237 



all factors which may affect the insect in one way or another, such as 

 economic, meteorological and other conditions, while Prof. Pospielov 

 defended the zoological method of research, as the results obtained 

 by that method are also important in agriculture. In simimarising 

 the discussions the chairman. Prof. N. Kulagin, reduced them to the 

 following : — The objects of agricultural entomology consist of (1) the 

 study of insect pests from every point of view, (2) the study of the 

 changes in plants caused by insects, and (3) the study of the concomi- 

 tant meteorological and agricultural conditions. 



KuRDJUMOV (N. v.). Oco6eHHOCTM paSBHTifl Collyria calcitrator, Grav. 

 [The peculiarities of development of Collyria calcitrator, Grav.] 

 pp. 94-96. 



The Ichneumon, Collyria calcitrator, Grav., is one of the principal 

 parasites of the wlieat sawfly, Cejjhvs pygmaeus, frequently des- 

 troying 75 per cent, of its larvae. The adult parasites hatch in 

 spring from the wintering cocoons of the host remaining in the fields 

 in the stems of cultivated grain plants. Although it was known that 

 C. calcitrator is an internal parasite of the sawfly, it has not been dis- 

 covered in which stage of the host infestation is effected, but it has been 

 stated that the parasite oviposits in the young larvae. The author 

 observed once in 1907 and again several times in 1912, that the 

 females of the parasite pierce with their ovipositor the stems of wheat 

 at points where there was always found an egg of the host, 

 and larvae were never discovered in such stems. In 1913, 

 experiments w^ere undertaken at the Station of Poltava which have 

 satisfied the author that it is the egg of the host which is infested by 

 the parasite ; the egg of the latter develops very slowly and produces 

 a larva inside the body of the larva of the host, where it winters, 

 destroying its host in the next spring. Mention is made of Encyr- 

 TiDAE (Chalcidoidea) and Platygasteridae (Proctotrypodea) 

 which infest the eggs of their hosts in the same way, the larva 

 •developing inside the host larva, and Chelonus texamis, Cress. (Bra- 

 conidae) and Tetrastichvs asparagi, Crawfd., (Chalcidoidea) are 

 stated to have the same habits. Collyria calcitrator, Grav., is the 

 first representative of the Ichxeumonidae, which has been proved 

 to have a similar life-history. 



Mamoxtov (I. I.). 6e3nnaTHOM-b nponycHt cpencTBi. flnn 6opb6bi 

 Cb BpeAHbIMM HactKOHblMM. [On the duty-free import of means 

 of fighting insect pests.] pp. 97-100. 



The author, who represented the Central Board of Land Adminis- 

 tration and Agriculture at the Conference, after giving an account 

 of the present procedure of allowing duty-free importation of in- 

 secticides, of which in 1911, 450 c\\'t., and in 1912, over 960 cwt., were 

 imported in this way, suggests some reforms in order (1) to concentrate 

 the administration of this question under the authority of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture ; (2) to form a special Bureau to deal with the dis- 

 bution, etc., of imported insecticides ; (3) to forbid the import or use of 



