69 



tions from native leafhoppers to our introduced pest, the cane 

 leaf hopper. 



Pipuiiri(his, spendinii' a larue part of its existence in flight, 

 i>^ provided with ])articu]arly lonu' winji'S- Its eyes are so 

 far deveh^pcd as to l)e contiguous or "holoptic", occupying 

 ahnost the entire head, while the feet are provided with pads 

 and long claws for snatching up its prey. 



Pipunciihis is a more widely distrihuted insect than Xeso- 

 iii'tnicm; it was found on a nnnilicr of phintations, extending 

 from near sea level to well into the moist forests. Like the 

 wasp, it was most abundant in the AVood Vnlley region, in 

 |)laces where the leafliop|)er occurred in some nnnd>ers. It is 

 easily recognize<l l»y its hovering tiight varied now and then 

 hy a jerky shift. The male is slightly the larger of the two, 

 his wings are a trifle darker and his flight a little different 

 from that of the female, for where the latter closely scruti- 

 nizes cane stems, leaves, weeds, or groimd, searching for her 

 prey, the male flies somewdiat more hurriedly and does not 

 peer so into retreats, etc.. and thus covers more ground. Both 

 sexes are often seen on eaiu' h'aves, feeding on dew or honey- 

 dew. The male carries his male ali<mt and hotlrare often thus 

 taken on the wing. 



On numerous oeeasion> I have >een /'i jikiickI us (•ai)ture 

 her pi-ey and sometime^ several of these huntresses eoidd so 

 he seen at one time. ( )ne is not always iinpre--eil with the 

 flv's selection of huntine' i:ronn(ls. and like .\ csoni nncxn . she 

 is sometimes de('ei\-e(l. ilioni;li only I'oi- the nionien;. into snatch- 

 ing at leafho])per monll--kin-. I lie victims ^elected are very 

 snuill to )K'rha]->s a little le>s ihan hnlt'-grow ii leafhoppers. A 

 suitalile one lieiuii- diseovi'red hy the hoNcring tly i- suddenly 

 ]tounce(l upon and snatched np in the air. The captive is 

 sometimes dropped almost immediately as if unsuitable, others, 

 however, are held in mid-air for from one to several seconds; 

 tli(> tly usually rising a little with lici- bnrden which would be 

 dropped on a leaf or on the iironnd. ( )ficu imnic(liately tlnu'e- 

 after, PipiinniJiis \\ou\d hnni out anothci' !ii>|>])ei' ^liowiu'; that 



