180 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Dr. Reuter calls attention to the fact that at the base of the basal 

 joint on the inner side of the palpi of butterflies is found a clearly dis- 

 tinguishable, naked spot, which he proposes to term the basal spot, on 

 the surface of which are fine grooves and ridges as well as sparsely 

 placed foveje, and great numbers of peculiar, subconical, hairy rugosities. 

 These last, though occurring normally in the Diurnals, and especially in 

 the Nymphalid^e, and being clearly distinguishable with a low power lens, 

 have formerly remained unknown, or if known have not been mentioned 

 in entomological literature. 



These ridges were by Landois considered as stridulating organs, and 

 the two last structures in analogy with those observed by Kraeplin, Forel, 

 Hauser, and others, on the antennse of various insects and looked upon as 

 being sense organs ; but whether the peculiar structures in question 

 served to convey the sense of smell, or, perhaps, some other and nearly 

 related sense, is still an open question. 



The Rhopalocera especially, of all the lepidoptera, have a special 

 interest, because in them these cones present the greatest variations in 

 form and are here the most highly developed. 



Through further research, Dr. Reuter was convinced that a thorough 

 study of the palpi, and especially of the basal spot, would afford a not 

 inconsiderable basis for a knowledge of the family affinities of the individ- 

 ual genera and groups contained in the Rhopalocera, and he therefore 

 determined to direct his especial attention to them, extending his studies 

 over all of the families, and where possible over the smaller groups, as 

 also to study the material at his disposal from a direct and thoroughly 

 morphological point of view. F. M. W. 



OviPOsiTioN OF DoRYTOMUS Squamosus (Lec). 



This is a very common beetle upon cottonwoods in Colorado, but I 

 have never known anything of its injuries until recently, when I had the 

 good fortune to come upon a female preparing a burrow for her eggs in a 

 terminal flower bud. When first observed she had lier beak in the side 

 of the bud up to her eyes. The twig was broken from the tree and carried 

 in the hand without in the least disturbing the work of the beetle. After 

 about ten minutes she removed her beak, turned quickly about and 

 applied the tip of her abdomen to the hole she had made. After remain- 

 ing in this position for about two minutes she ejected a small amount of a 

 dark brown, thick liquid, which completely covered and hid the opening 

 in the bud. This done she walked away. 



The bud contained the catkin of a staminate flower which was nearly 

 ready to burst forth, and immediately beneath the puncture in the bud 

 scales, on the axis of inflorescence, were found three eggs lying close 

 together. 



The eggs were light yellow in colour, with a very thin, flexible shell, 

 and although somewhat irregular in shape, measured about .85 mm. in 

 length by .5 mm. in breadth. C. P. Gillette. 



Mailed July 8th, 1897. 



