16 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [January, 



found in low meadow- or swamp-lands. The variation consists principally 

 in the yellow markings of the under surface of the posterior wings being 

 almost obliterated by a suffusion of dark brown, while the under surface 

 of the anterior wings is of a uniform dark brown, the light colored margin 

 found in the normal form being entirely wanting. About one in every 

 ten specimens caught will be found to be snffusa; the variation is gener- 

 ally found among the males, but also occurs in the females, but more 

 sparingly where it occurs in the females. The insect is without the usual 

 yellow spots on the upper surface of the wings. PHILIP LAURENT, Phila. 



SYNONYMS OF NOCTUID^E. Mr. W. H. Patton has given in ENTOMO- 

 LOGICAL NEWS, vol. ii, p. 206, a synonym of ^Homohadena infixa Wlk." 

 which requires correction. I have seen Walker's type, in the British Mu- 

 seum, and find it exactly like the type of Mr. Grote's H. kappa, which is 

 also in the British Museum. H. incomitata and H. badistriga are both 

 as good species as are usually found in the Noctuidae, and come at exactly 

 opposite ends of the synoptic table in my revision of the species (Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. xiii, 399). Harvey's type is not rubbed, and I have seen 

 any number of specimens just like it. That Xylophasia infixa Wlk. 

 probably referred to a species of Homohadena I indicated in my revision 

 of Xylophasia (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. xiii, 446), but was not able to fix it 

 positively. It would be interesting to know upon what Mr. Patton bases 

 his synonymy. JOHN B. SMITH, New Brunswick, N. J. 



Prof. KELLICOTT'S " Note on Exceptions" brought vividly to my mind 

 the number of interesting varieties of Caberodes confusaria that had es- 

 caped from my collecting-bottle by its remarkable powers of resisting the 

 action of cyanide. I have often sought for an explanation, but without 

 definite results. In my observations, Hymenoptera and Diptera are the 

 most sensitive to the fumes of cyanide, which I have thought might arise 

 from their nervous activity producing rapid respiration. Water beetles as 

 a rule are slow to yield to its influence, which is probably the result of 

 their having a supply of pure air under their elytra which would last 

 for a while. Newly-hatched beetles may remain for a whole day in a 

 strong bottle and revive again when exposed to the air, the result of 

 their partially dormant condition. Caberodes confusaria is an active in- 

 sect, and therefore ought to breathe rapidly, and so get the full benefit of 

 the poison, but in its case neither the principle nor the poison works satis- 

 factorily. I. ALSTON MOFFAT, London, Ontario. 



I THINK a "wave" of Erebus odora must have struck Colorado this 

 Summer. I have occasionally met with this species in the State before, 

 but not more than one example in a season. This year, however, was a 

 notable exception; one day last June I took one on the sidewalk at Colo- 

 rado Springs; the same evening I found one on the platform at Canon 

 City Depot. The next morning I reached Salida just at daybreak; during 

 the two days I stayed there I took about a dozen pretty fair examples. 

 These were resting on the lamp-posts, or on the ground close by. It was 



