8 



MAL8. — In the letter accompanying the data accumuhitecl by 

 the Sub-commission Mr. Oliver C. James, of Carcarana, F. 

 C. C. A., writes as follows concerning' some of the natural 

 enemies of the locust : 



' 'There was also a marked increase in the number of birds, 

 and the toads in all j^arts of this province particularly ap- 

 peared in almost alarming numbers, so that the work of 

 destruction carried on by these unobtrusive friends of the 

 agriculturist was quite an appreciable factor in the w^hole 

 country. The most noticeable feature in this increase of lo- 

 cust destroyers was the number of beetles (Trox — "claiiiiiil''^) 

 to be found wherever the egs's w^ere deposited. Almost as 

 soon as the female locust began perforating the ground, cer- 

 tainly immediately after the eggs were laid, the cJidiiiin put 

 in an appearance, and as many as 20 to 30 of the beetles 

 had been seen at work by close observers, in the earth about 

 one 'bed' or cluter of 'cartuchos. ' " 



Among the specimens of these champies that were collected 

 by the writer or by the various correspondents of the Com- 

 mission during his sojourn in Argentina, the three following 

 species have been recognized; viz., Trox f^uberof^us Fabr., 

 Trox aeger Guer., and Trox piUulttrhis Germ. These occur 

 throuhgout the entire Pampa region, and their numbers are 

 in the order named. They are a natural check to locust in- 

 crease that appears to be uncontrollable by man, and there 

 can be little doubt of their value in this direction. 



Mr. James also adds that "From nearly every point re- 

 ports indicate the presence of the long thread-like w^orm * 

 {3Ier)fns or Gordu'iH) and the short stocky grub (Tachina fly, 

 — "Jachim") in the body of the locust — both in the saltona 

 as well as in the voladora. The latest reports regarding the 

 recently winged locust state that many are infested with the 

 'guzano' (the fly larva.)" 



*l)r. H. H. Ward of the University of Nebraska, who is a re.'oyiiizeil 

 specialist on this lii-ou}) was to have prepared a i)aper foi- tliis report on 

 the above nicntioncd worm. Init was prevented from dointf so on aeeount 

 of press of otlier duties. 



