2O2 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, '05 



dosalis, it is undoubtedly dorsalis in this character. But pachymerus is 

 the more common here. Furthermore the body-length is nearer pachy- 

 merus than dorsalis. I have no male from here, so cannot say concern- 

 ing the tegmina, but according to Scudder ('94, Can. Ent. XXVI., p. 179 

 seq. ) the only difference is that in pachymerus the exposed portion of the 

 (^ tegmina is almost as ample as the pronotum, and in dorsalis is less 

 than j/3 as ample. 



Can it be that one of Burmeister's species is a synonym of the other? 

 If not, I suppose we must call this specimen dorsalis on the ground that 

 animals tend to be small at the extremes of their range. FRANK E LUTZ. 



As TO GLOSSARIES. It was interesting to me to see the list of Glossar. 

 ies in the April number of the "NEWS" because I have another about 

 ready for the printer. It is the revision of the Brooklyn " Explanation of 

 Terms," referred to by Mr. Girault ; but it is much more than a revision. 



In the original edition there were 90 terms defined under the letter A ; 

 the revision definies nearly or quite 400. There were 34 terms under B ; 

 there are now 140, and the other letters have increased in proportion. 

 Instead of less than 1500 terms, my cards number over 5000, and I am not 

 sure that I have all the terms even now. 



It is my intention to submit the manuscript to a number of specialists 

 before it is sent to the printer, so it is not certain just how soon it will be 

 in type ; I hope to have it bear date in 1905. Meanwhile, I will be glad 

 to receive suggestions and to get terms that have a special application in 

 any order. I do not pretend to that technical acquaintance with other 

 than the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera that is necessary to make sure of 

 including all the terms used in descriptive work. JOHN B. SMITH. 



LAST AUGUST while reading Clarence Moore Weed's Life History of 

 American Insects, on page 23, I came across the following quotation from 

 Prof. J. H. Comstock. He was writing about the Cicindelas. " Before 

 alighting they always turn so that they face us, and can then watch our 

 movements." 



Such action on the part of the beetle, if voluntary, would indicate 

 greater intelligence than should be expected from an animal whose men- 

 tal development is as low. I had seen similar statements before and 

 determined to investigate their truth. 



Seeking a place where these beetles were abundant, I began to flush 

 them and watch closely when they alighted. Sure enough they all turned 

 so as to face me. Satisfied that Prof. Comstock's statement was correct I 

 began to retrace my steps still watching the alighting of the insects, but 

 now they did not alight facing me but dropped to the ground in the direc- 

 tion of their flight. Pondering why in so short a time there should be 

 such different action on the part of the insects when alighting, I cast 

 about for an explanation. The place I had chosen for observing them was 

 a sandy lane facing east and west ; at the time there was a moderate 

 breeze blowing from the west. At first 1 had walked with the wind then 



