336 
FURTHER FACTS ON ERASTRIA SCITULA. 
Through the kindness of M. A. Giard we have been made acquainted 
with the interesting observations of Capitaiue Xanibeu, of Bia, Pyre- 
nees Orien tales, upon this predaeeous Lepidopteron, an account of 
which was published in Le Naturaliste for August 15, 1891. M. Xam- 
beu gives a very careful account of the life-history of the iusect, agree- 
ing in nearly all respects with that made out independently by Dr. H. 
Eouzaud, which we have recited at some length in No. 1 of the current 
volume of Insect Life. We promised an attempt at an introduction 
of this insect into the olive-growing regions of California at the earliest 
possible moment. Unfortunately Dr. Bouzaud's duties as member of 
the Chamber of Deputies at Paris have prevented him from attempting 
the sending of living specimens of this important beneficial insect to 
this country; and farther he writes us that during 1893 the species has 
been extremely scarce at Montpellier. Inasmuch, however, as Capt. 
Xambeu reports it as very abundant at Bia, we have written him in 
the hope that he will be able to send living specimens in the hibernat- 
ing condition before the winter season is passed. We have little hope 
of being able to introduce the species except during the winter. 
A STRIKING: INSTANCE OF RETARDED DEVELOPMENT. 
On September 20, 1893, Mr. Albert Koebele wrote us from Alameda, 
Cal., to the effect that while engaged some two weeks previously in 
cutting up some of the Yucca stems which he had collected in Los 
Angeles County May 17, 1887, two fresh and healthy larvee of Prodoxus 
were found still present, spun up. There were large numbers of other 
larv?e that had died. The living ones will not issue before the coming 
spring, which will make them seven years old. We have called atten- 
tion in our writings on the Prodoxidre, to the tendency to retardation 
in development, but the period of latency experienced by Mr. Koebele 
is the longest so far recorded. 
AN UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE WITH CABINET BEETLES. 
An Iowa correspondent, Dr. J. M. Shaffer, writes us, under date of 
March 14, of a very unusual experience with the common Cabinet 
Beetle f Anthrenus varius). Three years ago he had twenty cases of 
insects destroyed by this species in spite of treatment with camphor, 
chloroform, and benzine. Boxes, insects, and all were? saturated with 
benzine, but without producing satisfactory results. An Acridium, 
he writes, was captured and mounted in October, and placed in a drawer 
with other insects. A few days later the grasshopper was discovered 
half eaten, and, on being broken open, found to contain Anthrenus larvae. 
The only explanation that we are able to give without personally visiting 
the premises is that the building in which the insect collection is kept, 
and which Dr. Shaffer informs us also harbors other collections of 
