Loewia ruficornis, n. sp., ♂.

Eyes cinnamon brown; frontal vitta brown, much narrowed posteriorly front at narrowest point one-half its width at vertex; sides of front, sides of face and facial depression black, thinly silvery-pollinose; cheeks blackish posteriorly, thinly silvery, the pregenal area very broad, brown, extending upward between sides of face and facial depression; antennæ and arista rufous, third antennal joint little more than one and a half times as long as second, with a somewhat darker shade on outer side; proboscis brownish, palpi rather fuscous, tips rupous; occiput black, black-hairy.

Under the title “Icones Insectorum Rariorum cum Nominibus courm trivialibus, locisque e C. Linnœi Arch: R: et Equ: AurL Syst: Nat: allegatis.” Charles Clerck, a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Upsala, commenced the publication at Stockholm, in the year 1759, of a series of plates intended to illustrate the species of exotic lepidoptera recently named by his distinguished fellow-countryman, the immortal Linnæus.

Two specimens of this moth (Ocneria dispar, L.) were taken in Medford, Mass., last summer, which are what Ochsenheimer called perfect Hermaphrodites. One is much larger than the other, having an expense of 52 mm., and has the right half of the body, with the wings and antennæ of that side, of the form, colour and markings of the female, while the left side of the body, with its wings and antennæ, are male. The other example has a wing expanse of 39 mm., and is a male on the right side and a female on the left. In both specimens the frenulum is single on the male side, but divided on the female.

The author has frequently been asked why he did not make a key for the families of spiders. He has answered that a correct key was impossible.But as such questions are getting more numerous, and connected with a desire to know something about spiders, the author has decided to put together what he could as a contribution to the classification of our spiders, principally for the use of those who are unable to obtain the costly works necessary for study.

Under this heading, I propose to give from time to time descriptions of new species in my collection, and such notes on other species as may seem of value to students of our fauna.

Notopygus americana, n. sp.— Female, length 10 mm.,; head, antennæ, thorax, coxæ and first segment of abdomen, black; remainder of abdomen and legs red; antennæ as long as head and thorax, filifrom, joints short and subequal; thorax elongate, shining; metathorax, rounded and obliquely truncate; wings; slightly infumated, with black nervures; abdomen shining, as long as thorax, triangularly clavate, truncate at apex, with the ovipositor curved upward; sheaths black.

Though the winters of Iowa are quite severe, there are, nevertheless, always a few days when the weather is moderate enough to admit of the entomologist getting out for a few hours work at his favourite pursuit. When the sun comes out and the snow disappears in sheltered spots, a little investigation will yield much that is of interest, and throw considerable light on the habits of many of our insects.

Mr. W. H. Edwards, in his most interesting account of Chionobas whleri, (Butt. N. A. Pl. XII., Vol.3) remarks that he can find no evidence that it is found in the south of Colorado. It may, therefore, be as well to record that I found it near Swift Creek, in Curster County; and Mr. H. W. Nash informed me that it occured at Rosita, in the same county. These localities are just north of 38° N. Lat.

When a specimen has become oily (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, etc.,) use a bottle with a neck wide enough to let the specimen slip through easily, pin and all. Put in this bottle enough common naptha to fully cover the insect, and introduce it into the fluid. Leave it in the bottle from 10–12 hours. Then take it out, and lay it on some blotting paper, where it will soon dry. If not yet clean, introduce in fresh naphtha once more.

Prof. C. H. Fernald, of Amherst, Mass., is at work on a manual of the Microlepidoptera of North America, a work for which his studies of the last twenty years have admirably fitted him. He has made two trips to Europe for the purpose of studying the types of our Micros in the European museusms, and has studied all the prominent collections in this country.