270 



SUMMARY OF CQKRENT KESEARCHES RELATING TO 



suddenly come into prominence, do considerable damage and wane 

 again. After winter is over, the lioppers breed in succulent grasses, 

 whence they move to the rice seedlings. They are small greenish 

 insects Avhich jump from plant to plant and suck the juices. The 

 young ones do not fly so actively and are not attracted to light. The 



Rice Leaf-hopper, Nejohotettix apicalis. Enlarged 24 times. 



yellowish eggs are laid in a line at the bases of sheathing leaves. They 

 are parasitized by a small pale yellow Chalcid, and turn black. The 

 pests may be counteracted by clean cultivation and by grazing cattle in 

 the grassy tracts. Bagging with cloth bags internally moistened with 

 kerosene is effective, and likewise kerosene spraying. The adults may 

 be caught in large numbers by lig^ht-traps. J. A. T. 



Water-content and Metabolism in Grasshoppers.— J. H. Bodinb 

 {Journ. Exper. Zooh, 1921, 32, 137-64, figs.). The percentage of 

 water a grasshopper contains decreases with age and increasing body- 

 weight, down to a minimum for the species. During the life-cycle of 

 Ghortophaga viridifasciata the water-content falls to a minimum during 

 " hibernation," rises again to a maximum when this is broken up, and 



falls to a minimum again as the animal grows old. 



These changes 



