552 The American Naturalist. [June, 
le, and that the edges may have become thickened and chitinized 
while the inner membranous portion gradually shrank from the out- 
lining edges and disappeared. He holds the opinion that the chitiniza- 
tion of the thickened edges and the shrinking of the membrane at the 
apical portions of the lamellz would in all POONA begin before they 
had attained their full growth.” 
Claude Morley, F. E. S., has described and figured” certain peculiar 
dipterous larvæ (Metriocnemus fuseipes Mg.) inhabiting rotten stumps. 
The figures and descriptions apply well to certain American species in- 
habiting similar localities —W. F. F. 
General Notes.—Under the title of Biological Notes on Certain 
Towa Insects,” Messrs, H. Osborn and C. W. Mally describe the pre- 
liminary stages of the ground cherry seed moth (Gelechia sp.) with 
notes on a parasite, the early stages of the imbricated snout beetle 
(Epicerus imbricatus Say); and give notes on the Cosmos weevil 
(Baris confinis Lec.), and on the early stages of a dipterous insect. 
( Chironomus sp.) occurring in large numbers in water tanks and reser- 
voirs. 
The insects affecting the cotton plant have recently been discussed’ ê 
by Dr. L. O. Howard. Especial mention is made of the cotton worm 
(Aletia argillacea) and several of its parasites ; the boll worm (Helio- 
this armiger) and the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis Bob.),. 
which are described and figured in all stages. Many other species are 
mentioned. 
M. Charles Janet records?” some interesting studies which show that 
the mite Discopoma comatais a true external parasite of the ant Ladius 
mixtus, attaching itself firmly to the body of the host and sucking the 
blood 
Mr. Wm. H. Ashmead has described’* over forty new species of 
Cynipidous galls and gall wasps in the National Museum. One new 
genus is also described. 
Miss Alice M. Beach catalogues!® the Thrips of Iowa and describes 
five new species of Thrips proper, and one species doubtfully referred 
to Sericothrips. Professor Herbert Osborn in an accompanying paper 
describes a new species of Phlothrips. 
14 Entomologists Monthly Mag., VIII, 49, 50. 
15 Proc. Iowa Acad. Nat. Sci., 1895, Vol. III, 203-213. 
16 U, § Dept. of Agric., Bull. 33, Office of Experiment Station. 
17 Comptes Rendus, 1897, p. 102. 
18 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, 113-136. 
19 Proc. Iowa Acad. Nat. Sci., III, 214-227. 
