In 1894, Mrs. J. J. Glessner, Littleton, N. H., called my attention to a “worm” which was feeding in the roots and stems of her columbines. It was not until July, 1895, however, that she succeeded in getting specimens of the “worm” for me. The “worm” proved to be a caterpillar which was unfamiliar to me, and in accordance with my usual practice in such cases, it was described and photographed. The photographs, giving dorsal and lateral views of the caterpillar, twice natural size, are reproduced on the plate.

This new raspberry pest has been discussed in detail in Bulletin 126, issued in February, 1897, from the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station. The life-history and habits of this Anthomyiian are fully illustrated in the Bulletin. At the time the Bulletin was written; however, the name of the insect had not been determined. In April, 1897, I reared several more of the flies and sent some to Mr. D. W. Coquillett at Washington. He soon reported that the insect was a new species of Phorbia, and sent me the following technical description of the fly, which he had drawn up from the specimens I sent him.

Examples of the emphasized importance of larval life better than that furnished by the subfamily Gomphinæ of Odonata are few even among insects. The nymphs live under the sediment (mostly organic debris) which falls to the bottom of ponds and streams. They are aquatic burrowers which live at such slight depth that their anal respiratory orifice is never beyond the reach of clean water. This thin stratum, which forms their home and which they only leave to transform, is one of great biologic richness. In it they have found room for development in enormous numbers and necessity for extreme specialization. They are, at least when well-grown, among the more powerful members of its teeming hidden population. The imagoes emerge, flit about under cover for a few days, lay their eggs and die. They emerge largely by daylight and are subject to great decimation of numbers at this time, and are sought later by numerous powerful enemies. The females which live to oviposit lay a very large number of eggs. A female of Gomphus fraternus laid for me in a watch glass of water over 5,000 at one time. The imagoes of the ancient genus Gomphus are regarded as a race of weaklings. Their nymphs, on the contrary, are splendidly equipped for the battle of life. And it is to the perfection of their adaptation that the prevalence of Gomphines with us is due.

Represented by A. confusa, Say, the only Canadian species of the group Atimioides. Aside from the structural peculiarities given in the table of genera, it may be characterized by the blackish colour and the punctate surface clothed with rather long yellowish pubescence, which is irregularly disposed so as to leave abraded smooth spots. The elytra are broader than prothorax, truncate at tip. Length, .33–.40 inch.

The following list includes forest and ornamental trees and shrubs, upon which the San José scale has been found breeding in Ohio. Nearly all of these have been found either by myself or my assistant, Mr. C. W. Mally, in sufficient numbers to indicate that the insect might thrive on any of them.

I wish to offer here a few remarks on the structure of the hind wings of the diurnals especially, in extension of my recent paper on the Butterflies of Hildesheim.

The first point relates to the fact that the hind wings are more specialized as compared with the primaries. The probable explanation I offer is, that the hind wings bear more of the weight of the body (abdomen), and that they regulate the downward stroke of the fore wings.

Since my note on the Mexican bees of the genus Augochlora was published I have been informed by Prof. Cockerell that he would not reply in this journal, but probably elsewhere. This conclusion seems to me to be remarkable, but I shall take this occasion to say what more I have to say on the subject and then leave it.

I herewith give a full list of the Lepidoptera new to the Society's collection, taken by Mr. J. W. Bice at electric light during the season of 1896.

Mr. Anderson and I picked out from amongst Mr. Bice's captures of about 2,000 mounted specimens of good material what seemed to be new to us; and after comparison with named specimens, or illustrations, having failed to recognize them, they were laid aside for others more competent than we to decide upon them.