146 
RepLy.—Your letter of June 27 has been received and referred to the entomolo- 
gist, who reports that he has sent you by accompanying mail a copy of Bulletin No. 
25 of his division, which treats of destructive locusts or ‘‘ grasshoppers” and the 
best 1emedies to be used against them. He will be obliged if you will kindly send 
‘in specimens of the insect of which you complain, and for this purpose a frank and 
return envelope are inclosed.—[July 2, 1891. ] 
Grasshopper Notes from Idaho. 
I returned from my Idaho trip on the evening of the 14th, and will send you a de- 
tailed report of it at a later date. Found that the region devastated last year was 
greatly increased the present year, and that in addition to the Camnula pellucida, 
which has been the chief depredator in this region, three species of MWelanoplus and 
the Western Cricket (Anabrus simplex) are also present in damaging numbers. 
The other locusts that I deem of sufficient importance to demand the attention of 
the settlers are the following: Melanoplus bivitiatus, M. atlanis, M. fedus, this last- 
named insect being the one referred to as very numerous in the vicinity of Boisé 
City last year. 
The large crickets entered the valley from the southwest and passed over the greater 
portion of the Camas Prairie in a northeasterly direction, leaving eggs in many 
places. Most of the crickets had left the region before I visited it. While but few 
eggs were left in the valley by the Camnula pellucida, I am fearful that, everything 
being favorable, the other three species of locusts named above are present in suf- 
fieient numbers to warrant some exertions being made on the part of the authorities 
toward fighting the pest. 
In my collecting during this trip I found specimens of at least three species that 
I believe are new hoppers. These were all taken at about 9,000 feet elevation.—[Law- 
rence Bruner, Nebraska, September 16, 1891. 
A Flight of White Ants. 
We have had dry weather until to-day, when, after a good shower, my little boys, 
who are observant of natural phenomena, exclaimed, ‘‘ See the insects!” The air was 
fullofthem. They came up suddenly from the east. They flew from 2 to 20 feet high. 
They lasted for about twenty minutes; then another wonder awaited us. They 
fell along the ground and their wings began to drop off. They paired, one follow- 
ing another closely. Numerous red ants picked them up rapidly and carried them 
off. JI send you some of them and should be glad to hear what they are.—[L. F. 
Bickford, Texas, July 16, 1891.] 
REpPLy.—This is one of the so-called White Ants, Termes morio. As you are doubt- 
less aware, these insects, although called ‘‘ White Ants,” belong to the Neuroptera, - 
an entirely different order from the true ants. They live, however, in colonies in 
much the same way, and feed preferably upon dead and decaying wood. You will 
find their nests in the timbers of old houses and in old logs and wood. In tropical 
countries they build enormous nests. You are, perhaps, familiar with the accounts 
of the nests of the African Termites. The males and females acquire wings at cer- 
tain times of the year and swarm in great numbers. The flights of such forms in 
the open air have been seldom observed, but if you will notice page 146 of the second 
volume of the Standard Natural History you will see an account of the immense 
swarm of Termes flavipes at Cambridge, Mass., on the morning of May 19, 1878. 
Some of the old houses in this city are badly infested with this latter species, and 
the winged individuals swarm very early in the season.—[July 22, 1891.] 
The Malodorous Lace-wing. 
Inclosed I send you a curious insect, captured last night in my family room. The 
remarkable thing about this fly is that, when alive, it emits a most offensive and 
disagreeable odor, fillingtheroom. Ithoughtsome ofthe family had stepped intosome- 
cathy 
—s 
