HIGH FLAT-SETTING. 203 



with these Russian species I find an example of what I am 

 inclined to consider to be the American M. destructor.'' 



I sent specimens (alive) of males and females to this able 

 entomologist, and have just received his reply, in which he fully 

 confirms my opinion, and writes: — "The specimens of parasites 

 sent, bred in England from the Hessian fly, seem to me to be 

 Merisus destructor of Riley ; they differ from the typical specimens 

 of my il/. intermedius by the more compressed and broader shape 

 of the body in the female, by their less intense green lustre, and 

 by the brown or nearly black antennae of the male." I have also 

 bred several specimens of another parasite, which I am inclined 

 to think will prove to be the American Platygaster herrickii 

 of Riley. 



June 28th, I found the larvae of the Hessian fly nearl)^ full 

 grown, the stem of the barley being much weakened. June 2nd, 

 I watched a female " fly " ovipositing ; the number of eggs laid 

 was 158; and as this damp and muggy weather is particularly 

 favourable for the development of " the pest," no doubt there will 

 be, in the course of a month or so, numerous reports from all 

 parts of the country. 



Up to the present date, I have bred the following parasites 

 from puparia which I collected last autumn, viz. : — Merisus 

 destructor, Riley ; M. {Homoporus) siibapterus, Riley ; M. inter- 

 medius, Lindeman ; Tetrastichus ? sp. (2 species) ; Semiotellus 



nigripes, Lindeman ; Eupelnms karschii, Lindeman ; Euryscapus 

 saltator, Lindeman; Platygaster minutus, Lindeman; P. {?) her- 

 rickii, Riley. 



11, rarolles Eoad, Upper Holloway, N., June 30, 1888. 



HIGH FLAT-SETTING. 



Mr. Cant advocates our all taking to continental settinti 

 (Eiitom. 100). Before doing so let us examine a little more 

 closely the supposed advantages to be derived from it. These 

 are said to be : — 



1st. "Facilit}' of examination and study." — This may perhaps 

 be granted to a certain extent, as fur as the flat surface of the 

 wings is concerned ; but this is counterbalanced by tlie diliiculty 

 in examining any under side with a strong lens, when there is a 



