94 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Mr. Howard mentions an Astichus as parasitic in the Eulophus 

 pupse : this is probably an error of determination, as our pretty 

 Astichus mithmeticus is undoubtedly a parasite of Cis, and not an 

 hyperparasite. The interesting economy of the Encyrtidce, which 

 we know so well in this country, is then adverted to, firstly, the 

 parasitism of Holcothorax and its allies on the various leaf- 

 mining LithocolletidcB and other Micros is alluded to, and then 

 the remarkable numbers of Copidosoma, whose very numerous, 

 closely packed, cocoons inflate the larvae of various Lepidoptera. 

 For numerous examples of these Micro -parasitic Encyrtidcs I am 

 indebted to Mr. John Sang. I bred the common Copidosoma 

 truncatellum last year in immense numbers from a closely- stuffed 

 larva of Zeuzera cesculi, sent me by Miss R. M. Sotheby (see Proc. 

 Ent. Soc. Lond. 1881, p. xxi) ; quite lately Mr. Meldola has given 

 me a naturally-preserved larva of Thera variata, with a boxful of 

 its resultant parasites ; these also prove to be the common 

 C. truncatellum. The year before last, much-distended specimens 

 of Depressaria nervosa larvae, sent to me by Mr. Bignell, produced 

 the closely allied (7. chalconotum. For the hosts of the numerous 

 Encyrtidce, consult Dr. Mayr's lucid monograph 'Verb. z.-b. Ges. 

 Wien.,' XXV., 675-778. Mr. Howard refers to parasites of this 

 family on a LithocoUetis, two Gelechics, an Anarsia, and a Plusia. 

 Mr. Pergande counted those bred from one larva of Plusia brassicce 

 to be 2528. — Edward A. Fitch ; Maldon, Essex. 



Thripid^ wanted. — I am now making a special study of the 

 Thysanoptera, and am much in need of specimens of the described 

 European species. Possibly entomologists, farmers, or gardeners 

 in Britain will kindly collect me specimens, and transmit them 

 to me in small pill- or chip -boxes, numerous specimens of each 

 species with a portion of the plant from which it is obtained in 

 each box. Several of these boxes may be packed in square or 

 other tin boxes, and mailed to me at once. In return I will 

 gradually send specimens, well mounted in balsam, of all such 

 species as in the course of time I may study. These insects are 

 found on almost all kinds of plants, either on their leaves, flowers, 

 or sometimes their fruit ; under loose bark of living trees, and 

 under the bark of dead trees or stumps, at all seasons ; frequently 

 in hollow stems which were inhabited by other insects ; in different 

 kinds of galls, especially such as are produced by cecidomyideous 

 flies and Aphides ; also between the leaves of grass, throughout 



