The Swedish entomologist, C. G. Thomson, first separated this family as a tribe in 1871. It had been placed previously with the Lydides, with which it had no affinity whatever. In the structure of the head, thorax and abdomen the species approach closest to the Hylotomidae, Perreyiidae and the Pterygophoridae. The multiarticulate antennae, however, separate them at once from the former; the distinct anal cell in the hind wings separates them from the Perreyiidae, which have none; while from the last, to which they are undoubtedly most closely allied, they are readily distinguished by having a distinct lanceolate cell in the front wings.

In January of this year Mr. A. H. Kirkland sent me specimens of a scale insect he had taken from Prunus mume at the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Mass., which on examination proved to be Diaspis amygdali, Tryon. A little later Mr. Kirkland sent me more specimens which he had taken from Prunus subhirtella at the Arboretum. Specimens of the scale were sent to Dr. L. O. Howard, who confirmed my identification, stating also that he had asked Mr. Coquillett to examine the specimens and had received the report that he could find no difference between them and Diaspis amygdali. The infested trees came from Japan, the Prunus mume in the spring of 1894 and the Prunus subhirtella in the spring of 1897.

Since the publication of the above work several additional forms have been examined, the result of which is recorded herewith. Dr. S. H. Scudder kindly presented to the National Museum co-types of his Tachina theclarum, and of many of the species described in his work on the Butterflies of New England; in every case these conform to the positions assigned them in my Synopsis.

Some time ago Prof. C. F. Baker sent me a lot of small bees collected by Dr. R. E. Kunzé at phoenix, Arizona, May 12, 1897, “on willows and various low herbs.” I have examined these with interest, as they belong to genera not recorded from that region; they prove to be as follows:

(1.) Perdita salicis, Ckll., 1896.–♂. ♀. Very many specimens.

(2.) Prosapis messilae, Ckll., 1896.–A few, mostly males.

(3.) Halictus meliloti, Ckll., 1895.–One ♀.

(4.) Halictus pseudotegularis, Ckll., 1896.–On April 12, 1897, I took at flowers of Sisymbrium, in Messila, N. M., a single Halictus which differed decidedly from Illinois H. tegularis, but, to my surprise, almost agreed with the Mexican H. pseudotegularis, except that the wings were clear. Now, among the Arizona bees I find examples of pseudotegularis with slightly dusky wings, as in the type, of that species; the second submarginal cell is noticeably smaller than in tegularis, and receives the recurrent nervure further from its end.

In the course of an investigation of insects affecting cucurbits, begun in a preliminary way in the season of 1897, as a part of the official work of the Division of Entomology of the Department of Agriculture, it was found that we have in addition to the common squash bug, Anasa tristis, DeG., a second species sufficiently resembling it as to have readily escaped the notice of the average observer, but at the same time quite distinct in all its stages. This species is Anasa armigera, Say, and it was first observed on cucurbits by the writer July 12, near colonial Beach, Va., where it occured on cucumbers. Afterward it was taken by the writer and Mr. F. C. Pratt, of the Division of Entomology, who has assisted in field investigations and collections on different cucurbits, at Ballston, Va., Poolesville and Seat pleasant, Md., and on the Conduit Road and at Tenleytown, D. C. At the last mentioned place it occured in great abudance on a late crop of cucumbers and watermelons. As late as the 29th of September, all stages of the insect were found, including the egg. The present year the species was found to be nearly as abundant in some locaties as the common squash bug. Such was the case at Marshall Hall, Md., and in one locality in the District of columbia. It was also observed on squash at College Station and Kensington, Md., and on cucumber at Cabin John, Md.

Brachynemurus Hubbardii, new species.

Male–Length, 46 mm.; expanse of wings, 49.5 mm.; greatest width of anterior wing, 6 mm.; length of antenna, 9 mm. Very slender; yellow, marked with dark fuscous; sparsely hairy, more thickly on abdomen.

Face scarcely convex, yellowish; above, a broad pitchy-black band, notched in middle below, extending around the antennae on outer side; a faint fuscous line extends from centre of notch almost to clypeus; furrow between face and inner orbit of the eye, fuscous. Circumocular area yellowish, except along depressed portion of the vertex, where it is dark fuscous, and below, near maxillary palpiger, where there is a black spot. Clypeus yellowish, with a few coarse black hairs. Labrum transverse rounded laterally and narrowed anteriorly somewhat emarginate in front, yellowish, slightly tinged with rufous, several coarse dark hairs on anterior border. Mandibles piceous, black at tips; on inner edge, near apex, a tooth.

Eriococcus adenostomae, n. sp.

♀ enclosed in an oval (at one end more or less pointed) sac about 3 mm. long and 1½ mm. broad, wooly, snow-white, of uniform texture.

♀ oval, about half again as long as broad, dark purple, turning bright crimson when placed in K. H. O. Body about 1½ mm. long. Antennae light brown, 7-jointed, formula: approximately (347) (12) 56, joint 3 equal 5+6. Most of the joints with hairs; joint 7 with several comparatively long hairs.