Full text of "Insect life"

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LIBRARY OF

1685- IQ56

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISIOX OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN, VOL. I.

JULY, ISSS, to JUXK, 1SS9.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,
ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,
AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST
AND HIS ASSISTANTS.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1888-'9.
25068— No. 12 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CONTENTS OF NO. 1.

Page.

Salutatory 3

The Corn-pollen Syrphus-fly (illustrated) 5

The Willow-shoot Saw-fly (illustrated) C. V.Riley.. 8

The Sugar-cane Beetle INJURING Corn L. 0. Howard.. 11

Extracts from Correspondence 13

Garden Web-worm. — A uew Enemy to the Date Palm in Florida.— A Vir-
ginia Simulium called "Cholera Gnat."— The Black-polled Titmouse
destroying Canker Worms.— Kerosene Emulsion for the Cabbage Mag-
got. — AfterEffect of the O viposition of the Periodical Cicada. —More Tes-
timony on the Buckwheat Kemedy for Cut-worms.— An Application for
Buffalo Gnat Bites.— Relative Merits of arsenical Solutions. — Probably
a new Enemy to Pear from Oregon. — An extraordinary Flight of Lach-
nosterna. — Lime and Tobacco for Currant-worms. — Some Notes from
Mississippi.

New Species of Oncocnemis John B. Smith.. 18

The Australian Parasite of Icerya PURCHASi(illustrated).<S. TV. Williston.. 21

The Privet Web-worm (illustrated) 22

Notes 26

Chinch Bug in California. — German Phylloxera Laws. — Kerosene Emulsion
against Cabbage Worms. — Swarmingof Hackberry Butterflies. — South-
ward Spread of the Asparagus Beetle. —Caterpillars stopping Trains. —
Injury by the Rocky Mountain Locust. — The Periodical Cicada in
1888. — The Chinch Bug in 1888. — Increase of Cryptocephahis venus-
tus. — The Hessian Fly half way around the World. — " Eau celeste " for
the Rose Beetle.

CONTENTS OF NO. 2.

The Yellow-spotted Willow-slug (illustrated) L. O.Howard.. 33

Notes on Eum^eus atala (illustrated) E. A. Schwarz.. 37

Supplementary Report on the Gas Treatment for Scale-insects

D.W.Coquillett.. 41

External Spider Parasites L. O.Hoivard.. 42

The Sweet-potato Saw-fly (illustrated) 43

The Morelos Orange Fruit- worm (illustrated) C.V.Riley.. 45

Kerosene Emulsion as a Remedy for White Grubs 48

Extracts from Correspondence 50

A new Tomato Enemy in Georgia. — Precursors of Brood V of the Periodical
Cicada. — Mites infesting an old Grain Elevator. — The Streaked Cotton-
wood Leaf-beetle in the East. — Hibernation of Mosquitoes. — Leaf Hop-
pers and the " Die-back" of the Orange. — The Barnacle Scale injuring

III

Page.

Extracts from Correspondence— Continued.

Persimmon. — Euryomia melanchoUca vv. Cotton Bolls. — A Peach Fruit-
worm in Japan.— Hibernation of the Two-spotted Lady-bird.— Prior Is-
suing of the Male Sex of Cimbex. — Work of the Bronzy Cut-worm in
Missouri. — The Bamboo Siuoxylon.— The Western Cricket in 1887. —
Dicerca a Poplar Feeder.— An Enemy to Young Carp.

Notes 58

The Twelve-spotted Diabrotica injuring Fruit Trees.— Heat evolved from
the Work of a Bruchus.- Ecouomic Entomology in India. — Buffalo
Gnats attacking Man. — New European natural Enemies to the Aspar-
agus Beetle.— Concerning the Uji Parasite of the Silk-worm.

CONTENTS OF NO. X

Editorials 63

Notes on the Rocky Mountain Locust Lawreiux Bruner.. 65

Injury done by Roaches to the Files in the Treasury at Washing-
ton 67

Further Notes on the Hop Plant-louse (Phorodon humuli).C. V.Riley.. 70

Life-History of Graptodera foliacea Lee ...Mary E Murtfeldt.. 74

A Man-infesting Bot (illustrated) Rudolph Matas, M. D.. 76

Steps towards a Revision of Chambers' Index, with Notes and De-
scriptions OF new Species Lord TValsingham.. 81

Extracts from Correspondence " 85

The Strawberry Weevil in Pennsylvania. — Graptodera punctipenn is injuring
Nursery Stock. — Lachnosterna hirticula injuring Poplars and Oaks. — In-
sects confounded with the Hessian Fly prior to the Revolution. — Injury
from non-migratory Locusts in Michigan. — Australian Letters on Icerya.

Notes 88

A destructive Cricket in Louisiana. — A new Enemy to Honey Bees. — An un-
published Habit of Allorhina nitida. — A new Remedy against the Woolly
Api)le-louse. — Oviposition of the Plum Gouger.— Recent Swarmings of
Insects. — An inexpert Defense.— Insect Damage to the Corks of Wine-
bottles. — Locusts in Algeria. — Enemies of Icerya in New Zealand.

CONFENTS OF NO. 4.

Special Notes 93

The Parsnip Web-wokm (illustrated) C. V. Riley.. 94

Notes on a Simulium common at Ithaca, N. Y L. 0. Howard.. 09

A Lady Bird Parasite (illustrated) C. V. Riley.. 101

The Purslane Caterpillar (illustrated) 104

Further concerning external Spider Parasites (illustrated) L. 0. Howard 106

Remarks on the Hessian Fly (Abstract of paper by C. V.Riley).. 107

Extracts from Correspondence 108

A Stomoxys Injuring Stock in Oregon.— The Colorado Potato-beetle in Nova
Scotia.— 1883 Damage by Chinch Bug in Missouri.— A problematical
Remedy against the Asparagus Beetle. — Increased Ravages of Icerya in
California.— The Green-striped Maple-worm. — Wheat Saw-flies. — Was
it an Accident or a wily Milkman ? — Cranberry Gall-mites. — Notes on
the Chinch Bug in Minnesota. — Epidemic Diseases of the Chinch Bug
in Illinois.
Steps towards a Revision; of Chambers' Index, etc. (illustrated)

Lord TValsittgham . . 113

Paje.

General Notes 118

Synonymy of the Mealy Bug of the Orange. — Entomology in Chili. — Larva
of the Clover Stem-borer as a Gall-maker. — The Use of Osage Orange
as a Food for Silk-worms.— The Pear Diplosis in England.— The Orchid
Isosoma, and a Eemedy for its Injury.— False Report of Phylloxera in
Australia.— Apropos to Hot^ Water as an Insecticide.— Value of dead
Locusts as Manure. — The Insidious Flower-bug.

CONTENTS OF NO. 5.

Special Notks 123

Some uecent entomological Matters of international Concern

(illustrated) C. V.Iiileij.. 126

The Food-habits of the Thkipid.e Herbert Osborn . . 137

Extracts from Correspondence 142

Danger to human Beings from use of Paris green. — The Clover Seed-midge
in Ohio. — Formula for a Buffalo Gnat Application. — The acid Secretion
of Notodonta coHctHwa.- Out-of-door Hibernation o{ Lecanium hemisphwri-
cum in Pennsylvania.— The Introduction of Lestophonm iceryce.—A
House infested with Psocidte.

Steps towards a Revision of Chambers' Index, etc Lord Walsiitgham.. 145

General Notes 151

A recent British entomological Circular.— Two Suggestions to Students of
Entomology.— The Relation of Ants to the Corn Aphis.— Insects intro-
duced intoChili.— Remarkable Abundanceof the Cecropia Silk-worm. —
The Clover-root Borer.— A Point in Favor of the English Sparrow.— The
Rear-horse domesticated. — A California Enemy to Walnuts.— Little
known Enemies of the Potato Plant in New York. — Prof. Forbes' Inves-
tigation on the Food of fresh-water Fishes.— The Hosts of a few larger
Ichueumonids.— The Entomological Society of Washington.

CONTENTS OF NO. 6.

Special Notes 163

The Habits of Thalessa and Tremex (illustrated) C. V. Riley.. 168

Notes oh Lachnosterna fusca (illustrated) J. B.Smith.. 180

A Sandwich Island Sugar-cane Borer (illustrated) 185

Extracts from Correspondence lyO

The " Red Bug " lujuring Oranges again.— Further Injury in the Treasury
by Roaches. — Beetles supposed to have been passed by a Patient. — A
Tineid on Carpets in Texas.— Leaf-stripping Ants in Arizona.- The Hes-
sian Fly in England.- Stinging Caterpillar of Lagoa opercuJaris.—Re-
buttal of Wier's Statements regarding the Plum Curculio.

General Notes 193

Grain Insects in Australia.- Further concerning the Locust War in Al-
geria. — An important Contribution to Lepidopterology. — The poison-
ous Nature of the Meconium of Lepidoptera. — The Peach-twig Moth
and its Parasite. — Two abnormal Honey Bees. — Reappearance of Lack-
71US platauicola.— Two alieu Pests of the Greenhouse. — The Food-habits
of North American Calandridte.- The natural Food-plant of Graptodera
foliacea.—A remarkable Insect Enemy to Live Stock.— Further on the
Importation of Lestophonus.— The Entomological Society of Wash-
ington.

CONTENTS OF NO. 7.

Page.

Special Notes 201

A Contribution to the Literature of fatal Spider Bites (illustrated).. 204
Description of Leonia rileyi, a new Meloid Genus near Horxia

(illustrated) Eugene Dugh.. 211

On the Emasculating Bot-fly (illustrated) 214

Extracts from Correspondence 216

Injurious lusects iu Mississippi for 1888. — Larva of Saturnia io on Saw Pal-
metto in Florida. — Acanthacara similis injuring Pine-apple in Florida. —
Hylesinus trifolii in Ohio. — Wisconsin Letter on Cicada septendecim.—A
proposed Remedy for the Chinch Bug. — One of the Parasite Introduc-
tion Experiments in California. — Two species of Anomala injurious to
the Vine in the South. — Beetles boring in an Opium Pipe from China.
— A Grape-vine Flea-beetle in the Southwest. — The "Voice" of Vanessa
antiopa.—A Swarming of the Milk-weed Butterfly in 1886.— A Phyllox-
era on the Pecan. — Anthrenus destroying Whalebone.

General Notes 222

Results of Professor Forbes's Investigations on the Relation of Wheat Cult-
ure to the Chinch Bug. — An old American Account of the Buffalo
Gnat. — Notes on Pteromalus xmparum. — Another Human Bot-fly. —
Geographical Range of the Chinch Bug. — Damage to Fruit by the
Adult of Allorhina. — The Imbricated Snout-beetle.— Notes ou Acri-
did;e iuLos Angeles, Cal. — Chlorklea r/iexminjuringTobacco. — A curious
Habit of Epilachna borealis .—Birds and the White Grub. — Dosing Trees
•with Sulphur and other Substances. — Alum as a Curraut-worm
Remedy. — An Australian Experiment. — The Entomological Society of
Washington.

CONTENTS OF NO. 8.

Special Notes 231

The Red Bug or Cotton Stainer (illustrated) 234

A Parasite of the supposed Eggs of the Cotton Stainer (illustrated)

L. 0. Howard.. 241

Spraying Devices (illustrated) C. V. Riley.. 243

Early Occurrence of the Chinch Bug in the Mississippi Valley

S. A. Forbes.. 249

Hepialus argenteomaculatus D. S. Eellicott.. 250

Extracts from Correspondence 252

Late autumnal Occurrence of Mites in great Numbers. — Balaninus na-
siciii in granulated Sugar. — On Thalessa and Tremex : A Correction. —
Sap Beetles iu injured Figs.

Steps towards a Revision of Chambers' Index, etc Lord Walsingham. 254

General Notes 258

Notes on Cochineal Insects. — The Beet Carrion-beetle. — An African Lady-
bird introduced into New Zealand. — Successful Spi'aying with Paris
Green for Codling Moth. — The Leather Beetle Litigation.

CONTENTS OF NO. 9.

Special Notes 261

Insecticide Appliances (illustrated) C.V.Riley.. 263

Three new Parasites of Icerya (illustrated) L. O. Howard.. 268

A Contribution to the History of Theophila MANDARiNA.P/itiip Walker.. 270
Notes on the Cultivation of the Japanese Oak-feeding Silk-worm

C. E. Webster, M. D.. 273

Notes ON A Species OF Bryobia infesting Dwellings F. M. Webster.. 277

VII

Page.

Cranberry Leaf-galls Dr. Fr. Thomas.. 279

Extracts from Correspondence 2':;0

The Red-legged Flea-beetle injuring Peach Orchards. — The Spider Bite
Question again.— Susceptibility to Insect Poison.— The Hay Worm in
Kentucky.— A Rose-bud Cecidomyia.— Beetles infesting Yeast Cakes.-
Mites in Flaxseed. — Insects at electric Lamps. — Bees versus Fruit. —
Hydrocyanic Acid Gas Treatment for Scale Insects.— New Enemy of
the Chinch Bug.— Army Worm iu 1888.

Steps towards a Revision op Chambers' Index, etc Lord Walsingham.. 287

General Notes 291

Bleaching Wings of Lepidoptera. — Winter Appearance of the Cecropia
Moth.— Is Marriage a Failure ?— Insects upon the Coffee and Tea Plants
in Ceylon. — Plants injured by Capsus qaadrivittatua. — Immunity of
Southern Dakota from the Chinch Bug.— Burning the Stubble for Hes-
sian Flies.— More abnormal Honey Bees.— The Entomological Society
of Washington.
w

CONTENTS OF NO. 10.

Special Notes 297

Systematic Relations of Platypsyllus, as determined by the Larva

C. r. Riley.. 300

Stridulation in Vanessa antiopa A. H. Swinton.. 307

Notes on the Tenacity, Elasticity, and Ductility of raw Silk

Philip Walker .. 309

Extracts from Correspondence 312

Borers in a traveling Trunk.— An early Note on the Periodical Cicada. —
More Evidence bearing on Spider Bites.— Buffalo Gnats on the Red
River.— A Beetle living in an Insecticide. — The new Flour Moth in
England. — Abundance of an lulus in Dakota.— The Bean Weevil in
California. — Method of mounting Eggs of Insects for progressive em-
bryologic Study. — Grass Cut Worms. — Another Proposition in regard
to Chinch Bug Remedies. — Two Chinch Bug Appearances the past
Year.— The Texas Heel-fly.— Insect Injuries in Ohio for 1888.— A Boll
Worm Letter. — A remarkable Theory.

General Notes 322

Late important Publications relative to the Hessian Fly. — Fungicides as
Insecticides. — Kerosene soap Emulsion as Fuel. — New Food Plant for
the Scurfy Bark-louse.— Obituary. — Precursors of Brood VIII of the
Periodical Cicada. — A Spider-egg Parasite.- Spraying Fruit Trees.—
White Grub in Strawberry Beds. — Farmers and Stock Raisers' Insect
Society. — A Bryobia in New Zealand.— The Box-elder Bug.— The Flor-
ida Wax-Scale in California.— Tho Entomological Society of Wash-
ington,

CONTENTS OF NO. 11.

Special Notes 327

Note on the Genus Lestophonus ^S*. W. Williston, M. D.. 328

The Corn Worm or Boll Worm in California D. W. Coquillett.. 331

The Serimeter Philip Walker.. 333

Additional Note on the Megilla Parasite C. V.Riley.. 338

Notes upon the Longevity op the early Stages of Eburia quadrimac-

ulata, Say F.M. Webster.. 339

VllI

Page.

Extracts from Corrkspondence 340

Trumpet-creeper injured by Lyga'us recUvatus. — Tbrips tritici injuring Or-
ange Blossoms. — White Ants in A.ustr;ilia. — Tlie Toad vs. Cockroaches.
— White Grub Injury to Strawberries. — Larva of Cicada aeptendecim.
— Some Additions to Packard's Forest-tree Insects. — A Ph.vtoptus on
Plum. — A Lac Insect on the Creosote Bush. — A Rhizococcus on Grass
in Dakota. — Wash for Apple-tree Bark-lice and Borers. — Saw-fly on
Polygonum dumetorum. — Oscinis sp. on Chrysanthemum. — Ants destroy-
ing young Maples in Nebraska.

General Notes 347

The Spider Bite Question. — Uropoda americana on Euphoria inda. — Evap-
orated Sulphur for Ked Spider in Greenhouses. — Double Flowers
caused by Mites. — Rheumatism and Stings of Bees.— The Black Bird
and the Boll Worm. — Swarms of a Gnat in Iowa. — New Remedy for
Striped Bugs. — The European Ribbon-footed Corn-fly. — Sparrow De-
struction in Australia. — Hermetia muccns infesting Bee-hives.— The
Chinch Bug this Year. — Codling Moth Destruction in Tasmania. — Gas
Lime for the Onion Maggot. — Paris Green for the Garden Web-worm.
— Phylloxera in Asia Minor. — Bark Lice on the Cocoanut, — Important
Publications on Economic Entomology. — The Pyrethrum Industry. — A
new Use for the Fluted Scale. — Codling Moth Notes.— Obituary. — The
Entomological Society of Washington.

CONTENTS OF NO. 12.

Special Notes 358

Notes on some injurious and beneficial Insects of Australia and

Tasmania F. M. Webster.. 361

Two NEW Species of Scymnus Dr. David Sharp.. 364

A Case of Lachnosterna Damage :i6.5

Notes on Pronuba and Yucca Pollination C. V. Riley.. 367

Notes on some Species of Insects which affect the upper Portion

of the Stems of some Grasses F. M. Webster.. 372

Extracts from Correspondence 375

The Mole Cricket as a Harbinger of Spring. — First injurious Appearance
of the Army- worm in Florida.— The Camellia Scale.— The Australian
Lady-bird.— r«/(/Hs canaliculatus a Quince Enemy. — Application to
prevent Icerya from ascending Trees. — Lasioderma serricorne injuring
Cigarettes.— Injury by the Fall Web-worm in Texas. — Dryocampa im-
perialis on Elm and Linden.— Larvne of Tenebrio molitor in a Woman's
Stomach.— Another Note on the retarded Development of Caloptenus
spretus Eggs at Manhattan, Kaus.

Gener.al Notes 3?30

Linen injured by Agrotis LarviTJ.—Impression of an Insect in Paper.— The
Destructive Leaf-hopper injuring Timothy.— The Sunflower a Food
Plant of Rnodobcenus I'i-punctatus. — Pieris rapce and protodice in Colo-
rado.— Zj</(/r«s fjibbosus injuring Carrots in Indiana. — The Scurfy Bark
Louse upon the Currant.— Phylloxera at the Cape of Good Hope.—
White Ants in Fences.- A new Butterfly Publication.— The Bot Fly of
the Ox.— A Note on Museum Pests.— The Phylloxera in Colorado.—
The Rhizococcus on Grass.— A new Grape Pest in the Southwest.— An
Aleurodes on Tobacco.— A Corn Root- worm in South Carolina.— A Deer
Bot-fly.— The Shield Method for Leaf-hoppers.— Lord Walsingham's
Index. — The Entomological Society of Washington.

INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS.

Plate I
Fig. 1.

9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

, Thalessa lunator, face 179.

Mesograpta polita, 5.

Phylloecus integer, 9.

Lestophouus iceryse, 21.

Maigarodes quadristigmalis, 24.

Nematus ventralis, 34.

Euqi;bus atala, 38.

Scliizocerua ebenus, 44.

Eubadizon scliizoceri, 44.

Trypeta ludens, 45.

Dermatobia sp., 79.

Dermatobia sp.,80.

Coccotorus scutellaris, 89.

Depressaria heracliana, 95.

Megilla maculata and parasite, 101.

Centistes americana (Perilitu.s america-
nu8), 103.

Copidryas gloveri, egg, 104.

C ipidryas gloveri, larva, 104.

Copidryas gloveri, cocoon, 105.

Cjpidryas gloveri, pupa, 105.

CopiJrya-t gloveri, adult, 105.

Polysphincta dictyniB aud Liaypbia com-
munis with its parasite, 106.

A.rotrara eburnea, neuration and uncus,
116.

Lauguria mozardi, 119.

Icorjapurchasi, newly batcbed ^larva, 127.

Icerya purcbasi, second stage cf larva,
127.

Icerya purcbasi, second stage $ larva, 127.

Icerya purcbasi, tbird stage $ larva, 128.

Icerya purcbasi, cf pupa, 128.

Icerya purcbasi, adult r^, 128.

Phorodon bumuli, stem-mother, 133.

Pborodon bumuli, first migrant from plum,
third generation, 133.

Phorodon bumuli, true sexual § , 134.

Pborodon bumuli, d", 134.

Pborodon humuli, eggs and shriveled $
135.

Chalcis flavipes, 162.

Tbalessa lanator, 9 ovipositing, 172.

Rhyssa persuasoria ovipositing, 173.

Tbalessa, ovipositor and egg, 174.

Fig. 39. Tremex columba, larva, pupa, and adult
178.

40. Lachnosterna grandis, anal characters, 181

41. Lachnosterna fusca, anal characters, 182.

42. Lachnosterna dubia, anal characters, 183.

43. Lachnosterna arcuata, anal charaoiers, 184.

44. Sphenopborus obscurus, larva, pupa, and

adu)t, 186.

45. Sphenopborus obscurus, work in sugar-

cane, 189.

46. Lactrodectus mactans, cT and? stages, 204.

47. Leonia rileyi, 9 aud parts, 212.

48. Cuterebra emasculator, larva, 214.

49. Chloridea rbexia, 228.

50. Egg taken for Dj'sdercus suturellus, 236.

51. Dysdercus suturellus, stages 1 to 3, 237.

52. Dysdercus sutuTelhis, fourth stage or

pupa, and adult, 237.
53..Hadronotus rugosus, 242.

54. Riley or cyclone nozzle, 244.

55. Universal spray-tip, 245.

56. Universal spray-tip, section of, 246.

57. Noel nozzle, 248.

58. Vermorel nozzle, 263.

59. Vermorel nozzU-, improved, 264.

60. Albraud mizzle, 265.

61. Japy nozzle, 265.

62. Mar.seilles nozzle, construction, 266.

63. New Zealand triplet, 268.

64. Thoron opacus, 269.

65. Coccopbagus californicus, 269.

66. Encyrtiis dubius, 270.

67. Platypsyllus castoris, full-grown larva

from above, 303.

68. Platypsyllus castoris, adult, 303.

69. Platypsyllus castoris, young larva, 304.

70. Platypsyllus castoris, full-grown larva

from below, 306.

71. Vanessa antiopa, diagram of fore wing,308.

72. Lestopbouus iceryas, wing venation, 329

73. Lestophonus iceryw, d" genitalia, 330.

74. Robinet's sei-imeter, 333.

75. Standard serimeter, 336.

76. Quajat's horizontal serimeter, 337.

PERSOiNAL AND AUTHORS' INDEX.

Abbe, Cleveland, letter, 312.
Albert, J. H., letter, lOy.
Alexander, A. G., letter, 15.
Allis, E. W., letter, 282.
AlwQod, Wm. B., report, 48.
Anderson, F. E., letter, 27.
Apperson, Dr. J. S., letter, 379.
Askew, Jas. F., letter, 283.
Asmus, E., letters, 284.
Atkinson, Geo. F., letter, 378.

Barlow, J. G., letters, 109, 342, 345.
Barrett, F.N., letter, 253.
Bielby, C. F. A., letter, 52.
Bingham, R., letter, 142.
Blanchard, A. D., letter, 313.
Blythe, B. F., letter, 346.
Bowduian, C. A., letter, 14.
Bowers, J. Luther, letter, 345.
Brackett, G. C, letter, 193.
Braidwood, Victor, letter, 379.
Brakeley, J. H., letter, 112.
Brown, J. P., letter, 222.
Bruner, Lawrence, reports, 65, 89.
Buck, A. E., letter, 51.
Bunsen, George C, letter. 219.
Burnett, H. S., letter, 287.
Butler, Col. A. P., letter, 30.
Butler, Wm. C, letter, 85.

Campbell, Wm., letter, 340.

Carson, S. W., letter, 238.

Cay wood, A. J., letters, 343, 344.

Clegg, E. P., letter, 379.

Cockerell, T. D. A., letters, 58, 199.

Cogan, Wm. J., letter, 49.

Colonna, B. A., letter, 190,

Coquillett, D. W., articles, 41, 227, 331 ; letters, 110,

156, 286.
Cornelius, Rev. Elias, article, 224.
Corson, Dr. E. R., letter, 280.
Crawford, Frazer S., letter, 267.

Dansby, J. V., letters, 375.
Denham, C. S., letter, 143.
Dick, J. M., letter, 205.

Dickinson, Albert, letter, 285.
Dobbins, J. R., letter, 377.
Dodge, G.M., letter, 348.
Duges, Dr. Eugene, article, 211.
Duncan, A. L., letter, 190.
Duun, J. F., letter, 30.
Dusnzeau, J., letter, 120.
Dyar,H.G., letter, 285

Elliott, Samuel Lowell, obituary, 324.
EUzey, Dr. M. G., letter, 221.
Emens, W. S., letter, 272.
Enock, Fred., letter, 192.

Firor, V. M., letter, 17.

Fogg, L. E., letter, 341.

Forbes, S. A., letters, 113, 313 ; abstracts, 158, 222.

Ford, H. C, letter, 316.

Frierson, G. A., letter, 313.

Fuller, A. S., letter, 86.

Gilliam, Jas. T., letter, 14.
Gittings, J. S., letter. 111.
Goslin, A.,letter, 16.
Green, E. Ernest, article, 292.
Gulley,F. A., letter, 320.

Hadeu, A., letter, 217.
Hall, A. E., letter, 345.
Hall, W. B., letters, 218, 319.
Halliday, Robert, letter, 376.
Hampton, David, letter, 191.
Harrington, W. H., letter, 253.
Hartman, Carl H., letter, 87.
Henderson, J. T., letter, 55.
Higley, W. K., letter, 284.
Hill, E. A., letter, 316.
Holland. W. J., letter, 55.
Holstein, G. Wolf, letter, 318.
Horlbeck, H. B., letter, 192.
Howard, L. O., articles, 11, 31, 33, 42
241, 268.

Johnson, J. R., letter, 85.
Jones, J. Matthew, letter, 109.
Jones, W. L., letter, 58.

XII

Keuley, J. K.,letter, 30.

Kennedy, J. D., letter, 271.

Kent, G. H., letters, 17, 216.

Keyserling, Count Eugene, obituary, 357.

Klee, W. G., letters, 144, 220.

Koebele, Albert, letter, 165.

Krieg, L. J., letter, 85.

Lachniund, Paul, letter, 318.
Laudreth.D., letter, 96.
Linton, S. H., letter, 17.
Lipp,H.W., letter, 104.
Lockwood, Sam'l, letters, 57, 220.
Longuemare, Emiie, letter, 287.
Lucas, F. A., article, 384.
Lugger, Otto, letter, 113.

Manning, W. H., article, 293.
Marlatt, C. L., report, 365.
Marsh, John, letter, 218.
Marsh, W. A., letter, 54.
.Matas, Dr. Rudolph, article, 76.
May, R C, letter, 340.
McNeill, Jerome, letter, 50.
Meech, W. W., letters, 341, 377.
Meehan, Thomas, letter, 346.
Meehau, T. B., letter, 51.
Merriam, Dr. C. Hart, letter, 215.
Muusun, T. v., letter, 220.
Murtfeldt, Mary E., article, 74.
Myers, J. F., letter, 318.

Newlon, W. S., letter, 15.
Nigels, Rev. "W. F., letter, 239.
Nixon, Jacob, letter, 13.
North, George, letter, 340.

O'Donuell, Anthony, letter, 86.
Oemler, Dr. A., letter, 50.
Ormerod, Eleanor A., letter, 315.
Osborn, Herbert, article.s, 137, 226.

Parsons, F. W., letter, 380.
Pearee, Jona, letter, 15.
Phillips, Miss E. J., letter, 143.

Ranson, Robert, letter, 217.
Rathvon, S. S., letter, 144.
Richardson, J. C, letter, 253.

Riley, C. V., articles, 3, 8, 45, 70, 87, 94, 101, 107, 121,
126, 168, 243, 263, 300, 338.
and L. O. Howard, articles, all having no signa-
ture afBxed.
Rondot, Natalia, letter, 120.
Russel, Howland, letter, 51.
Ryan, W.W., letter, 112.

Schmitt, G. A., letter, 110.
Schwarz, E. A., articles, 37, 187.
Scribner, D. M., letter, 317.
Shatfer, Dr. J. M., letter, 191.
Shaq), Dr. David, article, 364.
Shelby, W. T., letters, 249.
Skipwith, P. H., letter, 143.
Smith, J. B., articles, 18, 180, 202.
Spring, J. A., letter, 344.
Starkweather, Geo.B., letter, 216.
Stokes, A. C, letter, 144.
Stone, Archibald letter, 320.
Stover, J. M.. letter, 280.
Swinton, A. H., article, 307.

Thomas, A.D., letter, 57.
Thomas, Dr. Franz, article, 279.
Thompson, Hon. Hvigh S., letters, 67,191.
Tolman, Adams, letter, 343.
Townsend, A. L., letter, 57.
Townsend, Tyler, articles, C8, 197.
Tryon, H.G., letter, 285.
Turner, D.. letter, 191.

Wade, Jos.M., letters, 52,56.

Walker, Philip, articles, 119, 270, 309, 333.

Wallace, R. S., letter, 16.

Walsingham, Lord, articles, 81, 113, 145, 254, 287.

Webb, E. A., letter, 317.

Webster, B. T., letter, 375.

Webster, Dr. C. E., article, 273.

Webster, F.M., articles, 119,152,157, 193,225,277,

339; letters. 29, 314.
Werckl6, Oh., letter, 221.
Wight, R. Allan, letters, 292, 348.
Williston, Dr. S.W., articles, 21, 258,328.
Wingar, J. J., letter, 220.
Winston, Mary E., letter, 221.
Wisner, Augusta B., letters, 252.

Toumans, E. B., letter, 19J.
Young, H. W., letter. 111.
Young, W. S., letter, 315.

Zimmer, Messrs., letter, 15.

GENERAL INDEX.

Acanihacara similis injuring pineapple. 217.
Acarlna infesting grain, 51.
Acarus gallinaj in Chili, 155.

scabiei in Chili, 155.
Acherontia atropos, voice of, 221.
A.chreioptera, 301.
Acrididw collected by Bruner, 66.
Acridium, 87.

migi atorium in Chili (?), 155.

tesselatum in Chili, 155.

vagum in California, 227.
Acrodactyla, external spider parasite, 43, 171.
Acrolophiis arizouellus n. sp. Wlsm.,
195.

bombycina, position and synonymy, 195.

cervinus n. sp. Wlsm., position, 195.

niortipennellus, position, 195.

pliioiifrontelliis, positio , 195.

simulatus, position, 195.

texanellus, position, 195.
.a^geria acerni checked by birds, 251.

oucnrbitae in Mississippi, 17.
MgoGera., 106.
Agalena, habits, 162.
Agrilus bilineatus on white oalf, 343.
Agromyzinse, Lestophonus placed in, 329.
Agrotis consureata injuring tei plant, 293.

diffusa injuring tea plant, 293.

exclamationis injuring linen.

ypsilon in Miss., 17,217.
Alaptus iceryffi u. sp. Riley, parasite of Icerya,

130.
Albrand nozzle, 265.
Aletia, mounting wings of, 151.

xyliua ia Miss., 17, 216.

parasite of, 161.
Aleurodes s •. on tobacco plant in Greece.
Allomiraus, food habits, 198.
Allorhina nitida, kerosene emulsion for, 48.

destroying quince fungus, 88.

damaging ripe peaches, 226.
Alum for currant worm, 229.
Amaurobius audax, bite, 282.

ferox, bite, 282.
Amaurorhinus, food habits, 198.
American Blight in Australia, 362.
Amia, insect diet of, 159.

Anaphora agrotipennella, position and synonymy,
195.

macrogaster n. sp. Wlsm., position, 195.

morrisoni n. s;).Wlsm., position, 195.

popeanella, position, 195.

Anaphora propinqua n. sp. Wlsm., position, 195.
scardina, position and synonymy, 195.
tenuis, n. sp. Wlsm., position, 195.
Anarsia lineatella and parasite, 196,
Anax Junius attacking fish, 58.
Ancistrona, 302.
Angoumois Grain-moth confounded with Hessian

Fly, 86.
Anguillula, Bulletin 20, 360.
Anisota rubicuuda in Kansas, 111.
Anisotomid*, resemblance to Platypsyllus, 305.
Anomala flavipennis among coru beetles, 12.
marginata injuring the vine, 220.
miuuta injuring the vine, 220.
Anthaxia viridicornis eating elm, 343.
Antheriapernyi distinguished from yama-mai, 276.
yaraamai, article by Dr. C. E. Webstei', 273.
Anothosia, position of, 82.

Anthomyia brassira-, kerosene emulsion for, 15.
Anthonomus musculus in Pennsylvania, 85.

prunicida, oviposition of, 89.
Antbrenus not found in Chili, 154.
varius injuring whalebone, 222.
Ants, bisulphide of carbon for, 124.
destroying young mnples, 346.
Apanteles glomeratus, synonymy, 326.
Apathus elatus, validity of the species, 295.
Apatura celtis swarming in Arkansas, 29.
Aphauiptera, 300, 301.
Aphides, preparation of for mounting, 152.

in Yucca flowers, 368.
Aphis brassicse iu Miss., 217.
grauarius injuring oats, 319.
maidis injuring sorghum in Australia, 362.
mali, oviposition, 73.
pruni, oviposition, 71, 73.
Aphodius granarins passed by boy (?), 191.
Aphredoderus, insect diet of, 159.
Apis mellifica in pollination of Yucca, 369, 372.
Apple Blight in Chili, 153.

in Australia, 362.
Apple-tree Bark-louse and borers, wash for, 345.
Aptinothrips rufa on grasses and Compositie, 140,

141.
Aragnomus griseus on pear, 16.
Arctia virgo, mounting eggs of, 316.
Arcyptera, collected by L. Bruner, 66.
Argas reflexus in Chili, 155.
Argiope riparia, parasite of, 324.
Army Worm in Dakota, 66.
iu New York, 287,
in Canada, 356.

in Florida, first injurious appearance, 375.
XIII

XIV

Army Worm, au, in Australia, 364.
Arotrura n. gen. AVlsm., described, 116.

L'burnea n. sp. Wlsin. descr., 117.
Ar.'^enical solutions, comparative merits, 16.
Arsenic, experiments by C P. Gillette, 124.
Artipus floridanus injuring limes, 357.
Asopia costalis in hay, 283.

farinalis in wine-bottle corks, 92.
Asparagus Beetle, southward spread, 29.

enemies, 61.

tobacco stems for, 110.
Aspidiotus sp. injuring tea plant, 293.

aurantii, resin and soda for, 230.
hydrocyanic acid gas, 286.
in Klee's book, 299.

lauri on olive in Chili, 1.54.

nerii in Chili, 154.

perniciosus, 299.

rosEe in Chili, 154.
Aspila virescens, synonymy, 229.
Atienius gracilis in U. S. aud Chili, 119.
Attacus cecropia, winter appearance, 292.
Attidie, the Peckhams' work on, 167.
Atypus, habits, 162.
Aulacizes n. sp. (?) on orange, 52.
Australia and Tasmania, injurious and beneficial

in.sects of, article by F. M. Webster, 361.
Australian Butterflies, OlliflTa work on, 383.

Lady-bird vs. Lestophonus, 377.

■ Baccha, 5.

Bag Worm, London purple for, 193.
Balaninus uasicus in granulated sugar, 253.
Bamboo Sinoxylon in bamboo box, 57.
Barnacle Scale on persimmon, 54.
Bean "Weevil in California, 316.

in Canada, 356.
Beaver, American, Platypsyllus on, 300.
Bed-bug in Chili, 154.
Bees versus fruit, 285.
Bees' stings and rheumatism, 350.
Beet Carrion-beetle injuring mangolds, 259.
Beosus (n. sp. ?), Icerya enemy, 130.
Bidessus aftinis in U. S. and Chili, 119.
Bisulphide of carbon for ants, 124.
Black Bass, insect diet, 159, 160.
Black Bird vs. Boll "Worm, 351.
Black Fly, Turkey Gnat a congener, 14.
Bl.ick-polled Titmouse vs. Canker Worms, 15.
Black-warrior Sun-flsh, insect diet, 159.
Blapstinus brevicollis, Icerya enemy, 130.
Blastobasis iceryjeella, Icerya enemy, 130.
Blatta germanica in Chili, 154, 155.
Blood-sucking Cone-nose, bite, 347.
Boll Worm in Miss., 17, 217.

in Texas, 320.

in California, article by D. W. Coquillett, 331.

Black Bird vs. 351.
Bombus borealis, habits, 295.

fervidus, habits, 295.
Bombyx mori, crossing with wild species, 120.

silk compared with A. yama-mai, 276.
Bone Beetle in Chili, 154.

Bot, Man-infesting, article by Dr. Kudolph Matas,
76.

Box-elder Bug in Utah and Nebraska, 325.

Brachyopa, 5.

Brachypalpns, 5.

British entomological circular, 151.

Museum, Maigarodes in, 25.
Bronzy Cut- worm in Mo., 57.

in Dakota, 317.
Brook Silver-sides, insect diet, 159, 160.
Brown Thrush destroying WhKe Grubs, 229
Bruchus fabje in Calif., 316.

obsoletus, in Calif., 316.

scutellaris, heat evolved by work, 59.
in U.S. and Chili, 119.
Bryobiasp. in dwellings, article by F. M. Web-
ster, 277.

in New Zealand on apple, 325.

pallida infesting meadows, 277.

pratensis infesting meadows, 277.

speciosa in Australia, 363.
Buckwheat remedy for Cut Worms, 15.
Buffalo Fish, insect diet, 159, 160.

gnat, 14.

application for bites, 15, 143, 313.
attacking man, 60.
earliest American account, 224.
Buhach, sale of, 168.

Buprestis ultramarina on Pitch Pine, 343.
Burbot, insect diet, 159.
Bulalis, Wlsm.'s revision, 113.

albilineata n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 116.

a.bipennella, 113.

aterrimella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 115.

basilaris, Wlsm.'s., revision, 114.

brevistriga, Wlsm.'a revision, 114.

dorsipallidella, Wlsm.'s revision, 114.

flabella, 113.

flavifrontella, Wlsm.'s revision, 114.

immacnlatella, Wlsm.'s revision, 114.

impositella, Wlsm.'s revision, 113.

matutella, Wlsm.'s revision, 113.

ochristriata n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 115.

perspicillella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 114.

pilosella, 114.

planipennella, 113.

schkichiella, 116.

suffusa n. sp. Wlsm.. descr., 114.

trivinctella, Wlsm.'s revision, 114.

Cabbage maggot, kerosene emulsion for, 15.

Plant-louse in Miss., 217

Plusia in Miss., 17.

Worm, kerosene emulsion for, 27.
in Ohio, 319.
Cacoecia fervidaua at electric amps, 285.
Cactophagtts validus, food habits, 199.

under Opvtutia leaves, 231.
Cajlotes, bite, 282.
Calandra, food habits, 198.

granaria in Chili, 154.

oryziB in India, 60.
inChiH, 154.
in Australia, 364.
California Quail in Chili, 153.
Calocoris chenopodii, Asparagus Beetle enemy, 61.

Caloptenua bivittatns in Mich., 63, 87.
femnr-rubnim in Mich., 63, 87.
spretus in Northwest, 30, 65.

retarded development of eggs, 380.
Camellia Scale, injury, 376.
Camnula atrox in Colo., 58.

pellucida in Colo., 58.
Canis ingie, origin in Chili, 153.

latrans, origin of C. ingae from, 153.
occidentalis, origin of C. ingse from, 153.
Canker Worm destroyed by Parus atricapillus, 15.
Capsus qnadrivittatus, plant.s injured by, 293.
"Caracurt." bite, 347.
Carp, Anax Junius an enemy of, 58.
Carpocapsa pomonella, parasite of, 161.
Carpophilus marginatus in figs, 253.

mutilatus in figs, 253.
Carteria lacca, stick lac from, 345.

larreae on Creosote Bash in Ari-zona, 345.
mesicana on Mimosa in Mexico, 345.
Case Worms eaten by fish, 161.
Casnonia pennsylvanica enemy of Chinch Bug,

286.
Castor canadensis, Platypsyllus on, 300.
Caterpillars stopping trains, 30.
Catfish, insect diet, 159, 160.
Caulophilus, food habits, 198.
Cave fauna of North America.
Cecidomyia sp. injuring rose buds, 284.
destructor in New Zealand, 32.
article by C. V. Riley, 131.
attacked bv Thrips, 138.
danger of importing to Australia, 193.
late papers on, 322.
leguminicola attacked by Thiips, 139.

in Ohio, 142.
nigra, synonymy, 120.
pyricola, synonymy, 120.
salicis-(Bnigma, Thrips on gall of, 138.
tritici, Thrips an enemy of, 138.
tubicola, PhlcBothrips an enemy of, 138.
Cecropia Moth in Nebr., 155.

winter appearance, 292.
Centistes americana bred from Lady Birds, 103.

name adopted by Weed and Hart, 338.
Centrinus picumnus on Bottle Grass, 374.
Cephenomyia sp. infesting deer in Calif., 386.
Cephides, 10.
('ephus pygmanis in wheat stalks, 10.

little danger of importing to Australia, 193.
Ceramica picta in Colo., 382.
Ceratitis capitata injuring Oranges in Madeira, 47.

citriperda injuring Oranges in Madeira, 47.
Cerostoma alpella, compared, 287.
cervella, compared, 287.
radiatella, "VVlsm.'s revision, 287.
subsylvella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 287.
sylvella, compared, 287.
Ceria, 5.
Ceroplastes cirripediformis on Persimmon, 54.

floridensis in Calif., 326.
Ch;ienobryttus, insect diet, 159, 160.
Cbalcidida", South America, 357.
Chambers' Index, revision of, by Lord Walsing-

ham, 81,113,145,254,287.
Chauliognathus americanus, enemy of Aletia, 216.

ChauliognathuspennsylvanicusinTuccaflowera,

370.
Cheimatobia brumata in England. 151.
Ch-^rry Slug in Ohio, 319.
Chestnut "Weevil in granulated suga- , 253.
Cheyletus eruditus infesting grain, 51.

in flax seed, 285.
Chilo (near oryziieellus), parasite of, 161.

saccharalis in sugar-cane in Hawaiian Is., 183.
Chilocorus bivnlnerus, effect of hydrocyanic acid

gas, 286.
Chilosia, 5.

Chiraerocephala pacifi ca in Calif., 228.
Chinch Bug in Calif., 26.

checked by rains, 31.

epidemic diseases, 93, 113.

damage in Mo., 109.

remedies, 124, 218, 317.

and wheat culture, 222.

geographical range south, 226.

early occurrence in Miss. Valley, 249.

two appearances in 1888, 318.

Casnonia pennsylvanica enemy of, 286.

possibility of appearance in Dakota, 294.

in Arkansas, 354.
Chionaspis furfurus on currant, 324.
Chipmunk infested with Cuterebra, 215.
Chiron omus eaten by fish, 159.

nigricans swarming in Iowa, 351.
Chirothrips antennata in timothy, 139, 141.
Chloridaa rhexia injuring tobacco, 228.
Chlorops sp. confounded with Hessian Fly, 86.

in timothy stalk,

in wheat straw in Tasmania,

taeniopus, little danger of importation to Au.s-
tralia, 193.
in Sweden, 351.
Cholera Gnat in Va., 14.
Clirysochlamys, 5.
Chrysopa sp. , leery a enemy, 130, 165.

effect of hydrocyanic acid gas an, 286.
Chrysotoxum, S.
Chub Minnow, insect diet, 159.
Cicada septendecim. Brood "V, 31, 50, 218.
Brood VIII, 298, 324.
larva, 342.

tredecim, Brood X, 31.
Cicadula exitiosa in timothy, 381.
Cigarettes injured by Lasioderma serricornc, 378.
Cimbex ameiicana, 8.

prior issuing of male sex, 57.
Ciniflonidie, characters, 200.
Cleodora, Wlsm.'s revision, 81, 82, 84.

canicostella n. sp. "Wlsm., descr., 82.

modesta n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 82.

pallidella, Wlsm.'s revision, 81.

pallidistrigella, Wlsm.'s revision, 81,

sabulella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 83.

<triatella, Wlsm. 's revision, 82.

tophella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 83.
Clisiocampa americana, parasite of, 161.

nuestria in England, 151.
Clover Cat-worm in Canada, 356.

Root-borer in Canada and L. Is., 156.

in Ohio, 319.
Seed-midge in Ohio, 142.

XVI

Clover Stem-borer as gall-maker, 119.
Coccida-, melting wax belore mounting, 152.
Coccinella abdominalis, effect of hydrocyanic gas,
286.

bi punctata, hibernation In Mass., 56.

9-punctata parasitized, 102.

5-punctata parasitized, 103.

7-puuctata parasitized, 103.
Coccinellidse in Yucca tlowers, 368.
Coccinellid, Australian, importation of, 297.
Coccophagus n. sp., Icerya parasite, 130.

californicus n.sp., Howard, descr., 269.
Coccotorus scutellaris, oviposition, 89.
<Joccus adonidum in Chili. 154.

cacti eaten by predaceous caterpiller, 258.

citri, synonymy, 118.

hesperidum in Chili, 154.
Cochineal Insect eaten by predaceous caterpillar,

258.
Cockroaches, toad vs., 341.
Codling Moth, Cook's treatment, 123.

Paris green, 260.

in Saunder's Ins. Inj. Fruits, 327.

destruction in Australia, 354.

notes, 356.

in Australia and Tasmania, 361.
C(Elnstoma,64.
Colastus niger in figs, 253.

truncatus in figs, 253.
Coleophora cinerelhi, parasite of, 161.
("oleoptera of N. A., Leconte and Horn, ?8l.
Coloothrips trifasciata on weeds, 140.

injuring wheat, 141.
Colorado Potato-beetle in Nova Scotia, 109.

in Ohio, 319.
Conorhinus sanguisuga, bite, 347.
Conotelus obscurus, Thrips attacking, 139.
CoDozoa wallula in Calif., 228.
Convergent Lady-bird parasitized, 101.
" Coontie " worm in Florida. 39.
Copidosoma gtlechiic, resemblance to C. variega-
tum n. sp., 197.

truncatellum parasitic on Depressaria, 98.

variegatum n. sp. Howard, descr , 197.
Copidryas gloveri, article by R. and H., 184.
Corethra eaten by fish, 159.
Corisa eaten by fish, 160.
Corizus hyalinus, Icerya enemy, 130.
Corn Aphis, relation of ants to, 152.
Corn-feeding Syrphus fly, article by R. and H., 5.
Corn Moth in England, 314, 355.

Root- worm in S. C, 386.
Corrodentia, relation of Platypsyllus to, 302.
Corylophida', resemblance to Platypsyllus, 305.
Corylophus, resemblance of mandibles to Platyp-
syllus, 304.
Corynetes riificoUis in Chili, 154.

violaceus in Chili, 154.
Cosmopepla carnifex injuring potato, 157.
Cosmopteryx chalybffiella n. sp. Wlsm., descr.,
289.

clemensella, synonymy, 289.

delicatella u. sp. Wlsm., descr., 290.

gemmiferella, synonymy, 289.

nitens n. sp. "Wlsm., descr., 289.

pulcherrimella, Wlsm.'s revision, 289.

Cosmopteryx quadrilineella, Wlsm.'s revision,
290, 291.

unicolorella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 291.
Cossomus, food habits, 198.
Cossus alni, description of, 251.

robiniiP, growth, 250.
Cottidaj, insect diet of 159.
Cotton Stainer injuring oranges, 190.

article by R. and H., 234.

parasite of supposed eggs, article by L. O.
Howard, 241.
Cottonwood Leaf-beetle in the East, 51.
Cotton Worm in Mississippi, 17, 216.
Crambid injuring grass in Australia, 363.
Cranberry Fungus-gall, 112, 261.

article by Dr. Fr. Thomas, 279.
Crepidodera cucumeris injuring potato, 157, 167.
Cricket, Destructive, in Louisiana, 87.
Crioceris asparagi, southward spread, 29.

enemies, 61.
Crioprora, 5.

Croppies, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Croton Bug in Treasury, 68, 191.
Cryptocephahis venustus, diveigent habits, 32.
Cryptochoetum, relationship with Lestophouus,
330.

grandicornis, Rondani's description, 331.
Cryptus flagitator parasite of Depressaria, 98.

profligator parasite of Depressaria, 98.
Cucumber Flea-beetle on potato, 157.
Culex ciliatus hibernating in Mass., 52.
Currant Worm, lime and tobacco for, 17.

alum for, 229.

in Ohio, 319.
Cuterebra emasculator, article by R. and H., 214.

scutellaris, habits unknown, 215.
Cut- worms, buckwheat remedy, 15.

injuring grass, 317.
Cyllene robinia; injuring roses, 198.
Cyrtoneura stabulans, Aletia enemy, 216.

Dacnusa senilis, Hessian fly parasite, 132.
Dactylopius infested by Lestophonus, 165.

destructor, synonymy, 118
Dactylota, Wlsm.'s revision, 83.

kinkerella, Wlsm.'s revision, 84.

snellenella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 84.
Dakruma destroying Eriococcus in Australia,

coccidivora destroying Coccus cacti in Texas,
258.
Darters, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Datana parasitized by T. lunator, 176.

integerriraa, parasite of, 177.

ministra, arsenic solution not affecting, 125.
parasites of, 161, 177, 200.
Day Flies eaten by fish, 160.
Deer Bot-fly from Calif.,

Deilephila lineata with Copidryas gloveri, 104.
Dendroctonus simples on tamarack, 162.
Depressaria albipunctella, compared, 254, 255.

cinereocostella, Wlsm.'s revision, 255.

ciniflonella beaten from fir, 256.

clausella, synonymy, 255.

culeitella, ally of, 257.

XVII

fernaldella u. sp. "Wlsm., descr., 256.

gracilis n. sp. Wlsiu., descr., 257. •

grotella, syuonyniy, 95.

lierncleana, syuouymy, 94.

lieraclei, syn., 94.

heracliana, article by C. V. Kiley, 94.

hilarella, syn., 256.

hypericella allied to fernaldella, 256.

irupurella, allies, 257.

lythrella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 257.

ontariella, syn., 94, 96, 97.

parilella var. novo-mundi, Wlam.'s revis.,
256.

pastinacella, syn., 94.

piilvipeunella, syn., 25.3.

purpurea, allies, 257.

solidaginis n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 255.

togata n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 254.

umbellarum, syn., 94.
Dermatobia infesting man, article by Dr. Rudolph
Matas, 76.

noxialis in Miss., 226.
Dermestes lardarius in Nat. Museum., 384.

maculatus, D. lardarius vs., 384.

vulpinus, litigation relative to, 260.
Destructive Cricket in Louisiana, 87.

Leaf-hojjper on timothy, 381.
Diabrotica 12 punctata injuring fruit trees, 58.

larvsB in corn roots in S. C, 386.

trivittata, hydrocyanic acid gas, 286.
Dicerca boring in poplar, 58.

divaricata, figured in 3rd Kept. U. S. E. C,
58.

prolongata in poplar, 58.
Dichelonycha fuscula,
Dictyna, improbable author of bite, 282.

volupis parasitized, 107.
"Die back " of orange and leaf-hoppers, 52.
Diloba ca;ruleocephala in England, 151.
Dineutes not eaten by fish, 160.
Dinocamptus considered a subsection of Perili-

tus,338.
Dinoderus floridanum, allied species in opium

pipe, 220.
Diphucephala splendens in Tasmania.
Diplosis pyrivora, synonymy, 121.

tritiei, importation to Australia, 193.
Diplotaxis sp. on fruit trees, 59.
Diptera of Chili, 119.

Dipteron, possible parasite of Icerya in N. Z., 297.
Dog-fish, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Dolomedes, habitat, 162.
Dorosoma, insect diet of, 159.
Doryphora, 10-lineata in Nova Scotia,109

in Ohio, 319.
Dragon Fly larvae attacking young fish, 58.

eaten by fish, 160,
Drosophila quinaria bred from Coccus cacti, 259.
Drosophilina-, 21, 329.

Dryocampa imperialis on Elm and Linden, 379.
Dryophthorus, food habits, 198.
Dryotribus, food habits, 198.
Dysdercus suturelhw injuring oranges, 190.

article by R. and H., 234.

parasite of supposed eggs, 242.
Dysderidse, structure, 200.

25068— No. 12 4

Earwig injuring fruit in Tasmania, 361.

Eau celeste for Rose Beetle, 32.

Eburia quadriniaculata, longevity of early

article by F. M. Webster, 339.
Echinodermata, 83.

Eciobia germanica in Treasury, 68, 191.
Eel worms, Bulletin on Anguillula, 360.
Eggs of insects, mounting for progressive study,

316.
Elachistus an external parasite, 171.
Elasmus an external parasite, 171.
Elassoptes, food habits, 198.
Elm Leaf-beetle not in Eastern cities in 1886, 125.
Emasculating Bot-fly, article by R. and H.,214.
Emphytus maculatus injuring strawberry, 319.

testaceus on Polygonum, 346.
Encopfolopbus sordidus in Calif, 228.
Encyrtus dubius n. sp. Howard, descr., 270.

truncatellus, parasite on Depressaria, 98.
Endrosis lacteella in wine-bottio corks, 92.
English Sparrow, not eating Willow Slug, 37.

destroying Woolly Aphis, 156.

destruction of in Australia, 352.
Entedou n. sp., Icerya parasite, 130.
Entomological Society of Washington, abridged

minutes, 162, 200, 230, 295, 326, 357,
Entomologiske Meddelelser, notice, 167.
Entomologists' Union, a proposed national,.262,359.
Entomology, economic, in India, 60.

reviews of papers on, 355.

in Chili, 118.

two suggestions to students of, 151.

Holland collection, 202.

reviews of recent publications, 203.

in Australia, 358.
EpeiridsB of N. A., Keyserling's vrork on, 357.
EphemeridsB eaten by flsh, 160.
Ephestia interpunctella in TJ. S., 315.

kuhniella in England, 315, 35,".
Epicserus imbricatus on fruit trees, 59.
Epipaschias described by Hulst, 93.
Erigone parasitized, 106.
Eriococcus eucalypti in Australia, 297.
Eriopis connexa in U. S. and Chili, 119.
Eristalis, 5.

Ermine moth in England, 151.
Erythroneura vitis in Ohio, 319.
Etheostoma, insect diet of, 159.
Eubadizon schizoctri n. sp. R. andH., 44.
Eucalyptus Scale in Australia and Tasmania, 363.
Eulepiste cressoni, position, 195.

maculifer n. sp. Wlsm., position, 195.
Eumajus atala, article by E. A. Schwarz, 37.
Eupalus sp. in grain elevator, 51.
Eupelmus karschii, Hessian Fly parasite, 132.
Euphoria inda infested withmites, 349.

melancholica on cotton bolls, 55.
Euplectrus an external parasite, 171.
Euplexoptera, Earwigs placed in, by Westwood,

301.
Eurhopalas variegatus in Chili, 154.
Eurycreon rantalis in Kansas, 13.
Euryscapus saltator, Hessian fly parasite, 132,
Euschistus tristigmus, hydrocyanic acid gas, 286.

XVIII

Euscirihopterus poeyi, 106.
Euthoctha galeator on orange, 54.

eggs of Red Bug compared with, 23G.

injuring plum, 366.
Euthyrhynchus floridaiius piercing Honey Bees,

88.
Exochilum mistaken for Thalessa, 177.
Esochomus pilatei, hydrocyanic acid gas, 286.

Fall "Web-worm, eastern cities free from, in 1888,
125.
in Texas.
Fathead, insect diet of, 159.
Felderia filicornis n. sp. and gen. Wlsm., position,

195.
Fidonia atomaria, larvae killed by Vanessa meco-
nium, 196.
Figure-of-eight Moth in England, 151.
Filistatidae, characters, 200.
Fiorinia caraellise, injury, 377.

pellucida on cocoanut palm. 355.
Fishes, fresh-water, focd habits, 158.
Flea in Chili, 154.

Flea-beetle, Wavy-striped, in Miss., 217.
Florida "Wax-scale introduced into Calif., 325.
Fluted Scale, 54, 356.

importation of parasites, 64.
Fly-weevil, old account, 108.
Foriicula sp. injuring fruits in Tasmania, 361.
Foificulidse, classification, 301.
Formica fusca, relation to Corn Aphis, 152.

schaufussii, relation to Corn Aphis, 152.
Fumigation process, 164.
Fungicides as insecticides, 323.

Galeruca xanthomelajna, not at electric lamps,

285.
Gamasus sp. infesting grain, 51.
Gar, insect diet of, 159.
Garden Web-worm in Kansas, 13.

Paris green for, 354.
Gas lime for Onion Maggot, 354.

treatment for scale insects, article bv D. "W.
Coquillett,41.
Gastroidea formosa on grape in Arizona, 385.
Gelechia, 81,257.

cerealella prior to Revolution, 108.
injury in Australia, 364.

gallae-asterella, parasite of, 161.

galte-solidaginis, parasite of, 161.

monstratella, synonymy, 113.
Gelechinie, 83.
German Phylloxera laws, 27.
Gizzard Shad, insect diet of, 160.
Glassy Cut-worm in Miss., 17.

in Dakota, 317.
Glypta sp. bred from Margarodes quadristigmalis
26.

rufiscutellaris, 26.
Goes tigrinus on oak, 343.
Gold Finches destroying Icerya in N. Z., 92
Gonatopus forming sac on Pvhynchota, 200.
Goniosus n. sp., Icerya parasite, 130.

Gononotus, food habits, 198.

Gracilaria, 81.

Grain Louse in Ohio, 319.

Moth in Australia, 364.
Grape-vine Flea-beetle, 74.

Leaf-hopper in Ohio, 319.
Grapholitha olivaceana, parasite of, 161.
Graphophone, wax for cylinders, 93.
Graptodera chalybea, 74, 75, 221.

foliacea, life history, article by Mary E. Murt-
feldt, 74.
food plant, 199.
ignita in Arizona, 221.
punctipennis, synonymy, 75.
injury, 85.
Grasses, insects affecting upper stems, article by

F. M. "Webster, 372.
Grasshoppers and Crickets, remarkable theory,

320.
Grass Pickerel, insect diet of, 160.

Worm, 375.
Gray Squirrel attacked by Cuterebra, 215.
Greasy Cut-worm in Miss., 17, 217.
" Green Bug ' ' in Tasmania, 301.
Green Soldier-bug on orange, 53, 54.
Greeu-striped Maple-worm in Kansas, UI.
Gryllus injury in Louisiana, 87.
Gyrinidffi, larva- (not adults) eaten by fish, 160.

resemblance in antennae to Platypsyllus, 305.
Gyrinus parens in U. S. and Chili, 119.

Hackberry Butterfly swarming, 28.
Hadena devastatrix in Miss., 17.

in Dakota, 317.
Hadronotus leptocorisEe from eggs of Leptocorisa,
242.
rugosus n. sp. Howard, descr.,242.
Haemylis daucella, synonymy, 94

pastinacella, syn., 94.
Hairy "Woodpecker eating larvas of Depressaria,

98.
Haltica rufipes injuring peach, 280.
Ham Beetle in Chili, 154.
Harmonia pini, lar\-al period, 250.
Harpalus pennsylvanicus at electric lamps, 285.
Hawk Moth, European, 22.
Hay "Worm in Kentucky, 283.
Heliothis armigera in Miss., 17, 217.

in Calif., article by D. "W. Co-
quillett, 331.
Heliothrips adonidum in greenhouses, 141.
draciBUic in hot-houses, 139, 141.
hasmorrhoidalis on apple, 139, 141.
Hellebore, powdered, beetle living in, 314, 360.
Hepialus argtnteomaculatus, article by Dr. D. S>

Kellicott: 250.
Hermetiamucens in bee-hives, 353.
Hessian Fly in N. Z.,32.

insects confounded with prior to 1776, 86.

ai tides by C. V. Riley, 107, 131.

attacked by Thrips, 138.

in England, 192.

danger of importing to Au.stralia, 193..

burning stubble for, 294.

late publications on, 322.

XIX

Heterocampa marthesia, parasite of, Iftl.
Heteropelma mistaken for Thalessa, 177.
(lataniB n.sp. Riley, descr.. 177.
parasite on Datana, 200.
in Canada, i;53.
flavicoi'nis, resemblances, 177, 178.
longipes, differences, 178.
Hexagenia eaten by fish, 160.
Hickory Shad, insect diet of, 159.
Himatiuni, food habits, 198.
Hippobosca equina not in Chili, 155.
Hippoboscidffi, aberrant forms in, 300.
Hippodamia ambigua, Icerya enemy, 130.
convergens, i)arasites of, 101.
maculata, parasite of, 339.
Hog Caterpillar in Ohio, 319.
Homalotylus obscurus, parasite of Hippodamia,

101.
Honey Bees, new enemy to, 88.
abnormal, 197, 295.
poison of, 282.
in Yucca flowers, 368.
Hopliamenus dimidiatus, parasite of Depressaria,

Hop Plant-louse, articles by C. V. Riley, 70, 133.
Hornia mexicana, syn., 213.

minutipennis, compared with Leonia, 213.
Hot water as an insecticide, 122.
House Ant in Fla , 40.
Hy hernia aurantiaria in England, 151.

defoliaria in England, 151.
Hyhopsis, insect diet of, 101.
Hydrocyanic acid gas for scale insects, 286.
Hydrophilidw, larva) eaten bj- flsh, 160.

relations with Platypsylhis, 301.
Hydropsy che with Simulium, 99, 100.
Hylesinns trifolii in Ohio, 218.
Hyloelopus griseus n. sp. and gen. "Wlsm., posi-
tion, 195.
Hymenoptera, European, catalogue of, 168.

hairy eyes of, 295.
Hyperchiria io on Saw Palmetto, 217.
Hypochilus, structure, 200.

second species, 295.
Hypoderma bovis, an ally of Texas Heel-fly, 319.

in England, 355.

linearis, in Texas, 319.
Hyponomeuta padella in England, 151.

texanella, syn., 149.

Icerya purchasi, 54, 87, 201, 299, 327, 356.

parasites of, and their importation from

Australia, 21, 64, 220, 231, 232,262,268,

297.
bird enemies in N. Z., 92.
increased injury in Calif., 110.
article by C. V. Riley, 126.
recent work against in Calif., 163.
Coccinellid enemy in S. Africa, 260.
Australian Lady -bird as enemy, 377.
application to prevent ascending trees,

378.
sacchari, genus based upon, 127.

distinct from I. purchasi, 129.
Ichneumonid larra on .spider from Ceylon, 42.

Ichneumon ruflventris, hosts of, 161.

Imbricated Snout-beetle, vegetables attacked, 227.

on fruit trees, 366.
Incurvaria acerifoliella, Wlsm.'s revis., 147

ienescens n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 147.

humilis n. sp. "Wlsm., descr., 146.

labradoriella, Wlsm.'s revis., 147.

mediostriatella, Wlsm.'s revis., 147.

politella n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 146.

punctiferella n. sp. Wlsm.. descr., 145.

solenobiella, Wlsm.'s revis., 146.
Indian Museum at Calcutta, 60.
Insecticide appliances, articles by C. V. Riley,

243, 263.
Insects injurious to fruits, Saunders, 2nd. ed.,

327.
Insect Society, Farmers and Stockraisers', 325.
Insidious Flower-bug on chrysanthemums, 122.

preying on Thripidw, 140.
International concern, entomological matters of,

article by C. V. Riley, 126.
Isodromus icerya;, Icerya parasite, 130.
Isosoma, danger of importing to Australia, 193.

orchidearum in Europe, 121.
Italian Thrips attacking Hessian Fly, 138.
Itch Mite in Chili, 155.
lulus virgatus, an abundance of in Dakota, 315.

Janus, 10.

Japanese Oak-feeding Silk-worm, article by Dr. C.

E. Webster, 273.
Japanese Peach-worm, damage by, 55.
Japy nozzle, 265.
Jigger in Chili, 154.
Joint-worms, danger of importing to Australia,

193.

" Katipo," or Jfew Zealand Latrodectus, bite, 209,

348.
Kerosene emulsion for cabbage maggot, 15.
worms, 27.
white grubs, 48.
correction regarding recipe,
202.
soap emulsion as fuel, 323.
Killifishes, insect diet of, 159.

Laccophilus americanus in the U. S. and Chili,
119.
proximus in the U. S. and Chili, 119.
Lachnosterna larviB and kerosene emulsion, 48.
case of damage, article by R. and H., 365.
arcuatan. sp. Smith, descr., 181, 183.

on fruit trees, 366.
dnbian sp. Smith, descr., 181,183.

on fruit trees, 360.
fraterna on fruit trees, 366.
fusca, 12, 180.

on fruit trees, 59, 366.
injuring strawberry, 342.
grandisn. sp. Smith, descr., 181.

Lachnosterna hirticula on Poplar and Oak, 85.
on fruit trees, 3C6.

tristis, extraordinary twilight flight, 17.
on fruit trees, 366.
Lacbnus platanicola in Washington, 197.
Lac insect on creosote bush, 344.
Lackey Moth in England 151.
Lactista gibbosa in Calif., 228.
Lady-bird, African, introduced into N. Z., 259.
Lady-bird parasite, articles by C. V. Riley, 101,

338.
Liemophljeus pusiUus in yeast cakes, 284.
Lagoa opercularis, stinging larva, 192.
Languria mozardi a.s a gall maker, 119.
Laphygma frugiperda, 375.
Largus succinctus, Icerya enemy, 130.

hydrocyanic acid gas on, 286.
Lasioderma serricormj in smoking tobacco, 3.57.

injuring cigarettes, 378.
Lasioptera vitis, galls attacked by Thrips, 138.
Lasius flavua, relation to Corn Aphis, 152.
Laterigrades of America, Keyserling's work, 357.
Lathrobium dimidiatum in U. S. and Chili, 119.
Latrodectus, "Katipo " of N. Z., 200.

bites, article by R. and H., 204.

mactans, bite, 205, 281, 282.

malmigniatus, bite, 20f-.
Leaf-eatiug Ant of Texas stripping trees, 192.
Leaf-hoppers and "Die-back," 52.
Leaf-legged Bug.s on orange, 53, 54.
Leaf-roller on ash, parasite of, 161.

on locust, parasite of, 161.

on strawberry, parasite of, 161.
Leather Beetle, litigation concerning, 260.
Lecauiiim acuminatum on mango, 293.

coflfeaj on tea-plant, 293.

hemisphanicum hibernating in Penn., 144.

hesperidum, 299.

persiciB on Japanese quince, 144.

phyllococcus, syn., 118.

viride on coffee plant, 293.
Lecithocera flavistrigella, syn., 147.
Leis conformis destroying Schizoneura, 362.
Leonia rileyi, n. sp. and gen., descr., article by

Eug. Dng6s, 211
Lepidoptera of Chili, 119.

Australia, 299.
bleaching wings of, 291.
Lepomis, insect diet of, 160.
Leptinidee, relation with Platypsyllus, 301.
Leptinillus, remarks o'l, 200, 301.

validus on beaver, 306.
Leptinus, remarks, 200, 301.
. testaceus on mice, 306.
Leptocorisa tipuloides on orange, 242.
Leptocoris trivittata, 325.
Leskia, synonymy, 62.

aurea in Europe, 62.

bicolor in Europe, 62.

sericaria, silk-worm parasite, 62.
Lestophonus icerysv n. sp. and gen., descr., articles
by Dr. S. W. Williston, 21, 328.

importation of living specimens from Austra-
lia, 64, 144, 164, 199, 297.

discovery due to Mr. Crawford, 1G6.

parasite of, 232.

Lestophonus, development to California, 327.

supposed by Mr. Skuse to be two species, 328,
359.

efficiency compared with Australian Lady-
bird, 37''.
Leucania, mounting wings for venation, 151.

harveyi at electric lamps, 285.

unipuncta in Dakota, C6.
at electric lainps, 285.
first injurious appearance in Florida, 375.
Leucopis, relation with Lestophonus, 329.

parasitizing Coccidfe, 258.

Ehi?ococcns in N. S., 385.

bellula n. sp. Williston, descr., 258.
Libellulida;, 58.
Lice in Chili, 154.
Ligyrus gibbosus injuring carrots,

rugiceps, article by L. O. Howard, 11.
in Miss., 217.

niginasus in Miss., 12.
Lime and tobacco for Currant Worm, 17.
Limothrips gramineaj aflFecting cereals, 141.

poaphagus destroying grass, 140, 141.

tritici affecting clover, 140.
Limulodes, relation with Platypsyllus, 305.
Limuhis, position, 300.
Lina scripta in the East, 51,
Linyphia communis, external parasites of, 106, 107.

marginata, external parasites of, 106.
Liotheidie, relation with Platypsyllus, 302
Lithobius impressed in rice paper, 381.
Lithocolleti.s, 81.
Locust, Rocky Mountain, in Northwest, 63.

non-migratory, in Mich., 63, 86.

in Algeria, 92, 194.

value of as manure, 122.

migratory in Australia, 364.
Locust-borer on roses, 198. ^

London purple for Elm-leaf beetle, 126.
Plum Curculio, 193.
LucUia macellaria, oviposits in law places, 319.
Lycaena comyntas swarming in Kansas, 326.

pseudargiolus in Holland collection, 202.
Lycosa nidifex, habits, 162.

tarantula apuliie, bite, 209.
Lyctoris sp., Icerya enemy. 130.
LygSBus reclivatus on trumpet creeper, 340.

Macrancylus, food habits, 198.

Macrodacij lus subspinosus swarming in N. T., 91.

habits compared with Diphucephala, 361.
Mallophaga, aberrant forms in, 300.

resemblance to Platypsj'llus, 305.
Mallota, 5.

'' Malmigniatte " (European Latrodectus), bite, 206.
Mamestra trifolii in Canada, 356.
Man-infesting Bot, article by Dr. Rudolph Matas,

76.
Mantis Carolina domesticated, 156.

called "horse-killer," 199.

as enemy of Aletia, 216.
Mantispa, obtaining larva;, 162.
Margarodes quadristigmalis, article by R. and H.,

Marseilles nozzle, 266.

Masicera, Tachina armlgera n. sp. referable to, 332

May Beetles, twilight flight in Indiana, 17.

injuring strawberry, 342.

on fruit trees, 366.
Mealy Bug of Orange, syn., 118.

on Guava, 235.
Meconium of Lepidoptera, poisonous nature of,

196.
Megathymus, connecting butterflies and moths,

306.
Megilla maculata, parasites of, articles by C. V.
Riley, 101, 338.

intr.S. and Chili, 119.
Melancholy Euphoria on cotton bolls, 55.
Melanoplus in Black Hills, 66.

affinis in Calif, 227.

cyanipes in Calif, 227.

devastator in Calif, 227.
Melophagus oviiius in Chili, 155.
Merisus intermedins, Hessian Fly parasite, 132.
Meromyza sp., confounded with Hessian Fly prior
to 1776, 86.

americana and grass injury, 374.
Mesites, food habits, 198.
Mesograpta polita, article by R. and H., 5.
Mesops taken in Dakota, 66.
MetapodiuR femoratus, Aletia enemy, 216.

eggs of Red Bug compared with, 236.
Mexican Orange-worm, article by C. V. Riley, 45.
Microctonus, Perilitusterminatusformerly in, 338,

terminatus parasitic on Coccinellidse, 102, 103.
Microdon, 5.
Microgaster sp., bred from Depressaria, 98.

lacteipennis, 98.

pieridis, syn., 326.
Milk, beetles found in, 112.
Milk-weed Butterfly swarming, 221.
Millers' Thumb, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Missouri Reports, Riley's, notice of copies wanted,

168.
Mites infesting grain elevator, 51.

case of late autumnal abundance, 252.

in flaxseed, 285.

causing double flowers, 349.
Mole Cricket as a harbinger of .spring, 375.
Monomorium pharaonis in Fla., 40.
Monophkebus crawfordi, Lestophonns a parasite,

of, 21, 64, 165, 297, 328, 329, 330.
Morelos Orange-worm, article by C. V. Riley, 45.
Mosillus, 21.
Mosquito, hibernation of, 52.

Hawk, larvfe enemies of fish, 58.
Moths swarming, 90.

white, in Yucca flowers, 370.
Mottled Umber in England, 151.
Mud Minnows, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Musca domestica, remarks on, 162.

hydrocyanic acid gas on, 286.
Museum pests, note on, 384.
Mydea sp., hydrocyanic acid gas on, 286.
Mygale avicularia, bite, 208.
Myiolepta, 5.

Mymarid*, authorship of family, 357.
Myobia pumila. Asparagus Beetle parasite, 61.
Mytilaspis buxi on cocoanut palm, 355.

Mytilaspis pandani on cocoanut palm, 355.
pomorum in Australia, 359.

Iffematus veutralis, article by L. O. Howard, 33.

ventricosus, lime and tobacco for, 17.
in Ohio, 319.
Neoclytus erythrocephalns on pine, 343.

muricatulus on pine, 343.
Neolophus furcatus, n. sp. and gen.jWlsm., posi-
tion, 195.
Nephelodes violans in Mo., 57.

injuring grass in Dakota, 317.
New England Butterflies, by Scudder, 65.
New Zealand Cuckoo destroying Icerya, 92.

triplet nozzle, 266.
NitidulidiB in figs, 253.

Noctuid larva, predaceous, imported from Austra-
lia, 297.
Noel nuzzle, 248.

Notodonta concinna, acid secretion of, 143.
Notropis, insect diet of, 159.

OchthiphilinsB, relation with Lestophonus, 239.
CEcanthus niveus injuring raspberry, 319.
fficodoma ferens stripping trees, 192.
(Ecophora coloradella, n. sp., Wlsm., descr., 148.

dimidiella, n. sp., Wlsm., descr., 148.

pseudospretella, Wlsm.'s revis., 149.

thoracella, n. sp., "Wlsm., descr., 147.
CEdipoda, 87.

cinerascens in Chili, 155.

venusta in Calif., 228.
CEdocara strangulata in Calif., 228.
(Enophila v.-flavum in wine-bottle corks, 91.
ffistrus bovis in Chili, 155.

equi not in Chili, 155.

ovis in Chili, 155.
Oncideres cingulatus in Miss., 217.
Oncocnemis, newspecie-s, articleby J. B.Smith, 18.

augustus, 19, 20.

fasciatus, n. sp.. Smith, descr., 18.

iricolor, n. sp., Smith, descr., 19.

levis, 20.

simplex, n. sp.. Smith, descr., 20.

tenuifascia, n. sp.. Smith, descr., 18.

terminalis, n. sp.. Smith, descr., 19.
Onion Maggot, gas lime for, 354.
Oniscus murarius in wine-bottle corks, 92.
Onthophagirs hecate passed by a boy, 191.

pennsylvanicus passed by a boy, 191.
Opatrnm intermedium injuring tobacco, 167.
Ophion an external parasite, 171.

luteus in Chili, 155.

macrurum, hydrocyanic acid gas on, 286

vulnerator, parasite of Depressaria, 98.
Orange Aphis, resin and soda for, 230.
Orange-scale, Round, resin and soda for, 230.
Orchid Isosoma, remedy, 121.
Orgyia leucostigma, parasit; of, 161.
Oriental Cockroach, 70.

insects, catalogues of, 328.
Ortholophus variabilis, n. gen. Wlsm., position,

XXII

Orthoneura, 5.

Ortyx califoiuica in Chili, 153.

Oscinida;, Lestopliouus doubtfully placed in, 21,

328.
Oscini8 sp. on Chrjsanthemum, 346.
Ox Bot-fly, damage investigated, 383.
Ox Warble-fly, Texas Heel fly allied to, 319.
Oxyopes viridans, Aletia enemy, 216.
Oyster-shell Bark-louse in Australia. 359.

Packard's Forest-tree Insects, additions of Col-

eopt., 343.
Paleacrita vernata destroyed by Parus atricapil-

liis, 15.
Pale-brindled Beauty iu England, 151.
Palmetto Weevil iu date palm, 14.
Paniscus an external parasite, 171.
Papilio ajax, parasites of, 161.
asterias, parasites of, 161.
marcellus, parasites of, 161.
troilus, parasite of, 161.
turnus, parasite of, 161.
Paragus, 5.

Parasia, hind wing figured by Stainton, 82.
Paris green, danger of use, 142.
for garden Web-WDrra, 354.
Paroquets destroying Icerya in N. Z., 92.
Parsnip Web- worm, article by C. V. Kiley, 94.
Parus atricapillus vs. Canker Worms, 15.
Peach Fruit- worm in Jajjan, 55.
Peach-twig Moth and its parasite, 196.
Pear Diplosis in England, 120.
Pedinus femoralis injuring tobacco, 167.
Perch, insect diet of, 160.
Perilitus amerioanus, n. sp. Riley, descr., 338.
fah;iger, 338.
mellinus, 338.

terminatus reared from Coccinella, 103, 338.
Perimegatoma cylindricum var. angulare, Icerya

enemy, 130.
Periodical Cicada, after-effect of oviposition, 15.
broods V and X, .31.
brood VIIT, 298, 324, 388.
early note on, 313.
Periplaneta americana in Treasury, 68, 70, 191.
Peritrechus luniger, Icerya enemy, 130.
Petrobia lapidum massing in Europe, 278.
Pezotettix iu Black Hills, 66.
Phacellura hyalinitalis, parasite of, 161.
Phalffina heraclei, syu., 94.
Phalffina-Tortrix heracleana, syn., 94.
Phalanchium, not poisonous, 347.
Phenacobius, insect diet of, 158, 159.
Phigalia pilosaria in En'jland, 151.
Philampelus vitis in Ohio, 319.
PhlcBophagus, food habits, 198.
Phlceothrips sp. on mullein, 141.

armata on Anthemis and Chrysanthemum,
140
on Composite and grasses, 141.
cpryse in hickory galls. 138, 141.
Phylloxera frumentaria in ears of com, 139, 141.
mali on grape leaves, 140.

injuring young apples, 141.

Phylloxera nigra in clover heads, 141.
Pholcus, bite, 282.

Phonograph, wax fur cylinders, 93.
j Phora sp., Icerya enemy in Mexico, 130.
Phorodon humuli, articles by C. V. Riley, 70, 133,

reahaleb, does not migrate to hop, 74.
Photinus collustrans, hitherto unknown ? of,

162.
Phryganeida? eaten by fish, 161.

placed in Trichoptera by Westwood, 301.
Phycita nebulo, parasites of, 161.
Phycitidre described by Hulst, 93.
Phygadeuon jiiTofligator bred from Depressaria

98.
Phylloeciis integer, article by C. V. Riley, 8.
Phyllotreta vittata in Miss., 217.
Phylloxera vastatrix, German laws on, 27.

legal bearing of lemedies for, 91.
false report of in Australia, 121.
Thrips infesting galls of, 142.
not in Chili, 153.
in Asia Minor, 354.
in Australia, 363.
at Capo of GoodHope, 383.
in Colorado, 385.
carya'caulis, species closely allied on Pecan,

222.
caryffifoliae, Thrips iu galls of, 137.
Phytoptus, cranberry leaf-galls not made by,
112,279.
on plum, 343.

causing double flowers, 349.
pruni-crumeni on plum, 344.
pyri in Australia, 363.
Pickerel, Little, insect diet of, 160.
Picus villosus eating Depressaria, 98.
Pieris oleracea in Colo., 382.
protodice in Miss., 17, 217.

parasite attacking larva of, 225.
in Colo., 382.
rapa", kerosene emulsion for, 28.
parasite of, 225.
in Ohio, 319.
in Colo., 382.
Piesma cinerea, Icerya enemy, 130.
Piezostethus sp., Icerya enemy, 130.
Pike, insect diet of, 159.
Pimephales, insect diet of, 159.
Pimpla annulipes, hosts of, 161.
atrata destroying Tremex, 168.
conquisitor, hosts of, 161.
heraclei. parasite of Depressaria, 98,
inquisitor, hosts of, 161, 324.
lunator destroying Tremex, 168.
notauda, hosts of, 161.
Pipiza, 5.

Pirate Perch, insect diet of, 15P, 160.
Pissodes aflinis, on habits, 162.
Platychirus, 5.
Platygaster hieraalis, from Hessian Fly, 323.

minutus, Hessian Fly jjarasite. 132.
Platypsylla, no reason for change iu ending, 301.
Platypsyllida", new family by Leconte, 301.
Platypsyllines, on M6gnin'sdescription, 301.
Platypsyllus, relation with Leptinus and Lepti-
Eillna. 200.

XXIII

Platypsyllus, systematic relations of, as deter-
miued by the larva, article by C. V. Kiley, 300.
castoiinu3, characterization, 301.
castori.s, 300.
Plcurota, relationships, 82.
Plum Aphis distinguished fioni Hop Aphis, 71.
Curculio, Cook's treatment, 123.

rebuttal of Wier's statements, 193.
Gouger, ovipositiou, 89.
Plusia brassicas in Miss., 17.
in Colo., 382.
gamma about Moscow, 94.
in Chili, 154, 155.
Plutella cruciferarum, differs from P. ochrella,
287.
omissa n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 2j8.
Pluteloptera ochrella, syn., 287.
Pocota, 5.

Polistes bellicosa, Aletia enemy, 216.
Polysphincta, an external spider parasite, 42, 43,
171.
albipea from Lepidopterous cocoon, 43.
carbonarius from saw-fly, 43.
dictynaj n. sp. Howard, descr., 107.
Potato Beetle in Kova Scotia, 109.

in Ohio, 319.
Prionidus cristatus, enemy of Nematus ventralis,
37.
enemy to Honey Bees, 88.
Pristomerus vulnerator, parasite of Depressaria,

93.
Privet Web-worm, article by K. and H., 22.
Proconia undata on orange, 53, 54.
Protacantbus milberti, Aletia enemy, 216.
Pronuba and Yucca pollination, article by C. V.
Kiley, 367.
maculata pollinizes T. whipplei, 372.
paradoxa pollinizes T. brevifolia, 372.
ProteopteryK emarginata, allied species on wal-
nut, 157.
Proteoteras iesculana, parasite of, 161.
Psecadia discostrigella, Wlsm.'s revis , 149.
fuscipedella n. sp. "Wlsm, descr. , 150.
marmorea n. sp. Wlsm., descr., 149.
subcierulea, ayn , 149.
zelleriella, Wlsm.'s revis., 149.
Pseudauaphora arcanella n. gen. Wlsm., position,

195.
Psocida-, house infested with, 144.
Psocus, 145.

Psyllobora tajdata, hydrocyanic acid gas on, 286.
Pterolonche lineatan. sp. Wlsm., descr., 288,
Pteromalus puparum, notes, 225.
Ptbia picta injuring tomato, 357.
Pulicidw, aberrant forms in, 300.

placed in Aphaniptera by Westwood, 301.
r Purslane Caterpillar, article by R. and H., 104.
Pyralidie, to be monographed, 93
Pyralis umbellarum, syn., 94.
Pyrameis cardui, parasite of, 161.

huntera, parasite of, 161.
Pyrethi um product in 1888. 356.

K.
Eear-horse domesticated, 156.
Red Bug injuring oranges, 190, 234.

Red-hurse, insect diet of, 159.
Red-legged P'lea-beetle in jjeach orchards, 280.
Red scale, hydrocyanic acid gas for, 286.
Red spider in England, 72.
in Chili, 155.
in Ceylon, 293.
evaporated sulphur for, 349.
Red Squirrel infested with Cuterebra, 215.
Rhingia, 5.

Rhipiphorus an external parasite, 171.
Rhizococcus on grass in Dakota, 345.

in Nova Scotia, 385.
Rhizophagusbipustulatusin wine bottle corks, 91.
Rhodobaenus 13-punctatu3, food habits, 198.
Rhopalosiphum sp. injuring carrots in Tasmania,
362.
maidis, relations of ants to, 152.
Rhynchophorus, food habits, 199.
cruentatus in date palm, 14.
palmarum in sugar-cane, 186.
Rhyncolus, food habits. 198.
Rhyssa, habits, 169, 170.
cuvvipes, host of, 109.
lunator, ho.st of, 176.
persuasoria, host of, 169.

old figures of, 17?..
differs from Thalessa, 179.
Ribbon-footed Corn-tly of Europe, danger of im
porting to Australia, 193.
in Sweden, 351.
Rice Weevil in India, 60.

m Australia, 364.
Riley or Cyclone nozzle, 243, 267.
River Carp, insect diet of, 159.
Robin destroying White Grub, 229.
Rock Bass, insect diet of, 159, 160, 161.
Rocky Mountain Locust in ISTorth .vest, 30, 65.
Rodolia iceryre, Africau Tcerya enemy, 130.
Root-knot disease, bulletin on, 360.
Rose Beetle, eau celeste for, 32.
swarming of, 91.
slug in Ohio, 319.

Salutatory, 3.

Sap Beetles in flgs, 253.

Saperda Candida on elm, 343.

lateralis ou hickory, 343.
Sarcopsylla peuelrans in Chili, 154.
Saw-fly of the Sweet Potato, article by R. and H.,

43.
Scale Insects, gas treatment for, 41, 286.
Schizocerus ebenus, article by R. and H., 43.
Schizoneura lanigera in Chili, 153.

in Australia, 362.
Sciurus carolinensis leucotis infested with Cute-
rebra, 215.

hudsonias infested with Cuterebra, 215.
Scurfy Bark-louse on currants, 324, 383.
Scymnus, two new species, article by Dr. D. Sharp,
364.

amabilis, Mexican Icerya enemy, 130.

circularis n. sp. Sharp, descr., 365.

restitutor n. sp. Sharp, descr., 364.
Australian Eriococcus enemy, 363.
Scyphophorus, food habits, 199.

XXIV

Selandria rosas in Ohio, 319.

Seraiotellus nigripes, Hessiau Fly parasite, 132.

Semotiliis, iusect diit of, 159.

Serimeter, article, by Pliilip Wallier, 333.

Slieep Gad-fly iu Chili, 155.

SLeepshead, insect diet of, 159, 160.

Sheep Tick in Chili, 155.

Shiner, insect diet of, 159.

Shovel Fish, insect diet of, 159, 160.

Sialis in pools with Simuliura, 99.

Silk, tenacity, elasticity, and ductility, article by

Philip Walker, 309.
Silk-worra, TTji parasite of, 62.
Silpha opaca injuring mangolds, 259.
Silphidffi, resemblance to Platypsylliis, 305.
Silvanus surinamensis in yeast cakes, 284.
Simuliiim, Ithaca, article by L. O. Howard, 99. .

meridionals and chicken cholera, 14.
Professor Riley's work on, 99.

pecuarnm. Professor Riley's work on, 99.

venustum at Washington, 99.
Sinoxylon from bamboo box, 57.

basilare, abnormal specimen, 162.

tesanum near Washington, 162.
Sirex, habits, 169.

gigas, time for growth, 179.

spectrum, parasite of, 169.
Sitaris muralis, resemblance to Leonia, 213.
Sitodrepa panicea in Chili, 154.
Sitophilus granarius confounded with Hessian
Fly, 108.

oryziB confounded with Hessian Fly, 108.
Snowy Tree-cricket in Ohio, 319.
Soldier Beetle in Yucca flowers, 370.
Southern Cabbage-butterfly in Miss., 17, 217.

in Colo ,
Sphserophoria, larva carnivorous, 5, 6.
Sphenophorus, food habits, 199.

liratus, comparison of larva, 168.

obscurus, article by R. andH., 185.

robustus, comparison, 188.

sacchari in sugar-cane, 185.
Sphinctus, an external parasite, 171.
Sphinx ligustri, 22.
Spiders, bites, article by R. and H., 204, 347.

letter by Dr. E. R. Corson, 280.
A.D. Blanchard, 313.
R. Allan Wight, 348.

parasites of, article by L, 0. Howard, 42, 292,
324.

effect of hydrocyanic acid gas on, 286.
Spilomyia, 5.

Spotted Lady-bird, parasite of, 101,339.
Squash Borer in Miss , 17.
Staphj-linidae, resemblance to Platypsyllus. 305.
Steadota borealis, external parasite of, 43.
Stenoscelis, food habits, 198,
Stickleback, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Stictocephala festina on tomato, 50.
Stirapleura decussata in Calif., 228.
Stomoxys, habits, 162.

calcitrans in Oregon, 109.
in Chili, 155.
Strawberry Emphytus in Ohio, 319.

Weevil in Pennsylvania, 85.

Streaked Cottonwood Leaf-beetle in the East, 51.
Strepsiptera, Stylopiihi' placed in, 301.
Striped Bass, insect diet of, 160.
Striped Bugs, new remedy, 351.
Stylopida', aberrant forms in, 300.

placed in Strepsipter.i. 301.
Sucker, insect diet of, 160.
Suctoria, Platypsyllus placed in, by Ritsema,

300.
Sugar-cane Beetle injuring corn, article by L. 0..
Howard, 11.

in Miss., 217.
Sulphur as insecticide, 229, 349.
Sunflsh, insect diet of, 159, ICO.
Swarming of insects, 28, 90, 326.
Sweet potato Saw-fly, article by R. and H., 43.
Sycamore Tree-louse in Washington, 197.
Syritta, 5.

Syrphidse, larval habits, 5.
Syrphus, larvoe carnivorous, 5, 6.

Tachina aletiai bred from Boll Worms, 331.
anonyma bred from Boll Worms, 331.
armigeran. sp. CoqulUett, described, 332.
Tachinid, undetermined, reared from Schizocerus,

44.
Tamias striatus lysteri infested with Cuterebra

215.
Tarantula, bite, 209,

Tarnished Plant-bug on chrysanthemum, 198.
Tegenaria, bite, 282.
Telemona, 200.
Tenebrio molitor in Chili, 154.

larvEe of iu a woman's stomach, 379.
Tenebrioides mauritanica living in hellebore,

314, 360.
Tent Caterpillar in Miss., 217.
Tepper collection of Lepidopt., 262.
Teras oxjcoccana, parasite of, 161.
Termes fatalis injuring tea plant, 293.
flavipes in Miss., 17.

injuring oranges, 341.
Tetracha caroliniin U. S. and Chili, 119.
Tetracnenius, remarks, 295.
Tetranychus, Thrips destroying, 142.

abundance of nearly allied species in Mich.,

252.
injuring tea plant, 293.
telarius in England, 72.

attached by Thrips, 139, 141.
in Chili, 155.

evaporated sulphur for, 349.
Tetrastichus rileyi, Hessian Fly parasite, 132.
Texas Heel-fly, injury to cattle, 318.
Thalessa, article by C. V. Riley, 168, 200, 253.
atrata, habits, 168, 169, 177.
lunator, habits, 168, 169, 171.
Thalpochares cocciphaga, larva predaceous on

scales, 297.
Thelyphonns giganteus, popularly sujiposed to

sting, 199.
Theophila mandarina, article by Philip Walker,
270.

XXV

Theraphosidiie, study of, 200.
TheridiidiB of America, Keyserling's work, 357.
Therklium, bite, 282,

Thoron opacus n. sp. Howard, descr., 268.
Thrincns califoinicus in Calif., 228.
Thripidse, food habits, article by Herbert Osborn,
137.

placed in Thysanoptera by Westwood, 301.
Thrips ap. injuring olive, Ul.

on leaves of hop, 141.
Thrips cerealium injuring wheat, 138, 141.

minutissimus infesting potato, 141.

ochraceus injuring melons, 141.

phylloxeras, quoted from Riley, 139.

secalina on cereals, 139.

striatus on onion plants, 141.

tabaci, injury to tobacco, 167.

tritici injuring cereals, apple blossoms, straw-
berry, 141.
orange blossoms, 340.

vitifolisB on leaf-galls of vine, 139.
Thoron n. sp., Icerya jiarasite, 130.

opacus n. sp. Howard, descr., 268.
Thyreodon, 177.
Thyreus abbottii in Ohio, 319.
Tliyridopteryx ephemeraeformis, parasite of,

161.
Thysanoptera, Thripidaj placed in, 301.
Tinea, 81.

apiella, 94.

biseliella in Chili, 154

cloacella in wine-bottle corks, 92.

crinella in CLili, 154.

granella, not in Chili, 154.

umbellella, 94.

zeae in America, 315.
Tineid injuring carpets in Texas, 191.
Tineina, revision of Chambers's Index, by Lord

Walsingham, 81, 113, 145, 254, 287.
Toad vs. cockroaches, 341.

Tobacco, smoking, infested by Lasioderma, 357.
Toothed Herring, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Top-minnows, insect diet of, 159, 160.
Tortricidae injuring tea plant, 293
Tortrix fractivittana swarming, 90,

quercifoliana, parasite of, 161.
Trachoma horridella, 288.

senex n. sp Wlsm., descr., 288.
Trains stopped by caterpillars, 30.
Treasury, injury to files of by roaches, 67.
Tremex columba, 9, 168, 170, 171, 179, 200, 253.
Trichogramma destroying eggs of Nematus, 37.
Trichoptera, Phryganeidae placed in, 301.
Trigonogeniussp., an herbarium pest in Calif.,

162.
Trimerotropis in " Bad Lands," 66.

vinculata in Calif., 228.
Triphleps insidiosus injuring chrysanthemums,
122.

preying on Thripidae, 140.
Trochosa, not poisonous, 347.
Tiogosita mauritanica in milk, 112.
Trogus exesorius, hosts of, 161.

obsidianator, host of, 161.
Tropistemus glaber in U. S. and Chili, 119.

Tropisteruus lateralis in TJ. S. and Chili, 119.
Trunk, borers in, while traveling, 312.
Trypeta ludens, article by C. V. Eiley, 45.
Tryphon an external parasite, 171.
Twelve-spotted Diabrotica on fruit trees, 58, ;
Twig Girdler in Miss., 217.
Two-spotted Lady bird, hibernation, 50.
Typhiii an extenal pai-asite, 171.
Tyroglyphus louginr in grain elevator, 51.
siroin flax-seed, 285.

Ujimyia, note on, 62.

TJji parasite of silk-worm, 62.

Urocerus, 9.

Uropodaamericana on Euphoria inda, 349.

Valgus canaliculatus on quince, 377.
Vanessa antiopa, " voice " of, 221.

stridulation, article by A. H. Swinton,
307.

milberti, parasite of, 161.

prorsa, poisonoiis meconium of, 196.
Vermorel nozzle, 263.

Virginia Simulium and chicken cholera, 14.
Viticulture, new Australian journal of, 328.
Volucella, 5.

"Wall-eyed Pike, insect diet of, 159.
Warble-fly injuring hides in England, 355.
Water Bug in Treasury, 68, 191.
Water-skippers not eaten by fish, 160.
Weevil, damage to wheat and rice in India, 00.
Western Cricket in Colorado, 57.
Whalebone injured by Antlirenns, 222.
Wheat Midge, Thrips preying on, 138.

danger of importing to Australia, 193.
in Canada, 356.
Saw-flies, damage. 111.

little danger of importing to Australia, 193.
Stem-maggot in Canada, 356.
Wheel Bug, Nematus enemy, 37.

Honey-bee enemy, 88.
Whip-tail Scorpion, not poisonous, 199
White Ants in Miss., 17.

not observed in Treasury, 69.
in Australia, 340.
in fences in South Carolina, 383.
Bass, insect diet of, 160.
Grubs, kerosene emulsion for, 48.
destroyed by birds, 229.
in strawberry beds, 325.
in Australia, 364.
Wild-plum Weevil, oviposition, 89.
Willow-shoot Saw-fly, article by C. V. Eiley, 8.
Willow-slug, Tellow-spotted, article by L. O.

Howard, 33.
Wine-bottle corks attacked by insects, 91.
Winter Moth in England, 151.
Wollastonia, food habits, 198.

XXVI

Wood Louse in Miss., 17.

iDJuring wine-bottle corks, 92.
Woolly Aphis destroyed by English Sparrow, 156.

Apple-louse, new remedy, 89.

Xiphidria camelus, parasite of, 169.
Xylota, 5.

Yeast cakes infested by beetles, 284,
Tellow-spotted Saw-fly, article by L. Howard,

33.
Tuccaborous, fooiV habits, 199.

Zeuzera coflFeis injuring tea plant, 293.

PLANT INDEX.

Acacia, free from Tcerya at Toovroomba, 87.

afl'ected by Icerya, 129.

latifolia, Icerya originally imported on, 127.
Acei' japonicum injured by Capsus, 293.

rubrum infested with Anisota, 111.
Acliillea sp. injured by Capsus, 293.
Alder, Speckled or Hoary, bored by Hepialu.s, 250.
Alnus incaua, boretl by Hepialus, 250.
Ambrosia, food plant of Rbodobienus, 198.
Amorpha canescens, Cecropia cocoons on, 155.
Antbemia tinctoria, Pblwotbrips afl'ecting, 140.
Apple, effect of arsenic, 125.

Scurfy Bark-louse on, 324.

Wax scale infesting, 326.

injured by Diphucephala in Tasmania, 361.
Apiicot, Diabrotica on, 59.
Aralia spinosa, Capsus on, 293.
Atriplex, larva of Opatrum on, 167.

Banana, Sphenopborus under bark of, 186.
Barley damaged by Chlorops, 351.
Bean injured by Bruchus in Calif., 316.
Bellis perennis, effect of mites on, 350.
Biscutella, double flowers caused by mites, 350.
Bitter Clover, Boll-worm on, 331.
Black Cherry, Scurfy Bark-louse on, 324.
Black-knot on plum, 344.
Blue Gi'ass, Army- worm on, 376.

injured in stems by insects, 372.
Boletus edulis, Chilosia larvae living in, 5.
Bottle Grass injured by insects, 372.
Box Elder, effect of arsenic on, 125.

Tremex in, 171.
Bracted Bindweed, Thrips in flowers, 139.
Brassica nigra, mites causing double flowers, 350.
Butler Weed not injured by Army-worm, 376.

Cabbage, Pieris rapse on, in Ohio, 319.
injured by Boll-worm, 331.
Army Worm, 376.
Calystegia sepium, Thrips in flowers of, 139.
Camellia injured by scale, 376.
Campanula persicaefolia, Capsus on, 293.
Capsclla bursa-pastoris, mites causing double

flowers, 3.50.
Cardium, Chilosia larvfe living in stems, 5.

Catleya injured by Isosoma, 121.
Carrots injured by Ligyrus, 382.

Ehopalosiphum sp., 362.
Celtis occidentalis, Tremex iu, 179.
Centranthus, mites and double flowers, 350.
Cereus viridiflorus, Cactophagus found iu, 231.
ChLiry injured by slug in Ohio, 319.
slightly by Diabrotica, 59
by Lachnosterna, 366.
by Diphucephala, 361.
Chestnut eaten by Antheria, 273.
Choke-cherry, Scurfy Bark-louse on, 324.
Chrysanthemum, Tarnished Plant-bug on, 198.
frutescens, Oscinis ap. on, 346.
leucanthemura, Phloeothrips on, 140.
Citrus, Icerya infesting, 87.
Cladosporium following attacks of Dactylopius,

118.
Clover injured by Root-borer, 319.
Cochlearia officinalis, mites and double flowers,

350.
Cocoa-nut, Bark-lice on, 355.
Coffee plant, insects afl'ecting, 292.
Commelynacea;, mites and double flowers, 349.
Conch Grass injured by insects, 374.
Convolvulus injured by Opatrum, 167.
' Coontie" in Florida, 39.
Corn injured by Mesograpta, 6.
Boll-worm, 331.
Army Worm, 376.
Ccrylus, Phytoptus infesting, 350.
Cotton, injury to bolls by Euphoria, 55.
Bed Bug injuring, 234.
injured by Boll- worm, 320.
Cow Parsnip, food plant of Depressaria, 98 .

Peas infested by Bruchus, 59.
Crab Apple, Scurfy Bark-louse on, 324.
Cranberry, leaf-galls an, caused by fungus, article

by Dr. Fr. Thomas, 279.
Creosote Bush, Lac insect on, 344.
Cniciferse, mites and double flowers, 349, 350.
encumber not injured by Army Worm, 370.
Cucnrbita perennis, food plant of Graptodera, 199.
Cudrania triloba for Silk-worms, 120.
Currant injured by Nematus, 319.
Scurfy Baik-louse on, 324.
Shrub. Icerya infesting, 87.
Cvcadacete, 38.
Cydonia japonica, Lecanium on, 144.

D.'
Dahlia injured by Ligyrus, 383.
Date Palm attacked by Ehynchophorus, 14.

XXVIII

Dancus carota, subject to attack of Dcpressaria,

97, 98.
Deutziii crenata injured by Capsus, 293.
Dewberry not injured by Army Worm, 376.
Dolichos sp. infested by Brucbus, 59.
Dracaena, injury by Heliothrips, 139.

Echinocystis infested witb Lecanium, 144.
Egg Plant injured by insects, 357.

Aimy Worm, 376.
Elms, effect of arsenic on, 125.

Saperda and Antbaxia eating leaves, 343.

Dryocampa imperialis on, 379.
Entomopbtbora attacking Cbincb Bugs, 113.
Eruca, mites and double flowers, 350.
Eucalyptus, injury by scale, 363.
Eupatorium, Ceroplastcs on, 55.
European Mountain-ash, Scurfy Bark-louse on, 324

Eagus cunninghanii, Scymnus on, in New Zealand.
Fedia, mites and donble flowers, 350.
Eig, sap-beetles in fruit, 253.
Flax, mites in seed, 285.

Galium boreale, Capsus on. 293.
Gall-berry, food plant of Wax Scale, 326.
Geranium, Garden, Boll Worm on, 331.

Lemon, Capsus on, 293.
Gnapbalium purpureum, not injured by Army

Worm, 376.
Gossypium, Red Bug injuring, 235.
Grape, effect of arsenic on, 125.

injured by Leaf-bopper and Tbyreus, 319.
Boll Worm, 331.
by Gastroidea formosa, 385,
Grass injured by Cut-worms, 317.
Khizococcus, 345, 385.
a Crambid in Au.stralia, 363.
insects affecting stems, article by F. M.
Webster.
Ground Cherry, food plant of Chloridea, 228.
Guava, Bed Bug on, 235.

Hawthorn, Graptodera on, 74.

Hazel, Phytoptus in buds, 350.

Helianthus sp., Boll Worm on, 331.

Heliotrope, Capsus on, 293.

Heracleum sibiricum , food plant of Depressaria, 98.

spbondylium, food plants of Depressaria, 98.
Hibiscus fulgidus. Red Bug on, 234.

syriacus, Capsus on, 293.
Hickory, Saperda lateralis on, 343.
Holcus lanatus, pupal case of Hessian Fly on, 323.
Honey Lociist, effect of arsenic, 125.
Hop, Pborodon attack, 70.

Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora, Capsus on, 293.
Hypericum perforatum, Capsus on, 293.

Ilex glabra, food plant of Wax Scale, 326.
Italian Poplar, Phylloecus on, 8.

Japanese Privet affected by Margarodes, 22.

Quince, Lecanium on, 144.
Juglaus californica, Tortricid enemy of, 156.

Lactuca canadensis, Languria bred from, 119.
Larixamericana attacked by Dendroctonus, 162.
Larrea mexicana, Lac insect on, 344.
Lemon affected by Icerya, 129.
Lepidium, mites and double flowers, 350.
Leptomeria acida, Icerya on, 87.
Lettuce not injured by Army Worm, 376.
Ligustrum japonicura, Margarodes on, 22.

vulgare, Margarodes on, 22.
Lime, Icerya on, 129.

injured by Artipus, 357.
Linaria cymbalaria, mites causing petiolate flow-
ers, 350.
Linden, Dryocampa imperialis on, 379.
Lunaria rediviva, Capsus on, 293.
Lysimacbii clethroides, Capsus on, 293.

quadrifolia, Synebytrium on, 279.
Lythrum alatum, Depressaria on, 257.

Madura aurantiaca, 22, 120.
Malcolmia, mites and double flowers, 350.
Malva borealis, Boll Worm on, 331.
Maples damaged by ants, 346.
Matricaria, Chilosia larvse living in stems, 5.
Meliola following attack of Dactylopius, 118.
Melon not injured by Army Worm, 376.
Mexican Clover not injured by Army Worm, 376
Mimosa, Lac insect on in Mexico, 345.
Mublenbergia mexicana, a larva attacking, 374.
Musa, Sphenophorus found under bark, 186.
Myagrum, mites and double flowers, 350.
Myrtus luma, Aspidiotus on in Cbili, 154.
ugni, Aspidiotus on in Chili, 154.

Negundo aceroides, Tremex on, 171.
Nettle, Icerya on, 129.

Oak, White. Agrilus and Goes on, 343.
Oats, injured by Aphis in Ohio, 319.

Army Worm in Florida, 375, 376.
Olive, Aspidiotus on in Chili, 154.
Onion not injured by Army Worm, 376.
Opuntia, Cactophagus under dead leaves, 199.
Orange, Mexican Fruit- worm affecting, article by
C. V. Riley, 45.

Icerya on, 129.

Red Bug injuring, 234.

Wax-scale infesting, 326.

blossoms injured by Thrips, 340.

injured by Anguillula, 360.
Osage Orange, 22, 119.

Palmetto, RLyncbophorns in, 199.
Panic Grass injured by insects, 372.

XXIX

Panicum cru3-galli injured by insects, 372.
Pastiuaca satiya infested with Depressaria, 96, 98.
Patiinea, mites and double flowers, 350.
Pea injured by Army Worm, 376.
Peach, attacked in Japan by a fruit-worm, 55.
■ injured by Ilaliica, 280.

Anguillula, 360.
Pear, probable new enemy of, 16.

as food of Antheria, 273.

Scurfy Bark-louse on, 324.

"Wax-scale infesting, 326.

Boll Worm on, 331.

injured by Diphucephala in Tasmania, 361.

Phytoptus pyri affecting, 3G3.
Pecan, Phylloxera sp. injuring, 221.
Persimmon, Barnacle Scale on, 54.
Philadelphus corouarius aureus, Capsus on, 293.
Phleuui pratense, Hessian Fly infesting, 323.

injured by insects, 372.
Phlox paniculata, not injured by Capsus, 293.

sutl'ruticosa, Capsus on, 293.
Phyllosticta ligustri on Privet, 22.
Physalis viscosa, food plant of Chloridea, 228.
Pine, Neoclytus on, 3-13.
Pine-apple, Acanthacara injuring, 217.
Pitch I'ine, Bupreslis on, 343.
Plane-tree, Western, Lacbnu.s on, 197.
Platanus, Thrips on leaves, 139.
Plowrightia morbosa on Plum, 344.
Plum, Diabrotica on, 59.

Phorodon on, 71.

effect of arsenic on, 125.

Phytoptus on, 343.

Lachnosterua on, 366.

defoliated by Diphucephala in Tasmania, 361.
Poa pratensis injured by insects, 372.

serotina injured by insects, 374.
Poisonous Nightshade, Ked Bug on, 235.
Polemonium reptaus, Capsus on, 293.
Polygonum dumetorum, Emphytus on, 345.
Pomegranate, Icerya on, 129.
Poplar, Dicerca attacking. 58.

effect of arsenic on, 125.
Populus nigra, Phylloecus on, 8.

tremuloides, Dicerca attacking, 58.
Portulaca grandiflora, possibility of Copidryas
attacking, 103.

obracea, Copidryas on, 104.
Potato, little known enemies, 157.

injured by Doryphora, 319.
Ligyrus, 383.
Privet, Margarodes on, 22.
Prunus, Phorodon on, 71.
Purslane infested with Copidryas, 104.
Pussley infested with Copidryas, 105.
Pyrus aria as food of Antheria, 273.

terminalis as food of Antheria, 273.

Quick Grass, Hessian Fly infesting, 323.
Quince, fungus on, eaten by Allorhina, 88.

affected by Icerya, 129.

eaten by Antheria, 273.

Wax Scale infesting, 326.

Valgus canaliculatus an enemy of, 377.

Radish, Army Worm on, 376.
Ranunculus acris, Capsus on, 293.
Raspberry, Diabrotica iijuring, 59.

effect of arsenic on, 125.

injured by Snowy Tree-cricket, 319.
Rice, injury by weevil in India, CO.
Richardsonia scabra not injured by Army Worm,

376.
Robinia pseudacacia, Cossus in, 250.
Roestilia aurantiaca on quince eaten by Allor-
hina, 88.
Rose affected by Icerya, 129.

injured by Locust Borer, 198.

buds injured by a Cecidomyia, 284.

injured by Slug, 319.

Mallow, Red Bug on, 234.
Rye damaged by Chlorops in Sweden, 351.

Saw Palmetto, larva of Hyperchiria on, 217.
Scrophularia, Chilosia larvse in stems, 5.
Scrophtilarinew, mites and double flowers, 349.
Sotaria glauca injured by insects, 372.
Sboe-string Bush, Cecropia cocoons on, 155.
Siberian Parsnip, food plant of Depressaria, 98.
Sisymbrium sophia, mites and double flowers, 350.
Solanum nigrum. Red Bug on, 235.

seiglinge, Chloridea on, 228.
Solidago, Locust P.orer on, 198.

Depressaria on, 255.
Sonchus, Chilusia larva in stems, 5.
Sorghum injured by Aphis in Australia, 362.
Spanish Cocklebui', Red Bug on, 235.
Strawberry injured by Anthonomus, 85.
Emphytus, 319.
White Grub, 325, 341.

not injured by Aimy Worm, 376.

slightly injured by Diphucephala, 361.
Sugar-cane, Icerya first noticed on, 87.

Borer in Sandwich Lslands, 185.
Sunflower, Wild, Boll Worm on, 331.

injured by Ligyrus, 383.

food plant of Rhodobanus, 382.
Sweet Gum, Cotton Worm hibernating in leaves,

17.
Sycamore infested with Lachnus, 197.
Synchytrium aureum causing leaf-galls, 279.

vaccinii causing crauberry leaf-galls, 279.

Tanacetum vulgare, Capsus on, 293.
Tea Plant, insects affecting in Ceylon, 292.
Thistle, stems infested with Rhodobsenus, 198.
Timothy, Hessian Fly infesting, 323.
injured by Leaf-hopper, 381.
insects, 372.
Tobacco, injured by insects in Bessarabia, 167.

Aleurodes in Greece, 386.
Tomato, Stictocephala attacking, 50.
injured by W. Indian Bug, 357.
Army Worm, 376.
Tree Yucca pollinized by Pronuba, 372.
Triticum caninum injured by insects, 374.

XXX

Triticum repens, Hessian Fly infestinjr, 323.

injur. (1 by iusects, 37-t.
Trumpet Creeper iujured by Lygacus, 310.

Ureua lobata, Eed Bug on, 235.
TJrticacea, 120.

Valeriana, mites and double flower.s, 350.
officinalis, Capsus on, 293.
tripteris, mites aud double flower.s, 349.
Valerianacea:', mites and double flowers, 349, 350.
Valerianella, mites and double flowers, 350.
Velvet grass, ITessian Fly pupa case on, 323.
Virginia Creeper, Hog Caterpillar and Thyreus
on, 319.

"Walnut affected by leery a. 129.

enemy in Calif., 156.
"Wattle," Diphucephala, originally on, in Tas-
mania, 361.
Wheat, weevil injuring in India, GO.

Wheat injured by larva of Opitrum, 167.

Army Wortu, 376.
Wild Carrot, eateu by Depressaria, 97, 98.

Morning-glory, Thrip.sin flowers, 140.

Parsnip, Depressaria infesting, 94, 96, 98.
Willow, injured by Phylluecus, 8.

Xanthiura strumarium, stems infested with Kho-
dobEenus, 198.

Yucca, infested with Tuccaborus and Scypho-

phorus, 199.
pollination by Pronuba, article by C. V.Eiley,

367.
aloifolia, artificial pollination of, 368.
angustifolia, artificial pollination of, 369.
brevifolia, pollinized by Pronuba, 372.
filamentosa, artificial pollination of 368.
whipplei pollinized by Pronuba, 372.

Zamia integrifolia, larvffi of Eumaeus on, 38,

ERBATA.

Page 5, line 9 from top, and page 6, line 6 from top, read Sphcerophoria for Sphcero-
phoria.

Page 8, line 7 from top, read aunu?i for annulse.

Page 18, line 22 from bottom, read 1.1 inch —27.5mm for 1.1 incli 27.5'"™.

Page 20, line 24 from top, read O. simplex for O simplex.

Page 22, liue 1 from bottom, read all for al.

Page 27, line 19 from top, read ana for ans.

Page 38, line 10 from bottom, read Cycadacefe for Cycadacea.

Page 40, lines 7 and 8 trom bottom, read " extends so far north as the Caloosa-
hatchie River. As this region is entomologically still terra incognita, I can, etc."

Page 43, line 4 from bottom, read " were obtained " for " issued."

Page 44, line 1 trom top and 3 from bottom, read schizoceratls for schizoceri.

Page 51, line 21 from top, read eruditus for eruditua.

Page 56, line 14 from top, read W. J. Holland for W. G. Hall.

Page 56, liue 16 from top, read Holland for Hall.

Page 81, line 20 from bottom, read paUidella Chamb. for pallidella Chamb.

Page 8J, line 11 from top, read resemble for resembles.

Page 82, line 1,3 from bottom, read " cilia with a" for " cilia a with."

Page 93 (facing) last line, read Insidious for lusidwous.

Page 106, liue 5 from top, vend poeyi for freyi.

Page 110, line 10 from top, read method for mothod.

Page 116, line 7 from bottom, read aporpov for aporpov and ovpa for ovph.

Page 116, insert "a" above upper figure; aud add to explauatiou of figure, "c, uncus."

Page 137, line 12 from bottom, add after '■ Philadelphia," (Vol. I, p. 310.)

Page 137, line 11 from bottom, read Thrips for Thrip.

Page 140, liue 13 from bottom, read Triplileps for Thriphleps.

Page 141, line 24 from top, read ochraceus for ochraceous.

Page 141, line 21 from bottom, read gramvus for graminece.

Page 146, line 6 from top, read Hind-wings for Head- wings.

Page 1.53, line 9, from bottom, read 1886 for 1866.

Page 155, liue 11 from top, read Hippohosca for Hipponhoca.

Page 162, liue 4 from top, read sixteeuth for fifteenth.

Page 162, bottom liue, read /arij^es iov flaripes.

Page 172, line 8 from top, read Mr. Gade for Mr. Harrington.

Page 187, line 7 from top, add comma after curved.

Page 187, line 25 from bottom, read punctate for unctate.

Page 187, line 14 from bottom, omit " sub-opaque " after " Elytra."

Page 192, line 8 from top, read /ervews for/e?'ejis.

Page 195, line 17 from top, read " Anaphoriute " for " Anophoriuae."

Page 198, liue 6 from bottom, read Cossonus for Cossomus.

Page 200, line 11 from top, read 1888 for 1886.

Page 201, line 4 from bottom, read ichthyologists for icthyologists.

Page 208, line 5 from top, read Apteres for Apt^res.

XXXII

Page 214, line 3 from top, read Th ird New York Report for Fourth New York Re-
port.

Page 220, liue 9 from bottom, read Sinoxylou for Dinoderus ; aud S. floridanum for
D. floridanum.

Page 224, line 4 from top, read " 996 " for "3,296 [sic!]."

Page 228, liue 11 from top, read season for sea-sou.

Page 228, line 4 from bottom, read sieglinge for seiglinge.

Page 233, line 8 from bottom, read Coleoj^terons for Coleoterous.

Page 233, liue 6 from bottom, read Carpophihis dimidiatus for Carpophihis mutUatus.

Pages 245,247, aud 248 read Noel for Noel wherever the name occurs.

Page 254, liue 20 from bottom, read " cinereous speckled, with fuscous" instead of
" cinerous speckled, with fuseous."

Page 261, lines 11 aud 12 from bottom read "a separate heading " for "the head of
General Notes."

Page 27'>, line 8 from bottom, read .025 "'™ for ,02|^ """.

Page 278, line 7 from bottom, read Duges for Dug6s.

Page 285, line 7 from top, read Tyroglt/phus for Tryoglyplius.

Page 292, line 5 from bottom, and page 293, liue 2 from top, read Nietner for Neitner.

Page 295, transfer heading at top of page to after liue 3.

Page 301, liue 10 from bottom, read a«d for ad.

Page 301, liue 9 from bottom, omit the figures " 114-116."

Page 301, liue 11 from top, read Trichoptera for Thrichoptera.

Page 302, line 13 from top, read 147 for 143.

Page 302, liue 9 from top, read ) for (.

Page 302, liue 22 from top, read Wiener for Weiner.

Page 303, line 2 of explanation to Fig. 67, read " dorsa? view" for " dorsa Iview."

Page 305, line 9 from bottom, read Staphyliuidse for Staphylinda^.

Page 314, liue 2 from bottom, aud page 315, liue 1 from top, read Kiihn for Kuhn.

Page 315, liue 3 from top, read kdhniella for kithniella.

Page 319, liue 23 from bottom, read Harr. for Haw.

Page 322, liue 21 from top, read Griisern for Gra'sern.

Page 325, line 1 from bottom, omit comma after " Commissioners."

Page 345, line 9 from top, read larrece for larreoe.

Page 355, line 10 from bottom, read kUhniella for kuhniella.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. JULY, 1888.

Vol. I. ISTo. 1,

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR. RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF' AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PBINTINGr OFFICE.
1888.

CONTENTS.

ruga
Salutatory 3

The Corn-pollen Syrphus-fly (illustrated) 5

The Willow-shoot Saw-fly (illnstrated) C. V. Riley.. 8

The Sugar-cane Beetle injuring corn L. O. Hoivard. . 11

Extracts from correspondence 13

Garden Web-worra.— A new enemy to the Date Palm iu Florida.— A Vir-
ginia Simulium called " Cholera Gnat." — The Black-polled Titmouse
destroying Canker Worms.— Kerosene emulsion for the Cabbage Mag-
got. — After effect of the oviposition of the Periodical Cicada. — More tes-
timonj"^ on the buckwheat remedy for Cut-worms. — An application for
Buffalo Gnat bites. — Relative merits- of arsenical solutions. — Probably
a new enemy to Pear from Oregon. — An extraordinary flight of Lach-
nosterna. — Lime and tobacco for Currant-worms. — Some notes from

Mississippi

New species of Oncocnemis John B. Smith.. 18

The Australian parasite of Icerya purchasi (illustrated).. 5. TV. Williston.. 21

The Privet Web-worm (illustrated) 22

Notes 26

Chinch Bug iu California. — German Phylloxera laws. — Kerosene emulsion
against Cabbage W^orms. — S warming of Hackberry Butter flies. — South-
ward spread of the Asparagus Beetle. — Caterpillars stopping trains. —
lujury by the Kocky Mountain Locust. — The Periodical Cicada in
J 888. — The Chinch Bug in 1888. — Increase of Cryjitocephalus venus-
tus.— The Hessian Fly half way around the world.— "Eau celeste" for
the Rose Beetle.

Vol. I, No. I.] INSECT LIFE. [July, 1§88.

SALUTATORY.

Ever since our connection with the Division of Entomology avc have
greatly felt the need of some speedy and regular means of publication in
which might be printed short articles, notes, reports of the i)rogress of
investigations, and brief papers on entomological subjects which are
cither too limited in scope or too disconnected to be used in tbe annual
reports or in the special bulletins of the Division. A vast amount of
interesting matter, especially in correspondence, has hitherto been
buried in the archives of the Division which bas had no medium of di-
rect communication with tbe public, especially that portion which in-
cludes tbe student of entomology and the actual workers in economic
entomology. Some of these miscellaneous notes bave been published
occasionally under the heads of "Notes of the Year" and "Extracts
from Correspondence " in several of the special bulletins of the Division
(viz: Kos. 2, 4, and 12) and in tbe annual reports for 1879 and 1884.
But there is much matter of general interest tbatis necessarily omitted
from any such publications appearing only at irregular intervals. A
periodical bulletin in which matter of timely interest can be given to
the public without delay, and especially to the agricultural journals for
still wider distribution, bas become the more necessary now that active
experiment stations have been established under the Hatch bill in most
of the States.

It is not necessary to explain to the public the difficulties which have
heretofore been thrown in the way of publishing from the Division such
a periodical bulletin as is here proposed. We have in past annual re-
ports intimated tbe great need of something of the sort and believe that
Comnn'ssioner Colman has instituted no reform during his administra-
tion that will be productive of more general good or will give more gen-
eral satisfaction, so far as the interests of economic entomology are con.
cerned.

We hope to make the periodical interesting and useful to all in any
way concerned in entomology, and, without further comments or prom-

ises, we cordially invite such to co-operate with us in our endeavors.
Witli the aid of those associated with us in Government work, partic-
ularly of Messrs. L. O. Howard, E. A. Schwarz, and John B. Smith, we
feel justified in expressing this hope and send to all, who may receive it,
this first number, greeting. , . . . . ^- i

During a large part of the year the force of the Division is actively
eno-ao-ed in experimental work and original research, which fact will pre-
clude the issuing of this bulletin as regularly as an ordinary monthly ;
but it will be our endeavor to issue it on an average once a mouth, and
to complete a volume with each year.

C. Y. ElLEY,

^Entomologist.

TNSEOT LIFE.

THE CORN-FEELING SYRPHUS-FLY.

{Mesof/rapta polita Say.)
[Order Diptkra; family Syrphid.i:.]

In Lis summary of the larval babits of tbe family Syrpbitbp,* Br,
Williston makes tbe following general statement :

"Tbe principal genera in wbicb tbe larval babits are known are tbe
following :

'■'Bacclia, Sijrphuft, Spliwrophoria, Pipiza, Faragus. Tjarviv apbicl-
opbagous.

^'■Mallota, SpilomyMj Xylota, Brackypalpus, Pocota, Myiolepta, Chryso-
toxuni, etc, LarvaMn decaying wood or trees; some oftbem {Mallota)
long, 'rat-tailed.'

'■'CMlosia. Larva) living in stems o( Gardliim, Sonchiis, Sc'rojyhularia,
Matricaria, and in fangi {Boletus eduUs, etc.).

'•'■Platycliirus, Bhinyia, Erisfalis, Syritta, Orthonenra. Larvie in de-
caying vegetable matter, mannre, or in soft nind impregnated witb de-
caying vegetable matter.

^'•Brachyopa, Xylota, (^hrysochkmiys, Ceria. Larvre found living in
flowing sap of trees.

'•'■ Crioprora. Bred by Osten-Sackeu, from larvre found under oak
bark.

'■'■Microdon. Larva? common in auts' nests. * * *

" Volucella. Larv;p, are parasitic upon Humble Bees, living in tbeir
nests."

^i^iiimu(m'^'^'^^^.t^^ff^'^^

Fig. 1.— Mesookai'ia I'OLITA. a, larva; 6, pupa; c, adult— all enlarged (original.)

* Synopsis of tbe N. A. Syriihidiu (Hull. :J1, U. S. National Mnseum), Washingtou,
188G, pp. 270-27:;^.

It will be seen from this resume of the knowu larval habits that the
habits of the species which we are about to treat are quite abnormal
iu its family so far as known. Moreover, in its tribe, Syrphini, it is
still more anomalous for the reason that the only two genera of this
tribe of which the larval habits seem to be known, viz, Si/rphufi and
Spliderophoria, are carnivorous, feeding upon Plant-lice.

Mesograpta jioUta, then, as a plant-feeding species is worthy of record
as of more or less abnormal habit, as well as on account of its possible
effect upon the jn^oductive qualities of corn.

In August, 18S5, Mr. E, C. Taggart, of Griggstown, Somerset County,
N. J., sent to the Department some pieces of fodder corn taken from
a field on his place, and which were covered with small yellowish
maggots. His corn had not appeared to suiter from their presence
and he was at a loss to know to what to attribute their presence. A
microscopic examination of the living larvaj showed at once that the
alimentary canal of each was full of partly-crushed pollen grains, and
upon placing the fresh nmle blossoms of corn in the breeding jar the
larvai clustered upon them and were observed feeding upon the pollen
grains.

Subsequent corresj)Oudence with jNIr. Taggart showed that the mag-
gots were noticed during that season for the first time, and when first
observed (the third week in August) appeared to be confined to a single
patch of fodder corn, occurring so abundantly as to cover the leaves
and congregating most in the axils, where the upper leaves join the
stalk. This patch of corn was cut August 22, and thirteen days later
when it was partially cured, the worms were observed still living and
increased somewhat in size. A patch of fodder corn, distant about
one hundred rods from that on which they were first observed, was
])lanted later, and did not blossom until the first week in September,
The worms were then found to appear on this patch also, and again the
" stalks became literally covered by them." Strange to say they oc-
curred only in these two patches on Mr. Taggart's place ; other fields
examined by him were entirely free from the worms.

From specimens received from Mr. Taggart August 31 the adult fiies
were bred September 7 to 15, thelarvie having become coarctate a day
or so after arrival. These flies were determined by Dr. Williston as
Say's Mesograpta poUta, a species which has a wide range throughout
the United States east of the Mississippi, and which is also found in
Cuba. It is about 8""" long, and has a wing expansion of 14'"'", and is
yellowish in color, marked with brown.

The damage which will be done by this insect in this way is not likely
to be great. Should they increase enormously and spread to other va-
rieties of cultivated coru they may reduce the j'ield considerably by
preventing the fertilization of the female flowers and the " make" of the
ears.

That tbis species is not couflued to polleu for its larval food, but that
it feeds also upou the leaves, and appareiitl}' exclusively upon the leaves
in Florida, was discovered nearly a year later by one of our agents, Mr.
Ashmead, who describes his observations as follows :

" On May the 30th many of the puparia were found attached to the
upper surface of the leaves of corn and, near the base of the leafstalk,
in Col. L. W. Spratt's garden near Jacksonville. During that night
and days subsequently, flies hatched out in my breeding boxes, and also
some parasites.

"On June 1, after a thorough search, I found the larva^ in quanti-
ties, some feeding on the corn at the base of the corn leaf stalk, others
in soft discolored places in the stalk.

" Cutting into these discolored soft places then and days afterwards,
with my knife, I discovered and obtained the larvfe, some fully grown,
others not half grown, and watched them feed. They would elongate the
front segments as is usual with Syrphid larva> feeding on Plant-lice, pro-
trude and puncture the saccharine cells of the corn, and suck up the ex-
uding juice; the operation could be plainly seen through the translucent
body walls of the larv;e.

"Parts of the stalk with these larvai were taken home and placed in
tin cans, to keep the stalk moist and prevent it from drying up ; as
the maggots matured they came forth, attached themselves to the stalk
or to the sides of the tin can, and transformed to puparia, from which
flies were afterwards obtained.

"The whole transformation from egg to fly is completed within a
comparatively short period of less than three weeks. The egg hatches
in from three to four days ; the larva matures in from eight to ten days,
and the fly appears in from eight to thirteen days.

''^ Its injuries. — While the larvae must undoubtedly aflect maturing
corn, yet the injury they do can not be great; no appreciable injury
was observed, and unless they increase and become much more abun-
dant than they are at present no serious damage may be apprehended
from their attacks by the grower."

On the receipt of this information from Mr. Ashmead, we wrote him
of the New Jersey observations and directed him to verify his obser-
vations most carefully, noticing particularly whether the larva) did not
feed upon the pollen instead of, or as well as, the leaf and stalk. On re-
ceipt of these instructions he states that he went carefully over every
field of corn, examining the tassels for larvae, but could nor find a single
individual feeding upon pollen. The flies were found upon the plants
in abundance and were observed to feed upon the pollen.

Mr. Ashmead reared from the pupai of this insect three distinct para-
ites, which will be described in a future number.

The descriptions of the Syrplius fly which immediately follow will
sufficiently enable its recognition in all stages. The early stages have
never before been described.

MESOGiiAPTA Poi>iTA, Say.

jijgg^ The egg, aceorcliug to Mr. Asbmead, is pure white, elougate-oval, with loil^

gitiuliual aud intersecting cross-liue? or grooves, not apparent to the naked eye. It
measures nearly 1""" in length.

Xttz-ra.— Average length about 7™™. Slender, subcylindrical, tapering anteriorly,
its posterior end slightly flattened. The whole body is divided by apparently 36 an-
nul:e, and its surface is closely granulated. Mandibles black. The last segment
bears the two short, stout, polished, dark-yellow spiracular tubes, each with 3 spiracles
at the tip. Color pale yellowish, or more or less of the color of the pollen, witli 2
medio-dorsal, slender, somewhat wavy purple lines, which start conjointly on the iirst
segment, diverging but slightly posteriorly, aud terminating on the anterior portion
of the penultimate segment, which latter is marked in addition with 4 somewhat red-
dish and squarish spots, arranged in transverse square.

/"H^^ari/nu.— Length 5'"'" to 7""". Clavate subcylindrical, slightly curved, its an-
terior end thickest and rounded. The posterior end has a median carina and rather
sharp lateral edges aud more or less flattened ventral side. The last segment bears
the two spiracular tubes with black spiracles, the upper one of which is smallest and
round, whilst the two other larger ones, which are placed close above each other, are
transv^ersely oval.

Color greenish or brownish yellow, marked often with a more or less distinct
dusky median, an interrupted subdorsal, and a lateral line. The median line Is gen-
erally present only along the posterior carina.

/Hm(/o.— Average expanse 14'""\ average length 8""". Eyes brown. Face of male
entirely yellow ; of female, with a broad, somewhat dusky stripe above antenna'.
Face of both sexes in a certain light beautifully pearlaceous. The upper posterior
margin of the head yellow, with yellow hairs. Cheeks whitish, with silvery hairs.
Autenn;e more or less dark orange, with their upper edge in the female somewhat
dusky; bristle black. Thorax dusky, often with a brownish tinge aud grayish me-
dian line. Scutellum aud halt eree, bright yellow. Metathorax, black. Sternum,
blackish, with pearlaceous reflectious. Legs and a largo lateral spot below wings
yellow. Abdomen banded with yellow aud black, and with a pair of large, some-
what oval yellow spots on segments 3 and 4. Wings clear, iridescent, without spots
or other markings.

THE WILLOW-SHOOT SAW-FLY.

{Phyllceciis integer l!^orton.)

By C. V. EiLEY.

[Order IIvmexoptera: Family Urocerid.e.]

NATURAL HISTORY.

For several years past this species has been known to damage the
young shoots of the different species of Willow and occasionally also
those o£ Pop id us nir/ra, or Italian Poplar, on the Agricultural Grounds
at Washington, but as the damage done was of no serious consequence
it attracted only casual attention. Lately, however, its ravages have
become of a serious nature with those engaged in the cultivation of wil-
lows for market purposes, aud particularly on the plantation of Admi-
ral Aramen, at Ammeudale Md, ; but the author of the mishief escaped
notice and its work was attributed to Cimhcx amcricana till in June,
18S0, steps were taken to investigate the habits of Ciinbex americana

and if possible to detect the real author. Till tUeu the mischief had
been attributed to this species,* but, uotwithstaudiugthat the field was
literally swarmiug with this large saw-fly, not oue was seen to puncture
any of the willows. All the willows except very few along the edge of
the field, which appeared to have been very recently iiyured, appeared
to be in healthy condition. The affected shoots, the tips of which were
hanging down, had become brown and almost dry from the fierce heat of
the day, and showed, when closely examined, unmistakable evidence of
the work of this Phi/Ucecus, whose life-habits, with the assistance of Mr.
Pergande, we have been able to trace.

Pig. 2.— Phyllcecus integek. a, ^gg; h, larva, dorsal view; c, same, side view; d, e, two views
of burrow; /, twig, showing damage ; g, adult ; all enlarged except /; h, antenna, still more enlarged
(original).

Admiral Ammen stated that the year before almost the whole field
looked like these shoots, appearing as if it had suffered from a severe
frost or as if a fire had ran over it, and that bj^ antnmn large numbers
of the shoots had been killed close to the ground.

As the larva of this insect, which resembles very much that of
JJrocerns or Tremex, is a true borer, the female inserts her eggs in the
stems of willows or nearly related plants and by a wonderful instinct
girdles the twig after she has consigned her egg, to prevent it from
growing any further, and in order to protect the egg from being crushed.
The eggs are inserted ii: an oblique direction into the pith of the stem,
from 2 to G inches below the tip, and the girdle is made about 1 inch
above it.

The puncturing of the tip is evidently done with the ovipositor, as the
punctures can be traced into the pith. The tips soon become dry and
" See Report Eutomologist, Anu. Kept. Dept. Agr., 1881, p. :i34.

brown aud gradually drop oft; so that by the end of the year very few re-
main in position. How long the eggs remain unhatched has not yet been
observetl; it is probably not more than about a week. The earliest date
observed of the appearance of the flies from shoots which had remained
out-doors all winter was April 10, while others continued to issue until
the early part of June. The young larvie api)ear to grow very slowly,
and gradually bore their way down through the prth often to a distance
of often more than 2 feet, completely filling the channel behind them as
they progress with their frass. At thecommencement of November most
of the lava' are full grown, and proceed to fill closely with frass the
lower end of the burrow for about one quarter or one-half inch. They
then eat a passage through the side of the shoot and about one-quarter
inch <ibove the prosjjective cocoon, without, however, cutting through
the bark. After this the delicate, transparent, cylindrical cocoon is
spun, in which the larva remains through the whole winter. About the
1st of March it changes to pupa, in which state it remains for about
a month and a half.

This is so far the only species among the Cephidcs found in Anierica
of which the history is known, although in Europe several species
belonging to different genera have been found to infest stems, branches,
or leaf-buds of different plants, and one species {Cephns pygnixm) is
quite injurious to growing wheat, boriag in the stalks in a simdar
manner.

REMEDIES.

A very simple remedy consists in pruning the tips of the shoots as
soon as they commence to wilt. The tips should be cut off about 2 or
3 inches below the point where the punctures girdle the stem. The sev-
ered tips may be allowed to remain on the ground, as the eggs or larva3
will uot develop in them, and whatever parasites the species may have
will then probably mature.

DESCRIPTIVE.

Phyll(ecus integer, Nortofl.

There are some differences between the specimens reared here and
Norton's description of integer, but we feel disinclined to give them
specific weight. According to Cresson's catalogue this species is placed
in the genus Cepliufi, but from the few characters given in his synopsis
we are not able to place it in this genus, and it is excluded from the
only alternate, Janus, by characters given by Norton. We are there-
fore obliged to retain it in Fhylloccus.

Egg. — Leugth almost 1""", white, ]iolisbed, elongate, oval, and slightly curved.
Stouter at one eud and more pointed at the other.

Larva. — Average length when full grown about 10'"'". Diameter almost 3'"'". Color
yellowish. Head i)olished, indistinctly reticulated, with four shallow fovea' on the
clypeus and a deeper one each side. Labrum large, conical, its tip rounded. Anteu-
lue 6-joiuted, extremely suiall, the 3 basal joints much the stoutest; rather close to
the very small eyes. Mandibles large, broad, with 3 brown teeth. Thorax much
swoll.Mi, especially its two posterior segments. Legs rudimentary, having a stout

conical basal piece, and a minute cylindrical, nipple-like apex. Cremaster brown,
somewhat flattened, its base conical, yellow, and beset with brown teeth ; its tip
obliqnely truncate, with a central puncture. The surface of the abdomen is covered
with very minute shari) points, and its lateral margin is iirominent, broad, and flat,
and resembles on each segment a flat scale. The position of the larva in its burrow
is in the shape of an S.

Cocoox.— Length 10-13""". Colorless and transparent. Cylindrical, rounded at
both ends, filling completely the diameter of the channel, and situated near its base.

IsiAGO.— Male, female.— General color black and highly polished. Head large, with
sparse and very fine punctures on vertex. Clypeus sparsely pilose. Eyes brown. Man-
dibles white, with the three teeth, of which the median one is much the smallest,
brown. Palpi pale yellowish, the two last joints somewhat brownish. Prothorax
highly polished, rarely with any punctures, its posterior margin, tcguhv, base of wings,
a spot each side on mcsothorax, posterior to base of wings, tip of scutellum, and a small
median spot on the metathorax yellowish white. Mesothorax closely punctured ;
punctures on scutellum son\ewhat coarser and not so dense; its disk and lower por-
tion of the sides often without punctures. Sternum profusely punctured and covered
with short grayish hair. Legs rufous, base of anterior and median coxic and last
joint of their tarsi, apical two-thirds of xiosterior tibiie and their tarsi black. Base
of jiosterior tibi;u yellowish. Claws bifid, reddish, with black tips.

Abdomen black, with either one, two, or three of the basal segments rufous in the
female; the abdomen of the male is entirely black dorsally; ventrally, however, seg-
ments 1 to 4 are more or less reddish. Wings perfectly clear, iridescent, and without
any spots. Stigma and veins black. Costa yellowish-brown, darkest near stigma.
The basal transverse nerve of the first marginal cell is always abbreviated near the
stigma.

THE SUGAR-CANE BEETLE INJURING CORN.

{Ligijriis ruglccps Lee.)
By L. O. Howard.

This insect has been known as a sugar-cane pest in Louisiana for
many years, gnawing into the stubble in early spring and feeding from
the middle of March until May and June. The writer's observations
upon this habit of the beetle, made in Louisiana during the spring of
1881, were published in the Annual Report of the Department for 1880,
pages 236-240 and in Special Report No. 35. In 1880 much loss was oc-
casioned by its work on the rich sugar plantations along the Bayou Teche.
During this year Professor Riley received specimens from Daniel Thomp-
son, of Pattersonville, Saint Mary's Parish, and published a short ac-
count in the American Entomologist for May of that year (Vol. Ill, p.
130.) He had previously received specimens from a correspondent at
Baton Rouge, who reported the beetle as injurious to young corn and
grasses.

In June, 1885, Professor Riley received specimens of this insect from
Mr. H. M. Houston, of Monroe, Union County, N. 0., who stated that
it was new to himself and neighbors, and that it worked just under the
surface of the ground, cutting into young corn with five or six leaves,
working in as far as the heart, and killing the center blades without

killing the side blades or without cutting' the plant down. He gave no
particulars as to the amount of damage. (This instance is recorded in
Bulletin No. 12, Division of Entomology, i^. 33).

In May, 1886, the same insect was received from a new locality. Mr.
G. W. Smith-Yaniz, of Canton, Miss., writing to the Division under date
of May 27, says : '^ I herewith mail you specimens of a bug that is very
destructiv^e to growing corn, especially in wet laud. The section of
corn plant sent with bug within it, where he was at work when taken,
shows how complete is the work of destruction. I first noticed this
pest last season (1885), though of course it may have been here before.
There is general complaint of damage from it this year. It continues
its ravages through the growing season, causing stalks to fall even
when in ear." June 27 he again wrote : " I have delayed writing,
awaiting further developments. The gravid females are at this time
very numerous. 1 find a few eggs here and there singly through the
earth, near to roots of the corn where the beetles are at work. These
eggs are similar to those within the beetle. They hatch out a white
grub with a horny, red head. I have not yet succeeded in getting any
eggs from beetles in confinement, neither as yet have any eggs dissected
from the beetles hatched. There is no abatement of the work of de-
struction, successive plantings only furnishing a fresh supply of favor-
ite food to the insect. This is the worst. insect enemy to the corn plant
we have yet had on heavy, wet land. * * * We have had an ex-
cessively wet June, SJ inches of rain-fall to the present time during the
present month, and still raining every day. I cannot say whether this
is favorable or unfavorable to the beetle."

July 9 he sent a shipment of eggs and larva>, though most of the for-
mer were destroyed by mold. He stated that a few days of hot sun-
shine, though with occasional showers, had made it hard to find the
beetles. In a quite extensive search he found only one beetle, and that
was a dead one. There was evidence, however, that the beetles had been
at work the previous night. July 19 he wrote that although up to July
9 he had had little difficulty in finding eggs, young larv;e, and perfect
beetles, yet after a week of dry weather they had entirely disappeared,
and he could only find an occasional large white grub (larva of Lachnos-
ternafmca). lie still, however, continued to find fresh work of the
beetle, evidently done at night, and judged that they sought shelter
from the sun elsewhere during the day. Once or twice, however, he
took a lantern into the field at night, but the beetle was not attracted,
and moreover it never found its way to the lights in the neighboring
houses.

Mr. Smith- Vaniz also sent us at various times the allied beetles, Li-
gyrus ruginasns Lee, and Anomala flavipennis Burm,, found among the
Corn-beetles, but not identified in any way with their work.

Although the greatest care was taken with the eggs and young larvir
received in July, we were able to do nothing with them, and they died
lie fore fall.

Diiriug 1887 we beard uothiug of this insect, possibly also from the
fact that the larv;e may require two years for development. During
the winter, in response to inquiries concerning the facts for 1887, Mr.
-Smith- Vaniz wrote that he failed to rear to maturity any larvce in 1886 ;
that they perished when apparently half grown. He intended to pursue
the subject in 1887, but, though there were a few beetles to be found early
in the season, they disappeared so unexpectedly soon that he secured
none for propagation. In 1880 they were to be found around the corn-
roots throughout the growing season, and mature beetles were found as
late as December 1.

Thus this subject, in spite of its interest and importance, remains
comparatively unsettled, because the important point as to where and
how the insect hibernates is still unknown. This article will set forth
the rather curious fact of the great damage which may be done to corn
by this species, and presents strong additional proof on the hitherto
unsettled point of the place where the eggs are deposited. There can
be no reasonable doubt that the eggs and young larvte collected at the
roots by Mr. Smith-Vaniz belong to this species ; but the length of
larval life and the manner of hibernation must be left to another favor-
able opportunity to decide.

It will be observed that the testimony above quoted, on the attraction
of light to the beetle, is diametrically opposed to the statements by
Professor Comstock on page 239 of his report for 1879, in discussing the
injuries of this species to sugar-cane, and, if true, invalidates his con-
sequent recommendation of the use of trap lanterns in the field. The
writer, however, was informed at Franklin, La., in March, 1881, that
the beetles were attracted in such numbers to the light in the windows
of a small grocery as to be the subject of general comment. It is to be
doubted, however, whether the beetles can be attracted by light when
actually engaged in feeding, or until after oviposition has taken place.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

(In i>Eepariiig Uieso extracts from correspondence, which we hope to make a prominent feature of
tliiK publication, we do not pretend to give the answer of the Entomologist in full and verbatim, but
simply a digest of the important points.]

THE GAKDEN WEB-woKM {Eurycreon rantalis) ke-aiteaus.

Tlio Web- worm {Euriicrcon rantalis) has made its appearance in this section again;
the moths first appeared in <ijreat numbers some three weeks ago and are present now
in great numbers; the caterpillars are feeding on the pigweed, sweet-potatoes, cab-
bage ; I have not noticed them on the corn yet. Has there been any insecticide tried
that bas been successful ? I will try jiyrethrum, sulphur, etc., to-morrow on my cab-
bage. — [Jacob Nixon, Kellogg, Cowley County, Kans., June 14, 1888.

Eeply. — Yours of the 14th with information as to damage by the Garden Web-
worm just received. I have had no occasion to publish anything concerning this in-
sect since the publication of the annual report for 1885, a co)ty of which was sent

you at the time. You will remember that ia that report I concladed that the only
remedy likely to give satisfactiou was sprayiug with either Loudou purple or Paris
greeu. I would advise you to give either of these poisons a thorough trial, and
anticipate success.— [June 18, 1888.]

AN EXEMY TO THE DATE PALM IN FLORIDA.

I inclose two bulbs of date palms that show the work of some small animal or in-
sect that eats the bulbs and destroys the plants. We have a large nursery of date
palms and they are being destroyed by the hundreds. The aninuxl makes a hole about
the size of your little finger, but persistent digging did not find him. Do you know
what it is? — [C. A. Bowdman, San Carlos Hotel, Saint James, Florida, February 3,
1888.

Eeply. — * * * The holes of which you complain have probably been made by
the Palmetto Weevil {Rhtjnchophorus crmntatiis). This is the largest of our native
species of snout-beetles, and is very common in all of the Southern States in which
the palmetto grows wild. The beetle is sometimes nearly an inch in length, aiul its
usual color is adull black, butfrequently specimens are found which arebrightred or
red with black spots. Although usually confined to the palmetto the beetles attack
all kinds of small palms. There is no remedy known except catching th6 beetles and
killing them. They can be caught in large numbers "by cutting off a palmetto plant
say 1 foot from the ground, when they will congregate in large numbers upon the
stump and can be picked off from time to time. The gruh or larva of this species is
eaten as a delicacy in South America. — [February 7, 1888.]

A VIRGINIA SIMULIUM CALLED " CHOLERA GNAT."

Inclosed herewith please find specimens of the ''Cholera Gnat," which I trust will
reach you in good time and condition.

The Cholera Gnat is the local name for these insects, because they are supposed to
produce or cause the chicken cholera. There is no doubt about their causing the
death of thousands of chickens and turkeys in this section yearly. I moved to this
lilace in January last and was told that it would be impossible to raise chickens or
turkeys as the cholera would kill them all; notwithstanding which I bought both
chickens and turkeys, determined to fight the cholera should it appear. Saw nothing
of it uutil about the 1st of April, when my attention was attracted first by the turkeys
shaking and rubbing their heads, and upon examination fonnd the gnats upon the
wattles sucking vigorously. The gobblers and roosters are the first to succumb, as
their wattles and comb are larger, exposing a larger surface for the gnats to work
upon. The fowl grows weak and feverish ; the discharge from the bowels becomes
frequent and watery, resembling sulphur and water, and in a few days the fowl dies
of "chicken cholera."

I send you this specimen of these gnats hoping you can give me some information
regarding them, and can suggest a remedy. If I can free my chickens from these
gnats I am satisfied there would be no cholera. — [James T. Gilliam, Mossingford,
Charlotte County, Va., April 12, 1888.

Keply. * * * The insect in question, and which you call the " Cholera Gnat,"
seems to be identical with the insect which is known in the Mississippi Valley as the
Turkey Gnat, and which I described scientifically for the first time in my report for
188() as SimuUum meridioiiale. It is closely allied to the celebrated Buffalo Gnat of
the Southwest and the equally well-known Black Fly of the North Woods. I will
send you with this a copy of the report in which this species is described, which con-
tains a summary of what is known about these insects, and you will find, I fear, that
on the whole it is rather unsatisfactorj^, especially as regards remedies. I should like
to hear from you as to whether the gnats appear during the greater part of the sum-
mer or if they are confined to a particular season. If the latter is the case, what ia
the duration of this period ? You will notice from the report that the early stages of
these gnats are all passed in running waier, and the illustrations will probably enable

you to rocoguize these early stages in swift-riinniug streams in your neigliborhood.
If the period during which the flies appear should be short, and if you are able to
keep the fowls in a dark house during this period, you will probably find it advanta-
geous to do so. The best applications to be made are indicated in the report, and will
probably prove to be fish oil or something similar. Persian, insect powder pulled upon
the fowls will kill all of the gnats which happen to bo on it at the time, but will
probably not act as a preventive. * * *. — [April 16, 1888. ]

THE BLACK-POLLED TITMOUSE DESTROYING CANKER WORMS.

PaleacrUa vernata, or Spring Canker-worm, seems to be troubling our orchards here
abouts for the first time. I notice the birds and chickens are destroying a host o
them. If London purple does not kill both, all will be well. One little bird, the black-
polled chickadee or titmouse (Partis atricaptllu,s), is hungry for them.— [W. S. Newlo "
Oswego, Kans., April 23, 1888.

KEROSENE EMULSION Ax\D THE CABBAGE MAGGOT.

Your kerosene emulsion has done wonders on Anthonujialrassicw. We have used
on our cabbage, that was badly infested with cabbage fly, and now, upon examinatio
they are entirely gone and the plants not hurt the least, but your formula is t<
strong ; 9 gallons of water to 1 of kerosene has killed all the plants we put it oi
after that we mixed it 12 gallons of water to 1 gallon of emulsion, and this has doi
no harm to the plants, but hasdestroyed all the worms.— [Zimmer Bros., Mobile, Ala.

O
AFTER EFFECT OF THE OVIPOSITION OF THE PERIODICAL CICADA.

* * * Five or six years ago the so-called 13-year locusts did great damage to
our orchards. I send a cut from a twig which shows their work. The wounds an" on
the underside of every branch less than an inch in diameter. Trees in such plight
can not give crisp and juicy fruit. The apples are small, wilted, and tough, and let
go their hold on the tree with a slight breeze. My row of Eome Beauties fruited
heavily the past two years. At harvesting time not more than a dozen remained on
the trees. It was the same with other varieties.

As far as ray observation extends other orchards are like mine gpatly damaged by
the locusts.

This is not a flattering statement, but I thought it right to give facts, and hope to
be able to give a more favorable account in future. — [A. G. Alexander, Queen City,
Mo., February 13, 1888.

[See fig. 3, plate V, Eept. Ent., Ann. Kept. Dept. Agr. 1885, for illustration of ap-
pearance of scars from puncture of Pei'iodical Cicada after second year. ]

MORE TESTIMONY ON THE BUCKWHEAT REMEDY FOR CUT-WORMS.

Have you ever noticed the eifect of plowing under a crop of buckwheat to keep cut-
worms off the land ? It has been our experience the last fifteen years that wherever
we turn under a crop'of buckwheat we will not have any cut-worms on it ; but this
year has been the most remarkable of all. The seed we got from the North was of a
very poor quality, hardly coming up at all. So we sowed the remaining seed, about
two bushels, on a piece of about one-half acre. This gave us a good stand. Now
everywhere cut-worms are plenty, except on the little piece where the buckwheat has
been turned under. We always have been free from cut-worms on land we have
I)lowed buckwheat under, while our neighbors have sometimes their whole crop
ruined by them.— [Zimmer Bros., Mobile, Ala., February 6, 1888.

AN APPLICATION FOR BUFFALO GNAT BITES.

In looking over your report for 1886 I do not see a preventive for buffalo gnats that
I used successfully during the war. In the absence of fish oil, which had been used
previously, I used tallow, with sufficient pine tar to make it stick the hair together,
but not enough to take the hair off, as I was told it would. Lost none of about W
mules and horses. — [Joua Pearce, Gwiney's, Va.

COMPARATIVE MERITS OF THl^ ARSENICAL SOLUTIONS.

We are vitally interested in the best methods of fighting the Codling Moth. We
expect a big crop of apples next year, and we are investigating the spraying -with
the arsenical solutions. I don't see why, from a chemical standpoint, the reason for
nsiiig Paris green or Loudon purple, as both are hard to make a perfect solution, and
it must be the arsenic which does the good. Why not use the common white arsenic ?
It is easily dissolved, and with concentrated lye will make a perfect aud stable solu-
tion, and is cheap. From all that I can learn from California and the East a weak
solution, used frequently, is better thau a strong solution, as the stronger solutions
burn the foliage. I will try one-half pound arsenic, 1 pound concentrated lye, to 400
gallons water, and will spray the latter part of May, June, and July. * * *. — [A.
'^osliu, Oregon, Mo., December 26, 1887. Addressed to Prof. S. A. Forbes.

^EPLY. — Your letter of the 26th of December, addressed to Prof. S. A. Forbes, has
t been referred by him to this office for reply. White arsenic has been used against
Codling Moth by several experimentors, with a fair measure of success. J. N.
xon, of Oscaloosa, Iowa, was the first to use it for this purpose, aud he was en-
istically in favor of it. In his essay on orchards and insects published in the
actions of the Iowa State Horticultural Society for the year 1882, he advises a
ich stronger solution than the one which you propose to try. Less than 1 pound of
3cuic to 150 gallons of water, he states, will burn the foliage, aud ho himself was
accustomed to use 1 pound to 200 gallons of water. He first dissolved the arsenic by
boiling in a smaller quantity of water, afterwards diluting to the required strength.
'The tests of later experimenters give the preference to London purple and Paris green,
:for the reason that they seem to take less effect upon the foliage than the arsenic
!'aloue. In other words, when the solution of white arsenic is strong enough to kill
'the insects in one or two ai^plications it is very likely to burn the foliage. This is not
an absolute statement, but a comparative one. Cook, of Michigan, prefers London
purple ; Forbes, of Illinois, and Wicksou and Klee, of California, give the preference
to Paris green. I myself am incliued to the opinion that London purple, on the
grounds of effectiveness and cheapness, as well as from the fact that trees which have
been treated can be readily distinguished by color, is perhaps the best substance
which can be used; although its advantages over Paris green are slight. It should
never be used in a solution stronger thau 1 pound to 100 gallons, and it should be ap-
plied as soon as the blossoms fall.

II", however, you are still inclined to experiment with the arsenic and concentrated
lye, I shall be very glad to learn your results, and such an experiment as you propose
Avill certainly bo instructive. — [February 16, 1888.]

PROBABLY A NEW ENEMY TO PEAR FROM OREGON.

Inclosed find affected pears and leaves, also au insect which I detected eating the
foliage of my young pear trees. I saw none on the bearing trees, but as nearly all the
fruit isaffected on them (three trees left of an old orchard) the inference would be that
they had left the fruit to attack the foliage on the young trees just set out. I have
just set out an orchard of 150 acres, and want to head oft' all destructive insects.
What is this insect and what the remedy? — [R. S. Wallace, Salem, Oregon, May 12,
1888.

Reply. — I have read your letter of May 12, aud examined the accompanying speci-
mens with considerable interest, for the reason that this insect has never been known
heibre to do such damage as you describe. It has no common name, but is a snout-
beetle, known as Aragnomus f/riseus. May I iufjuire whether you are absolutely cer-
tain that this is the insect which did the damage, aud whether you are sure that it
injured the fruit ? Nothing is known of its breeding habits, and the only thing that
we can do is to recommend a remedy for the adult insect. To this end I would advise
you to spray your young trees with a solution of Paris green or London purple in the
proportion of 1 pound of the poison to 100 gallons of water * * * .—[May 22,
1888.

Ax\ KXTKAOKDINAKY TVVILIGJIT FLIGHT OK LACHXOSTIiKNA.

• * * luclosed picaso find specimens of bugs which passed over from uorth (o
south iu wouderfnl swarms or droves the evouiug of the 7th, about one to every la
iuches square, as low as 5 feet from the ground to 12 to 15 feet high. When I first
heard them I thought it was a swarm of bees, but soon saw my mistake. When I first
heaid and saw them the sun was just hid from sight, and they continued to fly until
quite dark. As far as I have heard the swarm or drove was 1| miles wide. Where
they came from or whither they went I do not know, but it was new to me, both
insect and their great number. I send them to you to know if they are common and
their origin.— [S. H. Linton, Burrows, lad.. May 9, 1887.

Reply. * * * The beetle proves to be Zac/)Hos<erna <ns^ts, a near relative to the
common May beetle, which, as you doubtless know, is the parent of the White Grub.
This particular species is one of the smallest of the genus and is not at all uncommon.
It is frequently turned up in plowing, as it hibernates iu the beetle state under ground.
The larva is much like the White Grub, through smaller, and probably feeds upon
the roots of various plants in the soil. The swarming which you describe is very in-
teresting. These beetles often occur in great numbers, but so far as I am aware they
have not been observed to fly iu such swarms before dark. They probably bred iu
the near neighborhood of the locality where they were observed, and as they feed on
leaves of different trees soon after dark, they were probably in search of proper food. —
[February 1.5, 1888.]

LIME AND TOBACCO FOR CURB ANT WOR.M.

Results of experiments are requested by the very inception of your Department. I
will relate a success. Last summer I went out into the garden one morning and
found the currant -worm {Nematus ventricosus) had attacked one side of a currant bush
and one side of a gooseberry bush. I sprinkled the parts of both on which the worms
were at work, and then dusted on a compound of 2 parts of unslacked lime and one
part of tobacco dust, from a cigar factory, which killed every worm and stopped the
injury. One a^pplication was sufficient.— [V. M. Firor, Charlestown, W. Va.

SOME NOTES FROM MISSISSIPPI.

I have the honor to submit a report on insects most injurious to field and garden
crops for the past year, 1887.

(1) The Cottonworm (Aletia xylina) appeared iu some portions of our county iu
July, in othersinAugust, and in my own vicinity about the middle of September. The
damage done by them averages from 10 to 40 per cent, of the entire crop. I have found
one of the worms closely wrapped up in dead Sweet Gum leaves in the fence corners
of my field as late as January the 8th, 1888, but iu a very stupid condition. (2) Boll-
worm {Heliothis armigera) did but very little damage here on corn as well as cotton.

(3) White Ants or "Wood Lice" (Ternifs jlavipes K.). Have found these insects de-
stroying a good many cotton-stalks during the past summer, attacking the stalk just
below the soil, eating out the interior, which would kill the plant at every instance.

(4) Southern Cabbage -butterfly (Pieris protodioe B.). The cabbage crop was seriously
damaged by the worm of this fly. (5) Cabbage Plusia (P/ws/a brassicae II.). This
worm likewise did a great deal of damage in the gardens of this community. (6) The
Greasy Cut-worm (Af/rotis ypsilon, Rott.). This worm has been more ])lentiful this
past season and destroyed the stand of cabbage plants as fast as transplanted. (7)
Glassy Cut-worm {Hadena demslatrix B.). Found several specimens of this variety in
my garden cutting down cabbage, beet, and radish plants. (8) Squash Borer {Mgeria,
C!tcJ<rZ*i/rte Harris). This insect lias been a formidable enemy to squash, pumpkin,
cashaw, and cucumbei", killing them iu many instances in field and garden. — [ G. II.
Kent, Roxie, Miss., January 28, 1888.

24737— No. 1 2

NEW SPECIES OF ONCOCNEMIS.

I5y John B. Smith.

Ill coiitiiiuatioii of tiio work ou tlie Monograpli ol the Noctuidae by
Professor Riley and myself, tbe followiug new species are found to occur
ill the genus Oncocnemis :

O. FASCIATUS, sp. nOV.

Head, thorax, and primaries dull fuscous gray. Primaries witli basal Hue single,
distinct, black. Basal space to t. a. line paler, more ashen gray. T. a. line rather
broad, single, black, outwardly oblique, making two large and not very prominent
outward curves. T. p. line single, marked at cosfca, making a strong outward curve
over reniform, then strongly incurved, interrupted by the white transverse baud,
again distinct below the reniform, and with a slight inward curve to inner margin.
Claviform wanting. Orbicular rather small, round, narrowly outlined in black,
somewhat paler than ground color. Keniform large, not very well defined, white,
with a narrow fuscous crescent. Between reniform and t. p. lino the ground color
obtains and gives a deceptive appearance of the reniform in the broad white band.
A narrow shade band crosses the outer iiart of the median space, distinct and black-
ish on costa, less marked below. A broad, white, transverse shade, over and includ-
ing the reniform, leaving a fuscous patch beyond that spot, inwardly limited by the
t. p. line, and almost'exteuding to the s. t. line. S. t. line marked only by a series of sag-
ittate black dashes, shading off into the white band. Terminal space of ground color.
A narrow, terminal, dark line. Fringes concolorous, fuscous, narrowly cut with darker
brown. A whitish line at base. Secondaries dull smoky brown at base, outwardly
limited by a black transverse band. Beyond this a broad white central band, the
outer margin again broadly black. Fringes white, basally fuscous. Beneath, both
X)airs of wings fuscous gray at base, outwardly limited by a black band ; this is fol-
lowed by a broad white band, the margins again broadly black. Head and thorax
concolorous with basal space of primaries, abdomen a trifle paler.

Expands 1.1 inch 27.5°"".

Habitat, Nevada County, California. (Sept.)

A single $ in the Coll. U. S. N. Mus. (from Dept. Agric, Koebele, collector).

The species is strongly marked and unlike any heretofore described.
The common white transverse baud is characteristic and renders the
species easily recognizable. Its general appearance seems to refer it
most nearly to the yellow uiiderwinged group.

0. TENUIFASCIASp. nOV.

Head, thorax, and primaries dull fuscous brown, the ordinary maculation of prima-
ries distinct, though not prominent, blackish. Basal lino present, black, with a nar-
row, following pale line. T. a. line distinct, oblique sinuate, black, preceded by an
equally distinct pale line. Practically the line is geminate, the inner portion re-
duced to a few dark scales defining the intermediate pale shade. T. p. line distinct,
geminate, inner line black, distinct, outer lino puuctiform, the intervening space
white, the white line becoming broader toward the inner margin. As a whole, the
line curves outwardly over the reniform, and nearly straight below vein 2. Clavi-
form distinct, black margined, concolorous. Orbicular small, rouud, black ringed,
with au inner white annulus. Between the ordinary spots the cell is blackish, and
from this point the narrow median shade runs parallel with and close to T. p. line to
the hind margin. Reniform rather small, uanow, normal in shape, not very dis-
tinctly outlined, first black margined, then with a paler annulus, the center of ground
color of wing. S. t. line irregularly, but not strongly dentate, narrow, whitish, in-

teriupted, preceded by a series of suuiU black spots. A few wliite scales iu S. t.. space
opposite cell, and a rather large indefiuite pale spot tilHnu; the space uear hind margin,
a row of black terminal lunules. Fringes dusky, cut with darker fuscous and with a
fuscous lino at base. Secondaries smoky at base, limited by a sinuate black band,
then a narrow white band, followed by the broad, black outer margin. Fringes white.
Beneath, both pairs of wings smoky at base, with a common black median baud, fol-
lowed hy a broader white band, the outer margin brondly black.

Expands .88 inches — 22""".

Ilahitat Colorado.

A single female in Mr. Temper's collection. The species is an easily
recognized one. Its small size and the banded secondaries are uunsual.
The primaries are somewhat broader and shorter than usual, and the
bod^^ somewhat less robust. The eyes are not very distinctly lashed.

Despite its somewhat abnormal appearance I believe the species cor-
rectly referred here.

O. IRICOLOR Sp. UOV.

Head, thorax, and primaries somewhat pale luteous, the primaries more or less pow-
dered with bluish-black atoms which have an iridescent metallic glitter. Basal lide
present, black, followed by a narrow pale line. T. a. line geminate, outer line black,
inner line more or less punctiform, the included space pale. As a whole, the line is
somewhat irregular, very slightly curved outwardly. At the inner margin the line
is preceded by a largo patch of metallic dark scales, which in one specimen crosses
the entire wing au'd in the other is limited to the inferior third. Claviform small,
pale, not defined. Orbicular rather small, round, a little irregular, pale ringed, cen-
ter coucolorons. Reniform moderate, upright, somewhat constricted medially, pale
ringed. A somewhat fuscous median shade darkens the cell between the ordinary
spots, and continues as a narrower dark shade, parallel with and close to the t. ji.
line. T. p. line narrow, black, crenulate, interrupted, widely curved over the cell,
and then with a regular inward curve to the hind margin. The narrow black line is fol-
lowed by a broader, more even pale line, from which point the s. t. space darkens
and becomes metallic black to the irregular, pale, and somewhat interrupted s. t. line.
A row of terminal, dusky lunules, inwardly margined by pale scales. Fringes uini-
sually long and pure white. Secondaries faintly yellowish, glistening, with a broad,
black border and a distinct discal luuule. Fringes also pure white. Beneath the
wings are very pale whitish yellow, with broad, blackish outer margins, the discal
spot of scoudaries more distinct. Head with a few reddish scales between the an-
tennae. Abdomen like wings beneath. Expands 1.25 inches =: 31-32"""'.

Habitat, Colorado.

Three specimens, all females, 1 Coll. U. S. National Museum (Smith
Coll.), the others Coll. F. Tepper.

This is perhaps the most beautiful species of the genus, the metallic
dark scales and the very long white fringes offering distinctive charac-
ters. The specimens differ considerably in the amount of metallic irro-
ration; one so covered as to darken the entire specimen, another spec-
imen with the dark markings oidy metallic. The species is most nearly
allied to augiistus, Harvey.

O". TERMIXALIS Sp. UOV.

Head, thorax, and primaries dull fusco-luteous, primaries with a broad, blackish
terminal shade. Basal line of primaries taiutly indicated by a few black scales. T.
a. line geminate, marked on costa by distinct black spots, then becoming very faint,
traceable principally by the paler inclosed space, and again becoming distinct below

the iuternal veiu, feebly dentate iu its course, a blackish blotch preoeding the line
on internal margin. Orbicular small, round, pale ringed, center concolorous. Ren-
iforni moderate iu size, normal iu shape, pale ringed, with a dusky lunule inwardlj^,
else coucolorous. Between these spots the median shade is marked by a black costal
spot, thence continued as a narrow sinuate, faint dusky lino to the hind margin. T.
p. line geminate, distinctly marked on costa, thence interrupted, punctiform, marked
by black or brown venular dots, outwardly curved over cell. S. t. line narrow, pale,
interrupted, irregularly dentate. From the internal margiu beyond the t. p. line an
oblique, blackish terminal shade extends to the apes, somewhat narrowing above
the middle. Through this dark shade the s. t. line is picked out by pale scales. A
row of black terminal luuules, preceded by pale defining scales. Fringes very long,
with a central darker line, beyond which they are cut with blackish. Secondaries
glistening white, somewhat smokj'^ basally, and with a very broad, black outer
margin. Fringes white. Beneath wiugs whitish, with a broad, black terminal mar-
giu. Primaries with a whitish terminal line. Fringes white, on primaries narrowly
cut with brown, becoming black at tip. Head with a brown frontal line and a brown
interantennal tnft. Collar black tipped, and behind it the thorax is powdered with
black scales ; abdomen very pale luteous.

Expands 1.25 inches — 31'"'".

Eahitat, Colorado.

A single feuiale in Mr. Tapper's collection. A very distinct species.
The collar is evidently prodnced medially, and there is a distinct basal
tnft. The dark terminal space is characjteristic.

O SIMPLEX, sp. uov.

Head, thorax, and primaries powdery fuscous, the macnlatiou distinct. Basal line
distinctly traceable, geminate. T. a. line upright or slightly incurved, strongly den-
tate, geminate, the outer line black, the iuner line fuscous brown, included space
somewhat paler. A narrow black line from base to t. a. line. T. p. line faintly gemi-
nate, inner line only distinct, black, slightly lunate, exserted over reniform, and some-
what incurved below. Claviform very long, almost crossing median space, black
margined, with a pale inner line and a concolorous center. Orbicular longitudinally
oval, paler ringed, concolorous. Reniform moderate in size, pale ringed, with narrow
black margin, the center somewhat paler. A faiutly marked shade between the or-
dinary spots, less marked below median vein. S. t. line pale, interrupted, irregularly
sinuate and dentate, preceded by a series of long sagittate interspaceal black dashes.
A row of black terminal luuules. S. t. space pale at t. p. line, rapidly darkening to
the 8. t. line. The veins are paler through the darker parts of the wing, and black
marked beyond. Secondaries white, semi-transparent, with distinct black outer
border. Fringes white. Beneath whitish, with smoky-black outer border. Head
with an interantennal blackish line followed by a pale line, Collar with a black line
inferiorly, black tipped, and a whitish lino below the black tip. Thorax also sjirinkled
with black scales.

Expands 1.46 inches — 36""^'.

Habitat, Ashley Valley, Utah.

A single, somewhat rnbbed specimen, withont fringes to primaries, in
Mr. Edwards' collection.

This species is cbsely allied to Jevis, and intermediate between that
and (lugustKS. From the former it differs at once by the longitndiually
ovate orbicnlar. The ground color is not ochreous, and there are numer-
ous minor differences. The chief and very strongly marked difference
between the two is in the structure of the male genitalia, differences
which need not be pointed out here at in-eseut.

AN AUSTRALIAN PARASITE 01 I.CERYA PURCHASI.

By S. W. WiLLiSTOX.

[The following descriptions of a new genus and a new species of
Oscinidie were drawn np at our request by Dr. Williston from speci-
mens received from Frazer S. Crawford, of Adelaide, South Australia,
who reared them from adult females oi Icerya purclmsl Maskell and from
Monopldoel)us cratr/orill Maskell in that colony. Tlie species has been
artificially introduced into (California and we shall soon have occasion
to write about it at greater length.]

Fir.. 3. Lestophonus iceuy.t;. a, antenna enlarged (original.)

Lestophonus,* gen. nov.

Frout broad, plane, with scarcely distiugnisliaLle liairs in npper part. Auteunae
large, the first two joints short, the third two or three. times as long as broad, reach-
ing qnite to the oral margin ; arista wanting. Face flattened or gently concave ;
thorax without bristles; scutellum large, about half as long as the thorax, convex.
Abdomen short ovate, rather broad, composed of five segments, thinly and briefly
hairy. Legs rather short and strong; middle tibiie with a minute or indistinct spar
at the top ; all the tibite without erect bristles on the outer side before the tip. Wings
short and broad; auxiliary vein wholly wanting ; first longitudinal vein terminating
at the basal third, the costal vein at the tip of the third longitudinal vein ; second
and third longitudinal veins nearly parallel, the fourth vein gently divergent; pen-
ultimate section of the fourth vein a litlc shorter than the ultimate section of the fifth ;
second basal cell and thediscal cell united ; anal cell distinct, but small.

Notwithstanding the presence of the anal cell the present species must, I believe,
be located with the Oscinin(e. The absence of distinct bristles on the front, or, indeed,
elsewhere on the body, will prevent its location with the DrosopluUnw. In all the four
specimens that I have examined the arista seems entirely wanting ; I can not attrib-
ute its absence to injury. This remarkable character, together with the absence of
the anterior basal cross-vein, and auxiliary vein, and the very large third antennal
joint will, I believe, render the genus easily recognizable. I can find the description
of no genus that will apply, and I have but little or no hesitancy in describing it as
new. Mosillus, from Europe and Africa, seems to be its nearest relative.

Lestophonus icery^, sp. nov.

9, Length Ll""'\ Face, frout, dorsum of thorax, and scutellum deep blue, mod-
erately shining. Antenntc black, oblong, with rounded end. Abdomen punctulate,

*yj?/(5r//? — a plunderer, ^uvsvi — a killer.

deep sliining green, iu some specimens more or less blue. Legs dark brown, or black-
ish brown ; front tarsi more lutescent or brownisb yellow. Wings grayish hyaline,
the veins dark brown.
Three specimens, from Professor Eiley.

THE PRIVET WEB-WORM.

{Margarodcs qnadristigmalis Gn.)

[Order Lepidoptera : Family PviiALiDiE.J

THE PRIVET.

The Privet {Ligustrum vuJgare L.) is a very comiuon liedge plant iu Eii-
rope, of geueral distribution and uative iu Central and Southern Europe.
It and the closely allied Japanese species {Ligustrum japonicum) were
introduced into this country iu the beginning of the present century,
and both have become thoroughly naturalized in some of the older
States. Practically the sole use of the Privet in America is as a hedge-
plant, for which purpose it is preferred in many locali'ies to the ubiquit-
ous Osage Orange {Madura aurantiaca), chiefly on account of the
absence of spines and also because it thrives well in much more
northern climates. In Europe, however, its close-grained, hard wood is
used for turning and shoe pegs, its twigs for tanning and as a substitute
for osier, and its berries for red, black, or blue colors in certain dying
processes, while formerly its astringent leaves were used iu medicine.
A well cultivated and carefully trimmed privet hedge, with its bright
green foliage, is a most beautiful sight; if inclosing an orchard, and
not kept too low, it forms an excellent shelter for many insectivorous
birds, which love to build their nests in such protecting places. Grown
singly or in small groups it attains quite a large size, and bears bunches
of dark purple berries.

It suffers in America from a sudden blight, probably the result of the
attack of the fungus Phyllostlcta ligustri Saccardo, and certain leaf-eat-
ing caterpillars occasionally feed upon its foliage. But the plant has
always been considered almost insect proof in this country, although iu
Europe twenty or more insects feed ujDon its leaves, the great majority
of which are lepidopterous, including one of the finest of the European
Hawk Moths, the Sphinx ligustri.

The following statements have been prepared from notes made princi-
pally by Mr. Howard and Mr. O. Lugger :

APPEARANCE OF THE WEB -WORM,

The new web-worm was first noticed upon the plants iu some exten-
sive hedges grown in the gardens connected with the Department of
Agriculture at Washington, June 20, 1886, and later it was found iu
other parts of the city. jSToue of the gardeners had ever seen it before,
and naturally were somewhat anxious about the matter. The hedges
affected by these worms, presented a most miserable sight, almost al

tbe leaves of the upper half of the young shoots, from two to six inches
in length, were destroyed, and only fragments of leaves or portions of
their midribs had been left untouched here and there. The caterpillars,
which had done all this mischief, were found hidden in delicate, white,
silken webs, cither between the npper leaves when still quite small, or
lower down on the older leaves when about fully grown. These webs,
in which the caterpillars hide themselves, become in course of time
partly tilled with their black excrement, looking like gun-powder, and
add still more to the disfiguration of the plants. The caterpillars, when
disturbed, show great activity, and wriggle excitedly out of their webs;
iu foiling they suspend themselves by a long, silkeu thread. ]f the dis-
turbance ceases, they gradually work their way back to their homes.

Collectors of Lepidoptera had seen this moth but twice before in Wash-
ington. One specimen had been captured many years ago ; it was found
flying around the gas-light. The second specimen was found, in 1882,
on the Yirginia side of the Potomac.

NUMBER OF BROODS.

The greatest damage was done by the first brood, or at least the ef-
fects of the injury were more apparent. The second brood, living upon
the same shoots, already so much disfigured, were hardly perceived,
since they added but very little to the general effect. No caterpillars
were observed out doors during the month of August ; they were to some
extent kept in check by i^arasites. The electric light has also been of
immense value in destroying this pest. Thousands of the moths were
attracted to it and never found their way bacR to the plants to deposit
their eggs for other broods. But in captivity the result was verj^ dif-
ferent, and indicated beyond any doubt the possibility of a very great
danger to these i)rivet hedges, if the insect should once have full sway
to breed unmolested. ISot less than four broods of moths were raised
in the course of the summer, the last brood laying eggs, which, i)er-
haps, not being fertilized, did not hatch. Moths of the different broods
appeared July 2, August 5, September C, and October 11.

LIFE HISTORY.

The Egg. — The scale-like eggs are very soft, light-green, sculptured,
and measure O.C^™ in length and 0.4 iu width. They are usually
fastened to the leaf near its mid-rib, either upon the upi:)er or the lower
surface. Being so very small, and of a similar color to that of the leaf,
they are very difficult to detect. And this is still more the case in
breeding-cages, where the restless moths scatter their very loosely at
tached, silvery-white scales so profusely over the somewhat adhesive
surface of the leaf, that it soon becomes densely covered with tliem,
thus adding to the difficulty of finding the eggs. From three males and
two females imprisoned 65 eggs were obtained, yet no doubt more had
been deposited but not found. These eggs in the course of a few days
darkened somewhat and plainly showed the embryo. They hatched on
the fifth day after being deposited.

The Larva. — In color the caterpillar of this Pyralid varies greatly, but
it is usually of a lighter or darker green ; the darkest specimens are
almost bluish-green, the palest yellowish-green. In the great majority
of cases the piliferous warts are black and i)olislied, but in others, and
chiefly in the smaller ones, they are of the same color as the body. In
fact, hardly any two caterpillars, coming from the same moth, are exactly
alike. The arrangement of these warts is best observed in the darker
specimens, where two rows of them, each consisting of two warts, form
an almost exact square upon each abdominal segmen t. The warts below
and above the spiracles are longitudinally oval and rather far removed
from the dorsal rows. The cervical plate is either black with greenish
or green with blackish markings. The yellowish-green head is distin-
guished by two ill-defined, oblique and dusky stripes, which diverge
posteriorly. The very small spiracles are dull yellow. In a number of
very dark green specimens the head is more yellow than green and not
marked with any black. Quite a number of these caterpillars are almost
olive-green, suffused more or less with cherry-red. The recently hatched
caterpillars are white, with a pale yellow head. These highly polished
caterpillars reach a length of 20'"'" when they cease to feed and prepare
to pupate. The duration of their larval existence is about three weeks.

Fig. 4. Margarodes quadristigmalis. a, larva, siuc view; &, same, dorsal view; c, cocoon; d,
raoth — all slightly enlarged; e, two segments of larva from side showing arrangement of spots; /, anal
segment of pnpa from below— still more enlarged (original).

Piipa and Cocoon. — The slender, bright amber-colored pupa is lo"""'
long, and is well protected by a double cocoon, which is, however, so
thin and transparent that the pupa can clearly be discerned inside of it.
The white and delicate outer cocoon, usually fastened securely between
leaves or to the rubbish under the hedge, is somewhat oval, though
frequently very irregular in shape ; it is frequently a little denser near
the anterior end. The inner and still thinner cocoon surrounds the pupa
quite closely, and is connected with the outer one by a number of irreg-
ular threads. As the moth matures inside the pupa the former bright

color gives place to a dark brown, and soon after, or in about eight
days after commencing to spin the cocoon, tlie winged insect appears.

The Moth. — The species of Margarodes are quite niimerons, and all are
confined to warmer regions. From a list of specimens in the collection
of the British Museum, published in 1859, it is seen that 39 species had
been described up to that year. One species is found in Southern
Europe, one in IS^orth America, three in the West Indies, ten in South
America, seven in Africa, eleven in Southern Asia, five in Australia,
and one in the Sandwich Islands. The European species is very similar
to the one under consideration, and has been confounded with it by Du-
ponchel. Margarodes quadristigmaUs Gn., described vaguely as occur-
ring in North America, is found also in the island of St. Domingo.

All the species of this genus are characterized by white or greenish
hyaline wings with more or less opaque margins. The males possess a
hidden tuft of long hairs at the tip of the abdomen, which they can
spread out like a fan if excited.

The expanded wings of the Privet Moth measure 30'"'" and its body
is ]I2""" long. The general color of the moth is iridescent white, with
very transparent wings, that possess opaque white veins. The anterior
borders of the upper wings are light brown, and this color extends
over the margin of the thorax, forming thus a continuous brown edge.
Three darker brown, almost black, spots are situated just below it, and
join the posterior edge of this brown border; the fourth discal spot is
of the same brown color. The outside edge of the upper wings shows
a very narrow brown line, ornamented towards its summit by four or
five small brown dots. The outer edges, the fringes of hairs, and the
posterior edges of the wings are opaque white. The white, hyaline
color, a very narrow brown line with two dots near its summit on the
outer edge, an opaque white fringe of hairs, a small, discal, dark brown
spot, and a faint line of the same color above it, which is sometimes
connected with this spot, distinguish the lower wings. The head is
white, with brown eyes nnd trophi. The thorax, excepting its brown
anterior edge, is covered with very large white and iridescent scales,
which are loosely attached. The abdomen is also white, with a distinct
greenish tinge; the last abdominal joints have at their edges a faintly
marked brown and oblique line ; the last joint in the male moth is tipped
with the same color, and if the fan-like tuft is partly extended, a num-
ber of black and brown hairs are visible. The under side of the body
and the legs are white; the first pair of legs are ornamented by having
the upper side and tips of first joint of tarsi yellowish-brown, with a
golden luster ; the second pair of legs have also sometimes the tips of
the upper sides of their tibial marked with the same color.

NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL REMEDIES.

The sudden and quite unexpected disappearance of these insects so
soon after the first brood was mainly due to the attractiveness which

the electric light possesses to these moths. Untold numbers were thus
destroyed and prevented from increasing, which otherwise would have
been the case, since ])ut one parasite is known to i)rey upon it. From
caterpillars gathered outdoors, and whicli pupated June 25, one hymeu-
opterons parasite issued August 2. Tliis is a Glypta, and is closely
allied to rujiscutellaris, Wesmael.

The best remedy, and one that suggests itself at once, is the trimming
of the hedge at the proper time ; that is, when the first indications of
the presence of young caterpillars is noticeable. The trimmed shoots
ought to be removed as soon as possible, at least before they have bo-
come dry, otherwise these very active caterpilhirs will undoubtedly find
their way back to the hedge, and thus thwart the design. Applications
of the various insecticides will also pro\ e effective, and, owing to the
protecting web of the worms, ought to be applied in form of a spray.

NOTES.

THE CHINCH BUG IN CALIFORNIA.

In Bulletin 17 of this division and also in the annual report for 1887
Mr. Howard has reviewed the subject of the Chinch Bug on the Pacific
coast, and the summary of his investigation is to the effect that but
three authentic occurrences of this insect have ever been known in the
State of California. One was a single specimen collected in the vicinity
of San Francisco in 1885 by Mr. Kocbele. Another was a single speci-
men collected by some students of Johns Hopkins in 1884 (particular
locality not known), and the third was the record by Mr. Uhler, of Cali-
fornia as one of the States which this insect inhabits. Mr. Uhler after-
wards wrote that the specimens which he had seen were collected near
San Francisco, probably by Mr. Henry Edwards. The first two speci-
mens mentioned were of a short-winged form which has been found only
upon the Atlantic sea-coast, while Mr. Uhler states that his specimens
were of the long-winged form. Letters addressed to Mr. Koebele in
1887 brought out the fact that he was not aware of the importance of
his capture of this insect in 1885, and that he did not know just where
he found the specimen referred to. Since the publication of the Bulletin,
however, Mr. Koebele was reminded by its perusal of the fact that this
specimen was collected upon the sea-coast, and the present spring he
visited the shore near Alameda, Avith the result of finding a large num-
ber of specimens in the first, second, and third stages upon a coast
grass which has not yet been named. Specimens have been sent for,
and we hope soon to place the entire facts upon record. This large
sending, however, places upon a firmer basis than ever before the occur-
rence of this insect in considerable numbers on the Pacific coast, although

there is as yet no evideuce of any damage ever liavkig been done in the
State of California.

GERMAN PHYLLOXERA LAW.S.

It may be of interest to reprint Mr. Max Leicbtlin's rules for import-
ing plants to Germany, as published in the Illustrated Monthly for Gen-
eral Interests of Horticulture. The directions are specifically for Eng-
land, but will apply to America equally as well :

" Whoever wishes to import plants from England must instruct the
nurseries to ship plants in cases, not in baskets, to pack each plant with
its root-ball separately and tightly, so that they will not shake and
loosen, and to enable the inspector to examine without injury to the
contents. Ship through Use Sutton & Co., parcels express, or Best,
Eiley & Co., Holboru Viaduct, London, or any of their agents in the
country who connect with Ylissiugen. All freight suffers delay at Vlis-
singen. Let the shipper mark i>ackages with the needed address of
consignee, in care of T. T. Niessen, general agent, Kaldeukirchen, and
prefix before consignor's domicile the word ^aus' (from), which are re-
quired custom-house formalities. If the consignees live in Heilbronn,
the address should be ' f. i. N. IsT., ans Heilbronn, care of T.T. Niessen,
general agent, Kaldeukirchen.' Finally consignee must write to T. T.
Niessen, Kaldenkircheu, explaining that he is ready to pay for the
phylloxera examination expenses and give him instructions how to for-
ward, whether by freight, express, or mail."

Mr. Leichtlin says that he knows from experience that in following
these directions as given the forwarding of plants will be swift, prompt,
and reasonable. Any further information on the subject he says he
will give with pleasure if needed.

KEROSENE EMULSION AGAINST THE CABEAGE-WORMS.

In our report for 18S3, in summing up the different remedies whicli
maj^ be used against cabbage-worms, we mentioned the fact that for
several years we had advocated the use of kerosene emulsion and stated
thatwe were satisfied that it would prove of practical application in the
field. In Bulletin No. 11 of this Division are recorded experiments by
Mr. Webster, undertaken at our direction, which were favorable in their
results. In accordance with this 1883 suggestion, Mr. F. E. Anderson,
of the Pension Office in Washington, undertook to apply the emulsion
upon his cabbages at his place, near Washington, and he has reported
to us in full his results. They have not been published previously,
through inadvertence, and we take this occasion to give them in his own
words :

In accordauce with vour expressed wish to have a memorandum of my experience
"Willi kerosene as a destroyer of tlic Cabbage Worm, I now send you sucli a sketch as
my memory affords.

It was in tbo spring of 18S4 that I first put into active operation ray long-flesired
gardening experiments. The soil Tvas a warm sandy loam, favorable to vegetables,
and I set ont my cabbages — the Early Jersey Wakelields of Peter Henderson — near
the end of April, there being about 400 plants. The season was exceedingly rainy, but
toward the middle of June, as well as I can recollect, there came quite a severe drought,
and at about this time the cabbage-flies began to appear. I had amused the neighbor-
ing farmers, who believed in "the good old ways of our fathers, sir," very much by my
study of the Rural New Yorker and the reports of the Department of Agriculture,
which, with Peter Henderson's " Gardening for Profit," were never out of my hands in
my leisure mo nents ; and the champions of ruts were gleeful over the antici))ated
failure of the "book-farmer," who, moreover, had only spare hours for his hobby
and no help save his own hands. But I was not at all worried by their opinions. As
soon as I saw the little white fellows making their staggering yet swift flights over
my cabbages, I caught one, and recognizing him at once by the iiicture furnished in
the report for 1883, as Pieris rapce, I lost no time in i^reparing to give the enemy a
warm reception. Not having a cow on the place, I varied Hubbard's formula by sub-
stituting common soap-suds for milk, and at dusk began to shower it upon my cab-
bagesthrough an ordinary large-sized watering-pot. Owing to inexperience on my part
and to the imperfect mixing of the two elements, I killed a few plants on this appli-
cation, but the next evening I had learned better what to do and found myself suc-
ceeding well. In short, so complete was my victory — owing to prompt action a ad an
early use of the I'emedy — that, apart from the cabbages spoilt by the first trial, I did
not lose a plant. The only damage done by the worm was to a few outside leaves.
As a consequence, I believe that kerosene as a destroying agent rests on a sound
basis. All persons know how fatal any oil is to insects. Let a fly fall into bacon
grease, for example, and though he may escape seemingly unhurt, follow him up and
in a few seconds you will see him drop. The medical men remove beetles from the
human ear by pouring iu sweet oil. While I am no scientist, if I might venture a
reason I would say that I believe it is deadly because it clogs up the breathing-pores
of the insect. Kerosene well and carefully applied will do the same thing. Hence
my opinion. If the application has injured plauts it has been, I should judge, more
through the ignorance or carelessness of the operator thauthroagh the fault of the
formula.

Of course my experience is inconclusive of the matter, as I experimented on early
cabbages, which are never so destriictively assailed by the Pieris rajja'asthe later va-
rieties are, and since I was appointed to a clerkship in Washington before the season
for fall cabbages w as well under way ; but I have tried to follow what I conceive to
be the scientific method, namely, to state facts rather than fancies, no matter what re-
sults spring from them. If, in my rough way, I have gratified your wish I feel fully
satisfied, for your long-continued kindness and that of Professor Eiley (to say noth-
ing of others who have shown me j)olite favors iu your Department) have rendered
me subject to obligations which I can only in part repay by signing myself,
Very sincerely, your friend,

Frank E. Anderson.

P. S. — Notwithstanding my " book farmin' " yon will be gratified to learn, doubt-
less, that I had the finest garden iu my neighborhood, excepting only one, that of a
rich man who could apply more fertilizer to the soil than I could.

\^<

SWARMING OF HACKBERRY BUTTERFLIES.

We bave, in past years (3d Rep. Ins. IVIo., pp. 151-2, Sc. American,
April G, 1878), treated of tlie migration of butterflies and of the excep-
tional swarming in immense numbers of several species, but have not
known of a more striking case of exceptional abundance of a certain

species thau was brought to our atteutiou during 1887. The species in
question is Apatura celtls, one of the Ilackberry butterflies treated of at
some length iu the sixth report on the Insects of Missouri. The larvae
are found feeding ui)Ou the leaves of Celtis in the month of May, trans-
form to chrysalids the latter part of the month, and issue as butterflies
iu the latitude of Saint Louis about the middle of June. A second brood
of butterflies appears iu August and the insect hibernates in the larva
state at the surface of the ground.

The present spriug, considerably south of the locality where we studied
the species, an extraordinary swarming was noticed by two of our corre-
spondents. Mr. Carl Ilolzgang, of Clay Center, Kans., wrote, under date
of May 24 :

As I passed last Thursday (May 19) along the Mississippi Vallej', west side, near
Meiupliis, up the Arkansas, a swarm of millions of moths like the inclosed were fly-
ing along the road going south, etc.

On the same day (May 24) Mr. F. M. Webster, who was at that time
in Arkansas, Avrote as follows :

With this I mail you * * * examples of what I take to be Apatura celtis. Never
iu my life have I observed such numbers of any sjieciesof butterfly as I saw of these
along the Saint Francis Eiver on the 14th and 15th of the present month. For a dis-
tance of about 30 miles the shores of the river were literally lined with them. On
stumps they would be x^acked in so thick that with wings erect they completely cov-
ered the surface. The sides of the small steamer on which I was traveling were
covered, and I counted 17 on the back of a deck hand as ho was going about his Avork.
When a landing was made and I got off to examine the brush, they would rise up in
clouds about me and get into my eyes and mouth so that I had to beat about with a
bush to protect myself. The engineer of the boat said he had been running on tbe
river fifteen years, but never saw so many before. The inhabitants along the river
were as surprised as myself. » * *

The swarming of this species in spring is the more interesting that
in most other instances tlie swarming takes place in the autumn, and
the only explanation of this exceptional phenomenon would seem to be
that the conditions for successful hibernation of the larvee were excep-
tionally favorable.

SOUTHWARD SPREAD OF THE ASPARAGUS-BEETLE.

The Imported Asparagus-beetle {Crioceris asparagi L.) is spreading
gradually southward. Following tlie coast and the watei*-courses, it
was found four years ago as far South as Cherrystone Creek, in Mary-
land, OB Chesapeake Bay, by Mr. Otto Lugger, and during 1886 was
found at Old Point Comfort, Virginia, by Mr. E. A. Schwarz. Inland
it has spread more slowly, and never damaged asparagus beds in the
vicinity of Washington until 1887. The farthest inland Southern point
of which we have heard is Falls Church, Fairfax County, Va., where it
did some damage in the spring of 1887.

CATEKI'IJ.LAIJS STOPriNG TRAINS— A NEWSPAPER EXAGGERATION.
The fullowiiij;- coiTCspoiulciicu will explain itself:

[C. V. Riley to A. P. Butler, Com. Agr., S. C, May 16, 1887.]

1 inclose u clippiuij from tliia moruiug'is Post, Cau you tell me auythiug about the
coiTcctucss of the statement?

[Clipping from Waskingtou Post, May 15, 1887.]

Columbia, S. C, May ir>.
There are such myriads of cotton caterpillars in the Peedee Swamp, this State, that
a mail train passing over the Peedee River trestle was brought to a standstill re-
cently by thousands of these worms being on the rails and causing the wheels to
slip.

[Col. A. P. Butler to Capt. C. M. Smith, ageut C. C. and A. Pv. li., May 18, 1887.]

Please find inclosed herewith a clipping sent to this Department from Washington,
D. C, from Prof. C. V. Eiley, Entomologist of the United States Department of
Agriculture. Is there any truth in the matter, and are the caterpillars as numerous
as stated ?

[Indorsements.]

Referred to J. R. Keuley, superintendent trains. — C. M. Smith.
Referred to J. F. Dunn, G. S.— J. R. Kenley.

I have had no report of a train being stopped by caterpillars. — J. R. Kenley, super-
intendent trains.

[John F. Dunn, general superintendent, to A. P. Butler, May 20.]

There are a great many caterpillars on the Peedee trestle, where the trains stop or-
dinarily on the track, and they make the track slippery, and engineers find some lit-
tle difiiculty in getting away, but nothing to stop the train.

INJURY BY THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST.

Caloptenus spretus has appeared m large numbers iii Otter Tail
County, Minn., this 3'ear. Mr. Otto Lugger, who resigned bis posi-
tion as an assistant in this Division last May to accept the position
of entomologist of the Minnesota State Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion, is busily engaged in superintending the work of destroying them,
and will soon publish a report on this interesting outbreak. In a re-
cent letter he informs us that the locusts are now (July 5) being killed
and gathered at the rate of 500 bushels per day, persons employed for
the purpose receiving the remuneration of $i per bushel for their
services. Mr. Lugger was connected with us several 5 ears in Missouri,
and has for the past three years been one of our most satisfactory office
assistants. He is thoroughly familiar with our methods of work, and
exceedingly well posted on the habits of insects, especially those injuri-
ous to agriculture. He is, therefore, thoroughly equipped for his new
post, and we congratulate Minnesota on having secured his services,
which we shall miss in the work of the Division.

Early in the season we were led to hope for immauity from the Rocky
Mountain Locust, as when the young first began to appear in Minue-

sota they were determiiied from Illinois U8 not the migratory species,
but as belonging to some of the local non-migratory kinds. M. Lugger
has had the hearty co-operation of the State authorities and especially
of the governor of the State, and we shall look forward to his report
with much interest.

THE PERIODICAL CICADA IN 1888.

During the present year two broods of the Periodical Cicada or so
called •' Seventeen-year hocast"-' {Cicada septendeeini, L.), one of the
seventeen-year (septendecim) race and one of the thirteen-year '(^re^e-
cim) race, have made their appearance in different parts of the coun-
try.

The following is a list of localities in which they are supposed t(
have appeared, and we shall be pleased to receive any information,
confirmatory or otherwise, from persons who may receive this bulletin,
as we are desirous of definitely limiting the extent of country ovei
which these broods appear.

Brood V.—Sejiiendecim (1854, 1871, 1888).

Wisconsin. — Waukesha, Walworth, Jefferson, Eock, Grecu, Dane (?), Iowa, Grant,
Crawford, Eichmond, Sauk Couuties.

loiva. — Mitchell, Howard, Winneshiek, Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Chickasaw,
Floyd, Bremer, Butler (?), Dubuque, Delaware, Buchanan, Black Hawk, Jack-
sou, Jones, Linn, Benton, Clinton, Scott, Cedar, Johnson, Muscatine, Louisa,
and Des Moines Counties.

Illinois. — All of the northern counties. The boundary line, in a general way, mayj
be drawn from the northwest portion of Mercer County, southeast to th
Illinois River at Peoria, west along the Toledo, Wabash and Western Rail
road. There seem to be detachments extending farther south, especially in
the eastern portion of the State, and they occur as far south as Shelby
County.

Indiana. — The boundary in this State is not well-defined, but includes the ex-
treme northwest counties, extending as far south as the Kankakee River.

Michigan. — In this State the southern tier of counties extending from Lake Mich-
igan east to the middle of the State.

Pennsylvania. — Lancaster County; the southeast by eastern portion, known as
the " Pequea Valley." This locality was not verified in 1871, although there
is no doubt of the appearance of the insect in immense numbers in 1854.

BUOOD X.—Tredecim (1849, 1862, 1875, 1888).
. Texas.— We are particularly desirous of verifying this brood. Its existence now
rests on the single statement by Dr. Gideon Smith that he was informed that
the insect appeared in vast numbers in parts of Texas in 1849, but that he was
not able to get any particulars. 1875 did not furnish any information con-
cerning this brood ; hence our desire for full and accurate returns from Texas
this year.

THE CHINCH BUG IN 1888.

The long continued rains extending over a large part of theChinch
Bug territory during the late spring and early summer the present
season have <lone much to verify our prediction on page 31 of Bulle-

tiu 17, that the present season will be one of comparative immunity
from the attacks of this insect. We learned early in spring of the snc-
cessfiil hibernation of the bugs in large numbers in Wisconsin, Minne-
sota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and South Carolina, but later information
shows that the heavy rains have killed them off in great numbers.
July returns, however, show some slight damage. The two worst re-
l)orts have come from Chesterfield, S. C, and Cadet, Mo., but these
are not alarming. — L. O. H.

INCREASE AND DIVEEGENT HABITS OF CRYPTOCEPHALUS VENUSTUS.

Mr. John D. Lyons writes us from Monticello, N. Y., that Cryptoce-
phalus venustus has become very plentiful this year in that locality. It

I does not seem to do much damage to anything, but it is interesting to
note that it is found on the Potato in preference to other plants, and on
the Tomato, Pumpkin, and Cucumber if the Potato is not convenient.
;

THE HESSIAN FLY HALF-WAY AROUND THE WORLD.

The Hessian Fly, Cecixlowyia desirticior, has reached New Zealand
The March, 1888, number of the Neic Zealand Farmer reports it from
four different farms in the Kangitikei district, one of these being at
Bellevue, near Mart on, a town 33 miles southeast of Wanganui, in the
state of Wellington.

EAU CELESTE FOR THE ROSE BEETLE.

It is interesting to note that the eau celeste (blue- water, a simple so-
ution of sulphate gf copper, with ammonia), recently recommended by
this Department as a remedy for mildew, at the same time rids plants
of the Eose Beetle when they are so infested. Col. A. W. Pearson, of
New Jersey, states that it not only saved his vines from injury by mil-
dew, but also rid them entirely of millions of these beetles, which were
threatening to destroy the fruit and foliage entirely.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAJ

WORK.

The foilowiug list embraces those now engcaged in Government entomological work
and who will assist in the management of the periodical, those at Washington edito
rially, and the others as contributors. The force of the Division of Entomology i
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permanent and temporary ei^loyees:|

DIVrSICTN- OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. Sr DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist: C. V. Riley.

OJSice staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tyle

Townsend, W. B. Alwood, Assistants.
Agents: Saral. Henshaw, Bo.ston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind. ; Herbert Os

born, Ames, Iowa; N. W. McLain, Hinsdale, 111.; Mary E. Mnrtfehlt, Kirkwood

Mo.; Lawrence Brnner, West Point, Nebr. ; D. W. Coqnillett, Los Angeles, Cal.

Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator : C. V. Riley.
Assistant Curator : John B. fimith.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. AUGUST, 1888.

"Vol. I.

No. 2.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

423J

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1888.

-No. 2

CONTENTS.

rage.

The Yellow-spotted Willow-slug (illustrated) L. O. Howard.. 33

Notes on Eum.eus atala (illustrated) E. A. Schwarz.. 37

hUri'LEMENTARV liEPOKT ON THE GaS TREATMENT KOK .SCALE-INSECTS

D. W. Coquillett.. 41

External Spider Parasites L. O. Howard.. 42

The Sweet-potato Saw-fly (illustrated) 43

The Morelos Orange Fruit-worm (illustrated) C. V. Riley . . 45

Kerosene emulsion as a remedy for White Grubs 48

Extracts from correspondence 50

A new Tooaato Euemy iu Georgia. — Precursors of Brood V of the Periodical
Cicada. — Mites iufestiug am old Grain Elevator. — The Streaked Cotton-
wood Leaf-beetle in the East. — Hibernation of Mosquitoes. — Leaf Hop-
pers and the " Die-back " of the Orange. — The Barnacle Scale injuring
Persimmon. — Euryomia melancholicavs. Cotton Bolls. — A Peach Fruit-
worm in Japan. — Hibernation of the 2-8potted Ladybird. — Prior issu-
iug of the Male Sex with Cimbex.— Work of the Bronzy Cut-worm in
Missouri.— The Bamboo Siuoxylou.— The Western Cricket iu 18S7. —
Dicerca a Poplar Feeder. — An Enemy to Young Carp.

Notes 58

The 12-8potted Diabrotica injuring Fruit Trees. — Heat evolved from the
Work of a Bruchus. — Economic Entomology in India. — Buffalo Gnats
attacking Man. — New European natural Enemies to the Asparagus
Beetle. — Concerning the Uji parasite of the ailk-worm.

Vol. I, No. 2.] INSECT LIFE. CAugiist, 18§§.

THE YELLOW-SPOTTED WILLOW-SLUG.

{Nematus ventralis Say.)

[Order Hymenopteka: Family TENTiinEDiNiD.E.]

By L. O. Howard.

WILLOW AND WILLOW WARES.

The willow ware industry has been slowly increasing in our Eastern
States of late years, but is as yet in its infancy. The immense unutil-
ized areas of land along our many rivers, portions of the sea coast, and
of some uplands and prairies not suitable for any other agricultural
pursuit, invite capital and energy to invest in the production of osier,
chiefly for the manufactury of basket ware. According to the census
of 1880 there were in the country 304 willow-ware establishments, with
a capital of $1,852,917, engaging 3,119 hands, paying annually the sum
of $057,405 for wages, and producing $1,992,851. The value of mate-
rials consumed was $867,031, of which, however, but a portion was pro-
duced here. The importation of both raw and manufactured material
will be greatly reduced, and the demand for willow ware materially in-
creased if the profit to be derived from a systematic production of osier
becomes once better generally understood.

The various species of willows, including those with tough twigs suit-
able for basket making, are greatly affected by insects, and one of the
worst is this slug or saw-fly, observations upon which Imve been re-
corded in past years by Professor Kiley in the New York Tribune for
July 13, 1872, while his note books contain records of many observations
made in subsequent years. The following statements are drawn up
from these notes and from others made by Mr. Lugger and myself dur-
ing the summer of 1887:

NATURAL HISTORY.

If not checked by natural or artificial remedies, six or seven broods of
this insect are possible in the Central and Southern States. Our rec-
ords for 188C show that these flies were abundant and depositing eggs
4238— No. 2 1 33

May liO, July 1, July 17, August 2, September 7,

ber 19; full-grown larvoe Mere observed May 11, May 22, Juue IG, July

6, August 13, September 13, and October 14.

Fig. 5.— Nematus VENTRAiJS. a, a, a, younglarvfe; b, full-grown larva ; c, cocoon; d, adult; all slightly
tnlargcd (original).

In the grounds of the Agricultural Department in Washington these
slugs were extremely abundant upon isolated willows on July G ; eggs
were deposited July 17, which produced the second brood. A third
brood became numerous August 2 ; eggs for the fourth brood were de-
])0sited September 7, and eggs for a fifth brood hatched October 14.
No sawHies had been observed during the previous year nor prior to
July G, thus showing that they came from some other willows, and that
the larvae then noticed were the offspring of females of a first or perhaps
second brood, which had been forced to search for new breeding-places,
the former food supply having become exhausted.

The number of broods on these isolated willows conld be studied with
great ease, since each brood of slugs consumed in turn nearly all the
younger leaves in the course of their larval existence. Before the winged
tiies appeared and before their eggs had hatched, the young leaves and
shoots had attained quite a size, and offered enough suitable food for a
new brood to feed to full growth. In larger patches of willows such ob-
servations are more difticnlt, because in the course of time the several
broods overlap each other, so that in late summer slugs of all sizes can
be found at the same time, and there is no indication of the brood to
which they belong.

INJURIES AND APPEARANCE OF SLUGS.

All kinds of willows, with the exception, perhaps, of the weeping
willow and species growing into tall trees, are injured by these slugs ;
the imported yellow or golden osier willows do not escape. Yet the
species and varieties of the white willow seem to be preferred, at least
they are first attacked if a variety of food is offered. Young poplars
growing in close proximity to the willows, were injured as well, and
only their older and harder leaves escaped. Such poplar leaves, fre-
quently utilized by the female saw-flies for oviposition, were not used
as food until the willow leaves became scarce and hunger forced the
slugs to search for other food plants allied to willow. Nor are eggs in-
serted into poplar leaves until willow leaves for this purpose are lack-
ing. The greatest damage is done to young plants, and this is one
redeeming character of this insect, as insecticides are much more read-
ily applied to them.

The defoliation of the young willow plants is bad enough by itself,
and if repeated several times in the same season or in consecutive sea-
sons will no doubt kill them. But still another injury is inflicted which
renders such defoliated twigs useless as osier. Whenever the plant is
forced to jjroduce a new set of foliage the new leaves do not simply
replace the lost ones, but grow from new side shoots, thus destroying
the usefulness of the original shoot, which for commercial purposes
should be of uniform texture throughout its whole length.

The first indication of the presence of these slugs on the willows is th^e
peculiar little blister like swellings seen upon the upper surface of tli'e
leaves and which sometimes give them a wavy or crumpled appearance.
If an individual leaf is investigated these swellings are seen to be oc-
casioned by the oval, whitish eggs, which are partly inserted into the
under surface of the leaf-substance. As the eggs approach the time of
hatching black spots and streaks appear around them, which are the
effects of the numerous wounds made upon the leaves. As soon as the
young slugs appear they commence to gnaw small holes, which soon in-
crease in size. The numerous slugs born in the same leaf feed usually
in close proximity to each other, but they can not, however, be called
gregarious. Their slimy black color and filthy moist excrement soon
reveal their presence. As they grow in size they devour the whole leaf
and soon denude the plant, leaving only the thicker portions of the
mid-ribs untouched. The slugs make no attempt whatever to hide, in
spite of their conspicuous markings, but are plainly visible everywhere.
Tliey can always be distinguished by the peculiar curved position of
the posterior segments, which frequently bend away from their true legs
in the form of an interrogation mark.

THE DIFFERENT STAGES.

The Egg. — As in the great majority of saw-flies, the female of this
species is provided with two saws under the posterior part of the abdo-

men, which are used to cut fine slits into the leaf-substance, into which
the eggs are pushed. Here they increase to almost twice their original
size by absorbing the sap of the plant through their very thin shells,
thus preventing their dislodgmeut until hatching time. The under side
of the leaf is invariably utilized for ovipositiou. The appearance of
oval bladder like projections upon the upper surface of the leaf is pro-
duced by the eggs, as already mentioned. They show still more plainly
upon the lower surface, where it is seen that the eggs are only partly
imbedded in the little pockets produced by the saws of the female. If
the leaf substance at the time of cutting these slits is still soft and yield-
ing the whole agg is snugly imbedded ; otherwise one-third and even
one-half of the egg projects outside. The egg itself is quite large in
proportion to the mother insect, measuring fully 0.3""". in length. It
has a long oval shape and is one-third as wide as long. These trans-
lucent, greenish eggs are quite numerous, as each female lays on an
average about eighty eggs at a time, and since — in time of scarcity of
young foliage — several females sometimes select the same leaf, as
many as two hundred eggs have been counted upon a single leaf. The
eggs deposited later in these leaves by a second female are usually de-
stroyed, because the offspring of the first batch of eggs commence feed-
ing as soon as born and devour the leaf, together with the inclosed
eggs. In the course of four to eight days the young slugs are hatched.
Tlie time of incubation varies and is controlled by the i)revailing tem-
perature.

The Larva, Piqya, and Cocoon. — When the young larvre leave their egg-
shells, they are at first white, with a small blackish eye-spot on each
side of the head, which is already visible through the shell of the un-
hatched egg. This white color soon disappears, and later the slugs
are shiny black, transversely wrinkled, and ornamented with ten large
and two smaller yellow spots on each side of the body along the stigmatal
region. A slimy matter oozes out of their skin and covers them en-
tirely. The large yellow spots are very prominent only after the last
molt; but they are already vaguely indicated in the younger specimens,
which are moreover frequently marked by a narrow, yellow longitudinal
dorsal line. Often there are but ten spots, the ones upon the first tho-
racic and last abdominal segment being either quite small or lacking.
The head is polished black, free, i^erpendicular, and as large as the
first segment. Besides the three ijairs of long, black, jointed feet, of
which the first pair is shortest and the third longest, the slugs possess
six i^airs of light blue prolegs and a seventh pair of very imperfect anal
ones.

Tlie larvre undergo four molts, and attain maturity in from ten
days to three weeks. When full grown, they measure fully 20""" in
length, and ceasing to feed, enter the grouiul where they form shiny,
glue like cocoons, of a dark bronze color. These cocoons are double,
and consist of a rough outside layer inclosing a smooth and tough

inner one. If lai vte of this species are confined to breeding cages with-
out earth, they form their cocoons among or under the dead and fallen
leaves. Within these cocoons they change to yellow pupa', which in
the course of a week give forth the winged insects.

The Imago. — The winged insects are dull and heavy in all their mo-
tions, and depart greatly — like most saw-flies — from the general char-
acter of the order to which they belong. They possess neither the
powerful jaws of the predaceous tribes, nor the slender jaws and tongues
of the honey-feeding families. When the females are engaged in sawing
slits in the leaves for the reception of their eggs, they are not easily
disturbed in their work. The males, however, are more active, being
one third shorter, and not as bulky as their females. The color of both
sexes is black; the female has the venter, tibite, palpi, and the base of
the wings of a decidedly bluish-green color ; the edges of the abdomen
and obsolete bands between the segments are pale yellowish. The
same parts in the male, and more or less of the upper surface of the
abdomen, are yellowish-brown or orange colored. The female averages
8'""' in length and the male 6'""'.

NATURAL ENEMIES AND REMEDIES.

No parasite has as yet been found to attack the larvte. The eggs
however, are frequently destroyed by very small Chalcids of the genus
Tnchogramma which become numerous when tlie second brood of
females is ovipositing.

The Wheel-bug ( Frionidus cristatus) has been of very great service in
reducing the numbers of these slugs. At a time during the summer
of 1887, when the willows were threatened with total extinction, a
number of these useful bugs stationed themselves upon the infested
twigs and impaled every slug that could be found upon the same twig.
Towards the end of the fourth generation the willows recovered some-
what and put out new foliage, and the slugs became so very scarce that
the Wheel-bugs found it no longer protitable to remain.

The English Sparrows, although flocking in large numbers to some
sun-flowers that grew very close to and among the willows did not eat
a single slug; their whole attention was directed to the ripening seeds
of the Sun-flower.

As to remedies, no insect is more readily destroyed than this by the
use of arsenical solutions.

NOTES ON EUMAEUS ATALA.

By E. A. SciiWARZ.

By far the most conspicuous insect in semitropical ¥\oy'u\a\^ Eumaeus
atala, a butterfly which on account of its abundance and brilliancy
in coloration can not fail to attract at once the attention of the en-

toraological visitor. The structural peculiarities of tlie larva aud pupa
of Eumaens Lave beeu discussed by Mr. Samuel 11. Scudder,* but he
hardly refers to the life history of the species. Another description
of the earlier staj,^es seems to be given by F. Poey in his work on the
Lepidoptera of Cuba, but I have not been able to consult the work.
It is not quoted by Scudder but may contain a full account of the life
history of Eumaeus. At any rate, even if duplicated, it will do no harm
to place on record the following short observations made independently
last year during a stay at Cocoanut Grove, Dade County, Fla.

Fig. C. EiiMAEis atala: 1, eKRS in situ— natural size; 2, 3 eggs— enlarged ; 4, larva; 5, pnpa; 6
adult from above; 7, adnlt from aide— all natural size (original).

The species is so frequent and so tame in the pine woods between the
shores of Biscayne Bay and the Everglades that it is the easiest thing
in the world to gather some observations on its natural history. Its
only food-plant in Florida is Zamia integrifolia of the family Cycadacea,
a plant which is not unlike a large fern and whose original home is
the West Indies. That this plant is of considerable economic value
wherever it occurs in abundance is a well-known fact, but it may not
be generally known that it furnishes almost the only means of subsist-
ence of the present population of the shores of Biscayne Bay and of
the uiainlaud southward thereof. The subterranean stem of the plant,
when ground up by means of very simple and cheap machinery, fur-

* The stracturo aud transformation of ^«»iae«s o<a/a. Memoirs Boston Soc. Nat*
Hist., vol. ii, pt. iv, No. iii, 1B75, p. 413-419, pi. xiv.

nishes a starch of excellent quality, and this when shipjjcd to Key West,
the emporium of southern Florida, always commands a good price in
cash. The larva of Eumaeus atala, which is popularly known as "Coon-
tie Worm,"* would therefore be an injurious insect, since it often en-
tirely defoliates large bushes of the Zamia, but the plant is so abund-
ant and possesses such indestructible vitality that the damage is reduced
to a minimum.

The brilliant red larviie abound everywhere on the plants, and if
they have not defoliated the latter, the cream-colored, echiniform eggs,
or rather the egg-shells, may be easily found by examining the under
side of tl)e leaves. Here they are in more or less regular rows of three
or four or even five upon each leaflet, and there is also sometimes a
regular row of eggs along the main rib of the leaf. The butterfly, how-
ever, never oviposits on such fully developed leaves, but always
chooses the young shoots when these are still curled up and the leaflets
closely folded together.

The female butterfly alights upon a young shoot and the leaf bends
down under the weight of the insect, which thus remains with its legs
upwards wheu ovipositing. It takes a long time before the female has
selected a suitable place lor the depositing the egg, and this is finally
laid with a great elfort, so that the insect has to rest for two or three
minutes before going on with her work. The second egg is laid close
to the first, and usually a third and sometimes also a fourth or fifth are
laid in a row on the same leaflet. Then the female proceeds to the next
leaflet above or beneath the first, or chooses another one, but always
close to the first place. I timed a female which had just laid one egg,
and found that thirty-two minutes afterwards she had laid only 13 ad-
ditional eggs. The number of eggs to be found on a single leaf varies
greatly ; sometimes only two or three are found (the insect having evi-
dently been disturbed by a sudden gust of wind or otherwise), but usu-
ally much more, and as many as thirty-five were counted. When the
female has finished ovipositing the leaf gets again erect, and thus the
eggs are first on the up])er and outer sides of the leaf, but in the course
of a few days the leaf unfurls and the eggs, long before they hatch, are
on the under side of the leaflets. With the expanse of the leaflets the
intervals between the individual eggs increase, and the rows of eggs do
not longer appear so regular as when the leaflets were still closed.

Duration of the egg state in the month of May at least ten days;
that of the larva at least a fortnight ; the pupa state lasts between
nine and ten days. During the month of May the species could be
found in all stages in the pine woods along the shores of Biscayne
Bay, and it seems that in the mild climate of that section it breeds the
whole year round.

* " Coontie" is the Indian namo for Zamia iutef^rifolia; the white settlers call the
plant " Contie " or " Comtie."

Althongh, on account of the prevalence of the liouse nut {Monomorium
pharaonis), 1 was unable to breed indoors the butterfly from the egg,
still I bred many imagos from the half or nearly full-grown larvje, and
frecjuently young larvai from the eggs, but in no instance did I obtain a
single parasite from the eggs, larv;u or pupa'. The butterfly seems
likewise to enjoy perfect immunity from natural enemies, since it cau be
readily approached and captured with the hand. Still, nature has pro-
vided against an undue multiplication of this butterfly. If plenty of
young shoots happen to be on one plant every one of these, or at any
rate /nost of them, are covered with the eggs, and the caterpillars have
defoliated the plant long before they are full grown. They then
begin to migrate in search of new Ibod, not in a body, but scatter-
ing in all directions, and, since the plants are usually not so very
close together and the rocky ground most unfavorable for locomotion,
most of these migrating caterpillars perish from starvation. Moreover,
untold thousands of them are destroyed by the fires which frequently
sweep through the pinewoods.

In regard to the geographical distribution of Eummis Mr. Scudder
has already pointed out that it does not extend so far north as its food-
plant. This last occurs still around Crescent City, but the butterfly is
even no longer to be found on the southern end of the Indian River, nor
did I see it in the pine woods opposite Lake Worth. It was still quite
abundant about 3 or 4 miles north of Miami Eiver, but here the
coral formation rapidly sinks below the level of the ground, and the
pine woods assume the character of what is known as " flat woods,"
where Zamia does not occur. It is thus safe to assume that Enmccus
atala does not attain the northern end of Biscayne Bay. Scudder
mentions its occurrence on Key Biscayne, which is almost due east of
the mouth of Miami Kiver, but I think this must be a mistake, since the
narrow strip of sand which forms Key Biscayne did not harbor at the
time of my visit a single specimen of the food-plant. Southward it oc-
curs on Elliott's Key and Key Largo and on the mainland perhaps so
far south as Cape Sable, but is absent on most of the smaller keys
south of Key Largo. In southwestern Florida, as I have been informed,
the food-plant extends so far north as the still terra incognita. 1 can
not tell whether or not the butterfly occurs there.

The siccompanying figure, which Professor Eiley has had drawn by
Miss L. Sulliv^an, does not need any further explanation, nor is it the
intention of the writer to enter here into descriptive details. The silken
thread which girdles the pupa has been accidentally omitted in the
photo-electrotype.

SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT ON THE GAS TREATMENT FOR SCALE

INSECTS.

By D. W. COQUILLETT.

Since writing my "Report on the gas treatment for scale insects,"
wliicli forms part of Professor Riley's anunal report, jmblislied in the
Report of the Department of Agricnltnre for the year 1887 (pp. 123-142),
I have made a nnmber of observations on this treatment, the more im-
portant of which are recorded below.

There is a great diflerence in the relative strengths of the best grade
of the various brands of potassium cyanide. In this city (Los Angeles)
the two brands most commonly offered for sale are the Powers &
Weightman, manufactured at Philadelphia, Pa., and the Malline-
krodt, manufactured at Saint Louis, Mo. A careful analysis of each
of these brands by Prof. E. M. Wade, an analytical chemist of this city,
showed the Powers & Weightman cyanide to contain fully 99 per
cent, of pure potassium cyanide (KCX), while the Mallinekrodt con-
tained only a fraction over 93 per cent.; and several experiments which
1 have made with each of these brands fully confirm the correctness of
the above analyses in favor of the Powers & Weightman cyanide.

Either of these brands of cyanide will dissolve in a few hours in cold
water, only requiring to be frequently stiried. When thus dissolved,
the solution does not emit the disagreeable odor of ammonia, which is
emitted by the solution made by boiling. The solution made without
heat is evidently stronger than the other, since heat decomposes the
cyanide ; and several tests which I have made with the cold solution
indicate that it is stronger than when made by boiling. Moreover, the
cold solution is more liable to be of a uniform strength, since in the
other the boiling water will take up more of the cyanide than it can
retain, and upon cooling will deposit the excess in the bottom of the
vessel.

The Powers & Weightman cyanide will dissolve in about half the
time required by the Mallinekrodt. The latter solution, after standing
a few hours, assumes a reddish-brown color, but the solution of the
Powers «& Weightman cyanide does not change color, remaining of a
light, olive-gray color for an indefinite length of time.

The proportions are as given in my report, namely, 5 pounds of the
cyanide to 1 gallon of water. When dissolved, the solution will measure
about 1G8 fluid ounces, each pound of the cyanide having added 8 fluid
ounces to the solution. Two fluid ounces of the solution will contain
about 1 ounce by weight of the cyanide, and will require 1 fluid ounce
of sulphuric acid (commercial) to evolve the gas from them. One ounce
by weight cf the dry cyanide will require about 2{ fluid ounces of sul-
phuric acid to evolve the gas from it.

A wholesale firm in this city offer to fiiruish either of the brands of
cyanide mentioned above at the rate of G5 cents per pound when pur-
chased in quantities.

The second or drying vessel of the gas generator should be much
larger than the one shown in Plate VI of my report. This vessel should
be at least 10 inches in diameter. The leaden pipe which conveys the
gas from the generator proper to this second vessel should enter one
side of the latter near the top and then curve downward until its lower
end is within about an inch of the bottom of the vessel. When in use
the bottom of this vessel should be covered with sulphuric acid to a
depth of 3 inches, and after the gas has passed through it enough of the
acid should be drawn out of this vessel to generate the gas the next
time, and fresh acid be added to replace that drawn out.

The generator proper should be furnished with two vessels above,
instead of one— one for the acid and the other for the solution.

EXTERNAL SPIDER PARASITES.

By L. O. Howard.

Tn Hardwicke's Science Gossip for July, 1888, a spider from Ceylon is
figured with a parasitic Ichneumonid larva in situ upon its back. The
adult parasite is also figured, and the accompanying note, which is by
Mr. E. Ernest Green, of Pundiloya, Ceylon, states that the Ichneumon
appears to oviposit upon the female spiders only, and that the spider
continues to feed and remains in apparently good health until the larva
is full-grown. The larva then spins a flask-shaped silken cocoon and
attaches it to a leaf. No identification of the spider or the parasite is
made by Mr. Green, although he states that the latter is possibly allied
to the Pimpla mentioned by Packard as being parasitic upon a spider
in Europe. A glance at his figure, however, shows that the parasite
belongs to the Ichneumonid genus PolyspMncta, the species of which
are well known to be parasitic upon spiders, their larvie feeding ex-
ternally, as pointed out by Mr. E. A. Fitch in the Entomologist some
six years ago. A similar case in America was for the first time men-
tioned by the writer in a comnuinication to the Entomological Society
of Washington, not yet published. In this case the parasitic larva
was apparently less than half grown, and it was killed without rearing
the adult. The specimen was captured by Dr. W. H. Fox, of Wash-
ington, in February, which would indicate a larval hibernation of the
parasite. Dr. Fox's larva differed greatly from the full grown Poly-
sphincta larva as figured by Fitch, but this may be due to thefiict that
it had not reached half its ultimate size. The spider upon which it

was fouiul was a young specimen of Steadota borealis Hentz. The
larva was slender, cylindrical, white, 1 millimeter in leugtb, and was
very firmly attached to the front of the dorsum of the abdomen of the
spider in a transverse position. Mr. Fitch, in the article above men-
tioned, quotes observations by De Geer, Westwood, Blackwall, Laboul-
bene, Snellen van Yollenhoven, Brischke, and Parfitt, and records two
jiew instances from specimens found by Rev. n. Matthews and Mr. G.
O. Bignell. In the same volume Rev. O. P. Cambridge records two
further instances from his own observations.

It is a very common thing to rear parasites from the egg-bags of
spiders, but much rarer to find parasitic larvai feeding upon the adult
spiders ; still from the instances mentioned above such cases have not
infrequently been observed in Europe. Mr. Fitch makes the sweei)ing
statement that the species of the genera FolyspMncta and Acrodac
tyla " are probably exclusively spider vampires, " and so positively
does he rely on this generalization that he states that Brischke's record
of Folysplmicta carhonarius from a saw-fly is probably an error. In
this, however, he is probably at fault, for there are other European
records of the rearing of FolyspMncta from saw-flies and from longi-
corn larvai, and in this country Professor Riley has several species of this
genus which have been bred from lepidopterous larvaj. Moreover, the
F. albipes of Cresson was bred by Comstock from a lepidopterous co-
coou found on au orange leaf in Florida (Rept. Dept. Agr., 1879, p.
208).

THE SWEET-POTATO SAW-FLY.

{Schizocerus chenus Norton.)

[Order IIymenoptera ; family TenthrediniDvE.]

In the summer of 1886 Mr. G. Werckle, of Ocean Springs, Miss.,
wrote us that a neighbor was troubled with worms which destroyed his
sweet-potato crop, and in August, 1887, he was able to secure speci-
mens, which he forwarded to the Division, and from which we were
enabled to determine the insect as a rather rare Saw-fly, described by
Norton in 1867 from male specimens collected in New York as Schizoce-
rus ehenns (see Trans. Amer. Entom. Soc, Vol. I, page 55). The first
installment sent by Mr. Werckle consisted of pupte only. These were
received August 18, 1887, and from them adults issued August 19.
September 6 larvae were received from him, possibly of another brood,
and from these adults issued September 19. We also, at the same time,
reared from the cocoons a Braconid parasite belonging to the genus
Uuhadizon, differing from any species of this genus hitherto described
in this country and which we shall describe in a more appropriate place

under the name Euhadlson schhoccri. It is illustrated at Fiji. ^3. ^> e
also reared an uudetermiued Tacliinid. Mr. Werckle also stared iu
one of bis letters that the eggs were laid iu the leaves and looked like

Fig. 7. ScHizocEKUS ebexus. a, leaf sliowing epgs in situ— natural size ; b, larvce from side ; c, same
from above— enlarged ; rf, thoracic segments of same ; c, abdominal segments— still more enlarged;/,
adult male— enlarged (original).

rows of scale insects. The pest was observed for the first time in 1880,
when tbelarvie completely defoliated large tracts in a sweet-potato field
on a farm lying at some distance from any other.

Fig. 8. Eubadizon sciiizoceri, enlarged (original).

The present season (1888) Mr. Werckle writes us that the pest has
iiot beeu uoticed since September, 1887, The adult insect is a small

four-wiuged creature, about tbo size of a common Uouse-tiy or a little
smaller. It is black, and the wings are dusky. The female abdomen is
yellowish-brown. The insect is shown in figure 7 in eggy larva, and adult.
The larviu figured are, howev^er, not full grown. We mention this pest
here but briefly, as our observations upon it are by no means complete,
and simply to place the fact on record and to elicit any information
which others may possess upon the subject.

THE MORELOS ORANGE FRUIT-WORM.

{Trypeta hidens Loew.)

[Order Uipteua: Family TKvrExiD.E.]

By C. V. Riley.

We have for some time been aware of the existence in Mexico of a
worm which damages the fruit of the Orange, boriug into the pulp and
rendering it uufit for eating purposes. It has been described to us by
non-naturalists as a large, white worm of perhaps an inch in length, of
which no sign could be seen from the outside of the fruit. The exist-
ence of such a fruit-worm in Mexico has always seemed important to

Fig. 9. — Trypeta ludf.ns. a, larva enlarged ; I, anal segment of same form behind— still more en-
larged ; c, puparium — enlarged; d, c, head and aual segments of same— still more enlarged; /, adult
female — enlarged (original).

us on account of the danger of importation into the orange-growing
regions of the United States, and we have several times instructed our
agents who were visiting New Orleans, into tbo markets of which Mexican
oranges are largely imported, to search for infested fruit. Mr. Howard
in 1884 ascertained that the fruit dealers in New Orleans were familiar
with the existence of such a worm, but during the time at his disposal
he was unable to obtain specimens. In the summer of 1887, however.

Mr. Briiner went to Mexico upon leave of absence for a collectings trip,
and was urged, incidental!}' to the other objects of his trip, to look into
this matter and to secure specimens, if possible, of the worm in ques-
tion. He ascertained from conversation with intelligent Mexicans that
there were probably three worms which injured the fruit of the Orange
in that country. The one was a worm which works only in the skin
of the fruit in the States of Michoacan and Jalisco, but which, from
description, appeared to be a Tortricid. Another worm was described
as being short and thick and working inside the fruit in the same States.
He was unable to learn of any work in the fruit in the States bordering
upon the Gulf of Mexico. The third worm was found bj^ Mr. Brnuer,
and the imago obtained from specimens which he brought home. These
proved to be Trypeta hidens, according to Loew's excellent description
and figure.* The notes made by Mr. Bruner upon finding the first
specimens are as follows :

" Upon opening an orange to eat it was found to contain a couple of
holes immediately under the skin, penetrating into the interior. Further
investigation showed the orange to contain eight dipterous maggots
measuring 10™™. in length. A careful examination of the outside surface
revealed no signs of entrance, but the inner pulp of the peel contained
a minute perpendicular burrow, which, was continuous with that of the
hole in the interior of the fruit. The eggs were evidently deposited in
one of the j^ores of the skin or upon its surface, from which the freshly-
hatched maggots entered."

The following note was sent to us after his return to West Point:

"The second orange containing the maggots that came to my notice
was on the train. This, like the preceding, showed no outward signs
of occupancy by an insect enemj'. I then obtained permission to ex-
amine a lot of upwards of five hundred oranges coming from the same
locality, out of which four were selected as such that might contain
the worms. All of these latter showed more or less well-defined out-
ward signs of the depredations of some insect enemy. One of these at
least I am sure contains the grub, for upon my arrival home I found a
freshly-made hole coming to the surface and saw one of the maggots
protruding, that afterwards was made to re-ejiter. The oranges were
placed in jars to breed the flies. Would forward some of them to 3'ou
only that the weather has again turned quite cold and I am afraid to
risk them in transit."

So far as Mr. Bruner was able to ascertain, this worm is most abundant
in the oranges raised in the State of Morelos, 100 miles south of the
City of Mexico, and the statement was made to him while in the City of
Mexico that oranges from Morelos were very liable to be thus infested.
Mr, Bruner returned to Nebraska early in December, and upon Decem-
ber 30 wrote us that several of the larvje had pupated. The larva* be-

* Review of N. A. Tryiietina, Mon. Dipt. N.A., Part III, Sm.Iuet., 1873, p. 223, PI,
XI, Fig. 19.

gau to issue from the fruit December 23. Tlie fruit itself bad rotted
aud molded, aud about one-half the pulp had been devoured, although
the outside did not show it. In this i)articu]ar orange the s[)ot where
the decay began was where the fruit came in contact with the moist sand
at the bottom of the breeding-jar.

In February he wrote that the adults had begun to issue, the first
oue appearing February 9. A number of specimens of both sexes were
thus reared, aud the experiment was tried of conliuing them with ripe
fruit to see whether they would oviposit in the orange if not on the
tree. This experiment, however, failed, and none of the flies laid eggs,
all dying after a number of days. It is doubtful, however, whether
this can be taken as evidence against the possibility of damage to
picked fruit.

Tlie larva, pupa, and adult of the insect are illustrated at figure
'J, and these figures will enable the ready identification of the in-
sect, so that few words of description are necessary. The full-grown
larva is three-eighths of au inch in length, of a dirty white color, with
the extremities brownish. Its sbape is shown in the figure, and it
may be readily distinguished from other larv.e so far knowu to affect
oranges by the two anal spiracles, each with its three transverse slits.
The puparium is shorter, oval, and of a dark-brown color. The gen-
eral color of the perfect fly is ochre yellow, with slightly darker mark-
ings, as indicated in the figure. The markings on the wings are yel-
lowish toward base and smoky toward tip.

There is little to say upon the subject of the possibility or probability
of the introduction of this pest into the orange districts of Louisiana,
California, and Florida. The fly is very hardy, aud Mr. Bruuer states
that while in confinement it withstood considerable neglect, as well as
more than ordinary variation in temperature, the mercury on several
occasions falling some degrees below the freezing point in the room
where his breeding cage stood. So far as we can learn the New Or-
leans markets are mostly supplied with fruit from the Gulf States,
where this insect does not occur, and the oranges from Morelos go
north bj^ railroad into the regions widely remote from any American
orange-growing section, so that the probability of introduction would
not seem to be great, although the possibility always exists and is be-
coming greater with the extension of railroad connection and facilities
for traffic.

The habits of this species do not seem to have been described be-
fore. Cerafitis capifafa{ = C. citriperda), however, a species of the same
family, attacks oranges in Madeira, according to OstenSacken (Entom.
Monthly Mag., xxi, 34, July, 1884).

KEROSENE EMULSION AS A REMEDY FOR WHITE GRUBS.*

On Jime 1, last, Mr. Cogan, superiuteudeut of lawns at the Capitol
grounds, brought to the Division specimens of the larvie of Allorhina
nitida and stated that they were doing serious injury to the lawns under
his care. This afforded an excellent opportunity for experimenting
with kerosene emulsion, and Mr. W. B. Alwood was instructed to visit
the grounds at once and to conduct a careful series of experiments and
observations. The results have proved most satisfactory and there
seems little question but that we have found a certain and easy remedy
for these destructive creatures. The ordinary White Grubs (larvai of
Laahnmterna spp.) will unquestionably be affected in the same way.
We give Mr. Alwood's report in his own words :

KEPORT BY W. B. ALWOOD.

The plat affected was of irregular outline ; on a large portion of it the
grass was already killed and a considerable portion of this was baic of
herbage of any kind. The soil was everywhere full of worms, averag-
ing about six to the square toot of earth.

A small plat was treated with kerosene emulsion diluted fifteen times.

June 7, visited the grounds again. Where the keresene emulsion
had been used the grubs had been immediately sickened and were now
lying 2 to 4 inches below the surface, not eatrng. Mr. Cogau said that
the next day after the treatment he had dug up several grubs which
were sick and soon died when exposed to the air and sunshine. I found
no dead ones in the soil. The grass was uninjured. This treatment
seemed promising and on the 8th of June, under direction of this Divis-
ion, Mr. Cogan treated the entire area with kerosene emulsion diluted
fifteen times. For this purpose 15 gallons of emulsion were prepared,
requiring 10 gallons of oil, and about 5 pounds of soap were used. This
would give some 300 gallons of diluted wash. This was applied liberally
to the soil, which was for some days kept freely soaked with water.

June 11 1 visited the grounds again. The grubs over the whole area
had turned down into the soil and seemed sick ; when dug out were so
weak they could scarcely crawl.

No dead ones were found. The green grass had not been injured by
the application. Mr. Cogan was requested to keep the soil well watered
and observe what further results followed.

On June 27 the grounds were again visited. The grass which was
not killed by the grubs had recovered very much; where grass had been
killed wild grass and weeds are growing in. The grubs are still in the

*The "White Grubs" in this instance are \iirvx of AUorhina nitlda. See note by
C. V. Riley in Le Baron's fourth report as State Entomologist of Illinois, p. 90.
See also note on the habits of these larva- in Washington, by L. O. Howard, Canadian
Entomologist, 1879, p. 200; also in American Naturalist, 1882, p. 411.

soil, but are weak aud almost inactive; have a (lirty-yellow color and
occasional black spots. Saw no dead ones. Around margins of plat
treated and in other places found the larvae abundant and doing injury.

The lawn was not visited again until July 27. At this time I could
not find Mr. Cogan, so no complete examination was made. No grubs
could be found in the surface soil of the plat treated ; elsewhere they
were abundant, but no steps had been taken to check them.

July 31, weut to the Capitol and Mr, Cogan and myself, with the as-
sistance of a laborer, made a full examination of the plat treated. No
grubs were found in the surface soil, but on spading down 8 to 12 inches
some were found; further search showed them at a depth of 16 inches.
Careful examination of about 3 square feet of surface to a deitth of 16
inches brought to light fourteen grubs, all dead and discolored, as before
mentioned. Not a living larva was found by examination on the treated
plat. A spot nine paces to one side of the treated plat was examined
and here grubs were found about as numerous as before, a few of which
were dead and sljowed the same discoloration before mentioned. We
then examined a spot 150 feet from the treated plat and found the grubs
very numerous, some thirty being counted on 3 square feet examined. .
These were in no wise afiected, tending to prove that those found in
second place examined had crawled away from the treated plat.

This is one of the most satisfactory experiments I have ever made
with kerosene emulsion. Mr. Cogan stated that he used a small i)ortion
of the emulsion diluted but eight times, and found that it did not injure
the grass. However, there is no object in using it so strong, as it is
easily applied, and we believe the very abundance of water helps to
carry the kerosene into the soil. This was the purpose in having the
ground treated so freely watered. Compared to our previous experi-
ments for the destruction of white grubs (Bull. 13, Division Ent., 1887,
p. 39) the results are similar up to a certain point, but where the earlier
experiments ultimately resulted in failure we think the reason is to be
found in the lack of facilities for drenching the soil. It would require
a large quantity of the diluted emulsion to penetrate the soil to any
depth. The emulsion was prepared according to the original formula
published by this Division, and frequently repeated in Dr. Kiley's offi-
cial reports.

The following communication from Mr. Cogan may be taken as a
thoroughly fair opinion of the success of the above experiments :

United States Capitol Grounds,

Washington, B. C, August 2, 1888.
Sir: Early in the month of Juno I submitted to your Department specimens of
grubs which I found destroying the grass on the lawns of the United States Cap-
itol grounds.

Your assistant, Mr. Alwood, immediately investigated, and under his instructions

the places affected were thoroughly drenched with an emulsion of kerosene in the

proportion of one to sixteen, and the ground then well watered. I found that where

this emulsion was used the grubs immediately ceased their depredations, penetrated

4238— No. 2 2

further into tbc ground, and not alive one was found to date after careful searcL,
while in other places, where the emulsiou was not used, they are still continuing their
vTork in a lively manner. I have watched the experiment of destroying these grubs
with a great deal of interest, foi* on its success or failure depended the preservation
or destruction of the grass on the large lawn in front of the House of Kepresenta-
tives, aud I have now much pleasure in stating that the experiment has been a great
success.

Very truly, yours,

WM. J, COGAN,

Foreman.
Prof. C. V. KiLEY.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

-jK ^ A. New Tomato Enemy in Georgia.

A year ago the accompanying Leaf-lTopper was first noticed to be damaging young
tomato plants. » * » I inclose you a few plants showing the nature of the dam-
age, a single insect ruining a plant. — [A. Oemler, M. D., Wilmington Island, Ga.,
April 29, 1887.

Keply. — The Leaf-hopper which yon send^is one which has not before been re-
corded as doing any such damage. It is Say's Sticiocephalafestina. Can you give us
further details as to the numbers and the damage done, and their method of work,
and also as to whether they appear to confine themselves to tomato plants? I can
suggest nothing in the way of a remedy, except the kerosene emulsion spray. —[April
-30, 1887.]

Secom> letteu. — I inclose to you the young tomato plants to demonstrate the man-
ner of working of the Leaf-hopper better than I could describe it. A single insect
will ring the stem, when the lower stem may dwindle. The number is not great at
present, still the damage is considerable on young plants, because it is not readily
noticeable. It has not been seen on other plants. If you have overlooked the injury
to the plants you may still observe it unless they have been thrown away. The outer
bark does not seem to be eaten away, but a ring seems to have been sucked, injuring
the staMlity, or I may say, continuity of the stem. A remedy seems inapplicable.^
[May 7, 1887.]

Reply. — * » # j i^ave already noticed the peculiar ringing of the stem
which you mention. This will be, as you say, a very difficult insect to fight, aud I
am at aloss at this distance to suggest a remedy. Perhaps on the ground you may
be able to find one, in which case I hope you will not fail to forward an account. —
[May 9, 1887.] ■

Precursors of Brood V of the Periodical Cicada, 1871-1888.

On June 6 I heard the note of the Cicada sei)tcndieem at Port Byron Junction, 4 miles
east of Moliuo. I have heard the note every day since in Moline. They are here in
such small numbers that they have not attracted general attention. Upon reference
to your report of 1885 I conclude they are precursors of Brood V.—[ Jerome McNeill,
Moline, 111. June 13, 1887.

Reply. — » * * j ^m glad to receive your information concerning the note of
the Cicada. I agree with you that these individuals must be precursors of Brood V,
as there are no recorded broods for this year. Can you not obtain a few specimens ? —
[June 16, 1887.]

Mites infesting an old Grain Elevatoi".

* * * I send you some vennhi that I have beeu watcbiug with interest for some
time, but which I know uothiug of in a scientific way. If you can tell me anything
of them you will greatly oblige myself and a friend who is the unfortunate owner of
the souls aud bodies of millions of them. They appeared about six weeks ago,
though they may have been there for some time without having been discovered, in
a grain elevator (a very old building which had stood vacant for years up to last
May) in a bin containing about 5,000 bushels of best lake shore wheat. They then
were like hue dust, almost microscopic, white and soft. There were none of the hard,
brown kind among them nor any of the long, dark headed ones. They have appeared
since.

These insects are found only in this one elevator aud in the one bin. They are
very numerous, sifting through the wheat aud the spout so that one can sweep up a
quart every morning from the lloor below. The wheat is freed from them by being
jiassed through a fan before shipping. * * *.— [Rowland Russel, 420 Milwaukee
street, Milwaukee, Wis., September 1, 1885.

Rkpi.y. — * * * The "vermin " which infest the grain elevator are mites (Jcan»m).
There were four species sent. The one which was the original iufestor and which oc-
curs in the greatest number is I'yroglijplius longior. The other species all prey on this
one. One of them, a species of Gamasus, is very abundant, while the other two spe-
cies (Chei/Ietus eniditua aud Eiipaliis sp) seem to be rare. The Gamasns will prob-
ably in a short time destroy a great majority of the Tyroglyphi, and thus the pest
vermin will correct itself. It will be very difficult to cleanse the elevator withoui
emptying it pretty well. I would advise the burning of sulphur all through th
building, especially where mites abound, and, where they are particularly thick, i
might be well to let a little bi-sulphide of carbon evaporate, remembering that thii
vapor is heavier than air and that it is exceedingly inflammable. * * *. — [Se
tember 4, 1885.]

Second letter.— * * * As you say, the parasitic mites have largely destroye
the smaller ones, aud I suppose when their food is all gone they will die of starvatioi
I do not want to trouble you further, but if you know, will you tell me whether th(
Tyroglyphus is a mite that affects the wheat alone and lives upon it exclusively,
whether it is due to the aged condition of the wood-work of the elevator, and is likel
to infest anything stored there ? — [Sept. 9, 1885.]

Second reply. — * * » j am glad that the predaceous mites seem to be sucrT
cessful in their war of extermination, but it is not at all likely that they will pcrT.
manently rid the elevator of the Tyroglyphi. If the wood-work of the elevator is ol
and there is much moisture about it, only the most radical measures will rid it of mite
now that they have established such a foot-hold. The contents should be remove
as far as possible aud the building thoroughly dried, and it should also be fumigated
as I suggested in my last. It should be repainted if possible, and all dirt aud tn
cleaned up. This course will be expensive, and it is for the owner to decide whetl
it will pay him to go to this trouble; but as I said before, it will be the only conin
plete and satisfactory way. T. longior feeds on flour, hams, cheese, and a variety of-
other food products.— [Sept. 12, 1685.] ^

The Streaked Cottonwood Leaf-beetle in the East.

I send to you by mail to-day a box containing a beetle and larvai which, we find,
as a nuisance, is a fair rival to the potato-bug.

It gets on the young leaves and shoots of the Carolina Poplar, eating the leaves
entirely off, and oftentimes destroying the bud on the end of the branches.

We first noticed it about three years .ago, but as there were so few of them we did
not take pains to destroy tlieni, but tht^y have been getting worse every year, until

now we are afraid tbey will do too much damage, and we are at Avork piittiug Paris
green on the trees to see if that will kill them. * . * * Tliey are also spreading to
the willows, and also to the yonng Kilmarnock willows and New American. — [Thomas
B. Meehau, Germantowu, Pa., July G, 1887.

Eeply. — * » » The insect which you find on the leaves and shoots of your
Caroliua poplars is the common Streaked Cottonwood Leaf-hectle {Liua scripta). This
insect was descrihed hy Professor Kiley in his Annual Report for 1884, on pages r}3G to
340. The article was suggested hy the great damage done hy this insect in the newly-
planted timher claims of the Northwestern Territories during the summer of 1884.
!f*^f ' The question of remedies is discussed in this article also.— [July 8, 1887.

( ' ■ Hibernation of Mosquitoes.

:%■

'.: fz. [The following letter was the second from Mr. Wade on this suhject. His first letter
.,<; I mentioned incidentally that mosquitoes wintered in large numbers in his cellar, and
j;! ] the following is in reply to our request for specimens.]

! I tried to catch some of the mosquitoes by day-light, hut they were too wide-awake;
so I let it go until this evening, when I tried to catch and box them alive, but it
:: ■ seemed as though two flew out every time I put one in. I have got a few for you,
!il| ! probably enough ; if not, I will try again. The cellar is very cold, and yet in one
If, j corner is a tin furnace conductor of heat. It seems as though they avoid the warm
corner, as they were thickest all the time in the coldest part of the cellar. They seem
Nearly as lively as in the summer, and I notice they are paler in color than those out-
ride in the open air. A few weeks ago they were so thick (in this cellar, of course),
Hiat my housekeeper would hold the lamp up to them, and in a very short time
Klie inside of the chimney would be a half-inch deep or more. I gave John Butter-
vorth, an English microscopist, now travelling here, a small bottle full of them to
take home. To-day, though cold, I could look out of any of my windows and see
them flying as in summer. It is many weeks since any of us were bit. I have never
known them so bad anywhere as they were hero the past summer, and yet it is higli,
dry, rocky ground.— [Jos. M. Wade, 158 Federal street, Boston, Mass., Nov. IG, 1884.
Kki'LY. — I have carefully examined the mosquitoes you sent with your favor of the
IGtli instant, and I find them in no way different from one of our common and widely,
distributed species which is supposed to be the Culex ciliatus of Fabricius. You are
no doubt aware that, so far as we know, our northern mosquitoes pass the winter
in the imago state and that, like most other insects, they choose places of a uniform
.and pretty low temperature. Thus they pass the winter in a semi-torpid condition
\Vitiiout taking food, whereas in a -warmer place they would be kept alive and
perish for want of nourishment.

■ Tlio fact that you found such immense numbers of mosquitoes in your cellar shows
that they must have been unusually numerous with you the last season, and further
that your cellar must have been particularly attractive to them as a suitable place
for hibernation. Still, upon careful inspection of the locality in question, it ought
not to be difficult to ascertain the reason for this remarkable gathering of mosquitoes
as related by you. — [November 24, 1884.]

Leaf Hoppers and the " Die-back " of the Orange.

On yesterday I sent you by mail a bug, like inclosed, asking that I might be
informed of its name and habits. To-day I send two more with samples of orange
twigs in the grove where these bugs are in considerable numbers. 1 can'f, for a fact,
say the bugs are the cause of die-back, but certainly the presumption is great. They
are constantly on the trees in considerable numbers ; they do not seek roots or trees
with scale on or any form of insect or fungus. They are on the new twigs or the
growth prior to the last, and, as you will observe, the damage is to those parts of the

tree. The trees chiefly affected are set iu grove budiled last fall, dormant and cut
oft' this spring. They have made a beautiful growth ; are thrifty, clean, free from in-
sects of every kind. The theory of soil-poisoning is hard to accept for the reason that
every tree is not affected nd some older trees are not affected — oniy now and then
one with here and there a twig — also the fact that the disease occurs iu widely sepa-
rated parts of the grove ; and this morning I found one or two young trees in my
nursery and some two or three trees in an entirely different part of the 40-acre prop-
erty. Chiefly it occurs iu places where cow-peas are growing, though the nursery is
of course clean, but wherever the disease does occur these bugs are found. The
habits of the bug, so far as the orange tree is concerned, are as follows : Usually they
are in company, two or more; they rest on the twig, close to it, without motion for a
long time. I stood watching six of them this morning for thirty minutes; they did
not move until I disturbed them, but they protruded the termination of the abdomen
beyond the wings and ejected with considerable force towards me minute drops of
fluid in a continuous spray, an astounding amount of fluid for so small a bug. It wet
the leaf that I incloye so that it ran down in a stream to the center and then dried on.
I disturbed them, however, and could see no marks of any injury done by them. I
found two "Green Soldier Bugs" and two or three "Leaf-legged Bugs," but surely that
is nothing to an amount of damage being done. * * * — [C. F. A. Bielby, De Land,
Fla., August 1, 1887.

Reply. — * * * 'pjje insect iu question is one of the Leaf-hoppers and seems to
be" a new species of the geuus^Aiilhci:es. Nothing definite can be said as to the work
of the insect; that is a point which you will have to determine by observation in
your grove. It is quite possible that they do a certain proportion of the damage, in
which case the ordinary kerosene emulsion spray, applied for Bark-lice, will doubt-
less rid your trees of these also. Certainly the twigs sent by you through the editor of
the Florida Dispatch were affected by the so-called " die-back " disease which has been
frequently treated in the columns of the Dispatch, and which is mentioned by Mr,
Hubbard in his Report on Lisects aftecting the Orange, and of which you doubtless
have a copy.

Your observation to the effect that the Aulacizes occurs chiefly in places where cow-
peas are growing may be an important one. Is the bug found upon the cow-peas
also ? The liquid ejected from the bug which you watched is of a saccharine nature,
like honey-dew. Allied species are well know to eject this fluid with considerabh-
force. Th^Proconia, which is found upon cotton-plants, is remarkable for the distance
to which it ejects drops of the liquid. « * * —[August G, 1887.]

Second letter. — In accordance with your request for additional specimens of
the bug described by you as a new species of the genws^ulacizcs I herewith send you
tin box containing several of different ages and stages of development. I don't know
how many there are in the box, as I caught them this morning with considerable dif-
ficulty.

There was a strong northeast, damp wind blowing,and whether that made them more
lively or myself less so I am unable to say ; they are quick in motion, strong in flight,
and very wary. I have discovered the young down to a very minute size, but I can
not as yet say as to their eggs,what they are like, or when deposited. I have not seen
them on the cow-pea, but my observation leads me to thiok they are xnore numerous
when this crop is grown in the grove. I judge from the yellow contents of the food-
sac that they suck the essential oil from the twig. Would this affect the twig seri-
ously ? They choose a position head downward on a twig, not the nearest, but half
(or less) hardened. When they are comfortably settled they straighten out the suck
ing tube, which, as you know, is short, then with their feet draw themselves down,
with one motion, forcing the tube into the twig; they then remain perfectly passive.
Whether they eject the fluid when not disturbed or not I can't say ; but when I came
near to them, not disturbing them, they ejected it in my direction ; it is colorless, and
leaves, on drying, a whitish deposit on the leaf (I send you herewith two leaves) ; it

may be "honey-dew," but it does not attract, so far as I have seen, ants or otlier in
sects that are wout to gather to this sort of feast.

As to ihe result to the trees, the twigs I sent to the editor of the Florida Dispatch
certainly had the "die-back ; " that goes without saying, for they died back. I would
like very much to connect this new marauder with the trouble, if possible. There is
only one objection, or rather dilliculty, but that seems almost insurmountable. I see
the bug on plenty of twigs that do not die back, that absolutely decline to be in the
least affected. I console myself with the I'ellectiou that they have oil to spare.

As a rule, however, the twigs do not die back unless they are very young ; they blis-
ter and do not look well, but continue to harden and send out, some of them, new and
healthy-looking shoots ; others send out weak shoots that are sometimes themselves
affected, soHie/tmes not, usually the twig reddens a little, but not always. There is
on reasonable hypothesis upon which to base the trouble except insects. I sunk a
shaft 10 feet in the ground between four affected trees. Two feet of gray sand (first
class), then 8 feet of yellow sand. After 6 feet down there were three or four thin
strata of red sand, one-fourth to one-half inch in thickness. At 10 feet struck
water. Drove a rod down 9 feet further and found no hard pan. The soil is of the
best pine land. The original growth was very large, soft pine trees and willow oak
as large as my body (and that is good size).

As to other bugs, there are a few leaf-footed bugs; also a few Euthoctha galeator ;
these "1 have never seen doing any great damage. There are a great many of the
Green Soldier Bugs. I don't see them doing much sucking at twigs, though I have
seen some. But the trouble in my grove seems to be the same or nearly so as that
described by Mr. James Franklin (Hubbard, page 160). In conclusion, permit me to
say that the same twig blistering and dying is not confined to my grove ; I find it in
quite a number of groves, but in none so general as my own. In not less than four
or live young groves, in different places, there are the new bugs, and there also are
the diseased twigs. So also in groves where the twigs are not diseased, the bugs oc-
cur; and in groves where are both twigs and bugs, some trees have every twig af-
fected and other trees have no signs. So what would be a clincher against the bugs

i really turned to our confusion. — [August 10, 1887.]

Second keply. * * * The specimens which you sent comprise not only the new
species of Aulacizes which accompanied your previous letter, but two specimens of
Proconia iindata, a clo.sely allied species, and also a number of young of one or the
other, * * * It will be impossible to connect either of these leaf-hoppers or any
of the Soldier Bugs with the diseased condition of your trees. Their punctures, of
course, help to weaken the vitality of the trees, but that they are the cause of the

Die back," is hardly possible. You have doubtless read what Mr. Hubbard says in
his report on orange insects concerning the " Die back," and this comprises the extent
of our present knowledge of this trouble.

The mycologist of the Department is making studies of the fungi connected with
the disease of the orange, and it is possible that some practical results may be ob-
tained through his investigations. For the present we can only recommend the dilute
carbolic or creosote washes. A few more specimens of the Aulacizes will be accept-
able, and you might, if you feel so inclined, send on a few specimens of the insect
■which you know as the " Green Soldier Bug." — [August 16, 1887.]

The Barnacle Scale Injuring Persimmon.

You will iind inclosed two twigs cut from a persimmon covered with what I sup-
pose to be a kind of scale. I have seen now and then one on an orange tree, and
have always destroyed them for fear that it might be the Fluted Scale (/cerya jJMr-
cliasi). Tbis persimmon tree was covered with them, and I burned it up. It is the
lirst time I have seen them in any numbers. * * » [W. A. Marsh, Orlando, Orange
County, Fla., August 1.^., 1887.

Reply.— The iusect npou the twigs is tbe common Barnacle Scale of Florida.
{CeropluHlts cirripcdifonnis Comst.) It is figured and described in the Annual Report
. of this Department for 1S80, and in Hubbard's Report on Insects Aflectiug the Orange.
Its occiirrenco upon Persimmon has, I believe, never been pnbliclj^ noticed. It is
usually found upon the species of Enpatorium, and occasionally upon Orange and
Quince. It is not a very common insect, but if it should become numerous enough to
threaten damage, it can be killed while young, before tlie wax is hard, by the appli-
cation of the ordinary kerosene emulsion. — [August 19, 1887.]

Euryomla Melancholica vs. Cotton Bolls.

I send you by this mail a small box containing a specimen of damaged cotton-boll
and the bug which my corresjiondent thinks is the culprit. It conies from Mr. C. II.
Estes, Talbotton, Ga., who writes me that he took them from the farm of his
neighbor, Mr. H. C. Greene, and that as many as 39 bolls similar to tlie one sent were
taken from one stalk of cotton. I have written to Mr. Estes, expressing doubts
about the truth of his theory. It does not appear to me that the injury was done by
the beetle. However, I know but little about such things, and know that ubav
insect depredations are being developed constantly. Please give me your views or
the history of the bug.— [J. T. Henderson, Atlanta, Ga., August 21, 1885.

Rp:ply. * * * The insect is a beetle which is very comn on throughout the
South. It has been called the Melancholy Euryomia {Euryomia melancholica). It is
a very general feeder, and occasionally damages peaches and other fruit, but seems
to prefer such fruit as is rotting and has been previously gnawed into by some other
iusect. It is also found clustering about bruised and cut places in the trunks of
trees from which the sap is exuding. Your surmise was therefore correct, and an
examination of the boll sent seems to indicate prior damage by the boll-worm. —
[August 2G, 1885.1

A Peach Fruit-worm in Japan.

During my stay in Japan as naturalist of the United States Eclipse Expedition my
attention has been attracted to the general prevalence of disease among fruit trees of
a deciduous growth, due for the most part to the ravages of insects. My attention
has been especially attracted to the fact that the peach crop is rendered an almost
complete failure, so far at least as the quality of the fruit is concerned, by the attacks
of a small lepidopterous larva which bores the fruit, causes it to decay, prevents its
coming to a sound maturity and ripening in a marketable condition. In consequence
of this liability to insect attacks, the custom prevails almost universally, as you are
well aware, of taking the fruit from the trees while yet green and hard and thus ex-
posing it for sale and consumption.

I desire to suggest, inasmuch as large exports of trees and plants to the United States
are constantly taking place from the Japanese ports, that wise precautions should be
adopted to prevent the accidental introduction into the United States of this perni-
cious insect, which so far as I know has not yet made its appearance upon our soil.
While it is barely possible that the climatic condition in the United States might prove
unfavorable to its development and propagation, this is altogether unlikely. There
should be, in my judgment, steps taken to absolutely prohibit tlie transportation to the
United States of Japanese peach trees, or of trees and plants which have been grown
or packed in soil taken from the vicinity of peach trees and peach orchards, inas-
much as the larva of this insect undoubtedly pupates in the soil or upon its surface.
Eor the sake of the farmers and fruit-growers of Japan I would like to suggest that
if no entomologist has hitherto worked out the life history of this iusect and ascer-
tained the best means of combating its attacks, it would be desirable that the Japa-
nese dejtart i cut of agriculture should take the matter into hand and have the work
done. I would like to suggest as a useful precaution the destruction of all badly in-

fected irees, especially seedlinga growing by the wayside and iu waste places, aud
the careful collection of all wiud-fallen aud diseased fruit aud its destruction by fire.
The coufiuniption of fruit in an unripe condition can not be otherwise than prejudicial
to the general health of the community, especially in seasons when cholera and like
diseases are prevalent, and the financial loss to the agriculturist must be immouso
when we bear iu uiin ! that the ravages of the codliug-moth which attacks the apple
in Iho. United States are estimated to annually occasion a loss to the fruit-growers of
the Union of from 14,000,000 to $5,000,000; the importance of checking the attacks of a
similar insect infesting the peach in Japan must commend itself to your mind. Our
own Department of Agriculture at Washington has labored long and laboriously to
instruct the fruit-growers of the United States as to the best aud most effective means
of guarding against the ravages of such insects, aud it cau not but feel that the Jap-
anese authorities have a work to do here which, if accomplished, would be a great
benefit to their farming community. — [W. G. Hall, Ph. D., naturalist, Uuited States
Eclipse Expedition to Japan, Tokio, Japan, September ir>, 1887.

[The above letter was written by Dr. Hall to Hon. R. 15. Hubbard, United States
minister to Japan, aud by the latter was referred to this Department through the
Department of State. Commissiouer Colman's reply follows. We have since received
no further information on the subject.]

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant, in-
closing Dispatch No. 379 from Mr. Richard B. Hubbard, United States minister at Tokio,
which is accompanied in turn by a letter from Mr. W. J. Holland, the naturalist of
the United States Eclipse Expedition to Japan. The matter has been referred to the
, acting entomologist of this Department, who reports that the subject is one of con-
siderable interest, but that its full weight can notbe determined without a more ac-
curate idea of the nature of the insect in question. If it should jirove to be one of
the insects which already infests the peach iu the United States any regulations to
prevent importation will of course be unnecessary. It is desirable, therefore, that
some entomologist in Japau should investigate the matter and determine accurately
and specifically the identity of the pest in question. Prof. C. Sasaki, of the Agricult-
ural and Dendrological College, Tokio, Japan, is a very competent individual, who
has made his name well known by his investigations of the Uji parasite of the silk-
worm of commerce.

If your Department will kindly forward this letter to Mr. Hubbard, with the request
that he will forward it to Professor Sasaki, requesting him to correspond direct with
this Department, we shall be able to get to the bottom of tlie matter in the shortest
possible time. Mr. Holland himself should also be requested to rear the iusect and
send it iu all its stages to this Departmcut.

Hibernation of the Two-spotted Lady-bird.

I have observed some little matters the past three winters in my present house that
may or may not interest you. During those winters there has seldom been more than
two or three days passed that I have not had " lady-bugs " creepiug and flyiug about
my house. My library is never warmed except in the evenings, but when the room
got warm they would invariably come out and be active all the eveuing, seldom more
than one or two at a time, but they have shown themselves continually every few
days during that time. At one time during cold weather there were probably ],000
on the inside of my front door. I have fed them milk, beer, water, and made one
drunk on gin ; yes, it was actually drunk and showed it; they drink readily; after
being about my desk for a few days.— [Jos. M. Wade, Boston, Mass., March 31, 1885.

Reply.—' * * The species you refer to is no doubt the Two-spotted Lady-bird
(Coccinella hij)unctaialj\nn.), auil as an interesting point in the natural history of
this species I would state that of the many species of Lady-birds so abundant in
summer-time almost everywhere, this is the only one which has accustomed itself to

seek winter quarters in our bouses. Of course specimens may also be found occa
sionally bibeniating under bark or otber suitable places out-doors. * * * — [April
3, 1885.1

Prior Issuing of the Male Sex of Cimbex.

* * * Let nie add that I was <freatly interested in your account of Cimbex
americaua. Some seven or eight years ago I had about a pint of the cocoons, ob"
tained from between the roots of the weeping willow above ground and among
the leaves on the ground. There were more there; I raised them. Think I got
nearly 200 imagos, and was surprised that, with the exception of two or three indi-
viduals, the first 80 that came out were males. I used a large empty aquarium for
the hatchery, and the show made was fine. — [Sam'l Lockwood, Freehold, N. J., March
31, 1885.

Work of the Bronzy Cut-worm in Missouri.

I mail you, simultaneously with this, box containing the larva of some insect fprob-
ably ) that has at this date denuded the Timothy grass of its seed, holds it like a coon
in its fore feet while it eats and then drops the empty shell. It has now stripped
nearly every head in our extensive meadows. I find this morning a small, quick-
llyiug miller in the grass which I can not catch and do not know as it is related to
these worms. Please determine its species and give us its life-history if you can. —
[A. D. Thomas, Terre Haute, Palmyra County, Mo., June 24, 1887.

Reply. — » * * '^\^q worms which you sent belong to the species known com-
monly as the Bronzy Cut-worm {Nepkelodes violans). This is a 8i)ecies which has
seldom been recorded as doing much damage. It was noticed by Professor Riley in
1871 in Missouri, and in 1881 it did considerable damage in northern New York. It
is a very widespread species, and is found in all of the United States east of the Rocky
Mountains. The worm does most of its damage in May and June, and enters the
ground to transform to pupa towards the middle or the latter part of June. It re-
mains in this condition until autumn, when the moth makes its appearance. Where
a field has been badly damaged it will be a good plan to plow it over in July or
August and expose the pupa to the heat of the sun and to flocks of chickens and
turkeys. This is the only reme:ly which is like to prove efficacious. — [July 19, 1887. ]

The Bamboo Sinoxylon.

Inclosed in glass bottle yon will find some curious beetles which were found bor-
ing into and apparently living upon an ornamental bamboo box placed on a table in
one of the rooms ; no indication of their presence was noticed until on lifting the lid
the fine powder from their borings was seen, and on a slight shake numbers of the
creatures were dislodged and moving about quickly. Under a magnifying glass their
curious figures are quite interesting to watch. Any information you may see fit to
forward will be awaited with interest.— [A. L. Townseud, box 24G, New York, N. Y.,
January 8, 1888.

Reply.— Y'our letter of the 8th instant, inclosing specimens of insects found boring
into an ornamental bamboo box, has been duly received. The insect in question is
one of the wood-boring beetles of the genus SlnoxyJon and belongs to a species which,
although undetermined is frequently found in bamboo canes and boxes from China
and East India. It is closely allied to a species found in Florida and it h.as similar
habits. These insects are slow of development and indeed may remain in a state of
retarded development for a numl)er of years. If you wish to completely disinfect
your box you can do so by pouring upon it a little bisulphide of carbon. — [January
16, 1888.]

The Western Cricket in 1887.

I hear that "grasshopper locusts" have been very destructive this year in the
Greenhorn district, on the border of Pueblo and Huergauo Counties, but I have not

been able to visit the district or obtain auy specimens of the destructive species. I
expect, however, that they are the Camnula pellucida (C. atrox), as this species ap-
pears to be abund.aut this year in Colorado. 1 found it particularly abundant at the
head of the Arkansas River, in Fremont Pass, and also in the streets of Leadville,
both these localities being on the eastern slope. — [Theo. D. A. Cockerell, West Cliff,
Custer Connty,Colc., December 1, 1887.

[See Second Report U. S. Entomological Commission.]

Dicerca a Poplar-feeder.

A few weeks ago I discovered a Coleopterous larva, 15i millimeters long, boring into
a Populiis tremaloides tree. I put it into spirits for future investigation, and thought
no more about it until I came across the figure of larva oi Dicerca divaricala (Third
Report U. S. Ent. Com., PI. VI, Fig. 2), and noticing the resemblance to my larva,
took out the latter for comparison. There cau be no doubt, I thiuk, that my larva is a
Dicerca — probably D. prolongata Lee. ( vide former letter ), thusfully confirming this as
a poplar (and not pine) feeder, and establishing it as a decidedly injurious iusect.

To ine personally, however, it is a beneficial insect, since it kills just enough trees
in this neighborhood to keep me supplied with dry fire-wood. — [T. D. A. Cockerell,
West Cliff, Colo., December 27, 1887.

An Enemy to Young Carp.

I inclose two insects — No. 1, the larger, sent to me by a gentleman who states that
it fastens on the carp tish and finally kills it. * * " — [VV. L. Jones, Atlanta,
Ga., October 3, 1884.

Kkply. — * * * The specimen, No. 1, which is reported to have attacked and
killed a carp, is the larva of one of our common Dragon Flies or Mosquito Hawks (B'am-
ily Libellulidai, Order Ncuroptera), the species having been described as Anax JuHius
These larv;© are aquatic, and feed upon all sorts of soft-bodied water insects they can
get hold of. They are also known to attack young fish, but this is a rare occurrence,
since the larvie are slow-moving animals and by uo means able to pursue a tish.-^^
[October 7, 1884.]

NOTES.

THE TWELVE-SPOTTED DIABROTICA INJURING FRUIT TREES.

A new habit of this destructive species was brought to our attentiou
tbe present spriug. Mr. J. Lutber Bowers, wbo resides at Herndon,
Va., bas a young orchard cousistiug of trees planted for tbe most part
in the spring of 1887. The neighboring fields are partly cultivated and
partly grass lauds, with no forests near. Most of the field in which tbe
orchard stands was in corn last year and is entirely so planted this
year. Last year, however, there was a half acre of melons on the south
side. Tbe trees made a fine growth lavSt year and are now vigorous and
promising except where tbe leaves have been eaten. The orchard con-
sists of rather more than 2,500 trees, of which 7G0 are plums, and tbe
rest are peach, pear, cherry, api^le, and apricot. Tbe varieties are min-
gled together, tbe apples, however, being set out to form a permanent
orchard. In tbe latter part of April and tbe first of May, when tbe
leaves were putting forth, Mr. Bowers observed the beetles of tbe Twelve-

51)

spotted Diabrotica eatiug the leaves. Tbe plums and tlie apricots were
selected out by the beetles, and except in a fev/ instances nothing else
was touched. The exceptions were tbe Governor Wood Cherry and the
Hansell Kaspberry, which were slightly injured. The attack begau
upon trees planted in the ohl melon patch above mentioned. The plums
and apricots in the immediate neighborhood were soon stripped of foli-
age, and the insects spread over nearly the entire orchard. The first
and second growth of leaves were almost entirely devoured and the third
growth was much injured. Many of the trees partly succumbed to the
attack and some were killed entirely. The injury was quite severe and
amounted to several hundred dollars. The injury was not entirely due
to the Diabrotica, although Mr. Bowers, who is a very good observer,
states that this insect was by far the most numerous of any of the spe-
cies found upon his trees. The well-known weevil — Eplewnis imbrica-
tus — occurred in small numbers and attacked the foliage to some slight
extent, and one of the common May beetles — probably Lachnosfcrna
fiisea — was also present on some few evenings instill smaller numbers.
Another Scarabwid {Diplotaxis sp.) was also noticed. There seems, how-
ever, no doubt but that the main damage was done by the Diabrotica,
and this instance is certainly the most marked which has ever been
brought to our attention of damage done to fruit-trees by this species.
It is safe to say, however, that this occurrence is exceptional, and that
it depended almost entirely upon the peculiar circumstance of a young
orchard having been planted close to a last year's melon patch, which
was not replanted this year. The beetles undoubtedly bred upon the
melons last season and hibernated in large numbers. The present
spring, finding no more appropriate food at hand they took to the young
plums and apricots merely as a substitute. We have little fear, there-
fore, that a new habit has been formed.

The above facts are gathered from correspondence with Mr. Bowers
and from observations made by Mr. Alwood, who visited Ilerndou at
our direction on the evening of June 13th.

HEAT EVOLVED FROM THE WORK OF A BRUCHUS.

In June, 1887, Judge Lawrence Johnson, of the U. S. Geological
Survey, a member of the Entomological Society of Washington, sent
to the Division from Holly Springs, Miss., a small quantity of Cow
Peas {Dolichos spp.), which were badly infected by Bruchm scAiteUaris,
and in his accompanying note mentioned a circumstance which is worthy
of record, as we do not recollect to have seen anything similar in print.
The peas when he first examined them were contained in a paper sack,
which would hold about one gallon, and which was about one-third full.
Resting the bottom of the sack accidentally upon his hand he noticed
that it was very perceptibly warm. He then tested its heat with an or-
dinary thermometer and found that while the temperature of tlie air was

only 71"^ Fabr., tlie mercury rose wlieu placed among the peas to 90^
Fabr., a difference of 25° "in a few minutes."

This difference in temperature was evidently due in great part to a
mechanical cause, the gnawing of the peas by the beetles and larvi^e,, for
subsequent tests have shown that the difference in temperature between
uninfested peas in mass and the surrounding air in summer is slight,
varying with the time of day, the peas being cooler than the air at midday
and warmer after sundown. No opportunity has since offered for test-
ing the temperature of the weevils alone in mass, although such compara
tive tests would be interesting. — L. O. H.

ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY IN INDIA.

We are indebted to Mr. E. C. Cotes, first assistant to the director of
the Indian Museum at Calcutta, for copies of his first and second papers
upon economic entomology. No. 1 is devoted to a preliminary ac-
count of the wheat and rice weevil in India, and No. 2 considers the
experimental introduction of insecticides into India, with a short account
of modern insecticides and methods of api>lyiug them. Of the latter
we need not say anything, except that it is a short summary of a few of
the remedies now in use in this country. The first, however, is of
considerable interest as a consideration of the cosmopolitan Calandra
oryzw in a more or less tropical country in which the principal indus-
tries are wheat and rice. Mr. Cotes has gone over the ground of pre-
vious publications very carefully and introduces a great deal of inter-
esting correspondence. Nothing new in the way of remedies is suggested
and no particular experiments have apparently been made. The point
in his paper which interests us most is the statement of the loss which
i? brought about. He says : " The amount of loss occasioned by the
weevil is estimated by Messrs. Ealli Brothers atan average of 2^ percent.,
the maximum being 5 per cent, and the minimum 1 per cent. Taking
the value of the wheat exported at £0,000,000, the annual loss oc-
casioned by the weevil in exported wheat alone is £150,000. This sum,
however, in reality represents but a fraction of the whole loss, as it
does not take into account the damage done to wheat consumed in the
country or any of the loss occasioned to the rice, which is also attacked
by the same weevil, besides the loss indirectly occasioned owing to the
difficulty of storing the grain." The species seems to be two-brooded
in India, the beetles appearing in June and January.

BUFFALO-GNATS ATTACKING MAN.

In our report for 1S8C we devoted a paragraph to the consideration
of several cases of loss of human life from the bites of Buffalo-gnats,
but our agents who have visited tlie region where these insects abound
find that rumors of such cases are hard to trace and that the newspaper
reports are seldom authentic. All of the agents employed on this in-
vestigation have been asked to verify if possible any such accounts, and

the following quotation is from a letter received by Mr. Webster in re-
ply to inquiries which he had made:

"I had a nephew by the name of L. H. Stokes; I suppose he was
thirty five or forty years old and a man of family. He lived near the
Hatchie Eiver — I think it was near Hcning Station ; the year I have
forgotten, but think it was about 5 or 6 years since. It seems from
what I could learn that Stokes, in company with a party, went fishing
and crossed over onto an island. The gnats were bad, and the party
kept leaving. All were scattered on the island. Finally, in leaving, it
seems they left my nephew over there. It rained and put out the fire (it
was cold and the smoke was some J)rotection from the gnats); he had no
matches, so he went to where they left the boat, and found his company
had all gone and taken away the boat. He could not swim, so he was left
to the mercy of the gnats. He fought till near night before he could make
any one hear him. After they came and took him over he went home
and suffered considerably, and before day he died. I never learned the
doctor's name, as my sister objected to the marriage of her son, which
caused a coolness, so he moved off, and we did not know it until sev-
eral days after his death. This is all I can tell you about it. There is
no doubt but that the Bufialo-gnats killed him. I learn that he was
very much swollen. He has a brother living near Chestnut Bluff named
Clinton Stokes, but I do not think he could give you an^^ information.
You ask what part of the body was bitten. I can not tell this, but think
it was his hands, arms, face, neck, etc. — A. E. Buck.

NEW EUROPEAN NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE ASPARAGUS BEETLE.

H. Lucas, in the Annales de la Society Entomologique de France,lst
part for 1888, just published, announces that he has discovered two new
natural enemies of Grioccris asparagi in the vicinity of Huppain. One
is the Heteropter Calocoris chenopodU, which he discovered in the act
of sucking a larva, while the other is of much more importance and is
nothing less than an internal Tachiuid parasite, viz, Myohia jrnmila.
This species has long been known in Europe and was first described by
Macquart in 1854. Mr. Lucas observed these fiies abundantly through-
out the asparagus beds, but did not suspect that they were parasites of
the larva of the Asparagus Beetle. While searching, however, for the
pupa of the Crioceris he found in the earth under the young plants a
large number of larval skins, which had near the head, and sometimes
also at the other end of the body, large openings. He took a dozen full-
grown larviii and placed them in a box (this was in July, 1887), and
upon his return to Paris, about the middle of August, he found that
several of the Tachinid flies had emerged, having undergone tlieir trans-
formation to pupa and to fly within the skin of the Crioceris larvse.
From observations which he made it seems that the fly frequently
emerges from the larv^a before the latter has descended to the ground.

No oue seems to have noticed tliis habit of the Myohia before, and,
judging from JMr. Lucas's expeiience, it seems to have been so common
in the locality where he observed it as to be an important factor in reg-
ulating the numbers of the Asi)aragus Beetle. Up to the present tinie
not a single natural enemj' of this insect has been discovered in Amer-
ica, although it is annually doing a great deal of damage from Long
Island to Virginia and for some little distance inland. It ought not to
be a difficult thing at the proper season of the year to import this para-
site from France, and we shall be greatly pleased if our friend, M.Lucas,
will assist us by sending material. JSTo species of Myohia are now knowu
in this country,

CONCERNING THE UJI PARASITE OF THE SILK-WORM.

Prof. C. Sasaki's admirable paper upon the biology of the celebrated
silk-worm parasite of Jaiian has already been noticed in this country in
a recent number of the American Naturalist, and hence does not require
further notice here. We may state, however, that we have received spec-
imens of the parasite from Professor Sasaki direct. Our object in men-
tioning the papor at this time is to call attention to the fact that Mr. J. M.
F. Bigot, in the AnnaJcs for 1888 (Bulletin, page XXXIX) states that after
a careful examination of the plate he has is decidedly of the opinion
that Rondaui's provisional erection of the genus Ujimyiafov this species
was unnecessary and that it really is nothing but a species of the
Tachinid genus Leslcia of Eobineau-Desvoidy (1830). Mr. Bigot's de-
termination of this fact is extremely interesting because from his stand-
ing as a dipterologist there cau be but little doubt as to the accuracy
of this conclusion and principally because there are two European
species of the genus Leslda, viz, L. aiirea and L. bicolor, and there will
therefore be opportunity in Europe to verify the abnormal point in the
life history of the Uji fly brought out by Mr. Sasaki, which is to the
eflect that the eggs are not laid upon the silkworms, as is the custom
with other Tachinids, but are laid upon the mulberry leaves and are
hatched after they have been eaten by the silk-worms. We are not
aware whether the habits of the P]uropean species are known, but if
they are at all common it ought to be not a difficult matter to ascertain
their habits and to compare them with those of Leslcia scricaria, as the
Uji fly must now be called.

Our faith in the unity of habit in the same family would make us
somewhat skeptical of the accuracy of Sasaki's observations, notwith-
standing the high character of the work as a whole.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORK.

The following list embraces those now engaged in Government entomological work,
and who will assist in the management of the periodical, those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as coutribtitors. The force of the Division of Entomology is
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permaueiit and temporary employes:

IVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DKPAKTMENT OK AGlilCULTURE.

Entomologist : C. V. Riley.

Office staff : L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tyler

Townsend, W. B. Alwood, Assistants; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and

in charge of reeling experiments.
Field .lijeiitu : Sainl. Honshaw, Boston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind. ; Herbert

Osboru, Ames, Iowa; N.W. McLain, Hinsdale, 111. ; Mary E. MurtfeMt, Kirkwood,

Mo.; Lawience Bruuer, West Point, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal. ;

Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, 0. 8. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorarrj curator : C. V. Riley.
Assistant curator : John B. Smith.

I^^For bibliographical purposes it maybe necessary to state that, where expedient,
the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to thiir communica-
tions. Wliere initials alone are append(!d, the full name can be ascertained by refer-
ring to the list above.

Editorial or nnsigned articles or notes should be accredited to " Insect Life," or,
where it is desired to give personal credit, to "Riley and Howard." While most of the
correspondence of the Division is carried on by myself, \et much of it is also attended
to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge during my
absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work that only those
articles signed by either ahould be cousidorod individual. — U. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. SEPTEMBER, 1888.

A^ol. I.

^o. 3,

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT FEINTING OFFICE.

1888.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Eon OKI ALS 63

Notes on the Kooky Mountain Locus Lawrence Bruner. 65

Injury done by Roaches to the files in the Treasury at Washington.. 67
Further notes on the Hop Plant-louse (Phorodon humuli).. C. V. Riley. 70

Life-history of Graptodera foliacea Lee Mary E. MttrtfeJdt. 74

A man-infesting Bot ( illustrated) Budolpli Maias, M. D. 76

Steps towards a revision of Chambers' Inde.v, avith notes and descrip-
tions of new species Lord Walsingham. 81

Extracts from correspondence Sf)

The Strawberry Weevil iu Pennsylvania — Graptodera j^uncfipoini-^ injuring
nursery stock — Lachnosterna hirticula injuring poplars and oaks — Insects
confounded witli the Hessian Fly prior to the Revolution — Injury from non-
migratory locusts in Michigan — Australian letters on Icerya

Notes 88

A destructive cricket iu Louisiana — A new enemy to Honey Bees — An un-
published habit of Jllorhina nitida — A new remedy against the Woolly Ap-
ple-louse — Ovipositiou of the Plum Gouger — Recent s warmings of insects —
An inexpert defense — Insect damage to the corks of wine-bottles — Locusts
in Algeria — Enemies of Icerya iu New Zealand — Entomology in Chili

Vol. 1, No. 3.] INSECT LIFE. [September, 1888.

Outlook for Locust or Grasshopper Injury.— One of tbe most important
results of the Eocky Mountain Locust investigation by the U. S
Entomological Commission is that, by visiting the chief breeding-
grounds of the insect and noting the state, of affairs there, it is
possible to predict in advance, with a high degree of probability,
whether or not there is auj' danger of extensive injury the ensuing-
year in the temporary region, or country occasionally invaded. Fully
recognizing the economic importance of this, we have, since our con-
nection with this Department, endeavored to have such observations
made, whenever practicable, as would give us the required knowledge;
and it is gratifying to know that the conclusions which we have hitherto
ventured to draw from the reports have been so far uniformly justified
by subsequent experience. Mr. Lawrence Bruner has just returned
from a visit to northwestern T^ebraska, southwestern Dakota, and cen-
tral Wyoming, and has sent us a brief report of the results, which will
be found in this number. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that we
announce that, so far as this examination warrants an opinion, the out-
look for the coming year is most favorable. We are all the more
pleased to make this announcement because, from the accounts in the
Ottertail region of Minnesota earlier in the season, and the excessive
drought that has prevailed for two or three years in some portions of
the West and Northwest, we had fears of serious injury in the near
future.

While, therefore, the work of Mr. Lugger in Minnesota, and that of
Mr. Bruner in other parts of the Northwest, show favorably for the im-
mediate future, very considerable injury has been done by sedentary or
uon- migratory species in some parts of the country the present year.
An account of very serious damage in Michigan from Galoptenus bivit-
tatus and G. femur-ruhrum appears in the " Extracts from Correspond-
ence" in the present number.

We are much gratified at the manner in which "Insect Life" has
been received, and with the many assurances from working entomolo-
gists of sympathy and support. We shall be glad to publish, from any

source, origiual contributions to knowledge of insect life, or communi-
cations that will in any way advance economic entomology. A promi-
nent author and naturalist, and one deeply interested in tlie habits of
insects, so nearly expresses our intentions and wishes in a recent letter
that we quote the following passage therefrom:

May I be permitted also to express my gratification at the actiou of the Agricult-
ural Bureau iu ruakiug this uew departure. In my judgment it is a highly impor-
tant and valuable addition to the study of economical entomology, and indirectly will
tend to stimulate all investigations into the habits of our insect fauna. I sincerely trust
that this monthly bulletin will be a prominent feature of your Division, and that it
will assume a broader character as it develops and become a national organ of all who
are working in the field which it covers ; that it will repregent us before the entomol-
ogists of Europe, and will thus become what we have so long needed, a vehicle of com-
munication between the more scientific workers and students and the masses of intel-
ligent people, as well as an organ of interchange of facts and theories between ento-
mologists themselves.

Importation of Insect Parasites.— It is rarely that such an excellent op-
portunity offers for practically exemplifying the benefit that may
accrue from the artificial introduction of parasites of introduced in-
sects that are injurious to agriculture as has lately been afforded
by the history of that most destructive of Oalifornian pests the
Fluted Scale {Icerya purchasi). At our request and through the
kind efforts of Mr. Frazer S. Crawford, of Adelaide, South Aus-
tralia, the Dipterous parasite, described by Dr. Williston on page 21
of this journal, has been successfully introduced, but with what final
results we shall indicate later on. The subject is, however, so im-
portant that we have long wished to have a thorough study made of the
])arasites of the Icerya in Australia, with a view to a systematic effort
to introduce them alive. The Commissioner of Agriculture appealed to
Congress for authorization to send an agent to Australia for such pur-
pose, but without avail, as there has for some years been a clause in the
bill appropriating for several of the divisions of the Department which
confines investigations within the limits of the United States. We are
glad to announce, however, that through the public spirit of the com-
missioners to the Melbourne Exposition, and of the Secretary of State,
the Commissioner of Agriculture has been able to send an agent, and
Mr. Albert Koebele sailed on the 23d of August under our instructions,
from which we quote the following :

As you have already been informed, your mission to Australia is for the purpose of
making an investigation of the parasites oi Icerya purchasi, with a view of introduc-
ing them into California. It will be necessary for you to go to Adelaide to see Mr.
Frazer S. Crawford, who sent the Dipterous parasites and the Calosiomas (or rather
Monophlwhits crawfordi) to Mr. Klee and Mr. Coquillett at my request. This Dipte-
rous parasite has been named by Dr. Williston Lestophonus icerya', and at Adelaide
you will probably be able to study this insect carefully. Make the most careful in-
vestigations wherever you can learn of the occurrence of Icerya, and find as many of
its natural enemies in Australia as possible. Find out also the periods at whi-ch these
parasites oviposit, and ascertain the season at which success in importation will be

most likely with each and all of them. Once on the ground you can see for yourself
just what will be necessary to be done in order to bring about this result. You should
also endeavor to iilace the Department in correspondence with as many observers as
you can interest in the subject, and should by all means endeavor to get at least one
person who will be able to devote some time to the matter and to continue observa-
tions after you return. You will inquire immediately upon arriving in Melbourne
couceruiug the largest orange-growing districts in Australia, and also make inquiries
as to the best places for observing Icerya, aside from Adelaide. If you will visit the
Botanic Gardens in Melbourne you will be able to get some information there. Baron
"Von Mueller, formerly director of the Botanic Garden, is still a resident of that city,
and you will find him a very well-informed person to consult. I inclose letters of in-
troduction both to Mr. Crawford and to Baron Von Mueller.

We shall hope for good results from Mr. Koebele's investigation, for
we have no one connected with us who is more careful, capable, and
persistent in field investigations.

New England Butterflies — We are glad to learn from Mr. Scudderthat
his great work on New England Butterflies is now rapidly printing, and
he hopes to get the first part out early in the autumn. From what we
know of this publication and the great care and ability of the author,
we anticipate the most thorough and creditable piece of entomological
work ever published in this country.

NOTES ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST.

West Point, Nebr.,

August 28, 1888.

Dear Sir: In accordance with your letter of instructions accom-
panying that of the honorable Commissioner of Agriculture, I left home
on the 9th day of the present month for a short tour of the northwest-
ern portion of this State and adjoining portions of Dakota and Wyoming,
to examine into the subject of the Rocky Mountain Locust, so as to be
able to report as to its future possible depredations ; also to collect
the various species of locusts to be met with at the different localities
where halts were made.

I accordingly made the first halt at Valentine, near Fort Mobrara.
Here, although it rained and was cloudy during the entire day, quite a
number of very interesting locusts were captured. Among these but
two specimens of the migratory species were found, although special
search was made for that particular kind. Inquiry among the sur-
rounding settlers and officers of the fort proved the almost entire ab-
sence of the pest for a considerable number of years.

At Chadron a second stop was made. Here, also, collections were
made, with fair success ; but not a specimen of M. sprefus found or re-
ported by the many persons interviewed. Here the " Bad Lands " fur-

nished a species of Trimerotropis which may be ne\y, as did the grassy
bluff's near Valentine one belonging* to the genus Mesops.

The next halt was made at Buff"alo Gap, Dak., where I took the
stage for Hot Springs, a point 15 miles distant and much better situ-
ated for making collections in the Acridinw. A portion of two days was
spent here and some collections made, with the result of greatly extend-
ing the known range of a number of species. No new material was
found.

From this latter place I hired a team, in company with a commercial
man, to Custer. At this place much interesting material was taken,
and Harney Peak, the highest point in the Black Hills, visited, upon
the summit and upper slopes of which sub-alpine forms of Mela)ioi)lus
and Pezotettix were taken. One of these, possibly two of them, may be
new. A good series of all were obtained, notwithstanding the diflficulty
with which the mountain was climbed, the distance traveled, and the
rain that fell during the day. The altitude of Harney Peak is just
about 8,000 feet above sea-level. Collections were also made at about
5,000 feet elevation. At this latter elevation a species of Arcyptera
was obtained that is new to me, possibly new to science.

Having visited the most interesting portions of the Black Hills region
for the collection of Acridians, and not hearing of any locust depreda-
tions to the northward, it was decided not to visit Eapid City, but to
return to Buff"alo Gap via the Hot Springs. Just before starting I
learned of the presence of the Army Worm (Leucania unijiuncta),
about three miles from Custer. The description was so perfect that the
identity of the insect was sure. My informant claimed that but a single
field of oats had been injured.

At Fort Robinson, Xebr., a second army-worm depredation was
brought to my notice, this time receiving my personal attention. Here,
as at Custer, but a single field of oats was injured, and if attended to,
the pupiB, which had just formed, can mostly be destroyed, and prevent
the possible greater injury next year.

Here collections were made in the family Acrididcv, but no new species
added. Some of the western or Rocky Mountain species were found,
thereby extending their hitherto known range considerably farther
eastward.

At this point I was enabled to meet quite a number of Army officers
and troops who had recently been over different portions of Wyoming,
Colorado, and Utah, and from them learned that the Rocky Mountain
locust is nowhere present in these parts in more than ordinary numbers.
To be entirely satisfied as to the possible mistake of these different per-
sons with whom I spoke on the subject, I went as far west as Douglas,
Wyo., only to find spretus entirely absent there. Inquiries here also
went to show that this pest is nowhere to be found within the region
mentioned, nor had any damage been reported since several years
ago. Here, also, some scattering injuries by the army-worm were

reported, bat not iu such numbers as those mentioned above. At one
or two localities, viz, on Upper Powder River, and at a point about
twenty-two miles west of Douglas, native hoppers of various kinds had
done some little injury to gardens, but nothing further.

Finally, unless there should be swarms at present unknown to me iu
Montana, Northern Dakota, and tUe British Possessions to the north —
and the swarms of Ottertail County, Minn., and neighborhood have
been pretty well reduced — there is no danger of an invasion for several
years to come.

Very respectfully, etc.,

Lawrence Bruner,

Special Agent.
Prof. 0. V. Riley,

U. S. Entomologist^ Washington, D. G.

INJURY DONE BY ROACHES TO THE FILES IN THE TREASURY
AT WASHINGTON.

In consequence of the injury done to certain valuable documents on
file at the Treasury Department by insects or mice, the following letter
was written to the Department of Agriculture in May last:

Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary,

May 22, 1888.
Sir: The Secretary's files of this Department are being seriously injured by the
ravages of insects or vermin, and with a view to the adoption of some means for
their extermination, I shall esteem it a favor if you will authorize Prof. Charles V.
Riley, or some equally competent officer, of your Department, to make an examina-
tion of the matter and recommend such measures as shall enable this office to protect
its files and records from further mutilation.
Very respectfully, yours,

Hugh S. Thompson,

Acting Secretary.
Hon. Norman J. Colman,

Commissioner of Agriculture.

In answer to this, we sent Mr. Townsend with the following letter to
the chief clerk of the Treasury Department:

U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology,

May 23, 1888..
Dear Sir : In accordance with instructions from the honorable Commissioner of
Agriculture, given me at the request of Hon. Hugh S. Thompson, Acting Secretary of
the Treasury, I send the bearer, Mr. Townsend, an assistant in this Division, to ex-
amine the rooms iu which the damaged records are stored. Will you kindly allow
Mr. Townsend every facility for this examination ? Upon his report my recommenda-
tion will be based.

Yours, respectfully,

C. V. Riley,

Enlomologist.
Mr. E. B. Youmans,

Chief Cleric, Treasury Department.

Accordingly Mr. Townseucl visited the Treasury May 23, 1888, and
was shown every attention by Mr. Youmans, who in person took him
all through the building, and assisted him in making the following
observations :

PERIPLANETA AMERICANA.

The basement was first visited and many books examined which had
the entire backs eaten ofl. These were old as well as more recently
bound books and were on shelves away from the floor, all being in as
dry and favorable situations as are to be found in the basement. No
specimens were found at work. Those found had been killed by the
insect powder which had been applied all over and around the records
the afternoon before, and were lying on their backs. They were the
large native species only, Periplaneta americana, there being none of
Ectohia germanica, the smaller common roach (called also "Croton Bug"
and " Water Bug"). No live roaches had been noticed that day, not
having up to that time re-appeared. All those that had been covered
with the powder had died. A large number of copies of the " Senate
Eeport upon Methods of Business in the Executive Departments," which
had just been bound (printed March 8, 1888), and were piled up from
the floor, were half of them eaten into in patches over the backs and
covers outside, presenting a corroded appearance. These reports are
sparingly sent out on account of their value and importance. A spec-
imen set, showing the injuries by the roaches, will be sent to this
Division. These books were bound in black cloth and had been eaten
into for the paste with which the cloth was put on the covers. It was
for the same reason that the backs of the other older, leather-bound books
had been eaten away. Specimens of excrement found on the shelves
near these books no doubt belong to P. americana, and the places eaten
had similar excrementitious spots upon them. Many of the records
stored here are of the utmost value and importance, some of which it
would be utterly impossible to replace, but all are liable to be treated
alike by the roaches. In the macerating room large roaches also occur.
The large species seems to go no higher than one or two stories, and very
few of them above the basement. The basement is naturally somewhat
damp, is heated by steam in winter, and the roaches have been worst in
the darker places. They have not been as troublesome in winter. It
also seems that there were more of them in west wing of the building, and
not so many on the east side of the wing, the windows of which open
into the inner court, as on the west side. The injured records are stored
in the basement of the west wing. The walls are very solid, being of
stone or iron, with very few cracks or holes therein^ and none in imme-
diate vicinity of books most eaten. The corridor outside these rooms
is said to be full of the roaches in the early morning.

ECTOBIA GERMANICA.

Upstairs all above second floor, only this species occurs. None what-
ever occur in the library, which is kept very clean and neat by the lady

in charge, and tlie rooms are ligbt and dry. In file-rooms on top floor,
where only papers are kept (east wing), there are no roaches eitlier hirge
or small. There are no pasted records of any kind in these file-rooms,
and employes are not allowed to take any lunch there. The rooms are
dry and light, having sky-lights in the roof. No insects of any kind are
found there unless brought from other parts of the building, when they
soon disappear. The binding room on same floor, and connected with
the file-rooms by narrow passages, was visited and JE. germanica found
there and also in printing room next to it. Numerous live specimens
in drawers and under books in office, off" printing room, were found.
Also specimens were seen in these drawers which from the description
given me were probably the imago of the clothes-moth. The printing
office was formerly in basement where the eaten records are now stored,
and these records were at that time kept in the room now occupied by
the printing office, which is on top floor. The present change was made
out of humanity to the employes, for whom the basement proved too
unhealthy. But the basement seems to be equally unhealthy for the
records, though from not exactly the same cause. In a room on top
floor where some light-house records are stored, some of the smaller
species are found, and a number of small paper-bound reports (bound
in blue paper) had the backs partly eaten away, evidently to get at the
paste. This work did not resemble that of mice, nor did any that 1
examined. Steam heater in this room.

OTHER INSECTS.

No flights of white ants have been noticed in basement by employes
questioned. No other insects which could have any bearing on this
question had ever been seen there, and the rooms are not troubled with
mice.

REMARKS.

Mr. Youmans believes that dampness or dryness affect the insects
very little, but that they stay where there is food to their liking. The
safety of these files before referred to is of very serious importance to
the officers of the Department, as the chief clerk is held responsible
for them all (whether eaten or otherwise), and is supposed to be able
at any time to produce any record called for. He can not say it is not
there, because a copy has been filed with him ; nor can he say it has
been destroyed, because there is no law for the destruction of any record.
The law does not recognize the agency of insects in this regard. In all
these cases of injury it was only those i)art.s permeated with paste that
had been molested ; therefore as a remedy for the future it would seem
advisable to use ii poisoned paste in the binding of the Government pub-
lications.

On May 24, 1888, specimens of the roaches and a sample set of books

were received from Mr. Youmans. The following recommeudatious
were then made :

U. S. Depaktment of Agriculture, Divisiox of Entomology,

May -26, 1888.
Dear Sir : I take pleasure in ackuo wledgiug the receipt of yours of the 24th traus-
mitting specimens of 'iockroaches from your building, and also acknowledge with
thanks the receipt of the volumes of the "Senate Report upon Methods of Business
in the Executive Departments." The cockroaches sent are not the big Oriental Cock-
roach, as I had supposed from your description, but belong to the native species
known as Periplaneta americana, and it is (luite evident that this insect alone is the
cause of the damage to your books. Uuder these circumstances I can add noth-
ing to my verbal advice of the other day, which was to use thoroughly and pei'sist-
ently the California Buhach, which Mr. Townsend tells me you have already pur-
chased. This substance does not act upon the roaches instantly, but very few recover
which have been touched by it, although they may take a day or so in dying. It has
been used with great success in badly-infested houses.
Respectfully, yours.

Mr. E. B. Youmans,

Chief Clerk, Treasury Department.

V. Riley,
Entomologist.

FURTHER NOTES ON THE HOP PLANT-LOUSE (Phorodon humuli).*

At our last meeting I gave some account of investigations which, up
to that time, I had made on the life-history of the Hop Plaut-lonse,
proving that it does not hibernate on the ground nor in any part of the
hop-yards, but that it migrates in autumn from the Hop to diiferent
species of Plum, both wild and cultivated, and winters on the twigs of
the same in the e^^ state. That communication was made in August,
and left some facts covering the period from that time until the ensuing
spring problematical and to be ascertained by further investigation. I
have since iiersistently followed up the matter, both in this country and
in Europe, and can best supplement the article of a year ago by quoting
the following from a communication to the Gardenerh Chronicle of Eng-
land for October 22, 1887:

"During the hop harvest (this year in Kent at its height the last week
in September), and some time prior thereto, the insects are fast getting
wings. This is the only winged generation produced on the Hop, and
all individuals, irrespective of brood, show the tendency to become
winged, so thoroughly is aphid life, like plant life, influenced by tem-
perature and season. The first to get wings are agamic females, and
they instinctively leave the hop-yards and settle upon different varie-
ties and species of Prunus, and begin at once to breed and bring forth
young. Their flight is much iufluenced by meteorological conditions,
but they swarm in the air during mild and pleasant days. On my very

* Paper by C. V. Riley before the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science,
Cleveland, Ohio, August 21, 1888.

first visit to Maidstone several settled on my person while 1 was being-
driven from the station, and where wind and temperature were favora-
ble I have known them, in a single day, literally tj cover certain shel-
tered Damson trees close to a hop-yard, where but few could be detected
upon the trees the previous day. They array themselves on the under-
side of the leaves, heads generally all in one direction, and in a very few
days they are intersprinkled with their pale and wingless young, though
each produces but four to five before dying. These wingless individu-
als are the only generation produced in autumn on Prunns, and are the
true sexual females. White at first, they become yellowish-orange and
olivaceous with maturity, the head and the members darkening. The
last to acquire wings in the hop-yards are males, and they settle upon
the plum leaves (this year most numerously October 5), and fecundate
the females, which thereafter lay a few eggs (not more than four or five)
around the latent buds, and in any crack or sheltered part of the twigs,
especially of the previous year's growth. The eggs, at first yellowish-
green, soon get darker, and finally black, and become, in time, more or
less covered with dust particles, mold, the exuviae of mites, etc., which
adhere by means of the sticky ' honeydew' everywhere produced by
aphides.

"The winged males are easily distinguished from the winged females
by their smaller size and greater unrest, and when the former are most
abundant the latter have disappeared. At the present writing the
males are fast dying, aud drying up, but the impregnated females still
survive, though there have been snow and several white frosts. Some
of the later born will doubtless live on till the leaves have fallen ; but
all will perish with the first severe frost, and the species will be per-
petuated through the winter egg, as already set forth. The first eggs
were observed on the 8th of this month. My observations show that
the winged emigrants from the Hop, while preferring the Damson, feed
and breed on all other varieties of Prunus which I have had an oppor-
tunity of examining, and which include the Bullace (a yellow plum),
the Victoria (large red), the Black Diamond (large black), the Yellow
Gage, the Green Gage, and the Orleans. Trees examined in counties
where no hops are grown reveal only the Plum aphis {Aphis pruni).
This species, which remains on the Plum the whole year, also occurs in
late autumn in the agamic winged female, the winged male, and the
wingless sexual female forms ; and though often mixed with the Hop
Phorodon, is easily recognized by the want of cornicles or projections
at base of antennas, and by the greener color, darker members, and
black eyes of the true female, which oviposits in similar situations as the
Phorodon, and whose eggs are scarcely distinguishable from those of
that species.

" The absence of Phorodon multiplication on the Hop, and the manner
in which stray plants in the field or hedgerow are forsaken, while what
I have described is going on upon the Plum, is as marked as the free-

dom of Plum in early saminer after the winged migration therefrom
to the Hop.

^'The observations here recorded have shown (as such minute observa-
tions always do) the unreliability of iuex])ert testimony. As in Amer-
ica, this has been a year of exceptional freedom from hop-lice in England,
and when I first visited the hop-yards at the commencement of the
gathering I was told very generally by laborers and owners that no
lice had been noted lately, whether on the Hop or on the Damson, and
that I should find none. Yet, though the leaves of the Hop were re-
markably free, I had no difficulty in finding the lice in the burrs, or
crawling in all conditions through the loose texture of the sacks which
were being filled by the pickers, while the first deposited on Plum were
detected on the very first tree examined.

'' In conclusion, I have been struck with the great similarity in the
general aspect of things both on the Hop and the Plum here and in
America. Everywhere parasites and predaceous enemies of the lice,
belonging to the same or similar genera, and in some instances the
same species, and everywhere the omnipresent Red Spider {Tetranychus
telarins), and its equally omnipresent spherical reddish eggs at this sea-
son. And while the lower average summer temperature will cause
fewer generations of the Phorodon to be produced in England (prob-
ably only six or seven) than in America (where thirteen have been
traced this year), and the beginning and ending of the insect's activity
will be more abrupt there than here, yet in all essential points the life-
history of the- species in the two countries is the same."

These facts which I obtained in England were independently con-
firmed by my assistants in this country during the same period, and
the correspondence between the facts observed on both sides of the
Atlantic has been set forth in a communication to the Country Gentle-
man for IS'ovember 17, 18S7, by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, from
which 1 quote the following:

" Professor Eiley's observations in England I shall quote in his own
words from a communication written to me from Maidstone, October
8. The exact correspondence is marked, and is even surprising when
we consider the different conditions of temperature and rainfall.

" ' I shall be able after all to get to the continent without intrusting
any one else here with the finale re Phorodon. I have the whole thing
complete. Egg laying began not more than two days ago, and with
the last two warm, pleasant days it is going on rapidly, the males being
active in fecundation. I have not much time to write, but the facts are
all as pat and clear as day here. From middle to 25th of September,
while hops were being gathered, the winged females were developing
and leaving the hops. On Prunus of all varieties — but particularly on
Damson — they settle and begin to feed and produce young. When
weather and wind are favorable I have seen them cover trees in two
days so that every leaf would have a dozen or more, generally heads

all one way, and their pale young would soon begin to get abundant.
However, they are not so very prolific, and produce at most half a
dozen young. These, without exception, are the true females, so far
as I have been able to make out, and develop slowly according to tem-
perature, the earliest produced only just now laying. About the time
the winged females begin to die the winged males take their places
and fecundate the wingless females so soon as these are sufficiently
mature. The appearance of the winged males settling in all positions,
and restless, is quite in contrast with that of the more plump and
sedate winged females.

"'This means that the last generation from Hop gives us the winged
parthenogenetic female (return migrant) and the winged male — the lat-
ter somewhat later than the former and representing the remnant or
devitalized residuum — the closing nutrient power of Hnmulus being
sufficient to produce a male, but not a female ! So that only the true
sexual female is produced on Pruuus in autumn.

" 'From appearances she will not lay more than five or six eggs, and
these are placed as in pruni, mail, etc., by preference around base of
nascent or latent buds and in cracks and crevices of last year's growth,
though sometimes (destined to perish) on leaf or smooth, green stem.
They are smooth and olive-green at first, becoming darker. * * *
The essential facts which I have published are all verified.

" 'The true females are all white at first and indistinguishable from
young of other generations, but they gradually grow more orange and
then olive, the head and members getting darker, and the anus, espe-
cially after coition, black.' "

The statements therefore in my paper of a year ago are substantially
correct, and the principal facts ascertained since may be thus briefly
summarized:

(1) The insects begin getting wings in autumn irrespective of genera-
tion. These winged females may either come from the fifth generation
of the year or as much as the thirteenth, thirteen generations having
been followed during the year 1887.

(2) The males uniformly appear after the females and after the hop
crop is harvested. Hence it becomes extremely important to destroy
by fire or by thorough drenching with a strong kerosene emulsion all
the hop-vines as soon as possible after the crop is harvested. This
would cut off the larger bulk of the males so that there would be no im-
pregnation of the sexual females, which are for the most part at that
time already on the Plum.

Another interesting fact is worthy of record here; it is the small
proportion of eggs which survive the winter. In the fields and orchards
where my observations were made in England some trees were literally
covered with eggs, and I brought a number of them with me to this
country. The same was true of the plum trees in New York, which
■were under observation by my assistants. Some of them were literally

covered with wiuter eggs. I watched them carefully, not only by means
of those brought with me from England, but of others brought from
JS'ew York in the late fall or early winter, and still other specimens re-
peatedly received during the winter from Riclitield Springs. As the
hatching period approached I was quite surprised to find how many of
the eggs shriveled up and perished. I also made it a point to be on
the spot as soon as vegetation began at Richfield Springs, and found
there, in a state of nature, the same mortality among the eggs. The
large majority of them that had escaped natural enemies had perished
by shrinking and shriveling. Again, the stem-mothers, which hatched
on Plum last spring, though they were few compared with the number
of eggs that had been provided, were for the most part lost through
storms or the working of natural enemies, so that a very small propor-
tion succeeded in developing. A number of additional interesting
details of an entomological character have been obtained since the last
meeting of the society, but they will be brought together in a forth-
coming report from the Department of Agriculture.

The whole record has been rendered the more difficult by virtue of
the occurrence of a very closely allied species {Phorodon malialeb),
which, though hatching at the same time as, and very similar to, hunnili,
does not migrate to the Hop, but goes to various other plants of no
importance in cultivation.

LIFE-HISTORY OF GRAPTODERA FOLIACEA Lee.

BV MARY E. MURTFELDT.

In Bulletin No, 3 of the Kansas Experiment Station Professor Po-
penoe has a very interesting illustrated article on what he denominates
"A iSTew Apple Insect." This paper was the more interesting to me
inasmuch as it anticipated — in the matter of publication— certain ob-
servations of my own on the same species.

About the 1st of June of the present year a correspondent sent me,
from Colorado, a package containing a dozen specimens of a flea-beetle,
closely resembling in size and form the Grape-vine Flea-beetle [Grapto.
dera chalybea, Illig.), but differing in color, being of a highly polished
metallic green instead of blue. The apple leaves inclosed with these
specimens were riddled with small, irregular perforations, and I was
informed that these leaves correctly represented the condition of the
foliage of most of the young trees in an extensive nursery — that of the
Stark Bros., near Denver, Colo.

As the species was unknown to me, I inclosed specimens to Professor
Riley, who kindly determined them for me as the species under con-
sideration. Professor Riley informed me that he had observed the work
of the beetle and its larva in Missouri in 1872 feeding upon Hawthorn;
also in 1877 in Colorado, and had published a brief account of it and its

life-history, with a description of the larva, iu the Scientific American
for June 16, 1887, and in the Gardener''s Montlily for July 19, 1887 (vol.
29. p. 216), under the name of G. punctipennis, which is a synonym of
foJiacea.

I placed my beetles on fresh apple leaves and awaited developments.

More than a month elapsed before I found any eggs iu the jar. On
the 9th of July I found several clusters attached to the stems and bases
of the midribs of the leaves. They are generally in twos and threes,
ranged side by side. They are about one millimeter in length, slender,
oblong rather than oval, of a pale, dull orange color, somewhat trans-
lucent, and Professor Popenoe, who has also obtained them, says that
"under a high magnifying power the shells are seen to be minutely
granulated."

By the 17th of July a numl)er of larvae had hatched. Tliey are nearly
cylindrical, of a dull black color, and r ather more elongate in proportion
to their diameter than the larv;c of G. chalybea^ When grown they feed
on the parenchyma of the leaf, indifferently on either surface, but later
they gnaw holes in it similar to those made by the perfect insects. The
first molt took place iu eight days, and two or three of the small larvse
perished iu the process, being unable to entirely withdraw themselves
from the outgrown skins. The second molt occurred one week later, and
in this also one larva perished. During these periods there are no changes
of color or maculation. August 2 one larva had completed its growth,
and as it was making its way into the earth I put a stop to its further de-
velopment by transferring it to the alcohol bottle. The following char-
acters were noticed: Length of mature larva from 6 to 7 millimeters;
diameter, IJ millimeters; form, cylindrical, tapering somewhat poste-
riorly ; general color varying from dull black to dark fuscous; piliferous
plates inconspicuous, of the same shape, number, and arrangement as
those of G. chalyhea, black in color and slightly polished, each giving
rise to from one to three minute hairs; head rounded, cordate, deep
black, but not brilliantly polished; i^rolegs well developed, faintly an-
nulate at the joints with dingy white.

The larvpe move about consider?jbly, but in a slow and rather clumsy
fashion, with the tip of the abdomen appressed to the surface of the leaf
or stem to assist in keeping them iu position.

The pupa is inclosed iu a frail earthen cocoon or cell, just beneath the
surface of the ground.

I:^oue of the beetles from this brood have emerged, and it is possible
that they may hibernate. Several of the parent beetles were, August
14, still alive and as voracious as ever, while eggs and young larvte
were still to be found on the leaves.

August 14 two larvte entered ground and the beetles emerged on
the 28th of the same month — the duration of the pupal stage of life,
being less than two weeks.

September 1. The last beetles of the spring brood have just died,
possibl}' from a lack of fresh food more than from old age, as I was
absent from home and could not give them personal attention. The
probabilities are that the second brood of these beetles hibernates and
lays its eggs early in the season for the production of the beetles that
are so destructive throughout the summer.

It will be seen from this account that G. foliacea is an all-summer
pest and capable of inflicting a vast amount of injury in the nursery
and youug orchard.

The gentleman from whom I obtained the specimens wrote me that
he had tried in vain to check its ravages with pyrethrum, kerosene emul-
sions, Paris green, etc., in the proportions and by the methods usually
recommended, but that he had succeeded in destroying it without injury
to the trees by the use of white arsenic, 1 pound to 200 gallons of
water, the arsenic being first boiled in a small quantity of water and
then diluted to the proportions given above.

A MAN INFESTING BOT.

[Extracted from a paper* by Rudolph Matas, M. D.]

On the morning of June 27, H. T. McC, an Englishman, aged
thirty eight, presented himself at my clinic in ward 8, Charity Hospital,
stating that he had arrived in this city one week before from an exten-
sive trip to Spanish Honduras, where, on or about the 11th of this month
( Juue),^ he had been stung, while bathing, by a peculiar fly, which was
well known in that country, as it was a veritable nuisance, if not a
scourge, because it attacked man and beast alike — the white foreigners
especially — and deposited its ova in the sting, wherein the "worms"
(larvae) developed until they attained considerable dimensions — half to
three-quarters of an inch in length, according to the patient's statement-
He further stated that he remembered the moment when the fly stung
him, for he heard it "buzz," and felt it "sting" him in three distinct
places on his body, where he was sure the "worms" were now grow-
ing, "though they must still be quite youug and small, on account of
the comparatively short time that they had been in the flesh" — /. e., six-
teen days since ova had been deposited.

We then examined the patient, who, after undressing, showed us
three red, hard, furuueular swellings, situated, one on the right side of

*Thi8 paper was published by its author, Dr. Matas, Visiting Surgeon, Charity
Hospital, New Orleans; Demonstrator of Anatomy, Medical Department, Tulane
University, at New Orleans, in September, 1887, for private distribution, imder the
title " Report of the case of a patient from whose subcutaneous tissue three larvae
of a species of Dermatohia were removed; with remarks." Dr. Matas has had con-
siderable correspondence with the Division and we may have some farther remarks
upon the subject m a future number.

the intorgintoal furrow, about 2 or 3 iucUes from tip of coccyx, and two
other similar, tboii^ii smaller elevations oathe left side of the same fur-
row aud closely adjoining one another. The first, which was the most
prominent, was elevated at its highest portion about one-quarter of au
inch from thjelevelof the surrounding skin, and ])resented a circular area
of inflammatory hardness which measured about 1^ inches in diameter.
Upon careful and minute inspection the largest furunculoid mass was
found to present in its most elevated and central portion a minute ori-
fice, which might admit the point of a coarse bristle. The other two
swellings presented also one central point each, where a little puriform
crust had become fixed, indicating the original seat of puncture and
entrance to the larval sinus.

Trusting to the patient's account of himself, we proceeded to the ex-
traction of the parasites — a procedure which the patient urgently re-
quested. Guided by the orifice in the elevation I cut with the point of a
bistoury into the very center of the swelling, but discovered, however,
that by simply cutting vertically I had not incised the cavity wherein
the larvcB lay concealed, and was obliged to again incise obliquely and
to the right in order to expose the parasitic burrow. This oblique di-
rection of the larval sinus I found to be constant in each of the three
"stings." I found that the larvtie were lodged immediately under the
derma proper, so that in getting at them, in order to expose them thor-
oughly, I had to cut completely through the skiu, which, in the gluteal
region is particularly thick. It was discovered also that a simple in.
cision was insufficient to remove the larvae, and that digital expression,
and this very forcibly applied, was necessary in order to induce them
to relinquish their stronghold. In fact, the two last larvae were removed
more by this means than by incision, the orifice of the sinus having
beeu simply incised in order to enlarge the orifice of exit, and the parts
expressed by pinching them in a fold of skin. The patient stated that
in Honduras the natives usually rid themselves of these unpleasant
guests by applying hot tobacco ashes to the parts and following this
up by digital expression. This is a rather general treatment for para-
sitic dermal affections in Latin-American countries where tobacco is
always on hand. In our patient's case we cauterized the cavity or sinus
left by the evacuatiou of the larvoe with pure carbolic acid, for fear that
the septic })roducts of larval nutrition might tend to create inflamma-
tory mischief. I was led to this precaution because of the unfortunate
results which followed the extraction of similar parasites in another
case, that of a Frenchman, also from Honduras, who was admitted in
the same ward during my absence, about twelve mouths before, and
who nearly succumbed to a most violent and disastrous attack of erysip-
elas, which supervened immediately after the slight traumatism inflicted
in the extraction. The larvae had been deposited in the inner surface
of the left arm, and from this point the inflammation spread on all sides,
swelling up the whole extremity and left thoracic region. Subcutaneous
6591— No. 3 3

suppuration, accompanied by gangrene, followed, finally leaving the
arm in a state of i)eruianeut contraction in the flexed position, as the
result of cicatricial action. Hai)pily, in the present case, the extraction
ofthelarvcc has not been followed by any excessive inflammatory re-
action, owing, perhaps, to the general good health enjoyed by the
patient at the time of the operation.

Since this case has come under my observation I have been informed
that similar instances of larval deposits in the skin have not been rare
in the hospital, at least since the Panama Canal and other enterprises
have increased the trafiic between this port and the Central American
Republics. I have been informed, in fact, that on one occasion quite a
number of returning laborers or immigrants were admitted in various
wards of the Charity Hospital suffering with these parasitic larvai.
But of these cases no report has been presented thus far, and to my
knowledge at least no attempt has been made to discover the parent-
age of the larvfe or even to determine their proper entomological char-
acters. The specimens removetl from my patient are the first that I
have seen, and I believe are the first that have been preserved for ex-
amination and, certainly, for the inspection of this association. At any
rate these larvas are certainly not familiar to our parasitic pathology,
for our texts, and even those that devote special attention to parasitology
(Cobbold, Leuckart, Davaine), are almost barren of all information in re-
gard to them; so that it is necessary to appeal to the special entomologists
to obtain some clear notions as to their exact taxonomic characteristics.

In view of our prospects of increased relations with Spanish America,
and of the probability of a future importation of similar specimens, 1
have thought it a matter of some interest to this society to inquire into
the natural history of these hypodermatic parasites, in order that we
may at least possess ourselves of some clear ideas respecting them, so
that they may prove more familiar acquaintances when we are again
confronted by them.

The three specimens that are now under the microscope before you
are mounted in a glycerine cell, a preparation which was kindly made
at my request by the gentlemen in charge of the pathological department
of the hospital. The larvai are smaller than they appeared in life, as
they have contracted slightly. The largest of these measures about 4
or 5""" in its long diameter and is about 1^'"'^' in breadth. To the naked
eye they present an elongated pyriform or clavate appearance, the
broad, thick and rounded portion corresponding to the head and trunk,
which were the parts furthest from the surface of the skin ; the long,
tapering or caudal extremity pointed upwards, so that in squeezing the
larva out of its lodgment the tail end appeared first. As the caudal
extremity presented itself a dark red dot was visible at the very ex-
tremity. This corresponded to the dark anal extremity containing the
stigmata for respiratory purposes, and is characteristic of, though not
peculiar to, the Dermatobia larvae

This is the normal position of these parasites in general, for the
respiratory apparatus which is attached to the caudal portion, close
to the anus, is placed near the opening originally made by the sting of
the parent fly, in order that they may be as close as i^ossible to the
atmosphere. When the larvte were extracted they wriggled quite
actively in their vermicular movements, and continued to move until
they were embalmed in the cell five or six hours after their extraction.

On microscopical examination of the most perfect specimen (with a
low-power three quarter objective, B. and L., eye-piece B.) a remarkable
appearance is presented. The major portion of the parasite is seen to
consist of an elongated, pyriform, tuberose, or exaggerated clavatebody,
apparently concas^e on the ventral aspect and convex dorsally, termi-
nating in a long, tapering, glabrous, elongated-pyramidal extremity.
The broader and truncated part of the larva is opaque, and none of the
contained organs can be distinguished. The external surface presented
the curious appearance which is well displayed in Fig. 10 {a and b).

r y

Fig. 10.— One of the larvas viewed in its ventrai (a) and dorsal (6) aspects. At a is shown the ventral
aspect and the appearance of the cephalic and caudal extremities, also the three lows of spines
single below, and the point where the double dorsal rows end ; b gives the dorsal view and .--hows
that the three rows of spines single below are double above. Hair line between indicates the
natural length. (From drawings made for the author by courtesy of the U. S. Entomologist.)

Corresponding to the three dark zones distinctly outlined with the
naked eye are seen three double rows of black booklets or spiues, which
are distinctly shaped, when examined carefully, like the thorns of a
rose stem. They are lamelliform, sharply pointed at the ends, and are
curved and directed (the majority) towards the caudal extremitj^ so
that, if embedded in the tissues lining the larval sinus, they would ofter
a resistance to caudal traction in direct ratio to the force employed.
This arrangement is manifestly calculated to assist the larva in retain-
ing its position m the subcutaneous tissues, and especially in prevent-

JDgfauy involaiitary migrations from regious subjected to great muscular
disturbauce. They may also assist iu burrowing, though advance or
head movements do not a])pear to be habitual with these larvse, as they,
in common with most ectodermic parasites, are not anaerobic (to use a
Pasteuriau phrase), but require the presence of atmospheric oxygen for
their maintenance.

As regards the disposition of the spines it is a noticeable fact that they
differ markedly as to their arrangement according to the aspect of the
parasite examined. Thus, as is plainly shown in Fig. 10 {a and b), the
three rows of spines are single on the ventral and double on the dorsal
aspect, the point where the double row ceases being plainly shown in
a. This peculiarity is also distinctly exhibited in the species illustrated
by Fig. 11, plainly indicating the relationship that exists between them.

The only segments that are distinctly outlined are the first, which
represents the cephalic end, containing the oral cavity, armed with two
styles. Fig. 10 {(i), and the second, which immediately follows it. As
these specimens have shrivelled considerably since the time of extrac-
tion, the segmentation is not as plainly visible as it should be.

The caudal extremitj' is also distinctly shown, though the details of
the stigmatous organs are not as plainly delineated as desirable, as the
stigmata are doubtless hidden within the anal fissure. In this respect
they differ from Brauer's (Fig. 11, a, b, c) and Coquerel's (Fig. 11, dj
specimens of similar larVcB, with which they otherwise appear to be
closely related.

Fig. 11.— a, Brauer's fisjure of entire Dermatohia larva, supposed to be closely allied to .specimens shown
in Fig. 10; 6, cephalic extremity; c, caudal extremity of same .specimen; d, Dermatohia larva fig-
ured bj^ Coquerel, and closely related to if not identical with preceding, only seen under a lower
power and porliaps in an earlier period of development. (From figures kindly furnished by the
IT. S. Entomologist.)

In addition to tlie three rows of booklets, a large number of small
punctiform and blackish tuberosities are seen dotted in a somewhat
concentric manner above the upper row on the two upper segments
and the vicinity of the oral point.

STEPS TOWARDS A REVISION OF CHAMBERS'S INDEX,* WITH
NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES.

By Lord Walsingham.

lu attemptiug a gradual revisiou of the late Mr. V. T. Chambers' In-
dex of the Tiueiua of the United States and Canada, ])ublished exactly
ben years ago, I do not propose to take the genera m systematic order,
uor alphabetically as in the original publication. I shall commence with
those genf ra at present best known to me and in which the material at
my disposal is sufficient to enable me to add something to the knowl-
edge of the subject. It will be easy to compile a new list if the revisiou
should be ever completed. I fear it may be some time before any
satisfactory knowledge ciwi be obtained of the majority of the species
in the great genus Oelechia. The genera Lithocolletis, Gracilaria and
Tinea also present considerable difficulties to any one who is not
in a position to examine the types of American authors. 1 hope
that by publishing the lists of different genera from time to time I
may call forth some useful observations from others who are acquainted
with the subject, and thus accumulate material for a complete catalogue.
To Dr. Eiley, Professor Feruald, and Miss M. E. Murtfeldt I am con-
stantly and gratefully indebted for specimens and information.

CLEODORA, Curt.

Two species of this geuus have beeu recognized by Chambers as occurring in the
United States. Both are described by him in the sixth volume of the Canadian Ento-
mologist, p. 245, and both are subsequently referred to by the same author in the
Bulletin of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey, Vol. IV, No. 1,
pp. 91-92. These are Cleodora pallidisfrigella Chamb. and Cleodora paUideUa Chamb.

Thti tirst is said to difiter slightly in its ueuration from the European type of this
genus. It is described thus : "Thorax and primaries pale orange ; paler, nearly white
along the dorsal margin and on the extreme costa beyond the middle ; a narrow, indis-
tinct, whitish line along the fold, ending at a small brown spot; there is an oblique,
narrow, whitish streak along the base of the costal cilia ; a minute brownish spot
surrounded by a pale ring at the end of the disk, and an oblique brownish streak in
the cilia at the apex. The brown spots are all indistinct. The palpi pale yellowish ;
a spot on the top of the third joint and the brush on the second joint reddish ochreous.
Al. ex., I in."

Under the second of the two references given above, the descriptions of both species
arc amended and elaborated, but some of the amendments to the description of C.
pallidella can only apply to that of the other species, the spelling of which is here
corrected to C. lyallidistrUieUa. The wide range of variation indicated points to the
probability that Chambers had before him at the time more than two allied species
of this genus. I have had an opportunity of examining a specimen of C. palUdis-
trigella from Texas, lent me by Professor Riley and received by him from Chambers
as a type of the species. A coloured drawing of this specimen is now before me. It

'Index to the described Tineina of the United States and Canada. V. T. Chambers.
Bull. U. S. Geol. and Geog. Surv. IV (1), February, 1878.

is certainly a Cleodora distinct from all American and European species with whicli I
am acquainted, although somewhat resembling in general appearance Cleodora stria-
tella Hb.

A specimen of C. palUdella is, I believe, in the collection of Miss Murtfeldt, but I am
not acquainted with the species.

The only other allusion to the genus Cleodora as possibly occurring in America is to
be found in Staiutou's edition of Clemens' papers, p. Ill, where in a foot-note the ed-
itor mentions that he is not confident that Anothosia Clem, is generically distinct
from Cleodora. Chambers (Can. Ent. VI, p. 245) discusses and rejects the theory of
their identity chiefly on the grounds of neuration aud of the form of the palpi. The
palpi of my single specimen of Anothosia certainly resembles those of Pleurota more
nearly than those of Cleodora.

The figure of the hind-wing of Parasia in Stainton's Lepidoptera Tineina (Insecta
Britanuica) indicates scarcely sufficient indentation before the apes. In this re-
spect Parasia more nearly resembles Cleodora, from which it differs chiefly in the form
of the palpi. The neuration of the fore-wing of Parasia also differs from Cleodora
in respect of the addition of a second costal branch to the apical vein, and this is
the same distinction mentioned by Chambers as characterizing his North American
species of Cleodora ; nevertheless, his specimen of paUidistrioella seen by me was not
a true Parasia. The following five species, of which four are new, may now bo added
to the North American representatives of this genus. The new ones, which have the
strong brush on the palpi which distinguishes Cleodora, possess the same peculiarity
of neuration as those described by Chambers. It is possible that when more material
shall have come to hand a new genus intermediate between Cleodora and Parasiamaj
be usefully characterized for their reception.

I hope at some future time to publish figures of these and many other North Amer-
ican Tineidce.

Cleodora striatella Hb.

I tooli a single specimen of this species in Colusa County, Cal., June 39, 1871. It is
exactly similar in all respects to the typical European form.

Cleodora modesta sp. n.

Antennce, fuscous, faintly annulated with hoary scales.

Head and jyalpi, hoary.

Tongue, clothed at the base with hoary scales.

Thorax, greyish anteriorly, shading to pale umber-brown posteriorly.

Fore-wings, uuicolorous pale umber-brown, dotted around the apex with intermixed

fuscous and hoary scales ; a line of white runs also through the middle of the

apical cilia; cilia grey.
Hind-ivings, pale greyish ; cilia a with slightly darker tinge.
Abdomen, brownish, grey.
Legs, grey.
Exp. al., 10-11"™.
Bahitat, Los Angeles, Calif., July.
Type, 9 , Mus. Wlsm. 1 <? , 2 $ , in the collection of Professor Riley (U. S. N. M.).

Cleodora canicostella sp. u.

Head, thorax, and palpi, with long projecting tuft beneath; hoary grey.

Fore-ivings, brown, with green or rosy iridescent tips to the scales, especially on the
outer half of the wing, visible only in a strong light; the middle third of the
costa narrowly white, the white streak widening outwardly ; beyond it is an out-
wardly oblique costal streak which crosses the wing before the apex, followed by
an inwardly oblique small white costal streak and some fuscous dots in the cilia:

along the apical margin runs a white line in the cilia between two narrower
fuscous lines; there are a few fuscous scales at the anal angle and above them a
short longitudinal white streak ; a short fuscous streak beyond the middle of the
fold almost reaches the commencement of a more conspicuous discal streak of the
same colour immediately above it, both margined by a few inconspicuous whitish
scales.

Hind-ivings, brown, with a purplish tinge; the cilia brown.

Exp. al., 12'°°>.

Habitat, Mt. Shasta, California, Aug. 1, 1871.

Type, $ 5 , Mm. Wlsm.
This approaches the Texan species described by Chambers.

Another species, or perhaps only a variety of the above, obtained on Burney Creek,
Shasta County, Calif., a few days previously, has the costa white to the base, the fold
white, and the white line in the fringes with its fuscous outer margiu reduplicated

Cleodora tophella sp. n.

Palpi, with long projecting tuft of mixed whitish and cinereous scales beneath, slightly
darker on their outer than on their inner sides, the apical joint shaded beneath.

Head, pale cinereous.

AntenncB and thorax, slightly darker.

Fore-wings, dull ashy brown, with a considerable sprinkling of brighter (more reddish
brown) scales ; the tips of the scales about the apical margin and cilia are jjaler
and give a speckled appearance to the end of the wing.

Hind-wings, brownish cinereous; cilia scarcely paler.

Abdomen, the same colour as the hind-wings, with subochreous anal tuft.

Posterior legs, the same colour, the tarsal joints with subochreous spots.

Exp. a?., 23™™.

Habitat, specimens taken May 24, 1871, in Mendocino County, Calif.

Type, $ 9 , Mu8. Wlam.

I have specimens from Shasta County, Calif., July 24, 1871, which differ from the
above in their smaller size (exp. al., 12™™) and in their whiter heads and palpi,
the tuft on the latter being less prominent. These j)robably belong to a second brood
of tlie above species.

Cleodora sabulella sp. n.
Palpi, fawn white.

Head and thorax, rather more decidedly tinged with fawn-colour, the face paler.
Antenna;, auuulated with fawn-colour, and fawn white.
Fore-icings, fawn-colour with a slight brownish tinge towards the apex, where there is

some appearance of pale speckling owing to the tips of the scales about the cilia

and apical margiu being of a lighter hue.
Hind-icings, fawn colour, with a greyish tinge; the cilia fawn-coloured.
Abdomen and poste^'ior legs, paler, corresponding more in colour with the thorax.
Exp. al., 14-154™™.

Habitat, 18 specimens taken in Bear Valley, Colusa County, Calif., June 27, 1871.
Type. $ ^ ,Mus. Wlsm.

DACTYLOTA^ Snell.

This genus has hitherto been represented by a single species found on the shores of
the Baltic and North Sea, in the west of Europe. It is immediately recognizable by the
peculiar form of the hind-wings in the male, which are not merely emargiuate below
the apex, as is usual in the Gelechince, but are deeply excised, having the apical

* According to strict rules of nomenclature the name Dactylota is preoccupied in
Echinodermaia and should be changed.

maigiu of the wing divided into two finger-like lobes, the upper, or costal one, being
double the length of the lower, or dorsal lobe. There is a slight; difference in neura-
tion between the North American and European forms, the species here described
having the discai cell of the fore- wing not narrowed to a point, as in bnelleu's figure
(Tijd. V. Ent., XIX, PI. I), and the veins that leave its margins are distinctly separate
from each other at their bases ; moreover, the apical vein, which is forked, tiirows its
lower branch almost to the apex of the wing, or very closely above it. The long and
slender apical joint of the labial palpi also serves to distinguish the American from
the European species.

Dactylota snellenella sp. n.

Antennw, simple; basal joint scarcely wider than the stem.

Palpi, recurved, sleuder ; second joint longer than the head, clothed with short di-
verging scales beneath, smooth above ; apical joint very slender, smooth, longer
than the second, in this respect differing from kinktrella Snell., which has much
shorter palpi.

Tongue, rather long, scaled at the base, naked beyond.

Head and thorax, greyish, sprinkled with brownish scales.

Fore-wings, elongate, broadly lanceolate, costa slightly arched near the base; with 12
veins, 7 and 8 from a common cell ; greyish, sprinkled with brownish scales, hav-
ing a slight iridescent hue in a strong light. Tbere are 3 very conspicuous patches
of very dark umber scales, the 1st within the basal lourth, adjacent to the upper
edge of the fokl ; the 2nd within the basal half of the disk, slightly above the mid-
dle of the wing; the 3rd, at about the end of the cell, larger and more conspicuous
than the preceding two, is followed by an ill-detined band of very pale grey
scales, stretching from the costal to the dorsal margin ; the apical portion of the
wing is faintly sprinkled with similar pale scales; a narrow line of subochreous
scales runs nearly parallel with the costa, from the base for about one-third of
the length of the wing; a few dark umber scales are also observable about the
middle of the fold; cilia very long, rosy-grey, sparsely dotted with brown along
their base.

Hind-wings, $ , shining, pale greyish, also iridescent in a strong light ; as wide as
the fore-wings ; costal and dorsal margins parallel ; apex produced, obtusely
pointed; apical margin deeply indented, forming a short obtuse second lobe;
the fissure is rounded at the base; abdominal angle rounded ; the abdominal
margin nearly straight; cilia very long, having an ochreous lint. On the under
side is a tuft of long, hair-like scales from the middle of the base, lying parallel
to the upper edge of the 2nd lobe.
In the 9 the hind-wing, although deeply indented below the apex, is not divided
into two lobes, its form being rather that of the genus Cleodora ; the tuft of hairs
on the under side is also absent.

Abdomen, greyish, rather wide and flattened; anal tuft faintly ochreous.

Exp. ah, 17^'""'.

Habitat, Arizona. 2 ^ and 2 $ received from the late H. K. Morrison in 1883.

Type, i $, Mm. Wlsm.
The species is named after the well-known author of "De Vliudei's van Neder-
laud," who, in one of his numerous and valued papers on Microlepidoptera, first
described the European representative of this genus.
( To be continued. )

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

The Strawberry Weevil in Pennsylvania.

la the inclosetl block I send you a few specimens of au insect which is causing a
great deal of damage to the strawberry crop in this vicinity. I send a few buds
showing how the mischief is done, and up to the present writing about one-half of
the crop has already been destroyed, on some of the stalks not a berry being left.
The inclosed specimens were caught yesterday in the act of cutting the stem ;
heuce I send them to you and would like to know what species of insect it is, and
could you suggest a remedy to stop further depredations, as I am anxious to save at
least a portion of the crop. The injury amounts to hundreds of dollars on single
plantations, at least so estimated by the number of blossoms cut off, some stalks
having only two or three berries left and twenty or thirty blossoms. * * * in
1885 this insect made its first appearance, but in 1886 it was not noticed. — [Lawrence
J. Krieg, Etna, Allegheny Couuty, Pa., May 23, 1887.

Reply. — Yours of recent date accompanying specimens of au insect which is damag-
ing your strawberry crop has come to hand. This insect is the destructive Straw-
berry Weevil (Anthonomiis 'musciilu.>i), which I treated at some length on pages 276 to
279 in my last report as Entomologist to this Department. I have to-day requested
that a copy of this report be sent to your address, so you will be able to study the
insect at your leisure. I have been unable to do much more than suggest remedies
so far, as the life-history of the insect has not yet been made out. After reading the
article carefully you may be able to find out where the beetles go and where they
lay their eggs; and if so, an important step will be gained. If you try the kerosene
emulsion, or the pyrethrum, or gas-lime and sawdust, I should be glad to learn the
result [May 25, 1887].

Graptodera punctipennis injuring Nursery Stock.

1 inclose you some small bugs ihat are eating all the leaves of my young apple and
are beginning on all my young nursery stock. I think they will, if they continue,
destroy my nursery. Please examine and tell me how to destroy them. They ap-
peared about two weeks ago. I never was troubled with anything of this kind
before.— [J. R. Johnson, Dallas, Tex , to H. E. Van Deman, May 10, 1887.

Reply. — Your letter of the 10th instant addressed to Mr. Van Deman, the pomolo-
gist of this Department, has been referred by hira, with the specimens, to this Division.
The little green beetle injuring your young apple trees is knowu by the scientific
name of Graptodera punctipennis. This insect is a near relative to the Grape vine Flea-
beetle, aud its habits are very similar. The best remedy for this insect will consist
in spraying your young trees with a dilute solution of Paris green or Loudon pur-
ple. The appearance of this insect in injurious numbers is rare, and we shall be glad
to hear from you further as to the amount of injury aud as to the success of this
remedy if you decide to apply it [May 14, 18H7].

Lachnosterna hirticula injuring Poplars and Oaks.

I have several North Carolina Poplars in which have swarmed and roared, for sev-
eral evenings after nightfall, myriads of beetles, samples of which I inclose.

Please inform me whether they mean evil to the Poplar and whether they or their
progeny are injurious to vegetation of any sort.— [Rev. William C. Butler, Leeland,
Prince George's Couuty, Md., May 17, 1887.

Reply.—* * * The insects which you inclose belo g to one of the common May
beetles ( Lachnosterna hirticula), and are the parents of the so-called white grubs. The
beetles themselves are leaf-eaters, and you will probably find that the leaves of your

North Carolina Poplars bave beeu gnawed by them. You should not lose the oppor-
tnnity to destroy these beetles, which can be done by placing a lantern suspended
over a pan containing water with a thin scum of coal-oil on top near the tree. If the
beetles are extremely numerous several of these trap lanterns will be necessary to
destroy them. The same insects are just now damaging the Oaks upon the grounds of
this Department. [May 18, 1887].

Insects Confounded with the Hessian Fly prior to the Revolution.

Dn Haniel does not mention the Hessian Fly by name, but on page 90, referring to
insects injurious to corn, says:

"There is a smaller kind of worm, which gets into the roots, chiefly oats, and,
working upwards, destroys all the inside of the plant, which perishes soon after. I
suspect it to have been an insect of this kind that destroyed so much wheat in the
neighborhood of Geneva, and which M. de Chateauvieux describes thus : ' Our wheat
in the month of May, 1755, sustained a loss, which even that cultivated according to
the new husbandry did not escape. We found in it many little white worms, which
afterwards became a chestnut color. They post themselves between the blades aud
eat the stems. They are usually found between the first joint and the roots. Every
stalk which they attacked grew no more, but became yellow and withered. The
same misfortune happened to us in the year 1732. These insects appeared about the
middle of May aud made such havoc that the crop was almost destroyed.' (Ver-
iatim et literatim from the work of M. Du Hamel du Menceau, New Hamburg edi-
tion, 1759.)

The Angoumois Moth is also fully described by the author. If the above does not
refer to the Hessian Fly it must be some closely allied pest. I have eight volumes of
Arthur Young's works, but have not had the time to examine them for flies. — [A. S.
Fuller, Ridgewood, N. J., July 16, 1888.

Eeply. — I thank you for the extracts from Du Hamel. The first indicates very
plainly that it has no reference to the Hessian Fly, but the second has one expression
that might apply to the Hessian^Fly, viz, that about "posting themselves between
the blade," but unfortunately this is more than offset by the statement of their eating
the stems, and this proves with sufficient conclusiveness that it was not the Hessian
Fly bat a species of Chlorops. As you are aware these also have pale larvae and be-
come brown in the pupa state, while one species at least is frequently found between
the blades. No, there can be no question whatever that this case refers not to the
Hessian Fly but to some species of Chlorops or Meromyza or to one of the many species
of insects which are known to attack small grains in a somewhat similar way. There
is not a particle of positive evidence of the existence of the Hessian Fly at that early
period in this country, and the reference to Du Hamel in the minutes of the American
Philosophical Society, May 18, 1768, is undoubtedly to his article on the Augoumois
Grain-moth. * * » [July 23, 1888.]

Injury from non-migratory Locusts in Michigan.

I will send you some grasshoppers that have destroyed all the oats about this sec-
tion. What is left is worthless, as there is nothing left but the shell. I notice that
the first brood is gone ; they were very large. The second brood is growing fast.
They had large wings, much longer than the body. * * * if they breed very fast
they will clean ns out. I have traveled about among the farmers on purpose to see
the crops; all are much injured.

The boys say they have seen the locusts on the bushes and trees in the woods. They
did not injure crops any. * * * j don't travel in the woods much. I would like
to know what the seventeen-year means. Do they come every seventeen years or
will they stay seventeen years ?— [Anthony O'Donnell, Saint James, Manitou County,
Mich., August 27, 18S8.

Reply. — The box of locusts has been received. The specimeus were one female of
the Red-Legged Locust, Caloptenus femur-rubrum, and two specimens — one male and
one female — of the Two-striped Locust, Caloptenus bivittatus. These are both common
species and widely distributed. They occasionally increase in large numbers, and,
though non-migratory, often cause considerable damage to crops. The specimens
you refer to as having wings a great deal longer than the body no doubt belong to
another genus, probably Aeridium or (Edipoda.

In regard to the Periodical Cicada, the "seventeen-year" means that they appear
at intervals of seventeen years. We mail you a copy of Bulletin 8 on this insect, which
will give you its history. Did they appear in large numbers in your locality ? Can
you send us some specimens of them ? It will be very interesting to know whether
the species is the true Seventeen-year Cicada or some other species. * '* *
[August 31, 1888.]

Australian Letter on Icerya.

* * * The insect /ceryajjitrcAast we have among our orange tribe, "Citrus," and
if not frequently looked after I believe would spread to a great and damaging ex-
tent; but as we have so many other pests to contend with theone in question is kept
down. Just a few days before the arrival of your note we had a regular clearing all
around, and my overseer killed several dozen of the Icerya, of which this one muti-
lated specimen can be found now, which I send you in a little cotton wool, but I think
enough of it for you to identify the thing. I have not seen it on the Acacias, but
on other plants, and particularly on our native Currant Shrub ( Leptomeria acida R.
Br.), but as I am not just now able to see or procure specimens of the insect from
that plant I could not be quite certain, although I believe so. If not the same species
it is very much like it. I bad several interviews on the insect with other horticiilt-
ui-al and agricultural reporters and practical men, from which I submit the follow-
ing, viz, that the sugar planters first noticed the Icerya on sugar-cane imported
from Singapore, but I have known it on the Citrus, especially young plants, this
sixteen or eighteen years myself. * ' * — [Carl H. Hartmann, Range Nursery,
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, March 20, 1887.

NOTES.

A DESTRUCTIVE CRICKET IN LOUISIANA.

A rather remarkable iusect pest has come to light the present sea-
son in Catahoula Parish, La. It is a true cricket of the genus Grylhis,
but the specimens so far received have been too badly damaged for
specific determination. Mr. Michael Dempsey, of Jena, writing under
date of May 7, says: * * * "They infest portions of the hills and
swamp lands alike, doing irreparable damage to cotton, sweet and Irish
potatoes, peas, and tobacco. * * * Our farmers are seriously
alarmed at their fearful increase and their destructive habits. Their
holes in the ground are promiscuously scattered from a few inches to
several feet apart, and are seldom over a foot deep in the uplands,
although they go much deeper in the swamp lands, as the soil is
deeper and the subsoil softer. They are seldom visible in the heat of
the day, and do their cutting at night, taking all they want down into
the ground, where they eat as they please. * * * in 1852 I first

noticed them eatiug youug- cottou oul}-, aud a few years back they be-
gan to eat sweet potatoes. Now they eat peas and tobacco, aud have
attacked oar gardens. Oiir parish is composed of small farmers who
lack means. * * We find that rapid cultivation, large gangs of

poultry, and numerous birds keep them in check, but they are becom-
ing too numerous iu spite of all we can do."

Beyond doubt in a case like this the best remedy will be found in the
use of a poisoned bait, aud I have no doubt but that the bran, sugar,
and arsenic wash, which proved so effective against the Devastating
Locust in California in 1885, and which is described in my annual re-
port for that year ( Report Department of Agriculture for 1885, page
300), would prove attractive to the crickets and would accomplish the
destruction of large numbers.

This mixture is usually prepared in wash-tubs or half-barrels.
One of them is lilled about three-fourths full of dry bran, and to this
is added about 5 pounds of arsenic, which is thoroughly stirred through
bran with a spade or shovel. Five pounds of sugar is next thrown into
a pail, which is then filled with water, and the sugar stirred until it is
dissolved, when this sugar water is added to the bran and arsenic and
the three well stirred ; more water is added and the stirring continued
until every portion of the wash becomes thoroughly saturated. This
should be placed about the infested fields in table-spoonfuls.

Freshly cut grass or other green vegetatioii, sprinkled with Paris
green or London purple and scattered at intervals throughout the fields,
will also produce good results, aud be less expensive. (U. V. Riley, in
Florida Dispatch, June zO, 1887, vol. 7, p. 570.)

A NEW ENEMY TO HONEY BEES.

Several predaceous bugs have been recorded from time to time as
feeding upon honey bees, and in Bulletin 12 of this Division (page 44)
we mention the fact that the common Wheel Bug {Prionidus cristatus)
was in the habit of lurking about the hives aud preying upon the bees
at Winchester, Va. Last summer we received information from Mr. J.
W. Lanford, of Lawrence County, S. C, that anotber bug had been capt-
ured by him in the act of piercing the honey bee, and that his neighbors
had noticed the same insect lurking about their hives. The specimen
captured in the act was forwarded to us, and proved to be Euthyrhyn-
chns floridanus, a species which is rather common throughout the South.

AN UNPUBLISHED HABIT OF ALLORHINA NITIDA.

To Mr. W. W. Meech, of Vineland, N. J., the well known authority
on quinces, is due the credit for the discovery that the ways of this
common beetle are not altogether bad. He found the adult beetles eat-
ing the fungus Boestilia aurantiaca upon his quince trees. They even
alighted upon it in the basket wh»^n he was gathering the fungus and

ate it greedily. Mr. Meeeh says "for this meritorious service I desire
tbey should have full credit as among the iusects beneficial." This
beneficial habit, however, is more than counterbalanced by their appe-
tite for fruit, to say nothing of the damage done by the larva.

A NEW REMEDY AGAINST THE WOOLLY APPLE-LOUSE.

Maurice Maiudron, in a summary of the habits of this insect, illustrated
by a very handsome plate in the July number of the Revue Hortieole,
quotes the following formula from Dr. (Jramoisy :

Grams.

Pyroligueous acid rectitied to 7 or 8 degrees. 1, 000

Salicilic acid 2

Ked oxide of mercury 1

Fucliftiue .25

This solution is diluted with 30 parts of water when the vegetation
is active, but is used pure in winter time. A mouth or two after the
application of this caustic, according to Mr. Kiinckel d'Herculais, the
old epidermis of the tree on which the eggs are found (alls in powder
and the bark becomes smooth, shining, and of a beautiful mahogany
color.

OVIPOSITION OF THE PLUM GOUGE R.

Regarding the egg-laying habits of the Wild-Plum Weevil or Plum
Gouger, Coccotorus scutellaris [Anthonomus prunicida Walshj, shown at
Fig. 12, while they have been described (see Walsh, First Rep. Ins. of
Illinois, pp. 72-78; Riley, Third Rep. Ins., Mo., pp. 39-42), the follow-
ing confirmation will prove interesting. Mr. Lawrence Bruner writes
us from West Point, Nebr., under date of June 16,
1888: "I have just witnessed a female specimen of
the Wild-Plum Weevil in the act of depositing an ^gg.
The modus operandi is very simple, and requires but
a minute and a half to two minutes for the perform-
ance of the entire operation. She first spreads out to
their fullest extent all of her legs, braces them, and
Fig. 12.- Coccotorus ^hcu draws her beak or rostrum to as nearly a perpen-
scutteiians.^ (After dicular positiou as possiblc, then by gnawing and
with a twisting motion soon works her snout into the
young fruit until it is buried a trifle above the bases of the antennai,
the latter being held close against and directed upward along the ros-
trum upon the head while the hole is being made. She now draws out
her beak and deliberately turns about, and after a few preliminary
thrusts of the ovipositor inserts the latter into the hole just made with
the beak and deposits a single egg that is of the same diameter as the
puncture. The egg is of a dirty whitish, somewhat transparent color,
and is plainly visible with an ordinary pocket lens, being uncovered
and nearly flush with the surface. It soon becomes covered by the
healing of the injured fruit. This curculionid does not make the semi-

circular or luuate gash that is so characteristic of the " little Turk." It
deposits a single egg iu each plum attacked. But some plums examined
were fouud to contain several eggs, several weevils having no doubt
used the same plum for oviposition. When the egg has hatched and
the young grub commences to bore into the fruit, a transparent, gummy
substance oozes from the puncture. Fruit containing the grubs of this
weevil does not necessarily fall prematurely, nor does it appear to be
greatly injured for use. The mature insects from the new brood begin
emerging by the time fruit commences ripening, and from that time on
to late in the fall. They winter in the ground and in various sheltered
localities about plum patches. In spring they appear with the first
buds and blossoms, and can be jarred from the trees like their ally, the
" little Turk." They cling more tightly, however, than that insect does,
and a much severer jarring is required to dislodge them. Their punc-
turing, while not so marked as that of the other insect, begins just a
very little earlier and continues perhaps somewhat later in summer."

RECENT SWARMINGS OF INSECTS.

The Beading (Pa.) Times for August 2, 1888, contains an account of
an appearance of " bugs " iu that place, with detailed remarks by a
local savant (Prof. G. H. Thompson), who stated that the insects in
question were " a species of a cotton bat, usually called the moth," and
that "it comes from the cotton fields of the South." Who this professor
is we do not know, but it is clear he is not familiar with the subject he
tries to discuss. In a letter from Herman Strecker we are informed
that the moth which appeared in such large numbers for the one night,
August 1, was a Tortrix {Tortrix fracUvittana Clem.). He also states
that the article above referred to was on the authority of a fire-escape
or lightning-rod man, who, to use Mr. Strecker's words, knew about as
much of such things as an intelligent cow. The case is more correctly
stated in the Reading (Pa.) Evening Telegram for August 2, 1888,
some of the information therein being derived from Mr. Strecker him-
self. He also adds in his letter that " the next evening but a few were
about and subsequently scarcely any." The sudden abundance of this
Tortricid is certainly very extraordinary. It fluttered about the elec-
tric lights by thousands. According to a note in the Scientific Ameri-
can for August 18, 1888, they were first noticed flying around the lights
about 8 o'clock. They soon infested the air to such an extent as to re-
semble at a distance a snowstorm, and passengers on the street-cars,
as they passed under the lamps, were covered with the insects, which
caused vast annoyance by getting into their ears, eyes, and mouths.

In the same number of the same journal Mr. Thomas Latuam is re-
sponsible for the statement that myriads of moths were at date of his
writing circulating around the electric lights upon Third avenue, New
York. The note does not give the species, but states that the moths
are barely half an inch long.

In the same uuinber as above quoted, it is also stated that at Easton,
Pa., "butterflies" by the thousands, after flying about the sixty-four
electric lights, alighted on the carbons and fell dead inside the globes,
two quarts of dead " butterflies " on. an average being afterwards taken
from each globe. It is quite possible that in this and the preceding
instance the insects were the Tortrix first mentioned.

The Bund New Yorker for July 7, 1888, states that the Eose Beetle
{Macrodactylus subspinosus) suddenly appeared the week previous in
swarms at the Rural Grounds, causing a great deal of damage to grapes,
roses, and magnolias. They were successfully combated by spraying
with a Buhach solution.

AN INEXPERT DEFENSE.

The following clipping is from the Manchester (Eng.) Courier for
July 7, 1888, and is entitled : "A remarkable charge of homicide:"

Paris, Thursday Night.
The trial begins at Lyons to-morrow of M. de Villenuve, charged with homicide.
M. de Villeuuve is a wiue-grower. Early this year eleven people died at Hyferes and
more than four hundred were suddenly taken ill with symptoms of poisoning. The
corpses of the victims showed, at the post-mortem examination, poisoning by arsenic.
M. de Villenuve, who had furnished them with wine, was charged with falsifying it
with arsenic. His defense is that two years ago he employed that chemical to rid his
vines of phylloxera. The insects were destroyed, but according to his theory the
poison muse have been absorbed by the vines, and thus poisoned the wine.

As a matter of course this defense is utterly inadmissible, and either
the theory of the prosecution is correct, or an arsenical mixture must
have been sprayed upon the vines at or near the time of ripening of
the fruit, either as a remedy for some leaf-eating insect, or, as is more
likely, for the grapevine mildew, or perhaps for the black rot. It is
not known to our chemists that arsenic is ever used as a falsifier of
wine, but certain crude chemicals containing an appreciable quantity
of the poison might be so used.

INSECT DAMAGE TO THE COEKS OF WINE BOTTLES.

At the monthly meeting of the Entomological Society of Belgium
held May 7, 1887, Mr. Preudhomme de Borre presented a communica-
tion regarding insects which feed upon the corks of bottles in cellars,
especially wine bottles. Different species eat holes through the corks,
thereby causing the wines to escape. Two species {Oenophila vjlavum
and Hhizophagus hipustulatus) were found in corks brought him from
Burgundy. As a remedy he recommended the covering of the bottles
with a hard and thick wax not subject to breaking or cracking. His
closing words were: "For the love of the god Bacchus cover your bot-
tles well, then, gentlemen." While advising this remedy he had been
disposed to believe that the eggs of the insects do not pre-exist in the
corks, but Dr. Tosquinet, who engaged in the discussion, announced

that lie bad seen several of these corks in which the wax had been
bored through by the exit-ho\es of a coleopterous insect. Thus in some
cases the eggs may be deposited in the cork before it is used for the
bottles and escape unhurt the processes of manufacture and corkage.
To escape this the bark is to be disinfected after gathering. Tinea
eloacella, Endrosis. lacteella, Asopia farinalis, and Onisciis imirarius (a
Wood-louse) were also mentioned as cork eaters. The last named at-
tacks them probably only after they have first been attacked by insects.
The idea of substituting rubber corks for bark ones was brought up but
not favored, because the rubber would be apt to spoil the flavor of the
wine.

LOCUSTS IN ALGERIA.

According to the Eeviie Eorticole for July, 1888, the locusts are doing
their principal damage in Algeria the present year in the province of
Constantine. It is too early to estimate the extent of the injury, but
it is said to be immense. The Government has appropriated the sum
of 500,0U0 francs, principally as a bounty, to the most meritorious farm-
ers. Editorially the journal goes on to say : "This is very good, but
what will be equally useful is the appointing of a commission composed
of distinguished entomologists and agriculturists who will study this
scourge from its origin and will seek the means, if such exist, of pre-
venting the return of these invasions."

ENEMIES OF ICERYA IN NEW ZEALAND.

In the July, 1888, number of the New Zealand Farmer a corre-
spondent writes that he has been investigating the condition of Icerya
purchasi in that country, and states that there is a very general im-
pression in most districts that it has received a check from some cause
not yet apparent, as the information in regard to what cause or causes
can not be wholly relied upon. Another correspondent writes in the
same number that he finds birds destroying this pest, gold-finches
feeding constantly upon it, aud paroquets being also known to eat it.
In the June, 1888, number the New Zealand cuckoo is supposed to
have destroyed large numbers of the scale. Vast numbers of the
females on an acacia-hedge in Wairoa South were found destroyed by
some natural enemy ; the ova-sacs torn open, eggs gone, shreds of the
cotton lying about on the ground and no larvae to be seen, everything
pointing to a bird as having been the benefactor. The evidence seemed
to be in favor of the cuckoo just mentioned. This bird is said to be a
visitor in New Zealand at certain seasons only, and is found in many
warmer lands with a climate like that of southern California— in Aus-
tralia, Tasmania, Java, and Sumatra. This matter is worth attention.
Bird enemies, as well as insect enemies, should be considered when the
question of introducing Icerya-destroyers into California is brought
under investigation.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORK.

The following list embraces those now engaged in Government entomological work,
and who will assist in the management of the periodical, those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as contribntors. The force of the Division of Entomology is
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permanent and temporary employes :

IHVISIOX OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist : C. V. Riley.

Office Staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tyler

Towuseud, W. B. Alwood, Assistants ; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and

in charge of reeling experiments.
Field Agents : Saml. Henshaw, Boston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind. ; Herbert

Osborn,Ames, Iowa; N. W. McLaiu, Hinsdale, HI.; Mary E. Murtfeldt, Kirkwood

Mo. ; Lawrence Bruner, West Point, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal. ;

Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary curator : C. V. Riley.
Assistant curator : John B. Smith.

lEF" For bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedient,
the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communica-
tions. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by refer-
ring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be accredited to " Insect Life," or,
where it is desired to give personal credit, to '' Kiiey aud Howard." While most of the
correspondence of the Division is carried on by myself, yet much of it is also attended
to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge during my
absence, and otherwise so material! j' assists in editorial and office work that only those
articles signed by either should be considered individual. — C, V, E.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF EXTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. OCTOBER, 1888.

Vol. I. ]sro. 4.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1888.

CONTENTS.

Page.

Special Notes 93

The Parsnip Web-worm (illustrated) C. F. Riley.. 94

Notes on a Simulium Common at Ithaca, N. Y L. O. Howard.. 99

A Lady Bird Parasite (illustrated) C. V. Riley.. 101

The Purslane Caterpillar (illustrated) 104

Further Concerning External Spider Parasites (illustrated) L. 0. Howard 106

Remarks ON THE Hessian Fly (Abstract of paper by C. V.Riley).. 107

Extracts from Correspondence 108

A Stomoxys iDJurmg Stock in Oregon. — The Colorado Potato-beetle in Nova
Scotia. — 1888 Damage by Chinch Bug in Missouri. — A Problematical
Remedy against the Asparagus Beetle.— Increased Ravages of Icerya in
California. — The Green-striped Maple- worm. — Wheat Saw-flies.— Was
it an Accident or a Wily Milkman ? — Cranberry Gall-mites. — Notes on
the Chinch Bug in Minnesota. — Epidemic Diseases of the Chinch Lug
in Illinois.
Steps Towards a Revision of Chambers' Index, etc. (illus-
trated) Lord Walsingham.. 113

General Notes 118

Synonymy of the Mealy Bug of the Orange.— Entomology in Chili.— Larva
of the Clover Stem-borer as a Gall-maker. — The Use of Osage Orange
as a Food for Silk-worms. — The Pear Diplosis in Euglaud. — TheOrchid
Isosoma, and a Remedy for its lujury. — False Report of Phylloxera in
Australia. — Apropos to Hot Water as an Insecticide. — "Value of dead
Locusts as Manure.— The Insiduous Flower-bug.
(a)

Vol. 1, No. 4.] INSECT LIFE. [October, 188§.

SPECIAL NOTES.

As will be seen from the Extracts from CorrespoDdence, the Chinch
Bug has been very severely affected by the epidemic diseases due to
micro-organisms both in Minnesota and Illinois, and, as we may safely
assume, in the intervening country. This, taken in connection with the
rise in the price of wheat, must be very encouraging to the Western
grain-growers.

Entomology would seem to Lave very little connection with those most
interesting of modern inventions for speech recording and repeating, as
exemplified in the phonograph and graphophone. But some composi-
tion having wax as a basis has so far proved to be the best for record-
ing the impressions of the sound waves and also for reproducing them,
and this fact must necessarily enhance the value of the wax product;
for we have little doubt that this improved instrument will rapidly come
into general use as a substitute for stenography.

We are very glad to learn that Prof. C. H. Fernald, of Amherst,
Mass., has decided to monograph the Pyralidae, one of the most inter-
esting families of moths; because he is one of the few really careful and
conscientious workers in descriptive and monographic Lepidopterology
of which the United States can boast. He excludes the Phycitidte be-
cause they are being especially worked up by E. L. Eagonot, of Paris,
who has for years been preparing his plates and diagnoses and who is
a careful and conscientious worker.

The last number oi Entomologica Americana^ the organ of the Brook-
lyn Entomological Society, comes to us with six pages of descriptions,
by Geo. D. Hulst, of Epipaschiiie and Phycitidae. In four of these pages
some eighteen new genera are defined in characteristic manner, averaging
three or four lines to each characterization. Most of the new generic
terms are what may be called humbug names — i. e., words selected at
random or coined without reference to the peculiarities of the insect, and
not in conformity with best custom. In none of these generic characteri-

zations is there any information to guide the student as to wherein
ihe genera differ from allied genera. Having in the past described a
number of species in similar maimer and referred them provisioually
and often wrongly to various genera, Mr. Hulst takes this method of
cutting the Gordian knot and saving himself trouble by niakiug many
of them types of these new genera. Such work seems to us the merest
child's play. It is unworthy the dignity of science and justifies to day
the well-known stigma which Latreille, in his day, applied to a certain
class of Lepidopterists.

We want a couple of young men in the work of the Entomological
Division. Qualifications: Some knowledge, or at least interest, in ento-
mology, but particularly some chemical training and mechanical inge-
nuity. Ability to draw and some knowledge of French and German will
add to the applicant's fitness. Any one seeking such a position should
correspond with the Entomologist, stating qualifications and references.

Prof. Dr. K. Lindeman, of Moscow, writes us that the larva of Plusia
gamma has been extremely prevalent and injurious the past summer in
that portion of Kussia, having, in seven environments, done great dam-
age to Linseed, Peas, and Hemp.

THE PARSNIP WEB- WORM.

{Bepressaria heradiana De G.)
By C. V. Riley.

SYNONYMY.

^. Phalcena-Tortrix {Ph.-Tiuea) herachana

Linu.
Phalmna-Tortrix heradiana De G.
Phalama heraclei Retzius.
? Tinea umbellella Fab.
? Pyralis umiellana Fab.
"i Pyralis herachana Fab.
Tinea apiella Hiibuer.
Depressaria heraclei Haworth.

? Depressaria umbellarum Haworth.
Hwmylis daueeUa Boncb^.
Depressaria heracleana Stephens.
Hcemylis pastinacella Duponchel.
Hatmylis iimbelleUa Zetterstedt.
Depressaria pastinacella Zellerin litt.
Hosmilis pastinacella Bruand.
Depressaria oniariella Bethune.

The first specimen of this moth which we obtained was in 1875 from
Mr. H. G. Hubbard, who had found the larva in the stem of some cru-
ciferous plant, in slight brown open cocoon, and pupje several together
in same stem. In the summer of 1883, while spending some delightful
hours with Mr. Roland Thaxter, of Kittery Point, Me., we found this in-
sect extremely common in the stems of Wild Parsnips, of rank growth
and exceptional size, everywhere growing about that point. Some of

the large hollow stems from an inch to two inches in diameter wonld
have over a dozen larvae or pup;B within them, but no larvie were found at
the time upon the umbels. Our next experience with this insect was in
1886 on Lord Walsingham's estate at Merton Hall, Tbetford, England.
Here the larva was chiefly working on the umbels. We brought over
with us for comparison specimens of the larvae and imagos, and find the
specimens absolutely identical with those from this country. Tbe Eng-
lish specimens may be said to be slightly smaller on tbe average than
the American, but from a series of fifty-two bred specimens now before us
there is every variation between the extremes, the alar expanse ranging
from 21""" to 28""". On the average the American specimens are some-
what darker or more fuscous, but among them are anumberfully as pale
as the palest English specimens. We had placed Bepressaria grotella*
Eobinson as a variety of this species after a study of his figure and
description, but Professor Fernald, who has a specimen of grotella,
writes us that he believes the two are distinct.

e^^-

FiG. 13.— Depressaria heracliana.— a, larva, side view; b, dorsal view; c, pupa; d, anal ex-
tremity of pupa showing hooks; e. moth — enlarged; /, umbel of parsnip webbed together by the
larvae, natural size (original).

EARLIER LITERATURE.

The first reliable description of the species is that given by De Geer,
and must be considered the original characterization, as that of Lin-
naeus is very uncertain. Tbe descrii^tionsofFabricius are also uncertain,
and are questioned among the synonyms. Many subsequent authors
have figured aud described the species. Albin (1720) is said to have fig-
ured it, Reaumur (1736) imperfectly figured larva and moth, DeGeer (1752),
Shaffer (1758), Hiibner (1805-24), Duponchel (1836), Herrich- Shaffer
(1855), and Zeller (1854) have figured the wings, while J. Sepp (1843)
has given an excellent plate of all stages excepting the egg. Bruand

*Lepidopt. Miscellauies, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., vol. 9, 1S70, pp. 157, 158, pi. 1,

/,io.

(1844) figures larva and pupa, Curtis (1860) figures larva aud pupa, and
Stainton (1861) figures larva and adult.

THE SPECIES IMPORTED FROM EUROPE.

The Eev. C. J. S. Bethune (Can. Eutom., vol. 2, No. 1, Aug., 1869, pp.
1-4) describes specimens taken in Ontario as Depressaria ontariella n.
sp. On p. 19 of the same volume, in connection with a note on the
subject by Mr. James Angus, of West Farms, N. Y., some doubt is ex-
pressed as to the validity of the new species. In his Beitrag. z. Kennt.
d. nordam. Nachtfalter, Zeller (Verhandl. d. zool.-bot. Gesellschaft in.
Wieu,Band 23, 1873, pp. 235-236) refers to two females under the name of
ontariella Bethune (hence, of course, from Canada or the United States),
one having label " 14 Aug.," received through Dr. Speyer, which agreed
in the most exact manner with large European specimens of heracli-
ana. Zellei- adds that without doubt the species emigrated to America;
aud having reached land after a hiippy winter passage experienced no
difficulty in selecting at once a suitable food plant for its progeny. Soon
after this Prof. J. A. Lintner (Canad. Entom., vol. 5, p. 82) records that
a specimen of D. ontariella Bethune, sent by him the previous fall to
Dr. Speyer, and by him submitted to Zeller, was by the latter deter-
mined to be D. hcracliana. We have also from William Saunders, now
director of the Dominion Experimental Farms, an authoritative speci-
men of ontariella which is a true heracliana.

HABITS AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Stainton says that the eggs are deposited in the spring by the hyber-
nated female moth upon the undeveloped umbels of the Parsnip {Pas-
tinaca sativa). The larvfe may be found here in the United States in
the month of June; in England toward the last of June and through
July. They web the flower-heads together until these are contracted
into masses of web and excrement, an umbel thus affected being shown
in fig. 13,/. After the larvjB have consumed the flowers and unripe
seeds and become nearly full grown, they enter the hollow stems of the
plants by burrowing their way inside, generally at the axils of the
leaves, and then feed upon the soft white lining of the interior. Here,
inside the hollow stem, they change to the pupa state. The larvte are
moderately gregarious. They will sometimes eat newly-sown parsnip,
-after the older plants originally attacked have been destroyed, in such
cases eating the tender green leaves, while of the older plants they eat
only the flower-heads and interior lining of the stems. It is not at pres-
ent known whether there are two broods, though this is quite probable.

On June 4 of the j)resent year we received from the noted seedsmen
D. Landreth & Sons, Bristol, Pa., flower-heads of the parsnip badly in-
fested with the larviB, accompanied by the following account of Injury :

We send you some furtber specimens of parsnip seed-stalks suffering under the at-
tack of the grub referred to in our previous letter.

This larva, if it attacked ouly the extended footstalks of the seed-heads might
be treated, but it secretes itself as well within all the folds and enveloped spaces
of the seed-stalk, parts that can not be reached except by unfolding.

We have treated the affected plants with kerosene emulsion, whale-oil soap, dry
Paris green, Paris greeu in water, per-oxide of silicate, and other articles, and all to
no effect.

No i)arsnip8 being at liaud to feed the larvtie upon, a lot of flower-
beads of the Wild Carrot {Daucus carota) were placed in the breeding
cage with them. After a short interval larg6 numbers of the larviie
gathered around the cut ends of the stems and began feeding thereon.
They were noticed, also, to be cannibalistic in their habits, several be-
ing seen to attack one of their number and devour it in a very short
time. They did not like the flowers of the Carrot, but bored into the
stems. On the 15th of June more larvie were received, the umbels in-
fested by them being completely spun together so that they could not
expand, and the greater part having become brown and decayed. In
a few instances the larvae had entered the stem.

On the 14th of June a few of the larvne changed to pupae in the midst
of large masses of excrement. On the 18th about a dozen more pupated,
some at the bottom of the jar and otiiers on the flower-heads or any
other part of the plant, while others still pupated between the folds of
blotting-paper placed purposely at the bottom of the jar; all inclosed
in a slight web. On examining the stems of the Carrot, July 12, on
which they had fed, it was found that several had entered to undergo
their transformations.

According to Bethune the species remains from 11 days to 2 weeks
in the pupa state, in Canada beginning to appear about the 1st of
August. Stainton gives the length of time passed in the pupa state in
England as 3 to 4 weeks.

The moths which we reared in 1883 issued between July 30 and August
4; those from Mr. Landreth the present year issued from June 25 to
July 10. They have the habit of creeping into the crevices of the soil,
and are then not easily detected.

DESCRIPTIVE.

De Geer first described both the larva and the moth in part 1, vol-
ume 2, of the Memoires. A brief but good description of both is also
given by Stainton in the Tineina, while Bethune has fully described
the larva, pupa, and imago under the name of ontarieUa.

No description of the egg of this species has been published, and we
have not yet obtained specimens.

The larva (Fig. 13, a and h) varies in general color from a light yel-
lowish or greenish to a bluish-gray, and has conspicuous black piliferous
spots normally placed, the head and cervical shield being black. Its
average length when full grown is 12 millimeters.

The pupa (Fig. 13, c) is dark brown, unarmed and normal, and is
inclosed in a slight silken cocoon inside the hollow stem of the plant.

The moth (Fig. 13, e) is of a grayish-bufif or pale ochreous, with fuscous
markings on front wings.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.

This species is probably one of the most generally distributed of the
genus. It is recorded by Herrich-Schaffer from Glogau. Dresden, Swe-
den, and England. Staintou adds Scotland, Ireland, France, Finland,
and Canada. It is also now well seated in the Eastern United States.

FOOD PLANTS.

In Europe, the Cow Parsnip {Heracleum sphondylium), Cultivated
Parsnip {Pastinaca sativa), Siberian Parsnip {Heracleum sibiricum); in
America, Pastinaca sativa and the Wild Carrot (Baucus carota) are
known to be subject to its attacks.

ENEMIES.

Kaltenbach (Pflanzenfeinde, p. 282) says that according to Boie, of
Kiel, its natural enemies are Cri/ptus flagitator Grv., Pimpla heraclei, and
HopUsmenus dimidiatus, which he found in the roots, together with the
pupa cases of the moth. Curtis (Farm Insects, p. 414) records Cryptus
[Phygadeuon) profligator G-rv., and OpMon {Pristomerus) vulnerator Grv.
as bred from the larvae by Bouche. He also records his own breeding,
from a single larva taken from the parsnip, of a female Microgaster
allied to lacteipennis, and about thirty females of Encyrtus truncatellus,
which he believes were parasitic on the Microgaster. In this conclusion
he is doubtless in error, as Encyrtus truncatellus { = Copidosoma trunca-
tellum Dalm.) is always, so far as known, a primary parasite of Lepi
dopterous larvfe. It already inhabits this country, and may probably
turn up as a parasite of this particular Depressaria.

No parasites were bred by Bethune in this country, nor by us. Among
the birds, however, Bethune states that the Hairy Woodpecker, {Picus
mllosus) visited the parsnip-stalks in his garden daily, and pecked away
at the larvfB and pupte within.

REMEDIES.

Bethune suggests as a remedy that, when the young caterpillars
appear on the flowers, the umbels may be dusted over with powdered
white hellebore, repeating the operation occasionally. We doubt the
efficacy of this, and should have more faith in the arsenites, notwith-
standing Mr. Landreth's adverse experience. Should the flowers be
destroyed before they are noticed, cut oft" and burn all affected stalks
before the moths emerge from the pupte. The larvje are easily dis-
turbed, and may be dislodged from the umbels and collected in pans
and burned.

NOTES ON A SIMULIUM COMMON AT ITHACA, N. Y. *

By L. O. Howard.

Prof. J. H. Comstock has been studying for some time a Black Fly
wbich occurs in its earlier stages in enormous numbers in and about the
streams at the head of Cayuga Lake, and which may or may not be
identical with the species studied by Dr. W. S. Barnard, and which he
treated in 1880 in the third volume of the American Entomologist. I
am of of the opinion that it will prove to differ on account of differences
in the manner of ovipositiou. Dr. Barnard's species was studied at But-
termilk Creek, 3 miles south of Ithaca, while the species observed by
Professor Comstock inhabits the Cascadilla and Ithaca gorges, both of
which are on the nortli side of the city.

As a boy I was familinr with the large black slimy masses of larvse
attached to the rocky bottom of the Cascadilla, as, indeed, what Ithaca
boy was not. We all avoided them as if they had been poisonous, and
called them '' Bloodsuckers," and every one of us firmly believed that
he would be a "goner" if he accidentally stepped upon a clump while
bathing. Their true nature was not known until well along in the sev-
enties, when Professor Comstock discovered their real affinities. The
old name and the old superstition, however, still clings to them among
the youthful bathers in these streams.

To day (September 2, 1888) I have just taken a walk through the
Ithaca gorge in company with Professor Comstock aud have been much
interested in observing these insects after having studied SimuUum
ventistitm at Washington, and being familiar with the collected speci-
mens, in all stages, of >S'. meridionale and S. pecuarum studied by-
Professor Kiley from Arkansas and Mississippi, and described by
him in his 1885 report. There had evidently been a comparatively
sudden fall in the water, and we were enabled to make our observations
dry shod. Many patches of larvfe were left high and dry, and were
wriggling and dying, in glistening masses, under the hot rays of the
sun. The bottom of the stream is solid rock into which many small
pot-holes have been worn, aud some of these holes were still filled with
water, making miniature aquaria, which seemed teeming with animal
life like the tide pools on the sea-coast. Simulium larvie of all sizes
were found in these pools, and with them the larvpe of Ephemerids, of
Sialis, of Hydropsyche, and others which we did not recognize. One
large green Phryganid larva, with two tripartite anal hooked processes
was observed destroying one of the Simulium larvae.

* This article was sent in as a field note while making a brief sojourn at Ithaca,
with the hope that it would arrive in time for the September number. It was too late,
however, and is published in this number without further elaboration, which would
take more time than I can just now spare. — L. O. H.

100

The fall-growu larv?e of the Simiiliaoi are the largest I have ever seen.
Specimens were taken which were afterwards measured and found to
be between three-fourths and seven eighths of an inch long. The anal
swelling is very pronounced. Those colonies which were left by the re-
ceding water seemed to make no effort to escape but probably died on
the spot to which they were attached. A gradation in the size of the
larviB from the borders of the stream to the center was observed, as al-
ready noticed by Dr. Barnard. The cocoons were found here and
there, bnt apparently usually a little distance away from the masses of
larvte. The cocoons appeared to me exceptionally large and tough.
The colonies of larviie were found in greatest numbers just on the
verge of the numerous falls where the water was shallow and swift, and
at the crown of these falls I was delighted to have Professor Comstock
point out to me the adult insects. They were hoveriug in the bright
sunlight in considerable numbers, and a number were captured with a
net. They could hardly be said to fly in swarms, but seemed to hover
about, each one independent of the others, but remaining in about the
same locality. At this time of the year they seemed to be principally
males, as of the fifty specimens captured but one was a female.

Professor Comstock tells me that this same flight of the adults can
be observed on almost any day through the summer, and that he has
seen them as early as June. During July he states that he observed
them flying in enormous numbers. His notes upon the oviposition of
the species will be very interesting when published. It will be re-
membered that Dr. Barnard observed the eggs at Buttermilk ravine at
the edge of the steam aljove the wafer. Professor Comstock, however,
has seen the female dart at the crown of the falls after a preliminary
bover and lay her eggs in the swift current. He states that a number
of females choose the same place for oviposition and frequently lay a
mass of eggs as large as the x>alm of one's hand, whicli accounts for the
large extent of the colonies of larvae. 1 have seen these larvjB in
patches of many feet in length and so close to each other that the surface
of the rock could not be seen. The jet black color of the larvje is strik-
ing, and the colonies can be readily seen from a considerable distance.

A peculiar fact concerning this species is that it does not seem to hite.
No one, so far as I know, has ever been bitten by a Black Fly in this
vicinity. A comparative examination of the mouth-parts of this and
other species will therefore be interesting. The males are very beauti-
ful, as are individuals of this sex in other species of the genus. The
eyes in life are of a beautiful golden bronze, the body is covered with a
silvery i)ubescence and the wings are highly iridescent.

The exact details of the life history of this species are being collected
by Professor Comstock, and we look forward to their publication with
much interest.

I called attention three years ago to the abundance of the nets and
tubes of Hydropsyclie upon the Simuliumcovered rocks in Rock Creek

101

at Washington, and I was pleased to find the same condition of affairs
here at Ithaca. The ca»es of these carnivorous larviiB were very numer-
ous, as was to be expected from the abundance of food. The nets dif-
fered from those found at Washington and the species is probably
different.

A LADY-BIRD PARASITE.

By C. V. Riley.

Up to the present time uo parasites of adult Coccinellidre have been
recorded iu this country, although Honialotijlus obscunis Howard has
been reared from the larva? of the Convergent Lady bird {Hippodamia
convergens) in Florida by Mr. H. G. Hubbard.* European entomolo-
gists, however, have recorded several observations of this character,
and we have long known of the occurrence of at least one parasite in
the United States (the species here treated) having habits similar to
those described by Westwood, Ratzeburg, and others.

In 1879, at North Bend, Ohio, while
visiting our esteemed friend, the late
Dr. John A. Warder, we found one speci-
men of the Spotted Ladybird (Megilla
maculata), stationed almost motionless,
though still alive, over a tough brown
silken cocoon in the position shown at fig. 14.— megilla maculata. Beetle and

Eig. 14. W^e had previously, iu Mis- cocoon of parasite, enlarged (original).

souri, found the same Coccinellid dead and fastened in a similar manner
over an empty cocoon, but looking so natural that until dissected and
found to be gutted, it was difficult to realize that it had been para-
sitized. No flies were obtained from the specimens.

In July, 1883, according to our notes, Mr. Howard observed the same
thing at Sheldrake, N. Y., but made the mistake of attempting to ob-
serve it from day to day in the field without disturbing it, and one day
the leaf of corn to which the specimen was attached was missing. In
1884 a number of similar specimens were found at Washington by Mr.
Pergande, and at Oxford, lud,, by Mr. Webster, and these were care-
fully studied and a number of the adult parasites reared.

The cocoons and the parasitized beetles were found upon a number
of different plants, but usually upon cereals. The beetles in all these
later cases were at first alive, and several of them lived for twelve days
after they were found. All were unable to leave the cocoons, and when
forcibly detached were unable to walk, rolling over upon their backs
on making the attempt. The closest examination of the beetles found
attached to the cocoons failed to show any exit-hole by which the

* See Bull. 5, Division of Eutomologj-, p. 22, and Insects affecting the Orange, Hub-
bard, p. 70.

102

parasitic larva emerged prior to spinning, altbongb it seemed probable
that the ventral portion of the thoracico-abdominal suture was used for
this purpose. Mr. William H. Patton, who has also found this parasite
on Megilla maculata, informed us in 1881 that in his specimen the larva
had apparently emerged form a perforation in the last dorsal segment of
the abdomen.

A number of free specimens of the Spotted Lady-bird were captured
August 24, for purposes of comparison, and in one individual which
could not be distinguished from the others in size, coloration, or activity
was found a larva which was with little doubt that of the same para-
site. This larva was apparently full-grown, as it tilled the cavity of the
abdomen completely. Its head was directed towards the suture between
the abdomen and the metathorax, thus strengthening the probability
that this is the point of exit.

In addition to the numerous specimens of Megilla maculata found thus
parasitized at Washington, one specimen of Coccinella 9-punctata was
also found which had evidently been infested by the same parasite.

Mr. Webster's observations and his efforts, at our request, to ascer-
tain the point of exit of the parasitic larva from the beetle are sum-
med up in a letter dated Oxford, Ind., July 22, 1884, and from which we
quote :

I am sorry to say that with my present kuowledge I am unable to settle the Lady-
bird parasite matter to my satisfaction. I have had live examples, only one of which
(a) was placed in alcohol when fonnd. This had sufiScient vitality left to tear itself
from the meshes of the cocoon. From this I think the parasite escaped by way of the
aperture in the membrane connecting the thorax with the abdomen, which you can
readily see. Three of the others ^yere dried and difficult to study, none, however,
exhibiting the aperture as in (a). In one the mouth was seriously damaged ; in the
other two not. These two were very brittle and, although there were apertures above
in the vicinity of the scutellum and bases of the wings, I do not like to attribute to
the parasite what might have been done by Webster.

The adult insect was bred in some numbers both from Washington
and from Indiana specimens. Only females, however, were reared,
ifo observations have yet been made on the mode of oviposition.
Eefereuce to the literature of European parasites of Coccinellidte shows
that the so-called Microctonus terminatus (Nees) has precisely similar
habits, and under the supposition that the American species might be a
Microctonus, specimens were sent to Mr. E. A. Fitch, of England, through
Mr. J. B. Bridgman, for comparison with identified species in England.
Through an oversight, Mr. Fitch did not notice that the species did not
belong to Microctonus, and very naturally answered Mr. Bridgman that
it did not correspond with any of Kuthe's types of this genus.

Subsequent study indicates that the species bred by us maj^ proba-
bly be placed in the Braconid genus Centistes of Haliday, judging from
Haliday's original description and the few words of analytic diagnosis
contributed by Eev. T. A. Marshall to Mr. Cresson's synopsis of the
Hymenoptera of Xorth America.

103

Awaiting the forthcoming consideration of this genus in Mr. Marshall's
Monograph of the British Braconidse, however, we shall not attempt its
characterization at present, but would simply propose for it the provis-
ional name of Centistes americana.

The so called Microctonus terminatiis reared by Audouin, Ratzeburg,
and Scheffer from Coccinella spp. proves, likewise, to be no Microcto-
nus but to belong to the wellkuowu genus Perilitus. (See Kirchner's
Catalogus Hymenopterorum Europte, and Marshall's Monogr. Brit.,
Bracon., Trans. Lond. Ent. Soc. 1887, Part II, p. 53.)

The parasitic habits of Microc-
tonus proper are not known. All
of the subfamily of the Bracon-
idfe Polymorph! to which it be-
longs, viz, the Euphorintie, are
however, Coleopterous parasites
in Europe so far as known.

Eatzeburg's interesting ac-
count of the habits of P. termi-
natiis (Nees) indicates that it
works in a manner almost pre- fig. i5.— centistes americana. imago, enlarged
cisely similar to our American (ongmai).

parasite and we therefore print a translation of his account:

In 1850 I bred three females, allbeiDgfound in very strange situations in the vicinity
of Neustadt : Living specimens of Coccinella 5-pnnctata. and C. 7-pnnctata vrere sit-
ting or hanging (once in a rolled-up leaf) on shrubs and carried under the abdomen
a gray, pear-shaped, subtransparent cocoon surrounded with loose silken threads.
From the fact that the Coccinella clasped the cocoon with the legs and got thus en-
tangled in the silk, the cocoon was closely applied to the abdomen, and I had some
trouble in detaching the cocoon when the Ichneumons (from June 10-14) had hatched
after cutting open the cocoon. Two Coccinellse were still alive as long as the cocoon
was still unopened, since they moved their legs a little, but died after the Ichneumon
flies had issued. The third specimen, however, remained living for a long time after-
wards and even could place its legs into the proper position and remain standing. I
have not been able to perceive the wound through which the Ichneumon larva issues
from the beetle. However, the Microctonus larva surely feeds within the Coccinella
(as already stated by Westwood) and it is probably through one of the ligaments,
which later closes up again, that the larva pierces through the beetle. I come to
this conclusion ; first, I found upon dissection of a recently dead Coccinella that all in-
testines were shriveled up and pressed onto the walls ; secondly, I have observed the
sting by which the Ichneumon Fly deposits the egg.

To a lively female Microctonus, which I had kept alone for two days in a glass box,
I placed a Coccinella 7-punctata. At once the attention of the Microctonus was
aroused; she ran to the place where the Coccinella was and closely examined it from
all sides, running forward and backward in a very comical way. Immediately after-
wards she prepared to sting in the same way as described by me in Aphidius aphidi-
vorus (I, p. 50). The abdomen, pear-shaped in repose, became long and thin; the
ovipositor protruded more, only on the tip surrounded and conducted by the sheats.
The sting was repeated about six to ten times in one minute and always directed
against the incisures of the body (usually of the abdomen). Within one hour the
female thus attacked three or four times the beetle, which only occasionally moved.
Since the Ichneumon $ was not impregnated I could not expect to get any progeny.

104

In 1842 (June 10) I had already found one specimen pursuing a Cocciuella. Wesmael
also captured it in the middle of June and Nees in October (I, 30).

We have here also an Ichneumon Fly which oviposits in iniagos, but imagos which
are long-lived and in which the brood can mature (Westwood, Introd. II, p. 143, and
Forstinsecten III, 18).

Within two days the Ichneumon Fly repeated its stings very often. It died then and
shortly afterwards also the Coccinella.— [Ratzeburg, Ichueumouen d. Forstinsecten,
Vol. Ill, pp. 61,62.]

THE PURSLANE CATERPILLAR.

FlO. 16.— COPI DRYAS

GLOVEiti. EgK, greatly en
lai'ged.

(Larva of Copidryas gloveri, Grote & Robiuson.)

lu August, 1879, we received larvoe of this insect from Columbus,

Tex,, where they were found by Mr. Schwarz iu tolerable abundance

feeding upon the common Purslane {Portulaca ole-

racea) in company with larvte of Deilephila lineata

which so commonly feeds upon this plant.

We did not receive them again until the summer
of 1887, when they were sent to us by several cor-
respondents in Kansas and Nebraska, who stated
that they occurred in such great numbers upon the
Purslane that they could not but anticipate great
damage to field cropri after the original food-plant
should give out. As a sample communication we
may quote from Mr. H. W. Lipp, of Eossville, Kans., who wrote us
under date of August 22 :

"Inclosed please find a few larvte, and if not asking too much will you be kind
enough to inform me to what order and family they belong? They have appeared
here for the first time, and do nodamage to crops just now. * * * Up to date they
j^re feeding on purslane and nothing else, and the oldest and largest ones are com-
mencing to go into the ground. To all apjiearances they are going to stay with us,
and for that reason I would like to know if they are liable to attack growing corn
next spring or no . They are here in very large numbers and some alarm is felt as to
-what they will feed on next spring. * * *

We reared a number of adults in 1887,
and had intended publishing an account
of the insect that year, but Prof. E. A.
Popenoe, of Manhattan, Kans., who had
the advantage of being actually on the
ground, published so good an article in
the Kansas Industrialist for October 1,
illustrated by figures drawn by Mr. C. L. Maiiatt, that the immediate
necessity was overcome, especially as Professor Popenoe's paper was
quite widely quoted. The facts, however, should be put upon more per-
manent record and hence this note. The accompanying figures of larva
and moth were engraved several years ago, while the figures of the Qgg,
pupa, and cocoon are copied from Mr. Marlatt's figures.

Fig. 17.— Copidryas gloveki. Newly-
hatched larva, greatly enlarged.

105

Fig. 18.— C0PIDUYA8
GLOVERi. Cocoon
inclosing pupa,
natural size.

Tlie following facts couceruino- the life history of the species are cou-
deusetl from our owu notes and Prof. Popenoe's paper :
The eggs (fig. 16) are laid on the under side of the purs-
lane leaf, either singly or in clusters of from two to five.
The larva hatches in two or three days (fig. 17 young
larva), and is at first light green or yellowish green with
darker shading across the middle of the body. In eight
or nine days it attains full growth after having passed
through four molts. The full-grown larva (fig. 20, 6) is
light gray or dull white with black dashes on the sides
of each segment, and with the shadings of salmon i^iuk.
The full-grown larvae enter the ground for pupation,
excavating, a tubular burrow in the surface soil, gum-
ming the lining and closing the opening with a thin layer
of particles of soil (tig. 18). The pupa is shown at fig.
19 with the head and anal extremities enlarged. The
insect remains in this state in the neighborhood of twelve days. The
moth is shown at fig. 20, a, and the colors of the front wings are brownish-
gray, with a creamy white streak, those of the hind
wings buff" with a blackish margin.

Four generations were traced by Professor Popeuoe,
but he does not report upon the method of hibernation.
Glover figures the female in his plate 85, fig. 34, and
states that it was the only specimen in a small col-
lection by Dr. Lincecum, of Texas. This formed the
type of the species, and the male was then unknown.
There is little danger that this insect will ever trans-
fer its atten-
tions to any
cultivated
crop, although the cultivated
Portulaca grandiflora may
suffer in the future. The in-
sect may be looked upon rather
as beneficial, in that it de
stroys the noxious "Pussley,^
the supposed evil qualities of
which Charles Dudley War-
ner has made so celebrated in
his "My Summer in a Gar-
den." Purslane is, however,
not looked upon by our West-
ern farmers as a particularly fk
noxious weed, and following
the locust ravages of 1875 it proved almost a godsend by its rapid de-
velopment and value both as food for hogs and as a green manure when
plowed under.

Fig. 19.— CopiDRYAs
GLOVERI. Pupa,witb
head and anal ex-
tremities enlarged.

CopiDRYAS GLOVERI. a, adult; 6, full-grown
larva, natural size (original).

106

The species vas originally described from the female (Tr. Am. Ent*
Soc. II, 185) uuder the geuus Eiiscirrhopterus. Subsequently Mr. Grote
{Can. Ent. VIII, 99) referred it to Copidryas, and described the male
from a specimen from Mr. Meske (now in our possession), separating
the form froQi the Cuban Euscirrhopterus freyi. Butler (Papilio I, 129)
compares the genus to ^Egocera, but adds nothing to the description.
Strecker (Lep. lihop. et Het., 1877, 132) describes the larva from a blown
specimen, and this is tbe first description of the larva made, though no
food-plant is given. Of the seven specimens before us (4 2 9,3$ S )
the males are uniformally smaller, and have the clypeal projection
smaller and narrower, and covered with whitish, intermixed with a few
blackish, scales, whereas in the female these scales are black. A second
and less important character of the male is the tendency in the outer
discal spot of primaries iuferiorly to elongate and become double. The
colorational differences mentioned by Grote have no sexual value.

FURTHER CONCERNING EXTERNAL SPIDER PARASITES.

By L. O. Howard.

Fig. 2i.— a, Polysphincta dictyn.e, adult; 6, Linyphia communis with its parasitic larva— enlarged

(original).

After reading my note on this subject in the August number of Insect
Life (p. 42), Mr. J. H. Emerton, of Cambridge, wrote me that he had
sent me, among other hymenopterous parasites of spiders, several simi-
lar larvie, and that he found such instances almost every year.

Upon looking over Mr. Emerton's material, which I had not previously
carefully examined, I found five small spiders, four of which supported
externally upon the dorsum of the abdomen parasitic larvfe and one a
delicate cocoon from which a parasitic larva had been taken. The
spiders seemed to be Linyphia communis, L. marginata, and a species of
Erigone.

107

In auother vial I was delighted to find an adult parasite, the cocoon
from which it had emerged, and the remains of the spider which had
supported it. Concerning this specimen, Mr. Emerton had made the
following note :

Fly raised from larva on young Dictyna volupis Keys. The remains of the spider
and the pupa cocoon are iu the vial. When found, May 15, 1887, the larva was about
half as long as the spider's abdomen and about oue-fourth as thick. It was attached
by the mouth on the front of the abdomen. By May 18 the spider had died and the
larva was full grown, larger than the spider had been, and had begun to spin a cocoon.
May 25 it changed to pupa and the fly came out June 1.

The adult parasite is a beautiful little Polysphincta 6 , and differs from
other described Eorth American species.

Polysphincta dictynae n. sp.

Male. — Length, 2.5""". Face obscurely carinate below insertion of antennae ; me-
sonotum shining, but with short, tine, and close pubescence ; metascutum with two
submediau longitudinal carinas extending parallel to the nucha when they diverge;
nucha smooth, circular, rest of metascutum faintly shagreened. First abdominal
segment with a well-marked smooth central longitudinal dorsal groove, sides of groove
concave ; venter of abdomen strongly concave ; wing veins all light brown ; no trace
of an areolet. Color : Vertex and occiput black, face lemon yellow ; antennal scape,
pedicel, and joints 1 and 2 of fuuicle yellow, rest of fuuicle brown ; mesothorax yel-
low with a large brown spot at front of scutum and one on each of the parapsides,
also one just anterior to scuto-scutellar furrow ; metathorax black ; all legs yellow;
abdomen honey-yellow below, segments 1, 6, and 7 brown above, remaining segments
yellow, each with a definitely limited brown patch which is diamond-shaped on joint
2 and triangular on 3, 4, and 5.

1 ^ , from Dictyna volupis ; J. H. Emerton, Cambridge, Mass.

The figures illustrating this note have been drawn by Miss Sullivan
from the material received from Mr. Emerton. Fig. 21, a, represents
the adult Polysphincta dictyme, and Fig. 21, b, an outline drawing of
Linyphia communis with a parasitic larva in situ. The larva figured is
full grown and is quite apt to be that of the Polysphincta. No attempt
has been made in this sketch to show more than the position which the
parasitic larva assumes on the spider.

REMARKS ON THE HESSIAN FLY.*

At the meeting of the American Philosophical Society, May 4, the
author called attention to some grave errors in the published minutes
of the earlier meetings of the society. The public, as well as the most
competent authors, had always believed that the Hessian Fly was in-
troduced during the Revolution by Hessian troops. Dr. H. A. Hagen,
of Cambridge, has argued against this belief. He has argued, further,
that the species was not imported from Europe. Professor Riley
showed that most of Hagen's arguments were weak and fell to the

* Abstract of a paper by C. V. Riley before the Society for the Promotion of Agri-
cultural Science, Cleveland, Ohio, August 21, 1888.
8274 2

108

groimd, except that based on the early aiinutes of the Philosophical
Society, which, as commimicated to him (Hageu) by oue of the secre-
taries, Mr. H. Phillips, jr., and as published, make meutiou of the Hes-
sian Fly in 1708, or before any Hessian troops landed. Professor Riley
announced that the statement of the secretary, as also the published
minutes, turn out to be absolutely erroneous on these points, as, upon
consulting the original records, he found no mention of Hessian Fly
l^rior to 1791. In all previous cases the Fly or ilie Fly in wheat, or the
Fly tveavil are the terms used, and it is susceptible of positive proof that
these terms referred to totally distinct insects, belonging to different
orders, and still called weevils, viz: Sitophilus granarius, ^S. oryz(c, and
Qelechia cerealella. Thus popular belief and tradition are vindicated,
but it is a most interesting illustration of grave and misleading error,
resulting from inaccuracy in what appear to be trifles, as the change
in the records was doubtless made inadvertently.
The following extract is from the letters to Dr. Hagen by Mr. Phillips:

At the request of Professor Lesley, I have examined our old mluutes in reference
to the Hessian Fly, and append on next page the results of my search. I know posi-
iivdy that before the Revolution our newspapers were full of communications in ref-
euce to the Hessian Fly eo nomine. I can not call to mind any one paper, but I remem-
ber perfectly frequently seeing these articles when reading for other purposes. I
can not find that the committee ever reported.

The following are the extracts from the minutes as furnished by Mr.
Phillips:

May 18, 1768.— Com. on Husbandry, to consider whether any method can be fallen
upon for preventing the damage done to wheat by the Hessian Fly. [N. B. — Mr. Du
Hamel has written on the subject.]

June '21, 1768.— Papers on the Hessian Fly read by Dr. Bond, ordered to be published.
[See No. 4, original papers.]

October 18, 1768.— Col. Landon Carter, Sabine Hill, Virginia, observations on the Fly
Weevil destructive to wheat; ordered to be published.

For purpose of comparison the following verbatim copy of the rec-
ords is here reproduced :

May 18, 1768. — It was recommended to the Committee of Husbandry, etc., to meet
on Tuesday, 31st of this mouth, at the college to consider whether any method can
be fallen on for preventing the damage done to wheat by what is called the hy. [N.
B. — Monsieur du Hamel has written on this subject.]

Jnne21, 1768. — The Committee for Husbandry report that they had considered ye
aftair of destroying the Fly in wheat, and that Dr. Bond had laid before them a paper
containing many useful observations on that subject, which Dr. Bond was requested
to read before ye Society. The Society having heard and approved of ye paper, re-
quest him to prepare it for ye press, that it may be communicated to ye public with-
out loss of time.

Novemher 15, 1768, — Colonel Lee transmitted to the Society the ingenious and accu-
rate observation of Col. Landon Carter, of Sabine Hall, in "Virginia, concerning the
Fly-iveavil that destroys the wheat. The Society acknowledge themselves under great
obligations to Colonel Carter for communication of the conclusions he has formed (ou
long experience) concerning that insect's propagation and progress, and the methods
to be used to prevent the destruction of the wheat by it, and order it to he printed
for the public benefit.

109

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

A Stomoxys Injuring Stock in Oregon.

What is the name of this liy ? It made its appearance here two or three years ago,
and this year pesters our horses fearfully. Is there any application to the hide or coat
of the horse that will keep them otf ?— [ J. H. Albert, Salem, Oregon, June 29, 1H88.

Reply. — * » * This fly proves to be a species of the genus Stomoxys, and
is so close to the Eastern species calcitrans, that I hardly care to separate them, espe-
cially as your specimen was flattened and broken. 5. calcitrans is a well-known bit-
ing fly in the United States, seldom entering houses just before or during a rain, and
its close resemblance to a common house-fly has given rise to the supposition that the
house-fly bites only in wet weather. The species are seldom abundant enough to cause
any injury to stock, although the present spring we have had accounts from Mary-
land and New Jersey of considerable annoyance caused to cattle by them. We have
found that fish-oil is the most admirable preparation to protect stock from the bites
of this fly and from the Buftalo Gnat. A reliable cori-espondent of ours states that
in the absence of fish-oil he uses tallow with sufficient pine tar added to make it stick
the hair together but not enough to make it cause the hair to fall off". — [July 10,1888.3

The Colorado Potato-beetle in Nova Scotia.

* * * I wish to make known to your Department the interesting (not to farmers)
fact that the Colorado potato-l)ug is now common in certain parts of Nova Scotia, in
which province it became introduced about six years ago.

In this particular locality I visited in fields two days ago and found it covered with
the young. Would you like specimens ? I should be happy to forward them. — [J. Mat-
thew Jones, Aylesford, Nova Scotia, July 14, 1888.

Reply. — * # « Your statement in regard to the Colorado Potato-beetle is
very interesting indeed as I believe we have no published record of this fact. We
have for some time wished to secure specimens of this insect from its extreme north-
ern range in order to make notes as to variation, andhaye also wished to receive notes
from some good observer as to the life history in such localities, including particularly
the number of broods, duration of the diflerent stages, etc. * * ^ —[July 24,
1888.]

1888 Damage by Chinch Bug in Missouri.

* * * In your favor of July 2 is the query, " Are the Chinch Bugs really doing
any damage in this vicinity, or have the rains killed them off?" They have and are
doing considerable damage, but the excessive rains of this season have checked their
multiplication considerably, I think, and also enabled the infested crops to make a
strong growth and better resist the pumping operations of the insects. I am afraid
yet as the weather gets drier and hotter that the maize and millet crops will be very
much damaged . I was horrified yesterday to see the bugs swarming around the roots
and stems of the grass in a timothy meadow. They were running back and forth
over the ground like excited auts when their nests are disturbed.

Since writing the above I have been through some fields of maize, oats, sorghum
cane, and millet, and the sight of the state of all these crops (though they were all
doing well two weeks ago) was enough to "make the heart sick." It is hard to say
■which of the above crops has 8uff"ered already the most, though sorghum cane has
been "cracked up " to be neatly bug-proof. The cause of all this quick devastation
is apparently through there having been seven or eight days of hot, dry weather,
which has enabled the bugs to " multiply and replenish the earth " and get in their
work.

On the ground, running in a restless, excited manner among the roots of all the crops
mentioned, the bugs are to be seen by thousands, as if they had been let loose on

110

the earth like a new Egyptian plague. They seem to be actuated by the same prin-
ciple as " She," in Haggard's novel, and intend to "Bhist" their way to success. If any
one wishes to live here by fanning the whole present system will have to be revised,
a complete change of crops will have to be made. Clover and a variety of root crops
will have to be grown. I did hope that by putting down most of our laud in timothy
meadows we might evade the bugs, but it seems now that they will damage timothy
as bad as any other of the grass family; especially so would it be if the cereals and
other grasses were not to be liad.

The Chiuch Bug is too prolihc aud omnivorous to be vanquished by any other
mothod than starvation.— [J. G. Barlow, Cadet, Mo., July 9, 1888.

A problematical remedy against the Asparagus Beetle.

Asparagus beetle. — Last year I had very great numbers of them on my field. In Oc-
tober, after several killing frosts, I foand hundreds of them on a few small plants
which had escaped. All summer I fought them with Paris green. Being frightened
by the great numbers seen as late as October, this spring I opened furrows on each
side of the rows aud placed a little more than half a ton ot tobacco stems in those
rows, closing them again with a plow. The two acres and one-third were disposed in
four beds of twelve each, with a road 10 feet wide between every two beds, leaving for
for the filth bed only five rows. There was no tobacco placed in the roads. Thisspring
I planted a row of asparagus in each road, as indicated by the larger dots. There
was also an asparagus seed-bed from which I planted another 3| acres with asparagus
this spring. No tobacco was placed on the seed-bed. The place where the seed-bed had
been is now a part of the new asparagus plantation. Several hundred plants which
were not needed were heeled in about 50 paces away from the former seed-bed ; most
of them were sold, but some, perhaps fifty, remained, The plants with which those
former roads were planted were, of course, taken from the seed-bed, where no tobacco
had been used. The only places attacked by beetles this summer are those four roads,
the space where the seed-bed had been, and the plants heeled in. Had I used tobacco
on the seed-bed I think my plantation would have been entirely free from the beetle.

I had used tobacco in former years against the cut-worms which ate ofi" the young
shoots of my grapevines, by surrounding each plant with stems, dug in, with entire
success. • * * — [G. A. Schmitt, P. O. box 156, Wellesley, Mass., July 11, 1888.

Increased ravages of Icerya in California.

During the latter part of last week and the early part of the present one I have
been out to Pasadena and down to Orange, helping two different parties to get their
fumigators in operation. The party at Orange told me that if he could not make a suc-
cess of the gas he would cut down his trees, and several other orange-growers have told
me the same thing in regard to their own trees. You have doubtless seen in the Pa-
cific Rural Press that Mr. A. S. Chapman has resigned his])osition on the State Board
of Horticulture, giving as his reason for so doing that the ravages of the Icerya had
forced him to abandon fruit-growing. He and his father own what was once one of
the finest orange and lemon groves in southern California, but is now almost worthless,
owin"' to the ravages of the scale insects. A few weeks ago his father, Mr. A. B.
Chapman, told me that he took what money his oranges and lemons brought him and
spent it in spraying his trees with one of the best caustic washes in use, aud as a re-
sult his trees were injured to such an extent that they will bear no fruit the present
vear, while the scale insects are about as numerous as before the spraying had been
done.

Several other growers in the San Gabriel Valley told me that they were seriously
thinking of abandoning their orange and lemon groves on account of the scale
insects. It is getting to be a very serious question in this part of the State. — [D. W.
Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal., September 1, 1888.

The Green-Striped Maple Worm.

» * * For four years uow our soft maples (Jcec ritftri/w) have been defoliated by
a disgusting worm, twice in a season ; and the vitality of the trees has been a good
deal weakened. A more systematic warfare has been waged against them this spring
than ever before, however, and the indications are that their numbers will be con-
siderably reduced. I inclose a local item of mine in relation to them, and also some
eggs. — [H. W. Young, publisher Star and Eansan, Independence, Kans., May 31,
1887.

Reply. * * * The eggs which you send are those of the moth of the Green-
striped Maple-worm {Anisota rubicunda). This insect is not treated in the pam-
phlet which I send you but was figured and described in Professor Riley's Fifth An-
nual Report on the Insects of Missouri. The newspaper clipping which you inclose
as clipped from the Star and Eansan of May 27 is very sensible, and the remedy which
is proposed is as good as anything which can be suggested. This hand-picking of
the eggs is tedious but satisfactory when done thoroughly, aud a spraying with Lon-
don purple is also good where the apparatus is easily obtained. In the Missouri re-
port just mentioned Dr. Riley recommends that a trench should be dug either around
an individual tree or around the grove or belt. The trench should be at least a foot
deep, with the outer wall slanting. Great numbers of the worms when about to
leave, the tree to transform will collect in this trench or bury themselves in the
bottom, and may there be easily killed. The trouble with this remedy is that it de-
stroys the worms after the damage has been done, but it will at the same time reduce
the numbers of the next generation.— [June 9, 1887.]

Wheat Saw-Flies.

The accompanying bottle, contains a grub — found on my wheat. Last year, just
before harvest, I found nearly one-half the stalksof wheat had lost their head, which
I found lying on the ground just beneath the stalk, uneaten, aud I could not imag-
ine what had done the mischief. This year I watched more closely ; I discovered this
fellow at work. Can you tell what he (or she) is ? — [John S. Gittings, Baltimore,
Md.. June 6, 1887.

Reply. — * # * The worm which is damaging your wheat is the larva of a Saw-
fly, which has become quite abundant in the last two years in Ohio, Indiana, Penn-
sylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, confining its attacks to wheat and
timothy grass. Up to two years ago none of these Saw-flies were known to possess
this habit in this country, but this species now bids fair to become quite a pest. The
life-history has not been fully made out as yet, and it will be very difficult to suggest
a remedy at this time. An agent of the division stationed in Indiana is devoting his
time to the study of insects aftecting wheat and other grains, aud he has been in-
structed to pay special attention to this insect. You will probably not be further
bothered with them this season, as the majority of them will go in the ground to pu-
pate within a few days. A topical remedy, applied to the worms in the field, is out
of the question on a large scale, and we can only hope to bring about a destruction
of the pupa or the adult insect. ' * *— [June 7, 1887.]

' « * I have this morning, as per request, placed in a tin box a few worms, with
food ; hope they will be received in better order. The fly to which you refer I noticed
in large numbers on the wheat some tw® weeks since. They were larger than the
common house-fly, aud I think a bluish appearance. I inclose in the box some heads
of wheat as I fiud them on the ground. They are working vigorously now. They do
not maliciously cut oft' the head ; it is for the purpose of the better opportunity to sap
the stem or eat the stem. They are vigorous feeders, and if their numbers were great
would destroy the entire crop ; they are evidently increasing; more numerous than last
year. They can cut a head of wheat off in twenty minutes. They then feed upou
the stem for a long time. My impression is each worm destroys at least two heads

112

each day, morning and evening. I do not agree with you as to the time of disappear-
ance. They will feed upon the wheat for several days yet. Last year they destroyed
wheat until the grain of wheat was well formed, say the middle of June. Hot suus,
warm, dry weather is not favorable to them. 1 sincerely hope we may be relieved from
so dangerous a pest, as this portion of Delaware is devoted largely to the growing of
wheat, myself and the two adjoining farms here growing 350 acres of wheat. — [H.
A. Newlaud, Middletown, Del., June 3, 1887.

Reply. — *^ * » The fresh larvse indicate that the species is identical with one
which we received last year from Indiana. We have an agent in the field at Lafay-
ette, in that State, who is devoting his entire attention to the subject of grain insects,
and yon can rest assured that this species will not be neglected. It promises, as you
say, to become a serious pest. — [June 4, 1887.]

Was it an Accident, or a Wily Milkman?

In the bottle that you will get with this you will find something that we got in the
milk this morning; the family were made sick lately, as we suppose, from drinking
milk, and I send you this in the interest of science in case it is something new to you,
as it is to me, and I would be obliged if you wouJd drop me a line stating what it is. —
fW.W. Ryan, 715 Eleventh street, northwest, Washington, D. C, June 30, 1885.

Reply. — * * * Your note of the 20th instant and the bottle of milk duly re-
ceived. An examination of the object in the milk showed it to be the pupa of a
small beetle surrounded by a little mass of apparently flour and curds. The species
proved to be Trogosita mauritanica which is found in flour and grain, and the infer-
ence is pietty plain that your milkman diluted his milk with some farinaceous ma-
terial. * * *— [July 1, 1885.]

Cranberry Gall-mites.

I send you by mail this day a package containing a lot of diseased cranberry vines
The disease seems to be a fungus growth, and seems likely to destroy the vines.
Will you be kind enough to have it examined and also inform me what it is, and any
remedy that may occur to you ? — [John H. Brakeley, Bordentown, N. J., July 12, 1887.

Reply. — # * * The small pinkish excrescences are the galls of a gall-mite of
the genus Phytoptus. These insects will be difficult to destroy as they can not be
reached at this season of the year by any application, as they are inclosed within the
galls. Do they appear to be wide-spread, or is the damage confined to acomparatively
few vines? If it can be determined when the mites first appear in the spring they
can then be destroyed by the use of a little sulphur, but we shall be unable to indicate
the proper time until the history of this particular species has been studied. So far
as we can find out at present it is something new. — [July 15, 1887.]

Second Letter.— * * * Asyet I have heard of these diseased vines appearing
ou only one bog. The disease has spread considerably there. I have advised the
proprietor to keep a look-out for a very small fly, which may betray itself by its
numbers.

Rb;ply. — * * * "It will be a waste of time for the proprietor of the cranberry
bog whicb you mention to ' keep on the lookout for a very small fly which may be-
tray itself by its numbers,' as the producer of the gall sent by you, with your pre-
vious communication, isnot asmall fly, but a true Mite. If the disease of the leaves has
appeared only upon one bog, of course a very satisfactory way of getting rid of the
pest, for some time to come, will consist in picking the leaves from the entire bog and
destroying them by fire. Your association and the proprietor of the bog can best
determine upon the desirability of going to this expense, but it seems to me it will
pay you to assist him in this matter. It is possible also that by carefully watching
the leaves aud ascertainiug when the galls begin to crack and the adult insects to
issue, a long flooding of the bog will result in the destruction of a great number of
the Mites. "—[July li>, 1887.]

113

Notes on the Chinch Bug in Minnesota.

I have just returned from a rather extensive trip through our southern counties,
chiefly to study the Chinch Bugs. There will he hut little trouhle in 1889, as a very
large percentage of these insects has heen killed by a fungus {EntomopMliora). The
same disease appeared early in August upon our experimental plots. It started from
some holes dug along a low hoard fence made for the purpose of collecting and killing
the bugs ; thence it spread to iields with oats and wheat. These fields had a very
dense growth of youug red clover growing upon them as well, which shaded the
ground thoroughly and kept it moist. In a week the disease had spread over the
whole farm, aud would have killed all the Chinch Bugs if the prevailing moist con-
ditions had continued for some time. But it became very hot and dry, and in the
course of a few days the disease came to a sudden halt, excepting in very low or well-
shaded fields. As soon as the disease appeared I collected large numbers of the dis-
eased insects, and mailed them to various parts of the State infested by Chinch Bugs.
My last trip was made to investigate the eflects of this experiment. I found the
Chinch Bugs nearly exterminated wherever the disease has artificially been introduced.
But the disease bas also been at work quite a distance from these centers of introduc-
tion, and consequently I am in doubt whether I re-introduced the disease or not. This
"but" is quite a bore, aud it is now impossible to fathom the truth. If possible I
shall keep on experimenting with the various fungi destroying insects, and think of
starting, next year, a " cholera farm" iu this locality, providing the health commis-
sioners allow it. — [Otto Lugger, University of Minnesota, September 10, 1888.

Epidemic diseases of the Chinch Bug in Illinois.

We are in the thick of work — botanical, entomological, and experimental — on the
two chinch-bug diseases which I reported in 1882, both of which are now wide-spread
and destructive in southern Illinois. The Entomopbthora (12th report, page 53)
sprinkles the ground so thickly in some fields with the dead bugs that it makes one
think of a flurry of snow ; and the bacterial Aft'ection seems to be even more destruc-
tive, although less conspicuously so. If it comes in the way of any of your people
to send me some living bugs from a region where their numbers are not evidently
diminishing, I would be glad to have them for experimental use. — [S. A. Forbes,
Champaign, Ills.

STEPS TOWARDS A REVISION OF CHAMBERS'S INDEX, WITH NOTES
AND DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES.

By Lord Walsingham.

1 Continued from page 84. j

BUTALIS.

By the addition of the four new species uow described, the representatives of this
genus known iu the United States and Canada are raised to the number 13: these
include the unicolorous, mottled, and streaked terms known in Europe, but at pres-
ent no species allied to the spotted B. flahella Led. has been met with. The only two
American species with which I am personally unacquainted are the pale 'white " or
" whitish" B. planipenneila Chamh. and B. albipennella Chamb.

Butalis impositella Z.

=Gelechia monstrateUa Wlk.
=Butalis matiitella Clem.

This synonymy is verified by reference to Zeller's type, Walker's type, and Clemens'
type.

114

Chambers writes (Bull. U. S. G. G. Surv., IV, 93) that, having bred a large series
of matuteUa Clem., he finds its range of variation includes the forms described by
himself as dorsipaUideUa, brevistriga, and immacalatelta.

We shall therefore be probably safe in considering these names as synonyms for
one species of which matutella Clem, is the type, but this yields priority to impositella
Z. I am unable to accept Chambers' further suggestion that trivinctella Z. should
be also included here. The only two specimens I have of this species show .i strongly
marked difference in the direction, although not in color, of the markings and appear
to represent a distinct type, but it should be easy to arrive at a correct conclusion by
repeating Chambers's experiments and breeding from the larvie which feed in a web
on the under side of the leaves of various species of Aster.

Butalis basilaris Z.

=z flavlfrontella Clem.

This synonymy, suggested by Staintou (Tin. N. Am., 40), is verified by comparison
of a true specimen oi flavifrontella Clem, with Zeller's type of basilaris.

Butalis suffusa sp. n.

Antenna;, mouse-gray.

Palpi, mouse-gray, dusted with whitish.

Tongue, clothed at the base with whitish scales.

Head, mouse-gray, streaked with whitish scales on the face and at the sides.

Thorax, mouse-gray, sprinkled with whitish scales.

Fore-ivings, mouse-gray, sprinkled and sufi'used with whitish (in some cases over-
spreading nearly the whole wing-surface), the scales are narrow andelougate, re-
calling to mind those of Butalis pilosella Z., cilia mouse-gray, with a faint
brownish tinge.

Hind-wings and cilia, brownish gray.

Abdomen, mouse-gray, specked with whitish; lateral claspers with a broad, rnnnded,
central projecting end; a rounded, shorter excrescence on the upper side; and
a somewhat acute pointed process beneath, which leaves the main stem consid-
erably before its hinder margin ; in this respect differing from Butalis ochristriata.

Exp. al., 10-12"™.

Habitat, Mount Shasta, Siskiyou County, Cal.

Type, $, Mus. JVlsm.

I took 6 males in August, 1871.

Butalis perspicillella sp. n.

Palpi, white at the base and all along their upper side ; the end of the second joint
and the whole of the third joint smeared with brownish fuscous bel)w.

Head, brownish-fuscous in front, margined above and at the sides with white, which
extends around the eyes and on the outer side of the basal joint of the antennae.

Thorax, whitish-ocherous, tinged and smeared with brownish-fuscous, the center
above having a purplish iridescent tinge.

Fore-wings, whitish-ocherous, tinged and smeared with brownish-fuscous; having
two short brownish, fuscous streaks, the first adjacent to, but below, the fold on
the basal third of the wing ; the second on the fold scarcely beyond the mid-
dle of the wing ; above the fold is another short streak, lying nearer to the first
than to the second of these already mentioned ; towards the apex is a slight fus-
cous shade preceded by a small spot of the same color; cilia brownish-fuscous.

Hind-wings, iridescent purplish-fuscous, coarsely scaled; cilia brownish-fuscous.

Abdomen, iridescent purplish-fuscous above; the lateral appendages on the ultimate
segment whitish ocherous.

Exp. rt?.,10"»".

Habitat, California.

Type, Riley Coll. [U. S. N. M.], No. 166, labeled " Folsom 15, 4, 85, California."

115

Butalis aterrimella Wlk.

Gelechia aterrimella Wlk.
The followiug is a description taken from fresli specimens, undoubtedly identical

with this species :

Antenna;, simple brownish-black.

Palpi, brownish-black.

Tongue, clothed at the base with brownish-fuscous scales. ■

Bead, face, and thorax, brownish-black.

Fore-wings, brownish-black, with a patch of scattered white scales on the middle of
the fold, and a few whitish scales beyond them, sparsely scattered towards the
apical portion of the wing ; these white scales appear to be very fugitive, and in
a worn specimen are almost entirely removed ; cilia, grayish-fuscous.

nind wings, brownish-fuscous.

Underside of fore and hind wings, brownish-fuscous.

Abdomen, brownish-fuscous, with a few ocherous scales about the ultimate segment
in the male.

Legs, brown-black.

Exj}. at., $ W-"!", 9 13"^"^

Habitat, St. Martin's Falls, Albany River, Hudson Bay ; Orono, Me. ; Mount Shasta,
Siskiyou County, Cal.

Type, $ , B. M.

Both sexes received from Professor Fernald, taken at Orono ; I have also a single,
male, which I took on Mount Shasta in August, 1871.

Butalis ochristriata sp. n.

Antenna', brownish-gray.

Palpi, whitish, widely barred across the outside of the second joint, at its upper end,
with brown-gray, and sprinkled with the same color along the under side of the
apical joint.

Tongue, clothed with whitish scales at the base.

Head, mouse-gray, fading to whitish laterally around the eyes.

Thorax, mouse-gray, paler at the sides and on the patagia.

Fore-wings, mouse-gray, sprinkled with long whitish scales on the outer half of the
extreme margin, and all over the apical portion of the wing to the base of the
dorsal cilia; abroad whitish-ocherous streak starts from the middle of the base
and follows the line of the fold, to beyond the commencement of the dorsal cilia,
fading into the ground-color on the middle of the wing above them ; cilia brown-
ish-gray.

Hind-wings, brownish ; cilia brownish-gray.

Abdomen, mouse-gray ; ^ with the lateral claspers bulged above at their outer extremi-
ties, and prolonged at their lower angle into slender points, tending obliquely
downwards, and about equal in length to the posterior margin of the claspers
themselves ; in this respect as in its coloring this species differs from its nu-
merous allies.

Legs, whitish-gray.

Exp. al., 11"^'™.

Habitat, Sheep Rock, Siskiyou County, Cal.

Typ^ $y Mus. JVlsm.

Described from two males taken in August, 1871.

Var. A. — In some specimens the mouse- gray ground color of the fore- wing is re-
placed by brownish-fuscous or purplish -fuscous; the light scaling on the costa and

apical portion of the wing being obsolete, and the hind-wings assume an almost pur-
plish tinge.

Habitat, Mendocino County, Cal. A single female taken on May 24, 1871 ; Siskiyou
County, Cal., seven males, August, 1871.

116

Types, $ 9, Mus. Whin.

Var. B. — Another variety has brownish-gray fore-wings, the whitish-ucherous stripe
being entirely, or almost entirely, obliterated, a number of scattered dull whitish-
ocherous scales giving a mottled appearance to the almost uuicolorous fore-wings.
Some specimens of this variety are very small, their expanse reaching only 9"^"".
Habitat, Shasta County and Siskiyou County, Cal.
Tapes, S 9 , Mm. Wlsm. ■

Described from nine males and five females taken in July and August, 1871.

I should certainly have regarded these three forms as specifically distinct had it not
been for a careful examination of the genital appendages, which appear to be pre-
cisely similar. Moreover, my specimens of all the forms were taken at approximately
the same time and place.

Butalis albilineata sp. u.

Antenme, brownish-fuscous.

Palpi, white, dusted with brownish-fuscous, especially on the outer side.
Head, brownish-fuscous, with some whitish scales on the face and about the eyes.
Thorax, brownish-fuscous, touched with white on the patagia.

Fore-wings, brownish-fuscous, with a strong white lino of even width running from
the middle of the base to the apical margin below the apex ; the extreme costa
very narrowly whitish beyond the middle ; cilia brownish-fuscous with a few
white scales along the costa and beneath the apex.
Hind- wings and cilia, $ dark purplish-fuscous ; 9 brownish-fuscous.
Abdomen, brownish-fuscous above, white beneath.

Legs, brownish-fuscous, with a good deal of white about the tarsi and on the under-
side.
Exp. al., 10"!"^
Habitat, Arizona.
Types, $ <i,Mus. Wlsm.
One male and two females received from the late H. K. Morrison.
This species approaches very closely the European B. schleichiella Z.

Arotrura, gen. n.

l"af)OTpov = plow, oupa' = tail.]

TjTpe Arotrura eburnea Wlsm. $ 9-

Fig. 22.— AuoTUUKA eburnea Wlsm. Neuration and uncus, a, Anterior wing; &, posterior wing-
enlarged (original).

Antennce, simple throughout ; basal joint flattened, elongate.

Labial palpi, \ioTvect, slightly recurved; basal joint clothed with closely appressed.
scales ; apical joint two-thirds as long as the second, tapering, but somewhat stout.

117

Maxillary palpi, very short aud inconspicuous.

Tongue, very long, clothed with scales only at the extreme base.

Ocelli, absent.

Head, smooth.

Fore-wings, elongate, sharply lanceolate, the costa slightly bulged before the middle ,*

11 veins ; 3 and 4 from a common stem ; 7 and 8 from a common stem, the lower

branch running to the ai)ex, the upper to the costa.
Sivd-wings, elongate-lanceolate, sharply pointed, the costa arched before the middle,

the abdominal margin somewhat widened and depressed.
Abdomen, genital segments of <y largely developed; the uncus and lateral claspers

tapering posteriorly ; the points, slightly upturned, extendiug three-sevenths of

the whole length of the abdomen ; the ovipositor of the $ extruded.

Arotrura eburnea, sp. n.

Anienncp, ivory-white ; basal joint elongate, flattened at the base, and slightly

arched .
Paq)i, ivory-white ; clothed Avith appressed scales, which are somewhat dilated down-
wards on the basal joint only ; apical joint about two-thirds the length of the
second, somewhat less stout, but by no meaus slender.
Tongue, very long, clothed at the base with ivory-white scales ; beyond, naked>

light yellowish-brown.
Head, face, and thorax, smooth ivory-white.

Fore-tvings, elongate, sharply lanceolate, ivory-white; cilia, ivory-white.
Hind-wings, pale grayish-fawn ; cilia pale fawn at their base, fading outwardly into

fawn-white.
Under side of fore and hind tcings, tinged with grayish-fuscous in the ^, tending to

pale fawn color in the $ .
Abdomen, ivory-white; somewhat ochreous beneath; ^ , uncus single, very long
wide at the base, but somewhat laterally compressed above, having a narrow
stalk immediately beyond the base, whence it is lattrally compressed, down-
wardly dilated, and tapering posteriorly to a narrow and slightly upturned
gouge-shaped point ; lateral claspers rounded externally, with an angulated pro-
jection at about the middle of the upper edge, whence they taper posteriorly to
a narrow, slightly upturned obtuse point, reaching as far as the end of the uncus;
within these claspers, and projectingslightly beyond the angle at the middle of the
upper edge, are two spatuhite appendages, or supplementary claspers, fringed,
with hairs along their edges and about their surface. 9 with the ovipositor
strongly exserted, flattened at the base, and fringed at the extremity with simi-
lar hairs to those found on the supplementary claspers of the male.
Ejp. al., 20™'".
Habitat, Arizona.
Types, i 2 , Mas. Wlsm.

Two males and one female received from the late H. K. Mon ison.
Without a careful examination of the neuration and genital segments this species
would undoubtedly have been regarded as a Butalis, for although somewhat larger
than the ordinary forms of this genus ; it has almost exactly the shape of wings and
general appearance which distinguish it. The fore and hind wings are, however,
somewhat narrower towards the apex.

{To be continued.)

118

GENEKAL NOTES.

SYNONYMY OF THE MEALY BUG OF THE ORANGE.

la 1880 Prof. J. H. Comstouk described the common Mealy Bug-
found on Orange trees in Florida as Dnctyloinus destructor* and by
this name it has since been generally known in this country. The same
species is stated by Professor Comstock to be common in northern green-
houses upon a variety of plants.

In the Florida Dispatch for June 25, 1888, Mr. W. H. Ashmead an-
nounces that D. destructor Comstock is synonymous with Lecanium
phyllococcus, described by him in the Canadian Entomologist for August
1879 (Vol. XI, No. 8, p. 160), and that the species should therefore be
known as Dactyloi)im i^hiillococcus (Ashm.).

There is little doubt, however, that this species is identical with
the Coccus citri of Boisduval (see Boisduval, Entomologie Horticole,
1867, p. 348, fig. 48), as described at length by Signoret in the Ann.
Soc. Ent. France, 1875, page 312, and as figured upon Plate XIV, fig-
ures 2, 2"^, and 2^ of the same volume, under the name Dactylopius citri
(Boisd.). This conclusion is arrived at by Penzig in his Studi Botanici
sulle Agrumi e sulle Piante affini, Rome, 1887, p. 530, after a careful
comparison of Comstock's descriptions and figures with the European
insect; and there is at present no reason why this conclusion should
not be adopted in this country.

D. citri is said by Penzig to be one of the worst of the Orange ene.
mies in Italy, both from the damage caused hy its punctures and from
the abundance of the smut fungi — Mellola and Cladosporium — by which
its attacks are followed.

ENTOMOLOGY IN CHILL

Prof. Frederico Philippi lately favored us with copy of his "Catalog©
de los Coleopteros de Chile" (reprinted from the Auales de la Universi-
dad de Chile, Vol. LXXI, 1887). Since the publication of Vols. IV and
V (1S49-'51) of the " Historia flsica i politica de Chile " by Claudio Gay,
this is the first attempt at collating the Coleopterous fauna of that coun-
try. In Gay's "Historia" the Coleoptera known from Chili amounted
to 345 genera with 891 species, whereas Prof. Philippi is now able to
enumerate 686 genera with 2,247 species. This is undoubtedly a large
increase, but the whole number evidently represents only the smaller
portion of the Coleoptera actually occurring in Chili, which is so diver-
sified in regard to climatic and geological conditions. From the nature
of the conditions it is apparent that the Chilian fauna admits of but
little opportunity for comparison with the fauna of Xorth America.
Still, in perusing Philippi's catalogue we find that it contains 30 species
*Rept. Eut., Auu. Kept. Dept. Agr.aSdO, p. 342.

119

which occur also iu North America. By far the greater portion of these
are, however, species of geueral distribution occurring in almost every
part of the globe. Eliminating these, the following true American spe.
cies are common to the faunas of the United States and Chili: Tetracha
Carolina, Bidessus affinis, Laccophilus americanus, L. proximus, Gyrinus
parens, Tropisternus glaher, T. lateralis, Lathrobium dimidiatum, Atw-
nius gracilis, Bruchus scufellaris, Megilla maculata, Eriopis connexa.

Besides this work on Coleoptera, we have a Catalogue of the Chilian
Lepidoi)tera, by Mr, William Bartlett Calvert, published at Santiago de
Chile in 1886, and which enumerates 89 species of Diurnals and 366 of
Heterocera; and a list of the Chilian Diptera by Dr. R. A. Philippi in
the Verh. K. K. Zool. Bot. Ges. in Wien, 1865, which of course is now
somewhat antiquated.

THE LARVA OF THE CLOVER STEM BORER, Languria Mozardi Latr.,

AS A GALL MAKER.

On September 5, 1888, while searching for galls on Solidago, which-
grows abundantly on the bluffs in the vicinity of La Fayette, Ind.,
we found a well-developed gall on a stock of wild lettuce {Lactuca can-
adensis, L.). This gall was opened carefully, and found to contain a
pupa, plainly Coleopterons, of a yellowish color, much enlarged ante-
riorly but more slender posteriorly. The gall was at once bound up, the
pupa having been replaced in its cavity exactly as found, and the whole
placed in a glass jar. On September 21, sixteen days after, an adult
of L. mozardi made its appearance in the jar, and an examination of
the gall revealed the cavity empty, and the avenue therefrom through
which the beetle had made its escape.

Prof. J. H. Comstock states in the report of the Commissioner of
Agriculture for the year
1879, p. 199, that the insect,
as a clover pest, pupates in
the lower part of the stem
in which the larva origi-
nated. We have ourself
found larvae not distin-
guishable from those of this
species burrowing in the
stems of timothy, where
they pass the winter in the
larval stage (see Eeport
Commissioner of Agricult-
ure, 1886, p. 574). The question involved seems to be, is the species
evolving to or from a gall maker ?— [F. M. Webster.

THE USE OF OSAGE-ORANGE AS A FOOD FOR SILK-WORMS.

Some three years ago the chamber of commerce of Lyons, France, es
tablished a silk laboratory, under the direction of Monsieur J. Dusu-

FiG. 23.— Langukia mozardi. a, egg ; 6, larva in clover stem ;
c, larva; d, pupa- e, adult (affer Comstock).

120

zean. Among the mauy objects of this work was that of collectiug
speciiueus of the cocoons of wild silk worms from all' portions of the
world, with a view to determining whether their silk might not be used
commercially to a greater extent. It was also desired to find some
wild species which might be successfully crossed with the Bonihyx niori
and lend new vigor to a species which has been weakened by centuries
of domestication.

At the same time some interest has been excited by the success at-
tained in this country through the use of osage-orange {Madura auran-
tiaca) in feeding silk-worms, and at the request of M. Dusnzeau, the
Division has furnished him with specimens of osage-raised cocoons. Of
them he writes :

These three varieties of cocoons are very regular, firm, and fine. I have recently
reeled 100 grams of each, and I will send you, a Uttle later, complete reports of the
three trials. I must say to you that the variety fed upon mulberry reeled excellently,
without the threads breaking ; those of the two varieties fed on maclura were a lit-
tle less satisfactory, breaking several times. But it will not be possible to draw an
exact conclusion from this trial, because the first lot is of unknown origin and can
not be compared with the second and third lots, themselves raised from eggs fur-
nished by difterent houses.

The request for the samples mentioned came too late for me to make
a selection proper for snch an experiment. This year a better selection
will be made and it is hoped that results of more value may be obtained.

In this connection M. Natalis Eondot, the celebrated French statis-
tician, writes :

I am anxious to settle this question of the raising of worms on the leaves of the
osage orange, as I am now doing in China, with the leaves of the Cudrania triloba.*

Before determining what advantage the silk raiser would derive in using the leaf
of the maclura, it will be necessary to know what is the quality of the silk drawn
from the cocoons of the worms nourished with this leaf. It will be necessary to ex-
amine the filament of these cocoons.

In this work the Division will give the French scientists all the as-
sistance in its power, and it may be that we shall be able to record im-
portant results at a later date. — [Philip Walker.

THE PEAR DIPLOSIS IN ENGLAND.

In our Annual Report for the year 1885 we gave a full account of this
insect, and from the mode of its occurrence we had good reason to be-
lieve that it was an importation from Europe and probably identical
with the Cecidomyia nigra (Meigeu) of Schmidberger and G. pyricoia of
Nordlinger. At that time no European specimens of the imago existed
in any collection, so that a direct comparison of the European and Ameri-
can species was out of the question. In 1885 Miss E. A. Ormerod (re-
port of observations of injurious insects for 1884) first called attention
to the existence of the Pear Midge in England, the pest being espe-

* The Cudrania triloba ia a bush of the Nettle family (Order Vrticacew). It is not
found in the United States.

121

daily bad iu Marie Louise pears. However, no imagos were obtained
until, iu 1887 and 1888, Messrs. R. H. Meade and Peter Incbbald suc-
ceeded in breeding the imagos. Mr. Meade carefully compared them
with our description, and finds the English insect absolutely identical
with the American form. He has recently published a very careful
and iudependent description of the imago, giving at the same time a
full account of the life-history of the insect as hitherto observed in Eng-
land.* In view of the uncertainty regarding the names given to the in-
sect by the older authors, viz: Cccidomyia nigra of Meigen andSchmid-
berger, and C. pyricola of Ncirdlinger, Mr. Meade proposes to drop these
names and to accept Diplosis pyrivora Eiley, which we had provision-
ally given and by which it can be identified with certainty.

THE ORCHID ISOSOMA AND A REMEDY FOR ITS INJURY.

Some years ago Professor Westwood described a phytophagous
species of the Chalcid genus Isosoma (J. orchidearum) which is injurious
to Orchid plants belonging to the genus Gatleya. These are ornamental
and highly-prized plants, the pride of owners of greenhouses, and the
injury by the Isosoma larvie infesting the stems and the leaves is very
annoying. M. Kiinckel d'Herculais announces (Ann. Soc. Ent. de
France, 1888, Bull., p. 23) that he, in connection with M. Gazaguaire,
is studying this Isosoma which has appeared in some greenhouses in
Paris, and that he is preparing a paper on the subject. M. Gazaguaire
proposes to kill the Isosoma larvje in their burrows by means of a tri-
angular dissecting pin. The larvae do not need to be extracted, and
the wound inflicted on the plants by this botanico-surgical operation is
insignificant.

The insect has been quite common in some of the Paris conserva-
tories lately, and in view of the skepticism which yet prevails among
some of the English entomologists as to its phytophagic nature, we
may add that from specimens submitted to us by Dr. L. Felix Henneguy
while we were iu Paris last October, we had an excellent opportunity
of rearing both sexes and of watching the larvae in all stages. We
repeatedly saw the larva feeding on the orchid substance, and the cavity
made is at first only just large enough to contain it and its vegetal
frass.— C. V. R.

FALSE REPORT OF PHYLLOXERA IN AUSTRALIA.

Australia has just recovered from a Phylloxera scare. The Adelaide
Garden and Field for July, 1888, states that rumors had been current for
a few days that the phylloxera had been discovered at a Mr. Hardy's
vineyard at McLaren Vale. The report arose from the fact that some
vine cuttings recently planted showed a peculiar enlargement of some

• Diplosis pyrivora Riley, the Pear-gnat, by R. H. Meade. The Entomologist, Vol.
XXI, No. 300, May, 1888, pp. 123-131.

122

of the rootlets. This proved on investigation to be a fungus disease
of the vine.

APROPOS TO HOT WATER AS AN INSECTICIDE.

Our esteemed New Zealand correspondent, Mr. R. Allan Wight, writ-
ing as to the use of hot water as an insecticide, tells a rather remarkable
story as follows:

An old lady of his acquaintance had a fine old grape-vine in her
garden which went over the wall and bore fruit in her neighbor's yard,
and she was spiteful euough to take the kettle off the fire and pour the
entire contents on the vine (she dared not cut it down, for both houses
were rented from the same landlord). She failed of her purpose, for the
vine was not injured in the least.

VALUE OF DEAD LOCUSTS AS MANURE.

In a letter to us some time ago Mr. J. Birkbeck Nevins, of Liverpool,
gave an analysis of dried locusts from observations made by Edward
Davis, F. C. S., President Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society,
as follows:

Without
wings.

WiDgs
developed.

Pliosphoric acid (P2 O5)

Tiibasic phosphate of lime.

Nitrogen

Ammonia

Per cent.
1.92

4.21
10. 14
12.31

Per cent.
1.89
4.13
10.64
12.92

This shows that these dried locusts are as rich in nitrogen as meat,
guano, or dry blood, and contain euough phosphoric acid to greatly in-
crease its value as a manure, which English authorities estimate at
about $25 per ton.

THE INSIDIOUS FLOWER BUG.

According to Garden and Forest for August 22, Triphleps insidiosus
has been doing considerable injury among some of the Chrysanthemum
collections near Boston this summer by piercing the euds of the shoots,
causing them to "go blind" and the leaves to curl up and wither. The
statement is made that pieces of cloth kept saturated with kerosene oil
bound around the ends of slender sticks and stuck in the ground
among the plants so that the saturated cloth is about on a level with
the ends of the shoots, seems to have the effect of driving away the
insects.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORE.

The following list embraces those now engaged in Government entomological work,
and who will assist in the management of the periodical, those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as contributors. The force of the Division of Entomology is
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permanent and temporary employes:

DIVISION OP ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist: C. V. Eiley.

Office Staf: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tyler
Townseud, W. B. Alwood, Assistants; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and
in charge of reeling experiments.

Field Agents : Saml. Henshaw, Boston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind; Herbert
Osborn, Ames, Iowa ; N. W. McLain, Hinsdale, 111. ; Mary E. Murtfeldt, Kirkwood,
Mo. ; Lawrence Brnuer, Lincoln, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal. ; Al-
bert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator : C. V. Eiley.
Assistant Curator : John B. Smith.

|^= For bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedient,
the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communica-
tions. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by refer-
ring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be accredited to "Insect Life," or,
where it is desired to give personal credit, to " Riley and Howard." While most of tht
correspondence of the Division is carried on by myself, yet much of it is also attended
to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge during my
absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work that only those
articles signed by either should be considered individual. — C. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OP ENTOMOLOGY.
PERIODICAL BULLETIN. NOVEMBER, 1888.

Vol. I. ISTo. 5.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PEINTINO OFFICE.

1888.

CONTENTS.

PaRO.

Special Notes 123

Some Recent Entomological Matters of International Concern.

(illustrated) C. V. Eiley.. 126

The Food- habits of the Thripid^ Herlert Oshorn . . 13?

Extracts from Correspondence 142

Danger to human Beings from use of Paris green. — The Clover Seed-midge
in Ohio.— Formula for a Buffalo Gnat Application. — The acid Secretion
of Notodonta concinna. — Out-of-door Hibernation of Lecanium hemisphwri-
cum in Pennsylvania.— The Introduction of Lestophonus icerya\—A
House infested with Psocida?.

Steps Toward a Revision of Chambers' Index, etc Lord Walsingham.. 145

General Notes 151

A recent British entomological Circular.— Two Suggestions to Students of
Entomology. — The Relation of Ants to the Corn Aphis. — Insects intro-
duced into Chili. — Remarkable Abundance of the Cecropia Silk-worm. —
The Clover-root Borer.— A Point in Favor of the English Sparrow. — The
Rear-horse domesticated. — A California Enemy to Walnuts. — Little
known Enemies of the Potato Plant in New York.— Prof. Forbes' In-
vestigation on the Food of Fresh-water Fishes. — The Hosts of a few
Larger Ichueumnoids.— The Entomological Society of Washington.

Vol. 1, Wo. 5.] INSECT LIFE. [November, 18§8.

SPECIAL NOTES.

Prof. A. J. Cook's latest bulletin * is devoted to a consideration of
experiments with insecticides and implements for tlieir application.
The larger portion of the bulletin refers to the treatment of apple
trees for Codling Moth and plum and cherry trees for Plum Curculio.
Professor Cook designed to show the relative effect on foliage from
repeated sprayings with London purple aud also the comparative im-
munity from injury of trees so treated. The data on which he con-
structs his table are so indistinct that it is difficult to form conclusions
concerning them. We gather, however, that where trees were treated
once the foliage was uninjured and few apples were perfected or ripened ;
where treated twice, foliage slightly injured and "much fruit" perfected;
where treated three times, foliage more injured (sometimes seriously)
and " much fruit" perfected. Tbe applications were made on the 6th,
12th, and 20th of June. The preparation used was 1 pound London
puride to 100 gallons of water. The check trees were crab-apples, one
of which bore few apples and the other bore heavily. He concluded
that " it is more and more patent that it pays remarkably well to spray
our apple trees."

In view of the extensive practical experience of orchardists for many
years now with the arsenites as a protection from the Apple- worm, ad-
ditional exijerimentation is hardly necessary on this point, as the value
of this lireventive method has become fully established, the only ques-
tion to be advantageously discussed in connection therewith being the
risk of poisoning, which, as experience and Professor Cook's experi-
ments in the past have shown, is reduced to a minimum, or may be
left out of account altogether where proper precautions are taken. It
is otherwise with these arsenites as a preventive for Curculio attack.
We have long felt that they might be used with benefit for this purpose,
and have recommended their trial, but from the nature of the case we
have anticipated less good than in the case of the Apple-worm, and
Professor Forbes' experiments and some unpublished experiments which
we have had made by Mr. Alwood confirm this view. Several plum and

* Agricultural College of Michigan, Department of Zoology and Entomology.
Bulletin 39. September, 1888.

123

124

cherry trees were treated by Professor Cook with London purple on the
same dates, with the result that good crops of perfect fruit were gath-
ered, '' while cherry and apple trees near by suftered seriously." Pro-
fessor Cook concludes that with plums, cherries, and apples, two or
three applications for the Curculio are of advantage.

He also discusses methods of applying liquids, mentioning favorably
the geared Victor Field force-pump, the Perfection hand-pump, Gould's
double-acting barrel-pump, the Whitman pump, and the Lewis pumps.
Some of these we could not indorse so favorably for such work, but
will withhold any remarks we might make for a forthcoming bulletin
on this subject. The subject of nozzles is mentioned, and in six words
he disposes of the Eiley or Cyclone nozzle as a comparative failure, an
experience which neither accords with our own nor with that of many
other horticulturists and entomologists both at home and abroad, and
makes one question whether Professor Cook uses it properly or in im-
proved forms. The Nixon nozzle and the Lowell graduating nozzle are
commended. All the illustrations are from trade circulars.

A number of remedies, aside from arsenical sjn^ays, are noticed.
Among these, carbolized lime and plaster for Curculio, applied dry, are
said to have been successful. Bisulphide of carbon was used very suc-
cessfully to destroy ants by making an opening down into the colony,
pouring in about half a gill of the liquid, and stopping up the opening
by packing in clay. We have had best success with it by igniting it
after covering the ground for about ten minutes with a damp blanket.

Mr. C. P. Gillette, the entomologist of the Iowa station, has two ar-
ticles in Bulletin No. 2 of the station,* received October 8, the one en-
titled "A few important Chinch Bug remedies," and the other "Arsenic
experiments."

Under his first head, Mr. Gillette considers plowing, burning, shading
the ground, and neat farming. Mr. Gillette has made some experiments
in plowing, and finds that when the bugs are buried to a depth of 7
inches they never come to the surface again. At 5 inches nearly all
are permanently interred, while at 3 inches they all emerge within
twenty-four hours. He advises, therefore, that the furrow should be
turned at least G inches deep, and that a jointer should be used on the
plow.

The subject of using soluble arsenic as an insecticide has again been
brought to public attention by several writers, and this probably sug-
gested Mr. Gillette's experiments. But we believe that its use does not
rest on a clear conception of what constitutes a practical insecticide.
The end sought in the use of arsenic is to destroy the insect with a
minimum amount used in the safest j)ossible manner to plant and ani-

* Iowa Agricultural College, Experiment Station. Bulletin 2, August, 1888.

125

mal life. So far as plant life is concerned, it is in neb preferable to nse
it in insolnble form, and nsed in tbis form we can not see tbat it is any
more apt to cause injury to stock.

A series of experiments directed towards tbe preparation of an arsen-
ite of less specific gravity tban Paris green, and not more insoluble
tban London purple, would in our estimation yield good results. Soluble
arsenic, because of its rapid absorption by the leaves of plants and con-
sequent caustic effects, is useful only in comparison with other prepara-
tions.

Mr. Gillette's conclusions from his experiments with arsenic are prac-
tically those reached by us as long ago as 1879, and as formulated in
Bulletin 3 of the Entomological Commission. He finds by experiment
that arsenic in theproportionofl pound to 400 gallons of water scorches
the tips and edges of the leaves of Apple. One pound to 800 gallons
damaged the leaves of Plum too badly to allow this strength to be rec-
ommended. One pound to 250 gallons scorched the leaves of Grape
badly. One pound to 400 burnt the leaves of P>ox Elder badly. One
pound to 500 burnt the leaves of Honey Locust badly. One pound to 800
scorched the leaves of Poplar badly. One pound to 500 destroyed one-
half of the surface of the leaves of Easpberry, etc. 'American Elms re-
sisted the best of any plant experimented upon, while Plum was most sus
ceptible. With the latter tree he found that in the proportion of 1 pound
to 1,200 gallons of water about half of the leaves were taken off and the
remainder were left looking sickly and somewhat burnt. He concludes
t'hat arsenic can not be used in solution stronger than 1 pound to 1,200
gallons of water, ami experiments show that apple leaves sprayed
with, tbis solution could be fed to the larvte of Datana ministra without
apparently affecting them. Tests made by the chemist of the station,
Prof. G. E. Patrick, show that the leaves unquestionably absorb a cer-
tain proportion of the arsenic. Mr. Gillette expresses himself more
strongly against the use of this poison thaa any one who has yet written
about it. He says, "It would be unwise in the extreme to recommend
the latter (arsenic), especially if it be in solution, for insecticidal pur-
poses."

Both the articles are timely, and we look forward with interest to the
results of JMr. Gillette's work. Both, however, are marred by very
abundant orthographical errors, probably the result of hasty proof-
reading.

Washington and other eastern cities have been exceptionally free
from the attacks of shade-tree pests the past summer, particularly from
the defoliators, such as the Elm Leaf-beetle and the Fall Web-worm. The
Web-worm has been exceptionally scarce in Washington, and only late
in September were a few webs of the second generation observed. The
Elm Leaf beetle, while rather more abundant, has been much less so than

126

usual, and this reminds us of an occurreuce which shows how careful
one must be in drawing conclusions from experiments to destroy in-
sects. Counting upon the ordinary appearance of the Elm Leaf-beetle,
we sprayed the trees in our garden with London purple early iu the
summer, and as no damage was done, we were quite of the opinion that
the spraying had been a success until, later, we noticed that uiisprayed
trees were quite free also. In the same way a gentleman came to us
toward the end of the season and informed us that he had completely
protected his trees, bj^ spraying the grass under them Mith Paris green,
his trees for the first time iu several years having retained the verdure
of their foliage.

SOME RECENT ENTOMOLOGICAL MATTERS OF INTERNATIONAL
CONCERN.*

Entomology is one of the most fascinating branches of natural history,
but its devotees find such a vast number of species to deal with (very
many yet unstudied) that their work is for the most part somewhat ex-
clusive and interests few but the specialist. In truth, though so impor-
tant in the economy of nature and in their relations to man, insects are
yet too often looked upon as rather unworthy his serious thought.

^Nevertheless there are many insects which possess general interest
by virtue of the manner in which they affect man directly or indirectly.
Among such may be mentioned species which prevail in several differ-
ent parts of the world, and the interest is enhanced if they affect man's
comfort and convenience, or are injurious to agriculture or horticulture.
It is my intention this evening to refer to three of the latter class, which
have lately become rather notorious.

In doing so I omit extended consideration of the methods that recent
investigation have shown to be most efiicient in eiiabliug the cultivator
to contend with and control these enemies to agriculture; for, though
this practical bearing of the subject is of immense importance to the
people concerned, I take it that noue of those in my hearing are prac-
tically interested.

THE ICERYA OR FLUTED SCALE.

The first is what I call the Icerya or Fluted Scale {Iceri/a purchasi
Maskell). It is one of our largest scale-insects (family Coccidce), and
has of late years done immense injury to the orange groves and to
many other trees and shrubs of southern California. The history of
the species is interesting, and jioints to Australia as its original home
and to its introduction from Australia to Kew Zealand, Cape Town,
South Africa, and California. Nothing was known or published upon

*Read by C. V. Riley before the Philosophical Society of Washiagton, D. C, March
31, 188H, and illustrated by diagrams.

127

the species prior to tbe seventh decade of this century, and it seems to
have first attracted attention almost simultaneously in Australia, Africa,

and America, all the evidence point-
ing to its introduction into Califor-
nia by the late George Gordon, of
Menlo Park, about the year 1868,
and probably from Australia on
Acacia latifolia.

The genus Icerya was founded by

Signoret, a French entomologist, in

1875, being based upon the single

species I. sacchari (Guerin). This

^5s», .^^^ species and the one that we are now

/^ ^\ dealing with are the only two spe-

/ .^^ ^ \ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ genus.

i i ^\ \ In my Annual Report as United

States Entomologist for 1886 1 have
given a very full characterization of
the species in all its stages, but the
only facts that I need draw atten-
tion to on this occasion are, first,
" That the female undergoes three
molts and the male two; i. e., each
has one more stage than had pre-
viously been recognized by ento-
mologists and observers ; secondly,
that it difiers from all other members of its family (Coccidw) in its ex-
tended powers of locomotion in most of its stages; in its extreme har-
diness or power of surviving for a given period without food, and in its

Fig. 24. Icerya pvrchasi, newly hatched female
larva — greatly enlarged (after Riley).

Fig. 25. Icerya purchasi, male larva, second
stage— greatly enlarged (after Eiley).

Fig. 2C. Icerya purchasi, a, female larva, second
stage— enlarged ; 6, antenna— still more en-
larged (after Riley).

128

polyphagous habit, or the ease with which it accommodates itself to so
great a variety of plants. These are the three characteristics which
most concern the practical man and which make it oue of the most dif-
ficult species to contend with.

^ ^^ ^ M^"^"^^-

riG. 27. Icerya purchasi, female larva, third
stage— enlarged (after Riley).

Fig. 28. Icerya purchasi, male pupa, ventral
view — enlarged (after Eiley).

'' A very long list of plants might be enumerated upon which this
insect is either found accidentally or upon which it can live more or
less successfully. But the list of plants, especially of trees, important
to us for their products, which are seriously affected by it is compara-

FiG. 29. Icerya purchasi, adult male, enlarged ; «, joint of antenna ; h, tip of tarsus ; c, wing pocket
and books, still more enlarged (after Riley).

129

tively limited, and will include the Acacia, Lime, Lemou, Orange,
Quince, Pomegranate, and Walnut. Some few other trees might be
added, and it is particularly partial to the Rose and the Nettle ; but it
is doubtful whether the species could permanently thrive and multiply
to an injurious extent on many other trees than those mentioned.

"All young scale insects are quite active when they first hatch, and
most ot them at this time are extremely small, and when very thick
upon a tree, instinctively, or at least very easily, dro[) from the termi-
nal twigs and branches. Their specific gravity at this time is so slight
that they are easily wafted with the wind in their descent. This general
truth a|)plies with equal force to the Icerya, which is readily carried
from tree to tree and Irom orchard to orchard by the agency of wind,
by running water, or by birds or other insects. Another local means
of transport not to be ignored is upon the clothing of persons engaged
in cultivating-, upon packages, and upon all implements used, whether
in cultivating or harvesting the crop. This particular species also has
quite a habit of crawling over the ground, and its local spread is very
materially enhanced thereby.

"It is carried long distances, however, chiefly by high winds, birds, and
commerce, and its introduction frf>m one continent to another has un-
doubtedly been effected by the latter method upon young trees or
cuttings."*

More light, however, is yet needed upon the question of the original
habitat of the species, and as the settlement of the question is imi)or-
tantin many respects I have during the past year been endeavoring to
get definite information upon the subject. Without going into techni-
cal details, which would not interest you, I may briefly state that the
question arose in my mind a year ago as to the probable identity of
Iceriia imrchasi and J. sacchari, which last came from the islands of Mau-
ritius and Bourbon, and which is injurious to Sugar-cane there. On the
supposition that the two described forms were specifically identical,
light is at once thrown upon its wide distribution. It occurred to me
that an insect which affected the sugar-cane could be easily transported
from the sugar-producing islands in the Indian Ocean to Australia,
South Africa, and California, either consecutively one from the other,
or to either or all directly, through the sugar trade, especially when it is
known that in many cases in packing the coarser sugars it is the custom
to put pieces of cane in the packages to facilitate drainage. I took some
pains, therefore, to first decide by an examination of sj^ecimens whether
purchasi was really distinct from sacchari or not, and this could only be
done conclusively by examination of the ty])es. My old friend. Dr. Sig-
noret, who is the leading French authority on the Coccidoe, was unfort-
unately very ill at his country home when I was in Paris, last October,
but he kindly sent his keys and permitted me to examine his collection

* From an address by the writer before the State Board of Horticulture at Eiver-
side, Cal., April?, 1887.

130

and to satisfy myself that saccJiari was really distinct from purchasi.
This fact, while not absolutely opposed to the idea of the origin of the
Fluted Scale from the islands of Bourbon and Mauritius, because both
species may occur there, tends, nevertheless, to confirm the prevailing
opinion, and that which I originally held, viz, that the native home of
the species is in Australia.

A limited number of natural enemies and parasites have already been
discovered upon it in California. They are as follows:

Among predaceous insects :
Chrysopa sp.

Hippodamia amhigua Lee.
Blastobasis icert/wella Eiley
Blapstinus hrevicollis Lee.
? Perimegaiomacylindricum Kirby, var.

angulare.
Largus succmctus.
Piesma cinerea Say.
Corizus hyalinus Fabr. •
PeritrecJius luniger Say.
Beosus sp. (probably new).
Lyciocoris sp. (probably new).
Piezostelhus sp. (probably new).

Among true parasites:

Isodromiis icerycc Howard.
Coccophagus n. sp.
EnUdon n. sp.
Alaptus iceryce n. sp.
T''oroii n. ap.
? Gonioziis u. sp.

In Mexico:
Phora sp.
Scymnus amabilis Lee.

In South Africa :

Rodolia icerycv Baly.

Now, as the number of these enemies (and particularly of the para-
sites) increases, the fruit-growers of California will get more and more
relief from the ravages of the Icerya ; but it is an interesting fact that
in Australia, which, as we have seen, is in all probability its native
country, thesj)ecies is not so injurious as it is with us, the reason being,
doubtless, tiiat it has natural enemies there which serve to keep it in
check, and which liave not been transported with it to the countries of
its intro<luction. Here we have a case where it would be eminently fit
to have these enemies in Australia especially studied and to attempt to
introduce them to California ; for the successful accomplishment of this
would, without doubt, result in immense benefit to the people of that
State. With most of the parasites this would be an easy matter from
the very manner in which they are known to affect the Icerya. In fact,
since I delivered an address upon this subject, last spring, at Riverside,
Cal., the people of that State have been alive to the importance of the
subject, and have in county and State conventions appealed by resolu-
tion to Congress to authorize the sending of a commission to Australia
for this purpose.

This is nature's method of checking the evil, and one which it were
wise for man to adopt. At the present time it is possible for the fruit-
growers of California to protect their fruit trees by vigilant means and
rather large expenditure of time and money, and where these are not
employed ruin stares the orange- grower in the face. The introduction
of the natural enemies which keep the species in check in its native
country would soon bring about a change in this country, and its intro-

131

duction would relieve the orange-grower of the necessity of so much ex-
penditure to bring about the same result. Just as we employ cats to
kill off mice and ferrets to kill rats, so in economic entomology it be-
hooves us to encourage the entomological enemies of our insect foes,
especially in cases like the present, where there is a feasible method
promising good lesults in the introduction.

THE HESSIAN FLY.

{Cecidomyia destructor Say.)

This is a fragile midge belonging to the Diptera and to the family
Cecidomyidfe, and you will get a very fair idea of its general color and
appearance by recalling the common mosquito. It is one of the insects
most destructive to Wheat, Rye, and Barley. At the present season it
is found in what is known as the flax-seed or puparium state. This is
the hardened larval skin inclosing the quiescent larva and ultimately
the pupa. These puparia are more or less hidden in the base of young
wheat plants and the perfect flies issue as soon as we get settled spring
weather, and in fact are issuing in southern latitudes at the x)resent
time. The sexes are easily distinguished by the simpler antenufe of
the female as compared with those of the male, by the more robust ab-
domen and extensile ovipositor. iShe deposits her eggs between the
ribs of the blades generally near the base; the young larvae hatching
therefrom suck the substance of the stalk and imbed themselves more
or less fully within it. There are two broods annually, and in southern
latitudes a tendency to a third one. Few insects have more often been
treated of or more fully written about than this, and an added inter-
est has lately been given to it because of its recent introduction into
England. The species has long been known to occur upon the conti-
nent of Europe and the prevailing belief has been that it was intro-
duced therefrom into the United States during the Eevolutionary war
by Hessian troops. It was first announced in England some two years
ago bj' Miss. E. A. Ormerod, consulting entomologist of the Royal Ag-
ricultural Society, and it has proved more or less injurious and rapidly
extended during the past two years, so that at the present time it is
found on most portions of the eastern coast extending up into Scotland.

In North America the species has constantly, since the first announce-
ment of its appearance on Long Island, spread farther and farther west
with the westward movement of the center of wheat culture, so that at
the present time it may be said to extend over nearly the whole wheat
area of the United States, except perhaps the extreme northwestern
and the southwestern limits, where the excessive dryness of the atmos-
phere, in the one case, and the excessive heat of summer, in the other,
have proved, so far, obstacles to its successful multiplication. For a
long time it was unknown on the Pacific coast, but during the past three
years it has been quite injurious in jiarts of California.

132

Now its advent in England, a century after it was brought to this
country, has caused a good deal of discussion, and while I was over there
last autumn I found that not only British agriculturists, but theBritish
public generally were intensely interested iu the subject and quite
agitated as to the prospects in the future.

Three points particularly interest the grain grower as well as scien-
tific men, viz, the date when the insect was actually imported into
England, the country it was introduced from, and the prospects from
its work iu the future.

I had occasion to consider all of these points at some length iu the
London, Times for Uctober 17 last, butiu this connection have time only
to say that as to the first point there is likely to be the same contro-
versy as there has been in reference to the periods of its importation
into America, and just as all the facts point to the latter event about
the time of the Kevolutionary war, so the evidence points conclusively
to its very recent advent into England. One of the strongest oppo-
nents of the view that the species.was imported into this country by
Hessians has been Dr. H. A. Hagen, of Cambridge, and though his
arguments have some weight from the historic side they are weak from
the biologic side, as they do not take into account the exceptional
tendency to belated or retarded development which the species exhibits
in the puparium state.

There was no way of definitely ascertaining from what country the
insect was really introduced into England, but by a study of the para-
sites which had so far been detected iu England. Hence I was urged
while there last year to examine such parasites as had been reared
there.

This material was submitted by Miss Ormerod, Professor Fream, Lord
Walsingham, Mr. O. E. Janson, Mr. Fred. Enock, Mr. F. M. Campbell,
and others who interested themselves iu the subject and were anxious
for determinations.

A study of these parasites enabled me to identify them as Platygas-
ter minutus Lind., SemioteUus nigripes Lind., Eupelmus karschii Lin<l.,
Merisiis intermedius Lind., Tetrastichus Rileyi Lind., Euryscapns saltator
Jjiuil., Dacnvsa senilis Hal.; and while the material that was placed
in my hands will require some little revision of a paper which I have
already published on the parasites of the species in America, yet they
are all essentially European and point unmistakably to the importation
to Engl and from the continent of Euro[)e. The negative evidence, so far
as it goes, confirms this, because statistics show that from 2 to 3 per
cent, of the straw imported into England comes from America, and the
importation has not been made through the chief ports of entry of
American vessels, such as Liverpool. In fact the species has not yet
been found in Ireland or on the western coast of England, being con-
fined, as already remarked, to the east coast.

In reference to the third point, viz, the future injury that is likely to

133

be (lone in Eugland, I may briefly state that on account of the cooler
summers and milder winters and the lateness at which wheat is sown
in England there is very little danger, in my judgment, of any such in-
jury as we suffer from here, or as the insect causes in portions of con-
tinental Europe. In fact it is very injurious only under conditions
where two annual generations are pretty uniformly produced, and I am
satisfied that in England, as a rule, only one generation will be pro-
duced.

THE HOP PLANT-LOUSE.

The next insect which I will say a few words about is the Hop Plant-
louse {Phorodon hionuli), of which we have been able to say for the first
time the past year that we now know positively its full life history. I
have for some years desired to settle a question that has been mooted
among entomologists, as also among hop-growers, viz, the mode of
hibernation of the species ; for while some
of the earliest writers upon aphidology have
believed, and even stated, that there was a
form of this insect that occurred in autumn
on the Damson in Europe, the statement has
been as confidently controverted and the
fact denied by some of the highest author-
ities in the family. Hop-growers as a class
have generally pooh-poohed the idea. Yet,
from my own experience with other species
of the family and with their singular life
history and migrations from one plant to
another, I had for some time felt convinced
Fm.3o. Phorodonhumidi. siem.mothev, thut Phorodo7i humuli also must have some

enlarged, head and antenna still more

enlarged (original). othcr wiutcr rcstiug placc than the hop vine,

Fig. 31. Phorodon humuli, first migrant from plam, third generation, enlarged; head at side still more
enlarged (original).

134

and after very careful and jjersistent investigation, in which I have had
the cooperation of several of my assistants, the question has been fully
and thoroughly settled.

The facts in the life history of this insect,
therefore, may be summed up as follows:
Hibernating at the present season of the
year, the little - glossy, black, ovoid eggs of
the species are found attached to the term-
inal twigs, and especially in the more or less
^ protected crevices around the buds, of dif-

/L^ _ ^\\ ferent varieties and species of Prunus, both

\ \ wild and cultivated. From this winter-egg

there hatches a stem-mother (Fig. 30), which
is characterized by being somewhat stouter,
with shorter legs and honey tubes than in
the individuals of any other generation.

Three parthenogenetic generations are
produced upon Prunus, the third becoming
winged (Fig. 31). This last is what my late friend Lichtenstein called
the pseudogyna or migrant, and it instinctively flies to the hop-plant,
which is entirely free from attack during the development of the three
generations upon Plum. A number of parthenogenetic generations are

32. Phorodmi humuli, true sexual
female, enlarged (original).

Fig. 33. Phorodmi humuli, male, enlarged (original).

produced upon the Hop until in autumn, and particularly during the
month of September winged females are again produced. This is the
pupifera of Lichtenstein or return migrant, and she instinctively re-
turns to the Plum. Here she at once settles and in the course of a
few days, according as the weather permits, produces some three or
more young. These are destined never to become winged and are true

skin of female which laid them— enlarged
(original)

135

sexual females (Fig. 32). Somewhat later, on the Hop, the true winged
male (Fig. 33), and the only male of the whole series, is developed, and
these males also congregate upon the Plum, on the leaves of which toward

the end of the season they may be
found pairing with the wingless fe-
males, which stock tlie twigs with
the winter eggs (Fig. 34). Such,
briefly, is the life history. Twelve
generations may be produced dur-
ing the year, but there is great ir-
regularity in the development of
these generations and the return

Fig. 34. Phorodon htirmdi, eggs and shriveled migrant from the Hop iS produCCd

at the the end of the season whether
from individuals of the fourth or
tifth generation, or of the twelfth. As I have remarked elsewhere*
"'each parthenogenetic female is capable of producing on an average
one hundred young (the stem-mother probably being more prolific), at
the rate of one to six, or an average of three per day, under favorable
conditions. Each generation begins to breed about the eighth day after
birth, so that the issue from a single individual easily runs up, in the
course of the summer, to trillions. The number of leaves (seven hun-
dred hills, each with two poles and two vines) to an acre of hops, as
grown in the United States, will not, on the average, much exceed a
million before the period of blooming or burning; so that the issue from
a single stem-mother may, under iavoring circumstances, blight hun-
dreds of acres in the course of two or three months.

" While meteorological conditions may materially affect the increase
and power for injury of the species, these are far more truly predeter-
mined and influenced by its natural enemies, many of which have been
studied and will be described.

" The slight colorational differences, as also the structural differences,
including the variation in the tubercles or cornicles on head and basal
joints of anteun*, whether upon Plum or Hop, are peculiarities of brood
and have no specific importance whatever.

" The exact knowledge thus gained simplifies the protection of the
hop plant from Phorodon attack. Preventive measures should consist
in destroying the insect on Plum in early spring where the cultivation
of this fruit is desired, and the extermination of the wild trees in the
woods wherever the hop interest is paramount ; also in avoiding the in-
troduction of the pest into new hop countries in the egg state upon
plum cuttings or scions. Direct treatment is simplified by the fact that
the careful grower is independent of slovenly neighbors, infection from
one hop yard to another not taking place."

The bearing of these facts will probably best be brought home to

* Paper read before the British Association, Manchester, September 2, 1H87.

136

you by the statement that bitberto hop-growers have been groping in
the dark and working to prevent injuries by appbcations to the soil.
In fact, the English hop growers have been led by their very best au-
thorities to waste their energies in this direction. The importance of
the matter will appear when I state that the hop crop, which is quite
an important one in some parts of this country, and especially impor-
tant in some parts of Europe, annually suffers from the ravages of this
its worst insect enemy, and some years is rendered a total failure by it.
Further, that some parts of this country, as the Pacific coast, are yet
free from it and that hop growers thereby being forewarned may pre-
vent its introduction from the East or irom Europe, as there is ver^' little
doubt in my mind but that the insect has been introduced from one
country to another in the egg state upon plum scions, as it may easily
be transported from place to place in this manner. I had the pleasure
during September and the early part of last October to finish up the
investigation and follow out the closing scenes in the life history of this
species in the county of Kent, England, while some of my assistants
were doing the same thing in Herkimer County, New York, and the facts
independently obtained correspond in a remarkable manner, thus con-
firming and strengthening the conclusion which I have indicated to you.

SUMMARY.

All three of the species which I have brought to your notice have
been imported to this country from other countries, and this is the case
with the vast majority of the worst weeds and insects of American
agriculture. I should naturally be led, in closing, to some considera-
tions growing out of this interesting fact; for it is noteworthy that such
introduced species often, and indeed as a rule, outstrip the native spe-
cies in the struggle for existence, and become abnormally destructive
to cultivated crops. In America and the other newer, but, geologically
speaking, older, parts of the world, as Australia, one reason for this
state of things is patent, viz, the fact that the natural enemies of the
species are, as a rule, not brought with it, so that it has much freer
play in its reproductive powers than it has in its native country where
such natural checks occur. But there are other just as potent facts
which tend to bring about the greater destructiveness of introduced
species in the countries mentioned, and one that has not been fully
realized has always struck me with much force. It is this, that most
of such species are introduced from Europe or the older civilizations
where, on evolutional grounds, it is natural to suppose that they are
the very species which have become accustomed to the civilized condi-
tions induced during so many centuries. In other words, the species
which most abound and have most successfully accommodated them-
selves to such artificial conditions, have, in the geologically brief period
of man's pre-eminence, acquired advantages over species which have

137

not been submitted to such environment. The former, when brought
into competition with the latter, nnder such conditions, rapidly out-
number them and get the upperhand.

THE FOOD HABITS OF THE THRIPID^.

By Herbert Osborn, Ames, Iowa.

In general the food habits of all the species in any circumscribed group
of animals will be found to agree quite closely, and any departure from
such unity of habit will furuish interesting, often important, subjects
of study.

In the Thripidce we have a small group of insects remarkably well
defined and agreeiug so closely iu structural characters that we would
expect in them very close uniformity in food habits. Nevertheless,
there has been wide difterence of opinion upon this point, some believing
them to be essentially herbivorous, while others have held for all, or
some, of the species a carnivorous diet.

In the Canadian Entomologist for 1883 (Vol. XV, p. 151), I have pre-
sented a brief resume of the American species, with some notes regard-
ing food habits. Since then I have made such observations as possible
and have also collected testimony from various sources, so that it seems
to me possible to present sufficient evidence to warrant a conclusion
approximating the truth.

Without repeating the substance of my paper iu the Canadian Ento-
mologist, I may state in brief the most important sources of evidence
there referred to.

Mr. Haliday, whose monograph of the European species has been the
foundation for all subsequent work, treats them as herbivorous, as does
also Westwood in the " Classification."

In this country Dr. Fitch, Dr. Packard, and Professor Comstock have
described species as injurious to plants.

Mr. Walsh held strongly to the belief that they were carnivorous, and
I will here state his arguments in full. In the proceedings of the En-
tomological Society of Philadelphia he says :

Ou June 8 I noticed a few imagos of a large Tlirip in some galls of P. carycefoliw
■wliicli were at that time full of their normal tenants ; ou June 22 I noticed in galls of
the same insect on the same trees many red pupje, apparently of the same Thrips,
which seems to have supplanted or exterminated the Phylloxerw, for almost every
gall contained six or seven Thripid pup^ and but very few Phylloxerw,

In the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia (Vol.
Ill, pp. 611-12), he says:

What is the cause of this phenomenon (the absence of larvse in Cecidomyian galls)

I can not say with certainty, but I suspect that the egg or the very young larvse of

the "gall-gnat" is to a great extent destroyed within the gall by being punctured

and sucked by some iusect foe ; and that that foe probably belongs to Thripidae.

10332— No. 5 2

138

Authors have hitherto always considered this remarkable family as vegetable-feed-
ing, but from many facts which I have observed, one of which I have recorded (Proc.
Eut. Soc. Phila., I, p. 310). I believe that they are generally, if not universally,
insectivorous, and that those that occur on the ears of wheat, both in the United
States and in Europe, are preying there upon the eggs or the larva? of the Wheat
Midge {Cec. tritici), and are consequently not the foes, as has been generally imagined,
but the friends of the farmer. In confirmation of these views, it may be remarked
that the very same species (Thrips cerealiuin), which has been stated by all European
authors to attack the ears of the wheat, was found by Vasali Eandi in Italy "to gnaw
the stems of the wheat above the knots and cause the abortion of the ear." (See
Westw., Intr., II, p. 4.) Is it probable that the same species should attack the same
plant in two such very different parts? I believe that the Italian Thrips were attack-
ing Hessian Flies (Cec. destructor') or some such wheat-destroying insects that inhabit
^' the stem above the knots," and that it was these last and not the Thrips that caused
the " abortion of the ear." The Thrips that were supposed to do so much damage in
Wisconsin, as related by Dr. Fitch (N. Y. Kep., I, p. 304), were said to attack both
the blossoms of the wheat and the blossoms of the clover. But it is not the genera-
habit of insects to prey at the same time upon two plants which are so widely dis.
tinct as wheat and clover — the one Monocotyledonous, the other Dicotyledonousl
Even the Polyphagous army worm refuses to eat clover.

Now, as already stated, I have myself noticed several Thrips in June both in
the larva and imago state on the Cecidomyidous gall *S'. anigma, and have raised the
larva to maturity in a breeding-jar in which there was nothing but that gall. More-
over, Dr. Fitch found his Phlaothrips carya' in hickory galls, which are mauifestly
either closely allied to or identical with the Cecidomyidous hickory gall Tnbicola O.
S., though he doubts whether these galls were produced by the Thrips or by some other
insect (N. Y. Rep. II, p. 127), and Osteu Sackeu observes of the galls of the Cecido-
myidous Lasioptera vitis O. S. that some of the galls' hollows are often abandoned
by their inmates and invaded by numerous Thrips. (Dipt. N. A., p. 201.)

lu Practical Entomologist, Vol. I, p. 21, he says :

I do not believe that the Thrips of entomologists are, as has hitherto been uni-
versally believed, vegetable feeders ; but tbat, on the contrary, they are cannibal
insects, preying upon injurious larva^, and therefore the friends and not the foes of
the agriculturist.

Still further in the Practical Entomologist, Vol. II. p. 50:
Naturalists hitherto had always supposed that these Thrips were vegetable
feeders and injurious to plants. In the Proceedings (Entom. Soc. Phil., Ill, pp. 611,
612) I suggested " that they are generally, if not universally, insectivorous, and that
those that occur on the ears of the wheat, both in the United States and in Europe,
are preying there upon the eggs or larva? of the Wheat Midge {DijyJosis tritici), and
are consequently not the foes, as has been generally imagined, but the friends of the
farmer. " At the conclusion of this passage I gave several reasons for my belief, and
I have since found Thrips preying upon the gall-making larva? of more than twenty
different galls, growing on different trees and other plants, so that there is now no
manner of doubt in my mind that Thrips is a true cannibal insect. The importance
of this discovery may be seen at once. The larva? of a minute Flea-beetle (HaUica)
often grieviously infests clover blossoms, feeding upon and destroying a large portion
of the seed. A Thrips occurs also sometimes in large numbers ou these blossoms.

Hitherto farmers, when they detected Thrips on their clover, had supposed that a
new enemy was invading it. Now, when they see the Thrips there, they may go to
bed and sleep comfortably, satisfied that the depredations of the real enemy are about
to be checked : and in the same way, whenever in wheat fields infested by the larvae
of the Wheat Midge (popularly known in the East as the "Milk Weevil" and in the
West as the "Red Weevil") Thrips are discovered in the ears of the infested grain,

139

the farmer may know that a friend has come to his rescue, and that the Great Author
of Nature is saying to the littls pest, through the mouth of the minute and almost
microscopic insect Avhich He has appointed to do His work, "Thus far shalt thou go,
but uo farther, and here shall this grievous plague of flies be stayed."

I may remark here that I have found a few Thrips hauutiug the leaf galls, which
have so abounded everywhere, in 1866, on the Clinton grape-vine, and which have
been named vitifoliw by Dr. Fitch. There can be but little doubt that they were prey-
ing here upon the minute bark-louse, which produces thisleaf-gall. I have also noticed
them to be very abundant in the flowers of the Bracted Bind- weed (Cahfstegia septum).
As a small plant-feeding beetle (the Conotehis ohscnrus of Erichson) also occurs in
great numbers in the same flowers, it is not improbable that the Thrips may feed
.upon its larv;B.

In speaking of the natural enemies of the, Phylloxera, Dr. Eiley says
(Mo. Kept., YI, pp. 50,51):

The most efficient is a black species of Fringe-wing or Thrips, with white wings —
Tliripa phylloxera- of my MS. The egg, which is thrice as large as that of the louse,
ellipsoidal, and with a facetted surface, is deposited within the gall among its legiti-
mate inhabitants, and the young Thrips, which differ from their parents not only in
lacking wings, but in being of a blood-red color, with only the extremities and the
members black, play havoc with the lice. They are active, supple creatures, and
turn up menacingly the posterior part of the body when disturbed. They are found
in several different kinds of Phylloxera galls, and do more than any other species to
keep the leaf-inhabiting grape Phylloxera within bounds.

Mr. Pergande, whose acquaintance with the Thripidje is very exten-
sive, writes in Psyche (III, p. 3G9) :

That many species of the Thrips are vegetable feeders in some of their stages has
long been well known, and I have seen numerous species on all kinds and all parts of
plants, and some of these Thrips I have seen in the act of feeding, but I have also ob-
served that not all species have entirely the same habit, and that some in one stage or
another are carnivorous. Especially have I noted this to be the case with a species
which is frequently found upon the leaves of Platauus and upon other plants which
are badly infested with Tetranychiis telariiis, upon the adults and young, and probably
also upon the eggs, of which these Thrips feed. It may also turn out that two or
three species which swarm in great numbers in the blossoms of clover, which are
usually full of the eggs and larva? of Cecidonujia leguminicola, are particularly car-
nivorous, and further observations may prove that they mainly search and feed upon
the Cecidomyia. I may also mention here that this year, as late as November 14, after
several quite cold days, I found for the first time Heliothrips hamorrhoidalis BouchS
on apple leaves in the orchard of the United States Department of Agriculture, as
lively and active as in hot-houses, where this species was only observed previously.
I may also mention the presence of Heliothrips dracauxe Heg. in the conservatory of the
Department of Agriculture, an insect which is reported as doing immense damao-e to
Draccenas in hot-houses in different parts of Europe.

In 188G Di. Karl Liudeman published results of his studies on the
Thrips in Eussia, and treats of five species as infesting various plants.

Thrips secalina Lindeman, a new species infesting and subsisting upon
grain and Timothy grass.

Phloeotlirips frumentaria Bel., in ears of corn, the larvre sucking its
food from the plant.

Chirothrips antennata Osborn, a species that was first discovered by

140

the writer in heads of Timothy grass in Iowa, and next recorded by
Liudeman as living on the same and other plants at Moscow.
Aptinothrips rufa Hal., he states to subsist upon grasses and compo-

sitiTB.

Phlceothrips armaia Lindemau, is a new species that lie describes as
affecting Anthemis tinctoria, Chrysanthemum leucanthejnum, and other
plants.

Professor Lintner included Limothrips {Thrips) tritici Fitch in his lists
of clover insects (Report of New York Agricultural Society for 1881-82,
p. 192), and also mentions a " Thrips sp." in the same connection.

In Prof. W. J. Beal's Grasses of North America, Professor Cook, in
chapter on insects, page 375, says of Thripidfe :

The past season I have found three species, one black, one light yellow, and one
bright red, all to be verj^ abundant on the clover blossoms, yet I could not see that
they were greatly injurious.

Further, page 40 L of same work, in regard to grass withering in sum-
mer :

This is more likely due to species of Thrips, three of which I have taken from the
culms.

Professor Cook also informs me that Professor Fernald has described
the attacks of one species on grass, but I have not the reference at hand ;
and also that he has dissected Thripidfe, and found their stomachs to
contain grains of pollen.

The species referred to as attacking grass may very likely be the
same as credited with destroying grass by Professor Comstock, and
given the manuscript name of Limothrips poaphagus.

Since presenting the statements in my paper published in 1883 1
have watched every season the work of the common species at Ames,
and especially in clover heads have noted the operations of thousands
of individuals. In all these observations I have not seen a single example
of Cecidomyia larva or anything to indicate attack upon these or any
other insects. On the contrary, as recorded in my report to Professor
Eiley for 1887 (Rep. Dep. Ag., 1887), I have seen the Thripida? fall a prey
to the Insidious Flower Bug {Thriphleps insidiosus). I feel pretty well
convinced, therefore, that whatever they may do when Cecidomyia larvi©
are present, they must be able to live without them, and it seems almost
certain that they subsist upon the tissues of the clover itself, since they
occur in all stages of development. I have also observed a species re-
sembling tntici in Wild Morning-glory blossoms, Fitch's Phlceothrips
mali on grape leaves, and what is presumably his Coleothrips trifasciata
(though my specimens dilier in certain characters given generic impor-
tance) on a common weed, and in none of these species have I seen
evidence of feeding upon anything but the plant or its secretions. Last
summer (1887) I collected an undescribed species from the leaves of hop
in Wisconsin. Individuals of various sizes, mostly larvte, being found
more or less clustered together on the leaves, and there seemed to be

141

scarcely an opportunity to doubt that they were subsisting upon the
plant. A species which agrees with P. nigra Osborn in every respect,
so far as I can see, but in larval and pupal characters, occurs commonly
on Mullein, and this species I have bred from egg to imago with no other
food than that received from the mullein leaf, the injury to the leaf
showing as yellow blotches, similar to those produced by Tetranychus
telarius. 1 can therefore state positively that this species can mature
upon purely vegetable diet. The leaves were kept in water in my office
under constant observation, and the Thrips developed to maturity on
the same leaves that the eggs were deposited upon by the adults.

The following summary of the species whose food habits have been
noted will show the state of our knowledge so far as the different species
are concerned and the records of which have come to my notice :

Phloeothrips mali Fitch, gouging iuto youug apples (Fitch).

Phlocothrips caryw Fitch, iu hickory galls, food ? (Fitch).

Phloeothrips nigra Osborn, lives in clover heads.

Phloeothrips sp. near nigra, feeding on leaves and blossoms of Mullein.

Phloeothrips frumentaria Bel., larvfe suck grain in the ear (Lindemau).

Phlreothrips armata Liudenian, aftectiug Compos) tie and Grasses (Lindeman).

Thrips tritici Fitch, injurious to wheat and clover (Fitch), attacking styles of apple

blossoms (Osborn), injuring strawberry (various writers).
Tlirips rerealium Hal., very destructive to wheat in Europe (Kirby, Curtis, et al.).
Thrips miiiutissimiis L., infests potato (Curtis).
Thrips ochraceous, destructive to melons, etc. (Westwood, Curtis).
Thrips striatus Osborn, " destroys onion plants " (Packard)."*
Thrips sp., very injurious to olive trees (Westwood).
Tlirips sp., living on leaves of hop.

Limothrips poaphagus Comstock MS., affecting grass (Comstock et al.).
Limothrips graminea Pergande MS., affects corn, wheat, and grass (Pergande, Forbes

in lit.).
Heliothrips hcemorrhoidalis Bouch^, injuriousin greenhouses and on apple.
Heliothrips dracwiue, H-jg., reported very destructive in hot-houses (Pergande).
Heliothrips adoniclum -dracaince. (?) infests greenhouse plants (Westwood).
Chirothrips antennata Osborn, iu timothy heads (Osborn), timothy, wheat, and rye

(Lindeman).
Aptinothrij>s rufa, subsisting upon Grass and Compositse (Lindeman).
Coleothrips trifasciata Fitch, injurious to wheat (Fitch, Packard).

The conclusion to be drawn from the evidence at hand seems to me as
follows :

That the Thripid.ne as a group are normally herbivorous, and their
presence on cultivated plants is a source of danger.

That they feed mainly on the exuded nectar or secretions of plants,
when these are abundant, and on pollen, and at such times may do little
or no damage.

That they will upon occasion attack the tissues of the leaves or the
essential parts of the blossom and pierce them for their contents, and
at such times may cause serious damage.

* Packard also mentions this species ;'Entom. for Beginners, p. 197) as injurious to
wheat, but I think it must be an error, and Thrips tritici intended instead.

142

That of the recorded species there are two at least which must be
looked upou as carnivorous, in certain stages at least. The species
here recorded by Mr. Walsh and Dr. Eiley as infesting Phylloxera galls,
and the one recorded by Mr. Pergaude as destroying Tetranychus.

The attacks of Thrips upon PhyJIoxet-fc seem explicable to me without
supposing them, as Mr. Walsh did, essentially carnivorous. For, sup-
posing that they first entered the gall to feed upon the exuded sap there,
or the soft tissues so available for their use, it would not be a great
change for them to feed upon the exudations from the lice, aud later, if
pressed for food, upou the lice themselves. This view may be errone-
ous, but it seems to me reasonable, though I have been unable to make
observations to confirm it, because in all the galls of Phylloxerce I have
examined I have not as yet found Thrips present. It seems to me that
we must consider the carnivorous diet, where present, as an acquired
habit, or one but receutly developed in the species, and that for all
species upon which no positive observations have been made that the
only safe ground to take is that they are a source of danger to culti-
vated plants; that is, to believe them injurious until they are proven
beneficial.

The difficulty of making positive observations on the food habits of
these minute creatures makes a general law regarding their habits very
desirable, and I hope that evidence may accumulate which will enable
us to determine still more certainly what is the actual relation which
these insects bear to other organisms.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

Danger to Human Beings from Use of Paris Green.

Thanks for Nos. 1 .and 2 of "Insect Life." Your publications are great public edu-
cators aud special aids to farmers. A more thorough knowledge of our friends aud
foes among insects aud birds would increase our farm products. We hope you may
tind-out iusecticides whicli are less dangerous to humanity than arsenic. Two cases
of serious illness, but not fatal, have occurred in our neighborhood — one from eating
strawberries planted alternately witb potatoes which had been dusted with Paris green,
aud the other from eating raspberries adjoining the potato patch, from which thepoison
had blown. We hope that Congress will make all necessary appropriations for the
carrying on of the good work. — [R. Bingham, Camden, N. J., September 22, 1888.

Reply. — * » * i am glad to get the account cf the two cases of poisoning from
the treatment of potatoes by Paris green, and agree with you that a less dangerous
remedy would be good. With proper care, however, there is very little danger, and
in both the instances which you mention the application was evidently very care-
lessly made. — [September 25, 1888.]

The Clover Seed-midge in Ohio.

Will you please tell me the name of the " worms'" that I send by the same mail
with this letter ? They were in the second crop of clover this season on my brother's
faim. He would cut enough of the clover in the morning to feed twelve cows at

14:^

night, and let it lie in the wagon all day, and when he took it out at night the wagon
box would be literally pink with them, they were so numerous. This was about the
middle of August. I was away from home at the time, but he put some of them in
a box to keep until I returned. I thought perhaps they were so well preserved you
could identify them. *■ * * Last year we had the Chiuch Kug, but I have only
seen a very few of them this year. — [Miss E. J. Phillips, Chagrin Falls, Cuyahoga
County, Ohio, September 21, 1888.

Reply. — * * * The insect which you send this time is a common Clover Seed-
Midge (Cecidomyia leguminicola Lintuer). This insect was first discovered by Prof. J.
A. Liutner in 1878 in New York State, but has since been found as far West as Wis-
consin and north into Canada and south into Northern Virginia, so it is not at all
strange tbat^it should occur in your vicinity. It is jiarticularly destructive to the
clover-seed crop, but does not injure the quality of the hay. The insect was treated
in the Annual Reports of this Department for 1878 and 1879 and also in Bulletin 12 of
this Division. A very satisfactory remedy consists in cutting the tirstcrop of clover
from two to three weeks before the ordinary time, thus allowing that generation of
the maggots no opportunity to mature. — [September 2'), 1888.]

Formula for a Buffalo Gnat Application.

As I planted on the Mississippi River many years ago, I think my experience with
Buft'alo Gnats may be useful to others, as I never lost by them.

In the fall I always caught a quantity of fish with a seine, and got a quantity of
oil from the oflfal. Early in the spring I put 5 pounds of roll sulphur in a large iron
pot, and when melted poured in 2 gallons of pine-tar, stirring and taking the pot from
the fire, and stirred in 5 gallons of fish oil until it was cool.

When the season came for gnats, each plowman was provided with a gourd con-
taining a pint or two, which he hung up at the end of his row, and was instructed
to examine the throat just behind the jaw, where they first attack. As soon as he
observed any gnats, he passed the alarm along the line, and every plowman smeared
the mixture over the nostrils, throat, and flanks of his animal. I protected my work-
oxen the same way. The stock cattle were protected by smoke, or by lying on the
sand-bars left by the river. I always had everything ready for the gnats, and as I
protected my animals instantly I never had any animals injured by them. — [P. H.
Skipwith, Oxford, Miss., August 30, 1887.

The Acid Secretion of Notodonta Concinna.

In rearing a brood of caterpillars, figured in Harris' work as "Red Hump" {Xoto-
donta concinna), I discovered that they had the power to emit quite a quantity of
strong hydrochloric acid, strong enough to be decidedly corrosive to the skin and
easily perceptible in the atmosphere. This act was often performed when suddenly
disturbed, and was noticed only in the older ones, though it might have been present
when yuunger, but, if so, was unnoticed. As I find no mention of this power in any
of the works at ray disposal, I referred the matter to you, feeling, if not known be-
fore, you would be interested in it. — [Charles S. Denham, East Pepperell, Mass., Au-
gust 22, 1887.

Reply.—* * * So far as we can learn this acid secretion has not been noticed
in print in reference to this particular species; but it is well known that many of the
Philodontid larvaj allied to it have the power of ejecting from glands between the
head and first segment such an acid liquid or vapor. A number of articles have ap-
peared in the last two years in European entomological magazines in reference to
this secretion, and we have noticed it in some four or five of our native species.

144

Out-of-door Hibernation of Lecanium hemisphaericum in Pennsylvania.

About a year ago, I sent to the Department of Agriculture specimens of Lecanium
which were pronounced hemisphcsricum, which had infested an outdoor cucurbitous
plant, from about the Ist of July until late in October, when the plant was removed
(1886). After the plant (or plants) was removed I observed that about a dozen of the
adult females had located on an upright support of the arbor, where they remained all
winter. They were not examined until late in the following spring (1887), perhaps the
1st of May, and then I found them all vacated. The plants came up in great num-
bers in the spring, but my women folk considered them a nuisance and removed every
one of them from the premises. On the spot formerly occupied by the vines my wife
set some foreign ferns, where they remained until the advent of frost this fall, when
I noticed that they were almost as badly infested as the Echinocystis was lastseasou.
I also found that a Japanese Quince (Cydonia japonica), over which these vines were
permitted to run last year, were similarly infested. Now, I desire you to determine
whether these are all the same species. Because, if they are, then Lecanium hemis-
jjAartcwyji is capable of an outdoor survival of the winter of South Pennsylvania, which
may be a matter of some importance to know.

It may be pertinent to the subject to state that we have had these ferns in our pos-
session for the past seven or eight years, keeping them in the house during winter,
and setting them out during the summer, and I have never noticed a single specimen
of Lecanium, or any other insect, on them until the present season, and I am confident
that I would have noticed them sometime during the seven years had they been pres-
ent. My observations last year demonstrated that this insect multiplies prodig-
iously on a curcubitaceous plant, and if it can endure the outdoor winter with impu-
nity it may possess possibilities that can not be entirely ignored. * * * — [g. S.
Rathvon, Lancaster, Pa., October 29, 1887.

Eeply. — # # » I recollect perfectly your correspondence of a year ago in refer-
ence to the Lecanium hemisphcsricum and a note of the singular fact of its outdoor oc-
currence was made at the time for publication in an early bulletin. It has not, how-
ever, been published as yet, and your present observation will form an interesting
postscript to it. An examination of the specimens sent this time ui)on tha fern shows
that they are Lecanium hemisjihwricum, but those upon the twig of Japanese Quince
belong to a different species — Lecanium persicce. The latter species has long been
known to infest peach and plum out of doors as far north as the latitude of New York
City, but the wintering of hemis2)ha'ricum under the circumstances is of great interest.
I have never seen this species even in the latitude of Washington upon anything but
hot-house plants.— [November 2, 1887.1

The Introduction of Lestophonus iceryae*.

* * * A Monophlcebus which was left in San Mateo on a Cherry Laurel badly in-
fested, showed by a recent visit numerous holes, and judging from their condition two
months previous when seen, at least 50 or 60 flies had hatched, all probably a month
after being placed there. Of course it was too early to expect any of their progeny
to appear, but if successful I shall look for them. * * "— [W. G. Klee, 220 Sutter
Street, San Francisco, Cal., October 4, 1888.

A House infested with Psocidae.

In March, 1886, a lady here bought a new mattress composed of hair and corn-husks.
It was used daily until the following August, when the family left home for a six
weeks' vacation. A day or two after the return in September, there were noticed on
a pair of shoes, which had not been in recent use, several little colorless creatures
resembling the common " book-lice " in appearance, some of which have been sent to
you. Continuing the examination, what was her horror to find the under surface of

" See Insect Life, No. 1, p. 21.

145

the lower sheet and the upper surface of the mattress almost alive with the insects.
To use her own language : "A pin-point could not have been put down without touch-
ing one or more of the bugs." Further search showed a very unpleasant state of
affairs. The walls of the room were so covered with the insects that a sweep of the
hand removed them by the thousand, and the other rooms in the house were almost
as badly infested. The bureau drawers were swarming with them. They were be-
hind the jnctures and between the pictures and the glass in crawling cohorts. They
were under everything aud in everything. To say that the neat housekeeper was
beside herself is putting it mildly indeed.

The mattress was removed and examined. Without exaggeration it contained mill-
ions. Then came the house-cleaning. The walls and lioors were washed with solu-
tion of borax and corrosive sublimate. Pyrethrum powder was freely used. All the
carpets were sent to the steam-cleaners. The furniture was beaten, cleaned, and var-
nished. The struggle was continued for a year with all the persistence of an extra-
ordinarily neat housekeeper. The insects had the best of it, and held possession in
diminished numbers. The family then removed to a hotel, while for days the closed
house was fumigated by burning sulphur, aud the scrubbing processes were after-
wards repeated. The insects were again diminished, but the least relaxation in the
struggle was soon followed by an increase of the enemy. Again the house was va-
cated, and the closed rooms were subjected to the vapor of benzine, basins and pans
being filled and the fluid left to evaporate. The scrubbing processes were again re-
peated, and the lady began to hope that the benzine had been the concluding touch,
although she continued to have the creatures on her mind and to watch for them. Her
hopes were vain. The insects are still in the house, two years after the removal of
the mattress, and in spite of all the harsh treatment they have received. These
Psocida; at least seem incapable of taking a hint. Their numbers are of course greatly
reduced, but they still march over the walls and hide in dark places. If you can
suggest a remedy that has not been tried, it will be accepted gratefully by that
troubled lady, and faithfully employed.

As I close my letter it occurs to me that the house has been built less than three
years, and that the present neat occupants are the only ones it has ever had; also
that, in addition to the treatment detailed above, the house has been subjected to the
fumes of burning charcoal.

If anything further is needed to show how tenacious of life these little creatures
are, I may add that in order to mount them for microscopical examination they were
immersed in liquefied crystals of carbolic acid, where they continued alive for several
seconds.— [Alfred C.Stokes, Trenton, N. J., Octobers, 1888.

Note. — The specimens received were all immature, so that it was impossible to
determine the species. The insect belonged to the Psocidse, but apparently not to
the true genus Psocus.

STEPS TOWARDS A REVISION OF CHAMBERS' INDEX, WITH NOTES
AND DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES.

By Lord Walsingham.

[Continued from page 117.]

INCURVARIA Haw.

Incurvaria punctiferella sp. u.

Antennae, about half the length of the fore-wings: straw-colored at base, brownish

beyond.
Palpi, very short, depressed ; apical joint half the length of the second joint.
Head and thorax, straw-colored.

146

Fore-wings, pale, straw-yellow, with from 18 to 20 small chocolate-brown spots, some-
what varying iu size, number, and distribution ; not arranged iu rows, except in
HO far as those on the outer half of the wing have a tendency to exhibit two
oblique lines running parallel to the apical margin ; the base of the costa tinged
with chocolate-brown. Under side, brownish with x^ale cilia.

Heacl-ivinrjs and cilia, cinereous gray. Under side, pale grayish.

Abdomen, cinerous; uncus, short, obtuse, apex curved over in a semicircular form;
lateral claspers, projecting nearly their whole length beyond the uncus, elongate,
upturned, the upper angle of the posterior margin turned inwards, the margin
itself rather oblique, with a sharp, short, projecting point at its lower angle ;
towards the base, the whole lower edge of the claspers is turned under and in-
wards almost at right angles with its outer surface, Avhich itself appears to be
of about equal width throughout.

Exjp. al., 15""".

Habitat, Rouge River, southern Oregon, May 7, 1872; Mendocino County, Cal., May,
1871.

Types, $ 9» Mus. IVIsm.

Incurvaria solenobiella WIsm.

Abdomen, uncus short and obtuse ; lateral claspers bulged on their outer sides, up-
turned posteriorly and pointed inwards at the apex ; they are much wider in the
middle than at the ends; the line of their lower edge is somewhat undulating,
with a faint indication of a projecting point posteriorly. They differ very de-
cidedly in form from those oi punctiferella Wlsm.

Incurvaria politella sp. n.

Antemuv, grayish-fuscous, pubescent in the <? .

Palpi, mouse-gray.

Head, mouse-gray, sometimes paler towards the thorax.

Thorax, shining, grayish,

Fore-wiH<7S, shining, pale grayish, sometimes with a slight sneous tinge, especially in
the $; the a'ueous tinge is evenly diifnsed over the wing-surface; cilia gray
along their base, tips whitish.

Hind-wings, gra J, rather darker than the fore-wings, with a slight purplish irides-
cence.

Abdomen , -pale grayish-fuscous; uncus, short and obtuse; lateral claspers elongate,
wider at the base than apex, with a small projecting excrescence at their upper
edge, close to the base, and a well-developed tooth projecting inwards from half-
way along their lower edge ; the posterior ends are rounded and soirewhat turned
upwards.

Legs, pale gray.

Exp. al., $ 17""", 9 14-15™"'.

Habitat, The Dalles, Oregon, April 21, 1872, and Rouge River, Oregon, May 7, 1872.

Types, c? 9 , Mus. Wlsm.

Incurvaria humilis sp. n.

This is a small, inconspicuous, unicolorous species, of a uniform grayish-brown color.

The hind-wings very slightly darker than the fore-wings, owing to an excess of the
gray tinge. The legs are scarcely paler. The abdomen is of the same color as the
fore-wings. The genital organs are peculiar; a short, obtuse, straight uncus, not bent
over, is overshadowed by the strongly upturned lateral claspers, which have the ap-
pearance of hooks on either side; they have a slight tooth-like projection below, and
a small excrescence above at their base, but are of a totally different shape from
those of the larger allied species.

147

Hxp. al, 13-14""",

Habitat, Cresceut City, Cal., 19-21 Jime, 1872.

Type, $ , Miis. Wlsm.

Incurvaria aenescens sp. n.

Antemm, wliitish at the base, tending to fuscous beyond.
Palpi, whitish.
Head, yellowish-white.

Thorax, fore-ivings, and cilia, unicoloroas^ pale golden-brown.
Hind-winf/s, purplish-gray; cilia gray.

Aidomen, grayish ; lateral claspers, elongate, triangular, upturned, deeply excised
beneath, near their base, and with an inwardly projecting short point at their
lower extremity; uncus short, obtuse, projected but not hooked.
Exp. al, <? 14™°', 5 12-13""".
Habitat, Rogue liiver, Oregon.
Types, $ 9, Jfws. Wl»m.
One male, four females. May 7, 1872.

Incurvaria labradoriella Clem.

The type of this species in the collection of the American Entomological Society
at Philadelphia had only one fore-wing and one hind-wing remaining in 1871, and I
was somewhat doubtful whether it was a true Incurvaria. I have had no recent oppor-
tunity of examining the specimen.

Incvirvaria acerifoliclla Fitch.

The neuration of this species dift'ers from that of the typical Incurvarice, in that veins
5 and G of the hind-wings arise from the same stem. The case-bearing habits of the
larvfE, ratherthan the structural appearance of the imago, probably influenced Clemens
and Chambers in placing it finally in this genus.

Incurvaria mediostriatella Clem.

=Lecithocera ? flavistrigella Wlsm.

When describing Lecithocera? flaristrigella I was practically unacquainted with /m-
curvaria mediostriatella Clem. The type examined by me in 1871 having only two wings
remaining and these much worn, I failed to recognize my species by the description,
and was guided chiefly by the long and stout antenn;^ in placing it in the genus
Lecithocera. I have now examined the neuration of a specimen and am bound to ad-
mit that it does not belong properly to that genus. The apical vein of the fore-wing
is furcate near the base, as stated by Clemens, and in this respect it dift'ers from the
type of the genus in which he has placed it ; nevertheless, I think that the position is
approximately correct.

CECOPHORA Latr.
CEcophora thoracella sp. n.

Palpi, 2nd joint pale ochreous, shaded with fuscous externally on its basal half: apical
joint brownish-fuscous with some pale ochreous scales at about the middle and
apex.

Head and face, pale ochreous, shaded with brownish-fuscous above.

148

Thorax, brownish-fuscous, with a faint purplish tinge, posteriorly fringed ^vith
whitish-ochreous.

Fore-wings, remarkably narrow in proportion to their length for this genus, whitish-
ochreous; a basal patch, wider on the costal than on the dorsal margin, of a
brownish-fuscous color, is followed by a small triangular patch of the same color
immediately before the middle of the wing, and this is scarcely separated by a
short space on the costa, from a larger patch of the same form immediately beyond
the middle; the lower points of these two triangular patches are directed ob-
liquely outwards, at the same angle as that followed by the dorsal extension of
the basal jiatch; the apical portion of the wing is entirely whitish-ochreous with
a few scattered brownish scales about the baseof the cilia ; cilia whitish-ochreous.

Hind-wings, shining, whitish ; cilia whitish-ochreous.

J&domen, shining, pale grayish-ochreous.

Exp. al, 10™"'.

Habitat, Colorado.

Type, 9 , Mus. JVIsrn.
A single female taken by the late H. K. Morrison.

Qjcophora dimidiella sp. n.

AntenncB, brown, faintly barred with whitish.

Palpi, dark brown ; apical joint tinged with yellowish towards the apex.

Tongue, brown, clothed with brown scales on the basal half; apical half naked, yel-
lowish.

Head, shining, yellowish.

Thorax, deep brown.

Fore-wings, deep brown, with several paler patches; the 1st and most conspicuous lies
partly above and partly below the fold, reaching to the dorsal margin at about
the basal third of the wing; this is shining pale yellowish (silvery-white wher-
ever the scales have been abraded) ; on the middle of the costal margin is a
smaller silvery-white spot followed by a similar spot at the commencement of
the costal cilia ; the lower end of the outer spot is bright yellow, it terminates
somewhat obliquely before reaching the middle of the wing, its apex being
directed towards a similar mixed silvery-white and yellow spot which lies at the
anal angle; cilia dark brown; the apical portion of the wing has a somewhat
irrorated appearance in the specimen before me (perhaps owing to the abrasion
of some of the deep brown scales).

Hind-wings and cilia, dull brown, slightly paler than the fore-wings.

Abdomen, deep brown.

Legs, dull brown, scarcely paler about the tarsal joints.

Exp. fti.jie'""^.

Habitat, Sonoma County, Cal.,May 19,1871, two females; male, Lake Tahoe, Osten-

Sackeu, and male, Manitou, Colo. Osten-Sacken (Zell. Csdl.).
Type, 9, Mus. Wlsm.

CEcophora coloradella sp. n.

Antennae, grayish-browu ; faintly spotted with paler scales above.

Palpi, brown ; whitish on their inner sides ; a few paler scales about the outside of

the apical joint and at the base of the second joint.
Head, yellowish.
Tongue, whitish.
Thorax, grayish-brown, with a pale streak on each side, the two meeting posteriorly

at the base.

149

Fore-icings, elongate, widened outwardly; costa slightly bulged at the base ; straight
beyond ; apex somewhat depressed, apical margin very oblique, scarcely convex ;
grayish-brown, dusted throughout with whitish scales ; a conspicuous pale-yellow
crescent-shaped blotch at the commencement of the dorsal cilia ; cilia grayish,
brown; neuration very peculiar ; the apical vein reaches the costal margin im-
mediately above the apex, and from before its middle sends to the costa a forked
branch.

Hind-wings and cilia, pale grayish-brown ; veins six and seven parallel, three and
four from a point.

Abdomen and legs, pale grayish-brown.

Ex}). al., 19 ™™.

Habitat, Colorado.

Type, <? , Mns. Wlsm.
A single specimen given me by Mons. Eagonot.

CEcophora pseudospretella Stn.

It is curious that this widely distributed and far too common species should not
have been hitherto recorded from the United States. Zeller had four specimens from
Washington Territory and I have received it from Vancouver and taken it in Califor-
nia. It has apparently been overlooked in the Eastern States.

I have also a unicolorous bronzy-brown species which should undoubtedly be placed
in this genus, but the palpi are broken, and I prefer to wait for better specimens be-
fore describing it.

Psecadia zelleriella Chamb.

I feel confident from a careful examination of Chambers's descriptions of his Hypon.
omeuia zelleriella and his Hyponomeuta texanella that these two supposed species are
one and the same ; both descriptions agree perfectly with specimens in my own col-
lection. .

The description oi zelleriella, though earlier than that of texanella, is more minute
and complete. I have not seen the types.

It is important in this connection to remember that Chambers has also described
an Anesychia texanella from the same locality. This is evidently a distinct species, and
one with which I am not acquainted. His Hyponomeuta texanella is obviously a true
Psecadia, but as it must be dropped in favor of the prior name, zelleriella, no confusion
need arise from retaining his Anesychia texanella, which should also be placed in this
genus.

Psecadia discostrlgella Chamb.

= suhccerulea Wlsm.

When describing subcwrulea I was unacquainted with Chambers's Anesychia dis.
costrigella, except by the description. A comparison of a series of both species has
convinced me that the specimens from Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, which agree with
my figure of Chambers's type (in the Museum of the Peabody Academy of Sciences,
Salem, Mass.,) are merely darker forms of my Californian species, the name of which
must be suppressed as a synonym of discostrigella.

Psecadia marmorea sp. n.

Jntennw, brownish, fuscous.

Palpi, recurved, banded with white and brownish fuscous; second joint with a broad
brownish fuscous baud and a spot of the same color, more strongly marked on the
outer than on the inner side ; apical joint with two brownish fuscous bauds of
about equal width on both sides, having the extreme apex and a belt in the mid-
dle of the joint white.

Head, whitish, with a conspicuous white spot above the juncture with the thorax;
face grayish.

150

Thorax, white, with four fnscous spots posteriorly : one behind each of the patagia
and two on the posterior margin ; there is also a similar spot on the anterior por-
tion of the thorax, but the specimen before me is somewhat injured by the pin.

Fore-wings, white, with an irregular brownish fuscous band stretching from the base to
the apex, interrupted on the costal margin by two white patches, the second and
larger of which is immediateiy beyond the middle of the wing, and contains a sin-
gle brownish fuscous spot; the brownish fuscous band occupies more especially
the costal half of the wing, but encroaches on the white dorsal half by a slight
somewhat triangular projection near the base aud a larger projection of the same
shape about the middle, between aud below which is a single circular fuscous
spot ; immediately above the anal angle are two semi-detached brownish fuscous
patches, followed at a short interval by a marginal series of seven dark fuscous
spots, extending around the apex of the wing, the upper two being clearly pro-
jected upon the white space about the apex, which forms, as it were, another in-
terruption to the fuscous band ; cilia above the apex white, below it to the mid-
dle of the apical margin brownish fuscous, below which to the anal angle they
are again white.

Eind-wings and cilia, pale fawn- gray.

Abdomen, grayish-ochreous; anal tuft ochreous.

Legs, grayish, with some brownish fucous bands across the tarsi.

Ex}}. al., 21""".

Habitat, Arizona.

Type, $ , Mus. Whm.
A single male in good condition received from Professor Riley, is nearly allied to

AnesycMa hagcnella Chamb., but differs in the interruption by the white costal patches

of the dark upper half of the wings, as well as in other minor particulars of mark-
ings aud in the number of the marginal spots.

Psecadia fuscipedella sp. n.

Paljyi, grayish fuscous.

Head and antenna', dull leaden gray.

Thorax, dull leaden gray, with six black spots in two lines converging posteriorly ;
the first pair at the base of the patagia; second pair nearer to each other at
about the middle ; third pair nearer still, at the base.

Fore-wings, dull leaden gray, with four black spots; one at the end of the cell ; one
before it, above the middle of the wing ; a smaller one on the fold slightly nearer
to the base ; and one still nearer to the base below the fold ; on the apical mar-
gin, and distributed around the apex and anal angle, on the costal aud dorsal
margins are from nine to eleven small black spots at the base of the dull leaden
cilia.

Eind-iiings, scarcely paler.

Abdomen, bright ochreous.

Legs, anterior audmediau grayish fuscous ; posterior bright ochreous with the femora
tinged with gray, and tarsi dark fuscous tinged with ochreous at the joints.

Exjhal. 21™"\

Habitat, North Carolina.

"Lype, 9, Mus. WIsm.
A single female in good condition received from the late H. K. Morrison.

(^To be continued.)

151
GENERAL NOTES.

A RECENT BRITISH ENTOMOLOGICAL CIRCULAR.

The Agriciiltaral Department of Great Britain has just issued a three-
page circiihir, probably written by Mr. Whitehead, upon the subject of
caterpilhirs upon fruit trees. Two groups of caterpillars are considered,
the one group including the Winter Moth [Gheimatobia brumata), the
Pale Brindled Beauty {PhUjaUa pilosaria),ihe Mottled Umber [Hybernia
dcfoliaria), and Hi/beniia aurantiaria, all having wingless females and
susceptible to the same remedies. The other group includes three in-
sects of more normal habits, viz : The Lackey Moth {Clisiocampaneustria),
the Ermine Moth {Hyponomeiita jiadella), and the Figure-of-eight Moth
{Diloba c(vrideocephala). The life history of all these species is of
course well known in England, and nothing new is suggested in the cir-
cular in the way of remedies. The Canker Worm tree-guard of American
pattern is recommended for the insects of the first group, while for the
second group clean cultivation around the tree, the denuding of the
trunk and lower limbs of their outer bark, and the application of soapy
and oily compositions and of paraffine and carbolic acid, and the throw-
ing of fluely-powdered quicklime on the trees during winter after an
attack are the only remedies recommended. No notice is taken of the
arsenical mixtures now so popular in this country.

TWO SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS OF ENTOMOLOGY.

Some years ago we used the following method for studying the ve-
nation of the wings of small Lepidoptera. We have told it since to many
friends, but believe it has not been published. It is in some respects
preferable to the so-called "Dimmock process" and particularly as a
time-saver. It is also in this respect preferable to denudation with a
brush. The wing is removed and mounted upon a slide in Canada bal-
sam, which should be i)referably rather thick. The slide is then held
over the flame of an alcohol lamp until the balsam spreads well over
the wing. Just as it is about to enter the veins, however, the slide is
placed ui)on ice, or, if in the winter time, outside the window for a few
moments. This thickens the balsam immediately and prevents it from
entering the veins, which remain permanently filled with air and appear
black with transmitted light. With a little practice one soon becomes
expert enough to remove the slide and cool it at just the right time,
when the scales will have been rendered nearly transparent by the bal-
sam while the veins remain filled with air. We have done this satis
factorily not only with Tortricidre and Tineidie, but with Noctuids oi
the size of Aletia and Leiicania. The mounts are permanent, and we
have some which have remained unchanged since 1880. Professor Riley
had for some years before this been in the habit of mounting wings in
balsam, in which of course the scales cleared after a time.

152

With Apbids and Coccids, whicb are covered with an abundant waxy-
secretion which can not be readily brushed away, we have adopted the
plan of melting' the wax. We place the insect on a bit of platinum foil
and pass it once over the flame of the alcohol lamp. The wax melts at
a surjirisingly low temperature and leaves the insect perfectly clean for
study. This method is i)articu]arly of use in the removal of the waxy
cocoon of the i)upie of male Coccidte, and is quicker and more thorough
than the use of any of the chemical wax solvents which we have tried. —
L. O. H.

THE RELATION OF ANTS TO THE CORN APHIS.

In the August number of the American Naturalist Professor Ooin-
stock criticises my note* on the Corn Aphis {Bhopalosiphum maidis), as
follows :

After narrating several experiments, clearly showing that the ants collect the plaut-
lice and carry them to the roots of the corn, Mr. Webster makes the following remark-
ahle statement : "These observations led me to conclude * * * that ants, of which
three species attend these plant-lice, viz, Lasius flaviis, Formica schaiifussii, and F.
/«sca, are not in the least responsible for their distribution over the fields, * * *."
We do not think the conclusions of Professor Forbes can be set aside in this way.

My critic will, possibly, pardon me for suggesting that there is noth-
ing remarkable in the statement referred to, nor are the observations of
any one set aside. The position taken is simi)ly this:

The Corn Plant-louse owes its distribution to the winged migratory
broods, of whose ultimate destination the ants can have no conception
and as little control over their movements. The number of individuals
may be largely increased through the influence of ants, but there is
nothing to indicate that their influence directs the movements of the
winged generation. Nor do we see that the ants are any more account-
able for the appearance of these winged females in any particular field
than is the farmer who produces the corn responsible for its appearance
in foreign markets when he disposes of his crop to a local dealer.

In our notice we gave observations showing that as soon as a winged
viviparous female alighted on a corn plant and was found by an ant the
latter took her in cbarge, placing her on the roots of the plant, where
her progeny were fostered and cared for ; that this ofispring constituted
the generation which was the most destructive to the corn crop; that
only in cases of dire necessity were these offspring removed, and all of
our attempts to force their removal by the application of substances
supposed to be distasteful resulted in failures.

That ants collect the eggs and young of Aphides, carry them to their
homes, and even place the young on their food plants, no one can reason-
ably doubt. But to say that this proves that the Aphides are wholly
dependent on the ants for either their existence or diffusion is rather a
sweeping assertion,

* Eeport Commissioner Agriculture 1887, pp. 148-9.

153

On two occasions we have observed the winged viviparous temales of
the Corn Plant- loase, unattended by ants, giving birth to her young on
the stems of young corn, below the surface of the ground, the soil being
very mellow, and there appears to be no good reason for disbelieving
that at least some of these young might have survived. There seems
room to doubt, also, that without the aid of ants at least a few young
hatching from the eggs might reach their food and survive, although
careful experiments had failed to make them do so. Nature has ways
of her own of doing things, and in attempting to counterfeit them the
most careful experimenter will often find himself at fault. — [F. M.
Webster.

INSECTS INTRODUCED INTO CHILI,

Of considerable general interest is a paper by Dr. R. A. Philippi on
the changes in the fauna of Chili caused by man* in which he discusses
and enumerates the animals that have been voluntarily or involuntarily
introduced by man into that country. The paper extends over the
whole animal kingdom and teems with interesting details, but we can
here only refer to the insects, f

The intentional importations comprise the useful insects, viz: the
honey-bee and the silk-worm. The former was introduced in 1848 (the
Italian race) and greatly flourishes now in the whole state, so that Chili
exports now a large amount of honey and wax. Sericulture was for
some time successfully carried on, encouraged by Government subsidy.
The climate is eminently fit for this industry, since the mulberry grows
finely in the whole country, and since it never rains in the season when
the worms are fed. However, a new secretary of agriculture had no
interest in the subject; the Government subsidy was withdrawn, the
mulberry plantations were cut down, and at present silk raising may
be said to have been entirely abandoned even by private persons. The
introduction of the Cochenille insect has never been attempted, although
it would no doubt flourish in the northern part of Chili.

Coming to the injurious insects, the following have or have not been
introduced :

The Phylloxera has not yet reached Chili, but the Apple-blight («S'cM-
zoneura lamgera) has made its home in this country, having been iutro-

*Ueberd.ie Veranderungen welche der MeuscTi in der Fauna Chiles bewirkt hat.
Festschrift des Vereins fiir Naturkunde zu Cassel zur Feier seines fiinfzigjahrigen
Bestehens Cassel, 1866, pp. 1-20.

t All these insects are immigrants from Europe and no North American insects have
hitherto been introduced into Chili. The Coleoptera we mentioned in the October
number (p. 118) as being common to both North America and Chili are not importa-
tions, but represent a very ancient natural distribution. In fact all animals men-
tioned by Dr, Philippi are importations from Europe except the California quail
(Orti/x calif ornica) which has run wild in the vicinity of Valparaiso, and there is
farther strong evidence that the Canis Ingce of Peru and northern Chili originates from
the North American Canis occidentalia or C. latran$.
10332— No. 5 3

154

duced about thirty years ago with apple trees from Frauce. It spread
rapidly aud developed an extraordinary destructive power, so as to seri-
ously threaten the important ajiple industry of the province of Valdivia.
But fortunately the first shock of the invasion was the worst, and the
disease has lost in intensity, although there is even now hardly a single
apple tree in the country which is free of this pest.

Various species of Coccida? are nosv acclimatized in Chili, but most of
them affect only the plants upon which they were introduced. Thus
we find iu Chili Coccus adonidum^ G. hesperidum, AspkUotus rosce, A.
nerii. Aspidiotus lauri injuriously affects in central Chili the Olive trees
and many other plants with leathery leaves, e. g., Myrtus lunia and M.
ugni, which are famous for their delicious fruits. Besides these Coc-
cidse, quite a number of European Aphids have also permanently set-
tled, but not a single species of the many Lepidoptera* and Coleoptera,
injurious to growing cultivated plants and trees, has ever been intro-
duced with its food-plant. Thus, there are never any caterpillars nor
flea-beetles on the Chilian cabbage ; there are no wormy apples, pears,
plums [prunes ?] ; there are no Canker Worms, Cut- worms, no Tent
Caterpillars and no Pea Weevils.

Of other injurious Coleoptera very few have found their way to Chili ;
Sitodrepa panicea^ the well-known Herbarium pest, Corynetes violaceus,
the Bone Beetle, and 0. rujicollis, the Ham Beetle, are economically not
very important. Two grain-weevils occur, Calandra oryzce aud C. gra-
naria, the damage done by the latter being often enormous ; but an-
other grain pest. Tinea granella, has never been heard of in Chili. In
houses. Tinea hiseUella (crinella) is very common, feeding on carpets-
Several European Dermestidte are from time to time brought over iu
ships, but do not seem to flourish in Chili -, their places are occupied by
native species, and the Chilian Eurhopalus variegatus is fully able to dis-
pose of any insect collection so as to need no assistance from the kin-
dred European Anthrenus. Tenehrio molitor has in quite recent years
been intentionally introduced, the larva being used as birds' food, but
has not yet spread further.

As a matter of course, Blatta germanica is also not rare, but Dr.
Philippi found it only in the woods and is iucliued to consider it as au-
tochthonous.

The parasites of man, viz, the flea, the bed-bug, and the three species
of lice, are just as common in Chili as elsewhere. The fleas and the lice
no doubt accompanied the first human immigrants toChili, while the bed-
bug came in all probability only after the arrival of the Spaniards ; even
to-day it is still absent in the province of Valdivia and in the country
of the Araukanians. The flea occurs in Chili as elsewhere only up to
an altitude of 5,000 feet. The Jigger, Sarcopsylla penetrans, which is a
considerable annoyance along the coast of Peru, occurs nowhere in Chili.

* PJusia gamma which occurs in Chili is claimed by Dr. Philippi as an endemic

155

The house-fly is, in Chili, the same common and annoying companion of
man as elsewhere, and the question whether or not it existed before the
arrival of the Europeans will never be answered. Stomoxys calcitrans
is rather scarce in Chili, and Dr. Philippi observed it first twenty years
ago ; it is not mentioned in Gay's work.

With the introduction of domestic animals some of their insect para-
sites have also come to Chili. The sheep-tick {Melophagus ovinus) was
introduced at a very early period, but the sheep gad-fly {(Estrus ovis)
exists in Chili only since about twenty-five years. (Estrus bovis, occa-
sionally introduced in breeding cattle, has hitherto not taken a firm
hold on Chilian soil. CEstrus equi and Ripposboca equina have never
been found in the country nor has Chili any native species of that
family. The chicken and pigeon have also added their parasitic Acari
[Acarus gallince and Argas reflexus) to the Chilian fauna.

The Eed Spider {Tetranychus telarius) has become extremely numer-
ous and, injurious in Chili, but it is interesting to note that in the south-
ern provinces, e. g., Valdivia, where rains are frequent and abundant,
this pest has never been found. Whether the Itch Mite {Acarus scabiei),
which is especially common on the island of Chiloe, is to be considered
as an endemic insect or as an importation by the Spaniards can never
be satisfactorily decided.

We mentioned above that Plusia gamma and Blatta germanica are
considered by Dr. Philippi as endemic forms, and to those must be added
Ophmi luteus and Acridium tesselatiim, which according to Prof. Carlos
Berg is different from A. migratormm, a question which is, however, still
an open one. However that may be, any grasshopper damage in Chili
is never done by A. tesselatmn, but by the much smaller (Edipoda cineras-
cens. But since more than forty years there was never any damage worth
mentioning done by grasshoppers, whereas still at the beginning of this
century such invasions took place several times in the vicinity of San-
tiago. But since that time the enormous increase of the cultivated area,
in consequence of the construction of numerous irrigation canals, has
forever prevented an undue multiplication of the grasshopper.

REMARKABLE ABUNDANCE OF THE CECROPIA SILK-WORM.

Miss Clara E. Brown, of Calaway, Custer County, Nebr., writes to the
Commissioner of Agriculture, under date of October 5, sending speci-
mens of the Cecropia cocoon, and stating that the worms commit great
havoc among the timber claims of that section, and that the cocoons
are to be found in vast numbers this fall fastened to the limbs of the
trees. She also found them fastened to a bush which they call the
^' Shoe-string" {Amorpha canescens) in that country. Her object in send-
ing was to see whether they could be made of any commercial value,
but, as is well known, the difficulty in reeling the silk prevents this.

156

THE CLOVER-ROOT BORER.

As has been pointed out by Mr. James Fletcher, this insect has become
known of late years in Canada, and we learn from an item in the Rural
New Yorker for September 15 that it has been found upon the Rural
farm on Long Island. This destructive enemj^ of the clover plant is a
slow spreader, and it is very fortunate that this is the case, as it is a very
difficult enemy to fight.

A POINT IN FAVOR OF THE ENGLISH SPARROW.

Mr. J. G. Cooper, writing to the Pacific Rural Press of September 8,
1888, records the destruction of the Woolly Aphis upon his apple trees
by a large flock of young English sparrows, but is inclined to think that
it was due to the excessive dry weather, causing a scarcity of their usual
food.

THE REAR-HORSE DOMESTICATED.

Many of the old office desks in the Department of Agriculture here
at Washington have become badly infested with Roaches and Croton
Bugs, which feed upon almost everything left in the drawers. One of
the assistants in the Entomological Division was paying a visit some
days since to a lady employed in one of the other divisions, and to en-
tertain him she showed him what she called her "entomological pet."
This was a handsome female specimen o^ Mantis Carolina which she had
captured and domiciled upon her desk and fed with roaches until it had
become reconciled to its position. At the date of the visit the Mantis
seemed perfectly at home and the original insect inhabitants of the
desk were rapidly becoming less numerous. This practical application
of entomological knowledge is highly to be commended and greatly en-
courages the entomologists of the Department in their labors to diffuse
knowledge of the habits of insects !

A CALIFORNIA ENEMY TO WALNUTS.

Mr. Coquillett, writing us under date of April 10, gives an account of
a Tortricid larva which does a great deal of damage to Walnuts near Los
Angeles. We quote his note as follows. The description of the larva
comes first :

Body green, soiuetimes tinged with yellow ; piliferous spots lighter ; spiracles
ringed with brown or black ; cervical shield greenish, irregularly bordered behind
with black ; head yellowish ; a black or brown dot on each side of face, another on
lower part of clypeus; a black or brown triangle on each lobe of the head; sides of
head broadly and irregularly bordered with black or brown. Body nearly naked,
provided with 16 legs. Length 14""". Lives singly in the green nuts of Juglaiis
californica. They usually enter the green nut near the stem end, and make from one
to three holes iu it, out of which they push their black excrements, which collect in
a conspicuous heap at the mouth of each hole. After eating out the interior of one
of the nuts the larva deserts it and eats its way into a second nut, and this it con-
tinues until reaching its full growth. In the breeding cage the full-grown larvi© de-

157

serted the nuts and crept beneath the litter in the bottom of the cage, where they
spun tough, grayish cocoous. The larvie were found on the 8th of May, spun their
cocoons in June, and the moths issued on the following dates: March 4, 12, 13 (four)
15, 18, 24 (two), 25 (two), 27, and 29 (two).

Fully five-sixths of all of the walnuts growing ui)on the trees on one of the hills
near the city of Los Angeles were or had been infested by one of these larv?e„ They
enter the nuts when the latter are from a half to three-fourths of an inch in diameter.

The moth is very close to Proteoptenjx emarginana Wlstn., but is nev-
ertheless distinct, and it may be a new species ; but this point we shall
decide after receiving a larger series of adults.

LITTLE KNOWN ENEMIES OF THE POTATO PLANT IN NEW YORK.

The occurrence of the Cucumber Flea-beetle, Grepidodera cucumeris
Harris, in immense numbers in the potato fields of New York the pres-
ent season has, no doubt, resulted in much damage to the crop. But
as the beetles were associated with Cosmopepla carnifex Fab. in this work
of destruction in western New York, a similar state of affairs may have
existed elsewhere, and the damage have been entirely attributed to the
beetles. This fact would be of economic importance, as a remedy that
might be effective in fighting the one might be worthless in destroying
the other.

Singularly enough, the only locality where the species under consid-
eration has previously been reported as injuring the potato was in
Livingston County also, it having been sent to Professor Lintner from
Souyea about the middle of July, several years ago, and mentioned by
him in his second report as State entomologist of New Y^ork, p. 144.
Professor Lintner also states that the same insect was reported very
injurious to the fruit ot the Currant about Montreal, Canada, in 1884,
■where it reappeared the following year in still greater numbers.

On August 9, 1888, Prof. James Troop, of La Fayette, Ind., sent me
specimens of Cosmopepla carnifex from Livonia, Livingston County, N.
Y., with the information that they were swarming on the potato tops,
especially among the curled leaves, which they punctured, these leaves
afterwards withering up, turning black, and ultiuiately falling oft", evi-
dently to the serious detriment of the crop. When placed in the box
in which they were sent to me the insects were nearly all yet in the pupal
stage, but on reaching me, on the 12th, only one pupa appeared, the re-
mainder having reached the adult stage, and in one instance the female
had oviposited on one of the inclosed leaves.

The bugs were transferred to new quarters and given fresh plants,
upon which they subsisted continually till the 24th, when they were
killed and preserved.

Prof. Herbert Osborn, of Ames, Iowa, tells me that he has observed
these bugs on the foliage of the grape, and very kindly forwarded me
specimens of the eggs for comparison with those obtained by myself.

The Qgg is four-fifths of a millimeter in length and three-fifths of a
millimeter in diameter, cupuliform, with a ring of about 16 long, slen-

158

der, sinuous, white appendages resembling spines, except that the ends
are knobbed. These are bent so as to point outward. The whole sur-
face of the egg is covered with minute short spines, these being longer
and more thickly placed within the ring. The natural color is dark
bronze-brown, but alcoholic specimens are of a dull white color, the
minute spines of brown showing distinctly on the surface. The eggs
are i^laced in clusters, the ringed end upward, resembling a cluster of
minute cups. — [F. M. Webster.

PROFESSOR FORBES' INVESTIGATION ON THE FOOD OF FRESH-WATER

FISHES.

The number of insects which are known to feed on fishes is very
limited, and these few could probably subsist on mollusks or other food,
and are thus not dependent on a fish diet. On the other hand, a large
proportion of fresh-water fishes depend more or less completely on in-
sects as food, and could, therefore, not exist without the insects. To
show the importance of insects as one of the principal food-articles of
fresh-water fishes has been the object of Prof. S. A. Forbes in a series
of admirable papers on the food of fresh- water fishes of Illinois. These
papers have been published under various titles in the Bulletin of the
Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History (Vols. I and II), between
the years 1877 and 1888. The wide scope of these investigations be-
comes at once apparent from the fact that no less than 1,221 fishes, be-
longing to 87 species of 03 genera and 25 families, and taken in various
months of the year from April to November, were carefully examined,
and the food contained in their stomachs determined and classified. In
the concluding portion of the series, which has just been published as
Article VIII of Volume II of the Bulletin, Professor Forbes presents
the summary of his researches and the generalizations derived there-
from. This summary concludes with a classified list of the objects de-
tected in the food of fishes, occupying 28 pages, and the list of insects
occupies nearly 13 pages.

This list is of great interest to the entomologist, not only from the
species it contains, but also from the many very common species wMch
are absent therefrom, and we regret that on account of its length we
can not reproduce it here entire. We quote, however, Professor Forbes'
equally interesting general remarks on the food of adult fishes so far as
they pertain to the insectivorous species :

"It is from the class of insects that adult fishes derive the most im-
portant portion of their foo 1, this class furnishing, for example, 40 per
cent, of the food of all the adults which I examined,

"The principal insectivorous fishes are the smaller species, whose size
and food structures, when adult, unfit them for the capture of Ento-
mostraca, and yet do not bring them within reach of fishes or Mollusca-
Some of these fishes have peculiar habits, which render them especially
dependent upon insect life, the little minno v Fhenacobius, for example.

159

which, according to my studies, makes nearly all its food from insects
(98 per cent.) found under stones in running water, l^ext are the Pirate
Perch, Aphredoderns (91 per cent.), and the Darters (87 i)er cent.), the
Croppies (73 per ceut.), half-grown Sheepshead (71 per cent.), the
Shovel Fish (59 per cent.), the Chub Minnow (56 per cent.), the Black
Warrior Suufish {Clicmiohryttus) and the Brook Silversides (each 54
per cent.), and Eock Bass and the Cyprinoid genus Notroyis (each 52
per cent.).

" Those which take few insects or none are mostly the Mud-feeders
and the Ichthyophagous species, Amia (the Dog-fish) being the only
exception noted to this general statement. Thus we find insects wholly
or nearly absent from the adult dietary of the Burbot, the Pike, the
Gar, the Black Bass, the Wall-eyed Pike, and the great river Catfish,
and from that of the Hickory Shad^ and the Mud-eating Minnows (the
Shiner, the Fat-head,^ etc.). It is to be noted, however, that the larger
fishes all go through an insectivorous stage, whether their food when
adult be almost wholly other fishes, as with the Gar and the Pike, or
mollusks, as with the Sheepshead. The Mud-feeders, however, seem
not to pass through this stage, but to adopt the limophagous habit as
soon as they cease to depend upon Entomostraca.

"Terrestrial insects, dropping into the water accidentally or swept in
by rains, are evidently diligently sought and largely depended upon by
several species, such as the Pirate Perch, the Brook Minnow, the Top
Minnows or Killifishes (Cyprinodonts), the Toothed Herring, and sev-
eral Cyprinoids [SemoUlus^ Pimejyhales, and Notropis).

"Among aquatic insects, minute slender dipterous larvae, belonging
mostly to Ghirononms, Corethra, and allied genera, are of remarkable
importance, making, in fact, nearly one-tenth of the food of all the fishes
studied. They are most abundant in Phenacobius and Utheostoma,
which genera have become especially adapted to the search for these
insect forms in shallow rocky streams. Kext I found them most gen-
erally in the Pirate Perch, the Brook Silversides, and the Stickleback,
in which they averaged 45 per cent. They amounted to about one-third
the food of fishes as large and important as the Redhorse and the Eiver
Carp, and made nearly one-fourth that of fifty-one Buffalo fishes. They
appear further in considerable quantity in the food of a number of the
Minnow family {Notropis, Pimephales, etc.), which habitually frequent
the swift water of stony streams, but were curiously deficient in the
small collection of Miller's Thumbs (Cottidw), which hunt for food in
similar situations. The Sunfishes eat but few of this important group,
the average of the family being only 6 per cent.

"LarvfB of aquatic beetles, notwithstanding the abundance of some
of the forms, occurred in only insignificant ratios, but were taken by
fifty six specimens, belonging to nineteen of the species, more fre-
quently by the Sunfishes than by any other group. The kinds most
^ Dorosoma. -Pimephales.

160

commonly captured were larvaj of Gyriuidoe aud HydrophilidiTe; whereas
the adult surface beetles themselves {Gyrinus, Diiieutes, etc.), whose
zigzagdartiug swarms no one can have failed to notice, were uot once
encountered in my studies.

"The almost equally well known slender Water-skippe]s {Hi/yrotre-
chus) seem also completely ])rotected by their habits and activity
from capture by fishes, only a single specimen occurring in the food of
all my specimens. Indeed the true Water-bugs (Hemiptera) were gen-
erally rare, with the exception of the small sofr-bodied genus Gorisa^
which was taken by one hundred and ten si)ecimens, belonging to
twenty-seven species, most abundantly by the Sunfishes and Top Min-
nows.

"From the order Feuroptera fishes draw a larger jiart of their food
than from any other single group. In fact, nearly a fifth of the entire
amount of food consumed by all the adult fishes examined by me con-
sisted of aquatic larvae of this order, the greater part of them larvie of
Day Flies (Ephemeridae), principally of the genus Hexagenia.^ These
Neuropterous larvte were eaten especially by the Miller's Thumb, the
Sheepshead, the White and Striped Bass, the common Perch, thirteen
species of the Darters, both the Black Bass, seven of the Sunfishes,
the Eock Bass and the Croppies, the Pirate Perch, the Brook Silver-
sides, the Sticklebacks, the Mud Minnow, the Top Minnows, the Giz-
zard Shad, the Toothed Herring, twelve species each of the true Min-
now family, and of the Suckers and Buffalo, five Catfishes, the Dog-
fish, and the Shovel Fish— seventy species out of the eighty seven
which I have studied.

"Among the above I found them the most important food of the
White Bass, the Toothed Herring, the Shovel Fish (51 per cent.), and
the Croppies ; while they made a fourth or more of the alimentary con-
tents of the Sheepshead (4G per cent.), the Darters, the Pirate Perch,
the common Sunfishes {Lepomis and Chamobryttus), the Eock Bass, the
Little Pickerel, and the common Sucker (36 per cent.).

" Ephemerid larvre were eaten by two hundred and thirteen speci-
mens of forty-eight species, not counting young. The larvie of Hexa-
genia, one of the commonest of the 'Elver Flies,' was by far the most
important insect of this group, this alone amounting to about half of
all the Neuroptera eaten. They made nearly one-half of the food of
the Shovel Fish, more than one-tenth that of the Sunfishes, and the.
principal food resource of half-grown Sheepshead; but were rarely
taken by the Sucker family, and made only 5 per cent, of the food of
the Catfish group.

" The various larvte of the Dragon Flies, on the other hand, were
much less frequently encountered. Tbey seemed to be most abundant
in the food of the Grass Pickerel (25 per cent.), and next to that in the
Croppie, the Pirate Perch, and the common Perch (10 to 13 per cent.).

'The -vvinged adults of this and related genera are often called ''Kiver Flies" in
Illinois.

161

"Case-worms (Phryganeidw) were somewhat rarely found, rising to
15 per cent, in the Rock Bass, and 12 per cent, in the Minnows of the
Hybopsis group, but otherwise averaging from 1 to 6 per cent, in less
than half of the species."

THE HOSTS OF A FEW LARGER ICHNEUMONIDS.

We had occasion last May, in writing to Mr. Clarence M. Weed con-
cerning his recently-published paper, "Biological Notes on Some North
American IchneumonidiB" (Psyche, Vol. V, No. 145, May, 1888), to bring
together the records from our note- books of the habits of several of the
species mentioned by him, in order to supplement his short list. As
these facts have not been published we give them below as a matter of
record :

Pimpla notanda Proteoteras ?esculana.

A Leaf roller on Locust (not reared).

Pimpla annulipes Carpocapsa pomonella.*

Phycita nebulo.*

Papilio ajax.

Datana ministra.

Tortrix quercifoliana.

A Leaf-roller on Strawberry (not reared).

Teras oxycoccana.

Heterocampa marthesia.

Gelechia. gallse-asterella.

Pimpla conquisitor Aletia xylina.*

Clisiocampa americana.
Thj-ridopteryx ephemerteformis.*
Phycita nebulo.*

Pimpla inquisitor Orgyia leucostigma.*

Gelechia gallfe-solidaginis.
Grapholitha olivaceana.,
Coleophora cinerella.
Leaf- roller on Ash (not reared).
Trogus obsidiauator . . . Papilio asterias.

Trogus exesorius Papilio ajax.

Papilio marcellus.
Papilio asterias.*
Papilio troilus.*
Papilio turnus.*
Ichneumon rufiventris . Pyrameis cardui.*
Pyrameis huntera.
Vanessa milberti,

■* Those records with an asterisk have been published in our accounts of these species.

We may further mention that Professor Comstock in 1879 reared P. conquisitor from
PhaceUura hyalinitalis, and that we have more recently reared P. annulipes from a
Chilo near oryzceeUus, whicli we have reared from twigs of sumach at Washington.
10332— No. 5 4

162

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. •

November 1, 1888.— Mr. Scliwarz read aud commented upou a passage in Garzilasso
de la Vega's account of DeSoto's expedition, relative to silk-culture in Mexico in the
earlier part of the fifteenth century, and offered some remarks on the absence of any
reference by that old author to the various insect pests annoying man, with which
the Spaniards must have come in contact for the first time during DeSoto's march
through North America.

Mr. Fox read some notes on the spiders collected by him in Tennessee during the
past summer. He especially commented on the habitat of a species of Dolomedes taken
by him, and upon the tube oi Lycosa nidifex, which is different from that described by
Dr. Marx in his description of the species. Dr. Marx made some remarks on the
paper, and gave the burrowing habits of Lycosa nidifex as observed by him near the
seashore. He also suggested that this is a good time to collect gossamer spiders, which
are now very abundant.

Mr. Howard suggested the collection of spider egg masses for the purpose of trying
to get parasites.

Professor Kiley suggested that the larva of Mantispa can be obtained in the same
way. He also made some remarks on the habits of a species of Agalena common on
his grounds. He further made some remarks on the habits of Atypus.

Mr. Smith made some remarks on the habits of Siomoxya as observed by him at his
residence. He says neither he nor any member of his family have been bitten by them,
although they have now entirely replaced the Musca domestica. They are not attacked
by the fungus which is rapidly killing the few remaining specimens of M. domestica.

A discussion of the habits of Stomoxys was participated in by Messrs. Mann, Smith,
Riley, Schwarz, Howard, and Al wood.

Mr. Schwarz made a series of shorter communications on the following insects, of
which specimens were exhibited : On Dendroctonns simplex attacking Larix Americana,
and on the other Scolytids atttacking the Tamarack; on the secondary characters in
the male of Pissodcs affinis ; on a new Herbarium pest from California (Trigonogenius
sp.), on the hitherto unknown female of Pliotinus coUusirans ; on a specimen of Sin-
oxylon hasilare with two-jointed antennal club, and on the occurrence of Sinoxylon
texanum near Washington. A discussion arose between Messrs. Riley, Howard,
Schwarz, and Smith on the constancy of the number of antennal joints in insects and
their value in classification.

JOHX B. Smith,

Becording Secretary.

Fig. 35. Chalcis fiaripes.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORK.

The following list embraces those now engaged in Government entomological work,
and who will assist in the management of the periodical, those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as contributors. The force of the Division of Entomology is
more or less inconstant,' as it consists of both permanent and temjjorary employes :

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist : C. V. Eiley.

Office Staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tyler

Townseud, W. B. Alwood, Assistants ; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and

in charge of reeling experiments.
Field Agents : Saml. Henshaw, Boston, Mass.; F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind.; Herbert

Osborn, Ames, Iowa; N. W. McLain, Hinsdale, 111.; Mary E. Murtfeldt, Kirkwood,

Mo. ; Lawrence Bruner, Lincoln, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal. ; Albert

Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator: C. V. Riley.
Assistant Curator : John B. Smith.

^f For bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedient,
the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communica-
tions. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by refer-
ring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be credited to "Insect Life," or
where it is desired to give personal credit, to " Riley and Howard." While most of
the correspondence of the Division is carried on by myself, yet much of it is also at-
tended to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge dur-
ing my absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work that
only those articles signed by either should be considered individual. Illustrations,
where not otherwise stated, are drawn by Miss Lillie Sullivan, under supervision. —
C. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. DECEMBER, 18S8.

Vol. .!• No. 6.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1888.

CONTENTS

Pago.

Special Notes I63

The Habits of Thalessa and Tremex (illustrated) .C. V. Riley.. 168

Notes on Lachnosteuxa fusca (illustrated) J. B. Smith.. 180

A Sandwich Island Sugar-cane Borer (illustrated) 185

Extracts from Cokrespondence 190

The "Red Bug" iujuriug Orauges agaiu. — Further lujury in the Treasury
by Roaches. — Beetles supposed to have been passed by a Patient. — A
Tiueid on Carpets in Texas. — Leaf-stripping Ants in Arizona. — The Hes-
sian Fly in England. — Stinging CatetpiUar oi Lagoa ojycrcularis. — Re-
buttal of Wier's Statements regarding the Plum Curculio.

General Notes 193

Grain Insects in Australia. — Further concerning the Locust War in Al-
geria. — An important Contribution to Lepulopterology. — The poison-
ous Nature of the Mecouium of Lepidoptera. — The Peach-twig Moth
and its Parasite. — Two abnormal Honey Bees. — Reappearance of Lach-
nus platanicola. — Two alien Pests of the Greenhouse. — The Food-habits
of North American Calaudridie. — Thii natural Food-plant of Graptodera
foliacea. — A remarkable Insect Enemy to Live Stock. — Further on the
Importation of Lestophouus. — Proceediuge of the Entomological So-
ciety of Washington.

Vol. 1, No. 6.] INSECT LIFE. [December, 1§§8.

SPECIAL NOTES.

The notices so far published of Insect Life have been very satisfac-
tory indeed, and we feel very mnch encouraged at the manner in which
the bulletin has been received both by entomologists and farmers. The
only strictures so far made have been in reference to publication of de-
scriptive matter. We wish to assure our reviewers that while in the main
Insect Life will be devoted to the economy of insects, it is also devoted
to the promotion of entomology in all its branches. We do not intend
to print hurried, isolated descriptions, carelessly thrown together and
hastily published to insure priority, but where descriptions form a
part of some co mprehensive study of any group of insects ; where
they are based upon a broad knowledge of affinities, or where they
are connected with any studies in life history, we shall be glad to give
them place. We hope, therefore, to publish some matter of this kind
with almost every numoer of the bulletin.

Recent California Work against the Fluted Scale. — On page 110, No. 4,
Insect Life, we published an extract from a letter received during
September from Mr. Coquillett, giving a vivid account of the condition
of affairs among orange-growers in southern California. One promi-
nent fruit grower has entirely abandoned the industry; another one
stated that he would cut down his trees in case he could not make a
success of the gas treatment; another took all the money that the
oranges and lemons brought him and spent it in spraying his trees
with "one of the best caustic washes in use" (!), and as a result his
trees were injured to such an extent that they will not bear this year,
while the scales are as abundant as ever. Other growers in the San
Gabriel Valley state that they were seriously thinking of abandoning
their citrus groves. This sad state of affairs is, as we stated eighteen
months ago in our Kiverside address, by no means necessary. While
experiments have shown that the fumigating processes will kill the
insects, still they are expensive and elaborate, and our orange-growing
friends do not seem to have a proper appreciation of the washes which
we have recommended.

163

164

It is our firm belief, founded upon personal observation in California,
that tliorouoh and persistent work with any one of a half dozen of the
kerosene and resin compounds will prove satisfactory. So far as we
can learn they have by no means received a fair trial. The experiments
made by Mr. Koebele in 1886 and 1887 have demonstrated the efficacy
of certain of these washes to our entire satisfaction, and we feel j^ositive
that we could keep a young grove comparatively free in the worst in-
fested district at an expenditure which would not be excessive. Where
the insect has attained a firm foot-hold in an old grove, it is of course
very difficult to eradicate; but young groves tjan be protected, and in
our oi)inion the horticulturists are making a very great mistake in en-
tirely dropping the washes and devoting so much time to the expensive
cyanide-gas treatment. We do not understand, after what has been
definitely prov^ed in this direction, how such a vital mistake could have
been made as indicated in the case of the man who spent all his money
on the caustic washes and seriously injured his trees. Nor can we
sympathize so much as we otherwise would with those who have felt
themselves obliged to abandon the cultivation of oranges and lemons.

A correspondent in California, wishing to use the fumigation process
for destroying orange scales, was informed by the proprietors of an ap-
paratus for confining the fumes that they possessed patents not only
upon their mechanical devices but also upon the process of fumigation.
Upon receiving word from our correspondent of this state of affairs we
took occasion to look the matter up, and came to the conclusions indi-
cated in the following sentences which are extracted from our final
reply :

I have had a most careful examination made at the Patent Office here in Washing-
ton, with the result that, while I readily find the record of the issuing of a patent to
the Culver- Keach people for their apparatus, I can not find the slightest trace of a
patent on the "process of fumigation with gas" issued to these people. This claim
is probably set up by them for the purpose of keeping other parties out of the field.
Moreover, the Patent Office has decided in the case of other parties that the "pro-
cess" can not be patented, since the so-called Hatch patent covered the same ground,
and as this patent has expired the process has become public property. The essential
features of the gas treatment were discovered by Mr. Coquillett as an outgrowth of
the work he was doing for the Government under my direction, and the results have
been made public and are public property. So long as you do not infringe on the
mechanical principles used in the fumigator you need, in my judgment, pay little
heed to claims for gas treatment.

Introduction of living Parasites: Success of the Mission to Australia.—
We had intended publishing in our general notes of this number a
quotation from the South Australian Register of October 27, giving
an account of the apparent success of the mission of Mr. Koebele, one

165

of our agents, whom we sent to Australia for the purpose of studying
and collectiug the native parasites of Icerya purchasi with a view of
introducing them iuto California; but just as we are going to press
the Australian mail arrives, and the following letter from Mr. Koebele
covers the ground so much more satisfactorily that we print it in full:

So far my work lias beoQ much more successful than I expected. I not ouly found
the dipterous parasite within Icerya in large numbers, but also three predaceous
larvte feeding upon the eggs of Icerya. Oue of these is a Chrysopa larva, which I
tirst discovered in numbers, it having almost destroyed all the eggs of the infested
Icerya at Mannam, 2S miles up the Murray River from Murray Bridge Station, South
Australia; the others are larvte of a small Coccinella. I have collected and sent with
this steamer, Mariposa, probably 10,000 leery*, of which at least 50 per cent, are in-
fested with the dipterous larvae and pupte. Dr. Schomburg, director of the Botanical
Gardens of Adelaide, kindly furnished me with a wardian-case, in which I placed
three young orange trees and nine of Pittosporum, securely packed down. The
Iceryaj were placed in this on sticks of orange placed in earth, so the smaller, half-
grown insects can easily crawl up on the fresh plants, and the flies that hatch en
route may be able to go on breeding. Beside these, I send a large lot in tin and
wooden boxes, chiefly taken off of twigs; these latter I have placed in ice-box, so
that none will be able to hatch during the voyage. As it looks now, for all are on
steamer already, the latter experiment will be the best to follow. Notwithstanding
the care and labor I have spent in getting this case here in such condition, I fear
that the packages will sutler greatly through the handling of the steamer hands.
However it may be, I assure you that success will attend your effort, and I expect to
land several thousands of flies in pupa state with every steamer landing at San
Francisco.

In regard to the case with plants, this is a bulky thing, weighing 240 pounds,
while the same number of scales packed in boxes would make only a few pounds.

The most diflicult matter is to get Iceryie in such large numbers. As yet I have
found them ouly in private gardens, but I know of sufficient for another sending.

On coming on here I also discovered the flies within Iceryie in Victoria, and am
certain that they will be found all over Australia, or wherever Icerya is present.

They are not ouly parasitic upon Mouophlcebus and Icerya, but I am almost cer-
tain also upon Dactylopius. I found many empty puparia within dried-up Dacty-
lopius, and also have several fresh ones at Adelaide.

Will remain in New South Wales for about a week or so and make a careful ex-
amination of the ground, then proceed to Victoria in search of Icerya, but will be
in Adelaide in time to make up a larger shipment.

Economic Entomology in India. — An esteemed correspondent writes us
from Calcutta with regard to Insect Life as follows :

I am much interested in your new venture " Insect Life," which is the practical car-
rying out of a scheme that I have been urging on our people here for years. This is
what a practical man wants, the history of an insect and a name or ticket by which
it can be recognized by others and by which their observations can be correlated and
made use of for all time. In all countries economic entomology must have more at-
tention paid to it than hitherto. Competition and pressure of population both de-
maud every effort of science to reduce the cost of production, and it can be done to a
greater extent than has hitherto been thought of. I have encouraged an assistant in
our museum to precis and distribute your papers. But it is slow work and I should
be glad of any.papers on the organization of your Department, to found a similar
one here. No paid agency can be entertained for other than the scientific work, and

166

•we lack the intelligent unpaid agency which forms the feature of your reports and
■which gives you what no reasonably paid agency could accomplish. This is my great
difficulty: the Indian peasant knows nothing of insects or means to combat tbem,
and is too ignorant and careless to help. There is not one native of India who knows
anything of natural history or cares for it or is likely to do so.

Credit to whom Credit is due. — We are sorry to notice from the Garden
and Field (Adelaide, South Australia) for July, 1888, that Mr. F. S.
Crawford, to whom is due the discovery of Lestoijhoniis iceryce, the
Dipterous parasite of the Fluted Scale, and who has taken so much
trouble to secure specimens to forward them to California and New
Zealand, is somewhat hurt by an exhibition of want of knowledge of
the facts on the part of a California paper. He quotes from the Cali-
fornia journal as follows :

To Professor Coquillett, Mr. Wolfskill, and Mr. Craw great praise is due, for they
are in a fair way to do more for Southern California than has been accomplished in
many years.

Following this, in his own words, he adds:

All honor, then, be to this patriotic trio, and personally lot me express my compli-
ments to the writer of the article, because until I read it I labored under the delusion
that I first discovered th ■ Dipteron, that I first suggested its introduction into Cali-
fornia and other countries afflicted by the Icerya scourge, and that I have put myself
to some little and my friends to much greater trouble in collecting and forwarding
the Coccid hosts of these parasite flies — all of which is doubtless a mistake!

We are very sorry that Mr. Crawford feels hurt about this matter, and
beg to assure him that it is but a specimen of a certain kind of Ameri-
can journalism for which, in all probability, no one of the three gentle-
men in question is in the least responsible. Mr. Crawford's claims upon
the gratitude of the California people are well known and abundantlj'
recognized. Our own part in this matter is equally ignored in the
article referred to. In our Riverside address, in the spring of 1887, we
made use of the following words :

It has doubtlfess occurred to many of you that it would be very desirable to intro-
duce from Australia such parasites as serve to keep this Fluted Scale in check in its
native land. We have a ready seen that there is one minute parasite which has, in
all probability, been brought over with it from Australia, and there is no question
but that it is very desirable to introduce any such of its enemies and parasites as can
be introduced. This State — yes, even Los Angeles County — could well afford to ap.
propriate a couple of thousaud dollars for no other purpose than the sending of an
expert to Australia to devote some months to the study of these parasites there and
to their artificial introduction here.

Receiving through Miss Ormerod the first specimens of Lestophonus,
we requested Mr. Crawford to send specimens to Messrs. Coquillett and
Klee. We have recently learned that Mr. Klee also independently
made the same request to Mr. Crawford after learning that such a par-
asite existed. The California newspaper man was siugularlj^ uufortu-

167

nate in that none of the three gentlemen whom he mentioned had any-
thing to do with the matter beyond receiving the specimens and at-
tempting to colonize them.

Entomologiske Meddelelser, udgiviie af Entomologisk Porening ved Fr.
Meinert, Copenhagen.— This is the title of a new journal, of which we
have received the first five numbers through the Smithsonian Institu-
tion. The name of its editor is a guaranty of the excellence of its con-
tents, a large proportion of which are from his pen. Unlike English
journals, this paper contains no prospectus, no price, no indication as
to where it is to be obtained, and no date except that of the year. It is
printed in good style, on good paper, and in the Danish language ex-
clusively. In the numbers before us there seems evident an intention
of giving as complete a list of the Danish insect fauna as possible. The
Orthoptera have been completed and the Coleoptera are making good
progress. We are glad to greet a new friend.

The Rural Neiv Yorker potato contest has been decided and the so-
called Rural Seedling No. 2 yielded at the rate of 1,076 bushels to the
acre. No. 3 lost the day and was nearly a failure ou account of the
ravages of the common Flea-beetle {Crepidodera cucumeris). Probably
the yield of No. 2 would have been greater but for this cause. This in-
sect has been particularly destructive during the past season upon the
Rural farm, confining its attack to the leaves and terminal shoots.

It is now proposed to start a potato contest for ladies, the patches
to be limited to one-fortieth of an acre or thereabouts. The details,
however, are not fixed.

We have received from Prof. Dr. K. Lindeman, of Moscow, a report
upon the diseases of tobacco in Bessarabia. The report, unfortunately
for American students, is published in Russian and not in the German,
in which Professor Lindeman usually writes. He discusses principally
the Tenebrionid beetle, Opatriim intermedium, a species which is con-
fined to southern Russia, and the larva of which attacks the stem un-
derground. The larva also feeds upon wheat, Atriplex and Convolvu-
lus. He also discusses the injury done by a Thrips {Thrips tabaci) and
another Tenebrionid — Pedinus femoralis.

We have received from George W. Peckham and Elizabeth Peckham
a paper entitled " The North American Spiders of the Family Attidse,"
which has the appearance of a careful and most conscientious work.

168

Eev. T. A. Marshall writes us that E. Andre, of Beaune, is now en-
gaged in compiling a new catalogue of the Hymeuoptera of Europe and
adjacent countries, ever^^ parr of which will be submitted to specialists
before publication, and which doubtless will for a time prove serviceable
to working Hymenopterists.

The Buhach Producing and Manufacturing Company, of Stockton,
Cal., very generously offered to sell the Department some time ago
seed of Pyrethrum cinerariaifoUnm, at the following rates : One pound,
$50; 5 pounds, $200; 10 pounds, $350; 50 pounds, $1,250; which
shows that there is money in the cultivation of this insecticide plant
in the United States. We have already shown that the plant can be
successfully grown over a large portion of the country and it seems
remarkable that this lirm should have enjoyed a monopoly so long.

We are anxious to get copies of our First and Sixth Reports on the
Insects of Missouri. We shall be pleased to purchase them of any of
our readers who happen to have copies that they can spare. We desire
these two reports more particularly. The first is published in the Re-
port of the State Board of Agriculture for 1868, and we will purchase
copies ot that report where the entomological part is not separated.
The Sixth Entomological Report was iiublisbed separately. We are also
willing 10 purchase the entomological reports for any other years.

THE HABITS OF THALESSA AND TREMEX.

By C. V. Riley.
HABITS OP THALESSA.

Our two largest American Ichueumonids {Thalessa atrata and T. lima-
tor) have long been known to bore the trunks of various trees with their
lengthy ovipositors, choosing, apparently, only trees or stumps inhab-
ited by Treniex or other wood-boring larvie, from which the general sup
position has been that the larvte of the Ichueumonids were parasitic
upon the larvse of the Tremex. Accurate and positive observations on
this point, however, seem not to have been made, or at least not to have
been recorded, prior to our own, which will presently be quoted.

Harris (Ins. inj. to Veg., p. 538) says of the larva of Tremex tolumua :
It is ofteu destroyed by the maggots of two kinds of icbueumou-flies(i'iHijj/rt atrata
aud lunator of Fabricius). These flies may frequently be seeu thrusting their sleuder
borers, measuriug 3 or 4 inches iu length, into the trunks of trees inhabited by the
grubs of the Tremex, aud by other wood-eating insects; and, like the female Tremex,
they sometimes become fastened to the trees and die without being able to draw their
borers out again.

169

It will be noticed from the above-quoted passage that while Harris
states positively that the larv;p. of the parasites destroy the larvre of the
Tremex he says nothing about the place where the parasitic egg is laid
and does not even hazard the supposition that the Tremex larva is
pierced by the ovipositor of the parasite. Later authors, however, have
loosely made this statement without evidence or authority. For instance,
Packard (Guide, etc., p. 19G) says :

The genus Bhyssa contains our largest species and frequents tlie boles of boring in-
sects iu tbe trunks of trees, inserting its remarkably long ovipositor in the body of
the larvae deeply imbedded in the trunk of the tree.

Following this statement, or possibly some previous one which we
have not been able to place, the idea has been current that the wood-
boring larva is pierced by the ovipositor of the parasite. As late as
1886 Professor Oomstock, in the Standard Natural History, II, p. 514,
says :

And the females {Rhysaa) are often found witli their long ovipositors deeply sunken
iJiM the trunks of such trees (infested with Sirex) in the act of laying their eggs iu
the bodies of the wood-boring larvae.

From the use of the generic name Sirex, Professor Comstock's state-
ment would seem to be drawm from European sources, and this has led
us to make some search of European records for observation upon
allied species.

Westwood (Introd., etc., II, 150) says :

Some species, whose females are furnished with a vei-y long ovipositor, are found
on the trunks of trees, stumps of wood, etc., evidently searching for the lignivorous
larvte, in which they deposit their eggs.

Ratzeburg (Ichneumonen d. Forstins.) states that both Nordlinger
and himself reared Rhyssa ][)ersuasorki from Sirex spectrum, and he also
records B. curvipes as reared from Kiphidria canielus. He does not,
however give any details of his observations, nor does he state that the
l^arasite in ovipositing pierces the wood-boring grub.

In spite, however, of the lack of definite observations on this point,
the idea was almost universally prevalent among entomologists up to
recent years that the parasite pierced the grub with her ovipositor and
deposited her egg in its body.

In the December, 1882, number of the Canadian Entomologist, Mr.
Frederick Clarkson gave an account of observations upon this parasite
which were, upon the whole, very similar to those which we had pre-
viously made. His article was called forth by a popular review of the
habits of atrata and luaator contrihated to the May number of the same
journal by Mr. W. H. Harrington, in which the latter fell into the old
error of stating that the female Thalessa deposits her eggs iu the larvae
of the UroceridiB and other wood-borers by means of her long ovipositor.
Mr. Clarkson stated in brief that his experience had demonstrated that
while it may be a fact that these insects deposit their eggs upon the

170

larvfB of Uroceridse or other borers, they do not commouly do so. lu
every case that he observed the ovipositor entered through wood that
had not been previously attacked, and in his opinion the egg is often,
if not generally, laid regardless of contact with the larva. He con-
cluded that if the Ichneumonid larvne are carnivorous they must bore in
search of food, as he thought it improbable that the adults performed
the great labor of boring on the chance of meeting with a larva, but
rather that they deposit eggs at every insertion.

In 1884 the question was brought up again by Mr. George Gade, of
Fordham, N. Y. who had made practically the same observations as Mr,
Clarkson, but who drew the strikingly erroneous conclusions that Tha-
lessa is lignivorous and not parasitic. He is reported to have stated
at the meeting of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, held September
27, 1884 (see Bulletin Brooklyn Entom. Soc, Vol. VII, Nov., 1884, page
103), that he had long doubted the parasitic habit of the species. He
remarked :

I have, daring the past season, watched many females ovipositing, and have cut off
the ovipositor when ready to be withdrawn, and in no instance have I found a larva
of any kind anywhere near the point reached hy the borer and where the egg was
deposited. The conclusion is, therefore, that the hirva is a true wood-feeder, and not
parasitic.

In the discussion which followed Messrs. George D. Hulst, and A. C.
Weeks are stated to have announced that they had reached the same
conclusion from independent observation.

At the December meeting of the Entomological Society of Washington
we commented upon this report of Mr. Gade's observations, and later
wrote to the editors of the Brooklyn Bulletin a letter which was pub-
lished in the January (1885) number (page 123), giving the results of
our own observation, and quoting the following letter, which we had
previously written to Mr. J. A. Lintner, and which he published in an
article o^ his own in the Country Gentleman for April 17, 1884 (vol.
XLIX, page 331):

I have on several occasions had opportunity of closely studying not onlj^ the mode
of ovipositiou, but of larval growth of lihyssa. My sketches and notes are at home
[written from Boscawen, N. H.], but the salient facts beari.ug on your question I can
give from memory. In all instances where I have found the female depositing, it has
been in trees infested with Tremcx cohimba, and I have found her most numerous on
badly affected or injured trees, or ev^eu on stumps or broken trunks already partly de-
cayed. The instinct to read; the egg or larva of Tremex, so dwelt upon in popular
accounts, is imaginary. She bores directly through the outer parts of the tree, and
doubtless probes for a burrow ; but her egg is consigned anywhere in the burrow;
the young larva seeks its prey, and lives and develops without penetrating the
body of its victim, but fastened to the exterior. This habit among parasites is much
more common than is generally supposed. A great mauy lihyssa larva? doubtless per-
ish without finding food, and a great mauy females die in probing for a burrow,
especially when they burrow through wood that is sound and hard.

We also published in Science, November 28, 1884 (Vol. IV, No. 95,
page 48G), a note making the same criticism.

171

In the discussion which followed the reading of our letter at the i^o-
vember (1884) meeting of the Brooklyn society, as reported by Mr. John
B. Smith, Mr. Gade announced himself as " positive that many of the
logs frequented by the Rhyssa are not infested by Tremex or other
wood- boring larva."

It follows from the accurate observations here brought together, and
which do not depend npon inference, that Mr. Gade (as all those who
support him) was entirely wrong in his conclusion that Thalessa is
lignivorous; and though further observations were promised the en-
suing year we have looked in vain in the reports of the meetings of
the Brooklyn society for any subsequent statement or admission of
error.

We have had in our collection since 1872 alcoholic specimens of T.
lunator, as well as Tremex columha in all stages, taken from the trunk of
a Box Elder [Negtindo aceroides) on Mr. William Coleman's farm, near
Merrimac, Mo. We took these on the 4th of July, 1872, and made notes
as to the habits of the larva and pupa of both species. The tree was al-
ready partly dead, and, in fact, our experience in this as in subsequent
observations, shows that in most cases the tree has been somewhat af-
fected, so that the wood was not firm and healthy. This stump fur-
nished an excellent opporlunitj" for investigation, because it was so
easily split, and we examined the burrows very carefully and found
Thalessa in all stages at that time — larvse, pup* of both sexes, and
imagines of both sexes within the tree, the larvse being of various sizes
and invariably external to the Tremex, i. e., not within, but holding on
to its victim and sucking the latter's life away, without in any case en-
tering the body. At this same time females wei-e also actively engaged
in ovipositing, and by carefully tracing the ovipositor in several cases
we came to the conclusion that she did not attempt to reach the Tremex
larva but only to reach its burrow, and that the young parasitic larva
after hatching must instinctively seek its victim. Thalessa, therefore,
is not an internal parasite and in this it agrees with a great many
other parasites both Hymenopterous and Coleopterous, e. g., Ophion,
Typhia, Eupiectrus, Elachistus, Elasmus, Polysphincta, Acrodactyla,
Rhipiphorus, etc., which are all external, as we know from our own ex-
perience and Mr. Howard's; while Tryphon, Sphinctus, and Paulsens
are mentioned by Westwood as having the same habit. In fact, external
parasitism is far more common among the larvne of the Ichneamonidfe
and the Chalcididie than has hitherto been supposed, and may be said
almost to be the rule with all parasites upon true Endophytes, and with
secondary parasites. The truth of the whole matter is, that Thalessa,
like all other insects, is liable to suffer from fallible instinct, and that
while she doubtless has better means of distinguishing a tree infested
by Tremex than we have, she nevertheless often makes mistakes, and the
"unerring instinct" which book entomologists are so fond of dwelling

172

upon is often at fault. In our own experience we have never found her
boring in uninfested trees, as others have done, and in cases where she
fails to reach a Tremex larva and to fasten her egg upon or near it she
must either reach a Tremex burrow or a Tremex larva must come in con-
tact with such egg or the larva issuing therefrom to insure perpetuation.
The Thalessa larva no doubt actively searches for its victim within the
burrow, but, from the nature of its mouth-parts, is incapable of boring
wood as Mr. Harrington and Mr. Clarkson suppose.

METHOD OF OVIPOSITION IN THALESSA.

The method of oviposition in a creature witb such an enormously long

ovipositor as Thalessa
possesses must be of
particular interest.
We have had good op-
portunities of observ-
ing it. In i^repariog
for the act the position
is generally longitud-
inal or in a line with
the axis of trunk or
branch, the head ei-
ther up or down .With
the abdomen raised in
the air the ovipositor
is taken and managed
with t he hind legs, and
the tip guided by the
front tarsi. The two
outer sheaths are used
as props and do not
enter the wood with
the ovipositor proper.
They are generally
crossed — a position
which gives additional
strength and security
to them. Now, by a
movement from side to
side, and by arching
the abdomen and bear-
ing upon the oviposi tor
she gradually forces
this back through the tip of the abdomen into a membrane which issues

Fig. 36.— Thalessa lunator. (a) Female in act of ovipositiiig ; (&)
abdomen showing outer sheaths in slightly dili'erent position ; (c) ab.
domen stretched to its utmost, as when first inserting or finally
withdrawing the ovipositor, and showing the coil of outer sheaths (/ ),
the distended membrane (d), and the ovipositor coiled around in-
side it at periphery (original).

173

from between the sixth and seventh joints dorsally. There is a won-
derful muscular power in the anal joints, and the ovipositor is forced back
until it forms a perfect coil, so that when the abdomen is stretched in a
straio-ht line to its utmost (Fig. 36, c) the ovipositor within the membrane
makes a circle almost as large as a qnarter of a dollar, the anal joint
having made a three fourths turn within the membrane. In this man-
ner the ovipositor under the venter has been sufficiently shortened to
bring its tip against the bark. During this operation, however, the
outer sheaths, which have not followed the ovipositor within the
membrane, have been obliged to make a more or less irregular coil
opposite to and in front of the membrane on the ventral side as at
Fig. 30,/. Now commences the operation of boring, and with the won-
derful muscular power in the anal joint and the elasticity of the mem-
brane, the insertion of the ovipositor goes on quite steadily if the wood
be in the least soft. As the borer enters, the sheaths make a larger
and larger loop on one side of the body, or even a valve on each side,
and at last, when the borer is well nigh inserted, they present the ap-
pearance represented in a and h. Our
figures, made from sketches in the
field at the time mentioned, will con-
vey a very good idea of this interest-
ing process. In withdrawing the
ovipositor the reverse action takes
place and the loops of the outer
sheaths gradually become smaller
and smaller; the ovipositor proper
is again forced back into the tough
bladder-like membrane between the
sixth and seventh joints dorsally and
we have a repetition of the appear-
ance {fl) as already described. The
popular figures of the act of oviposi-
tiou which we have so far seen are
for the most part imaginary and er-
roneous. That of Rhyssa by Blan-
chard, for instance, is purely imagi-
nary and shows the ovipositor insert-
ed in a Sirex larva, while that by
Wood is still poorer. The best we
have seen, and evidently copied
from some European work, we take
from an old American Agriculturist (Fig. 37). The species is evi-
dently Bhyssa persuasoria^ which is comoion to Europe and North
America, and which, having a relatively shorter ovipositor than Tha-
may not require the elastic membrane. The larva and pupa of

Fig. 37. Bhyssa persuasoria ovipositing.
(Afler the American Agriculturist).

174

tbis species are figured and described by Snellen van Vollenlioven in
TijdMchrift voor Entomologie (IV, 18G0, pages 170, 177, plate 12). The
ovipositor of the pupa, as is to be expected, is only about one-half as
long as that of Thalessa.

Probably as good an account of the method of the boring as has been
published, and one of the earliest accurate accounts, is that contributed
by Mr. J. Quay to our Americayi Entomologist for September, 1880 (Vol.
Ill, page 219). We quote from this article as follows:

As these insects, by standing on "tip-toe" and elevating their abdomen to its fullest
height, can clear but about 2 inches space, the problem presents itself as to how can
the remaining 3 inches of ovipositor be disposed of in order to allow the drill end to
enter the perforated stump.

1 observed that after raising the abdomen as far as possible the drill was worked
forward so as to slightly bend under, giving the insect a purchase on same. Then
followed a bearing-down motion on the bent tube, curving the end of the abdomen for-
ward and upward, and next forcing the ovipositor, near its attached end, to curve also
and pass up through the abdomen and above into a cavity which there opened for
its reception.

What a strange provision of itature !

The cavity was inclosed by a membranous sack, capable of great distension, and
while the drill was being continually forced up through, it curled about within the
sack, forming one complete bend of about three-fourths of an inch in diameter, and an-
other partial one. When fully distended the sack was very thin, quite urauspareut, and
seemingly upon the point of bursting apart. But the ovipositor was in this manner

brought to the edge of the worm-hole,
was slipped in, and thus made to ease
away upon the distended sack, which,
by collapsing, forced out again the drill
by its mere force of contraction. The
coil now soou disappeared, and the in-
sect was fully prepared to commence op-
erations upon the hapless Tremex.

STRUCTURE OF THE OVIPOSITOR.

Our readers who have followed
us so far will doubtless wonder
how an egg can be passed down
such a loDg ovipositor not wider
than a horse- hair. A careful ex-
amination will show that this in-
strument is composed of three
parts, which may, upon being soft-
ened, easily separate, but which
in nature are securely locked to-
gether. Figure 38 illustrates the
ends of these three parts a, «, b as they appear when on their flat sides?
and it will be noticed that the tips are strongly notched diagonally,
which structure facilitates the insertion or boring into the tree and
renders extraction somewhat more difficult, especially where the wood
is somewhat hard. Now the dorsal or central piece is solid at its

Fig. 38.— Ovipositor and egg of Thalessa ; a, h, a,
tips of coiujjonent parts of ovipositor proper; c,
cross-section of ovipositor; d, egg; e, e, ventral
pieces of ovipo.sitor proper; /, middle or dorsal
piece of ovipositor, all greatly enlarged (original).

175

dorsal end and cleft on the inner side to about two-thirds or three-
fourths its length. On either side of this cleft is a strong ridge or rail
something after the fashion of a T-rail. Each of the ventral pieces, on
the contrary, has a groove into which the rail-like ridges of the dorsal
piece lock. The ventral pieces in the act of oviposition slide up and
down these rails, which serve to keep the three pieces securely fastened
together. Through the center of the dorsal piece runs a membranous
duct, which is probably muscular, and is formed by a groove on either
side of the cleft, while through the connected piece that the other or
ventral pieces make when conjoined runs another similar duct. The
margins of the membrane in either duct when seen by cross section
look somewhat like a septum. Figure 38, c, shows a cross section of
the three pieces when interlocked, taken about the middle of the ovi-
l)ositor, the appearance varying somewhat in different parts of the
instrument. The egg (Fig. 33, d) is 0.18™"^ long and CIS'""" in greatest
width; it is ovoid in form, and compressed at the sides, and is evidently
worked down by the muscular linings of these grooves. The pieces as
a whole are, when interlocked, doubtless bulged out to admit of the
passage of this egg. The greatest expansion must take i)lace about
the middle of the cleft by virtue of the fact that while the combined
ovipositor is oval in transverse section the burrow or perforation is
more cylindrical, thus permitting tlie bulging of the cleft at its middle
and preventing too great separation of the open end formed by the
ventral pieces.

We are much indebted to Mr. Gade for specimens of the egg, as also
for preserved females showing the distended membrane. The dimen-
sions of the egg which we have given are from eggs examined by dissec-
tion in the female abdomen, and correspond to the size of the oviposi-
tor; but the eggs from Mr. Gade, and from which our figure was made,
are larger and more elongate.

The manner in which the females, especially after they have been en-
feebled, become fast in the trunks which they bore has often been re_
corded as a matter of observation. On jS^ovember 9, 1872, at Glencoe
Mo., we found the nearly mature female Thalessa in another Box Elder
tree, already mature, but dormant, butevideutly ready to issue early the
following summer, because she had eaten right to the surface of the
bark. The Tremex larvii? were at this time of all sizes, and a careful ex-
amination of this tree showed the vicissitudes to which these insects
are subject, not only after, but before exit; for females of both genera
were often found dead in the tree. The Thalessa matures within its
burrow with the wings perfect, and as it depends very largel.y on the
use of its matured jaws for escape, it frequently fails to escajje when en-
countering gnarled and knotty wood.

The Tremex, both in the larva and pupa states, is quite subject to the
attacks of a fungus, which so closely resembles the dying and decaying
parts of the wood that the infected parts of the skin seemed filled with
dead wood.

176

ARDOR OF THE MALES.

The ardor of the males of Tlialessa has often been commented upon.

Mr. W. H. Harrington, in the Canadian Entomologist for November,
1887 (Vol. XIX, p. 206), recounts, un'ler the head "The Nuptials of
Thalessa," a series of interesting observations made in June, 1887, and
which showed that the males, having issued first, awaited the females,
and were able to locate the spot at which a given female would emerge
some time before she made her appearance. In one instance which he
records, a particular spot was crowded with males for two days before the
female emerged, and even then she was assisted by the removal of the
bark by the observer. The males, in waiting, make eveiy effort to reach
the female, inserting the tips of their abdomen into crevices in the bark.
On emerging the female is instantly seized, the legs of the male clasp-
ing the yet unused wings and abdomen, thus preventing her from tlying.

DOES THE FEMALE OVIPOSIT IN EXPOSED LEPIDOPTEROUS LARV^?

In a communication to the Country Gentleman of July 12, 1883, page
561, Prof. J. A. Lintner raised the question as to whether this insect
was really constructed for preying as a parasite upon internal borers or
whether it did not prey upon exposed larvae. He wrote as follows :

The question is therefore raised, Are the commonly accepted habits of the "long-
stings" correctly given ? Has any one actually seen them in the act of lirobing the
burrows of a Tremex? Such an operation has never come under my observation,
while probably all field entomologists have repeatedly found them fastened by their
ovipositor firmly inserted in apparently solid wood. I recall an instance observed by
me several years ago, when what I think must have been Rhijssa lunator, was earn-
estly engaged in placing its eggs in a colony of a species of Datana, feeding upon a
branch of hickory, in the following singular manner: Its ovipositor was bent beneath
it, extending between its legs, with its tip projecting in front of its head, enabling it
with perfect ease to select one caterpillar after another for the reception of its eggs.
Why would not this be a much better method of using the long ovipositor than the
one generally ascribed to it ? There would certainly be no hap-hazard work in such
oviposition, or any waste of material. In the instance above recorded each thrust
told, as was seen in the well-known alarm-jerk of these larvje, at once communicated
from the victim to the entire group. Unfortuuately the importance of the observa-
tion was not known to me at the time, and no further attention was given to it.

Quite recently, desiring to learn whether Professor Lintner had ob-
tained any further evidence to justify so singular a statement, we ad-
dressed him and he informed us that he had no further experience other
than that given in his forthcoming report, of which he kindly sent us ad-
vance proofs, and in which he quotes asimilar observation narrated by
Mr. J. S. Woodward, secretary of the New York State Agricultural So-
ciety, after repeating his .own experience as we have quoted it. The
trouble is that in both Mr. Lintner's and Mr. Woodward's observations
memory is the sole guide and there has been no positive identification of
the species, and, though we have a high regard for the observational pow-
ers of both these gentlemen, it seems to us that both must be in error, be-
cause a study of the structureof the ovipositor in Thalessa shows clearly

177

that it is not adapted for stingiug soft-bodied larvte. The very curious
structural peculiarities of the abdomen, which we have just described;
and which are essential to permit the tip of the ovipositor to be pro-
jected against the trunk of the tree are also inconsistent with, the motions
described by Professor Lintner. So, also, the labored force necessary to
bring the ovipositor in position, and in the general act of ovipositiou in
Thalessa, does not agree with what is there described. While the rel-
ative length of ovipositor to body varies somewhat, the former generally
extends about five inches from the tip of the latter, and if brought
under the body would extend over three inches beyond the head.
Moreover there is no sharp lance at tip, nor means of curving this last
so as to bring it on the back of a caterpillar with the Ichneumon in the
positiou described by Lintner.

The ovipositor of Thalessa is, in short, an elaborate boring and saw-
ing instrument. The simplest explanation of both Lintner's and Wood-
ward's observations would be that, if the insect was Thalessa, she was
by chance boring a branch or trunk infested with Tremex at a place
where Datana larv?e were massing, as they are known to congregate
for moulting purposes in masses upon the trunk. But, as will be seen,
Professor Lintner's statement is too explicit as to the alarm-jerk of the
stung Datana larva3 to justify this first explanation of the riddle, and
the attitude assumed by Thalessa would not correspond to his descrip-
tion; so that upon careful consideration we are satisfied that the true
explanation is that some other large Ichneumonid was observed by both
and by both mistaken for Thalessa. Some of the large Ophiouids of
the genera Thyreodon, Exochilum, or Heteropelma might be quite easily
mistaken theretor, especially at some little distance.

Both Exochilum and Heteropelma are parasitic upon Bombycid larvse,
which feed externally like Datana, and in our breeding experience we
have found the commonest parasite of Datana ministra and Datana in-
tegerrima to be a large undescribed Heteropelma that might easily be
confounded with Thalessa lunator, unless one is quite careful in obser-
vation. It is true that the ovipositor in these genera can not be ex-
tended to any great length, ijrobably not more than half an inch ; but
the abdomen in oviposition is undoubtedly curved under the body in
such way that the caterpillars are stung in front of the parasite very
much as described by Mr. Lintner. The abdomen is long enough to
allow this, and it is the customary position with Ophionids when ovi-
positing. Another, black, species {H. flavieornis) resembles, in a similar
wav, Thalessa atrata.

The particular species of Heteropelma which we have bred from Da-
tana larva is undescribed, and at Mr. Oressou's request we add a de-
scription of it in this connection :
Heteropelma datanw sp. uov.

Female. — Average length 25™™; expanse 35™™. General color ferruginous- brown,
the abdomen verging to bronzy-black. Mead : Antenna} uniform yellowish-brown, a
] 2357— No. G 2

178

little darker than head and thorax, the scape yellowish below ; face below auteunse,
and a narrow baud around eyes (sometimes obsolete above) gamboge yellow ; eyes
black or dark brown. Thorax darker above than below; mesoscutum with three
broad indistinct darker longitudinal bauds, which vary considerably iu intensity,
rather sparsely punctate, slightly shining, with a very faint median longitudinal sul-
cus ; mesoscutellum usually rather lighter in color than scutum, more densely i>unct-
ate, opaque ; metanotum varying considerably in intensity of color, very rugose, the
irregular cariute which produce the rugosity much darker than the intervening
spaces, a very shallow median longitudinal groove ; legs, especially tibiae and tarsi,
lighter in color than thorax; front trochanters sometimes quite yellow ; first joint of
hind tarsi fully five times as long as second joint ; wings uniformly dark fuliginous,
with a bronze reflection; leguliTB concolorous with rest of mesoscutum. Ahdomen
with petiole, concolorous with thorax ; joiut 2 with a black stripe above, reddish-
brow below ; joints 3 to7 dusky, nearly black, with a bronzy or purplish sheen ; lighter
on ventral line ; outer sheaths of ovipositor lanceolate, black except at immediate base
and strongly pilose.

Eight $ specimens from pupaj of Datana Integerrima.

Difters at a glance from the only other North American species of the genus, viz:
H. flavicornis Brn\\6 and 3. longipes Provancher.

Fig. 39.— Tremex columba. a, larva, ahowiDg Tbalessa larva attached to its side ; h, head of larva,
front view, enlarged; c, female pupa, ventral view ; d, male pupa, vential view ; <?, adult female— all
slightly enlarged (original).

In reference to the transformations of Tbalessa onr fig^ures will suffi-
ciently illnstrate them so that there is not much need of a further remark.
The larva (Plate I, a), as will be seen, has the ordinary Ichneumouid form,
tapering at both ends, and has the typical parasitic jaws (/>) quite incapa-
ble of gnawing through wood. The spiracles are normally arranged.
The most interesting feature of the adolescent stages is the pupa in which
the long ovipositor extends at first in a direct line from the point of in-

Insect Life, Vol.

Thalessa LUNATOR.

179

sertiou aucl then bends iu a loop and is brought back over the dorsum
and around the head and then back again on the ventral side, hugging
tlie legs, its tip reaching far beyond the tip of the abdomen. In this it
differs from the European Rhy.ssa ptrsuasoria, in which the ovipositor of
the pupa, according to Snellen's figures, previously mentioned, reaches
only some two-thirds the length of the body behind the back.

It remains only to state in reference to the habits and transformations
of Treraex (see Fig. 39) that, from the facts already mentioned, it would
seem that the imagines mature, as a rule, somewhat later than Thalessa,
and that the larva? are found of various sizes on the approach of winter.
We have also found, on one occasion, at Emporia, Kans., on December
10,1874:, in Celtis occidentalis, a Tremex imago somewhat torpid and eaten
half-way out of the trunk. There are no positive records in this coun-
try to show the length of duration of the larva state in either of these
genera, but we should expect the Thalessa larva to develop most rapidly
when once it finds its food, but to possess also great power of enduring
without food in early life. There is doubtless much irregularity in de-
velopment in both genera, especially after the pupa state is assumed,
while the period of oviposition, as we know, may cover several of the
summer months.

The larva (Fig. 39, a) has the normal form of the horn tails, being
blunter at both ends than the Thalessa, with an anal thorn, short thor-
acic legs and strong gnawing jaws (Fig. 39, b). Our figure (a) shows
a young Thalessa larva attached about the middle, just as it has re-
mained since 1872 in our alcoholic specimens. The ovipositor in the
female pupa, as shown in the figure (c) is not bent.

We have the authority of Kollar that the larva of Sirex gigas attains
full growth iu seven weeks after the laying of the e^g, and that in the
pupa state it may remain in the tree for several years. Normally both
Thalessa and Tremex probably go through their transformations within
a year. Tremex columha is at times abundant enough to materi;dly
injure trees, and Mr. Jonathan Periam, the present editor of the Prairie
Farmer, sent us an account (November 28, 1873) of a hickory tree which
he believed was killed by it. Our figures will convey a very good idea
of the adolescent states of both. They were drawn by Dr. Marx, with
our assistance, from our Missouri material, and also from a pupa kindly
loaned for the purpose by Dr. H. A. Hagen, our own examples of the
pupa being too mature to permit of a good figure being made.

EXPLANATION TO PLATE I.

Thalessa lunator : a, larva, side view ; h, head of larva from side ; c, pupa, side view ;
d, tip of ovipositor of pupa, ventral view greatly enlarged to show five parts (includ-
ing sheaths) of which it consists; e, adult female;/, abdomen of adult female from side,
showing gap between joints 6 and 7, from which the membrane distends when ovi-
positor is in action ; g, adult male ; /(, anal extremity of abdomen of male enlarged.
(Original.)

180

NOTES ON LACHNOSTERNA FUSCA, Auct.

By John B. Smith.

Among the iDJurious insects most commonly referred to in economic
papers and reports the above species stands in the first rank. It is
known universally as the parent of the " white-grab," and a very gen-
eral impression prevails that there is but one grub of that kind. As a
matter of fact, there are quite a number of species which are almost
equally as common, locall^^ or seasonally, as the L, fusca, and the injury
done by them has, according to the usual rule, been saddled on the uni-
versal scapegoat, which in this genus has been fusca. Until very lately
entomologists have been entirely at sea as to the specific limitations of
our species. It was an understood matter that they were very variable
and afforded no safe characters for differentiation. In November, 1887,
in Trans. Amer. Entom. Soc, XIV, 209-296, was begun a paper by Dr
G. H. Horn, issued early in the present year, which at last brought
order out of confusion, and enabled us to arrange our material with
some degree of satisfaction.

Among the species recognized, /jtsm is the one credited by Dr. Horn
with the greatest amount of variation, and several races are indicated,
which are yet said to present no distinctive characters. At the same
time Dr. Horn does not seem to be quite sure that there is after all but
one species, even though the characters separating them are not ob-
vious. The collections of the National Museum are very rich in speci-
mens and species in this genus, and large collections made this spring,
and obtained from various parts of the country, have enabled me to
somewhat supplement Dr. Horn's work on the genus. Attention once
drawn to a very strongly marked character of the genital structure of
both sexes, investigation was continued along this line with the most
gratifying results, since the characters afforded are constant, strongly
marked, and readily verified. At the present time, only the diversities
observed in the species known as fusca will be described, further notes
made on the large majority of our other si)ecies being reserved for
j)ublication when more complete.

Studied in the light of the genital structure, fusca resolves itself into
four distinct species, each almost equally common at special localities,
but not at the same.

The characters in which all these forms agree are as follows : Body
not pubescent above, shining; autennte 10-jointed, the club of male
always longer than that of the female; clypeus not densely punctured,
the margin moderately reflexed, teebly emarginate; lateral margin of
thorax not serrate, nor distinctly angulate; the posterior tibite are trun-
cate at apex, without a trace of sinuation at the base of the fixed spur
of the male; this spur is of moderate size; claws strongly toothed at

181

middle; the size is large, facies robust; punctuatiou uot coarse; the
males with a more or less curved ventral ridge on the penultimate ab-
dominal segment, and without a cupuliform depression on the last seg-
ment.

With these positive characters, there is an infinite variation in size,
shade of color, form, punctuation, and vestiture. Several species here-
tofore created on these characters have been properly united by Dr.
Horn, for all of them are evanescent, and not to be relied upon for the
distinction of species; a positive character, however, is found in the
form of the ventral ridge of the penultimate abdominal segment; based
on this character, the species into which I would divide //tsca- are recog-
nizable as follows:
Eidge straight ; posteriorly not overliauging, but nearly as gradual as the

anterior declivity grandis

Eidge longer, slightly curved, the ends overhanging posteriorly ; centrallj'

the ridge is declivous hut uot overhanging behind fusea

Eidge shorter, decidedly arcuate, overhangiug posteriorly for its full
length, the ends at some distance from the posterior margin of the

penultimate segment duhia

Eidge still shorter, still more arcuate, still more overhanging, the ends
at the extreme margin of the penultimate segment, and somewhat over-
hanging the termiual segment arcuala

By this table the males may be distinguished without much trouble.
The females are not so _

easily separated, yet may
in most cases be associ-
ated with the males.

L. GEANDIS sp. nov.

This species is, as a
whole, rather larger than
either of the others, and
rather more robust. The
sides of the thorax are
very perceptibly suban-
gulate before the middle,
giving the species a dis-
tinctive appearance easily
recognized in both sexes.

In the female, the last
segment is emarginate,
and the middle of the ab-
domen, especially toward
base, is distinctly and
somewhat aciculate punc-
tate. The male character has been sufiBciently given in the table
last segment is granulate-punctate.

Fig. 40. Lachnosterna GRANDis : ], clasper of male from front
and above; 2, clasper of male (right) from side; 3, clasper
of male (left) from side ; 4, ventral characters of male ; 5,
genital structure of female ; 5a, pubic process ; 56, superior
plates; 5c, inferior plates— enlarged (original).

The

182

Within ray experience this is the rarest of the fusca forms, though
widely distributed. I have seen it from Texas, Korth Carolina, Georgia,
District of Columbia, Illinois, Colorado, Maryland, New York, Wiscon-
sin, Nova Scotia, Lake Superior Eegion. Mr. Schwarz thinks it more
common in the latter region than the other species. In the District of
Columbia it is rare, only a few specimens being known in collections.

I shall not attempt a verbal description of the sexual characters of
the male, since the figures will give a better idea than could be other-
wise given. In the female this species is peculiar by the slenderly fur-
cate pubic process, and the triangular upper plates, which are com-
pletely separated by the pubic process. The lower plates are quadrate
or nearly so.

L. FUSCA Frohl.

This is the form which Dr. Horn in his paper suggests as the form
probably seen by Frolich, and upon which he based his species. It

offers no points of superfi-
cial difierencefrom the fol-
lowing species, with which
it agrees in form, color,
size, and general habitus.
The ventral character in
the male must be examined
to recognize that sex, and
no difficulty will be found
in this. The female of this
species, on the contrary,
differs from all the other
forms in that the last seg-
ment is not emarginate.
This character is at once
obvious on examination,
and the species is thus
readily recognizable in both
sexes.
A comparison of the fig-
ures of the male characters with those of grandis will at once show
how they difter, while still after the same general type. The female
shows a greater difference, and differs also from all the others of this
group by having the pubic process a simple cylindrical rod somewhat
dilated medially and terminating in an obtuse point. The upper plates
are coalescent on the median line, and are somewhat irregular.

This species we have from Texas, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illi-
nois, District of Columbia, Iowa,

It is the common form around New York City, was the only form
found in a large loc of material from Cleveland, Ohio, and was repre-

Fig. 41.— Lachnosterna fusca. l.clasper of male from front
and above ; 2, clasper of male (right) from side ; 3, clasper of
male (left) from side ; 4, ventral characters of male ; 5, genital
structure of female; 5a, pubic process; 5b, superior plates.
5c, inferior plates— enlarged (original).

183

seuted in great proportion in a lot of specimens from the vicinity of
Chicago, 111. In the District of Columbia it is rare, but a single spec-
imen having been found the present season.

L. DUBIA sp. nov.

Completely resembles the preceding in all outward appearance and
habitus. The ventral characters of the male must bo resorted to for
the identification of thatsex.
As appears from the figure
the ridge is decidedly more
curved than in the preced-
ing species, and is in every
respect more distinctly
marked. The primary char-
acters will show on compari-
son with the previous fig-
ures a considerable change
in type, which indicates ap-
parently a greater diver-
gence between this and fusca
than there is between fusca
and grandis. In the female
the last ventral segment is
emarginate, and it is there-
fore easily distinguished
from that of fusca. In the
corneous characters of the genitalia the differences noted in the male
are emphasized. The pubic process here becomes broad, stout, some-
what contracted medially, and divided superiorly into two branches
which are broad, somewhat flattened, and obliquely truncate. The
superior plates are narrow, linear.

Altogether, it is a distinct species, showing quite a distinct differ-
ence in type in the geuital structure of both sexes.

This species we have from Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey,
Maine, Xorth Carolina, District of Columbia, Illinois, Ohio, Texas,
Colorado, Tennessee, Nevada, Montana, California, Wisconsin. Of
all the others this extends farthest west, aud the race cephaUca Lee.
belongs to this species. It is fairly numerous at New York; forms
a fair proportion of the specimens received from Chicago, lib, but is
rare at Washington, no specimens having been collected this season,
aud only a few specimens in the local collections indicating its occur-
rence.

L. ARCUATA sp. nov.

This species is as a whole rather smaller than either of the others,
although it has probably as great an average length. From ditbia

Fig. 42.— Lachnostekxa dubia. 1, clasper of malefrom front
and above; 2, clasper of male (lijiht) from sido; 3, clasper
of male (left) from side; 4, ventral cliaracters of male;
5, genital structure of female ; 5a, pubic process ; 56, supe-
rior plates; 5c, inferior plates— enlarged (original).

184

it does not differ at all in the female in superficial characters, every
effort having failed to dis(;over any feature whereby specimens of this
sex might be distinguished from each other. As the genital structure
is so distinct this is rather surprising, and the distinguishing feature
will no doubt be still discovered.

The primary characters of the female genitalia are of the same type
shown in dubia, but the distinction is yei obvious. The pubic process,

while divided at tip much
as in the preceding species,
is only about half as long,
and does not divide the
upper plates as in the pre-
ceding species. It resem-
bles the upper part of the
duhia structure set upon
the superior plates ; these
latter are large and nearly
quadrate, in marked con-
trast with the narrow,
linear structures of duhia.
The inferior plates differ as
markedly, as can be readily
seen by a comparison of
the figures.

The males also offer no
habital or other differences
from duhia, except in the
ventral characters, but these are obvious and easily recognized. The
ridge in this species is very much curved, very much overhanging, the
ends reaching the apical margin of the segment, while the arch, com-
bined with the depression of the last segment, forms a perfect oval.
In this species the space included by the arch of the ridge is smooth;
in duhia it is punctured.

This species seems rather more southern than the preceding. It is
practically the only form taken at Washington, man}^ thousands being
taken while only one specimen of the other forms was discovered.
Other localities are ITew York, New Jersey, Central Missouri, Iowa,
Georgia. The specimens from New York and New Jersey are from my
collection, and form the small minority of the specimens taken. The
specimens from Central Missouri are from Professor Riley's collection,
and the figures in the Missouri Reports, so extensively copied, probably
represent this species.

Finally, these forms represent a series of species, evidently derived
from the same stock, and which have differentiated in physiological
rather than superficial or habital characters. They have become dif-

FlG. 43.— Lachnosterna arcuata. 1, clasper of male from
front and above; 2, claspor of male (right) from side; 3,
clasper of male (left) from side; 4, ventral characters of
male ; 5, genital structure of female ; 5a, pubic process ;
56, superior plates ; 5c, inferior plates — enlarged (original).

185

fereutiated in both sexes, but have retained those superficial ap-
pearances which we may suppose were of value to the ancestor of all
these forms.

The study of these characters in all our available species will be con-
tinued, and we may hope that a permanent result, so far as the present
limitation of species is concerned, can be thus arrived at.

I have taken the course of proposing new names for three of the forms
here described, although several names exist in the syuouomy which
might possibly be available. I have done this because, after discussing
the matter with Dr. Horn, he assures me that it would be almost impos-
sible to discover which of the forms, as separated by me, the authors had
before them. An examination of the types will have to be made, and
as the characters relied upon were in almost every instance color, punct-
uation, size, or some other equally variable character, it is more than
probable that each of the authors have mixed up two or more species
under the same name. At any rate, even if tbe names proposed by me
should eventually be referred as synonyms, they will at least have served
their purpose of making specific identification certain.

A SANDWICH ISLAND SUGAR-CANE BORER.

{Si)he)iophorus obscurus Boisd.)

In August last we received from Mr. E. J. Wickson, of Berkeley, Oal.,
a piece of sugar-cane, brought from the Sandwich Islands, infested
by borers, which were reported to do considerable damage. The speci-
mens were sent to Professor Wickson by Prof. LeRoy D. Brown, presi-
dent of the State University of Nevada, who collected them in June
while visiting the Sandwich Islands. Professor Brown's attention was
called to the subject by his Majesty, King Kalakaua, who requested
him to bring the specimens to this country for study. The cane received
at the Department proved to be infested by the larviB of a large Snout-
beetle of the genus Sphenophorus, several species of which are known
to bore into the stalks and roots of corn in this country. Our Annual
Report for 1881-2, page 138,^, contains an account of the habits and
transformations of the species which more particularly affect corn in
the United States, and which are known as Uorn Bill-bugs.

The only previous uotice of Sugar-cane Borers in the Hawaiian Is-
lands with which we are familiar is from the Haicaiian Planter^ s Monthly
for July, 1883, but this refers to the Lepidopterous borer Ghilo saccharaUs^
a species which is widely distributed wherever Sugar-cane is grown.
Another species of Sphenophorus affects Sugar-cane in the West Indies
and South America and was described by the Rev. Lansdown Guild-
ing in his prize essay on " Insects Aftecting Sugar-cane" (Trans. Soc.
of Arts. Vol. XLVI, 1828) as S. sacchari, while the well-known Rhyncho-

186

phorus palmaruin is also mentioued as injuring the cane in the same lo-
cality.

We succeeded later in rearing the adult beetle, but failing, with the
literature at our command, to recognize it among the vast number

of described species, we
sent a specimen to Dr.
David Sharp, of England,
who kindly gave us the fol-
lowing references quoted
from the "Memoirs on the
Coleoptera of the Hawaiian
Islands," by T. Blackburn
and D. Sharp,* a work
which we could not con-
sult:

Genus CXXVI. Sphenoj}honi8
Mun. Cat., VIII, p. 2646. 360.
Calandra ohsciira, Boisd. Voy.
Astr. II, p. 448. Fairm. Rev.
Zool., 1B49, p. 474.

Iu8. Oabu. lutroduced. Ta-
hiti, New Ireland. In the stems
of banana, on the mountains.
This insect is apparently omitted
in the Munich Catalogue of
Coleoptera.

Dr. Sharp further wrote that his original identification of the species
was made from Boisduval's deficient description and from Fairraaire's
paper, and from a specimen so named by Jekel.in the British Museum
collection. After receiving our specimen (which was a male, while the
Jekel specimen was a female) Dr. Sharp found both sexes of the same
spenies among some specimens recently sent him from Tahiti by Mr. J. J.
Walker, who found them under the bark of a species of Musa (Banana).
The species belongs to Schoenherr's and Lacordaire's genus Spheno-
phorus, and should be included in the group having the third tarsal
joint large and pubescent beneath. The disintegration of this large
genus, already indicated by Schoenherr and more strongly advocated
by Lacordaire has been accomplished in more recent times by Dr. Horn,
Dr. Le Conte, Mr. Pascoe, and especially by Mr. Chevrolat. The work
of the latter author (published in the Ann. de la Soc. Ent. de France,
1882 and 1885, partly after Chevrolat's death, the whole being evidently
incomplete and unfinished) is of such unsatisfactory and unsystematic
character that the generic determination of a single species is next to
impossible without having access to the types.

Although we can not place our species in any of the numerous genera
erected by Chevrolat at the expense of the old genus Sphenophorus, it

Fic 44 — SPHF^op^Olus obscuuus a, adult, enlaiged 6
head of adult, from side, still more enlarged; c. full-grown
larva, from side ; d, i)upa, ventral view, both enlarged
(original).

•Published iu Trans. Royal Dublin Soc. (2) III, 1885, pp. 119-300.

187

seems best to leave the generic determination to a future monograph
ot this group, and we prefer to leave the species in that genus under
which it was originally described. lu order to facilitate the recognition
of this species, which has been described in publications not readily
accessible, we append a description of the imago by Mr. Schwarz which
he has drawn up at our request to accompany these notes.

Generic characters. — Rostrum sleuder, moderately curved beneath, iu the male with
impressed median line and two longitudinal rows of rounded tubercles. Antennse
sub-basal, funicle 6-joiuted, first joint longer than wide, second longer than the first,
the following sub-transverse gradually becoming larger; club hardly securiform and
moderately compressed, spongy portion nearly two-thirds as long as smooth portion
and obliquely truncate each side. Eyes transverse, flat, not contiguous beneath.
Presternum between cox£e-not linear and about half as wide as the diameter of the
coxal cavity. Scutellum elongate, flat. Mesothoracic epimerauot ascending, obtuse
at outer anterior angle. Legs rather stout, femora thickening apically and strongly-
sinuate at tip; tibise not curved, longitudinally carinate, on inner side fringed with
very short setfe ; third tarsal joint large, entirely spongy pubescent beneath, second
and third joints spongy pubescent at tip. Abdomen with 5 segments. Closely allied
to Cacfophagus, with which it agrees in the form of the autennal club and the third
tarsal joint but differs in the shorter beak, which is bi-seriately tubercled beneath in
the ^; second joint of funicle longer than first; scutellum elongate, legs stouter with
clavate femora, tibiae longitudinally carinate.

Specific characters of i . — Length from tip of thorax to tip of elytra 13. .5 millimeters.
General color rufo-piceous (perhaps immature). Beak as long as thorax, but little
compressed, gently dilated at basal third; above rather finely and densely punctate,
more coarsely at the sides ; a small frontal puncture ; beneath the impressed median
line becomes deeper and wider toward the base, the tubercles forming the row each
side of the median line smooth and rounded and more numerous at tip than posteriorly.
(Fig. 43, h). Head sparingly and finely uuctate. Antennal scape opaque and
tomentose, first and second joints of funicle smooth except at tips, the remaining
joints opaque, nearly moniliform ; smooth part of club with a row of coarse setigerous
punctures near the base. Thorax distinctly longer than wide, basal margin rounded,
sides straight from base to beyond the middle, thence arcuately narrowing; a well-
marked, short tubular constriction at tip, front margin straight; surface shining,
even, except a slight aute-basal median depression ; rather finely puuctulate on disc,
with an ill-defined longitudinal smooth space at middle, punctures larger toward the
sides and especially in the ante-basal depression, basal margin densely punctured ;
color orange-yellow with rather broad black median stripe not reaching apex and
base; flanks more opaque with two large black patches. Scutellum elongate, acute
at tip, surface even. Elytra sub-opaque at base, as wide as base of thorax, nearly 1^
times as long as thorax and twice as long as wide ; humeri obliquely truncate, sides
feebly converging posteriorly, separately rounded at tip ; sub-opaque; color (imma-
ture specimen?) dirty piceous-yellow with indistinct black marking (especially a
large longitudinal stripe toward the sides) ; puuctate-striate, striie moderately deep,
the punctures remote and not strong; suture at base with a row of fine punctures,
rest of suture and the other interstices each with a series of small tubercles
which are sometimes rounded but more often (especially posteriorly) confluent
into little longitudinal cariuiv. of varying length. Pygidium sub-triangular, longer
than wide, sub-truncate at tip, longitudinally convex, sub-opaque, densely puuctu-
late at base, very coarsely and more sparsely at apex. Underside reddish piceous,
somewhat shining; pro- and mesosternum coarsely punctured, the former without
impression (except the apical constriction), the latter with moderately deep notch at
middle, opaque and sparsely punctured at sides ; first abdominal segment as long as

188

the last and both densely and coarsely punctured; segments 2-4 rather finely punctured
at middle, more coarsely at the side, segment 2 a little shorter than the first, 3 and 4
equal, each shorter than the second. Femora, orange-yellow trochanters and tip of
femora black; tibiue dirty brownish yellow, simple (not bi-spinose) at tip, tarsi piceous.

The structure of the head, mouth-parts and the transverse folds of the
segmeuts of the larva (Fig. 43, c) agrees with that of Spkenophorus ro-
bustus, described aud figured by us iu our Aunual Report for 1881 -'82,
(p. 141-142, pi. VIII, Fig. 2, a) but is distiuguished at once by the
rather sudden enlargement of abdominal segments 4, 5, and 6, the
fifth being especially large and bulging. In this respect it resembles
the larva of Sphenopliorus liratus as described and figured by Ch. Co-
querel (Ann. Soc Ent. France, 1849, p. 455-450, Plate VIII, Fig. Ill,
2), but in the latter species the enlargement of the abdominal segments
is said to be gradual. The thoracic and anterior abdominal spiracles
are as in 8. robustus; the sixth and seventh pairs are, however, more
dorsally placed and the eighth pair is entirely dorsal, somewhat ob-
liquely placed and as large as the prothoracic spiracles. The last seg-
ment is broadly truncate at middle of apex, the truncature being
accompanied each side by a shorter oblique truncature. The four angles
thus formed are marked each by two long setse, one placed above the
other.

The pupa (Fig. 43, <?), while resembling in general shape that of 8. ro-
bustus, is distinguished by the stronger armature of the head. The two
setigerous frontal tubercles are very prominent and surrounded anter-
iorly by a crescent-shaped ridge in front of which is a small setigerous
tubercle. The tubercles near the base of the beak are also more prom-
inent. Near the hind angles of the thorax are each side two rather
large, blunt tubercles, and another obliquely placed pair of smaller
tubercles on each side of the disc toward the anterior angles ; two small
tubercles are also at the middle of the anterior margin. The armature
of the pygidium (seventh dorsal abdominal segment) consists of a single
row of rather large setigerous tubercles, aud the last ventral segment
is truncated at tip, terminating each side into a bi setose cone-like pro-
cess. The prothoracic spiracles are very large and conspicuous.

Judging from the specimens of sugarcane received from Mr. Wickson
the damage caused by the beetle must be very great since the stalks
were completely riddled with the galleries of the larvre, several of the
latter being in a piece of cane about 8 inches long. Tbe galleries
(Fig. 45) are wide when compared with the diameter of the larva, and
not long, mostly running longitudinally, but some also across tbe cane.
They are filled with macerated fiber whicii tbe larva apparently pushes
bebind itself. When ready to pupate tbe larva somewhat enlarges the
channel and forms a coarse cocoon of fiber in which tbe transformation
takes place. The outside of the infested cane (Fig. 44) shows several
small round holes which probably represent tbe place where the egg
has been inserted by the parent beetle, and several large, oblong open-
ings which are probably the exit holes of tbe emerging beetle.

189

As we received no other notes on the natural history of the species we
can say nothing as to time and mode of oviposition, the duration of the
larval state, hibernation, etc. The only other information is that con-
tained in the quotation from Blackburn and Sharp's Memoir on the
Hawaiian Coleoptera, viz: That the species attacks also banana stems,
and further that it has been introduced (no doubt with sugar-cane or
banana plants) from other islands in the Pacific Ocean.

(^^

^-^-ppnwS.

^iW^I

w^^^^ ^

Fig. 45.— Sections of sugar cane showing work oi Sphenophorus obscurus : a, larva; h, pupa, in situ,
c, probably points of oviposition, somewhat reduced (original).

In the absence of any more definite information it is difficult to sug-
gest any preventives or remedies for this pest. Since the larva appar-
ently works in the lower part of the canes and probably also in the roots,
many larva? will no doubt remain in those parts of the plants after the
rest of the cane has been cut and carried oft' to the sugar-houses. The
remaining stubble should be carefully examined and all infested stumps
destroyed. The same should be done with all diseased or dying banana
plants.

Since neither sugar-cane nor bananas are cultivated in California
there is little danger that this Sphenophorus will become acclimated in
that State from the Sandwich Islands.

190

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

The "Red Bug" iujuring Oranges again.

I seud you by this mail a small box coutaiuiug what to us is a uew insect, which
attacks and is most destructive to the fruit of the Orange tree. It has but recently
appeared, and, as far as I know, is confined to a few trees in a large grove joining
our place in the east. The fruit has nearly all fallen from the first tree attacked,
and in this tree there are thousands of the insects, which are now mostly engaged in
reproducing the species. The oranges are covered with them, and they follow the
fruit to the ground, being as thick in that as what is on the tree. They are not iujur-
ious to the tree, as far as I can observe, though they swarm upon the trunk and
branches. Their proboscis is of sufficient length to penetrate through the thick skiu
of the orange, so that they appear to feed upon the juice only. I urged the owner of
the grove to spray the trees with hot water, and finally have his promise to do so
upon my furnishing the outfit and he the water. I expect I can get him at it to-
morrow. — [A. L. Duncan, Dunedin, Hillsborough County, Fla., November 8, Ifc'SS.

Reply. — * » » The insect which you send and which is damaging your neigh-
bor's oranges, is the common "Red Bug" or " Cotton Stainer " {Dysdercus suiurellus).
The normal food of this insect is cotton, aud its original home is probably in the
Bahama Islands or the West Indies. It has long been known, however, as a Florida
insect, and many years ago seriously damaged the cotiou crop both in this State and
upon the sea islands of Georgia. Its first appearance as an orange destroyer, so far
as we know, was in 1879, and you will find soine short account of it in the Annual
Report of this Departmedt for that year. So far as our experience goes this insect
only damages oranges near which cotton is grown, and we should be interested to
learn whether this is the case with your neighbor's oranges. The worst damage has
always been during a season in which the bugs have multiplied profusely upon
cotton, and after picking have migrated to the neighboring orange trees. It has been
noticed that the bugs accumulate in great numbers, especially during cold nights,
upon heaps of cotton seed outside the gins, and this has suggested that as a remedy
small heaps of cotton seed might be placed at intervals through the groves, and in
the early morning the bugs which have collected upon them might be destroyed by
the use of hot water. Your advice to your neighbor is good, but you will probably
find that spraying the insects with a dilute kerosene emulsion made according to the
Hubbard formula will be more efficacious than the hot water alone. * » » — [No-
vember 14, 1888.]

Further Injury in the Treasury by Roaches.

Allow me to introduce Mr. E. Hergesheimer, Chief of Drawing Division, who will
tell you about our trouble with pests of the same nature as infested your records.
Please ""ive him the benefitof your experience. — [B. A. Colonna, Assistant Chief U. S.
Coast and Geodetic Survey Office, to E. B. Youmans, Chief Clerk Treasury, September
18, 1888.

Respectfully submitted to the Honorable Assistant Secretary, with recommendation
that this matter be referred to the Department of Agriculture for such advice as that
Department may be able to give, looking toward relief from the pests mentioned.— [E.
B. Youmans, Chief Clerk, to Hon. Hugh S. Thompson, Assistant Secretary of the Treas-
ury, September 18, 1888.

Respectfully referred to the Honorable Commissioner of Agriculture with request
that he will have this matter investigated by the Entomologist of his Department,
and such action suggested by him as will lead up to the object desired.— [Hugh S.

191

Thompson, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, to the Honorable Commissiouer of
Agriculture, September 18, 1888.

Reply. — The letter from Mr. B. A. Colonna, iutroducing Mr. Hergesheimer, accom-
panied by drawing of map injured by insects, and referred by you to this Department,
has bejn received and referred to the Entomologist. He replies as follows:

"The drawing injured is that of a map made on tracing cloth, the lines of red, blue,
and greeu pigment having been eaten as well as patches in places not touched by ink.
This injury has been done by the Croton Bug, Ectobia (/ermanica. These insects are
well known to attack anything that has any paste in its make-up. As a remedy for
them use the Pyrethrum powder or California Bnhach. It should be sprinkled wher-
ever the roaches run, and on them if possible. The best time to do this is in the even-
ing, so that the application will be made just before they begin to run. * * If this
remedy is used thoroughly and persistently it will surely afford relief. * * This
and the large species, Periplaneta americana, were investigated and reported upon
in the Treasury by this Division in May last. * *" — [F. C. Nesbit, Acting Commis-
sioner of Agriculture, to Hon. Hugh S. Thompson, Assistant Secretary of the Treas-
ury, September 19, 1888.]

Beetles supposed to have been passed by a Patient.

The five insects sent herewith seem to me to be three different kinds of beetles.
History: They were sent to me by a reputable physician of southern Illinois. He
says they were found in the stools of a patient— a lad working on a farm ; that this
is the third time that they have been found; that they followed the administration
of a saline cathartic. Please name for me, give their habits, etc., and I shall be
under mauy new obligations. — [J. M. Shaffer, M. D., Physician to Board of Health,
Keokuk, Iowa, August 31, 1888.

Reply. — Yours of the 31st ultimo, with specimens of beetles supposed to have been
passed by a farm boy in southern Illinois, has at last come to hand. " * * The
beetles are of three different species, viz, Oiithophagus hecate, 0. penmylvanicus, and
Aphodius qranarius. These beetles are all found in manure and dung of different ani-
mals, and I consider that, without question, they mnst have entered the stools of the
boy after the latter had been passed. It is very unlikely that he passed the insects
themselves.— [September 18, 1888.]

A Tineid on Carpets in Texas.

I have sent you by this mail a small box containing some kind of a bug ; I do not
know much about them. In the first place, I live in a rock house (my reason for tell-
ing that is because I never saw them in a wooden one). They are to be found along
the edges of carpets, on the furniture generally, as though eating the veneer ; their
favorite haunt is in and around the fire-place ; they also go up the chimney in large
numbers. What are they?— [David Hampton, Burnet, Tex., October 6, 1888.

Reply. — * * * These insects are very interesting and are new to our collection
here. They are cloth-feeding Tineids, but the species we can not determine until we
have reared the moth. Can you not send another supply of specimens f You do not
mention whether they seem to do any damage to your carpets, and I wish that you
would inform us on that point. Please send a large lot of specimens before you begin
to destroy them, and you can probably kill them easiest by a free use of California
Bnhach.— [ October 22, 1888. ]

Leaf-stripping Ants in Arizona.

Can you give me any information that will help me to destroy the leaf-eating
ants? They are very thick on my ranch, and I don't know what to do to get rid of
them. It seems impossible to kill them in the ground. They are a medium-sized red

192

ant, and tbey throw up little mounds and seem to do nothing only to eat leaves.
They will strip a tree of every leaf in one night. They have done so much damage to
my nursery that I have got to go to work and destroy them if possible. If there is
any way that will fix them please let me know. » * * — [D. Turner, Paradise
Nursery, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz., October 27, 1888.

Reply. — » # * while it is impossible to say with absolute certainty just what
species you complain of, it is iu all probability the Leaf-eating Aut of Texas (CEcodoma
fei-ens). Inasmuch as yon state that you are able to find easily the mounds which
they make, your best plan will be to attack them with bisulphide of carbon, which
you can use in the following manner: Having secured a pound or so of this volatile
liquid, thoroughly wet a large blanket with water, pouring perhaps a tablespoouful
of the bisulphide into each of several of the larger holes iu the mound; then throw
the wet blanket over the mound, allowing it to remain for from ten to fifteen minutes.
Then remove the blanket and by means of a lighted kerosene rag at the end of a pole
explode the bisulphide vapor at the mouth of the holes into which you have poured
it. The rationale of this operation is as follows : The bisulphide vapor being heavier
than the air sinks down through the burrows of the ants and the explosion forces it
in every direction, upwards and sidewards, through the burrows and it is instant
death to every ant with which it comes in contact. Eepeat this operation with every
mound which you find, and although the trouble will be considerable you will suc-
ceed in eradicating the pest. Be careful, however, in handling the bisulphide, as
it is very volatile and inflammable. Should you try this remedy, please inform us of
the result.— [November 3, 1888.]

The Hessian Fly in England.

* * * I found the puparia (Hessian fly) in almost every field around Strand,
which is, so far as I know, the most westerly point from which it has been reported.
I also caught three males on a window of the house where we were staying.

One of the curiosities I met with near Bbam was a farmer who was "perfectly sat-
isfied with the crop of wheat ; " who would not have anything taken out of his field —
no ! not the " 'Essen fly " ; and who wanted to lock me up for trespassing in his stubble
field. Whose fault is it that these British farmers are utterly ignorant as to the ap-
pearance of an infested crop? What use is a stupid report and list of places where
the fly has occurred? From pnparia collected August 5, 1887, 1 bred the last Cecid.
September 21, 1888. Truly this is a queer bug.— [Fred. Enock, London, England,
October 13, 1888.

Stinging Caterpillar of Lagoa opercularis.

I send you by mail to-day a worm or caterpillar found upon a rose-bush. On Sun-
day last a patient came to me with evidences of poisoning inflicted by a similar cat-
erpillar; the face was aifected, redness, swelling, and great and intense pain. Same
readily passed oft", but was A'ery intense. Please let me know something of the
"beast," name, etc.— [H. B. Horlbeck, Department of Health, Charleston, S. C, Octo-
ber 23, 1888.

Reply.— The caterpillar iu question is one of the so-called stinging caterpillars, and
this particular species is Lagoa opercularis. Underneath the long silky hairs which
you notice are concealed shorter stifl' hairs, exceedingly sharp at the points, which
produce a nettling when they penetrate the flesh. This caterpillar is quite common
from New Jersey southward, and feeds upon a great many difl'erent plants. There
are generally two annual generations and the insect passes the winter in its cocoon.
The moth is yellow in color, tinged with brown.— [October 26, 1888.1

193

Rebuttal of Wier's Statements regarding the Plum Curculio.

Following the line of iuvestigatiou, as a rebuttal of D. B. Wier's statements regard-
ing the behavior of the Plum Curculio I am able to furnish the following report,
based upon close observation of a few of our practical men during the present season:

(1) There has been no preference discovered as to the varieties of plums attacked.

(2) A large portion of the eggs deposited in the Wild Goose Plum failed to hatch,
but enough did to destroy about two-thirds of the crop.

(3) Native varieties (wild) of plums are no more exempt than those in the culti-
vated grounds.

Sprat/ing unlh London purple. — This work was begun as soon as the blossoms ap-
peared and followed up to the time the fruit was fully formed. In the same orchard
several trees were omitted in the spraying treatment, and as large a per cent, of
sound fruit was gathered from them as from those sprayed. The solution was suffi-
ciently strong to burn some of the leaves, as it was my privilege to observe.

The Bag or Basket Worm has been quite numerous at Parsons, Kans., this year
upon large Red Cedar trees. Spraying with London purple has been thoroughly ap-
plied and failed. Can you advise any other means besides hand-picking? — [G. C.
Brackett, Kansas State Horticultural Society, Lawrence, Kans., September 25, 1888.

GENERAL NOTES.

GRAIN INSECTS IN AUSTRALIA.

Just at present the colony of South Australia is considerably ex-
ercised over the Hessian Fly and other grain iusects. Last July we
received a communication from Mr. F. S. Crawford asking for our opinion
concerning the importation of the five principal grain pests from Europe
and from this country into Australia in grass hay. We replied that
from the life habits of the insects we imagined that there would be little
or no danger respecting the Wheat Midge {Diplosis tritici), the Ribbon-
footed Corn-fly {Ghlorops Ueniopus), or the Wheat Saw-fly {Cephus pyg-
mceus). The Hessian Fly [Cecidomyia destructor) and the Joint- worms
{Isosoma spp.), however, might be so importtid, as both hibernate in the
straw. We also informed him that in our opinion a restriction compel-
ling the burning of straw or hay packing would be far preferable to any
legislation for preventing the importation of goods so packed, as in the
former way no disturbance to commerce would result and the scheme
could be so much more easily carried out and practically euforced. If
the packiug should be simply grass hay, the danger would be much
slighter than if wheat, rye, or barley straw were used.

The matter was brought before the meeting of the Bureau of Agri-
culture at Adelaide, on September 17. It seems from the report that
none of the insects in question have as yet made their appearance in
the colony, although the recent well-founded scares in England and in
New Zealand have suggested to the Australians the necessity for the
utmost precautions. Against the measures suggested as preventives
of the fly's introduction it was contended that too much importance
was attached to the alleged risk, and that it would be a most sferious
12357— No. 6 3

194

matter to commercial men if the proposed packing restrictions were
put into force. Tlie question of tbe action to be taken by tlie neigh-
boring colony, Victoria, was also brought up, and the necessity for
united action was put forth ; for if one colony prohibited certain pack-
ing and the other did not, the latter would gain a commercial advan-
tage ; hence, a conference between delegates was suggested. The fol
lowing motion was finally carried:

That the bureau are of the opinion that to check the introduction of the Hessian
Fly and kindred dangerous insects it would be necessary to prohibit the importation
of all goods packed in straw of cereals of any kind. This would result in a great
loss and inconvenience to our South Australian importers, and the bureau would
recommend that an inspector under the vines, fruits, and vegetable protection act
confer with the officers holding similar appointments in the adjacent colonies, with a
view of their Governments arriving at some common act.

Our own suggestion had at that time not been considered, and Mr.
Crawford, in writing to us under date of September 30, raises the ob-
jection that although at first it might seem the best way out of the diffi-
culty, he is afraid that in practice it would be found a greater evil than
limiting the packing to certain vegetable products, because all earthen-
ware, china, glass, etc., would have to be unpacked and repacked in
bond, which, of course, would be strongly objected to by importers; or
if the straw were burned on tbe importers own i^remises it would be
necessary to have a customs officer or inspector present to see it done.

It strikes us after considering this objection that the best and safest
way out of the difficulty is to combine tbe two suggestions and restrict
the packing material to certain safe substances under penalty of having
straw packing burned at the custom-house and at the risk in unpacking
and repacking of the importer. It seems to us, moreover, that if the
Hessian Fly does not make its appearance in Australia during or imme-
diately after the present year of the Melbourne exposition, when so much
merchandise from this country and fmm England has been carried over,
we may reasonably expect exemption for years to come.

Many kinds of packing material are in common use in this country
and the restriction as to the kind of packing would probably not work
to the serious disadvantage of American exporters.

FURTHER CONCERNING THE LOCUST WAR IN ALGERIA.

Mr. J. Kiinckel d'Herculais, President Entomological Society of
France, has addressed a report to tlie Governor-general of Algeria upon
the subject of the Locusts and their invasion of Algeria. The particular
conclusions at which Mr. d'Eerculais arrives are as follows:

(1) The necessity of organizing, after the example of the Americans
and the Russians, a permanent scientific service, charged with tbe study
of the Migratory Locusts; study of the habits of ditierent species; re-
searches upon the centers of multiplication ; the providing of maps
(trac^ de cartes) of prevision of invasions and of maps of the progress
of invasions; researches upon the natural causes of destruction; re-
searches upon the practical methods of destruction.

195

(2) The necessity of orgauizing a service trained in the handling of
different apparatus and in implements and methods of destruction.

(3) The necessity of providing resources by the establishment of
a special tax after the example of the English in the island of Cyprus.

These couclusious were recommended by the Agronomic section of
the French Association for the Advancement of Science March 30, and
the whole association in general assembly April 3,sanctioned the prop-
ositions of the section. As a result the President of the French Ento-
mological Society has been charged by the minister of public instruc-
tion, at the request of the Governor- general of Algeria, with the organ-
ization of a scientific commission for the study of the locusts which
ravage the French Algerian colony.

AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO LEPIDOPTEROLOGY.*

This paper gives a review in monographic form of a very interesting
group of species. All the species heretofore described are noted here,
while a considerable number of species are for the first time character-
ized. Lord Walsingham says "Anophorinte," and in his introductory
remarks gives the characters of the group so termed. The number of
genera is increased from three to thirteen, and the characters are struct-
ural. The genera are therefore easy of determination, if somewhat nu-
merous. A leading character is the apical vein, which is said to be
either forked or not forked. The number of American species is in-
creased from eight to seventeen. One noteworthy feature of the paper
is that the male genital organs are described for almost every species,
putting them on a sound basis in every respect. Figures of the most of
these structures are also given. In the terminology of the parts the
words " uncus" and " clasper" are employed. We shall have some re-
marks on the nomenclature of these parts in some future number.

The arrangement of the American species, according to the result of
Lord Walsingham's studies, is as follows :

Neolophm Wlsm., gen. nov.

furcatus Wlsm., sp. nov., Arizona.
Etdepiste Wlsm.

ci-essoni Wlsm., Texas.

macM/j/er Wlsm., sp. nov., Arizona.
JJj/Zoc^ojJMS Wlsm., gen. nov.

giriseus Wlsm., sp. nov., Arizona.
Acrolophus Poey.

simulatus Wlsm., Texas.

pltimifrontellus Clem., North Carolina,
Massachusetts, New York.
bombiicina Zell.

mortipennellus Grt., Central Alabama.

cervinus Wlsm., sp. nov., Texas.

texanellus Chamb., Texas.

arizoneUus Wlsm., sp. nov., Arizona.

Anaphora Clem.

niorrisoni Wlsm., sp. nov., Florida.

propinqua Wlsm.,sp. nov., Florida.

popeanella Clem., Missouri, Texas,
North Carolina.
af/rolipennella Grt.
scardina Zeli.

tenuis Wlsm., sp. nov., North Carolina.

macrogaster Wlsm., sp. nov., Arizona,
Felderia Wlsm., gen. nov.

filicornis Wlsm.,sp. nov., Arizona.
OrtholopliHs Wlsm., gen, nov.

variabilis Wlsm., Arizona,
Pseudanaphora Wlsm., gen. nov.

arcanella Clem., Minn.

*A revision of the genera Acrolophiis Poey, and Anaphora Clem, By the Right
Honorable Lord Walsingham, M. A., F. Z. S., etc. Trans. Ent. Soc, Lond., 1887,
pp. 137-173, pi. VII and VIII.

196

THE POISONOUS NATURE OF THE MECONIUM OF LEPIDOPTERA.

Mr. Tb. Gooseiis, at the meetiug of April 11 of the Freuch Entomo-
logical Society, read a note ui)on tbe Meconium of Butterflies. It
seems that he had in a bottle some chrysalids of Vanessa prorsa. There
were also in the bottle some caterpillars of Fidonia atomaria, but these
were in a tube, and the tube had a cork stopper. One of the Vanessas
issued, spread its wings, and, ready to take its flight, ejected the me-
conium amassed in its chrj'salis state. This matter fell upon the stopper
and immediately killed tbe twenty caterpillars. The experiment was
repeated by placing a little of this liquid in a bottle with another lot of
caterpillars, which also perished. Larvae, however, placed in contact
with the dry meconium lived as usual. His conclusion was that it is
probably the evaporation of the substance, which is composed in a large
part of uric acid, which has the property of killing caterpillars, and that
its poisonous action is often the unsuspected cause of the death of larvae
in breeding-cages.

THE PEACH-TWIG MOTH AND ITS PARASITE.

Popular Gardening for July, 1888, reports a so-called " new enemy to
the Peach " in Delaware and Maryland, which is said to be a worm from
one-quarter to three eighths of an inch long, and about as thick as a pin.
It feeds on the leaf, buds, and ends of the young shoots, which of
course kills the tips of the twigs. Some orchards in Kent and Sussex
Counties, Delaware, are said to look as if a fire had passed over the
ends of the twigs and scorched the leaves. The origin and habits of
the pest are said to be not yet known, while the area over which it ap-
pears is said to be limited.

It seems from reading this item that this is by no means a new
enemy, but that it is the old and well-known Anarsia Hneatella Clemens.
This insect was mentioned in the Annual Report of this Department
for 1872, by Mr. Glover, as having done a great deal of damage in the
vicinity of the Maryland Agricultural College in May of that year. Al-
most all of the twigs of the trees were observed to be killed at the end.
The moth was bred and identified and the insect studied in all stages.
Apple trees were observed to be damaged in the same way, supposably
by the same insect.

Our notes show that adult insects issue during May and June and
the next brood infests the fruit of peach. The larvae are found during
the latter part of July and August and mature during September.
The larva leaves the fruit before transforming and suspends itself to
the outside of the fruit. The first full account published is by Pro-
fessor Comstock, in the Annual Report of this Department for 1879,
page 255. According to the Annual Report of the Entomological
Society of Ontario for 1872, Mr. William Saunders has found the same
larva boring in the roots of Strawberry in Ontario. Mr. Lintner, iu

197

his first report as State Entomologist of New York, published in 1882,
has a rather extensive article upon the same subject, and records peach
twigs as damaged at five localities in the State of New York, so that
the insect is far from being a new pest. The best remedy will be to
clip and burn the infested twigs as soon as they are noticed in May. In
Professor Comstock's article, before-mentioned, it is said that a Chalcid
parasite was bred from this insect. The specimens of this parasite we
have had in the Department collection for all these years under the MS.
name of Copidosoma variegatum, and in Bulletin 5 of this Division, in
which we described a number of species of this genus, this one was
overlooked. We take this occasion to submit a formal description :

Copidosoma variegatum sp. nov. Howard.

Female. — Length, 0.93"""; expanse, 2.2™">; greatest width of fore- wing, 0.49">™.
Club of antennae flattened, rounded at tip, as long as all of the other funicle joints
together; pedicel twice as long as first funicle joint. Pnnctation of head and
thorax as in C. gelechiw. Marginal vein of fore-wings entirely wanting. General
color black, with brilliant metallic green luster ; scape of antenna black, white at
tip; pedicel black; first four funicle joints white; joints 5 and 6 of funicle brown ;
club brown; all coxse metallic; all femora and tibiae dark brown, white at tips; all
tarsi white.

Described from six 9 specimens, all bred from a single larva of Anarsia lineatella,
which was inflated as are the larvae which harbor other species of Copidosoma. — L.
O. H

TWO ABNORMAL HONEY BEES.

At the meeting of the Entomological Society of France May 23, Mr.
H. Lucas exhibited two specimens of the common Honey-bee, which
were collected near Bordeaux find which were remarkable from the fact
that in the one the left eye is small, while the right eye, on the con-
trary, is strongly developed and even extends beyond the median part
of the front. With the other specimen the exact contrary occurs, and
it is the left eye which is more developed than that of the right side,
which is plainly smaller. On account of this extremely remarkable
anomaly it could be said that these bees, from this character, belong
upon the one side to the male sex and upon the other to the neuter.

RE-APPEARANCE OF LACHNUS PLATANICOLA.

This year we have noticed an abundance of the large Sycamore Tree-
louse, Lachnus platanicola Eiley (fam. Aphididce), on the Sycamores, or
Western Plane trees, in Washington. A number of trees along the
walk bordering the west side of the Capitol Grounds were found infested
with them in September, the insects being principally on the smaller,
lower branches, clinging in large patches to the bark, while the pave-
ment below was stained with the exudations which had dropped from
their bodies in such quantities as to form miniature pools on the side-
walk. At this time the individuals composing the patches represented

198

all the early stages, varying from very small ones up to nearly full-
grown specimens, none however being winged.

In October several trees on La Fayette square, in front of the Cosmos
Club, were also noticed to be infested, the brick walk beneath being
similarly stained by tbem.

This species was described by Professor Eiley in 1883, in the American
Naturalist for February of that year, with a notice of its excessive abun-
dance in 1882, not only in Washington, but in many -other parts of the
United States.— T. T.

TWO ALIEN PESTS OF THE GREENHOUSE.

Of the food habits of the adult Locust Borer very little appears to
have been observed, although they are known to frequent the blossoms
of Solidago during September.

On two occasions these beetles have been brought to me by the florist
of Purdue University, with the complaint that they were found in the
greenhouse eating the leaves of roses, and in no case were they ob-
served to molest other plants.

On October 11 complaints came from the same quarter regarding a
bug which clustered on the buds of Chrysanthemums, causing the latter
to discolor. Inspection revealed the depredator to be the Tarnished
Plant-bug, in the pupal and adult stages, the latter predominating.
These were not observed to attack any other plant, and were destroyed
by fumigating with tobacco smoke. — F. M. W.

[We doubt the accuracy of the observation as to Cyllene rohinice eat-
ing rose leaves. — Eds.]

THE FOOD-HABITS OF NORTH AMERICAN CALANDRIDAE.

We take this opportunity to publish (suggested by our article on the
Sandwich Island Sugar-cane Borer) a short review of the food- habits of
the ISTorth American Calandridse, to which family the genus Spheno-
phorus belongs, derived both from published records and our own
notes. As will be seen, there is considerable diversity even among the
comparatively few genera of our fauna.

The genus Calandra infests stored grains (wheat, corn, rice, etc.).

The genera Dryotribus, Gononotus, Macrancylus, Mesites (?), JElassoptes
are strictly maritime and live in larva and imago states in old boards,
roots, etc., washed up on the beach.

The genera Dryophthorus, Eimatium, Cossomus, Allominms, Caulo-
philus, Phlwophagus, WoUastonia, Amaurorhinus, Bhyncolus^ Stenoscelis
live under bark of dead and decaying wood, or bore into decaying wood
of deciduous or coniferous trees.

Bhodoba^nus ISpunctatus infests the stems of various plants, Xan-
thium strumarium, Ambrosia, and Thistle.

199

Cactophagus validus has heen found exclusively under decaying Opun-
tia leaves, the larva no doubt liviug within the leaves or roots of the
same plant.

The genera Yuccaborus and ScyphopJiorus infest plants of the genus
' Tucca.

The genus Rhynchopliorus infests palmetto trees.

The genus Sphenophorus infests the roots or lower part of the stems of
Tarious wild or cultivated Graminaceous plants. One or perhaps sev-
eral species are strictly maritime.

A small number of genera remain of which the food-habits are still
unknown.

THE NATURAL FOOD PLANT OF GRAPTODERA FOLIACEA Lec.

Miss Murtfeldt's interesting observations on this species (p. 74) show
that it feeds greedily on the foliage of the apple tree, and on the au-
thority of Professor Riley it is stated also to feed on hawthorn. Possi-
bly it is not confined to any group of plants, but it may be worth men-
tioning that I found specimens of a beetle, referred by Professor Eiley
to this species, in considerable abundance on Cucurbita perennis Gray,
at Cottonwood Springs, Pueblo County, Colo., last August. They ap-
pear to be entirely confined to the Cucurbita, and one might have sup-
posed that it was their i^roper food plant under ordinary circumstances.
I have not yet heard of their doing damage to the cultivated melons,
squashes, etc— T. D. A. Cockerell, West Cliff, Colo., October 14, 1888.

A REMARKABLE INSECT ENEMY TO LIVE STOCK.

The numerous published accounts of the loss of life not only of stock,
but of human beings, from the sting of the Whip-tailed Scorpion {T/ie-
lyphonus giganteus), and the consequent popular names of "Nigger-
killer" and "Mule-killer" are sufiQciently absurd to those who know its
harmless nature ; but there is some little excuse for such tales on ac-
count of the close resemblance of the animal to the true scorpions, which
are, in reality, more or less poisonous. No excuse, however, can be
offered for the statement which was recently sent us from Texas by a
correspondent who forwarded a specimen of Mantis Carolina with the
information that a gentleman told him he had lost a valuable horse by
one of these insects. We would, therefore, suggest as a new popular
name for this Mantis, "The Texas Horse-killer!"

FURTHER ON THE IMPORTATION OF LESTOPHONUS.

Just as we are going to press we learn from Mr. D. W. Coquillett, our
agent at Los Angeles, CaL, that he has received Mr. Koebele's shipment
concerning which we quote Mr. Koebele in the Special Notes of this
number. A tent had been placed around an orange tree in anticipa-
tion of the arrival of the parasites. The boxes were taken inside the

200

tent aud opened. Up to the time of writing sixty specimens of Les-
topbonus bad issued under tbe tent. In tbe case of living pbmts were
found living Cbrysopa adults and two species of Ooccinellid larvie, also
many eggs and cocoons of Cbrysopa. Tbe adults of Lestopbonus will
doubtless continue to issue, and we bave every reason to bope that they
will ovii>osit in tbe Iceryas upon tbe tree under tlie tent. Two Cocci-
uellid larv« were found crawling outside of tbe case from wbicb tbey
bad emerged through cracks in tbe putty. When transferred to the
orange tree tbey attacked the first Icerya tbey met.

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON.

December 6, 1886. — Au amendmeut of the constitution, relating to the dues of the
various classes of members was discussed and adopted. Mr. S. Lowell Elliott was
elected a corresponding member of tbe Society.

Dr. Marx made a communication on the structure of Hijpoclnlus, a form showing
intermediate characters between the Tetrapneumones and D'qmtumones. He showed
in what features it related to each of these groups, and also that in its nest making
habits it combined the characters of both TerritcUarice aud TuMtellaruf. He also
made some remarks on the characters of the Dysderidoc, FiUsiatida; and Cmiflon\d(v,
the latter a family which he deems unnecessary, although recognized by Emertou.

Prof. Riley, commenting on this paper, thinks the present bases of division, although
apparently disturbed by such forms as that discovered by Dr. Marx, may yet be sys-
tematically useful. He also urged upon Dr. Marx the importance of a study of our
Theraplwsida'. Dr. Marx replied that in this family nothing could be done at pres-
ent, since the classificatiou now in use was not based upon a study of our fauna, and
the characters used were totally inapplicable.

Mr. Howard remarked that he had recently read in the Tr. New Zealand Inst, for
1869 an account of the katipo, or poisonous spider of New Zealand, which appears
to be a species of Latrodectes. This is found on the sea-beach in the sedges, and was
not feared by the natives at a distance of half a stone's throw from the water.

Mr. Ashmead said that he had seen a peach orchard defoliated by a spider. He
states positively that he has seen the spiders bite pieces out of the leaves, but does
not say that he saw them afterward chew the bitten pieces.

Prof. Riley made a communication upon the larvae of Lepiinus. and LeptimUus, show-
ing their relationship to that of Platypstjlhis. Larvae aud imagosof the former had
been found around Washington, in nests of Graphops, and larvae and imagos of the
latter had been found upon the beaver in California. No pupsio of either had been
found.

Prof. Riley also made a communication on the habits of Thalessa, which is proved
an external parasite on Tremex. He also gave an account of the egg aud of the
structure of the ovipositor. He thinks the statement of Messrs. Lintner and Wood-
ward that Thalessa also oviposits in the larva of Datana ministra was based upon an
error of observation, Heteropelma datance, n. sp., having probably been mistaken for
Thalessa.

Mr. Schwarz exhibited a Telamona having a globular sac projecting equally above
and below the surfaces of the carapace. He supposes this sac to be formed by a
parasite in a manner similar to that in which Gonatopus forms a sac on certain
Bhynchota. The Society then adjourned.

J. B. Smith,
Recording Secretary.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORE.

The followiug list embraces those now engaged iu Government entomological work,
and who will assist in the management of the periodical, those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as contributors. The force of the Divisionof Entomology is
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permanent and temporary employes :

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, II. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist: C. V. Riley.

Office Staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A, Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tyler

Towusend, W. B. Alwood, Assistants ; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and

iu charge of reeling experiments.
Field Agents : Samuel Henshaw, Boston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster, Lafayette, Ind. ;

Herbert Osborn, Ames, Iowa ; N. W. McLain, Hinsdale, HI. ; Mary E. Murtfeldt,

Kirkwood.Mo. ; Lawrence Bruner, Lincoln, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles,

Cal. ; Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator: C. V. Riley.
Assistant Curator : John B. Smith.

lyFor bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedient,
the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communica-
tions. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by refer-
ring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be credited to " Insect Life," or,
where it is desired to give personal credit, to " Riley and Howard." While most of
the correspondence of the Division is carried on by myself, yet much of it is also
attended to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge
during my absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work
that only those articles signed by either should be considered individual.— C. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF EXTOMO^^ OP

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. ,_, — ^ ^AC^fi^tiJLBW, 1889

y- p, METCAfeF.

Vol. I. :no. 7.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS.

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

• ASSISTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVEENMENT PRINTINa OFFICE.

1889.

CONTENTS.

Pa 26.

Special Notes . 201

A Contribution to the Literature of Fatal Spider Bites (illustrated). 204
Description of Leonia Rileyi, a new Mbloid Genus near Hornia,

(illustrated) Eugene Diiges 211

On the Emasculating Bot Fly (illustrated) 214

Extracts from Correspondence 216

Injurious lusects iu Mississippi for 1888. — Larva o{ Saturnia io on Saw Pal-
metto iu Florida. — ^caHi/iacflrasi)»(7is iujuriug Pine apple iu Florida. —
Hylesinus trifoUi iu Ohio. — Wisconsin letter on Cicada septenilecim. — A
proposed Remedy for the Chinch Bug. — One of the Parasite Introduc-
tion Experiments in California.— Two Species of Anomala injurious to
the Vine in the South. — Beetles boring in an Opium Pipe from China.
— A Grape-vine Flea-beetle in the Southwest.— The "Voice"of Vanessa
antiopa. — A Swarming of the Milk-weed Butterfly in 1886. — A Phyllox-
era on the Pecan. — Anthreuus destroying Whalebone.

General Notes 222

Results of Professor Forbes's Investigations on the Relation of Wheat Cult-
ure to the Chinch Bug. — An old American Account of the Buffalo
Gnat. — Notes on Pteromahis puparum. — Another Human Bot Fly. —
Geographical Range of the Chinch Bug. — Damage to Fruit by the
Adult of AUorhina. — The Imbricated Snout-beetle. — Notes on Acridi-
da3 in Los Angeles, Cal. — Chloridea rhexia injuring Tobacco. — A curious
Habit oi Epilaclina borealis. — Birds and the White Grub. — Dosing Trees
witb Sulphur and other Substances. — Alum as a Currant-worm
Remedy. — An Australian Experiment. — Proceedings of the Entomo-
logical Society of Washington.

Vol. l.Wo.'y.] INSECT LIFE. [January, 1889.

SPECIAL NOTES.

"We have just seut our ludiana ageut, Mr. F. M. Webster, to Australia
to assist iu the collection of the parasites of the Fluted Scale {Iceryapur-
chasi), and to write up a report on the agricultural aspects of the Mel-
bourne Exposition. Mr. AVebster sailed December 15, and will return
to this country iu March.

As will be noticed from the third page of the cover of this number,
Mr. W. B. Alwood has resigned his position in the Division and Mr. C.
L. Marlatt has been appointed. Mr. Alwood has accepted the position
of Yice-Director of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station at
Blacksburg, Va. Mr. Marlatt comes to us from the Kansas State Agri-
cultural College at Manhattan, where he has held the position of Assist-
ant in Entomology.

A uumber of workers in economic entomology will soon be coming
to the frout. Under the Hatch experiment-station act, something over
twenty of the State experiment stations have been a)>\e to appoint an
entomologist among the officers. Some of the appointees have been
well trained in economic entomology, while others are young men
fresh from college with only a general knowledge of the subject. So
large a number of men situated in different parts of the country, de-
voting their time wholly or in part to work which should be original and
experimental, can not fail to produce important results. It has long
seemed to us that much couhl be gained through an association of those
actually working in this direction, and since this enlargement of the
number of workers the desirability of such an association seems to us
greater than ever before. Other specialists, as the chemists, the orni-
thologists, theicthyologists, have their national organizations and their
annual meetings to discuss methods of work and fields for investigation.

It seems to us that there should be a national organization of those
entomologists engaged in the ])ractical application of the science, meet-

201

202

ing, say, ouce a year, to discuss new discoveries, aud particularly to ex-
change experiences as to methods of work, whether in field or laboratory.
Such a coming together of those engaged in kindred work and the con-
sequent interchange of experience aud intercommunion could not fail to
be productive of good both socially and scientificalh'. Economic ento-
mology has heretofore greatly suffered by the writings and pretensions
of those who have no sort of appreciation of its real value and impor-
tance, but who, writing at second haud, upon subjects of which they
have no personal knowledge whatever, are just as apt to disseminate
error as truth. We should like to get an expression from those of the
readers of Insect Life interested in the work as to the desirability
and feasibility of such a national organization, and particularly as to
how many could attend a meeting once a year in some one of our large
cities.

Kerosene Emulsion— An Error corrected —We have unfortunately been
misquoted of late relative to a statement made in the Introduction to
our 1885 report. We there stated that where miik is not accessible a
satisfactory kerosene emulsion can be made with the white of egg
and a little sugar, and gave the most desirable proportions. We no-
tice, however, that Orchard and Garden, for February, 1888, and other
journals on previous dates have published the entirely unwarranted
statement that " Professor Eiley has had the best results in fighting
scale insects with a kerosene emulsion prepared after the following form-
ula," quoting the white of egg aud sugar recipe. Our position is thus
entirely misrepresented.

It will be news to most entomologists to learn that the Wm. H. Ed-
wards collection of Ehopalocera has been purchased by the Rev. W. J.
Holland, of Pittsburg, Pa. The collection of Dr. Holland, as thus en-
riched, is probably one of the largest as well as typically the most per-
fect collection of the Rhopalocera of temperate North America. In ad-
dition to the collection of Wm. H. Edwards it contains the entire collec-
tion of Mr. Theodore L. Mead, and a large number of specimens derived
from Morrison, Wright, Behreus, Ricksecker, and other collectors, in all
fully 8,000 specimens, representing the nearly 700 species credited to our
fauna. As an illustration of the richness of this collection, it may be
mentioned that Lycccn'i pseudargiolus is represented by 256 specimens,
ranging in their distribution according to their localities from St.
Michaels, Alaska, to southern Florida, and from Quebec to Arizona,
with a large series of bred specimens arranged according to pedigree
from one brood to another, showing the lineage of the seasonal or
dimorphic forms.

The Rhopalocera of other lands are well represented, notably by speci-
mens from tropical America, Africa, and Asia, and by fine suites of the

203

Japanese species, collected in 1887 by Dr. Holland during his visit to
Japan as the naturalist of the United States Eclipse Expedition of that
year. In all, over 4,000 species of Khopalocera are found in the collec-
tion, the genus Papilio alone having more than 250 species correctly eti-
quetted in the drawers allotted to them.

In the Heterocera the collection is also rich. By purchase Dr. Holland
has obtained the entire collection of the Hypeuidie and Pyralidie of
Japan, made by the late Henry Pryer, of Yokohama. This collection,
the formation of which occupied Mr. Pryer seventeen years, is being-
made the basis of an elaborate monograph of the Pyralidai of Japan by
Dr. Holland, in the preparation of which he will have the assistance of
Prof. C. H. Fernald and others.

Recent entomological Publications.— During the past few months a num-
ber of very important American entomological publications have been
received. We do not feel the same latitude in publishing critical re-
views in Inse ct Life as we should in a private periodical, bnt impor-
tant j)ublications should receive some attention at our hands, if only a
mere announcement of their i)ublication, for Insect Life reaches a
large class of readers whose means of ascertaining just what has been
published in an entomological line are otherwise slight.

The first part of Professor Comstock's " Introduction to Entomology "
was received some two mouths since. The title reads, "An Introduc-
tion to Entomology, by John Henry Comstock, Professor of Entomol-
ogy and General Invertebrate Zoology iu Cornell University, and for-
merly United States Entomologist, with man}' original illustrations
drawn and engraved by Anna Botsford Comstock, Ithaca, X. Y.; pub-
lished by the author, 1888." This first part is a volume of 231: pages,
comprising 201 illustrations, and considers the orders Thysanura, Pseu-
doneuroptera, Orthoptera, Physopoda, Hemiptera, and Neuroptera,
leaving the Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera for the
second and concluding part. The work is designed primarily as a text-
book. Price $2.

Mr. John B. Smith's monograph of the " Sphingidae of America North
of Mexico "has just been published by the American Entomological
Society, Philadelphia. It is a work of 195 pages, based largely on
work and material at the National Museum, and is illustrated by nine
plates, the plates referring maiuly to anal characters and wing-vena-
tion.

Dr. Lintner's fourth report on the injurious and other insects of the
State of New York has also recently coine to hand. Dr. Lintner uses 68
text figures, and his report, iucluding indices, covers 237 pages.

The first and second ])arts of Mr. Scudder's long contemplated work,
entitled '• Butterflies of the Eastern United States and Canada, with
special reference to New Euglaud," have also been received. The work
is published by the author and is very elaborate, the illustrations form-

204

ing a special feature. It is to be issued in 12 parts, eacla coutaiuing 8
plates aud about 144 pages of text. The price is $5 per part.

Dr. Packard's Entomology for Beginners appeared in September.
It is a condensed treatise of about 350 pages with nearly 300 figures,
and is entitled "Entomology for Beginners, for the use of young folks,
fruit-growers, farmers, and gardeners, by A. S. Packard, M. D., Ph.
D., New York, Henry Holt & Co., 1888." The price is $1 .75.

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE LITERATURE OF FATAL SPIDER BITES.

The evidence for aud against the possibility of a fatal bite from any
of our common spiders is sufficiently confusing. We have, on the one
hand, a wide spread impression among people at large that such fatal
bites are frequent and a large number of poorly-authenticated news-
paper records of cases. On the other hand, we have a general incredul-

FiG. 4e.—Latrudectus mactans: a, adult female; b, c, d, c,/, g, abdomen of different stages and va-
rieties, upper side; h, under side of r/,- i, adult male, a, c, f, rj, h, aud i enlarged twice, c and d three
times, 6 four times (original).

ity among entomologists and arachnologists, who require absolute proof
before accepting what seems probably untrue Judged from the statements
of naturalists who have allowed themselves to be bitten without bad re-
sults, not only by many different spiders, but by the very species said
to be venomous.

205

Under these circumstauces auy wellautbeuticated case of poisoning
is of value, and we place the following facts on record for what they are
worth :

In January, 1886, we received for identification from Col. Thomas B.
Keogh, of Greensborough, K C, a specimen of the common Latrodectus
mactans. a rather large brown spider, with a red spot on its abdomen,
with the accompanying statement that a specimen of the same species
had killed a man at Greensborough, We publish our reply in full, as it
drew out the interesting statement which follows:

Your letter of the 7th iustaut, with specimeas of spider supposed to be ideutical
with a species which has fatally bitteu a man iu your neighborhood, came safely to
hand. I am glad to get this specimen, the habits of which yon so accurately de-
scribe, and am much interested in the instance \\ihich you report. Such instances
have been placed upon record in several papers, but there has been so far no accurate
scientific evidence of the power of this insect to inflict a fatal wound. For this rea-
son I should be very glad to hear from you of the circumstances connected with this
instance. In the first place, are you certain that the spider which bit the man be-
longed to this species (the scientific name of the spider is Latrodectus mactans, but it
has no common name) i (2) Was the spider seen to inflict the wound or was it found
upon the wound immediately afterward ? (3) How long did the man survive the
bite? (4) Was the wound a punctured one, and how large was the orifice? (5)
What were the symptoms, aside from the spasms which you mention ; what was the
character of the swelling ? (6) Was the man healthy and strong, and what was his
susceptibility with regard to other poisons, as the Poison Ivy, for instance ? (7) At
what time of the year did this occur, and what was the man doing when bitteu ; was
ho in a profuse perspiration or not ?

The answers to all these questious bear upon the interest attached to it, and you
will greatly oblige me by answering them as fully and as accurately as possible. Our
best arachnologists would deny the possibility of a fatal bite from these spiders were
it not rendered uncertain by such positive accounts as these of yours. In view of this
fact the importance of accurate investigation will be readily seen by you. We pro-
pose, as soon as opportunity offers, to experiment as to the poison of this and several
allied spiders upon rabbits, and thus to approximate a solution of the question.

On receiving this letter, Colonel Keogh handed it to Mr. John M. Dick,
who was the employer of the man in question, and whoai Colonel Keogh
states to be a "very intelligent and well-informed young farmer,'' who
resides about half a mile from Greensborough. Mr. Dick's statement
is as follows:

In reply to your questions, asked Colonel Keogh in your letter of January 11, I will
make the following statements :

(1) No one was with the man when he was bitten. All we kuow is his own state-
ment. He said he felt something crawling on his neck ; as he brushed it oft' it stung
or bit him very severely. As the pain was very great, he looked to see what had
caused it. He described the insect as a black spider with a red spot on it.

(2) He was bitteu about 8.30 o'clock a. m. and died between 10 and 11 o'clock p. ra.,
about fourteen hours intervening.

(3) I examined his neck and found about ten little white pimples, all of which could
be covered with a one-dollar silver coin. I saw no puncture of any kind.

(4) There was no swelling at all, but his neck and left breast and arm became very
hard, so much so that I could not make an impiession in the flesh with my thumb.

(5) The man had been living with me for nine years, and was perfectly healthy.
Had no disease.

206

(6) He could handle poison oak or ivy with impunity.

(7) He waa bitten on the 19th of October, 1887. Ho was hauling wood at the time.
It was a damp cold morning and he could nob have been overheated. As soon as the
sensation of pain had passed off the man felt no further inconvenience till towards
the middle of the day. (He described the pain from the sting as somewhat similar
to the sting of a wasp.) About half past 11 o'clock he came to the house and told me
that he had been bitten by a spider. I treated the matter lightly, thinking he would
have been dead by that time if it was going to hurt him at all, but he complained of
pains running through his whole body. Finally, he went to town (only 1 mile dis-
tant), saying he was going to get whisky. About 1 o'clock he came home. Said
he felt no better. Said the pain had settled in his bowels. In a short while he com-
menced to have spasms. (He told me he had only bought 5 cents' worth of corn
whisky.) When the spasm came on I was greatly frightened. As I kuew of no rem-
edy but whisky, I gave it to him. In all, I gave him three half pints. He seemed re-
lieved of pain about 3 o'clock, and Jid some work about the barn. About 4 o'clock the
pains came on again and the spasms with them. He had only two spasms. He never,
recovered from the second one, but remained in a state of unconsciousness till his
death.

I have another man working for me who was bitten by one of the spiders about
three years ago. I showed him the spider which Colonel Keogh forwarded to you,
and he recognized it at once as being exactly like the one which had bitten him. As
this man's experience with a spider bite is rather peculiar, I will give it to you as he
has told me. He was at work in a corn field about the middle of June. It was the
afternoon of the day. He went to a spring near by for a drink of water. While
resting a moment at the spring the spider bit him on the ankle. He spit tobacco
juice on the sting and soon felt no pain. (He describes the pain from the sting as
more like a brier scratch.) He resumed the work, but in an hour or so felt a sudden
shock or pain run through his whole body. As one shock would pass oif another
would come on. He unhitched his horse and attempted to ride home, but soon fell
off the horse in an unconscious condition. His employer found him by the road side
and had him taken home. This gentleman has since told me the negro seemed per-
fectly crazy. He told what had bitten him between spasms of pain. The only remedy
he kuew of was whisky. He gave the negro three pints, and it had no intoxicating
effects. The negro had spasms one after another for several days. It was three weeks
before he stopped having them, and it was two mouths befoi-e ho was able to do any
work. He has not entirely recovered yet. Whenever he becomes overheated he has to
stop woik. He has a numb sensation pass over him. His ankle did not swell at all.
These same kind of pimples which I noticed on the neck of the man that died ap-
peared on his aukle, and break out afresh every time he becomes overheated from
exercise.

The sinder—Latrodectus moctans—'is cougeueric with tbe ^Yell-kllOVvn
"Malmiguiatte" of South Buroiye {Latrodectus m almig niatus Walck.),
about the venomous nature of whose bite there is so much contradic-
tory testimony.

It will be interestiug- in this connection to quote a few of the pub-
lished opinions of naturalists upon this subject.

In the Annals of the Entomological Society of France for 1842, page
205, is a notice of different facts which confirm the venomous property
of Latrodectus mahnigniatm, by Dr. Graells, translated from the Spanish
by Leon Fairmaire. He states in brief that prior to 1830, in the dis-
trict of Tarragone (Department of Cologne), there was no knowledge of
any spider which gave poisonous bites, but that in the years 1830, 1833,

207

and 1811 there were a number of such accidents. He shows that they
occur most abundantly in the years of the migratory locusts and shows
that such locusts were easily overcome by this spider. The Royal
Academy of Medicine and Surgery at Barcelona in 1830 appointed a
<}ommission to investigate the dangerous accidents caused during the
summer of that year by the spider. The members of the commission
were not entomologists and their report was almost worthless, hi 1833
there were a number of other cases and Dr. Graells was appointed by
the Academy to investigate. He found as a matter of course that the
reports were greatly exaggerated. A number of cases were found, liow-
ever, and investigated, which were unquestionably caused by the bite
of this spider, and the following symptoms were recorded :

A double puucturo snrroundetlby two red circles, wliicli unite, together forming au
edematous areole which marks the seat of a tumor which develops later. The paiu
extends and soon occupies the length of the bitten limb, and often reaches to the axil-
lary or inguinal glands, according to the limb bitten. These glands tumefy and be-
come painful and the skin between them and the bite becomes marked with livid
spots which seem to follow the course of the lymphatic vessels. The paiu continues,
reaching the body even to the abdominal and thoracic cavities, with a sensation of
burning heat, strong constriction or soreness of throat, tension of the abdomen,
tenesmus, and extreme headache, which makes itself felt along the spinal column ;
soon followed by general convulsions, more iiarticularly in the extremities, followed
often by insensibility, especially in the feet, which are ordinaril^^ livid, wLile the
whole body is swollen. This imposing array of symptoms brings about a very marked
low spirit on the i>art of the patients, indicated by their expressions of despair, of
profound affliction, or fear concerning the return of the health, for thej believe them-
selves threatened with approaching death.

They continually change from place to place iu their bed, giving utterance to sighs
and plaintive cries, carrying their hands to their heads mechanically, or they say that
they feel their brains pricked by pins. The face is sometimes red and burning, at
others pale. The difficulty of respiration is marked, the pulse is very low, quick,
irregular, the skin cold and rather moist from an abundant cold and viscid perspira-
tion ; at the same time the patient complains that his bowels are burning and asks
for fresh water. In some cases the sight is almost totally obscured, the conjunctiva
injected; in others the voice becomes weakened, and perhaps a ringing in the ears
becomes very marked. Sometimes livid spots appear over the whole body. The in-
tensity of these symptoms varies according to the susceptibility of the individual, to
the strength of the Latrodectus, and also the number of bites which the patient has
received.

Eecovcry comes sooner or later, according to the strength of the i^atient, the energy
of the remedies, and the promptness of their effect. In all cases it is announced by
the perspiration, which from cold and viscid becomes warm and vaporous ; by the
quickening and regularity of the pulse; by increasing facility in respiration and
urination ; by the cessation of the intiammation of the glands and of the aching iu
the brain and spinal cord, which passes into a sort of lethargy which may be more
the effect of the laudanum given than a symptom of the disease.

Mr. Pierret, in the same periodical for 1843, page 8, states that
this same spider inhabits Corsica also, and that its bites there cause
symptoms similar to those described by Dr. Graells. It appears in the
heat of summer and is found principally iu houses. When an inhab-
itant is bitten the remedy consists in exposing the wounded i)art to
strong heat from a furnace and iu rubbing it with irarlic.

208

Ou the same page Mr. Lucas aunounced that he had studied the
habits of the same insect in Algeria, where it is frequently found. He
states that he never observed that its bite was venomous and that he
had himself been bitten several times without any bad effects.

Walckenaer, Histoire Naturelle des Insectes— Apt^res(Paris, 1837, p.
177 et seq.), makes the following statements:

However violeut may be the effect of the veuom wliich a spider injects iuto the
puncture which it makes iu the body of au insect which it seizes, this venom iu the
largest species in the north of France produces no effect upon man. I have allov\'ed
myself to be bitten by the largest species of spiders around Paris without consequent
swelling or reddening. Tuese small punctures have given me no other sensation tban
would have been produced by a pin or a needle which I had stuck into my finger.
In fact, the venom of a spider has not even as great an effect upon man as that of a
wasp, a bee, a bed-bug, a flea, and even still smaller insects. We see people not un-
commonly who tiave probably been bitten by some one of these insects and who
attribute the consequent results to the bite of the spider becanse it is often the first
insect which they see when they find themselves awakeued iu the night by the pain.
The spider, frightened by the unexpected approach of some person or by a light, runs
to hide itself and thus has all the appearance of a culprit.

In warm climates, where very large spiders are found, the bite may be stronger and
in consequence more painful, and, in time of extreme heat, with unhealthy persons,
the slight inflammation which results from the bite may produce fever, and fever
may bring about delirium without the action of any poison. It is thns that we
explain the extraordinary effect attributed to the Tarantula de la Ponille and of the
Lalrodectus malmigniatus in the island of Corsica. The facts, from my point of view,
have been greatly exaggerated ; the observations upon which they are founded are
all old, and even at the time when thej^ made the most noise several judicious
observers have treated them as fables. * * * [Here follows a short account of the
Tarantula mentioned above.] They attribute to the Latrodectus malmigiiiaius o£ Sardi-
nia the same eff"ects as to the Tai-antula. The species of this genus are, however,
much smaller, but in America as ui Europe they are considered venomous.

Azara has had several of his negroes bitten by the great Mygale avictilaria of South
America. He remarks that a fever of twenty hours' duration often results from these
bites, and that it is sometimes accompanied by a little delirium, but that it never has
serious results.

Again, in treating of the " Malmiguiatte " under his specific descrip-
tion, Walckenaer says :

This species is believed to be very venomous. Its bite causes with man, so it is said,
pains and even fever. Mr. Luigi Totti, physician of the Madeleine Hospital at Vol-
terra, in a long memoir which he has sent to us, confirms all that has been said about
the effects produced by this spider by Boccone, Keysltr, Rossi, and others, altliough its
mandibles are not very large and it is not large itself. Moreover, Mr. Abbot, who was
ignorant of what had been written iu Europe upon the genus, says of all three species
which he has figured, that their bite is renowned in America; so the fact is certain.
' * * Mr. A. Cauro, of Ajaccio, Doctor of Medicine, iu a thesis entitled " Explana-
tion of the methods of curing the bite of the Tlieridion malmiijniaiic, Paris, 1833," page
6, sa<ys: " It appears that the venomous character of Thendion mahnifjniatte is not set-
tled, because all naturalists avoid saying that they believe that its bite is very dau-
gerous. It is certain, very certain, that it is very dangerous iu Corsica; perhaps it
may be fatal under some conditions." Mr. Cauro gives in d^ail the effects of this
bite, whi-ch resemble, heirsays, those of the bite of the viper; but Mr. Caaro, as well as

209

all his iiredecessors. has not taken care to assure himself that the sickness that he de-
scrihes was actually caused by the Latrodectus. He reports no observations — no ex-
perience which proves it.

The followiug- paragraphs are taken from an articleby Eev. J. Black-
wall, in the Transactions of the Linniiean Society of London (Vol. XXI,
1855, p. 31) entitled "Experiments and observations on the poison of
animals of the order of Araueidea :"

The numerous accounts which have been published by various authors of the sin-
gular eflects induced in the human species by the bite of the Tarantula (Lycosa taran-
tula apuliw Walck.), and of the still more extraordinary mode of cure, together svith
tlie serious and sometimes fatal consequences which have been attributed to the bite of
the Malmigniatte {Latrodectus maJmvjniatiis Walck."), must be regarded as amusing fic-
tions in the natural history of the Araneidae, * * *,"

The legitimate conclusion deducible from the experiments seems to be, that there is
nothing to apprehend from the bite of the most powerful British spiders, even when
inflicted at a moment of extreme irritation and in hot sultry weather, the pain occa-
sioned by it being little, if any, more than is due to the laceration and compression
the injured part has sustained.

These experiments do not present any facts which appear to sanction the opinion
that insects are deprived of life with much greater celerity when pierced by the fangs
of spiders than when lacerated mechanically to an equal extent by other means,
regard being had in both cases to the vitality of the part injured, as the speed with
which existence terminates mainly depends upon that circumstance. It is true that
the catastrophe is greatly accelerated if spiders maintain a protracted hold of their
victims, but this result is obviously attributable to the extraction of their fluids,
which are transformed by oft-repeated acts of deglutition into the stomachs of their
adversaries.

From the entire mass of evidence supplied by the experiments taken in the aggre-
gate, it may be fairly inferred that whatever properties characterize the fluid emit-
ted from the orifice in the fangs of the Araneidie it does not possess that degree of
virulence which is commonly ascribed to it, neither is it so destructive to animal life
when transmitted into a recent wound as it is generally supposed to be. Were I dis-
posed to speculate upon the manner in which it aff"ects insects on being introduced
by the fangs into their vascular system, I might conjecture that it has a tendency to
paralyze their organs of voluntary motion, and to induce a determination of their
fluids to the part injured; but I refrain from dwelling upon a suggestion, however
plausible it may appear to be, which in the present state of our knowledge of the
subject can only be regarded as hypothetical.

The so-called "Katipo" of Xew Zealand is a poisonous spider, which
apparently belongs to the genus Latrodectus, and from the descriptions
which we have seen much resembles the Xorth American L. mactans-
It is referred to by Mr. Taylor in his work "A leaf of the natural his-
tory of New Zealand" as " the Katipo — venomous spider — one kind red,
and one black with a marked red spot on its back. Their bite appears
to be very poisonous, occasioning a violent swelling of the part." Other
writers state that Mr. Taylor is mistaken in describing a red Katipo,
bat agree with him that the one with the black body and red vermilioD
spot on its back is the most poisonous.

Mr. F. W. Wright, in an article published in the Transactions of the
New Zealand Institute for 1869, states that the spider is from one-half
to three-fourths of an inch in diameter, measuring across the body and

210

legs, aud that there are t^o varieties, one of a dark glossy browu or
black color, and the other similar, except for a red spot upon the abdo-
men. Of the immaculate variety he says :

The abdomen is perfectly spherical, like a No. 1 shot, aud very glossy ; the legs are
compact, uot straggling. It is found among dead wood in the garden, with a slight
Aveb ; amongst the rafters of an out-building. The natives have no distinguishing
name for either variety ; they are both called " Katipo," to distinguish them from the
" Puuga-were-were," the common spider.

Mr. Wright gives a number of cases, from hearsay, of fatal bites by
the red-spotted variety, and describes a serious case in his own practice,
which, however, did uot result in death. Mr. Wright, in all of the cases
which he mentions, seems to have considered that the simple word of
the patient that he was bitten by this spider is sufficient. He evidently
has no doubt that it was the spider which produced the result. The
circumstances of the case which came under his own notice are worth
quoting in full:

lu the month of December, 1868, a person of the name of John Huff, living near my
residence, came into the surgery complaining that he had been bitten on the shoulder
by a spider. He was in the employment of Messrs. Archard & Brown, of Stanley
Street, Mechanics' Bay. He was occupied at the time in carrying fire-wood to sup-
ply the furnaces of a brick-kiln ; the wood was stacked near the kiln in sedge or
coarse grass; this happened between the hours of 11 aud 12 o'clock a.m. At noon
he came home to dinner, sat down to table, but upon attempting to eat fouud he
could uot open his mouth, or was scarcely able to articulate, in consequence of
stiffness about the jaws. He was alarmed, aud came into the s.irgery, when it was
(lifticult to understand what he had to say. All I could learn from him was that
he had been bitten by a spider ou the shoulder, in the bay. Upon examining the
spot, I found the surface raised to an extent as large round as a tea-cup; this ele-
vated surface was white, aud was surrounded by a halo of red, not unlike an exag-
gerated wheal of the nettle-rash. He complained of considerable pain in the part, aud
during the examination became faint, and soon almost pulseless. His pulse was un-
usually slow, scarcely counting more than twelve or fourteen beats in the minute.
His countenance and the general surface of the body assumed a hue of extreme pallor,
which gradually turned to a blue tint. His extremities were cold aud flaccid ; his
respiration almost ceased; aud indeed I had fears that he was about to expire. Dr.
Pinching being iu my house at the time, I called for his assistance. He was aston-
ished at the feebleness and prostration of the patient from such au apparently tri-
fling cause.

From his extreme faintness it was necessary to lay him on the floor, when I applied
spirits of ammonia to the wound, which hy.d the effect of lessening the swelling aud
abating the pain. I also administered ammonia aud water, afterwards combined
with brandy, in considerable doses; under this treatment his pulse graduallj^ im-
proved, his circulation and respiration became more natural, as was evidenced by his
return to a more natural color. Although a stout, strong man, this state of depres-
sion remained for upwards of two hours before he was able to return home. In the
evening I found him considerably improved, having taken a slight dose of medicine.
For several days he could not return to his work, but complaiued of great lassitude
aud nervous depression, which he was sensible of for many days after.

It must be evident, from the symptoms of this case, that the man was powerfully
affected by a uarcotic and irritating poison, which, being absorbed into circulation,
aftectfid the heart, brain, and nervous system to a very considerable extent, almost
amounting to fatal syncope ; that the stimulants, by exciting the heart's action, gradu-

211

ally aroused the excretory fuuctious, so as ultimately to remove the poison from the
system ; for although suffering under its influence for a considerable time, it does not
appear to have left auy permanent effects behind it, for the man has since been in per-
fect health,

Mr. Wright further states that the Maoris are well acquainted with
these spiders, and have always considered their bite very dangerous.
The tufts of sedge upon the sea-beach are the favorite haunts of the red-
spotted variety, and the natives avoid sleeping in such places. Haifa
stone's throw inland, however, they do not fear the Katipo. The native
remedy consists in rubbing the part and applying hot half-scalded leaves.
Formerly the priests were consulted and incantations to the gods of the
hills and valleys were supposed to be efQcacious.

It will possibly appear to the reader that after collecting this testi-
mony we are as far from the solution of the question, " Do spider bites
ever produce fatal results ! " as we were before ; but it seems to us,
after analyzing the evidence, that it must at least be admitted that cer-
tain spiders of the genus Latrodectus have the power to inflict poisonous
bites, which may (probably exceptionally and depending upon excep-
tional conditions) bring about the death of a human being. Admitting
in its fullest force the argument that in reported cases the spider has
seldom if ever been seen by a reliable observer to inflict the wound, we
consider that the fact that species of Latrodectus occurring in such
widely distant localities as South Europe, the Southern United States,
and New Zealand are uniformly set aside by the natives as poisonous
species, when there is nothing especially dangerous in their appearance,
is the strongest argument for believing that these statements have
some verificatiou in fact. It is no wonder that a popular fear should
follow the ferocious-looking spiders of the family Theraphosoidne; but
considering the comparatively small size and modest coloring of the
species of Latrodectns so wide-spread a prejudice, ocQ,urring in so many
distinct localities, must be well founded.

As no good figure of our Latrodectus mactans has been published, we
have had Dr. Mars prepare the accompanying illustrations. The large
female was drawn from specimens collected by Mr. Townsend, near New
Orleans, La., and the variations were drawn from specimens in Dr.
Marx's own collection.

DESCRIPTION OF LEONIA RILEYI, A NEW MELOID GENUS NEAR

HORNIA.

By Dh. EugJ:ne Duges, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Length, 11™™; diameter, 3™™. Of a more or less dark ferruginous color and cov-
ered with stitf hair or black setse.

Labrum somewhat retracted, anteriorly depressed and slightly emarginate, laterally
nearly rounded, punctate, hairy, ferruginous ; mandibles conical, stout, curved, ap-
parently broken at tip, which is obtuse with traces of a rupture; maxillae with two
corneous lobes, the external one at tip of the shajie of a rounded plate and ciliate,

212

Fig. 47.— Leonia rileyi : a, adult female ; 6, antenna ; c,
labium; d, maxilla and palpus; e, tarsal claw from the
side — enlarged;/, tarsal claw from above, still more en-
larged (from drawings by Duges).

the iuternal one sub-quadrate at tip, provided with thick and stiff hairs ; maxillary
palpi, four-joiuted, the last ovoid, much less large thau iu Hornia. Meutum trape-
zoidal, t. e., quadrate with the
y^yi:^X^^^^^^~^ front margin shorter thau the jjos-
j^ terior; ligula coriaceous, rounded

attip; labial palpi, three-jointed,
the last ovoid and of the same
form as the corresponding joint of
the maxillary palpi ; antennie in-
serted on an elevation of the front,
ton-jointed, first joint the longest
and thickest, claviform, second
one-half the size of the first, trans-
verse-conical, third conical, thin-
ner, and longer than the second,
fourth three-fourths the size of
the third, fifth to ninth similar
to the fourth, tenth oval, longer
than the ninth ; joints 5 and 6, 7
and 8 have the tendency to become
connate into a single joint. The
antennae are stoitt and resemble
much those of the male Hornia.
They are longer than the head,
puuctulate and pubescent. The
first two joints are ferruginous, the remaining black; epistoma separated from the
front by a short, well-marked, and anteriorly straight furrow, puuctulate, ciliate, fer-
ruginous ; eyes small, decidedly transverse ; head trapezoidal, a little wider than the
thorax, posterior margin straight, angles rounded, surface strongly depressed, with
sparse black pubescence ; color ferruginous.

Prothorax strongly transverse, one-third wider than long, a little narrowing pos-
teriorly, side margin straight or nearly so, anterior angles strongly rounded, posterior
angles less so, base slightly margined and sinuatp; dorsal channel obsolete, surface
shining, punctate, ferruginous, covered with black hairs.

Scutellum large, slightly transverse-triangular, rounded at tip, punctate, black.
Elytra squamiform,'but larger than iu Hornia, for they nearly reach the middle of
the first abdominal segment. They meet at the tip of the scutellum with their iuternal
humeral (sutural) angles, but diverge thence so that a small portion of the metanotum
I) ecomes visible; rounded at the side and subangulated at the internal margin; the
angle which is here visible may be said to be the i aternal apical angle. Surface cor-
iaceous, rugose, punctate, testaceous, covered with black hair. It is hardly necessary
to state that the elytra do not cover the side jiieces of the sternum. No underwiugs.
Metasternum very short.

Abdomen normal, i. e., very little inflated and in no way baggy (en besace) ; all seg-
ments entirely subcorueous, though less so ou the ventral side than dorsally. Last
dorsal segment very small, rounded at tip, last ventral a little larger and emargin-
ate. All segments blackish-brown with anterior and posterior borders ferruginous,
excepting the two last segments which are entirely black. The whole abdomen is
shining and pubescent.

Legs ferruginous, covered with black hair. All coxte conical and very prominent,
the intermediate impending ou the posterior, just as in Hornia, although the over-
lapping is here more marked. Femora slender without silky emarginatiou ; tibiae
slender, also without emarginatiou and with well developed spurs, those of the hind
tibite large and rounded at tip. Tarsal joints slender. Claws reddish, long, curved,
andacute, ou the underside provided witha long, straight, acute spine, attainiugthree-

213

fonrlbs the leugth of the claw aud which represents, in our opinion, the lower divis-
ion of the claw in tlie other Meloidie. This spine is longer aud thicker than in Her-
nia, Avhere it is but little visible, and hardly one-fourth the length of the upper di-*
vision. Otherwise the claws of Leouia entirely i-esenible those o( Sitaris muralis and
Hornia.

The insect just described is closely allied to Hornia. Still we believe
it deserves to form a separate genus which should enter the tribe pro-
posed by us incur "Synopsis des genres de Meloides du Mexique"
(Bull, de la Soc. Zool. de France, ix, 1886, p. 1) between the " Meloides
vrais" aud the " Cantharides " of Lacordaire {Meloi)ii and Cantharini
of Le Conte and Horn) for the genus Hornia. This tribe could be called
Hornii {Rorniides) if this uew^ division should be adopted, which would
thus comprise already two genera, Hornia aud Leonia.

The important characters of this Meloid are : the overlapi)ing of the
posterior coxa? by the intermediate ones, the very short metasternum,
and the side pieces of the sternum not being covered by theelytra. These
characters approach it to Hornia, from which genus it differs iu the num-
ber of antennal joints, which is certainly only 10 iu our specimen (pos-
sibly a sexual character, but if so, we should say not a less remarkable
one) ; further in the form of the prothorax, which is by no means elongate
orcampanulate butrathercordate; in themuch larger elytra, themetaster-
uum being much less visible ; in the abdomen being not much iniiated
and sub-corneous in all its parts; and finally in having that long spine
which represents the lower division of the claws. It approaches the Sitar-
ini in the form of the elytra and claws, but the characters just mentioned
remove it so decidedly that in our opinion it can not be associated with
that tribe.

We have so far seen only two specimens of Leonia rileyl. One is that
we have just described ; the other was sent by us to Europe to Mous.
Auguste Salle. We have found them on the walls of a dwelling-house
of the Hacienda de Jupataro, State of Guauajuato, Mexico. At that
place we also observed some probably undescribed Anthophoras, from
the nests of which the beetles probably had emerged.

I have dedicated this new^ genus as a mark of friendship and esteem
to my friend, Dr. IS^icolas Leon, Director of the Mechoacano Museum
of the city of Morella, capital of the State of Mechoacan, Mexico, a
scientist already well known whether in Mexico or in Europe and the
United States, as a bibliophile, antiquarian, and naturalist. In re-
gard to the name of the species, I have given it that of rileyi, in honor
of Dr. C. V. Kiley, the learned American who first drew our attention
to the remarkable peculiarities of this insect (which in our Synopsis we
had placed, with some reserve, in the iSifari.ni under the name of Hornia
mexicana) and who was kind enough to send us a itair of Hornia minuti-
pennis Eiley, which served us for comparsion.

214

ON THE EMASCULATING BOT-FLY.

(Cuterebra einascidator Fitch.)

Siuce the publication by Dr. Fitch in his Fourth New York Eeport of
his long and interesting account of this insect, it has received Uttle
notice from entomologists. Dr. Fitch's article attracted great attention,
and the fact that a botfly existed which, according to his statements,
ax)parently bred only in the testicles of Chipmunks or Gophers and
Squirrels was certainly a remarkable one. Dr. Fitch succeeded in rear-
ing but one adult which issued about July 29, 1857, from earth in ajar
in which the larva had been placed September 1, 185G. So far as we
know this is the only adult of the species which has ever been reared.

Fig. 48. — Cuterebra einasculator : «, full-grown larva from above; 6, .same, from below — enlarged;
c, head of same; d, anal end of same; e, portionof integument of same— still more enlarged (original).

Dr. Fitch published a painstaking description of the different stages
and gave the species the name of Cuterebra emasculator from the larval
habit which he supposed characteristic. He mentions the fact that
hunters in the vicinity of Lakeville, N. Y., where the first specimen
sent him was found, had long been familiar with the fact that at least
onehalf of the male gray squirrels shot in that vicinity were fonnd to
be castrated, and that it was the opinion of hunters that the deformity

215

was caused by the squirrels seizing and biting out the testicles of their
comrades. In support of this idea he gives the testimouy of Mr.
Hurst, taxidermist of the New York State Cabinet of Natural History,
who claimed to have seen a half dozen red squirrels unite in mastering
a gray one and castrating him. Dr. Fitch queries whether the bot fly
may not be attracted by the wound so made, if this habit prove com-
mon, but concludes that the object of the joint attack of several upon
one is rather to kill the grab which is engaged in emasculating him.

Unfortunately there is yet some doubt as to whether Fitch's species
will hold. Brauer, in his Monograph of the CEstrid;^, page 232, quotes
Fitch's description at length, and states that he can not separate the
species from Cuterebra scutellaris Low, a North American species, the
habits of which do not seem to be known.

If this interesting insect has not attracted much attention of late years
from entomologists, it has not failed to be noticed by zoologists and tax-
idermists, although we are not aware that observations have been pub-
lished. The following statement was written at our request by Dr.
Merriam, the Ornithologist of the Department, as we had learned by
conversation that he had made notes some years ago on the abundance
of the insect in New York State :

111 reply to your inquiry conceruing the occurreuce of Cuterebrse in squirrels, I
would state that during luany years collecting in the Adirondack region of northern
New Yorl^, particularly along its western border, in the Blacli River Valley, I fre-
(iueutly found Cuterebra' in or near the scrotum in the Gray Squirrel (Sciiirus caroli-
ucnsis leucotis), Red Squirrel (Sciurus hiidsonius), and Chipmunk {Tamias striatus lysteri).
I have observed the same thing at East Hampton, Mass., and in other localities. The
most extraordinary instance of the prevalence of this disgusting parasite that has
fallen uuder my observation was at the south end of Lake Champlain, New York, iu
October, 1885. On the 7th and 9th of that mouth I killed mora than fifty Chipmunks
(Tamias strintus lysteri) within a few miles of old Fort Ticonderoga and on the rocky
side hill behind the town of Whitehall. Of these a very large percentage— I think
fully one-half — were infested with "wabbles " (Cuterebra?). More females than males
were thus afflicted. The " wabbles" were usually situated near the median line, and
anywhere from the umbilical region to the genitals. In a few cases they were in the
axilla, and in one or two instances in the upper part of the foreleg. In a number of
individuals two Cuterebrre were found and in a few cases as many as three.

Dr. A. K. Fisher tells me that he collected a number of Chipmunks about the south
end of Lake George, Warren County, N. Y., during the latter part of August and
first of September, 1882, a considerable proportion of which were infested with
CuterebrsB. As many as three were found, iu different stages of development, in one
animal. A Gray Squirrfel killed at Sing Sing, Westchester County, N. Y., contained a
Cuterebra in the left pectoral region.
Respectfully,

C. Hart Mkrriam,

Ornithologist.

It is very possible that the larvae of more than one sj)ecies of the
genus Cuterebra were concerned iu the cases noticed by Drs. Merriam
and Fisher, but this point can not be decided at the present time.
14174— No. 7 3

216

The chief object, however, of publishing this note is to iutrodiice
careful figures of the full-grown larvd uot before published. They are
drawn from a specimen received through the kindness of Mr. George B.
Starkweather, of this city. Concerning the capture of the specimen,
which was from a female Chipmunk, Mr. Starkweather wrote, October
19, 1888 :

About uoou oil the llJtli my children's pet kitteu came in from the grove near
our house, in the Rock Creek region, with a " chippj' " in its mouth. They rescued it
at once, but, although warm, life was extinct. The strange appendage, or abnormal
growth which they noticed on the under side, caused them to lay it away carefully
in an empty covered cigar-box " to show to papa."

My attention was called to it twenty-four hours later, when the dark-colored mag-
got was found in one corner of the box nearly motionless. They described the
"swelling" as about an inch long and of the shape of a mulberry. There seemed to
be a natural opening at its apex over a sixteenth of an inch in diameter with a tinge
of a dark liquid about it.

Subsequent inquiry lias revealed the fact that squirrel hunters in this
vicinity report that these grubs are very abundant around Washington
in the common Gray Squirrel, one gentleman, with that freedom from
fact-bias characteristic of the amateur hunter, stating that he never
shot a squirrel which was not infested by grubs. We will doubtless,
therefore, have opportunities for rearing the adult and comparing it
with Low's scutellaris.

The larva has already been well described by Fitch, and our figures
will illustrate its appearance. The specimen from which they were
drawn was evidently full-grown, and has entered the earth in a breed-
ing jar.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

Injurious Insects in Mississippi for 1888.

(1) The Cotton Worm {Aletia xylina) was reported from the Homochitto River and
Middle Fork Creek bottom after the storm of the 19th and 20th of August, but with-
out doing any serious damage. Winds mostly southeast and east. On September 10
I observed them of three different sizes in my own tield, feeding on the second growth
of tender cotton leaves. I have noticed on some stalks worms as marked {2(1) on
Plate I, Report IV, United States Entomological Commission, eating on the underside
of the leaves, others as marked on same plate {2d and 2/( as well as 2f). They con-
tinued to eat slowly and made but very little progress in destroying the foliage.
Cool nights and hot days kept them at bay during the latter part of September and
the first part of October. As some of the most natural enemies of the Cotton Worm
observed during this season I will mention one spider {Oxyopes vlridans); one wasp
(FoUstes iellicosa) ; onebug {Metapodiiis femoraliis) ; one fly (Proctaoanthus milberti) ;
one orthopter (IfftH^is Carolina), All those mentioned above I have observed myself de-
stroying the worms. The latter did uot damage the cotton crop to any extent in this
county. During the middle of October they webbed up in all parts of the field, and
1 observed a large number of Cotton Worm chrysalids destroyed by the larviB of
Cliauliognathus americanus. I also found some chrysalids devoured by the larvae of
Cyrtoneura stabulans, and have likewise found some empty skins of chrysalids con-
taining the iiuparium of this fly.

217

(2) The Boll or Coru Worms {Reliothis armigera') were very numerous on late corn,
and I have fouud from two to five worms of different sizes in most every ear of corn
examined. They likewise damaged the cotton crop to some extent.

(3) The Sugar-cane Beetle (Ligyrus rugiceps) has been reported as doing considera-
ble damage to sugar-cane during the early part of the spriug.

(4) The Greasy Cut- worm (Agrotis ypsilon) was reported from all partsof this county
to be very destructive in cotton fields, cutting the plants, and thereby seriously injur-
ing the stand of cotton.

(5; The Cabbage Plant-louse (Aphis brassicce) has been very numerous this past
season, seriously injuring the cabbage crop.

(6) The Wavy-striped Flea-beetle {Phyllotreta viitata) has been during the past year
a great garden pest, and destroyed turnip and mustard plants especially.

(7) The Southern Cabbage-butterfly (Pieris protodlce) has been, in the larva state,
exceedingly injurious to the cabbage family. I noticed some of the butteriiies on the
6th of November in our gardens.

(8) I also wish to mention a beetle, the Twig Girdler (Onaideres cingulatus) which
has been very destructive to hickory and persimmon twigs in this county. I have
found them gnawing grooves around the twigs of large rose-bushes in my yard, sev- '
ering the limb sufficiently to make it fall to the ground by the first slight wind.

(9) The Apple-tree Teut-caterpiller, as described on page 412 of the Annual Report of
your Department for 1884, did serious damage to the plum and apple trees in this
locality.— [George H. Kent, RoxiS; Miss., December 1, 1888.

Larva of Hyperchiria io on Saw Palmetto in Florida.

I send you a very beautiful caterpillar by this mail. I hope it will not be a chrys-
alis when it reaches you. It preys only on the Saw Palmetto so far as I have observed
and does not damage that to any extent. I should be glad to get its name from you.
— [Robert Ranson, Canaveral, Fla., December 3, 1888.

Reply. — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 3rd instant and the accom-
panying caterpillar found feeding upon the Saw Palmetto. This caterpillar is the larva
of the common To Moth, Saturnia io, so called on account of the large eye-spots on the
hind wings. The caterpillar is a very handsome one, but has the disagreeable prop-
erty of producing a nettling effect upon the skin when handled. It spins its cocoon at
orjust under the surface ofthe ground, and passes tbe winter in the pupa state and the
moth emerges in the spring. This insect is so far from being confined to the Saw Pal-
metto that this is the first time it has been reported from this plant, so far as we know.
It is found upon the greatest variety of plants, and is common from New York to Flor-
ida. It is seldom or never reported as appearing in sufficient numbers to be called
injurious. * « » —[December 7, 1888.]

Acanthacara similis injuring Pineapple in Florida.

I am forwarding to you by this mail an insect that I have recently found eating
the leaves of Pineapple plants. I shall feel greatly obliged if you will kindly let me
know what it is and something of its habits. —[A. Haden, Orlando, Fla., December 2,
1888.

Reply. — Your letter of the 2d instant and the box containing an insect found upon
the Pineapple plant have been duly received. The insect is one of our large katy-
dids, but has no common name. Its scientific name is Acanthacara similis. But
little is known concerning the habits of this insect except that it is a leaf-feeder
throughout its whole existence. The manner and place of depositing the eggs is not
known. Your Pineapples can doubtless be protected by spraying with a dilute solu-
tion of Paris green or London purple. Will you kindly inform us as to the numbers in
which this insect appears and the damage it does. — [December 7, 1888.]

218

Second letter. — I have to thank you for your communication dated 7th instant^
with particulars regarding the insect I forwarded {Acaitthacara simtlis). It is only
within the last month or two that I have noticed the appearance of this insect on
my Pineapple plants, and the damage done so far has been trifling, as I have only
succeeded in finding two specimens actually on the plants. The green outer surface
and edges of the leaves attacked are eaten, leaving the white fiber exposed, and
causing the leaf above the part eaten to wither and die. — [December 15, 1888.

Hylesinus trifolii in Ohio.

Your favor of the 30th ult. received. I am not fortunate enough to be the pos-
sessor of the volume you mention, viz: Eeport of 1878. I have the reports of 1877
and 1879, but neither mentions the Clover Root- borer, so I have had no way of identi-
fying the beetle except from reports and descriptions given in the Ohio Farmer and
other agricultural papers. But, from all I can learn from the above sources, I am con-
fident that it is HyJesinus trifolii. However, to be certain, I went to my field Decem-
, ber 5 and obtained specimens, imago and pupa, which I inclose. * * * The tap
root of the clover was in every case eaten hollow, and the borers were hibernating in
the crevices quite close to the surface of the ground. The past season was the second
that the field has been mowed. * » * — [W. B. Hall, Wakeman, Ohio, December
7, 1888.

Reply. — Your letter of the 7th instant, accompanying specimens, came safely.
You are right in your identification of the Clover Root-borer as Rylesinus trifolii. This
insect has spread greatly in the last few years, and no satisfactory remedy has been
suggested beyond plowing under the clover in .the spring of the second year and
planting sgine other crop. * * * — [December 11, 188b.]

Wisconsin Letter onVCicada septendecim.

* * * There are many strange stories told about them [the Cicadas] and not a
few egregious mistakes written about them by authors, some claiming that the male
never eats anything during its existence as a perfect insect. * * * They derive
their nourishment from vegetable substances. Soft maples seem to be a favorite
tree for them to feed upon. I have seen trees several inches in diameter covered with
them, their probosces driven into the bark almost their full length, and I could see no
diff'erence between male and female ; they seemed to feed alike, but I have never seen
them thus engaged until about the middle of the afternoon. Their excretion is a clear
transparent fluid. * * * The season was an uncommonly growing one ; vast num-
bers of the eggs were grown in and over by the rapid growth. The vast amount of
dead leaves seen on the trees was causedby the puncturing of small twigs, and larger
ones on both sides. The heavy foliage, when violently moved by strong winds, broke
the weakened limbs and but few eggs matured in the broken tAvigs. I have noticed
in blackberry twigs that the newly hatched insects in some cases worked their way
into the soft iiith when egress was prevented. Among their enemies are hogs, some
of which were reported to me as having died from eating too many of them before
they took wing. Poultry, birds, and especially crows are destructive to them. One
insect that seems to have escaped notice as an enemy is the Soldier Bug. It inserts
its long bill into the puncturt, of the twig and eats the eggs.— [John March, Shulls-
bury. Wis., December, 1888.

A Proposed Remedy for the Chinch Bug.

Several years ago I had a small rye field intended for green feed, and on one side of
said rye field there was Indian corn and on the other there was what we call Texas

219

sugar-caue, used lor greeu teed also (it sprouts out again as olteu as it is cut until
killed by frost). As tlie rye was getting ripe, so that the numerous Chiuch Bugs could
not iiudaay more nourishment in the same, they turned into the adjacent corn field,
and on the other side into said Texas sugar-caue. They were in such numbers that
they would soon have killed off both crops.

I now set in and tried iusect-powder, coal-oil, and other insecticides on them, and
being convinced that no poison could atiect them, since the whole bug family suck
their meals through a bill, I came to the conclusion to kill them with hot water. Since
the crops would be killed by the insects anyway, a trial would not hurt, but at the
same time I anticipated that neither the corn nor the cane would be hurt by the hot
water christening, from the fact that the stems of these plants are enveloped in so
many leaves that the insects would surely all be killed before the heat reached the
tender parts. So I poured boiling-hot water upon the lower parts of the corn infested
with the Chinch Bug, which were black with them, and killed them outright, and
with a garden sprinkling-can killed them in the same way on the Texas caue. The '
result was that the corn and cane were both saved. The corn did not suffer any by
the process, and the cane had only some of its outer leaves burned, and grew on all]
summer. Next year I recommended the same process to some friends who expected
to lose their corn by Chinch Bugs. They set out kettles in the fields and saved their
corn in the same way, and informed me that the hot water only made the corn grow
so much faster, and did not hurt it in the least. I tried steam afterwards, and found
it to be as good as, if not better than, hot water. A narrow gauged steam-boiler
might be used therefor with the proper pipes and hose, and jets let on the corn-stalks ^
when passing through the rows, and the bugs killed in this way without injuring the^
corn in the least.

As the Chinch Bug migrates from the wheat or rye fields into the corn or cane, myj
advice is not to let them come into the latter, but kill them in the stubble or even be-
fore the wheat or rye is cut; the farmer might run his boiler along the wheat or rye]
fields adjacent to a corn or cane field and let jets of steam into the former, killing the*
insects before they commence to migrate, and as soon as the wheat or rye is cut set
your boiler at work, and with proper hose or perforated pipes run over your whole
wheat and rye stubble, killing every Chinch Bug on your stubble and atthe same time
all the yonng Grasshoppers, which are then just emerged from their eggs to commence
their depredations. Steam may exterminate not only Chinch-bugs, but also Army
Worms and Cabbage worms. If it is au established fact that Chinch Bugs can be
killed by steam on the stubble of each farmer, why not pass laws that each farmer
is responsible for the damage of his Chinch Bugs to his neighbors ? If a meadow
is infested with the Army Worms, our present plan is to make ditches around the
infested field and prevent them from marching further, which forces them to turn
into chrysalids on the field where they started froiu, and set loose the millers or
butterflies again upon the world, to lay new eggs of destruction for the next year.
But if my plan of using steam-boilers on wheels for the destruction of insects were
introduced it would be an easy matter to run such a steaming machine over any
meadow infested with Army Worms and kill them outright. In like manner a light
steamer with perforated i>ipes set high horizontally might be used to kill the cater-
l^illars on cabbage, since the latter can stand a much greater heat than the caterpillars
can. Surely in parts of our country where the Grasshoppers do great injury they
might be killed by steam when young. — [George C. Bunsen, West Belleville, 111.,
November 8, 1888.

Reply. — * * * The use of hot water against these insects is very old. You will
find it referred to in my Reports on the Insects of Missouri, and briefly mentioned in
the Annual Report of this Department for 1887, page 80. Your proposed application
of steam by means of narrow-gauge steam-boiler is simplj' a modification of the old

220

idea without the indorsement of practical experience. It looks rather \Yell on paper.
but is inferior in many resp ects to the use of a good kerosene emulsion as recom-
mended in the same report. — [November 13, 1888. J

Introduction of Icerya Parasites in California.

I am very glad you consider the identity of the parasite (Lestophonus) found on
Monophloebus and Icerya proved beyond a doubt. The last experiment of sending
Monophloebus on ice i^roved a success, inasmuch as the majority of flies hatched under
the cage in San Mateo, but so far I can see no trace of their progeny. I examined the
bush carefully the other day ; it appears to me that there are many Icerya that look
unhealthy compared with those on surrounding trees. — [W. G. Klee, San Francisco,
Cal., November 11, 1888.

Tw^o Species of Anomala injurious to the Vine in the South.

To-day I mail you specimens of two species of beetles from Louisiana, sent rae
to tell what they are. They are new to me, though the smaller somewhat resembles
the Grapevine Flea-beetle. Both are very ravenous feeders upon the leaves of the
grape, completely skeletonizing them when the beetles are numerous. They also eat
out young buds and tips of shoots. They come in June and July in Louisiana.
When disturbed they drop to the ground and the larger feign deatli for some time,
while the smaller at once seek cover, which also do the larger after "possuming"
awhile. * * * They promise to be very destructive to vineyards if they should
become numerous. — [T. V. Muusou, Denison, Tex., January 24, 1887, to Mr. H. E.
Van Deman.

Eeply. — Yours of the 24th instant has been referred to me by Mr. Van Deman.

tie insects which accompany your letter aud which you state are eating up your
rape leaves and buds belong to two species of a genus of leaf-eating beetles, Anomala.
The larger one is A. marqinata. and the smaller one, A. minuta. So far as I know these
insects have never been specifically complained of as grape-vine pests, although when
very abundant I have no reason to doubt their power for considerable damage. I
would advise as a remedy spraying the vines with the ordinary Paris green or Lon-
don purple solutions at any time before your grapes begin to ripen. — [January 31,
1887.]

Beetles boring in an Opium Pipe from China.

I send you per to-day's mail a vial containing three minute beetles, with their
frass or debris. An opium pipe, a curiosity from China, made of bamboo, suddenly
proved to be infested with these insects, and it is, in fact, honeycombed Nvith them,
for shaking the pipe would give a tablespoouful of the frass, with a number of the
insects. I send you three, which are all the live ones I could get. — [S. Lockwood,
Freehold, N. J., March 8, 1887.

Eeply. — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 8th instant aud of the ac-
companying package containiug beetles reared from the bamboo opium pipe. These
beetles belong to the genus Dinoderus and are allied to D. flovidanum Horn, but of
course it is a difficult thing to determine specifically the small Chiuese insects. I
would call your attention to the article by Dr. Hagen in the Canadian Entomologist
for August, 1886, in which he mentions two Ptiuid beetles bred from a bamboo box from
Hong Kong.— [March 10, 1887.]

A Grape-vine Flea-beetle in the Southwest.

Inclosed please find specimen of a bug which made its appearance in this valley
(Salt River Valley) within the last eight days. It preys chiefly upon the tender leaves
of the grape, as you see per sample. This being our first experience here with grape

221

pests, aud the iusect beiug a stranger to us, I inclose these samples for such intorma-
tiou as yon may be able to give us in the premises, as there is mnch uneasiness con-
cerning the future crop. — [J. J. Wingar, Tempe, Ariz., April 13, 1886.

Reply — » # * 'pjjg iusect damaging jour grape-vine is one of the Jumping
Flea-beetles and is known as Graplodera ignita. It is a close relative to the Steel-blue
Flea-beetle of the East (G. chalyiea), which also injures grape-vines in this way. On
a small place it is the custom here to kill the beetles by jarring them on sheets satur-
ated with kerosene, as in the early spring they do not readily take to flight. In the
large vineyards the best plan would be to spray the vines with a dilute solution of
Paris green.— [April 21, 1886. ]

The " Voice ' of Vanessa antiopa.

* * * Vanessa antiopa has a " voice " similar to Acherontia airopos, but evidently
not so strong, much finer, but still remarkably loud for its body, proboscis, and for a
day-bufcterfly. I heard it in Euroj)e, in Lorraine, from two Antiopas on a beech-stem
walking around each other, and agitating their wings with often-repeated cries, evi-
dently preparing for copulation.

I wrote of it to Dr. Eimer at Tuebingen, but he wanted some larvje of the Antiopa
to study the thing, and I could not fiud him any, as they are scarce in Lorraine. —
[Ch. Wercklt?, Ocean Spriugs, Miss., September 6, 1886.

Reply. — * * * Your observation concerning the "voice" of Vanessa an tiojja is
new to me, although it may have been noticed before. — [September 10, 1886.]

A Svwarming of the Milk -weed Butterfly in 1886.

The following is a brief account of a migratory movement of enormous numbers of
the commoD so called Milk-weed Butterfly observed at West River, Maryland, on the
23d of September, 1886. About 7 o'clock in the morning my sou, G. Murray EUzey,
called the attention of myself and several other gentlemen to the fact that " the whole
heavens were swarming with butterflies." There were an innumerable multitude of
them at all heights from, say, 100 feet to a height beyond the range of vision, except
by the aid of a glass. They were flying due southwest in the face of a stiff breeze.
Observations upon the flight of individuals between points of known distances apart
showed t'hat the rate of movement was not far from 20 miles per hour. Where they
originally came from or whither they went we could not tell. They nndoutedly came
from beyond the bay, which, in that place, is 14 miles across, and they must have been
early on the wing. By 11.30 o'clock the numbers had declined, aud it was evident
the bulk of the flight was over, but for several days a great many individuals, evi-
dently following the migratory movement, were observed.

My brother-in-law, Mr. Daniel Murray, who had been three days previously, viz,
on the 20th of September, at Long Green, in Baltimore County, Md., saw a vast mul-
titude of the same butterflies in migratory movement; they were seemingly ex-
hausted in flight and settled on the trees in such multitudes as to give them the ap-
pearance of an autumnal forest. I was surprised at the great power of sustained flight
exhibited, also at the great distance an individual butterfly could be seen by the un-
aided eye, at least across the water— not less than U miles.— [M. G. Ellzey, M. D.,
Washington, D. C, January 20, 1887.

Reply.— [Acknowledgment of letter, with references to articles which have been
published on the subject.]

A Phylloxera on the Pecan.

" * * I send you a fuller specimen of the galls — the fnngns growth on the Pecan
trees I wrote yon of. It only appears where the flowers appear, aud in the green
state when opened is full of the minutest insects. This is all of the information I can

222

give aud I will be very glad to receive auy iuforination as to what treatment you will
recommeud to prevent any further formation on the tree; and if the tree can be
brought to bearing fruit again I shall be delighted. ' * *— [Mary E. Winston,
Stanton, Miss., December 27, 1886.

Reply. — * * * These galls interest us very much indeed. They are made by
a plant-louse of the genus Phylloxera, but they are not absolutely identical with any
which we have heretofore seen. They come nearest to a species of hickory plant-louse
which occurs in New York State, and which was named by Dr. Fitch Fhylloxera
caryd'cauUs. I would urge you to send us specimens of these galls in the spring and
summer. Yon will find it a diflicnlt pest to get rid of. The only sure method will be
to destroy the galls in the early summer, and of course this will be difficult to do;
but if you can manage to reach the highest points on the tree by ladders and cut the
galls otf with a pruning pole, you will lind that very few will return next season. You
will doubtless recognize the generic name of this insect as being that of the cele-
brated grape-root pest, but of course your insect is entirely distinct from those ou
grape. * *' *. — [January 4, 1887.]

Anthrenus destroying Whalebone.

Inclosed insects and piece of whalebone, eaten by them, are from Mr. Merriam's
establishment. Please examine aud give me your report in course of time — address
Alfred T. Brown, Rising Sun, lud. This insect is not very numerous as yet, but as I
discovered it here I made inquiry as to particulars, etc. The parties have not con-
sidered it as of any importance, but I tell them it may be in time if not investigated
and checked. — [John P. Brown, 24 Lincoln Street; Boston, Mass.

Reply. » * » xhe insect is one of the common museum pests and is closely al-
lied to the Butfalo Carpet-beetle, and is called Anlhrenus variiis. This insect .is a
very general feeder, preferring animal substances, and its occurrence upon whale-
bone, although hitherto not recorded so far is I know, is not at all surprising.
Without knowing how the whalebone is stored and without experimenting upon
the elfect which various insecticide substances would have upon the whalebone, it
would be difficult for me to suggest a remedy. If the circumstances are such that
the vapor of bi-sulphide of carbon can be used it will undoubtedly kill the beetle in
all stages.— [October 15, 1886, to Mr. Alfred T. Brown, Rising Sun, Ind.]

GENERAL NOTES.

RESULTS OF PROFESSOR FORBES'S INVESTIGATIONS ON THE RELATION
OF WHEAT CULTURE TO THE CHINCH BUG.

[Abstract from paper read before the ninth meeting of the Society for the Promotion of Agiicultural
Science at Cleveland in 1888. 1

Southern Illinois. — Reports from 193 townships for 1SS7 show iujury to
corn, none iu 4 (average wheat area iu 1886 = 2,100 acres per township) ;
slight iu 3 (2,440 acres); considerable in 7 (2,530 acres); great iu 30
(2,900 acres) ; very great in 37 (about 2,100 acres) ; nearly complete in
89 (2,700 acres) ; complete iu 23 (4,400 acres). Wheat area iu 1887
differed from 1880 ouly iu a somewhat lower average ; for 188S, from
1,500 acres (Chinch Bag iujury to corn none) to nearly 4,100 acres (com-
plete) pertowuship. Corn area for 1887 was 1,800 acres (uoue) to 3,000

223

acres (complete), lowest intermediate poiuts reached beiug 2,150 and
2,400 acres per township.

Western Illinois. — Reports from 124 townships (for 1887 ?) show in-
jnry to corn slight in 30 (average wheat area in 1886 = 1,600 acres per
township), moderate in 7 (1,900 acres), considerable in (nearly 2,100
acres); great in 2 (2,600 acres), very great in 2 (not given). Grass in-
jnry averaged half that to corn. In 1886 the wheat areas (correspond-
ing to the first four degrees of Chinch Bng injury to corn) were 1,600,
1,900, nearly 2,100, and 2,600 acres, respectively^, per township (the re-
maining grades beiug represented by too small a number of townships
to afford an average). The corresponding acreage of wheat for 1887
was 2,000, 2,400, 3,600, and 3,870, respectively.

Central Illinois. — Reports from 177 townships (for 1887 ^) show injury
to corn none in 110 (average wheat area per township in 1886=700
acres) ; a little in 29 (not given) ; moderate in 5 (not given) ; considera-
ble in 11 (not given); great in 4 (not given); very great in 6 (3,100
acres) ; nearly complete in 11 (2,650 acres) ; complete in 1 (not given).
Wheat area in 1887 was 1,050 acres (damage to corn none), 2,000 (a
little), 1,100 (moderate), 2,400 (considerable), 3,000 (great), 3,900 (very
great), 3,500 (nearly complete).

Eastern Illinois. — Reports from 94 townships (for 1887 ?) show injury
to corn none in 65 (average wheat area per township in 1886=670
acres) ; considerable in 9 (nearly 1,800 acres) ; other headings gave too
small numbers to average. Wheat area for 1887 was 980 acres per
township (damage to corn none), 1,300 acres (a little), 2,200 acres (con-
siderable), other headings too small to average.

Northern Illinois. — Reports show wheat areas for 1887 to be 333
acres per township (damage to corn [in 1887 !J none), 337 acres (a little),
323 acres (moderate), 357 acres (considerable).

Whole State of Illinois. — Reports from 793 townships (for 1887 ?) show
Chinch Bug injury to corn none in 384 (average wheat acreage per town-
ship in 1886=700), slight in 121 (1,100 acres), moderate in 30 (1,200
acres), considerable in 47 (1,500 acres), great in 37 (2,650 acres), very
great in 48 (2,200 acres), nearly complete in 102 (2,700 acres), and
complete in 24 (almost 4,500 acres). Reports from 811 townships for
1887 show average wheat acreage per township to be 952 (damage to
corn none), 1,275 (slight), 1,644 (moderate), 1,802 ? (considerable), 3,036 ?
(great), 2,423? (very great), 2,942 ? (nearly complete), anc' 4,1561 (com-
plete). Eeports from townships for 1880 show Chinch Bug fujury to
grass none in 525; slight in 130; moderate in 71; considerable in 56;
great in 5 ; very great in 5 ; corresponding wheat acreage per township
increasing from less than 1,000 (damage none) to 4,400 (very great).
Reports from townships for 1887 show average wheat area per town-
ship 850 acres (Chinch Bug injury to-small grain, including wheat, none),
2,600 acres (considerable), 2,600 acres (very great), and 1,450 (complete).

Combining Chinch Bug injury to small grain, grasses, and corn, the

224

average wheat acreage per township ranged from 1,008 (no crop injured)
to 2,936 (total damage equal to 18 on a scale of 24) ; numbers between
these extremes being somewhat wavering, but on the whole a fairly reg-
ular ascending series, falling away at one point to 3.296 [sic ! ] and rising
again to 3,296 later on.

AN OLD AMERICAN ACCOUNT OF THE BUFFALO GNAT.

Prof. Herbert Osborn has called our attention to the following short
article which we deem of sufficient interest to publish :

In the American Journal of Science, Volume I (1818), there is an ar-
ticle entitled " On the Geology, Mineralogy, Scenery, and Curiosities of
parts of Virginia, Tennessee, and the Alabama and Mississippi Territo-
ries, etc, with miscellaneous remarks. In a letter to the editor by the
Eev. Elias Cornelius." In the body of this paper, on page 328, under the
heading "A Destructive Insect,^^ occurs the following interesting account
of a fly which must certainly be the Buffalo Gnat, and which is, so far
as we know, the earliest authentic account of its operations:

But I will not enlarge on a fact already familiar. I will ask your further indul-
gence only while I commnnicate a curious fact for the information of the zoologist.

In the Choctaw country, 130 miles northeast of Natchez, a part of the public road
is rendered famous on account of the periodical return of a poisonous and destructive
fly. Contrary to the custom of other insects, it always appears when the cold weather
commences in December, and as invariably disappears on the approach of warm
weather, which is about the 1st of April. It is said to have been remarked first in the
winter of 1807, during a snow-storm, when its effects upon the cattle and horses were
observed to be similar to those of the gnat and. mosquito in summer, except that
they were more severe. It continued to return at the same season of the year, with-
out producing extensive mischief, until the winter of 1816, when it began to be gen-
erally fatal to the horses of travelers. So far as I recollect, it was stated that from
thirty to forty traveling horses were destroyed during the winter. The consequences
were alarming. In the wilderness, where a man's horse is his chief dependence, the
traveler was surprised and distressed to see the beast sicken and die in convulsions,
sometimes within three hours after encountering this little insect. Or if the animal
were fortunate enough to live, a sickness followed, commonly attended with the sud-
den and entire shedding of the hair, which rendered the brute unfit for use.

Unwilling to believe that effects so dreadful could be produced by a cause appar-
ently so trifling, travelers began to suspect that the Indians, or others, of whom they
obtained food for their horses, had, for some base and selfish end, mingled poison with
it. The greatest precaution was observed. They refused to stop at any house on the
way, and carried for the distance of 40 or 50 miles their own provision, but after all
suffered the same calamities. This excited a serious inquiry into the true cause of
their distress. The fly which has been mentioned was known to be a most singular
insect, and peculiarly troublesome to horses. At length it was admitted by all that
the cause of the evils complained of could be no other than this insect. Other pre-
cautions have since been observed, particularly that of riding over the road infested
with it in the nigbt; and it now happens that comparatively few horses are de-
stroyed. I am unable to describe it from my own observation. I passed over the
same road in April last, only two weeks after it disappeared, and was obliged to take
the description from others. Its color is a dark brown; it has an elongate head,
with a small and sharp proboscis ; and is in size between the gnat and mosquito.
When it alights upon a hoi'se, it darts through the hair, much like a gnat, and never

225

quits its bold uutil removed by force. Wbeii a borse stops to drink, swarms fly about
the bead and crowd into tbe moutb, nostrils, and ears ; bence it is supposed the
poison is communicated inwardly. Wbetber tbis be true or not, tbe most fatal con-
sequences result.

It is singular tbat from the time of its first appearance it has never extended for
a greater distance than 40 miles in one direction, and usually it is confined to 1.5
miles. In no other part of the country bas it ever been seen. From tbis fact it would
seem probable tbat tbe cause of its existence is local. But what it is none can tell.
After the warm weather commences it disappears as effectually from human obser-
vation as if it were annibilated. Towards the close of December it springs up all at
once into being again and resumes the work of destruction. A fact so singular I
could not have ventured to state without tbe best evidence of its reality. All tbe
circumstances here related are familiar to hundreds, and were in almost every man's
moutb when I passed through the country. In addition to tbis, they were confirmed
by the account which I received from Col. John McKee, a gentleman of much intelli-
gence and respectability, who is tbe present agent of tbe General Government for tbe
Choctaw Nation. He bas consented to obtain specimens of tbe insect for your exam-
ination, when it returns again, and will, I hope, accompany tbe transmission with a
more perfect description than it has been possible for me to communicate.

NOTES ON PTEROMALUS PUPARUM.

We found a chrysalis of Pieris rapcc filled with the larviie of this par-
asite on April 3, the larv.Te pupating ou the 6th. No further develop-
ments took place up to the 18th, when we left home, not to return again
until the 20th of May, at which time the entire contents of the chrysalis
had transformed to adults. This fully confirmed the opinion expressed
by Professor Riley (Rep. Comm. Agr. 188.3, p. 112), that a large propor-
tion of them undoubtedly wintered over in the bodies of the chrysalids
and emerged the following spring.

On the morning of August 9 we observed a larva of Pieris protodice
Boisd., in tbe act of transforming to the chrysalis. Near by, and very
evidently watching this transformation, were a male and female of this
parasite. The trio were observed several times during the early part of
the day, the parasites always on guard, as it were, although the temale
was several times observed to attempt oviposition, in every case, how-
ever, being deterred from doing so by the jerking of the larva, now in a
semi-pupal state During one of these visits the male was driven away,
but soon returned. About p. m., the last observation of the day, the
transformation of the larva, while not complete, had so far advanced as
to prevent the radical movements which had characterized its struggles
during the forenoon, and the female was busily engaged in her w^ork of
oviposition, the male still present as a spectator (?). On the morning
of the 10th the chrysalis, now fully developed, was removed and placed
in a glass jar, awaiting further developments.

On the morning of the 27th, seventeen days after, the adult Ptero-
malus were observed issuing from the chrysalis in great numbers.
After all had emerged they were counted and found to number 68 males
and 4 females. The same parasite had been reared from a similar
chrysalis on August 13, but the individuals were not counted. — F. M.
Webster.

226

ANOTHER HUMAN liOTFLY.

Apropos of the interesting' article on "A Man-infesting Bot," Insect
Life No. 3 (Vol. I, p. 70-80) it may be in order to call attention to an
account of a similar or identical species presented in some " Additional
Observations on the Parasites of Man and Domestic Animals," appended
to Prof. A. E. Verrill's valuable Reports on the External and Internal
Parasites of Man and Domestic Animals, and which does not seem to
have been familiar to Dr. Matas at the time of writing his article. In
the case recorded by Professor Verrill, in which the insect is referred
doubtfully to TJermatohia noxialis^ it appears that the patient, a resi-
dent of Mississippi, became infested in that State, which would indicate
an extension of the species into this country, or the occurrence of a very
nearly related species here.

lu the last report (page 95) it was meutioned that a species of bot-fly lives iu
the larval state beneath the hiuuau skin, forming painful tumors. But such in-
stances had been observed only iu the tropical parts of Central and South America-
It is, therefore, of interest to record a similar case iu the United States. In this in-
stance a young woman twenty-two years old, residing at Meridian, Miss., was the
victim of the insect. The larvts, developed from eggs deposited in the skin by tlie
fly, caused great irritation and pain in the subcutaneous tissues, resulting iu large
abscesses, from which the mattire larvje finally esc-aped.

lam indebted to Dr. William B. Fletcher, of Indianapolis, Ind., for a specimen of
the larva of the insect which was taken from this patient and sent to him by Dr.
James Hughes, who treated the case. "Whether it be identical with the South Amer-
ican species can not be determined from the larv;e alone. — H. Osborn.

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE OF THE CHINCH BUG.

In the section on the distribution of ihis insect, in Bulletin 17 of this
Division, and in the Annual Keport for 1887, only two localities outside
of the United States were mentioned, viz: Cuba, according toSiguoret
and Uhler, and Tamaulipas, Mexico, according to Uhler. We have
since noticed that Mr. W. L. Distant records it as extending southward
through Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, and in the Biologia Cen-
trali-Americana records it as captured by Champion at the following
points :

(riKiteinala. — San Geronimo, Paso Antonio, Pauzos, Champerico, and Rio Naranjo.
Faitama.—Volcau de Chiriqui, 2,000-3,000 ft.

DAMAGE TO FRUIT BY THE ADULT OF ALLORHINA.

The Pacific Rural Press calls attention to the damage done by an
Allorhiua to ripe peaches in Arizona. The statement is made that it
appears after the tirst summer rains, apparently from the low moist
lands, and immediately seeks the peach orchards, where it selects the
choicest fruit:: and ruins them. In case there are no ripening i)eaches
it feeds upon grapes, and even upon growing corn-stalks. It disappears
during the latter part of August. When they are plentiful several will

227

attack a ripe peach simultaneously and devour all of its mellow portion
in a few hours. The habits of this beetle seem then to be quite similar
to those of the allied species in the east. In the south A. nitida is called
the " Fig-eater " and it is said to seriously injure grapes. The same
species was very abundant in the District of (Columbia during last sea-
son and at the Benning's Station of this Department the beetle swarmed
in great numbers upon the peach trees and ruined a great portion of the
fruit. We have always supposed that this beetle only attacked decay-
jug, over-ripe, or injured fruit, but the evidence is now growing so strong:
that it will attack perfect fruit that careful observations are needed.

THE IMBRICATED SNOUT-BEETLE.

This insect has added another food-plant to its already long list. In
the Third Report on the Insects of Missouri we recorded damage to Ap-
ple, Cherry trees and Gooseberry bushes by gnawing the twigs and
fruit. In 1879 Professor Comstock added to the list Onions, Radishes,
Cabbage, Beans, Watermelons, Muskmelons, Cucumbers, Squashes, and
Beets. A recent correspondent of the Prairie Farmer (Mr. J. P. Coulter,
Cramer, 111., issue of June 23, 1888) records damage to Potato. He
states that the insect is fully as destructive as the Colorado Potato
Beetle, and that its manner of operating is about the same as the other,
except that it probably cuts the stalk off more frequently, and '•' very
generally cuts off the other parts, with the soft undeveloped leaves."
The editorial comment ignores the previous discovery upon vegetables,
and suggests no remedy. Paris green or London purple, however, will
pr@bably prove effectual.

NOTES ON ACRIDIDiE IN LOS ANGELES, CAL.

Acridium vag urn.— Adults taken February 5, May 12, May 17, July 1,
August 4, August 29, September 4 (in coitu), and November 13. Fre-
quents tall weeds and trees; they feed on the leaves of orange trees.
The females in life are green, variously dotted and marked with yellow;
antennae, a stripe below and another back of each eye, besides a stripe
on top of the head and thorax, yellow; wing-covers towards their tips
tinged with brown; hind femora marked with black before their tips;
hind tibice reddish, provided behind with two rows of spines which are
yellow, tipped with black ; hind tarsi reddish above, grayish-brown
below ; length, 2J inches. The half-grown larva is green, irregularly
dotted with darker and marked with whitish dashes; a white stripe on
each side of the abdomen and another below each eye ; each eye is
marked with four vertical dashes, of which the hindmost is widest and
east distinct ; spines of hind tibia? white tipped with black. Found
Julj^ 26 and December 15.

Mela)ioplus devastator, affinis and cyanipes. — Adults taken November
13, and cyanipes February 4; in coitu October 1.

228

Lactista gibhosa. — Adults tai^eu Jauuary 15, February 5 and 12, April
12, May 12 aud 17, July 26, aud Xoveinber 13. It sometimes makes a
rattling- noise while on the wing.

JEncoptolophus sordidus. — Adults taken February 12 and November 13,
Several larviTB were taken November 13.

(Edocara strangulata or Stirapleura decussatus. — Adults taken Febru-
ary 5 and November 13.

Trimerotropis vinculata. — Adults taken May 12 and 17, June 6, July 1
and 24. and November 13. It sometimes makes a rattling noise while
on the wing.

(Edipoda venusta. — Adults seen June 6 for the first time in the sea-son ',
also seen July 20.

Conozoa icallula. — Adults taken July 1.

Ghimeroceyliala pacifica. — Larva half grown, February 4 ; adults taken
April 28.

Thr'mcus californkus. — Adults taken only in early spring. — D. W. Co-
quillett.

CHLORIDEA EHEXIA INJURING TOBACCO.

We have not yet published the fact that during the summer of 1886
the wide-spread and polyphagous larva of this insect did considerable
damage to tobacco crops in parts of Georgia
and Alabama. We deferred publication await-
ing further facts, but it seems desirable that
this note should* go upon record. The larvie
were first sent us July 10, by Hon. J. T. Hen-
derson, of Atlanta, with the information that
Fig. 49.—chioridea rhexia-n.it- they wcrc fouud upou the bud of the tobacco
urai size (after Riley). ^j^^^^ Spccimeus wcre also received from

J. S. Newman, of Auburn, Ala., and J. S. Barnwell, of Darien, Ga. The
latter gentleman stated that in general the adult of this creature did
more damage to his tobacco plants than the large tobacco-worm. When
young and about a quarter of an inch in length it lives, according to this
gentleman, in the central stalk of young leaves and eats so many holes
in them that the tobacco is utterly unfit for market as " wrappers," even
if it is good for "fillers." As wrappers are so much more valuable in
the market he considered it a terrible blight on the industry in his
locality.

So far as we know this insect has never before been recorded as feed-
ing upon Tobacco. Its commonest food-plant in the South is " Ground
Cherry" {PhysaUs rincosa), and the other species of the same genus. The
larva feeds upon the little bolls of this plant. It also feeds upon other
wild Solanaceous plants, and we have found it upon Solanum seiglinge
■ in St. Louis. It has been received at the Department from South
Carolina feeding upon cultivated Geranium, and in Ohio it feeds upon a
Composite of the genus Ageratum. The probabilities are that in Georgia

229

and Alabama the insect turned its attention from the Ground Cherry
to Tobacco lor some temporary reason, that the summer of 1880 was
an exceptional one, and that the insect will not find in Tobacco a stable
food-plant. It is possible, however, that it may become a permanent
enemy to the crop. There are probably at least three annual genera-
tions in Georgia aud Alabama, and the insect winters in the pupa state
underground. The pupa was sent to us several times in the course of
the Cotton Worm investigation as belonging in all probability to the
Cotton Worm, aud on page 17 of the Fourth Report of the Entomolog-
ical Commission (where the insect is considered under the name of As-
pila virescens) an interesting account is given of this mistaken identity'.
Should the iusect again become abundant upon Tobacco, a good remedy
will be difficult to find. The best which we can suggest will be the use
of Pyrethrum powder, diluted either with flour or plaster in the propor-
tion of one part to ten.

BIRDS AND THE WHITE GRUB.

Mrs. Mary Treat, in a recent number of Orchard and Garden, records
observations showing that a family of Brown Thrushes fed abundantly
upon White Grubs. She has also seen the Kobin feeding upon this
larva.

DOSING TREES WITH SULPHUR AND OTHER SUBSTANCES.

There is a prevailing aud popular idea that insects may be driven
from trees by boring holes through the bark into the wood, placing sul-
phur therein, and plugging the hole. There are some persons who pro-
fess to have tried the experiment with success, to have cleared trees,
such as Elms of the destroying worm, etc. Prof. C. V. Eiley, Ento-
mologist of the Department of Agriculture, pronounces these remedies
fallacious.

" The belief in this efficacy," he says, " is founded on the supposition
that the poison passes with the sap into general circulation and with it
into the foliage, aud is destructive to leaf-feeding insects. It is an en-
tirely unfounded idea, aud is based upon ignorance of the fact that the
substance remains intact, and is not taken up in the circulation. In-
stances where it has seemed to succeed have been recorded, and in such
cases its apparent efficacy was due to a coincident disappearance of
the insect from some other cause. Sulphur which I plugged up in such
holes many years ago was found to be perfectly unchanged after many
mouths. All such remedies may be stamped as nonsense." — Scientific
American, December 8, 1888, vol. 59, p. 353.

ALUM AS A CURRANT WORM REMEDY.

At the Massachusetts Station, Prof. Fernald has been experimenting
with alum as a destroyer of Currant Worms, and concludes that " alum

230

as an iasecticide for the Currant AYorra is a perfect failure. In explan-
ation of the success reported by various horticulturists in the use of this
substance, it is possible some one who tried showering- Currant Worms
with alum water did it just before the}' were done feeding, and when they
went down into the ground he supposed his application had destroyed
them, and at once reported his supposed success in the papers."
— American Garden, December, 1888, vol. 9, p. 432.

AN AUSTRALIAN EXPERIMENT.

In The Garden and Forest (Adelaide, South Australia) for November
1, 1888, Mr. Frazer S. Crawford makes a quite favorable report on the
efiflcacy of the resin and soda compound recommended by Mr. Koebele
in our report for 1886, when applied to Orange Aphis and to the "Round
Orange-scale" {Aspidiotits aurantU). In Mr. Crawford's experiments
equal parts of soda aad resin were used in ord«n' to dissolve the latter
more readily. The application almost immediately killed every Aphis
on the tree treated, and after a week's time resulted in a change of
color of many of the SQales. After three weeks many adult females
were seen alive, and larvje were noted on the twigs. Two weeks later
some old scales and a few newly formed scales were noted. Mr. Craw-
ford thinks a second application would be necessary to completely free
the trees, the 3"oung scales and larvae being easily destroyed by one
treatment. Nearly all the infested leaves are said to have fallen from
the trees, while those free from scale were uninjured, a somewhat
remarkable and hardly possible result.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON.

January 3, 1889.— Forty-seventh regular iiK^etiiig. The reports of the Treasurer,
Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary for tbe past year were presented
and accepted.

Mr. C. L. Marlatt was elected an active member of the society.

The annual election of officers followed. It was moved and passed that all the
oJSdcers he re-elected to a second term, except the Recording Secretary. Dr. Wm. H.
Fox was elected to the office of Recording Secretary rice J. B. Smith, resigned.

The annual address of the President was delivered by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, who took
for his subject "On the Coleoptera Common to North America and Other Fannal
Regions." The large number of species taken into consideration was divided into
two classes: (1) Those distributed by natural dispeisiou, viz, the circumpolar fauna,
the endemic species common to both North and South America, and the migratory
species; (2) those distributed by the agency of man, viz, non-intentional importa-
tion, non-intentional introduction, and intentional introduction. The various in-
tricate phases which the subject assumes were discussed and illustrated by exami>les.

The question was discussed by Dr. Riley, Mr. Smith, Dr. Marx, Dr. Fox, Mr.
Howard, and C. R. Dodge from the standpoints of Lepidopter.i, Arachnida, and
Hymenoptera.

The meeting then adjourned.

Tyler Towxsend,

For Ii'ccordiiui Sccretari/.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORK.

The following list embraces those now engaged in Government entomological work,
and who will assist in the management of the periodical ; those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as contributors. The force of the Division of Entomology is
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permanent and temporary employes:

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist : C. V. Riley.

Office Staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant ; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergaude, Tyler
Townsend, C. L. Marlatt, Assistants ; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and
in charge of reeling experiments.

Field Agents : Saml. Henshaw, Boston, Mass.; F. M. Webster, La Fayette, lud. ; Her-
bert Osboru, Ames, Iowa; N. W. McLain, Hinsdale, 111.; Mary E. Murtfeldt, Kirk-
wood, Mo. ; Lawrence Bruner, Lincoln, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal.j
Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator : C. V. Riley.
Assistant Curator: John B. Smith.

J^^ For bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedient,
the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communica-
tions. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by refer-
ring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be credited to "Insect Life," or
•where it is desired to give personal credit, to " Riley and Howard." While most of
the correspondence of the division is carried on by myself, yet much of it is also at-
tended to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge dur-
ing my absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work that
only those articles signed by either should be considered individual. Illustrations,
where not otherwise stated, are drawn by Miss Lillie Sullivan, under supervision.—
C. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. FEBRUARY, 1889.

A^ol. I. No. 8.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND HIS

ASSLSTANTS, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE.

WASHINGTON:

GOVEENMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1889.

CONTENTS.

Page.

Special Notes 231

The Red Bug ok Cotton Stainer (illustrated) 234

A Parasite of the supposed Eggs of the Cotton Stainer (illustrated)

■ L. 0. Howard.. 2A\

Spraying Devices (illustrated) C. V. BUey.. 243

Early Occurrence of the Chinch-Bug in the Mississippi "Valley

-S. A. Forhes 249

Hepialus argenteomaculatus D. S. Eellicott. . 250

Extracts from Correspondence 252

Late autuniual Occurrence of Mites in great Numbers. — Balaninus nasicus
in granulated Sugar. — On Tliale8.sa and Tremex : A Correction.— Sap
Beetles in injured Figs.

Steps toward a Revision of Chambers' Index, etc Lord Walswgham.. 254

General Notes 256

Notes on Cochineal Insects. — The Beet Carrion-beetle. — An African Lady-
bird introduced into New Zealand. — Successful Spraying with Paris
Green for Codling Moth. — The Leather Beetle Litigation.

Vol. 1, ]¥o. 8.] INSECT LIFE. [February, 1889.

SPECIAL NOTES.

Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, of West Cliff, Custer County, Colo., reuiiiids
us, after readiug the uote ou the subject of the food habits of the Cal-
audridte in No. G (page 198), that he had sent us a larva found in the base
of Gereiis viridiflorus which we determined as probably the larva of Oac-
tophagus validus. It will be remembered that the statement in Insect
Life was to the effect that this beetle had been found exclusively under
decaying Opuntia leaves. We did not insert this instance in our list of
the food habits of this beetle for the reason that the determination from
the larva alone might have been incorrect.

Important to Coieopterists.— The edition of the ''Classification of the
Coleoptera of jS^orth America," by J. L. Le Conte and Geo. H. Horn,
published in 1883 by the Smithsonian Institution, was so small that it
was exhausted almost as soon as issued. The work is indispensable
to every student of North American Coleoptera, and in demand from
Coieopterists the world over. We are glad, therefore, to learn that a
new reprint from the original stereotype plates, undertaken by Dr.
Horn, has just been completed. Copies may be obtained for $2.50 each
(which includes postage) by addressing the following parties in Phila
delphia. Pa: Dr. George H. Horn, 874 North Fourth Street; Mr. E. T.
Cresson, Post-ofiBce Box 1577 ; and Dr. A. E. Foote, 1223 Belmont Ave-
nue.

In this number we resume the publication of the much-needed re-
vision of Chambers' Index by Lord Walsingham, whose interest in the
Microlepidopterous fauna of North America is a matter of congratula-
tion to all working entomologists on this side of the Atlantic.

The second Shipment of Icerya Parasites. — The December steamer from
Australia brought over the second lot of Australian parasites of the
Cottony Cushion-scale. Mr. Koebele had informed us by letter that
he had forwarded in this lot at least 12,000 healthy living parasites,

231

232

mostly in the puiia state, and we bad every hope that they would
arrive in as good shape as the first lot. We are much disappointed,
therefore, to learn from Mr. Coquillett that the shipment reached him
in very poor condition on December 9, three days after the publication
of a letter from Mr. Koebele to Mr. Klee, which came on the same
steamer. Mr. Klee had some difficulty in getting" the boxes from the
customhouse, and wrote Mr. Coquillett that " when he got them the
boxes were all broken up and had evidently been repacked since Koe-
bele packed them for shipment." When Mr. Coquillett received them
there were eight tin and two wooden boxes; "all of the tin boxes were
mashed flat and their contents were very moldy." There was in them
only one living Lestophonus and one of its parasites, one Coccinellid
beetle, and a Chrysopa larva. One of the wooden boxes had also been
broken open. Mr. Klee, writing later, explains that the ice in the ice-
house in which the boxes were confined had fallen upon the packages
and smashed some or most of them. It was se\'eral days before he
could obtain them from the steamer and the conterrts of those boxes
which were partly open were covered with mold. He repacked and for-
warded them as soon as he could.

The accident of the falling ice was perhaps impossible to avoid,
although carelessness on the part of the steamer hands might have been
at the bottom of it. The delay on the part of the custom-house author-
ities, however, was no accident, and we have taken steps to prevent its
recurrence. The Secretary of the Treasury has very courteously issued
an order to the collector of the port at San Francisco to allow future
packages to enter free of duties and charges, and to forward them un-
opened and without unnecessary delay to Mr. Coquillett.

A secondary Icerya Parasite.- We were again disappointed, although
not surprised, to learn from Mr. Koebele's last letter that he had dis-
covered a parasite of the Lestophonus which he has been sending to this
country. It was rather to be expected that the hopeful Dipterous para-
site would have its enemies, but it was none the less a discouraging
thing to land tbat there is one. Mr. Koebele sent a series of pinned
specimens of this secondary parasite to us direct from Australia, and
Mr. Coquillett has since forwarded a series which he secured from Mr.
Koebele's last sending of the primary parasites. Tbis secondary para-
site is a very strange form, and we hope to characterize it in coiruection
with a number of unpublished Icerya enemies in our Annual Report for
1888. It will be sufficient at this time to state that it is a new and re-
markable genus of the peculiar Chalcid subfamily Elasmincc. Mr.
Koebele's warning concerning this secondary parasite was received in
abundant time and put Mr. Coquillett on his guard concerning it, and
the latter has exercised such care that at last account not one of them
has escaped to peri)etuate its kind.

233

Entomological Work at Cornell. — Bulletin No. 3 of the Agricultural Ex-
periment Station at Cornell University contains three entomological
articles by Professor Comstock ; the first ou the Insectary of Cornell
University, the second on Preventing the Ravages ot Wire Worms, and
the third on the Destruction of the Plum Curculio by Poisons. The
first article contains a description of the new building which has been
erected by the experiment station for work upon insects, Avith a full-
page illustration of the building. The building contains a laboratory
for the experimenter and his artist, a workshop and a dark room for
photograph purposes ; also quarters for a janitor and a store-room for
apparatus. In the basement there is a boiler for heating the building
and a conservatory with conveniences for potting plants; a coal cellar
and a cold-room for the storage of hibernating insects. Back of the
main building, which is a two-story cottage, and attached to it, is the
conservatory, which is divided by a partition into two rooms each 30
feet in length, one of which is used as a hot-house and the other as a
cold-house. Several new devices for use in the study of insects are also
described, the most important one being a root-cage for observing sub-
terranean insects. We have for many years hoped to build such an in-
sectarium on the Department grounds to aid us in the laboratory work
of the Division, and the fact that plans that would permit the realiza-
tion of this wish have been before Congress for two years without action
very well illustrates the difficulties in accom])lishing anything of this
sort at Washington as compared with some of our State institutions.

The second article relates the results of a series of experiments in
trapping Wire Worms and their parent beetles. It was found that by
the baits used — sliced potatoes, unsweetened dough, sweetened dough,
and clover — many more mature beetles than larva? were captured. A
number of interesting facts were proved but the principal result arrived
at is that by the use of small bunches of cut clover (the best bait)
poisoned with Paris green water and placed at intervals through a corn
field, under bits of board, large numbers of the parent beetles can be
killed.

Sweetened dough, made of one part of sugar to ten parts corn meal
and sufficient water to make a dough, was found to be next in efficacy
to the clover, although its attractiveness was considerably less. The
use of the clover bait is the same idea which we have put into practice
and recommended for Cut Worms, and doubtless, in view of Professor
Comstock's experiments, the same trap will attract both Cut Worms
and Wire Worms. It is noticeable that the Click Beetle, second in
abundance of any of those caught in traps, was Drasterius dorsalis,
and it is worth while to remark that our experience has shown that this
insect is quite likely to be a beneficial species, feeding in its larval state,
at least a portion of the time, upon other insects. Figure 11 of the
paper is unfortunately not named and can not be identified from the
illustration.

234

The tbird article mentions the feeding habits of the adult Plum Cur-
culio, and details observatious which confirm what has long been known
to some of us, viz, that this species gnaws holes in apples in August.

THE RED BUG OR COTTON STAINER.

{Dysdercus sutureUus H. Sclif.)

The damage done to the Orange crop in parts of Florida daring the
present winter by this comparatively well-known pest, has suggested
the desirability of a general article upon its life history and habits,
which is herewith presented.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION,

The Cotton Stainer is a native of tropical America and the West In-
dies, but has long been known as an enemy to the cotton crop in the
extreme southern United States. In the Bahamas during the period
of cotton cultivation it was perhaps the most serious enemy to the crop.
According to the results of the investigation made by a committee of
the general assembly of these islands in 1801, this bug preceded all other
causes of loss in the cultivation of Cotton. In the winter of ]878-'79
Mr. Schwarz found it in great numbers in the Bahamas, and considers
it by far the greatest enemy to Cotton. On and in a single boll he
counted 54 specimens, young and old.

That the insect also occurs in Cuba was proved by the receipt of
specimens found on a cotton plant in 1879 in Havana, and sent to the
Department by Mr. B. W. Law, of that city. We have no knowledge,
however, of its occurrence in South America. It is not to be found
among the large collections of insects found upon the cotton plant by
Messrs. Branner and Koebele during the winter of 1883-'84 at Para,
Marauhao, Pernambuco, and Bahia, Brazil, although many other Elete-
ropterous insects were collected by them upon Cotton. In Florida Mr.
Glover found the Cotton Stainer prevalent at Ocala and Palatka in
1858, injuring the cotton plant. In his report for 1875 he again treats
of its damage to Cotton, but up to that time it had not, apparently,-
been reported as damaging the Orange or any other cultivated crop.
In our own investigations we have repeatedly met with it in Florida.

FOOD-PLANTS.

The Red Bug as yet damages no cultivated crop except Cotton and
the Orange. Mr. Hubbard has, however, observed it feeding upon the
seeds of certain malvaceous plants which he was not able to determine
specifically. Professor Comstock, in the winter of 1879, found it upon
a native species of Eose Mallow {Hibiscus sp.), and also upon an intro-
duced species which he calls Hibiscus fulgidius, at MaitlQ.ud, Fla. He

235

also found it upon the leaves of Guava which were Infested by a Mealy
Bug, but was unable to determine whether the Red Bugs were feeding
upon the leaves of the plant or upon the sweet excretion of the Mealy
Bug. According to the Rev. W. F. Nigels, of Dunedin, Fla., it is also
found on what is there termed the " Spanish Cocklebur," and upon the
''Poisonous Nightshade;" but this statement has not been confirmed
by other observers.*

HABITS AND NATURAL HISTORY.

The Egg. — We do not possess authoritative specimens of the ^gg of
this insect to figure and describe, and this is particularly unfortunate,
as published accounts of the Q,gg and method of oviposition do not
agree. Glover says :

The eggs, to the number of twenty or thirty, are deposited on the leaves or stalks
of the cotton-plant (Gossi/pium).

Professor Oomstock, in his article previously mentioned, gives the
following paragraph to the eggs :

The eggs of the cotton-stainer were sent to the Department in April by Mr. H. S.
Williams, of Rock Ledge, Fla. They were laid in a group of twenty-one, upon the
underside of an orange leaf. They were amber-colored and oval in shape. The
young bugs made their exit through nearly circular holes on the upper side, near one
end. The eggs appear smooth and glistening to the naked eye, but an examination
with a lens shows them to be densely covered with hexagonal impressions.

Mr. Hubbard quotes Professor (Jomstock's statement, but is of the
opinion that the eggs are not normally deposited upon leaves. " In
winter at least," he says, " and around gin-houses, the eggs are drojDped
loosely in the sand, and amcmg the heaps of cotton-seed upon which
the bugs are feeding." Mr. Schwarz, who observed this insect in the
Bahamas in the winter of 1878-'79, did not find the egg's, although, had
they been laid upon tbe leaves of the cotton trees, they could hardly
have failed to attract his notice, owing to the enormous abundance of
the insect in all other stages. He says (Report upon Cotton Insects,
1879, p. 348) :

According to the opinion of the natives, the eggs of the cotton bug are deposited
in the cracks of the rock. I myself found a number of eggs on the leaf of a plant
growing under a cotton tree, but failed to rear the insect, and am therefore not sure
that said eggs are really those of the cotton bug.

Mr. Schwarz further says in conversation that both young and old
bugs were swarming in and out of the crevices in the rocks and that
the supposition of the natives above mentioned is probably correct.

There is no soil proper at these places, the vegetation apparently
growing out of the coral rock.

It will therefore be seen that the statements of Glover and Oomstock
are open to doubt in view of the positive observations of Hubbard and

" Mr. Nigels has since sent us specimens of the "Spanish Cocklebur," which proves
to be Ureua lohata, while he writes that the " Nightshade" which he mentions is
Solan urn iiigrum.

236

the negative ones of Schwarz. The eggs described by Comstock are
still in the collection of the Department of Agriculture, and a careful
examination of the young larvfe which hatched from them at once
shows that they belong to a difierent species [cf. Figs. 50, e and 51, a).
We have attempted to learn to what species they really belong, but
have been unable to do so on account of the immaturity of the larvae.
The eggs resemble in shape and sculpture those of Metapodiusfemoratus
and Eutlioctha galeator, two predaceous bugs found upon orange, and
are intermediate between them in size, but the young bugs differ from
either of these species. We have shown these eggs and the young
larvj© which hatched from them at Fig. 50, One of the egg-shells

contained within it an interesting egg-
parasite which will be described by
Mr. Howard in another part of this
number.

Comstock's statement haviug thus
been disproved, Glover's becomes all
the more doubtful, and Hubbard's ac-
count is the only one upon which we
can confidently rely. His few words
of description of the egg are as folio ws :
The eggs are oval iu shape, amber-colored,
with a pearly luster, and present, under the
lens, a pattern of closely reticulated lines.

The other preparatory Stages. —
Among the alcoholic and other mate-
rial of the Red Bug sent to the De-
partment at different times, we have
been able to distinguish four prepara-
tory stages which undoubtedly repre-
sent separate molts, and, from the
gradation in size, probably represent
the complete life of the insect. They
are shown at Fig. 51, a, &, and c, and
Fig. 52, a. All were drawn from alco-
holic specimens except 6, which was a
dry and somewhat shriveled pinned
specimen. This probably accounts for the laterally contracted abdomen
of this drawing as compared with c. The color in all is bright red, the
wing pads iu c and Fig. 52, a, being black, and the lines separating the
segments very light yellow. These yellow bands are even more marked
on the under side of the abdomen, while the most conspicuous marking,
and one which persists through all stages, is the narrow yellow baud
around the front border of the prothorax just behind the head. All of
the legs and the antenuiie are reddish-yellow \\\ the first stage, becom-
ing yellowish-brown in tbe second stage, the tibia* and tarsi darker than

Fig. 50.— a, egg taken for that of Dysdercns
suturellus by Comstock, side view — enlarged ;
b, portion of surface— still more enlarged ; c,
dor.sal view of same egg ; d, same with con-
taiued parasite; e, larva from same — all en-
larged (original).

237

the femora. lu the tliird aucl fourth stages the legs aud antenuse are
yellow-brown, the auteuuoe darker towards tip, and the tibiie and tarsi,
particularly those of the hiud legs, darker than the femora. The sizes

Fig. 51.— Dysde)-cug mturellits : a, first stage; 6, second, c, third— all enlarged (original).

of the drawings themselves in Figs. 51 and 52 are not relative, but the
length of the hair lines will show the actual size of each stage.

Fig. 52.— Dysdereus stiturellits : a, fourth stage, orpnpa ; b, adult— both enlarged (original).

The Adult.— The adult bng varies in length from 10""" to 15'^"' (0.4 to
0.6 inch). The hinder portion of the thorax aud the wing-covers varies
from dark browu to black, the latter being crossed with narrow lines of

238

light yellow, as shown in Fig. 52, b. The head and forepart of the thorax
are red, varying from light to dark. The underside of the body is bright
red, with the segments outlined by narrow light-yellow bands. The
antennae are black, as are also all tibite and tarsi; the femora or thighs
are red. The beak is red, except the last joint which is black. All of
these colorational markings vary considerably in intensity.

Is umber of Broods and Hibernation. — We can make no just estimate
of the number of annual generations. Wherever the Eed Bug is ob-
served it is found in nearly all stages, and individuals have never been
carried through their life round. Occurring apparently only in sub-
tropical localities, it breeds steadily all the year round, and insects of
all stages are to be found in December and January.

WorTi of the Insect on Cotton — The Cotton plant seems to be the origi-
nal food of this species. Mr. Glover's statement concerning its method
of work on Cotton is as follows :

It draius the sap fron) the bolls by its puucture, causing them to become diminutive
or abortive ; but the principal injury it does is by sucking the juices of the seed and
boll, and then voiding an excrementitious liquid which stains the cotton fiber yellow
or reddish, aud very much depreciates its value in the market, the staius being in-
delible. (Ann. Eept. Dept. Agr., 1858, p. 271.)

Of late years the damage done to cotton has not caused much com-
plaint, aud indeed Florida is the only State which has ever suffered to
any extent by the damage which this insect does to this crop.

Work of the Insect upon the Orange. — Glover, writing upon this species
as late as 1875. does not seem to have ever known it to damage oranges,
as otherwise he would undoubtedly have mentioned this habit. Shortly
thereafter, however, the Red Bug acquired the habit which today makes
it a serious enemy to the orange crop in Florida. This habit was first
called to the attention of this Department in December, 1879, when Mr.
S. W. Carson, of Fort Meade, Fla., wrote :

I send you to-day some bugs which are excessively injurious to sweet oranges after
they ripen. The tree from which these were taken had thousands on it. They set to
sucking, and never cease until the riud is punctured to the pulp ; soon decay sets in,
and the fruit drops. Scores will fall off in twenty four hours. We are ruined in the
orange culture if they continue.

In the early spring of 1880 Professor Comstock, then Entomologist of
the Department, visited Florida and paid some attention to this insect.
He ascertained that the principal injury was done where cotton was
planted in close proximity to orange trees, and learned of one instance
where cotton was i)lanted between the rows of orange trees with the
result that nine-tenths of the oranges were destroyed. As Mr. Hub-
bard's Report upon Insects affecting the Orange is out of print we may
quote his excellent general remarks on the damage to Orange:

In January and February, if the weather is mild, the Red Bugs desert the fields
where they have lingered upou the dead trash and waste of the cotton, and suddenly
make their appearance in the orage groves. Usually this takes place only in groves
adjoining fields that have been planted in cotton ; but, as they are strong fliers, the

239

bugs not unfrequeutly migrate in considerable numbers to a distance even jf several
miles.

At first, only adults are seen ; these at once attack the fruit upon the trees. A
■week or ten days later, tbe wingless young appear, always upon the ground, cluster-
ing upon tbe fallen fruit. If tbe trees are not stripped and tbe fruit harvested
before tbe young brood become adult and acquire wings, the entire crop will be lost.
Even the packing- house is not safe from invasion, and fruit is apt to be destroyed
after it has been gathered and stored in the bins.

In puncturing the orange, the bugs insert their slender sucking beak, often its en-
tire length, and although the oil of the rind forms their principal food, they never-
theless frequently regale themselves with draughts of juice from ^he pulp withiu,
and are sometimes seen to suck the juices from the surface of split or injured fruit,
tapping it with the tips of their probosces, after the manner of flies.

The sucking-tube, having the fineness of a hair, leaves no visible wound upon the
outside of tbe fruit, and within, no indication of its j)assage. An orange which has
been attacked therefore shows no outward sign of injury; nevertheless, a single
puncture causes it to drop in a few hours from the tree, and to decay in one or two
days.

It is quite useless to pack for shipment to a distance the fruit from a grove which
is attacked by Red Bugs, since the unsound fruit decays in the packages and soon
ruins the whole.

During November and December, 1888, damage of this character was
reported from Florida. Mr. A. L. Duucau, of DunediD, Hillsborough
County, wrote under date of November 8, stating that it had recently
appeared in great numbers in his vicinity, but that it was conflued to
a few trees. A subsequent letter (November 22) from the same gentle-
man stated that there is no cotton grown in his neighborhood, " or at
least very little," and that the bug was spreading through most of the
groves up and down the coast. Under date of January 2 he again
wrote that the damage had ceased and that the bugs had almost en-
tirely disappeared. Eev. William F. Nigels, of the same place, writ-
ing to the Florida Farmer and Fruit-Grower, December 10, makes sev-
eral statements which are of considerable interest. His letter, a copy
of which was forwarded to us by Prof. Curtiss, the editor of the Farmer
and Fruit-Grower, is as follows :

A new enemy to the orange is giving trouble to the orange growers of this penin-
sula ; it is the old-time cotton bug, the insect that stains the cotton in the boll, which
gives it a yellowish color and hence lessens its market value. A fcAv years ago this
insect was known to exist in two orange groves about 7 miles from here, in one of which
the fruit was nearly all destroyed by it, and it seemed to have disappeared. A month
ago, however, it reappeared in great numbers in different localities, and it seemed to
attack the orange trees at once. As no cotton has been raised here for a number of
years, it is difficult to account for its sudden appearance and in such uumbers. My
own trees have been, thus far, singularly exempt from its ravages, although I have
trees in three different fields, while the insect exists in several surrounding groves.

I have occasionally, heretofore, found a few, both young and old, among dead
weeds, in fence corners, and where trash had accumulated; but I always destroyed
every one I could find, knowing that they did no apparent good and might do evil;
and to this precaution and care may be due its absence from my trees. From limited
observation, I judge that its habitat is not at all peculiar ; as already stated, it can
live anywhere and on anything, and survive our light frosts. 1 have found it mostly

240

on what is termed here the Spanish cocklebnr, but I have seen it also ou the poison-
ous nightshade. Its modest taste seems to have changed of late, and it has found the
rich juice of the orauge more palatable than juices of wild and noxious weeds; with
its long proboscis it pierces the rind of the orange and sucks its sweets until satiated,
and every orange thus punctured falls to the ground within three or four days. I
have seen every orauge from a full tree on the ground, the result of the voracious
enemy. Five hundred or more of the insects can be seen on one tree, and a dozen ou
one orange. The loss to the grove mentioned above amounted to $500.

The question is, is there a limit to its depredations and can it be exterminated ?

A brief history of its habits, with directions how to destroy it, would be very timely
aud prevent much loss.

This orange-feeding habit is then a temporary one iu that it is in-
dulged in only while the oranges are ripening and just before picking.
During the rest of the year it must feed upon some other food-planf,
and if not upon cotton, probably upon some malvaceous plant allied to
it. The statement of Eev. W. F. Nigels, quoted under the section Food-
plants, would indicate that it breeds npon other wild plants, but here
there arises a possibility that Mr. Nigels has mistaken some other al-
lied insect for the Red Bug.

REMEDIES.

It is very important that the most careful observations should be
made in the neighborhood of orange groves subject to the attacks of
this insect upon the food-i)lants other than cotton, upon which it sub-
sists during the season prior to its migration to the orange.

Up to the present year the orange crop seems to have been only oc-
casionally damaged, and this is evidently only when the bugs have euor-
mousl}^ increased during a favorable season upon their more normal
food. These food-plants once discovered for a given locality, a slight
examination every year will indicate whether the bugs are increasing
unduly, and if this is found to be the case, they can be destroyed iu
time to prevent the winter damage to oranges. Where cotton is grown
near (within a few miles of) the grove, the probabilities are that the
bugs will have migrated from the cotton fields after picking, and in such
case, and when the bugs seem particularly abundant, it will pay the
neighboring orange growers to procure the spraying of the cotton
fields with a kerosene emulsion. Where there is absolutely no cotton
in the neighborhood, wild malvaceous plants shoitld be watched, and
observers should search for whatever other wild plants form the food
of the bugs. If this suggestion is followed out the damage done to or-
anges will undoubtedly be greatly lessened.

When the oranges are actually being attacked, it is difficult to fight
the insects. Mr. Duncan, in his letter of November 22, statedthat one of
his neighbors, upon the first appearance of bugs upon his trees, secured
a spraying outfit and a quantity of the Hubbard kerosene emulsion aud
went to work, but gave it up in two days. The emulsion killed the
bugs but others kept coming in, and it was impracticable to continu-

241

ally spray the trees. He therefore picked the fruit as the only remedy.
The same difficulty— that the bugs are continually flying to the
groves — will oi^erate against any remedy which may be tried at this
time. The only remedy previously published we may quote from Mr.
Hubbard :

As was long ago suggested by Mr. Glo\er, in his report above mentioned, the bugs
may be attracted to small heaps of sugar-cane trash with which Paris green or some
other poison should be mixed ; or the bugs, when collected upon piles of cotton-seed
in winter, may be destroyed by drenching them with boiling hot water. The expe-
rience of several cotton jilauters with this last method has shown it to be practica-
ble, bnt to be effective it must be thoroughly carried out. As the eggs can not all be
reached and destroyed by hot water, the operation needs to be repeated several times
at such frequent intervals that the bugs are not allowed to reach maturity and deposit
fresh eggs.

In the orange grove effective traps may be mwde with refuse oranges, orange peel,
etc., and the bugs, when thus collected, may be destroj-ed with the kerosene washes
used for Scale insects. The kerosene solutions will also be more effective than hot
water in reaching and killing the eggs.

As Mr. Hubbard further states, the cultivation of cotton through the
orange-growing district of Florida is for many other reasons likely to
diminish rather than to increase, and with the abandonment of this
cultivation we may expect the Red Bug to do less and less damage to
oranges, if not to disappear entirely as an orange pest, unless (and this
is not over likely to happen) it should breed extensively upon some
wild plant.

OAN THE RED BUG BE USED AS A DYE?

In the old days of expensive dye substances it was thought from the
brilliant red color of these bugs that they could be used for some such
purpose. Accordingly Dr. Charles T. Jackson, of Boston, was sent a
number of these bugs in 1858 from this Department (then a bureau of
the Patent Ofiice), and from his report, published in the Annual Eeport
for that year, it appears that the whole substance of the insect could
be converted into a rich orange-yellow dye which could be readily fixed
upon woolens or silks by the alum-mordant liquor. He also found that
an ochreous yellow-lake could be made from them by precipitating the
coloring matter with gelatinous alumina.

A PARASITE OF THE SUPPOSED EGGS OF THE COTTON STAINER.

By L. O. Howard.

In the article just preceding this parasite is mentioned and at Fig. 50
is shown one of the eggs which was so transparent that the contained
parasite could be quite plainly seen. Carefully removing the egg-shell
the parasites were found to be adults and in such perfect condition —
evidently just ready to issue — that the following description was drawn

242

up from them and the accompanying drawing prepared. There is some
little doubt as to the length of the wings, for they were, as a matter of
course, closely folded and not fully developed. The venation, however,
could be easily observed. The only other species of the genus reared
in this country is H. lejytocorlsw, which Mr. Hubbard reared from the
eggs of Leptocorisa tijndoides, a predaceous bug found commonly on the
Orange in Florida.

Fig. 5Z—nadronotus rugosus Howard— enlarged (original).

HADRONOTUS RUGOSUS sp. nov.

Female. — Leugtli 1.8 "'™. Expanse cau not be measured, as the wiugs of the speci-
mens examined have not expanded. AntennsB arise immediately above the mouth;
scape reaches nearly to anterior ocellus; pedicel sub-cylindrical, as long as first funi-
cle joint; funicle joints increasing regularly in width from joint 1 to basal joint of
club; joint 1 of funicle twice as long as joints, the remaining joints sub-equal in
length ; joint 2 of club equal to joint 1 ; joint 3 longer than 2 and pointed. Head
and face closely, deeply, and regularly punctate ; facial impression shallow, with
transverse punctures and with a distinct central longitudinal carina. Mesouotum
strongly punctuate, the punctures of the scutum assuming a longitudinal direction.
Dorsal surface of abdomen strongly longitudinally rugose, each joint smooth at ex-
treme base and apex, the rugosities strongest upon joint 1, growing slightly fainter
on succeeding joints ; joints 2 longest, joints 1 and 3 slightly shorter ; venter of ab-
domen witli well-marked circular punctures. Entire surface of body with very
sparse whitish pilosity. General color black ; mouth parts, antennte, and legs honey
yellow, except that the front coxa?, antenual club and pedicel, and first two funicle
joints above are brownish. The wings can not be well studied, but seem typical of
the genus, and as in H. leptocorisa; Howard.

Described from 3 9 specimens {$ unknown) dissected from eggs of
Heteropteron, found on Orange by H. S. Williams, Rock Ledge, Fla., in
April, 1880, and supposed by Professor Comstock to be those of
Dysdercus suturellus.

243

INSECTICIDE APPLIANCES.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE BILEF OF CYCLONE NOZZLE.

By C. V. Riley.

We have for some time been at work on a Bulletiu on Insecticides
and Insecticide Appliances, in the preparation of which we have had
the assistance of Mr. W. B. Alwood, who, as we announced in the last
number, has accepted a position in the Virginia Agricultural Experi-
ment Station at Blacksburgb. There is no certainty as to when this
Bulletin will be published, and as we are informed that the condition
of the printing fund will probably not justify its publication during this
fiscal year we have decided to extract portions of it in advance for the
pages of Insect Life. The inquiries which come to us for information
upon the subject of the Cyclone or Eddy-chamber Nozzle, whether as
to the principles of its construction or as to where it can be obtained,
have induced us to take this up first, and in this article it will be our
endeavor to give a clear and simple exposition of its features that will
permit any good machinist to construct it.

It may not be amiss to emphasize the fact here that this invention is
public property, being an outgrowth of our work for the Government,
and that all patent claims involving the principle may be ignored by
the public. Since the publication of our Fourth Eeport of the United
States Entomological Commission some important modifications have
been perfected, especially abroad, and it is to these that we desire to
call more particular attention. While the terms " Cyclone " or " Eddy-
chamber " apply to the whole class of nozzles constructed on the same
principle, it has become necessary to designate some of the modifications
by specific names. Usually they have -been given the name of the indi-
vidual who devised the modification, and, following this rule, the ordi-
nary and original form which we have adopted in this country should
be known as the " Riley Nozzle," by which term it is already exclu-
sively known abroad and which it is desirable to adopt for the sake of
clearness of statement.

THE TYPICAL RILEY NOZZLE.

As adopted for our work this form is illustrated at fig. 54, which
shows the general appearance and detail of structure, with also an
outline drawing of an angle-faced chamber.

At A is shown the typical small-stemmed nozzle with the screw-
cap c above the chamber a as it appears when removed from the
chamber. The circular body of this cap is chambered out inside
and screws down to the bottom of the chamber a, the orifice d com-
ing in juxtaposition with the orifice e, shown in the section at B, in

244

the wall of this chamber. These parts must meet accurately when
lid is screwed down or the working of the nozzle is interfered with.
To overcome this somewhat, a transverse slotted opening is sometimes
made at d. Most of the French modifications make the cap to screw
over the outside, but this necessarily increases the vertical depth of the
chamber and considerably alters the character of the spray, tending to
make it coarser, but at the same time to give it greater propulsive force
in a direct liuefrom the discharge orifice.

Fig. 54— The Eiley or Cyclone nozzle.

For a fine mist of spreading spray the best results are obtained with
a shallow chamber like the one shown. The face of the cap should be
of fairly heavy metal, countersunk on the exterior surface, leaving but
a thin plate of metal at the orifice of exit. The inner surface should
never be countersunk around this orifice, as is often done by manufact-
urers. The section at B shows the construction of the stem and cham-
ber and the tangential entrance orifice at the bottom of the chamber.
Ate is shown a view of the upper surface of the cap c, and also an out-
line drawing of a chamber placed at an angle of 45 degrees with the
stem. This last is an important modification, especially when spray-
ing overhead, as by slightly inclining the supporting-rod the spray can
be delivered upward in a nearly vertical direction.

The size of the stem is merely a matter of convenience to suit the de-
sire of the user. In the work of the Division this has been made of
suitable size to insert in five-sixteenths or one-quarter-inch rubber tubing,
as we found these the most convenient sizes of discharge-pipe to use.
A wire wrapped tightly around the tube over the stem makes a per-
fectly tight joint and answers all purposes.

Of late, however, when it has become desirable to use the different
sizes and styles of nozzles for the many and varied purposes to which
spray machinery is now put, we have used a stem carrying a female
screw of the size to fit a three-eighthsinch nipple. This nipple is made
with a stem to insert in the size of the discharge pipe which it is de-
signed to use, and a slight shoulder permits of more secure fastening

245

of the rubber by wire, which is very desirable to prevent discouuection
when great force is used for finer sprays.

A discharge orifice of about one sixty-fourth inch (0.4"'") is the proper
size for producing a very fine spray, while for the coarser sprays one-
sixteenth inch is commonly used. Between these two dimensions vari-
able volume to suit most purposes will be obtained. For heavy sus-
pension or clogging mixtures the orifice may be still larger.

The Eiley nozzles are manufactured, under contract, for dealers by
Thomas Somerville & Sons, proprietors of the ISational Brass Works,
Washington, D. C, and by Woodin & Little, 509 and 511 Market street,
San Francisco, Cal. The Noel modification is manufactured by the
firm of Noel, Paris, France, and the Vermorel, by V. Yermorel, Ville-
franche, sur Rhone, France. In New Zealand it is manufactured and
sold by Kutzner Brothers, brassmakers, Masterton, New Zealand.
This firm advertise it as the "American Cyclone Nozzle" and make it
single and in triplets.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE EDDY-CHAMBER SYSTEM OF NOZZLES IN THE
UNITED STATES.

But one modification of sufficient importance to merit attention has
appeared in this country, viz :

The Universal Spray-tip.— This nozzle is the invention of John Crofton
and L. D. Green, of Walnut Grove, Cal., to whom we are indebted for
samples and for an exhibition of its working while in San Francisco
two years since. The illustration (Fig. 55) shows its general features.

lllllljl

Ui\ i

^fm

I'll"

m '

Fig. 55.— The Universal Spray-tip (original).

It is shown entire at A, and is in general form similiar to a water cock.
The outer or distal end of the nozzle is shown at B and the plug at C,
The si)herical body of the nozzle has on its outer surface two counter-
sunk depressions, c and d, and at the bottom of each is a small circular
opening communicating with the orifice in which is inserted the plug C.
15GS8— No. 8 2

246

It has, also, a larger, straiglit orifice, a, which communicates with the
center orifice.

The plug C has two cavities drilled into the body on adjacent quar-
ters, and connected by a small orifice which passes from the shallower
cavity tangentially into the base of the deeper one. This will be
better understood by reference to Fig. 56, in which is shown a sec-
tion through the center of the nozzle. This cut represents the water
entering the shallow cavity in the body of the plug & passing through the
cavity e and issuing at c. By turning the
'^_.._^ plug rightward, as indicated by the dot-

/^^M^ ^N_> ^^-^ ^^^^1 the discharge can be delivered at

*■ -"' '^ .,*mt.innifKifj fj Th US it discharges sidewisc or Straight

ahead, at the will of the operator. By turn-
ing the plug leftward from the position
shown in the cut, the discharge will be re-
versed and delivered at a, which is a larger
"""""riJS""' '''"'■*''' sti-aight orifice and permits the washing
out of any sediment or obstruction. When
turned half way around rightward from the position shown in the cut,
the nozzle is closed.

FOREIGN MODIFICATIONS OF THE RILEY NOZZLE.

Foreign modifications of the Kiley nozzle are numerous, but mostly
of slight practical value. Many of them, and especially the more im-
portant, were exhibited at the International Exposition and Con-
ress held at Conegliano, Italy, March, 188G. As a matter of gen-
eral information to American farmers and fruit-growers we quote
freely from the report of Dr. V. Alpe on this exposition, made to the
minister of agriculture, industry, and commerce of Italy, printed at
Eome, 1887.

Doctor Alpe discusses principally the use of lime-water as a fungi-
cide and the various nozzles by which it is applied ; also the most im-
portant pumps, etc.

The following quotation (omitting some over complimentary allusions)
is from pp. 31-35 of the report. Dr. Alpe has, in this, quoted largely
from Professor Cettalini's paper on the exhibit :

Oue of the most importaut points in apparatus for the application of lime-water is
that which relates to the atomizer.

The exhibitors at the exposition in Conegliano did not neglect this essential element,
and although oue can not say that there were presented any very importaut novelties
or solutions of the problem, which were iu every respect perfect, nevertheless there
was no lack of interesting matter. The typical fundamental atomizer is that of Riley
* * * brought to our notice some years since. The atomizers presented at our
exhibitions were all more or less eifective modiiicatious of the Riley atomizer. As is
well known, this consists of a cylindrical box, in bronze or other metal, of varying
interior diameter, closed by an empty crystalline-lens-shaped stopper constructed

247

of the same uuetal, the center of the stopper having an aperture of 1.5 millimeters,
slightly conical, with the base greater towards the exterior.

At the base of this cylindrical box there is an aperture whose axis is in the direc-
tion of a tangent to the concave surface of the cylinder. This aperture communi-
cates with a pump by means of an India-rubber lube, which is the distributor. The
liquid enters the cylinder with great velocity, there existing a great diflereuce in
diameter between the distributing tube and the receiving aperture. By the tangen-
tial position of this aperture tbe liquid is forced to whirl in the cj'linder, assuming
a rapid rotary motion. When the liquid has filled the cylinder it is forced to pass
out by the upper aperture. The molecules of the liquid, continuing tbis rapid cir-
cular movement until the exit is reached, are thrown by centrifugal force first upon
the surface of the conical aperture and afterwards into the outer air by combined
forces of projecting and rotary motion. When the spirals have reached such a size
as to overcome the molecular attraction of the liquid they are subdivided into mi-
nute particles forming a mist or spray of extreme fineness.

Dr. Aljie follows with a lengthy discussion as to the availability of
the Riley nozzle for spraying lime water, and concludes that from the
nature of the small exit aperture they are not suited to this work.

Professor Scribner, while mycologist of this Department, found, how-
ever, that the Yermorel modification of the Eiley nozzle (which will be
spoken of at greater length further on) is the only nozzle he can use
successfully in applying lime-water.

Continuing, Dr. Alpe speaks of the more important modifications of
this nozzle which were shown at the exposition, as follows :

In truth, Vermorel, who now constructs the Riley atomizer in France, has endeav-
ored to find a remedy by enlarging the aperture of exit as much as the peculiarities
of the construction will admit.

From this it is easily imagined that various persons have thought of modifying
the original apparatus of Eiley, and among the most noted modifications aud
which deviate less from the primitive type, and which we saw at the exposition,
are those of Ronfini, of Venturini, of Barnabe, of Savoia, of Professor Giordano, aud
of Noel.

The first content themselves with slight modifications, while the latter introduce
much more radical changes. Ronfini modified the Riley atomizer more in the form
than in the essential parts, but Venturini has rendered it much better adapted to the
use of hydrate of lime ; not only enlarging the circumference, but at the same time
furnishing the lower base with a regulator by means of which the jet may be made
to bear a greater or less atomizing, according to necessity. Barnabe, instead of this,
contrived to avoid the clogging of solid material by attaching a screw to the lower
opening in such a manner that it cau be opened and closed in an instant, causing the
substance which impeded the regular functions of the apparatus to fall of itself, pushed
by the liquid which continues to flow.

Savoia placed the air-chamber higher, and in the wall of the receiving-cylinder
fixed four blades, which, arranged one above the other, forced the liquid, which
rushed from a small lateral aperture, to strike successively from one to the other,
revolving twice. More reasonable aud better adapted to the apparent object is the
Giordano atomizer. This, as usual, is formed of a chamber placed immediately above
the place of exit for the liquid from the pump, which is furnished with a thin, mov-
able plate of metal about half way up, having four apertures of sufficient extent placed
at an angle of 45 degrees. The solution then strikes against the metal valve before
mentioned, divides itself into four parts, and these four jets then reunite, striking
one against the other, rush violently into the upper part of the apparatus, there

248

again uniting they escape to the exterior, forming a cone of liquid much more ex-
tended than that which can be obtained by the Kiley atomizer.

We have long employed this, and have found it really good, naturally under such
conditions as vre shall see further on. [Pages 36-37 of report above mentioned.]

Dr. Alpe continues, quotiuff Professor Cettolini as to the various otber
styles of uozzles sbowu at the exposition, and concludes the discussion
of nozzles by indorsiug Professor Cettolini's views, that a simple rub-
ber tip, which can be compressed and deflexed by a spring, so as to
regulate the amount and direction of the spray, is superior, at least for
spraying lime solutions, to the metal nozzles.

The more important modiflcatious brought out in France and alluded
to in the above extract may now be treated at greater length in connec-
tion with drawings of each.

The Noel Nozzle. — The Noel nozzle, as made by the firm of Noel, Paris,
is shown at Fig. 57. It is constructed on essentially the same princi-
ple as the Riley nozzle, excei)t that the upper parts of the chamber and
the discharge orifice are somewhat modified.

The circular chamber is abruptly widened at the top, making in fact a
separate chamber of larger diameter superadded to the lower chamber.
On the shoulder thus formed rests a circular disk, f/, fiat or slightly
concave below, and which plays up and down between the shoulder
and removable cap c, which closes the end of the upper chamber, a
space of about three sixteenths of an inch. The center of this disk is
pierced with an opening, as in the Riley, and the upper surface is built
up around this orifice, both from its outer circumference and the edge of
the central orifice, into a rim surrounding a conical depression in the

Fig. 57.— The Noel nozzle (original).

center of the disk This rim, when the valve like disk is raised, pro-
trudes through the face of the removable cap, and when lowered is
nearly on a level with its outer surface.

The liquid on entering the chamber first issues from the central ori-
fice, exactly as in the Riley type, and is diii'used in a diverging cone-
shaped spray, but the pressure of the whirling liquid rising into the
upper chamber forces itself around the valve-like disk ^7, and depress-
ing it, partially issues around the outer rim of the disk in a converging
cone of spray, thus interfering with the discharge from the central
orifice. It is claimed this tends to greater diffusion and admits of the

249

passage of a larger quantity of liquid. The nozzle is shown entire at
rt, and in section at b ; c is the removable cap, d the moveable disk in
the upper chamber, and e the tangential inlet. This form of nozzle was
commended by the judges at the exposition of which we have i)reviously
spoken, but in our practice we have found it much inferior to the stand-
ard Riley nozzle.

{To be continued.)

EARLY OCCURRENCE OF THE CHINCH BUG IN THE MISSISSIPPI

VALLEY.

By S. A. Forbes.

The earliest record of the occurrence of the Chinch Bug in the valley
of the Mississippi does not antedate 1840, at which time this insect had
become sufficiently numerous in Tazewell County, on the Illinois Eiver,
to attract attention. I was consequently peculiarly interested by in-
formation received last winter from W. T. Shelby, Esq., a police magis-
trate and notary public of Olney, 111., to the effect that he personally
remembered the destruction of a field of corn in 1828, on his father's
farm, opened up to cultivation about 181G, 7 miles north of Albion, the
county seat of Edwards County.

Mr. Shelby has lately written me upon this point as follows :
Chinch Buo's appeared in Edwards County, 7 miles north of Albion, in 1828, the
year that Geu. Andrew Jackson was first elected President of the United States, and
the Whigs, in derision of the Democrats or Jackson men, dubbed them Jackson bugs.
I am not mistaken, as they almost destroyed afield of corn of my father's, the fodder
from which the stock did not like to eat.

It is remarkable that an occurrence of such entomological interest
should have escaped the knowledge of Thomas Say, living at that time
at New Harmony, Ind., 25 miles away, and that his first specimen of
the Chinch Bug should have been obtained three years later from the
Atlantic coast.

Since the above was written Mr. Shelby writes again :

I have lately had a conversation with Mr. Elijah Nelson, who made a farm in 1820,
2^ miles west of where Olney now is, and he informs me that Chinch Bugs appeared
in the first crop of oats that was sown on that farm, as early as 1823, and that his
father told him that these were the same kind of bugs that they had in old Virginia.
Mr. Nelson also tells me that in 1832 they appeared in considerable numbers and did
some damage to corn.

Inquiry in the vicinity of the much older settlements of Illinois —
those along the Mississippi River above the mouth of the Kaskaskia —
gives me no hint of the early occurrence of any of the great farm pefcts;
but this is probably due to the fact that the first farms were opened there
in the alluvial bottoms of the Mississ;pi)i and Kaskaskia Elvers, and
that no prairie lands were cultivated for very many years after the set-
tlements were established.

250

HEPIALUS ARGENTEOMACUIATUS.

By D. S. Kellicott, Columbus, Ohio.

This beautiful inotb, described by Harris, is known to occur over a
rather wide range of the northern United States and Canada, and whilst
it is rather uucoiumon in local collections it must be an abundant insect,
at least in some localities ; one of these is in Oswego County, K Y., where
I have found the larvte and pupa-shells in great numbers. Its habits
are quite in accordance with those of its congeners, so far as they are
known. It bores the roots and stems of the Speckled or Hoary Alder,
Alnus incana. I bave been unable to study the larval habits, except in
midsummer or in early spring, as it occurs in the section mentioned
above. At the former season the imagos for the year have escaped.
At the latter, the mature larvoe are in galleries, often reaching far up
into the trunks, and the two broods, as I regard them, which are to ma-
ture in succeeding years are mostly in the underground portions.

The larv® of Cossidie and ^Egeriid.ne, which live in wood, appear to re-
quire more than one year to complete their growth. For example, that
of Cossus robi)ii(v requires three years, as the following experiment in-
dicates : July 1, 1882, eggs of this species were placed in a wound in
the bark of Eohinla pseudacacia. The tree selected was isolated and
there were no signs that its trunk had been attacked by borers. A part
of the eggs gave larvte, the castings of which were observed from time
to time at the place where the eggs were lodged. The latter part of
June, 1885, a female pupa shell of the Cossid was found at the same
place. Again I have shown, in a high degree of probability, that Har-
monia 2nni exists, as a borer for three years {Ent. Americana, 1,171).
So this alder-boring species appears to pass a like period in the roots
and stems. I have already reterred to the different broods found in
spring and summer. Again, I have had larvte under observation in
roots kept moist from July until the following May. They must have
been nearly two years old, but did not transform. The failure of the
original stumps, and the refusal of the larv* to make homes in fresh
ones, prevented further success.

The life history appears to be as follows : The eggs are laid the first
week in June ; the caterpillars live for two years in the roots; as the
third year advances they work upward more or less into the stems; in
the spring of the third year they bore out to the surface, partially or
loosel}' plug the opening with chips, and transform ; there does not ap-
pear to be a well marked pupa cell, and it travels rapidly up and down
its tube for a long distance by means of the transverse abdominal teeth.
Pupation occurs about May 1, and moths emerge a mouth later in the
locality cited above. The pupa shells have been found protruding from
trunks in a manner quite like those of other Cossids.

251

An account of the larva and the pupa was read by me at the Ann
Arbor meeting? (1885) of the Entomological Club of the A. A. A. S.
This was printed in Entomolofjka Americana, I, p. 174, and the pro-
visional name Cossiis alni was proposed. It was not until June, 1888,
that I obtained an imago, which proved to be Repialus argenteomacu-
latus.

The descriptions were as follows :

Length, 1.5 to 1.8 inches. Subcylindrical, tapering very slightly at extremities;
slender. Width of body, 0.25 of an inch. Length of smaller ones, 0.8 inch. The
head is light yellowish-brown above, black about the mouth parts, hemispherical,
smooth or slightly roughened, with a few dark dots, from which arise dark hairs,
usually worn off the vertex of the larger examples. The second ring is smooth ; lighter
colored than the head. Above the spiracle, on either side, there are three black spots,
situated at the corncrsof aright-angled triangle ; theupper one, at the right augle,bears
a coarse brown hair; the other two have liner, lighter-colored hairs. The top of the
third ring is likewise smooth and brownish. The remaining body surface, except
the yellowish piliferous spots and top of ring 13, is white. The longer hairs on the
posterior rings are black. The body rings are stronglj' folded transversely. The yel-
lowish dorsal spots bear brownish. hairs; the anterior, larger pair are situated near
together on the broadest transverse fold ; the smaller, posterior pair are situated on
a narrower fold, and much farther from the slight dorsal furrow. The stigmata are
broadly elliptical; the rings narrow, black, scarcely raised above the surface; the
color within the ring light brown. The legs are yellowish ; hooks black ; the prop-
legs with very many booklets.

The pupa is slender, length 1.6 inches, width of thorax, 0.33 inch, but slightly
curved and of unusually uniform diametei", smooth, under a lens transversely striate,
the three anterior rings black, shagreened ; on the prothorax there are two conical
protuberances which in profile under a strong lens prove to be double pointed ; on
the clypeus are two gouge-shaped spines, shining black on outer half, and on the
u^jper roughened base of each of these there is a small conical tooth ; on the under
side of the head case, below the gouge-like spines, is a pointed spine directed for-
ward; back of this are two smaller cusps, one either side of ventral line, and still
farther back, apparently over the first tarsal joint of the fore legs, are two smaller
points. The transverse rows of dorso-abdominal teeth are as usual, but the teeth are
exceedingly fine, increasing in size but little posteriorly ; the black, blunt, anal seg-
ment bears several small black conical teeth on either side.

I have found no parasite of this larva, but I have seen that the
woodpeckers are its deadly foes. In April, 1886, I had a favorable op-
portunity to search for the borer and was astonished at the scores re-
moved by these birds. They often drill through a deep layer of wood ;
often two holes are made one above the other, the purpose being ob-
vious. The morsel is evidently located, or its burrow rather, by sound-
ing, as I noticed many instances in which a row of punctures sur-
rounded the base of the alder. The destroyers are sometimes mistaken,
for I found tlieir drillings, evidently made in search of this larva, in
sound wood in which there were no borers, but these were few com-
pared with the successful trials.

Is it the activity of these birds that prevents the abundance in the
forest of certain borers, e. r/., Aegeria acemi, whilst the same insect is
often destructively abundant in the ornauiental maples of cities and
villages ?

252

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

Late Autumnal Occurrence of Mites in Great Numbers.

Friday, November 7, was a raiuy day, aud at night a very beavy rain-fall occurred ;
on Saturday it rained in light showers, grew cooler iu the evening aud froze bard
at uight; ou Sunday morning a lady riding along asked her husband what that curi-
ous sawdust-like stuff was that was scattered along the roadside so beautifully.
On examination it was fouud to be a sery small, red-legged, spider-like insect, aud
that it was everywhere— field, roadside, garden — covering the country for miles. I
think it Avas not more than oae-half as large as the tiniest new-born spider I ever
saw, although I do not remember to have seen one just from the egg. They were
more noticeable in pools and puddles of water — perhaps from their insignificance in
size — where they appeared in patches, few or no individuals appearing singlj-.

Viewed through a microscope of low magnifying power they appeared to be shaped
somewhat like a grand-father gray beard or daddy-long-legs; eight bright red legs
dangled from their black bodies; occasionally a sort of drab-colored individual might
beseeu; two white opaque specks on either side, which I fancied might be eyes,
adorned one end of th.; body and a very curionsly-sliaped dull red spot the other ; no
appearance ot any web was discernible; they were not at all active, aud in about a
week the legs began to turn white and drop off, probably because the insect was dead.
As none were to be found on our farm after Sunday, aud as 1 am a very busy woman,
I had no time to study them. Being very much interested in them, however, I have
ventured to write you, hoping that you will kindly tell me wliat you think about this
strange insect, Avhere they so mysteriously came from, aud whether they will be likely
to appear again, and, if so, will it be to our injury ? • * * —[Augusta B. Wisuer,
Tecumseh, Lenawee County, Mich., November 27, 1888.]

Reply.— Your letter of the 27th ult., giving an account of the occurrence of a small,
red-legged, spider like insect iu great numbers in your vicinity after a cold snap,
has been received. I am very sorry that j'ou did uot save specimens, as I am not
aware that anything precisely similar has before been recorded. Your description is
quite careful, but you do not give us a definite idea as to size. * * * If you can
possibly secure specimens, please do so and forward them to us.— [December 4, 1888.]

Second letter. — Your letter of December 4 duly received. In answer I will say
that I have been so fortuuate as to obtain a few specimens, which I shall this day
mail to you. Although they have disappeared from our immediate vicinity, I find
that at my brother's a great quantity of them remain, and they were observed one
day last week crawling all over the buildings and even came into the house and got
into the milk. I find this morning that many that I gathered for you must have es-
caped, but I hope enough are leit for you to determine their nature. They were in a
deep bottle, and I did not dream of their getting out. I have not chauged the water
from which I took them, fearing their health might suffer. In a letter from a sister
living in Tuscola Couuty, she says : " I have uot seen the little insects you speak of,
but others have here, or out of town. It does seem strange. Mysterious are the
works of Providence." Now there is little doubt that it is the same insect, as I wrote
her describing it ; and as she lives at a distance of about 160 miles, you will see how
widely spread it appears to be. * * '—[December 11. 1888.

Reply. — Your letter of the llth instant, accompanying a bottle containing speci-
mens of the mite concerning which you had previously written us, has been received.
I am very glad to get these specimens. The material is so rotten that it is difficult
to study, but the species is evidently near the genus Tetrauychus, which is the genus
to which the common Red Spider of our greenhouses belongs. Concerning the habits
of this particular species which you send I can say nothing, except that all of the
species of the genus, so far as we know, feed upon the leaves of plants, and your spe-
cies may have been very common ou grass or low herbage. — [December 18, 1888.]

253

Balaninus nasicus in granulated Sugar.

I mail you a box of worms scut to ns from Biicyriis, Oliio. They were taken from
a barrel of granulated sugar that was lined with several layers of tissue paper. Can
you tell us anything about them and how they probably came to be there ? 1 imag-
ine they came from the staves of the barrel, although that is hardly probable, as the
wood is kilu-dried before being used for cooperage. — [F.N.Barrett, 143 Chambers
street. New York, November 26, lf88.

Reply.— I have your letter of the '26th instant and the accompanying box of gran-
ulated sngar containing worms from Bucyrus, Ohio. These worms are not sugar-
eaters, and their presence in the barrel described was accidental. They are the larvse
of the common Chestnut Weevil (Balaninus nasicus), and it is their habit to emerge
from chestnuts and enter the ground to pupate. Chestnuts must have been stored or
temporarily placed near this barrel of sugar (probably over it), and the grubs, in
search of earth, made their way into it. They did not come from the wood, as you
suggest. — [November 30, 1888. ]

On Thalessa and Tremex— A Correction.

I continue to receive with much pleasure the successive numbers of Insect Life,
and in No. 6, to hand a few days ago, was specially interested in your admirable arti-
cle on the habits of Thalessa and Tremex, and the beautiful illustrations which accom-
panied it. I must plead guilty to formerly having imbibed too trustfully the state-
ments of well-known entomologists as to the oviposition of Thalessa. and to have thus
been led to insert in my paper published in the Canadian Entomologist, Vol. XIV, p.
83, the statement that the egg was deposited in the larva. This was especially un-
fortunate, as the rest of the article was the result of personal observations. There
appears, however, to be a clerical error in your paper on page 172, where I am coupled
with Mr. Clarkson as an advocate of the larvte being lignivorous. It is evident that
Mr. Gade was intended for mention.

The description of Hiteropelma datatxe enables me to place a name upon a species
which has been in ray cabinet for several years as sp. nov. 1 I have two specimens,
both collected here.— [W. H. Harrington, Post-Office Department, Ottawa, Canada,
January 7, 1889.

Sap-Beetles in injured Figs.

I send you by mail figs from the same tree showing several stages of injury from
the insects. The figs are from a tree about four years old, growing in a sandy-loam soil
made rich with stable manure and cotton seed. The piece of ground upon which
stand the trees is about 65 by 75 feet and bordered on north and northeast by brick
wall, east by brick house, and south and west by paling fence. The trees were some-
what severely bitten by cold last winter, but have borne a very heavy crop of fruit
this summer. The brown insect begins to infest the fruit by entering the end further-
most fi-om the limb as soon as the fig begins to mature and get ripe. You notice
there are two kinds of the insect — one a brown, size of a weevil; the other almost
microscopic, dove-colored. They destroy my entire crop of figs. What are they, and
is there any remedy against their ravages ? I have other kinds of figs, but they are not
so bad ou them.— [J. C. Richardson, Greenville, Ala., September, 1886.

Reply. — * * '' The numerous small insects which are found swarming in the
figs sent by you represent several species of the Coleoterous family (Xitidulidw), popu-
larly known as Sap-beetles. The largest and most abundant species among them is
CarpophiJua mutilatus. Three other species, viz, Colosfiis niger, Colastus truncatus, and
Cnrpopliilus maitjinatus, were much less frequent. The small white larvte of these
beetles work also upon the figs. These Sap-beetles can not be considered as injurious,
since they are not capable of puncturing the rind of their own accord, and they only
enter such fruits as have been previously injured by some other insect. They feed
upon the tlecaying pulp. Within the limits of the cotton belt the notorious Cotton-

254

worm Moth is well known to be greatly injurious to ripening fruit, especially to figs,
by boring through the skin of the fruit with their probosces and sucking the juice.
The Sap-beetles afterwards enter through theopeniug made by the moth, simply hast-
ening the decay of the fruit. It is very probable that the injury to your figs has
been caused in this way ; and, if so, the only way to protect your trees will be to induce
the neighboring cotton planters to poison the Cotton Worm.— [September 30, 1886.]

STEPS TOWARDS A REVISION OF CHAMBERS' INDEX* WITH
NOTES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES.

Bv Lord Walsixgham.

iContbuted from page 150.]

In addition to the species already known from North America (all of
which will be included in the finally revised Index which is proposed
to be published in portions as these papers proceed) I am now able to
give descriptions of several new species from different localities and to
add further notes to facilitate the recognition of already described
forms. As each genus is dealt with the portion of the Index referring
to it has been privately printed and each portion is therefore available
for publication at any moment ; but it has been thought advisable to
hold it back until a more considerable section of the whole has been
completed.

DEPRESSARIA Hw.
Depressaria togata sp. n.

^HieHHrt', purplish-fuscous.

Palpi, cinereous, speckled with fuscous externally on tbe second joint ; apical joint en-
tirely suffused with fuscous, with the exception of the extreme apex which is
ochreous.

Head, dull grayish-ochreous ; face paler.

Thorax, cinereous speckled, with fuscous.

Fore-wings, pale grayish-ochreous, thickly suffused and streaked with purplish-fus-
cous ; the markings ill-defined, consisting of a dark fuscous patch at the base of
the dorsal margin, a dash of the same color immediately above the middle of the
wing at one-third from the base, followed by some pale grayish-ochreous scales;
a pale grayish-ochreous spot on the middle of the wing at about the end of the
cell is preceded and followed by fuscous scales, and beyond and above it are sev-
eral fuscous dashes radiating outwards to the costal and to the upper half of the
apical margin, where is a row of obscure fuscous spots preceding the somewhat
paler and mottled cilia.

Hind-wings, pale shining whitish gray, with the cilia scarcely darker in which a slight
tinge of grayish-ochreous is traceable.

Abdomen, grayish-ochreous.

Exp. ah, 20""".

Habitat, Montana.

Tyjje, ^ , Mus. {f'lsm.
This species is distinguished by its very pale hind-wings, contrasting strongly with

the dark fore-wings, which remind one much of tbo European atbipuncteUa. The

* Index to the Described Tineina of the United States and Canada. V. T. Chamb-
ers. Bull. U. S. Geol. and Geog. Surv., IV (1), 1878.

255

neuratiou of the hind-wings as well as their color serves to separate it from that
species : veins 3 and 4 of the hind-wings being from the same point, whereas in albi-
punctella they arise from a short stem.

This species belongs to the group in which veins 2 and 3 of the fore-wings are sepa-
rate.

Depressaria ciuereocostella Cleni. = clausella Wlk.

Writing on this subject in the P. Z. S., 1881, p. 312, I mentioned that Clemens's
paper in which it was described was published at some time during the month of
March, 1864, and that the volume XXIX of Cat. Sp. Het. B. M. containing Walker's
description of clausella was dated March 7, 1864. Some additional information, for
which I am indebted to Mr. E. T. Cresson, of Philadelphia, and to Mr. Butler, of the
British Museum, justifies me in giving precedence to Clemens's name, the volume of
Walker's Catalogue having been submitted to the trustees of the British Museum
before publication, on June 25, 1864, whereas Clemens's paper in the Proc. Eut. Soc.
Phil., II, 422, w'as laid upon the table of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia
on May 9, 1864, and had probably been issued to the subscribers some weeks before.

Depressaria solidaginis sp. n.

Antennce, purplish-cinei-eous.

Palpi, cinereous, second joint roughly clothed, with a divided brush beneath ; apical
joint with an obscure fuscous ring near the base, a wider and more conspicuous
one near the apex, and the extreme tip also fuscous.

Head, cinereous touched with reddish brown above ; face whitish.

Thorax, purplish-cinereous, tufted posteriorly.

Foreivings, cinereous, blotched and speckled with purplish fuscous, especially about
the outer one-half of the cell and at the base of the dorsal margin; three small
blackish dots at one-third from the base, the two upper on the disk, obliquely
l^laced, and followed by some very pale cinereous scales, the third on the fold
straight below the outer and lower one of the pair; slightly beyond the middle
of the wing and in a direct line with the middle dot is a very pale cinereous
spot surrounded with darker scales, the outer portion of the costal margin has
four or five dark, purplish fuscous patches formiug a continuation of the row of
dots of the same color, five in number, which extend from the anal angle along
the apical margin, the whole series being preceded by some ill-defined longitud-
inal dark fuscous streaks; three of these are connected with the costal spots, the
other three do not reach the corresponding spots on the apical margin ; cilia, gray-
ish-cinereous, with a slight lilac lustre.

Hind-wings and cilia, pale grayish, with a faint lilac luster.

Ahdomen, grayish cinereous, clouded with fuscous posteriorly.

Exj). al., 22""".

Hahifat, Kirkwood, Mo.

Larva on Solidago.

Tyjw. S , -l^'ts. WIsm.
A single specimen received from Miss Murtfeldt in 1884, bred from Solidago.
This species belongs to the group in which veins 2 and 3 of the fore-wings arise

from a common stem.

The larva of this species is probably that which is described by Coquillett (Pap.

Ill, 97-8) under the nsime jjidvijiennella Clem., for I find that Professor Fernald named

Mr. Coquillett's specimens, and has also identified specimens of this species for Miss

Murtfeldt as pulvijienneUa Clem., which do not correspond with specimens of jyulvi-

j)ennella in my own collection that were compared with Clemens's type in the collec-
tion of the Eutomological Society of Philadelphia.

256

Depressaria fernaldella sp. n.

Antennce, dull cinereous, basal joint touched with tawny and fuscous scales.

Palpi, tawny-reddish beneath, above pale cinereous mottledand blotched with black-
ish scales on the second joint; a spot at the base, a broad ring above the middle
and a minute spot at the apex of the terminal joint, also blackish.

Head, tawny-reddish ; face and the clothed base of tlie haustellum pale cinereous.

TJtorax, tawny-reddish, mixed with fuscous.

Fore-wings, tawny-red, speckled with blackish and pale cinereous scales; the costal
portion of the wing above the cell from the base to beyond the middle is of a paler
tawny-red than the remainder of the wing surface, and is mottled with fuscous
along the costa ; before the middle are two small spots of raised fuscous scales,
nearer to the costa) than to the dorsal margin, the lower one being farther from
the base than the upper and immediately followed by a streak of pale cinereous
scales; some bright reddish scales lie between the two discal spots and on and
about the fold; slightly beyond the middle is a conspicuous, roundish, pale cine-
reous spot, above and beyond which is a profuse sprinkling of pale cinereous, min-
gled with bhickish-fuscous scales reaching to the costal margin but not to the
apex ; at the base of the dorsal margin is a small patch of pale cinereous the outer
edge of which is straight; cilia greyish, sprinkled with reddish.

Eindwings, pale cinereous.

Abdomen, pale cinereous with a slight ochreous tinge.

Legs, hind tibiai mottled with grayish.

Exp. al, 23'""'

Habitat, Ornno, Me.; Wisconsin.

Types, $ 2 , Mus. fVlsm.

I have received this species from Wisconsin, from the late H. K. Morrison, and also
from Maine, from Professor Fernald, who was at one time disposed to regard it as hi-
larella Z., from which, however, it is totally distinct. The species appears to be not
very far remote from hi/pcricella, but it is somewhat larger and paler.

I believe that the description of the supposed larva of hUarella (Coquillett, Pap.
Ill, 98) really refers to this species, inasmuch as Fernald had sent specimens of this
insect to several correspondents, myself among the number, under the name of Zel-
ler's species, and had not the Zeller collection subsequently come into my possession I
should probably have failed to recognize the mistake.

Depressaria parilella Tr., var. novo-niundi Wlsm.

In the P. Z. S. for 1881, pp. 317-18, I discussed the question of the identity of the
North American Depressaria, for which I suggested the name novo-mundi, with D.par-
ileUaTv., a well-known European form.

After re-examining a full series of specimens from both continents, I am not pre-
pared to argue that those from Oregon or from the Eastei-n States should be regarded
aa anythingmore than local forms oi parilella, especially as Zeller (Lin. Ent., IX, 283
et scq.) describes no less than five different varieties of the species known in Europe.
The only points in which the American specimens differ from those in the Zeller col-
lection are in the slight dusting of fuscous scales around the apical joint of the palpi
and in the somewhat iiiore elongate appearance of the fore-wings as well as in their
darker color. This species should therefore be referred to as D. parilella Tr., var.
novo-mundi Wlsra.

I am able to add another species to the record of European forms occurring on the
•west coast of North America. I have received from Mr. Walker three specimens un-
•donbtedly referable to D. ciniflonella Z. These were beaten out of fir October, 1882,

257

at Esquimalt, Vancouver Island, and were probably specimens that were commenc-
ing to hibernate.

Depressaria lythrella sp. n.

Palpi, cinereous, dotted and mottled with purplish-fuscous scales, especially towards
the apex of the second and third joints.

Antennce, anuulated widely witli tawny, narrowly with fuscous scales.

Head and thorax, cinereous ; the former striped along the middle ; the latter speckled
with purplish-fuscous.

Fore-icings, tawny-reddish, much dusted with fuscous and pale cinereous towards the
costa; a pale cinereous basal-patch has a distinct spot on its lower half; before
the middle of the wing is a conspicuous curved black spot, edged with reddish
and followed by cinereous scales ; a few ciuereous scales are scattered across the
wing on the outer third, parallel with the apical margin, along which runs a
slender line of blackish scales; cilia purplish-gray.

Hind-tvings and cilia, brownish-gray.

AMomen, purplish -gray.

Posterior tibia of the same color as the hind-wings ; tarsi, mottled with darker scales.

Exp. al., 15""".

Larva on Lythrum alatum.

Habitat, Illinois; received from Professor Forbes.
Appears to be allied to impurella Tr. and to the same group as purpurea Hw.

Depressaria gracilis sp. n.

Antennw, brown.

Palpi, straw-colored, tinged externally on the second joint with brown, especially at
its apex.

Head, pale reddish-brown; face, whitish-ochreous.

Thorax, reddish-brown.

Fore-wings, rather narrow, pale straw-color, with a short, dark brown basal patch,
conmiencing on the costa but not reaching quite to the abdominal margin ; two
minute dots of brown scales on the disc before the middle, the upper one being
nearer to the base than the lower ; a small brown spot on the middle of the wing
at the end of the cell, and a row of brown marginal spots almost connected, so as
to form a marginal line, four on the apical and two on the costal margin ; cilia
whitish straw-color, tipped with brownish and having a strong line of brownish
scales along their base ; about the anal angle the cilia are paler than above it.

Hind-wings, very pale fawn-gray ; cilia straw-white.

Abdomen, grayish.

Legs, pale straw-color, tinged with brown on the posterior tarsal joints.

Exp. al., 15""".

Habitat, Texas.

'PyP^, (?) Mus. Ulsm.
A single specimen received many years ago from Belfrage. It seems remarkable

that this species should not have been known to Zeller or Clemens, who were both

acquainted with the results of Belfrage's collecting. I have not been able to find any

description of it, but if Chambers has by error placed it in the genus Gelechia it is yet

possible that I may have overlooked it. It is a small and rather slender species with

normal neuration, closely allied to the European D. culcitella HS.

258

PLUTELLA Sclirk.
Plutella omissa sp. n.

Head, face, and antenna', white ; palpi slightly tinged <vith brownish at the sides.

Fore-u'ings, white, with a yellowish tinge, most noticeable along the fold, sometimes
with a very few scattered brownish scules; the dorsal and apical margins and the
anal angle are dotted with small groups of brown scales; cilia white.

Hind-ivings, very pale grayish, iridescent, with a rosy hue ; cilia paler.

i:x2). ah, 13™"i.

Eubitat, Willow Creek, Oregon, September 9, 1871. Five specimens.

Tyjye, $ 9 , Mus. Wlsm.

{To he continued.)

GENERAL NOTES.

NOTES ON THE COCHINEAL INSECT.

In October, 188G, we received from Mr. A. F. Carothers, luka Ranch,
near Cotiilla, La Salle County, Tex., a large number of specimens of
tlie Cochineal Insect [Coccus cacti), and. were much interested to find
that they were being destroyed by a predaceous caterpillar, which
worked in precisely the same way as Dakruma coccidivora upon the Cot-
tony Maple scale, described by Professor Comstock in the annual re-
port of this Department for 1879. The caterpillars ate one Coccid after
another, spinning a silken tube as they progressed and remained hid-
den inside the tube, which was covered with fragments of the Coccus
and of its white secretion. We were fortunately able to rear the adult,
which proved to be beyond question identical vfith. Bakmma coccidivora,
this species having previously been found only in the District of Col-
umbia.

Another enemy of the Cochineal Insect was reared from this same
lot of sijecimens. This is a true parasitic fly of the genus Leucopis,
species of which have previously been recorded as attacking scale in-
sects. Specimens were sent to Dr. Williston who has kindly sent us
the following description, as the species proves to be new:

Leucopis bellula, u. sp., Willisto?

Length l|-2""". Black, thickly grayish white dusted. Front with two slender,
gently arcuate, black stripes; the narrow orbital space perceptibly more whitish.
Antenute black, the basal joints shimmering whitish ; arista short. Face in color
like the frontal orbits. Mesouotum with two conspicuous chocolate-brown stripes,
beginning on the inner side of each humerus and gently converging to the posterior
margin. In the middle of the dorsum, before the scutellum, there are two bristles;
the usual bristles on the lateral margin, and ou the margin of the scutellum ; none
on the front or vertex. Abdomen more whitish than the thorax ; clothed with short
black hairs; first segment with the lateral margins and a posterior band, deep
brown ; second third and fourth segments each with a slender, sub-interrupted stripe
and a pair of rounded spots, all deep brown in color ; the pair on the second mod-

259

eratejy large, ou the third, smaller, and on the fourth, puuctiform or minute. Legs
black, with the same whitish iiruinositj^ ; the immediate tip of femora, the base of
front and hind tibiie, the middle tibije, and the tarsi, except their tip, yellow, the
tibijB elsewhere and the tip of the tarsi brown or iufuscated ; in some specimens, the
tibia' throughout are more brown. Wings Lyaline, or faintly clouded ; the auxiliary
vein distinctly separated from the first longitudinal, except at tip; the last section
of the fifth vein a little shorter than the penultimate one of the fourth.
Four specimens, from Professor Riley, labeled "Par. on Coccus cacti."
I was, at first, in doubt as to the specific difference of this from L. bella Loew, from
Cuba. Aside, however, from the different habitat, there are sutficient differences in
coloration to indicate a well-marked variety, at all events. Loew describes his spe-
cies as having "Antennae nigrae, albido-polliuosae," the second segment of the abdo-
men only, as bearing a " macnlam rotundam atram," and " Alae lacteae" in color.

A species of Drosophila was also bred from the mass of Coccids, aud
this Dr. Willistou determines as Drosophila quinaria Loew. This in-
sect, however, is of course uot a parasite.

We notice from the Florida Dispatcli of August C, 1888, that the
Cochineal Insect has become ver}^ abundant upon Opuntias at Jessa-
mine, Pasco County, Fla., on the authority of a communication from
Walter X. Pike, of that place. The specimens were determined by Mr.
Ashmead. The only previous record of the occurrence of this dye in-
sect in Florida is that by Professor Comstock upon page 347 of the
annual report of this Department for 1880. Professor Comstock's
specimens were collected by Dr. R. S. Turner at Fort George, Fla.,
upon a yellow-flowering cactus, the species of which was uot deter-
mined.

THE BEET CARRION-BEETLE.

A notice in the American Agriculturist for September, 1888, to the
eft'ect that the Beet Carrion-beetle (Silpha opaca) has been doing a
great deal of damage to mangolds in England the past season, reminds
us of the fact, to which attention has not lately been called, that this
insect is also lound commonly in this country, but that it has never
here, so far as records go, been reported as injurious. Like other spe-
cies of its family it feeds upon decaying animal and vegetable material.
In England, however, it occasionally does great damage to the mangel-
wurzel crop. It was first noticed to have this habit in 1844, The dam-
age is done by the larva feeding upon the leaves.

AN AFRICAN LADY-BIRD INTRODUCED INTO NEW ZEALAND.

Through the kindness of Mr. Henry D. Twohy, of Auckland, we were
some time ago favored with the following communication from the
Otago Witness of February 3, 1888, which, through an oversight, had
not been published. Mr. Twohy suggests that, if it seemed desirable,
the same lady-birds could be shipped from Cape Town aud landed in
N^ew York by way of London in twenty-six days, if the boats made
close connection. Our Australian importations, however, are so prom-
ising at present that this experiment is hardly worth trying:

An interesting experiment is being conducted at Nelson in the way of acclimatiza-
tion. It appears that some of the finest trees in and about Nelson have been de-

260

stroyed by the Wabble Blight or Australian Buff. Mr. Tinline, while at Cape Town,
read there a pamphlet by Miss Ormerod, the entomologist, entitled "Notes on the
Australian Bug {I. purchasi) in South Africa," which stated that the grubs of a cocci-
uellid or lady-bird have been observed by Mr. Bairstow to do much good, by destroy-
ino- the young Australian bugs just at hatching time within the sac of the female.
Ofthese Mr. Bairstow says:

"The Coccinella is by far our best friend. It is proving a perfect godsend in de-
stroying the perfect young in nidus of the female 'bug.' The larva buries itself in
the gravid female and completely destroys her progeny, the dead carcass falling to
the ground; and it eats the ' bug,' not only when it (the Coccinella) is young, but
when it has developed to beetle condition." Mr. Tinline accordingly wrote to a
friend in Cape Town asking him to procure some of the lady-birds, which he did, and
one hundred and twenty of the little beetles were caught, put into a bottle with a
goodsupply of the " bugs" to feed upon, and shipped on board of the Tonyariro. On
arrival in New Zealand (passage twenty to twenty-two days, steamer) it was found
that by far the larger number of them were alive and healthy. A few were given to
Mr. Maskell in Wellington, and the remainder brought on to Nelson. Mr. Maskell's
advice was to select some sniallshrub infested with the blight, cover it carefully with
muslin, and then turn the lady-birds into this cage. A young lemon tree, to which
the bug is paying great attention, was selected in Mr. Sharp's garden for the pur-
pose, and there the little colony of lady-birds is to all appearances thriving.

SUCCESSFUL SPRAYING WITH PARIS GREEN FOR CODLING MOTH.

Through the kiuduess of Mr. G. F. Keimaii, of Rogers, Beuton
Couuty, Ark., we learn that at the county fair, held from the lOth to
the 13tb of October, 1888, Mr. Ellis, of Bentonville, sent in the entire
product, good and bad, of two Ben Davis apple trees, which he had
treated with Paris green, and asked that they be examined by experts.
This was done, and the investigation proved that not a single apple in-
fested by Codling Moth could be found.

THE LEATHER BEETLE LITIGATION.

Those who read the article on the Leather Beetle or Toothed Der-
mestes (Dermestes vuljnnus Fab.) in our Annual Report for 1886 (pages
258 to 204) will be interested, doubtless, to learn that the lawsuit be-
tween A. Einstein's Sons, of Savannah, and the Boston and Savannah
Steam ship Company, in which the former claimed damages for injury
done by this beetle to boots, as alleged, from Boston to Savannah, has
since been tried twice, and that both times the juries have failed to
agree. The issue is still being fought, and it is not outside the bounds
of possibility that some day a decision may be reached. The evidence
at the final trial will be interesting reading to entomologists.

FEBSOXNIlL of those engaged IX GOVEEXMENT EXTOMOLOGICAL

WORK.

The following list embraces those now engaged in Government entomological work,
and who will assst in the management of the periodical ; those at Washington edito-
rially, and the others as contributors. The force of the Division of Entomology is
more or less inconstant, as it consists of both permanent and temporary employes:

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist : C. Y. Eiley.

Office Staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande, Tylor
Townsend, C. L. Marlatt, Assistants ; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and
in charge of reeling experiments.

Field Agents : Saml. Heushaw, Boston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster, La Fayette, Ind. : Her-
bert Osborn, Ames, Iowa; N. W. McLain, Hinsdale, 111. ; Mary E. Murtfeldt, Kirk-
wood, Mo. ; Lawrence Brnner, Lincoln, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal.;
Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator : C. V. Riley.
Assistant Curator : John B. Smith.

I^" For bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedi-
ent, the names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communi-
cations. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by re-
ferring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be credited to " Insect Life," or
where it is desired to give personal credit, to "Riley and Howard." While most of
the correspondence of the Division is carried on by myself yet much of it is also at-
tended to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge dur-
ing my absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work that
only those articles signed by either should be considered individual. Illustrations,
where not otherwise stated, are drawn by Miss Lillie 8ullivau, under supervision. —
C. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. MARCH, 1889.

Vol. I. >To. 9.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST

AND HIS ASSISTANTS.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

18 89.

CONTENTS

Page.
Special Notes 261

Insecticide Appliances (illustrated) C. V. lUIey.. 26:i

Three new Parasites of Icerya (illustrated) L. 0. Howard.. 268

A Contribution to the History of Theophila mandarin a. i'/u7/j> Jralkcr.. 270
Notes on the Cultiyatiox of the Japanese Oak-feeding Silk-worm,

C.E. Webster, M.B.. 273

Notes on a Species of Bryoijia infesting Dwellings F. M. Webster.. 277

Cranberry liEAF-GALLS '. Dr. Fr. Thomas.. 279

Extracts from Correspondence 280

The Red-legged Flea-beetle iujiiring Peacli Orcbards.— The Spider Bite
Question again. — Susceptibility to Insect Poison.— The Hay Worm iu
Kentucky. — A Rose-bud Ceeidomyia. — Beetles infesting Yeast Cakes. —
Mites in Flaxseed. — Insects at Electric Lamps. — Bees rersits Fruit. —
Hydrocyanic Acid Gas Treatment for Scale Insects. — New Enemy of
the Chinch Bug.— Army Worm iu 1888.
Steps towards a Revision of Chambers' Index, etc.. Lord Walsimjham.. 287

General Notes 291

Bleaching Wings of Lepidoptera. — Winter Appearance of the Cecropia
Moth. — Is Marriage a Failure ? — Insects upon the Coffee and Tea Plants
in Ceylon. — Plants injured by Capsus quadririttatiis. — Immxunty of
Southern Dakota from the Chinch Bug. — Burning the Stubble for Hes-
sian Flies. — More abnormal Honey Bees. — Entomological Society of
Washington.
II

Vol. I, i\o. 9.] INSECT LIFE. [Iflaicli, I§§9.

SPECIAL NOTES.

Poisonous Bites.— We would call especial attention to the long and in-
teresting letter from Dr. B. R. Corson on spider bites, which we publish
on page 280, and which is an important contribution to the discussion of
the subject. Dr. Corson is an old acquaintance and a former collector of
insects. He is a most reliable observer. We hope that our article in the
January number will reach the eyes of other physicians, who will be able
to add similar cases from their own practice. We also publish a letter
from Mr. B. W. Allis bearing upon the same article, and may state in
this connection that the views which he presents are practically those
suggested by us in our article upon poisonous insects, published in Vol-
ume V of the Reference Handbook of the Medical Sciences (Philadel-
phia, 1887). We have stated upon page 741 of that volume that the
efiects of insect poisons depend in great measure upon the idiosyncracy
of the individual and upon the state of health and constitution.

Cranberry Fungus Gall.— We also publish, under the head of " General
Notes," an interesting communication from Dr. Fr. Thomas, of Ohrdruft",
Germany, relative to the Cranberry Gall mentioned upon page 112 of
the current volume of Insect Life. Specimens of this gall were sent
to Dr. Thomas, and his remarks are authoritative. The determination
of the gall as of Phytoptus origin was made by our assistants during our
absence in Burope, and while we should have been more cautious had we
seen the specimens, the error is a very pardonable one, as the resem-
blance to many other Phytoptus galls is striking. This is one of the few
instances where a fungus has been mistaken for insect work, while our
mycological friends have often been caught napping in mistaking and.
even describing as of fungus origin structures due to insects.

261

262

The secondary Icerya Parasite.— At the time of OUr last writiug we were
ill some little doubt as to whether the supposed secondary parasite of
Icerya might not prove to be a primary parasite,or at all eveuts a parasite
upon something else than the very useful Lestophouus. But recent
communications fiom Mr. Coquillett have deprived us of this hope. He
writes under date of January 15 : " I have just examined a number of
pupariaofthe Lestophonus, and in two of them I found two of the
Chalcids, one in each puparium. In one the Cijalcid was dead, but the
other was living, and I found it in a puparium that was entire, not hav-
ing a hole in it by which the Chalcid entered ; so there can be no doubt
of the Chalcid having been developed in the inside of this puparium.'
As yet none of these secondary parasites have been allowed to escape,
and it is quite possible that by the great care which is being taken the
Lestophonus may be introduced without its destructive enemy.

National Organization of Entomologists.— Our proposition in the January
number of Insect Life concerning the formation of a national organiza-
tion of economic entomologists, however favorably the idea may have
been received, has not resulted in many expressions of opinion so far.

Prof. A. J. Cook, of the Michigan Agricultural College, writes :

Your suggestion of auuiial meetings where entomologists may discuss insects and
especially methods of work is most timely, and I hope will result in the organization,
I should give any snch project my hearty support.

Prof. Herbert Osborn, of the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa,
writes :

Your suggestion regarding the national society of entomologists seems to me very
timely. Only a few days ago the same subject was in my mind, and I believe au
American Society for entomologists or an Entomologists' Union, on the basis of the
Ornithologists' Union, or something similar, would be very advantageous to the cause
of entomology.

A few other gentlemen have written in much tlie same terms, and we
shall be glad to get not only such general opinions, but also definite
suggestions.

We notice that several of the editorial or unsigned articles in Insect
Life have been copied by other journals with individual credit, and we
would therefore call particular attention to the notice which is always
published upon the third page of the cover, to the effect that all editorial
or unsigned articles, when personal credit is desired, should be attrib-
uted to the joint work of "Riley and Howard."

We are pleased to learn that through the liberality of Senator Mc-
Millan, of Michigan, the Michigan Agricultural (College has been able
to purchase the Fred Tepper collection of Lepidoptera.

2f)3

INSECTICIDE APPLIANCES.

By C. V. KiLEY.

IC'on tinned from 2). 249.]

FOREiaN MODIFICATION OF THE RILEY NOZZLE (('ontinued).

The Vermorel Nozzle. — Auotber and perhaps the most important modi-
fication of the Eiley nozzle is that of V. Vermorel, Villefranche (Rhone),
France. It is well shown both entire and in section at tig. 58.

Fig. 58.— The Vermorel Kozzle— natural size (Orio:inal).

The important part of this nozzle is the disgorger, an attachment for
removing obstructions from the discharge orifice. This is accomplished
by perforating the bottom of the cylindrical chamber with a circular
opening about half the diameter of the chamber. Into this is inserted
from above a rod, which is circular terminally but preferably triangular
below and fitting loosely in the orifice. This rod projects below the
chamber so as to give movement enough to permit its distal end to be
thrust through the ojjeniug in the removable cap, c. The part of the rod
within the chamber consists of a seat which is ground to fit the bottom
of the chamber when the rod is forced down by the water in action, as
shown in the section, iJ, thus preventing the escape of liquid, an object
which is further assured by fitting a rubber casket, e, on the lower sur-
face of the seat. Above the seat the rod is cylindrical and of consider-
able size until near the end, fZ, where it is dressed to a diameter small
enough to pass through the discharge orifice. The dimensions of the
diflerent parts of this rod must be governed by the size of the parts of
the chamber.

When the discharge becomes obstructed the rod is pressed forward
until the small end shown at d forces out the obstruction. The press-
ure once removed the rod fidls back to its place. While the rod is
pressed forward the water rushes out around it through the lower part
of the chamber, thus completely washing out sediment of any kind. To
prevent this outflow at the base of the chamber from falling upon the

264

operator a shallow concave cup,/, is fastened with a screw to the lower
end of the rod. This deflects and throws the liquid forward. This de-
vice was added to the nozzle by Prof. F. L. Scribner, formerly Mycolo-
gist of this Department, and is an important addition, especially when
spraying overhead.

This nozzle accomplishes the desired work equally as well as those
without the disgorging or cleansing attachment, and the disgorger is a
great convenience when spraying with solutions which are not clear.
This is one of the most satisfactory nozzles for spraying lime solutions.
The diameter of the discharge orifice is made much larger for using
lime-water and the heavy suspension liquids which are used as fungi-
cides than is necessary for ordinary insecticide preparations. If the
orifice is too large the liquid passes out in a thin cone-shaped sheet
and is not broken into fine spray.

As will be seen from the illustration, this nozzle can be screwed into
the coupling at the end of the discharge pipe and used as a side dis-
charge nozzle, or by using an elbow cou])ling the discharge may be di-
rect from the distal end.

Recently M. Vermorel has altered the construction of this nozzle so
as to make the eddy chamber adjustable on the stem, thus permitting
the spray to be directed at any desired point within the circumference
of a circle. Fig. 59 will help to illustrate how this is accomplished.
This style is made in singles and doublets. The illustration gives the
doublet. The chambers, a and «', on either side are fitted into the stem
c by short smooth nipples, h and h', projecting out from the body of the
chambers. They closely fit the circular opening through the head of
the stem c, but permit the chambers to freely rotate around the axis of
a line drawn through their base. From the center of the nipple of the
chamber a a brass rod extends through the head of the stem c and
through the base of the chamber «', below the eddy chamber, and
enters the thumb screw,/. By loosening this thumb-screw the nozzles
can be freely rotated and by tightening it it is firmly held in place at
whatever angle desired.

In the cut the parts of the nozzle are shown separated, yet in a line
occupying their relative positions in the perfect nozzle. Mounted in

JDJ

h d

riG.59.— Improved Vermorel Nozzle— retlnced about one-half (Original).

this manner only the chamber a can be fitted with a disgorger, as the
rod which binds the chambers together would necessarily interfere with
putting one into the chamber, a'.

265

The tangential entrance to the eddy-charaber is made from the face
of the nipples, b and b', and as these do not meet in the stem, rotating
the chambers does not interfere with the liow of the liquid. This is a
useful modification in the construction of this nozzle both from the fact
that two nozzles are conveniently mounted on one discharge pipe, and
tliat, being fitted on a rotating axis, the direction of the spray can be
governed at will.

The AJbrand Modification.— yiv. G. Albrand has constructed a Kiley
nozzle on the same principle as his modification of the Eaveneau nozzle.
Xot satisfied with the Vermorel system of disgorging or clearing the
nozzle from obstructions, he has constructed his with the cap attached
to a thumb-lever held in place by a spring.

When the discharge orifice, which is situated in the removable cap^
becomes obstructed, a pressure on the thumb-lever raises the cap and
permits the liquid to rush out, carrying away any obstructions.

The cut (Fig. 60) illustrates this feature of the nozzle. The eddy-
chamber is situated at the extremity
of the stem, & ; c is the cap and a the
thumb-lever held in place by the
spring beneath it.

The Japy Modification. — In this noz-
zle Japy has devised a degorger
somevwhat on the principle of the Ver-
morel, but which works in the op-
posite way (Fig. 61). In normal position the thumb-lever a is suffi-
ciently raised by the spring placed between it and the tube b to throw
the needle c down into the discharge orifice, thus closing it and prevent-
ing the passage of the liquid.

When the operator wishes to begin work he presses upon the le^er as
shown in the cut and immediately the spray issues from the eddy-
chamber. If the discharge becomes clogged he releases the lever and
the needle is thrown forward into the opening, thus clearing it. This
is a convenient and simple plan of disgorging, and at the same time
serves the purpose of a stopcock or cat-ofi".

-The Albraud Nuzzle — reduced (Or
iual).

Fig. G1 — The Japy Nozzle— reduced (Original)

By reference to Fig. 61 the plan of the nozzle will be easily under,
stood. In general construction it does not differ from other nozzles of

266

the eiUlychamber class, the details of which are fully ^iveu in other
drawings.

The Marseilles Modification. — This novel modification of the Eiley noz-
zle was recently brought out by a society known as the Future of Viti-
culture (I'Avenir Viticole) of Marseilles, France, ami deserves attention
as the most radical modification which has yet come into our possession
as well as for its utility. lu this the typical chamber has beeu so altered
as to bear little resemblance to the original type. This is fully shown in
the illustration (Fig. 62). The stem,/, is a brass tube which makes a screw
connection with the discharge pipe at its proximal
end, and has its distal end closed by a cap soldered
on and bearing in its center the disgorging needle,
d. Just below the closed end an orifice, c, communi-
cates with the interior. This is cut tangentially in
the side w^all of the tube and is of considerable size.
It is covered externally by a thiu brass band fitted
closely over tlie tube, but which does not quite com-
plete the circumference. This is indicated in the
drawing. This band can be adjusted about the tube
so as to leave a greater or less opeuing ate as niay
be desired. When turned partially over the orifice,
c, it reduces the opening to required dimensions and
forces the issuing ll<piid to take a rotary motion
about the stem,/, and to rise with such motion into
the chamber shown immediately above. Below the
band just mentioned is a thicker band, g, soldered
around the tube. The lower edge of this forms a
shoulder which meets the inward turned shoulder,
h, of the outer jacket, and a rubber washer between
completes the joint. The outer jacket extends be-
yond the end of the inner tube and forms a chamber covered by the
removable screw-cap, «, which is pierced in tie center with the discharge
orifice e. The illustration shows one half of the outer jacket cut away.
It slides readily upon the stem,/, so that to remove an obstruction the
outer jacket only has to be drawn bodily downward when the needle, d,
enters and clears the orifice. I have as yet had no opi)ortunity to use
this nozzle, but believe that a cord or wire can readily be used to draw
the outer jacket down when it is out of reach of the hand. The pressure
of the liquid immediately restores it to the normal position.

The JS'eic Zealand Triplet Modification.— The triplet cyclone mannt'sict-
ured by Kutzner Bros, of Masterton, Xew Zealand, is one of the prac-
tical foreign modifications of the Riley nozzle worthy of mention and
illustration. The history of the introduction of the eddy chamber sys-
tem of nozzles into Australia and neighboring islands is told by Mr.
Frazer S. Crawford of Adelaide, South Australia, in his paper treating
of the Fusicladhims.

Fir,. 62.— Coiistniftini
the Marseilles Nozzl<
natural size (Original).

267

Mr. Crawford first learned of this system of nozzles though Mr. Hub-
bard's Eeport on Insects Affecting the Orange, sent him from the De-
partment of Agriculture. He had several made which he used success-
fully in his orchards and gardens, but desiring a larger iimouut of spray
than one nozzle furnished he combined them in doublets and triplets
as desired, by branching the discharge pipe near the end and attaching
a nozzle to each branch and holding all together by means of a clamp.
This idea led to the development of the triplet shown in the cut, and
is more fully set forth in the communication with which I will close this
second paper.

When itcame to the knowledge of the Division that the eddy-cham-
ber system of nozzles was being successfully used in Australia, an or-
der for specimen nozzles was sent to the makers above mentioned, as
also the request tbat they furnish information about its introduction
there, and the adoption of the peculiar form of triplet manufactured by
them. This letter being published in a New Zealand paper, called forth
the following response from Mr. Crawford, through which we learned
the details of its introduction and development in that part of the
world. That porti<m of the letter which relaies to tlie matter under
consideration is here given, as it is of considerable interest :

Surveyor-Gexehal's Office,

South Australia, June 11, 1888.

Dear Sir:

(4) Regarding the RUeij Cyclone-nozzle. By a New Zealaud paper I perceive that you
have ordered from Messrs. Kutzner Bros, of that colony a triplet cyclone-uozzle, as
you are about to issue a bulletin on that very useful nozzle. The early history of
the cyclone-nozzle in Australia you will find in my report on the Fusiciadiums, etc.
The original triplet as fif;ured, being the first made in the Australian colonies, is the
one I still use in my garden. This I lent to Mr. Dobbie of Gawler Place, Adelaide,
who undertook to manufacture them on his own account, and he improved on mine
by fixing the three nozzles to a central chamber, the top of which unscrews. These
have been sold in New Zealand, Victoria, Tasmauia, and New South "Wales, one be-
ing purchased by Kutzner Bros., who wrote to me about it. * * * I regret to
say that an enterprising Californian, a William Spawn, has been allowed to jiateut
it in South Australia, although his patent is not worth anything because mine was
made and publicly exhibited before he applied for the patent. He has also patented
it in Victoria. The drawing accompanying his specifications was simply an enlarge-
ment of the drawing of the nozzle as figured in one of your reports.

I consider the cyclone type of nozzle as the greatest boon that orchardists have re-
ceived, as without it it is quite impossible to spray a large orchard satisfactorily.

Yours, very faithfully,

Frazer S. Crawford.
Professor Riley.

268

Tlie arraugemeut of the triplet c^^clone received from Messrs. Kutz
ner Bros, is shown in the following illustration (Fig. 03). The nipple,
which is designed to enter five sixteenths
inch hose, is surmounted b}' a hemispherical
chamber, ft, which is covered with a milled-
edge cai), a, which screws into the chamber,
b. On thiscap are mounted at the angles of
of a triangle three Riley nozzles. The one to
the rear stands higher than the others and
delivers its spray straight in front, while the
lower ones are respectively freed slightly to
the right and left of a direct line. This ar-
rangement secures a broad diverging cloud
Fig. 63.-The New Zcaian.i T.i,,ht- of spray and Very much facilitates the work

ledmed (Original). -.i 1 • i i. i- ±- i.^ ^

Without m any way detracting irom the qual-
ity of the spray as is the case when an attempt is made to increase the
capacity by enlarging a single nozzle. A disgorger could be easily added
to the chambers as here arranged, but as yet we believe no attempt has
been made to do so. A screen of tiue wire cloth is placed across the
hemispherical chamber, thus rendering "clogging almost impossible.

THREE NEW PARASITES OF ICERYA.

Bv L. O. Howard.

Professor Riley has turned over to me for description three of the
parasites reared by Mr. Coquillett, at Los Angeles, from the Fluted Scale
[Icerya purcliasi). These he has referred to by name in his annual re-
port for 1888, and the accompanying figures are from the report. The
necessity for condensation, however, rendered it desirable that this de-
scriptive matter should be published elsewhere. Neither of the three
species seems to be at all abundant.

THORON OPACUS, sp. uov.

JlfaZe. — Length, 0.84"""; expanse, 1.2'""'; greatest width of fore wiug, 0.163""" ; length
of antenna, 0.6 '"'". Joint 1 of funicle rather shorter and .slightly narrower than pedi-
cel ; fnnicle joints distinctly separated, subeqnal in length, increasing very slightly
in width from 4 to 9, joints 2 and .3 equal in width and slightly slenderer than eitlier
1 or 4 ; club one-third longer than joint 9 of funicle, ovate, at hase of same width as
joint 9 of funicle, without a trace of dividing sutures. Metauotal spiracles large, oval ;
metascutellum with astraight median longitudinal furrow. Abdomen flattened, ovate,
rather longer than thorax. General surface of the body with no visible punctation,
opaque. Head, autenuie and thorax dark brown; abdomen rather lighter ; all legs
brown; tarsi nearly white; base of all tiljiie nearly white. Wings hj^aliue; veins
slightly dusky.

Described from 1 $ specimen, rather poorly mounted in balsam, reared by D. W.

269

Coquillett, at Los Angeles, Cal., Jnly 21, 1887, from adult female of Icerya purchasi.
It was reared iu a box containing only three or four of the scales, so there can be lit-

FiG. 6i.—Thoron opacus, Howard : a, antenna ; 6, c, d, fore, middle, and hind legs ; e, last tibial and first
tarsal joints of fore leg ; /, abdomen ; g, wings ; h, hooks of hind wing— all much enlarged (Original).

tie doubt of its having lived at the expense of one of them. Mr. Coquillett reared
another specimen August 29, 1887, but this I have not seen.

COCCOPHAGUS CALIFORNICUS, sp. nov.
Female. — Length, 1.4""" ; expanse, 2.1'"'" ; greatest width of fore wing, 0.39"

domen broader than thorax and one-third longer
cle subequal iu length ; joint 1 of
funicle one-third longer. Eyes
rather more plainly hairy than
usual. General color dark brown,
nearly black, uo punctation visi-
ble. Mesoscatellum lighter in
color than rest of thorax except
at immediate base, its posterior
edge with a narrow band of bright
lemon-yellow, extending from one
lateral angle around the curved
border to the opposite lateral
angle, of nearly equal width
throughout, at its widest portion
measuring .027"""; all coxfe brown;
all trochanters yellowish-white ;
all femora brown, yellow at tip,
more yellow at tip of front femora.
less at tip of middle, and still less
at tip of posterior femora; front
tibiic light yellow, very slightly dusky ; middle
tibiie yellowish with a brownish shade near base

Ab-
Pedicel and joints 2 and 3 of fuui-

i^\

Coccophagus californicus, Howard— enlarged

(Oiigiual).

tibia" entirely light yellow ; hind
all tarsi yellowish-white, last joint

270

dusky. Wings hyaline, veins light hrown, distinct. Described from one female
.specimen reared from a female Icerya imrchasi a,t Los Angeles, Cal., July 6, 1887, by
Mr. D. W. Coquillett.

Fig. 66. — Encijrtus duhitts, How.ii'd — enlarged (Original).

ENCYRTUS DUBIUS, sp. nov.

J/rtZe.— Length, 1.2'""^ : expanse, 2.2""" ; greatest width of fore wing, 0.37">">. Scape
of antennitt long, thin, cylindrical, together with bulla as long as first three funicle
joints; pedicel short, conical; joint 1 of funicle longer than pedicel ; joint 2 slightly
.shorter than joint 1 ; joints 2 to 6 sube(]nal in length and width, each constricted at
either extremity ; club ovate, one-third longerthan joint 6 of funicle, but not exceeding
this in width; funicle and club with hairs at least as long as the joints themselves*
but not arranged in regular whorls. Marginal vein of fore wings lacking; postmar,
ginal equal in length to stigmal. Head, niesoscutum, and scapulie very delicately
shagreened ; mesoscutellum with regular fine longitudinal ridges. Metanotal spi-
racles circular. Abdomen ovate, slightly longer than thorax, and equal to it in
width. General color, brown, glistening ; head and mesonotum with greenish metal-
lic luster; antennae and legs light brown, base of tibi;e whitish. Wings hyaline,
veins brown.

Described from one g reared from Icerya purchasi at Los Angeles, Cal., September
3, 1887, by D. W. Coquillett, issuing in a box which contained only adult females of
the scale.

Differs in anteuuie and sculpture of scutellum from any S Eucyrtus which I have
.seen. As the 2 has not been' reared, this may prove to belong to some allied genus,
hence the specific name.

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF THEOPHILA MANDARINA.

By Philip Walker.

Desiring about two years ago to obtain some information about the wild
mulberry- feeding silk- worm of China, the Theophila mandarina., which
had excited some-attention in Europe, the Commissioner of Agriculture
requested the Secretary of State to instruct the consul-general of the
United States at Shanghai to examine into the matter and obtain sam-

271

pies of the cocoons and manufactured products, and if possible some of
the eggs. Ill this the consul-general was successful, as the following
correspondence shows.

The eggs were dul^' received at the Department, but failed to hatch.
This is, we believe, the experience of European experimenters. The
object of tills importation was to obtain a vigorous race of mulberry-
feeding worms, which might be interbred with our own depleted races
and instil into them new life. The outcome was unfortunately unsuc-
cessful.

United States Consulate-General,

Shanghai, August 9, 1886.

Sir: Referring to the Department's instructions No. 7, inclosing a copy of a com-
munication from the Commissionerof Agriculture to Mr. Bayard, relative to a certain
race of silk-worms named therein, I have the honor to state that Shang-lin, a district
in which a kind of wild worm makes its cocoon on the ordinary mulberry tree, is
some 120 miles northwest of Shanghai, and to get there a long and, at this season of
the year, tedious journey is necessary.

I have been informed that the gathering of this wild cocoon is carried on from the
end of the sixth month to the beginning of the eighth (Chinese calendar), and it being
now the middle of the seventh month, I have thought it advisable to instruct Mr.
Emens, the interpreter of this consulate-general, to visit the district of Shang-lin as
soon as possible and inform me of the result of his inquiries and procure the samples
desired by the Commissioner of Agriculture.

The obstacles which will present themselves in making the Inquiries in this matter
will be increased if they are not made during the season, which will close two weeks
hence.

It may be of interest to the Commissioner of Agriculture to kno-w that this par-
ticular kind of cocoon, very little known to Chinese and still less by Americans and
Europeans, is supposed to be a degenerate form of the ordinary silk-worm. Twenty
to twenty-tive years ago, when this section of China was devastated by rebels, the
jjeople of Shang-lin were compelled to flee from their homes at the season of the year
when they were engaged in breeding their silk-worms. Being thus suddenly deprived
of any care whatever the butterflies laid their eggs promiscuously, and in time this
peculiar race of worms has developed, and it is said they are not to be found elsewhere
in China.

The silk is of lighter weight than the ordinary product, and it may possess ordinary
properties that Americans may develop to their profit.

I do not think it has received the attention of European cultivators of the silk-
worm.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

D. Kennedy,
Consul-General.

Hon. James D. Porter,

Assistant Secretary of State, Washington. D. C.

Shanghai, August 27, 1886.
Sir: In conformity with your verbal instructions to obtain for the United States
Department of Agriculture a small quantity of the eggs of a race of mulberry-feed-
ing silk- worms, scientifically known as the Theophila mandarina, and called by the
natives Tlen-seng-tsan, together with samples of the cocoons of this insect and of the
silk spun from them, I have the honor to report that I left Shanghai on the 12th in-
stant and proceeded to Shang-lin, a name applied to a village and the surrounding
district situated in the northern part of Che-Kiang. It is a level, fertile region.

272

throughout which the mulberry is extensively cultivated. At the village of Shaug-
liu I could obtain no satisfactory information regarding the wild worm, as the natives
termed it, and I therefore went a few miles into the country and finally reached a
small village, where I saw the first crop of wild cocoons in the process of being spun,

I made inquiries respecting the eggs, but the people seemed totally ignorant of the
matter, and I was repeatedly told that these worms came from heaven, which ex-
plains the term used in the letter of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Tien-seng-
tsan, which, literally translated, is htaveu-born silk- worm. Throughout a circuit of
'20 miles this wild worm is met with. No attempt is made to propagate them. They
take up their abode in the mulberry orchards from which the domestic worm is fed,
and they are regarded by some of the farmers as a nuisance, while others in whose
orchards they are numerous gather and dispose of the cocoons.

I could only learn of five places where the spinniug of these cocoons is carried on.

I secured four samples of cloth, which I have marked Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4. No. 1 is
a crape used for women's turbans, for which I paid the retail price of 70 cents, Mex-
ican. No. 2 is a kind of gauze, and is used in various ways; price, 40 cents. No. 3
is used for clothing; price, 52^ cents. No. 4 is made from the outside covering of the
cocoon, from which a kind of down, used for wadding in quilts and winter clothing,
is also made. Sample No. 5 is a lot of cocoons before being stripped, and No. shows
the appearance when ready for winding. Sample No. 7 shows the spun silk as taken
from the reel.*

It will be observed that it is of a yellowish color and much coarser than the ordi-
nary silk. I did not succeed in obtaining any of the eggs, the second crop being all
hatched, but I made arrangements to have a quantity sent me as soon as the worms,
which are now about twenty days old, have developed into moths. I expect they
will arrive in Shanghai in the latter part of September. Eggs laid in the eighth
moon hatch out so that the cocoons are ready to gather in the following sixth moon,
forming the first crop. The second crop is gathered in the eighth, and no attention
whatever is given at any time to the breeding or raising of these worms.

They must lay their eggs on the bark of the mulberry tree as well as the leaves, for
in the autumn the leaves are all stripped from the trees and fed to sheep. Yet the crop
is always about the same.

Attempts to cultivate theiu or to compel them to lay their eggs indoors will, I was
informed, prove unsatisfactory. The moths will either escape or die. I was told
that they never cross with the domestic worm. They feed upon the mulberry leaves
exclusively. I made inquiries as to their origin, and was told that they had always
existed throughout that section. Information that I had jjreviously obtained in
Shanghai to the eft'ect that they are a degenerate type of the ordinary worm, caused
by the advent of the rebels twenty-five years ago, was not corroborated by the an-
swers to my questions on the subject. An old man of seventy, who was busy reeling
silk, told me that he had known of them for over sixty years. The natives spoke of
their hardiness and their indifl'erence to rain, wind, or any of the conditions that
seriously affect the domestic worm.

The majority of the natives of whom I made inquiries knew nothing of their
habits. They gather the cocoons from the trees twice a year and regard them as a
free gift from heaven.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

W. S. Emexs,
Interpreter United States Consulate-General.

General J. D. Kennedy,

Consiil-General of the United States, Slianr/hai.

" These samples are in the Department's silk museum.

273

NOTES ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE JAPANESE OAK-FEEDING
SILK-WORM (Antherea yama mai).

15Y C. E. WEBSTER, M. D.

The subject of this pa])er is ooe that has engaged the attentiou of
the writer through a period of several years, aud affords mauy pleas-
ant recollections.

The eggs of the Yama-mai are deposited singly or in small groups.
Their tenacious brown envelope serves to fasten them to the spot when
they are deposited, to occlude the minute pores which perforate the
shell, thus controlling the evaporation of the contained iiuids, and also
as a disguise to conceal them from birds aud other enemies, rendering
them inconspicuous upon the rough twigs of the oak. In shape they
are flattened spheroids, the greater diameter being 3""" and thelesser2""".
They are deposited in the latter part of August. Those which are
sterile begin to flatten out in a few days and finally collapse, while those
that are fertile, if carefully opened by cutting off one face of the disk,
will show the developing embryo.

The worm is fully formed long before cold weather sets in, and lies
throughout the winter in a dormant state curled up within its neatly
varnished case.

The eggs are commercially known as seed. I obtained my seed from
Mr. W. Y. Andrews, of New York, in the fall of 1872. He probably
obtained the stock from England. Originally the species was brought
from Japan by the French Acclimatization Society about the year 1S60.
The first stock was lost, and later a representative of the Dutch Gov-
ernment obtained a fresh supply, from which many crops were raised in
different parts of Europe.

I placed the eggs in a bottle and hung them outside a north window.
There they remained until the following- spring. When warm weather
came, fearing that they would hatch before their food-plant, the Uak,
was in leaf, the bottle was lowered into a well and occasionally exam-
ined. All remained quiet until the middle of May, when there appeared
three or four little caterpillars.

The Oak was not yet out. It is stated* that they will eat the leaves
of the Chestnut, Quince, Pynis terminalis and P. aria (species allied to
the Mountain Ash) and also that they will eat the leaves of the Pear.t

The young- worms were placed upon the pear leaves and ate vigor-
ously, but this food brought on an attack of diarrhoea, a regular cholera
infantum, from which they died, victims of circumstances and an un-
natural diet. A few days later the little reddish, fuzzy oak leaves were
out of bud, more caterpillars were crawling about in the bottle and the
work of attending an interesting family of fifty began in good earnest,

*Der Japauische Eicheuspiauer. Von Ad. Ullerich.
flu Mr. Andrews' circular.

274

The eggs were emptied upon a piece of moist blottiug paper, covered
with glass and set in a warm place. A temperature of 60° F. is suffi-
cient to hitch them. The moisture serves to soften the shell and varnish.
The worm makes a perforation in the edge of the disk, and through this
opening its head can be seen vigorously gnawing at the tough rind which
imprisons it. Some larvse* make a meal of their entire egg-shell, de-
vouring what is left of it after they emerge, but these merely eat a bole
large enough to crawl through. They hatch early in the morning and
have the advantage in their natural state of a drink of dew before going
to the leaves. For this reason it is best to give them water before
]dacing them upon their food, or the twigs may be sprinkled with water.
They should never be touched by inexperienced fingers, but may be
lifted upon a soft brush. In handling them observe the fact that their
tendency is to crawl upwards.

The length of the newly hatched worm is 7""". The general color is
dark, and they are quite hairy. This ai)pearance serves a useful pur-
pose, rendering them less conspicuous upon the twigs of the oak, and
much better protected from the sharp sight of insect-eating birds than
if they presented the bright green color of their later stage.

The young worms when placed upon their food at once crawl to the
end of the stem and attack the leaves. In their first period they are
rather restless and disposed to wander, particularly if in a light place.
In four or five days they attain the length of 14""".

The caterpillar then prepares to cast its skin. For this it is neces-
sary that it should have a firm hold upon the twig, to secure which it
crawls away to the end of the stem and covers the bark for a short space
with a net-work of silk. Firndy grasping this fabric with its hinder
pairs of legs for two or three days, it composes itself to sleep while in-
ternal changes are taking place. During this sleep it does not assume
the ordinary position of rest. The fore part of the body is elevated and
very much drawn together, a position characteristic of the larva of the
SphingidtTB.

]Molting insects should never be disturbed. This change involves a
great strength, and sickly ones are unable to endure it. Those un-
fortunates who enter into the new i)eriod with portions of the old skin
still attached to them are quite likely to die.

The newly molted worm looks pale and delicate. Its head, much in-
creased in size, is of a creamy color, the body of a light green and si)arely
covered with thin hairs. The segments do not present the plump,
rounded appearance that is characteristic of the condition just before
the molt, but are angular. After a short rest it repairs to the ends of
the twigs where the leaves, which are now quite large and of a glossy
green, serve to relieve its hunger. The chief occupation of the worms
during the period between the molts is eating, and as the amount eaten

*Tbe Sphingidw.

275

depends upou the size of the jaws, we see that au occasional cbaujje is
necessary to meet the requirements of an increasing appetite. Wlieu
reared nnder cover, the leaves must be occasionally sprinkled in order
to supply the worm with drink.

In a short time after the first molt it becomes somewhat darker in
color and in ten days prepares, as before, for the second molt. It has
then reached a length of about 26'"'". At the twenty-flrst day it makes
a third cast of the skin. Its length is 45"^'".

Just before the fourth molt, which occurs near the thirty-first day, it
measures 70"^"". This is its final caterpillar skin. The head which
was previously more or less tinted with red remains of a permanent
green. The sides are adorned with metallic silver spots, and other
less conspicuous markings.

The fully grown worm forty-seven days after hatching from the egg
is of a length of 90'"'" or 100""". It is then about to produce the cocoon.
The fully grown caterpillar wanders about the branches of the Oak evac-
uating from its bowels, not the hard dry pieces characteristic of its ordi-
nary condition, but a soft semifluid matter which will mar any cocoon
upon which it happens to fall. For this reason, as well as to avoid ac-
cidents consequent upon being disturbed, the twigs containing spinning
insects should be removed from the neighborhood of those preparing
to spin. The worm generally selects a spot where two leaves can be
drawn together to afford a partial shelter. Between these leaves it en-
sconces itself.

The first silk thrown out is of a golden-green color. With this is
covered the stems of the leaves, the twig from which they grow, and
also their proximal surfoces. This silk forms a sort of scatibldmg. It
prevents the leaves, and with it the web, from failing oft" the tree, de-
fines the space that the cocoon is to occupy and by its color serves as a
disguise for the white material that is produced later. Having in-
closed itself within this coarse structure the cocoon proper is made.
Along. the exposed space in the o])eniug between the leaves is woven
the first thick layer of silk. The head is moved rapidly back and forth
across this surface leaving after it its sticky filament. The fiber is laid
in loops as if by a flourish of the pen. The entire fabric is composed
of a repetition of loops like flourishes.

Each cocoon, it is stated, consists of a single thread extending from
the stem through intricate weaviugs till it ends upon the inner surface.
This thread is from 800'" to 1,000"' in length and .02^'"'" to .05'"'" in thick-
ness.

In a day or two the cocoon is completed. It is a regular oval about
50'""' 'by 25""". The exposed portions of the outer surface of a golden
green, while the portions protected by the leaves are of a pale green.
The interior is of a silvery white.

On the third day after commencing the spinning there is evacuated a
milky-white secretion, which permeates the whole structure and in dry-
18578—^0. 9^—2

276

ing leaves it covered with a fine white dust. This secretion is supposed
to correspond to the urine of higher animals.

At tliis time tlie caterpillar skin is cast for the last time. The head
splits through the middle, the split extending- down the back, and by
repeated vermicular movements the creature forces the skin backward
until it remains a conical button packed at the bottom of the cocoon.
The pupa is at first a soft sticky thing, with rudimentary members simi-
lar to those of the fully-developed moth, excepting the wings and sex-
ual organs, which are little developed. In a short time all of these
structures become agglutinated together by drying, and although their
outlines are still discernible, they can no longer be separated.

The pupal period is forty days.

Let us consider the mercantile value of the structure which this in-
sect has made for its own protection. If the cocoon be placed in hot
water and stirred about, various euds of the fiber which was broken in
stripping off the leaves will be found floating. If these are caught upon
some rough substance and drawn out of the water, they will unravel
from the cocoon and soon end. By perseverance a fiber will be found
which unravels indefinitely. In the practical api)lication of this fact
for the reeling of silk several cocoons are placed in the water together
and their fibers joined to form a single thread.

The peculiarities of this silk are that the fiber is strong and loosely
laid, therefore comparatively easy to reel, but it is coarser than the
Bomhyx mori silk and does not take a dye readily. The silks of the
various American species are somewhat finer, of various shades of brown,
and difficult to reel because of the compactness of the cocoon and the
delicacy of the thread. I have, however, specimens of the Cecropia
silk which was of such quality that it could be manipulated.

In gathering cocoons for silk they should be taken while fresh, as
soon as the worm has completed its pupal change and before the weather
has affected the quality of the fiber. The pupa may be killed by steam-
ing and drying. The cocoons can then be packed and preserved for
reeling. The Japanese j)repare the yama-mai by killing them in the sun
or baking them in ovens.

The first change occurs at about the fifth week after the spinning;
the chrysalis skin bursts, and the moth emerges by emptying a fluid
which softens the fiber and then breaking its way through the end of
the cocoon. After about an hour the wings become expanded and the
perfect insect is before us. The female is slightly larger than the male
and of a more somber color. The males vary in tint from dark choco-
late to bright yellow, while the female varies from brown to orange.
The forewings are strongly curved along the costal margin and acutely
angled at the tip. Each wing presents a transparent eye-like spot, in
this respect resembling the Polyphemus and Luna. The vivid coloring
and strongly- marked difference between the male and female serve to
distinguish this species from A. ijeniyi, its Chinese congener.

277

DiiriDg the first day the female is quiescent. After pairing the male
^ies away, while the female flutters among the branches and deposits
ber eggs. As reared in confinement, the eggs may be gathered from
the sides of the boxes within which they are deposited. The ordinary
yield of a single insect is two hundred.

The yama-mai is a native of a hilly country, and thrives better in
similar localities. The Japanese raise them either upon scrub oaks or
upon cut branches of the same placed in jars of water in open sheds.
If raised upon the trees, scare crows are placed in the tops to keep away
the birds and paste spread about the trunk to catch the ants.

The species can readily be cultivated in this country. The only spe-
cial precaution necessary is care in the wintering of the eggs, and, if
reared in confinement, the selection of a locality free from mold, coob
with a free circulation of air, and not too dry, as this is the best for the
growing worms ; otherwise they are liable to an infectious disease, which
destroys them just before the period of spinning. It might be possible
to change the habit of this species so that it could be wintered in the
cocoon, but it is probable that such a change would affect the quality of
the silk. It appears to me more likely that the establishment of a cul-
tivated stock of the American species, which should winter in the egg
and produce a summer cocoon, thus resembling the yama-mai in habit,
would afford a source from which a native staple might be reeled.

I am led to this conclusion by the observation that those cocoons of
the Cecropia which when reelable contained dead worms, show con-
clusively that change by cultivation is necessary in order to utilize the
native species.

The secret of success in silk culture is in knowing the nature of the
insect, and failures regarding foreign species are due to an attempt to
introduce, not adopt or naturalize, them. A purely native silk can be
produced, and the cultivation of such a stock would be the best founda-
tion for a silk industry. Understanding must be the parent of skill.
Domestication of the native and acclimatization of foreign must precede
the cultivation of a useful product.

NOTES ON A SPECIES OF BRYOBIA INFESTING DWELLINGS.

By F. M. Webster.

For the last two years, during spring, there have appeared in a num-
ber of residences in La Fayette, Ind., great numbers of small, active,
brown mites, which, while apparently doing no harm, created much con-
sternation among the painstaking housewives.

There are a number of species of Bryobia in this country, two of which
{B. pratensis and B. pallida) were described by Mr. H. Garman as in-
festing meadows in Illinois,* but the present species appears to be unde-
scribed.

*Fourteentli Report State Entomologist 111, pp. 73 and 74.

278

Ou May 26 of the present year our atteution was called to the
swarms of these mites crawling ou windows and over cari)ets and fur-
niture iu rooms, some of which were not accessible to sunshine, and had
not been kept warm during winter. On June 7, we found the same
species exceedingly abundant on the leaves of Timothy ou the lawns iu
the vicinity of the infested dwellings. Those which we had observed
indoors were seemingly fully developed, whereas those on the grass
were of all sizes, the minute individuals predominating, and usually
forming companies or families grouped about mature individuals. A
month later however, there were comparatively few remaining ou
the grass, and they had long since disappeared from the dwellings.
On July 29, I could find but a single individual after long search, this
one being, as I suppose, full grown. From this date up to September
26, when they were again observed on Timothy, nothing could be found
of them ou the grasses or indoors. Wherever these mites occurred ou
the grass the latter soon began to have a scalded appearance. In fact,
the prevailing opinion seems to be that the species of Bryobia, found in
this country, are of vegetal food habits. This, if true, would indicate
that they entered our dwellings for the purpose of hibernating; an idea
which is somewhat strengthened by the fact that in some of the houses
which they frequented there were no growing plants. Besides this, a
species similar to the one observed by me was sent to Prof. A. J.
Cook, from Scotts, Mich., by Mr. Adam Haas, on December 12, with
the complaint that the window curtains and carpet on the south side
of his parlor were full of them.* But, if their object were simply to
secure protection from the cold weather, why should they stay so late
in the spring ?

This occurrence of mites in dwellings is not confined to Indiana and
Michigan. In the Country Gentleman of June 9, 1881, a correspondent
of Susquehanna County, Pa., complains of their occurring ou kitchen
windows and in a box of clothing in a seldom used chamber, the
walls, floor, and furniture of the latter, iu the corner near the box, being
almost covered with the mites. In his reply Dr. Lintner states that
the mites were allied to the red spider. In a private letter of July 9»
1881, Dr. Liutuer writes me that under date of June 16 a correspondent
complains of the occurrence, in great numbers, of mites in a newly
lathed, plastered, and painted house.

In Europe the massing together of a similar species, Petrohla lapidum,
during autumn, has been repeatedly observed. Duges found whole
families under stones in public walks iu the south of France, he having
in summer observed it in families on the under side of leaves of the
Plane-tree.t What was sui)posed to be the same species has been sev-
eral times reported as swarming under pebbles and gravel in England.

*Michigan Farmer, January 9, 1888.

t Economic Entomology. Aptera. By Andrew Murray, pp. 119, 120.

279

Mr. Albert Miiller ineiitious its occurreuce in great numbers in August,
on the flint gravel, covering the approaches to Elmer's End Station,
near London.*

CRANBERRY LEAF-GALLS.

Bj' Dn. Fr. Thomas, Ohrdniff, Germany.

The cranberry-galls mentioned in the periodical bulletin (Insect
Life, Vol. I, 1888, p. 112), looking like mite-galls of extremely small
size, are not made by Phytoptus or any other animal parasite, but by a
little unicellular fungus of the genus Synchytrinm. The mite-galls of
a similar form we And on other plants are purse-like and furnished with
an opening, serving as a passage-way for the mites from the opposite
surface of the leaf. Microscopical investigatioTi shows the cranberry-
galls as not purse-like, but chalice-shai)ed. On the bottom of the crim-
son chalice (at the base of the excavation) one cell is much increased
in size, the " host cell" of the parasite. It contains only one subglob-
ular fungus-cell, 0.08(3-0.171""" in diameter, which has a brownish,
smooth wall ; its contents are colored by chrome-yellow oil. This " rest-
ing spore" of the fungus resembles that of Synchytrimn aureum Schro-
ter, known in Euroi)e as growing upon a great many plants, in the
United States on LysimacJiia quadrifoUa L. (cf Farlow, Botanical Ga-
zette, X, p. ii42), but till now unknown or at least undescribed as a gall-
maker of Vaccininm. I do not believe that the Synchytrium vaccinii,
which produces the cranberry-galls, belongs to the former species, no
chalice-shaped gall caused by Synchytriwn aureum having been found
yet.

In autumn the cranberry-galls become black and brittle and break
otf. The resting spores of the fungus fall down to the ground or are set
free by the rotting away of the leaves. Next spring the spore germi-
nates, produces (in a manner still to be stated for this species) zoospores,
swimming in water for some time and attaching themselves to epidermal
cells of a young cranberry- leaf to i-ecommence the production of galls.
Thus the parasite spreads by water, an infection that can not be lim-
ited in a locality in which water sometimes overflows all the ground or
runs from one part to the other. A long flooding of the bog can not
but result in the further distribution of the disease. The single remedy,
I mean, would be to draw out all plants covered with galls in summer
or autumn before the resting spores escape.

* Entomologist's Monthly Magazine, ltifi7-'68, p. 71.

Note. — Early in December, ln88, Hon. L. B. Cnster, of Logansport, Ind., applied
to me for a remedy for a species of mite which had taken possession of a dwelling
in his city, coming in throngh the crevices about the windows, as observed by the
lady of the house, they having been also observed in the same house the preceding
spring.— F, M. W.

280

It is possible that tbe same fungus irsfects other plants, too, and causes
there small protuberances or galls on leaves and stalks, and therefore
it would be desirable to state the occurrence of such small galls on
other plants in the near neighborhood of the diseased cranberries.

EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE.

The Red-legged Flea-beetle injuring Peach Orchards.

A peach enemy has spruug up among us that threatens the entire destruction of
our orchards unless checked in some way. It is a small beetle, as per inclosed speci-
men. It partakes somewhat of the natnre of the flea and potato-bug. When dis-
turbed they jump rather tban fly, and can be shaken ofl' the trees, causing them to
drop through the branches like shot. We propose to spray our trees with Paris green
(1 pound to 100 gallons). Do you know the name of the insect we refer to, and is
there anything better than Paris green for their destruction ? Any information you
may be able to give us will be thankfully received. [Stover & Stover, Edgemont,
Md., May 15, 1888.

Reply. — * * * The insect which is damaging your peach trees is the Red-legged
Flea-beetle (Haltica rufipes). Your proposed application of Paris green will probably
be satisfactory in destroying the beetles, but of course will not at once put a stop to
the damage. Would it not be simpler to shake them down upon sheets placed upon
the ground, first saturating the sheets with kerosene so that every beetle falling
upon them will be killed? We shall be glad to learn of the success of whichever
plan you adopt. — [May 17, 1888.]

The Spider Bite Question again.

I must thank you for sending me Insect Life. While entomology is out of my
line now, I usually see something of interest while looking over your journal. In
the last number the article on "Fatal Spider Bites" has especially interested me, as
I have had a curious experience in the same line, and it may interest you to have an
account of it.

In medicine we frequently have rare cases come together. I have had six cases of
spider bite, or so diagnosed, where the testimony is more or less convincing as to the
venom of spiders

Four of them are rather remarkable, as the history is the same in all, and the symp-
toms very similar. A man comes home from his work, eats his supper, and goes out
to the privy, sits on the hole, comes in contact with a spider's web, and almost im-
mediately is bitten on the glans penis. But a few minutes pass by before there is
giddiness and sharp lancinating pains running up into the back and abdomen. The
patient is so sick that he goes to bed at once and sends for a physician ; there is fever,
intense restlessness, and anxiety ; the abdominal muscles hard and contracted; the
muscles of the face and throat strongly contracted, and swallowing very difflcult;
the patient appears to be in great agony, and calls for immediate relief; the arterial
pressure is high, the pulse hard and rapid. In my first case, a negro about forty five
years old, the symptoms were relieved by large doses of morphine subcutaneously,
and the patient was up in three or four days. He had incipient phthisis at the time,
and died from this disease a year later. There was no point on the glans penis to
indicate the bite.

In my second case I was called out at midnight on the suburbs of the city to a
mulatto, a large and vigorous man, whom I found in great iigony, tossing all over

281

the bed, and crying out from the same ianciuatiug pains running np into the abdomen
and back, the muscles of the whole body strongly contracted, especially the abdom-
inal; there was high fever, the body in a profuse perspiration, and the pulse hard and
quick. He gave me much the same history. He had gone out to the privy after his sup-
per, had sat on the hole, had felt the web, and almost immediately the bite on the glans
penis, followed quickly by the agonizing pains, so that it was with great difCcnlty
that he reached the house. I gave him large doses of morphia, hypoderniatically, and
plenty of whisky before he found any relief. This man was sick in bed three weeks;
he had fever lasting several days, and some diarrhoea, and he got up much reduced in
flesh, verj weak, and his muscles all sore from the tetanic contractions.

A third case was that of a strong, muscular white man, who sent for me at mid-
night, after trying in vain various measures to relieve his violent pains in the stomach
and back. He gave me precisely the same history as the other two. He went into
his garden after supper to attend to his flowers, went into the privy, sat on the hole,
felt the spider's web, and almost immediately the bite. For some minutes he felt no
inconvenience ; gradually the severe lancinating pains came on, shooting up into the
abdomen and back, and they increased to such an extent that he sent for me. I
found the same restlessness, anxiety, tetanic contractions, and agonizing pains as in
the other cases. I found, moreover, on the glans penis the point of puncture. It
was a bright red point, surrounded by a white zone, and an outer red areola, the en-
tire spot measuring about two lines. The testicles were drawn up, and the abdom-
inal muscles very tense and hard. Morphia and stimulautsrelieved the case, and the
patient was out in two days.

The fourth case was that of a boy two years old. His nurse had set him on a privy
seat which had not been used for some time, and he immediately complained of some-
thing biting him. When seen by me soon after, I found the prepuce very much
swollen and edematous, but the child did not complain much. The swelling disap-
peared rapidly. The evidence in this case is very unsatisfactory, of course.

My fifth case was that of a colored woman, who gave a history of a spider dropping
from the ceiling and biting her on the face as she lay in bed. There was a great deal
of oedema and pain, and the patient suftered several days. I could find no distinct
point of puncture, and the spider was not found.

In my sixth case a man in putting on his sock in the morning was bitten on the
toe, giving him a great deal of pain. He was quickly relieved by morphine. He
brought me the spider, which I immediately put in alcohol for future examination.
Unfortunately, while away from the city, the specimen was lost. There was a red
spot on the abdomen, and it resembled very much the female Latrodectiis mactaus fig-
ured in your journal.

I am sorry the evidence in these cases is not more direct, and that lean not produce
the spiders. I made diligent search in each case, but the webs had been brushed
away. While it may be questioned that these cases were spider bites, the collective
evidence is in favor, I think, of that explanation. One thing is certain — sitting on old
privy seats is not without its dangers, in this part of the country, at any rate. Scor-
pions are not to be found in Georgia, certainly not in this part of the State. I know
of no species of ant capable of producing snch a serious bite. We can throw out a
bee or wasp sting. The svmptoms all pointed to the introduction of a venom or ani-
mal alkaloid allied to tctanine. The evidence in four cases of sitting on a privy seat,
of feeling the web, and immediately the bite, points strongly to the spider as the
cause of the trouble.

The intensity of the symptoms in the second case, where the patient was a strong
and vigorous man, would lead one to believe in the possibility of a fatal spider bite
when the patient was feeble or especially sensitive to the venom of spiders. Of
course, it is a mere conjecture as to the species of spider that caused the trouble in
these cases. In the first three cases the symptoms were so similar as to suggest but
one species. And yet it is not impossible that with spiders, as with the venomous

282

rt'ptiles, tbe malignity of the bite aiay depend upon the condition of the animal at
the time. With the rattlesnake, for instance, repeated use of his fangs will exhaust
the supply of the poisou, requiring some time for its reproduction, at -which time the
bite will be much less venomous.

I have written out for you my experience, thinking you may be able to make some
use of it in your journal. — [E. R. Corson, M. D., liSS Jones street. Savannah, Ga.,
January 26, 1881).

Reply. — Your long and interesting letter of January 26 has just come. The record
of your spider-bite cases is extremely interesting, and we will publish it in a near
number of Insect Life just as sent, making perhaps a few comments. It is greatly
to be regretted that in none of these cases was the spider seen or captured, and it
is also a matter of regret that you lost the specimen of the one which you thiuk was
Latrodectus, and which was the biter in your sixth case. Your letter as a whole
atfords a very strong bit of cumulative evidence. In none of the outhouse cases is it
probable that the Latrodectus could have been the biter, as the spiders of this genus
do uot live in such places. There are, however, two genera, viz, Amaiiroiius and
Ccvlotes, which do live in such buildings. Their species are rather large, active,
ferocious spiders, which spin abundant webs. The very names of two of the species of
Amanrobii(s, viz, aiidax and ferox, indicate the character of the spiders. There are
other spiders found in these places, viz, the genera Tegenaria, Pholciis, Dictyna, and
Tlierid'unn. The tirst, however, is probably not the one. The second is too weak,
and the third is too small, and the fourth is too shy. It seems to me that the circum-
stances under which the bites were given in the tirst four cases are pecniiarly favor-
able, as the parts injured were those which broke tlie web and which were most ex-
posed and which, at the same time, are perhaps the tenderest parts of the body, being
tilled with blood-vessels and nerves. It is truly remarkiible that all of these cases
should have occurred in your practice so nearly together. I suppose that you have
uot placed them on record before or you would have given us the references. If any
similar cases occur again in your practice or in the experience of any of your medical
friends I hope that you will not fail to try to secure the perpetrator of the injury. —
[January 30, 1889.]

Susceptibility to Insect Poison.

Allow me to refer to Insect Life, No. 7, page 204, instancing the cases of reputed
poisoning by Latrodectus mactans, where unsuspecting persons had been bitten, re-
sulting fatally, while so many others have been bitten without being seriously in-
jured, and scientilic and medical men have often caused it to bite them to test
its power for harm The sting of the honeybee is not usually considered serious,
but an exception came directly under my observation. During the afternoon of July
12, 1887, I removed some sections of honey from a colony of bees, and as the basswood
(or linden) season was nearly finished they had but little to do but to seek revenge.
At 6 a. m. the next day as my mother stepped outside the door she was stuug upon
the temple by an irate bee, while at a distance from the hive of about 100 feet.
At 6.30 she was taken with a fainting tit, somewhat spasmodic in its action, which
was followed by six others during the next hour and a half. A reclining posture and
a dash of cold water into the face would soon restore consciousness, ohe continually
insisted upon sitting up and that she " was better now," until at 8 o'clock, when the
worst symptoms began to wear away. The sting had not been removed at first
and was not readily found, as there was scarce any swelling or angry blotches in one
place more than another to be seen upon the face, and the wound itself seemed very
slight. The extremities were swollen and blotched, accompanied by a sensation as of
nettles, and very painful, apparently the etfect of the virus being sutfused throughout
the entire system, whereas, when stung, the most of it (the virus) usually appears
to linger in the tiesh round about the wound, and often causes considerable swelling
in the vicinitv.

283

The sting of the wasp, hornet, and bumble-bee is no less virulent, and cases are
claimed where healthy meu have died from the sting of an individual of each of the
above-named insects.

In such cases, were the stings to be removed immediately without pinching the
large end which contaius the poison sac, thereby charging the wound with poison,
and as much of the virus as possible removed from the wouud by suction or otherwise,
and an alkali, as soda or ammonia water, applied, it hardly seems as if there could be
much trouble, unless the poison were to get into the circulation iu sufficient quantity
almost immediately, which is hardly to be exi)ected. Such occasional circumstances
ought not to deter us from keeping bees, but should rather incite us to study nature's
laws, lest a single stray bee work much harm ; aud iu case of both bee aud spider it
seems that not one case in one hundred thousand proves fatal. Indeed, may it not
be a fact that radical poisoning and death, caused by these smaller insects of their
special orders, have only occurred where the virus was introduced directly into the
circulation, either through vein or artery 1 L am not aware that L. mnctans is
found in Michigan. Have never seen it here. The question whether it has been
examined for any glands that may produce a virus and place it iu a wound made by
the mandibles suggests itself. Also, if such virus has been found, whether its nature
be acid or alkaline.

Some points regarding the reported effects of the poison of L. mactans may be
worthy of note. When once in the system of the man (mentioned by Mr. Dick)
who was bitten but did not die, it seemed to remain iu the system much as does the
venom of the rattlesnake. The formic acid from the bee-sting loses its iutegrity in a
day or two. Its action is quick and decided, but not lasting. The effects of prussic
acid upon insects in the " cyanide bottle" are very similar. Tbey very soon succumb
to its effects, but even when in a state of lethargy, if placed in the open air, often re-
vive and are soon as well as ever. — [E. W. AUis, Adrian, Mich., February 9, 1889,

The Hay Worm in Kentucky.

Please tell me what is the matter with the hay ? The accompanying sample was
out and ricked in the meadow in the summer of 1887, aud remained there till a few
days ago. When hauling it in, after the hay was unloaded froui the wagon, there
were great quantities of the large, brown, seed-like bodies all over the rack, among
which were little worms .and bugs. Are the brown pellets the manure from the
worms and bugs? You will observe that the heads of the timothy hay appear to have
been eaten out in hollows. In the box I send you are also quantities of the brown
substance aud worms, just as appeared ou the hay frame. —[James F. Askew, George-
town, Ky., November 26, 1888.

Reply. — * * * The insect in question is the common Hay Worm {Asopia cos-
taJis), usually found in clover hay and the life-history of which was first given by me
in the Prairie Farmer (April 20, 18(37), and subsequently more fully iu the Sixth
Eeport on the Insects of Missouri. The small round pellets are the excreuientia of
the caterpillars. This insect is a difficult one to tight, aud our ouly way to defeat
its attack is to adopt certain preventive measures. After the haymow is once
thoroughly infested, it is almost impossible to destroy the worms without renderirig
the hay unfit for use. The worm feeds solely upon dried hay, and during summer
they are confiued to such unfed hay as remains over from the previous year's mak-
ing; therefore new hay should never be stacked iu coutact with old. Of course it
would be desirable to clean up the barn before putting in the new crop. Salting
the hay, especially the 2 or 3 feet near the bottom, is a good practice. Its occur-
rence upou timothy hay is rather remarkable ; for, as before stated, it greatly prefers
clover, aud, in consequence, will you not kindly inform us whether this particular hay
was not stowed near some last year's clover, or upou a spot where clover had been ? —
{November 30, 1888.]

284

Second letter.— In reply to yours of the 30th ult. in relation to the Hay Worm,
I will say that there was no clover stacked near the timothy hay, nor had there ever
been. The hay will inspect pure timothy, although th«re is a stalk of red clover
scattered here and there in the meadow. I have ted attacked hay to all kinds of
stock and have seen no ill results.— [December 22, 1888.

A Rose-bud Cecidomyia.

I take the liberty of forwarding to you for inspection an insect which has made
its appearance in a neighbor's rose-houses, and completely destroys all his buds. You
will find, ou close inspection, a little maggot-like worm close under the bud in all the
young shoots I send you. As it is not known to me or any other rose grower I have
shown it to, I would like to hear your opinion of it. if not asking too much. Also if
you know anything in the way of remedies for it.— [Ernst Asmus, West Hoboken,
N. J., September 29, 1886.

Eeply. — * * * This injury appears to be, so far as I know, entirely unprece-
dented. The insect is the larva of one of the gall midges of the genus Cecidomyia,
but no insect of this kiud has ever been recorded as feeding in this manner. It there-
fore becomes of great interest and importance to work this insect up thoroughly, and
as a preliminary step I would urge you to send at once to the Department as many of
the injured buds with the larviie as you can find. In addition to this, it would be a
good plan to cover with gauze one of the plants, so as to catch the little midge when
it issues from the ground.— [October 1, 1886.]

Second letter.—" * * The maggot Cecidomyia has made its appearance in
two different florists' establishments this fall in my neighborhood, if I have been
rightly informed, in both cases having destroyed the whole crop [of roses]. They
seem to appear in the fall only, as I have not heard of any later. * * *—[ January
18, 1889.

Beetles infesting Yeast Cakes.

I send in this mail a box of yeast cakes that are infested. Will you kindly send me
the name or names of the animals? They appear in the boxes of yeast during the
months of August and September, aud do not trouble us much at any other time. The
boxes in which they are put up are covered with a paper label, seemingly in such a
way that no insect could get in. Is it possible that the egg is hatched in the meal,
and that the insect develops in the yeast ? Apparently the only way to get rid of
them is to prevent their developing in the boxes. Can yon suggest any preventive
that might be placed in the box which would make a part of the composition of the
box itself? The boxes used are like the one I send you. Could oil of cedar be used f
* * * In the process of making the meal is raised to ubout 90° F. Would this kill
the eggs?— [W. K. Higley, College of Pharmacy, Chicago, 111., October 4, 1888.

Reply. — * * * Your yeast cakes were iufested by Silvanns surinamensis and Lee-
mophlceus pusiUus, two insects which are very general feeders aud very common in
drug stores, feeding upon all sorts of medicinal roots, barks, herbs, aud powders.
Both species also feed upon meal and liour. The box which yon sent was not at all
tight, and it would be very easy for the beetles to work their way under the cover. If
the label is securely pasted on aud completely encircles the box the insects can not
enter without piercing the paper, which they will not be ai>tto do. If the eggs or any
young larv» were contained in the meal they would probably not be destroyed by a
heat of 90° F. An easy way to kill them would be to subject them before use to a
heat of 110°, aud then the only protection necessary after this course is taken will be
to pay particular attention to and secure gumming of the label around the edges of
the cover. * * *— [October 7, 1886.

285

Mites in Flaxseed.

I inclose sample mites taken from flaxseed that has beeu stored since last fall.
Will you kindly tell me what these turn to, and if they will die out when cold weather
comes? Will you say at the same time if they cause any damage to the seed, either
in appearance or shrinkage in weights? * * * — [Albert Dickinson, 115 Kiuzie
street, Chicago, 111., September 16, 1886.

Eeply. — * * * The seed has been infested by the mite known as Tryo(//i/j)^i/ssi>o,
but there is also another mite present which is predaceous in its habits, and which
is killing off the original mites in great numbers. This predaceous mite is Cheyletus
eruditus. This case is precisely comparable to one that was brought to our notice a
year ago by a Milwaukee firm. In that case a prediction was made that within a few
weeks the mites would disappeai-, and it seems probable that in the case of your flax-
seed the same thing will occur. If it seems worth v^hile to take the trouble, I would
advise the thorough sifting of the seed in the sacks which have been observed to be
infested, in order to get rid of the brown earthy-looking substance, which is nothing
more nor less than the bodies of the destroyed mites. — [September 18, 1886.

Insects at Electric Lamps.

* * * These beetles (GaJeruca xanthomelwna) were very injurious to elm trees in
Poughkeepsie, N. Y., last summer. Some bands of cotton soaked in oil (I think they
were) had beeu placed around the tree, but did not seem to be of much service, siuce
I picked large numbers of pup;e out of them which afterward developed healthy bee-
tles. The beetles came into the electric lights much less than I should have sup-
posed, for though there were thousands of other species of Coleoptera and Lepido-
ptera, such as Leucania uuiptuicta, L.harveyi, Cacacia fervldana, and a species of beetle
unknown to me (of which I took in one week from one-third of the lamps of the city
over 6,000), Galeruca xanthomelcena v,'as quite scarce, hardly numbering 100 specimens,
I should think, in the week's catch above referred to.— [Harrison G. Dyar, Boston,
Mass., February 8, 1889.

Note.— The beetle referred to was Harpalus pennsylvanicus. Of theother Coleoptera
a large percentage were Carabidte.

Bees versus Fruit.

I see that a statement of the experiments of N. W. McLain, of Aurora, 111., with
honey bees, is going the rounds of the papers as conclusive evidence that bees do not
puncture grapes. As an observer of the facts in the case, and a practical fruit-grower for
the last thirty-five years, and with several colonies of bees quite a portion of the time,
I am prepared to say that those experiments are not conclusive. Bees have striking
peculiarities, as you are well aware, and in none are they more peculiar than in their
tastes. They attack certain varieties of peaches with great avidity, working through
the skin and eating into the flesh even before the fruit is thoroughly ripe, while other
varieties, to our taste sweeter and riper, are left untouched. Hale's Early is always
a favorite with them without reference to the supply of other food. Grapes they do
not attack except under certain conditions. These conditions apparently are that the
fruit must be very ripe, the weather dry and warm, and other food scarce. They
have sometimes destroyed, or rendered unfit for market, tons of grapes in our vine-
yards in a single day, puncturing the skin so juice would ooze from several grapes in
almost every cluster. I had some controversy with Professor Cook, of the Michigan
Agricultural College, three or four years ago on the subject, and quoted from some of
your observations that bees would under certain conditions attack and damage fruit.
With your consent I would like to make use of any facts you may have bearing on the
subject. As I do not now remember where to look for the statement I then referred

286

to, I will be greatly obliged if you will give ine the facts or reference. — f H. G. Tryon,
Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio, December 6, 1886.

Reply. — * * * My opinion concerning the question of Bees vs. Fruit has for a
long time been identical with your own, viz, that under certain conditions bees will
and do injure certain varieties of frnit. This opinion was arrived at, however, with-
out thoroughly satisfactory experimentation upon my part, and it was with the view
of settling the point, so far as it was possible to settle it by experiments, that I in-
structed Mr. McLam to carry on the series of experiments to which you refer. As
you seem to have seen a newspaper account only, I take pleasure in sending you by
to-day's mail a copy of my report for 1885, which contains on pages 336 to 339 the de-
tails of his work in this direction. My own comments you will find in the introduc-
tion on page 2L2. I freely admit that my remarks upon his results might have been
more qualified and that where I state that the experiments show pretty concUiaively
that bees do not injure fruit at first hand, I should have said "grapes" instead of
fruit, as the experiments were made principally with grapes. You will notice that
the word " conclusively " is qualified, and in reality the more I study the matter the
more the difficulties of settling the question by such a series of experiments are
forced upon me. You must admit, however, that these experiments place the burden
of proof upon the affirmative side as far as grapes are concerned. — [C. V. R., Dec.
16, 1886.

Hydrocyanic Acid Gas Treatment for Scale Insects.

* ' * I again visited Mr. Oilman a few days ago, and was pleased to learn that he
had met with very good success in fumigating his orange trees with hydrocyanic acid
gas passed through sulphuric acid ; we carefully examined several trees that he
treated with the gas when I was there a little over a mouth previously, and were un-
able to find any living Red Scales (Aspidiotus aurantU), while the fruit and foliage
were uninjured. Mr. Gilmau says that he treats on an average four trees an hour,
using the one apparatus which operates two tents, and estimates that the cost will
amount to about 6.5 cents per tree, his trees being from 10 to 14 feet high by the same in
diameter. If it will not be necessary to again treat these trees until after the lapse of
four years, this will reduce the cost of treatment to less than twenty cents a year for
each tree. Mr. A. Scott Chapman, of San Gabriel, in this county, informs me that
some of his father's orange trees that had been treated with thiagas nearly two years
ago are still reirarkably free from the Red Scale, notwithstanding the fact that the
adjoining trees are thickly infested with them. The trees treated v/ith this gas,
however, are quite as thickly infested with the Icerya as they were when first treated,
which clearly shows the great difterence in the dispersive habits of these two species.

While at Mr. Gilmau's I picked up the following insects from beneath some of the
trees which he had just treated with the gas : one Chilocorus bividnerus, two Exoehomus
pUaiii, six Coccinella ahdominalis, fonv I'syJIohora twdata, one Diabrotica irivittata, four
Lar(jus succincius, one Euschistus iristigmiii^, two Ophioii macrurum, six Chrysopa sp.?,
five Musca domestica, two Mydca sp.?, and one spider. The next day all had recovered
with the exception of one Largus, the two Ophions, one Chrysopa, the five Muscas, one
Mydea, and the spider. Mr. Gilmau says that wht-n he leaves the tents charged on
the trees all night all of the Lady Bugs on these trees will be killed. The other trees
are each confined in the gas twenty minutes, which includes the ten minutes required
for generating the gas.— [D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal., Feb. 1, 1889.

New Enemy of the Chinch Bug.

1 notice you don't mention, as preying on the Chinch Bug, the Casnomapennsuhmmca
that I found swarming in sheaves of wheat that was infested with the Chinch, while
assisting with harvest in Illinois. Years later I found a Casnonia with a Chinch in
its mouth among a scattered colony of the latter, at the base of a leaf of green young

287

corn. But I lost th« captor aud its victim, the former slipping out of my fiuger by its
thiu, flat, long body. I thiuk Casnonias are better fitted to bunt the Chinches thau
the Coccinellse, unless the latter are more efficient in the larval state. * * * —
[Emile Longuemare, St. Louis, Mo., October 20, 1888.

Army Worm in 1888.

* * * The Army Worm appeared iu this section in greater numbers than I ever
saw before. They hurt the Barley crop along the lake in Monroe County, 20 per cent.
They seemed to be more numerous near the lake. Nearly all I examined were Ichneu-
monized.— [Harry S. Burnett, Kendall, Orleans Co., N. Y., September 27, 1888.

STEPS TOWARDS A REVISION OF CHAMBERS'S INDEX,* WITH NOTES
AND DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES.

By Lord Walsingham.

[ Continued from page 268.]

CEROSTOMA Latr.
Cerostoma radiatella Don.

= PluteIoptera ochreIJa Chamb.

In describing the genus Plnteloptera, of which his species ochrella is the type, Cham-
bers wrote : "Fore-wings: These differ from those of PluteUa crueiferarum onlv by
having two branches of the discal vein continued through the cell in which they
unite, forming an independent, elongate, triangular cell, beside the secondary cell
seen in Plutella."

In this and iu all other respects the ueuration as described aud figured agrees with
that of the genus Cerostoma, aud a comparison of a Texan specimen obviously such
as Chambers had before him when describing P. ochrella from Texas, with a full series
of Californian aud European examples of Cerostoma radiatella Don., confirms the
identity of the species.

The figure of the hind-wing in Chambers's plate is not well shaped, but I have no
doubt that oc/ire?/a is merely a synonym of the common and widely distributed C.
radiatella known to be extremely variable in color and markings ; many European
specimens being exactly similar to the Texan form. The second joint of the palpi is
somewhat more thickly clothed iu European than in American specimens, a jjecul-
iarity which occurs also in Cleodora.

Cerostoma subsylvella sp. n.

Palpi, on the inner side whitish, the outer side of the long dependent tuft of hairs
fawn color; apical joint whitish.

Antennw, white, anpulated with fawn brown.

Head and thorax, pale fawn color.

Fore-wings, pale fawn color, sprinkled aud mottled with fawn brown, a patch of dark,
purplish fuscous scales on the dorsal margin near the internal angle, and another
preceding the anal angle, a faint indication of two similar spots on the costal mar-
gin iu some specimens, one of which is opposite the second dorsal spot, ; a few dark
scales at the apex. [The dorsal spots are not continued across the wing as in
the European species sylvella, aud partially in alpella, nor is there any indication
of a longitudinal streak as in the allied American species cervella Wlsm. ]

'Index to the described Tineina of the United States and Canada. V. T. Cham-
bers. Bull. U. S. Geol. and Geog. Surv., IV (1), 1878,

288

Hind-wings, gray, witli paler cilia.

Abdomen, fawn gray.

Exp. al, 34'"'".

Habitat, Esquimalt, Vancouver Island; 5 <? , 29 ; collected by Mr. J. J. Walker;

beaten from Oaks, August, 1882.
Type. (? 9 , Mus. Wlsm.

TRACHOMA Wlgrn.

Trachoma senex sp. n.

Palpi, tawny, profusely sprinkled with gray; the upper surface of the second joint
and the apical joint almost entirely lioary-gray.

Anienna', tawny, faintly aunulated with gray.

Head, tawny; face sprinkled with gray.

Thorax, tawny.

Fore-wings, tawny, sprinkled and transversely streaked with hoary-gray, having sev-
eral patches of raised tawny scales on the basi-dorsal half of the wing, and one
before and above the anal angle ; the hoary-gray sprinkling on the basal half of
the wing is interrupted by slender lines of tawny scales, and some chestnut-brown
is scattered about the fold and the base below the costa ; at the middle of the
costal margin is a dark tawny-fuscous patch, containing some raised scales, and
followed by a chestnut brown shade, sprinkled with hoary, at its upper edge,
and crossed by two longitudinal tawny lines on its lower half; adjacent to the
outer end of the lower line is a short oblique streak of pure white; the apical
portion of the wing on the costal margin is thickly sprinkled with hoary-white,
except the extreme apex, where the chestnut-brown predominates; the apex is
falcate, and immediately below it is a pale fawn spot in the cilia ; below this the
cilia are bright chestnut-brown to the anal angle, where a few tawny-gray scales
are intermixed.

Hind-wings, gray, with a faint purplish tinge ; cilia somewhat paler.

Abdomen, gray ; anal tuft inclining to ocherous.

Exp. al., 20-"™.

Habitat, a single 9 , for which I am indebted to Professor Eiley, is labeled " Placer
County, Cal., Aug."

Type, 9 , Mus. Wlsm.
This species is allied to the European Trachoma horridella Tr. but diflfers in the

abundance of hoary scales, in the oblique white spot at the end of the cell, and in the

chestnut-brown on the costa and at the anal angle.

PTEROLONCHE Z.

Pterolouche liueata sp. n.

Head, antennce, and iialpi, \>one-co\ov; the antenn;e strongly setulose ; palpi porrect,
somewhat arched, apex slightly depressed, extending to the length of, approxi-
mately, 5""".

Fore-wings, bone-color, marked throughout with slender longitudinal lines of a darker
bone-gray tint, following the veins and the fold and evenly distributed over the
wing, as well along the upper portion of the discal cell as beyond its margins ;
counting these lines across the wing, 8 are distinctly traceable, and a rather
short oue, tending inwards from the end of the cell, lies between the 4 upper
and 4 lower ones ; cilia, smoky-gray. Under side somewhat darker than the up-
per side, having a besmeared, smoky tinge, except along the extreme costal and
dorsal margins.

289

Hind-wings, smoky-gray with a slight brownish tinge ; cilia the same but with a pale
hue along their base and another at their tips. Underside also smoky, but the
pale costal margin ;s rather wider than in the fore-wings.

Aidomen, o( the single <? berore me is denuded by grease; genital appendages very
l^eculiar, the stout pointed uncus projecting far beyond the lateral claspers, of
which there are apparently 2 pairs ; the upper ones, bulging and rounded above,
have attached to their lower edge, small supplementary processes, narrow at the
base, swelling towards their ends, and armed with a brush of hairs ; the lower pair;
somewhat spoon-shaped, narrower at their ends than in the middle and curving
slightly inwards.

Legs, bone-color.

Ex^). al., 36'"'".

Habitat, Arizona.

^!IP^) $r -^MS- Wlsm.

The addition of this interesting genus to the North American fauna rests on the re-
ception of a single $ in fine condition from the late H. K. Morrison.

COSMOPTERYX Hb.

Cosmopteryx nitens sp. n.

Palpi, shining bronzy.

Head and face, bronzy-brown.

Antenna', brown, the apex white and a single narrow white ring about xou inch
from the apex.

Fore-H'ings, brown, with two conspicuous golden spots at about one-fourth from the
base, the upper one scarcely separated from the costal margin, the lower one
somewhat larger and extended posteriorly ; at about the middle of the wing is a
straight transverse golden fascia with a slight rosy or coppery hue, preceding a
pale-yellow patch, which is margined by a broad oblique coppery-golden fascia
terminating in a white streak on the costa. The pale-yellow patch is divided
longitudinally by a rather wide and conspicuous streak of black, extending to
the golden fascia on each side, and somewhat nearer to the costal than to the
aiiical margin; the apical portion of the wing is brown, with a slender golden
streak along the base of the dorsal fringes, commencing beyond the oblique outer
fascia and terminating with some silvery scales at the apex.

Cilia and hind-tvings, shining bronzy.

Abdomen, brown, with some shining metallic scales about the sides and anal seg-
ments. '

Legs, brown, banded with silvery white ; spurs also silvery.

Exp. al., 10">'».

Habitat, 2 specimens from Professor Fernald from Texas and I from the late H. K.
Morrison from Southwest Texas.

Tyjje, $, Mus. Wlsm.

Cosmopteryx pulcherrimella Chamb.

Chambers, before describing piilcherrimeUa, suggests that gemmiferella, clemenaella,
and pulcherrimella Chamb. are all one species, and then proceeds to describe the latter
as new and distinct. From specimens in my own collection I am able to separate the
species with the greatest facility, not only by the pattern and coloration, but also by
the position of the white rings on the antenu;e. These will be found to present a con-
stant character, so far as my observations go, throughout the different North Ameri-
can species of this genus, which could easily be tabulated systematically.

Cosmopteryx chalybaeella sp. n.

Antennae, brown, a white line along the side of the basal joint and running approx-
imately through half their length ; apex white, with two or more white rings, pre-
ceded by a dark band before it.

290

Palpi, whitisli, witb a slender line of brown scales extending along the outer side of
the apical joint.

Head, brown, with central and lateral slender white lines running back over the
thorax, which is also brown; face whitish.

Fore-wings, brown, with two short rather broad silvery dashes at about one-fourth
from the base, the first nearest the costa, commencing also nearest to the base ; a
very slender silvery line from the base along the dorsal margin ; and a short ob-
lique streak of the same color tending down wards from the costal margin towards
the apex of the upper dash ; beyond the basal half of the wing is the usual orange-
yellow space, limited internally and externally by shining steel-gray metallic
spots, the pair adjacent to the costa being much wider apart than the opposite pair,
which are adjacent to the dorsal margin ; there is a white streak in the costal
cilia touching the upper and outer metallic spot, and a similar apical streak is
continued a very short distance along the dorsal margin ; cilia steel-gray, with a
slight greenish tinge.

Hind-wings and cilia, the same color.

Legs, brownish; tarsal joints smeared and spotted with white.

Exp. al., 6""".

Habitat, Southwest Texas (Morrison).

Tijpe, S ! Mus. nism.

Cosmopteryx quadrilineella Chamb,

I have a single specimen from Sonoma County, Cal., taken in May, 1871, which
agrees in size and pretty closely in markings with this species, to which I am in-
clined to think it belongs. Although the specimen is in somewhat poor condition it
can be easily recognized as distinct from deUcateUa.

Cosmopterj'x delicatella sp. n.

Palpi, silvery, with some brownish scales towards the base.

Head, brown.

Antennce, brown, the apex broadly white with two narrow white rings separated from
the apex by a still broader brown band.

Thorax, brown, with three narrow silvery white streaks, one central, extending from
the head along the thorax.

Fore-ivings, brown, the basal portion with four narrow silvery-white lines ; the first
from the base of the costa tending somewhat downwards ; the second commenc-
ing opposite to the middle of the first and extending somewhat beyond it;
the third commencing beyond the origin of the second and extending very
slightly beyond it ; the fourth immediately above the dorsal margin, commencing
near the base and extending to the origin of the third ; about the middle of the
wing is a broad pale-orange l)and, on the basal edge of which are two golden
spots, the upper one opposite the end of the second basal streak, tipned with
blackish scales ; the second farther from the base, larger and more conspicuous
than the first, situated opposite to the end of the third basal streak ; at the outer
edge of the pale-orange band are two similar spots separated by a narrow exten-
sion outwards of the orange color, the first situated immediately above the other,
but not touching the margins of the wing; a small white streak extends out-
wards along the costa from the upper spot, and from the narrow extension of the
orange baud there runs aslender silvery- white line, somewhat arched up wards and
terminating in the extreme apex of the cilia ; the space above and below it, in-
cluding the cilia themselves, being of the same brown color as the base of the
wing.

Hindwings and fringes, also brown.

Abdomen, brown, anal segments tending to ochreous.

291

Legs, brown, spurs and tarsal joints whitisli, tibiaj also streaked with white.

Exp. al., lO'nm.

Hahitat, North Carolina. Two specimens from the late H. K. Morrison.

Type, <?, Mus. Wlsm.
This species evidently approaches very closely to quadriUneella CLanib., having the
same characteristic four lines on the basal portion of the wing ; it has, however,
four metallic spots, not three, and a conspicuous white streak on the costa not
mentioned by Chambers ; moreover, its size is considerably greater than Cham-
bers's species, and it is observable that all the species of this genus are extremely
uniform in the expanse of the fore-wings.

Cosmopteryx unicolorella sp. n.

Palpi, brown, with shining white lines along their upper and under sides.

Antenna', brown, with the basal joint enlarged outwardly, a slender silvery-white
line on their upper sides along the basal half, very coarsely scaled beyond the
middle; the four apical joints white, i^receded by a broad, brown band, which is
preceded by one, and after short intervals by three more white joints.

Head and thorax, brown, with three silvery-white lines ; one from the top of the head
runs along the middle of the thorax, two from the bases of the antenna; along the
upper edges of the tegnhe.

Face, shining silvery.

Fore-xvitKjs, rich brown; a slender bluish-silvery line from the base along the costa;
its outer half turning slightly downwards reaches one-fourth of the wing length ;
an equally slender silvery-white line reaches somewhat farther along the dorsal
margin, and between the ends of these are two short detacheil silvery streaks;
across the middle of the wing is a beautiful jiurplish, steel-colored, metallic fas-
cia, not quite reaching the extreme costal or dorsal margin ; beyond it (without
any orange or yellow band, as is usual in this genus) are two large spots of the
same color, the first dorsal, the second beyond this costal, from which a conspic-
uous white dash passes upwards through the costal cilia ; the extreme apex is
fuscous, with another cous])icuous white dash in the cilia below it, preceded by a
marginal streak of metallic scales ; cilia, brownish-fuscous.

Hind wings and cilia, brownish-fnscous.

Abdomen, brown, with two rather silvery bars before the pinkish-white anal tuft.

Legs, brown ; the tibife streaked and the hind tarsi spotted at the joints with silvery-
white on their outer sides; spurs whitish with conspicuous silvery-white bands
around the legs at their bases.

Exp. al., 14""".

Habitat, Siskiyou Co., Cal. A. single ^ taken in the beginning of June, 1872,

Type, $ , Mm. Wlsm.

GENERAL NOTES.

BLEACHING WINGS OF LEPIDOPTERA.

By the Diiiiiuock process tbe wings are first acted upon by a saturated
solution of tbe chloride of liiue, chlorine being, of course, the bleaching
agent. Afterward they are washed in water to which hydrochloric acid
has been added, to get rid of the slight deposit of lime. The process is a
slow one for thickly-scaled, dark-colored insects, and it occurred to me to
try a mixture of the chloride and acid, liberating the chlorine gas. The
method was absolutely successful, the wings decolorizing immediately
18578-1^0. 9 3

292

aud being ready for tlie slide witliiu two minutes. In fact, very delicate
wings can scarcely be taken oat quick enough, and need very little acid.
The advantage is the rapidity of work aud the certainty of retaining
the wings entire, the chloride of lime sometimes destroying the mem-
brane in part before the bleaching is complete. The disadvantage is the
vile smell of the chluriuegas when liberated by the combination of the
two liquids. For quick work this must be endured, and the beauty and
completeness of the result are also advantages to counterbalance the
discomfort to the senses. — J. B. S.

WINTER APPEARANCE OF THE CECROPIA MOTH.

Mr. Warren H. Manniug, of Reading, Mass., informs us that Mr. Clark,
of the Boston Park Commission, found two specimens of Attacus cecropia
January 12, 1889, in the street in Boston, apparently numbed by the
chilly air. This was one of the results of the long period of mild, spriug-
like weather in the latter part of December and the first of January,
and aftbrds an indication of the probable issuing at that time of many
other insects, thus proving what we have so often stated, that the se-
vere winter is more favorable to the successful hibernation of insects
than a mild, open winter.

IS MARRIAGE A FAILURE!

Our esteemed correspondent, Mr. B. Allan Wight, of Auckland, New
Zealand, to whom we have already referred in these pages, contributes
the following to the literature of this important question of the day:

It does seem as if Mr. Green's discovery, tliat his Ceylou parasite of the spider at-
tacks the female only, may have something to do with her propensity to destroy the
male as soon as he has lecuudated — by the bye, is not that a method of preventing
" marriage being a failure " and still avoiding the objectionable divorce? I have
been watching two house-spiders in my bed-room (which I would not allow to be re-
moved). The female for more than a month not only allowed her companion to live,
but certainly manifested plain signs of affection. They were never more than an inch
apart, aud one was sure to come up to the other if it moved away, placing the feet
and legs over it (may I say the hands aud arms ?). If disturbed, they ran into their
back parlor and hid, close-touching, but it did not last long. Whether flies were
scarce or not, I can not say, but she killed him aud sucked his juice in the end. But
the most singular thing is that ever after that she does uot seem very alert, and
remains always close to the body, and now (after about six weeks) she is dead, hang-
ing close to it, and the broom has been allowed to close the record.

INSECTS UPON THE COFFEE AND TEA PLANTS IN CEYLON.

Our valued correspoudent, Mr. E. Ernest Green, of Eton, Punduloya,
Ceylon, sends the following interesting notes upon insects aflectiug
Coffee, supplementary to those mentioned by Mr. J. Neitner some years
ago:

Allow me to thank you for your very interesting periodical. Insect Life, in the in-
terests of entomologists and agriculturists. I hope your example will lead the way
for many other similar publicatious.

293

I ara sending you, under separate cover, a small pamphlet on "The Enemies of the
Coffee Tree,-" compiled by the late Mr. J. Neitner. Since the pnblicatiou of this paper
many new enemies have made their appearance, notably the Lecanium viride, which
has practically wiped out coffee cultivation in many districts. Its vigor, the rap-
idity with which it is propagated have defied any remedial measures that we could
afford to apply, and consequently planters are everywhere turning their attention to
the cultivation of tea in the place of coffee. The tea plant also has many insect ene-
mies; but, from the method of cultivation, which allows of periodically pruning
down the bush, it is better able to withstand them.

I have noted as enemies of the tea, several species of " Red Spider," Tetranychus
and allied genera.

Lecanium coffew and a species of Aspidiotus. (Fortunately the Lecanium riride does
not flourish on the tea plant).

Termes fatalis, which eats through the stem just below the surface of the ground.

Several small Lepidoptera belonging to the Tortricidie

A boring larva, Zeu^era coffew.

The larvas of A(iroiis consureata and A. diffusa are very mischievous in nurseries of
young tea plants.

There are numerous other caterpillars that feed upon the leaves of the tea, but
damage caused by them is so small as to be of no account.

It may interest you to know that specimens of a Lecanium found by me on mango
leaves, and sent to Mr. J. W. Douglas, of London, have been identified by him as L.
acuminatum, Signoret (Essai sur les Cochenilles, Anuales de la Soc. Entoni. France,
1873, p. 397, PI. 12, fig. 1) described from specimens found on orchids in the Luxem-
bourg gardens in Paris. Mr. Douglas tells me he has lately received this same
Lecanium from Demerara, where it is found upon both mango trees and orchids.

It has for some time seemed to us that the scale insects of the coffee
plant M'hich do so much damage in Ceylon and other parts of British
India could be successfully treated with the remedies which we have
found in this country so valuable against the scale insects of the orange,
viz, the kerosene soap emulsions, and we hope soon to bring this before
the attention of the British Government.

PLANTS INJURED BY CAPSUS QUADRIVITTATUS.

Mr. Warren B. Manning, of Beading, Mass., sends the following list
of plants injured during 1888 in Brookliue, Mass., by this phuit-bug:
The following plants were injured considerably, many others slightly:

Deutzia crenata, badly.
Galium boreale.
Heliotrope (garden), badly.
Lemon Geranium.
Valeriana officinalis, badly.
Tauacetum vulgaie.
Aralia spinosa.
Acer Janonicum.
Lysimachia clethroides, badly.
Achillea sp.

Ranunculus acris fl. pi. badly.
Phlox suffruticosa, not P. paniculata.
Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora.
Hibiscus Syriacus.
Philadelphus coronarius aureus.
Lunaria rediviva, very badly.
Campanula persica^folia.
Polemonium reptans.
Hypericum perforatum, badly.

This iireect's impartiality is noticeable, taking, as it did, acrid, bitter, aromatic,
and sweet tasting leaves, and smooth or rough surfaces.

294

IMMUNITY OF SOUTHERN DAKOTA FROM THE CHINCH BUG.

Our old time friend and correspondent, Mr. W. W. Corbett, of Fargo,
wrote us recently concerning the possibility or probability of the a]}-
pearauce of the Chinch Bug in destructive numbers in Dakota. The
subject is one of general interest and we copy at length from our reply :

The question which you risk iu yours of the 25tli ultimo is uot one which admits
of a thoroughly satisfactorj' answer. I have thought sometimes that there was dan-
ger ahead for the wheat crops of southern Dakota from the Chinch Bug, and I have
expected to hear of damage from it. The immunity so far experienced is doubtless
due to the fact that the Chinch Bug is essentially a southern insect, occurring iu its
greatest abundance in portions of the country where the wiuters are not so severe
as they are with you. Occasionally, however, they do some damage as far north as
Wisconsin and even parts of southern Minnesota, and I should not be surprised at any
time to learn that a race of the species had established itself iu these more northern
sections and had adapted itself to the more severe cold of your winters. Such an
occurrence may, however, be indefinitely postponed. From my experience I would
say that your blizzards will prove a great protection against it, but at the same time
I would keep on the look-out, and if I had large wheat interests in your vicinity,
and were not an entomologist, I would not fail to post myself upon the habits of this
insect and watch for it constantly. Another cause of your immunity up to the pres-
ent tiu:e, I think, may be found in the common practice of burning the prairies iu
autumn in the country that is perfectly new, for this custom has the effect of destroy-
ing the bulk of the Chiuch Bugs that otherwise would hibernate, and upon these
grounds you may expect in the more southern part of your Territory that the insect
may become more numerous in proportion as the country is settled up and fenced
and prairie fires are prevented.

BURNING THE STUBBLE FOR HESSIAN FLIES.

Mr. Fred Enock and Miss Ormerod have carried on a spirited discus
siou in the columns of the Jlfark Lane Express, of London, on the advisa-
bility of burning the stubble as a remedy against the Hessian ri3-. Mr.
Enock holds that it is bad policy for the reason that the parasites of the
pest are thus destroyed along with the unparasitized puparia. He ad-
vocates an extensive rearing of parasites, and an endeavor to cultivate
them artilicially in order to liberate them afterward in the fields. Miss
Ormerod takes quite the contrary view, and holds that burning of the
stubble regardless of parasites is the better plan. We had occasion dur-
ing January to write Mr. Enock upon this subject, and quote from our
letter as follows :

* * * The question under discussion is an old one, and one which will probably
never be settled to every one's satisftiction. Theoretically you are right, Uud practi-
cally Miss Ormerod is right. At present, and with general entomological knowledge
in its present state, there can be no doubt that it will be advisable to burn or other-
wise destrojf screenings which examination shows to contain puparia. It is a great
bother for any one to try to breed parasites, and for a practical man it Is out of the
question. The burning of stubble is something which depends entirely upon local
conditions. * » * There are cases when (he consideration of the parasites has an
immense practical bearing, but with the Hessian Fly in England to-day I am inclined
to believe that the study of the parasites is of value only as indicating the origin of
the pest and, by observation of their ni tubers, as a means of prediction during a

295

MORE ABNORMAL HONEY-BEES.

given winter of the probable abumlauce of the fly during the next summer. The
more yoti experiment iu the direction set forth in your articles the more I believe you
will be inclined to agree with me. — C. V. R.

Prof. A. J. Cook writes us under date February 15, as follows :
You speak — Insect Life, p. 197— of abnormal bees. I have a still stranger case —
a bee half drone and the other half worker. This division is lateral. One side — jaw,
eye, wing, and leg — is drone, the other worker. I have seen several bees which have
head and thorax of worker and abdomen of drone, or vice versa. This longitudinal
sex difterentiation is quite new to me.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON.

February 7, 1889. — Mr. Howard read a paper entitled " Notes on the hairy eyes of
some Hymeuoptera," in which he discussed the appearance of these hairs and reviewed
the very scant literature on the subject, calling attention to the fact that hairy com-
pound eyes occur here and there iu isolated genera or groups of genera in many families
throughout the order, indicating the genera in which they are known. He announced
their discovery in a number of genera of minute Chalcids iu which they had not be-
fore been recorded, and mentioned the curious fact that there was no gradation be-
tween a perfectly naked eye and an eye in which the hairs were comparatively long
and perfectly plain. He concluded that these hairs were probably at present func-
tionless and of much less classilicatory value than their apparent close relationship
with such an important organ as that of sight would seem to indicate.

Mr. Smith remarked in discussion that iu the Lepidoptera three variations in the
eye were used, i. e., the naked, the lashed, and the hairy. In the Noctuidai these
variations were of generic importance. Mr. Schwarz stated that they were used
in the Coleoptera both specifically and generically.

Mr. F. V. Coville read an interesting paper entitled "Notes on Bombus and
Apathus at Ithaca, N. Y." He described his methods of observation, and gave at
some length the habits of Bombus horealis and B. fervidus. He could find no distinc-
tion of the males of these two species. He had found the males of Apathus elatus in
the nests of B. fervidus, but no males of the latter species. As the female of Apathus
^latus is unknown, and as he had found the male copulating with the female of the
Bombus, he concludes that the species Apathus elatus has no real existence.

A general discussion followed this paper, which was participated in by Messrs-
Riley, Smith, Howard, Marlatt, C. R. Dodge, Schwarz, Marx, Townsend, Ashmead,
Mann , Fox, and others. .

Mr. Ashmead read a paper entitled "A note on the genus Tetracnemus," referring to
Westwood's original description as giving 5-jointed tarsi and Walker's subsequent
redescriptiou as giving 4-jointed tarsi. He exhibited two species from Florida, the
one an Encyrtid corresponding with Westwood's description, and the other an Eulo-
phid corresponding with Walker's.

Dr. Marx commented on a letter received from Judge Johnson and identified sev-
eral species of spiders which he had sent to the society from Florida. He also stated
that he had been informed by letter that M. Simon, of France, had in his collection
a second species of the new genus Hypochilus.

Wm. H. Fox, M. D.,

Recording Secretary.

PERSONNEL OF THOSE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT ENTOMOLOGICAL

WORK.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Entomologist: C. V. Riley. , m i

Office Staff: L. O. Howard, First Assistant; E. A. Schwarz, Th. Pergande. lyler
Townsend, C. L. Marlatt, Assistants; Philip Walker, Assistant in silk-culture and
in charge of reeling experiments.
Field Agents : Saml. Henshaw, Boston, Mass. ; F. M. Webster^ La layette Ind : Her-
bert Osborn, Ames, Iowa; N. W. McLain, Hinsdal%, 111. ; Mary E Murtfeklt, Kirk-
wood. Mo. ; Lawrence Bruner, Lincoln, Nebr. ; D. W. Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal.
Albert Koebele, Alameda, Cal.

DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Honorary Curator : C. V. Riley.

Assistant Curator : John B. Smith. , ,, ^ i ^^r.^Ai

i^ For bibliographical purposes it may be necessary to state that, where expedi-
entTthe names or initials of members of the force will be attached to their communi-
cations. Where initials alone are appended, the full name can be ascertained by re-
ferring to the list above given.

Editorial or unsigned articles or notes should be credited to " Insect Life," or
where it is desired to give personal credit, to "Riley and Howard.' While most of
the correspondence of the Division is earned on by myself, yet much of it is also at-
tended to by my first assistant, Mr. Howard, who acts as Entomologist in charge dur-
ing my absence, and otherwise so materially assists in editorial and office work that
only those articles signed by either should be considered individual. Illustrations,
where not otherwise stated, are drawn by Miss Lillie Sullivan, under supervision.-
C. V. R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PERIODICAL BULLETIN. APRIL, 1889.

Vol. I. No. lO.

INSECT LIFE.

DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AiND LiFE-HABITS OF INSECTS,

ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS TO AGRICULTURE,

AND EDITED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST

AND HIS ASSISTANTS.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1889.

CONTENTS.

Page.

Special Notes 2iJ7

Systematic Relations of Platypsyllus, as detekmined by the Larva

C. V.Biley.. 300

Stridulation in Vanessa antiopa A. H. Swinton.. 307

Notes on the Tenacity, Elasticity, and Ductility of Raw Silk

Philip Walker.. 309

Extracts from Correspondence 312

Borers in a traveliug Trunk. — An early Note on the Periodical Cicada.—
More Evidence bearing on Spider Bites.— Buffalo Gnats on the Red
River.— A Beetle living in an Insecticide.— The new Flour Moth in
England. — Abundance of an lulus in Dakota. — The Bean Weevil in
California, — Method of mounting Eggs of Insects for progressive em-
bryologic Study. — Grass Cut Worms. — Another Proposition in regard
to Chinch Bug Remedies. — Two Chinch Bug Appearances the past
Year. — The Texas Heel-fly. — Insect Injuries in Ohio for 1888. — A Boll
Worm Letter. — A remarkable Theory.

General Notes - 322

Late important Publications relative to the Hessian Fly. — Fungicides as
Insecticides. — Kerosene-soap Emulsion as Fuel. — New Food Plant for
the Scurfy Bark-louse. — Obituary. — Precursors of Brood VIII of the
Periodical Cicada. — A Spider-egg Parasite. — Spraying Fruit Trees. —
White Grub in Strawberry Beds.— Farmers and Stock Raisers' Insect
Society. — A Bryobia in New Zealand. — The Box-elder Bug. — The Flor-
ida Wax-Scale in California. — Entomological Society of Washington.
II

Vol. I, IVo. 10.] JNSECT LIFE. [April, I§S9.

SPECIAL NOTES.

Mr. Koebele's Mission concluded.— Mr. Koebele returned from Aus-
tralia and New Zealand by the March steamer. He left Australia late
iu February, and spent a large part of the month of March in New
Zealand with Mr. Maskell and Mr. Wight searching for parasites and
other enemies of Icerya. He shipped from Australia before leaving
another sending of Monophloebus and Icerya infested with Lestopho-
nus, and also sent a large numberof Coccinellids of four difi'erent species,
nearly all of which were alive upon arrival in Los Angeles. Mr. Coquil-
lett reports good success in colonizing this shipment, and writes that the
Coccinellids particularly made themselves at home, beginning imme-
diately to feed upon Icerya.

In New Zealand Mr. Koebele was unable to find any true parasites,
with the possible exception of a small Dipterou,of which, however, he
saw only four or five specimens. He found, however, several Coc-
cinellids which feed with avidity upon Icerya, and brought a large
number of these to California with him. We expect to publish before
long a preliminary report from him on the trip as a whole, which will
doubtless prove interesting reading.

One of the interesting results not yet mentioned in these columns was
the finding and successful importatiou of a predaceous Noctuid larva
which feeds upon Pulvinaria, Icerya and Lecanium. This insect has
received the name Thalpochares cocciphaga from Mr. Meyrick, and it may
possibly breed and flourish in California, although Mr. Coquillett has
just written us that living larvae received by him refused to feed upon
Icerya.

Two other predaceous Lepidopterous larvae were found by Mr. Koe-
bele, one of which was a Pyralid, which fed abundantly upon Eriococcus
eucalypti, while the other was a Tineid.

Our Indiana agent, Mr. F. M. Webster, was sent to Australia in De.
cember, but remained there only one month and had little opportunity
for entomological research, as he was charged with assisting in the prep-
aration of a report for the State Department on the agricultural as-

297

298

pects of the Melbourne Exposition. He returned on the same steamer
with Mr. Koebele, joining the latter in Ne\A^ Zealand.

Both gentlemen speak in the highest terms of the courtesies which
they received both at the hands of the Ex})osition Board and from
prominent men in Australia and New Zealand. Our esteemed corre-
spondent, Mr. Frazer S. Crawford, of Adelaide, was particularly kind and
placed every facility at their disposal. It goes without saying that
Messrs. Maskell and Wight received Mr. Koebele most cordially in New
Zealand.

The Periodical Cicada in 1889.— Brood VIII, which is of the seveuteeu-
year race, will appear this year through quite an extent of country.
The region commences in southeastern Massachusetts, extends south
across Long Island and along the Atlantic coast of New Jersey, Dela-
ware, and Maryland as far as Chesapeake Bay ; then up the Susque-
hanna River in Pennsylvania, to a point a little below Harrisburg;
thence westward iu Ohio, embracing the southwestern corner of the
State and the northwestern, portion of Kentucky, and then upward
through southwestern Indiana, ending in central Illinois. It is possible
also that there is an eastward extension of the region from Kentucky
into southern West Virginia, as Cicadas occurred in 1855 in the Ka-
nawha Valley, and also in the counties of Buncombe and McDowell, in
North Carolina ; but as these appearances were not verified in 1872, it
is probable that they belonged to Brood XVIII, which is of the thir-
teen-year race.

We shall be glad to receive full accounts this year of all appearances
from any of our correspondents, and from all others who will be kind
enough to write us of occurrences in their vicinity. Accounts from
North Carolina and West Virginia are especially desired, as these will
tend to clear up any doubt remaining as to what brood occurred in those
States in 1855.

Economic Entomology in California.— We have jUSt received from Mr.
W. G. Klee a little work published under the auspices of the State Board
of Horticulture, and entitled "A treatise on the Insects Injurious to
Fruit and Fruit-trees of the State of California." Mr. Klee is a little
weak in his technical entomology, and frequent misspellings of scientific
names occur. He quotes freely from other writers, however, and his
scientific orthography is not a fault which will trouble his practical
readers. His illustrations are mainly borrowed, but most of those
which are original are fairly good. His colored plates, which are re-
printed from the Biennial Report of the State Board of Horticulture
for 1885-'86, are very happy in catching the characteristic appearance
upon the twigs, leaves, and fruit of the three species of scale-insects so

299

figured {Aspidiottis perniciosus, A. aurantii, iiu(\ Icerya piirchasi). He
untbrtuuately, however, reproduces souie of tbe worst of Matthew Cooke's
figures, and Comstock's very poor one of Lecanium hesiieridum. Th(
volume eoutaius also considerable new matter, to which we shall havj
occasion to refer later.

Kinds Words from a Veteran Entomologist.— The pleasing things whict
entomologists are writing us concerning Insect Life are very grati-j
fying, but especially so was the following sentence from a recent com-j
munication Irom that veteran and learned entomologist, whom wedeei
it an honor to call friend, viz. Prof. J. O. Westwood. He writes :

I congratulate you on the excellent periodical you have inaugurated— Insect Lifi
I find it full of valuable new matter, and its illustrations fully keep up the old 8tyl«
I -wish I could find and support an equal set of clever pupils.

The Lepidoptera of Australia.— We are pleased to learn from a recent
communication from Mr. A. Sidney Olliff, of the Australian Museum at
Sidney, New South Wales, that the authorities of the museum have
recently decided to continue the publication of the drawings and manu-
script relating to the life histories of Australian Lepidoptera left by
the late Alex. W. Scott and since acquired by the museum. The work
of editing and revising this material has been intrusted to Mr. Scott's
daughter, Mrs. Edward Forde, and Mr. Olliff. It is to be published on
the plan of the three parts which were issued by Mr. Scott before his
death, and will probably extend to twenty parts, each containing three
or four colored folio plates. The first part is expected about May 1.

Mr. John B. Smith, who has been our assistant in the Department of
Insects at the National Museum, has resigned, to accept the more lucra-
tive position of Entomologist of the Agricultural Experiment Station at
New Brunswick, N. J. Mr. Martin L. Linell, of Brooklyn, N. Y., has
been appointed as an Aid in the Department, and during our absence
Mr. Howard will act as Curator. Mr. Linell is an entomologist of con-
siderable experience, and is well fitted to aid in the care of such an im-
portant collection as that of the National Museum has become. We
regret to lose Mr. Smith from the Washington entomologists, but con-
gratulate him on the appointment, and wish him every success in bis
new field, in which applied entomology will occupy him more than it has
hitherto done.

The Entomologist will sail on the 13th of April for Paris, as one of
the Assistant Commissioners to the Paris Exposition, appointed by the

300

President to report upon Group VIII, which iu the main represents

agricultural products. Since last autumn much of his time, as the rep-

esentative of the Secretary of Agriculture, has been devoted to the

^reparation of an exhibit of the agricultural products of the United

tates for that Exposition. While his duties in Europe will necessarily

^prevent active direction of Divisional matters, he hopes by constant

correspondence with the office to still keep in communication with the

readers of Insect Life.

During his absence Mr. Howard will be Assistant in Charge, and will

Iso act as Curator of Insects for the National Museum.

I J

YSTEMATIC RELATIONS OF PLATYPSYLLUS, AS DETERMINED BY
THE LARVA.*

By C. V. Riley.

There is always a great deal of interest attaching to oiganisms which
are unique in character and which systematists And difificulty in placing
in any of their schemes of classification, A number of instances will
occur to every working naturalist, and I need only refer to Limulus,
and the extensive literature devoted during the past decade to the
discussion of its true position, as a marked and well-known illustration.
In Hexapods the common earwig and flea are familiar illustrations.
These osculant or aberrant forms occur most among parasitic groups,
as the Stylopidse, Hippoboscidse, Pulicidse, Mallophaga, etc. Probably
no Hexapod, however, has more interested entomologists than Platyp-
sylhis castoris Ritsema, a parasite of the beaver. I can not better illus-
trate the diversity of opinion respecting its true position in zoology than
by giving an epitome of the more important literature upon it.

J. Ritsema, in Petites N'oiivelles Entomologiques for September 15, 1869,
described the species as Platypsylhts castoris. He found it on some
American beavers {Castor canadensis) in the zoological garden of Rot-
terdam. He considered it to ''undoubtedly" belong to the Suctoria of
De Geer, and to form a new genus of Pulicidse.

In the same year, in the Tijdschrift voor PJntomologie, second series,
Vol. V, p. 185 (which I have not seen), the same author publishes what
is apparently a re-description of the insect. He gives his views more
fully as to its systematic position, considering that it belongs to the
Aphaniptera, and is equivalent to the Pulicid?e.

In the same year. Prof. J. O. Westwood (having previously read a
description of the species, November 9, 1868, before the Ashmolean
Society of Oxford) published in the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine^
Vol. VI, October, 1869, pp. 118-119, a full characterization of the in-

* Eead at the meeting of the Natioual Academy of Sciences, April 20, 188H, and
here reprinted from Scientific American Supplement, June 2, 1883, vol. 25, p. 10356.

301

sect under the name of Flatypsyllus castormiis. A new order, Achrei-
optera, is established upon the species, which he very aptly likens, in
general appearance, to a cross between a flattened flea and a dimin-
utive cockroach. " The abnormal econom^^ of the insect, its remarkable
structure, the apparent want of mandibles, our ignorance of its trans-
formations, and the possibility that the creature may be homomor-
phous in the larva and pupa states," are the reasons assigned for estab-
lishing the new order, and here Professor Westwood is perfectly con-
sistent, as in his famous " Introduction to the Classification of Insects'!
the Forflculida? are placed in the order Eup]exoi)tera ; the Thripidse id
the order Thysauoptera ; the Phryganeidjie in the order Thrichoptera;
the Stylopidae in the order Strepsiptera; and the Pulicidje in the order
Aphauiptera.

In 1872, Dr. J. L. Le Conte published his paper " On Platypsyllidce, a
New Family of Coleoptera " (Proc. Zool. Soc. of Loudon for 1872, pp.
779-804, PI. LXVIIl), in which he shows that Platypsylla is undoubtedly
Coleopterous, and can not possibly be referred to the Aphauiptera-
Careful descriptions and figures of anatomical details are given, and he
finds that its aflinities are very composite, but in the direction of the
Adephagous and Clavicoru series. Its most convenient place is shown
to be between the HydropMHdw and Leptinidce. There seems to be no
good reason why the name PlatypsyUm is here changed to Platypsylla,
a spelling adopted by most subsequent American writers.

In 1874, Professor Westwood, in the "Thesaurus Entomologicus Ox-
oniensis" (Oxford, 1874), p. 194, PI. XXXVII, gives figures with details;
reprints his previous diagnosis, and maintains his previous course in
erecting a new order for the insect without giving any additional rea-
sons.

In 1880, P. Megniu, in " Les Parasites et les maladies parasitaires,"
etc., Paris, 1880, gives (pp. G6-67) a description of the family "Platyp-
syllines " without expressing an opinion concerning the systematic posi-
tion. He also describes and figures the species.

In 1882, Dr. George H. Horn (Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, X, 1882-'83 ;
Monthly Proc, February 10, 1882, j). ii) exhibited drawings illustrating
the anatomy of Platypsylla and Leptinus, and showed that a close rela-
tionship exists between these genera. Later, in his " Notes on Some
Little Known Genera ad Species of Coleoptera" (Trans. Amer. Ent.
Soc, X, 1882-'83, pp. 113-126, PI. Y, 114-116), he reviews the characters,
and explains and illustrates the anatomical details. The differences he
points out between his observations and those of Le Conte are more
particularly in the mandibles. In connection with this paper he also
describes and illustrates the structure of Leptinillus, which he sep-
arates from Leptinus, and demonstrates their close relationship with
Platypsyllus.

In 1883, Le Conte and Horn, in their " Classification of the Coleop-
tera of Xorth America" (Washington, Smithsonian Institution, 1883),

302

give (pp. 13-15) a full descriptiou of the fainil^^ characters, a little modi-
tied from Le Coiite's first description, but sustaining his views on the
£.ystematic position of PlaU/psyUidcc.

In 1883, Alphonse Bonhoure (Ann. Soc. de France, 1883; Bull, des
Seances, p. cxxvi) exhibited drawings and specimens o{ Platypsijllus
castoris found in tbe Departement des Bouchts-du Rhone.

In 1884, Edm. Reitter, in " Platypsylla castoris Kits, als Vertreter
einer neuen europiiischeu Coleopteren-Fauiilie" ( Wiener entom. Zeit.,
Ill, 1884, pp. 19-21 (gives a lengthy description of the species with spe-
cial regard to the sexual difterences. He shows that the European insect
is not specifically distinct from the American forui, but he does not ex-
l)ress an opinion on the position of the.family among the Coleoptera.

In the same year Bonhoure (Ann. Soc. Ent. de France, 1884, pp. 143-
153) more fully records its discovery on Castor fiber taken in the Petit-
Ehone. It is a question whether this European beaver, now quite rare,
is distinct from ours. He gives a very good review of the subject, with
a plate of the most imi)ortant details, after Horn, and he fully indorses
the coleopterological position of the insect.

In the same year Ritsema {Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 1883-'84,
LXXXVI) refers to Bonhoure's discovery of Platypsylla in France, and
corrects Reitter in some unimportant details.

In 1885, Reitter, in " Coleopterologische Notizen," XIII ( Weiner entom.
Zeit, Vol. IV, 1885, p. 274), answers Ritsema's criticism.

In the same year. Dr. Friederich Brauer, in his masterly " Systema-
tischzoologische Studien ■' (Sitzb. der kais. Akad. der Wissensch., XCI,
p. 364), speaks of the relationship in the thoracic characters between
Mallophaga and Coleoptera as illustrated by Platypsyllus, by inference
admitting the Coleopterous nature of the latter, but recognizing that it
has Mallophagous affinities.

In 1880 H. J. Kolbe, in his " Ueber die Stellung von Platypsyllus im
System" {Berliner entom. Zeitsch., XXX., 188(3, pp. 103-105), discusses
the subject, without any new evidence, however. He concludes that
most of its characteristics relate it to the Corrodentia, and particularly
to the sub-order Mallophaga, in which it has its closest kinship in Lio-
theidje. The remarkable tripartite mentum he thinks should not be
compared with the bipartite mentum of Lei)tiuus, and calls attention to
the fact that in Ancistrona in Mallophaga it is also trilobed.

The above are the more important papers on the subject, though
the insect has been referred by other authors to both Neuroptera and
Orthoptera.

CHARACTERS OF PLATYPSYLLUS.

V^here the characters of the imago have been so often described, it
is unnecessary to refer to them in detail, and I will only call attention
to the more striking structural features, and to some omissions by, or
differences between, previous authors. A glance at the illustrations

303

which I uave prepared will show the prevailing characteristics of this
interesting creature, its general ovoid and flattened form, and more
particularly the flattened semicircular head. Dorsally, we notice the
rather prominent occiput fringed behind with short and broad de-
pressed spines or teeth which form a sort of comb, the prothorax trapez-
oidal and but very slightly curved, with side margins strongly grooved.
There is a very distinct scutellum, and the two elytra. are rounded at
the tip and without venation. Hind wings and eyes are both wanting.
The abdomen shows five segments, each with a row of depressed bris-
tles.

U/ — / '—

■>% -' I

Fio. 67.— Full grown larva of PZrt?)/- Fig. 6S.—Platypsyllus castoris, adult— greatly

pS2/iJ«« c(i«ton's— dorsa Iview — greatly enlarged (after Kiley).

enlarged (alter Riley).

On the ventral surface we find among the more curious characteris-
tics, first the antennte; these were originally described by Westwood
as three jointed, the club being annulated. Le Conte could not dis-
tinctly make out the number of annular joints upon this club, though
he thought he detected seven, which made nine joints to the whole an
tenna. The club is received in the deep cup-shaped excavation of the
second joint. Horn thought he detected a division of the second joint,
and resolved but six seg