g^ [September, 



easily distinguishable, the ? of iifasciala having the melathorax punctured, whiU> 

 that of varierjata was transversely rugose, but during last month, Mr. R. C. L. 

 Perkins, of Sopveorth, near Chippenham, captured several of an A(;en\a with 

 punctate metathoras, of which he has sent me specimens, wliich certainly neither 

 agree with ti^e description given by Dahlbom or Thomson o{ hifasciaia^wov with the 

 $ of that species which I possess myself, and from which I drew up the description 

 in my synopsis. I think it is also certain that they are referable to hircana, Fab., 

 as described by Dahlbom and Thomson. The male may be known by the shape -of 

 the apical ventral segment of the abdomen, which is much compressed laterally, as 

 in variegata, but looked at sideways is somewhat hatchet-shaped, its base depending 

 almost perpendicularly from the level of the preceding segment. The ? may be 

 known by its shining metathoras, and its small size, wliich is rather less than that of 

 variegata. 



The question which arises now is, have we three species indigenous to this 

 country, or only two ; from what I can see, I am inclined to think that both 

 Shuckard and Smith have described hircana under the name bifasciata. Dahlbom 

 (Hym. Eur., i, p. 83) refers Shuckard's bifasciata to his hircana, without doubt, 

 and, from the size given, and the mention of the shining metathorax, I have no 

 doubt he is I'ight : and for the same reasons I believe that Smith's bifasciata is 

 referable to hircana also. 



If we thus dispose of bifasciata, of Shuckard and Smith, as a synonym of 

 hircana, Fab., I am afraid the claim of the true bifasciata, Linn., to a place in our 

 list will rest on my own single female : this specimen came from my father's col- 

 lection, and bears the small blue ticket, by which he always indicated his British 

 specimens ; there is no note of locality, and in a general collection like his, where 

 British, continental, and exotic species were all together in one arrangement, one 

 cannot but foresee the possibility of a ticket being detached from the pin of an 

 English specimen, and accidentally attached to another's, perhaps of continental 

 origin ; so that, although I much regret it, I think we must wait for further evi- 

 dence to accept bifasciata as a British species, and be content at present with 

 hircana. Fab., ^ bifa.<ciata. Shuck., Smith, and variegata, Linn. It is quite likely, 

 however, that bifasciata may turn up, as it occurs in Sweden, in Germany, in 

 Belgium, and in France. — Edward Saundeks, St. Ann's, Mason's Hill, Brondey, 

 Kent : July \2th, 1886. 



Fourth Report of the United States Entomological Commission. 

 The Cotton Worm, together with a chapter on the Boll Worm. By Charles 

 V. E.ILEY, Ph.D. ; Washington, Government Printing Office. Pp. xxxviii and 399; 

 Appendices and Index, pp. 147, with numerous engravings, two maps, and G4 plates, 

 Bvo, 1885. 



That Prof. Riley is "nothing if not thorough" goes without saying. The 

 Report is a masterly monograph, classificational, bibliographical, anatomical, and agri- 

 cultural. We might, from a reviewer's point of view, complain of its bulk, but 

 those specially interested must endeavour to apply themselves to the particular 

 portion that concerns them. The " Cotton Worm" (which it appears should bear 



