86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, 



nary view of the Lepidopterous Family Notodontidae," by B. Neumoegen 

 and H. G. Dyar. Mr. Calvert stated that in studying the genera of dragon- 

 flies he had been led to investigate the value of photography as a means 

 of illustrating the neuration. He put the specimens in an ordinary 

 spreading board and put the blue print paper beneath the wings and 

 placed glass slips over the wings and placed them in the sun. This gave 

 a print with the veins in white and a blue back ground. He then went 

 over the white veins with India ink and then dissolved the blue back 

 ground with sodium carbonate, and this gave the neuration black on a 

 white back ground. The method was not as satisfactory as could have 

 been wished on account of the smallness of the printed parts, which, of 

 course, were only as large as the original wings. The results of the ex- 

 periments were shown by aid of specimen prints. Dr. Horn said that 

 some time in the near future he intended to present some thoughts on the 

 family Meloidae, and said he took exception to the present classification 

 of the Meloiini, which he considered unnatural. Mr. Fox called attention 

 to a specimen of Siizus unicinctus which he exhibited. It lacked the 

 usual red band on abdomen which is possessed by the normal form. 



The following papers were read and accepted by the Committee for 

 publication in Entomological News : 



STUDIES AMONG THE FOSSORIAL HYMENOPTERA.-L 



Synopsis of the North American Species of Alyson. 



By. William J. Fox. 

 ALTSON Juririe. 

 Alyson]\xx., Nouvelle M^thode, 195, 1806; Handlirsch, Sitzb. Akad. Wiss., 

 Wien, Math.-naturw. classe, xcvi, p. 235. 



FEMALES. 



1. Median area of metanotum triangular 5. 



Median area of metanotum semielliptical, or U-shaped 2. 



2. Thorax black 3- 



Thorax red; legs, except hind tibiae red mellens. 



3. Abdomen not at all red 4- 



Abdomen on two basal segments red; median enclosure of metanotum 



coarsely reticulated, the posterior face of metathorax when viewed 

 from behind is bidentate laterally oppositus. 



4. Enclosure on metanotum at the base nearly as broad as it is long, and 



enclosing seven or eight distinct, longitudinal, radiating ridges; 



clypeus entirely yellow; wings subfuscous radiatus. 



Enclosure on metanotum decidedly longer than it is broad at the base, 

 irregularly and rather finely rugose; clypeus with a dark blotch in tlie 

 middle; wings, except the usual fuscous cloud, subhyaline. conicus. 



5. Abdomen black; clypeus, and greater part of legs, black . gaignardi. 

 Abdomen on two basal segments red; clypeus yellow; legs fulvous. 



triangnliferns. 



