Dec., '07] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 451 



WHILE opening a box of hydrochinone developer a few days ago, I 

 found therein, on the top of the crystals, a well preserved specimen of 

 ri<>dia interpunctella, which I suppose had accidentally gained access to 

 the box and had died therein. On, however, emptying the box of its 

 contents, I found near the bottom and adhering to the cardboard a well 

 built chrysalis, the outer covering of which was composed of hyrochinone 

 crystals, while the inner covering or sheath was composed of the usual 

 silk web. What adds interest to the specimen, is the fact that the larva 

 had evidently fed upon the hydrochinone crystals, as is evidenced by the 

 presence of numerous excreta on the outside of the sheath in which pupa- 

 tion had finally taken place. I am aware that the larva of Plodia inter- 

 punclella is not very particular about what it eats, but to the best of my 

 knowledge, this is the first that I ever heard of its feeding and thriving 

 upon a chemical product. I will send you under separate cover a photo 

 of the chrysalis. JAMES H. STEBBINS, JR., 3 W. 2gth St., New York. 



GEOMETRID NOTES. Having occasion to go over some of the Packard 

 types I noticed his type of Gonodontis apiciaria was very distinct from 

 warneri of Harvey Bull. Buff. Ent. Soc. II, 121, 1874, and is in- 

 correctly placed as a synonym of the latter. Packard described 

 the species from 2 <$ and 2 $ and among these he has zcanicr:. 

 but the o* figured, Plate 12, fig. 9, is the true type of apiciaria. 

 He refers to this in the description, page 502 of Monograph, where 

 he says : "Accompanying and beyond this line is a broken 

 broad diffuse band (here he refers to warneri) often obsolete, in one 6" 

 entirely so (here to apiciaria). The true apiciaria is very distinct in 

 that there is a deep sinus in the hind wings of 6* and $, the portion be- 

 yond the extra discal line of fore and hind wings is pale ash gray and 

 reddish inwardly. The extra discal line is never sinuous and runs al- 

 most straight across the wings and farther in, than in warneri. It lacks 

 all shading to extra discal line and the costal apical spot is wanting. 

 In fact apiciaria is so distinct that it could not have even varietal 

 standing but must be placed in specific rank. It is rather a rare species 

 as I know of only about eight specimens, three being in my collection 

 the others scattered through the country. Perhaps I am more fortuntc 

 than most people working on the Geometridse to have access to the 

 Packard types in Cambridge and I would like to state here for the 

 benefit of those who may visit there, that all specimens labeled types, 

 are not true types. Packard was in the habit of putting type labels on 

 everything meaning typical of his collection even to specimens of the 

 same species added to his collection after his description. But for- 

 tunately he was extremely careful in labeling so that if one goes by 

 the original descriptions he can easily locate the types by locality and 

 date. I speak of this so that there may be few chances in the future 

 for errors in this difficult group. I wish to thank Mr. E. J. Smith, of 

 Natick, Mass., for courtesy in extending to me the use of his specimens 

 and records. L. W. SWETT. 



