^^ 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS . 



AND 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SECTION, 



ACADEMY Of NATURAL SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. 



Vol. III. FEBRUARY, 1892. No. 2. 



CONTENl^S 



Horn — Variationsof Color-markings in 1 Smith — Elementary Entomology 35 



Coleoptera 25 \ .Insects collected at Jamesburg, N. J., 



Fox — Hymenopterological Notes 29 ' July 4, 1891 36 



Dyar— Collecting Butterflies in the Yo- ! Notes and News 38 



Semite Valley 30 Entomological Literature 42 



Hart — On the species of CEcanthus 33 j Doings of Societies 47 



Variations of Color-marl<ings in Coleoptera. 



By Geo. H. Horn, M.D. 



Recently the subject of variation in coloration has been dis- 

 cussed before the Society of American Naturalists with the view 

 of eliciting an expression of opinion as to whether color variation 

 proceeded in a regular course, or was hap-hazard and accidental. 



My observations have been that variation proceeds in regular 

 lines, easily demonstrable with sufficient material, produced by 

 external influences which are at present but partly understood. 



There is probably no branch of zoology better fitted to illus- 

 trate this point than Entomology, from the abundance of species 

 and the frequent occurrence of genera with large numbers of 

 species in which a greater or less similarity of marking is obser- 

 vable. 



As a beginning, in the illustration of this subject, it is best to 

 select a genus well known to all collectors by the numbers of spe- 

 cies possible in most collections. Cicindela has therefore been 

 chosen. 



Any one in glancing over his series will perceive that there is 

 a great similarity of marking between many species. This simi- 



