172 



south-west of Cape Province, where attacks on wooden structures are 

 almost unknown, Hodotermes viator is common ; in the Great Karroo, 

 H. karrooensis is ubiquitous, and in restricted areas Eutermes trinsrvius 

 abounds. The last-named species is found also in great numbers in 

 the Orange Free State. 



The pairing habits of the following species are described : — 

 Hodotermes transvaalensis, sp. n. ; Termes natalensis, Hav. ; 

 T. latericius, Hav. ; T. vulgaris, Hav. ; T. incertus, Hag. ; Eutermes 

 bilobatus, Hav. Observations on the nesting habits and general 

 economy of certain species are recorded. In the case of H. trans- 

 vaalensis cavities are made near the surface of the soil for the storage 

 of harvested material. Harvesting is carried on during the daytime 

 and the insects are especially active during autumn and early winter. 

 In Pretoria, however, grass for storage is collected all through the 

 summer. Calotermes durbanensis, Hav., occurs commonly along the 

 coast of Natal. According to Haviland, this species burrows into living 

 wood, the invaded part decaying later ; orange trees are also attacked. 

 Mound-forming species described are Termes waterbergi, sp. n., 

 T. natalensis, Hav., T. latericius, Hav., T. vulgaris, Hav., Eutermes 

 trinervius, Rambur, etc. A classification and systematic account of 

 the South African species concludes the paper. 



Johnson (P. M.) & Ballinger (A. M.). Life-History Studies of the 

 Colorado Potato Beetle. — Jl. Agric. Research, Washington, D.C., 

 v, no. 20, 14th January 1916, pp. 917-926, 1 plate, 10 tables. 

 [Received 8th March 1916.] 



Experiments on the Hfe-history of Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Say 

 (Colorado potato beetle) during 1914 were conducted under indoor 

 conditions at a high temperature and more than the normal rate of 

 humidity. Overwintering beetles emerged from hibernation under 

 outdoor conditions on 29th April on Solanum jasminoides. Pairs were 

 isolated in breeding jars and supplied with leaves of S. jasminoides 

 and later with those of the potato, for which they showed a marked 

 preference. Egg-laying began a few days after the isolation of the 

 pairs ; the number of eggs in one mass averaged from 35 to 45, while 

 between 379 and 1,879 were deposited by a single overwintering female. 

 Eggs deposited on 4th May hatched on 12th May ; the larvae fed 

 imtil 28th May, when they entered the ground to a depth of 3 inches, 

 to pupate. Adults emerged on 9th June. The overwintering beetles 

 fed until 7th September, when the last one died. The adults of the 

 first generation fed for a short time ; some went into hibernation, 

 but the majority deposited eggs giving rise to a second generation. 

 Eggs laid on 30th June hatched on 7th July. The larvae pupated on. 

 25th July and adults emerged on 31st July. Some of the adults 

 hibernated, others gave rise to a third generation. An egg-mass 

 deposited on 4th August hatched on 9th August, the larvae pupating- 

 on 23rd August and adults emerging on 31st August. Beetles of this 

 generation were active during September, thus suggesting the possibility 

 of a partial fourth generation. Mating was observed during the same 

 month and in some instances fertiUsation took place, since the females, 

 upon emergence from hibernation in the next spring, were able to. 

 oviposit without pairing a second time. 



