354 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 681 



ineta- side of the curve. In practise the two 

 melting points are determined simultaneously, 

 on the same thermometer. The method is ex- 

 tremely simple and requires a minimum of 

 time and material, the results, so far as we 

 have been able to test them, appear to be 

 accurate to within 2 per cent. The ordinary 

 method for the separation of these substances 

 consists in laborioiis, repeated fractional 

 crystallization. 



We believe that this application of melting 

 points is new. 



A curve of a similar nature is given by 

 mixtures of meta- and paranitraniline ; it 

 also can be used in the manner described 

 above for quantitative analytical purposes. 

 On the other hand, the melting points of 

 mixtures of ortho- and paranitraniline vary in 

 a remarkable manner, rising and falling 

 through many degrees for relatively small dif- 

 ferences in composition. The reason for this 

 behavior is at present under investigation; it 

 is possible that it may be connected causally 

 with the constant, simultaneous production of 

 ortho- and para-disubstituted benzene deriva- 

 tives. 



We expect to publish the full details of the 

 work outlined in this note in an early number 

 of the Journal of the American Chemical 



J. Bishop Tingle, 



H. F. ROLKER 



jIcMaster Univeesitt 

 ToROKTO, Canada, 

 December 21, 1907 



-NOTES ON ENTOMOLOGY 

 Dr. Hans Eoeschke's revision of Cychrus^ 

 is a work of much interest to American coleop- 

 terists Since about half of the forms occur in 

 the United States. The material at his com- 

 mand was quite extensive for the western 

 species, but with the eastern species he has a 

 rather slight acquaintance. Dr. Van Dyke 

 has examined for him the types of Leconte and 



' " Monographie der Carabiden-tribus Cyehrini, 

 mit Bemerkungen iiber Typen und Lokalrassen der 

 amerikanisehen Arten von Dr. Edwin C. Van 

 Dyke," Ann. Mus. Nat. Hung., V., pp. 99-277, 

 1 plate, 1907. 



Horn, and from the St. Petersburg Museum 

 he has had types of Eschscholtz, Mannerheim ' 

 and JVIenetries, and much valuable material 

 from the Oberthiir collection. He recognizes 

 three genera; Scaphinotii^, with seven sub- 

 genera, among them Nomaretus and Brennus; 

 Cychrus, with two subgenera; and Sphcero- 

 derus. Dr. Eoeschke is a " lumper," and re- 

 duces the host of nominal species to 62 ; most 

 of them with one or more subspecies, varieties 

 or aberrations under them. There are three 

 new species of Scaphinotics, all from Arizona, 

 and one new subspecies of S. elevatus. No- 

 Tnaretus is restricted to N. cavicollis, iiloius 

 and flssicollis, the others forming a new sub- 

 genus, Pseudonomaretus. A new subgenus, 

 NeocychruSj is erected for C. angulatus, and a 

 new form, N. hehrensi, from California. There 

 are several new subspecies in Brennus. The 

 plate illustrates the structural characters of 

 the genera. 



Major T. L. Casey, who apparently loves to 

 study difficult groups of beetles, has published 

 a large work on one of the little-known sub- 

 families of darkling beetles." He divides the 

 subfamily into 25 tribes, nine of which have 

 no representatives in our fauna. There are 

 350 species, arranged in about 50 genera and 

 several subgenera. Nearly all of the species 

 are described as new, and most of them come 

 frotti Arizona and California, others from 

 Texas and Utah. Extremely few of the 

 species are as yet known from more than one 

 locality. About 25 of the species are from 

 Mexico or Central America. 



Mr. W. L. Distant has issued another part 

 of his large work on Transvaal insects.^ This 

 part deals with the Fulgoridse, and contains 

 descriptions of many handsome species. But 

 the most notable thing aboiit the work is the 

 placing of the portraits of Francis Wallcer and 

 Carl Stal side by side. 



° " A revision of the American components of 

 the Tenebrionid Subfamily Tentyriinue," Proc. 

 Wash. Acad. Sci., IX., 275-522, 1907. 



' " Inseeta Transvaaliensia," Part VIII., pp. 

 181-204, 1907; 2 colored plates and several text- 

 flffures. 



