6oo ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [November, 



was pleasing indeed, and, given good weather, this ought to 

 make a favorable point from which to attempt a more careful 

 examination of the high mountain summits — a piece of entomo- 

 logical investigation much to be desired. 



Some Strange Habits. 



By O. W. Barrett, Tacubaya, D. F., Mexico. 

 Museum of the Geographical Exploration Commission. 



I believe it is true that every species of insect has, at some 

 stage in its life, some habit or instinct which would astonish 

 us if we could only appreciate it. 



Arachnis dileda Bdv. , as imago, protects itself with a strong 

 odor, as penetrating and more lasting, though not so disagree- 

 able as that of the worst-smelling Coreidae. Having noticed 

 that the odor clung to my fingers for a remarkably long time, 

 I concluded that some liquid excretion was the cause, but was 

 surprised to finally see and feel a jet which i.ssued, apparently, 

 from the top of the prothorax. This "liquid odor" [sic] is 

 clear, thin, almost tasteless, and very volatile. The effluvium 

 may be detected, however, a week or more after the death of 

 the specimen. Both sexes are endowed alike. 



Pericopis salviyii Feld. when ' ' at bay ' ' expels from the 

 sides of the thorax a bright green liquid of peculiar smell ; 

 the expulsion of the liquid is accompanied by a froth -produc- 

 ing crepitation or quasi stridulation, after the manner of 

 T(C7iiopoda spp. 



When captured the sluggish Phce^optcra ochraceator Walk, 

 defends itself with an acrid, odorless, limpid liquid, which is 

 exuded in small drops apparently from several points on the 

 thorax. 



Tiunfralotis ( Thymelc) midas Cr. , the royal Hesperid with 

 the purple patch, seems to prefer the .shade. The living speci- 

 mens I have seen were in the virgin forest and showed no com- 

 punction in breaking the family by-laws by darting into the 

 darkest thickets when alarmed. 



The flocking habit of Hymenitis oto Hew. and //. ncro 

 Hew. is undoubtedly for the purpose of .selecting mates. 



