and Laboratory Methods. 2213 



mass of dead grasshoppers they were so thick, but they had not died from the 

 effects of the South African locust fungus, as it had been supposed in a number 

 of cases, but from the effects of " grubs," or an Evipusa, or both. 



Hairy caterpillars, larvae of species of Spilosoma, are also found on the same 

 plants with the grasshoppers. Upon finding some of the dead grasshoppers and 

 caterpillars, an examination was made in order to determine the cause of death. 

 It was readily ascertained that they had died from the effects of an Empusa. 

 In a number of instances I have found a Miicor, very similar to the South African 

 fungus which is a Miicor, on dead grasshoppers, caterpillars and flies. 



The species of E7npiisa under consideration compares very favorably with 

 the following description taken from Thaxter's^ valuable monograph of the 

 genus : 



EMPUSA GRYLLI (Fresenius). 



Co7iidia ovoid to pear-shaped, with a broad papillate base and evenly rounded 

 apex ; 30-40 /< x 25-36 /^ ; hyaline and containing one or more large fat glob- 

 ules. Conidiophores simple, coalescing externally when growing luxuriantly, and 

 arising from rounded irregular hyphal bodies, with or without subsequent branch- 

 ing. C^'J-Z/^Z/rt: wanting. Secondary conidia oi ovi^V\r\^,\\VQ. the primary. Rest- 

 ing spores spherical, colorless ; 30-45 /< in diameter ; produced terminally or lat- 

 erally from hyphae, directly within or by budding from hyphal bodies ; or by a 

 pseudo-conjugation between two divisions of a single hyphal body. Host 

 attached to substratum by the contraction of its legs. 



Both the grasshoppers and caterpillars grasped the plants upon which they 

 were found so tightly, that their legs were sometimes broken oft" in attempting 

 to remove them. 



There was no indication of the presence of a fungus on any of the grass- 

 hoppers when they were found in the field, and, for the most part, on but a few 

 o, the caterpillars during dry weather. When it was damp, as after a heavy dew 

 or shower, caterpillars were occasionally found which were covered with a mass 

 of fungous hypha;, the color of which was modified to some extent by the color of 

 the hairs of the caterpillar mixed with the hyphae. The hairs were covered with 

 what proved on examination to be whitish, granular masses of sticky spores that 

 held the hairs together in bunches. 



When the grasshoppers and caterpillars, which had not been dead too long, 

 were put into a Petri dish with a few fresh leaves or a little water, where they 

 could be kept in a moist atmosphere, the hyphai of the fungus soon began to 

 protrude through the segments of the body, finally covering it so that the body, 

 in the case of the caterpillars, appeared as if swollen to nearly twice the normal 

 size. If the hairs were removed before the caterpillars were put into the Petri 

 dishes, the swelling was much more pronounced. Better success was had in 

 developing the fungus on caterpillars than on grasshoppers. Many of the grass- 

 hoppers had decayed to such an extent when they were found, that the fungus 

 could not be made to develop, while others were filled with resting spores, or 



1 Thaxter, Roland. The Entomophthorea; of the United States. Mem. Boston Soc. Nat. 

 Hist., Vol. iv, 1 888. 



