In 1909 I was interested to hear from a farmer in Ontario, that barn swallows are undesirable because they harbour bedbugs which spread from their nests to human habitations. Several times since I have heard the same complaint from various sources. In 1926 an instance cropped up in Vancouver where cliff swallows nests were systematically knocked down from some public buildings, for the same alleged reason.

Length 3.6-4 mm.; width 1.7-1.9 mm. Elongate oval, subequally narrowed in front and behind. Dorsum very dark brown, the anterior portion of the head pale brown, a median band extending across the pronotum sometimes slightly paler, elytra near basal and lateral margins sometimes very slightly paler; antennae reddish-yellow, the segments except the basal four each strongly infuscate except at base; legs and prothoracic venter reddish-yellow; remainder of venter black, shining.

In checking over the described species of Tiphia the writer found seven uncorrected homonyms in the genus. Since the activities of the U. S. Department of Agriculture in fighting the Japanese beetle (Popilla japonica) have partially taken on the aspect of biological control, and many species of Asiatic Tiphia have been imported into America, it seems advisable to the writer that the following corrections of specific and variety names be made immediately :

Tiphia intermedia var. EXITIALIS n. n.

I have just received from Professor M. L. Fernald two papers of extra-ordinary interest, on “Some Relationships of the Floras of the Northern Hemisphere” (Proc. Internat. Congress of Plant Sciences, 2, pp. 1487-1507, 1929) and “Unglaciated Western Newfoundland” (Harvard Alumni Bulletin, Jan. 23. 1930, 6 pp.).

In view of the fact that several inquiries have been made concerning the type locality of two species of Staphylinidae described by Herr Hans Wendeler of Berlin, it appears desirable to clarify the published citations.

On August 8th, 1926, I captured a sawfly of the genus Croesus at the flowers of the common parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) at the foot of Mount Royal.

Resembling fabae in size, form and appearance, but with distinct genital characters. Size 3 mm.

Vertex strongly produced about one third its length before anterior margins of eyes. One third wider between eyes than length at middle. Pronotum one-third longer than vertex.

On May 23, 1929 a species of Phenacoccus was found in ant's nests of the genus Lasius. Some of these were feeding on the roots of grass and were well guarded by the ants. Mature males were also found in the nest. After going carefully through the literature I find that it agrees well with the description of P. wilmattae Ckll. However, since a number of very obvious characters were omitted in the original description it will be profitable to mention them, and emphasize the outstanding differences between this species and P. stachyos Ehrhorn.