Mr. F. M. van der Wulp, the well-known Dutch dipterologist, has recently published, in the Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, vol.35, pp. 183–195, short dignoses of a large number of new species and several new genera of Mexican Tachinidæ sens. lat. Of these, there are 33 new species and 4 new genera which belong to the above four groups. Of such well known and well-worked genera as Trichopoda, there are 4 new species; of Hyalomia, 10 new species; of Cistogaster 8 new species!

This species is quite common in New Mexico, where it feeds on the native sunflower (Helianthus sp.). On August 7, 1892, at Belen, N. Mex., I found the native Helianthus annuus badly infested with the adults and numerous light green grubs of this species, where were eating the leaves extensively.

Some year ago I received a small collection of diptera from San Domingo, made by Mr. F. Frazar, a list of the species of which it is composed I herewith give. Hitherto scarcely two score species have been recorded from the island.

During a recent visit to the city of Washington, through the kindness of Prof. C. V. Riley and his courteous assistants, I had the pleasure of examining typical exmaples of some of the Membracidæ described by Dr.Asa Fitch, the labels being in Dr. Fitch's own handwriting. Each specimen is numbered to agree with those given in the doctor's manuscript note-books, now in the possession of Dr. Riley and the Boston Society of Natural History.

The genus Japyx has been of particular interest because of the apparent absence of rudimentary abdominal appendages. One American* writer says very decidedly. “Japyx has none”; a well-known English † writer considers these appendages as “represented by mere groups of stiff hairs.” The presence of these appendages was indicated as early as 1869, by Brauer, ‡ in his description of Japyx gigas. In 1889 there appeared a very important paper by Haase§, in which the rudimentary appendages are distinctly shown. These appendages can easily be seen in either of the species described below.

Among the species heretofore referred to the genus Erax is a small group in which the first submarginal cell is divided by an oblique cross vein into two cells. The venation is similar to that of the genus promachus, except that the foremost of the two apical submarginal cells is shorter, and teh third vein curves forward to the costa before the apex of the wing, instead of curving backward to the hind margin beyond the apex.

The one most commonly met with is S. tipuliformis, and is to be found sunning itself on the leaves of the currant bushes at the time when the fruit is about two-thirds grown, and on a bright sunny morning about 10 o'clock, or afternoon about 4 o'clock, one can easily take from six to twelve in one or two hours. Once I found them assembling, and took some thirty or forty in a very short time. It is a little difficult to procure the larvæ, as they feed in the two-year-old wood, and, as this is the fruitproducing part, it is better not to cut it while the owner is about, and when you can cut, I have found so many blanks that the bushes have suffered more than the gain warranted.

In Vol.XXII., p. 120, of Can. Ent., Prof. Smith calls attention to the fact that the above name awaits identification, and says: “There should be no difficulty in indentifying this species, should it turn up.” The moth was described by Walker as Cycnia, referred by Grote and Robinson to Phragmatobia, and lastly by Kirby to Estigmene (=Leucarctia). It has occurred to me that this form has already been turned up, and by Mr. Bruce, as described in Entom. Amer., Vol. III.m p. 140, where it was shown to be a form a Spilosoma virginica.

The lac-producing Coccidæ are usually referred to the genus Carteria, Signoret, but as this name is pre-occupied in Protozoa, Signoret (Bull. Soc. Ent. Fr., 1886) substitued for it the term Tachardia.

The following notes of observations of some stages of these two little saw-flies are fragmentary and incomplete, but they are now given as they may be of some assistance to others working upon this group of insects.

Taxonus nigrisoma, Nort., Larva.—The fully grown larva is cylindrcal, and 10 to 12 millimeters long. It is of a pale green colour above, very slightly darker towards the sides above the spiracles, the spiracle line being marked by very minute dark dots one to each segment; and the under side (including the abdominal or prop legs) is of a dull whitish colour.

In discovering a North American representative of the European Brassicœ, I proposed for this latter and our Occidentis the generic title Copimamestra, based on the tibial claw. In the Philadelphia List the term Barathra is resuscitated out or Hübner's Verzeichniss, p. 218, for the genus, but incorrectly. Hübner refer two species, Brassicœ and Albicolor, to his genus, and I was free to use for one of them the new term. I need not state that Hübner took no note of the structure of Brassicœ, and that Albicolor differs structurally.

Ichthyura vau Fitch.

Egg.—The colour of the unhatched eggs is deep purplish-pink, pale around the bottom; slightly shining.

First stage.—Head bilobed, bearing a few hairs, shining black; width .45 mm. Dorsum broadly bluish-white, except the black cervical shield and anal plate and joints 5 and 12, which latter ar hardly enlarged, coloured vinous-brown. Whole lateral area also brown but paler, and broken into patches. Feet black outwardly. Hair fine, very long laterally, pale, darker dorsally, arising singly from black conical tubercles with the normal arrangement.

Sir, —The Henry Edwards Entomological Corresponding Chapter of the Agassiz Association invites entomological students who read this notice to join its ranks. Members are expected to keep each other informed of the progress of their work in special lines of study, and to contribute to the published reports. During the winter one or more courses in Elementary Entomology will be conducted. The initiation fee is 50 cents.