20 



Bulletin of the New York State Museum. 



not stated — showing this interesting order of events : The larva 

 of a large Coleopterous insect (Lachnostema fiisca) is destroyed 

 by a hymenopterons larva {TipJiia inornata); this in turn by a 

 Coleopterous larva (Rhipiphorus pectinatus) ; and this again by a 



Hymenopterous larva ( ). 



In connection with the parasitic attack on the 

 white grub, it is of interest to note that Dr. F. 

 Brauer has lately discovered a very interesting 

 parasite upon Bhizotregus, an European genus 

 belonging to the same group with Lachnostema. 

 Within its nearly formed pupa, he has found the 

 second larval stage of a dipterous insect, Hirmo- 

 neiira obscura — one of the bee-flies, the genua of 

 which is represented in the United States. It is 

 still not known when and in what manner the para- 

 site enters the Ehizotrogus grub, but it was thought 

 to be while the latter is in the larval state {Science, 

 iii, April 18, 1884, p. 488). 



The White Gruh Fungus. — For another destroyer 

 of the white grub, and the most interesting of all 

 that we have referred to, we have to turn to the vege- 

 table kingdom — to that low class of plants known 

 as fungi. From its beii^ so often found upon this 

 species, it has been popularly named the ujhite grub 

 fungus. Scientifically, it is known as Cwdyceps 

 Bavenelii Berkeley.* It was described ia 1857, but 

 its economic importance in its association with the 

 white grub was not known until brought to notice 

 by Walsh in 1867 {Practical Entomologist, ii, 1867, 

 p. 116) upon the reception of specimens from a 

 large number of the grub Jdlled by this growtii, 

 which had been plowed up in a field in Iowa. Its 

 character was not understood at the time, Mr . 

 Walsh suggesting that, but for the numbers found, 

 the grub might have swallowed a seed which sub- 

 sequently sprouted and grew. Later, its fungoid 

 character was disclosed. Its general appearance 

 «SbattaIke7by'^is that of a pair of elongated horns, green at first, 

 funeus. but subsequently changing to brown, issuing from 



* Originally described as a Cordyceps, and subsequently referred to other 

 genera, it has recently been restored to the Cordyceps of Fries, in SyUoge 

 Fungorum of P. A. Saccardo (.vol. ii, 1883, p. 573). 



