BKITISH ORTHOPTERA IN 1917. 229' 



^ives the following account of a species described by him as 

 Isaria stellata : "Some mango-leaves from India came into our 

 hands some years since, and upon the under surface were found 

 beautiful, star-like, snow-white objects, almost like crystals of 

 snow. Minute examination proved them to be minute insects, 

 apparently Aphides, encrusted with an Isaria, about two milli- 

 metres in diameter, and sometimes confluent. The rays were 

 numerous, radiating from a sort of discoid centre, regular, 

 and not at all corresponding to any members, or projections 

 of the imbedded insects ; the latter impossible to extricate for 

 identification. The whole mass of fungus was composed of 

 delicate agglutinated threads." 



As a glance at the illustration will show% anyone unacquainted 

 with the life-history of the host would very naturally imagine- 

 the cocoon from which the growth springs to be part of the 

 fungus itself, and it will be noticed that Mr. Cooke, in his- 

 description of Isaria stellata, mentions that the mass of fungus 

 was composed of delicate agglutinated threads. There seem 

 to be several other points of resembance between the species 

 described by Mr. Cooke and that of which I am writing, viz. 

 the numerous rays radiating from a centre, the embedded aphis, 

 etc. Can it be possible, therefore, that /. stellata also grows, 

 from the cocoon of a snecies of Praon ? 



BRITISH OETHOPTEEA IN 1917. 

 By W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. 



No observations of striking importance in connection with 

 the British Orthoptera can be recorded for the season of 1917. 

 Little more can be attempted, in fact, than to add a trifle to our 

 knowledge of their distribution. 



Forjieulodea. — Labidura rxparia, Pall., was sought for in the 

 Southbourne locality on one occasion — Sep)tember 3rd — but was 

 not found. It is to be feared that the species is on the way 

 to extinction as a British insect at no very distant date. 

 Amongst a consignipaent of earwigs captured by J. E. le B. 

 Tomlin on October 16th in some bone-works at Acton Bridge 

 in Cheshire were two males and a female of Labia minor, Linn. 

 In addition there were over forty Prolahia arachidis, Yers., the 

 majority by a considerable number being females or nymphs. 

 The latter were not numerous, but the larger nymphs closely 

 resemble the females. Two of the males had broken or deformed 

 callipers. Further there were two females of Anisolabis anmdipes, 

 Luc, one being of large size. The association of the last two 

 species in the Acton Bridge bone-works, as under similar 

 conditions at Queenborough in Kent, is worthy of note. In 

 Qouuection with the ' Lancashire and Cheshire Fauna Eecord ' 



