258 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Oct., 'O2 



assist in the identification of a species. It has been suggested 

 to me in a letter from Mr. H. Maxwell L/efroy of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, Barbadoes, West Indies, that dis- 

 tinctive characters and such as are found to be more constant 

 by him in the identification of the genus Lccanium are found in 

 the anal region and anal plates of that genus. I cannot as yet 

 find any assistance to aid me in relying upon the shape, size 

 and color of the plates together with the spines and spine-like 

 hairs of that region. Whether or not these characters may be 

 found to be specific I cannot say or whether new characters 

 will be found ; but this much can be said, closely related species 

 can be separated very readily by the method now in vogue. 

 Finally it is not necessary to give a lengthy description, if a 

 species is well described superficially and the insect properly 

 mounted and the characters then seen by transmitted light are 

 described and measured with a micromillimeter scale carefully ; 

 there is no reason why the species so described cannot be 

 identified. 



AN INCIDENT OF PROF. SNYDER'S TRIP IN COLORADO. While camp- 

 ing at Turkey Creek, above Webster, Colo., we were forced to visit the 

 town several times to get mail and provisions. On one of these occa- 

 sions we had a conversation with the Postmaster that is well worth rela- 

 ting to entomologists. Prof. Snyder had been speaking of the manner in 

 which insects were preserved for eastern collections and the great demand 

 there was for rare western butterflies. 



From bugs the talk drifted into birds and bird collectors. " By the 

 way, Mr. Snyder," remarked the Postmaster, " there's one bird that the 

 eastern fellows never seems to get here. It's a kind of hummin' bird, 

 but it ain't like most hummin' birds. Instead of having feathers it has 

 kind o' soft powder on it, and its bill rolls up in a round thing like a 

 watch spring, under its chin. I killed one once to see what it looked 

 like that's the only one ever I saw caught." 



Prof. Snyder tipped me a wink when the narrator's face was turned, 

 and then kept a straight countenance. " Yes, it was strange that the 

 Rocky Mountain humming bird was so hard to catch." 



We laughed to ourselves when the Postmaster was not in sight. We 

 both understood the man well enough to know that it was not wise to tell 

 him he had made a mistake. 



Whenever we saw a Sphinx- after that, one or the other of us was sure 

 to say, "there goes a Rocky Mountain humming bird." J. COMSTOCK. 



