62 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Forst. Up to the time of Wachtl’s published statement, these 
Megastigmus \arve had been considered to be parasitic on the 
larvee of a Zryfeta moth that had also been found infesting the 
rose-fruits. As a result of many observations, Wachtl recorded 
that he had no doubt whatever that the two different species of 
Megastigmus \arve were direct feeders on the rose-fruits and not 
parasitic on any insect. Howard! expressed doubt as to the 
vegetarian habit of these larve, believing rather that the Mega- 
stigmus larve had previously fed on and destroyed the true 
enemy of the rose fruit and seed, and stating in support of his 
belief that he himself had found the larve of Zurytoma funebre in 
the seeds of clover, in which they had been feeding on the larve 
of Cecidomyia leguminicola, the real enemy of the seed, which 
larvee the Eurytomes had quite destroyed. More recent investi- 
gation, however, has shown that the clover seed Chalcis fly, 
£. funebre (now known somewhat unhappily as Aruchophagus 
funebris), is an undoubted enemy of clover and alfalfa seed, and 
a more dangerous one to the clover seed than the clover seed 
midge (Cecidomyia leguminicola). 
Mr E. S. G. Titus,? with specimens of the clover seed Chalcis 
fly, reared from clover seed, placed these on isolated clover plants, 
and was able to work out the life-history. This Chalcis fly lays 
its eggs on the young forming clover seed, and its larva, on 
hatching, feeds on the seed contents, these being practically used 
up by the time the larva is full fed. Pupation follows in the 
hollowed-out seed. In some cases the Chalcis larva was found 
to attack more seeds than one. Previous to this experiment, 
Hopkins, in 1895, had expressed the opinion that the above 
Chalcis fly was a very destructive enemy to red and crimson 
clover. 
Of other species, Alegastigmus brevicaudis, Ratz., has been reared 
by Bouché from the fruits of the rowan (Pyrus Aucuparia), and 
MM. pistacie from the fruits of Pistacza Lentiscus and Pistacia 
Terebinthus. 
MEGASTIGMUS AND NEEDLE-LEAVED TREES. 
In the spring of 1893 Wachtl received from a friend specimens 
of a Megastigmus taken from the seeds of the Douglas fir. 
Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., Washington, 1892, vol. xiv. p. 576. 
2U.S. Agr. Reps, 1904, p. 77- 
