—44 — 



The Sphingidse of New England. By C. H. Fernaki, A.M., Oiono, February. 

 1886. Sprague & Son, State Printers. 80, pp. 85, pi. VI. 



A handy little pamphlet giving a very complete account of the New 

 England Sphinges in a concise, clear and accurate form. The larvae, 

 where known, are described and the food plants are given. There is a 

 Synoptic Table covering genera and species, and then the genera and 

 species are described in detail; the author relying upon his own ob- 

 servation for the generic characters. It is a very practical little book, 

 and one that will be of great help to the student that desires not only 

 to get names for his insects but to the learn something of their structure. 

 The work is a companion to the "Butterflies of Mainti" and as in that 

 work the pronounciation of the specific and generic names is given. 



Society News. 



Brooklyn Entomological Society. April 6th, 1886. — Eight members 

 present, the President in the chair. Mr. Linell exhibited a living specimen of 

 Zopherus mexicanus, remarking on the extreme tenacity of life exhibited by the 

 specimen. He had tried to kill it in a variety of ways, and for the past eight 

 dajj^s it had lived in a strong, freshly prepared cyanide bottle. Mr. Hnlst made 

 some further remarks on methods of obtaining eggs of Geometrid?e, and Mr. 

 Weeks explained some of his methods for raising larviE which fed on small, low 

 plants. Mr. Hulst exhibited a portfolio of colored drawings of larvae (princi- 

 pally Bombycidse), and their food plants, made by Miss Emily L. Morton of 

 Newbnrgh, N.Y., which were pronoianced extremely natural and recognizable at 

 a glance. 



Entomological Society of Washington. April 1, 1886. Mr. Schwarz made 

 some remarks on the synonj^my and biology of various Scolytids. He exhibited 

 a specimen of the work of Monarthnmi maU in lied (Jak and explained the nature 

 of the main gallery made bj'^ the parent beetle and that of the branching galleries 

 apparently made by the larvae. He also spoke on the work of a large colony of 

 Xyleboms pubescens which he found in the solid wood of Phtus. inops and exhib- 

 ited the hitherto undescribed male of that species. Mr. Smith called attention 

 to bome features in the structure of the Saturmidce- The fiimilj' as he proposes 

 to limit it, has the following characters. Two branches to each joint of the an- 

 tenna; in the (^■, no tongue; retracted head; short palpi; plump body; hind legs 

 short and weak; tibiee without spurs; tarsi without spines; no frenulum; veins 

 not more than 11, usually 10. The Atiacinoi have the antennre i^ectinated to the 

 tip in both sexes. Except in Telea and Aciias the discal cell of both wings is 

 open. He considers that Samia, Plaiysamia, Philosamia, and Callosamia are all 

 congeneric, and explained the differences and agreements between them. In 

 Ilyperchiria io the antennae are as in Adacus; but simple, or only serrate in the 

 9. In the Ce^ratocampinai the pectinations never extend to the tip; the 9 lias 

 the antennae simple, except in Adelocephala hkolor in which they are pectinated 

 as in the (^, except that there is only a single branch to each joint of the an- 

 tennae. The discal cells are always closed, and the differences in venation of 

 the species was pointed out. 



