25 



NOTES ON COTTON INSECTS FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI. 



By William H. Ashmead. 



Towards the latter part of July, 1893, I was instructed to proceed to 

 Utica, Hinds county. Miss., to make some special studies on the boll- 

 worm (Heliothls armiger Hiibn.), I reached ray destination on July 23 

 and left August 23, my stay there extending over a period of just one 

 month. During this brief period, as time permitted, studies were made 

 on such other cotton insects as were brought under my observation, 

 and I find now that many of these have never before been reported on 

 cotton, while still others, especially among the parasitic forms, prove 

 to be new to science. 



Inasmuch as many of these are not only of scientific interest but of 

 economic importance, it seems to me desirable that all should be placed 

 on record, together with such brief notes on rearings and habits as 

 have been made, for the assistance and guidance of other workers. As 

 the most satisfactory method of presenting these brief notes, I propose 

 to arrange the insects observed in consecutive order under the different 

 Orders to which they belong. 



ORDER ORTHOPTERA. 



The Carolina Mantis or rear-hoTse {Stagmomantis Carolina Burm.). — 

 The nymph of this striking insect was alone met with, the mature insect 

 not having put in its appearance. Its old egg-cases were found twice. 



Three or four species of the genus Gryllus were common in the cotton 

 fields. They probably feed occasionally on cotton, but no direct observa- 

 tions were made on their habits. 



The minute three-toed cricket {Tridactylus minutiis Scudd.) was quite 

 common in the cotton fields and was observed feeding on the tender, 

 newly-formed leaves. Its preference is for low, damp situations, and 

 it was rarely met with in high, dry places. 



The banded cricket [JSfemobius fasciatus DeG.) — Not rare. Feeds 

 occasionally on the tender leaves. 



The agitating cricket [Hapithus agitator Uhler).— A single specimen 

 only taken, hiding in a blossom. The petals had a hole eaten through 

 them, possibly by it, but it was not observed feeding. 



The beautiful leaf-palpus cricket {Phi/Uopalpus pulchellus Uhler) was 

 not uncommon in the blossoms of cotton planted on low land, con- 

 tiguous to a swamp or running stream. It was observed feeding upon 

 the petals, corolla, and pollen. 



Gundlach's cricket {Cyrtoxipha gundlacU Sauss.).— A single speci- 

 men taken in a cotton blossom. It was not observed feeding. 



The banded tree-cricket {CEcanthus fasciatus Fitch).— This species is 

 not uncommon, and feeds upon the leaves. It is readily distinguished 

 from (E. niveus and allied species by having along, straight black line, 



