41 



as I have seen recorded of this, but transform within the crevices of the bark. At this 

 time, July 8th, the trunks of the trees are covered with the larvae seeking places to trans- 

 form, and there is scarcely a crevice of the bark but what is filled with the yellow pupal 

 forms which will in a few days disclose the imagines. The ground immediately surround- 

 ing the base of the trees is covered with the pupa?, which have bpen dislodged from their 

 positions in the bark by the eager efforts of larva? crowding in the crevices to undergo 

 transformation. As this change occurs within the crevices of the bark of trunk and limb, 

 it becomes impossible, unless at great labour, to apply means for exterminating the pest. 

 The evil, however, is likely to cure itself, for the larvae are so numerous, and such insatiate 

 feeders, that starvation will probably end the visitation. Much good, however, can be 

 done by brushing down the trunks of the trees, sweeping the ground immediately beneath, 

 and destroying the entire mass by fire. 



A PARASITE ATTACKING THE ZEBRA CATERPILLAR (Mamestra 



picta, Harris). 



BT T. B. CAULDFIELD, MONTREAL. 



On July 19th, 1881, a caterpillar of this moth was found on a cauliflower which had 

 been brought from market, and was placed in a tumbler with some of the leaves. By the 

 21st it had shrunk considerably in size, and was greatly changed in appearance, the black 

 and yellow markings that make this larva so conspicuous an object having faded to a dull 

 whitish colour. On the 22nd it was lying on the bottom of the glass and was revolving 

 continuously. Under natural conditions it would, I believe, have entered the earth to go 

 through its transformations, and the curious revolving motion might perhaps have been 

 for the purpose of forming and smoothing its cell. On looking at it on the morning of 

 the 23rd, a soft white flattened ichneumon larva had issued from it, and had commenced 

 the construction of its cocoon by spinning a few white threads. By evening it had sur- 

 rounded itself with a thin egg-shaped cocoon of a yellowish white colour, through which 

 the movements of the enclosed grub could be seen. On the morning of # the 24th the cocoon 

 was finished and was dense and firm. It was of a reddish-brown colour in the middle, 

 blackish-brown at each end. The perfect insect emerged on September 13th, 1881, and 

 proved to be Ophion purgatus Say. Mamestra picta is a well-known insect, and is treated 

 of by Harris, Riley, Lintner and others, but I do not remember seeing any account of its 

 being attacked by a parasite. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



BY A. W. HANHAM, PARIS, ONT. 



I have to record the capture of some Coleoptera in rather an unusual manner. Last 

 week while out in the woods on one of my collecting tramps, I was attracted to an old 

 stump by the glittering of something in the sun. Closer acquaintance did not at first 

 solve the mystery ; the bright object seemed to be buried among some debris. Further 

 examination revealed the dried and withered remains of a small toad, the glitter being 

 that of some Buprestida? partly exposed in what was once the stomach of the defunct 

 batrachian. 



I carried the remains home, and with no little trouble excavated in a perfect state 

 the following : — 



Calosoma Jrigidurn Lee. 



Platynus placidua Say. Several 



