101 



catci-pillar.s of the lattt'i" species I cuiuited respectively, 115, 131, 213 and 

 228 eggs of these parasites. I mention this, seemingly disconnected cir- 

 cnmstances, because the same species of Cuckoo is fond of all these cater- 

 piUars, and we are met with that perpetual puzzle to economic ento- 

 mologists, viz., to determine the exact economic value of an organism. 

 If the bird ate only the unparasitized caterpillars, it would bo wholly bene- 

 licial, but, on the other hand, if it devours parasitized caterpillars, it has 

 done no good, because these would have died in any case, and has done 

 actual harm, because it has destroyed beneficial insects. 



Notes on Reared IlY^rENi^PTERA from Indiana. 

 F. M. Webster. 



The material upon which this list is based was ol>tained during two 

 trips to southern Indiana, the first late in August and the last late in 

 October, 1002. while in the employ of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, and making some special investigations of certain insects 

 attacking gi'owing wheat. 3\Iy first intention was to present a paper that 

 would include only such species as were new to science, but I have in 

 addition to such, found so many forms that are new to the State, and 

 others discovered by me aliont Lafayette, years ago, l)ut of Avhose habits 

 nothing was known, have been farther investigated, throwing new light 

 on their life history and habits, that I later decided to include all of the 

 Hymenoptera reared by me, but not previously reported as inhabiting 

 Indiana. I may add that the nature of my investigations required that 

 consideral)le quantities of Avlieat stubble, and the stems of Elymus can- 

 adensis and E. rirginicus, Tn'rxspis sesli'wides and Bromvs secalimis, the 

 latter being the common cheat of the wheatfields, be collected and the 

 Tsosoma and other insects inhabiting these stems secured. The stems 

 of these grasses and the wheat stubble were collected and placed in paste- 

 l)oard boxes so that everything developing within them was thus secured. 

 It will be observed, then, that the prime ol)ject of my rearings was to de- 

 termine the food plants of the Isosoma, the parasitic species, though of 

 much importance, were of secondary signification in these studies. 



IsiiKdmd graiide, which I reared about Lafayette, during the years 1884 

 to 188(;, and established the fact of a dimorphism and alternation of 



