It is to the Hymenoptera that the student must look for the most varied and interesting phases of insect life. Here he finds numerous avocations conducted with much intelligence, and in many families sees strong social instincts developed. It is not, however, of these latter that I intend now to speak, but of a few solitary ones. Even those just entered upon the study of insect life must be fully aware of the continual destruction of our fruit and timber trees, both alive and in process of manufacture, by the boring, wood-eating larvæ of various insects.

It is related by a celebrated traveller and naturalist that, in the dreary islands of Terra del Fuego, the only vegetable food to be obtained by the wretched inhabitants, with the exception of a few berries, is a fungus which grows in great abundance on certain trees. This fungus appears on the bark in the shape of bright yellow, globular masses of the size of small apples, and at a certain stage of development is gathered and eaten uncooked.

EGG—Conoidal, depressed at top, flat at base, shaped generally like the eggs of Argynnis ( Idalia, Cybele, &c.), but taller in proportion to its breadth than in the species named, with the sides less rounded ; marked by about 20 prominent, vertical, straight ribs, half of which extend from base to summit, forming around the depression a serrated rim, the rest ending irregularly at two fifths to four fifths the distance from base, the shorter ones occasionally joining the others ; marked horizontally by numerous prominent stræ. Duration of this stage from 5 to 12 days, according to the season.

Several of your correspondents have given you articles on.the early appearance of Lepidoptera this season, and as the Catocalas are my favorites, I will give my experience with them. According to good authority and report, C. epione had the honor of being the first to appear-but I find in this locality a very strong argument against that theory. By referring to my diary I see that C. ilia has the precedence.

The caterpillars known under the common name of “woolly bears” belong to the family of Arctians, and most of the species in the moth state are very pretty objects. The commonest of all the species is Spilosoma virginica, a pure white moth which appears on the wing in May, when it deposits its clusters of round yellow eggs on the under side of the leaves of many plants.

In answer to a query in the March Entomologist as to the rearing of larvæ of wood-boring beetles, I would say that it is very difficult to do after they have been removed from their burrows. Try damp sawdust of the same wood. The better plan where infested timber is found, is to saw it into short lengths, pack in tight box and cover with a wet cloth. Many kinds cannot bore in dry wood.

Ochyria designata, Pack.

Mature larva, five specimens.—Head roundish, flattened, as wide as the first segment, yellowish green ; jaws brown. Body thickest at the 9th segment, attenuated anteriorly; yellowish green, the dorsal and subdorsal spaces reticulated and lined with brown ; a narrow stigmatal brown line and a dorsal row of triangular brown spots, one each on the 4th, 9th and 10th segments, and two on each of the intermediate ones; a minute substigmatal black spot on the anterior part of each segment from the 6th to 9th.

But little is generally known regarding the life history and habits of mites. They have not yet engaged the attention of many naturalists, still their tribes are many, and the hosts of individuais composing them “too numerous to mention.” We purpose to present our readers with a few facts relating to two of the better known species of mites.

Thalpocharas patruelis Grote, Can. Ent., viii., 27.

The fore wings are 12-veined, no accessory cell, 9, 10 out of 8, costal nervules rather crowded, cell open. Hind wings 8-veined, vein 5 a little weaker than the rest, independent. This little species, of which I have both sexes, is rusty ochrey, the hind wings sub-pellucid, washed with ochrey externally.