12 



were carefully studied with the following result : Those having the 

 normal venation, males 3, females 19; those having three subraarginal 

 cells in one anterior wing and four in the other, males 1, females 3. No 

 specimens were found having four subraarginal cells in both anterior 

 wings, as were found by Mr. Harrington. It has been uiy experience 

 that w^here variation in venation occurs at all it is not the same in both 

 wings. As already stated, not the least variation in venation was found 

 in the specimens of ignota studied, which with this season's material 

 runs up to some lilty specimens. 



In my study of Iowa and Illinois saw-flies I have found considerable 

 variation and uncertainty in their venation, and do not consider it a safe 

 basis (other things being equal) for distinguishing species. Of the spe- 

 cies which have been found to be especially variable in this respect are 

 Neniatus ribesii Scop., Monophadnus ruhi Harris, Eriocampa cerasi Peck, 

 and in a less degree PHstiphora grossularkc Walsh. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE MALE OF MONOSTEGIA IGNOTA Nor. 



Since the male of M. ignota to my knowledge has not been described 

 1 append a description of the same herewith : 



Male. — Body shiniug black, less robust thau the female. Anteuntc about as long 

 as the bead aud. thorax, liuely hairy, slightly enlarged in the middle; first joint twice 

 as long as the second, third longer than the fourth, remaining joints subequal. 

 Head black, rugose, slightly hairy, with three depressions about the ocelli aud one 

 extending around the base of each antenute to the base of the clypeus. Nasus cre- 

 nate. Anterior angles of the protborax white or dusky, spots on the tergum light 

 gray or fuscous or entirely wanting. Legs black. Knee joints of all the legs whitish 

 or fuscous, anterior and middle tibite with their tarsi light brown or fuscous. Wings 

 and veiuition same as iu the female. 



One specimen has the knee-joints of the posterior pair of legs black, another has 

 the lejis of a uniform color throughout. 



LARVJE OF A CRANE-FLY DESTROYING YOUNG WHEAT IN 



INDIANA. 



By F. M. Webster, La Fayette, Tnd. 



Although the larva? of these flies have long been known to oe de- 

 structive in England, reports of their ravages in America have been 

 very rare, and besides of quite recent occurrence. An outbreak ap- 

 pears to have occurred iu meadows iu southern Illinois in 1887,^ and 

 we studied another in clover fields in Madison County, Indiana, in the 

 spring of 1888, w^hile a report of injury to growing wheat in California, 

 in March, 1889,^ closes the list, unless we include complaints of injury to 

 wheat about Champaign, Illinois, iu 1885,^ which, though at the time 



' Prairie Farmer, July 1(5, 1887. 

 ^Pacific Rural Pres.s, March 23, 1889. 

 3 Prairie Farmer, September 18, 18e6. 



