HABITS OF THE EUROPEAN BLISSUS DORIA. 85 
uted here, and is met with not only on the “ Flugsande” (sand drifts), but also 
in the hilly regions (e. g., on the southern exposure of the hill which stands 
between Duka and Szod, in the midst of bluffs or rolling hills), the winged 
specimens were to be found only on the very small “ Blissus Island” under the 
poplars. But here also they were found but rarely, and only then when the 
transformation from the pupa to adult stage was in full force. When there 
were ho more pup to be found, then also the search for long-winged individuals 
was in vain. 
This appearance I explain in this way: That the winged examples, as soon as 
they were able to fly, quickly flew away and disappeared in order that they 
might serve as progenitors for new colonies. 
But the place of discovery has since been transformed into an immense yvine- 
yard by the Government, whereby grass, poplars, and also B. dori@ had to disap- 
pear from thence. For four years I have, though seeking with the greatest 
diligence, been unable to get track of the winged specimens anywhere in this 
region, even though I know of a number of colonies of this species upon my own 
premises. While formerly I captured a few specimens each year and gave them 
partly to museums and partly to entomologists, I scarcely hope to attain such 
interesting finds in the future. 
The difference just mentioned between those individuals capable of flight and 
those not capable of flight in our species and also in the transatlantic species 
ean hardly be accidental, but may be sought for in the influences of environment. 
Next there crowds to the front the fact that in North America B. lewcopterus is 
continually subjected to the attack of its deadly fungus parasite to a high degree, 
and its colonies die out as soon as rainy, moist atmosphere prevails. Conse- 
quently, the Blissus species living there must always hunt new habitats and be 
wandering continually to far distant localities. For this wings are of course 
necessary, and only by means of these is the species enabled to sustain itself at 
such a high grade of importance that it can, now here, now there, become a yeri- 
table plague to agriculture. 
With our European species it seems, on the contrary, in regard to many 
points to be otherwise; for, while her habits in the main are similar to those of 
her sister across the sea, yet there are found many important differences in 
their environment. 
Blissus doriw never congregates in such close masses as we read of in the 
American reports. It forms only insect islands, and even individual families 
seem to scatter out to some distance. In the steppes, moreover, the growth of 
grass is not matted, but stands in isolated bunches on the partially bare ground 
the bunches being not infrequently separated by several paces. 
Our species will not go into cultivated fields. I have never found even a 
single specimen among forage plants that have been sown, and already this 
condition is one of the reasons why the European species does not cluster 
together in such uninterrupted masses. 
If, then, this is true the attacks of entomogenous fungi will hardly be able to 
create such havoc in B. doria as it does among B. leucopterus in America. 
I have also during eighteen years never observed a wholesale dying off in the 
localities of occurrence known to me. The fungus 8S. globuliferum has perhaps 
never attacked it, and even though the European form were susceptible to 
similar pestilences, yet it is always hardly to be doubted that the fungus in the 
European homes of B. doriew would not find favorable circumstances in that 
here during the period of development of this species in normal years great 
drought prevails. Rains lasting for a number of days, with continued moist 
and warm atmosphere, belong, with us, among the rarities, especially during 
