74 



in the upper story, but' ). Here he paused and looked 



puzzled, and I fear to this day the worthy old husbandman 

 (bless his kindly face) is still, if living, in a state of suspense as 

 regards my being responsible for my actions before the Lord and 

 my fellow-man." — Ent. News, May, 1892. 



There ark Exceptions. — '•' A beetle cannot fly with its 

 elytra removed." F. H. Wenham, Aerial Locomotion, Smith- 

 sonian Eeport 1889, p. 318. A few days ago along a sunny 

 river-bank I found Cicindela hiuticollis abundant. Examples 

 Avere taken and the elytra removed ; every one flew away in- 

 stantly, on being released, with a speed that defied the eye to 

 follow. '' Insects are killed quickly by piitting them into a 

 bottle containing lumps of cyanide of potassium covered by 

 plaster of Paris." So every body says. To this I note three 

 exceptional cases. One June day, I happened to be collecting 

 where many species of Phala^nidtc were abundant. Examples 

 of several species taken were all killed quickly in my cyanide 

 bottle except one, that of Corycia vestaliata (sex not noted). 

 To my surprise it was found some time after its imprisonment 

 alive and struggling to escape. To test the matter, other 

 moths were put into the bottle, all of which were quickly over- 

 come, but C VESTALIATA Still lingered, having withstood the 

 fumes more than an hour. The second instance is similar ; 

 the species was Cabekodes confusaria. It Avas active more 

 than thirty minutes by the watch, and, to make it sure, the 

 prisoner was resisting death, contrary to all reason, crickets, 

 grasshoppers, Avasps, moths and butterflies introduced to the 

 same space, all responded as they should. The third case 

 occurred a fcAV Aveeks since the same species as the preceding 

 exhibiting similar behaviour. Have others observed similar be- 

 haviour by any insect ? What explanation occurs to any one ? 

 — D. S. KiLLicoT. — Ent. News. 



OLD MAIDS THE CAUSE OF VARIETY IN PLANTS. 



A Professor at Ann Arbor, says the Entomolgical News, was discnssing 

 the process of fertilizing plants by means of insects carrying the pollen from 

 one plant to another, and told how old maids were the ultimate cause of it 

 all. The bumblebees carry the pollen ; the field mice eat the bumble bees ; 

 therefore, the more field-mice the fewer the bumble-bees and the less pollen 

 ami variation of plants. But cats devour field-mice, and old maids protect 

 cats. Therefore, the more old maids the more cats, the fewer field-mice, 

 the more bees. Hence, old maids are the cause of variety in plants. There- 

 upon a sophomore, with a single eyeglass, an English umbrella, a box-coat, 

 with bis trowsers rolled up at the bottom, rose and asked :— " I sa-a-y, Pro- 

 fessah, what is the cause— ah — of old maids, don't you know ?" " Perhaps 

 Miss Jones can 'tell you," suggested the Professor. "Dudes!" said Miss 

 Jones, sharply, and without a momect's hesitation. 



