66 — 



ground. After the seed was cut open, the ,c;rub 

 in four minutes time iiad spun a tliin web across 

 the hole, (which was ' .^ as hirge as the entire 

 seed) completely closing it. I kept some of these 

 seeds seven months, when they were accidentally 

 thrown away. During all this time the seeds 

 continued to jump , nor did the grubs change to 

 pupae. I can only think of one explanation of 

 the strange action of these larvae, viz.: that the 

 jumping aliout of the seeds prevents other insect 

 enemies i'l'om invading them and destroying the 

 inmates. 



1 have fre(|uently noticed that a large, evil 

 smelling, predatory ant (PîiltotJijrciis tarsatiis F.) 

 is fond of going about in the driving rain when 

 all other insects are in hiding. 1 once thought 

 they were forced from their holes by the holes 

 being filled with water , but 1 have since seen 

 some of their holes in such a position that water 

 cannot get into them. I suggest that this queer 

 habit is possibly an effort to find prey that may 

 have been driven from their holes by the entering 

 water , or may have been overtaken in the I'ain 

 and disabled making it easy for the ants to secure 

 them. 



In February 1907 I noticed a large Elateriile 

 beetle larva travelling on its back by means of 

 a peculiar wriggling motion. AVhen turned over 

 into its norinal position it immediately resumed 

 its topsy-turvy attitude. This larva has six well 

 developed legs , and its preference for travelling 

 on its back is something of a mystery. One day 

 while watching some large Julide millipedes 

 (Spirostrei»tus and Odoiitopyge) a possible 

 explanation presented itself to me. These millipedes 

 when disturbed turn on their liacks and adopt 

 the same erratic wriggling motion that I noticed 

 in the grub. Possibly this very rapid, irregular 

 motion (which would be hindered by the legs) 

 is calculated to disconcert intending enemies, and 

 is best performed on the back. 



I have frequently been much interested in 

 watching the swarming of termites. In Septemlter 

 1907 I observed a ver}' peculiar pheuomenon 

 among them. A nest was swarming, the termites 

 flying in great numbers all about me. Suddenly 

 the termites ceased to fly. They continued to 

 come up from the interior of the nest , but on 

 arriving at the top of the ground they simply 

 sat, slowly moving their wings but making no 

 attempt to fly. Soon a space about one metre 

 square was almost completely covered with the 

 insects. I watched them for twenty minutes and 

 none flew away. I was then most unfortunately 

 called away. I do ngt know what the reason 

 of their actions cpuld be. Some swallows were 

 hawking the flying termites, but it would require 

 almost miraculous powers of sight and intelligence 

 to enable the insects to see and act on this 

 contingency. 



Quite recently (October 22, 1907) I discovered 

 a small , strikingly coloured , black and white 

 moth (since sent to Berlin for determination) 

 moving on a Bracliystegia leaf. On watching 

 it , its movements were seen to be amazingly 

 regular and rythmical. It circled to the leit, 

 then to the right, then vice versa, all .slowly 

 and in a very stately manner, as though performing 

 a waltz or some other dance. The explanation 

 I suggest is tiiat the slow, unusual motion displayed 

 to the best ad\'antage the warning colours which 

 are doubtless its chief protection. 



The forciroina: are amimji the most remarkable 

 of my experiences with exotic insects. 



57.32, .64, .65, .68, .72, .96 



57.93 Taxonus ; 15 



Biologische Beobachtungen 

 an Taxonus glabratus Ml. (agilis) KIg. 



Von R. Kleine. 



I)ie Ijlattwespen haben sich viele Freunde 

 erworben und das mit liecht. Einmal ist es heute 

 mllglich , seit der nun verstorbene Konow seine 

 Chalastogastra geschrieben hat, einen ansehnlichen 

 Teil sicher zu liestimmen, und zum anderen ist die 

 Biologie dieser merkwürdigen Tiere, die obendrein 

 den Beobachter noch nicht einmal mit einem Stachel 

 drohen , so interessant , dass es sich wohl lohnt, 

 auch hier die einzelnen biologischen Momente zu 

 fixieren und so nach und nach anch nach dieser 

 Seite hin eine gewisse Vollkommenheit zu erzielen. 



Es kann sich im vorliegenden Falle nur um 

 eine vorläufige Mitteilung handeln, da ich zunächst 

 den Sommer zu weiteren P)eobachtungen nötig 

 habe ; al)er auch diese Einzelheiten erscheinen 

 mir wichtig genug, um als Bruchstück einstweilen 

 mitgeteilt zu werden. 



In der llmgeliung von Halle a. S. hat sich 

 seit einer Reihe von Jahren eine Pflanze ausser- 

 ordentlich verbreitet, die nach den Angaben von 

 Garcke ') Ende der vierziger Jahre des verflossenen 

 Jahrhunderts im Halleschen (irebiete selten war, 

 heute aber fast jeden Schuttplatz mit Beschlag 

 belegt hat und teilweise eine fast undurchdringliche 

 Hecke darstellt; diese Pflanze ist Atriplex nitens 

 ßebentisch aus der Familie der Chenopodiaceen^). 

 An sich ist sie ein lederner (Tcselle, Lepidopteren- 

 raupen habe ich noch nie daran gefunden, Käfer 

 scheinen ebenfalls nicht darauf zu leben , kein 

 Frass an Stengel oder Blättei-n ; so präsentiert 

 sie sich, saftgrün glänzend, den ganzen Sonnner 

 und oft bin ich mit einem wahren Verdruss daran 

 vorbeigegangen. 



Im ersten Frühjahr, wenn die Föhnwinde auch 



') fiarcke, Flora von Halle, p. SOfi. 



^t Nach Scliirmei- bohrt die Larve auch in Runiesarten. 

 nach Kalti'iiliach in Chenopodiiim album L. 



