This very carefully written pamphlet brings us quite a step forward in our knowledge of the structure of our Hawk Moths. In the first place, it may be doubted whether the divisions of the Sphingidæ, first laid down in their present shape in Grote & Robinson's Synonymical Catalogue (1865), are not of lower rank than sub-families, but as all our divisions are based on comparative characters, this point need not detain us long. I had diligently searched the literature for older terms for these groups, finding them in part, but they were not adopted by Butler, and the terms of our Catalogue of 1865 with a sub-family ending seem to be preferred. I commenced with the Macroglossinæ, because these genera more resemble the Hesperidæ in their frequent diurnal flight, pupation on the ground between leaves with a few threads of silk, and in the more prismatic antennæ, Our genera are Hemaris, Aellopos, Euproserpinus and Lepisesia, with entire wings. I never was so fortunate as to possess any specimens of the genera Lepisesia or Pogocolon.

We have found a caterpillar which lve cannot identify, nor can any one to whom we have shown the description and a water-color drawing.

“Papilio,” Vol. iii., No. I., p. 14, has a description which is nearest it, but is not exactly like our larva, as ours has no tufts.

Our first specimeu was found Sept. 12th, 1883, and our last one Aug. 13th, 1886. Between these we have three others; all of them pupated, but none emerged.

The larva is 1½ inches long; the head is brownish-green with a whitish bloom over it; mouth parts dark; no marks or hairs.

Professor Sereno Watson communicated to me some twigs cut on the grounds of Mr. Henry Watson, in Northampton, Mass. Several Larix Europea about thirty years old stand on an avenue, and have never suffered before. In April they showed to a large extent pale needles and many little larvæ of the well known sac-bearing form. In May numerous slate-colored moths appeared, the true Coleophora laricella Hub. This insect in all its stages is well described in Stainton's Nat. Hist. Tineina, vol. iv., p. 1, and figured on pl. i., f. 2. It would be useless to give a description here. our biological collection possesses types of all stages by Rosenhauer, Zeller and Hofmann. As far as I know, it has not yet been observed in the united States. Some twigs given by the rate J. Boll were perhaps collected in 1872 in cambridge, Mass.; but as he did not mark any locality on the label, I am not sure that he did not brins them over from Europe. I am not able to find any published notice in North American papers. I may notice that the caterpillar keeps its abode very clean by expelling the fæces out of a hole in the needles.

I am indebted to Sc. E. Bergroth, Helsingforz, for knowledge of this species. Prof. A. Costa has published, Atti della R. Accad. Sc. fisiche, etc., vol. vii., 1878, Napoli No. 2, the account of his journey through Egypt and Palestine. He was (p. 11) very interested to find, Feb. 17, after Assouan, at Kom-Ombos, on irrigated and humid grounds, a very small (long. corp. 5 millim.) species of Embia, for which he proposes the name E. minuta. As far as I know, nothing more has been given about this insect, and we will have to wait till Prof. A. costa will publish its description.

The present List of the North American Sphingidæ or Hawk Moths embraces the principal features of my former Lists, in particular the division into groups, retained by Butler and lately by Fernald. I have originally in our Synonymical Catalogue (1865) proposed the genera Macroglossa, Chœrocampa, Smerinthus and Sphinx as typical of the four principal groups recognized by me. A fifth group, represented by the Old World genus Acherontia, seems to me to fall in between the Smerinthinæ and Sphinginæ. It seems to me unimportant whether we consider these groups as Tribes, with the ending ini to the terms, or as Subfamilies, with the ending inœ. I am myself of the opinion that these divisions are only of tribal value, and should prefer to so designate them. But, under this view, the Family Sphingidæ, as here considered, would remain only of Subfamily value, somewhat as intended by Dr. Harris, whose “tribes” have a wider significance, whereas I intend by “tribes” assemblages of genera subordinate in rank to Subfamilies, and as intended by LeConte in Coleoptera. These matters must be left, however, to final revisions of our classification. At this moment I am interested, in view of Prof. Fernald's recent valuable paper, in defending my sequence of the genera and groups as laid down in my former papers.

In the Canadian Entomologist, this volume, p. 72, Mr. Ph. Fischer tells us of the capture of the above moth at Buffalo, N. Y., adds something of the bibliography of the species, and remarks upon its aberrant appearance and character. Permit me to add a few words to what was there said.

Guenee, Phalenites, vol. ii., p. 116, 1857, describes this species of Hubner, under the generic name Sphecelodes, crediting the species to Hubner, but ignoring his genus, as was Guenee's custom. He also describes the ♀, and pl. 22, f. 9, gives a figure of it. It differs very much from the ♂, having ciliated antennæ, and lacking the triangular fleshcolored costal spot.

Owing to the unusual and continued warmth of the weather during the two weeks ending April 28th, insect life has been very abundant, considering the time of year, and the few opportunities I have so far enjoyed of looking up their haunts have amply repaid me.

April 17.—Under boards and pieces of wood along fences were to be seen hundreds of Drasterius dorsalis Say. In company with this elater, besides many, to me, common beetles, I secured for the first time several Languria Mozardi Latr., a very showy beetle—the male looks very small by the side of the female. In the same afternoon I found a fine specimen of the goldsmith beetle, Cotalpa lanigera Linn. Is not this an early appearance?

In Nov. No., 1885, I asked if readers of this magazine had ever found. the larva of Turnus feeding on willow, etc., to which I have had several replies.

Mr. W. Brodie, Toronto, Can., wrote that on Sept. 10, 1885, Thos. Parks, of Toronto, found three larvæ in bis garden under a peach tree, and he put them in a box and fed on peach leaves for several days, and till pupation. So far as I know, the peach has not before been observed to be a plant of Turnus.