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FATS AMERICANA
PUBLISHED BY THE
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VOL. IV.-APRIL to DECEMBER, 1888.
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EDITOR : Rev. Geo. D. Hutsrt, 15 HIMROD STREET,
BrRookiyn, N. Y.
ASST. EDITOR: Curis. H. Roserts, 11 WEST 123RD STREET,
New York.
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AMERICANA
BROOKLYN, BPRIL, 1888. ~-NO. 1.
VOL. ‘IV.
A Preliminary List of the Myriapoda of Arkansas with Descriptions of New Species.
By CuHarxies H. Borrman.
(Published by permission of JOHN C. BRANNER, State Geologist of Arkansas.)
1. Platydesmus Lecontei (Wood). One was found on the grounds of the Deaf Mute Asylum and others on the hills along the river, near Little Rock. 2. Julus minutus (Brandt). I found a specimen in the swamp at south end of Main Street, Little Rock. Mr. Hutcherson also found one near Argenta. 3. Spirobolus marginatus (Say). Abundant throughout the state... Mee ss 4. Parajulus czsius Bollman. “@ 4 Julus cesius Wood, Proc. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci, 43, 1867 (Texas). This species is not uncommon throughout the state. 5. Cambala annulata (Say). I have received numerous specimens of this species, collected around Little Rock by Mr. Hutcherson. 6. Lysiopetalum lactarium (Say). Common throughout the state. 7. Campodes flavicornis Koch.
Campodes flavicornis Koch, Syst. der Myr., 126, 1847 (Pa.).
aS
Campodes fusicornis Koch, Syst. der Myr., 127, 1847 (Pa.).
Spirostrephon cestoannulatus Wood, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., 194, 1865 (Alleghany Co., Pa.); Ryder, Proc. U. S, Nat. Mus., 526, 1880.
Pseudotremia vudii Cope, Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., 180, 1869 (Montgomery Co., Va.); Ryder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 527, 1880. *
Cryptotrichus cesioannulatus Packard, Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc., 190, 1883 (Culmana, Ala., or Ocean Springs, Miss.).
A single specimen was obtained at Little Rock. As this species has a number of synonyms, I have thought it best to give its synonomy,
8. Craspedosoma flavidum sp. noy.
Yellowish brown, feet and antennez lighter. Robust, segments not constrict2d, lateral carinze small and body strongly resembling that of Campodes. Antenne longer than width of body. Ocelli 12-14, di-tinct, arranged in a triangular patch and in § or 6 series. Dorsal plates rather smooth, setigerous granules small, sete rather large. Male feet crassate, those of fema!e slender.
Length of body 5.8 mm.; width .7 mm.
Hab.—Okolona.
This species strongly resembles a Campodes. In life the individuals
are a dusky yellow.. This description is based upon a male and female. g. Craspedosoma carniatum Bollman. Not common in the Fourche bottoms, south of Little Rock; also found on the grounds of the Deaf Mute Asylum. 10. Leptodesmus hispidipes (Wood). Abundant everywhere. Very common throughout the State. All specimens obtained were young, but the shells of many adults were found. 11. Euryurus evides Bollman. _ Paradesmus evides, Bollman, Ent. Amer., II, 229, 1887 (Winona, Minn. ). Common over the State. Specimens agree with those from Minn,
12. Chztaspis albus Bollman.
Chetaspis albus, Bollman, Ent. Amer., III, 46, 1887 (Blooming- ton, Ind.).
One specimen obtained at Little Rock.
13. Polydesmus minor sp. nov.
Dark shining brown, lighter beneath. Moderately slender, depressed, slightly acuminate anteriorly and posteriorly, smooth, very sparsely pilose (setigerous). An- tennze equal to width of body, subclavate. First dorsal plate wide, angles not or but slightly produced , not toothed, tubercles not distinct, except lateral. Other dorsal
eh
plates with posterior angles produced, especially posteriorly ; lateral margins three or four toothed, indistinct posteriorly, tubercies distinct, arranged in two rows of four each, anterior border indistinctly div'ded into two, po-teriorly, the Jast row of tub- ercles project beyond border ofsegments. 1. +s long, crassate in male.
Male: copulation foot very simi ar to se/rauéus ; ventral plates produced into a short, pilose lobe anteriorly.
Length of body ro—14 mm., width 1.5 1.8 mm.
Hab.—Little Rock.
This species is described from a number of specimens foand in the
low lands, south of Little Rock.
14. Polydesmus pinetorum, sp. nov.
Very similar to P. serratus, but the general color paler and size smaller. Tuberculation not su distinct, sides of first segment I toothed, other distinctly 3 or 4 oothed. Last row of scales on posterior segments composed of six or eight setae tipped scale-, which project beyond border of segments. Ventral plate of ninth pair of legs not produced as in serrvaéus, copulation foot very similar.
Length of body 15 to 18.5 mm.; width 2.2 to 2.8 mm,
Hab.---Little Rock, Arkadelphia, Okolona, Murfreesboro, and Ultima Thule.
As already indicated, this species is closely related to serratus. It is principally separated by its smaller size and form of the ventral of ninth pair of legs of male.
This species may only represent a geographical form of serra/us. It is very abundant throughout the state, and all those collected during the summer were in the larva stages. I am indebted to Mr. Hutcherson for adult specimens.
15. Fontaria virginiensis (Drury).
Abundant at Donaldson, common at Okolona.
Specimens from Arkansas are similar to those from North Carolina, but those from northern parts of Mississippi valley represent geographical species.
At Donaldson the adults were found crawling on the surface of the ground in company with a large number of their young, probably one adult to five or eight hundred young, then (July 11, 1887) about half grown.
This species seems to be more confined to river bottoms, and low rich woodlands.
The odor of prussic acid is strongly emitted by this species through a series of pores on each side of the body.
16. Spheriodesmus pudicus sp. nov.
General color pinkish, especially posteriorly, anterior half of segments darkest, a black median dorsal line, antennz dark, legs pale. Body widest and highest an- teriorly, tapering posteriorly, smooth, setze absent. Vertex smooth, somewhat sul- cate, Antenne subclavate, about equalling width of body. Dorsal plates smooth, four preceding the last with an indistinct row of obtuse scales ; lateral plates except
—4—
the first, antepenult and penult with their posterior margin serrate. Anal plate triangular with the anvles rounded, sparsely pilose. Legs long and slender, extend- ins beyond sides of body.
Male: ventral plate of second pair of legs produced into two short cones; coxz of second and third pairs more pilose than others ; copulation foot much twisted, end expanded and divided, pilose.
Length of body 7 mm.; width 2 mm.
Hab.—Little Rock and Okolona.
This is the first time that any species of this genus has been found in the United States. It is easily distinguished from S. mexzcanus (Saussure), by having a few scales on posterior dorsal plates.
The collection contains two specimens of this species.
17. Polyxenus fasciculatus Say.
Common at Little Rock, five were obtained at Antoine and one at
Ulima Thule. 18. Pauropus lubbockii Packard.
A few specimens were obtained at Little Rock.
1g. Linotenia bothriopa (Wood).
I have received one specimen that was collected near Little Rock by Mr. Hutcherson. 20. Linotznia robusta (Meinert). Scolioplanes robusius Meinert, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc., 224, 1886 (N. A.).
Frontal plate present. Fulvous, head and antenne dark. Not robust, attenuated anteriorly and posteriorly ; moderately smooth, sparsely pilose. Prehensorial feet smooth, sparsely pilose ; sternum subcordiform, length and width subequal; coxz a little wider than long, unarmed ; tooth strong, acute; claw small, a little curved. Cephalic plate somewhat wider than long, smooth, sparsely pilose, sides strongly rounded, slightly diverging, posterior margin only covering a small part of basal plate, basal plate two-thirds as long as cephalic, twice as wide as long. Antenne moderately short, articles short, penult and antepenult not noticeably shortened.
Dorsal plates subsmooth, anterior prescuta short, median and posterior long. Spiracles round, very small. Ventral plates with an obsolete median foveola, pores 0a posterior margin. First pair of legs short, posterior longer than anterior. Posterior coxee moderately inflated, pores about 12 to 18, small, in three series ; last ventral plate triangular, small, sides moderately converging. Posterior pair of legs longer than penult, crassate in the male, slender in the female ; claw large. Pairs of legs of male 51—55 ; of female 54—59.
Length of male 27 —33 mm.; of female 34 —52 mm,
Hab.—Little Rock, Okolona, Arkadelphia and Ultima Thule.
I refer this species provisionally to Z. robusta (Meinert), although it differs from Meinert’s description by rather unimportant characters. I have also seen specimens of this species from Tennessee.
21. Linotznia branneri sp. nov. Frontal plate present. Fulvous, head and antennz dark. Robust, strongly at- tenuated anteriorly, less posteriorly ; moderately smooth, sparsely pilose. Prehensorial
Sa
feet smooth, sparsely pilose; sternum subcordiform, wider than long (5:3); cox wider than long, unarmed ; tooth strong, acute ; claw jarge, curved. Cephalic plate subquadrangular, sides rounded, slightly diverging posteriorly ; basal plate about half as long as cephalic, twice as wide as long, anterior margin scarcely covered by cephalic plate. Antennz long, joints moderate, penult and antepenult longer than wide. Dorsal plates moderately smooth; anterior and posterior prercuta moderate, median larger. Spiracles round, moderately large. Ventral plates with a distinct median sulcus ; pores on posterior part. First pair of legs moderately short, anterior and posterior subequal, Posterior coxz strongly inflated, pores large and small, about twelve. Anallegs of the female slender, claw large. Pairs of legs of female 43.
Length of female 37 mm.
Hab.—Little Rock.
This species is named in honor of Dr. J. C. Branner, State Geo- logist of Arkansas.
The collection contains one specimen of this species. It is related to dothriopa, but is distinguished by a smaller number of legs and its large posterior coxa and pores.
22. Geophilus perforatus (McNiell).
Schendila perforatus, McNiell, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 325, 1887 (Pensacola, Fla.).
Abundant throughout the Siate.
23. Geophilus okolone sp. noy.
Frontal plate absent ; anal pores absent. Fulvous, head and antennez darkest. Rather slender, very slightly attenuated anteriorly and posteriorly, smooth, very sparsely pilose and punctate. Prehensorial feet smooth, punctate, sternum wider than long (4:3.5); coxa of about equal length and width, unarmed ; claw moderately curved ; teeth almost obsolete. Cephalic plate slightly longer than wide, suboval, posterior margin truncate, sparsely punctate and pilose; prebasal plate exposed ; basal plate much wider than long (5:2). Antennz short, penult and antepenult joints not noticeably shortened. Dorsal plates distinctly bisulcate. Anterior spiracle rather large, oval, oblique, median and posterior smaller. Ventral plate with an indistinct median sulcus ; pores not manifest. First pair of legs short, anterior and posterior subequal. Posterior coxa scarcely inflated, pores absent ; last ventral plate wide, side moderately converging, not densely pilose. Anal legs produced, armed, rather densely pilose beneath, crassate. Pairs of legs of male 61 ; of female 63.
Length of body 40 mm,
Hab.—Okolona.
There are two adults of this species in the collection. It is separated from other North American species by having no coxal pores and the pre- basal plate exposed.
24. Geophilus salemensis Bollman.
I have seen one specimen that was collected near Little Rock by Mr.
Hutcherson. 25. Cryptops hyalinus Say. Cryptops hyalina Say, Journ. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., III, 1820
. Gas:
(E. Florida); Say, Oeuvres Ent., sp. 3, 1822; Newport, Trans. Linn. Soc., 409, 1844; Newport, Cat. Myr. Brit. Mus. Chil., 60, 1856; Wood, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., 168, 1865 ; Underwood, Ent. Amer., 65, 1887.
Cryptops hyalinus Koch, Syst. d. Myr., 175, 1847 ; Gervais, Aptéres, IV, 293, 1847.
? Cryptops milberti Gervais, Aptéres, IV, 592, 1847 (New Jersey).
? Cryplops milbertii Wood, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., 168, 1865 ; Underwood, Ent. Amer., 65, 1887.
Cryptops asteripes Wood, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 129, 1867 (Montgomery Co., Virginia); McNiell, Proc. U. S. Nat. Museum, 326, 1887 (Pensacola, Fla.); Underwood, Ent. Amer., 65, 1887.
Cryftops sulcatus Meinert, Proc. Amer. Philos. Suc., 211, 1886 (Bee Spring, Ky.); Underwood, Ent. Amer., 65, 1887.
The study of a large series of specimens of the genus Cryp/ops has convinced me that all the species of Cryféops described from North America belong to a single species—Ayalinus Say.
I have questioned the Cryp/ops milberti of Gervais, because the author states that the spines of the last pair of feet are absent. This character is contrary to the true definition of Crypfops and I am inclined to think that either Gervais had an abnormal specimen or that his ob- servations were incorrect. :
Asperipes Wood, has been separated from the other species by the number of antennal joints (1g), which he assigned to his species, but as the number of joints has recently been found to be variable it is not a true character upon which species can be based.
In Ent. Amer., 65, 1887, Dr. Underwood says the last pair of legs of sulcatus Meinert, are unarmed, as in mz/berti Gervais, but in this he is mistaken, for, in his generic description Dr. Meinert states that the last pair of legs are armed with a definite number of spines.
Considering this state of characters, I believe that all the described species should be united under C. hyalinus. I have examined specimens of this species from the following States: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Indian Territory, and Ar- kansas, where it is very common.
26. Theatops spinicaudus (Wood). Abundant from Little Rock to Ultima Thule. 27. Scolopendra heros Girard.
Two adults were obtained at Little Rock, several young at Murfrees- boro and Muddy Fork.
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28. Scolopendra woodii Meinert.
A single specimen was caught at Donaldson. 29. Scolopocryptops sexspinosus (Say).
Common at all points ; these specimens are of a darker shade than northern or eastern examples.
30. Henicops fulvicornis (Meinert).
A single specimen was obtained at Little Rock near the Deaf Mute Asylum, This is a European species, and the only other recorded North American locality is Mount Lebanon, New York.
31. Lithobius branneri Bollman.
A single specimen was obtained at Okolona and another at Little Rock. ‘ .
32. Lithobius proridens Bollman.
A few were obtained at Little Rock. One individual is considerably larger than any specimen collected before.
33. Lithobius pinguis sp. noy.
Posterior angles of all the dorsal plates straight. Anal pair of legs armed with two claws. Coxal pores few, in a single series. Penultimate pair of legs armed with two claws. Coxe of the posterior feet unarmed. Dark chestnut brown, head and antenne dark, legs paler. Slender, not smooth, sparsely pilose; head wider than long (3.5:3), polished, not pilose. Antennze short, 22- to 24-jointed, articles short. Ocelli 4 to6, arranged in 2 or 3 series. Prosternal teeth 2 =- 2. Coxal pores 3,3,3,2 to 4,4,4,4, round. Spines of the first pair of legs 0,0,1 ; penultimate pair 1,3,2,1 to 1,3,3,1 ; anal pair 1,3,2,0. Posterior legs short.
Female : claw of the genitalia entire, stout and much curved; spines strong, subequal.
Length of body 97—10 mm, Hab.—Little Rock.
This description is based on three specimens. ‘This is the smallest North American species with the claw of the female genitalia entire.
34. Lithobius celer sp. nov.
Posterior angles of the 9, 11, 13 dorsal plates produced. Anal pair of legs armed with one claw. Coxal pores few, in a single series. Penultimate pair of legs armed with two claws. Coxz of the 13, 14, 15 pairs of feet laterally armed. Brown of various shades, head and legs more or less chestnut, antennae dark. Moderately robust, smooth, sparsely pilose ; head about as long as wide, pilose. Antennae rather long, 30- to 34-jointed, articles small. Ocelli 18 to 40, arranged in 4 to 7 series. Pro- sternal teeth 5-+5 to7-+ 7. Coxal pores 2,3,3,2 to 5,6,6,5, round. Spines ot the first pair of legs 1,2,1 to 2,2,1; prenultimate pair 1,3,3,1 to 1,3,3,2 ; anal pair 1,3,3,1 to 1,3.3,2. Posterior legs short.
Male : tibia of anal legs somewhat crassate, and furrowed beneath; but more furrowed in the female.
pages
Female: claw of the genitalia short, tripartite, middle lobe much longer, others subequal ; spines moderately slender, inner shortest. Length of body 15—25 mm.
Abundant or common throughout the State.
This species is not strongly related to any known North American locality, it should be placed near _furvficafus, which it seems to replace in Arkansas.
Dr. Wood has reported /orficatus from Arkansas and he may have had the species which I have described.
35. Lithobius cedipes, sp. nov.
Posterior angles of the 9, 11, 13 dorsal plates produced. Anal pair of leys armed with twe claws. Coxal pores few, in a single series. Penultimate pair of leys armed with two claws. Posterior coxae unarmed. Brown, head and anten: ac dark. legs and ventral plates paler. Robust, not smooth, sparsely pilose ; head smooth, of about equal length and breadth (3.2, 3.6). Antennae short, attenuate, 24- to 26-jointed (Ss, 26, © 24). Ocelli g to11, arranged in 3 or 4 series. Prosternal teeth 2+ 2 or 3+3- Coxal pores 3,5,4,3 to 6,5,5,5 round. Spines of the first pair of legs 1,1,1 ; penultimate pair 1,3,3,2; anal pair 1,3,3,1. Posterior pair of legs short. —
Male : femur of the last pair of legs somewhat bent inwardly and swollen ; tibia very strongly swollen, especially above and having a bunch of hairs on the posterior third ; first tarsal joint crassate. Penultimate pair of legs somewhat swollen, prin- cipally the tibia ; first tarsal joint produced into a short lobe on the inner side.
Female : posterior pair of legs scarcely swollen ; claw of the genitalia entire ; spines 2—2,
Length of male 15.4 mm.; of female 20 mm.
Hab.—Little Rock,
I have three specimens of this species. This is the only known species with both the anal and penultimate pairs of feet swollen or pro- auced into lobes.
36. Lithobius transmarinus Koch.
Abundant at Little Rock, common at other localities. 37. Lithobius mordax Koch.
Common from Little Rock to Ultima Thule. 38. Lithobius vorax Meinert.
Found at all points where collections were made, but was more common at Little Rock.
39. Lithobius multidentatus Newport.
In a vial of Myriapods that were collected near Little Rock by Mr. Hutcherson, there is a single specimen of this species.
40. Scutigera forceps (Rafinesque). One adult was seen at Arkadelphia, and several young at Little Rock.
InpraNaA University. March 28, 1888.
= Or.
An Introduction to a Classification of the North American Lepidoptera. By Jounx Bb. Situ. (Continued from Ex. Am., vol. I, p. 87.)
In the last paper of this series the Sphingidze were treated of and a synopsis of the genera was given. It has been usual to follow this family with the Sesvde, or 4geriid@e as some authors prefer to call them, and, though recognizing no close relationship in any of its stages, with the Sphingide, I shall yet follow the general order here.
The family Seszde is sharply defined, resembling somewhat in the imago state the Hymenoptera in the transparent wings and banded bright maculation.
In the early stages they resemble the Cas/niide and Cosside@ in so far that the larvee are Lxdophydes, living in roots, stems or branches of plants, and the pupz also have great resemblance to them.
The antennz are longer than half the length of primaries, gradually variably thickened medially, more slender apically, the tip often with a brush of hair; rarely they are setaceous, in the <j‘ usually with brushes of hair laterally, more rarely with lamellz, or pectinations.
Palpi well developed, ascending, joints variably proportioned. Eyes naked. Ocelli present. Tongue variable, sometimes obsolete, often long and corneous. ‘Thorax robust, closely scaled. Abdomen also closely scaled, long, usually slender, rarely somewhat flattened, often tapering to tip, usually with an anal tuft. In the ¢{‘ there are seven, in the Q but six abdominal segments.
Legs strong, femora and tibiz densely scaled or hairy—usually the anterior tibia much shorter than femora—middle tibiz nearly equal to femora and hind tibiz much longer than femora. Median tibiz with terminal spurs, posterior with middle and terminal spurs.
Primaries narrow, elongate, with the internal vein wanting or form- ing the internal margin—vein 5 often wanting. Secondaries with two, rarely three internal veins, costal vein wanting or forming the costal margin. (See Bull. B’klyn Ent. Soc., vol. 7, pl. 3, f. 21.)
In habit the species are diurnal, flying about flowers during the hottest sunshine.
The European genera are few in number, and are separated by Herrich-Schiaffer as follows :
Antennae without a pencil of hair at tip ; tongue short and weak. Antennae of <f' with long ciliae beneath, veins 2-4 of secondaries separate........
Paranthrene. Antennae of °J' bipectinate, veins 3 and 4 from the same stem........ Bembecia.
Antennae with a pencil of hair at tip. Tongue short and weak ; antennae of ¢{ with a single row of lamellae beneath. .. Trochilium. Tongue long and strong ; antennae of (ciliate beneath ...............-. Sesia. The Sesad@ are contained in Hiibner’s classification in his Phalanx secunda, Tribus secunda. He divides them as follows :
Stirps 1, Sesize. Primaries narrow and long, secondaries short and broad, both with long fringes.
fama A, Corpulente. Body rather stout and the wings are not very small.
Coitus Z, Sphecia. Collar yellow at the sides, primaries immaculate, abdomen partly yellow.
Familia B, Graciles. Abdomen rather slender, primaries very narrow.
Cowtus 1, Paranthrena. Primaries densely clothed with scales, ab- domen irregularly banded with yellow.
Coitus 2, Melitta. Primaries partly, secondaries entirely transparent, feet with very bushy vestiture.
' Cottus 3, Bembecra. Both wings transparent; abdomen with a fan like tuft.
Coitus 4, Synanthedon. Primaries marked with red centrally and reddish also along inner margin.
Coiwus 5, Conopia. Abdomen with bright red bands.
Stirps 2, Apyralides. Wings rather broad and angulated or dentate.
Familia A, Vitratee. Primaries with transparent spot, abdomen smooth.
Cowus 4, Thyris. Wings with but a single row of transparent spots, the abdomen white ringed.
Cowus 2, Phostria. Primaries with two rows of somewhat opaque spots, abdomen uniform.
Walker still further subdivides the genera in the 8th volume of the Cat. Brit. Mus. Lep. Het., and finally Mr. Henry Edwards has created a number of genera for our American species.
' As a rule our species are not very commonly found, and few col- lections have the family very largely represented. As Mr. Hy. Edwards is making a careful study of the family, looking to a monograph, I will here give only brief descriptions of the genera, premising that they are not based on any personal examination of the insects themselves, and following in the order of genera that is adopted in Grote’s List of 1882.
= pipe
*" Melittia contains usually large and robust forms, fore wings generally opaque, tongue moderate or rather short. antennze subclavate, the post- erior legs very densely clothed with long hair forming prominent tufts or brushes nearly to the end of the tarsi. The latter character is the most prominent and is distinctive of this and, to a less extent of the two fol- lowing genera.
Larunda has the primaries opaque, secondaries with but a small vitreous spot at base. The palpi are short, with a broad spreading tuft of hairs. Tongue almost obsolete, caudal tuft large, flat, spreading. The antenne are moderately pectinated in the <j‘, almost simple in the Q.
Euhagena has both pairs of wings opaque. The posterior tibia are clothed with hair similar to but not so long or dense as in J/eli/tia. An- tennze twice the length of the thorax, very deeply pectinated except at the tip where the pectinations seem soldered together in a solid mass. The tongue is short and week.
Alcathoe has a much less marked tibial tufting, and is distinguished in the by a caudal appendage, as long as the abdomen. The fore- wings of the ({\ are partly transparent, in the Q they are opaque as in Sciapieron. The tongue is not mentioned, but is probably short, the antennee lamellate beneath.
Phemonoe is distinguished by the anal appendages of the male, not half as long as the abdomen and 5 in number. The forewings are opaque. Nothing is said of the tongue or of the antennz.
Trochilum contains large species as a rule, with transparent wings, obsolete tongue, sub-clavate antennz with a brush of hair at tip, and rather densely clothed legs, not forming tuftings however as in some of the preceding genera.
Bembecia has short filiform antennz, very shortly bipectinate, no brush at tip. The eyes are small, tongue strong and corneous. Abdomen with a broad somewhat truncate anal tuft.
Scvapteron has the antennez very slightly thickened toward tip, which is furnished with a little brush of hair; in the male lamellate, the lamella with a double series of bristly tufts. Tongue strong, corneous. The primaries are opaque or have but a small transparent space at base.
Fatua is based on a single species—denudatum—in which the sexes differ remarkably. In the male the primaries are long, very much narrowed towards the base, not covered with scales. Secondaries very large, ample, rounded on anal margin. Legs long and slender. Antennz with very deep pectinations, ceasing before the tip, which is a solid mass, and bears some fine bristles.—/emale less robust. Primaries opaque except a space near the internal angle. Antenne roughened but not serrated, much thickened towards the the tips; abdomen very long,
pointed at the tips, ovipositor protruding, compressed on its lower side into a small groove.
Harmomia has an unusually large head, with very long palpi. Anten- nz slightly thickened toward the apex, with a double row of very fine serrations. Abdomen long and narrow, the four posterior segments with lateral, broadly-spreading, fan-shaped scales. Caudal tuft unusually long and broad, divided in the centre and spreadiug. Fore tibiz flattened. Primaries opaque. ‘The structure of the tongue is not mentioned, nor whether or not there is a brush of hair at tip of antenne.
Podosesia is principally distinguished by its unusually long hind legs. The antennz of the © with ciliate lamella, in the © more slender than in Sciapteron. The primaries are opaque save for a small transparent space at base. The tongue is strong, corneous.
Albuna is closely allied to Sesza but differs as follows: the head is much narrower than the front of thorax, which is not so far produced beyond the base of the wings. The antennz are comparatively shorter, stouter, and more thickened toward the tip. Legs proportionately shorter, the tibiz more densely clothed with hair. Abdomen of the <j never con- stricted at base, stout, cylindrical, the candal tuft small and not spread- ing. That of the 9 is fusiform, quite as broad at base as the thorax, and tapering to a point. The genus contains rather large species.
Saunina has the tongue almost absolete. Antenne filiform, simple, rather slender, acuminated at the tip, nearly twice the length of the thorax. Legs slender, hind tibiz long and stout, somewhat pilose. Wings narrow, opaque.
Sesza contains small or medium sized species, with antennz slightly thickened externally and with a brush of hair at tip: in the male with lateral brushes of hair but no lamellez, longer and more slender than the preceding genera. ‘Tongue strong, corneous, anal brush more or less compacted, not spread fan-like. Primaries with two or three vitreous spaces, secondaries entirely vitreous. The greater number of our species are referred to this genus and in the European fauna it contains the larger proportion of the species.
Pyrrhotenia has the antenne brush-like, heavy, lengthily pilose. Eyes banded, black and golden. Ocelli large. Head narrow, prominent. Tongue moderate. Primaries narrow, widening terminally at outer third, opaque.
Carmenia has the fore wings quite opaque. Abdomen sessile and tapering toward anal extremity. Antenne thickened toward extremity as in Sesza proper. In many respects this genus approaches Paran/shrene, but in that genus, while the anterior wings are opague, the antennz are simple or ciliate.
—I13—
Zenodoxus is readily distinguished by having both pairs of wings opaque. The antenne are moderate, tapering to the tip, linear, biciliate. Thorax heavy, globose, widening posteriorly. " Abdomen very short and wide, somewhat flattened ; anal tuft short, broad and squarely cut.
As similar characters are not used by authors, it is not possible to give a synoptic table of the genera. There are some slight differences of venation, which in the European genera are carefully described, but these | have not mentioned, since our American genera are not so described as to allow of comparison.
ee
The following letter has been received from Mr. A. G,. Butler:
Dear Sir :-—\ think the following note may interest American Lepi- dopterists-in the matter of Bolina_fasciolaris.
The fact that Bohna fascilaris was the male of B. cunearis was practically illustrated in the Museum by a mistake made by the late Mr. F, Walker. One of the specimens enumerated by him is 2. cunearis (from ‘ Brazii’) it differs in no respect from the other females separated under the latter name: our males are from St. Domingo and the Ama- zons, our females from St. Domingo, the Amazons, Venezuela, West Coast of America and Veragua. It is by no means certain that a species with so wide a range does not occur in North America and in Grote’s collection there is a specimen (unfortunately not labelled with its locality) of typical male B. fasciolaris.
Assuming that the latter is the male of B. cunearis, which appears to me to be certain, it is highly probable that B. ochrezpennis is also the male of B. nigrescens; our specimens of the former are all males, those of the latter females ; the differences are equivalent to those between B.
SJasciolaris and B. cunearis.
Yours very truly, A. G. Bur er.
—— > +
While picking apples, October 12, 1887, I found a thin oblong cocoon between two apples, with a leaf drawn over part of its upper side. November 1, there came out a fine Q Lugonia almiaria. The orchard consists of apple and pear trees, and the nearest pear tree is about twenty feet from this one. I am not aware that Apple has been as yet known as a food plant of this insect. M. S. CRane.
A Disclaimer.
Dear Mr. Editor : In Ent. Amer.. vol. 3, p. 218, in a note on the
American species of Ca/imorpha, Mr. Lyman’s work on the subject, and my own are noticed. For myself I can but welcome criticism, and as in the very paper noticed I claim full liberty to disagree with everybody, I certainly do not dispute the right of others to disagree with me. But your reviewer speaks in the plural, of a ‘‘ Galileo consciousness.” Now of course it is known to all that Galileo made a discovery, which the conservative and prejudiced intellect of the period deemed incredible, and forced him to recant It was Galileo vs. the mob. Now Mr. Ly- man and myself have made, or claim to have made certain discoveries, which are not generally accepted, and it is hard that ze should be placed in the position of the mod, forcing the enlightened rank and file to recant in spite of their better knowledge. I dont want to be Galileo—but I do object to being the mob!
Aggrievedly yours,
Joun B. Smrru.
* > *
Note by Editor.—If Mr. Smith were one of the Priests he would know that one of the rules of Biblical interpretation is, that a parable is to be used to explain the object in view, and is not to be forced into having a correspondence and lessons in every particular. Galileo recanted because he was compelled to do so in view of certain ‘* arguments ” such as the thumb screw and stake. But he was unconvinced, and so ex- pressed himself in a sort of a ‘‘sub rosa” way. Now our friends Messrs. Smith and Lyman have advanced arguments which force us to assent, as we can not with corresponding study and argument controvert ; and we must logically confess they are right. Yet, notwithstanding my con- fession, we feel certain they are wrong. .Weare sorry we have not the time properly to study up Calhmorpha, and either convince or be convinced. As it is, taking the pattern of ornamentation as the guide in the determ- ination of species, and this is their guide, and taking Mr. Lyman’s figures as representing typical forms, we can see no difference at all in pattern between the first g figures of his plate, representing two of the species. And, indeed, there is practical identity between figures 1 and 7, represent- ing respectively C. Leconfei and C. confusa. But far be it from us to consider Messrs. Smith and Lyman the Priests of the Church (not the mob) or ourselves Galileo. Note the comparison was not even with the shake of Galileo’s head, only a ‘‘sort of a Galileo shake,” a sufficiently modest comparison !
Descriptions of New Florida CHALCIDS, belonging to the Subfamily Eucyrtine.
By Wituram H. AsHMeap.
The following new Chalcids, belonging to the Subfamily Zucyrine, were recently discovered by me, in arranging my collection.
APHYCUS, Mayr.
1. Aphycus niger, n. sp.
3. Length .03 inch. Opaque black, finely pubescent ; mandibles and palpi, brown. The antennae is hardly as long as the thorax ; scape brown; flagellum brown-black, nearly twice the !ength of the scape, rather densely pubescent, the joints being wider than long. Thorax microscopically rugulose ; tegulae honey-yellow. Abdomen very short, black, with bluish reflections in certain lights. Legs fuscous, trochanters and knees, honcy-yellow ; tarsi pale, almost white. Wings hyaline, iri- descent, veins brown.
Described from one specimen.
2. Aphycus chrysope, n. sp.
©. Length .c8 inch. Yellow-ferruginous. Eyes large, oval, black. Each ocellus is surrounded by a black ring. The space between the eyes is very narrow and very finely punctate. The thorax is smooth and there is a dusky streak across the collar and on the fore part of the mesoscutum. Legs yellowish-white, Wings hyaline, pubescent, the pubescence short ; veins pale brown, the stigmatal vein long, stout.
Described from one specimen reared from a Chrysopa cocoon.
3. Aphycus unicolor, n. sp.
©. Length .o4 inch. A short, very robust form, its breadth being nearly equal to its length. The head, thorax and the legs are of a uniform reddish-brown ; eyes dark brown; palpi black. The head is very large, broad, with some coarse punct- ures. The scape of antennae is dilated towards apex, it with the pedicel and the first three funiclar joints concolorous with the body, the 4th, 5th and 6th funiclar joints white, club black. The long tibial spur of middle legs is dusky at apex, while the tarsal joints are much dilated as in certain Eupelmids. Wings hyaline.
Described from one specimen.
EUCYRTUS, Dalman.
4. Eucyrtus pyralidis, n. sp.
©. Length .03 inch. This pretty little species varies from a black to a blue black, with a metallic greenish lustre on the thorax and lower part of face. The scape of antennae is brown or black, except at tip, the first four funiclar joints are white, while the pedicel, the two last funiclar joints and the club are ferruginous. Legs, excepting trochanters, knees and tips of tibiae which are white, vary from a black to a ferruginous color. Wings hyaline, veins pale, the marginal vein punctiform, stigmal vein very delicate, short.
Described from four specimens reared from Peach pyralid.
Re ea
LEPTOMASTIX, Forster. 5. Leptomastix tinezvora, n. sp.
©. Length .o7 inch. The head, fore part of collar and the mesopleura, steel blue ; thorax and abdomen brown ; eyes dark brown. Antennae very long, slender, the pedicel extending considerably beyond the ocelli, it and the pedicel yellow, the flagellum brown, the joints of which are very long. The legs are pale brown, ex- cepting the basal one-third of the tibiae, and the tarsi, which are white. Wings hyaline, pubescent, veins brown ; the marginal vein nearly twice the length or the stigma and enclosed in a large dusky blotch which extends nearly across the wing.
Described from one specimen, reared from a Tineid larva.
PRIONOMASTIX, Mayr. 6. Prionomastix americana, n. sp.
3. Length .o7 inch. Head brownish-yellow ; thorax and abdomen fuscous, sparsely pubescent. The space between the eyes wide, finely punctate; eyes and antenne, excepting scape, dark brown; the scape rather short, slender , pedicel very small; flagellar joints long, much flattened, and of nearly equal length, about two-thirds as long as the scape. Scutellum large, highly convex and finely grooved. Metathorax short, smooth. Abdomen small, sessile ovate, depressed above. Legs fuscous, excepting the tibize at base, first four tarsal joints, and the large middle tibial spur, all of which are white. Wings hyaline.
Described from one specimen.
PSILOPHRYS, Mayr. 7. Psilophrys armatus, nv. sp.
od’, @. Length .o5 inch. Dark blue with greenish metallic reflections on the thorax and the upper part of the head. The antenna in the O is very slender and entirely brown-black, excepting a pale pedicel ; in the <j‘ the scape is brownish-yel- low, the joints of the flage!lum very long and covered with long hairs. The meso- pleura in the female are steel-blue, in the male bronzy-green. The legs are pale yellowish ; the coxze metallic blue or green ; the femora and tibiee, excepting at their tips and the terminal tarsal joint, brown. In the <j, the middle tibize are entirely pale yellow. The abdomen in the Q ends in an ovipositor half its length. Wings hyaline, veins brown, the marginal vein hardly as long as the stigmal vein.
Described from 2 9 Q and 2 <\(¥\ specimens.
8. (?) Psilophrys pulchripennis, n. sp.
©. Length .o7 inch. Metallic blue green and cupreous. The head very large, the eyes abnormally large, occupying the greater part of the head, and leaving but a very narrow frontal space. The scape of the antennz is pale brown, the flagellum black and more than twice the length of the scape, subclavate, the joints being slightly longer than thick. The scutellum is cupreous. Abdomen blue. The legs are black or brown, the trochanters, knees, tips of tibiae and tarsi, excepting the terminal joint, pale or yellowish white. Wings fuliginous, excepting a clear space at base, two large wedge-shaped spots in middle of the wing extending to fore margin, a smaller wedge- shaped spot extending to hind margin, and the extreme apical margin of wing, all of which are white.
Described from four specimens. This most beautiful Eucyrtid cer- tainly does not belong to this genus; itis placed here only temporarily on account of its long face; in some other respects it more closely re- sembles the genus Blasfothrix.
—17—
‘ COMYS, Forster. g. Comys cyanea, n. sp. ©. Length .o4 inch. Dark blue, the thorax and abdomen with a metallic luster in certain lights. The antenna is variegated with red, yellow and brown. On the scutellum towards the tip, are two erect clumps of black hairs. Legs blue, all the tibize annulated with white at base and tips, tarsi pale yellowish-white. Wings hyaline, the marginal vein rather thick, and a little longer than the delicate stigmal vein.
MIRA, Schellenberg. to. Mira longipennis, n. sp.
©, Length .c6 inch. Robust, dark blue ; abdomen black. The head is very thick, stout, transverse, broader than the thorax ; cheeks red ; face deeply emargin- ated for the reception of the antennz. The antennz as in genus Cerapterocerus, broadly dilated, zeneous-black, the flagellum joined to the scape before the tip, the scape in consequence projecting as a sharp point off to one side. The anterior and middle legs are brown, thighs and tibiz, black, tarsi brown. Wings, except a narrow hyaline streak at tips, entirely smoky-black.
Described from one specimen. ‘This is the first species in this genus to be described from our fauna; there is but a single other species known—Jfira macrocera, Schell., peculiar to Europe.
PHANODISCUS, Forster. 11. Phenodiscus armatus, n. sp. ©. Length .o8 inch. A rather slender form. Head blue, the lower part of fave and surrounding mouth parts, antennal scape, mesothorax, pleura, sternum, legs, .coxze, and venter, brownish yellow. The flagellum, the scutellum, the upper part of abdomen, the upper surface of posterior femora, and the apical two-thirds of posterior tibia brown. The first funicle joint is a little longer than the pedicel, about three times at long as thick, the other joints becoming gradually shorter, but widened out toward the club, the latter stout, 3-jointed, obliquely truncate at apex. The ab- domen is compressed and ends in an ovipositor more than half its length. The wings are hyaline, with a dusky blotch across the center, veins brown, the marginal vein about twice as long as the stigmal vein. Described from one specimen.
DINOCARSIS, Forster. 12. Dinocarsis pulcher, n. sp. ©. Length .o§ inch. Head and thorax red, finely pubescent ; abdomen black ; legs pale yellowish, immaculate. Eyes dark brown. The antenne are black, except- ing a white annulus at the apex of the abnormally broadly dilated scape and the white club. Wings hyaline, veins brown, the marginal vein about as long as the stigmal vein, postmarginal, shorter. Described from one specimen. .
CHOREIA, Westwood. 13. Choreia flavicincta, n. sp.
QO. Length .o8 inch. Head brown ; thorax anda band across the abdomen at base, brownish-yellow. The scutelium, metathorax, pleura and posterior legs, fus- cous. Abdomen greenish-blue, Eyes large, black, the space between them broad and sparsely punctate, The antennz are slender, subclavate and not long. Wings rudimentary.
Described from one specimen.
2178
Thoroughness in Entomological Tables. By 7 i. Casey:
Analysis should invariably precede synthesis and generalization. Ap- plying this truism to the science of Entomology, we readily perceive that it may be considered from two points of view—the purely scientific and the practical. Concerning the former it is intended to refer to the necessity for a minute knowledge of all the parts before the whole, or the mutual relationship of the different parts of the whole, can be properly understood. Regarding the latter, or the practical application of the principle, it is desirable to indicate the great inconvenience and loss of time inflicted upon our students by the present method of simplification or synthesis as exhibited in tabular statements of genera and species.
In order to illustrate our meaning more clearly it is only just to cite some one of the multitude of examples continually occuring. In this il- lustration it is necessary to refer to our only work on a systematic arrange- ment of the North American genera of Coleoptera, a work the inestimable value of which it is not intended in the least to overlook or underestimate; in other words it is not meant in the spirit of captious criticism, but simply as a random example of the practical efforts of this so-called simplification.
Let us asume that the student holds in his hands a specimen of Badister, which is entirely unknown to him and the generic identification of which he is desirous of obtaining. The tables given in this work carry him easily to the second part of the scheme given on page 21, or to those genera without elytral fold. Here he is at once met by a difficulty. The first character to be consulted is that of the front, whether short or nor- mal, which being of no positive value unless he is familiar witb the entire series, we will not consider, but pass to the next character which is that of labral structure. If this organ is impressed the insect is to be referred to the Ziciminz, if not, he should naturally search further. Examining the labrum of Badis/er it is found to be deeply and narrowly emarginate or cleft to the very base, leaving no space whatever for an impression, he therefore continues his quest for applicable characters, and it is only after reading the lengthy diagnoses of many other groups, that he arrives at the conclusion from purely negative evidence that his species must be included in the Zzcénznz. If there had been less simplicity and concentration fol- lowed in the scheme, and if the group Badis/ermz had been there correct- ly indicated, it is true that the tables would have been longer and more complex, but much valuable time and vexation of spirit would have been
saved. In fact the selection of the labrum for the characterization of the Licinini, if this group is to be constituted as thus stated, is peculiarly un- fortunate, because there are no two American genera in which it is at all similar, and the character given in the table will apply only to Dicelus. In Diplochila the anterior margin is more deeply emarginate than in Dicelus, but there is scarcely any trace whatever of impression. In both these genera the labrum is large and conspicuous, while in Bads/er it is very small, and, as before remarked, deeply cleft to base without trace of impression,
The difficulty in recognizing groups applies also to the subdivisions of genera, especially where such dissimilar elements are united as in the case of Rhadine, Platinus and Anchus, or Dichirus, Anisodactylus and Anisofarsus and -many others. Descending to species the same im- barrassing doubts and delays are engendered in seeking identification from tables wherein distinct but closely allied species are included under a single name, without indication of the known characters of the various elements which have been combined ; such for instance as in the ex/ensz- collis group of Platynus, the validus group of Pterostichus, the sericeus group of Chlenius, or the amalgamation of two such valid species as Promecognathus levissimus and crassus.
We may conclude therefore with the hope that in our future tables the subdivisions of groups, genera and species will be more clearly indi- cated, at the expense perhaps of a little more time, ink and space, but to the greater satisfaction of our entomological students, and ultimately to the advance of our chosen science by enlisting the enthusiasm of those who find, after consulting them, that their conceptions are clear and the result of their investigation a positive advance in their knowledge of the subject, and not shrouded in doubt and obscurity as is too often the case at present. Call these subdivisions what we may, subgroups, subgenera and subspecies, varieties or races, they should in every instance be clearly outlined as far as known.
The motive of the synthesists is undoubtedly a philanthropic desire to simplify a nomenclature which is becoming involved, and which from the very conditions of the case must always be complicated if we are to follow Nature along her chosen lines of development. We cannot force her to be simple, and when we try to do so we make the matter much more obscure by covering up and. suppressing the difficulties ; in short we retrograde from an essentially necessary though scientific and therefore manageable complexity toward a non-scientific and unwarrantable am- biguity.
Society News.
Entomological Society of Washington, January 5, 1888, at the residence of Prof. Riley. The reports of officers were read and submitted. The following officers were elected for 1888: President, Mr. E. A. Schwarz; 1st Vice-Pres., Prof. C. V. Riley ; 2nd Vice-Pres., Dr. Geo. Marx; Rec. Secretary, Mr. John B. Smith ; Corr. Secretary, Mr. O. Lugger; Treasurer, Mr. B. Mann; Members of Executive Committee, Mr. L. O. Howard, Mr. Theo. Pergande, and Dr. W. H. Fox. E
The retiring President, Mr. LO. Howard, read his annual address entitled ‘‘a preliminary study of the parasites of Cosmopolitan Insects.’’ This paper was dis- cussed and commented on by Prof. Riley and Messrs. Smith and Schwarz.
February 2, 1888, at the residence of Dr. Fox. Dr. Fox read some remarks on the arachnid genus Do/omedes, giving the generic characters and notes on some of the species. Thi: paper was discussed by Messrs. Smith, Howard and Schwarz. In response to questions Dr. Fox stated the geographical distribution of the species. Mr. Howard asked whether a well defined European genus, represented in America by species differing in some one particular might be enlarged to include these species. Mr. Schwarz said it might, and cited the various groups of Pterostichus as examples. Mr, Smith answered by stating that in Europe Perigrapha had pectinated antennae inthe 9. In America there were simple in that sex—the definition of the genus was enlarged to meet this case. Mr. Heidemann remarked on the Hemiptera collected by Mr. Schwarz in Dade Co., Florida, in the Spring of 1887. There appeared to be about 95. species and all belonged to the West Indian fauna. All except a few obscure species were described from that faunal region. Mr. Smith referring to this paper said he did not consider this fauna a part of the temparate American fauna and would not include it in our lists. It beiongs to the West Indian and Central American fauna and not to that of North America as understood in our lists. Mr. Schwarz says this fauna extends much further North than is usually believed, and states that all the Coleoptera collected by him belong to the West Indian fauna. Mr. Smith says the same holds true of the Lepidoptera so far as determined.
Mr. Howard mentioned that he had received the variety of the chinch bug, col- ©
lected by Mr. Schwarz, with short pointed wing covers, from other sources and now believes that this is sea coast form.
Mr. Schwarz exhibited specimens of an undescribed Ay/eborus. allied to fy7é, and of its galleries which he found in South-eastern Florida within the branches of the Cocoa Plum (Chrysobalanus icaco). These galleries represent a form hitherto un- known in any of the described North American Scolytids and resemble somewhat those of the European .X. sazeszzi. From the entrance hole the gallery runs for some distance straight into the wood ; then follows a rather abrupt elbow whereupon the gallery is gradually enlarged into a capacious but shallow chamber which reaches to the core of the branch. At the inner lower corner of this chamber is another, smaller and elongate chamber entirely within the core. On the bottom of this last chamber, a number of eggs and young larvae were found, all in a heap; while in the larger chamber there was a pair of the beetles. The two sexes of this new species differ in a remarkable degree. Referring to Aydedorus pyri Mr. Schwarz pointed out that Mr. Peck’s account of the galleries, published in 1817 contains a number of the most glaring errors; but in spite of this, it has been copied and quoted up to the present time by all subsequent writers on this Xy/eborus,
TON OCIg AMERICANA
VOL, 1Y. BROOKLYN, MAY, 1888. NO. 2.
Preliminary Survey of the CICADA of the United States. By Ey sR. UnLer.
In bringing together materials for a list of the Homoptera of North America it has become necessary to refer the species hitherto placed in the old genus Crcada to the genera lately defined by the labors of Dr. Stal, Mr. Distant, and others. These species are comparatively numerous and together form a fine assemblage, including representatives of groups which occur in the neotropical, nearctic, and palzearctic regions.
Tettigia, represented thus far in North America by only a single species, is an old world type which here is closely confined to the great coastal plain that stretches along the continent from the vicinity of New York city to Southern Texas. This neat species, first described by Say from Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, spreads throughout the whole length of the Atlantic border, and passing along the Gulf coast across Texas enters the province of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It thus passes through several climatal areas, in all of which it preserves much the same size, proportions, and pattern of marking.
The genus Fidicina, distinguished by the large and strong neo- tropical species, such as /. mannifera, L., fails to appear within the limits of the United States, but in its stead are found several large and vigorous forms of the true genus Cicada, of which the most conspicuous example is the beautiful C. dorsa/a, Say. A multitude of smaller forms. many of which are built after a pattern similar to that of the Thirteen-year Cicada, find a home in most parts of the country extending from Southern Canada west to the Pacific coast, and thence to Lower California. This
part of the assemblage bears some resemblance to the prevailing type of European S/ridudantia, and suggests the possibility that some of the forms of Zibicina, Cicadrata, and Cicadetfa may hereafter prove to be climatal modifications of of species common to both continents.
The spgcies of Europe are much more numerous than those of the United States, but the former continent lacks the massive and strong forms which are common to our country east of the Rocky Mountains.
Our forms with the smaller drums and opercula are more feeble and sluggish than those with the larger sonorous apparatus, and while abun- dant along and in the Rocky Mountain belt, cross to to the eastern side of the continent by way of the elevated plateau region north of the Ohio river.
A new genus P/atypedia occurs in the Canons of the Rocky Moun- tains in Colorado, and again in different localities in the high lands of Montana, Nevada, California, and Oregon.
Below, we offer a list of the recognized species of the United States, with some references to the localities in which they have been found.
Family CICADA, Fieb.
Tettigia, Amyot & Serv. T. hieroglyphica, Say, (Cicada). Jour. Acad. Phila., 1830, vol. VI,
Dp: 235; Cicada characteria, Germ. Thon. Entom. Archiv., 1830, vol. JI se sepa fe
Cicada johannis, Walk. Brit. Mus. List Hom., v. I, p. 149, 87.
Cicada sex-guttata, Walk. ‘ cp v. 1). pe DS4703
Inhabits the coast lands of Eastern North America from Northern
New Jersey to Southern Florida, from thence it spreads along the coast
of the Gulf of Mexico across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and ‘Texas into the province of Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Carineta, Amyot & Serv.
C. parvula, Say. Jour. Acad. Phila., 1825, vol. 4, p. 333, 5. Cicada pallescens, Germ. Thon. Entom. Archiv. 1830, v. II, Dp. "8,. 93; This neat little insect is of a pale green color when alive, sometimes marked with fuscous, but speedily becomes straw yellow after desiccation and exposure to the air.
It inhabits the plateau-lands of Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Ar-
kansas, Illinois, Kansas and Texas ; but it has not thus far been reported from the coastal plain of any of the States in which it has been found.
Platypedia, new genus.
Elongate, acutely tapering posteriorly, with a sub-carinate ridge on the tergum, extending from near the base to beyond the middle ; wing-covers when at rest almost vertical. Head bluntly triangular, hirsute, the vertex gently sloping, almost as long as the pronotum, with the transverse sulcus deep and direct, not triangularly parted; the anterior ocellus placed in a longitudinal groove, which latter is continued upon the turmid front; tront quite prominent, strongly convex ; exterior cheeks Jong and narrow ; supra-antennal plates narrow, thick, bounded each side by a notch. Pro- notum short, moderately hirsute, with the dorsal surface feebly convex, not cor- rugated, but with two oblique grooves each side, the lateral margins almost straight, with the anterior angles feebly reflexed, and the posterior angles narrowly, but ap- ruptly turned up ; epipleural flaps as long as the pronotum, broadly crescentiform, but a little triangularly produced obliquely backwards and downwards. Anterior femora short and stout, swollen in the middle, grooved on the outside near the tip. Wing-covers wide, strongly bowed on the costal margin, the areoles large and mostly wide, basal areole oblong, the radical areole occupying more than one-half the length of the wing-cover, the second ulnar areole short, wide, almost triangular ; the apical areoles narrow, and the third, fourth, and sixth ‘of equal length, with their inner tip triangular, while the inner end of the second, fifth, and seventh is truncated ; wings narrow, not reaching as far as the tip of the discoidal areole of the hemelytra, with the anal-flaps broadly rounded, and separated by a deep emargination from the other member of the wing. Anal segment of both sexes narrow and compressed, acutely tapering, with the ovipositor of the female almost enclosed therein. Sonorous valves of the male rudimentary, inconspicuous.
1. P. areolata, Uhler, (Cicada). Proc. Acad. Phila., 1861, p. 285.
The roughness and granulation of the surface of pronotum, besides the broader proportions of the thorax, as well as the almost absence of markings will serve to separate this species from the following.
It has been captured in Utah, San Mateo, Cal., Nevada, and Wash- ington Territory. ;
2. P. putnam, Uhler, (Cicada). Hayden, Bull. Geol. Surv. Territ.,
B577, Vol. 1, p. 455; 3,
This species is generally of a bright steel-blue color, distinctly marked with brilliant orange.
It has been taken at Ogden, Utah, in Clear Creek Canon, Col., and in several parts of the mountainous region of Nevada.
Callida purpurea, Say. By Orromar D1etz.
On an Entomological Expedition last Summer, in which Mr. G. Beyer and others participated, I was fortunate enough to take the above
named beautiful Carib, It was found July 3rd, at Greenwood Lake, N. J., in a little swampy meadow. It was found slowly crawling on flowers (Berberide) which were scattered in profusion over the ground.
In the face of the intense heat I made a complete examination of the surroundings with the sweeping net and had the satisfaction of obtaining 8 perfect specimens all of which, in spite of the name purpurea, were of a very bright green color.
About 4 weeks later Mr. Beyer at the same place took without any difficulty in search, a large number of this same beetle on Blackberry bushes.
The Excursion spoken of above and which lasted 3 days was, I am glad to say, a very successful one, not only in the quantity of material taken, but also in the numbers of specimens, especially Cerambdycide, Bupreshde, Chrysomehde and Curculonidee.
Among other things I took a specimen of Cryfforynchus Lapathi, Linn., showing that this species is probably already quite widely dis- tributed.
<> 6 <p
Description of Mature Larva of Gnophela vermiculata, G. & R.
By Davip Bruce.
Body black, with a row of diamond shaped spots on back, forming a yellow dorsal line ; a row of yellow V-shaped marks along the spiracles; two small yellow dots on each segment just above spiracles ; twelve small tufts of short white hairs on each segment, each springing from a blue tubercle. Head clear amber brown ; underside of body clear yellow the whole length ; feet black. Pupa, glossy black, with shield-shaped yellow spots ; black spiracle in center of each spot, short spring tufts on each end of pupa. Cocoon, a single loose layer of white lacy web, appearing as if delicately punctured. Imago emerged in 2 weeks. These larve _ were plentiful in the upper part of Piatte Canon, Col., in July, feeding on Mertensia Virginica. They are gregarious when young, but separate and wander as they approach maturity ; when full grown the whole brood ap- pears to make for the nearest large detached rock where they spin their cocoons in the angles and crevices, generally in clusters, and often cover- ing each others cocoons so thickly that many of the moths are not able to make their way through but die crippled. The general appearance of the larva reminds one of some of the Acronyc/e.
Euproserpinus Euterpe, A New Species of Sphingide.
By Henry Epwarps.
Allied to, and very probably confounded in collections with £Z. Phaeton, G. & R., but certainly distinct. Many examples of PAaefon have at different times passed through my hands, though strangely enough, they have nearly all been QQ. Boisduval described A/acr. Erato = Phaeton from a Q, and Grote and Robinson’s type also belonged to that sex. I have one specimen of the <j in which the antennz are with- out serrations, and distinctly thickened towards the extremity exactly as in Hemaris and Afacroglossa, thus showing in this respect a close relation to those genera. In the © of this species (Phae/on) the antenne are deeply and rather coarsely biserrate, and at the same time are gradually thickened towards the extremity. Another peculiarity of the species is the remarkably oblique exterior border of the lower wings, which carries a black marginal band of nearly equal width, not however reaching to the anal angle In my collection is a form, which, though in its system of coloration exactly resembling PAae/on, must from other characters be a distinct species, i not representing another genus. It is this which I propose to call Z. Ewéerpe. In it the antennze are of equal size through- out, the tip being furnished with a sharply curved hook. The serrations are very deep and long, and when viewed through a lens, each joint ap- pears to be furnished with a series of bristles, as in some genera of Zge- ride. The thorax and abdomen are densely clothed with long hair, the latter being very robust, and much shorter than in P&aefon, extending very little beyond the wings. The wings are broader than in the more familiar species, the primaries being entirely more rounded, and not pro- duced at the apex, while the secondaries instead of being oblique upon the margin, are very distinctly rounded, the apex being the opposite of acute. In color, there is great resemblance between the two forms, though in Ewé/erpe the shading of the upper wings is brownish while in Phaeton it is black. In Phaeton the basal line is geminate and slightly oblique, the outer of the double lines turning slightly toward the base on the costa. In Luwéerpe, it is single, thick, slightly dentate on its outward edge, while behind it is a deep blackish brown shade reaching as far as the cell, and there touching an ovate discal spot. In Phaefon the space behind the basal line is grayish mottled with black to a space about 2 mm, from the margin, and the discal mark is linear and not ovate. Be- fore reaching the rather broad black posterior margin there are 3 faint black lines from the internal margin which are obsolete before reaching the costa. The inner edge ot the posterior margin is sinuate, and very
—=35—
slightly irregular in its outline. In Eu/erpe, the space behind the broad blackish basal shade, is very distinctly gray, mottled with fawn color, and with a few scattered white scales. The inner edge of this gray space overreaches upon the broad black border in 3 very deep and distinet teeth, one on the internal angle, one in the middle and one reaching al- most to the apex, thus differing in a remarkable manner from the form of the posterior border of Phaeton. The fringes are also distinctly longer, and bear more white in Zw/erfe than in the other species. The second- aries are, as I have said, more rounded on their margins, the black marginal band is broader than in Phaefon, and is swollen in the middle of its inner edge, while in PAae/on this edge is quite straight. The base of the lower wing in both species is black. In Phaefon, the disc is pale primrose yellow, this shade being nearly of the same width throughout. In Luserpe, the disc is clear white, very broad on the costa, but abruptly narrowing, so that at the anal margin, it is only one fourth of the width on the costa. In Phaeton, the thorax is clothed with long gray hairs, while the abdomen, which is black in both sexes, bears on the sides of the 4th and 5th segments bunches of pale yellow hairs, which are also visible beneath. In Zwferge, the clothing of thorax and abdomen is blackish gray throughout, and there is no trace whatever of the yellow lateral patches. On the lower side the markings are repeated in both species, but in Phaefon they are sharply and clearly defined, while in Luterpe they are confused and somewhat indistinct. The difference in shape of the discal mark of the primaries is very decidedly displayed on the lower side, and in Zu/erpe there is a distinct linear discal mark on the secondaries, absent in Phae/on. In Euferfe, the hairy covering of the legs and lower side of the abdomen is blackish gray throughout, while in Phaeton the clothing of the legs is yellowish white mixed with gray, and the abdomen is blue black, with 2 faint white bands, and a sparse cover- ing of gray hairs. In Phae/on, the antenne in both sexes are black throughout, but in Lu/erpe the shaft is clear white, with the serrations blackish brown.
I have no doubt whatever of the distinctness of this lovely species of which I have only seen the Q example, from which the present descrip- tion is taken. I have been careful to give a comparison between the two forms, though there can be no possibility except at the first glance, of confounding them. In shape of wings, robust form of abdomen, and the structure of the antennze, Zw/erpe approaches very closely to the little
known Arc/fonolus lucidus.
The unique example was captured near San Diego, California, by the late H. K. Morrison.
An Introduction to a Classification of the North American Lepidoptera. By Jonn B. Smiru. (Continued from p. 81, vol. I.)
Somewhat allied to the Seszd@ in appearance and in habits are the Thyridide, few in number both as to genera and species. Like the Se- stide the imagoes are diurnal in habit. The larve are little known. The European species lives on Clematis in cone shaped cases and gives out an unpleasant Hemip/era like odor. It is short, stout, cylindric, with small tubercles and single hairs and has 16 feet.
The imagoes are small and stout with strong long tongue, large pro- jecting and bristly palpi, and spindle formed antennz, the basal joint considerably enlarged. In the male they are singly pectinated. The ocelli are wanting, eyes naked, distinct, though not prominent. The legs are stout, clothed with long stiff hair, the middle tibia with one pair, posterior with two pairs of spurs. Thorax robust, smoothly clothed. Abdomen smooth, with a long slender anal tuft. The median cell is simple, the primaries twelve veined, all the veins separate, dorsal or in- ternal vein furcate at base. The secondaries have two internal veins, costal vein free from base—altogether 8 veins.
We have two genera—Zzhyris agrees with the family characters. P/atythyris is unknown to me in nature, but according to Grote and Robinson’s description it contradicts nearly every family cha- racter, and leaves only the superficial habitus to authorize its reference here. According to them. the antennz are rather long, slender, filiform and naked. Head sunken, unprominent; palpi as in Thyrts. Eyes globose, small, vertex narrow. Pro- thorax square, wide and short, not projected in front of the wings as in Zhyris, closely scaled. Abdomen stout, sessile, not exceeding secondaries, Wings white; primarries more than half as wide as long, apices obtusely rounded, external margin entire, slightly sinuate, being outwardly rounded before internal angle ; antennal margin straight, equalling the costal margin in length. Secondaries wide and full nearly as large as the primaries, external margin very sinuate. Legs asin Zhyrvs. The venation is not described and therefore its reference here may per- haps prove proper—if so, the definition of the family must be enlarged. I shall not be unprepared however to find that it does not belong to this family at all.
Venation of Thyris.
ater
The anomolous family He/erogynide has recently been added to our Lists by Mr. Hy. Edwards (Ento. Am., 3, 181, Jan, 1888). In habitus and appearance these insects resemble the Psychide with which they have also the apterous females in common.
In the male the antennz exceed half the length of the primaries and are pectinated. Palpi and tongue very small, the latter practically wanting. Face very broad. Eyes naked, small, globose. Ocelli wanting. Body slender, with sparse lengthy vestiture, abdomen scarcely exceeding second- aries. The legs are similar in length and vestiture, the median and posterior tarsi shorter and stouter than the anterior—middle tibia with one pair, posterior with two pairs of spurs. The posterior femora are densely clothed with fine woolly vestiture.
Primaries broad, with rounded apices and obliquely rounded outer margin. They have two internal veins, of which the lower is fur- A cate basally—veins 8 and 10 are wanting and, LE except the costal vein, the others are all separate out of the cell at and near its end. The secondaries have three internal veins-— ae four veins from the narrow median cell, and two from the base above the subcostal—a most unusual character. The wings are semi-trans- parent; but sparsely clothed with fine hair like scales,
Venation of Heterogynis. The female is apterous, eyes smali, mouth parts rudimentary. The legs are more membraneous than chitinous and end ina blunt point. The body is naked and inferiorly much dilated— the-maculation is larviform. The larva is said Boisduaval to be onisci- form and to live openly on Gevzs/a.
Mr. Edwards refers to this family his genera Penthefria and Thia (Ento. Am., 3, 181). The latter is unknown to me but the generic de- scription contradicts the family characters in several important particulars.
Penthetria, which I know in ail stages through the kindness of Prof. Riley, who has made careful drawings of all structural details, differs in every respect---venation—head structure—the fully developed females and in larval history, and Mr. Edwards has allowed habitual peculiarities to mislead him. The family is an easily recognizable one and I have so fully characterized it that it may be recognized if met with by others. *
(TO BE CONTINUED. )
* The figures of venation are after Moeschler. They are incorrect in that the dorsal vein of primaries in each figure is simple instead of furcate at base. Otherwise they are accurate, and the descriptions mentions these characters correctly.
-
On North American Tineide.
By Wm. BeuTENMULLER.
Acrolophus mexicanellus, n. sp.
Head and thorax covered with rather long stone drab and fuscous scales ; labial palpi short, porrect, densely covered with stone drab and fuscous scales. Antenne fuscous. Primaries, stone drab, with a number of very fine wavy transverse fuscous lines, which are almost absent on the middle third of the inner margin to nearly the median vein ; at the end of the discal cell is an oblique fuscous dash running to the inner angle, which is somewhat suffused outwardly. On the fold at about the middle of the wing is a small fuscous patch. Cilia stone drab mixed with fuscous. Second- aries and cilia fuscous, Underside of primaries and secondaries wholly fuscous, the latter slightly paler.
This species has a superficial resemblance to Acrolophus huls/ellus, Beut., but may be readily distinguished from it by being a much larger ae insect, and also by the rounded apices of the wings.
Expanse of wings 30 mm. 1 Q. | Taken by Mr. Julius Mohn in the City of Mexico. _ Pseudanaphora arcanella, Clem. : The © of this species, which has hitherto remained undescribed, iffers ie the male only in size, and short porrected labial palpi. Expanse of wings 32 mm. _ Length of palpi 1.50 mm. Ortholophus variabilis, Wlsm. Three examples taken by Hy. Edwards at Havilah, Calif. ; heretofore only recorded from Arizona. Psecadia monticola, Wlsm. A single specimen I received from Colorado, and one from N. W. British Columbia. Formerly known from California and Oregon only. Psecadia subczrulea, Wlsm.
A number of specimens of this species from Arizona are in the col- lection of Hy. Edwards. Originally described from California.
Psecadia obscurella, n. sp.
6d. Head sooty brown with grayish white scales, and a black spot on the vertex ; palpi sooty brown with grayish white scales. Thorax grayish white with three black spots on each side ; antennz black. Primaries wholly sooty brown, sparsely covered with grayish white scales along the costal and apical regions, while the dorsal half to the inner angle is very densely covered with scales, limited above by a narrow broken black basal streak, running to a little beyond the middle of the wing. On _ the basal third below the fold is a small black spot and another scaly grayish white one on the disc. The Series of black terminal spots almost obsolete. The extreme edge of the costa, from before the basal third to a little beyond the apical third, pale ochreous. Secondaries and cilia fuscous, glossy, becoming ochreous toward the inner angle and base. The extreme edge of the costa is also ochreous. Underside of primaries fus- cous. S2condaries same as above. Body above and bzlow pale yellowish ochreous,
and at the side orange ochreous. Fore pairs of legs sooty brown, with grayish white scales. Hind legs ochreous, tarsi annulated with brown. Q. Differs from the <j‘ in having the markings a little more produced, especially the terminal series of black spots, and the secondaries much paler. Expanse of wings 22 mm. 1 <j, andt Q. Havilah, California, (Hy. Edwards), June, 1869. Cryptolechia concolorella, n. sp. ‘
Head, palpi, thorax and abdomen, wholly grayish fuscous. Primaries dirty cinereous, dens!y covered with fuscous, scales so as to nearly obscure the ground color ; at the apical third the scales form a much rounded indistinct transverse band, Secondaries same color as the primaries. All the wings beneath are grayish fuscous, as are also the legs.
Expanse of wings 21 mm. 1 <j.
Hab. —Nevada.
Gracilaria sanguinella, n. sp.
Head bright red with the face canary yellow. Palpi orange red, as is also the thorax above and below. Antennz fuscous, and at the juncture whitish. Primaries bright orange red, with the costa narrowly margined with canary yellow, from nearly the base to the apex. Cilia fuscous, except at the apex orange red. Second- aries grayish fuscous, as are also the cilia. Underside of primaries fuscous, except the apex orange red. Secondaries same as above.
Expanse of wings 14 mm. 1 o, andr Q, taken by Mr. Hy. Edwards in Santa Clara Co., California, June, 1869.
Gracilaria nigristrigella, n. sp.
Head and palpi pale straw yellow. Thorax dirty yellowish. Primaries purpli-h brown, mottled irregularly with straw yellow patches, and along the inner margin from the base to a litt!e beyond the middle of the wing a rather broad black streak. Cilia, fuscous, except at apex straw yellow. Secondaries and their cilia, grayish fuscous. Underside of primaries fuscous, except the cilia at the apex straw yellow. Secondaries same as above.
Length 14 mm. One specimen, taken by Mr. Hy. Edwards in Alameda Co., Calif., on the trunk of an Oak tree, June, 1869. Gracilaria ruptistrigella, n. var.
Differs from the preceding form in having the black streak on the primaries broken, and forming three spots instead, one at the base, one on the basal third, and one a little beyond the middle of the wing. The markings otherwise are the same.
1 example. California, (Hy. Edwards). Gracilaria shastella, n. sp.
Head, palpi and thorax, pale yellow ; antennz fuscous, annulated with white. Primaries pale sordid yellow with numerous black patches scattered over the wings, some being more conspicuous than others. Cilia fuscous, except the apex yellow. Secondaries, tuscous. Underside of wings, fuscous.
Expanse of wings 11 mm.
2 3\o'. Hab.—California, (Hy. Edwards).
EEE
On the genus Sympetrum, Newman. By Dr. H. A. Hacen.
Mr. E. Newman, 1833, in Entomological Magazine, vol. I, p. 511 to 514, ina paper named “Entomological Notes,” after treating some other subjects, published a new genus Sympetrum, belonging to the genus Libellula of Dr. Leach. Of the British species, belonging to this genus, are described: S. scofica, Donovan; S. rufostigma, Newman (= LZ. sanguinea, Muell.) ; S. vulgatum, L. (= non, Linn. ; striolata, Chp.); S. dasale, Newm., (= L. sanguinea, Muell.); S. flavéolata, Newm. (— Z. flaveola, L.). The remainder of Zibed/ula he divided into three genera, as Mr. Newman states. Ina foot note the characters are given as follows:
Syvmpeirum, abdomen laterally compressed—Zx. vulgatum, L.
Orthetrum, abdomen laterally parallel---Zv. ce@rulescens, F., can- cellatum, L.
Platetrum, abdomen depressed and dilated—&x. depressum, L., consparcatum, F.
Leptetrum, abdomen conical and pointed—Lx. guadrimaculatum, L., prenubilum, Newm.
“They will,” the author adds, “in all probability resolve eventually into three distinct genera, and as such I had once prepared them for publica- tion together with Sympetrum as below, but a dislike /o name-giving in- duced me to relinquish them.” 1 think by this statement it is evident, that the three last genera, which Mr. Newman has himself later, during 43 years, never used, not even mentioned, have certainly no right of priority. Indeed, Ento. Mag., I, p. 416, he speaks of Lebellula prenubila and Lib. quadrimaculata, and ibid., vol. III, p. 151, prints in a paper of his friend Ed. Doubleday, 224. guadrimaculata, L. depressa, L. prenubila, The characters given for the genus Sympefrum are: Caput metathorace latius (so it is in every spectes of Odonata) ; propodeon podeonque in com- missura incrassata (Common to every species of Odona/a, but stronger in the males) ; segmenta sequentia lateribus compressa (among the species of Sympetrum only in the females, mostly cylindrical in the males) ; pro- telum ac adjacentia plus minusve incrassata (common to nearly every species of Odonata, because these parts contain the internal genitals) ; telum minutum (common to a// Odona/a) ; teli appendices note ceteris distinctee vix praebent ; alarum stigma utrinque convexum (without value).
Mr. Newman, as far as I am able to ascertain, mentions only twice more the name Sympefrum. In Ento. Mag., V, 484, where he con-
cludes: ‘‘the species of Sympetrum are perfectly distinct ; the remainder of the genera and species will, I believe, stand.”
In Zoologist, 1845, vol. ILI, p. 1044, he mentions Sympetrum rufo- sigma. Entomologist, vol. I, 1841, p. 159 and p. 205, S. rubicunde is mentioned by Mr. Doubleday.
I find Mr. Newman’s genera only twice quoted by British Scientists. ° Mr. J. F. Stephens, Mandibulata, vol. IV, 1836, gives mof as genera but as subgenera or subgroups the four names with the short characters of Mr. Newman, and of the new species of the monograph of Sympetrum he quotes only one. Mr. J. O. Westwood, in ‘Synopsis of the Genera of British Insects,” 1839, p. 48, after the gertus Zbe//ula puts in brackets the four names and one species to each of them. As he has counted for Libellula 15 specimens it is evident that he did not accept Newman’s genera.
It is difficult to understand now why some of Mr. Newman's papers were not acknowledged or at least not mentioned by English Scientists ; however it seems to me out of place to speak here about things happily forgotten fifty years ago.
Mr. W. E. Evans British Libeiluline, London, 1845, uses Diplax from the nomenclature of Charpentier, and mentions nowhere Sympetrum. It is impossible that this work was unknown to Mr. Newman. Zoologist, 1845, p. 1044, he speaks of the presence ‘‘of Mr. Selys in London, en- gaged in examining the cabinets of the London collectors, for the purpose of correctly ascertaining under what names the various species of Eee have been described by British Entomologists.”
Baron DeSelys paper, published Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 1846, p. 217, is reprinted by Mr. Newman, Zoologist, 1846, p. 1522, but nothing is said in favor of his genera, which are not even mentioned in this paper.
Entomologists nowadays will scarcely be able to understand the diffi- culties, which impeded the working fifty years ago. There was no con- nection to speak of between Scientists of Great Britain and the continent. In 1843 I found Stephens’ Brit. Entom. and Curtis wanting in the libra- ries of Berlin, Vienna, Paris and of the Jardin des Plantes. The only copy in Germany belonged to the Senator von Hayden in Frankfurt a. M., which Erichson was allowed to consult. There did not exist any yearly Record ; the first was published 1834 in Wiegman’s Archiv by Burmeister. The first Presidents Address of the Entomological Society by Mr. Children was published for distribution among the members ; the first Address of the Secretary, Mr. Westwood, contains nothing on Sympetrum. The existence of the Entomological Magazine was nearly unknown on the continent. Percheron, Bibliography, p. 225, quotes it ‘‘per Walker the
first 8 numbers,” and in the catalogue of the library of Victor Andouin, p. 55, we find the same statement. In the-catalogues of the libraries of old prominent Scientists, Charpentier, Dejean, Guérin, Ménéville, Klug, Lacordaire, Sturm, the Entomological Magazine is wanting. Burmeister, Handbuch, vol. II, p. 14, quotes the first volume and one number as seen by him, and this is the only copy mentioned for Germany. The first copy I saw myself, 1839, belonged to Mr. G. Marxlin in Upsala. As it was my custom, I copied for my own use all belonging to Odona/a, but by a curious chance out of the copy still before me the part on Sym- petrum must have been lost during my travels, and is therefore not quoted in my dissertation, 1840, and in my Review on the recent literature of Neuroptera, Stett. Ento. Zeit., 1849" p. 68, only as not seen by me.
When in 1857 I went to London by invitation of Mr. J. E. Gray to - study the British Neuroptera in the collections, I applied to Mr. E. New- man for the permission to see his own collection and that of the Ento- mological Club. I will never forget the kindness with which I was re- ceived by him. He spent the larger part of a whole day in showing me the collections, and as in the meantime I had made myself thoroughly acquainted with his writings, we had a detailed conversation about them, and of course also on the nomenclature of the Zzbel/ula. Zoologist, 1857, p. 5879, he speaks about my visit and says: ‘‘the Neuroptera have been recently examined and the nomenclature rectified by Dr. Hagen.”
He did not take any exception to the nomenclature used by De Selys and myself in the Revue, of which, contrary to his former intentions, he has never made a report. So I had the conviction he had relinquished Sympetrum as well as the other genera. I considered the names free and used three of them with a different character, converting them in a feminine combination, to avoid the tedious change of the species name to a neutrum.
After all, it was not the fate of English papers only to be over- looked in those times. Mr. E, Newman himself, when he published, 1852, his paper on the classification of Neuroptera, entirely over- looked the papers of Klug, Erichson, and Stein published twelve years before.
The names of Mr. E. Newman have not been used by any one of the many writers on Zzde//u/a during the long time since their publication, and Mr. E. Newman has never taken any exception to vindicate his rights, though all important works were well known to him. He has never ob- jected to the use of his names modified and accompanied by a different character by myself in the Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America, in 1860.
Mr. M’Lachlan introduced these names again in his List of British
Neuroptera, and Baron De Selys now in his Odonates de I’Asie mineure, 1887, has replaced Diplax by Sympetrum ; “quelques facheux que soient actuellement les changements de nomenclature—per une application ex- agérée du droit de priorité, il me semble juste d’adopter le nom de Sym- petrum au liex de Diplax.”
I have shown before that three of the genera were relinquished by the author directly, and that the names were never used by himself or any- body else, and that they could not be considered therefore to have the right of priority to supersede other names 37 years later. Concerning Sym- petrum the analysis of its characters given shows that the character is en- tirely insufficient, and that Mr. Newman has never taken an exception against the non-acceptance of this genus by his own countrymen, Stephens, Westwood, Evans, and de Fonscolombe (1837) Baron De Selys, Hagen, and every writer upon Odona/a since 1833. Further, that Hagen after conversing with Mr. Newman about this genus had the de- cided conviction, that it has been relinquished by the author also. It was at least in former years always considered that monographs in prepara- tion, because the plates needed so much time, had a right to supersede names published during the time. ‘The first plate of Charpentier is dated 1828, and in 1837 Westwood saw in Bonn the big volume of plates, and therefore the name Dzf/ax was everywhere accepted. Probably Mr. New- man was of the same opinion as he did not object to Baron De Selys’ papers in 1846 and 1850.
I think therefore the names of the genera given by Mr. Newman should not be accepted.
*
1 <>
A More Wicked Worm! Epiroxr Entom. AMER.
.» Dear Sir :—Reading No. to of Vol. III, Ento. Am., I was much amused by the article ‘‘ A wicked Worm.” I can assure you no one in Germany knows of this terrible insect, nor have I read anything about it in any of the German newspapers. It seems to me this worm must have developed quite independently in the brain of some North American Journalist. Of course there can be no doubt of the truth of the story.
Mr. Smith is, in my opinion, right in his idea, that this worm and those that destroyed the Russian cannons during the Crimean War, are nearly allied. A third worm, belonging to the same family and perhaps genus, is the famous ‘‘Ice Worm” which fed on the ice in the cellar of a great brewery at Dresden once upon a time. Of course the March beer went to ruin, as did also the brewery and all the stockholders! Neither ice, beer, nor money was to be found !
Yours truly, H. B. Méscuter.
Phlceophagus spadix, Herdsi,
By Wiritam Jivicu.
Collecting on Rockaway Beac!), L.. 1, June 18th, last year, among the driftwood, I turned over board, half imbedded in the sand and thor- oughly soaked with salt water. The board laid within the line of the high tide and must have been under water several hours every day for some time. Crawling on it were a few small, dark brownish Curculios which reminded me very much at the time of ZVassoptes marinus, Horn, which I found under similar circumstances at the Pacific coast. Upon closer examination of the board—pine, about 2 inches thick, rotten and wormeaten—I succeeded in cutting out about 30 beetles, and a number of larvae and pupze ; the larve as lively as crickets, 3 to 4 mm. long, ofa yellowish white color, head. considerably darker, and mandibles brown. On each side of the first three segments they had, on small wart-like pro- jections, a very small leg. The beetle proved to be Phleophagus spadix, Herbst, a European species, not before found in this country to my knowledge. This capture I consider especially interesting as it shows how some of these importations are landed,
A board infested and wormeaten is thrown over board as useless and washed ashore, where the involuntary passengers take to the wing to seek conditions to suit them, or accomodate themselves the best way they can, or perish, if not capable of doing so. The astonishing tenacity of life, peculiar to Curculios, enables them to outlive unfavorable conditions which would kill a great many other insects, especially in the larval state, and accounts for the great number of Rhynchophoride ‘‘ naturalized” to our fauna.
In order to indentify this species, if it comes under the observation of our collectors, I give the synopsis of Dr. Horn of the three species now known to belong to our fauna.
Elytra oval, humeri broadly rounded. i Thorax very densely and coarsely punctured, elytral striz broad, coarsely and GeeppeMMeClured, 4°TONI. 5.6 aw wjaisime cee = a sites ole apmaieren eens spadix.
Elytra oblong, sides straight, humeri distinct. Thorax densely punctured, elytral striz deep, coarsely, serrately punctured, FHT ia g dees ccs BOCA GEEESEE nao ho pe bob oine torsade ro ooU pc apionides. Thorax sparsely punctured, elytral striz broad, not deep, punctures coarse, not
SORE, 2 ToT ee eI or cic Cecie ic WRI ark Cases minor,
The two species described by Dr. Geo. H. Horn appear to be un- common, and all the specimens I have found I cut out of dead Ash.
Early Stages of Erebus odora, Z- By Hi, “iv Prendrp; BES:
The egg and larve of Erebus odora have never been described in any scientific paper that has come under my observatlon, and it was with great pleasure that I recently received from her Excellency, Mrs. H. A. Blake, formerly of Nassau, N. P., a record of observations on these stages of this beautiful moth, which she has kindly given me permission to publish.
Toward the end of June, 1877, an adult moth of this species was captured and placed under a bell glass, when on June 27th, it deposited forty or fifty eggs. These were not attached to either the sides or bottom of the glass and seemed to possess no glutinous matter. They were spherical in form, flattened slightly at the poles, and under the micro- scope showed a series of ridges passing from pole to pole.
The eggs hatched during the forenoon of July 2nd, producing larvee about a quarter of an inch in length and about the size of a bristle. They became very active when disturbed and if one fell it spun a thread to the end of which it remained attached. Each had but six pairs of feet. In color they were dirty white with six longitudinal reddish stripes, broken at intervals. Long hairs stood up here and there along the body.
Various food plants were tried, viz: Lettuce (Lacfuca sp. 7), Sea Grape (Cocoloba uvifera}, Poison Wood (Rhus sp. ?), Palmetto (Sada/ sp. ?), Wild Almond (Amygdalus sp. P); Silk Cotton (Bombax ceiba), Tamerind (Zamerindus indica), and Sapodilla (Sapofa Achras, J). but all were untouched. One or two, however, appeared to eat Whist- ling Bean leaves.
On July 5th, but one larva remained but it had apparently grown somewhat. Unfortunately, during its examination it was lost, a puff of wind carrying off the leaf on which it was resting.
In my note in vol. III, No. 4, of this magazine I alluded to a state- ment by the natives that the larva of Hredus feeds on the Wild Fig. Recently, the larva referred to has been proved to be that of a Sphinx, thus showing how little reliance can be placed on the observations of un- trained persons.
det eh ees
Dr. Horw visits Europe again this season. The Doctor needs this recreation and we know he will bring back with him fresh energy that will enable him to continue his valuable work. His address will be: Care of Dr. D. Sharp, Shirley Warren, Southampton, England. The Doctor will leave May gth, and will be gone all Summer.
-_”
North American PYRALIDA.
By Pror. C. H. FErnatp, Amherst, Mass.
Botis plumbosignalis, n. sp.
Expanse of wing, 21 mm. Head and palpi yellowish white above, pure white beneath. Labial palpi fawn colored on the outside. Thorax and fore wings sulphur yellow, the former with a rust-colored stripe on the sides from the eyes to the wings and extending a short distance on the costa. The orbicular spot on the middle of the cell is small and round, of a dark rust red color and overlaid with lead colored scales. The reniform spot on the end of the cell is similarly colored and extends across more than the width of the cell. A stripe of the same width and color as the reniform but forming an obtuse angle with it, extends across to the hinder margin of the wing, and another extends from where this joins the reniform obliquely up to near the apex, the whole forming a Y-shaped mark. These stripes are somewhat diffuse on the outside, and the outer transverse line is distinct only between the upper parts of the Y. The inner transverse line extends obliquely out and down from the costa to the median vein, where it forms an angle, and then extends to the hinder margin, forming another angle on vein one. Another similar line runs parallel but outside of it, from the median vein to the hinder margin, forming a lunule between the veins and these two lines together give the appearance of the figure 8 beneath the orbicular spot. The fore wings are rather narrow and slightly falcate. The hind wings are white, slightly tinged with sulphur yellow on the outer margin, and there is a minute brown spot on the anal angle with traces of one or two more on the surface of the wing, an indication of a transverse line. The underside of the wings is whitish with the markings of the upperside reproduced in brown.
Described from three examples from Colorado.
Lipocosma fuliginosalis, n. sp.
Expanse of wings, from 13 to 15 mm, Head, thorax and fore wings, snow white ; the latter overlaid, except on the base, at the apex and narrowly along the costa, with dark brown or soot color. The outer crosslime which is darker than the wing starts from the outer fourth ot the costa, makes an outward angle at first, then curves outwardly beyond the end of the cell, then makes another outward curve and ends at the outer fourth of the hinder margin. There is a faint trace of another line crossing the middle of the wing. The outer margin has a row of black dots. The fringe is sordid and cut with whitish. The hind wings are whitish on the costal half, and discolored more or less on the rest of the surface with soot-color which forms a line across this part of the wing beyond the middle. On the inside of this line above the anal angle there is a white spot and a tuft of black scales on the innerside of the spot. The basal joint of the abdomen is white and the rest sooty-brown. The markings of the upperside are repeated and there is a plain discal spot on each of the wings.
Described from four examples, from Maine, Ontario and Illinois. Hydrocampa proprialis, n. sp. Expanse of wings, Io toIg mm. Head, thorax and fore wings, dark brown.
The reniform spot at the end of the ce!l of the fore wing is white, and there isa more or less prominent white spot on the costa above it. The inner transverse line is
arcuate and white. The outer line starts from a small white spot on the costa a little beyond the spot above the reniform, and extends inward so as to interfere more or less with the reniform spot causing it to be toothed on the outer side in some examples, then it extends inwardly on vein two, somewhat within the reniform when it turns and extends to the outer third of the hinder border. A white line toothed on the in- side, crosses the wing close to the outer border. There is generally a shade of dull ochre yellow, in the subterminal space, on the outside of the basal line, and a spot on the inside of the discal spot. The hind wings are a shade lighter than the fore wings, and there is an indication of the two outer white lines, between which near the middle of the outer margin there is generally a dull yellow spot. The abdomen is concolorous with the hind wings and ringed with lighter brown on the posterior edge of each segment. The underside of the body and wings is much lighter than above, and there is a terminal row of whitish lunate or wedge-shaped spots between the veins. The hind wings also have an angulated white line outside of a discal spot, which is sometimes extended into a shade, and within which there is another white line. Some examples scarcely show these white markings.
Described from fourteen examples from Florida and Texas, —_———o+»—___
Book Notice.
‘*Diagnoses of N. A. Phycitidz and Galieridz, by F. L. Ragonot. Publshed by the author.” Paris, Dec. 1887.
The above is a pamphlet of 25 pages, in which the author gives very brief descriptions of 26 genera and 96 species of American Lepidoptera. Of the species 94 belong to the Phycitide and 2 to the Galleride ; 79 be- long to the U. S. or Canada, 2 to Mexico, 2 to the West Indies, and 23 are without indication of locality.
Besides those under the genera newly described, various of the species fall under previously described genera, so that the 96 species re- present 53 genera.
The pamphlet is issued, according to the statement of the author, only to obtain priority. Whether a private publication, privately distrib- uted, with what pretends to be a diagnosis only, not a description of species, will be accepted as giving priority in any case of disagreement, is doubtful. But, that there may be just as little cause as possible for any such doubt we call the attention of the public to Mr. Ragonot’s work, Weare glad to say that the diagnoses, though very brief, are generally explicit, and with the fact that there is generic difference between the most of the species, there need be no great difficulty in determining most of the species described.
Mr. Ragonot promises an early completion of his ‘‘ Monograph of the Phycitide and Galleride of the World,” in which he proposes.to give
in colors many of the new and rarer species. We most earnestly hope,
his promise will be shortly fulfilled ; for, from what work Mr. Ragonot
|
has done, we can be assured his Monograph will be above the average of such works in value. It will not be simple a collection of pictures, as so many are. Just here, we express a hope. It is, that Mr. Ragonot, as well as all other Europeans describing American Insects, will have the generosity and courtesy to place a set of types in some Museum in this country. We have the profoundest regard for Zeller, Lederer, and Guenée, but so far as our country is concerned, we are strongly af the opinion that they have greatly hindered the study and development of American Entomo- logy. In case of all these, not to mention Walker, a large percentage of their species is, after from 25 to 40 years, entirely undetermined. Ameri- cans, who were not driven to other fields, have had to go on with their own work, simply ignoring the species described by all these.
We are glad to learn that Lord Walsingham has set a worthy example in this respect, as most if not all of his species are represented by types in America.
We hope this example will be followed by all European Entomo- logists hereafter.
Surely, if our brethren across the water feel the need of retaining their collections for their own study, there is no possible reason why all types of American species should not be left by will, to some American Institution instead of being buried in some European Museum, and thus made utterly useless.
In all cases where species are not so placed that those interested in them can obtain comparatively easy access to them, there is only one thing for Americans to do, viz: to entirely ignore them. To Mr. Grote Americans owe a vast debt of gratitude for following this course. Many of his species will likely fall before the as yet unknown ones of Zeller, Lederer, Guenée, and Walker, but those who realize what he did for American Entomology will never cease to give him the gratitude he has merited for daring to do and starting America forward in doing her own work.
It might be an excellent object lesson, for some enterprising American to purchase all types of European Lepidoptera yet possible, and deposit them in the Cambridge, Philadelphia or Washington Museums, that it may be seen by others how pleasant it is to deal with material from 3000 to 5000 miles away!
At all events we hope hereafter every American will furnish material to the workers across the sea, only on condition that a complete set of types be deposited with some Museum or specialist in America. This may be selfish, and may be called unscientific, but it is the right of the majority which we believe in, and is, we believe, for the best interests of Science. Gro. D. Huzst.
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Society News.
Ento. Soc. Washington, March 1, 1888. Thirteen members present. Prof. Riley presented a paper entitled ‘* A Contribution to the Literature of Fatal Spider Bites’ giving details of a case in which death resulted from the bite of a spider, presumably Latrodectes mactans. Also details of another case in which the patient recovered from a bite of the same spider. Prof. Riley reviewed the literature of the subject at some length, and concludes that personal idiosyncracy is a large factor in these cases and that the poisonous secretion of spiders affected different individuals in a very different manner, and hence the discrepancy in resu'ts. Mr. Lugger related an experience of his own with Phydippus tripunctatus, L., which bit one of his chil- dren. The result was convulsions, high fever, headache, swollen eyes and great pain in the pit of the bitten arm. In about three days all inflammation and untoward symptoms had disappeared. Dr. Marx states that the secretion in which Latrodectes mactans envelops its victims when taken internally had the effect of increasing the pulse from 72 to 120. He commented on the case but rather skeptically : he cannot see how Latrodectes with its minute, soft mandibles can possibly pierce the skin or contain poison enough to produce the violent affects recorded. The subject was dis- cussed at considerable length by Messrs. Lugger, Dodge, Marx, Fox, Schwarz, John- son and Smith.
Mr. Dodge exhibited some of Glover’s early plates and commented on his work in this direction. This induced a discussion on the relative value of the various pro- cesses for illustrating Insects, in which Messrs. Marx, Schwarz and Smith took part.
Mr. Howard called attention to an undetermined external parasite on a spider, found by Dr. Fox in February.
A paper was read by Prof. P. R. Uhler, ‘*Observations upon the Heteroptera collected in Southern Florida by Mr. E, A. Schwarz,’’ in which he discusses the de- rivation of this fauna and describes a new species of Achanthochila, a genus heretofore unknown in our fauna. Mr, Smith made some remarks on the Lepidopterous family Hleterogynide, historical and critical. He does not believe the family occurs in our fauna, and that 77a, Edwards, cannot be referred here.
April 6, 1888.—Twelve members present. Dr. Horn made some remarks on Pleocoma, exhibited a preparation of the abdomen, showing the position of the stig- mata, and that Leconte is right and Gerstaecker is wrong in the position assigned in the Lamellicorn series.* Dr. Horn also exhibited the larva of Platypsylla castoris, mounted in balsam, and states that it fully proves that the Insect is Coleopterous. Prof. Riley states that he has had the larva for more than a year but has been pre- vented from working it up. However, he fully agrees with Dr. Horn concerning the Coleopterous nature of the larva. Mr. Schwarz read a paper on the semi-tropical Insect fauna of Southern Florida. This region mostly coral formation, and compara- tively recent seems to have received its vegetation and its Insect fauna from the West Indies. He carefully marks the observed limits of the fauna and credits the Gulf stream with bringing a very large proportion of it. This paper was discussed at some length by Dr. Horn and Prof. Riley who agreed in the main with Mr. Schwarz. Dr. Horn doubts the propriety of receiving this fauna into our lists in its entirety. He also illustrated the distribution of Insects along the Pacific coast, and the natural boundaries between Mexico and the U. S. which rather sharply separates the Coleop- terous fauna. Prof. Riley thinks the wind should be credited as an agent in distri- bution, and mentions the receipt of Hornia minutipennis from Thesus Co., California, as a remarkable fact in distribution. J. B. Smiry, Ree. Sec’y.
* ‘See Ento! Am-, vols Tl, p. 233:
VOL. IV. BROOKLYN, JUNE, 1888. NO. 3.
A Revised Generic Table of the EURYTOMIN~, with Descriptions of New Species.
By Wiciram H. ASHMEAD.
(PaRT I.)
_ Prof. Westwood’s group Luryfomides, in the family Chalcidide, has always been an attractive one to students in the order Hymenoptera, on account of the dissimilarity in the habits of some of the species represent- ing the group ; for, while the major portion of them are true parasites, it is now a thoroughly established fact that a small portion of them are unquestionably Phy/ophagous, or pseudo gall-makers ; and, if we exclude the Blastophage, or Fig-caprifiers from the family Chalcidide, they are then the only ones in the whole family out of thousands of species that have this habit.
Up to the present day, the species composing the group, have been placed in but seven genera, viz:—Lury/oma, Illiger, 1807 ; Decatoma, Spinola, 1811; Zsosoma, Walker, 1832; Sysfole, Walker, 1832; Phy- lachyra, Haliday, 1871 ; Azolomorphus, Walker, 1871; and Lephrata, Cameron, 1884.
But recently, in working up my material in the group, the acumula- tion of several years, I have found it necessary to erect many additional genera and below I give a'carefully prepared analytic table of all the known genera, with the essential characters of the new ones recognized, which will be followed by another paper with descriptions of the new species.
The table is as follows:
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ANALYTICAL TABLE OF THE GENERA.
Females.
Wingless ,<; Nac? paren epee pe: week, Lane ens iy hath aise e dik Soles oe ae ae 5 Winged. Marginalovermlinear oe). 46 4)... 0er ce. oc eee oat onl Sata Ass che one eet Marginal vein thick, quadrate.
Wings with a dusky submarginal blotch ...... .....G. (1) Decatoma, Spinola.
Wings without a dusky submarginal blotch.......... G. (2) Eudecatoma, n. x. 2 Metathorax much Jengthenied ,..:..... 2a; ccikel.< «oc oh Were oe eens ie eee ee 4
Metathorax not lengthened.
Mesothorax umbilicate punctate =. te ee yelgerae oats Sines cee eee 3
Mesothorax not umbilicate punctate. *Marginal vein not longer than the stigmal, abdomen sub-globose ..°..... ..... G. (3) Systole, Walker. **Marginal vein one and a half times as long as stigmal, abdomen conic-ovate. G. (5) Xanthosoma, pn. g. ***Marginal vein three times as long as the stigmal ; abdomen sub-compressed ... G. (6) Rileya, Ashmead. 3. Postmarginal vein distinctly longer than stigmal. *Marginal vein always distinctly longer than the stigmal. . Scape equal in length to the first funicle joint... .. G. (7) Bephrata, Cameron. Scape much longer than the first funicle joint. a Posterior tibize with two spurs. Parapsidal furrows obliterated posteriorly. .... G. (8) Decatomidea, n. g. Parapsidal furrows complete, distinct. 6 Pedicel much shorter than first funicle joint...G. (9) Eurytoma, Illiger. 66 Pedicel longer or at least as long as the first funicle joint.............. G. (10) Eurytomocharis, n. g.
aa Posterior tibize with one spur ............. G. (11) Phylloxeroxenus, n. vg. **Marginal vein not longer than the stigmal.
Abdomen ovate, pointed, compressed ......... G. (12) Bruchophagus, n. g.
Abdomen sub-globose, fourth segment longest, enclosing the following .......
: Je - G. (4) Systolodes, n. g. Postmarginal vein twice as long as the stigmal.
Abdomen much lengthened, conic-ovate, cylindric, fourth segment as long as all thekathersttogethensas-s seeker eee ..G. (13) Evoxysoma, np. g. 4. Marginal vein longer than the stigmal. Mesothorax more or less umbilicate punctate. Postmarginal vein about same length as stigmal, or slightly longer. Pedicel not longer than the first funicle joint.
Metathorax sloping, rounded behind.......... G. (14) Isosoma, Walker. Metathorax quadrate, abruptly truncate behind..... .................. G. (15) Isosomorpha, n. g. Pedicel longer than the first funicle joint ; mesothorax smooth, polished...... G. (16) Isosomocharis, n. g. Marginal vein not as long as the stigmal.
Postmarginal much lengthened.................+00: G. (17) Isosomodes, n. g. heViesothorax ‘smooth, spolished ... 25 475 sean G, (18) Philachyra, Haliday. Males Marainal vein linear iy)... 24 22+. ss eee nla ec eter ee 2
Marginal vein thick, quadrate.
Antenne simple, not verticillate pilose.
Wings with a smoky submarginal blotch.......... G. (1) Decatoma,! Spinola. Wings without a smoky submarginal blotch.. .....G. (2) Eudecatoma, n. g. Peetatmorax muGhlencthemedess. We... 0 eee es A AOI RRO EAE cio 4 Metathorax not lengthened. IMS i rarer eomeue dl Gelber TIM Gta Le ernie elfelaye c Crctsceyefe) Shalajare ate ducetara, ae sie ters 3
Mesothorax not umbilicate punctate.
*Marginal vein not longer than the stigmal ; abdomen sub-globose ; funicle joints with long hairs, but not pedunculated ............ G. (3) Systole, Walker.
**Marginal vein one and a half times as long as the stigmal... . ............. G. (5) Xanthosoma, n. g.
***Marginal vein three times as long as the stizmal; abdomen long- oyal, petiole short ; funicle joints simple, without long hairs ... G. (6) Rileya, Ashmead. 3. Postmarginal vein distinctly longer than the stigmal. Marginal vein longer than the stizmal. Scape equal in length to the first funicle joint. .... G. (7) Bephrata, Cameron. Scape much longer than the first funicle join?. Funicle joints simple, not pedunculate verticellate-pilose.
Parapsidal furrows obliterated posteriorly ; abdomen ovate, petiole short, Ui Cher aeetcemren AU cer eras cies ses Bias o G. (8) Decatomidea, n. g.
Funicle joints pedunculate and verticillate-pilose. Posterior.tibice with two spurs; parapsidal grooves, complete, distinct,
Abdomen trigonate, sub-compressed. ....... G. (9) Eurytoma, Illiger.
Abdomen ovate, sub-compressed ...... G, (10) Eurytomocharis, n. g.
Posterior tibiz with one spur............ G, (11) Phylloxeroxenus, n. g. Postmarginal vein twice as long as the stigmal......... G, (13) Evoxysoma, n. g.
Marginal vein not longer than the stigmal.
Postmarginal vein hardly as lony as the stigmal ; abdomen ovate, petiole shorter than posterior cox ; funicle joints oval, WuEnglonsy airs) = crs. se eeeet eee
G. (12) Bruchophagus, pn. ¢.
Postmarginal vein longer than the stigmal ; abdomen subglobose, petiole longer than posterior coxee, funicle joints of antenne oval, pilose .... ..... LEN:
G. (4) ) Systolodes, n. g.
mince er Gr cUOCOnIel Ver VeS MUI Ar rtp). a are citcc sas sin cad iaiy auele Siajeveisieon a gue gale eis biwaee 6 Petiole of abdomen long. Moarainalevein mOtassonéeas tie StOmMall:¢2 on cecil cote lve s+ cide aie cneie Oo eee 5
Marginal vein longer than the stigmal. Mesothorax, unless otherwise-stated, more or less umbilicate punctate. Postmarginal vein distinctly longer than the stigmal ; funicle joints pedunculate and verticillate-pilose. Pedicel not longer than the first funicle joint. Metathorax sloping, rounded behind .......... G. (14) Isosoma, Walker.
Metathorax quadrate, abruptly truncate behind............... . 2.9 G. (15) Isosomorhpa, n. g.
Pedicel longer than the first funicle joint ; mesothorax smooth, polished...... G. (16) Isosomocharis, n. g.
Postmarginal vein longer than the stigmal ; antennze slender, filiform, pubescent; abdomen clavate, “slightly compressed, a little Jonger than the thorax ex-
eaverciume PEO’... .. 0.6... teas G, (19) Aiolomorphus, Walker. 5. Funicle joints not pedunculated, long, cylindric, about five times as long as wide, pilose ; mesothorax umbilicate punctate........... G. (17) Isosomodes, n. g.
6. Postmarginal vein shorter than the stigmal, one-third the length of the marginal ;
antennz verticillate-pilose ; head and pr othorax shining and somewhat smooth. G, (18) bi Ae ed Haliday. :
oo
Notes on the CRAMBIDZ-.
By Pror. C. H. FERNALD. Amherst, Mass.
I have recently been making a critical study of the described species of North American Craméide preparatory to describing the unnamed species in my collection, and take this occasion to put some of the re- sults on record.
In 1813, Germar began the publication of his *‘ Magazin der Ento- mologie” which closed at the end of the fourth volume. In the second volume, published in 1817, Dr. Zincken began his Monograph of the genus Chilo, which included not only the species now placed under that genus, but also those under Craméus, Prionopteryx, Ancylolomia and Schenobtus.
Germar’s genus Chilo has been broken up by later writers, but the first species under it—phragmitellus—has been retained and regarded as the type of Chilo.
In the third volume, page 114 (1818), Zincken described a species under the name of Chilo Leachellus, but stated that the habitat was un- known. Zeller, who saw this type, found it to be identical with speci- mens in his collection from North America, and sent a specimen under this name to the Cambridge Museum with which I compared mine several years ago, and which I now find to agree perfectly with the original de- scription. Zeller believed the species to be the same as Crambus involu- tellus, Clem., but in this he was mistaken, for I have studied the type of Clemens’ species very critically and found it quite distinct from that of Zincken.
In the fourth volume of Germar’s Magazine, published in 1821, Zincken published a Supplement to his Monograph of the genus Chz/o in which he described seven North American species, viz :—sordidellus, satrapellus, prefectellus, decorellus, Plejadellus, tetterellus and incertellus, all of which I have been able to determine in my collection.
A carefully study of the literature and types gives the following syn- onomy of some of the species :
Chilo decorellus, Zincken, Germ. Mag., IV, p. 25¢ (1821).
Crambus polyactinellus, Kollar in lit. (Zeller, Chil. et Cramb.), p. 25,
(1863). Crambus goodellianus, Grote, Can. Ent., XII, p. 17 (1880). Crambus bonusculahs, Hulst, Tr. Am. Ent. Soec., XII, p. 167 (1886).
This species belongs to the genus Cramdus as restricted by recent
authors, and should be known by the name of Crambus decorellus,
Zinck. By some slip, Prof. Grote, in his New Check-List, has put his Crambus goodelianus as a synonym of C. Plejadellus, to which it has no resemblance.
* Chilo Plejadellus, Zincken, Germ. Mag. IV, p. 251 (1821). Crambus Plejadellus, Zeller, Chil. et Cramb., p. 26 (1863). Diphryx prolatella, Grote, Bull, U. S. Geo. Sur. VI, p. 273 (1881). Chilo oryzeellus, Riley, Rept. Dept. Ag. for 1881-2, p. 135 (1882). This species belongs to the genus Cfz/o and should be known by
the name of Chilo plejadellus, Zinck.
The genus Juphryx was established for an imperfect female of this species, but since more perfect examples do not differ structurally from the type of Chilo, the generic name Diphryx cannot be used. Prof. Riley was led into the€tror of redescribing this species, partly by my inability at the time to say positively that it was Grote’s species, and partly be- cause Grote expressed the opinion that it was not his species. Prof. Riley states concerning this insect: “It is in fact, as we have always felt, congeneric with the larger sugar-cane and corn-borers treated of in the last annual report of the Entomologist under the generic name Dratre@a.” In this, Prof. Riley is mistakén, since J. saccharalis, Fab., has no ocelli, and the venation of t ings is quite different from C. oryzeellus, Riley, which has ocelli. ‘hese differences have long been considered of generic value by every worker*on fe Microlepidoptera.
Zeller in his Monogtaph has made many errors on the synonomy of our Cramébide, and Grote was appafently led by him into some of the same errors. The difficulty was in not being able to determine the spe- cies of Clemens. C. mvolufelliis and pulchellus are not synonyms of leachellus, but of prefectellus.
> +»____—
Miss Emiry L. Morron, in collecting larvae of Lepidoptera last year, put a mixed lot in a breeding box. Among others emerging afterwards in the imago form, was Aleta argillacea, Hb., the cotton worm. As beyond a penadventure none of the larve were taken from the cotton plant, it may be considered proved beyond question that the larvz feed, in the North at least, upon one food plant other than cotton.
*K K kK
A novel exhibibition has during the last month been given to the people of New York and vicinity. Mr. Neumoegen, of the Brooklyn Society, has, as is well known, an unrivalled collection of Native and Exotic Lepidoptera. This has been on exhibition at the Eden Musee and has excited a very great deal of interest in the city.
Biograhy of Acontia delecta, Walker. By ArcHiBALD C. WEEKS.
The larvae (four in number) were taken when nearly full grown, during the first week of September, 1884, feeding upon the Hibiscus moscheutos, L., (Rose Mallow), on the meadows bordering the interior of the Long Island beach.
Upon reaching home they were placed on mallow leaves, the stems of which were inserted in a glass iuk-well filled with very moist earth. They fed voraciously and on the second day after capture spun in the earth at the base of the stems oval cocoons, two-fifths of an inch in length and firmly coated with clay.
These were exposed to the normal temperature and kept thoroughly moist, until July 5th, of the following year, when two of the imagines, and Q, appeared, reproducing the brilliant coloration of the larva— the black, irregular, metallic L upon the white ground of the primaries, with angle at the inner margin, contrasting strongly with the pale saffron, margined with a darker shade, of the secondaries—the maculatron above being roughly and faintly pictured beneath.
The following is a description of the larva :
Length 11/, inches.
Head and first segment smaller than remainder of body. Head rounded, some- what flattened on the sides, broader at bottom than at top, strongly cleft at summit, ground color dirty white, mouth parts black; ground color enclosing a trianzular black space in front ; bottom, middle and summit of eyes with black spots, sometimes confluent ; eyes with exceedingly minute sparse hairs.
Body cylindrical, considerably enlarged anteriorly on the 3rd and 4th segments. Ground color dark, purple. On all segments a subdorsal line of black spots, strongly edged with orange, especially on the middle segments. On the 3rd and 4th segments, directly below the 1st subdorsal line, appears a 2nd double line of black spots in pairs, each pair joined and included by an oval orange patch. On each of the other segments are two other spots directly behind the first subdorsal. These are edged with orange, especially in front, and more conspicuously on the middle segments. The black spots, especially at the middle segments, have a slightly tuberculous ten- dency, and from each of them a single short minute black hair projects, barely visible to the naked eye. There is also a row of sublateral patches, white anteriorly, orange posteriorly, broadest behind and narrowing towards the front, each patch containing from 3 to 7 irregularly located and varying velvety black dots. The 1st and 2nd pair of anal legs, are wanting. The larva is consequently geometriform, and has the geometriform mode of progression. The fore legs are black with whitish orange towards the base. Anal legs orange on the outside, their color being confluent with the lateral patch —except in last pair. Anal legs somewhat projecting behind. A cluster of 5 or 6 minute hairs projects horizontally and directly above and between the anal claws. The rows of subventral black dots nearly correspond as to position with the subdorsal but want color ; from each dot hairs similar to subdorsal project.
t
The larva seems to have no fear of parasites, exposing itself freely in the centre of the upper side of a leaf in hot sunshine and in full view. It is not readily seen however, and its immunity is partially due perhaps to its resemblance to the twisted irregularly bent and withered petals of the mallow fallen after separation from the calyx, such resemblance being increased by the contorted posture assumed by the larva and the facility with which it rolls off the leaf when the plant is jarred.
The species would seem to be single brooded—the imago appearing in the latter part of June or early part of July, and shortly thereafter the fertile female ovipositing upon the mallow, the larvee attaining full size and pupating during the latter part of August or first of September.
It appears to be of rather infrequent occurance, inasmuch as many of our large local collections are without a specimen. Its rarity, aside from its single brood, is undoubtedly caused by the precarious situation of, so far is known, its solitary food plant, which exposes the insect in all stages of its existence to the destructive submergence and action of the tides.
ea a oO gS in
Prof. FERNALD is appointed Entomologist to the Agr. Experiment Station of Mass. He will hold this office in addition to his Professorship at Amherst, and will have assistants to aid in the work of the Experiment Station. Massachusetts is to be congratulated in having so worthy a person in this position.
: * x *
Mr. O. Luecer of Baltimore, now one of Prof. Riley’s assistants, has been called to the University of Minn, to take charge of the State Museum of Natural History. A better selection could not have been made, as Mr. Lugger has a wide knowledge in the general field of Natural History and in Coleoptera is a specialist.
* * *
Dr. Packarp expects to publish in June a work entitled “ Entomo- gy for beginners.” It will be illustrated, a work of from 300 to 400 pages, 12™° size. It will contain full directions for collecting and pre- serving insects, for dissecting them and making microscopical prepara- tions. Also lists of works on the general subject and special lists for each order.
It promises to be a work of very great usefulness as it must be of , necessity of very great merit.
* 3 *
Mr. C. R. Grtzette of Lansing, Mich., has been appointed Ento-
mologist to the Iowa Agr. Experiment Station.
Ey
A Note on Chanopterus, Sof. By Grorce H. Horn, M. D.
This genus was founded by Boheman (Eugenies Resa Ins. p. 98) on the heteromerous coleopter collected at the Straits of Magellan. It is about .3 inch long, brown or piceo-testaceous in color, shining. My attention was called to it, more especially, by its resemblance in form to Agialites, although larger and differently colored. Through the kind- ness of Mr. Chas. O. Waterhouse a specimen was given me from the collection of his father, in which it bore the name Chz/oniscus brevipennis, probably unpublished. ‘
In studying the species more closely, it was found that Chanopferus had comparatively little in common with “gialites. The anterior coxal cavities are widely open behind, removing it from any relationship with the Zenebriomd@e. The head being rather broad behind the eyes and the thorax without distinct lateral margin the affinities are decidedly in the direction of the A/elandryide and Pythide, to the latter more especially.
At this time it is not necessary to discuss the propriety of retaining the two cited families as distinct but I have already expressed the opinion that there is not that fundamental difference in structure which should separate families.
Chanopterus paradoxus was placed by Boheman in the Tenebrionide tribe Helopinz. As the insect was unknown in nature to Lacordaire he merely mentions it in the supplement to the fifth volume and the Munich Catalogue adds no further opinion.
From the study at present given, it seems an undoubted Pythide, as the family now stands, and while not closely related to either of the tribes proposed by Lacordaire it seems most nearly allied to Lalpingus although forming a tribe apart.
—_—~- <> + <p
Mr. J. B. Smirn’s Monograph of the Sphingide is in press and will be ready for publication at no remote date. It will be published by the Am. Ent. Soc. It will be the most exhaustive and valuable work on the
subject. * * * CrLareNcE M. WEED has, we are informed, been appointed Ento-
mologist for the State of Ohio with headquarters at Columbus, Ohio.
* * *
Mr. Hy. Epwarps is hard at work on a bibliography of the adolescent stages of Lepidoptera, and as we are informed expects to complete the same some time during the Summer.
Notes on Geometridz. No. 4. By Gro, D. Hutsr. Antepione imitata, Hy. Edw., Papilio, vol. II, p. 48.
Dr. Packard has raised in Maine, on Alder, a specimen of this in- sect, and with the intergradations taken in various parts of the country, it must be regarded as variety of A. su/phurata, Pack.
Aplodes coniferaria, Pack., Am. Nat., vol. XVIII, p. 933.
By the kindness of Dr. Packard I have the type of this species. It
is a small form of A. mimosaria, Guen. . Eugonia magnaria, Guen., Phal., I, 147.
Since publishing the note (Ento. Am., II, 49), stating that the American differs from the European species in venation, I have seen an article by Mr. P. C. S. Snellen of Rotterdam, Holland. calling attention to the fact that the American also differs from the European species, in that it has but one pair of spurs on the hind tibiz, while the European has two pair of spurs. Mr. Moeschler, speaking of this fact, does not seem to think it gives a valid basis for specific distinction, inasmuch as some of the Aczdalie vary thus in the same species. But I am inclined to think Mr. Moeschler’s opinion is hardly to be allowed. I do not know, nor have I been able by correspondence to ascertain, that any Geometer, in the same sex, has from a single batch of eggs been bred, some specimens having a different number of spurs on the hind tibiz from others. As far as I can learn, the determination of specific identity is made on the basis of the identity of the two forms in size, coloration, food plant and perhaps larval history. But, though in every other respect two insects were alike, and differed only in the number of spurs, I would not hesitate to consider them distinct species. The spur is an important structural character, and its presence or absence is marked by a very im- portant modification of the tibia in all cases where I have made examina- tion. If further observation verifies what has been stated concerning £. autumnaria and £’, magnaria, these species will have to be considered generically as well as specifically distinct.
Acidalia hepaticaria, Guen., (rudromarginata, Pack.), Phal. I, 47.
Of this species Cidaria erythrata, Hulst, Brookl. Bull., III, 42, is a variety. The variety is the deep uniform reddish form in which the lines are very indistinct or not at all evident. It seems to be the prevailing, perhaps the only form in Colorado.
Lepiodes (7Zornos) interruptaria, Grt., Can. Ent., XIV, 185.
I was quite a little suprised some time since on receiving some Geo- metride from Dr. Packard, to find that one labelled Lupithecia Behren- sata, Packard, was the same as the above insect. Dr. Packard’s name
‘ =o
has priority over Mr. Grote’s, so the species, till some further light is shed on genera, may stand Lepiodes Behrensata, Pack.
Exelis pyrolaria, Guen., Phal., I, 324.
This insect has remained unidentified in American collections since the time it was described. After a study of the description of genus and species, I am convinced the insect is none other than Lefiodes (Zornos) approximaria, Pack. The species till the hoped for light on genera comes may be known as L:vel’s pyrolarta, Guen., and may be catalogued next to Lepiodes.
Mecoceras peninsularia, Grt., Pap., III, 79.
I am unable to see how this can be separated from the common
tropical insect Wecoceras Nitocritaria, Cram. Cleora pulchraria, Minot. (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XIII, | 170, 1869.)
Dr. Packard, in the 5th Report, Peab. Acad. Sci., p. 84, tells us |
after an examination of Walker's tvpes in the British Museum that this
insect is the same as Lndropia semiclusaria, Walker, (C. B. M. Geom., p. 1506, 1862), and Asfilates canosaria, Walker, (C. B. M. Geom., p. 1675, 1862). Dr. Packard does not correct the synonomy in his Monograph but the name must be Cleora semiclusaria, Walker.
Boarmia.
The species of this genus are very difficult to determine. The typical forms are quite distinct, but the species are generally variable. I have carefully examined Mr, Grote’s species, so far as I have the types, viz :— pulmonar ia, dataria, griseayia, separatarja, obliquaria, and rufaria. Se- pa -ataria is possibly ny iene of pulmonari ta; grisegria is very Close to, yet distinct from, crepusc ularia ; obliquari za is very close indeed to guzn- guelinearta, Pack. ; rufaria is aly a color variety in my opinion of obliquaria ; datarja is scarcely distinct specifically from pampinaria. I think? notwithstanding the closeness of some of the species, it is wise to let them stand as they are, till we have more light, as it is as yet impos-
Sau to tell how permanent slight differences may be.
Eubyia quernaria, Ab. & Sm., Lep. Ga., II, 205, pl. 103.
Of this species Z.. penulataria, Grt., is at best a variety. And Syzop- sia phigaharia, Guen., although regarded by Guenée as belonging to a different genus, is undoubtedly entitled to no more than varietal stand- ing. Mr. Bolter has a specimen, which is the counterpart of Guenée’s figure, but it is only a form of £. guernaria.
What relation Z. cupidaria, Grt., has to this species I am unable to say, but I am very decidedly of the opinion that it will prove to be the . In the specimens before me, 5 oo’, 3 QQ, there is very much
variation in color, but in all the males:the black median cross line of the hind wings is very much straighter than in the females. In one male it is exactly as in the figure of cupzdarva,—that is, somewhat rounded in- wardly. The females are in their lines quite uniformly after one pattern, the males quite uniformly after the other. 2. meaxztcanaria, Grt., Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci., VIII, 51, I have very little doubt is a form of this same species. Indeed, Mr. Grote seemed in his description to be more than half convinced of this, and as well of the opinion expressed above that his cupidarza was the male of guernaria. Phigalia olivacearia, Morr., Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H., XVI, 200.
With several specimens before me having labels in Mr. Morrison's handwriting, I am quite strongly of the opinion that this species is not a synonym of s/rigafaria, Minot. The two are very easily separated and the differences seem to be constant. Odvacearia is more even and silky in vestiture and has an olivaceous shading. The hind wings are much lighter and show but one indistinct line, straighter than the corresponding line in sér¢ga/aria, and are Jess angulated at the anterior angle, and as compared with the inner margin of the fore wings the hind wings are shorter. The lines of the fore wings are less distinct, the median line is at costa nearer the basal than the outer in ofvacearia, but is nearer the outer in s/rigataria. In olvacearia the median line at costa turns out and forms an angle just below costa ; in séfr7gaéarza it is curved — In olivace- aria the outer line at costa is curved with a black tooth at Jower point ; in s/#igafaria it is nearly straight and at length angulated. In ofvacearia the outer line near inner margin is generally confluent with the median line and is loosely straight, in s/riga/arza it is rarely confluent, and just before the inner margin forms an even arc, concave outwardly. In olivac- earva the female is much smaller, and the wings are not more than half as long being not quite as long as thorax, while in s¢r¢ga/aria they reach to the second abdominal segment. /P. cimcfaria, French, is probably a synonym of P. sér7igatarva, Minot. It was described from one Q, and the description applies entirely to females of sér7ga/arta, which in colcr have quite a little variation.
Anisopteryx vernata, Peck, Mass. Mag., Oct. 1795, 323. 415.
Dr. Packard argues at some length that Harris made a mistake in describing A. pomefaria, stating that he redescribed the insect originally described by Peck. Dr. Packard gives the name au/umnata to the species that he thought undescribed. Mr. Mann, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XV, 382, and Can. Ent., VIII, 164, shows that Harris did not redescribe Peck’s vernafa. It seems to me the two species stand Azsoptervx vernat/a, Peck, and A. pomefaria, Harris, with A. autumnata, Pack., as a synonym of the latter.
Book Notices.
Revision of the Species of Lachnosterna of America North of Mexico, by GeEorGE H. Horn, M. D., Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., 1887, vol. 14, pp. 209 —296, 1 plate.
This paper by Dr. Horn is a very timely one. The species of Lach- nosterna had become hopelessly mixed in collections, and it was unsafe to rely upon determinations anywhere. The local abundance of some species—their variability in color and size, and the similarity of the species proved a fertile source of confusion. A few species are well marked, and recognizable under all circumstances—leaving these all guides were lost. Dr. Horn’s paper makes it possible to move more safely. Still withal the group is not an easy one, and requires tact as well as fair series to make identification certain. As in so many cases, the male characters afford good bases for specific distinction while the females often closely resemble each other. Dr. Horn as usual gives very good synoptic tables and in all cases sufficiently minute descriptions. In Zachnosterna as here used, Dr. Horn includes 7Zriches/es Erichs., Ancylonycha Blanch., Tostegoplera Blanch., Eugastra Lec., Endrosa Lec., and Gynnis Lec. The number of species is increased to 81, and for the benefit of those who may not have access to Dr. Horn’s paper, and as a guide to an ar- rangement of the species, we give a copy of the list of species.
LACHNOSTERNA, ope. GROUP I.
1. lanceolata Say. Kansas to Texas,
GROUP II. 2. cribrosa Lec. Texas.
ventricosa Lec. -3. eequalis Zec. Texas. 4. farcta Lec. Texass
GROUP III. 5. torta Zec, WWrexas: 6. hamata Horn. ‘Texas.
GROUP IV. 7. latifrons Zec. Fla. 8. generosa Horn. ‘Texas. g. pratermissa Horn. La. 10. prununculina Burm. Ga., Fla.
cerasina Lec. 11. glaberrima Blanch. Pa. to Fla. 12. ephilida Say. Can. to Fla., Tex. uniformis Blanch. burmeisterit Lec.
re
14.
PS:
16.
a
24.
25. 26. a7. 28,
29.
30.
30.
pes
GROUP V. longitarsus Say. Ills. to Kans., Mont., N. Mex. Srontalis Lec. ‘ clemens Horn. Fla., Tex. dispar { Lec. ‘ GROUP VI. dispar Burm. Fla. debilis Lec. GROUP VII. gracilis Burm. Can. to Tex., N.C. voluuda Lec. mana Lec.
. gibbosa Burm. Can. to Va., N. E. States to Kans.
futilis 3 Lec.
serricorms Q Lec. hirtiventris Horn. Texas. congrua Zec. Mo., Kans., Tex., La. postrema /forn. Fla,
wits 2ec)--Kans,, Col, Ind. T., Tex. . prunina Zec. Ohio and Mich. to Kans., Tex., Ala.
pruinosa || Mels. fraterna { Burm. GROUP VIII. calceata Lec. Tex. GROUP IX. crassissima Blanch, Kans. to Tex. obesa Lec. robusta Q Lec. subpruinosa Casey. Fla. errans Lec. Or., Cal., Nev. inversa Horn. Ky., Ills, Kans., Neb., Tex. bipartita Horn, Kans., La., Tex. micans Anoch. Mass. to Mo. and to Ga. and La. sorroria Q Lec. diffinis Blanch. Fla., Ky. vehemens Horn. Kans.
fusca Fra@hl. Huds. Bay to N. Ga., thence north-westerly
N. Cal. guercina Knoch, Servens Gyll. : Servida t Oliv.
var, consimilis G\ Lec.
var. anxia O Lee. brevicollis Blanch. var. puncticollis Blanch. var, drakii Avrby. race cephalica Lec. uninotata Walker. 33. politula Horm. (loc. ?) 34. barda Horn. N. Car. 35. marginalis Zec. N. Y. to Wisc. and IIIs. 36. spreta, Horn. Mad., Ia. . 37. fraterna Harr. Me. to Ia. and N. Car. var. cognata Burm. | var. forstéri Burm. ; lugubris Lec. lutescens Lec. var. semicribrata Lec. | 38. infidelis Horm. Ga., Fla. | 39. luctuosa Horn. So. Car. to Fla. and La.
40. corrosa Zec. Ills. and Tex. 41. scitula Horm. Tex. | 42. knochii Gy/7. Mass. to Ga. . 43. profunda Blanch. Tex. | 44. rugosa JZe/s. Mass. to Col., to N. Car. and Texas.
GROUP X. 45. hirsuta Knoch. Mich. to N. Car.
46. comans Burm. Ga., So. Car., Fla. sorroria % Lec. decidua Lec. rufiola 2 Lee. 47. implicita Zorn. Can. to Mo., Nebr., La. 48. balia Say. M. States to IIls. comata Burm. 49.¢villifrons Zec. Can., Pa., IIls., Ia. hirhiceps Q Lec. 50. limula Horn. H. B. Terr., Mont., Col., Utah, Ills. SI, mitida wer “Gay iPa: ; GROUP XI. 52. hirticula Anoch. Atl. region to Nebr. and Texas. hirsuta } Say. 53. deleta Horn, Ky. 54. ilicis Knoch. N. Y., to Ga. and Ills. porcina Hentz.
jfimbriafa Burm. subtonsa Lec. var. ilicis Burm.
. ciliata Zec. Wisc., Ills, Mo., Ga.
GROUP XII,
. emula Horn. Ga. . arcta Horn. Texas. _ crenulata #r@hl. Mass. to So. Car., to Kans. and Ind. Terr.
georgicana Gyll.
. albina Burm. Ind., Miss.
. vetula Horm. Ariz., N. Mex.
. tubiginosa Zec. Kans., Tex. . . parvidens Zec. Ga., Fla., (Texas ?).
GROUP XIII.
. submucida Zec. Texas.
. glabricula Zec. Kans., Texas. . fucata Horn. Ariz
. exorata Horn. Texas.
GROUP XIV.
. ignava Horn. Tex, N. Mex. . longicornis Blanch, An sp. Am. ?
GROUP XV.
. quercus Anoch. Middle States to Ga.
Servida $ Schonh.
. inepta Horn. Ohio. . affabilis Horn. Kansas. . clypeata Horn. Ga., Fila.
integra \| Lec.
. boops Horn. Ga. . ecostata Horn. Texas.
GROUP XVI.
. crinita Burm. Texas.
glabripennis Lec.
. tristis Kabr. U. S. generally.
pilosicollis Knoch. crinita { Lec.
. lenis Horn. Ariz., So. Cal.
GROUP XVII.
. heterodoxa Horn. So. Ariz.
GROUP XVIII.
. tusa Horn. Tex. . maculicollis Zec. Lower Cal. . nitidula Zec. Lower Cal.
Se REY
Finally, not as a fault, but as an unavoidable omission we call attention to the fact that dates of appearance are not given.
It is to be regretted that collectors generally do not date their cap- tures, and of course a monographer of species so widely distributed can not know when his material was collected. But just in this genus the matter is of interest. As a rule the species are not uncommon, and sometimes very abundant. Observations made by several entomologists indicate that the species relieve each other—i. e. appear successively, though a few will have a long life and overlap. I have noted that crenu- /ata appears later than fusca and hirficula and has but a short life. In one season all my captures were confined to one week. J/iczs is also short-lived in my experience, while Azr/ficu/a extends over a considerable period of time, and is abundant.
It will be a valuable addition to knowledge if collectors would note dates of first appearance, of greatest abundance, and of last capture. It is not only of interest as bearing on life history, but as an aid to identi- fication, as when dates of appearance do vary, the date of capture may indicate the probable species at once. Then too the food plants of the imago differ. Oaks are most commonly attacked, but I bave never taken crenulata anywhere but on blackberry flowers.
If our readers would preserve these data and send them to Ento. Am. for publication it would be a positive advance of our knowledge.
The collection of the Nat’) Museum contains now much more than half of the described species, and we should be glad to get series from all localities, in return for which we will identify the form sent, if desired.
Joun B. Situ. * * *
Twenty-two common Insects of Nebraska. By Conway McMILLEN, M. A. University of Nebraska, Bull. of the Agr. Experiment Station of Nebraska, Vol. 1, No. 2, Article II, pp. 1—1o1. January, 1888.
This pamphlet, of recent issue, is so far as we are aware, the first Report made by any of the recent appointees as Entomologist to the State Agricultural Experiment Stations, aided by Congressional appro- priations, and if the other gentlemen have the same idea of their office, it is to be devoutly hoped it is the last as well. The work is purely and simply a compilation principally from the Reports of the U. S. Entomo- logist, the Entomological Commission, and the Reports on the Ins. of Mo. Lintner, Packard and Thomas have all been laid under contribu- tion to produce a superficial and imperfect history of the species treated of. By far the greater number of species have been very fully treated in the U. S. Gov’t Reports and this brochure is simple a poor abstract paid for a second time out of the same pocket. The figures used in the work are
borrowed from Riley’s Reports in almost’ every instance—certainly none are original. There is no evidence that any of the Insects are now, or are likely to be injurious in Nebraska, and the matter seems to have been produced merely to fill space. For an agricultural newspaper, in answer to complaints received the articles are good—as the publications of an Experiment Station they are entirely absurd.
As stated, Mr. McMillen does not record a single original observa- tion, yet he states that all have been carefully verified, and the inference from the context is that he himself has verified them. It need only be mentioned that he records the result of the work of a number of careful and scientific observers for a long series of years to show that that is im- possible. PAylloxera alone would require more time to verify than the Experiment Stations have beén established and also would require a high grade of skill in a trained observer.
Of course, as a compilation from the best sources no criticism can be made of the matter so far as scientific accuracy is concerned. Mr. McMillen as an Entomologist is entirely unknown to us—so far as we are aware it is his first appearance; it is to be hoped his future work will be of a different class.
So far as we have been able to learn, a large proportion of the State Experiment Stations have now appointed Entomologists-—in most in- stances men who as such are absolutely unknown; who have had no Entomological training whatever, and whose knowledge is measured by what they can find in Packard’s Guide. Many of them may do excellent work nevertheless and we only hope that they will not, simply to print something, follow Mr. McMillen’s example and reprint the work of others in such shape as to suggest it is at least partially their own, to those who know nothing of the sources drawn from.
Nove By THE Epiror. The above critique is not editorial nor do we entirely agree with its
sentiment. The Hatch Bill says it shall be the duty of the Experiment
Stations ‘‘to conduct original researches or verify experiments.” But the first and the all important object of the Hatch Bill is ‘‘to aid in acquiring and diffusing among the people of the United States use- ful and practical information on subjects connected with Agriculture.” And with this in view every source of knowledge is properly made use of. Every means of destroying insect enemies must be brought to the atten- tion of the people. The government may have already paid for the knowledge, but the knowledge has never generally reached the people ; and if the Experiment Stations accomplish this end, the money used for this purpose is not by any means wasted. Of course due credit must
a
pS al a
any
always be given to the one from whom knowledge is obtained, but one can hardly think the new State Entomologists have no right for example to recommend the use of Paris Green for destroying the Potato Beetle, because another discovered that it would easily and cheaply accomplish that end, and this knowledge is therefore not the result of their original research.
Our understanding is that under the Hatch Bill Entomologists are to diffuse knowledge among the people—how to arrest and prevent insect ravages ; and in connection with this verify experiments, and make ori- ginal researches, that if possible the old may be bettered, and hew methods of protection discovered.
co * *
sh anal aa of the Entomological Society of Washington, D. C., Vol. I, No; 2:
We have received a copy of the above and are free to give it un- stinted praise. It is a report of the minutes of the meetings of the Wash- ington Society. but in this case the report is of verv great value. In con- nection with the Department of Agriculture and the National Museum, a large number of excellent specialists, some of them among the best, have been brought together. They all have scientific ability, are all trained observers, and the reports of the meetings are a history in part of their investigations and opinions. By necessity the information is of very great value and every student will read these Proceedings with delight and profit. G, “De is
a A New Species of Hyparpax. By Ep, L. Graer.
Hyparpax aurostriata, n. sp.
Shape and size of H. aurora, Abb. & Sm. Anteriors, thorax and abdomen dirty white yellow sprinkled uniformly with pink. The transverse anterior line runs parallel to outer margin to the middle of the wing, thence bifid, the inner one run- ning to anterior margin forming almost a right angle, the anterior curving sharply toward the apex. Secondaries dull yellow white; traces of the pink scales especially along the outer margin. Beneath, all the wings same color as secondaries with scales of pink densest at the margins and toward the apex.
This species I have often found in collections labeled 7. aurora and by many collectors supposed to be that speciés or a variety of it. I have received more than a dozen specimens from Texas and they are all of this form and constant. 7. aurora is a totally different species. Abbot and Smith’s figure agrees perfectly with the form found in the Atlantic States. In H. aurora the primaries are pale yellow, basal patch, costa and exterior margin bright pink.
From 11 gigi and2 QQ. Texas.
Sy a
Notes on Life History of Scopelosoma moffatiana, Gro/e. ; By R. F. PErarsatu.
Some larva of this species. were taken early in June in the Catskill region, feeding, mostly at night, on the leaves of the Witch Hazel (H/ama- melis virginica). When not feeding, during the day they lie curled up on the under side of the leaf. None were taken previous to the first moult and no change was apparent in coloration, at any subsequent moult.
Description.— Zarva.—Length full grown 1,45 in.; smooth. Head smooth, glassy semitransparent. Each segment above is chalky white, becoming translucent between the segments and- traversed through the centre with a pale lemon-yellow band. Feet and underparts dirty white.
When full grown, which is after the fourth moult, it goes down in the ground and under some convenient piece of moss, generally a mcist place, forms a small cell which is lined witha gummy secretion, spending the Summer in the larval state.
About September 1st my specimens changed to pupz which were */, inch long, ‘shining bright brown and quite active, the casing being very thin. Imagos appeared from Sept. 25th to Oct. 5th, and have been already described, presenting but little variation except in depth of color- ing. From their late appearance I am inclined to think, that they ‘hibernate in this state, laying their eggs in the Spring, presumably upon the leaves.
= Books and Pamphlets received during April 1888.
Naturz novitates, Nos. 6, 7 and 8, 1888.
Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Belgium, No. 97.
Proceedings of the California Academy of Science, Vol. II, No. 8.
Entomologisk Tidskrift, 1887, 4 parts. y
Bulletin of the Natural History Society in Vienna, Parts 3 and 4.
Psyche, No. 144.
Canadian Entomologist, Vol. XX‘ No. 4.
Journal N. Y. Microscopical Society, Vol. IV, No. 2.
Journal of Microscopy, April, 1888.
Scientific Inquirer, Vol. III, No. 28.
Prairie Farmer for April, 1888.
Notes on the species of Euerythra and Callimorpha, by Joun B. Smiru, from the Author.
OO =<
Society News. The Brooklyn Entomological Society met in Sengerbund Hall, May tst, 1888. Thirteen members present. The Special Committee appointed to confer with the Brooklyn Institute concer- ning the terms upon which the Society might become a branch of the Institute re-
ae yg, wee
ported and presented a definite written offer on the part of the Brooklyn Institute. The offer was in summary as follows :
The Brooklyn. Entomological Society shall become the Entomological Depart- ment of the Brooklyn Institute ; its regular members becoming associate members of the Institute without payment of initiation fee ; its honorary members becoming cor- responding members of the Institute ; its life members becoming life members of the Institute ; its President becoming a member of the Council of the Institute. The Brooklyn Entomological Society shall retain its present form of organization and by- laws, have its own treasurer, retain for its own us@ all its present property and funds, or any specially donated to it in the future ; have the use of the membership fees of all members of the Institute connected with its department, have from the Institute rooms, light and fuel free, have the right to continue the publication under its own name of its Journal of Entomology. This offer holds good if the Brooklyn Entomo- logical Society surrender its charter, or if it choose to retain it, but in either case no rule or by-law of the Society shall conflict with those of the Institute.
On motion action upon this communication was laid over until the next regular - meeting to be held June 5th and the Secretary was instructed to give notice of the matter to all the members.
Mr. Heinrich Ries was proposed for membership, and ananimously elected a member of the Society.
Mr. Henry Ulke of We timed was unanimously elected an honorary member.
There was a discussion of certain habits of ants, and also upon certain pee of insects exhibited, illustrating in part their life history.
Entomological Society of Washington. May 3rd, 1888, Eleven members present. Mr. C. H. T. Townsend was elected Corresponding Secretary vice Mr. O. Lugger, resigned.
An abstract of Mr. Schwarz’s paper, presented at the previous meeting, was read to open discussion.
Dr. Fox thinks the rules stated by Mr. Schwarz too strict for the spiders. They do not seem to be nearly so well limited in distribution as the Coleoptera.
Mr. Smith gaye a brief review of some parts of the Lepidopterous fauna of this district, and stated the distribution of a number of species which with the same ap- parent origin have spread further north. He decidedly agrees with Mr. Schwarz in excluding all discordant material in this district from our lists.
Dr. Marx reviewed the spiders collected by Mr. Schwarz—26 species, but one of which is sub-tropical. The others are nearly all found in the Southern States | generally. Centrurus biaculeatus, found by Mr. Schwarz, has a wide distribution, being found also in South America and in Africa.
Mr. Schwarz estimates his Coleoptera captured at 250—300 species, with few ex- ceptions truly sub-tropical. Dr. Merriam has informed him that the distribution of the sub-tropical aw7fauna agrees pertectly with his experience in the Coleoptera.
Judge Johnson and Mr. Mann also spoke briefly on the same subject. .
Mr, Smith gave the characters and affinities of Cydesza, which he finds to be a } true Arctiid closely allied to Cerathosta. He also gave some notes on the habits of 7 Lachnosterna as observed by him.
Dr. Marx showed the figure of an abnormal scorpion, and of a Zycosa in which j the middle row of eyes had disappeared. 7
Mr. Howard exhibited some plates from Mr. Scudder’s ‘‘ Butterflies of New England,” showing figures of the genitalia of some species.
Mr, Smith says there is no explanation to these plates—had some of the figures been presented to him without a statement where they belonged, he would have un- hesitatingly have referred them to the Sphingide. He knows nothing of the Butter- ; fly structure on this point, but has examined nearly every family in the Helerocera, to none of which the SpAzmgids bear so marked a similarity as they do to the forms illustrated on this plate. J. B. Smiru, Sec’y.
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AMERICANA
MOU. LM, BROOKLYN, JULY, 1888. NO. 4.
Early Stages of some North American Moths.
By Henry Epwarps.
Sphinx Elsa, Strecker.
Full grown larva.—Pale apple green, each segment with numerous minute raised tubercles, yellowish, surrounded by a red ring, giving rather a roughened appear- ance to the insect. On the 6 posterior segments is an oblique stripe of reddish brown, edged posteriorly with pale yellow. The stripes on the last 2 segments become con- fluent at the base of the caudal horn, which is unfortunately wanting in the specimen before me. Mouth parts, feet and legs, purplish brown.
Length 7o mm. Width to mm.
From an inflated specimen prepared by Mr. J. Doll.
Saturnia Galbina, Clemens.
£gg.—Deposited in an irregular mass, cream color; slightly flattened at the sides, very glossy. Before the emergence of the young larva the largest circumference of the egg becomes bright chestnut brown, the larva eating a circular hole through which to escape.
Young larva.—Black, sparsely covered with long fawn colored hairs. Head very large, glossy. (Died 2 days after emergence.)
Cocoon. —Formed of fine network, white, the outer case also of net work, but the meshes much larger and coarser. The silk of which it is composed is stout and strong. The pupa is hardly visible through the cocoon. Length 45 mm. Width 20 mm.
Pupa.— Stout, short. Head case rounded in front, the color fawn-drab, with the edges of the wing cases and the posterior margins of the abdominal segments brown. The whole surface is rugosely punctate. Spiracles and cremaster brown. Length 25 mm. Width 12 mm.
Coloradia Pandora, Blake. £gg.—Very large for the size of the imago, round, almost globular, brownish in color and mixed largely with the hairs from the abdomen of the parent. A gummy secretion is supposed to be deposited with the eggs, as they adhere very firmly to- gether.
=—=6$2=—
Clisiocampa fragilis, Stretch.
Cocoon. —The cocoon of this species is more delicate and finer in texture than any other of the genus. It is pure white, very closely spun, narrow, and is attached at the sides to two or three stems of grass or other plants which may be convenient, and being generally free from any impurities, it is quite a pretty object. I have never taken the species except upon the sides of Mt. Davidson, Nevada. I believe the larva feeds on a species of Composite, allied to Bigelovia. Length 25 mm. Width 12 mm.
Sphingicampa 4 lineata, G. & R.
Pupa. — In shape very like that of Anzsota, but comparatively a little longer. It is pitchy black throughout, the junction of the abdominal segments a little paler. The entire surface is very rough, and covered with minute raised spines. On the posterior margin of the last 5 abdominal segments is a row of raised teeth, and a similar row on the anterior margin of a// the segments. These extend entirely around the body. On the top of the first segment behind the head case are two raised shining large black tubercles. The cremaster is very long bifurcate, and extremely rough. Length, including cremaster, 54 mm. Width 16 mm.
Citheronia Mexicana, G. & R.
Pupa.-—Scarcely distinguishable trom that of C. regafis, except that it is much smoother, and the spiracles much larger in size. They are also raised considerably above the surface of the segments. The cremaster is also smooth at its tip.
Hyperchiria Pamina, Neumoegen.
LARVAL STAGES.—A/fter 3rd moult.—Ground color of the dorsal region, pitchy black. On the dorsum are 4 slightly waved cream colored stripes, extending from the base of the head to the anal segment, and of equal width throughout, The lateral region bears a broad cream colored stripe uneven on its edges and enclosing some lengthened cuneiform patches of a reddish brown shade, faintly spotted with dull orange. Each segment bears a bunch of much branched tubercular spines, jet black, those of the anterior segments the longest. The ventral region is dull brown, with broad diffused central stripe of cream color. Head black, mouth parts tawny. Prolegs black, abdominal legs dull reddish. Length 35 mm. Width 6 mm.
After gth moult.—The ground color has now become pale buff, each segment dorsally bearing 4 black waved streaks. The subdorsal region is broadly black, with a buff ovate patch on each segment. Laterally the color is now much brighter, hav- ing changed to a dull crimson shade below the spiracles. Sub-ventral region black, with red markings and a broad central stripe of dull buff. The bases of the bunches of spines are now cream color. Length 48mm. Width 8 mm.
Full grown larva.—The whole of the dorsal and subdorsal regions are now bright buff, the black stripes on the upper surface reduced to mere lines, which are slightly waved, and inclined to be confluent. In front, and at the sides of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and roth segments is a broad, triangular red patch, followed by a black line. The spiracles are cream color, and the space below them, immediately above the base of the legs is broadly black, and a red patch on the anterior and posterior edge of each segment, and many yellowish irrorations scattered over the surface. Ventral region dull yellow, with a cream colored central stripe. Head olivaceous. Legs all black, with the tips red, the anal plates also ot the latter color.
The tips of the branched spines only are black, the rest being a bright buff. Length 75mm. Width io mm.
ial S
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NOTES ON LEPIDOPTERA.
By Henry Epwarps.
Gluphisia Tearlei.
I find that I made a great mistake in placing this species under the genus Gluphisia, and I hasten to correct my error. The original speci- men was taken by my friend Osmond Tearle, at Lake Tahoe, California, and was in very poor condition, having lost its antennz, part of one fore- wing, the fore legs, and a portion of the abdomen. I saw at once how- ever, that it was a new specjes, and so described it, placing it where I then thought it belonged. The receipt of some examples in excellent condi- tion, both Gand Q, from Mr. McGlashan, of Truckee, proves to me quite conclusively that it is a Noctuid, allied to ZAyat#ra or more nearly to Bomébycia, Hibner, in which latter genus it will for the present find its place. It must therefore be known as
Bombycia Tearlei, Hy. Edw., = Gluphisia Tearlei, Hy. Edw. (in error). Calledapteryx dryopterata, Grote.
I took 6 examples of this beautiful little moth near Corona, L. IL, last August. They were all at rest on the leaves of Poison Ivy (Aus toxicodendrum) and were found within the area of a few yards, being probably all members of one brood. Their mode of sitting upon the leaf reminded me of the P/erophoride—the peculiar cut of the wing aiding the illusion. I saw two other specimens, but they escaped me by feign- ing death and dropping among the grass. The day was very warm, and the sun shone with considerable power upon the shining leaves of the Rhus.
Calothysanis amaturaria, Packard.
I caught two specimens of this pretty species near Astoria in July, sitting on leaves of Sagit/aria, in a swampy place. It is, I believe, rather rare in collections. |
Seirarctia Echo, Abb. & Sm. ’
Two very fine examples of this rare moth, ‘and Q, were taken in
April, at Cold Harbor, Florida, by Mrs. A. T. Slosson.
+»
Tue following is not inapplicable to some of the American College collections, and even some private collectors might take the hint :
Professor :—How many legs has an Insect?
Student :—Usually one or two; more rarely three or four, and in ex- ceptional cases even five.
Professor :—What an extraordinary answer! May I ask where you derived this information ?
Student:—Yes, sir: by an examination of the specimens in our university collection. —Fhegende Blatter.
Larva of a Large Species of HEPIALID, Phassus triangularis, Ay. Hdw., from Vera Cruz, Mex. By Wm. Scnaus, Jr.
Larva.—Length, 4 inches. Head large and very powerful, black, well with- drawn under the second segment, which is dark brown, very broad and hard, and has a lateral depression. Segments 3 end 4 are rather contracted and very hard in texture, the 3rd being dorsally and laterally like old ivory, and the 4th having one anterior and two posterior spots of the same character, the three spots Leing almost confluent. The rest of the body is arich velvety brown, and on each segment to the 12th 1s a large dorsal ovate spot, placed transversely and of harder consistency than the rest of the skin—these spots also being ivory-yellow. On segments five and six each are two small ivory-yellow dorsal spots posterior to the Jarzer ones. Between all the spots tlie skin has numerous transverse folds. Laterally, behind the stigma on each segment is a small round ivory spot, and below it an ivory line. Last seg- ment entirely veivety brown. The proleys are very powerful and thick, and ivory- yellow. Underneath on segments five and six are several spots of the same hard formation and color as those of the upper surface, and the abdominal legs which are very short and also ivory-yellow.
The larva bores a hole of great length (nearly 3 feet) and usually quite into the roots of the tree, so that in some instances which have come under my observation, nothing was left but the bark of the root between the larva and the earth. The outlet is generally very near the ground, and is covered over with all the matter thrown out from the gal- lery made by the larva combined with a silky substance, the two together forming a pulpy material, which hardens on exposure to the air, and be- comes tough in its nature. Before changing to a pupa the larva spins a silky lid which exactly fits the opening of the gallery, and is firmly at- tached only at one point. By raising this lid, one can see at a glance whether or not a larva or pupa is to be found, for the creature remains close to the outlet, but if once disturbed, it rapidly descends to some safer portion of the gallery, only returning when the danger has passed away. The pupa is nearly as active in its movements as the larva.
I regret that I could not discover the scientific name of the food plant, which is a low tree extremely abundant in the ‘‘ Tierra templada” of the State of Vera Cruz, and is known to the Mexicans as ‘‘ Guzanillo” or Maggot tree, owing to the frequency with which the larvee of the Hepiali are found in it. The moths emerge between 3 and 5 in the after- noon, but common as are the larve, I never took the imago on the wing, my specimens being all obtained by breeding.
8
Mr. Samuet HensHaw is now engaged, under the direction of Prof. Rirey, on the Bibliography of Economic Entomology. The task is an herculean one, and not particularly interesting though undoubtedly valuable. Mr. Henshaw has our sympathy.
A Proposed Classification of the Hemiptera. By Wicuram H. AsHMEAD.
Jacksonville, Fla.
For nearly ten years, the writer has made the Hemipiera the object of special study, and below is submitted for the consideration of those interested in these pungent insects, a proposed arrangement of the Divi- sions and Families recognized, in accordance with what is conceived to be their natural affinity and natural sequence, based on evolutionary law.
Whether or not, the arrangement be accepted, it is believed that the student will find the analytical tables useful and valuable.
It will also be observed that the Pedicudide, by some authorities classified with the mites Acaria, are included among the Heéeropiera ; although some systematists, while classifying them as hemipterous, con- sidered them to rank as a suborder under the name Parasitica.
_ This arrangement, I have not followed, for the reason they seem to me, to be too closely related, in habits and structure, to the heteropterous families Polycfenide and Cimicide, to justily their separation.
In general appearance, too, they so closely resemble—in a remark- able degree—the immature forms in the homopterous family Coccéde, that they very naturally bridge the chasm separating the Homopéera from the Heferopiera, and afford—by placing them at the head of the He/erop- tera, as has been done —the presentation of a natural consecutive sequence of all the hemipterous families
Before giving the characters for separating the divisions and families of the Hemipiera, it may be advisable to show the position and rank it is believed that this order should occupy in any natural scheme of arrange- ment of the so-called orders of insects, based on evolutionary law.
I believe that the class Zmsecfa, or those expressions of life classed by Zoologists as such—animals breathing through “-achee—is represented to-day by two groups that came into existence in two distinct ways, being evolved, the one from the Crusfacea, the other from the Vermes, which may be distinguished by the following very simple character :
Mesee stent antenpia, 5. |. s'...csestasegetekoe ec Maen Cerata m HASeetseWILHOUELanteNnned:, . ... << /iSe cee tese seit Acerata 7
The first group, or Cera/a, originated from a crustacean ancestor and is represented to-day by the JALpriapoda, Thysanura, Orthopiera, Neuroptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, and Hymenop- tera; while, the second group or Acerafa, evolved from an ancestral worm-like form, is represented by the Lizguatulina, Tardigrada, Acarina, Pedipalpi and Arachnida.
atl 4
The simple character given above—with or without antennee—will "enable any one to place at a glance any zmsec/ in its proper group. The groups Pediculina, Mallophaga and Physopoda (= Thysanoptera, Hal.), therefore belong naturally to the orders originally assigned them by Bur- meister: the former, on account of their promuscidate mouth, go with the Hemiptera; and the two last, on account of their mandibulate mouth and active pupa, go with the Or/hopiera.,
The following diagram, wil] demonstrate the relative position, that it is believed the different orders should occupy in a natural scheme, and it may be well to compare it with a similar one, in the ‘‘ Third Report of the U. S. Entomological Commission,” page 295, to see how different is our conception of a natural arrangement, from that entertained by its learned author, Dr. A. S, Packard.
INSECTS GENEALOGICAL TREE.
Hymenoptera Arachnida
Lepidoptera Diptera Pedipalpi Neuroptera Celeoprers Hemiptera Orthoptera ay: Thysanura Tardigrada Myriapoda Linguatulina [ CERATA |— —[ACERATA]|
| CRUSTACEA | VERMES |
A classification is at once demonstrated to be either good and natural, or false and artificial ; and its merits are soon recognized.
The good and natural is accepted ; the false and artificial eliminated or rejected,
It is not thought advisable, therefore, at this time, to enter into the merits or demerits of the many different classificatory schemes proposed for the arrangement of the Hemzp/era; they are familiar to all students and nothing is ever accomplished by such discussions.
The following is our proposed arrangement of the Divisions and Families :
ORDER HEMIPTERA.
Mouth promuscidate ; metamorphosis incomplete. SUBORDERS.
Wings uniformly membranous or horny......... . Suborder 1, HOMOPTERA.
Front wings basally horny, apically membranous ; hind wings membranous. Storie ie HETEROPTERA.
SUBORDER I, HOMOPTERA. TABLE OF DIVISIONS.
Bedlwissulae trom the interior parton the head ie). aca acres « 3 nee nd ele Div. 1 AUCHENORHYNCHA, A. et S.
Bedi paKentiy, icssuime Grom ;the SternUim). a2. .ia.serg fs ete) eyeto erie tere Diy. II, STERNORHYNCHA, A. et S.
Division 11 AUCHENORHYNCHA, Amyot et Serville. TABLE OF THE FAMILIES.
Front wings most frequently opaque or parchment-like; hind wings membranous. . 2 All wings most frequently membranous or horny, strongly areolated.
*Ocelli 3 on the vertex ; antennz setiform, placed between the eyes; thorax”
nermal ; fore femora thickened, toothed beneath ; males musical........ Fam. I, Cicadidee
**Ocelli most frequently 2, usually placed beneath the eyes or in hollow cavities in
in the cheeks, a 3rd ocellus sometimes on the front ; antenne always placed
beneath the eyes ; frons often produced, carinated... Fam. IJ, Fulgoride.
***Ocelli 2 on the crown ; antennz between the eyes ; thorax abnormally developed,
usually completely covering the scutellum; legs foliaceous, prismatic or
TOUUCCOME ERM has by Mert ee Mk aie cam anc sere Fam. III], Membracide.
2 Thorax normal ; ocelli 2, seldom absent; antennz setiform, placed between the eyes,
+Ocelli always placed somewhere on the vertex.. ....... Fam. IV, Cercopide.
++Ocelli always on the frons and below the superior margin.................... Fam. V, Bythoscopide.
¢+FOcclli in front of the eyes on the rounded edge of the superior margin, but never OMMPNEVERECRH 17.30 2a's cone ci ciehale 2-dese o Mee sa eRe Na See Fam. VI, Jasside.
Division II, STERNORHYNCHA, Amyot et Serville. TABLE OF 1HE FAMILIES.
SMB CLULL Cte edeys Yova, {3 laste) Sc. be aon: Sad Lapeer MORN EA CIOENINERR Gil Gio Cease ME yi arts eae Tarsi 2-jointed. Beak 3- or 4-jointed ; wings most frequently membranous. Antennze 10-jointed ; abdomen without honey tubes...... Fam. VII, Psyllide. Antennz 3- to 7-jointed ; abdomen frequently with honey tubes .. ...... Fam. VIII, Revicide Beak 2-jointed ; wings opaque, farinose ................ Fam. IX, Aleurodide. 2 Males with only 2 wings, seldom apterous; females always apterous, mite-like ; antennee 6- to I1-jointed ; and all the species reach maturity under waxy secre- tions, filamentary down or in galls...... Panes SC. Cee Fam. X, Coccide.
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aes
SuporDER II], HETEROPTERA. TABLE OF DIVISIONS. Posterior coxz acetabulate, rotating, with no femoral grooves....... ......++++- Div. Ir TROCHALOPODA, Schiddte. 7Glaws tepmimaloycns.. .. Fis eae ee .. Subdiv. I, GEODROMICA, Ashmead. SP MIAWS SUPERBGSED 6 on. fe a oes Subdiv. I, HYDRODROMICA, Ashmead. Posterior coxze hinged, provided with femoral grooves.........
Div. II, PAGIOPODA, Schidee: yAntenne always plainly visible .. ..Subdiv. 1 GYMNOCERATA, Ashmead. jie Btenhee hid dentunder cavities) ofthe beadmws ane eae ee ee Subdiv. II, CRYPTOCERATA, Ashmead.
Division I, TROCHALOPODA, Schiddte.
Subdivision I, GEODROMICA, Ashmead.
ANALYTICAL TABLE OF THE FAMILIES.
Winged : or if wingless with ocelli and always with a jointed beak ............. Z Wingless, ocelli wanting. Beak not jointed ; anterior tarsi 2-jointed Beak jointed. *Antennze short, 4-jointed, last joint fusiform ; beak 4-jointed ; anterior tarsi BRIOIMLEG LY 2t. s ures westerns eo hd «ate Meee Fam. XII, Polyctenide. ** Antenne long, last joint long, setiform ; clypeus triangular.............
Fam. XIII, Cimiciaa:
g enbusyey Nel, Seine Fam. XI, Pediculide.
Beak reposing in a groove Beak not reposing in a groove. Elytra composed of a single piece, the membrane not being separated...... ..... Fam. XIV, Ceratocampide. Elytra composed of corium, clavus, embolium, cuneus and membrane, se!dom wanting ; clypeus elongated ; beak 3- or 4-jointed, tarsi 2- or 3-jointed...... Fam. XV, Anthocoride. Fore legs raptorial ; or then body surrounded with foliaceous plates............ 4 Fore legs not raptorial ; tarsi 2-jointed. yElytra with reticulated nervures ; third antennal joint normal ; body very flat. . Fam. XVI, Aradide. +yElytra strongly areolated, frequently vitreous ; third antennal joint abnormally lengthened; thorax strongly vesiculose or carinate..Fam. XVII, Tingitide. Body often high, most frequently angulate ; elytra with remose nervures ; terminal antennal joint longest and thickest, fusiform..... Fam. XVIII, Phymatide. Body very flat, surrounded by foliaceous plates or scales; scutellum reaching nearly to the top of the abdomen....... ..Fam. XIX, Phleide. Body most frequently elongated, elongate et or linear ; erie small triangu- lar or wanting ; while the antennz excepting in the family Avfzde, are plainly visible: throurhout. their entire lemotin) pracy irerenteeete nants oes) el eee 5 Body usually rounded, oval, or oblong oval, convex or ‘highly convex ; the scutel- lum always large, frequently covering the entire abdomen ; while the basal joint of the antennz is more or less hidden by lateral projections of the head. *Scutellum usually short, flat, triangular, seldom lengthened, sometimes with a rounded tip. Mibie strongly spined, oridilatede.. ere er ee Fam. XX, Cydnide. **Scutellum large, convex, quite or nearly covering the whole abdomen.
bd 4 Gp Uibicespmous s taysls-jOintedss 40% de0s 2.00. Fam. XXI, Corimalenide. Tibi not spinous. Elytra folded; tarsi 2-jomted':...-....--...- Fam. XXII, Arthropteride. Elytra straight; tarsi 3-jointed........ tntinds Fam. XXIII, Scutelleride.
***Scutellum flattened, attenuated, usually rounded at tip, or long triangular, but not nearly covering the whole abdomen.
Tibize not spined ; tarsi 2- or 3-jointed ........ Fam. XXIV, Pentatomide.
5 Beak curved at base ; head cylindrical ; prothorax with a transverse suture..... 7 Beak not curved at base ; head not cylindrical.
EMteanee dase hLedcOnra dime, Del OWstherCYy.esiaeisarslare laa elie pve letole cers clelote (otetele eile |otets 6
Antenne inserted on a line before the eyes. Membrane always with more than five nervures, often numerous. *Legs not especially slender, most frequently thickened, spined or foliaceous ;
POET St VAR LOUIS epee 9 ce hare cae rolithcta, 9, 3/4 iso's) sponse perthehels Fam. XXV, Coreide. **Legs long and slender, femora clavate............. Fam. XXVI, Berytide.
6 Membrane with not more than five nervures. MMIC) CC IMInemay seen eyes ish sich a sicl cciticsharexs ordre sesterahe eal Fam. XXVII, Lygzide. WiUINOMIOCEl IC ease nyse he fice re yaren Kase! pate bets Fam. XXVIII, Pyrrhocoride. Membrane with one or two cells ; no ocelli............. Fam. XXIX, Capside.
7 Head separated from the prothorax. ’ tAnterior legs not raptoria#; fore coxz not greatly lengthened.
Beak usually long, slender, 4-jointed...............- Fam. XXX, Nabide. Beak usually short, stout, 3-jointed............. Fam. XXXI, Reduviide. ttAnterior legs raptorial; fore coxz greatly lengthened .......... .....
Fam. XXXII, Emeside. Head not separated from the prothorax. Abdomen ending in long, respiratory caudal sete; antennz very small, 3- OMMERG God Ae hee gaa e an ERAS WOO paid ening n Fam. XXXIIJ, Nepide. Subdivision Il, HYDRODROMICA, Ashmead.
Head inserted in prothorax.
Head abnormally lengthened ............... Fam. XXXIV, Hydrometride. Head not greatly lengthened.
*OQccllikana scutellimypresentvqeasaeeera: cosets Fam. XXXV, Gerridz. Pan OCENAMGySGUECITONs Wallin Otgen sts agree os tele) fale Fam. XXXVI, Velliide.
Division Il, PAGIOPODA, Schiodte. Subdivision I, GYMNOCERATA, Ashmead.
UU RRAR ARE ALEC eerie orca win chaicges Sy ein tetera hare ce telel Fam. XXXVII, Saldide. Subdivision II, CRYPTOCERATA, Ashmead.
BOmiye oat SMA ed si SUPINALS., «).,./. sis), .vcrt ies etiekelsi ier petiskerele eet sletahetinle clctevetoi reread ae 2 Body depressed, prone. Legs not natatorial ; ocelli present. TV SoeMeEGUMGUALGs). ..:5 ssicc.c ui, cincldele seats le Fam. XXXVIII, Galgulide. Legs natatorial ; ocelli wanting. Scutellum large.
Abdomen without strap-like caudal sete..... Fam. XXXIX, Naucoride.
Abdomen with strap-like caudal sete .......... Fam. XL, Belostomide. Scutellum invisible or minute,
EiGash OVCEIAUS PrOUlOFax. ... .. sc nis we eee mallee aie Fam. XLI, Corisidz.
2 Head inserted in prothorax ;
legs natatorial......... Fam, XLII, Notonectide.
a Ona :
The Faunal Limits of the United States. By (Gro, Dr aursr
As the result of the collections and observations of Mr. E. A. Schwarz in Southern Florida last year, there has been, if we judge from the reports of their meetings, considerable discussion among our Washington Ento- mologists on the above subject. The opinion seems to have almost un- animously prevailed that the Fauna of Southern Florida ought to be cre- dited to the West Indies, rather than the United States.
There is little probability however that this course will ever be carried out in the making up of our Faunal Lists. 1st, from a sort of patriotism people regard their country as a unit and cherish all that is of their own country ; and as a consequence, nothwithstanding the vast reach of our country, very few Americans there are, who are, even in the sense of tak- ing the great divisions of the country, local collectors. ‘Southern Florida will have its place as American in our collections and must go in our lists. 2nd, Faunal boundaries are so artificial and irregular that natural limitations ought to be taken even though they do not wholly correspond with the facts of the case. Thus the White Mountains of New Hamp- shire and the high Rockies and Sierras ought to have their insects credited to our Fauna and so put in our lists, though they are essentially Arctic. And thus in the future as in the past, the Florida Straits will probably re- main to be the Southern boundary line of our Fauna. 3rd, It may be questioned whether Southern Florida is essentially tropical. It may be a fact that the majority of the species are connected with the Tropics, but it may be properly inquired, is this comparatively the truth. It is possible that it may have half the species found in New England, and while a majority of its species are found in the West Indies it may not have per- haps one quarter of those found in Cuba. It thus may be comparatively more like New England than the West Indies. 4th, Southern Florida is essentially situated much as Mt. Washington is in New Hampshire, that is it is cut off from its faunal connections. It is. by the Everglades al- most entirely separated from the country which otherwise would probably give it the majority of its species, and it may not be unfair to locate it with the accident of real separation taken into account. The Everglades
probably form a greater barrier than the Straits. 5th, If Southern Florida is thrown out of our Faunal Lists, so must we throw out South Western Texas, Southern New Mexico, Arizona, and California. And on the other hand a long reach of the Mountain Region of Mexico must be taken in with our Fauna. It seems that though the line of National Boundaries in this case is not the line which would be selected by Naturalists as the true boundary line of our Fauna, it comes pretty near the truth; if Naturalists were to map out the line perhaps no two would agree as to where the faunal line should be drawn. And it probably would have to resolve itself into a case of ‘‘letting well enough alone.”
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Lyczna Sonorensis, Feld.
By W. G. Wrieut,
San Bernardino, Cal.
This most exquisite of all North American diurnals has for its habitat the Pacific Coast from latitude 37° to 27° and possibly to 25° North, a range of 600 or 700 miles, the Southern limit not being yet determined. From the coast line it penetrates into the interior probably less than 100 miles, 60 miles being its limit of actual observation at present. While it is thus somewhat widely spread in comparison with some coast butterflies, it is always extremely rare and difficult to get. In ordinary years three or four examples are a fair catch. Only twice, during several years of active work, have I seen this insect flying in anything like numbers. The first time was in February, 1883, near Todos Santos Bay in Lower California, when I found it, as I thought breeding, and flying in plentiful numbers, but so old and worn that they were worth- less. The second time was this past Spring of 1888, 30 miles from this place, and ovipositing on Cofyledon laxa. By most persistent and labor- ous work I succeeded in getting a fine case full of the insects, and in securing eggs and larvee sufficient to establish all the stages, for publica- tion. Nearly the whole of my material was obtained from a little bit of land two or three yards wide and twenty yards long. Itis a little secluded
_ pocket in the mountains, and so hidden and inconspicuous that I first
passed by it on one side, seeing none flying, when really there must have been half a dozen flying within fifteen yards of me; but on returning, my chance let me across the pocket, and all at once I saw them in numbers. You may believe that a lively time followed. I got about a dozen that first day. But before I had caught half a dozen I had observed the queer flight of the females, close to the ground, or along the face of a damp - rock, evidently plant-hunting. Presently one alighted on the thick suc- culent leaf of a Codyledon, left an egg, and flew away. Catching her as she flew, I dropped upon that plant, and found the egg. Then I had the whole secret, and, having the secret, it was but a matter of time, patience and work, to get the rest.
I account it of more use and value to get the plant and the prepar- atory stages established than to get many butterflies, for while any one can catch a butterfly, not many can or will work it up. So, in this case, I tramped many a mile, and waded an icy stream more than five hundred times, to get a few little eggs and caterpillars that altogether weigh but a
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few grains, But it is done, and it will stand as long as books are printed.
Cotyledon was once considered a Sedum, but was separated because of material and technical variations. The leaves, which are the part eaten by the larvze, are thick and juicy with an insipid watery juice, and so soft that they may be mashed in the fingers into pulp that drips with water. The ‘‘house-leek” of the Eastern States is an approximate and familiar plant, in size and manner of growth, but the Cof#/edon leaves are fewer, larger, thicker and more juicy. The larvz eat into the leaf, and burrow about under its skin, remaining hidden most of the time; but an aperture is always open, and through it the ants follow the larva, per- sistently petting it, and living off its juices. Some of the larve that I have bred have been attended all through their captivity by some ants which would not leave them. Doubtless these ants have subsisted en- tirely upon the nutriment afforded by the larvae. Whether the larvez are pleased or vexed by the ants I cannot determine. At any rate they show no positive sign of either, while on the other hand, the larvae of Z Amyn- tula, which feed entirely hidden and shut in, shrink in dislike or fear from the touch of ants, and the ants never caress them to beg for food.
It is a great pity that this lovely Zycena should be obliged to carry the handicapping of such a misnomer of a name as Sonorensis. I doubt if it ever flies in Sonora at all. I know the best collectors who of late years have worked there, and none of them have ever seen it there. In the early days of this coast, in the sixties, the collecting of plants and animals and the labelling of them were very carelessly and joosely done. Even a collector like Fremont was often grossly lax in his names and localities; and especially in Botany this laxity has caused immense vexa- tion and worry. So it must have been in the case of this Lycena, cre- dited to Sonora doubtless through carelessness or error. Or it may have been collected from some little ranch or Mexican settlement called Sonora in what is now the State of California. Several such ‘‘Sonoras” still exist.
But it cannot now be helped. We may at any rate console our- selves with the knowledge that this butterfly is rare and beautiful enough to be able to stand up under its dead-weight, careless of the misnomer ; that its silvery luster and carmine cheeks are so gem-like and delicious that it will always be sought after, so that after all the name is of little moment, for the insect itself is so incomparable and matchless that it shall live to fly and reign—a gueen—forever.
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Note on the Genus Platythyris. By A. R. Grote, A. M.
In. an article, Ento. Am., Vol. IV, p. 27, speaking of the above genus, Mr. J. B. Smith, the author, says, that this genus contradicts nearly every family character of the Zhyride, to which Grote and Robin- son referred it. Boisduval, I believe, figured a species of this genus as Thyrts vitrina. Dr. Clemens described the genus as belonging to the Toriricide. Since we figured the more common species I have stated in print several times that the genus possibly belongs to the Aectumde and I found allied Asiatic forms in the British Museum (as far as I recollect Felder figures one), recorded under the generic title Varna. Consult our paper in Trans. Am. Ento. Society upon Mr. Walker’s types. Dr. Clemens describes the singular larva of Platythyris (Dysodea is, I believe, preoccupied), and his description (Proc. Acad. N.S. Phil., 1860, p. 350) says that the larva is quite as peculiar as the perfect insect. The larva has a disagreeable odor and makes a cone on Lupatorium ageratoides. This accords with 7Ayrzs larva in a very striking manner, as cited by Mr. Smith in the article referred to above. We made a tribal or subfamily division of the Zhyride on account of the contradictory characters, viz : Platythyrini or Platythyrine according as we rank the division. In my opinion (I have no specimens at the mument) the moth may remain as we placed it, until its full characters be compared with the Noctuwde. It is not a Zor/vix, as Clemens described it. In a letter to me Dr. Clemens stated that he could not remember his grounds for putting the moth in the Zortricide. He recognized the moth from our figure in. the Annals of the N. Y. Lyceum and wrote that, with our different estimate of its structure, we were pardonable in not recognizing his description of it previously under the Zoréricede. 1 judged from his letter, that he was satisfied he was wrong in his classificauion of the moth, and that the in- sect belonged, if not to the Zhyride, at least to the Macrolepidoptera.
* We afterwards made the synonymical reference and, on account of Dy- sodea being used, retained for our P. fasciata the name Platythyrts ocu- Jatana, Clem. Staudinger credits Boisduval’s species, described from Spain, to North America. I think this is surmise, perhaps an erroneous surmise. There is no reason why Plady/hyris should not be found in Southern Europe. As far as I recollect, Boisduval’s figure dues not cor- respond with our North American Plafythyris oculatana, In any event we have to do with a singular form but there is no reason, I think, for separating it as a family. It agrees well enough as a subfamily of the
- Thyride, until we have more information, to which family we were the more disposed to refer it since Boisduval preceded us.
The description of the larva of Platythyris by Clemens reveals un- expected resemblances to Zhyr7s, both in form, quality and habit. When the immature stages present so many points of agreement it is incorrect to say that the genus contradicts nearly every family character. The points wherein the moth contradicts Zhyris have been comparatively given by us. We lay stress upon the thoracic and antennal characters as being very different from Zhyris—so much so that we consider it to be- long to a distinet tribe. Mr. Smith uses the characters we give. He emphasizes the fact that we do not describe the venation. Of our type we could not well denude the wings, but Dr. Clemens describes the venation fully (I. ¢. p. 349 seq.) and it would seem that putting what Dr. Clemens says and what we say, originally and subsequently, a pretty full statement could be compiled as to the structure of Platythyris. Joined to this we figure the moth, from both sides, and Boisduval, as Say, very probably figures a second species of Plathythyris asa Thyris. Subsequent descriptions of North American Platy/hyrine are also extant; the species except ocudatuna (=fascia/a) are unknown to me in nature.
SES ee eS) ea Collecting Notes. by Cuas. LreBEck.
I have noticed, while looking over my last volume of Ento. Am. lately, an article by Mr. A. M. Weeks entitled ‘‘ Capturing Caradus ser- ratus.” In this locality as well as in the neighborhood of New York City, it is infrequentiy met with, an occasional specimen during hibernat- ing season, and must be collected methodically. The idea of collecting them by sugaring is a very good one, but we have never tried it. Our method of collecting them will be explained by the following account of one of our trips. On the roth of April Mr. Wenzel and myself made a trip to Franklinville, situated on the outskirts of the upper end of Phila- delphia, on the banks of the Wingohocking Creek. At the point of our operations the creek runs between two lines of hills with moderately slop- ing sides. Here we commenced our search by scraping among the loose earth, dead leaves, and general debris left over from the fall season. From about half way up, to the top of the hills, after a diligent search, we found about 16 specimens of Cychrus sfenostomus and a number of species of Pterostichus. While near the waters edge at the foot we found about 25 specimens of Carabus serratus, a like number of “méafus and the common wnclus. C. sylvosus, the only other species of Caradus found in this vicinity, has also been taken here in the same way, but not on this occasion. We also found besides the above species Olisthopus parmatus, Atranus pubescens, Platynus octopunctatus, Dicelus ovalis, and numbers of species of the commoner Carabidee.
Food - Plants of Lepidoptera.
By Wm. BrEuTenMULLER.
[No. 8.] APATELA AMERICANA, Harr.
Tillacez. Tilia Americana, L. (Bassweod.) | Tilia alba, Michx. (White Linden.) Tilia Europez, L. (European Linden.) |
Sapindacez. Acer pseude-platanus, L. (Mock Plane Acer rubrum, L. (Red Maple.) rec.) Aisculus hippocastania, L. (Common
Acer dasycarpum, Chr. (Silver Maple.) | Horse Chestnut.)
Rosacez. Prunus serotina, Ehr. (Wild Black Amelanchier canadensis, Torr. & Gray.
Cherry. ) (Service-berry.) Prunus virginiana, L. (Choke Cherry.) Ericacez. Vaccinium corymbosum, L, (Common Vaccinium pennsylvanicum, L. (Dwarf Blueberry.) Blueberry. ) Urticacez. Ulmus americana, L. (Am. Elm.) Ulmus campestris, L. (English Elm.) Ulmus fulva, Michx. (Slippery Elm.) Juglandacez.
Carya alba, Nutt. (Shell-bark Hickory.) Carya amara, Nutt. (Bitter-nut.) Carya tomentosa, Nutt. (Mocker-nut. ) Carya porcina, Nutt. (Pig-nut Hickory.) Cupulifere.
Quercus alba, L. (White Oak.) Quercus palustris, Du Roi. (Pin Oak.) Quercus macrocarpa, Michx. (Bur Oak.) Castania vesca, L. (Chestnut.)
Quercus rubra, L. (Red Oak.) Quercus coccinea, Wang. (Scarlet Oak.) Quercus tinctoria, Bart. (Black Oak.)
Favus ferruginea, Ait. (Beech.) Favus sylvatica, L. (European Beech.) Carpinus americana, Walt. (Hornbeam.)
Betulacee. Betula alba, L. (White Birch.) Betula v. populifolia, Spach. (American White Birch.) [No. 9.]
EMPRETIA STIMULEA, Clem.
Anacardiacee. Rhus glabra, L. (Sumac.)
Rosacee.
Prunus serotina, Ehr. (Wild Bl’k Cherry) | Pyrus coronaria, L. (Crab-apple.) Prunus virginiana, L. (Choke Cherry.) | Pyrus malus, L. (Apple.)
Rubus villosus, Ait. (Blackberry.) Cratzegus coccinea, L. (Thorn.) Rosa carolina, L. (Swamp Rose.) Amelanchier canadensis, L. (June- Rosa blanda, Ait. (Wild Rose.) berry.)
Hamamelacee. i Liquidambar styraciflua, L. (Sweet-gum.) i a Cornacee. 4 Cornus florida, L. (Dogwood.) Cornus stolonifera, Michx. (Osier Dog- — wood.) Caprifoliacez.
Viburnum dentatum, L. (Arrow-wood.) | Viburnum lentago, L. (Sheep-berry.}
Composite.
Aster corymbosus, Ait.
Vacciniacee. Vaccinium corymbosum, L. (Huckle- Vaccinium pennsylvanicum, L, (Huckle- berry.) berry.) Myricacez.
Myrica cerifera, L. (Bayberry.)
Cupulifere. Betula alba, L. (Birch.) Quercus palustris, Du Roi. (Pin Oak.) Corylus americana, Walt. (Hazel.) | Quercus prinus, L. (Chestnut Oak.) Corylus rostrata, Ait. (Europ. Hazel.) Quercus rubra, L. (Red Oak.)
(Quercus coccinea, Wany. (Scarlet Oak.) Castania vulgaris, v, Americana, Michx.
Quercus alba, L. (White Onk.) Quercus tinctoria, Bart. (Black Oak.) Quercus macrocarpa, Michx. (Bur Oak.) (Chestnut-)
[No. 10.] HALESIDOTA TESSELLATA, A. &S. Tiliacee. Tilia americana, L. (Basswood.) Tilia alba. (White Basswood.) Tilia Europe, L. (European Linden.) | Leguminose. Robinia hispida, L. (Rose Acacia.) Robinia pseudacacia, L. (Common Robinia viscosa, Vent. (Clammy Locust) Locust. ) | Hamamelacee.
Hamammelis Virginiana, L. (Witch Hazel.) Sapindacee.
Acer rubrum, L. (Red Maple.) Negundo aceroides, Moench. (Box-
Acer dasycarpum, Ehr. (Silver Maple.) Acer p-eudo-platanus, L. (Mock Plane
Tree.) wood.) Rosacee. Amelanchier canadensis, L. (June-berry.) Ericacez. Vaccinium corymbosum, L. (Huckle- Vaccinium pennsylvanicum, Lam. berry.) (Huckleberry.) | Urticacee. , Ulmus americana, L. (Am. Elm.) | Ulmus fulva, Michx. (Slippery Elm.)
Platanacee.
Platanus oce:déntalis, L. (Sycamore.)
Juglandacee.
Carya alba, L. (Shell-bark Hickory.)
Juglans cinerea, L. (Butternut.) Carya microcarpa, Nutt. (Small Fruited
Juglans nigra, L. (Black Walnut.)
Hickory.) Cupulifere. Betula alba, L. (White Birch.) | Quercus coccinea, Wang. (Scarlet Oak.) Carpinus Americana, Michx. (Horn- Quercus macrocarpa, Michx. (Bur Oak. ) beam.) Quercus palustris, Du Roi. (Pin Oak.)
Corylus rostrata, Ait. ( Hazel.) Fagus ferruginea, Ait. (Beech.)
Corylus Americana, Walt. (Hazel.) Quercus tinctoria, Bart. (Black Oak.) Quercus alba, L. (White Oak.)
[Nos ra PYROPHILA PYRAMIDOIDES, Guen.
Vitacez.
Vitis cordifolia, Michx. (Winter Grape.) Vitis labrusca, L. Northern Fox Grape.)
Leguminose.
Cercis canadensis, L. (Judas Tree.)
Rosacee.
Rubus villosus, Ait. (Blackberry.) Pyrus malus, L. (Apple.) Pyrus communis. (Pear.)
Prunus virginiana, L. (Choke Cherry.) Prunus serotina, Ehr. (Wild Black Cherry.)
Hamamelacee.
Liquidambar styraciflua, L. (Sweet Gum.)
Caprifoliacez.
Viburnum dentatum, L. (Arrow-wood.)
Juglandacez. Carya alba, L. (Shell-bark Hickory.) Carya sulcata, Willd. Carya amara, Nutt. (Bitter-nut.) Cupulifere.
Quercus alba, L. (White Oak.) Quercus macrocarpa, Michx. (Bur Oak.) Quercus palustris, Du Roi. (Pin Oak.)
Quercus rubra, L. (Red Oak.) Quercus coccinea, Wang. (Scarlet Oak.) Quercus tinctoria, Bart. (Black Oak.)
Salicacee.
Populus balsamifera, L. (Balsam i Populus grandidentata, Michx. (Large- Poplar.) toothed Aspen.)
Populus dilatata, L. (Lombardy Poplar.) Populus tremuloides, Michx. (American
Populus monilifera, Ait. (Cotton-wood.) Aspen.)
ALLEGHENY, Pa., May 31st, 1888. Epitor ENToMOLOGICA AMERICANA,
Dear S1r:—Permit me to make a few remarks on a paper in the April number of Ento. Am., ‘‘Thoroughness in Entomological Tables,” which I read with some amazement. The writer, as I interpred it, ex- hibits the Classification of the Coleoptera of North America, the various tables of genera, synopses, &c., as examples of synthetic work, not very perfect however; and classes their several authors as ‘‘Synthesists with a philanthropic desire,” etc.
A greater misconception can scarcely be imagined and how it oc- cured is outside of my apprehension, but there it is in printers’ ink.
The state of Coleopterological Science in this or any other country, as is well known, ‘does not permit more than the feeblest attempts at syn- thetic work ; Dr. Leconte tried a single genus—JVeéria, Lec., U. S. Geol. Surv. Bul. 4, No. 2, p. 473.
In Europe, the learned Dr. D. Sharp, after giving.an exhaustive .
analysis of the Dytscide of the world, tried his hand at a synthetic ex- hibition. Any one desirous of seeing Analysis and Synthesis in one view would do well to consult this scholarly memoir.
Again, the author has trouble with a hypothetical Badis/er which he can not trace to the proper genus by the tables in the Classification, page 21, without resorting to a lengthy empirical process. How he expected to gain the desired end from what he declares a synthetic composition by an analytical method is not very evident, but he states the scheme would work well enough, if the tables were ‘‘longer and more complex” and if every thing else was right. In school pupils are reprimanded for offering a criticism without the proper correction. Were the author to present a sample of some coleopterological work as he conceives it should be done for comparison with that done by others, the value of the two systems or plans could be better estimated. If, as he says, ‘‘the present method of tabular statements of genera and species inflicts such great incon- venience and loss of time upon our students,” and the author knows of a better as he intimates, by giving Science the benefit of his discovery all would cordially recognize in him a benefactor, and especially the writer. A single genus would do as a sample, as Brachynus; or a small family might be exhibited, say the He/eroceride or the Crorde, all of which are as yet virgin soil as it were—unoccupied territory. The above is not written in the spirit of captious criticism but as a candid expression of the opinion of the writer on the points treated of.
Yours &c., Joun HamirrTon.
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Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The Annual meeting of the above Association will be held in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, August, 1888.
The entomological section will hold its first meeting in the High School Building, 9 A. M., August 15th.
It is very much desired that the meeting of the section be as suc- cessful as possible. And we therefore urge not only the attendance of Entomologists but as well specific preparation against the meetings that there may bea presentation of papers and a taking part in discussion which will make the meetings a profit and an inspiration. Dr. A. J. Cook of Agricultural College, Mich. is the Secretary of the section and we are earnestly requested by him to ask entomologists to send to him as soon as possible the subjects of intended papers and before the meeting, as well abstracts of the same
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The American Museum of Natural History at Central Park, New York, has secured the services of Mr. William Beutenmiiller as Curator of the Entomological Department. Mr. Beutenmiller has for several years made a general study of Entomology and more lately has made a specialty of the Tineidae The Central Park collection which formerly contained many types of Grote and Robinson as well as those of Robin- son's Tortricide has been almost totally destroyed by Az/hrenus—and what is left is practically valueless. The officials have taken now the right step for a collection, in securing for what is obtained in the future, the care of a very promising and active Entomologist.
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Book Notices.
We have received Bulletin No. 2 of the Experiment Station of Florida.
In this Mr. Wm. H. Ashmead of Jacksonville who has been ap- pointed Entomologist publishes notes on various insect pests.
We wish however to call attention to the fact that in this report he describes two new species of Diptera, Aphidius flavicoxa and Pachyneuron maidaphidis.
We have no objection whatever that descriptions of new species should be given in these bulletins and corresponding publications and reports. But we do claim that thereby the author is doing work which will entail no end of trouble and vexation on posterity. We have now or soon will have some 40 or more Experiment Stations tach under law publishing a Bulletin at least every three months. If original descriptions made in these are to be recognized, one can see what a library—almost entirely waste paper to him—the Entomologist must have, if, indeed, he can obtain these reports. It is an easy matter for every describer of new species to have the species as well published in some regular Entomo- logical journal and in the interest of future Scientists we beg that this may always be done.
This is said only as the report before us gives us the occasion. Some of our best Entomologists not recognizing the evil have described in State or United States Bulletins and Reports only, and so have unwittingly
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set a very bad example. We hope such of our Entomologists as may indulge in species building hereafter will see that their descriptions are published where students have a right to look for them and can without waste of time and labor find them.
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Society News.
The Brooklyn Entomological Society met June 5th. 17 members present.
The Treasurer reported all bills paid—cash in hand $26.48, and outstanding credits of nearly $100.
The special order of the evening—the question of uniting with the Brooklyn In- stitute and becoming its entomological section—was taken up and it was unanimously resolved that the Brooklyn Entomological Society accept the invitation of the Brook- lyn Institute to unite with it upon the terms offered, with the understanding it would be on the basis that the Brooklyn Entomological Society will not surrender it cor- porate existence. A committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Graet, Roberts, Pearsall and Hulst, to meet with the authorities of the Brooklyn Institute and make final arrangements for the completion of the proposed co-operative union.
A paper by Dr. John Hamilton of Allegheny, Penn.. was read on the subject ** Thoroughness in Entomological Tables”’* being a brief review of an article in Ento. Am. by Lieut. Casey on the same subject.. The paper elicited considerable discussion.
A paper by Mr. W. G. Wright of San Bernardino, Cal.,** giving a very interest- account of the life history of tht most elegant of American butterflies—Lycena sonor- ensis—was also read. The meeting closed with exhibition and identification of specimens.
Ento. Soc. Washington, June 7th, 1888. | Nine members present. Prof. Riley read some notes on Pronuéba and Yucca pollination, in refutation of Mr. Hulst’s conclusion in Ento. Am., vol. II, p. 184. He explained why, in his opinion pollination by bees is almost impossible, and gave in some detail the results of experiments in artificial pollination. Finally he is more than ever confirmed in his published views on this subject. Some discussion on this paper was had between Prof. Riley, Messrs. Schwarz, Howard and Smith, largely in relerence to habits of bees.
Prof. Riley exhibited some new and interesting Micro-Lepidoptera, among them types of a new genus which he will describe as Wa/singhamia and of a new S?methis which he will describe as S. fermaldi. He also made some remarks on the Hessian- fly showing that all references to the occurence of the species prior to the Revolution said to be found in the minutes of the Philosophical Soc. were based on an error, and Dr. Hagen’s arguments based on this point, fail.
Mr. Howard showed drawings of a new and remarkable Chadécid from California which he proposes to call Azleya splendens. The genus is compared with Ceraptero- cerus, Westwood, differing as follows: Face not elbowed in the middle so as to give a triangular profile to the head, but is gently rounded and has a strong glistening transverse clean-cut ridge just above the insertion of the antennze, which are stouter, and with a more concave scape than with Cerapterocerus. The mesoscutellum has a strong tuft of erect black hairs as in Chz/oneurws, but which is lacking in Ceraptero- cerus. The stigmal vein is given off immediately at the juncture of the submarginal with the costa, and is a trifle longer than the postmarginal. The submarginal is 31/, times as long as the stigmal. The postmarginal, the distal third of the submarginal, and the wing disc just below this last, heavily clothed with short, stout bristles. The body is highly polished and the wings are not hyaline. The metanotal spiracles are large, long-oval and oblique, and the abdominal spiracles are very prominently tufted. Ovipositor protruded only in specimens killed*in the act of oviposition.
Messrs. Howard, Riley and Schwarz discussed the methods of oviposition in some Parasites, and the uses of the often strangely modified antennze of the ©.
Mr. Schwarz read a list of Termetophitus Coleoptera found in the U.S. with notes on the species. The probable habits of the species and connection with their hosts was discussed by Messrs. Schwarz, Howard and Riley.
Joun B. SmituH, Rec. Secretary.
* Published in the present number, p. 78. ** Published in the present number, pp. 71 and 72.
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Cr AMERIGANA
VOL. IV. BROOKLYN, AUGUST, 1888. NO. 5.
Preliminary Survey of the CICAD/EA of the United States, Antilles, and Mexico.
Jone Jes) Ike, WWhenesaye
(Continued from page 23, Vol. IV.)
3. P. minor, new sp.
Form nearly that of P. putnamz ; color a bronze black, more highly polished upon the tergum than elsewhere ; the surface, excepting the tergum and notum in- vested with long gray, or yellowish hairs and with white hairs around the meso- thoracic cross. Head and thorax minutely rough and wrinkled, overspread with minute appressed bronze thread-scales. Vertex transversely scooped out anteriorly, and broadly sinuated between the eyes and posterior margin; middle of the base longitudinally excavated, and having a nearly complete impressed line each side ; an- tennz stout, black, the basal joint tipped with yellow, the apical joint testaceous, supra-antennal plate orange yellow ; front having the sulcus distiact from the base to below the middle, and thence expanding and becoming effaced, with the margins distinctly carinated, and the transverse grooves distinct ; face and epistoma with long blackish and white hairs; outer margin of the cheeks and a faint dot at the base of vertex in the groove yellow. Pronotum sub-quadrangular, wrinkled, the middle line obsoletely impressed anteriorly, convex and polished posteriorly ; the lateral margins moderately curved, sinuated before the humeral angles, which latter are blunt tri- angular and turned up, posterior margin feebly concave with the edge yellow ; pleural pieces, flaps and acetabule margined more or less broadly with yellow ; the whole underside bronze-black, minutely scabrous, densely coated with silvery scales and long white hairs. Legs flavo-piceous, clothed with long remote white hairs and bristles, the coxee, knees, and tarsi dark piceous. Wing-covers hyaline, somewhat tinged with fulvous at base, the nervures of the apical cells, as well as the one form- ing the inner margin, piceous black, the radial nervure paler piceous ; posterior limbs of the mesothoracic cross and surface each side thereof white ; membrane of base of wings and basal portion of nervures white.
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Length to tip of anal prolongation 16—17 mm.; to tip of closed wings 22--23 mm.; width of base of pronotum 53/,—6 mm.
Only. males of this neat little species have been brought to my notice. The cell opened by the separation of the postcostal ulnar nervure from the postcostal one is longer in this than in the other species. Three spe- cimens examined {rom Southern California.
Mr. Morrison secured for me, in Nevada, several very small speci- mens:belonging to this genus Platypedia, which measure only 17—18 mm. to the tip of the closed wing-covers ; but they appear to be only dwarfed specimens of P. pu/namt.. Thev are not nearly as hairy as the new species here described, and chiefly display in miniature the charac- teristics of P. pu‘nami, as we find it in the same section of our country
By counting the postcostal areole as the first ulnar, we have six areoles across the wing-cover, instead of the usual five. The commonly cited second ulnar (third of our method) is longer and more nearly tri- angular in the new than in the other species previously described.
Platypedia putnamz is figured in Proceedings of the Davenport Aca- demy:. of Natural Sciences, Vol. II, 1880, pl. IV, fig. 2, 3.
CALYRIA, Stael. 1 C. occidentis, Walk. (Cefha/oxys,) British Mus. List. Homopt. Suppl. p. 36.
Calyria virginea, Stel. Stettin Enf. Zeit., Vol. XXV, 1864, p. 56, 379. Distant, Biol. Cent. Amer. Homopt., p. 19, I.
Hitherto found only near Vera Cruz, Mexico; unless narrow speci- mens of AZelampsalta parvula, Say, which lack one of the apical areoles of the wings, should prove to be the same as the Mexican form given as ~the type. Several specimens of JZ, parvula have been examined by my- self, in which six apical areoles were present in the one wing and five in the opposite one.
PRUNASIS, Stael. P. venosa, new sp.
Pale green, or*faded straw yellow, feebly pubescent ; form nearly the same as that of AZ/ampsala parvula, but with the abdomen less contracted at tip. Vertex with a belt of large dusky spots extending from eye to eye, but sometimes obsolete, so as to leave only one large spot on the centre and enclosing the ocelli ; supra-anten- nal plates more or less dusky ; front banded with fuscous between the transverse ridges, the middle line infuscated wider above and interrupted there by a dagger- shaped yellow mark ; antennz yellow, piceous at tip of second joint and base of third’; rostrum reaching to near the tip of posterior coxze, with the apex more or less infuscated. Pronotum transverse, smooth on the middle line with the oblique im- pressed lines each side well defined, and the surface curvedly wrinkled between them; the lateral margins feebly sinuated, very narrow, but abruptly expanded, reflexed and impressed at the humeri ; meso-notum moderately convex, a little sinuated each side, with four ob-deltoid obscure fuscous spots, of which the two inner are very
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short, or even obsolete ; the tip scale-like, arched, and feebly sinuated at tip with the inner bars of the cross terminated with black ; mesosternal process acute, deeply sul- cated, and with the edge strongly reflexed. Wing-covers milky-hyaline, with the costa, basal, and ulnar veins green, but with the veins of the discoidal areoles (except at base), and those of the apical. areoles piceous-black, sometimes with the latter bordered also with piceous. Opercula confined to the basal segment, narrow, placed obliquely, subreniform ; the metasternum very wide between them, triangularly pro- duced over the following segment, scale-like, subtruncate at tip, tymbals delicate, small, subovate, separated by a wide, pubescent segment, which has a broad triang- ular emargination behind. Superior genital flaps accuminate and recurved at tip. Length to tip of abdomen 11—13 mm. Expanded wing covers 31—32 mm. Width of pronotum across the middle 3!/,—4 mm. From Middle and Southern Texas, not on the coast. Only males have thus far been examined ; three specimens of which are at present in my collection. The venation is coarser than in any of the small Cicadas
which I have had the opportunity to examine.
PROARNA, Stael. 1. P. pulverea, Oliv. (Cicada,) Enc. Meth., V, p. 759. No. 61, Germar, Thon. " Ent. Archiv, Il, p. 43;, 82. Proarna pulverea, Stx\. Stettin Ent. Zeit., Vol. XXV, 1864, p. 61.
Vera Cruz, Cordova and other parts of Mexico. I have examined in all fifteen specimens of this insect from various localities and find it to be fully as variable as P. a/dida, Oliv. trom Costa Rica. As the absence or presence of the vittze upon the vertex, marking of the scutellum and intensity of color of the spots on the wing-covers vary according to the condition of the specimen and its preparation after capture. I see no reason to separate it from the typical P. grisea, Fabr., as described by Dr. Stel. The prominence of the front &c. depends in part upon the de- gree of shrinkage to which a specimen has been subjected after death. Only well matured specimens of the Hemiptera should be used in draw- ing up descriptions ; as all others will give only’ unsatisfactory and de- ceptive inferences. Besides, if the head is shrunken a little into the thorax, so as to raise the fore part of the vertex to a somewhat higher level, the front will appear correspondingly more prominent. The mode of curing » and drying specimens of the Cicadea makes an important difference in their value for classification, as I have had occasion to know, full well in the tropics, and more abundantly in handling hundreds of specimens of T. septendecim and other species in various parts of North America. Both sexes, too, are almost indispensable in correctly organizing species, as the one supplements the other in yielding distinctive characters.
2. P. albida, Oliv. (Cicada,) Enc. Meth. V, p. 755, No. 39. Proarna albida, Ste\. Scettin Ent. Zeit., Vol. XXV, 1864. p. 61.
One specimen from Southern Mexico. ‘This seems to be a. very
gee
common species in Costa Rica and near Panama. I have seen, also, specimens from Demerara, and from the region of the lower Amazon, beyond Para.
It is a much narrower form than the P. pulverea, Oliv., and has the curved vein of the costal anastomosis more slender, and not black as in that species.
Forms which partly connect the two foregoing species occur at San- tarem, also in Peru near the headwaters: of the Amazon, also others in the province of Rio de Janeiro, and near Montevideo. The males in this section of the genus usually have a spur at the apex of the tegulz.
3. P. sallei, Stael. (voarna,) Stettin Ent. Zeit., Vol. XXV, 1864, p. 61. Inhabits the vicinity of Vera Cruz, Mexico.
4. P. championi, Dist. Biol. Cent. Amer. Hemipt. Homopt. 1881, p. 12, No. 4. It has been taken in the province of Tamaulipas, and other parts of
Mexico, and has been reported by Mr, Distant as having been found in Guatemala and Costa Rica.
5. P. signifera, Walk. (Cécada,) British Mus. List Homopt. Suppl., p. 22. Proarna signifera, Dist. Biol. Cent. Amer. Homopt., 1881, £3, INOS 5.
This appears to be a common species in Northern Mexico; but Mr. Distant cites other localities for it, as Orizaba, Valladolid in Yucatan, and Torola, Guatemala.
6. P. maura, Dist. Biol. Cent. Amer. Homopt., 1881, p. 13, pl. II, fig. 5.
This is a common species in Mexico and is very variable in size. It is reported also from Yucatan by Mr. Distant.
7. P. longirostris, Dist. Biol. Cent. Amer. Homopt., 1881, p. 13, pl. II, fig. 4
Inhabits Mexico. It resembles the preceeding species in form, but has a much longer rostrum, and lacks the broad tract at the base of the wings.
8. P. valvata, new sp.
Robust, form nearly that of P. maura, Dist., piceous-black. Head including the eyes scarcely wider than the fore part of the pronotum; vertex depressed, transversely impressed, and excavated at each end of the impression; three longitudinal deeply impressed lines, of which the middle one is interrupted by the central ocellus, and the Jateral ones start above in a concavity and unite below with the boundary incis- ures of the front ; an oval ochreous spot occupies a sunken spot before the central ocellus, a similar spot is placed at the upper end of each lateral incised line, the an- terior margin of the supra-antennal plate is also ochreous, and there is a long ovate spot of the same color on the summit of