1 894-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 79 



AspiDiOTUS NEKii. — The distribution of this scale, brought about by 

 human means, is very wide; yet the insect is by no means found every- 

 where. Curiously enough, the true A. nerii is not yet known from the 

 West Indies. In Jamaica the oleander is much cultivated, but no A. 

 nerii was to be found ; nor is it in Mr. Barber's collections from the 

 Lesser Antilles, or those of Mr. Ulrich from Trinidad. There is a scale 

 on palms in the West Indies that was considered a variety of nerii, 

 but I have recently satisfied myself, by the examination of a good deal 

 of material, that it is a quite distinct species, namely A. destructor 

 Signoret; and further, that my A. fallax and Mr. Newstead's A. co'cotis 

 are but slight varieties <:>{ it. The supposed A. paltnarum from Bar- 

 bados is another variety. On the continent, A. nerii is known from 

 widely separated points. On August 8th, last year, I found it on a pink 

 oleander in Las Cruces, N. Mex. Dr. A. Dug^s sent it to me on oleander 

 from Guanajuato, Mex., where it is known to have existed at least since 

 1884. It had been recorded from Chili, and a few days ago M. Lataste 

 sent me specimens on oleander and jasmine, from Santiago. It would 

 be interesting to obtain fuller particulars about the distribution of this 

 scale, and I would suggest that those who have the opportunity might 

 e.xamine oleanders in various localities whence it has not been reported, 

 to see if it is really absent, or merely unnoticed. The white scales on the 

 leaves are very conspicuous and could'not well be overlooked by any one 

 searching for them. — T. D. A. Cockerell. 



An Early Butterfly. — As evidences of the extraordinary mildness 

 of the season hereabouts friends have been bringing or sending to the 

 Ledger oflfice during the past week or two dandelion flowers, pansy or 

 heartsease blossoms, and other floral specimens gathered outdoors in 

 sunny nooks and sheltered places. On Monday, Jan. 23, 1894, these 

 treasures and harbingers of Spring were pleasantly added to by a live and 

 healthy specimen of the oretty yellow butterfly of the species which is so 

 well known to everyone, and which forms the finishing touches to every 

 pastoral scene. This golden specimen of butterfly down was found flut- 

 tering happily about the regions of Seventh and Market Streets, and was 

 brought to the Ledger office and given the freedom of the editorial rooms. 

 — Public Ledger. 



The Silk Spidek of Madagascar forms the subject of an interesting 

 article in Die Natur, by Dr. Karl MuUer. Its native name is Halabe, 

 meaning great spider. "This Halabe, or Mephila madagascariensis, 

 spins threads of a golden color, and strong enough, according to Main- 

 droin, to hang a cork helmet by. The female spider may attain a length 

 of 15 cm., while the male does not exceed 3 cm. A single female indi- 

 vidual, at the breeding season, gave M. Cambone, a French missionary, 

 some 3000 m. of a fine silken thread during a period of about 27 days. 

 The thread was examined with a view to creating a new industry. Small 

 textures woven of these thieads are actually used by the natives for fas- 

 tening flowers on sunshades and for other purposes." — Public Ledger. 



