398 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Nov. , '07 



Nomada ruidosensis Ckll. 



Cloudcroft, June 16, 1 $ . In this specimen the first abdom- 

 inal segment has a couple of transverse yellow lines (rudiments 

 of a band), and hence in my table of Rocky Mountain Nomada 

 (Bull. 94, Colo. Exp. Sta. ) it runs to N. pallidella Ckll.; but 

 that species has yellow spots on scutellum, and much more 

 yellow on first abdominal segment ; the yellow color also is 

 pale, not bright as in ruidosensis. 



Prosopis basalis Smith. 



Cloudcroft, May 27, 1 $ . A boreal species. 



Alamogordo is in the Middle Sonoran Zone, with a desert 

 fauna characteristic of the southwest, some members of it ex- 

 tending to Southern California (as Anthophora petrophila) or 

 even the Pacific coast region of Mexico (as Perdita howardi). 

 Within a few miles, it is possible to ascend through the Upper 

 Sonoran and Transition into the Canadian Zone, where, as at 

 Cloudcroft, some typically boreal species occur. Thus the 

 region is one of extraordinary interest and would be well 

 suited for the establishment, preferably at a fairly high level, 

 of a small permanent biological station. It may be added that 

 the Sacramento Mountains afford, in addition to well-known 

 boreal and subboreal species, a fine series of endemic forms. 



On June 26, 1907, just at dusk, as I was walking in my garden, I 

 noticed two sphinges hovering over the bed of pinks. I took them to be 

 Amphion nessus, and was inclined to go on with my work. On second 

 thought, however, I secured my net and captured both specimens. A 

 later examination of them showed one to be A. nessus, but the other to 

 my delight was Sesia titan q 71 Cramer, as figured in Holland's moth book. 



Looking up other lists I find a variety of opinions as to the genus 

 Aellopos. Holland gives Sesia titan, tantalus, fadus as three different 

 species. Dyar gives Aellopos tantalus, Linnaeus syn. titan, Cramer. 

 Smith's old list gives Aellopos fadus syn. titan, and gives tantalus as a 

 different species. Smith's new list gives Aellopos tantalus Linn., and 

 makes no mention of titan. I have two specimens sent me from South- 

 ern California under the name of Aellopos tantalus, which are smaller 

 than the specimen I took, and they have only one white bar on fore wing* 

 instead of two, like Holland's illustration. "Who shall decide when 

 doctors disagree? Has anyone taken this species so far north?" — W. 

 E. Longley, Oak Park, Illinois. 



