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Life Habits of Hispidae. 



Dr. Horn, in descrii)ing the remarkable Hispid, Stenopodius flavidiis 

 (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, vol. X, 1883, p. 301), suggests that from certain 

 structural characters (apical thoracic margin with a depression each side 

 apparently for reception of antennal club; tarsi not dilated, slender, 

 claw-joint extremely long) that the species has a subaquatic mode of 

 life. In a species coming from the arid regions of Arizona and Cali- 

 fornia we would least expect such mode of life and we look forward 

 therefore with interest toward future observations which may prove or 

 disprove the correctness of Dr. Horn's surmise. 



The few Hispidce in our fauna of which the earlier stages, or at least 

 the food-habits are known, are leaf-miners, the larvae closely resembling 

 in general appearance certain leaf-minmg Tineidce ( LithocoUetis ) ; but 

 the little we know of foreign species indicates a great diversity of life- 

 habit in this family. The earlier stages of the few European species still 

 remain unknown, but since Hispa atra is quite abundant it may be in- 

 ferred that the larva would long ago have been discovered if it were a 

 leaf-miner. Mr. Lucas (Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 1884, Bull., p. V) de- 

 scribes the larva of Oxycephala speciosa Boisd. , from New Guinea. It 

 resembles in appearance a Crustacean of the family CymothidcE and 

 covers itself with its shiny excrement in the manner of Crioceris or Ble- 

 pharida Moreover it is not leaf-mining but lives at the axils of the 

 leaves of Pandanus. Another species, Leptispa pygmcea Baly, was found 

 by Mr. G. Lewis, near Colombo, Ceylon, ' ' resting on the stems of a 

 small grass just above water ; but if immersed, remained quiescent be 

 neath it" (Entom. Month. Mag., vol. XXV, Sept., 1888, p. 94). This 

 seems to indicate a subaquatic mode of life in the larva state, though 

 in the genus Leptispa the tarsal joints are short and dilated. In this 

 particular species, however, "the body beneath is covered with th« close 

 pilosity common to some insects, such as Donacice, which are indifferent 

 to immersion in water." 



To return to our own fauna, there is no indication that in the genera 

 Odontota, Microrhopala and Octotoma the unity of habit is interrupted. 

 They appear to be terrestrial and leaf-mining in the larva state, and so is 

 in all probability the genus Charistena, but our Stefiispas probably differ 

 in habit. The imagos occur preferably on low, moist meadows or on 

 plants near water and their larvae are probably either root-feeders in 

 moist ground or subaquatic like those of Donacia. J. B. S. 



A Reclamation. 



In "Insect Life" No. 10, Prof. Riley adds some interesting infor- 

 mation concerning Platypsyllus and figures both the larva and imago. 

 He gives also a resume of the literature, but whether intentionally or 

 not, omits all mention of my paper (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1888) in 

 which the larva is fully described and figured. This omission is all the 

 more inexcusable as the first public exhibition of the larva and my figures 

 was made before the Entomological Society of Washington some time 

 in March, 1888, Prof Riley being present and taking part in the dis- 

 cussion. Geo. H. Horn, M. D. 



