1899] ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



was a very stout mm, who hid evidently lived largely upon beer; blood-poisoning set in, 

 and the man died the same night. A few years ago at the famous Johns Hopkins hospi- 

 tal, Baltimore, a boy was brought in suffering from the effects of a mosquito bite ; every 

 effort was made for his relief, but without success and he died shortly afterwards. These 

 cases serve to show that the condition of the patient must often have much to do with 

 the effects of the stings or bites of insects. 



REMARKS UPON SOME CUBAN INSECTS. 

 By J. Alston Moffat, London, Ont. 



On May 3rd, 1899, I received the following letter, which proved to be the introduc- 

 tion to a much valued correspondence ; and the package containing the wasps referr d to 

 in it, was but the first of a series from the same source, containing numerous interesting 

 examples of Cuban entomology, which have formed quite a valuable addition to the 

 Society's exotic collection. 



Santiago de Cuba, March 17th, 1899. 

 Entomological Society of Ontario. 



Gentlemen ; — I am sending you under separate cover a few specimens of wasps, which have 

 a kind of root growing from them. I send you these to tell you of the belief here among the 

 natives that the " Liana " a bush full of thorns has its origin from dead wasps. This affair was 

 explained to me by Dr. Gundlach as being simply a fungus growth ; it is quite aJeommon thing 

 to find in the dry season, about February, a whole nest of these insects on the ground, all of 

 which have these roots. I have also seen them with the leaf — always dry— on the roots. The 

 specimens I send you are not very good, they only having one root each, but I have not at pre- 

 sent any better ones, and as the rains have already begun I shall not be able to get any more 

 till next dry season. 



I might also mention that the Tarantula or " Arana Peluda " as it is called here, is supposed 

 to give birth to the " Sarza" a vine with some very sharp thorns. 



It is rather interesting to notice how the natives connect the sting of these insects with the 

 thorns of the plants, and they will not be convinced that they are wrong. 



I hope this may be of interest to you. I have never seen the Tarantula with the roots, but 

 shall keep a lookout for them next season, aud may be able to send you a specimen. 



Yours truly, 



Chas. T. Ramsden. 



A few days later the box came to hand with the specimens in fairly good condition ; 

 the fungus growths projecting from them conspicuously. The wasps are of medium size, 

 exquisitely formed and beautifully ornamented in brown, black and yellow, but the colors 

 lose much of their brightness when the insects are dried. 



My first consideration was to obtain the name of the species, and for that purpose 

 I sent an example to Prof. W. H. Ashmead, of the United States National Museum, 

 Washington, D. O, who kindly and promptly forwarded to me the following letter in 

 reply to my inquiry : 



