Sergiolus bicolor, n. sp.

Length, ♀, 8 mm. Cephalothorax and legs pale reddish-yellow, mandibles and sternum scarcely darker, basal half of abdomen pale gray, apical half and spinnerets jet black, the line separating the two slightly convex in front; venter pale gray except the apical two-fifths, which is black, but broadly indented by the gray in the middle. Cephalothorax rather slender, about one and three-fourths as long as broad, plainly longer than patella plus tibia IV., not much narrowed in front, no trace of a dorsal groove. Posterior eye-row plainly recurved, the P. M. E. round, about twice their diameter apart, and about as far from the scarcely larger P. S. E. Anterior eye-row much shorter than posterior, nearly straight, the A. M. E. slightly smaller than P. M. E., more than their diameter apart, and rather nearer to the slightly larger A. S. E., several stiff black bristles in eye-region.

The summer of 1899 was a remarkable one at Rye in the abundance of Hydrœcia larvæ, as four species, never before noted in their larval state, and which do not seem to have their early histories described, were observed. Old acquaintances were to be found on every side, and some hitherto very uncommon ones were so abundant that a word in the matter of cause and effect may not be amiss. The seasonal conditions are, of course, contributive to such good results; still, the numbers in evidence every year suggest our looking a little further. Briefly, the environments are most propitious for the development of these borers, as that most important question, food supply, can be relied upon being adequate to all demands. The proximity to salt water insures a copious dew-fall, so that vegetation in the months of July and August does not suffer from the usual drought of this season in any such manner as it does farther inland. Here in late midsummer the larger Compositæ and other thick-stemmed plants are in full splendour, while fifty miles back from the coast all may be parched and leafless.

In 1871, Thorell published his description of Rhagidia in a paper entitled, “Om Arachnider fran Spetsbergen och Beeren-Eiland.” He placed it in the family Eupodidœ, from the other genera of which it differed principally in the great size of the mandibles. In 1876, Cambridge, in his paper “On a new Order and some new Genera of Arachnida from Kerguelen's Land,” described Pœcilophysis as the type of a new family and a new order. He was unaware of Thorell's mite, yet there is but one prominent difference between them, Pœcilophysis is said to have eyes on the frontal tubercle. Neither of these authors gave any reference to any species of Koch's genus Scyphius, to which their forms bear a great resemblance. Koch described about a dozen species of this genus, many of which are doubtless only forms of one species. In the modern European literature, nothing is done with Koch's species of this genus, save by Oudemans (1897), who identifies four of the Kochian names. Oudemans, however, appears to be ignorant of the fact that there were several other names for this genus besides Scyphius, for he thinks, since Scyphius is preoccupied, that the genus must have a new name.

Sir,—Permit me to call the attention of your readers to a faulty method of citing species names, which is, unfortunately, extremely common in America. I refer to the omission of the genus name or its reduction to a mere initial. In many cases this is, of course, a proceeding that is attended with no serious evil effects. A working zoologist may be expected to know what P. machaon stands for, bibliographers would know that a paper on Abnormal Antennæ of Ajax had nothing to do with the Bird genus, Ajax, Less., but referred to Papilio ajax. In many cases, however, authors seem to endeavor to render their work inaccessible to all save specialists working on their particular group. To make this clear it is necessary to cite an example, and I take the first one at hand, remarking at the same time that these cases are very numerous, and that it is unjust to single out a particular person for condemnation.

Since the publication of the writer's “Revision of the Aphelininæ of North America” (Bulletin 1, Technical Series, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology, 1895), the discovery of new forms, and especially of new genera, has been of very infrequent occurence. Species have been received from all parts of the world, owing to the extraordinary and world-wide development of interest in scale insects, which are the principal hosts of the Aphelininæ, yet nearly all of the forms thus received have been species already described, which have been carried with their hosts upon live plants to many different regions. It is, therefore, interesting to discover a new genus, even from a country like Chile, whose parasitic Hymenoptera are so little known. A most interesting feature of the discovery is that the new genus was reared from Aspidiotus hederœ (nerii) together with three of the cosmopolitan forms, namely, Aspidiotiphagus citrinus (Craw); Coccophagus immaculatus, How., and Prospalta aurantii, How. The writer is indebted to Mr. Edwyn C. Reed, of Rancagua, Chile, for this sending, as well as for many other favours.

On page 365, Dr. Sharp states that the Hesperid larva “frequently forms a rudimentary cocoon.” It does not appear to be generally known that Doberes Mexicanus, Feld., a Hesperid (near Eantis) common to Central Mexico, makes a decidedly complicated cocoon. Constructed of tough gray silk, and very closely woven, the cocoou is formed between two leaves (or, rarely, two sides of one folded leaf) of the “zapote blanco” (Casimiroa sp.), and suspended from a twig by a strong silk thread 70 mm. to 90 mm. in length. The mouth is closed by an exceptionally well made chevauz-de-frise and turned at nearly right angles to the axis of the cocoon, which is 33 mm. in length, and at the middle, 13 mm. in breadth by 9 mm. in thickness.

Kermes trinotatus, n. sp.—Female scale variable in size, averaging about 5½ mm. long, 6 mm. wide, and 4½ mm. high; rounded above, somewhat flattened behind, convex beneath, front turned down into a more or less beak-like prominence; median groove obscure or broad and shallow; colour varies from bright argillaceous to dull gray; surface uniform, more or less conspicuously speckled with black; segmentation obscurely or plainly marked with dark spots. When the median groove is present it is crossed with more or less dark lines showing segmentation. There is a rounded dark spot on each side of the front, and an elongated dark blotch extending for a short distance above and below the anal opening: hence the specific appellation.

At the first meeting of the autumn, held on the evening of October 15, sixteen persons present, Mr. Wm. H. Roever, of Washington University, presented an elaborate paper discussing in detail the subject of the establishment of the method of least squares. Professor F. E. Nipher presented two papers, entitled respectively Positive Photography, with special reference to eclipse work, and The Frictional Effects oi Railway Trains upon the Air; and Mr. C. F. Baker exhibited an interesting collection representing nearly all of the species of fleas thus far known, which he had prepared for the United States National Museum.

Tephroclystis plumbaria, n. sp.

Belongs to the absinthiata group, and is close to that species. Of a blackish fuscous colour, wings broad and rounded, lines faint, parallel with outer margin, evenly scalloped, the outer one most distinct and whitish. Costa with small black spots at beginning of the lines; discal spots on fore wings black, lengthened, on hind wings black points. Beneath lighter, smoother, the lines showing more evenly, more broadly and lighter. Dist. of Columbia, taken July 5th. Type number, in National Museum, 4701.

In nearly all of our books relating to beneficial insects, published within the last twenty years, there is almost sure to be found, some where, the figure of a larva tragically devouring a smaller larva, the larger having been originally figured as that of Harpalus caliginosus. Although attention has for some time been called to the fact that the larva thus figured really belongs to another species, the true H. caliginosus being as yet unknown, yet the use of the figure in its old application still goes on. The carnivorous habits of the beetle itself, however, have been pointed out by Dr. Lintner, in his Twelfth Report, p. 209, where it is recorded as feeding on the army worm, and in Insect Life, p. 228, Vol. VII., as feeding upon grasshoppers. The writer has also observed it preying upon other insects. For this reason, notwithstanding its known fondness for seeds and grain, it has been looked upon, generally, as a beneficial species, its known vegetable food consisting either of seeds of no economic value, or the amount of grain being too small to be taken into consideration.

In the course of my already-published studies, the probabilities as to the homology of the last anal vein of the Papilionides primary have varied. From preparations of the pupal wing of the Hesperiades, it has become clear that the fork to second anal at base is the remains of the third anal vein, which is irregular and more extended in the fore wing of the chrysalis and does not attain the outer margin. It is furcate aud connected with the second anal in the pupal stage. On the other hand, the downwardly curved, short, last and free anal vein of the Papilionid primary cannot be homologous with this, as, indeed, I originally contended. This vein reaches the internai margin, and is probably a survival of the fourth anal.

Capulinia crateraformis, n. sp.

The ♀ makes a small crater-shaped gall in the bark of the limbs and twigs. This gall is about 1.5 mm. high, and consists of an outer circular ring from 1 mm. to 1.5 mm. in diameter, and a small cone within, which can readily be removed. The cavity inhabited by the insect is smooth and is lined with a white powder. The adult ♀ is small, oval in outline, pink, and is dusted with a white powdery secretion. Boiled in a solution of KOH it becomes colourless. Size, after boiling: length, .96 mm.; width, .73 mm.

In Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., 20: 276, 1893, I described Nomada Sayi from eight female and fifteen male specimens. At present I have fortyfive female and ninety male specimens which I have referred to this species, but which I now propose to describe under the three following names:

Nomada Sayi, Rob.— ♀. Mandibles simple, antennæ long, joint 4 longer than 3 or 5, as long as 12; or nearly so, pygidium rather broadly truncate; scutellum sub-bilobed, prominent; enclosure of metathorax coarsely reticulated at base, finely roughened beyond; head and thorax closely and coarsely punctured; abdomen shining, rather sparsely and finely punctured; ferruginous, the scape, front and middle legs, tubercles and tegulæ, more yellowish; about antennæ, about ocelli, occiput, band on mesonotum, middle of metathorax sometimes, band from wings to middle and hind coxæ, base of femora behind more or ress, sometimes hind metatarsi, base of abdomen, sometimes apical margins of segments more or less, and sutures, generally blach or blackish; segments 2 and 3 of abdomen with a yellow spot on each side; wings hyaline, marginal cell and apical margins clouded, basal nervure ending before transverse median. Length, 6–8 mm.

Sinea complexa, s. sp.—Length, ♂, 8 to 9.5 mm., ♀, 9.5 to 11 m.m; width, ♂, 3 mm., ♀, 3.5 to 4.5 mm. General colour ranging from a very dark brown to pale cinnamon. Head armed with three pairs of anteocular spines, the posterior pair the longest, with smaller ones interspersed. Behind the eyes, with several sharp spines, one near each ocellus being almost as long as those of the posterior anteocular pair. Neck spinose. Antennæ somewhat pallid, with a slight rufous cast at the distal ends of the segments.

Psilopa flavida, n. sp. ♂.—Yellow, polished, the third joint of antennæ, except the lower side, dark brown; hairs and macrochætæ black, a vitta reaching from humerus to insertion of wing, and another on middle of pleura, black; abdomen, except first segment and middle of the second, black, with a strong violaceous tinge; knob of halteres greenish yellow; wings grayish hyaline, unmarked; two pairs of dorso-central mocrochætæ; length 2.5 mm. New Bedford, Mass. A single specimen collected by Dr. Garry de N. Hough. Type No. 4292. U. S. Nat. Museum.

The species here brought together were most of them collected by Mr. A. P. Morse, in the summer of 1897, and as they belong to miscellaneous genera, none of which require special revision, the descriptions are here collected for publication.

Loboptera americana Scudd.

The single original specimen of this species was taken in Arizona, and was apparently collected in alcohol, as two fresh specimens taken by Mr. Morse at Cahon Pass, Cal., July 18, differ in colour and in the shape of the pronotum, requiring its partial re-description.

Tetralopha formosella, n. sp.

Expands 18 mm. Head nearly pure white; thorax white with black scales intermixed; fore wings pure white, sometimes intermixed with black, and with black spot on costa to basal line; basal line black, with three long black teeth on outer side; middle field whitish, costa towards base black; along inner margin and reaching half way across wing, dull brick red, broken by median cross scale ridge, which is of intermingled black and white; outer line white, edged on both sides with blackish; outer field grayish, mixed with black, much darker along costa to apex; hind wings fuscous, much darker along outer edge; beneath fuscous on all wings, an outer lighter cross line showing on all wings.

About fifteen years ago I obtained from Dr. O. Staudinger a series of all the species placed under the Choreutidæ in his Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of the European Fauna (1871), and made a critical study of their structure to aid in the arrangement of our North American species. This study also led me to look up the nomenclature of these insects, and the results are given in this paper.

There has been a growing tendency for some time to use the generic names proposed by Hübner, and while at first I was not inclined to adopt the genera in his Tentamen, I now feel compelled to do so. It is not necessary to argue this question, since both sides were so ably presented years ago in this journal.

The majority of the species falling in this subfamily are usually smaller and much less conspicuous than those in the other subfamilies, and with totally different habits. None are true diggers, but, on the contrary, build small oblong, or oval, clay cells, beneath the loose bark of old trees, under stones, or in crevices in old stone walls, etc., not unlike some of the Potter wasps (Eumenidœ).

The group comes evidently nearest to the Pepsinœ, the females having, as in that group, a transverse grooved line, impression or emargination on the second ventral segment. From that group, however, it is at once separated by the difference in the legs, the hind tibiæ being smooth, never serrate or spinous, or with a longitudinal ridge, but, at the most, with only a few very minute, scarcely perceptible spines.