April 1S91. J 



PSYCHE. 



59 



the appearance of having been scorched 

 by fire, is produced by a small white 

 moth (genus Artica?) immaculate, and 

 but little more than half an inch in 

 length. What is the species? Can you 

 give me the history of the common rose- 

 bug, Melolontha subspinosa} Fabr., 

 or of the striped cucumber-bug ? Chry- 



somela ? 



My collection of insects is small, con- 

 taining but few more than 500 species, 

 & my professional avocations will not 

 permit me to increase it much. If I 

 have any species which could be accept- 

 able to you, they are at your service. I 

 have fine spec, of Pap. Troilus, Asterias, 

 Plexippus, Idalia, &c, Bombyx Cecro- 

 pia, Polyphemus, Prometheus, with 

 their cocoons, that of the latter being 

 very curious. I have also Hemerobius 

 cornutus, Pectini[c]ornis, &c ; many 

 Hymenoptera, among which Leucospis 

 dorsigera, Ichneumon pennator, the gall 

 insect of the black oak &c. Also sev- 

 eral insects interesting as having been 

 described by the late Prof. Peck. Such 

 as Stcuocorus putator Peckii, which 

 prunes the branches of the oak ; Ryn- 

 chcemis strobl Peckii, perforating the 

 leading shoot of the white pine ; Ryn- 

 chcenus ccrasi Peckii, inhabiting the 

 cherry and plum ; Teitthredo cerasi, 

 the cherry tree slug. I have hitherto 

 pursued the study of Entomology with- 

 out any other systematic work than 

 Samouelle's little compendium ; and, 

 having very recently procured Fabricius, 

 have not ascertained more than one 

 tenth of the species in my collection. 

 How deplorably ignorant I am you will 

 therefore easilv imagine — indeed it must 



be sufficiently apparent from this letter. 



Accompanying this, is a little memoir, 

 which was printed in the Agricultural 

 Journal. The species described I have 

 since found to answer tolerably to Bom- 

 byx acrla Fabr. ; the colour of the 

 wings of the male however is not so 

 dark, & the ash-coloured female is not 

 mentioned by Fabricius; & though it 

 may possibly prove to be the same in- 

 sect, yet I think its identity could hardly 

 have escaped the observation of Prof 'r 

 Peck. I confess that I am much more 

 interested in the history of such insects 

 as appear to be injurious, or promise to 

 be useful, than in the mere collection of 

 such as are curious only. 



A correspondence with you would be 

 esteemed a great gratification & honour. 

 I must rest my claim to your notice, 

 principally, on the similarity of our pur- 

 suits, on my desire for information, & on 

 your ability to give it. Which if you do, 

 it will greatly oblige, Sir, 



Your humble serv't 



T. Wm. Harris. 



Please address your reply to Thaddeus 

 William Harris, M. D., Milton, Mass. 



[DRAFT OF REPLY BY THOMAS SAY.] 



The beginning of my reply was a copy 

 of the answer to . 



I shall endeavour to reply to y'r in- 

 quiries as well as time & memory will 

 permit. The apple borer I've desc'd 

 under name Saperda 2-fasciata Melsh. 

 The name however is a very bad one, 

 inasmuch as the ins. is not banded, but 

 ornamented w. 2 wh't long'l broad lines ; 

 notwith'sr this as the name has b'n given 



