THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 17J) 



nasicus Say, in the Red oak, and when we search more thoroughly, I have 

 no doubt but additional species will be found attacking acorns produced 

 by other oaks, therefore there are no species that we can define as "the 

 acorn weevil." The remarks made by Mr. Riley, at p. 137, No. 7 Canadian 

 Entomologist, regarding the descriptions of Say, are gratuitous ; for I 

 have studied and compared his descriptions, and found them very 

 accurate. 



Mr. Riley appears to rely greatly on the form and color of the ros- 

 trum, as specific distinctions of Curculionida, but I have no faith in 

 such forms alone, but, as in other Coleoptera, must look for those dis- 

 tinctions in the permanency of parts and marks on the body. Mr. 

 Riley refers me to the 3rd Missouri Ent. Report, where, he says, I will 

 find that " we do know something of the habits of quite a number of 

 our snout-beetles;*' and at page 138, number 7 Canadian Entomologist, 

 he says that " we can do very little in classifying them until their habits 

 and variations are better understood/' I have not had the pleasure of 

 seeing the said Report, which may contain the descriptions of quite a 

 number of Curculionidce, but it appears curious that in the two principal 

 collections of Coleoptera in the United States, viz.: that of Dr. Le Conte, 

 of Philadelphia, and Mr. Ulke, of Washington, the greater portion of 

 snout-beetles were either undescribed or undetermined — at least, they 

 were so, after Melsheimer's Catalogue was published, and I am aware that 

 those in Dr. Le Conte's collection were not worked up in 1864, as in a 

 letter from him in July of that year, he says : — tk I regret that my Curcu- 

 lionidte have not been arranged for the past seven or eight years, and 

 therefore, I am not at liberty to name the species, for fear of giving cur- 

 rency to error." In 1863, Dr. Le Conte issued a revision of the latter 

 catalogue in conjunction with materials from his own collection, which is a 

 standard for comparison, and it terminates with the JElateridce. Part II., 

 of said List, will, no doubt, occupy years of hard work, ere it can be 

 placed in the hands of Entomologists with a perfect list of the Curadionidcz 

 of this country ; therefore, I may conclude by surmising that Mr. Riley 

 has only a vague knowledge of our Northern species.- — Wm. Couper. 



New Butterflies at Quebec. — The season of 187 1 has been marked 

 by the capture, at Quebec, of three butterflies new to the locality, viz. : 

 Papilla aster ias, taken at Lorette ; Polyommatus porsenna, at the Island of 

 Orleans, and an unidentified species of Melitcea at the latter place. — G. j. 

 Bowles, Quebec. 



