1892.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. I95 



cal Department of the University, which was then located on 

 Ninth Street above Chestnut, where the Post-office now stands, 

 adjoined the yard of a house formerly occupied, it is said, by the 

 distinguished chemist. Dr. Hare. A large Ailanthus tree grew 

 here, the branches of which extended over the premises of the 

 laboratory. The more vigorous of the silk worms (so called) 

 were selected, and, with the consent of Dr. Rogers and the occu- 

 pant of the house referred to, were placed on the branches of 

 this tree early in October, 1863, to the number of a couple of 

 hundred. Here they were left to their fate, and, in truth, entirely 

 forgotten in the press of other interests until the Winter of the 

 following year (1864), when, on examining the tree, about forty 

 cocoons were found, the petioles of the leaves on which they were 

 spun being fastened to the otherwise naked branches by strands 

 of silk in the way so characteristic of the Ailanthus moth. They 

 were left here undisturbed, the survivors of the original colony 

 of the year before. The tree was vigorous, was secluded from 

 storms and visited by few birds. There is, therefore, no reason 

 to doubt that a large number of flies had been distributed from 

 this point during the preceding season, and it may, therefore, be 

 considered the main centre from which this interesting and beau- 

 tiful addition to our local fauna has proceeded, although some, 

 of course, have descended from the out-door colonies placed by 

 Dr. Stewardson himself 



The species was brought from China to Turn in 1857, ^"^ its 

 cultivation in France was begun the following year. Dr. Stew- 

 ardson hoped to benefit his fellow-citizens by bringing the insect 

 to America, but its introduction does not seem to have produced 

 much practical result, although the fly. with increasing frequency, 

 forms an interesting feature of the local collector's cabinet, and 

 may therefore be regarded as having come to stay. 



LARVA HUNTING IN WINTER. 



By Richard E. Kuxze, M. D., New York. 



With the swamps well frozen over, although light snowsqualls 

 made it disagreeable enough, I hunted the larvae of Arzama ob- 

 Hqiiata the first time this Winter, Feb. 7, 1892. They bore the 

 stems of Typha latifolia or Cat-tail flag, and Great Reed Mace, 

 so called. Inasmuch as they hibernate in the galleries bored out 



