336 



onward. What is the name of this butterfly' What is the worm called? Upon 

 what does it feed. ? — [John M. Davis, Fayette Court-House, Alabama, September 12, 

 1890. 



Eeply. — The butterfly which you send is known as Callidryas euhule, and we are 

 very glad to get your note upon the migratiou of this species. It feeds upon the dif- 

 ferent plants of the genus Cassia, the most common of which in your vicinity is, I 

 believe C. grandiflora. — [September 16, 1&90. ] 



The Brassy Flea Beetle injuring Corn. 



Inclosed you will please find an envelope in which are some insects which I will call 

 the corn flea. They have infested the corn in this locality pretty generally the present 

 season. It attacked the plant when not more than two blades high, and has kept at 

 work on it all the season up to the present time. As the corn grew they seemed to 

 increase in numbers until there would be as many as a dozen or more to the blade. 



It keeps on the underside of the leaf most of the time and will jump if disturbed 

 in the least, and sometimes will jump at the mere approach of a person. From this 

 habit, it seems to have escaped the notice of nearly every farmer until his attention 

 is called to it. I have asked a number what they thought was the cause of the 

 blight of the corn blades, and, with but one exception, they have attributed it to the 

 dry weather, until their attentions were called to the little pest. I also inclose a 

 corn blade that you may see the effect as it appears. Can you tell who the little 

 stranger is, and something of his history and habits ?— [J. J. Baldwin, Westfield, Ind. 

 October 6, 1890. 



Eeply. — The little insect which you call the '' corn flea" is known to entomologists 

 as the Brassy Flea Beetle (Chcetocnema puUcaria). This insect is often observed feed- 

 ing as you describe it both upon corn and grasses, but its life history is not known 

 nor has it ever been reported io sutficient numbers to make it worth while to look 

 into the matter of remedies. — [October 10, 1890.] 



The Banded Sand Cricket. 



Having discovered the "missing link" which connects the Crustacea with the Or- 

 thopterous insects, I send it to you to-day by mail in a tin box. Some one left this 

 insect for me at my office, and as yet I have been unable to say where it was cap- 

 tured. It is safe to conjecture, however, that it was found at Miles City or vicinity 

 about September 28, 1890, as it was alive and in an open tin can when I arrived at 

 my office. Never having seen this insect before, I write to ask what it is ? — [C, A. 

 Wiley, Miles City, Montana, September 29, 1890. 



Reply : The insect which you send is a specimen of the Banded Sand Cricket 

 (Stenopelmatus fasciatus). This insect is found not uncommonly under stones and 

 in a loose soil from Idaho to the Pacific coast a id southward. It is carnivorous, 

 feeding upon other insects, and in the Southwest is greatly feared by the Mexicans, 

 who consider its bite to be extremely poisonous. This is, however, unquestionably a 

 mistake, and probably arises from the fact that Arachnids of the poisonous genus 

 Galeodes somewhat resemble these sand crickets and are found in similar locations. 

 With regard to your suggestion that this species forms a connecting link between the 

 Crustacea and the Orthoptera, I may state that it belongs to the Orthopterous family 

 Locustidce, which includes the long-horn grasshoppers, the katydids, and the stone 

 crickets.— [October 4, 1890.] 



A curious Bedbug find. 



Referring to page 21, Vol. Ill, the article on bedbugs in unusual places reminds 

 me of a find made by myself some time ago late in October. Passing a swamp, I saw 

 some cat-tails in the distance, which I procured after some tall wading. What was my 

 surprise, after placing them in the carriage, to find the heads of each spike crammed 



