216 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
Microdus fulvescens, Cress., det. Ashm. Mesilla Valley; Santa Fé. 
M. divisus, Cress., det. Ashm. Mesilla Park, April 16, on foliage of Populus. 
Orgilus flaviceps, Ashm. MS. Mesilla, June 24. 
Cremnops vulgaris, Cresson, Santa Fé; Mesilla Valley; San Augustine Ranch. 
Agathis tibiator, Proy., det. Ashm. Mesilla Park, Sept. 12, on Isocoma wrightii. 
Agathirsia neomexicana, Ashm. MS. Mesilla, Aug. 26, hovering over Spheralcea 
lobata, Wooton. 
Meteorus politus, Prov., det. Howard. Las Cruces, in winter. 
M. agrotidis, Ashm. MS. (type from California). Mesilla, June 6, at light. 
M. indagator, Riley, det. Ashm. Santa F¢, Aug. 1. 
M. vulgaris, Cress., det. Ashm. Mesilla, May; Santa F¢, Sept., bred from 
Halisidota maculata cocoons. 
M. communis, Cress., det. Ashm. Mesilla, April 22, at light. 
Aspidogonus (Diospilus) alfalfe, Ashm. MS. Mesilla, end of August; Las 
Cruces, September. 
Opius nanellus, Ashm., det. Ashm. Las Cruces, August. 
Pheedrotoma sanguinea, Ashm., det. Ashm. Mesilla; reared from fruit of Sola- 
num eleagnifolium. 
Nosopzea polita, Ashm. MS. Las Cruces, June 4. 
Lysiphlebus eragrostaphidis, Ashm. Mesilla Park, on Helianthus, Sept. 8, 1893. 
Lipolexis rap, Curtis, det. Ashm. Santa Fé, July 16. 
In addition, the following genera have been taken in New Mexico, but the spe- 
cies have not yet been identified, and are doubtless mostly undescribed: Blacus, 
Iphiaulax, Scelio, Inostemma, Telenomus, Caloteleia, Labeo, Mesitius, Tetrasti- 
chus, Metopon, Liothorax, Metapachis, Decatoma, Trigonura, Leucospis, 
Ceroptres, Solenaspis, Ptenus. 
SOME NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF SOUTHERN KANSAS. 
BY J. R. MEAD, WICHITA. 
Read before the Academy October 27, 1897. 
The writer has observed a rapid decrease in bird life in southern Kansas. 
Both migratory and summer-resident species, particularly those used for food, 
are included in this statement, the most noted exceptions being blackbirds and 
orioles. 
At the time of the early settlement of south-central Kansas the great abun- 
dance of bird life was a noted feature of the landscape, especially in springtime. 
Several varieties very numerous in their northward journey were never seen on 
the return trip. Such was the case with the Eskimo curlew, of which millions 
passed northward to their nesting grounds, while none ever returned this way. 
The first birds to appear in the spring were ducks, canvasbacks and redheads 
coming with the first thawin February. A little later came gray geese and other 
ducks; and when the grass had started white geese came in great numbers, a 
sign that spring would stay. Beautiful white swans also came our way, in both 
the spring and fall migrations. Then the family of Anatidze were so numerous 
that they destroyed whole fields of wheat, and parties of hunters would kill a 
wagon load in a day, while now they are rarely seen. 
Prairie-heaos, quite common before the settlement of the country, rapidly 
increased for a few years, until the building of railroads brought the market 
hunters. They are now almost exterminated. A migratory movement of both 
prairie-chickens and quail was noticed. 
