Report of the State Entomologist. 241 



et cet. Common species in the State of New York, are Aphrophora 

 parallela Say, A. Saratogensis Fitch, and A. quadrangularis Say. 



Ptyelus Kneatus is a common species in low and damp meadows on 

 grasses and some other plants over a large portion of the United 

 States. It has never been known to occur in such numbers, where 

 it is commonly met with, as to cause serious harm to the grasses. 

 The insect matures during the latter part of June, when it becomes 

 winged and feeds for a short time on the sap of the grasses, but its 

 life in this stage is too brief to enable it to be the occasion of greater 

 injury (if so great) than in its earlier stages. It may be recognized, among 

 its allied species, by the narrow brown double streak on the head and 

 prothorax, also by a slender line of the same color near the costal 

 margin of the wing-covers, the margin itself being white (Uhler). 



Figure 49, from Dr. Packard's recent publication, entitled " Ento- 

 mology for Beginners," illustrates the insect in its larval and perfect 

 stages, — their natural size being shown in the lines beside them. 



Fabricius has given the habitat of P. lineatus, as Germany. It has 

 quite an extended distribution throughout Europe, as well as in this 

 country. 



Ephemera natata (Walker). . 



(Ord. Neubopteka : Fard. EpHEMEKiniE.) 



Palingenia natata Walkeb: Cat. Neurop. Br. Mus., Partiii, 1853, p. 551, 13. 

 Ephemera natata Hagen: Synop. Neurop. N. A., 1861, p. 39, 4. 



Examples of ' this May-fly were received on June sixth, from 

 Middleburgh, N. Y., where they had occurred in such immense swarms as 

 to excite general interest, and considerable anxiety lest some injurious 

 effects might follow their appearance. Answer was returned of their 

 entire harmlessness, of their probable source in the Schoharie river at 

 that j>lace, of their brief existence in the winged stage, etc. 



The species is a common one, and of broad distribution throughout 

 the northern United States, Dominion of Canada, and Hudson Bay 

 region. 



Its general color is blackish. The antennse are black; the abdomen 

 is striped with two blackish lines ; the caudal appendages (setae) are 

 three in number, of almost equal length, a little shorter, than the 

 body, reddish, banded with black ; the wings are ash-gray, with 

 black veins and four blackish spots on the front pair, of which the 

 anterior and larger one curves upward to the front margin. The 

 body is 0.6 of an inch long; spread of wings 1.5 inch. The setse are 

 0.6 in. long. 



31 



