151 
ling this time they have gradually lost their ambulatory powers 
emam stationary upon their victims. In the mean time changes 
ly wonderful have been going on within the abdomen. 
gs are continually forming, and within these the young mites 
s continually developing, passing through their entire metamor- 
I'S) which includes the acquisition oj the fourth pair of leas (an 
pional character among mites) within the abdomen of* the 
: er, from which they make their way as fast as they reach 
itnty. 
b females are quite prolific. I have counted frequently from 
to fifty young and eggs within the abdomen, and believe that 
: produce even more. The mothers survive the birth of a large 
| ei ’ ■" *2°^ a majority of the young. The male I have never 
, and I am inclined to believe with Mr. Newport, that the 
I ! ® parthenogenous. The minute size of these young mites 
. s of their free access to the larvae of the moth, through the 
small opening where this made its entry, and a single mite 
v its progeny would be sufficient to destroy it. 
jit this is very often the manner of attack is proved by the 
fiat grains in which the larvae is badly infested frequently have 
§ . break in the hull by which even a young mite could gain 
| si ° n - hike the larvae on which they subsist, their development 
! * r( fed or increased by the temperature, they being quite active 
! jemperatuie of 60 4 ah; but in colder weather able to remain 
fr abdomen of the parent for months in a dormant state 
ng a rising temperature. 
I'omalus gelechice, n. s. While examining the grain containing 
; l arvae ) I frequently found pupae of a small hymenopterous 
I and bred them in considerable numbers. 
T first thought these parasites might be Pteromalus calanclrce. 
:d but Mr. Howard has pronounced it a distinct species, and 
pribed. 
f Richard Owen, of New Harmony, Ind., in “The Cultivator” 
pyember, 1846, is said to figure a parasite which Hr. Harris 
I it might belong to the genus Pteromalus , but as I can find no 
f.of a ?W description having been published in this country, I 
pescnbe it as follows: 
3 — Length of body, 2 mm ; expanse of wings, 3.8 mm ; width 
r 0.6 mm. Head large, broader than thorax. Antennae 
y clavate, moderately pilose, shorter than thorax; second joint 
jj than first; fifth joint more slender than sixth, but broader 
fourth, and as long as both ring-joints together. Thorax 
- than broad; parapsidal furrows distinct; the middle femora 
i long slender spine on inner side near apex. Abdomen 
3 , sessile, robust, and obtusely triangular. Head, face, and 
i of thorax coarsely cribrato-punctate, with scattered, fine 
Abdomen smooth,. shining. Color: head and thorax steel- 
abdomen black at tip; antennae fuscous throughout; femora 
3 nor and middle pair of legs scarcely darker than tibiae; the 
f 
