CURRENT NOTES. 287 



coming filled with the adults of the hyperparasite, it was .... 

 given credit for the destruction of large numbers of tent-cater- 

 pillars. Thus it was the Limneria which proved to be the real 

 victim, and, as its cocoons were rare, the next year the primary 

 host, Clisiocampa americana, was indirectly but decidedly the 

 gainer. . . . The parasites, as a body, were found to exact a 

 certain tithe of blood, so to speak, and, this being obtained, 

 would proceed to fight over its possession, passing it from one to 

 another, from parasite to hyperparasite, until often, perhaps, 

 there would be little more than enough left of a single large 

 caterpillar than that sufficient to support a single small 

 chalcid." The annual percentage of caterpillars of Clisiocampa 

 destroyed by parasites, Fiske estimates at about 15 to 20 per 

 cent. Pimpla inquisitor (Say) and P. conquisitor (Say) seem to 

 have the peculiar faculty of being both primary and secondary 

 parasite of the same host. "Though it is doubtful if in nature 

 the following sequence ever takes place, there is no reason why 

 it should not, as all the species mentioned are normally parasitic 

 on the next preceding : — 



Host . . 

 Primary parasite 

 Secondary parasite . 

 Tertiary parasite 

 Quaternary parasite 

 (^uinquenary parasite 



Clisiocampa americana. 

 Limneria fugitiva. 

 Vimpla conquisitor, 

 Theronia fulvescens. 

 Dihrachys houcheanus. 

 Asecodes albitarsis." 



0. W. Barrett (3) discusses the Antillean Mole Cricket. 

 The habits of this destructive orthopteron appear to be similar 

 to those of the European G. gryllotalpa. The damage to crops in 

 Puerto Rico by the Changa amounts to probably more than 

 i^20,000 sterling annually, the crops injured most being cane, 

 tobacco, and rice ; comparatively little damage is done in clayey 

 soil, moist sandy loam being preferred, while saturation and 

 extreme dryness of the soil prevent the mole cricket's opera- 

 tions. Remedies are discussed, with notes on the few natural 

 enemies. 



H. ScHOUTEDEN (4) continues his interesting contributions to 

 our knowledge of Aphidte. The present one is to a certain extent 

 a compilation, but is nevertheless valuable, consisting of a list 

 of various plants, with the name of their aphidocecids under 

 each. A second list follows of genera and species of Aphidse, 

 with the plants (under each) on which they produce the galls. 

 Several new forms are described. 



(To be continued.) 



