l895-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. II5 



late antennae, but my argument is intended to apply to the entire 

 family as characterized in the books, the genera composing it 

 being but few in number and differing widely. 



My principal object in writing these lines is to object to a 

 method of argument on Mr. Gahan's part, and it is not the first 

 time that the method has been used by my English friends in 

 argument against myself and Dr. LeConte. It is the assumption 

 that we have no collections for reference beyond our own species. 

 " In "fact, I believe that Dr. Horn himself,^ were he really ac- 

 quainted with Vesperus * * *" such is the insinuation, and it is 

 untrue. 



Again, I certainly did not intend "to impute carelessness or 

 worse" to Mr. Bates, but I must be allowed the privilege to 

 differ in opinion when I think there is reason. 



No one can have higher regard for Mr. Bates than I, but no 

 matter how learned a man may be it is possible to be in error at 

 times and there is not a master in Entomology in whose writings 

 there are not errors of judgment or through carelessness, or even 

 both. 



Had I been compelled to admit that I had not seen Vesperus 

 the criticism of Mr. Gahan is equally a criticism of the published 

 descriptions and figures of that insect. 



At Cumana (a city of Venezuala), the use of the Cucujus {Elater ttoc- 

 ti/itais) is forbidden, as the young Spanish ladies used to carry on a cor- 

 respondence at night with their lovers by means of the light derived from 

 \h&m.—Baird's Cyclop. Nat. Set., London, 1858. 



The Mantis religiosa of America is said to make a most interesting 

 pet when tamed, which can be done in a very short time and with but 

 very little pains. Professor Glover, of the Maryland Agricultural Col- 

 lege, tells me he once knew a lady in Washington who kept a Mantis on 

 her window, which soon grew so tame as to take readily a fly or other 

 small insect out of her hand.— Cowan's Curious Facts. 



Chernetid attached to a Fly.— In Europe a number of Chernetids 

 have been found attached to various insects. In this country, I believe, 

 but one species has been recorded,— (f/^^/z/^r atius on Alaus ocutatus by 

 Leidy. This appears to be the same as Ch. oblongus Say. I have re- 

 cently received, through Mr. C. F. Baker, a specimen of Chelanops 

 pallipes Bks., collected by Mr. J. C. Cowan at Hotchkiss, Colo., which 

 was attached to a fly— a species of Dexidae. Ch. pallipes was previously 

 known from California.— Nathan Banks. 



