THE CANAJDIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 149 



Oligotoma Michael i ^^'ood-^Iason, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1883, p. 

 630, pi. Ivi., f. 6, female. 



Mr. Michael, of Highgate, England, an extensive grower of exotic 

 orchids, discovered in 1876 that a large mass of Saccolobiuin retusum, 

 purchased from a London nurseryman, was apparently damaged by some 

 insect, and examination revealed the presence of numerous Embidae on 

 the roots, concealed in silken tunnels. A winged example was unfortun- 

 ately lost. More specimens were found in the nursery whence the plants 

 were obtained. Mr. Michael gave an account of the discovery, illustrated 

 by magnified figures, and accompanied by notes of Prof Westwood, in 

 which a doubt was implied as to the damage to the orchids being occa- 

 sioned by the Embidte. Mr. McLachlan, 1. c, stated that Prof West- 

 wood's doubt appeared to be well founded. But the sequel proved, 

 tolerably to his satisfaction, that the insects had eaten the roots to some 

 extent. About the same time he received from W. A. Forbes a full grown 

 larva without traces of rudimentary wings. Mr. Michael's figure shows a 

 larva with only short rudimentary metathoracic wings, and McLachlan 

 supposes that the mesothoracic pair may have been accidentally destroyed. 

 McLachlan describes the species as Oligotoma Michaeli^ and figures 

 larva, nympha and imago. I should remark that all the foregoing is 

 copied from McLachlan's excellent paper, though I have myself compared 

 the quoted communications. Mr. Wood Mason, 1. c, found in October, 

 1880, in the large plant house in the Botanic Gardens in Calcutta, a large 

 wingless Embia crawling over the leaves of a plant, which he describes 

 carefully and declares it to be the long sought for female. He does not 

 give its name, except in the explanation of the plate, p. 634, where the 

 figured abdomen, f. 6, is stated to be Embia (0.) Michaeli. He speaks, 

 p. 631, of a black winged specimen different from his O. Saiindcrsii 

 collected in Calcutta, but he gives no description nor a name. I have 

 received by Rev. C. C. Carleton, from Amballa, E. India, a female appar- 

 ently identical with those described by Mr. Wood-Mason, and a small 

 black-winged male. Both were in alcohol, together with numerous other 

 insects, without any notes concerning their habits. I presume the male 

 to be 0. Michaeli. 



McLachlan's descriptions are as follows : 



Male, imago: Length of body 10^ mill.; exp. of wings, 18. 



Deep black, somewhat shining ; antennae 24-jointed, the five apicals 

 yellowish ; legs black, knees and tarsi somewhat testaceous ; append- 



