264 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [December, 



VENTURESOME INSECTS. Mr. Webster's note in the NEWS for Novem- 

 ber, p. 232, on the behavior of Pyramcis atalanta, recalls the fact that I 

 made the same observation at Wallingford, Delaware County, Pa., in 

 1881 and 1882. Late in sunny Summer afternoons, about 5.30 o'clock, or 

 even later, one or sometimes more individuals of P. atalanta appeared 

 day after day, at nearly the same spot in an orchard lawn. Sometimes 

 they alighted upon persons, more often upon the trees or the ground. I 

 have noticed the same phenomena in this species in later years, but can- 

 not now specify the times and places. Among dragonflies, the only similar 

 occurrence that I can now recall, is that of some males of P/at/ieini:, fri- 

 maculata repeatedly alighting upon my gray flannel shirt, late one after- 

 noon, while I was watching them in a clearing in the woods at Folsom, 

 Pa. The bluish white color of their abdomens at first suggested that their 

 alighting upon my shirt was an instance of protective resemblance, but I 

 doubt that such was the case. PHILIP P. CALVERT. 



To DR. ROBERT H. LAMBORN, the public is indebted for an effort made 

 a few years since toward discovering a method for exterminating mos- 

 quitoes. Although many months of research and experiment resulted in 

 no apparent abatement of the nuisance, still it is not improbable that the 

 future may bring to the notice of entomologists some predatory insect 

 which may be utilized as a mosquito annihilator. The higher develop- 

 ment of useful domestic insects has long been the study of agriculturists, 

 and has been as important a factor in economics as the limitless effort to 

 resist the noxious parasite. 



Among the many insects indispensable to man are the cochineal bug, 

 the silk worm and the honey bee; to the latter Dr. Lamborn's attention 

 has recently turned, doubtless with a view to bringing about the advent 

 of the much-talked-of " Coming Bee." 



Although apiculture is the oldest economic pursuit, it is only within the 

 last century that much scientific thought has been directed to the perfec- 

 tion of the stock. Much has been accomplished in the line of developing 

 a gentler bee, but at the expense of other qualities. To evolve an ideal 

 bee some points must be considered which have hitherto been overlooked. 

 A combination of desirable points of various races and an elimination of 

 objections must require much patience, time and money. 



CARKIK B. AARON. 



A CHANGE IN THE N.\.M K OF A RECENTLY-DESCRIBED SPECIES OF OR- 



CHELIMUM. Recently, while examining a small collection of New Jersey 

 Orthoptera which had been sent to me by Prof. John B. Smith, of the 

 New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, for determination, a pair 

 of small Orchelivrium were encountered which agree in every respect with 

 Harris' description and figure of Orchelimum gracilis as given in "In- 

 serts Injurious to Vegetation," edition of 1863, p. 163, fig. ;S. ]',y re- 

 ferring to " Materials for a Monograph of the Orthoptera of N. Aim-iica" 

 by Samuel H. Scudder, it will be seen that on page 451 this insect of 

 Harris' is made a synonym of De Geer's l.ncusia fasciala, which is the 



