One of the most unusual results of intensive collecting in southern Manitoba in. 1958 was the discovery of this striking representative of a dominantly coastal genus of Ephydridae. It ivas collected at several times but in only the one locality, the Bald Head Hills, a region of active sand dunes in the largely stabilized, spruce-covered area representing the shores of the Pleistocene Lake Agassiz. The species is strikingly different from other species of the genus in its thoracic and wing pattern, hut in structural characters it is fairly typical.

Herewith are described five new species of North American Plecoptera. Included also is a description of Isoperla petersoni Needham (nec Claassen). Dr. Needham published figures of the nymph and adult of this species, anticipating that I would publish a description of this species before the Utah bulletin appeared in print. In 1931 I described the nymphs of this species as my own. Under the rules of the International Code, however, I believe that this species should now stand as indicated in this paper.

Selidosema nigrescens, n. sp.

Expands 31-33 mm. Palpi and front dark fuscuous; antennæ black above, fuscous below; thorax dark fuscous, patagiæ lighter; abdomen dark even fuscous. All wings dark fuscous, made by heavy coalescing striations of fuscous and blackish on a light fuscous ground; basal line black, quite distinct, rounded, wavy; a median shade passing through distinct black discal spot; an outer black distinct cross line, continued across hind wing, on fore wing sinuous, subparallel with outer margin, on hind wing nearly or quite straight; on fore wing beyond this line is a broad reddish-brown band, not always clear, however, sometimes showing faintly at middle of hind wing; a submarginal row of light, not distinct, lunules, edged within with darker; marginal lines black, distinct. Beneath fuscous, with faint line shadows, and a dark shadow spot near apex of fore wings.

In working over considerable Eupitheciid material collected a number of years ago by the late O. C. Poling in south-western Texas (Jeff Davis Co.,) I have come across several species which appear to be undescribed. I realize that there is always a certain amount of danger in determining as new any species in this genus until such time as the genital characters of all described species in both sexes have been definitely determined.

Tipula paludosa spends increasing periods of time in a pharate condition with each succeeding molt. The pupa is entirely pharate since larval–pupal ecdysis coincides with pupal–adult apolysis, and the larger part of the adult instar is also spent in a pharate condition. The fact that the instar usually referred to as the pupa is actually a pharate adult should be clearly understood by physiologists, ethologists, and ecologists.

The habits of the San José scale, Aspidiotus perniciosus Comstock, and the European fruit scale, A. ostreaeformis Curtis, on harvested apples in British Columbia are discussed under the following topics: stages found on apples; distribution and mortality on apples; influence on size, odor, and skin of apples; discoloration of fruit; and appearance of scales on apples. Outstanding characteristics of the San José scale are: all stages occur on the fruit; crawlers settle primarily in the stem end of Newtown and Winesap apples, equally in the stem and calyx ends of Rome Beauty, and predominantly in the calyx end of Delicious; the scale survives longer in the stem end than in the calyx end of stored Newtown, Winesap, and Delicious apples; all scales eventually die in storage; and infestations decrease the size of apples, adversely affect color and maturity, impart a moldy odor to the fruit, and mark the skin of all varieties by causing red spots around the scales. Comparable habits of the European fruit scale are: males and females do not occur on the fruit; more crawlers settle in the stem end of Newtown, McIntosh, and Hyslop crab apples than in the calyx end but the reverse distribution occurs on Rome Beauty; the scale survives longer in the calyx end of all varieties; all scales do not die on apples placed in storage; infestations apparently do not affect size, color, maturity, and odor of fruit; and feeding of the scale seldom marks the skin of Newtown apples but it does cause purplish-red spots around the scales of all other varieties of apples.

Old grassland in Nova Scotia frequently harbours comparatively high populations of wireworms. One such field near Hall's Harbour, Kings County, was found to be mainly infested with the wheat wireworm, Agriotes mancus (Say), with Hypolithus abbreviatus (Say), Dalopius pallidus Brown, and Ctenicera cylindriformis (Herbst) forming three, one, and 0.5 per cent of the total population respectively. During 1953-58, for various reasons, a total of 1,216 samples of soil each six by six by eight inches deep with adhering sod were taken from this field. The samples were sifted through ¼-inch mesh screen and the number of wireworms found in each was recorded. The number taken from an area flooded by melted snow and rain for at least three weeks each spring was compared with the number from the surrounding unflooded area. It was found that the average number per square foot in the flooded area was 11.8 and that in the unflooded was 9.2; the difference is significant at the one per cent level of probability. Rather scant records showed that carabid larvae were less numerous in the flooded area and it may be possible that a reduced number of these predators permits a greater survival of wireworms.

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.

The taxonomic status of Ephemerella excrucians Walsh was recently discussed by Burks (1947), who also stated that destructive ecological changes have drastically altered the type locality of the species. Special interest attaches, therefore, to two male specimens of Ephemerella which I reared from nymphs taken in the Au Sable River, Crawford County, Michigan, and which Dr. Burks has determined as E. excrucians.

In a box of Coleoptera sent me by Mr. C. P. Alexander of the Massachusetts State College for determination I found the following interesting records:

Pachyta liturata Kby. One specimen bearing the label, “Northwest River, Lab. VIII-15-1929. Coll. F. C. Sears.”

Anoplodera hirtella Lec. One specimen with the label, “Northwest River, Lab. Summer of 1933. F. C. Sears Coll.” This may be a synonym of tibialis Lec.

I am by no means certain that flavicornis Sm. can be considered distinct specifically from propinquilinea Grt. Originally described as Demas flavicornis from a New Jersey specimen in the Graef Collection (which should now be in the United States National Museum) it was probably considered distinct from Grote's species, described under Charadra, on generic characters.

Recently the writer made the statement (Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., XXVII., p.87) that the generic name Theoclytes was a synonym of Vates, the latter being the older by one year. A further examination has shown that the matter should have been examined closer.

The table which I here present of the genus Platylabus must be considered merely as a preliminary or working table of the species in the collection of the American Entomological Society,or in my own cabinet. The other species, known to me only by description, I have included for the sake of convenience, and have placed a star before their names. I cannot vouch for the correctness of these.

Some of the generic names used for Scatophagid♀ will stand of fall according to one's notion of homonymy. Becker, in 1894, proposed the name Orthacheta (cf. Inded Zoologicus); Aldrich, in the interest of orthography, has altered this (Cat. N. A. Diptera) to Orthochœta. Now, Germar long ago used Orthochœtes for a beetle, while Cossmann, in 1890, used Orthochetus for a mollusc. I do not pretend to say what ought to be done with such a mix-up; it comes back to the old question, whether an error in spelling (which may hypothetically be attributed to the printer) must be maintained; and again, if not, whether the differences in the termination suffice to prevent homonymy.