66 



Attagenus piceus, a beetle very closely allied to the common carpet beetle or buffalo 

 moth {Ajtthrenus acrophularice), of which an account was given in a recent number 

 of Insect Life. A. piceus has been recorded as injurinfr feathers in pillows and 

 beds. This insect doubtless is not essentially different in habit from the well-known 

 carpet pest just mentioned, and the same means may be employed against it. — 

 [April 1, 1890.] 



Locusts as Food in Madagascar. 



I send you with this letter some specimens of our migratory locust of Madagascar 

 Yon will see that we have to deal here with a particular species, Pachytylu? migra- 

 torioides, Reich., variety capito Sauss. For the Malgaches (natives), these locusts, 

 which they call in their language Valala are at the same time a scourge and a re- 

 source ; a scourge by reason of the ravages done to the crops, and a resource in that 

 they furnish food for the lower classes and animals. Thus it is true, that Providence 

 with every ill disposes something of good. 



When the flight of the Valala is observed, men, women and children, armed with 

 receptacles of various kinds, hasten to make amjjle collections of thef^e iusects, which 

 they obtain chiefly by setting fire to the vegetation. What is not collected and car- 

 ried away is left to the " Gouika" {Corinis scapulatus) and to the " Papanyo" {Milvus 

 olgyptius), which, 1 am informed, are very fond of this kind of food. After being col- 

 lected the Valala are thrown into large pots and submitted to a thorough stewing, 

 after which they are spread out in the sun ou mats until they are perfectly dry. It 

 is then, after the legs and wings are removed, that the Valala are ready to be stored 

 to supply the wants of the household, and they are moreover a common current com- 

 modity in the markets. 



The Valala prepared in this manner may, it is said, be preserved for a considerable 

 time. The Malgaches eat the Valala tvied in grease, and in the form of " Ro" or 

 soup, with which they season their rice. To have a perfect dish of this kind, after 

 the feet and wings and also the head of the Valala has been removed, they are soaked 

 for half an hour or thereabouts in very salt water before they are fried in grease. I 

 have tasted the Valala, but believe that the dish will never be popular for the civil- 

 lized palate. 



It seems to me, however, that, used as a condiment, in sauce for example, the pow- 

 der or flour of the Valala and other locusts may be very well employed in connection, 

 with other foods. The migratory locust may be employed, if I mistake not, as food 

 for various domestic animals. 



M. le G^n^ral Comte de La Croix de Vaubois has stated that it is known that fowls 

 feed on the locusts eagerly during the passage, and he thought the locusts would, if 

 properly preserved, furnish a very suitable food for them. * * * — [P. Cambou6, 

 Tananarive, Madagascar, April 25, 1890. 



Insects noxious to Cotton in Egypt. 



As the cotton exported from Egypt to the United States might possibly contain the 

 eggs of noxious insects I call your attention to the following description of the three 

 cotton pests which are most common here, by Dr. E. Sickenberger, Professor in the 

 Medical School : 



I. THE COTTON-WORM OR LEAF-EATER. 



(Prodenia littoralis Boisd.) 



This moth, the length of whose body is 16 millimeters and the transversal dimen- 

 sion when the wings are extended about 30 millimeters, has its upper wings of a 

 brownish color, mixed with gray and cream color, its lower of a yellowish-whit© 

 with a brown line ou the lower edge. It passes the winter in the state of a reddish- 



