— 187— 



ing this band entirely. Another tendency to bninch off is shown in the 



marginal row of spots on the secondaries Tliese in the normal form 



are yellow, but as my specimens will show, the same spots are sometimes 



yellow, sometimes greenish or bluish, and sometimes even bright orange 



— this variation, as far as I have noticed, is also confined to the females. 



All the specimens exhibited were bred from larvae found on carrots in 



my garden at Flatbush. In connection with this subject I would say 



that collectors should endeavor to gather more material of our common 



species. I know well how it is. A collector has a pair of asterias in 



his collection and deems this sufficient. When in the field he disdains 



to look at asterias, much less to capture one. I myself would not advise 



old collectors to capture the mature msect, for the reason that the few 



met with are in the first place generally not fit for the cabinet, and in the 



second place I believe but occasional varieties are met with in the few that 



come under our notice. Collectors ought to bend their energy towards 



raising them, either from the egg, or from larvae, which can be picked 



up in quantities in any carrot field. Among 50 or 100 specimens you 



are almost sure to find some interesting forms, which will pa\- one for 



the trouble taken. 



^ I > I ^ 



Concerning Cremastochilus. 



By Geo. H. Horn, M.D. 



In the early part of this year I received word from Mr. J. J. Rivers 

 of California that he had what he supposed might by a new species of 

 Cremastochilus. The specimen was kindly loaned to me and on close 

 examination proved to be a C. Schaumii in which an accidental notch of 

 irregular triangular form had been made in the hind angles of the thorax. 

 In this species the hind angles are formed of thin triangular plates. 

 Shortly after this matter had been settled, a similar communication was 

 received from Dr. Hamilton, and on seeing the specimen he referred to, 

 it proved to be a canaliculatus in which both hind angles had been lost. 

 The following letter from Dr. Hamilton gives the details. 

 "Dear Sii: 

 The two specimens of Cremastochilus canaliculatus submitted to you 

 were taken in June of the present year (1885) about two weeks apart, 

 and in the same ants' nest. The first one taken had the hind parts of 

 the thorax so abnormal (the angles, or rather processes being entirely 

 wanting) that I considered it a new species, till the other specimen was 

 found with the enucleation of the angular pieces so far advanced that 

 they were movable and might have been detached by a little pressure; 

 though in the dried insect the mobility is lost, and the notch between it 

 and the body of the thorax is much narrower than in life. On carefully 



