1 8 S 2 . "1 Entomology. 679 



causes of such change are not readily ascertained. In this 

 particular case the new habit may be only temporarily developed 

 in a restricted region, either by the disappearance or poor condi- 

 tion of Solatium carolinense ; or it may become permanent and 

 cause D.juncta, hitherto looked upon as harmless or even bene- 

 ficial, to vie with its ten-lined relative in destructiveness. Time 

 alone will indicate, as we have no grounds upon which to base 

 any confident prediction. 



Another case very similar to that just mentioned may here be 

 recorded. There is a small tortoise-beetle {Cassida texana Crotch ) 

 easily distinguished from its congeners by the uniformly pale 

 green color of its upper surface and by the coarse stria? of punc- 

 tations on the elytra. In 1879, we found it in all stages abun- 

 dantly in Southern Texas feeding on the leaves of Sola/mm dtcag- 

 nifolium. Dr. Oemler now writes (June 13th) that he finds eggs, 

 larvae and imagos of this beetle quite commonly depredating on 

 his egg-plants, though there is no previous record of any such 

 habit, and, indeed, the species is not recorded from the Atlantic 

 States albeit we have found it this very season at Washington on 

 Solatium carolincnsc — C. V. Riley. 



Notes on Microgasters.— In the Proceedings of the Boston 

 Society of Natural History (vol. XXI, pp. 18-38), Dr. Packard 

 describes, among other parasites of butterflies, certain Micro- 

 gasters upon which we would make the following remarks : 



J/lcro< aster cannula Pack. (p. 25). This, bred from the larva 

 of Pyramcis atalauta, should be considered as but a variety of 

 Microgastcr gckrlihc Riley ( 1st Rep. Ins., Mo. 1 78, 1 869), bred 

 from Gelechia gal/ ( , >-< lidaginis Riley. It differs in nothing but the 

 black anterior and intermediate coxa? and trochanters and darker 

 posterior tarsi and tips of tibiae — all variable characters within 

 the same species. We have bred the carinata form from Penthina. 

 Jlicrogastcr picridis Pack. (p. 26). This, from the larva of 

 Picris 1 apes is a variety of the common, wide spread and poly- 

 phagous Apantcu s , on^raiatus of Say, who bred it from a Sphinx 

 larva. M. u tills French [Can. Cut. xir, p. 42), as well as the 

 variety of militaris referred to on p. ^4 of our 8th report on the 

 insects of Missouri are synonymous. The specific name picridis 

 is preoccupied by Pouches, ee Micropsia' picridis Be.; Ratze- 

 burg, Die Ichn. d. Forst-insecten ir, p. 73). and as variety nanus 

 are serviceable, especially when, as in this instance, they are 

 entumophagic, we would propose picridivora as a substitute for 

 Packard's variety name. 



Mia-oprastcr atalanhs Pack. (p. 27). This, from Pyramcis 

 o.talanta is also but a variety of Ap >"/ lc> c K'cfra; tins (Say). 



- ]/ p faster caniuicola Pack. (p. 27). This," bred from Pyramcis 

 c «{'dni closely Humble, . » 1 , ' * \ V Riley, bred from a 

 ihecla larva, but differs in having no median ridge on the meta- 

 tnorax ; in the more coarsely punctate basal joints of the abdomen ; 



