THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



77 



of Mason-bees {I/aliclus) which have an alternate 

 generation of agamic or parthenogcnetic females 

 in summer (without males) and a scxuated one in 

 autumn. Perez, at Bordeaux, is also doing some 

 good work on the alterations caused in the char- 

 acters of some AiiJic'niiiiC by the presence of 

 Stylops, some species being only stylopizcd forms 

 of others. Edward Saunders is also engaged on 

 the same subject. Westwood and Sir Sydney 

 Saunders, having asked ine for the tirst stages of 

 Blastophaga (the fig caprificator), I was lucky 

 enough to find the larva; in our figs (temperature 

 5° F.). The great news of the day is the con- 

 version of Prof. Dumas, at Paris, to the belief in 

 Americanvines asthc salvation of our Phylloxera- 

 ridden vineyards. — f. L., Montpellier, France, 

 Feb. 2, iSSo. 



Notes from Kansas. — The False Chinch-bug 

 (JVysius dfstnutor Riley) has not been trouble- 

 some since I sent you specimens, but they maj- 

 always be found during the hot weather under 

 the purslane. The year 1874 so nearly used up the 

 Colorado potato beetles that they did little harm 

 until last season, when they came again in full 

 force. The Maple moths (Anisota rubicunda) 

 and their larva; continued their ravages on the 

 hill hereabout for several years, but last season 

 I found but two or three. In Manhattan, on 

 some lots, the trees were entirely defoliated by 

 them, while on others scarcely a leaf was touched. 

 The .\pple Worm is increasing in numbers. A 

 very large proportion of the apples raised last 

 year were wormy, but we had a very small crop. 

 Peach-borers are as bad as ever on young trees. 

 Plent)' of Phylloxera on the Clinton grapes, 

 but not many on the leaves of other varieties. 

 The little yellowish beetles [Lupenis no.n'iis of 

 our MS., vide description in next number. — 

 Ed.] so numerous a few years ago, on the holly- 

 hocks and the silk of sweet corn, have almost 

 entirely disappeared. 



Although we had a very wet season in 1S7S and 

 plenty of rain in 1879, the Chincb-bugs continued 

 troublesome, injuring spring wheat very materi- 

 ally, also millet, and when these are cut, going 

 for the corn. Some fields of corn were very 

 badly damaged by them last season. 



The R. M. locusts have done no damage since 

 the spring of 1S75. They are seen flying over 

 nearly every season and sometimes a few have 

 slopped, but generally none, or so few as not to 

 be noticed. The larva; of the white-lined morn- 

 ing Sphinx so exceedingly numerous a few years 

 ago, have not been unusually plenty since, though 

 many of the moths may be seen every season. 

 T. C. Wells, Manhattan, Kansas. 



European Tussock-moth. — Last fall the cat- 

 erpillars of the European or Russet Tussock- 

 moth (Oygyia antiijua) were abundant on our 

 shade trees, especially on the willows. Now 



(Ian. 26, 1880) their grayish cocoons may be 

 found in the bark-crevices of the bodies and main 

 branches of those trees. At present they are 

 more easilj' found, since the moth has appeared 

 and deposited a large mass of eggs an inch long 

 and covered by a hard pinkish-white frothy se- 

 cretion on each cocoon. These eggs sliould be 

 gathered and destroyed before spring, since this 

 insect has been a serious pest in Europe. All 

 the cocoons without exception bear eggs. Must 

 we conclude from this that there are no males to 

 this generation and that the wingless females arc 

 parthenogenetic ? To me it seems thus. What is 

 known of the males of this species ? The com- 

 mon canker-worm of the apple has not been bad 

 here though somb exist, and I caught the wing- 

 less female in the early part of the winter. 



W. S. B., Ithaca, N. Y. 



The male of 0. antiqua is figured and de- 

 scribed as equally common with the female, in 

 European works. 



Cicada septemdecim in Colorado. — Apropos 

 of remarks in No. 2 on Cicada septemdecim, has its 

 occurrence in Colorado been recorded heretofore? 

 I found it in Cheyenne Canon in June 1876. 



V. T. C, Covington, Ky. 



Cotton Moth or Aletia. — I send you to-day 

 a small box containing some moths which I 

 caught on the night of the 12th inst. between 9 

 and II o'clock. I also send a berry, leaves and 

 bloom of the mock-orange {Cerasiis carolinensis), 

 the tree on which the moths were feeding. The 

 winds were high from the south-west ; the clouds 

 were dark and threatening, with the thermometer 

 at 70° There have since been three light frosts ; 

 but the bees and the buttertiies are out again to- 

 day. James F. Bailey. 



Marion, Ala., Feb. 16, 18S0. 



Two of the moths sent were females of Aletia, 

 perfectly recognizable, though without fringes 

 and with pale, faded coloration. This is most 

 interesting confirmation of the hibernation, and 

 winter habits, of the insect. The ova had attained 

 no development and could scarcely be recognized. 

 The other moths sent were an Agrotis too much 

 rubbed for specific recognition, a Geometrid in 

 similar condition, and Phoberia alomaris. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



[We hope to make this one of the most interesting and in- 

 structive departments of the Entomologist. All inqniries 

 about insects, injurious or otherwise, should be accompanied 

 by specimens, the more the better. Such specimens, if dead, 

 should be packed in some soft material, as cotton or wood, and 

 inclosed in some stout tin or wooden box. They will come 

 by mail for one cent per ounce. Insects should never be 



ENCLOSED LOOSE IN THE LETTER. 



Whenever possible, larvae (/. f ., gnibs, caterpillars, maggots, 

 etc.) should be packed alive, in some tight tin box — the tighter 

 the better, as air-holes are not needed — along with a supply of 

 iheir appropriate food sufficient to last them on their journey : 

 otherwise they generally die on the road and shrivel up. If 

 dead when sent, they should be packed in cotton moistened 

 with alcohol. Send as full an account as possible of the habits 

 of the insect respecting which you desire information ; for 

 example, what plant or plants it infests ; whether it destroys 

 the leaves, the buds, the twigs, or the stem ; how long it has 



been known to you ; what amount of damage it has done, etc. 



Such particulars ar '" ' ' *" ' ' "" '^ ^ 



but of .^rcat praclit 



Such particulars are often not only of high scientific interest 

 tical iniporlance.J 



Common Tiger-beetle. — J.L. Scncy, Plymouth 

 Co.^ Iowa. — The insect which you found last 



