1895-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 311 



WIND AND LIGHT vs. COCOON MIMICRY. 



By HERMANN HORNIG, Phila., Pa. 



As in the NEWS only one location is given so far where Antho- 

 charis genutia has been taken, I would like to add two more 

 places within easy reach of Philadelphians. In the Spring of 

 1893 I caught some specimens between Morris Station and Pen 

 sauken Creek a few miles from Camden, N. J. On May 5, 1895, 

 I caught three males and three females at Almonessen, Gloucester 

 County, a few miles from Woodbury, N. J. The day was quite 

 hot (85), and all specimens were taken near noontime, most 

 flying in the road in a northeasterly direction. Also one fine 

 specimen of Attacus luna was found. I have raised this sea- 

 son, very successfully, pupae of Attacus cecropia, and have been 

 very much interested in the article, "Cocoon Mimicry" in the 

 May number of the NEWS. I have fed the larvae on the leaves 

 of Prunus serotina only, and the color of some of the cocoons 

 are also white and some brown. But I am of a different opinion 

 as to the cause of color given in above-mentioned article. As the 

 breeding-cage situated in the open yard became too small for the 

 number of larvae to spin their cocoons, I transferred the full-grown 

 larvae to another cage in my study and every cocoon spun there is 

 white; the frame wood is walnut and the wire netting is green. 



Mrs. Annie Jackson, who has been my faithful helper in col- 

 lecting and has taken care of all larvae during my absence, is of 

 the same opinion as I am: that the less wind and sunshine the 

 larvae have shortly before and during the spinning process the 

 whiter the cocoon will be. The cocoon afterwards exposed to 

 the wind and weather will turn darker. I would like to hear the 

 opinion of others in this case, as it seems reasonable to me that 

 the larvae in the flag had little air and also darkness. But I can't 

 find any reason to*account for some cocoons being smooth and 

 others fluffy ? Perhaps some of the NEWS readers can answer 

 this question. 



-o- 



NOTES ON COLLECTING COLEOPTERA. 



By FRANK S. DAGGETT, Duluth, Minn. 



During the past ten years I have devoted more or less time to 

 the collecting and study of Coleoptera at the head of Lake Su- 

 perior, but owing to the absence from the city of others inter- 



