101 



catei'iiillars of tho latter spueies I counted respectively, 115, 131. 213 aud 

 228 eggs of these parasites. I mention this, seemingly disconnected cir- 

 cumstances, because the same species of Cuckoo is fond of all these cater- 

 pillars, and we are mot Avith that perpetual puzzle to economic ento- 

 mologists, viz., to determine the exact economic value of an organism. 

 If the bird ate only the unparnsitized caterpillars, it would be wholly bene- 

 ticial, Init, on the other hand, if it devours parasitized caterpillars, it has 

 done no good, l)ecause these would have died in any case, and has done 

 actual harm, because it has destroyed beneficial insects. 



Notes on Reared Hymenoptera from Indiana. 

 F. M. Webster. 



The material upon which this list is based was obtained during two 

 trips to southern Indiana, the first late in August and the last late in 

 October, 1902. while in the employ of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, and making some special investigations of certain insects 

 attacking growing wheat. My first intention was to prt'sent a paper that 

 would include only such species as were new to science, but I have in 

 addition to such, found .so many forms that are new to the State, and 

 others discovered liy me about Lafayette, years ago. but of whose habits 

 nothing was known, have been farther investigated, throwing new light 

 on their life history and habits, tliat I later decided to include all of the 

 Hymenoptera reared by me, but not previously reported as inhabiting 

 Indiana. I m'ay add that the nature of my investigations required that 

 considerable quantities of wheat stubble, and the stems of Elyiniis can- 

 adenitis and E. rirc/inicvx, Trinixjiiff f^exh'roides and J>r<>mi'-'< fiecali)nts, the 

 latter being the common cheat of the wheatfields, be collected and the 

 Tftofioma and other insects inhabiting these stems secured. The stems 

 of these grasses and the wheat stubble were collected and placed in paste- 

 board boxes so that everything developing within them was thus secured. 

 It will be observed, then, that the prime ol).iect of my reariugs was to de- 

 termine the food plants of tlie Tsiosnmti. the parasitic species, though of 

 much importance, were of secondary signitication in these studies. 



Isofionia graiide. whicli I reared about Lafayette, during the years 1884 

 to 188(>, and establisluMl tlie fact of a dimorphism and alternation of 



