1899 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 45 



webs, but wander in seirch of prey This species is quite flat, and 

 has A'ery long legs. The female carries her egg-sac under the body. 

 Nothing i.s known regarding the poisonous qualities of thase spiders, 

 hut they are probably inui'h less dangerou-; than the true '* taran- 

 tulas.'" Xathax Banks, 



An Appeal in Behalf of Entomology and Kindred SciEscEsi. - 

 In the interest of entomology, it would be a good plan if every ento- 

 raologi.st in the United State* would petition their representatives 

 in Congr&js to bave paragraph (J66 of the tarifl'law^ of 1897 amended, 

 .so that speciniesis of natural history for scientitic collections be 

 admitted fr:e of duty, w^hether intended for private or public use. 

 The pai'agraph in question comes under the free list, and reads as 

 follows: "Specimens of natui-al history, botiny and mineralogy 

 when imported for scientific public collections, and not for sale." 



A law that tends to discourage private scientific research in natu- 

 ral history should be blotted out immediately, as it is a disgi-ace to a 

 civilized nation. Entomology, especially, merits all the encourage- 

 ment possible, and one of the best ways of helping the cause would 

 be to remove the barrier from the private student. All who read 

 this are earnestly requested immediately to petition their represent- 

 atives at Washington, urging that the section in question be amend- 

 ed, and that without delay. Edward A. Klages. 



Notes on the Remotest Corner of Mexico.— A i present the 

 northern part of the State of Guerrero is considered to be the least 

 known district of the republic. Lying between the route from 

 Toluca to Colima and the old road from Acapulcoup to Chilpan- 

 ciugo and Mexico City, it is almost untraveled. On account of 

 the long dry season it is but little cultivated, and the hills are 

 spai-sely covered with stunted trees. The altitude ranges from 1,(KX) 

 to 2 000 feet, with "cerros" of 3.<XK) to ."),;K)0 feet . The numerous 

 gold and quicksilver mines of the regio:i and the " (iran Pacifico"' 

 railroad, which is buildiag. will soon bring the country into proini- 

 uenee. 



Though at the present time [Dec„'9Sl the dry season i^ only fairly 

 begun, the appai*ent insert fauna is hardly 5 per cent, of that of the 

 rainy season. There is still a good variety of Orthoptera, especially 

 Locustidje and Gryllida?. Odonata are, of course, to be found along 

 the Kio Mescala and KioCocula: (iomphinje not met with. Taran- 

 tulas still prowl and scorpions still lurk. The wood-l)oring Cole- 

 optera "hold their own"' in the narrow limber strips along the 

 rivers: but all the I'hytophaga are hibernating. Of Diptera and 

 Lepidoptera there i< left scarcely a trace. A hot desolate country 

 Just now, but one of the most interesting corners of the neotropical 

 region tr he II I'r rains— O W. Barrett, Tacutaya. D. F., Mexico. 



In Mr Welles" article (Destiuctive Work of Daremraa Catal- 

 pae), in your December number, the mention of unusual abundance 



