Among the conspicuous insects which attract the attention of even non-entomologists, there are few more interesting in their structure and habits, as well as in their relations to other groups, than the large “longsting” ichneumons with their long triple “tails.” Our two largest species belong to the genus Rhyssa (of the Hymenoptera), and as, so far as I am aware, no accounts of them have yet been published in the Entomologist, a brief description of their appearance and habits may not be undesirable.

They may be easily distinguished from their relatives (often their victims), the “horn-tails”—Uroceridæ—as they are much more slender in body and appendages. The female, readily determined by the extraordinary development of the ovipositor, has the abdomen stouter than that of the male, with the posterior segments dilated and curved under, and bearing the ovipositor, which is constructed essentially of the same parts as is that of a “horn-tail,” only that they are greatly lengthened.

Egg.—Obovoid, the base a little flattened, and under the middle thereof is a slight rounded protuberance of lesser diameter; surface smooth; color greenish-white. Duration of this stage 4 to 6 days.

Young Larva.—Length .13 inch; cylindrical; head twice as broad as any other segment, body tapering slightly from 2 to 13; each segment from 3 to 12 several times creased, making 6 flat ridges, of which the foremost one is broadest, and on this and the fifth ridge each is a minute tubercle and rather long white hair, bent forward, the whole series forming two subdorsal rows, one a little below the other, from 3 to 13; on the middle of side a similar row, one hair to each segment and placed on the second ridge, all of them bent forward; lower down a third series, one to each segment, placed on the fourth ridge, all bent down and back; two short hairs over each pro-leg; on segment 2 are four long hairs on each side, nearly in line, two being subdorsal, the others lateral; on 13 are four hairs in cross row, all curved back, and one on either side behind these; this segment is roundly excavated at extremity, making on either side a sharp point, which sends back a straight hair; color of body whitish-yellow, in a few hours changing to pale green; head sub-globose, flattened and depressed at top, broadest at base, a little broader than high, the vertices rounded, and on each a slight protuberance, with long curved hair; a similar hair a little below and nearer the suture, and two rows of shorter hairs across face, four in upper, six in lower row; surface corrugated; color yellow, somewhat brown-tinted. Two days later, as the body was changing to green, the head changed to yellow-green. Duration of this stage 6 to 8 days.

The species of this genus already described from North America are as follows:

1. S. rudbeckiœ, Fitch.

2. “ambrosiœ, Thomas.

3. “rosœ, Reaum. A variety of this species I find here on cultivated roses and on the wild Cherokee rose. It differs very considerably from Prof Thomas' description, and may be known as S. floridœ.

I submit following description:

S. rosœ, var. floridœ, n. s.

Wingless female.—Length .07 inch. Elongate ovate; pale shining green; eyes red; beak very pale and short, not reaching to middle coxæ, widening before tip, tip black; antennæ 7-jointed, reaching to base of honey-tubes, annulated with brownish-red at joints; honey-tubes long, reaching beyond tip of abdomen, pale greenish, very slightly infuscated at tip; style short, conical, pale green; legs uniform pale green, feet very slightly infuscated.

The casual reader, calling to mind only the half dozen hop-vines usually seen about the kitchen garden, or trailing upon some farm outbuilding, can hardly realize the possible losses to hop growers by insects. According to the last census (for 1879) New York State alone had over 39,000 acres in hop yards, producing nearly 22 millions of pounds of hops, which, at an average of 28c. per 1b., would aggregate a value of over six million dollars. Bearing these figures in mind, with an annual loss of 10 per cent. from only one insect—the hop borer—(and 25 to 50 per cent. of injury has been reported) a loss of $600,000 would result in this single State.

With such a destructive agent in the hop field, is it not a little singular that there is little or nothing “in the books” on the subject, and that the pest is in all probability an unknown and undescribed species? I am not able to give its name—Prof. Comstock writes me he is working it up—but as I have accumulated a mass of interesting data on the subject in my census work, I deem it proper to make known now the experience of intelligent growers in different sections of the country, for the benefit of those who have not yet learned how to fight the pest, leaving the scientific name and details of habits and natural history to be supplied hereafter.

Among our American species of Anthomyidæ, none have hitherto been known as leaf-miners. Several are depredators on the roots of garden vegetables, as indicated by the specific names of Anthomyia ceparum, A. Brassicœ and A. raphani (the onion fly, cabbage fly and radish fly); some occur in excrementa, and one, a few years ago, was discovered as preying upon the eggs of the Rocky Mountain locust. During last year and the preceding a species (A. batœ) which had been almost unknown since its publication in 1860, has been seriously damaging the leaves of beets, in England, by mining them in tortuous channels and large blotches, causing them to shrivel, dry up and die. In two counties alone, 1,624 acres of mangolds were infested (Ormerod). This last summer some Anthomyiæ larvæ were discovered by me in Middleburgh. N. Y., extensively mining the leaves of the garden beet (Beta vulgaris). Judging from published descriptions and figures, I believed it to be identical with the European species of the same habits, and that it had been a recent importation thence.

In my notes in the March number of the Can. Ent., the idea is conveyed that this species obtained from the wild Canada rye grass, may prove to be identical with the wingless form obtained by Prof. Riley and myself from wheat stalks, and which Prof. Riley has since named in the American Naturalist, I. Tritici. At the same time doubt was expressed as to their identity, because at the time of writing there were still larvæ in the grass straws, while I. Tritici pupated in the fall, both in the breeding jars and in the field. Since the article mentioned has appeared, I have obtained from my grass stalks several more specimens, and I believe the two forms to be entirely distinct. A specimen was sent to Prof. Riley, upon the receipt of which he wrote as follows:

“It is undoubtedly distinct from I. Tritici, as is shown not only by the greater length, stouter body, darker color of the antennal scape and constancy of the winged form, but also by the punctuation (most markedly), by the shape of the mesothoracic scutum, and by the color of the mesoscutar parapsides. It comes in fact nearer to Hordei than to Tritici, though, as you say, it is well distinguished from the former by the punctnation.”