SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



241 



Postscript on Dactylopius sorghiellus. 



It seems desirable to call more particular atten- 

 tion to the close relationship between D. kingii, 

 described on page 242, and D. sorghiellus, Forbes. It 

 is possible, indeed, that these two may ultimately 

 prove to be forms of one species, though in the 

 light of our present knowledge we must hold them 

 distinct. The differences apparent on studying 

 Forbes' description of sorghiellus are as follows : 

 D. sorghiellus is covered by a bluish bloom, and does 

 not hide itself in a white cottony sac like Iiiiigii ; 

 sorghiellus is i^ millimetres long, kingii is 3 milli- 

 metres ; in sorghiellus the fourth antennal joint is the 

 shortest, as in kingii, but the eighth is "enlarged 

 to a kind of club," while in kingii it is not at all 

 swollen, and it is only " very nearly as long as the 

 sixth and seventh together," whereas in kingii it is 

 longer than these two. It might be thought that 

 Forbes' specimens were not quite mature ; but his 

 notes show that he had adults, and he describes the 

 eggs. As to the habits of sorghiellus, Forbes says it 

 occurs "on corn (roots, leaf sheath and leaf), on 

 sorghum (August 4th), and on the roots of June 

 grass, timothy, and probably other meadow and 

 pasture grasses, clover, and cocklebur [Xanthium 

 strumarium). It is commonly attended by ants, 

 especially the species most frequently acting as 

 host to the corn-root aphis, Lasius niger, and its 

 variety alienus. It sometimes passes the winter in 

 their nests, where we have seen ants feeding on the 

 wax}' surface-covering of the mealy-bugs." (S. A. 

 Forbes, Monog. " Insects injurious to Indian Corn," 

 p. 107.) 



(13) Lecanidm urichi, Ckll., 1S94. 



Discovered by Mr. Urich in Trinidad, in nests of 



Cremastogasterhrcvisptnosa, Mayr. Found in Granada 

 with an undetermined ant : also found in Brazil. 

 About the size and shape of a half-pea, but some- 

 what smaller and flatter ; red-brown, shiny, with 

 black or blackish interrupted transverse lines. In 

 Trinidad Mr. Hart {ounA Lecaniuni nanum , Ckll., and 

 Icerya ros^e, R. and H., in runs of the ant Azteca 

 chartifex. 



(14) Lecanium fokmicarii. Green, 1896. 



In Ceylon, on stems of tea and other shrubs, in 

 nests ol Cremastogaster dohrni, Mayr. Highly convex, 

 almost globular, dull brown. 



The above fourteen species are, I think, all yet 

 known to be normally inhabitants of ants' nests. 

 The list could be much extended if all those with 

 which ants are associated were quoted. To give 

 some examples : Mr. J. T. Moggridge describes 

 how Camponstus marginatus at Cannes ascends the 

 cork oaks in search of certain coccids, which from 

 his description are evidently Kerntes bauhinii; Mr. 

 Douglas has recorded Formica fuliginosa guarding 

 Lecanium rubi; Mr. Barber has found Tctramorium 

 auropunctatum associated with Lecanium hemisphari- 

 cum on coffee in Montserrat ; Mr. Sule found three 

 Phenacoccus aceris in the runs of Lasius fuliginosus ; 

 the ant Acropyga goldii, Forel, was found by Dr. 

 Goeldi tending a coccid on coffee-trees in Brazil ; 

 Mr. Schwarz found larvae of Aspidiotus perniciosus 

 on the ant Monomorium minutum in Virginia (the 

 larval coccids will crawl on to anything that 

 approaches, and so get transported from place to 

 place) ; and at Las Cruces, New Mexico, the ant 

 Dorymyrmex pyramicus attends Iceiya rileyi. 



{To be continued.) 



FEATHERED VERMIN IN THE PENTLAND HILLS. 

 By Robert Godfrey. 



'T^HERE is no need to explain the meaning of 

 the word " vermin," except to say that it is 

 here used in a rather restricted sense, being 

 employed in reference to the feathered portion only 

 of the malefactors embraced under that term. In 

 the Pentlands we cannot boast a great variety of 

 vermin, nor claim any rare breeding species. 

 The three small hawks— the kestrel, merlin and 

 sparrow-hawk, — long-eared owl, magpie and carrion 

 crow, and, in some instances, jackdaw, constitute 

 our list of resident vermin. But a few others pay a 

 passing visit in spring and autumn. 



Winter has barely passed before the keepers 

 and shepherds prepare for their yearly onslaught 

 on "hoodies" and hawks, and in their efforts 

 to exterminate them, reckon every means taken 

 as lawful and fair. Traps baited with fresh rabbit 



are laid down on the wood borders, and prove fatal 

 snares for magpies and occasional kestrels and 

 crows ; unbailed traps are placed on poles on the 

 hill-face, or laid on the top of a large stone by the 

 streamside, chiefly with the view of snaring the 

 dashing little merlin. And the gamekeeper is often 

 abroad with his gun, skulking amongst the trees in 

 search of the various objects of his aversion. In 

 spite of the number of birds annually killed, fresh 

 arrivals and birds that have escaped a previous 

 persecution are sure to turn up in the following 

 season, and the number of vermin always seems 

 well up to the average as spring comes round. The 

 predominating species vary in different regions of 

 the hills, and whilst one or the other may be 

 common in certain localities, it may have been in 

 others almost exterminated. The magpie forms the 



