230 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [May, '14 



European Heteroptera Alleged to Occur in the United States. 



For a long time past, in fact for nearly 10 years, someone or other, 

 myself included, "following copy," has gravely listed certain Heterop- 

 tera as being found in the United States. I have endeavored by word 

 of mouth and by letter to find out definitely just what was known, but 

 fruitlessly. Finally I concocted the exchange notice which has ap- 

 peared lately in the NEWS, stating my wants of European Hemiptera 

 said to occur in the United States, and naming Dasycoris pilicornis 

 Burmeister, Gastrodes fcrrugineus Linne, Gonianotus margincpunc- 

 tatus Wolff and Microtoma atrata Goeze. I met with exactly the suc- 

 cess I anticipated, exactly nothing. Incidentally, the solidarity of my 

 co-workers in Hemiptera was revealed. They have all maintained a 

 dignified silence! Now, I emphatically state that any entomologist 

 who perpetrates (and perpetuates) these errors displays a lack of 

 familiarity with his subject. In this matter I'm from Mizzoura; 

 you've got to show me. You've got to show me Cymus claviculus 

 Hahn, and Sphaglsticus rufipes Stal ; also Notonecta glauca Linne and 

 Emblethis arenarius Fieb. ; Cimex (or Clinocoris) hirundinis Jenyns 

 and pipistrelli Jenyns ; Ischnorhynchus resedae Panz., all to be taken 

 within the borders of the United States. They gravely appear in our 

 latest "Catalogue of the Nearctic Hemiptera Heteroptera," so I would 

 much like to see them. Like Mrs. Harris, I think "there ain't no sich 

 persons." Now I repudiate them and all their works. In my opinion 

 they have never been taken and in all .likelihood never will be taken 

 in this country. Therefore, they have no legitijnate place in our Cata- 

 logues, and our catalogue makers should expurge them from the 

 record. J. R. DE LA TORRE BUENO, White Plains, New York. 



A Spider Swathing Mice (Aran.). 



[The following letter by a non-entomologist seems of sufficient in- 

 terest and value to warrant its publication in the NEWS. A. N. CAU- 



DELL-] 



"An unusual thing and one that will be doubted by many occurred 

 at my home near Upper Marlboro, Maryland, a few days ago. A 

 member of the family was attracted by a slight noise and upon investi- 

 gating found under the sideboard a young mouse making frantic 

 efforts to free itself from invisible bonds. It resulted that a spider, 

 scarcely larger than a black ant, had caught the mouse and was per- 

 forming an engineering feat that was truly interesting. This was the 

 task of lifting the mouse from the floor to the bottom of the side- 

 board, a distance of about eight inches. The rodent kicked almost 

 constantly during the operation, which lasted a little over three hours. 

 The webs were then wiped away and to our surprise a second young 

 mouse, dead and completely swathed in web, was found." (Signed) 

 GUY CLAGGET, Keokuk Farm, Upper Marlboro, Md. 



