153 



On two occasions we have observed the winged viviparous lemalesof 

 the Corn Plant-louse, unattended by ants, giving birth to her young on 

 the stems of young corn, below the surface of the ground, the soil being 

 very mellow, and there appears to be no good reason for disbelieving 

 that at least some of these young might have survived. There seems 

 room to doubt, also, that without the aid of ants at least a few young 

 hatching from the eggs might reach their food and survive, although 

 careful experiments had failed to make them do so. Nature has ways 

 of her own of doing things, and in attempting to counterfeit them the 

 most careful experimenter will often find himself at fault. — [F. M. 

 Webster. 



INSECTS INTRODUCED INTO CHILI. 



Of considerable general interest is a paper by Dr. R. A. Philippi on 

 the changes in the fauna of Chili caused by man* in which he discusses 

 and enumerates the animals that have been voluntarily or involuntarily 

 introduced by man Into that country. The paper extends over the 

 whole animal kingdom and teems with interesting details, but we can 

 here only refer to the insects, t 



The intentional importations comprise the useful insects, viz: the 

 honey-bee and the silk-worm. The former was introduced in 1848 (the 

 Italian race) and greatly flourishes now in the whole state, so that Chili 

 exports now a large amount of honey and wax. Sericulture was for 

 some time successfull}^ carried on, encouraged by Government subsidy. 

 The climate is eminently fit for this industry, since the mulberry grows 

 finely in the whole country, and since it never rains in the season when 

 the worms are fed. However, a new secretary of agriculture had no 

 interest in the subject; the Government subsidy was withdrawn, the 

 mulberry plantations were cut down, and at present silk raising may 

 be said to have been entirely abandoned even by private persons. The 

 introduction of the Cochenille insect has never been attempted, although 

 it would no doubt flourish in the northern part of Chili. 



Coming to the injurious insects, the following have or have not been 

 introduced : 



The Phylloxera has not yet reached Chili, but the Apple- blight (<S'cM- 

 zoneura lanigera) has made its home in this country, having been intro- 



* Ueber die Verauderungen welche der Menscli iu der Fauna Chiles bewirkt hat. 

 Festschrift des Vereins fiir Naturkunde zu Cassel zur Feier seines fiinfzigjiihrigen 

 Bestehens Cassel, 1866, pp. 1-20. 



t All these insects are immigrants from Europe and no North American insects have 

 hitherto been introduced into Chili. The Coleoptera we mentioned iu the October 

 number (p. 116) as being common to both North America and Chili are not importa- 

 tions, but represent a very ancient natural distribution. In fact all animals men- 

 tioned by Dr. Philippi are importations from Europe except the California quail 

 {Ortf/x californica) which has run wild in the vicinity of Valparaiso, and there is 

 further strong evidence that the Canis Ingoe of Peru and northern Chili originates from 

 the North American Canis occidenialis or C. latrant. 

 10332— No. 5 3 



