190 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. II, No. 3 , 
NOTES ON NEUROPTOID INSECTS. 
James S. Hine. 
Mantispa intkrrupTA Say. This species was described by 
Thomas Say from a single specimen which was taken near Phila- 
delphia. Only a few specimens have been mentioned in litera- 
ture since. Hagen and Uhler have mentioned variations in the 
wing markings of different specimens, and both have stated that 
the specimens that they have studied lack the “quadrate, dark 
fuscous spot ” which Say observed outlie “submargin’’ of the 
wing, and Uhler says: “ I have seen a specimen in which the 
apical spot of the wing is absent.’’ 
In Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. , 24:23, Banks tabulated our North 
American species and separated sayi, which he described as new, 
from interrupta by the absence of markings on the wings of the 
former. 
In the collection before me are two males and a female which 
I identify as interrupta, and 011 which this note is based. 
One male was taken at Sandusky, Ohio, by Prof. Osborn, the 
other male at Vinton, Ohio, by myself, June 10, 1900, from the 
trunk of a small tree, while Mr. Morse took the female at Vinton, 
June 20, 1901, by beating oak foliage. Thus one male and the 
female were taken at the same place, though in different years, 
while the other male exactly agrees with the Vinton male in size, 
coloration and all other characters that I have observed. 
In comparison the general coloration of the body of the female 
is lighter than in the male ; the dark costal margin is present in 
both sexes alike, and extends to where the costa begins to bend 
toward the apex of the wing. Otherwise the male wing is 
entirely transparent, but the female wing has a reddish patch at 
the apex, and two darker markings outside of the costal border. 
These latter markings include the cross veins that meet the 
radius from behind at nearly a right angle. The venation in the 
male is noticeably darker than in the female ; the former meas- 
ures 19 min., and the latter 27 mm. to the apex of the wing. 
Sialis infumata Newm. and americana Ramb. Since S. ameri- 
cana appears to be rare generally, I give a short comparison of 
its characters and habits with those of S. infumata, which is an 
abundant and widely distributed species. The latter is common 
about the middle of May at Columbus, and during the day is to 
be found in numbers clinging to the small branches of shrubs and 
trees in the vicinity of streams, with its wings placed roof-like 
over its back. The only time I have ever taken americana it was 
found resting on the trunk of a large oak tree that stood near the 
water of Stewart’s Take, in Portage County, Ohio, June 20, 1900. 
Nearly a dozen specimens in all were taken. 
