Vol. xxiii] 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



identification though they appeared to be the same species, and both 

 resembled in general coloration Aphelinus automates Girault, the only 

 yellow aphid-infesting species so far known and the one referred to 

 above. One of these specimens was found to have been reared from 

 Callipterus iilniifolii on Elm, Morton Grove (Chicago), 111., August 

 5, 1009, while the other was obtained from the same host, collected 

 at Oak Park (Chicago), 111.. August 12, 1909, and emerging the four- 

 teenth of August following. I now know of a third (or rather 

 fourth) instance, the rearing from a Calaphis at St. Louis, Mo., by 

 Mr. Davis very recently of a specimen of a species altogether different 

 from automatus and consequently unknown to science. This species 

 has been turned over to Dr. L. O. Howard, who has done so much 

 to further our knowledge of the Aphelininse. A. A. GIRAULT. 



A NEW MEASURING DEVICE. In making accurate comparison of the 

 proportions of the elements of the venation in the published illustra- 

 tions of insect wings the writer hit upon a very simple device which 

 may be of use to others. 



Place a small piece of transparent celluloid upon the figure and 

 scratch the design upon the celluloid, now carefully trim around the 

 outside line and there is left a rectangle I cm. wide and 5 cm. long 

 marked off into square centimeters, each cross line being divided by 



the oblique line giving 4-6, 3-7, 2-8 and 1-9 mm. respectively. 



By laying this device upon a drawing one can quickly determine the 

 length of any line up to i cm. in length to the tenth of an mm. by 

 estimating the tenths of the intervals between the cross lines. The 

 rule may be read the long way with lessened accuracy but equal fa- 

 cility. 



After rather extensive use the writer finds it very much more con- 

 venient and quite as accurate as the use of bow dividers or of any 

 other method that has come to his notice. C. W. WOOUWORTH, Univer- 

 sity of California, Berkeley, California. 



ALETIA ARGILLACEA. The note in the November number of ENTOMO- 

 LOGICAL NEWS in <re the abundance of Aletia (Alabama) argillacea has 

 just come to my attention. I am very much interested in the "migration' 

 you note, as a similar "migration" occurred in Milwaukee at about the 

 same time. I first noticed the moth in the streets of this city, right in the 

 center of the town, and increasing in numbers in the direction of the 

 lake (Lake Michigan). 1 did not make a note of the first appearance 

 of the moth, but a specimen which T picked up for a record bears the 



