386 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, 



indeed been made, and incidentally, that " we are all liable to mis- 

 takes." 



In one of the wall-cases of the collection is a branch of Viburmim 

 which bears upon one side, numerous closely compacted and overlap- 

 ping egg-coverings of E. hinotata, and in the same case was a loose 

 label (the material in the case had been repeatedly handled since its 

 first arrangement, and very little of it ever had the labels attached), 

 written by Dr. Fitch as follows : " Osier Dorthesia {Dorihesia Vihurni)^ 

 A scale-insect, resembling white wax, upon limbs of the Osier ( Vibur- 

 num lentago).^' In the same case is a branching specimen of about 

 eighteen inches in length, of the bitter-sweet {Celastrus scandens), 

 upon which are numerous egg-coverings, but fewer than on the Vibur- 

 num. Near it was another label, also by Dr. Fitch, with this inscrip- 

 tion : '' Dorthesia Solani. A wax-like scale insect which blights the 

 Bitter-sweet [Solanwn. dulcamera).^' Did Dr. Fitch subsequently dis- 

 cover that the particular bitter-sweet upon which these forms occurred 

 was not the Solan uni, but the Celastrus, and did he then change the 

 specific name to Celastri, on other specimens labeled by him ? There 

 is no Solanum in the case, and the labels, beyond question, referred to 

 the two above-named specimens. 



There is every probability that the Dorthesia species of Dr. Fitch 

 are but manuscript names, and this may be offered in palliation of the 

 blunder, for it may be inferred that but a cursory examination was 

 given them when named. Such an examination as would have been 

 required for published descriptiou, could hardly have failed of disclos- 

 ing their unorganized nature. The labeled specimens were placed in 

 the Agricultural Society collection in or about the year 1868. 



In Fig. 82 (after Westwood), Dorthesia cataphracta, of Europe, is 

 given. A comparison of it with that of the egg-covering of E. hino- 

 tata (see Fig. 81), will show the general resemblance that 

 they bear to one another. Comparison may also be made 

 with the figure of a native species of Dorthesia (undeter- 

 mined) occurring on the burdock (Arctium lappa), accord- 

 ing to Professor Comstock, in the Report of the Commis- 

 THEsiA "cATA- siofier of Ar/ricultnre for 1880, plate ix, fig. 3. 



PHRACTA, O f 



^"^i^"^- Eggs of the Insect. 



Upon removing one of the egg-covers, a scar in the bark will show 

 where the insect has, by means of its ovipositor, inserted its eggs. At 

 first, the puncture thus made closes upon itself, so as to be scarcely 

 noticeable, but later, the rupture of the circulatory vessels and an in- 

 crease in the size of the eggs produces a scar which may readily be 

 seen upon raising the covering. Upon carefully removing the bark 



