Habit., Carrizo Springs, Dimmit Co., Texas, just on the border of
Mexico ; two males, three females.
It has the appearance of a smaller form of B. pereevie A ieee
male, length 38 m.m., exp. al. 60 m.m., is apparently just transformed,
with the colors not yet finished, from Tusco, Arizona. I can not Separate
it from the Texan species.
9. Brachynemurus Sackeni Hag., n. sp.
Yellow, variegated with black; face yellow, with two oblique ovoid
black spots near the antennz ; labrum yellow ; palpi brownish, maxillary
with the last joint cylindrical ; labials little longer, last joint fusiform and
black on the basal half, with a few hairs ; antennz longer than head and
thorax, black, faintly annulated, clavate, more luteous on tip, below dull,
the two basal joints brown shining ; vertex elevated, rounded, black with
whitish hairs in front ; yellow with two lacerated black spots on top, which
unite anteriorly, surrounding a median heart-shaped yellow spot, two yel-
low dots behind it, sending to occiput on each side a fine black line; a
black dot near each eye. Prothorax as long as broad, yellow, with two 4
black median lines, separated by a fine yellow line, which is enlarged
behind ; on each side a black interrupted line, and a similar one shortly
before the side margin, which is clothed with white hairs ; below a black
band near the side margin ; mesothorax blackish-fuscous, on each side a
yellow maculose band, and some dots ; besides three small black shining
dots on each side; the posterior middle part bright yellow, with three 4
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 95
ete.
black dots behind, and two in the anterior corner similar to the ocellus-
like spots of J/. conspersa ; metathorax yellow, divided by black cross
lines ; sides largely black ; thorax between the wings and legs black with
many yellow spots and stripes. Abdomen of male slender, longer than
wings, densely clothed with long black villosity ; black, each segment with a
large yellow spot in middle, a yellow band at the apex, and a yellow band,
except on the three last segments, on base ; appendages, long 4 m.m., full
as long as the two last segments, thin, cylindrical, a little incurved, clothed
with long black hairs; between and below a short pyramidal tubercle
with longer hairs. Abdomen of female similar, as long as the wings ;
genitals with a row of black spines, appendages brownish.
Legs very slender, short, pale, hairy, sprinkled with black, femur and
tibia with a more or less distinct black ring at base and before tip; tibia
with the three last joints black at tip, fourth nearly entirely black ; spurs
brown, as long as first joint.
Wings slightly fumose ; pterostigma whitish after a darker spot ; only
few of the costals forked before it ; venation black, largely interrupted
with pale ; some transversals near the mediana and submediana, and the
small forks near tip and hind margin more or less fumose ; hind wings
less marked ; venation and hind margin villous.
Length of body, male 35 m.m.; female 25 m.m. Exp, al. 4o to 50
m.m, | ;
Habit.—Texas, Dallas, Boll, and Waco by Belfrage, May 3 to 7 ; June
10. California, San Francisco, O. Sacken and Austin; Tucson, Arizona.
Seven males and two females.
Two females from Colorado, sub-alpine, July, length 35 m.m.; exp. al.
58, can not be separated from the males, except the larger size; the
description agrees fully, the legs and wings are stronger marked; the
abdomen is as long as the wings, the genitals with a row of strong black
spines, the small appendages yellow. The greatest breadth of the wings
is 9 m.m. where it is of the males only 6 m.m.
10. Brachynemurus longipalpis Hag., n. sp.
Pale yellow, marked with black ; face very pale yellowish, with a small
black median spot above ; sometimes between the eyes and the base of
the antennz a faint black stripe and another one on the inner side of the
base of the antenne ; labrum pale yellow ; maxillary palpi pale, of com-
96 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
mon size and shape; the apical joint longer than the others, cylindrical,
tip a little pointed, light brown ; labial palpi of unusual length, longer
than the head, about 3 m.m.; second joint about thrice the length of the
last maxillary joint, much stronger, hairy, a little incurved, suddenly thick-
ened above just before tip, where it is brownish ; last joint as long as the
second, strongly clavate before the short, fine, cylindrical tip, hairy, yel-
lowish inside, externally brown, blackish on the club. Antenne nearly
as long as head and thorax, strong, thicker to tip, fuscous, annulated with
yellowish, the two basal joints and basal half of antenna below yellowish ;
vertex elevated, pale yellow, on top a transversal black line interrupted in
the middle, where is a black spot, and a second transversal line formed by
four black spots, besides some black dots near the occiput. Prothorax a
little longer than broad, narrowed before and rounded ; pale with whitish
villosity ; two fuscous longitudinal bands, approximate and reaching the
front margin; on each side, more distant, a fuscous band, ending in the
transversal furrow with a black spot ; below along the side margin a black
stripe ; mesothorax pale yellow with short black bands, forming three’
forks, open behind, and a similar on the hind middle part ; metathorax
with a black cross; sides of the thorax yellow, with a black maculose
longitudinal band. Abdomen of male considerably longer than the wings,
slender, with whitish villosity, intermixed with brown. hairs on the apical
half, fuscous below, above with a broad yellow band, divided by a fuscous
line on the segments 1 to 4; a yellowish median line on the three last
segments, and some lateral marks ; appendages very short, cylindrical,
going downwards, a little divergent, yellow with a black stripe above,
strongly clothed with black hairs. I can not find below them any middle
part or plate. Abdomen of female as long as the wings, blackish-fuscous,
with two yellow dorsal bands from the third segment to apex ; genitals
light brown with a row of strong black spines ; below two short cylindri-
cal appendages with long black hairs. Legs short, pale yellow, moderately
sprinkled with black, with strong black spines and on the interior of the
anterior femora with white spines ; tibia with a fine black ring near the
base ; tip of tibia and all joints of tarsi black ; spurs brown, strong, as
long or a little longer than the two basal joints. Wings hyaline, ptero-
stigma white after a brown spot; costals simple, a few forked before the
pterostigma ; veins fuscous interrupted with pale, near the submediana
fumose, forming a more or less visible longitudinal dark line ; near the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 97
_ hind margin and along the gradate veins parallel to tip slightly fumose ;
_ venation and hind margin villous ; hind wings hyaline. ©
Two females from Nevada have more variegated front wings ; nearly
all the oblique veins below the submediana, the forks along the hind bor-
der are more infumate, which makes the wing look strange ; the femurs of
hind legs fuscous.
Length of body, male 38 m.m.; female 26 m.m.; exp. al. 48 to 52 m.m.
Hab., California, Cap San Lucas, by Xanthus de Vesey ; Humboldt
Station, Nevada, July 29, by O. Sacken. Of the 9 specimens before me,
7 are from California (one female), all alike ; the two females from Nevada
are stronger colored, but otherwise not different. The great ee of
labial palpi is a character not to be found in another species.
a
e
=
NOTES ON LYCAENA PIASUS, Botsp.
3 BY W. G. WRIGHT, SAN BERNARDINO, CAL.
__ This is in California the first butterfly to emerge in the spring, appear-
ing in February, though it is the accepted representative of the Eastern
LVeglecta, which is not the first toappearthere. asus is double brooded ;
the second brood coming in the latter part of April, and between it and
the first brood a few days intervene when no /vasus are seen. Both
‘broods are very fond of water, being always found on damp sands of wet
places, and at the brookside crossings. ‘They are also often seen feeding
on willow blossoms. A large series gives a uniform expanse of 1.1 inch.
I can detect no difference in the markings or size of the two broods.
The larval food-plant of Pzasus is the buds of Adenostoma fasci-
tulatum, an anomalous genus which has no representative, even approxi-
mate, in the Eastern States. The Spanish name is ‘ chamiso,” which is
Anglicized into ‘‘ chemise.” It is a heath-like plant, 4 to 6 feet high, re-
sembling a juniper bush more than any other Eastern plant. Every part
of it is brittle, dry, and rather resinous, burning freely when quite fresh
and green. ‘The leaves are very small, round like pine needles, and ever-
green ; they grow all along the stems in little bunches or “ fascicles,”
whence the specific name. ‘The flowers are minute, profuse, in dense
terminal racemes on the tips of the twigs, white, scarcely or not at all
fragrant, though forming one of the chief sources of honey in the country,
ae,
ae «
98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
and it is notable that while the plant is abundant and flowers so profusely
as to whiten the landscape, the seeds have never been found. It grows.
upon the dry hillsides and covers uncounted square miles of waste land.
This plant, growing at a distance from the usual haunts of Piasus, is
that’ butterfly’s food plant. While the flower buds are as yet but in their
merest infancy, the female Pzasus of the first brood deposits her eggs,
singly, on the bud and between it and the stem. The female of the
second brood finds the flowers in blossom. The egg is white, round,
‘flattened, with a depressed point in the center, like other Lycaena eggs.
While Adenostoma is entirely foreign to any plant in the Atlantic
States or Europe, it is placed by botanists in the Order Rosacea, and
among eastern plants those nearest it are: A/chemil/a, *‘lady’s mantle ;”
Agrimona, “agrimona,” and foterium, ‘burnet,” though all of these are
very unlike in appearance to Adenostoma. It is possible that the buds ©
or the immature seeds of other Rosaceous plants might feed Piasus larve,
as cherry, plum, strawberry, etc.
CORRESPONDENCE.
os
WIND-VISITING MOTHS.
Dear Sir: I have given in the CaNnapDIAN ENTOMOLOGIST a pre-
liminary list of those moths which do not breed continuously in our
North American Territory, as defined by Leconte. It has been my
theory, stated in numerous papers within the past fifteen or twenty years,
that a number of species of moths, found as moths within our limits, are
wind visitors. I have been at some pains to point out that the Cotton
Worm Moth is, so far as the Central Cotton Belt is concerned and the
territory north of this, only a summer breeder, and that it is winter-killed
over the larger portion of our continent over which it flies. I ascertained,
while in the employ of the Agricultural Department, that, on the coast of
Georgia, the earlier or later appearance of the Cotton Worm depended,
at least in some seasons, upon the average direction and force of the
wind. No continued observations could be taken, but as the general
course of the wind is from south to north during the summer, what I
heard agreed with my previously published conclusions. My theory as.
to the Cotton Worm has been ingeniously covered up in his Reports by
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99
_ Prof. Riley, but I refer to my statements in print and to the fact that the
line of continuous breeding is yet unfixed, while it is the primary object
to be ascertained by practical entomologists. On page 56 of this volume,
Mr. Smith “dissents from the idea” that certain Sphingide or Hawk
Moths determined from our territory by Mr. Edwards should be taken
into our fauna in papers on our fauna. He demands that the right
should be made clear by ascertaining that the insect breeds within our
territory. I agree with Mr. Edwards that we should take all species
found within our territory into our lists and treat them as belonging to
our southern fauna, until it is proved that they do not breed with us;
and ¢hen with the remark that they do not breed, but are merely wind-
visitors as moths. How can we pass over such a fact, as their being
found with us, in silence? Again, seeing the large extent both of our
territory and of our ignorance of the conditions under which our moths
live, how can we pronounce whether or no these moths may not be
summer breeders, or occasional breeders? Who knows that PAzlampelus
typhon does not breed seasonally in Arizona? Mexican moths are
probably more often found in Texas than we have yet any idea; and
Cuban in Florida. Mr. Roland Thaxter has bred the Spanish moth,
ELuthisanotia timais in Florida. This is quite a pronounced tropical
form. The moth in numbers is beaten by the wind into the light-houses
on the coast at least as far north as New Jersey, probably much higher
up. We must keep a busy record of the habits of these moths to under-
stand their geographical distribution and their habits. Any ignoring of
them in monographic works will tell against the completeness of such
works, while the moths, unhindered by the defects in our literature, will
wing their way northward and become at least adopted citizens of our
domains every summer. As to the Hawk Moths, the Blue and Green
Hawk (/abrusce) has been taken in Missouri and in New Jersey.
Tropical species of the Owlet Moths allied to Hrebus odora have been
taken so far north as Wisconsin, coming up the valley of the Mississippi.
I refer the student to my general paper on the Geographical Distribution
of our Moths in these pages, and I earnestly hope that all our wind-
visitors will be catalogued, described and put on record, since it seems
to me we can get no complete picture of our fauna without them. The
limit of their continuous breeding must be ascertained, as also of their
summer migrations. Do not our ornithologists take into their works and
100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
distinguish between continuous residents, summer breeders, and birds of
passage? These moths are our birds. The ornithologists have already
a trinomial nomenclature, which we may come to use in time. After
awhile the most self-important classificator will come to appreciate the
fact, that the laws of Nature are of general application, and that the value
of Natural Science is tested by its ability to broaden our views and widen
our understanding. It is clear we must compare our results with those
reached in other branches of Natural Science.
A. R. Grote, Bremen, Germany.
A RARE MOTH.
Dear Sir: Parmit me, in the pages of your valuable journal, to
record the capture here of an interesting moth,—the rare and beautiful
Hlepialus auratus, Grote. ‘Towards the close of last July, while strolling
through a cool shady ravine at Lancaster, near this city, 1 came upon my
treasure resting upon the leaf of a wild gooseberry bush that grew on a
knoll, surrounded by as rich a growth of vegetation as nature can well
produce in this latitude. . As it hung to the leaf with its wings steeply
closed over its back, and the tip of its long body elevated, it was a very
difficult object to detect ; and in the deep shade in which it occurred,
greatly resembled a yellow, partially dead, leaf. The well known larve
of Grapta progne, which feed on this plant, derive perhaps some pro-
tection from a similar coloring. May not this circumstance indicate the
gooseberry as the food-plant of the golden Aepialus? The type
specimen of this species was taken by the late Mr. W. W. Hill in the
Adirondacks, July, 1877, and was described by Mr. Grote in the Can.
Ent., vol. x., page 18. As I find no reference to the capture of another
example, I presume the present to be its second recorded occurrence.
E. P. VanDuzer, Buffalo, N. Y.
CELIPTERA BIFASCIATA, BATES.
Dear Sir: Mr. John B, Smith has compared my types of Celipters
bifasciata, described as a new species in the Can. EntT., May, 1886,
page 94, and informs me that it is evidently identical with Phurys
vinculum, Guen.
J. Etwyn Bares.
Mailed May 2nd.
Che Canadian Entomalomet.
Wor BOO: LONDON, JUNE, 1888. No. 6
DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW NORTH AMERICAN
: CHALCIDID/:.
——
BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
os
Sub-family ENTEDONINA.
Astichus Forster.
(1) Astichus arizonensis n. sp.
&. Length .o4 inch. Steel blue, finely scaly, with a slight metallic
tinge on thorax ; the knees and tarsi white. Antenne dark blue, the
funicle joints ied, pedunculated, with whorls of very long hairs.
Wings hyaline ; veins pale, the marginal vein very long.
Hab.—Arizona.
: Flolcopelte Forster.
{2) Holcopelte missouriensis n. sp.
2. Length .og inch. Rather robust. Vertex of head, thorax and
metathorax cupreous ; face, thorax beneath and at sides, and the abdo-
men all blue. The scape of the antenne, excepting at tip, and all the
legs, excluding the blue coxe, waxy white ; flagellum blue-black, pilose.
The head is punctate, thorax and scutellum scaly, the latter longer than
wide with a median groove ; metathorax with two delicate parallel keels.
Abdomen petiolate, truncately rounded at apex, the second segment
occupying most of its surface. Wings hyaline; veins pale brown.
Hab.—Missouri.
(3) Holcopelte Popenoei nv. sp.
9. Length .og inch. All of the head, the thorax, mesopleura and
coxee bright cupreous, Head and thorax punctate ; scutellum delicately
scaly with a median groove. The scape of antennz, excepting at tip,
and legs yellowish white; flagellum cupreous. Abdomen as in &.
102 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
missouriensis, blue-black, with a slight zneous tinge near the base, in
certain lights. Wings hyaline ; veins pale.
Hab.—Kansas. Prof. E. A. Popenoe.
Both of the above species seem to approach quite closely to Z.
albipes Prov. :
(4) Holcopelte floridana n. sp.
2. Length .o8 inch. All black, shining, excepting a slight eneous
tinge on thorax. The trochanters, apices of femora, all tibize and tarsi,
white. The head.and thorax very delicately punctate ; scutellum smooth —
with a median groove. Abdomen petiolate, pointed ovate, the second
segment occupying most of its surface, the following segments short, but
all distinctly visible. Wings hyaline ; veins brown.
Hab.—Florida.
(5) Holcopelte microgaster n. sp.
g. Length.os inch. Blue-black, smooth. Scape of antennz, cox
and metathorax, distinctly blue. Funicie eneous. The femora, except-
ing tips, blue; tibiz and tarsi white, ine former with a brown blotch.
Wings hyaline ; veins yellow.
Hab.— Missouri.
Reared from a Microgaster cocoon.
Lleurotropis Forster.
(6) Pleurotropis leucopus n. sp.
2. Length .o6 inch. Robust, coarsely scaly. Dark blue, eiverdies
a slight metallic tinge on the thorax ; the apical tips of tibize and all tarsi
white. Metathorax short, with delicate keels. Abdomen broadly oval,
the petiole very short, second and third abdominal segments nearly equal,
the following segments shorter. Wings hyaline; veins pale yellowish,
postmarginal vein wanting.
Hab.—Florida.
FEintedon Dalman.
(7) &ntedon albitarsis n. sp.
at. 9. Length .o6 to.o8 inch. Head, antenne and thorax, blue-
black, vertex of head and mesothorax, zneous, distinctly scaly. Abdo-
men of fernale pointed ovate, in male linear ; it, as well as the legs steel
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103
blue ; tips of tibize and tarsi yellowish-white. Wings hyaline ; veins pale
brown,
Hab.— Virginia.
(8) L£ntedon arizonensis n. sp.
2. Length.1o inch. Head, antenne and thorax, fiery cupreous.
Head nearly smooth, vertex narrow ; thorax and scutellum very coarsely
scaly. Abdomen ovate, black, very highly polished, the second segment
occupying nearly the whole surface. Legs blue-black, the anterior and
middle pairs with metallic tingings, the posterior pair all cupreous,
Wings hyaline ; veins dark brown.
Hab,—Arizona.
(9) Lxtedou columbiana n. sp.
2. Length .o7 inch. This species is very close to £. albitarsis,
and may prove to be nothing but a variety of that species. It differs,
however, in being much more robust, more coarsely punctate and in
having the trochanters, extreme tips of femora, all white, as well as the
tarsi, characters that will readily separate the species.
Hab.— District of Columbia.
Asecodes Forster.
(10) Asecodes albitarsis n. sp.
®. Length .o8 inch. Blue-black, smooth, shining. Head and
thorax with a decided lrassy tinge. Scutellum smooth, metallic green.
Antenne (?) seven-jointed, scape blue, flagellum metallic green, pilose.
Legs, excepting the three basal joints of tarsi which are white, all blue
or black. Wings hyaline; veins brown, the postmarginal vein is slightly
developed.
Hab.—(?)
Omphale Haliday.
(11) Omphate bicinctus n. sp.
q. Length .og inch. Stout, robust, cyaneous, delicately ripple
marked. Head large, broader than the thorax. Eyes very large, brown.
Antenne inserted low down on the face ; scape slender, yellow, excepting
a dusky streak above near the apex ; joints of flagellum black, with long
hairs. Legs, excepting coxz and femora which are black, all yellow.
Abdomen pointed ovate, slightly longer than the thorax, the second
104 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
segment the longest, but extending vignette to half the length oh the ee
abdomen ; sides with some long hairs. Wings hyaline, with two trans
verse brown bands across the disk; veins pale brownish, the post- —
marginal vein longer than the stigmal. ae ne
Hab.—Florida.
Closterocerus Westwood.
(12) Closterocerus cinctipennis Nn. sp.
g. Length .o4 inch. Head, pleura, sternum, metathorax and a
abdomen blue ; collar, mesothorax and scutellum golden green, strongly ;
punctate. Head emarginate in front and consequently very thin antero-
posteriorly. Antenne brown-black, hairy. Legs brown, trochanters,
tips of tibize and tarsi pale or whitish. Wings hyaline, fringed with
long hairs, forewings with a brown band extending across the aie
region and another at the apical margin. | , hes
Hab.—U. S.
Sub-family TETRASTICHINA.
Anozus Forster.
(13) Anozus siphonophore n. sp.
?. Length .o4 inch. Black, smooth, shining, impunctured. Head ~
transverse, very thin antero-posteriorly, front deeply emarginated.
Antenne black, (broken). Thorax transverse, collar not visible from
above ; mesothorax broader than long, parapsidal furrows, deep ;
. scutellum large, smooth, convex, without grooves, broad at base, the
scapule being very minute; metathorax short; pleura blue-black.
Abdomen sessile ovate, yellowish at base. All coxe black ; trochanters,
tips of femora and tibize, and all tarsi, yellowish. Wings hyaline ; veins
pale brown, the marginal vein is very thick and about as long as the
submarginal, the stigmal and postmarginal veins not developed, wanting.
Described from one specimen reared from an Aphis, siphonophera as
Euderus Haliday.
(14) Luderus columbiana n. sp.
@. Length.ro inch. Dull brown, or bronzy green, its whole sur-
face including the abdomen strongly confluently punctate. Head trans-
verse, not wider than the posterior part of mesothorax and with only ie
slight antennal groove in front, Antenne about as long as the thorax, —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. : 105
eight jointed ; scape slender, yellowish brown; flagellum dark’ brown,
_ about twice as long as the scape, pubescent, the pedicel shorter than the
_ first funicle joint, the latter joint the longest, about twice as long as wide,
the following joints being not much longer than wide, sub-moniliform.
Thorax: collar transverse, rounded before ; mesothorax with parapsidal
grooves well defined; scutellum longer than wide, without grooves,
_ founded behind, sides parallel. Abdomen conic ovate, cylindric, one-
__ third longer than head and thorax together, the segments of nearly equal
length. Legs dark brown, trochanters, knees, fore and middle tibiz, and
‘all the tarsi honey-yellow, hind tibize dusky in the middle. Wings
hyaline, fringed with short ciliz; the veins brown, the marginal is twice
the length of the submarginal, the stigmal short, while the Jie ee
a) is wanting.
- Hab. —Florida and District of Columbia.
By aay | Hyperteles Forster.
3 (15) Minas hylotome n. sp.
2. Length .o8 inch. Dark blue, with a faint metallic lustre on
thorax. Antenne eight-jointed, brown, pubescent, scape brownish-
yellow, the joints of the flagellum are about twice as long as thick. Collar
transverse, rounded before ; mesothorax with a median groove ; scutellum
with two parallel grooves ; metathorax with three keels. Abdomen oval-
rotund. Legs pale brownish-yellow, excepting the femora, which are blue
for two-thirds their length ; tarsi pale. Wings hyaline, pubescent, veins ©
pale brown, the marginal vein about twice the length of the submarginal,
stigmal vein longer than usual, postmarginal wanting.
Hab.—Canada.
Described from three specimens sent to me by Mr. W. Hague Har-
rington, who reared them from the eggs of a saw-fly. AGING nhs
dae - Aprostocetus Westwood.
(16) Aprostocetus granulatus 0. sp.
2. Length .o7 inch. Black, with a coarse, scaly punctation.
Antenne, including scape, brown, pubescent. Thorax ovoid, the parap-.
sides distinct, the collar very short, rounded before, the scutellum longer
than wide with two grooves on its disk. The abdomen is pointed ovate,
longer than head and thorax together, depressed above, rounded below,
with an exserted ovipositor, nearly half its length. Legs dark honey-
106 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
yellow, femora and the tibize at base brownish. Wings hyaline, pubes-
cent and ciliated, the pubescence brown, the venation as in Zetrastichus.
Hab.—Florida. age
Described from one specimen.
(17) Aprostocetus canadensis n. sp.
2. Length to tip of ovipositor .o8 inch; ovipositor .o2z inch. Dark
blue, with a slight eeneous tinge on the thorax. Head emarginated in
front, and very thin antero-posteriorly. Eyes brown. Antenne short,
eight-jointed, brown, pilose. Collar short, transverse, rounded before ;
mesothorax with distinct, deep parapsidal grooves and a median groove.
Abomen linear not quite twice as long as the thorax, concave above,
keeled below, the ovipositor being not quite two-thirds as long as the a
abdomen. Legs honey-yellow, the femora, excepting at tips, blue; the
tibize with a brown blotch in the middle, more distinct on the posterior _
pair ; apical tarsal joints brownish. Wings hyaline, almost devoid of
pubescence ; the venation as in the genus Zetrastichus. 3
Hab.—Canada.
Described from two specimens sent me by Mr, W. Hague Harrington,
who reared them from the thistle (?) cecidomyia, along with So/enotus
Fletcheri, on which it may be a secondary parasite and from which it is
with difficulty distinguised. So/enotus, however, has a larger collar and
very broad, thick fore femora and tibiz.
(18) <Aprostocetus americanus N. sp.
%. Length to tip of ovipositor .og inch; length of ovipositor alone
.03 inch. Smooth, shining black. Head emarginated in front and very —
thin antero-posteriorly. Antenne eight-jointed, brown, the club wider
than the funicle joints. Thorax: collar very short, transverse ; parapsidal —
grooves deep, distinct and no median groove on the mesonotum. Scu-
tellum convex, slightly longer than wide, with two parallel grooves on the
disk. Abdomen sessile, long, linear, without the ovipositor about twice @
as long as the head and thorax together, very slightly widened just before _
apex and from thence acuminate and ending in a long ovipositor two-
thirds its length, above depressed, below keeled with a few long hairs
surrounding apex. Legs honey-yellow, the femora, excepting at tips, —
brown, the terminal joints of anterior and middle tarsi and the two —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 107
terminal joints of posterior tarsi, brown. Wings hyaline, with short
ciliz ; venation as in Zétrastichus.
- Hab.—U. S.
Sub-family TRICHOGRAMMINZ.
Trichogramma Westwood.
(19) Trichogramma acuminatum n. sp.
Female, length .o3 ; male,.oz inch. Honey-yellow; eyes purplish-
brown ; legs pale or white. The abdomen in the female is acuminate-
_ ovate, about twice as long as the head and thorax combined, with a
_ lateral and a ventral row of five or six brown spots. In the male the
abdomen is obtuse behind, not longer than the head and thorax com-
bined. Antennz pilose. The wings are strongly ciliate, the fore pair
broadly rounded with a dusky blotch beneath the stigma, the hind pair
__ rather narrowed and pointed at apex.
| Described from two female and one male specimens, reared from a
corn-leaf, and probably parasitic on the eggs of some leaf miner.
(20) Trichogramma nigrum.
Female. Length .o2 inch. Robust, black, polished. Antenne
short, stout, brown. Legs entirely white. The scutellum is rather high
testaceous, the extreme tip white. The abdomen is sessile ovate, not
longer than the head and thorax, its dorsum somewhat flat. Wings
hyaline, as in Z: acuminatum without, however, the small blotch beneath
the stigma ; veins brownish ; tegulee white.
Described from two specimens.
(21) Zrichogramma ceresarum N. sp.
Female. Length nearly .o4 inch. Reddish-yellow, rather slender.
Eyes brown. Abdomen and posterior femora fuscous, the fore and
middle femora pale brown; tibiz and tarsi pale The thorax is trian-
gular in front; the abdomen not longer than the thorax but wider.
Wings hyaline. as in Z: zigrum, but with very strong violet reflections.
Described from two specimens reared from the eggs of the Membracid
Ceresa bubulus Say.
108 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
PREPARATORY STAGES OF CATOCALA PALASOGAMA, Guen.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Egg.—Diameter .o4 inch, low conoidal, a prominent bulging ridge ~
round the base of one half of a hundredth of an inch on each side, so
that inside of this the egg is .03 inch ; striated with 38 prominent long-
itudinal strize, of which 12 reach the small micropyle, shallow transverse
strie ; apex small, not depressed. . Color dull, pale, brownish olive.
‘Duration of this period not known, but at least 194 days. RS oo
_ Young Larva.—Length .12 inch, of the usual Catocala shape; ‘oun 4
on account of the first and second pairs of pro-legs being small; pale
brownish yellow, joints 5 and 6 dark, somewhat blackish, joints 7 and:8
whitish, 9 and ro. blackish again; a faint fine red line on each side of
body, very short hairs from the pelifirous spots. Duration:of this iim .
three dayS. 8 a ae 4
After 1st Moult.—Length .20 inch. Color reniform “pale whitish, *
slightly brown tinted, head darker, a red line on each side with a broken — a
line above it and another below it, of the same color, on the ventre a
round red spot on the middle of each site Duration of this <a _
four days. ;
After 2nd Moult.—Length .28 inch. On the sides are ioe valine 4
broad, dark reddish purple stripes, alternating with pale greenish ones, 4
these dark stripes approaching on joint 2 so that there is here only —
a narrow dorsal light line, the upper line indistinct ; from joint 2 the
dorsum widens out in pale greenish so that in the middle of the body this
color extends to the region of the subdorsum, its outer part containing
the upper part of the lateral stripe which is here broken and of a purplish
green color. The dorsum from joint 5 to 1o has in its centre a series of ©
very narrow elliptical pale purplish green spots extending from the middle —
of each joint to the middle of the next one back. Pilifirous spots small
and black, head mottled with irregular longitudinal purplish black and
pale greenish markings, the purple on joint 2 being of the same color
but a little paler On its back part. Ventre with spots of the same dark
color in the centres of the joints; feet pale. Toward the close of this —
period the larva turn darker, many of them being as dark on the whole —
of the dorsum as on the thoracic segments at the beginning of the period,
this color purplish black, with a fine whitish dorsal line ; all of them
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 109
darker than at the beginning of the period. Duration of this period six
days.
After 3rd Moult.—Length .85 inch. Marked very much as in the
_ preceding stage, stripes and mottlings purplish black, this color enough
paler in the middle of the body to be purple, and jet black at the
extremities, the two blending into each other and arranged in fine long-
itudinal stripes, each of which has a paler centre but which is not so pale
as the alternating whitish stripe; the dorsum paler than the sides.
Piliferous spots more prominent, black, the very short hairs black ; head
striped with broken white lines as before ; ventral spots prominent only
on the middle joints; thoracic feet pale. The lateral fringe begins to
show. Duration of this period three days. |
After 4th Moult.—Length 1.20 inches. Striped with black very much
as before, but each stripe composed of three indistinct lines, making the
body pale on joints 5 to 8 and the anterior part of joint 9 and the pos-
terior part of joint 10, the rest of the joints darker; the light shade is"
lilac tinted with a yellow tinge between the joints from the middle of the
body back ; joints 2 and 13 so dark as to obliterate the stripes. “Head
striped as before, but the dark is orange shading into black towards thé
mouth ; legs orange; pilifirous spots on the dorsum black with yellow at
the base, the lateral ones yellow; the hairs on the dorsum black, on the
sides and head pale yellowish; a black transverse patch on joint 9
between posterior pair of dorsal piliferous spots ; eyes black ; ventre pale
yellow, a yellowish black spot in the middle of each joint ;. the substig-
matal stripe not separable into lines but irregularly mottled. Duration
of this period five days.
After 5th Moult.—Length 160 inches. Color pale purplish red
mottled with black, in some more or less of a yellowish tint, rather dis-
tinctly arranged in five light and four dark stripes, the mottlings being
thicker in the dark stripes, the pale stripes with darker centres, the outer:
edge of the pale being almost free from black but mottled in shades of
red ; the dorsal stripe with the dark in ellipses that have their broadest
part between the joints ; piliferous spots on joint 2 pale yellowish, almost
_ white, tipped with black; those on joint 3 to 4 white; those on the
dorsum of the other joints dark yellow, pale at base ; those on the sides
pale yellowish; the posterior pair of dorsals on joint 12 very much
enlarged ; all large and prominent, each with a short black hair; joint g
110 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
has a dark patch on the posterior part of the dorsum, Head pale reddish,
the same shade as the red ground color, marked with irregular longitu-
dinal rows of white dots; feet pale red; ventre pale yellow with black
centres to the joints, those at the anterior and posterior parts of the body
small. At this time there is a distinct fringe of fleshy appendage on
the sides.
Mature Larva.—Length 2.75 inches ; cylindrical, tapering slightly i
either extremity, with short lateral fringe. Marked as at the beginning
of the period with seven longitudinal stripes from stigmata to stigmata,
the lower dark one stigmatal, below this the space to the fringe the same
color as the dorsal stripe, making the nine stripes mentioned before.
The stripes are very nearly the same color, the only difference being that
the dark ones have a little more of the black mottling than the pale ones ;
the stripes are divided by narrower stripes or broad lines of the ground
color, which is dull, pale, smoky red. The thoracic joints are a little
darker than the others. Piliferous spots pale nankeen, the dorsal tipped
with orange ; the space between the posterior dorsals on joint g black,
only a little elevated ; the posterior pair on joint 12 about three times as
large as the others; each tipped with a very short black hair. Head,
the ground color striped with reddish white that consists of transversely
elongated dots ; feet the ground color ; fringe white ; ventre pale yellow,
a black patch on each joint. Duration of this period seven days.
Chrysalis.—Length 1.10 inches, depth .35 inch, width .40 inch;
cylindrical, tapering from joint 5 back ; tongue and wing cases extending
back to the posterior part of joint 5, one case as far back as wing case ;
abdominal joints moderately punctured, anterior part of each a little cor-
rugated ; head moderately rounded. Color chestnut brown, covered with
a white powder as is usual. Duration of this period from 30 to 32 days.
In pupating, the larva fastened leaves together with silk, slightly
lining the interior, and into this thin lining the cremaster was fastened.
Food plant hickory. ne
The eggs from which the larve from which these. notes were tiles
were found Oct, 5, 1886, in a crevice in a piece of hickory bark, there
being fifty-eight of them in a mass, laid so that they overlapped each
other, one edge of each being against the bark. I have since found the
shells of other eggs in the crevices of hickory bark deposited in the |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 111
_ Same way. The species of hickory upon which they were found was
_ what is known as the Mockernut, or Carya TZomentosa.
’ The eggs hatched, or about one-fifth of them, April 17th, 1887, the
rest coming out from day to day after this, and they emerged from the
pupz from June 14th to 16th, giving an egg period as above of at least
194 days, to which it is probable that at least two weeks more should be
added ; and from the time of hatching to the emergence of the imagines
_ 58 days, of which one month is in the pupa state. I have no reason to
think that this, or any other species we have here, is more than one
brooded. I am also of the opinion that they pass through changes
sooner in the hatching boxes than in their homes in the woods, as I never
find this species on the trees before July ; and the same may be said of
some other species, though C. //ea should probably be excepted.
_ After one had moulted, at the last moult, I saw it turn, after its usual
period of rest, and eat the cast off skin.
THREE MOTHS NEW TO OUR FAUNA.
BY HY. EDWARDS. _
In my article with the above heading, to which my friend Mr. J. B.
Smith takes exception, I at once confess that an error occurs, and that
the title should have been new .to ‘‘our lists” and not to “our fauna.” Mr.
Smith wrote me a day or two after the publication of the paper, and I
at once replied that I should have used the word “lists” in the place of
“fauna.” Iam therefore somewhat surprised that in his printed remarks
he did not allude to the correction I had personally made, but that he
should take me to task after receiving my letter, and charge me with
adding the species mentioned to our ‘‘ fauna,” when I had disclaimed the
meaning he attributes to me. But though I am free to allow that the
species I spoke of may not with propriety belong to the U.S. fauna, I
am by no means willing to admit that they are on that account not deservy-
ing of a place in our Check List or Catalogue. ‘This is, as I take it, not
a philosophic account of species belonging to a certain faunal district, but
merely the names of those species found to be inhabiting a geographical
limit, and is intended chiefly for the purpose of enabling collectors and
112 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
students to classify their specimens, and in the case of a synonymical
catalogue, of referring to the descriptions of species. At any rate, this is
the view I take in giving Pseudosph. Tetrio, Philamp. Typhon and Syntom.
Epilaris as being found within our limits, and I hold that they have as
much right to a place among N. American, or rather United States species
as many that have long been admitted. Of the first named, I have now
seen five examples, four taken in Arizona, and one in N. W. Texas. Of
these, one was quite fresh and in excellent condition, the others more or
less broken and imperfect, though apparently more from careless handling —
than from either long flight or the age of the specimens. I cannot of
course say positively that the species breeds in U. S. territory, but I have
as much ground for believing that it does, as my friend Smith has for
assuming that it does not. Thenas to P. Zyphon. The specimen to
which I allude was taken by the late Mr. H. K. Morrison in the mountains
of N. E. Arizona, as nearly as I can tell, about 20c miles from the boun-
dary line. It is quite perfect, so much so that it may only have emerged
from the pupa state within two days, and it seems to me hardly credible —
that this particular example should have flown such a great distance, and —
still retain in their purity all its delicate scales. Syntomeida Epilaris is
from Florida, and I have very little doubt that it will one day be found —
there in comparative plenty. Indeed, I have good reason to believe that ~
it was taken by Mr. Morrison a short time before his death, and it may
possibly be among the Lepidoptera found by Mr. Schwartz during his visit
to Key West some little time ago. If we are to discard these insects from
our lists because our territory is not their original home, what will become
of a large number of the species now included? One third at least of
those from Florida, Texas, Arizona and S. California will have to be
eliminated, for at least this proportion must be said to belong to a diflerent —
fauna from the insects of Pennsylvania or Illinois. Mr. Smith calls atten-
tion to the fact that he has excluded Di/udia Brontes from his monograph
of the Sphingidee. I still fail to see on what grounds. D. Brontes is found
in Florida, and specimens taken by Dr. Wittfeld are in my collection and
in that of Mr. Neumoegen. If these insects did not breed near Indian
River, where did they come from? ‘Surely Mr. Smith would hardly have
us believe that they flew across the ocean from Cuba. I am no believer
in the frequent long flight of any species of insects, though it is known
that many species travel considerable distances, but I cannot bring myself
to think that a specimen say of D. Broutes flies from its home in Cuba,
:
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 13
_and that months or a year after two or three more do the same thing, and
that these all find their way to Dr. Wittfeld’s collecting box. As my
friend W. J. Florence would say, this is T. T. (too thin). It seems more
reasonable to believe, as I honestly think is the case with the species in
dispute, that a few individuals have established themselves upon our
limits, and that they are now gradually taking up new localities and spread-
ing over a larger area. Mr. Smith alludes to Erebus Odora, and says that
** because it has been found in Canada, it would be an absurdity to call it
a Canadian insect.” Now I think he is unfortunate in this statement. We °
do not yet know the food plant of the larva of this species, but because
we are ignorant of that, it is no reason why it should not breed in Canada,
and the evidence is in favor of its doing so. I have examined at least
forty specimens of £. Odora, taken severally in New York, Georgia,
Arizona, California, Vance. Island, Canada, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio,
some of them in absolutely perfect condition, and as fresh as bred speci-
mens, and I am in my own mind quite sure that this species at least has
taken up its abode with us, and is as much a resident of the U. S. as
Vanessa Antiopa or Pyrameis Cardui. Asto Mr. W. H. Edwards hav-
ing ‘‘ separately called attention to species occasionally found in but not
really belonging to our fauna,” I respectfully submit that this is a mistake.
Mr. Edwards has done nothing of the kind. He has discarded from his
Catalogue a number of “species for some time accredited to our fauna,
but omitted for want of authentication,” which is but saying in other words
_ that had the statement of the capture of the species within our limits been
given on undoubted authority, they would have found their place in his
Catalogue. He has included indeed Parnassius Eversmanni, Callidryas
Philea, Diadema Misippus, and others, which certainly are not parts of
our fauna, but Mr. Edwards holds the same views as I do on the sub-
_ ject,and I claim no more for the three species I alluded to than is claimed
for the diurnals I have just mentioned, and that is, that they have been
found within our limits, that there is no evidence before us to show that
they do not breed therein, and that therefore, when I change, as I am
_ willing to do, the heading of my article to “our lists” in the place of
“our fauna,” the three species to which I called attention should be
recorded in our catalogues.
114 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
THE ORIGIN OF ORNAMENTATION IN THE LEPIDOPTERA.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
Elsewhere I have ventured to call attention to the interesting chapter
in Mr. Scudder’s book on Butterflies, in which the theory as to the primi-
tive pattern of ornamentation is given. By this we are told that the com-
plex patterns, the seemingly chiselled lines and the eye-like spots, arose
from simple transverse shade bands running parallel to the outer margins
of the wings themselves. Such bands we yet find on the wings of many
Owlet Moths. In the Moths we might expect to find, still existing, a
nearer approach to the primitive style of marking than in the higher
Butterflies. | Mr. Scudder’s theory of the primitive pattern is quite inde-
pendent of the theory as to the origin of the primitive transverse shade
lines themselves. Referring to what I have said in my ‘ Essay on the
Noctuide ” and in other places, about the pattern of one wing being re-
produced in some species exactly, and in some whole families in the style
of a rougher copy, upon the under-lying wing, I have employed the word ~
‘‘ photographed ” to express the effect produced. The primitive band
may then be conceived to have been produced by an outside process, the
effect of light and shade upon the surface of the wing itself. Its produc-
tion may have been aided by the movement of the wings (expanding and >
shutting). The edges of the wings in many ways may be conceived to be
first affected. That the primitive Lepidopteron was plain and sombre, we
have reason to suppose, judging from what is known of now extinct types
from which the whole Order may have been evolved. Under the murky
skies of the Carboniferous the colors of the insects remained dull. Upon
this plain wing, the first shade or marking may have arisen by a process
comparable with photography, the action being produced by the same
chemically acting ray of light. The atmospheric conditions then existing
are factors inthe problem. The shadow originally cast on the wing lefta —
trace in process of time, a deeper tinting which became a permanent
shade line or band. ‘The evolution of this primitive shade band is the _
subject of Mr. Scudder’s theory. The manner in which it may have arisen ~
from a shadow has been long the subject of my own thoughts. I am :
aware that there is a learned opinion that the colors and patterns of insects
_are developed from the insects’ insides, by a process the links in which I
am unable to follow, and which it has not pleased the authors of this —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 115
‘ inside theory to state. It seems more reasonable to conclude that the sun
has been the original painter, still improving and beautifying his work.
That the deviations from the original pattern and color have been seized
upon by Natural Selection and that gradual changes have been fostered,
may be conceived under the workings of general evolutionary law.
From a study of the subreniform spot in Cafoca/a, I, many years ago,
came to the conclusion that the spots in the /Voctuide were modifications
of the transverse lines, and this theory will be found stated in my writings.
They may be fragments of original transverse lines, or, as the case seems
to be with the subreniform spots, they may belong to existing transverse
lines from which they have become disconnected. The median transverse
shade is interesting, as it still simulates, by its cloudiness, the shade band
_ of the secondaries and of the under surface of both wings in most JVac-
' tuide nonfasciate or Noctuine. The primitive transverse shade band
_ will have been vague and cloudy, and all fine and cleanly cut markings
will prove to be recent in comparison and to have proceeded from nebu-
lous and undefined ornamentation.
The instances where the upper surface of the secondaries resemble the
under surface of the primaries occur in the Ceratocampine, and also in
the Smerinthine, among other groups. This fact struck me when I was
studying the relationship between the Horned Spinners and the Eyed
_ Hawk Moths. Asa general rule, the cloudy bands on the under surface
of the wings of the Noctuidz or Owlet Moths, resemble those on the hind
wings above. The under, or covered wing, bears a certain relationship to
the upper, or covering wing, in coloring and ornamentation. We may
conclude that it has remained longer plain and unicolorous, that its less
exposure in certain. groups of the Lepidoptera has allowed it to retain
more of the primitive appearance. ‘I'he Spanners, or Geometrid@, the
Sparklers, or Pyradide, carry the under wings more exposed and the
markings are continuous and similar on both wings above. ‘This is the
case with the lower or geometridous Noctuidze, to a considerable extent.
The pattern of the wings seems to follow the exposure, as I have else-
where pointed out. The conditions of the caterpillar stages are widely
different from the environment of the perfect insect, and I have long ago
pointed out that each stage varies independently and unequally, as in the
case of the representative species of Apatela, etc , (see my paper in
Annals N. Y. Lyceum, N. H.) I have also elsewhere drawn attention to
116 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the law of variation in representative species in the Owlet Moths. This —
variation is first observed on the upper surface of the fore wings, then of
hind wings, while the whole under surface preserves its similarity longest.
The uniformity of the under surface in the Noctuidz seems to be corre-
lated with the habits of the insects themselves, to depend, in fact, upon
the conditions of its exposure to the light. I am not here arguing that
color in the wings is now dependent upon existing conditions of light. I
merely point out that variation both in color and marking proceeds appar-
ently more noticeably upon the more exposed surfaces of the insect in the
_Noctuidze, from a comparison of related species inhabiting different parts
of the world. In the history of the Lepidoptera former geological con-
ditions have played a part in the evolution of species together with the
whole environment. In this paper I merely show the probability that the
first transverse markings were the effect of light, and that the more ex-
posed surfaces show most variation in representative species. From my
scattered writings I have in part brought these brief notices on this point
here together, so that the student may be spared that trouble, and in the
hope that the investigation may be carried further.
_ In the investigation of this subject we must keep the phenomena of
color and pattern separate. The test of our theories must lie in the
observation of existing variations. In this direction the observations of
Mr. Edwards on the influence of cold in the pupa state upon the colors
of the imago, are of the utmost value. The class of facts bearing upon
the phylogeny of the species must be kept separate from those bearing
upon individual variation. But it must be remembered that varieties are
in the same sense evanescent species, that species are permanent varieties.
The crucial test of our modern idea of species lies in the demonstration
of the fact that, in the whole life history, the cycle of reproduction is zéw
distinct. To the establishing of this fact repeated observations are often
necessary. The whole conditions under which the form is produced must
be understood. ‘This is a great field of work, and single instances, how-
ever carefully recorded, of breeding from the larva, only partially illustrate
the subject. ‘The value of specific determinations from collections of per-
fect insects depends on the tact and experience of the naturalist and are
to this extent tentative. Only where the full round of insect life is known
can our determinations be absolutely reliable. The vista of entomological
labor is widening as we proceed, so that it is trite to say that the subject
a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 117
is inexhaustible. The most attractive side of the study consists in the
curious habits and relationships of the different forms, and here is where
the talent of the observer is to be tested. The assorting of collections of
Specimens is a matter of subordinate tact.
CEYLON BUTTERFLIES.
The Lepidoptera of Ceylon, by F. Moore, F. Z. S,, Vol. I., (published
under the special patronage of the Government of Ceylon) London, Pe
Reeve & Co., 1880-81. 4°. a
The butterflies of the East India region appear to be now ina fair way of
receiving their due share of attention. We have already called attention
to Distant’s invaluable work on the Malayan butterflies, and to the hand-
book to the butterflies of India and Burmah, by Marshall and De Nicé-
ville. On many accounts neither of these is so important as the earlier
work on the Lepidoptera of Ceylon by Frederick Moore, which we desire
_to introduce to the readers of the CanaDIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, principally on
account of the very considerable accession to our knowledge of the earlier
stages of eastern butterflies which is here given in the plates, and also to
draw attention to the notes on the natural history of the insects given by Dr.
-Thwaites, which are embodied in the text. The work as a whole consists
_of three volumes ; but we speak here of the butterflies only, which are
comprised i in the first volume, published in 1880-81. It is a large quarto,
with 71 excellent colored plates, in which the early stages are in very
many instances figured.side by side with the butterflies. Notwithstanding
that it is published under the special patronage of the Government of
Ceylon, the work is a costly one, and to one residing in the United States
an embargo is laid upon its purchase by the fact that the duties upon such
a work are so high. This single volume cost me $15 for duties and trans-
portation alone. Thus is science encouraged with us !
We are here introduced to a new set of illustrations of the early Ragts
of butterflies, many of which are of extreme interest, and these in every
family of butterflies. It is the most important and considerable contri-
bution 1 to our knowledge since Horsfield’s memorable volume. It is a
-pity, however, that in many instances. no reference, is made in the text,
either i In. Dr. Thwaites’ notes, or, Mr. Moore’ 's descriptive portion, as to the
meaning < of certain figures. which differ strikingly from those of their allies.
‘
118 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Thus the pupa of a species of Cirrochroa is represented as hanging by its
hinder end, as in all Nymphalide, but bent so at the end of the abdomen
as tolie parallel to the horizontal branch from which it is suspended,
much in the way that we find it in our own species of Chlorippe ; but
there is no appearence in the figure and no mention in the text of any
greatly elongated cremaster with its row of hooklets down the side, which
in Chlorippe stiffens the pupa into what would seem to be an unnatural
position. We have some interesting additions to our scanty knowledge of
the early stages of the Lemoniinz and an unusual wealth of larve and
pupe of Lycaenine. Here again is a figure of a species of Spalgis hang-
‘ing by its tail without the median girt, which is wholly anomalous in this
subfamily, but, as there is no explanation of the matter in the text, it is to
be presumed that it is not meant to represent the insect in its natural
position, the more so as the same is the case in a species of Appias, one
of the Pierinze, represented in two figures as hanging by its tail only,
while the whole structure of the chrysalis indicates that it must have had
a median girt. Very interesting are the figures of the early stages of the
Papilionine, which add very considerably to our knowledge, including as
they do some figures of the younger stages of the larva—presumably
younger from their appendages, though here again no mention whatever
is made of the fact in the text. We call attention also to the interesting
figure of Gangara, a hesperian living open and unconcealed, as I am in-
formed by Mr. De Nicéville, and which bears long waxy filaments appar-
ently not proper appendages, but as long as the width of the body itself,
rendering it an exceedingly conspicuous object.
In the arrangement of families, Mr. Moore follows the rapidly growing
company of the best instructed entomologists in beginning the series with
the Nymphalide and placing the Papilionidz just before the Hesperide.
He separates the Lemoniinz from the Lycaenine as a distinct family, and
places the Libytheinze with the Lemoniinz as was done by Bates ; but he
brings the Pierinze and the Papilioninz under one family heading. It has
naturally pleased the present’ writer to see that Mr. Moore has had the
courage of his convictions sufficiently to subdivide the old and bulky
group so long holding rank as a homogeneous whole, the so-called genus
Papilio, into a number of genera, including among the seventeen species
which he catalogues no less than ten genera, following thus precisely the
line which Hiibner long ago undertook to establish, and which I adopted
in 1872. SAMUEL H,. ScuDDER.
4
AG
:
pe
7
cs
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 119
EARLY STAGES OF ARZAMA OBLIQUATA, G. anp R.
| BY H. H. BREHME, NEWARK, N. J.
Ecc.—Fusiform, thick in the middle and tapering to a small rounded
summit. marked by about sixteen longitudinal ribs, which are low, nar-
tow, flat and crossed by a few fine ridges. Color yellow-brown.
Duration about fifteen days.
Younc Larva.—About .8 inch in length, cylindrical, slender ; shape
like the other Arzamas. Color pale green, with a few long hairs pro-
ceeding backwards. Duration eighteen to twenty days.
Mature Larva.—When fully grown the larve are 11% inch in
length, some as much as two inches long. ‘They are very slender ; head
thick ; color more gray ; body smooth, with no hairs.
Pupa.—Length .75 inch; breadth across mesonotum .16 inch; across
abdomen .16 inch; greatest depth .22 inches. Shape like the other
Arzamas. Color dark brown. Duration sixteen days.
The eggs from which these observations were made were obtained on
‘the 26th of October, 1886, by confining a dilapidated female caught
flying about the food-plant—the Cat-tail reed. The female generally lays
“her eggs in the middle of the reed, between the long leaves. They began
‘to hatch on the toth of November, thus giving a period of about 15 days.
‘They began to go into pupz on the 2oth April, 1887, making the whole
larval period 161 days; adding to this the pupal period of 16 days,
makes a total of t90 days from the egg to the imago.
The food-plant—the Cat-tail reed—grows in the meadows. As soon
as the larva is hatched, it bores at once into the reed and feeds from the
top downwards, continuing to feed throughout the winter, until the whole
of the reed is eaten out ; it then returns to the top, and forms its pupa
there. The larva is very hard to rear, as it feeds during the winter, and
the reed must be kept as wet as possible. I have succeeded by keeping
the reeds in a pail of water.
The moth generally begins to fly between four and five o’clock in the
afternoon, and ceases between seven and eight o’clock. Its flight is very
slow. It is described and figured by Grote and Robinson, Trans. Am.
Ent. Soc., vol. 1., page 339.
120 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
CORRESPONDENCE) f7)).12 41R a
———
ON INSECTS FEIGNING DEATH.
' Dear Sir: I notice in Dr. Hamilton’s paper, page 6, the remark that
a statement made by me in your pages, namely, “ that insects can have
no knowledge of death,” as such of course and purposely feigning it, is
‘unsupported ” and ‘‘ dogmatic.” I wish to correct these two adjec-
tives, otherwise, as a matter of opinion, I have no further interest with the
subject. I cited in my paper the reason for my belief that insects merely
kept still and did not move on the approach of danger, I showed that
hard bodied insects, as beetles, suffered themselves to drop, while soft
bodied caterpillars, equally assuming attitudes of repose and quiet,
assisted by their colors and mimicry, clung tenaciously. There is no
doubt in my mind that the “keeping still” is the main point, and that
the insects have not sufficient mental powers to feign death. Whether
insects can have any knowledge of death, as such, may be a matter of
opinion, I should as soon credit them with a knowledge of history.
Beetles allow themselves to fall by folding in the legs, knowing, from
acquired or hereditary experience, that a fall will not hurt them, while in
the grass where they tumble they have a place of concealment where they
can stop “feigning” and scamper away. While I do not believe tat
insects can reach the “ feigning” process, I know that Dr. Hamilton
can, when he says of my paper, which we have all at least glanced over
in the pages of the CaNapIan Enromo.ocist, that he “lately saw it in
print somewhere.” Such carelessness is probably feigned, and whether
it is protective may be doubted. It is, however, the privilege of man to
keep still, without the danger of being credited with feigning death, a
privilege it seems denied to insects. It is well so, since a silent man
might run the risk of being buried on suspicion. A. R. Grote.
NOTES ON COLEOPTERA.
Dear Sir: In my paper in the April No. of the EnToMOLocIsr, page
66, last line, Apion herculanum is printed in error herculaneum. On
same page I wrote “frolongata [Dicerca] breeds so far as known in
conifers.” This statement admits of a doubt, when the proof is sifted
thoroughly. Mr. F. C. Bowditch writes that he collected it on the
Colorado mountains on aspen and willow, but never on conifers. It is.
probably polyphagous, like some other species of this family.
Joun Hami.ron.
|
|
Che Canadran Entomologist.
MOL. XX. _ LONDON, JULY, 1888. No. 7
THE HESSIAN FLY AN IMPORTED INSECT.
BY DR. C. V. RILEY, WASHINGTON, D. C.
As the readers of the Canap1an EnToMmo.Locis? are aware Dr. H. A.
Hagen has argued at length to the effect that the Hessian Fly was, first,
not imported by the Hessian troops ; second/y, that it was not imported
from Europe at all, and that it is an indigenous North American insect.
In the Third Report of the U. S. Entomological Commission, Dr. Packard
has an extended article upon the Hessian Fly, and while he alone is
responsible for the general position there taken on this subject, we dis-
cussed the matter together, and the views there presented are substan-
tially those which I held at the time, as it was Dr. Packard’s desire to
arrive at an impartial judgement. The subsequent communication of Dr.
Hagen in the Canapian Entomovocisr for May, 1885, seemed, however,
positively to set at rest the question of the introduction of the insect by
the Hessian troops, as well as of its occurrence in this country prior to the
revolution ; because the correspondence which he there published from
Mr. H. Phillips, jr., seemed to admit of no further doubt that the first
question was settled in the negative, and the second in the affirmative.
_ While in Europe last autumn, I found a great deal of interest manifested
in the subject of the Hessian Fly in England, on account of its recent
introduction there, and, being called upon, I made some statements at
one of the meetings of the London Entomological Society, which will be
found reported in the Transactions of the Society for October 5, 1887.
I take the liberty of quoting therefrom the following passages as indicating
my position in the matter:
‘* Prof. Riley said it would extend his observations beyond reasonable limits, to
enter into the details on which he based his own conviction, which had been substantially
expressed in the full paper by Packard, in the ‘Third Report of the United States
Entomological Commission (1883).’ His opinion was that while we might drop the
Hessian theory—since Mr. Henry Phillips, jr., as quoted by Hagen (1885), finds mention
ofthe ‘ Hessian Fly,’ in the unpublished minutes of the American Philosophical Society
for 1768 (a rather astonishing fact, as it antedates the landing of the Hessians !),—and
122 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
concede that the insect was introduced some time prior to the revolution ; yet that its
introduction aéou¢ that time must be accepted, because Hagen’s arguments to the
contrary were not supported by [sufficient] evidence.” :
‘ Prof, Riley further remarked that he had referred to these conflicting views of
leading writers as to the original source and time of introduction of the insect into
America, not so much to foreshadow the future conflict of opinion on similar points in
England, as to bring out this important fact as a warning to hasty generalisers, viz., that
the arguments of Wagner, Hagen, etc., against its introduction into America, were —
inherently weak from the biologicside. They are based on the average or normal period
of summer development of about seven weeks from egg to adult, and zgnore the impor-
tant bearing of exceptional retardation in development whereby the puparia of one summer
remain latent and only give forth the fites in the spring or early summer of the ensuing
year, This fact, recognized by Harris (1852), Prof. Riley said he had evidence of
in America in garnered straw, and it was proved by Wagner himself to have occurred in
Germany in field stubble. It was more apt to occur, however, in straw kept dry and
packed than in stubble or exposed straw, and is in keeping with many other similar
cases of retarded development in insects, some remarkable instances of which he called
attention to before the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1881,
It destroyed Hagen’s main argument, rendered the introduction of the species possible
at almost any season, and made its introduction to America by the Hessians, who left
Portsmouth, April 7th, and landed June 3rd, 1777, on Staten Island, quite probable and
plausible from biologic grounds.”
For the purpose of the present communication, it is not necessary to
go into the other arguments which Hagen has.brought forward to relieve
the Hessians of whatever onus attaches to their accidental introduction of
this insect: the more important are, (1) that there was no Hessian Fly
in Germany at the time, and (2) that the Hessian troops did not carry
straw from regions in which it did occur. At this late day it would be
folly to attach too much importance to these negative deductions, where
there are so many possibilities of their both being erroneous in fact. The
evidence as to the introduction and spread of the insect in this country
is of a so much more clear and positive nature that it offsets such nega
tive deductions. With the exception of Mr. Phillips’s positive statements,
there is only one other recorded statement that would seem to indicate
that the Hessian Fly was known in the United States prior to the land-
ing of Hessian troops. This is a statement quoted by Fitch, of Judge
Hicock, of Lansingburg, N. Y., who says (Memoirs of Bd., of Agr., 11,
p. 169) that a farmer named Jas. Brookins had informed him (Hicock),.
that upon his first hearing of the alarm upon Long Island, in the year
1786, he (Brookins) detected the same insect in the wheat growing on:
his farm in Lansingburg. Fitch remarks in parenthesis, “doubtless 1776
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Za
is intended here,” evidently on the assumption that Brookins’s first hear-
ing of the alarm on Long Island was coincident with the first alarm—an
assumption by no means necessary, and one which only complicates the
matter. If we grant Mr Brookins’s statement to be reliable, there would
be nothing remarkable in it as an observation of 1786. But whether for
1776 or 1786 it were folly to overthrow prevailing record and belief by
one such unverified statement as this, where the chances are so great of
inaccuracy from mere hearsay, and Fitch was justified in stating the strong
probability that it was some other insect which was found by Col. Brookins.
Mr. Phillips’s statements, as the readers of the CanapriaAN ENTOMO-
LOGIST are aware, are of a very different character. In response to
Hagen’s inquiries, made to Prof. J. P. Lesley, Mr. Phillips wrote as follows :
£
** At the request of Prof. Lesley, I have examined our old minutes in reference to
the Hessian Fly, and append on next page the results of my search. I know fositively
that before the revolution our newspapers were full of communications in reference to the
Flessian Fly eo xomine. I cannot call to mind any one paper, but I remember perfectly
frequently seeing these articles when reading for other purposes. I cannot find that the
committee ever reported.”
The following are the extracts from the minutes as furnished by Mr.
Phillips : .
1768, May 18. Com. on Husbandry to consider whether any method can be fallen
upon for preventing the damage done to wheat by the Hessian Fly. [N. B.—Mr.
DuHamel has written on the subject. ]
1768, June 21. Papers on the Hessian Fly read by Dr. Bond, ordered to be pub-
lished. See No. 4, original papers.
1768, Oct. 18. Col. Landon Carter, Sabine Hill, Va., observations on the Fly
Weevil destructive to wheat ; ordered to be published. [Is published;in Vol. 1. of the
Transactions of the Society. Cf. Harris, Injur. Ins., pp. 502. Dr. H. A. H.]
And upon being again questioned by Dr. Hagen as to the possibility
of error Mr. Phillips writes :
**y. 1768 is not anerror. It occurs in the proper place in the old M.S. Vol., and
there can be o doubt about the fact. Svmzliter the words Hessian Fly.
‘© The term came in use in Pennsylvania from the early German immigrants long
before the revolution. I am sure the term occurs in our Pennsylvania gazettes long
prior to that period.
‘©2. Cannot say if that paper (of Bond) was ever published. Possibly in some
gazette pro bono publico. There is no clerical error as to the date and name.”
Since this correspondence was published by Dr. Hagen in the Can-
_ ADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, the early minutes of the American Philosophical
124 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Society have been published, and the published volume confirms the above 3
statements of Mr. Phillips, as in the minutes for May 18, and June a"
1768, the term Hessian Fly was printed. |
The evidence against the introduction of the Hessian Fly, and even
its introduction by Hessians is so easily set aside, and so weak as com-
pared with the positive evidence of such introduction, that I have long
wondered at the records of these meetings, and thought that there must
be some error. Only recently, however, did I have the opportunity of
personally referring to and examining these early minutes in the original. I
felt an interest in doing so, because I thought it barely possible to show
that they were transcripts from earlier rough minutes, and made sub-
sequent to the revolution, when the term Hessian Fly, then familiar, was
inadvertently added by the transcriber. I was therefore much amazed to
find that there is really no mention of the Hessian Fly in these old
minutes, until the year 1791. I take the liberty of reproducing verbatim
et literatim the records as they really occur of the three meetings in-
1768, quoted by Mr. Phillips in Dr. Hagen’s communication : .
May 18th, 1768.—‘‘ It was recommended to the Committee of Husbandry, &e., to
meet on Tuesday, 31st of this month, at the college to consider whether any method can
be fallen on for preventing the damage done to wheat by what is called the fly. N.B..
Monsieur du Hamel has written on this subject.”
June 21st, 1768.—‘* The Committee for Husbandry report that they had cobtened:
ye affair of destroying the Fly in wheat, and that Dr. Bond had laid before them a paper
containing many useful observations on that subject, which Dr. Bond was requested to
read before ye Society. The Society having heard and approved of ye paper request him
to prepare it for ye Press, that it may be communicated to ye public without loss of time.”
Nov. 15, 1768, —‘* Colonel Lee transmitted to the Society the ingenious and accurate
observation of Colonel Landon Carter, of Sabine-Hall, in Virginia, concerning the jly-
weavil that destroys the wheat, The Society acknowledge themselves under great
obligations to Col. Carter for communication of the conclusions he has formed (on long
experience) concerning that insect’s propagation and progress, and the methods to be
used to prevent the destruction of the wheat by it, and order it to be printed for the
public benefit.”
It will be seen that in all three “the fly,” “the fly in wheat” and
“the fly-weavil” are the terms used, and it is susceptible of positive
proof that all these popular terms applied then, as they sometimes do yet,
to entirely different insects, viz., the grain-weavils, Sitophi/us granaria
and S. oryze, and the Angoumois grain-moth, Ge/echia cerealella. Now
the minutes, as published, are avowedly abstracted from the original
Ras il SRN ek —
OE OO ee” oe Te ae EPA,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 125
minutes by Prof. Lesley, and not full, while the copies of Mr. Phillips
neither agree with the originals nor with the published abstracts, while in
one case, as may be seen, he has changed Nov. 15, to Oct. 18. I can
readily understand how Prof. Lesley inadvertently used the term Hessian
Fly in abstracting from the minutes, if indeed he did so; but it is more
_ difficult to explain Mr. Phillips’s positive statement after Dr. Hagen’s
specific questioning. Mr. Phillips was unable to explain to me how he
came to make the error, and just as unable to give me any definite reference
that will justify his very positive recollections of having seen the term
** Hessian Fly” co nomine in pre-revolutionary literature. When the state-
ment of ocular evidence turns out to be so incorrect we cannot attach any
importance to his memory, even where so confidently asserted.
With the final disposition of this strongest blow to the general belief that
has prevailed for a century among both husbandmen and entomologists, I
feel that we must not only accept the general verdict and tradition as
correct that the insect was introduced about the time of the revolution,
but that there is no very convincing or valid reason for rejecting the other
common belief that it was imported by the Hessian troops. The recorded
history of the period does not necessarily include all possible, or even
probable facts in relation to the limits of distribution of the insect in
Europe, or of the sources from which infested straw may have been derived
by the Hessians.
In what I have said above I have spoken of the gewera/ belief and
arguments in favor of the introduction of the Hessian Fly to this country,
because I am quite aware that others besides Dr. Hagen have argued for
its indigenous nature ; but none of them have perused the question with
such single perseverance, and such bibliographical zeal and erudition.
He, in fact, deserves our thanks for having brought together so large a
body of bibliographical data, because I think it has been the means of
confirming not his own conclusions, but the opinion arrived at by Fitch
and others.
While in London last autumn I took the trouble to look up and read
over the voluminous letters and reports, of which Dr. Hagen has published
a list, contained in “ the proceedings of His Majesty’s most Honorable
Council, and information respecting an insect supposed to infest the wheat
in the Territories of America.” I was thus enabled to verify the accuracy
of the list furnished Dr. Hagen by Prof. Nichols. I was fortunate enough to
126 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
secure a copy of the ‘* Annals of Agriculture,” published by Arthur Young,
Vol. 11, 1789, pages 406 to 613, of which are devoted to these papers.
The title in this volume differs only from that given by Dr. Hagen, in
having the word “ Privy” before ‘“‘Council,” and the contents of the
volume from the table of titles given by Dr. Hagen, only in that his Nos.
three and seven “ Orders of the Council” are omitted in the Annals.
The original paper is a quarto volume, and fills in the octavo Annals
nearly 208 pages, which will account for the discrepancy in the, space.
occupied by each article, the articles in the Annals not being numbered,
I refer to these old papers because they are most interesting as exempli-
fying the fact, that the late confounding of such terms as “‘ Fly-weavil”
for “ Hessian Fly” in the minutes of the American Philosophical Society,
which has made such a difference in the historic facts, had its counterpart
at that time. The more important papers consist of a letter (1788) by P.
Bond, Consul at Philadelphia, to the Right Honorable Marquis of Car-
marthen, about the injury of the ‘‘ Hessian Fly” in the Middle States, — ’
and supposing that the eggs are laid in the grain, as “ seed wheat steeped
in a preparation of elder juice effectually securesa crop.” Bond probably
referred to the true Hessian Fly, but his letter is followed by one from Sir
Jos. Banks, President of the Royal Society, to the Marquis of Carmarthen, |
in which Banks calls the insect “the Flying Weavil,” describes the adult
as a minute moth, likens it to the clothes moth, states how the eggs are laid
upon the grains of wheat and produce a diminutive caterpillar ; in fact
refers to the Angoumois grain-moth. There is a large subsequent cor-
respondence, and finally Banks recogizes his first mistake and collects
a good deal of information about both Gelechia cerealella and the true
Hessian Fly, the latter derived from Dr. Mitchell.
Pages 465 and 471 are occupied by an excellent article by Col. Geo. |
Morgan, of New Jersey, to Sir John Temple, Consul General for Great
Britain at New York, which gives a good account of the spread of the
Hessian Fly and its origin, states that the name was given by him and a
friend early after its first appearance on Long Island, and then treats of
the ‘“ Virginia Wheat-fly,” and also of the “ Chintz Bug-fly.” It is worthy
of note that these papers are preceded in Young’s Annals by ‘an anony-
mous article entitled, ‘‘On the Hessian Fly, whose depredations have
been very mischevious in America,” in which the author recognizes and
describes the work of C. destructor, describes its annual spread from the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 727
q _ points of introduction, and remarks that it must not be confounded with
the “ Virginia Wheat-fly” (cereale/la). The reading of all these papers
simply confirms the conclusions which I have expressed in this communi-
cation.
_. Washington, D. C., May 22nd, 1888.
4 P. S.—In the above communication I have stated merely the facts of
a the case without any attempt at explaining away Mr. Phillips’s misleading
statements. ‘The receipt, since the article was written, of the latest part
(No. 127) of the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society,
bringing them down to the meeting of May es last, induces me to add
this postscriptum.
# I spent the evening of May 3rd very delightfully with Dr. G. H. Horn,
_ who, as one of the secretaries of the American Philosophical Society, was
interested in my intended investigation of the old minutes ; in fact Dr.
Horn informed me that Mr. Phillips, knowing that he (Horn) was about
to visit Dr. Hagen on his way to Europe, had but a short time before
charged him to tell Dr. Hagen, that the latter might feel quite certain of
the accuracy of his (Phillips’s) statements. Ihave already indicated my
surprise at finding them unverified, and shown how Mr. Phillips was
unable to give me any explanation of his mistake.
.- There was to be an exceptionally interesting meeting of the Society
that evening, and I purposely remained in Philadelphia to attend it, and
took occasion to call attention to the error in the old minutes above set
forth. Mr. Phillips, following my remarks, threw all the blame for the
published error on Prof. Lesley who was absent in Europe at the time ;
and, having in mind his (Phillips’s) communications to Hagen, this
conduct struck me as not very magnanimous. I deemed the correction
of this error of sufficient importance to go on record, and handed to the
Secretary for incorporation in the minutes a brief abstract of my remarks.
Judge of my surprise therefore to find the whole matter passed by in the
published minutes of that meeting of May 4th last, by the statement of
the Secretary that ‘Prof. C. V. Riley referred to a possible error of
transcription in the Volume of Early Proceedings (No. 119), on pages 14
and 15, as to the word Hessian Fly” (!!) Mr. Phillips’s conduct in this
particular is as remarkable as his correspondence with Dr. Hagen, and
I call attention to it that it may no longer obscure the facts of history.
128 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
ON DIADEMA MISIPPUS, Linn, IN FLORIDA.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
About the middle of last November Miss Annie M. Wittfeld, whose
untimely death I have spoken of elsewhere, wrote me that she had taken
a butterfly of a species which she had never seen before, while it was
laying eggs on purslane. She confined the butterfly with the plant and
obtained 74 eggs. It was like a Danais, she said, but the caterpillars
were like a Vanessan. I wrote her it probably was J/zsippus, a single
male of which Dr. Wittfeld had taken several years before. The female
of this species is entirely unlike the male in colour and markings, and
really imitates a pale Danais. Meanwhile eggs and larve at every moult
were put in alcohol for me, and after my letter was received Miss Witt-
feld inflated two mature larve, and with all these stages sent me living
pap, so that I shall be able to illustrate the history of this curious
butterfly. This was the last thing Miss Wittfeld did for me, and is an
_example of the intelligent and painstaking work she was accustomed to.
Misippus is a common species in south-eastern Asia, in Australia,
Africa, in parts of South America, and is found in some of the West India
Islands. Drury figured the male, and gave New York as one of the
localities, but, except these few Florida examples, I know nothing of the | a
occurrence of the species within the United States. As the food plant is
everywhere one of the commonest of weeds, it is not improbable that from
Florida MWisifpus may spread northward.
In Papilio 1, p. 30, I mentioned the capture of the male spoken of
under the name JD. Bodina, Linn. So/ina is an allied but distinct species.
The one taken in Florida is Misippus.
SOME NEW NOCTUID&.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY,
Agrotis agilis, Nn. S.
Two males in good condition received from Mr, James F iether from
Vancouver, belong to a decidely different species from my semiclarata,
Essay, Plate 1, Fig 9, though allied, as also to Californian gravis, and our
Eastern venerabilis. Antenne brush-like. Gray, with a brown tinge.
Lines obliterate. Fore wings yellowish gray fuscous, brownish, with a red
aot ee Roca ae to ae ee Te Pi le SBE ae hata ada 8 ate ee
ata eee ee oa eee ly eae eee aid ee Kl eae aaa ow) Sides eS Soa Chel one AY aE ine STs ee ae iy a
Roe ee y 3 : RRO ape Sota W's ent ale ep seem Nn Nt dint Mae ae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 129
tinge along costa, this color obtaining before the s. t. line before apices.
_.A distinct velvety black basal streak, absorbing the claviform spot and ex-.
tending below median vein from base to the faint yellowish brown median
shade line. Cell filled in with velvety black on which the complete, rounded,
orbicular rests, a little pointed outwardly. Reniform moderate, subequal,
transverse, of the normal shape, surrounded almost completely by the
cellular black filling. Some black scales along costa marking the incep-
tion of the transverse lines, which are here filled in with white, under the
glass. The red brown shade obtaining before apices, shows three pale
ante-apical costal dots. The s. t. line is marked by cuneiform, dark, sub-
equal shades and followed by a white shade more determinate at costa.
Terminal space narrow, darker than the wing. Hind wings rather
uniformly pale fuscous ; beneath with an outer shade line and costal border,
paler than fore wings beneath, with a thick cellular spot and somewhat
whitish at base and inferiorly. Fore wings smoky fuscous, with faint outer
transverse shades. On fore wings above, the pale shade is more or less
noticeable outside s. t. line at the apex of the wing. Head and collar
ochre brown. The collar shows a double black superior line enclosing a
reddish shade ; the upper black line edged outwardly with white scales.
Tegulae whitish, pale ; abdomen fuscous; anal hairs ochery. Hxpanse
30-32 mil.
Agrotis hospitalis Gr., Can. Ent. xiv., 184.
This species is allied to Baja by the black cae inaugurating s. t.
line, but otherwise it is quite close to Perconflua. I think that I am hasty
in considering it a variety of the latter species, but the pattern is much
the same, although the lines are marked in black in Aospitalis, and the
color of primaries is a more uniform and darker brown, approaching Baza.
At any rate this species must be catalogued with Conjflua, Perconflua and
Hilliana. In Papilio iii., 29, my late lamented correspondent, Mr. W. W.
Hill, records the capture of two specimens of Hosfita/is in the Adirondack
region in July. On avery close comparison with Perconfiua, taken by the
same Entomologist at Centre, N. Y., in August, the shape of the t. p. line
is seen to differ from that species. In Hosfitalis it slopes away down-
wardly and outwardly from costa much more obliquely ; it is less upright,
more outwardly exserted or bent. The species are alike in size, in color
of hind wings and in the paler front and palpal tips, contrasting with the
130 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIS’.
darker sides of the face and palpi. There will be nothing gained in
throwing these forms together, and they must be bred to decide. The’
character of the t. p. line escaped me until recently, and oa mite
ultimate distinctness of ar es .
Xylomiges Fletcheri, n. s.
The species sent me from Vancouver, by my kind correspondent Mr,
James Fletcher, is apparently allied to the forms described by myself from
California, under Xy/omiges, such as hiemalis and curialis; a specimen
of. X. crucialis Harv. is also before me from Vancouver. Fletcheri differs
by the more compact shape, the pale fuscous hind wings with darker
stained veins. ‘The eyes are hairy, the body untufted, and the color is a
stone gray overlaid with whitish, so that the moth approaches Anytus
sculptus in color. The costa is straight, the wings rather short and full
outwardly, with pronounced apices, reminding one a little of Cloantha.
_ To the eye the wings appear of a rather light stone gray, but under the
glass the whole base of the wing is seen to be overlaid by white scales, as
also the coalesced large stigmata, which are outlined in black, completely
fused inferiorly, forming an irregular V; the inner limb of this, the
obicular is outwardly oblique ; the outer, the reniform, is upright, sinuate
on its outer edge. The white scales appear again over the terminal
portion of the wing. The lines are black, fragmentary, marked by different
shades on costa. A fine black basal ray. The median lines are waved
and inferiorly approach each other, narrowing greatly the median space
below the cell; the concolorous claviform spot, also outlined by black
scales, joins the median lines on submedian fold, although moderate in
size. ‘The subterminal line is fragmentary, black, appearing between the
veins. Head and thorax fuscous gray, a little darker than fore wings,
unlined ; tegulz shaded with whitish ; at the sides with a black edging.
Abdomen dusky gray. Beneath the primaries are clouded fuscous ; the
secondaries paler than above with a neat dot and an extra mesial line
accentuated on the veins. Antennz of the male simple; smaller and
shorter-winged than the other species described by me. Zxpanse 30 mil.
Orthosia hamifera n. sp.
This species has been sent me from California, by my kind friend Mr.
James Behrens. It is allied to purpurea, but larger. The male antennz
are brush-like, female simple. The fore wings are pointed at apices ;
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 131
_ the exterior margin somewhat sickle-shaped ; the eyes are naked ; the
tibiz unarmed. Head, thorax and fore wings brownish wine-red ; the
thoracic hairs show a tipping of white scales under the glass, All the
markings obliterate, so that the insect in color and appearance reminds
one of Perigrapha transparens. The markings are indicated by blackish
scales. Reniform marked by an upper and lower blackish clouding,
moderate, upright, finely ringed with pale. Orbicular more faintly marked,
a little oblique, approximate, also finely ringed with pale. The median
shade crosses the wing. Lines not discernible ; under the glass the s. t.
line is seen to be marked by double black points on the veins. Fringes
more clearly red on both wings ; secondaries without marks, somewhat
eyenly fuscous ; beneath paler, with traces of the reniform on primaries ;
secondaries with a dot. This is larger than crisfa; varying in depth of
ted, the female the darker. Three specimens. The insect looks like
Gortyna nebris a little, except in its red color. Expanse 35 mil.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
CHIONOBAS JUTTA.
BY REV, THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC.
Eggs laid June 17th., scattered, hatched July rst.
_ Ecc.—Creamy white: one-twenty-fourth of an inch in diameter ;
shaped like a nutmeg-melon ; marked longitudinally with zig-zag ridges ;
attached by short foot-stalk. |
New.y Harcuep Larva.—One-eighth of an inch long. Head large
in proportion to body, honey-yellow, granulated. Body attenuated and
ending in two pointed prolongations; pale amber, set with brown tubercles
bearing light spines. Dorsal and side lines darker amber. Spiracles
dark brown. Head and fore legs bearing a few bristles. The insect feeds
with its head downwards on the edge of the leaf. Its food plant is the
sedge, Carex oligosperma.
The first moult occurred July 6th. The skin was ruptured under the
head.
Larva After First Moult.—Length one-fourth of an inch. Colour a
* delicate shade of pea-green; dorsal, sub-dorsal and side lines a pale warm
132 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
brown; spiracles black. A few small black warts on the body. Head
honey-yellow. home
Moulted July 3oth. : fi
Larva After Second Moult.—Length three-quarters of an inch. Colour
grey; dorsal and sub-dorsal lines amber, the dorsal having twelve blotches
of a darker shade; side lines dark brown. Under the side line comes a
spiracular line of grey, and then a brown line touching the legs. Head
large, amber coloured ; thickly indented like a thimble, and marked with
four longitudinal rows of brown dots. Under the microscope the body is
seen to be thickly set with elongated amber-coloured warts—the brown
warts having disappeared,
In feeding the insect has changed its posture, carrying its head up-
wards and cutting through the blade till the top falls off; then eating across,
always working from the near edge, systematically Wiebe - the blade
and lowering itself when necessary. tog,
Moulted Aug. 14th. Inert and sickly-looking before the bana
Larva After Third Moult.—Length nine-tenths of an inch. General
colour grey ; thickly covered with light brown hairs. Spiracular line
whitish. Spiracles kidney-shaped, chocolate-coloured with a yellowish
white perpendicular line through the centre. Dorsal line represented by
twelve brown spots ; sub-dorsal lines very faint. Head large, ne five
warty dark brown spots on each side. . Mandibles brown.
Moulted Sept. tst.
Larva After Fourth Moult.—Length one inch and five-sixteenths of an
inch. Head pale brown, indented, set with reddish hairs, and having six
longitudinal rows of dark brown dots, also on either side five dark warts.
Mandibles brown ; general colour of the body pale green, thickly set with
reddish hairs. Dorsal line dark green, bearing the twelve oblong brown
spots, Pale sub-dorsal lines, and dark green side lines bordered below
with a pale streak. Spiracles dark brown. Caudal fork has a slight rosy
tinge. Fore legs colour of head.
I left home for England on the 4th of October, having. provide a
sufficiency of growing sedge, embedded in sphagnum, for the use of
Jutta. IJreturned in February, and found the larvee fresh and plump, but
quite torpid. They had undergone the 5th moult (probably in October),
On the 6th of April they revived, ‘
. THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 138
Marure Larva arrer Hisernation.—Length one inch and a
i ‘quarter. Body pale pea-green, set with light brown hairs. Legs of the
same hue of green. Head green with six rows of brown dots ; indented.
_-Twelve greenish-brown spots along the back; side-lines dark brown ;
_ spiracles black.
q After their revival the larve ate little, if anything. They pupated
E April-arst.
- Curysatis.—Length five-eighths of an inch; greatest breadth one-
fourth of an inch. Head-case amber-coloured, with a brown dash on either
_ side. Wing-cases pea-green, outlined and streaked with brown. Thorax
prominent, abdomen conical, in colour pale yellowish green, with dorsal
line of darker green and numerous longitudinal rows of brown dots.
Extremity of abdomen rosy.
The perfect insect appears in this locality from May 31st to June 15th.
PARASITES ON DANAIS ARCHIPPUS AND ANTHOMYIA
RAPHANI. :
BY C. P. GILLETTE, AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MICH,
I am not aware that any parasites have ever been reported as attacking
the larvee of Danais archippus or the maggots of Anthomyia raphani.
_ However that may be, it will be of interest to the readers of the Enrto-
moLocist to know that last fall I obtained from a single chrysalis of D.
archippus over fifty specimens of a new species of Preromalus. The
parasites came forth September 13, the chrysalis having been brought into
the laboratory a few days before, and inclosed with a bell-jar. Speci-
mens were sent to Mr. L. O. Howard, who has since described the species
and given it the name of Preromalus archippi.
_ The parasites from A. raphani belong to the genus Zucoi/a, and are
probably a new species also. A large number of pupz and full-grown
_ maggots of A. raphani were put in a jar containing earth, from which
‘the flies began to come forth June 9. The jar remained covered with
gauze until September 2, when the parasites began to > id and in a few
days eight specimens were obtained.
In connection with the latter parasite it may be well to note the fact
‘that a red garden mite, a species of Zrombidium, did excellent service
134 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
last summer in the College gardén by feeding greedily upon the eggs of
Anthomyia brassice. It was not uncommon to find nearly a half tea-
spoonful of empty egg shells about the stems of the plants, and in such
cases a number of the mites were always to be found just below the
surface near the plant. )
For experiment’s sake three of these mites were kept ina jar of moist
earth for a time, and fed each day upon fresh eggs, when it was found by
actual count that they would suck, on an average, twenty-eight eggs each
and every day.
Many of the plants did well and produced fine heads, that I am certain
would have withered and died had not these mites devoured enormous
numbers of the Anthomyta eggs.
DESCRIETIONS OF SOME LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVA
BY WM. BEUTENMULLER, NEW YORK.
Datana integerrima, Gr. & Rob.
Berore Lasr Moutt.--Head and cervical shield shining jet black.
Body deep reddish brown, with three very fine, narrow, sordid white
stripes along each side, and a broader one below the spiracles, which are
black, and another stripe along the middle of the venter. Thoracic feet,
extremities of abdominal legs and anal legs jet black, tee The boay
is also covered with sordid white hairs, Length 32mm. =
Mature Larva.—Body wholly jet black, and covered with very long
floss-like, sordid white hairs, becoming yellowish as the larva undergoes —
its changes tothe pupa. Thoracic feet black, shining. Abdominal legs
black outside and reddish-brown on the inner side. Length 55 mm.
Lives together in large companies on walnut ( /uglans), hickory
(Carya), beech (Fagus ), and also on oak ( Quercus), but very rarely, —
In several individuals of the brood of this species, in the last stage,
there are visible a sub-dorsal, ill-defined, white, longitudinal stripe, and a
rather broad wavy lateral stripe below the spiracles, and sometimes there
is also a white.stripe along the middle of the underside. In all else
resembling the typical form. he Baby
Datana contracta, Walk. :
Berore Lasr Moutt.—Head and cervical shield jet black, shining.
Body black, with four equidistant sordid white stripes along each side, q
4
oS
m
f
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 135
being as wide as the intervening spaces, except the dorsal space which is
the widest. Body beneath concolorous to the above, with three longitu-
dinal stripes, and the intervening spaces much broader. On each of the
4, 5, 10 and 11 segments two reddish brown patches. Thoracic feet and
claspers of the abdominal legs jet black, with their bases reddish brown.
_ The body is also sparsely covered wath sordid white hairs. Length about
30 mm,
4 Mature Larva.—The cervical shield now becomes orange yellow,
“4 and the stripes creamy white. Otherwise as in the previous stage.
Length 55 mm.
= — Foon Piants.—Oak ( Quercus), chestnut ( Castania ), hickory (Carya).
' Datana Angusti, Gr. & Rob.
Head and cervical shield jet black, shiny. Body black, with four very
narrow, pale yellow stripes along each side, all being much narrower than
the intervening. On the underside three pale yellow stripes. One along
the middle, which is the broadest, and one on each side being broken by
the legs; the intervening spaces are much wider than those above.
Thoracic feet black. Abdominal legs reddish, with the extremities jet
black. On the 4, 5, Io and 11 segments two reddish patches. Body
with sparsely distributed sordid white hairs. Length 55 mm.
_. Foop Piants.—Hickory (Carya) and walnut (/ugdans ).
‘The following synoptical table may serve in determining the larvz of
the genus Datana. ‘The larve of D. robusta, Strk., and D. major, G.
& R., are unknown to science:—
STRIPES NARROWER THAN THE INTERVENING SPACES.
Body black, stripes sulphur yellow. . ay Pues ew ce ad enistra.
Body black, stripes citron yellow, Sonidaess posteriorly. ...Drexelit,
Body black, stripes very fine, pale yellow.. Vik he vs « 5 ANgUStE,
Meme eee, Ses Absent... aise eres eee he 5 aie
STRIPES AS WIDE OR WIDER THAN THE INTERVENING SPACES.
Body black or red, stripes bright lemon yellow-........... .. Perspicua.
Suen Diack, Stripes ereamy WhItG i ee. i at Contracta.
Body black, stripes yellowish, head and anal plates red.... .. Floridana.
136 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Hadena turbulenta, Hib. : any
Head jet black, shining; mouth parts sordid white. Body above jet
black, with a number of fine longitudinal stripes, beginning at the anterior
portion of the second segment and running to the end of the tenth segment;
last segments black, with a number of white spots. Cervical shield
velvety black, with a few semilunate spots on the anterior portion, and
posteriorly margined with white. Body at the sides and beneath dull
amber yellow.. Along the sides are three white stripes; the two below the
stigmata run from theanterior portion of the first segment tothe last segment,
while the remaining stripe runs the same as those above. Thoracic feet
black, shining. Abdominal and anal legs dull amber yellow, with a
brownish patch, followed by a white one, on the outerside. All the stripes
on the black portion of the body are connected in pairs by a fine trans-
verse stripe at the posterior extremity. Lives socially on catbriar
(Smilax). September.
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB OF THE A.A. AS.
We are requested to announce that the next meeting of the Club will
be held at Cleveland, Ohio, in the High School Building, beginning at
g a.m., on Wednesday, the 15th of August. This date isa week earlier
than that at first decided upon for the meeting of the A.A. A.S. As this
location is central and convenient alike for both United States and Ontario
Entomologists, it is expected that there will be a large attendance, and an
interesting and enthusiastic meeting. All entomologists are requested to
come prepared to aid in the matter; those who desire to present papers
should send to the Secretary, Prof. A. J. Cook, Agricultural College, Mich.,
the subject they propose to discuss in order that it may be announced in
the programme.
CORRESPONDENCE.
DANAIS ARCHIPPUS.
Dear Sir: I wish to enquire through your columns wheties any
progress has been made lately in explanation of the migratory habit of
Danais archippus. The last information I have got on the subject
being from the vividly descriptive pen of Dr. John Hamilton (CAN. ENT.,
Vol, xvii, No. 11), who showed clearly, that, up to that time, the factsand
Re Oe ee ee ee ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 137
the theories had failed to agree. Several causes have combined recently
to turn my attention to the subject, notably a question from Mr. W. H,
Edwards, as to its time of ovipositing here, which I could answer only
in the most general terms. Ihave always regarded it as a misfortune
that Mr. Roland Thaxter, in his account of what he saw in Florida (Cay,
Ent., Vol. xii, No. 2), did not give the month or months in which his
observations were made; it might have assisted us much in forming an
opinion as to whether they were flocks from the north come for the pur-
pose of going into hibernation or not, although the fact of some of them
pairing is decidedly against the idea that these, at all events, intended to
hibernate. They make their appearance here about the latter part of
May, according as the season favors; the first ones are restless and
energetic, like males looking for mates; not in the least broken or
damaged ; not so rich and bright in color as fall specimens, but fairly
good withal. Ina week orso they become more plentiful, and begin to
mate, and for a time are scarcely seen but in pairs. Shortly after eggs
may be found on the flower clusters of the milk-weed, which is not yet
in bloom. They never seem to entirely disappear till fall, fresh hatched
specimens mingling with the old battered ones of the early season. Their
conduct in spring is quite in harmony with that of species which hatch
from the chrysalis here. If they hibernated in this locality I should
expect them to put in an appearance a good deal earlier than they do. I
regard it as a particularly interesting creature in every respect ; although
so common, it is never “ vulgar,” never in a hurry ; it has the easy grace
of the leisurely class, I have.thought that one who has seen it only in
an open country can form but an inadequate conception of the diversity
ofits movements on the wing. To see one on a bright summer day, when
a stiff breeze is blowing, disport itself about the wide-spreading top of a
high tree, is a choice pleasure. It seems to fairly revel with delight
in a gale ; now it rolls and tosses and heaves, always heading against the
wind ; now it spreads its sails to the breeze, and is hurried violently
backward and upward ; again it furls them, and, slowly descending and
advancing, it describes a variety of the most charmingly graceful curves
and waves and undulations imaginable ; a thing of beauty to look at, and
a joy to think of forever after. - Attempts have been made to attach to it
common names. I have thought, when watching one at such a time, that
_ “the storm king” would be very appropriate, and quite befitting its regal
138 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
character. In my former scrap on this insect, an error in punctuation
occurs, which makes it rather confusing. The “ at least every other day ”
there refers to my visiting the woods, not to the movements of the
butterflies. I have but little of personal observations to add to it, having
seen but one small gathering’ since. A stream of Archifpus from the
side of a wood attracted my attention. I entered to watch it go. There
was nothing of the listless attitude of my former observations in this
group. There was a general uneasiness pervading the whole flock,
rather difficult to describe. It did not come from a working of the
wings, but of the feet, as if the foothold was not good, and they were
trying to secure a better, which produced a rocking motion, whilst con-
tinuously throughout the swarm one and another was dropping off to
make for the edge of the woods and join in the grand procession.
J. Atston Morratt, Hamilton, Ont.
THE CLOVER-ROOT BORER, HYLASTES TRIFOLII, MULLER
Dear Sir :-—As far as I know, this insect has not been mentioned in
the Entomologist as occuring in Ontario. The beetle bas appeared in this
locality, and is doing incalculable damage to the clover fields. At the time
of writing this, the beetles, which have hibernated in the root during the
winter, have not all left their retreats, and may be counted by the dozen
in roots badly infested. No doubt the insect has been working in our
midst for some time, and at present fully three-fourths of the red clover,
Trifolium pratense, is dead or dying from the injury caused to the root.
The damage has not been all occasioned by the larve during the past
season, for I found the perfect beetle driving channels in various directions.
through the roots during May and the early part of June. My observations
correspond so well with the description given by Mr. W. Saunders in the
annual report of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 1881, page 43,
that I need only refer the reader to his paper.
June 9g, 1888. J. Wuite, Edmonton, Ont.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 139
Dear Sir: Mr. Brehme, in his article on “The Early Stages of
_ Arzama Obliquata,” after stating its manner of feeding in the reed, says,
*‘It then returns to the top and forms its pupa there.” I would remark
that that is not its invariable habit in nature, for I have found the chrysalis
in early spring beneath the bark of a decaying stump, corresponding in
that respect with Diffusa, and in some instances quite a distance away
from the marsh where the reeds grow. From Mr. Brehme’s dates it
would appear to be double brooded with him.
J. Atston Morrat, Hamilton, Ont.
ee ae are On ee nape
Bi Sook Salsas atk bac aa nh aa
ON BOLINA FASCIOLARIS, HUBN.
Dear Sir: In the pages of the Can. Ent. I showed that Mr.
Morrison’s statement, that we had re-described Bolina fasciolaris Hiibn.,
_ was an error, based upon a mistaken identification of Hiibner’s species.
That my determination was correct, is proved by a letter of Mr. Butler’s,
_ published in Extomologica Americana, vol. iv., p. 13, where a specimen of
a the true 2. fasciolaris, as determined by myself, is alluded to from my col-
_ lection. This specimen came to meas from “ Mexico.” Tomy knowledge
— BZ. Jasciolaris does not occur in our limits, but not improbably it may be
found in the south-west. Mr. Butler thinks that it is highly probable
that B. ochreipennis Harvey is the male of B. nigrescens G. & R., and
thus repeats the suggestion already made by myself. The species will be
known as wigrescens, this name being much the older. The genus Bo/ina
of Duponchel is, in my opinion, incorrectly used, and our species should
be referred to Me/ifotis of Hiibner, as I have done in my Check List,
where ochreipennis is doubtfully referred to as the male of the preceding
species, nigrescens G. &. R. (p. 39, No. 1145). The sexual distinction in
ornamentation in Je/zpotis is peculiar and interesting.
A. R. GROTE.
CHANGE OF ADpRESS.—Mr. C. H. T. Townsend requests us to state
that he has left the Adjutant-General’s Office, War Department, and is
now an assistant in the Division of nener: Department of Agricul-
ture, Washington, DiC.
140 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
|g dS RN NS
OBITUARY.
Miss Annie M. Wittfeld, only daughter of Dr. Wm. Wittfeld, of
Fairyland, Indian River, Florida, died suddenly of rheumatism of the
heart on the roth April, aged 23. Fifteen months before—to a day—Dr.
Wittfeld had lost his only son by brain fever while down the coast on a
boating expedition, and so the stricken parents are desolate. It is about
ten years since Miss Annie began to aid me in obtaining eggs and larve
of butterflies, and it is mostly owing to her zealous, friendly and intelli-
gent assistance that I have been able to learn the history of so many
Florida species. Her death is a loss to science. The readers of this
magazine will sympathize with Dr. and Mrs, Wittfeld in their bereave-
ment. W. H. Epwarps.
DEATH OF THE ** YOKOHAMA NATURALIST.”
Particulars have been received of the death in Japan, on the 17th of
February, of Mr. Harry Pryer, C. M. Z. S., the Yokohama naturalist,- at
the early age of thirty-seven. When Mr. Pryer went to Japan in 1870 he
was already known as anactive Fellow of the Entomological Society of
London. In the intervals of.a busy mercantile career he interested him-
self in Japanese natural history, and soon became a recognized authority
on the subject. In conjunction with Captain F. Blakiston, he wrote the
standard monograph on the birds of Japan, and at the time of his death
he was engaged in publishing in English and Japanese an important work
on the butterflies of Japan, entitled “‘ Rhopalocera Nihonica.” Mr. Pryer
was not only an assiduous collector, but a’ keen observer and a practical
investigator, and his researches on the parasites of the silk worm have
been of material advantage to the silk culture of Japan. His house and
garden were filled with valuable specimens and collections of animals and
insects, livmg and dead, and the loss sustained by the European com-
munity through his death is shared by the Japanese, who recognize the
valuable services he rendered in connection with the establishment and
maintenance of the museum at Tokio.—Pal/ Mall Gasette.
{ ot
Che Canadian Entomologist.
wor. xx LONDON, AUGUST, 18838. | No. 8
LIST OF THE SPIDERS, MYRIOPODS AND INSECTS OF
~ LABRADOR.
BY A. S. PACKARD, PROVIDENCE, R. I.
* A list of all the known species of terrestrial Arthropods of the
Labrador coast may prove convenient as a starting point for future
investigations. Hence I have, besides enumerating the species of other
groups, revised the lists of Lepidoptera—Mr. Scudder kindly contributing
the list of butterflies. For changes in the names of the Tortricidz I am
indebted to Prof, C. H. Fernald’s excellent catalogue of the-Tortricidz
of the United States.
ARACHNIDA,
The spiders which I collected at various points on the coast were sent
to Prof, T. Thorell, of Upsala,’ for identification and description. Out of
ten species collected, seven were new to science. Prof. Thorell’s paper
was published in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural His-
tory, xvii., April 21, 1875.
Epeira patagiata (Clerck). Square Island, Strawberry Harbor.
“ Packardit Thor. 2, ‘
Tetragnatha extensa (Linn.) “ ‘6
Linyphia Emertonii ‘Thor. ss ee and near Dumplin Harbor.
Clubiona frigidula Thor. x ms
Gnaphosa brumalis Thor. Strawberry Harbor.
Lycosa Greenlandica Thor. " .
“ furcifera Thor. Square Island, and near Dumplin Harbor.
‘© fuscula Thor. Strawberry Harbor.
‘© Labradorensis Thor, Strawberry Harbor and Square Island.
Xysticus Labradorensis Keys. K. K. Zool. Bot. Ges, Wien., 479, 1887.
Ungava Bay (Turner). |
MYRIOPODA.
Julus sp. Square Island.
142 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
INSECTS.
Orthoptera.
Caloptenus. A Pezzotettix-like species, with short wings. Square Island
Odonata.
Diplax sp., near rubicundula. Caribou Island. Dragon flies were very
rare on the coast, and I saw none north of the Straits of Belle Isle.
“schna sp. Caribou Island. Perhaps another species (identified by Dr.
P. R. Uhler,) also occurred, and an Aéschna-like form was observed
at Tub Island. :
Hemiptera. ‘
Teratocoris sp.
Deltocephalus debilis Uhler. Hopedale. A few other species of
Cercopidz were seen at Caribou Island.
Trigonotylus ruficornis Fallen. Hopedale.
Corixa sp.
Platyptera.
Fteronarcys regalis. Okkak. Hopedale.
Llectoptera.
Potamanthus marginatus Zett. This boreal European May-fly, occurring
in Lapland, we have found in abundance in southern Labrador.
Ferla sp. Belles Amoures.
Chloroperla sp. A small greenish species was observed at Sis aber
Harbor.
Trichoptera.
Desmataulius planifrons Kol. Okkak.
Limnophilus subpunctulatus Zett. This Lapland Caddis-fly is the most
abundant species in Labrador, and what are probably its cases are
common in the pools of fresh water. ‘Three or four other species
also occurred, but have not been identified. No genuine Veuroptera
or Mecaptera (Panorpide) occurred.
COLEOPTERA,
Lepyrus colon (Linn.) Cape Chidley (R. Bell).
Pissodes ? sp. Hopedale.
Coccinella lacustris Lec. Okkak.
Leptura sp. Caribou Island.
Criocephalus obsoletus Randall. Okkak,
RB a5 5 pene at
THE CANADIAN’ ENTOMOLOGIST. 143
Argaleus nitens Lec. Near Cape Harrison.
Lelephorus fraxini Say. Hopedale.
P. levicollis Kirby. Hopedale.
Podabrus mandibularis Kirby. Caribou Island.
_ Sericosomus incongruus Lec. Square Island.
_ anus vagus Lec. Square Island.
_£. pictus (Cand.) Horn. (£. maculipennis Lec.) Caribou sland to
Square Island.
Cryptohypnus bicolor Germ. Belles Amoures, Strawberry Harbor and
Indian Harbor.
Byrrhus Americanus Lec. . Caribou Island.
B. Kirbyi Lec. (B. picipes). Caribou Island.
_ Atomaria. Not determined. Caribou Island.
Tps sanguinolentus Oliv. Caribou Island.
_ Bledius. Not determined.
Quedius sublimbatus Mokl. Blanc Sablon (R. Bell).
- Tachyporus n. sp. Hopedale.
_ Creophilus villosus Gray. Caribou Island.
_ Agathidium obsoletum Lec. Squaré Island.
Silpha Lapponica Linn. Caribou-Istand to Hopedale.
Phithydrus bifidus Lec. Caribou Island.
Gyrinus picipes Aubé? Square Island.
G. minutus Linn. Square Island.
G. affinis Aubé? Square Island.
_ Colymbetes picipes Kirby. Caribou Island and Strawberry Harbor.
C. binotatus Harris (probably).
C. sculptilis Harris. Caribou Island, Square Island, Hopedale.
C. nov. sp. Square Island.
Agabus parallelus Lec. Square Island.
_ A. longulus Lec? Stupart’s Bay (R. Bell).
A. ambiguus Lec. (A. infuscatus Aubé). Caribou Island.
A. subfasciatus Lec. Caribou Island.
_A. semipunctatus (Kirby). Caribou Island.
A. levidorsus Lec. Caribou Island.
A. punctulatus Aubé. Caribou Island.
A. discolor Lec. Indian Harbor.
fydroporus catascopium Say. Square Island and Dumplin Harbor.
HI. tenebrosus Lec. Caribou Island.
144 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
FT. puberulus Lec. Sloop Harbor and Dumplin Harbor. —
HT. longicornis. Stupart’s Bay (R. Bell).
HT. perplexus Shp. Stupart’s Bay (R. Bell).
Trechus micans Lec. Belles Amoures.
Latrobus tennis Lec. Square Island.
LP. hyperboreus Dejean. Belles Amoures, Straits of Belle Isle, Cape
Chidley (R. Bell).
fHarpalus herbivagus Say., var. proximus Lec. Square Island.
Amara obtusa Lec.
Amara, near A. melanogastrica Esch., perhaps A. brunni.
A. pennis Dej. Caribou Island.
Amara, ‘no name.” Strawberry Harbor, Square Island and Hopedale.
A. similis Lec. ( Stereocerus similis Kirby). Caribou Island.
A. hematopus Kirby. Sloop Harbor, Hopedale, Okkak (S. Weiz).
Pterostichus adstrictus Esch., var. orinomum Kirby. Mecatina ; Gulf
St. Lawrence. |
Pterostichus hudsonicus Lec. Stupart’s Bay (R. Bell).
F?t., species not determined. Hopedale, Sinker Island, off Cape Harri-
son (Cape Webuc).
Ft. luczottii Dej. Blanc Sablon (R. Bell). |
Flatynus sinuatus Dej. Belles Amoures, Straits of Belle Isle.
Calathus ingratus Dej. Whole coast.
Carabus chamissonis Fischer. Domino Harbor and Okkak,
_ LVebria Sahlbergit Fischer. Sloop Harbor, Cape Chidley (R. Bell).
Notiophilus Sibiricus Motsch. Domino Harbor, Square Island.
DIPTERA,
Scatina estotilandica Rondani, Archiv, etc. Canestrini iii., fasc. 1, 35,
Labrador. Osten Sacken adds: Mr. Rondani, in the same place,
mentions Scatophaga diadema Wiedemann (Montevideo), as having
been received from Labrador.
Hlelophilus glacialis Loew. Stett. Ent. Zeit. vii., 121.
. groenlandicus (OQ. Fabr.)
Dolichopus stenhammari Zett. Sloop Harbor, July 19.
Therioplectes flavipes Wied.
4 septentrionalis Loew. Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien., 1858, 593.
Tipula tessellata Loew. Cent, iv., 4.
Tipula septentrionalis Loew. Cent. iv., 3.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 145
_ Amalopsis hyperborea O. Sacken. Monogr. iv., 269.
_Dicranomyia halterata O. Sacken. Monog. iv., 71.
LEPIDOPTERA.
Tinetdae.
Glyphipteryx sp. Caribou Island.
Tinea fuscipunctella Harv, ( = Gcophora frigidella Pack.) Caribou
and Square Islands.
(cophora sp. Hopedale.
Lncurvaria Labradorella Clem. Caribou Island.
Ornix boreasella Clem. Caribou Island.
Tinea spilotella Tengstrom. Caribou Island, Square Island, “ Okkak,
June.” Christoph. ts
Gelechia continuella Zell. Moeschl. (=trimaculella Pack.) Strawberry
Harbor.
a _ Gelechia labradorica Moeschl. Moravian Stations.
“< brumella Clem. Caribou Island.
Tortricide.
Grapholitha nebulosana Pack. Strawberry Harbor.
_ Phoxopteris plagosana (Clem.) Caribou Island and Square Island.
| s é tineana Hiibn. (Pandemis leucophalerata Pack.) Hopedale.
_ Sericoris bipartitana (Clem.) Caribou Island.
Pedisca solicitana (Walk.) (Halonota packardiana Clem.) Caribou Is.
Sericoris turfosana H. S.
«¢ _glaciana Moeschl. Whole coast ; common.
Penthina capreana (Hibn.)
" murina Pack. Caribou Island.
“ septentrionana Curtis. Sloop and Strawberry Harbors. (Polar
regions, Curtis, )
< intermistana (Clem.) (P. tessellana Pack.) Caribou Island
to Hopedale.
Srigidana Pack.
Conchylis deutschiana aetuersteds (Lozopera? fuscostrigana Clem.; C.
chalcana Pack.)
Sciaphila osseana Scopoli (Ablabia pratana Hiibn.)
* moeschleriana (Wrcke).
@ niveosana Pack. Moravian Stations, August.
146 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Pyralidae.
Crambus unistriatellus Pack. Caribou Island.
‘“ argillacetllus Pack. Square Island.
_ trichostomus Christoph. Moravian Stations.
‘“« labradorensis Christoph. ‘‘ Okkak, July.”
‘© — albellus Clem. Mouth of Esquimaux river, Aug. 3. sia
“ —— inornatellus Clem. Caribou Island, July 15. poke
Eudorea centuriella Christoph. © (Pempelia fusca Harv., Eudorea’ ?
Srigidella Pack. )
Eudorea? albisinuatella Pack. Okkak.
Pyrausta borealis Pack. Square Island.
Botys ephippialis Zettst.
“© torvalis Moeschl.
“« inguinatalis Zell. (Scopula glacialis Pack.) Hopedale.
s
Phalenide.
Eupithecia luteata Pack. Caribou Island, July.
. gelidata Moeschl. Moravian Stations.
Glaucopteryx caestata (S. V.) Whole coast.
br: polata (Dupon.) Whole coast.
phocataria Pack.
Epirrita dilutata (Borkh.) Moravian Stations.
Petrophora truncata (Hufn.) Whole coast.
. prunata (Linn.) i Sa
ss populata (Linn.) ts us
% suspectata Moeschl. Moravian Stations. .
Ochyria munitaria Hubn. Caribou Island and var. jabsmdemis Pack.
“« abrasaria H. Sch. Caribou Island. |
Rheumaptera lugubrata Staud. Whole coast.
‘ postata (Linn.) Whole coast.
disceptaria (F. R.) Moravian Stations.
Triphosa dubitaria (Linn.) Caribou Island.
Semiothisa dispuncta Walk. (Sex-maculata Pack.) Square Island.
Anaitis sororaria Hiibn. Moravian Stations. ey
Aspilates gilvariaS. V. a if
Acidalia sentinaria Hiibn. if «
« frigidaria Moeschl. “ ¥
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 147
Noctuidae.
Brephos parthenias (Linn.) Moravian Stations.
| Plusia u-aureum Boisd. sh x
“ parilis Hiibn. ag i"
— divergens Fabr. “ "
Anarta funesta (Thunberg). mo "
“ melanopa (Thun.) af tf
“ — melaleuca (Thun.) . ‘Whole coast.
“ vidua Christoph. | af
“ _ cordigera (Thun.) “ s
“ — algida Lef. ¢ fs
‘¢ lapponica (Thun ) me "
“ sthonherri Zett. as “
“ getterstedtit Staud. = ‘
Hadena exulis Lef. : ee +f
‘© exornata Moeschl. " .
Pachnobia carnea Thun, 40 = Whole coast.
Mamestra arctica Boisd. Whole coast.
Dianthoecia subdita Moeschl. Moravian Stations.
. phoca Moeschl. “ 4
Agrotis septentrionalis Moeschl. sg Bs
“fusca Boisd. os es
_ — Wocket Moeschl. a se
‘speciosa Hubn. “ fi
“ — comparata Moeschl. a oe
** dissona Moeschl. " as
* umbratus Pack. * if
conflua Fehr.. " 6
Leucania rufostrigata Pack. Caribou Island.
Bombycide.
Hepialus labradoriensis Pack. Caribou Island.
‘* hyperboreus Moeschler. Moravian ns
Laria Rossit (Curtis) Whole coast.
Arctia Quenselii Paykull. Whole coast.
_ Llatarctia borealis (Moeschler). Moravian Stations.
_ Euprepia caja (Linn.) Whole coast. :
148 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
*RHOPALOCERA.
Brenthis chariclea (Schneid). “This is the Argynnis boisduvalii of the
previous list. A detailed description of the species, drawn up exclu-
sively from American material, will be found in the Proc. Bost. Nat.
Hist., Vol. xvii., p. 297. up
Brenthis triclaris (Hiibn.) = Argynnis triclaris of the previous list. A
full description will be found as above on p. 294.
Brenthis polaris (Boisd.) = Argynnis polaris of the former list. A full
description, based entirely on Dr. Packard’s material, will be found
as above, p. 303. |
Brenthis frigga (Thunb.) = Argynnis frigga of the former list. The single
male obtained in Labrador, with specimens from Colorado, taken by
Mr. Mead, form the basis of a detailed description in the same place
as the preceding, p. 306.
Eugonia j-album (Boisd.-Lec.)=Grapta interrogationis of the previous
list. This is the worst error in that list, and a case of pure careless-
ness in writing. tae, EL.
(Eneis jutta Hubn. = Chiondbas jutta of previous list.
«bore (Esp.) = Chionobas bore of former list.
‘eno (Boisd) = Chionobas ceno of former list.
Agriades aquilo (Boisd.) = Lyczena aquilo of former list. An extended
description from Dr. Packard’s material will be found in the Proceed-
ings of the Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. vol. xvii, p. 310.
Pieris frigida Scudd. I have not re-examined this. 3
Eurymus Labradorensis (Scudd.) This is the Co/ias paleno, as well as
the C. Labradorensis of the previous list. The specimen referred to
the former being of the same species as the latter. I will not here
venture on a discussion as to the validity of the specific name retained
here, but as the species was described and figured sufficiently for
determination, and is the common form in south-eastern Labrador,
it is easily identifiable.
The specimens are mostly in my collection and in that of the Museum of Comparative
Zoology.—S. H, S, oF me
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 149
_ Lurymus nastes (Boisd.) = Colias nastes of former list. I have not re-
examined specimens, as they are apparently no longer extant.
Pamphila comma (Linn) = Hesperia comma of my former list. The
single specimen obtained was not examined by me in my study of
the species of Pamphila (Memoirs Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii., 341),
and is the only specimen I have seen of P. comma from America.
It belongs to the var. catena Staud, found in northern Scandinavia
and Lapland, and exactly resembles the specimen of that variety
figured by me in the memoir referred toabove. Moschler has already
noted that it is this variety which occurs in Labrador.
Flesperia centaureae Ramb. Nothing to be added.
HYMENOPTERA.
Urocerus flavicornis Fabr. Common on Caribou Island.
“e
cyaneus Fabr. Hopedale.
Euura orbitalis Norton. Var. a.b. Caribou Island.
Nematus Labradoris Norton, Caribou Island.
3p malacus
Allantus originalts
Macrophya (Pachyprotasis) omega Norton. Caribou Island.
TLenthredo mellinus Norton, Caribou Island.
4 chnctitibius ‘
Formica herculanea Linn. Whole coast.
“é
sé
Be
‘sé “6 mad
“é Jallax sé és sé
6“ monela “ “ec . (a be
(74 Sulvipes +6 6s 66
‘ — placentus s
se 3 ss
“cc ““
sanguinea Latr. - Straits of Belle Isle.
Vespa maculata Linn. Southern coast, Mecatina Island.
norvegica Fabr. Caribou Island.
Bembus lacustris Cresson. Whole northern coast ; common.
“sé
kirbyellus Curtis. Sloop Harbor and Hopedale.
frigidus Smith. Square Island and Hopedale.
nivalis Dahlb. Caribou Island and whole coast northward.
150 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
JOHN ABBOT, THE AURELIAN.
BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER.
It has been a fortunate thing for the study of butterflies in this country
that the earlier students were those who devoted themselves very largely
to the natural history of these insects rather than to their systematic or
descriptive study. It was indeed a natural and healthy result of the
poverty of external resources in earlier times ; and I have thought that it
would not be devoid of interest to-present a few facts concerning the life
and industry of one of these earlier naturalists, who worked to such good
purpose and accomplished so much, under circumstances that would now
seem very forbidding.
A unique figure, perhaps the most striking in the early development
of natural history in America, is that of a man of whom we know almost
absolutely nothing excepting what he accomplished. With one exception,
_all our knowledge of his personality comes through tradition. No life of
him has ever been written, excepting a brief notice by Swainson in the
Bibliography of Zoology, to which Mr. G. Brown Goode has kindly called
my attention. Itis not known when or where he was born, or when he died ;
scarcely where he lived, or to what nationality he belonged. Even the
town where he worked no longer exists. His name alone remains, and
though we have access to not a little of his writing in his own round hand,
his signature cannot be discovered.*
John Abbot was presumably an Englishman, as the name is English,
and he is said by Sir. J. E. Smith, to have begun his career by the study
of the transformations of British insects. When not far from thirty years
old, and probably about 1790, he was engaged by three or four of the
leading entomologists of England, to go out to North America for the
purpose of collecting insects for their cabinets. After visiting several
places in different parts of the Union, he determined to settle in the
‘‘ Province of Georgia,” as Swainson calls it. Here he lived for nearly
twenty years in Scriven County, as I am informed by several persons
through the kindness of Dr. Oemler, of Wilmington Island, in that State,
returning to England probably not far trom 1810, where he was living
about 1840, at the age “probably above eighty.” It is rumored in
*Mr. W. F. Kirby has kindly made many researches for me at the British Museum,
the Linnean Society, etc,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 151
Georgia that he owned land there, and all that can be learned of him
comes from persons beyond middle life in that State, who remember hear-
ing their parents speak of him. Col. Charles C. Jones, the Georgia
historian, informs me through Dr. Oemler that “while he remained in
Georgia, in the prosecution of his scientific labors, his head-quarters were
at Jacksonborough, then the county seat of Scriven County. Here his
work on the Lepidoptera of Georgia was largely prepared. All traces of
this old town have now passed away.” It is supposed that he also em-
ployed himself as a school-master in this place, but this is purely traditional,
and his occasional bungling, not to say ungrammatical sentences, rather
indicate a lack of schooling on his own part. What we certainly know
regarding him is that he entered into relations with John Francillon, a
silversmith in the Strand, London, who had a famous collection of insects
and an extensive entomological correspondence. Francillon undertook to
supply subscribers with drawings of insects and plants by Abbot, as well
as with specimens, the latter of which, says Swainson, “were certainly
the finest that have ever been transmitted as articles of commerce to this
country ; they were always sent home expanded, even the most minute 5
and he was so watchful and indefatigable in his researches, that he contrived
to breed nearly the whole of the Lepidoptera. His general price for a
box-full was sixpence each specimen ; which was certainly not too much,
considering the beauty and high perfection of all the individuals. Abbot,
however, was not a mere collector. Every moment of time he could:
possibly devote from his field researches was employed in making finished:
drawings of the larva, pupa, and perfect insect of every lepidopterous
species, as well as of the plant upon which it fed. These drawings are so
beautifully chaste and wonderfully correct, that they were coveted by every
one.” It would appear from a note in Kirby and Spence’s Introduction
to Entomology (5th ed.,iii., 148) that ‘the ingenious Mr. Abbot” also”
knew the art of inflating caterpillar skins, and dealt in them through
Francillon. (See many other references in thesame volume.) There still
exist in various places, principally in the British Museum, but also at
Oxford, Paris and Zurich, and in this country at Boston, large series of
his drawings of insects and plants. ‘Those in the British Museum are
arranged in sixteen stout quarto volumes, bound in red morocco ; each
volume has a printed title page and is dated 1792 to 1809, the dates no
doubt between which they were purchased for the Museum through
Francillon from Abbot, and which probably indicated the period of his
152 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
activity in America. In Boston two similar volumes exist, one of which
was presented by Dr. Gray of the British Museum, to Dr. Gray the
botanist of Cambridge, and by him to the Natural History Society, where
it may now be seen. The other volume is a collection, perhaps the only
considerable one which has never passed out of this country, which was
purchased by the Society from Dr. Oemler, of Georgia, who inherited it
from his father.*
In the title page of the last volume of the British Museum series there
is a miniature portrait let into the title page, which, tradition says, was
painted by Abbot himself, and indeed it bears every mark of this, though
there is no memorandum to this effect within the volume. With its.
peculiar physiognomy it adds considerably to our interest in the original ;
there seems to be not a little humour in the quaint features and figure, and
the spare form hardly gives the figure of robust health which the face
would indicate. Abbot probably returned to England about 1810, at an
age of about fifty, and our portrait was doubtless painted at about this
time, certainly before he left America, since it represents him in the
thinnest of southern costume. There were old persons living in Georgia
up to 1885, but since deceased, who knew him, but apparently none now
remain.
Abbot’s work was by no means on Lepidoptera alone, as any of the
series of his drawings will show. Dr. Hagen, in speaking of the volume
in the British Museum containing the Neuroptera, says that all the details
are given with the greatest care, and that in almost all cases the species
can be identified. The same is the case with most of the drawings of
Lepidoptera, though there is a mark of carelessness in some of the figures
of early stages which is not found in others ; this is no doubt due to the
fact that so many applied for these drawings, “both in Europe and
America, that he found it expedient to employ one or two assistants, whose
copies he retouched, and thus finished they generally pass as his own.
To an experienced eye, however, the originals the master are readily
distinguished.” ,
It would hardly appear that he paid more attention to Lepidoptera
than to other inseets. Yet in the Oemler collection alone there are one
hundred and thirty-three plates of Lepidoptera, nearly every one of which
*Mr, Oemler and Mr. ‘‘ Le Compte” are both mentioned in Abbot’s notes as
sending him specimens,
Ba,
ee ee a
= THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 153
‘a figures a species distinct from the others, and ninety-four of which are
accompanied by the early stages. Twenty-two of these are insects figured
in Abbot and Smith’s work, but the figures of the early stages are in no
case identical ; they represent the same insect but in different attitudes.
Of these one hundred and thirty-three plates, thirty-four are concerned
with the butterflies. The drawings of butterflies in the British Museum
are contained in the sixth and sixteenth volumes, the former comprising
the perfect insects only, the latter the early stages as well, and in this
latter series thirty-six species are figured ; while the two Boston collec-
tions contain figures of the early stages of all but two of the species repre-
sented in the British Museum volume. Swainson states that a series of
one hundred and three subjects of Lepidoptera, including none published
before, was executed for him “ with the intention of forming two additional
volumes to those edited by Dr. Smith, but the design is now abandoned.”
Each set of drawings furnished by Abbot seems to have been accom-
panied by more or less manuscript, in which the life history of the insect
is given in brief form, with the food plant of the caterpillar and the times
of the change of the caterpillars to chrysalids, and of chrysalids to butter-
flies, which shows that Abbot must have been an exceptionally industrious
rearer of insects. Indeed the transformations of not a few of our butter-
flies are even now known only through the observations and illustrations
_of Abbot. Dr. Boisduval was good enough to present me with three
series of manuscript notes entitled ‘“ Notes to the Drawings of Insects,”
all written in Abbot’s own hand, and comprising twenty-seven foolscap
pages, rather closely written, and describing the changes of two hundred
and one species; of these thirty-eight are butterflies. These, unfortunately,
are referred to only by number and by an English name, which Abbot
himself applied, apparently to every insect of which he furnished drawings,
such as the “‘reed butterfly,” the “ringed butterfly,” the “lesser dingy
skipper,” etc , though he occasionally makes use of such names as the
“autumnal ajax,” ‘Papilio antiopa,” etc., showing his familiarity to a
certain extent with Linnean names. As the names and drawings are in
some instances kept together, the manuscript of those in which they are
not connected is still of use. It appears that nearly all the Georgian
butterflies were observed and painted by Abbot, and that of about sixty
species which he raised he distributed illustrations and notes of the early
stages to some of his correspondents.
154 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ’
As is well known by all aurelians, one considerable collection of
Abbot’s drawings was published by Sir James Edward Smith in two _
sumptuous folio volumes, but these comprise, as far as the butterflies are
_concerned, only twenty-four species. This work made an epoch in the
history of entomology in this country. Besides this Abbot published
nothing. The article credited to him in Hagen’s Bibliography was by a
Rev. Mr. Abbot, who wrote from England in November, 1798, when
Abbot was in this country.
CHARACTERS OF PROTECTION AND DEFENCE IN INSECTS.
; BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY. see
A few years since I described a colony of Spanner caterpillars
( Geometride) belonging to an undetermined species, and the description
appeared afterwards in this journal. These larva were remarkable
for their mimicry, in color and shape and attitude, of dead leaves.
There could be no question that they belonged to the category of — q
protective appearance, to which so,many green and brown tinted
larvee belong, which share these ‘‘cosmical colors.” In _ studying
these larvee we must consider their color, shape and attitude separately.
The larvee of most of the Hawk Moths belong to this category. The
caterpillar in repose, or at the approach of danger, assumes a rigid attitude
in which it resembles a leaf on a branch of the food plant. The —
markings along the back often assist this resemblance. The only motion
is that imparted by the swaying of the plant on which it rests. When
disturbed, the caterpillar of Ziyreus Adbdbotii throws itself by jerks from
side to. side and gives out a crepitating noise. It looks then somewhat
snake-like. |
The second category is that of defensive appearance. Highly colored,
red and yellow larvae, belong many of them to this category, as also- a
those armed with spines and prickles. ‘These would seem to court obser-
vation, which they further aid by their restlessness. It is probable that,
by their gaudy appearance, they inspire distaste or fear in their natural
enemies. ‘The caterpillars of Ovgyéa are not eaten by birds, nor are
. those of 4draxas. By simulating obnoxious species it has been shown
that several kinds of butterflies escape destruction. From these two points
of view the appearance of insects must be studied, but it by no means
follows that the means to the end have been always perfectly attained.
~~
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 155
' It is owing to the imperfection of their protection that insects are, as a
"whole, kept under and an undue multiplication prevented. But there is,
probably, an effort in these directions to be noted and brought out in the
life history of allinsects. Darwin's law of Natural Selection tends to bring
out these characters more strongly by its effect of preserving the best pro-
tected kinds. I have noted how the species of Cafoca/a, so numerous
with us, are preserved ; the larva, by their resemblance to twigs, the
moths, from their upper wings, during the day and in repose, correspond-
ing in appearance with the trunk and bark of the trees against which they
rest. The larve of burrowing Lepidoptera resemble in their pale and
livid colors those of the Coleoptera or burrowing larve of other Orders of
Insects. The larveeof Hymenoptera, which are external feeders, resemble
the external feeding Lepidoptera in their greenish tints. There is then a
correlation between habit and color. The larve of cut-worms (Agrotis )
resemble the soil in color, where they burrow at the roots of plants.
In South Carolina I collected a number of specimens of an Orthopter-
ous insect, which strikingly resembled the predaceous Cicindelide. They
were active on the leaves of Okra. I regret that the specimens were lost,
and I could not determine the species. I have observed that certain
smooth Chrysomelidz, living on a species of lily, on the approach of
danger folded in the feet and allowed themselves to slide off the leaves,
dropping in the herbage beneath where they speedily recovered the use
of their legs. ‘The snapping beetles, H/ateride, assume a rigid attitude,
the short feet tucked in against the under part of the hard body, and look
like bits of dead wood or twigs. By their quiet and protective color they
seem to expect that they will escape notice. This and similar actions in
other kinds of beetles and insects is called “feigning death” by some
writers. In order to “ feign death,” as the words intend, some knowledge
of death as such and its advantages must be supposed. But I cannot
think that insects have arrived at any such generalization of ideas. Their
actions often incompletely answer to their apparent ends. _ It is probable
to me that their attitudes of repose are assumed from the experience which’
- they have gradually acquired that in a state of quiet they will best avoid
the immediate dangers which beset them and which they cannot escape
by flight. A Catoca/a will rest in quiet for hours, but on the near
approach of a disturber will take to very quick and instant flight. Trying
to capture a specimen once it thus escaped me, but in its endeavor to
avoid Charybdis it fell into Scylla, for a passing swallow devoured it in
the air.
156 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The characters of protection and defense form an interesting subject
in the natural history of external feeding larve, such as those of the
Lepidoptera, for here the insect +,,1st rely on them and can do little or
nothing; ~y movement. Therefo.e they can here be the more readily
detectec *,In tracing descent and relationship between the species, the
modifications of the external characters of the larve must lead to the best
results, to the safest conjectures as to the line taken. Almost all our
knowledge as to any species and its habits is fragmentary and incomplete.
What piece and parcel we observe we are apt to be very certain about,
and we do not hesitate to draw therefrom very absolute conclusions, with
an air of authority incommensurate with our ‘nowledge. But in the
multitude of counsellors there is in this case so far safety, that each may
bring his observations and conclusions to paper, and, if the editor will
print them, from the sifting of the whole a picture will in time be drawn
which will stand in some proportion to the real truth. :
THE ORANGE SPOT IN NATHALIS IOLE, Bow.
BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, WEST CLIFF, COLORADO.
On November rst, 1887, I took in this locality (Swift Creek, near
West Cliff,) an example of Vatha/is ole, and was thereby led to examine
its characters. The general colour of the upper side of this insect is pale
yellow. The primaries are marked with pale black (if one may use such
a term,) after the manner described in the text books, and the upper
margins of the secondaries also present a black patch, covering the area
which is normally overlapped. by the primaries. On this black patch,
not far from the base of the wing, is an e/ongated spot of the most vivid
orange. I first noticed this spot when setting out my specimen, and was
led to wonder why the most vivid piece of colouring in the whole insect
should be situated where it was invisible under ordinary conditions.
Could it be due to some peculiarity in the development of the pigment
‘induced by its peculiar position on the wing? was it a relic of the
original colour of the insect, which not being under the same influences .
as the exposed parts, had not become modified in the course of ages ?
or was it a secondary sexual character to be exhibited by the raising of
the primaries ? |
Being unable to answer these questions, I put the insect away until
January 12th, when J sent it off with other butterflies to Mr. W, H.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 157
Edwards, calling his attention to the presence of the orange spots. He
wrote in reply that he could not tell why some examples of M zo/e had
the orange spot and others not, but ‘ was a very variable species. On
March sth I received the box I had sent, and in it my “°scimen of
NV. iole, which, to my great astonishment, had completely los: the orange
spots,—they having become pale yellow, the colour of the rest of the
wing (except the black portion), only somewhat glossy. The orange
shade on the under side of the primaries, near the costal margin, had not
faded in the least. Supposing that the butterfly might have been sub-
mitted to some unusual influence while in Mr. Edwards’ hands, I wrote
to him asking the exa. circumstances under which he had kept it, and
he replied as follows: ‘‘The particular specimen which you sent and
I returned never was outside your box, and the latter’ rested on top of
one of my insect cases, so that no chemical influence was brought to bear
on it. Last year I raised several zo/e imagos from larve, and the males
I think all had the orange spot; I.am sure some had. On looking at
; them now (March 16), I find xo orange at all.” So it is perfectly clear
; that the orange spot in (Vat¢ha/is is of a peculiar nature, and is further.
: hable to fade, which process is not one of continuous and gradual bleach-.
ing due to the action of light—because my specimen was ali the time in a.
; closed box in perfect darkness, and the orange remained as vivid as ever.
up to the time that I sent the insect to Mr. Edwards—but is more or less:
sudden, and apparently due to change in the constitution of a complex
‘4 pigment, rather than its destruction. However this may be, I think that
however insignificant this question may seem from the point of view of
j the systematist, it is one which the evolutionist will recognize as demand-
: ing his careful attention, and this must be my excuse for dealing with it
at so great a length.
Sm
: NOTE ON A GERMAN EDITION OF ROSS'S SECOND
VOYAGE (1829-1833).
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M.
A copy of a German translation of Ross’s Second Voyage lately fell
into my hands, and I make the following bibliographical note upon the
descriptions of Lepidoptera there given. The translation is by Julius,
Graf von der Groben, Lieutenant in K. Pr. Reg. Garde du corps, and the
third part or volume is published: in Berlin, 1836. This volume (8 vo.)
158 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
contains the natural history, the descriptions of the Lepidoptera occupying
pages 238 to 255 inclusive. The following are the references :
Colias Boothii (Curtis), p. 238.
‘“« Chione (Curtis), p. 239.
Hipparchia Rossii (Curtis), p. 241.
“< subhyalina (Curtis), p. 242.
Melitea Tarquinius (Curtis), p. 243.
Polyommatus Franklinii (Curtis), p. 245.
Laria Rossii (Curtis), p. 247.
Lyprepia Hyperboreus (Curtis), p. 249. —
Hadena Richardsoni (Curtis), p. 250.”
Psychophora Sabini (Kirby), p. 251.
Oporabia Punctipes (Curtis), p. 252.
Orthotenia Bentleyana (Don), p, 253.
. Septentrionana (Curtis), p. 254.
Argyrotosa (?) Parryana (Curtis), p. 254.
I have identified the moth Zaria Rossii from specimens taken by
Mr. Mann on Mount Washington, N. H. 3
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ANTHOCHARIS.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, WEST VA.
Anthocharis Pima.
MaLe—Expands 1.75 inch.
Upper side yellow; the bases of wings duxtadt black ; primaries
have the basal half of costa white, crossed by dark brown streaks ; the
apex also edged white on both margins, and next this is a series of five
large, elongated, dark brown spots, almost confluent, filling the interspaces
to second medium nervule, each sending a narrow projection to the
margin ; on the arc a black rectangular bar, the area between this and
the apical spots and costal edge orange ; fringes whitish ; a few blackish
hairs at the end of each nervule on secondaries.
Under side of primaries yellow ; the apical area greenish, dusted with
black scales ; the orange repeated paler and diffused over cell and second
median interspace ; the bar on arc repeated.
Secondaries pale yellow, largely covered by patches of light yellow-
green, confluent, forming irregular and connected transverse bands from
hind margin to base.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 159
FEMALE— Expands 1.7 inch.
Same yellow; the apical spots longer and completely confluent,
forming a solid patch ; the orange paler ; the bar on arc less rectangular ;
broadest on sub-costal ; under side as in the male.
From two examples taken early in April, 1883, in Pima County,
Arizona, by Mr. O. T. Baron.- In all 2 and 22 were taken, This is
the only known North American species in which both sexes are yellow.
The brown apical patch is much larger than in the allied species.
BOOK NOTICE.
THE BUTTERFLIES OF SOUTH AFRICA.
South African butterflies : A monograph of the extra-tropical species. By
Roland Trimen, F. R. S., etc., assisted by’ James Henry Bowker, F
Z. S., ete. Vol. I: Nymphalide; Vol. II: Erycinide and Ly-
caenide. London: Trubner & Co., 1887, 8 vo.
All who have studied foreign butterflies at all are acquainted with
Trimen’s work on the butterflies of Southern Africa, published more than
twenty years ago, under the title Rhopalocera Africae Australis. It will
please them to know that there has recently appeared the first two of
three volumes on the same subject, which are based, indeed, upon the old,
but wholly rewritten, and with a great wealth of additions, especially on
the natural history side. These two volumes comprise the Nymphalide,
Erycinide and Lycaenide, in all 238 species. The Papilionide and
Hesperide are to occupy the third volume with about 142 species. It
will thus be seen that Mr. Trimen falls into line with all the principal
lepidopterists of England in the serial order in which he here places the
different families of butterflies, adopting. indeed, exactly the subdivisions
and the order Mr. Moore employed in his Lepidoptera of Ceylon, which
we noticed lately. But he does more than that; for, in a long introductory
chapter of 44 pp., he treats of the structure, classification and distinctive
characters of the groups, together with their geographical distribution, their
habits and instances of mimicry in an excellent manner, such as is very
unusual in a work of this nature. It would interest every reader of the
Canapian ENTOMOLOGIST. So, too, all the families, sub-families and generic
groups are characterized with a fulness entirely proportional to the specific
descriptions, rendering the work one of the best introductions to a fauna
known tome. These descriptions are evidently the work of one who is
quite familiar with structure, are not copied from the writings of others, but
160 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
are introduced in language of the author’s own, having a special value —
quite apart from the rest of the work. Nor is this all; for the characters
are drawn not simply from the complete stage of the insects, but from the
larva and pupa as well, and these same stages are introduced in the
generic descriptions. It is unfortunate that he has not included also the
egg. The work is illustrated so far by ten octavo plates, one of whichis
devoted to the structure of the wings, the head and legs of the imago ; two.
to the early stages of a few species, and the remainder to excellent chromo-
lithographs of the perfect insects. The figures of the early stages are an in-
teresting, though somewhat scanty, addition to our knowledge, the most
important of which is found in the larva and pupa of D’Urbania, a curious.
genus of Lycaeninz, in which the pupa, as well as the larva, is covered.
with long fascicles of hairs, as long as the width of the body. Mr. Trimen :
has been aided by collectors and naturalists throughout Southern Africa
to a very great extent, so much so, indeed, that he has added to his title
page the name of one of them, Col. Bowker, as joint author with himself ;
_ and the help he has received in this respect may be indicated in part by
the considerable number of species which have been added to the list of
South African butterflies since the publication of his first work, a total of
380 against 197. An excellent coloured map of Southern Africa, south of
the tropic of Capricorn, is prefixed to the first volume. We hope the third,
volume, completing the work, will soon be issued. nee
SAMUEL H. SCUDDER.
CORRESPONDENCE.
REMEDY FOR ROSE-APHIS.
Dear Sir ; Experiments with a weak solution of Creolin upon Rose:
Aphides and leaf-tying larvee ( Zortrix) proved quite successful without
any apparent injury to the plants. Rose bushes syringed with Creolin
solution remained for some time after free from insects of any kind so far-
as I could observe. More continued use of Creolin must be made to ~
speak with certainty, but it seems to me likely that in this disinfectant we:
may have a valuable help for garden or greenhouse. fe oe
: A. R. GRorer.
Mailed August Ist,
Che Canadtan Entomologist.
e VOL. XX, LONDON, SEPTEMBER, 1888. _ No. 9
CATALOGUE OF THE MYRMOPHILOUS COLEOPTERA
WITH BIBLIOGRAPHY AND NOTES.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
Quite a number of our Coleoptera are known to associate in their
imago or perfect state with the Formicarize—comprehensively, ants. Very
little, perhaps nothing, is known of the larval and pupal life of any of these
beetles. Some, like Batrisus bistriatus, probably never leave the ants ;
but others, like the species of Cremastochilus, desert them in the spring,
whether afterwards to return and propagate among them is an open
' question. The association here referred to is common inhabitancy and
more or less mutual interdependency, and not mere accidental occurrences
under stones, bark and common shelters as seen frequently ; and it is
not always easy for the collector to avoid confusion of this kind. By
bringing together the most of what is recorded in American literature about
these interesting Coleoptera, with this as a basis it is hoped a stimulus
_ may be given to research, and collectors may be induced to search for
them more diligently, and make public their observations. It is no easy
matter to investigate properly an ant’s nest, but patience and labour
intelligently directed may meet with ample reward. Larve and pupe
should be diligently sought for in the formicariums. Only once or twice
is there mention of any larva of a Coleopter having occurred with ants,
and that of some Staphylinide that may have only been there as an
explorer.
ABBREVIATIONS.
Tr.—Transactions of the American Entomological Society.
Pr.—Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science, Phil. (2nd
series).
An.—Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History, New York.
B. J.—Boston Journal of Natural History.
162 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
No Carabide are known to me to truly inhabit with ants, but several
species hibernate in their burrows whether inhabited or not, as Panagaus
fasciatus, which I find in autumn and in spring.
Ptomophagus parasitus Lec. I take this beetle occasionally in April
on the under side of flat stones covering the formicaria of a large black
ant (Formica herculanea ?). With this species of ant I once found five
specimens of Aster planipes, and Cremastochilus canaliculatus ae
fHfarrisii are its guests.
Colon. The Classification, p. 77, states that some species of Colon
are found only in ants’ nests, but I fail to find further bibliography.
Scydmenus. The Classification, p. 84, mentions ants’ nests as the
residence of some of the species. It might be well for the collector to
consider whether the association is other than accidental.
S. capillosus Lec. Is found in March on the under side of stones, ay
is said (Pr., 6, 152) to sometimes occur in the nest of a small rufous ant os
with red legs. I take it sometimes with various small ants but just as
- frequently by itself, and see no connection besides that of occupying a
common shelter. Georgia, Pennsylvania and New York.
S. brevicornis Say. Occurs in the nest of a small black ant. New
York and Pennsylvania. (Pr., 6, 153.) 7
S. rasus Lec. Found with a smallfuscous ant. Pennsylvania. (Pr.,
6, 153.) Se
Adranes cecus Lec. Found with a small black ant. June. Georgia
and Illinois. (B. J., 6,84; N.S, p. 28.) ; :
Adranes Lecontei Brend. Several specimens of this curious’ insect,
which is without eyes and has only two joints in the antennz, were taken
by Mr. Charles Dury near Cincinnati, Ohio, with a medium-sized pale
brown species of ant, inhabiting a decaying beech log. ‘On each side
of the body and just back of the elytra is a tuft of brown hair, and from
it springs a tube from which the beetle exudes a fluid that the ants are
supposed to eat.”—Dury, Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural
History, July, 1884.
Ceophyllus monilis Lec. Inhabits here with a medium-sized, honey-
yellow ant (Lasius integerrimus ?) that nests under stones. When the
beetle is found, which is not often, from six to a dozen occur in the same
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Ta RS
nest. I find Heterius brunnipennis with this ant. April and May. Dr.
Leconte took C. moni/is under bark in August in Michigan. (B. J., 6,
473; Can. EnT., 18, 26.)
Cedius Ziegleri Lec. Dr. Leconte took a specimen at Bedford, Pa.,
in the nest of Formica rufa, though previously he had found it under
Dame. (17, G, 288 ;' B..J., 6, 74:)
_Imesiphorus costalis Lec. Found with Formica rufa. (Tr., 6, 287.)
Ctenistes pulvereus Lec. ‘Taken at San Jose, California, ‘with a small
piceous ant with testaceous legs.” (An., 5, 214.)
Tychus puberulus Lec. With ants. San Jose, California. (An., 5,
214)
Decarthron formiceti Lec. Found with Formica Pennsylvanica. April.
Pennsylvania. (B. J., 6, go.)
Batrisus Ione. Found by Dr. Leconte “with a small, opaque, black
ant, with rufo-piceous feet and antenne.” May. Mt. Iona, Georgia.
(B. J., 6, 94.)
_ B. armiger Lec. Lives witha medium-sized rufous ant. Pennsylvania.
(B. J., 6, 94)
B. ferox Lec. Found with various ants. Pennsylvania, Zoc. cit.
B. cristatus Lec. Found with a large rufous ant with a brownish
head. Pennsylvania, Zoc. cit.
B. riparius Say. Occurs occasionally in Pennsylvania under stones
with Formica Pennsylvanica (?), but more frequently under pine bark in
Georgia. (B. J., 6, 95.)
B. globosus Lec. Inhabits with several species of ant in Pennsylvania
and Georgia. (B. J., 6, 100.)
B. bistriatus Lec. Taken by Dr. Leconte with a large rufous ant, Zoc.
cit. I have taken it twice in April with a medium-sized honey-yellow
ant. The ants seem to be very fond of them, and carry them off like
their eggs and pupz, while the beetles appear to be entirely impassive.
(Can. Enr., 18, 26.) )
B. lineaticollis Aube. Taken with a large rufous ant. Georgia and
Pennsylvania. (B. J., 6, 100.)
It is quite probable other species of this genus occur with ants. Five
species in California, described as new by Mr, Casey since the catalogue
164 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
was issued, are found in wet moss and under stones near water courses,
thus showing great diversity of habit in insects placed in the same genus.
Anchylarthron cornutum £ (inornatum§ ) Brend. Gregarious with
ants. Mississippi Valley and South Carolina. (Tr., 14, 208.)
Trimium puncticolle Lec. Many specimens of this species were
taken in an ants’ nest by Dr. Horn in Arizonia. (Proc. Am. Phil. Soc.,
17, 384.)
flomalota. An dndeseribed species was taken with sialic rufa at
Bedford, Pa., by Dr. Leconte. (Tr., 6, 288.)
Lomechusa cava Lec. About fifty specimens were taken with a colony
of black ants [Formica Pennsylvanica| inhabiting a white oak log.
Massachusetts. (Bul. Brook. Ent. Soc., 2, 4.) Dr. Leconte took it from
the mounds of Formica rufa in the Alleghany Mountains ; it occurred
with yellow ants in Columbia County, Pa., Michigan and Maryland ; and
in Illinois in large numbers in the nests of Formica rufa (?). (Tr., 6
Bee
Oxypoda. A species occurred with Formica rufa at Bedford, Pa.
Leconte. (Tr., 6, 288.)
Leptacinus longicollis Lec. Occurs in the middle States, and usually
in ants’ nests. (N.S., p. 41.)
LEleusis pallidus Lec, Ants’ nests, Lancaster County, Pa. (Leconte
in New Species, p. 58. This insect is gregarious. I have twice taken a
colony early in July under the bark of Balm of Gilead stumps ( Populus
candicans )}—once with very small brown ants, and once alone. ‘The
association of this species with ants appears to me to be merely acci-
dental. (Can. Enrv., 18, 27.)
Lister planipes ed: Occurs, according to Dr. Horn, from Massachu-
setts to Georgia. Here, I took once five specimens in April in a nest of
Lformica herculanea.
HH. perpunctatus Lec. Mr. F. Blanchard takes this species at T'yngs-
borough, Mass., with a brown ant, 4.5 mm. long. (Tr., 8, 190.)
H. repletus Lec. This, according to Mr. Blanchard, is also found in
Massachusetts in the nest of a small black ant. (Ent, Am., 3, 86.) It is
quite probable 4 subopacus is also a Myrmophile. It occurs in
Nebraska, Colorado, and also in Vancouver Island. |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 165
gs Fleterius brunnipennis Rand. Occurs here occasionally with a
medium-sized honey-yellow ant in April and May.
Hf. Blanchardi Lec. Mr. Blanchard, the discoverer of this species,
took it and Hister perpunctatus with the same species of ant. (Tr., 8,
190.)
Lichinodes setiger Lec. ‘This singular form has occurred variously ; in
South Carolina and Georgia with a pale ant, (Horn. Proc. Am. Phil. Soc.,
13, 305.) Zimmerman found it at Columbia, South Carolina, in April,
with a small brown ant. (Tr., 2, 253.) And it has been taken in Haber-
sham County, Georgia, in the nest of a small ant under bark. (Pr., 1859,
316.)
Cremastochilus Schaumit Lec. Dr. Horn frequently found this
species in ants’ nests in California. (Tr., 3, 3 39.)
C. Westwoodi Horn. Found in or near ants’ nests in Owen’s Valley,
California, where it is not rare. (Pr. Am. Phil. Soc., 18, 139.)
C. angularis Lec. This species was taken frequently in ant’s nests in
California by Dr. Horn, who several times saw large black ants dragging
the beetles towards their nests. He strongly suspects the fossz at the
anterior angles of the thorax and the finely punctured and perforated
patches under the hind angles yield a secretion grateful to the ants. This
species extends to Vancouver.
C. variolosus Kirby. One specimen occurred here with ants.
C. canaliculatus Kirby. Is the most abundant species found here ; it
is found from April till June with large black ants, perhaps of two species,
inhabiting usually under stones or other covering, but not infrequently
throwing up small mounds in old pastures and open ground. The nests
under stones rarely yield more than two beetles, but the mounds often con-
tain five or six at once, and with care will yield a crop every two or three
weeks. The beetles are found near the sutface, none having been taken
below the plane of the base.
As soon as it becomes warm, from the middle of April onward, this
species takes leave of the ants and flies away ; like the Cicinde/e@ it only
flies during the hottest sunshine and for short distances, alighting suddenly
on a stone or the middle of a dusty road. Its flight is low and heavy, ~
and after it lights cannot take wing again without some delay, and I have
seen it flying as late as August. Whether after having left, the same beetles
166 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
return and breed among the ants, or whether it is a new brood that claims — '
their hospitality for the winter, is absolutely unknown. I never could
satisfy myself as to whether those found in the nests in June had returned
or were just preparing to leave. (For some interesting observations on
this species and Schaumii see Ent. Am., 1, 187.)
C. Harrisii Kirby. I neglected to observe the ant with. which I
took a specimen.
Dr. Horn incidently mentions that C. /eucosticticus, pilosicollis pe
castanee have likewise been observed in ants’ nests. (Pr. Am. Phil.
Soc., 18, 384.) , | vie
Without much doubt many species of our Staphylinide will be found
to be Myrmophilous as in Europe, where, according to Rev. J. G. Wood,
in the Aleocharidz alone no less than “eight genera contain species that
are parasitic and spend their whole lives in the nests of ants,” among
them Atemeles emarginatus and A. paradoxus living with Formica Susca
and Myrmice ruginodis, which take as good care of them as of their own - a
young; also JZ 'yemedona Haworthit and Dinarda dentata, Quedius
brevis is said to live with Formica rufa, and that wonderful beetle
Claviger foveolatus, destitute of eyes and mouth, inhabits with Formica
Hava.
Besides the species catalogued here several others in our Fauna are
traditionally reputed to dwell with ants, but the observers have either not
published the facts or I have failed to find the bibliography.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOMBYCIDA.
(Second Paper.)
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
We have seen, CAN. ENT., xix., p. 156, e¢ seg., that the Bosbye ase or
Spinner Moths, are characterized, as a whole, by their short, pectinate
antenne, ample, velvety wings, thick bodies, small heads and sluggish
habit, while the pupa is usually contained in a cocoon made by the cater-
pillar in its last stage. To almost all these characters the sub-:amily
groups offer exceptions, and we have seen that while Dr. Packard follows
the tradition of Harris, Latreille and Iinnaeus, modern German writers
break up the family into independent groups limited by structural features
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 167
; taken from the imago. What Agassiz calls “form” still unites these
various groups—a certain correspondence in outline and habit. Dr.
Packard seeks this in the shape of the clypeus, the piece between the
_ eyes, its relative proportion. In my first paper I have adopted this view,
that we have to do with descendants of a former complex and that we
_ may still unite the Spinner Moths under a common family title. Those
' who differ may merely alter my sub-families into families.
Sub-family Sarothripine.
The single genus Sarothripus Curt. was first referred to the Tortricide,
then to the Noctuidz, and finally as part of the Vodine, the second sub-
family or group of the Bombycidz. In my new Check List the genus is
omitted, as I had no knowledge of our N. Am. species. The form of the
a cocoon allies it to VoZa. The moth is tortriciform and differs from /Vo/a
_ decidedly in the form of the wings. The fore wings are elongate, sub-
_ quadrate, hardly widening outwardly with acute apices. The palpi are
_ much longer than the head, more erect and prominent than in Voda. The
caterpillar is 16-footed and makes a boat-shaped cocoon. ‘The neuration
_ shows a relation to Voda and the Lithosians. As the hind wings have
_ only two internal veins, we see that the moth is not really a Micro, to
which group it was once referred. The fore wings have no accessory cell.
We shall come back to this accessory cell later and show its importance
and constancy in some other groups. ‘The antenne are simple in both
sexes: ‘The resemblance to /Vo/a lies also in the want of ocelli, and this
character unites the three first groups, viz., Sarothripine, Noline and
Lithosiine; again, the elongate palpi, which are, however, equally
squamous throughout. Of the European genera, Chlephora, Halias and
Larias, we have no N. Am. species, and these probably form a distinct
group, Chlephorine. Of Sarothripus we have one described from the
East and one from the West. Nowthe European species is very variable,
and whether we have more than one species, or whether our species is
really distinct from the European revayana, is not clearly made out.
Probably the earliest descriptions of forms of our Eastern Sarothripus
are those cited by Fernald, Am. Ent., I., 36, the Zortrix scriptana and
Srigidana of Walker. :
Sub-family Vo/ine.
The fore wings are broad, sub-trigonate, without accessory cell ; the
hind wings rounded, not as in the Sarothrifine, with the outer margin
168 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
indented. No ocelli. The fore wings have tufted scale patches above.
The caterpillars are 14-footed and make a boat-shaped cocoon. The
neuration of our N. Am. genus Argyrophyes is given by me, CAN. Enr.,
ix., 236; aid we have two species, cé/icoides and nigrofasciata (== LEustro-
tia obaurata Morr.). ‘This latter synonym recalls the fact that the orna-
mentation in this group of small insects resembles that of the Noctuide.
In Argyrophyes the raised blotches of scales on primaries are metallic.
Of the typical genus /Vo/a, I have cited five N. Am. species in the new
Check List.
Sub-family Zithosiine.
The long palpi of the preceding groups are replaced by shorter, more
bombyciform appendages. In this group the body is weak and the fore
wings usually narrow, while the hind wings are wide and frail. The ocelli
are wanting. Hence I refer Crocofa to the following group of Arctiine.
The costal vein of secondaries springs from the subcostal. No accessory
cell on primaries. The caterpillars are 16-footed and live on lichens. In
the new Check List I cite the genera Clemensia, Crambidia, Hypoprepia,
Cisthene, Byssophaga (distinct?), Lithosia, Euphanessa and Ameria. It
is possible that the two last do not belong to this group.
Sub-family Arctiine.
In this group the male antenne are usually provided with short pecti-
nations ; the ocelli are present ; the palpi are quite short and the whole
appearance is bombyciform. Veins 4 and 5 are near together on both
wings. The moths are usually of larger size than in the preceding
groups ; the wings are ample, held roof-like in repose. The caterpillars
are hairy and make loose cocoons. Our North American genera are
allied to the European, but Dr. Packard has drawn attention to the fact
that onr species are more white and yellow, less red-colored than the
European. In the presence of the genus (Vemeophtla the west coast
fauna more nearly resembles the European. The genera Cvocofa,
Kodiosoma, Setrarctia, Leucarctia, Ecpantheria, Euerythra, Halisidota,
are more especially American forms, outgrowths, so to speak, of Spz/osoma
and Arctia. I wish to correct here Mr. J. B, Smith’s reference of Cera-
thosia tricolor Sm., to the Arctitde. A comparison of its corrected
characters will show that it should be rather referred to the Woctuide.
The clypeus has an inferior circular rim and presents a sub-central, button-
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 169
like projection. This isa Noctuid and Pyralid feature, though a projection
is found in Copidryas without the rim. ‘The fore wings have an accessory
cell. The hind wings have vein 5 present, but weak, not absent as stated
by Mr. J. B. Smith, and this vein is equidistant between 4 and 6, contra-
_ dicting the characters of the Arctiine. Mr. J. B. Smith also describes
_ incorrectly the relative positions of veins 3, 4 and 5 on primaries, as also
the point of emergence of vein 10, which springs from about the middle
of the upper margin of the accessory cell, not from the upper and outer
angle of the cell, whence springs vein 7, giving off 8 and 9. In Cera-
thosta there is a claw on fore tibiz ; the legs are thinly scaled, the palpi
not so short as in the Arctitde. The moth is lithosiform rather than
arctiiform in appearance, but the ocelli will not allow of its being referred
to the Lithosians; its neuration and total characters exclude it from the
Bombycidz altogether. The squamation is rather like Zarache than like
Arctia. It is not enough that a description of a genus be given ; the
reason why it belongs to the family must be stated. Added to this, Mr.
Smith’s description is in itself faulty and inaccurate, and affords no reason
why this author should use such language in correcting Mr. Hy. Edwards’s
reference of certain genera, or take such a tone in correcting my own
writings. In the present day when the Lepidoptera are well known, the
details of structure of the different groups are all given in the writings of
the past fifteen or twenty years in Europe and America.
Sub family Dasychirine.
This group is allied to the Arctiide by the tufted or shaggy cater-
pillars, the frail cocoons. ‘The antenne are more plumose, in the female
with short teeth. The palpi are short. The ocelli are again wanting.
The legs are short and are usually hairy as in many of the Arctiide.
The pupa itself is often hairy—an unusual character. The wings are
ample, but in the females of some genera wanting or incompletely ex-
panded. Veins 4 and 5 spring near together, another point of resembl-
ance to the Arctiide. In fact we cannot but approve of Harris’s and Dr.
Packard’s arrangements of these groups. Hepia/us and Cossus should
not be interpolated here, but are the lowest groups of the family. In the
Dasychirine the body is rather heavy, and there is a disproportion
between the sexes, many males being much smaller and lighter. In the
New Check List I have cited the N. Am. genera Parorgyia, Carama
170 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
and Zagoa. ‘The two latter are curious, and show some resemblances to
the following group, Cochlidiing. Curama may be described by Curtis
also. The genera Orgyia and Dasychira are shared with Europe; in
the old world the representation of the Dasychirine seems to be. far
eee than 1 in the new.
PARTIAL PREPARATORY STAGES OF CATOCALA te
INNUBENS, GuEn. | ude
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
April 28, 1887, a single larva of a then unknown Catocala was found
on a Honey Locust which proved to be this species. By its appearance a
it had seemingly passed the first moult. Hence the egg and first stage of
the larva is lacking in this account of its life history. If my conjecture
be true, my description will begin with the conventional “ after the first’
- moult.” Length, .26 inch. Color pale greenish, the anterior two and
posterior three joints whitish ; four purplish red stripes on each side, the ~
lower somewhat broken ; head mottled, but not heavily so ; piliferous
spots black, with short black hairs. Shape as usual with Ca pare
Duration of this period unknown. ! usb
After 2nd Moult.—Length, .40 inch. Color, pale dull pariah rose
in nine longitudinal stripes alternating with pale greenish white lines, the
rose darker on the head and joint 2, shading into the pale rose on joint
3; the dorsal stripe a narrow line on joints 2 to 4, broken between the
joints and narrow on the last three joints ; stripe 2 (counting the dorsal
one) contains the dorsal piliferous spots ; stripe 3 without any piliferous
spots ; stripe 4 with the lateral piliferous spots ; below this a broken and
irregular stripe that contains the lowest piliferous spots. These ‘stripes
are of the double line kind, each edge darker than the middle, though
there is little difference in any of them except the lowest or number 5,
which has more or less of the greenish white in its centre. Piliferous spots
black, conspicuous, the short hairs black; head reddish purple with
mottlings of broken white lines. Duration of this period four days.
After 3rd Moult.—Length, .80 inch. Color, pale green, with seven
dark reddish purple stripes on each side, composed of contiguous dots ;
head striped with purplish black and white ; the dark on joint 2 black,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 171
—
gradually shading into the purple; yellow tinted between the joints;
piliferous spots black ; joints in the middle of the body with black patches
on the venter. The posterior pair of piliferous spots on the dorsum of
joint 9 are, like other species, more approximate than the others and the
We intervening space elevated, the elevation containing four spots in a trans-
-yerse row with a patch of pale yellowish back of these. Duration of this
_ period five days.
After 4th Moult.—Length, 1.20 inches. Color, pale green, almost
_ white, with a slight yellow tinge, more distinct underneath the top of joint
~ 2, the legs and a substigmatal stripe distinct yellow ; the transverse folds
between the joints with more of the yellow tinge. Head striped with
‘dark reddish purple (this was black before) and white, the markings
‘arranged as before but the stripes are almost obliterated on the body
except on joints 2 to 4, and the transverse folds between the joints where
they are distinct as to the rows of black dots that mark the boundary of
‘the stripes, faint traces of these on the middle of the joints ; the black on
the venter small except on the middle joints. Piliferous spots black, not
very large ; a prominent black patch on each side of the posterior part of
joint 9, composed of three spots, a short dorsal orange line between them ;
the posterior pair of spots on the back of joint 12 more prominent than the
others ; no lateral fringe, but a slight fold above the pro-legs ; the anterior
two pairs of pro-legs pretty well developed.
“Mature Larva.—Length, 2.25 inches. Color, sordid white, a little
green tinted, very obscurely striped as at the. beginning of the stage, the
bordering blackish dots marking the boundary of the stripes most dis-
tinctly on the intersegmental folds ; the black on joint 9 the same as before
with a very short orange stripe between; the substigmatal pale stripe
orange on joints 5 and 6; joints 2 to 4 with the rows of spots distinct,
Piliferous spots small, black ; venter white, tinted a little with yellow,
black only on the joints bearing feet ; no fringe. Duration of this period
nine days. |
Chrysalis —Length, 1.05 inches ; diameter, .40 inch; of joint 5, .30
‘inch; tapering from joint 5 to the end; rather strongly indented on joint
I; tongue and wing cases equal, extending back to posterior part of joint
5 ; cremaster two long hooks at the tip, two shorter at the base, outside
of these and a little removed from them several other short hooks ; abdom-
inal joints slightly punctured, the tongue and wing cases shallowly corru-
172 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
gated, terminal joint deeply on dorsal and lateral parts ; head rounded.
Color, chestnut brown, as usual coated with a white powder. Puparium
a slight lining to the leaves that were fastened together with silk.
The larva pupated May 17th, and the imago appeared June zath,
giving a pupal period of about a month, which is about the same as the
other species that have been bred. One feature of the species is that the
larva has no lateral fringe. As given before, the food plant is Honey
Locust. | :
May 12th, another larva was found that differs from the above descrip-
tion only in being darker, and as a natural result the stripes more distinct,
the light stripes having an orange tint. After this two more were found,
one of which had all the light stripes quite distinctly orange tinted. The
head was reddish purple striped with numerous white lines, or rather
broken lines. Like the other, the venter had the black only on the joints
bearing legs. This one had passed the last moult when found, and pro-
duced the imago June 17th, showing that keeping the first in confinement
had not materially interfered with its time of pupating or its other changes.
ON THE CHALCIDEOUS TRIBE CHIROPACHIDES.
BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
Below I give an analytical table for recognizing the genera in the tribe
Chiropachides Thomson. It will be seen that I have placed in this
group the genus Schizonotus Ratzburg, which Dr. Arnold Foerster, in his
Hymenopterologische Studien (1856), says is identical with Se/aderma
Walker, an opinion in which I cannot concur, my type of Schizonotus
Siebaldi Ratz. not agreeing at all with Walker’s definition ; also the genera
Mesopolobus and FPlatymesopus Westwood, which were subpressed by
Walker and other authorities, and placed in the genus /¢teromadus ; they
agree in all essential characters with this group, the anterior femora being
very similar to Chiropachys, the type of the tribe.
Two new genera will be found characterized in this group, the
characters of which, as given in the table, being sufficient, it is aes to
enable them to be easily recognized, |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 173
The arrangement proposed is as follows :—
Tribe Chiropachides Thomson:
TABLE OF GENERA.
PP WIL ONE SOUT ee cn Cite ee Ge we ek ag
Pe Posterior tibiz with two spurs.
_ Eyes not hairy. a oh ese ee, Semen ea ha a 2
Re hairy.
_ Abdomen sessile, long pointed ovate, marginal and postmarginal veins
somewhat thick, the latter being longer than the marginal ; stigmal
vein short, one-third the length of the marginal ; sculpture coarsely
Pitted... 6. eee eee eee eee eee eG L, Dasyglenes n. g.
2. Collar transverse quadrate, separated from the mesothorax by a deep
incision at the posterior angle ; pedicel of antenne lengthened,
E funiclar joints much broader than long, the club obliquely truncate
a _ from below.......... ..............G. 2, Schizonotus Ratzburg
~ Collar not so formed.
_ Collar transverse, rounded before, narrowed in the middle.
Anterior femora ge ee : em with two transverse bands... .: ;
ee ees .G. 3, Chiropachys Westwood.
3 "Anterior hihiors simple wings wit one transverse band
latte Dias, dest tae. ee cha dae a
q Bees as Olney RES a haa doleath ey ns re hy MEF ORRP NUS Forster.
U2. Abdomen petiolated. . pee
Abdomen sessile, long or pointed ovate.
Marginal vein of anterior wings not thickened......................5
_ Marginal vein of anterior wings thickened.
Antenne with transverse ritig-joints............. pe Yc ual k se ain af tid
Antenne with ring-joints large not transverse.
Marginal vein but slightly longer than the stigmal. . ;
ae ence ws ew Me diec'e hee! aac wow, Kies 63 ban iin oes Teh ip nie, Gehan G. . Pandelus Forster,
_ 4. Stigmal vein and postmarginal vein short....G. 6, Metacolus Forster
Stigmal vein longer than the marginal; ¢ with the antennal joint stylate
Bee BDCM ss Cons oe ks as aad G. 7, Raphitelus Walker.
5. Parapsides only indicated anteriorly ; anterior margin of collar sharp.
‘Stigmal club very large....... tteeeeeessvce+ © G. 8 Dinotus Forster.
Stigmal club small or moderate.
174 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
* © With marginal vein at least thrice as long as stigmal ; funiclar joints 4
broader than long ; middle tibiz in g with a small hirsute lobe, out-
wardly near tip.... ..........-. .G. 9, Mesopolobus Westwood.
** © With marginal vein not twice as long as stigmal ; anterior ta 4
flat ; middle tibiz in # whee dilated, foliaceous. ... 4.9. Au
_G. 10, Platymesopus Weawsan.
6. Collar rounded before; mesothorax lengthened with three keels. dq
Marginal vein more than twice longer than the stigmal ; parapsides indi- —
Cated AMBBTIOFY i405 nin am ects G.11, Rhopalicus Forster.
Marginal vein but slightly oa than the iow parapsides complete
fs ee Sie £2, insichile n. g
Pisiina n.
9° Whole surface, including the shades: very coarsely retinuiney i.
punctate, and sparsely covered with a pale pubescence. Head large, —
slightly broader than the thorax with deep antennal grooves, the grooves a
converging and meeting at apex. Antenne inserted slightly above the
verse, contracted and produced anteriorly into a short neck, the neck
with a delicate‘medium carina. Mesothoracic parapsides delicate but
complete. Scutellum convex, as broad as long; slightly prolonged over _
the metathorax and ending in a slight projecting ridge at the apex. Meta- a
thorax short, with a delicate medium keel. Abdomen sessile, much longer a
than the head and thorax together, acuminated, the tip projecting slightly q
beyond the wings when folded. All femora swollen, the fore pair much ~
more so than the middle pair ; the tibiz are very long, the three basal ¥
joints of which are as long as their tibiz; the middle and posterior tibia
longer than their femora, and the tarsi not nearly as long as their respective
tibia; the posterior tibiz are armed with two strong, divergent apical E
spurs. The submarginal vein, of anterior wings, is one and a-half times 4
as long as the marginal, the marginal and postmarginal veins thick, the —
latter. much lengthened, gradually acuminated, ending at the rounded edge a
of the apical margin of wing ; stigmal vein short, about one-third the
length of marginal, slightly bent, the stigma small and slightly emargin- 4
ated at the apex. jg Unknown.
Dasyglenes osmia n. sp. ,
9. Length.25 inch. Cyaneous, coarsely pitted, pubescent. ‘Fidtelopn q
of antennee brown. Legs dark red, pubescent ; femora infuscated, Wings —
Re.
al
:
clypeus, the latter with a sinus in the middle. Eyes hairy. Collar trans-
Br
>
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 175
hyaline, veins brown; the whole surface is covered with a fine brownish
pubescence. Described from one ? specimen reared from a bee, Osmza
species, living in Catalpa twigs.
_ This genus shows strong affinities with C/eonymus Latreille and
_ Aetroxys Westwood, but is readily distinguished from both by the thickened
fore femora ; had it not been for this character I should have placed it in
the genus C/eonymus.
a . Chiropachys Westwood.
| Chiropachys colon Linn., Faun. So. Ed., ii., p. 413; C. guadrum
_ Walk., Ent. Mag,, iv., p. 14; Pteromalus bimaculatus Swederus.
This common European chalcid must now be added to our fauna,
‘specimens having been taken in the United States that cannot be separ-
a ated from types received from Europe.
Ee The species described by Mr. Edward Norton as Chiropachys
- nigrocyaneus, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, il., p. 327, is not a Chiropachys, but
belongs to the genus Pachyneuron in the tribe Sphegigastrides.
Dinotus Forster.
Dinotus elongatus Nn. sp.
a 2 Length .13 inch. Dull metallic brown, confluently punctate.
q sparsely covered with white hairs. Head much wider than the thorax,
a the width of the vertex nearly twice the length of the eye. Ocelli red,
_ Eyes ovate, brown. Antenne 13-jointed, filiform, pubescent, the long
slender scape, pedicel and the two ring-joints, honey-yellow ; flagellum
_ brown, the first funiclar joint the longest, following joints slightly subequal;
the club short, three-jointed, slightly thicker than the funicle, and not
longer than the first funiclar joint. Collar very short, transverse ; parap-
sides only indicated anteriorly. Metathorax not very long, not keeled ;
metathoracic spiracles long oval; metapleura slightly pubescent. Coxe
smooth, bluish-green, with tufts of white hair anteriorly. Legs honey-
_ yellow, excepting the femora which are brownish in the middle. Abdo-
men sessile, pointed ovate, one-third longer than head and thorax com.
bined, concave above, and of a dull greenish metallic lustre, each segment
_ laterally with some short hairs. Wings hyaline, sparsely pubescent ; veins
_ yellowish, the marginal hardly twice the length of the stigmal, the latter
- terminating in a slight knob, while the postmarginal is slightly shorter than
the marginal. Described from one specimen captured at large.
176 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Brachycrepis n. &.
This genus is very similar to Rhopalicus Forster, but the rGsiged
metathorax has three distinct keels, the abdomen has a short rugose
petiole, the marginal vein of the front wings is but slightly longer than
the stigmal and the parapsides complete. The anterior femora are very
much swollen ; the antenne are subclavate, 13-jointed with two ring joints,
and are inserted slightly below the middle of the face ; the pedicel is about
as long as the first funiclar joint.
Brachycrepis tricarinatus n. sp.
9 Length .13 inch. Dark blue with a slight metallic seeks on the
head and thorax, confluently punctured. Eyes dark brown. Antennz
13-jointed, black, except the scape beneath, which is brownish-yellow ;
flagellum pubescent ; the first funiclar joint the longest, the others slightly
subequal, but gradually growing wider toward the club, the fifth and sixth
joints being wider than long. Collar transverse, narrowed in the middie.
Mesothoracic grooves distinct, but very delicate as they approach the
scutellum. Coxe, femora and tibiz, excepting their tips and the last
tarsal joint, blue-black ; tips and the other tarsal joints, honey-yellow.
nals
agai Nimeietee ce? 9-7 3.004%).
Abdomen long ovate, about the length of the thorax, blue-black with a :
very slight metallic tinge near the base beneath. The second segment,
counting the petiole as the first, is the largest, the others gradually sub-
equal ; each segment with a single row of delicate white hairs. Wings
hyaline ; veins pale brownish, the submarginal vein as long as the marginal —
and postmarginal together, delicate, the marginal is but slightly” longer
than the stigmal, the latter clavate with a slight uncus.
Hab.—Riley Co., Kansas. Prof. E. A. Popenoe.
CAN INSECTS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RED AND YELLOW?
BY T. D, A. COCKERELL, WEST CLIFF, COLORADO. |
In this neighborhood (Custer Co., Colorado,) one very frequently finds
a yellow spider of the genus Zhomisus or allied thereto, seated in the
middle of the umbels of Zigusticum montanum Benth. and Hook., and
on other yellow flowers. This spider, so seated, has nothing to cover it
from direct observation, and from its size and colour would be conspicuous
enough elsewhere ; but on the yellow flower, sitting in the depression in
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 177
the centre of the umbel, it is quite invisible unless specially looked for.
Thus concealed, it waits until some insect—frequently a small bee, or a
butterfly of the genus Pamphila, settles on the flower—but no sooner is
the insect intent upon the nectar of the blossom, than the cunning Zhomzsid
has it in its grasp, and is sucking its life-juices away. On one occasion,
also, I found a white Zhomisid spider seated on a white umbel, and
equally concealed here by its whiteness, it had secured and was feasting
ona bee. So far good. It may be argued that spiders of this family have
been accustomed to sit on flowers, and being variable in colour (as in fact
they are) natural selection has so arranged matters that yellow spiders pre-
side over yellow flowers, white over white,andsoon. But perhaps, also, the
spider has “‘an eye for colour,” since he (the yellow one) occasionally
sits on a small species of sunflowers which has yellow rays and a dark
brown disc—and here, although the spider always sits in the middle of a
yellow umbel, he sits on the rays of this sunflower, knowing altogether
better than to expose himself to observation on the brown disc. But, to.
come to the point to be discussed, there is a species of geranium found
here ( Geranium fremontii Torrey, ) having pink flowers—yet the yed/ow:
spider sits on these, apparently unconcerned at the difference of colour.
_ Now, it is a curious thing, that throughout living organisms, whether birds.
(e. g. Fringillide), mollusca (e. g. Tellinide, Helicide), insects (e. g.
Lygenide, Sestide, Cheloniide, Ichneumonide), or plants, that the red
and yellow pigments seem to stand in this relation to one another. that
_ the red is amore complex form of the yellow, and hence occasionally reverts.
to it, yellow being in all cases the primitive color. In Geranium, it is.
true, there are not (to my knowledge) yellow-flowered varieties, but then,
there are both pink and yellow-flowered species of Oxadlis, in the same
natural order. Therefore, it is conceivable that the yellow Zhomisid first
came to sit on geranium flowers at the time when these were yellow,
and has continued the habit—but still, since it appears to understand the
difference between brown and yellow on the sunflower, why cannot it tell
that pink and yellow are not the same? Does it not look as if, to this
spider, these colours were indistinguishable ?
Also, the geranium-frequenting spiders do not starve, although to
human eye they are very easy to be seen—does not this, again, look as if
the insects frequenting those flowers could not distinguish between pink
and yellow, and so, not seeing the spider, fell unwittingly into its grasp ?
178 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
This is the question I wish to ask, and to answer it, it is necessary to
have observations of a more extensive nature on the relation of yellow
insects to pink flowers, and vice versa. I have myself noticed that (in
Kent, England,) Gonepteryx rhamni appears to be exceptionally fond of
settling on pink flowers, but it seemed to me rather that the butterfly was
conscious of the contrast between the colours and its own conspicuous-
ness arising therefrom.
May I rely upon your readers to supplement these notes, and so clear
up this question ?
CORRESPONDENCE,
DICERCA PROLONGATA.
With reference to Dr. John Hamilton’s note on p. 120, I may say that
I have found the larva of this species boring in Populus tremuloides in
Colorado, concerning which details were published in the ‘‘ Entomologists’
Monthly Magazine” for March, 1888, vol. xxiv, p. 232-233.
PDEs Cockrrett.
CAPTURES IN 1887.
Dear Sir: My additions to the list of Canadian Lepidoptels for the
past season is of the most meagre description. I took a good many
micros, new to me ; but as usual, with them a large proportion were single
specimens of a kind. I sent to Prof. Fernald 17 specimens which I had
in duplicate ; of these three turned out to be variations of kinds that he
had previously named for me ; three proved to be all one ; one, Depressaria
heracliana Dege. was new to me, but already in the list, and one Zecopsis
aitidana Clem. is new to the Canadian list ; the rest were unknown to
him. Three years ago I captured at Ridgeway, along with Limacodes, to
which I thought it belonged, a moth new to me, and which has been from
that time until lately awaiting a name. During the past winter, Mr. John-
ston, of this city, was making some exchanges with Miss Emily L. Morton,
of Newburgh, N. J., and received from her a specimen labelled Adoneta
spinuloides H. S., in which I recognized my unnamed Bombycid. Miss
Morton acknowledges. her indebtedness to Mrs. Fernald for the correct
identification of most of her Lepidoptera. On the rith of July last I
came on an assemblage of Pyralids in the grass under the shade of a
butternut tree, where I had taken refuge from the excessive heat. At first
Se ea
4
4
ag
eS,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 179
I thought it was otis magistralis, on closer inspection I doubted its
identity—it was like, and yet unlike. I concluded that if it was JZagis-
tralis, it was an unusually fine specimen, so I took a quantity of it anyway,
and all the more willingly as it was quite abundant in the very spot where
I wanted to stay for a while. On comparing them, I was still undecided ;
whilst in communication with the Rev. Mr. Hulst, about some Geometers,
I sent to him a specimen and received for it the name Botis guinguelin-
ealis Grote. These three names are then the only presentable result of
my last season’s work in this direction.
J. Atston Morrat, Hamilton, Ont.
KNOWLEDGE OF DEATH IN INSECTS.
Dear Sir: An incidental remark in one of my papers, page 6, of the
present vol., has attracted the attention of a correspondent of the ENnro-
MOLOGIST, as may be seen by turning to page 120. I was then entirely
unaware that I was meddling with an “zfse dixit of Mr. Grote’s, or was
touching one of his ‘chips,’” but, in common with the readers of the
ENTOMOLOGIST, I know it now. While Mr. Grote certainly had the right
to show, if he could, that the alleged assertion, whether made by himself
or not, was not ‘unsupported,’ was not “ dogmatic ;” yet he had no
right to assume that I had seen his paper, and even on that assumption
no right disposed person, while differing from me, could take legitimate
offence at my words, which are strictly scientific. The cause is said to be
weak, when the advocate resorts to the argumentum ad hominem to over-
come his opponents argumentum ad rem; * * * Let us see where
Mr. Grote stands, his words are: “It is by the keeping stil/ that. the
insects seem to me to appear to ‘ feign death,’ of che existence of which
latter they could have no knowledge.” Few or none will dispute the first
part of the quotation. It states exactly what such insects do, that is,
“keep still;” but this does not prove that insects can have ‘no know-
ledge of death ;” no proof of this is anywhere offered, nor is the assertion
in any way limited or qualified; hence ‘‘ unsupported,” “dogmatic” are
appropriate adjectives, and though not made by me with any reference to
or knowledge of Mr. Grote’s paternal claim. Now see how he “corrects”
the adjectives “ unsupported,” “dogmatic” (ib, p. 120). His words now
read: ‘‘ Whether insects can have any knowledge of death, as such, may
be a matter of opinion,” etc., quite a different statement from his former
180 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
postulate, that insects could have no knowledge of death. ‘The reader
will notice how zmgenuously “ dogmatic ” is disposed of by this change of
base. Now, as to what he doubts not is the main point, that is, “ the
keeping still,” that is only what these insects do, a mere act, and one to
which even Mr. Grote himself attaches a motive, ‘‘the approach of
danger.” But why “keep still” on the “approach of danger”? His
answer cannot be surmized. . Writers have expressed various opinions
about this “keeping still,” ‘‘ death mimicry,” ‘feigning death,” as
practiced by certain insects and other animals, but I have not seen
any statement that they can have no knowledge of death, except
that claimed by Mr. Grote and a similar one in a Pittsburg news-
paper. Dr. Lindsay, in his work ‘‘ Mind in Animals,” in treating of
death-feigning, says: “This must require great self-command in those
that practice it;” while Professor James, of Harvard College, in an
article in Popular Science Monthly, June, 1887, on ‘‘Some Human
Instincts,” says: ‘It is really no feigning of death at all and requires no
self-command. It is simply a terror paralysis, which has been so useful
as to become hereditary.” In commenting on this the newspaper man
makes the remark I took exception to, my notice of which, without at the
time being able to state where I had derived it, brought out Mr. Grote,
whom I would most assuredly have quoted had I been aware of his
assertion. Joun Hami.ton, Allegheny, Pa.
ARZAMA OBLIQUATA, G. AND R.
Dear Sir: In reference to Mr. Moffat’s remark in the July number
of the CANADIAN ENnvromoLocist, that the larva of this moth does not
always form its pupa in the reed, I wish to say that I have taken
between fifty and seventy-five chrysalids this spring, and all of them were
in the reeds where the larva had been feeding. I believe that the larva
sometimes goes out of the reed and wanders in other directions before
going into pupa, but this is not often the case. My friend, Mr. Doll, when
breaking an old cedar stump apart last spring, found in it the chrysalis of
A. obliquata, but the larva had been feeding in the stump. Could that
have been the case in Mr. Moffat’s instance ?
Hermann H. Breume, Newark, N. J.
Mailed September Ist.
— Ohe Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XX. LONDON, OCTOBER, 1888. No. 10
. THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOMBYCID:.
(Third Paper.)
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
Sub-family Cochliine.
A study of the American genus Zagoa in its various stages of growth
shows a manifest approach to the present group, so that we are warranted
in following the Dasychirine with the Cochliine. This sub-family is
remarkable for its peculiar larvee, called ‘‘ slug caterpillars” or ‘“ saddle-
backs.” ‘The first name is given on account of their snail-like appearance,
the form being elliptical or oval, the false feet replaced by swellings on the
abdominal segments, so that the larva lies flat and close to the leaf. The
head is also retractile. ‘The cocoon is egg-shaped or circular, firm and
spun between the leaves. The moths are not unfrequently green and
brown as are the larve, and the name “ saddle-backs.” is given in allusion
to the bright green quadrate patch which covers the back in some species.
Dr. Packard calls one species mozztor, in allusion to the singular shape
and armature of the larve. The moths are of various shades of brown,
often with green patches, sometimes with darker lines and shades on
primaries. ‘The ocelli are wanting and the tongue is short. The North
American genera fall into two series: one in which the male antenne are
pectinate, the other brush-like or sub-simple. To the first series belongs
the typical genus Zimacodes of Latreille, and to this series belong the two
European species representing two distinct genera. As compared with
Europe, our fauna is rich in Coch/iine. We have two species belonging
to the Asiatic genus /arasa, with grass-green thorax, and the fore wings
largely green. The larva of Parasa chloris H.-S., is described by Mr.
Henry Edwards, Papilio iii, 128 ; that of Parasa fraterna Gr., by the
same author, Ent. Amer. iii, 169. (I here correct a statement of mine,
that the sub-family C//oephorine does not occur in North America. Mr.
Henry Edwards describes Zarias ob/iguata from Florida, a form unknown
182 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
to me, the genus belonging to this sub-family which I distinguish from the
«Sarothripine ) 1 do not know any forms of Coch/iine from California ;
if the sub-family is feebly represented there, it will be a fresh example of
the resemblance between the West Coast fauna and the European. No
Cuban forms were included in the collection described by me. The
geographical distribution of the North American Bombycidz merits atten-
tion. On the islands of the West Indies, there seem to be no typical
Spinner moths, that is to say, no Attacine, Ceratocampine, Platypterygine,
Lachneine. In the new Check List, I included the only West Indian form
of this group known to me, Heuretes picticornis G. & R., the types of which
are in the Royal Museum in Berlin. Fifteen other genera are included in
my list, and although one or two of these are probably synonyms, not
being identified by me, enough is shown to prove the richness of our fauna
in this group. Sepp figures a South American species of Empretia.
The group is probably widely distributed and belongs to the older forms
of the family.
Sub-family Psychine.
The larvee of the present group are still more curious than those of the
Cochiiine from their habit of living in a case. The thoracic feet alone are
developed, and the undeveloped abdominal feet present a resemblance to
the slug caterpillars, so that we have a reason for bringing the groups
together. The cocoon-making habit is not alone displayed by the mature
larvee, for so soon as the little Psyche larva leaves the egg itfashionsatiny
sack and begins its wanderings, dragging its shelter after it. In most of
the genera, the females are apterous and worm-like, but in the North
American genera with broad, falcate wings, /erophora Harris, and
Lacosoma Grote, the females are winged like the males. Sepp figures a
South American broad-winged form, and Herrick-Schaeffer, from the vena-
tion refers this section of the sub-family to the A¢tacine, notwithstanding
the sack-bearing larve. The neuration will hardly guide us in this group,
since certain European genera have apparently three internal veins on the
secondaries like the Microlepidoptera. Perhaps they are wrongly reckoned
here. Some of the moths resemble the Dasychirine. ‘This resemblance
is seen in Psyche; but the American genera Zhyridopteryx and Otketicus
have long-bodied males with partly glassy wings and short antenne, and
look more like the Cossinge. As compared with Europe, we have apparently
very few species of Psyche; in fact only one species is well known, viz.,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 183
Psyche confederata Gr., now described in almost all its stages. The life-
history of almost any species in this group will be found replete with
curious facts, and instances of parthenogenesis are recorded among the
European genera. The moth Piryganidia californica Pack., is appar-
ently incorrectly described as belonging to this sub-family, and Butler
refers it to the Déoptida, a group not studied by me. The Psychine occur
in the West Indies, and South America; the genus QOzketicus also in
‘Ceylon. This group seems to he, with the Coch/iina, of very general dis-
tribution, and to belong to the older forms of the family, retaining perhaps
some characteristics of a primitive form of the moths. It may even be
that the cocoon or sack was, in past geological ages, more common as a
part of larval habit, and that it was later on restricted to the pupal con-
dition. The Sphingide and groups making no cocoon may have been
thrown off from the genealogical tree of the Lepidoptera at later periods,
In North America there seem to be but few species of Psychine, gener-
ally distributed ; the genus Ozketicus being tropical and sub-tropical,
Plateceticus a Floridian form, the other genera ranging from Canada to
the Southern States, while from the west a few species belonging to the
more typical section of the sub-family have been indicated. The broad,
falcate-winged genera seem to belong east of the Rocky Mountains, and
are reported from the region east of the Andes in South America. Hence,
their distribution is paralleled by that of the Ceratocampine.
Sub-family Notodontine.
‘Although we have found some reasons for our sequence of the preced-
ing groups, there is here somewhat of a break. For instance, the
Sarothripine, Noline, Chloephorine, make a similar cocoon ; in the two
first the labial palpi are elongated. ‘The Zzthosiine resemble these more
or less in form and the absence of ocelli, but their colors and shorter palpi
are more like the succeeding Arctiine ; again the Dasychirine resemble
the latter in their hairy larve and style of pupation. There is an approxi-
mation to the Coch/iine in the Dasychirid genus Zagoa, and the Coch/iine
and Psychine approach by the rudimental abdominal feet of the larve ;
but the JVe/odontinag, although they fit in with succeeding groups, differ
greatly from the Psychine. Ihave described a Psychid genus from Cuba,
which has something of the Notodontid form, which is that of the Noc-
tuidz, and which latter several genera of this group greatly resemble.
Indeed, there seems to be some doubt as to whether the genus Hdema is,
184 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
as I believe, a Notodontid, or a Noctuid. We may take also into con-
sideration a certain similarity of the abdomenin Limacodes and /chthyura,
among the superficial resemblances which induce the bringing in of the
Notodonting here ; but the position chiefly recommends itself to me in
that we obtain a better sequence for the ensuing groups.
In the JVotodontine, the neuration of the secondaries approaches the
Noctuide in that vein five of the hind wings is (when present) situated
midway between four and six from the cross-vein. The form varies, but
most of the genera have long wings, and the abdomen exceeds the second-
aries. The costal vein of hind wings does not spring from the sub-costal
or upper margin of the cell, but is free from the base. The head and
thorax are usually thickly haired, the latter being sometimes peculiarly
tufted at the sides. The male antenne are usually pectinate, the female.
simple. The caterpillars are often naked, that of Votodonta stragula
almost sphingiform. That of Apatelodes is hairy, and Abbot's figures
induced the generic name. They have fourteen or sixteen feet, and some-
~ times the anal claspers are wanting (Cerura), and the body is terminated
by two thin prolongations. It is this form of the larva which prepares us
for the Platypterygine, in which the anal projection is single. This sub-
family is known to English entomologists under the name of “ Pebble
Moths,” in allusion to the ornamentation, which consists often of shaded
spots or blotches. In repose, the wings are folded close to the body. In
this position Datana looks like a broken twig, the shaded thorax, with its
raised tufts at the sides, like the top of the twig at the break. Datsana is
related to the European Phalera bucephala; the same mimicry is dis-
played, but here the colors are paler, and the deception even more apparent.
The American genera are remarkable for their odd forms, and in some
cases for the number of species. Among the most unusual is Afate/odes,
closely related to the South American /arathyris. The fore wings are
broad, curiously outlined, with sharp tips ; and the soft gray color, the
tufted abdomen, present a resemblance to the Sphingid genus Cressonia,
so that I have called the species of Apate/odes: False Hawk Moths. The
larve of several rarer Notodontids have been described by Prof. French, to
whom we are much indebted for life-histories of our North American moths.
Sub-family Platypterygina.
The moths of this family are frail, geometriform, with faleate or sub-
falcate primaries, with short maxillg and palpi,and pectinate male antenne,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 185°
The caterpillars have the anal claspers replaced by a single projection,
have fourteen feet and make a cocoon between the leaves, and are prob-
ably double brooded, the pupa of the second brood hibernating. I have
described the larva of Dryofteris ; an allied genus has been described by
_ Walker, from Japan, which | have not been able to compare critically with »
our two North American species of Dryopteris. Mr. Henry Edwards
records the European frionia /acertinaria from Canada, and it seems
_ that we have a second species in the Prionia bilineata of Packard. We
have two species of Platypteryx Lasp. (= Drepana Schrank) from the
"east, the one more whitish, Walker’s arcuata, the other more of a buff
@ yellow, my genicu/a. The European genus Ci/ix of Leach, is apparently
absent in our fauna. In the shape of the wings this little group resembles
the following Aftacine, if we may compare such frail species with the
giants of the family. The neuration shows also some approach to the
typical Bombyces. The hind wings have eight veins, but the inner of the
two internal veins is incomplete ; vein five is nearer to four than to six. The
fore wings are twelve veined, and a certain look of miniature Attacids is
_ due to the conformation of the wings. We have a Geometrid genus
_ Drepanodes, which, with its pointed primaries, looks like Platypteryx, and
_ it is possible that Stephens has so mistaken the species.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONIDA:, Parr 5.
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
Dendroleon pantherinum Fabr.
Myrmeleon pantherinum Fabr., Mantissa, 249, 3—Ent. Syst. ii.
93, 3—Brauer Neur. Austr., 64. |
’
Myrmeleon ocellatum Bork. in Scriba. Beitr. ii., 165, pl. 11, f. 5.
Dendroleon pantherinum Brauer, Wien. Z. B. G. xvii., 963, pl.
tA; £4
The species was described (1787) by Fabricius, from a specimen
wanting prominent parts, antenne and legs. The descriptions by
Villers, Olivier, Gmelin, Latreille and Walker, are simply copies.
a Borkhausen, in 1791, described the sa mespecies as JZ. ocellatum,
from a specimen found in Darmstadt, Hesse. ‘The description and figure
are good, and Burmeister believed the N. American species to be identi-
186 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
cal. Prof. Brauer has given a new description in Neur. Austriaca. The
species is a very rare one, found, besides in Austria and Hesse, fifty years
ago in Silesia and Hungary. The discovery of the larva in the Prater,
near Vienna, on trees, and the raising of the imago by Prof. Brauer is
one of his numerous splendid discoveries. He made for the species the
new genus Dendroleon. Both species are recorded as Glenurus Hag. in
my Synopsis Hemerob. This genus was proposed exactly at the same
time with Dendro/eon, but the latter one should be retained for those species.
The N. American species and the European are very similar, but the
rarity of both prevented the exact knowledge of their differences. I have
seen of the European species only three specimens, one from the Rhein
Mus. Berol., one from Austria, and one from Hungary in Frivaldsky’s
collection. ‘The latter one I have compared carefully with Burmeister’s
types in Winthem’s collection in 1852. As since this time nothing is
published about the differences of both species, I give here my manu-
script notes. ee
D. pantherinum is of the same size, but a little more robust ; pro-
thorax plain-luteous, without the fine black granulation of D. obsoletum ;
a large black dorsal band on metathorax and basal segment of abdomen ;
D. obsoletum has mesothorax, metathorax and basal segment above in
the middle only with a very dilute blackish color. Abdomen with seg-
ment second and third black, the fourth and fifth above light brown ; D.
obsoletum has on all segments, or at least on second and third, a transver-
sal yellow band. Legs yellowish brown ; fore legs with a ring around
the apex of femur, middle of tibiz, and third and fourth joint of tarsus
all black ; middle and hind legs with a broad dark ring before the middle
of femur, which-is externally nearly connected with the apical ring; the
apex of tibia and a median ring, which is wanting on hind legs, black.
The coloration of D. obsoletum is very different, as stated in the descrip-
tion, Wings with the venation less close, the areoles larger; veins in
both wings more fuscous ; front wings in the basal third of the space
between fourth and fifth longitudinal vein with ‘four fuscous spots, the
most apical one longest, about 3 mm. (wanting on D. odsoletum); the
ocellate spot on the hind margin is complete (D. obsoletum wants always
the apical half of the iris around the spot); hind wings with a quad-
rangular (round in ZY. odso/.) spot near the costa, and ring of spots on
the apex of hind margin.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. . 187
Dendroleon obsoletum Say.
Formicaleo obsoleta Say., Journ. Acad. Philad. viii, 44, 1—Say, Ed.
Lec. iL, 413, 7.
Myrmeleon obsoletus Hag., Syn. N. Am. Neur. 225, 2.
Myrmecoleon ocellatus Burm. ii., 995, 1—Walk. 401, 172.
Myrmeleon nigrocinctus Rbr. 398, 20—Walk. 361, 1or—Glover Ent.
Amer. Neur., pl. v., f. 15 (the figure is a fair one).
Body slender, abdomen little villous. Head narrow, face luteous,
between the eyes a broad shining black band, notched on the inferior
margin; vertex luteous ; antennz as long as head and thorax, slender,
elongated, clavate on tip, blackish fuscous, pale in middle ; palpi short,
pale ; maxillary ones with the three apical joints equal ; labials not longer,
- apical joint fusiform ; prothorax elongated, narrower anteriorly, luteous,
faintly granulated with black ; thorax dull luteous, above darker ; on each
_ side above the legs a broad black longitudinal band ; below pale ; abdo-
__ men shorter than the wings (I believe I have not seen a male), blackish
' brown, with a yellow dorsal, transversal band on the middle of each seg-
ment, or at least on the second ; the parts in the last segment light brown,
with black hairs ; above split longitudinally ; below on each side a short,
_ flat appendage ; legs very long and slender, with short hairs, shining
_ black; anteriors with base of femur and tip of tibia brown ; hind legs
'__with a luteous band before the tip of femur, or luteous, tip black ; tibia
pale, black on tip and after base ; or black, pale at base ; tarsi long,
black ; the basal joint sometimes luteous ; spurs luteous, as long as the
two basal joints ; apex incurved ; claws luteous ; wings hyaline spotted
with fuscous ; front wings with the inner half of an ocellate spot on the
middle of the hind margin ; a double spot at the pterostigma, an apical
interrupted series, and some dots along the mediana ; hind wings with a
larger orbicular spot before the pterostigma, and some spots near the tip
and the apical part of the hind margin ; venation white, some of the forks
and the longitudinal veins interrupted with fuscous. Length of body, 20
to 26 mm; exp. al., 46 to 67 mm.
Mr. Sanborn, Mass. Agric. Rep., 1862, p. 161, states: —‘‘ Specimens
of this insect are sometimes found which differ either with the wings not
spotted, but hyaline or sprinkled with fuscous, or costal space with a
double series of areoles, or without spurs.” Apparently Mr. Sanborn has
here confounded several species.
188 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Habit.—Canada, Ontario, Mr. Saunders; southern peninsula of
Michigan, Mr. Harrington ; N. Hampshire, Mr. Leonard in T. W. Harris’s
coll. There is a very indifferent figure of Harris’s specimen by F. J.
Sanborn (it is reproduced in Dr. Packard’s Guide, f. 604), in his Rep.,
1862, Mass. Agric., p. 160. Mr. Sanborn, who had a most general and
reliable knowledge of insects in this country, says :—“ It is of common
occurrence throughout the country, and this is the only well-known ant-
lion in N. England.” But I have to state that Harris’s specimen is till
now the only one from N. England seen by me ; N. York, in Winthem’s
coll. and by Mr. Akhurst ; Missouri, St. Louis, Mr. Engelmann ; Illinois,
Galena, Mr. Bean; Maryland, Mr. Uhler; N. Carolina, Morganton ; S.
Carolina, Aiken ; Virginia; Georgia, June 7 and August 21, in pine
woods, rare, in Abbott’s figures in the Brit. Museum; Alabama, figured
by Mr. Gosse in his letters from Alabama, p. 242 (I have not seen this
book); Liskiyon, Cala, Mr. Behrens. Mr. Th. Say states only, “this species
is rather common.” |
The range of this species is very large, and probably a larger one to
the south and west. The size is not very variable, except one specimen
from South Carolina, and one from Cala., to which belong the smallest given
dimensions. Very probably the larva ascends trees as the related
European species ; and the larva from Washington, D.C., described by me
years ago, probably belongs to this species. (Stett. Ent. Z., 1873, p.
ont, B)
Myrmeleon immaculatus De Geer.
M. immaculatus De Geer iii., 564 (365), pl. 27, f. 8—Retzius 59, No.
202—Walker 4o1, n. 174. }
M. melanocephalum Oliv. Encycl. vii., 127, No. 33.
M. immaculatus Hag., Syn. N. Am., 231, 14, partim.
Face shining, black ; epistom and mouth yellow; the black color
covers sometimes more or less the epistom, notched anteriorly ; a fine
yellow ring around the eyes, more or less interrupted near the antenna,
and enlarged below near the mouth,
Labrum short, twice as broad as long, rounded laterally, largely
notched anteriorly. | ae
Palpi light brown, darker in more adult specimens ; maxillary moder-
ately long ; thin cylindrical ; three apical joints sometimes black, with a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 189
small yellow basal ring; last joint cylindrical, truncate on tip ; labial
about as long, second joint arcuate, thin, enlarged on tip ; last joint of
the same length, subarcuate, largely fusiform above, shining black, tip
thinner, yellow.
Antenne a little shorter than head and thorax, clavate, dull black,
‘more or less annulate with yellow, basal joint above yellow, below the
basal joints shining black.
Bar
a
‘
ek.
Be:
' __ _ Head broad; vertex transversally ovoid, elevated ; anteriorly finely
rugose ; a number of very fine elevated lines originating together between
the antennz, and then diverging ; the color and pattern of the vertex
varies much ; the main color is dull black, with a yellow transversal band,
which is entire or more or less divided and may be wanting entirely ; two
pitchy black transversal bands are divided by a middle Jongitudinal band,
consisting of two anterior and two posterior approximate twin spots, all
these pitchy black shining flat spots and bands may be differently shaped ;
_ besides there is on each side near the eyes on the vertex a posterior
linear flat spot, and another behind this on the occiput; the yellow trans-
versal band fills the space between the two pitchy black bands, and is
always interrupted in the middle by longitudinal band ; the yellow band
‘is entirely wanting in the N. England, Michigan and N. York specimens,
it is more or less indicated in the specimens of the Southern States, and
_ always present in the Western States and Colorado.
Prothorax short, nearly once broader than long ; sides about straight ;
front margin semi-circular, dull brown ; the front margin, two large spots
on the part before the transverse sulcus, and two smaller ones after the
sulcus, and the membrane between the prothorax and mesothorax luteous
or yellowish ; some black hairs on the sides of prothorax ; thorax pitchy
fuscous to black above and below; the margins sometimes a little ©
luteous.
Abdomen of female much shorter than the wings ; of the males less
shorter and more slender ; pitchy black ; the basal half principally of the
females or newly transformed specimens with a large dull luteous spot,
covered with short and fine whitish villosity.
Female genitals the same of MZ. mobilis, but the black appendages a
little shorter and thicker, with very long black hairs ; male genitals similar,
but the spoon-shaped part a little shorter. :
190 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Legs of the Southern specimens similar to JZ. mobdilis; the specimens
from the Northern and Eastern States and the Rocky Mts. much more
black ; the anterior tarsi and larger parts of tibia entirely shining black,
but all intermediate colors are to be found ; spurs and sometimes the
claws brown.
Wings similar, variable in size, shape and coloration; the most
striking difference is the hind margin of the hind wings, which is never
(in 3¢ specimens) sinuate in the apical half, but performs a flattened curve,
a little more incurved on tip; the mediana and subcosta are darker and
the space between them is blackish, where they are not interrupted with
yellowish ; sometimes the transversals below the mediana and some other
veins are fumose ; 3 pterostigma white.
Length of body, 25 to 36 mm.; exp. al., 60 to 76 mm. Breadth of
hind wing, 5 to 7 mm. ‘The smallest specimens are from Colorado.
Habitat.—30 specimens male and female are before me; Ludington,
Mich., Mr. Pierce (raised); Keene, N. H., Mr. F. H. Foster (raised) ;
Peabody, Mass., Mr. G. H. Emerton (raised) ; Albany, N. York (raised
by myself) ; Maryland, Mr. Uhler; Virginia, Alleghany Mts., and Wash-
ington, D. C., O. Sacken; Morganton, N. Carolina, Mr. H. Morrison ;-
Waco, Texas, Mr. Belfrage ; Denver, Golden City, Manitou, Colorado, -
by O. Sacken; Wasatch Mts., Utah, Rocky Mts. Dr. Anderson ; Lake
Tahoe, Cala., O. Sacken; Sylvania, Cala, Mr. Ricksecker (raised) ;
Oregon, Mr. H. Edwards; Washington Terr., Yakima River, Mr. S.
Henshaw. .
The imago appears everywhere in June and July. The larva hyber-
nates and transforms in the pupa about May.
The description and the figure by De Geer, though both not siflient:
proved that his species was the one here described ; there isno N. American
species known, which makes this determination doubtful. There can be
no doubt that JZ. melanocephalum Oliv. is the same species. Ollivier’s
specimen was collected by Bose near New York, De Geer’s in Pennsyl-
vania. Burmeister’s type, now before me, is JZ. modilis. It would be
useless to speak about two species described by Walker, without com-
paring his types. ‘The same applies to Prof. ‘Taschenberg’s species.
When I published the Synopsis N. Am. Neur., I knew only three
specimens, which are still before me. I had them separated in two
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 191
species, but the insufficient material seemed to make it more prudent to
unite them provisionally. Both species are very similar, and the only
palpable difference is the hind margin of the hind wings sinuated in the
apical half of 47. modilis, and convex in WZ. immaculatus. Ihave raised
myself both species, and have the full grown larve in alcohol.
(To be Continued.)
THE CHALCID GENUS RILEYA.
BY L. 0. HOWARD, WASHINGTON, D. C.
An interesting interference in the adoption of the generic name Ri/eya
has recently taken place between Mr. Ashmead and myself, and, as I
am of the opinion that this name should apply to the genus of Encyrtinze
-defined by myself, rather than to the genus of Eurytomine defined by Mr.
Ashmead, I state in this note the circumstances of the interference, and
print in full the paper in which my description occurred.
At the meeting of the Entomological Society of Washington, held June
7, 1887, I read the paper in question and handed the manuscript, after
reading, to Mr. Smith, the Secretary, with the request that he publish the
generic description in full in his abstract of our proceedings in Entomo-
logica Americana. June g this periodical for June was received, and I
found upon reading Mr. Ashmead’s “ revised generic table of the Eury-
tomine,” published upon pages 41 to 43, that he had decided to use the
same name for a genus of that sub-family. The name is there given, of
as a new genus, but as one already described, and the few words given to
it in the table fail to sufficiently characterize it. Noting these points, I
did not recall my description from Mr. Smith, and it was published in the
July number of the same periodical (received July 5). 1 inferred from
the fact that Mr. Ashmead entered the genus as ‘* Rz/eya Ashm.,” and not
“ Rileya n. g.,” that his description had been sent away for publication,
but had not appeared, and this inference was shown to be correct when
upon July 14, first copies were received of Bulletin No. 3 of the Kansas
Experiment Station, which contained in an appendix Mr. Ashmead’s full
description of this genus.
I am individually inclined to think, therefore, that as Mr, Ashmead
192 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
did not give his few words in the generic table to Rileya as a new genus, —
his mention of it there amounts simply to the mention of a manuscript
name, and as the full description of Ai/eya Ashmead as a new genus was
not published for some days subsequent to the publication of my genus,
the latter should bear the name. Were this a mere matter of credit for a
_ genus, I would not waste words upon it, and were it any other name I
would give way without hesitation to my friend Mr. Ashmead, but my - 4
desire to establish the genus in Professor Riley’s name, and to apply it to
this extremely interesting and beautiful form, is so great that I am led to
assert my claim, which of course will stand or fall upon its merits.
The original paper as read before the Entomological Society of Wash-
ington, June 7, is as follows :—
‘‘One of the most beautiful insects I have ever seen was sent in con-
siderable numbers to Dr. Riley, from California, by Mr. Koebele, in 1886.
It was captured by Mr. Koebele, as stated in his notes, while searching-
for a species of Dactylopius, which lives upon the Passion Flower at Los
Angeles. His account of the actions of the little parasites upon this plant —
is interesting enough to quote: ‘A number of the parasites were collected
on a plant, and some of them were noticed depositing their eggs. Busily
they ran up and down the branches, and if they met with a grown
insect, this was touched from behind with their antennz from five to
fifteen seconds ; then either the parasite would run off or turn around and
thrust an egg into the insect, which, when the parasite approaches, keeps
perfectly quiet ; but if operated on, will turn the posterior part of its body
rapidly around in a circle, and its ai ik will, after the egg is left, walk
quietly off without facing its victim again.’ Ze
“This little parasite, although only shout a millimeter and ahalf i in
length, is a perfect gem in color. It is a fleck of brilliant green-gold, and
its structure is very strange to one not familiar with the peculiar group of
genera to which it belongs. The remarkable antennz, with their concave
leaf-like scape, peculiar pedicel, and broadly flattened flagellum carry to
an extreme a conformation seen only with the three genera—JZira, Anusia
and Cerapterocerus-—of the sub-family Zucyrtine of the Chalcidide. 1
have always supposed that the preliminary tapping of a Bark-louse, with
the antenne, as described by Mr. Koebele above, and as often noticed
with other parasites, was for the purpose of ascertaining by a tactile sense
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 193
larva, and it is altogether likely that this extraordinary development of the
-antennz in these genera is of use in this direction, and was developed in
response to some such need, for it will be noticed that this conformation
occurs in the female sex only, and that the males of such of these genera
as have known males have antenne of the ordinary pedicillate whorled
type.
RILEYA SPLENDENS. s ;
‘* The relationships of this California parasite, although it forms a new
and in some respects abnormal genus, are plainly with the European genus
Cerapterocerus of Westwood ( Zelegraphus Ratz.),. of which two species
_ have been described, viz., C. mirabilis Westwood, and C. corniger Walker,
of both of which we have authentic specimens in the collection of the
‘National Museum, through the courtesy of Dr. Mayr, of Vienna. The
194 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
former has been reared from a Lecanium on peach by Tschek, from a
Lecanium on plum by Kollar and Rogenhofer, and from coccids on grass
by Kollar and Kriechbaumer ; while the latter has been reared by Kriech-
baumer from coccids on plum and grass. ,
‘“T have, with Dr. Riley’s kind permission, dedicated this remarkable
and beautiful genus to him, in acknowledgement of the work which he has
done in making known the life-histories of American hymenopterous
parasites, not less than in acknowledgement of the opportunities he has
given me, and the assistance and encouragement he has rendered me in
the study of the interesting family to which it belongs.
“ Rileya,Gen. nov. Female. Moderately stout, resembling somewhat
Cerapterocerus Westwood (see Mag. Nat. Hist. vi., 1833, page 495;
see also Snellen van Vollenhoven, Schetsen, Tab. vii; see also Mayr,
Die Europaischen Encyrtiden, Verh. d. k. k. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien, 1875,
page 747; see also Ratzeburg, Ichn. d. Forstins. ii, 1848, page 152,
under name Ze/egraphus), but differing as follows: The face is not
elbowed in the middle so as to give a triangular profile to the head, but is
gently rounded, and has a strong glistening transverse clean-cut ridge just
above the insertion of the antenne, which are stouter and with a more
concave scape than with Cerapterocerus. ‘The mesoscutellum has a strong
tuft of erect black hairs as in Chz/oneurus, but which is lacking in Cerap-
terocerus. The stigmal vein is given off immediately at the juncture of
the submarginal with the costa, and is a trifle longer than the postmarginal.
The submarginal is three and one-half times as long as the stigmal. The
postmarginal, the distal third of the submarginal, and the wing dise below
this last heavily clothed with short stout bristles. The body is highly
polished and the wings are not hyaline. The metanotal spiracles are large,
long-oval and oblique, and the abdominal spiracles are very prominently
tufted. The ovipositor does not protrude, except in specimens killed in
the act of oviposition.
* Rileya splendens, Sp. nov. Female. Length, 1.63 mm.; expanse, 3.8
mm.; greatest width of fore-wing, 0.53 mm. Front with a delicate round-
oval punctation ; cheeks with delicate longitudinal striation, and a perfectly
smooth band bordering the eyes ; mesoscutum very delicately shaggreened ;
scutellum and scapule smooth; mesopleura and abdomen smooth.
General color metallic green, the most brilliant reflections given off from
the cheeks and the proepimera ; antenne also with metallic reflections,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 195
but darker in general effect ; mouth-parts honey-yellow ; abdomen bluish-
metallic below ; all legs metallic ; joints 2, 3 and 4 of tarsi honey-yellow.
Distal two-thirds of wings (fore) dark brown ; the proximal limit of the
color very definite, and the color deepest at this point, becoming lighter at tip
of wing; a narrow, longitudinal, slightly curved, hyaline line arises at the
_ middle of the proximal border of the infuscation, and extends rather more
than half way to the tip of the wing. Described from many female speci-
mens. Los Angeles, Cal., A. Koebele.”
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB OF
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.
The annual gathering of the Entomologists of North America, in
connection with the meeting of the A. A. A. S., took place this year in the
city of Cleveland, Ohio. While much regret was felt at the absence of
many eminent Entomologists who have always taken an active part in
the work of the Club, and at the consequent smallness of the attendance,
the meeting was much enjoyed by those who were present, and the
valuable papers read were received with great interest.
The first session was held at 9 a.m. in aclass-room of the Central
High School Building on Wednesday, August 15th ; the President, Mr.
John B. Smith, of Washington, in the chair. In the absence of the
Secretary (Prof. A. J. Cook, of the Agricultural College, Mich.) Professor
Herbert Osborn, of Ames, Iowa, was requested to act in his place. Owing
to the smallness of the attendance the Club adjourned till 1.15 p.m.,,
_ when the President read his annual address on “ Entomological Collec-
tions in the United States.” In this interesting and valuable paper,
which, as well as the other papers read at the meetings of the Club, will,
we understand, be published in full in Axtomologica Americana, the writer
gave an account of all the great collections, both public and private, in
the United. States. Among general collections he especially mentioned
those of Mr. Bolter, of Chicago, and Mr. Henry Edwards, of New York ;
in Coleoptera he specified the collections of Dr. Horn, of Philadelphia,
‘Mr. Ulke, of Washington, and Messrs. Hubbard and Schwarz, and Lieut.
Casey ; in Lepidoptera those of Messrs. Henry Edwards, Neumogen>
196 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Strecker, Graef, Tepper, Holland, W. H. Edwards, Lintner, Bailey, and
Meske ; in special departments of Lepidoptera those of Mr. W. H.
Edwards, Rev. Dr. Holland,and Mr. Bruce in Butterflies; in the
Hesperide that of Mr. E. M. Aaron, of Philadelphia ; in the Sphingide
that of Mr. E. Corning, of Albany ; in the Geometride that of the Rev.
G. D. Hulst, of Brooklyn ; and in the Tortricide that of Prof. Fernald,
of Amherst, Mass. He also noticed many other collections in various
orders for which we must refer the reader to the address itself.
After hearing the address the meeting adjourned till the next day.
The following persons were in attendance during the sessions :—John B.
Smith, Washington, D.C. ; Prof. H. Osborn, Ames, Iowa ; Prof. F. M.
Webster, Lafayette, Ind.; Dr. D. S. Kellicott, Buffalo, N.Y.; Mr. and
Mrs. O. S. Westcott, Chicago ; L.O. Howard, Washington ; J. Mackenzie,
Toronto; A. B. Mackay, Agricultural College, Miss. ; D. A. Robertson,
St. Paul; S. H. Peabody, Champaign, Ill.; Dr. C. V. Riley, Washing-
ton; S. B. McMillan, Signal, Ohio ; Rev. L. C. Wurtele and Miss Wurtele ,
Acton Vale, P.Q., and others. sf
The Entomological Society of Ontario was represented by its Presi-
dent, Mr. J. Fletcher, of Ottawa, and the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, of Port
Hope.
On Thursday, August 16th, the Club met at 1 p.m., and entered upon
the consideration of the President’s address ; this naturally led to a
discussion upon the best materials for boxes, &c., in which to preserve
collections. Mr. Howard stated that the boxes in the Museum of
Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., had their bottoms made of
Italian poplar. Mr. Fletcher asked for the experience of members with
poplar, tulip-tree and other woods as regards cracking and splitting.
Dr: Riley said that there was no wood that would not split, warp or —
crack ; the only remedy was to have the materials kiln-dried and then
soaked in shellac and alcohol. He adopted the form of boxes used in
Washington for the sake of convenience rather than otherwise. The
cabinets in Europe were not subjected to the same dry heat as in
America, and were consequently not a guide to us in this respect.
Mr. Fletcher stated that there are only two noteworthy collections of
insects in Canada: (1) that of the Entomological Society of Ontario at
London. It is not very large, but is very good as representative of the
THE .CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 197
Canadian fauna, while it contains many specimens from the United
States and other countries. The collection of Lepidoptera is especially
good and well named, having been revised by Mr. Grote before it was
' sent to the Philadelphia Exhibition, in 1876. In Coleoptera and other
orders great care has been taken to have the specimens well named. The
collection is open to any one who desires to examine it. (2) The
collection of Lepidoptera in the National Museum at Ottawa is very good.
The nucleus was formed by the purchase of about 8,o00 specimens from
Captain Gamble Geddes, of Toronto. It is now being added to by the
officers of the Geological Survey, who bring to it from time to time rare
specimens from out-of-the-way and little known regions. There are
several private collections of value, but it is unnecessary to specify them.
Mr. Fletcher agreed with Mr. Smith that “types” of new species should
be placed in some national collection where they would be accessible to
all students. For his part he should always be glad in future, as in the
past, to place ‘‘types” whenever possible in the National Museum at
Washington.
A discussion then arose as to what is meant by a “type.” Mr.
Fletcher understands the term to mean all the specimens actually before
a describer when he is making out his description of a new species.
Some writers, however, call all specimens types that may afterwards be
identified by the describer as agreeing with the originals. Mr. Howard
agreed with Mr. Fletcher that only the material before a describer at the
time is to be called ‘f type ;’ other specimens should be marked ‘ deter-
mined by the author.” Dr. Riley thought that all the materials deter-—
mined by an author might be called “types of that species,” provided
that they do not vary from the original specimens. Prof. Webster
considered that all typical material should be placed in some national
depository where it would be perfectly safe, and instanced the loss of the
Walsh collection by fire as a calamity to science ; collectors should be
willing to sacrifice their types for the general good of science. Mr. Smith
was also of opinion that only the specimens before the author at the time
of making the description are “types,” and that specimens determined
afterwards are not really “types.” Mr. Fletcher referred to Chinobas
Macounii as an example. Mr. W. H. Edwards had eleven specimens
before him when he described the species ; these are types, though most
of the specimens were imperfect. During the past summer the speaker
198 © THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
had obtained from the original locality a good supply of specimens in
perfect order, and although these agreed with the original description
perfectly, they should only be labelled as “ typical,” and he was of the
opinion that the describer even would not be justified in ete! them F
“type.” Professor Osborn agreed with the last speaker. ons
(To be Continued.)
CORRESPONDENCE.
NOTES ON IPS,
In vol. xvii., p. 46, of the Can. Ent., Dr. John Hamilton gives some
notes on /ps fasciatus and allied forms. He says:—‘ The form fasciatus
is the most common here (Allegheny, Penn.), and is that into which all
the others are resolved ; in it the elytra are black with an irregular broad
basal, and a sub-apical fascia, yellow; individuals are met with totally
black without any spot ; others have only a small basal and sub-apical
spot yellow (more often reddish) ; others add to these a humeral lunule ;
others have various other spots, and by the gradual dilation and coalesc-
ing of these through a series of specimens, the full form /asciatus is
reached.” He further says that he has never met with these black and
spotted forms at any other time than in early spring, usually during April.
-As the season advances these entirely disappear and the fasciate form
-alone remains, continuing till autumn. Judging from my observations of
these forms at Montreal, I cannot quite agree with Dr. Hamilton’s opinion.
I find that in the fasciate form the colour is bright clear yellow, while in
all the spotted specimens that I have seen the colour is very pale yellow,
almost white; the difference in this respect being very marked. With
respect to seasons, [ find that the spotted form, or what I take to be
g-signatus, occurs during summer as well as in spring, as the following
notes will show:—April 24th, 1886, found Js fasciatus and the spotted
forms common at a bleeding stump on Montreal Mountain, ¢-signatus
being most abundant. June reth, 1886, found several specimens of
Ips g-signatus in a small hole in the bark of an oak tree, where the sap
was oozing out. August 5th, 1886, found a specimen of Zs g-signatus
on a tombstone in Mount Royal Cemetery. August 15th, 1886, found a
specimen of /fs ¢-signatus on a tomato on the breakfast table. July 26th,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 199
1888, found a specimen of fs g-signatus in a jug of milk. ‘The last
“« find” was a rather curious one, but the specimen was quite fresh, and
had evidently been “supplied” with the morning’s milk. No specimens
of fasciatus were observed during the summer months, so that my experi-
ence appears to have been just the reverse of Dr. Hamilton’s,
F. B. CavuLFieLp, Montreal.
a act a pennies
INSECTS FEIGNING DEATH.
. Dear Sir; I have read with much interest Mr. A. R. Grote’s commu-
nications upon the subject of “Insects Feigning Death,” glad always of
the opportunity of learning from the older members of the entomological
fraternity. But in this case I am not sure that I comprehend the gentle-
man’s meaning. In the June number of the Can. Ent. he expresses
a doubt in regard to insects possessing any knowledge of death, and hence
“considers that they are not mentally capable of feigning death. In the
August number he again takes up the subject and says, “ It is probable
to me that their attitudes of repose are assumed from the experience they
‘have gradually acquired, that in a state of quiet they will best avoid the
immediate dangers which beset them, etc.” Immediate dangers of what ?
Physical pain, a knowledge of which they have gained by frequent cap-
‘tures andescapes? It strikes me that it is not only not this, but death
itself which they seek to avoid. With no knowledge of death, as such,
why should they seek to avoid it? Is it not true that all animal life is
-doomed to die sooner or later? And is not a knowledge of the fact that
it is something to be feared and avoided as long as possible, necessary to
the perpetuation of species? Surely even insects would not seek to avoid
that of which they have no knowledge. Does not the very presence of
the sense of fear presuppose a knowledge of death, in the sense of
annihilation? If the larva of a Geometer has learned, no matter whether
by experience or instinct, that by assuming a certain rigid position re-
sembling a portion of the twig upon which it is itself located, it is thereby
enabled to escape destruction in common with the twig; might not
another species, by the same course of reasoning, learn that, to assume
the same inanimate position as a dead companion who is not carried
away, it also might escape? Beetles belonging to the genera Ch/amys
and Lxema, of the family Chrysomedida, will often drop from a seemingly
200 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
safe position on the stem of a plant to the ‘ened upper surface of : a , leat
of the same, remaining there perfectly quiet without making any. further
attempt to escape, their only protection being the form and color of their
bodies, which very strongly resemble the excrement of caterpillars. After
all have we not reason to believe that life, to an insect, embodies all that
is. precious ; the alpha and omega of all that is worthy of being cherished
and protected? Knowing as we do the great variety of methods by which
insects seek to protect this life, is itso highly improbable that they should
hit upon the plan of feigning its absence? The question is an interesting
one, though difficult, and, perhaps, impossible ‘to solve ; yet it certainly
involves nothing that should lead us to forget that we are fellow-workers.
F. M. WesstEr, Lafayette, Ind.
DANAIS ARCHIPPUS.
Dear Sir: In view of the discussion now going on respecting this
insect, it may not be amiss to give some observations from this locality.
D. archippus (alias plexippus) is an exceedingly common butterfly in
Custer Co., Colorado, from the end of April throughout the summer. At
the present time it is abundant near my house, at about 8,400 feet alt.,
especially frequenting the flowers of Oxytropis lamberti, and also seeming
much attracted by a patch of Zrifolium pratense that has sprung up in a
timothy field. But the peculiar thing is, that so far as I know, Asclepias,
the food-plant, does not occur nearer than some four or five miles away,
and at perhaps nearly a thousand feet lower elevation. The only larva I
have seen here was an immature one brought to me July 3rd, which had
been found on Asclepias at about 7,300 feet alt., some six miles from here,
Yet the specimens of p/exippus found up here at 8,400 feet are perfectly
fresh and undamaged (much more so than Papilio asterias, which breeds
up here), and further, are frequently to be seen paired. :
July 22nd. T. D. A. CocKEerELL, West Cliff, Colorado: -
Notice.—The Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of
Ontario will be held in the City Hall, Ottawa, on Friday, October “he
It is hoped that there will be a full attendance of members.
Mailed October. 3rd.
Br
ee ae ee ea
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XX. LONDON, NOVEMBER, 1888. No. 11.
_ AN EXTREME CASE OF SEASONAL DIMORPHISM IN COLIAS.
BY T. D. A, COCKERELL, WEST CLIFF, COLORADO.
It was thought strange when it was proved that Co/ias keewaydin and
C. eurytheme were seasonal forms of a single species. Still stranger did
it seem when Mr. W. H. Edwards’ proved by breeding that C. eriphyle
(alias Hagenti) was also a form of eurytheme, but even after this I was
- not quite prepared for the conclusion, forced upon me by irresistible
facts, that in this locality the orange and yellow forms were not only of
one species, but actually alternated seasonally, the former being the
summer, and the latter the winter form. The locality. in question is the
eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo range, in Custer County, Colorado,
in the neighborhood of Swift Creek, at altitudes varying from about 7,800
to 8,400 feet. Only two forms of C. eurytheme are found (exclusive of
the pale females), and neither of these agrees precisely with those already
described, so that (‘‘ West American Scientist,” 1888, p. 42,) I called the
orange one intermedia, and the sulphur yellow form autumnadis, this last
being very close to C. eriphyle.
The facts of the case are best shown by extracts from my diary, all
bearing upon this locality :—
July 13th, 1887.—Arrived here, found ¢ztermedia flying abundantly, and
so until the middle of August, when I left for a trip to the western
slope. No autumnadlis seen.
October 22nd.—Returned to this locality ; a few worn intermedia seen,
the last of brood.
November 9th.—Caught a 2 autumnaiis, the first I had seen.
May 13th, 1888.—Caught a 2 autumnalis—the first of the year. Soon
after autumnalis became common, but no intermedia seen. The first
gf was caught May roth. (The $’s of both forms of eurytheme, and
also of C. alexandra, seem to emerge here sooner than the {’s.)
June 4th.—The first zxtermedia of the year seen,
902 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
die it wi “s bes 4 SOEs oo § A RY
June 8th.—Awutumna/is still abundant, but some intermedia seen,
June 12th.—Jntermedia becoming common, and autumnalis scarce.
June 26th.—Zntermedia abundant, a single autumnalis, a q, ie and
‘this is the last seen. ‘
C. eurytheme var. intermedia is now (July 17th) abundant, and C.
. alexandra is flying very freely. It is a curious circumstance that the
so called “albino” females (var. paddida) do not appear to occur in
autumnalis, or if they do are very rare, while they are so frequent in
_ intermedia that I have sometimes fancied they even outnumbered the
typical females. In both forms, I think, the females Ont: the
~ males. fey
From the above facts, I think that it is hard to come to any oes:
conclusion than that the orange and yellow forms alternate, and that this’
should be so, presents perhaps one of the most remarkable cases”
seasonal dimorphism at present known.
There is a very large Asiliid fly found here, which oceabionally | preys
upon C. eurytheme var. intermedia in the perfect state.
gat
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ORTHESIA FROM
CALIFORNIA. )
BY WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.
-.In a collection of Hemiptera sent me some time since for identifica-
tion, were two male specimens of a coccid, and a single white waxy sac,
from which one had issued, attached to the upper surface of a small, oval
leaf, which at the time, from a superficial examination, I took to ‘be a
mealy bug, Dactylopius longifilis Comstock ; but recently on a more
careful examination I find to be a species of that aban ce genus
Orthesia Bosc.
But a single species has been described in this genus in our fauna, ine,
Orthesia Americana Walker. A good description of what is supposed to
be this species was given by Prof. Comstock in the U. S. Agricultural
Report, 1880, page 349. As the present species does not agree with that
description, it is apparently undescribed, and below I give a description
of it, naming it in honour of its discoverer, Mr. Hy. ae who — it
at Grass Valley, Nepa County, California.
¢
*
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 203
Orthesia Edwardsii n. sp.
“Male sac.—This is broadly oval, pure white, .15 of an inch long by
.12 of aninch in breadth. It was evidently formed by a secretion of
fine, waxy flakes, the regularity of which has been lost as the insect
reached maturity, the dorsal disk béing entire, and the flakes only being
partially distinguishable at the margins.
Male.—Length .12 inch; style about .o4 inch. Entirely black,
excepting a reddish cast on the mesothorax, scutellum, metathorax,
abdomen at sides and beneath, and the epipleura of the mesothorax ;
while the head beneath the insertion of the antenne is pale yellowish
white. Head small, nearly quadrate, being but slightly narrowed
posteriorly. The eyes consist of 5 or 6 ocelli placed at the side of the
head, while the mouth consists of two large, quite prominent ocelli.
Antenne very long, the points of which have four or five irregular nodose
swellings, with irregular whorls of long, delicate bristles ; the first two
joints are very short, not as long as wide, the 3rd and 5th joints the
longest, about an equal length, the 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th and goth shorter and
gradually subequal, the roth or apical joint more thickened, fusiform,
about four-fifths the length of the penultimate joint. Thorax short, less.
than one-half the length of abdomen ; the prothorax is hardly distinguish-
able from above, being but a delicate ridge or collar; mesothorax quite
short, somewhat trapezoidal in outline, and obliquely ascending towards
the scutellum, but with a depression in the middle, the lateral lobes
‘distinct ; scutellum highly convex, polished, with some short hairs on the
disk, abruptly transversely divided by a deep, yellowish fissure posterior-
ly. Metathorax very short. Legs very long, rather slender, black, and
with a long, fine hair pubescence ; tibize longer than their femora, slender,
cylindrical ; tarsi less than one-third the length of tibize and more slender,
gradually acuminate toward apex and terminating in a small, delicate
claw ; no digitules. Abdomen, on the dorsum, wrinkled, at sides towards
apex covered with a white, waxy substance, and terminating in two very
long caudal sete, more than double the length of the insect, rather
thickly covered with a white, waxy substance, especially at base, so
that in reality they are much more slender than they appear. Style long,
blackish. Wings two, white, of the ordinary shape, but I can detect a
spurious vein, springing from near the base of the longitudinal vein,
‘between it and the costal margin, and running parallel with it to half the
204 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
length of the wings. I have examined many male coccids, but never
before noticed this spurious vein, and consequently think it of great
importance. MHalteres linear, terminating in a hook with two teeth; one
of the halteres is attached to a fold or thickening in the front wing, and
as has before been observed, evidently greatly assists the insect in its
flights ; the other one was loose, ann thus enabled me to make out the
two small teeth.
STRAY NOTES ON MYRMELEONID, Parr ae
BY DR. H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from page 191.)
Myrmeleon mobilis Hag.
M. mobilis Hag. - Stett. Z., vol. xxi., 368; vol. xxvi., 444. (No
description. )
M. immaculatus Burm. Vol. ii., 994, 5 (not De Geer)-—Hagen Syn,
N. Am. 231, 14, partim.
The face above the epistom blackish brown, shining ; mouth and a
ring around the eyes yellowish ; palpi yellowish ; maxillary thin, apical
joint cylindrical, notched on tip; labial of same length, apical joint
fusiform, the conical tip notched.
Antenne as long as head and thorax, thicker at tip, which is clavate,
fuscous, annulated with yellow, except on club ; basal joint yellow above,
second black ; antennz below largely yellow.
Head dull luteous, with some flat pitchy-fuscous spots ; yeuex
transverse-ovoid, elevate, anteriorly finely rugulose ; on the middle two
pairs of twin bands, one behind the other; the anterior pair with hind
end of its band bent outward ; a round spot on each side of the bands ;
the posterior pair straight ; on each side two triangular spots, near the
eye ; behind the vertex on each side a transversal band, near the eyes.
Prothorax broader than long, sides about straight, front margin semi-
circular, luteous with some black hairs besides; anterior part before the
transverse sulcus on each side with a black crescent and indistinct median
band ; hind part on each side with an indistinct black mark; thorax dull
luteous, with some indistinct brown shadows besides and below,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 205
Abdomen much. shorter than the wings, slender, dull luteous, more
yellowish on the apex, articulations pale ; covered with very short pale
villosity.
Female—Last segment short, yellow, split below near the ventral
margin with two, thick, black shining cylindrical appendages, which are
as long as the segment and covered with very long black hairs and
spines ; out of the superior part of this segment is protruded an additional
short segment with two short quadrangular yellow plates with black
margins, and below two transversal rows of very strong black spines.
Male—Abdomen not longer than of the female ; ventral part of last
segment not split below, yellow with long black hairs, forming a large
spoon-shaped part ; there are no cylindrical appendages ; the additional
segment forming two yellow plates which are shorter but much more pro-
longed below and a little enlarged ; margin black with long black hairs
below, without the rows of spines; above on dorsum with a bunch of
hairs.
Legs slender, pale, with black hairs ; the femur, tibia and all joints of
tarsus black on tip; a fine black ring on tibia not far from the knee ;
spurs as long as the basal joint, straight fuscous. Wings long, narrow,
front wings with the costa straight, curved strongly on tip, which is short,
about rectangular ; hind margin very slightly incurved, so that the wing
is broadest near the apical third; hind wing nearly as long, a little
narrower, sharply pointed ; hind margin a little sinuate on the apical half,
broadest near the middle of its length ; hyaline, hairy, veins fine, dark ;
subcosta, mediana and submediana interrupted with pale yellow; ptero-
stigma small, whitish.
Length of body, 30 to 34 mm.; exp. al. 80 mm.
Hab.—Burmeister’s type from Savannah, Georgia, very probably col-
lected by Dr. Zimmermann ; it is a female, and was described out of
Winthem’s coll.; the label, zamaculatus De Geer, in Burmeister’s hand-
writing, is still on the pin. I have raised male and female in July,
1883, out of larve from Alabama, given by Prof. Lyon; I have the
full grown larva, larva skin, nympha skin and cocoon. The larva is
called Doodle, and it is a favourite pleasure of children to kneel in the
sand near the holes and to sing in a monotonous way, “ Doodle, Doodle,
etc.” It is believed that the animal comes out to receive food. But I
have to remark that the larva of Zetracha Carolina is treated similarly,
206 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
_ The type is just transformed, as is proved by specimens from Ala- —
-bama, which made their transformation on the same day; one has all
four wings developed, one only the fore wings, and the third has all wings
crumpled. Nevertheless they have all the saine colours of the type, and
itis to be supposed that older specimens will show a darker coloration. _
I have never seen more specimens. When I published the synopsis —
‘I had before me the type of Burmeister and two specimens of M.imma-
tulatus, spits believed all three to belong to the same species. ‘
Myrmeleon formicalynx L.
The synonymy need not be repeated here ; compare Stet. Ent.
- Zeit., 1866, p. 439. | |
_.. Face: shining black, above with two impressions, which are wvattable
in shape and size, and an engraved spot in the middle between the
‘antennee ; around the eyes a yellow ring, interrupted near the vertex ;
epistoma yellow, with two black spots ponecn with the colour of the
-face ; mouth yellow. |
Maxillary palpi slender eytindrienl; black shining, pale on is: ; wien
joint notched on tip, third joint incurvate ; the two basal joints globular,
dull yellowish, the second blackish externally ; labial palpi longer and
stronger, shining black ; second joint incurvate, thickened on tip; last _
joint thick, ovoid, with an engraved spot externally before the tip, which
is pyramidal, ‘pointed.
Antenne. shorter than the thorax ; “tip clavate, dull black, belay
shining black on base; basal joint yellow, below black i in middle, and
with a yellow ring around the base.
_ Head dull black anteriorly, with rare white hairs, fuely rugose, ‘the ;
‘lines diverging ; vertex transversally ovoid, elevated, divided by a more ~
or less pronounced median impression, on top with a transversal corrug- 4
‘ated band, and some glossy flat spots ; two approximate anteriorly and .
two posteriorly, and on each side a larger round one ; behind the vertex
near the eye an oval similar spot.
Prothorax short, broader than long, enlarged bhi | rounded hedcs, 4
dull pitchy black ; margin yellow except in middle anteriorly ; yellowish —
near the thorax ; on each side with some longer black hairs ; cciaboeneas a
and metathorax pitchy black ; the body paler,
eu: s Laks
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 207:
Abdomen slender, compressed, shorter than the wings, pitchy black ry
apical margin of the last segments pale ; villosity white, rather scarce.
Female genitals with two transverse rows of black bristles, two cylin-
drical black appendages with very long black hairs, and between them an
advanced black part of the margin with strong bristles, (Rambur says.
with two appendages “‘ formant deux petites saillies an peu plus épaisses ”
_ —which I cannot find.)
Male genitals similar to JZ. mobdilis, the spoon-shaped part zak
triangular, yellow.
Legs slender, reddish-yellow ; dices half of femur black; tibia.
blackish ; the posterior legs externally reddish-yellow, except on tip;
tarsi blackish, sometimes yellowish at base ; spurs about as long as the
basal joint, straight ; claws brown.
- Wings in shape and venation like JZ. zmmaculatus, with the hind
margin convex ; hyaline ; veins black, interrupted with yellow ; ptero-,
stigma milk-white, blackish interiorly.
Length of body, 25 to 32 mm.; exp. al., 55 to sah mm. Breadth et
hind wings, 6 to 8 mm.
Hab.— Everywhere in Europe, only England and the islands in the
Mediterranean excepted. A pair collected in Castilia by Staudinger is
quoted by myself Stett. Ent. Z., xxvii, p. 290. A. Costa figures it from
Naples. In Russia it is sienown from Livland to Astrachan and Nert-
schinsk, Siberia. )
I have eight specimens, male and female, before me from Sweden,
Prussia, Silesia, Switzerland. The imago flies from July to September.
I have raised this species, which is common in Germany.
In the collection of Linnzus a specimen of this species on the character-
istic Linnean pin, bearing in his own handwriting on the label the
name “ formicalynx,” is still present. I have seen it in 1857 and 1861.
The high authority of my friend McLachlan, and the emphasis with
which he declines to acknowledge this specimen as typical (Tr. Lond. Ent.
Soc., 1871, p. 443), oblige me to state why I hold decidedly the contrary
opinion. Mr. McLachlan bases his objection solely on the fact that the
specimen is identical with the Swedish species, and that the African
habitat, given by Linnzeus for his JZ. formicalynx, must belong to a
different species (though the few words of the diagnosis given will apply
208 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
to this insect so far as they go.—McL.), because no specimen from Africa
is known to him; and “that the collection of Linnzus has been mal-
treated by additions, destruction and displacement of labels.” The dis-
covery of a true African specimen would make McLachlan’s objection
untenable. Nobody would be surprised that an insect, with such a large
distribution, and found in Castilia and Naples, should be found in Africa.
For the statement of the displacement of labels in the Linnean collection
McLachlan quotes the preface of Staudinger’s Catalog der Lepidopteren,
1871, p. xvi.-xvil. This quotation is indeed very unfortunate, as the Ger-
man original is essentially different (p. xvi) from the French translation
(p. xvii.) which is alone used by McL.:—“ C’est malheuresement un fait
certain que l’acquéreur de la collection de Linné a eu la deplorable idée
de remplacer quelquefois des exemplaires endommagés par des exem-
plaires frais—vze//etcht vorhandene schlechte Exemplare durch bessere
ersetzte.” So long as McLachlan gives not any other evidence for his
opinion, it is apparently not admissible.
Concerning the Neuroptera in the Linn. collection, I have published
(Stett. Ent. Z., vol. vi, 1845, p. 155) the list s¢i// before me, made in 1844
by Mr. R. Kippist, hen Secretary of the Linn. Soc.
Of the 83 species described in Syst. Nat. Ed., xii., were present 50
species, but 17 of them were later additions, with labels written not dy
Linneus, but probably by Mr. Smith, with the occasional addition
*‘exdescript Linn.” These 17 species are marked only with pencil in
Linneus’s own copy of Syst. Nat. Ed., xii. The other 33 species have
labels in Linnzeus’s own handwriting, and are marked in the copy of Syst.
Nat. Ed., xii., with ink. From these alone’ it is certain that they were in
the collection of Linnzus, and among these is M. formicalynx. 1 have
compared myself the collection in 1857 and 1861. I found nothing
changed and no indication of displacements.
Illiger’s paper, 1801, in his Magazin, vol. i., p. 7.
Westwood’s paper of the Linnean Staphylinus (Tr, Ent. Soc., Ser.
I,, vol. iv., p. 45); Schaum ‘‘neber zweifelhafte Kaefer Linné’s nach
seiner Sammlung,” Stett. Ent. Z., 1847, p. 276 ; Haliday ibid., 1851, p.
131; Motschulsky, 1855, Etudes. Ent., iv., p. 25, will show that the
sweeping charges in McL. paper can not be jeadanad as warranted.
The description of JZ. formicalynx in Ed. x. is the same as in Ed.
xil., excepting the clerical error “ antennz setacez ” for clavatee, as given in
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 209
the character of the genus. The quoted figure of Reesel well represents
this species. The insects in Linné’s collection have been labelled by him
_ in accordance with Ed. x. of his Syst. Nat. At this time the imago of
the Swedish species (1758) was unknown to him, and was only published
later (1761) in the Ed. ii., of his Fn. Suecica. It is evident that Linnzeus
has believed Reaumur’s species and the Swedish one to be identical, as he
says in Ed. xui., ‘“Alae nostratis obsque maculis fuscis,” and as he has
called this species 17. formicarium, instead of AZ, formicaleo, as in all his
anterior works. Now every student of Neuroptera, since half a century
ago, knows very well that Linné has combined two different species, and
that a new name would be needed for one of them ; but as a second
species had been described also by Linnaeus this name was accepted for
the Swedish species as JZ. formicalynx. ‘Therefore, indeed, no mistake
and no uncertainty was possible. McLachlan has given no proof for his
opinion that 47. formicalynx from Africa belongs to a different unknown
species. McLachlan’s quotation l.c., p. 441 and 442, ‘In the first
edition of the Fn. Suec., 1746, he (Linné) says of an antlion alae obsolete
nebulosae,” is not to be found at all in this book, and could not be found,
as Linné described only the larva. The words obsolete nebulosae occur
in no work of Linné, nor in any other work known to me describing this
insect ; but I have now the kind information by McL. that those words
were taken out of the interleaved copy of the Fauna Suecica, and that
my friend is now sure that they belong not at all to Wyrme/leon.
McLachlan proposes to use the name JZ. formicarium, which every
body has used for more than a century, since Syst. Nat., Edit. xii, 1767,
for Reaumur’s species, for the Swedish species. McLachlan proposed
for Reaumur’s species at first the name J. formicaleo used by Linné
in Ed. x. and by Poda ; later he proposed to call it . Europeus, which
was adopted by Mr Redtenbacher and Prof. Brauer, though the latter
remarked that if a new name was needed MV. nostras Fourcroy would
have the priority, :
Concerning such changes of names, should be studied the excellent
dissertation of Dr. Elias Fries, Ofver Vexternes Namn Upsala, 1842
(also in Fries’s Botaniska Utflygter, T. i., p. 113, and German Transl. in
Hornschuch Archiv., 1855, T.i.), where also about Linné’s collection,
the former idolatry and the later belittling in England, excellent advice
and notice will be found,
210 - THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Myrmeleon formicarius, Linn.
The curious habits of this insect are known for nearly two centuries
and quoted so often that in my Synops. Hemerobidarum, p. 439, about
half a page is filled by them. There is much written pro and con about
this name. I believe the change of the name is simply a matter of taste,
and I remember with merriness the page on which the late R. Crotch,
my old friend McLachlan and myself were hacked to pieces for our
heresy in nomenclature by A. Lewis. I consider the paper of McLachlan,
Tr. Lond. Ent. Soc., 1871, p. 441, to be a very fair one. Of my two
objections one has been removed by himself as I mentioned by M.
Sormicalynx.
Myrmeleon rusticus Hag.
M. rusticus Hag. Syn. N. Amer. Neur. 233, 17.
Front a little convex, nigro-piceous, shining, above with two trans-
verse small impressions ; epistom black, or on each side with a yellow
oval spot, which may encroach a little on the front, and a triangular
yellow middle spot, largest anteriorly ; rhinarium bright yellow, labrum
largely notched, brownish ; maxillary palpi yellowish, apical joint a little
darker, cylindrical, notched at tip, scarcely longer than the preceeding ;
labial palpi longer, yellowish, second joint thin, incurved, thickened at
tip ; apical joint about as long, strorigly ovate, blackish, with an impressed
spot outside, suddenly contracted before end, which is thin, pyramidal,
a little incurved; head below and a narrow ring encircling the eyes
bright yellow ; antennze strongly clavate, longer than head and prothorax, :
dark, annulated with yellow.
Vertex obscure ferrugineous, shining, elevated, with a ae side,
dull grayish in front above the antennz ; a yellow spot on each side near
the eye ; two flat interrupted median stripes and on each side a larger
flat shining spot.
Prothorax short, broader than long, narrowed before, front margin
rounded ; clothed on margins and behind laterally with short white
villosity ; dull yellowish, with two approximated median bands more
visible before the furrow, and on each side with a broader dark fuscous
band more visible after the furrow ; thorax dull pitchy, obscurely mar- — 4
gined with dull yellow; besides, below the wings on: with a —
yellow spots, ;
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 211
__. Abdomen shorter than the wings, luteo-fuscous ; posterior margin of
segments, and sometimes a faint middle line, yellow.
_ Genitals of male and the last segment black, below a row of strong
black spines ; an inferior conical part with long black hairs ; abdomen of
female shorter, the superior parts blunt, below a row of black bristles ;
_ two small appendages (probably) inferiors.
Legs yellowish, not very short, the intermediate finely sprinkled ;
femora and tibia darker inside, except in the middle pair; tibia with an
apical dark ring ; tarsus about longer than tibia, tips of joints darker ;
spurs scarcely as long as first joint, straight, dark.
Wings hyaline, moderately pointed ; pterostigma small, milk white,
a small dark dot before it ; venation pale, median and submedian veins
distinctly interrupted with fuscous ; costals simple.
Length of body, # 30, 2 26 mm.; exp. al. 54 to 60 mm.
Hab.—New Mexico (formerly W. Texas), Pecos River, August 4th,
Capt. Pope’s Exped.; Mexico, Matamoras, same expedition.
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY OF ONTARIO.
The Annual Meeting of the Society was held in the City Hall,
Ottawa, on Friday and Saturday, October 5th and 6th, 1888. A Council
meeting was held on Friday morning at 10.30 o’clock in a Committee
room of the City Hall, at which the following members were present :—
The President, Mr. James Fletcher, Ottawa ; Mr. E. Baynes Reed, Mr. W.
E. Saunders and Mr. J. M. Denton, London; Rev. C. J. S. Bethune,
Port Hope; Rev. T. W. Fyles, Quebec ; Mr. James Moffat, Hamilton ;
Mr. H. H. Lyman, Montreal. After the transaction of routine business,
the sum of $200 was voted to the Library Fund for the purchase of books
and the binding of periodicals and pamphlets. An Executive Com-
mittee, to consist of the President, the Editor, the Secretary-Treasurer
and the members of the Council resident in London, was appointed to
deal with the financial affairs of the Society and to provide for the
representation of the Society at the annual meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science. The work of arranging the
Society’s collections and putting them in good order was directed to be
212 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
continued, and Mr. Moffatt was requested to do for the Coleoptera what
he has already so successfully accomplished with the Lepidoptera.
In the afternoon the Society met at 2 o’clock. Mr. W. H. Harrington
was present in addition to those above mentioned. Mr. Lyman exhibited
a series of specimens of the different species of Cal/imorpha which he
had described in his paper last year (C. E. xix,, p. 181) and remarked
upon their various peculiarities. He thought it most desirable that
names should be attached to the different varieties, even though they may
hereafter be found to belong to the same species. Messrs. Fletcher,
Fyles and Moffat made remarks upon the subject, and fps 2 that all
distinct forms should have separate names.
Mr. Fletcher gave an account of his visit to Nepigon, Lake Superior,
early in July, in compatiy with Mr. S. H. Scudder, of Cambridge,
Mass., for the purpose of collecting the eggs of various rare species of
butterflies. He described the various modes they had employed in order
to induce the females to deposit their eggs, and recounted the great
success achieved in securing the eggs of no less than seventeen species of
butterflies and capturing a number of others.
Rev. Dr. Bethune exhibited a number of specimens of Codias
eurytheme, chiefly of the form eriphyle, which he had taken at Port
Arthur on the 1st of September last, and gave an account of his trip to
the Nepigon River, exhibiting a large number of specimens of butterflies
and other insects captured there on August 21st, 22nd, and 30th. Among
these may be especially mentioned Codias interior and eurytheme,
Argynnis electa, atlantis, chariclea and bellona, Phyciodes tharos, Grapta —
faunus and progne, Pyrameis huntera and cardut, Limenitis arthemiis, etc.
Rev. T. W. Fyles read a paper on Chionobas Jutta, in which he
recounted his success in rearing the insect through all its stages.
Mr. Fletcher and Dr. Bethune spoke of the desirability of i issuing a
series of papers on popular and economic entomology in the CANADIAN
EnTomoLocist, and urged upon the members present the necessity of
co-operating in the work. The Editor also drew the attention of the
meeting to the duty of at once providing the material required for the
Annual Report of the Society. -
The President laid on the table specimen sheets and plates of M1.
Scudder’s great work on the Butterflies of the Eastern States and Canada,
which were examined by the members with much interest. He also
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 213
*
a
_ brought up for discussion the subject of the disease known as “ Silver-top ”
4 in hay, which is believed to be caused by a species of Thrips, and
_ requested the members to investigate the matter in their various
localities. The only remedy at present suggested is the plowing up of
old hay-fields which are found to be the most seriously attacked. The
depredations of Grasshoppers during the past season were next consider-
_ ed. Mr. Fletcher suggested that much might be done to reduce their
- numbers by cutting the hay about the 2oth of June, if practicable, and
thus preventing the maturity of the insects by depriving them of their
food before they were able to fly to a distance for it. Mr. Denton
reported that the Chinch Bug had been observed in the Township of
Delaware, near London, and that it was likely to become very injurious
if measures were not taken to counteract it.
The meeting adjourned at 5.30 p.m.
EVENING SESSION.
In the evening the Society held a public meeting in the Council
Chamber of the City Hall at 8 o’clock, at which there were about sixty
persons present, including the Hon. C. W. Drury, the recently appointed
Minister of Agriculture for Ontario; Mr. John Lowe, Deputy Minister
of Agriculture for the Dominion of Canada; Prof. Saunders, Director of
the Experimental Farms of the Dominion ; Sir James Grant, M.D.; Mr.
R. B. Whyte, President of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club; Mrs.
Macleod Stewart ; Mrs. R. B. Whyte, Mrs. Davidson, and several other
ladies as well as a number of farmers and gardeners from the city and
neighbourhood.
The proceedings of the evening began with an able and practical
address from the President, Mr. James Fletcher, of Ottawa, upon
“Insects Injurious to Crops.” (The address will be published in full in
the Annual Report of the Society.) The speaker stated that it was a
well-known fact that at least one-tenth of all the crops grown in this
country was destroyed by noxious insects. In order to combat these
insects it was necessary to know their life-histories, and to acquire and
disseminate this knowledge was the main object of our Entomological
Society. He described in simple terms the two systems of structure in
insects, in accordance with which one class live by sucking out the juices
of plants and the other by biting and gnawing the substance, and related
the various means adopted to counteract the ravages of each. In his
position as Dominion Entomologist he found it possible to give to nearly
214 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
&.
all enquirers useful information about the insects that might be affecting 4
their crops or gardens. He then referred to many common injuries —
and related the best means of dealing with them, and gave an
account of what might be termed the “first-class pests” of the season, 3
among these he specially mentioned the cut-worms and grass-hoppers, —
which had been more than usually numerous and destructive in many 4
parts of the Province. He concluded his address, which was listened to ©
with great interest and attention for upwards of an hour, by expressing
the pleasure it gave to the members of the Society to observe the growth
of their science in popularity, a fact evidenced by the alten that
evening of so many distinguished persons.
The Hon. C. W. Drury next addressed the meeting, He re shit
he had not come to deliver a speech, but he had travelled five hundred ~
miles in order that as the head of the Agricultural Department of Ontario —
he might show the importance which the Government he represented —
attached to the work of the Entomologists. He considered that the —
small grant annually made to the funds of the Society was amply repaid —
by its practical work, and mentioned as an instance the immense saving~
to the country effected by the discovery of the remedy for the minyet,
seed midge "
Sir James Grant spoke in graceful terms and delivered a very interest- 4
ing address. He described the importance of Entomology in its various _
aspects, and referred to the work of some of its greatest masters, from
Aristotle and Pliny, in ancient times, to LeConte, who had described so ~
enormous a number of species of beetles and whose lamented death was —
so great a loss to science. He described its relation to other depart- —
ments, especially to medicine, and mentioned as an instance the fact that 4
bacteria had been introduced into the blood by the bite of mosquitoes. —
He paid a high compliment to the President for his practical and interest- q
ing address, and for his enthusiastic devotion to the science which had —
deservedly won for him the recognition of the Dominion Government. q
Professor Saunders rose to move a vote of thanks to the President for :
his valuable address. He gave a short account of the history of the 4
Society and its work, and mentioned the fact that there were only two of ~
the original members present besides himself, viz.: Dr. Bethune and Mr.
E. Baynes Reed, who had been concerned in its organization twenty-five — 4
years ago. Sir James Grant seconded ihe vote of thanks, which was pul 3 :
to the meeting by Dr. Bethune and unanimously carried. ye
» 5 4
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 215
~--
' Rey. Dr. Bethune then proceeded to give a brief address, in which he
strongly urged the importance of encouraging young people in their
instinctive fondness for collecting insects. It was not only a most useful
pursuit from an educational point of view, but led to great results in
_ developing a love for science and a steady increase in the number of its
_ votaries. As one of the pioneers of the Society he was delighted to see
_ for the first time at one of its meetings the Provincial Minister of Agricul-
_ ture and also the Dominion Deputy-Minister ; he expressed his pleasure
_ also at the presence of so many ladies, and trusted that they would bring
to the aid of Fntomology all those gifts of deftness and neatness which
they so eminently possessed. For their encouragement he mentioned
that the most distinguished entomologist in England at the present time
is a lady, Miss E. Ormerod, of St. Albans.
In acknowledging the vote of thanks, Mr. Fletcher took occasion to
_ refer to one point which he had overlooked, namely, the injuries inflicted
by “that miscreant, the English sparrow,” whose extermination he
strongly advocated. The Hon. Mr. Drury stated that this destructive
bird was no longer under the protection of the Act of Parliament respect-
ing insectivorous birds, and that everyone was at liberty to aid in redu-
cing its numbers. The meeting then adjourned.
SATURDAY’S SESSION.
: Saturday, October 6th.—At 10 o’clock a. m. a meeting of the Council,
_ was held for the transaction of business, and after its adjournment the
Society continued its proceedings. The reports of the Secretary-
Treasurer, the Librarian, the delegate to the Royal Society of Canada,
the Montreal Branch, and the delegates to the Entomological Club of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science were presented
and adopted.
The following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year :—
President—James Fletcher, F.R.S.C., F.L.S., Ottawa.
Vice-President--E. Baynes Reed, London.
Secretary-Treasurer—W. E. Saunders, London.
Librarian—E,. Baynes Reed, London.
Curator—Henry S. Saunders, London.
-Council—J. M. Denton, London ; J. Alston Moffat, Hamilton ; Gamble
Geddes, Toronto ; W. H. Harrington, Ottawa; Rev. T. W. Fyles, M. A.,
South Quebec (ard the former Presidents, who are ex-officio members
216 THE. CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
viz., Prof. Saunders, F.R.S.C., F.L.S., F C.S., and Rev. C. J. S. Bethune).
Editor of the CanapIAN EnToMOLOGist—Rev. C. J. S. Bethune,
M.A., D.C.L., Port Hope.
Editing Committee—The President, Prof. Saunders, J. M. Denton,
H. H. Lyman (Montreal), Dr. W. Brodie (Toronto).
Auditors—J. M. Denton and E. B. Reed.
Delegate to the Royal Society of Canada—H. H. Lyman, Montreal.
Papers were read by (1) the Rev. T. W. Fyles on “ The Hypenidz of
the Province of Quebec;” (2) Mr. J. A. Moffat on ‘‘Some Curious Proceed
ings of the Larve of Huchetes egle Feeding upon the Milk-weed ;” (3)
Mr. W. E. Saunders on the English Sparrow, strongly recommending its
extermination ; (4) Rev. T. W. Fyles on ‘“ The Sphingide of the Province
of Quebec.” Mr. Fletcher, in discussing this paper, remarked upon the
colours of Sphinx 5-maculata, and said that the dark forms seemed to be
hardier than the pale green; he had observed also in Papilio asterias
CE a ek oe eS eee
that some green pups emerged much sooner than the brown ; he had
obtained no less than four broods of this insect this year. (5) Rev, T.
W. Fyles read “‘A Memoir of the late Philip H. Gosse,” and exhibited a
photograph of this eminent naturalist and his late residence. (The above
papers will all be published in the annual report of the Society.) _
Mr. Moffat stated that he had taken Papilio cresphontes this summer
at Hamilton, and that he had seen in that neighbourhood a specimen of
the now rare Pieris protodice. Mr. Fyles mentioned that he had taken
Grapta gracilis and faunus at Quebec in September, Hepialus gracilis
in the Township of Dunham, and efia/us auratus in the Township of
Brome. Dr. Bethune had found Grafta /. album numerous at Port
Hope in September, and brought some living specimens to the meeting ;
these will be taken care of during their hibernation, and efforts will be
made to obtain their eggs in the spring.
The following gentlemen were elected members of the Society :—Rev.
Prof. Symonds, Trinity College, Toronto ; Rowland Hill, London; Mr,
Brown, /ree Press, London ; A. L. Poudrier, Donald, B. ehy eta M.
Bethune, Port Hope; E. M. Morris, Toronto.
It was decided to hold the next annual meeting in London immedi.
ately after the close of the meeting of the American Association in
Toronto in August.
After passing a vote of thanks to the Mayor and Council for the use
of the City Hall the meeting adjourned,
l
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 217:
- BOOK NOTICES.
ENTOMOLOGY ¥roR BEGINNERS, for the use of Young Folks, Fruit Growers,
Farmers and Gardeners. By A. S. Packarp, M.D. New York:
Henry Holt & Co.—r vol., 8 vo., pp. 367. ;
It is with much pleasure that we draw the attention of our readers to.
the publication of this work. For many: years past, we have been re-
peatedly asked to recommend some book that would serve as an intro-
duction to the study of Entomology, and enable young collectors to make
a satisfactory beginning in the pursuit. Hitherto, we have been unable to
mention any single work that would answer the purpose, and we have felt
constrained to tell enquirers that they must procure several books, for
instance, Kirby & Spence’s Entomology, Harris’s Insects Injurious to
Vegetation, etc., and even then not have what they want. Dr. Packard’s
new book is certainly one that has long been wanted, though we fear that
it is a little too technical in its language, and too abtruse in its treatment
of some of the subjects to exactly meet the requirements of beginnerst
We think, too, that the author has not been judicious in the arrangemen.
of the matter ; the first two chapters on the structure of insects and their
growth and metamorphosis will, we fear, prove rather repellant to one
who has collected a few specimens and wants to know something about
them and what to do with them. They are carefully written, and give an
admirable summary of what every student of Entomology requires to
know ; but they are a little beyond the youthful mind, or the uninstructed
powers of the ordinary farmer. We, therefore, strongly advise all beginners
who procure this book—and we recommend them to get it without fail—
to commence their reading with Chapter vi., which contains very interesting
and useful directions for collecting, preserving and rearing insects ; they
might then turn back and read Chapters iv. and v. on insect architecture,
and insects injurious and beneficial to agriculture. By this time, we have
no doubt, they will have become so deeply interested in the work that:
_ they will not be discouraged by the drier details and the harder words in..
the remainder ofthe book. The third chapter, which fills over a hundred
pages, gives an admirable synopsis of the classification of insects, and
should enable a beginner to arrange with some degree of system any’
specimens that he collects. The author has departed from the usually
received divisions of insects, and sets forth no less than sixteen orders ;.
this number he obtains by sub-dividing the Neuroptera, Orthoptera and
Diptera. To the new orders thus formed, he applies the novel terms
Plectoptera, Platyptera, Mecaptera, etc. We feel rather doubtful about
their general acceptance, and think it a pity that they should have been
put forth in an elementary work of this kind before they had been dis-
218 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
cussed and approved of by Entomologists in general. We do not, how-
ever, wish to disparage the work ; it is certainly a valuable compendium,
and we cordially recommend it to our readers who are beginners in Ento-
mology. The book is well written and excellently illustrated throughout,
and must prove a great help to the science by furnishing young students,
in a convenient form, with information that hitherto they could not readily
procure. C.J. S. BeTHune.
THe BUTTERFLIES OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES AND CANADA,
with special reference to New England, by S. H. ScuppER. Imp.
8 vo. Cambridge, pp. 1-40 and ro5—208, Part I, rst Nov., 1888.
For some months Lepidopterists and Librarians have been anxiously
awaiting the appearance of Mr. Scudder’s monumental work on the
Butterflies of New England, which, as is well known, has been constantly
engaging the attention of this keen observer and careful student for, the
last 20 years.. Through the courtesy of the author we have been favoured
with advance sheets and plates of Part I, which is to appear on rst Nov.,
1388. From the well known high character of Mr. Scudder’s past work,
doubtless much will be expected by the scientific world of this long
promised book. Judging from the number under consideration we
believe few will be disappointed. No work has ever appeared, in any
branch of science, where such thorough and complete information is given
of the objects discussed, nor which has been so copiously and accurately
illustrated. An Introduction treats, with the greatest detail, of the general
structure of butterflies from the egg to the imago, and includes a chapter
upon their classification. This is followed by a systematic treatise in
which “ not only every species,” (embraced within the scope of the work)
‘but also every genus, tribe, sub-family and family is described and dis-
“cussed with a fullness never before attempted, except in individual
*¢ cases, including in each instance not merely the perfect form, but, when
“possible, the egg, the caterpillar at birth and in the succeeding stages,
“and the chrysalis, together with the distribution, life-history, habits and
‘environments of the insect, in which a great accumulation of new facts
‘‘ and observations is embodied.” )
In the Part before us we have pages 1 to 40 of the Introduction cover-
ing the structure of the egg, the caterpillar and the chrysalis, and the
beginning of the description of the perfect insect. There is then a break.
and the pagination continues again at page 105, where the second section
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 219
= ’
begins with a short chapter on the families of butterflies. This isa repro-
duction, slightly altered, of the table of classification which Mr. Scudder
has already published in the Can. ENr., xix., 201, in which he divides the
butterflies into Vymphalide, Lycaenide, Papilionide and Hesperida, an
arrangement virtually the same as that given by Bates and adopted by
Packard, in which the genera Gneis and Cercyonis are considered the
highest of the butterflies.
_ At page tog the systematic treatise begins with the Vymphalide or
“‘Brush-footed butterflies.’’ With this family, as with sub-families and genera
throughout the work, when possible analytical tables are given for their
arrangement, based upon the egg, the caterpillar at birth, the caterpillar
at maturity, the chrysalis and the imago. The first sub-family is the
Satyrine, including six genera, of which @vezs is described first. Under
each species we find first complete and careful technical descriptive
details of structure for all the known stages. These are printed in rather
smaller.type than the rest of the book, a fact which will considerably
facilitate reference. Then follows a general description, giving any inter-
esting features in the distribution and habits of the perfect insect and
larva, the food plant, variations and enemies, and lastly a list of the points
upon which further information is needed.
On page 127 appears the first of a series of essays, of which there are
to be over 70 distributed throughout the work, and to which the author
has applied the somewhat inelegant title of ‘‘ Excursuses.” These
discuss separately all the interesting problems which arise in the study of
butterflies (whether of distribution, structure, history, or relation to the
outer world), in themselves forming a complete treatise on the life of
these insects. These will be a charming feature of the work by means
of which a book, which must necessarily contain a large amount of
technical scientific description, will be made attractive to many who will
subscribe to it merely to possess the most extensive and beautiful book
which has ever appeared on the diurnal Lepidoptera of North America.
The scope of these may be inferred from the titles of those which occur
in the first part.
1. The White Mountains of New Hampshire as a home for butterflies.
2. The clothing of caterpillars.
3. The general changes in a butterfly’s life and form.
4. The eggs of butterflies.
5. The modes of suspension of caterpillars.
The species described in the first part are Qineis semidea and @. jutta,
_Cercyonis alope and C. nephele, Enodia portlandia, Satyrodes eurydice,
Neonympha phocion and the beginning of the description of the genus
Cissia.
220 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The nomenclature, ‘we are told in the prospectus, follows the rules of |
the American Ornithologists’ Union. As is wel! known Mr. Scudder’s .
views upon some points with regard to nomenclature are very extreme,
_and it must be conceded that he has so far few followers. This state of
affairs; however, we anticipate will be changed. After many years of
close study upon a special subject by so able a student, the writer, at
any rate, is prepared to weigh carefully, without previously condemning
them, his views as expressed in this his greatest work.
The illustrations are, as above stated, most profuse, superbly executed,
and each is accompanied by copious explanatory text, which will be
bound opposite each plate.
The eight plates in Part I. are as follows: No. 1 is a beautifully
coloured chromo-lithograph of butterflies, showing in most instances both
the upper and lower sides. The complete work will contain about twelve
of these plates. The second plate, No. 14, is uncoloured, but is exqui-
sitely engraved, and by some may possibly be preferred to the last. It
shows seventeen figures of butterflies artistically grouped. There are to
be five plates similar to this. The next plate, No. 18, comprises eight
small maps, showing separately the distribution of the different species
treated of in Part I. There will be fifteen of these sets of maps. No.
46 shows scales of butterflies, and there will be six of this nature. No,
52 gives the heads of butterflies. The work on this plate, drawn by
J. H. Emerton, is very beautiful. There are to be eight others like it.
No. 67 is the first of three plates showing the micropyles of eggs mag-
nified highly. No. 70 is devoted to magnified figures of young larvee just
after leaving the eggs, and there will be three others like it. No. 93 isa
physical map of New England, prepared specially for this work by John
H. Klemroth, under the supervision of the Geographer of the U.S.
Survey. These, however, do not by any mean exhaust the styles of plates
which will appear, for in subsequent numbers new sorts of subjects will
come forward, all of which will be fully illustrated whenever figures can
make the text more intelligible. Special articles upon hymenopterous
and dipterous parasites are to be prepared by the able specialists, Messrs.
L. O. Howard, of Washington, and Dr. Williston. In fact, all the phases.
of life passed by the insects treated of as well as the important circum-
stances connected therewith, will be presented to the reader in the most
complete manner possible. There will be about two thousand figures
on ninety-six plates, of which over forty will be coloured. The small in-
convenience of not always having all the plates referred to in the text
issued at the same time with it, cannot of course possibly be obviated in
a systematic work, where everything is treated fully in its proper place
under each species, and in which the number of subjects needing illus-
tration in each part is greater than can be shown on the quotum of plates
for that part. The whole will be issued in a year, in 12 parts, each to
contain 8 plates and about 150 pages of text.
JAMES: FLETCHER.
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Che Canadvam Entomolomst.
VOL. XX. LONDON, DECEMBER, 1888. No. 12.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOMBYCID.
(Fourth and Last Paper.)
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
Sub-family “Aztacine.
The subfulcate primaries ally this group to the Platypterygine, and a
certain vague resemblance to the Geometride may be found in the tend-
-ency which the upper surfaces of the wings show to display the same
pattern on both wings. The ocelli are absent, the oral structure unde-
veloped, the hind wings are without frenulum. The species form mostly
large cocoons, and the characteristics of the family are pronounced in this
sub-family of silk-spinners. The male antenne are feathered to the tips,
each joint bearing a double pectination. The antennz are comparatively
short ; in the female the pectinations are shorter. On the fore wings, vein 5
is much closer to 6, than to 4, arising from the upper corner of the cell. The
caterpillars are thick and short rather than long, the segments tending to
become centrally elevated, with prominent incisions. In the early stages
they are bristled; in the later stages of Platysamia and Saturnia, for
instance, characteristic colored warts appear. They are almost poly-
phagous. Long lists have been given by Mr. Beutenmuller, of the food
plants of our common North American forms. Our beautiful Actias Zuna
has an Asiatic ally in A. se/ene, and, I conclude, that the genus Acfias in
our fauna must be regarded as a relic of a former Arctic, circumpolar
fauna, the more so as it is seen to be absent south of the equator in the
New World. Leach’s genus Actas is older than Zrope@a of Hiibner,
which Dr. Packard used, hence I retain it in my Check Lists. We have
in California, and again in Texas, species of the European genus Satur-
nia; 1 have elsewhere drawn attention to the fact that there exists a
certain resemblance between the two faunz, of which this is an instance,
o
222 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
Sub-family Hemileucine.
Whereas the A¢facine spin thick cocoons above the surface, and have
subfalcate primaries, in this group, so far as I have studied them, the
fore wings are blunt or rounded, and the cocoon is made at the surface of
the ground mixed with debris. The caterpillars in their last stage are
bristled, and resemble those of //atysamia in their earlier stage.
This group, represented by the typical genus Hemileuca, prepares us for
the following Ceratocampina, in the gradual modification of its characters.
In its closely allied species and tendency to local modification it recalls
such lower genera as C7isiocampa. Perhaps the genus Quadrina belongs
here ; of this I have had only a single specimen to examine. When both
sexes are known and nearer comparisons are made it may be that we
have to do with a distinct sub-family type. Mr. Smith, after seeing the
type, referred it to the Cossin@. 1 do not believe this, or that we have to
do with an internal feeder. Later, he appears to have reverted to my
original idea that the genus was related to G/overia, referred by Dr.
Packard to the Zachueine, perhaps from its resemblance to the Euro-
pean Otus. The eggs of Hemzleuca are laid like those of the Lachneina,
in ring-form, and the abdomen is likewise tufted at the extremity.
Sub-family Ceratocampine.
In this group, defined by Harris, a cocoon is rarely made and the
transformation is subterranean. ‘The female antennz are sub-simple or
simple, and the male antennz are not pectinate at the tip. The abdomen
is longer, the squamation smoother, and, while the main Attacid charac-
ters are still retained, there is an evident departure in a fresh direction.
The ocellate marks on the secondaries are here and there apparent, but
the ornamentation has become simpler, and the lowest form, Dryocampa
rubicunda, has a resemblance in all stages to the ensuing Lachneine. The
caterpillars are often bizarre in appearance from the spines and horns
with which they are ornamented, especially in the genus Citheronia,
where they probably serve as a defence by frightening their different
enemies. ‘There seem to be two groups of larval types, the extremes of
which are displayed by Hacles and Citheronia; the larve of the Zacles
type, approaching the preceding Attacid type, those of the Cutheronia
type approaching gradually the Zachneine. The distribution of this sub-
7 F
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 223
family is somewhat limited. It appears to be American, and to be
_ confined to the plains east of the rocky backbone of the continent from
north to south. In our fauna it seems to be a southern element.
Hibner calls this group Communiformes. Perhaps he intended thereby
to indicate a return to the more usual moth form, the fore wings tending
to become narrower, the secondaries subordinating, the abdomen lengthen-
ing. Ihave in my ‘“ Hawk Moths” alluded to the probability that the
Hawk Moths may be a further offshoot from the Lepidopterous stem in a
parallel direction with the Ceratocampine.
Sub-family Zachneine.
In this group there is a return to the normal moth form with a
tendency to the lengthening of the abdomen noticeable in the caterpillars.
This lengthening of the abdomen and a certain weakness in structure
dependent upon this lengthening, seems to be indicative of lower rank in
insects generally and in the several suborders. The moths of the Lachneine
resemble preceding groups in the absence of ocelli and frenulum. The
hind wings are subordinate to the primaries, the colors mostly of shades
of brown and gray; with oblique transverse bands, more or less broken.
The palpi are more prominent than in the preceding groups, the tongue
remaining weak. The ornamentation of the long-bodied caterpillars consists
of tufts of hair. Our North American fauna is poor in species. We have
two genera derived from a former circumpolar fauna, also found in
Europe, Clisiocampa and Gastropacha. We have, then, two genera
which seem to me of South American extraction, Zo/ype and Artace. The
species of C/isiocampa are very closely allied. They offer ground for
the correctness of the view which I have expressed that in North
America, species tend to vary, to throw off local, perhaps, what Walsh
called phytophagic varieties or species. . The wide extent of country, with
its differing climate and flora, inhabited by C7istocampa, has led to the
throwing off of specifically appearing forms, which may have hardened in
most cases into true species, separable in nearly all stages by external
characters. An instance is offered also by Datana, which I regard as an
offshoot from Phalera ; while there are only two species of Phadera, there
seem many closely allied species of Datana. The eggs are laid in a ring-
form on twigs, and the caterpillars of C/istocampa are well-known as
enemies by the orchardist.
224 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Sub-family Cossine.
The larva and moth are long-bodied, and this group is characterized — ’
by the former being internal feeders. They are brown and livid in color
and coleopterous-looking, as are internal feeders generally, belonging to
whatever order of insects. They have this habit in common with
Castnia, and Sesia, but this has probably survived, while the other
characters have differentiated so that we cannot consider the habit as
uniting them in a modern family. The female Cossus has an external
ovipositor, which is an index for the habit of the caterpillar. The ocelli
are wanting and the tongue is quite rudimentary. The male antennez are
pectinate, the .wings are somewhat narrow and the habitus is sphingi-
form. I have watched the exclusion of Cossus from the cocoon, the very
active and moveable chrysalis being forced out into the air before the
shell is broken. Dr. Bailey gives a good account of the transformations
of Bailey’s Goat Moth, Cossus centerensis of Lintner. We have repre-
sentatives of the European genera Cossus and Aypopta, while
Prionoxystus robinie, the Locust Goat Moth, seems to me decidedly a
distinct form of North American origin.
Sub-family Hepialine.
In this group we have, without a doubt, the lowest Spinners. The
long thorax, with its subequal metathorax, draws the insertion of primary
and secondary wings apart. The subequal wings with pointed tips and
the 12-veined secondaries, the short antennz, spurless tibiz are sugges-
tive of the Neuroptera. The distribution of the group is very general
throughout the world ; and this fact, together with the striking structural
resemblance of its members, leads us to believe we have to do with an
old and long preserved type of moth. The caterpillars are root feeders,
like those of the Cossin@, sixteen footed, naked, yellowish. The eggs are
remarkable for their fineness, looking like gunpowder. The cocoon is
subterranean, a cell lined with silk. “We have very fine species in North
.America, referred by Dr. Packard to Sthenopis, but which, notwithstand-
ing their size, seem to me congeneric with the European Hesialus humu/i.
The limits of the genus may be reached with the beautiful A auratus,
which has a structural ally figured by Herrich-Scheeffer from Brazil. The
species are generally rare ; the moths fly in the dusk of evening and are
an object of interest with most collectors,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 225
So far we have gone over the principal features of the Bombycide,
' more in explanation of the sequence adopted by me in the Check Lists,
and which is that of Dr. Packard’s Synopsis of 1864, than in any
attempt to re-classify the family. But Dr. Packard gives no definitions
of the higher groups, and the diagnoses of the new genera do not include
certain structural characters, as, for instance, the neuration. I cannot
here attempt to limit the genera, and I only give the characters which
render the higher groups more or less recognizable. The neuration must
be comparatively studied. As a whole it seems to me to show characters
of simplicity. The cells are generally open; there is an absence of
accessory cells and crowding of veins, such as we see in some other
familes of moths. We can believe that the Sshingide may have been
thrown off from the same stem when we compare the neuration. Other
characters, such as the absence of ocelli, may be additional indices. In
the Woctuide the ocelli are quite rarely absent, in the Geometride quite
rarely present. But they appear in some sub-families of Bombycide,
though not in the lower ones and in the more typical Spinners, such as, I
think, stand nearer to the Hawk Moths. The Aomdycide are, as we find
chem now, detached groups with very diverse resemblances to other now
distinct families of Moths. In this diverse resemblance lies the proof of
the synthesis which the Spinner Moths present. To detach the different
sub-families which we have here discussed is to lose sight of some of those
finer questions of relationship which a close study of these insects calls
up. No family of Moths is more interesting to the student on this
account than the Bomdycide, with its great diversity of structure, appear.
ance and habit. To'the collector the beauty of the moths, their bright
colors, the soft shading, the size of most of the species is equally tempt-
ing, while to the practical mind, the fact that the silk-worm, Bombyx
mori, and other silk-producers, belong to the Bombycide, must render the
pursuit of these insects sufficiently attractive. They live short lives, the
incomplete mouth parts render food-taking to many kinds an impossibility ;
they live so long as caterpillars or chrysalids, and lay their eggs and die,
But the human mind seizes upon the many considerations, which it has
evolved from a study of the facts presented by these creatures, and turns
them to its profit or its pleasure.
226 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
NOTES ON DANAIS ARCHIPPUS, Fasr.
BY MISS EMILY M. MORTON, NEW WINDSOR, N. Y.
Having been requested by my friend, Mr. Wm. H. Edwards, to make | ;
observations on Danais Archippus during the seasons of 1887 and 1888, _
and subsequently having written to him the result of such observations,
he requested me to publish in the CanapIaAn EnTomo_ocist the substance
of what I had already written him in my letter. I wrote out a paper about
July 5th, which, however, was lost in the mails, and the paper now sent is
a partial copy of the original, though somewhat altered, as the first was
over four months old.
All my observations were made in New Windsor, N. Y., which town
is situated on the banks of the Hudson, directly opposite the hills vais
bound the northwestern borders of Connecticut.
Archippus is not more rare with us than many of our Bipichen nin
butterflies, and seems to me in no way abnormal. .
It has always appeared when a certain Persian-lilac bush blooms, fly-
ing over and alighting on the blossoms.
Last summer (1887), the first hybernators came, as has already been
stated by Mr. Edwards, May 3rd and 4th; this season everything being
later with cold rains and high winds, the lilacs did not blossom out until
May roth, when Danais Archippus, (how I love the dear old familar
names!) allured by the first warm sunny day, and the perfume of the
opening blossoms came forth to drink of the nectar, and having refreshed
herself, hastened away to deposit her eggs before her few remaining days
are gone, and she is gathered to her forefathers. This butterfly could not
have been a “colonist,” for nothing so frail could have flown any distance
in the high wind and beating rain of the preceding day, and it was not
later than 9.30 a. m., the flowers and leaves still heavy with rain, so
she must have come froma very short distance—possibly from the ruins of 4
an old shed a hundred yards or so from the bush.
Has any one ever found a hybernating Archippus? Yet, we all know
they do hybernate.
In the earlier days of my collecting, many and many a stump has been
peeled of its bark, and even split to satisfy the craving for something new,
yet never an Archippus has rewarded the most untiring search in that direc-
tion, though once, and in early May too, a Vanessa Antiopa, torpid,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 227
though still alive, was revealed in the very centre of a stump cosily mixed
- up with the damp saw-dust left by the ants and other borers.
An egg of Archippus is a very tiny thing, and not easily found, even
__ when sought for, and as Mr. Edwards says, “there are thousands of
Asclepias plants to one Archippus butterfly,” especially a successfully
hybernated butterfly, as probably not one in ten of the hosts of September
and October flies live to leave their hybernacula in the spring.
How many people have found eggs of Hemaris Thysbe? Yet inmost
places Thysbe is as common as blackberries, and the larve are often to
be found on the snow-ball bushes, though not one in a dozen ever reaches
maturity. Once I spent an hour looking for the egg which I saw Thysbe
deposit on a tiny bush which might have been covered by a three quart
pail, yet had to depart without it in the end.
Mr. Marsh, though an unusually intelligent and original observer, only
succeeded in finding one egg, which goes to prove that Archippus eggs
are harder to find than the larve or butterflies.
Mr. Fritz Senff, another very intelligent and accurate observer, though
a recent acquisition to our small band of students and collectors, tells me
he saw two perfectly fresh examples of Archippus, July 3rd and 6th, one
flying in the veranda of his home in New Windsor, the other, which he
caught, in a field not far distant ; these were, doubtless, the first brood
from the eggs of the hybernators ; besides these, we saw while driving
June 19th, 1888, five or six examples, none of which were broken or faded,
though we were not near enough—that is, we had none in our hands, so as
to be able to distinguish that rich plum-like bloom so dear to the collector
of cabinet specimens, but which no butterfly ever carries having once flown
even ‘for a few short hours.”
Every collector or exchanger well knows how perishable is that same
bloom, and how utterly different is any hand-raised specimen, from a poor
wind-blown, grass-scratched passé imago, or even one who _ has dragged
_ its undeveloped wing through the sharp blades of grass to find a resting
place whereon to expand them.
Surely Archippus is one of the most perishable species, for the “bloom”
is as ephemeral as the dew of a summer morning, or the purple down of
all the Hemaris tribe ; one slight breath andit is gone forever !
As to any species laying “ for a monthor so,” what collector or breeder
228 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of any lepidopterous insect has ever known any species to live and deposit
eggs for two weeks—to say nothing of ‘‘a month or so ?”
In most of the Heterocera five days is the usual period of life after the
2 has paired. Every collector of course knows that most species will
live longer if kept from their mates, which is a provision of nature to
prevent the extermination of species. A Phobetron pithecium accidentally
kept from her mate lived eight days, mating the fifth ; another mating the
first day from pupa deposits her eggs and dies the fourth day.
I am no friend to the theory of colonization, though of course, I know
eggs and pupa are often brought to and from distant countries in the com-
merce of nations; but that anything so fragile as a butterfly or moth
should fly hundreds of miles, and not only that, but entirely change its
habits on its arrival, even though that country should be nearly identical
with its own in climatic properties, becoming from a double or three
brooded species a single one, seems out of all reason.
That a hybernating Archippus should be more or less shabby, accord-
ing to its hybernacula, is of course, highly probable ; and, I agree with
Mr. Edwards, in judging that a freshly hatched butterfly, finding a cold dry
place wherein to hybernate, should appear in the late spring, less faded
and unstained than another in a wet and exposed situation; but that
any should appear after the wear and tear of a northern winter, or a flight
of an hundred miles with the glorious hues of an imago fresh from
chrysalis, is utterly beyond belief.
This season, after an unparalleled winter, the first ‘‘ western blizzard ”
ever experienced in the State of New York, we have had swarms of hyber-
nated P. Atalanta; one would not suppose there were enough nettles in the
whole of New Windsor to afford nourishment to the hundreds which have
appeared during the month of May. Did they fly from the Gulf - Mexico ?
Quien sabe ?
A curious variety of Papilio turnus was found here in New Windsor,
closely resembling fig. 3 in plate 5 of Mr. Edwards’s Butterflies of North
America. She was taken in the grass July 8th, but could not fly as her
wings were crippled on one side. She is darker than Mr. Edwards’s speci-
men, looking like a G/aucus, but with a powdering of yellow scales cover-
ing the inner surface of all the wings. Could the blizzard of the rath of
March have produced this variety ? :
October 29th, 1888.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 229
THE CHALCID GENUS RILEYA.
BY WM. H, ASHMEAD, PHILADELPHIA.
‘My good friend Mr. Howard, in his article entitled “ The Chalcid
Genus Rileya,” published in the October Can. Enrt., p. 191, makes
several inaccurate statements ; and, in the lines ‘An interesting inter-
ference in the adoption of the generic name Rileya has recently taken
place between Mr. Ashmead and myself,” implies that I knowingly’
appropriated this name for a genus in the Eurytoming, after he had
decided to use it for one in the Zucyrtine, when I had no such knowl
edge, thereby placing me in an unenviable position before my colleagues.
- For the guidance of those who will have to settle this question, I
must state that my description of the Zurytomid genus Rileya was drawn
up and forwarded to Prof. E. A. Popenoe for publication about the last
of November, 1887, and a synoptic characterization of the genus appeared
in the Zntomologica Americana for June 1888, although the full descrip-
tion of the genus was not published, as stated by Mr. Howard, until after-
wards—about July 5th, one month later ; still, both of these descriptions
were published three or four months ahead of Mr. Howard’s.
The opinion, expressed by Mr. Howard, that because the name
Rileya is given in my synopsis of the Eurytomine, “ ot as a new genus,
but as one already described, and the few words given to it in the table
Sail to sufficiently characterize tt,” is a matter of surprise to me, for the
characters given definitely separate it from all other Eurytomids, the
characters are too unique among the Zurytomine to be mistaken, and as
to whether it was indicated as a new genus “has nothing to do with the
case.” I might have indicated the genus without my name, or in the
usual way—nov. gen., mihi., ef cetera, yet the genus would hold.
As I have before stated, I had no knowledge of Mr. Howard’s
intention to dedicate a genus to Dr. Riley, and I regret that such knowl-
edge was withheld from me, so that a controversy of this kind could have
been avoided. The first intimation that I had of his intention to do so
was on receipt of my July number of the Zwtomologica Americana,
received, I think, about July 12th, and several months after my descrip-
tion of the genus had been forwarded to Prof. Popenoe ; and just one
month after the publication of my ‘“‘ Revised Generic Synopsis of the
Eurytominz.”
230 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
_ Mr. Howard’s paper on Rileya n. g.. was not read before the Entomo-
logical Society of Washington until June 7th, 1888, and not 1887, as
stated in the CANADIAN ENTomMOLoGIsT ; while my synopsis was at that
time already published. If there is any “interference.” in the adoption
of the generic name Rileya, it is on the part of Mr. Howard. fie
Besides the above “facts,” I would state that the types of my genus
Rileya were shown to both Dr. C. V. Riley and Mr. H. G. Hubbard, at my
home in Jacksonville last winter, and at that time Dr. Riley made no
mention of Mr. Howard’s genus Az/eya, although he did desire, for
reasons of his own, that if it were possible, the name of the genus should be
changed. |
It is unfortunate that Mr. Howard, in describing his new genus
Rileya, failed to go over the European literature on the subject, for, both
from his figure and description, it seems to be identical with Dahlbom’s
genus Lonchocerus, described in 1857, Ofversigt af Kongl. Vetenskaps-
Akademiens Forhandlungar, vol. xiv., p. 293. Mr. C. G. Thomson,
Hymenoptera Scandinavie, Tom. iv., Fasc. I., p. 116, in speaking of this
genus, says:—‘‘ Abdomen globosum. Pronotum magnum. Aztenne
scapo et flagellum valde compressis ;” and on p. 130, in speaking of the
scutellum :—“‘ Scutellum dense holocericeo-pubescens.” These characters
seem to be the essential characters of Mr. Howard’s genus &z/eya, the
only real difference being in the shape of the head ; but whether or not
Mr. Howard’s genus is identical is immaterial, my Eurytomid genus of
the same name having the priority.
In seeking to suppress the genus Mr. Howard has violated all the
well established rules of zoological nomenclature.
JOHN ABBOT, THE AURELIAN.
BY W. F. KIRBY, BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, ENGLAND.
In the August part of the CanapiAN ENTOMOLOGIST, pp. 149-154, I
notice an article on this subject by my friend, Mr. Scudder, and I ep,
perhaps, be able to add some additional remarks.
The volume on Exotic Moths, published by Duncan in Jardine’s
‘‘ Naturalist’s Library,” contains (pp. 69-71) a short account of Abbot’s
life and works, and incorporates the notice by Swainson, to which Mr,
Scudder refers. Swainson remarks, respecting the plates, “ M. Francillon
possessed many hundreds, but we know not into whose hands they have
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 231
as every volume bears the book-plate of ‘“‘ John Francillon.” There are
passed.” I may say that this is evidently the set in the British Museum,
17 volumes (not 16) ; the first 15 bear the date 1792 on the printed title
pages, and the two last volumes 1804 (not 1809), The contents are as
follows :—
Vols. 1-4. Coleoptera.
Le 5. Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Homoptera and Heteroptera.
2 6. Lepidoptera Rhopalocera.
7-11. Lepidoptera Heterocera,
¢ 12. Neuroptera, Hymenoptera.
fs 13. Diptera.
ee 14. Arachnida.
“ 15. Myriopoda, Mallophaga, Acarina, Crustacea, Lepidoptera .
(transformations), &c.
‘* 16, Portrait, Orthoptera, Coleoptera (transformations), Lepidop-
tera (transformations).
_ 17. Lepidoptera (transformations).
The drawings of transformations of Lepidoptera are rarely, if ever,
duplicates of those published by Smith, sometimes representing a different
variety of the larva of the same species ; and they are nearly three times
as numerous. ‘There are only about a dozen drawings of transformations
of Coleoptera. Among the lesser-known. orders, there is little doubt that
many species figured are still undescribed:
I fully expect that some of Abbot's correspondence will be discovered
(of course, including his autograph), perhaps at the Antipodes, for
Swainson left England towards the close: of his life, and died, according
to Hagen, in New Zealand, in 1856.
I am surprised that Mr. Scudder has not mentioned the volume of
Abbot’s Drawings presented by Edward Doubleday to Dr. T. W.
Harris (Harris, Entomological Correspondence, p. 123). If this volume
is the same as that said by Mr. Scudder to have been presented by Dr.
J. E. Gray to Dr. Asa Gray, some error must have arisen. Possibly it
‘came into Dr. Asa Gray’s hands directly, or indirectly, from Dr. Harris,
with an erroneous impression respecting the original English donor.
There are a number of specimens originally collected by Abbot in the
British Museum, and probably in other collections. The Museum of the
Royal Dublin Society (now known as the Dublin Museum of Science and
232 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Art) contains a large series of bleached specimens of insects of various
orders (Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, &c.,) which were not improbably
collected by Abbot (Cf. some notes by Mr. MaLeahlan, Ent. M. Mag. x.,
pp. 227, 228).
Nore py Mr. ScuppER.—The small volume of iduiees referred to by
Mr. Kirby is in the library of the Boston Society of Natural History, and
was not mentioned by me because the less said about it the better. It
was picked up at a book shop, bears the date 1830, and though Double-
day paid seven guineas for it, it is certainly not the work of. Abbot, but
of a very inferior copyist—some of the paintings being the merest daubs.
It has scarcely the least value. The notice by Duncan I had not seen, but
I find that it adds nothing to the facts of Abbot’s life. Either I have
never seen the seventeenth volume of Abbot’s drawings at the British
Museum referred to by Mr. Kirby, or, if it concerns the moths only, may
for that reason have taken no note of it. My memorandum of the dates
must have been incorrectly copied.
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB
OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE,
(Continued from page 198.) See
Thursday, Aug. 16th.—The’ Club reassembled at 3.30 p. m. Papers
by Mr. Clarence M. Weed on “ The Parasites of the honey-suckle Sphinx,
Hemaris difinis, Boisd.,” and on ‘‘ The Hymenopterous Parasites of the
Strawberry Leaf-roller, Phoxopteris comptana, Frol.,” were read by
the Secretary in his absence. Mr. H. Osborn read an interesting paper
on ‘ The Food-habits of the Thripide.” Mr. Smith gave an account of
the collection of Mr. D. Bruce, of Rockport, N. Y., which was chiefly
made in Colorado ; it is especially remarkable for the long series of speci-
mens of many species of Lepidoptera. Among others he has Chionodas
bore in great numbers from the Rocky Mountains, proving it to be distinet
from C. Semidea of the White Mountains; also an immense series of
Colias eurytheme in all its varieties, and numbers also of —— onsen of
Noctuide.
Friday, Aug. 17th.—The Club met at 9 o’clock a.m. A paper was
read by Dr. D. S. Kellicott, on Hepialus argenteo maculatus, which he
a
a
esr letities
OR ar ar Se ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 223
succeeded in raising from larve obtained in Oswego County, N. Y.; it
bred in the roots and stems of A/nus incana. Mr. Schwarz stated that
he had taken the moth, near Marquette, Lake Superior, on July 29th, this
year. Mr. Smith considered it to be quite generally distributed, breeding
in oak, willow and poplar. Mr. H: Osborn read a note on the occurrence
of Cicada rimosa Say., in Iowa.
Prof. O. S. Westcott, related the occurence of a large gathering of
butterflies about the carcass of a dead dog at Port Arthur, in June last ;
one hundred and ten specimens were counted, chiefly consisting of D.
archippus and some L. arthemis, Colias and Melitea. In the same
locality he captured, July 20 to 23, nineteen examples of Me/itea ; of
these one was /Vycteis, and seventeen Zharos—eight of the form Marcia,
and nine Morpheus. He next gave an interesting account of the numbers
of Zachnosterna fusca and gibbosa taken at Maywood, IIL, by means of
a trap attached to a street-lamp, during the months of May and June,
1887 and 1888. He also gave a list of 1192 specimens belonging to 65
species captured in his trap on the night of June 13th, 1888 ; of these 730
were Agonoderus comma and 204 Lachnosterna gibbosa.
Mr. Howard gave an account of some recent experiments made under
Dr. Riley’s direction at Washington, with kerosene emulsion as a remedy
for white grubs, the larvee of A//orhina nitida. He stated that the grass
had died over large areas of the affected lawn, and the soil was full of the
grubs. The affected portion was treated with kerosene emulsion diluted
fifteen times with water and applied with an ordinary watering-pot ; the
ground was then kept saturated for some days with ordinary water from a
hose. A month afterwards, on digging into the part treated, the grubs
were found to have descended sixteen inches into the soil, and all had
died. In the untreated parts the larve were all alive and only two or
three inches below the surface. There was no injurious effect upon the
grass, even when the emulsion was only diluted half as much. He con-
sidered that the experiment was entirely successful. In the discussion
that followed, it was evident that this remedy is much too expensive for
adoption on a large scale, and could only be of practical use on a lawn
or plot of land of special value. Dr. Peabody stated that Prof. Forbes
had found the kerosene emulsion entirely successful against the common
white-grub ( Zachnosterna); but as its application cost at the rate of about
$100 per acre, it was far too expensive for ordinary purposes,
234 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
Penta
The Club met again at 3 p.m. Mr. Fletcher gave an account of his
expeditions to Nepigon, Lake Superior, in search of the eggs of butterflies,
Very little is known, he stated, regarding the early stages of many of our
diurnals ; of even so common a species as Pamphila cernes they were
unknown. In 1885, Prof. Macoun, of the Geological Survey of Canada,
collected specimens at Nepigon of a new butterfly, which was named after
him by Mr. W. H. Edwards as Chionobas Macounii. In 1886 and 1887,
Mr. Fletcher went to Nepigon in search of this insect, travelling about
1,500 miles on each occasion, but without success. This year he went
again, early in July, accompanied by Mr. S. H. Scudder, of Cambridge,
Mass.; on the first day after their arrival they caught five males ; the next
day nine females were caught and caged ; from these they obtained about
250 eggs. The egg is larger than and quite different from that of C. Jutta,
which has been found near Quebec, and bred by Mr. Fyles. Mr. Fletcher
also obtained eggs of /utta at Ottawa, and reared the larve from them ; the
eggs were laid on July rst, and hatched on the 16th; those of Macounii
were laid on the 12th and hatched on the 27th. At Nepigon, he and Mr,
Scudder obtained the eggs of 14 species out of 16 that they caged. He
then gave a full and most interesting account of the methods of capturing,
caging and treating butterflies in order to obtain their eggs, and mentioned
that he had received very valuable information and aid from Mr. Scudder
in the matter. The simplicity of the apparatus employed deserves men-
tion: ‘Cages for all small species can be made in a few minutes by cut-
ting off the top and bottom of a tomato can, and then fastening a piece of
netting over one end, either by slipping an elastic band over it, or tying it
with a piece of string. The female is then placed in this over a growing
plant of the species that the larvee are known to feedupon. ‘These cages
had answered well for all the skippers which feed on grass, and the small
Argynnides, For such species as lay their eggs on the fOliage of shrubs
or trees bags had to be tied over living branches, care being taken that
the leaves were not crowded up, but that they should stand out freely, so
that the female could lay, if such were her habit, upon either the upper or
lower side, or on the edge of the leaves, In this way eggs were obtained
of Wisoniades icelus and Papilio turnus. Another cage for insects which
lay upon low plants, and which is easily constructed, is made by cutting
two flexible twigs and bending them into the shape of two arches which
are put one over the other at right angles with the ends pushed into the
ground ; over the pent-house thus formed a piece of gauze is placed, and
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 235
the edges are kept down either with pegs or earth laid upon them. This
kind was useful for larger insects than could be placed in the tomato cans.
In these eggs of C. Macounii, Colias eurytheme, etc., had been secured.”
(Entom: Americana iv., 159). Mr. Fletcher then described the habits
of a number of the species collected, referring especially to those already
mentioned, and to Pyrameis huntera, Pamphila hobomok, Mystic, and
Cernes, Carterocephalus mandan, Colias interior, Argynnis Vialis,
Myrina and Bellona, Nisoniades Persius, Fenesica Targuinins, etc. He
also exhibited living larve of C. Mandan, P. hobomok and Mystic, and
living imagines of C. eurytheme, which had emerged since his arrival in
Cleveland. At the close of his address, Mr. Smith expressed the gratifica
tion all present felt in listening to so lucid and interesting an account from
which everyone would carry away many practical and valuable hints.
The next paper was read by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of Washington, on
* The Geographical Distribution of the Semi-tropical Floridian Coleop-
terous Fauna.” It was followed by a discussion, in which nearly all
present took part, as to what should be considered the limits of the North
American Fauna, and what species should be included in the fauna of a
particular region, reference being especially made to semi-tropical species
that are from time to time found in the north.
The Club next proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing
year, and unanimously selected the following: President, James Fletcher,
Ottawa, Ont.; Vice-President, L O. Howard, Washington, D. C.; Sec-
retary-Treasurer, Dr. D. S. Kellicott, Buffalo, N. Y.
Saturday, Aug. 18th.—A most enjoyable excursion was made to Put-
in-Bay by steamer on Lake Erie. There was a very large attendance of
the members of the Association, including the Entomologists. This
pleasant feature of the proceedings gave the members a much better
opportunity of becoming acquainted with each other than would otherwise
have been the case. Arrangements were made for the excursionists to
stay on shore for about an hour, and this time was made good use of by
the members of the Club. The insect of most interest was secured by Mr.
Westcott, who collected in large numbers by beating a small spruce-tree, a
remarkable Hemipteron, identified by Prof. Osborn as Emisa longipes.
Many galls and parasitic fungi were also collected. Among the butterflies
noted were Colias philodice, Pieris rape, and what appeared strange to
Canadian eyes at this time of the year, Papilio turnus; P. asterias and
236 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Pyrameis cardui were also observed, and a few specimens of Utetheisa
bed/a were captured. The party returned to Cleveland much delighted:
with their day’s outing, and separated to meet next year in Toronto,
ARCTIID vs. NOCTUID.
BY JOHN B, SMITH, WASHINGTON, D, C.
Mr. Grote takes occasion in Can. ENT. vol. xx., p. 168, to criticise my
reference of Cerathosia to the Arctiide, contending that it is a Woctuid.
_ He complains that I do not give “the reason why it belongs to the
family.” This I hasten to supply, and must beg Mr. Grote’s pardon for
having presumed him conversant with the characters separating the two
families. All authorities give for the /Voctuide a furcate dorsal or internal
vein of primaries, while the costal vein of secondaries is from the root,
sometimes united with the sub-costal a short distance from base.
In the Arctiide ou the contrary, the dorsal vein of the primaries is
simple, while the costal of secondaries is not free, but springs from the
sub-costal, a variable distance from base. aie.
In these essential characters, used in all systematic works, my ei
is Arctiid and Lithosiid. The only difference between the Arctitde and
Lithosiide is in the absence of ocelli in the latter family. Mr. Grote
Seems never to have seen an unspread specimen of Cerathosia, else the
striking habital resemblance to Zzthosia could not not have escaped him.
Mr. Grote has sent to Entom. Amer. a criticism of my genus ina
different form, which I have answered more at length.
Some months since, I sent a paper on Cydosia and Cerathosia, a
have considerable resemblance in clypeal structure, to the Proceedings
U.S. Natl. Museum, and this when printed will show that my genus is
not at all abnormal where I have placed it.
As I can hardly expect to convince Mr. Grote if the specimen itself
failed, I have sent an example to Mr. H. B. Moeschler, of Germany, and
requested his determination of family, for publicaiton, |
It is scarcely worth while to deal with Mr. Grote’s objections i in detail.
Not one or all of them, even were they a@// true, would militate against
the Arctiid character of Cerathosia. 1 must confess that I consider the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 2387
venation and habitus Zithosiid rather than Arctiid, and would prefer so
to place it, even despite the presence of ocelli. a
Lest Mr. Grote consider me ignorant, I will say here that I am aware
that there are some Noctuids which have the dorsal vein of primaries not
distinctly furcate, and some where the costal of secondaries is united with
the sub-costal a short distance from base, and thus appears to spring
from it.
With this I leave Cerathosia to its fate. In my papers I have given
ai/ the characters, family and otherwise, and shall let each form his own
judgment. It needs no more defence from me. In fact, I feel as though
_ I owed an apology for answering objections, not a single one of which is
vital.
Mr. Grote’s characterizations in his series of papers on the Bombycide
are thoroughly superficial, none of the essential characters being
emphasized, while some of them are absolutely incorrect—his definition
of the Zithosiine furnishes an example. He says unqualifiedly, “‘ No
accessory cell on primaries.” Now, Von Heineman shows that in some
genera it is present, while as a matter of fact some species of Lithosia
have the cell (cephalica), while others have not. It is therefore not even
a generic character in this group. To point out all the misleading and
inaccurate statements, would necessitate criticising almost every paragraph
of Mr. Grote’s paper—a task I have neither time nor inclination for. In
future I shall not reply to any criticisms Mr. Grote may make, save to
admit their correctness where they are well founded.
Postcript.—Since sending in the above, I have heard from Mr.
Moeschler in regard to the specimens sent him. He writes me under
date, Sept. 28th. :—‘‘ To-day I received the parcel containing the two
moths. [{ have examined them, and there is no doubt you are right.
This species belongs to the Arctiide, as the costal nervule is not
derived from the base of the hind wings, but from the discoidal cell;
this characteristic separating the Arctitde and Lithosiide from the
| Noctuidae, which have this nervule derived from the base of the wing, only
a little connected with the fore edge of the cell. I do not doubt this
species is an Arctiid, near allied to Decopeia and Emydia.”
Under date Sept. 30th, Mr. Moeschler again wrote me :—“ I received
Entomologica Americana No. 6 to-day, and it was of great interest to me
238 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
to read yours and Mr. Grote’s paper on Cerathosia tricolor Sm. If Mr.
Grote had looked into Lederer’s WVoctuinen Europa’s he could read, p. 2,
‘sie (die octuinen). unterscheiden sich von den Lithosiiden (inclusive
Nola, Sarrothripa u. Nycteola,) und Arctiiden durch die bei diesen aus der
mitte oder zwei-drittel des vorderrandes der Mittelzelle entspringenden
Rippe 8 der Hinterfligel.’
‘‘Mr, Grote would have spared much pain to prove something not
existing, by reasons which are not of any value, if he had remembered the
only important characteristic separating the Lzthosiide and Arctiide from
the WVoctuide. Iam much surprised that so distinguished a writer as Mr,
Grote can omit so important a characteristic ; but the systematic position
of the genera of the so-called Zygenide, in his New Check List, is
sufficient to prove that Mr. Grote’s systematic views are sometimes more
than singular.
“‘ Seeing the specimens of C. tricolor, my first thought must be; that
is a Genus very allied to Detopeia ( Utetheisa) and Emydia, and I
should have been much surprised if an exact examination had given
another result.”
CORRESPONDENCE. |
\
caReeERaIEaEaneE
Dear Sir: Yn reference to my note on the use of Creolin, I found
subsequently discolorations on the leaves which did not appear to be
either rust or mildew, but possibly were the result of the Creolin mixture.
It is, however, probable that in this disinfectant we have a useful aid
against insects as it seems to be avoided by cockroaches and ants, and
probably woodwork might be preserved by it in greenhouses. I wished
merely to draw attention to Creolin, so that those interested might try it ;
my own opportunities for doing so being very limited. The rose-bushes,
of which I am very fond, seem on the whole no freer from insects in
Europe than in America. A. R. Grote, |
_ARZAMA OBLIQUATA.
Dear Sir; In regard to Mr. Brehme’s query, I may mention that all
the Arzama larvee and chrysalids taken here have been found in similar
situations, but in no instance has there been the slightest indication that
they fed there. The impression made by my observations is;—That the
oe a NS ca tee ah alain Canc gt et Ba Sagi
il eee ie he a ee Mire a
a hh a a INE Si a ema
Ee SS
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 239
caterpillars seek out their hibernacula in the fall, remain in that state
during winter, and change to chrysalids with the first warm weather in
_spring. Caterpillars have been found yet imbedded in the winter’s frost.
In one instance I found one, in early spring, travelling about as if looking
for a place to transform ; it produced a Diffusa. ‘They have never been
looked for here in the reeds ; as they grow almost entirely in the water,
one would require the aid of a boat to make the investigation. When
‘surveying the situation where I have found the Arzamas, I have often
wondered how the caterpillars got from the reeds to the land. The
_ shallow part of our marsh where they might easily get ashore is invariably
burned over in early spring by pike shooters for their own convenience,
wea | J. Auston Morrat, Hamilton. .
BOOK NOTICES.
An INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY, by PRoFEssor J. H. Comsrock,
Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. Published by the Author. Part I
—pp. 234, 8 vo. (Price $2.00).
____‘The autumn of 1888 is certainly a notable one in the annals of North
_ American Entomology, owing to the publication of so many important
works. Last month we drew attention to Dr. Packard’s excellent
_ “Entomology for Beginners,” and the issue of the first part of Mr.
Scudder’s grand work on the Butterflies of the Eastern States and Canada.
_ We have now before us the first portion of another admirable work,
_ which is intended to serve as a text-book for students, and to enable
them “to acquire a thorough knowledge of the elementary principles of
Entomology, and to classify insects by means of analytical keys similar to
those used in Botany.” The first two chapters of the book treat of the
characters and metamorphoses, and the anatomy of insects ; the next
discusses the Orders of the Hexapoda, to which the author very properly
limits insects. In this chapter he gives his reasons for [adopting tex
orders, the number being made up of the seven generally accepted orders
and the Thysanura, Pseudoneuroptera and Physopoda ; in adhering so
closely to the old classification, he states that he has been greatly influenced
by a desire to make his book as simple as possible, and “ by the belief
that an elementary text-book should follow rather than lead in matters of
this kind,” in which opinion we thoroughly concur. The remainder of
940 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
this part of the work treats of the Orders Thysanura, Pseudoneuroptera,
Orthoptera, Physopoda, Hemiptera and Neuroptera. In each chapter is
given a general account of the Order treated of, an analytical table of the
Families, a descriptive account of each family with, in many cases,
tabular keys of the genera, and illustrations of the commoner species.
Future parts will complete the discussion of the Orders, and furnish
chapters on the remedies for noxious insects, directions for collecting and
preserving specimens, etc. Judging from the portion before us, we have
no hesitation in saying that the complete work will be a most valuable and
admirable manual of Entomology ; in clearness and simplicity of style, in
- excellence of illustration and in arrangement of matter, it leaves nothing
to be desired. We must not omit to mention that the two hundred wood —
cuts are for the most part drawn and engraved by the author’s wife, and
are very good indeed; another excellent feature is the marking of the
pronunciation of the accented syllables of technical words, which will no }
doubt in time help very much to a desirable uniformity in this respect. 4
| he ds he
eS ee Ea ee ee eae
Insect Lire.—A monthly bulletin, published by the Entomologist and
his Assistants in U. S. Department of Agriculture at Washington.
Vol. I.—Nos. 1 to 4; July to October, 1888.
This new periodical, “ devoted to the economy and life-habits of
insects, especially in their relations to agriculture,” is a very welcome one
indeed. The four parts, of thirty pages each, which have thus far
appeared, are filled with matter of great interest to both the scientific and
economic Entomologist. With so able and experienced a staff as that at —
Washington, presided over by Dr. Riley, and with Field Agents at ‘
widely distant points, this new magazine cannot fail to be most useful, ~
and to do good work in the spread of valuable and timely information,
cree
Insects Fe1cninc DrearH.—We have received several more com-
munications on this subject, but we do not think that any useful purpose —
can be served by their publication. The question is purely one of ©
opinion and definition, and cannot possibly be authoritatively settled in
one point of view or another. :
Mailed December 8th,
INDEX TO VOLUME XxX.
Abbot, John, the Amclion, 150, 230.
Annual meeting Ent. Club A. A. A. S.,
195, 232.
) < w! . Eat. Soc., Ontario, 211.
- Ants’ nest beetles, 161.
Anthomyia raphani, parasite on, 133.
Arachnida of Labrador, 141.
_ Arctiidee vs. Noctuide, 236.
Argynnis Atlantis, preparatory stages of, I.
" Edwardsii, " " 3.
" Hesperis, " " 67.
Arzama obliquata, " ee at 8
139, 180, 238.
‘ ‘Vahinead, W, H., articles by, 48, 55, 101,
172, 202, 229.
Acolus borealis, n. sp., 50.
»n Canadensis, n. sp., 50.
agi agilis, n. sp., 128,
ospi italis, 129. ~
Allorhina nitida, 233.
Aneurhynchus mellipes, n. sp., 52.
_ Anozus siphonophora, n. sp., 104.
Anthocharis pima, n, sp., 158.
_ Anthonomus quadrigibbus, 67.
Aphodius rufipes, 9, 66.
Apion herculanum, 66, 120.
Aprostocetus Americanus, n. sp., 106.
" Canadensis, n. sp., 106.
" granulatus, n. sp,, 105.
Asecodes albitarsis, n. sp., 103.
Astichus Arizonensis, 0. sp., 101,
Bates, J. E., article by, 100.
Bethune, C. J. S., articles by, 195, 211,
217, 232, 239, 240.
Beutenmuller, W., articles by, 15, 16, 57,
134.
Bombycide, classification of, 166, 181, 221.
Book notices, 60, 77, 117, 159, 217, 218,
239, 240.
Brehme, H. H., articles by 119, 180.
Butterflies of Ceylon, Moore, 117.
" Eastern U.S. and Canada,
ere 218.
" apan, Pryer, 77.
" brador, list of, 148.
" North America, Edwards, 60.
" rearing from eggs, 234.
Butterflies of South Africa, Trimen, 159.
Bembidium assimile, 61.
" pusillus, 61.
" undulatum, 61.
Bolina fasciolaris, 139.
Botis erectalis, 15.
" magistralis, 5.
n quinquelinealis, 179.
Brachycrepis, n. gen., 176.
" tricarinatus, Nn. sp., 176.
Rrachynemurus, n. gen., 34.
" abdominalis, 57.
" blandus, 73.
" Carrizonus, Di. SP.5 93:
" longicaudus, 35
" longipalpis, n. sp., 95.
" nebulosus, 36.
it nigrilabris, N. Sp., 72»
" peregrinus, 59.
" Sackent, n. sp., 94.
" versutus, 37.
Calverley’s Sphingide, 80,
Can insects distinguish between red and
yellow? 176.
Canmore, N. W. T., species collected at,
90.
Captures in 1887, Moffat, 178.
» made between Winnipeg and Vic-
toria, 89.
Catocala desperata, preparatory stages of 28,
" innubens, u " 170.
un paleogama, 1 n 108,
n relicta, a 17.
Caulfield, F. B., articles by, 79, 198.
Chalcid, a new species from Canada, 55.
" genus Rileya, 191, 229.
Chalcideous tribe Chiropachides, 172.
Chalcidide, new North American, 101.
Chionobas jutta, preparatory stages of, 131.
Citheronia, geographical distribution of 176.
Clark, Howard L., article by, 17.
Clover: root borer, 138.
Cockerell, T. D. ie articles by, 86, 156,
176, 178, 200, 201.
Coleoptera, cr am of Myrmophilous,
161
" . natural history notes on, 61,
242
INDEX TO VOLUME XX.
Coleoptera of Labrador, 142.
Colias Czesonia, preparatory stages of, 21.
n» extreme case of seasonal dimorph-
ism in, 201,
» notes on the genus, 24.
Comstock’s Introduction to Entomology,
239.
Conopinz, new South American genus of,
10.
Cotton moth, the, 98.
Creolin, remedy for rose-aphis, 160, 238. |
Callimorpha, 39, 79.
Caratomus leucophthalmus, n. sp., 55.
Celiptera bifasciata, 100,
Cerathosia tricolor, 168, 236.
Chiropachys colon, 175.
Chrysomela preecelsis, 66.
Closterocerus, cinctipennts, N. Sp., 104.
Cucullia Hartmanni, n. sp., 69.
Danais archippus, observations on, 45, a
136, 200, 226.
" parasite on, 133.
Ditana Angusii, preparatory stages of, 13 5
" contracta, " " 134.
" Drexelii, " " 57-
" integerrima, " " 134.
ministra, " " 16.
Death, knowledge of, in insects, 120, 179,
199, 240.
Diadema misippus in Florida, 128,
Dimorphism in butterflies, 86, 201.
Dasyglenes n. gen, 174.
" osmte, D. SP. 174.
Dendrocharis flavicornis, 64.
Dendroleon obsoletum, 187.
" pantherinum, 185.
Dicerca asperata, 66.
1 divaricata, 64,
" dubia, 64.
" lurida, 65.
» obscura, 65,
" prolongata, 64, 120, 178,
“4 spreta, 65.
Diludia brontes, 56, 112.
» leucophzeata, 56.
Dinotus elongatus, n. sp., 175.
Edwards, Henry, articles by, 12, 111.
Edwards, W. H.., articles by, 1, 3, 21, 41,
67, 81, 84, 128, 140, 158.
Entomological Club, A. A. A. S,, meeting.
of, 195, 232.
‘ ~]
Entomological Society of Ontario meeting,
211.
Entomology for beginners, Packard, 217.
Ectadius Canadensis, N. Sp. 51.
LExntedon albitarsis, n. sp., 102.
" Arizonensts, n. Sp., 103.
" Columbiana, n. sp., 103.
Erebus odora, 56, 99, 113.
Euderus Columbiana, n. sp.5 104. —
Humegaspilus Canadensis, 1. Sp., oe
oi a ae ne Ne Pos ~
Fletcher J., article. by, 218. ;
French, G. H., articles by, 28, est 108,
170.
Fyles, T. Nes article by, 131.
Gillette, C. P., article by, 133.
Grote, A. R., articles by, 38, 39; 74, 75s
76, 79, 80, 98, 114, 120,
128, 139, 154, rie 160,
166, 181, ea te
Graphoderes cinereus, 62. pee
" saat Sail ae:
Hagen, H. A., articles by, 345 57 7 935
5, 204
Hamilton, J., srfities ta by, 6, 61, 120, 161,
179. x
Hemileuca, description of a new, 31.
Hessian fly an — insect, I2I.
Holland, W. J., articles by, 77, 89.
Howard, L. O., article by, 191.
Hadena Evelina, n. sp.5 71.
1» turbulenta, 136.
Harpalus caliginosus, 62.
" com 5 62:
" longicollis, 62.
» Pennsylvanicus, 62.
Hemileuca Californica, n. sp , 31.
Hepialus argenteo-maculatus, 232.
" auratus, 100.
Holcopelte Floridana, n. sp., 102.
" Microgaster, n. sp., 102.
nu Atssourtensis, Nn. sp., TOL,
un Popenoet, n. sp., Ol.
Hylastes trifolii, 138.
Hyperteles hylotome, n. sp., 105.
Insects feigning death, rs: 179, 199, 240.
Insect life, 240.
INDEX TO VOLUME XxX. 243
Introduction to Entomology, Comstock,
2309.
Ips, notes on, 198.
Ips, fasciatus, 198.
u g4-signatus, 198.
Japanese . Butterflies, 77.
Kerosene emulsion for white-grubs, 233.
Kirby, W. F., article by, 230.
Labrador, list of spiders, myriopods and
insects of, 141.
Lepidoptera of piseey Moore, 117. .
" Labrador, 145.
Lepidopterous larvze, description of, 15.
Lyman, H. H., article by, 24.
Loxotropa, abrupta, 54.
" armata, 0. Sp., 53-
" Harringtoni, n. sp., 53. *
" pezomachotdes, n. Sp., 53+
Lyczena piasus, 97.
Marsh, W. D., article by, 45.
Melitzeas, two new species of, 81.
Moffat, J. A., articles by, 136, 139, 178,
8
238.
Morton, Miss E. M., article by, 226.
Moths new to our Fauna, 12, 56, III.
Myrmeleonidze, stray notes on, 34, 57, 72;
93, 185, 204.
Macrosila Hasdrubal, 13.
Megaspilidea minuta, n. sp, 49.
Megaspilus Harringtoni, n. sp., 48.
Melanophila longipes, 92.
Melitea Brucet, n. sp., 81.
u Zaylori, n. sp., 82.
n rubicunda, 83.
Meristhus cristatus, 64.
Metaclisis erythropus, n. sp., 51.
Monelata hirticollis, n. sp., 54.
Myrmeleon formicalynx, 206.
" formicarius, 210.
" immaculatus, 188.
" mobilis, 204.
" rusticus, 210.
Nanaimo, B. C., Coleoptera, collected at,
gl.
Nathalis iole, orange spot in, 156.
Nepigon, butterflies taken at, 212, 234.
Noctuidze, late papers on, 38.
" some new, 69, 128.
Notes, 40,
N eoclytus caprzea, 66.
Obituary, 140.
_ Orange spot in Nathalis iole, 156.
; Ornamentation, origin of, in Lepidoptera,
114.
Orthesia, new species from California, 202.
~Omphale bicinctus, 103.
. Orthesia Edwardsit, n. sp., 203.
Orthosia hamifera, n. sp., 130.
Oxyporus 5-maculatus, 64.
Packard, A. S., article by, 141.
" Entomology for beginners, 217.
Paphia troglodyta, preparatory stages of,
41.
Phycitidze, the diagnoses of N. American,
74-
Proctotrupide, new genera and species of,
8
48.
Protection and defence in insects, charac-
ters of, 154.
Pryer, H., death of, 140.
Paphia glycerium, 43.
Papilio turnus, 228.
Paramesius clavipes, n. sp., 53.
Pentacantha Canadensis, n. sp., 51.
Philampelus typhon, 14, 56, 99, 112.
Philhydrus fimbriatus, 63.
Phurys vinculum, 100.
Pleurotropis leucopus, n. sp., 102.
Prosacantha brachyptera, n. sp., 50.
Pseudosphinx obscurus, 13.
‘t tetrio, 12, 56, 112.
Pteromalus archippi, 133.
Rileya, the chalcid genus, 191, 229.
Riley, C. V., article by, 121.
Rose-aphis, remedy for, 160, 238.
Ross's second voyage, German edition of,
157.
Rileya splendens, 193.
Scudder, S. H., articles by, 117, 150, 159,
232.
Smith, J. B., articles by, 56, 236.
244 INDEX TO VOLUME XX. : a
Sactogaster Howardit, n. sp., 52. Van Duzee, E. P., article by, 100.
Saperda concolor, 8, 66. & he
" Fayi, pie!
Selenia kentaria, 75. Webster, F. M., article by, 199. ees.
Stenosphenus notatus, 66. White, J., article by, 138. Jae ae)
Syntomeida epilaris, 14, 112.
Trimen’s Butterflies of South Africa, 159.
Types, notes upon authors, 75, 197.
Thyreus Abbotii, 154.
Trichogramma acuminatum, n. sp., 107.
ee ceresarum, 0. Sp., 107.
" nigrum, n. sp., 107.
Trogosita virescens, 92.
Tropidomyia, n. gen., 11.
" bimaculata, n. sp., 11.
Williston, S. W., article by, ores
Wind-visiting moths, 98.
Wittfeld, Miss A. M., death of, 140. —
Wright, W. G., articles by, 31, 7 ie
Xylomiges Fletcheri, n. SPs 130. ae
Yokohama naturalist, death of the, ae ee |
Zygota Americana, n. sp., 54. seis
tbe Ts 8
THE CANADIAN
ENTOMOLOGIST.
EDITED BY THE
Bob, C. ¥. S. Bethune, B. B., B. 6. ¥., ‘
PORT HOPE, ONTARIO.
f :
: ASSISTED BY |
J. Fletcher, Ottawa; J. M. Denton, E. B. Reed ae
and W. E. Saunders, London. | a
London: . =)
FREE PRESS PRINTING CO,
1889.
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS VOLUME.
AARON, E. M.
ASHMEAD, W. H.
_ BEUTENMULLER, WM.
= BREHME, H. H..
COCKERELL, T. D. A.....
DENTON, S. W.....
Pyar H. Ge: ..
EDWARDS, W. H....
ELLIOTT, R.. i
FLETCHER, “JAMES...
FRENCH, PROF. G. H.
FYLES, REV. T. W.....
GEDDES, GAMBLE ..
GROTH A R......
HAMILTON, DR. JOHN...
HOWARD, L. O..
JOHNSTON, JAMES...
*EELLICOTT, DR.D. S...
_KILMAN, ALVA H .
/ LYMAN, H. H......
McNEILL, JEROME. .
SCUDDER, S. H..
SMITH, PROF. J. B..
TRENHOLME, E.C..
[AN DUZEE, E. P.....
BETHUNE, REV. C. oY S. (eorT0R).
CLARKSON, FREDERICK... :
ee POOF Aj ...........
DAWSON, PERCY M.... .....
Maen, OR HLA... .:. 52).
ARRINGTON, W. HAGUE.....
INNER, DR. apes oe is
MeL, MRS... oe, ee
... PHILADELPHIA, PA.
.. WaAsHINGTON, D. C.
.Port Hopgr, ONT.
... NEw YorK.
.. NEWARK, N. J.
New YORK.
pew ES? CLIFP, COL,
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MICH. °
MONTREAL.
.. WELLESLEY, Mass.
.. RHINEBECK, N. Y.
.. COALBURGH, WEST VA.
.. PLOVER MILLS,
... OTTAWA.
.. CARBONDALE, ILL.
.. SOUTH QUEBEC.
.. TORONTO.
.. BREMEN, GERMANY.
.. CAMBRIDGE, MAss.
.. ALLEGHENY, Pa.
.. OTTAWA.
.. WasHInGTON, D. C.
.. HAMILTON.
... COLUMBUS, OHIO.
.. RIDGEWAY.
. MONTREAL.
-..+..+MOLing, ‘Ict.
MOPEAT}. ALSTON. -..... ek ee |
.. CAMBRIDGE, MAss.
. PHILADELPHIA, Pa.
.. NEw Brunswick, N. J.
.. MONTREAL.
.. BUFFALO, N. Y.
HAMILTON.
one?
3
&
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, JANUARY, 1889 No. 1.
HEMIPTERA FROM MUSKOKA LAKE DISTRICT.
BY E. P. VAN DUZEE, BUFFALO, N. Y.
This list is presented as a slight contribution to our knowledge of the
geographical distribution of the North American Hemiptera. As our litera-
ture of this order is by no means overburdened with faunal lists, I trust that
the present will find sufficient excuse for its appearance in the matter it
contains. I have made every effort to have the list as accurate and com-
plete as possible, under the circumstances. The material was accumulated
during a brief collecting tour in the Muskoka Lake District of Canada, in
the interval from July 25th to August 3rd, 1888. The particular localities
being in the vicinity of Bracebridge, along the Muskoka River to the Lake,
and some of the adjoining islands, and along the road from Bracebridge to
South Falls. —
For the information of such as are not conversant with the physical
features of this beautiful Lake District, I will add that it lies in the
metomorphic belt reaching eastward from the Georgian Bay. The surface
is somewhat rugged, with bold, rocky bluffs from one hundred to two
hundred feet in height, skirting the river and lowlands ; the latter present-
ing a good depth of soil, which is elsewhere very thin, in many places
quite insufficient to cover the rocks. Coniferze, poplars, birches, and a
few oaks form the bulk of the timber on the rocky highlands, with the
addition of maple, hickory, beech, basswood, etc., on the deeper soils.
The undergrowth is largely hazelnut, with blueberry, raspberry, viburnum,
spireea, and other bushes interspersed. Away from the cultivated areas
very little grass is to be found; but carex, cypreus and glyceria take its
place to a large extent. The bane of this land is the ever-recurring
*bush-fire,” and to an entomologist a ‘‘ burned district” is a wilderness
indeed.
The Hemiptera taken were largely such as might have been expected
from this locality, but were more numerous in individuals than I had
2 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
anticipated ; the Homoptera especially, seemed proportionately more
numerous than farther south, and included many rarities. _ |
I am indebted for a number of the species here enumerated, to he
kindness of Mr. A. H. Kilman, who was one of our party, and who passed
over to me any luckless Hemipter that perchance found lodgment in his
indefatigable umbrella. To Mr. P. R. Uhler, I am under renewed obliga-
tions for the determination of some of the more difficult forms, especially
in the Capside.
HETEROPTERA.
Scutelleridea.
Homemus enifrons Say. Occasional on sedges and weeds on the lowlands
Eurygaster alternatus Say. Abundant with the last.
Corimelenide.
Corimelena atra Am. and Serv. One nymph taken.
Corimelena pulicaria Germ. A single example.
Pentatomide.
Podisus spinosus Dall. Taken here as elsewhere on trees and bushes,
but more rarely than the next.
Podisus modestus Dall.
Neottiglossa undata Say. Common.
Cosmopepla carnifex Fab.
Mormidea lugens Fab. One example.
Euchistus fisstdis Uhl.
Euchistus tristigmus Say. Occasional.
Banasa calva Say. Abundant on the arbor-vitee.
Coreide.
Alydus eurinus Say. Frequent on flowers of the Canada thistle in old fields.
Protenor Betfraget. Hagl. = Tetrarhinus Quebecensis Prov. One
nymph swept from weeds. | |
Berytidea.
Neides muticus Say. Common,
Corizus punctiventris Dall. Larger and darker coloured than setae cis
from Buffalo. i
Corisus nigristernum Sign. Less abundant than the preceeding. At
Buffalo it is the common form.
|
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3
Lygeide.
Nysius grenlandicus Zett. Scarce.
Cymus luridus Stal. Three examples, swept from a low swampy spot ny
| the roadside, near South Falls.
— Cymus angustatus Stal. Not common.
— Cymus claviculus Hahn. Abundant everywhere on the lowlands.
Blissus leucopterus, Say. One brachypterus example, swept from the
borders of an oat field on Muskoka river, near the lake.
_ Geocoris borealis Dall. Taken with the preceeding. This appears to be
: but a dark variety of G. dud/atus Say.
_ Ligyrocoris sylvestris Linn. Very abundant in the cultivated districts.
_ Leliopelta abbreviata Uhl. One small, short-winged example captured.
Capside.
Brachytropis calcarata Fall.
Trigonotylus ruficornis Fall.
_ Miris affinis Reut.
Collaria Meilieurii Prov. These four species were not uncommon where
cultivation had prepared the way forthem. The latter was just com-
ing to perfection.
Hadromena pulverulenta Uhl. (MS. ) Two examples,
Diommatus congrex. Uhl. Rare.
_ Phytocoris eximus. Reut. Occasional.
Phytocoris pallidicornis Reut. Abundant, and of large size.
Phytocoris colon. Say. One example.
Neurocolpus nubilus Say. Common, and as a rule, deeply coloured.
Calocoris rapidus Say. A single specimen.
Melinna modesta Uhl. Beaten from pine trees.
Lygus pabulinus Linn.
Lygus pratensis Linn.
Lygus flavonotatus Prov. A few taken.
Lygus invitus Say. Common. |
Lygus intersectus Uhl. (MS.) Abundant.
Coccobaphes sanguinarius Uhl. Not uncommon on maple and beech trees,
| especially near South Falls. a
_ Peciloscytus unifasciatus Fab. Numbers taken on the cultivated uplands
: south of Bracebridge, and elsewhere,
Pecilocapsus lineatus Fab. Rare,
4 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Largidea opaca Uhl. (MS.) Smaller and slighter than New York
examples. ;
Camptobrochis grandis Uhl. Common. Apparently of nocturnal habits,
as I took several flying around the candle at our camp; some of ©
these individuals were extremely dark, even approaching an almost
uniform piceous black; others were as pale as those taken near
Buffalo. :
Neoborus Petitii Uhl. (MS.) Several pale examples.
Fulvius anthocoroides Uhl. One example.
Monalocoris filicis Linn. Common everywhere on ferns.
Hyaliodes vitripennis Say. This neat little species was taken frequently:
on pines, and occasionally on other trees and bushes. ©
Pilophorus amemus Uhl. Common on pine trees.
Globiceps flavomaculatus Fab. One example taken. This species was:
erroneously cited as occurring at Buffalo, in my list of Capsidz from:
that locality (Can. ENr., xix., p. 72, 1887). The imsect there re-
ferred to was the next, which superficially resembles the flavomacu-
latus.
Mimoceps gracilis Uhl. (MS.) A few swept from grass and weeds near
a rivulet among the hills. ie Sh
Mecomma gilvipes Uhl. (MS.) Three examples taken with the pre-
ceeding. Bb |
Macrolophus seperatus Uhl. Three examples.
Stiphrosoma stygica Say. Scattering.
Labops hesperia Uhl. A few brachypterus examples swept from an oat
field on the flats near the mouth of the river.
Idolocoris agilis Uhl. Common on the lowlands. ch
Orthotylus alternatus Uhl. Common on bushes, especially the hazelnut.
Macrotylus guttatus Uhl. (MS) One example of this elegant little
Capsid was swept from briars growing on a rocky hillside near the
river.
Rhinocapsus Vanduzeii Uhl. (MS.) Not uncommon among ‘ake
weeds in damp situations. |
Psallus variabilis Fall. A single example.
Psallus antennatus Uhl. (MS.) Several taken.
Plagiognathus obscurus Uhl,
o1
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Agalliastes associatus Uhl. One example of the typical form occurred to
me while sweeping near South Falls.
Anthocoride.
Dotichomerus elongatus Reut.
Ditlasia fuscula Reut Two examples taken from a log of hard maple ;
they occurred under loose bark where there was a slight fungoid
growth.
Triphelps insidiosus Say. Common.
Anthocoris musculus Say.
Tingitide.
Galeatus Peckhami Ashm. (Sph.erocysta Peckhami, Ent. Am, vol. iii., p.
156). Swept from low weeds—probably a dwarf vaccinium or a
species of aralia, which were growing together—among pines on a
rocky island. I am indebted to Mr, Uhler for this generic reference.
_ The three examples taken agree in every respect with Mr. Ashmead’s
description, and I think there can be no doubt of their identity.
Corythuca arguata Say. (?). The small form, which is probably a dis-
tinct species, occurred abundantly on birches everywhere. I have
taken it from osier bushes at Machias, N. Y., also at Pine Swamp,
near New Haven. Ct. If distinct it would seem to be the northern
analogue of C. arguata.
Corythuca marmorata Uhl. One example.
Aradide.
Aradus quadrilineatus Say.
Aradus rectus Say.
Reduvioidea.
Coriscus subcoleoptratus Kirby.
Coriscus inscriptus Kirby. Common.
_Coriscus ferus Linn.
Sinea diadema Fab. Scarce.
Opsicetus personatus Linn. Bracebridge. One example.
ter Hydrobatide.
flygrotrechus remigis Say.
-Limnotrechus marginatus Say. Abundant in favorable localities.
Limnoporus rufoscutellatus Latr, One example,
6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Metrobates hesperius Uhl. Muskoka Lake. On pleasant afternoons,
when the surface of the water was smooth, these insects would con-
gregate in immense numbers, closely covering an area of several —
yards in extent. A breeze, sufficient to slightly ruffle the surface,
would quickly disperse them, but whither I failed to discover, as I
was unable to detect any along the shore. The majority of the
specimens taken were immature ; they differ from the adult in having
five, pale yellow spots in addition to the pronotal—one on the centre
of the metanotum, one above each anterior, and another before each ©
posterior coxa.
Salidide.
Salda interstitialis Say. Common along the shores of the river and lake.
HOMOPTERA.
Cicadide.
Cicada canicularis Harris. The familiar shrilling of this species ‘was
frequently heard in the heat of the day among the tree tops, |
Membracide.
Enchenopa binotata Say. Apparently rare.
Ceresa bubalus Fab. Common, but mostly of the small dark coloured
variety, with blunt thoracic horns.
Ceresa diceros Say. Occasional.
Telamona coryli Fitch. Abundant on the hazelnut. The females are
frequently of an almost uniform brownish-ferrugineous, with but slight
indications of the pale bands, thus approaching closely the next, from
which it probably is not distinct.
Telamona tristis Fitch, Common with the preceding.
Telamona fagi Fitch. One example.
Telamona reclivata Fitch. Three examples. Variable both in colour and
form of the crest; this being sometimes sharply angled behind, or
again obtusely rounded ; and the posterior edge may be either slop-
ing or almost vertical. The present examples are very dark in colour,
the pale areas being much obscured by fuscous punctures. 3
Carynota marmorata Say. Numbers taken from a small poplar bush
(probably ?. grandidentata), on the uplands south of Bracebridge.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. rf
My examples correspond with Say’s short description, except that the
tip of the thorax extends to, and in some cases beyond, the apical
areole. According to the characters given by Say, it must belong
here and not to Cyrtosia, where it is placed by Dr. Fitch.
- Ss fic camelus Fab. ‘Two examples beaten from oaks,
of Cyrtosia vau Say. Not infrequent on trees.
FULGORIDA.
Sub-family Czxzide.
Cixius stigmatus Say. Not common.
Cixius pint Fitch. Occasional on various low bushes ; rarely on pine.
Near Buffalo I have taken it only on vaccinium.
Oltarus quinguelineatus Say. More abundant than the preceding forms.
Sub-family De/phacide.
This family was well represented, but I have not studied the material
taken.
Sub-family Achelide.
_ Two undetermined species of this family occurred in single examples.
Sub-family Derbide.
— Otiocerus Coguerbertii Kirby. Not uncommon on maple and beech
trees.
Otiocerus Degeerit Kirby. Beaten from oak and beech trees. Another
small and probably undescribed form occurred, which I had the mis-
fortune to lose while in the field.
Anotia sp. One example taken among bushes on the bank of the river
at Bracebridge. It is, perhaps, a variety of Bonneti Kirby.
Lamenia vulgaris Fitch. Abundant and of large size.
Sub-family Zsside.
Bruchomorpha oulata Newm. Abundant in damp grassy localities,
especially on the lowlands. One example has the elytra fully
developed. ‘they are long and narrow, somewhat surpassing the
8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
See
abdomen in length; sides parallel, not widened at tip; of a deep
smoky-brown colour, almost opaque. Nerves very scrong and simple,
the radial and two ulnar nerves run straight and undivided to the
transverse nerve, which crosses the elytra a little beyond the tip of
the clavus, forming three large cells on the base of the corium ; the
second ulnar is forked at the transverse nerve, the first ulnar is twice
forked beyond the transverse, and between this and the radial is a
short nerve from the transverse to the costa; these forming seven
apical cells, of which the medial is small and triangular, and the next
inner the largest and rectangular ; the claval nerves unite beyond
the middle, the resulting nerve joining the claval suture just before
its apex. )
Peltonotus histrionicus Stal. One example. Occurs also at Buffalo.
Cercopide.
Lepyronia quadrangularis Say. Rare.
Aphrophora quadrinotata Say. Very abundant on the lowlands, but
mostly immature ; the imagines were just beginning to appear.
Aphrophora parallella Say. Common on pines.
Aphrophora saratogensis Fitch. Rather more abundant than the pre-
ceeding, with which it occurred and which it greatly resembles ; it is,
however, readily distinguished by the more obtuse head, clearer
markings, and concolorous punctures.
Clastoptera obtusa Say. Very common on the blueberry.
Clastoptera proteus Fitch. With the last.
Bythoscopide.
/diocerus pallidus Fitch. Abundant on willows, birches, etc. _
Ldiocerus suturalis Fitch. On low poplar bushes near the river ; even
more abundant than the preceeding.
[diocerus lachryma/is Fitch. Numbers of this, our largest species, occurred
on birch and other trees. ee
/diocerus alternatus Fitch. Scarce. It is with slight misgivings that I
_ place this insect here, although I believe future study will jesaly the
reference. pale abe
Agallia novellus Say. As abundant at Muskoka as in Ne are; on
grass and weeds.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 9
Agallia flaccida Uhl. But few of this common species were seen at
Muskoka. sa
Agallia siccifolia Uhl. Not uncommon in dry pastures.
Pediopsis viridis Fitch. Apparently rare.
Pediopsis variabilis Fitch. Examples occurred of varieties A. and C. of
Fitch, and a single specimen of a uniform ferrugineous, with pale
yellow elytra crossed from the shoulder to the apex by a broad
ferrugineous band.
Pedivpsis minor Fitch. Two examples.
Pediopsis fenestratus Fitch. A common species on birch trees.
Tettigonide.
Oncometopia costalis Fab. Very abundant among coarse weeds and grass,
e particularly near South Falls, where the pretty striped. nymphs
, occurred with the newly developed imagines.
Diedrocephala coccinea Forst. Not uncommon on Pigakheas bushes.
| Diedrocephala mollipes Say. Common.
7 ——- Diedrocephala noveboracensis Fitch.
3 Helochara communis Fitch. Common.
a Euacanthus orbitalis Fitch. <A few examples ek
4 Gypona 8-lineata Say. The form named /flavilineata by Dr. Fitch
|= occurred abundantly on, various trees and bushes. I place this
variety with &-/:meata Say, as it seems impossible, on a superficial
& _- examination, to find any constant characters for separating the two
a forms, although they have every appearance of being distinct species.
Some of the examples taken exhibit no indications of the yellow lines
on the head, pronotuin and scutellum, while all are extremely variable
2 in the elytral venation. A careful study of our northern species of
a | Gypona is needed. :
Jasside.
Acocephalus vitellinus Fitch. One example.
_ Grypotes unicolor Fitch. Not uncommon. —
- Cicadula (Macrosteles) quadrilineata Forbes. A few examples of this
common species occurred on cultivated lands, Near Buffalo it is
aaa sat atiivies
meth: ay Rae
10 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
quite variable, some individuals corresponding very closely with
Mr. Uhler’s description of Jassus divisus, with which this may prove
identical. .
Thamnotettix eburata n. sp. Form and aspect of c/éte//aria Say, to which
it is closely related. Above brown with a large white discal spot,
beneath white ; venter marked with black and yellow %, or whitish
2. Vertex pale yellow, whitish on the base, slighly suffused with
ferrugineous on each side near the eye; a central impressed line
extending about half way to the apex. Face whitish, slightly tinged
with yellow. Antennz white, sete brown. Pronotum and scutellum
dark ferrugineous or fuscous, the latter paler with a transverse im-
pressed black line before the apex, behind which the edges are narrowly
yellow, and slightly calloused. Hemielytra ;—Clavus fuscous, the
common disc with a large, obtusely cordate, ivory white spot which
is slightly suffused with yellow ; behind this spot is a dark area.
Costal half of the corium milky white, almost opalescent, tip broadly
fuscous ; discal half brownish ferrugineous, paler posteriorly, and
shading to fuscous along its junction with the white costal area,
Beneath and legs white, immaculate ; small spines at tip of the tibiz
and tarsal joints slightly embrowned ; claws black. Venter black,
posterior edge and disc of the segments yellow ; the latter with a
central black line, represented by dots on the three basal segments ;
convexivum yellow; tergum black. Wings milky hyaline, veins
faintly brownish. ‘The female differs from the male in being some-
what paler, in having the discal spot of the elytra more yellowish,
and the abdomen pale yellow or whitish. In the venation of the
elytra and other structural features this species agrees very closely
with clitellaria. The 2 has the last ventral segment slightly con-
cave posteriorly ; valves obtusely triangular, black; plates white,
sparsely covered with long concolorous hairs. The 2 has the last
ventral segment black, with the lateral margins pale ; as in clited/aria
it is deeply incised each side of the middle, leaving a central tongue,
which is minutely emarginate at tip ; pygofers pale, suffused with
brown toward the central groove, and fringed with long pale hairs.
Length, J 5mm.; 2 5%-6mm. A male was swept from grass
near a rivulet at Bracebridge ; also taken in the vicinity of South
Falls,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 11
Athasanus striola Fall. Occurred abundantly near South Falls, on a low
meadow overgrown with swamp grasses ; here they were of large size,
measuring in some cases 6 mm. to tip of the elytra ; elsewhere,
scattering and of normal size.
Allygus irroratus Say. Taken in moderate numbers. Both the normal
form and the large variety, with the vertex produced and flattened,
occurred together here as elsewhere; the variety predominating in
moist situations.
Jassus immistus Say. Common among low bushes and briars. This
pretty insect seems to be congeneric with a form occuring near
Buffalo, of which I have seen specimens in the National Museum
labelled Scophotdeus jucundus Uhl. A third and undescribed species
occurred to me at Muskoka.
Platymetopius acutus Say. Moderately abundant.
Deltocephalus debilis Uhl. Rare. Occurs also at Buffalo.
Deltocephalus configuratus Uhl. Abundant here as elsewhere.
Deltocephalus sayi. Fitch. Scarce.
Deltocephalus inimicus Say. Very common on cultivated lands.
Lyphlocybide.
Several species of these minute insects occurred; but as the North
American species have been but little studied they are omitted from the
present list.
Psyllide.
Psylla carpini Fitch. Abundant on the blue beech.
Aphidide.
Want of time precluded any es at collecting the “basen and
Coccide.
In addition to the 141 species here enumerated a number of doubtful
forms were taken, belonging mostly to the Homoptera ; giving a total of
something over 150 species as the fruits of ten days collecting.
12 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
FURTHER NOTES ON CHIONOBAS JUTTA,
BY REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC. =
Our President has asked me what methods I adopted for the ae
of C. jutta from the egg. I will endeavour to describe them. ;
As it is well known that larve of the genus Chzonobas feed on grasses,
my first care was to determine what grasses were to be found in the
haunts of Jutta, and to notice the circumstances under which they grew. —
I found several, all rooted in the sphagnum of the swamp. I took home
‘roots of every kind, and potted them in sphagnum, being careful to close |
the hole in the bottom of each flower pot with a cork, and to soak the
plants thoroughly with rain water. I soon had a number of thriving
plants. I placed the pots containing these—so near together that some
of the blades of every plant intermingled with blades of the rest—in a box —
of convenient size ; and I filled up the interstices, to the level of the rims
of the pots, with Bohainin. I then made a slight, arched lattice over ‘the
top of the box, and stretched a piece of green netting over it. My cage
was then ready. When /wztta was pretty well worn, z. ¢., about the 12th
of June, I captured two or three females, and placed them in my cage.
On the 17th of that month I found a number of eggs, not laid on the
blades of grass, but scattered over the netting. When the larve appear-
ed, I placed, by means of a camel's hair pencil, a few of them on each —
plant; but I soon found that they congregated on the sedge. . This then,
I concluded, was their favourite food-plant. I kept the cage on the seat —
of an open window with a north-western aspect ; and, whenever it rained —
I removed the covering of the box, and let the insects have the benefit of
the shower. In dry times I occasionally sprinkled them at sunset with
soft water. : a
In August I noticed that my insects were seriously decreasing in
number. As their habits were unknown I thought it possible that the
vanished specimens had buried themselves in the sphagnum, and would
in due time again appear ; but a wounded larva, that had evidently been ’
nipped by a foe, at length aroused my suspicions. I procured fresh eae
of sedge, placed upon them all the larve I could find, and then spread a
large sheet of paper, and uponit pulled all the old bedding to pieces. “The :
result was that I found, not the lost larva, but several very well grown
specimens of Lithobius Americanus. 1 consider this creature therefore a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 13
foe to be guarded against. On the approach of winter the care of Jutta
became perplexing—the more so as I was about to leave for England. I at
length resolved to place the case, near a window, in a outer passage lead-
ing to a dairy. There it would be, I thought, sufficiently removed from
the warmth of the house, and would escape the crushing weight of the
winter’s snow. I left the larve supplied abundantly with sedge growing
in well soaked sphagnum. On my return in February only six of the
larvee remained. ‘They were torpid, but fresh and plump. A mild day
came, and one of the larvee revived ; but the mild day was followed by a
bitter night, and the adventurous larva perished. When the others began
to revive I moved the cage into a room where the temperature
could be better regulated. Of the remaining larve one afterwards died
and four went into chrysalis. The chrysalids were naked, unattached,
and lay on the surface, or just below the surface of the sphagnum. I sent
one of them to Mr. W.. H. Edwards, and one I preserved as a specimen.
‘The other two produced butterflies. The first of these appeared on the
31st of May, and was crippled. I thought that perhaps I had kept the
chrysalis too dry, and I sprinkled the one remaining with fresh water.
Next day a beautiful and fully developed female /u¢ta presented itself,
crowning my efforts with success. It was as large as the largest
specimens I had taken in a state of nature. The only difference I could
perceive—and it was hardly perceptible—was that the insect raised in
captivity was of a somewhat paler brown than the others.
ONE WORD MORE ABOUT RILEYA.
BY L. O. HOWARD, WASHINGTON, D. C.
(See Mr. Ashmead’s communication in December Can. ENT.)
Without entering further into the discussion of priority, beyond stating
that Mr. Ashmead is wrong in his points (1), that my original communi-
cation was read after the publication of his synoptical table, (it was read
two days before the receipt of the number of Lxtomologica Americana, in
which the table was published), and (2), that his full description was
published before mine ; (mine was published nine days before the receipt
of the Kansas bulletin). I wish to say just a word in reply to his supposi-
14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
tion as to the identity of Zonchocerus Dahlbom and #i/eya Howard. His
statement that I had not consulted the European literature is, of course,
tincalled for and absurd. I had not only familiarized myself with the
European descriptions, but had sent specimens to Dr. Mayr, who so ably
monographed the European Encyrtinze some years ago, and whose opinion
corroborated my own as to the novelty of this form. Mr, Ashmead’s —
comparison of Thomson’s description with my own must have been most
hurried, as they differ so widely that I would advise him to retract his
expressed opinion for the sake of his entomological reputation, | ;
BF ia.
I tabulate here the differences which can be noted from comparison
of the two descriptions and my figure of Ri/eya. The quoted portions in
the Ri/eya column are from the description, and the unquoted portions
can be verified from the figure. Lonchocerus, by the way, is nothing but a
synomym of Jira, if Thomson is right in supposing that Dahlbom
founded the genus for Dalman’s Encyrtus platycerus. Dahlbom’s genera
in the Encyrtinee were described, however, without any indication of types.
RILEYA HOWARD.
‘Face * * * gently rounded, and has
a strong, glistening, transverse, clean-cut
ridge just above the insertion of the an-
tennee.”’
Antennal club not jointed.
Mesoscutum transverse,
lished.”
‘* The mesoscutellum has a strong tuft of
erect, black hairs” at tip only.
Wings not shortened; when closed
reaching considerably beyond tip of
abdomen,
‘** The stigmal vein is given off immedi-
ately at the juncture of the submarginal
with the costa.” Consequently there is ”o
marginal vein.
Abdomen flattened ovate, cutely pointed
behind, ‘‘ highly polished.”
‘highly _po-
LONCHOCERUS DAHLBOM. _
‘“‘Caput subtriangulare, vertice sat lato,
-lateribus tereti, sn 8 subacuto.”
‘* Clava 3-articulata.” |
** Mesonoto [mesoscutum] haud trans.
verso, dense albo-sericeo.’
rs aS iatiesmaes dense holocericeo - ae
cens.’
** Ale abbreviate, Thorace vix super-
antes.”
Stareate [marginal vein] lineari, dis .
tincto.’
‘Abdomen subglobosum, dense albo-
pubescens.”
In conclusion, I wish to apologize for the slip (or misprint) in the use
of “1887” for * 1888.”
The change does not alter the relative order of
the events, and the date of reading the paper is unimportant.
a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 15
de alieriecipin are ~ et ee ng ON REN A
POPULAR AND ECONOMICAL ENTOMOLOGY.
WINTER COLLECTING,
BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA.
At the last annual meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario,
it was decided that every month there should be at least one short article
upon the above subject. The Council consider it wiser not to increase
the size of the CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST at the present time, but to take
two pages from the space we now devote to Scientific Entomology. It is
true the space at our disposal is all too small to accommodate the valuable
articles sent in by our friends, but the demands are so frequent for articles
of the nature mentioned, that it has been decided to try the experiment of
having them regularly, and it is thus hoped to largely extend the influence
of the Society by inducing more lovers of nature to take up Entomology as
a study, and by providing agriculturists and horticulturists with short and
simple accounts of their insect enemies and the latest discovered remedies.
It has been suggested that the winter is an inappropriate time of the year
to begin such a series of articles ; but upon slight consideration this will
be found to be not at all the case. In the continuous chain of nature,
great interest will be found at every link and thing unexpected, strange
and of marvellous beauty will appear at every point. Even in Canada,
snow and ice-bound for so many months in the year, there is much col-
lecting which can be done in the winter. A favorite occupation ‘of the
writer is to go off collecting with a congenial companion upon snow-shoes,
The charm of this pleasant exercise in which, supported by the light snow- »
shoes, one can visit places inaccessible during the summer, is in no way
diminished by being able to take home with you specimens which will
afford ample occupation for many evenings. Starting off in a straight line
many objects of interest are met with as we go along, across field and
fences, through woods and swamps and over rivers, hills or even moun-
tains, all levelled and smoothed down to an even surface by their thick —
covering of ice and snow. In passing through the woods and swamps
cocoons are eagerly looked for on the slender boughs of trees and shrubs.
It is seldom that we are not rewarded with cocoons of the large Emperor
moths. In crevices of bark and beneath moss, many hibernating insects
are discovered of several orders. Larve of moths and chrysalids of
butterflies, beetles and hemiptera, One of our annual trips is to a certain
16 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
tree for the pretty little homopteron, which forms galls on the leaf of the
hackberry (Psy//a Celtidis-mamma, Riley), and which passes the winter
in a torpid state beneath the scales of the bark of the hackberry, the color
of which it closely resembles. In passing through the swamps, tufis of
moss are pulled from any exposed hummocks to be picked to pieces at
home when they have thawed out. Here will be found many treasures
which we have not found in any other way. Every cluster of leaves
adhering to a deciduous tree or swelling upon a stem has to be examined
for the cause, and if it prove to be the work of insects, must be put into
the bag for examination. The only apparatus necessary for these expe- .
ditions is a bag slung over the shoulders and a stick with a hook on one
end and a spike on the other ; the bag acts as a large pocket, and saves
the inconvenience of unbottoning your coat, when, perhaps, the thermom-
eter is below zero. The hook on the stick is useful for pulling down
boughs or pulling yourself out of a hole; the spike for prying off pieces —
of bark or digging into old stumps.
Objects of great interest, some of which can be better collected, and
from which the insects can be more successfully bred when collected in
the winter time, are the various kinds of plant galls. These require little
trouble, all that is necessary is to put them away in glass jars and keep —
them closed. After a time the occupants begin to emerge, and to the
surprise of the uninitiated, although each kind is made by only one kind
of insect, from the galls will be produced perhaps half a dozen distinct
species. ‘These are most of them parasites upon the gall-maker, or what
are known as inquilines or guest flies. The gall-maker produces the gall
upon the plants. In this gall some of these guest flies deposit their eggs,
and the young grubs feed upon the substance of the gall, or others again
live as parasites, either upon the grubs of the gall-makers or their guests.
Watching these as they emerge and making notes upon them, will be
found most entertaining at a time of the year when there is little active
life out of doors. A further zest is added to this department of study
from the fact that so little has been done in this line, that many of the
flies so bred will be new to science.
Other places which may be visited in the winter, are groves of ever-
greens where much will be found to repay the collector. Amongst the
leaves of the pines are cases of larvee, and in the leaves themselves are the
burrows of the caterpillar of a tiny moth, Beneath the bark are numer-
ous scolytid bark-borers, and from the solid wood beneath may be ex-
st x i Faas etn
ese ae eee ee ee me eeRe ae
‘THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 17
tracted the large grubs of the timber borers ; to obtain these last,
however, an axe will be found necessary. In the garden the horticulturist
will find plenty of work with which to occupy himself profitably. The
egg masses of the tent caterpillars should now be collected and destroyed
as well as those of the Tussock moths. Clusters of dead leaves should
be removed from apple trees and their stems cleared of the scales of the
oyster-shell bark louse and other small insects which winter in rough
_ places on the bark or amongst the buds.
In addition to the above work out of doors, much is to be done
during the winter to prepare for the work of the coming season. Appara-
tus and storing boxes for specimens should be prepared well beforehand,
or, perhaps, when the time comes to use them, opportunities will be lost.
Some simple elementary book should be procurred and read at leisure.
In our library at London, we have for the use of our members, many
books of this nature which can be borrowed by applying to the librarian.
We should recommend to beginners Kirby & Spence’s Entomology,
Packard’s Entomology for Beginners, and Comstock’s Introduction to
- Entomology.
PHILIP HENRY GOSSE.
On Thursday the 23d of August, Philip Henry Gosse, departed this
life at St. Marychurch, near Torquay, Devonshire. He was born at
Worcester, on the 6th of April, 18ro, and early displayed a taste for
natural history. In 1827, he was engaged as clerk in the extensive
mercantile house of Messrs. Slade, Elson, Harrison & Co., of Carbonear,
Newfoundland. In June, 1835, he removed with his friend, Mr. G. E.
Jacques, (now living at Cowansville, P. Q.,) to Lower Canada. He bought
a farm one mile east from Waterville, on the River Coaticook. During
the summer he cultivated his land, and in the winter he taught the Compton
village school. At this time he collected the materials for his first work,
the Canadian Naturalist. The rough life of a Canadian farmer, in a
comparatively new settlement, was ill-suited to this young man of refined
tastes ; and the ‘‘noisy politics” and “martial alarms” of the times
must have jarred on his ear, attuned as it was to the music of nature.
Then, too, the people of the neighborhood were not of a class to appreciate
his studies. They were wont to speak of him as “ that crazy Englishman
18 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
who goes about picking up bugs.” It was well for him that as a naturalist, —
to use his own words, he could find “gratification in any scene and at
any season,” and that in Mr. Jacques, in whose house he boarded, he had
a congenial friend. In Chapter viii. of his work, he draws a gloomy picture
of an Eastern Township farmer’s life; but in the preface (which breathes
the modesty and piety which characterized him through life), he says :—
« During a residence of some years in the Lower Province, the author has —
felt it to be no common privilege to be able to solace himself by these
simple but enchanting studies * * * and even now the fecollection
of those pleasant scenes sheds forth a lustre which gilds‘the edge of many
a dark cloud.”
In March, 1838, Mr. Gosse left Compton, and settled in Alabama for -
about six months. His observations at this period afforded the subject
matter of his Letters from Alabama, chiefly relating to Natural History.
He returned to England in the spring of 1839, and published the Canadian
Naturalist during the summer. On the roth of August, 1844, he sailed
for Jamaica, to study the natural history of that island. After a residence
there of two years, he went back to England, and published the result of —
his investigations, under the title of Zze Birds of Jamaica, A Naturalist’s
Sojourn in Jamaica, and An Atlas of Lllustrations. :
From January, 1852, to the time of his death, Mr. Gosse’s resilenne
was at St. Marychurch, where he had a delightful residence which he
named ‘‘Sandhurst.” Attached to this were extensive conservatories,
including a vinery, fernery, orchid houses, etc.
For some years, he was engaged in preparing works for the S. P. Gk a
After that he devoted himself to the microscopic study of the British
Rotifera, In 1856, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He
was an indefatigable worker, usually in his study by four o’clock in the
morning in the summer, and by six o’clock in the winter, and producing
on the average two works in the year. His books must number about
forty ; and among the scientific papers of the Royal Society upwards of
fifty are from the pen of Mr. Gosse.
Among his works are :—Zenby, A Sea-side Holiday ; The Aquarium ;
Actinologia Britannica; A History of the British Sea Anemones and
Corals; The Wonders of the Great Deep; The Romance of Natural
History ; Life in its Lower, Intermediate, and Higher Forms; Land and
Sea, and A Year at the Shore. :
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 19
Always of a religious turn of mind, he delighted in sacred history
and Biblical studies ; and a number of words of a sacred and historical
character proceeded from his pen. The last of these, published in 1884,
was entitled, Zhe Aysteries of God, a Series of Expositions of Holy
Scripture.
One cannot often point to.a life more pleasantly and usefully spent
than that of Philip Henry Gosse.
Tuomas W. FYLEs.
CORRESPONDENCE.
ee
DANAIS ARCHIPPUS.
Dear Sir: I send you my season’s observations on the movements
of D. archippus in this locality. The spring of ’88 was an unusually
backward one here, cool, dry weather prevailing, which will, of course,
affect all the dates more or less. I commenced by watching for the ap-
pearence of milk-weed Asclepias cornutus in two places where it grows in
abundance ; one, a flat to the west of the city, protected on the east and
north by a high bank ; the other to the east along the foot of the Niagara
escarpment, a very warm spot when the wind is not north-east. On the
4th of June, I could not see a sign of its coming through the ground ; on
the 5th, I went to the country, about 26 miles north of this ; they had
more rain there, and A. cornutus was from three to six inches high ; on
the 7th, I saw my first D. archippus of the season, but they did not appear
in any great numbers whilst I remained. On my return, I visited the
west end on the 26th, there were a few flying about the weed,
which was then from ten to fourteen inches in height with blossom
clusters not yet expanded. I captured three—two males and a female,
and saw a larva about one inch long and as thick as a wheat straw. In
the same locality, on 3rd of July, I counted seven on the wing at one
time, flying vigorously, and took two males, and felt sure from their
movements the others were the same. On the 5th went east, milk-weed
in full bloom, archippus abundant ; captured two males, and suspected
all the others to be the same; could find no larve ; took fresh hatched
Milberti and saw plenty ot fresh’ Atalanta. Went west on the
7th, not, many on the wing, and could find very few larve.
Was at Guelph for ten days on the 16th, and visited the Agricultural
‘College. Prof. Panton showed me chrysalids reared in confinement.
20 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
On the 21st, at the west end, captured a freshly hatched male; found —
no larve; leaves of weed showing little signs of being eaten. 25th,
same place ; butterflies plentiful ; freshly hatched mingling with old broken’:
ones ; took a fresh female. East on the 27th; butterflies not plentiful ; |
saw a few larve nearly full fed. 28th, west; not so plentiful as on the A
25th. From the 2nd to the 18th of August, I was in the vicinity of —
Brantford—z25 miles west from Hamilton ; there were few D. archippus —
to be seen, but all were fresh; yet there was an abundance of asclepias.
On the 2oth, was at the west end; larve scarce ; saw one not half an inch
long ; took one full fed, which cunisanael that night, and pupated the fol-
lowing night ; there were very few archippus about the milk-weeds, which
were now four and a-half and five feet high. From the rst to the 17th of —
September I was 16 miles south of here ; there I saw several fresh archip~
pus, but not a single stalk of asclepias. ‘On the 21st was at the west end ;
archippus had completely deserted the milk-weed ; I saw some feeding
in a garden some distance away. My impression bal been for a good —
while that the butterflies care but little for the milk-weed to feed at ; that
they are there for breeding purposes principally ; that they are bat light
feeders, with a great fondness for loitering in open woods, where there is
apparently nothing for them to feed on. My last observation was made ‘ :
onthe 15th of October ; the milk-weeds were still green at top, but the —
lower leaves were all decayed. I have seen no butterflies since the 21st
of September. a: ALSTON MOFFAT, Hae os
SOME COLEOPTERA NEW TO COLORADO,
Dear Sir: Dr. John Hamilton has been good enough ‘blends to
examine some Coleoptera which I collected in Custer County, Col., and —
among them he finds five specimens new to the State List. One, Ditylus
obscurus, was obtained in the eastern portion of the county, the other
four are from near Swift Creek, at 8,000 to 8,500 feet altitude, and are as —
follows: Aphodius brevicollis—which Dr. Hamilton says was previously
known only by a single specimen found in Nebraska ; ister Harrisii, :
Kirby; A subopacus, Lec.—three specimens obtained; and Zedia
vivida, Bates, Among my beetles from Eastern Custer Co, was also
an example of Pityophagus verticalis, which Dr. Hamilton is fie was
previously known by a single specimen only. ahh
Sept. 7th, 1888. T. D. A. CocKERELL, West Cliff, Colorado
Mailed January 4th,
-
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, FEBRUARY, 1889. No. 2.
THE LEPIDOPTEROUS FAUNZ OF EUROPE AND
NORTH AMERICA.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
The study of representative species of butterflies and moths shows
us that very different grades of resemblance exist between allied forms
inhabiting Europe and North America. I have shown that the modifica-
tion shows itself sometimes mainly in the larval state ; again the perfect
insects depart more or less strongly. I have also ventured to decide
that these representative species are entitled to specific rank in our
nomenclature. They fulfil the condition of species, since they do not
intergrade, and they can be distinguished quite surely by competent
specialists. The study of these representative species leads to the
question of their relation, and we have seen that they may be regarded
as survivals of a former northern, circumpolar fauna, which was broken
up and driven southwards by the Ice Period of geologists. I have
originally tried to show, in Silliman’s Journal, that we have in our
Lepidopterous fauna different elements. The representative species
belong to this ancient circumpolar fauna. And here belong in part the
identical species like Vanessa antiopa or atlanta. ‘he identical species
have remained unaltered, but certain species have been introduced by
commerce, as the White Cabbage Butterfly and perbaps the Currant
Borer, Sesia tipuliformis. ‘The certain separation of these two sources
of North American species belonging to the circumpolar element requires
historical data which will hardly be forthcoming. The second element
is that which comes to us from the south, a return wave of the migration
southwards, which set in on the advent of the Glacial Age. This
southern element is divisible into such forms as have already firm foot-
hold, and such as the physica] phenomena of the Gulf Stream, the
prevailing air currents during the summer, land as wind-visitors upon our
shores. Zrebus, Aletia, Euthisanotia, among the moths, are more or less
22 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
partial breeders in our territory. How far north the permanent residence
of the Cotton Moth obtains is not yet known. I am the first to point out
that it is winter-killed over much of the territory which its summer migra-
tions cover as a moth. I have seen how the migration takes place. The
moths crawled out in numbers on my plantation during one or two days,
and I anticipated a third and more destructive brood of caterpillars.
The next morning not one perfect moth was to be seen. On the ground
crawled a few cripples with unexpanded wings, to be killed by the sun
and the ants. There was no third brood; the moths had migrated,
been swept by the winds to the north during the night. I have alluded
to the influence of the winds upon the time of arrival of the Cotton Moth
on the Atlantic coast.
The “original” part of my work on the Cotton Worm was my dis-
covery that it hibernated in the moth state ; that it was winter-killed over
a part of the territory it occupied both as larva and moth during the
summer; that in the south it had no other food plant than cotton. I.
accounted for the moths in Canada in the fall by considering them wind-
migrants. No alternative food plant is known in the north. In the
south, as I originally stated, the worms migrate from eaten-out cotton
fields, leaving the weeds and vines untouched, in search of fresh cotton.
I identified the insect with the South American A/etia argillacea of
Hiibner, and stated my theory which I arrived at from a study of the
habits of the moth and from a knowledge of the cotton plant itself, which
like its parasite is not indigenous with us. Both have changed their
normal condition. Man brought the cotton plant, which under culture
and in our climate has become an annual, itself winter-killed in part, but
so more productive of cotton; the winds brought the moth and the
cultivated cotton fields supplied abundant food. I pointed out the
yearly seasonal spread of the moth from south to north. ia
But to leave the special subject of the Cotton Worm, which is inter-
esting by itself as illustrating one of the sources of the southern element
in our Lepidopterous fauna, and to proceed with our analysis. The third
element in our fauna is that which is North American fer se, that is,
which is descended from a pre-Glacial North American fauna, or which
has become so modified from its original source as to be classed as North
American. Here is a very difficult study in a consideration of the
characters of our Lepidoptera. I have taken Cressonia juglandis as a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 28
type of a North American moth descended from a pre-Glacial North
American ancestor. I have taken Datana as an example of a North
American moth which has become so modified from its original source
as a member of the ancient circumpolar fauna, the first element in our
present North American fauna, as to be now classed as North American.
In the same group I take Apate/odes as an example of a North American
moth which has become so modified from its original source as a member
of the tropical, or South American fauna, as to be now classed as North
American. The Ceratocampine, the genus Hyperchiria, I regard as
ultimately of Southern origin. The genus Catoca/a belongs to the first
element in our fauna; it isa development from a former circumpolar
fauna.
But not to go further for the moment in this direction, let us compare
the American and European butterflies and moths in a more general way,
so as to arrive at some conclusion with regard to the departure from a
common type in the members of the circumpolar fauna. ‘The first thing
which strikes us is the comparatively greater tendency to variation, to
splitting into species which characterizes the North American butterflies
and moths. Take the genus Co/éas, which belongs to the first element in
our fauna; how it wanders into distinct forms, sometimes still connected,
again no longer now members of the same reproductive cycle. Without
Mr. W. H. Edwards’s observations on the larva, we should be quite at sea.
But now, compare our protean Co/ias species with the two set Euro-
pean forms! What is true of Co/éas is true in other genera.. Take the
genus Datana among the moths; this is an American out-growth of the
European Phalera. Now in Europe there are two closely allied forms of
Phalera, bucephala and bucephaloides, but they are to be at once
picked out by a slight but constant difference. In America we have
six or seven species of Datana, and, if we take out Angusii and perspicua,
as being distinguishable by general colour, all very near and difficult to dis-
tinguish as moths. In the genus C/isiocampa, the same phenomena are
repeated. See how variable the underwings are and how much difference
of opinion exists among writers! Iam of opinion that Catocala residua
is a good species, but Mr. Hulst is not with me here. At the best we can
say, that Mr. Hulst, in regard to other species and varieties (e. g. preclara,
herodias, gise/a), has corrected himself and adopted my views, and that he
will also probably come in time to agree with me in regard to A/abame,
24 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Whitneyi and residua. We have seen, that the more correct determina-
tion of the moths alone is a matter of scientific experience, inborn feeling,
in short of tact which comes alike from long work and genius for the study.
The check to all such determinations of the perfect insects is breeding
from the egg.
In the North American fauna, we also have the European genus
Scopelosoma ; in Europe with one constant form, in North America with
several closely allied. How thankful I am, that Mr. Thaxter has bred our
closely allied species, so that no opinion formed from the imagines alone
is now worth having or recording.
As the result of our comparison, we see the fact that species tend more
to vary, to wander off into new forms in North America; whereas, in
Europe, they have a greater setness, or fixity in their appearance, It
would seem as if the faunal changes in America had been greater, influ-
enced by physical causes, the chain of longitudinal mountains, the land
connection of the tropics, the course of the winds of the gulf stream, all
the phenomena of climate and temperature. The probability is, that the
European species are nearer the old circumpolar pre-glacial forms ;
that in most cases the North American forms have made the variation, the
step in a new direction.
Species by species, genus by genus, must these comparisons be made,
so that we may unroll the probable past of our butterflies and moths. The
life-histories must be known and compared. Work like that done by Mr.
W. H. Edwards, Mr. Thaxter, Prof. French, Mr. Beutenmiiller and others
must be encouraged. Some papers by Mr. Moffat, on the question of
species and variety naming, recommended themselves to me greatly. At
the risk of repeating myself, I maintain that, as an entomologist, we are
here to discriminate, not to lump ; our work is to talk about and illustrate
the differences we find in insects.
An intelligent resolving of the study into its different phases is much
needed, While with patience, the fine work of discriminating the forms
is being carried on, the labour of comparisons, for the purpose of aiding the
solution of wider questions, should not be neglected. There is enough to
do, and I am glad to see, as the years go by and fresh workers come into
our field, that there will be enough to doit, It is the pursuit of truth that
is always new and interesting.
esa
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 25
A NEW SPECIES OF NEONYMPHA.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Neonympha Mitcheliii n. sp.
Expanse of wings, male, 1.20 to 1.30 inches ; female inches.
Male.— Upper surface grayish wood-brown, rather dark, without spots
or marks, except that the spots on the underside of the hind wings and
the dark lines bordering the terminal dark yellow line on the same wings
show through a little. Fringes concolorous, in certain lights a little smoky
tinged. Under surface slightly paier than the upper, a little more of the
mouse order of color, sprinkled with buff scales. Both wings are crossed
by four transverse brownish-yellow stripes, so dark on the fore wings as
to be yellow-brown, occupying the same position as the same lines in its
ally, VV. Areo/atus, the first and second uniting by a rounded end about a
tenth of an inch from the inner margin of hind wings, the two outer—one
terminal and the other sub-terminal—also uniting before reaching anal
angle. In Areo/atus these lines do not unite. Each of these lines has a
dark brown (more or less distinct) fine bordering line on each side of it.
The first line crosses the fore wings a little more than two-thirds the dis-
tance from the base of wing to end of cell, the hind wings about two-
thirds. The second line crosses fore wing a little beyond the end of cell,
the hind wings across the end of cell. The second and third are approxi-
mate anteriorily as in Arco/atus. Fore wings with a row of four small
ocelli between second and third lines, black, circled with pale Naples
yellow or buff, the first varying from a dot, the size of an ordinary period,
to about twice that diameter ; in four examples circular, in two a little
oval, in two a silvery metallic centre, the second a little more than twice
the diameter of the first ; in three examples circular, the other three
slightly ovate, each with from one to three metallic points, when three pre-
sent in the form of a triangle ; the third averaging the size of the second, |
circular, with from one to two metallic points, when one central, when two
in line with the row of spots ; the fourth about one-fourth larger than the
first, circular, all but one, which has the buff circle almost complete on
the outside, but also a few buff scales outside the circle, a single metallic
point to each of these. |
Hind wings with six ocelli to each wing, circled with buff as those on
26 . THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the fore wings. ‘The first varying from a few buff scales, in one example,
without the black centre, to twice or thrice the diameter of an ordinary
period, circular, the largest with, in one example, a silvery metallic point;
the second about .o4 of an inch in diameter (the black portion), circular
in four examples, in two a slight bulging in outer anal part, from one to
five metallic scales, aggregated or scattered ; the third from .06 to .o7 of
an inch in diameter, all nearly or quite circular, two silvery metallic points,
in line with the ocelli; the fourth size of the third and the same shape.
In each of these one example has a few black scales projecting into the
buff annulus externally on one wing, points as in the third, except that
in, one the metallic scales are scattered on one wing ; fifth of the size of
the third, circular, in one example a few buff scales invade the black ex-
ternally on one wing, in two other examples they are a little irregular in
shape externally on both wings, two metallic points to each, with a few
scattering scales in two examples ; sixth about constant in size, as large as
the largest of the first, one metallic point in all but one, ocellus, where
the scales scatter a little, circular. oe
Body concolorous ; antennz above on basal two-thirds colour of wings,
terminal orange shading into basal colour ; beneath whitish, outer third
orange ; sides of basal two-thirds brown and whitish.
Female.—Differs from the male in being paler both above and below,
and slightly in the arrangement of the transverse lines on the under side.
In two of the four before me, the second and third lines distinctly unite
with each other near the anal angle, while the lines by which the first and
second, and the third and fourth unite are to be seen but are obscure. In
one of the others there is no union between the second and third, while
there is plain union between first and second, and third and fourth. The
fourth has a distinct union between the first and second, and third and
fourth, but the rounded ends of these unions touch. Both wings of the
same example alike in this character. Ocelli as in the males, with about
the same amount of variation. :
This species differs from A. Areo/atus in the following points:—In
Areolatus the fore wing may have three ocelli and vary from that to
many, while the hind wings have five. In J/itchel/ii four are always
found on the under side of the fore wings, and six on hind wings in both
sexes. In Areolatus the oce]li are elongate, the long part the long way
of the wing. In AZfttchel/ii they are all circular with only a littie variation.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 27
In Areolatus the metallic points in the ocelli are pale blue, and are
arranged more or less in rows in the ocelli lengthwise of the wing. In
Mitchellii they are, if in rows at all, across the wing. In Areolatus the
transverse lines on the under side are ferruginous, and the second and
third always unite near anal angle of hind wings. In AMJ7tche//ii they are
more of a brownish-yellow ; in the males the sécond and third lines never
unite, but the first and second, and the third and fourth always unite
leaving a little space between their rounded ends; in the females only
one out of four had the second and third distinctly united. In Areo/atus
the metallic points are pale blue. In A/‘tchel/ii they are lighter, being
more of a silvery colour, giving none of the real blue reflection, unless
seen at a very oblique light, and then very pale.
Described from six males and four females taken by my friend, Pro-
fessor J. N. Mitchell, in Cass County, Michigan, to whom I dedi
cate the species. They were found in upland dry meadows, about ten
miles from the Indiana line. Professor Mitchell is of the opinion that the
species has been found as far north as Kent County, Michigan.
TWO NEW SPECIES OF TINEIDA: FROM THE ALEUTIAN
ISLANDS.
BY WM. BEUTENMULLER, NEW YORK.
Cerostoma Aleutianella, n. sp.
Head and palpi olive gray ; legs olive gray, tibiz annulated with
fuscous ; body fuscous. Primaries olive gray, becoming paler toward |
the outer margin; above the fold is a broken fuscous basal streak,
running to a little beyond the middle of the wing ; at the end of the cell
a small fuscous spot, limited beneath by a white patch. Cilia olive gray.
Secondaries grayish fuscous. Underside of wings grayish fuscous. Cilia
of the primaries tipped with greenish gray.
Expanse 20mm. 1 f. Coll., Hy. Edw.
Cerostoma Dubiosella, Nn. sp.
Head, thorax and palpi fuscous. Primaries grayish fuscous, thickly
covered with deep fuscous scales ; before the outer margin a few white
and black scales. Secondaries grayish fuscous, as are also the underside
of the wings.
Expanse 18 mm. One example. Coll. Hy. Edw.
28 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
NOTES ON BOMBYCID.
BY FREDERICK CLARKSON, NEW YORK.
The habits of insects present an attractive and fruitful field of dis-
covery, illustrating in many remarkable ways their peculiar instincts
governed by heredity, and-more or less conditioned by environment. The
power which we call instinct, controlling the habits of insects, has a regu-
larity of action governed by ordinary conditions, but there are frequent
manifestations of adaptation to circumstance, as conspicuous in the several
orders of insects as in the various races of mankind. The extraordinary
condition can only be regarded as an obstruction to the usual law that
governs instinct, and compels the creature to conform to the changed
surroundings. The larve of Bombyx mori if crowded for space at the
time of pupation will associate to the number of three or four in spinning
the one cocoon which covers them. The larvae of Samia cynthia under
like environment present a similar variation of habit by spinning interior
sections one above the other in the silk-lined leaf constituting the one
envelope, so that outwardly it has the appearance of a long, single cocoon.
The marked feature of this dual cocoon is, that while ordinarily the place
of escape for the imago is at the upper end of the cocoon, the inhabitant
of the lower section emerges at the lower end of the cocoon, from the lower
end of its section. The Cyzthia worms occasionally, from like necessity,
will, to the number of two, spin a cocoon in-common and undergo trans-
formation in the one interior section. I have collected the past season
very diminutive cocoons of P. cecropia and S. cynthia, the former measur-
ing one and one-half inches long by one-half inch in diameter ; the in-
terior section three-quarters of an inch long by three-eighths of an inch in
diameter; the latter was spun on a leaf one and one-half inches long, the
cocoon rather less by three-eighths of an inch in diameter. The cocoons
contained the larva dead and in a dried condition. Bi
From a cocoon of P. cecropia I have obtained a very small male,
measuring scarcely four inches in expanse of wing. The kidney-shaped
spots on secondaries are reversed from their usual position, the pointed
end being directed towards the abdominal or inner margin, instead of as
commonly to the exterior margin. The wavy white line, bordered with
black, on the exterior margin of the primaries, which is usually more
or less pointed into the adjoining lilac, is in this specimen a line corres-
ponding in form with that of the margin of the wing. _ :
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 29
NOTES ON COLEOPTERA.—No. 5.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
Cicindela. A glance over the catalogue shows many names marked
as varieties of others, and a glance into the boxes of any fair collection
shows these same to have a diversity of appearance, that in many
instances requires an educated experience to reconcile with their being
specifically identical ; as for example, a green C. sex-guttata and a black
consentanea, or an immaculate green wicolor and a black modesta. With
systematists, size, color and markings have no primary weight in specific
identity ; that is, when the species are not made. It is not here purposed
to enter on the relation of races, the determining causes of which are
beyond reasonable conjecture and must have been indefinitely remote,
Since hereditary reversion to a common ancestral type is obsolete, and
many varieties breed true to themselves without producing any of the
others; but, to protest against the practice some collectors have of
ignoring varieties in making exchanges, as sending vu/turina or prasina
instead of odso/eta; and to advise that they be treated as species. Indeed
it is quite possible when their internal anatomy is better known and
structures like the sexual organs studied and used in systematic work, as
has been done by Dr. Horn in Corphyra, some of these varieties may
turn out to be species. I take var. consentanea and var. modesta
abundantly in the pine woods of New Jersey near the coast, basking in
the sunshine on the white sand, but neither sex-guttata, nor scutellaris,
nor any intervening varieties are found near there, and I doubt greatly
whether the opposite sexes would recognize relationship or produce
fertile offspring. C. repanda and var. 12-guttata are found in great plenty
here and do not appear to mingle, each race confining itself to its own
territory—the former to the river shore and benches, the latter to the
rocky creeks and adjacent plateaus—-and are not known to hybridize or
in any way acknowledge kinship. The above recommendation is intended
to apply to the other families of Coleoptera as well as to Cicindela, and it
is believed every race that is distinct should have a name for the con-
venience of collectors, if for no other purpose.
Dyschirius. The following, with the other named beetles, were ata
_ Aug, 27th, on Brigantine Island, N. J., in a salt marsh on a sandy spect
about three feet by two and elevated some six inches above the level of
30 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the ordinary tides: D. sphericollis, 7 sp.; D. pallipennts, 2 sp.; D. fili-
formis, sp.; D. pumilus, 10 sp.; Clivina striatopunctata, 5 sp.; Bledius
politus, 16 sp.; B, basalis, 20 sp.; Trogophiwus? sp., 12 spec.; Rhysse-
matus scaber, 18 sp.; many Bledius maxillosus around the base were not
collected. The Dyschirius, Clivina and Bledius burrow only deep
enough in the moist sand to fairly cover themselves, and their presence
is known by the little mounds at the entrance of their excavations. In
’ life the elytra of Bledius basalis are pearly white, with the basal declivity
black ; those of 2. politus are reddish-yellow and shining, and the thorax
is ferruginous, and it may be known from all others of its size by the deep
thoracic channel and the sparse coarse punctuation of the thorax and
elytra ; the head of the male is large, and tuberculate between the ocular
ridges; both species extend southward along the coast to Florida.
Rhyssematus scaber does not burrow, but lives beneath a thin layer of a
-confervoid growth that forms on the marshes and about the roots of grass.
This little beetle feigns death so persistently that I never saw one move
in the least, and the only other Aphodide I know of that has this habit is
Dialytes striatulus.
Lebia vivida Bates. A specimen of this beautiful little beetle,
described from Mexico and introduced into our catalogue on the strength
of two specimens taken in Arizona, is in my collection through the kind-
ness of Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, taken by him in Custer Co., Col., at an
elevation of some 8,000 feet, thus showing that it belongs to the fauna of
the Rocky Mountains. |
Cychrus Lecontei Dej. Most of the Carabide have a regular time of
appearance, but this does not seem to be the case with Leconte?, bright
new specimens of which may be found from April to December. I have
found them paired in November, in April, and at various times during
the summer. It hibernates, as is well known, in logs and under moss
and stones. ‘ |
Chlenius Pennsylvanicus Say is subject to considerable variation in
color, size and sculpture, but nothing is seemingly stable enough to form
a race or true variety. One of these variations I was once disposed to
regard as a species till set right by Dr. Horn. It has pale epipleura, and
the side margins of the ventral segments rufous, like Circumeinctus; the
outer three intervals of the elytra are dark green, contrasting with the
the dark disk, It occurs here in summer on the river beach, and I have
‘THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 31
not seen it inland. I have specimens of it from Missouri, New York and
Canada labelled in error, ¢vicolor. ae
- Harpalus vulpeculus Say appears late in the season, and then the
thorax is rufous, but becomes black in some individuals after hibernating.
This tendency to me/anism has not been observed in H. dichrous, which
occurs with it, and has likewise a rufous thorax. Stenolophus conjunctus
appears in summer and autumn, and then its thorax is rufous ; in the fall
it becomes gregarious, and winters under rails and stones in grassy
places, after which the thorax is entirely black.
Tachycellus Kirbyi Horn is not met with every day, as it lives in
grassy places in boggy swamps in their natural state, mostly inaccessible
except in the dry part of the season. It is usually found about the roots
of tufts of grass. A good way to take swamp beetles is to spread an
armful of cut grass over some wet, bare place in the swamp, and on turn-
ing it over every three or four days some otherwise rare insects may be
taken, as Pterostichus patruelis, which here inhabits swamps. Along
with it is found plentifully a common species of Stenolophus, yet unde-
scribed, that goes in with ochropezus or plebeius, as the collector fancies.
Pocadius helvolus Er. Whoever desires this beetle may take it
during August in a growing ZLiécoperdon, which when ripe is commonly
known as puff-ball. A dozen or more are often taken in a single one,
and are of all colors from ferruginous to nearly black ; but young puff-
balls are not always plentyful, and when found not more than one in twenty
contains beetles, which need not be greatly regretted by the collector if
he is anything of an epicure.
Pityophagus verticalis Horn was described from a single specimen
from Colorado, the absence in which of the small spinules on the external
edge of the tibiz seen in the other species was attributed to probable
abrasion. From Mr, T. D. A. Cockerell I have received from Custer
County, in the same State, an apparently perfect specimen in which there
is no trace of these spinules. This character, when more specimens of |
this and rufipennis occur, may, apart from color, have chiefly to be depended
on to separate the species, as from the specimens before me it is doubtful
whether the cephalic characters will do it in all cases. In this specimen
of verticalis the vertical fovea is rather an elongate impression with a fine
line extending on the occiput. In three specimens of rufidennis from
California the fine occipital line is absent in two and only discernible
32 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
in the third, but well marked in one from Oregon ; while in one specimen
there is a very obvious frontal impression, much like that in this verté-
calis. In both species the head is transversely impressed POstSHOny,
and the pygidium concave with a much raised hind border.
Aphodius marginatus Lec. This fine species was described fries a
unique, and by Dr. Horn in his monograph, from the type and another
specimen, both from eastern Nevada, and supposed to be females.
Through the favor of Mr. Cockerell, who collects in Custer County,
Col., at elevations of from 6,000 to 8,000 feet and upward, I have a speci-
men that appears to be a male. It differs from the type by having the
front distinctly tri-tuberculate, and a fine basal thoracic marginal line
evident at the middle, but obsolete near the sides; the punctulation of
the thorax and elytral intervals. is exceedingly fine, and cannot be seen
by the unaided eye; there are large coarse punctures disposed in clusters
along the sides and base of the thorax, but absent from a large triangular
space on the disk with its apex posterior ; also a depression or CORSET
at the front as well as the hind angles.
Ligyrus relictus Say. Waiking on the river beach in August, I turned
over a shingle on a small sandy place about which some grass was grow-
ing, under it were seven Harpalus caliginosus, and the elytra and other
remains of several Z. redictus which they had devoured. Noticing the
sand to have been much disturbed I dug down and soon turned out
twenty-seven of the beetles named, which were buried from two to four
inches deep over an area of about ten by sixteen inches, and of both
sexes. Other similar spots were investigated without results. Now is
this a known and common habit? What is its purpose in the economy
of the insect? Did the Aarpa/us kill those they feasted upon? Z.
relictus, also Chalepus trachypygus and an occasional Folymechus
brevipes come to the electric lights in the city, but vedéctus flies also by
day in the warmest sunshine, especially along the river.
Leptura haematites Newm., nana Newm., exigua Newm., saucia
Lec., subargentata Kirby, similis Kirby, rujficeps Lec., and rhodopus Lec.
These names have long been a source of perplexity to collectors and of
no little confusion. Dr. Horn (£xtomol. American i., 8) recognizes only
three species, Aaematites, exigna and subargentata, placing five others
in synonymy—aana and saucia with exigna, and rhodopus, ruficeps and
similis with subargentata. This leaves a very common species here and
eT ee eee See ee ere P
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 33
northward through Canada without.a name. Z. haematites, with its red
thorax, is well known, occurring abundantly. on Crategus and other
blossoms in the spring. Its sexual differences consist in the thorax of
the male being much longer than that of the female, and anteriorly
narrowed The unnamed species is similar in size (.18 to .22 inch in
length), and has the same sexual characters, but the thorax and elytra
are concolorous, being biack, or brownish black, with cinereous pubes-
cence. These two species are frequently taken together, and were the
thorax of the same color could not be separated by any character yet
discovered. I have the unnamed species from New York, Canada and
elsewhere labelled subargentata, or similis, according to the color of the
feet. JL. subargentata is, however, a very different insect, though having
the same sexual characters. It is much larger (.26 to.30 inch in length),
blacker, more coarsely punctured and sparsely pubescent, occurring more
commonly in northern Canada and the Rocky Mountain region to
Mexico. In all these species the legs vary from black to rufous, and the
colour is of no value. JZ. exigua does not belong to this group, having
different sexual characters ; the male has the last ventral segment convex
at middle and impressed at tip, and in front of the impression a mucro-
nate tubercle projected backwards; this, and the black spot on the
thorax surrounded by golden pubescence, easily separate it (L. .24 inch),
The unnamed species is probably in most collections by some name.
Leptura Zebra Oliv. July 6th. Several females taken ovipositiug on
a white oak stump made the preceding spring.
Agaspherops nigra Horn. Among a number of Rhyncophora from
Vancouver Island, B. C., from Rev. Geo. W. Taylor, there was a speci-
men of this singular insect, so like Otiorhynchus sulcatus that I passed it
by as such till the unknown forms were examined. The genus and species
were founded on two specimens taken at Mendocino, Cal. This specimen
differs a little from the types being a little larger (.34 inch) ; the tubercles
on the thorax are not very close, each being about the size of a No. 2 to
3 Kleger pin head, flattened on the top, and bearing a deep puncture ;
the elytral intervals are composed of single rows of tubercles equally as
large and similarly punctured.. On the thorax and elytra there is a pattern
‘of white and golden scales similar to that seen in Hormorus undulatus,
but they are sparser and less conspicuous ; these scales are easily rubbed
off, which may have been the case with the types before they were seen,
34 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
otherwise this might be regarded as a second species. The beak is sul-
cate like Otiorhynchus sulcatus, but twice the length, and the scape of the
antenne scarcely reaches the eye. The elytral ornamentation of su/catus
is less noticeable and more pubescent like; and none of the tubercles of
the thorax and elytra, which are much smaller, are perforate, those ad the
intervals being arranged in irregular clusters. :
Conotrachelus naso Lec. I am not aware of a record of this species
occurring in the Northern States. Last year and also the present I bred
it from the fruit of crategus—haws—as well as C. posticatus. The species
are very close and are best separated by the two yellowish white spots on
the thorax of zaso. C. crategi is, however, the great haw worm next to
the larve of the Lepidopterous Grapholitha prunivora Mels., which
developes with, but a couple of weeks later, than the beetles. |
DESCRIPTION OF THE LARVA OF DATANA. MAJOR G. & R.
BY HARRISON G, DYAR, RHINEBECK, N. Y.
Young /arva.—Body dark reddish, inclining to black ; otherwise as
in the following stage. . ;
Before last moult.—Body black or reddish black, with eight longitu-
dinal clear white stripes, as broad as the intervening spaces or broader,
with the exception of the dorsal space. Beneath are three partly obsolete
white lines, two of them interrupted by the legs. The head and cervical
shield all dark mahogany red, as are also the abdominal feet, the bases
of the thoracic feet and two spots on segments 4, 5, 10 and 11. Thoracic
feet black. The anal plates are black or dark mahogany red ; sparsely
distributed white hairs. Length about 30 m.m.
Mature larva.— Body black ; stripes broken into a series of irregular- |
ly square or rectangular white spots. In the three upper rows on each
side these spots occur two on each segment situated near the edges of
the segment. The lower row consists of a spot before the spiracle,
alternating with an elongated one overlapping on two segments, so that
these spots nearly alternate with those of the upper rows. Head, cervical
shield, anal plates, all feet (except thoracic) with their bases and two spots
on segments 4, 5, 10 and 11, dark mahogany red. Below are a few white
dots representing the usual stripes. Scattered whitish hairs. Length
about 60 m.m. fe
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 35
There is a variety in which the stripes, and later the spots, are bright
lemon yellow instead of white. The colour seems to be constant for an
individual. The larve live together in rather small swarms, not exceed-
ing fifty, till after the last moult, when they separate, often leaving the
food-plant to ascend another in the vicinity. They then feed singly to
maturity.
Food-plant, Andromeda ligustrina.
NOTES ON SOME CALIFORNIA MOTHS.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL,
Arctia Shastaensis Behrens, MS., nov. var. or nov. sp.
This new form was found by my friend, Mr. James Behrens, of San Fran-
cisco, at Upper Soda Springs, Siskiyou County, near Mount Shasta. The
hind wings and abdomen are wanting, but the fore wings are present and
in a very fair state of preservation. They are black, without light mark-
ings on the veins, but marked with yellow as follows:—A very broad
transverse stripe, the basal of the usual three found in 4. Achaia and A.
Behrii, as wide as the female of BeAriz, but more regular along its edges
and curved more as this stripe is in Achaza, and not extending out on the
costa as does this stripe in Behrii; the second of the three usual stripes
is absent, save a few yellow scales on the sub-costal vein ; the third is
present, but narrow, arcuate, does not quite reach the costa, and only
comes a little below the streak along median vein to posterior angle, a little
attenuated at both ends ; the usual longitudinal stripe below median vein,
not reaching the base as this stripe does in both Achaia and Behrii, but
beginning just inside the broad stripe, where it almost connects with an
outward curved half line inside the broad stripe, that is broad on costa,
but narrow below, outside the broad stripe the stripe is narrow, and on
one wing broken before reaching posterior angle ; the M-mark present
much as in Behriz, beginning on costa midway between stripe three and
apex, the first bar of the M curved inward, the other two outward and
joined together and to the third stripe, the fourth bar absent as the spur
that is usually sent out from the sub-median stripe is here absent. Fringes
Dlack ; head, thorax and patagia black. Beneath as above, only paler.
Legs black, except inside of anterior femora, which are yellowish.
36 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The basal half line and fringes being black with the broad basal stripe
would point to this insect being a variety of A. Behrii, as also the black
body parts, but the downward curving of the sub-median stripe before
reaching posterior angle ally it to Achaia; unlike either of these, it has no
yellow along the posterior margin.
Apatela Felina Grote.
Mr. Grote describes this insect in vol. 5, No. 2, page 208, of the
Government Survey Bulletins, comparing it with its ally, 4. Lepusculina.
Having several bred specimens, I make here a few additions to Mr.
Grote’s description.
The fore wings are distinctly blueish-gray, and the marks are more
obliterate-than in the usual Lepuscudina. The female has scarcely a trace
of the sub-terminal line, even in whitish shading ; but one male has the
sub-terminal line nearly as distinct as in Lepuscu/ina, like that interspace -
ally arcuate, but bending inward only about half as far on the second
median interspace, and consequently the line is not so far from the outer
margin, below this vein as in Lepuscudina. The psi mark is less distinct.
Reniform obsolete, except a curved mark, part of the inner or basal
portion of the annulus. One male has on one wing almost a perfect
orbicular but faint. It is elliptical, the long diameter parallel with costa
and much narrower thar the same in Lepusculina. Hind wings of male
white, soiled terminally and along the veins ; of female so much soiled as
to be gray. The fringes of both wings concolorous, checkered with black.
CANADIAN COLEOPTERA.
The Council of the Entomological Society of Ontario has decided
upon rearranging the Society’s collection of Coleoptera according to
Henshaw’s List. ‘This will necessitate the entire reprinting of the “ List
of Canadian Coleoptera,” and as it is desirable that the new list should
be as full and as correct as possible, our friends will confer a great favour
by forwarding to the Secretary a list of all new names of Canadian beetles
that they may have obtained by correct identification. As it is necessary
that the list should be placed in the hands of the printers with as little
delay as possible, our readers are desired to reply to this request at once.
Henshaw’s numbers will be printed on the new list, which will be for sale
in sets when completed,
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 37
MR. SMITH ON CERATHOSIA.
BY A..R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN.
In reply to Mr. Smith’s paper, somewhat inappropriately styled
“Arctiide vs. Noctuide,” I would state that my original paper in Entom.
Amer. on Cerathosia had for its main object the pointing out of the
errors contained in Mr. Smith’s original description of the genus in the
neuration. When these errors are corrected according to my statements
(which latter in the main seem to be acknowledged by Mr. Smith as
correct), the probability ‘that the moth is an Arctian next to Utetheisa
is weakened, and, as I have shown it is not a Lithosian, the chances are
we must look for its position elsewhere. The secondary object of my
paper was to suggest that we might find a better place for Cerathosia
next to Acopa, etc., in the Noctuide. Now, in reply to Mr. Moeschler,
and Mr. Smith, I have to say, that I did not discuss vein 8 of Cerathosia.
I have also to complain that Mr. Smith is an unfair writer, who indulges —
in large expressions of condemnation upon small grounds (as for instance
the fact that some Lithosians have an accessory cell, while I give no acces-
sory cell as a character of the sub-family), and above all a writer who mis-
represents the party he desires to criticize. Mr. Smith alludes to a
paper on Cerathosia “not yet reached.” I advise him when that paper
is reached, to have any statement it may contain as to the neuration of
Cerathosia corrected according to my original corrections, I have no
objections to my writings being “handled without gloves,” as Prof.
Fernald says Mr. Smith does, when the criticism is fair and reasonable.
.
A FINAL WORD ABOUT THE GENUS. RILEYA.
BY WM. H. ASHMEAD.
In the last issue of the Can. Ent. Mr. Howard, with a commendable
solicitude for my entomological reputation, and under a heavy discharge
of deadly parallel columns, seeks to evade the question at issue between
us, 2. ¢., who has priority in the use of the generic term Rileya; and not-
withstanding the opportunity was afforded him to rechristen his interesting
genus, he seems loath to do so, and again, by a misrepresentation, makes
a claim of priority in publication.
Had Mr. Howard written read instead of ‘‘published,” he would have
been nearer the truth. However, this may have been another /apsus
38 : THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
penne. His published description first appeared in the October number
of the Can. Enr., nearly five months after the publication of “‘ my synop-
tic tables,” as previously pointed out by me, and the points claimed by
him are without value. ee air:
In order to close a controversy that has already assumed an incon-
sistent warmth, I now propose for Mr. Howard’s genus the name CArysu-
platycerus, and the species may in future be known as Chrysop/atycerus
splendens Howard. iat
CORRESPONDENCE.
| A FLOCK OF BUTTERFLIES.
Dear Sir: While in the interior of New Guinea, in Aug., 1883, I
observed what might properly be called a flock of butterflies. They were
apparently of one species* (of a dark brown color, with a blue reflection
on the fore wings in a certain light), and in such great numbers as to
actually blacken the green bushes on which they lit. I first came across
them one day, while out after birds, in a thick and shaded part of the
tall forest, in low land adjoining the Laloki river. Being so numerous, I
supposed it would be an easy matter to catch all I desired without the
aid of a net, but after several unsuccessful attempts, in which case they
would rise in a cloud and settle again in a few moments on the bushes
close at hand, I was obliged to give it up. They did not seem to be very
much disturbed at my approach, but would not, however, allow me to get
very near without taking flight. As soon as I remained still, they would
immediately settle on bushes and foliage close by, but always out of
reach. The flock was, perhaps, two acres in extent, but the butterflies
were not equally numerous over this entire area. In some places every
bush, branch, twig and leaf seemed to be covered with them, while in others
there were comparatively few. What their object was, or how long they
remained in that locality, I am.unable to say, except that in visiting the
place several days afterwards, they were still there in apparently undi-
minished numbers. I might add none were seen feeding, and, so far as I
observed, there were no flowers in bloom anywhere in the vicinity. —
: S. W. Denton, Wellesley, Mass.
* The name is: unknown to me, but I have a specimen of this butterfly which,
if returned, I, will send to any person who is capable and willing to determine it. |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 39
ARZAMA OBLIQUATA.
Dear Sir: The recent communications of Mr. Brehme and Mr.
Moffat (Can. ENT. xx.-119, 130, 180, 238), have revived my interest in
the habits of Arzama Obliguata, G. and R. At the Minneapolis meet-
ing Entomological Club A. A. A. S. (1883), the habits of the insect were
discussed at some length, principally by Dr. Riley and myself. So much of
the discussion as the Secretary considered worth printing, may be found
in Vol. xv. of the Can. Ent., pp. 171 and 174. The only difference
worth noticing between us was in regard to whether there are two broods
annually or one. It was finally agreed that both were correct—quite un-
usual in matters of this kind! In all probability, about Washington there
are two, whilst in Western New York there is but one ; if this be so, some
of the apparent discrepancies of your correspondents may be cleared up.
Mr. Brehme describes the egg, and Dr. Riley the masses of eggs (xv.-171).
It would be of interest if Mr. Brehme would communicate the manner of
occurrence of the eggs. I have not been so fortunate as to find these
bodies, but have followed the quite young larvee to maturity. I feel sure
that it is single brooded in New York and Canada, and that the mature
larva in the fall swims to land if necessary (see xv.-174), and crawls into
loose earth, or preferably into old wood, or under rubbish where it remains
until spring, transforming in May. I have ransacked 7y//a stalks at all
seasons for borers, ancl do not remember to have found this larva, nor
have I any notes stating that it was ever found as larva late in autumn or
in spring within the stalks, or that it was found to transform in the same.
Whatever the habits may be in New Jersey, or at Washington, I have evi-
dence which confirms the correctness of Mr. Moffat’s impressions of the
habits of the species in his latitude.
Dec. 17, 1888. D. S. Ke.uicorr, Columbus, Ohio.
PIERIS. ILAIRE, GODT.
Dear Sir: Iwish to record in your valuable journal the capture of
Pieris tlaire Godt. at Lancaster, N. Y. The accidental occurrence of
such southern forms at this northern locality has a certain interest which,
I think, will warrant this notice. The present specimen was taken flutter-
ing around a corn field on the 22nd of September, 1880. For about a
40 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
week previously warm southerly winds had prevailed with little or no
rain, followed by a light frost on the morning of the 21st. At first sight
of the butterfly I recognized it as a stranger to our neighbourhood, and
with care succeeded in capturing it without further injury, if indeed such
were possible, as it was already a woeful looking object, the wings were
torn and badly denuded, and the poor creature hardly had the strength
to support itself the few yards it attempted to fly. For eight years I have
kept this sorry looking treasure hoping some day to learn its name and
history, and in this I have at last been successful. Poey gives a good
figure of the female in his Centurie des Lepidopteres de Tlle de Cuba,
and it is well described by Boisduval in his Species gen. des
Lepidopteres, vol. 1, p. 491.. The present example is a large female
with the black border of the wings unusually broad, which variation is
mentioned by Boisduval. The most northern habitat that I can find is
given in French’s Butterflies of the Eastern United States, as “ Indian
River, Florida, Texas and Arizona,” but I have had little opportunity for
investigating the subject, and it may be a more common visitor in the
north than I: imagine. Prof. Grote, in his charming paper on the Geo-
graphical Distribution of the N. A. Lepidoptera, published in the eigh-
teenth volume of this journal, has given us a very serviceable classifica-
tion of the origin of the N. A. fauna. Probably P. é/aire pertains to the
fourth table of his third category (p. 236), at least two of the species there
enumerated appear to have been taken here, viz., Zhysania zenobia and
Brotis vulneraria. Tf, however, it breeds continuously in the Southern
States, its association with Erebus odora in Grote’s second table (p. 235)
would seem more natural, and would render its occurrence here less
surprising. E. P. Van Duzee, Buffalo, N, Y. _
The second paper on “ Popular and Economic Entomology,” which
was promised for this number, has been prepared by Mr. Fletcher, but
owing to the cuts required for its illustration being in the hands of the
printers of the Annual Report at Toronto, it has been found necessary at
the last moment to defer it till next month.
Mailed February 9th,
Che Canadian Entomologist.
mls AX. LONDON, MARCH, 1880. No.
7?
a
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF
COLIAS MEADII, Epwarps.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
Ecc.—Fusiform, thick in the middle, tapering to a small rounded
summit, the base small, flat ; ribbed longitudinally after the manner of
the genus; colour yellow-green. Duration of this stage four to five days.
-Younc Larva.—Length, at 24 hours from egg, .06 inch; cylindrical,
even ; colour brown-green ; thickly covered with black points, from each
of which a short fine hair; head rounded, blackish-brown. Duration of
this stage five days.
After First Moult.—Length at 12 hours .11 inch; colour dull brown-
green ; the ridges thickly set with black points, each with short grey hair ;
head brown-yellow. To next moult six days.
After Second Moult.—Length at 12 hours .16 inch ; colour dark green,
covered with yellow points so thickly as to give a yellow hue to the
whole surface, each point with hair; a mid-dorsal dark stripe; a faint
indication of a yellow sub-dorsal line ; so also of a basal stripe; head
green-brown with many fine tubercles and hairs. To next moult about
six days. |
After Third Moult.—Length at 12 hours, .22 inch; along the under-
side of the indistinct sub-dorsal yellow line is an ill-defined row of black
spots, one to each segment from 3 to 11; the basal ridge yellowish, but
not yet showing a clear band. Later in the stage the black spots show
clearly, those on 3 and 4 largest, the rest diminishing regularly to a very
small one on 11; head as before. ‘To next moult five to seven days
After Fourth Moult—Length at 6 hours .46 inch; at 24 hours
an2. inch, |
Mature Larva.—Length .7 inch; cylindrical ; nearly even ; on the
flattened ridges are many points, each giving a short black hair; colour
42 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
dark yellow-green, the effect of the black hairs being to make the body
darker than in most species of the genus; a pale yellow narrow sub-
dorsal stripe, under which from 2 or 3 to 12 is a black spot on each
segment, the anterior ones largest, the others gradually lessening in size
to the last; along base a narrow white stripe; under side, feet and
pro-legs green ; head rounded, a little depressed at top ; colour green,
lighter than body, much covered with black tubercles with arts hairs.
From fourth moult to pupation five days.
Curysais.—Length .66 inch; breadth across mesonotum .16 inch,
across abdomen .18 inch ; greatest depth .22 inch; shape of the genus ;
compressed laterally, the thorax on ventral side prominent ; head case
pointed, beak-like, the projection less prolonged than in some or most
species observed ; mesonotum rounded, carinated, the sides sloping, a
little convex,; followed by a shallow depression; abdomen conical ;
colour green-yellow, all the ventral side being brighter than the dorsal,
and the projection at head quite yellow ; a mid-dorsal darker line, and —
a faint sub-dorsal line ; all the dorsal side and the ventral of abdomen
dotted and mottled whitish, the wing cases and ventral side to head
finely granulated. Duration of this stage, in the only case where the
butterfly appeared the same season in which the egg was laid, six days.
This alpine species is found in the Rocky Mountains, in Colorado,
and probable throughout the range to British America. Certainly it is if
£lis, Strecker, is synonymous with it, as I believe to be the case. Mr.
Mead first took this Colias on top of the “divide” between the Platte
and Arkansas valleys, about 12,000 feet elevation, and says he took none
lower than at 10,000 feet. Mr. Bruce says the proper habitat is from
11,000 to 12,000 feet, though, when the butterflies get into the narrow
canons, they will follow the track down to 9,000 feet at least, and
mentions (CAN. ENT., xix., 228) having taken several at Webster,
at 9,000. ;
I received a number of young larva, 23rd July, 1888, from Mr. W. S.
Foster, at Salida, Col., which had hatched en route. The female was
taken on Marsha’l Peak, 11,000 feet, 15th July, and confined over
Astragalus. One of these larvee passed first moult 27th July, the third
moult 9th August (the second not observed), the fourth moult r4th
August, pupated on rgth, anda female imago came forth 25th August.
But the other larvae, by 28th August, were in lethargy, and soon after
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 43
' were sent to Clifton Springs, New York, to go in the refrigerating house,
and there they are at this writing.
I had previously had eggs of the species from Mr. David Bruce, 25th
July, 1886, laid on 21st and 22nd July, and which hatched 26th. On
3tst July several of the larve passed, first moult; on 6th August began
to pass second ; on rsth, the third. None of these went to pupe, but
all were asleep early in September, and were sent to New York, but
were dead when I received them the following March.
The egg and pupa are like the same stages of Phélodice in shape ;
the larva is darker than any Colias I know of, and there is no red in the
basal stripe. The sub-dorsal line is not very distinct, but its place is
indicated by the row of black spots next it on lower side.
I had no difficulty in rearing these larvz on white clover, but at same
time, in 1888, could not induce larve of C. Scudderii to eat clover or
any other plant, and all died. The same was the case with C. zzferzor.
Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Scudder both also found it impossible to get larve
of interior to eat of any plant, though they offered everything any Colias
is known to eat that was procurable. These two larve are the only
Colias known to me that will not freely eat white clover or else Amorpha.
COLIAS CALSONIA, STo.t.
BY JEROME M’NEILL, MOLINE, ILL.
Somewhat to my surprise I found this species not uncommon here
during the collecting season of 1887. Although my entomological interest
lies in another direction, and I have, consequently, made no special effort
to obtain Lepidoptera, I find I have ten specimens of this striking Co/éas
in my collection, all of which I have taken during the summer and fall of
1887. On looking over the collection I discover that these specimens were
‘taken at three different times. One—a very much worn specimen, with
one hind wing gone—was captured the sixth of June, on Rock Island ; six
specimens were taken on the twenty-third of July in ar upland clover
field, two miles south-west of Moline. They are all fresh and bright, and
were found in company with C. philodice, Papilio chresphontes, P. turnus
and Danais archippus. The last three were taken September the six-
teenth, in a low-lying field, on the banks of the Mississippi, three miles
44 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
east of Moline. These specimens are, if possible, fresher than those taken —
July twenty-third. This species would, therefore, seem to be three
brooded in this latitude. There are also certain marked differences in
coloration, which may or may not be distinguishing characteristics of
seasonal varieties. The spring form, as it is represented by the single
specimen referred to, is distinguished by the absence of any indication of
the sub-marginal row of spots or points on the underside of the wings or
any trace of orange, except the two spots on the upper surface of the hind
wings ; the rose pink ray extending outwards from the body on the hind
wings is present. The summer form, as it is represented by the six in-
dividuals in my collection, is marked as follows:—The sub-marginal row
of spots on the under surface of the wings are none of them pink ; those
in the interspaces of the first and second, and second and third ediman
veinlets, being black, the others brown ; the pink stripe on the under side
of the hind wings is entirely wanting, and there is on the upper surface of
the hind wings a sub-marginal area of orange, bright or faint, which some-
‘imes extends from the marginal black band nearly to the orange discal
spot. ‘There is also in all of these specimens a clearly defined oblong
raised patch of scales of peculiar form extending along the upper side of
the sub-costal vein of the hind wing, from the costal vein to the branching
of the first sub-costal veinlet. These scales seem to stand on end, and
although I have not satisfied myself of the fact, I think it is probably that
these scale-like bodies, are excrescences on the true scales. This patch
of scales seems to be confined to the males. It varies in colour from
yellow to reddish-orange. | When it is yellow it is concolorous with the
adjacent surface, and not conspicuous, although the raised margin of the
outer edge is always very distinct on a closer examination. In the single
specimen of mine in which this area is reddish-orange, it is scarcely less
conspicuous than the “ dog’s head” when the anterior wings are pulled
forward far enough to expose it. Since it is present in all the males and
absent in all the females I have collected, I take for granted it is a sexual
mark. If this character has been described before, I have no knowledge of
the description, though it seems strange that it should have been overlooked.
Its presence would support Mr, Strecker and others in removing the species
from Colas. In the fall form, as represehted by the three speci-
mens taken September sixteenth, the brown spots on the under sides of
the wings are replaced by pink ; the two black spots between the first and
second, and second and third median veinlets, remaining unchanged ; the
BE ne es Ora
a RS, Vee>
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 45
pink stripe on the under side of the hind wings is prominent, and both”
pairs of wings are margined with a narrow stripe, in some places a mere
line of pink extending on the primaries from near the base along the costal
and outer margins to the anal angle, and on the secondaries along the
anterior and outer margins to the anal angle. On the upper side of the
hind wings the distribution of orange is very similar to that in the summer
form, but the marginal band of black, which in the latter is comparatively
' broad and dentated within in the fall form, is narrow and interrupted by
the veinlets, so that it is really composed ofa series of spots, sub-triangular
in shape, with the apex acute and sometimes prolonged into a narrow
_ _ line which extends into the orange as much as three-sixteenths of an inch.
ba The coloration of the female of this series is so remarkable that it seems
| to deserve a name, as apparently a dimorphic or at least an aberrant form,
and I propose that it be called rosa, if it should be found to be a constant
variation. The upper surface of the primaries does not differ essentially
from the type. The whole upper surface of the secondaries is powdered
with brownish-black and orange scales. The black scales are more
thickly clustered between the discal orange spot, which is partially
obscured by them, and the outer margin. This very much broadened
band only partially and unequally obscures the yellow ground colour so
that it includes within it a sub-marginal row of large, round, yellow spots,
about four in number. The under side of the primaries have the “ bright
yellow” of the apical portion replaced by bright, deep-rose pink. The
under sides of the secondaries are completely suffused with pink, the
greenish-yellow scales of the ground colour being partially exposed only
along the veins and veinlets. ‘The silvered “ pupils” are all that remain
of the discal spot and its accompanying spot without the cell. The pink
of the under surface is so prevalent that when the butterfly is at rest no
other colour is visible, and it looks like a pink blossom. My attention
was first called to it by seeing a large Co/zas a few yards in front of me
disappear just when I expected to see it at rest on a clover head, as it
would fly up at intervals I followed hoping to catch it resting but always
puzzled to see it apparently dive head first into the clover. At last,
growing impatient, I attempted to ‘force the fighting,” and although I
missed my game I so disturbed its flight that I caught a glimpse for the
first time of the pink under surface. I was now thoroughly interested
and I employed all my arts in vain to decoy or force the wary butterfly
into my net. In a few minutes after I had given up the pursuit I caught
46 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
‘in the same field the same butterfly, or more’ probably, considering the
ease with which the capture was made, another similarly coloured, As
soon as I had assured myself that the specimen was as pink as I had
supposed, I promised myself three or four, remembering that I had seen
two within half an hour, but although there were hundreds of phzlodice I
saw no more cesonia that day, and more pressing business prevented me
from returning to the locality as I had hoped.
ON THE CITATION OF LOCALITIES.
BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, WEST CLIFF, CUSTER CO., COL.
It is the custom nowadays to look down with great contempt on those |
old authorities, who considered ‘* North America,” or even “ America,” a
sufficiently accurate locality to give when describing a species ; but, per-
haps, we of the present age are not quite blameless of similar and (with :
our means of obtaining information) less excusable carelessness in, that
we often think it enough to give the name of the state or region only,
Of late, I have been going carefully through as much of the literature of
North American Entomology as I could get a sight of out here in the
wilderness, in order to catalogue the recorded Colorado insects for the
Colorado Biological Association, and I have been astonished at the number
of new species described with the localities given indefinitely, “ Colorado,”
“Texas,” and so on. Taking eighty-four species of moths at random,
mostly new, and recorded from Colorado of late years, I find only twenty-
six have the locality indicated nearer than ‘ Colorado ””—and I think this
is a very fair sample of the whole. Now, do these describers of species
ever stop to consider what “ Colorado” may mean? ‘That it may refer
to any altitude from below 4,000 to over 14,000 feet, and to anywhere i in an
area of no less than 103,948 square miles? That “Colorado” may mean — a
snowy peaks, mountain forests or valleys, or level treeless plains, each
presenting a distinct fauna of its own? Perhaps they do not stop to con.
sider these points, possibiy they do not care, so long as the species has
been properly classified and named, and is henceforth recognizable in the
cabinet. Well, we cannot all be systematic entomologists, students of
geographical distribution, biologists and the rest, but, surely we may be
precise in touching on departments not our own, and, if we are giving
localities, there is no reason why they should not be sufficiently accurate
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 47
and detailed to be useful. It may, perhaps, be answered that most of the
species ate not collected by the writers themselves, and the collectors sent
no exact localities. Probably not, but were they asked for them? Col-
lectors will supply proper localities, and often very interesting details if
they are given to understand that these are wanted—as is plainly evident
_ from the fact, that some few careful authors always manage to know where
_ __ their species come from, and a good deal about them besides.
My own idea in the matter is, that every description of new species
ought, if possible, to have the collector’s own notes appended thereto, so
that we might have some idea of what the /évzmg insect was like, and not
only have an account of its dried remains impaled on a pin. Fancy, if
someone undertook to write an account of the human race, founded en-
tirely upon information obtained in the post-mortem room and anatomical
- museums! But, if we cannot have biological notes, let us at least have
- __ localities—they can be got when they are wanted, and indeed, I have
known some instances in which names of localities have been’duly sent
in, but never mentioned by the describing author.
Sometimes authors take it for granted that because they write from a
certain place, it will be understood that the species were captured there,
but I could easily demonstrate that such an assumption, in all cases in
which the locality is not given, would lead us into quite ridiculous errors,
and this being so, how are we to discriminate? One usually precise
author, who has described a very large number of new species of late
years, has given for most of them only the name of the state in which he
resides, and for many no locality at all. Now, according to Packard, this
state embraces two distinct Zo6-geographical regions, so it becomes of
especial importance to know exactly where the insects in question came
from. So I wrote to this author, expostulating with him on this point,
and he replied that he quite agreed with me that localities should be
properly defined, and all the species I alluded to were to be understood
to come from the vicinity of the town in which he resided. Now, this is
excellent, provided that the lacking or indefinite: localities ave so under-
stood ; but on the face of it, until I had this information from the author,
this fact was not always evident. Perhaps it has been stated somewhere
in his writings; but this hardly betters matters for the student, who
naturally takes one paper at a time, and considers it on its own merits,
unless referred back to previous remarks bearing upon it.
Fortunately, there are some systematists who do appreciate the value
48 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of precision in localities, and I was pleasantly surprised a short time ago
at receiving the following from a well-known naturalist, to whom I had —
sent a list of mammalia, with their distribution given by counties :—*‘ I
hope you keep the exact localities as well as the counties, Most of the
counties in Colorado are so large that they include great variations in
altitude and physiographic conditions, and hence embrace widely different
faunai characteristics.” With this quotation I close the subject, com-
mending it to all describers of Colorado and other insects, and drawing
their attention to the fact, that after all it expresses the views of all really
competent Vertebrate Zoologists, Conchologists, and Botanists, and hoping
that in the future they also will give proper attention to the citation of
localities.
One other matter may deserve a passing notice—that of *giving credit
to collectors. I have nothing to complain of under this head myself, and
so can speak more freely. It seems to me, that a systematist who receives
specimens from a collector, who, we may assume, has gone to consider-
able trouble to collect them, and fails to credit him with the captures
when describing, does about as discourteous a thing as is possible in
Entomological literature. It would be very easy to show that from a
scientific point of view, it is always useful to know who collected the
specimens in question, and at the risk of being called egotistical, I do not
mind saying that I desire and expect that new species I may have collected
shall be duly credited to me in publication, and I am sure all other col-
lectors must feel the same. I do not wish to be personal, but very many
quite recent cases, in which no collector’s name has been given, will occur
to everyone*—I need not enumerate them. Some authors seem to think
that if they have obtained specimens from professional collectors, they are
then, at anyrate, at liberty to omit the collector’s name. It seems to me
that they are, if anything, under increased obligation to give it. Fancy
what an author would say if the editor of a magazine refused to publish
his name to an article because he had paid for it! This matter of crediting
collectors} is, I think, a serious one, but collectors can easily put it right
if they will make a point of only sending specimens to those who will give
them credit.
* In some of ‘these cases, however, the authors are probably blameless. It is not
always possible to ascertain who was the collector.
+ One kind of ‘ crediting,” however, I do think unwise. If Tompijelsn discovers
a new insect, I cannot myself see that that is any reason why the poor creature should
ever after be burdened with the name ‘‘ Zomphinsont” !!
ay
~
oe
%
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, AG
LENGTH OF LIFE IN BUTTERFLIES.
BY SAMUEL H. SCUDDER, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
Aurelians are frequently asked how long butterflies live. By this is
generally meant what is the length of life of the mature insect. As is
generally known, each species passes through one cycle of its existence
once a year, though it very frequently happens that two, three, or even
more generations succeed one another during a single season, and it has
been supposed (though never proven) to be the case with some that two
or more years are required for this cycle ; as is known to be true of some
other insects. But with regard to the length of life of the butterfly itself,
‘there is not a little variety ; when the disappearance of a given butterfly
is in consequence of the approaching cold season it may well be and often
is the case that the butterfly has merely gone into winter quarters to ap-
pear again on the wing the ensuing spring. In cases like these, the
duration of life of a butterfly may be as long as eight or nine months or
even more, for there are hibernating butterflies which emerge from the
chrysalis by the beginning of August or even in July, but which do not go
into winter quarters unfil September, October or even November, then
appear again the next season as soon as advancing spring has begun to
make itself felt, and continue upon the wing sometimes through June,
sometimes even into July. It is impossible to say certainly whether or
not the individuals flying latest in the spring number among them any
which were earliest to escape from the chrysalis in the preceding season.
But setting aside the chances of capture by their enemies, there is no
reason to believe it impossible, and that they may spend and probably in
many instances do spend fully ten months of the year in the winged con-
dition.
This conclusion may be reached also in another way. We may add
together the ordinary life period of the egg, the time it takes the caterpil-
~ lar to reach maturity, and the period of the chrysalis, and in. these hiber-
nating butterflies we shall rarely find that these stages together occupy on
the average more than two months. The remaining ten months must
therefore be the average time spent upon the wing, ‘That many may live
eleven months or even twelve seems probable, for a butterfly may continue
to fly for some time after the first eggs are laid, especially in the case of
those which lay but one at a time, where the eggs do not develop in the
50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
<5.
ovaries at once, but slowly and by degrees, and so are deposited in sue-
cession over a considerable period of time. eee
In an article in the Can. Ent. (xiii., 205-214) on this subject, Mr. W.
H. Edwards has laboured to show that eggs are almost invariably laid by
butterflies fresh from the chrysalis, and that the butterfly dies soon after
the laying of the eggs. This proves quite too much, for if it were so, a
butterfly would hardly fly more than a week. ‘That eggs are often laid by |
butterflies soon after eclosion from the chrysalis is doubtless true, but —
there are quite as many cases where egg laying is delayed for a consider- _
able length of time,—two, three or four weeks ; an examination. of the
ovaries of butterflies will show that it is rarely the case that all the eggs”
are laid even within two or three days of each other, but that they mature
by degrees too slowly for such rapid oviposition. There are of course —
some, in which the eggs are laid in masses, when a greater number are
laid in a single day, but the cases are far more numerous when egg laying —
is continued over many days, and sometimes probably over isk
weeks. .
It is possible that the duration of the life of butterflies is pe in the
north than in the south. As one approaches the tropics, insectivorous
birds and other creatures are far more destructive of butterfly life than
with us, and the chance of long life upon the wing must be greatly less-
ened with the numerous liabilities to disaster which overtake the poor but-
terfly in the warmer regions. There may even be a difference in this
respect between districts so near each other as West Virginia and New
England. For certainly my own experience of the overlapping of broods
of different butterflies as seen by me in New England is very different
from that reported by Mr. Edwards in West Virginia, and inasmuch as
these broods follow each other with greater rapidity in Vigeu than with
us, the difference is thereby exaggerated. :
To judge from the statistics that I have collected from observations
made in the field both by myself and numerous correspondents, I am in-
clined to think that, in the case of those butterflies which are born and -
die the same season, the average length of life of the mass of them, that
is, Omitting mention of those which, cut off early, come to an untimely
end, to be not far from four or five weeks, varying in different species
from three to six or seven. Of course it is impossible to arrive at any
very accurate determination regarding this, since in the case of any par-
ticular species we are obliged to base our conclusions on observations of
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 51
the times when the earliest butterflies were seen, when they became most
abundant, when the numbers perceptibly diminished, or specimens became
old and worn, and when the last were seen. It is particularly difficult to
decide upon the average age of individuals, when, as is not infrequently
the case, a brood of butterflies is augmented by gradual accretions for a
long period of time, three, four or five weeks. It is again difficult in the
‘case of those butterflies, and there are not a few of them, like some of our
Argynnidi, which appear upon the wing in mid-summer, receive a sudden
accession to their numbers a month or two after the advent of the earliest
and then only begin to lay their eggs. I, for one, can hardly believe
that all these earliest individuals perish before the season for egg laying,
and I even think from the condition of specimens, worse and worse as
the season progresses, that some of the earliest live to the last and are
upon the wing sometimes for two and three months of the year.
ON SPECIFIC NAMES.
BY A, R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
Dr, Williston, in his painstaking work on the Syrphida, says:
“There are no generic and specific limitations in nature,” and illustrates
the statement by the present knowledge of the family with which his
synopsis deals. And what Dr. Williston brings forward is a mere quota
of the mass of evidence brought out by naturalists generally, and by ento-
mologists dealing with the different orders of insects. But while, theo-
retically, the essential unity of living forms or of nature as a whole may
be granted, the practical question of what names we shall bestow upon
our specimens and upon what basis these names shall repose, must be
solved. Our systems of nomenclature must be brought into consonance
with the facts observed. And it is well that our nomenclature be not too
rigorous, so that I have expressed the opinion in these pages that we shall
have to use in certain cases a trinomial title. With regard to the test for
genera in the moths, I have to refer for my conclusions to a paper in
Papilio, 3, 35, where I say that the amount and extent of the peculiarity
gives the criterion, not the £7zd. Every well-marked variation and modi-
fication of structure, which can be clearly made out by the microscope or
otherwise, is of generic value. The moment this rule is departed from,
we are thrown upon individual “ opinions.” All the characters which,
when well-marked, are of generic importance, are liable to slighter modi-
52 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST!
fications, which are only specific. It is the Aiud, constancy or amount of
these modifications which must decide the class in our artificial divisions
of these natural objects. And here the tact of the specialist, of which —
Dr. Williston also speaks, comes into play. With regard to the criterion
for species, I have expressed myself already clearly in these pages, so far
as the Lepidoptera are concerned. For the student of butterflies and —
moths, the criterion for species must lie in a knowledge of the whole life -
of the insect. If it breeds true to type, nowhere encroaching upon the —
cycle of its neighbour, we must bestow a specific title. The insect is to-
day a species, whatever its ancestry, whatever its probable future develop- ©
ment. The fact, from our experience, may be assumed without a know-
ledge of the larva and natural history, but w#ti/ this knowledge is also
added to our observations on the perfect insect, the specific title is not
firmly or conclusively founded. This is what I meant to say with regard
to the forms of Cad/imorpha. Now in separating the forms of Datana,
we had alcoholic specimens of the larva and the personal observa- _ s
tions of Mr. Angus to fall back upon, for most of the species. And the —
fact with these moths that in the earliest stages the species are not dis-
tinguishable on sight, has been shown by Mr. Wm. H. Edwards to be
true with nearly related butterflies, as for instance species of Colias. —
While breeding has revealed to us a number of questions, such as
dimorphism, which we must take into consideration, I must still renew
my protest against /umping upon grounds drawn from the perfect insect
alone and upon insufficient evidence. The new facts lead us insensibly
to criticize species, to conceive a prejudice against them, and then to lump
without sufficient evidence. And I repeat, that as Entomologists we are
here to discriminate, to separate, not to confound. Butterflies were by
the ancient Hebrews classed among “flying things.” From this primitive
conception of their place in animated nature, we have gradually come
to-day into nearer definitions of their relationship.
In the discussion of all these questions there can be no progress
without reasonableness. Temper and even position will not ultimately
decide these questions, although the melancholy conclusion of Spinoza
is here not without its truth: “ unusquisque tantum juris habet, quantum
potentia valet.” The appeal to time need not always have to be made.
A great deal of what is wrong and one-sided need not afflict us, as
Entomologists, if we would only take matters coolly, or only grow wae,
over the beauties ef our treasures.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. v
DR. CHRISTIAN ZIMMERMANN.
BY H. A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
_ There. exists no biography nor necrology of this excellent entomologist,
as far as known to me, though he lived for thirty-nine years in the United
States. I am much indebted to Dr. Geo. C. Horn for Zimmermann’s note-
book, which, with his library, came into the hands of the late Dr. J. L.
Leconte.
Only a very short abstract of the contents, which are written wholly in
German, can be given. The entries begin with Zimmermann’s earliest
boyhood and end in 1843, followed by a few pages for 1865. The narrow
pages contain only the substances of events in short phrases, often very
cutting, both for Europe and for America. If the whole could be pub-
lished, it would give a very interesting picture of the life of an excellent —
naturalist, always kept down and hindered by want and ill-luck, but always
ready to “begin again.” It is sad that such a life, akin to the remarkable
histories of former ages published by the masterhand of G. Freytag, should
have been possible in the 1gth century—a continuous struggle of a noble -
soul with continuous misfortune.
Christian Zimmermann was born in Quedlinburg, Prussia, September
6, 1800. His father and three generations before him were carpenters, as
the name indicates ; all were born and died in Quedlinburg. Christian
entered the gymnasium in 1811, and graduated in 1821. ‘The note-book,
May 26, 1814, says: ‘‘I am to-day 5000 days old.” (He always counts
his life, both in Europe and here, by the tooo days.) The collection of
beetles begins, and the study of music. His talent for music must have
been obvious, as one year later he played the organ for the church-service,
and studied thorough bass. When he graduated he writes: ‘ Up to this
time my money was made by keeping score for target-shooting, teaching
children, giving music-lessons, organ-playing, copying music, furnishing
music at funerals, stuffing birds.”
His parents, who were poor, proposed that he should choose a pro-
fession; but determined to study, he went to Halle, where he stayed as
student from 1821 to 1825. He passed his examination after having
attended the lectures in theology, philology and philosophy, but his ento-
mological studies were never neglected..
In 1827 he published his first music, a Polonaise. When he left Halle
in 1828, he was already acquainted with a large number of eminent
54 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
zoologists. He went to Berlin, and writes: ‘ Great expectations, small
success, a load of cares, experience of the world.” He worked with Prof.
Klug in the Museum, and gave Latin lessons to barbers’ apprentices.
March, 1829, working up the genus Amara, of which some sheets were
printed. 1830, very bad times begin; wantof money. 1831, monograph
of the genus Zabrus finished ; printed in June. | Seeley
During this time he had become acquainted with many prominent ento-
mologists and with a large number of students, who later became famous,
but the constant want of means was.so depressing that he decided to try
his fortune as a collector in Mexico. He sold his collection of 2,400
species of beetles and his books. To enable him to fulfil his intentions,
twenty-four naturalists of prominence from Germany, England and Russia
subscribed six hundred dollars, and a number of friends six hundred and
eighty dollars to pay his debts. This was all repaid with interest by
Zimmermann, as soon as he had made money here, as a page in his note-
book states. He left Hamburg, Aug. 5, 1832, as steerage passenger for
Philadelphia. He began directly to collect, and to study the English
language. His collection grew rapidly, but in a few months he saw
that it was impossible to work in expensive America for cheap Europe
without running in debt. So he decided to leave Philadelphia and to try
his luck as a teacher in South Carolina. He made the_trip, according to
the custom of German students, on foot, a knapsack on his shoulders and
a few dollars in his pocket. This journey of 713 miles, in the midst of a
severe winter, and attended with much hardship, which proves his excel-
lent health and strength, was made in fifty days, with twenty-seven dollars
in cash, six dollars credit, three maps, one book and a pocket-knife. The
visit to Dr. Melsheimer on this trip has been published before by me.
The detailed report of excursion given by Zimmermann to Prof. Burmeis-
ter is very interesting, but has never been printed. Zimmermann had no
idea that he was here considered simply a tramp, which explains easily
and rightly most of his complaints. oe
In Georgetown, S. C., he tuned pianos and gave music-lessons till he
was engaged in the South Carolina Female Institute, at Berhamville, to
teach music and drawing. This happy change in his circumstances
allowed him to pay directly the debts made in Europe, with five per cent.
interest. He collected largely ; sometimes quoting the number collected |
at the end of the month or the year, as: ‘11,508 specimens have been
or
Or
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
collected,” besides mentioning any remarkable forms. He made many
~ excursions, visited Cambridge (where he saw Harris), Niagara, Albany,
the Catskills, New York and its surroundings. He made the acquaintance
of every naturalist of eminence. He sent to Europe many insects and
received many from there, together with the newest publications. His cor-
respondence was apparently a large one.
_ After a few years his situation in the school where he was engaged was
given up; it had become unpleasant sometime before. He possessed now
an excellent collection, very comfortable furniture and three thousand
dollars, and decided to buy a little farm to be used as a nursery and for
raising silk-worms. In 1839 he made, as he states, fourteen “farm reisen ”
in Philadelphia, Maryland and other states, partly with Ziegler and Morris.
His project proved to be a failure, and he decided to return to Europe
and to send his property to New York. After a,short visit to Harris, he
went to New York to find that the vessel with all his property was lost in
a fearful storm. His note-book says: ‘Sept. 10, I am notified of the
loss of my collection and property.” ‘‘ Sept. 16,{beginning of a new collec-
tion; the voyage is given up.” “Sept. 25, invitation of Harris to come
to Cambridge,” where he stayed until November 12. On Nov. 7th new
insect-boxes were bought of the box-maker, Newell, in Cambridge. He
made many excyrsions with Harris, whose family very well remember
the German naturalist.
The next year he lived in Baltimore, occupied with entomological
systems and excursions with Mr. Morris, and decided to return to South
Carolina. Feb. 27, records a “ letter to Hannah, with an offer of marriage.’’
March 21, ‘“ Hannah answers ‘yes.’” April 3, “I find Horia sanguini-
pennis.” April 14, ‘‘I find Trichius maculosus.”
He had made the acquaintance of Mrs. Hannah Green, aftewards his
wife, seven years ago in Georgetown, S.C. We find in his note-book,
“Evening with Hannah ; drawings on the wall ; Sweet Home and picture ;
quarrels plenty.” Monday, June 21, “‘Arrivalat Rockingham, N.C.” June
22, “I reach the town in the morning, visit Hannah at noon, and am
married in the evening.”
“* Hannah begins her school, July 16, with sixteen pupils, and seven
pupils of mine in music and drawing.”
Sept. 17, dispute took place with Hannah about American culture,
56 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
and the fight that lately happened in Washington AMON | the members of
Congress.”
It very soon became apparent that it was fapiesakie: to sili ‘a com-
fortable living in North Carolina, and they decided to return to Columbia,
S.C. Here they built a school-house, forty feet by sixteen, which was
inaugurated December 18, 1843. The expense was, for the building, $417 ; —
for Loring’s globes, $33. Income during the year, $1,521; expenses, $1,277.
This is the last entry in the diary, and I know nothing more of his life
except what is told in some letters to Thaddeus W. Harris. Some
extracts follow: “1865, January 1, I posséss $570 in Confederate money ;
$200 in Confederate bonds ; $900 in certificates ; $200 in provision store
shares ; $13 in bank notes ; $114 in silver. Feb. 10, the Yankees are in
Barnwell Co. To-day’s prices—A load of oak wood, $140 ; a barrel of
flour, $550; a pound of brown sugar, $12; a bushel of corn, $35. Feb.
17, the Yankees are here, 75,000 strong. Thisis the last day of Columbia.
They at once entered the houses, got drunk and set fire to everything. I
began to move everything that could be moved into the garden ; but they
broke open the trunks and boxes. with their swords, and followed this up
with a regular and general plunder. Feb. 22, the Army has left. All
quiet. My collection and books brought back in the house. Expenses
for this day—1 bushel meal, $40 ; 13 lbs. beef, $22 ; molasses, $6. July
1, we still possess $1,100 Confederate State bonds, worth nothing ; $915
Confederate treasury notes, worth nothing ; $13 South Carolina bank bills,
worth — (?) ; $3 South Carolina state bills, worth se silver money,
$74; gold, $2.50; copper, 5c. We must begin again at the beginning.”
This is the closing sentence. These few, simple words, without any moan
over the loss of his all, are not a little touching, all the more so,. because
the pathos is unintentional—the pathos of facts, not of words. They call
to mind his former record of the loss of everything by shipwreck on the
roth September, 1839, followed by the entry on Sept. 16th, *“ ‘Beginning « of ,
a new collection.”
Zimmermann died in December, 1867; He left no children. _ .
His interest in science was always kept up. . Nearly every month the
number of insects collected is reported, sometimes amounting to 3,725,
and during the year to 11,500. In November, 1842, he sent fifty dollars
to T. W. Harris, to buy three Goliaths. He constantly ‘bought books
both in Europe and America, and his library was valuable, It was-bought
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 57
by ‘the “Museum of Harvard College, in ‘Cambridge, excepting § some -yol-
umes which \ were retained for his own use > by Dr. au I. Leconte, at whose
instance the purchase was made.
is collection is also in the Museum, haying been bought first ‘ Dr.
Lewis, of Philadephia, and from him by the late R. Crotch, who sold it
to the Musetm. A great part is in Leconte’ S collection, and can be Tecog-
nized at once by the numbers on the pins in Zimmermann’s hand- -writing.
He was an unwearying worker. In 1842, he wrote to Harris that he
was occupied with a systematic arrangement of the Lamellicorns, and
wanted Echiurus and Goliath for study. In April, 1844, he writes again
to Harris: ‘I have almost finished my chapter on Lamellicorns.”
(To be Continued.)
NOTES FOR COLLECTORS VISITING THE PRAIRIES AND.
| ROCKY 2 dad seed ies
BY GAMBLE GEDDES, TORONTO.
“Now that the winter is well advanced and before many weeks are
over spring will be upon us, it reminds me of many enquiries made
during the last few years about the localities and dates of diurnals cap-
tured by me in the North-west in 1883 and 1884. These particulars are
nearly all to be found at the National Museum of the Geological Museum
at Ottawa, but for the benefit of those who may be visiting the North-
west with a view to collecting diurnals, I propose to give such informa-
tion about the rarest species as my notes supply, and as my heniied. time
will permit. mom
Beginning with June soth, 1883, at Baa. N. W, r, I find
Phyciodes carlota Reak. was taken, and Lyceua afra W. H. Ed.
June 12th, Fort Ellis.—Zredéa peas Butl. was in beautiful con-
dition.
June 15th, Medicine Hat.—Codias Scudderii 9 and ree christina
o, Canonympha inornata.
June 29th.—C. christina { plentiful, . Astrea ? (?) one specimen
or two.
June goth, Calgaiy.— — Chionobas varuna, Satyrus var. boopis, Lycena
afra, L. anna, L. amyntula, L. rustica, L. sepiolus, C. ochracea and
_inoynata; of Colias four varieties, viz.: C. Edwardsii, C. Scudderti,
58 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Red ries ae seer
C. alexandra and C., christina ; Anthocharis olympia, | A. ausonid
about the swamps ; Arg rynnis nevadensis, A. _artonis, A. Edwardsii, . A
bellona; ‘Phyciodes carlota, P. tharos; | Chrysophanus cpixanthe, C. ee
helloides, Pamphila Manitoba, Zabulon, Cernes, | Manataagqua. Not a |
bad day’s work for the last day of June. oe ss
July 8th, Edmonton, _— Arg. lais and eybele, “ime | arth, Le
disippus, Lyc. anna. No Colias or Pieris seen to-day. © ete oe ae
July 23rd, Fort Macleod.—Arg. deto 3 and Chrys. sirius. — a
July 25th to 30th, Pincher Creek.—Arg. clio and eurynome taken 5 oy ae
Arg. artonis; Pieris occidentalis. fe
July 30th.—First specimens of Parnassius smiutheus, Chrysophanus cee
Florus, Cot. Scudderii 2 pale green. Several taken. ees
Aug. 1st.—TZhecla mopsus, T: titus. (a i
Aug. 2nd, Garnett Ranche, mouth of Crow Nest Pass.— Colzas Hagenii a8
Aug. 3rd.—far. smiutheus. Very common, both sexes. 7
Aug. 5th.—Satyrus charon, and Sat. sylvestris, and Arg. leto. ps
Aug. 6th.— Arg. boisduvallii, Limenitis enue hea martian °
Mel. pallas, Mel. nubigena. o
Aug. 8th.— Arg. monticola, Pieris oleracea. Aa
Aug. 15th, Belly River.—Co/. Hagenii ; dwarfed in size, and every |
shade from albino'to orange. : ie RE oe
In 1884 I started much later, leaving Toronto 26th ines? 7 Soe
June 30th.—Saw one 2 ee set first wey out west from
Winnipeg. mel ea ee
July 1st, Swift Current-—Ehysophantus tione Ars. Boards. A, 4
Nevadensis, Euptoieta claudia. —
July 3rd to 7th, Calgary. —Cod. Be alee. A. lais, A. Nevaiensis, A.
artonis, Thymelicus hylax. ie Bas
July roth, Morley (now sess station, = Pp. R. —Lycena shasta 5
Arg. monticola. ee
Aug. ist, Laggan.—Anthocharis epee and ausonides, Chess, .
mariposa, Chion chryxus, Colias edis. ‘This was a grand point for col-
lecting. Emerald Lake, about 4 miles from here; is a lovely bis a
the vegetation plentiful and varied, with large’ numbers of insects.
I have curtailed this as much as possible, but I shall be glad to” cor:
respond with anyone going to ‘colléct this’ season, with a certain feeling
that, if the eggs of Coéias efis caw be’ obtained} we iets abi: the” mystery
cleared up about the % of this beautiful fly, 9° © ~~ Guneree che
>
THE GANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 59
seaget oy “AGAIN, RILEYA.
Mt ates yy: Py rg
¥8 hothe: ae “BY ii, 0. HOWARD, WASHINGTON, Dy Gera
\o ith all; etericenial, writings. were as happy as Mr. Ashmead’s last,
geaders.of the CANaDIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, would not regret the space
occupied, and I, am. glad that one side of the. controversy is interesting
reading. 1 hope 1 may. be ‘allowed space to. say that Mr. Ashmead
admits in conversation that he has erred in his statement that my first
publication of the description of Rileya was in the CaNapIaN ENTOMOLO-
Gist for Oct., 1888, as I have shown him the last page of Aztomologica
Americana for July, 1888. May I also state dates once more? Mr.
Ashmead’s first mention of Rileya was published in his synoptic table in
Lintom. Am. for June, 1888. My full description was then in the hands
of Mr. Smith, and was published in Extom. Am. for July, 1888. Mr.
Ashmead’s full description appeared in the Kansas Agric. Exper. Station
Bull., in July, nine days later than mine. Entomologists following Mr. Ash-
mead’s views are perfectly at liberty to use the excellent generic name he
has proposed for my Rileya, while for the use of those who adopt my
views, (and I am happy to say that several well-known entomologists have -
expressed themselves in my favour), I venture to propose for the
Eurytomid genus which was called Rileya, the appropriate generic name
Ashmeadia, as indicating my appreciation of Mr. Ashmead’s unflagging
industry as an entomological worker.
CORRESPONDENCE.
. COLIAS CHIONE, CURTIS. A
..\ Dear Sir: lt may be of interest to some of our readers, who are in-
‘terested in the genus Colias, to know. that Mr. F. Fitz Payne, (who ac-
‘companied Lieut. Gordon’s expedition on the “ Alert” to the Arctic
‘regions), brought back amongst his collection a single specimen of a
‘most peculiar green coloured female Colias. It was sent to Mr. W. H.
‘Edwards first, who examined it, but did not pronounce decidedly upon
aitsmame. <A few weeks ago Mr. Henry Edwards was spending an after-
‘moon’ with me, not long after his visit to the British Museum, and he
assures me I have got the 2 of Colias Chione, Curtis. The only other
specimen known being in the British ‘Museum. I observe that Mr.
60 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, a ee
Kirby has placed this in his catalagie of fared Lepidoptera as variety
“A” of C. Boothii Curtis, and both Boothii and Chione were taken in
Ross's 2nd voyage, and both the species and’ variety were described by —
Curtis, in 1835. It would be a curious coincidénce if; after an interval of —
over half a century this ‘turned out to’be a good species. I have written ce
to a friend, who constantly visits: the British Museum, for full- particulars oe
and description of the specimen in the collection there, and will statehis
views through the medium of the Canapian’ EnTomotocist in a future —
number. GamBLE Geppes, Toronto! ~
ARCTIA PHYLLIRA, DRURY.
Dear Sir: When I was in London a year ago, working on the ot.
Society’s collection, I found amongst the Arctians one that clearly didnot —__
belong to any of the forms represented therein; it had the label of A. Pp. pte
Saunders attached, bearing date July 6th, 1886. Being unknownto me
I labelled it “undetermined,” and laid it aside ; recently, however, when
turning over some of the books in the splendid library of the Society, 1
found the unnamed Arctian unmistakably represented on plate Ixiv,
vol. 2 of Smith & Abbot, and named Phalena phyllira; also in West-
wood’s Drury; vol. 1, plate vii, fig. 2. iit is quite an attractive form, ag
and new to the Canadian list. Mr. H. S. Saunders also has a specimen,
taken at electric light, Sep. 6th, 1887. J. ALSTON MOFFAT. |
NOTE. ee
Later on there will certainly be more to be said respecting certain
points touched upon by me in the Can. Env. for 1888, but there are four
things it will be useful to refer to now. Since writing on Wathadis iole
=e
SORTED EYE
(p. 156) I have found that there exists a form of the f in which the: a
“orange spot ” is yellow during life. With regard to the forms of Codias
eurytheme in this locality (p. 201), I now find there is a short flight of —
genuine eriphy/e here in September, but the specimens are not so extreme
in their divergence from autumnalis as one Mr. W. H. Edwards sent me _
(locality not stated). I shall have more to say about all these forms of
enrytheme later on. ‘The yellow spider on pink flowers (p. 176) and the
Asilid fly attacking C. eurytheme (p. 202) have been kindly examined by
Dr. C. V. Riley and pronounced to be species of A/isumena and
Stenopogon. T. D. A. CockeRELL, West Cliff, Col. |;
Mailed March 7th. eet
a faa
at
Se an snsttee amemeerot O
su
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XXL. LONDON, APRIL, 18809. No. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF ARGE
-GALATHEA, Linn., WITH NOTES ON CERTAIN SATYRINZ.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
Ecc. — Sub-ovoid, broadest on lower third, the base flattened ;
covered with a very slight rhomboidal network over the upper third, with
iow knobs at the angles ; on the middle the network is still more slight,
but the knobs are distinct, and on the lower third the knobs are minute
and unconnected by lines; summit flattened, concave ; the micropyle in
centre of very fine network without knobs ; colour bone-white. Duration
of this stage about 20 days.
Younc Larva.—Length, at 12 hours from the egg, .1 inch; thickest
anteriorly, tapering to 13, which ends in two short sub-conical tails ; colour
yellow, with a tint of red ; the tubercles arranged as in Erebia, forming
three longitudinal rows on either side ; these are small, conical, each with
a long curved whitish hair ; feet, legs and under side same colour as upper
surface ; head sub-globose, broader than 2, granulated, with a few whitish
points and long hairs ; colour brownish-yellow. The larve hibernated
from the egg.
After First Moult.—Length at 12 hours, .18 inch; colour yellow-buff ;
a narrow pinkish mid-dorsal stripe, a sub-dorsal same width, then as much
of buff on side, and a broad pinkish stripe to the basal ridge, which is
yellowish.; under side, feet and legs, yellow-brown ; body covered with a
downy coat of yellowish hairs from fine points, and among them on each
segment are black hairs from larger and darker tubercles; head sub-
globose, yellow-brown, with yellow and black hairs like those of body.
Duration of this stage 11 days.
After Second Moult.—Length .3 inch; stout; yellow-buff; a darker
mid-dorsal stripe, and a similar broad lateral band ; the basal ridge paler
than the ground; under side greenish-buff; thickly covered with buff
hairs ; head gréen-buff. Duration of this stage ro days.
*
62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
After Third Moult.—Length .65 inch. At nine days from this moult |
was full grown. ug
Mature Larva.—Length 1.1 inch ; stout; thickest at 4 and 5, taper-
ing rapidly to 13, and ending in two short sub conical tails ; colour buff
the dorsal area of a yellow tint, the sides reddish ; the under side a green
tint up to the red-buff ; feet and legs same ; a brown mid-dorsal stripe ; on
side the band a shade darker than the ground; the basal ridge lighter,
or yellowish ; body thickly covered with rather stiff, long hairs ; head
small, sub-globose, a littie depressed at top ; colour greenish-buff, with
many buff tubercles and hairs both long and short. (Fig. 1.)
Soon after, the colours became paler, the bands faded, and the larva |
was lethargic, eating nothing, but lying at the top of the sod curved like a
figure 6. At 18 days from third moult pupated in the grass, unattached.
CurysaLis.—Length .54 inch ; breadth at mesonotum .18 inch, across —
abdomen .24 inch ; abdomen remarkably stout (one-third broader than
the anterior segments), conical, but irregularly so, the ventral side and the
whole body up to thoracic segments being greatly swollen, while on
dorsum the curve is slight, and rises no higher than does the mesonotum ;
this last is very low, rounded both ways ; the head case short, rounded at
end, rounded transversely and at the corners ; at each shoulder, over the
thoracic spiracle, a black-brown, corrugated shell-like process standing
out obliquely and quite prominent, in the middle sometimes a little separ-
ated from the surface of the body ; cremaster short, bluntly pointed, on
dorsal side having same curve with abdomen, on ventral side excavated,
with the edges thickened, horse-shoe shaped, and having at the end a
brush of short, stiff bristles, straight, not the least hooked. (Figs. 3, 4, 5
to 8.) Duration of this stage 14 days.
This pupa is very like that of Eudamus Zityrus and inten the
same dorsal and ventral outlines, same slope from mesonotum to top of
head, same form of head case ; and the thoracic spiracle protector (Fi ig. 8),
as Mr. Scudder calls it, is aitasaea in both ; ; in Galathea this process is more
curved and shell-like, and a little more projected from the surface, but
they are essentially of same character.
GaLATHEA flies in Europe and Algeria, according to Kirby. It is
prettily checkered in black and white, has a slender body, and large wings
in proportion, as in most of the family. It has no near ally in North
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 63
America. Kirby places its genus, which he calls Melanargia, next to
what he calls Gineis, Hiibner, but which should read Chionobas, Boisduval.*
The imago and two varieties of the larve are figured in Humphrey
and Westwood’s Brit. But., and what purports to be the pupa, suspended
by the tail from a leaf of grass. There is no resemblance at all between
the pupa so figured and the true pupa. The description of the larva is
limited to one line, ‘‘ yellow-green, with a dark line down the back and
on each side.” | :
_In Buckler’s “ Larvee of British Butterflies and Moths,” 1886, (a book
which every working Lepidopterist ought to own, and published at a very
low price, to wit: ten dollars for the two volumes so far issued, the first one
covering the Rhopalocera) ; on plate ii. is figured the adult larva of
Galathea and the pupa. I have had this larva copied on my plate, Fig. 1,
The text, which is by Rev. J. Hellins, represents the pupa as found on
the sod, and unattached by the tail. This figure suggests an affinity to
certain moths, noctuids especially,} and led me to wish to breed the species
from the egg. M. Paul Chrétien, of Paris, kindly obtained eggs and sent
them in a quill, in letter. They reached me 3rd Aug., 1886, thirteen
days out, and hatched the next day. The larva, when about to come
forth, cut the top in a circle, but not completely around, and raising this
trap door made its way out, the door immediately falling back. The
egg looked almost uninjured. ‘The larva did not eat the egg shell. I
mention this, because Mr. Hellins says the young larva “ eats up its egg
shell almost entirely,” and he adds, ‘ and thenceforward feeds on grasses,”
also, ‘‘it hybernates when very small.” My larvae hybernated at once
from the egg, just as the larva of Satyrus A/ope does. I put the little
animals in the cellar, and.later sent them to Clifton Springs, N. Y., to go
in the refrigerating house there. They came back 21st March, 1887, in
good condition. On 12th April, one passed the first moult. This larva
* There is no such genus properly as (Eneis, Hiibner. There is a coitus of that
name in Hiibner’s Verzeichniss, made up of mixed Chionobas and Hipparchia, and
another one also made of the same two genera. By calling a coitus a genus, which it is
not and was not intended to be, eliminating the Hipparchias from both these coitus, dove-
tailing together what remains, and calling the manufacture (Eneis, with alabel Hiibner,
1816, we get what is called the genus. The makers of lists and catalogues about 1870 hit
on this contrivance, and many European authors have come to adopt the name (Eneis.
In this country it has not met so favourable a reception. _ Perhaps the first definition of the
genus (Eneis (and a definition is indispensable to recognition) was given by Mr. Scudder,
in Syst. Rev., 1872; but Chionobas, Boisduval, 1832, has the priority.
+ This figure resembles the larva of Agrotis, all but the terminal segment, which is
Bombycid. 5
64 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
passed the second moult 23rd April, the third 4th May, and pupated
22nd May. I succeeded in getting but the one larva to pupation, and
having accidentally injured the surface of the pupa, 1 put it in alcohol.
The next year, M. Chrétien sent more eggs in same way. They hatched,
and the larve went at once into lethargy, as before. They came back
from New York, 6th April, 1888. I recorded that one was about to pass
its first moult on 2oth April, that two were at same time about to pass
second, and two had already passed second on 5th June ; that the appear-
ance and attitudes of these larvae are very much like noctuid larve. They
are obese, sluggish, and spend most of the time lying on their backs or
sides on the surface of the sod, the head and next segments bent in; or
else they lie in a complete ring, the tail and head meeting. If resting on
a stem of grass, the body is supported by the pro-legs only, the anterior
segments arched, the feet not touching the stem. Now and then I found
one feeding, but they did this mostly at night. On 13th June, one larva
was evidently near pupation, by the pale hue of the skin and the disap-
pearance of the lines. I record that it lies on its side and back between
two stems, wedged in, its feet in the air. Next day it had got away from
the stems and was lying on its back, much doubled up (Fig. 2). The follow-
ing day it had pupated just where I had last seen it, unattached by the tail.
By 17th, I noticed that a second larva had fixed itself as I had recently
seen one of Erebia Zpipsodea do when about to pupate. It was nearly
an inch clear of and above the sod, had drawn a few leaves of grass to-
gether by a few threads and rested among them upright, holding to the
edge of a leat by the prolegs, the dorsum much bent and tumed to
the left. An hour later the larva had loosed its hold and slid down, and ~
was sticking upright in the sod, but had reversed its position, the dorsum
now facing to the right. There it pupated, upright.
On 18th, another larva was lying on its back, like the first one
mentioned. I had had a long search for it, and feared it had escaped,
but by clipping the grass stem by stem, it was found low down in the sod,
and there it pupated, zoth. The fourth also pupated, but among the
roots, and was found only by pulling the sod in pieces. The fifth pupated
in the night of 4th and 5th July. It had fallen off the bag which covered
the plant, and was lying motionless on the earth. I laid it on its side
among the leaves, and there it pupated, spinning no thread. From these
pupe I got five butterflies, the first one on 28th June, the last in middle
of July.
ea ee Ne RR ET To tate
adh aaah oS:
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65
Buckler figures what is called the third moult, and again the fourth
moult. But, as I have said, my Jarve, in both years, passed three moults
only. From the size of the figures I should say that both represented the
same stage, one just after third moult, the other at maturity. Nothing is
said of moults in the text. The young larva is described, then at length of
2.5 mm., and the mature larva at 30 mm. Mr. Hellins agrees with West-
wood that the colour is variable, being buff, but sometimes green. All
‘my larve were buff. It is stated that the larva “ becomes full fed in
June, and changes to pupa without suspending itself in any way, or
making a cocoon,” and the author adds, “I think it » (in natural state)
“would hide itself, as my example did. I found they had got among the
thick moss with which | had furnished the bottom of their cage, and
apparently made little hollows for themselves by turning round.” The
pupa is described at length, but the curious ‘ thoracic spiracle protector ”’
is passed over so slightly that one would not suspect the nature or form
of it, merely saying, “ the pair of spiracles at the shoulders large and dark
brown.” *
The pupa which | had in 1887 was sent to Mr. Scudder, with no inti-
mation of the species or its history, and he was asked what he thought it
might be. His reply was: “‘ The pupa you send seems very like one of
the larger skippers, but I do not see any enlargement of the antennal tips,
and think it must be amoth. The ‘ear-like’ projections are the thoracic
spiracle protectors, which are entirely like this in Zityrus.” As before
said, Eudamus Zycidas pupa has the same sort of process.
I bred Erebia Zpzpsodea to imago in 1888, and found that here also
the pupa was unattached.. The end of the cremaster has a few short,
Straight bristles, both fewer and shorter than those of Ga/athea. Mr.
Fyles'bred C. jutta, and it pupated down in the moss, unattached. Mr.
Scudder has described the mode of pupating of C. semidea, also down in
the moss or among rocks, unattached, and neither of these have any
bristles at all on the cremaster. This species is also described as curling
up in a ring. C. chryxus, which I bred to pupa last year, is without
bristles. It behaved like Ga/athea, pupating in the sod. Buckler figures
* The accompanying plate shows the larva of Galathea, Fig. 1, copied from Buckler;
Fig. 2 shows the attitude on the sod when near pupation ; 3 and 4, the pupa; 5 and 6,
the last segment and cremaster, dorsal and side view, with the group of terminal bristles ;
7, thesingle bristle ; 8, the thoracic spiracle protector.
66 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Erebia B/andina as pupating upright in the sod, also unattached ; and
I have copied this pupa on the plate, 9. | Bs
More remarkable still is Buckler’s figure of Hipparchia Seme/e pupa
(iv). It looks like Zityrus also, but is stouter, and the ventral side pro-
trudes as in that species and Gadathea (Fig. 10). Mr. Buckler’s own
account accompanies the plate. He dug-the larva out of the sandy ground
near the sea shore. ‘‘ The captured larva, on’ being placed under a glass
on a pot with its native food, immediately burrowed in the sandy earth;
and the few times it was seen on the grass were always at night. On the
23rd June I searched for the pupa and found it in a hollow space a quarter
of an inch. below the surface, the particles of sand and earth slightly
cohering together, and close to the roots of the grass, yet free from them.
The pupa was obtuse, rounded, turned and smooth, and wholly of a deep
mahogany colour.” That is a strange recital! An Arctic Chionobas
may be compelled by the severity of the climate to live within the moss
and pupate there, but here is a species in the temperate regions, at the
level of the sea, burrowing in the sand like a cut-worm, coming out at
night to feed and returning to ground cut-worm fashion, and pupating
under the surface in a manner common to many families of the Hetero-
cera, even certain genera of Sphingide.* Probably many other species
and genera of Satyrine have larval habits such as I have related. Of the
vast number of species but few are known in the early stages. Mr.
Scudder says, p. 119: “ We know of at least eight European species
(besides Ga/athea ), mostly referred to Satyrus, but some to Epinephele and
Pararge as well, the chrysaiids of which are not suspended.”
We have in America a butterfly, Azdingsiz, provisionally placed in the
genus Hipparchia, but which is not congenetic with Seme/e, the larva and
pupa of which may have the form and habits of Ga/athea or even of
Semele. I have its larvae now hibernating. |
The Satyrinz are a very numerous family, with many natural genera,
and most of these have numerous species. Kirby, in 1871, made 80
genera, and as many species have been described since, and of making of
genera, natural and artificial, there is no end, I dare say there are 150
genera of some sort in the books today. The butterflies are all or nearly
* “ AGcrotis C. NiGRUM feeds by night on the tops of red clover, hides in the
ground by day, pupates in a loose cocoon on top of the ground beneath rubbish, or even
without any cocoon ; but most Agrotids pupate in the ground. All the larve of the
genus have the habit of curling up.”—Fyvench. I sent Prof. French one of these plates.
He writes :—‘‘ No, 10 is precisely as I have seen the Agrotis pupate,”
este
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 67
all feeble-bodied, feeble-winged, of weak and intermittent flight, and frequent
woods and grassy spaces, loving the shade. ‘“ Distinguished by their
peculiar flight, which is of a feeble, wavering, dancing character, and not
long sustained ; neither do the insects rise far above the ground. Wallace,
in writing of the species found on the Amazons, says he does not ‘remem-
ber to have ever seen any species rise four feet from the earth, while the
greater part of them do not exceed as many inches.’ Some genera of the
allied Morphine are said by Wallace to be ‘truly crepuscular, never flying
by day except when disturbed. * * * They remain hid during the
day in the gloomiest shades of the forest.’ ””—Scudder. |
As before set forth, here are four genera, Arge, Hipparchia, Chionobas
and Erebia, in which the preparatory stages of species resemble in habits
and form the Hesperidz and certain moths. The last two are Arctic or
boreal. The American Erebias, £pipsodea and Magda/ena—this. last re-
presented on the shore of the Arctic Sea by Fasciata, (see But. N. A,
vol. ili, pt. vii for this,) the two evidently being forms of one species—
fly at the extreme north, or on the summits of the loftiest peaks of the
Rocky Mountains. Chionobas Semidea also flies within the Arctic circle,
as far north as Cumberland Island, and in Labrador, but there are isolated -
colonies at two other points, namely, the summit of the White Mountains
of New Hampshire, and the high peaks of the Rocky Mountains. C.
jutta is boreal, being found in Labrador; but it reaches farther to the
south than any other of its genus—to Quebec, Ottawa, and Bangor,
Maine, where it flies at low elevations. Arge and Hipparchia are found
inhabiting the temperate parts of Europe, and the first of these even
crosses into Northern Africa. Erebia /agda/ena and Chionobas Semidea
live under the severest conditions. Mr. David Bruce says of JZag-
dalena and its habitat: “It is found in the most uninviting looking
spots it is possible for a naturalist to explore—black, barren, detached
rocks, that look as if an immense peak had fallen and split into fragments ;
hardly a blade of grass or a patch of lichen to relieve the utter desolation.
I have never found this species but among such broken rocks, varying
from 12,000 to 14,000 feet elevation. The sun gleams out, and awakened
‘into activity by its beams, comes J/agda/ena, flitting leisurely, then sud-
denly taking an upward flight, it soars around. Another of same species
springs up from the rocks, the usual skirmishing chase ensues for a few
minutes, the sun is again obscured, and the insects disappear as if by
68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
magic, and will not be seen until it is bright again. I have met with it
from June 28th to July 18th.” As Mr. Bruce searched for two seasons
for this particular and exceedingly rare butterfly. this period of 20 days in
in which he found it, may be taken for the duration of the species in its
imago stage. It is not probable that the life of one of the individual
butterflies lasts one week. All butterflies die speedily after copulation
(f) and laying of eggs (2), even in temperate regions. Many species
in the same regions come from pupa with eggs mature, and copulation
takes place almost at once, often before the wings of the female are dry,
and in one well-known case, 4. Charitonia, often before the imago is out
of the pupa shell. We may be sure that nature would allow of no loss of
time at 13,000 elevation. ‘The existence of the species must depend on
getting the eggs laid and protected. Mr. Bruce is of the opinion that
‘there is an annual brood of the imago. I myself had thought there could
be but one every two years, from my experience with allied larva, which
are excessively slow in growth My imagos of Gadathea, as stated,
showed 17 days between the emerging of the first and the last from pupa,
and yet they were all hatched on same day. The 20 days spoken of by
Mr. Bruce, as said above, represents the time in which the species was
alive in the imago, not the life of one individual by any means. Spend-
ing therefore 51 weeks out of 52 in, or on, or under the ground as egg,
larva, or pupa, one week in the imago, hiding among the rocks whenever
the sun is obscured, and it is often obscured, or when fierce winds blow,
and there must be very little time when a stiff breeze or a tempest is not
blowing, the temperature every night, as Mr. Bruce tells us, as low as 30°
Far., at the least, ice forming wherever there is a bit of water—is it
possible to conceive an existence more unsuited for a creature dependent
on sunshine than this Magdadena lives, imprisoned on those summits ? —
Yet, the species must have lived so through untold ages.
For the history of Semidea, in New Hampshire, I will quote from Mr.
Scudder, in his grand work, the Butt. N. E., pages 589 et seq: “These
two butterflies (Argynnis A/ontinus and Chionobas Semidea) may be
looked upon as the oldest inhabitants of New England, which followed
the retreating ice sheet in its progress northward. They were the first of
their tribe to fly over the barren fields of New England, where the earliest
verdure began to follow the withdrawing ice, and moving with it, step by
step, were at last, some of them, beguiled by the local glaciers in the
ee eae ee eee PEO AER
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 69
White Mountain region, long after the main glacial sheet had left these
mountains far in its rear, and until connection with the main body was
finally cut off” And quoting Mr. Grote on this species and its ancient
history: ‘They advanced behind the deceiving local glaciers, step by
step, up the mountain side, pushed up from below by the warm climate,
which to them was uncongenial, until they reached the mountain peak.
Here, blown sidewise by the winds, they patiently cling to the rocks ; or
in clear weather, on weak and careful wing, they fly from stemless
mountain-pink to blue-berry. Drawn into the currents of air that sweep
down the mountain-side, they are forced downwards to be parched in the
hot valleys below.” Mr. Scudder continues: ‘‘ It will be asked how it is
possible that such delicate organisms as butterflies can maintain them-
selves iz such a bleak and inhospitable region as the summit of the White
Mountains, where a Greenlander would find it impossible to live in com-
fort, inasmuch as he would be exposed not merely to the cold, to which
he is no stranger, but to the fiercest ‘and most biting winds, with an
amount of humidity accompanying them which would seem to be almost
Jatal to existence.” The author then speaks of the long larval period,
during which the species is protected among the rocks and snow. Then
continuing with the imago, it ‘‘ invariably closes its wings back to back,
and settles upon one side as if reclining, the point of the wings away
from the wind, where it clings to the roughnesses of the rocks, and is
seldom blown from itsfoot-hold. * * * In the imago state, zt cannot
bear transportation so much as 3,000 feet vertically to the base of the
steeper slopes, at least if this transportation is effected in a rapid manner.
Indeed their efforts at flight under such circumstances are so pitiable that
it would seem very doubtful if the butterfly hurled deep down into the
ravines by the fierce blasts which may at times catch it unawares could
possibly remount the steep slopes. That such cases of destruction may
occur with so feebled-winged a butterfly seems by no means impossible,”
etc.—the author relating how he had seen these insects swept over the
cliff, etc. On page 145, we read also: ‘‘ They can offer no resistance to
the winds, and whenever they ascend more than their accustomed two or
three feet above the surface of the ground * * * they are whirled
headlong to immense distances,” etc. He then relates how this butterfly
escapes capture, “‘ by edging its way afoot to the brink of a crevice,” and
dropping into same. And that he took three healthy females down the
mountain on the railway train, and before half the descent was made they
70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
were visibly affected, and by the time the tree line was reached—elevation
4,500 feet—they were gasping for air. At 2,800 feet, where he was stay-
ing, he thought them dead, and finally killed them, as they “ gained no
strength at the end of twelve hours.” Doubtless similar careful observa-
tions and experiments with AZagda/ena would reveal a similar history.
Mr. Scudder, p. 144, thinks it probable that the larval stages cover two
winters. If so, the imago is biennial, as C. Bore of Europe, is said to be:
‘© Bore hibernates twice as caterpillar and changes to chrysalis in May, in
the winter quarters of the larva, free, in sand, between roots of grass
under the surface of the ground.”—But. N. E., p. 126. That is, another
species of this genus has the larval habits of a noctuid moth.*
The existence of Magdalena seemed as bad as bad could be, but these
accounts of Semidea indicate a worse climate and therefore severer trials.
‘These are two of the feeblest butterflies in the N. Am. fauna, and this sort ~
of existence has endured at least since the glaciers retreated, and no one
can guess how many years longer.t| When we read that butterflies have
come down from the Tertiary period unchanged, we may allow for
Semidea a vast antiquity.
Members of the Semidea species dwell to-day within the Arctic circle,
in Labrador, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and in the Rocky
Mountains in Colorado, separated by vast distances. Mr. Scudder shows
that the mountain colonies cannot exist in the low grounds, cannot even
See Se a
7.
* The history of Semzdea, as related by Mr. Scudder, mostly from his personal
observations, is worth the price of the whole work; and I recommend bet Sais
interested in butterflies to make it a part of their library without delay. I differ with
Mr. Scudder radically about many things, the restriction of genera, the resurrection —
of obsolete names, the use of Hiibner’s Coitus and Tentamen names for genera and
families, but in other important and essential points this work of his is and will forever
remain unapproachable, The wealth of illustration is amazing, not only of the butterflies
themselves, but of every part and organ of them, and what has never been attempted
before except on a limited scale, the eggs and young larve are shown in greatly
magnified and admirably executed figures. In any future system the eggs and young larvae
will form an important part. The time is coming when classification based on features
of the imago alone will be thrown over, and the new arrangement will take consideration
of all three of the preparatory stages. For these matters and the anatomical details,
worked out with wonderful ability, and the life histories and distribution worked out
with exceeding care, the Butterflies of New England will be a standard work, and no
student can possibly get along without it. The edition is limited and the plates cannot
be reproduced ; therefore, I say to my friends, subscribe without delay.
_+Mr. Geikie, in the Great Ice Age, p. 135, is of the belief that the last glacial
period terminated 80,000 years ago, and began about 240,000 years ago. .
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 71
descend the peaks; therefore there cannot have been communication
between these branches since the retreating ice stranded the two southern
colonies. Yet they are not distinguishable from one another. Examples
from Labrador, even also from Ungava Bay, lat. 59°, are precisely like
examples from the White Mountains and Colorado, and in fact these three
branches of the species are not known to differ by a scale or a hair.
(70 be continued. )
DR. CHRISTIAN ZIMMERMANN.
BY H, A. HAGEN, CAMBRIDGE, MASS.
(Continued from page 57.)
The following is a list of the entomological works of Dr. C. Zim-
mermann :—
1. Monographie der Carabiden, Erstes Stueck, Berlin and Halle,
1831, 8vo., pp. 8 and 76, contains the family Zabroides, five genera, with
twenty-six species ; review in Oken Isis, 1832, vol v., p. 539, vol. x, p.
1117; extracted in Silbermann Revue, 1833, T. I., p. 45-47. The author’s
copy belongs to the library of the museum.
2. Monographia Amaroidum.—The work was interrupted by the
author’s voyage to America. The library of the museum possesses out
of Zimmermann’s own library a few sheets, printed in Europe in 1831, in
two parts (proof sheets). The work is written in Latin. First part, p.
1-48 (three sheets), the general description of the family Amaroides:—
I. de capitis partibus, p. 5 (os, instrumenta masticandi) ; IJ. de trunci
structura, p. 16 (collum, pectus, pedes, alae) ; III. de abdomenis segmentis,
p. 31 (dorsum, venter, appendices) ; general division of the Adephaga
and Carabide, p. 36, in 12 stirpes ; de corporis partibus externis, p. 40,
the plate (table 1) is not present, probably never printed, then follows
the general description, p. 44, which gives the characteres sexuales (not
finished), p. 48.
_ The second part (also not finished), Monographia Amaroidum, quotes
the first part as:—Dispositio methodica nova Coleopterorum Adepha-
72 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
gorum. The characters of the family (p. 1) are followed by the ays
of the family in twelve genera (p. 11). 7
1. Leirus Megerle, p. 12, twelve species, four new.
2. Lioscelis, Zimm., p. 31, nine species, two new (not yet finished).
The third sheet is by error marked the fourth, and the pagination, p.
49-60, is wrong, instead of p. 33-48.
I have given purposely a detailed account of the two papers, only
known by proof sheets, out of Zimmermann’s library, as they contain,
indeed, the most elaborate account of the general characters of the family.
The description of the genera and of the species, as far as contained in
the papers, is very detailed.
The paper on Amara is quoted in my Bibliotheca II., p. 304, No. 2,
It is in some way different from the Latin paper just described. It is
published in German and translated in French, also the papers Nos. 3, 4
and 5. Besides those papers, after his death Dr. J. L. LeConte has pub-
lished the two well known in the Tr. Ent. Soc., Phila., 1868, on Scoly-
tide, and in 1869, synonymical notes on Coleoptera. Dr. J. L. LeConte’s
Scolytide, p. 149, says :—‘‘ Among the MSS. of my deceased friend,
Zimmermann, I find several partially completed memoirs, which contain
not only systematic ideas of much value, but descriptions of many new
species belonging to our fauna.” Nevertheless he has published nothing.
more of them, and I am informed by Dr. J. H. Horn that nothing more
of Zimmermann’s papers was found after Dr. J. L. LeConte’s death.
The following report is given in a letter from Zimmermann to Th. W.
Harris, July 4, 1853 (in the library of Boston N. His. Soc.), it must not
be forgotten that the letter was written before Chapnis and Candeze
appeared :—
What I have observed about the beetles, grubs and their use ior a
methodical synopsis I will subscribe here with a few words only, for the
thermometer rises again about 100°.
COLEOP: ERA.
A. Larve of 13 segments, full of folds, never with eyes.
1. Petalocera (= Lamellicornia), forming three sub-divisions, (a) con-
taining Oryctes, Melolontha, Copris; (6) containing Zrox, ete.; (c)
containing Lucanus, etc,
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THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. TS:
2. Rhynchophora, (a) containing Aylurgus; (6) containing
Curculio; (c) containing Brenthus.
B. Larve of 13 to 14 segments (head and prolegs included, each for
one segment), without folds, with or without eyes.
3. Tetramera, (a) containing Capricornia; (6) containing win
(c) containing Phytophaga.
4. Pentamera, (a) containing Sternoxa, (a) Buprestidae, (b) Elateride,
_(c) Cebrionide; (b) containing Cleride ; (c) containing Lycide.
5. Heteromera.
C. Larve of 13 to 14 segments (mostly 14), above scaly, swift footed,
always with eyes.
6. Adephaga.
7. Rhypophaga.
8. Brachelytra.
I have directed all my powers upon the investigation of the larvee.
Up to this day, however, I did not discover any more or better distinctive
characters than those given above, and which appear to contain all the
external characters worthy to be trusted, for you know already that
numbers of them change their dress and form with each moulting. I
may remind you here of the curious transformations of the larve of Meloe,
as investigated in the Linnean Transactions, vol. xx.. These little
creatures appear < as frequently delineated, at first with long legs for swift
running, which is necessary for them in order to reach their final abode ;
having accomplished - that they become by degrees fatter and more
sluggish, whereby, curiously enough, the length of their legs decreases.
The apparent difference between the larve of Buprestis and Elater may
be explained upon similar necessities, for the body of the larve of
Buprestis is soft and necessarily so, living as it does in hard and unyield-
ing substances, whereas the body of the larve of Z/ater, which lives in
more damp, soft and cold substances, will find its stiff and hard dress
more comfortable than it would a softer one. The larve of Buprestis, as
well as that of H/ater, are of a structure sufficiently similar to be placed
in the same great division (B), and more similarity was not necessary, for
the structure of the beetles themselves had to decide their An spengecnee
station.
74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.—No. 2.
THE APPLE TREE TENT CATERPILLAR—THE AMERICAN LACKEY MOTH
(Clistocampa Americana HAR.)
BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA. -
There are two kinds of caterpillars which every year commit serious
depredations in our Canadian apple orchards, although they by no means
confine their attentions to that tree. These are the larvee of the American
\\ \\ \
all
AN
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and Forest Lackey Moths, two species of brown moths which frequently
fly into houses at night during July, and draw attention by their head-
long, reckless flight, dashing themselves against the ceiling and the walls,
and very often finishing up by getting into the lamp chimney. Speaking
generally, there is a great resemblance between these two insects in
appearance and habits, and the same remedies are applicable for both ; when
examined carefully, however, they differ considerably in all their stages,
and may be easily recognized. They belong to the Bombycide or
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 75
Spinners, a family which contains the silkworm moths and several other
thick-bodied, hairy moths, with large wings but small heads, bearing
comb-like antennz and having the mouth parts imperfect, or as in those
now under consideration not developed at all. The caterpillars of the
Bombycide are usually hairy or tufted, and when full grown spin a cocoon
for the protection of the short, thick chrysalids.
At Fig. 1 the different stages of the American Lackey Moth are given.
This species appears in the perfect state in the beginning of July, about a
week earlier than the other species referred to above, which is known by
the name of the Forest Tent Caterpillar C. disstria Hib. (C. sylvatica
Har.)
_ The American Lackey Moth is a pretty species ofa dull but rich reddish-
brown colour, having the upper wings crossed obliquely by iwo clear,
whitish, parallel lines. In rare instances these show faintly on the lower
wings also. The fringes of the wings are chiefly of the same colour as the
oblique lines. The space enclosed between the light lines is paler than -
the rest of the wings in the males, but of the same colour or rather darker
in the females. On the under side, all four wings are crossed by a well-
defined, irregular, whitish bar. The perfect insects having their mouth »
parts undeveloped partake of no food, but devotethe whole period of their
short lives to the perpetuation of their kind As soon as they have paired
and the females have laid their eggs they die. The eggs are deposited in
rings upon the smaller twigs of various trees, usually within a short dis-
tance of the tips. Each egg-cluster contains from 200 to 30¢ eggs, which,
when laid, are covered with a liquid glutinous substance which soon dries
and cements them firmly together, and protects them from the weather.
A surprising point in the life history of these insects is that about a
month after the eggs are laid, the young caterpillar is fully formed inside
the egg and it remains in this condition all through the winter, only eating
its way out from the egg in the following spring when the leaves expand.
Immediately upon hatching the young caterpillars consume the glutinous
covering of the eggs, and then lose no time in attacking the foliage. They
at once begin the construction of their tent, which is a web of fine silk, spun
in the nearest fork of the twig upon which they were hatched. This tent
is increased in size as the caterpillars grow, and if left undisturbed is some-
times nearly a foot in diameter. The caterpillars are very regular in their
habits, marching out in regular procession, each following close behind the
76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
one in front of it. From the habit ot the larve of this genus of marching
out to feed in bodies they are known in Europe as ‘“ Processionary
Caterpillars.” When their appetites are satisfied they return again to
their tents to rest. They do not feed at night nor in stormy weather.
They usually do not leave their tent until after nine in the morning, and
have all returned before sundown. They are generally inactive in the
middle of the day.
When full grown the caterpillars are two inches in length, and beauti-
fully marked with black, white, blue, yellow and brown in the pattern
shown in Fig. 1., B. The continuous stripe down
the back is white, and serves as a distinctive mark
by which this species can be known at once from the -
Forest Tent Caterpillar—Fig. 2—which has this
dorsal stripe broken up into spots. This latter also
differs in not constructing a tent, but merely spins a
mat of silk on the side of a tree, or upon one of the
large branches, on and near which it lives, more or
less, in community ; but it has not the same social
habits as its relative. Just before they spin their
cocoons, the caterpillars wander about very much,
seeking for a suitable place. The cocoon, Fig. 1.,
C., is greenish yellow, and contains a powdery material
like finely ground sulphur. The moths emerge in about eighteen or
twenty days after the cocoon is made.
Fic. S.
Remedies.—The most successful remedies with these insects all come
under hand-picking. During the winter or early spring the egg-clusters can
be easily collected and destroyed ; they are always laid upon the small twigs
and near the tips, so that if a dull day be chosen they can be easily detected
against the sky, and can then be cut off and burnt, when, of course, the
trees are exempt from attack, until eggs are laid again next year. If this
precaution is neglected, the nests, which are conspicuous objects before
the foliage is fully expanded in spring, must be cut off and destroyed. An
invasion from neighbouring trees can be prevented by tying a strip of
cotton-batting round the trunk, which the caterpillars have amc in
climbing over,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. TT
THE LARVA OF LIMACODES INORNATA, G. & R.
BY HARRISON G. DYAR, RHINEBECK, N. Y.
Larva.—Elliptical and much flattened, the sides rising slightly to two
dorsal ridges, only a little elevated, these ridges diverging somewhat
towards the anterior and posterior portions of the body. Around the out-
line of the body is a series of flattened pointed projections for the last
eight segments, furnished on their sides with fine, short hair. These pro-
jections occur on each segment after the fifth, the two on the last segment
somewhat longer than the others, and directed nearly straight backwards.
Colour green, a reddish line on the angulated outline of the anterior seg-
ments; the dorsal ridges marked with a narrow yellow line, which is
interrupted between two dorsal yellow spots with red centres. ‘These
spots are conspicuous though small.
food Plants.—Maple, wild cherry, hickory, etc. Like most of the
Cochliinze a very general feeder.
A good figure of this insect is to be found in Harris’s Entomological
Correspondence,* and in the text Dr. Harris says: § [The larva is] “in
form somewhat like, an Oziscus, being oval and flattened, with lateral
tooth-like appendages fringed with hairs. General colour green, with
lateral rows of minute, ocellated spots, each pupillated with a black dot ;
a dorsal row of dark spots, with two of a rich scarlet colour * * *
This insect does nor sting.” :
The difference between this larva and that of Since: scapha
Harris} is very marked. While Z. scapha is a thick larva, resembling a
lump of some substance adhering to the leaf; the present species, as
above stated, is much flattened, and furnished with its remarkable tooth-
like projections. In fact, before the imagines of Z. imornata were
developed, I had no idea that the insect could be congeneric with Z.
scapha.
Two males, raised from these larve, differ somewhat from the original
description by Grote and Robinson,{ so that, to them, the name of
“‘inornata” hardly applies. In this form the secondaries are somewhat
* Entomological Correspondence of T. W. Harris, edited by S. H. Scudder, 1869.
Plate II., Fig. 7, and Plate III., Fig. 6, § Did, page 176.
+ Figured, zézd, Plate III., Fig. 8.
{ Lepidopterological Contributions page 22, from Ann. “Lyceum Nat. Hist., of
New York, 1886.
78 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
darker above than in the typical insect, while 'the primaries are variegated
by a ferruginous brown basal shading, continued narrowly along the
internal margin and connecting with a similarly coloured band, extending,
on its inner side, parallel with the external margin, but its outer edge
starts from the outer margin above the internal angle and runs obliquely
inward, so that the band ends in a point before reaching the costa. The
upper part of this band, as well as the outer part of the basal shading,
has a purplish tint. ‘Fringe dark brown. :
I should judge this to be the ordinary 2 of L. inornata, in New
York. A single $, also raised from these larvee, fits the description
above referred to.
CORRESPONDENCE.
ARZAMA OBLIQUATA.
Dear Sir: In reply to Mr. Moffat and Mr. Kellicott, I wish to say
that both of these gentlemen are mistaken in saying that the larve of
Arzama obliquata go to the shore in the fall of the year to stay over the
winter. On the 25th of November last my friend, Chas. P. Mackisney,
of Arlington, N. J., and I took a walk through the meadows at Arlington,
which cover from fifteen to twenty square miles. We did not find any
signs of Arzama except in one place about two hundred feet square, and
there in every reed we cut we found a larva, but we had to cut below the
surface of the water to get them. I went out to the meadows again to-day
(the 22nd of February) in order to get some larve to send to Mr. Moffat
and Mr. Kellicott, and I found some about four hundred feet from the
shore, where I had to cut the ice to get to the bottom of the reeds. I got
four larvz and shall send them to these gentlemen in order that they may
see for themselves that I was right in my statements (C. E., xx., 119). I
also wish to state that if they require further evidence I should like them
to come to New Jersey, and I will take them to a place where they can —
get a car load of cat-tail reeds with larva in them throughout the whole
winter. I do not think that Dr. Riley is correct in saying that the female
lays her eggsin masses. I have always found them deposited singly, and
I do not think it likely that they would be laid otherwise, because it
would be impossible for a number of larvae to live in one reed.
H. H. Breume, Newark, New Jersey. -
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ARZAMA OBLIQUATA.
Dear Sir: On reading Mr. Kellicott’s communication in CAN. Env.
for February, 1889, I learn that his ohservations concerning the habits of
Arzama obliquata G. & R. larve, do not agree with mine. Up to the
26th of January of the present year I held the same opinion as he does,
and I was not a little bit surprised on hearing of its being a winter feeder.
Requiring some lining for a few packing boxes which I was preparing to
send by mail, I had occasion to go to the marsh for some stalks (commonly
known as rushes, but by botanists, I suppose, as Zypha), which make a
convenient substitute for cork. The very first stalk that I cut showed
that larve had been at work. This at once brought to my mind the
recent communications of which Mr. Kellicctt writes, so I began an in-
vestigation and was much surprised at the result. Besides a number of
empty pupz and a mature larva (which I always find in the form of a
loop, with one end shorter than the other) at rest for the winter, down in
the thick part of the stalk, I found three immature larve at full length
up in the small part and surrounded by evidence of recent feeding.
During my nine or ten years of collecting, I have raised both Arzama
obliguata and diffusa from mature larvze found on shore in old wood and
other rubbish, mostly every year. Some I have found as early as Novem-
ber 3rd, and others in every month until May. Having always found
them pretty plentiful on shore, I was of the opinion that it was their
habit always to come there to transform, but my observations on the
above’ date convince me that those I had hitherto found were only
_wanderers, while the main body remain at home to undergo their transfor-
mation. As for their being single brooded here I agree with him. I have
found two or three moths late in July, but those I should say came from
larvee which passed the winter in the immature state, rather than from
eggs laid that season.
March oth, 18809. JAMES JOHNSTON, Hamilton, Ont.
NOTES.
Weare glad to learn that Mr. John B. Smith, of the National Museum,
Washington, has been appointed State Entomologist of New Jersey. He
will enter upon his new duties on the first of April, and will reside at New
Brunswick, N. J. While we congratulate the State upon securing the
80 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
services of so eminently capable an entomologist, we trust that Mr. Smith
will find his new work congenial and satisfactory, and its accessories
lucrative and comfortable.
The following amendment has been made to the Agriculture and Arts
Act during the recent session of the Ontario Legislature :—“ Section 67
of the said Act is amended by adding thereto, after sub-section (2), the
following : ‘ Provided, however, that the Entomological Society of Ontario
shall, at its annual meeting, group into five divisions the agricultural
divisions enumerated in Schedule A. to this Act, and shall elect one person
from each of such five divisions (who shall be a resident of the division
he represents) as directors of the said Society.’ ”
The New York Academy of Sciences is making an effort to erect a
suitable monument in Trinity Church-yard in memory of the great
ornithologist, John James Audubon, About $900 has been collected, but
the plans accepted call for from $6,000 to $10,000. It is earnestly hoped
that each scientific society in America will contribute an average amount
of $100 through its members, and thus enable the enterprise to be at once
completed. Each subscriber of a dollar or more will receive a copy of a
print from Cruickshank’s celebrated portrait of the great naturalist suitable
for framing. Remittances from our members may be sent to Mr. W. E.
Saunders, 240 Central Ave., London ; or to Dr. N. L. Britton, Cone
College, New York.
ee
The following is the list of the officers of the Kent Scientific Institute,
of Grand Rapids, Mich., for 1889, which is incorporated for the promo-
tion of scientific educaigne and the establishment and maintenance of a
naturai history museum :—President, E. $. Holmes ; Vice-President, W.
A. Gruson ; Recording Secretary, C. W. Carman ; Corresponding Secre-
tary, E. S. Holmes; Treasurer, C. A. Whittimore ; Director of the
Museum, W. A. Gruson; Curator, C. W. Carman; Librarian, E, L.
Morely. Board of Directors:—Wright L. Coffinberry, W. A. Gruson,
Samuel L. Fuller, E. S. Holmes, j. W. Jones, C. A. Whittimore.
Officers of the Board:—Chairman, W. A. Gruson; Secrelaey e S.
Holmes ; Treasurer, C. A. Whittimore.
Mailed April 8th.
The Canarian Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, MAY, 1889. No. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF ARGE
GALATHEA, Linn., WITH NOTES ON CERTAIN SATYRINZ:.
BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA.
(Continued from page 71.)
How tlien can Mr. Scudder claim that this feeble relic of the tertiaries,
stranded, as he tells us, on the loftiest peaks at east and west at the close
of the glacial period, unchanged in all respects since that, its imago show-
ing itself but once in two years, the individual living at most but a few
days, always in tribulation and peril, saved only from extinction by its
acquired habits of dropping into a crevice, or of clinging to the rocks by
the feet, its wings of scarcely any use whatever, but a constant source of
danger—that this miserable creature stands at the head of its genus, its
sub-family, its family, of the American fauna, and in fact of the world,
the ideal butterfly !*
The mere statement of the proposition that such a tribe, creepers
along the ground, avoiding sun-light, allied to the moths at every stage,
often with habit of moths rather than butterflies, have high rank in the
order, and that the weakest member of the tribe—the one which has
suffered most by isolation and privation—is the highest of all, carries its
own refutation.
When a process of reasoning leads to an absurd conclusion, there is
a flaw somewhere. The facts may be mistaken, or wrongly presented,
and, in either case, the inferences attempted to be drawn from them may
be without justification. :
Mr. Scudder is compelled to allow, that in three stages out of four, the
Satyrinee are nearer the Hesperide and the moths than to other butter-
* We have the expression ‘‘ the highest butterflies,” meaning the Satyrinz, repeat-
ed endlessly, sometimes twice on one page, when ‘‘ Satyrinz’’ would answer every
purpose. It seems to me the author of the work, appealing to the reason of his readers,
makes a mistake in thrusting his opinions before them so persistently. If the arguments
fail to convince, what he calls by one name, will be thought to deserve quite another. |
82 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
flies, namely: in the egg, larva and pupa. “In certain features, the
Satyrine show some curious resemblances to those of the Hesperide.
* * * The eggs of the ribbed species closely resemble those of the
Hesperide in general appearence. The caterpillar, at birth, has a
similarly large and striking head, and occasionally the terminal segments
of the body are armed with much longer cuticular appendages than else-
where—a common feature among the Pamphilas; the mature caterpillar
is sluggish, with a somewhat flattened belly and short pro-legs, giving
a limaciform body, which is clothed with pile only ; the chrysalis zs un-
usually rounded, and occasionally ts not suspended,” &c.—But. N. E., p.
120. In his “ Butterflies,” N. Y., 1881, he says:—‘‘ It is one of the
most curious features in the structure of butterflies ¢hat its highest,” and
here he means the Satyrinz, “ and its lowest should resemble each other
in so many minor points. For instance, the tone and colouring on the
wings of many Satyrinz, as well as the position and general nature of
the sexual marks on the front pair (of wings) of some males, find a close
counterpart on the wings of some Skippers (Hesperidz). So also the
chrysalids of the Satyrinze are among ¢he simplest, most rounded and com-
pact in the whole family, approaching in this respect the lowest butter-
flies.” That is, not only are there “curious resemblances” in the three
stages, but very important ones in the fourth stage. Speaking of the
same things in But., N. E., p. 120:—‘‘That these peculiarities have some
phyletic meaning it is impossible to doubt ;” but what it is, the author
does not venture to conjecture. To me the meaning is plain enough.
They indicate the close affinity of the Satyrinz with the “lowest” butter-
flies. ‘‘ Nevertheless,” we are told, “in all the prime features of their
organization, the Satyrs outrank all others.” They must be extraordinary
features to outweigh all these “curious resemblances,” these ‘ peculiari-
ties,” with their ‘ phyletic meaning,” and to raise the nearest relatives of
the Moths to the head of their order. As is natural, the author of these
volumes is inclined to make the most of every point that can be con-
strued to tell in favor of his hobby, and to make little of whatever tells
the other way. If nothing else can be said, we shall hear that any given
case which presents itself obstructively “is entirely explainable as an
instance of reversion.” In this way are got rid of, or slurred over, some
very important facts ; thus, “ the only case among the higher butterflies ”
(higher this time means above the Hesperidz), “ where a cocoon, properly
a0 toga
Sie tes Se
- peepee eo
“ip gi aaa ae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 83
speaking, is made, is in the sub-families most closely allied to the
Hesperidz, among the groups of Parnasinze and Anthocharine.” (I very
much doubt any cocoon in an Anthocharis, myself); quite ignoring the
cocoon of Seme/e, as figured on our plate. ‘‘ And, again in exceedingly
feeble instances, where the necessities appear to be overwhelmingly great,
among the higher Nymphalide, which have lost even the last remnant of
the cocoon of moths, viz., in some of the Satyrinze, which lack cremastral
hooks and undergo their transformations ordinarily in the rudest form of
a cell, which they can construct above or at the surface of the ground by
the mere movements of the body and the spinning of one or two threads
of silk.” The “ necessities” may have been overwhelmingly great in the
case of Semidea ; but what of Jutta, a species of the same genus, living
in Maine, and of Semele and Ga/athea, at the level of the sea, in temper-
ate Europe! Among the great sub-family Satyrine, with its multitude of
genera, of nearly all of which the habits at pupation are unknown, it is
probable enough that the heterocerous style of pupation is common. ‘To
refer such cases, in a group claiming to be farthest removed from the
moths, to atavism from the moths, will not do. There are too many of
them. And the same sort of ancestral traits crop out in the color and sexual
markings of the imago, in the egg and larva, as well as in the pupating habit.
In the ‘‘ Butterflies” three “prime features,” as they are called,
are given, viz: The pupating habit, with the flat ventral surface of the
pupa among the Nymphalide, the papillae on tongue, and the atrophy of
the forelegs. In the But. N. E., so far as I see, the papillae prime is
dropped, as well it might be. We are told in the former work, p. 255,
that this feature consists in the complication of the structure of the
papillae of the tongue. In the Papilios and Skippers ‘“ these are merely
minute tubercles, * * * * seldomrising much above the surface. In
the Lyczenide they are longer and more frequent, while in the Satyrine
they are often half the breadth’ of the tongue in length, closely crowded
together, and often trifid at their tips.” (Of course this feature can only
be made out by a powerful microscope.) How one of these conditions is
an advance on the other is not explained, and I will venture to say is not
explainable. Each species of animal, mammal, butterfly, or what not,
has a tongue suited to its habits. A cow or a sheep has that organ
adapted to grass feeding, a giraffe has one that is half a yard long, and
prehensile at that, and feeds off the tree tops ; but whoever heard that the
84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
giraffe was exalted because of its tongue, or of the sensitive papillae! If
a Lycznid butterfly, expanding half an inch, has papillae on his tongue
twice as long in proportion as his great neighbour Papilio, he probably
has need of them, and it is pleasant to think he has got them, and is
comfortable, and his gastronomic enjoyment big for his size. Surely that
‘‘ prime feature” does not outweigh the “‘ curious resemblances ” spoken
of as running through the whole life history. .
The resemblance between the pupating habit of the Papilionidee and
the Hesperide must be a very obscure and distant one, if, as is stated
in B. N. E., 72, it has been observed by no author save Mr. Scudder.
The facts have been known from the day of Linneeus to every systematist ;
but no one has thought of any particular resemblance between the styles
of pupating. And now that Mr. Scudder expatiates eloquently upon it,
I, for one, fail to see the point. There are attachments of the pupe that
are clear, but they are very different. But allowing all that the author
claims, inasmuch as he denies that he has ever said that the Papilionide
were evolved from the Hesperidz, one of these modes of attachment
cannot have grown out of the other; one is no advance on the other. It
is held that both families were evolved out of a ‘ common stock,” but
what feature that stock had no man can tell.* It may not have been a
moth ; but the moths and butterflies may both have arisen independently
from something else and now unknown. Any resemblance, therefore,
whether distant or near, must be charged to the conditions and environ-
ment when the types of these families first appeared, and of that we can
and shall know nothing. ‘The necessities” may as well have been
“‘ overwhelmingly great” in this case as in the one cited by Mr. Scudder,
and being the same for both types, there may have resulted a form of
attachment suited to each, and bearing some resemblance. But this
involves no relationship. In other words, resemblance is not icon
nor does it imply identity.
As the argument runs, the moths pupate inside a cocoon, with no
*TI am informed by Prof. J. A. Lintner that suspension of pupa is very rare among
the moths, but that cases occur in which certain members of a family are suspended by
the tail alone, and others of same family by both tail and girdle. ‘‘* In the Geometridae,
the pupa of the Ephyridz is suspended by the tail, and in some of the species there is
also a transverse girdle as in the Papilionide.” That is a queer state of things if one
mode of suspension is more advanced than the other, or than none atall. Among the
moths what are called the higher families are not suspended. Some pupae naked, some
in cocoons, and neither mode implies rank,
gh
;
DE ga Spe re at ner eee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 85
attachment, or with no cocoon, in or on the ground ; the Hesperidz in a
folded leaf, or in two or three leaves brought together, having the tail of
the pupa attached to the end of the case by a Y-shaped thread, and the
body held by another Y-shaped thread (But. 256). The Papilionidee and
Lycenidz weave ‘a carpet of silk” by which the hooks of the tail are
held fast, and spin a real girdle of many threads, into which they thrust
head and anterior segments. But, in the Nymphalidae, there is no girdle,
and the pupa hangs by the tail from the carpet of silk. Finally, as we
have seen, many of the Satyrinz weave no carpet, indeed have no hooks
by which the pupa could hang, and so pupate naked in or on the ground,
or in some cases, as in Seme/e, ina cocoon. Others that do not make a
cocoon, spin threads by which leaves are girded about them, a style which
Mr. Scudder calls a cocoon ‘‘ by courtesy,” as Erebia Zpipsodea and some
examples of Galathea. All these last, therefore, behave in the manner
of the moths.
Oddly enough, Mr. Scudder has got himself in a state of mind to claim
that these unattached pupz have reached the greatest advance of all.
“We see, therefore, a regular progression from the lower to the higher
butterflies, in the loss, first, of the cocoon, next, of the girt; and, as if
this were not enough, some of the highest butterflies have even lost the
last remnant of silk and fallen to the ground.” ‘That is to say, a rever-
sion to the habits of the moths is an advance in grade. Continuing :
‘As if to show that the suspension by the tail alone is a stage beyond
that of hanging by tail and girdle, we have a clear proof that all the
Suspensi have passed through the stage of the Succincti, since ¢he
straight ventral surface of the abdomen, assumed perforce by the Suc-
cincti when they left the cocoon: stage, and became attached to hard
surfaces, stz// remains in the chrysalids of the Nymphalide” (these italics
are Mr. Scudder’s), “‘ where it no longer serves any purpose—as clear
and striking an indication that the Suspensi outrank the Succincti, as that
the pupa is higher than the larva.” — But., 258.
I deny the fact alleged, that the pupz of the Papilionidz, which being
the first to leave the cocoon stage, and ‘“‘ perforce assumed” a flat ventral
surface, have that sort of a surface. I never saw such a thing in one of
the Papilioninz ; they are all rounded, as in Zurnus, or rounded and
bent back in the middle, as in Asterias, Troilus and Philenor. In many,
as the whole of Zurnus group, the dorsal side is straighter and flatter
86 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
than the ventral. Among the Pierinz, the pups of some of Pieris, as
Rape and the Vapi group, have a tolerably flat ventral surface, others
of the same genus do not. And Neophasia, Anthocharis, Callidryas,
Terias, Colias, Nathalis, all which I know well, have anything but a flat
ventral surface. Among the Nymphalinz, many of the genera have no
such surface, as Argynnis, all the Vanessinz, Limenitis, etc., etc. The
Heliconine do not. And, admittedly, the Satyrine have pupe “ among
the most rounded in the whole family.” Moreover, among many of the
Satyrine the dorsal side is as much flattened as the ventral. The su-
premacy of the Satyrine, and with them the Nymphalide, cannot be
proved from the shape and conditions of the pupa any more than from
the papillae.
The third prime feature consists in the extreme degree of atrophy of
the fore legs of the imago. The Hesperidz have six walking, useful legs ;
the Papilionide the same number. ‘The Nymphalide, however, have in
both sexes but four walking legs, the first pair being deformed, atrophied,
useless for walking, and, so far as is known, for any purpose whatever. -
It is exactly the sort of phenomenon not very infrequently seen in the
genus Homo, but here a crippled or atrophied limb has never become a
hereditary character. It certainly would not be regarded as a mark of
elevation. How atrophy of the legs originated in the butterflies no one
can tell, but perhaps by accident in a single member of the type form,
and became perpetuated in a family. In the Lycaenidz, we are told, —
But., 254:—‘ All the legs of the female are alike, but the front legs of
the male are variously aborted.” In the But., N. E,, 203 :—“ As soon as
we approach the Lycaenide, we notice signs of an approaching abortion
of the fore legs, but only in the male;” described as slight; but is
greater in the Lemoniine. It affects both sexes in the Nymphalide, but
not in one of the sub-families, the Libytheine. These have six good
legs in both sexes. And, in the Satyrine, the deformity is the most
extreme of all. Indeed, unless the front pair of legs should drop off, it is
not easy to see what more could be done in that direction. <A disfigure-
ment is not generally regarded as a sign of beauty, though tastes do
differ. In certain valleys in Switzerland, he who can show the most
enormous goitre is the pride of the district. | Atrophy of limb, if it pre-
vails throughout a family, may properly be Iteld to be a mark of degra-
dation. It is a phenomenon not confined to any particular order of
iyo al ial
pve bg
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 87
insects. There are moths with atrophied wings and legs, carried to a
surprising degree ; and plenty of instances among the Coleoptera, but
few persons would call the loss, of essential organs a mark of “ aristo-
cratic distinction,” as Mr. Scudder does on p. 74, But. N. E. One great
family of butterflies is neither fish nor flesh. One sex of a Lycaenid
(including the Erycinids) has six useful legs, and is, therefore and thereby
a degraded creature, almost, or quite as “‘low” as a Papilio; but, its
mate has its fore-legs always deformed, often utterly crippled, and, there-
fore and thereby, it is separated from its female, fit company for the
“ aristocratic’ Satyrs! The argument on legs is not tenable. In ijact
it seems remarkably like nonsense. Deformity can have no ranking
value, unless to mark degrees of degradation, and no argument based on
the legs of the imago, no matter what their condition, can outweigh that
based on every one of the four stages of the insect.
I put the question to a great authority on biology, one whose praises
are sounded in both hemispheres, who, moreover, is thoroughly acquainted
with Mr. Scudder’s argument: ‘Is atrophy of legs a mark of develop-
ment?” and the answer came: ‘ Atrophy is not a mark of development.”
On that rock I stand.
Mr. Scudder’s hypothesis of the evolution of these families is obscure,
because the language used in different places conveys very different
meanings, and, anyway, the hypothesis is peculiar. In But., 244, we
read: ‘‘ Doubtless the Skippers first separated from the common stock ;
the other families appear to have diverged simultaneously from each other
soon after their common separation from the Skippers ;” and a. diagram
presented on page 246 is explained thus: ‘‘ The position of the main
branches and their divisions is supposed to indicate the relative time at
which the groups diverged from each other, or from the main stem, and
the height which each branch attains the relative perfection of the highest
members of that group.” In accordance with the author’s prepossessions,
the stem which is terminated by the Satyrine is highest of all, in fact six
and a-half inches long, evidently limited only by the length of the printed
page, and goes straight up from the base (that is, from the “ common
stock,” while the Skippers diverge from the stem at half an inch from the
base, and the Papilionidz and Lycznidz at another half inch simultane-
ously, one on one side of the stem, the other on other side. (That is, as
if from a setting of hens’ eggs were to issue humming birds and eagles.)
88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
~
The Nymphalidz begin to branch at an inch and a-quarter above the
Papilio, first coming the Libytheine ; then at another inch the Nympha-
lines, and above them the Satyrinze, at two and a-half inches. This two
and a-half inches ‘indicates the relative perfection” of the Satyrinz over
the rest of the Nymphalide. The “perfection” of the Satyrinz to
the Papilionide is as 6.5 is to 1. Truly a parlous elevation for the giddy
Semidea and its peers! Anyone can draw a diagram, and if I were to
use the one made by Mr. Scudder, I should put the Satyrine at the first
branch above the Skippers, and the Papilionine at the top, and the pro-
portion of perfection would be for the latter as 6.5 to 1 of the other.
Mr. Scudder assures us that all the Suspensi have been Succincti, and
that the evidence ‘‘ is clear and striking,” but his only witness to the fact
is discredited... As the moths, in general, have no attachment at all,
if the moths are indicated by “the common stock,” it is not clear why
the Papilionidz were ‘ perforce” obliged to assume the girdle and button
on leaving the main stem. ‘The next stage to no attachment would seem
likely to be the single attachment, but whether that was perforce assumed
we have no means of knowing. It would also seem that the double
attachment is the widest departure from the condition of no attachment
at all, to be reached after the longest period of time, instead of the
shortest. That from no attachment a sudden leap should be made to a
double one and then come back to a single one, to culminate in none at
all, as it began, is an unreasonable proposition. To me it seems clear
that the condition of no attachment found in so many Satyrine is closest
to the habits of the moths ; the single attachment or button comes next,
and the double attachment is the final outcome, “showing the perfection
of the highest members of the group,” namely, the Papilionids. Mr.
Scudder tells us, and this time we concede the reasonableness of the pro-
position, that “it is unphilosophical to accord high rank to any group
for a single characteristic, especially when, in nearly all its other pecu-
liarities, it evinces its low origin.”—But. 250. On this ground the
scheme of elevating the Satyrinz very properly fails.
But, while the diagram cited and the language sometimes used, would
give the impression that the author did not intend to make one family
evolve from another, other language certainly implies that this did take
place, that what are called the higher families all passed through the
stages of the lower, and in evolving sloughed off the lower class of habits
Sa SS
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 89
more or less completely, till an ‘‘ aristocratic” perfection was reached
in the Satyrine. ‘*‘ The Hesperidz have epiphyses ; the Papilioning the
same ; in the closely allied sub-family, Pierine, the epiphyses disappear.”
—But. N. E., 73. ‘* There ts the series, leading from the Hesperide in a
direct and unbroken course through the Papilionine, Pierinz, Lycenine,
Lemoniine ¢o the Vymphalide, and culminating in the Satyrine” p. 74.
That can mean nothing else than a sort of fishing-pole style of evolution,
in which every joint proceeds from and was inclosed in a preceding one.
‘That involves greater difficulty, even than the other plan. The big
Papilio is to come out of the little Hesperian, the tiny Lyczena from the big
Papilio, the robust and often great Nymphalid from the tiny Lycenid, and
the series is to culminate in a weakling Satyrid, aristocratic, if at all, only
in the sense of being effete, exhausted, ‘‘ petered out.”
Mr. Scudder insists strongly on the two evident series—one, of the
style of pupating ; the other, of the condition of the legs. But, what if
these series are imaginary? The pupation begins and ends with the
moths, and is in a circle, as I have shown, and, therefore, is not in a
series. Let us see about legs; first, six good legs; next, slight atrophy
in the fore-legs of one sex; then a little farther atrophy ; next, six good
legs in the Libytheine ; then complete atrophy in both sexes, and at last
extreme atrophy. Using the diagram before referred to, in which ‘the
height which each branch attains, indicates the relative perfection” of
the several groups, the whole length of the stem being 6.5 inches ; we
find the Papilionide at 2 inches, the Lycenide at 3, the Erycinide at
3.25; the Libytheine, having six legs, must be rated at 2; the
Nymphaline 4.25 ; the Satyrine 6.5. This will then run 2, 3, 3.25, 2,
4.25, 6.5. The mathematical name for this sort of series I do not find,
but I think it is what is called the illusive—such stuff as dreams are made
of. Not substantial enough to base an argument on!
Another thing one would like to have an explanation of. If there ever
did arise a tendency towards deformity, and the deformity was a develop-
ment, why, in the Lycznidz, it halted at a slight degree, and left all the
species of this great family, divided into hundreds of genera, in exactly
the same condition? Why it advanced a bit farther in the Erycinide
and halted, and why both these families have halted for these
myriads of years? Why they are not as perfect, in all respects, as
the Nymphalide, with but four good legs in both sexes—four legs being
90 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the test of perfection? Why, in the Libytheine, part of the Nymphalide,
there are six good legs in both sexes, though they evolved from the
tainted Lycenide ? These little difficulties will thrust themselves into ‘
notice when surveying Mr. Scudder’s great scheme. It is very odd that
the disease we are talking of should have burst out with virulence one step ae
beyond the healthy Libytheine, and have swept all before it to the
Satyrine, who yet have managed somehow to live through the 800,000.
years.
There is no trace of butterfly life back of the tertiaries. The forma-—
tion, next below that, is the cretaceous, adverse to butterfly beginnings.
Now, the beginning of the tertiaries is estimated by geologists as some-
where about 800,000 years ago. All of a sudden the shales are full of —
insects, and we learn by Mr. Scudder’s “ Fossil Butterflies,” 1875, and
by his later papers, that the very earliest butterflies, whose remains are
found, were closely like what we see to-day, the same families and sub-
families, so far as the examples go, which are recognized now. In the
Fossil Butterflies, nine species are treated of from the Eocene and Miocene. —
Of these nine, two belong to the Pierinze, one to the Parnassinz, four to —
the Nymphalidze, and two to the Hesperide. Of the four Nymphalidee
two belong to the Satyrinze, and one of them is stated to be very close to
Debis (Enodia) Port/andia of the United States. The other to be nearly
allied to an existing Bornean species. We read, page 83 :—“ Our present
knowledge places the apparition of butterflies towards the end of the lower
tertiaries.” It appears then, that on the earliest horizon the “ highest”
butterflies, as Mr. Scudder esteems them, were living side by side with the
“lowest.” In the next horizon we find a Hesperid, a Pierid of a genus used
in the Butt. N. E., viz., Pontia, and a Nymphalid, also belonging to one
of Mr. Scudder’s genera, Eugonia, which he created for Grapta /. album. :
Since 1875, the American tertiaries have yielded seven other butterflies,
of as many species. One is a Pieris nearly allied to P. Rape ; five are
Nymphalinz, and one is a Libythea ; this last is so well preserved that its
legs are clearly to be seen, and Mr. Scudder says that ‘the fore leg is of -
the same structure as in the genus to-day.” —B.N.E., 759. That is, it has six
walking legs, though all the rest of the Nymphalidz have but four, Evi-
dently on the leg classification it is a black sheep, and should be hustled out
of the Nymphalidz. Further, we are told that in one of the Nymphaline
the legs show that “the atrophy of the fore legs had reached the same
mee es
oe ot.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 91
stage which it now possesses.”* It appears, then, that while some genera
are extinct, others are represented by modern genera very near them,
and two belong to genera in use to-day. But the families and sub-families,
even to the aberrant Libythea, were as sharply defined as they are to-day.
Every family recognized by Mr. Scudder is represented, except the
Lycenide, but their absence is accounted for by reason of ‘their ex-
ceedingly delicate structure and small size ;” and it is added, “ but there
are intimations of the presence of some of their caterpillars in amber,”
which is a product of the tertiaries. And there is not a species about
which there is a doubt as to what family and sub-family it belongs. The
neuration of wings, the legs, palpi and antenne were just as now. It is
proved, therefore, so far as there is any evidence at all, that since ‘the
Eocene, the families and sub-families of butterflies have not changed an
iota. Mr. Scudder is happy in the poetical quotations prefixed to his
chapters, and he might have put over the one on fossil butterflies, ‘‘ Such
as creation’s dawn beheld, we see thee now.” New species have been
evolved and new genera, but no new families. Of sub-families we
miss that of the Papilionine, whose absence, considering their size and
stout texture of wing, and especially if they were among the first to evolve
from the “common stock,” and, therefore, were always present when any
butterfly at all was flying, is remarkable. If they were really the latest to
develop, we can understand their absence.
From the beginning of the tertiaries there was a steady advance in
the grade of mammals and birds. The supposed ancestors of existing
species in these classes are found there, new types manifesting themselves
as the period progressed. The families are not those of to-day, but one
has developed into many. © This very week there is going the rounds of
the papers a description of the mammal Phenacodus-primevus, an animal
both herbivorous and carnivorous, from the Eocene of Dacotah, which
Dr. Cope considers the ancestor of the elephant and giraffe, the plan-
tigrades, the carnivora and hoofed animals of to-day. But, in the butter-
flies, there is no evidence of any change whatever.
The hypothesis, advanced by Mr. Scudder, calls for a duration of time
which is inadmissable. It isa problem in the Rule of Three; if butter-
* If, as I have supposed, the atrophy of legs originated suddenly and to full extent
in the type, and was perpetuated by descent, we can understand why it appears on the
earliest horizon ; otherwise, not. But if it was a malformation from the first, no degree
of perpetuation would change its character.
92 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. .
flies, in the family and sub-family characters, have nat changed in 800,000
years, how long time would be required to bring them out of the “common —
stock” to the grade they had reached in the Eocene? Perhaps the
advocates of leg classification can solve it. : Be eke
Mr. Darwin, in his fourth chapter, gives a diagram explaining his :
views as to how varieties appeared, and how, from simple variation, genera
and families might come to be formed. Starting with several species of a
widely distributed genus, which resemble each other in unequal degrees,
he represents their offspring by divergent lines—the divergency in each —
case showing the variation in the descendants of the original species. —
Many variations appear in one or more of the groups, some of which go
but a little way ; others flourish, and in their turn give permanent varieties.
Some of the original species die out, and, at length, after many thousands
of generations, the surviving descendants of the original species are separ-
ated into distinct groups of unequal value, and which may be regarded as’
families and sub-families. |The branches, that is, the descendants of the
original species, do not evolve one from the other, but are all advancing in ,
their own way, unequally. That kind of evolution is intelligible, at least.
One group of butterflies, starting from the ‘‘ common stock,” whatever
that may have been, would come to have one manner of pupating, or its
bodily organs of a particular pattern; another group a different manner
and pattern. The groups are not departing in every respect, or at all —
equally from the parent form. No matter how far removed in time from
the parent, one feature or other may be retained through all the history.
Evidently, no such duration of time is required to bring the order of
butterflies to their present condition, as is called for by the other scheme
treated of. Whether, of the several groups existing at any given period,
one were higher in the scale of existence than another, would depend, not
on the deformity of a pair of legs, nor the style of pupating, or the
papille on the tongue, or the presence of a: *‘ tibial ephiphysis,” but, in
the harmonious development of the whole organization. There can be
no ascending scale, because one family did not develop out of another,
but each separately, and according to the surrounding.* If there is a
highest family among the butterflies, as among mammals, the quadrumana,
--
_ ™ There is no evidence whatever that a butterfly sprang from a moth, and it is a
fair proposition that all families of the Lepidoptera, diurnal, crepuscular, nocturnal, came
from a common parent, and were developing at same time, each in its own way. This
calls for vastly less time than the fishing-pole style of evolution,
ih a ae cine kul oe
aie ATS alee
Sera hero ate yy ea eae ie ahaa a ee ian Se alae hae ae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 93
birds, the thrushes, it is the Papilionide, and the Satyrine must go to the
bottom, carrying the Nymphaline with them.
This matter of relative rank was discussed by Mr. Alfred Russell
Wallace, a man who ‘sees clear and thinks straight,” in 1864, with a
treatment worthy his high standing as a naturalist, and the argument then
advanced has proved unanswerable. It is based on general principles,
and no special pleading from diseased legs, or papille, or pupze will touch
it. Indeed, the conclusion reached by Mr. Wallace is so manifestly
proper that the test of any other theory on the matter must be whether or
no it arrives at the same conclusion. I am glad to be able to quote the
argument, as probably it is new to many of the readers of this magazine :
* Butterflies and moths are broadly characterised by their diurnal and
nocturnal habits respectively, and the Papilionide, with their close allies,
the Pieride, are the most pre-eminently diurnal of butterflies, most of
them lovers of sunshine, and not presenting a single crepuscular species.
The great group of the Nymphalide, on the other hand, contains an
entire sub-family (Brassolide), and a number of genera, such as Zhau-
mantis, Xeuxidia, Pavonia, etc., of crepuscular habits, while a large
proportion of the Satyride and many of the Danaide are shade-loving
butterflies.” He then speaks of certain special characters in the Papi-
lionidee, the most noticeable of which is the tentacle for self defence, in
second segment, which every one of the Papilionide is provided with:
-“ Such a structural addition to the organization of the family, subserving
an important function, seems to me alone sufficient to warrant us in con-
sidering the Papilionide as the most highly developed of the whole
order.” He speaks of the ‘tibial epiphysis,” common to the Papi-
lionide and some Hesperide, which was supposed by some authors to
show a direct affinity between the two groups.* These examples, ‘I
‘think, demonstrate that we cannot settle the rank of a group by a con-
sideration of the degree in which certain characters resemble or differ
from those in what is admitted to be a lower group ; and they also show
that the highest group of a class may be more closely connected to one
of the lowest than some other groups which have developed laterally, and
diverged farthest from the parent type, but which yet, owing to want of
_ balance, or too great specialization in their structure, have never reached
el
* Here is another character which could not have passed into the Papilionide from
the Hesperide. Whether the ‘‘common stock ” had it no man can tell.
94 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
S.
a high grade of organization. The Quadrumana affords a very valoiabte
illustration, because, owing to their undoubted affinity with man, we feel
certain that they are really higher than any other order of Mammalia,
while at the same time they are more distinctly allied to the lowest groups
than many others. The case of the Papilionide seems to me so exactly
parallel to this, that, while I admit all the proofs of affinity with the un-
doubtedly lower groups of Hesperide and moths, I yet maintain that
owing to the complete and even development of every part of their
organization, these insects best represent the highest perfection to which —
the butterfly type has attained, and deserve to be placed at the head in
any system of classification.”—Nat. Selection, 139 et. seg. It is useless
to attempt to disparage the value of the characters cited by Mr. Wallace,
as Mr. Scudder does in But. N. E., 74; calling them “utterly insufficient,”
or to say that they indicate low rank, or have no token of high character _
about them. To those who also can “see clear and think straight” the ad
argument will be satisfactory. pe.
It accords with reason, that if there is to be, in the future, any
advance in the development of the butterflies, it will take place among
the sun-loving, many-brooded species of the sub-tropical and tropical
regions, where the imagos of the collective broods live fully half a year,
rather than among the shade-seeking species, which, according to Mr.
Scudder, are mostly one brooded, and numbers of which, as we have seen,
live but a few days, with adverse surroundings. It is among the
Papilionide that variation, and modification and polymorphism run riot,
as both Mr. Wallace and Mr. Bates have related. Even in our own
limited fauna, we have two species which are dimorphic and polymorphic.
But in the eastern Archipelago, every island has a modified form of certain
widely distributed species, and several of these species have from two to
four different sorts of female. In particular islands the individuals have e
changed in shape of wing, in neuration and in color. It is out.of this
family we may expect that species and genera will be evolved.
I, myself, do not consider the Pieride as part of the Papilionide,
having been led to that conclusion by study of eggs, larve and pup» of
many species of each family. In these stages the differences are as great
as can well be. On page 120, But, N. E., Mr. Scudder says of a paper
of mine which appeared in this magazine: “ The facts brought forward
show that the arrangement.of the genera commonly adopted in Europe is
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. : 95
altogether unnatural, as one would expect to find it, founded solely upon
a few characters drawn from the neuration of the wings,” adding, ‘‘an
excellent opportunity for inaugurating a new and more substantial classi-
fication is now open to the general student.” Instead of genera, say
_ genera and families. In my view, the Pieride torm a natural family, the
Parnasside another. After these come the Erycinide and Lycenide,
then the Nymphalide, with Satyrine next the Hesperide. With this
arrangement, the “curious resemblances” noticed by Mr. Scudder in all
the four stages of the Satyrine to the Hesperide puzzle no longer ; the
“phyletic meaning” is intelligible, and we can admire the fitness of
things in general. :
ERRATUM.—The word ‘‘ turned,” on page 66, line 13 from top, should read
**tumid.”
NEW SPECIES OF CANADIAN TENTHREDINID~.
BY W. HAGUE. HARRINGTON, OTTAWA.
1. NEMATUS OCREATUS.— 2. Testaceous or honey-yellow; length,
0.35 inch. :
Head polished, sutures behind ocelli well defined; ocelli in a
slightly curved line with the lower one on the rim of a large shallow
basin ; face below antennz whitish, especially a triangular spot at their
base ; mandibles reddish ; a dark impressed point above each antenna,
another between them, and one on edge of occiput ; antennez slender,
two-thirds as long as body, black with basal joints paler ; joints three and
four subequal ; five shorter. .
Thorax with sides of prothorax paler; the meso-thorax darker with a
black line on the lateral lobes, and a dark spot within at the base of this
line ; metathorax with tip of scutellum and post-scutellum and the sutures
narrowly black; wings large, hyaline, irridescent ; nervures blackish ;
stigma and anterior border pale ; legs unicolorous with body ; the extreme
tip of posterior tibie and their tarsi in part, brown or blackish.
Abdomen stout, slightly longer than head and thorax, uniformly honey-
yellow, paler below laterally ; basal plates margined with black, and with
a dusky spot at side; ovipositor sheaths polished, transparent, plainly
showing the large ovipositor ; cerci long, black at tips. One specimen
captured near Hull, Q., on 16th May, 1886.
96 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
2. HARPIPHORUS VARIPICTUS.— §. Length 0.35 inch; expanse wings
0.80. ee
Head and thorax black with white markings ; antennz with terminal
joints white ; abdomen and legs rufo-testaceous. Head black, with shal-
low punctures ; distinct sutures from base of antenne to vertex ; clypeus
truncate; labrum rounded ; clypeus, mandibles, palpi, entire orbits and
posterior angle, triangular spot at base of antenne, the tips of two basal
joints, sixth in part and seven to nine entirely white. ,
Thorax polished, black ; borders of prothorax, tegule, a large spot on
flanks, a smaller one over middle cox, the scutellum, two short lines
on lobes of meso-thorax, the cenchri, the cox in larger part, and the
trochanters, ivory white ; wings hyaline, with a slight yellowish tinge ;
nervures brown, stigma and costa testaceous; lanceolate cell with
straight crossline ; hinder wings with one middle cell. Legs, except;
cox and trochanters, rufous ; tips of posterior femora, and a dot on tip >
of tibia behind, blackish ; inner spur of anterior tibia strongly bifid ; all
the claws bifid, rufous.
Abdomen rufo-testaceous above, paler beneath. Captured by Mr.
Fletcher, while collecting with me near Hull, roth June.
This handsome insect is near varianus Nort., and versicolor Nort:
and has also a strong superficial resemblance in size and coloration to
Strongylogaster pallidicornis Nort. The venation of the anterior wings
is peculiar ; the lanceolate cell in each has two short straight cross-lines,
which form a small cell near its middle.
3. PHYMATOCERA NIGRA.— . Robust, shining bibckt teh 0.20
inch ; breadth of wings 0.45 inch. i
Head broad, but not so wide as thorax ; a brief groove above each
antenna and each posterior ocellus ; clypeus truncate, labrum edged with
white, tips of mandibles rufous ; antenne as long as head and thorax,
slender, gradually tapering to tip; joints 3 and 4 sub-equal, 5 sional
shorter, remainder of nearly equal length.
Thorax polished ; beneath with very fine short pubescence ; wing-
scales white ; median lobe of meso-thorax short, sutures faint, scutellum
sparsely punctate ; flat, polished, with two shallow pits at base ; wings hya-
line ; nervures brownish, first recurrent received in middle of second sub-
marginal cell, second recurrent about one-third from base of third sub-
marginal cell, nervure dividing marginals straight; legs whitish, base of
Splat wih lalla
ii ae
= nh pee Ce
PPE OT Po a Ee LE, SR Rage ee ae EL ED ese cle gee eee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 97
—
the anterior and intermediate and most of posterior femora black, | ie of
tarsi, especially the posterior ones, piceous or blackish.
Abdomen short and stout, with very fine yellowish pubescence, more
abundant on terminal segments ; ovipositor conspicuous, sheathes black,
shining.
__ Described from five specimens, all ae collected in this vribanty. In
general appearance it much resembles MJonophadnus medius Nort., and
might be readily mistaken for that species, except for the antenne. It
even more closely resembles a pRcnoeenys which I take to Be B. paupera
Prov..
4. MacropHya PROPINQUA. me Black, ee QO. “5 inch ; expanse of
wings 1.0 inch.
Head broader than thorax ; : clypeus énacsionee: Sram truncate,
both white, line on mandibles white, palpi whitish ; antennz slightly.
swollen in middle, joint 3 nearly as long as 4 and 5 ; two indistinct white
dots on edge of occiput. 7
Thorax with slender white-line on edge of collar and oF eikariccles ;
meso-thorax polished, moderately punctured and slightly pubescent,
median lobe sulcate ; 3 scutellum convex, more coarsely punctured and
pubescent ; a line on anterior and. middle coxz and. most of their tro-
chanters, a large spot on posterior coxe, with trochanters entirely, white ;
a white line on anterior tibiz before, extending nearly half way on
femora ; tarsi with all the joints white, tipped with black, except first joint
of posterior,’ which i is black, with a small white dot at extremity without ;
edge of basal plates white ; apical half of wings pale fuliginous ; ; abdomen
stout, polished.
~ Described from two 2 Sotlacted in July. This species. is clptiety
allied to M. tibiator Nort., but differs in having the posterior tibie
entirely black. ;
Var.a, 2.—Two specimens, also collected near Ottawa, differ in
having only the sutures of trochanters white, and in having more black: on
the tarsi and anterior legs, with a dusky spot on clypeus and labrum.
5. TAXONUS RUFIPES.— 2. Black, is rufous ; slated 6:35 inch 5
expanse of wings 0.65 inch.
Head finely punctured, with a fine Siesta be: more inckeid upon
the face and basal joints of antennze ; ocelli in a triangle, the lower one
at the summit of a bell-shaped shallow depression, the: channels at sides
98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of ocelli terminating behind in a deep puncture ; clypeus short, scarcely
emarginate ; palpi piceous ; antennz long, stout ; joints 3 to g ee
terminal joiut blunt at apex.
Thorax polished ; tegule, with a large angulated spot before on pro-
thorax, pale rufous ; legs rufous, except base of coxz and tips of some
of the joints of tarsi, which are more or less blackish ; wings hyaline,
irridescent ; nervures.and stigma black, a spot in centre of second sub-
marginal cell, lanceolate cell without crossline, two middle cells in posterior
wings.
Abdomen long, flattened, sides parallel ; icine Gt 2 to 5 of tergum
with the apical margin narrowly pale rufous.
Described from two specimens captured in May.
6, TENTHREDO SEMICORNIS.— ¢. Black, abdomen and legs partly
rufous ; length 0.40 inch ; expanse of wings 0.85 inch.
Head wider than thorax, excavated in front, with a strong ridge above
each antenna ; clypeus, labrum and base of mandibles white ; antennz
moderately stout and about as long as the abdomen ; five basal joints
black (the third with a narrow rufous ring at base), four terminal joints
white, except the extreme apex of last which is black.
Thorax black, except a white spot on flanks, a larger one above the
posterior coxee, and another on lateral margins of the basal plates ; wings
hyaline, stigma and nervures blackish; tegule and base of costa rufous ;
legs ferrugineous, anterior pair paler ; coxz and trochanters partly white
with base black ; a line on femora above, a spot at apex of tibiz within,
and posterior tarsi, except last joint and base of first, black.
Abdomen black at base and apex; segments 3 to 6 rufous, margined
with black ; ventre rufous except two apical segments.
Described from a single specimen captured in the city on gth June,
1886, by Mr. J. A. Guignard. This species has the appearance of rufo-
pediba Nort., with the antenne of grandis Nort., by which it may be
easily recognized.
7. TENTHREDOPSIS Evansi1—§. Yellow, with black and green
markings ; length 0.45 inch ; breadth of wings 0.90 inch.
Head yellow, except an oval black spot surrounding the ocelli, within
this black patch are two short yellow lines, one on each side of lower
ocellus ; clypeus squarely emarginate, pubescent, as also labrum which is
margined with green ; mandible yellow at base, centre green and tip
ee ee A ERO eles Fa One
Cae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99
black, shading to ferrugineous ; palpi greenish ; antenne black, greenish
below ; eyes bronze.
Thorax yellow, paler below ; dorsal surface black ; scutellum and post-
scutellum, with four short lines before, yellow ; wings hyaline, lightly
obscured in apical half; nervures almost black, stigma and costa green ;
legs variegated ; coxze, trochanters and femora yellow, the latter with a
small black dot at tip within ; tibiz and tarsi green, with the tip of former
and of each joint of latter black ; claws red,
Abdomen yellow, with a broad black dorsal band, uniform in width
to terminal segment, when it is rounded and does not quite attain tip ;
ventre inclining to ferrugineous, especially the terminal segments.
Described from a specimen collected at Sudbury, Ont., by Mr, John
D, Evans.
I have much pleasure in naming this beautiful insect after its captor,
who has made large collections at Sudbury, and added much to our
knowledge of the fauna of that part of Ontario.
CORRESPONDENCE.
ARZAMA OBLIQUATA.
Dear Sir: Upon my return from London on the 29th March, there
Was awaiting me, through the kindness of Mr. Brehme, a parcel contain-
ing a piece of Typha stalk nine inches long, full of longitudinal burrows,
indicative of larval work. In one of these I found asmall sized chrysalid
and a larval skin. I put the pupa in my hatching box, and the stalk out
of the way for the time. On the morning of the 8th of April, sitting in
my room looking vacantly at the window, my attention was aroused by
observing the outline of a moth at rest on the upright centre sash, Upon
close inspection it proved to be a large sized Arzama obliquata, in per-
fect condition. Had Mr, Brehme’s chrysalid hatched and the moth
escaped from the box? But it seemed quite too large to have come from
it. I then looked in the box, and there, resting at the top, was a small
sized moth, and the empty pupa case lying on the bottom, I then got
the stalk and began a careful investigation, and in the very centre I found
a large cavity with a quantity of fine cuttings at the bottom, the empty
pupa case of my large moth, and the cast off larval skin. A natural pair
at the same time. |
Hamilton, April roth, 1889. J. Atston Morrat.
100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, Ben Fie
BOOK NOTICE. ° ~ ple: ee luge
ve one
Insects Inyurtous to Frutrts, by William Shaler: _ Second editon.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1 vol., 8 Vo., pp. 436.
- It is with great pleasure that we announce the publication of the
second edition of this valuable and important work. That a new issue
should be called for is a most satisfactory proof of the excellence and
permanent usefulness of the book, and. establishes the fact that Prof.
Saunders has provided the fruit growers of North America with a standard
manual upon the insect enemies they have to contend with. Six years
have gone by since the issue of the first edition, and, during that time,
great and steadily increasing attention has been given to the study of
economic entomology, with the result that many new methods have been —
discovered for successfully combatting the ravages of noxious insects.
The most important and useful of these the author has now embodied i in
his book, and has done so with very little change in the text of the work.
A sv “erficial reader would hardly notice the alterations, but we find that
many*have been made, and that they bring down the information given
to the knowledge of the present day. As an example, we may mention —
the insertion among the remedies for the codling worm, of the apple and
the plum curculio, the recently discovered method of spraying with a
mixture of Paris green and water, which has proved SO’ eminently. suiccess-
ful. For the information of those of our readers who are not already
familiar with the work, we may mention that the insects treated ‘of are
grouped under the name of the particular fruit that they attack, and are
arranged in order according as they affect the root, trunk, branches,
leaves and fruit. An illustrated life history is given of each, followed by
an account of the most useful remedies that may be employed, and of any
parasitic insects that assist in keeping the pest in check. Twenty of the
most important fruits are dealt with, and two hundred and sixty-six
noxious insects and a large number of beneficial ones are more or less
fully described. The book is beautifully printed on fine paper, and illus-
trated with four hundred,and forty admirable wood cuts. While this
work is simply indispensable to the intelligent horticulturist, it is also of
great value to the practical entomologist, and a most useful book to place
in the hands of beginners. The young collector will find in its pages
figures and descriptions of most of the insects that he meets with, and the
more advanced student cannot fail to learn from it much ni nda
otherwise escape his observation.
Mailed May 7th.
Pee ES Renee are
ih
ie
al
5.
Daa
Poles
#.
Che Caadum Entomolomst.
VOL. XXL. LONDON, JUNE, 1886. No. 6.
CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS TO PREVIOUS PAPERS.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA.
The lapse of time and further observation on some of the things
treated of in papers previously published in the Enromo.ocist, render it
desirable to make some corrections and additions.
Lrogoderma ornata, Vol. XV., 91, and XVI., 37.—The treatment of
this pest there detailed so completely annihilated it that it has not been
seen since.
Dermestes Frischit, Vol. XVI., 37.—Seems to be successfully natural-
ized, since it still occurs abundantly on Brigantine Beach, and last Sep-
tember was found at Atlantic City. Mr. Ulke has also taken it at Wash-
ington, D. C. (Ulke MS.).
D. murinus, 7. c.—This species, if ever imported, is not known to
have established itself. There is a form of D. nubi/us Say, with black or
partly black antennz, and a minimum of fulvous mottling on the thorax ;
specimens of this kind were probably before Dr. Leconte when he de-
scribed his murinus, Pr, Acad. Nat. Sci. VII, 108 ; and before Dr. Jayne
when writing his “ Revision of the Dermestidz.”
Blaps.—The Virginia species of Slaps, found very abundantly at
Alexandria, is s¢mzdis Latr., as stated by Professor Riley. Another species
found in Maryland by Mr. O. Lugger, is mucronata Latr. The com-
parisons and determinations were made by Dr. Horn on his recent trip to
Euro
Wea coop regalis, Vol. XVI., 15, 47 and 132.—I have had several
favourable opportunities to observe the mode of pupation of the gigantic
larve of this regal moth. Where it can find ground soft enough to pene-
trate, it always pupates under the earth, and if at a proper depth the pupa
remains there in a clay cell formed around it by its own motions till it dis-
-closes in May ; but if the larva does not get deep enough the pupa works
to the surface and probably does not survive. Should the larva, as is
102 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
frequently the case, find no ground soft enough to bore into, it pupates
wherever it may be when the change can no longer be deferred, and this
occurs mostly under some leaves. Some of these exposed pupz when
collected in April will produce moths, notwithstanding the low oe
ture to which they must have been subjected. + ne
FPterostichus, Vol. XVI., 73.—I there enumerated sixteen species taken
in this vicinity ; four afliees have since been discovered, and three have
been transferred from Lvarthrus, making a total of twenty-three.
P. vinctus Lec.—This species is semi-mountainous, inhabiting under
stones on the sides of steep hills where the soil is moist and friable.
Though not gregarious, when found several individuals may be taken i in
the same vicinity. Near the city, it must soon become extinct,
P. unicolor Say.—Of this rare insect I have only taken one specimen,
and Mr. W. Klages took another. It must be sought for in mountainous
places.
P. lachrymosus Newm.—Occurs with adoxus, and in about equal
numbers ; without care, from their great resemblance, they may easily be
confused. ‘Their future must be the same.
P. coracinus Newm.—On the south side of the Ohio, on the rugged
sides of the hills yet in a primitive state, this species occurs abundantly.
Certain individuals may readily be confused, some with stygicus and
others with redictus, according to the greater or less development of cer-
tain characters at the base of the thorax. It is not likely to soon become
extinct. ,
P. tartaricus Say, for form strenuus Lec.—Specimens were taken in
the city, in June and July, at electric lights, but it did not occur to me
elsewhere. i
P. patruelis Dej.—This little species inhabits a small swamp, in-
accessible, except for a short time during the dry season. It is found
about the roots of bunches of grass. When this swamp shall have been
drained, this species will probably be extinct here, since no other enn
tive swamp remains in this vicinity.
P. femoralis Kirby.—Three specimens of this small species were
taken once, but the habitat was not observed, though probably it: is the
swamp mentioned above.
P. Hamiitoni is much more widely distributed than was at ret kanes:
It occurs at a distance from the city on the sides of many of the hills in
te RAEN cy a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 103
their primitive state, and I have seen specimens from Maryland, West
Virginia and Eastern Ohio.
Atenius, Vol. XVI., 189.—The species mentioned as undescribed has
since been described by Dr. Horn under the name Wenzelz.
LEpitragus arundinis, ib., 190, is found abundantly in August and
September, feeding on the pollen of the beech grass growing on the sandy
dunes, the underground stems of which probably sustain the larve.
Lixus concavus, Vol. XVII., 38.—It is quite possible the bottle of
cyanide of potassium, in which this beetle was placed for several days,
may have contained no free hydro-cyanic acid, as the cork was airtight ;
therefore this proof of the longevity of the beetle is invalid.
Ips fasciatus, ib., 46.—Lately the melanotic forms have occurred
here in midsummer about as frequently as the fasciated. The difference
in color does not appear to be either seasonal or racial. If a locality
exists where either form is alone found itis unknown to me. If melanism
depends on cold, a latitude or altitude should be reached where there
would be only dark forms, and wice versa. The color of such of the
European forms of Z/s as I have seen appears to be more constant than
in ours. The markings on /. g-guttatus Linn., which appears to be the-
same as our fasciatus, only with a perceptibly finer punctation, are very
uniform in the numerous specimens I have seen, consisting of a humeral
spot, trilobate in form, and two roundish ones behind the middle of the
elytra, either separate or united like dumb-bells, yellowish or reddish.
The suggestion of Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, of Colorado, that humidity
may be a potent factor in determining the color in variable uote seems
deserving of consideration.
Macrobasis unicolor, ib., 48.—A nursery of young locusts (Robinia
pseud-acacie), growing on a stony knoll surrounded by meadows, was
almost defoliated last July by swarms of this beetle. This knoll had pro-
bably been used the previous season by the grasshoppers (Locustide) of
the meadows as the grand depository for their eggs, which were un-
doubtedly the food of the larve of these beetles ; and which, after dis-
closure, promptly, in their voracity, attacked the nearest Zegumznosa.
This species is usually classed in economic entomology as moxzous,
because it occasionally eats a few beans, etc. ; but it is certainly entitled to
rank among the first on the list of beneficia/, as without its friendly aid it
is greatly to be feared the grasshopper would quickly become so numer-
ous as to seriously affect agriculture.
104 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Piazorhinus pictus, ib., 105.—This variable species is fairly abundant
here, and is beaten from various bushes, especially oak. In Florida it
seems common, | ie
Cicindela, ib., 201.—On Brigantine Beach, N. J., C. Zepida is some-
times found with C. hirticol/is. When at rest it is not readily seen on the
white sand—its own colour—and rarely moves till in danger of being
trampled on, seemingly aware of the protective colour of the sand. A
collector has stated to me that where it occurs on dark ground it is ex-
ceedingly wary and difficult to capture. With the species of the main
land mentioned, occur in abundance, C. consentanea, purpurea and
punctulata.
Danais archippus, ib., 204—Very few individuals were seen on
Brigantine in 1887 and 1888, and no larvee of Anth. polyphemus, nor of
f7. io were found, though quite abundant other years.
Cleotus aphodioides, Vol. X1X., 64.—This species has beer the sub-
ject of renewed observation, and the former statement of its mode of
hibernation must be re-affirmed. Mr. O. Lugger (Proc. Ent. Soc., Wash-
ington, V. I., 84) sheds light on its early stages, stating that he has fre-
. quently bred these beetles from their eggs, and has found them in all
stages, im sifu, viz., under the bark of dead trees, where they found food
in the decaying material: adding, that very likely the specimens found by
myself did not enter the holes to hibernate, but rather had made them to
leave the place of their birth. The statement of Mr. Lugger is very inter-
esting as to the habits of the larvae, and it is to be hoped he may make
known in greater detail the form of the eggs, larvee and pupe, as it is, so
far as I know, the only species of the Scarab. Laparosticti that is recorded
as being lignivorous in the larval state. With decaying wood as the
breeding place of the larva, any discrepancy of observation about hiberna-
tion may be readily reconciled. Mr, Lugger’s timber, under the bark,
was probably rotten, and there the larvee fed, pupated, disclosed, and the
beetles hibernated. My timber, under the bark, was sound, and the bark
inseparable from the wood, and there was no rotten wood for the larvae to
feed on; but the base of the tree and the subterranean roots would supply
this material amply. ‘The beetles, however, could not hibernate there,
and so crawled up the tree and into any available hole ; this also accounts -
for the mud on the elytra of many. | :
Saperda Fayi, Vol. XX., 6.—I have further to state that some of the
SRS R RES CA ae OB a aan
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 105
larva do not return in the spring of the second year to feed on the dead
wood atthe entrance of their burrows, but bore on directly up or down
the centre of the limb, attaining a distance of from sixteen to twenty-four
inches before pupating, in which case the beetle escapes by a round hole,
iS. concolor, Vol. XX., 8.—Some of the larvee of this species, like in S.
Fayt, bore in the centre of the limb some distance, the beetle escaping by
a round hole, which, I think, is cut by itself, as one from which a beetle
was crawling appeared to have been newly made.
Dicerca prolongata, Vol. XX., 65.—The statement that this species
breeds in conifers, while probably correct, requires more confirmation. It
has, however, been ascertained that it breeds in somé species of the Sadz-
cacee. Mr. Blanchard records its occurrence in: Massachusetts, in June,
on the trunks of young poplars and on poplar logs ( Populus tremuloides ).
Mr. F. Bowditch took it on the same tree in the Rocky Mountains, and
also on a species of willow (Sa/ix) ; while in the mountains of Colorado,
Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell took the beetle and probably its larvz from this
same poplar, when splitting it for firewood (Ent. Month. Mag., XXIV,,
232). ;
Myrmophilous Coleoptera, Vol. XX., 161.—The following species must
be added to the list :—
Biotus formicarius (Casey, Bull. Cal. Acad. Sci., II., 8),—Occurred
at Los Angeles, California. ‘‘ This interesting species lives in the nests
of a small, pale brown ant.”—Casey. iotus is a new genus in CTEN-
ISTIDES. A figure of the insect accompanies the description.
Ptenidium evanescens Marsh.—This species, according to Matthews,
is common in America, Europe, the Canary Islands and Madeira. F. W.
Maeklin in his CoLEorpr. MyRMECOPHILA FENNICA (No. 102), states that
it is often taken, both mature and immature, in the nests of Formica rufa,
as well as in other situations.
Limulodes paradoxus Matth.—This curious insect is described and
figured in Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., N. Y., VIIL, 409. It was first taken by +
Dr. Brendell in Florida, and subsequently by Mr. Ulke in New York and
the District of Columbia, frequently in the nests of a yellow ant, which
Dr. Leconte thought identical with the species with which Ceophilus
monilis lives. My specimens are from Massachusetts.—Blanchard. Pro-
bably not rare. Trichopterygia (Matthews), 157.
Trichopteryx fascicularis Abst.—Inhabits Europe and North Ameri-
106 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ca, occurring sometimes with ants, but usually in the rejectamenta of
stables, and seldom or never in rotten leaves, ae C5 134. This i is
a doubtful myrmophile. ties oi!)
Emphylus Americanus Lec. (Bul. U.S. Geol. Surv, Vol. V., ‘No. 3,
513).—Mr. Schwarz took the type of the species in an ant’s nest at Veta
Pass, Col., at the altitude of 11,500 feet. Cts.
Soronia (Amphotis) Ulkei Lec.—Mr. Ulke says of this species ey a
have found it every year, early in spring, in the nests of a small black ant
( Cremastogaster lineolata Say), and this year I collected them in numbers
among Jormica rufa. The only species in Europe—Amphotis marginata
Fab.; is said to be found on flowers. Erichson found them, however,
abundantly in the nests of /ormica fudiginosa.”—Entoml. Amer., II. 78.
Hypocoprus formicetorum Mots. (Bull. Mose., 1840). —This species,
described from the Kirghis Steppes in Asia, was taken by Mr. Schwarz
at Fort Garland, Colorado, in an ant’s nest.—Z. cit., 503 ; Class. of re
Coleop. of N. Amer., 140.
Myrmechixenis latridioides Crotch, Occurs from Washington’
southwards, having been introduced with green-house plants. —Class., 140,
Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., IV., 363. The habits of this species have not been |
recorded ; but, as the European species live in ants’ nests and about green-'
houses, it is introduced here to direct attention to it as a eenle
myrmophile. ie
Euparia castanea Serv. Occurs in Florida, Alabama and Tonia
in the nests of a small ant (Horn).—Tr., XIV., 87. To be commonly
met with in the Southern States in the nests of Solenopis Xylint McC.,
the stinging ant of the cotton fields.—Amer. Nat, XVI., 784.
Euphoria hirtipes Horn.—This species is stated 3 have been found
in Nebraska by Mr. Lawrence Bruner in the hills of the common red ant.
It occurred quite commonly, and the larvae were found as well as the
beetles. —Amer. Nat., XVI., 748. The discovery of the larvze of this
beetle is a matter of so great interest, that the absence of all further
account of them is disappointing. Maeklin states that the larvae of
Cetonia aurata, a near ally, are so abundant in the nests of Formica rufa
on sandy shores, that fishermen use them commonly to bait their hooks. —
Cremastochilus Knochii Lec.—This species was taken in the spring.
in ants’ nests in Colorado by T. D. A, Cockerell, Custer ceeny: (in.
letter).
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 107
_ Aymenorus rufipes Lec.—The larvee of this beetle were found abund-
antly in the nests of Formica fusca by Messrs. Pergande and Schwarz
‘near Washington, D. C., and the beetles bred therefrom.—Am. Nat,
‘XVI, 748, and XVII, 1176.
_. £. obscurus Say.—The larve of this beetle were likewise found at the
‘same place in the nests of a large yellow ant, and, from the great care
‘bestowed on them by the ants, it was inferred they were not there by
accident.—/d,, XVI., 748.
ie OMY. F. W. Maeklin published in 1846 his CoLEopPTERA MyRMECOPHILA
Fennica, enumerating 136 species. He included such as were known
to live with ants habitually ; such as were found with them occasionally,
but usually elsewhere, and even such as occurred in the vicinity of their
nests, if of unknown habits. But the scope of the present catalogue is
more limited, as stated in the introduction, and would exclude a large
number of those on his list, and among them probably all of the following
European- American species:—
Bembidium 4g-maculatum Linn.—Dxr. Sulithese took at Ylane a single
individual with # rufa. ‘This species requires no further notice.
Tachyporus brunneus Fab —Occurred once at Urpala in the society
of #. fuliginosa. ‘This species is exceedingly abundant here in early
spring under stones and chips ; sometimes an ant’s nest is found ufder the
same stone with the beetle, but I never discovered any connection
between them, except the stone. |
T: scitulus Er.—Taken not rarely in the nests of # rufa. I only
-know this species at secondhand, having obtained it from Mr. Dury, of
Cincinnati. Its habits in this country have not been noted.
Tachinus pallipes Grav.—Occurred once at Urpala among F) fuii-
ginosa. Pallipes is very common here, and is simply a scavenger beetle.
+ Conosoma pubescens Payk.—Found occasionally in the nests of /. rufa.
This.species is abundant here under the bark about the base of dead trees
and stumps ; as ants also frequently make their nests in the same place,
‘their being often found together is to be expected, but this does not make
Ac species a myrmophile.
. Ptenidium evanescens Marsh.—This species I include in my list doubt-
fully,
Meligethes eneus Fab. ( Brassice Scop.).—Found rarely at. Kavan-
tholm in the nests of #: rufa by Mannerheim, In our country this species
108 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
occurs on the Pacific slope and in the Rocky Mountains, and I am un-
willing to admit it in my list without further proof. a
Cyphon padi Linn.—Taken rarely in the nests of % rufa at Kavan-
tholm, Kirjola and eons It is not known asa myrmophile in this
country.
Otiorhynchus maurus Gyll.—Maeklin occasionally took this species
in the nests of / rufa at Kirjola. In America this species is known to’
occur only in Greenland, and its habits are entirely unknown.
Leptura, Vol. XX1., 32.—While this article was in press, Dr. Geo. i.
Horn published in the Tr. Am. Ent. Soc. a new arrangement of the
Leptura therein named, based on an examination and study of the types
in the British Museum. The form I mentioned as being undescribed
turned out to be really zaza, and now hematites is regarded as its varietal -
synonym. The typical ava is thus described :—* Antenne always
piceous ; anterior femora and base of middle yellowish, many specimens,
however, occur with brown legs, and others with parts of the hind legs
yellowish.” Except these two the other forms remain as before. |
Erratum— Page 33, line 18, read female, instead of male.
shag ag Nase fs pos as SME 18 et
% Ser Ce NES nes hare ee
te ES iS Tip jee
ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANADIAN vamerne i
BY ALVA H. KILMAN, RIDGEWAY, ONT. |
By frequent trips to the woods and marshes in spring, to aaner and
sift the moss for hibernating coleoptera, by minutely examining the debris
on the shore of Lake Erie, and by the use of umbrella and sweeping
net later in the season, I have added to my collection of beetles, since
1886, several hundred good species. The following list contains those of
my captures that do not appear in the lists of Canadian Coleoptera.
The species marked with an * are recorded by W. Hague Harrington
in his additions to Canadian Coleoptera, published in Vol. XVL, page 44
of this journal. ‘Those distinguished by two ** are named in Prof. J. T,
Bell’s list of Staphylinide, taken at Belleville, vide Vol. XVII., page 49 of
this Journal. All the others, as far as I can learn, are quite new to
Canada. For convenience of reference, I attach the numbers found in
Henshaw’s List of North American Coleoptera,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 109
—
To Mr. Henry Ulke, of Washington, I am indebted for correct deter-
minations. Dr. John Hamilton, of Allegheny, also kindly assisted me.
Upon such authority, it will be safe to credit the insect fauna of
| Canada _ as follows : i
155—Llaphrus Suliginosus Say. Rae with Elaphrus Clairvillet Kirby,
hibernating under moss in low woods. March to May.
269—* Clivina Americana Dej. On lake shore.
285—Schizogenius ferrugineus Putz. Very rare; one specimen in. the
_ sand on lake shore.
300—lVomius pygmaeus Dej. Muskoka. August.
372—Lembidium arcuatum Lec. Rare in moss.
580—Pterostichus Pennsylvanicus Lec. Found hibernating in the. clay
of moss-covered banks in low woods ; not rare. April.
741—Badister reflexus Lec. Not common in moss. :
784—Fflatynus pusillus Lec. Rare ; found two specimens on a decayed
log. May. :
792—*Flatynus propinguus G. & H. Rare; hibernates in decayed
wood, — .
II 50—Acupalpus carus Lec.
1165—Zachycellus Kirbyt Horn. Common in moss.
1186—Anisodactylus interpunctatus Kirby.
1262—Desmopachria convexa Aubé. Not common.
1434—Avabus subfuscatus Sharp. Rare in clear water.
1818—Scydmenus maria Lec.
1920—Sryaxts dentata Say. |
2096—** Heterothops fumigatus Lec.
2102—Quedius. peregrinus Grav.
2199—Philonthus egualis Horn. Common.
2221—Philonthus nigritulus. Quite common.
2236—Actobius nanus Horn.
2237—Actobius tnuti/is Horn.
2243—Actobius sobrinus Ex.
These species of Actodius are found in moss on the ground in wet
".. 0 places of the low woods. April and May.
2337-—Stenus indigens Casey. ue :
2364—Stenus pusio Casey. Ane
2377—Stenus mammops Casey. | Sakis
ESE
,
110 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
2384—Stenus egenus Er.
2391— Stenus canaliculatus Gyll
2398—Stenus paralle/us Casey.
2463—Stenus punctatus Er.
The Stenz are to be found in sphagnum and other mosses at any Me
time of the year, but especially in early spring. The same
may be said of nearly all the Staphylinide here named. iss
2527—**Lathrobium tenue Lec. :
2530—**Lathrobium debile Lec. ee ae oe
2548—Scopeus dentiger Lec.
2562—** Lithocharis obsoleta Nordm.
2675—** Mycetoporus flavicollis Lec.
2724—Lledius nitidicollis Lec.
2757—Oxytelus nitidulus Grav.
2948—Trichopteryx sericans Heer. ;
2978—Leocera concolor Fab. ee
2983—Scaphisoma suturale Lec.
3017—Sacium lunatum Lec. Found on dead twigs of apple. June.
3234—Tritoma festiva Lac. Three specimens on n decaying beech bree,
June.
3235—Zritoma macra Lec. Rare; beaten from decaying tree trunk.
3244—Syachita laticollis Lec. One specimen from dead wood, ~ iss
3326—*Laemophleus convexulus Lec. Two on dead apple twigs.
( Zo be continued. )
CATCHING BUTTERFLIES BY MEANS OF DECOYS.
BY SHELLEY W. DENTON, WELLESLEY, MASS.
It has long been a matier of fact to me, and one which has yeaa a
good purpose, and doubtless to other readers of the Can. Env, that many
butterflies, especially the larger kinds, are attracted by neces repeals ,
themselves in size and colour.
So many incidents of this nature have crowded themselves upon my
notice, that I trust it will not be considered presuming on my part to
enumerate a few of them, and at the same time State the betas sata
butterfly hunter which may arise from this source.
VS
a
ag:
i ak WR a Ne ea
so a og a aa ati
sa
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 111
My attention was first called to this fact some fifteen years ago, while
collecting in the neighborhood of Boston. I caught one day an example
of Papilioturnus. After taking the insect from my net, and while holding
it in my fingers, preparatory to placing in my collecting box, another
butterfly of the same kind darted down at the one I held and fluttered
above it for a moment, as if to entice it away. I was so surprised that no
attempt was made to capture the visitor until he had risen beyond reach.
Expanding and placing on a bush close by, the almost lifeless butterfly
which I had held in my fingers, and partially concealing myself, I awaited
the insect’s return ; nor was I disappointed or obliged to wait long. I
could catch an occasional glimpse through the bushes of my intended
victim : nearer it came, till hovering for a moment above my decoy, was
easily secured. This plan was followed during the rest of that day, and
more or less since that time, with gratifying results ; having caught as
many as thirty-seven Pagz/io turnus in a day, and that, too, in a place
like’ Eastern Massachusetts, where they are, so far as my experience
goes, not very common.
While in Nevada, in the summer of 1887, this method was followed
with good success in the capture of Papilio rutulus, eurymedon, and
daunus; Argynnis leto, nevadensis, and coronis ; Limenitis lorquint,
and others. I found a piece of bright yellow paper, cut out to resemble
P. rutulus, proved almost as attractive as a butterfly of that species, and
even a yellow leaf, which I picked up and placed in a conspicuous spot,
answered the purpose very well once, to enable me to secure a decoy.
I find the best place to expose a decoy is in some sunny nook, where
an occasional specimen of the species of which you are in search is seen,
allowing the full rays of the sun (provided your decoy is a butterfly) to
strike on the expanded wings. It is usually my custom to cut down the
green bushes, except, perhaps, one in the centre of the opening, and
stripping the leaves from the tallest sprig or branch, place my decoy on
the point. The decoy may be a badly damaged specimen—one not fit to
preserve.
This method applies best to the larger and stronger flying species of
butterflies, and these are the ones the hunter has the greatest difficulty
in procuring, especially if the country is rough and broken, so he is
restricted in his movements by deep gullies, cliffs, or large, loose rocks.
Occasionally the hunter will have an enemy in the shape of a large dragon
12 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
fly, which will pounce on the coming prize just as you are about to “ scoop Lae
it in; then away the two will go. The butterfly soaring and flapping.
often till almost out of sight, in the vain endeavour to rid itself of the
enemy which has taken such a death-like grip UP OF: it, but tee shark os
the air is in the end generally victorious. —~ oy 2g ae
In some countries, such as Australia and New Gaia i pats
of these because of personal knowledge--—there are large and showy butter=
flies of very powerful flight, which are almost impossible to catch on the
wing, not only being shy, but high-fliers ; and I know of no way in which
they can be taken so readily as by the method above described: . I refer:
particularly just now to'that large and magnificent blue butterfly (Papilio
Joésa) which in. Northern Queensland may be seen alighting-on or
floating above the tops of the forest trees, occasionally flashing in the
sunlight like a star of unusual brilliancy.. It is a magnificent sight to a
butterfly hunter, and one that will fill him with enthusiasm, but one likely
to be of great disappointment should he wait for it to come within reach
or settle near the ground, where it could be taken with his net ; for nine
times out of ten, when it takes flight, it will sail around and away over |
the tops of ae trees till lost from view, unless. you haye ie ig to.
procure one of the same species and place it in a conspicuous pee: in n the |
sunlight ; conceal yourself near by, but be ready to strike at a ‘moment's *
notice, and await the result, Your decoy will most likely soon be seen (for b
it is wonderful how quickly a butterfly will discern one of its own kind),
and down will come the longed-for prize, to your delight and satisfaction ; i)
but you must sweep with your net at just the. right time, or the oppor:
tunity is lost. But perhaps you ask how is the first specimen or decoy to
be obtained? This is often'a matter of considerable difficulty, iy was
accustomed when rambling in the forests of that country to carry. a gun,
and although when obtained by shooting they were generally i in a rather
dilapidated condition, yet they served the purpose of a decoy very, well. |
One thing which has always surprised me, is the remarkable sight and,
perhaps, sense of smell which some insects seem to possess, Often while
having a decoy exposed, I have been startled by the ‘sudden ; appearance,
of a butterfly when none were apparently in the neighborhood, ‘The
causes which lead to the attractiveness of decoys no doubt are yarious,
Possibly the passing butterfly on séeing the decoy, supposes the latter
a el
“THE GANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 113
has found an abundance of suitable food. But my opinion is, that in the
majority of cases it is a matter of sexual importance, and but for this
powerful influence which causes them to seek each other, and thereby.
propagate their species, these most beautiful. objerts oe nature would
Sepioely die out. | |
_ NOTES ON THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF CARTERO: i
Sais « CEPHALUS MANDAN. bf
BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA.
Ba tacriest some fertile eggs of butterflies obtained during the past :
summer by gently pressing the abdomen of ripe ‘females, was one ‘of
the above’ species, the larva of which was carried through four moults up
to hibernation, The information gathered is incomplete ; ‘but as there is
nothing published concerning the preparatory stages of C. Mandan, it
_ seems worth recording, if only to assist others who ‘may be fortunate
enough to secure eggs of this rare butterfly. Although widely distributed’
over North America, I know of no locality where it‘is abundant. Females’
taken at Nepigon in the Lake Superior district laid eggs in confinement
upon common lawn grass (Poa pratensis ). sit
The following description is drawn from one. specimen only foi ba
last two.stages, but from three for the first three stages :—
_ fgg.—Pale greenish white, hemispherical, broader’ than hints: -appar-
ently smooth, but when magnified found to be very faintly and vertically
grooved or wrinkled, and densely and uniformly pitted with deep pores
which are wide at the mouth and taper to a fine point. Eggs laid 13th
July, hatched 23rd. | sare elves
-1, Larva.—At birth. Length 2.5 mm. Bieadth af | ey) -45 mm. ;:0f
body, .35 mm. Length of bristles, .o5 mm. Yellowish.white, with head
and thoracic shield black. Head large’ and smooth, ‘Body slender,
equal.. Thoracic shield narrow and bearing a few slender hairs.. Body
bearing on each side four series of trumpet-shaped aes (Gis cou of
first stage five days. | pe ieeitt
- From the very first these larva were great Bint fcaasests leay-
ing their food plant and crawling all over the glass lamp chimney which
was. used as a cage. In these wanderings they spun silken paths wherever
they. went, and to prevent their escape a plug of cotton wadding. was)
114 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
kept in the top of the chimney. This habit of wandering was kept up
through all the stages, and the inside of the glass was covered with their
silken paths. At no time, however, did they construct a tent by catching
several leaves together in the manner of the larvae of P. Mystic, P. Cernes
and P. Manitoba. Directly after they hatched, the young larve climbed
up to the tops of the blades of grass and made a sort of tent by catching
the opposite edges together with two or three cords of silk, about half-an-
inch below the tip. They then attacked the edges of the leaf, eating
down each side and leaving the midrib. When at rest, during the first
three stages, they retired beneath their tents and lay extended along the
midrib. After the third moult they would sometimes roll the leaf of a —
wide species of grass, as Panicum crus-galli, into a tube similar to those
made by P. Hobomok. After the fourth moult no tent was made, the
larvee lying exposed on the upper surface of the leaves when at rest,
After First Moult.—Length, 3.5 mm. Head white and furrowed at
apex. Thoracic shield black, much smaller than in first stage, Body
pale green with two narrow white lines on each side—one sub-dorsal, the
other supra-lateral. Spiracles yellowish. Whole body covered wih a
minute pubescence. Duration of this stage five days.
After Second Moult.—Length, 6.5mm. Head rather higher than |
broad, slightly broadest at the base, rounded at apex, and bilobed by
reason of a deep frontal groove ; mandibles and two clouds on the cheeks,
fuscous. Thoracic shield, transparent and hardly discernible. Body
pale green and translucent, the dorsal vessel and the ramifications of the
trachee showing plainly through the transparent skin. There are, on
each side, a pale sub-dorsal band with irregular edges, a distinct clear
white supra-lateral stripe, and a very faint supra-stigmatal line. The sub-
dorsal bands unite on the anterior fold in the anal segment. The supra-
lateral stripes at the end of the anal flap. Duration of stage seven days.
After Third Moult.—Length, half an inch. Head lighter in colour,
without the fuseous marks on the cheeks. Of the same size as the
cylindrical body. Colour more glaucous green than in previous stages,
Duration fifteen days,
After Fourth Moult.—Length six-eighths of an inch. Head greenish,
tinged with yellow, a little larger than second and last segments, but
smaller than the rest of the body. Head squared at the base, rounded at
the apex, and deeply grooved down the front. Width at the base and the
en ee ee ee
peau T ey Sein Se
.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 115
a
height about equal. Surface minutely roughened. Ocelli black, arranged
in a semi-circle following the contour of the face, four in front and two
on lower side. The thitd and fourth are twice the size of the others,
Mandibles white with black tips. Thoracic shield not distinguishable,
Body glaucous green with a pale sub-dorsal band, clearly defined with
white above, much paler below, leaving a distinct green dorsal stripe.
Supra-lateral stripe conspicuous, creamy white and clearly defined ; not so
wide as the pale sub-dorsal band. Below this, and half way to the
spiracles, is a very pale thread-like supra-stigmatal line. Spiracles white,
very inconspicuous on a thread-like line, or perhaps this may only be the
trachezee showing through the skin. On segments three and four
(counting the head as No. 1) there appear to be beneath the transparent
skin, instead of spiracles, knots of trachez. Whole body, including the
head, minutely shagreened and covered with small piliferous papille,
which, on segments two, three and four, are black at the base of the hairs, '
The segmental folds of the body of the mature larva are as follows :—
Segment two, transversely grooved ; segment 3, three equal folds ; seg-
ment 4, four small folds ; segments 5 to 11 consist of five folds, the anterior
twice the width of the second, which, again, is twice the width of each of
the other three ; segment 12, three equal folds ; segment 13, two small
folds and the anal flap.
_ Some interesting epidermal organs, first observed upon this species,
but since found on the larve of other Pamphilide, as well as on the pupa
of P. Cernes, (the only pupa I have examined) are-some small round
chitinous disks, which appear to be trichomes or modified hairs. I form
this conclusion from finding that, in one species, there occurred in two
instances, instead of these disks, piliferous tubercles; they are rather
small and difficult to examine. In the larva of C. J7andan, they appear to
be saucer-shaped, having a raised edge. In the larva of a species of
Pamphila, near to AZanitoba, they are, in some instances, simple annuli ;
but, in 2. Cernes and P. ATystic, seem to be rather cone-shaped.
Upon the larva of C. A7andan, they are arranged in three lateral series,
two of which are complete and occur on all the segments except the
head, and the other ventral and incomplete, occurring only on segments
five, six and eleven.
_ The first series is placed above, and anterior to the spiracles, and the
disks are sometimes double upon the abdominal segments ; but they are
not always uniform on the opposite sides of the body. In the specimen.
£16 THE GANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
most carefully examined, they were double on segments eight, nine, ten
and twelve upon one’side, but only on eight and nine on the other, and
on segment five there was no disk of this series on one side, but it was
present on the other, On segments two, three and four, they ‘are on
supra-stigmatal line. On segments five to twelve, below supra-stigmatal
line... On-segment thirteen on supra-lateral stripe, larger than the others.
The second series is single throughout, posterior to the spiracles,
except on segments two, three and four, where they are slightly anterior
on the fold above the thoracic feet. The third, ventral, series Cais ses
on cece five, six and eleven, just beneath the stigmatal fold.
The shape of the larva when mature was different from that oft the
first stages, the body.being largest in the middle and tapering off to each
end. The full-grown larva measured one inch and one-eighth on Septem-
ber 12-(twelve days after the last moult). After this, it fed sparingly for
about two weeks, and then spun a mat of silk on the face of a blade of
grass and drew two other blades over it with single strands of silk. The
furrow down the face deepened and appeared to open a little, and I felt
sure pupation was going to take place. This, however, was not the case,
and two days later the larva left the grass and spun another mat on the ©
sloping side of the lamp chimney. It now ceased to eat, and the colour
changed gradually, all the green fading out, and in ten days the body was
ofa yellowish cream colour with white stripes. This again darkened
until thé ground colour was a very pale brown or dove colour. The
moisture which condensed on the side of the glass kept the lower part of
the larva’s body constantly. wet ; but I did not like to risk removing, it)
as | looked for pupation at any day. After remaining still, and evidently;
in hibernation for about five weeks, I found it had fallen from its mat to
the ground on 29th October. After about a fortnight discoloured. spots
began. to appear, and I found it was dead. It was at once ede
alcohol for preservation and examination. arene
These. larvae fed freely on all grasses ofered | to them, but seemed: to
prefer wide-leaved species ; this, however, may have been an instinctive
preference for protection, both from the shape of their bodies and the
coloration, added to a habit of lying extended down the midrib with the
body closely appressed, the lower part of the head protruded, and the:
apex drawn back, these larve are well hidden from observation. The
favourite grasses were Panicum crusgalli, P. Bag ei ane Triticum
repens. ticity Er kee: COE
oie
ae
Se Boa gs eat i ei a) at
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 117
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY—No. 3.°*
CUT-WORMS.
BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA,
Of all the injuries committed year after year upon field and garden
crops, none are more annoying than those due to the ravages of the
various caterpillars known as Cut-worms. These are the larve of dull-
coloured, active moths, belonging for the most part to the three genera,
Agrotis, Hadena,and Mamestra, and in North America alone constitute
an army of no less than 340 different described species, many of
which are, at times, very abundant. They may be described, in a
general way, as smooth, almost naked, greasy-looking caterpillars,
of some dull shade of colour similar to the ground in which they
hide during the day. The head is smooth and shining, and sometimes of
a different colour from the rest of the body. On the segment next to the
head is a smooth plate, known as the thoracic shield, and there are three
or four series of bristle-bearing tubercles along the sides. Their habits
are nocturnal, that is, they feed at night and lie hid during the day-time.
- The habits of most cut-worms are as follows:—The eggs are laid in
| spring, summer, or autumn, and the insects pass the winter either in the
perfect moth state, as a half-grown caterpillar, or asa chrysalis. Those
which hibernate as moths, lay eggs in the spring and moths are produced
in the autumn. ‘The eggs which are laid in summer and autumn hatch
soon after, and the caterpillars either become full fed the same season and
pass the winter underground in the chrysalis state, or, after feeding for a
short time, become torpid, and so pass the winter beneath stones, heaps
of dead vegetation, or in cells beneath the surface of the ground. The
injury done by the young caterpillars in the summer and autumn is seldom
noticed at those seasons, on account of the abundant vegetation ; but, in
the spring, not only are the caterpillars larger and capable of more mischief,
but the land is cleared of all vegetation other than the crop which is to be
grown. ‘They are then particularly troublesome in gardens, cutting off
young cabbages, tomatoes, and other plants as soon as they are pricked
out. When full fed, these caterpillars burrow into the ground to a depth
of some inches and turn to brown chrysalids inside a smooth cell or a light
118 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
¥
cocoon, Fig. 3. From these, after a few weeks, the perfect moths emerge.
They are very active at night; and, when disturbed, have a habit of drop-
ping to the ground and remaining perfectly still
as if dead, where, from their dull colours, they
wings lie horizontally over their backs, and the
upper ones entirely cover the lower pair The
upper wings are generally crossed with one
or more waved lines, and always bear two
characteristic marks—-one about half way down the wing; orbicular. in
shape ; the other nearer the tip,
reniform ‘or kidney shaped. Fig.
4 shows .“.The Gothic Dart
Moth” .(Agrotis ‘subgothica,
Haw.,) with wings closed and
expanded ; this is a very com-"—
mon and injurious species, the
caterpillar of which is too well
engi as the ‘“ Dingy Cut-
worm.’
Ctit-worms may be divided into three classes, according to their habits,
and remedies must be applied in a slightly different manner for each.
These classes are :—_
1. Climbing Cut-worms, or those whist climb trees and destroy the
buds.
-2. Surface Cue) worms, or shige which live on the surface of the ground
and cut off herbaceous plants just beneath the surface of the soll.
3. Those which combine both of these habits.
Of the first class, a good representa-
tive is the Climbing Cut-worm ( Agrotis
scandens, Riley). The Dingy Cut-worm,
the caterpillar of the Gothic Dart Moth
(Fig. 4), belongs to the second class,
and the “Variegated Cut-worm”
(Agrotis saucia Treit.), and the ** Yel-
low-headed Cut-worm,” which turns to
the ‘ Amputating Brocade Moth”
( Hadena arctica Bois.) (Fig. 5) are good representations of the third class.
Fic. 3—Cocoon,
Fic. tore Dart Mori.
Fic. >—AmpuTaTING BrocapE Morn.
are difficult to detect. When at rest, their
OP eee ee ee ee ae
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 119
Remedies.—There are several remedies which may be used for cut-
worms. For the climbing kinds, the best remedy ts to place round the
stem of the tree or bush to be protected, a strip‘of tin four inches wide,
‘the lower edge can be pressed into the ground, and the tubular shape is
easily preserved by securing it above with-a-piece of twine. “This will
effectually keep all cut-worms from the tree, for these heavy-bodied cater-
pillars are unable to crawl over the smooth surface. A similar expedient
is to tie a band of cotton batting around the stem, as the caterpillars can-
not crawl over this yielding material.
For surface cut-worms the most efficient remedies are the following:—.
1. Keeping down all weeds in late summer and autumn, so as to
deprive those species which hatch in the autumn of their food supply and
winter shelter.
2, Burning off all the srubble anid apie: as late.as possible in spring,
when many caterpillars and the eggs of some species will be destroyed,
3. Placing some substance with an. obnoxious
-odour around young plants when first set out, as fresh
gas-lime, or sand or sawdust saturated with. coal oil 2”
or carbolic acid. : Re
4. Wrapping. Young plants may be proteéted. |
in a large measure by simply wrapping a piece of | y
paper around the stems at the time of planting.
5. Tomato cans with the tops and bottoms cut out,
placed over the. young plants, or strips of tin as sug-
‘gested for Climbing Cut-worms, will be found to well
repay the trouble and expense of procuring them. — Fis. ci Haniel gpg
6. Kerosene emulsions. Where these caterpillars
-occur in very large numbers, spraying infested beds with a. . kerosene
-emulsion at night has been found very beneficial.
7. Traps. Placing bundles of leaves or grass, poisoned with Paris
-green, between the rows of infested beds has been found a useful means
-of destroying large numbers of these pests. |
8. Hand picking. When a plant is seen to have been eaten off, of
~ course the cut-worm should always be looked for and destroyed. They
will generally be found close to the root and about an inch beneath the
surface.
In addition to the above artificial remedies, nature has provided the
e
120 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
farmer with many useful and active assistants in the shape of various pre-
daceous insects, Conspicuous amongst these are the Ground Beetles,
which should be known by sight by every one, so that they may be pro-
tected, and not, as is too often the case, destroyed decause they are insects.
At Fig. 6 is shown the “‘ Fiery Ground Beetle” (Calosoma calidum Fab.),
a common and very useful species. Its colour is deep black with red
(or sometimes green) glowing spots. The grub has been styled the
“Cut-worm Lion,” on account of its useful habit of destroying these pests.
CORRESPONDENCE,
AN EARLY BUTTERFLY.
Dear Sir: While driving in a cutter on 12th March, my attention
was attracted to a butterfly fluttering around a farmer’s house. Seeing it
alight, I attempted to capture it, but although 1 got near enough to make
sure it belonged to the genus Graffa, it rapidly flew across a wide field
of deep snow and easily eluded pursuit. The weather was mild, and as
far as my experience goes, this species is the earliest butterfly to appear
in our vicinity ; but I consider this disanieres record as somewhat remark-
able even for Grapta.
Plover Mills, Ont. Ropert EL.iort.
CAPTURES AT MONTREAL.
Dear Sir ; During the past summer a few butterflies have been taken
here which are perhaps worth noting. I took a Pieris napi oleracea on
May 21, and half a dozen Pyramets huntera and two P. cardui one
afternoon in September. Oleracea is very local and has almost dis-
appeared. Huntera is very rare, one or two specimens perhaps being
observed each year, and cardui has been scarce since 1884, when the
species appeared in great abundance. <A specimen of Feniseca Targquinius
was taken in June and two in July of the previous year (1887). These:
are the only instances of its occurrence oe |
E. C. TRENHOLME, Montreal.
Mailed June sth.
TRC Re he eae oe Laas
Che Canadvan Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, JULY, 1889. No. 7.
THE NOCTUIDA OF NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE.
(First Paper.)
BY A, R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
We have seen in several of my previous papers that the Owlet Moths,
or WVoctuide of temperate North America, the United States and Canada,
resemble most strongly those of Europe. The divergence lies chiefly in
the greater number of species belonging to the JVoctuide fasciate, or
Catocaline ; and this is a tropical feature, such forms becoming more
_ plentiful as we go southward, although Cafoca/a, the typical genus of the
group, does not seem to cross the equator, to which latter fact I have
already called attention. Forms allied to Pheocyma (Homoptera) and
belonging to this group, intrude into the European fauna, on the coasts
of the Mediterranean. From the fact that the Southern States reach into
the sub-tropics, the mountain chains forming no cross barriers, there is no
impediment to the range of southern moths, and a greater number of
species and genera of these extend into Canada and the north. The
resemblance between the /Voctuina, or Voctue nonfasciate of Europe
and North America, can be traced in that the leading European genera
are represented with us, and the species are even more numerous. Such
leading genera, about which genera of less importance cluster, are Apatela
(Acronycta), Agrotis, Hadena, Mamestra, Heliothis, Eustrotia ( Erastria,
Tr. non Hiibn). The genus Cafoca/a has in North America its metro-
polis, where the number of forms, species and varieties reaches its maxi_
mum. ‘The fact that the forms run very close seems to illustrate the
observation that in the North-American fauna there exists an evident
tendency to the differentiation, or throwing off of species. Instances of
this may be cited in the Lepidoptera, in the genera Argynnis, Colias,
Papilio, Hemaris, Callimorpha, Datana, Clisiocampa, Scopelosoma,
among many others. As compared with the North-American species of
122 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Catoca/a, the European are fewer in number and comparatively better
marked and distinct, standing farther apart from each other. The harden-
ing process by which each species becomes more isolated in time, seems
to have reached a more final stage with the European species of Catoca/a,
etc. -I have orginally compared the European C. fraxini, with the
North-American C. re/icta. I found differences in size and color between
the two “representative” species, on the whole so slight as to warrant
the belief that the two were derived from a common ancestral stock. We
must seek for this ancestral stock in the tertiary, when its range probably
extended over Northern or British America, and Siberia. A character
which is distinctive of the present European species, is the dull blue
median band of the secondaries. Now, I found, and first recorded the
fact, that, in certain examples of the American form which has the band
white, a faint blue edging to the band was found. This was a reversion
to the original color in all probability. The tendency of color to become
brighter and lighter in America, owing probably to atmospheric or
climatic conditions, is thereby exemplified. The specimens of C. re/icta,
which have the forewings dusky, are also probably instances of this
reversion. A form belonging to this group of the genus has been also de-
scribed from California. It is doubtful, as yet, whether this can be con-
sidered a distinct species. The variation of the North-American forms
has led to the publication of a number of names which, in some instances
at least, are not properly founded. This ‘ hardening into species ” ” “seems
to be a natural process by which we may conceive the forms to become
gradually more peculiar, different from their surrounding allies. At length
the time may arrive when they disappear by extirpation, having given rise
themselves to other species, through variation, their _species-offspring
surviving them,
From a classificatory point of view, the genus Catocala can hardly be
held as ‘‘ typical” of the Noctua Sasciate, the more geometriform group
of the family. Rather is, Pheocyma ( Homopter a) to be thus considered ;
the wings are unicolorous, and the darker rivulous markings extend over
both pairs, while the secondaries are more or less exposed i in repose. In
Catocala they are hidden, and Lederer sees no necessity for any sub-family
division. Probably the terms are to be used strictly for the convenience
of students. ‘The tibie are often spinose in these wide-winged genera,
and this character, not unusual in the family, the Catocaline have i in com-
Sh cic se
a
- x
\
a
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 123
mon with the typical group of the Woctucde, where we see it in Agrotis;:
and a number of separated genera of smaller extent. This spinosity of
the tibize is not frequent in the Bomdycide, or in the Geometridae ; it is
not so far apparent in the lowest group of the Owlet Moths, the De/-
toidine. In the Catocaling, however, the body tends to become untufted:
and concolorous, the abdomen tapers to the tip, and the resemblance to
the Geometride is further heightened by the looping larve.
Either from actual structural characters, or from the peculiar form,
or as a matter finally of pure convenience for the student, I have divided
the Noctuide into five sub-families: the Zhyatirine, the Noctuidae, the
Catocaline, the Deltoidine, the Brephine. All these grounds for sub-
division are recognized by modern systematists. The divisional terms
help, as I have elsewhere said, to light up the group to enable us to com-
pare the representation of the family in different quarters of the globe,
and to arrive at conclusions relative to distribution and origin. For, on
common sense grounds, I object to a classification’ absolutely technical
and rigid ; so rigid as to take no note of the plasticity of the forms, and
so ignorant of the process by which a spine or a tuft is formed, as to be
unable to determine categorically what characters are most difficult, or
take more time to be produced in nature. The value of characters for
systematic purposes may, therefore, stand in opposition to their biological
value. A reasonable entomologist will therefore take note of a// the facts
presented, and will make his categories correspond, so far as possible,
with the total qualities of the creatures he proposes to classify. The bare
record of structure, and the erection of an artificial nomenclature is the
smallest part of a naturalist’s work. The thinking mind will discover
the bearing of facts upon each other, and educe therefrom the action of
natural law.
1.—Sub-family Zhyatirine.
With the exception of Pseudothyatira and Leptina the generic repre-
sentation of this group, which differs by the position of vein seven of the
secondaries, is the same in Europe and North America, The former we
may regard as a modification of Hadbrosyne, while the latter seems more
removed from the different European generic groups allied to Bombycia
( Cymatophora of Authors non Hiibn), North America has one; Europe
another, and Japan a third species of Hadrosyne, so closely allied that
they may be considered as geographical or representative species. These
124 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
species run much closer together than the species of Zhyatira; in the
size, the characteristic wavy markings, they are nearly alike. Although,
the European species of Zhyatira is sufficiently distinct from Bombycia
(Cymatophora), so that the ground for these genera being placed to-
gether is not obvious until we compare the neuration of the secondaries,
the American western representatives approach each other more nearly
in external characters. Of the two genera, it is Habrosyne ( Gonophora)
which is most aberrant, most like the typical Noctuae, most like the genus
flusia, And I would here record a most singular fact: older Euro-
pean writers, as Meigen, etc., place Ziyatira near Plusia. Probably the
cut of the wing in derasa, and the tufts, together with the bright tints of
both datzs and derasa, influenced their decision. But there are no
special resemblances between the species of //usia and Zhyatira in the
European fauna. Now, in North America, we have two species of //usza,
which actually mimic species of Zeftina and Thyatira. ‘The first of these
is Plusia formosa Gr., which so closely resembles a ZLeptina,that, at the
commencement of my studies, I described the type under this genus. I
had my doubts, owing to the long //usza-like labial palpi, to which I
especially alluded. It so happened, that 1 at once returned the type to
Mr. Treat, while I never afterwards saw a specimen, owing in part to the
undoubted rarity of the species. I could not myself then subsequently
make the correction, which was supplied by the late Mr. Morrison, (who
was largely indebted to me for generic and specific determinations in the
Noctuide,) in the Annals of the N. Y. Lyceum of Natural History. The
second instance, as its name implies, is the P/usia thyatiroides of Guente,
which, in its rosy patches on primaries, reminds one of 7: pudens. Had
these two forms occurred in Europe, they might have strengthened, or
of themselves suggested the opinion that Ziyatira and Plusia were allied.
As it is, the case is one of the most singular which I have met with in the
moths. It is to Hubner that we owe the more correct classification of this
group. How much we do owe to this author! This fact alone, and that
he has correctly limited the genera, should oblige us to retain Hiibner’s
nomenclature in this sub-family. Writers, who themselves make mistakes
in describing structure, should be more modest in their criticisms of
Hiibner.
The various genera into which the typical European forms are divided
by Hiibner, are probably valid: Bombycia, Asphalia, etc. As against
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 125
_ the two European species of Bombycia, or and ocularis, we have two
from the west coast, ¢mprovisa Hy. Ed., and semicircularis Gr. But
the other European structural types seem to be wanting with us ; Zeptina
seems to be quite distinct from these, and an American outgrowth. The
species described by Walker from the east, under Cymatophora, I have
partly examined, and have corrected his generic determination, so that it
seems unlikely that we have any eastern representative of the European
genera. It would seem to be a proof that the west coast fauna more
nearly coincides structurally with the European, that the typical European
genus of this sub-family, Bombycia ( Cymatophora), occurs there, and not
in the east of North America. ‘There seems to be, finally, some doubt as
to what the west coast species of Yadrosyne really is ; whether our eastern
scripta, which is rather unlikely, or a form identical with the European,
which Mr. Hy. Edwards has suggested. While the species of Pseudo-
thyatira seems to extend nearly, if not quite, across the Continent, our
eastern Z: pudens Guen. appears to be replaced on the west coast by 7:
lorata Grote. But I have seen no record of this species from California.
We may believe that the peculiar resemblance of the Californian and
west coast fauna to that of Europe, has arisen partly in the fact that the
preglacial fauna forced downwards during the Ice Age, has been on the
west confined to a comparatively narrow strip between the Rocky
Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and that it has been exposed to lesser
variation from migration. ‘The temperature and food-plants necessary to
many species are contained in narrower belts, with probably more abrupt
confines, precluding the range of the species. ‘Thus the original form may
have been longer preserved.
I may conclude that this sub-family must be regarded as belonging to
the Northern Hemisphere, and its representation in the New and Old
World, as derived from a former circumpolar fauna. While certain generic
forms found in Europe (at least two in number: the hairy-eyed Aspha/ia,
and the naked-eyed genus of which @z/aris is the type), do not apparently
occur in America, we have, as an offset, the species of Zeptina. We
have also, in the more aberrant group of the sub-family, the peculiar genus
Pseudothyatira, with its one species appearing in two forms, cymatzo-
phoroides and expultrix. On the whole, then, the representation of the
Thyatiring, though probably without coincident species, is quite nearly
equal in the New and Old World. For, if we have a representative
126 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
species of Z/yatira in the east and another in the west, so Europe has —
one peculiar species, and, beyond the Ural Mountains, in Siberia, there
is found a fourth. All these species differ in size and markings, so that —
they are readily to be distinguished; while the pattern of ornamentation, pale
or pink blotches on the brown primaries, is preserved throughout, perhaps
most strongly contrasting in the European Zhyatira batis, which English —
collectors call by the pretty name of “ Peach Blossom.” Our eastern
species of Habrosyne, H. scripta, surpasses, I think, the European Z.
derasa in beauty ; it was first described from Canadian specimens by the
eminent naturalist, the late Mr. Gosse, after whom I have given it the
English name of ‘‘ Gosse’s Arches.” 2
A LIST OF THE BUTTERFLIES OF PHILADELPHIA, PA,
BY HENRY SKINNER, M.D., AND E. M. AARON. :
Appreciating the value to students in geographical distribution of
faunal lists of a given region, with notes thereon, and the interest that
such lists have for beginners in the same field in after years, we have con- —
cluded to publish here a list of the DrurnaL LEprpoprERA known to us —
to have been taken in the vicinity of Philadelphia. A circle drawn around
the new City Hall, with a radius of ten miles, is the line of limnie to the a
“vicinity ” here treated of. ae
We wish to disclaim any intention to enter into’ “the ‘svete of :
synonymy in this paper, and have, therefore, implicitly followed the cata- |
logue of Mr. W. H. Edwards, edition of 1884, as being the most com- —
plete and at the same time the most accessible to students. The collec-
tions of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, of the Ameri- — ~
can Entomological Society, and of Messrs, Peale*, Ridings*, Wilt*, —
Blake, Laurent, Johnson, Keen, Bartholomew, ef a/, have been looked
through by one or both of us, or their owners have been consulted as to
their captures in this locality. Very few of the species here enumerated —
are unknown to us personally as natives of this region.
To this we have added a brief list of species heretofore accredited to
this region on what seem to us to be doubtful or insufficient grounds, aS
—-
* Now in the possession ol the Aimee Entomol. Soe.
1 EA OO Saar BAe, *
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 127
A few hitherto undescribed varieties have been given names, as we
believe that any form sufficiently distinct to merit a characterization is
worthy a distinguishing name. Such action, in our opinion, i§ in the
interests of the science. A variety unnamed, or only indicated by a
number or a letter of the alphabet, is much more likely to be ignored and
subsequently redescribed than if it is at once elevated to the dignity of a
recognizable name. /api/io asterias, var. alunata, is more likely to be
respected than /. asterias, var. A. 3
Papilio ajax.—This species is said to have been found here in some
numbers in past years. In a collecting experience of twelve years we
have seen but three specimens. Pawpaw, its food plant, is scarce in this
region. Nearly thirty years ago Mr. Newman reported rearing it in some
numbers from the chrysalis.
Papilio philenor.—Occasionally common, but as a rule very few
specimens are to be taken. During the season of 1888 a colony of larvz
was found here on the moon-vine (/pomwa bonei-nox ), a cultivated plant
which is grown to a considerable extent in West’ Philadelphia. Most of
these were infested by parasites, which, at this writing, have not emerged
from their chrysalids. A feature of the unusually warm weather of the
past winter was the finding of a perfect 2 Philenor flying in Logan
Square, opposite the Academy of Natural Sciences, on February 26th:
Papilio asterias.—Common and very variable. One very interesting
variation we think worthy of description, cor Bes
BP. asterias, var. § , alunata, nov. var.—Type, American Entomologi-
cal Society. Expands four inches ; emarginations faint and nearly white ;
primaries apically produced, with but four sub-marginal spots, each one
growing fainter as the last one in the lower disco-cellular nervule is
reached ; the spot between 1st and 2nd sub-costal nervures is faint ; in
the marginal row the spots are smaller and rounder. Secondaries: mar-
ginal lunules indicated very faintly, the blue between the nervures bright
and well marked ; no yellow spots internal to the blue, except the one at
the apex, which is much smaller than the normal. Beneath: primaries
as above, the orange spots usual in lower half of the sub-marginal row
wanting. Secondaries with the sub-marginal row of orange spots very
much smaller than in the typical form. No spot in the cell. In the
collection of Dr. Skinner there is a striking specimen which differs from
128 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the type of a/unata in that the lunate spots on the secondaries are normal |
except in colour, which is the same as those in P. ¢roi/us. The sub-
marginal row of spots on the primaries is wanting, the first one very
faintly indicated. In other respects it does not differ from a/unata.
Although the type specimen of a/unata has no locality label on it, we have
good reason to believe it to be from this region. The specimen in Dr.
Skinner’s collection was taken in Fairmount Park. . ‘eas
Papilio trotlus. —Common. | :
Papilio turnus.—Common. Philadelphia seems to be about the
latitude where the yellow and black (g/aucus) females are found in equal
numbers, and consequently, as is to be expected, interesting gradational
forms have been taken here. A number of specimens of ochraceous
females have been taken. One remarkable specimen was captured by
Dr. W. L. Abbott at Chestnut Hill, and is now in the collection of Dr.
Herman Strecker, of Reading. Perhaps the best way to convey a correct
impression of its appearance is to say that were a black 2 to be pasted
over a yellow @ and the black then torn off in irregular shreds leaving
the yellow to show from below, the specimen so treated would closely
resemble this very striking form. The lines where the black and yellow
join, while irregular, are abrupt. There is no flaking or commingling of the
two colours. Another specimen, which, like the above, is believed to be
unique, instead of being bi-laterally divided like those figured on plate 5,
of Vol. IL., of “ Butterflies of North America,” by Mr. W. H. Edwards, is
. divided antero-posteriorly. The primaries were g/aucus, and the second-
aries normal ¢urnus. This specimen is also in the collection of Dr.
Strecker. .
Papilio cresphontes.—Occasionally taken. A fine pair have been seen
in Fairmount Park, and several have been taken near Angora. .
Pieris protodice.—FPieris rape seems to have pretty well supplanted
the indigenous species protodice, the latter having been much more com-
mon some years ago. At the present time it may be said to be one of
the rarer species. At Gloucester its food plant has been observed to be
the common pepper-grass (Lepidium Virginicum).
Pieris rape.—Painfully common. A number of specimens of a marked
varietal form have been taken. They may be known as follows :—
Pieris rapa, var. inmaculata, nov. var.—Same size and form as the
oo as alee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 129
we
parent form, from which it differs in that it has no spots on the upper or
under side of the primaries. Described from five specimens in the col-
lections of Am. Ent. Soc., Dr. Skinner and E. M. Aaron.
Anthocharis genutia.—Rare. While this species has.been taken at
Westville, N. J., five miles below Camden, by Messrs. Newman, Wilt and
Johnson at three or four different times in the past twenty years, we
have searched for it unsuccessfully for a number of seasons past, in April
and May, and have not succeeded until this season (May 6th) in captur-
ing it—two female specimens. These we found flying over banks on
which the white-flowered Cerastium arvense grew thickly. The food
plant, Szsymbrium thalianum, though usually not common, is found
there in considerable quantities. The locality is directly on the red clay
banks of the Delaware, just west of Westville, at the point where the
large shad nets are hauled in.
Callidryas eubule.—Exceedingly rare. ‘Two or three specimens only
are known to have been taken. It is, however, common in the pine
barrens of South Jersey.
Colias eurytheme.—Very rare. The form Keewaydin has been taken
in a few instances.
Colias philodice.—Common.
Terias nicippe.—Rare at Philadelphia, more plentiful below Camden,
N. J. The food plants, species of Cassza, are not common in this
locality.
Terias lisa.—Moderately common, but very local. Feeds on false
sensitive plant ( Cassza nictitans ).
Danias archippus.x—Common. The caterpillar is usually infested
with a dipterous larva, perhaps Mascicera archippivora. In some cases
not one of a large number of caterpillars reaches the imago state.
Agraulis vanille.—Exceedingly rare, Probably only an occasional
visitant. It is possible that it has been brought here in one of its early
stages on its commonest southern food plant, Passiflora incarnata.
Argynnis idalia,—Plentiful some years ; usually rare. On page 543
of his “ Butterflies of the Eastern United States,” Mr. Scudder states that
“the female generally flies a little faster than one can walk hurriedly.
The ample wings are flapped with great vigor, but do not seem adapted
130 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
,
af
to swift flight.” Dr. Skinner, in Canapran Entomotocist, Vol. XIV.,
page 20, has already pointed out, that in this region the flight of the
female “is exceedingly rapid, and generally in a straight line for about
one hundred feet ; then they do not alight on a flower ora bush, or flutter
about like the male, but suddenly drop like lead in the long grass. mi It
would be almost impossible to tell the exact spot where they alight, as
they mahi so suddenly, but on approach near it they are off like a shot
again.” Our observation, and that of a number of competent observers,
consulted by us, substantiate the accuracy of the latter description of the
habits of the female. It is more especially true of fresh females, which
are being sought by the males. Ro .
Argynius cybele—Common. Mr. Scudder, on page 560, say$i—
‘“¢ The eggs are laid upon the leaves and stalks of the food plant, and not, |
as stated by H. Skinner, dropped from a distance upon the herbage.” —
Dr. Skinner did not say or infer that this is the invariable habit of the
insect, but simply recorded a single observation with the following com- |
ment :—“ It remains to be seen whether this species always drops its eggs |
from a height, or only behaves in the peculiar manner occasionally while
ovipositing.” On page 562, Mr. Scudder asks:—“ Is it possible that the
female ever deposits by hovering in the air as Mr. Skinner reports ?”
Affirmative testimony, such as Dr. Skinner has given, is certainly, ina
case of this kind, of greater value than any amount of negative testimony,
and it should be added that Mr. G. H. Parker, now Instructor in Zoology
in Harvard College, was present and also observed the actions of the
female cydele, described by Dr. Skinner. Messrs. E. M. and S. F. Aaron
have both also observed the same thing.* |
Argynnis aphrodite.—Very rare.
Argynnis myrina.—Common in restricted localities. In the Proceed-
ings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences
of Philadelphia, 1887, page 5, Dr. Skinner has described an interesting
variation of both sexes of this species, found in Fairmount Park. _ These
specimens are in the collection of Dr. Strecker.
* Since the above was written the authors have been favored with an opportunity
at Westville, N. J., of observing Argynnis myrina following this same s course in
ovipositing. During this season also Mr, Aaron has detected 4. bellona in the same
habit, and he is strongly of the opinion that strange motions frequently observed in A.
diana in Tennesse are to be accounted for in the same way, though at the times of
observation they seemed quite unaccountable,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. PSt
Argynnts belliona.—Never very common.
Luptoieta claudia.—Rare.
Melitea pheton.—Rare ; very local.
Phyciodes n ryctets.—Very rare.
Lhyciodes tharos.—Common in its various forms.
Phyciodes Batesii.—Reported to have been not rare in this locality
twenty years ago. ‘Tryon Reakirt described it from types found at
Gloucester, N. J. We are not aware of its capture of late years, except
in two examples.
Grapta interrogationis.—Moderately common.
Grapta comma.—Not common.
Vanessa Antiopa.—Common.
_ Vanessa Milberti.—E:xceedingly rare. Only two or three specimens
known to have been taken here.
Pyrameis atalanta.—Very common. In this locality Ata/anta gener-
ally feeds on false nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica.
Pyrameis Huntera.—Very common. Mr. E. M. Aaron has observed
a female laying her eggs on the Canada Thistle (Cirsium Arvense), in
Fairmount Park.
(To be continued.)
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL CLUB OF THE A.A. A.S.
The annual meeting of the Club will be held at Toronto in the room
of Section F., University of Toronto Building, beginning at 9 a.m. on
Wednesday, August 28th. Members of the Club are requested to register
at once upon arrival and obtain the Club badge. Those who intend to
contribute papers are requested to send the titles to the President, Mr.
James Fletcher, Government Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ontario, or to
the Secretary, Dr. D. S. Kellicott, Buffalo, N. Y. It is expected that
there will be a large attendance and an especially interesting series of —
meetings.
The annual meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario will be,
held at London during the following week. It is to be hoped that many
of our visiting entomologists and associates will be present.
132 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
DROVES OF LYCAENID CATERPILLARS HERDED BY ANTS.
BY MRS. WYLLY, OF INDIA.* : ee
The larvee of Zarucus theophrastus Fabricus are cultivated and pro-
tected by the large, common black ants of Indian gardens and houses.
The caterpillar, which varies in colour from light pure green to a dark
reddish tint [this is a common variation in Lyceenid larve], is about three-
quarters‘ of an inch long, louse-like in shape, and slow in movement, and —
it feeds on the Zizyphus jujuba, a small, thorny bush of the jungles with —
an edible, astringent, yellowish fruit, the ‘“ Byr-coolie” of the ‘natives. .
Some Lyczenide larve have the power of protruding and retracting at —
will two small, fleshy tentacles or horns, each tufted with a brush of fine
hairs, from the upper surface of the tail segments. Between [on the next .
segment anteriorly] these tentacles is a small slit, from which they exude —
a small drop of a juice of some sort eagerly sought by the ants, and which |
they can generally procure by stroking the larve gently with their
antenne. ‘The ants set up what appears to be merely a temporary nest |
at the foot of the tree, the better to carry on their operations. Just before
the rains set in, about the middle of June, great activity among the inhabi-
tants of a Zizyphus tree may be observed. ‘The ants are busy all day long
running along the branches and leaves in search of the larvae, and with-
out fail an ant will come to one full-grown, and meditating on the choice
of a snug retreat [in which to turn to a pupa]. A friend or two turning
up, the ants set to work to guide and drive their caterpillar in the direc- —
tion they wish him to go, ze, down the stem of the tree towards their
nest. This is not always an easy business if the prisoner ig refractory
and would prefer going somewhere else ; but as a rule they are docile and
easily led. Having kept guard over him until they get him safely into —
his proper berth in the row, and he has accepted their ultimatum as final,
he drops off into a preliminary doze and undergoes his transformation
into a pupa. If you gently scrape away the loose earth piled up at the
base of the tree you will see some hundreds of larvae and pup in all
stages of development arranged in a broad even band all round the trunk
and lightly covered with earth, The ants object to their being uncovered,
and will immediately set to work to re-cover them, and if you persist,
* Reprinted from an article entitled Butterflies and Ants, by Lionel de Niceville,
F.E.S., in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, Vol. IIL, p. 164 (1888).
i alates (pes ite BS a Rae a 2 le ae Bie ek acre
eae
SODA Cee ee oN pe teeta en aT ogee
Bete
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 133
they will remove all the chrysalids and bury them lower down. When
the butterfly is ready to emerge, which is in about six or seven days, it is
tenderly assisted to disengage itself from its shell, and should it be strong
and healthy, it is left undisturbed to spread and strengthen its wings and
fly away. But if, by any mischance, it emerges deformed and _ too
crippled to use its wings, a catastrophe occurs. In one case, a butterfly |
had fallen to the ground before its opening wings had dried, and one of
the soldier-ants tried to rescue it. He carried it back to the tree with
the utmost care, and made several attempts to assist the butterfly to hold
on again. Finding his efforts unavailing, he left the cripple for a short
time to recover itself’ On his return, seeing no improvement, he
appeared to lose patience, and, rushing in, bit off both the deformed wings
at the base, and carried off the wingless body into the nest below, whether
as food for the community or for what other purpose I was unable to
ascertain. That was the only occasion on which I ever saw any high-
handedness on the part of the ants, though their usual ill-temper requires
no very close observation to detect.
It is a curious sight to watch the fragile and delicate newborn butter-
flies wandering about, all feeble and helpless, amongst the busy crowd of
coarse, black ants, and rubbing shoulders in perfect safety with the ordi-
nary fierce big-headed soldiers ; as odd a contrast as the fresh creamy
whiteness of the opening wing, the flash of purple and blue, and the
sparkle of green and silver eyes is to the darkness and dinginess of their
queer home. For some time after the butterflies have gained strength to
fly away, they remain hovering over the nest. A larva of a species of
Catopsilia [one of the Pierinz, or ‘ Whites,”| I threw down as an exper-
ment, was immediately set upon and torn to pieces in a second by the ants.
I took a Z: theophrastus larva from a tree, and introduced it on the
‘pathway of another company of the same species of ants who lived in our
verandah, but kept no “‘ farm,” and it was odd to see the ants come
tumbling out headlong to fight the intruder, and the sudden way they
cooled down on investigation of the foe ; none attempted to harm him, and
he was politely escorted across their boundary, the ants running alongside,
and feeling him all over with their antenne. This must have been in-
stinct, as they could have no former knowledge of him as a “ milk-giver.”
The dead chrysalids in an ants’ nest are carefully removed and thrown
away outside ; the ants also distinguish between the dead and living.
134 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ADDITIONS TO THE LIST OF CANADIAN COLEOPTERA.
BY ALVA H. KILMAN, RIDGEWAY, ONT.
(Continued from page 110. )
3443— Zrogoderma tarsale Melsh. Not rare.
3683—Carpophilus antiquus Melsh. Rare ; under bark of dead maple
and beech.
3686— Colastus maculatus Er. Rare ; took three or four from the stump
of a maple tree, cut while the sap was running.
3712—Eupurea peltoides Horn.
3753—Cryptarcha strigata Fab..
3823—Corticaria pumila Lec.
3871—Bactridium striolatum Reit.
By placing chips on the top of fresh-cut stumps of maple, vak and
other trees, and turning them from time to time, these last-
named species are found. Attracted by the flowing sap, they .
hide under the chips and may be taken along with the more
common species of WVitidulide, Trogositide, etc., in consider-
able numbers.
3987—ftilodactyla angustata Horn. Swept from weeds. June. Not
common. i aiagee! cee Lone
3992—Lucinetus morio Lec. Swept from bushes. Muskoka. August.
4015 —*Cyphon collaris Guér. Rare ; beaten from wild gooseberry.
4031—Dromeolus basalis Lec. : :
4038—Dromeaolus striatus Lec. ;
These species, a few specimens of each, were got by beating. i =
have no record of the plant.
4097—Cardiophorus convexus Say. Not common on conifers.
4217—ELlater pedalis Germ. Several taken in sweeping net. ©
4228—Elater socer Lec. Rare ; found two under bark.
4229—L/ater rubricollis Hbst. One by beating in July.
—FE later ? macilentus Rand. One taken on beech. June.
4290—*Agriotes oblongicollis Melsh. :
4305—Melanotugs longulus Lec. ,
4335—Melanotus tenax Say. Taken occasionally by beating sheubbery.
June and July.
4439— Corymbites fulvipes Bland. Rare on beech and maple. Tone: :
4475—* Corymbites fallax Say. Occasionally on thorn. pee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 135
-4494—Corymbites aratus Lec. ‘Two specimens on lake shore.
4542—Drapetes geminatus Say. I find these pretty little beetles ina
certain locality each year on elder blossoms.
4666—Actenodes acornis Say. Rare; one specimen on oak.
4767—Rhyncheros sanguinipennis Say. Found one flying in a pine
grove. Mr. Jas. White also got one on pine. |
4820—Pyropyga decipiens Harr. Not rare ; on beech and other foliage,
June. | ,
4911—Podabrus corneus Lec. One specimen ; no record.
5177 —Clerus nigriventris Lec. Quite abundant on pine brush. July
and August.
5229—Laricobius Erichsoni Rosen. Taken on pine in May; quite
‘common. This is the Z. rubidus of the Toronto list and of Cana-
dian collections.
5243—ftinus bimaculatus Melsh. ‘Three years ago I found one speci-
-men crawling around in a cork-lined box used for duplicates. As
I could not discover that my duplicates were infested, I did not
overhaul the box. The following summer, June, 1887, I found
two or three specimens of this interesting beetle in the same box.
Since then I have kept it as a breeding place for this species, and
in May, 1888, found several more specimens therein. I have no
recollection of having ever placed in the box anything but Cana-
dian beetles, and thus introduced it from abroad. ‘The beetles
submitted as food for the larve bear evidences of having been
used as designed. Packard says that the commoner species,
Ptinus fur \.inn., is known to attack collections of insects. ;
5251—Lrnobius granulatus Lec.
5254—Lirnobius luteipennis Lec. Both rare on pine. June.
5289—Vrilletta convexa Lec. One specimen taken while beating. Mr.
Ulke says :—‘‘ This is a California species ; never before saw it
east.”
5339—Sinoxylon basilare Say. Rare.
5404—Lnnearthron thoracicorne Zeigl.
5408—Odontosphindus denticollis Lec. Rare ; swept from shrubbery.
5459a—Onthophagus Orpheus Panz, One specimen flying. August.
6011-—--* Callidium ereum Newm. ‘Two taken at Ridgeway on pine, one
at Edmonton by Mr. White, and one at Hamilton by Mr. John-
ston,
136 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
6090—Phyton pallidum Say. I took a pair of these handsome little
Longicorns on wilted leaves of red oak ( Quercus rubra) July 12,
1887. It is rare indeed.
6183a—Xylotrechus lunulatus Kirby. Not common on hickory,
6209—* Microclytus gazellula Hald. Several taken by Mr. Moffat at
Hamilton. Three were taken here on hickory.
6609—Bassareus detritus Oliv. Several swept from foliage. — ra
6671—Lachybrachys trinotatus Melsh. Not common ; taken by : risen!
ing with net, but I cannot say upon what plant.
6945b—Ocdionychis limbalis Melsh. Beaten from leaves of ash aad tingielc
7003—Systena blanda Melsh. Rarely found in moss. March.
7534—LHypophleus tenuis Lec. Not rare under bark of stumps.
7693—Canifa pusilla Haid. Quite common in fungi. oe :
7698—LVothus varians Lec. Not common in crevices of bark on dead
recs. 3 eae Hae
7840—Mordellistena convicta Lec. Found occasionally on fee
blossoms.
1g00o—Xylophilus nebulosus Lec. Taken while sweeping ; rare.
7967—Anthicus spretus Lec. Not rare; by sweeping in wet ae
8364—Apion erythrocerum Srnith. oe
8371—Afpion impunctistriatum Smith.
These were found in moss in spring. ee.
8427—Phytonomus punctatus Fab. Common on lake shore and ‘in’
meadows. June to September.
8429—Phytonomus setigerus Lec. A pair taken by Mr. Jas. White, of
Edmonton, Ont., on the sand near some stream or pond.
8440—Listronotus sordidus Gyll. Rare ; on lake shore.
8567—Onychylis nigrirostris Boh. Cocasiddally found on the shore.
8575—Lndalus ovalis Lec. Swept in numbers from the grass growing
on the margin of a pond in the woods. August. | :
8582—Lissorhoptrus simplex Say. Common on the re of te ede
pond-lily.
8607—* Otidocephalus Chevroiiae Horn. Not rare on beghtir: of elm, etc.
8611—Magdalis perforata Horn. | .
8690—Zhysanocnemis helvolus Lec. One specimen from. foliage of
hickory, July 26 ; this is a rare species. Sete
8753—Acamptus Fides Lec. Not common on lake shore. |
8786—Cryptorhynchus parochus Ubst.
FE AS ey
7 sk s toe
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 137
8788—Cryptorhynchus pumilus Boh.
8795—Cryptorhynchus fallax Lec.
These kinds I find occasionally on the bark of dead linden, etc.
8820—*Acoptus suturalis Lec. Quite common on hickory. June and July.
8834—Celiodes flavicaudis Boh. Rare; swept from smart weed (P.
persicaria).
8893—Pseudobaris t-signum Boh.
9o71—FPityophthorus cariniceps Lec.
9223—Brachytarsus alternatus Say.
These three species J have taken rarely while sweeping.
PREPARATORY STAGES OF EUPLEXIA LUCIPARA, Linn.
BY HARRISON G. DYAR, RHINEBECK, N. Y.
Ecc.—Nearly spherical, flattened at the base, marked with about:
twenty-five longitudinal ribs and numerous transverse ridges, the former
somewhat irregular and running to a depression on the summit; color
whitish, with a circle around the middle and a spot on top of purplish-
brown ; these marks more or less confluent. Length about .5 m.m.
NEWLY-HATCHED LARVA,—Walks in the manner of a geometer, not
using the central abdominal legs. It is of a whitish colour, with many
black dots, from each of which arises a hair. Head, thoracic legs, and
cervical spot, black. Duration of this stage about four days. When not
feeding, the insect remains stretched out at full length on the back of a
leaf.
AFTER First Moutt.——-Semi-transparent, whitish, with fine black
dots as in the previous stage, a transverse row to each segment. Head
whitish, mouth-parts black. Duration of this stage four days.
AFTER SEconD Mou.t.—Differs from the preceding only in size.
Duration, five days.
AFTER THIRD Movutt.—Whitish, a blackish lateral band with traces
of dorsal and sub dorsal lines on first three segments. Black piliferous
dots. Duration, six days.
AFTER FourtH Movutt.—Much the same. The twelfth segment is
somewhat thicker than the rest of the body. Semi-transparent, with the
markings indistinct. Lateral line white, shaded with blackish above, the
138 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
black dots encircled with white. Duration of this stage about seven days.
At this period, the larva was observed to use all its legs in walking ; but the
exact period when this power was acquired was not noted.
AFTER FirtH Movutt.-—The body now appears green. A row of
white spots, one on each segment, above the interrupted sub: dorsal line.
Duration about seven days.
AFTER S1xtH Mouit.—Head rounded and smooth, slightly peas
at the vertex, partly withdrawn beneath the skin of joint 2. Pale-whitish,
mouth-parts darker. Body semi-transparent whitish-green ; a lateral white
‘line edged with blackish above. On each segment to the twelfth, an
oblique blackish shade, running back from the base upward, and termin-
ating in a white point on the next segment, these points forming a sub-
dorsal row. The two points on joint 12 are nearer together and larger
than the others. Joint 12 is thickened and larger than the other segments.
There is an interrupted dorsal blackish shade with white points. Body
furnished with thin, ine, short, whitish hairs, Duration of this stage
seven days.
AFTER SEVENTH Moutt.—Mature larva. Similar to the preceding.
Head slightly shaded with blackish above. The dorsal line appears as
traces of a white dorsal stripe, edged with blackish on both sides, occur-
ing in the fold between the segments. The color of the body is a darker,
more velvety green, less transparent, but whitish beneath. There is a
row of small whitish dots, one on each joint, above the spiracles, and
another similar row between the dorsal and sub-dorsal lines. _ Each dot
of both rows furnishes a short whitish hair. The two spots on joint 12
are quite conspicuous. Spiracles black. The larva rests with its body
bent near the middle, forming a loop, the head touching the last segment.
It feeds mostly at night. Length about 23 m.m. Duration of this stage
about eleven days. :
Pupation occurs in a very slight cocoon beneath the surface of the
ground. There appear to be two broods annually, the winter being
passed in the pupa state. This insect is common to America and Europe,
according to Dr. Speyer.* Humphreys and Westwood give a figure of
the mature larva,t and the same stage has been described by Edwards
and Elliot.
* Entomologische Zeitung, Stettin, Vol. XXXVI., page 153.
+ British Moths, Vol. I., plate 35, figure 5.
+ Papilio, Vol. III., page 133.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 139
NOTE ON THE GENERA GORTYNA AND OCHRIA.
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
I have lately had an opportunity of examining bred specimens of the
European Ochria ochracea (flavago). The clypeal tubercle may be felt
with a fine pin or seen under the glass when the frontal scales are partly
removed. We have two North American species agreeing with Ochria,
viz., Sanzaditae, from California, and Buffa/oensis, from the east. With
the former, the European species has a nearer resemblance’ externally ;
our eastern species differing much in colour.. The type of Gortyna Hib.,
is Micacea, and the type of Hydrecia Guen., as indicated by an asterisk
in the Species General, is this same species. Consequently Aydrecia
falls. The genus Ochria is used by Hiibner for the sole species favago,
consequently this must obtain for the genus, which differs from Aydrecia
of European authors mainly in the presence of the clypeal tubercle. While
_flavago resembles in colour several North American species of Gortyna,
I may have overestimated its resemblance to our eastern cataphracta,
although a resemblance certainly exists. The type of Apamea is now
difficult to ascertain, but if, as I assume, it is really zzctztans, it may give
way to the earlier Gortyna, as the species do not seem to be generi-
«cally separable. In Can. Ent., XIV., 17, I gave a list of the North
American species, which may be amended as follows :—
Gen. GortyNaA Hiibn.
(= Hydrecia Guen.)
purpuripennis Gr. cataphracta Gr.
Juventlis Gr. purpurifascia G.& R.
erepta Gr. rutila Guen.
immanis Guen. Hlarrisit Gr.
obligua Harv. speciosissima G, & R.
stramentosa Guen. cerrussata Gr.
nictitans Esp. marginidens Guen.
var. erythrostigma Haw. limpida Guen.
var. Zucens Tr. appassionata Harvey.
inguesita G. & R. necopina Gr.
cerina Gr. nitela Guen.
rigida Gr. var. zebris Guen.
impecuniosa Gr. serrata Gr.
140 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Gen. OcurRia Hiibn.
(= Gortyna Led.)
sanzalite Gr. Buffaloensis Gr.
The genus Gortyna, as above defined, contains species of Noctuidae,
having the f antennz of various structure, fringed with hair, brush-like, in
serrata pectinated. The front is smooth, thickly, somewhat woolly haired.
Labial palpi shért, with small terminal article. The thorax has an ele-
vated scale ridge behind the collar, and a tuft behind, while the abdomen
is stout and usually untufted. The eyes are naked, the tibie unarmed.
The larve, so far as known, are internal feeders in roots and bulbs. They
are livid or yellowish, with dark warts, and prothoracic shield ; pupating :
in the ground.
CORRESPONDENCE.
PHALANGODES ROBUSTA (Pack.)
Dear Sir; Packard, in 1877, déscribed this species from specimens
taken in Colorado by Mr. E. Ingersoll in 1874, but the precise locality and
habitat were entirely forgotten. In his recently published memoir on the
Cave Fauna of North America (Proc. Nat. Ac. Sci., Vol. IV.), he re-
describes the species, which is of extreme interest as being an out-of-door
species of a usually cave-inhabiting genus, and suggests that it will prob-
ably be found under stones, though its precise manner of life, etc., remain
as little known as in 1877. I am therefore pleased to be able to record
that I have found a Phalangodes, agreeing quite well with P. robusta, in
very considerable abundance by Swift Creek, Custer Co., Colorado, in
damp places in a grove of Populus tremuloides, always under logs, and
never, to my knowledge, under stones. This is about 8,200 feet altitude.
I met with the same species under logs near Clearwater Creek, on the
Grand Mesa, Mesa.Co., at about 9,800 feet altitude.
May 31, 1880. T. D, A. CocKERELL, West Cliff, Colotido.
A NEW MYRMOPHILE.
Dear Sir: On pp. 165-166, Vol. xx., Dr. Hamilton gives a list of
eight species of Cremastochilus known to be Myrmophilous. I can add
one other, namely, C. Xnochii Lec., which I found in an ants’ nest on
March 3oth, last year, near Swift Creek; Custer Co., Colorado, at about
8,100 feet alt. This was under a stone on the open prairie.
T. D. A. CocKERELL, West Cliff, Colorado.
Mailed July 2nd.
2S Wes ia aaa eee: 13
ro
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Che Canadian Entomologist
VOL XXL. LONDON, AUGUST, 1889. No. 8.
IBALIA MACULIPENNIS, HALDEMAN.
BY W. HAGUE HARRINGTON, OTTAWA.
The genus to which this very interesting species belongs differs so
widely from the rest of the Cynipide that it has been separated from them
as a sub-family, under the title /da/iine. \ts members can be readily
recognized by the cultriform abdomen and more strongly veined wings,
as well as by their greater size. The cultriform—z. e., knife-shaped—
abdomen is in itself remarkable enough to attract the attention of all who
may chance to see the insects.
From Canada two species are recorded: ensiger Nort., 2, and
maculipennis. Hald., 2. The former 1 have not yet been able to find
here, but Provancher (Faune Ent. Can., II., 554) records it as frequently
seen. Both species were described from the United States (Pa.), with
four others: anceps Say. (Ark.), Montana Cress. (Col., 2), rujfipes Cress.
(Nev., 2), and scapel/ator Westw. (Ga., #). The last is the only species
of which the f appears to be known. ‘The present species was described
by Haldeman (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phil, III., 127) as follows :—
“ Thalia maculipennis 2? .—Yellow ; meso and meta-thorax black, except
the scutel and two longitudinal bands above, and a spot beneath the
wings ; eyes, apex of antennz, base of coxte and middle of femora (the
greater part of the posterior ones) black ; posterior tibiz blackish toward
the apex ; wings yellow, apex and a central spot fuliginous. Seven lines
long, eleven expanse. South-eastern Pennsylvania, in May and June.”
A more detailed description of the 2 is given by Provancher (Faune
Ent. Can. Add., 165), and it is figured in the report of the U. S. Ento-
mologist for 1877, but so far as I know there has been published no .
description of the ~. It differs from the 2, however, but slightly in
general appearance, except in being darker in colour, especially the
thorax. The abdomen is nearly straight above, instead of being curved
as in the 2, and the terminal segments are slightly swollen, so that,
142 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
“0
viewed from above, the apical third of the abdomen ppb thicker ‘han i
the middle segments. ss : ew
The antennze have 14 joints, those of the ? faving ong 13. “The
third joint is longer and considerable stouter than the succeeding ones,
and is deeply and obliquely excavated on the outer side, a little beyond
the middle. Can this groove be of any use for holding the antenne of the
2? The object of the present note is to call attention to the habits of
the species, and to indicate where it may be looked for ; points upon
which little, if anything, is known, I believe. Mr. Ashmead, to whom I
sent a pair of these insects, wrote to me in regard to them :—“ I know |
nothing of the habits of the /ba/iing, excepting what Giraud wrote, “TI
est tres vraisemblable que sa larve vit parasite de’ quelgne : shacks
Coléoptére lignivore.’ ”
The fact that an entomologist so well acquainted with the Cynipides,
and the literature treating of them, had to make this admission, induces
me to think that the few observations I have been fortunate enough to
make (incomplete as they are) will be welcome to students of these
insects, and may, perhaps, furnish a clue to enable other entomologists to
work out the full life histories of the members of this anomalous and
interesting sub-family.
My first acquaintance with /balia maculipennis was made in 1883, as
I find by the following memo. in a note-book:—‘“ June 28th. Two
Hymenoptera, apparently ovipositing in maple.” The note is illustrated
by a rough sketch of the insect, sufficient to identify it. At this time
my attention was given chiefly to Coleoptera, and other orders were only
incidentally collected, so that no special value was attached to the obser-
vation. ‘The following summer a specimen was taken on 26th June, but |
its label does not give any particulars, and no record of its capture is.
found in my note-book.
In 1886 I was fortunate enough to capture six specimens, of which
three were J and three 2. My friend, Mr. Guignard, had taken a 3
upon an old maple on 16th June, but it was five days later that I found
my first two 2 2. They were ovipositing upon an old, badly decayed
maple ; and in one instance the ovipositor was deeply inserted. Upon
the same tree I captured another female, also ovipositing, on the 23rd
June ; and upon the same day secured my first male upon another old
Pe ae ey CE es uct) aioe
THE CANADIAN EN'TOMOLOGIST. 143
maple about 100 yards away. ‘The other two males were taken on 25th
June.
None of the insects were seen in 1887, although carefully looked for
in that locality, but during the past season they were again observed upon
a different kind of tree and ina different locality. On roth June, Mr.
Fletcher captured two females ovipositing in a beech, and on the 24th
June, while with him we each took a female upon beech trees in the same
grove. That taken by myself was dead, having met with an accident
while ovipositing.
Having thus recorded the dates of capture of the specimens coming
uncer my observation, a few remarks may be made upon the manner of
oviposition. When the ovipositor is not in use it forms a complete coil
within the abdomen, which is really but a flat sheath to contain it, and
so transparent that it is perfectly visible. The triangular ventral scale,
which is the full length of the abdomen, closes into it like a knife-blade
into its handle, and the ovipositor is completely protected.. When the -
ventral scale is deflexed the abdomen has much the outline of a lobster’s
claw, and the ovipositor when protruded is seen to be fully an inch in
length, or longer than the insect itself.
During the act of oviposition, the insect, by means of its long legs,
keeps its body far enough from the surface of the tree to enable it to deflex
the ventral scale at a right angle to the body, with the tip touching the
bark. A perfect support is thus formed for the ovipositor, which is
gradually worked into the tree in much the same manner as that of
Thalessa.
All the insects observed ovipositing have been on the trunks of large
trees, at an average distance of about two feet from the ground, ‘The six
individuals seen in 1883 and 1886 were all upon old maples, near Hull,
on the Quebec side of the Ottawa river. The trees were old and rapidly
decaying (in two instances already dead), having a diameter of nearly
two feet, and with the bark proportionately thick, so that the ovipositor was
none too long to reach the wood, unless the insect availed itself of crevices
in the bark, The insects taken last June were all ovipositing upon large
beeches in a grove within the city limits, and within a few minutes’ walk
of my own house. Mr. Fletcher informs me that each of those captured
by him had the ovipositor deeply inserted, and that he had much difficulty
in pulling it out—breaking it, indeed, in one instance. My own specimen,
144 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
as before stated, had died at its post, where it was held se the inserted
ovipositor. (a
Here, unfortunately, our observations end, and we can an form con-
jectures as to the life of the larve. Provancher remarks of the genus
that, ‘‘ Their larve live as parasites in the body of other larve ;” and with
reference to ensiger, he says: ‘‘ We have frequently met this insect in com-
pany of Braconids, upon trunks of dead fir-trees, searching without
doubt to deposit its eggs in the body of lignivorous larve.” His authority
for the first statement is not given, but probably he has accepted the con-
jecture of some European Entomologist.
Prof. Riley has demonstrated, in the case of Thalessa, haat unsafe it
is to accept conjecture as fact, however probable it may seem. Still, in
the absence of a complete knowledge of an insect’s life, one must often
fill in by conjecture the missing links, and wait for further investigations
to prove their value. As regards /balia maculipennis, there are two ways
in which the larve may live, viz., either directly upon the dead, or decay-
ing woody tissues of the tree, or in or upon the bodies of larva which do
so subsist. :
The former course seems less probable, and I am inclined to think
with those who believe that it is parasitic upon lignivorous larve. What
species, then, is it likely to be parasitic upon? ‘The maple trees upon
which it occurs are badly infested by TZremex columba, Xiphydria
albicornis and Dicerca divaricata, and in a less degree by other insects.
The beech trees are also infested by the Tremex and Dicerca, and like
the maples are much frequented hy Thalessa. Is Ibalia parasitic upon
its Hymenopterous (closely connected) relatives, or upon the Coleoptera ?
Now that its time and place of occurrence are known, I hope that its
history may soon be worked out in full. Its season of appearance is
apparently brief, as all the specimens from this locality have been taken
in June—the earliest upon the roth, and the latest on the 28th. The
insect might thus readily escape notice, even when not rare, as they are
by no means conspicuous, either when ovipositing or crawling upon the
rough trunks they frequent. But, if systematically searched for during
the month of June upon old trees, they would probably be found by
many of our entomologists.
While not abundant, these insects cannot be classed as especially rare,
for besides the specimens mentioned in this note, I have seen several whjch
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 143
were in the coliection left by the late Mr. Billings, of this city, and which
were probably captured in this vicinity. I have alsofounda fg among
some Hymenoptera sent to me for examination by Mr. Evans, of Trenton,
Ont., and have been informed by Provancher that a specimen (without
abdomen) was shown to him some years ago at St. Hyacinthe, Que.
~ One female taken in 1883 had the cavity of the abdomen swarming with
sniall mites, which also covered the ventral scale, and were thickly scat-
tered along the protruded ovipositor. They appear to belong to species
distinct from any yet noticed, although I have found many insects which
infest decaying wood to be subject to the attacks of such parasites.
A LIST OF THE BUTTERFLIES OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.*
| BY HENRY SKINNER, M.D., AND E, M. AARON. -
(Continued from page 131.)
Pyrameis Cardui.— Usually common ; some years quite rare,
— Junonia cenia.—Quite local ; never very common. Mr. Scudder, on
page 501, speaks of its “ rapid, strong and enduring flight.” This would
seem to indicate that the habits of this insect in the New England States
_ differ materially from those in this locality or further south. It is rare
that this butterfly is here observed over a foot from the ground, and then
its flight is most erratic, and usually consists of a few fluttering strokes of °
the wing followed by an idle sail. This is also the manner of flight from
Virginia to Florida, according to the observations of E. M. Aaron.
Limenitis ursula.—Rare.
Limenitis disippus.—Common.
Neonympha canthus.—Rare. A few specimens have been taken
near Gloucester, N. J.
3 Neonympha eurytris.—Common in restricted localities.
Satyrus pegala.—Exceedingly rare ; taken at Mount Holly, N. J., by
E. M. Aaron in 1884. It is recorded as from Gloucester, N. J., by the
collectors of twenty years ago.
* The Authors wish to state here that as they belong to the two opposing schools in
the matter of the capitalizing of specific names, they have left that matter to the judg-
ment of the Editor. [The Editor sent the MS. unchanged to the printer. ]
146 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Satyrus alope.—Rare ; but few specimens known to have been taken
nearer than Westville ; also at ae Holly, N. J., where it is quite common
at times.
Libythea Bachmanni.—Exceedingly rare. Two specimens es ot
West Fairmount Park. | BAR oe Ne
Thecla halesus.—Very rare. -Two or three were taken some ce
ago near Westville, N. J. .
Thecla M-album.—Mr. Edwards, in his counts of 1884, eee
this species from Pennsylvania ; but, though taken on the New Jersey
coast, we are not aware of its having been taken in this portion of our
State.
Thecla humuli.—Not common.
Thecla calanus.—Not common. eg
Thecla smilacis —Exceedingly rare.
Thecla Augustus.—Rare. Westville, N. J.
Thecla irus.—Rare. Only reported from Westville, N. J.
Thecla Henrici.—Rare. Westville, N. J.
Thecla niphon.—Rare. Fairmount Park and Westville, N. “
Thecla Titus.—Exceedingly rare. Cobb’s Creek. AG
Feniseca Tarquinius.—Very local; never common, As a sample of
its extremely local distribution, it may be stated that at Chamounix, in
West Fairmount Park, this species is found flying around one tree, where, |
perhaps, go per cent. of all known to us to have been taken in this vicinity
have been captured. There are several large beech trees there on which
considerable numbers of afhzd@ are nearly always to be seen. oo
Chrysophanus hypophieass—Common. An albino form of this
species was taken in Fairmount Park several years ago.
Lycena pseudargiolus.—This species and its varieties are moderately
common.
Lycena comyntas.—Very common, Mr. Scudder quotes rather
doubtfully the statement made by E. M. Aaron, in Vol. IX. of this
journal, that this species was observed depositing its eggs on Tagweed
(Ambrosia sp.). Such, however, was the case.
Ancyloxypha numitor.—Common,
se
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 147
Pamphila massasoit.—Local ; never very common. Swamps west of
George’s Hill and Westville, N. J.
Pamphila zabulon.—Very local; not common. The form hobomok
is not so rare ; occasionally it is found in considerable numbers along
Cobb's Creek. ochahontas is a much rarer form.
Pamphila Sassacus.—Very rare, West Park.
Pamphila Huron.—*Exceedingly rare. Cobb’s Creek.
Pamphila phyleus.—Rare. West Park and Cobb’s Creek.
Lamphila otho.—The typical form is only known to have been taken
in one example near the Bartram Garden. The form egeremet is not
common, though ee ety taken in some numbers near George’s Hill
reservoir.
Pamphila Peckius. ei eceedinaly common. An odd form of this
usually very constant species was taken near Benedict Arnold’s house, in
East Park. It is characterized by a marked suffusion of the black ground
colour above, leading to a nearly complete obliteration of the markings
on the secondaries, and the greatly restricted area of the light coloured
markings, beneath which stand out separate spots. rather than suffused
areas, as is usual.
Pamphila mystic.—Though this species is not known to have been
taken in the immediate vicinity of Philadelphia, we have thought it well
to record it as having been captured in several examples at Penn’s Manor,
above Bristol, Penn.
Lamphila cernes.—Very common.
Pamphila manataagua.—Not common.
Pamphila verna.—Moderately common. The form fottawattomie
has occasionally been taken here.
Pamphila metacomet.—Not common.
Pamphila accius.—Very rare. Cobb’s Creek.
Pamphila panoguin.—Very rare. Cobb’s Creek and George’s Hill.
Pamphila ocola.—Very rare. Cobb’s Creek and Eastwick’s,
Pamphila Pontiac.—Very rare. West of George’s Hill.
Pamphila Delaware.—In his orginal description, Mr. W. H. Edwards
states that his types were taken in Philadelphia by Mr. Newman. This
is the only authority that we have for attributing this species to our fauna.*
* Since the above was written, a single faded female specimen was taken, June 21st,
by Master Joseph M. Aaron, at George’ s Hill Reservoir.
148 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
casei mast
Pamphila fusca.—Not common, but has been taken in limited
numbers in West Park and at Cobb’s Creek. Mr. Edwards gives only
** Gulf States” as the locality.
Amblyscirtes vialis.—Rare. Very local.
Pyrgus tessedlata.—Common. ‘The form communis has been taken i in-
some quantity at Cobb’s Creek and Fairmount Park.
Nisoniades brizo.—Rare. Westville, Nes
Nisoniades icelus.—Very rare. Three or four examples b have been |
taken near West Laurel Hill.
Nisoniades ausonius.—Not common.
LVisoniades martialis.—Very rare. George’s Hill reservoir.
Nisoniades juvenalis—Common.
Pholisora catullus.—Common.,
Eudamus pylades.—Not common,
Eudamus Nevada.—Rare, Several specimens of this epecies have
been taken in Fairmount Park. One of these is in the collection of E.
M. Aaron, and, besides agreeing entirely with Mr. Scudder’s description,
has been determined as /Vevada by Mr. W. H. Edwards. |
Eudamus bathyllus.—Common.
There seems to be good reason to doubt the specific worth of ves
last three forms. It is quite likely that careful rearing will prove hom to
be forms of one widely spread species.
Eudamus lycidas.—Rare. Very local. Cobb’s Creek sae a or
George’s Hill. ON
Eudamus tityrus.—Very common. a |
Eudamus proteus.—Extremely rare. One specimen from East Park
and two at Cobb’s Creek. 7 |
In addition to the above list of eighty-six species the following are
added here as accredited to this region, but are rejected by us on account
of insufficient testimony : :
Vanessa J-album.—In his latest work Mr. Scudder credits this species
to our fauna as “ ‘rare, (Blake).” Mr. Blake informs us that he has —
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 149
only taken this species in one specimen in Venango County, this State,
and is not aware whence Mr. Scudder derives his information.
Thecla acadica.—This species is also referred to this locality by Mr.
Scudder, and Messrs. Blake and Edwards are quoted as authorities. We
fail to find anyone who has taken it or knows of its serene in this
vicinity.
Chrysophanus thoe.—This species is attributed to this region Pe Mr.
Scudder as ‘‘‘rare,’ (Blake).” As in the case of /-alébum, Mr. dase: is
sure that he has never seen the species in this locality.
Chrysophanus epixanthe. —In this case Mr. Blake is quoted be Mr,
Scudder as stating that this species is ‘‘neither common or rare.” Mr.
Blake is not aware that it has ever been taken hereabouts, but he has
taken it at DaCosta, N. J., thirty miles from hice on the Camden
& Atlantic R. R.
Hesperia unna.—This species, not yet incorporated in any of our
catalogues, is described as a new species from “ Philadelphia,” by Carl
Plotz, in his “Die Hesperiinen-Gattung Hesperia Aut. und ihre Arten.”
—Stettin Entomologische Zeitung, Vol. XLIV., p. 204, 1883. This species
is not compared with any of its congeners, and the description is vague
and meagre. It is placed between drettus and phyleus in Herr Plotz’s
arrangement of this genus. We are in doubt as to which of our known
species it can be, but do not think it possible that it can be new.
_ While we feel, certainly with justice, that this list of eighty-seven species
is a remarkable one for so restricted a locality, we do not suppose that it
is entirely complete. If any of our entomologists can add to it or throw
further light on the localities or numbers sent hes we shall be glad to
receive such information.
In closing, we desire to bear testimony to the great value of the work
on our Eastern Butterflies, now being published by Mr. Scudder, a work
that should be in the library of every student of the Lepidoptera. Our
few critical allusions to this work above are made necessary, simply
because the extreme care taken by Mr. Scudder to avoid error make
those that have crept in the more observable, and, consequently, the
more deserving of the pointing out.
Philadelphia, May 16, 1889.
150 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY—No. 4.
BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA.
THE IMPORTED CURRANT SAW-FLY—(NEMATUS RIBESII, SCOP).
Amongst insects which every year make their presence noticeably -
apparent by their injuries, and thus win the distinction of being “ First-
class Pests” to the fruit-grower, not one, perhaps, is better known, nor,
when not checked in: its operations, more annoying, than the currant
worm, the larval state of the imported currant saw-fly, Vematus Ribesii,
Scop. (=N. ventricosus, Klug).
This is a European insect, which, although it ha$ only been noticed
in America for thirty years, has already spread over a large proportion of
the settled parts. Early in the spring when the buds are bursting upon
the currant and gooseberry bushes, active yellowish four-winged flies will
be seen flying around the bushes or crawling over the unfolding leaves,
These are the parents of the currant worms. The two sexes differ a good
deal in appearance. At Fig. 7, they are both represented enlarged. The
hairlines at the sides show their natural sizes. The male is shown at a.
It is slightly the smaller, and is much darker in color. The head and
thorax are almost black, with some dull yellow spots. The abdomen is
dark above but yellow beneath and at the tip. The wings are glossy
THE CANADIAN: ENTOMOLOGIST. 151
with dark veins. The males are equally abundant with the females, but
are not so often observed, from the fact that they are seldom found on the
_ bushes, but fly near the ground and beneath the bushes as if to welcome
the females when they emerge from the soil, beneath which they have
passed the winter in their snug cocoons. The females are larger than the
males, and of a bright honey-yellow color.
The greenish-white glossy eggs which are about 4, of an inch in length,
are laid along the main ribs, beneath the leaves of gooseberries and cur-
rants, as shown at Fig. 8 (1). As soonas the young larve hatch, they at
once attack the leaves upon which the eggs were laid, and eat small holes,
as shown at Fig, 8 (2 and 3). They are very voracious, and their growth
is very rapid indeed, little more than a week sufficing for them to pass
through all their stages. These characteristics added to the large number
of eggs laid by each female, make constant vigilance on the part of the
fruit-grower a necessity, or he will find his gooseberry and currant bushes
stripped of every leaf in a few days.
e« When the young larve come out of the eggs, they are about one-
twelfth of an inch in length, with large heads and a semi-translucent body.
At first they all remain on the same leaf, but as they grow large they
separate and spread in all directions over the bush. ‘They are green at
first, then dark blueish green, covered with small black dots, each one of
which bears a bristle, and lastly, after the last moult, pale green with
yellow extremities.
When full grown they spin smooth oval brown cocoons, which, how-
ever, are sometimes of a greenish white colour. Those of the summer
brood are generally on or near the surface of the ground, but at a consider-
able depth beneath it in the brood which passes the winter inside co-
coons. ‘The chrysalis state is assumed at once in the summer brood, and
the perfect flies appear in about a fortnight. The autumn brood, how-
ever, passes the winter in the larval state inside the cocoons, and the
larvee only change to chrysalises a short time before the flies appear in
the spring.
Notwithstanding that this insect is attacked by a host of parasitic
enemies, it is generally necessary for the fruit-grower to apply active
remedies. Of these, ‘‘ White Hellebore” is the best. One or two ounces
of this powder mixed in a little hot water at the bottom of a pail, and then
152 _ THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
filled up with cold water, will give a sufficient quantity of the mixture to
sprinkle a large number of bushes, This is most conveniently done with
an ordinary clothes whisk. The powder may also be used dry; when
mixed with four times its bulk of common flour, it should be puffed over
the bushes after rain, when the dew is on them, or after they have been
sprinkled with water. ‘This is most conveniently done by means of the.
small hand-bellows, now obtainable ‘at all chemists. With regard to the
danger of using this material, I will quote from an excellent and very com-
plete article upon this subject by Prof. W. Saunders, which appeared in
our Ent. Soc’y, of Ont. Rep. for 1871-2, p. 32.
“Tt has been urged against hellebore that it is poisonous, and oreat
outcries have been made against it on this-account. It is quite true that
hellebore is poisonous when taken internally in quantities, but if used
in the manner we have indicated, no fear need be entertained of the
slightest injury resulting from it. Examined immediately after a thorough
sprinkling with the hellebore mixture, the quantity on any bunch of fruit
will be found to be infinitesimal, and the first shower of rain would remove
it all. If it be found necessary at any time to apply the mixture to bushés
where the fruit is ripe and just ready to be picked, it might then be
washed in water before using, which would readily remove every trace of
the powder. During the past ten years many thousands of pounds of
hellebore have been used in Europe and America for the purpose of des-
troying this worm, ang we know of no case on record where i mune has
resulted from its use.’
Another insect of the same family, and with very similar habits to the.
aboye, is the Larch Saw-fly, Vematus Erichsonii, the larvee of which are
now spreading rapidly over the Eastern United States and Canada. I
have received enquiries concerning it from several of our members in
different provinces of the Dominion, particularly from Nova Scotia and
Quebec. The eggs of this species are embedded in the soft wood of the
young shoots of the tamarac when growth first begins in June. The
growth is stopped on the side where the eggs are deposited, and the twig
becomes distorted and is eventually destroyed. This injury, however, is
slight compared with the destruction of the foliage. There are at the
present moment in Canada, from the Atlantic coast as far west as Ottawa,
thousands of acres of tamaracs entirely stripped of their leaves. Ina
later number a fuller account of this injurious insect will be given.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 153
_ ADDITIONS TO 'THE CANADIAN LIST OF LEPIDOPTERA.
BY J. ALSTON MOFFAT, HAMILTON, ONT.
These names I have obtained from various sources :—
Glea inulta Grote.
Lonagria fodiens Guen.
Plusia Li. Hub.
Acidalia insulsaria Guen.
: Cymatophora humaria Guen.
Glaucopteryx cesiata Borkh.
Botis adipaloides G. & RB.
Eurycreon sticticalis Linn.
_ For the following I am indebted to the kindness of Prof. Fernald :—
_ Conchylis floccosana Walk.
LEcopsis olinaceana Fern.
Steganoptica fasciolana Clem.
Gelechia alasella Clem.
Gelechia bilobella Zell.
Gelechia vagella Walk.
Carposina cressentella W\sm.
Blabaphanes dorsistrigella vat.
flavivittellus Fitch.
© "The collecting season of 1888 was, in this locality, somewhat peculiar.
It opened up about the roth of May with great promise—early moths ap-
pearing in considerable numbers. This was soon reversed—cool, dry
weather setting in; and not until the second week of June did the weather
become warm enough to produce a marked development of insect life.
About that time I obtained some fine moths new to me: several of them
being but single specimens of a kind are yet undetermined. Fall hunting
was quite productive of some kinds of good moths. I spent the first two
weeks of September sixteen miles south of the city. I could find nothing
of any value by hunting in daytime ; plenty would come to light when the
evenings were warm ; but these were mostly so cool that it was necessary to
keep the doors bnbued for comfort, thereby reducing my chances. It was at
this time that I secured a pair of fine, fresh G/ea inulta, a large and hand-
some moth, and the first of the genus reported to have been taken in Canada.
I got the name of it from Mr. Hulst, by sending to him a specimen that
had been given to me by Mr. Hanham, which he had captured in Missouri.
154 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
THE NOCTUIDA OF NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE,
(Sccond Paper.)
BY A, R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
2.—Sub-family /Voctuine.
Tribe Bombycoidi.
The sub-family /Voctuine embraces the typical Noctuida, and we may
take the genera Agrotis or Hadena as normal forms, from which we have
a mass of more or less divergent structural groups. The characters
which are made the basis of generic sub-division, according to a natural
system which I find most plainly indicated in the writings of Stephens
and Lederer, need not delay us here, for the reason that I have exposed
them in previous writings. It remains for me to briefly point out that { —
have changed the basis for a classification of our North American genera
from that of Guente to that of Lederer, commencing in my first syn-
onymical list, Buffalo, 1874, to bring them together ina preliminary shape.-
When, nearly thirty years ago, I commenced my study of these forms,
there were not a dozen species named in any collection, public or private,
in America. In my last (MS.) list are over 1,500 names, and three-fourths
of this number are taken from my descriptions or identifications. This
represents continuous work; for large collections were not at first in
existence, and the new forms came in singly, or in small parcels, and had
to be classified ; so that, from this fact, the generic determinations were
often tentative. Added to this, the difficulty of determining the species
described by Guenée and Walker, and the absence of illustrations, pro-
duced a state of affairs in our knowledge of the JVoctuide, which the
student of to-day is largely exempted from. And la verita é la pin
ingrata delle dulcinee. !
The main mass of the Noctuide falls into three divisions, or ese
family groups, only separable by their comparative form. These are: the
typical Woctuide (Noctuine), the Noctua nonfasciatae of Borkhausen ;
the geometriform Voctuide ( Catocaline), the Noctue fasciatae of Bork-
hausen ; and the pyralidiform Moctuide (Deltoidine). The fact that the
latter are not separable from the JVoctuide, and are not Pyralide, was
first shown by Herrick Scheeffer. |
In ove North American genus, I have shown that vein 5 is malchiay
‘
~~
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 158
between 4 and 6 on the primaries. This is contrary to Lederer’s defini-
tion, and, so far, is a single instance ; vein 5 being, in all others examined
by me and as laid down by Lederer, nearer 4 than 6 on both wings, while
on the secondaries it is often weaker than the rest, or wanting. I do not
feel sure that the neuration should absolutely guide us ; it does not seem
certain that, in the species not yet examined, it will precisely agree. The
absence of an accessory cell is, in the /Voctusde, exceptional, and as yet
it cannot here, or in other families, be used as a character, except in
a general way. In the Sarothripine and Ch/loephorine, for instance, sub-
families of the Bombycide, it seems to be wanting, as also in some
Lithosiine, i. e., Nudaria ; but, as a general character, it may be said to
be either usually wanting or usually prevalent, until every species has been
examined and the neuration compared, which is far from the case. In
my papers I used it as a general character, not describing particular
forms ; hence, while the statement may be modified from a larger know-
ledge of the neuration of all the genera and species, it does not imply a
distinct error, such as was committed in the original description of the
neuration of the genus Cerathosia, where vein 5, on hind wings, was stated
to be absent, whereas it is present, and where the configuration of the
“accessory cell and emanating veins on fore wings were inaccurately given.
The neurational distinctions given by Lederer, will not, then, positively
distinguish the Ziyatirine, which, in other respects, seem true Woctuide.
The sub-family Woctuine, or typical (Voctuide is, then, founded on
comparative form, the hind wings being usually unbanded and the body ©
hairy or tufted. Ihave divided it into various tribes, founded on com-
parative characters, grouping about some representative genus. The first
of these is the Bombycotidea of Authors, in which the larvee are hairy or
bombyciform, and are often singular in appearance or habit. The moths
often present some resemblances to the genus Lombycia, and again to the
Dasychinine. In this tribe the head is usually sunken, the labial palpi
short, often hanging (and this character marks bombyciform moths); the
thorax has a posterior tuft, while the legs are unarmed. This latter
character will warrant my reference of Copadblepharon to the Agrotint.
The caterpillars make cocoons, and are 16-footed. The European genera
Diloba, Eogena and C/idia, with single or few species, do not seem to
occur in North America. If we have a true species of Demas (Mr.
Morrison’s Demas is a Hadenoid form), then this European genus has a
156 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
representative, but I only know it froma description. The European
genus Zrichosea (for ludifica = Diphthera, incorrectly credited to
Ochsenheimer, see Check List, 1876, p. 36) seems allied to the forms I
have separated under Charadra, Walk. Raphia, Hubn, is represented
by our two species, /rater and abrupta—one with white, the other with*
fuscous or gray secondaries. Instead of Panthea, we have the American
genus Platycerura of Packard, which has strong resemblances to the
Dasychirine. In Arsilonche, we have either a representative or identical
species. So far as this tribe is concerned, the resemblance between the
faunz may be considered nearly as great as inthe Zhyatirine.
Tribe Apatelini.
It seems difficult to separate the following genera from the. preceding
tribe. The labial palpi seem less dependent ; there is still a posterior
thoracic tuft, and the larve are still hairy or peculiar; some bore into wood —
or pith to pupate ; a cocoon is generally made. But the form is smoother,
approaching the typical JVoctuine. Diphthera Hubn. (= Moma Auct.,
not Hiibn.) has a representative species in our well-known D. fallax.
Apatela Hiibn, the typical genus, is resolvable into a number of groups,
based chiefly on the larval form. I do not think that Butler is warranted
in considering the species generically separable. He would refer the
moths on this account to actually different families. But the moths are
very similar in color and structure ; and I consider the larve have under-
gone independent modification. The leading European groups are repre-
sented, and such species as the American 4. occidentalis, A. funeralis,
A. vulpina, described by myself, may be considered as a strictly “‘ repre- —
sentative ” species. The character of the genus is changed, and its limits
perhaps reach with the Californian groups JZero/onche, and the Eastern
group Eulonche, not found in Europe. Our American forms outnumber
the European three to one, and this preponderance will be found in most of
the leading genera of the octuide, such as Apatela, Hadena, Mamestra,
Agrotis, Catocala. Whether we can separate the Bryophilini as a dis-
tinct tribe, is doubtful. The passage seems to be formed by the Ameri-
can genera Harrisimemna, Cerma, Polygrammate, Microcoelia. These
forms seem peculiar, as also the genus Chytonix, which follows Bryophila,
although, I am not certain of this. Guente has apparently described the
type as a species of Afamea, and thus related to Hadena. The thoracic
vestiture is, however, more like that of Bryophi/a, a lichen-feeding genus of
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 157
which we have one Eastern species, the Bryophila lepidula Gr. On the
whole, the resemblance of the two faune is here, again, quite close.
Genera with single species, peculiar to each fauna, occur, but the parent-
age is obvious, and but small modifications seem to be offered. These first
tribes of the Woctuine seem to belong to the circumpolar element in our
moth fauna, with the ZZyatirine. The position formerly given by me to
the American Dicopini seems susceptible of a change. If we place the
Agrotini where Lederer puts them, these Dicopid genera, with a claw on
the front tibiz, seem to fall in better between the Avgrotinz with spinose,
and the Hadenini with unarmed tibie. They have, especially Décofis, a
decided resemblance to the Hadeninz ; but the larve are apparently un-
known, and may assist our classification by offering determinative char-
acters.
The following table will assist in giving an approximate idea of the
correspondence between the two faune. Allowance must be made that
the North American fauna is less exhaustively known :—
EUROPE. NORTH AMERICA.
Diloba i sp.
Simyra 3 sp.
Arsilonche 1 s}). Arsilonche 1 sp.
Hogena t sp.
Clidia 2 sp. |
Raphia i sp. Raphia 2 sp.
Demas 1 sp. Demas i sp.
) | 7 flatycerura i sp.
Trichosea tsp. . Audela i sp.
Charadra 5 sp. :
Panthea & sp. Momaphana i sp. .
Diphthera t sp. Diphthera 1 sp.
Apatela 15 sp. Apatela 54 sp.
Harrisimemna i sp.
Cerma 1 sp.
Microcoelia 2 sp.
Bryophila 9 sp. Bryophila 3 sp.
‘158 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
OBSERVATIONS ON SOME NORTHERN DERBIDA.
BY Ek. P. VAN DUZEE, BUFFALO, N. Y.
The small. group of Homopterous insects included by Fabien in
his genus Derbe, but now separated as a sub-family from the other Ful-
goride under the name of Derboides Spinola or Derbida, Stal, have
always been objects of interest to students of this order, partly on account
of their delicate form and peculiar structure, but their almost universal
rarity has doubtless added much to their attractiveness. A series of these
frail North American forms, differing in several respects from their tropi-
cal allies, were first made known in 1819 by Mr. Kirby, who arranged
them under two genera——O¢iocerus and Awnotia, describing under the
former eight, and under the latter one species ; to Ofzocerus three species
from the United States were added by Dr. Fitch in 1851 and 1856, and
one by Dr. Stal from Cuba, in 1859; to Anotia Dr. Fitch added three
species in 1856. Thus, as the genera now stands, Ofzocerus has twelve
North American species, and Anotia four, but future study will probably
result in placing two or three of these as mere varieties. As has been
stated, Otiocerus was established by Kirby in a paper read before the
Linnean Society of London, in 1819. This paper appeared in Vol. XIII.
of the Transactions, published as a whole in 1822, but probably some-
what earlier as a separate. In 1821, Germar, in the fourth volume of his
Magazin der Entomologie, characterized his genus Codax for a specimen
of Kirby’s O. Stoldit, which he had received from Bahia, describing the
species as C. Winthemi. Notwithstanding the fact that he claims the
presence of ocelli for his genus, it seems to be equivalent to Kirby’s
Otiocerus, in which they are apparently absent, and is consequently
placed as a synonym. In 1832, Burmeister, in his Handbuch der Ento-
mologie, redescribed O. Degeerii as Hynnis rosea, differentiating his genus
from Otiocerusby the extension of the elytra at their inner apical angles;
but this character is now considered as of but subgeneric value at most,
Genus Anotia was founded by Kirby on a single female example of Bon-
neti, and judging from a male in my collection, would seem to need
modifying to include both sexes.
I propose in the present paper, after recording brief observations on a —
few species of Otiocerus, to describe a pretty little form occurring here,
for which I find it necessary to establish a new genus, eho eines in
character between 4notia and A/ysidia.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 159
Otiocerus Degeerii, Kirby. This, our largest species, is not uncom-
mon here through July, August, and September. In color it varies from
pale reddish to brownish purple, but always shows the white line on the
suture before the appendix, and at the tip of the elytra. The antenne,
which are comparatively small, have but one appendage in both sexes.
The males are a little smaller than the females, and are less frequently
‘met with.*
Otiocerus Stollit, Kirby. One specimen, a male, beaten from an oak
near this city, August 18, 1888. This small species is of the same dark
color we find in the preceding. A pale rosaceous vitta occupies the
vertex, the middle of the thorax, and the elytral suture, as far as the tip
of the clavus, beyond which is a pale line at the base of the appendix, as
in Degeerit. The two carina, which are closely approximated on the
point, diverge slightly just before the apex ; on the vertex they are a little
arched above the eye, and their edge is finely crenated. The antenne
are larger than in Degeerii. ‘This insect must have a wide distribution,
as it was described from Georgia by Kirby, and from Bahia, Brazil, by
Germar. It is quite distinct from the O. Sto//ii of Spinola (Ann. Soc.
Ent., Fr. VIIL, p. 385), and of Amyot & Serville (Hemzp., p.514), which
Dr. Fitch considers equivalent to his Amyotzi.
Otiocerus Coguerbertit, Kirby. ‘This, our most beautiful, as it is our
most abundant species, occurs here with O. Degeerii from July to Sept.
on various trees and bushes, especially on the beech, maple, oak, and
hickory. Its two appendages exceed the antennz in length. In size it
approaches Degeerii, but represents another facies of the genus ; dis-
tinguished by a pale ground color, relieved by a broad vitta of red or
fuscous, extending from the tip of the head across the eye and thorax, and
along the elytra near the suture to the tip of the clavus, where it forks,
one branch bordering the internal apical margin, the other deflected to
the apex of the costa. Their wings are clear or white, immaculate, and
the frontal keels are approximate on the lower part of the face. Here
belong Signoreti, Fitch ; Reaumurii, Kirby ; Wolfiz, Kirby ; and Amyofiz,
Fitch. .
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
* Since writing the above, M. Provancher has ( Petite Faune Ent. du Canada, Vol.
III. Hemzp., p. 217, May, 1889) described an insect as Amphixepa (!) Coguedbertii,
referring it to Kirby’s species with hesitation. From his description it cannot be the
Coguebertiz, but it agrees in every particular with pale examples of Degeerdd that not
infrequently occur here, and probably should not be considered as deserving evena
varietal name.
160 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ON EARLY STAGES OF SOME LEPIDOPTERA.
BY WM. BEUTENMULLER, NEW YORK.
Chionobas Macounii, Edw.
Ecc.—White, subglobose, slightly flattened above and below, with
about seventeen longitudinal ridges, which are connected by numerous —
fine transverse ridges. Length, about 1.2 m.m. Width, about 1 m, —
Laid July 11. Emerged July 27. |
Younc Larva.— Head whitish, globose, rather large, finely punctured,
mouth parts black. Body above bright pink, with a series of four whitish
longitudinal stripes on each side; those on the dorsal region are very
broad, with the intervening spaces very narrow. ‘The lateral stripe very
fine, and the one below the spiracles very broad. The spaces between
these stripes rather broad. Spiracles black. At the posterior extremity
of the body is a short, fork-like process. Underside of body pinkish, ~
without markings. Length, about 2 mm. Food-plant—Grass (Poa
pratensis). JI very much regret not to have been able to raise the larvee
to maturity, but hope that Mr. James Fletcher, from whom I received the
eggs, may have further notes upon this interesting species.
Ancyloxypha numitor, Fabr.
Ecc.—Semi-spherical, yellow, rounded at the side and top, base
flattened. After two days the egg became dirty-whitish, speckled with
bright red. Length, about 1.5 m.m. Width, about.75 m.m. Laid on
Grass (Setaria op.), Sept. 8.
Arzama Obliquata, G. & R.
Mature Larva.—Head, ‘subcaudate ; rugose, chestnut brown, some-
times jet black; shining. Cervical shield, rugose, chestnut brown, some-
times black. Body above, shining olive brown,with numerous very fine trans-
verse wrinkles, which are hardly visible to the naked eye ; posterior segment
much depressed. Spiracles black. Body beneath, dirty brownish white,
including the abdominal legs, which have a chestnut brown or jet black
patch on the outer side of each, and the extremities black. Thoracic
feet chestnut brown or jet black. Length, about 55 m.m. Found several
full grown specimens under decaying stumps, Sept., 1888.
Mailed August Ist.
” is ES mre
i alt ea Oak Be :
Br Rp ee ee ep ee en eS ee
— OHe Cuadian Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, ‘SEPTEMBER, 1889. oe 9.
SOME TEXAS, ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA MOTHS.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Ameria Texana, nov. sp.
_Expanse .80 inch. Of the size and shape of A. Unicolor ; the hind
wings more rounded at anal angle, in that respect more like Euphanessa
Mendica; body slender, antennz pectinate; palpi slender, short, pro-
jecting beyond the front less than in 4. Unicolor. Color uniform gray
drab, the wings diaphanous, antenne concolorous except the inside of
pectinations at base where they are black, sides of head, back of eyes and
a little at base of fore wings and abdomen slightly ochraceous.
Described from a single { specimen from Hockley, Texas, from my
friend Leopold Hartmann ; his number 187.
Plusia Arizona, nov. sp.
Expanse 1.50 inches. Fore wingsrich, shining, metallic golden,much like
greater part of the wing of P. Howard. It is marked with rich purple brown
in three patches; the first basal triangular, small, reaching from the costa at
the base to the posterior margin about one-fourth the distance from body to
posterior angle ; the second costal, quadrate, extending to median vein,
one-fourth from base ; the third costal, subquadrate, at the end of cell,
partly within and partly beyond, spreading out towards apex; all three
connected by a narrow costal margin of the purple brown. Fringe purple
brown, cut with paler. Hind wings whitish, fringe the same, a dark hair
line at base of fringe. Thorax pale as though purple brown washed with
ochraceous, the ends of tufts darker; the outer patch on fore wings
washed with ochraceous in its outer part.
- Described from one ¢ from Arizona. This and another specimen
were collected by H. K. Morrison in Arizona a number of years ago, and
have been in my cabinet ever since. The other specimen may have been
destroyed, as I do not find itnow. This differs from Howardi chiefly in
having one more purple brown spot. ‘The basal spot or patch is broadest
posteriorly, coming to a point on the costa.
Plusia Lenzii, Behrens, MS.
Expanse 1.60 inches. This species is related to P. Scapularis Hy.
162 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Edwards, in the position and .somewhat the shape of the markings, but
differs in color. General color fawn, with a purplish brown tint at the
base above the cell and the basal portion of posterior margin. From the
apex to the posterior angle extends a band about one-tenth of an inch
wide of dark metallic golden, something of a golden sheen over the space
from this band to end of wing’; from the cell to posterior margin, between
the t. a. and t. p. lines, in a patch that is brownish yellow, more distinctly
yellow below the silver spot, this shade extending a little over the golden
band at anal angle, the patch shaded with purplish brown at posterior
margin near t: a, line ; the most of the wing with a slight golden sheen.
Silver spot short blunt boat-shaped, from median vein to fourth median
veinlet. Posterior wings smoky, most prominent in terminal third.
Head and thorax fawn gray, hairs of second joint of palpi slightly
rosy tipped, tufts of thorax with a brownish yellow tinge, the tips of scales
of thoracic tufts and patagia lilac in side light.
Described from a single 2 from Siskyon, Shasta county, California,
taken by my friend James Behrens and by him dedicated to our our mu-
tual friend, Dr. Henry Lenz, of Lubec, Germany.
Arctia Shastaensis, Behrens.
Since publishing the imperfect description of this form in the February
number of the current volume
of the Canapian EnToMOLo-
GIsT, page 35, Mr. Behrens has
sent me a fine colored drawing
of the specimen made before it
was mutilated by travel, and from
which the accompanying wood
Arctia Shastaensis, Behrens. Female—natural size. engraving was made. From the
drawing I am inclined to think that it is entitled to rank as a species, as
the species of Arctia go. It is certainly widely separated from Achaia
by its shape and markings, and from Behrii by its size as well as mark-
ings. The light parts of fore wings are yellow, with a slight indication of
orange ; the hind wings cherry red or near a crimson with black as indi-.
cated in the illustration. ‘The abdomen is black on the sides and centre
of dorsum with a subdorsal line of red. As shown by the antenne and
abdomen the specimen is a female.:
Arctia Genura, Strecker.
Among some other ‘specimens sent me by Mr. Behrens from Soda
Springs, near Mount Shasta, California, are two other Arctias that I am
¢
¥
3
7"
his
THE. CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 163
- Inclined to refer to the above species. But two examples of Arctia Gen-
ura have,so far as I know, been taken before, one male now in Mr.
Strecker’s cabinet, taken by myself in Gilpin county, Colorado, at about
8,500 feet elevation, and another female in my cabinet taken at the same
place by Miss Lillie Lake. If these be the same it shows a wide range
for the species in the high altitudes. Both specimens have three transverse
bands on the fore wings, arcuate, the’ first and second reaching the hind
margin, but the third at a point below the longitudinal stripe. Neither
has the basal half line, but one has a few pale scales on the costa the same
as the female from Colorado. The light marks on the fore wings of one
are yellow with a slight orange tint, the hind wings red with two rows of
small black spots and a narrow terminal border; the other has the light
part of fore wings yellow, less orange tinted than the other, and the hind
wings yellow, but with the black the same as on the other. The abdomens
are wanting, but from their appearance I take them both to be males. It
is with some doubt that I refer these specimens to Genura, as there is no
indication of a fourth or basal half transverse line except the few pale
scales on the costa of the lighter one, and the spots on the hind wings of
these are smaller than in the ~ of Genura, as figured by Mr. Strecker; but
the species of Arctia are generally so variable, and these come so near
the typical Genura, that I prefer to refer them to this species provisionally
to creating a new species. ;
_ Aegeria Pinorum, Behrens MS.
Mr. Behrens sends me a colored drawing and a description of an in-
sect to which he gives the above name. It comes from Monterey, in P:nus
Znsignis, from which larve have been obtained. From these larve he
bred one specimen from which the drawing was made. He says the larva
lives under the bark of the tree, feeding on the inner bark and perhaps
outer wood. From the wound made by the larva, there is quite a flow of
resin, the pupa being formed in the inner flakes of this resin. By detach-
ing such flakes of resin, five or six inches long, about as wide and more
than an inch in thickness, pupz and larve have been discovered nicely
ensconced in rounded holes next to the bark.
_The wings are vitreous with golden scales scattered over the surface,
the veins dark ; legs dark and golden; body steel blue with six golden
bands, the last the terminal tuft.
Mr. Behrens did not state whether the specimen was a male ora
female, but I think from the drawing it was a male.
164 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
EARLY STAGES OF GRAPTA J-ALBUM.
BY SHELBY W. DENTON, WELLESLEY, MASS.
Since the food plant and early stages of Grapta j-Album appear to be
unknown, perhaps the following notes (incomplete as they are owing to
my ignorance of the species larvee I was rearing) may still be of some
value and shed a little light on the early stages of this fine butterfly. —
On May 17th of the present year, while passing a clump of white —
birches I noticed a leaf, on the upper surface and at the extreme end of
which clustered a number of small caterpillars. They were dark brown, —
almost black, in color, covered with black spines and not much, if any, —
longer than a grain of wheat. Not knowing at the time what species of
Lepidoptera they would eventually make, I simply plucked the leaf and
took no further trouble to look for others, or the empty egg shells of these
which must have been near at hand, as they were apparently out but a
short time. i
There were fifteen in all, and these were easily reared by keeping i ina
jelly glass, feeding with leaves of white birch until they grew too large for
the glass, when they were transferred to an ordinary rearing cage. During —
the earlier stages they moved about very little, feeding side by aie but
remaining quite motionless in the middle of the day.
Previous to moulting the last time, they became quite dormant, each
one selected a leaf, covering the upper surface more or less with silk, thus
partly curling the leaf, thereby hiding themselves within, and with head
downward, remained in this position till the desired change took place.
In this stage, and in fact all along, no two were alike in color, although
there was a general similarity between them. Perhaps they can best be
described as greenish underneath, while the whole upper surface was —
brownish or almost black, with the exception of two yellowish or whitish
lines along the back. Between the segments they were pinkish in color, |
with the spines along the upper surface still black and branching, those
along the side having changed to yellowish green. Length at this stage, gf
about 1% inches and not quite as large around as a lead pencil.
In the last stage, and before pupating, the caterpillar became a trans-
lucent green, the white streaks on the back faded or disappeared, the base
of the branching spines became light colored and the dark upper surface
became less in extent and much paler, not so decided. |
On June 7th the first one spun a button and attached itself, and by
June r2th all were in a chrysalis state.
ae
q
=
2
2
ee
‘
4
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 165
The pupa, after hardening, when held at arms length, appeared flesh
colored, but on closer examination this tint was confined to the more ex-
posed parts, and it was then seen to be of a beautiful clear green; yet they
were not all alike in color, some being darker, some lighter than others,
while several had a sort of bloom on them, as if dusted with flour, which
gave them a whitish appearance, but all united in having six golden spots
on their upper surface. Fully forty-eight hours before giving imago the
colors of the future butterfly could be distinctly seen through the thin
shell.
On June 2oth, at 7 a. m., the first chrysalis gave a male imago, half an
hour later another male followed, and by 7 p. m. nine had emerged, but of
these only one proved to bea female. It was not till the butterfly appeared
that I obtained positive knowledge of the species of insect I had been so
fortunate as to rear, and then regretted the opportunity I had lost in tak-
ing full notes. I immediately sent one to Mr. W. H. Edwards in hopes
it might reach him in the chrysalis state, and selected for this purpose the
one last formed, but a postal from that gentleman a few days later in-
formed me the imago had emerged while ex route.
The following morning, June 21, two more had made their appearance,
both females, and by 8 p. m. the remaining three, one of these proving a
female, so that out of the fifteen I began with all were carried to the im-
ago state without the loss of a specimen, except, perhaps, the one sent
Mr. Edwards, which would doubtless have been perfect had it reached
him in time.
I wish to call attention to the few females in comparison with the
number of males (as I do not know the sex of the one sent Mr. Edwards
that can be left out of the calculation), thus we have ten males and four
females. That this proportion would hold good in a large number re-
mains to be proven, but the uncommonness of the butterfly, as a rule,
and the fact that none of mine were attacked by parasites, has led me to
believe that it does, and possibly this may account for the scarcity of this
fine insect. Also note that the males were the first to emerge.
The females can be distinguished at a glance, having the dark portion
on the underside much lighter than in the male.
In conclusion :—It seems safe to say that the eggs are laid in small
clusters in the latter half of April or first of May, and that search should
be made for them at this time on the outermost leaves of the white birch,
which is one, if not its only, food plant ; that the larval state continues for
at least three weeks, while that of the chrysalis about ten days.
166 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS.
In pursuance of the call published in the Canapian ENTOMOLOGIST,
in Entomologica Americana, and distributed by James Fletcher, President
of the Entomological Club of the A. A. A. S., the following persons met
in Toronto on August 28th, at 4 p.m.:—James Fletcher, Clarence M.
Weed, A. J. Cook, L. O. Howard, John B. Smith, C. J. S. Bethune, H.
Garman, W. Saunders, C. W. Hargitt, and others. Organization was
effected by the election, upon motion of Prof. J. B. Smith, of Mr. James
Fletcher as Chairman, and Clarence M. Weed as Secretary. Mr. Fletcher,
in taking the chair, set out the advantages of organization, and urged the
formation at the present time of an association that might be specially
devoted to entomology in its economic aspect. Remarks to the same
purpose were made by Prof. Cook, Prof. Smith, Mr. Weed, Mr. Howard,
Dr. Bethune and Mr. Garman. After full discussion, Prof. Cook moved,
seconded by Prof. Smith, that we do now decide to organize an ‘ Associa-
tion of Official Economic Entomologists.” Carried unanimously.
Mr. Fletcher submitted a draft of a constitution drawn by Mr. Howard
and himself, after consultation with others.
The proposed constitution was discussed clause by clause, amended
and corrected, and finally adopted as a whole in the following shape :-—
CONSTITUTION.
1. This Association shall be known as the Association of Official
Economic Entomologists. :
2. Its objects shall be: (1) To discuss new discoveries, to exchange
experiences, and to carefully consider the best methods of work ; also
(2) to give opportunity to individual workers of announcing proposed
investigations, so as to bring out suggestions and prevent unnecessary
duplication of work ; (3) to assign, when possible, certain lines of investi-
gation upon subjects of general interest ; (4) to promote the study and
advance the science of entomology.
3. The membership shall be confined to workers in economic ento-
mology. All economic entomologists employed by the general or State
Governments, or by the State Experimental Stations, or by any agricul-
tural or horticultural association, and all teachers of economic entomology
in educational institutions, may become members of the Association by
transmitting proper credentials to the Secretary, and by authorizing him
to sign their names to this constitution. Other persons engaged in
practical work in economic entomology may be elected by a two-thirds
Eee Sata Seam eatin
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 167
vote of the members present at a regular meeting of the Association, and
shall be termed associate members. Members residing outside of the
United States or Canada shall be designated foreign members. Associate
or foreign members shall not be entitled to hold office or to vote.
4. The officers shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents and a
Secretary, to be elected annually, who shall perform the duties custom-
arily incumbent upon their respective offices. The President shall not
hold office for two consecutive terms.
5. The annual meeting shall be held at such place and time as may be
decided upon by the Association. Special meetings may be called by a
majority of the officers, and shall be called on the written request of not
less than five members. Eight members shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business.
6. The mode of publication of the proceedings of the Association
shall be decided upon by open vote at each annual meeting.
All proposed alterations or amendments to this constitution shall be
referred to a select committee of three at any regular meeting, and, after
a report from such committee, may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of
the members present, provided that a written notice of the proposed
amendment has been sent to every voting member of the Association at
least one month prior to date of action,
(Signed) JAMES FLETCHER, CLARENCE M, WEED,
A. J. Cook, E. Baynes REED,
Joun B. Smiru, H. GARMAN,
CHARLES J. S. BETHUNE, C. W. Harcitt.
1. 0. Howany, ©
The hour being late, Mr. Howard moved an adjournment to the 29th,
after the meeting of the Biological Section of the A. A. A.S. Carried.
The Association met, pursuant to adjournment, at the call of the
Chairman fro tem, at Scarborough Heights, near Toronto, at 4 p.m., Aug.
29th ; the Chairman, Mr. Fletcher, taking the chair. On motion of Prof.
J. B. Smith, seconded by Mr. L. O. Howard, the reading of the minutes
of the meeting of the Committee organizing the Association was dispensed
with, and resolved that the members present do sign the constitution as
read and approved at the last meeting, and that by their action the Asso-
ciation of Official Economic Entomologists be, and is hereby duly organ-
ized. The following members then signed the Constitution in the order
named :—James Fletcher, Chairman; A. J. Cook; John B. Sinith ; Chas.
168 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
J. S. Bethune ; L. O. Howard ; Clarence M. Weed; E. Baynes Reet :
H. Garman ; C. W. Hargitt. The Secretary was spthonen to transfer
the signatures to the minute book of the Association, and to add the sig- —
natures of those who had expressed a desire to join in the work of ‘the
Association.
Letters were then read from Dr. F. Goding, Illinois, and Dr. ‘. Ane
Lintner, New York, expressing sympathy with and approval of the re
of the Association, and asking to be enrolled as members. My ?
On motion of Prof. Smith, seconded by Mr. Weed, the election io i
officers was then proceeded with. .
Prof. Smith nominated Prof. C. V. Riley as first President of the res |
ciation, stating that his recognized pre-eminent position as an economic :
entomologist, and his active interest in the work of establishing this —
Association, entitled him to the honor and recognition of the Association
by election to that office. The nomination was seconded by Dr. Bethune —
and Mr. Weed, each stating the high claims of Dr. Riley to the position. —
On motion of Prof. Cook, seconded by sins Smith, Dr. Riley was elected —
by acclamation,
Prof. Smith nominated Prof. S. A. Forbes as rst Vice- Pretideed of thie
Association. The nomination was seconded by Mr. Howard, an Prof.
Forbes was elected by acclamation.
Mr. Weed nominated Prof. A. J. Cook as 2nd Vice-President of the
Association. The nomination was seconded by Dr. Bethune, and Prof,
Cook was elected by acclamation.
Prof. Cook then took the chair and the meeting was carried on ‘het |
his presidency. | |
Mr. Howard nominated Prof. J. B, Smith as Secretary of the dispie |
tion. ‘The nomination was seconded by Prof. Hargitt, and Prof. Smith —
was elected by acclamation. i aoe
On motion of Prof. Smith, the President was authorized to soueee a
committee of two to prepare such by-laws as may be deemed ie
to be submitted for aproval by the Association at its next meeting. “
Prof. Cook appointed the Secretary and Mr, Howard as suche com-
mittee. .
On motion of Mr. Howard, it was resolved that the next suasead:
meeting of the Association be held at the time and place where the Asso-
ciation of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations next meets.
On motion of Prof. Smith, the Society then adjourned. =
Joun B. Situ, Secretary. |
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, ~ 169
PRELIMINARY CATALOGUE OF THE ARCTIIDA OF TEM-
PERATE NORTH AMERICA, WITH NOTES. :
BY JOHN B, SMITH, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.
The following paper is presented in order to get into shape the notes
made by me at odd times for the five years last past. It includes, in the
first place, all the references that I found to the species during that time,
and such notes of synonymic interest as I have culled from the publi-
cations examined. It has also been my practice, as specimens came into
my hands, to use such as were unfit for the cabinet, for purposes of study,
and I have thus accumulated a great many notes, which I see no oppor-
tunity of using for some time to come, inasmuch as my studies on the
Noctuide will probably fill very completely all the time I have for
systematic work. ‘To present these notes for the benefit of those having
more time to follow these lines of study, and to rid myself of the accumu-
lated slips and memoranda, I have put them into this form. As some of
the species are not known to me in nature, and as the sequence in
_ Mr. Grote’s list is based on no natural characters that I have been able to
discover, I have arranged them in alphabetical order for convenience of
reference.
Family. ARCTIIDA.
The essential characters of the family are: Ocelli present, vein 8 of
secondaries arising from the sub-costal at some distance from base. The
former peculiarity separates them from the Zzthosiid@, the latter from the
NVoctuide. Usually, there is an accessory cell, but there are numerous
exceptions to this. ‘Typically, the venation of primaries is Noctuidous,
save that the internal vein is not furcate basally. This, however, is a
weak character. The secondaries are also very much as in the WVoctuids, —
save for the origin of vein 8, which in the Arctizds, arises from the sub-
costal instead of from the base. A somewhat well marked and charac-
teristic feature is found in the loop of primaries receiving the frenulum of
the male secondaries. It is very distinct and definite, arising from the
space between the costal and sub-costal veins, and generally in the form
of a heavy rope or band, reaching to the median space, where it is coiled
to form a distinct ring into which the frenulum is inserted. In the female
the frenulum consists of a bunch of three or more fine bristles, which are
received into a loop formed of crossed scales in the median space of
primaries. :
170 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The front is flat, except in the Cydosiine, and the head is usually
small. The tongue is variable, and quite often aborted or very weak.
Thorax and abdomen are very variably developed. The antennze furnish
good characters for generic separation and sub-family groupings. They
are sometimes very short, sometimes excessively long, and again moderate
in length. In addition to what has been said of the venation it may be
added, that two definite series are recognizable, based on the origin of vein
10 of primaries. In some genera it arises from the sub-costal hefore the
end of the cell, in the others it is from the series at the end of the sub-
costal. The legs afford good characters. The spurs of the middle and
hind tibize are sometimes wholly or partly wanting, and sometimes the
fore tibize are armed with spines or claws. .
The genitalia will furnish excellent characters when studied. I have
examined a number of species and find strong peculiarities. As the
notes are too fragmentary and the characters need illustration as mee as
description, no reference is made to them. |
Finally, it may be as well to disclaim completeness, either of references
or description, though so far as the bibliography is concerned it is much
more complete than anything heretofore presented. :
Sub-family Cyposlin&.
The characters of this sub-family have been given by me in the Proc.
U. S. Nat. Mus., 1888, pp. 185-190. The produced tuberculate or
roughened front constitute the isolating character. Vein to of primaries
is from the sub-costal. Mel
Genus Cyposia, Westw.
1841—Westw. in Jardine Nat. Lib., XXXVII, 193.
1854—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IL, 523.
1885—Moeschl., Stett. Ent. Zeit., XXXXVI., 206.
1888—Smith, Proc. U. S. N. Mus. XI, 187.
C. nobilitella, Cram.
1782—-Cramer, Pap. Ex., III., pl. 264, f. G., Zinea.
1816—Hubner, Verz., p. 168, Crameria.
1841—Westw. in Nat. Libr. 37, p. 193, Cydosia.
1854—WIk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IL., 523, Cydosia.
1866—H.-Sch., Corr. Blatt., XX., 119, is an Agaristid.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 171
1869—Grt. and Rob. Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., IL, 186, Cydosia.
1872—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 162, pl. 7, f£. 8, Cydosza.
1882—Smith, Proc. U. S. N. Mus., XI., 188, Cydosia.
imitella, Stretch.
1873—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 163, et. 242, pl. 7, f. 8, Cydosia.
1873—Grt., Bull. Buff. Soc. N. Sc., I., 36, Aurivitta ?
1888—Smith, Proc. U. S. N. Mus. XI., 188, pr. Syn.
| var. aurivitta, Grt. & Rob.
1869-—Grt. & Rob., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., II., 186, pl. 3, f. 68, Cydosia.
1872—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 163, pl. 7, f. 9, Cydosia.
1888—Smith, Proc. U. S. N. Mus., XI., 188, an var. pr.
The relation of these forms to each other is fully discussed in my
paper in Proc. U. S. N. Mus., above cited.
‘The species from Texas.
Genus CERATHOSIA, Smith.
San. Entom. Amer., III., 79.
1888—Smith, Proc. U. S.N, Mus., XI., 18
C. tricolor, Smith.
1887—Smith, Ent. Amer. III., 79.
1888—Smith, Proc. U. S. N. Mus., XI., 190.
The recent discussion on the location of this genus is not referred to.
Vein 5 of secondaries is very faint, but yet distinctly present. In my
original description, made from a fresh slide, the thin balsam had ob-
literated the vein. The ease with which such errors are made in the
venation is illustrated by the fact that ever sincé Herrich-Schaeffer first
used venation as a basis for family characters, /zo has been credited with
three internal veins, by even the best European students. I was the first
to demonstrate by bleaching the wings and mounting in balsam, that one
of these veins was a mere fold; on the other hand, this method has the
disadvantage of obscuring the recognition of weak veins, and I was caught
napping in this genus. My figures of venation in the Proc. U.S. N.
Mus., are from camera drawings, and vein 5 was not apparent there.
The presence or absence of the vein, is, however, immaterial so far as
any influence over the family reference is See Hee,
The species is from Texas,
Li THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Sub-family ARCTIIN&.
This term as here used embraces all the other Arctiide. I wish to
say definitely, however, that I believe we have here at least three good
sub-families, and the term is used here simply to separate off the Cydostine,
which have been properly limited.
Mr. Hy. Edwards uses the term /erzcopizde@ for the genera Guophaela
and Melanchroia, in Ent. Amer., IIL, 227, placing them between the ~
families Zithosiide and Arctiide. Mr. Grote, in his ‘‘ New List,’ placed
Gnophela between Ctenucha and Harrisina; genera, with which it has
not even a habital, much less a structural resemblance, Welanchroia he
omits altogether. I do not adopt Mr. Edwards’s suggestion because I
have not studied JZe/anchroia, and cannot find any satisfactory limit from —
Gnophela alone. The group is rather tropical than temperate, Guophela
being from the southwest and west, and. AZe/anchroia still more typically
southern—Key West, Mexico, Texas, Arizona. I place the two genera
at the head of the series, on account of their Zzthoszid tendencies.
Genus GNOPH&LA, WIk.
1854—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 331.
1872—Stretch., Zyg. & Bomb., 35.
Omoiala, Grote.
1863—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., II., 334.
Lamprosina, Grote.
1863—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., II., pl. 6, f. 1.
Callalucia, Grote.
1866—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., IV., 315.
The ocelli are present, the eyes small, round and prominent, and the
head as a whole, small. Tongue rather long and strong, palpi slender,
drooping, with loose thin vestiture. Antenne elongate, in the male
heavily and lengthily bipectinated. Legs, subequal, smoothly scaled, the
usual spurs small. Primaries with 11 veins, one of the series from the
end of the sub-costal wanting, 3, 4 and 5 are from the median at the end
of the cell, 5 rather close to 4, cell closed by a curved vein: 6 from the
end of the subcostal on a very short stalk with 9, which runs to the apex
and gives off one vein about half way to tip. Vein ro is from the sub-
costal before the end of the cell. Secondaries with 3 and 4 on a stalk
from the end of the cell ; 5 from a short spur cross vein, not far from the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. tifa
stalk originating 3 and 4; a curved continuation of the cross vein closes
the cell ; 6 and 7 on a long stalk out of the end of the subcostal, the stalk
. forking about half way to the margin ; 8 out of the subcostal about one-
third from base.
The above notes are from a male, G. hopfferi. The exact relation of
the very variable forms of the species is not at all settled, and there may
be more or fewer species than are now recognized.
G. hopfferi, Grt. & Rob.
1867—G. & R., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., L., 332; Guophela.
1872—Stretch,* Zyg. & Bomb., 38, 236. pl. 2, £ 2, Guophela.
1881—Butler, Papilio, I., 129, Guophela.
1882—Stretch,* Papilio, II., 82, Gnophela.
var. @iscreta, Stretch.
1876—Stretch, Lep. Wheelers Exp., V., 802, Gnophela.
arizone, French.
1884—French, Papilio, IV., 2c, Guophela.
1884—French, Papilio, IV., 112, = dscreta.
Stretch gives the food plant as A/yosotis. The insect has been taken
in California, Arizona and Oregon (May 7 to June 1),
G. latipennis, Bdvy.
1852 —Bdv., Lep. Cal, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., 2nd ser., v. X., 320,
Glaucopis. |
1862—Morris, Synopsis Lep., 136, Glaucopis.
1872—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb , 38, = hopfferi.
1882—Grote, New List 14, on sp. dist.
Habitat—California.
It is highly probable that Mr. Stretch is correct in referring Aopfferi to
this species ; but as Mr. Grote still lists them as distinct, and I have not
studied the forms myself, I follow Mr. Grote for the present.
G. vermiculata, Grote.
1863—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., IL., 334, pl. 6, £ 1, Omozada.
1865—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., IV., 316, Cad/alucia.
1867—G. & R., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., L, 332, Gnophala.
*This sign, whenever used with a reference, as above, indicates that the early
- stages were referred to. |
174 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
1872—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 36, pl. 2, f. 1, Gnophela.
1881—Butler, Papilio, I., 130, Guophela.
1888—Bruce,* Ent. Amer., IV., 24, Gnophela.
var. continua Hy. Edw.
1881—Edw., Papilio, I., 80, Guophela.
Habitat, Colorado.
Mr. Bruce gives the food plant as Mertensia virginica, and the date
in the Upper Platte Canon as July. The probabilities are that the species
is double brooded, the first brood appearing in May, the larva of the
second in July, imago late in July and early August.
Genus MELANCHROIA, Hiibner.
1816—Hiibner, Verzeichniss, 173.
1854—Walker, C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 386.
1862—Clemens in App. to Morris Syn., 297.
This genus I have made no study of, although there is considerable
material in the National Museum available for that purpose. Mr. Grote
‘never included the genus in his lists and apparently considered it extra
territorial. It is only within quite recent years that it has been placed by
Mr. Edwards among the genera of our fauna, though Mr. Stretch recorded
it in 1876 as found in Arizona. It is really a stranger to the rest of our
fauna—an intruder from Central America—but it seems necestary to
include it.
The bibliographical references to the older authors are all at second-
hand, as, at the time I was studying their works and making notes, the
species were not recognized as belonging with us. This is, perhaps,.a
good place to mention that, except where otherwise stated, all the refer-
ences have been verified, and, barring errors in transcription and ‘ype,
are correct.
M. cephise, Cramer.
1782—-Cram., Pap. Ex., IV., 182, pl. 381, f. E., Phalena.
1816 (?)—Hiibner, Samml. Ex. Schm., II., Sphing, 17, ff. 1-4.
1816—Hiubner, Verzeichniss, 173, Aledanchroia.
1854—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 387, Ale/anchroza.
1862—Clem., App. to Morris Syn., 298, Me/anchroia.
1886—Edw., Ent. Amer., II., 9, AZedanchroia.
Habitat—Texas, Arizona, Mexico, West Indies,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 175
_ M. geometroides, Walker.
1854—Walk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IL, 357, Jelanchroia.
1886—Edw., Ent. Amer., II., 9, Melanchroia.
Habitat—Key West, Fla., West Indies.
There are quite a number of specimens of what I take to be this
‘species, in the National Museum, from the Morrison collection, but they
have not been as yet incorporated into the systematic series.
M inconstans, Geyer.
_ 1837-—-Hiib., Zutrege, No. 431, ff. 861-862, Melanchroia.
1854—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 389, (?) Me/anchroia.
1860—Clem., App. to Morris. Syn., 298, JZe/anchroiza.
1876—Stretch., Rept. Lep. Wheeler Exp., V., 802, MWe/anchroia.
secreta, Wik., Cat. Lep. B. M., 222, supp., Ardonia.
1876—Stretch, Rept. Lep. Wheeler Exp., V., 802, pr. syn.
Habitat— Mexico, Arizona.
The synonomy is from Stretch, as are the bibliographical references
to Walker.
Genus Daritis, Walker.
This is also a recent addition to our fauna, made by Mr. Edwards,
The Mexican form is not uncommon in its home, but the variety de-
scribed by Mr. Edwards seems rare ; at all events there have been very
few specimens brought in. I have made no notes on this genus.
D. thetis, Klug.
1836—Klug., Neue. Schmett., IV., f. 1 and 2, Auprepia.
1886—Edw., Ent. Amer., II., 165, Daritis.
var. howardi, Edw.
1886—Edw., Ent. Amer., II., 165, Daritis.
Habitat—New Mexico, southward.
I have given none of the bibliography for the original species, as Mr.
Edwards’s description covers both species and variety.
From this point the order observed in Mr. Grote’s list of 1882 is
followed, not from any conviction that it is the best arrangement, but
because it is easiest, and because for the present purpose any order will
answer equally well. |
(To be continued.)
176 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
OBSERVATIONS ON SOME NORTHERN DERBIDA.
BY E. P. VAN DUZEE, BUFFALO, N. Y.
(Continued from page 159. )
Otiocerus Wolfii, Kirby. A pale specimen of this frail little form was
beaten by me from a beech tree September 3, 1888, at Lancaster, N. Y.,
and Mr. Uhler has kindly sent me a fully colored individual, presumably
from Md., taken on the 6th of August. The antenne in this species are
very short, with a single appendage. |
Otiocerus Signoreti, Fitch. I am indebted to Mr. W. J. Palmer, 30.5
for an example of this species, captured at Lancaster, September 14, 1888.
It agrees with Wodfiz in having but one appendage to the rather small
antenne. ‘The white wings are faintly tinted with red and beautifully
veined with the same color.
Amalopota, new genus.*
Form very slight. Head rather short, horizontal above, almost verti- a
cal before, with superior and frontal keels about as in Amotia; apex
obtuse. Eyes of medium size, emarginate below, Ocelli two, distinct,
placed below and very near the inferior angles of the eyes. Antennz
about as long as the head, situated at the base of the clypeus in a socket
formed by a sharp, slightly elevated ring; basal joint very short and
annular ; second joint diverse in the two sexes; in the male, much flat-
tened, with the sides almost parallel ; in the female, shorter and slightly
flattened ; in both sexes papillated, with a subterminal emargination, from — Q
which springs a bristle. Clypeus triangularly ovate, convex. Rostrum
long, reaching to about the middle of the venter; terminal joint very —
short. Prothorax linear above, produced in an acute angle between the
eyes ; on the sides, suddenly expanded to a broad, thin scale. Humeral
scales large and prominent. Legs slender, unarmed, of medium length ;
the posterior femorze somewhat thickened ; posterior tarsi three jointed ;
basal joint longer than the second and third united. Elytra long and
narrow, widest at the inner apical angle; apex broadly rounded, a little
retreating posteriorly ; the costal area expanded near the base into a
broadly rounded, slightly recurved lobe ; a slight constriction of the costa
just before the apex, with a thickening of the veins there, produces the
appearance of an imperfect stigma, Venation simple,} almost as in
* From:—4#aos feeble, and wor? flight.
+ For convenience of comparison I have used Mr. Westwood’s nomenclahine of the 4
venation.
es
A
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 177
Anotia ; costal area rather broad ; mediastinal vein forked at the basal
third ; costal branch sending about two veinlets to the costa in the stig-
matal region, and united by a cross vein to the outer fork of the inner
branch, which is straight and twice forked just before the apex. Post-
costal vein joining the mediastinal near the base and running straight
to the apex of the elytra, parallel to the inner branch of the mediastinal
vein; the long, straight cell thus formed is crossed by two veinlets, one at —
the apical third, the other near the apex. A cross vein joins the post-
-costal with the median vein near the middle of the elytra, beyond which
‘the former sends five branches to the inner apical margin, the basal two
of which are themselves forked near their apex, and united by a zigzag
submarginal vein that reaches the claval suture ; at this submarginal vein
terminate the anal and the two branches of the median vein. The apical
forks of the post-costal vein are united by slender cross veins, which with
this submarginal vein form a series of about twelve apical and marginal
areoles from the semi-stigma to the clavus. Wing :—Mediastinal vein
simple, near the costa, which it touches at about the middle; post-costal
vein bifid before the apex, and united by a cross vein to the mediastinal
and median veins, the latter of which is also bifid. Abdomen short and
broad, with a dorsal carina; showing five segments above and four
beneath.
The vertex and front are so compressed into the superior and frontal
keels that they might not improperly be described as wanting. These
keels, as in Anotia, are united on the front and divergent posteriorly on
the vertex, the included space being cut out to receive the pronotum.
The mesonotum is convex and lozenge-shaped, the length scarcely greater
than the width, which greatly exceeds that of the head; with three dorsal
caring. Four anterior coxe long and slender, placed obliquely ; pos-
terior short and thick. Base of the femore approximate. The genital
pieces scarcely differ from those of Ofiocerus.
This genus differs from Azotia, to which it is perhaps most nearly
related, by the presence of ocelli, the greater length of the rostrum, the
‘smaller number of veins in the stigmatal region, etc. ; from Patara by the
presence of ocelli, the greater length of the rostrum, the shape of the
head and thorax, and the venation ; from MMysidia and Derbe (Westw.),
‘it differs in the single frontal carina, in the shape and venation of the
‘wings and the form of the eyes, but agrees with the latter genus in the
178 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
presence of the costal constriction (although less pronounced), bd the
length of the rostrum. The only genus described by Stal to which it.
need be compared is Hu/cita, from which it is sufficiently differentiated
by the presence of ocelli, the form of the vertex, antenne, etc.
Amalapota Uhlerin. sp. Pale sanguineous. Elytra transparent, with
the basal third and a broad band before the apex fuscous, the latter
marked with sanguineous toward the costa. Whole insect, when fresh,
covered with a white bloom, most conspicuous on the face and abdomen.
Length—To tip of abdomen 3 m.m., to tip of elytra 8 m.m.; expanse of
wing 15 mm. Head—Keels of the front and vertex, viewed from the
side, gently and regularly arcquated ; vertex narrow, almost entirely cut
out between the keels to receive the pronotum, which extends forward
nearly to the middle of the eyes ; extension of the frontal keels before the
eye a little less than the width of the eye in the female, about half the
width of the eye in the male. Rostrum extending to the third ventral
segment, the last joint scarcely longer than wide. Antenne of the female
reaching to the tip of the head; second joint somewhat compressed, a —
little widened at the apex, which is obliquely and concavely truncated for
the reception of the seta; in the male this second joint is a little longer
and wider than in the female, and is much compressed, with the margins
slightly thickened and the surface more distinctly papillated ; a minute
notch, almost at the end, bears a bristle a little Jonger than the width of —
the joint. In fresh examples, the Oce//i are liable to be obscured by the
‘white bloom on the cheeks.
Thorax—Prothorax widened to an almost quadrangular scale behind
the eye ; central carina of the mesonotum inconspicuous ; lateral carine
almost obsolete. Elytra, when closed, extending about two-thirds of their
length beyond the abdomen; basal lobe-like tooth minutely denticulate
on its edge.
General color sanguineous. Head, thorax and antennz fulvous, the
latter suffused with pale sanguineous within the margin in the male ; this
color also invades the frontal keel, especially in the female. Keels of
the vertex crested with white. Eyes dark brown. Clypeus pale fulvous,.
Rostrum white, tip black. Legs clear whitish, the posterior femora more
or less invaded with sanguineous. Coxe fading and white toward their
tips. Abdomen in the male sanguineous, the basal ventral segments
paler ; in the female deep sanguineous, or even brownish-purple, darker
Pe Se EY ee Re Ee ee ee EN teen ash a " fi ate
es eo ele lee eS gi i a i i ek a a or
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 179
along the crest ; posterior edge of the ventral segments and genital pieces.
pale, the valves above fulvous.
Elytra transparent; basal third smoky-brown, omitting the humerus:
and costal region ; a broad brown band occupies the apical third of the
costa, and narrows to about one-half this width at the internal apical angle ;
this band includes a clear spot on its costal base, and omits about six of
the apical areoles. In the female, this costal, clear spot is much larger.
than in the male, and coalesces with the clear, apical areoles. The veins.
are sanguineous within the limits of the brown, apical band, and in the
stigmatal region are broadly bordered with the same color ; this color also
appears in the veins of the basal brown patch in deeply colored examples.
Wings clear, with a smoky tip, and a larger, slightly suffused, area at the
base.
Described from five individuals—a pair taken x coitu Sept. 3rd, 1888,
two females taken the same day, and another female taken by W. J.
Palmer, Jr., of this city, a week later, all at Lancaster, N. Y. Three of
these were beaten from maples, and two from uncertain trees—probably
maple or beech.
I take pleasure in dedicating this beautiful little species to our leading
American Hemipterist, Mr. P. R. Uhler, whose disinterested and unfail-
ing kindness has been an inspiration and help to me in my studies of
these insects.
CORRESPONDENCE.
GRAPTA J-ALBUM.
Dear Sir; Waving heard that the larve and food-plant of Grapta
j-album were unknown, I thought that I should do well in informing you,
since you could best make known my little discovery, that I have bred the
butterfly from young larve, which fed on silver birch (Betula papyrifera).
Not knowing what they were, I neglected to make a long or careful descrip-
tion of them; nevertheless, I hope the following observations may be of
some value :—The larve were black, with two dorsal, two sub-dorsal and
two super-stigmatal rows of white spots and smudges, three or four on each
segment,* with one dorsal and two sub-dorsal rows of shining black, branch-
ing spines; two super-stigmatal rows tipped with red, and two sub-
* There were also other smaller white spots scattered over the body.
180 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
stigmatal rows pale red. Underneath yellowish-green, and in some places
reddish, speckled with white ; 12th segment reddish, both” above and
below ; head black, and covered with many hard, white, conical tubercles,
or short spines; somewhat cordate, with two thick, black, branching
spines at the upper corners like horns. The chrysalids were about one
inch long, pale green or light brown, sometimes with a reddish tinge, with
two sub-dorsal rows of tubercles, eight in each row, the first six of these
being bright, shining silver (in some lights gold) in colour. Like the
other Grapta chrysalids, they were. suspended by a button of silk at the
tail. Before the imagos appeared, the colour and venation of the wings —
could be seen through the transparent outer covering. I found them on ©
the 26th of May, 1889, when they were about eight inches long. On the
gth of June, they were two inches long. They moulted three times, and —
their appearance remained almost unaltered. They hung themselves up
on the 13th of June, being then about 2.25 inches long, and on the 14th
transformed. ‘The imagos appeared on the 2oth and 30thof June. I had
altogether eight of these larvee. The following is a description of a variety
of the same larvee taken at a later date :—On the 16th of June, I found
the larva feeding, like the former batch, on the silver birch. Length
about one inch. On the 17th it moulted, after which it was 1.5 inches long ;
colour purplish white and amber, with a dorsal band of white clouds, and
some on the sides ; white underneath; one dorsal, two sub-dorsal, two
super and two sub-stigmatal rows of branching spines on segments 4 to 11,
2 to 11, 2 to 12 and 2 to 11 respectively. These spines were supported
by tubercles, and the dorsal, sub-dorsal and super-stigmatal were black,
except the last two super-stigmatal; the rest were yellow and white,
Head somewhat cordate and pale white, with two black branching spines
at the upper corners like horns, and covered with small conical tubercles ;
upper corners black, and a dark mark like an inverted V over the jaws.
On the 23rd it moulted again, after which it was light green, with two
dorsal bands, more or less distinctly separated, of white clouds, and some
white lateral markings ; spines black, except the super-stigmatal, which
were brown and amber, and the sub-stigmatal, which were pale green and
white ; the spine tubercles were orange yellow ; head white, and covered
with small, white, conical spines ; spiracles black. It was largest at the
7th segment, segment 1 being very small ; length about 1.75 inch. The
chrysalis (June 29th) was green, with a rosy tinge and rosy markings, and
with two dorsal rows of tubercles, 16 in number, the first six being shining
silver in colour ; about one inch long, with a large dorsal lump and two
smaller lateral ones, and two at the head ; black markings on last segment. —
On the 9th of July the imago appeared. Note that in this, and in the
former description, the head is zo¢ counted as the first segment, oN
Percy M. Dawson, Montreal. —
Mailed September 6th.
Che Canadian Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, OCTOBER, 188g. No. 10.
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY OF ONTARIO.
The Annual Meeting of the Society was held in the lecture room of
the new Biological Building of the University of Toronto, on Tues-
day, September 3rd, 1889. The President, Mr. James Fletcher, of
Ottawa, took the chair at 11 o’clock a.m. The following members were
present :—Mr. E. Baynes Reed and Mr. J. M. Denton, London ; Mr. J.
Alston Moffat, Hamilton ; Dr. Brodie, Dr. White, Masters O. and W.
White, Mr. Gamble Geddes, Mr. A. Blue (Department of Agriculture),
Toronto ; Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, Port Hope; Mr. W. H. Harrington’
and Mr. R: Bell, Ottawa; Mr. H. H. Lyman, Montreal; Rev. T. W.
Fyles, Quebec; Rev. W. A. Burman, Winnipeg; Mr. L. O. Howard,
Assistant Entomologist, Department of Agriculture, Washington.
The minutes of the previous meeting having been printed and circu-
lated among the members, reading of them was dispensed with, and they
were duly confirmed. |
The President then delivered his annual address, in which he referred
especially to the chief insect attacks of the year. It will be printed in
full in the Annual Report of the Society. A cordial vote of thanks for his
able and interesting address was unanimously voted to the President on
motion of Dr. Bethune, seconded by Mr. Reed.
In the discussion which followed Dr. Brodie stated that he had found
several cereals injured by Thrips; he discovered what were probably the
larve of Thrips feeding under the sheath on culms of grass, but when
kept over night no specimens would be found in the morning. He
and Professor Wright had examined the insects and came to the con-
clusion that they were Thrips. The larve were exceedingly difficult to
mount for the microscope ; if preserved in balsam they soon faded out
and became useless, but better results followed the use of glycerine. He
was satisfied that there are two broods in the year, the first being early in
the season. ‘This year, owing to dry weather, they were very abundant
182 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
in waste places, and he found about one-half of the timothy destroyed by ;
them ; after the rain set in the injury was very much reduced.
Mr. Geddes spoke of some variations in size that he had observed in
the common yellow butterfly, Co/ias philodice, and expressed his opinion —
that the large specimens fed on clover and the small on lucerne.
Mr. Howard (of Washington) gave an account of the success which
has attended the efforts of Dr. Riley and himself to introduce parasites of
the Fluted-Scale insect (/cerya purchasi Maskell), a very destructive
creature in California. This noxious insect had appeared very suddenly —
in the State, from where no one knew. Experiments were made upon it, —
and remedies proposed, but the cultivators did not seem to care to make
use of them on their plantations. They then set to work to learn its life-
history, and soon found that it came from Australia. They corresponded
with Mr. Percy Crawford regarding it; he found the insect in Australia,
but it was not at all abundant ; they concluded, therefore, that it was kept
in check by parasites. A dipterous parasite was found by Mr. Crawford. :
Their next proceeding was to send Mr. Koebele to Australia. He found
the insect everywhere, and observed that it was very commonly para- —
sitized. He then sent over about 15,000 living specimens of parasites ;
these were liberated at Los Angeles. He also found a ‘ Lady-bird ”
(Cocinella) feeding on the scale-insect, and sent several thousand of
them. The result has not been satisfactory with the dipterous parasite,
as it breeds too slowly, but one of the species of Lady-birds breeds most
rapidly, and will no doubt keep the pest within due bounds. As an
instance of this he mentioned that 4oo Lady-birds were sent to one
planter, Colonel Rebins, in May last ; he thought from their satisfactory
work that his orchard would be free from the pest by the close of the
summer, but he afterwards wrote to say that on the 15th of August there —
was not one living scale-insect left. The experiment had been entirely
successful. Mr. Howard also referred to the importation of the parasites
in 1883 of the cabbage-butterfly, Pieris rape. |
Dr. Bethune gave an account of his attempt to import from English ’
many years ago the parasites of the wheat midge, and of the failure of the |
effort. :
Dr. Brodie was strongly of opinion that noxious insects should be
fought by means of parasites; that this was the true scientific method,
bent ia
Mee apt
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 183
and that the use of poisons was a grave mistake. He was very much
gratified with the account of the methods adopted at Washington, and
hoped that they would be developed to the utmost.
Mr. Fletcher, in reply, said that we could not possibly ignore the great
value of poisons as remedies against noxious insects ; that it was abso-
lutely necessary to use them until we can depend upon the parasites ;
and that even if we had the parasites at work upon our destructive
insects they might at any time be swept away through a mildew or blight,
and we should be left at the mercy of the enemy. He had been in corres-
pondence with Mr. Whitehead in England in order to procure the parasite
of Dip/osis, but unfortunately this gentleman was ill and unable to carry
out the project. He had found nearly all the specimens of scale-insects
(Aspidiotus) sent to him from British Columbia were parasitized, but had
never found one affected in this way in Ontario.
Dr. Brodie thought that the farming community could never be
brought to adopt scientific methods for the protection of their crops till
they had suffered from a sweeping destruction. He referred, as an
example, to the ravages of the wheat midge some years ago. In the
County of York it wrought so much havoc that the wheat fields were
deserted and left to the cattle; a day’s threshing would produce two
bushels of midges and no grain. When their crops were all destroyed
then they were willing to resort to remedies, chief among which were
the employment of the “ midge-proof wheat” for seed, a judicious rota-
. tion of crops, and planting too early or too late to suit the habits of the
midge. The introduction of new varieties of wheat .was the principal
means of getting rid of the pest. He wished that the farmers might lose
all their potatoes in order that they might be led by this severe lesson to
give up the use of Paris green and adopt scientific means of saving their
crops.
After some further discussion, in the course of which the value of
various poisons, such as arsenical preparations, hellebore, kerosene, etc.,
in checking insect‘ravages was insisted upon, the subject dropped.
Dr. White exhibited to the meeting some cheap wood cuts in outline
of botanical subjects that were used in illustration of popular articles in
“School Work and Play,” and recommended that something similar
should be done in order to popularise entomology. He said that speci-
mens were first photographed upon zinc plates instead of glass, and, in
184 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
this way, by a special process, blocks were prepared for the printer at a
very trifling expense. The project was heartly approved of, and it was
agreed on all sides that much valuable instruction might be disseminated
in this way. ae
Mr. Burman related his experience of injury to cattle and dogs by
flies in the Northwest, and asked whether fish-oil would be a remedy.
In reply, Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Howard stated that fish and other oils and
grease were effective, both in keeping off the flies and in healing the
affected parts. |
The meeting then adjourned till the afternoon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The report of the council, the audited financial statement of the
Secretary-Treasurer, and the report of the Librarian were presented and
read to the meeting, and, on motion, were duly discussed and adopted.
Mr. Moffat spoke of the large amount of work and the great care which
Mr. Reed had bestowed upon the hbrary during many years past, and
of the excellent position into which it was now brought. He moved that
“The thanks of the Society be given to Mr. Reed for his services in the
library, and that the Executive Committee be hereby recommended to
consider the possibility of shewing, in some pecuniary way, their recogni-
tion of his labors.” Mr. Geddes, in seconding the resolution, which was
duly carried, referred in warm terms to Mr. Reed’s efficiency and kindness —
in connection with the library. It was suggested, in the discussion that
followed, that a catalogue of the books should be prepared, and that by-
laws should be framed for the proper regulation of the library and the
issue of books to members of the Society. Mr. Denton said that there
were now about eleven hundred volumes in the library, many of them —
being very rare works on entomology and other departments of science ;
he thought it most desirable that members out of London should be
enabled to know what books there were, and under what conditions they
might borrow them. Dr. Brodie spoke of the great importance of having
a complete catalogue made of all the libraries in Ontario, and said that
he considered it a work that might very well be undertaken by the Pro-
vincial Government. Mr. Reed thought that we were still in too crude
a state to publish a catalogue of the Society’s Library, but we might
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 185
_ make a beginning by issuing lists of the books in its different depart-
ments. It was finally agreed to leave the matter in the hands of the
Librarian.
Mr. Lyman read his report as delegate to the Royal Society of
Canada. Mr. Reed, in reply to an enquiry, gave an account of what had
been done during the past year with regard to the Society’s rooms and
collections ; he stated that they had frequently been opened to the public,
and that many very pleasant evenings had been spent among the micro-
scopes, books and cabinets.
Mr. Reed drew the attention of the meeting to the changes in “ The
Agricultural and Arts Act,” affecting the Society, made during the last
session of the Ontario Legislature, and moved, seconded by Dr. Bethune,
“That in accordance with the provisions of section 67 of the Agricultural
and Arts Act, as amended in 1889, the agricultural divisions in Schedule
A of the said Act be grouped into the following five divisions, for the pur-
pose of electing one person from each of said five divisions (who shall be
a resident of the district he represents) as directors of the Entomological
Society of Ontario :—
Division 1, to comprise Agricultural Divisions 1, 2, 3.
a4 6c 74 66
2; 4, 5> 13.
6c 2, 6c | <6 6c 6, Io.
05% (13 c a ;
4, ) 7, 8, 9.
“c oe ‘cc és 06 rt, 2a
And that this grouping of the Divisions be in force until otherwise altered
or re-arranged at any annual meeting of the Society.” — Carried.
The following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year :—
President—Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, M. A., D. C. L., Port Hope.
Vice-President—E. Baynes Reed, London.
Secretary-Treasurer—W. E. Saunders, London.
Librarian—E. Baynes Reed, London.
Curator—Rowland Hill, London.
Directors— Division 1—W. H. Harrington, Ottawa.
2—J. D. Evans, Sudbury.
+ 3—Gamble Geddes, Toronto.
af 4—J. Alston Moffat, Hamilton.
* 5—J. M. Denton, London.
186 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST:
Editor of the Cialis EnTomo.ocist—Rev. Dr. Bethune, | Port 7
Hope. eet
Editing Committee—James Fletcher, Ottawa; J. M. Deny Ton.
don; Rev. T. W. Fyles, Quebec ; Dr. Brodie, aoncinta:
Delegate to the Royal Society of Canada.—H. H. Lyman, Montreal.
Auditors—J. M. Denton and E. B. Reed.
Mr. Moffat, who had been engaged for some time past in re-arranging
the Society’s collections, spoke of the desirability of printing anew list of
Lepidoptera for labelling purposes. Dr. Bethune said that he did not
think it advisable to do so just now, as the nomenclature of the order
must be considered to be in a somewhat transition state ; he thought that
after Mr. Scudder’s magnificient work on the butterflies was completed,
and students had time to master its contents, there would be a-very
general adoption of many, at any rate, of his generic titles, and that this
would alter very much our current nomenclature. He also referred to —
Prof. J. B. Smith’s contemplated monograph of the Noctuidze, the frequent
descriptions of new species by Mr. Hulst and others, and the w saaiie + j
Prof. Fernald among the Micros, as rendering the publication of a list
premature at present. He said that he had in his possession a new
check-list of the Noctuide by Mr. Grote, but its publication was deemed —
unwise owing to the foregoing considerations. He thought that Mr.
Moffat’s object could be met by printing a few sheets to supplement the
lists published a few years ago by Dr. Brodie and Dr. White. |
Papers were then read by (1) Dr. Brodie, on ‘ Gall Insects ;” (2) the
Rev. T. W. Fyles, ‘Some notes on the Effects of Heat on Insect Life ;” (3) og
Dr. Goding, ‘‘ In Memoriam: George John Bowles.” These papers will
be published in full in the Annual Report, .
The Rev. W. A. Burman, of Winnipeg, was elected a member. __
After spending some time in the examination and discussion of various
specimens brought by members, the meeting adjourned to meet in Lon- — a
don next year.
ErratumM.—In the description of the larva of Grapta j-album, by
Mr. P. M. Dawson, in the September number, there occurs the obvious
mistake (page 180, line 12) of “ eight inches long” instead of “.8 inch.”
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 187
A NEW CLOTHES BEETLE.
-BY PROF. A. J. COOK, AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, MICHIGAN.
One of the most interesting studies of the scientific entomologist—
more interesting because of its economic importance—relates to variation
of habits of insects, consequent upon variation in their environment.
The carpet beetle, Anuthrenus scrophularie Linn., feeds on flowers in its
native Europe. In the new atmosphere of America, it feeds and thrives
upon carpets, shawls and other woollen goods. The apple maggot,
Trypeta pomonella, feeds upon our wild haw and other wild fruits.
Civilization exterminates its old-time aliment ; and it betakes itself to our
apples, cherries and plums. The curculio, apple-tree borers, bark lice,
etc., are other illustrations of the same truth.
In the past season I have discovered another illustration in the Laszoder-
ma serricorne Fab. ‘This insect belongs to the family P¢zzide, a small
family of very small insects. | Very few of the insects of this family are
noxious ; the two best known of which are, the apple-tree twig borer,
Amphicerus bicaudatus Say., which bores in the mature state in the twigs
of the apple, and Linoxy/on basilare Say, which attacks the hickory and
grape. The insect in question, Laszoderma serricorne Fab., has been found
to attack plush furniture. The larvze, in this case, do the mischief; they |
perforate the plush, making it like a sieve. I know of several pieces of
upholstered furniture utterly ruined by these minute larvee.
The beetle is light-brown in color. There is little variation in the
color, except that the eyes and tips of the elytra are black. The wing-
covers appear a little lighter, because of a covering of light hairs, which
are more dense on the elytra than on the thorax and head. The thorax
bends down, so that, as we look from above, we can not see the head.
The serrate antennz, which give its name to the beetle, are also bent under
the head, so as to rarely show. ‘The beetle is very small, hardly more
than 2 m.m. long. The elytra are non-striated. The first two joints of
the antenne are small. They then increase to the sixth, and then de-
crease to the end. The tenth, or last joint, is rounded. The grubs are
short, curled and hairy. They are two m.m. long and one thick. The
color is white, and the hairs nearly white. These latter have a slightly
yellowish tinge. The six thoracic legs are tipped with black. The upper
part of the head shows four yellowish-brown lines. The upper ones are.
ee ee ee ra
ba pace ' A oa
188 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
narrowest, while the lateral ones are abbreviated behind. The front of 3
the head is brown, while the jaws and other mouth parts are nearly black.
Like all insects, these beetles, both as larve and imago, are very sus-_
ceptible to gasoline or bi-sulphide of carbon. Both of these, used in large —
quantities, were quickly fatal to the insects. Like the carpet beetle, they
infest upholstered furniture between the folds, especially where the back
joins the seat. It is easy to drench such parts of a sofa or ures with -
gasoline and destroy the larvee of either moth or beetle.
Nearly every year brings examples of such change of habits as ae
scribed above. Such incursions, present and prospective, emphasize the
importance of thoroughly-trained entomologists in every state 7 our
country. a
THE NOCTUIDA OF EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA.
(Third Paper.)
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
Tribe Agrotini.
The tibiz are usually all spinose, the eyes naked, the body untuitied:
the form normal, the male antenne of various structure, pectinated, isk
like, simple. The European species are referred by Lederer all to one
genus, Agrotis of Hiibner. Nevertheless, I think the yellow-winged —
forms may well be separated under Hiria and Zryphena. Of these
yellow-winged forms, with flattened abdomen, we have only one 7; a 4
Chardinyi, from Anticosti and Maine, considered identical with the
Siberian species of the same name, described originally by Boisduval under
Anarta. For the structure of Agrotis, I refer the student to a paper of
mine on the genus, Can. Ent., XV., 51. This genus seems of general
distribution, although, perhaps, most numerously represented by species
in North America. To this tribe, I would refer certain American genera,
with few species, which seem peculiar. These are: Carneades, which
differs by a frontal tubercle; Richia, which resembles Ammoconia in
having a thoracic rigid tuft, but has simple antenne ; Adifa, with a claw
on front tibiz ; Agrotiphi/a, with narrowed eyes ; Anytus, with lashes ;
the peculiar genus Ufeus, and, finally, Copablepharon, which has some
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 189
resemblances to the /e/cothians, and superficially recalls Arszlonche. The
position of some of these genera is debatable, and the immature stages
almost entirely unknown. We may briefly compare the European and
American representatives of Agrotis. In Europe, about 120 species are
known ; we have a preliminary list of over 200. Divisions of the genus
into groups have been proposed on peculiarities of the genitalia, which
seem convenient, but are probably of less importance than the armature ;
hence, I would prefer to divide the genus, primarily, into two groups, the
species with unarmed fore-tibia, and those with all the tibie armed.
When all the species are compared, there will probably be found peculi-
arities in the armature of the front tibiz to warrant further divisions.
The relationship of the American species to the European is evidenced
by the identical forms, 7. ¢, baja, ypsilon, plecta, sancia, etc., then by
the representative forms, 7. ¢. haruspica, phyllophora, etc. The species
from the west coast have largely a European facies ; the Labrador species ©
are found, with other Arctic forms, onthe summit of Mount Washington.
We may regard this genus as of very general, pre-glacial distribution ; but
evidently a greater number of species feed, in the larval condition, upon
plants now found in temperate latitudes. Setting the question of the
allied genera with mostly few species aside, the affinity of the two faunz
is quite evident. It is a little singular that the yellow-winged forms are
so feebly represented in North America. Their presence gives a some-
what peculiar aspect to the European fauna. The occurrence of yellow-
winged species is not unusual in the Woctuide. We find them in Oxco-
cnemis, Hadena and Anarta among usually fuscous species.
Tribe Hadeninzi.
Leaving the Dicopid genera, which seem peculiar, we now come to a
group of typical Owlet moths, which differ from the Agrotini mainly in
their usually unarmed tibize and tufted, rougher, body covering. In the
first genera, the eyes are hairy; in /ishia, the tibie are spinose ; in
Copimamestra, the front tibiz have a claw. This latter genus is founded
for the European drassice and its American representative occidenta.
Mamestra is a typical Hadenoid genus with, hairy eyes, and Dianthecia
merely differs by the external ovipositor. These two genera, or generic
groups in our fauna, show a similar relation to the European fauna as
with Agrotis. Whether our ¢rifo/ii (albifusa) is identical with the Euro-
pean, may not he certain, but the genus has several representative species
190 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
such as nimbosa, atlantica, subjuncta, etc. In Dianthecia, we have
D. bella, which represents the European D. Magnoliiz. America has the
usual preponderance of species, over seventy, while Europe has fifty-
eight of the two together. In my lists I have not separated the forms of
Dianthecia, partly because the character was not easy to verify, or I had
only males, while the pupa, which presents some peculiarities as studied
in Europe, is quite unknown. Peculiar American Hadenoid genera, with
hairy eyes, seem to be JVephelodes, Admetovis, - Tricholita, T richoclea,
Trichopolia and Eupsephopectes.
I would here draw attention to the fact, that the generic chatictesal in
the Woctuide and the moths generally are of such a nature that a differ-
ence of opinion may legitimately arise. Undoubtedly, an ultimate and —
better opinion may be obtained, but criticism is to be only indulged in
with that moderation which the nature of the subject demands. Far dif-
ferent is it with matters concerning positive or actual structure, where the
empiric has before him a certain specimen under the microscope. In —
such cases, as with the’genus Cerathosia, where the describer erroneously
describes the neuration or other actual features, a positive error is com-
mitted and the author earns that measure of opprobrium which at Pair
to defective work in Natural History.
The European Hadenoid genera, with naked and lashed eyes, Splems
Thecophora and Dichonia seem to be absent from our fauna. /o/ia,
which has the antennz tufted at base and usually pectinate or serrated in
the males, has eleven European species ; in the Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv,
VI., 266, I have given the list of ten American forms referred here,
whether they are all strictly correct, 1 am uncertain. The European
genera, with few species, Aletopoceras, Cladocera,*Heliophobus, Ulochlena,
Oxytrypia, are yet without described American species. Guenet’s
Chariptera festa seems to be the Cerma cora of Hiibner, and not to be
congeneric with the European viridana. Mr. Morrison’s Valeria Grotei
has a claw on the fore tibiae ; consequently is not congeneric with the
European jaspidea, but seems to be allied to Dicopis.
The genus Oncocnemis is a smooth, almost Agrotid form, considered
by Herrich-Schaeffer as allied to Hediothis with a claw on the front tibiz,
represented by two Russian species, of which confusa has a representa-
tive form in the Californian Behrensi. I have described the large number
of nineteen American species (three having yellow secondaries, ayesé,
enn os
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 191
Dayiand mirificalis), while other authors have added four ; our most
beautiful Eastern form being the atrifasciata of Mr. Morrison, which I
refer to this genus, it being related apparently to the grey forms, such as ©
Chandleri, riparia, etc., the median space filled with black. TI refer two
Western species to the European genus Vaderia, opina and conserta, and
one Eastern species, s#igmata, to the European genus Dryodota. Peculiar
American Hadenoid genera, with naked eyes, seem to be 4rthrochlora,
fiillia, Homohadena, Pachypolia and Hadenella. The typical genus,
ffadena itself,seems to have a parallel representation in North America with
the other leading genera Afate/a, Agrotis and Mamestra, from which latter
genus the species differ in having naked eyes. It offers both identical and
representative species with the European forms, and again an excess in
number, over sixty to over forty. The related genus A/yfpa with its one
European species has a representative American form xy/inoides. I have
identified the European Dépterygia pinastri as occurring in North Am-
erica ; whether this is a survival, or a more recent importation, is doubtful,
perhaps the latter. Of the European genus Actimotia, we have two
species ; of Cadlopistria, one. A strong analogy of the two faune is
offered by the genera clustering about Zzp/exia, the single species of which
latter, Zucipara, is found from the East to California, and is apparently an
unchanged survival and identical with jthe European; I have found the
larve on a number of plants, among them the common Fuchsia. ‘These
genera are Zrigonophora, and Brotolomia, each with representative Am-
erican forms, while the European genus Hadryntis is perhaps not found
in America, nor, conversely, the American genus Conservuda in Europe.
Prodenia, which has one European, has at least four North American
species. This genus is a Southern form, intruding into the European
fauna from the Mediterranean and Asia Minor ; in America, more plenti-
ful in the Southern States, where an allied form, the Laphygma frugiperda
of Abbot and Smith, is destructive to corn. We have nothing like the
wide-winged European Mania maura, so far as my knowledge goes. The
determination of what species is the real type of the earlier genera of
Ochsenheimer and other authors is a matter of some difficulty, owing to
the fact that the species were loosely associated, and the characters we to-
day consider of importance neglected. Nota single species included by
Boisduval in 1829 under Zuperina is placed under Luperina by Lederer.
The true type of Zuperina may, I think, be considered to be the Euro-
192 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
pean ¢estacea, which Lederer includes under Apamea Tr. Probably the.
true type of Afamea may be found in zictitans, one of the original species.
Of neither Luperina Boisd. ( = Apamea Led.), or Ledereria m.
(=Luperina Led. non Boisd.), do I know American species. Apamea
nictitans occurs with us however, from California to the East probably as
an unchanged survival, not only in the typical, but also in the varietal
European forms. Whether zéc¢ztans and certain allied species are distinct
from Gortyna, I, however, doubt, and it is probable that we have but one
genus which European authors call Hydracia Guen. Now the type of
Hydrecia is micacea, as cited in the Species General. But the type of ©
Gortyna is already designated by Htibner as mzcacea, consequently
Hydrecia vust fall. For Gortyna Led., with its one species flavago,
which differs from Hydracia by its mucronate clypeus, the term Ochria
must be used, as I have pointed out. The objectors to Hibner must be
told that Ochsenheimer cites him as authority, himself giving no diagnoses
to the Noctuid genera ; that the older Noctuid generic names are all in-
completely founded, that there is no standard for exact generic definition,
and finally, that Hiibner has given us more information and a better
classification for the /Voctuzd@ than any author before his time. Hibner
separates the Ziyatirine correctly for the first time ; he is the author of
the leading generic divisions and names, Apatela, Agrotis, Heliothis,
etc., names which have been wrongly credited to his successors. The
North American species of Gortyna (including those separated by me
with zzctitans) are much more numerous than the European. The finest
species is our beautiful Gortyna speciosissima. We have two species
with mucronate clypeus; one from the East, duffaloensis, and another
from the West. In ornamentation these species resemble the other
Gortyne, but we must refer them to Ochria, together with the European
fiavago. Our North American species which most nearly resembles the
European /flavago, is, however, my Cataphracta, but here the front is
smooth. The question then arises as to the value of the frontal tubercle ;
whether it may not be developed as easily as modifications in the color or
pattern of ornamentation. Such questions are beyond our present ability
to answer. We must use what characters we find upon which to found
our genera, but the difficulties which the subject presents should preclude
all notion that our present opinions are infallible, or that we have any
reasonable pretext to arrogate to ourselves a superiority in our classi-
Sie. sean calmiah aie
Yad Mere ee tn ee | RLS am
ao
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 193
fication which allows us to speak unduly and depreciatingly of those who
studied these matters long ago.
As with former groups, the North American Hadenini show a pre-
vailing affinity with the European fauna. The amount of divergence can
hardly be shown until all the species are carefully compared, but we can
be sure it will not outweigh the resemblance.
PRELIMINARY CATALOGUE OF THE ARCTIIDA! OF TEM
PERATE NORTH AMERICA, WITH NOTES.
BY JOHN B. SMITH, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.
(Continued from page 175.)
Sub-Family ARCTIN.
In the ‘previous paper [ explained the sense in which this term is
used, and nothing further in the way of definition need be said on that
head.
Genus Crocota Hbn.
1816— Verzeichniss; Samml., Eur. Schm., III., 254.
This genus is in a sad state. Itis almost impossible to identify species
satisfactorily, and yet new species are constantly described. The matter
has been further confused by Mr. Grote’s persistent refusal to refer to Mr.
Reakirt’s species, for without referring them positively as synonyms to
any species, he says he cannot believe that they refer to species different
from those recognized by him, and therefore he ignores them altogether.
This has had the.effect of causing others to lose track of the descriptions
which, poor as they may be, yet are necessary to be referred to. We
know nothing at all as yet as to the range of variation in the genus, and
species are based upon the most indefinite comparative features of colour
and appearance.
Using C. ferruginosa as subject: The head is free, rather small ; eyes
large, somewhat prominent; ocelli distinct ; vestiture scaly, smooth ;
antenne of male with the joints marked, scarcely serrate, with fine lateral
ciliz, palpi moderate in length, straight or slightly drooping. Thoracic
vestiture scaly. Legs closely scaled, posterior longest, the spurs normal
—i. e., middle with one, posterior with two pairs. The tongue is rather
short, but corneous and spiral. Wings proportionately wide and short,
194 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
rather frail and thinly scaled, usually some shade of reddish or yellowish,
more rarely tending to black. On the primaries, veins 7 to Io inclusive
are on a stalk out of the end of the cell, 10 thus not arising out of the
subcostal, 3, 4 and 5 are almost equidistant from the end of the median.
On the secondaries, 3 and 4 are from the end of the cell, 5 is wanting, 6
and 7 from a stalk out of the end of the subcostal, 8 from subcostal, about
one-third from base. There may be some variation in the origin of 2, 6
and 7 of secondaries, and 5 may be present in some species ; ; these are
variable points in this family. :
From what I have seen, I believe that almost any good local collec-
tion would show most of the species ; in other words, I believe individual
characters have been largely used for specific distinction.
C. aurantiaca Hbn.
1825—Hiubner, Zutr., p. 9, ff. 411, 412, Hubaphe.
1855—WIlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., Il, 523, Aubaphe.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, 253, Lubaphe.
1864— Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 103, Crocofa.
Habitat—“ Georgia.” Eastern and Middle States.
Packard apparently did not recognize this species. I am not sure
that I have it correctly, but what I take to be the species seems to occur
east of the Mississippi and north of the Carolinas.
C. belfraget Stretch.
1885—Stretch, Ent. Amer., IL, 103, Cvrocota.
Habitat—Texas.
C. brevicornis W\k.
1855—WIlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 536, Crocota.
1860—Clem., Proc. Ac. N. Sci., Phil., XII., 542, Crocota.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, 255, Crocota. es
186z2—Clem. in App. to Morris’ Syn., 308, Crocota. pease
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 104 Crocota.
1877—Butl., Tr. Ent. Soc., Lond., 367, Zubaphe.
Habitat—Can., Maine, N. Y., Mass., Ohio, Ills., Colo.
Apparently quite widely distributed. Butler says Walker had several
specimens of this species among his rudicundaria.
C. costata Stretch.
1885—Str., Ent. Amer., I, 103, Crocofa,
Habitat—Texas. .
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 195
Apparently a very distinct species, which I have identified in the
National Museum collection.
C. diminutiva Graef.
1887—Graef, Ent. Amer., III., 42, Crocota.
Habitat—Texas.
C. ferruginosa Walker.
1855—Walk.,* C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IL, 535, Crocota.
1860—Clem., Proc. Ac. N. Sci., Phil,, XII., 542, Crocota.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, 255, Crocofa.
1862—Clem., in Morris Syn., App., 308, Cvocota.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 103, Crocota.
1867—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., VI., 313, Crocota.
1868—Bethune, Can, EnT., I, 18, Crocota.
1877—Butl., Tr. Ent. Soc, Lond,, 367, Zubaphe. ‘
aurantiaca { Harris.
1850—Harris in Ag, Lake Super., 393, Zubaphe.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 103, pr. syn.
rubicundaria ¢t Walker.
1855—Wlk., C. B. Mus., Lep. Het, II, 536, Crocota.
1868—Grt. & Rob., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., IL., 71, pr. syn.
Habitat—Canada to N. Y., west to the Mississippi, Lake Superior,
H. B. Terr., Maine.
- The distribution is probably wider. It is quite uncertain what this
_ species really is, and authors are not agreed. Butler says one specimen
of Walker’s rubicundaria is referable here.
C. fragilis Strk.
1879—Rept. Engin., 1878-79, V., p. 1859, Crocota.
Habitat—‘ Pagosa Springs,” July 21.
This is almost certainly Amerta unicolor, if Mr. Strecker’s description
is good for anything. :
C. immaculata Reak.
1864—Reak., Proc, Ent. Soc., Phil., IL., 372, Crocota.
Habitat— Philadelphia, Pa.
“This sign, whenever used with a reference, as above, indicates that the early
stages were referred to.
196 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
So far as I know this species has not been positively identified with
any other. |
C. intermedia Graet.
1887—-Graef, Ent. Amer., IIL, 42, Crocota.
Habitat--—Texas.
C. Zeta Bdv.
1829—Bdv. in Guer. Icon. Ins., pl. 88, f. 6, p. 519, Lithosia.
1855-—Walker, C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 537, Crocota.
1860—Clem., Proc. Ac. N. Sci., Phil., XII., 537, Crocota.
1862—Clem. in App. to Morris, Syn., 309, Crocota.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc, Phil., III., 105, = drevicornis.
1877—Butl., Tr. Ent. Soc., Lond., 367, Eubaphe.
treatiz Grote.
1865—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., IV., 322.
1882—Grt., New List 15, ? =¢reatit.
Habitat—Mass., N. Y., N. J., D. C.
I have in some way mislaid my notes on the Gout in Griffith’s
Cuvier ; that in Guerin I have never seen. My recollection is that the
figure is on the same plate with that of Callimorpha Leconte: (pl. 32),
and is the lower figure on the plate. I never had any doubt of its being
the species afterward called ¢reatii by Mr. Grote. Dr. Packard had
evidently not seen this species when he hazarded the suggestion ns this —
might be the same as Walker’s drevicornis. we
C. nigricans Reakirt. eee 4
1864—Reak., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., IL, 371, Crocofa, pe a
Habitat—Philadelphia, Pa. |
Unknown to me.
C. obscura Stretch.
1885—Stretch, Ent. Amer., I., 103, Crocota.
Habitat—N. H., Pa.
C. opella Grote. ‘
1863—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., L., 345, Crocota.
1863—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., I1.; 30, pl 2,f. 1.933
1867—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc, Phil., VI., 313, Crocota.
1877—Butl., Tr. Ent. Soc., Lond., 367, Hubaphe. OTe)
Habitat—Pa., N. Y., Can. a8 :
See rn tae
Ree ee etd re oe od er oe
Re pees er eee
Na a eB
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 197
Butler says Walker included specimens of this species with his
rubicundaria.
C. opelloides Graef.
1887—Graef, Ent., Amer., III., 42, Crocota.
Habitat—Texas.
C. ostenta Hy. Edwards.
1881—Edw., Papilio, I., 12, Crocota.
Habitat—Arizona.
C. guinaria Grote.
1863—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., II., 30, pl. 2, f 2, 29, Crocota.
1864——Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 105, Crocofa.
1867—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil.,. VI., 313, Crocota.
choriona Reakirt.
1864—Reak., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil, I1., ate Crocota.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., nh. 105, ? pr. syn.
1865—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., V., 234, pr. syn.
bimaculata Saunders.
1869—Saund., Can. Ent., II., 51, Arctia.
1882—Grt., New List, pr. syn.
Habitat—Mass., Can., Pa., Colo. ‘‘ 8,000 ft.”
C. rubicundaria Hubner.
-1825—Hbn., Zutr., p. 28, 256, ff. 511, 512, Crocota.
1855—Walk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., II., 536, Crocota.
1860—Clem., Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci., Phil., XII., 541, Crocota.
1862— Morris, Synopsis, 256, Crocota.
1862—Clem., App. to Morris Syn., 307, = Phrag. rubicosa.
1866—H.-Schaeff, Corr. Blatt, XX., 118, ?, = aurantiaca.
1867—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc,, Phil, VI., 313, Crocofa.
1868—Bethune, Can. Ent., I., 18, Crocota.
1877—Butler, Tr. Ent. Soc., Lond. 367, Lubaphe.
Habitat—Can., Mass., N.. Y.; Gas, fis;
According to Butler, the rubicundaria of Walker is not Hiibner’s
species, but seems a mixture of at least three other species. |
Genus Emypia Boisd.
1829—Boisd., Ind., Meth.
This genus I know only in the European species, and from descrip-
198 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
teen
tions by European authors. In appearance it is Limoeiowa: with rather
narrow primaries and broad secondaries ; the vestiture is close, smooth ;.
vein 5 of secondaries is said to be Genihe: ; fore-tibia unarmed ; the spud”
of middle and hind tibia normal. I.do not remember the venation of
primaries, and made no note as to the origin of vein ro.
E, ampla Grote.
1878—Grt., Can. Ent., X:, 232, Emydia.
Habitat—Colorado. .
Genus UTETHEISA Hiibner.
1816—Hiibn., Verzeichniss, 168.
A well marked genus containing very handsome and extremely
variable species, since it has been determined that all our forms are but
varieties of one species. The head is distinct, free, eyes rather large, not." 3
prominent, ocelli distinct. The palpi are slender, ascending, reaching the . —
middle of front, the terminal joint rather long, closely scaled. Antenne
moderately long, slender, simple in the @, in ‘the 2 the joints marked |
with single lateral bristles. Legs closely scaled, quite considerably longer
posteriorly, all the spurs complete and moderate in length. Body closely i
scaled. Primaries with vein 10 out of the subcostal, a short cross vein
connecting it with the stalk bearing 7, 8 and 9, and thus forming an
accessory cell; 6 is from the end of the sub-costal ; 4 and 5 are close
together out of the end of the median ; 3 somewhat remote from 4, but —
much nearer than to 6. Secondaries with 3, 4 and 5 very close together
from the end of the median; 6 and 7 together from the end of the sub-
costal ; 8 as usual about one-third from base out of the subcostal. Both
Crocota and Emydia lack vein 5 of secondaries, which is a decided
Lithosiid tendency ; Utetheisa has 5 well marked, and has a distinct -
accessory cell, the relation to Cadllimorpha pong obvious in the entire
scheme of venation.
As the species are attractive as well as variable, the literature is
voluminous, and yet I have given none of the ‘ popular” or economic
references.
NV. bella Linne.
1758—Linn., Syst. Nat. Ed., X., 534, Zinea.
1767—Lainn., Syst. Nat. Ed., XII., 885, Zinea.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 199
1764—Linn., Mus. L. U., 399, Zinea.
-1770—Drury, Exot., I., 51, pl. XXIV., f 3, Zinea.
1775—Fabr., Syst. Ent., 585, Bombyx. |
¥781—Fabr., Sp: Int., I1., 203, Bombyx.
1787—Fabr., Mant. Ins., II., 131, Bombyx.
1791—Oliv., Encycl. Meth., V., 99, pl. 72, f. 10, ial ee
1793—Fabr., Ent. Syst., III,, p. 479, Bombyx.
1793—Gmel., Ed. Linn. Syst. Nat., 2447, Bombyx.
1816—Hiibner, Verzeichniss, 168, Utetheisa.
1837—Westwood, Ed. Drury, I, 46, Dezopeca.
1841—Harris, Rept. Ins., Mass., Deiopeia.
1841—Duncan, Nat. Libr., XXXII, 191, pl. 24, f. 1, Detopeia.
1855—WIlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IITL., 568, Dedopeza.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, Supplt., 251, 313, Dezopeia.
1862—Harris, Inj. Ins. Flint Ed., 342, pl. VL, f, 2, Dezopeia.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., IIL, 105. Utetheisa.
1865—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., V., 234, Utetheisa.
1866—H.-Schaeff, Corr. Blatt, XX., 119, Callimorpha.
- 1869—Bethune, Can. Envr., I., 18, Utethetsa.
1873—Stretch*, Zyg. & Bomb., 56, 236, pl. 2, f. 1s, Utetheisa.
1875—Saund., Can. Ent., VII., 85, f. 1, Detopeia.
1877— Butler, Trans. Ent. Soc., Lond, 361, Dezopeia.
1879—Hulst., Bull. Bkln. Ent. Soc., L., 83, Decopeia.
1883—-Edw.* Papilio, III.. 128, Utethezsa.
1886—Moeschl., Ent. Amer., II., 75, Utetheisa.
1887—Gundlach, Cont. Ent. Cuba, 257, Utethetsa.
var hybrida Butler (between de//a and ornatrix).
1877-—Butl., Trans. Ent. Soc., Lond., 361, Detopeia.
: var. ernatrix Linn.
1758—Linn., Syst. N&t. Ed., X., 511, /Voctua.
1767—Linn., Syst. Nat. Ed., XII., 839, /Voctua.
1764—Linn., Mus. L. U., 384, WVoctua.
1770—Drury, Exot., I., 51, pl. 24, f. 2, Woctua.
1775—Fabr., Syst. Ent., 586, Bombyx.
1779—Cram., Pap. Exot., II., 107, 108, pl. 161, ff C, D, F, Phalaena.
1781—Fabr., Sp. Ins., IL, 203, Bombyx.
1787—Fabr., Mant. Ins., Il., 131, Bombyx.
200 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
1791—Oliv., Enc. Meth., V., 100, Bombyx.
1793—Fabr., Ent. Syst., III., 1, 479, Bombyx.
1816—Hbn., Verzeichniss, 168, Utetheisa. o
1820—Hbn., Samml. Ex. Schmett., II., pl. 394, Utetheisa.
1837—Westw., Ed. Dru., L., 46, pl. 24, f. 2, Detopeta.
1855—Walker, C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., III, 567, Desopeza.
1856—Lucas in Sagra’s Cuba, 301, Desopeia.
1865—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., V., 234, pr. var.
1873—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 58, pl. 2, f. 18, Utetheisa.
1877—Butler, Trans. Ent. Soc., Lond., 361, Deiopeza.
1886—Moeschl., Ent. Amer., IIL., 75, Usetheisa.
var intermedia Butler (between de//a and speciosa).
1877—Butl., Tr. Ent, Soc., Lond., 361, Deiopeia.
var speciosa Walk. |
1855-—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IIL, 568, Decopeza.
1862—Morris, Synopsis Supplt., 314, Deopeia.
1865—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., V., 234, pr. var..
1868—Grt. & Rob., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., II., 71, pr. var.
1873—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 57, pl. 2, f. 16, Utetheisa. —
1877—Butl., Tr. Ent. Soc., Lond., Dezopeia.
1886--Moeschl., Ent..Amer., II., 75, Utetheisa.
bella ¢ Cie: |
1779—Cram., Pap. Ex., IIL, 20, pl. 109, ff. C and D, Phgjaties
1886-—Moeschl., Ent. Amer., II., 75, = speciosa.
Habitat—Can. to D. C., Ga., west to Miss., Ia,, Mo., for belle
varying to ornatrix in Tex., Mex., Fla., West Indies, where:
also speciosa occurs.
Recorded food plants are Crote/aria, Lupin, Prewe Lepedeza,
Ulmus.
Few species have greater bibliography, and, as already hinted, it is far
from complete.
Mr. Butler’s paper in the Trans. Ent. Soc., London, for ee seems.
to have been lost sight of. Mr. Grote does not quote his varieties in his
‘“ New List,” nor does Mr. Hy. Edwards, in his additions, Ento, Amer.,
March, 1888, refer to them.
(To be continued. )
Mailed October 4th.
Che Cuadiwn Entomologist.
VOL. XXL LONDON, NOVEMBER, 1880. No. ur.
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY—No. 5.
THE TIGER-SWALLOW-TAIL (Papilio Lurnus, L.)
BY JAMES FLETCHER, OTTAWA.
Just about the time the lilac bushes open their fragrant blossoms the
grand insect shown at figure 9 may be seen either hovering over gardens
and sipping the nectar of flowers, or sailing majestically down some
woodland glade. It generally appears at Ottawa about the first of June,
Figure 9.
and may be seen for a month or more. Farther to the north it comes later,
not appearing at Nepigon, north of Lake Superior, until the end of June.
This insect has many characters which make it of interest to the collector.
Its size and beauty make it a striking object in the spring landscape.
Although it varies in abundance -in different years, it is generally one of
the first treasures of the young collector, and is prized accordingly. The
variations it presents in different latitudes and the habits of its remark-
202 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
able caterpillar are of great interest to the student. In the north, includ-
ing the whole of Canada, the males and females are like our figure,
having the ground colour of a pale lemon yellow, with rich black mark-
ings. “The broad margin is more or less powdered with blue scales,
particularly on the hind wings, which are further ornamented with a
conspicuous orange-red spot, bordered with black and blue, near the
hind angle, and in the females there is another large spot of the same
colour at the upper angle. In the Southern States the specimens of both
sexes are larger and more highly coloured, and besides a black
dimorphic form of the female also occurs. No specimen of a black male
has ever been taken. The only approach to this melanic form is the
beautiful suffused variety which is figured below. The range of the
Tiger-Swallow-tail is very extended. I have some specimens from the —
arctic circle and others from the tropics, while from east to west it~
occurs from Newfoundland to Alaska. The eggs are laid by the
females singly on the upper side of the leaves of its food plants. They
are about one-twentieth of an inch in diameter, sub-globular and smooth,
at first of a pale transparent green, much yellower at the base by reason
of a more or less abundant waxy substance which fastened them to the
leaf ; after a few days they turn reddish, and just before the young larvz
hatch they are almost black. The time of hatching varies with the
weather from ten to twenty days. The caterpillars are very different
in appearance during their various stages. In the first stage the general
appearance is black, with white spots and tubercles, and a conspicuous
white saddle-shaped mark on the back. This mark also appears after the
first and second moults, but is then of a pinkish cream colour. After the
second moult the ground colour of the body usually changes to greenish
brown. After the third moult the green colour is much more decided,
and the caterpillar assumes more of the shape and markings of the full-
fed larva. The thoracic segments are now enlarged and the saddle-
shaped mark is almost obliterated. There is a yellowish band in front of
segment 2, and another on the hinder edges of segments 5 and r2 ; that on
5 is followed closely by a black line on the front edge of segment 6.
This black line does not show when the caterpillar is at rest. The head
is pink brown. On each side of segment 4 now appears a pear-shaped
yellow eye-like spot, the larger end outwards. ‘This spot is edged by a
fine black line ; inside there is a heavy black line enclosing a violet spot.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 203
Towards the smaller end of this yellow spot is a short black bar. ‘The
sides of the body are also ornamented with rows of violet spots, two
upon segment 4, and four upon 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11, and two upon 12.
On segments 6 to rr there is one smail spot below each spiracle. These
spots are more distinct upon some specimens than upon others.
After the fourth or last moult the colour is invariably velvety green,
paler beneath, the saddle-shaped mark has disappeared and the yellow
marks are all more conspicuous. ‘The full-grown caterpillar is shown at
figure 10, and is a formidable looking creature. For two days before it
suspends itself to change to the chrysalis, it gradually assumes a purplish
brown tint, and the violet spots become more distinct than they were
before. The full-grown larva is about one inch and a-half in length when
walking. When at rest it is
shorter and thicker, the head is
drawn in out of sight and the
body assumes a wedge shape,
large in front, tapering rapidly
to the last segment. Whenin
this position the yellow spots
on segment 4 have the appearance of two large open eyes. This appearance
may possibly act as a protection from some of its enemies. When ready
to turn to a chrysalis, it leaves its food-plant and seeks some place to
pupate. It suspends itself to a silken mat and supports its body by
means of a silken girdle around the middle. It changes to a chrysalis
the second day after suspension. ‘The newly formed chrysalis is very
beautiful, being mottled with green, dove colour, black, and white, the
two eye-like spots on segment 4 being very distinct. After a few hours,
however, the green nearly all fades out and the chrysalis darkens to the
tint of dead wood. In all parts of Canada there is only one brood of this
butterfly. The eggs are laid in June and July and the caterpillars pupate
late in the summer and go through the winter in the chrysalis state. The
-habits of the caterpillar are sluggish. From the first they spin a mat of
silk to rest upon when not eating and sally out to feed. When very
young they eat into the edge of the leaf upon which they hatch ; but as
they grow larger they crawl away to other leaves near at hand, and
return again to rest upon the same leaf, all the time there is food at a
convenient distance ; when this is all consumed they move off to a fresh
Figure to.
204 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
branch and start another centre of operations. This mat is so spun as to
‘curl the leaf up somewhat and form a platform, so that in case of rain the
caterpillar is raised above the wet leaf. When disturbed they have a
special means of defence, in the shape of an orange forked scent-organ,
which they can protude at will from an orifice in the second segment. At
the same time a strong pungent odour is emitted. The caterpillars pos-
sess this organ in all their stages, but seldom use it except in the last stage.
The food-plant of this insect is very varied. In this district it is most
frequently found upon apple, cherry, ash, birch and aspen trees. ~
Figure 11 represents a very beautiful suffused melanic male, which
Figure 11.
was taken in July, 1888, by Mr. Robert Mackenzie, at Collins Inlet, upon
the Georgian Bay, eighteen miles east of Killarney, Ont. As this is the
only approach to a black male which has so far been discovered, it has
been thought well to have it photographed and engraved. The specimen
is in very fine condition, the black and yellow clear and unfaded. The
red eye-spot at the anal angle is distinct, and there is another between’
the extremities of the second and third median veinlets of the hind wing:
A few scales of blue shadow the spot at anal angle. There is a conspicu-
ous cloud of the same colour between the second and third median
veinlets and a-smaller one between the first and second. At the apex of
hind wing there is a light cloud of red scales, and a slight tinge of red
between the extremities of costal and first subcostal veins.
ne he eee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 205
THE CLASSIFICATION OF OUR BUTTERFLIES.
BY A, R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
At different times, in making notes for a general list of our Lepidop-
tera, I have taken up the arrangement of our butterflies, and, although
such a list must now be undertaken by some one else, I think it worth
while to set down the conclusions to which I had come.
For myself, | have preferred to consider all the true butterflies as more
nearly related to each other than to the Hesperide and Paleohesperide.
In other words, the latter seem the equivalent, structurally speaking, of the
other butterflies. The characters by which modern “‘ families” are recog-
nized are unequal, and perhaps these groups are really of no more than
sub-family value. But, granting these groups to be as they are now held,
families, the sequence, with the Papz/ionzde at the head, seems less
reasonable than that which commences with the Wympha/ide, or the so-
called “four-footed” butterflies. And this on general grounds. For it
is a clear departure from the usually six-footed type, that the anterior pair
should be shortened and rendered more or less useless for walking pur-
_ poses. It is probably not to be assumed that the families evolved from
each other, but evolution was simultaneous and unequal. The character
of the shortening of the fore-feet appears in a jess degree in other families
of butterflies, and probably exists as a tendency latent in the whole group.
The fore-feet become gradually disused in walking, and this disuse is
followed by a modification of structure. We are tied to a linear series in
our catalogues and classifications, and the real descent and sequence in
time of our butterflies can never be made out and never displayed in our
artificial arrangements. We are conditioned by our own physical struc-
ture. Our appreciation of what surrounds us is limited by the imperfec-
tion of our senses. We cannot see evolution, and the actual progression
of growth escapes us. Only by reasoning do we recognize the doctrine
of descent. It is easier for us to construct a genealogical tree than to
prove its correctness beyond reasonable doubt.
Undoubtedly such drawings assist our comprehension of the possible
modus operandi, but the artist must be exceedingly well up before he thus
gives the reins to his imagination. In the best case they are not facts,
and must not be accepted as such; they are, it may be, ladders for the
mind, which we may climb if we will, to find at the top perhaps as imaginary
206 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
a result as Jack attained from his bean-stalk. To draw sucha tree may be
pardonable, but to believe in it afterwards, as representing real succession,
is an infirmity of the scholar’s mind. Who can tell the real succession in
time and place? There may be assumed a certain progression in the
development of form, but beyond this there is nothing to justify our pre-
tence that we are classifying our Lepidoptera according to real descent.
Nature or natural selection deals with individuals ; if the type persets, it
is represented by species.
It may be that certain species of tropical Papi/io are more recent
evolutions, newer species, than many Vymphalide; but the four-footed
butterfly must have come, one would think, from a six-footed ancestor.
Hence, in a linear series, we may commence reasonably with the Vym-
phalide. Again, the habits of the larve of these latter are very complex,
and seem to have been slowly modified and acquired. Mr. Edwards has
told us much about them. The larve themselves are most curious
objects, leaving the usual range of larval forms. In certain genera from
South America are curious horns attached to the head, reaching back-
wards and reminding us of the flower spurs of Aguzlegia. The larve of
the Papilionide, as 1 have elsewhere said, are not without resemblances
to the Hawk moths. As to pupation, it may be assumed that cocoon-
making, or spinning, is older than its disuse. Almost all the “higher ”
groups, that is, groups which may have issued from a former complex,
show some modification of this habit in the direction of its disuse. Thus
the Hawk moths, which may have come from a common ancestry with
the Ceratocampine, probably first passing through a type analogous to
existing Smerinthine, have very generally discarded cocoon-making. In
discussing all these matters, we must be careful not to put the cart before
the horse, as the Chippeways did, who held the pretty notion that the
butterfly made the south wind, and not the south wind the butterfly.
The Papilionide, in the consistency and form of the body, in its
-hairiness, in the dark and bright contrasting colors, in the tailing and
structure of the secondaries, show certain approximations to the Hesperide,
so that our placing them at the end of the true butterflies does not do
violence to their structure. And as they are six-legged butterflies, we
should naturally finish with them. ‘The departure, which probably exists
as a tendency in the group, is here not expressed, and they are like the
Hesperide in this respect. But we must not look upon the Papd/ionide
Pa Pol —
ath ire a iah
:
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 207
as a connecting link ( Uebergang) to the Hesperide. | They are, in most
respects, as far from the skippers as any other true butterfly. The coin-
cidences at best indicate that, in certain characters, the Papzlionide stand
nearer to the common ancestor than the Vymphalide. But whether our
surmises are right or wrong—and that they are right or wrong cannot be
proved, and is a matter of mere reasonable probability—we stand in need
of a linear series for our catalogues and collections. ‘This is a practical
want, and we must meet it by the most philosophical means possible.
We are offered a certain character in the true butterflies, the different
modifications of the front pair of feet, and this character it is clearly philo-
sophic and practical to use. We must not be influenced by slighter
characters to overturn our conclusions, or by vague general considerations
which are wide of the result we are aiming at; which is a reasonable
sequence for our species, genera and families of butterflies.
I find that Mr. Wallace says that the Dazaide, no less than the
Papilionide, have developed complicated adaptations to the surrounding
organic and inorganic universe. Adaptation, mimicry and dimorphism,
depend evidently on climate and surroundings, and are not any proof of
higher structural value in themselves. They are phenomena called forth
by circumstance, with the plastic butterfly as the wax for the seal. Perhaps
this very plasticity is a proof of a certain weakness of type, just as weak-
ness of character in us is displayed by our attending to every wind that
blows. ‘‘ Inthe extensive family of Vymphadide,” says Mr. Wallace, “we
find that several of the larger species, of feebler structure, have their
wings modified ; while the powerful species, which have all an exces-
sively rapid flight, have exactly the same form of wing in Celebes as in the
other islands.” Size or relative beauty are no guide for a structural
arrangement. 3 |
I should commence, then, the linear series of our butterflies with the
four-footed butterflies: First the Vymphalide, following these with the
Satyride, which differ by the blistering of the veins of the fore-wings, and
are considered by writers generally as a distinct “family.” There have
to be general considerations guiding our arrangement of the genera; and
the knowledge requisite to form these is hardly gathered yet. A mere
technical description of form and structure is not of itself sufficient. Com-
parisons are needed of all the stages. Again, in the stringing together of
the mass of detail, the general principles which should guide us in estab-
208 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
ishing the higher divisions are lost sight of. The Satyride are evidently
“lower” than the Vymphalide, perhaps retaining in habits and markings
traces of a former physical condition of the globe. I have written briefly,
originally, on the habits and conditions of Oe¢neis semidea, and I regard
this genus as a low, perhaps the lowest type of Satyrid. We now come
to a series of “ families ” of butterflies in which the shortening of the fore-
feet is confined to the male sex. These are the Libytheid@, as I have
thought, a very old form of butterfly (Can. Ent. XVIII., 163), the Z7y-
cinid@, to which I would refer my genus /eniseca, and the Lyceinda, in
which the male fore tibiz end in a hooklet. We now come to the six-
footed butterflies, which we may divide into three “families,” the Prerida,
the Parnasside and the Papilionide. ‘The Hesperida, which differ by
the proportions of the body and position of the wings, fall into two
groups, as the fore tibiae are with or without epiphysis, and may then
follow. The series of butterflies may be closed by my Padeohesperide,
with spinose tibiz,—moth-like butterflies preparing us for the Castniade,
and apparently relics of a stage between moth and butterfly surviving in
the North American fauna.
There is, I think, nothing to be gained by cataloguing our Lepidoptera
upside down, as seems to be proposed by Packard, commencing with the
supposed “lowest” moths. Theoretically we may conceive that the
moths are “lower” than the butterflies, and that in some unknown way
the latter have come from moth-like ancestors. Palseontological proof is’
now wanting, but there is some circumstantial evidence to be gathered
that such has been the case. If there has been evolution, then butterfly-
like forms cannot have produced moths, but the reverse. At a later
epoch in the history of creation than the origin of butterflies, changes of
climate have evidently taken place. The winter now finds the butterflies
in all stages. The lethargy of the half-grown caterpillar seems to have
survived from a time when the winters were longer, came more suddenly,
than at present, It was no longer time for the butterfly to grow, or the
food plant formerly then perished. Now there is time and food, but the
butterfly will not yet believe it, needing the evidence of centuries, and
prepares to winter. In the moths I only have observed that certain
species remain as caterpillars within the cocoon until spring. _ ie
For practical purposes, as well as for the work of comparing the
faunze of North America and Europe, and arriving at some conclusions as
£
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 209
to geographical distribution and origin of the different forms, in which I
am much interested, we may arrange the butterflies as here suggested.
But whether we assume eight “ families” of the true butterflies, or only
four, or only one, the sequence and the principle remain unaltered.
The characters by which modern “families” are defined, chiefly by
German authors wad solche die es werden wollen, are of unequal morpho-
logical value, therefore unnatural and, it seems to me, unphilosophical.
NOTE ON THE LARVA OF THYATIRA PUDENS, Guen.
BY HARRISON G. DYAR, RHINEBECK, N. Y.
As far as Iam aware no description of the larva of this insect has
been published, and hence I present the following :—
T. pudens.—Mature larva. Head white, with four black spots, two
covering the eyes and the others near the summit of the head. A few
short, whitish hairs. Body semitransparent, whitish, flecked with opaque
white spots on the dorsum and more thinly on the venter. Stigmatal
space covered by a blackish shading, more distinct anteriorly ; a darker
dorsal line. Spiracles pale brown. Cervical spot whitish, concolorous
with body. A few short pale hairs.
The larve feed singly on dogwood (Cornus florida), each forming a
place of concealment by spinning one or more leaves together by the edges.
They mature by the middle of June and pupate in a slight cocoon on the
ground, the winter being passed in the pupa state. The pupa has its
greatest diameter’ through the wing cases, the abdominal segments taper-
ing. It is dark brown, approaching black, the brown color showing more
distinctly between the segments. Body punctured. Thorax, wing and
leg cases finely wrinkled. Cremaster, thick, 1 mm. long, furnished with
stiff, spiny hooks.
This larva well deserves its name of pudens, on account of its modest
habits, remaining concealed in its leafy house, and appearing much dis-
turbed if exposed. Its actions recall those of the larva of Audamus
tityrus.
The insect has only one brood annually.
Larve from Duchess County, N. Y.
210 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
PREPARATORY STAGES OF LEPTARCTIA CALIFORNIA
WaLKER, WITH NOTES ON THE GENUS.
BY G, H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Ecc.—Diameter .03 inch. Globular, smooth. Color whitish, witha
pearly lustre. Duration of this period here four days, in the mountains
of California six days. |
Younc Larva.—Length .o7 inch: Cylindrical, six rows of risbedeies
from which spring hairs as long as the body. Color pale gray, head
black, hairs gray. Duration of this period four days. .
After rst Moult.—Length .15 inch. Cylindrical, eight rows of tuber-
cles, from which spring tufts of hair. Color dull pale horn yellow, a
whitish dorsal line ; tubercles black, the hairs gray ; head with the top ©
and sides black, clypeus whitish ; legs whitish. Before the close of the -
preceding stage the body was slightly reddish purple. Duration of this
period three days. : | ae
- After 2nd Moult.—Length .25 inch.—Head slightly bilobed ; color
smoky greenish black ; tubercles black, the hairs gray ; a dorsal creamy,
slightly orange tinted line, and a line of lateral spots of the same color
situated between the second and third rows of tubercles, counting from
the dorsal line ; head pale horn yellow, the upper part black, a small
black spot on each side, and a small smoky spot in the centre of the front ; ‘3
feet concolorous with the body. Duration of this period seven days.
After 3rd Moult.—Length .50 inch; shape as before. Color smoky.
gray, rather dark ; dorsal stripe orange, an orange spot each side of the
second tubercle on each joint, counting from the dorsal line ; tubercles
black, each supporting a cluster of spreading brown hairs, those on joints
6 to 11 mostly about the length of the diameter of the body, those on the
other joints containing a few that are much longer, the anterior and a few
on joint 12 yellow, a long pencil of brown hairs on 13 ; head dark amber,
two blackish patches in front. Duration of this period six days.
After 4th Moult.—Length .60 inch. Color gray, made so by a fine
mottling of black and sordid white ; the cluster of hairs from each tubercle
thick and spreading, the central hairs black, the outer hairs of the cluster
gray ; the dorsal line, lateral spots and head unchanged.
Mature Larva.—Length .7o inch. There was scarcely any change
~
PO eer te eae Se ee ea ee
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Zi.
after the first of this period, As before, the body is cylindrical, with eight
rows of tubercles, supporting tufts of spreading hairs, the most of these
black with a few gray hairs round the outside of each cluster ; the length -
of the hairs on the middle of body about the diameter of the body, those
on the posterior part of the body about twice as long, the pencil from
joint 13 about four times as long as those on the back of the middle
joints ; tubercles still black ; head amber, with a prominent blackish spot
in the centre of the anterior part of each cheek. Duration of this periog
57 days. |
Curysalis.—Length .45 inch; length of wing and tongue cases .25
inch, extending almost to posterior part of joint 5; depth of joint 1.14
inch; of joint 2 .15 inch; of joint 3 .16 inch; from this it tapers
slightly to joint 7, from this more abruptly to the end ; no hooks at anal
extremity ; cylindrical, anterior end rounded, the head sloping to the
antennz cases at a little less than go degrees ; wing and antennz cases
slightly roughened, abdomen slightly punctured. Color, chestnut brown,
antenne cases and outer edges of wing cases a little paler. Duration of ©
this period from 205 to 234 days. | :
- There is but one brood in a season, and unlike most of our insects, it
has two periods of what might be called suspended activity. One of
these, the pupal period, is common to all insects undergoing complete
transformations ; the other, just before pupation, an unusual one, unless
with a species that hibernates in the larval state. By looking over the
different periods, we find them as follows :—
Egg period.... 6 days.
TS: Aree a, ge tS
2nd (<3 ‘< uy a 3 66
3rd 6“ 66 Pe 7 be
ath trees bee
5th 6c a3 Sy ae 57 6<
After the fourth moult the larve grew to their full size in a few days,
and then remained in a quiescent state, unless disturbed, during the
remainder of the period. ‘They passed the last moult July 25th, but did
not pupate till September zoth. I could not see that they ate anything
during this time of about 50 days, the period of our dry, hot weather,
though fresh food was furnished them every day. At first I thought this
212 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
might be due to their translation from their home in the Sierras to our
warmer climate, and that succeeding broods would behave differently ; but —__
the second brood raised followed the same course as their ancestors.
When preparing to pupate, they constructed loose cocoons of gray silk —
mingled with hairs from their own bodies, either in folded leaves or next
to the dirt in the corners of their breeding box. In this they resemble”
our Arctians generally.
* The eggs from which the larve furnishing these notes were binds Les
were sent me by my friend, Hon. C. F. McGlashan, of Truckee, California.
They were received by me July 5, 1885, just hatched, after having been
on the road six days. Those I bred the next year hatched in four days.
The food plant given me was Pentstemon, but I fed them on Ades Aur-
eum, or Missouri Currant, which they ate readily ; and I am of the
opinion, that like other Arctians, they are rather general feeders. ¥
The only species, besides this, that has a period of summer hiberna- __
tion in the Bombycide, so far as I have noticed, is the larva of Arachnis
Picta, Pack., described by Mr. Stretch in his Illustrations of Zygaenide
and Bombycidez, page 84. This larva was found May 8th and did not ~
pupate till the middle of August, making at least 98 days without food.
The Leptarctia larve remained quiet under the food given them on the
earth of the breeding box, unless disturbed, when they would run rapidly, —
like the species of Arctia. I believe Mr. Stretch says the Arachnis larvee
emitted a fluid just previous to pupation, similar to that emitted by a moth
when coming out of set ica I did not notice whether these did the —
same or not.
The genus Leptarctia was founded by Mr. R. H. Stretch in his books
already referred to, in the time of its publication from 1871 to 1873. At
the time of writing the description of the genus he does not seem to have
known of Walker’s description of Cadifornie, as he says nothing about it
till the close of the work in an addenda. He gives three species, Zena
and Decia by Boisduval, and Dimidiata named by himself. Walker
described Californie in 1855 in British Mus. Cat. Lep. Het. Vol. 3,
placing it in the genus Vemeophila. In 1868 Boisduval described the
same form as Adnata, together with the two already mentioned, Lena and
Decia, placing them in the genus Zthosia, but stating that in his opinion -
they did not belong in that genus, but in one near Memeophila. Dr.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 213
Packard, in his ‘‘ Synopsis of the Bombycidz of the United States, 1864”,
does not mention any of the forms of Leptarctia, hence we may presume
that he had not seen any of them. In the note already referred to, at the
close of the volume, Stretch restores Californie, and gives Lena as a
synonym. Grote, in his ‘“‘“New Check List of North American Moths,
1882”, gives three names as species, Decia, Lena and Dimidiata, giving
Californie as a synonym of Lena. The Brooklyn List, 1881, gives the
same three names without Ca/ifornie.
This is, as far as I have observed, a synopsis of the history of the
forms that have been placed under the genus Leffarctia as species.
Stretch figured several forms, but grouped them as varieties under the
three species he gave. While, for lack of a large series, or the knowledge
that could come from breeding, these writers have treated of these forms
as species, yet there has been something of a feeling among Lepidopterists
for several years that there was really only one species, and all the differ-
ent forms but varieties, and that such would ultimately be proven.
(To be continued.)
PRELIMINARY CATALOGUE OF THE ARCTIIDA OF TEM-
PERATE NORTH AMERICA, WITH NOTES,
BY JOHN B, SMITH, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.
(Continued from page 200.)
As the descriptions are short and so generally unknown, I will repro-
duce them here:—
“Var. hybrida: Primaries of D. de//a, but the yellow belts indistinct,
secondaries of typical D. ornatrix, but with the ground colour red as in
D. bella, and with a white edged, interrupted black belt across the dis-
coidal cell.
“ Hab.—United States.
“* Var. intermedia: Primaries with the yellow belts very pale, so that
the white borders of the black ‘spots show faintly ; secondaries exactly
like speciosa.
“ Hab.—United States.”
214 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Genus CALLIMORPHA Latr.
This genus has been so thoroughly discussed by Mr. eae and myself
in Can. Ent., XIX , 181-191 and 235-239, that it is scarcely pa to
say anything more here.
The synonymy to the date of my monographic revision in the Proc.
U.S. Natl. Mus., 1887, pp. 338-353, is there given with the complete :
bibliography. Nothing worthy of record has been published since that
time, and I therefore add a list of the species for completeness only. As
this genus has been monographically treated, I adopt my own order of
species :—
C. clymene Brown. C. contigua Wik.
interruptomarginata DeB. | reversa Stretch, in part.
comma Wik. C. suffusa Smith.
C. colona Hbn. lecontei ¢ Stretch et auct.
clymene \| Esp. reversa Stretch, in part.
carolina Harr. C. confusa Lyman.
C. dactata Smith. lecontei { Smith et auct.
ft conscita Wik., in part. reversa Stretch, in part,
C. lecontei Bdv. C. fulvicosta Clem.
var. militaris Harr. fd conscita Wik., var. b.
confinis Wik. C. vestalis Pack. 3
2 conscita Wk.
Genus EPICALLIA Hbn.
1816—Hiibner, Verzeichniss, 182.
Head small, retracted ; palpi short; tongue short and weak, about —
half the length of thorax ; ocelli small ; antennz short, simple in the 2.
Legs rather well developed, the middle and hind tibiz fully spurred ;
spurs small, those of posterior tibia close together. Claws of tarsi simple. -
Primaries with but 11 veins, 8 being wanting ; 2, 3 and 4 are from a
short stalk out of the end of the median; 5 from the cross vein rather
close to the stalk, 6 and the stalk bearing 7, 9 and ro from the end of the
subcostal ; 10 therefore ot from the subcostal. Secondaries with 3, 4
and 5 close together from the end of the median ; 6 and 7 together from
the end of the subcostal; 8 as usual from the subcostal.
The above description is based upon Z&. virginalis. Mr. Butler
thinks the American entomologists have mistaken the type of Hpicad/ia.
tnagiiwven sh ates aed
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 215
He says, Ann. Mag., N. H., 1881, ser. 5, v. VIIL, p. 310 :—“ Why Dr.
Packard and others have placed this species in Epicallia, of which £.
villica is type, it would indeed be hard to say. Setting aside other differ-
ences, the utter dissimilarity of the male antennze should have been
sufficient to keep them widely separated. The pattern and colour of the
wings, the less woolly and smalier thorax, and the barred abdomen are
all characteristic of Zypercompa,; in fact, with the exception of the rather
shorter costal margin of primaries, which may, perhaps, be regarded as a
generic character, I can see nothing to distinguish it from that genus.”
Mr. Butler claims dominula and allies as Hypercompa ( Callimorpha
Stgr.), and says our species of Hypercompa ( Callimorpha) differ generic-
ally from the European species, and should be referred to Hap/oa Hiib.
Villica, according to Butler the type of Zpical/ia, is placed in Arctia by
Staudinger.
Without expressing any opinion on the subject, I refer the matter to
some one having the material for study.
E. virginalis Bdv.
1852—Bdv., Lep. Calif. (Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr.), 49, Chelonia.
1855—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., IIL, 611, Arctia.
1860—Clem., Proc. Ac, N. Sci., Phil., XII., 529, Arctia.
1862—Clem., App. to Morris Syn., 337, Arctia.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III, 108, Epicallia.
1867—Gre & Rob., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., I, 333, pl. 6, f. 42, 2,
LE picallia.
1873—Stretch,* Zyg. & Bomb., 70, 238, pl. 3, ff 2, 3, 4, and pl. 10,
) f. x (larva) Zpicadlia.
1874—Pack.,* Rept. Geol. Surv., 1874, p. 559, Zpicallia.
1875—Edw.,* Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., V., 186, Zpicadlia,
1876 —Stretch, Rept. Surv. West. 100 Mer., V., 802, Epicadlia.
1881—Butler, Ann. Mag., N. H., Ser. 5, VIIL, 310, Wypercompa.
var. ochracea Butler.
1881—Butl., Ann. Mag., N. H., Ser. 5, VIII., 310, Aypercompa
Cites Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., p. 71, pl. 3, f. 2, as type.
var. guttata Bdv.
1852—Bdv., Lep. Cal. (Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr.), 48, Agarista.
1853 —H.-Sch., Lep. Exot., 72, f. 464, Pleretes.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, 132, A/ypza.
216 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., rog, pr. var.
1867—G. & R., Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., L, 334, an sp. dist. ,
1869—Bdv., Lep. Cal. (Ann. Soc. Ent., Belg. XII), 74, Cal/imorpha.
1873—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb., 70, pr. var.
1875—Edw., Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., V., 186, pr. var.
» Habitat—Vanc., Calif., Or., Colo., Ariz.
Genus Piatarctia Packard.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 109.
I have no notes of this genus, never having had a specimen that
belonged to me absolutely.
P. borealis Moeschler.
1860—Moeschl., Wien. Ent. Monatsch., IV., 360, pl. 9, £ 3, Arctia.
1864—Grt., Proc. Ent. Soc,, Phil., III., 74, =parthenos.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil. IIl., r11, Platarctia.
1867—Pack., Proc. Bost. Shes N. HL, Dakss Bi Platarctia,
1869—Beth., Can. Enr., I., 45, Platarctia. :
1873—Strk., Lep. Rhop. et. Het, 24, —parthenos.
1882—Grt, New List, 15, Platarctia.
Habitat—Can., Labr.
Mr. Grote lists this as a distinct species without comment, ‘aaa I fol-
low his lead. It is the opinion of those with both species, I believe, that
parthenos and borealis refer to varieties of the same form.
P. hyperborea Curtis.
1831—Curt., App. to Ross. Narr., 2nd Voy., LXXI.,, p. 1 epee
1855—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., III., 611, Arcétza.
1857—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., VII., 1692, Arctza.
1860—Clem, Proc. Ac. N. Sci., Phil., XII., 529, Arctza.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, Supplt., 340, 4rctia.
1868—Grt. & Rob. Tr. Am, Ent. Soc., IL., 71) Platarctia.
Habitat—Arctic America.
P. parthenos Harris.
1850—Harr. in Ag. Lake Sup., 390, pl. VII., f. 4, Aretia.
1855—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., III, 608, Arctia.
1860—Clem., Proc. Ac. N. Sci., Phil., XIL., 529, Arctia.
1862—Morris, Synopsis, Supplt., 337, Arctia.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 247
1863—Saund., Syn. Can. Arct., 4, Arctia.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., I1I., 110, Patarctia.
1868—Saund.,* Can. Ent., I., 5, Platarctia.
1869—Bethune, Can. Enrv., I., 45, Platarctia.
1871—Saund.,* Can. Enr., III, 225, Platarctia.
1872—Lint.,* Ento. Contr., Il., 132, Platarctia.
americana } Wik.
1855—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., III., 607, Arctia.
1868—Grt. & Rob., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., I., 71, pr. syn.
Habitat—Can., Lake Sup., White Mts., Vt., N. Y.
P. yarrowi Stretch.
1873—Str., Zyg. and Bomb., 221, pl. 1X.,f 7, ¢, Arctia.
1876—Str., Rept. Geog. Surv. West, roo Mer., V., 800, pl. 40, ff. 5
and 2, Arctia.
1882—Grt., New List, 15, Platarctia.
1883—Moeschl., Stett. Ent. Zeit., 44, 116, Arctia.
Habitat—Labr., Arizona.
Genus EuPREPIA Ochs.
1810—Ochs., Schmett., III., 298.
Von Heineman’s characterization gives for this genus:—Antenne 7
and § ciliated, joints with two stouter bristles; anterior tibia with claw
at tip. Primaries with accessory cell present. Based upon an examina-
tion of Z. caja, the reference of that species to this genus is an error, since
caja has the male antenne pectinated, the fore tibia with but a small
spine at tip, primaries without accessory cell. In caja the tongue is
obsolete, palpi short, head retracted. All the tibiz shorter than femora ;
spurs normal, but minute. Claws simple. Primaries with 3, 4 and 5
nearly equidistant from the cross vein or end of median; 6 from cross
vein, very little below end of subcostal ; 7, 8 and g on a long stalk out of
end of subcostal ; ro from subcostal before the end of the cell ; second-
aries with 3, 4 and 5 nearly equidistant from end of median ; 6 and 7
together from end of subcostal.
Pudica is said to be the type of the genus !
£. caja Linn.
1758—Linn., Syst. Nat. Ed., X., 500, Bombyx.
1767—Linn., Syst. Nat. Ed., XIL, 819, Bombyx.
218 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
1781—Fabr., Sp. Ins., I1., 198, Bombyx.
1787—Fabr., Mant. Ins., II., 128, Bombyx.
1816—Hiibn., Verzeichniss, 181, Zoofe.
1852—Bdv., Lep. Cal. (Ann. Soc. Fr.), 49, Arctia.
185s—Wlk., C. B. Mus. Lep. Het., III., 601, Arctia.
1860—Moeschl., Wien. Ent. Monatschr., IV., 360, Arctia.
1864—Grt., Pr. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 74, an. sp. Amer. (?). at eo ee |
1867—Pack.,* Proc. Bost. Soc., N. H., XI., 33, Zuprepia.
| americana Harris. |
1841—Harris, Rept. Ins., Mass., 246, Arctia.
1850—-Harris in Ag., Lake Sup., 391, pl. 7, f. 5, Arctid.
1855—Wlk., C. B. M., Lep. Het., IIL, 607, Avctia.
1862—Clem., Proc. Ac. N. Sci., Phil. XII., 529, Arctza.
1862—Clem., App. to Morris Syn., 336, Arctia.
1863—Saund.,* Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil. IL., 28, Arctia.
1863—Saund., Syn. Can. Arct., 3, Arctia.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil, III, 114, Huprepia.
1869—Grt., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., IIL, 537, an sp. dist., caja.
1872—Lintner,* Ent. Cont., IL., 134, Auprepza. °
1873—Stretch, Zyg. & Bomb.. 95, pl. 4, f. 4, 2, ib., p. 239 (larva) —
=caja. ;
1873—Strecker, Lep. Rhop. et. Het., 24, caja.
1875—Edw., Proc. Cal. Soc. Sci., V., 187, Huprepia.
1875—Bunker,* Can. Ent., VIL, 149, Arctia (life list).
1876—Lyman,* Can. Ent., VIIL, 20, Arctia.
1878—Strk., Proc. Dav. Ac. Sci., I., 273, pr. syn.
1882—Grt., New List, 15, =caja.
var. utahensis Edw.
1886—Edw., Ent. Amer., IL., 166, Huprepia.
Habitat—Northern U.S., N. Y., Can., Labr., Alaska, Vane., Cala,
Utah.
I have made no attempt to give the bibliography of the European
species. It would have made the references too voluminous, and the
European literature is rather easily kept track of. :
E, opulenta Hy. Edw.
1881—Edw., Papilio, I., 30, Bupa
Habitat— Yukon River, Alaska.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 219
Genus CALLarRcTiA Pack.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 114.
_ This genus is unknown to me in nature, unless Mr. Stretch’s reference,
hereinafter cited, is correct. In that case it needs no special character-
‘ization.
C. ornata Pack.
1864—Pack., Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., III., 115, Cal/arctia.
1882—Stretch, Papilio, II., 147, —Arctia achaia !
Habitat—San Mateo, Calif.
bal
Mr. Stretch’s note, giving the above synonymical reference, seems to
have been carefully made, and the description shows nothing to the con-
trary. ‘The reference bears all the more weight since Mr. Stretch is not
a lumper, and has shown in the past great deference to Dr. Packard’s
@icta in this family. Grote & Robinson’s species must, therefore, drop as
a synonym, while Dr. Packard’s genus must fall. I leave the positive -
reference to others. :
THE ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL ECONOMIC
ENTOMOLOGISTS
will hold its first annual meeting in the City of Washington, D. C., of
November 12th, 1889, at 11 o’clock, a. m., in the Entomological rooms
-at the U. S. National Museum.
According to the resolution of the Association at the Toronto meet-
ing, the annual meeting was to be held on the date and at the place
where the Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations
should next meet. The date and place for the latter meeting having
been fixed, the above notice is hereby given to all members of the Asso-
-ciation of Economic Entomologists. All titles of communications to be
read should be sent to the Secretary as soon as possible, and those
desiring enrolment as members will also please communicate with the
Secretary.
Joun B. Smiru, Rutger’s College, New Brunswick, N. J.
220 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
CORRESPONDENCE.
THE FARMER’S OWN INSECTICIDE.
Dear Sir: Take plants of Pokeweed, (Phytolacca decandra Ph roots,
stems and leaves ; cut them into manageable lengths ; make a decoction —
—a sap-kettle will be useful for the purpose. Let the liquor cool, and —
then apply with a sprinkler. This will exterminate the currant-worm, - ue
rose-slug and other pests of the garden. Seg
Tuomas W. FYLEs.
GNOPHALA VERMICULATA, Grote. :
Dear Sir; Wast year Mr. Bruce published a description of ths es
of this insect, giving the food-plant as MJertensia virginica (L.) As. |
Prof. J. B. Smith has repeated this record in Can. Ent. XXI., p. 174, it
becomes especially necessary to point out that it is probably erroneous. —_
In the first place, W. virginica is not known to occur in Colorado, and. es
the species known from the Platte basin, ins that State, are WZ. sibirica,
Don., WZ. alpina, Don., and M. paniculata, Don.,—the last a new L
record, being reported from Denver by Miss A. Eastwood. Secondly,
the larva of G. vermiculata is common in Custer County from 8,o00 to
10,000 feet alt., and is found on MMertensia sibirica, although I have -
rarely found it also on Echinospermum floribundum, Lehm. I think,
therefore, we may regard MW. sibirica and F. floribundum as the known
food-plants of G. vermicudata, and throw over AZ. virginica as erroneous,.
unless Mr. Bruce has anything to say to the contrary. I have elsewhere - S
described the larva and pupa of this insect, and as I have since found
the egg, this will be a convenient time to offer a description:—G.
vermicudata : egg, diam. one mill; spherical, flattened at base; pale _
yellow, smooth, rather shiny. Laid in clusters on leaves of M/. sibirica,
Micawber Mine, Brush Creek, Custer Co., Colo., about 10,000 feet alte.
or over. August, 1889.. G. vermicudata occurs’ very abundantly in the
higher regions of the Arkansas Basin in Colorado, but I have not heard of”
it on the Pacific slope. It flies lazily by day, les: especially the Howers. |
of Senecta and Gymnolomia. es
West Cliff, Custer Co., Colo. Te Ay CockERELL: ;
Mailed November 5th.
— Ohe Garadran Entomologist.
VOL. XXI. LONDON, DECEMBER, 1889. No. 12.
PREPARATORY STAGES OF LEPTARCTIA CALIFORNIA
WaLkEeR, WITH NOTES ON THE GENUS.
BY G. H. FRENCH, CARBONDALE, ILL.
Continued from page 213.
The first to express this belief and put it in a tangible shape before
the public was Mr. A. G. Butler, who published a paper in the Ann. Mag,
Nat. Hist., based upon a collection of moths made by Lord Walsingham
in Oregon. He states he does not hesitate to say that he believes that
the different forms do not represent several distinct species, but different
forms or varieties of one extremely variable species. The four names
that had been used he retains as names of the four forms they were
originally intended to represent, and gives in addition four new names.
According to Mr. Butler’s idea they would stand as follows :
LEPTARCTIA CALIFORNIZ.
Var. 1, Stretchii, Butler.
‘* 2, Boisduvalii, Butler.
** 3, Dimidiata, Stretch.
“ 4, Latifasciata, Butler.
*« 5, Fulvofasciata, Butler.
** 6, Californiz, Walker (type).
** 7, Decia, Boisduval.
‘“ 8, Lena, Boisduval.
He does not describe these in full, but bases his description on the
work of Stretch, Ills., Zyg. and Bomb., using the figures on plate 5.
I have before me representations of all but one of Mr. Butler’s varieties
in my own collection, and those ioaned me by my friend, Mr. W. G.
Wright, of San Bernardino, California, and three forms that are not refer-
able to any of his. The second variety, Botsduvaliz, I have not seen: but
it is figured by Stretch. From the series I have, I deduce the following
brief descriptions, and from them have had made the wood engravings
illustrating the different varieties,
Wife THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
LEPTARCTIA CALIFORNIZ,
Var. 1, Stretchii, Butler (Fig. 12). In this the fore-wings are black,
with the zig-zag transverse line pinkish white, a
spot of same near the posterior angle and a basal
dash. Hind wings black, with a few crimson
scales in a transverse row beyond the middle.
Under side, fore-wings crimson ; a black terminal
border, broadest at apex ; whitish along the costa.
Hind wings black, a little red in the outer part of cell.
Two 2’s from Southern California.
Var. 2, Boisduvalit, Butler (Fig. 13). This
has the fore-wings black with the transverse band
pinkish white, arcuate but not zig-zag, a brief basal
dash. Hind wings black with the transverse
band, as described by Mr. Stretch, “ bright orange
red.” Described by him from Oregon.
Var. 3, Dimidiata, Stretch (Fig. 14). Fore-wings black, two whitish
spots on the costa and one near posterior angle.
In bright examples of this genus three more or
less distinct transverse bands may be recognized,
usually gray and black with more or less of white
blotches in them. The first costal spot here is in
band 2 and the other two are in band 3. Hind
wings black in my example. Mr. Butler says it
may have ‘‘a slightly curved series of small ochreous or crimson spots
just beyond the middle.” Under side, fore-wings black, a broad whitish
band from above the cell to posterior angle, and the costal white spot of
band 3 repeated. Hind wings slightly flecked with light near the anal
angle.
One f from Colorado.
Var. 4, Albifascia, French (Fig. 15). This has both wings black
with a broad white band across the fore-wings. :
It is the same as Soisduvalit, excepting the
crimson band on the hind wings. There is no
basal dash or other mark on the fore-wings.
Under side, fore-wings black to a little beyond
the first third, terminal portion black, attenuated
Pics x3:
Fic. 15.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 225
to a point at posterior angle ; the rest of wing ochreous white. Hind
-wings black. Body black, a white line from antennz back over patagia»
sides of anterior and middle femora and sides of anterior tibiz red, as in
the other varieties.
One { from California.
Var. 5, Occtdentalis, French (Fig. 16). Fore-wings black, a whitish
=, basal dash and three blurred whitish spots in
|. bands 2 and 3. Hind wings black, marked
with orange as shown in the figure. Under
side, fore-wings orange, a narrow terminal
Pe black border, black along the posterior margin,
mines et veins narrowly black. Hind wings black with
an orange terminal and subterminal band, both united by a broad ray
that passes through the cell to outer margin. Stripe on side of abdomen
orange. | :
One 2 from Northern California.
Var. 6, Latifasciata, Butler. (Fig. 17,, hind wings with the band
crimson). Fore-wings black, with three small
white spots on bands 2 and 3. Hind wings
black, with the median band crimson. My
specimen has this band a little more irregular
than the figure. Under side, fore-wings with
extreme base and terminal third black, the rest
crimson, whitish along the edge of the red. Hind wings with the red of
the upper surface repeated.
One 2 from Southern California.
Var. 7, Fulvofasciata, Butler. (Fig. 17, hind
wings with the band ye//ow). This is the counter-
part of Var. 6, except that the band of the hind
wings is pale yellow instead of crimson, My
examples show a tendency to a fine pale ray or
aie. two from the base of the hind wings towards the
yellow bands, while Mr. Wright’s specimen does not show this tendency.
Three {’s, two from Truckee, Cal., the other from California, but
part of State not indicated.
Var. 8, Californie, Walker (Typical). (Fig. 18, the light parts of
994 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Ll a!
hind wings ye//ow. Fig. 19 shows the under side), Fore
wings black, sprinkled with gray scales so as to give a
gray cast to the wing ; the three transverse-bands distinct ;
black, with numerous whitish spots ; a basal whitish dash.
Hind wings, with the light parts pale yellow. In some
the central black band is broken, and in others wanting,
only the two black rays and terminal border being present.
Under side as in the figure, the yellow pale, and streaked a little at base :
with red.
Ten {’s from Truckee, one ¢ from Southern California.
Var. 9, Wrightii, French. (Fig. 18, the light parts of hind wings-
crimson. Fig. 19 shows under side). This is
like Var. 8, except that the light parts of hind
wings are crimson instead of yellow, and the fore
wings are less gray tinted. ‘The fore-wings have,
instead of numerous white spots in the bands, one
at posterior angle and two on costa, with the
basal dash. The under surface is shown at fig. r9, and is crimson instead
of yellow.
One ~ from Southern California.
Fic. 109.
Fic. 20.
Var. 10, Decia, Boisduval. (Fig. 20, hind wings crimson ; under side
shown in fig. 21). Fore-wings black, the bands more or
less marked by whitish spots ; basal dash present. Hind
wings crimson, a terminal black border, more or less
broken. Under side crimson with terminal black border
as in fig. 21, or a few intergrades between this and Var. 9,
with a transverse band, as shown in fig. 19.
Fic. 21.
Nine ~#’s and one with three g intergrades with Wrightii, and
three ~ intergrades with Latifasciata, all from California.
Var. 11, Zena, Boisduval. (Fig. 20, the hind wings yel/ow; the
under side shown in fig. 21. Fig. 22 shows an
extremely light form). Fore-wings black, tinged
with gray ; the three transverse bands more or less
distinct, both by the clear black without gray, and
by the whitish spots. In three specimens from
Colorado the bands are almost continuous white,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. | 225
as shown in fig. 22. Hind wings yellow, with a terminal black border ;
sometimes much broken, as in fig. 22. Under side in fig. 21, the light
part yellow, more or less red stained at base.
One f from Southern California, three ~’s from Colorado, two 2’s
from Truckee, Cal., and five 2’s from other parts of California. Besides
this there are two 2 intergrades with Decza from Colorado, four 2 inter-
grades with Decia from Truckee, Cal., and two %’s and one intergrade
with Decia from Southern California.
One of the principal variations in these forms is found in the amount
of black on the hind wings, ranging from wholly black to a few black
spots as a terminal border. ‘The first breaking up of the solid black is
found in a single light point near anal angle, then a few pale scales across
the wing, next a band of light, in the succeeding stage the basal part
invaded by pale rays, and finally all the black obliterate except the ter-
minal border. In the specimens having only the terminal border of
black, there is a fine penciling of black along the veins, and in the inter-
grades between Wrightii and Decia a gradual fading out of both the
transverse band and rays may be found till there is nothing but the
obliterate penciling of the veins left. Varietys5, Occidentalis, seems to
be an irregular form that only partially falls within the line of the regular
variation. The fore-wings are black in the red forms, with but little if any
gray tint ; in the yellow forms, slightly gray tinted, with three more or less
distinct transverse bands, which in the gray wings lack the gray tint, and
. contain in nearly all of them a few white or whitish spots. When only a
few spots are present, these are costal in second and third band, and one
at posterior angle in third band. Varieties 1, 2 and 4 seem to come from
an unusal development of the second band.
The varieties are largely local. The prevailing color of Southern
California examples, as seen by the localities under the several varieties,
is crimson ; the Sierra Nevada and Colorado forms are mostly yellow,
and the Oregon and North California forms are orange. These are the
prevailing colors. In the Truckee specimens all my males were yellow
and females varying from almost a distinctive orange to yellow, with
traces of the red tinge along the veins (of hind wings, of course). In
Lord, Walsingham’s collection from Oregon the prevailing color was
orange, and we find that color extending into California. But in each of
226 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
these localities there is enough intergrading in color to show the afinity
of the different forms.
NoTE.—Varieties 4, 5 and g are in the cabinet of Mr. W. G. Wright,
of San Bernardino, Cal. I think 4 and 5 were obtained by him from Mr. ©
James Behrens, of San Francisco, and probably both were from Northern
California. Sas
THE NOCTUIDA OF NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE —
COMPARED.
(Fourth Paper.)
BY A. R. GROTE, A. M., BREMEN, GERMANY.
| ; Tribe Arzamini. , : f
The pale or yellow coloured species of Gortyna, the caterpillars being —
internal feeders, pupating, however, in the ground, prepare us for the
Nonagriini, Wehave, however, in North America, a peculiar tribe which —
I have called Arzamini, and which I here interpolate. The caterpillar
was first discovered by Prof. Comstock, in Florida Lakes, in the leaf-stalks
of the pond lily. This was the larva of A. vudnifica var. melanopyga, & :
and subsequently in the lake at Ithaca, the larva of the typical vadnifica
was observed by the same distinguished entomologist. The larva is —
furnished with nine pairs of spiracles, and passes freely on the water from
one leaf to another. Subsequently, the larva of Sphida obliquata was
described by Prof. Kellicott. ‘The moths of this tribe are related to the :
Nonagrians, but differ by the bluntly terminating abdomen of the female, “ a
recalling certain Zachneine in appearance. There are two genera:
Arzama, with three distinct species (of which I owed specimens of 4.
diffusa to my excellent friend Mr. Moffat) in which the front is smooth,
and Sphida, with the single species od/éguata, in which the front is —
tuberculate. ‘This appears not to be a variable or sexual character in the |
moths, as it may be in certain Scarabeide, but is in Lederer’s opinion,
with which I agree, of generic value. If we are not so to consider the
tibial armature, or the conformation of the clypeus in the Woctuide, there
remain few characters which we may use as generic. I am disposed to
consider, then, Copimamestra, which differs from M/amestra by the tibial
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 227
claw and Shida, which differs from Arzama by the clypeal tubercle, as
independent genera on the strength of these single characters. The tribe
Arzamini is not represented in Europe, and, beyond the Dicopinz, is so
far the first distinct structural departure in North America from the
European types. While Dzcopis and allies resemble the Bombycozdi or
certain Hadenini in appearance, the Arzaminz have a distinct and
singular form, and, while their affinities evidently lie with the Nonagrians,
their peculiar larval structure and habit clearly warrants our considering
them as constituting a distinct group or tribe of the WVoctuzde. The re-
semblance in the female abdomen of the Arzamznz to the Bombycid genus
Eriogaster, and the unusual larval condition, lends interest to this tribe.
May we not consider the Arzamini as an American survival of a very
ancient form of the Woctuide ?
Tribe Wonagrtint.
This tribe differs from the Hadeninz in the absence of body tuftings, and
in the finer, smoother vestiture ; only in a few genera is there a median
thoracic ridge. In these characters Gortyna agrees with the Hadenini ;
the habit of the larva probably associates Zuthisanotia, a tropical genus
with foot-hold in Florida, with Gortyna. ‘The present tribe is one of the
most interesting of the family. The moths are pale or straw-coloured,
some with a warmer, a little red or ochre tint, and the larve feed in reeds
or grass. JVonagria has a stout, clypeal projection, and naked eyes; the
larva lives in the stems of Zypha and Phragmites, pupating in its burrow.
We have eight North American species described ; probably many more
remain to be discovered, as the moths must be bred, and are not often
captured. In Europe, seven are known. So far as known to me, our
species are not like the European, or representative. We have an immense
species, with the proportions of a small Sphinx, from Florida, my J.
permagna. Our most usual species, perhaps, in the east, of moderate
size, is my subflava. No species are known to me from California, but
we must expect that they await discovery. These /Voctuzde, with boring
larvee, inhabiting swamps, must be an old form of the family, once, at least,
of very general distribution. The European genus Coenodia, with one
species, I have not found in North America, but I discovered a Western
American genus ofa, with two small species, which, from its clypeal
228 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
structure and other characters, seems to belong here. I have described
one American species of Senta, figured in the Buffalo Bulletin (1874); the
figures on this plate are in some copies coloured. Of the European genus ©
Tapinostola, two North American species are described, one only have I
seen. The European genera Mediana and Ca/amia, with single species,
are apparently wanting in North America ; but we have a peculiar genus
in Ommatostola, with lashed eyes. Heliophila Hib. (= Leucania Ochs.)
is, perhaps, the leading genus of the group ; and, like Apatela, Agrotis,
Hadena and Mamestra, contains identical and representative species,
The eyes are hairy, the thorax smooth, the male antennz impectinate,
the body rather stout, the legs in some species thickly haired. Probably
a resemblance of ornamentation between Pseudolimacodes niveicostatus
and the European He/iophila conigera, led Guente, although the eyes in
the former are naked (but Guente does not study this character), to
describe our species, which I am disposed to refer even to a different
sub-family, as belonging to Zeucania. We have probably one identical
species of Heliophila with Europe: 4. pallens. Our H., pseudargyria seems
to be allied to /ithargyria, while we have a number of species resembling
the European obsoleta, straminea. comma, littoralis, etc. No species
have yet been found in North America at all resembling the European
evidens, conigera, vitellina, turca. The well-known ‘ Army Worm” —
Heliophila unipuncta, has been taken in England, and in the Madeira
Islands, probably introduced from North America. Although single
species may have now a wider range, I think we must conclude that the
genus Heliophila, in North America, belongs to the European element,
and is descended from a former common circumpolar fauna. These —
insects must be collected’ at light in the neighborhood of swamps and
waters by which reeds and flags grow. In the stems of these we may
find, in June and July, the grown caterpillars or pup of Vonagria. The
European genera Mycteroplus, Argyrospila, Mythimna, with single or —
few species, are undescribed in our fauna. It seems probable that our
Nonagrians are quite incompletely known, and that in North America,
from which twenty-seven species of He/iophi/a are described, while Europe -
numbers thirty-two, many interesting discoveries await the entomologist in
the present group. I have referred here the Californian genus Zosteropoda,
from the shape of the wings and the tufted legs ; and, as in other tribes,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 229
North America is already credited with peculiar genera, with few species,
clustering about the two principal genera, which are here: Monagria and
fleliophila.
, Tribe Scolecampini.
_. The body is slender, smoothly haired ; the legs unarmed, thinly scaled,
. rather long ;.the wings vary from rather broad to quite narrow ; the colors
are mainly of the preceding group, and the caterpillar of Scolecocampa is
said to burrow in wood. This tribe, with the Arzamini, is exclusively
American, and may be considered, equally with that, to be an outgrowth
of the Nonagrians. I refer here (see Can. ENT. XV., 131) the genera
Scolecocampa, Eucalyptera, Amolita, Cilla, Doryodes, Phiprosopus.
Geyer’s figure of .S. /iburna has the primaries shaded with red, a feature
I have noticed in fresh Southern examples of the moth. Mr. Morrison
seems to have had no notion of the affinities of his Zucalyptera bipuncta ;
_Lreferred the moth to Scolecocampa, the differences seeming only com-
parative, or of specific value. Since then I found a second Western form,
and, although the differences are not very decided, I adopt the genus. In_
this tribe the ornamentation seems a modification of the usual Heliophilid
type. The longitudinal medium stripe, the pale oblique shade to the still
pointed primaries, the dots and dotted stigmata, varying in expression in
the different genera, are Heliophilid features ; while the oblique and longer
palpi, often smoky on the sides, the slender feet and linean body dis-
tinguish the tribe. Doryedes is described as a Geometrid by Guente,
and Phiprosopus (printed Phyprosopus, originally in error) is described,
under characteristics which do not belong to the genus and were accidental
in the type, equally as a Geometrid by Zeller, who subsequently acknow-
ledged my prior and more correct reference of P. callitrichoides to the
Noctuide. The chiloform appearance of most of the genera becomes
almost lost in PAiprosopus, notwithstanding the narrow wings, while the
Jabial palpi depart from the usual form; these latter, and the peculiar
color, remind one of certain exotic genera allied to Ca/ge, where I was
at first disposed to locate the genus. When the immature stages are
known, our present views may be modified. Always must our classifica-
tions be judged by their reasonableness in reference to the existing
knowledge of the whole history of the insects.
230 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Tribe Caradrini.
In this tribe, in which the body is still smoothly scaled, or with very
slight tufts, the eyes naked, the tibiz unarmed, the two principal European
genera are represented in North America. In Caradrina, twenty-eight
European species are described, while but eleven have so far been dis-
covered in North America. Of these, 1/iranda seems to be exceedingly
near the rare and local European /epigone, while others have the European ~
facies. The species of Pyrophila (=Amphipyra) are interesting as
affording one identical species, ¢ragopogonis, and one representative,
pyramidoides. Whether the former is a survival or an importation is —
uncertain, I have been inclined to believe the latter is the case. The
species of Pyrophila are large and so exceedingly like the flat species
of Agrotis, that (when in the south away from my microscope) I mistook —
tragopogonis, communicated to me by Prof. Saunders as injurious to grape,
for an Agrotis. The unarmed legs separate the present genus; but the
habit is similar, as I have observed pyramidoides beneath the bark of -
decaying trees in the woods. Upon the loose bark being removed the
moths endeavored to escape by running. Like cockroaches, the smooth
greasy-looking vestiture, and the flat shape, evidently facilitate their
movements in such places.of concealment ; I have observed species | of
Agrotis saucia, etc., in their company. The question of whether we
should not bring in the Agrotini, between the Caradriné and the
Orthosini, is yet, perhaps, an open one. No reasons are given by Lederer
for not following the arrangement of older authors ; but it is better to
conform in such cases to Lederer’s example, as it is followed in Europe,
and since my main object has been always to bring the two faune under
the same artificial system, so that they can be compared, the differences
and resemblances taken note of. In the present tribe the derivation of
one part of our fauna is very clear. The European pyramided, and our
pyramidoides, are descended from one stock. We have apparently failed
to take over the other large and showy species of Pyrophila found in
Europe, as I have seen nothing like them in any North American collec-
tion. In the west is found my Fotel/a notalis, a moth apparently allied
to Acosmetia ; this latter, with the other European Caradrinid genera,
[ have not recognized in North America. I am uncertain as to whether
Adipsophanes and Crambodes should not be included in this tribe ; the
former genus includes my mésce//us and terminelus, the latter Genes
talidiformis.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 231
THE NORTH AMERICAN CALLIMORPHAS.
A REPLY TO CRITICS.
BY H. H. LYMAN, MONTREAL,
Since my article on the North American Cad/imorphas appeared in
the Canapian Entomotocist for October, 1887, a number of papers
upon the same subject, and containing certain criticisms of my views,
appeared in subsequent numbers of this magazine, and in Entomologica
Americana ; and, in addition, I received certain letters upon the same
subject from entomologists to whom I had sent copies of my article.
To these critics I now propose to make a perhaps rather tardy reply :—
Mr. J. B. Smith had spoken before the Entomological Club of the A.
A. A. S. upon this subject, and the discussion had been reported in En-
tomologica Americana, but, as Mr. Smith surmised, I had not seen the
report till after my paper was in the hands of the printer ; and, although
Mr. Smith’s paper in the Proceedings of the National Museum appeared
before mine, I did not hear of its issue till after the publication of my own.
In the CanapIAN EntTomoLocist for December, 1887, appeared Mr.
Smith’s review of my paper, in which he admitted the correctness of my
determination of the true Leconte: of Boisduval, and of many of my con-
tentions, though expressing his dissent from others, especially in the matter
ofnomenclature. There was, however, one typographical error of some im-
portance in that paper, on page 236, line 27, where the figures 6 and 8
should have been 4 and 6. In that paper, Mr. Smith arranged the species
of this genus in a slightly different order from that adopted by me, by chang-
ing the order of the two forms Confusa and Suffusa.
This is a small matter, and one about which I am not disposed to
' quarrel, especially as it seems to me that no linear arrangement of species
can ever be quite satisfactory, as to correctly express the full relationship
of species, we should require to group them in all three dimensions of
space. But the chief issues between us were whether Vesta/is should be
regarded as a distinct species, or only a synonym of Fu/vicosta, and as to
the correct application of the names Conscita, Lactata, Confusa, Suffusa
and Reversa.
In regard to the first point, Mr. Smith conjectured that I had never
seen a true Vesta/is, and he very kindly sent me a specimen as typical of
that form. This specimen is certainly very remarkable, as it is much
232 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
smaller than any specimen of Fx/vicosta that I ever saw, measuring only
3814 mm. in expanse, and is, as Mr. Smith says, “‘ whiter and more frail
and Zuchetes like,” though it has none of the semi-diaphanous appear-
ance of Z. Collaris. It is, of course, impossible to form a safe judgment
upon a single specimen, and I can only say, that if a full series should
show constant differences from //vicosta, and no connecting links bey
found, I should be inclined to concede the distinctness of this form. _
This is one of those cases where it is much easier to see a difference .
than to describe it. Dr. Packard, however, who described Vestadis, wrote
to me that he now considered his types to be only small sperma :
fFulvicosta. ae
Mr. Smith advanced the opinion that this was the fonts given by: ine
Walker as Conscita @ instead of Fudvicosta as generally supposed; but _
as I regarded this as extremely improbable, I took a life-size photograph.
of my specimen and sent it to Mr. A. G. Butler, who wrote: “The small
form is unknown to me, though I have seen an example of Euchates aos
collaris, under the name of vestadis.” Mr. Smith also disagreed with me ; ay
in regard to my citing his name Lactata as a synonym of Conscita Walk., os
and argued that Conscita § =Lactata Smith, Conscita g. Yar, De
Fulvicosta Clem. and Conscita = Vestalis, and argued that such
confusion should militate against Walker’s name being retained. ea
Mr. Walker’s errors were no doubt great, especially his placing Con- y
scita in a wrong genus; but from what Mr. Butler wrote in reference to —
the small Vesta/is, I do not believe that Walker had that form before him
at all. His only mistake, after the generic one, was in taking Fulvicosta,
which had already been described by Clemens, to be the 2 of Conscita, and
this, apart from the creation of a partial synonym, was not so very dreadful, —
seeing that such a relationship would only imply a sexual variation similar | to. Se :
that between the # and 2 of Leucarctia Acrea. I, therefore, maintain my :
position as to the validity of Walker’s name for this form, whether it bea
species or only a variety, and in this I am supported by Mr, Butler, who
wrote to me as follows: ‘‘ There can be no question that if conscita is a.
good species (which I do not believe it to be), the first and larger part of
Walker’s description applies to it, and the meré fact of his referring the |
wrong female to it will not invalidate that description any more than if ‘6
Walker had described the male only, Smith’s name has notalegto
‘ stand on.” Mr. Smith further urged that I was not consistent, and. that,
if his name Zactata fell before Conscita Walk., my name Confusa would ‘
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 233
—
have to give way to Reversa Stretch, and added, “I scarcely expect Mr.
Lyman’s adhesion to this theory.” Probably not, but certainly not from
the idea which he would seem to imply, as I trust 1 am not so petty as to
allow any desire to have my own name stand, to warp my judgment as to
what would be right in the premises.
_. Mr. Smith claimed that Mr. Stretch’s name eversa included Confusa
as well as Suffusa and Contigua. [doubt this very much, but let it be
assumed that it did, what follows? This is Mr. Smith’s reasoning ;
Contigua had priority for one part of Stretch’s description, ‘‘I separated
suffusa, and the name stands for the remaining part, viz, confusa
Lyman, which would remain only as a synonym of reversa.” This I
consider, and I trust Mr. Smith will forgive me for saying it, absolute non.
sense, though unlike Mr. Smith’s friend at the New York meeting, without
auy profane adjective.
What Mr. Smith did subsequently to Mr. Stretch’s description could
hardly affect the application of that name unless he had pointed out that
the name Reversa covered several distinct species, and proposed that it
should be limited to one of them, and then aoe to give a new name
to any other undescribed form.
Mr. Smith did not do this, and naturally so, as he thought, the name
Reversa included Contigua, Lecontei, and the form which he undertook to
describe as Suffusa. He thus proceeded to give a new name to what he
considered the only previously undescribed species included by Mr.
Stretch in his description. Certainly the greater part of the description of
Reversa applies to Suffusa; Mr. Stretch, especially, saying that the mark-
ings ‘‘ are exactly as in C/ymene,” and Mr. Smith, himself, acknowledged
this to me. I, therefore, think that if the name Aeversa is to stand, it
must be for Suffusa, and not for the form which may possibly have been
referred to in the following bracketed eight words of a sixteen line de-
scription: “The basal patch is triangular, (sometimes divided by a nar-
row, basal brown brand).”
I think, however, that as the first half of the description was evidently
intended to cover Contigua, which Mr. Stretch appears to have considered
the stem form, the name should be ignored, except as a synonym, and Mr.
Butler wrote that he agreed with me on this point. Mr. Grote, on the
contrary, wrote that Aeversa should stand with Suffusa as a synonym.
Mr. Butler found fault with both Mr. Smith and me for using the
234 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
5S ae
name Cad/imorpha for these moths, writing as follows:—‘“ I have strongly —
objected to the use of this generic name for this group on the following __
grounds, viz.:—1. The type of Callimorpha i is C. jacobea, a European
Lithosiid. 2. There is already a generic name—ap/oa Hiibn.—for the ee
North American representatives of Hypercompa. Ihave pointed out to AG
Smith that there are structural differences between AWypercompa and =
Hapioa, and although these characters are slight in themselves, lamof _
the opinion that, taken in conjunction with the utterly different aspect and — ee
style of coloration of the species, they should be regarded as sufficient.”
Mr. Smith, it will be remembered, in his paper in the Proc. Nat,
Museum, 87, 23, held that these ‘structural differences” were too slight ‘
to warrant such a separation, and affirmed, besides, that they were not |
constant, and for myself I may say, as I wrote to Mr. Butler, that Iam
not in a position to decide the question satisfactorily, even to myself, age |
so prefer to leave it to the authorities, :
‘Mr. Grote, in two short communications to the CANADIAN ENTOMOLO- —
cist, while complimenting me on my plate and on my sorting out of the 3 :
moths, insisted that my work was not original, and that.these forms could a 7
not be regarded as distinct until they have been proved so by breeding ” ey
from the egg. Bae
I am not greatly concerned as to whether my humble work in this =
department is “ original” or not. I contend that it is at least useful, but —
if the description of a form as a new species is not original, what is to |
be said of Mr. Grote’s own work in the same direction? As to the argu-
ment about breeding from the egg, which has also been urged in letters by
others, I repudiate it as unscientific and impracticable. If no one was
to be permitted to describe a species as new until he had proved it to be
such by breeding from the egg, there would long ago have been a complete —
block in the study of North American entomology, and there would not x
have been so many specific designations followed by the honoured name
of Mr. Grote. Besides, it is not such a long time since a very dis-
tinguished entomologist described as a new species a form which he had
‘‘ established ona sure foundation by breeding from the egg,” and which —
shortly afterwards turned out, upon further breeding, to be only a pre- —
viously named form of a well known polymorphic species. It is, there-
fore, difficult to say how much breeding would have to be done before —
these doubting Thomases could be convinced. JI may say, however, that
ee ee Sg ~
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 23D
‘held back my paper for several years in the hope of being able to breed
the two forms, Zecontei and Confusa, side by side, but the appearance of
such a muddle as the description of Reversa Stretch decided me to publish
the results of my studies, so far as they had gone, with as little delay as
possible.
Dr. Packard wrote that he could not believe in the distinctness of these
species, and that Mr. Otto Seifert had bred a good many forms and con-
sidered them varieties of Zecontez. I immediately wrote to Mr. Seifert to
ask for particulars of this most important information, -and received an
answer in which he said :—‘“ Dr. Packard must have misunderstood me
in saying I reared those Ca//imorphas. Showing the doctor quite a
number of this insect in great variety I told him they had been caught
(by Mr. Putnam Cramer) near Troy, N. Y., in July, all at the same spot.”
Finally, Dr. Lintner wrote very guardedly that C. contigua at least seemed
distinct.
It would thus seem that these unfortunate moths, having got the repu-
tation of all belonging to one species, it is impossible to get people to
accept the idea that they may really be distinct species, although they are
quite ready to accept as such any apparently new form of such difficult
genera as Colias, Argynnis or Catocala, even when the difference is so
slight as to be hardly perceptible.
I consider the Ca//imorphas far more distinct and more easily separated
than the species of very many genera of butterflies and moths which could
be named in addition to those referred to above. I have seen in all at
least two hundred specimens, and until very recently and since the publi-
cation of my paper, I hac never seen one that I could not unhesitatingly
place at sight. The exception was in the case of a few specimens in the
collection of Dr. Bethune, which seemed to indicate a possible linking of
the two forms, Confusa and Suffusa, and I am prepared to admit that—
possibly these two forms may turn out to be northern and southern
varieties of one species, though Mr. Smith disagrees with me strongly on
this point.
I hold, however, very strongly with Mr. W. H. Edwards that whenever
a form is distinctly and easily separable from previously named species, it
is entitled to be treated as a good species, and to be given a specific
name until it is proved to be only a variety by breeding, and that in such
a case the name should be retained as a varietal name ; but with regard
to this breeding from the egg, I would point out that the making of these
236 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
experiments is just as incumbent upon those who deny as be ai ey Lies 2
assert the validity of these specific distinctions.
For myself, I care very little whether entomologists acknoy aa that
these moths belong to distinct species or not, if they will only regard them — ;
as distinct forms or varieties. No good can possibly come from lumping
such forms as Lecontet, Contigua, Confusa, Suffusa and Fulvicosta under
one name. Let these names be used if only as varietal names, in order
that we may know what writers on the subject refer to, and learn some-
thing of the distribution of these interesting forms. If this is done, and
those who have the opportunity and time will breed them and publish the
results of their experiments, I shall be quite content, and shall have no
fear of the correctness of my views being disproved, but even if the results oo
should controvert my belief, I shall be quite satisfied so long as the truth ree
is established.
NOTE ON THE PREDATORY HABITS OF CHATOPSIS | z
ZENEA (WiIep). ion
REV. THOMAS W. FYLES, SOUTH QUEBEC.
In the beginning of July last I discovered in a bed of Zypha latifolia,
in the neighborhood of Montreal, a large number of the larvee of Arzama
obliguata. I have visited the spot repeatedly, and have had the larvae
under daily observation. One remarkable circumstance concerning them
is that they are liable to attacks from the maggots of a fly belonging to the
Ortalidz, viz.:—The Chetopsis enea of Wiedeman, the Ortadzs trifasctata
of Say. I found that larva, in the proportion of about one in every six,
had been overcome by these maggots. Some of the victims were quite
dead ; some were still writhing. As many as twenty maggots were feed-
ing on one caterpillar, draining away its juices. They were of the usual
form, pointed at one end and truncated at the other. When mature,
their length was about seven-sixteenths of an inch. I raised a great |
number of them, feeding them upon injured oddiguata larve. The
pupal stage lasted about ten days; and all through August the flies
continued to make their appearance. They are very beautiful. The
head is white ; the eyes are dark brown ; the body is green and glossy ;
and the legs, antenne and mouth-organs are brownish yellow, The
wings are whitish and hyaline; they have black tips and two transverse
black bars, the hinder of which touches the black tips at the costal edge,
I am indebted to Dr. Hagen for the identification of the species, = =
SS
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 237
PREPARATORY STAGES OF PYRAMEIS CARYE, Hupner.
BY HARRISON G. DYAR. |
The eggs are deposited by the butterflies, singly, on the upper surface
of the leaves of the food-plant, the Malva. They are nearly cylindrical,
but thicker in the middle, the base and top quite flat, and rather abruptly
rounded. ‘The longitudinal ribs project beyond the summit ; color green,
of a slightly bluer tint that the leaves. Length 7 mm,
First Larvat Stacr.—Head, cervical spot, anal plates, and alter-
nating row of eight black dots per segment and short hairs, all black.
Body dark yellowish. Head without processes, smooth and shiny. The
caterpillar spins a web on the surface of the leaf, beneath which it lives
and eats the upper portions of the leaf. Length about 2 mm.
SECOND LARVAL STaGe.—Head black and hairy. Body pale purplish
black ; short spines bearing black hairs, arranged as in the mature larva,
black, but the dorsal and sub-dorsal on joints six, eight and ten, yellow.
Length 4 mm. |
THIRD LARVAL StaGE.—As in the preceding stage, but the sides
faintly mottled with yellow, and a geminate yellow dorsal stripe. Length
§ mm.
FourtH LarvAL StTace.—Head slightly cordate, bronzy black, with
minute, yellow speckles and black hairs. Body purplish black, with
small yellow spots, a geminate dorsal yellow line, irregular and inter-
rupted, and a series of irregular supra-stigmatal and sub-stigmated spots.
Spines black. Length about 15 mm.
FirtH LARVAL STaGE.—Mature larva. Quite variable in appearance,
but the markings are essentially the same. Head black, covered with
many white hairs, and on the vertex about six orange elevated spots
bearing black hairs. Body dull greenish and black mottled, varying in
intensity of shade from black, through gray, to a dull dirty white, but
usually light colored, thus distinguished from its ally, Pyramets cardut,
On the body are many orange or yellow spots, appearing to be irregularly
placed, but they may be arranged as follows :—A row in sub-dorsal space,
three contiguous lateral rows (in one example in which the spots were
yellow, the central lateral row was orange), and a supra-stigmatal and
sub-stigmatal row, all irregular. Spines black or white, or, in some, the
anterior ones black, branched, and each tipped by a black hair. The
spines are seven per segment on joints five to twelve (7. ¢., dorsal, sub-
dorsal, lateral and sub-stigmatal), none on joint two, four on joints three
238 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
and four, and two on joint thirteen. The body is covered by many small
elevated spots producing short white hairs. Venter greenish, mottled
with black or brown, Length about 30 mm. :
CHRYSALIS suspended by the cremaster, depressed behind the thorax,
the thoracic process short and pointed, tapering anteriorly in a ridge, wing
cases prominent, abdominal segments small and quickly rounded, cre-
master flattened and hooked to the button of white silk, a pointed eleva-
tion at each eye, and at the base of the wing cases.. Three rows of dorsal
pointed elevations on the abdominal segments with two points on the
thorax, touched with white, and two large and two small white spots in
the depression behind the thorax. Color of chrysalis wood brown,
minutely mottled with whitish or darker to black. The caterpillar forms
itself a hollow in which it lives, by spinning up one or more leaves of the
food-plant. The length of each stage is about four days, and the pupa
state lasts about two weeks. In its early stages the insect cannot be
distinguished from Pyrameis cardut.
Larve from Los Angeles Co., California.
BUTTERFLIES AT QU’APPELLE, ASSA.
BY HENRY SKINNER, M. D., PHILADELPHIA.
The following is a list of butterflies caught near Fort Qu’Appelle, North-
west Terr., by Mrs. Cora E. Rose and her two little sons. Mrs. Rose ~
describes the locality as follows :—‘‘ Those sent were all caught within a
radius of about half a mile, in the territory of Assiniboia, thirty miles
north of an old Hudson Bay Post called Fort Qu’Appelle, and distant
west from Winnipeg some three hundred and twenty-five miles ; the ont
foliage is willow and poplar.”
Papilo rutulus, Bdl.
Pieris protodice, Bal. ie
Colias christina, Edws. A number of males and one female, the
orange form. ee
Colias philodice, Godt.
Colias Scudderii, Reak.
Colias eurytheme, Bdl. A number of fine males and one female.
Lycena Scudderii, Edws. Male and female.
Chrysophanus helloides, Bdl. Male and female.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 239
Chrysophanus florus, Edws. Male and female.
Danais plexippus, Linn, One very peculiar looking male expanding
only three and one-half inches and having the primaries produced apically
in a remarkable manner.
Euptoieta clandia, Cram. This has previously been reported from
N. W. Terr. by Geddes ; all the books give it a much more southern
range, Strecker giving it from Pennsylvania southward and Edwards’s
northernmost points being Quebec and California.
Argynnis lais, Edws.
Argynnts bellona, Fabr.
Melitea carlota, Reak.
Grapta progne, Cram.
Vanessa milberti, Godt.
Vanessa antiopa, Linn. The expanse is considerably less than in
those found here (Phila.)
Pyrameis cardut, Linn.
Pyramets huntera, Fabr.
Limenitis arthemis, Drury.
Erebia discoidalis, Kirby.
Erebia sine-ocellata, Nov. var.
This is a var. of efipsodea, Butler, which, I think, deserves character-
ization. It has the bright fulvous patch on the superior wings divided
into four sections by the sub-costal and discoidal nervules. Above the
third median nervure is a small. fulvous patch separated from the rest.
There are but two black dots on the fulvous, and the white dots, which
in epipsodea make them ocelli, are wanting. The underside of the
superior wings is practically the same as the upper. Described from two
specimens, one from Fort Qu’Appelle and the other in the Coll. Am. Ent.
Soc., locality unknown. The Fort Qu’Appelle specimen is very much
darker than efzpsodea usually is. pipsodea is quite a variable species,
individuals differing in the size, colour and number of the ocelli, also in
the extent and number of the fulvous patches. One marked specimen
having four white pupilled ocelli.
Chionobas varuna, Edws.
_Satyrus, var. boopis, Behr.
Satyrus, form olympus, Edws. Three specimens. They do not
agree entirely with o/ympus, but I did not think they deserved a new
name,
/
240 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. y
Cenonympha typhon, Rott. If this is not a variety of the European
form it is most likely a new species. Two examples only.
Pamphila Manitoba, Scud.
Pamphila cernes, Bdl.-Lec.
Thymelicus garita, Reak.
Nisoniades icelus, Lint.
CORRESPONDENCE.
A RARE MOTH.
Dear Sir: Allow me to record the capture, in Canada, of the rare
moth Zhysania (Erebus) Zenobia, Cramer. .
On the evening of Aug. 2oth, 1888, while sugaring for Catocala in the
woods near this village, I came upon the strange visitor. He was sitting,
with wings spread, sipping my bait, and was evidently more at ease than
I. The sensation which a hunter is said to experience on sighting his
first deer came upon me, for I was unprepared for such an encounter.
However, the monster was taken.
By a careful comparison of my specimen with the descriptions and —
with Drury’s figure of T. Zenobia, and by submitting it to three different
Entomologists of eminence, all of whom concur in my opinion, I have
placed its identity beyond a doubt.
The only reference, as far as I can find, heretofore published of its
occurrence in North America is in the following foot-note in Prof. Grote’s
Check List of Noctuidz North of Mexico, P. II., page 43 (1876), Viz.:—
‘Professor Riley informs me that this species occurred at Davenport.”
In Vol. XVIIL, page 236, of this Journal, Prof. Grote mentions —
Thysania Zenobia as one of the “species which are probably summer _
birds of passage from the West Indies and South America, following the |
Gulf Stream, or aided by prevailing winds.”
Drury gives Jamaica as its habitat. ji
It is hard to believe that so frail a creature as an insect, though strong
in flight, could have flown two thousand miles, but the ragged condition
of the margins of the primaries in my insect, while all the other parts are
apparently quite fresh, is evidence of its having fanned many miles of
atmosphere, A. H. Kitman, Ridgeway, Ont.
Mailed December 7th,
INDEX TO VOLUME XXI.
Aaron, E. M., articles by, 126, 145.
Aleutian Islands, new species of Tineidz
from, 27.
American Lackey Moth, 74.
Annual Meeting Entomological Club A.
Ai Pci; Ee
Annual Meeting Entomological Society of
Ontario, 181.
_ Ants herding caterpillars, 132.
Apple tree tent caterpillar, 74.
Arctiadze of temperate North America, pre-
liminary catalogue of, 169, 193, 213.
Arge Galathea, preparatory stages of, 61,
81.
Ashmead, W. H., article by, 37.
“Association of Official Economic - Ento-
mologists, 166, 219.
Audubon, monument to, 8o.
Agaspherops nigra, 33.
Agrotis saucia, 118.
1 scandens, 118.
» subgothica, 118.
Aletia argillacea, 22.
Amalopota, n, gen., 176.
" Uhleri, n. sp., 178.
Ameria Texana, 161.
_ Amphipyra pyramidoides, 230.
Be 8 tragopogonis, 230.
Amphotis Ulkei, 106.
m Ancyloxypha numitor, 160.
Anthocharis genutia, 129.
Apatela felina, 36.
n lepusculina, 36.
Aphodius marginatus, 32.
Arctia achaia, 35.
" Behrii, 35-
n geneura, 162.
1 -phylira, 60.
1 pinorum, 163.
1 Shastaensis, n. sp., 162.
Argynnis Cybele, 130.
" Idalia, 1209.
" Myrina, 130.
Arzama obliquata, 39, 78, 79, 99, 160,
226, 236.
" vulnifica, 226.
Ataenius Wenzeli, 103.
Bethune, C. J. S., articles by, 100, 181.
Beutenmuller, W., articles by, 27, 160.
Bombycidee, notes on, 28.
Book notice, 100.
Brehme, H. H., article by, 78.
Butterflies at Qu’Appelle, 238.
" captured at Montreal, 120,
" catching, by means of decoys,
TIO.
" classification of, 205.
" flock of, 38.
" length of life in, 49.
" of Philadelphia, 126, 145.
" of Prairies and Rocky Moun-
tains, 57.
Butterfly, an early, 120.
Bembidium 4-maculatum, 107.
Biotus formicarius, 105.
Blaps similis, 101.
Bledius basalis, 30.
1 politus, 30.
Bruchomorpha oculata, 7.
California moths, notes on, 35.
I" some moths from, 161,
Callimorphas, the North American, 231.
Carterocephalus mandan, preparatory
stages of, 113.
Cerathosia, Mr. Smith on, 37.
Cheetopsis aenea, predatory habits of, 236.
Chionobas jutta, further notes on, 12, 67.
Cicindela, notes on, 29, 104.
Citation of localities, 46.
Clarkson F., article ‘by, 28.
Clivina, notes on, 30.
Clothes beetle, a new, 187.
Cockerell, T. D. A., articles by, 20, 46,
60, 140, 220.
Coleoptera, additions to list of Canadian,
108, 134.
Coleoptera, new to Colorado, 20.
" notes on, 29, IOI.
Colias Meadii, preparatory stages of, 41.
Cook, A. J., article by, 187.
Corrections and additions to previous
papers, Hamilton, 101.
Currant saw-fly, the imported, 150.
Cut-worms, I17.
Calosoma calidum, 119.
Catocala relicta, 122,
249 INDEX TO VOLUME XXI. 2
,
Ceratocampa regalis, IO.
Cerostoma Aleutianella, n. sp., 27.
" dubtosella, Nn. sp., 27.
Chionobas, 12, 63, 67.
" Macounii, 160.
" semidea, 67.
Chleenius Pennsylvanicus, 30.
Cicindela lepida, 104.
Clisiocampa Americana, 74.
Cloeotus aphodioides, 104.
Colias Boothii, 60.
n ceesonia, 43.
" " n. var. rosa, 45.
" chione, 59.
1 eurytheme, 60, 238.
Conosoma pubescens, 107.
Conotrachelus naso, 34.
Cremastochilus Knochii, 106, 140.
Cychrus Lecontei, 30.
Cyphon padi, 108.
Datana major, larva of, 34.
Dawson, P. M., article by, 179.
Denton, S. W., articles by, 38, I10, 164.
Derbidz, observations on some northern,
156, 176.
Droves of Lyczenid caterpillars herded by
ants, 132.
Dyar, H. G., articles by, 34, 77, 137, 209,
237.
Dyschirius, notes on, 29.
Danais archippus, 19.
1 plexippus, 239.
Dermestes Frischii, 101.
" murinus, IOT.
Dicerca prolongata, 105.
Edwards, W. H., articles by, 41, 61, 81.
Elliott, R., article by, 120.
Entomological Club A. A, A. S., meeting
of, 131.
Entomological Society of Ontario, meeting
of, 181.
Euplexia lucipara, preparatory stages of,
137.
Emphylus Americanus, 106,
Epitragus arundinis, 103.
E rebia epipsodea, 64, 230.
" " Nn. Var.,
239.
n magdalena, 67.
Erebus Zenobia, 240.
Euparia castanea, 106,
Euphoria hirtipes, 106.
Euptoieta Claudia, 239,
sine-ocellata,
Farmers’ own insecticide, 220.
Fletcher, J., articles by, 15, 74, I 13, 117,
150, 201.
French, G. H., articles eh 25, 355 ‘161,
210, 221.
Fyles, T, W., articles by, 12, 17, dete 236
Geddes, G., articles by, 57, 59.
Gortyna, notes on genus, 139.
Gosse, P. H., death of, 17.
Grote, A. R., articles by, ai, 33, Si, 121, bi
139, 154, 188, 205, 226.
Glea inulta, 153.
Gnophaela vermiculata, 174, 220.
Grapta j-album, 148, 164, 179.
Hagen, H. A., articles by, 53, ye,
Hamilton, J., articles by, 29, 101.
Harrington, W. H., articles by, 95, 141
Hemiptera from Muskoka Lake District
Howard, L. O., articles by, 13, 59.
Hadena arctica, 118.
Harpalus dichrous, 31.
" vulpeculus, 31.
Harpiphorus varipictus, n. sp., 96.
Hesperia unna, 149.
Hymenorus obscurus, 107.
" rufipes 107.
Hypocoprus formicetorum, 106, —
Insecticide, Farmer’s own, 220.
Insects injurious to fruits, Saunders, 100.
Ibalia maculipennis, 141. ee
Icerya Purchasi, 182. . |
Ips fasciatus, 103.
Johnson, J., article by, 79.
Junonia ceenia, 145. ‘
Kellicott, D. S., article by, 39.
Kent Scientific Institute, 80. Ser
Kilman, A. H., articles by, 108, 134, 240.
Larve, descriptions of, 34, 41, 61,77, 113
137, 160, 164, 179, 209, 210, 237.
Depidoptess, additions to list of Panny
153:
Lepidopterous Faune of Europe and
North America, 21. :
Leptarctia Californie, preparatory. stages
of, 210, 221.
Leptura, notes on, 32, 108.
Lyman, H. H., article by; 231,
INDEX TO VOLUME XXI. 243
a ee ee ee ee
Lasioderma serricorne, 187.
Lebia vivida, 30.
Leptarctia Californize, 210, 221.
" » n.var. Albtfascta, 222.
" " var. Boisduvallii, 222.
" " var. Decia, 224.
" " var, Dimidiata, 222.
" " var. Fulvofasciata,223
" " var. Latifasciata, 223.
" " var. Lena, 224.
" n n.var. Occtdentalts, 223.
" " var. Stretchii, 222.
" n D.var. Wrightt2, 224.
Leptura exigua, 33.
" heematites, 32, 108.
" nana, 108.
nu -subargentata, 33.
" zebra, 33.
Ligyrus relictus, 32.
Limacodes inornata, 77.
Limulodes paradoxus, 105.
Lixus concavus, 103.
McNeill, J., article by, 43.
Moffat, J. A., articles by, 19, 60, 99, 153.
Moth, a rare, 240.
Moths from Texas, Arizona and Cali-
fornia, 161.
Muskoka Lake District, Hemiptera from, 1
Myrmophile, a new, 140.
Myrmophilous Coleoptera, 105, 140.
Macrobasis unicolor, 103.
Macrophya propingua, n. sp. 97.
Meligethes aeneus, 107.
Myrmechixenis latridioides, 106.
Noctuidze of N. America and Europe, 121,
154, 188, 226.
Notes, 79.
Nathalis ‘Iole, 60.
Nematus Erichsonii, 152.
" ocreatus, N. Sp. 95.
" ribesil, 150.
Neonympha areolatus, 25.
" Mitchellit, n. sp., 25.
Ochria, note on genus, 139.
(Eneis, 63. ”
Ortalis trifasciata, 236.
Otiocerus Coquerbertii, 159.
" Degeerii, 159.
" Signoreti, 176.
" Stollii, 159.
" Wolfii, 176.
Popular and Economic Entomology, 15.
74, 117, 150, 201.
Prairies, collecting in the, 57.
Pyrameis Carye, preparatory stages of, 237.
Pamphila Peckius, 147.
Papilio Asterias, n. var. alunata, 127.
n Glaucus, 128.
1 Philenor, 127.
» Rutulus, 111, 238.
n Turnus, 111, 128, 201,
Phalangodes robusta, 140.
Phymatocera nigra, n. sp., 96.
Piazorhinus pictus, 104.
Pieris Ilaire, 39.
" rape, n. var., zmmaculata, 128.
Pityophagus rufipennis, 31.
" verticalis, 31.
Platysamia Cecropia, 28.
Plusia Arizone, 161.
u formosa, 124.
n Lenzii, 161.
n thyatiroides, 124.
Pocadius helvolus, 31.
Ptenidium evanescens, 105.
Pterostichus adoxus, 102.
" coracinus, 102,
" femoralis, 102,
" ,Hamiltoni, 102.
" lachrymosus, 102,
" patruelis, 102.
" tartaricus, 102.
" unicolor, 102.
" vinctus, 102,
Ptinus bimaculatus, 135.
Rhyssematus scaber, habits of, 30,
Rileya, final word about, 37.
1 One word more about, 13, 59.
Satyrinz, notes on certain, 61, 81.
Saunders, insects injurious to fruits, 100.
Scudder, S. H., article by, 49.
Skinner, H., articles by, 126, 145, 238.
Smith, J. B., articles by, 169, 193, 213.
Specific names, 51.
State Entomologist of New Jersey, 79.
Samia Cynthia, 28.
Saperda concolor, 105.
nu Fayi, 104.
Soronia Ulkei, 106.
Stenolophus conjunctus, 31.
Tenthredinidz, n. sp. of Canadian, 95.
Thyatira pudens, larva of, 209.
Tiger Swallow-tail Butterfly, 201,
244 ; INDEX TO VOL
:
Tineidz from the Aleutian Islands, a ’
species of, 27. |
Trenholme, E. Gi, article ake 120. ee.
a Tachinus pallipes, 107.
a Tachycellus Kirbyi, 31.
Tachyporus brunneus, 107. -
" scitulus, 107. 3
Tarucus theophrastus, 132. ae she |
Taxonus rufipes, 0. Sp., 97. aes
Zenthredo sémicornis, n. sp., 98.
Tenthredopsis Evansti, n. sp., 98.
: Thamnotetttx eburata, n. sp., 10.
u 161, if 21 gerk po,
n 162, » 7 from top, for * a
Sy FOZ ne aE ae hes. hea’ DOat-S.
n 162 and 163, for Gente) ad ‘* €
1 178, line 3 from top, for ‘* Hucita” pee
» 182, line 14 from top, for “ Mr. Percy Crawford
S.Crawiords”)) 20
1 182, line 26 from top, for ‘ ‘Opin
page 1 209, line 4 from bottom, for ‘‘ Endamus
220, line 3 from. Be for 1 ee
Ute ee
on Foca a ae cea A i
QL The Canadian entomologist
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