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SCIENCES
6" HAUS
5
ADVISORY COMM
CHARLES A. BLAKE. _ Puivip P. (CALVERT.
nic Entomologists - ~ Colle ing in Pennsylvania .
~ Collecting by Lamplight . . 69, 91 i P “Doings of Societies 3I, 48, 63, 79
115, 135 150% 167-. = ta ntomology 70, 86, 102,
57- rical Literature 13, 29, 44, 7, 95, 112, 131, 147, 162. nology at Longport, N. J. 142 cursic ‘to Jamesburg . 94, 111 >-made Cork .: 12
‘ter to Editor ay 27 oD tallic Colors in Insects, nara lution of ia o% a? 3
- and News 10, 26, 4I, 57 74, » 110, 128, 145, 160.
2s from Colorado . 75
1a) . 146
phia’s 5 White Pathe II
»s and Answers 62
atific Research in Mexico. 41 carried off by Pompi-
See . 128, 145
_ Spider’s Web, ‘balls of 44
Whistling Trees . . 28
COLEOPTERA.
57
cinclus 58
. idze of a season . 158
’ Siautes on 53
pasty: Sspiculatus 161
Fond of Grammar 38
Jewels that are Alive . 28
_ Notes on Coleoptera . 9, 52
Notes from the Northwest . 33
oh the Habits of some Meloini 89
alone punctatus 12 — on the N. J. coast 12 , Ont., Beetles at 43
INDEX TO VOLUME I.
DIPTERA. - Interesting Method of Egg De- position .... . 39 _ Mosquitoes at Cape May . 128 Mosquitoes, Exterminating . 76 s HEMIPTERA. Acanthia papistriliain the nests of Barn Swallows : 26 Apple Pest, a new . mee Empoasca birdii n. sp. 19 Metrobates hesperius . ae 6 (0)
Siphonophora or Nectarophora? 20 Timothy Bugs . 75 HYMENOPTERA.
Aculeate Hymenoptera new to Pennsylvania and N. Jersey. 83
Bombus, notes on . Ae ee, |
Dolerus arvensis, D. unicolor. 94
Ichneumon suturalis . SGI Inhabitants of a Hickory Nut. 49 New Hymenoptera 106, 137 Celioxys dolichos . . 107 Hoplisus foveolata . . 106 Miscophus americanus . 138- Philanthus eurynome . . 107 Photopsis Cressoni . 2k, 138 Sphex (Isodontia) macro- cephalus . 137 Oviposition of itriaion . 139 Pimpla grapholithe n. sp. 50 Polybia cubensis in Florida... 93 @ethiops catching a se 128 mitiiidee carrying off Spiders 145 Spain Venation 88 Vespa wulgaris. . . . 161 W at are the Uses of Bright lors in Hymenoptera . 65 Yucca Insects 75 | LEPIDOPTERA. Actias luna . £,976;.93 Aletia argillacea . . 154 Bananas as Bait 93, 129
ashe)
ii
Bite of Caterpillar as Cause of
Death . 146 Butterflies found at icipe May’. 6 Butterflies on Ixtaccihuatl . . 111 Butterfly bathing . 130 Cabinet, A new form of . . 126 Callosamia angulifera . 58, 146 Canonympha eggs 75 Charaxes athamas 93 Coliasinterior’. . 43 Colias philodice var. ste p 93, 130 Coloradia pandora, \arva of . 145 Datana contracta, preparatory
stages of . 144 Erebia discoidalis . po eraG Erebia epipsodea a: See Geographical Variation . 84 Glanville Fritillary 75 Gortyna nitella, larva of . 136 Hesperidz, New African . 155
Proteides margaritata . 155
P. iricolor . . 156
P. laterculus . f . 156 Hesperidz, North picavicen ar Hop Worms. ;? + Larve rearing, Somer giperi-
ences in. 108, 117 Lepidoptera New to Our Lists. 105 May Moths in New Hampshire 17 Neonympha Mitchelli in N. J. . 129 Notes on Lepidoptera 51 Papilio macleyanus . 130 Papilio palamedes . . . Te Pamphila Aaronin. sp.. . 6, 128 Pamphila panoquin . TE Phobetron pithecium . : 160 Random Notes on Lepidoptera 19 Smerinthus astylus 21 Swarm of Butterflies . . 10 Teinopalpus imperialis . 57 Terias nicippe . . 129 Tropical species in Plarida . . 153 What can it be? 124 Winter Collecting in Florida Sr, 1O1
NEUROPTERA. Dragonflies at Night . . 146
INDEX.
List of Maine Dragonflies . 36, 38 Notes on N. Am. Odonata. . 73 Virginian Dragonflies . . . 22 CONTRIBUTORS TO VOL. I. Aaron, E. M., . I, 12-15, 23, 29, 30
Sa » aes 6 Ballard, Mrs. J. P., . aca. Beutenmiiller, W.,. . . 58, 144 Blake, C. A.., ae 44, 58, 127, 1 136. Bunker, R., . 108, 117 Calvert, P. P.,. . 14, 22, 70, 73, 86, 102, 119, 140, 157 Cockerell, T. D. A., 3, 27, 58, 65, 75) 161 meeiey, A.B... «>. es ee meeason, E. T.,.. 2.) See Dyar, H. G., . 105, 160 Ehrman,G.A., . . . «93, 130 Fox, W.J., . 83, 93, 106, 137, 145 meeech, G. H., ... +, See Gillette, Prof. C. P., 26, 94, 139, 161 Goding, F. W., . 123, 129 Hamilton, Dr. J., 12, 49, 142 Hill, W.M.,: . ,.; << ee Holland, Rev: W. Hy : 155
Horn, Dr. G. H., 9, 53; is: 99, 160
eS Re 39 Kellicott, D. Sy ae ae fomes, F.M., . -.- Sg Kunze, Dr. R., . aha Liebeck, C., . . « 32a tse Lugger, Prof.O.,. . . +. + 38 Lyman, H. H.,. . 146 Martindale, I. C., a ae Peters, E. D. jr., . - = Seas Robertson, C., . a Slosson, Mrs. A. T., 17, 81, 101
Skinner, Dr. H., 6, 10, 11, 12, Gis, 31, 51, 58, 76, 84, 129 Smith, Prof. J. B., . Summers, Prof. H. E.., Van Winkle, A. S., Wadsworth, Miss M., Weed, Dr. C. M., Wickham, H. F., : Williston, Prof. S. W.,
99, 145 «280
a an
aie
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION,
ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. I. JANUARY, 1890. No. 1. CONTENTS: Announcement : 1 | Notes and News : 10 Cockerell—On. Metallic Colors..........0+. 3 | Entomological Literature..............0..06 13 Skinner—On Collecting at Cape May... 6 | ExchangeS...cssssecssessssseeresrscesescssvenseess 16 Horn—Notes on Coleoptera.......sesssseees 9 ANNOUNCEMENT.
It has for some time been apparent to Entomologists in this country that there was unoccupied room for a journal of Ento- mology devoted less to the dry details of descriptive and classi- ficatory work and more to the news and gossip which is always of interest to entomological workers. The field of descriptive en- tomology is already well filled by journals published in Brooklyn, N. Y., and London, Ontario; that of economic entomology by a government publication at Washington, and the bibliographic department has received special attention at Cambridge, Mass. None of these journals allude systematically to the important work always in progress in Europe and elsewhere, nor do they by any means regularly notice such work appearing here from time to time. News of this sort is of great value to the student of Entomology even if he is near one of the large libraries; to those remote from these centres of information it can not fail to be of the utmost importance. A journal which will keep ento-
I
2 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan.
mologists en rapport with what is being accomplished in serials and by monographs at home and abroad, and which will also give the items of interesting news concerning explorations and ex- plorers, collections and collectors, will, it is believed, win its way into the good graces of the insect collecting fraternity. Such a journal is only possible where its conductors are in close com- munication with the literature of Entomology and the sister sciences. Philadelphia, the possessor of the public libraries of the Academy of Natural Sciences, the American Entomological Society and the American Philosophical Society and several private libraries rich in works on special branches of Entomology, is generally conceded to occupy a position in this field unrivaled in America.
With this in view the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, with the co-operation and financial aid of the American Entomological Society, have de- cided to publish, beginning with this number, a journal to ap- pear about the 1st of each month, July and August excepted, under the editorial and advisory direction set forth on the cover.
Besides such scientific papers as will naturally appear in a journal published under these auspices, there will be departments of ““ Notes and News,’’ ‘‘Queries and Answers,’’ ‘‘ Exchange,”’ “* Doings of Societies,’’ etc. Under the first it will be the object of its conductors to make ENTOMOLOGICAL NEws deserve its name in the widest sense. Under the second, so far as may be possible, insects sent for determination will be named by members ‘of the Section and the results announced therein. The depart- ment of ‘‘ Exchange’ will be free to all under reasonable restric- tions. And, finally, it will be the aim to give a brief résumé of the proceedings of the various Entomological Societies throughout the world. :
With liberal patronage and support from the Entomologists of America and elsewhere, it is intended that ENTOMOLOGICAL News shall grow into an important factor in every entomolo- gist’s work. It will be enlarged, and its scope modified or increased, as its readers may seem to demand. This issue will give but a faint idea of what it is proposed shall be the scope of ENTOMOLOGICAL News. Its conductors will be glad to receive from its readers, at any time, criticisms of its work and suggestions for its improvement.
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 3
Scientific papers, news-notes, reports of societies, etc., are needed from all sources to make this journal just what its name implies, a compend of entomological news.
EuGENE M. AARON.
The Evolution of Metallic Colors in Insects.
BY T. D. A. COCKERELL.
Metallic coloring in insects cannot be a very recent develop- ment, for we have good evidence that it existed in later Eocene or Miocene times, a Chryszs having been discovered in the Flo- rissant fossil-beds in Colorado. Nevertheless, probably no one would propose that the earliest insects, even of the orders now presenting metallic species in abundance were metallic. There seems to be a graduated series of colors, following in nearly direct sequence, and of these the metallic ones are by no means the first, nor do they occur predominatingly on those parts of the insect which we might suppose least specialized as regards colors.
For the present we may consider the Coleoptera and Hymen- optera alone, because in color these orders are specially related, and form a section apart from all other insects. The primitive color is probably ¢esfaceous, with variations to rufous, orange and yellow. The legs and under parts are often so colored where the upper parts are darker or metallic. Pale legs not unfrequently have dark joints, and this may be related to stimuli due to the motion of the parts. Pimpla conquisitor well illustrates the dark- ening about the joints, as well as the difference between the color of legs and-body. Sometimes, however, these conditions are reversed, as in pio coloradensis, which is a reddish orange species with the legs mainly black.
From testaceous there is variation to dark brown of various shades—rufous-brown and black. It has been noticed how often phytophagous, and especially wood-eating beetles are brown, and there is good reason to suppose that tannin has influenced their color. Mr. Slater (Ent. Mo. Mag. 1887, p. 72) remarks on the presence of tannin in the tissues of phytophagous beetles, and M. Villon (Atheneum, 1887, p. 787) found tannin in corn-weevils. The non-metallic series of colors, then is something like this :
4 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan.
pale rufous, testaceous, orange or yellow,* through browns and rufous-browns to dark brown and black. The body is often darker than the legs, and the elytra of beetles are often darker than the
thorax, though the reverse of this latter condition occurs in Coc-
cinella, Lacnea, Dermestes, etc.
Metallic colors seem to have their beginning at either end of the series, but it would seem that, whereas testaceous insects vary to metallic yellows and yellowish greens, black insects vary to blue. If black is highest in the non-metallic series, so we might expect that blue, to which it varies, would be higher than yellow or green in the metallic series, and this, I believe, is precisely the case. Harpalus eneus is sometimes dull and sometimes metallic green, or coppery. The green form, being the commonest, is regarded as the type, but no doubt the dull variety is the oldest, and the green the newest, or highest. The dull forms, then, are atavisms. The same sort of thing occurs in Meligethes rufipes, and a speci- men was even found (Ent. Mo. Mag. 1885, p. 217) with one ely- tron dull reddish, and the other with a slight greenish metallic tinge. This case of partial or unilateral atavism is not unique. I have recorded a parallel case, though not relating to metallic colors, in Dermestes fasciatus (Entom. 1889, p. 119).
Trirhabda convergens has a variety which I call vivescens, common at West Cliff, Col., in which the elytra, except a yellow costal or outer border, are rather dull metallic green. Here we see the tendency of the edges of the elytra to keep the original color, a very common thing with many beetles, and often a fixed specific character.
Dark species in the genus Lougifarsus sometimes tend to be- come bronzed. Cvrepidodera longula, as described by Dr. Horn, is rufo-testaceous, with a greenish lustre. These are the beginnings of metallic colors at the lower end of the series. The paler the
non-metallic form, the yellower its metallic variety, and herel am ~
assuming that all metallic forms were once varieties.
In Haltica we have beautiful series of variations and changes from metallic golden to blue. From the distribution given by Dr. Horn (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1889, p. 219, ef seg.) it would appear that golden, green and bronzy forms are more
* And the yellow varying and changing, as it does throughout organic nature, to scarlet, but this is beside our present purpose.
cenit ath teen: el At aianetenaiiee teaming:
aes = eer: Bae 3 1890. | _ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5 \p e - E prevalent in the mountains and to the north, while blue is a south- ‘ern characteristic. This, however, isnot an invariable rule. In
iy Hi. ignita there is a regular geographical sequence southward from ft" golden through green to blue. The cupreous and greenish varie- ties of H. chalybea mentioned by Dr. Horn I regard as atavisms. Here, though, it becomes necessary to define one’s notion of atavism. Commonly, it is said to be reversion to the state of an ancient progenitor. Some confine it to the development of half- forgotten rudiments, but to me this seems an unwise restriction.
To me there are two fundamentally different kinds of atavism :
_ (1) Due to the development of structures now obsolete.
e- (2) Due to arrest of development and consequent resemblance
- to a less-developed or differentiated ancestor.
The first class is due to abnormal development, the second to abnormal arrest of development—two very different things. . Our atavistic green Haltica chalybea clearly belongs to the second division. The first division is exemplified in a horse that develops
_ extra toes.
Mr. T. H. Hall gives me a list of his varieties of Donacia sericea. The females are coppery, brassy and green. The males are green, violet and purple. Here we see in the female the older type of coloration to what obtains in some butterflies and other insects.
At Chislehurst, in England, I collected two species of metallic Chrysomele. C. gettingensis, which lived concealed at the roots of herbage, was dark blue. C. hyperic’, on Hypericum, and more exposed, is green. Here seems protective adaptation to circumstances ; or perhaps we may say that C. hyperici would have developed in time to blue, but natural selection prevented it. C. gettingensis has beautifully pink wings, but these need not be considered in the present connection.
Dr. Hamilton found a variety of Calosoma wilcoxi, varying from its normal green and golden to purple-black, with the mar- gins of thorax and elytra purple-blue. Possibly this was a token of the future color of C. welcoxi. In Carabus we have C. nitens with something the color of Cad. wilcoxi, and the coloring of Dr. Hamilton’s variety is a permanent institution in C. véolaceus. A. Bergé found he could actually manipulate these color changes in Carabus by chemical means, and produce certain “ varieties’’ at will.
8 LK pe EN mF:
6 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. , [ Jan.
Metallic-blue grades into black. Pecilus mauritanicus looks black, but shines a brilliant blue-green. Perilampus cyaneus is blue, but P. Aya/inus, in the same genus, is black.
Perhaps a still higher development in the metallic series is crim- son. This color appears prominently in some lovely species of the genus Chrysis in Europe, especially the common C. ignifa. In America nearly all the species of Chrysis are blue or green, but C. martia has the abdomen crimson. This preponderance of green and blue in American Chrysides is in accordance with the not-rarely observed fact that where a genus is common to Europe and America, the American forms are the oldest. But in Cantharis, the common European species is green, while in America we see crimson appearing on the elytra; the thorax, as in Chrysis, remaining green.
WEsT CLIFF, CUSTER Co., CoL., Dec. 9, 1889.
Ly) Vv
Notes on Butterflies found at Cape May, N. J., with description of a new species of Pamphila.
BY HENRY SKINNER, M. D.
Pamphila Aaroni n. sp.—Antenne, head, thorax and abdo- men very dark brown, almost black. Primaries above tawny with blackish brown border about one-eighth inch in width. The base of the wing is shaded a darker color by the same dusky scales. The nerves of the primaries are not defined by the dark color as in hobomok. The tawny middle area of the wings is darker and more fiery than in the latter. The discal bar or dash is black and very distinct and well defined, although quite small in most of the specimens; running from this obliquely toward the body to the interior margin is a broken, very faint line. Secondaries are a practical reproduction of the primaries, the only difference being that the dark border encircles the entire wing, but is narrower on the anterior margin, and the neuration is well defined.
Underside.—Extending from the thorax into the wing for about one-eighth inch and covering only the lower half of the base is a sharply defined black spot, which has a pointed projection ex- tending into the third median interspace. The middle area of the wing is tawny, but some shades lighter than the upperside. The border is about the same width as above along the lower half
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 7
of the exterior margin, but widens considerably as it approaches the apex; this border and the immaculate secondaries are of a light cinnamon-brown color. There is a brownish black streak running along the interior margin of underside of primaries. The female is larger and the colors of a lighter shade and not as well defined as in the male. On the upperside it resembles ?. hobomok, and beneath P. delaware, except in color. Largest specimen 9 expands 1¥% inch. and the smallest $ 1 inch. De- scribed from 7 8 $ 1 9. It is no more than proper that Mr. Aaron should have one of his pets called after him, thus the name emanated. The specimens were found in company with P. pano- quin, feeding on the flowers of Statice limonium var. America- num, which grows in the salt meadows, but was quite rare and exceedingly wild and difficult to capture, making off in a straight line when any movement was made near it. The seven specimens represented about ten days careful collecting.
THE LIMITED RANGE OF SATYRUS ALOPE.
Without having given the subject any thought or study I had been under the impression that the greater number of species of butterflies had no fixed abode or dwelling-place, but were prac- tically unrestricted in their range, going here, there and every- where in search of food or pleasure. While on a tramp one day and only incidentally looking for insects, not having my net with me, I saw fluttering in and around a small clump of holly bushes a beautiful specimen of Satyrus alope, which evidently had only been a short time from the chrysalis; it alighted, and I endeav- ored to secure it by taking hold of the tips of the wings between the thumb and index finger, when it violently flapped them and left the tips as a souvenir. This spot and its neighborhood proved an excellent collecting-ground, and I subsequently visited it frequently, and each time saw the same a/ofe in the same clump of bushes. I saw other specimens of the same species here which I learned to recognize from peculiarities in the way they were rubbed, etc., as most of the specimens at this time were badly flown. I made this species the subject of some study at the time, and came to the conclusion that it undergoes its trans- formations and lives its entire life in a very restricted area. A form with one ocellus is found at Cape May, which Mr. Edwards thinks is not pega/a, but a variety of alope.
8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan.
EGG-LAYING OF TERIAS LISA.
The female Zerias /isa deposits its eggs in a very systematic and uniform manner. It moves about in a fluttering way so characteristic of butterflies when ovipositing, and lights on. the tip of the leaf Cassia nictitans, facing toward the stalk of the plant and walks up the leat until the end of the abdomen is mid- way between the end of the leaf and its junction with the main stem and then deposits the egg on the upperside of the stem or mid-rib that runs between the leaflets. It moves with great care and precision, as though such nicety were very necessary. The egg is thus placed at what might be called the exact centre of the leaf. There seems undoubtedly to be design in this, as the eggs are exceedingly frail and delicate, and if deposited on the leaflets
they would probably be injured or crushed when they close up
tight at night. I did not notice whether the eggs were placed between the junctures of two sets of leaflets on either side, but I think such was the case. When the females are confined over the plant the eggs are scattered about indiscriminately either on the Cassia, or anything else near it. They were found oviposit- ing here in the last week of August, and at Westville, N. J., in September.
THE FIRST STAGES OF PAMPHILA PANOQUIN.
August 22d, Pamphila panoguin was exceedingly abundant on the meadows flying about and feeding on the flowers of Statice. They were fine, bright specimens. This species does not seem to have as much of the jerky flight as most species of the genus, but flies generally in a straight line. It is readily caught when feeding on the blue flowers, which attract it greatly, but when in the net is exasperatingly restless, and usually manages to denude its thorax of hair. A female deposited a few eggs in the paper in
which it was confined, not having been pinched hard enough to —
cause immediate death. One hatched August 27th, and the
young larva was about one-eighth inch in length and was different ~
from any Hesperid larva I had ever seen in being cream-white in color. Under the microscope it showed six or eight small point- like warts on each segment. The head was of a light coffee color darker toward the front. It entirely devoured the egg shell. The eggs were of the usual form in the genus and of a pale greenish white color. I tried to rear it on lawn grass, which it absolutely
5 en,
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. | 9 +
refused to eat, and thus suicided. The remaining eggs I sent to Mr. W. H. Edwards, but they failed to hatch. The female pano- qguin differs from the other sex in being larger, several shades darker in color, and in having the maculations on the superior wings much more sharply defined and brighter in color. There is a prominent light colored streak on the inferiors nearly one- quarter inch in length, which is either wanting or only indicated in the male.
A colony of full grown Junonia cenia larve were found feeding on Gerardia tenutfolium, which, as far as I know, is a new food- plant for the species.
vat Vv
NOTES ON COLEOPTERA.
BY GEO. H. HORN, M. D.
From the remarks of Mr. Fauvel (Revue Ent. 1889, p. 142) it is evident that two species of Cryptohypnus have been confounded under one name by many of the Coleopterists of Europe, notably by Dr. Candéze, whose work has been accepted as authority on the family ELATERID#@ for many years. It is pardonable in students on this side of the Atlantic if they are found guilty of an error due to, or rather copied from, those who should be final authority on the species of the fauna around their own homes.
€. pulchellus Linn., exiguus Rand., guttatulus Mels.
The above line appears in Dr. Hamilton’s paper on the Cole- optera of the sub-arctic regions common to both hemispheres.
From the remarks of Fauvel two species have been confounded under pulchellus, which have a great superficial similarity ; these are:
C. pulchellus Linn.—Thorax with posterior angles sinuate, di- vergent and acute at the apex, the strize of the elytra obsolete at the tip.
C. sabulicola Boh.—Thorax with posterior angles arcuate, rather incurved, obtuse at apex, elytra deeply striate, the inter- vals subcostiform. :
Any one who will read the descriptions of Randall and Mels- heimer, which are remarkably good, will see that we have in our fauna pulchellus as described by Fauvel.
10 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan.
C. guadripunctatus Fab., does not occur in our fauna, although we have a representative species in perflexus Horn, which has a longer thorax and the humeral elytral spots only.
C. dermestoides Hbst. var. guadriguttatus Lap.—This species: is now for the first time recorded in our fauna. It is a small species, thorax rugulose, especially in front; median line smooth, but linear. Elytra with four yellow spots, one on each humeral angle, the other on the middle line of the elytra near the apex.
Specimens are in my cabinet from Nova Scotia, Maryland (Lugger) and Washington, D. C. (Ulke).
The true dermestoides has no elytral spots, or very faint indi- cations of them. Three such specimens are known to me from Nevada, northern California and Los Angeles. On the other hand three specimens from the State of Washington are interme- diate in the fact of having a well-marked apical spot but no humeral.
C. riparius Fab., is said, by Candéze, to occur in our polar regions. He does not state his grounds for this and the species has not been recognized by us.
Notes and News.
ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE.
[The Conductors of ENTOoMOLoGICcAL 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 ‘cr the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.]
a
A Roya. ENTomo_Locist.—Recently the Grand Duke Nicholas, of Russia, was elected a corresponding member of the Acad. Nat. Sci. of Philadelphia, in recognition of his services to Entomology. He is one of the few men of science of royal rank, and is editor and part writer of one of the finest works of recent years on Lepidoptera. The work was commenced in 1884, and at present consists of five handsome volumes, the last published recently. They are profusely illustrated in the most sumptuous manner by the best artists of Europe. He has sent out several collecting expeditions under a guard of Cossacks, which turned up many new and rare species. The work is entitled ‘‘ Memoirs sur les Lepidop- teres rediges,’’ par N. M. Romanoff (Grand Duke Nicholas), of St. Peters- bourg. The first article is ‘‘ Les Lepidopteres de la Transcaucasie,”’ by
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. II
N. M. Romanoff, and is continued in the succeeding volumes. He has a
collection of Lepidoptera, and has corresponded and exchanged with Dr.
Strecker, of Reading, who has received many finé specimens from him. H. SKINNER.
PHILADELPHIA’s “‘ WHITE PasHa.’’—Dr. W. L. Abbott, an ornithologist and entomologist, well known in Philadelphia, is making quite a reputation in East Central Africa as an explorer and naturalist. Before leaving this - country he presented his fine collection of birds to the Philadelphia Acad- -emy. He also possessed a fine collection of Lepidoptera, mostly local species. Dr. Abbott is a life member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, a graduate of the Towne Scientific School and the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, and member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of England. He collected birds in the far West in 1881, and birds and insects in Hayti in 1883, and presented the latter to
_ the American Entomological Society; among these was a new species of
_ Anartia and other rarities. He was with Herr Ehlers, who recently made the first successful ascent of Mt. Kilmanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Dr. Abbott did not reach the summit, but broke down at 17,000 feet with heart dilatation, as he was convalescing from the African fever. More birds have been collected by him than by any one who has visited the Kilmanjaro region (550 species). At last accounts Dr. Abbott was preparing a large expedition into Masai land. Stevens, the round-the- world bicyclist, alludes to him quite frequently in his letters to the New York World. He describes the natives as singing his praises as follows :
“Our Wanyamwezi, marching together in the same regular order as yesterday, struck up a vociferous and truly African refrain, while the rest of the caravan sung the chorus. No matter’ how hot the day or how tired his limbs, the porter seems always ready to split his throat in singing and shouting. For this or for dancing he seldom gets too tired. The Wan- yamwezi are noted shouters. They commenced a song in praise of the
white man, and-many joined in heartily.
“Great is the mzunger! Woh! woh!” sung the melodists from the Land of the Moon.
_ “Woh! woh! woh! the Mzu-u-gu-u-u! woh!’ chorused the caravan.
“The Mzungu is great! woh!”
“Woh! woh! woh! the Mzu-u-g-u-u! woh!” .
“Great is the Merikain! (Dr. Abbott, who is widely known by that proud title among the natives of East Central Africa) woh !””
“Woh! woh! woh! the Merikain, woh!”
*‘Our food is rice and fish! woh!”
‘Woh! woh! woh! rice and fish !”’
*‘Woh! our food is rice and fish !”’
‘Great is the Mzungu! woh!”
“Woh ! woh! woh! the Mzungu woh!”
‘“ He gives us rupees! rupees !’’
“Woh! woh! woh! he gives us rupees! rupees! woh !’,—H. SKINNER.
12 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan.
PHyToNomus Punctatus FaB.—The appearance of this weevil in this vicinity for the first time and in numbers, is one of the remarkable inci- dents in Coleoptera occurring during the year just ended. The first speci- mens were taken about the first week in May and the last the early part of November. At irregular intervals itappeared very abundantly, and but few days passed without at least one or two specimens being observed. It is singular that, when this insect makes its appearance in any locality, it is always in numbers. Mr. Reinecke, of Buffalo, in August, 1884, recorded an invasion of this species at that place, in the Buffalo Freie Presse, which was reprinted in the ‘‘ Brooklyn Bulletin’? of September, 1884. .
Ne er CHARLES LIEBECK.
A Cocoanut Pest.—The United States Consul at Santiago de Cuba has made a report to the Secretary of State in regard to a mysterious disease prevailing in that country which at one time threatened to anni- hilate all the plantations producing cocoanuts for market and export. Small shipments of cocoanuts are constantly leaving Santiago for the United States, and the Consul says he has sought to discover the origin of the disease which has affected them. Opinions of scientists differ as to _ the cause and nature of the disease. The Consul says that it has been at last definitely ascertained that the destroyer of the cocoanut tree is an insect of diminutive size, barely visible to the naked eye, and probably a Coccid. Prof. Gundlach, of Havana, recommends that all cocoanuts re- ceived in the United States be dipped into boiling water upon arrival, and that the bags they are shipped in be destroyed. E. M. AARON.
EREBIA EPIPSODEA var. Sine-ocellata described in Can. Ent. Dec., 89, p. 239, by Dr. Henry Skinner, the author informs us, is probably a synonym of Epipsodea var. Brucei described in a few words by Mr. Elwes, Trans. Ent. Soc., London, June, 1889, p. 326. The latter description is as follows: ‘‘minor absque ocellis fascia rufa fere obsoleta,”’ habitat Summit County, Colorado, 12,000 feet altitude. It is but justice to Dr. Skinner to state that his description was in the hands of the editor of the “Canadian Entomologist’’ at least six weeks before Mr. Elwes’ descrip- tion was received at the libraries in Philadelphia. E. M. AARON.
HOME-MADE Cork.—Mr. F. M. Jones, of Wilmington, Del., describes a very good lining for insect boxes as follows: ‘‘I made a rough wooden press and procured about a barrel of the fine cork which white grapes are packed in, mixed it with weak glue and pressed it into sheets between white paper. The sheets when pressed must be about three-eighths of an inch thick to turn out properly. It answers very well and costs almost nothing.’’ H. SKINNER.
RARE BEETLES ON THE NEW JERSEY COAST.—Among many good things taken on Brigantine Beach, N. J., just after the September storm, by which the whole island, except a few of the coast sandhills, was submerged, may be specially noticed :
=<
crn ae:
5 I 1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 3
Cafius sericeus Holme, two 2 examples. This fixes an American lo- cality for and decides in favor of the successful colonization of this Euro- pean species. It appears slender and delicate compared with the abundant
Cryptobium pusillum Lec., two examples, f and Q, .25 inch. long. The only specimen seen by Dr. Horn, when preparing his Cypéobium paper, was the type in the LeConte collection, a <j‘ from the sea-shore of Long Island. N. Y. The last ventral segment of the ¢' has a parallel notch from apex to base, and a contiguous depression on the apex of the pre- ceding, as if nature had intended to continue the slit ; the last ventral of the @ is rounded.
Cryptobium lugubre Lec., three examples, unfortunately 2. Having been described from Florida, it is mentioned here to record the locality.
Quedius brunneus Mann., and Actobius nanus Horn, were taken in some abundance. The Coleoptera were for a time very much concentrated, taking refuge under the trash swept up around the sandhills. The New Jersey coast is rich in small Coleoptera, apparently neglected by neigh- boring collectors, or at least unrecorded. Joun HAMILTON.
Entomological Literature.
BULLETINS OF THE ILLINOIS STATE LABORATORY OF NATURAL His- tory, Vol. III.
Article V.—A Descriptive Catalogue of the Phalangiine of Illinois by Clarence M. Weed, M. Sc. Ina pamphlet of 20 pp. the author tabulates the genera Liobunum, Oligolophus and Phalangium, describing in them eight, one, and one species respectively. Three figures are given in the text. Z. elegans and L. politus are described as new.
Article VI.—A partial Bibliography of the Phalangiine of N. America, by the same author, enumerates the general articles and follows with a reference list of the species. Students of this little-known group. so com- monly called ‘‘ daddy-long-legs,”’ will find these papers invaluable guides.
E. M. A.
MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Bulletin No. 5, July, 1889. Household Pests, by Charles H. Fernald, 10 pp. 6 wood-cuts [Dec., 1889.] Carpet beetles, clothes moths. ants and bacon beetles are treated of and their habits and remedies described in a way that renders the author’s meaning clear to any reader.—E. M. A.
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION OF MINNESOTA. Bulletin No. 8, July, 1889. Zhe Rocky Mountain Locusts in Otter Tail County, Minn., in 1889. [Otto Lugger, Ph. D.] 20 pp., 9 cuts, 2 plates, 53 figures [Dec., 1889.] A very full inquiry into the cause, effects and prevention of this visitation for the past season.—E. M. A.
14 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan.
CANADIAN Entomocoaist, Vol. XXI, No. 12, Dec. [14,] 1889, “mailed December 7th,’’ contains the following : “ Preparatory stages of Lepfarctia Californie Walker, with notes on the genus,”’ by G. H. French (con- tinued from p. 213, November). Eleven excellent wood-cuts accompany the text, illustrative of the varieties Strechii, Boisduvalii, Dimidiata, Albifascia, Occidentalis, Latifasciata, Fulvofasciata, California, Wrightii, Decia and Lena. ‘‘ The Noctuidz of North America and Europe com- pared.’’ Fourth paper by A. R. Grote, A. M. The tribes Arzamini, Nonagriini, Scolecampini and Caradrini are treated of. ‘*‘The North American Callimorphas,’”’ by H. H. Lyman. A reply to Prof. Smith, Mr. Grote, et al. ‘‘On the Predatory Habits of Chetopsis enea (Wied.),” by Rev. T. W. Fyles. ‘‘ Preparatory stages of Pyrameis carye Hiibner,” by H. G. Dyar. ‘‘ Butterflies at Qu’Appelle, Assa,” by Henry Skinner, — M.D. Zrebia Sine-ocellata nov. var. of Epipsodea is described. “A Rare Moth,” [Zrebus zenobia,| by A. H. Kilman. Records its capture in Ontario.—E. M..A.
A REVISION OF THE SUBFAMILY LIBELLULIN2 WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF New GENERA AND SPECIES by W. F. Kirby (Trans. Zool. Soc. London, xii, pp. 249-348, Plates LI—LVII, August, 1889), is undoubtedly the most important work on this group that has appeared since the publication of Dr. F. Brauer’s ‘‘ Verzeichniss der bis jetzt bekannten Neuropteren im Sinne Linné’s (Verhdl. zool.-bot. Gesell. Wien, xviii, pp. 359-416, 711- 742), in 1868.
This revision is based on the material in the British Museum. The sub- family is divided into 88 genera, 40 of which are now proposed for the first time. In characterizing genera, Mr. Kirby has “selected the neura- tion as on the whole the most satisfactory guide.’ A general description of the characters made use of, and an analytical table of the genera pre- cede the detailed descriptions of the genera. Fifty-three new species are described, mostly from South America. The plates are excellent and of great service to the text. A number of changes in the names of nerves of the wings are introduced.
It is to be regretted that Mr. Kirby, in common with other British ento- mologists of late years, has retained Newman’s names —Sympetrum, Or- thetrum and Leptetrum. Both Dr. Hagen and Baron de Selys-Long- champs are now agreed that it is best to reject these terms.
As a student of the OponatTA, the writer could wish that a complete list of the species under each genus had been included in this work, al- though this would have called for much additional labor. Perhaps Mr. Kirby will yet favor us with such a list.--P. P. CALVERT.
THE ANNALS AND MAGAZINE oF NATURAL History December, 1889. This number contains the following articles of interest to entomologists :
“Notes made during the summer of 1887 on the effect of offering vari- ous Insects, Larve and Pupz to Birds,” by Arthur G. Butler, F. L. S., etc. After replying to certain criticisms made by Mr. Poulton, in a former number of the ‘“‘ Magazine of Natural History,” the author gives the re-
ah
+
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 15
sult of very many experiments, made from August 16th to October sth, principally with caterpillars that were offered to the Missel-thrush, Night- ingale, Starling, Chaffinch, Rose-finch, Siskin, Waxbill, Skylark, Indigo- finch, Sedge-warbler, Blackbird, Bulbul, Wryneck, Canary, Weaver-bird, and several other birds. As a summary of these experiments he con- cludes: “It is noteworthy, from an examination of the above records that no insect in any stage, excepting the red-tailed bumble-bee (which, by the way, I only offered to the Missel-thrush) was rejected by all my birds ; those insects which were refused by certain species were eagerly devoured by others, so that it was impossible to conclude that any of them enjoyed perfect immunity from destruction. In the second place, so far from my birds learning by experience to reject with scorn that which they had proved to be unpalatable, I found that in some instances they seemed to acquire a taste for larve previously refused. Birds are very intelligent, but their memories are ridiculously short.’’ “A new species of Rhax,”’ [ Rhax semifiava, from the Punjab] by R. I. Pocock. ‘‘ A new species of Glomeris from Borneo,” [ Glomeris concolor] by R. 1. Pocock. ‘‘ On the Parasitic Castration of the TypHLocyB& by a Hymenopterous Larva (Aphelopus melaleucus Dalm.) and by a Dipterous Larva (A/éelenevra spuria Meig.),” by M. A. Giard [A translation from Comptes. Rendus, Nov. 4, 1889, p. 708.]
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’s MONTHLY MAGAZINE, December, 1889.--This number contains the following : ‘‘ 7ri/urcula paliidel/a in the Isle of Pur- beck,” by Eustace R. Bankes. ‘‘ Remarks on Mr. James Edwards’ list of Norfolk Hemiptera,”’ by Edward Saunders. ‘‘Second Supplement to Annotated List of British ANTHOMyIID#,”’ by R. H. Meade [Aydrotee- Pegomyia.| ‘Synopsis of the British Orthoptera,’’? by Eland Shaw [ Pa- chytylus-Tettix.| ‘The usual amount of collecting notes of local interest are given space, and notes on ‘“‘ breeding Detlephila galii;’ the wood- pecker, ‘‘a destroyer of larve of 7enzera Aésculi;” the foods of Boarmia trhomboidaria, Gcophora stipella and Lygus viscicola ; and the bite of Nabis limbatus. Reports of the proceedings of the Birmingham Ento- mological Society, the South London Ent. and N. H. Soc., and the Ent. Soc. of London, are followed by 27 pp. of table of contents and index.
E. M. A.
JOURNAL OF THE AsIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL, Vol. LVIII, Part II, Nos. I and II [Issued May-September, 1889;’’ received Philadelphia, Dec. 21, 1889] contains “A new species and genus of Coccip#,”’ [Pseudopul- vinaria Sikkimensis] by E. T. Atkinson; Plate I, 14 figures. ‘‘ Notes on Indian Rhyncota ; Heteroptera, No. 5,’’ by E. T. Atkinson; 149 species -are described, one species, AZicrodeuterus Dallasi, being new. ‘‘ Notes on Assam Butterflies,” by Wm. Doherty; Plate X, colored figures of 8 species; 5new. A classification of Zuthalia and allies is proposed, based on the costal vein of the forewing. This paper contains much of interest ‘to the student of this suborder. “‘ Definitions of three new Homoptera,”’ {Local species of the genus /diocerus] by E. T. Atkinson.—E. M. A.
16 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ Jan. Exchanges.
[Entomologists are invited to make free use of this page for the purpose of bringing their duplicates and desiderata before the insect-collecting world. Cards of four lines, with four changes per year, will be allowed without charge. Beyond that, insertions will be charged at regular advertising rates.]
’& or
North American botanical specimens offered in exchange for butterflies and moths—I. C. Martindale, Camden, N. J. <
The LepiporTera of the world offered in exchange for North American MACROLEPIDOPTERA.—Henry Skinner, 716 North 20th St., Philada., Pa.
LEPIDOPTERA. Cocoons of hybrids, ex Ceanothi et Cecropia; also Gloveri et Cecropia, besides set specimens of North American species. Lists exchanged.—Emily L. Morton, Newburgh, N. Y.—New Windsor Delivery.
HESPERID# of the world desired in exchange for the same and other rare butterflies. Good cash prices for rare species. Correspondence solicited.—E. M. Aaron, Academy Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa.
AMERICAN LEPIDOPTERA, especially from West and North desired for purchase or exchange.—H., J. Elwes, Preston, Cirencester, England.
HEMIPTERA desired in exchange, especially in HomopTERA, either named or unnamed. Correspondence solicited.—E. P. Van Duzee, Gros- venor Library, New York.
A limited number of Neonympha Mitcheliii French, n. sp., for exchange. Send lists to Irving N. Mitchell, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
PAMPHILA AND CaTocaLa. Good value in cash or exchange for perfect specimens.—Philip Laurent, 1306 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Dragonflies (Cdonata) wanted from all parts of the world. State what is desired in return.—Ph. P. Calvert, Entom. Section, Acad. Nat. ae. 7
19th and Race Sts. » Philadelphia, Pa.
The undersigned would be pleased to hear from any one interested in the collection and study of Coleoptera of North America, either to corre- spond or exchange specimens. Will collect all orders in this vicinity and exchange for Coleoptera of other localities.—Charles Liebeck, Entomo- logical Section Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia, Pa.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION,
ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. I. FEBRUARY, 18go. No. 2. CONTENTS:
Slosson—May Moths........ccsse-csssseecseeee 17 | Aaron—N. American Hesperidz.......... 23
Skinner—Random Notes.......s0e-seseeeese 19 | NOTCH AMES WS i.e. elses. cet. c ied cesenesocee 26
Weed—Siphonophora or Nectarophora? 20 | Entomological Literature... 29
Jones—Notes on Smerinthus Astylus... 21 | DOINGS OF Societies... 2.05. ..csccccsceesecstene 3¥
Calvert—Virginian Dragonflies............ 22
May Moths in Northern New Hampshire. eas BY ANNIE TRUMBULL SLOSSON.
_ Few entomologists. seem:to know much of the early spring in Northern New England and its opportunities for collecting. For
the last two or three years I have gone to Franconia, N. H., on
or before the middle of May. In an ordinary season the snow at that date still lies in the woods, and the mountains often look quite white. But there are plenty of moths.
I have found, on May 15th, Corycia vestaliata Guen. and C. semiclarata Walk. flying in such numbers over the fields and on the edges of woods that they looked like white flower petals flut- tering in the breeze. With these, and as early, fly the pretty species of Lobophora, L. vernata Pack. and L. geminata Pack. About the same date Lozogramma defluata Walk. and L. deter- Sata Guen. start up before you as you walk in méadow or open
2
18 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
woods to fly rapidly a few feet and drop again suddenly to the ground. JL. lactispargata Walk, is generally a little later. On 18th or 20th comes the early brood of Selenia kentaria G. & R. No one who has not seen these early specimens at this season can know anything of the real beauty of this species. These first comers are larger and infinitely deeper and richer in tint than the later ones, and there is a soft, tender bloom upon the surface of the wings which is as evanescent as lovely, and is quite lost in drying. Before the 20th Eujfidonia notataria Walk., Fidonia truncataria Walk. and Ematurga faxonii Minot, are plentiful. All these are day flyers, of course. The nights at this season are still very cold, and often frosty, but it is marvellous to see how. many noctuids are moving about and are attracted to sugar and to light. Two years ago, between May 16th and 20th, Ao- moptera edusa Drury, was in great abundance, flocking at night to our sugar-stations and also to our lanterns on the piazza. We have often taken more than a hundred of this species with its two varieties, /unata and saundersiz, in an evening. With them came also H. unilineata Gr., H. woodstt Gr., H. benesignata Harv., Zale horrida Hiib., and the three forms of Ypsia undularis Drury. Teniocampa incerta Hib. is one of these earliest moths and very abundant. By the end of the month some of the Bombycide make their appearance; the Spilosomas—virginica and prima— Halisidota maculata Harr., H. tessellata A. and S., P. isabella A. and S., Z. acrea Drury, Arctia virguncula Kirby; Notodonta stragula Gr.; N. basistrieus Walk. Lophopteryx elegans Strecker; Nerice bidentata Walk. and many others. And you must re- member that this is not in the May of Pennsylvania, or even that of southern New England, but in the tardy cold spring of the northern hill country. There the snow often lies upon the ground until June; the streams are icy cold, and all vegetation exceed- ingly backward. Upon what do these early subalpine moths feed? There are almost no blossoms at the season of which I speak. From under the snow the epig@a lifts a few pink buds, and in a favorable, sunny May, viola rotundifolia, v. selkirkit and a few—a very few—other hardy little plants open tiny blossoms. I must not forget to say that it was in the last week of May, in a very backward season, while snow, lay in heaps and drifts, in sheltered, shady spots, that I took at light my fine specimen of Phragmatobia assimilans Walk. This beautiful insect known only
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 19
for many years by the worm and damaged types in the British Museum owes, doubtless, its rediscovery by me to my early visit in that backward season to the New Hampshire hills.
Random Notes on Lepidoptera. BY HENRY SKINNER, M. D.
Determination of Sex of the Cocoons of Cecropia.—One winter some time ago I collected a large number of Platysamia cecropia cocoons and noticed quite a difference in their superficial appear- ance, and I determined to see, if I could, what it meant. I had suspected from some previous observations that the two kinds represented the different sexes. I divided the cocoons accord- ingly, putting them in separate boxes, and found, subsequently, that the cocoons in one box produced males and the other females. I separated them by the following characters: the male cocoon is much more compact, lighter in color, and not nearly so baggy as the female and much longer in proportion to its width. A typical male cocoon is three and three-quarters inches in length and one and one-eighth in width, while the female cocoon is but three and one-eighth inches in length by two inches in width. The male cocoons are nearly always found high on the stalks (elder) and the females close to the ground hidden by long grass and dead leaves or other matted material where the elder stalk leaves the ground. The difference in the construction of the two co- coons is very striking, the wrinkled, baggy character of the female ones is noticed at once. There may be some exception, but I think by taking the sum of the characters the sexes may be picked out at once without any difficulty, especially in the cocoons found on elder bushes. The above facts are also true of the other spe- cies in the genus Platysamia, but in a lesser degree. I have separated the sexes of ceanothi in the same way.
q ; A UNIQUE COLLECTING-FIELD.
The Eastern Penitentiary is situated at 22d and Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, in the heart of the city, and is surrounded by a stone wall about 42 feet high. The corridors run from a common centre like the spokes of a wheel, thus leaving some ground between them. Most of the cells have a small yard at-
20 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
tached in which the prisoner is allowed a few hours each day for exercise. Some time ago while on a professional visit to some of the inmates I was mortified to find a lepidopterist, although in- terested in his captures, which were all made in the yard attached to his cell. The cell yard was enclosed by stone walls 14 by 17 feet and 11% in height. In this small space he had caught during the past summer eighteen species, as follows: Papilio asterias, turnus, glaucus, ajax; Pieris rape; Colias philodice; Danais ar- chippus; Grapta interrogationis; Vanessa antiopa, atalanta; An- cyloxypha numitor; Eudamus tityrus; Philampelus satellitia; Sphinx celeus; Hemaris thisbe; Catocala obscura, ilia; Cicada sp. P. ajax is a great rarity here. I have never seen but one in _the city limits, and Catocala obscura is also rare. Most of the species were represented by a number of specimens.
AN ERROR CORRECTED.
Mr. Wm. Beutenmueller in his article on the preparatory stages of Callosamia angulifera, Ent. Amer. Vol. V, No. 11, p. 200, says ‘‘the cocoon can only be separated from that of Promethia by its larger size.’’ The differences in the cocoons and the habits of the larve of the two species in my mind are the most striking proofs of the distinctness of the species. The full grown Pro- methia caterpillar takes great care to securely fasten its cocoon to the twigs of the tree and hangs by a thread of tightly-woven silk, which has been spun over the stem of a leaf and the dried leaf itself from the outer covering of the cocoon. The angulifera caterpillar either spins its cocoon in the leaf and when the leaf drops in the fall the cocoon falls to the ground in it, or crawls down the trunk of the tree and spins its cocoon in the grass, or fastens it to a dead stick under the tree. The angulifera cocoon is oblong, being one inch and a half in length by five-eights of an inch in width, and never has the silken prolongation as in Promethia (see ‘‘ Psyche,’’ Vol. V, p. 261), and is not obscured so much by the curled leaves, and has a more marked appearance.,
LD
Siphonophora or Nectarophora? BY CLARENCE M,. WEED,
The fact that the aphidid genus Siphonophora has recently been replaced by Nectarophora, does not seem to have received as
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 21
- much attention from entomologists as it deserves, and ENTOMo- LoGicaL News may perhaps be utilized to present a brief state- ment of the case. The change was made by Prof. O. W. Oest- lund in his ‘‘ Synopsis of the APH1DID# of Minnesota (Bulletin No. 4 of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minne- sota, p. 78),’’ where in using Mectarophora he says :
‘Tt is with some reluctance that I propose to replace a name that has already become so familiar and extensively used as that of Siphonophora. But Siphonophora as a generic term was al- ready appropriated for the M/yriapoda before Koch made use of it in the APHIDID#; and it is also used to denote an order of the oceanic Hyprozoa, and should, therefore, according to practice, be replaced by one not already occupied.’’
Prof. Forbes informs me that Marschall’s ‘‘ Nomenclator’’ gives the date of the use of Siphonophora by Brandt for a genus of MyRIAPODA at 1886, and that of Koch for HEMIPTERA at 1855.
It seems to me that in questions of nomenclature entomologists at present cannot do better than follow the code of the American Ornithologist’s Union, in accordance with canon xxxiii, of which the use of Nectarophora would be justified. This canon reads as follows :
‘* A generic name is to be changed which has been previously used for some other genus in the same kingdom; a specific or subspecific name is to be changed when it has been applied to some other species of the same genus, or used previously in combination with the same generic term.”
ray Vv
Notes on Smerinthus Astylus Drury. . BY FRANK M. JONES.
As but little is known of the life-history of this insect, the fol- lowing notes may be of interest; unfortunately, I could not ob- tain a full description of the larva through all its changes :
June 16, 1889.—Found % and 9? on a twig of High-bush Huckleberry. Here and there on all the Huckleberry bushes hung a few dry leaves; the leaves, when dead, turn cinnamon- brown, and the two moths, as they sat motionless on the twig, so closely resembled one of these clusters of dry leaves, both in color and outline, that I did not recognize them as living insects for some seconds after seeing them.
22 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
June 16 to 19.— @ laid 151 smooth, glossy, pale greenish yel- low eggs, somewhat flattened, 2 mm. greatest diameter.
June 23.—Some of the eggs changed | to dirty white, and the young larve could be seen within.
June 24.—Eggs commenced to hatch; young larva pale green- ish white, 6 to 7 mm. in length; head and thoracic segments large; caudal horn 1.5 mm. in length, reddish brown, darker at base and tip; two spines at tip, making it appear pronged; horn usually straight, or nearly so, but in some cases much curved; in this moult it points backward.
July 28.—Larva full grown; length 38 mm.; green, with yellow granulations; seven yellow, oblique; lateral stripes, the last reach- ing base of caudal horn; an indistinet, yellow, longitudinal, lateral line to fifth segment, and continued faintly; a variable number of red dorsal spots or blotches, two on a segment; some have but two small red spots on the third segment, and on others red is the predominating color of the dorsal region; caudal horn straight, pale green; two thorns at tip; points forward; several days before pupating the green of the dorsal region fades to a dull yellow.
August 11.—First larva pupated; although provided with a plentiful supply of light, moist earth, none of the larve attempted to enter the ground, but pupated upon the bare soil. If this is their habit in nature, it may in part account for the rarity of this insect, but I have noticed the same thing with other and com- moner species when confined in breeding-cages, and its rarity i is probably due to some other cause. — :
Notes on a few Virginian Dragonflies. BY : PHILIP=E: CALVERT.
Some months ago Mr. Wm. D. Richardson, of Fredericks- -burg, Va., sent to me, for identification, a few dragonflies which he had taken in Spottsylvania County in that State. These speci- — mens may interest some readers as adding new data for geo- graphical distribution. Excepting 4. heros; none of these spe- cies have been recorded from Virginia before, although P. trimaculata was known to inhabit the United States everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. The notes which Mr. Richardson sent with the specimens are enclosed in quotation marks.
caf
fe
News, Vol.
Ent.
‘SNS3H SNWVANA—"Z ‘Dl4
“‘WINVHN SAGCIOAYZ— | Sly
-1890.] -ENTOMOLOGICAL’ NEWS. 23
1. Lestes forcipata Ramb. (Selys, 1862) ¢ ‘‘ July 3, 1889, nea a pond.”’ :
This species is the hamata of Dr. Hagen’s Synopsis of 1861.
2. Anomalagrion hastatum Say, 2 ‘‘July 12, 1889, near a pond.”’
3. Enallagma aspersum Hag., 3 ‘‘ July 12, 1889, near a pond.”’
4. Aéschna heros Fabr., 3 ‘‘June, 1889; caught while flying near a stable; about a thousand feet from a pond, late in the evening.”
5. Celithemis elisa Hag., $ ‘‘July 3, 1889, near a pond.”’
6. Plathemis trimaculata De Geer, $ ‘‘June 18, 1889, near the borders of a small pond about one-quarter of a mile from Fredericksburg.”
7. Libellula quadrupla Say, 2? ‘‘ 1888, border of a small pond : near Frederickburg.”’
The most southern locality known to me for this species is Greenville, S. C., from which I possess a female taken by my friend, Mr. Lawrence O. Patterson.
8. Diplax vicina Hag., ? ‘‘ June 18, 1888, flying over a pond.”’
0)
Vv
NORTH AMERICAN HESPERIDA.
BY EUGENE M. AARON. No. 1—ERYCIDES URANIA and EUDAMUS HESUS.
It is the purpose, in this series of short papers, to give descrip- tions of new or little-known species of North American HEs- PERID#, with notes that will be calculated to aid students in the study of this neglected Family. There are a few species of HEs- PERID#@ which have never been described, the identification of which depend on illustrations only to be found in rare and costly works. Others are inadequately described or, in the opinion of
_the writer, confounded with older species, and still others are as yet undescribed. Where it seems to be desirable to elucidate the text, plain drawings will be furnished.
Erycides Urania, West. [Plate I, fig. 1.]* ; West.-Doub.-Hew., Gen. Di. Lep., p, 510, No. 7, pl. 79, fig. 1 (1852). Though figured, in 1852, in the superb work cited above, this
striking species has never been described in the publications of its
_* Plate I will appear in a future number of News.
24 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
native land nor abroad. As the ‘‘ Genera of Diurnal Lepidop- tera’’ is an extremely rare work—itis doubtful if more than fifteen copies are to be found in the United States—I have thought it well to describe and figure it at this time, so that hereafter it may be easier for the American student of the HESPERID# to identify ‘the species as it turns up in collections.
The only textual reference to this species in the ‘‘ Gen. Di. Lep.”” is in a list of the species of the genus ; the student is left to the very accurate figure on plate 79 for the determination, and there, very unwisely as it seems, only the upper side is figured.
The description which follows is made from the figure by Mr. Hewitson, and’ from a fair series of specimens from Texas and Mexico :
Expanse 2 to 23 inches. Ground color above black on both wings ; banded and spotted with bright green or blue. On the primaries this banding in most examples is caused by the fact that nearly the whole surface is covered with a dense coat of scales of
bright green, which, being separated by the black bordered ner- vures, take on the form of longitudinal bands; in a few specimens, however, the apical area is but slightly sprinkled with green and the whole outer half of the wing appears black or nearly so. A
group of translucent sub-apical spots consist of three constricted -
points along the costal margin, one larger below the outer of the three, and a much larger quadrate spot centrally below the four. — Two translucent bands follow these spots internally, the first bifid, short, hardly more than an elongated spot, the inner one crossing the median area much longer and made trifid by two nervures. The color of the markings on the secondaries is much brighter, and towards the anal angle of a deep azure-blue tint in some ex- amples. From the base three streaks diverge towards and stop abruptly on the median area, the upper of these is shorter than the others to make room for the bifurcate series of spots on the — outer area of the wing. These spots—four in the inner limb and seven in the outer are placed in the form of a written letter y. On some examples there is a faint indication of another streak, longer than the three others running parallel to the abdominal margin.
Beneath, color and markings a reproduction of the upper sur- face, save that while the black is not so dense on the primaries, it is deeper and more velvety on the secondaries. The green atoms on the primaries are fewer; on the secondaries they are brighter, and the bands run all the way to the costal edge.
18go. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 25
Thorax above black, with tufts of green hairs, beneath marked to match the secondaries. Abdomen black, with green hairs and annulations of the same color. Head and palpi above green spotted, white beneath. Antenne black, dark cinereous at tip. Emarginations, above and below, notched, white.
Habitat.—Mexican boundary of Texas; Mexico; Central Am. Eudamus Hesus, West. [Plate I, fig. 2.]
Goniloba Hesus, West.-Doub.-Hew. Gen. Di. Lep. p. 573, No. 40, pl.
78, fig. 5 (1852).
As in Erycides Urania, this species has never been described, but has always been accepted on the strength of the excellent figure of the upper surface, the lower surface not having been represented. The description which follows is made up from this figure, and a small suite of specimens; the species is rather rare in collections.
Expanse 24 to 23% inches. Primaries much produced apically. Ground color rich rufous brown, shaded with deep umber on outer and abdominal margins, and approaching black-brown on costal margin of secondaries. . Primaries with three sub-apical honey- yellow spots, the upper very minute; an irregular discal patch of the same color translucent, resembling a three-leaf clover in shape and composed of three unequal outwardly-notched spots, extends from the costal area well towards the posterior angle. This patch is faintly margined by black; at the juncture of the three spots there is a triangular spot of the ground color. On the costal margin a deepening of the scales and a deep incision running therein for about one-third the length of the wing presents the appearance of an aborted costal fold; sometimes this area is of a lavender-gray color. On lower margin towards base there are two small black spots and two smaller and less distinct just below the outer angle of the discal patch; these seem to be a discon- nected continuation of a band of two or three still fainter on apical area. Secondaries have a small round black spot on disc and a row of five or six of the same color, and of varying size, parallel to the outer margin.
Beneath, the ground color is much duller in tone and more clouded. Honey-yellow spots, of the primaries above, repro- duced; black points wanting. Secondaries without the broad area of black-brown on costal margin; the spots of the upper side are replaced with spots of a lighter color than the ground
26 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
encircled with brown fuscous. The row of spots parallel to the outer margin is made to continue in its sub-marginal course by the addition of two spots placed parallel to the costal margin. Beneath the discal spot and towards the abdominal margin there: is another somewhat smaller.
Body and thorax above and below concolorous with the wings; head above the same, below much brighter. Antennze annulated with black and the general color, brighter at base of tip, then black, and finally ending in a long tapering tip of the general color.
Habitat.—Mexican boundary of ‘Texas; Mexico; Central Am. : Brazil (?). The locality was unknown mise the insect was figured by Westwood.
Notes and News.
ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE.
[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 bi be given in each case for the information of cataloguers and bibliographers. ]
ABCANTHIA PaPISTRILLA IN NESTS OF THE BARN SwALLOW.—While workmen were nailing some brackets beneath the eaves of the college barn in the latter part of last August | ‘preparatory to putting up new eave- troughs, they complained of receiving a shower of bed-bugs whenever they pounded on the barn. The fact was reported to me and I imme- diately went, bottle in hand, to get a supply of the bugs.
A large flock of swallows had lived about the barn all summer and reared their young and had recently deserted the place. The eaves were completely lined with their mud nests between the ends of the rafters. Upon examining these nests I found them to be literally alive with crawling vermin somewhat resembling bed-bugs, but much smaller, more hairy, and having a grayish pilose appearance instead of the naked brick-red appear- ance of the article that I had always‘seen. The outside of the nests were in many places gray in color from the accumulation of their white egg- shells. The largest of the bugs found in the nests measured but 9-64 of an inch in length, while full grown specimens of A. /ectudaria in my col- lection measure fully 4% of an inch; I am indebted to Mr. Ashmead, of the Division of Entomology at Washington,’ for the identification of the species. Mr. Ashmead tells me that he does not think that this species has ever before been reported in this country. It is a common species in
1890. ] ~ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 27
Europe on the swallow and the bat. Is it not very possible that in most cases, and perhaps in all cases, where bed-bugs have been reported in swallow’s nests in this country that this was the species present, and not A. lectularia ? C. P. GILLETTE.
* West Cliff, Custer Co., Col., Dec. 16, 1889.
The Editor ENtoMOLOGICAL NEws,
Dear S1r:—I received your preliminary circular, or prospectus, to- day, and am glad to hear of the new journal. Conducted on the lines set forth, and by the editor and committee announced, it cannot fail to be highly useful. It will bring entomologists in closer touch and to more harmonious feeling than has yet been seen on this side of the water. * * *
It has occurred to me that ENroMOLOGICAL News might fulfil a very useful function by collecting facts and opinions regarding the various ques- tions which have been or are under debate in entomological circles. Thus, you might announce in successive numbers of the journal that facts and opinions were required concerning such questions as :
1. Does moisture cause melanism, and if so, why?
2. Ought varieties to be named, and if so, to what extent? —
3. Should the term ‘‘form’’ be used to indicate slight varieties ?
4. In symmetrical insects does one side tend to vary more than the other in an average of numerous examples ?
And so on.
Then a “question editor’ might be appointed (or a committee) to sift and arrange the resulting correspondence, and finally draw up a report showing the trend of opinion and the ve facts on either side. Don’t you think that would be useful ?
You might also have a “‘ Variation Committee,’ to receive reports of all varieties, and assort and arrange them when convenient for publication. In this way facts from all — would be Se neater and their significance understood.
Hitherto there has been too much exclusiveness. _Those who were not specialists, or great students, have thought they could do nothing, whereas, properly guided, they can do everything! But they must not be slighted or looked down upon because they are ‘‘beginners.””
Yours very truly, ' THEo, D. A. COCKERELL.
[The projectors of ENromMoLocicaL News have had the plans for its management and publication under advisement for some time past; in fact ever since the untimely demise of “‘ Papilio,” in 1885, it has been more or less in their minds. Though for some time assured that such a journal as they hope to make it was needed they have continued to feel doubtful of its reception by the entomological public until answers began to pour in from those who received the preliminary circular alluded to above. Letters such as this from one of the most active biologists interested in our science have reached us in sufficient numbers to assure us that American and
28 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. _ [Feb.
Foreign Entomologists are much interested in our success. From these present humble beginnings we hope to move on towards even higher ideals until, with the aid of our correspondents, we reach such useful channels as. Mr. Cockerell has outlined.—E. M. Aaron. ]
WHISTLING TREES.—A species of acacia, which grows very abundantly - in the Soudan, is also called the ‘‘ whistling tree’’ by the natives. Its shoots are frequently, by the agency of the larvz of insects, distorted in shape and swollen into a globular bladder, from one to two inches in diameter. After the insect has emerged from a circular hole in the side of this swell- ing, the opening, played upon by the wind, becomes a musical instrument, equal in sound to a sweet-toned flute.—Zachange.
A GRASSHOPPER Story.—A reformed car driver who worked for the Street Car Company of Mobile, Ala., in the days when paper currency was all the go, says that the company introduced the patent boxes which for a time headed off the.boys effectually in their ‘‘ knocking down”’ fares. But the victory of capital over labor was short-lived, for the drivers sup- plied themselves with large grasshoppers which they tied by the wings with a string and shoved down into the box, and when Mr. Grasshopper grabbed onto a dime they jerked him back out of the box. This was kept up for some time with great success, until one day the string broke and left the bird in the box, which gave the snap away.—Zxchange.
JEweELs THat ARE ALIvE.—The firefly of the South—the cucujo, an inch-long beetle—is occasionally brought to this country as a curiosity, and if fed on sugar-cane and kept in a moist atmosphere it can be pre- served in health for several weeks. The people of the Caribbean Islands use these beetles for ornament, confined in folds of gauze, where the beautiful green light which they emit—their red light flashes only in flying —is more varied and splendid than any emerald that ever shone in a king’s coronet; a number of them together under a glass make sufficient illumina- tion for dressing or reading without producing any heat.— Harper's Bazar.
THE Mexican Wasp.—The Mexican Wasp is built entirely for business. He is over two inches long when he is of age, and is about the color of a bay horse. His plunger is a full inch long and as fine as a spider’s web. Unlike the stinger of a common bee, the stinger of the Mexican Wasp is non-forfeitable. He doesn’t give up after one lunge, but is always ready for an all-day job if necessary. The mission of the Mexican Wasp seems to be to hunt up people to run his stinger into. The natives say that he will go ten miles out of his way to get a whack at a person. The natives seem to get fat on snake bites, centipede bites and scorpion stings, but if they discover one of these wasps in their neighborhood they hunt for cover without delay.— Great Divide.
a
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 29
Entomological Literature.
PROCEEDING OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL, January-June, 1889 [Issued May—August, 1889;’’ received in Philadelphia, Dec. 21, 1889.] Contains the following : ‘‘ Three new Homoptera”’ (Indian species) by M. L. Lethierry.—E. M. A.
ScIENCE —Dec. 20, 1889, contains a very full and appreciative review of the work done and recently reported upon by Prof. W. A. Henry, of the Wisconsin Experiment Station, acting under the direction of Secretary of Agriculture Rusk, on certain matters connected with agricultural and entomological research on the Pacific coast—E. M. A.
ANNALS OF THE N. Y. ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, Vol. IV, No. 12 [‘‘ Nov. 1889;”’ received Dec. 21, 1889.]—Contains a new genus of Termitophilous STAPHYLINID& (continued)’’ by T. L. Casey. 7. imsolens, from Panama,
‘is described as new.—E. M. A.
THE ENTOMOLOGIST.—December, 1889, contains “ Pararge meg@ra,”’ by Sydney Webb. The author figures and describes an aberrant form captured in Kent. ‘‘ Notes on Parasites of Atherix ibis Fabr.”’ by W. H. Ashmead, T. R. Billups and F. W. Frohaws. Hymenopterous insects of the genera Anton and Trichogramma are commented on. “Notes from the Northwest Counties,’’ by J. Arkle; collection Notes. ‘‘ Ento- mology of Iceland,’’ by Rev. F. A. Walker. Notes on a list of Insects taken there this year. ‘Contributions towards a list of the varieties of Noctue occurring in the British Islands,” by J. W. Tutt.—Under “‘ Ento- mological Notes, Captures, etc.,’’ there are the usual notes on localities, odd aberations, varieties, etc. In addition, notes on ‘‘ Parasites on Moths,”’ by E. Bostock. ‘New views on the stiborder Homoprera,” by W. L. Distant,’’ and “‘ Fungus parasitic on Insects,’ by George J. Grapes, are
‘interesting. The usual reports of the Proceedings of the English Ento-
mological Societies, and reviews of Distant’s ‘“‘Monograph of Oriental Cicadidz’’ and Porritt’s ‘‘ Notes on an extraordinary race of Arctia men- dica Linn.” are followed by six pages of index, etc.—E. M. A.
FirTH REPORT OF THE INJURIOUS AND OTHER INSECTS OF THE STATE or New York, by J. A. Lintner, Ph. D., State Entomologist, Albany, 1889. Ina work of 203 well-printed pages, the author treats of ‘“‘ Reme- dies and Preventions of Insect Attack,’ “Injurious HyMENopTERA,”’ “Tnjurious LEpmpopTERA,”” “Injurious Diptera,’ Injurious CoLrop- TERA,” ‘‘Injurious HEmipTerRA,”’ ‘“‘Insect Attacks and Miscellaneous Observations,” ‘‘ ACARINA and Myriopopa,” and adds a “‘ List of publi- cations of the Entomologist’ (1888) 52 articles being enumerated, and 69 articles added in a special bibliography for 1884 and 1885. Indices, general and botanical, occupying 21 pages are added; 50 figures in the text serve to illustrate as many insect pests or friends. As is usual with
30 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
the works of this author, this report is an excellent hand-book of the year’s research in Economic Entomology in América. It is invaluable to all entomologists, whether they be interested in economic or classificatory work.—E. M. A.
CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST—January, 1890.. This first number of Vol. XXII contains “ Balaninus—lIts food habits,’ by John Hamilton, M. D., with five illustrations of Balaninus nucum. The continuation of Prof. J. B. Smith’s ‘‘ Preliminary Catalogue of the Arctiide of Temperate North America, with Notes’’ [the genus Arcfia.] ‘‘ Note on the Larval Orna- mentation of the North American Sphingide,’’ by A. R. Grote. “ De- scriptions of Lepidopterous Larve,”’ (Mamestra lorea, Phycis rubifasciella, Salebria contatella and S. ce/tella). ‘‘ Note on the genus Crocota and Prof. J. B. Smith,” by A. R. Grote; a controversial article. ‘* Notes’’ and ‘““Correspondence”’ contain brief notes on Collecting by F. B. Caulfield. “The Cotton Worm” around London, Ontario, by E. Baynes Reed, and “‘Chrysalids (Pryrameis cardui) devoured by Caterpillars (.Spilosoma isabella),’’ by S, W. Denton.—E. M. A.
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’s MONTHLY MAGAZINE—January, 1890, contains “* Micropteryx \arve,” by John H. Wood. ‘“‘ Coleoptera at Cobhane Park, Kent,” by J. J. Walker. ‘‘ Descriptions of two new genera (.S/ezh- idea and Trichidea) and of some uncharacterized species of Galerucine,”’ by Joseph S. Baly. The species are from the Indian fauna. ‘‘ Notes on the Lepidoptera of Mooltan,’’ by N. Manders. “ /cerya purchasi and its insect enemies in New Zealand,’’ by W. M. Maskell. The briefer notes in this issue are on “‘ Scoparia atomalis and Scoparia augustea,” by Eustace R. Bankes. ‘“‘ Opostega salaciella,” by the same author. ‘‘ Habits of the Honey Moth”’ [ Gadleria cereana,] by C. G. Barrett, and ‘‘ Anarta myr- Zilli at flowers,’’ and ‘“‘ Identity of Phycis adornatella and P. subornatella,” by the same author. ‘Habits of the larva of Zudorea dubitalis,” by W. Machin. ‘The Life-history of Simethis combinatana,” and “On the flight of Atta antarctica,’ by G. V. Hudson. ‘“‘ Psocide and Mistletoe,” by R. McLachlan, who says: ‘‘ much and interesting could be written on the denizens of an old tuft of mistletoe;” “ Limnophilas hirsutus at sugar,” by Geo. R. Porritt; and the usual notes on localities and captures in the British Isles.
A review of ‘‘ Indian Museum Notes, Vol. I, No. 1,’’ which is “‘ planned much on the same lines as ‘ Insect Life,’ and like it cannot fail to have a beneficial effect,’’ is published and Obituary Notices of Dr. Franz Low, at Vienna, aged 61; J. B. Géhin, at Remiremont, aged 73; and Prof. Wm. Ramsay McNab, M. D., at Dublin, aged 45, are given. The usual ac- counts of Society Meetings end the number.—E. M. A.
Lr NATURALISTE CANADIEN December, 1889.—With this issue comes (paged 285-292) a separatum continuing the work on the Jassides ( Jassus to Pediopsis). The rest of this number is of general interest, and not especially addressed to entomologists.—E. M. A. :
——
18g0. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 31
THE ENTOMOLOGISCHE ZEITSCHRIFT, Dresden, Band 2, 1889, con-. tains a very interesting and valuable paper to lepidopterists entitled: “‘ Lep- idopteren der Insel Palawan,’’ by Dr. O. Staudinger. It covers one hundred and seventy-seven pages enumerating two hundred and eighty- three species collected by Dr. Platen. At the end of the paper are two very useful lists of species, one being systematic and the other alphabetical. About sixty new species are described, and some of them illustrated, there being two plates, containing thirty figures, which are photographic repro- ductions. Copious notes are given with each species listed. Among the interesting new forms were two species of Ornithoptera. Palawan is one of the Phillipines, and is two hundred and sixty miles long by thirty wide, the interior being mountainous, and the west flat. The products of the island are cowries, gold, ebony and other fine woods. Also two papers by <. Ribbe; one on two new diurnals from Africa, and the other on new butterflies from Banggassa, a small isle in the Celebes, illustrated by two ‘plates,.seven figures. A paper by H. Ribbe on some aberations in the -collection of Gustav Borneman, is also of interest to lepidopterists.
H. SKINNER,
Doings of Societies.
.
COLORADO BIOLOGICAL AssociATION, West Cliff, Oct. 19, 1889.—Mr. *Cockerell exhibited and made remarks on a number of Hymenoptera, in «cluding Vipio coloradensis Ashm. ° , collected in the Wet Mountain Valley, *Col. This was only the second example of. the species known.
_ December 14th Mr. S. H. Scudder was announced as a corresponding smember. Letters from Mr. Ashmead; containing identifications of Hy- -‘menoptera and Hemiptera, and from Rev. G. D. Hulst, containing identi- fications of Lepidoptera, were laid before the meeting.
All these insects had been collected in Wet Mountain Valley, Custer County, Col. The Hymenoptera included Giyphe flavipes Ashm., Ho- -malotylus bifasciatus Ashm., etc. The Lepidoptera included two new species: Ragonotia saganella Hulst and. Caripeta niveostriata.Hulst, and .a species, Altoona ardiferella Hulst, of which only one specimen was )previously known. T. D. A. CocKERELL, Sec.
_ THE ENTOMOLOGICAL Society or LONDON, Dec. 14, 1889.—Mr. W. L. Distant exhibited on behalf of Mr. L. de Nicéville, a branch of a walnut “tree on which was a mass of eggs laid by a new Lyczenid butterfly, which Mr. de Nicéville had referred to a new genus and described as Cheto- _procta odata. \t was said to occur only at elevations above 5000 feét in N. W. India. Dr. Sharp exhibited eggs from a South American bug, Piezosternum subulatum, which, though taken from a completely rotten -imago, were in a perfect state of preservation. He also exhibited a speci-
32 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb.
men of Pecilochroma Lewisit, a Pentatomid bug from Japan, which, when dampened with water, turned instantly from a dull green to a me- tallic copper color. Mr. J. H. Leech exhibited a large number of ZLepid- optera from Mr. Pratt, of Ichang, China, which contained fifty-six new butterflies and forty new moths. Mr, Elwes observed only two genera in this collection not known to be found at Sikkim. He called attention to the similarity of the species from India, China and Java. Mr. McLachlan remarked on having lately received a dragonfly from Simla previously only recorded from Pekin; and Mr. Distant stated that he had lately received a species of Cicada from Hong Kong hitherto supposed to be confined to Java. Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher exhibited a preserved specimen and draw- ings of a variety of the larva of Sphina ligustri. Mr. F. D. Godman read a letter from Mr. Herbert Smith, containing an account of the Ay- menoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera and Coleoptera recently collected in St. Vincent, where he was employed under the direction of a committee of the Royal Society appointed to investigate the natural history of the West Indies [it is understood that a work on the lines of the superb “‘ Biologia Centrali-Americana’’ will in time be the product of this survey. ]
Mr. Elwes read a letter from Mr, Doherty descriptive of collecting at light and sugar in the Naga Hills. Mr. Doherty expressed the opinion that light used in out-of-the-way places repels rather than attracts; the same applied to sugar, as insects required to be accustomed to these de- coys, Col. Swinhoe said the attractive power of light depended on its in- tensity and height above the ground. . He had collected over three hundred specimens of Springide at electric light in Bombay in one night. Mr. J. J. Walker had found electric lights very attractive in Panama. Mr. F. Merrifield read a paper entitled, ‘“‘ Systematic Temperature Experiments on some Lepidoptera in all their stages,” and exhibited a number of speci- mens in illustration. Darkness of color and markings in Annomos au- tumnaria resulted from the subjection of the pupz to a very low tempera- ture. The same had occurred in Se/enia illustraria, where the markings had also been altered in a very striking manner. Lord Walsingham ob- served that exposure to cold in the pupa state appeared to produce a darker coloring in the imago, and that forcing in that stage had an opposite effect; that insects subjected to glacial conditions probably de- rived some advantage from the development of dark or suffused coloring, and that this advantage was, in all probability, the more rapid absorption of heat. He believed an hereditary tendency in this direction was estab- lished under glacial conditions, and that this would account for the preva- lence of melanic forms in northern latitudes and at high elevations.
H. Goss and W. W. Fow er, Sec’s.
ENTOMOLOGICAL News for January was mailed Jan. 15, 1890.
ENTOMOLOGICAL: NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION,
ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. I. MARCH, 18go. - No. 3. CONTENTS:
Wickham—Notes from Northwest........ 33 | Robertson—Notes on Bombus.............-. 39
Wadsworth—List of Dragonflies.......... 36 Tees ANG NCWS..005.,....cccdevectgesccedencssce 41
Lugger—Fond of Grammat.......--...---++ 38 | Entomological Literature................:++ 44
Ives—Method of Egg Deposition......... 39 | TRRRIBIOE SOCIO ES. 5 ao. .c0s sec erence nen scenes 48
NOTES FROM THE NORTHWEST.
BY H. F. WICKHAM.
The following notes were made on my collecting trip in the summer of 1889, and may be of interest to the readers of ENTOo- MOLOGICAL NEws. :
The species of Cychrus included in the subgenus Brennus are said by Dr. Horn (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. VII, p. 176) to be ‘‘ pe-
_culiar to the true Pacific coast fauna of North America.’’ This
summer I took the common C..marginatus Fisch. at Mullan, Mon., and again at Helena in the same State, which extends the range a long way east. These examples differ from the western ones by being smaller and of a more uniform black.
Carabus meander occurs in the Rocky Mountains at Mullan, Mon.
A special search for Pselaphide brought to light only the fol- lowing species: Ctenistes pulvereus Lec., one specimen under a stone at The Dalles, Oregon. Three examples of Pselaphus
3
4
34 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ March,
evichsonii var. longiclavus Lec., many Bryaxis conjuncta Lec. and Bry. albionica Mots. in rubbish under logs at Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho. Zychus cognatus and Batrisus zephyrinus Casey (which runs in collections as a/éconicus Aubé) occurs in moss at Victoria, Vance. I.; the latter species also at Tacoma. —
Batrisus monticola Casey came to hand only once in the Cas- cade Mountains, Yakima Co., Wash., where Bry. albionica was also taken. A single ¢ of Bry. albionica also occurred at Vic- toria. At Portland, Oreg., I got a specimen of Favonus cavifrons Casey under bark. Bry. fundata is found at the Spokane Falls late in July, under logs, and in the Rocky Mountains at Mullan, Mon., I took a beautiful example of Zyrus corticinus Casey.
Mycetina hornii occurs occasionally under bark throughout the Northwest, but I found in one case a colony of over. seventy-five individuals under a single log in a burnt district of the pine forests covering the Coeur d’Alene region. Byrrhidz seems to prefer burnt logs for protection, as they were always more numerous where the timber had been charred by fires. Calochromus di- midiaia has the same habit.
In a swamp at Coeur d’ Alene I found Aphodius occidentalis in unlimited numbers in little ditches which ran through the soft earth. They were there by thousands, dead and living, a half hour’s work supplying me with above seven hundred of them. . The beetles were burrowing at random in the mud, which was - apparently rich enough for them to live and luxuriate in, full of decaying vegetable matter. Toads had been attracted to the feast in numbers, and, to judge from the quantity of wing covers in - their excrement, had made the most of their opportunity.
Amphicoma canina and A. rathvoni are day fliers, and may be
found flying in the hot sun during the early part of July, fre- quenting the flowers of the ‘‘ Yarrow,’’ which grows abundantly near Tacoma, where I made my observations. I do not know if the occurrence of Cremastochilus under bark has ever been re- ported. I took a few of them in such a situation at Coeur d’ Alene, but they were in the company of their hosts—ants. I have called the species Az/osicollis Horn, but there may be some little doubt as to the correctness of the determination.
The electric lights of Spokane Falls attract great numbers of
Ergates spiculatus and Prionus californicus, so 1 made it my business to go around every night to pick them up. They come
a, Wd
1890. } ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 35
out from cracks in the sidewalks, under door-sills, and in fact from any place where they can squeeze themselves away. Then the fun begins, and, as I go down the street with my biggest col- lecting bottle slung on my wrist and begin picking up the ‘‘ bugs,”’ I am a centre of attraction. Next, two policemen proceed to ** collar’ mé, and it takes half an hour of explanation to con- vince them that I am neither an incendiary nor a fugitive from the State asylum, and that my bottle (because, forsooth, it is marked **poison’’) is not a deadly weapon. At length they are satisfied though, and let me off, and I filled my bottle every night. Leptura makes a brave show in these Northern regions, and all the following occur on flowers: L. obliterata, soror, plagifera, subargentata, convexa, canadensis, erythroptera, letifica, quad- rillum, chrysocoma, crassicornis, crassipes and scripta, most of
them rather rare.
Timarcha intricata | found always under logs in moss. Whether
it feeds on this or not I cannot say. Occurs at Portland, Tacoma
and Coeur d’ Alene from early June until the beginning of August. Chrysomela exclamationis and conjuncta are common in Idaho (Pocatello) on Helianthus, and C. elegans on willows at various points. C. /unata I found on rosebushes mostly, though they also appear on grasses, sunflowers, asters, and even poison ivy. I doubt if they eat any of these but the roses, however.
The Tenebrionidz I leave for a separate paper, and will close with a few remarks on the Rhynchophora of the region. 7hz7- comigus luteus is found in western Wyoming under logs and on rose-bushes. Sz/ones is everywhere, but I am not yet able to satisfactorily separate my series. Plinthodes teniatus I took under logs, and the same is true of 7richalophus didymus. The former species I took at Tacoma and Victoria, the other is found, though rarely, over the entire northwestern corner of the United States, and as far East as Mullan, Mon. It seems to be quite variable in size and color.
Macrops also occurs over almost the whole region, though I took none at Victoria. At Portland I took JZ humitis in a swamp around the roots of grass, and on the plains of Wyoming, Mon- tana and Nebraska I found JZ. vitticollis, tenebrosus, ulkei and obscurellus more or less abundant.
Sphenophorus is abundant in the native grasses all through the central region from Nebraska to eastern Oregon, and will doubt-
36 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, »
less make itself felt as a serious pest to farmers when cultivation cuts down its present food supply. Of the species I took the following: simplex, vomerinus, ulkei, inequalis, ochreus, costi- pennis, geniilis, parvulus and probably oblitus; all on or about the roots of various grasses.
LIST OF THE DRAGONFLIES (ODONATA) Taken at Manchester, Kennebec Co., Me., in 1888 and _ 1889. BY MISS MATTIE WADSWORTH.
Tribe IL—AGRIONINA.
Subfamily 1. CALOPTERYGINA. 1. Calopteryx maculata Beauvois. 1888, June 19 to Aug. 2. Many 9 9 observed laying eggs on plants in brook; sometime after young larve appeared in great quantities. 1889, June 6 to Aug. 9. A common species near
brook. Subfamily 2. AGRIONINA.
2. Argia violacea Hagen.
1888, June 23 to Aug. 2. 1889, June 19 to Aug. 9. A very common species near brook and in road. 3. Argia putrida Hagen.
1889, June 25, four & % near lake. 4, Ischnura Ramburii Selys, 9 Orange variety.
1888, Aug. 8. 1889, May 25, 27, 30; June 7, 25, 27. In woods, road and near brook. 5. Ischnura verticalis Say.
1889, May 25 to July 2. In woods, near brook and lake.
6. Enallagma Hageni Walsh.
1889, June 7, 2 ? 25, three % % ;near lake. July 6, two 8%, brook. 7. Erythromma conditum Selys.
1888, June 18, in field. 1889, May 25, 28; June 27, 29; July 6. In road and near brook; not common. 8. Lestes hamata Hagen.
1889, June 12, 27; July 6, 27. Near brook and stagnant water; but few seen.
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 37
9. Lestes rectangularis Say. _ 1889, June 25, 27; July 1, 2, 6, 24; Aug. 25; Sept. 4. A com- mon species near lake, brook and woods. 10. Lestes disjuncta Selys. © 1889, July 2, 6, 8; Aug. 26; Sept. 4. Near woods, brook and in road; not very common.
_ Tribe II.—AZSCHNINA. Subfamily 3. ASSCHNINA. 11. Anax junius Drury.
1888, Sept. 5, 14, 25. 1889, June 25, 29; Aug. 20 to Sept. 29. A very common species near woods, brook, etc.
12. Gompheschna furcillata Say. .
1888, July 11, one $. 1889, June 6, one 2. Near brook. 13. Aischna janata Say.
1888, June 19, one 6. Near brook.
14. 4schna verticalis Hagen.
1888, Aug. 28 to Sept. 27. 1889, July 16, 24, 26. Seen during Sept. with 4. constricta near woods, and in pasture, near brook. 15. Aischna constricta Say.
1888, Sept. 3 to Oct. 19. 1889, Aug. 28, and occasionally during September. Near brook and woods.
16. 43schna heros Fab.
1889, June 24, 27, 30; July 9; sae 1. Near brook and road;
not very common.
Subfamily 4. GOMPHINA. 17. Gomphus parvulus Selys.
1888, June 19, one % ; in woods. | 18. Gomphus exilis Selys. ;
1888, June 15 to July 8. 1889, May 28 to June 28. A common species near woods, brook and road.
19. Gomphus spinosus Selys.
1888, July 13, one Q in woods. 1889, June 25, one 6 in woods. July 5, observed one devouring a Calopteryx maculata. 20. Hagenius brevistylus Selys.
1889, June 18, one 9, in woods.
21. Cordulegaster diastatops Selys. 1888, July 11, near brook. Notcommon. 1889, June 13, one’.
(To be continued.)
38 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. _ [March,
FOND OF GRAMMAR. BY OTTO LUGGER. __
Entomologists all know that insects are by no means very stupid animals, and know much more than is generally supposed. They learn, no doubt, by experience as well as we do, but do not, as a general rule, search for knowledge.
A few days ago a young student at the Agricultural School complained that his books at home were badly eaten by some insects, and as a specimen of the damage caused by them he brought a Norwegian grammar. And true enough the damage done was very plain, and the culprit, or rather culprits, were still engaged in the work, as may be seen in the illus- tration. Snugly hidden in the grammar were the larve and the =| imago of 7yrogosita mauritanica,
_ and also the pupal skin of a third individual, already escaped. But - evidently the desire to inform them- selves in the Norwegian grammar had not been very great, or had been too difficult for their taste. They had not penetrated into the grammatical mysteries, but were | satisfied to rest contented with a very superficial knowledge of the same. But they had gone into it to stay; had formed snug cells close to the edges, and had plugged the entrances with frass; had, so to speak, burned the ships behind them. Telling the boy that he ought to be ashamed of neglecting his books he wondered that the insects should have been able to inform me of the fact. When I also told him to remove his books from the vicinity of neglected flour, feed or similar things, he looked perplexed, and said that the bugs had told me more about
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 39
his room than he knew himself, but an inspection soon showed that the books were stored upon a board resting upon a barrel filled with old bran. Evidently the larve, in search for suitable quarters to transform, had wandered about and had mistaken the covers of his books for the loose bark of trees, their usual abode.
0). VU
An Interesting Method of Egg Deposition. BY J. E. IVES.
_ Some time since I received from Mr. J. C. Saltar, of Pember- ton, N. J., what appeared to be a dried-up mass of dead flies, about the size of a man’s fist. Throughout it were scattered light- colored fragments, which had somewhat the appearance of empty egg-cases. The whole mass was very brittle, and readily crum- bled to pieces. It was obtained from the under surface of the trunk of a tree overhanging a small stream.
Being unable to obtain any information as to the nature of this peculiar structure, I sent it to Dr. Williston, of Yale, with the request that he would kindly examine it. He has done so, and writes that the flies are the females of a species belonging to the genus Atherix, probably to Atherix variegata Walk. He draws attention to the fact that, in the Standard Natural History, p. 418, he makes the following reference to the subject: ‘‘ The eggs of Atherix are deposited in large, pear-shaped masses, attached to dried branches overhanging watér. Not only do numerous fe- males contribute to the formation of these clusters, but they re- main there mcepcives and die; the newly-hatched larve escape into the water.’
The instinct which leads to the formation of such a mass is a very peculiar and interesting one.
ray Vv
NOTES ON BOMBUS.
BY C. ROBERTSON.
In a letter addressed to me in October, 1888, Mr. Cresson ex- pressed the suspicion that 4pathus? elatus Fab. was not a true Apathus, but that it was probably a Bomédus, and in a letter of November he expressed the hope that I would obtain some light on the subject during the following summer. Accordingly, in
40 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
the summer of 1889, I completed my observations, arriving at the conclusion that Bombus americanorum Fab. is distinct from B. pennsylvanicus De Geer, and that Apathus? elatus is its male. I give below the synonymy of the two species with my notes upon them: Bombus pennsylvanicus.
Apis pensylvanica DeGeer, Mém. III, 575 (1773).
Bombus pensylvanicus Cress., P. E. S. Il, 94, 8— ¥ in part (1863).
On Aug. 22, 1888, I took the sexes of this species in copula. The female was hanging by one foot to a leaf of Gerardia pedicu- laria. This female bore two yellow spots on the vertex; the scutellum had a little yellow; the first segment of the abdomen was entirely black. From the specimens at hand I would distin- guish the female from that of B. americanorum as follows: Vertex always more or less yellow; scutellum more or less yellow; first segment of abdomen black, or with a little yellow on the sides; seen from above, the base of the labrum shows a transverse ridge more or less interrupted medially. The worker resembles the female. Bombus americanorum. -
Apis americanorum Fab., Syst. Ent. 380, (1775); Ent. Syst. II, 319 (1793).
Bombus americanorum Fab., Syst. Piez. 346, (1804); St. Farg. Hym. I,
472 (1836).
Apis elata Fab., Ent. Syst. Suppl. 274, g (1798).
Bombus elatus Fab., Syst. Piez. 352, G (1804).
Apathus elatus Cress., Proc. Ent. Soc. Il, 114, of (1863).
Apathus? elatus Cress., Cat. Described Hymenop. N. A. ¢ (1887).
Apis nidulans Fab., Ent. Syst. sa 274, 3’ (1798); see Cress., Proc.
Ent. Soc. II, 165.
Bombus nidulans Fab., Syst. Piez. 349, 3 (1804).
Bombus pensylvanicus Cresul Proc. E. S. II, 94, 2 ¥ in part (1863).
In Proc. Ent. Soc. II, 164, Mr. Cresson says: ‘‘On the 11th of September, 1863, a nest of Bombus pensylvanicus De Geer, was captured near Gloucester, N. J. It contained 6 females, 34 workers and 21 specimens of Apathus elatus Fab., bas males. No males of B. pensylvanicus were found in the nest.’” This convinced me that a solution of the problem must be found in the nests of B. pennsylvanicus. Accordingly, on Aug. 20, 1889, I opened a nest of what I had always taken as B. pennsylvanicus. It contained 1 female and 121 workers, and 2 males of Apathus? elaitus. On comparing this female and the workers with the fe- male taken in copula with B. pennsylvanicus % , 1 came to the
a
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 4I
conclusion that they were distinct, and that the nest belonged to B. americanorum. On September gth I saw the sexes of this species in copula. The same night I opened two nests, one con- taining 10 females, 46 workers and 1o males, and the other con- taining 9 females, 51 workers and 1 male.
The female of B. americanorum has the vertex always black; the scutellum black, or with a little yellow; the first segment of the abdomen yellow; seen from above, the base of the labrum shows two tubercles separated by a wide interval.
The males of B. americanorum and of B. fervidus may prove to be very much alike. Indeed the ¢ of B. americanorum re- sembles the 9 of B. Servidus more than its own female; but I think B. americanorum is more nearly related to ZB. Servidus than it is to B. pennsylvanicus. B. fervidus is vi e in my neigh-
‘borhood, as I have seen but two female spéeimets. In Proc. Ent. Soc. III, 247, Walsh mentions finding B. fervidus 2 sur- mounted by Afathus elatus*$. He was discussing the effect of mimicry, and he cites this as a case in which a Bombus mistook an Apathus for one of its own species. But the mistake was ‘probably on the part of the entomologist; he had, no doubt, taken the true sexes of 2. fervidus.
Notes and News.
ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE, [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 tor the information of cataloguers and bibliographers. ]
=
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN MExIco.—An important scientific explora- tion is to be made of the less known portions of Yucatan and Mexico, re- gions which have not hitherto been systematically explored by naturalists, except in so far as archzology is concerned. It is the object of the expe- dition to ascertain, as a continuation of former explorations in Florida, the general structure of the basin of the Gulf of Mexico, concerning which there is much diversity of opinion among scientists.
The exploration will comprise, besides the geological examination of the region, a close examination of its zoology and botany, towards which end specialists in various departments of science will accompany the expe- dition. The party will be under the leadership of Prof. Angelo Heilprin,
42 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ March,
of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Accompanying him will be Mr. J. E. Ives, one of Prof. Heilprin’s assistants at the Academy of Natural Sciences, who will have charge of the marine zoology; Mr. Witmer Stone, who will make the collections of botany and ornithology; Mr. F. C. Baker, of conchology and general zoology and Mr. Roberts Le Boutilier, who will be the photographer of the expedition.
Papers governing the expedition have been received from the State De- partment at Washington addressed to the representatives of this country in Central America and Mexico, and also from the Mexican Minister at Washington, Senor Romero, commending the expedition to the Govern- ment of Yucatan.
The expedition left New York by steamer February 15th, to stop first at Progresso, Yucatan, whence the research will extend into the interior of that State. Much of interest is expected from the expedition to this region, as very little is known of its entomological riches,
From Yucatan the expedition will be deflected to Vera Cruz, whence will begin the exploration of the Mexican lowland and of the volcanic belt which stretches westward towards the Pacific. This region, like Yucatan, despite its ready accessibility, is still to a great extent unknown to the en- tomologist. The determination of the limitation of the range of animals and plants and ‘the intermingling of Northern and Southern forms will receive the first attention of the expedition.
An attempt will be made to gain the summit.of the extinct volcano of Orizaba, 17,500 feet high, by some considered to be the loftiest peak in Mexico, and perhaps loftiest summit of the entire North American Con- tinent, of the complete ascent of which no trustworthy details appear to be on record. The peak affords almost unsurpassed advantage for the study of vertical distribution of animal and plant life, since it rises from a base within a short distance of the sea, far beyond the limits of perpetual snow.
From Orizaba the course will lie towards the City of Mexico, where an examination will be made of the lakes lying on the Mexican plateau. An ascent will be made from this point of the neighboring peak of Popocate- petl, which rises to approximately the same height as Orizaba, but is much more accessible than that mountain.
From the valley of Mexico the expedition will take a westerly course, having in view the passage of the Sierra Madre Mountains and a descent to the Pacific coast. The still active voleanic-foci will be made the feature of this research.
The volcano of Colima, 12,500 feet, in elevation, whose recent furious eruption gave evidence that the volcano was not, as generally supposed, extinct, and which threatened the existence of Zapotlan, will probably be the limit of the expedition, although a further attempt to reach Jorullo, rendered famous by Humboldt’s narrative, may be made.
The exact route of the return journey has not yet been determined upon. It is expected, however, that it will reach home before midsummer.
a so
( ae
a i a a >
T§go. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 43
A large part of the region to be traversed will lie away from civilization, necessitating travel by primitive methods, and for some distance probably the protection of an armed escort will be necessary, especially in the re- gion of the revolted Indian tribes of Yucatan.
The expedition is organized under the auspices of the Academy of Natural Sciences, which has received the co-operation of its individual members, and also of the American Philosophical and American Ento- mological Societies.
This expedition, it is stated, is the first extensive one that has been or- ganized by a scientific institution in this country to be sent.outside of the bounds of the United States for many years, and its results are awaited with a great deal of interest by scientists.
The entomological collections, which will be made in all orders, will be distributed among the leading specialists, and the conclusions reached by them will be published in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, or in the Transactions of the American Ento- mological Society. The narrative of the ata will probably be pub- lished in separate book form.
Editor ENromoLocicat News :—I should like to ask sonie of your readers if Sudbury, Ontario, is not a very Northern locality for Calosoma scrutator? \ have always understood that if ever found North of the Great Lakes it came only as a shipwrecked mariner. While looking under pine bark for A/aus myops \ast spring, of which I took nineteen specimens in a few days, I found a fresh, living, full-sized specimen of C. scrutator.
Altogether, I took some 450 different species of beetles here last season, but cannot get more than half of them named. Z/ateride were peculiarly plentiful. I took some 200 individuals and nearly 30 species; also 42 spe- cies of Carabide and 21 of water beetles. My prize is a large green in- sect, apparently a Cantharis, but certainly not one of the common Caz- tharid@; also several Cerambycide and Pyrochroide that local entomolo- gists cannot determine.
Lepidopterists will be interested to know that Co/as interior, both male and female, are quite common here in the season.—E. D. PETERS, JR.
Hop Worms.—Late last August I found several larve feeding in the Hop (Humulus lupulus). I removed portions of the stems, cutting five or six inches above and below the swellings, and placed them in a box used for feeding larvee. In about three weeks the imagos emerged, prov- ing to be Gortyna rutila Guén. The vine from which they were taken was literally riddled with them. No description of the larvze was taken at the time, but I hope to be able next season to give a more detailed account of them. Two broods of Gortyna nitela, with its variety nebris, were raised in the same manner. The larve were feeding in the stems of the great rag-weed (Ambrosia trifida). This larva feeds also in the stems of ‘burdock (Arctium lappa). As far as my experience goes, all the Gortynz are internal feeders. —C. A. BLAKE.
44 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ March,
A CORRESPONDENT in Hardeeville, S. C., says he ‘‘ witnessed a most wonderful phenomenon: from noon to sundown, with a gentle wind blow- ing from the southwest and a perfectly clear sky, a shower of white balls filled the air and covered the ground for a space of ten miles square, with a gentle shower of a white fleecy substance, as fine as silk, which was very strong when twisted. He was unable to account for its pres- ence there, and had never seen anything like it before.’” The same thing occurs here every autumn, but I never saw it as abundant as the cor- respondent describes. The little’ balls referred to are the flocculi, or remains of the web of which the spiders make their cocoons, the excess being cut off and floats away.—C. A. BLAKE.
A NEEDLEss ALARM.—Some time ago a certain entomologist in one of the leading cities of the country who, on the Sabbath days, strives to enlighten a large and aristocratic congregation in the mysteries of the gospel, but beguiles his leisure moments by the pursuit of hexapods, hap- pened to find a heap of refuse lying near a humble dwelling in the out- skirts of the city aforesaid. The gentlemen is a devoted student of lepid- opterology, but bags the beetles, also, as they chance to fall in his way. The most prominent object on the ash heap was an antiquated and effete ham, upon which numerous carrion beetles were disporting themselves. Recognizing the find as worthy of his attention, he began to collect the insects upon it. He had barely begun his malodorous task when he dis- covered that he was being observed, and a strident female voice from the second story of the humble dwelling rang out an excited warning—‘*‘ Law sakes! man alive that ham is spiled! Nancy and me throwed it out day before yesterday! It’s all blowed! Law sakes! you don’t be after gatherin’ up such truck as that, be ye? A well dressed man like you un hadn't orter to be rakin’ in old ash heaps after somethin’ to eat. -Ef you’re hun- gry come in the house an’ I’ll give you a bite. But (and here the voice rose to a shrill falsetto), mercy me! leave that old ham alone! It’s spiled! I tell you it’s spiled!’’ The clergyman, who carried under his waistband reminders of an elegant luncheon served an hour or two before, cannot cease to smile at the memory of the position into which his entomological ardor had brought him in the eyes of the old dame, from whom he es- caped as she was coming down-stairs to open the door and offer him the hospitalities of her little home.—ANon.
Entomological Literature.
IL NATURALISTA SICILIANO.—Anno IX, No. 1, October, 1889. [Re- ceived January, 1890.]—Contains ‘‘ Lepidotteri nuovi della Sicilia,” ( 77- neid@) by F. Wocke. ‘‘ Note Lepidotterologiche (cont.),” by E. Ragusa; brief notes on species running from Antigastra to Aciptiia. “ Helo- chares nigritulus n. sp. (habitat Sicilia),’”” by Kuwert. ‘ Tavola sinottica . dei Gyrinus di Sicilia,’’ [synoptic table of the Sicilian species of the genus
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 45
Gyrinus] by E. Ragusa. ‘‘Coleotteri nuovi o poco conosciuti della Sicilia (cont.)”” [new or little known Sicilian Coleoptera] by E. Ragusa; no new species described in this part. ‘Una nota sulla Chalcis Dalmannii,” by T. DeStefani. This number is accompanied by the indices for Vol. VIII of this journal.
THE WORK OF A DECADE UPON FossIL INSECTS 1880-1889, by S. H.
‘Scudder [Annual address of the retiring president of the Cambridge En-
tomological Club Jan. 10, 1890. Excerpt from “‘ Psyche,” January, 1890. ] The author here gives a comprehensive and very readable account of the work accomplished in this field in the decade just ended; a field in which, as is well known, he has been the principal laborer. In speaking of the relative abundance of fossil insects the author says : “During the past summer, in explorations for the Geographical Survey, I found that the strata of a considerable tract of country, certainly many, probably hun- dreds of square miles in extent, lying in western Colorado and eastern Utah, were packed with fossil insects as closely as at Florissant. There can hardly be any doubt that we shall soon be able in our Western terri- tories to rehabilitate successive faunas as successfully as has been done with many of our vertebrate types, and as has not yet been done for in- sects in any country in the world. * * What we really need is a score of trained workers to ‘go in and possess the land.’ No one would wel- come them more heartily than one who is almost a solitary worker in the American field.”’
BIoLoGIA CENTRALI-AMERICANA, Part LXXX of Zoology; November, 1889.—[Received January, 1890. ]|—Contains “‘ ARACHNIDA ARANEIDEA,”’ by O. Pickard Cambridge, pp. 41-48, pl. iv, 83 figs., 18 colored; 11 new species are described from the genera Epeira, Turckheimia and Carepal xis. CoLropTerA as follows: Vol. III, part I, pp. 145-168, plates vii and viii, 46 figs. 20 colored. This portion on the Buprestide contains the descrip- tions by C. O. Waterhouse, of many new species, usually illustrated in colors. Vol. VI, part I, Supplement, pp. 153-168, plate xxxix, 34 figs. 25 colored. Many new species are here described by M. Jacoby, entirely from Pachybrachys and Chlamys. ‘‘ LEPIDOPTERA Rhopalocera, Vol. II,”
by F. D. Godman and O. Salvin; pp. 153-184, plates Ixiii and Ixiv, 55 figs.
all colored. This part contains the systematic consideration of the group from Colias cesonia to Enantia virgo. The pale Terias, allied to mexi- cana in pattern, which was returned as from the Mt. Graham Range in Arizona is here determined (with an excellent figure) as 7. Botsduvaliana Feld. = imgrata Feld. = gratiosa Reak. = mexicana Boisd. in ‘Sp. Gen.”’ The synonymy as worked out in this part is most instructive to the student. ‘“‘ LEprpopreERA HETEROCERA, Vol. I,’’ by H. Druce, pp. 321- 336, contains the systematic treatment of this suborder from Dyofs ocellata to Anomis agiliacea. While reviewing this stupendous work it may interest our readers to know that the following entomological volumes have been completed : Coleoptera, Vol. I, part 1 (Adephaga), by H. W. Bates; Vol. I, part 2 (Adephaga, etc.), by D. Sharp; Vol. III, part 2 (Mada-
46 ‘ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ March,
codermata), by H. S. Gorham; and Vol. V (Longicornia), by H. W. Bates and (Bruchides) by D. Sharp. These fgur volumes contain 2088 pages and 69 plates, with many hundred figures. In addition several other volumes on Coleoptera are well under way. Vol. I of the Rhopalocera is complete, save the index and title, running through the suborder from Danais plexippus to Isaphis hera. ?
Insect LiFe, Vol. II, No. 6, December, 1889 (Received Jan. 14, 1890). It hardly seems worth while to enumerate the usual richness of the monthly issues of this most excellent periodical, as it may be had from the U. S. Department of Agriculture for the asking; no entomologist can afford to ‘be without it. Besides short notes on ‘‘ The Official Association of Econ- omic Entomologists,’’ ‘“‘ Entomology at the Paris Exposition,’ ‘‘The Mediterranean Flour-moth,’’ ‘‘ Spider-bites,’’ ‘‘ Scent in Dung beetles,” “Beetles from Stomach of a Chuck-wills-widow,’’ ‘‘ A harvest-mite de- stroying the eggs of the Potato beetles,” ‘Injury to grass from Gastro- physa polygoni,”’ ‘““Damage to Pine by Rhagium lineatum,” Notes on. “« Vedalia’”’ and ‘‘On Hematobia serrata,” there are longer papers on “The so-called Mediterranean Flour-moth,’’ with illustrations; ‘‘ The Ox-warble (Hypoderma bovis), illustrated;” ‘‘ Association of Economic Entomologists—First Annual Meeting,’ by L. O. Howard, secretary pro. tem.; ‘Office and Laboratory Organization,’ by S. A. Forbes. Follow- ing these are ‘‘ General Notes”’ on “‘ Oviposition of Tragidion fulvipenne,” “Insects injuring the tea-plant in Ceylon,’’ ““On some gall-making insects in New Zealand,” ‘Dr. Franz Low” and ‘‘ Eugene Maillot,’ obituary ~ notices, and the usual quota of purely economic notes.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF TYPICAL SPECIMENS OF LEPIDOPTERA HETEROCERA IN THE COLLECTION OF THE BRITISH MusEuM, Part 7, by Arthur Gardiner Butler, 1889, contains an account of a collection of Macro-Lepidoptera — made in the district of Kangra India by the Rev. J. H. Hocking in the years 1877-79, chiefly at Dharmsala. The number of species amounts to upwards of 780, many reared from larva. “There is a systematic list and a list of descriptions with notes. Vol. VII consists of 124 pages, 18 fine colored lithographic plates representing 249 figures.
In the Compres RENDUS HEBDOMADAIRES DES SEANCES DE LA So- CIETE DE BIOLOGIE (Paris) ninth series, 1890, No. 1.—M. Gaston Bouchet has a short note on the “‘ Action of the Venom of the Hymenoptera on the gray wall-lizard.’”” He states that he caused some wasps, bees, and other hymenopters to sting some gray lizards, some of which received eight or ten stings on the most sensitive parts, such as the eyelids, tongue, etc. In most cases the piercer remained sticking in the flesh. The lizards apparently suffered little pain, and no inflammation was visible at the places stung. None of the lizards who were stung died.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE WISCONSIN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ARTS, AND LETTERS, Vol. VII, 1883-87 (published 1889), contains a paper on the Attidz of North America by George W. and Elizabeth G. Peckham. 32
:
op eile ou eel
1890. ]_ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 47
genera and 79 species are described, including both new genera and spe- cies, and six plates figure details. Also by the same authors and Wm. H. Wheeler “Spiders of the Subfamily Lyssomanz”’ (of the world); a num- ber of new species are described. We have not seen plates xi and xii intended to accompany this paper.
In the SCHRIFTEN DES NATURWISSENSCHAFTLICHEN VEREINS FUR ScHLESWIG-HOLsTEIN (Kiel), Bd. VIII, Heft 1, 1889, W. Wiistnei con- tinues his notes on the Hymenoptera of Schleswig-Holstein in his third “ Beitrage zur Insectenfauna Schleswig-Holsteins.”’
In Le Nartur.isteE (Paris) for Jan. 15, 1890, L. Planet describes the larva and nymph of He/ops striatus, with woodcuts, and P. Dognin de- scribes three new species of Lepidoptera from Zamora, belonging to the genera Fidonia and Acidalia.
SITZUNGSBERICHTE DER KONIGL. BOHMISCH. GESELL. D. WISSEN- SCHAFTEN (Prague), 1889, I, contains ‘‘ Revision der in Kolenatis Tri- chopteren-Sammlung enthaltenen Arten,’’ by Fr. Klapalek—a synonymical article.
ATTI DELLA SOCIETA DEI NATURALISTI DI MODENA, Serie III, Vol. VIII, fascic. ii, 1889 (published in Italian), has ‘‘ Notes on Arachnida received from South America,’”’ by G. Boeris, describing four new species.
H. Prers in Proc. and Trans. Nova Scotia Inst. Nat. Science, Vol. VII, pt. iii, describes a larva of the May-beetle with parasitical fungus.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. XVI, Jan.-Dec., 1889, (380 pp. 8 plates), contains a Revision of the species of Cardiophorus Esch. of America north of Mexico. by Frederick Blanchard; On the species of Macrops Kirby, inhabiting N. America (plate I), by W. G. Dietz, M.D.; Contributions to a knowledge of the Lepidoptera of West Africa, Paper II, (plates 2-4), and Descriptions of new species of Japanese Heterocera, by Rev. W. J. Holland; Synopsis of N. Am. species of the genus Oxybelus, by Chas. Robertson; Two new species of butter- flies, by H. Skinner, M.D.; Catalogue of Coleoptera common to N. Am., Northern Asia and Europe, with the distribution and bibliography, by John Hamilton, M.D.; a Synopsis of the Halticini of Boreal America (pls. 5-7), by George H. Horn, M.D ; Contributions towards a monograph of the Noctuidz of temperate N. Am.—Revision of the species of Oncocnemis (plate 8), by John B. Smith; and Proceedings of the monthly meetings of the Entomological Section of Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia for the year 1889. :
ERRATA. Page 5, line 22, read type of coloration contrary to what obtains, etc. “ 15, line 30, for Tenzera read Zeugera. 19, line 1, for worm read worn. 20, line 25, for from read forms. 20, line 33, for marked read naked.
48 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March,
Doings of Societies.
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 1889. Mr. Lugger read some notes on ‘‘ The migration of the Archippus butterfly,’ and gave an interesting study of their spring and fall movements. He noted similar migration in V. cardui. Dr. Thaxter stated that he had found Archippus wintering along the Gulf of Mexico in vast numbers. Mr. Howard read a paper on ‘‘ A few additions and corrections to Scud- *der’s Nomenclator Zéologicus.’”’ Mr. Marlatt gave ‘‘ Notes on the abun- dance of oak-feeding Lepidopterous larve this fall,’ and mentioned twelve species of Macrolepidopterous larve taken in the course of about an hour. Mr. Schwarz read a paper entitled, ‘‘ Caprification,’’ and Mr. Townsend a paper on ‘‘ The fall occurrence of Bidio and Dilophus.”’ In discussion on the last paper it was conceded that the autumnal occurrence was due to acceleration of development. W. H. Fox, M. D., Rec. Sec.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION, ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILA- DELPHIA, Jan. 23, 1890.—A meeting of this Section of the Academy was held January 23d, Dr. Geo. H. Horn, President, in the chair. Members present: Messrs. McCook, Ridings, Martindale, Skinner, Calvert, Liebeck, Wells, Westcott and several visitors. Dr. Horn exhibited some drawings illustrating points of interest in the comparative anatomy of the species in the genus Cercyon, and stated that most of the species were either intro- duced, or also found in Europe. The classification of the species and facts in their geographical distribution were discussed at length. Dr. McCook exhibited the first volume of his new book entitled, ‘‘ American Spiders and their Spinning Work; A Natural History of the Orbweaving Spiders of the United States.”” He gave a resumé of the volume, and ~ also some interesting generalizations on the facts in their natural history. On a question from one of the members Dr. McCook made some instruc- tive remarks on Spiders as mathematicians. Dr. Skinner called attention to the donations to the cabinet: Mrs. A. T. Slosson presented a.specimen — of Ecpantheria denudata described by herself, from Florida; Erebia mag- dalena and Argynnis frigga var. Saga; two rare species, from Colorado, from Mr. Aaron; a type specimen of Pamphila Aaroni and two exotic butterflies donated by Dr. Skinner.—For the Recorder by H. SKINNER.
THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, Jan. 23, 1890.—At a busi- ness meeting of the Society held after the Section meeting, as above, the sum of $100 was voted toward defraying the expense of the expedition to Mexico to be undertaken under the auspices of the Academy of Natural Sciences and the direction of Prof. Angelo Heilprin. Prof. Heilprin was elected a member of the Society, and Dr. W. M. Crowfoot a corre- spondent. The President announced the death of Mr. J. Frank Knight, one of the oldest members of the Society, and for a number of years Recording Secretary.—For the Secretary by H. SKINNER.
ENTOMOLOGICAL News for January was mailed Jan. 31, 1890.
‘
-
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION,
ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VOL. I. APRIL, 18go. No. 4. S CONTENTS: Hamilton—Inhabitants of a Hickory- , Wadsworth—List of Dragonflies.......... 55 nut Hull BIE sect sveeshinnictston 49 | Notes and NewS.......cccsccccssseseseereeceroes 57 Skinner—Notes on Lepidoptera........... 51 Entomological Literature............020+++ 59 Liebeck—Notes on Coleoptera. «+... 52 Queries and AnswefrS........-sssssseessesesees 62 Horn—Notes on Elaterid2e.......++0+0 ss 53 | Doings of Societies..............ccscsssresesees 63
The Inhabitants of a Hickory Nut Hull.
BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D.
While collecting Hickory-nuts last October the hulls or husks of several of the species were observed to be inhabited by some lepidopterous larvee, and to ascertain their parentage, some of these hulls were thrown into a capped glass-jar and kept in my
office.
January 8th, two % specimens of a beautiful hymenopterous parasite appeared belonging, according to Mr. Cresson, to the genus Pimpla. On cutting open one of the hulls a nearly ma- tured 9 nymph was found in its host’s cell, of which all that remained was the horny head; the long ovipositor ascended over the tip of the abdomen and extended along the centre of the back reaching the labrum. This example lay naked in the cell formed by the larva of the moth, having made no cocoon.
February goth, two moths appeared, and another small, but — beautiful parasite, which Mr. Cresson determined to be Phanero- toma (Sigalphus) tibialis Hald. (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 2d S., iv, 203) the larva of which forms a thick silky cocoon in the
4
50 ; ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April,
cell of its devoured host, though three or four crawled out and spun up against the glass. This species has heretofore been known to prey on the larve of another Hickory Tortricid which feeds on the leaves, Acrobasis carye Grote, Papilio I, 13 and 14. It is much smaller than the Pimpla, which may be accounted for by the fact that the larva of the latter wastes none of its substanee in forming a cocoon, and the perfect insect appears much larger than its host. :
The moth was courteously determined by Prof. C. H. Fernald, and proves to be a Tortricid. long known to microlepidopterists as an inhabitant of Hickory-nut hulls. It was first described by Fitch (N. Y. Agric. Rept. xvi, 459, 1856) under the name Zphzp- pophora caryana, now Grapholitha; and again by Shimer (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. II, 394) as Grapholitha carye. The larva when full grown excavates a cell in the hull several times larger than itself, which it lines with a silky gum. It is then about .25 inch. in length, white, except a luteous head, and 16-footed. The pupa is pale clay colored, .20 inch. long, and has on the posterior mar- gin of each segment a transverse row of erect teeth which enables it to move about its large cell with great ease. The anterior wing cover of the moth is dusky black, with a sprinkling of scales— golden, purple and blue, and a silvery blotch near the tip. Ex- — panse .50 to .60 inch.
The nuts attacked in their earlier stages usually abort. and fall, or fail to produce a perfect kernel. In furnishing these beautiful parasites nature has been very kind to the country and village boys, as without this protection Hickory-nut hunting mone not often be one of their chief autumnal pleasures.
A full grown larva, while under observation, stepped from the table, but like its leaf-rolling kindred, it let itself down very gently by a suddenly improvised thread. This was rather a surprise, as it is not known to leave the interior of the hull voluntarily till it comes forth with wings. Some evolutionists may interpret this as proof of an ancestry that had business in the outside world.
In compliance with my request, Mr. E. T. Cresson has kindly furnished a description of the Pimpla.
[Pimpla grapholithe n. sp.—2. Head rufopiceous, smooth and shining; vertex, face and mandibles, except tips, fusco-testaceous; palpi and scape
beneath white, remainder of antennz black; thorax smooth and polished, mpunctate, fulvous or honey yellow; metathorax piceous; tegulz white;
EE ———
Me TE Se
aes
1890. } ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 51
wings hyaline, iridescent, nervures brown-black, upper nervure of third discoidal cell bent downwards at about the middle, so that the cell is nar- rowed at base; legs, including coxze, white; spot on coxe and trochanters within, broad stripe on femora within, tips of four posterior tibiz and of their tarsal joints, black; abdomen brown-black, rather closely punctured, segments 2-5 above with a rounded elevation on each side about the mid- dle; segment; 1 and 3-5 quadrate; segment 2 rather longer than broad; Ovipositor as long as the body, honey-yellow, sheaths black. Length .4o inch. —
3. —More slender than the 9 ; head, metathorax and abdomen jet-black; face with a fine whitish pubescence; all the abdominal segments liner than broad and clothed with a short, fine, whitish. sericeous pubescence; basal segment above with a longitudinal central groove. Length .37—.40 inch.
Described from one female in collection Amer. Ent. Soc. from Missouri, and two males reared by Dr. Hamilton, as stated above. SS SO ]
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NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA. BY HENRY SKINNER, M. D.
A SPHINX NOT KNOWN IN AMERICAN COLLECTIONS.—Proto- parce dalica was described by Kirby in Trans. Ent. Soc. London (1877), p. 243. Locality Canada. There is a good igaite of it on page 70 in the “ Aid to the Identifications of Insects,’ Vol. 1, by C. O. Waterhouse. Dr. H: Strecker thinks this is an aber- rant form of P. rustica, and such it will likely prove to be.
ARCTIA PALLIDA Pack.—Prof. J. B. Smith, in ‘‘ Can. Ent.’’ February, 1890, p. 35, says ‘‘ the type of pal/ida is in the collec- tion of the Am. Ent. Soc., where I have ‘several times seen it. It is certainly not an Arctia, but perhaps nearer Seivarctia.’’ The specimen in the collection of the Society was marked type on the authority of Mr. Aaron. He showed it to Prof. Packard, when he was here on a visit, who said he thought it might be his type. The specimen has a Pennsylvania locality label on it, and also Dr. Lewis’ name. In the original description of the species Prof. Packard says, ‘‘I am indebted to Mr. Calverly for the loan of this fine, and apparently very rare species.’’ Locality given is, New York. The specimen in question, in my opinion, is an aber- ration of Hyphantria cunea of Drury, but it also answers to the description of A. pallida. Is pallida known to exist? has any one the species? Is our specimen the type?
52 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April,
In ‘‘ Notes on Cuban Sphingidz,’’ Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., p. 79, 1865, Mr. Grote refers to Ginosanda noctuiformis Walker, and refers to the specimens in the collection Ent. Soc. of Phila. which came from Cuba, and were presented by Prof. Poey, being No. 835 of his MS. catalogue. I have compared these with speci- mens in our North American collection labeled Cautethia Grotet Hy. Edwards, and can see no specific differences. If there is no difference between the Florida and Cuban specimens it seems likely that there is but one species inhabiting the West Indies and that Walker’s type from San Domingo represents the same thing. If but one species is found in San Domingo, it will prob- ably be found to be identical with the one inhabiting Cuba and Florida.
SOME SynonyMyY.—Phyciodes tanthe Fab., = Acca hera Hiib. Samml. Ex. Schmett. Band 2, figs. 1 and 2 $8, 3and4 9 = Eresia Texana Edw., Pr. Ent. Soc. cage 2, 81, 1863, = = Smer- dis Hew., Ex. But. 3, pl. 5.
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NOTES ON COLEOPTERA.
BY CHAS. LIEBECK.
While visiting some friends near Landisville, N. J., during the summer of 1888, my attention was-directed to the damage caused by the common Rose bug, Macrodactylus subspinosus Fab., to the young grapes in their vineyard, situated about two hundred yards from their house. About the same time they planted a few rose bushes of the common free blooming variety in front of the house. In June, 1889, the beetles again made their appearance in large numbers, but showed a decided preference for the roses, not molesting the vines in the least. The bushes, at a short dis- tance, appeared to be scorched, but a nearer view showed that they were being devoured by the beetles, and although the bushes had grown to a large size, bearing hundreds of buds and flowers, none seemed to have escaped their voracity. If others similarly afflicted would plant a hedge of roses in the vicinity of their vine- yard it may prevent damage by this pest to their grapes.
TWO NOVEL BEETLE TRAPS.
During the warm days in the early spring of last year I was _collecting Coleoptera in the fields towards evening, taking such
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 53
species as generally fly just before dark. I usually selected a piece of meadow-land with a bank of earth five or six feet high running through it, thus making it easier to see the insects against the horizon as they flew over. Accompanied by a white setter dog, I happened to glance at him while sitting by my side and noticed a number of specimens running along his back among the hair. I captured these, and laughable as it may seem, there- after found it much more profitable to send him running along the top of the bank and act as a trap, than by the usual method. I took numbers of small Carabidz, Staphylinidze, Scydmeenide, Pselaphidze and Nitidulide in this way, which were evidently attracted by his white coat in the semi-darkness. A wide ditch, the surface of which was covered with a small floating water plant, a species of Lemna, served as the other trap. A large swamp- oak on its borders was very attractive at night to numbers of Lach- nosterna, which, in returning to the ground in the morning, flew into the water, no doubt mistaking it for solid ground, where they staid until their sluggish movements met the eyes of a collector happening that way soon after, when they were immediately fished out and transferred to his bottle. Although a large number of specimens were taken, I believe, but two species were represented, L. micans Knoch. and L. hirticula Knoch.
NOTES ON ELATERIDA. — BY GEO. H. HORN, M. D.
In the Annales Soc. Ent. Belg., 1889, Dr. Candeze resumes his descriptions of Elateridz in a ‘‘ Quatrieme fascicule’’ of fifty-seven pages. The descriptions are brief, but ample, and concerning them he makes the following comment, which I translate :
‘*Entomologists have been often able to observe that it is not the longest descriptions which are the best. By too many details, in which one loses himself, and which apply definitely and very oftén to the specimen only which the describer had before him, it becomes impossible to figure to one’s self the species which it is desired to recognize.”’
The following North American species are described :
Alaus canadensis. Allied to myops, but with the dark color of me- lanops. \ have aspecimen from Canada which responds fairly to the description, which seems hardly specifically different from myops.
54 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April,
Monocrepidius peninsularis. Compared by Candeze with ves- pertinus, and from the series in my cabinet, certainly a variety of it. Florida.
Heteroderes lantus. The species of Heteroderes were included by LeConte in Monocrepidius. From the description /antus is about the size of vesfertinus, and of the color of sordidus. It is of the type (fide Cdz) of certain East Indian species, and I sus- pect requires further confirmation as a member of our fauna. Florida.
Dr. Candeze, in passing, speaks of the revision of Drasterius by LeConte in 1884 (posthumous), and says that the union of several under the name e/egans seems ‘‘rigoreuse.’’ It is prob- able that sufficient cause determined such action on LeConte’s part.
Melanotus peninsularis. This is the species determined by LeConte as clandestinus Er. and distributed as such in all our col- lections. Florida.
Corymbites trunculentus. Black, thorax with ferruginous side margin; elytra ferruginous brown. Allied to volitans and sagit- ticollis. Long. 14 mm. California.
Corymbites urostigma. Brown, elytra with apical testaceous spot; third joint of antennz long. Long. 13 mm. California.
Corymbites gracilis. AZneo- -piceous, third joint of antennz shorter than the fourth. This is, without doubt, C. monticola Horn, from the same region. N. California and Oregon.
C. floridanus. Closely allied to divaricatus, and differing in having the hind angles shorter and not divaricate. My examina- tion of a specimen sent me led me to believe it merely a variety of that species. Long. 9 mm. Florida.
Asaphes Lecontei. This is a species which has long been in our cabinets unnamed, as I have never been able to satisfy my- self as to the proper genus. It is of piceous color, elytra yellow- ish testaceous, the suture and border darker.
Sericus Behrensi. This is Sericosomus incongruus Lec., dhich Candeze seems to have lost sight of. The name is in his index as Atractopterus incongruus, but no mention of it occurs in the volume.
In addition to the above I desire to make known two interesting items furnished me by correspondents :
1890.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 55
Megapenthes limbalis Hbst., is the male, and granulosus the female of the same species. Mr. M. Linell informs me that they have several times been taken in copulation by himself and others. Certainly, all the specimens I have seen confirm this, as the one is always male the other female.
Corymbites inflatus Say, is the male, And crassus the female of the same species. To Mr. Frederick Blanchard this information is due, and he has made the same observation here as has been made in the preceding species. |
va’
LIST OF THE DRAGONFLIES (ODONATA)
Taken at Manchester, Kennebec Co., Me., in 1888 and 1889.
BY MISS MATTIE WADSWORTH.
(Continued from p. 37, Vol. I.)
22. Cordulegaster maculatus Selys.
1888, June 19, to July 11. 1889, May 15, June 6, 13, 22, 24. This species not very common, but several $ $ seen on dates mentioned flying directly over brook and following its course. Few 2 2 observed.
23. Cordulegaster obliquus Say. 1889, June 29, one %, near brook.
Tribe IIIL—LIBELLULINA.
Subfamily 5. CORDULINA.
24, Macromia transversa Say.
1888, May 27, to July 10. 1889, May 15 to June 25. A very common species in woods, field and near brook. 25. Epitheca Walshii Scud.
1888, July 16, one %, near brook. 26. Epitheca forcipata Scud.
1889, May 29, one %, in woods. 27. Cordulia semiaquea Burm.
1888, June 15 to July 9. 1889, May 15 to June 28. A very common species in woods, near water and everywhere.
28. Cordulia lepida Selys. 1888, July 11, one @, near brook.
56 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April,
29. Cordulia libera Selys.
1889, June 6, one ¢. 30. Cordulia Uhleri Selys.
1889, May 18, 23, 25, two $, three 9 taken. All near road. 31. Cordulia princeps Hagen. ’
1889, June 19, 24, one taken each day. Near road and brook.
32. Cordulia new? species. 1889, May 29, one 92, near woods.
Subfamily 6. LIBELLULINA.
33. Libellula exista Say. 1888, June 15; July 7, 9. 1889, May 18 to June 25. This species quite common near woods and brook.
34 Libellula quadrimaculata Linn.
1888, June 19; July 8-11. 1889, May 15 to June 24. A com- mon species in 1889. 35. Libellula pulchella Drury.
1888, July 7 to Aug. 2. 1889, June 25 to July 16. This species observed near water, woods, and in open fields. 36. Libellula incesta Hagen.
1889, June 18, 19, 22, 25; July 9, 16. But few of this species taken. Near lake, woods, and in road. 37. Libellula semifasciata Burm.
1889, June 21, one % ; July 11, one 8. Near brook. 38. Leucorhinia intacta Hagen.
1888, June 16, one %, in open field. 1889, May 25 to July 4. A very common species (1888) near brook, woods and road. 39. Leucorhinia proxima (Hagen mss.) Calvert.
1888, July 10, 11, 16. One % taken each day, all near brook. 40. Diplax rubicundula Say.
1888, June 29 to July 30. 1889, June 28 to Aug, 21. A very common species everywhere. 41. Diplax vicina Hagen.
1888, Aug. 1 to Oct. 11. 1889, Aug. 3 to Oct. 9. This Spe- cies also very common everywhere. 42. Diplax costifera (Uhler ms.) Hagen.
1888, Sept. 6. 1889, Aug. 2 to Sept, 14. This species quite common, but all taken were females.
1890. } ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 57
43. Diplax new? species.
_ 1888, Aug. 6, one %, five o’clock P. M., in field.
One or two specimens of each of the species mentioned in the foregoing list were identified by Mr. Philip P. Calvert, of Phila- delphia, and from these the others were identified by me. All the species noted were taken in Manchester, Kennebec Co., M
Notes and News.
ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE.
{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 tor the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.]
“4 Vv
““ ENTOMOLOGY must always be, as it undoubtedly is at this time, not only a useful, but a popular study, and must contribute, perhaps, more than any other to the enjoyment and recreation, mental and physical, of those dwel- lers in towns who possess a true appreciation of the pleasures and interests attaching to country life. I think it would be difficult to over-estimate the civilizing and refining effect which a day in the country with the object of gaining an insight into the marvels of natural creation, none the less won- derful because in themselves common and widely distributed, must have upon the minds and characters of all who seek such enjoyment.’’—LorpD WALSINGHAM.
Writinc from Darjeeling, British Sikkim, under date of Jan. 13, 1890, Miss Adele M. Fielde refers to a visit she paid to the shop of Mr. Paul Mowis, dealer in Tibetan curios and butterflies, 1 Victoria Terrace. Mr. Moéwis is one of the five Europeans who has ever traveled in Tibet. He makes very valuable collections of Himalayan butterflies, which he sends to museums in all countries. He exhibited to Miss Fielde the male of a pair of butterflies ( 7eizopalpus imperialis) whose mate he had sold to a museum in Berlin for £25 sterling. This was the largest sum he had ever received for an insect. The male was exquisitely beautiful, bright green and gold. The female was said to have “‘six tails.’’
Miss Fielde incloses a beetle of the family Chrysomelidz, which she ob- tained from a ragged girl on the Himalayas, who brought it to the train for sale. When she took the insect in her hand she at first thought it must have been artificially gilded, so truly like metallic gold was its ornamenta- tion. This does not remain after death.
Dr. Davip SHarp, the eminent entomologist, and late President of the Entomological Society of London, has accepted the appointment of Cu- rator of Zéology in the Museum of the University of Cambridge. -
58 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. _ April,
In answer to Dr. Skinner’s article in ENTOMOLOGICAL News, Vol. 1, p. 20, in which he desires to correct an error I made in describing the cocoon of Callosamia angulifera, | should like to say that the cocoon of amgu- lifera, which I bred, could only be distinguished from that of Promethea by its larger size. I have also distinct evidence that the larva of amgu- lifera will spin a silken thread, by means of which it hangs to branches of trees. The cocoon of angu/ifera when spun on the ground is exactly as Dr. Skinner describes it. I was unacquainted with this form when I made my description (Ent. Am. V. p. 200).—W™M. BEUTENMULLER.
What Mr. Beutenmiiller says is undoubtedly true, angulifera does spin a thread occasionally, but it is the exception that proves the rule. Mr. Philip Laurent, in a large collecting experience found one suspended, all the others he has found were under tulip poplar trees. Mr. F. M. Jones sent me one with the silken thread. I have collected in a single day more than a quart of angulifera cocoons, not all of them alive, however, and never saw one suspended, and for negative evidence I may say I have found thousands of promethia cocoons on poplar, etc., and never had an angulifera emerge from them.—H. SKINNER.
Lorp WALSINGHAM, in his Presidential address, estimated the number of species of insects as upwards of two millions, and further said, “we may well ask ourselves who can venture to assume the appellation of ‘Entomologist ?? or even of Lepidopterist or Hymenopterist? Surely, our successors in this Society must one day be content to be called Pieridists, Gelechidists, pimpidists, or Cicindelidists, according to thete different branches of study.”’
‘© We have abundant evidence that the whole field of zéological research apart from Entomology is but small as compared to that in which the Fel- lows of this Society (Ent. Soc. London) are interested, when we see that in Central America one aioall family of Coleoptera, the ee exceed the whole of the mammalia.’
Dr. W. L. Aszorr has left the Kilimanjaro region. He was heard from at Zanzibar, and intended to leave there shortly to study the fauna of the Comoro Islands and Madagascar.
EREBIA EPIPSODEA. In “ Butterflies of North America,’’ Pt. 9, Vol. iii, Mr. W. H. Edwards gives us a very interesting account of 2. epipsodea. He gives as its geographical distribution ‘‘ Middle Colorado northward to the Arctic Sea.’”’ It comes, however, a little further South than this, and it may be-worth while to fix its most southern point as at present known. Mr. H. W. Nash informs me that he has taken it at Music Pass, Custer County, Col., and at Bonanza, Sagmache County, Col. The first of these localities is about N. Lat. 38°, the other is rather more northern. —T. D. A. COCKERELL, West Cliff, Custer County, Col.
On JANvuARyY 20th, while in Baltimore, I captured a fine specimen of Chion cinctus Drury, crawling on the sidewalk. Zvrgo; the early bug - catches the pin.—C. A. BLakE.
ae oS
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 59
Entomological Literature.
‘TRANS. Ent. Soc. London, for the year 1889, Part IV, ‘‘On some Le- pidoptera from New Guinea,”’ by Edward Meyrick. This paper consists of sixty-seven pages, in which a number of new genera and species of moths are described. ‘‘On the distribution of the Charlonia group of the genus Anthocharis,’’ by George T. Baker. “A revision of the genus Ar- gynnis,” by Henry J. Elwes. A new species is described under the name hanningtoni; it was taken at Taveta, near Mt. Kilimanjaro, in Africa. This paper is a very interesting and important one to American students, and will probably be reviewed later at some length. ‘‘ Additional notes on the genus Hilipus,’’ by Francis P. Pascoe.
From the PROCEEDINGS OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
_“ Annotated Catalogue of the Insects collected in 1887-88,”’ by L. O. How-
ard. The insects received were the part products of the scientific results . of explorations by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer ‘‘ Albatross.’’? The Hemiptera were sent to Prof. P. R. Uhler, of Baltimore, Md.; the Orthof- tera to Mr. Lawrence Bruner, of Lincoln, Neb.; the Diptera to Prof. S. W. Williston, of New Haven, Conn.; the Lepidoptera to Rev. W. J. Hol- land, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and the MWallophaga to Prof. Herbert Osborn, of Ames, Iowa.’”’ Dr. Holland describes, as new to science, Protoparce calapagensis from Charles Island, Galapagos.
The EntTomovocist, February, 1890.—‘‘ New species of Lepidoptera from China,’’ by J. H. Leech. The specimens were collected near Ichang, Central China, and fifty-six new species are described, all diurnals. ‘‘Co- leoptera at Camber during 1889.’’ ‘“‘ An entomological tour on the Table-
and of Mount Arthur,’ by G. V. Hudson.”? ‘On the occurrence of
Hesperia lineola in Essex,” by A. J. Spiller. Rhopalocera in Switzerland. ““On the variation of Heliophobus hispidus at Portland,’ by N. M. Rich- ardson. ‘‘Gas-lamp entomology,” by J. Arkle. The remaining part of the number consists of notes, captures, etc., and the doings of societies.
““RHOPALOCERA NIHONICA: a description of the butterflies of Japan,’’ by H. Pryer. Part 3 for December, 1889, has arrived, completing the work. Owing to the lamentable and untimely death of the author on the 17th of February, 1888, the preparation for the press of the unpublished portion of the work was undertaken’by James Bisset, F.L.S. The text is in Eng- lish and Japanese, and colored figures, notes, description of species, time of appearance and food-plants are given.
Trans. Kansas Acap. Sc. Vol. 11, 1887-88.—‘‘ Notes on the early stages of Nerice bidentata, Anisota stigma and Callimorpha suffusa,” by C. L. Marlatt.
ANNALS AND MAGAZINE OF NATURAL History.—‘‘ Description of a new genus of Oriental Cicadidz,’’ (Zalainga) by W. L. Distant. “Description of two new species of Acrea from Mombasa,”’ by H. Grose
60 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. (April,
Smith. ‘‘Observations on some Coleoptera from the Bonin Islands,” by C. O. Waterhouse and C. J. Gahan. ‘‘ Description of three new species of butterflies from New Ireland,” by H. Grose Smith. ‘Seasonal di- morphism in Japanese butterflies,” by Dr. Adolf Fritze.
‘es PARNASSIENS DE LA FAUNE PALEARCTIQUE,”’ par Jules Léon Am- stat, Leipzig, 1889.—This is practically a monograph of the genus, all the species being mentioned, except our American Parnassius clodius. There are two hundred and twenty-two pages devoted to descriptions, history, etc., of the species and varieties, and thirty-two plates, representing a number of figures delineating the species, varieties and comparative anat- omy. The figures are fine examples of chromo-lithography.
‘“‘S. AFRICAN BUTTERFLIES: A monograph of the extra-tropical species,” by Roland Trimen and James Henry Bowker, Vol. 3.—Papilionidee and Hesperidz. This volume completes the work; it contains four hundred and thirty-eight pages and twenty-eight colored figures. These three volumes make a very valuable addition to the literature of the subject, and are very exhaustive.
The ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER for Feb. 10, 1890, contains a summary of J. Carriere’s studies ‘‘On the embryological development of the Wall Bee (Chalicodoma muraria Fab.)
Le NATURALISTE for Feb. 15, 1890, contains an article by L. Cuénot, ‘‘On the means of defense of Arthropods,” including references to insects, and P. Dognin describes a new lepidopter from Loja, Oa-ytenis? ecua- dorensis.
The ENTOMOLOGISCHE NACHRICHTEN (Berlin) for February, 1890, con- tains ‘‘ Pentathemis membranulata, a new Australian Libellulid with five- sided cardinal cell,’ by Dr. F. Karsch, describing a new genus Pentathe- mis (family Cordulina), type P. membranulata n. sp. from Torres Strait, — with a woodcut of forewing. ‘On varieties of European Cicindelidz,”’ by H. Beuthin. ‘‘On Galls and Gall-flies from flower-heads of various Compositz (continued),’”’ by J. J. Kieffer, including Cecidomyia florum n. sp. ‘‘ New Histeridz (Coleoptera),’”’ by Joh. Schmidt (continued), nine species of the genera Stictostix, Tvibalus, Pelorurus and Saprinus, from Australia, Africa and South America. Some shorter hotes and notices of recent entomological works.
INDIAN Museum Notes (economic) Vol. 1, No. 2; one hundred and twenty pages, three plates, Calcutta, 1889; published by authority of the Government of India.
In Le NATURALISTE (Paris) for Feb. 1, 1890, Ed. André has a note on “Les larves de Malachius (Coleoptera, fam. Malacodermidz),”’ with two woodcuts of the larva of J/. bipustulatus. P. Dognin diagnoses two new Lepidoptera from Zamora, Amaluza and Loja—Acidatia adela and Cabe- rodes snellenaria.
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1890. ] | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 61
The Orvos-TERMESZETTUDOMANYI ERTEsITO (Medical and Natural
Science Communications, being the organ of that Section of the Transyl-
vanian Museum Union), Vol. XIV, 3 heft, 1889, contains ‘‘ Contributions to the Coleopterous fauna of Transylvania,’ by L. V. Méhely. It is a list of species with notes in Hungarian. A German summary is given p. 295; also a “‘ Notice of his entomological excursion into Széklerland,”’ by Dr. A. Balint; a general list of insects taken.
Le NATURALISTE CANADIEN for January, 1890, contains notes on the Jassidze (Hemiptera-Homoptera) of the province of Quebec, and describes as new,— 7hamnotettix decipiens and Bythoscopus pruni (Fitch ms.)
In the TRANSACTIONS OF THE MARYLAND ACADEMY OF SCIENCES for 1888-89, pp. 33-44, Prof. P. R. Uhler describes some ‘‘ New genera and species of American Homoptera.’’ The new genera are Scaphoideus (fam. Jassidz), type /. immistus Say and three new species; Dyctide (fam. Issidz), type D. angustata and one other new species; Dictyobia (Issidz), type D. permutata n. sp.; Dictyonia (Issidz), type D. obscura n. sp., Danepteryx (Issidz), type D. manca n. sp.; also a new species of Tilicen (cupreo-sparsa). Most of these new species are from California.
In It NATURALISTA SICILIANO for Dec. 1, 1889, B. Grassi and G. Ro- velli publish their sixth memoir on the Progenitors of the Myriapods and Insects by a (continued) study on the Italian 7hysanura. Four new spe- cies of Lepisma are described.
We have received from the author a copy of “‘ Die Tagfalter (Rhopal- ocera) Europas und des Caucasus. Analytisch bearbeitet von K. L. Bram- son. Kiew. Verlag des Verfassers, 1890.’’ In this work Prof. Bramson publishes analytical tables of the families, genera and species of the but- terflies of Europe and the Caucasus, with notes on the distribution and
. time of appearance of each species. A list of all the species (330 in num- ,
ber) with their varieties and synonyms, and alphabetical lists of the fami- lies, genera and species are given. One plate showing the terminology of the wings and head of a lepidopter accompanies this work, which ought to be of great use to students of the European Rhopalocera.
R. Moniez has a (continued) paper on the “ Acari and Marine Insects of the sides of the Boulonnais’’ in the ‘‘ Revue Biologique du Nord de la France (Lille),’’ 2me Année, No. 5, Fevrier, 18go.
The ENTOMOLOGISK TIJDSKRIFT (published in Swedish, with short re- sumés in French, by the Entomological Society of Stockholm) Arg. ro, 1889, Haft 1-4, contains, besides other notes, the continuation of H. D. J. Wallengren’s ‘‘ Skandinaviens vecklarefjarilar,” relating to the Tortricide. “New contributions to the myriopodology of Scandinavia,’’ by C. O. v. Porat. Lists of entomological papers of 1888, relating to Scandinavia and Finland, and a new species of Charaves (regius from the Cameroons), by Chr. Aurivillius.
62 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April, —
The Zweite Abtheilung of Dr. Arnold Lang’s Lehrbuch der Vergleich- enden Anatomie (Text-book of Comparative Anatomy), Jena, 1889, con- tains that portion of the work. treating of the Insecta. According to the classification here adopted the Insecta (ea-apoda) are divided into sixteen orders. Dr. Lang successively treats of the External Organization, Integu- ment, Musculature, Alimentary Canal, Nervous System, Sense Organs, Circulatory System, Fat Bodies, Respiratory System, Sound-producing Apparatus, Sexual Organs, Dimorphism and Polymorphism, Development and Life-history, and Phylogeny of Insects. A bibliography of important works on the anatomy, development, etc., of insects completes this section.
ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER for January, 1890, No. 326, contains ‘“‘ Further observations on the Dorsal Gland in the Abdomen of Periplaneta and its allies,’ by Edw. A. Minchin. ‘Note on the Sexual Apertures of the Lepidoptern Chrysalis,’ by W. Hatchett Jackson. Note on H. T. Fer- ’ nald’s paper entitled, ‘‘ External Sexual Markings of Pupz.”’
‘‘ Butterflies of North America,’ by W. H. Edwards, third series, part 9, contains figures and descriptions of Avg. névadensis 2, A. halcyoneg. Life-history of Arg. aphrodite, Satyrus pegala, Sat. alope var., Erebia epipsodea, figures and life-history, also figure of epipsodea var. Brucet.
ENTOMOLOGIST’Ss MONTHLY MAGAZINE, February, 1890, ‘‘ Gelechia portlandicella n. sp.’’ by N. M. Richardson. ‘‘ Nepticula auromarginella n. sp.”? by N. M. Richardson. ‘‘ Description of the Micropteryx of the hazel (MZ. Kaltenbachii),’’ by H. T. Stainton. ‘‘ Notes on Dr. Jordan’s observations on Norwegian Lepidoptera,’’ by W. M. Schéyen. ‘‘On the Coleoptera found in a small mossy bank at Knowle, Warwickshire,” by W. G. Blatch. ‘‘ Notes on the metamorphoses of two species of the genus Tinodes,’’ by Kenneth J. Morton. ‘‘ Observations on Coccidz,”’ by Al- bert C. T. Morgan. Diaspis zamie@ n. sp. described. ‘‘ Descriptions of new species of South American Halticidz of the group Gdipodes,” by Martin Jacoby.
AMERICAN NATURALIST, January, 18go, ‘‘ Rectal Glands in Coleoptera,” by H. T. Fernald. .
Queries and Answers.
P. C. TRUMAN writes, “ will you kindly give me a little aid through the News. Some of my set specimens of butterflies and moths show spots, which have seemed to slowly spread. These spots are darker than the balance of the wing, and they look shiny and oily. What is the matter, and what is the remedy ?’’——The disfigurement is due to oil being ab- sorbed by capillary attraction into the wings from the body. Why some specimens grease and others do not is probably not known. Take a tum-
:
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1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 63
bler or other convenient vessel and press into the bottom of it a piece of cork so that it will remain tightly wedged, then pin in your oily specimen and pour in the glass enough gasoline, refined benzine or chloroform, to cover it to the depth of an inch above the wings, and then cover the glass to prevent evaporation. Allow it to remain for three-quarters of an hour, then take out the specimen and put it to dry ina place free from dust.
_ This treatment makes them look fresh and bright, and relieves them of all
traces of oil. If afterwards the specimen needs resetting it can be relaxed as usual. The same gasoline can be used a number of times.
Dr. A. E. Kunze writes as follows: ‘‘ As a suggestion I would offer the desirability of giving stations for insects the same as botanists give locali- ties for all plants inhabiting a certain radius of miles. Botanical catologues of local stations are issued by several societies. Is it not feasible in the field of entomology? Why not try the experment? Would it not assist working entomologists? Surely many insects are as local as plants.’>—— This has been done to a certain extent, but notas commonly as in Botany. Careful and accurately made local lists are very useful to the collector, the student of geographical distribution and the economic entomologist, and their value is enhanced if the dates of occurrence are given.
Doings of Societies.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILA- DELPHIA, Feb. 27, 1890.—Members present : Messrs. Cresson, Martindale, Smith, Blake, Ridings, G. B. Cresson, Laurent, Skinner, Calvert, Liebeck,
_ Westcott, Castle and Seeber. Dr. Geo H. Horn, Director, in the chair.
Mr. Martindale exhibited a living specimen of Belostoma Americana? which had cut off a water supply by being wedged in a pipe, and had been found by the aid of a plumber. He stated that he had endeavored to find a description of the species, but had failed, as nearly all authors attributed the description to Leidy in Vol. 1, 2d ser. Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 58, but it is not given there. The poisonous character of the insect, and its habit of preying on shell fish, young trout and other fishes, were dis- cussed at length. Mr. Charles Liebeck exhibited specimens of a new spe- cies of Cenbrinus? which he had first noticed in June, 1886, feeding on Chenopodium album, a plant introduced from Europe. Dr. Horn said the species was indigenous, for the reason that the genus was not found in Europe. He also called attention to the small characters in the Coleoptera, which are often overlooked, and spoke of their importance from a classi- ficatory standpoint, for if they were properly studied it was not unusual to find them develop into larger structures which could be used to advantage in classification. He promised to speak later on in regard to Cercyon and its allies, and their mutual relationship. Mr. Liebeck donated to the
64 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [April,
cabinet specimens of Zachygonus centralis and Mecynotarsus candidus. Mr. Calvert presented one male type of Leucorhinia proxima n. sp. and one female of Z. ivtacta Hag.
COLORADO BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, West Cliff, Feb. 1, 1890.—Mr. Cockerell exhibited a number of galls found at West Cliff, Col., including those of Rhodites fusciformans n, sp., R. bicolor Harr., R. rosefolie Ckll., R. ignota O. S., Cecidomyia salicis-siligua Walsh.
February 22d.—Mr. T. Charlton exhibited specimens of Cemthophilus maculatus Scud., which he had found in the Powhattan Mine, near Rosita, Col., about 250 feet from the entrance. Two subterranean occurrences of this species had already been recorded by Packard (‘* Cave Faun. of N. Amer.”’ p. 72) in Massachusetts and New York. Mr. Cockerell exhibited an apparently new genus and species of Elateridz found at West Cliff, and remarked that this insect was now being studied by Dr. Horn, with a view to ascertaining its precise relationships. On behalf of Mr. H. G. Smith, Jr., the following Coleoptera, collected by him at Denver, were exhibited; Bruchus obsoletus var. fab@ Riley, Euryomia inda L., Silpha lapponica .., Chauliognathus basalis Lec. and Hippodamia convergens Guér. A letter from Mr. L. Bruner, containing identifications of Colorado Orthoptera was laid before the meeting. Among the Orthoptera was an apparently new species of Ame/es from Custer County.
T. D. A. CocKERELL, Sec.
—
MORE MISTAKES.
Some of our readers have kindly pointed out a number of oversights in proof-reading, which we desire to correct. Page 15, line 30, for 7enzera read Zeuzera. An unsuccessful attempt was made to correct this error in the errata given at bottom of page 47. Page 21, line 16, for 1886, read 1836. “26, ‘* 20, for ABCANTHIA read ACANTHIA.
27, 20, for symmetrical read asymmetrical. “29, ‘* 18, for Frohaws read Frohawk. ** 30, ‘ 19, for Cobhane read Cobham. ‘€ 30, “* 33, for Limnophilas read Limnophilus.
48, last line, for January read February.
8@~ ENTOMOLOGICAL News for January was mailed Jan. 15, 1890; for February, Jan- 31, 1890; for March, Feb. 27, 1890.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION,
ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
Veiads.- MAY, 18go. No. 5. CONTENTS: Cockerell—What are the uses of bright | NOt@S ARR WS sc. ss cccsi:n-vecnnccdaseveqsessoees 74 colors in ppt pater : eee 65 | Entomological Literature......sssesssses0e: 77 Van Winkle—Collecting by lamplight.. 68 ‘ be SEE Mtbenentary Ritomology...:... 0 DOINGS GE RBOCICLIES.....c0ee..senssiassanecacnes 79 Calvert—Additional notes on some N. American Odonata..... ateteeseneneee saeee 73
What are the uses of bright colors in Hymenoptera? BY T. D. A. COCKERELL.
Following somewhat on the lines indicated in my letter pub- lished in the February number, p. 27, with the editor’s permission, I will put the above question to your readers. Hereafter, I may have something to say on the uses of color among insects in gen- eral, but the present question seems so suitable for general inves- tigation that I will briefly give some of the vos and cons and leave your-readers to work the matter out themselves if they will. In that admirable work, ‘‘ Darwinism,” Dr. A. R. Wallace lays considerable stress on ‘‘ Warning coloration,’’ and shows that many animals are conspicuously colored as a sign that they are dangerous or inedible. With insects this is said to be specially noticeable, and thus insectivorous birds and other enemies of the insect tribes get to know and avoid those they cannot eat, to the great advantage of such.
On p. 233 of ‘‘ Darwinism’? is a reference to the Aculeate Hy- menoptera in this connection, as follows: ‘‘ We all know how well marked and conspicuous are the colors and forms of the stinging wasps and bees, no one of which in any part of the world
5
66 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May,
is known to be protectively colored like the majority of defence- less insects.’’ Reading this I at once called to mind the numerous dull-colored species of Andrena, Halictus, etc. , and the ‘brilliantly- colored, non-aculeate Chrysidide and Chalcididaad so that it seemed to me that in this case, at any rate, ‘‘ warning coloration’ was not self-evident, so I submitted the point to Dr. Wallace, himself, who replied:
‘‘Though the Andrenidz are not usually gayly colored, yet they are not zxconspicuous. The Chrysididz are, I should think, colored so brilliantly partly, perhaps, to simulate stinging species, and partly to prevent their being taken for fruits or seeds when rolled up. They are very hard, and like many hard beetles are colored as a warning of inedibility.”’ (A. R. Wallace zu Hitt. Feb. 10, 1890)
Here it would be interesting to learn whether the Chrysidida* are eaten by insectivorous birds. A spider, Aysticus cristatus, has been recorded as preying on Chrysis ignita in Lincolnshire, England, by Mr. H. W. Kew.
But to return to the acwleata, are they notable for warning coloration? To ascertain the exact state of the case from one who has paid much attention to the subject. I applied to Mr. Ash- mead and here is his reply:
‘‘The family Chalcididz is without doubt the most extensive in the order, and taken as a whole the most brilliantly colored; no other family, not even excepting the Chrysididze, can compare with it in the metallic brilliancy of its members. ‘‘ In my opinion, when the species are thoroughly worked up, in this single family alone, their members will more than double the species in a// the families of the Acu/eata taken together, so numerous are they.
‘It is really only among the parasitic bees that we find much brilliant metallic coloring, a few genera in Apide and Andrenide.
‘‘Tn Andrenidz only two genera, Angochlora and Agapostemon |
are very brilliant, on some //alicti show some.
* Although the Chry sidide: are classed with the bees, etc., they are not acu/eata, Mr. Ashmead has kindly stated their systematic position to me as follows: “‘ Although they are certainly Hymenoptera monotrocha and belong to the section with the bees, strictly speaking they can hardly be called true Acwleata, being, as Latreille observes, ‘sur les confins des deux sections,’ and were formerly classed with the 7eredvantia. I agree with Westwood in considering them more closely allied to certain Proctotrupids, i.e., the Dry- ninge ane Bethylinz, than to the bees. If I had the time I could point out some very remarkable structural similarities.” (im Zi#t. Feb. 5, 1890)
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ons,
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 67
‘*T am of course speaking of the insects found in N. America, as I am not very familiar with exotic or oriental forms.
‘In family Vespide there are none; in Eumenide none; in Masaridz none; in Crabronidz only a few species in the genera Trypoxylon and Oxybelus show any and then usually confined to the pubescence; in Pemphredonidee all are black or ornate with white and yellow; in Mellinide and Mimeside the same, although sometimes the pubescence is silvery or golden; in the Philanthidz they are highly colored, but are not metallic, or but seldom show any metallic splendor; in Nyssonidz and Bembicidze the same; in the Larridz some of the forms do, but strictly speak- ing they are not brilliant, and the metallic coloring is usually confined to the vestiture; the family Ampulicidz has but one spe- cies in America, and that is dark colored. In the family Sphecidz a large percentage show metallic colors, but only a few are very brilliant; in Pompilidz only a few; the Sapygide are highly col- ored, but not metallic; in the Scoliidz only a few forms, while in the Mutillidaee and Formicidz none that I know of.
‘““ So now you have the showing, the North American Aculeata make, in a nutshell (W. H. Ashmead zz Z#. Feb. 5, 1890).’’
From which summary it becomes evident that, as a whole, the aculeata do not compare in brilliancy with very many of the non- stinging kinds. Nor is it clear that the stings altogether protect the bees and wasps from birds, or render them inedible. Dr. Wallace remarks (Darwinism, p.—239): ‘‘ We see that even the powerful stings of bees and wasps only protect them against some enemies, since a tribe of birds, the bee-eaters, have been devel- oped to feed upon them, and some frogs and lizards do so occa- sionally.”’ ;
Dr. Riley records that sparrows (Passer domesticus) feed on Flalictus, Tiphia, Myzine and ants. In no less than ¢hzrty cases was Myzine sexcincta found in the sparrow’s stomachs, and this is a brightly marked (though not metallic) species, which, per- haps, theoretically should not have been eaten. I have found ants in the stomach of Sta/ia arctica, shot in Custer County, Col. ‘The stomach of a woodpecker, shot by Rev. A. Wright in the same locality, contained a great number of ants; the majority apparently Formica Susca, with a few F. integra. In England the tom-tit (Parus) is known to wage constant war against
‘Bombus.
68 . ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May,
So clearly, the Aculeata do not always escape! Myzine sex- cincta is marked pretty much as most of the species of Vespa, Odynerus and Craéro, and yet is not protected. So here is the great class of yellow markings on black, apparently useless for warning purposes. The humming and buzzing of bees may likely frighten their enemies in some cases. Certainly it scares those of the genus Homo in most cases. But that has nothing to do with the colors.
There seems to be a tendency for insects which are carnivorous
in their early stages to be metallic, but there are very many ex- —
ceptions to this rule. Thus in Coleoptera the Carabidz are often metallic, but so are many of the plant-feeding Chrysomelida and several of the Curculionidz, while many carnivorous beetles are dull. In Diptera, the blow-fly, Zucz/ia, is metallic. In Hymen- optera, the parasitic Chalcididz are mostly metallic, while the plant-feeding Cynipidz are brown, black or yelloar And so on through numerous examples.
So much then on the colors of the stinging and seats Hy- menoptera. The question remains, what are they for? Why do they exist?
0). Vv
COLLECTING BY LAMPLIGHT.
BY A. S. VAN WINKLE.
No doubt many entomologists have spent night after night col- lecting different species of moths which can only be taken after dark. Many atime have I spent night after night, alone, down in the dark forest bordering the Mississippi in collecting on very warm, dark and damp nights when the harvest would be very productive, as many different species of Bombycide, Noctuide, Geometridez, Pyralidz, Tortricide, Tineidze and Pterophoride would be captured, while on other nights I would be doomed to disappointment for after being up almost night I would collect little or nothing.
When one reads Dr. Wallace’s delightful work entitled, ‘‘ The Malay Archipelago,’’ giving his experience of collecting in the eastern Tropics, especially the part referring to the subject of moth collecting at night, he cannot fail to appreciate its impor- tance. Knowing full well that the readers of ENTOMOLOGICAL
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 69
News, especially those who have not had the pleasure of reading Dr. Wallace’s work will be interested in it, and that ENTOMo- LOGICAL News is chiefly devoted to this kind of literature I take pleasure in quoting the following passage: ‘‘ While collecting on the island of Borneo what occupied me most was the great abun- dance of moths which, on certain occasions, I was able to capture. As during the whole eight years’ wanderings in the East I never found another spot where these insects were at all plentiful, it will be interesting to state the exact conditions under which I here obtained them. On the one side of the cottage there was a verandah looking down the whole side of the mountain, and to its summit on the right all densely clothed with forest. The boarded sides of the cottage were whitewashed and the roof of the verandah was low and whitewashed. As soon as it became dark I placed my lamp on the table against the wall and with pins, insect-forceps, net and collecting-boxes by my side, sat down with a book. Sometimes during the whole evening only a soli- tary. moth would visit me, while on other nights they would pour in in a continual stream, keeping me hard at work catching and pinning till past midnight, as they came literally by thousands. These good nights were very few. During the four weeks that I spent altogether on the hill I only had four really good nights, and these were always rainy, and the best of them soaking wet, but wet, rainy nights, were not always good, for a rainy moon- light night produced next to nothing. All the chief tribes of moths were represented, and the beauty and variety of the species was very great. On good nights I was able to capture from a hundred to two nundred and fifty moths, and these comprised on each occasion from half to two-thirds that number of distinct species. Some of them would settle on the wall, some on the table, while many would fly up to the roof and gave me a chase all over the verandah before I could secure them.
(To be continued.)
(). Vv
Notre.—By a slip of the pen I quoted Mr. Blanchard incor- rectly in the April NEws. Corymbites crassus is the female of divaricatus, and not as | there stated of zzflatus.—G. H. Horn.
70 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May,
ELEMENTARY ENTOMOLOGY. | FIRST PAPER—WHAT IS AN INSECT?
While the study of Entomology, or the knowledge of Insects, is one of the most fascinating of pursuits, it is not a matter of wonder that many have been deterred from undertaking it, be- cause of the difficulties with which it is hedged about, and the array of strange, technical words with which it is surrounded. The purpose of these articles is, therefore, to endeavor to popu- larize the study by explaining, in as simple a manner as possible, the various technical terms which, of necessity, must be employed by scientific writers.
The word Insect is, as a rule, very loosely employéd by those who have not studied the subject. Even scientific usage of the word has varied, and Insects are sometimes regarded as equiva- lent to the group described later on in this paper under the name of Tracheata. In this series the word Insect is used in a restricted sense, and does not include such animals as spiders, centipedes and mites, and yet we would not exclude from the pages of this journal information about such creatures, since we hope to give our readers some very interesting notes on spiders (as well as on ants), from the pen of our fellow-member, the Rev. Dr. McCook, who’ has made the study of their habits a specialty, and who knows so well how to interest his readers.
Insects may be described as being (1) joint-footed animals, breathing by trachez; (2) having the body of the adult divided into three distinct portions, —head, thorax and abdomen; (3) having in the perfect or imeem state, one pair of antenne attached to the head.
(1) The joint-footed aniaiaaae or technically the Arthropoda (which is the Greek equivalent), are formed on a different plan from the other branches of the animal kingdom. Their bodies are composed of a series of rings (or segments), within which are the vital apparatus and muscles. It is true that many of the Worms have their bodies segmented, but no Worms have jointed feet. A vast number of animals are included within the A7thro- poda,—not only the /rsecta, but also the Arachnida (spiders, scorpions, etc.), the J/yriapoda (centipedes, millipedes, etc.),
certain curious animals known as Onychophora, and the Crustacea
. ee ne ve eT
eel oes! ba i. tet _
18go. } ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 71
(crabs, lobsters, shrimps, etc.). It is necessary, therefore, to find some differences which will distinguish the Insects from all other Arthropods.* One of these is the breathing by ¢rachee, which are tubes, composed of thin membranes kept open by a fine, but stiff, wiry thread twisted spirally throughout the whole course of the tubes. The trachez have their external openings, called spiracles or stigmata, along the sides of the body.. From the spiracles the tracheze pass inwards and ramify in all directions throughout the body. The Crustacea breathe by gills, and hence form a division of the Arthropods called Branchiata (from the Greek work érangchia, gills). All other Arthropods than the crustacea breathe by trachez, or similar structures, and hence form the division 7vacheata.
(2) The body of an adult insect is divided into three regions,— head, thorax and abdomen. In the Crustacea and Arachnida, there are, as a rule, fwo regions, the united head and thorax (cephalo-thorax), and the abdomen. In the Onychophorans and Myriapods the body is worm-like, and can hardly be said to be divided into regions (although, of course, segmented); the head, however, is distinct.
(3) Insects, when they have attained their imago or perfect form, have one pair of antenne (or ‘‘feelers’’) attached to the head, three pairs of /egs which are restricted to the thorax, and usually two pairs of wizgs, also attached to the thorax. The Arachnida have no true antennz, but have four pairs of legs at- tached to the thoracic part of the cephalo-thorax. The Myria- poda and Onychophora have one pair of antennz and numerous pairs of legs. The Crustacea have two pairs of antennz and usually five or more pairs of legs to the thoracic part of the cephalo-thorax, and often some abdominal legs. No other Ar- thropoda than the Insecta have wings, and even some Insects are destitute of them during their entire life.
With respect to the states or forms assumed in the course of their lives, Insects may be grouped into three divisions :
1. Insects which pass through four states, viz., (1) the Egg, (2) the Larva (caterpillar, maggot, grub, or ‘‘ worm’’f), (3) the Pupa (chrysalis), usually a quiescent state, and (4) the /mago (perfect insect).
* The characters given in this paper for the classes of Arthropoda are mainly those used in Claus and Sedgwick’s excellent Text Book of Zoology. t Such as the “‘ Tomato-worm,” ‘‘ Grape-vine worm,” and similar plant-feeders.
72 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. | [May,
2. Insects which pass through three states, viz., (1) the Egg, (2) the Nymph and (3) the Zmago.
3. Insects which pass through two states, viz., (1) the Zgg, and (2) the Larva-form.
1. Insects passing through four such states differ very much when in their larval state from the form which they possess when in their imago state, and hence are said to undergo a complete metamorphosis or transformation. Such are Bees, Butterflies, Beetles, etc. Very frequently the pupa is enclosed in a cocoon of silk, earth, chips, or other substance. ‘
2. In other insects there is no distinction between the larval and pupal states, and the larva much resembles the imago, although differing noticeably by the wings being not yet developed as or- gans of flight. Such insects pass through an zucomp/lete trans- . formation. Lately the word Mymph has been used to denote that state of existence in such insects between the egg and the imago, although formerly it was synonymous with pupa. Insects with an incomplete transformation are Grasshoppers, Dragflies, etc.
3. These insects undergo no transformatton, the larval form being retained to the end of their existence. Such are Fish- moths and Spring-tails. '
The growth of an insect is completed in its larval or its nymph state, and however long an insect may live, it never increases in size after it has attained its perfect form. The modes of passing through the successive changes of form vary much in the different orders of insects, and are always full of interest to careful ob- servers. These changes will be referred to in future articles on the various orders.
The principal characters which distinguish the Insecta from the other classes of Arthropoda may be tabulated as follows (These characters apply only to adult individuals):
Arthropoda.—Animals with a segmented body and jointed segmental appendages.
A.—Breathing by gills (Division Branchiata.) Body usually divided into a cephalo-thorax and an abdomen; two pairs
of antenne . : ‘ : ° ; Class I, Crustacea.
B.—Breathing by trachez (Division 7racheat/a.) 1. No true antennz (Subdivision Chelicerota.) Body usually divided into a cephalo-thorax and an abdomen; four pairs of thoracic feet; no abdominal feet. Class II, Arachnida.
1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 73
2. With one pair of antennz (Subdivision Antennata). a. Body not divided into regions; feet fairly numerous, Class III, Onychophora (or Prototracheata). Class IV, Myriapoda. b. Body divided into head, thorax and abdomen; six feet, restricted to thorax. , Usually with two pairs of wings, Class V. Insecta (or Hexapoda).
Pir. G.
=o
Additional Notes on some North American Odonata. BY PHILIP P. CALVERT.
On Jan. 28, 1890, were published the separate copies of my paper entitled, ‘‘ Notes on some North American Odonata, with descriptions of three new species (Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. xvii, pp. 33—40, 1 pl.).”’ During the next two days I sent copies of q my paper to various students of the Odonata. One of the new
species I described under the name of Leucorhinia Hageni, fig- uring the inferior appendage and hamule of the male, and the : vulvar lamina of the female. Under date of Feb. 2, 1890, Dr. ‘ Hagen wrote to me acknowledging the receipt of my paper, and 7 stated that ‘‘ your Hagenz is, I believe, L. hudsonica Selys.’’ He F also sent me drawings of the male hamule and female valvules of hudsonica. 1 can now see no reason for believing Hagenz to be specifically distinct. 3 Since the publication of my paper, Mr. Charles W. Johnson _ has kindly looked over my Floridan types of Lepthemis gravida. He tells me that he has collected this species flying over the salt marshes near St. Augustine, Fla.. In the habitat given originally (1. ec. p. 36) for this species, I have misspelled Ponto Rasso for Punta Rassa.
Students of the Odonata must rejoice in the recent publication of two parts of Dr. Hagen’s new ‘‘ Synopsis of the Odonata of North America,’’ published in ‘‘ Psyche’’ vol. v, Nos. 160 and i 166, and dealing with the genera Calopteryx and Anax. I have : recently compared the specimens of Calopferyx in my colleetion
and that of the American Entomological Society, with Dr. Hagen’s paper on that genus. In both collections Calopteryx is but poorly represented, and but few new facts were ascertained from the comparison.
a,
74 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May,
Five North American species are recognized in the paper re- ferred to, viz.: C. angustipennis, amata, dimidiata (with race apicalis), equabilis (with races hudsonica and yakima) and macu- lata, Of these I have seen damidiata (and r. . apicalis), aequabilis and maculata.
Dr. Hagen states (‘‘ Psyche,”’ Vv, p. 242) that ‘‘ The genus Calopteryx largely represented in the northern boreal and tem- perate zone nowhere passes to the south beyond the zoth degree.”’ I possess a male dzmidiata, formerly in the collection of Prof. P. R. Uhler, of Baltimore; when Prof. Uhler gave this specimen to me it bore (and still bears) the label ‘‘ Calopteryx, Honduras.”’ Honduras, including that part under British rule, extends from about the 18th to the 13th parallel of North latitude. The most southern locality in all America for any species of Calopteryx, as given by Dr. Hagen, is Florida.
In the Am. Ent. Soc. collection are two males of apicadis from Delaware, a new locality. In the same collection are two females,
one certainly, the other probably from Delaware; I think that
they also belong to aficalzs. The measurements of these females are: Total length Ao AG 5 mm.; abdomen, 31.5—32.5 mm.; anterior wing, 30 mm.; posterior, ie mm.
Of eguabilis | possess one male and one female, both taken by Mr. Harry L. Walker at Belvidere, Bone County, Ill, June 29, 1888, ‘‘on the bank of a little stream.’’ Both agree’ very well with Dr. Hagen’s description, except that the wings of the female are hardly smoky at the apex.
For maculata | add a new locality, Tama County, Iowa; two males and one female taken June 21, 28, 29, 1889, by Miss Alda M. Sharp.
Notes and News.
ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF THE GLOBE. [The Conductors of ENromoLocicaL 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 ‘or the information of cataloguers and bibliographers.]
IDENTIFICATION OF INSECTS (IMAGOS) FOR SUBSCRIBERS.—Specimens will be named under the following conditions:
———— ee
Se
hy ee ag ae ee eae
~ 1890.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 75
1st.—The number of specimens to be limited to twelve (12) for each sending.
2d.—The sender to pay all expenses of transportation and the insects to become the property of the American Entomological Society.
3d.—Each specimen must have a number attachcd so that the identifica- tions may be announced accordingly. .
Such identifications as can be given will be published according to | number, in the issues of the News. Address packages to Entomological News, Acad. Nat. Sci., Logan Square, Philadelphia, Pa.
Notes From CoLtorapo.— 7imothy bugs. On Aug. 21, 1889, I took 3 and 2 Pentatomids on Timothy-grass (Phleum pratense) by Willow Creek, Custer County, Col. They are identified by Mr. Ashmead as Ho- memus bijugis Uhler, which is probably a variety of H. aneifrons Say.
Yucca-insects. One day I examined the flowers of Yucca angustifolia at West Cliff for insects, having at the time just read some articles on the Yucca controversy.. I found many Aphides, and some ants, possibly Formica ciliata Mayr, and on the outside of one of the flowers a bee, Nomia nortoni Cress. The Hymenoptera were kindly examined by Mr. Ashmead.
Cenonympha eggs. On June 26, 1889, I caught a Q Cenonympha ochracea near Texas Creek, Custer County. From its abdomen I ob- tained an egg by pressure; it was pale yellow, globular and large for the size of the insect. It proved infertile —T. D. A. COCKERELL.
J. W. Turt—Rayleigh Villa, Westcombe Park, London, E. England— is engaged on a Monograph of the varieties of Nocru occurring in Great . Britain, with descriptions, etc., of the varieties of these species occurring in other countries, and would be pleased to hear from the readers of En- TOMOLOGICAL News as to any striking forms of variation that may come under their notice.
THE GLANVILLE FRITLARY.—‘ This butterfly took its name from the ingenious ).ady Glanville, whose memory liked to have suffered for her curiosity. Some relations that were disappointed by her will, attempted to set it aside by acts of lunacy; for they suggested that none but those who were deprived of ‘their senses, would go in pursuit of butterflies. Her relations and legatees cited Sir Hans Sloane and Mr. Ray to support her character; the last gentleman went to Exeter, and on the trial satisfied the judge and jury of the lady’s laudable inquiry into the wonderful works of the Creation; and established her will.—Aarris’ Aurelian 1766.
“T RECOLLECT some ten or twelve years ago, one Sunday, whilst col- lecting in a neglected field, near Bernard’s dam, that the proprietor of the ground, or of some neighboring territory, a pleasant, hale old gentleman, came down in his shirt sleaves to gratify his curiosity in regard to my doings. He first approached with the proper caution due to nearing an equivocal animal, but assuring himself by the placidity of my countenance, doubtless, that there was no apparent danger to be dreaded, he approached
76 ENTOMOLOGICAL : NEWS. [May,
me, and in the Pennsylvania German dialect asked what I was doing. I showed him my collecting-box and its contents, my net, etc., and as at ' that moment a large female of the Zphestion butterfly flew near, I joined example to precept by capturing and killing and pinning it in my collect- ing-box in his presence. The most difficult part to make the old gentle- man comprehend, was what the things could be used for after they were caught. I attempted an explanation. Whether I was successful in doing so to his satisfaction I still doubt, however, he seemed pleased, and by way of explanation said, as he departed, ‘Ich haab dich gasayn for ein bar Suntaag here und durt so rum springe un ich hab gaydenkt du waarst so ein kaerl wo nicht gons recht in kopf war, aber.’* Here he paused and looked puzzled, and I fear to this day the worthy old husbandman (bless his kindly face) is still, if living, in a state of suspense as regards my being responsible for my actions-before the Lord and my fellow-man.”’
THE EXPEDITION sent out by the Academy has been heard from several times; they are doing good work, and are all well. The last report says, ‘We have just arrived at Vera Cruz after a very enjoyable and interesting time in Yucatan. Expect to go straight to Orizaba. This morning, early, we saw the snow-clad peak of Orizaba in the distance.” :
WHILE watching a luna moth just after it emerged from the cocoon. | noticed that the small and unexpanded wings were light yellow in color, and I thought it would be abnormal in coloration, but at the base of the wing I saw a small area, which was of a beautiful light green, and as the moth gradually expanded the wings this was distributed through them, making the color normal. This is another proof of the fact that the wings are expanded by the moth pumping a fluid into them when they are soft and elastic.—H. SKINNER.
THE fine collection of insects made by the late Stephen Calverley has been presented to the Brooklyn Institute by his son.
PLANS FOR EXTERMINATING MosQuIToEs.—Mrs. Eugene M. Aaron, of 1832 Pine Street, has been awarded the first prize offered by Dr. Robert H. Lamborn, of New York City, for the best essay on the extermination of mosquitoes, especially by Dragon-flies. The-second and third prizes have ceen divided equally between Mr. Archibald C. Weeks, 120 Broad- way, New York, and Mr. William Beutenmiiller, 132 East Seventy-sixth Street, New York. It is understood that Dr. Lamborn will publish the essays. The judges who made the awards were the Rev. Dr. Henry C. McCook, of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and Prof. J. S. Newberry, of the School of Mines, Columbia College, New York.
Mr. J. D. Evans, in the ‘‘ Ottawa Naturalist,’’ vol. iii, No. 4, reports Erebia epipsodea as being found at Sudbury on the Canadian Pacific Railroad.
* “TJ have seen you running around here for the last couple of Sundays, and I thought you were one of those fellows who were not quite right in the upper story, but’——
Oe nae a ee
18go. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77
Entomological Literature.
Die ZWEIFLUGLER DES KAISERLICHEN MUSEUMS ZU WIEN, IV.—Vo- rarbeiten zu einer Monographie des Muscaria Schizometopa (exclusive
_ Anthomyidz) ParsI. Von Prof. Dr. Friedrich Brauer, W. M. K. Akad.,
und J. Edl. v. Bergenstamm (Mit 11 Tafeln), Denkschr. d. math.-wissens. Classe d. k. Akad. d. Wissensch. Bd. lvi, pp. 1—112, pls. i—xi, 4to. 1889. —Only he who has endeavored to find his way in the devious labyrinth of the calyptrate Muscidz can appreciate this important and valuable paper, the most important that has ever appeared on the subject, and one that will mark a new epoch in our knowledge of the group. To give even an outline of its contents is impracticable here, nor would I feel at all com- petent for the task, were my opportunities unlimited. A paper that intro- duces fifty new families and one hundred and fifty new genera would appall any ordinary critic, and I know only enough about the insects to appreciate the labor and research the paper has cost. The authors, fol- lowing out Prof. Brauer’s previously published taxonomic views, present an almost entirely new classification of the group, which is coextensive ‘with what has been generally known as the Muscide calyptrate, with the inclusion of the Oestridz. ‘‘ Families,’ groups and genera are defined, and three hundred and ten admirable lithograph figures, graphically illus- trate most of the genera. All the known genera are not included; only
‘those of which the authors had definite or artoptic knowledge; still, there
cannot be many wanting, and the work must remain as the size gua non of all dipterologists who have anything to do with these flies. The work is nothing if not iconoclastic, and I do not think will, and ought not to, obtain the concurrence of entomologists in all respects. The authors’ conception of the genus is, I think, not tenable, and there is a great lack of uniformity in the group names. But, whatever the differences may be,
_all will unite in their appreciation of the great value of this bahubrechend
work.—S. W. WILLISTON.
PROCEEDINGS ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES PHILADELPHIA, Part III, 1889.—Antennz of Coleoptera, by Geo. H. Horn, M.D. Ona new spe- cies of Spider of the genus Dinopis from the Southern United States by Geo. Marx, M. D.
_A SEAson’s WorK AMONG THE ENEMIES OF THE HORTICULTURIST, by Clarence M. Weed. The enemies referred to in this paper are of two kinds: insects and fungi. The insects treated of are the Rhubarb Snout Beetle, Imported Currant Worm, Plum Curculio, Striped Cucumber Bee- tle, Cherry Tree Slug and Strawberry Root Louse. The appropriate remedies are given to destroy each of these pests.
* THE ENToMOLOoGIst1, London, March, 1890.—The Evolution of Insect- galls by T. D. A. Cockerell. Notes on the Economy of Refinia resinella, R. Adkin. Rhopalocera at Digne, Mrs. Nicholl. One the Phylogenetic
78 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May,
significance of the wing-markings in certain genenera of the Nymphalide, F. A. Dixey. New species of Lepidoptera from China, J. H. Leech. De- scriptions of new species of Phytophagous Coleoptera received by Mr. J. H. Leech from Chang-Yang, China, Martin Jacoby. Descriptions of the Homopterous family Cicadide, W. L. Distant. Notes on Aybocampa milhauseri, T. A. Chapman. Faroe Islands, Rev. Dr. Walker. Ento- mological Notes, Captures, etc., and doings of societies, etc., complete the number. By 5
ANNALS AND MAGAZINE OF NATURAL History, vol. v, No. 27, London. —Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera (Heterocera) from Central America, Herbert Druce. The new species mentioned in the above paper are figured in the Biologia Centrali-Americana. Descriptions of two new Central American Buprestidz, C. O. Waterhouse. Description of a new Papilio from the West coast of Africa, H. Grose Smith (Papilion harpa- gon). On the constitution of the body in the Blattide, E. Haase. De- scription of a new genus of the Homopterous family Cicadidze, W. L. Distant.
BIOLOGIA CENTRALI-AMERICANA, Part LXXXI, December, 1889.—, (Received March, 1890). Contains ARACHNID ARANEIDEA, O. Pickard Cambridge, pp. 49—56, pl. 5, thirteen colored figures. COLEOPTERA, vol. ii, pt. 2. H.W. Bates, pp. 385—416, pl. 24, twenty-five colored figures. COLEOPTERA Vol. iii, pt. 1, C. O. Waterhouse, pp. 169—193. COLEOPTERA vol. iv, pt. 2, G. C. Champion, pp. 103—120, pl. 5, twenty-five colored figures. LEPIDOPTERA, HETEROCERA, H. Druce, pp. 337—344, plate 5, twenty-fiva colored figures. ._RHYNCHOTA HETEROPTERA W. L. Distant, pp. 32I—328, pl. 30, twenty-five colored figures. Quite a number of new species are described and handsomely illustrated.
BIOLOGIA CENTRALI-AMERICANA Part LXXXII, January, 1890 (Rec’d March, 1890).—COLEOPTERA vol. ii, part 2, H. W. Bates, pp. 417—432. COLEGPTERA vol. iv, part 2, G. C. Champion, pp. 121—160, plates 6 and 7, fifty-one colored figures. LEPIDOPTERA HETEROCERA Vol. i, H. Druce, pp. 345—368, plate 31, fifteen colored figures. DipTera vol. ii, F. M. van der Wulp, pp. 41—56.
The ENTOMOLOGIST’s MONTHLY MAGAZINE (London) March, 1890.— Synopsis of the British ORTHOPTERA (continued), Eland Shaw. CoLs- OpTERA in Norfolk, James Edwards. Descriptions of some new species of South American Halticide of the group CEprropeEs (continued), Mar- tin Jacoby. Descriptions of four new species of the genus Cas¢nia from South America, Herbert Druce. Notes on British Zor¢rices (continued), C. G. Barrett. Notes on the COLEOPTERA and LEPprmpopTERA (/Aopaloc.)
of Norway, G. C. Champion (with list of Norwegian butterflies by W. M..
Schépen). Notes on British and Exotic Coccidz. J. W. Douglas. HEm- IPTERA HETEROPTERA at Dover and its vicinity, G. C. Hall. Stenamma
ee ee
Sa an ey
1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 79
Westwoodii at Maidstone, G. E. Frisby. (Cs cis bilameliatus breeding in captivity, Rev. Theodore Wood. Harpalus obscurus H. R. Tottenham. Casual captures of CoLEopTERA, J. J. Walker. CoLropera in the North of Ireland, Rev. W. F. Johnson. Obderea oculata, Rev. C. Fowler. Mycterus curculionides from near Oxford, Id. On the larva of Giza spadicea and G. vaccinii, T. A. Chapman, M.D. A point concerning hybridization, H. W. Vivian. Some Micro-LeprpopTera of the Chalk - Hills near Reading, W. Holland. <Aciptitia paludum in the New Forest, Id. Mecyna polygonalis Tr. in ‘New Zealand, E. Meyrick. Nepticula . pyri, a species new to Britain, J. H. Wood. Scoparia basistrigalis as dis- tinct from S. ambigualis G..T. Porritt. Identity of Dianthecia carpo- phaga and D. capsophila, W. ¥. H. Blandford. Drepanopteryx phale- noides in Durham, Ames Mitchell.
Doings of Societies.
ENTOMOLOGIYAL SECTION ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILA- DELPHIA, March 27, 1890.—Members present: Messrs. Martindale, Rid- ings, Skinner, Liebeck, Seeber, Castle, Calvert, Westcott, Mr. Mengel and Mr. Fox, visitors. Dr. Geo. H. Horn, Director, in the chair. Verbal communications being in order, Dr. Horn called attention to a box con- taining Cercyonand allied genera, with all the known species represented. He exhibited plates showing anatomical characteristics of Cercyon. The shape of the meso-sternum was considered in relation to classification. A lighter colored region of the meta-ste: itm is defined or not according to circumstances. The genus Cryp/op/eurum has a well defined line or ex- tension of the meta-sternum, which has value as a basis of comparison. In Cercyon the pro-sternum is a carina, and in some genera a broad plate. Points in the comparative anatomy of the genera were considered at length. He further stated that the proper way to study genera is by a comparison of the gradations of anatomical features. Mr. Calvert spoke : of the list of dragon-flies collected at Manchester, Me., by Miss Wads- worth, forty-three species being enumerated, which is a very creditable showing. The number of species observed in comparison to other places is large, as in Great Britain only forty-six species are enumerated accord- ing to McLachlan. Mr. Calvert estimated the species of this locality (Philadelphia) as fifty. pitheca Walshit is the rarest species in the Maine list, only four <f‘ and one 2 specimens being known. Dr. Hagen has lately published a synopsis of the dragon-flies of North America, to which Mr. Calvert called attention. The following specimens were donated to the cabinet: Rhodites fusiformans Ckl., four specimens; Syntomaspis mon- ticola Ashm., one specimen. Galls of 7rypeta bigelovie Ckl. Galls of
fo oe —- J
: eS
80 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May,
Rhodites vosefolia, Ckl. (the flies have since emerged), all from Mr. . Cockerell, West Cliff, Colorado. Pimpla grapholithe Cress., presented by Dr. John Hamilton.
ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON.—March 6, 1890. Mr, Schwarz exhibited and remarked upon the following species of Coleop- tera, which are new to the fauna of North America: Lathridius ( Conino- mus) nodifer Westwood; Actinopteryx fucicola Allibert; Arrhipis Laneri Guerin and Prodatius umbratilis Duval. He also showed specimens of ‘Temnochila Hubbardi Léveilleé, and Teretriosoma Hornii Lewis, re- cently described in European journals from the semi-tropical region of Florida. He finally drew attention to Dr. Horn’s recent Revision of the North American species of Ochthebius, and spoke of the geographical distribution of these aquatic beetles. Discussion followed by various members.
* The Secretary presented a note on a Dipterous larva infesting the seeds of Xanthium. He had found that these larvz at Manhattan, Kansas and during the past winter in the District. Drawings were exhibited iJlustra- _ ting the larva and the nature of its work.
The Secretary also presented a short note on the food-habits of Psilop- tera drummondi.
These notes were discussed by Schwarz, Townsend and Howard.
Mr. Townsend read a paper entitled, ‘‘ Notes on Acridiidz in Michigan,” which related more particularly to dates of appearance and habits.
C. L. MARLATT,
Recording Secretary.
Lt) VU
ERRATA. ; Fast 56, line 10 from top, for exista read exusta. 58, ‘“‘ 6 from bottom, for Sagmache, vead Sagnache.
~* 60, “ 5 from top, for Amstat, read Austat.
“ 61, “‘ 15 from top, for Dyctide read Dyctidea.
* 61, “‘ 18 from top, for 7ilicen read Tibicen.
“ 64, ‘‘ 6 from top, for fusciformans read fusiformans.
“ 64, “‘ 8 from top, for Cemthophilus read Centhophilus.
ENTOMOLOGICAL News for April was mailed March 25, 189o.
ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS
AND
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION,
ACADEMY NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA.
VG Bir. JUNE, 1890. No. 6. CONTENTS:
Slosson—Winter collecting in Florida.. 81 | Wickham—On the Habits of some Me-
Fox—Aculeate Hymenoptera new to loini ........ 89 Pennsylvania and New Jersey.. ..... 83 | Van Winkle—Collecting by lamplight.. 91
Skinner—Geographical Variation........ 84 | NCCE Bae W lees 020 0cass cnc ccsestdtlboens sdeces 92
P. P. C.—Elementary Entomology....... 86 Entomological Literature............... 2200+ 95 |
Cordley—“‘ Sports” in Venation............. 88
WINTER COLLECTING IN FLORIDA.
BY ANNIE TRUMBULL SLOSSON.
I reached Florida this year on January 25th. Butterflies were flying at that season in Jacksonville, and I saw from my window Callidryas eubule, Terias delia, Limenitis disifpus, Danais ar- chippus, and some of the Hesperide. At night, though the weather was cool, Agrotis incivis and A. malefida came to the
' piazza lights by the dozen. On the 27th, at Sanford, about one
hundred and twenty-five miles farther south, several moths came to the rather dimly-lighted windows, among them the Southern form of Hyperchiria to, Dr. Strecker’s Llith—Eudioptis hyalinata and Agrotis incivis. On the 28th we went to Punta Gorda (Charlotte Harbor) and remained there until March. There had been no rain there for some four or five months, consequently vegetation was backward, and there were very few flowers, but insects were plentiful. During the first few days after my arrival I saw P. cresphontes, P. palamedes, P. ajax, P. troilus, P. turnus, D. archippus, L. disippus, L. eros, Pieris monuste, Agraulis vanille, Terias delia, T. lisa, Callidryas eubule and Junonia centa, besides numerous Hesperide. A few days later, about 6
cL)
82 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ June,
the few orange blossoms which opened in spite of the drought, we found beautiful specimens of Zrycides batabano. They flut- tered about the fragrant flowers like humming birds, their wings glancing in the sunlight with touches of sapphire and emerald.
With them, and sipping from the same blossoms, we took three specimens of an A/yfza new to me, and which I cannot place till -
_I have access to my books. Along the shore, just inside the
thicket of mangroves, are long flat stretches of sand, often sub- merged and always wet. On these grow little but samphire (Sa/z- cornia ambigua) Lresine vermicularis and such marine plants with fleshy, succulent leaves and insignificant flowers. But over these in the hot sunshine at midday were always flitting tiny Lycenas and 7heclas. Here I took the little bronzy LZ. zsophthalma, L. filenus, L. theonus (a lovely little species, the female with wings almost white), Zhecla peas, T. M-album and T. melinus (this last name is given me by Dr. Henry Skinner). There were so very few blossoms that I knew nearly every plant which bloomed, and could visit each one as I made my collecting rounds. One large thistle (C. horridulum) with several heads of pale yellow flowers was always a favorite spot for insects, and wherever a plant of the ugly fireweed (Avechthites) lifted its greenish, com- monplace heads of flowers they were surrounded by little gay- winged lovers. Seeing at a distance one day what looked like a patch of large white blossoms I went towards it only to find a mat of the little creeping hyssop (Herfestis monniera) with tiny lav- ender flowers covered with the Southern cabbage butterfly (?.
monuste). Therg were at least twenty on a patch not two feet ~
square. Hesperidz abounded, skipping jerkily about the grounds of the hotel and over the palmetto scrub; Pamphila brettus, P. fusca, P. phyleus (Dr. Skinner gives me these names), P. a7pa, P. maculata and several others yet unnamed. Calephelis centus was also abundant. The evenings were generally windy and cool, not favorable conditions for moth hunting, but we met with com- parative success. At light we captured many fine specimens, some still unidentified. Here we took Ayparpax auricinctus (1 think that this is the name given last year by Mr. Graef, but I have no book for reference), Varina ornata Neumoegen, Lito- prosopus futilis G. & R., Byssodes obrussata Gr., Lepiodes scolo- pacinaria Guen., Dilophonota obscura Fab., Ellema coniferarum A. & S., Lagoa pyxidifera A. & S., Plateceticus gloveri Pack.,
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1890. ] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 83
Trama hinna Gey., Phurys vinculum Guen., Euhatlisidota longa Gr. and many other species. The true collector is always san- guine, and I have great hopes concerning my unnamed speci- mens. One large, oddly-marked sphinx fills me with visions of a new genus as well as species, and I have already selected its name. There is also a strange and beautiful moth, apparently one of the Zygzenidz, unlike anything I have seen or of which I have read. I found feeding upon the tomato vines in the hotel
_ garden many larvee of Phlegethontius celeus, and upon the sweet
potato and omea pes-capre, \arve of P. cingulata. These were all full grown; I placed several of them with their food- plant in a box of earth where they soon buried themselves and transformed, but though they have been in the pupa state nearly five weeks no moth has yet emerged. I also found feeding upon mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) and upon Conocarpus erecta young larve of Hyperchiria io Fab. I have reared them and
_ they are just spinning themselves up among some leaves. “They
do not differ in any respect, as far as I can see, from the typical form, and I am anxious to see if they will develop into var. Z/ith Strecker.
(To be continued.)
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Aculeate Hymenoptera new to Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
BY WILLIAM J. FOX.
_ The following list of Aculeate Hymenoptera may prove of in-
terest to some readers of the NEws, as it adds a few more species to the fauna of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The majority of them were collected at Westville, N. J., several miles below Philadelphia, during 1889. The localities in parentheses signify where the species was recorded from before publication of this article.
Mutilla ornativentris Cress. Several specimens, Westville, N. J., 1889 (Southern and Western States).
Mutilla dubitata Sm. Several specimens taken with the pre- ceding species (Florida, Georgia, Colorado).
Mutilla thoracica Blake. One specimen of this small species was captured Oct. 29, 1889 (New York).
84 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ June,
Spherophthalma cypris Blake. This species was moderately common at Westville during the summer of 1889 (Georgia).
Spherophthalma canadensis Blake. About a dozen specimens were taken in the same locality (Canada).
Tachytes mandibularis Patton. Taken at Westville, N. J., 1889. One specimen (Connecticut).
Philanthus Sanborni Cress. Westville, N. J., August, 1889. One female (Massachusetts).
Crabro trapezoideus Pack. One male, Fairmount Park, Phila- delphia, September, 1889 (Illinois).
Thyreopus cingulatus Pack. Westville, N. J., Oct. 29, 1889. One female (Illinois).
Anacrabro occellatus Pack. Three specimens, one male and two females, Westville, N. J., July and August, 1889 (Mass., Ill. ).
Vespa occidentalis Cress. One specimen, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, September, 1889. Flying in company with V. germanica, vidua and diabolica (Nevada, New Mexico).
Nomada texana Cress. Two specimens, both females, Camden, N. J., 1889 (Texas).
Nomada lepida Cress. Three specimens (males), Franklinville, Pa., April 20, 1890. Flying over and alighting on dry saeey piliew? in the woods (Illinois, Colorado, Texas).
Mellissodes compta Cress. One female of this handsome spe- cies taken in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Sept., 1889 (Ga.).
Apathus variabilis Cress. Gloucester, N. J., August?, 1889. One specimen (Texas).
All these species were compared with those in the collection of the American Entomological Society, which contains the ¢ypes of nearly all the insects mentioned.
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GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATION.
BY HENRY SKINNER, M. D.
Dr. John Hamilton, in a recent paper (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. vol. xvi, p. 88), gives a list of the Coleoptera common to North America, Northern Asia and Europe, and Mr. Cockerell (Ento- mologist’s Record and Journal of Variation vol. i, No. 1, p. 9) a list of the ‘‘ American Species of Lepidoptera Representative of European;’’ also on page 13 of same work, ‘‘ American Varieties
— sen
“1890. | ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 85
of British Species (Lepidoptera).’’ These papers are very in- teresting and instructive, and suggest many other lines of investi- gation of a similar character. When the Lepidoptera have been more exhaustively studied after the plan adopted by Dr. Hamilton in the Coleoptera, I have no doubt the results will be interesting, and a number of species now considered distinct more or’account of difference of locality than anything else, will be amalgamated.
It has been noted that the Pacific coast fauna more nearly ap- proaches that of Europe than the Eastern, but I do not know that in a species common to both countries a greater similarity has been noticed between the Western specimens and those of Europe than the Eastern. Last Summer I had sent to me a number of chrysa- lids of Vanessa antiopa from San Jose, Cal., and when they dis- closed the perfect insects I found them all to be intergrades be- tween the specimens found here (Philadelphia) and those of England and Germany. I had previously noticed that the Eu- . ropean anfiopa could always be distinguished from the American example by the less irrorate character, and usually lighter color of the yellow border of the wings, the former of which is gen- erally most markedly illustrated on the little tail to the inferior wings and the similar projection on the superiors. The European specimens are also usually smaller. The Californian examples are intermediate between the Eastern and European as far as the dark peppering on the border is concerned, and could be readily picked out from the others. I leave it to some one else to point out the significance of the observation. Among the chrysalids there was one, three or four shades lighter in color than the rest, and perhaps also a little larger, which disclosed the rare and in- teresting variety hygiga Hdrch. (Verz. Eur. Schmett. Pp. 7, 1851), of which “ixtnerii Fitch (3d Rep. Trans. N. Y. State Agr. Soc. p- 485, 1856) isasynonym. It will beinteresting to know-whether a very much lighter colored chrysalis is an indication of a coming hygi@a. In Mr. Cockerell’s list of ‘‘ American Species Repre- sentative of European’ he omits Vanessa Californica and V. polychloros, which are probably one and the same thing. It would be interesting to know whether Cadifornica produces anything analogous or the same as the varieties of polychloros, testudo and pyromelas given in Kirby. I do not know of any described va- | riety of the American species. Gvrapta faunus and G. C-album are undoubtedly identical, as has been pointed out by Strecker.
86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ June,
To the list of American varieties of British species may be added P. rape, var. immaculata (Can. Ent. July, 1889, p. 128); this makes five in all. I hope that some one will give a list with the bibliography, of the Lepidoptera common to Europe and America, and when a new list of the North American Lepidoptera is pre- pared the whole geographical range of the species (when found outside of America) will be given.
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ELEMENTARY ENTOMOLOGY.
Second Paper—THE GENERAL STRUCTURE OF INSECTS.
In those papers of this series which treat of the anatomy of Insects in general, we have largely drawn, with the author’s per- mission, from Prof. J. H. Comstock’s excellent ‘‘ Introduction to Entomology.’’*
Thanks to the kindness of Prof. A. S. Packard, we have also made use of his well-known ‘‘ Guide’’} and his valuable ‘‘ Ento- mology for Beginners.’’{ |
As stated in the first paper the body of an Arthropod, and consequently that of an Insect, is made up of a series of rings or segments, within which are the vital apparatus and muscles. Con- fining our attention to insects, it is to be noticed that even young larvee§ just hatched from the egg show this segmentation of the
* An Introduction to Entomology by John Henry Comstock, Professor of Entomology and General Invertebrate Zéology in Cornell University, and formerly United States Entomologist. With many original illustra- tions drawn and engraved by Anna Botsford Comstock. Ithaca, N. Y. Published by the author 1888, pp. iv, 234, 201 figures: Price $2.00.
+ Guide to the study of Insects and a treatise on those injurious and beneficial to crops for the use of Colleges, Farm-schools and Agriculturists by Alpheus S. Packard, M.D., with fifteen plates and 670 woodcuts; ninth edition. New York, Henrf Holt & Co., 1889, 715 pp. (first edition, 1869, Salem) :
t Entomology for Beginners. For the use of Young Folks, Fruit- growers, Farmers and Gardeners, by A. S. Packard, M.D., Ph. D.; second edition, revised. New York, Henry Holt & Co., 1889, 367 pp. 272 figs.
2 It is hardly necessary to remind the reader that an Insect is an Insect, whether it is an unhatched egg, a growing larva, an apparently lifeless pupa, or a flying or creeping imago. Imagos being so much more con- spicuous than the preceding stages, have naturally received both common and scientific names first.
1890. } ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. | 87
body. If such a young larva be examined* the jointed appear- - ance of the exterior will be seen: The skin of this young larva is quite soft, but becomes harder as the larva grows. This hard- ening is due to the deposition in the outer layer of the skin (called the cutrcle) of a horny substance—chztine. The chitine is deposited in the cuticle of the different segments, but there is left a narrow space around the body between each segment, in which there is little or no chitine. These narrow rings of unaf- fected skin divide the segments from each other, and are termed sutures. Remaining soft, the sutures permit a freedom of motion of the hard segments upon each other.
In larve the sutures are usually wider than in the correspond- ing imagos. Very often the sutures themselves become hardened by chitine, so that the line of separation between two segments disappears. Such an obliteration of sutures occurs very fre- quently in the head and fore-parts of imagos, and less frequently in the hind parts. .
We have spoken of the segments as hard, but the hard part of any one segment is not a continuous ring. On the contrary, the hard part of a segment consists of several pieces which are more or less free to move upon each other. These pieces are the sclerites (from the Greek sk/eros, hard). Some of the soft cuticle remains between the sclerites, and this separating portion also receives the name of suture, and like an inter-segmental suture may also become ‘‘ obsolete’’ (7. @. obliterated).
The skin, originally soft, but now with its cuticle hardened in the segments, the hard part of each segment consisting of several sclerites, forms the dody-wadl of the Insect.