Stee oe 
te eon 
1892.] , Entomology. 873 
Instinct of Ammophila affinis.—Dr. P. Marchal has made’ 
many observations on the well-known habits of this sand-wasp, which, 
like other Sphegide, paralyzes its victims by stinging the ventral gan- 
glia. He concludes that the habit is not wholly disinterested ; that 
there are many gradations between the insect which kills and that 
which paralyzes its victims; that the procedure is by no means stereo- 
typed, but variable in details; that the stinging of the ganglia is not 
necessary to secure paralysis, indeed the sting must, from the nature 
of the victim, be often effected between the ganglia. None the less, 
Dr. Marchal admits the wonder of the instinct, and suggests, as Mr. 
Darwin also did, how the inefficacy of stinging the sides of the victim 
might lead to the habit of stinging the median ventral line, and event- 
ually the ganglia. Moreover, the median ventral line is often the 
most convenient and natural line of attack—Journal Royal Micro- 
scopical Society. 
Some Florida Spiders.—The following species of spiders were 
collected by me at Inverness, Citrus Co., Fla., during January and 
February, 1892: 
` Agalena nevia Bose. 
Lathrodectes mactans Koch. 
Gasteracantha cancer Hentz. 
Nephila plumipes Koch. 
Phidippus miniatus Peck. 
Marptusa familiaris Hentz. 
Lycosa, a large species. 
I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Nathan Banks for the deter- 
minations—CLARENCE M. WEED. 
Recent Entomological Publications.—Prof. F. H. Hillman 
‘issues as Bulletin No. 17 of the Nevada Experiment Station a popu- 
lar discussion of the woolly aphis of the apple (Schizoneura lanigera). 
“The extreme dry weather of the past spring and early summer has 
been very favorable for the development and longevity of the aphids, 
and as the result they are to be found in immense numbers. Those 
trees surrounded by shrubbery and frequently irrigated apparently are 
affected less than the others.” 
Prof. S. W. Williston has lately published’ the second part of his 
“Diptera Braziliana.” Eight new species of Conops are described. 
Arch. Zool. Expér. et. Gen., x, 1892, pp. 23-36. 
Kansas University Quarterly, i. 
