25 
NOTES ON COTTON INSECTS FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI. 
By William H. Ashmead. 
Towards the latter part of July, 1893, I was instructed to proceed to 
Utiea, Hinds county, Miss., to make some special studies on the boll- 
worm (Heliothis armiger Htibn.). I reached my destination on July 23 
and left August 23, my stay there extending over a period of just one 
month. During this brief period, as time permitted, studies were made 
on such other cotton insects as were brought under my observation, 
and I find now that many of these have never before been reported on 
cotton, while still others, especially among the parasitic forms, prove 
to be new to science. 
Inasmuch as many of these are not only of scientific interest but of 
economic importance, it seems to me desirable that all should be placed 
on record, together with such brief notes on rearings and habits as 
have been made, for the assistance and guidance of other workers. As 
the most satisfactory method of presenting these brief notes, I propose 
to arrange the insects observed in consecutive order under the different 
Orders to which they belong. 
ORDER ORTHOPTERA. 
The Carolina Mantis or rear-horse {Stag mo mantis Carolina Burin.). — 
The nymph of this striking insect was alone met with, the mature insect 
not having put in its appearance. Its old egg- cases were found twice. 
Three or four species of the genus Gryllus were common in the cotton 
fields. They probably feed occasionally on cotton, but no direct observa- 
tions were made on their habits. 
The minute three-toed cricket (Tridactylus minutus Scudd.) was quite 
common in the cotton fields and was observed feeding on the tender, 
newly-formed leaves. Its preference is for low, damp situations, and 
it was rarely met with in high, dry places. 
The banded cricket {Xemobius fasciatus DeG.) — Not rare. Feeds 
occasionally on the tender leaves. 
The agitating cricket (Hapithus agitator Uhler). — A single specimen 
only taken, hiding in a blossom. The petals had a hole eaten through 
them, possibly by it, but it was not observed feeding. 
The beautiful leaf-palpus cricket {Phyllopalpus pulchellus Uhler) was 
not uncommon in the blossoms of cotton planted on low land, con- 
tiguous to a swamp or running stream. It was observed feeding upon 
the petals, corolla, and pollen. 
Gundlach's cricket (Cyrtoxipha gundlachi Sauss.). — A single speci- 
men taken in a cotton blossom. It was not observed feeding. 
The banded tree-cricket (CEcanth us fasciatus Fitch). — This species is 
not uncommon, and feeds upon the leaves. It is readily distinguished 
from (E. niveus and allied species by having along, straight black line, 
