216 entomological news. [June, 'o6 



fact that they were bred in a rain barrel which had been re- 

 cently used for petroleum. The atmospheric conditions and 

 environment are the main features in the different stages of 

 the life history, which varies greatly according to these influ- 

 ences. This species is possessed with a high degree of tena- 

 city, as shown by experiments which can not receive mention 

 here. Its power of resistence to cold is unusual. In a collec- 

 tion of 26 masses of eggs, October 12, 1904, 12 masses hatched 

 October 15th ; 5 more hatched on October 18th, and the rest 

 became water logged. These larva were kept for winter ob- 

 servation. On the morning of November 1, 1904, a rain bar- 

 rel was found frozen over, the ice being about y 2 inch thick, 

 with the larvae imbedded and apparently lifeless. Some were 

 taken in the house and thawed out, while others were left in 

 the barrel to thaw out through the day. Of 100 larva so 

 treated only 3 were found dead, which was apparently due to 

 injury between the cakes of ice. The other larvae in the same 

 barrel seemed not affected, more than a check to their usual 

 activity. On November 12th the barrel was again frozen over 

 and 57 larvae were taken out, which were solidly imbedded in 

 ice ; after thawing out, 5 were dead from injury, and the bal- 

 ance were as lively as before. The larvae now diminished in 

 numbers. Through flooding of the barrel the remainder were 

 lost. Of the 52 taken from the barrel after being frozen twice, 

 twenty were found dead November 15th. From November 

 17th to 22nd there were 9 pupations : 1 on the former and 5 

 on the latter date, though first issues were November 24th, 1 

 $ and 1 9 . The last issue occurred December 12th, with a 

 total of 14 adults, 7 % and 7 9 , after being frozen twice. 

 This is not the least this species or varieties of the same will 

 endure since I have made numerous other observations, and in 

 some instances they have even been allowed to freeze in ice 

 from three to four times in larval and pupal state, and have 

 come to maturity. In one instance a particular variety of a 

 generation hatched September 25, 1905, 305 larvae were en- 

 tirely frozen in ice on the nights of November 2, 3, 11 12 and 

 13 ; for the first four days they were thawed out by noon of 

 each day, but on the last day of freezing remained in the ice 



