Length of larva, one and one-eighth inches; breadth at widest part, three-sixteenths of an inch. The body flattened beneath, and slightly rounded above. It is scalloped along the sides. The legs proper are long and projecting. The creature has the habit of twisting the last four or five segments to one side. When disturbed it throws itself into the usual attitude of a Nematus larva. Its general color is yellow—the head has an orange tinge. There are ten rows of black spots on the body—six rows along the back, one row on each side, and two rows underneath. The spots of the side rows are longer than the rest, and are placed olre on the fore part of each scallop. In each of the rows on the back the spots run three to a segment. The last segment has no spots. The eyes of the larva are black, and the mandibles are brown. The creature forms a rather loose, white cocoon.

Having recently examined the European Cossus (Xyleutes) ligniperda, the generic differences between Cossus and Prionoxystus impressed me quite forcibly. The Cossidæ or Teredines of Hübner (Grote, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc., Nov., 1874), form a sub-family group of the “Spinners” or Bombycidœ, and are generally characterized by the wood-eating habit of the larvæ, which are provided with powerful mandibles for the purpose. The moths are generally of a clumsy build and are usually of a gray color, resembling the bark of trees on which they rest, and are more or less reticulated with darker shade lines, peppered and spotted so as to give the idea of protective imitation. The ocelli are wanting and the tongue is rudimentary. In the gents Cossus, and in most of the genera of the group, the vestiture of the body is close, thick and hairy. Although gray is the prevailing color, some Australian species have the hind wings especially of a reddish-brown hue. The European Zeuzera Aesculi is white, spotted over wings and thorax with steely blue. The North American genus Prionoxystus differs at first sight by the sparse, thinly laid on, scaly vestiture.

If a specimen becomes oily, it is generally believed that its beauty can never again be restored; but with a trifling cost and a little labor, any specimen will in a short time have again its former lustre, without injury to the insect. This remedy has been tried on the most tender Diurnals, as well as on Sphinges and Noctuids; it can be used on every insect. Should a specimen be oily throughout, body and wings, it may be put in the following fluid: One part of sulphuric ether to two parts of the strongest alcohol, and left therein for about 24 hours. Should the specimen be very oily, another bath may have to be applied. Should this second bath, after removing the insect, be only slightly discolored, the insect may be put in the last bath, which consists of pure sulphuric ether, in which it is left a few hours only. After being taken out and partly dried, it is put on the spreading board.

In Nov. No., 1885, I asked if readers of this magazine had ever found. the larva of Turnus feeding on willow, etc., to which I have had several replies.

Mr. W. Brodie, Toronto, Can., wrote that on Sept. 10, 1885, Thos. Parks, of Toronto, found three larvæ in bis garden under a peach tree, and he put them in a box and fed on peach leaves for several days, and till pupation. So far as I know, the peach has not before been observed to be a plant of Turnus.

The study of the forms referable to the first or European element in the North American Moths, is complicated by the circumstance of the great range in the character and amount of the differences separating the related species now living so widely apart. These related species are found, in fact, to offer also difficulties as to their correct nomenclature. We have seen that the term “representative species,” like that of “prophetic types,” hides the real significance of the inter-resemblance which is that of a common descent. In naming these “representative” forms we must be guided by the rule that where the differences are such that the species would be considered distinct if members of a common fauna, a different specific title must be given them, but where these differences are slight, and what, under the same supposition, would be considered only varietal, the species must be considered as still identical, though separated so long in time and by so wide a space. The study of those forms which are practically identical is, as we have seen, further complicated by the difficulty of deciding as to whether they may have been introduced since the discovery of the New World by the Spaniards, or whether the species have continued unaltered since the Tertiary in both America and Europe. While certain species such as Scoliopteryx are undoubtedly in this latter case, it is less easy to feel so sure with regard to this in instances like Dipterygia Pinastri and the various identical forms of Agrotis, but on the whole I am inclined to believe that the number of species artificially exchanged is very small, and that these identical species have simply proved more constant and are of an older type than the rest.

Podagrion mantis, n. sp.

♀. Length .15 inch; ovip., .14 inch. Dull metallic green, finely punctate and sparsely covered with short, whitish pubescence; antennæ and legs dull yellow; flagellum brownish above, all coxæ metallic green, sculptured, posterior ones large, tips of feet black. The posterior femora are greatly swollen as in the Chalcidinæ, armed with about eight large teeth, brown at sides but brassy along upper surface, pubescent, tibiæ greatly curved; abdomen metallic green variegated with brown, compressed and shaped as in the ichneumon genus Ophion; wings hyaline, veins brown, marginal and post-marginal veins long, stigmal vein short, thick.

Described from one female specimen bred from egg mass of Mantis carolina Say. This is an interesting discovery, and the first species of the genus to be described in our fauna.

This species I have mistaken, according to Mr. J. B. Smith, for Polenta Tepperi in several of my papers. The moth is easily recognized, being of a delicate green color and having the transverse lines similar to Plagiomimicus Pityochromus, which is a blackish fuscous and stouter species. P. Richii has the anterior tibiæ armed with a claw and the clypeus provided with a cup-like expansion, less prominent than in Pityochromus. P. Richii occurs in Texas, FloriCa, and I have seen it also from the Southwest. The genus may be further known by the tips of the patagia being somewhat relieved, and belongs to the Stiriinœ, a group of Noctuidœ which I have fully discussed in the pages of the Canadian Entomologist. I regret that I have been mistaken in my identification of Polenta, thus needlessly criticizing Mr. Morrison and afterwards Mr. J. B. Smith.

Having recently, through the kindness of Mr. W. W. Hill, the well known Lepidopterist, been able to carefully compare my type of hospitalis with a series of Agrotis perconflua Gr., I believe we have to do with a variety of this latter species differing by the black marked t. a. line, the black edging on costal region of t. p. line, the more suffused and deeper color. The insects are structurally identical, and although variation in these points is not usual (I have not met with it), yet the perfect correspondences in other points carry the conviction that in hospitalis from Lewis Co., N. Y., we have only a form of perconflua.

Read at the Annual Meeting of the Ent. Soc. Ont.

The earliest species which I noted during the past season, was the common and obnoxious currant saw-fly, Nematus ventricosus, which appeared on 15th May. Two days later I captured upon willow in bloom a specimen of Dolerus collaris, and on the 21st and 22nd found D. aprilis quite common on and about alders, with a few D. sericeus? and D. abdominalis. By the 24th May the strawberry saw-fly, Emphytus maculatus, and the raspberry saw-fly, Selandria rubi, were in considerable numbers, and at the same time appeared several less well known species in fields and woods, such as Hylotoma McCleayi. This species I found again on 2nd June and subsequent days, upon the flowers of choke-cherry. Later in the season specimens were found upon Spiræa. Selandria flavipes was captured on 10th June, and was abundant during the season. It could always be obtained by using a sweeping-net among the common fern. At the same time could be obtained in abundance upon the ferns greenish larvae which I have no doubt were those of that species.

During August and September the larvæ of this fine moth are often seen feeding on the lilac. When full grown it is of peculiar shape and markings, and taken altogether, a hideous looking object, and one which few people besides an entomologist would care to have anything to do with.

Mature larva, 1.75 inches long.

Readers of The Canadian Entomologist have, no doubt, through the papers of W. H. Edwards, followed with interest the discovery of so many facts bearing on the evolution of species in the Butterflies. We have now a work by a German writer of remarkable industry and ability, on the larval peculiarities of the Nymphalidæ, which deserves the study of all interested in Lepidopterology in America. The work is adorned by four plain lithographic plates of the caterpillars and their peculiar structure, of such fineness and softness of execution that, with all my experience, I hardly know where to find their equal. The work itself is a separate part of my friend Prof. Spengel's very useful “Jahrbücher,” a zoological publication which deserves to be largely encouraged. The publication may be obtained at the office of Gustav Fischer, Jena, Germany, and this work on the Nymphalidæ costs about three dollars (11 marks). The book itself (252 pp.) is too lengthy to be adequately reviewed here. It is a minute study, throwing light on the genealogy of the family from the structure of the caterpillars, and it is conducted with an ability which is simply marvellous.