THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 331 
little is left of her body,—like the roof of a house, protects the 
family below from all casualties of wind and weather. Ina 
few days, after the death of the mother, the eggs hatch and 
become the lively little runners I have already described. 
They first devour the cottony stuff among which they were 
born, and then lift up the roof-like covering formed by the 
dried cuticle of their defunct parent; and each selects his own 
path in life, never to return. Several species seem to be true 
natives of this country; others are certainly only denizens. 
A new Insect-enemy of Turnips and Rape.—You are 
perfectly aware that I do not possess any scientific know- 
ledge in Entomology, but, as you have so laudably set apart 
a portion of the ‘ Entomologist’ for recording facts connected 
with economic Entomology, I know that you will be pleased 
to receive any trustworthy testimony on behalf of such. Last 
evening my brother and I, while walking across a piece of 
newly-sown rape (Brassica Napus), discovered that thousands 
of minute insects—so minute that my pocket-lens was not 
sufficiently powerful to reveal the order they belonged to— 
were puncturing and feeding on the cotyledons, or first 
leaves; and so quickly did they spring off that I had to 
return home for some gum and a sheet of white paper, 
which, when well gummed and hastily turned over the plant, 
secured about a score specimens, and these I have to-day 
forwarded to you in a box, the bottom of which had also to 
be thickly gummed to keep the little skipping fellows in. 
Though they may turn out to be the commonest of all known 
insects, these are certainly new to me as being destructive 
to rape and turnips ; for, although I have farmed extensively 
for twenty years, I never noticed them before; and I 
think you will agree with me that I do not always “ go about 
with my eyes shut.” I know that little pest, the turnip-fly 
(Altica Nemorum), only too well; but these appear equally 
destructive, and equally nimble. Will you, therefore, kindly 
tell me their names, and what you know of their economy ?— 
Henry Reeks ; East Woodhay, May 24, 1871. 
These minute insects were so clogged with the gum 
introduced for the purpose of preventing their escape, that I 
cannot decide with certainty on their names: I believe, 
however, that they are a species of Poduride, perhaps 
Smynthurus fuscus. I should much like to see living speci- 
