176 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



CUPES CAPITATA. 



For some years past I have been, during the month of July, in the 

 habit of collecting specimens of this pretty little beetle on the fence of a 

 churchyard adjoining my residence. This year they were exceedingly 

 numerous, and I captured in four days over 80, of which some 50 were 

 females. It is curious to note that I have invariably found that certain 

 pickets of the fence were selected by the beetles, and that out of a long 

 distance of fencing round the sides of the church, these few pickets on 

 one side would be the only place to find the beetle. I can give no reason 

 for such selection — the trees and food plants round the fence are similar ; 

 they congregate for breeding purposes and then suddenly disappear, and 

 can only be rarely found afterwards. Do any of our readers know the 

 life history of this beetle ? E. Baynes Reed, London, Ont. 



THE CODLING MOTH. 



Prof E. W. Claypole, of Antioch College, Yellow ^^rings, Ohio, in a 

 recent communication states that he has lately captured two specimens of 

 this moth, Carpocapsa pomojiella, at sugar under an apple tree. Whether 

 they were chance captures or whether they were attracted by the sugar he 

 is unable to form an opinion. 



I received more than a year ago two specimens of Eristali^ tenax 

 Lin. collected in Washington Territory by Mr. H. K. Morrison. The 

 specimens on careful comparison show no differences whatever from 

 typical eastern ones. The peculiar hairy markings of the eyes, to which 

 my attention was directed by Baron Osten-Sacken, are quite the same. I 

 have specimens also from Kansas, showing that this common European 

 fly has spread over the whole United States since it was first observed by 

 Osten-Sacken in November, 1S75, or somewhat earlier by Mr. Patton. 

 The fly at present is very abundant in the vicinity of New Haven, making 

 its appearance about the middle of July and remaining till cold weather, 

 in early October being frequently found in houses and gardens. That this 

 species should have become so very .widely spread in three or four years 

 seems remarkable, but, on the other hand, it would seem more remarkable 

 that so conspicuous and common a fly should have entirely eluded so 

 experienced and zealous an Entomologist as Baron Osten-Sacken, had the 

 species really been in North America earlier. 



S. W. WiLLISTON, M. 1). 



