19 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [April, 'l2 



Strecker collection. There is also a male of the original lot in the 

 collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The 

 male of this species was redescribed by Dyar under the name aryxna. 

 Barnes and McDunnough find two species in the "type series" of 

 aryxna. It seems a pity to have such an elastic series and in the fu- 

 ture it will be well for Dyar, McDunnough and Barnes to fix a single 

 type. After the careful examination of a good series of specimens I 

 am unable to see anything more than individual non-specific differ- 

 ences between ncumoegeni Edwards and the aryxna of Barnes and 

 McDunnough. All the characters they give appear to the writer as 

 gradational. including the genitalic. We need much better and addi- 

 tional evidence before specific value can be accepted. 



M. polingi Skinner was described from two specimens supposed to 

 be male and female. The type and paratype prove to be females as 

 stated by the authors of this paper. They had over one hundred speci- 

 mens of both sexes for study, and were able to detect the fact that 

 Dr. Skinner erred as to the sex of one specimen. The writer does 

 not assume any obligation to take cognizance of letters at a particu- 

 lar time. When statements appear in the literature they are placed on 

 an entirely different basis. 



The authors place M. var. navajo as a synonym of coloradensis 

 Riley. If a black form as compared with a light chestnut brown one 

 is not sufficient difference to constitute a variety, then they are correct. 

 Riley in his original description said, "This Colorado form is remark- 

 able for its small size and the paleness of its colors." There can be no 

 question about the meaning of the above. It refers to the color of the 

 insect and not alone to maculation as the two authors state. The 

 Academy of Natural Sciences possesses one of the cotypes of colora- 

 densis and it has not faded since it was caught and it is a light chest- 

 nut brown in color, whereas yuccae is dark umber-brown and navajo 

 black. 



M. cofauui Strecker is a very distinct species, both in maculation 

 and in the male genitalic characters. The male has a buff border on 

 the upper side of the secondaries, otherwise the markings are the same 

 as in .the female, except that the row of spots on the secondaries is 

 almost obsolete. The male specimen of streckeri bearing the type 

 label, was taken in Arizona by Morrison. State labels were the fash- 

 ion when it was captured and it can only be said that it was taken in 

 one of the various localities in Arizona where Morrison is known 

 to have collected. 



Barnes and McDunnough have given us an able paper which has 

 considerably advanced our knowledge of the family. There are still 

 questions that need elucidation and they will be solved in the future. 

 H. S. 



