:23^ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [October, 



CALANDRID^. Sphenophorus melanocephalus 



Rhodobaenus 13-punctatus ///. Cassonus corticola Say. \_Fabr. 

 Sphenophorus robustus Horn. ANTHRIBID^ 



pertinax Ohv. Brachytarsus variegatus Say. 



Note. — The Nemognatha vittata of my list was taken on 

 mullen, at the edge of sparse timber, only one specimen was 

 found. 



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SINGULAR HABIT OF A CECIDOMYID. 



By Annie Trumbull Slosson. 

 In the Summer of 1894, at Franconia, I one day saw resting 

 upon a leaf a Chrysopa — lacewing fly — that seemed to have a 

 black raised spot upon each wing. As I stooped to examine it 

 more closely it flew away. A day or two later I again saw a 

 similar insect, but failed to capture it. The same day I saw one 

 flying and took it with my net. But it proved to have no such 

 spots as I had seemed to see, and I was much puzzled. This 

 happened several times. I would see plainly one or two dark 

 spots on the wings of a Chrysopa in the air or on a leaf, but when 

 I captured the insect there were no spots there. On one' such 

 occasion I found in my net a tiny, dark bodied fly, and wondered 

 if it could have any connection with the mystery. The point 

 was settled soon after by my taking a Chrysopa with a similar fly 

 still clinging to one wing. I detached this from its support and 

 sent it to Mr. Coquillett for identification. He returned it labeled 

 " Cecidomyia sp." Since that time I have taken a great many 

 specimens of Chrypsopa and Meleoma with a similar fly on one 

 •or both primaries. These generally dropped off" the wing either 

 in net or cyanide bottle. But this Summer I succeeded in pre- 

 serving a specimen of Chrysopa erminda Fitch, with its little 

 burden intact. These I sent to Mr. Nathan Banks, and asked a 

 solution of the puzzle. Mr. Banks cannot explain the mystery 

 and had never before heard of this peculiar habit among the 

 Diptera. He suggests that the Cecidomyid may be one that 

 makes galls upon certain plants infested by aphids upon which 

 Chrysopa feeds, and where it would naturally oviposit. "The 

 fly," he writes, "being so frail may find it of advantage to attach 

 itself to a stronger flying insect." This is ingenious and reason- 

 able. But it will be a difficult matter to prove it by observation. 

 I am anxious to know if anyone else has noted facts similar to or 

 the same as those I recorded, and i^ any explanation has been 

 given. 



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