ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. | Dec., 'l8 



Agrias rodriguezi, new species. 



Body fuscous. Fore wings : apex broadly, outer and inner margins 

 narrowly black ; a large crimson space at base, reaching nearly the 

 middle of wing on costa, its outer edge oblique to vein 2 postmedially, 

 then angled and inbent, followed by a broad blue shade from subcostal 

 vein to submedian. Hind wings black with a large deep blue space, 

 not extending above vein 6, leaving costal, inner margin and base 

 broadly black, the outer margin narrowly so. Underneath the colora- 

 tion is similar to the female of Agrias acdon given in the Biologia on 

 PI. 31, fig. 6. Female : expanse 83 mm. 



Hab.: Vera Paz, Guatemala. 



T\pe: A female in the Schaus Collection in the United 

 States National Museum. 



Vaporous discharge by Anisomorpha bupre^toides. (Orthoptera: 



Phasmidae). 



A review of information on the secretions of this phasmid and their 

 ejection was published by Samuel H. Scudder in 1876 (Psyche, Vol. 

 1, PP- I37-9)- C. J. Maynard gives (Contr. to Science, Vol. I, 1889, pp. 

 31-35) a full account of the thoracic glands and their discharge. An 

 interesting note on the subject will be found also under the name of H. 

 M. Russell (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. Vol. XIV, No. 3, July-Sept., 1912, p. 

 117). Observations on the nature and source of the discharge by the 

 insects vary; it is a milky fluid or a very fine mist; it is discharged 

 from definite pores on the sides of the thorax or from some part of 

 the abdomen. An observation differing somewhat from the previous 

 accounts should be put on record, and the diversity of opinions should 

 induce someone to make a thorough study of the matter and publish a 

 full account. The observation to which I refer was made by Mr. C. 

 H. M. Barrett, taxidermist of the United States Biological Survey, 

 while on a collecting trip in Florida. At Miakka Lake, Manatee County, 

 during a thunderstorm, June 19, 1918, Mr. Barrett found a number of 

 pairs of Anisomorpha buprestoidcs, in copula, in the interstices of a 

 pile of boards in a deserted cabin. When suddenly uncovered or other- 

 wise disturbed, the insects discharged from the end of the abdomen 

 vapor in the form of small puffs appearing two inches from the ab- 

 dominal apex. The discharge in each case was immediately preceded 

 by a crackling sound similar to that made by a small electric spark. 

 Mr. Barrett's observation that Anismorpha buprestoidcs discharges a 

 vapor from end of abdomen and that the discharge is preceded by a 

 peculiar crepitation, differs, so far as I am aware, from any previously 

 recorded. W. L. McATEE, Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. Agriculture, 

 Washington, D. C. 



