1898.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 225 



LARVA of Centra muttiscripta as cannibals. On June i3th I placed 

 about twenty-five eggs of Notodonta stragula in ajar with some larva of 

 Centra inultiscripta, and on cleaning out the jar to put in fresh leaves a 

 few days after, I found that all the eggs were hatched, but I found no more 

 than six larva of A", stragula. Were they eaten by the larva of C. niu/ti- 

 scripta?^.. J. WEIDT, Newark N. J. 



BUTTERFLY FOOD. Since publishing my notes upon the feeding habits 

 of Eudamus lycidas* I have had further opportunity to observe that 

 species, and will add that it does not invariably move around while feed- 

 ing, as did the first that I saw. I have also seen Eudamus tityrus feeding 

 in the same manner. It had settled upon a smooth, hard piece of ground, 

 and seeing it curve the abdomen, I managed to get close enough to see 

 the fluid ejected and eaten. The spieces are so closely allied that this was 

 not unexpected. 



Dr. Hoeg's observation of what was probably hobomok doing the same 

 thing, gives us reason to suppose that the whole group of Hesperidae 

 manipulate their food in this manner. 



It was formerly believed that "nectar" underwent a chemical change 

 in the honey-sac of the bee, thus fitting it for food. It is said now, I 

 think, that this is untrue, and that honey is made in the hive. But for 

 lack of a better, this theory may be revived for our Hesperida;, and, 

 perhaps, eventually for all lepidoptera. We may guess that they make 

 honey, but being of a lower organization than bees, perform their work 

 in a more primitive manner. 



Will not some chemists and microscopists lake up the subject now and 

 tell us what butterfly food really is and where it is kept ? G. M. DODGE, 

 Louisiana, Mo. 



THE noted murderess commits suicide by eatiug spiders a notorious 

 career. Cora Smith, the noted murderess confined for life in Anamosa 

 Penitentiary, this State (Iowa), is dead. The prison authorities pronounce 

 her death the result of eating spiders, with suicidal intention. She was 

 24 years of age and in perfect health up to the time of her death. A 

 handful of dead spiders in her handkerchief, obtained, it is thought while 

 she was taking daily exercise, in the outer courts of the prison, was found 

 in the cell beside her dead body. > 



Her career in Iowa is notorious. Her mother several years ago had 

 been convicted in Des Moines and sentenced to life imprisonment for the 

 murder of her husband. Cora Smith, then an inmate of a house of ill- 

 fame in Omaha, decided to confess that she alone committed the murder. 

 In doing so she secured a life sentence, but failed to effect her mother's 

 release. The latter's case was appealed and reversed so that she got a 

 new trial, but she was again convicted and sentenced for life. Her case 

 has been appealed a second time.f Newspaper. 



* Page 89. 



t We would like to hear from those studying spiders, as we can't credit the above 

 tale. Eds. 



9* 



