225 



quits its hold until removed by force. When a horse stops to drink, swarms fly about 

 the head and crowd into the mouth, nostrils, and ears; hence it is supposed the 

 poison is communicated inwardly. Whether this be true or not, the most fatal con- 

 sequences result. 



It is singular that from the time of its first appearance it has never extended for 

 a greater distance than 40 miles iu oue direction, and usuallj^ it is coufiued to 1.5 

 miles. In no other part of the country has it ever been seen. From this fact it would 

 seem jirobable that the cause of its existeuce is local. But what it is none can tell. 

 After the warm weather commences it disappears as etfectually from human obser- 

 vation as if it were annihilated. Towards the close of December it springs up all at 

 once into being again and resumes the work of destruction. A fact so singular I 

 could not have ventured to state without the best evidence of its reality. All the 

 circumstances here related are familiar to hundreds, and were in almost every man's 

 month when I passed through the country. In addition to this, they were confirmed 

 by the account which I received from Col. John McKee, a gentleman of much intelli- 

 gence and respectability, who is the present agent of the General Government for the 

 Choctaw Nation. He has consented to obtain specimens of the insect for your exam- 

 ination, when it returns again, and will, I hope, accompany the transmission with a 

 more perfect description than it has been possible for me to communicate. 



NOTES ON PTEROMALUS PUPARUM. 



We found a chrysalis of Pier is rapcc filled with the larvoe of this par- 

 asite on April 3, the larvie pupating on the Cth. ISTo further develop- 

 ments took place up to the 18th, when we left home, not to return again 

 until the 20th of May, at which time the entire contents of the chrysalis 

 had transformed to adults. This fully confirmed the opinion expressed 

 by Professor Riley (Rep. Comm. Agr. 1883, p. 112), that a large propor- 

 tion of them undoubtedly wintered over in the bodies of the chrysalids 

 and emerged the following spring. 



On the morning of August 9 we observed a larva of Pier is protodice 

 Boisd., in the act of transforming to the chrysalis. Near by, and very 

 evidently watching this transformation, were a male and female of this 

 parasite. The trio were observed several times during the early part of 

 the day, the parasites always on guard, as it were, although the temale 

 was several times observed to attempt oviposition, in every case, how- 

 ever, being deterred from doing so by the jerking of the larva, now iu a 

 semi-pupal state During oue of these visits the male was driven away, 

 but soon returned. About 6 p. m., the last observation of the day, the 

 transformation of the larva, while not complete, had so far advanced as 

 to prevent the radical movements which had characterized its struggles 

 during the forenoon, and the female was busily engaged in her work of 

 oviposition, the male still present as a spectator (?). On the morning 

 of the 10th the chrysalis, now fully developed, was removed and placed 

 in a glass jar, awaiting further developments. 



On the morning of the 27th, seventeen days after, the adult Ptero- 

 malus were observed issuing from the chrysalis iu great numbers. 

 After all had emerged they were counted and found to number 68 males 

 and 4 females. Tlie same parasite had been reared from a similar 

 chrysalis on August 13, but the individuals were not counted. — F. M. 

 Webster. 



