Seeing in the last number of the Canadian Entomologist, a description of the egss of A. Luna, reminds me to ask of you the explanation of a curious circumstance in the life-history of one bred by me from the larva last year. I will premise that I am writing without my notes, and therefore cannot give figures accurately, but can give the facts. There may be nothing very strange about it, but two of the best entomologists in the United States inform me that it is entirely new to them. It is this:–Some time in the latter part of the summer of 1868 I took, feeding on walnut leaves, a mature larva of A. Luna; from which I did not houi to rear the mature insect, because I counted on the larva over twenty eggs like those of a Tachina, Underneath some of the eggs I could discern with a lens a minute opening through which the fly-larva had entered the body of the Luna larva. The skin of the latter was more or less discoloured under each egg, but under some-under many in fact there was a dense black spot, sometimes two lines in diameter.

The many difficulties encountered by those entomologists who have neither time nor access to scientific libraries, but who wish to be more than mere collectors, have induced me to try and assist them, more especially those who are to some extent advanced enough to distinguish many of the families and genera of the Coleoptera. I also hope to be of some assistance to those beginners who have a true love of nature and her works. Yet were I to write for this class only, the Entomologist would be more than full for years.

In the last number of the Entomologist our late esteemed friend. Mr. B. D. Walsh, whose sudden death we most deeply deplore; calls in question the correctness of my inference regarding the occasional hybernation of the currant worm. intimating that my conclusions were based upon insufficient data. He says, “I can see no reason why a larva might not have hatched out from the egg in London, C. W., in the first week in May, 1869, spun up on Mr. Saunders' paper bag on may 30th, 1869, and the cocoon been noticed bv that gentleman for the first time, as he informs us, May 30th, 1869.

The history of the wasps of temperate America has not been recorded. It appears that entomologists have no great desire to study those interesting insects; and although several species occur in Canada, we know little or nothing of their natural history. One species, the spotted wood wasp (Vespa maculata, Linn.), occurs commonly, as near as I can determine, about every third year, in our northern woods. Havinq partially studied its habits, and collected a series of the nests in all their stages, it is particularly in regard to the latter that I claim attention. But before I proceed to relate what I have ascertained regarding their architecture, it will suffice to state that each large nest which we notice suspended from trees towards the end of summer consisted of a colony of males, females and workers or imperfect females, as they are termed.