This interesting species has at last been added to the collection of the Entomological Society of Ontario, by the industrious collecting of Mr. J. W. Bice, who took it at electric light in the season of 1898, and was recently identified for me by Dr. J. B. Smith. Taeniocampa alia, Guen.—incerta, Hubn.—was in remarkable profusion during the early part of that season; and ranging through an extent of variation that was quite confusing. Three good specimens of rubrescens were taken at the same time, each differing from the other in colour, and were picked out as possibly another variety of alia, but when seen by Dr. Smith, he pronounced my Nos. 3, 4, 5 to be T. rubrescens, and his remark on them was, “A very pretty series, No. 4 being a new form to me.”

Having brought my studies of the neuration of the diurnals to a preliminary close, I wish to place on record here the conclusions to which they have led. The diphylism is founded on the following characters:

A.–Butterflies having a short third anal vein on fore wings, curving downwardly from base to internal margin, and with only one anal vein on hind wings ......... Papilionides.

B.–Butterflies having a fork to the second anal vein of fore wings at base, sometimes incomplete, often disappearing through absorption, and with at least two anal veins on hind wings ......... Hesperiades.

In the Journal of the New York Entomological Society for March, 1899. I separated the Hymenoptera into ten superfamilies, viz.: I Apoidea, II. Sphegoidea, III. Vespoidea, IV. Formicoidea, V. Proctotrypoidea, VI. Cynipoidea, VII Chalcidoidea, VIII. Ichneumonoidea, IX. Siricoidea, and X. Tenthredinoidea.

In the following pages I now propose to give a classification of the second of these superfamilies, or the Sphegoidea, a large group of wasps at one time confused with the genuine fossorial wasps, but which may be readily separated from them by having the hind angles of the pronotum not extending back to the tegulæ. Of all wasps these are the ones most closely allied to the bees.

The wasps belonging in this family have a peculiar habitus quite their own. The head is always wider than the thorax, the front wings have three cubital cells, while the abdomen, in nearly all the species, has usually a strong constriction between the first and second segments, the first segment being most frequently much narrowed. In only a single genus, Trachypus, Klug., is the abdomen distinctly petiolated. The eyes are large and normal, but occasionally exhibit a slight emargination within, and, more rarely, with a distinct emargination, or reniform as in Trypoxylon and Pison. Most of the species have the abdomen strongly punctured or punctate, and have also a constriction between all the abdominal sutures, although some also have the abdomen smooth and polished, and are without a constriction at the sutures.

In the annual reports of the Canadian Experimental Farms for 1896 and 1897, Dr. James Fletcher describes a new apple-fruit pest in British Columbia, caused by the attacks of small caterpillars, viz., the larvæ of a little tineid moth, Argyresthia conjugella, Zell. The injuries done by this new enemy, called by Mr. Fletcher “the applefruit miner,” closely resemble those caused by the apple maggot, Trypeta pomonella, Walsh. The caterpillars tunnel the pulp of the fruit in every direction, leaving brown-coloured channels with rather large chambers here and there; this attack thus being easily distinguishable from that of the common codling worm.

In a box of Lepidoptera sent to the Division of Entomology, for identification, by Mr. W. A. Dashwood-Jones, of New Westminster, B. G., was a specimen of the above named sphingid. The specimen was kindly named by Dr. J. B. Smith, who wrote of it, saying: “It is a genuine rarity, and in 1888 there was not a specimen known save the type. If I remember rightly, this is the first specimen other than the type that I have ever seen.” Mr. Dashwood-Jones states that this season he took seven specimens of ulalume; and, further, that he takes them every year in his garden, on white lilac blossoms. He mentions that he has never seen this moth anywhere else, but that for a few days in spring they appear to be fairly plentiful.

Dactylopius sorghiellus, Forbes. Syn. D. Kingii, Ckll.

Dr. S. A. Forbes has kindly sent me the type material of this species, which I have examined with much interest. The material studied consisted of 4 specimens. As is usual with these subterranean forms the antennæ are quite variable, both in the number of segments and their relative length.

Only two of the antennæ of the 4 specimens were 8 jointed, the others being 7-jointed, and some plainly aborted. After careful measurement and study, I conclude that the forms described by Cockerell in Science-Gossip, Feb., 1897, p. 240, as D. Kingii, must be referred to this species.

Eggs.—Laid dispersedly on the 11th of August. They were pinkish-white in colour; somewhat flattened; striated, and had cross indentations. They hatched on the 21st of the month.

Newly-hatched larva.—A half-looper; one-tenth of an inch long. Head bilobed, large. General colour a very pale olive-green, with numerous black warts on head and body, and a few white bristles. Mandibles amber-coloured. Feeds on Plantago major. Moulted August 28th.

Among the interesting species of Heteroptera which have been sent to the Division of Entomology by correspondents during the present season was a species of Tingitidae which has not hitherto been described. In accordance with an established custom of the the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the following description is submitted for publication in a periodical journal in preference to publishing it in a Departmental bulletin. Gargaphia angulata, n. sp.

Otiorhynchus ovatus is an insect which, during the last decade, has become decidedly more numerous in Canada than was formerly the case. Little seems to be known about its habits. It has been sent to me occasionally with complaints of its attacks upon various crops. Among these may be mentioned injuries to the growing stems of potatoes, and also injuries to fruit in the fruiterer's shop. The beetles have been also sent in frequently as having been found in considerable numbers huddled together in dwelling houses late in autumn. Perhaps the most interesting complaint which has been made comes from Prof. W. L. Goodwin, of Queen's University, Kingston, who writes: “I send two specimens of a small beetle which caused so much annoyance in camps on Wolf Island, in the St. Lawrence, near Kingston, Ontario, in July last. It attacked us at night and bit with unpleasant severity.”