Observations on Growth of Fungus Parasitic on Locusts. 75 



cultivated fungus, and this insect also contracted the mycosis and 

 died. I found mycelium in its tissues and the conidia ; also it was 

 very interesting to find that its excreta after being discharged in 

 a few days became covered with a luxuriant mouldy growth, from 

 which I was able on glycerine-agar to cultivate the characteristic 

 fungus afresh. I was unable at the time to pursue my experiments 

 further in this direction, but the one case is sufficient evidence to 

 show that the mycosis is not confined to the locust species. The 

 fact also that I found the characteristic mycelium and the spores in 

 locusts sent from King William's Town in May, 1896, and that the 

 fungus grows so freely on albuminoid and decaying animal matter 

 would lead us to suppose that a careful search would demonstrate 

 that this fungus in certain seasons is fairly widespread in South 

 Africa, and that it attacks from year to year, during the warm 

 season, locusts and other allied insects. But whether the fungus 

 is carried to these parts by the swarms of locusts, or whether it 

 is saprophytic on decaying albuminoid matter throughout these 

 regions and then attacks the locusts which arrive in these parts, is 

 a matter for further investigation. 



Classification. 



I was at first inclined to believe that the fungus belonged to the 

 class EntomophhorecB with which it has, as will be seen, many 

 strong resemblances, but it has also several characters in common 

 with the Mucorini, so that my limited experience will not allow me 

 to say that it is not closely connected with the latter class. 



Pathogenicity. 



Sufficient evidence has been given to show that the fungus is 

 pathogenic. But what we know of the pathogenicity of this class 

 of parasites does not encourage me to believe that through this 

 agency destruction of locusts will take place on an extensive scale. 

 When I brought the fact of the ease with which the fungus could be 

 cultivated to Dr. Edington's notice, he suggested that it should 

 be sent out in small tubes of glycerine-agar to districts where locusts 

 were abundant and destructive. Large numbers of such tubes were 

 distributed throughout Cape Colony during the latter half of 1896, 

 and, as will be seen from Dr. Edington's report of the Bacteriological 

 Institute for 1896, very favourable accounts were returned of the 

 pathogenic action of the fungus on swarms of locusts in certain 

 districts. But in spite of this positive evidence I do not think that 

 sufficient data for a positive induction as to the value of the fungus 

 in destroying locusts in large numbers have been collected ; it is 



