vm.i 211 



all the Ileteroptera liaviug well-developed antennae. In certain species of 

 lieduviidae the comb is situated somewhat before the apex of the tibia." This 

 structure can easily be seen in our Capsus laniarius and Camptobrochis lutescens. 

 In certain genera of Malacoderm beetles {Idgia, Lobonyx, Eidohonyx, Attains, 

 etc.) a conspicuous comb is to be found on one or more of the basal joints of 

 the anterior tarsi, which is perhaps used for cleaning the antennae; but in 

 these insects the comb is much stronger and wholly black, and it is to be found 

 in the ^ only [c/. Ann. & Mas-. Nat. Hist. (9) iii, p. 3:^6, fig., April 1919]. 

 Mr. Knight also makes some interesting lemarks on the habits and food of 

 Deraeocoris. The nymphs and adults are stated to be able to manage to live on 

 sap alone, but appear to prefer plant-lice or other small soft-bodied insects when 

 such are available. As to where the eggs are laid he has not yet discovered. 

 The species of the subgenus Camptobrochis are known to pass the winter in 

 hibernation as adults. — G. C. Champion, Horsell : August Ath, 1921. 



Oviposition of Apheli?ius chaonia Walker. — The curious behaviour of this 

 Chalcid parasite of the common Black Aphid {Aphis ruviicis) was brought to 

 my notice by Miss Bertha Reid, whose drawings are well known to those who 

 use the leaflets issued by the Board of Agriculture. Miss Reid watched the 

 minute parasitic flies in the act of attacking the Aphis upon marrow plants 

 badly infested by the latter, and I was able to confirm her observations. The 

 Aj went from one to another of its victims in rapid succession, so that several 

 must have been parasitized in the course of a single minute. Walking up to 

 a quiescent Aphis, the fly first gently felt it with a few alternating touches of 

 her short antennae; then, if satisfied, quickly turned half round, so that her 

 head took the place of her tail, which now pointed towards the Aphis without 

 touching it. Then by a rapid extension of the abdomen a sharp stab was 

 administered by the ovipositor. Simultaneously with this action a mi^st 

 remarkable movement of the wings took place. These, which lie one over the 

 other upon the back, were doubled upon themselves by a transverse fold, 

 evidently to allow greater precision to the stabbing action. For a fraction of 

 a second the posterior half of the wing lay flat upon the anterior half, then the 

 weapon was withdrawn, the eggs having evidently been placed within the 

 victim, the wings were brought into the normal position, and the fly moved 

 off to repeat the process. Judging from the speed of the operation, a few 

 individuals would account in an hour or two for many thousands of Aphids. 

 So effective did the attack appear that in a few days the Aphelinus seemed to 

 outnumber its prey, whose swarms were reduced almost to vanishing point. — 

 GiLBKRT J. Arrow, British Museum (Nat. History), Cromwell Road, S.W. : 

 July 29th, 1921. 



JidtJiciu. 



"Insect Pests op Farm, Garden, and Orchard." By E. Pwight 

 Sanderson. Second edition revised and enlarged by Leonard Marion 

 Peairs. New York : J. Wiley & Sons. London : Chapman & Hall, 

 1921. 12mo, pp. vi and 707, and 604 text-figures. Prices (in London) 26/- net. 



The first edition of this work, by Prof. Sanderson alone, appeared in 1912. 

 The second edition has been thoroughly revised and enlarged by Prof. Peairs, 



