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devoid of fear, and will attack a bee or wasp as readily as a moth or 
fly. An asilid in capturing a bee or wasp seizes it immediately back 
of tbe bead so that the abdomen is extended forward and it can make 
no defense with its sting in its effort to escape. 
Tbe Germans call tbese insects "robber-flies," and several species 
are common in tbe cotton fields. I have observed them seizing moths, 
beetles, dragon-flies, bees, etc. The following species were taken on 
the Brown plantation: Diogmites platypterus Loew, Erax lateralis 
Macq., Erax 1 bastardi, Atomosia puella Wied., A. rufipes Macq., and 
Holeocepliala abdominalis Say. 
The habits of the Syrphidre are varied, although many of them in 
the larva state are beneficial, as they feed upon destructive aphides. 
Tbe following were observed on cotton: Mesograpta polita Say, Eristalis 
vinetorum Fabr., and Baccha fuscipennis Say, all on the blossoms feed- 
ing upon pollen, while the larva of the last-mentioned was feeding upon 
the cotton aphis. 
The larva of Mesograpta polita Say was also common on corn, feeding 
on the pollen and juices of the plant. The blades of the corn were 
covered with its puparia. From these I bred two parasites, a cynipid 
(JSolenaspis hyalinus Ashm.) and a chalcidid {Eneyrtus mesograptae 
Ashin.). 
Pipunculus subvirescens Loew. was found. associating with certain jas- 
sids affecting cotton, and I believe it to be parasitic on Biedrocephala 
versuta Say, 
Several distinct species of TachinidaB were captured on cotton, but 
as none were bred, no effort has been made to identify them. 
Phora aletiw Ooinst., formerly supposed to be a true parasite of the 
cotton-worm, was common in all the fields, and lives in almost any 
decaying animal or vegetable substance, the frass and excreta of the 
boll-worm being a favorite place in which it deposits its eggs. I bred 
many specimens from such places, as well as from nothing but decom- 
posing cotton leaves, the excreinental pellets of various larvae, and 
from decomposing insects. It is certainly only a scavenger, and not a 
true parasite. 
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN IMPORTED BEETLES. 
By F. H. Chittenden. 
In the list of Ooleoptera collected by the writer in the foreign agri- 
cultural exhibits at the World's Columbian Exposition, and published 
by Professor Eiley in Insect Life (vol. vi, pp. 218-221), several species 
were only partially identified. Since tbe publication of this list the 
doubtful forms have been given further study, and it is now possible 
to furnish the names of some of the more important species, as well as 
some information regarding their synonymy aud geographic and eco- 
nomic status. At the same time I have thought it well to include in this 
