The Canadian Sportsma 



ATURALIST. 



No. 8. 



MONTREAL, AUGUST, ii 



Vol. III. 



WILLIAM COUPER, Editor. 



PARASITES ON TELEA POLYPHEMUS. 

 In one of the popular papers on Entomology 

 by my esteemed friend Mr. W. Saunders of 

 London, Ontario,* he says: — " This insect 

 ( T. poly jjh emus) is subject to the attack of 

 many foes, particularly while in the larval 

 state. A large number fall a prey to insecti- 

 vorous birds, and they also have insect 

 enemies. A large ichneumon fly Ophion mac- 

 rut um, is a special and dangerous foe. This 

 active creature may often be seen in summer 

 on the wing, searching among the leaves of 

 shrubs and trees for her prey. When found, 

 she watches her opportunity, arid .places 

 quickly upon the skin of her victim, a small 

 oval white egg, securely fastened by a small 

 quantity of glutinous substance attached to it. 

 This is repeated until eight or ten eggs are 

 placed, which in a few days hatch, when the 

 tiny worms pierce through the skin of the 

 caterpillar and begin to feed on the fatty 

 portions within. The polyphemus caterpillar 

 continues to feed and grow, and usually lives 

 long enough to make its cocoon, when con- 

 sumed by the parasites, it dies ; in the mean- 

 time the ichneumons, having completed their 

 growth, change to chrysalides within the co- 

 coon, and the following summer, in place of 

 the handsome moth, there issues a crop of 

 ichneumon flies." The italics are mine. 

 The insect above described and illustrated 

 (fig. 11, Rep. 1882) by Mr. Saunders, is not 

 correct. The matter refers to a much smaller 

 one belonging to another genus {Cryplns nun- 

 cius, Say.) the most common and destructive 

 parasite on T. polyphemus. Ophion macrurum 

 deposits but one egg on a caterpillar, and as 

 soon as the parasite devours it, the Ophinn 

 spins a large oblong dark cocoon within that 

 formed by the caterpillar ot .polyphemus. Co- 

 coons of this moth which I have collected last 

 season, contained about thirty specimens of 

 Crypfus nuncius of both sexes, and I also 

 found an undetermined species of Hemetelus 

 inclosed in the same cocoon ; the latter may 

 be a parasite on Crypius. The species of 

 Ophion occurring in Canada, are yet to be 

 studied. — C. 



* Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario for 

 the year 1882, page 17. 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGIST UNION. 



We have received the following circular, 

 signed by J. A. Allen, Editor of the Nutiall 

 Bulletin; Elliott Coues, Assoc-Editor of the 

 Nultall Bulletin and William Brewster, 

 President of the Xuttall Club, calling " a 

 Convention of American Ornithologists, to be 

 held in New York City, beginning on Septem- 

 ber 26th, 188.'-!, tor the purpose of founding an 

 American Ornithologists' Union, upon a 

 basis similar to that of the ' British Ornith- 

 ologists' Union.' 



" The object of the Union will be the 

 promotion of social and scientific intercourse 

 between American Ornithologists, and their 

 co-operation in whatever may tend to the 

 advancement of Ornithology in North Ameri- 

 ca. A special object, which it is expected 

 will at once engage the attention of the 

 Union, will be the revision of the current 

 lists of North American Birds, to the end of 

 adopting a uniform system of classification 

 and nomenclature, based on the views of a 

 majority of the Union, and carrying the 

 authority of the Union. Other important 

 matters will be doubtless presented for con- 

 sideration at the first meeting. 



" It is proposed to hold meetings at least 

 once anuually, at such times and places as 

 may be hereafter determined, for the reading 

 of papers, the discussion of such matters as 

 may be brought before the Union, and the 

 transaction of the usual business of a scientific 

 society. 



" Those who attend the first meeting will 

 be considered ipso facto Founders of the 

 American Ornithologists 3 Union. Active 

 and Corresponding Members may be elected 

 in due course after organization ot the Union, 

 under such rules as may be established for 

 increase of membership, Details of organi- 

 zation will be considered at the first meeting." 



Canadian Ornithologists who propose to 

 attend the first meeting, please so signify to 

 any one of the above gentlemen. 



It gives us pleasure to record the tact that 

 our ornithological neighbours ot Cambridge 

 and Washington have decided to term a Union 

 similar to that which exists in Great Britain. 

 Many important matters connected with 



