I9O1] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77 



several stems or lestves in addition to the main support. This 

 has been the observ'ation of both Mr. Louis H. Joutel and 

 my. self. 



Several years ago I noted in the Journal of the New York 

 Entomological Society (March, 1897). that caterpillars .show 

 considerable intelligence in placing their cocoons, and gave 

 several facts in support of the assertion. Among others it 

 was noted that Cecropia cocoons are often placed on the small 

 terminal branches of the white maple and other trees in a 

 position that would seem at first to be subject to disaster from 

 storms. This position was held, however, to be probably the 

 safest on the trees, as the cocoons placed on the large and firm 

 branches were easily opened by woodpeckers, and an instance 

 of such an attack was given." Some of the members of the 

 Society expressed the opinion that the caterpillars did not 

 guard against attacks by mice or woodpeckers, and that the 

 cocoons just happened to be where they were found. This 

 led to an inspection of the white maples near my home, and I 

 found on thirty-five trees one hundred and eighteen cocoons, 

 all but five of which were placed on terminal branches, manj' 

 of the branches not being larger than a lead pencil. While 

 the cocoons thus placed sway violently in a storm, they also 

 give way before the strokes of a woodpecker, and said wood- 

 pecker is unable under the conditions, to make a hole in the 

 cocoon, as I have witnessed. 



Synonymy of Prosopis. 

 By Charles Robertson. 

 The .synonymy of some species given in the Ent. News., 12, 

 4-9, 1 901, does not represent my views, and certainly is not 

 correct in citing names I have u.sed. I will give the synonymy 

 which I think is correct, and under each will give my objec- 

 tions to Mr. Lovell's citations. Of course, my views are the 

 result of inferences based on the descriptions and not the result 

 of comparisons of the things described. I assume that the 

 authors had ordinary specimens, not exceptional ones, and that 

 their descriptions are correct for the things the}' had before 



