I
. •
Entomological News
AND
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION
OF THE
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.
VOLUME XII, 1901.
EDITOR :
HENRY SKINNER, M. D. PHILIP P. CALVERT, Ph.D., Associate Editor.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE:
EZRA T. CRESSON. CHARLES A. BLAKE. CHARLES L1EBKCK.
PHILIP LAUKKNT. WILLIAM J. FOX. CHARLES W. JOHNSON.
PHILADELPHIA:
ENTOMOLOGICAL ROOMS OF
THE ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES,
LOGAN SQUARE.
1901.
P. C. STOCKHAUSEN
PRINTER 53-55 N. TTH ST., PHILADELPHIA.
INDEX TO VOLUME XII.
GENERAL SUBJECTS.
Academy of Natural Sciences, Entom. Section of 29, 63, 95, 160, 221, 293.
American Entomological Soci- ety 28, 63, 127, 191, 325. California Entom. Club .... 293
Cases for collections 160
Doings of Societies 27, 61, 92, 125,
159, 189, 219, 253, 293, 325. Economic Entomology 153, 251, 291 Editorials 20, 55, 84, 119, 148, 180,
210, 245, 284, 318. Entomological Literature 21, 56, 85.
120, 149, i Si, 211, 246, 286,320. Feldman Collecting Social 30, 61, 92, 93, 125, 159, 189, 219, 253,294
Fig, Fertilization of 61
Florida beach, On a 10
Flowers and insects, New Mex- ico 38
Greenhouse Coccidae . . . 231, 310 Harris Club 61, 95, 125, 191, 222, 255 Letters from Thomas Say 110,138,
173, 203, 233, 281, 314. Malaria and mosquitoes .... 296
Montreal, Trip to 199
Mounting insects, New method 136 Newark Entom. Society 27, 63, 96,
128, 192, 256, 327. New Mexico Biological Station 186
, Collecting in 255
, Insects of 38
Notes and News . 25, 89, 119, 158, 185, 218, 285.
Nursery inspection 291
Obituary :
Clarkson, F. . . . [28
Lugger, 0 192, 222
Priddey, T. G 192
Obituary :
Schneider, L. (pi. ix) . . 256 de Selys-Longchamps, E. 32,
33, 158.
Staudinger, 0 32
Truman, P. C. .... 327
Over the range in a wagon 1 13, 141 , 163.
Packing and shipping insects 158, 187.
Personal :
Ashmead, W. H. . . . 91
Barrett, O. W 317
Browning, G. W ;S
Davis, G. C 90
Fiske, VV. H 157
Hopkins, A. D 41
Hulst, G. D .'5, 32
Johnson, W. G 19
Kemp, S. T 15?
Laurent, P 25, 89
Pine trees, Insects injuring 92, 317
Pitcher plants, Insects in 93, 153, 189, 254.
Pith for mounting insects 127, 160
Protection of insects 161, 283, 316
ARACHNIDA.
Garyphus floridensis 293
Griburius equestris 254
COLEOPTERA.
Acanthocinus spp 28
Acmcsodera culta 190
Adranus ccecus 28
Anthonomus disjuuctus . . 295
Anf/ircnus varius 160
Ants, C. associated with ... 28
Asaphes, a synonym 91
Barn, C. found in a 75
* New species.
11
INDEX.
Batrisus ione 28
Bryaxis luniger 159
Byrrhus americanus 256
Cicindela eureka* et spp. . . . 307 Cremastochilus canaliculatus . 256
Oychrusspp 133. 19°
C. idahoensis* 133
Cydius zicgleri 28
Demetrius atricapillus .... 93
Dromius atriceps 190
Dysmerus basalis 192
Dysphaga tenuipes 221
Epicauta callosa 254
Florida, C. of 10, 28, 236, 238, 239 Hettzrius brunneipennis ... 28
Hibernating C 64
Hydrolius tessellatus 317
Lasioderma serricornis .... 326
Mallodon 62, 93
Meloe americana 64
Necrophilus hydrophiloides . . 263
Necydalis mellitus 254
New Jersey, C. of 64, 92, 159, 190,
254, 295. New Mexico, C. of . . 40, 255
Nisaxis tomentosa 159
Opressus 28
Pasimachus elongates .' . . 327
Passalus cornutus 31
strength of .... .257
striclulation of ... . 279
Pennsylvania, C. of . . . 31, 93, 31?
Phaleria te-stacea 3°
Platynus albipes 62
P. nivalis 255
Prionus calif ornicus ... .319
Pselaphidse .19°
Pselaphus longiclavus . . .64
Schizogenus ferrugineus . . .327
Scolytidae 92,191
Scydmsenidae • nS
Sitodrepa panicett 221
Sphtzridium scarabceoides, 158, 209,
256, 296.
Stenodoulcs mandibularis . . 93 Strategic antceus .... . 295
* New
Subaquatic C . 190
Xantholinus gularis 93
Xenos rossi 90
DIPTERA.
Aedes spp. . . .160, 189, 220, 254
Amalopis inconstans 305
Aquatic Psychodid 46
Archytas analis 26
Chcetogeedia crebra 1 8
Chironomus hatteralis* .... 17
Cricoptopus sylvestris 30
Culex pungens 153
Cnterebra spp 293
DoHchopus sphcsristes* .... 44
Drosophila buskii* 18
Florida, D. of 11, 12
Ilelicobia quadrisetosa* . ... 17
Microdon spp 94
Mosquitos eaten by bats . . . 221 hibernating .... 94, 125, 153 Distance traveled by ... 185 larvae in pitcher plants 30, 94,
126, 153, 160, 189.
larvae in salt water . . 295, 296
New Mexico, D. of . . . . 39, 293
Pericoma californica* . . 46, 195
P. ocellaris, var. americana* . 194
Phorbia litpitii* 206
Phorid in ant's nest 295
Pipiuiculus houghii 96
Psychodidae 46, 193
Ta china mella 26
Trichopoda spp 294
Typhlopsylla octactena .... 90
X'ariation in venation 297
Zacompsia n. gen 15
Z fulva* 15
HEMIPTERA.
Aleurodidae 51
Cicada canalicularis 31
C. hieroglyphica 31, 255
Coccidae, Greenhouse . . 231, 310
Diaspis piricola 27
Florida, H. of 11, 202
species.
INDEX.
in
Lecanium carya; 50
New Jersey, H. of .... 31,255
New Mexico, H. of 40
Pergandiella 89
San Jos^ scale 251
Tettigea hieroglyphica .... 30 Trionymus 89
HYMENOPTERA.
Alaska, H. of 325
Andrena knuthina* . . . . . . 74
Andricus cornigerus 94
Ants associated with Coleoptera 28
do. with Diptera 294
Aphasnogaster, Coleoptera as- sociated with 28
Apis spp 285
Bassett Collection ... 326
Bees 4, 15
Blastophaga 61, 62
Ceratina neomexicana*. ... 43
Cresson collection 325
Florida, H. of 237
Formica, Coleoptera associated
with 28
Halictus conanthi* 208
Honeybee 285
Indiana, H. of 4
Lasiits, Coleoptera associated
with 28
Maine, H. of 4
Megachile in Alaska 325
Monedula 127
Myzine sexcincta 326
New Mexico, H. of 38
Odynerus birenimaculatus . . 94 Pammegischia .viphydricz* . . 278
fillip/a atrocoxalis 26
Plcnoculus davisii 221
Proper names of certain genera 267
Prosopis spp 4, 77, 162
Stic tin 127
Stylopized Polistes 90
LEPIDOPTERA.
Agrotis violaris 30, 31
Alypia langtonii 63
* New
A. 8 maculaia 63
Anthocharis genidia . . . . 31, 172
Arachnis zuni 209
Argynnis cybele 96
A. tnyrina 125
Arizona, L. of 170
Attacus \_Platy satnia~\ cecropia
45, 76, 191, 218.
Bolivia, New L. from 264
California, L. of 170
Callidryas eubule 26
Callimorpha dyarii* 45
Catocala relicla . 31
Cecropia cocoons 45, 76
Chionobas katahdin* . . . 206, 225
C. semidea 161, 283, 316
Chry sophanus hypophleas ... 64
Clisiocampa fragilis 25
Colorado, L. of 115, 118, 142, 143,
166, 168.
Device for rearing L 222
for taking moths 169
Euptoieta claudia 91
Femseca tarquinius 293
Florida, L. of .... 180, 202, 238
Haploa spp 79, 97, 221
Heterochroa californica ... 90
Hulst Collection 285
Hymeiiitis andreas* 264
J^asiocauipa medusa 26
Lepisesia ulalmne, var. rachel* 19
Libythea celtis 119
Libythea arthcmis 26
Missouri, L. of 12
Montreal, Collections at . . . . 198 New Jersey, L. of 27, 30, 31, 64, 91.
172, 254, 327.
New Mexico, L. of 39, 90
Neonympha areo/ata . . . 254, 293
Piitnphila cusillunia* 267
P. niassasoit 327
Pennsylvania, L. of 31, 91
Philanipelus clisa* 106
Picris occidental}* 18
Salt Lake City, L. at 297
Scolioptcry.v libah i.v 91
species.
IV
INDEX.
Semasia affectalis 317
Sesia scitula 94
Sphinges 12
Sphinx plebeius 30
Spragueia dama 27
Thecla dickiei* 266
T. infrequens* 265
T. martialis 180
Thyridopteryx ephemercefor-
mis 304
U. S. National Museum, L. in 120
Utah, L. of 297
Vermont, L. of 26
Yellowstone, L. of 244
Zabrotes subnitens 191
NEUROPTERA.
Argia 192
A. trans lata 326
Colors of Odonata, Preserva- tion of 131
Enallagma piscinarium . . . .128
Gomphns plagiatus 28
G. spp. . 65
Maine, Odonata of 178, 196, 239, 269
Neurocordulia Uhleri 191
New Jersey, N. of 28, 128, 191, 254
Pennsylvania, N. of 29
Ptynx appendiculatus 254
Sympetrum vicinum 29
Tachopteryx Thoreyi, nymph
and oviposition i
Tetragoneuria spinosa . . . .191
Ulula albifrons* 172
U. spp. . . . 172
ORTHOPTERA.
Crickets stopping pipes .... 26
Dichopetala pu/chra* 207
Egg-laying of Scudderia . . 295 Florida, O. of . . . . n
Mantis religiosa in America . . 18
Neobarrettia n. gen 15
New Jersey, O. of 94
Pink grasshoppers . . 1 29
Tcnodera sin en sis . . 96, 220, 293
Schistocerca spp 294
Scudderia texensis 295
AUTHORS.
Ashmead, W. H 277
Babb, G. F 279
Banks, N 172
Blaisdell, F. E 243, 263
Bock, G. W 188
Bradley, J. C 317
Brainerd, D 26
Browning, G. W 297
Bruce, D 19
Brues, C. T 44
Burrison, H. K. . . . . 244
Calvert, P. P. 21, 29, 32, 33, 56, 65,
85, 120, 149, 158, 181, 211, 242,
246, 270, 286, 319, 320.
Caffrey, G. W 296
Carpenter, S. C 91, 161
Cockerell, T. D. A. 18, 26, 27, 38,
43, 74, 89, 90, 187, 1 88, 208, 317.
Cockerell, W. P 209
Coquillett, D. W. . . . 15, 16, 206
Daggett, F. S 319
Davis, G. C 186
Davis, W. T 76
Dyar, H. G 120
Fall, H. C 307
Fenyes, A 90
Field, W. L. W. 61, 95, 125, 191,
222, 256.
Foster, F. H 79, 97
Fox. W. J. 32, 63, 93, no, 267, 285
Girault, A 304
Grinnell, F., Jr 26
Harvey, F. L. . 178, 196, 239, 269
Hinds, \V. E 257
Houghton, C. 0 90, 209
Howard, L. 0 224
Johnson, C. W 305
Johnson, O. B 136
Kellogg. V. L. . . . . . 46
Kemp, S. T. . . . 27, 64, 96
Kincaid, T 193
King, G. B 50, 231, 310
* New species.
INDEX.
Knab, F . . 91
Koons, B. F 89
Lovell, J. H 4, 162
Luccareni, G. A. . . . 128, 256, 327
Marloff, F 91
Mayer, A. G 219
Merrick, F. A 169, 188
Merrick, H. D 45
Newcomb, H. H. . . 198, 206, 225
Ottolengui, R 283
Pearsall, R. F 158
Rehn, J. A. G 16, 207
Reinick, W. 95, 127, 160, 191, 255, 296.
Robertson, C 77
Rowley, R. R 12
Say, T. no, 138, 173, 203, 233, 281
314. Scudder, S. H 129
Skinner, H. . 20, 29, 30, 55, 63, 84, 96, 119, 120, 128, 148, 158, 160, 170, 180, 189, 192, 210, 216, 217,
218, 222, 245, 284, 292, 294, 327.
Slingerland, M. V 18
Slosson, A. T. 10, 180, 200, 236, 316
Smith, J. B 153, 253, 293
Smyth, E. A. Jr 106
Snyder, A. J. . . 112, 141, 163, 233
Soule, C. G 45
Stortz, G 192
Viereck, H. L. . . • 325
Webb, J. L 133
Webster, F. M 296
Weeks, A. G., Jr 264
Wenzel, H. W 75
Williamson, E. B i, 131
Woodworth, H. 0 51
Wormsbacher, H 91
i
ENT. NEWS, Vol. XII.
PI. I.
TACHOPTERYX THOREYI.
(NYMPH.)
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION
ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. XII. JANUARY, 1901. No. i.
CONTENTS:
Williamson. — On the Manner of Ovi- position and on the Nymph of
Rehn. — A New Genus of Deticinse. . . . 16 Coquillett. — New Species of Diptera.. 16
Tachopteryx Thoreyi i Brnce. — New Variety of Lepisesia. . . . 19
Lovell. — Bees of Maine and Indiana . 4
Slosson.— - On a Florida Beach 10
Rowley. — Notes on Missouri Springs. 12
Coquillett. — A New Genus of Ortalidse 15
Editorial 20
Entomological Literature 21
Notes and News 25
Doings of Societies 27
On the Manner of Oviposition and on the Nymph of Tachopteryx Thoreyi.
(ORDER ODONATA.)
Plate I. By E. B. WILLIAMSON, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Tachoptcrv.\ Tliorcvi Hagen is the only representative in eastern North America of the legion Petalura (Selys ) of the subfamily Gomphinae. This legion has been regarded by late writers as the most primitive of all the Odonata Anisoptera. No nymphs of this legion have hitherto been described, so it is believed that the following description will be particularly welcome.
The nymph in question was collected by Mr. D. A. Atkinson, near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on June 4, 1900. Mr. Atkinson was collecting salamanders in a boggy spot along Squaw Run, a tributary of the Allegheny River in Alleghany County, when he saw the nymph clinging to the trunk of a tree, about t\v<> feet above the mud from which it had recently crawled, as the mud which covered it was not yet dry. This was about 10 A. M . Placed in a box the nymph climbed up one side to a height of
2 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
about eighteen inches, and the imago emerged at 5 P.M. In the boggy spot where the nymph was collected, at that time the only surface water was that which was retained in small depressions, such as the tracks of cattle, among the roots of the sedges and grasses. On July 15, 1900, Mr. J. L. Graf observed another female ovipositing in this same swale. She alighted among the dense grasses and placed the eggs among the roots or in wet decaying vegetable matter above the surface of the water. She would raise and lower her abdomen eight or ten times in one place, then fly to another spot. The time was between 10 and n A.M. On June 23, 1900, at Ohio Pyle, Mr. Graf discovered still a third female of this species oviposit- ing. A mere thread of water flowed along the railroad track from several small springs. The bed of this small stream was composed of cinders and sand. The dragonfly alighted in the grass near this stream and placed her eggs in a small depression in the cinders. This depression contained not more than a table- spoonful of water. Into this small basin she thrust her abdomen a number of times at the rate of fifteen or twenty times a minute. Mr. Graf caught her as she started to fly away. Held in the fingers she could not be induced to exude any more eggs. This was about i P.M. Neither Mr. Graf nor myself could discover the eggs where she had been ovipositing. While the female was resting in the grass a male was either fluttering about or resting on a large boulder close at hand.
Description of Nymph. — Length 38 mm., including abdominal append- ages ; tarsi 3-3-3 ; antenna? y-jointed ; lateral lobe of labium bent dorsally near its posterior edge to form a mask which covers the labrum and a portion of the clypeus ; impression of the vulvar lamina and genital valves present on the sternum of the ninth abdominal segment. Color entirely concealed by the mud which encrusts the specimen and which a thorough washing failed to entirely remove. It is possible that structural r 'laracters may be obscured by this mud and so omitted in the following description.
Head wide, angular, square, convex in front, concave behind, the eyes placed in the outer anterior corners ; roughened, generally sparsely hairy, edges and tubercles with dense bristle-like hairs ; on each side, back of the eyes two prominent edges and a less developed one above; facv in front of base of an tenure vertical ; antemue 3.5 mm. long, hairy, flattened, the basal joint largest, terete, with the external edge angular ; last joint •Miiall, apc\ irregular; other joints about equal in size, slightly larger dasally, about half as lung as wide. Labium short and broad; middle
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 3
lobe square, 4.5 mm. long and 5.5 mm. wide, abruptly narrower near the posterior end ; anterior edge with a larger tooth on either side of the median line and about ten smaller ones on either side ; extending pos- teriorly to half way between the bases of the first and second pairs of legs ; lateral lobes wide, opposed edges straight, notched with small serrations.
Prothorax angular, high, dorsum and sides meeting at nearly a right angle, the edge produced laterally and clothed with bristly hairs ; all of thorax scantily clothed with short hairs. The thorax widens and deepens from the prothorax to the metathorax at the base of the third pair of U-gs win-re it is as wide as the abdomen in its widest part. The front wing cases extend to the posterior edge of the fourth abdominal segment ; apparently the costas lie almost parallel ; the cases of the hind wings reach to the middle of the fifth segment. Legs very robust, strongly formed, angular, especially the femora, the edges clothed with bristles ; a deep depression in the mesosternum, between the second pair of legs, to accomodate the hinge of the labium.
Abdomen spindle-shaped, 23 mm. long, widest at the fifth segment where its width equals one-half its length, low, flattened, the sterna scarcely convex, terga convex, width of fifth segment n mm., depth 5 mm. Segment nine with a lateral posterior spine ; on segments ante- rior this spine grows successively smaller, not present on first three segments. The mark, on the sternum of the ninth segment, of the ovi- positor of the imago is conspicuous. On dorsum of segment five are two tufts of bristles, one on either side, separated from each other by about one-third the width of the segment, and placed a litttle nearer the pos- terior than the anterior margin of the segment ; these tufts persist from the fifth to the ninth segments, the tufts on each segment successively approaching each other more closely till on the ninth they stand just on either side of the median line ; each tuft is placed on an irregular eleva- tion and in some cases seems to be double. Appendages short, middle one tapering; apex truncate, on either side produced to form a short tooth ; laterals shorter, conical ; inferiors compressed, wide, rounded triangular, longer than the middle appendage, the lower edges and the posterior ventral edge of the tenth segment between them bearing many long stiff, yellowish hairs.
Described from the extivia of the reared female of June 4, 1900 ; both exuvia and imagx* are in my collection.
FXPLANATION OF PLATE I.
Kig. i. — Dorsal view of Nymph of Tachopteryx Thoreyi Hagtn, Pitts- burg, Pa., (une 4, 1900.
Fig. 2. — Dorsal view of the terminal abdominal appendages.
l'ig-3 • — Median portion of the sternum of ninth abdominal segment showing the prominences for the ovipositor of tin.- imago.
Fig. 4. — Labium of the exuvia.
4 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
The Bees of Maine and Indiana.
By JOHN H. L,ovELL, Waldoboro, Maine. PROSOPIS.
While the bees of the genus Prosopis are widely distributed, comparatively few species occur in any one locality. In New Mexico there have been described P. asinhia, mcsillcF, ritd- bcckicr, tridcntidfc and wootoni ; in Illinois P. ajfinis (ziziee), illinccnsis, modesta, ndnmbonis, pygmcea, sanicuhe and thaspii ; in New Jersey P. affinis, antennata, conflucns, modes fa and pygm&a ; and in Canada P. affinis, basalis, clliptica, modesta and varifrons. It will be observed that the species of New Mexico differ entirely from those of Illinois, and belong to a southern type. The bees of northeastern America, including Illinois, New Jersey, New England and Canada, form a natural group containing several species in common, while others are more local in their distribution.
My collections have been made within an area of a few square miles in Lincoln County, in southern Maine. This county lies in latitude 44° and borders upon the salt water. Very likely, when the State has been thoroughly explored, additional species may be discovered. This paper is based upon 66 specimens taken by myself at Waldoboro, Maine ; and 37 specimens collected for me by Mr. R. J. Weith, at Elkhart, Indiana. I have been unable to find any record of observations upon Maine bees.
i. P. basalis Sm., 1853.
This is a very rare species in this locality. I ^have taken only a single specimen, a female, on the flowers of Aralia his- pida which blooms in July. This species has been recorded from Canada, New Hampshire and New York. It may be re- cognized by its large size and the absence in the female of all yellow markings. The length of this specimen is 9 mm. Black, tarsi ferruginous, also the edge of the wing base. Face closely punctate, punctures elongate ; clypeus and sides of face mi- nutely pubescent ; thorax closely punctate. First segment of abdomen smooth and shining, apical margin fringed laterally with a white pubescence.
1901] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5
2. P. pygmaea Cr., 1869.
A small species ; length 4 mm. My first specimens were taken this season on the garden blackberry June igth, and my last on the goldenrod August 22nd ; this bee was also taken on the wild rose and Aralia hispida. Nine 9 and eight $ speci- mens taken at \Valdoboro, Maine, and seven 9 and four $ specimens collected at Elkhart, Indiana.
$. — Face marks bow shaped, yellow (in one specimen nearly dark) ; clypeus and supraclypeal piece dark, finely and irregularly striate ; in one specimen there is a small dot on clypeus. Collar dark, two yellow spots on tubercles, sometimes with a minute dark dot in the center ; teguke either with or without a yellow spot. First segment of abdomen smooth and shining, no apical fringe of pubescence on segments.
rf. — Base of all the tibiae, tubercles, clypeus, supraclypeal piece and sides of face pale yellow ; upward extensions of lateral face marks diverg- ing from the orbit, and slightly enlarged and rounded at apex. Supra- clypeal mark longer than broad. Yellow line on scape in front, flagellum testaceous beneath.
In Illinois females frequently have a spot on clypeus, and usually a spot on tegulae ; but the males are frequently without spots on tegulse.
3. P. sauiculae Rob., 1896.
?. — More slender than P. pygmcza. A narrow, rather short yellow stripe on each side of the face, not rilling the space between the clypeus and orbit. A yellow spot on each of the hind tibia; ; collar, tubercles and tegulae dark. Head and thorax finely punctate ; abdomen impunctate, shining ; apical segments minutely pubescent.
My specimens were taken July i5-i6th on Aralia Jn'spida. Waldoboro, Maine. 3 9 specimens ; Elkhart, Indians, 2 £ specimens.
4. P. modesta Say, 1897.
9. — Face marks triangular, two yellow spots on collar and tubercles, and base of all the tibia? yellow. Flagellum testaceous beneath. No yel- low spots on tegulae or edge of wing-base. Head and thorax closely punctured ; first abdominal segment smooth and shining, with lateral apical fringe of white pubescence. Wings dusky hyaline.
Elkhart, Indiana, 4 9 specimens. Robertson regards it as probable that Say's description was based on specimens taken in Indiana.
The females of this species in Illinois do not differ from this
6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
description, except that sometimes they have small spots on tegttlse.
At Waldoboro, Maine, I have taken 32 female specimens that agree with the above description. My first specimens this season were taken July i5th on Aralia hispida, my last August igth on the goldenrod. I have also taken these females on Spircca salicifoUa, Ilex •rcrticillafa, Conms stolon if era and the wild rose. In size they show considerable variation. I have also taken in this locality 1 1 female specimens which have the face marks but slightly triangular or reduced to a narrow stripe. In one of these forms the collar is dark and the spots on tubercles are very small, otherwise they are typical. The markings are occasionally orange colored.
r5\ — Clypeus, supraclypeal piece and sides of face yellow, upward ex- tensions of lateral face marks tapering to a point. Anterior tibiae in front and base of all the others are tarsi-yellow. First abdominal segment shining, punctuation sparse and faint, otherwise as in female.
Elkhart, Indiana, 19 £ specimens.
In Illinois, according to Robertson, 13 male specimens agree with this description, six had a yellow line on mandibles, five a yellow spot on labrum, one had the scape yellow in front and. three had no spot on collar.
While the females of P. modesta are our commonest forms of Prosopis in Maine, the males are comparatively rare. As the result of much diligent collecting in this genus, I have taken but four males of P. modesta, two (taken on the goldenrod August i gth and aoth) agree with the above description, the third has no spots on collar, the fourth (taken July i6th on Shircca salicifolia) has no spots on collar, but a spot on labrum and yellow lines on mandibles.
5. P. affinis Sm., 1853.
P. zizicz Rob., 1896.
9- — I have from Indiana a single specimen. It differs from P. modcsfa in having a yellow spot on tegulae and the edges of wing-base yellow. Six female specimens collected at Waldoboro, Maine, conform to the type. As noticed by Cockerell they are rather smaller than P. modest a.
July 1 6th on Aralia hispida to August nth on goldenrod. 1. — Differs from the male of P. modesta in the broad truncation of the
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7
upward extensions of the lateral face marks ; in the yellow spot on tegulae and edge of wing-base ; and in having the first abdominal segment finely but closely and distinctly punctured. One of my specimens has the markings orange instead of yellow, and in another they are flesh colored. This species is much rarer than the preceding.
\Yaldoboro, Maine, 4 £ specimens ; August.
Bibliography of North American Species of Prosopis.
EASTERN NORTH AMERICA.
' Prosopis affinis Smith, 9d\ Can., Me., Conn., N. J., Ind., 111.
affinis Smith, Cat. Hymen. Br. Mus., i, No. 23, p. 24, 1853, • affinis Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 3. p. 270, 1869, 9C affinis Prov., Nat. Can., xiii, No. 2, p. 259, 1882, 9c?- affinis Prov., Faun. Ent. Can. Hy., No. 2, p. 727, 1882, 9c zizise Robts., Can. Ent, xxvii, No. 5, p. 136, May, 1896, f.
P. antennata Cr., S-?, N. J., Maryland.
antennata Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, p. 271, No. 6, 1869,^.
P. basalis Smith, 9r?, Hudson's Bay, Can.; Me., N. H., N. Y.
basalis Smith, Cat Hymen. Br. Mus., i, No. 22, p. 23, 1853, < basalis Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. i, p. 269, 1869, < basalis Prov., Nat. Can., xiii, No. i, p. 258, 1882, 2J'. basalis Prov., Faun. Ent. Can. Hy., No. i, p. 726, 1883, 9C
P. confluens Smith, 9. Florida.
confluens Smith, Cat. Hy. Brit. Mus., i, No. 24, p. 24, 1853, ?.
P. elliptica Kirby, 9, Canada.
elliptica Kirby, Faun. Bor. Am., iv, No. 368, p. 266, 1837,9.
P. rlammipes Robts., 9, Florida.
flammipes Robts., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xx, p. 273, 1893, 9-
P. floridana Robts., 9, Florida.
floridanus Robls., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xx, p. 273, 1893, $.
P. georgica Ckll., <j\ Georgia.
georgica Ckll , Psyche, vii, p. 438, Oct., 1896, J1.
P. illinojnsis Robts., -71, Illinois.
illinoisensis Robts., Can. Ent , xxviii, No. 5, p. 138, May, 1896, c illiiKL-nsis Robts., Tr. Ac. Sci. St. Louis, vii. No. 14, p. 315, May,
1897. C?- P. labiatif rons Ckll., rft Georgia.
labiatifrons Ckll., Psyche, vii, p. 437, Oct., 1896, c P. modesta (Say), Cresson, 9 J, Can., Me., N. H., Mass., Conn., Va.,
111., Ind., N. Y.
Hylanis modestus Say, Bos. Jour. Nat. Hist., i, 4, p. 392, 1837, <j Hylaeus modestus LeConte, Writ, of Th. Say, Entom., ii, p. 771, 1859. modesta Cr., Synops. Hy. N. Am., p. 291, 1887. affinis Robts., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xxii, p. 116, May, 1895. modesta Robt., Can. Ent., xxviii, No. 5, p. 136, May, 1896,
8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
P. nelumbonis Robts., 9, Illinois.
nelumbonis Robts., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xvii, p. 318, 1890, $. P. Pennsylvania Ckll., r?, Pa., Va.
pennsylvanica Ckll., Psyche, vii, p. 439, Oct., 1896, tf. P. pygmaea Cr., J>, 111., Ind., N. Y., Conn., Me.
pygmaea Cr. Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 7, p. 272, 1869, <j\
pygmsea Robts., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xxii, p. 116, May, 1895.
pygmaea Robts.. Can. Ent., xxviii, No. 5, p. 136, May, 1896, $. P. sanicuke Robts., 9 J\ Hi., Iowa.
saniculce Robts., Can. Ent., xxviii, No. 5, p. 137, May, 1896, 9c
sanictilae Ckll., Psyche, vii, p. 438, Oct., 1896, $. P. schwarzii Ckll., $, Florida.
schwarzii Ckll., Ent. Mag., xxxii, p. 218, Oct., 1896, ?. P. sparsa Cr., 9, Perm.
sparsa Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xxi, No. 4, 271, 1869, $. P. thaspii Robt., 9, Illinois.
thaspii Robts., Tr. Acad. Sci. St. Louis, viii, No. 3, p. 43, Mar- 3-
i89s, 9.
P. triangularis Ckll., J\ Georgia.
triangularis Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 31, June, 1896, <j\ P. verticalis Cr., J\ Mass.
verticals Cr., Proc. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 5, p. 271, '69, $.
WESTERN NORTH AMERICA.
P. asinina Ckll. and Casad., 9cT, N. Mex.
asininus Ckll. and Casad., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xxii, p. 299, 1895, c
bipes Ckll., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xxii, p. 300, Aug., 1895, 9-
bipes Ckll., Synonym, Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 30, June, 1896
asinina Ckll., n. var., bigeloviss, Bull. Denison U., xi, 3, p. 72, Nov.,
1898, N. Mex., 9.
Prosopis n. nom. Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 30, June, 1896. P. bakeri Ckll., J, Colorado.
bakeri Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 26, April, 1896, $. P. citrinifrons Ckll., cJ\ Colorado.
citrinifrons Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 27, April, 1896, tf. P. coloradensis Ckll., tf, Colorado.
coloradensis Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 30, June, 1896, tf. P. coquilletti Ckll., <j\ California.
coquilletti Ckll., Psyche, vii, p. 439, Oct., 1896, ^ . P. digitata Ckll., $, Colorado.
digitatus Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 30, June, 1896, tf. P. divergens Ckll., J\ Colorado.
divergens Ckl., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 29, June, 1896, J1. P. episcopalis Ckll., <$ , Colorado.
episcopalis Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 29, June, 1896, cf .
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 9
P. mesillae Ckll., tf, N. Mex.
subtilis Fox, Tr. Am. Ent. Soc , xxii, p. 295, Aug., 1895, <$.
mesillce Ckll., Can. Ent., xxviii, p. 42, No. 2, Feb., 1896. P. nevadensis Ckll., rf', Nevada.
nevadensis Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 32, June. 1896, ^. P. rudbeckise Ckll. and Casad., J\ N. Mex.
rudbeckiae Ckll. and Casad., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., xxii, p. 300, Aug.,
rudbeckite Ckll , n. var. ruidosensis, Psyche, vii, Suppl. i. p. 30, June, 1896, ,-{', N. Mex.
rudbecku-e Ckll., n. var. subdigitata, Psyche, vii. Suppl. i, p. 31,
June, 1896, rf, Colorado. P. rugosula Ckll., tf, Colorado.
rugosulus Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 28, April, 1896, $.
rugosula Ckll., n. var. fallax, Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 28, Apr., '96. P. suffusa Ckll, rf, Nevada.
suffusa Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 32, April, 1896, $. P. tridens Ckll., J\ Colorado.
tridens Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 28, April, 1896, J*. P. tridentula Ckll , -J1, Colorado.
tridentulus Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 27. 1896, <$. P. variifrons Cr., $, Colorado.
variifrons Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 2, p. 270, 1869, 9- P. wootoni Ckll., tf, N. Mex.
wootoni Ckll., Psyche, vii, Suppl. i, p. 26. April, 1896, (j\
MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA. P. azteca Cr., 9, Mexico.
aztecaCr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No 8, 272, 1869, 9. P. dubiosa Cr., tf, Mexico.
dubiosa Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 9, p. 272, 1869, P. grossa Cr., J1, Mexico.
grossa Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, N. 9, p. 273, 1869, tf. P. maculipennis Smith, J , Mexico.
maculipennis Sm., Desc,. New Spe. Hymen., No. 18, p. 23, '7<>. P. mexicana Cr., 9d\ Mexico.
mexicana Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 10, p. 272, '69, P. trepanda Smith, + , Mexico.
trepanda Sm., Descr. New Spe. Hymen., No. 19, p. 23, 1879, $. P. vigilans Smith, 9, Mexico.
vigilans Sm., Descr. New Spec. Hymen. No. 17, p. 22, 1879, 9.
CUBA. P. limbifrons Cr., 9. Cuba.
Hmbifrons Cr., Pr. Bos. Soc. Nat. Hist., xii, No. 12, p. 273, 1869,9.
io ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
On a Florida Beach.
By ANNIE TRUMBULL SLOSSON.
It has always been a favorite paradox of mine, one which I have often repeated to young friends — the smaller your field the more work you can do. All out-door collectors will know what I mean. If obliged by circumstances, whatever they may be, to remain in one particular locality, however limited, one is apt to observe interesting details, discover new objects which are overlooked when one can wander far and wide at his own sweet will. I found this so, very markedly, last winter in Florida.
I spent three months, from December to April, at Palm Beach, on Lake Worth. During the greater part of that time I was, owing to the serious illness of a friend, confined closely to the house. We were staying at a hotel situated directly upon the ocean beach. It was necessary, for some weeks, that all my collecting should be done within sight of the hotel, that I might be near at hand and summoned in any emergency. And the time of my absence from the house never exceeded an hour.
I had, for years, known this beach well and thought I had exhausted its resources, but I made many interesting discover- ies in those brief and restricted rambles.
All along the shore grows tall, stout beach grass — a Uniola. Mr. Schwarz has written of the insects living upon this grass. I found many of the species mentioned by him and one or two which he had not found there. A small, black weevil, a Barid, was always on the sand near the roots of this grass. It proved to be Casey's Limnobaris limbifcr. I found dozens of this species. I tried to investigate its life history, but in vain. I could not find it in any stage, except as imago, though I feel confident of its living in root or stalk of the Uniola. A little higher up and farther from the water another weevil was very abundant on the sand under low plants. This was , -Ical/cs c/a- I'ahis. One of the convolvulus ^ family, Iponura /V.v-m/W, or goats-foot morning-glory trails over the sandy beach every- where. It has roundish shining leaves and its stem grows from ten to twenty feet in length. This is the native food
igoi] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. II
plant of Cylas formicarius, the sweet potato weevil. I found this fact out several )rears ago and wrote to the late Dr. Ham- ilton about it, sending him sections of the Ipomcca stem with this species within it, in all its different stages. The good Doctor was much interested and urged me to record the dis- covery, but I have never done so till now. Under boards and sticks upon the beach I found often an odd and showy Anthicid, new tome. It was . \nthicus currax Champ, as Mr. Sch\v;ir/ tells me, and is described and figured in the Biologia Cent. Am. Mr. Schwarz says it is a maritime species and that he has found it at Jupiter and Capron, in Florida, and has it also from Texas.
In similar situations the Staphylinid Cafius bistriatits is found in great abundance, also many specimens of Philonthus alumnus, common all along the coast. Under all kinds of debris the different species of Phaleria were very numerous, P. picipcs being least common. As usual, there are upon the white sand many whitish insects, difficult to distinguish 011 their pale background. A horse-fly, Tabanus psammophilus of palest gray, a large cream-white spider, two or three of the cricket family, pallid and silvery, several species of Dolichopo- didae of greenish white ; a tiny fly, just the color of the sand, Rhicna'ssa albula ; these and many more pale, ghostly, shadowy creatures frequent the dazzlingly white sea sand, eluding, de- cieving and aggravating the collector.
T\vo of the silvery crickets which I found on the sand were, respectively, Cycloptilus sqnamosns, known only, hitherto, from Texas, I think ; and Mogosoplidus slossoni. This last genus I was so fortunate as to add to our fauna two or three years ago, its only American habitat heretofore being Chili. I found the species first under bark of fallen trees at Miami, Biscay ne Bay, silvery, iridescent pearly little creatures, very agile and slipperx
One morning in March, just after an easterly storm, when for two or three days there had been a strong wind from the sea, I found on the beach some very odd, long-legged little beasts, not very unlike immature "water-boatmen." These were found to be, as Dr. Uhler wrote me, Halobafcs wuellerstorfii, a marine hemipter of the Ilydrobatidae, generally found far out
12 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
at sea. I saw scores of them, mostly dead, though a few showed signs of life — none were really active. Mr. Wickham wrote an exceedingly interesting paper concerning this species, published in ENT. NEWS, Vol. V, p. 45. He saw several specimens skimming on the surface of the water off Key West and also near Sand Key Light. This was in late June and early July. He speaks of their moving about "after the fashion of our common Hygrotrcchus, but with extremely rapid move- ment," so that it was next to impossible to capture them from the vessel.
One hot day when there was a land breeze I heard people complaining of the " sand flies " along the shore, which made it almost impossible to stay there. This at once aroused my interest. Mr. Coquillett had spoken to me of a minute ' midge," complained of by travellers in Florida and perhaps tindescribed. I could not neglect this opportunity, so went to the beach as soon as possible. Sitting down on the sand under the lee of the bluff which skirts the shore, I was immediately made a martyr to science. Hundreds and thousands of these tiny flies swarmed about and over me, biting viciously, till my hands and face seemed pricked all over by red-hot needles. I secured many specimens. The fly is a Ceratopogon, perhaps gcnualis, a Cuban species, perhaps one new to science, so wrote Mr. Coquillett at the time ; I have no more recent report. But I need no distinguished dipterist to tell me that the biting ap- paratus of this species is well developed and kept in good work- ing order.
— ' <»> • —
Notes on Missouri Springs. By R. R. ROWLEY, Louisiana, Mo.
In Ma}', 1899, Mr. G. M. Dodge of this place took two specimens of Deidamia inscripta, at apple blossoms, and in June following half a dozen or more imagoes of Amphion ncssus about persimmon blooms, thus confirming the writer's previously ex- pressed opinion that they would be found among our Sphingial fauna.
A close watch of the food plants of both these moths gave
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 13
no larvae of either, and the only compensation for expended time was a lone larva of Thyrcus abbotii on wild grapes.
On August i jth, the writer found almost countless numbers of larvae of Daronma catalpcs on catalpa trees in the town of Greenville, Mo. These caterpillars were of all sizes from those just hatched to those full grown. Earlier broods had defoliated the trees, and the new leaves were fast disappearing before this late summer brood. The underside of every leaf gave from two to six young larvae, and the full-grown " W7orms" were crawl- ing about on the ground in search of fit places in which to burrow.
On turning over some stones and boards, several pupae and larvae ready to pupate, along with dry pupal skins from which moths had escaped, were found.
Unable to take care of the larvae, I sent a box each to G. M. Dodge, of Louisiana, and O. C. Poling, of Ouincy, 111., from both of whom I afterwards procured pupae, and for the following description of the younger larval stages I am indebted to Mr. Dodge: "August 2oth. Larvae received August igth. Length of youngest larva about $/% of an inch. White above, green below. Head shining, black. Mandibles greenish. First seg- ment or neck green. Dorsal line black, expanded anteriorly on each segment forming a pyriform spot. A black lunule embracing the straight black caudal horn. Horn starts back- ward.
' Subdorsal line black, interrupted, consisting of an irregular black dot on each segment (the posterior ones much the larger) connected by small black dots. A black spot follows the caudal horn.
"A larger specimen ( length about one inch ). The pyriform spots of the dorsal line become broader. It may be better de- scribed as a black stripe broadest on anterior part of each seg- ment. The spots along the side are larger and connected by two dotted lines. First segment black above. Horn slightly recurved, base greenish.
' A third si/.e ( length about i V% inches) is distinctly yellow- ish on sides. The black spots have disappeared and the spi- racles are marked by minute dots. The entire back is
14 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
"broadly, velvety black, with two longitudinal broken rows of narrow whitish spots most distinct on the central segments. First segment yellowish green with a narrow curved line. The black of the back is bordered by a narrow white line which is itself margined outwardly by a very narrow more or less interrupted black line. In each form the prolegs are green with a black spot at their insertion on each side. True legs black."
The full-grown larva is 2^ inches long, with black head, "broad black dorsal line or stripe ; long, slender, slightly in- curved black caudal horn. There are two lateral broken lines of black between which the color is yellowish green. The vental suface is greenish. True legs black. The head is rather large and more like that of Hcmaris than the larger Sphinges. The whole larva differs greatly from that of Da- rannta undulosa, our only other species of the genus, and in its uniform thickness throughout it again recalls the larva of He in ar is.
The long wire-like caudal horn, slightly recurved in the full- grown larva, reminds one both of Hemaris and the younger caterpillars of Philampelns.
The very young larvae are pale and crossed by rows of black dots.
The pupae vary much in size and color, the largest chrysalid being over i YO, inches in length and red-brown, while the smallest is hardly more than an inch and light yellowish brown. The burrow is not deep. The imago is much inferior to that of nndiilosa in color.
From one pupa the writer obtained a moth with one pair of wings much shorter, broader and more rounded at the extrem- ities than on the opposite side. The antenna on the same side is shorter and weaker than on the other.
I found larvae of Actius Inna, feeding on persimmon, last July. Four of the large bombycids feed on this tree : cccropia, pronicthca, regal is and Inna.
MRS. ANNIE TRUMBULL SLOSSON will, as usual, spend the winter in Florida. We will expect to receive more of her delightful collecting ex- periences.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 15
A New Genus of Ortalidae.
By D. \V. CooriLLETT. Zacompsia gen. nov.
Near Eitexesta, but the third antennal joint twice as wide as long and more slender, no acrostichal bristles, and the color not metallic. Body rather slender, front not punctured nor rugose, at the upper edge about one and one half times as wide as either eye, antenna; as long as the face, the third joint about twice as long as wide, rounded at the apex, arista bare, occiput strongly convex, cheeks a'xnit one- fifth as wide as the eye- height, proboscis short and robust, palpi clavate ; thorax bearing one pair of dorsocentral, two supra-alar, two posthumeral, one humeral, one meso- pleural and one sternopleural bristle, scutelium bearing four bristles, femora bare on the under side ; first vein bare, third and fourth veins converging toward their apices, lower outer angle of anal cell prolonged in the form of a rather long lobe, small and posterior crossveins nearly perpendicular. Type, the following species :
Zacompsia fulva sp. nov.
Reddish yellow, the proboscis, apex of the third joint of antennae, the arista except its base, an ocellar dot, small spot on occiput above the neck, the tibiae, whole of front tarsi and apices of the others, brown, all bristles and the short bristly hairs black ; wings hyaline, marked with Wir indistinct grayish crossbands ; the first is below the humeral cross- vein ; the second is very broad and extends from the stigma to beyond the fifth vein ; the third begins midway between apices of the first and second veins and passes over the hind crossvein ; the fourth borders the tip of the wing from slightly before apex of second vein to slightly beyond apex of the fourth ; body subopaque, not pruinose except the white prui. nose pleura ; front opaque, vertex polished, orbits and frontal lunule white pruinose ; length, 4.5 mm. A specimen of each sex and a third specimen! with the apex of the abdomen broken off.
Had. — Texas (Belfrage) and Opelousas, La. ( G. R. Pilate Type : No. 5199, U. S. National Museum. The specimens from Opelousas were submitted by Mr. C. \Y. Johnson, by whom they were received from Dr. (kirry dt- X.
Hough.
— — «•*• -
THE BEE AS A MESSENGER. — Says the Westminister (iaze/te : A West County farmer is training bees as letter carriers. A bee is taken away from home and a letter printed in microphotography is gummed to his little back, and he is thrown into the air. Home he goes like a carrier pigeon, and the advantage he would have over his big brother in time of war is obvious. It is very unlikely that he would be seen ; and, if seen, it would tax the skill even of the finest Boer marksman to bring him down. This is an idea worthy of the attention of the War Office. — Newspaper.
1 6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [January,
A New Genus of Deticinae.
By JAMES A. G. REHN.
The species on which this genus is founded was described by the writer (Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., XXVII, p. 89) as a species of Capnobotes, but a closer study of the descriptions and plates of allied genera has confirmed the belief that it is generi- cally distinct. The generic characters would be as in the sub- joined diagnosis.
NEOBARRETTIA n. gen.
Pronotum saddle shaped, the posterior portion being elevated much more than the anterior portion ; pro- meso- and meta- sternum with paired spines, those of the metasternum being the stoutest and those of the prosternmn the most slender ; tegmina and wings abbreviated, the former broadly rounded.
Type. — Capnobotes impcrfcdus Rehn. Tans. Amer. Ent. Soc., XXVII, p. 89.
I take pleasure in dedicating this remarkable genus to Mr. Otis W. Barrett, who collected the three types at Rio Cocula, State of Guerrero, Mexico.
This genus is one of the most interesting and remarkable in the subfamily. The position of it would probably be between Capnobotes and Apote, though this is hardly more than conjec- ture, as I cannot examine specimens of those genera to study the correlation of characters which seem so distinctive in speci- mens of the new7 genus.
Professor Lawrence Bruner informs me that he has a speci- men of the new genus collected by Mr. Barrett at the same
locality.
— • <»» • —
Three New Species of Diptera.
By D. W. COQUILLETT.
In the course of investigating the spread of diseases through the agency of insects, Dr. L,. O. Howard encountered three new species of Diptera, and as it is desirable to exclude- from his report all matter of a purely technical nature, a description of the new forms is offered herewith :
igOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IJ
Chironomus halteralis sp. nov.
Head black, the palpi and antenna: yellowish brown, plumosity of male antennae dark gray ; thorax dark brown, the anterior end tinged with yellow, a pair of broad, gray pruinose vitta- on the posterior half of the mesonotum, the hairs light yellow; scutelhim dark yellow; abdomen black, slightly polished, thinly covered with rather long yellow hairs . femora, tibiae and tarsi yellow, bases of femora slightly tinged with brown; front tarsi slender, almost as long as the body, destitute of hairs, the first joint about twice as long as the front tibia ; middle and hind tibia? and their tarsi in the male thickly covered with rather long yellow hairs, much sparser in the female ; halteres pale yellow, the knobs black ; wings bare, hyaline, the apical half slightly darker, veins in the basal half yellow, in the apical half more brownish ; length, 2 to 3 mm. Two males and two females. One of the females was collected May 16, 1899, by Mr. F. C. Pratt ; the remaining specimens were collected May 22, June 2 and June 6, 1900, by Mr. Herbert S. Barber.
Hab.— Washington, D. C.
Type : No. 5202, U. S. Nat. Museum.
Helicobia qnadrisetosa sp. nov.
Black, the apices of second antennal joints, face and genitalia yellow, frontal vitta dark brown ; front of male at narrowest part three fifths as wide as either eye, face yellow pruinose, third joint of antenna' three times as long as the second ; body bluish gray pruinose, thorax marked with three black vittte, the median one almost crossing the scutelluni, four p.iirs postsutural dorsocentral bristles, the bristly hairs very short and de- pressed, abdomen with a blackish dorsal line and reflecting dark spots, second segment bearing a marginal row of small bristles of nearly an equal length and with a much longer lateral bristle, third and fourth seg- ments each bearing a marginal row of bristles of nearly an equal length, longest on the fourth ; first segment of the genitalia in the female also bearing a marginal row of bristles, in the male with a discal row of about six bristles ; male hypopygium very large, polished, the first segment grayish yellow pruinose ; hairs of legs very short, middle tibiae of male each bearing a long bristle below the middle of the outer anterior side, on the posterior side with a short bristle at one-third its length and with a transverse pair of short ones at two-thirds of its length ; hind tibia,- each bearing a pair of long bristles on the outer side near one-third of its length and with a second pair near two-thirds of its length in the female with an an additional bristle, situated below the middle of the inner side of each middle and hind tibia ; wings hyaline, costal spine very small, first vein bristly from slightly beyond base of second vein nearly to apex of auxil- iary vein, third vein bristly almost to small crossvein ; length, 4.5 to 6 mm. Two males and four females, collected by Mr. F. C. Pratt, in 1899.
Hab.- Travilah, Md. (June 10 and 20) ; Washington, D. C.
i8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
(May 12 and 29, and July 18) ; Snicker's Gap, Va. (July 18). Type : No. 5395, U. S. Nat. Museum.
Drosophila buskii sp. nov.
Head yellow, a black ocellar dot, center of tipper part of occiput brown, two orange yellow frontal vitue, converging anteriorly ; front bearing a few short bristly hairs, the two pairs of vertical bristles placed one in front of the other, three pairs of orbital bristles, the four bristles composing the two anterior pairs placed transversely, the inner pair directed forward, the others backward ; antennae dark brown, the first two joints yellow, the third joint subequal in length to the second ; the bristle below each vibrissa about two-thirds as long as the latter ; mouth parts yellow ; thorax yellow, opaque, yellowish gray pruinose, mesonotum marked with seven black vittse of which the median one is forked posteriorly, pleura marked with three black vittae, the upper two sometimes united anteriorly ; scutelhim yellow, the middle of the upper side next the base brown ; abdomen black, a median vitta, the first segment largely, front edge of the second, and the outer front angles of the others, yellow ; legs and halteres yellow ; wings hyaline, unmarked, costa extending to apex of the fourth vein, last section of fifth vein almost as long as the penultimate section of the fourth, last section of fourth vein twice as long as the preceding section ; length, 1.5 to 2 mm. Twenty specimens.
Hab.— Washington, D. C. (T. Pergande, D. W. Coquillett); Charlestown, W. Va. (A. Busck); Algonquin, 111. ( Dr. W. A. Nason).
Type : No. 5396, U. S. Museum.
Pieris occidcutalis. — Last July, in Las Vegas, N. M.( my little son Martin, found a number of larvae which I took to be those of Pieris protodicc, living upon Cleomc serritlata (family Capparidaceas). As the food-plant was a new one I requested him to rear the butterflies, so that we might be sure of the species. This he did, and when they emerged (3 <J\ i 9) it turned out that they were not protodice but occidentalis. One specimen of a dipterous parasite was also bred ; this has been referred by Mr. Co- quillett to Chcztogicdia arbra \ . d. W. — T. D:A. COCKERELL.
CORRECTION.— In ENT. NEWS, Vol. X, Dec., 1899, pp. 288-289, I re- corded the occurrence in New York of what I then supposed was the Mantid known as Stagmomantis Carolina. This year (1900) I have bred the insect from eggs laid at Rochester, N. Y., and Mr. Scudder finds that it is the common praying Mantis of Europe (Man/is rcligiosii), which has never before been recorded in America. I have just published a full ac- count of this interesting introduction of a new beneficial insect in Bulletin 185 of the Cornell Experiment Station, a copy of which I will gladly send to any one interested.— M. V. SLINGERLAND.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. IQ
A New Variety of Lepisesia.
By DAVID BRUCE, Brockport, N. V. Lepisesia ulalume var. rachel.
'Expands i?s inches, thus is somewhat smaller than ulalmnc, and has the light colored bar which crosses primaries and secondaries, lighter in color, wider and more distinct than in ulalume. This variety may be known at once from the sulphur-yellow color of the head, thorax, collar and pata- gi;c, whereas in ulalume the collar and thorax are intense black.
( 'la/nine was described and figured by Dr. Strecker in his Rhop. and Het. , and the type was taken in Oregon by Prof. O. B. Johnson. I was collecting larvae of Alypia lorqnini on /^f>ilobiitiu and found a large Sp/iin.v larva looking very much like that of 7". abbotii. The anal horn \vas absent, and a shining button was in its place. I fed it carefully and it pulled a leaf or two over itself on the soil and pupated, and appeared as a moth in February. The specimen is therefore from Colo- rado, and is now in the collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.
PROF. W. G. JOHNSON, State Entomologist, located at the State Agri- cultural College of Maryland, resigned his position on December I4th, to accept the editorship of the " American Agriculturist," which has offices in New York, Springfield, Mass., and Chicago, 111. He will locate per- manently in New York. Prof. Johnson leaves Maryland with the esteem and good-will of those acquainted with his work. The Horticultural Society of Maryland at a recent meeting adopted resolutions stating that the Association was justly proud of the eminence Prof. Johnson had ac- quired throughout the United States by reason of his devotion to and pro- ficiency in his profession. It is likely that Prof. H. P. Gould, Prof John- son's assistant, will succeed him as State Entomologist.
MR. G. WESLEY BROWNING, of Salt Lake City, Utah, is not only an entomologist but also an artist of ability. Last year he very kindly made the drawing, Stenopelmatusfasciatus, for the cover of the NE\VS, and this year he has made for us the fine drawing of both sexes of Epical I ia vir- giiHilis. This species is abundant in July in the beautiful canon which supplies Salt Lake City with water from the Wasatch Mountains. Mr. Browning has a most interesting field of work, as the individual canons in the Wasatch seem to have a few species not found in the others. The sand dunes between Saltair and Garfield Beach on the Great Salt Lake would doubtless repay careful study, and might prove a mine of entomological treasures.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
[The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author's name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.]
To Contributors. — All contributions will be considered and passed upon at our earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer ence, as to make it necessary to put " copy " into the hands of the printer, for each num ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five "extras," without change in form, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged. — ED.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., JANUARY, 1901.
A correspondent sends us the following :
' I would like to get your opinion as well as others upon the subject of establishing some sort of a black-list to protect well- meaning collectors from impositions practised upon them by some unscrupulous collectors in different parts of the country. Although the value of butterflies and moths may be small, still there are some who knowing the swindled ones have no redress take advantage of the confidence imposed in them by others to swindle and cheat them in making exchanges. I understand that in England, after due examination and inquiry, a black- list is published by the representative journals, and I think it would be a good scheme to adopt here."
We have known of but few cases, in an extended experience, wrhere persons have made a practice of this mean kind of swind- ling, and such swindlers soon become known to collectors and exchangers. Such a list would have to be gotten out with the greatest care as some people have grievances without any logical basis. Also we are not informed as to the legal aspects of the case, and would be pleased to hear from an}7 of our subscribers in regard to our right to publish such a list.
20
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 21
Entomological Literature.
COMPILED BY P. P. CALVERT.
Under the above head it is intended to mention papers received at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia pertaining to the Entomology of the Americas (North and South). Articles irrelevant to American entomology will not be noted. Contribu- Jions to the anatomy, physiology and embryology of insects, however, relating to Ameri- can or exotic species, will be recorded. The numbers in HKAVV-FACED TYPE refer to the journals, as numbered in the following iist, in which the papers are published ; * denotes that the paper in question contains descriptions of new N'orth American forms. Titles of all articles in foreign languages are translated into English; usually such articles are written in the same language as the title of the journal containing them, but when such articles are in other languages than English, French, German or Italian, this fact is indicated in brackets.
2. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, xxvii, i, Phila- delphia, Oct., 'oo.— 3. The American Naturalist, Boston, Nov., 'oo.— 4. The Canadian Entomologist, London, Ont., Dec., 'oo. — 5. Psyche, Cam- bridge, Mass., Dec., 'oo.— 9. The Entomologist, London, Dec., 'oo.- 12. Comptes Rendus. L' Academic des Sciences, Paris, 'oo.— 13. Comp- tes Rendus. Societe de Biologic, Paris, Oct. 27, 'oo.— 15. Biologia Cen- trali-Americana, pt. clviii, London, Oct., 'co.— 21. The Entomologist's Record, London, Nov., 15, 'oo.— 37. Le Naturaliste Canadien, Chicou- timi, Quebec, 'oo.— 38. Wiener Entomologische Zeitung, xix, 9, Nov. 5, 'oo. — 4O. Societas Entomologica, Ziirich-Hottingen, 'oo. — 56. Mitthei- hingen, schweizerischenentomologischen Gesellschaft, x, 7, Schaffhausen, Oct., 'oo — 58. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural, Valparaiso, Sept., 'oo. — 6Oc. Comunicaciones, Museo National de Buenos Aires, i, 7, Oct. 9, 'oo.— 64. Annalen, k. k. Naturhistorisches Hofmuseum, xiv, 3-4, Vi- enna, 1899, rec'd. Nov. 18, 'oo.— 65. La Feuille des jeunes Naturalistes, Paris, Dec. i, 'oo.— 68. Science, New York, 'oo.— 82. Centralblatt fiir Bakteriologie, Jena, 'oo.— 83. Notes from the Leyden Museum, xxii, 1-2, July, 'oo.— 84. Insekten Borse, Leipsic, 'oo.— 116. Biological Bulletin, ii, 2, Boston, Nov., 'oo. — 14O. Proceedings, Washington Academy of Scien- ces, ii, 'oo —141. Proceedings, Indiana Academy of Sciences, 1898, Indi- anapolis, 1899, rec'd. Dec. 4, 'oo.— 142. First Report, Michigan Academy of Sciences, Lansing, 'oo.— 143. O. S. U. Naturalist published by the Biological Club of the Ohio .State University, i, i, Columbus, O., Nov., 'oo.— 144. The New York Medical Journal, 'oo.— 145. Mittheilungen, naturwissenschaftliches Yereins fiir Steiermark, Gra/.
THE GEXEKA1, SI 15,1 ECT.— Bcii»tsson, S. On the so- called " heartboclies " [Herzkorper] of insect larvae as well as a contribu- tion to knowledge of blood tissue, Bihang till K. Svenska Vetenskaps Akademiens Handlingar, xxv, 4, Stockholm, 1899. — Porter, C. E. Vital resistance of some Chilian arthropods [in Spanish], 58.— Volf-'or, B. Insects in proverb and poetry, 84, Nov. 15, 22, 29.— Williamson, E. B. Biological conditions of Round and Shriner Lakes, Whitley County, Ind., 141.
22 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.— Anon. Locust destruction, Agricultural Journal, Cape Town, Oct. 25, Nov. 8, [and] Screens and traps on the Cyprian system [for locust destruction], figs., id., Oct. 25, 'oo. — Anon. Mosquitoes communicate yellow fever, 14:4, Dec. S.— Burrag'e, S. Insects as factors in the spread of bacterial diseases, 141. — Celli, A. Contribution to knowledge of malaria epidemiology from the newest etiological standpoint, iii, 82, Nov. 5. — Cook, O. F. Peach yellows : a cause suggested [poisoning by bite of a Phytoptid mite], 68, Dec. 7.— Brittoii, W. E. The San Jos6 Scale. From the Report of the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture for 1900. 13 pp. No indication of place of publication ! ! — Fieldiiig'-Ould, 1?. The malaria campaign, Nature, London, Nov. 8, 'oo. — Gerdolle, A. The phylloxera in the Metz country, Memoires, PAcademie de Metz, iSgy-'gS. 1900.— Grassi, B. First summary report on the experiment on prevention of malaria made in the vicinity of Paestum, 82, Nov. 5. — Howard, L. O. The economic status of insects as a class, Annual Report of the Board of Regents, Smithsonian Institution, for the year ending June 30, 1898. Washington, 1899. Rec'd. Dec. 4, 'oo. — Jenkins, E. H. et al. The protection of shade trees in towns and cities, 9 pis., Bulletin 131, Connecti- cut Agric. Exper. Station, New Haven, Conn. Nov., 'oo. — Knowles, M. E. Sarcoptic scabies of the horse ; psoroptic scabies of cattle in Montana, Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Archives, Philadelphia, Oct., 'oo. — Ktibler. [Summary of Dr. R. Koch's third, fourth and fifth reports on the Malaria Expedition, and of Ziemann's 'On the relations of mosquitos to the malaria parasites in Kamerun'], 82, Oct. 27. — von Marenzeller, E. Animals in the blood of man and their effects, Schriften des Vereines zur Verbreitung naturwissenschaft- licher Kenntnisse in Wien, xl, 1900. — McFarland, J. A review of our knowledge of malaria, 144, Nov. 17.— Ren, L. Experiments on the ability of the Diaspinae to resist external influences, Biologisches Central- blatt, Erlangen, Nov. 15, 'oo.— Sanderson, E. I>. The strawberry root louse [ Aphis forbe si Weed] ; The destructive pea louse \_Ncctai-a- pliora phi Kalt.] in Delaware, figs., Bulletin xlix, Delaware College Agric. Exper. Station, Newark, Del., Dec., 'oo. — v. Schulthess Recli- berg', A. The malaria parasite and its alternation of generations, 5(J. — Seeman, H. Neuronia popularis injurious to maize, 4O. — Slinger- land, 31. V. The grape root-worm [/'/'<//</ viticida Walsh], a new grape pest in New York, figs. Bulletin 184, Cornell University Agric. Exper. Station, Ithaca, N. Y., Nov., 'oo ; Id. The common European praying mantis a new beneficial insect in America, figs., Bulletin 185 of the same, Nov., 'oo' — Smith, J. B. Crude petroleum versus the San Jose or pernicious scale, Bulletin 146, New Jersey Agric. Exper. Stations, New Brunswick, N. J., Nov. i, 'oo. — [Stracliau, H.] A link in the mosquito-malaria alliance, 144, Dec. 8.
ARACHNIDA.— Cambridge, O. P. Arachnida Araneidea vol. i, pi. xxxiv, 15.— Tlior, S. Prodromus Systematis Hyclrachnidaium,
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
Nyt Maga/in for Naturvidenskaberne, xxxviii, 3, Christiana, 1900.- Wheeler, \V. M. A singular Arachnid (Koencnia uiirabilis Grassi) occurring in Texas, figs., 3.
OKTHOPT ERA. —Berg', C. I'/cminia argentina, a new Pseudo- phylid, <>Oc.— Biolley, P. Orthoptera recognized in Costa Rica from 1890 to 1900, i pi. [in Spanish], Tornado del Informe del Museo National 1899-1900, pp. 41-57. Imprenta Nacional, 1900.— Brumier v. Watten- wyl, C. Tri.\/int, new genus of Tryxalidce, near Sfanronotus, from Tierra del Fuego, figs., OOc.— Rehn, J. A. G. Notes on Mexican Orthoptera, with descriptions of new species :\ U. — Scudder, S. H. The species of Circotettix, a North American genus of Oedipodinae, 5.- Slingerland, 31. V. See Economic Entomology.— Tiimpel, K. Die Geradfliigler Mitteleuropas. Lieferung 7 (Schluss). Eisenach, Verlag von M. Wilckens. This " Lieferung" deals with the Orthoptera proper and the Thysanoptera, and completes this work in 308 pp., 20 col. pis., 3 black and white pis., 92 text figs. — Wheeler, W. M. A new myrme- cophile from the mushroom gardens of the Texan leaf-cutting ant [a Blattid — Attiphila fungicola*], figs., 3.
NEUROPTERA.— Calvert, P. P. Moults in the Odonata, 9.- Hine, J. S. Additions and corrections to the "Odonata of Ohio," 143.— Kirby. W. F. Notes on the Neuropterous family Nemopteri- da;, Annals & Magazine of Natural History, London, Nov., 'oo. — Man- sion, A. Frogs and dragonflies, Revue Scientifique, Paris, Dec. i, 'oo. — Osburii, K. C., and Hiiie, J". S. Dragonflies taken in a week, 143.
HEMIPTERA.— Bred din, G. Mimicry among the Hemiptera (concl.) (transl.), Bulletin, Societe Linne"enne du Nord de la France, xv, 329, Amiens, July-Aug., 'co.— Fowler, W. W. Rhynchota Homoptera, vol. i, pp. 55-76, pi. viii [Flatidae* Derbidse""'] ; vol. ii, pp. 281-292, pi. xix [Tettigonia*], 15.— Haiiseii. H. J. On the morphology and classifi- cation of the auchenorrhynchous Homoptera (cont.) (trans!.), O.— King1, G. B. A new Pidrinaria from New Mexico*, 4.— Osborii, H. A list of Hemiptera collected in the vicinity of Bellaire, Ohio, 143. — Reed, E. C. Synopsis of the Hemiptera of Chile (cont.) Capsina [in Spanish], 58.— Reb, L. See Economic Entomology.— Strobl, G. Styrian He- miptera, 145. Jahrg. 1899. 1900. — Tben, F. Contribution to know- ledge of the Austrian species of the Cicadine genus Deltocephalus, 2 pis., 145, Jahrg. 1899. 1900. --Webster, F. M. Distribution of broods, xxii, v, and viii of Cicada scpL'iidccini in Indiana, map, 141.
COLEOPTERA.— Beaulieu, G. The Cicindelas of the Province of (Juebec (cont.), 37, Nov.; The Scaraba -ida.- of the Province of Quebec, 37, Dec 15. — Berg, C. Note on the species of the genus .-l/iinins F. belonging to the Argentine fauna, (JOc.— Donisthorpe, H. Note on the copulation of Hydrophilic, pic< '/is, iil. — Howard, L. <). The LUke collection of Coleoptera, <>,S, Dec. 14 — Kiiu-aid, T. The metamor- phoses of some Alaska Coleoptera (Papers from the Harriman Alaska Expedition), 5 pis., 14O, Nov. 24. — Mollenkamp, AV. Six new Lu-
24 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
canid species and a new variety, 83. — Poiiselle, A. Contribution to the study of the habits of the Cicindelas, figs , (55. — Kaspail, X. The cockchafer (Melolo ntha vulgaris] in point of view of its progression in the intermediate years of its cycles, Bulletin de la Socie'te d'Acclimatation de France, Paris, June, 'oo. — Reitter, E. Identification table of the Cur- culionid divisions Cossonini and Calandrini of the European fauna in the wider sense, Yerhandlungen des naturforschenden Vereines in Briinn, xxxvii, 1899. — Slingerlaml, M. V. See Economic Entomology.
DIPTI3RA.— Anon. The resting position of Anopheles, 144, Dec. 8. — Chagiion, G. Some Canadian Syrphidae, 37, Nov.; Preliminary studies on the Syrphidae of the province of Quebec, 37, Dec. 15. — Co- quillett, D. W. Diptera : Entomological results from the Harriman Alaska Expedition*, 14O, Dec. 7. — Henneguy, F. The adipose body of the Muscidas during histolysis, 12, Nov. 26. --Howard, L. O. Re- marks on Psorophora cilia/a, with notes on its early stages, tigs., 4.— v. Kertesz, C. Remarks on Pipuncuhdae (Dipt.), 38. — Leger, Li. On a new sporozoan of Dipterous larvae, 13 and 12, Oct. 29. — Osten Sackcii, C. Notice on the synonymy of Anopheles maculipcnnh Mei- gen, Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, London, Dec., 'oo. — Pettit, JR. H. A leaf-miner Chironomus sp., in water-lilies, figs., 142. — Stein, P. Some remarks on Prof. Mik's criticism of my article on the Tachini- dae and Anthomyidse of the Meigvn collection in Paris, 38. — Strobl, G. The Diptera of Styria, iv, 145, Jahrg. 1897. 1898. — Vaney, C. Con- tributions to the study of the phenomena of metamorphosis in the Dip- tera, 12, Nov. 5.— Webster, F. M. Species of Diptera reared in In- diana during the years 1884-1890, 141.
LEPIDOPTERA.— Beutemnuller, W. Note on Sesia arctica, 4.— Clark, F. N. Photographing the eggs of Lepidoptera, i pi., 21. —Clement, A. L. Dispersal and varieties of Attacus cynthia, (55.— I)ogiiin, P. New Heterocera from South America, Annales, Socie'te' Entomologique de Belgique, xliv, u, Brussels, Nov. 28, 'oo. — Dyar, H. G. Life histories of North American Geometridae, xvii, 5 ' Supplemen- taiy notes on Orgyia, o.— Gibson, A. The life history of Arciia phttlcrata Harr., 4. — Godmaii, F. I>. Lepidoptera Rhopalocera, vol. ii, pp. 501-532, pis. xcv, xcvi [Hesperidse*], 15.— Grote, A. R. Clas- sification of the butterflies [and] Corrections (two papers), 4. — Han- ham, A. W. Additions to the list of Manitoba butterflies, with notes on other species, 4. — Lambillon, L- J. Note on the cry made by the larva of Achcroniia afropos, 21.— 3Iayer, A. G. On the development of color in moths and butterflies, Biological Lectures from the Marine Biological Laboratory of Woods Holl, 1899. Boston, 1900. — Pettit, R. H. The habits of Euclcinensia (Hamadryas) bassetteila, a true parasite belonging to the Lepidoptera, 142. — Piepers, M. C. The evolution of color in Lepidoptera, 83.— Poling', O. C- Notes on Neophasia fcr- looti Bhr. , from Arizona, with description of a new variety*, 4. — Sle- vogt, B. The enemies of our darlings [Birds, bats and dragonflies feed-
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
ing on Lepidoptera], 4O, Dec. i.— Smith, J. B. Contributions toward a monograph of the Noctuidae of boreal North America : revision of the species of Acontia Ochs.*, 2.— Standings, M. Synopsis of experi- ments in hybridization and temperature made with Lepidoptera up to the «nd of 1898 (cont.) (transl.), 2 pis., 9.— Tutt, .1. W. Cossns ore Strecker at the Tilbury dock [London], 21.— Warnecke, G. On some means of protection of caterpillars, 84, Nov. 22.
HYMENOPTERA.— Ashmead, W. H. Some changes in ge- neric names in the Hymenoptera, 4.— Berg-, C. Notes on two species of the genus Odynents of Tierra del Fuego, OOc. — Bouvier, K. L. The return to the nest among the predatory Hymenoptera of the genus
l!t-inbex, 13.— Cockerell, T. I>. A. Notes on New Mexico bees'", 4.— Fielde, A. M. Portable ant nests, figs., 116.— Forel, A. Nests of Caniponotiis scne.v Sm., and of Ufacromischa sa/lci Guerin ; A natural triple formicary ; Cyrphomyrmex Wheelcri n. sp.* ; Imported ants, .">(».
— Frey-Ge.ssner, E. Hymenoptera Helvetia, pp. '117-148, *56.— Friese, H. Monograph of the bee-genera Megacilissa, Caupolicana and Ox<za*, i pi, 64; Monograph of the bee-genera Exoma/opsis, Ptilothrix, Melitoma and Tefrapedia^, 64.— Kiiicaid, T. Tenthredi- noidea* (Papers from the Harriman Alaska Expedition), 14O, Nov. 24 - Langer, »T. Bees' poison and bees' sting, Sitzungsberichte der deut- schen . . . Yereines fur Bohmen "Lotos" in Prag, Jahrgang, 1899.- Webster, F. M. Some insects belonging to the genus Isosonia reared or captured in Indiana, 141.— Wheeler, AV. M. The habits of Ponera and Stigmatomma, figs., 116; See also Orthoptera.
Notes and. Ne\vs.
ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS
OF THE GLOBE.
CORRECTION. — On last line, p. 614, the date 1898 is given as the time Dr. Hulst was connected with Rutgers College, whereas the year was in reality 1889.
MR. PHILIP LAURENT will spend several months collecting in Florida. He has lately returned from a visit to Mr. O. D. Foulks, of Stockton. Md., who has a fine place for gentlemen interested in quail and duck shooting. Mr. Foulks is also a well-known entomologist.
Clisiocanipa fragilis. — Now that s<> much is being written about the ravages of the eastern species ol' Clisiocampa, it may be wortli while to report that C.fragilis has been exceedingly destructive the last two sum- mers in Sapello Canon, N. M , and the adjacent territory, especially defo- liating the quaking aspens (/\>pu/its fn-inu/oidcs). From cocoons gath- ered at Beulah I bred a parasite, identified by Mr. Ashmead as Phup/a
26 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
atrocoxalis Cresson. No dipterous parasites have yet been reported from this species, but doubtless Archytas analis, reported from Clisiocai)ipa californica, and Tac/iina niclla, reported for C/isiocainpa sp. at West Cliff, Colo, (see Coquillett, Revision of the Tachinidfe) were in reality bred from C.fragilis. — T. D. A. COCKEKELL.
MR. W. G. FREEDLY, JR., states that l.iinenitcs, ort/innis was very scarce at East Dorset, Vermont, during the past summer. It is usually there in great abundance. He also reports the capture of Callidryas eiibn/c at the same place on August 2yth. This is a very rare species in New England, especially in the northern part.
Lasiocampa medusa Strecker. — My friend Dr. Abbot, of Pasadena, while on a visit to his ranch near San Diego, Cal., found one of these moths in his tent, and about the same time a man working on the place found another. ' Thinking they might be something good, judging from their size and general appearance, Dr. Abbot turned them over to me. The two specimens agree almost exactly with Dr. Strecker's description in ENT. NEWS, January, 1898, except as to size, my specimens being 3^ inches in expanse of the wings. On comparing with arizoneiisis, they prove to be very distinct by their heavy appearance and thick hair on the abdomen. The specimens were shown to several other collectors in this vicinity and they were of the same opinion as to the identification of the species. Dr. Strecker's specimen is the only other known as far as I know, so I thought this would be worth recording. — FORDYCE GRIN- NELL, JR., Pasadena, Cal.
YOUR naptha launch story in last issue may do very well in the United States, but is nothing for a country where we feed pigs on the salmon thrown ashore, and stop railway trains with tent caterpillars. Last fall, writer's company put down quarter of a mile of small-sized water pipe and afterwards found that nearly every section was stopped up by rr/V/v/.v. It had been lying on the ground at the time first frosts reminded crawling things of winter quarters, and was literally so packed that \ve could not shake or force the creatures out, but had to dissicate them. In time and trouble they easily cost us a couple of hundred dollars. Entomologists ! come to Canada. — DVVIGHT PRAINERD, Montreal, Dec. 10, 1900.
AT TOKIO, toward the close of May and the beginning of June, one sees suspended under the verandas of houses beautiful little: cages oi bamboo from which break upon the ear strange little metallic whistlings of light trills, which fill the air with delicate music. The musical sounds are emitted by certain insects. Listening to these minute singers has beep for many centuries a favorite pastime of the Japanese. The most prized of these singing insects is the suzumushi. Its name means "insect bell," and the sound which it emits resembles that of a tiny silver bell. It is a tiny black beetle, of a flat body and very vulgar appearance. The
igoi] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 2J
kutsuwa-mushi is so named because its cry resembles the sound made by a horse in champing the bit. There are two species of it, the one a light yellow and the other a pale green. This insect is none other than a kind of winged grasshoper, common in many countries. — Newspaper.
is piricola. — Mr. Marlatt, in his interesting article in ENT. NEWS, November, credits the combination I.) niseis pii ico/ti to Francesco Saccar- do, but that writer did not propose any such name ; nor did Berlese, who also pointed out the generic position of 1 >el Gueticio's species Both these writers proposed to continue the erroneous name Diaspis ostrt'tfjornus. The first occurrence of the combination Diaspis pirii'o/a, so far as 1 know, is in Bull. 6, Tech. Ser., Div. Ent., p. 4 (1897). The method of double citation (of the authors of the name and of the combination), while cus- tomary in botany, is not so usual in zoology ; but when it is employed care should be taken to follow the rules governing it.— T. D. A. COCKERELL.
Doings of Societies.
By invitation of Mr. Wm. D. Kearfott, of Montclair, N. J.r the Newark Entomological Society held its regular meeting at his residence, Sunday, December gth. Seven members present, President Buchholz presiding. Visitors, Mr. Braun, of Newark, N. J., Messrs. Watson and Comstock, of New York.
Mr. Kearfott entertained his visitors very agreeably, ex- hibited his extensive collection, consisting of Lepidoptera from all quarters of the globe, it being especially rich in the micro- lepidoptera of N. America, to which, of late, he has been directing his main efforts, and among these are probably many undescribed species of Tineidre. Excellently mounted on silver wire and polyphorus strips, these small forms made a beautiful and very artistic exhibit. Mr. Kearfott also explained his method of inflating larvae, exhibiting the requisite apparatus, his collection containing inflated larvae of over 500 species, among them, several examples of /)<u<»n/ia ratal f)u\ only recently recorded, from New Jersey.
Mr. Kemp reported the capture of Sf>niguria tin nut at Angle- sea, N. J., September ^d.
"Aberrations and other odd forms," were made the subject for discussion and illustration at the next meeting.
S. T. KKMI-, Secretary.
28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
A meeting of the American Entomological Society was held October 25th. Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, in the chair. Mr. H. W. Wenzel donated a large and interesting collection of ants from the vicinity of Philadelphia and certain places in New Jersey. They were taken while searching for Pselaphidae and Scydmeenidse. Mr. C. Schaeffer of the American Museum of Natural History, New York, called attention to a mistake in most collections of Coleoptera. The Cerambycids Acanthocinus obliqitus and pusilhis were considered synonymous, the latter being placed as a synonym of the former by Bates, whereas they are quite distinct, according to the speaker, who pointed out marked differences in the elytra and punctuation. Mr. Ljebeck exhibited a paper-knife with a rabbit-foot handle, the hide of which had been entirely eaten by an insect, nothing being left but the bones. The insect doing the damage was probably Tinea biselliella. Mr. Wenzel exhibited fourteen specimens of Cychrus c/erat/is showing great variation in size and other characters. Mr. Schaeffer exhibited a species of Coleoptera from Florida which is near the genus Anomala, but quite distinct. Mr. Wenzel said that in Mr. Schwarz's paper on Myrmecophilus insects he had mentioned Adrancs cxcus as being found with but one species of ant, but the speaker had found this species with four species of ants as follows : Lasnts }>ii.\'ti(s, alicnus var. cuncrieainis, Lasins aphidicola and Aphu-- nogastcr aqnia. He also corroborates Mr. Schwarz's observa- tion in regard to Batrisus ione being found only with Lasius alicnis var. aiuerieana. A colon}' of Formica Integra was ex- amined in the fall and 14 specimens of Cydius :/e^/cri were taken. The following week the ants had entirely disappeared. The very minute species of Scydmsenidse, belonging to the genus Opressus, are exceedingly swift runners. Mr. L,iebeck said he had seen Hcticrins brunneipennis from a large ant's nest brought to the Academy.
Dr. Calvert mentioned two dragonflies brought in by Mr. Daecke which had been taken at Manuniuskin, N. J., and said Gomphus plagiatus was new to the New Jersey list, although the speaker had taken it in Pennsjdvania. Mr. L/iebeck men-
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 29
tinned putting Dermastid larvae in a tin box and subsequently found cast-off skins and nothing else. Dr. Calvert spoke of the egg of the common fruit fly with its two processes, one half as long as the egg, and these processes seem to have small air cells.
HENRY SKIXXKR, Seorfarr.
A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia was held November 22nd. Mr. Philip Laurent, Director, presiding. Mr. L,aurent donated two specimens of the blown larva of Hcmilcuca niaia. Dr. Calvert recorded the occurrence of a single male dragonfly Svinpctnun (Diplax) I'iciiinin Hagen by the pond in the Bo- tanical Garden of the University of Pennsylvania, November 2ist. This is believed to be the latest date yet recorded for this species in this locality ;* in his Catalogue of the Philadel- phia Odonata ( 1893 ), he had given October 26th as the latest, stating, however, that the species would probably be found still later, a prediction now verified. The occurrence of this individual yesterday is the more interesting, because on No- vember 1 6th the maximum and minimum temperatures for Philadelphia are official!}' given as 42° F. f 5.5° C. ), and 29° F. ( — 1.7° C. ) respectively; although on November 22nd the maximum and minimum were 74° F. (23° C. ), and 65° F. i i,s° C. ) respectively. The individual was captured, identified and released ; it was quite lively when set free. Dr. Calvert also called attention to a valuable paper by Dr. Justus Watson Folsom on the mouth parts of Anurida nntritiina, one of the Collembola. The interesting features of the paper were men- tioned. Dr. Skinner exhibited a variety of /'icris protodicc and made some remarks on the species in conjunction with /Wv/.s occidcntalis. Mr. Reinick said he had spent ten days on the Jersey coast at Atlantic City in October. While out fishing he
* On November 23d, I found a female of this species in the same local- ity, hut have not been able to find any individuals later. The other dates in November on which I saw this species at this pond were the 5th (ovi- positing), 6th, jth and roth. — P. P. CALVERT.
30 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
had a lot of clams for bait, and was surprised at the number of Coleoptera they attracted. He also saw many specimens of Phalcria testacca in hard cedar logs.
Mr. C. W. Johnson called attention to an article in the first report of the Michigan Academy of Science on a leaf-mining Chironouins, but the species was not named. He said he had received from Prof. Smith an allied Dipteron reared from the leaves of the Victoria regia, and they were found to be Cricop- topus sylvcstris. Dr. Calvert said he would like to ask whether it is better to give species fanciful names or name them after some character of the insect. This was discussed pro and con by those present. Mr. L,aurent said Mr. Daecke had reported Agrotis riolaris from Manumuskin, N. J. The speaker said he knew of but one other specimen in any other Philadelphia collection, and that was the type in the collection of the American Entomological Society. He also showed the chrysalis of Callidryas cubit/c, and said the larva of Sphin.\' plebcins was plentiful on the trumpet vine at Anglesea, N. J. He also reported Tcttigca hieroglyph ica from Da Costa, N. J., on July, nth. Dr. T. H. Montgomery, Jr., was elected a Member and Mr. Erich Daecke an Associate.
HENRY SKINNER, Recorder.
At the November meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held at the residence of Mr. H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South Thir- teenth Street, fifteen persons were present.
Prof. J. B. Smith spoke of a recent collecting trip to Ocean County, N. J., on November igth, and said that he had found numerous mosquito larvae living in pitcher plants. The plant is a veritable trap for insects, which disintegrate after death and lie in a decaying mass on the bottom of the plant, in which the young mosquitos are nourished.
Dr. Skinner referred to a recent article by Mr. Barrett in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS, on a dragonfly larva which was sup- posed to live in the large leaves of some plants containing water, inasmuch as the region in which the species is found is unusually dry and not propitious for dragonfly larvae.
Prof. Smith spoke on the great destructivenessof the Hessian
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 31
fly during the past season. Owing to the drought the fly had not emerged until the time that wheat was well up. Wheat should not be sown until after rain has broken the drought.
Mr. Daecke exhibited specimens from Manumuskin, N. J., including .\uthocliaris gcnutici, April 2_|.th. Also a Catocala rclicta from Philadelphia "Neck."
In connection with these specimens Prof. Smith remarked that among them was one of the rare . l^rot/s I'io/aris.
The oviposition of Cicada hieroglyphica was referred to by Prof. vSmith. He had found a pupal skin of this species in a decayed cavity inside of a pine log. The pupae usually cling to the bark of trees which they may ascend.
Mr. H. Wenzel said he had found Cicada canicnlaris com- monly in the latter part of August at Anglesea, N. J.
Dr. H. Skinner referred to a recent paper on the genus Argynnis, and a criticism by Mr. Lyman thereon. He spoke of the lack of data to specimens on which earlier work on this genus was based, and considered this to be the reason for the errors which had been made. He believed that a study of geographical distribution would settle many points in regard to synonymy in Ar^'vimis, as many so-called species are, no doubt, only geographical variations.
Mr. Reinick exhibited some tri-color process plates of insects issued by a Boston concern, and referred to errors in names and coloration. As these were issued for educational purposes he thought attention should be called to the matter.
Mr. Harbeck referred to the abundance of Passaliis corn at its in logs in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.
The occurrence of this species was further discussed by H. Wen/el, Smith, Johnson, Harbeck.
Mr. H. YVen/.el reported that he had recently taken several species of Pselaphidse in the lowlands of New Jersey, which had been described from mountain altitude- Prof. Smith did not believe elevation counts for much in the distribution of insects of this character.
The probable change of temperature in dead and live trees as effected by external inllucnco was discussed by Daecke, Smith, \Yen/el, Laurent and others.
32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January,
Mr. Laurent referred to the great damage done by Fieri* rapa- in Pike and Monroe Counties, Pennsylvania, and in sec- tions of New Jersey.
In reply to Prof. Smith, he stated he had seen the caterpil- lars of rapfc at work.
Prof. Smith said that Plusia brassiac had done the most in- jury to cabbage in south New Jersey.
Prof. Smith spoke of the death of Rev. Geo. D. Hulst, on November 5th, and referred to his entomological work.
On motion, the following resolutions presented by Prof. Smith, were adopted :
Resolved, That in the death of Dr. George D. Hulst, ento- mology has lost an able worker in his very prime, and when the character of his publications showed that his best was just being given to us. This is a loss to be regretted by the members individually and as a body, and they hereby record their sorrow and regret,
Resolved further, That the character of the deceased was such, that the loss of the man is equal to the loss of the scientist ; to be regretted by all who admire justness and up- rightness in thought and speech,
Resolved further, That this minute be spread upon the re- cords of the Social and that a copy be forwarded to the family of the deceased by the Secretary.
Mr. E. Daecke was unanimously elected a member of the Social. WILLIAM J. Fox, Secretary.
OBITUARY.
Dr. Otto Staudinger died at Lucerne, Switzerland, on Oct. 1 3th, in his seventy-first year. He was well known to Ameri- can students of the Lepidoptera.
A letter just received from M. Rene Martin contains the sad news of the death of M. le Baron Edmond de Selys-Longchamps, the greatest authority on the Odonata. His decease occurred a few days previous to December i3th, but the exact date is not mentioned. We shall give a notice of his life and labors in the February number. — P. P. CALVERT, Dec. 26, 1900.
ENT. NEWS, VOL. XII.
PI. II.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION
ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. XII.
FEBRUARY, 1901.
No. 2.
CONTENTS:
Calvert — Baron Edmond de Selys-
Longchamps 33
Cockerell — Flower and Insect Records
from New Mexico 38
Cockerell— A New Ceratina 43
Rrues — A New Species of Dolichopus 44
Merrick — A New Callimorpha 45
Kellogg — An Aquatic Psychodid 46
King— Lecanium caryse Fitch
Editorial 55
Entomological Literature 56
Doings of Societies 61
Baron Edmond de Selys-Longchamps.
The present classification of the Odonata, like that of all groups of living things, is the result of the studies of several generations, but it has advanced more during the second half of the nineteenth century than at an}' other period. In those fifty years excellent work on these insects has been done by a number of entomologists of the first rank. Yet it will not be unjust to them, to state that the present condition of that classification is due more to de Selys-Longchamps than to any other individual. The more eminent of his co-workers in this department of entomology, indeed, were highest authorities in other departments as well. This does not detract from the great merit of de Selys, for much of the time which they de- voted to study, he gave to the service of the State. But hi- interests as a naturalist were not confined to insects ; they ex- tended to the Belgian fauna generally, to mammals, birds, tree- and meteorological phenomena, and he wrote on all of them.
His life was long ; his first and last scientific publications
34 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
are separated by an interval of sixty-nine years ; his political services covered fifty-eight. Our interest in him is chiefly entomological; he was the " Maitre de 1'Odonatologie," the ' Altmeister," the chief systematist in this field who has yet appeared.
MICHEL EDMOND, BARON DE SELYS-LONGCHAMPS was born in Paris, May 25, 1813, and died at Liege, Belgium, December ii, 1900. He studied in the University of Liege, and early took up his residence at Longchamps, near Waremme, fifteen miles westward. In 1841 he became communal councillor of Waremme, was provincial councillor of the same canton from 1846 to 1848, member of the Chamber of Representatives for Waremme in 1848, elected to the national Senate for that arrondissement, February 13, 1855, and held the seat until his refusal to accept a new term at the general election of May, 1900. In 1879, the Senate elected him Vice-president, and on August 3, 1880, its President ; he left the chair in 1884. He had also been President of 1' Association liberale de Waremme, and Envoy Extraordinary to the court of Italy. In his letters he frequently referred to the great amount of time consumed by his senatorial duties. His resignation of them, he wrote to an American correspondent, was due to
" my age ; the precautions for my health on account of the frequent resi- dence in Brussels during the bad season in winter ; the desire to live in my family for the few years that remain to me ; and above all to enjoy a little liberty which will permit me to work at nos c/iers Odonafes, on which I am very much behindhand on account of the Senate" (letter of June 8, 1900).
His first publication on natural history was a few pages de- voted to the birds and insects of the province of Liege in the Dic- tion naire gcographique of that province by Ph. van der Maelen, Brussels, 1831. This was at the same time his first essay on the Odonata, followed in later years by some 114 others to the very December that saw his death. These memoirs and notes, for they are of very varying length, seem naturally to fall into three groups which, to a certain degree, are also chronological.
The first group deals almost exclusively with the European
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 35
species and embraces the years from 1831 to 1851. The results are summarized in the two chief works of this period Mono- graphic dcs Libellulidees d' Europe, Paris, 1840, and Revue dcs Odo)iatcs on Libcllulcs </' A'tt rope, Brussels, 1850. The Mono- graphic was undertaken chiefly to co-ordinate the work of his predecessors, Vandei Linden ( 1820, 1825 ), Hansemann ( 1823 ), Charpentier (1825), Fonscolombe (1837, '38), Leach (1815), Stephens and Curtis, most of whom had publishd in ignorance of the results of the others. The Revue was a complement and supplement to the Monographic, and is also important as mark- ing the beginning of that co-operation with H. A. Hagen, of which de Selys wrote in 1895, " I owe much to his friendship, to his communications and to his collaboration during the fifty years through which our intimate relations have lasted without interruption." Their correspondence began in 1841 ; in the Spring of 1843 they met in Paris and soon after Hagen offered his co-operation to de Selys. " This precious offer" was thank- fully accepted. The story is told in the "Avertissement" to the Revue.
The second period is that of the monographic revision of the Odonata of the world. It may be dated from 1853 to 1886. In the Revue, de Selys had given notice of his intention to extend his researches to the exotic forms. He had already acquired the collections of Latreille, Rambur, Audinet-Serville and Guerin-Meneville with this end in view. The first fruits were the Synopsis dcs Calopterygines , 1853, a synopsis as well of the Monographic dcs Caloptcrygincs, with Hagen' s aid, of 1.^54. The latter, said the authors in their preface,
" is in our thoughts only the commencement of a I listory of the O Ion. it, i that we hope to bring to an end in a few years. Our project is to publish successively, under the form of monographs, the five or six subfamilies that constitute the Odonata, and of which we already know about a thousand species."
The Synopsis (1854; and Monograpliic dcs (ioinphines > i Svs,s < followed, the latter three years later than expected. Five in- installments of the Synopsis dcs . Igr/onii/cs > iS(,(,-65 ) left lh:it group unfinished. Hagen, who had drawn the illustrations for the two preceding monographs. al>o made main- for the pro-
36 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
jected Monographic des Agrionines, which never saw the light ; the drawings remain at Cambridge, whither Hagen removed in 1867. Materials poured in on de Selys from all parts of the world, necessitating four Additions to the Synopsis of the Cal- opteryginae and four to that of the Gomphinae (1859-1878). A A Synopsis des Cordiilines 1871 and two Additions 1873, 'jS, aP~ peared, and after an interval of eleven years the Synopsis des Agrionines ( 1876, '77) was completed. A brief Synopsis des Aeschnincs 1883 and a Revision dn Synopsis des Agrionines ist part, 1886, close this period. In 1871 he observed that
"the publication of the works which I have undertaken has not
marched with the rapidity I have desired, the delays arising principally from the continual reception of new material, and from the desire which I have to perfect the classification and to know species already described, but which I have not been able to examine myself."
As the improbability of the completion of the Monographs increased, the Synopses became more detailed. The Libellu- linae alone of all the Odonata were never reached.
The third group are chiefly faunal papers, and while they began as early as 1857, they did not occupy much of his work- ing time, nor were they extensive until 1878, '79, when two memoirs on the Odonata of New Guinea appeared, followed by others on those of the Philippines 1882, '91, Japan '83, the Palsearctic Diplax '84, Asia Minor and the European fauna '87, Belgium '88, Sumatra '89, the Kirghis steppes '89, and Burma '91. After this date, the papers are shorter and deal with limited groups.
There is no space here to discuss de Selys' contributions to knowledge of the Odonata. Early in his career he avowed that he was not an anatomist. But he has created the classifi- cation, he has described the large majority of the known forms. His collection, in 1896, when seen by the writer, was more ex- tensive than any other in the world. His accuracy and careful- ness have never been questioned. Even in his age, his activity and interest never abated, and he seemed to be fully in touch with the suggestions and improvements devised by the same generation of students as that to which his grandchildren belonged.
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 37
He married Sophie Caroline d'Omalius d'Halloy, daughter of a fellow member of the Belgian Academy ; she died many years ago. It was his habit to reside at Longchamps during the Summers, at Liege in Winter. With him dwelt his eldest son and family, a most devoted and vivacious household. The residence at Liege, Boulevard de la Sauveniere 32, contained his general collection of Odonata ; at Longchamps, a building separate from the chateau, contained his extensive collection of European birds and mammals, the former being almost com- plete, and a collection of the insects of Longchamps. To stud}' these collections came visitors from Europe and America, re- ceiving every encouragement and the kindest hospitality.
The Master \vas aimiable, and the greatest affection was felt for him. " Venerable and venerated friend," wrote the chief English neuropterist ; " je suis bien desole," came from France with the announcement of his death. For some years past, as each birthday approached, a letter from America extended the best wishes for his ensuing year and reiterated the assurance of personal affection dating from two visits to Longchamps. When he declined to continue as Senator,
" my fellow citizens, electors, and a great number of friends and colleagues of the Senate and of the Chamber of Representatives came to make an enormous manifestation at Longchamps, May 24."
Probably no other entomologist of these later years has been equally honored by his co-workers. He was Honorary Presi- dent, as he had been the first, of the Entomological Society of Belgium, and honorary or corresponding member of the ento- mological societies in Paris, London, Berlin, Florence, Vienna, Stockholm, Dresden, Stettin, Berne, Helsingfors, Philadelphia, and of the other scientific bodies throughout the worid ; the date of his election as such in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia is as far back as 1842. In Belgium, he was given the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold, and he had received several other similar decorations.
And now the long and active life is t.-nded. In the truest --ense, do we " recommander son a me a vos pieux souvenirs."
P. P. C.
38 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
Flower and Insect Records from New Mexico.
By T. D. A. COCKERELL.
The following records are offered as a contribution to the knowledge of the relations between insects and flowers. It is perhaps hardly necessary to say that in New Mexico this sub- ject is a new one, and there is no part of the Territory where half an hour's observations at the right season will not yield unrecorded facts. Unfortunately, however, this ease in mak- ing new observations goes with the greatest difficulty in getting them recorded, for the reason that both flowers and insects are imperfectly understood, and in many cases only identified by the expenditure of much time, or through the assistance of specialists. Even many of the conspicuous roadside flowers have lately proved to be undescribed, and there still exists an uncomfortable possibility that several of the now-accepted names may require revision, although they are endorsed by the best authorities.
A being from another planet, after visiting one of our great city markets, might be so impressed by the variety of foods offered for sale as to report that mankind ate everything, was literally omnivorous. So a casual observer of the habits of in- sects might infer that they visited all sorts of flowers, and that it was useless to make records of flower-vists. Close study, however, shows us that this is far from being the case, and even those species which visit many kinds still have pre- ferences and their aversions. At the same time it must not be inferred in any case that the insects reported to visit a flower are the only ones visiting it ; for setting aside those which may have been collected but not yet identified, no flower has yet been watched sufficiently for us to make an exhaustive list of its insect- visitors.
COMMELINACE^:. Cvmmelina dianthifolia D. C. — Visited by Boinbus prunellas Ckll.
Iris missouricnsis Nutt. — Visited by Bombus iridis Ckll. and Porter, /?. ternarius Say, and B.ju.vtus Cress.
1901] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 39
SALICACE.E.
Sali.v sp., at Mesilla, May 4, 1897 (Ckll.). The following bees at the <f
flowers: Prosopis tnesiilce Ckll., 9; Pci'dita salicis Ckll., $ $ ;
Halictits siibobscunis Ckll., Salix sp., at Las Vegas Hot Springs, 1899 (Wilmatte Porter). Hym. :
Andrcna portcrtc Ckll. , 9 . Sa/i.v sp., at Beulah, Sapello Canon, May 3oth (Wilmatte Porter). Hym.:
Andrcna sapcllonis Ckll.; f /a/ictus annaticeps Cr. , 9; Osmia
fa c eta Cr., £.
CHENOPODIACE.l-;.
Atriplc.r cancscens (Pursh) — At Mesilla Park, April sgth, a honey-bee i. I pis tncllifcra lignstica Spin.) was observed busily working on the flowers.
NYCTAGINACE^E.
Abronia titrbinata Torrey — Lep. : Synchlce lacinia Geyer, Mesilla Park,
April 29th (Ckll.).
Wedclia incarnata (L.) — Anthophora inacnlifrons Cress., Las Cruces, August 23rd (Townsend).
RANUNCULACEyE. Pteonia (cultivated) — Hym. : Agapostemon te.ranus Cress., Las Vegas
(W. Porter). Delphinium scopuloruiu Gray — Hym.: Boinbus nevadensis cressoni Ckll. ;
B. appositus Cress.
CRUCIFER.-E.
Dithyrca ^'is/izcnii Engehn. — Lep. : Synchlce lacinia Geyer, Mesilla Park, April 25th (Ckll.).
Erysimiun axpennn (Nutt.) — Hym.: Halictns angnsiior Ckll., Rio Rui- dosa (Townsend).
J.t'pidiitin castwoodice Wooton — Hym.: Augochlora neg lee tula Ckll., La Cueva, Organ Mts. (Townsend).
Sophia andrenarum Ckll., ined. (The common species with yellow flow- ers in the Mesilla Valley, confused at first with Sisymbrium canc- scens, later with S. halictorum, but quite distinct. True Sophia halictorum has very inconspicuous flowers, and occupies, in the main, a higher zone, coinciding with the lower part of the Larrea- zone] — (i.) Mesilla, April i2th ; Hym.: Andrena salicinella Ckll., %, , in numbers, hovering over the plants and alighting occasionally: AugochloraneglectulaQs\\.\ Halictus pectoraloides Ckll., 9; H- siibobscurns Ckll., J; H. psciu{t>tt\<;i(/iiris Ckll. var. ; Dipt.: Teta- nops polita Coq., det. Coq.; Chlaropx assitnilis Macq., det. Coq.
(2) Mesilla, April 22iid ; Hym.: Agapostemon te.ranus Cress., 9.
(3) Mesilla Park, April 2yth ; Hym.: Apis mellifera ligustica Spin.
40 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
CAPPARIDACEyE.
Clcome serntlata Pursh. — The following insects were all collected on the flowers at Las Vegas in 1899 :— Hym. : Halictus sisymbrii Ckll., 9 , July (Ckll. and \V. H. Rishel); Agapostemon texanus Cress., 9. fuly (N. Stern and A. Garlick); Andrena argemonis Ckll., 9, July 20th (W. Porter); Anthidium parvum Cress., £ 9, June 23rd (Ckll.); A. perpictum Ckll., £ , August ist (Ckll.); Melissodes agilis Cress., £ var., July iyth (A. Garlick); M. gilensis Ckll., 9, July 20-22 (W. Porter); M. grindclice Ckll., 9, July 22 (W. Porter); M. pallidicincta Ckll., 9, July (Ckll., N. Stern); M. tristis Ckll., £, (probably the £ of pallidicincta}, July 2oth (Ckll.); Anthophora cardui Ckll., £ , July nth (Ckll.); A. cleomis Ckll., 9, August ist (VV. Porter); A. montana Cress., 9, July (M. Winters, N. Stern,
A. Garlick); A. occidentalis Cress., 9. July 2oth (W. Porter); Ccelio.vys rufitarsis Sin., 'S.July nth (Ckll.); Megachile cleomis Ckll., I 9, July (N. Stern, W. Porter, etc.); M. latimanus Say, 9 , July (Ckll., N. Stern, M. Winters); Boinbus americanarum Fabr.;
B. morrisoiii Cress; B. hevadensis cressoni Ckll ; Apis mellifera ligustica Spin.; Pelopceus servillei Lep., July loth ; Sphc.v (Chaly- bion] sp.; Asta/asp.; Sphex ichneumonea L., July 22nd (W. Por- ter). Diptera : Odontomyia inczqualis Loew. det. Coq., August ist; Compsomyia macellaria Fab., July nth; Eristalis latifrons Loew., July nth ; Lucilia sp., Silvius sp. ; Lep.: Colias eurytheme eriphyle Edw.,^, July 2; Pyramcis cardui L., July i5th (W. H. Rishel); Papilio sp. ; Ctenucha venosa Walk., July i6th (N. Stern);
C. crcssonana Grote, July i2th (W. H. Rishel). Hemip. : Lygtzus reclivatus Say, July nth ; Murgantia histrionica Hahn, July nth (M. Winters, N. Stern). Coleop.: Nemognatha bicolor Lee., July 5th (N. Stern); Hippodamia convergers Guer. , July nth, very abundant; Zonitis atripennis July loth, abundant; Clerus abruptus Lee., July TO; Cantharis biguttata}v\-y nth (N. Stern).
SAXIFRAGACE^E.
Philadelphus argyrocaly.v Wooton. — Dipt.: Vohicella anna Willist. ; vide Townsend, Pr. Texas Acad., 1897, p. 53, where the plant is given as P. scrpyllifolius.
Kibes sp. (wild gooseberry). — Hym.: Vespa diabolica fernaldi Lewis, Beulah, May 30 th (W. Porter).
Ribes sp. (wild gooseberry). — Hym.: Osniia ribijloyis Ckll., 9, O. //;>- naria Say, var. and 9, Ccelio.vys ribis Ckll., 9, Anthophora por- tcrtz Ckll., £; Dipt : Epalpics signifera Wralker ; all at Romers- ville, April 2gth (W. Porter).
ROSACE.-E.
paraifo.va acinninata Wooton. — Flowers large, 26-40 mm. across (mostly of the larger size); stamens large, with large anthers ; car-
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 4!
pels concealed to the last in the bottom of the flower, their tips not above the level of the bases of the stamens ; bracts and sepals fre- quently divided. Hym : Apis mellifera ligustica Spin., very many, April 3oth, May 3rd ; Agapostemon splcndens Lep. var. 9 (new to N. M ). April 3oth ; Colletes sp.; Halictns sisymbrii Ckll., 9 , April 3oth ; Halictoides fimbriatus (Cress.), 9 var. (new to N. M.), April 3oth ; Philanthus aff. albopilosus, May 3rd ; Sp/iccodes aff. fortioi , May 3rd ; Dipt.: Compsomyia macellaria Fabr., April 3oth. Lep.: Pyrameis cardui L., April 3Oth ; Anosia stigosa Bates, April 3oth. All near Mesilla Park.
Fallugia micrantha n. sp. or var. Flowers small, 23 26 mm. diam.; carp-ls protruding, forming a green blunt cone, longer than the stamens, which are small, with small anthers ; sepals rounded-trun- cate, with a green acuminate appendage about 2 mm. long, occa- sionally with two appendages ; bracts linear, entire and simple, zY^-^Yz mm. long ; leaves and stems like acuminata. Hym.: O.vy- belus sp ; Apis mellifera ligustica Spin. ; Phi/anthus aff. albopilosus. Hemip.: Phymata fascia/a Gray. All near Mesilla Park, May 3rd. When first I found F. micrantha I thought it might be a dimorphic from of F. paradoxa acuminata, tending toward a dioecious condition, but against this is the fact that both forms fruit abundantly ; and while some plants of acuminata were observed to have less fruit than usual, others were covered with fruit. Neither is the difference described owing to any difference in the age of the flowers ; it is equally apparent in the old flowers and in the unopened buds. I therefore treat F. micrantha as a species, at least pending any proof which may be offered to the contrary. Wooton's acuminata was intended to include all the Fallugias of this re- gion, the differences in the flower not having been noticed ; but one of Wooton's original specimens, in his herbarium, and also Torrey's figure which he cites pertain to the form here designated acuminata. Potentilla thurberi Gray. — Hym.: Bonibus monardc? Ckll. and Porter; B. prunellce Ckll. ; Megachile for/is Cress. ; Colletes gilensis Ckll., £ ; Vespa occidentaiis Cress. All taken on the Rio Ruidoso by C. H. T. Townsend. This Potentilla has dark red flowers. Rosa neome.vicana Ckll. =fendlcri Wats, (part), not of Crepin. The insects here recorded were found on the flowers of this rose in Me- silla ; the roses had been planted, and do not grow wild anywhere in the vicinity. On May 4, 1894, I collected the bees Prosopis nic- si//«"Ck\\., "b, Agapostemon sp., 9, and Diadasia apacha Cress. On April 27, 1898, Mr. C. M. Barber collected the bees Apis wclli- fera L., Augoclilora ncglectula Ckll., Halictus artnaliceps Cres^., H. sisymhrii Ckll., //. oleosus Ckll., I'msopis mcsillts Ckll., and Ceralina nanula Ckll., Rosa ncoinc r/< ana grows wild in the Sacra- mento Mountains, N. M.; it is closely allied to R. woodsii*
* Kasa nfoinc.iica.iui was collected in plenty by Prof. E. O. VVooton at Cloudcroft, N. M.; I have also seen it there. It differs from sayi by the leaflets cuneate at base, teeth simple or slightly compound ; from ifoodsii by the much taller stature (olten 6 ft. high or
42 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
Prunus (cultivated plum).— (i) Mesilla, 1897 ; Andrena fracia Casad and Ckll., £, March 24; Halictns ainicus Ckll., 9, April 4; liombus sp., Thee la halesits and Diabrotica i2-punctata April isth, the last mentioned eating the pollon. (2) Mesilla Park, April 13-14, 1898 ; Hym . : Andrena prunorum Ckll.; A. fracia, Csd. and Ckll., many; .-/. monilicarnis Ckll. ; .-/. sa/ieine//a Ckll. ; Anthophora macnli- frons Cress. ; Halictus pruinosus Rob ; Bomboinelecta <?//;-<•<// Ckll. ; Paraiidrena andrenonles (Cress.) ; Halictus annaticcps Cress. ; ProsQpismesifleeClal}., 1 ; Melecta maculata Cress. ; Halictuidr* sp. ; Collet,'* ^',n>to>ii Ckll.; Lep.: Synch/a- laiinia Geyer, many ; Dipt.: Bibio pa/Hpes Say, det. Coq., also Erisfalis, I'oluceHa and Ceria.
Prunus (wild plum).— Hym.: Jlombns fen/arins Say ; B.ju.vtus Cress., Megachile pollicaris pereximia Ckll , £ ; Andrena sapettoiiis Ckll.; ^4. z//V/V/^ Smith ; F<:'.9/><r inaculata L. All at Beulah May 301!) (Wilmatte Porter).
LEGUMINOS.i:.
Prosopis glandulosa Torrey.— Hym.: Prosopis inesillcz Ckll., ^J; /'. asinina Ckll. and Casad., £ ; Perdita f.vc/uniai/s Ckll ; . Is/niiead- iella prosopidis Ckll. All at Mesilla, May 7, 1897.
Parosela scoparia (Gray). — Hym. : Megachile sidalcece Ckll., Mesilla., August 23, 1897.
Parosela formosa (Torrey). — Hym.-: Centris /anosa Cress., ^, several at Little Mtn., Mesilla Valley, May ist (Ckll.).
Psaralea tenuiflora Pursh.— Hym.: Ccclio.i ys gi/eiisis Ckll., 9, j\fe»tni:- '• ejcilis Cress., 9- Gallinas R. at La Cueva, August 6th (Ckll., \\". Porter).
Petalostemon candidus (Willd.) — The following were all taken at the flowers at Las Vegas, 1899. Dipt.: /'hysoceph/a ochrciceps Bigot- det. Coq., July 21. Hym.: Andrena argemonis Ckll., 9, July, August (W. Porter, Ckll.); Anfh.ophora cardid Ckll., ^ , August nth (VV. Porter); Anthidium perpictum Ckll., £9, August nth (W. Porter); A.porteree Ckll., ^ , August iith (W. Porter): Mega- chile manifesto Cress., 9, August (\V. Porter); Bombiis fervidus Fabr. ; /?. scutcllaris Cress.; Cerceris vena/or Cress., July 2ist.
Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa).— The following were taken at Las Vegas 1899: Megachile cleomis Ckll., 9; M. latimamts Say, 9; JyW/.v- sodesagilis • anrigetiia Cress., 1\ Prosopis messillce Ckll., 9; . /•• thophora bomboides neome.ricana Ckll., ^, ; A. urbana a/ani<>.\, Ckll., £ ; . -///.v inellifera ligustica Spin.
more), and small solitary flowers; from blanda by the infrastipular spines normally in pairs, and the solitary flowers ; from aciculata (Ckll. described as blanda. var ) by similar characters. The flowers of neomexicana are sometimes two or three together, but then only one fruit seems to mature. The fruits are small, scarlet, oblong. Sepals entire. with more or less foliaceous tips. Stipules entire, but glandular-margined.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 43
Meliloiits alba Desv.— Hym.: Philanthus frontalis Cress., 9- Dipt.: Nanolelus unicolor Loew, det. Coq. Both at Las Vegas, August 9th (Wilmatte Porter).
Trifo/iitui. rt'pens L. — Hym.: Mclissodes pallidicincta Ckll., 9> Las. Vegas, July 3rd (N. Stern).
Liipiinis sifgreavesii Wats. — Hym.: Jiouibus nevadensis aztecus Ckll.
As(raga/iis /ininisfralHS Gray. — Hym.: Afcgachile fortis Cress., Rio Rui- doso (Tovvnsend).
I'icia sp. prob. ne\v, near />///<-//<•//<? H. B. K. (Wooton's No. 288). — Hym.:
for/is Cress.; .'Ifclissodes ruidoscnsis Ckll.; l>cinl' Lep., 9 ; CoIIetex ^ilcusix Ckll., ^ ; Cn'lio.Yys gilcnsis Ckll., £9; Bombus fervid us Fab. ; B. sonar us Say ; B. jn.v/iis Cress.; />'. ttTiinriiis Say; B. pninellie Ckll. All collected by C. H. T. Townsend on the Rio Ruidoso. Prof. Woototi considers this Vicia distinct from ]'. piilchclla, and knows of no name that can be applied to it.
A New Ceratina from New Mexico.
By T. D. A. COCKKRELL.
Ceratina neomexicana n. sp.
Female. — Length 7/2=9 mm. ; dark green ; occiput dark blue ; meso- thorax with a slight coppery tint at the sides of the middle ; first three segments of abdomen dorsally rather olive green ; clypeus with a broad- pyriform cream-colored patch ; ends of tubercles also cream-colored or ivory-white ; wings strongly suffused with reddish brown ; nervines and stigma dark. Allied to C. dupla Say, but usually larger and easily dis- tinguished by the more sparsely-punctured face, with a shining impunc- tate supraclypeal space, and similar spaces above the lateral pieces of the clypeus ; the sides of the vertex very sparsely punctured ; the mesothorax smooth and shining, with sparse punctures on the anterior third , and rather close punctures round the edges, but otherwise impunctate ; cheeks with small and very sparse punctures, a broad band behind the eyes impunc- tate ; punctures of middle of abdominal segments smaller and sparser than in dupla ; flagellum black above, last six joints reddish brown beneath.
Hab. — Chicarico Canon, near Raton, N. M., Aug. 25, 1900 (Ckll. ) ; Santa Fe, N. M.. July 10 (Boyle), July 7, at flowers of Aquilc^ia (Ckll. ).
MRS. E. M. SWAINSON, 2131 Guildford Ave., Baltimore, Md., will col- lect in Jamaica, commencing about April ist. She will be pleased to hear from anyone interested in Jamaica insects.
44 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
A New Species of Dolichopus from Texas.
By CHARLES T. BRUES.
The genus Dolichopus is very poorly represented in the Texas fauna. In the vicinity of Austin we have taken only two species, one of which is an undescribed form. The other,
Fore tarsus (r?) Dolichopus sphaeristes.
D. ramifcr, is very common, and is frequently seen at consid- erable distances from any water, often upon the vegetation of the dry hill-sides. The new species is described below.
Dolichopus sphaeristes sp. nov.
Bright green. Antennae, except part of third joint, yellow. Femora yellow. Cilia of inferior orbit pale. Tegular cilia black. Fourth longi- tudinal vein not broken. Hind tibia? and tarsi at base yellow. Fourth and fifth joints of male fore tarsi enlarged, black ; the fifth bilobed and with a large snow-white empodium.
Male. — Length 6 mm. ; of wing 5 mm. Bright coppery green, moder- ately shining. Face rather narrow, ochraceous, much lighter on lower .fourth. Palpi light yellow. Antennae yellow, except a black spot at in- sertion of arista and the infuscated tip of the third joint. Third joint short, oval, obtusely rounded at the tip. Arista black, about one and one-half times the length of the antennae, distinctly pubescent. Vertex shining green. Post-ocular cilia, except three upper ones, pale yellow. Thorax slightly yellowish pollinose in front. Pleurae darker and white pollinose. Coxae pale yellow, except a black stain on middle pair ex- ternally. Anterior ones bare, except for a row of black hairs along the apical external edge. Middle ones sparsely black hairy anteriorly. Ab- domen green at base and coppery posteriori)'. Last segment and hypo- pygium black. Internal appendages of hypopygium pale ferruginous. Lamellae gradually narrowed toward base and obliquely arcuate at apex ; white, narrowly and sharply bordered with black on the apical half ; strongly bristly at apical angle, elsewhere almost devoid of bristles : with a region of black punctures near anterior angle. Legs yellow, except last two joints of anterior tarsi, which are black ; and four posterior tarsi, which are gradually infuscated beyond tip of first joint. Last two joints -of anterior tarsi much enlarged and fringed with black hairs on anterior edge. The fifth slightly bilobed at apex, part of the joint forming a sort of appendage. Empodium very large, snow-white, almost as large as fifth joint. Posterior tibiae greatly thickened, especially near base, as
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 45
stout as the femora. Facii tibia lias an elongate bare space on inner side on basal half. Wings hyaline, rather narrow at base. Costa distinctly thickened at tip of first vein. Fourth vein not sharply angulate. Incision at tip of fifth vein well marked.
Austin, Texas, May, 1900.
This species is readily recognized by the peculiar ornamenta- tion of the male fore tarsus and the configuration of the pos- terior tibiae. The front tarsi approach most closely to D. 6- articulatits L,w. from which they differ by their very small appendage. It is a peculiar form.
A New Callimorpha.
BY H. D. MERRICK.
I wish to describe through the NEWS what appears to be a new variety of Callimorpha lecontei, for which I propose the name ' ' dyan'i ' in remembrance of the many courtesie- showrn to me by Dr. Dyar during a recent visit to the National Museum.
In color, this fly is a uniform creamy yellow, with all the markings of Iccontfi. It appears with it together with an immaculate form similar to vcstalis, but of the same yellow tint. I have taken this fly for three seasons, near New Brighton. Pa.
1 IIAVK lately received a note from a very intelligent and observing teacher, whom I asked to note the positions of the baggy and slender Cecropia cocoons in a region where they abound. She says that the baggy otu-s were high as well as low, " about even," while all the slender ones were low. She sent me between fifty and sixty after supplying some of the teachers, so she had a fair amount of material to observe. I have been testing these by weight, and so far I find that the heavier cocoons always gave 9 9 an<J tne lighter ones c?c?. The slenderest cocoon \va^ one of the heaviest and gave a 9-
With my present supply of cocoons I have not failed to select the 9 by weight, nor have I found any difficulty in selecting. I should not dare say, however, that this would always be the case and a sure test. If you try water on the two forms I think you will find that the baggy ones will be soaked more quickly than the firm ones, disposing of Mr. Roberts' theory. — CAKOI.INE G. Son.K, Urookline, Mass.
46 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
An Aquatic Psychodid.
By V. L. KELLOGG, Stanford University, California.
While "hunting" Blepharoceridae last March in the streams of the Sierra Morena Mountains, a few miles west of Stanford University, my attention was attracted to some very small Ble- pharocerid-like larvae and pupae which prove to be immature stages of a new species of Psychodid. Baron Osten Sacken in referring to some similar aquatic Psychodid larva.- and pupae discovered by Fritz Muller in Brazil twenty years ago, writes of the ' ' extraordinary interest' ' which the study of these ' ' very remarkable aquatic larvae" possess. As these new California larvae show all of the " remarkable structural" details exhibited by the Brazilian specimens they should possess a similar interest. They are certainly very curious and suggestive immature flies.
The family Psychodidae, the interesting "moth flies," is unusually well represented on the Pacific Coast, and certain species are very common. Mr. Trevor Kincaid of the Univer- sity of Washington has determined a dozen or more species on the coast of which 10 have been described from coast specimens. I have found certain species numerous about Stanford and along the seashore twenty miles west of here. I am acquainted with the immature stages of but one species, however, that one being a form recently described from my specimens by Kincaid under the name of Pericoma calif orniensis *
In the paper of Miall and Walkert on the life history of Peri- coma cancscens, a paper which I have unfortunately not been able to see, there is, as I learn from an abstract of it, a con- densed account of our present knowledge of the early stages of the Psychoidae, and a list of fourteen papers containing this knowledge. The larva of Pcricoma canescens is semi-aquatic : it breathes air from above the surface, but it can remain im- mersed " for a long time together." " The larva' s(.-cm most at home in water just deep enough to cover the body." Fritz Muller's aquatic Psychodids which he found in Brazil and gave
* Kincaid, T.
t Miall, L. C., and Walker, Norman, The Life History of l\-ricoina cattesceiis, Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1895.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 47
accounts of in the Zool. Anxeiger, 1881, p. 499, the Entomolo- gisehe Xachrichten, iSSS, p. 273, and finally, \vithgood figures , in the Trans. Knt. Soc. London, 1895, Part ^ • P- 4^3. are re~ markable in that the larva- are provided with both spiracles and tracheal gills, for breating air above or beneath the surface of the water, and are provided also with a series of median ventral suckers, reminding one of the condition of all Illrpha- yoccrid larv;e. The pupae of these Brazilian Psychodids is re- markable for its great modification, being broad, flattened, provided with prothoracic breathing tubes, and clinging im- movably by its ventral aspect to the surface of a rock wall, in all respects a structure, appearance and habit very like those shown by the pupa- of Blepharoceridae. The pupa of Miall's semi-aquatic I\vchodid\<, of the usual Tipulid-like type and the larva has no ventral suckers and has only spiracles, not tracheal
gills.
My California!! aquatic l\vdiodid is of the type of Midler's Braxilian forms. The larva.- and especially pupae are strongly like Ji/t'p/iaroccnd larvae and pupae, in miniature, and have nearly the same habit. The larvae which I found abundantly on March i and later dates in Los Gatos Creek, and other streams in the Sierra Morena Mountains, Santa Clara Count}-, live on the stones of the stream bed not usually submerged but always at the very verge of the water, sometimes submerged, sometimes above the water surface, but always wetted by the current or spray. They are when full grown about 2.5 mm. long and about i mm. wide. They are, as Muller says of the Brazilian specimens, onisciform but are narower and more elongate in shape than O/iiscits. The shape and general ap- pearance can be clearly understood by referring to Figure i, in which both dorsal and ventral aspects arc- shown. They are not flat but rather thick, and the dorsal surface is quite firm. The ventral surface bears eight median scgnientally ar- ranged suckers by which the larva holds firmly i but not nearh SO strongly as the larva of the Blepharocvrid;e > to the surface on which it rests. There are no thoracic breathing tubes and openings, as described for l\ riconia by Miall, but simply a pair of spiracles at the posterior tip of the abdomen, anal spiracles.
48
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
[February,
lying just between the strongly haired clavate processes shown in the figures. In the examination of nearly one hundred speci- mens ( killed by various killing reagents and preserved in alco- hol) I find no trace of any anal tracheal gills as described by Muller for the Brazilian larvae. But Muller expressly states that these gills can be retracted ( are always retracted in fact when the larva is above the water), it is possible that my larvae are provided with them. If so they must be very small and delicate, for they have escaped my observation and numer- ous dissections.*
The pupae ( Fig. 2, A) are found in the same places with the
Pupa Periconui culifornica Kiiicaiil. A, dorsal aspect ; B. prothoracic breathing tube.
larvae, although usually a little higher on the rocks and are thus less wetted. They are broadly shield-shaped, flat and adherent, quite of the general character of Blepharocerid pupae, but less convex and of course much smaller. They are 2.5 mm. long and 2 mm. wide at the middle. They have a pair of short clavate prothoric breathing tubes. These organs are not com- posed of several lamellae, as with the Blephoroceridae, but are single, sub-cylindrical and have a fine mesh-work covering
c- I shall have opportunity to see living larva- again next March, this point can be settled then.
I90l]
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
49
(Fig. 2, B). The dorsal wall of the pupa is firm, being fairly strongly chitinized. The flat ventral surface adherent to the rock is unchitinized, and the folded wings and legs lie uncov- ered, although of course perfectly protected by the dorsal wall. There are no sucking discs on the ventral surface of the pupa, but the adherence is, nevertheless, sufficient to prevent the
B
Pfficoma ci'ifornica Kincaid. \, ventral aspect ; B, dorsal aspect.
pupae from being carried away by the occasional splashes of water which strike them. The pupae were more plentiful than larvae by April 5th, and adults were issuing at this time. Pupae were found, however, at the same time, March ist, that the larvae were first noted.
I may add to this brief account of the immature stages of Pericoma calif oruica that I found on July 25th in a small stream in the Rocky mountains of Larimer County, Colorado, two pupae evidently Psychodid but different from the pupae of the California!! Pericoma. The prothoracic breathing tubes of the Colorado form were long and tapering and flexible ; the shape and general flat shield-shaped adherent character of the bo-1; was the same as in l\ricoma californica.
5O ENTOMOLOGICAL NEVs. [February,
Lecanium caryae Fitch.
BY GKO. E. KING, Lawrence, Mass.
There seems to be considerable confusion about Fitch's Lc- cauiinu carvu\ Tliis original description is "Fixed to the bark of the small limbs a large, very convex oval scale of a black color fading to chestnut-brown, in May, dusted over with a white powder. Length often .40 by .25 in width." The type specimens have apparently been destroyed, at least they can- not now be found. The confusion seems to have arizen from a species sent by Fitch to Signoret, who took it to be L. carver, and described it as having a six-jointed antennae, with the third joint very long and the female scale 6 mm. long. It is quite evident that this could not be Fitch's L. carytf, as his scale was 10 mm. long and 612 broad.
What I take to be L. carycc is a species which I have found on pignut hickory, wild red cherry, and once on white oak ; the same species has just recently been sent me by Dr. Fletcher, found on peach at Niagara, Ont. Some of these scales were of the same size as Fitch's, while others were some- what larger. The following is a description of them : 9 scale very large, ii1- mm. long, 91- broad, 31.-J high; dark red- brown ; soft, while on the limbs in May, and more or less cov- ered with a white power ; anal cleft il? mm. long. Antennas stout, distinctly seven jointed. The measurements are in mi- cromillimeters. Antennal joints ( r ) 28, (2) 28, (3) 92, (4) 40, (5) 20, (6) 24, (7) 40. Width ( i ) So, (2) 72, (3)44, i 4 ) 40, ( 5 > 32, ('6) 28, ( 7 ) 24. The number of hairs on the several joints seem to be variable and they generally point longi- tudinally. The first joint seems to have two ; the second, one long one ; the fifth, one very long ; the sixth, two, short ; and the seventh seems to have eight. Marginal spines 44 long and 8 broad at the base, points sharp, spaces between each two ad- jacent spines about 60. The derm become quite clear when boiled in caustic potash, and shows gland pits of two sixes, with the usual other markings found in the subgenus Enlcca- nimii. This species should be easily recognized by its stout 7- jointed antenna?, and the very large size of the scale, being flu- largest species found. Habitat, North America.
igOl] KXTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 51
There is not the slightest doubt but the above described spe- cies is Fitch's /, . carya', 1X56, found on C'ar_va alba.
libliograuhy. — Report of the Noxious and other Insects of the State of New York, by Asa Fitch, 1856, p. 443. The hickory bark-lou<-<-, Leca/iinui carya: \\. sp.
U. S. Agr. Rpt., 1880, p. 364, C/n/oi/t'iinis a/biconiis (a parasite). Mr. J. D. Putnam bred seven of the above parasites from L. caryce in his collection at Davenport, Iowa.
Insect Life, vol. 3, 1890, p. 383. In the description of L. pruinosum by D. W. Coquillett, he says: "Among all the descriptions of the species of Lecaiiinui, to which I have access, none agree so well with the present species as does Dr. Fitch's description of his L. carycc ; but Prof. Riley has compared specimens and finds carycg to be much larger."
Fifth Rpt., U. S. Entom. Com., 1890, p. 298, is a copy of Fitch's descrip- tion of L. caryff.
Can. Ent, vol. 27, p. 254, 1^95, Prof. Cockerel!, in his description of L. cauadeiise, refers to Signoret's description of L. caiytr, but not of Fitch, 1856.
Can. Ent., vol. 30, 1898, p. 293, Prof. Cockerel!, in his description of L. carya mm, refers to Signoret's species and considers it to be very similar to if not identical with Fitch's L. cynosbati.
Can. Ent., vol. 31, 1899, p. 141. The present writer cites /,. carycc being found by him in Massachusetts.
The Industrialist, April, 1899, p. 234, Prof. Cockerell refers to L. caryce in his descriptive notes on L. ribis Fitch.
Notes on Aleurodidae. BY H. O. WOOIAVOKTH, Champaign, 111.
Tlie appearance last July of Bulletin No. S, Technical Series, Div. of Ent., U. S. Dept. of Agric., by Prof. A. L,. Quaintance, entitled : " Contributions Toward a Monograph of the Ameri- can Aletirodidie," brought to the writer's attention this much neglected family.
In Illinois there were reported by that paper only three spe- cies upon as many hosts. Therefore the writer decided to us</ his spare time in the study of the local specie-^ and such others as he might collect elsuwhrre. As a result, in the la.xt few months, specimens from about one hundred kinds of plants were collected, of which at least three-fifths are new to the monographic list. From sonu es of ] hints as many a> live
kin^s of Aieurodids were found.
52 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
Host plants of Aleurodes pergandei (juaint.
The present paper will be devoted to the host plants of one— the prettiest of these little insects : Aleurodes pergandei Quaint. The pupal form alone will be considered.
The plants will be considered in the systematic botanic order of Gray.
RUTACE^E.
NORTHERN PRICKLY ASH.
Xanthoxylum americamim.
Specimens found on under side of leaves, August 23, 1900, about one-half mile east of Urbana and noticed quite often north and east of Urbana until the last of September, when the writer went to Pekin for a month. They were always scarce, never more than three upon one leaf.
ROSACES.
CULTIVATED PLUM.
Primus sp.*
One specimen was found in Champaign, 111., as early as August 13, 1900, and on September 12, 1900, several speci- mens wrere taken from two trees at the University grounds. The}r w^ere not abundant.
CULTIVATED DWARF PLUMS.
Prunus sp.
Few collected September 12, 1900, from plant at the Experi- ment Station ground in Urbana.
FLOWERING ALMOND.
Primus Amydalus nana.
On September 20, 1900, after a few7 minutes' careful search, a few specimens were found in Mt. Hope Cemetery — south of Urbana.
PEACH. Prunus (Amyydalus) persica.
From the i st of August until the last of September speci- mens could be found upon nearly every peach tree about Cham- paign and Urbana, but apparently only upon the lower and more shaded leaves. They were scarce, never more than twelve being found upon a single tree.
* See p. 32 of Prof. A. L. Quaintance's paper for additional localities.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 53
BLACKBERRY.
Rnbus villosus.
Found first upon berry-bush 2/_> miles northeast of Urbana, September 5, 1900 ; next near Insectary, IT. of I. grounds, Urbana, November 17, 1900, and later as follows : U. of I. forest, Urbana, November 26, 1900 ; December 17, 1900; Janu- ary 18, 1901; woods north of Urbana, December i7th, but feu- specimens taken at a time. Of those collected in wood, De- cember 17, 1900, two were upon upper surface of a curled leaf.
RED HAWS.
Crataegus mollis and Crataegus sps.
On August 22, 1900, about 1^4 miles north of Urbana were found upon the lower leaves a large number of specimens. From then until the last of September some specimens were seen upon nearly every red haw plant. Some leaves had as man}" as fifteen upon them. They were especially abundant in dark places. At Pekiu, 111., October u, 1900, some were found upon three leaves.
ENGLISH HAW.
Crataegus oxycantha.
On October 30, 1900, in a yard in the western part of Cham- paign, two specimens were found upon a leaf.
WILD-CRAB.
Pyrus coronaria.
About the ist of September and throughout that month quite a number of specimens were taken from the lower leaves in crab thickets. They were not found upon isolated trees.
SAXIFRAGACE/E.
Hydrangea sp.*
CAPRIFOLIACEj;.
SNOW BALL.
Viburnum opulus.
Few leaves with specimens collected at Mt. Hope Cemetery, south of Urbana, on September 18-20, 1900.
Not collected at yet upon this plant in Illinois.
54 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
BIGNONIACE^E.
TRUMPET CREEPER.
Bignonia radicans.
On August 16, 1900, at the University grounds were collec- ted several specimens, and from then until the last of Septem- ber occasionally noted in same locality. On September 20, 1900, some were found in Champaign, 111.
OLEACE^E.
FRINGE TREE.
Chionanthus virginica.
On August 13 and 30, 1900, some specimens were taken ii: the western part of Champaign. They were noted* at intervals of about two weeks between the above dates.
In conclusion, the Illinois localities are added to those of Quaintance (Wash., D. C., Ga., Va. .
The host list for Illinois includes all but one species ( Hy- drangea], besides adding several to those found elsewhere. Trees, shrubs and a vine are among the hosts, representing six botanical families and thirteen species. Each family, except Rosaceae, is represented by a single species. This seems to show that Alcnrodcs pcrgandci prefers the plants of the rose family.
From the above paper, one may infer that in this locality this year it preferred the red haws.
What seemed strange to the writer was that not a single specimen of Alcurodcs pergandci was among the number of Alourodids on leaves of red haw, crab, etc., collected in Mil- waukee, Wis. , the last week of August, 1900, from which the writer concludes they are very scarce if present in the vicinity of Milwaukee. Further investigation alone can settle that point.
Again, although they are usually found upon the lower sur- face of the leaves, yet they were, on December 17, 1900, found upon the upper surface.
This species has been collected on the 2oth of May in Geor- gia, and seen almost continually from the ist of August to the last of September in Illinois ; afterward at intervals to January 4, 1901. This leads the writer to think that it may K possible to collect this species throughout the year in the form of pupa.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
[The Conductors of ENTOMOLOGICAL Ni-.ws solicit and will thankfully receive items of news likely to interest its readers from any source. The author's name will be given in each case, for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.]
To Contributors. — All contributions will be considered and passed upon at our earliest convenience, and, as far as may be, will be published according to date of recep- tion. ENTOMOLOGICAL XHVVS has reached a circulation, both in numbers and circumfer ence, as to make it necessary to put " copy " into the hands of the printer, for each num ber, three weeks before date of issue. This should be remembered in sending special or important matter for a certain issue. Twenty-five '' extras," without change in foim, will be given free, when they are wanted ; and this should be so stated on the MS., along with the number desired. The receipt of all papers will be acknowledged. — Kn.
PHILADELPHIA, PA., FEBRUARY, 1901.
IT is interesting to observe the comparatively slow growth of science along some lines and to see how most important facts are overlooked until attention is attracted to them by si ma- great event that appeals to many minds at once and cans* great awakening. The large mortality from typhoid fever during the late Spanish-American war has created a wide- spread interest in the subject of the transmission of disease- by inst-cts, and main- important papers have recently appeared bearing on this subject. At the present time the importance of these studies and observations is fully recognized, and there- is absolutely no doubt that insects play a most important part as ;etological factors in disease. To show the comparatively slow growth of the subject, it may be mentioned that in iSoj ])r. John Crawford, in the "Baltimore Observer," published a paper on the " Mosquital Origin of Malarial Disease." The "New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal," vol. iv, pp. 563-601, 1848, contains an article by Dr. Josiah Xott, in which he mentioned that the " mosquito of the lowlands" was the cause of malaria. In 1871, Dr. Joseph Leidy stated his belief that hospital gangrene was disseminated by house-flies ( 1'; Acad. Xat. Sci. Phila., 23, 297 >. Dr. A. F. A. King deserves great credit for his brilliant article published in the " Popular
55
56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
Science Monthly," 23, 644, 1883, entitled "Mosquitoes and Malaria." The later literature should be known to all inter- ested in this subject. It is amusing to find some recent writers in medical journals claiming priority for observations which were in reality made before they were born.
Entomological Literature.
COMPILED BY P. P. CALVERT.
Under the above head it is intended to mention papers received at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia pertaining to the Entomology of the Americas (North and South). Articles irrelevant to American entomology will not be noted. Contribu- tions to the anatomy, physiology and embryology of insects, however, relating to Ameri- can or exotic species, will be recorded. The numbers in HEAVY-FACED TYPE refer to the journals, as numbered in the following list, in which the papers are published ; * denotes that the paper in question contains descriptionsof new North American forms. Titles of all articles in foreign languages are translated into English; usually such articles are written in the same language as the title of the journal containing them, but when such articles are in other languages than English, French, German or Italian, this fact is indicated in brackets.
4. The Canadian Entomologist, London, Ont., Jan., '01. — 5. Psyche, Cambridge, Mass., Jan., '01. — 6. Journal of the New York Entomologi- cal Society, Dec., 'oo.— 9. The Entomologist, London, Jan., '01. — 12. Comptes Rendus. L'Academie des Sciences, Paris, 'oo. — 21. The Ento- mologist's Record, London, Dec. 15, 'oo. — 24. Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift, xlv, 1-2, Aug., 3-4, Dec., 'oo. — 32. Bulletin du Museum d'His- toire Naturelle, Paris, 'oo.— 3(>. Transactions, Entomological Society of London, 'oo, pt. iv, Dec. 24. — 37. Le Naturaliste Canadien, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Dec. 30, 'oo. — 51. Novitates Zoologicae, vii, 3, Tring, England, Dec., 'oo. — 74. Naturvvissenschaftliche Wochenschrift, Berlin, 'oo.— 85. Bulletin, Societe des Sciences Naturelles de 1'Ouest de la France, x, 3, Nantes, Sept. 30, 'oo. — 8Ga. Annales, Soci6t6 Entomologique de France, '99, Trimestres 1, July, '99 ; 2 Nov., ,99 ; 3 Feb , 'oo ; 4 June, 'oo ; all rec'd. Jan., '01. — 86l>, Bulletin of the same for 1899; rec'd. Jan., '01.— 87. Revue Scitntifique, Paris, 'oo. — 89. Zoologische Jahrbiicher, Abthei- lung fiir Systematik, etc., xiv, 2, Jena, Dec. 4, 'oo. — 14O. Proceedings. Washington Academy of Sciences, ii. Papers from the Harriman Alaska Expedition, Dec. 20, 'oo, unless otherwise dated.
THE GENEltAL SUBJECT.— Beutemmiller, W. Ento- mological writings of the late Rev. George D Hulst, C. — Brown, A. \V. [Arachnida, Myriopoda, Prototracheata] Sharp, I). [Insects]. The Zoological Record, xxxvi, Records of Zoological literature relating chiefly to the year 1899. London, 'co. — Coupiii, H. The sentiment of death in animals, 87, Dec. 22. — Gadean de Kerville, H. Observations on the utility of radiography in entomological works, 8(>b, 4. — Hand- lirseli, A. On socalled "local faunas" and especially on Gabriel
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 57
Strobl's ' Styrian Hemiptera,1 Verhandlungen, zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 1, 9, Dec. 7, 'oo. — 3Iarshall, G. A. K. Conscious protective resemblance. Remarks on this paper by Poultoii, K- B. The Zoologist, London, Dec. 15, 'oo — Kedikorzew, AV. Researches on the structure of the ocelli of insects, figs., 2 pis., Zeitschnft fur wissen- schaftliche Zoologie, Ixviii, 4, Leipsic, Dec. 4, 'oo. — Stichel H. et al. [Discussions on mimicry in the Proceedings of the Berlin Society], U4, 3-4. — de Varigiiy, H. Animal chemists, 87, Dec. 29. — Weeks, A. <J. In memoriam : Rev. Dr. George D. Hulst, 6.
ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.— v. Aiguer-Abafi, L. The destructiveness of Acherontia atropos, Rovartani Lapok, Budapest, Nov., 'oo. — Anon. Yellow fever and mosquitoes, Science, New York, Dec. 28, 'oo. — Bureau, L. Lyctus canaliculatus Fabr. and its ravages in parks and other open woods, figs., 85- — Cartaz, A. Mosquitoes and paludism. La Nature, Paris, Dec. 8, oo. — Celli, A. The new prophy- laxis of malaria in Latium, figs., Centralblatt fiir Bakteriologie, Jena, Dec. 8, 'oo — Cockerel!, T. D. A. Observations on insects, figs., Bul- letin 35, New Mexico College of Agric. and Mechanic Arts, Mesilla, N. M., Oct., 'oo. — Hopkins, A. D. The periodical cicada or seventeen- year locust in West Virginia, a revision of Bulletin 50, etc., figs,, maps., 3 pis. Bulletin 68, West Virginia Agric. Exper. Station, Morgantown, W. Va., Oct., 'oo ; Report on examination of wheat stubble from differ- ent sections of the State : supplement to Bulletin 67, ' The Hessian fly in West Virginia.' The Joint-worm in wheat in the northern Panhandle and northern borders of the State, i pi., Bulletin 69, id. — Howard, L. O. A contribution to the study of the insect fauna of human excrement with especial reference to the spread of typhoid fever by flies, figs., 2 pis , 14O, ii, Dec. 28, 'oo ; Flies and typhoid fever, Popular Science Monthly, New York, Jan., "01. — Koch, It. Summary of the results of the malaria expe- dition, 7-4-, Dec. 30. — Ivropotkin, P. Recent science: insects and malaria, The Nineteenth Century, Lond., Dec., 'oo. — Lounsbiiry, C. P. Report of the Government Entomologist for the year 1899, 4 pis., Cape of Good Hope Dep't. of Agriculture. Cape Town, 'oo. — Mer, E. Various means to preserve bark and wood against the attacks of insects, Bulletin, Societe" Nationale de Agriculture de France, 1900, No. u, Paris. --Pil- laiis, E., 3Iayer, C. Reports of the Agricultural Assistants at Cape Town and Stellenbosch for the year 1899. Cape of Good Hope Dep't. of Agriculture, Cape Town, 'oo. — Kelt, L. Experiments on the ability of the Diuspina.' to resist external influences : Biologisches Centralblatt, Er- largen, Dec. 15, 'oo. — Sarruf, N. Y. Malaria and mosquitoes, Nature, London, Dec. 20, 'oo. — Smith, J. B. The angoumis grain moth, figs., Bulletin 147, New Jersey Agric. Exper. Stations. New Brunswick, N. J., Dec. 10, 'oo. — Stephens, W. W., Christophers, S. K., Daniels, C. W. Reports to the Malarial Committee, Royal Society [from West and East Africa.] 3rd Series, London, Dec. 31, 'oo.— Verhoett', C. \V. A noteworthy enemy [O/rrw/w larvse] of the "Blutlaus," 124, 34.-
5s ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
Wilcox, E. V. Abstract of recent publications, Experiment Station Record, xii, 3, 4, Washington, 'oo.
AKACHNI DA. —Banks, N. Some Arachnida from Alabama,* Proceedings, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1900, Nov. 10 ; Arachnida,* i pi., 14O. -Kabes. Development of our knowledge of the spider's eye, figs., 74, Dec. 2.— Westberg", P. Spider life, Korre- spondenzblatt, Naturforscher-Vereins zu Riga, xliii, 'oo.
PROTOTRACHEATA.— Bouvier, E. L. Contributions to the history of the American Pen'pafits, 6 pis., S6a, 3.
MYRIOPODA.— Behal and Phisalix. Ouinone, the active prin- ciple of the venom of Julus terrcstris, 12, Dec. 10.— Jourdaiu, S. The venom of Sco/opcnitra, 12, Dec. 10.— Phisalix, C. A volatile venom, cutaneous secretion of Ju/ns ten-csfris, 12, Dec. 3.
THYSANURA.— Skorikow, A. A new species oi Japy.v (Thysa- nura) from eastern Bokhara, Annuaire, Musee Zoologique de 1'Academie Imperiale des Sciences de St. Petersbourg, v, 3, 'oo.
ORTHOPTEBA.— Bordas, L- Contribution to the study of the subintestinal sympathetic or stomatogastric nervous s\ stem of Orthoptera, 2 pis., Bulletin Scientifique de la France et de la Belgique, xxxiii, Paris, Oct. 10, 'oo.— Caudell, A. N. Orthoptera, 14O.— Kiinekel d'Her- culais, J. The large migratory Acridians, of the Old and New Worlds, of the genus Scliistocetra, and their changes of coloration according to age and to the seasons ; physiological role of the pigments, 12, Dec. 3.— Kehu, *J. A. G. The generic names Vates and Theoc/ytes, 4.— Sc udder, S. H A tropical type of Acridian new to the United States,* <>; Cyplindcn-is wo/is/rosa, 4.— Therese, Princess of Bavaria, Insects collected on a journey to South America (cont. ) ; the new Orthoptera de- scribed by Bruiiner, the new Odonata by de Selys-Loiig-chaiuim and Brauer, 24, 3-4.— Walker, E. 31. Notes on some Ontario Acridiidce, iv, 4.
NEUKOPTERA. -Banks, N. Neuropteruicl insect:;,- 2 pis. [excl. Odonata], 14O.— Brauer, F., de Selys-Loiig-elianips, E« See Orthoptera.— Enderlein, G. The Psocid fauna of Peru, rigs., 2 pis., 8i>; I<:pipsocns ciliatns Hagen, a Psocid of the Amber and the re- cent Peruvian E. ncpos n. sp., 24, 1-2.— Lucas, W. J. British Dragon- flies (Odonata), London : L. Upcott Gill. 1900. Svo. Pp. xiv, 356. 57 text figs., 27 colored pis.
HEMIPTERA.— Baker, C. F. Notes on Macropsls and Agallia (Jassidse), 5.— Ball, E. I). New Jassidce from the Rocky Mountain and Pacific region,* 4.— Distant, W. L. Contributions to a knowledge of the Rhynchota, i pi. [includes a section on Central American species | 156.— Knock, F. Oviposition of Kanatra, 06, Proceedings. — Heid*1- inanii, O. Heteroptera, 14O.— Hopkins, A. J_>. See iM-onomic Entomology.— King-, G. B. Coccida- of the Harvard Botumr.tl T.ar- dens, *">.— Kirkalrty, G. AV. The stridulation of Corixa (Rliynchol figs., «.).— Peryande, T. Aphidida-,* 14O.— Keed, E. C. Syno]
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 59
of the Hemiptera of Chile (cont. ), Revista Chilena de Historia Natural, Valparaiso, Oct., Nov., 'oo — Sclnvarz, 1C. A. Psyllida-, 14O.
COLrEOPTERA.— Beaulieu, G. Scaraha -iti.i -> t the proviiK • Quebec (cont.), '57. — Belon, P. Description of a new Mcfapitthahnus. from Mexico,"" 8<>b, 3.— Bordas, L. Researches on the male genital organs of some Cerambycidce, i pi , SOa, 3.— Bourgeois, J. Malaco- dermata of the journey of E. Simon in Venexuela, 8Oa, i ; Diagnoses of new or little known Lycida?, 8Ga, 4. — Breiiske, E. The Scrica spe- cies of the earth, monographically tre;ited (cont.) [Ethiopian region], 24, 1-2. — Doiickier de Doiiceel, H. Systematic catalogue of the Hispi- cht-. 86a, 4 — Fletiaux, E. Eucnemida; of the Voyages of E. Gounelle in Brazil, 8<>a, i.— Gomielle, E. Description of a new type of aber- rant Prionine, figs. [= Migdolus Westw., Fainnaire, 8<»b, 3]. 8<»b, i. — Jacoby, M. Descriptions of new species and a new genus of South American Euniolpidae, with remarks on some of the genera,* 36. — Le- veille, A. Studies on the family Temnochilidse,*86a, 4. — Mattbews^ A. A monograph of the Coleopterous families Coryloplncke and Sphaeri- id:e. Edited by P. B. Mason. 9 pis. London : Janson. 1899.* — I(U Trichopterygia illustrata et descripta. A monograph of the Trichoptery- gia. Supplement. Edited by P. B. Mason. With 7 plates. London : Janson, 1900. — Olivier, E. Contribution to study of the Lampyrida.-, 8(»b, 4. — Pie, 31. Diagnoses of Coleoptera of the globe, L'Echange, •Revue Linneenne, Moulins, Dec., 'oo. — He^iilibart, M. Revision of the Dytiscidse of the Indo-chinese-malaysian region figs.. 8<>a, 2.— Schwnrz. E. A. Coleoptera,* 14O — Tsebitscheriiie, T. On the employment of the names Feronia and Platysina and on the relationship of Za'inis with Amara, 8(H>, 4.— Wiekliam, H. F. E/codesm Iowa ; The Scydnuenid:'- and Pselaphidfe occurring near Iowa City, Iowa, I\<- port, Iowa Academy of Sciences, 1899. — Td. Two new blind beetles of the genus s-ldrain'sinnn the Pacific coast, tigs.,* 4; See also Hymenoptera,
IHPTEKA.— Becker, T. Dipterological studies, v: Pipunmlida-, 24. 3-4. — Chaj«'iioii, G. Syrphidaj of the province of Quebec dent I57-— Coekerell, T. 1). A. A new Cecidomyid on Gutierrezia, :;4.— Coquillett, I>- W. See Hymenoptera.— Giles, G. 3T. A Handbook of the gnats or mosquitoes giving the anatomy and life history of the Cu- hcicia-. London. Bale, Sons & Danielsson. 1900. Pp. xi, 374. 10 t«-.\t fig's., 8 pis.— Graenicber, S. The Syrphida; (f Milwaukee County [Wisronsin], Bulletin, Wisconsin Natural History Society (n. s ), i, 3, Milwaukee, July, 'oo — Hine, J. S. Change of name [in 7<i7></;/«.<]. 4. — Tjej«'ev, 1>. On the Gregarine^ of Diptera and descriptinn of a new sp.-cirs from the intestine of larva- of '/'<;• ;/r/V\, rigs., 8<»a, 3 — <!<- Meijere, J. ('. H. On the larva of / .<»n liof>t,-ra : a contri'mtion to knowledge of tin-- cyclorrhaphous Dipterous larvae, 3 pis.. Si). — Hotlis- ebild, N. ('. Notes on Pulex avium Tasrhb., i pi., *>1.
KEPI lM>lkTEUA.— Adams, C. ('. The Luna and Polyphemus nioihs, i col. pi., Birds and Nature, Chicago, Nov., 1900. The
6o ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
and Promethea moths, i col. pi., id., Dec., 'oo.— Beutenmuller, W.
Two new Sesiidae,* G. — Busck, A. A new Canadian Tineid,* 4; New American Tineina,* O, — Chapman, T. A. The egg of Cossits ore Streck., with some notes on the e^g of C. ligniperda, 21. — l>yar, H. (Jr. Lepidoptera* [containing descriptions by <T. 13. Smith, K. Otto- lengui, G. 1>. Hulst, W. Beiiteiimiillcr, C. H. Feruald], 14O. — Dyar, H. G. Life histories of North American Geometridae, xviii, 5. — French, G. H. Revision of the genus Catocala, 4.— Grose- Smith, H. Rhopalocera Exotica. Part 54. London: Gurney & Jack- son. Oct., 1900. 3 col. pis. — Hiul.son, G. V. New Zealand Moths and Butterflies (Macro-Lepidoptera). With 13 plates [11 colored]. Lon- don : West, Newman & Co, 1896. 410.— Hulst, G. D. New species •of Lepidoptera,* (>.— de Joaimis, J. Note on a Phycide living as a parasite in a nest of larva? from Mayomba (Congo), 32, 6. — Lathy, P. I. The genus of Dircenna Barrettii Dannatt, i).— Lymaii, H. H. Life-history of Xy/ina Rethunei G. and R., 4. — Merrifield, F., Chap- luaii, T. A. Markings of pupal and imaginal wings, 36, Proceedings. — Moore, F. Lepidoptera Indica. Parts xlvi, xlvii. London: Lovell Reeve & Co., 1900 [Pp. 193 2^8, 209-224 of vol. iv, pis. 357-364, 365-372. Nymphalinse, group Argynnina].— N'oel, P. The preservation of larvae in collections, Le Naturaliste, Paris, Dec. i, 'oo. — Itift'arth, H. The genus Heliconius Latr. newly revised, with description of new forms,* 24, 3-4. — Rothschild, W., and Jordan, K. A monograph of Chara.ves and the allied prionopterous genera, 5 pis., 51. — Schaus, W. New species of Heterocera from tropical America,* 6. — Staiidfuss, M. Synopsis of experiments in hybridization and temperature made with Lepidoptera up to the end of 1898 (cont.), 9. — Stichel, H. Noteworthy varieties and aberrations of butterflies, i pi. ; Variation and gynandromor- phism in Chlorippe vacuna God , 24, 1-2 — Tutt J. W. On the ge- neric name Rlicropterix (Rlicropteryx) Hub., 21.
HYMEXOPTttltA. — Ashmead, W. H. Hymenoptera parasi- tica,*Coquillett, I>. W. Diptera,* Wickliam, H. F. Coleoptera- Some Insects of the Hudsonian zone in New Mexico, ii, 5. — Dominique, •«T. Gardener ants, tigs , H/S. — Kincaid, T. Sphegoidea* and Vespoi- xlea,* 14O. — Kriechbnmmer. Insects collected by Her Royal High- ness PrincessThere.se of Bavaria on a journey in South America: Hymen- optera, 24, 1-2; Evident errors in Thomson's explanation of the hind wing of the Cryptidae, Entomologische Nachrichten. xxvi, 23, Berlin, Dec., 'oo.— LudwiK, N. Bee queens and workers, 74, Dec. 23.— Marchal, P. The return to the nest in Pompihis sericeus V. d. L., Comptes Ren-lus Socie"te de Biologic, Paris, Dec. 22, 'oo. — Pergande, T. Formicid;e,* 14O.--Kudovv and Kopp, C. The dwellings of the European Hymen- optera with notice of the important exotic ones, 24, 3-4. — Senrat, L. G. On the respiratory apparatus of the larva of Chrysis shanghaiensis Smith, ^J2, No. 5 ; On the morphology of the respiratory apparatus of the larva of Tryphon vesparum Rat/.eburg, 32, 6. — Weismann, A. On the parthenogenesis of bees, Anatomischer Anzeiger, Jena, Dec. 5, 'oo.
IQOlJ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEV.'S. 6l
Doings of Societies.
The twelfth regular meeting of the Harris Club was held at 36 Court Street, on Friday evening, December 21, 1900, Mr. Newcomb presiding. A most interesting paper on hybrid Lepidoptera, contributed by Miss Emily L. Morton, of New- burg, N. Y., was read by the Secretary. Specimens of hybrids were shown by Messrs. L,ow, Field and Newcomb, and the latter spoke at some length on the subject of hybridity. It was voted to resume discussion of this subject at the next meeting.
Some interesting notes sent in by members of the Montreal branch of the Entomological Society of Ontario were then read.
The meeting closed with the unanimous election of Miss Morton to honorary membership W. L. W. FIELD, Secrctarv.
At the December meeting of the Feldman Collecting Social, held at the residence of Mr H. W. Wenzel, 1523 South i3th Street, fifteen persons were present.
Mr. P. Laurent referred to a former communication on damage to cabbages by the supposed larvae of Pieris raptz, but more re- cent observations had shown that possibly the damage was due to larvae of Plus/a brassicff.
Mr. vSchwar/ spoke of recent investigations on the Blasto- phoga in connection with the fig industry of California. A considerable crop of Smyrna figs had been produced and the experiments were in every way successful. The Blastophaga cannot develop in flowers of the female fig, but live on those of the male tree. The fertilization of the fig was described : ' ' The insects emerge from the male figs in March, and deposit their eggs in a new generation of male flowers which shortly have an abundance of pollen which covers the insects. At this period the female flowers are ready for reception of pollen which is carried therein by the insects in their efforts at ovipo- sition." Photographs of the operation were shown.
Owing to climatic differences at Fresno and Niles, four gen- erations of the insect occurred at the former place and but two at the latter in one season. The insect was introduced from Europe in 1899 by the U. S. Dep. Agric., prior to which time the California tree owners apparently did not know that it was necessary for the fertilization of the figs.
62 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
Prof. Smith spoke of the great value accruing from the in- troduction of the fig insect into California, and referred to it as an example of the good work being done by economic ento- mologists in this country.
Mr. Schwarz stated that the Smyrna figs could not be dried in the Eastern and Southern States, and only portions of Cali- fornia are propitious for its cultivation. The figs must dry on the trees and are harvested when fallen to the ground. He believed the Colorado desert to be an ideal country for the cul- tivation of the tree.
Mr. Ashmead stated that the fig insect although known for centuries was not described until 1820. Their position in the Chalcididse had been demonstrated by Westwood. He had now nearly all the described species and many new ones in his collec- tion. The structure of the insects was dwelt on, they are re- markable for having a saw-like appendage to the palpi or mandi- bles except in two genera. The sexes had not been correlated until recenth- owing to differences in structure. Figures of both sexes were shown. The Torymidse were formerly classed with these insects but have since been shown to be distinct, being either true parasites or inquilines.
In reply to Dr. Skinner, Mr. Ashmead said there are known about thirteen genera and forty or fifty species of fig insects, but many are yet undescribed.
The subject was further discussed by Messrs. Smith, Skinner, Schwarz, Ashmead.
Dr. Skinner asked whether this fertilization was a case of design in nature or one of natural selection.
Prof. Smith believed it a case of natural selection. He ad- mitted apparent design in nature but believed it due to the adaptation of various forms of life to one another.
The advisability of naming forms which intergrade for so- called convenience, was discussed by Messrs. Ashmead, Skin- ner, Johnson and Schwarz.
Dr. Skinner referred to a specimen of Coleopterous larva six inches long recently received from Pecos, Texas. Mr. Schwur/ suggested that it belonged to a longicorn, Mallodo>i.
Mr. Schwarz exhibited a specimen of the European Platynns albipcs from northeastern Maine, a species new to the I". S.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 63
fauna. He predicted that other interesting forms would be reported from the same region. \VirjjAM J. Fox,
A meeting of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural vSciences of Philadel])hia was held December 27. [900, Mr. Philip Laurent, Director, presiding. Fifteen persons were present. The following officers were elected to serve for the coming year : Director, Philip Laurent ; Vice-Director, H. \V. Wenzel ; Treasurer, E. T. Cresson ; Recorder, Henry Skinner, M.D. ; Conservator, Henry Skinner, M.D. ; Secretary, C. \Y. Johnson. HKNRV SKIXXKK, A't-<vrJcr.
A meeting of the American Entomological .Society was held December 27, 1900, Dr. P. P. Calvert, President, in the chair. Fifteen persons were present. The various reports of the officers were read. The President announced the death of Baron Michel Edmond de Selys-Longchamps, a Correspondent of the Society, at Liege, Belgium, in his 87th year, and Dr. Otto Staudinger of Blasewitz, Dresden, a Correspondent, who died October i^th at Lucerne. Mr. H. \V. "\Yen/el presented specimens of - IX/I-I/HS bnoincus. Mr. C. Schaeffer presented a species of Panurg-ns, new to the collection. The following were elected to serve as officers for the coming year : Presi- dent, P. P. Calvert, Ph. D. ; Yice-President, H. \V. \Yenzel ; Treasurer, E. T. Cresson ; Recording Secretary, Henry Skin- ner, M.D. ; Corresponding Secretary, C. \\'. Johnson ; Curator, Henry Skinner, M.D. ; Librarian, \Ym. J. Fox.
HKNKV SKIXXKR, Scnrtarv.
Eleven members attended the regular meeting of the Newark Entomological Society on January i^th, President Buchhol/ in the chair. Visitors Messrs. Holterman and Bechmann.
Mr. Buchhol/ exhibited specimens of . //r/W S-ntaculata and A. langtonii , which he had raised from the same brood of larvae. Those which emerged the same season were ' /W<//<v///, " whereas those which hybernated were all " S-tnaculatu .' ' Prof. Smith said he had obtained only ./. X-Diacnlata from a mid- summer brood, and that in some localities " lan^/oi/// ' was the only local form. Mr. Ronke exhibited the type of /'(i/>/7/\> turnus ab-fletcherii also a beautiful specimen &i Chrysophanus
64 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [February,
hvpophi'lcas, which has the ordinary coppery hue of the fore wings almost entirely supplanted by a silvery lustre.
Prof. Smith described an aberration which he had seen. It was reared amongst a large brood of larvae of Papilio phi/enor, and corresponded closely in markings to Papilio astcrias ab- calrcrlevi. He also suggested that "a very interesting and in- structive experiment might be made by rearing a large number of larvae of \ranessa antiopa, or other common species. He thought that oddities might be produced by placing the pupae in cold storage for different lengths of time, and, by carefully noting the results from each lot differently treated, some very desirable knowledge, and, incidentally, some very odd imagoes would probably reward the experimenter for his work. Also by occasionally shaking up some of the pupae, otherwise nor- mally treated, still other odd features might be produced.
Mr. Herpers exhibited a very interesting sphingid, caught by him in Florida, which no one present would venture to iden- tify with certainty. Prof. Smith thought it might be a hybrid Smerinthus geminatus --myops. Messrs. Holterman and An- gelman each brought a small but interesting collection of Noc- tuids. Mr. Bischoff reported the capture of Psclaphus longi- cla-ca and Meloe amcricana, hybernating under stones, at Irving- ton, N. J., December 3oth.
Prof. Smith spoke of some hickory twigs sent to him from two localities in New Jersey. They had been girdled by On- fidcrcs cingnlatus. No trace of deposition of eggs, nor evidence of larvae could be observed, but he had seen evidence of the presence of Cicada ij-dcccm on some of them. Further dis- cussed by Messrs. Stortz, Bischoff and Angelman.
Mr. Angelman stated that Zeuzera pyrina is not as abundant in Newark as formerly. Prof. Smith reported its appearance in New Brunswick, N. J., this year.
Mr. Wm. Holterman w7as proposed by Mr. Angelman and unanimously elected a member of the Society. An invitation was cordially accepted by the Society from Mr. I'.uchholx. to hold a special meeting at his house on Sunday, February 3d. Subjects of special interest to individual members were made the order of the day for the next regular meeting.
S. T. KKMI-. Secretary.
ENT. NEWS, VOL. XII.
PI. III.
EXTERNUS PRATERNUS
ANTENNA
LATERAL & MEDIAN
EXTERNUS
CRA5SU5
FRATERNUS
17
EXTERNU5
CRASSUS
(E
GOMPHUS.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OE THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION
ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. XII. MARCH, 1901. No.
CONTENTS:
Calvert— On Gomphus fraternus, ex- Robertson — Synonymy of Prosopis. ... 77
turnus and crassus (Odonata) 65 Foster — Results of Breeding Moths of
Cockerell— A New Andrena from Call- the Genus Haploa Hiibner
fornia 74 Editorial 84
Wenzel — The Coleoptera found in a Entomological Literature 85
Barn 75 Notes and News 89
Davis — Cecropia Cocoons 76 Doings of Societies 92
On Gomphus fraternus, externus and crassus
(Order Odonata). By PHILIP P. CALVERT.
Some time ago, when some western Gomphi were submitted to me for identification, I had considerable difficulty in deter- mining them. Correspondence with Messrs. Williamson, Hine, Adams and \Veith ensued, resulting in generous offers on their part to place their material related to (r. frafcnn/x Say, at my disposition for study. I thankfully accepted, since the chief obstacle, in wr way at least, was lack of material. As the out- come of careful comparative study, I have the following notes to present, which, I am led to think, may be of use to others beside myself. Of the three closely related species, whose names stand at the head of this article, I have examined the following individuals :
(i. /nitcni/is Say, 19 £ 17 9 ; <i. externus Selys, 4 & 69: G. crassus Hagen, 20 £ 3 9 .
The differences between these three species are as follows ; they are arranged, approximately, in order from the lea-t variable to the more variable.
66
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
[March,
i. J" Superior ap- pendages viewed from above
2.
3. $ Superior ap- pendages, profile view, upper edge
4. Lower edge ta- pering to apex in its
5. cf Sup. apps. viewed obliquely from above at 45° with the horizontal plane
Fraternits. more divergent, the interval between their tips greater than the length of one appendage, inner edge of each appendage dis- tinctly concave, outer side distinctly convex.
distinctly convex (fig. 1 6).
apical third, a small tubercle on the lower edge where the tapering begins, at which point the appendage is hard- ly thicker than else- where in its post- basal portion (fig. 16).
showing no tuber- cle on the basal side of the one men- tioned above.
Externus.
less divergent, the interval between their tips about equal to the length of one appendage, inner and outer edges of each ap- pendage almost straight (fig. 17).
almost straight (fig.
14).
apical half, a small tubercle (a, fig. 14) on the lower edge immediately before the e.vtreme tip, the appendage distinct- ly thicker where the lower edge begins to taper than at any other point in its postbasal portion, (like frafei'Hits},
(fig. 12).
Crassus.
more divergent, the interval between their tips greater than the length of one appendage, inner edge of each appendage slightly concave, outer edge a n g u 1 a t e , forming two un- equal limbs meet- ing at an obtuse angle at ;-! the length of the appendage (fig. 18). distinctly convex
(fig. 15).
apical sixth, a small tubercle (a, fig. 15) on the lower edge where the tapering begins, at which point the appen- dage is not as thick as in the proximal portion.
showing an obtuse tubercle * (b, fig. 13) on the external surface, to the ba- sal side of the tu- bercle a above men- tioned, from which it is separated by a distinct concave edge whose length is ,'-i of the length of the appendage.
* This tubercle is the termination of a carina extending along the outer surface of the appendage almost from the base (compare fig. 15), and is the cause of the angulation of the outer edge of the superior appendage seen in dorsal view as shown also in fig. 18. The carina exists in /rate-runs and e.vtennix, but is less marked and does not end in a tubercle.
I90l]
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
67
6. $ Branches of the inferior append- age
7. J> Undivided basal part of inf. app. when viewed from below
8. t The two branches of the vul- va r lamina
9. Third femora
10. S ? Dark stripe on the first lateral thoracic su- ture
11. Vertex
/•'niternus. slightly more diver- gent than the supe- riors by a distance on each side ap- proximately equal to the width of the branch at its apex.
with an almost straight edge be- tween the two bran- ches, this edge twice as long as either branch.
contiguous in their basal half, curved away from each other in the apical half so that the lateral margins of the two tips di- verge at 60-90° (fig.
3)-
with an external
(anterior) yellow stripe on the basal three-fifths, widely interrupted.
with a spine behind each lateral ocel- lus.
Extemus.
much more diver- gent than the supe- riors by a distance on each side ap- proximately equal to three times the width of the branch at its apex (fig. 17). with an almost straight edge be- tween the two bran- ches, this edge four times as long as either branch (fig.
I?)-
contiguous in their
basal two-thirds, lateral margins of the two tips almost parallel (fig. 2).
Crassus,
very slightly more divergent than the superiors by a dis- tance on each side less than the width of a branch at its apex (fig. 18).
forming part of an almost semi circu- lar curve extending from the tip of one branch to the tip of the other (fig. 18).
not contiguous, lat- eral margins of the two tips divergent at 60° (fig. i).
no external yellow with an external stripe. yellow stripe.
not interrupted. interrupted.
12. 1 V Superior surface of the tibia-
black.
with a yellowish spine (arising from either end of the transverse ridge i behind each lateral ocellus (?'. e., not on the shortest line between the ocel- lus and the eye) (fig. 4).
black, with a pale yellow stripe.
with a brown spine arising a short dis- tance away from the transverse ridge, so as to lie between each lat- eral ocellus and the eye (/. e., on the shortest line be- tween these two parts), (fig. 5). black.
68 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
Pausing now to discuss these differences,
I have not found any variations in the statements for characters numbered
1 to 5 ; this, of course, is merely another way of stating that I have taken the superior appendages as the chief specific characters, a course which I believe is fully justified by the material studied.
For No. 6, one male fraternus, Ind., had the divergence greater, although not as great as in e.i'fertms, thus representing a variation of 5 '•• , while two males crassus, Ohio, had the divergence no greater than that of the superiors (10'^ ).
No. 7 : the edge but very slightly longer than either branch i ^frater- nus, Ark. (5f/f ).
No. 8 : in i 9 fraternus. Ark., not quite contiguous (6'v ); 10 9 9 fra- ternus have the angle of divergence of the tips 90°, 799, mostly Ind., about 60°; for externus i 9, 111.?, is distinctly like fraternus with the angle of divergence 90°, i 9* has the tips slightly divergent at about 60°.
No, 9. fraternus: absent i9, Ark., only a trace present i 9. Ohio, extends to basal three-fourths i 9, HI. ; well developed in i 9 e.vtenius*
No. 10 : not interrupted in 5 fraternus (3 r71 Ohio, Ind., III., i o7 i Ark.) (13 ''f ), interrupted in i 9 e-\'ft'riins%, barely interrupted i ,^ cmssns, Ohio.
No. n. Fraternus: i 9 Ind., i 9 Ark. spines absent, i 2 Ind. spine absent on right side, rudimentary on left (total \~il/2 '</ ); marked difference in length of right and left spines i 9 Ohio ; spines black in 8 9, yellow in
2 9 111.
No. 12 : a yellow stripe or line in 7 fraternus (i8'/ ), viz. : on the basal third of ist and 2nd, basal fourth of 3rd tibiae, 3 $, 111., Ind.; on the basal fifth of 3rd tibire only 2 $ 111., i 9 Ohio ; on basal half of all tibise, i ^ 111. In e.rter/ius this stripe may be almost as long as the tibue, 3 9 HI. ; or on the basal two-thirds of the ist, basal half of 2nd and 3rd, i o7' i 9 111., i 9 Tex.; or on the basal half of the ist tibiae, basal third of 2nd and 3rd, 3 ^ 111.; or on the basal half of 3rd tibiae only, i 9-~"~
The differences between these three species which have thus far been considered are subject at the most to a variation of 20 per cent, and can, therefore, be considered specific, although to varying degrees. I have also compared these three species a> regards a number of other structural and colorational differences
This female, which I have included in c.vtcnnis because it agrees in characters Nos. n and 12, occupies quite an intermediate position since it has character 8 like both e.\~fernns and fraternus, 9 as in 'fraternus and 10 as in crassus. It was marked as having been taken in copula with a ? which I unhesitatingly name fraleriins ; the locality is probably Illinois, the date June 29, 1895. I think it quite likely that this female may be a hybrid.
I90l] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 69
in which, however, the variability is much greater. These also are arranged, approximately, in the order of from less to greater variability.
<?. Differences in which the variation is less than 50 per cent. in any one of the three species.
1 3. -:' . ) 'C//OTI ' basa/ mid-dorsal spot on the seventh abdominal segment : one-half as long as the segment in \$fralcrnus (two-fifths i (j\ three-fifths 2 (j\ two-thirds 2 tf\ three fourths i r^ == 31 '/ ) ; three-fourths as long as the segment in e.vternus ; one-half as long as the segment in 18 crass us (two-fifths i fj', continued as a narrow line to apex i tf == io'/r ).
14. Q. Inferior surface of the second femora : blackish with a pale green stripe in \\ fraternus (no stripe 6 9 =34^ ) ; black or dark brown in 5 e.vternus (pale green i 9 : = i62s''' ) ; pale green in 3 crassus.
15. $ 9- Tenth abdominal segment : with no mid-dorsal yellow in 21 fraternus (trace of a spot 2 ^ 2 9 . a very small spot i $ 8 9 , a large spot
i rf i 9) total 39 V) ; with a mid-dorsal yellow spot almost as long as the segment in 9 e.vternus (half as long i 9 := I0 ''')'•, with a mid-dorsal yellow line (20 rT) or rounded spot (39) i'1 crassus.
16. (5\ Seventh abdominal segment : with no apical lateral yellow spot in \oy2 fraternus (present in 8j£ <$ =44'^) ; the same present in 10 e.v- ternus; the same present, but very small in iS}4 crassus (absent in ij^ =
I-
b. Differences in which the variation is 50 per cent, or more in one or more of the three species.
17. C? 9- Ninth abdominal segment with no mid-dorsal yellow spot or band in 20 fraternus (with an extremely small isolated basal yellow spot i (^ 2 9 > a small spot in basal sixth i $ i 9 , an ill-defined streak in basal half i ^ 6 9, an ill-defined cloud in middle two-fourths 2 cT, an ill-defined stripe nearly as long as the segment i 9, a distinct band as long as the segment i rp, total 42 '/ ). With a mid-dorsal yellow band as long as the segment and as wide as the spot on 8 in 5 e.vtennts (four-fifths as long as the segment, not reaching the base in i $ i 9. reaching neither base nor apex 2 9, one-half as long as the segment i 9. total 50'^ ). With a mid- dorsal spot as long as the segment in 12 crassus (four-fifths as long 6 $
, . three-fourths as long i J\ two-thirds as long 3 rj — total 44', in which, moreover, the spot does not reach either base or apex).
18. . . Hind margin of the ucciput with three successive convexities in its middle and two lateral thirds, the middle convexity angular but not sharply so, in S fraternus (Fig. 8) (these three convexities similar to each other in 3 9' 1"-. I'ig- 9 ; the median convexity replaced by a more or less pointed tubercle in 5 * Ohio, Ind., Figs. 6, 7 ; no median convexity but a con- cavity instead i $ Ark. — total 53', . Very variable in e.vternus; iQ 111.,
70 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
Neb., have it almost straight in either lateral third, convex in the middle third ; in i ? similar, but the middle convexity with a slight but distinct median emargination, Fig. 10 ; forming three slight convexities in its three- thirds respectively i 9 ; slightly convex as a whole but with a distinct me- dian notch i 9 Tex. ; almost straight i ? . In 3 9 crassns, slightly convex in either lateral fourth, concave in the middle two-fourths, Fig. n.
19. 9- JSasal mid-dorsal yellon' spot on eighth abdominal segment. One-third as long as the segment in S 9 fraternus (one-fourth in 3 9 , one-sixth i 9, two-fifths 5 9— total 53 '/,). Two-thirds as long as the segment 2 9 e.vternus, one-half 2 9 IH., Tex., two-fifths 2 9, 111., Neb. Two-fifths as long as the segment 2 9 crassus, one-half i 9 •
20. cf'. Sasa/ mid-dorsal yellou- spot on eighth abdominal segment. One-third as long as the segment in 8 £ fraternus (one-fourth in 8 {, two-fifths in 3 r? — total 57 % ) ; one-half as long in 4 ^ c.vternus ; one- third as long in 15 o7' crassns (two-fifths in 3 -f1, one-half in i <j\ one- quarter in i ^ — total 25 'r ).
21. 9. Apical lateral yellow on seventh abdominal segment. Absent in 6 9 fraternus (very small in 6 9 , distinct in 5 9— total 65 '/ ) ; present in 6 9 c.vtcrnus ; small but present in 3 9 crassns.
Finally, to record some other observations made at the same time, it may be stated that very little difference was found in the shape of the hind margin of the occiput in the males of these three species, as it is convex in all three, the degree of convexity varying slightly, or a slight flattening being observable in the middle. The coloring of the hind lobe of the prothorax is too variable to be considered as a specific difference. The color of the dark bands of the thorax, as brown or black, depends on less or greater age, respectively, in each of these three species. I attempted to tabulate the length of the superior appendages of the males in terms of the length of the tenth segment, but the degree of protrusion varies in different individuals' at the time of death, and this caused the attempt to be given up. The basal mid-dorsal yellow spot on the seventh abdominal segment of the females is very similar in all three species, being almost as long as the segment and tapering posteriorly, in most individuals. The lower surface of the first femora is pale green in both sexes of all three species, of the second and third femora of the males of all three species blackish.
The male fraternus from Arkansas, above noted as varying in charac- ter No. 7, has the side of the thorax, between the first and second lateral sutures, filled solidly with pale brown, while the yellow line which ordi- narily separates the antehumeral brown from the posthumeral brown is almost completely obliterated. A female fraternus from Arkansas (see above under No. 8) is like the Arkansan male in these respects ; it also has the antehumeral yellow stripe narrower, not as wide as the adjacent half of the mid-dorsal brown band, the reverse being the case in most fraternus • this female has the abdomen 34 mm. long, the hind wing 7: mm.
I90l] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7 1
Following is the bibliography and synonymy of these species :
Gomphus fraternus Say.
Aeshna fratcrna Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., viii, p. 16. 1839.
G. fraternus Selys, Syn. Gomph., p. 28 (Bull. Ac. Belg., xxi, pt. ii, p. 47-) 1854.
(>'. fraternus Selys, Monog. Gomph., p. 125, pi. 7, f. 4. 1858.
G '. f rater mis Walsh, Proc. Ent- Soc. Phila., ii, p. 238. 1863.
G. fraternus Kellicott, Dragonf. Ohio, p. 59. 1899.
G. fratennts Williamson, 24th Rep. State Geol. Ind. p. 289, 1900, pi. vi, figs. 8, 9. 30.
Say, /. c., applied the term " terminal segment " to the ninth abdomi- nal segment, as is evident from his statement that the yellow spot on the terminal segment occupies all the side thereof and is conspicuous. His type had yellow dorsal spots on 7 and 8 but not on 9. He says indeed that the dorsal yellowish line exhibits "a spot only on two of the dilated segments," but when this is so in our Gomphime it is the last of three dilated segments, / <'. the ninth, which is unspotted. Walsh says, /. c., p. 240, that Say described a yellow dorsal vitta on 9 and a small median dorsal yellow spot on 10, but I cannot find anything to this effect in Say's description.
The material of fratcnnts which I have studied is as follows : i $ Columbus, Ohio, May 19, 1899; 6 $ 6 9 Sandusky, Ohio, June 25, 1896, and from June 14 to July 12, 1899 ; 4 $ St. Mary's River, Fort \Yayne, Indiana, June 26, 1898 ; 3 <? 7 9 Elkhart, Indiana, May 15-27, 1900; 2 $ June 29, 1895, and i 9 May 9, 1896, Illinois (special locality not given i : i 9 Kankakee, July 6, 1892, i 9 Dixon, July 12, i $ Belvi- dere, July 14, i88S, all in Illinois; i $ Michigan, June 23, 1899; i $ Upper Jemmy's Creek, May 17, 1897, and i 9 White R'iver, June 10, 1897, both in Arkansas.
Gomphus externus Selys.
(i. f.vteniiis Selys, Mon. Gomph., p. 411, pi. 21, fig. 2. 1858.
(N. B. The female is said to have " pieds comme chez le male,"
while the male's femora are said to have " une bande, externe mal
arret£e aux autres [femora than the ist and 2nd]. This is a character
more like crassiis ; so also is fig. 2 //, of the vulvar lamina, more like
crassus. On the other hand, chars, jo and 12 of our <M ti -runs agree
with this description and not with those of crassus).
(,'. I'.vtenins Selys, Bull. Acad. Belg. (2) vii, p. 540. 1859. (Since
this description is practically only an abridgment of that of the Muimgr.
the remark above made concerning the vulvar lamina applies here also).
(i. f.vterints Selys, Bull. Acad. Belg. (2), xlvi, p. 452. 1878. (Ct»i-
sobri nits is placed as a synonym.)
72 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
G. frafcnms 9 Walsh, Proc. A. N. S. Phila. 1862, p. 393 (compare Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., ii, p. 239. 1863).
G. coiisohi-inus Walsh. Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., ii, p. 242. 1863. G. consobrinns Selys, Bull. Acad. Belg. (2), xxviii, p. 178. 1869.
(The remark concerning the vulvar lamina " les pointes divari- quees a angle droit " may refer to the divergence between the inner (mesal) margins of the two lobes).
I have studied the following material : 4 $ 2 9 Havana, Illinois, June, 1896 and July 9, 10, 1897 ; 2 9 Illinois June 29, 1895 and 1896; i 9 Greenwood, Nebraska; i 9 Texas.
De Selys, /. c., 1X78, gave the following distribution for thi> species : New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska, Illinois.
Gomphus crassus Hagen,
G. crassus Hagen, Bull. Acad. Belg. (2), xlvi, p. 453, 1878.
G. crassus Williamson, 24th Rep. State Geol. Indiana, p. 288. 1900.
G.fratcrnns var. U'a/s/iii Kellicott, Jour. Cincin. Soc. Nat. Hist., xviii, p. 107. 1896.
G. c.rternns Kellicott, Dragonflies of Ohio, p. 60, 1899.
G. c.vfcnms Williamson, 24th Rep. State Geol. Indiana, p. 289, 1900. PI. vi, figs. 2, 10, 3i.:;'
My present material of crass its has been : 12 $ Georgeville, Ohio, June 4, 1899; 6 $ 3 9 Columbus, Ohio, May 20 to June i, 1895-6-7-9; 2 $ Bluff ton, Wabash River, Indiana, June 22, 1898. Hagen's'type came from Kentucky.
CONCLUSIONS. From the preceding data it appears, for these three species :
1. That the chief specific character (/. e. the least variable difference between these three species) is to be found in the shape of the superior appendages of the males. .
2. That every female character, and every character common to both sexes, by which these species are distinguished from each other, is more variable than are the superior appendages of the males.
3. Walsh's remark t that the Illinois species of Complins seem to have the appendages of the males " nearly as uniform as a set of castings from the same foundry and the same
* G: cornntus Tough, Occas. Mem. Chicago Ent. Soc., i, p. 17, 1900, does not belong to any of these three species, and his suggestion, p. 18, that it may be the rf1 of crassus is not realized.
t Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila, ii, p. 239, 1863.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 73
mould," seems to hold true for these three species, but his statement* as to the specific value of minute differences of coloration and its constancy must evidently be modified in view of the variations above detailed.
4. The shape of the hind margin of the occiput of the females, far from being a constant differential, is very variable, although the opposite view has usually been held for (iomp/ius • on the other hand the same margin in the males is nearly alike in all three species.
5. The possibility of the modification of these results by the study of material from other localities must not be forgotten ; such study is very desirable.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE III.
Fig. i. Vulvar lamina G. crassus 9 Columbus, Ohio, June i, 1896.
Fig. 2. Id. G. e.vternits 9 Havana, 111.
Fig. 3. Id. G. fratentus $ Kankakee, III., July 6, 1892.
Fig. 4. Part of the left half of the vertex, dorsal view, G. e.vternus 9 of fig. 2.
Fig. 5. Id. G. crassus 9 of fig. i.
Fig. 6. Occiput G.fratcrmts 9 Sandusky, Ohio, July 10, 1899.
Fig. 7. " " 9 " " " 9, "
Fig. 8. 9 il ID,
Fig. 9. 9 Dixon, 111., July 12.
Fig. 10. " G. e.i-lernus 9 Havana, 111., July 10, 1897.
Fig. ii. " G. crassus 9 of fig. i.
Fig. 12. Right superior appendage, viewed obliquely from above and from the outer side, at 45° with the horizontal plane, G. e.r/cnuts cf , Havana, 111., July 9, 1897.
Fig. 13. Id. G. crassus (j\ Georgeville, Ohio, June 4, 1899.
Fig. 14. Right superior appendage, profile view, outer side, G.e.rfernus
$ Of fig. 12.
Fig. 15. Id. G. crassus ^ of fig. 13. a, b, in figs. 12-15, tubercles.
Fig. 16. Id. G.fraternus $ Sandusky, Ohio, June 15, 1899.
Fig. 17. Apex of abdomen, ventral view, G. c.vfermis $ of fig. 12. 5, s\ sternites of eleventh abdominal segment ; sp superior appendages ; / inferior appendage (tergum of eleventh abdominal segment.)
Fig. 18 Id. crassHS tf of fig. 13. s, s', /, as in fig. 17. The superior appendages of this male are indicated by the line - - - . The line - shows the superior appendages of another male from the same locality, same date.
* L. c., p. 238.
74 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
A New Andrena from California.
By T. D. A. COCKERELL.
Andrena knutllina n. sp.— ? about 8l/2 mm. long, <$ about 8 mm.; black with pale pubescence ; face black in both sexes. Its place in the genus may be understood by the following table :
Abdomen partly or wholly rufous . . erythrogastra, mariae, etc.
Abdomen black or dark brown, at most pale-banded . . i.
1. Pubescence black . nigerrima, porterae, nigra. Pubescence at least partly pale
2. Face partly yellow or white, pulchella, aliciarum, cressoni, etc. (males. ) Face wholly black, at least in 9 (pulchella alone has light-face marks
in the 9.) . ...
3. Pubescence of thorax bright ferruginous, wings very dark at apex.
vulpicolar. Not so ... 4.
4. Hair at apex of 9 abdomen black or nearly so . . 5. Hair at apex of 9 abdomen pale kincaidii, helianthi, etc., etc.
5. Pubescence of thoracic dorsum bright ferruginous, halli, chromotricha Pubescence of thoracic dorsum not ferruginous* . . . 6.
6. Abdomen black without hair bands . . . vicinia, erraiis. Abdomen with interrupted hair-bands
Abdomen with continuous bands on all the segments.
americana, electrica, apacheorum.
7. Abdomen very distinctly punctate . . . prunifloris. Abdomen tessellate and hardly or not punctare
8. Basal process of labrum in 9 long, rounded, shaped like the end of a
ringer ; hair of thoracic dorsum strongly tinged with ferrugi- nous. . . macgillivrayi. Basal process of labrum in 9 broad, truncate-emarginate ; hair of tho- racic dorsum brownish-white ; nervures piceous, stigma pale brown marginal with piceous ; ^ antennas wholly black, knuthiana, n. sp.
The hair at the apex of the abdomen in A. knnthiaiui is sooty. a kind of dark purplish-grey. The insect was collected by the late Dr. Paul Knuth at Berkeley, Cal., Oct. 6, 1899; the $ frequented flowers of Dancits carota. The specimens were sent to by Mr. Alfken, to whom I transmitted a description, which will, I suppose, be published in the last volume of " I'.lutenbi- ologie." It seems desirable, however, to indicate the affinities of the species in an American journal.
* However, in macgillivrayi, it is really a sort of pale ferruginous ; in fimbriala (aincricaua} it is yellow.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 75
The Coleoptera Found in a Barn.
By H. \V. \VKNZKL, Philadelphia.
The following list is the result of an experiment made during' the month of May, 1900, with the object of determining the Coleopterous fauna of an old barn. The building from which the material was collected stands in the lower section of our city, is an old wooden structure parti}' wrecked by age and no longer in use for storing products.
The usual species infesting stored grain were not found, with the exception of the large Tenebrionid, '/'t'/nbn'o molitor, which was in the pupa state in large numbers on May 2jth, changing into the imago a few days later. All species of Histeridse were taken under pieces of rotten wood covered by deep layers of damp refuse. Probably the habits of these species account for their scarcity in collections.
The Latridiidge and Trogositidae were all sieved from dry accumulated old hay and grain dust.
The Ptinidae were found in a small annex formerly used for cattle. The ground was a hard dried out conglomeration of manure and dirt, almost like turf ; at first but few specimens were found in it, but finally, by beating or thumping the ground. both species mentioned below appeared in great numbers.
Only species of which I have no doubt as inhabiting such places and which were found mostly in numbers are placed in this list. Several species of Carabidce were found, but only in single numbers ; as they are probably accidentals they are omitted.
The following is an enumeration of the species found :
Microglossa s|>., common in clamp places.
Xantholinus gularis Lee., common with above sp.
()/<>/)/in<in <>h/cc/uni Er., several examples. This species I have fre- quently found in the immediate vicinity in low meadows. Other minute species of Staphylinicke were taken which I am unable to determine.
Ftenidinm evaiiesceiis Marsh, common, sieved from damp refuse.
Sericoderus flavidus Lee., common, sieved from dry old hay.
Mycetcea liiiia Marsh, very common everywhere.
. \glenusbrunneus Gyll., common ; an interesting blind spccio.
Silraims aih'cna Wattl., very common.
Typhcea fumata Linn., common in damp refuse.
76 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
Triphyllus sp. , several examples. Cryptophagus croceus Zimm. ? common.
sp.
sp.
Dendrop/ii/iix punctulatus Say, common. Paromalus conjunctus Say, common. Paromalus ij-striatus Steph., two examples. Saprinus placidus Er., common. Acritus sp., several examples. Holoparamecus ragusce Reitt., very common. Cartodera ruficollis Marsh, very common. Cartodera costulata Reitt., not common. Corticaria serrata Payk., several examples. Monotoma j-foveolata Aube, common. Monotoma parallela Lee., not common. Monotoma atnericana Aube, not common. Aphodius granarius Linn., not common. Tro.v (Zqualis Say, several examples. Ptinus fur Linn., common. Ptinus brunnefs Duut., common. He.varthrum itlkei Horn, not common.
Cecropia Cocoons.
By WILLIAM T. DAVIS.
Cecropia cocoons of the " inflated" or " baggy" variety men- tioned in ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS for June and December, 1900, are to be found on numerous shrubs, but the most remarkable specimens to be collected on Staten Island occur on the swamp loosestrife or willow-herb (Decodon verticillatus} . This shrub grows in the water and the cocoons have often been gathered in winter by walking on the ice about the edges of the ponds where the loosestrife grows. The cocoons, as a rule, are but slightly above the level of the ice and, of course, run the risk of inundation on occasions of very high water, and are also liable to be eaten by mice and other enemies. Certainly the greater number of these " inflated" cocoons are to be found at the base of bushes, and very often the caterpillars have in- cluded several grass stems or other nearby growth as addi- tional supports to the cocoons. This in itself would account for some of the largest cocoons — the)- are spun loosely between
1901] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77
several stems or leaves in addition to the main support. This has been the observation of both Mr. Louis H. Joutel and myself.
Several years ago I noted in the Journal of the Nc\v York Entomological Society (March, 1897). that caterpillars show considerable intelligence in placing their cocoons, and gave several facts in support of the assertion. Among others it \vas noted that Cccropia cocoons are often placed on the small terminal branches of the white maple and other trees in a position that would seem at first to be subject to disaster from storms. This position was held, however, to be probably the safest on the trees, as the cocoons placed on the large and firm branches were easily opened by woodpeckers, and an instance of such an attack was given. Some of the members of the Society expressed the opinion that the caterpillars did not guard against attacks by mice or woodpeckers, and that the cocoons just happened to be where they were found. This led to an inspection of the white maples near my home, and I found 011 thirty-five trees one hundred and eighteen cocoons, all but five of which were placed on terminal branches, many of the branches not being larger than a lead pencil. While the cocoons thus placed sway violently in a storm, they also give way before the strokes of a woodpecker, and said wood- pecker is unable under the conditions, to make a hole in the cocoon, as I have witnessed.
Synonymy of Prosopis. By CHARLES ROBERTSOX.
The synonymy of some species given in the ENT. NEWS.. 12, 4-9, 1901, does not represent my views, and certainly is not correct in citing names I have used. 1 will give the synonymy which I think is correct, and under each will give my objec- tions to Mr. L,o veil's citations. Of course, my views are the result of inferences based on the descriptions and not the result of comparisons of the things described. I assume that the authors had ordinary specimens, not exceptional ones, and that their descriptions are correct for the things they had before
78 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
them. If this is not science, it is entomology. If I distin- guish between what I infer and what I know, I know that P. affinis Rob. and the hypothetical /'. zizhe Rob. are the same, and that P. modest us Rob., Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., 22, 116, includes two species.
Prosopis affinis Sm.
/'. affinis Smith, B. M. Cat. Hym., i, 24, 1853, ?•
P. affinis Rob., Can Ent., 28, 136, 1896, $tf.
P. ziziff Cockerell, Entomologist, Aug., 1898, J\
With the exception of the last name, which is erroneous, Mr. Lovell's synonym}- is the same as Dalla Torre's. I have not described any species under the name P. :/:vW\ and have never used that name. In a paper in Bot. Gaz., 25, 234, 236, 1898, which Mr. L,ovell lias seen and largely rewritten, I use the name P. affinis Sm. Cockerell uses the name P. zizitc be- cause he is more doubtful about mv determination ; but as long-
-" O
as I distinguish the species by a character mentioned in Smith's description, I feel bound to use his name.
Prosopis modesta Say.
Hyhrus modesta Say, Host. Jour., i, 392, 1837 ; Lee. Edit., 2, 771, 9,
P. affim's Smith, B. M. Cat. Hym., i, 24, 1853,
P. affinis Cresson, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 12, 270, 1869, 9<j\
P. affinis Prov., Faun. Ent. Can. Hym., 727, 1882, $^.
P. modestus Cresson, Synopsis, 291, 1887.
P. modesta Rob., Can. Ent., 28, 136, 1896, 9^.
The P. affinis Rob., used in Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., 22, 116, stands for the forms with spotted tegulae, and, if cited at all, should be cited as a synonym of P. affinis Sm., as I use that name.
Prosopis pygmaea Cress.
Hylaus modestus Say., Bost Jour., i, 392, 1837, $. P. pygmcms Rob., Can. Ent., 28, 137, 1896, y.
MR. G. WESLEY BROWNING, of Salt Lake City, took the first prize for a water-color picture entitled " Under the Willows," which was shown at the annual exhibition of the Utah Art Institute. Mr. Browning says : " Next Summer is likely to find me in the country at every opportunity, but I shall always have a box and net handy." He is preparing a list of the butterflies of Salt Lake City and vicinity which will be published in the NEWS.
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 79
Some Results of Breeding Moths of the Genus
Haploa Hubner.
By FRANK H. FOSTKK, Claremout, N. H.
The task of systematists in classifying the moths associated tinder this genus has been an unusually difficult one, owing to the \vide variability among the images of nearly all the recog- ni/ed species and the absence, so far as known, of any constant structural differences.
Mr. A. R. Grote's remarks upon this genus* called forth by Mr. Lynian's article and plate in October, i.SSj, number of Canadian Entomologist seem so eminently pertinent that I quote them here in part.
"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 them. As yet we can only compliment Mr. Lyman's tact in sorting the moths. I had the opportunity of examing a lot of clynicnc taken in the vicinity of Buffalo, and I came to the conclusion that it was possible that the yellow and white forms are yet interchangable. Like Data>ia and IJcmilciica, Calliniorpha ( synonymous with Ifap/oa ) is an example of a generic group in which the species or forms are more nearly related than usual and is thus one of those assemblages which I have called /'tvgrucric."
The tendency has been for later and fuller knowledge to re- duce the number of forms entitled to specific rank. Thus Lyman in iSSj (Can. Ent., Vol. XIX. pp. 190-191) gives eight species and two varieties.
Smith in same year (Can. Ent., Vol. XIX, pp. 2^-239 ) gives nine species and one variety Xeiimoegen and Dyar in X895 (Journal of Xew York Entoni. Society, September. 1^03, pp. i^S-iGi I give eight species and four varieties
Dr. Dyar's present classification, as stated in a recent letter
Can. Pint., Feb., 1888. Vol. xx, pp. 39-40.
8o ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
to the writer, and by permission referred to, is five species and twelve varieties, viz. :
1. Ilaploa clynicnc Brown.
2. colon a Hubner.
a. rcrcrsa Stretch.
b. co use/ fa ( = lacfata.
c. fiilricosta Clemens.
d. triangularis .
3. Iccontci Gtter.
a. m Hi tar is Harris.
b. confinis Walker.
c. harrisii n. var. , Dyar MS.
d. dyarii Merrick.
e. vcstalis Packard.
f. stnitliii n. var., Dyar MS.
4. conjusa Iyyman.
a. lywani n. var., Dyar MS.
5. " contigna Walker.
a. lunibonio-cra n. var., Fitch MS.
The mature larvae of several of the forms are known, and the breeding of images from larvae taken at large after the winter hibernation has been several times reported, but the writer has been unable to learn of any form which has hitherto been bred from the egg and the parents preserved for comparison with their progeny.
In the hope of shedding new light upon the specific relation> of some of the forms in this genus, I have attempted to present below the results of my experiments in breeding them, with some observations upon the significance to be attached to those results. I have also taken the opportunity to present some results of a study of the variations presented by a series of one hundred moths, all of which are the images of larvae taken from one restricted locality, near Claremont, X. H., or the de- scendents in the first generation of such larvae.
My attention was first directed to this group in the summer of 1898 by my friend Mr. Arthur C. Bradley, of Newport, X H., who wrote me that he had a number of eggs laid by a cap- tured Haploa coiij'nsa and desired to find its food plant ( Cn/o-
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. Si
ofjiciualc .1 , with which he was not acquainted. I did not then know the plant, Imt after several unavailing trips in search of it stumbled upon it, growing- in scattered groups over an area a few acres in extent on the bank of the Connecticut River, near Claremont. The locality was too remote and diffi- cult of access to permit of its being used as a base of supply ; so I dug up a number of plants and set them in a box of earth at home. Some of the plants examined on this and subsequent trips to the same spot had small larvae upon them, which after- wards proved to be llaploa. Mr. Bradley fed his larvae chiefly upon mint, but neither his nor mine survived the winter.
Late in the autumn of 1898 I found a second colony of (>;/<>- glossnm in a rocky pasture on the crest of a hill several miles from the first and under quite different conditions of soil and altitude.
The root leaves of the one-year plants ( the plant is a bien- nial, producing only root leaves the first season) had survived the hard frosts, and many had oval holes in them like those made by IIaf>loa larva?, but no larvse could be found, though search was made in the dead grass and rubbish about the roots of the plants where the larvae might be thought to hibernate.
I resolved to visit the spot the following spring, and did >< > in May ( 1899), when I was rewarded by finding numbers of partly grown larvse. These I brought home, and I then had some L'vno^losum growing in my garden from seed, I had no difficulty in rearing them.
I thus obtained eighteen imagos, one of which, to my sur- prise, was a £ clymciic. The others, though showing quite a a range of variation, were referable to roufnsa, except one dwarfed specimen marked like Iccoiitci var. niilitaris. I had not observed any differences among the larva-. These imago^. except the $ civilian , were placed on growing Cynoglossum plants, under a netting, and a few days later an abundance of eggs was found. One lot of about forty laid in a close group, evidently by a single female, was removed and the larvae reared indoors. The other eggs, laid mostly on the under surface of the leaves, were left to hatch where they were laid, and the tub in which the plants were growing was kept covered with fine netting. Scores of larva- hatched, but soon all had disap-
-,* 3
82 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
peared without my learning the cause, though I attributed it to a pair of daddy-long-legs (Phalangidea) , which were, by accident, imprisoned with the larvae. From the larvae reared indoors I obtained in November and December ten males and four females. No attempt was made to breed from them as it was out of season. The higher and more even temperatures of the house doubtless accounted for their maturing in the autumn instead of hibernating as is their wont. In this series of four- teen moths, presumably from the same parents, the range of variation was distinctly narrower than in the series bred from larvae taken at large. The only wide departure from the usual confuse form was one male, in which the median white spot on primaries was split up into a group of three oval spots. A tendency toward this subdivision of the median spot was shown by two other specimens.
This series seemed to support Mr. L/yman's statement* that confnsa varies awaj" from and not toward lecontci ; but desiring to obtain more conclusive results, I visited the rocky pasture again on May 6, 1900, and secured another lot of hibernated larvae. These, when obtained, varied a good deal in size, some being apparently in the fourth and some in the fifth stage (the normal number of stages is six ), but were alike to all appear- ances in other respects.
Nearly every Cynoglossum plant, out of more than a hundred examined, showed the characteristic oval holes in the leaves, and about one in four furnished a larva. Occasionally two larvae were found on one plant. The plants were scattered singly and in groups of two or three, rarely growing in a clump. Pretty thorough exploration of the locality showed that the plants were confined to an area of a few acres on the top of this hill. Thirty-nine larvae were brought home and confined in breeding cages. In the last stage three of these larvae had a slightly different appearance from the rest and were placed in a cage apart. The differences noted were a somewhat stouter body and a more hairy look, due not to a greater number or length of hairs, but to their being lighter colored and thereby more conspicuous. The stouter look was, perhaps, due to their being females, as all three produced fully marked clymoic
* Can. Ent., October, 1887, p. iS7.
IQOl] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 83
imagos of that sex. Xot dreaming at the time that any doubt could exist as to specific distinctness of clyiuoic and coufi/sa no effort was made to pair these females with males of the white- winged forms which emerged at abont the same time, and they were at once killed and mounted.
( )f the white-winged moths there emerged in all five male> and twelve females, all with white secondaries, but showing a remarkable range in pattern of primaries, viz. :
3 $ , S 9 . — These showed no very wide departure from the usual conflict form, though several females varied toward typi- cal Iccontci -\- in having the outer end of median white spot only -lightly indented. Lyman (ibid. ) and vSmith ( Can. Ent., Dec., iSSj, p. 2371 in effect found the distinction between confusa and Iccontci on the shape of the median white spot. Typical Iccontci having it entire and convex on the outer margin, and typical confusci having it deeply cleft by a spur from the brown band that arises just within the internal angle of the wing.
i <? . — ( Fig. i of Plate ) has apical, preapical and outer white -pots partially fused. The secondaries have a slight yellow- tinge and an unusually large brown spot near inner angle.
1 $ . — The fifth £ (Fig 11 of Plate) was almost an exact reproduction of Fig. 2 of Lyman's plate, which he calls typi- cal Iccontci.
2 9 .—These varied toward typical Iccontci and were much like Fig. 12, except that outer margin of median white spot was even less incised.
i 9- — In this example the broad and median white spot- were broadly fused, and the oblique brown band from above internal margin to apex was entirely obsolete, and the insect looked much like Fig. 5 of L,y man's plate, which he gives a- variety of Iccontci. The secondaries had slight yellowish tinge and distinct yellowish stain where the brown spot is when present.
i 9. — The fourth aberrant 9 was Fig. 2 of accompanying plate, and differed from typical coufusa in having apical, pre- apical and outer white spots broadly fused and a slight yellow tinge on secondaries.
' l\\ typical h'contei I mean Fi.^s. i, 2 and 3 of Lyman's plate accom- panying his article in Can. Ent., for October, 1887.
(To he continued.)
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS.
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PHILADELPHIA, PA., MARCH, 1901.
ONE of our esteemed subscribers writes as follows : ' v I wel- come the NEWS as of old. It is maintaining its own, and its growth is phenomenal in every way, and can't help but be of inestimable value to its readers. There is one feature I should like to see strengthened, and that is news items of the active entomologists as to what they are doing. Brief notes on the principal publications, or any items that might be in the nature of news, would be especially welcome. Now that I am less in