1894-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 147 



AN EARLY MOTH. It may be of interest to some of the readers of the 

 NEWS as to which species of our Geometric! moths is first to make its ap- 

 pearance in the Spring time. In the neighborhood of Philadelphia Anis- 

 opteryx vernata Harr. is no doubt the first to appear. My earliest record 

 is March i3th, while this year the first was observed March i6th, at Salem, 

 Mass. The species has been observed as early as February 25th (Packard, 

 " Monograph of the Geometrid moths of the U. S." p. 403). Anisoptcryx 

 vernata is common in some parts of the New England States, while in 

 eastern Pennsylvania it is comparatively rare and causes but little damage. 

 PHILIP LAURENT, Philadelphia, Pa. 



NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF ALETIA ARGILLACEA Hbn. in Ohio. 

 On Sept. 24, 1891, I captured an adult at electric light in the city of Co- 

 lumbus. Oct. 4, 1893, at Wooster, I took another specimen, in daytime, 

 this one being to all appearances freshly emerged and without the least 

 blemish. These notes are given, not on account of their individual value, 

 but with the hope that, when the phenomena of the northern occurrence 

 of the species is better understood, they may be of service to some one, 

 somewhere. F. M. WEBSTER. 



GRAF-KRUSI, of Gais, St. Gall, Switzerland, has sent us a sample of his 

 silk butterfly-net. This is a folding net with three hinge joints and can be 

 folded very compactly. The special feature of the frame is the arrange- 

 ment by which any size stick can be made to fit, which is a very great 

 convenience. The most interesting part is the net proper, which is com- 

 posed of silk and is very light in weight, yet of exceedingly great strength. 

 It is impossible to force a hole through the net with the fingers on account 

 of the strength of the silk and the admirable and ingenious way in which 

 the interlacing meshes are locked, which may be seen under a glass. Such 

 a net would last a long time and would be useful in tropical countries and 

 in the vicinity of blackberry bushes or other vegetation which interferes 

 with the work of the collector. The net is also very inexpensive (see adv.). 



Is IT so ? Longevity of parasites in dead larvae. In September, 1892, 

 I found a number of full-grown larvae of Paonias astylus. which after a 

 few days went into the ground, with the exception of two of them; these 

 I found dead in the breeding-cage one morning, without being able to 

 ascertain cause of it, as there was absolutely no visible trace of their 

 having been stung by parasites, or suffering from other disease. Being 

 anxious to preserve these larvae and to show them to my entomological 

 friends, I placed them in a glass bottle, tilled with alcohol, and out same 

 on a shelf in my study, frequently looking at them, but never noticing any 

 change in their appearance. By some accident the glass bottle containing 

 these specimens fell to the floor and was broken, when I discovered this, 

 early in March (1894), a week or so after it had occurred, I found the 

 dried up larvae covered with the small white cocoons of the ichneumon 

 fly (Pteromalussv. ?), certainly a most remarkable thing after their having 

 been in alcohol nearly one and a half years. H. AICH, 43 Murray St., N. Y. 



