Pyrameis cardui, Linn.

The life history of this well known species has not been written, to judge from the references given by the late Mr. Henry Edwards in his useful catalogue, so I present it here:-

Egg.—Cylindric-conical, the base flat with the usual vertical ribs: colour pale yellow; diameter .6 mm. Laid singly.

Since the larval history of this beetle was published by Walsh in 1868 it has been generally known that the larva is carnivorous, feeding, as Walsh showed, upon the Plum Curculio, and, as I showed, on the Apple Worm among other insects, so that it must be included among our benefical species. The larva is also one of those which is quite often found during the winter months upon the surface of snow. The beetle is one of the most common species during the summer months upon many kinds of flowers, but particularly upon those of Yucca, feeding principally on pollen, but also sipping the slight amount of nectar which is found at the base of the pistil, or the sweetened exudation which is also quite frequent upon the tip of the petiole of the flower after this has dropped.

In 1874 Mr. Scudder published his paper on “The Species of the Lepidopterous Genus Pamphila” in the Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, in which the following species were described as new:-Nevada, Colorado and Manitoba, and Sassacus; Ottoe, Juba, Comma of Europe, and Sylvanoides were also treated of.

Xiphidium Scudderi, nov. sp.

Female.—Front and sides of head and body dark reddish-brown; vertex, disk of pronotum and tegmina greenish-brown in life,(dull yellow after immersion in alcohol). A dark reddish-brown stripe extends from the front extremity of the fastigium to the posterior border of pronotum, and contrasts strongly with the general colour of vertex and disk of pronotum. Femora greenish-brown punctate with many dark brown impressions on their upper surface; the tibiæ darker. Antennæ with the basal third reddish, the remainder fuscous.

At the Ann Arbor meeting of our Club, in the year 1885, Prof. John B. Smith proposed as a subject of discussion “How shall we create and foster an interest in the study of Entomology?” In the discussion a rather gloomy view was then generally taken by the members regarding the general lack of interest in entomology in this country, Prof. Riley alone expressing himself hopeuflly as to the future outlook. As the best means for creating such interest the production of a popular compendium of North American insects was recommended, but the discussion only dwelt upon the diffculties in the way of producing a popular and yet valuable work.

The following is a purely provisional grouping of the described North American species of Sapromyza, made up from the descriptions alone. As such, it is offered for publication. The practical use of this kind of work does not need pointing out. It greatly facilitates the identification of species where the descriptions are scattered through various works. In the determination of the single new species described at the end of this paper, it was necessary to consult each description separately. It required but little additional labour to tabulate the leading points in the descriptions, thus relieving later students from the necessity of going through the same laborous process.

This paper contains descriptions entirely of Southern New Mexican forms, with the exception of two from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Sarcomacronychia sarcophagoides, n. sp. ♀.

Eyes brown; frontal vitta narrow, blackish, front one-fourth width of head; sides of front, face and cheeks silvery-white; the double rows of frontal bristles nearly equal; vibrissæ distinct, short, decussate, inserted well above oral margin; antennæ and arista blackish, second antennal joint slightly rufous at ends, third one and a-half times as long as second; proboscis black, labella brown; palpi slender, brown; occiput cinerous, short black-bristly.

Eight years ago, in Indiana, I found a gall on this grass that had somewhat the appearance of a diminutive ear of corn with the husks, but more pointed and minus the silk. The husks (I can find no better term for them) were imbricated and pointed, being placed regularly, one over the other, leaving the junctures along the margins. In this gall I found a pupa or, as seems now more probable, a puparium, but reared no insect therefrom.

Myelois fructetella, n. sp.—Expands 16–18 mm. Head dark fuscous; maxillary palpi fuscous, becoming black on end member. Antennaæ and thorax fuscous-gray to dark fuscous; abdomen yellowish-fuscous, ringed with dark fuscous on anterior part of each segment; forewings light gray, heavily marked with fuscous and black; base to basal line, with black scales, which become very heavy within basal line along inner margin; middle field much darkened on posterior half, with fuscous continuing along both lines, broad and black at costa along basal line, and narrow and black at costa along outer line; outer field broadly black along costa outside of outer line, becoming lighter posteriorly and along outer margin; fringe very light gray; basal line white, straight in direction or somewhat denated, near middle distinct; outer line less distinct, with a large but not deep sinus outwardly at middle; hindwings translucent fuscous becoming darker at edges.

In the Canadian Entomologist for May, 1886, I gave descriptions of the only two species of Leptochilus at that time known to inhabit North America. I am not aware that any additional species have been described since the appearane of that paper. My collection contains representatives of three as yet undescribed species which will be found duly characterized below.

By favour of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, I have received a copy of the “Revision of the species of Mamestra by John B. Smith, Professor of Entomology, Rutgers College, Washington, 1891 ”. There are one or two points only upon which I desire here to comment. As a whole the determinations agree with my own. The genus Dianthoecia is merged with Mamestra, as I at one time proposed from the variability in the same species of the ovipositor. But, as I pointed out in my last Check List, p. 13, the characters of Dianthoecia, Bdv., are taken from the habit of the larva, the button-like termination of the wing cases in the chrysalis and the extended ovipositor in the moth.

Since my first paper on “Indiana Acrididæ,” which was published in the Entomologist for April and May, 1891, was prepared, six additional species have been taken in Vigog County. Of these, one is new to science; a second has been known in the United States only from Florida and Nort Carolina; of a third, but one specimen, a female, has hitherto been recorded, and from it Dr. Thomas described the species; while a fourth has not before been taken west of New Jersey.

Gnathodus impictus, n. sp.

Green, or yellow greein in the dried specimen; scutellum and all beneath quite strongly tinged with yellow. Corium whitish hyaline, nervures green and strong, especially in the male. Wings white, iridescent, nervures pale. Eyes balckish. Anetnnæ and legs soilded yellow tinged with green, especially on the posterior tibiæ. Otherwise immaculate.

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.

For several years I have observed traces of a borer in the tips of the tiwgs of my red currant bushes, whose habits did not correspond with those of any insect with which I am acquainted. My knowledge of the subject is very limited, and I consulted the department at Washington. In reply it was suggested that possibly it was the same insect which infested the tips of the raspberry, Oberea tripunctata. But the facts not quite agreeing with this reference, I wrote to Prof. Riley, stating the facts in the case.

Dasylophia puntagorda, n. sp.

♂.—Head and thorax appearing palest gray from admixture of pure white with cinereous. Abdomen, secondaries and ground colour of primaries sordid white. Primaries streaked longitudinally with blackish, which contrasts violently with ground colour. A diffuse, heavy, blackish shade rund obliquely from apex inward. A curved blackish line, reaching neither costa nor internal margin at outer three-fourths of wing.

Doubtless all agree that the meeting of this Club and that of the Association of Economic Entomologists in 1893 may afford unrivalled opportunities for us to meet and make the acquaintance of many foreign entomologists; that the occasion may afford excellent opportunities to make known our own methods and to extend a knowledge of teh nature and extent of entomological investigation being done in this country among those of other countries engaged in similar pursutis, and enable us to learn the same concerning them. In other words, our next annual meeting should be on occasion of great social advantage and of mutual scientific and practical benefit to ourselves and our visitors. To attain this should be our aim.

In a paper entitled “A Day in the Woods,” I brought under the notice of the Entomological Society of Ontario, at its annual meeting held in London, on the 27th of August, 1890, the galls formed by G. gallœdiplopappi, and gave an account of the chrysalis and perfect insect. I also alluded to two kinds of parasites preying upon the species. The description of the moth was reproduced in the December number of the Canadian Entomologistof that year (Vol.XXII., p. 248).

My first practical acquaintance with this species began at New Brunswick, N.J., in the spring of 1889. In the Rutgers College campus there are a considerable number of elms, many of them grand old trees, which for several seasons ins succession and up to 1888 had been defolidated by Galeruca xanthomelœna, larva and imago. A double row of young trees, many of them elms, extends from the College campus to the Theological Seminary, a distance of about 280 yards, and at the beginning of this row, most distant from the Seminary, the Experiment Station building in situated. There are also a considerable number of elms among the other shade trees in this part of the city.

Mr. Neumoegen and myself are at work upon this genus, with a view to present a revision of it; there are, however, some points upon which I should like to make a few independent remarks. The genus Halisidota is exclusively American, its stronghold being in the South. Indeed, the whole sub-family, the Phægopterinæ, are strongly, American, there being no European species and but few African, While still fewer reach through the East Indies to Australia.