Egg.—Shape of Eurytheme, fusiform, tapering evenly from the middle to either extremity; the base broad, the summit pointed, ribbed longitudinally, and crossed by numerous striæ; color, pale green when first laid; later, changing to crimson; duration of this stage about four days.

Young Larva.—Length, .1 inch; cylindrical, thickest on two and three, tapering slightly to thirteen; each segment from two to thirteen several times creased, and on the ridges thus caused are many fine black points, each with minute black hair; scattered among these are larger black points, or tubercles, some with long, tapering, black hairs, but most with long, white, clubbed appendages; on two there is a cross row of these in front of the segment, five on either side, running from dorsum to base; on three and four are four each, also in front, but after four, there are three to the segment, disposed in triangle, two being in front, one on the last ridge; these form longitucliual rows; thirteen has three black hairs on either side in triangle, and from four to twelve are two black hairs at base of each; color, dull yellow-green; feet and legs same; head rounded, but little depressed at top; a few tubercles scattered over the face, each with long, tapering, depressed, black hair; color, pale yellow-brown. Duration of this stage about four days.

My first Solpuga was found under a clod of hard earth, which I overturned in search of spiders. Upon being uncovered, it reared its palpi aloft with a menacing motion, and backing down as closely as possible into a little depression, stood motionless till captured. This was in August, 1882. The specimen is apparently a ♀, Datrines constricta, of medium size. The head and mandibles conform closely to the figure of that species, but it differs materially from the letter-press description of Constricta; as to the other parts.

In my synopsis of the genera of the Noctudiœ I placed Polenta, Morr., in a section with the anterior tibia unarmed at tip, and Eucalyptera, Morr., I retained as distinct from Scolecocampa, Gn., the genera coming into different sections by the form of the palpi, and no particular comparisons being made, because I considered the genera so widely distinct that there was no possible chance of confounding them. On this account I have been criticised by Mr. Grote, and attention has been called in the case of Polenta to the fact that a specimen in Mr. Neumoegen's collection had a claw terminating the anterior tibia, and that, therefore, I had inexcusably overlooked an important and obvious structural character. With all due deference to Mr. Grote, I think the mistake is not on my side; of Polenta I saw Mr. Morrison's type and three other specimens; these I carefully re-examined, after reading Mr. Grote's strictures, and not a single one of the specimens has any trace of armature at the tip of the anterior tibia. That Mr. Grote has seen a claw terminating the anterior tibia of an insect labelled Polenta Tepperi, Morr., it would be folly for me to dispute. That the insect is correctly determined I may be permitted to doubt, for it is scarcely possible that on all of the specimens I have examined the claw was so broken off as to leave no trace. I believe, therefore, that I was right, and that Mr. Morrison's generic diagnosis in this particular was correct.

Under this head one might arrange nearly the whole of our moths, except, perhaps, a little species, the Euzephora eoccidivora, which Professor Comstock has discovered to be predaceous, and to live upon plant-lice in the larval state, and one or two others, which, perhaps, have similar habits. A good many species become unusually numerous, however, in certain years and localities. Almost always this seems to be owing to the temporary cessation of action of the checks which keep down species from excessive multiplication, and disturbing the order of things. When we cultivate a large quantity of any cereal or plant of economic value, we in effect afford abundant food for the insects which habitually infest it. Many will recollect that the maple and other shade trees in Brooklyn and New York used to be completely defoliated by the middle of summer by the common Brown Drop or Measuring Worm, Eudalimia subsignaria. The English sparrow rid us of this nuisance; it eat every one of them. This Measuring Worm sought refuge in the cities from the birds which attacked it, and kept it down in the country. In the cities the birds were less plentiful and, this check being removed, they throve exceedingly.