600 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [November, 



was pleasing indeed, and, given good weather, this ought to 

 make a favorable point from which to attempt a more careful 

 examination of the high mountain summits a piece of entomo- 

 logical investigation much to be desired. 



Some Strange Habits. 



By O. W. BARRETT, Tacubaya, D. F., Mexico. 

 Museum of the Geographical Exploration Commission. 



I believe it is true that every species of insect has, at some 

 stage in its life, some habit or instinct which would astonish 

 us if w r e could only appreciate it. 



Arachnis dilecta Bdv. , as imago, protects itself with a strong 

 odor, as penetrating and more lasting, though not so disagree- 

 able as that of the worst-smelling Coreidse. Having noticed 

 that the odor clung to my fingers for a remarkably long time, 

 I concluded that some liquid excretion was the cause, but was 

 surprised to finally see and feel a jet which issued, apparently, 

 from the top of the prothorax. This "liquid odor' : [sic] is 

 clear, thin, almost tasteless, and very volatile. The effluvium 

 may be detected, however, a week or more after the death of 

 the specimen. Both sexes are endowed alike. 



Pericopis salvini Feld. when "at bay' expels from the 

 sides of the thorax a bright green liquid of peculiar smell ; 

 the expulsion of the liquid is accompanied by a froth -produc- 

 ing crepitation or quasi stridulation, after the manner of 

 Tceniopoda spp. 



When captured the sluggish Pha-goptera ochraceator Walk, 

 defends itself with an acrid, odorless, limpid liquid, which is 

 exuded in small drops apparently from several points on the 

 thorax. 



Bungalotis ( Thymele) midas Cr. , the royal Hesperid with 

 the purple patch, seems to prefer the shade. The living speci- 

 mens I have seen were in the virgin forest and showed no com- 

 punction in breaking the family by-laws by darting into the 

 darkest thickets when alarmed. 



The flocking habit of Hyinetiitis oto Hew. and H. ncro 

 Hew. is undoubtedly for the purpose of selecting mates. 



