1883,] Entomology. 977 
state near the surface, and that the yellow kernel referred to is 
` the true pupa that dries within the puparium. 
ALTERNATION OF GENERATION IN Apaipip®—Ina letter from 
our friend Lichtenstein, which has been for some time mislaid, he 
writes of Ritsemia: 
“The true egg gives birth to the Pseudogyne fundatrix, which 
increases in size and shows six-jointed antenne he Pseudogyne 
fundatrix, without copulation, takes on the gall-like form. It is 
like the Neuroterus in the Cynipide, all are females,—no males. 
It produces gemmations of various sizes (pupa), out of which 
issue the males and females. They copulate, and the true female 
(eight-jointed antennz) takes on the gall-like form, and lays be- 
neath herself the true eggs from which the fundatrix has to issue, 
“You see it is precisely the history of Neuroterus (Pseudo- 
gyne) and Spathegaster (true female), and what is still more 
striking is that the young ones in Ritsemia remain in their parent's 
skin until they are full sized, and issue only as Pseudogyne, 
able to lay young at once, or as sexual individuals, able to copu- 
late immediately. Is it not exactly like the Cynipida ?” 
Foop-PLants oF SAMIA CYNTHIA.—Mr. Birney deserves credit 
for his interesting observations on this subject recorded in the last 
number of the NATURALIST, and we hope he will continue his 
observations and ascertain the cause of death of the sassafras and 
tulip-tree-fed larva. These trees are the favorite food of our 
Promethea larva, the nearest indigenous ally to Cynthia, and it is 
an interesting fact that while the former has never yet been found 
feeding on Ailanthus, its introduced ally (feeding chiefly on Ail- 
anthus) takes also to the very trees which Promethea prefers. 
Cynthia has actually been bred to the imago from sassafras-fed 
, both at Washington and elsewhere, and is recorded as 
reared on Rhus, plum and Laburnum in Europe. Mr. G. D. 
Hulst has recorded it here from tulip tree, sas 
cherry, while Mr. P. E. Nostrand (Bulletin Brooklyn Ent. Soc., 
i, p. 77) found it feeding voluntarily on willow. 
BITTEN BY an Apuip?—Some time ago Mr. Samuel Swan, of 
New York, sent us the following letter. Specimens were subse- 
quently forwarded, and proved to be Siphonophora rudbeckia@, a 
large reddish Aphid common on Solidago and Rudbeckia. We 
think there must have been some mistake about the biting, 
which was probably done by ants or some other insect that es- 
caped notice at the time: 
A friend while crossing a waste lot last September gathered a bunch of golden 
o rigida. He soon felt his hand becoming very hot, and, on examining, 
their name. If I send you one or two will it assist you in ascertaining the 
name, or do you already know the insect that infests that plant? Your reply will 
much oblige. . 
