This is one of the most beautiful of our Sphinx moths, a rare as well as lovely creature, and an object highly prized by collectors. It is found throughout the northern United States and occasionally in Canada, but is no where very common.

Mr. R. H. Meade has kindly examined the N. American Anthomyidæ of the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, forwarded to him by the Baron von Osten Sacken. The collection was returned last year by the Baron to the Museum. The species are separated carefully and accompanied by a list giving the genera and species, the latter not named except when identical with European species.

Cynips (Q. Californica, n. sp.

Galls: Polythalamous, sessile on the branches of the Californian White Oak (Quercus Hindsii ?) Sub-globular, but varying much in form and size. A common form is what may be termed balloon-shaped, the upper part perfectly globular, the lower tapering more or less to the sessile base. They often occur of a long compressed oval form: these are placed longitudinally on the branch and the length is two or three times their breadth or thickness.

Male : Expands .95 to 1 inch.

Upper side pale ochre-yellow, immaculate ; fringes concolored.

Under side of primaries nearly same ochre-yellow over basal area and part of isk, limited without by a slightly sinuous and crenated edse of deeper color, much as in the allied species; outside this, stightly ochraceous next inner angle, but yellow-buff over apical area.

The early months of 1880 were especially favorable to the acquisition of the hybernating Coleoptera, and those which have their permanent habitat among the moss of our woods and swamps. The early disappearance of the snow laid bare their hiding places, while the frosts which succeeded formed an ice-bridge which gave access to their places of refuge, which in ordinary seasons remain covered with snow tiil the general break-up of the winter, when they are rendered inacessible by being surrounded or covered with water.