636 



MoETTz (L). BiojioriiMecHifl HafinrofleHin Hafl-b capaHseBbiiviM B-b 

 TypraiiCKOM 06naCTM. [Biological observations on Locusts in 

 the province of Turgai.]— « JlwSnTenb npiipOAbl.» [Friend of 

 Nature], Petrograd, nos. 2 and 3, February-March 1915, pp. 33-47 

 and 65-76, 9 figs., 2 plates. 



The author was deputed by the Department of Agriculture in 1914 

 to study the locusts in the province of Turgai. The species found 

 included : — Slenoboilirus nigromacidatvs, H.-S., S. Jischeri, Eversm., 

 Oniocestus ventralis, Zett. {S. rnfipes, Fisch.), Oniocestus (S.) haemorr- 

 hoidalis, Charp., Stauroderm (Sienobothrus) biguttnlus, L., Chorthippus 

 {S.) pidvinatm, F.-W., C. albotnarginntus, Deg. {elegans, Charp.), and 



C. dorsatus, Zett. The life-history of these species is much alike ; 

 they begin to hatch out in May, the first winged specimens appearing 

 in the first half of June. They are chiefly found in meadows and feed 

 on grain crops, being very injurious in some years. They gradually 

 disappear after the middle of August. The genus Gomphocerus is 

 represented in Turgai only by G. aidennatus, Fieb., and G. pallidas, 

 Brunn. As regards Dociostaxrus (Stauronoius) kraussi, Ingen., and 



D. brevicoUis, Eversm., the latter hatches in the second half of May, 

 the first winged specimens appearing in the middle of June. Ovi- 

 position takes place at the end of June. Both these species frequent 

 uncultivated land with a clay soil. About 12 per cent, were infested 

 with larvae of a species of Sarcophaga. Pallasiella {Stethophyma) 

 iurcomann, Fisch., and Arcyptera [S.) JlavicoMa, Fisch., were also present- 

 The latter hatched in the first half of May and the winged insects- 

 appeared a month later ; its egg-clusters were found in meadows, 

 and along small ravines in the steppes. Of 60C egg-clusters examined, 

 25 per cent, contained larvae of Mylabris, the adults of M. li-punctata^ 

 Pall., being also present in some cases ; 2 per cent, were infested with 

 the Bombyliid, Anastoechus {Systoechus) nitididus, F., and 2 per cent- 

 with some fungus disease. Aeolopus {Epacromia) thalassmiis, F., 

 and A. tergestinus, Charp., also occurred. Pyrgodera armata, F.-W., 

 was common in the district of Irgiz and began to hatch in the middle of 

 May, the first winged insects appearing a month later ; this species 

 frequents the slopes of hills and also plains with sandy and clayey soil. 

 Oedalens nigrofasciaitis, De Geer. which began to hatch in the first half 

 of June, usually fives on the southern slopes of hills, with a scanty and 

 sun-burned vegetation. The biology of Locusla {Pachytylus) migratoria^ 

 L., and Calliptamus ilalicus, in tliis region, has already been dealt with 

 [see this Review, Series A, iii, pp. 536, 603, 610]. Celes variabilis, Pall., 

 which hatched during the latter half of May, lives in dry places with 

 scanty vegetation and feeds on weeds. Oedipoda salino. Pall., only 

 occurred in small numbers ; 0. coerulescens, L., hatched in the first 

 half of June ; the first winged specimens appeared a month later 

 and disappeared in the first half of September ; they remain in open 

 places and feed mostly on wormwood ; short migrations of the winged 

 insects were noticed. Bryodema tnberculatimi, ¥., which began to- 

 hatch in the middle of May, lives in dry, elevated places, and in years 

 of outbreaks, causes injury to meadows. About 8 per cent, were 

 infested with a species of Sarcophaga. Other locusts present were 

 Sphingonotus callosns. Fieb., S. coervlans, L., S. nebidosus, F.-W., 

 HyalorMpis {Leptopternis) claiisi, Kitt., living on sandy soils, Ttmthis 



