170 General Notes. [February, 
ganidz with the Lepidoptera, though only from forms allied to 
the Phryganidz is the phylogenetic derivation of the Lepidoptera 
conceivable. 
He also finds a small chitinous ring at the end of the abdomen 
-of the male, which he regards as the rudiment of a tenth abdomi- 
nal segment. 
Cholodkovsky regards these cases of the occurrence of primi- 
tive characters in Lepidoptera as instances of a periodical atavism, 
or retrogression to the most primitive form of anatomical struc- 
ture. In conclusion, the author with good reason finds fault with 
the term “ Microlepidoptera,” thinking it artificial and absurd to 
classify animals by their size alone. 
Friicuts oF Locusts at San Luis Potosi, Mexico, 1885.—We 
have received the following description of a flight of locusts 
at San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in a letter dated June 9, 1885, from 
Dr. G. Barrceta, well known as one of the most cultivated scien- 
tists in Mexico: 
“On the 31st May a cloud of grasshoppers came from the N. E. 
and S. E. to this city, and remained about three hours, leaving 
only on account of rockets, the ringing of bells and every kind of 
noise. Never before in this century have locusts invaded this 
land. By this mail I send a tin box with samples. Those in 
white paper reached a year ago certain places of the state, 150 
miles east of this city, and at the altitude of 3000 feet above the 
sea. They were collected in Rioverde, aud then the cloud took 
its way to the southeast. In the aforesaid box, those in blue 
paper belong to the invading swarm which visited the city on 
May 31st. I found no difference between them, and suppose 
them to be the progeny of the swarms noticed in 1884, or, at 
least, the same species,” 
Unfortunately the specimens were never received, so that we 
are unable to give the name of the species.— A. S. Packard. 
LONGEVITY or Ants.—Not the least interesting fact which has 
resulted from my observations has been the unexpected longevity 
of these interesting insects. The general opinion used to be that 
they lived for a single season, like wasps. Aristotle long ago 
_ stated that queen-bees live for six and some even seven years. 
Bevan, however, observes that “the notions of both ancients and 
moderns upon the subject have been purely conjectural. Indeed, 
it appears to be somewhat doubtful whether the length of life 
which the former seem to have attributed to individual bees was 
not meant to apply to the existence of each bee-community.” 
The nests, however, which I have devised have enabled me to 
throw considerable light on this question, The queen ants are SO 
easily distinguished from the workers that they can be at once 
identified, while, if a nest be taken in which there is no queen, we 
can satisfy ourselves as to the workers ; because, though it is true 
