﻿192 Joi'RNAL New York. Ent. Soc. [Voi. in. 



LOCAL ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



Members of the New York Entomological Society and all others are solicited 

 to contribute to this column their rare captures, local lists and other items of interest 

 relating to the insect fauna of New York City and vicinity. 



EGG-CAPSULES OF CHRYSOCHUS AURATUS (FAB.). 

 By J. L. Zabriskie. 



On July 2, 1895, a few images of Chrysochits aiiratiis were taken 

 on a small patch of the Spreading Dogbane, Apocynuin androsiemifolium, 

 growing beside a certain street in Flatbush, L. I. On the 9th of the 

 same month, while examining the same plants, a specimen of Chryso- 

 chus was discovered ovipositing in the opening at the summit of a little 

 black cone, on a fence post close by the plants. In the open crater 

 of the little cone was an egg, evidently just deposited, and close by the 

 first cone was situated a similar little black cone entirely closed. 

 Similar little black masses were found on the stems and especially on 

 the under surface of the leaves of the plants near at hand. 



These black masses are evidently the egg-capsules of ChrysocJius. 

 On the 20th of the same month two of these collected capsules were 

 opened, one of which contained what appeared to be four empty egg 

 shells, and the other contained two plump apparently living eggs. 

 None of these, however, hatched in captivity.* The capsules measure 

 about 3 mm. in length by 2 mm. in height, although frequently two 

 capsules are joined and partly overlap each other. Their substance is 

 composed of a thin but firm layer of minute brown and black pellets, 

 moulded in a conical or irregular ovoid form — probably the excrement 

 of the imago. Under the microscope the macerated and crushed ma- 

 terial shows no particular structure, but spores of saprophytic fungi, 

 such as are commonly attached to decaying vegetation, and minute 

 grains of sand are frequently in the field of view. 



* The larviK after hatching drop to the ground and live on the roots of the 

 plant.— //'. />. 



