370 ENTOMOLOGICAL, NEWS. [Oct., 'l6 



gated pieces. Apparently by some combination of muscles these long 

 pieces can be brought to bear upon the small triangular piece, thus 

 closing the spiracle. The arrangement of the parts is indicated in Fig. 4. 



Antarctophthirius microchir (Troues. & Neum.). 



A number of specimens, males, females and immature, from 

 the California sea-lion, Zalophus calif orni anus, obtained 

 through the kindness of Mr. P. J. Fair, of the California 

 Academy of Sciences. The species has previously been re- 

 corded from Phocarctos hookeri, another member of the Ota- 

 riidae (Auckland Island). The description and beautiful fig- 

 ure given by Enclerlein in the report of the Deutsche Siidpolar 

 Expedition (Vol. 10, pp. 511-512, ff. 176, 177, 183, 184) per- 

 mit a definite determination of the species to be made. The 

 California specimens differ hardly at all from those from the 



Antarctic. 



> 



Butterflies as Food for Squirrels. (Lep.). 



The latter part of May, 1916, was noticeable in the vicinity of Los 

 Angeles, California, for the great numbers of Melitaea chalcedon. 

 On the 27th I was resting by the roadside among the willows at the 

 upper end of Griffith Park. Great numbers of chalcedon were flitting 

 up and down the road and settling on certain moist, sandy spots. 

 Suddenly a gray ground squirrel ran out on one of these spots and 

 apparently caught a butterfly, then sat up on its hind legs and worked 

 over it. I tried several times to get closer, but succeeded only in 

 scaring away the squirrel. Each time, however, it returned and went 

 through the same performance. Finally I walked up and examined 

 the spot, where to my astonishment I found quantities of chalcedon 

 wings. To satisfy myself I counted roughly up to a hundred wings 

 or enough for twenty-five complete butterflies. The squirrel evi- 

 dently took the opportunity to obtain a meal while the butterflies were 

 easily caught and gathered plentifully on the moist ground. J. R. 

 HASKIN. 



Vincetoxicum japonicum as a Mosquito Catcher (Dip.). 



While it is generally known that some species of female mosquitoes 

 feed to a certain extent upon the nectar of flowers, very little has 

 been said of the herbaceous perennial, Vincetoxicum japonicum and 

 its mosquito-catching ability. It is known commonly as the mos- 

 quito plant and its small white flowers which appear in June, secrete 

 and trap by means of a sticky nectar, various small flower-visiting 

 flies and mosquitoes. During the past season, T have found females 

 of Culcx plpicns and Acdes subcctntans firmly held fast by the flow- 

 ers. It would appear from this that females of these two species oc- 

 casionally feed on nectar. In addition to flies and mosquitoes dif- 

 ferent species of Ccomctridac were noted, swinging helplessly, each 

 with the tip of its proboscis fastened in (he flower. I'.ees have no 

 trouble in securing the nectar and getting safely away with it as they 

 are evidently too able-bodied to be held fast. HARRY B. WEISS, New 

 Brunswick, New Jersey. 



