Eurytoma vagabunda, n. sp.—♀. Length .10 inch. Deep black. Head and thorax coarsely punctate ; antennæ 8-jointed, black and pubescent; eyes black; thorax black, very coarsely punctate, collare transverse quadrate, parapsidal grooves indistinct, scutellum hardly separated from the praescutellum, convex, narrowing but rounded posteriorly ; metathorax coarsely punctate ; abdonmen black, smooth, and highly polished, peduncle short, a series of very fine punctures along the basal margin of 2nd, 3rd and 4th segments, only perceptible with a high power, tip pubescent ; wings hyaline, iridescent ; veins slightly yellowish, no stigmal spot ; legs reddish yellow, tibiæ slightly paler, feet pale.

In the light of Professor Riley's recent criticism (American Entomologist, December, 1880,) upon my conclusion that Antigaster Walsh is synonymous with Eupelmus Dalm., I have gone over the ground again with his objections before me, and still adhere to my original view. The objections may be summed up as follows :

1st. Antigaster has 10-jointed antennæ ; Eypelmus (according to Westwood) has 13.

About three years ago I commenced the study of the “featherwings,” with the intention of preparing at some future time a monograph of the North American species of this family. While adhering to my original intention, I have decided to so far modify it as to publish in advance certain new species which have accumulated on my hands, and I am induced to this course the more because it may be a considerable time before sufficient material will have been obtained to justify me in publishing my general paper.

At the last meeting of the Entom. Soc. of Ontario, Mr. J. M. Denton reported that he had seen near Delaware, Co. Middlesex, Ont., a ten-acre pasture field almost destroyed'by the larvæ of this beetle, and he exhibited some specimens he had brought.

The Deyrolle carton containing the specimens, which are in the same position as returned by Mr. Meade, bears the inscription by the Baron von Osten-Sacken : “This collection was arranged at my request by Mr. R. H. Meade, especially with a view of ascertaining whether any of the species are common to Europe and N. America.” I have published this list for the same reason as the Anthomyidae.

Botis lethalis, n. s.

Allied to atropurpuralis. Fore wings purply brown to the exterior line, which is distinct, nearly straight, a little bent submedially, dark brown followed by a whitish coincident shade tine. Subterminal space pale brown, shaded with whitish. A terminal whitish shade before the broken terminal line.

Cynips Q. pomiformis, n. sp.

Globular, polythalamous galls, sessile on the twigs of Quercus Agrifolia, much resembling small round apples except that the apex is not depressed as is usuaily the case in this fruit. Size from one to two inches in diameter. Color various shades of brown, depending upon the degree of exposure to the sun. The smoothish surface sometimes with a few small, hard, scattered wart-like points.

On the 11th of June I took a pair of Saperda Fayi upon thorn, a rather rare insect with Canadian collectors hitherto, I believe. Ten years ago or more I captured one, and had not met with it since, but this year amidst a general scarcity it seemed to be quite abundant here, the different collectors finding it well represented in every direction around the city.

I have received from Mr. H. G. Hubbard some larvæ and pupæ, with the case, labeled as follows: “The Simulium larvæ and pupæ were collected on the rocks at the foot of the fals of Michipicotin River, Lake Superior, in shallow pools and gutters of rapid water. There were large patches of rock suriace densely covered with either the larvæ or pupæ, so closely packed as to resemble a growth of aquatic vegetation. The black flies were very abundant in the woods.”

Since I first catalogued our species of Bombyciæ, under Herrich-Schæffer's later designation of Cymatophorinæ, in the Proc. of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia for May, 1863, there have been but few additions to the group. Nor have the then debatable points been settled. The validity of expultrix as a “species” is still doubtful.

Among the generally accepted canons of nomenclature is the rule that if a description includes two or more species, it shall be valid for neither as against subsequent authors who discriminate the forms properly.

While all of us may not be willing to push this rule to its limit and reject the first name altogether, it certainly is a wholesome restriction against a custom which has prevailed in some quarters, notably in France, of making loose and indefinite descriptions, waiting until some more careful writer has separated one of the forms as distinct and named it, and then declaring that the latter was the species really intended by the indefinite description, thus at one stroke of the pen creating a synonym and finding a new species to be named.

The summer of 1879 was quite warm and dry in Utah as well as California. This was very disastrous to the larvæ of S. Gloveri, which, it is well known, feed on the willows in Utah growing in or near swamps or near creeks in canons.

I. Cecidomyia spec. on Aristolochia sipho.

Flat rounded galls on the under side of the leaves, pale, somewhat transparent, pale greenish, 4 mil. diam. On the upper side of the leaf the gall becomes a slightly elevated disk marked with dark red and having in the middle a small pale-bordered hole. The galls grow larger and more globular on the stems of the leaves, to globes of 8 mil. diam., some more elongated, 18 mil. long and 8 mil. broad. The larvæ are brick red, 3 mil. long, very agile. I find no species on Aristolochia described by Osten Sacken and others.