PHYSOPODA. 127 



The most abundant members of this family pertain to the genus 

 Limothrips. There is a light yellow species which swarms in the 

 flowers of clover and daisies. Another common species I have desig- 

 nated, in my "Notes on Entomology," as The Grass-eating Thrips, 

 Limothrips podphagus. The injury caused by this pest often attracts 

 attention, although the insect itself is rarely observed. It infests 

 timothy and June-grass, causing the head to turn yellow and die 

 before maturing. These dead heads are very abundant every year. 

 By pulling the head from its sheath, the stalk will be found to be 

 shrunken in the tender part just above the joint, where the juice 

 has been sucked from it ; and in this place, if the examination be 

 made soon after the turning yellow of the head, the insect can also 

 be found. The adult female is light yellow in color, measures from 

 1 mm. to 1^ mm. (0.04 inch to 0.05 inch) in length, and is remark- 

 able in lacking the long spines on the veins of the wings. 



Family III. — COLEOPTRATID/i:." :: " 



This family is characterized by having the ovipositor of the 

 female curved upwards. The front wings are broader than in the 

 preceding family, and are furnished with both longitudinal and 

 cross veins. The following-named genera are indicated by Haliday : 



A. Antennae with nine distinct segments. 1. MELANTHRIPS. 



AA. Antennae apparently five-jointed, the last four segments being minute 

 and compact. 



B. Body somewhat flattened ; mesothorax and metathorax broad ; front 

 wings without fringe on costal border, and with four cross veins; males 

 with lateral abdominal appendages. 2. COLEOTHRIPS. 



BB. Body cylindrical ; mesothorax and metathorax constricted, wings rudi- 

 mentary. 3. iEOLOTHRIPS. 



* Coleoptratidae: colcopteros (KuXeoTtrepoZ), sheath-winged. 



