Vol. Xxxt| ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 21 
insect is usually on the side of the abdomen between the 
4th and 5th segments. After examining about a bundred 
specimens I failed to find that the maggots were causing 
any injury to the nymphs of the Clastoptera, with one excep- 
tion. This nymph appeared to be considerably bruised and 
irritated on the sides of the abdomen where the attachment 
is usually made. 
The maggots that I brought into the laboratory pupated 
in a day or so, and the adults emerged about a week later. 
These were identified by Dr. A. H. Sturtevant as Drosophila 
imversa Walker. The pupae of the Drosophila I found in 
both the spittle masses and in dry places on the twigs and 
leaves of the alder. 
Upon placing a number of the pupae of Drosophila inversa 
in a vial, I succeeded in rearing along with a number of the 
corresponding adults a few Hymenopterous parasites. Mr. 
L. H. Weld identified the parasite as a “‘parasitic Cynipid, 
one of the Eucoilinae.’’ Lacking adequate material, Mr. 
Weld was unable to place it definitely. 
The Drosophila seems to specialize on Clastoptera obtusa. 
There were numerous nymphs of Clastoptera proteus on Dog- 
wood and Viburnum bushes in the immediate vicinity of 
the alders on which I collected, but I failed to find any mag- 
gots in the spittle masses of Clastoptera proteus. 
According to all the observations that I was able to make, 
Drosophila inversa in its feeding habits marks no exception 
to the other members of the genus. It apparently feeds on 
plant sap in the form of spittle produced by the Clastoptera. 
It seems to be parasitic only in so far that it utilizes the excess 
of the sap drawn from the plant tissues by the spittle insect. 
and in that it uses the spittle insect as a means of trans- 
portation. 
Observations similar to the ones given in this paper are 
recorded by C. N. Ainslie, Canadian Entomologist, 38: 44. 
I wish to thank Dr. Sturtevant and Mr. Weld for the 
identification of material. The drawing was made by Mr. 
C. H. Kennedy, then of Cornell University. 
