﻿XI 



tailed in Pt. VI of this Bulletin, as the same treatment was given 

 to all the other minute parasites. Eight examples of the Para- 

 na gr us were bred from Queensland cage between January 17th 

 and 30th. Four were liberated in the Experiment Station 

 grounds, four were transferred to a glass-jar containing a young- 

 growing cane, in the leaves of which leaf-hopper eggs had pre- 

 viously been deposited. The jar used was a large glass battery- 

 jar (the size is well shown in the adjoining figure by compari- 

 son with an ordinary garden trowel lying against it) containing 

 very young cane plants. Round the jar near the top is bound 



a band of cotton or other material, 

 on which rests the cap formed of 

 muslin fastened over a fine bam- 

 boo framework with shellac. 



These caps are remarkably con- 

 venient for handling delicate para- 

 sites. When one wishes to collect 

 from the j'ar, l)y wrapping the 

 whole in a black cloth and leaving 

 only the top of the cap uncovered, 

 after first dislodging the parasites 

 from the plants by striking t'he jar 

 with the bare hand, these will at 

 once fly to the top of the muslin 

 cap. The cap is then removed and 

 laid on its side, the closed end or 

 top being held towards the light, 

 and the parasites can be collected 

 in glass tubes with t'he utmost 

 ease as they seek to escape at that 

 end. 



At the end of three weeks the first brood of parasites began 

 to appear, and in all 47 individuals, all females, were obtained. 

 Half of these were liberated, the rest being used to stock a num- 

 ber of new breeding jars similar to the one described. From 

 these a very large number of individuals were reared, and these 

 were treated in various ways. 



Some were 'sleeved' out in the fields on growing cane much 

 inuictured with hopper. These muslin sleeves stretched on light 

 bamboo framework are shown in the adjoining figures, the para- 

 sites being introduced through a small hole at the lower end. 

 by means of a glass tube. A plug of cotton closes the hole, after 

 they have been turned in ; while in wet weather a cap of water- 



