No. 1. ] 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



35 



The precise life history of the Indian species is not yet known, but it is 

 probably similar to that of its American relation, which, according to Dr. 



Riley, deposits its own minute eggs in the ground close to where the 

 locust has previously laid its eggs. Minute maggots rapidly hatch out 

 from the fly's eggs, and bore their way into the eo;g mass of the locust 

 where they feed upon the contents of the locusts' eggs, and finally trans- 

 form into little brown pupae, from which the flies emerge ready to lay 

 more eggs, and thus repeat the cycle of their existence. The figure 

 shows the image of Ant homy i a peshawarensis Biirot, with much enlarged 

 diagrams of wing, antenna and leg. The natural size of the image is in- 

 dicated by the hair line. 



In May 1891 Mr. W. R. H. Merk, Deputy Commissioner, Peshawar, 

 An euenry of the jomig locust. forwarded specimens of Carabid beetle 



which has been identified as Calosoma 

 orientate of Hope. This insect was said 

 to have been observed in vast number 

 in the Peshawar district feeding voraci- 

 ously upon the young unfledged locusts. 

 The locust referred to is Acridium pere- 

 grinum Oliv. which has been doing so 

 much damage in Northern India during 

 the last few years. In a report, dated 

 19th June 1891, forwarded to the 

 Museum by the Commissioner of 

 Peshawar, Captain C. G. Parsons, 

 writes :— 

 " A black btetle, probably of the kiud Mr. Merk sent a specimen of to Calcutta 



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