326 



devoid of fear, and will attack a bee or wasp as readily as a moth or 

 tiy. An asilid iu ca])turiiig a bee or wasp seizes it immediately back 

 of the bead so that the abdomen is extended forward and it can make 

 no defense with its sting in its effort to escape. 



The Germans call these insects "rol)ber-iiies," and several species 

 are common in the cotton fields. I have observed them seizing moths, 

 beetles, dragon-flies, bees, etc. The following species were taken on 

 the Brown plantation: Diogmites jdatypterus Loew, Erax lateralis 

 Macq., Urax f hastardi, AtomQsia patella Wied., A. rufipes Macq,, and 

 Holcocepliala ahdominalis Say. 



The habits of the Syrphidtr are varied, althongh many of them in 

 the larva state are beneficial, as they feed upon destructive aphides. 

 The following were observed on cotton : Memgrapta polita Say, Eristalh 

 vinetorum Fabr., and Baccha fuscipemnis Say, all on the blossoms feed- 

 ing upon pollen, while the larva of the last-mentioned was feeding upon 

 the cotton aphis. 



The larva of Mesograpta polita Say was also common on corn, feeding 

 on the pollen and juices of the plant. The blades of the corn were 

 covered with its puparia. From these I bred two parasites, a cynipid 

 {Solenaspis hyalinus Ashm.) and a chalcidid {Encyrtus mesograptos 

 Ashm.), 



PipuncKlus subvirescens Loew. was found associating with certain Jas- 

 sids affecting cotton, and I believe it to be parasitic on IHedrocephala 

 vers II ta Say. 



Several distinct species of Tachinidse were captured on cotton, but 

 as none were bred, no effort has been made to identify them. 



Phora aletim Oomst., formerly supijosed to be a true parasite of the 

 cotton-worm, was common in all the fields, and lives iu almost any 

 decaying animal or vegetable substance, the frass and excreta of the 

 boll-worm being a favorite place in which it deposits its eggs. I bred 

 many specimens from such places, as well as from nothing but decom- 

 posing cotton leaves, the excremental pellets of various larvpe, and 

 from decomi30sing insects. It is certainly only a scavenger, and not a 

 true parasite. 



ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN IMPORTED BEETLES. 



By F. H. Chittenden. 



In the list of Coleoptera collected by the writer in the foreign agri- 

 cultural exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition, and published 

 by Professor Ililey in Insect Life (vol. vi, pp. 218-221), several species 

 were only partially identified. Since the publication of this list the 

 doubtful forms have been given further study, and it is now x)ossible 

 to furnish the names of some of the more important species, as well as 

 some information regarding their synonymy and geographic and eco- 

 nomic status. At the same time I have thought it Avell to include in this 



