In the May number of the Canadian Entomologist there is a very interesting paper under this caption, contributed by Mr. Harrington, giving an account of the habits of the Rhyssa atrata and lunator. These Long Stings the past summer were very abundant at Oak Hill, the residence of Mr. Herman T. Livingston, in the township of Livingston, Columbia Co., New York, and furnished me with a good opportunity of studying their habits. While I agree with all that has been so well observed and so cleverly presented by your correspondent, I am somewhat disposed to differ from the commonly accepted opinion that these insects deposit their ova on the larvae of wood-borers. My experience has demonstrated that while it may be a fact that these insects deposit their ova on the larvae of the Uroceridae or other borers, they do not commonly do so. In every case that came under my observation, the long ovipositor, instead of penetrating through the burrow of a Tremex or other wood-borer, entered through wood that had not been previously attacked, and though I failed to discover the egg deposited, I am very much of the opinion that the deposition is oftentimes, if not generally made regardless of the contact with a larva.

Although my collections hitherto have been chiefly of Coleoptera, I have, as opportunity offered, captured specimens in other orders, and among those thus taken during the past season are representatives of a few species of the Uroceridæ. I wish now to record a few brief notes on these—the more readily, because so little regarding this group has been published in the Entomologist.

1. On the 25th of June last I captured upon a recently dead maple tree, near my house, two rather small insects, of which the larger had its ovipositor inserted in the bark. They proved to be two female specimens of Xiphydria albicornis Harris. One was half an inch long, the other five-eighths.

After twenty years work on North American Moths, and being more or less constantly employed in determining material, I find my time so taken up with it that it excludes other occupation. From this fact, and the expense and time demanded by the necessary correspondence, I am obliged to make a charge for my labor.

Last June I was in Boston, from the 14th to the 30th, and during this time Alypia octomaculata was in season and very abundant. Had I chosen to carry a net in the public gardens and uptown streets, I suppose I could have taken a couple of hundred specimens, always provided that I wasn't “run in” as a lunatic. As it was, I contented myself with carrying a supply of pill boxes, and succeeded in taking about thirty-five specimens. During two days I was visiting a friend about seven miles from the city, but did not see a single specimen of this species; but in those streets in which there were small plots of grass in front of the houses, they were very common. The spot where I took the most of those I captured was a plot of grass about ten feet by seven, in which there was a Syringa between two Deutzias, both species of shrubs being in blossom.

Egg.—Barrel-shaped, the ends narrowing equally and rounded; the base flattened over a little space; from the edge of this start nine vertical and straight ribs, at first low, but gradually rising in elevation and after the middle rapidly, till at the top they are very prominent, and terminate abruptly about the rim of the depressed summit; these ribs are thin and grooved on both sides perpendicularly to the surface of the egg; between them the surface is a little excavated, and smooth; color green. Duration of this stage 5 days in May, 3 to 4 in July.

Young Yarva.—Length .08 inch; cylindrical, tapering posteriorly from 4th segment; each segment rounded; color greenish-brown, semitranslucent; furnished with ten rows of black curved hairs, of which two are close together on middle of dorsum, two are lateral above spiracles, one is partly in line with, partly below spiracles, and one below this; on 2 is a sub-oval black chitinous patch, with four hairs on either side the medio-dorsal line, three others in vertical line below the patch; 3 and 4 have five hairs on each side in vertical line, but from 5 to 12, while there are five hairs, they form two lines, the 1st, 3rd and 5th being in front part of the segment; the anal segment shows two hairs on the side, and a black dorsal patch, on either half of which are about five hairs; two small hairs over each foot and proleg; on 2 to 4 the hairs are curved forward, on the other segments back, but on all the lowest row is turned down; so on 2 to 4 the next row is turned down; head rounded, black, with a few black hairs. Duration of this stage in May 4 days, in August 3.

Campometra Amella Guen., 3, 25, pl. 18, fig. 8.

This genus and species I have accidentally omitted from the “New Check List.” I have never identified the species with certainty. For some time I have conjectured it was the same as Eubolina Stylobata Harvey. With regard to the genera separated from Homoptera by Gueneé, I have merely insisted on the validity of Zale in former papers. But I am averse to throwing them together until we know the early stages upon which Gueneé seems to have relied, using Abbot's drawings. Another reason with me has been (as I have pointed out) that Homoptera is a term used in another Sub-order of Insecta. Probably Pheocyma will have to be adopted, as the insect I have identified as Lunifera (figured by Gueneé) does not seem to me to differ generically from our other species arranged under Homoptera.

Prof. Cyrus Thomas, to whom we are indebted for six out of the eleven valuable reports which have been issued by the State of Illinois on noxious and beneficial insects, has removed to Washington, and Prof. S. A. Forbes, of Normal, Illinois, has been appointed State Entomologst in his place.

Larva, one-tenth of an inch in length—pointed at the head—rounded and blunt at the hinder extremity. First three segments the color of amber, and semi-transparent: the rest of the body salmon-colored. Nine sets of hooks, or tentacles, in place of feet, the two first in pairs, the remainder in threes. The larva has the habit of holding itself erect, by means of peculiar anal protuberances which seem to cling by suction. The body has minute hairs thinly scattered over it. On the sides of the head, which is small and black, there are bristle-like palpi, pointing forwards The larva is full fed by the end of August.