The genus Apista was proposed by F. Smith in 1861, to contain the species Apista opalina, Sm., which was described from a single female from Ega, Brazil. So far as I know the specimen is still unique. In Dalla Torre's Catalogue the genus is placed just after Melipona, which is the reason, no doubt, why Schrottky says nothing about it in his work on the solitary bees of Brazil. Ashmead, in his tables, places it in the Andrenidæ, and I have no doubt that this is its correct position.

The ill wind that blows insects into a lake may blow the entomologist some good if he be on hand to collect them when they are cast upon the beach. During recent years I have gathered much material for class use from the drift line upon the beach at Lake Forest, with great economy of time and labour. After every on-shore breeze following sunshiny summer weather some insects are cast up by the waves, and occasionally there is a great accumulation of them. Twice I have observed accumulations of them quite out of the ordinary; the first time, in August, 1899, when the drift was predominantly crickets of a single species (Nemobius fasciatus)*, and a second time in June, 1904, when it was predominantly May beetles of a single species(Lachnosterna fusca). It is the purpose of this paper to record some observations on this occurrence.

Chrysops lupus, n. sp.—♀.— Length, 8–9 mm. Face shining yellowis ferruginous, callosities outside of suture, and cheeks black. Antennæ black, base of first joint fulvous. Front grayish pollinose, callesity black. Thorax black, with the usual glaucous stripes. Scutellum black. Abdomen yellow, first segment with a black spot wider anteriorly and connecting on second segment with a subquadrate spot deeply emarginate posteriorly, which does not attain the posterior margin of the segment.

The Ray Spiders live a retired life along the banks of some creek, where overhanging bushes and projecting rocks afford the gloom which they seem to seek. In such locations, especially in the dark recesses under clusters of roots, we may look for their cocoons in midsummer. They are among the most interesting to be found—little golden-brown balls, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter, suspended by a single glossy-white thread nearly an inch long.

On the 6th of June 1903, we found a Thecla caterpillar unknown to us feeding openly upon the berries of Vaccinium corymbosum. Its general colour was bright yellowish-green, which served to render it comparatively inconspicuous while feeding in the midst of a cluster of the unripe fruit. A faint, draker, dorsal stripe and a very minute coral-red spot in the middle of each segment, just above the lateral fold, were the only markings. The head was of a uniform light brown, and the body was clothed with short pile. Length, 12 mm.

On April 24th two ♀ ♀ of this month were found resting on the ground within a cluster of Sumach-brush, at Wooside, Long Island, N. Y. Their bright yellow colour had faded to pale ochre.

Eggs were deposited from April 24th to 28th, only during the night. According to circumstances they are secreted within the fissures of the leaf-buds and narrow crevices of bark, or into the folds of decaying leaves of the food-plant. In the first case the nearly elliptical eggs are fgastened erect, close together, in a single row; when attached to a broader surface they are arranged in small regular patches or rows, but deposited lengthwide, the next one always overlapping the preceding one with its, blunt, micropylar end.

♀. — Length about 8 mm., black, with distinct narrow white hairbands on abdomen. Middle of anterior margin of clypeus curved upwards, presenting a point from which the sides slope gently for some distance, and then abruptly nearly vertically, the whole, seen from beneath, having about the outline of a low house seen from one end; some distance on each side of this structure is a low projection of the margin. In general, the insect looks just like Ashmeadiella bucconis, but the second tooth of the mandibles is short, and the front and vertex are as densely punctured as it is possible for them to be. The last joint of the labial palpus is conspicuously longer than the penultimate one.

Since Mr. A. W. Hanham published his lists of Manitoba Lepidoptera in the Canadian Entomologist (1897–1901), many additional species have been taken in the Province by myself and other. Where no special locality is given in the following list, the capture was made by me on my farm on the Long River, and in almost every instance the identification has been made by Dr. John B. Smith, to whom my warmest thanks are due for the kindly that he has taken with my material.

The family Ægialitidæ, then known by but one species, was placed by Dr. LeConte (Classification of the Coleoptera of North America, p. xxxvi.) in association with those Heteromera having the anterior coxal cavities closed behind. This structure is also assigned to Ægialites in the detailed account of the insect on page 388 of the same work. Dr. Sharp, in his recent treatise on insects (Cambridge Natural History, Vol. VI., p. 265), speaks of the anterior coxæ as being “completely closed in,” while Dr. Geo. Horn, though dissecting a specimen for a study of the mouthparts, seems to have overlooked the coxal structure, or he would certainly have alluded to it in his notes on the genus (Trans. American Ento. Soc., XV., p. 27). In view of the statements in the books, I was surprised, a few months ago, by the receipt of a letter from the Rev. J. H. Keen, in which he asserted that the cavities of the anterior coxæ are open behind, as in indeed the case. Mr. Keen's observation is of great importance, in that it opens the way to a proper appreciation of the systematic position of the insect.

In connection with the work on the Philippine mosquitoes carried on by the authority of the Surgeon-General, U.S. Army, and “for and with the co-operation of the Medical Corps, U.S.A.,” a lot of mosquitoes recently received from Cottabato, Mindanao, P.I., makes it possible to describe a new Myzomyia; to state definitely all the differences between Stegomyia scutellaris, Walker, and the variety Sumarensis, Ludlow; and to make a small correction in the description of Myzorhyncus pseudobarbirostris, Ludlow.

It seems a little ungracious to call attention to errors in so excellent a work as “The Moth Book,” and presumptuous for a novice to criticise so eminent an authority as its author, but perhaps it is as well for the sake of the many amateur collectors who will name their captures from Dr. Holland's beautiful plates that the few mistakes that seem to have crept in should be pointed out.

Spinola in 1851 described and figured Diphaglossa Gayi as a new species and new genus closely related to Anthophora. It was founded on males and females collected in northern Chili, “Santa Rosa, Coquimbo, etc.” He figures the insect (natural size), face view of head and mouthparts, wing, antennæ and leg.

In the Journal of the New York Entomological Society, X., 140, 1902, footnot, Mr. Coquillett called attention to a serious error of mine in my revision of what I called the Psilopinæ (Diptera, family Dolichopodidæ), by which I applied the new name Gnamptopsilopus to that portion of the old gensu psilopus containing the type species platypterus. But little investigation was needed to assure me that the criticism was just.

This paper belongs with the series on local species—Andreninæ, Megachilidæ and Bombinæ, Tr. Am. Ent. Soc., 28: 187;29: 163; Sphecodinæ, Ent. News, 14: 103; Balictinæ, Nomadinæ, Epeolinæ, Anthophila, Can. Ent., 34: 245; 35: 172, 284; 36: 37.

♀ and ♂ new to Vancouver. Hitherto only the male of this fossorial wasp had been known. The males recorded in the literature came from Nove Scotia, Cananda; Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and Washington. The female is related to T. medius, Fox, but differs in size, sculpture and ornamentation, particularly in the contrast between the deep median sclcus on the metanotum and the regular subdued sculpture adjoining. In medius the sclcus is not sharply outlined, nor is there a strong contrast between it and the sculpture of the adjoining area which is rough. The female of T. latipes is much like the male, and is readily referred to its fully described sex. Prof. Harvey sent one female taken 21st June, 1903, and one male 19th June, 1903, to Dr. Henry Skinner, who referred them to me for identification.

Culex siphonalis, sp. nov.—♀. Head brown, occiput covered with pale yellow scales, antennæ brown, basal joint and two following ones testacesou; proboscis pale brown, with dark brown scales scattered over the surface, covering the apical fourth; palpi dark brown, with minute terminal joint oval in form, pointed at the apex and slightly spiny. Mesonotum covered with pale yellow and brown scales at the sides and with a median vitta wholly of brown scales, the pale yellow scales sometimes forming a narrow border to this vitta; scutellum brown, with yellowish-brown bristles on the posterior margin; metanotum evenly brown; pleura brown, clothed with patches of dirty white scales; halteres yellowish-white, black at the apex.

When writing (p. 330) on the genus Apista, F. Smith, 1861, I unfortunately overlooked the fact that the generic name is long preoccupied (Apista, Hübn, 1816, and the similar Apistus, Cuvier, 1829). The bee genus from Brazil may therefore be known as Egapista, n. n., type Egapista opalina (Apista opalina, Smith).

I find that the name of the African bee-genus Serapis, F. Smith, 1854, is also preoccupied (Serapis, Link, 1830); it may be changed to Serapista; type Serapista denticulata (Serapis denticulatus, Smith).

The name Eumorpha proposed by Friese for a group of bees, is also preoccupied. The group Rhodocentris, Friese, includes the type of the prior Heterocentries, Ckll.; so the latter name must be used for the group, unless (as seems probable) it can be divided.

In the first week of July my attention was drawn by my friend, Mr. Joshua Thomson, of Levis, to a strange sight, The plum trees in his grounds were infested with myriads of a new species of Torymus, as many as thirty of the insects appearing on one plum. I never witnessed anything in my entomological pursuits more remarkable. The brilliant little creatures could be seen in the act of depositing their eggs; their ovipositors thrust deep into the fruit. Some of the plums attacked showed signs of a previous attack of the Curculio, but most of them did not. Whether the larvæ of the species feed on the flesh and juices of the plum or attack the grubs of the Curcuiio, I cannot say, for I was unable to follow the life-history of the species.

Enarmonia Cockleana, sp. nov.— Palpi pale fawn, tipped with black, Front of head or face very pale fawn, top of head and thorax a shade deeper. Fore wing rich reddish chocolate brown, by refracted light, scales prismatic, like burnished copper. A broad fawn-coloured fascia from costa at inner third obliquely to dorsal margin beyond half. A second oblique fascia parallels the first, begins on costa at outer two-thirds, and ends at anal angle; this is broader on costa, and lower half is not so well define.