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Pe oS *. REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 151 
-_ times observed this species infesting the ears- of corn, under circumstances which 
_~ left no doubt as to their vegetal habits. The silk of the ears of corn where they 
. 
were busily engaged was undisturbea, but down among its meshes were numbers 
of freshly-eaten kernels, and nothing but these ants in or about the ear, while the 
ants were very abundant, 
| Another species, Formica schaufussii, has been observed by us to eat kernels of 
seed wheat which had not been*sufficiently covered after being sown in the field. 
DRASTERIUS DORSALIS (?). 
‘La-ve! which are supposed to be those of this species, as it is the only one of the 
genus common in Indiana and Illinois, have twice been surprised by me about 
La Fayette, under circumstances which lead to the suspicion that they attack corn. 
Although, as stated in report of last year, we have observed them in the vicinity of 
La Fayette attacking other larvee, and other members of the genus are known to 
be carnivorous in the larval stage,* yet we have found them with their heads in- 
serted in the stems of young corn, with no object about which could have induce i 
them to do so if in search of animal food. These larvee were very abundant in Mr. 
Lutz’s field, previously mentioned us attacked by Sphenophorus. 
CHINCH BUGS, 
(Blissus leucopterus.) 
These were observed in considerable numbers during March, i887, in Tensas Parish, 
La., about young corn, pairing and ovipositing as in more northern localities later 
‘in spring. We are informed that considerable damage was sometimes done by the 
young bugs to the young plants. This rather contradicts the theory often expressed 
- by northern farmers, viz, that certain crops, including Spring Wheat, are the cause 
of their abundance. In the locality where we observed them the only small grain 
sown-is an occasional patch of Fall Oats, grown for fodder, and an occasional but 
equally small field of Millet. 
CORTICARIA PUMILA. 
‘ 
~ Found in abundance on the tips of ears of young corn, feeding upon the kernels 
during August and September, in the vicinity of La Fayette, Ind. 
CALATHUS GREGARIUS (SAY) + VERSUS THE COLORADO POTATO-BEETLE., 
On June 7 of present year Mr. Charles E. Lutz, of Wea, Tippecanoe County, Ind., 
‘sent us examples of the adult Calathus, asking what they were, and stating that 
they were engaged in the destruction of the eggs of Doryphora 10-lineata. In proof 
of this he had placed quite a number of these eggs in the box with his specimens. 
On opening the box, however, a few hours later we were unable to find a single 
egg, although there was ample proof that there had been many on the leaves in- 
closed. Mr. Lutz further stated: that where these Calathus were abundant there 
were no larvze of the Doryphora, while where there was a lack of the former the 
eggs and larvee of the latter were very abundant. He had placed eggs where the 
Nea could find them, and observed them devour these and also attack the young 
arvee. 
June 13,1 visited the location and found exactly the same state of affairs as above 
indicated. Ina small field, near the barn and out-buildings where the domestic 
fowls had had full range, the Doryphora was very abundant in all stages. There 
_ were here but few Calathus, they doubtless having been destroyed by the fowls. 
Buta mile away, in a field of 4 acres, the case was entirely different. Here there were 
no eggs or larvz to be found, although the adult Doryphora was common enough. 
In fact, far more damage had been done by the adult Systena blanda, Melsh., and 
to a less degree by S. frontalis, Fab. Great numbers of the Calathus were hiding 
in the vicinity under clods about the plants, and I was informed that they were 
. Observed roving about over these plants during the cool of the day. There was 
hardly a trace of the destructive propensities of the arch enemy of the potato 
‘throughout the whole field, although it had not been treated with any insecticide 
for several weeks. 
*Am. Ent., vol. 3, 1880, p. 247. 
_+ A short notice of this insect and its habits was published in the Indiana Farmer 
of July 30, 1887.—F. M. W. 
