- 7 8- 



Since my first discovery of Amphotis ulkeil have found it even' year, 

 early in Spring, in the nests of a small black ant {Cremastogaster lineolata 

 Say), and only this year I collected them in numbers among Formica 

 rufa. The only species in Europe: Amphotis marginata Fab., is said to 

 be found on flowers, Erichson however found them abundantly in the 



nests of Formica fuliginosa. 



.» , +. 



Notes on Erebus odora, L. 

 By H. T. Fernald, B. S. 



During a recent sojourn at Nassau, N. P., the capital of the Bahama 

 Islands, I devoted a portion of my time to the study of the insect fauna 

 of the island. 



At every turn strange and striking forms presented themselves, among 

 which an occasional glimpse of a familiar species seemed like an unex- 

 pected meeting with an old friend. 



This was particularly the case when on the morning of April 26th of 

 this year a large Erebus, unfortunately somewhat battered, was shown to 

 me. I captured it with some difficulty as it apparently flew as well as at 

 night. Just a month later, on the evening of May 26th, 1 succeeded in 

 obtaining a perfect specimen, and the next day a third was given to me. 



Alluding to their (to me) unusual abundance, in conversation with her 

 Excellency, Mrs. Blake, to whom and to his Excellency, Governor H. E. 

 Blake, I am indebted for very many favors, I learned that the "Black 

 Witch" as the Erebus is there called, is quite abundant at Nassau, a 

 season rarely passing in which a collector might not obtain a number 

 with ease. Indeed they are attracted to lights in houses and fly about 

 like bats till caught or driven out. 



On inquiry as to the larva, Mrs. Blake stated that she had endeavored 

 to obtain it to add to her series of paintings of the early stages of Bahaman 

 Lepidoptera, but that she had thus far been unsuccessful. She had been 

 informed by the natives, however, that the larva was very large, fed on the 

 wild fig (Ficus trigonatd), and was nocturnal in its habits, hiding in holes 

 in the trunk during the day. She also stated that the moth was even 

 more abundant in Jamaica than at Nassau. 



As the Erebus has such a powerful flight, its extended habitat (from 

 Canada to Brazil) is not as remarkable as it would otherwise be, but the 

 capture of fresh and perfect specimens at the extreme limits of this range 

 would indicate that this species breeds, at least occasionally, in our North- 

 ern States. 



If its food in the West Indies be indeed the fig, it may be safe to 

 suggest that in our climate it would probably feed on some of the Uriica- 

 cece, that being the familv to which the fie; belongs. 



