New information concerning Palaearctic species of Spalangiopelta is provided. Two new species are described and illustrated: S. alboaculeatasp. nov. (type locality: England, Cambridgeshire, Santon Downham) and S. hikosp. nov. (type locality: Japan, Kyushu, Mt. Hiko). Additional information and illustrations are provided for S. procera; the male is described and illustrated for the first time, and notes and photomicrographs of the forewing and antenna are used to augment the previous descriptions of the female. The male of S. dudichi is also described and illustrated for the first time. Notes are provided to accommodate these new species and males in the key to world species of Spalangiopelta (Darling 1991) and the phylogenetic and biogeographic implications are discussed.

On June 12th, 1932, while collecting along a roadway running through a large swampy area at Lanoraie, P. Q., on the north side of the St. Lawrence River and about forty miles east of Montreal, I obtained two specimens of the above genus, which on comparison with allied species could not be matched, these were later submitted to Dr. J. McDunnough at Ottawa, Ont., who kindly examined them for me and found that they did not seem to fit in with any of the species known to him but due to their rather worn condition it was suggested that I try to obtain some better specimens another year before making any definite determination of them.

Species of Balcluthini show great similarity in external appearance and many exhibit much individual variation. Examination of the male genitalia is the only certain means of identification. Baker (1896, Can. Ent. 28: 35-42) attempted to separate the species on external characters, and Davidson and DeLong (1935, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 37: 97-112) revised the North American species and figured the male genitalia. Little has been published on the species occurring in Canada. Five species from Canada are represented in the Canadian National Collection. One of them is previously undescribed.

Antennae blackish brown annulated with white to grayish; markings in some specimens indistinct giving the antennae a light blackish brown appearance. Palpi, second joint blackish brown with the apex, a narrow strip and the base internally, white; terminal joint blackish brown with tip and base white scaled; face and head white with the tips of the scales light blackish brown. Patagia, base blackish brown, posterior part white mottled with blackish brown. Fore wing, ground color white ; many of the scales tipped with blackish to light brown; at base on costa a blackish brown area; just before middle, on costa a large blackish brown triangular patch, the apex of which extends into the center of the wing; a few yellow ochre scales on the margins of the triangular patch.

Only the abdomen is preserved, but its markings are quite distinct, and indicate a Syrphid. Unfortunately, the wings are missing, so the exact generic relationship can not be determined; I am referring it to Syrphus at the suggestion of Dr. Charles R. Jones.

Differs from typical behrii (as represented by specimens from Mammoth Camp, Mono Co., Calif., and by Holland's figure) in the considerably larger size, the much darker color of the underside and the heavy nature of the black spotting. On both primaries and secondaries the postdiscal row of spots is much more pronounced and on secondaries the submarginal row is very heavy and the spots show a distinct tendency to inward, triangular elongation.

I have tried for several years past to raise larvæ of Satyrus nephele to maturity, but met with no success till this last spring. It is very easy to obtain the eggs by confining the female with a tuft of grass. I tied a gauze bag on such a tuft set in a flower pot, while in the Catskills, and 21st August, 1876, obtained perhaps fifty eggs. Some were laid on the blades and stems of the grass, but many were dropped loose on the ground. The eggs hatched about the 21st of September, and the young larvæ without feeding entered upon their hybernation.

Dr. Horn in his revision of the Galerucini places erosa, morosa and maritima as plain synonyms with puncticollis with the remark that no tangible difference seems to exist. In this he is wrong for on comparing typical puncticollis from Colorado, N. Dakota, etc. with maritima from the Atlantic coast the differences are very obvious. The latter have the prothorax much less roughly sculptured, more smooth, the elytral punctures are larger and more densely placed and the elytral pubescence generally scarcely visible, at least more easily abraded than in the typical form.

Three methods—tube chambers (ventilated and unventilated), petri dish chambers, and field cages—were used to evaluate the toxicity of deltamethrin, trichlorfon, and methoxychlor deposits on alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., to 1- to 7-day-old alfalfa leafcutter bees, Megachile rotundata (F.), 24 and 48 h after exposure. In unventilated tube chambers, all three insecticides were significantly toxic to male bees after 24 and 48 h, but only deltamethrin and trichlorfon were significantly toxic to female bees after 24 h. In ventilated tube chambers, only deltamethrin was significantly toxic by contact and then only to male bees at 24 h. Significant vapor action was observed only for trichlorfon and only in unventilated tube chambers. By the petri dish method, only deltamethrin caused significant mortality to male and female bees. However, bee mortality increased significantly between 24 and 48 h. By the field cage method, there was no significant difference in mortality among treatments and controls within the 24- and 48-h evaluations. Bee mortality in the controls was much higher in the petri dish and field cage methods than in either of the two variations of the tube chamber method. The three evaluation methods are compared and the need for a standardized laboratory evaluation procedure is discussed.

Several statements and conclusions in the recent paper on diapause in the cabbage maggot by McLeod and Driscoll (1967) are quite misleading and require clarification. In my paper (1965), I was not in a position to critically appraise the results of earlier workers and I therefore simply presented my data as factual information. In their paper, McLeod and Driscoll present data to support the findings of earlier researchers in England, France, and Russia and they concluded that these records did not agree with the results of studies at Charlottetown. The disagreements were obvious but McLeod and Driscoll give no valid explanation as to why the results were different.

Dasyllis cinerea, sp. nov.—Black, shining, with slight bluish reflection; head thorax, tip of abdomen, and legs with cinereous hair and pile. Length, 12–15 mm.

♂ ♀. —Head black, fae cinereous pollinose, mystax and vibrissæ long, composed of moderately-dense cinereous hair, with the exception of a few black ones for the most part confined to the orla margin, but sometimes extending up on the facial gibbosity; ocellular tubercle prominent with black hair; occipito-orbital hairs fine, black and gray, the letter predominating; beard dense, silky, of same gray colour; palpi small, black-haired; antennæ black, first two segments with black and gray hairs.

Size, medium; form slender. Head small but prominent; face shining piceous, the area below the eyes slightly lighter in colour; the occiput uniformly dark piceous, but distinctly trifasciate in one specimen; vertex with a number of long stout black bristles; the entire head clothed with short pale-coloured hairs. Eyes small, prominent and oval. Antennae uniformly dark fuscous. Maxillary palpi dark fuscous, the two terminal joints sometimes slightly paler.

I am indebted to the Connecticut Geological and Natural History Survey through Dr. W. E. Britton, its Superintendent, for the facilities which make this study possible. I wish to thank Miss E. B. Bryant of the Museum of Comparative Zoology and Dr. W. J. Gertsch of the American Museum of Natural History for allowing access to material in their respective collections as well as for kind aid and advice.

Palpi moderately long, porrect with third joint slightly downcurved, pale creamy, clothed with closely appressed scales. Antennae thin, dark. Head and collar pale creamy with a black spot on collar behind each eye. Thorax whitish with a slight greenish tinge, the patagia heavily shaded with black at base. Abdomen light creamy-ochreous. Primaries with light greenish ground-color, sprinkled slightly with white in the basal and terminal areas and heavily shaded with this color in the postmedian band.