100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Dr. Henri de Saussure, of Geneva, Switzerland, wishes to procure 

 specimens of a small parasite found on the Beaver, and which, he says, is 

 only to be obtained in Canada. It is the Platypsyllus fastori. We trust 

 that some of our readers may have an opportunity of procuring specimens 

 of this insect, either from hunters or from the dry skins in commerce, in 

 which dead specimens may occasionally be found. They may be preserved 

 in a small bottle with a little brandy. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 

 Dear Sir, — 



Dr. Sharp writes me that he finds among our American Graphoderes 

 fascicollis Harris, considered by Crotch as the European cinereus, several 

 distinct species. Now this form is not uncommon at the North, though 

 both Dr. Horn and myself have very insufficient sets. Could you ask 

 some of our Canadian friends to send me all their specimens for exam- 

 ination ? I will return named sets', all, if desired, but would like to keep 

 two or three specimens for Dr. Horn and myself. This form has a very 

 wide distribution through Canada to Hudson Bay Territory and Cali- 

 fornia, and I would like to see as many as can be brought together. 



John L. LeConte, M. D., Philadelphia. 



Dear Sir, — 



I enclose the wing of a moth which I left with some other choice 

 specimens on my setting-boards while I was absent in Nova Scotia last 

 summer. I thought they were safe enough for three weeks, but you may 

 imagine my dismay when I found on my return a number of Dermcstes 

 larvae rioting on my insects. Some were quite destroyed. I at once 

 cleared them off, smeared the boards with tallow and replaced the insects 

 which remained. The larva? I placed in paste-board boxes. In one I 

 put a bit of tallow, and in the other some worthless specimens. Before 

 twenty-four hours the former had eaten a hole through the box and 

 escaped, and the others matured, passed through the pupa state and in 

 due time became beetles. By this experiment I have made " assurance 

 doubly sure." Respectfully yours, 



Caroline E. Heustis, St. John, N. B. 



[The wing enclosed is that of Pheosia rimosa Packard. — Ed. C. E.] 



