228 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 'lO 



ing the wandering periods, was slow, like an automaton, and 

 the long antennae were nearly always held then so as to em- 

 brace, more or less, the branch. They were not curled around 

 the branch but while in their natural positions held down 

 against it, so that the proximal half of each antennae touched 

 the branch on each side at some point along its length. 



Questions and Answers from a Final Examination in 



Entomology I. 



(Sent to the NEWS by the Professor of Entomology in a uni- 

 versity in one of the Western States.) 



1. What special senses do insects possess? 



"Insects can measure electrical currents with their feet, and can 

 either see or have some method of communication through walls. The 

 sense of direction is well shown as when it has gathered enough honey 

 it will go straight to the hive." 



2. Define parasitic, predaceous, secondary and tertiary parasitism. 

 "Parasitic means the form of a disease which almost all of the in- 

 sects are infested." 



"Parasitic means insects that are dependent upon other insects and 

 plants for their food. The insects and plants they live on are called 

 the host." 



"Predaceous means that the insects must live on vegetation." 

 "An insect is predaceous if it takes the food away from another in- 

 sect." 



"Predaceous, regards food habit, it means very vicious food habit, 

 being always hungry." 



"Secondary parasitism is feeding on one host and partly on others." 

 "Secondary and tertiary parasitism mean the different forms of para- 

 sitic disease." 



3. Why do insects moult? 



"Insects moult in order to become more perfect. Every time an 

 insect moults it is further developed." 



4. Name the typical stages in complete metamorphosis. 



"The typical stages in complete metamorphosis are egg; larva, pulpa 

 and adult. When hatched from the egg it enters the larva state where 

 it crawls around for awhile like a worm. It finally enters the pulpa stage 

 where legs are formed and wings and as soon as these are formed it 

 becomes an adult." 



5. Define elytron, ccrcus and tegmina. 



"Elytron is the hard, black portion on the back of the beetle." 



