Article beginning on page 346.
Psyche 7:346-348, 1894.

Full text (searchable PDF)
Durable link: http://psyche.entclub.org/7/7-346.html

The following unprocessed text is extracted from the PDF file, and is likely to be both incomplete and full of errors. Please consult the PDF file for the complete article.

THE CAMBRIDGE NATURAL HIS-
TORY: INSECTS.
The fifth volume of the Cambridge Natural History (Macinillan) treats of Peripatus, Myriapods and n portion of the Insects, the other portion being left for another volume. The insects are done by Dr. David Sharp, but the present volume contains only the Aptera, Qrthoptera, yicuroptera, and a part of the Uynienoptera. The classification of the orders adopted i? given on pp. 172-173, and differs but slightly from the old Linnean divisions, while the classifications proposed by Packard and by Brauer are fullj~ explained and acutely critipsed. No explanation what- ever is given o the low position assigned I
the Hymenoptera in the aeriesadopted, which seems wholly indefensible. Apart from this, the work promises when completed to be the most useful introduction to the study of in- sects which exists, ;md it is a veritable store- house of interesting facts. Nothing but
praise can be given to the nietliod, the execu- tion and the judicious altitude of the writer; i--.
it is, moreover, a very readable bctoli., couched in excellent English. As 2 general rule it is very equal in excellence, though some points are elaborated with more care tlian others equally important; while the woodcuts are numerous, largely new, admirably executed, anddistinctly illustrative of the text. Four introductory chapters treat respectively of the external structure, the internal structure, the development of the individual and clas- sification ; in the first, the treatment of the venation and of the genital armor is nnsatis- factory, these subjects being dismissed in a very few words. The several orders are next taken up, fn's.t as a whole, and then family 'by family, the order of subjects treated being in general that of the introductory chapters, followed by remarks on the dislribiition of the insects in question both in space and time, and closing in some cases with a table of genera. It is well, up to date. Refer- ences are abunilant^uid sufficient, and we have noted but exceedingly few inaccuracies. Figs. $5 and 46 are wrongly credited.
Al-
together it is a most desirable book for the entomologist's library.
THE GRAND PRIZE for the physical sciences has been awarded by the French academy of sciences to Mr. Charles Brongniart for his recent work on fossil insects of Commentry. PROCEEDINGS OF THE CEUB.
10 Jan., 1896.-The 189th meeting was held at 156 Brattle St., Mr. S. Henshaw in the chair Messrs. Justin W. Fulsom and Herbert V
Neal, both of Cambridge, were elected t( active membership.
The several annual reports were read.
The following officers for 1896 werechosen President, 1-1. S. Pratt of Hailerford, Penn. secreLa.rj, R. Hayward ; treasurer, S. Her shaw; librarian, S. H. Scudder; nieinbe~ at large of the executive committee, A. I Morse and S. H. Scuiider.
Messrs. Henshaw aud Scudder were a]
pointed a committee with full powers,
revise the list of exchanges of the Club the close of vol. 7 of Psyche.
Mr. S. U. Scuclder exhibited the Aineric~ and European species of Podisma in his ci lection and drew special attention to t
apterous forms, which were represented
America by two species possessing a ty
panuni on the skies of the first sibdaini~ segment; while in Europe there weie I
only two species with a tympanum but f
species without, all found at high altitu or latitudes. One of our species, bes-t kno from Mt. Washingion, N. H., has also b
found at high elevations in Maine, Mai
chusetts and New Yorii, and at Sudbi
Ontario; in the latter place at the gen
level, though Sudbury itself has a consi able elevation ; the second American spe has only been found near Ithaca, N. Y.
less than 500' above the sea. The specie Podisma generally, both winged and a]
ous, were usually found at high levels. ge ally above or near the forest line.




================================================================================

February ~Xc,r>.] PSYCHE. 347
Mr. Scudder also exhibited tlie work of
what was presumed lo be Ejitrix #a~wula
on tobacco leaves, received from Mr. S. E. Elmore of Hartford, Conn.; according to
him, this inject "esits a small bit from the cafof growing tobacco, leiiving a light brown spot upon I11e leaf when ready for market; these spots rniiteriatly increase the market vi~lue of the crop. . , . If they could be snc- cc-ssfiilly cnltivsitcid it would be ;I boon to the tobacco grower." Wehster states that the insect is regarded as injurious to the tobacco in Ohio. One of the members immediately
produced a cigar sliowing these spots on the wi-apper, hut did not state whether lie paid an extra price on their :iccount.
Mr. Scudder further reported the capture of BasiJarchia arthemis by Mr. R. N. Davis of Ar-chb;~ld. Penn., on Bald Mount near Sc'ran- ton, Penn., 2385' above the qea: and of Cal- liilryas $hilea 111 Mr. \I7. T. Bellof Frankliii, Penn., at that place, far beyond its uual age, ihoiigli in the West it has been re- ported :is far north ;is U'ihconsilt.
Mr. A. G. Ma~er stilted that it h;is been shown by SchXer, van Bemmelen, Urechiind Hitiise that the order of tippcarance of the colors in the pupal wings of Lepidoptera is as follows: at first the wings are perfectly transpalent, then they become pure white, then yellowish, and finally the mature colors begin to appear upon them. He said that he had found that the scales develop during the - transparent btage. The white stage iscaused by the protopli~sin shrinking out of the scales leaving them in the condition of little hollow bags, so that they diffract the light. In the yellow stage the pigment firhi appears; tin's pigment is made by something tiniilogo~is to å´ blood clot, for the plasma of the blood enters the scales and forms the pigment. The blood of the chrysalis conliiins i\ huge amount of serum ii-lbnmen.
Mr. R. Hayward showed specimens of Bern- bidiunt mitiidiivi, 5. qiiadi~i~xaculalum and Lwu uiidescribed species and remarked on the very close resemblance between them in
markings, the four belonging to three dis- tinct groLnps.
Just Published, by Henry Holt & Co., New York. Scudder's Brief Guide to the Com-
moner Butterflies.
By SAMUEL 1-1. SCUDDER. xi 24 pp.
12mo. $1.25.
An introduction, for the ?oiu~g student. to the names and something of the relationship and lives of our commoner butterflies. The author h;is selected for treatment the butter- flies, less than one hundred in number, which would bc almost surely met will1 by an in- dustrious collector in a course of a year's or two year's work in our Northern States east of the Great Plains, and in Ciinada. While all the apparatus necessary to identify these butterflies, in their earlier as well ;is perfect stage, is supplied, it is far from the author's purpose to treat them as if they wereso many mere postage-stamps to be clabsilled :ind ar- ranged in a cabinet. He has accordingly
added to the descriptions of the different spe- cies, their most obvious stages, some of the curious facts concerning their periodicity and their habits of life.
Scudder's The Life of a Butterfly.
A Chapter in Natural History for
the General Reader.
J3.y SAMURJ. I~I. SCUDUKR. 186 pp. 16mo. $1.00.
In this book the author has tried to present in untechnical language the story of the life of one of our most conspicuous American
butterflies. A1 the siune time, by introduc- ing into the account of its anatomy, devel- opment, distribution, enemies, and seasonal changes some comparisons with the more or less dissimilar structure and life of other but- terflies, and particuli~rly of our native forms, he has endeavored to give, in some fashion and in brief space, a general account of the lives of' the whole tribe. By using a single butterfly as a special text, one may discourse at pleasure of many: and in the limiled field which our native butterflies cover, this meth- od has a certain advantage from its simplicity and directness.




================================================================================

THE SEVENTH VOLUME OF PSYCHE
Began in January, 1894, and continues through three years. The subscription price (payable in advance) is $5.00 per volume, or $3.00 per year, postpaid. The
numbers will be issued, as in Vol. 6, on the first day of every month and will con- tain at least 12 pages each. No more than this was promised for the sixth volume but the numbers have actually averaged more than 16 pages, and in addition 21 plates have been given and more than 50 other illustrations. We prefer to let performance outrun promise, but when a larger subscription list warrants it, we shall definitely increase the number of pages. Vols. 1-6, Complete, Unbound, - Now sold for $29.00. Vols. 1-6, and Subscription to Volume 7, - - $33.00. The Butterflies of the Eastern United States and Canada. With special reference to New England. By SAMUEL H. SCUDDER. Illustrated with 96 plates of Butterflies, Caterpillars, Chrysalids, etc. (of which 41 are colored) which include about 2,000 Figures besides Maps and Portiaits. 1958 Pages of Text.
Vol. I. Introduction; Nyn~phiiliclae.
Vol. 3.
Remaining Families of Butterflies.
Vol. 3.
Appendix, Plates and Tndex.
. .
Ihe set, 3 vols:, royal 8v0, half levant, $75.00 net. HOUGHTON, MlFFLIN & CO.,
4 Park St., Boston, Mass.
A. SMITH & SONS, 269 PEARL STREET, New York. Boards, Folding Nets, Locality and
Special Labels, Forceps, Sheet Cork, Eic. Other articles are being added, Send for List, JOHN AIKHU:R,STa
TAXIDERMIST AND DEALER IN ENTOMOLOGICAL SUPPLIES. Fine Carlsbader Insect Pins a spe-
cialty.
Price List sent on application.
78 Ashland Place,
IMPROVED ENTOMOLOGICAL FORCEP5. BROOKLYN, N. V.



================================================================================

Febiuaiy i8g6.1 SUPPLEMENT TO PSYCHE. 17 pubescence except that the third has a
broadly triangular black centnil patch, the apex: of which is directed hindwas-ds. Apex rufous. Second segment at sides and ven- trally strongly punctured, dorsally the sin-face cannot he seen because of the pubescence. flab.-- Gordon Town, Jamaica. (Dr.
Cargill.) Communicated I>! Mr. L 0.
Howard. Type in U. S. Nat. Museum. A
very beautiful and distinct species,
Holopyga semirufa, n, sp- Length about
or slightly over 3 mm.; head and thorax
briqlit green, occiput and metathorax deep purple. Antennae very dark brown, the
scape green. Pro- and meso-thorax shining slightly reddish brassy in some lights.
Metathorax with a very little green mid- dorsallj. Wings clem-, nervures dark brown. Abdomen moderately shining, entirely ru- fons. Legs rufous, anterior and middle
femora and tibiae darker, anterior femora green except the end.
Whole insect strongly punctured, Lhe
punctures finer on the abdomen. Third
segment of ahdomen entire. Claw with two teeth within. Marginal cell open at apex; no discoidnl cells, the outline of the second is very faintly and imperfectly indicatcd. Metathorax with a strong spine on each
side. Hind ocelli about as far from one
another as each from orbital margin.
Half.- Las Cnices, N. M,, close to the
Agricullural College, Sept. 11, 1895, on Bigelouiu zvriyhtii. Recognized at once by its rufous abdomen and legs. The type is ckll. 5012.
IX. A CKKOPLASTES AND ITS PARASITE.
Ceroplastes ei-iphorbiae, 11. sp- 2 scale 3+ nim. long, 3 broad, 2% high.
Wax wliite,
rather thick, firm, not divided into plates. The plxte-nuclei or knobs, however, are
very distinct, eiich on a small dark pink p-~tch. Obscure bnnds of while secretion descend from the lateral ones. Denuded,
the shows a well-formed caudal horn,
about the shape of the last joint of one's little finger, but I-ather more tapering, The material being rather insufficient, the micro- scopic characters were not very -well made out. The antennae appear to be only
&jointed. but it is the fourth joint, not the third, that is much the longest. The second and third arc next longest and subequal, the second perhaps a little the longer. The fifth is quite short. Derm with round gland- pits. Legs ordinary, femur a little longer than tibia, tibia longer than tarsus. Digi- tules with large knobs. A detached leg
exhibited a prodigiously long tarsal digitole, at least twice as long as the t-arsus itself. Half grown examples have the wax di-
vided into plates, but the sul~ires are not darkened.
Quite ~oung ones are pink with
all the knobs conspicuously while.
Halt.-Red Hill District, Jamaica, Oct.
28, 1895. 011 the twigs 01- branches of
Eufhorbia hypericifolia L., sent by Dr.
M. Grabham.
This little species lias some resemblance to C. Uiefiitgi Ckll., hut will he known bj its white wax, with the knobs on dark pink patches. From C. floridensis Comst., it will be known by its higher form. and the dark knobs of the adult, sitiuited on dark pink patches. From C. eu$Aofbiae
I bred a parasite, which Mr. L. 0. Howard describes as a new genus and specie? of
Aphelininc Chalcididae. IIis description follows. T. D. A. Ck/Z.
Aneristus, n, gen.-Resembles Coccopha-
p Flagellutn of antenna strongly flat-
tened. Scape short, inserted just above
the mouth and reaching to the middle of
the fxe; pedicel short, triiinguldr, as long as broad. ~unicle? joint I twice :is long as pedicel, somewhat longer than broad.




================================================================================

18 SUP/'/, EdlfENT TO PSYCHE. [February 1896. Funicle joints 2 and 3 c;ich s,hoi-ter than I, and 3 shorter than 2; each about :is broad as is joint I zit tip. Club distinctly 3-jointed, a little broader than fuuicle joint 3; joints I and 2 of club siihequal in length and each as long as funicle joint 3. Joint 3 of club about as Iongas 3, somewhat narrower at
base than 2, pointed at tip. In other
respects resembles Coccophagus, except
that the hind tibiae are considerably flat- tened and have a row of short stiff bristles above. Middle tibia1 spur long and slender, neark ;is long as first tarsal joint.
Aneristus ceroplastae, n. sp.-Female.
Length, -8 mm. ; expanse, 1.6 mm. ; greatest width of forewings, .z7 mm. Mesonotum
finely nnd closely slingreened, with sparse, rather long dark pile; eyes hairy; color black, slightly shining, all coxne and femora black; front and middle tibiae and all ta-rsi pallid, hind tibiae black. Wings with a
very large discal infuscated psitch, covering nearly half the wing area.
Described from 2 specimens reared by
T. T). A. Cockerell froin Ceruplabtes on EupJtorbia hypericifolia from Jamaica.
I.. 0, Ho-ward.
The writer having lately prepared descrip- tions of various new Coccidae, which will appear in sundry bulletins, reportti, proceed- ings sf local societies, and so forth, it is deemed expedient to bring together some
account of them here. This is done for the convenience of students, who sometimes
compliiin of the diffic~ilty of keeping track of scattered descriptii.~ns; and silso to secure earlier p~~hlicatio~~, as some of the fuller accounts may be (indeed, have already been) much delayed. While the full details are not now given, there is sufficient descriptive matter, it is hoped, fur the ready ideutifica- tion of the species. The species collected in Japan by Mr. T.tkah:ishi 'were obtained for the Department of Agriculture and trans- mitted to me h.v Mr. L. 0. Howard. Those collected by Prof. C. 1H. T. Townsend are also the propert) of the Department. Those obtained by Mr. Craw were collected at S~II Francisco in the course of his quarantine work. Full psu'ticulars concerning all of the Takahashi, Townsend and Craw species will be given in 21 fortlicoming Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. The West
Indian forms will probably receive full pub- lication in Trinidad.
COCKERELL.
Dactylopius olivaceus, 11. sp.- 9 long. 3h at. 24, all. 14 min. (in alcol~oi). Dark olive- brown, with mealy powder. Legs shorter
than their distance from one another, very stout, coxa extremely large, digitules all fili- form. Antennae brown, slender, 8-jointed, 8 very long. Forn~ula 8 (123) (67) 54. Hairs of anal ring very small. Posterior tubercles obsolete. On Yucca. Ciudad Perfirio Diaz, Mexico (Townsend). Rather like D. glatt- cus. Mabketl.
Eriococcus dubius, n. sp.- 9 with sac ti little over 3 mm. long, sac, loosely felted, white, with a slightly yellowish tinge Dried 9 very dark reddish-purple. Antennae
7-jointed, formula 34 (12) 756. Legs mod- erately slender, dighules ordinary. Posterior tubercles small but cylindrical. On some shrub, Valles, Mexico (Townsend). Very
near to E. cocciaeiis, Ckll., but apparently distinct.
Phenacoccus pergandei, n. sp.- 9 with
sac 8 mm. long, 3 broad. Sac white, firm, partly overlapping the wrinkled orange-
brown 9. Antennae 9-jointed, formula 32
(14569) (78). Tarsus less than half as long as tibia. Digitules of claw of fair size, ex- panding rather gradually to their bulbous



================================================================================

February ,806 1 SUPPLEMENT TO PSYCHE. 19 ends. Claw long. nut much curved. On
leaves of "Gumi," Jap:tti [Takahashi). It has n~uch the appearance of f'dvi~zu~ia
camellicola.
Conchaspis angraeci v. hibisci, v. nov.- Scale perhaps a little larger, grayish-white, with the tipex tilted over on to the side. Strong ridges, about 3 in number, run from the apex towards the opposite margin. An- tennae +-jointed. On Hibiscus sp., Tamiiii- lipas, Mexico (Townsend).
Lecaniodiaspis (Prosopophora) quercus,
11. sp.- 2 scale long. 34,lat. 2h, alt. zh mm., pale ochi'eous, obscurely carinate, seginenta- tion fairly evident. Antennae yjointed,
formula (34) (25) (67) I. On atercus sp., Tokio, Japan (Takahashi). Very like P.
r-itfescens, but more convex. It might be taken at a glance for an Eriococcus, being ahout the color of the sacs of S. <'iic.a/vftfi, Mask.
L. (P.) celtidis, n. sp.- 5 scale long. 3, lat. ah, ait. I& mm,. broad-oval, convex, above very light ochreous, con~picuousIy frosted with white secretion. Antennae 8-jointed, formnlsi 4 (35) (61) (72) 8. Eggs pale pink. On Gelds occideutaZ:.~, Sun Antonio, Texas (Townsend). The eggs in L. yucctie :ire
yellowish.
Sphaerococcus (Pseudolecanium, 11.
suhg. ) tokionis, n. sp.- Scale irregnliir, more or less oval, about 6 mm. long, dark brown, shiny, producing a little cottony rniitter. Tlie adult $ is simply a sac full of larvae; the margin has well-developed capi- tate spines. Larvae suggesting those of
Kermes-. Cephalic end with a row of nhout io tubular glands, hind extremity with blunt spines. On twigs of bamboo, Japan (Taka- hashi). Rather like S. bambusac, Mask.,
but not showiiiff the distinct csiiidal segments of that insect.
Lecanium irnbricatum, 11. sp.- 9 scale
about 4 mm. long, oval, moderately convex, reddish-brown, much wrinkled when dry;
more or less covered. esueciallv at sides, thickly beset with large brown glands, which viewed laterally are broadly fusiforrn. Anal ringwith 9 long hail's. Antennae very
short, thick, rudimentary, joints not distin- guishable. Legs rudimentary, very slioi t and stout. 8 scales :is usual in genus, rugose. On Mimosn, Alta Mira, Mexico (Town-
send). Belongs to a neotropical group.
L. nanum, n. sp.- scale like a very
small L hesperidum, thus like Z.. mini~~mfn, Newst., but antennae pjointed, joints
obscure, formula 3 (27) 14 (56). Denii with mall scattered round gland-dots, legs very small, the four digitules about of equal size, those of tarsus not extending beyond those of claw. Anal plates short and broad, red- brown. With young Icerya rosae in covered runs of an ant on leaves of Balata." Trin-