324 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [July, 'll 



New species recorded Pygarctia spraguei, Schinia lynx 

 and jagarina, Choephora fungorum, Lagoa crispata at West 

 Kimmswick and the little day-flying Rheumaptera hastata. 



The collecting of Catocalae was remarkable for the sharp 

 contrast between good and unproductive days. On July 4th 

 Mr. F. Malkmus found almost every tree trunk occupied by 

 them in a grove that had been given up as deserted by the 

 other collectors after numerous fruitless expeditions. 



Amongst the most remarkable captures of last summer, the 

 following are foremost : 



Catocala lachrymosa var. ulalume Strecker, one male taken 

 at Meramec Highlands on the trunk of a white oak, Aug. 25th. 



C. lachrymosa var. zelica French, one female at the same 

 locality, Aug. 2oth. 



C. parta Guenee, one male, same locality, July 25th. This 

 is the most southern point at which this species was taken. 



C. serena Hy. Edwards, one male, on black oak, same lo- 

 cality, July 25th. 



These captures all stand to the credit of Mr. Ernest 

 Schwarz. 



C. viduata Grote. Four specimens were taken by Mr. Her- 

 mann Schwarz near Columbia, 111., about fifteen miles from 

 St. Louis, Aug. loth. 



Certain species of Sphingidae seem almost threatened with 

 annihilation, through the unusual activity of parasites of the 

 Ichneumon type. Dolba hylaeus larvae showed a percentage 

 of 95 parasitized, while Ceratomla amyntor and undulosa cater- 

 pillars were all lost. Even Citheronia regalis and some of the 

 woolly bears which are usually irmmme from the attacks of 

 these parasites, were attacked by them this summer. 



SO-CALLED CARRION-FEEDING COLEOPTERA OFTEN NOT CARRION-FEEDERS. 

 Observations reported by Mr. C. F. Selous, who watched the be- 

 havior of insects attracted by small carcases (rat, mole, young rabbit), 

 lead him to think that species of Alcochara, Creophilus, Leistotrophus, 

 Silpha, Hister and Saprinus feed upon the Dipterous larvae to be 

 found in the decaying bodies and not on the decaying substance it- 

 self. He is not convinced that even Necrophorus is a true carrion- 

 feeder, but thinks it possible that it feeds on "smaller Coleoptera as 

 well as, or instead of, the fly larvae," nor does he think that "the 

 burying of the carcase is due only to the Necrophori or that it is a 

 purposive act." He suggests that its sinking into the ground is an 

 accompaniment of the processes of decay and of the action of deleteri- 

 ous juices on the vegetation which chances to lie beneath the cadaver. 

 Notes on the manner in which Coleoptera approach the dead animals 

 are included, and a suggestion is made as to the importance of the 

 feeding habits of these beetles in the destruction of Diptera convey- 

 ing human diseases. (Ent. Mo. Mag., April, 1911). 



