->rovember ]3, ]9n9 



horticulture: 



697 



A BENEFICIAL INSECT. 

 Commenting on a note which we re- 

 printed from one of Prof. Surface's 

 bulletins, a nurseyman writes us as 

 follows. 



"We are as iiiuoli *up a tree' now as the 

 doctor was wheu he seut the iuseet spoken 

 of on page 52G, Oct. 9th issue. We would 

 like to know our friends when we meet 

 them and so would like a description of the 

 Tbalessa Lady." 



We referred our correspondent's In- 

 iiuiry to Prof. Surface, who has replied 

 as follows: 



Replying to your favor of the 15th, 

 I beg to say that it is only reasonable 

 that your correspondent should desire 

 to be familiar with the beneficial in- 

 sects and know the Thalessa men- 

 tioned in our Weekly Press Bulletin 

 for September 21st, and kindly passed 

 along by you on page 526 of your issue 

 of October 9th. However. I would beg 

 to call your attention to the tact that 

 in that article, although condensed to 

 the ultimate of condensation, I said, 

 "The Thalessa has long antennae and 

 a tail composed of three black hairs, 

 like those of a horse's tail, each about 

 three inches long. These form a long 

 tubs which it inserts in the holes made 

 in trees, etc." This certainly gives a de- 

 scription of one of the characterizing 

 features of the Thalessa, so that any- 

 one would know the insect when he 

 sees it. What other insect possibly is 

 there having a "tail composed of three 

 black hairs, like those of a horse's tail, 

 each about three inches long!" This, 

 tnen, is a distinct feature and other de- 

 scriptions are not necessary. I could 

 give a technical description which 

 would be worse than useless, because 

 it occupies space and print and be 

 meaningless to almost all readers. 



I might add that the insect in ques- 

 tion belongs to the great order of Hy- 

 menoptera or that including the bees, 

 ■wasps, ants, etc. This consequently 

 means that it has four membraneous 

 ■wings, furnished with but few cross 

 veins; the hind wings smaller than the 

 fore-wings, and the mouth parts with 

 jaws which bite, and a tongue for suck- 

 ing. It also means that it is an in- 

 sect of complete itietamorphosis or, in 

 other words, existing through four 

 stages, viz., the egg, the larva or pupa, 

 and the imago or adult This, how- 

 ever, does not describe it any nearer 

 than characterizing the great ento- 

 mological order to which it belongs. 

 I might further add that it belongs 

 to the sub-order Terebrantia, which is 

 marked by having two segments in- 

 stead of one in the trochanters or 

 basal part of the hind leg, and that 

 the tip of the abdomen of the female 

 is not furnished with a sting, but with 

 this boring saw described as a long 

 tail. This marks the sub-order. The 

 family Ichneumonidae belongs to the 

 group known as the Parasitic Hymen- 

 optera, which includes most of our in- 

 sects that are beneficial because para- 

 sitic upon other insects. This family 

 is marked by the abdomen being con- 

 stricted at the piece inserted normally 

 back of the thorax or middle part; 

 having several crossing cells and also 

 a stigma or dark spot in the forewings 

 and a certain vein crossing between 

 two certain veins and two certain 

 wing veins consolidated from the base. 

 . This now marks or characterizes the 

 family Ichneumonidae. It is a large 

 family, and to trace the description of 

 the Thalessa to its genus would be- 



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come quite technical and practically 

 useless. 



Trusting that this communication 

 shows ilie brief description in our pre- 

 vious ai'Ucle to be sufiicient to meet 

 the needs ot non-technical observers, 

 I am, very trulv yours, 



H. A. SURFACE, 



Economic Zoologist. 



Harrisburg-, Pa. 



PUBLICATION RECEIVED. 



The Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege has recently issued an illustrated 

 booklet which contains a large amount 

 of interesting information about the 

 institution — its object, entrance re- 



quirements, courses ot study, equip- 

 ment, student lite, opportunities for its 

 graduates, etc. It is illustrated with 

 about twenty-five views which indicate 

 that at Amherst, a spot of unusual 

 natural beauty, there is located one 

 of the most progressive and adequate- 

 ly equipped educational institutions 

 of New England. It is also evident 

 that the college is thoroughly prepar- 

 ing young men for positions of trust 

 and influence in the various agricul- 

 tural vocations. One of the notice- 

 able features about the institution is 

 that this fall its entering class num- 

 bers 130, and that its total enrolment 

 of four year students is 315; both these 

 tendance of over lOd per cent, in the 

 last six years. A copy of this publica- 

 tion may be secured by writing to the 

 president's office, and asking for the 

 M. A. C. Booklet. 



