—— ahead ant msatintn an atari tant OT We OT ne et oe ee | Oe en ree Se See een ‘ n Hen, ty YY Pore . ' ty i q Bey i ae ; Paes 2) anaes Po ’ } Br : - ” ; ir te ae | Hi \ 1 i ‘ Ny, hey j THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTAMIST: AN ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE - oie POPULAR AND PRACTICAL ENTOMOLOGY AND BOTANY. EDITED BY CHARLES V. RILEY AND DR. GEORGE VASEY. ST. LOUIS, MO.: R. P. STUDLEY & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1870. 5 RENE ABR x Fite ae a rk! PEDNGU SPN 5. ove ae sccaasrens sense 128 aa “e Par Abrawas ribearia ...+.......6065 13 “¢ grossulariata .. ane! Acaris averis crumena . . 339 EOMWEGLE. ccceses «0 . 106 BE MSCISDREE on 5s aie 53 114 A Cheap Mosquito Bar.... .. . 154 Achemon Sphinx ... ....... . 54 Acherontia atropos. . 5 326 A chrysalis flying .. Acoloithus falsarius . 0 ‘Americana. A coincidence ....... B04 ~ Acrobasis Hammondii . . 32 Acronycta Americana. .......000++ +++ 61° aie oblinata . C 341 FB Gerid CAUGAG ...... 6. cece renee 13 of evittosa ...... . 148 ot tipuliformis SpE Satetalstnse 13 oe (Trochilium) syringe. 61 «¢ polistiformis .... Agnomonia anilis.. Agrilus ruficollis . PAQTOLS INE MIS) ..0.c5.- seeeweree noes Ailanthus Silk-worm naturalized .. 244 TALGESG JlOTIAG 28 aig es Subs eo de oa)- 0's 31, , 340 Aleochora anthomyiea. . ‘ : A long sleeper ...... Alauda alpestris ..... Alypia octomaculata aerate American Procris ....... ... 7 Amphipyra pyramidea .. 2 pyramidoides 3 Anav jJUMiUS ........ 0065 237 An electrical Insect......... »» 335 An enemy to young Trout .......... 174 An Entomologist caught napping .. 84 A new Hesperian ............ 2... al ‘A new Pear-tree Insect... .... 212 ‘A new Roye-beetle: Parasitic on the _ _Cabbage-maggot..... .........065 370 An experiment for Tobacco growers 175 Anglossa hb ai Anisopteryx vernata . w% Anobium paniceum ........2c0e. es . Anomalous Grape Sphinx Moth . 2). 210 Anomis wylina...... .....-..000+ 124 Announcement............. Answers to Correspondents. ... Antherea Yama-mai ........6. 1.00 Anthomyia brassicae .. ng ceparum .. ide raphani . ae. Zee... Anthonomus erateg Ac prunicida - a oes BS apa eal ra WW vA asda Antigaster mirabilis . Antiopa Butterfly .. Antistrophus 7. pisum. ese. Ants do not breed Plant-lice. Aphis avene . 106 “brassicae 79 PERMIGEL ORD Belce aa) aiteuitbrt x state scee 309 s¢ mali 106 OOM eeeed intestate (als otalsn 13 SO TILCDECKL |. a= sa ee . 142 an bees spumaria. SEO Aphodes 4 of Beetles . Aplodes flavilineata.. a rubivora 74 appends to Joint-worm, pubi sh- in Vol. I, No. 8 «eee 296 Apple Curculio SGA SUIE Qh crear ee ne 243 —Does it transform MMOSK SOON 2. -s saeaneeeee 39 Bookworms see O22 Borer in Apple- twig... Baer ericesisc 60 Bostrichus bicaudatus... 60, 212, 245, 246 Botanical Department ..., Botys bicolor .......... Bound Volumes ...... Brachinus Americanus Brachipeplus magnus... Brachypterus micropter Us Brood [V of the periodical Cicada. . Brown Mantispian Br uchus FUOK «3,803 Alavimanus grunarius . 6é Us obsoletus. 118, 125, 182, 502, “e 6c ee SE eceee ny phe TUAMANUS . varicornis VECIE woe nnn Buprestis divaricata . Burying Beetles ..... Butalis cerealella. . Buthus Carclinianus. . C Cabbage Butterflies .. oe Insects .... ay) Plutella . dM Worms... Callochlora vernata ck viridis .. Calandra granaria .. ce Callydrias philea........... Caloptenus Semur-rubrum SPTETUS.. ovens ce Calopteron terminale Calosoma calidum ... Can Land be insure worms, ete.? Capnia minima...... Capsus oblineatus.... Carolina Sphinx Carpocapsa poner Cassida aurichalcea. Caterpillars named. . i on Gr ape- vin , a of the lo-moth ... oe ** White-marked Tus BOGE MOGH No ce daws cmeiayauire anteteinicteel Cecidomyia c. ananassa .. ws circinans..... as destructor. . ake oa OMDTCRLES ro. eaieie =n o oh fs salicis : oe solidaginis . a tubicole .. Cecropia Chalcis Fly. . ee 1 oes Srasgearocicce nck 6c cs a Tachina Fly Cermatia forceps .. Ceroptres batatas.. Cerotoma caminea Chalcideous Parasite of the ‘Apple- 161, 183, 34 37 308 . 119 - 119 108; 119, “127, 307 307 Aris 127, 136, 155 Canker- worm—Remedy for . hed a ee Caterpillar 26, 59, Celetus eruditus ... ...c....0+ Centipedes in Tennessee. Ceratina dupla............ 119 tree Bark-louse ..........0. 2.2.25. 360 Chalcis (Aphelinus) mylilaspidis .. . 360 ESE MALI Gi. ateelat han eras es 101 Change of Address........... s+... 3e Chauliognath us Pennsylvanicus . Cheap Mosquito Bar......... Cheese Fly ce and Blow Fly . ‘ Cheilosia ruficornis ... Chelymorp] a cribaria . Cherry, Plants and their ‘Foes ; lice-- Destroying Chickweed Geometer .......... 182 ChinchBugs ..c. 0250) see see 51 Chip-trap (C urculio eee 274 Cherocampa pampinatriz . 309 IGHOIGE -HlOWersoai sens se 239 Cupressi ananassa, Gall. . Curculio and Rose-bugs Beiespte «« Extermination possible—A great Discovery ..... ... «« Remedy—The Ransom Currant-worm ................ eo cceeb hale immaculata .. ynipide inguiline. . x0 psenides.. Cynips q, aciculata. es <6 fecundatrix,. ce 60 frondosa. fC 66 [nants «+e. ee <6 Januginosus . ee © podagre... ee «6 Seminator . ** semtpicea . OO BO SATU IHE 1 oe onokenutel D “e Dahlia-stalk Borer. Danais archippus. . Dangerous- looking Datana ministra ..... 0.1... .1 ess Death of noted Entomologists ...... 373 «« to House-fly Death-web of young Trout. .174, 211, 227 Decatoma dubia é excructans . 301 WY hyalipennis.. . 301 Ou nigriceps ... . 300 se nubilistigma. 3 a simplicistigm ue UArlans...++. Decorative Larv2 . Deilephila lineata. . Deloyala clavata ............ Depths to which Cicadas go Dermestes lardarius........ Descriptive Kntomology . Desmia maculalis . St a60 Destroying Cherry Plant- licel ames 275 Development of ‘Egg of imported A ..246, 308 Currant Saw-fly......... -...-.--- 2, Diabrotica viltaia. 5, 8, 24, ee 156, 239 Diastrophus CuSCU TELE TTS 74 nebulosus . , 159 os TA asa sane 331 Dicerca divaricata ..... De Diedrocephala cocctmed ....iviveses-s 371 Doryphora W-lineata.... ....... 84, 85 Do Worker Bees sting Drones to death? a 180 Dried up ..... 340 Drop of Gold. . 25 Drop-worm agai naakadSbed 81 Dryocampa tm (ees Xe rubicunda.. senatoria.... During the Suspension. . Dynastes Tityus. “ec Ecpantheria scribonia . Eggs of imported Currant-worm not inserted in Leaf ............ 274 «< <«« Oblong-winged Katydid ... 182 ee ee Snowy Tree-cricket on Rasp- berry-canes *« on Grape-cane ...... 63 Egg-sack of some unknown Spider. 180 Bight- spotted Forester. . . 150 Elaphidion parallelum.. 60) 6.8) putator..... 28 ce villosum 60 Electrical Insect.......... 330 Ellopia (Abraxas) ribearia.. » 243 Empretia stimulea .. .32, 59, 60, 339) 373 Entomological Collections.........< 338 Jottings. .51, 87, 125, 155 176, 209, 239, 273, 302; 336 ae Works .........- 59, 181 Entomology indeed run mad. Le in the South .. Epeira vipGria,..........- spinea veeee oG SPO E EAE: vulgaris . Ephestie Zee... spicata cinerea, Oi corvina..... GG marginata.. sie vittata. peaches borealis rebia nephele..... Eudamus tityrus Eudryas grata.. 152 OG TIO 5 dkict AGE CECH ORE OR Sac One 152 Eumenes fraterna .. 341 Eumolyphus auratus. . 156 Euryomia melancholica. 61 Eurytoma abnormicornis.. 299 aU eet, s5eesg 299 he bicolor... 298 gs Boltert.. P 299, ms PR i 299 ce fulvipes.. 330 OG Sigantes.. P 299 oe gee bulicola . 299 oN ANE? Seca 330 Bo orbiculata 299 6c prunicola.. 293 si punctiventris. 2 299 OC secalis ...... 330 ee a 299 ge studtosa. . .297, 299, 332 BG SAN woot one - dl) Experiments with the Japanese - WOLD 600 cbc rence es sc venres es 39 Exorista cecropie -.- 1OL oe leucani@ . -.. 266 Se milttaris..... Feadnde nov ano 101 F Fall Army-worm ... Fern Insects . , 181 Fidia viticida.. 307 Fighting Curculio . ... 218 Flat- headed Apple-tree Borer ...... 209 Borer in Soft Maples... 309 Flock of Butterflies ................ 210 Food for rout.......-.--- einwintelsicperel= 180 «* Plant of Grecy asprane line: Slug- a GY Ree the eanieend Cabbage Butterfly ........... 304 Forest Trees —Their Diseases and Insect Enemies... oho Fowls vs. Worms ....... . 237 Fungus on Wild Plums wececene ns (Ct) MaeBEARaantintc basher 38.55 500 372 «< and their Architects. «¢ made by Beetles ..... pe Ge Gall-flies . oe a Saw-flies . “« on supposed Dock . ‘© Rubi nodus........« si “< podagra... «¢ Salicis gemma. “ 49 Sie ce ovum, . 49 gg sf pomum . - . 45 sie ce ‘stliqua.. . 214 «¢ Vitis lituus .... 28, 113 CG ‘< viticola... - Lis i «* vulnus.. le Gapes in Fowls «¢ _o they occur in Pigeons?. . 373 Gastropacha Americana.......+ 199 welleda ....+.+. 199 Gelechia gallesolidaginis . 212 Generic Names..............-..-..-. 7 Gigantic Rhinoceros-beetle.....276, 374 ay Root-borer....... eee HOL Gilt Gold-beetle ..... faa Girdled Pear-twigs ....... oan . $2 ‘¢ Sphinx—Pupa of .......... 241 Glossina morsitans......... pees, Bol Goat-weed Butterfly. 121 Golden-rod Galls .................. 29 Golden Tortoise-)eetle on Goose- \ eLTYy: 225, 2) isc ee eee eee 308 Good Thoughts from an eminent Entomologist fi al Re 326 Good Word for the Toad............ 207 Gooseberry and Currant Worms. . 12 Spanz NKOH EN e535 sesso. ee on Black Cur- Tanti) ese ee oe Remedies Gordius or Hair-worm ............ Gordius aquaticus...... aoe ‘« Tineatus ‘¢ Jongilobatus. ec robustus ... Ce Sa are i ec varius. Gor tyna nitela.. RCE . cc ccccc scones se aeeienitisnl= Grain Bruchus of LG) IE just im- ported 1 Gyand-daddy Long-legs . Grape- -berry Moth..... Cureulio . «¢ Insect. «¢ jeat-folder ae oS Galles) he ‘¢ Gall-louse ..........2 ‘¢ Sphinx Moth, an anomalous. 211 CCV cvime dia i) svaae ae omc epteer ge ‘< Flea-beetle . OG ‘« Leaf-galls .. Ee CO Ahi n ae “<¢ Wound-gall . Grasshoppers ......- Great Discover y—Cureu ination possible Green Hag-moth : ec spr angling Slug-worm—Kood plant for $5 Gr egarious Willow-worms ......... 63 Worms on Horse-chest- SPUULG ape iole = ates! teeta abet ape Group Eurytomides of ihe Hymen- opterous Family of Chalcididz 297,329 Gryllotalpa borealis........... Hehe "340 Gryllus bivittatus Hematlopis grataria . Hag-moth Larva .,.... Hag-worm, the Green Hair-worm or Hair-snake .. Halesidota Harristt.......... ne tessellaris. Rose Haltica chalybea... ....++1. .-- Handsome Digger Wasp as a DOrBey ~ BONS HENBEAHRG 26 ca ob badad 87, Harlequin Cabbage- bug yas 79, 177 in Tennessee 155 Harmless Parasites on Larva of Lu- HOSA an oacodaeo sean Sermon 6c . 123 - Index to Volume ri, Vv . 114 | Mutilla coccinea . -32, 59, 155, 337 tor cinclls ....,..... Ane ee 2D) BAD | ECR EG Ss Se onc as = Se oc alee Wale DORR Ee O38, 244 Tatbatue PennsylVanteus voceeeeeee 134 Ithycerus i a ‘ My’ fas pberry and Verbena Moths, ; Hateful Colorado Grasshopper eee GeLae HELPER AIG 5. np and what came of them .......... pid Hedgehog Caterpillar .. .......... 55 j Myodites Walshii.......... 368 Fleliothis armigera 42, 172, 1 Myrmica molesta.. 1 sy ae OSA NET Bs SERS TOSLE TEE 18 | ulus marginatus .....0.ccccceeuees 59 | Alysia 15-punctata Bertone. i. 272 Pacaite UTIGR OE, 2.) svsss . moeblall 209 N se Bathyllus.. - 175 be Marden te eins oa = ive Apple-tree Bark-lice........ 181 Hindrances to successful F ruit- 169 | Katydid Eggs........... ao0e caja miata 246 ats Siete wont Laima . ++» 20 SEOW INS evens 309 Killing Apple-worms by machinery 9 Nebraska Bee-killer . +» 337 Lippodamia tar of th Vi 23, 340 | Knots on Apple-tree roots caused by Necrophorus marginatus. madd Hog-caterpillar of the Vine ated BOOT CC sc. cae. sciences aeceeeeee M6 |) Wemarus mendicus ARs . - ss uercicola ... wre SUREIT OP ATABITCS os vc vas acccaececes 309 a gq as pale se alti Hogs vs. Cureulios ..... - 58 L Aa ioe PE 3 Homalomyia canicularis * 735 | Ladder Spider ................cec00 CNT ee bac eae on 276 be oA, « loss pitas Lagoa operculari ce wentricosus.. -15, 200, 242, a 6 Chgset F 11) 139 | Laphria thoracica.......... 274, 276, 304, 305, 338 “ 7} 138 Ean vet Caterpillar on Apple-tree... Nephila plumipes...1..- seve esses. 5s TTorinu ra eens * 132 | Toarder-beetle ...............-5. d Nest of the Bald-faced Hornet ..... a OVERUS ERVIS. 66 vee eee enn 4 ‘2 < SUES visio keza wien neers i ics +++. 155 | Large Asilus-fly . Neuroterus lanuginosus....... Horizontal ys. Vertical Sapte ra id ws laaks Barats Beccles rsa mde Bane Horse-hair Snakes BERN oz, 64, 26 ROMMISTOOU Its. cack nae “15 “« Bee enemy .... .. - 59 ee ome aecudy TaReOts ‘i “* Water-beetle .............. .. ; “< Curculio Remedy .. » 243 pecker’ an 166, Too 236, 266, 294 | Larvie in the Human Bowels .- 137, : “© Pood for Silk-worms - 42 6 Oki T t ‘ Mar * O45, Larva named—G. W. Gordon...... 339 ‘© Jlesperian 271 eee d Insects .....: 212 of Abbot Sphinx......... -.- 309 | sce Ineeoticide . j ie 86 if nea may breed In iiss «c © elubbed Tortoise-beetle . 308 ‘© Peay-tree Insect. nee = umble-be' i 6¢ ¢€ Tmperial Moth cane ‘s des catullus .... - 15 Etybrid ag i ad ts 373 priate thet ‘hoas Swallow-tail ‘ 3 ere eo Werke q ae RpmUReta se (de acca seers c= + EE a coer singe iy lazieee 3 Hylobius ie. H ob a ales No Apple plant Lice : se 39, 336 | Leafy Oak-gall “* pins for Sale ... vee 27 tenis tea < mt ill Dina grandis . “« Plant-lice Bggs.......... ve 178 psy ne ee a <2. 160 | Lecanium (Pulvinaria) vitis, re N A. Lepidoptera wanted 374 OU AREER SS eto TCE APIVUN CAE, ons oy > sv ae : Northern Lady-bird; its larve.... . a5 Leucania unipuncta,.. 106, 111, 328, 340 Not a Gull but a Wasp-nest,........ 41 I Tiice'on Snowballs .«- «23. ...s0. uuu 245 | Not Leggs, but parasitic cocoons. 373 Ue Liluc-borer .... + 61 | Notes und Experiments on Currs aunt- Nlinvis State Entomologist 5 Limacodes cippus iepategt 26 VOLS) hic Sewanee HU, aaaereten al Imperial Dryocampa ........ Lire “ pithecium . ‘| 340 | Notes from Wilkinsonville sees tees 54 Imported Currant-worm. .. ty OSTECUSI: iia viaisisio sine aelelnet 307 ** on the Varantula-killer ...... 52 me insects and) Native Amer- a ephippiatus . - -:... 373 | Notodonta CONCINNG «220.2000: vee 27 ican Insects ..........---.200 eens Limenitis disippus ....... 246, 276 on unicornis . : a Information wanted .. nie ss proserpina . --++ 84l | Noxious Larve.... : pene Anjored) Pear-roots........ Af isseomi rc ursula + 216 | Nymphalis disippus....... eee D21, 177 Injurious Insects—Do not dissemi- 302 Limexylon navale, Data's ae i 165 ante Seat stin ms Se 3 s fre 65 Lithobius Americanus ... ait aes O In Memoriam ... .. ; na | Little Cicada.......... sees B08 Insectivorous habits of Pra a Lobesia botrana . s 807 Maklear Gall s.....15. yeahs 29 Tnsect Bea Saeed tehmsles Abie vince ne Locust-borer. 27, 246, » 318 Elcace 2s RENTON EN strlen 2 7" Osg | Locust Year for : ee sitsta s eee ogeny ..... a oe Locusts pierdia. ae ae Oberea Face kote if au Cu eile Oe so | Lon s-tailed Ophion .... % saiee mat ates ME | kat hag SRL | mee ep i we oring liquor ¢ weer teee L i vyus Abbottti 4 3 is dustoying cdlationen< | pat. mete swse ILL AS | elo eralipr 13 : Penen eae Wale Lucanus dama .........22005 - 26 rae feSOLOE TO. CEeerRG ‘+ feeding on sap of Black Wal- 24g | Luminous? Leaf-hopper LV oibras piniee ee ee 236 30 | Luna-moth,............ Brigg aaa y?s Journal of a State Ento- A gs | Rieetomti i «Alba ee eee Sunt aa i Aihig eu-gall..... f j it ins RC ere re 234 4 ra age gt ree Worn -Henbely £60) 30039 4880)? 22, 54, 89, 123, ate 208 327 ” 353 Lyita atrala..... ewe.d Up ape eee 4, 1 OETA Pa ee 158, 17 ll, 338 b, 327, St we++ L180 CER la ae ; On the Group Hurytomides of the cc aaa ae SE yank’ 59 4 marginata Sis Fas Hymenopterous Family ae ae 261 e © MUPINGA ©. canes “S2ae VOgene MEAs Sr! oo |e Sante 997 “alt tc a. t Dae: hat *e gq Mitfaba.... 6... on on the transformations eae Ay Shas. S_ Davi Onward march of the Colorado Po- ‘ a a Racwiienn M pinto: DOES :hsiasibctelect etaanteats ine ~ « rs I a Bete > hion macrurum ..... yh i # gis ga Pe Macroda:tylus subspinosus .......4. 341 Cage Raspberry Rust . O45 “e ee T WwW . 27 | Macrobasis ctnere ce eh || 7, see ge mapa gracile i i “ «Mrs. Marion Hobart 179 rig Fabrictt ....... . tee se glaberrimum Wee te Mrs M Chappell- Madarus ampelopsidos “e DUlgare......, (sik OR SMe NET oe 373 | Mangoldwurzel-lly... Orgyia dencostig ws ia ce e YK. Kidd... .... 306 | Mantis Carolina .. Olacharis saliator< 2 rE oe Lele tate eee: B41 | Mantispa brunnea . + oteeeeees BO Odtilis arcuctch eee 110 me 2 J... Muhleman.... 26 Maple-worms .........- .-s.205 * g7y | Osage Orange for the Mulberry Silk- Ee 6c bY W_ HL. Patton . 1Is2 | Matter crowded out ...... rae worm 293, . ss te LR ey ee > Apples 25 Ox. reshell Bay i -lou in “Missouri 213 a . ays 5 SQUES 0 eine mee on ark-Llouse a dio py PO os as | SMetizadioal Sable of the Crickols «2 206 Ma aimee oh See Mississippi 802 x Waters 0.1... 62 Microscopes ......-...--. «++. Pores - lis “ of Color AF ie eB Tiae 3315 24+ | Missouri Mntomological Report 126, ny Pp Interesting Insects... .. ... 307 | Mite-gall on Sugar Maple ......... + 33% - wa Butterflies Sg ko OC epee Neer Waite hia otvcertuint Rao 121, 372 Ty fesciotus tk aae eee -+- 308 | More about the Cow-killer, Pabitio as NA oh 25 mates 175 re any Knowledge useless?. . . 164 Mossy Lp aay eo akevinel 30, 175, 840, 341 Isosoma hordet Moth namex On aTaneste Saami st 335 : y il th lise ot Moth of saddle-back . = 7 305 is the New York Weevil the ca: F M Walsh ’s Portrait Wareelhawe B05 PeAr-DU SHU | capa wees suithy 0i6)2 mine wt 176 r. Walsh ae (Hy apMevenaee ae ee 17 Is the Ursula Butterfly more com- oe iene 0 8© thoas co. =.175, 308, eo mon in some sections of U.S. than nu fusca See a Te 339 TD Stress ee 7 Disippus? ........... aia ae deeittis 177 Ao vi Lndex to Volume JT. IRAP ASAUUPIAEN ae sladicei-ecetien eee 807 | Ptinus brunneus ...............189, 822 Parasites of the Cecropia-moth .... 100 6" Ufrontalisee eee acer eens 322 «« Human animal .... 114 | Punctures on Rose-twig , 213 «« upon a Syrphus Larva ... 306 | Pupa of Disippus Butterfly . 246 Parasitic Cocoons .........+ --- 128, 160 «« ¢“ the Girdled Sphinx . . 241 ee Mites on the House-fly ,.. 87 | Pyralis costalis.......... . 160 Paris Green for the Curculio........ . 338 6¢ farinalis . . 160 re poisonous ........ -.. 92 ne Yimbrialss. . 160 Parsnip Caterpillar ... 30, 64 ce olinalis 5 Peach-grub Man ..... 5 . 148 5 Pearl Wood Nymph . - 150 Q Pear-leaf Fungus ... Pear-tree Worms .- 25 Pea-weevil........... 155 Pelidnota punctata.. 295 Pemphigus vitifolia . 307 Penthina Fullerea.. 04, 371 ce vitivorana . » 213 Lepsis formosa......... --- 152 Perilampus platygaster............. 174 Periodical Cieada, alias 17 and 13 year Locust. . ae ie Brood IV.. Periodical Cicadas in Georgia .. bath Ls 372 oe Cicada not in eee eutz Creek Valley.. Phacellura nitidalis Philampelus achemon. ae satellitia .. Philenor Swallow-tail . 2 Phyctta nebulo..........-..-. 32, 181, 307 Phylloptera oblongifolia 136, 182, 296, 369 Phylloxera vitifoli@......... . de ae vastatrix . Phylomma Henrietta .. Phymaphora pulchella.. Phymata evosa ....... Physalis viscosa . Physonota heliantht a quinguepunctata . he unipunctala...... PPDEVESIOV EP LECELE soe ia nates eieieelats 5 < protodice........., 60, 76, 90, 304 ‘© ape. .60, 15, 79, 155, 205, 338, 341 Pigeon ‘Tremex in A ple coghoosodeng 128 Pimpla melanocephala . 266, Piophila caset......... are. 3} Piophila casei. -180, 339 Pirates picipes .. 309 Pissodes strobi 26 Pithy Blackberry gall. . 159 Plague of Beetles...,....... . 266 Plant-lice and their enemies .. 141 Platycervrus QUE Cus... 01-1. .0e eens 212 Plum (Ofmoyemlie) See eBpsAsddoe an Aa 53, 130 oe breeds in Apple .... 276 aie ee will deposit in Fruit which overhangs water.......... 119 Plutella cruciferarum Se v8) Podisoma clavarisforme. . 162 9 Juniperinum . 162 OG sabin@...... 162 Podisus placidus..... 208 , Pod-like Willow-gall ...... ....... 214 Poisonous qualities of the Colorado Potato-bugy.-. 22.22.22 ses coos 85 Polistes fuscatus.. 156 oe metricus . 156 Polyphemus Moth . b 88 Pompilus ‘OPMOSUS...+0+ 238 Potamanthus marginatus...... 368 Potato-beetles—Large black . 275 ee -bugs .. 28 Potter Wasp Be seisriaineleretaace 10 iEceaenin of Entomological C: INC TS eeprs -e cote cletotate siniblepetee eerer teiayei= = 9 Preserving and mounting Beetles .. 245 TMSCCTS).0. 0: ciseeistelel-l-l-)+1- = 180 ie IDEN S565 osocoscceaapes o74 Prickly Rose-gall . . 246, 309 Prionts imbricornis..........+++0+-. 340 Pristiphora_grossulari@ . 20 JEADETIS BALD ogee Boanbbooe aon 2 78e80 173 Prodenia autumnalis . 365 he commeline . SO TDP a sAgcano: Progress of the Potato-bug. 84 Promachus Bastardit....... 340 Prosopis affinis....... . 307 Psiche helix... . 384 Psocris Americana 27, 173 Procus amabilis . 324 Bipunctatus . . 334 a POM ESTICUS ot cologus E ae aries gues San pu 334 GC DETOSLS a sodsc --- 180, 246, ae Pterophorus carduidactylus ........ iG periscelidactylus..... » 234 Queen Humble-bee ................. 303 Quercus tnants........ see Dal (ce pseudotinctoria 332 GG spongifica...... 332 Questions answered ................ 309 R Radish Maggots ................... 73 Ranatra fusca .... -.29, 246 GG [PLEA ISH Cece 29 Range of the Rear-horse. . 63 Ransom Cureulio Remedy DHaenOnpEM 268 Rape Butterfly.......... 60, 155, 338, 374 ee our new Cabbage Pest 338 Rare Capture 2ac5 Sees: 2; 249, Be in Illinois . . 340 Raspberry- -borer...... 26 Geometerw cin) sees. 205 66 Gouty-gall. 103, 128 os Root-gall................ 1s1 eg Rust—Orange .... ...... 245 Ratzeburg’s Works on Forest Trees, their Diseases and Insect Enemies. 95 Rearing Eggs of Butterflies......... Red Ant of Texas Red-humped Caterpillar on Apple and Pear Red Spider . Reduvius serratus....... Remarkable Tenac’ Butterfly Report ot Committee on Entomology 106 ce ** the Department of Agri- culture for 1868 178 Remedy for Onion-worm .... ...... 335 *« Canker-worm. ++. 239 Rhizopertha pusilla........ ... 109 ERhodites bicolor... -246, 309 Sie vadicum --. 181 By rOS@. . 213 Rhyssa lunatopinn k seaniened cen SB Rocky Mountain Grasshopper not live in Pennsylvania.......... 88 Restelia cancellata........ 235 Ou cornifera . -.. 162 se penicillata - seats . 162 Roman-nosed Pupa 276 Rose-gall and Pupa of Archippus ISRO 6 sob Asoc aSapodosvdusone 307 Rose-gall, mossy.......... 55 Rose-twig, punctures on. . 213 Rot in Peaches and other Fr - 209 Rove-beetle as a Parasite on the Cabbage Maggot.................. 302 Royal Horned-cater pillar 30, 52, 64, 340 bs) Saddle back Larve ................ 59 Salt-marsh Caterpillar +.. 336 Samia Cynthia..........-+.+-0..0..- 39 Saperda bivitiata 143, 148, 276, 306 Sarcoptes hominis sonore ore qu Satellite Sphinx . pooe th) SCHTATG Oc s00ptocn copribacn oe 31, 339 Baap in Apple vs. Apple-tree Plant- te Beave (Syrphus) Philadelphicus. .. 142 Be ribedit AbBosb oan kus upocace adope 142 Scar wae of the Boll-worm and Cot- TOM= WOMAN el ee cidee ciel minle =e 53. Sclerostoma syngamus 149 Scientitic Language ..... m1 Bs Nomenclature . 5 Of Phraseology . 56 ms Symbols ...... 50 Scolopendra castaneiceps.. 59 RErvOS «20+. 0 238 Scorpion in Kansas 126 ce and Tarantulas in Tenn... 238 Scorpio ( Telegonus) boreus......... 238 Seed-ticks under park of Apple-trees 160 Selandria cervast... ...-..-- 296, 309, 340 I have tried at various times many experi- ments for the preservation of collections of in- sects, but with such limited success that I did not think the results obtained worth publishing. For the sake of deterring others from pursuing these different lines of unsuccessful attempts, it would be useful, perhaps, to give a brief ac- count of my failures before describing a pro- cess recently devised, which seems to be both simple and effective. Corrosive sublimate and various preparations of arsenic have been recommended by several high authorities. The former, even when most diluted, will finally render the pin brittle by the amalgam developed; the latter, when used in a very weak alcoholic solution so as to leave no effloresence on the specimens, will preserve them well, but it is troublesome to apply, as the insects must be thoroughly soaked with the fluid before being placed in the cabinet. Binar- seniate of potassa being deliquescent, sug- gested itself to me as a material that might be applied in greater strength, and many years ago I prepared two boxes of specimens with it. They had a good appearance for some time, and have never been attacked, but eventually a con- siderable deposit or efflorescence came on the surface, so that the specimens required cleaning before they could be used for study. Painting the interior of the boxes with arsen- ious acid was also only partially successful; I have seen, though not often, living larve of Trogoderma in boxes thus prepared. Having thus failed in finding any satisfactory mineral poison I then tried the vegetable alkaloids. I soaked specimens in moderately strong al- coholic solutions of strychnia and picrotoxia, dried them, and put them into pill boxes with Trogoderma larve. After some weeks the specimens were partly eaten, and the larve transformed into perfect insects. The effects of benzine and carbolic acid are powerful, but only temporary. The former is preferable on account of its less disagreeable odor, and may be used by pouring about a tea- spoonful in each box; it must be renewed every four or five months. Packing the collection in chests painted with coal-tar has been also recommended, and would certainly be efficient, but troublesome, and ren- ders the collection, practically, nearly useless for study, on account of the difficulty of access to the boxes. Surgical art has, however, given to us an instrument by which a poisonous liquid can be rapidly and most effectively applied to the entire surface of large numbers of specimens as they stand in the cabinet boxes, without the trouble of moving them. I refer to the Atomizer. Opinions may vary as to the nature of the liquid poison to be used, but after several trials I have found the following formula to be quite satis- factory; it produces no efflorescence, even on the most highly polished species, while the odor ENTOMOLOGIST. is quite strong, and persistent enough to destroy any Jarve or eggs that may be already in the box: Saturated alcoholic solution of arsenious acid, eight fluid ounces; Strychnine, twelve grains; Crystallized carbolic acid, one drachm; Mineral naphtha (or heavy benzine) and strong alcohol, enough to make one quart. 1 have not stated the quantity of naphtha, since there are some varieties of light petroleum in commerce which dissolve in alcohol only to a slight extent. These should not be used. The heavier oils which mix indefinitely with alcohol are the proper ones, and for the two pints of - mixture ten to twelve fluid ounces of the naphtha wiil be sufficient. Care should be taken to test the naphtha on a piece of paper. If it leaves a greasy stain which does not disappear after a few hours, it is not suitable for this purpose. The best form of atomizer is the long, plated, reversible tube; it should be worked with a gum elastic pipe, having two bulbs to secure uniformity in the current. The atomizing glass tubes and the bottle which usually accompany the apparatus are unnecessary: & common nar- row-necked two ounce bottle will serve per- fectly to hold the fluid. I trust that the use of the means here indicated may render the preservation of insect collec- tions less troublesome than heretofore, and thus increase the interest of amateurs who fre- quently become disgusted with the science of entomology, by seeing the results of years of active and intelligent labor destroyed by a few months of inattention, or by careless- ness in introducing infected specimens. 22. e+? KILLING APPLE-WORMS BY MACHINERY, The world certainly moves! Men are con- stantly making discoveries, which though trivial in themselves, greatly benefit their fellow-men. The hay-band remedy against the Apple-worm (Carpocapsa pomonelia, Linn.) is an excellent one, but we are obliged to seek for the worms which spin up under it, and crush each one separately. Mr. D. N. Brown, an enterprising fruit-grower of St. Joseph, Mich., has however devised a plan of slaughtering them by whole- sale, which commends itself to the good sense of every apple-grower. Ifere it is, as given in a late number of the St. Joseph Jerald, by our friend and correspondent, L. P. Haskell of that place: “Place early in June rags, not hay bands, in the forks of the tree, or trunk below the lower limb, and in these the lary will secrete themselves to enter the chrysalis state. Once in two weeks remove these rags, and de- stroy the insects. Mr. Brown does it very quickly and effectively by passing the rags through a clothes- wringer. In this manner he believes the nuisance may be got rid of; and yet the effort will be useless unless every owner of an orchard does the same thing. There must be undted effort. Let every man feel it his duty to urge his neigh- bor to act at once and persistently, remembering that, ‘eternal vigilance is the price of ’—good fruit.’? 10 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. A POTTER-WASP. (Odynerus flavipes? Fabr.) In our article on ‘‘ Wasps and their Habits,” in Vol. I, No. 7, of the Awertcan ENTomoxo- GIST, we showed how the various kinds of soli- tary Wasps provisioned their nests with differ- ent kinds of insects and spiders—how they first stung these little creatures so as to paralyze but not to kill them—and how the egg deposited by the mother-wasp, along with this living but dor- mant prey, subsequently hatched out into a soft defenseless larva, which fed at its ease upon the living provisions accumulated and stored up with such provident care by the author of its being. On page 138 we cursorily referred to the genus Odynerus—a very extensive group of the Solitary True Wasps, of which there are no less than ninety-nine described species found in North America. Several European species be- longing to this genus are known to provision their nests with green lepidopterous larvze, some of them excavating holes in sandy banks, some building their nests in the interstices of stone walls, and some selecting for that purpose wood that had been honey-combed by boring larye. We have a small North American species in our collection, which had made two nests in the central hole of a common wooden spool upon which cotton had been wound, closing up each end of the hole with tempered clay and separa- ting one nest from the other by a partition of [Fig. 4.] _ the same material. (See Fig. 4, a, 6.) For this specimen and the spool in which the nests had been constructed we are indebted to Miss Ma- rion Hobart, of Port Byron, N. Ills. Quite re- cently we have received a much larger species, Which we figure herewith (Odynerus flavipes? Fabr., Fig. 4, c), from Mr. B. Daggy, of Tuscola, Central Illinois, with the following account of its operations: Enclosed I send you five small worms, one brown and four greenones. They came to my notice as follows: I was sitting in the sanctum of the Journal office this morning, and saw a yellow jacket or wasp deposit one of these worms in a hole in the top of a common black wooden ink-stand which was upon the table © just before me. After the wasp had coiled it down nicely it left, and I of course examined to see what wasdone. Isaw there were more than the single worm, so [I left it, to ayvait results. Presently the wasp returned, but not with a worm, and worked some little time with its head in the hole where the worms were. After it Jeft, I noticed that the hole was sealed over with mud; presently it returned with still more mud, and thrice this operation was performed. On examining the contents of the hole in the ink-stand, I found, to my astonishment, thirty- five worms in it, doubtless the work of the same wasp. Isend you five of these, wasp and all, as I have just captured it since I commenced Writing to you. It has been supposed by some entomologists that Wasps alwavs provision the same nest with the same species of insect. But the five worms forwarded to us by Mr. Daggy, which averaged about one-third of an inch in length, although they were all the larvee of small moths, mostly leaf-rollers, yet belonged to at least three dis- tinct species. Along with them was sent a Wasp-larva which had attained maturity and already spun its cocoon, showing that there must have been more than one nest built by the mother wasp in the hole in the ink-stand, and that the tenant of the bottommost nest had al- ready consumed its private and peculiar stock of larve and was preparing to lie up for the winter. In the cotton-spool, which was less than one and a half inches long, there were, as we have seen, no less than two distinct nests, although both ends of the central hole had to be filled up with clay to fit it for the purpose for which it was employed. In the drawing which we have given above of this Potter Wasp (Hig. 4 c), the wings are represented as fully expanded. In repose, how- ever, they are always doubled over upon them- selves in the singular manner shown in figure 96, page 123 of our First Volume. This is a remarkable peculiarity of the True Wasps (Diplopteryga), not to be met with in a single species of the Digger Wasps (Fossores), although these last have precisely the same general habits as the Solitary True Wasps, to which our spe- cies appertains. The habits of the Social True Wasps, such as the Yellow Jackets, the Bald- faced Hornet, etc., are entirely different from those of the Solitary True Wasps; and yet their wings are folded in repose in exactly the same manner. soe ta The publishers of those papers which ad- vertise to club with ours, will please take notice of our change of subscription price. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. il TOMATO-WORMS NOT POISONOUS. For some unaccountable cause there are cer- tain of God’s creatures, that everybody seems to take a pleasure in vilifying and slandering, while on the other hand there are others that are almost worshiped in the popular mind. For instance, Toads and Snakes are considered by most persons as all of them equally poison- ous and dangerous; whereas in reality the num- ber of venomous snakes to be found in the United States may be counted on the fingers of one hand; and as to Toads, they may be freely handled with the most perfect impunity, and they prove themselves to be one of the very best friends to the gardener and the farmer by prey- ing to a great extent upon noxious insects. On the other hand our small birds are considered by many as a kind of Sacred Animal, that it would be as impious for us to shoot when they are destroying our grapes and our cherries, as it would be for a Hindoo to drive away the holy Brachman Bull when that Bull is devour- ing his rice-crop before his very eyes. Among our insect friends, however, we find but very few that are popular favorites, the only instance that occurs to us at present being that of the Lady-birds (Coccinella family), which are the children’s pets all over Europe, and are known in France as “ the Virgin’s Cattle,” and “‘ God’s Cows.” With this exception, perhaps, all other insects are commonly devoted to destruction as ugly and hateful abominations, which it is dan- gerous to touch and ridiculous to admire. More especially are the different kinds of Caterpillars, or “‘ worms” as they are often called, which are the larvse of our multifarious species of Butter- flies and Moths, objects of the most unmiti- gated disgust. And perhaps of all these none is in worse repute than the common Tomato- worm. This larva belongs to an extensive group (the Sphinx Family), almost all of which have a stiff pointed horn growing out of their tails—a merely ornamental appendage, such as those which are distributed in considerable numbers over the body of the magnificent larva, which we illustrated in the Frontispiece to our first volume. Why or wherefore it is impossible to say, but this poor unfortunate Tomato-worm has been selected by the popular voice, out of about fifty others belonging to the same Family and found within the limits of the United States —all of which have a similar horn growing out of their tails—to be falsely accused of using this horn as a sting. The Tomato-worm and the Tobacco-worm are as like as two peas, and pro- duce moths which resemble each other so closely, that entomologists for a long time confounded them together. Each has exactly the same kind of horn growing on the hinder extremity of its body; yet while the Tomato-worm is generally accused of stinging folks with this horn, nobody, so far as we are aware, ever yet said that the Tobacco-worm would or could do so. The real truth of the matter is that neither of them can sting, either with its tail, or with its head, or with any part of its body. Yet not a season elapses but the newspapers publish horrible accounts of people being stung to death by To- mato-worms, and earnestly recommend those that gather tomatoes to wear heavy buckskin gloves. These stories, however, have been con- tradicted so flatly and so often, that latterly the penny-a-liners have struck off upon another tack. Tomato-worms, it appears, do not sting with the horn that grows on their tails, but they “eject with great violence a green caustic fluid from their mouths to a distance of from three to fifteen inches” !! Now whatis the real truth about this matter? Tomato-worms do really discharge from their mouths, when roughly handled, a greenish fluid, and so do the larvse of almost all moths, and so does every species of grasshopper with which we are acquainted, and so do many different kinds of beetles. But it is not true that they can spit out this fluid even to the distance of a quarter of an inch, much less to the distance of fifteen or even of three inches; and especially it is not true that the fluid is poisonous. If it were so, we should have been in our graves long ago; for we have had it repeatedly daubed over our fingers, but without the least ill effects therefrom, and so have scores of other entomologists in this coun- try. The strangest thing of aliis, that of two worms almost exactly alike, one of which eats tomato leaves, and the other eats tobacco leaves, the tomato-chewer should be accused of spitting, and the tobacco-chewer should be held to be guiltless of this offensive practice. Now then, Gentlemen of the Public Press, if Tomato-worms neither sting nor spit, what is the next charge that you are going to bring against them? Why not assert that they can leap a distance of from ten to twenty feet, hay- ing taken deadly aim at the human eyes, which they forthwith proceed to gouge out with their rough rasp-like pro-legs? Of course you would follow this up by recommending everybody never to go near a tomato patch, without a large pair of green goggles to protect the eyes from being destroyed. 12 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. GOOSEBERRY AND CURRANT WORMS. We candidly confess that we are discouraged. Nearly a year ago we published a full account of the different Potato Bugs to be found in the United States, showing that there are about a round dozen of perfectly distinct species attack- ing the Potato plant—some burrowing in the stalk, but most of them devouring the leaves— some infesting the plant both in the larva and in the perfect state, others in the perfect state exclusively—and most of them to be found all over the Union, while one of them js almost en- tirely confined to the Eastern States, and an- other is at present only to be met with in the West, though it is gradually advancing with giant strides towards the devoted Kast. In that article we further pointed out the practically very important fact, that different Potato Bugs having different habits must be attacked in dif- ferent modes; and that what is excellent sauce for the goose will often turn out to be very poor sauce indeed for the gander. Yet— wonderful to relate !—in spite of all our efforts to dissemi- nate correct knowledge on this subject, several newspapers have continued to publish para- graphs through the summer of 1869, showing how ‘‘ THE Potato Bug” has done thus and so in such and such aneighborhood! They might just as well publish as interesting and satisfac- tory news, that ‘““THIE sheep” took the first pre- mium at such and such a Wool-growers’ Conyen- tion, or that ‘‘ THE horse” won the race at the last meeting of the Honorable Jockey-Club of Swindleton. What then, under the circumstances, are we to do? Shall we give up in despair and discon- tinue the EnromoLoetst, ‘simply because it is demonstrated by hard dry facts, that such a paper is urgently needed, and that the popular ignorance on the subject of insects urgently re- quires to be enlightened? Far from us be such faint-heartedness! We acknowledge that we find a great many very ‘‘hard cases” among our adult population—men who maintain stoutly, that it is beneath the dignity of the human species to pay any attention to these ia- finitesimally minute little creatures, which are every day picking our pockets of untold mil- lions of dollars. But we have great faith in the rising generation. School Superintendents are now beginning to recognize the fact, that Natu- ral History is not only a very pleasing, but practically a most important study; and that as insects outnumber tenfold all the other animals in the world put together, so they annually in- flict upon us ten times as much pecuniary dam- age as all the other animals in the world put to- gether. Hence the very legitimate inference is drawn, that of all the various departments of Natural History, Entomology, viewed in the light of dollars and cents, is of the greatest practical imporiance; and but for the want of competent teachers and suitable text books, it would no doubt be introduced at once, as a reg- ular branch of study, into all our best schools. We would suggest, however, to those who have such matters under their official charge, that where there is a demand there will always sooner or later be a supply; and that the very best way to create a demand for good Entomological Text- books, suited to the comprehension of children, is to disseminate among children a taste for the more pleasing and popular branches of Ento- mology. It is for the express purpose of creat- ing such a taste in the public mind, that our Magazine has been set on foot; and in spite of our well-known modesty, we cannot help throwing out a hint here, that worse text-books than the AMERICAN ENromoLogist might on a diligent search be found in some of our public schools. But we must stop here. The pub- lisher gravely admonishes us, that if our little work were generally introduced into all our Public Schools, or even into all our High Schools, it would be utterly impossible for him, with his present typographical facilities, to sup- ply the demand for it. Such an idea, if practi- cally carried out, would certainly ruin him; for he would then have to purchase, at a vast ex- pense, one of the Patent Forty-Cylinder Print- ing-presses, that throw off 1,539.141 impressions every five minutes. We have determined, therefore, upon a cool consideration of the state of the case, not to be daunted or discouraged, because a few benighted individuals will still persist in talking about “THE Potato Bug,” instead of telling us in so many words whether they mean the Colorado Potato Bug, or the Ash-gray Blister-beetle, or the Three-lined Leaf-beetle, or whatever the particular species of Potato Bug may be that is destroying their potato-vines. We have thrown our bread upon the waters; we hope and believe that, after many days, or at all events after many years, it will be found and appreciated by the world. In the mean- time, with unflagging resolution and unabated confidence, we shall proceed with our task. We have already given a complete history, illus- trated by figures, of the different bugs that afflict the Irish Potato. We have done the same.thing with those that infest the Sweet Potato. We have commenced a series of articles, throwing light upon the multifarious species that destroy the health and vigor of the Grape-vine. In the present Paper we propose to give the Natural History of three perfectly distinct kinds of worms, or Jarve as they would be more pro- perly termed, that devour the foliage of the Currant and the Gooseberry. There are other larvee that bore into the stems or twigs of one or both of these plants, and should rather be called ‘‘ Borers” than ‘‘ Worms;” but with these we have at present nothing to do. Ina future Paper we shall perhaps treat of these last by themselves. The Currant and the Gooseberry, although the general appearance of the two plants is very different, and although almost all the species of Gooseberry are thorny and bear each fruit upon a separate stem, while all the species of Currant are devoid of thorns and bear their fruit in a peculiar kind of bunch technically known as a “raceme,” are yet referred by Botanists to the same genus (/ibes). Our common Garden Gooseberry (Ribes grossularia) has been intro- duced among us from Europe; but we have four wild species commonly found in the North- ern States; and besides these four there is a Cal- ifornian species, the Showy Gooseberry (2. spec/- osum), which is sometimes cultivated as an orna- mental plant in our gardens, for the sake of its fine deep-red hanging flowers and red stamens. On the contrary, our common Garden Red Currant (Rf. rubrum), of which the White Currant is a mere variety, is indigenous in the more north- erly of the Northern States from New Hamp- shire to Wisconsin, although it is also a native of Europe; while on the other hand the Black Currant of our gardens (22. nigrum) is a Euro- pean plant, and is thought by the best authors to be distinct from our American Wild Black Currant (2. jfloridum). Besides the above we have three other Currants peculiar to America. One of these, the Missouri or Buffalo Currant (R. aureum), grows wild in the Far West and is often cultivated in gardens, where its small, bright-yellow, spicy-scented flowers are very conspicuous in the early spring. Another of them, peculiar to Oregon and California, the Red-flowered Currant (2. sangwinewm), is also occasionally grown as an ornamental plant on this side of the Rocky Mountains. , We have entered into these botanical details, because it is a remarkable fact that the three different Currant and Gooseberry Worms, now to be brought under our notice, all of them attack almost indiscriminately in our gardens the Red THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Currant and the Gooseberry, while they are none of them eyer found upon our cultivated Black Currant or, so far as is known, upon our wild Black Currant. On ihe other hand our common imported Currant Borer (_#geria tipuliformis) infests the Red or White Currant, but is never found in the twigs of the cultivated Black Currant or in those of the Gooseberry, whether wild or tame: while our wild Black Currant has a peculiar borer of its own (geria caudata), belonging to the very same genus as the imported species which attacks the Red Currant; and we ourselves recently noticed. in the grounds of Mr. D. I’. Kinney at Rock Island, Tll., that the tips of the rank vigorously grow- ing twigs of the tame Black Currant were ex- tensively bored on the last of June by that very general feeder the Stalk Worm ( Gortyna nitela).* Finally, the common Currant Plant- louse (Aphis ribis)—a species introduced among us from Europe—may be noticed almost every spring in every patch of Red Currants, curling up the leaves in great numbers into blister-like elevations, on the inferior surface of which it resides; while neither this particular species of Plant-louse, nor any other species so far as we are aware, is ever met with either upon the Gooseberry, whether wild or tame, or upon the Black Currant, whether wild or tame. These facts may serve to show us how unsafe it is to infer that, because one insect can thrive upon a number of different species of a particular genus of plants, therefore another insect can do the same thing. The Gooseberry Span-worm, (Elloptu [Abraxas] ribearia, Fitch.) This may be at once distinguished from any other worm, found either on Gooseberry or Cur- rant, by its being what is popularly called a ““measuring-worm” or span-worm. The an- nexed sketch (Fig. 5) shews this larva in three different positions, No. lrepresenting it in profile in the looping attitude, and No. 2 giving a dor- sal view of it asit hangs suspended by a thread. When full-grown it measures about an inch, and is of a bright yellow color, with lateral white lines and numerous black spots and round dots. The head is white, with two large black eye-like spots on the outer sides above and two smaller ones beneath. The six true legs are black and the four pro-legs yellow. It attains its growth about the middle of June, when it descends to the ground and either burrows a * Figured with its larva in Amrr. Entom, I, page 22, fig. i. {> 14 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. little below the surface or hides under any rub- bish that may be lying there; but in neither : Piten LLL Colors—(1 and 2) yellow, black and white; (3) mahogany brown case does it form any cocoon. Shortly after this it changes to a chrysalis (Wig. 5, No. 3), of the usual shape and shining mahogany brown color. After remaining in the pupa state about four- teen days, it bursts the pupa shell and in the forepart of July appears as a moth (Fig. 6), of a pale nankin yellow color, the wings shaded with faint dusky leaden-colored spots arranged so as not to present any [Fig. 6.] definite pattern. The sexes then couple as usual, and the female } lays her eggs on the branches and twigs of the bushes. Owing to this peculiarity, the nal species is frequently carried in the egg state upon transplanted bushes from one neighborhood to another; which ac- counts for its sudden appearance in parts where it was before unknown. For there is but one brood of this insect in one year, and the eggs must consequently, like those of the Tent-worm of the Apple-tree, be exposed, on the twigs and limbs to which they are attached, to all the heats of July and August without hatching out, and to all the frosts of December and January with- out freezing out. At length, when the proper time arrives, and the gooseberry and currant lead-color. ' bushes are out in full leaf so as to afford plenty of food, the tiny but tough little egg hatches out about the latter end of May, and in a little more than three weeks the worms attain their full larval development. This Gooseberry Span-worm was first noticed near Chicago in 1862 or ’63; and for two or three years afterwards it increased rapidly, so as in most gardens not to leave a single Jeaf on the gooseberry, and in many instances to en- tirely strip the currant bushes. It is quite common also in St. Louis and Jefferson counties in Missouri, and for the past two seasons has entirely stripped the Gooseberry bushes on many farms in these counties. Elsewhere in the Western States it is not by any means com- mon; but in many localities in the Hast it has been a severe pest for a great number of years, especially in the States of New York and Penn- sylvania. Near Rock Island, Ill., in the course of twelve years collecting, we only met with ~ one solitary specimen of the moth, although there are plenty of wild gooseberries growing in the woods there, which plant was in all probability its original home, before the intro- duction into this country of the cultivated gooseberry. We have observed that the species shows a decided preference for the gooseberry, always attacking that plant first when growing side by side with the currant. Hence we have given it the English name of the “‘ Gooseberry Span-worm,” to distinguish it from the Imported Currant Worm next to be treated of, which con- versely prefers the Currant to the Gooseberry. In reality, however, as we hinted before, the “Gooseberry Span-worm” frequently becomes a Currant Span-worm, and the ‘Imported Currant Worm” is often to be met with per- forming the part of an Imported Gooseberry Worm. It should be carefully observed that the Goose- berry Span-worm is a native American insect, not to be found on the other side of the Atlantic. In Europe, indeed, there is an allied span-worm (Abraxas grossulariata), which infests their gooseberry and currant bushes much in the same way as our indigenous species infests our bushes; but the larva and especially the perfect moth are marked very differently.* We men-_ tion this fact, because it was erroneously stated four years ago in an Article in the Prairie Farmer, that the two were identical; and be- cause, as we shall show in a future article, the truth is here of some considerable scientific in- terest and involves some very curious conse- quences. *Figures of both will be found in Westw. Introd. II. p. 396, Figs. 1 and 3. THE AMERICAN 15 ENTOMOLOGIST. The Imported Currant-worm. 4. (Nematus ventricosus, Klug.)* It is only about a dozen years since this most pernicious enemy to the Currant and Goosc- berry was introduced from Europe into the United States. So far as can be ascertained, it made its first appearance among us in the neigh- borhood of Rochester, N. Y., and is supposed to have been imported along with some goose- berry bushes from Europe by the celebrated Rochester nurserymen, Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry. In nine years time, besides colonizing in other directions, it had gradually spread to Washington Co., N. Y., on the east side of the Hudson River—a total distance of about 225 miles. Thus, as it appears, it traveled at the average rate of some 25 miles a year, establish- ing a permanent colony wherever it went, and not passing through the country as a mere *In the Practica, ENtTomoLoaistT for September, 1866, the Senior Editor published the first complete history of this Insect, as it exists in the United States, and in an Appendix to the Article gave its full scientific synonymy, showing that, in accordance with the Law of Priority, its correct name was Nematus ventricosus, Klug, and that, according to Snellen Von Vollenhoven, this was as early as 1859 the received name for the species in Europe. As is stated in that Article, the species was first described by Klug in the year 1819 under the above specific name, and it was not till four years afterwards that St. Fargeau blunderingly de- scribed the male under the specific name of affinis, and the female under the specific name of trimaculatus—thus manu- facturing two species out of one! ‘Two years after the above Paper from the pen of the Senior Editor had been published, Dr. Fitch gave to the world an Article on this subject in the Transactions of the New York State Agricultural Society tor 1867, pp. 969--932 In this Article, though he incidentally remarks (p. 910) that the same insect had been described by another author under the name of ventricosus, he yet adopts St. Fargeau’s name for it, or rather that one of St. Far- geau’s two names which applies exclusively to the female sex—namely ‘‘ trimaculatus.’’ This, however, is a trifling matter; for although Dr. Fitch has frequently busied him- self in upsetting old established names, and in accordance With the rigid Law of Priority supplanting those old names by still older ones, which he has chosen to resurrect from the buried dust of ages, we ourselves attach but little im- portance to this kind of scientific legerdemain. But Dr. ‘itch has not been satisfied with adopting St. Fargeau’s name published in 1823 in preference to Klug’s name pub- lished in 1819, thus flying in the face of that very Law of Priority, for which he is generally so great a stickler: he must also adopt St. Fargeau’s blunder in giving that name. It will scarcely be believed, but it is positively and abso- lutely true, that Dr. Fitch describes exclusively the female sex of this insect, and palms it off upon his readers as a de- scription of both sexes! (See pp. 926-7). Yet the males are almost entirely black and the females almost entirely yel- low; so that a description that suits the female is altogether inapplicable to the male. Nor is this an unusual thing among the Sawtflies; for it was shown by the Senior Editor as long ago as December, 1866, that in this Family the body of the male is very generally much darker than that of the female, while in the Zehnewmon family it is exactly the re- verse. (See Proc. Ent. Soc., Phil., V1, pp- 238-9). In the Paper in the Practical Entomologist which has been already referred to (Vol I, pp. 120-1) 1f is expressly stated that ‘* the males and females of this Sawfly differ so widely that they would scarcely be taken by the inexperienced en- tomologist for the same species;’’ and a very full deserip- tion of each sex is then and there given. Yet two years sub- sequently Dr. Fitch, as it appears, was totally unacquainted with the male sex, or at all events his description applies exclusively to the female, and he says not one single word about the sexes. And this when, by his own account, the insect was swarming in his own garden under his very nose! Of course, under these circumstances, it is impossible that he could ever have looked into the Paper on the same sub- ject published two years before in the Practical Entomologist. But when an author is careless enough to make such blund- ers as the above, would he not do well, before he gives his own lucubrations to the world, to see what others have pub- lished in the same special department of Natural History? moveable column of invaders. In 1860 or ’61 it appeared at Erie in the N. W. corner of Penn- sylvania. In 1864 Prof. Winchell found it at Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1866 it was generally distributed over the N. E. counties of Peunsyl- vania. And judging from a conversation which we had in October, 1868, with Mark Carley, of Champaign, in Central Illinois, this gentleman must have had it in great numbers upon his currant bushes in the summer of that year. At all events he described the worm which had infested his bushes as being green with many black spots and as not being a looper. But besides the principal centre of distribu- tion at Rochester, N. Y., this Currant-worm seems to have been imported from Europe at one or two other points in the Eastern States, and as at Rochester to have spread therefrom as from a focus. Unless our memory greatly deceives us, Mr. Geo. Brackett, of Maine, described this same insect many years ago, as existing in that State, though he gave it a different specific name, and was not at all aware that it had been intro- duced from the other side of the Atlantic. We also heard of it in the summer of 1867, from Mr. A. H. Mills, of Vermont, as being very destruc- tive in his neighborhood. Not improbably, it was independently imported at other points in the East. Wherever it is introduced it spreads with great rapidity, and as there are two broods every year, if soon multiplies so as to strip all the currant and gooseberry bushes bare and utterly ruin the crop, besides eventually destroy- ing the bushes, unless proper measures be taken to counteract it. Throughout the western parts of New York, as we have been informed by our ornithological friend Dr. Velie, the cultivation of currants and gooseberries has been almost entirely given up, en account of the depreda- tions of this seemingly insignificant little say- age. And, according to Dr. Fitch, at Water- town, N. Y., ‘it kept the bushes so destitute of leaves in most of the gardens, that in three years they were nearly or quite dead.” The Imported Currant-worm Fly (Fig. 7, @ male, 6 female, both enlarged), belongs to the Sawflies (Zenthredo *Family)—a group of the Order of Clear-winged Flies (Hymenoptera), which is remarkable for having most of its larvxe with the same plant-feeding propensities as those of the great bulk of the larvie of the Moths, and with very much their general appearance. Saw- fly larve, however, may be readily distinguished from moth larvee, in the majority of cases, by having either 22, 20 or 18 legs; whereas the greatest number of legs that any moth larva has is 16. The species that we now have to do with 16 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. comes out of the ground soon after the leaves of the currant and gooseberry bushes, upon which it feeds, put forth in the spring, or from [Fig. 7.] . J. Golors=rek and yellow. the latter part of April to the forepart of May. The sexes then couple, and the female proceeds to lay her eggs along the principal veins on the under side of the leaf. From these eggs shortly afterwards hatch out minute green 20-legged larvx or worms, which at first have black heads and many black dots on their bodies, but after moulting for the last time are entirely of a grass- green color, except the large dark eye spots on each side of the head found in all larvee belong- ing to this genus, and except that the joint next the head and the two hindmost joints are ofa yel- low color, as is also the case in the less mature larva, which bears so many black markings. In the annexed Figure 8, a, a, a, a shows lary of different sizes in different positions: and 0 gives [Fig. 8.] Colors—Green, yellow and black. an enlarged view of one of the abdominal joints in profile, so as to exhibit the position of the black spots. When full-grown the larye are about three-quarters of an inch long, and from their greatly increased size, make their presence readily known by the sudden disappearance of the leaves from the infested bushes. Shortly afterwards, having attained a length of fully three-quarters of an inch, they burrow under- ground, generally beneath the infested bushes, or, if there are many leaves lying on the ground, simply hide under those leaves. In either case they spin around themselves a thin oval cocoon of brown silk, within which they assume the pupa state. But frequently, as we are assured by | Mr. Saunders of Canada West, and as European observers have noticed, they spin their cocoons in the open air upon the bushes. About the last week in June or the first part of July, or occasionally not until the beginning of August, the winged insect bursts forth from the cocoon and engerees to the light of day; when the same process of coupling and laying eggs is repeated. The larvee hatch out from this second laying of egos as before, feed on the leaves as before, and spin their cocoons as before; but the perfect fly from this second brood does not come out of the cocoon till the following spring, when the same old series of phenomena is repeated. cine From the drawings of the Male and Female Fly given above (Fig. 7), the reader will see at once that the two sexes differ very widely. This is very generally the case among the Saw- flies, and it isa remarkable and most suggestive fact that, when this takes place, the body of the male is almost invariably darker than that of the female. Nor does our species, as will be observed at the first glance, form any exception to the rule. Indeed, as with two other Sawflies that devour the foliage of our Pines and Firs (Lophyrus Abbottii and ZL. abietis), the body of the male is almost entirely black and that of the female almost entirely yellow; so that at first sight we should suppose: the two to belong to different species. Since, from some unaccount- able oversight, Dr. Fitch has overlooked this fact, and described both sexes as being colored in the manner which is exclusively to be met with in the female, it will be as well to add here full descriptions, first of the female fly and secondly of the male fly. These descriptions were, indeed, published by the Senior Editor two years before Dr. Fitch’s appeared; but the writings of that gentleman circulate so exten- sively that, when he makes an important mistake such as this, itis proper that it should be cor- rected in our columns in detail. FEMALE FLy,.—General color of body bright honey- yellow. JZead black, with all the parts between and below the origin of the antennx, except the tip of the THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 17 mandibles, dull honey-yellow. Antenne brown-black, often tinged with rufous above, except towards the base, and beneath entirely dull rufous except the two basal joints; four-fifths as long as the body, joint 3, when viewed laterally, four times as long as wide, joints 3-5 equal in length, 6-9 very slowly shorter and shorter. In two females the antenne are 10-jointed, joint 10 slender and % as long as 9. Thorax with the anterior lobe above, a wide stripe onthe disk of each lateral lobe which is very rarely reduced to a mere dot, or very rarely the whole of each lateral lobe, a spot at the base and at the tip of the scutel, the two spots sometimes confluent and very rarely subobsolete, a small spot at the outer end of each cenchrus and a geminate small spot transversely arranged between the cenchri, the tip of the metathoracic scutel, the front and hind edge above of what seems the 1st abdominal joint, but is in reality the hind part of the metathorax, or very rarely its whole surface above, and also the whole lower surface of the breast between the front and middle legs, or very rarely two large spots arranged crossways on that surface, all black. Cenchri whitish. Abdomen with joints 1 and 2 yery rarely edged at tip with black. Sheaths of the ovipositor tipped more or less with black, the surrounding parts sometimes more or less tinged with dusky. The triangular membrane at the base of the abdomen above, whitish. Zegs bright honey-yellow; all the coxw and trochanters whitish; the extreme tip of the hind shanks and the whole of the hind tarsi, brown-black. Wings glassy; veins and stigma brown-black, the latter as well as the costa obscurely marked with dull honey-yellow. Ina single Q all three submarginal cross-veins are absent in one Wing, and only the basal one is present in the other wing. In another Q all three are indistinctly present in one wing, and in the other only the basal one and a rudiment of the terminal one. Ina single wing of two other 2, the terminal submarginal cross-yein is absent. And in a single Q there are but three submarginal cells in either wing, precisely as in the genus Zuura.—Length Q 0.22—0.28 inch. Front wing 0.27—0.33 inch. Wxpanse of wings Q 0.53—0.64 inch, (wings depressed). MaLre Fiy.—General color of body black. Head with the clypeus and the entire mouth, except the tip of the mandibles, dullhoney-yellow. Antenne brown- black, often more or less tinged with rufous beneath except towards the base: as long as the body, the joints proportioned as in 2, but the whole antenna, as usual in this sex, vertically much more dilated, so that joint 3 is only 219 times as long as wide when viewed in'pro- file. Yhorax with the wing-scales and the entire collare honey-yellow. Cenehri whitish. _4hsdomen with more or less of its sides, the extreme tip above, andits entire inferior suriace honey-yellow. Legs as in 2. Wings asin 2. In two ¢ the middle submarginal cross-vein is absent in both wings, so that if captured at large they would naturally be referred to the genus Zuura. In two other ¢ this is the case in one wing only. An- other g has but the basal submarginal cross-vein remaining in each wing. And in two other 4 the ter- minal submarginal cross-vein is absent in one wing.— Length 3’ 0.20—0.22 inch. Front wing 3! 0.23—0.25 inch. Expanse of wings 3 0.44—0.dL inch, (wings depressed. ‘ Described from 22 ¢ and 13 9,3 ¢ and 1 9 of the spring brood. The fact of two 9, con- trary to the established character of the genus Nematus, having 10-jointed instead of 9-jointed antenns is a variation of a kind of which no other example in the whole Family of Sawflies ison record. Had such a specimen been cap- tured at large, instead of being bred, along with alot of normal 9, from the same lot of larve taken from the same lot of bushes, it would pro- bably have been made the basis for a new genus and a new species by some of our genus-grinding closet-entomologists. The mode in which this Currant Worm has been transmitted, first from the European nur- sery to the American nursery, and afterwards all over several States of the Union, can be easily explained. As has been stated just now, it usually passes the autumn and winter in the ground under the bushes, where it has fed, housed in a little oval cocoon from 4 to $ inch long. Hence if, as often happens, infested bushes are taken up in the autumn or early in the spring, with a little dirt adhering to their roots, and sent off to a distance, that dirt will likely enough inclose a cocoon or two. A single pair of cocoons, if they happen to contain indi- viduals of opposite sexes, will be sufficient to start a new colony. ‘The first and probably the second year the larvee will not be noticed; but increasing, as almost all insects do, unless checked from some extraneous source, in a fear- fully rapid geometric progression, by the third or fourth year they will swarm, strip the bushes completely bare of their leaves, and ruin the prospect for a good crop of fruit. Of course, like other winged insects, they can fly from garden to garden in search of a suitable spot whereon to deposit their eggs; so that any point where they have been once imported becomes, in a few years, a new centre of distribution for the immediate neighborhood. Nurserymen and all others, importing Goose- berry and Currant bushes from a distance, should be particularly careful, before they plant them, to wash the roots thoroughly in a tub of water, and burn or scald whatever comes off them. Any cocoons, that may happen to be hidden among the dirt attached to the roots, will then be destroyed. By attending to this precaution the dissemination of this mischievous little pest, throughout the United States, may be greatly retarded for many years to come. For those who are already cursed with it, the same hellebore which we shall recommend at the end of this Article, as universally efficient against . all three kinds of Gooseberry and Currant Worms, is the best, the cheapest and the most available remedy. Where this cannot be con- veniently obtained, the Imported Currant Worm, owing to a peculiarity in its habits, can be pretty successfully fought upon a system, which is inap- plicable to the other two species on account of the difference in their habits. Unlike the other two, the Imported Currant Worm, as has been already stated, lays its eggs in large groups on the under side of the leaf, and upon the princi- pal veins, as shown at No. lin Figure 9, instead of attaching them in comparatively small patches to the twigs and branches. Hence, when the eggs hatch out, the minute little larve can find 18 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. [Fig. 9.] plenty of food without wandering off, and they have the habit when very young of boring small holes through the leaf as shown at No. 2 in Fig- ure 9, and when they become a little older, holes that are a little larger as shown at No. 3. It is evident that such holes as these may be readily recognized, and the leaf be carried larvze and all far away from any currant or gooseberry bushes and left to wither there, or—to make assurance doubly sure—thrown into the fire. If, however, the young laryee are removed a few rods away from any plant belonging to tke botanical genus &ibes (Currant and Goose- berry), they will be sure to die of starvation. For they cannot feed on anything else, any more than the common Locust-borer can live on an Apple-tree. As the eggs are laid in such large groups, there will be but a few leaves bearing these newly hatched larvee to remove from every bush. Wherever this Currant Worm has been in- troduced, there has prevailed from some cause or other a popular superstition, that the currants grown upon the infested bushes are poisonous. This is a mere delusion. They may be, and very probably are, unwholesome, just as any other fruit would be perhaps more or less unwholesome, if grown under such unnatural conditions as to seriously affect the health of the tree; but we have the authority of Dr. Fitch, himself a physician, for believing that the common notion on this subject is entirely erroneous. Entomologists have often speculated, whether the same parasite will attack several distinct species of insects, and whether any European species, which has been introduced into America without its peculiar parasites, will ever be attacked by the indigenous parasites of this country. So far as regards our Imported Cur- rant Worm, both these questions can be an- swered in the affirmative. Three years ago the Senior Editor published the fact, that this worm was parasitically infested by the larva of a small Ichneumon-fly (Brachypterus micropterus, Say), which has such short and rudimentary wings, that it has very much the appearance of an Ant; and more recently it has been dis- covered by that excellent observer, J. A. Lintner of Schoharie, N. Y., that the eges of this Currant Worm Fly are so generally inhabited by the larva of a minute Hymenopterous Parasite, that among fifty eges he only found four or five which hatched out into Currant Worms. As these pages were going through the press, we received trom the Editor of the Canadian Entomologist a third parasite, which he had himself ascertained to prey, not on the egg of the imported Currant Worm Fly, but on the larva. This parasite is a small four-winged fly belonging to the great Ichnewmon Family, and scarcely one-fifth of an inch lone, with its front wings very prettily ornamented each of them with two dusky bands. A full description of it (under the name of Hemitelesnemativorus,n.sp.) ¥ will probably appear before long, from the pen of the Senior Editor. in the columns of the ex- cellent Periodical just now referred to. This very same species of Zchnewmon-fly had been captured near Rock Island, Ill., several years ago by the Senior Editor; and as the Imported Currant Worm has not as yet been introduced into that region, we must conclude that this Ichneumon-fly could not have been imported into America from Europe along with this Cur- rant Worm, but that in all probability it is an indigenous species. Hence we have additional proof that, under certain circumstances, native American parasites can, and actually do, ac- quire the habit of preying upon European in- sects when the latter are imported into America. It is certain, however, that they will not do so in all cases without exception; for although the Wheat Midge, or Red Weevil as it is incorrectly termed in the West, invaded our shores some forty or fifty years ago, not a single parasite has yet been discovered to prey upon it in this country, although there are no less than three that prey upon it in Europe. The Sawfly Family ( Zenthiedo), to which both this and the next species to be noticed belong, derives its name from the “‘ovipositor” or egg-laying instrument being modified so as to mimick the blade of a saw. Under the mi- croscope—and in the larger species even under a good lens—it will be seen that the lower edge of each of the two horny blades, of which this instrument is composed, is furnished with very THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 19 fine teeth, the shape of which differs in different species. With this tool the female dy saws into the texture of the leaf or of the twig, in which the instinct of each particular species teaches it ” to deposit its egg; and—wonderful to relate— it was demonstrated long ago that the eggs thus deposited inside the substance of the plant, which is to supply the future food to the young larva as soon as it hatches out, actually grow and derive nourishment from the sap of that plant, so as often to attain double their original size. Hence we may see at once why the eggs are deposited by this group of insects in such situations as these, and why Nature has provided the female Sawflies with saws in their tails. But—as the thoughtful reader will perhaps have already observed—our Currant Worm Fly lays its egos upon the surface, and not in the interior, of the leaf, glueing them thereto by some adhe- sive fluid which it secretes for that purpose. And we may add that there are a few other Sawflies—such for example as the Rosebush Sawfly (Selandria rosw)—which do the very same thing, and consequently, as well as our species, can have no use for any saws at their tails. If, therefore, as was formerly the almost universal belief of the scientific world, each species whether of animals or of plants was independently created, with all its present organs and instincts, and not derived, as is the more modern doctrine, from the gradual modi- fication of pre-existing species through a long series of geological ages, we might naturally expect our Currant Worm Fly, and the Rose- bush Sawfly and such few other Sawflies as practice similar modes or laying their eges, to have no saws at all. For why should nature, when she is creating new species, bestow an instrument upon a particular species which has no occasion whatever to use that instrument ? In point of fact, however, all female Sawflies, no matter what their habits may be, possess these saws, though in one genus (Xyela) the saws, instead of being hard and horny through- out, are said to be soft and membranous above and below;* and in certain other Sawflies, though they are as hard and horny as usual, they are degraded and—to use the technical term—‘‘ defunctionated.” This will be seen at once from an inspection of the following draw- ing (Fig. 10) copied by ourselves from nature and very highly magnified. Here a represents the two saws of the female of the Willow-apple Sawfly (Nematus salicis- pomum, Walsh), which belongs to the very *See Westwood 's Introduction, I, p. 99. [Fig. 10.] same genus as our Currant Worm Fly. Now, we know that the female of the Willow-apple Sawfly deposits a single egg inside the leaf of the Heart-shaped Willow (Salix cordata) about the end of April, probably accompanying the ege by a drop of some peculiar poisonous fluid. Shortly afterwards there gradually develops from the wound a round fleshy gall, about half an inch in diameter, and with a cheek as smooth and as rosy as that of a miniature apple; inside which the larva hatches out and upon the flesh of which it feeds. Of this gall we propose to present a figure to our readers in the next num- ber of our Magazine, in illustration of a Second Article on ‘*Galls and their architects.” In this particular case, therefore, as the female Fly requires a complete saw with which to cut into the Willow leaf, nature has supplied her with such saws, as is seen at once from Figure 10, a. Now look at Figure 10, 6, which is an accurate representation under the microscope of the two saws of our Currant Worm Fly. It will be noticed at the very first glance, that although the blade of the saw is there, the teeth of the saw are almost entirely absent. What, then, are we to make of these and many other such facts? Manifestly the teeth of the saw are in this last species degraded or reduced to almost nothing, because the female Fly, laying her eggs upon the surface of the leaf, and not cutting into the substance of that leaf as does the female of the Willow-apple Sawfly, has no occasion to perform any sawing process. But why, it will be asked, is the blade of the saw there in itsnormal size and, with the excep- tion of the degradation of the saw-teeth, as com- pletely developed as in the other species, when such a tool can not be necessary for the simple process of g]ueing an egg on to the surface of a leaf ? The modern school of philosophers will reply, that this is so, because the primordial Sawfly, in the dim far-away vista of bygone geological ages, had a complete pair of saws, and our insect is the lineal descendant of that species, slowly and gradually modified through a long series of years, so as to conform more or less to the change inits habits. On the other 20 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. hand the old school of philosophers, who believe that every species was independently created, will argue that this is so, in order to ‘‘complete the System of Nature,” and “‘ carry out the Plan of the Creation,” and “ give full and free expres- sion to the Thoughts of the Creator.” Possibly this may be the true solution of the difficulty ; but—and we say it in no irreverent spirit—what should we think of a Potter, who made all his teacups without exception with handles; those for which handles were required with complete ones such as you could put your finger through, and such cups as were not wanted to have any handles at all, with solid unperforated ones, such as would be nearly useless? And what should we say, if the Potter’s friends were to cravely argue, that he took all this unnecessary trouble in order *‘to complete the System of Art,” and “carry out the Plan of the Tea- drinker,” and ‘‘ give full and free expression to the Thoughts of the Potter’? The Native Currant Worm. (Pristiphora grossularze, Walsh.) Like the Imported Currant Worm, this worm produces a Sawfly, which, however, belongs to a different genus (Pristiphora), chiefly distin- guishable from the other one (Vematus) by the front wing lacking what is technically termed the “first submarginal cross-vein.” In Figure 11, b, we give a magnified drawing of the female of this fly, and if the reader will look at this drawing and compareit with that ofthe Imported [Fig. 11.] Colors—(a) green and black; (b) black and honey-yellow. Currant Worm Fly (Pig. 7, @ and 6), he will. see that there is in each of them but one cell, or “pane” as it might be termed, on the upper edge of the front wing towards its tip. This is technically called ‘‘the marginal (or radial). cell.” Now let the reader look a second time at these two figures, and he will see that, under- neath this ‘‘marginal cell,” there is a tier of four cells in the one genus (Vematus) and a tier of only three cells in the other genus (Pristi- phorda), the first or basal cross-vein being absent or ‘‘obsolete” in the latter, so as to leave the first or basal cell extravagantly large. These three or four cells, as they underlie the ‘‘ mar- ginal cell,” are technically known as ‘the submarginal (or cubital) cells;” and upon the difference in the number and arrangement of these marginal and submarginal cells depends to a considerable extent the generic classifica- tion of the Sawflies. For example, in another genus (Huura), which is closely allied to the two of which we present drawings, there are, as in the second of these two, one marginal and three submarginal cells; but here it is the sec- ond, not the first (or basal) submarginal eross- vein that is obsolete; so that here it is the second, not the first (or basal) submarginal cell that is extravagantly large, being formed in this last case by throwing the typical second and third cells into one, and in the other case by throwing the typical first and second cells into one, just as by removing the folding doors two rooms are thrown into one. Persons who are not familiar with this sub- ject are apt to suppose, that the pattern of the curious network on every fly’s wing varies indefinitely in different individuals belonging to the same species. As a general rule, there is scarcely any variation at allin this matter, each species and even each genus having its peculiar pattern, and all the individuals belong- ing to a particular species having the net\york of their wings as exactly similar as the different photographs executed by a Daguerreotypist from the same negative plate. You may take, for instance, a thousand honey-bees, and you will find that in the front wing of every one of them there are exactly one marginal and three sub- marginal cells, which however are all of them shaped very differently from the corresponding cells in any Sawfly, though all the thousand honey-bees will be found to have them shaped exactly alike, cell corresponding to cell, as in any particular issue of $5 Bank notes, vignette corresponds to vignette and medallion die to medallion die. Among the Sawflies, indeed, as was noticed in the description of the In- -ported Currant Worm Fly, the pattern of the Wwing-veins in different specimens of the same species varies occasionally a little; but this is the exception and not the rule, and is philoso- phically of high interest, as. showing how one genus may in the course of indefinite ages change gradually into another genus. The Native Currant Worm Fly differs in an- other remarkable point from the Imported Cur- rant Worm Fly. The sexes are here almost exactly alike in their coloration, and with the exception of the legs of the male being a little 21 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. more marked with black than those of the female, it would not be very easy to distinguish | one from the other, but by the usual sexual characters. Hence we have not thought it necessary to give a figure of the male as well as of the female; whereas in the imported species the two sexes differ so essentially in their coloration that, as already observed, a fig- ure of one would give scarcely any idea of the | other. The larva of the Native Currant Worm Fly (Fig. 11, @) is of a uniform pale green color, without those black dottings which are always found except after the last moult in the imported species. Before the last moult, indeed, the head is of a uniform black color, though it afterwards has a good deal of green in front; but the body remains throughout of the same immaculate green shade. It differs also in its habits from the imported species, never, so far as we can find out, going underground to spin its cocoon, | but always spinning that cocoon among the twigs and leaves of the bushes upon which it feeds. This species agrees with the other one in being double-brooded, the first brood of larvee appear- ing about the end of June and the beginning of July, and the second brood from the middle of August to the forepart of September. But in- stead of the larve of the second brood lying underground in their cocoons all winter, they burst forth in the fly state from the beginning to the middle of September. fly is compelled to lay her eggs upon the twigs Hence the female | instead of on the leaves; for if she laid them | upon the leaves, as is the habit of the imported | species, the second jaying of eggs, which has to pass the winter in that state, would fall to the ground along with the leaves in the autumn, and the young larvee would starve when they hatched out next spring before they could find their appropriate food. Consequently, in the case of this species, we cannot apply the method of counterworking the other species which has been already referred to. For we have parti- cularly remarked that the very young larve were not gathered in great numbers upon one particular leaf—as with the imported species— but were distributed pretty evenly over the whole bush. Neither did they bore the singular holes through the leaf (Fig. 9), which render the other species so easy of detection when young. As will have been observed from the figures given above, the Native species, besides the dif- ferences already noticed, is only about two- thirds the size of the other in all its states. Like © | state. the other, it infests both Currant and Goose- berry bushes, but appears rather to prefer the Gooseberry. Indeed there can be little doubt that our native gooseberries formed its original food-plant; for many years ago we captured a single specimen in the neighborhood of Rock Island, Ill., in woods remote from houses, where the wild gooseberry was pretty abundant, and there was no wild Red Currant. The species was described in 1866 by the Senior Editor* from numerous specimens found stripping the gooseberry and currant bushes in Davenport, Iowa; and it has since been reported to us by Miss Marion Hobart, of Port Byron, N. Ills., as so abundant in her neighborhood in 1868 on the gooseberries as to completely defoliate them three times over, so that she inferred—but we think erroneously—that there were three dis- tinct broods of them, one generated by another. Mr. Jas. H. Parsons, of Franklin, N. Y., has in a letter to us expressed the same opinion with regard to the imported species. Probably both parties have been deceived by what is a very common occurrence with many leaf-feeding larve. There is often a warm spell early in the year which causes a moiety of the eges of a par- ticular brood to hatch out. This is taken for the first brood. Then follows a long series of cold weather, which prevents the other moiety of the same batch of eggs from hatching out till perhaps a month or six weeks afterwards. When at last this moiety does hatch out, it is considered by inexperienced persons as a dis- tinct second brood. There is also very fre- quently avery great variation, probably from similar causes, in the time at which the same batch of pup burst forth into the perfect winged For example, out of a lot of 31’cocoons of the second brood of the Imported Currant Fly, all received by us at the same time from Dr. Wm. M. Smith of Manlius, N. Y., most of the flies came out between June 26th and July 11th, but a few did not appear till towards the latter end of July and one lingered on till August 13th. On Sept. 11th, 1869, we captured a single female of the Native American species at large in the City of Rock Island; but the species has not yet prevailed there to any noticeable extent, so far as we have heard. In August, 1867, A .H. Mills, of Vermont, wrote to us about ‘‘a small green worm ” infesting the leaves of his Currant bushes, which, as he was well acquainted with the Imported species, was most probably the Native American worm. And as long ago as 1858, a species of Sawfly was described in the * Practical Entomologist, I, pp. 122-4. 22 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Ohio Farmer, by an anonymous correspondent, as infesting the gooseberry and red currant bushes in the vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio. This last species seems to agree in every material respect with our insect, except in going under- ground to spin up, and in the last brood lying underground in their cocoons all through the winter. Now, we particularly experimented with our species, by counting off a large num- ber of larve and putting them into a separate vessel half full of earth; and we found subse- quently just as many cocoons attached to the twigs in this vessel as we had put larve into the vessel. Hence, if the species ever goes underground to spin up—which is perfectly possible, as there is a similar variation in habits in the Imported Currant Worm—it must be only occasionally. Moreover, we raised fifty-three flies in all (4 o, 499), from larvee which spun up the last week of August, and none of these flies came out later than Sept. 12th of the same year. Hence—unless the Ohio insect be a dis- tinct species, which we can scarcely believe— Wwe suspect some error in the statements put forth in the Ohio Farmer.* Remedies. In the case of the multifarious species of Potato Bugs, we showed that different groups must be attacked upon different systems. In the case of the three Currant and Gooseberry worms, that we have here treated of, there is a single remedy which, like Dr. Cureall’s Never- failing Pills, is a universal specific. That rem- edy is powdered White Hellebore, which can be bought at any drug-store at quite a low price. All that is required is to dust it lightly over the infested bushes, taking care to stand to wind- ward during the operation, as if taken into the nostrils it excites violent sneezing. Wor this purpose, the best plan is to put the powder into a common tin cup, tying a piece of very fine muslin over the mouth of the cup; or the pow- der may be simply enclosed in a bag of muslin of convenient size. In either case,.the appara- tus must be fastened to the end of a short stick, so as to avoid coming to too close quarters with it. It is best to select a moderately still day for the operation; as the powder is so exceed- ingly fine that on a windy day it is apt to get wasted. To test the genuineness of the article, a very * The Article in the Ohio Farmer appeared in Vol. VII, p. 233, and.is supposed by Dr. Fitch—to whom we are indebted for our knowledge of it—to have been written by Dr. J. P. Kirtland. Dr. Fitch, who entirely ignores Pr. grossularie, Walsh, supposes that the Ohio insect may perhaps be the Kuropean species, Pr. rufipes, St. Fargeau, which is not known to feed on gooseberry or currant. small pinch of it should be applied to the nose. If it is good and has not lost its strength by keeping too long, it will immediately produce a tingling sensation in the nostrils; if it does not produce this effect, itis worthless and should not be used. There is every reason to believe that in those cases where men have used White Hellebore to kill Currant Worms without any perceptible effect, that they had been deceived into buying an adulterated or worthless drug. Although, like almost all our medicines, Helle- bore, in Jarge doses, is poisonous, yet in minute doses there is no reason to be afraid of it; for, according to Dr. Fitch, it has long been in use as the basis of those snufis, which are designed to excite violent and continued sneezing. We might easily fill two or three columns, and distract the minds of our readers, by enu- merating two or three dozen other remedies, which are highly recommended on good au- thority, and which may, or may not be as effi- cient as White Hellebore, but we prefer to ‘‘let well enough alone.” 7 F ; oY INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE : No) 2, an OA ~~ The Hog-caterpillar of e Vine, ~ (Cherocampa pampinatrix, Smith & Abbott, alias Sphina [Darapsa] myron, Cramer, alias Otws cnotus, Hiibner).* Of the large, solitary caterpillars that attack the Grape-vine, this is by far the most common . and injurious in the Mississippi valley. We have frequently found the egg of this insect glued singly to the underside of a leaf. It is 0.05 inch in diameter, perfectly round, and of a uniform delicate yellowish-green color. The young worm which hatches from it, is pale- green, with a long straight horn at its tail; and after feeding from four to five weeks it acquires its full growth, when it presents the appearance of Figure 12, the horn haying become compara- tively shorter and acquired a posterior curve. This worm is readily distinguished from other *Of the four different generic names under which this species has been classified, ‘‘ Sphinw?? is a general term for ail the Hawk-moths and refers to the sphinx-like attitude often assumed by their larvee; ‘‘ Charocampa’? is derived from two Greek words which mean ‘‘ Hog-caterpillar; ’? and ‘‘ Darapsa?’ and ‘‘ Otus?? are gibberish. Of the three different specific names, ‘‘ Myron’? refers to an ancient Greek who bore this appellation, ‘‘ enotus’? is pure unadul- terated gibberish, and ‘‘ pampinatrix?? is from the Latin and signifies ‘‘ a female vine-pruner.’’? Both Harris and Fitch describe this insect under the name of Charocampa pampina- tric ; and this, as the appellation best known to our grape- growers, and the most characteristic of the habits of the species, we should prefer to retain, although no doubt, ac- cording to the strict Law of Priority, the specific name of Myron ought tobe employed Mr. Walker, Dr. Clemens and Dr. Morris call this species ‘‘ Darapsa Myron,’? and Mr. Grote calls it ‘‘ Otus Myron.’? By ringing the changes with sufficient ingenuity upon the four generic and the three speci- fic names, We may obtain no less than twelve different names for this one insect! a" THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 23 Colors—Pea-green, lilac, and yellow. grape-feeding species by having the third and fourth rings immensely swollen, while the first and second rings are quite small and retractile. ‘It is from this peculiar appearance of the fore “part of the body, which strikingly suggests the fat cheeks and shoulders and small head of a blooded hog, that it may best be known as the Hog-cat- erpillar of the vine. The color of this worm when full growr. is pea-green, and it is wrink- led transversely and covered with numerous pale-yellow dots, placed in irregular transverse rows. An oblique cream-colored lateral band, bordered below with a darker green and most distinct on the middle segments, connects with ‘a cream-colored subdorsal line, which is bor- dered above with darker green, and which ex- tends fromthe head to the horn atthe tail. There are five and often six somewhat pale yellow tri- angular patches along the back, each contain- ing a lozenge-shaped lilac-colored spot. The head is small, with yeilow granulations, and four perpendicular yellow lines, and the stig- mata or spiracles are orange-brown. When about to transform, the color of this worm usu- ally changes to a pinkish-brown, the darker parts being of a beauiiful mixture of crimson and brown. Previous to this change of color Mr. J. A. Lintner, of Schoharie, N. Y., has ob- served the worm to pass its mouth over the entire surface of its body, even to the tip of its horn, covering it with a coating of apparently glutinous matter—the operation lasting about two hours.* Before transforming into the pupa or chrysalis state, it descends from the vine, and within some fallen leaf or under any other rub- bish that may be lying on the ground, forms a mesh of strong brown silk, within which it soon changes to a chrysalis (Fig. 13) of a pale, warm * Proc. Ent. Soc.. Phil., DI, pp. 663. Colors—Yellowish and brown. yellow, speckled and spotted with brown, but characterized chiefly by the conspicuous dark brown spiracles and broad brown incisures of the three larger abdominal segments. The moth (Fig. 14) which in time bursts from this chrysalis, has the body and front wings of a fleshy-gray, marked and shaded with olive- [Fig. 14.] Colors—Gray, olive-green and rust color, green as in the figure, while the hind wings are of a deep rust-color, with a small shade of gray near their inner angle. Thisinsectis in northerly regions one-brooded, but towards the south two-brooded, the first worms appearing, in the latitude of St. Louis, during June and July, and giving out the moths about two weeks after they become chrysalids, or from the middle of July to the first of August. The second brood of worms are full grown in September and, passing the winter in the chrys- alis state, give out the moths the following May. On one occasion we found at South Pass, Ill., a worm but 4 grown and still feeding as late as October 20th, a circumstance which would lead to the belief that at points where the win- ters are mild they may even hybernate in the larva state. This worm is a most voracious feeder, and a single one will sometimes strip a small vine of its leaves in afew nights. According to Harris it does not even confine its attacks to the leaves, but in its progress from leaf to leaf, stops at every cluster of fruit, and either trom stupidity or disappointment, nips off the stalks of the half-crown grapes and allows them to fall to the ground untasted. It is fortunate for the grape- grower therefore that Nature has furnished the ready means to prevent its ever becoming ex- 24 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. cessively numerous, for in all our entomological experience, we have never known it to swarm in very great numbers. The obvious reason is, that it is so freely attacked by a small parasitic Ichneumon fly—belonging to a genus (Jficro- gaster) exceedingly numerous in species—that three out of every four worms that we meet with will generally be found to be thus victimized. The eggs of the parasite are deposited within the body of the worm, while itis yet young, and the young maggots hatching from them feed on the fatty parts of their victim. After the last moult of a worm that has been thus attacked, numerous little heads may be seen gradually pushing through different parts of its body; and as soon as they have worked themselves so far out that they are held only by the last joint of the body, they commence forming their small snow-white cocoons, which stand on ends and present the appearance, [Fig. 15.] of Figure 15. Inabout a week the fly (Fig. 16, a, magnified; 6, natu- panacea ral size), pushes open Color—White. a little lid which it had previously cut with its jaws, and soars away to fulfil its mission. It is one of those remarkable [Fig. 16.] and not easily explained facts, which often confront the stu- ~~ dent of Nature, that, while one of these Hog-caterpillars in its normal and healthy con- dition may be starved to death in two or three days, another that is writhing with its body full of parasites will live without food for as many weeks. Indeed we have known one to rest for three weeks without food ina semi-paralyzed condition, and after the parasitic flies had all escaped from their cocoons, it would rouse itself and make a desperate effort to regain strength by nibbling at a leaf which was offered to it. But all worms thus attacked succumb in the end, and we cannot conclude this article to better advantage than by reminding the Grape- grower, that he should let alone all such as are found to be covered with the white cocoons we have illustrated, and not, as has been often done, destroy them under the false impression that the cocoons are the eggs of the worm. Color—Black. 0 ove To ouR SUBSCRIBERS IN CANADA.—Parties in Canada, who wish to subscribe for the Ampri- CAN ENTOMOLOGIST, can Obtain it, postage free, by remitting $2.00 to the Rey. C.J. S. Beraune, Secretary to the Entomological Society of Can- ada, Credit, C. W. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Noricr.—Such of our correspondents as have already sent, or may hereafter send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species sent are from other States than their own. Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwing light upon the geograph- ical distribution of species. But to make them of real value, it is requisite that we know for certain, whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. Striped Cucumber Beetle—Y. I. Gray, Car- dington, Ohio.—We quote your letter in full, as it well describes the larva about which you desire information: I inclose a specimen of bug which we call the Cucumber or Squash bug, and also a small worm or larva which has destroyed many of my melon and cucum- ber vines. My object in part is to learn if this worm or larva is the product of the bug or something different and foreign to it. In the early part of the season the small striped bug commenced work- ing on my vines, and they began to wilt and die. I used sulphur and plaster, quassia, tobacco, ete., to pre- vent or check their ray- = ages, but with little ef- Color—Whitish. fect. Finally Ihunted outand killed a good many, and shortly they seemed to disappear, and my vines began to revive and grow. About three weeks later the vines began to wilt and die worse than before! But this time there were no bugs to be found. Upon examination of the roots, however, I discovered this little white-worm with a black head, from 1-16th to 1-4th of aninch in length, eating into and perforating the root and vine; and as the vines they infested the most were the same that the bugs preyed upon the worst, I conjectured there must be some rela- tion between them. The larva referred to which attacks the roots, and of which we present highly magnified figures (Fig. 17, 1, (Fig. 17. dorsal view, 2 side view), is in reality the young of ihe very same Striped Cucumber Beetle (Déabrotica vittata , (Fig. 18. Fig. 19), which is so injurious to the leaves; for we have ourselves bred the beetle from this larva, | ana in 1865 Dr. H. Shimer, of Mt. Carroll, Ill., first published an account of its transforma- : 2. tions.* After boring into and Colon Whitieee around the roots for upwards of a month, the larvae enter the surrounding earth, and within a smooth oval cayity soon change to pup (Hig. 18, 1, ventral view; 2, dorsal view), which are trans- [Fig.19.] _ formed to beetles about two weeks after- : wards. There are two or three broods du- ring the year. By getting rid of the beetles in the early part of the season, you of course prevent the injuries of the larva, and the most effective agents for this pur- Colors — Black > 2 andyellow. pose, or at least those in which we haye the most confidence, are Paris green and white hellebore. This insect has been yery injurious the present year. * Prairie Farmer, Aug. 12, 1863. zr, 4 =~ THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. / - Leafy Oak-gall—ZB. 1. B., Pickens’ Sta., Miss.— The cone-like leafy oak-gall which yousend, and which we herewith illustrate (Fig. 20, a), is apparently the CFig- 20.) Color—Green. gallnamed Quercus frondosa by Bassett, meaning literally ‘¢full of green leaves.’? You do not mention the kind of oak on which it occurred, but from the fact that Mr. Bassett described his as occurring on the Chinquapin, yours might have been taken from this species, though we have found the same gall both on White and on Bur Oak. This gall is developed after the summer growth of the tree is completed, and the axillary bud, which other- wise would not burst till the spring following, is made, by the puncture of the gall-fly, to develop prematurely in the singular manner illustrated above. The cell (Fig. 20, b, section showing larya) containing the larva is half immersed in the apex of the cone, and though the perfect fiy is unknown, the character of the larva indicates it to be Cynipidous. (See article on Galls, Vol. I, No. 6.) Drop of Gold—Z. I. B., Pickens’ Sta., Miss.— The +‘ drop of gold in shape of a French loaf’? attached to a leaf of the Shellbark-Hickory, is in reality the vacated egg-shell of some large moth, and not impro- bably of that large species which produces the Royal Horned Caterpillar. The smooth short-oval eggs of the same large Stinking Bug, which we figured on page 12 of our first Volume (Jetapodius nasalus, Fig. 6,b), have, even when vacated by the young bug, just the same lustre of burnished gold. In July, 1868, at Lacon, Ill., we found a row of nine of these eggs, all arranged in regular order, like the beads of a necklace, upon a leaf of White Pine; and from these eggs we subsequently hatched out the young bugs. The Luna Moth—Geo. W. Kinney, Snow Hill, Mo. —The immense green moth with an eye-spot in each wing and with each of the hind wings prolonged into a tail, isthe Luna Moth (Aftacus luna, Linn.) The speci- men was Q and we were glad to get the eggs which she had deposited. Thelarva feeds on Walnut and Hickory. LT. W. Hoyt, Jr.—The large pale green swallow-tail moth which you describe is the Luna Moth referred to aboye. 7 Hag-moth Larva—/),. C. T. Farrell, South Pass, Jil.—The curious brown slug-like larva found on Sibe. rian Crab, of which a better idea can be formed by the accompanying illustration (Fig, 21) than by any des- criptive words of ours, is the larva of the Hag-moth- (Zima-. ‘codes pithecium, Bm. & AbD.) When received; it had already moulted its long fleshy append- ages and attached them to the outside of its round compact cocoon, and ten days subse- quently the moth made its ap- pearance. This moth is of a dusky brown color, the front wings variegated with light yellowish-brown. In the Northeastern States this insect is supposed to be single-brooded, but in your latitude it is probably double-brooded. The ‘ spider-like animal’? on Blackberries is the pupa of the Many—banded Rob- ber (/arpactor cinctus, Fabr., see Vol. I, Fig. 44.) M. B, Baldwin, Elgin, Jii.—The specimen you found on a spear of grass, and from which you detached, in handling, some of the appendages, is the same Hag- moth larva. At the time you found it, it was evidently in search of some cozy nook in which to form its cocoon, for it had already commenced the operation when it reached us, and the species has never been known to feed on grass. (Fig. 21.) Color—Brown. Stinging Bug—J/. VW. Shaffer, Fairfield, Iowa.— The singular craggy-looking bug, about 0.38 inch long, of a yellowish color variegated with brown, with the legs green and a transverse deep-brown band running supe- riorly across from one side to the other of the dilated abdomen, is Phymata erosa, Linn, The genus is characterized by the immensely swollen front thighs, and by the last joint of the sntenn being also swollen, this last character being a remarkable one, as Amyot and Serville well remark, in bugs of such carnivorous propensities. Your statemert that one of these bugs stung you severely, does not greatly surprise us, though we neyer heard of their stinging before, and have hand- led hundreds of them with impunity, The stinging was of course done by the beak, which is 3-jointed pnd somewhat resembles that of Harpactor cinctus, Fabr. (Vol. I, Fig, 44, 6.) The plant upon which you found these bugs we take to be Parthenium integrifolium, and Mr. A. Fender, of Allenton, Mo., is of the same opinion. We have noticed them ourselves in the latter part of the summer lying quietly in wait for their prey upon a great variety of wild flowers, but mostly on such as like themselves are of a yellowish color so as to conceal them from view. We have also often seen this Bug with its beak inserted into a small bee or a small wasp, Which it is wide awake enough to hold at arm’s length with its prehensile front legs, so that the poor unfortunate captive has no chance to sting it, Pear-tree worms—JZ. J/uthaway, Little Prairie Ronde, Mich.—The worms found on pear-tree leaves are the same Red-humped Prominent noticed in the answer to D. W. Kauflman of Des Moines, Lowa. *¢ Dobson —/isherman —We cannot tell without seeing specimens, What it is that the disciples of the ‘gentle art’’ call ‘* Dobson.’’ It may be the larva either of some May-fly (Zphemera), or of some Dragon- fly (Lzbellula), or of a dozen other insects. va Ke 26 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. . © ¥ ‘bey } pee ee White Pine Weevil—A. S, Fuller, Ridgewood, N. J.—The borers which have been attacking the leading shoots of your Pines, gradually spreading to the branches, have produced the perfect beetle since their receipt, and as we anticipated, they turn out to be the White Pine Weevil (Pissodes strobi, Peck.) At Figure rr SD Colors—(a and 6b) whitish; (c) rust-brown and white. 22 it is illustrated in its three stages of larva (@), pupa (0), and beetle (c). We have not known this insect to occur in the West, but it has long been known to be common in the Eastern States. The only practical way of counter-working the injurious work of this weevil, is to cut off the infested shoots and consign them to the flames, while they yet contain the larve and before the beetles have escaped. Dr. Fitch,* under the impres- sion that most of the beetles are perfected in the spring, recommends that this work be done in August and September; but as all the beetles had issued from the shoots you sent, by the end of August, we should advise you, so as to be on the safe side, to do such work in July. *Trans. N. Y. State Agr. Soc. 1857, p. 785. Unnatural Secretion of Wax—JTJ. Brewer, Waynesville, Mo.—The honey bee which has such a pro- fuse waxy formation exuding apparently from the rings of the abdomen, and which you took alive from the~\y entrance of one of your hives, presents a very unusual appearance, and a most remarkable case of wax forma- tion. Mr. J. T. Langstroth, to whom we sent the specimen, suggests that the bee ‘‘had a kind of wax dropsy!’? The specimen is interesting, and beautifully illustrates the manner in which the ordinary wax of our hives is secreted from the belly of the worker bee, as explained by Htibner, Reaumur, and other writers on the subject. Raspberry Borer—/f. dA. Gates, Massillon, Iowa. —The borer you describe as having nearly rzined your patch of raspberry bushes, is apparently the common Blackberry and Raspberry borer (Oberea perspicillata, Hald.) which in the perfect state is a beetle. Thelarge ochre-yellow moth, with a conspicuous white spot on the front wings, and each of the wings tinged with purple and crossed near the tip by a purplish line, which moth had deposited a large number of eggs on one of the raspberry leayes, was not, as you inferred, the parent of the borer. It is the Senatorial Dryocampa (Dryocampa senatoria, Fabr.) The young worms hatch- ing from those eggs would have fed upon the leayes, though the more common food-plant of the species is Oak. Cocoon of Horn=-bug—A. 2. MeClutchen, Lafay- ette, Ga.—The egg-shaped cocoon formed of excrement and rotten wood glued together, contained the large white larva of some Horn-bug, probably Zucanus dama, Fabr.} Imsects mamed.—J. f. Muhleman, Woodburn, Zils. —The moth, with the front wings variegated with hight and dark brown with a conspicuous dark zigzag line running across the outer third, and with the hind wings of alustrous coppery reddish brown, is the Pyramidal Amphipyra (Ampihipyra pyramidoides, Guen). You say you bred it from avgrape-feeding larva | [Fig. 23.) Colors—Light and dark Brown. like the one illustrated on page 225 (Fig. 163). Wehaye also the present summer bred the same species of moth from a similar larva feeding on Red Bud, and have found the larva on the Poplar, which makes three distinct plants that it is known to attack. The specific name of the moth probably refers to the pyramidal hump on the 11th segment of the larva. You say you ‘*recollect a similar larva in Europe on apricots, prune trees, etc., producing an analogous moth.’? Not atall unlikely, for there is a very similar worm common to the whole of Europe, and which feeds on Oak, Willow and Elm, as well as on fruit trees, and produces a very closely allied moth, the Amphypyra pyramidea of Linneus. The other moth of which you send — a pencil sketch, and which is of a uniform deep brown, with two oblique white lines running—the inner line entirely, and the outer one but partially—across the fore wings, is Agnomonia anilis of Drury, who states that the caterpillar is violet-white with longitudinal rose-colored lines and an elevated brown ridge across segments 4 and 11, and that it feeds on plants of the genus Chironia. The chrysalis is enclosed within a few leayes and is covered with a rosy efflorescence. The other pencil figure which you send seems to repre- sent Limacodes cippus, abr. (See Harris, Inj. Ins., p. 420), Cecropia Moth Caterpillar—Z. G. Lewelling, High Hill, Mo.—The gigantic green caterpillar, covered with beautiful yellow, blue and coral-red tubercles, which you find on the leaves of an apple tree, is the larva of the Cecropia Moth (—__ ice" Several answers that should have appeared in the present number, must unavoidably lie over till our next issue. = a ee ae = (@& Our acknowledgements and notices of new works have also been crowded out of this number. Ghe American Entomologist. ‘PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY R. PP. STUDLEY & CO., 104 OLIVE STREET, ST, LOUIS. BUNGE peceleciecscyssv eer Two dollars per annum in advance. EDITORS: ) PERI PRMD ASTIIEL « ayievinies ciccinie avec ave one Rock Island, Ill. CHAS. V. RILEY, 221 N. Main Street....... St Louis, Mo. UNIVERSAL REMEDIES. We have received several circulars from the “Union Fertilizer Company of New York,” crying up the merits of a miraculous panacea of theirs, which they kindly offer to the public at the low price of $45 per ton, packed in bar- rels ready for shipment. The Secretary of this Company rejoices in the very appropriate and suggestive name of A. 8. QuackeNBosnH, and he assures us that the article which he offers for sale, besides being an excellent Fertilizer, is ‘*sure death and extermination to the Canker- worm, the Curculio, the Apple Moth, the Potato Bug, the Cotton Worm, the Tobacco Worm, the Hop Louse, the Army Worm, the Currant Bug, and all descriptions of insect and vermicular life which infest and devastate the Orchard, the Garden, or the Farm.” Of course, as with all other QUACK remedies blazened forth with such a vast parade of nosu, there is a host of certi- ficates appended to the printed Circular, showing how ‘the Insect and Worm Extermi- nator” was applied by Mr. Joues to his currant bushes, and how not long afterwards Mr. Jones’s currant bushes were entirely free from worms, though they had _ previously been swarming with ‘‘vermicular life;” how Mr. Smith, who had manured his potato patch with the Patent Exterminator, raised a much better crop of potatoes than his neighbor Thompson, who had tried to grow potatoes without any manure at all; and how a dozen different men, whose orchards were formerly much troubled with canker-worms, and who have, for the last year or two, been drenching their apple trees with heroie doses of this never-failing Bug-des- troyer, have scarcely seen a single canker-worm on their trees, ever since they invested their money in the Great Miraculous Insect-killing Exterminator. But who does not know that, whether the ‘‘ Exterminator’ be applied or not, all currant-worms after they have got their growth disappear from among the leaves in or- der to form theircocoons? Who denies that ev- ery Fertilizer, that contains no other ingredients than clean sand, must necessarily be more or less beneficial to some crop or other; and that though it may be positively injurious to wheat, to corn, to hops and to fruit trees, it may yet be an advantageous preparation to apply to potatoes? Lastly, what well informed Orchard- ist is not aware that, for the last year or two, the Canker-worm in several widely-remote regions in the United States has ceased to swarm as it used to do—most probably from the action of the different parasites that prey upon it, either when itis in the egg or when it is in the larva state? The trouble with all such panaceas as this vaunted New York ‘‘ Extermi- nator” is, that we hear nothing of the ninety and nine cases where the Universal Remedy | was applied and found to do no good, while in the one case where the medicine worked well, or was supposed to work well, the happy exper- imenter lauds it to the skies in a flaming adver- tisement. Inthe words of the veteran sports- man, when his juvenile companions were brag- ging of their achievements with the fowling- piece— What is hit is history, But what is missed is mystery. Of course, for all such interesting and instruct- ive advertisements as those above referred to, the eloquent inditer of them may, or may not, get ‘‘value received” from this Right Honor- able Company, which has apparently been born under the most felicitous auspices in Wall street, N. Y., and after being carefully nursed through a rickety childhood in the Gold Room of the Great City of Gotham, is now in its ma- ture manhood flooding the whole country with its elegantly printed Circulars, in praise of ‘the only sure Remedy for destroying Worms and Inseets injurious to Vegetation,” 34 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. “But,” it will be said, ‘‘these are mere vague generalities.” Well, then, let us come to close quarters with A. S. QuackenzosH, Esq. You assert roundly, friend QUACKENBOSH, that your Patent Nostrum is ‘‘ sure death and extermina- tion” to all descriptions of insect life. Of course, then, you have experimented with the different noxious insects that afflict the Farmer, the Fruit-grower and the Gardener, and are tol- erably familiar with the natural history of each of them. Of course you are well acquainted with the twelve very distinct bugs that attack the Potato, as long ago catalogued in this Maga- zine, and the two different worms that infest the Cotton Plant, namely, the Cotton Caterpil- lar and the Boll Worm. Of course you are thoroughly aware that the Tobacco Worm, which troubles the Connecticut Tobacco-farmer, is avery distinct species from that other Tobacco Worm, which is found in Kentucky and Mary- land and Virginia. Of course you are completely posted as to the well-ascertained fact, that the Cotton Caterpillar of the South, the true Army Worm of the Northern States, and in the North West corner of New York the Tent Caterpillar of the Forest, are all three of them, in certain localities, popularly designated by the same name of ‘‘ Army Worm.” Of course you your- self perfectly understand what you mean by the term ‘“‘ Currant Bug;” but, for our own part, we must candidly confess that we never heard any particular insect called by this name, though we have in our time listened to a great deal of talk about ‘‘ Currant Borers,” and ‘ Currant Worms,” and ‘Currant Plant-lice.” Since, then, Mr. Secretary QuacKENBOSH, you know so much on all these different entomological points—which after all are the mere A, B, C of the science—how in heaven’s name does it come about that, on the very Title-page of your Great Braggadocio Circular, you warrant your Patent “Wertilizer” to be sure death and extermina- tion to ‘‘ THE Potato Bug, THE Cotton Worm, THE Tobacco Worm, THE Army Worm, and THE Currant Bug?” Are you actually green enough to suppose, that there is only one kind of Potato Bug, when in reality there are TWELVE? That there is only ons Worm that infests the cotton plant, when in point of fact there are Two? That there is but onr Tobacco Worm, and ONE so-called Army Worm, when every entomologist knows that there are Two insects which pass by the former, and THREE which pass by the latter name? And lastly do you expect us poor ignorant country folks to under- stand, at the very first glance, what you mean by your recondite and learned disquisition about ‘“ THE Currant Bug?’ QuAck»ENBOsH! we are really sorry for you! We fear greatly that, instead of being a decently good-entomo- logist, tclerably well acquainted with the Nox- ious Insects of the United States, you are a mere entomological Quack; and that, instead of talk- ing good common horse-sense to us, you are uttering all the time nothing but BosH! In sober serious earnest, what Stock-grower would trust a sick horse or a sick cow to a vet- erinary surgeon, who actually did not know the difference between a horse and a cow? And yet thousands of farmers are trusting every day to the delusive humbug, which is broached by this New York Company, about the hundreds of different kinds of Noxious Insects that swarm among us in the country, when it is demon- strable from the very circulars, which this pre- cious Company puts forth with such brazen effrontery, that it cannot tell the difference be- tween a Bee anda Beetle; and that the only insects with which it is practically familiar are the insects of city life, namely, Cockroaches, House-flies, Mosquitoes, Fleas and Bedbugs, with perhaps a small infusion of Head-lice and Body-lice. Farmers of the United States! how many more times are you going to be fooled by a set of men, who live in a wilderness of brick walls and brown-stone palaces; and know no more about you and your thousand and one insect enemies, than a Scotch Highlander does about knee-breeches? In one word, we would earnestly advise our readers, whenever they meet with a preparation which is warranted to destroy all bugs without exception—no matter whether it be labeled as ‘‘Best’s Invigorator” or as the “ Insect Exter- minator” of some Eastern Company—to set down the authors of that preparation as quacks, charlatans and humbugs. Different insects dif- fer far more widely from each other, than does a Horse trom a Hog or a Sheep from a Rabbit; and as we know that food that would poison a horse may often be eaten with impunity by a hog, and that a sheep can thrive upon a great variety of weeds which would be deadly poison to almost any other plant-feeding quadruped, we may reasonably infer a priori—even if we have no special experience on the subject—that a particular chemical preparation may some- times be destructive to one particular form of insect life, and yet prove to be entirely innocu- ous or even salutary when employed against every other species of insects. Nothing is more certain than that there is no Royal Road to the destruction of the Bad Bugs; and that the only way in which we can fight them satisfactorily, THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 35 is by carefully studying out the habits of each species, and adapting the mode of attack to the peculiarities of the fortification, which we are about*to besiege. The tactics that took Sevastopol would have failed at Vicksburg; and Richmond would never have fallen, if the opera- tions which proved so successful against the Mississippi fortress had been exclusively em- ployed against the capital city of the Southern Confederation. THE BAG-WORM, alias B: ASKED- WORM, alias DROP- WORM. (Thyridopteryx ephemereformis, Haw.) , [Fig. 2 (b) dark brown; Colors—(a) livid brown, black and whites (c) W *hitish; (d) black Mrs. Mary Treat, of Vineland, N. J.,sent us last June great numbers of the newly-hatched larvee of this Bag-worm, and expressed a desire to learn something of their natural history. As we are continually receiving specimens of this peculiar insect, for determination, we have concluded to give an account of it, by aid of the above illus- trations. (Fig. 28.) The Bag-worm may be regarded as a Southern rather than a Northern insect, though it is found as far North as the northern part of New Jersey. It may even occur at points above this; but specimens which Dr. Harris hatched on his place, at Cambridge, Mass., from eges obtained from Philadelphia, had not yet acquired their full growth by the 25th of September; and he expressed the opinion, that the greater portion of them would be arrested by frost before com- pleting their growth.* Mr. C. J.:S. Bethune also informs us that itis not met within Canada. It is known to occur on Long Island, N. Y., in New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsy]- ~ * Entomological Correspondence, Harris, p. 244. vania, Ohio, Maryland, District of Columbia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, South Illinois, and South Missouri. Like the Canker- worm, the Tussock-moth, and all other insects in which the perfect female is wingless, the Bag-worm is extremely local in character, often abounding in a particular neighborhood, and being totally unknown a few miles away. The clothing made by different solitary in- sects, for protection either against the inclem- encies of the weather or against their enemies, is even more varied in cut and make-up, than are the divers costumes of the different peoples, civilized and barbarous, which inhabit our globe. Some insects live in the interior of leaves, using the upper and under cuticles as protection ; some _—, make their coats out of the leaves them- selves ; some make cases of a sort of gummy cement, while others use cases of spun silk; but by far the greater number, of those which protect themselves at all, employ silken cases which they cover and disguise with some other material. Thus, lichens, grass, rushes, stones, shells, sand, wool, cotton, hair, wax, and the bark, twigs and leaves of trees, are all used for this purpose, while a few worms actually use their own excrement arranged on the outside of thelr cases with mathematical precision. Unlike us mortals, however, these insects do not change the fashion of their dress with every change of season, but follow strictly the pattern used by their an- cestors, Who cut, spun and wove, ages before our primordial mother sewed fig-leaves together to hide hei nakedness. The follicle of our Bag- worm is covered by the leaves and stems of those trees or shrubs upon which it subsists; and when evergreen leaves are used they are often very regularly and prettily arranged after the fashion of thatching. Throughout the winter, the weather-beaten bags of this insect may be seen hanging from almost every kind of tree. Upon plucking them at that season many will be found empty, but the greater proportion of them will, on being cut open, present the appearance given at Figure 28, e; being in fact partly full of soft yellow eggs. Those which do not contain eggs are the male bags, and his empty chrysalis skin is generally found protruding from the lowerend. From the middle to the end of May, in the latitude of St. Louis, these eggs hatch into little active brown worms, which, from the first moment of their lives, commence to form for themselves coverings. They crawl on to a tender leaf, and, 36 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. attached by the anterior legs, with their tails hoisted in the air, they each spin around them- selves a ring of silk, to which they soon fasten bits of leaf. They continue adding to the lower edge of the ring, pushing it up as it increases in depth, till it reaches the tail, and forms a sort of cone, as represented in Figure 28, g. As the worms grow, they continue to increase their bags from the bottom, until the latter become so large and heavy that the worms allow them to hang, instead of holding them upright, as they did while they were young. By the end of July, the worms acquire their full growth, when they present the appearance of Figure 28, f. At this stage, on being pulled out of its bag or follicle, the worm appears as at Figure 28, a, that portion of the body which is always covered by the bag, being soft, and of a dull, smoky brown, inclining to reddish at the sides; while the three anterior, or thoracic segments, which are exposed when the insect is feeding or march- ing, are horny, and mottled with black and white. The prolegs, on the hidden part of the body are but poorly developed, and consist of but slight wart-like projections; they are furnished, however, with numerous small hooks, which answer an admirable purpose, in enabling the bearer to cling to his home-spun coat, which shelters him from the weather, and defends him from his enemies, and which is even more essen- tial to his existence than are the clothes we wear to ours. The worms do not arrive at their full- grown condition without passing through criti- cal periods. At four different times during their growth they close up the mouths of their bags, and retire for two days to cast their skins or moult, as is the nature of their kind, and they push their old skins through a passage which is always left open at the extremity of the bag, and which also allows the passing of the excre- ment. During their growth they are very slow tray- elers, and seldom leave the tree on which they were born; but when full grown they become quite restless; and it is at this time that they wander by the day, dropping on to persons by their silken threads, and crossing the sidewalks of our cities in all directions. It is from this habit of dropping on to persons that they have been called ‘‘Drop-worms.” A wise instinct urges them to thus wander from place to place, for, did they remain on one tree, they would soon multiply beyond the power of that tree to sustain them, and would in consequence become extinct. When they have lost their migratory desires, they fasten theit bags very securely by | a strong band of silk to the twigs of the tree on ! which they happen to be. Here again, a strange instinct leads them to thus fasten their cocoons to the twigs only of the tree they inhabit, so that these cocoons will remain through the winter; and not to the leaf-stalk, where they would be blown down with the leaf. After thus fastening their bags, they line them with a good thickness of soft white silk, and after turning around in the bag so as to have the head towards the lewer orifice, they rest awhile from their labors, and at last cast their skins and become chrysalids. Hitherto the worms had all been alike in appearance, but now the sexes are distinguishable, the male chrysalis (Fig 28, 6) being but half the size of that of the female, and exhibiting the encased wings, legs and antenna as in all ordinary chrysalids, while hers shows no signs of any such members. (See inside of bag.at e). Three weeks afterwards a still greater change takes place the sexes differentiating still more. The male chrysalis works himself down to the end of his bag, and, hanging half-way out, the skin bursts, and the moth (Hig. 28, d,) with a black body and glassy wings, escapes, and, when his wings are dry, soars through the air to seek his mate, who is not blessed with wings, but is an abortive affair with the head and general ap- pearance of the larva, but still more degraded, since she has not even the legs which it pos- sessed: she is in fact a naked yellowish bag of eggs, with a ring of soft light brown silky hair near the tail. (See Fig. 28, ¢c). Dr. Harris wrote to Edward Doubleday, on the 29th of October, 1849,* as follows: “° AN ENTOMOLOGIST CAUGHT NAPPING. Americans, most of them having been raise in a timbered country, naturally consider that he normal condition of the earth is to be cov ered by forests of trees. Hence we can scarcely take up a scientific journal, without finding some ingenious new theory to account for the existence of our western prairies. These phi- losophers forget that, in the interior of Austra- lia, on the Pampas of South America, and in the ereat African Sahara, you may travel for thou- sands of miles without seeing a single tree; and that it is no more the normal condition of the earth to be covered by a dense growth of woody plants, than itis to be covered by a dense growth of herbaceous phenogamous plants, or a thick carpet of lichens and mosses. To every soil and climate a peculiar vegetation is appropriated; anit is as ridiculous to say that trees are the natural and normal growth of the whole surface of the earth, as itis to maintain that twelve is the normal and natural number of a jury. It is amusing to see how men who live in a grass country hold precisely the contrary doctrine to that held by those who have been reared in a timber country. ‘‘ Grass especially,” says John Curtis, “is the NATURAL COVERING OF THE SOIL, which has been increasing in depth and bulk from the creation.” (Farm Insects, p. 498). formed in entomology than he seems to be in botany, his works would not find so many read- ers as they do. Entomologists and other special- ists will generally find it the safest course not to meddle with subjects that they do net under- stand. ‘‘ Let not the cobbler go beyond his last.” 2 & THE PROGRESS OF THE POTATO BUG. An interesting account of the Colorado Potato Bug (Doryphora 10-lineata, Say), is given in some of the former numbers of the AMERICAN Entomo.ocisr. It states that, starting east- ward from the Rocky Mountains in 1859, this insect had already in 1868 reached the south- west corner of Michigan, and Danville in Indi-- ana, about the centre of that State; making its average annual progress about sixty-two miles. Another writer says that ‘‘ the southern columns of the grand army lagged far behind the north- the English entomologist, — If Curtis had not been better in- © THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ern columns.” Last summer (1868), to my own knowledge, it had reached the south shore of Lake Superior, northwest corner of Michigan, where it abundantly manifested its presence in its usual destructive attacks on the potato. I have since learned that between the Potato Bug and the drouth of the early part of the season, the crop was well nigh ruined in that region. I shall not easily forget the appearance of one potato field I witnessed, on the lake shore, in northeastern Wisconsin, which was nearly coy- ered with those pests in both the larva and per- fect states. The lazy Indians, to whom it belonged, idly lounging in the sun, and proba- bly ignorant of the noxious character of the insect, made not the slightest effort to stay the work of destruction. Its march this summer (1869) through Mich- igan has been duly recorded, though, owing to various zauses, not attended with the dire con- sequences anticipated, as the price of potatoes in Detroit would go to show, they selling here, last fall, at from thirty-five to forty cents per bushel. Henry Gruman. Dernroir, Michigan. soe A80-CALLED * VULGAR ERROR” NO ERROR AT ALL.Y| It is the common belief among farmers that barberry bushes sometimes cause rust in wheat; and not long ago there was a very serious riot in a certain county in Iowa, because one of the citizens persisted in growing barberries, to the great detriment, as was insisted on, of his neighbors’ wheat crops. The above belief is referred to in the following extract from the Proceedings of the N. Y. Farmers’ Club, Sept. 14th, 1869: INFLUENCE OF CerTAIN TREES ON Crops.—E. B. Seelye, Hudson, Mich., says, in his opinion, rust in wheat is produced by the barberry bush. Dr. Trimble—This is an old tradition that I haye heard from a boy, but there is no founda- tion for the belief. Rustis produced by another class of causes. S$. Edwards Todd—I am of the same opinion, but I know there are hundreds of farmers who have a prejudice against the barberry on this account. But I have seen the finest crops of wheat growing close beside the bush spoken of. It would seem, however, although the belief that barberry often causes a particular kind of rust on wheat has been for the last century very generally ridiculed by naturalists as a popular superstition, that for this once the naturalists are in the wrong and the poor despised and vilified farmers are in the right. Here is what Dr. Liitken of Copenhagen, Sweden, says upon this vexed question in the American Naturalist for December, 1868, (page 557): Professor (rsted continues his curious ex- periments, demonstrating that certain fungi, parasitic on different species of plants, and described as distinct genera and species, are in reality only the alternate generations of one spe- cies. * *-* You will remember that the specific identity of Puccinia graminis and Oidium ber- beridis was in the like manner demonstrated some years ago through the almost contempo- rary experiments of De Bary and Cfrsted; thus confirming the opinion for a long time fostered | by farmers, but rejected as superstitions by most naturalists (Sir Joseph Banks excepted). on the obnoxious influence of the Barberry on the grain-fields. “Bully for the farmers,” we say! Scientific men are sometimes a little too apt to despise the observations of plain practical men as ‘‘un- reliable and worthless.’ See for example Dr. Shimer’s fling at the different State Eutomol- ogists for relying on the statements of mere ‘correspondents.”* Now here, as it turns out, we have a clear case where the farmers are in the right and almost every naturalist has been in the wrong. Let us then humbly and meekly “confess the corn.” Probably, if the farmers woul@ use the pen as often as they use the plough, we should have plenty more such cases. But we fear that we are ‘“ stealing the thun- der” of the Illinois State Horticulturist by talking so long on the great mysterious Fungus Question. We shall, therefore, leave this mat- ter for his final decision, in the hope that he will take care to give the farmers ‘‘a fair shake.” *Trans. N. Ill Hort. Soc. 1867-8, p. 101. leas é POISONOUS QUALITIES OF THE TATO BUG. COLORADO P0- As corroborative testimony of the poisonous character of the Colorado Potato Bug (D. 10- lineata, Say), we quote the following from the Spring Valley (Minn.) correspondence of the Winona Republican: A number of cases of poisoning from the loathsome potato bug have recently occurred in this vicinity, which I think are deserving of at- tention. As many persons are in the habit of killing these bugs by mashing them with sticks, and sometimes even between their fingers, I will cite one particularly severe case, which, it is hoped, will serve as a warning to those who take either of the above ‘‘ mashing” methods to rid themselves of these disgusting potato des- troyers. Mr. Calvin Huntley, residing about three miles south of the village, has spent consider- able time during the past two weeks in his po- tato patch, killing the bugs that infest the vines, by mashing them between two flat sticks. One evening about a week since, he accidentally got some of the blood or juice upon his wrist. Thinking no harm would result therefrom, he paid no attention to it. On rising the next morning he experienced an itching sensation on 86 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. and about the wrist, which had become swollen, and presented an inflamed appearance, extend- ing along the cords of the arm to the shoulder blade, beneath which a hard kernel had formed, in size nearly as large as a common hickory nut. The inflammation rapidly increased, and upon the particular spot where he had noticed the blood, there is a very painful sore, which looks as ifit had been caused by the application of some rank poisonous substance. A hole has been eaten in the wrist, which is now quite deep, and is fast making its way to the bone. The whole arm is badly swollen and inflamed, and Mr. H. has placed himself under the charge of Dr. J. E. Whitman, of this place, who is en- deavoring fo counteract the poison communi- cated to the system of the patient from the blood of the potato bug. It has long been admitted that the potato bug is 2 poisonous insect, but I apprehend the case of Mr. Huntley will tend to make all under whose observation this article may fall, still more careful how they handle them in the fu- ture. There are a number of others here whose blood has become poisoned in the same manner, causing pimples to appear on the skin, which, however, are confined to the hands, and are not seen on any other part of the body. Potato bugs can be killed with less trouble and danger, by sprinkling the vines lightly with Paris green, which is also a deadly poison. This is the most effectual means yet discovered of disposing of the potato bug, which has destroyed 80 Many crops in the country. The eggs that have accumulated upon the vines will not hatch after an application of Paris green. Let those of our readers who are trying to raise potatoes try this plan, if they wish to realize anything from their ground and Jabor. We have lately received a copy of an essay read before the Cook County (Ill.) Homeopathic Society, by Dr. HE. M. Hale, in which many other authentic cases are given, of persons being poisoned by this insect. —————_ ©-e—____—- OF WHAT USE IS ENTOMOLOGY ? The subjoined extract is from a recent num- ber of the Canada Farmer: Not many years ago this was the question very commonly addressed to Entomelogists and col- lectors of insects by those who chanced to find them engaged in their favorite pursuit; and even now there are not a few who look upon the study as a mere waste of time, or at best a harmless amusement. But—to use a favorite expression of the day—‘‘publie opinion is being educated up to a higher appreciation” of the importance of insects to our welfare and comfort, and that too by the hitherto despised insects themselves. For what farmer can now think insects too in- significant to be worthy of notice, when he finds that one of the tiniest of them ruins his wheat- fields and robs him of hundreds and thousands of dollars? What gardener but must confess that itis high time he knew something about insects, when his currant and gooseberry bushes are leafless and fruitless, his plum-trees a per- fect failure, his peaches nowhere, his cabbages no sooner planted than cut off, his grape-vines desolated with myriads of foes—in fact, almost everything that he grows attacked, root, branch, © leaf and trunk ? What orchardist but must ac- knowledge the power and restless activity of — the borer in the trunks of his young trees, the caterpillars on the leaves, the bark-lice on trunk and branches, the worms in the very core of the, fruit itself? What hop-grower but feels him- self by sad experience utterly at the mercy of the aphis and green caterpillar? What furrier but loathes the Dermestes and other beetle larvae? What timber-merchant but has had to race with the pine-borer for the coveted fire-scorched track of the forest? What butcher but groans and perspires, even in chilly December, at the very thought of the blow-flv? What housewife but has been half-stifled with camphor and pepper in warding off the clothes-moth from her treas- ured store? What—but we need not go on with the list, for who is there that has no complaint to make of trouble, loss, or annoyance occa- sioned by these tiny but omnipresent foes? Can then a study be pronounced useless or con- temptible, which has for its object the acquire- ment of accurate knowledge of the life and habits of all these myriad foes, and not only of them, but also of the thousands of useful insects be- sides? Until this accurate knowledge be ob- tained, we fight in the dark, and cannot tell friend from foe, but are just as likely to destroy our most useful ally as our most destructive en- emy; and unless we are thoroughly acquainted With the life and habits of these pests we can- not apply a remedy with any certainty as to its value or success. 2 Ge A NEW INSECTICIDE. M. Cloez, who is engaged at the garden of the Paris Museum—the world-renowned Jardin des Plantes—has invented what he considers a complete annihilator for plant-lice and other small insects. This discovery is given in the Revue Horticole, with the endorsement of its distinguished editor, HE. A. Carriere. To re- duce M. Cloez’s preparation to our measures, it will be sufficiently accurate to say, take three and one-half ounces of quassia chips, and five drachms Stavesacre seeds, powdered. These are to be put in seven pints of water and boiled until reduced to five pints. When the liquid is cooled, strain it, and use with a watering pot or syringe, as may be most convenient. efficacious in France, and it will be worth while for our gardeners to experiment withit. Quas- sia has long been used as an insect-destroyer. The Stavesacre seeds are the seeds of a species We . are assured that this preparation has been most of Larkspur, or Delphinium, and used to be ~ kept im the old drug stores. were much used for an insect that found its home in the human head, but as that has fortu- nately gone out of fashion, it may be that the seeds are less obtainable than formerly. The Stavesacre seeds contain Delphine, which is oue of the most active poisons known, and we have no doubt that a very small share of it would prove fatal to insects.—American Agriculturist. Years ago they — THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 8 a ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. [We propose to publish from time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents as contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practical importance, We hope our readers will contribute each their several mites towards the gen- eral fund, and in case they are not perfectly certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities of which are 1o be mentioned, will send specimens along in order that each species may be duly identified.] Tue Hanpsome DicGerR Wasp As A Horse Guarp—Clarksville, Texas, Aug. 10, 1869.—I send you a large solitary wasp which is called (Fig. 57.] Colors—Black and Cream-color, here the ‘ Horse-Guard.” . They are true to name, for they play around horses and cattle, and catch the horse-flies, which they take to their burrows to feed their young. I dug out a nest this afternoon which had five horse-flics and but one larva. A. H. R. Bryant. [The specimen sent was the Handsome Dig- ger Wasp (Stizus speciosus, Drury), a figure of which we reproduce above (Fig. 57). Itis the habit of Digger wasps to deposit but one egg in each of their burrows. The species in ques- - tion has long been known to provision its nest with Grasshoppers, but we believe that no species of the genus (Séizus) has hith- erto been recorded as using Horse-flies for this purpose. There is, however, a more com- mon genus of Digger Wasps (Bembex) which does provision its nest exclusively with Atheri- cerous Diptera (Horse-flies, etc.), and as some species of Bembex are marked much like the -Handsome Digger Wasp, we have our suspi- cions that Mr. Bryant has confounded these insects, and has sent us one that was not really doing this Horse-guard business. At all events, - we shall be glad to hear from Mr. B. again on this subject, because in a scientific sense it is one of great importance. We have strong faith in what has been called the Unity of Habits in insects, and the only two N. A. species of Sti- zus, the habits of which are known (grandis and speciosus) provision their nests with Harvest- flies (Cicada) and Grasshoppers. ] / A “Locust YEAR” ror TENNESSEE—Savan- nah, Tenn., Dec. 2, 1869.—While digging in an Indian mound to-day I unearthed three Cicada pups. They were about nine inches below the surface, and each had for himself a neat little room about the size of a quail’s egg. All were as perfect and as lively as if just ready to shed their coats. AGg EIS [Unless the pup seen by our correspondent were those of some species which makes an an- nual appearance, we strongly suspect them to belong to that brood of the 13-year Cicada which is to appear in 1872. This is the Brood V. of the Am. Entomologist (see Vol. I, p. 68), but is equivalent to Brood VII. of our Missouri Ento- mological Report, where, on the authority of the late Dr. Smith, of Baltimore, Md., it is recorded in De Kalb, Gwinnett and Newton counties, Georgia, in 1846 and 759; in the northern part of Tennessee also, in 1846 and ’59; in the whole eastern portion of Mississippi from the ridge which is forty-five miles from the river, on the west, to the eastern boundary, in 1820, °33, *46, and °59; in Carrol Parish, Louisiana, in 1859; and in Philips county, Kansas, in the same year. The growth of this insect is so very gradual that the pup appear full grown for several years before they really issue from the ground. We dug up a number in the fall of 1868, in Union _ county, Ills., which evidently belonged to this same brood, and will not consequently issue from the ground till 1872; and yet they could then searcely be distinguished from such as had been dug up in other parts of the State in the spring of the same year, and which were just ready to transform.—ED. | Parasitic Mires on tHe Housr-riLy— Vine- land, N. J., Oct. 22d, 1869.—I found a House-fly the other day almost covered with minute red parasites. They were under the wings, on the abdomen and legs, and even in the cavity of the mouth. I put the fly in a box, where if soon died. I then introduced another fly, and after a few hours, on opening the box, I found that many of them had fastened themselves to this second fly. I could see them distinctly with the naked eye crawling about the box, as well as on the fly. Mrs. Mary TRrEArT. Tue Tomato-worm— Vineland, N. J., Sept. 26th, 1869.—The other day I found a full-grown tomato-worm (Sphing 5-maculata) teeding upon Ground Cherry (Physalis viscosa); and last summer I found one feeding upon Matrimony- vine (Lycium barbarum). This makes at least five different plants belonging to this Family that I have found this larva feeding upon. Mrs. Mary Treat. 88 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Rocky Mountain GRASSHOPPER CANNOT LIVE IN PennsyLvanta—Lancaster, Pa.—EHarly last spring (about the beginning of March) some- body sent me, through the mail, a small box of grasshopper’s eggs, from Leavenworth, in Kan- sas. They were whitish, oblong, andarranged diagonally in oblong pellet-like masses, covered with a dark-colored glutinous substance. There were probably five hundred in all. Some of these ege's I put in asmall box, and others I put in a jar, half full of moist earth, which I set, ina sort of conseryatory,among some plants. Thosein the box hatched out a week-earlier than those on the moist earth, although the temperaure of the two places was about equal. Of course all those in the box starved for the want of food. About the middle of March they made their appearance in the form of a very active little black grass-hop- per, which I took to be the young of the Rocky Mountain Grasshopper (Caloptenus spretus, Uhler). Those in ‘the jar were carried to the garden along with the plants about the first of April, where the jar was accidentally upset, and _the little “hoppers,” about one hundred and. fifty in number, all made their escape. But they, too, must also have all perished, for with my utmost vigilance during the whole summer, I never got a sight of a single one of them again. I conclude, therefore, that our cli- mate is ‘‘unwholesome” to the Rocky Moun- tain species, although the Red-legged ‘species (C. ferur-rubrum, De Geer) lives and flour- ishes here. - 8. 8. R. Tomato Worm Parasires—Cinnaminson, NV. J., Sept. 27, °69.—There is a species of fly ( par- asitic) that is attacking the Tomato-worm in our vicinity in immense numbers. As many as forty or fifty of their cocoons may be seen fas- tened to the body ofasingle worm. The cocoons are about the size of a grain of wheat, and at- tached by their ends. [Migrocaster cocoons.— Ep.] They appear to exhaust. the vitality of the worm very much, some of them being entirely dried up, while others are so weakened that I doubt if they ever pass through their transform- ations. These worms are very destructive and nearly ruin our tomato patches. But now they may be seen by hundreds and thousands covered with these white cocoons. The fly is doing its work more effectually than a person could do it, for one-half the worms cannot be found, owing to the resemblance they bear to the plant; but the fly appears to have hunted them all out, comparatively few haying escaped. Cuas. Parry. Tur GOOSEBERRY SPAN-WORM ATTACKS THE Brack Currant—Credit, C. W., Nov. 5, 69.— On page 13 of your current volume, it is stated as a remarkable fact that the three different Cur- rant and Gooseberry-worms, all of them attack almost indiscriminately the Red Currant and the Gooseberry, while they are none of them ever found upon our cultivated Black Currant, or so far as is known, upon our wild Black Cur- rant. In 1868 my Black Currant bushes were rather badly attacked by the Span-worm larvee K Ellopia ribearie, Witch), but the Saw-fly larvee did not touch them. I noticed this fact in the Canada Farmer of July 1, 68. These Span- worm larve have been very injurious to the Buffalo or Sweet-flowering Currant (2. aurewm) in this neighborhood during the last few years. Numbers of these bushes were entirely denuded of their foliage. They too were exempt from the attacks of the Saw-fly, though it ravaged Red and White Currant and Gooseberry bushes just alongside. JI may mention that I have often found larvee of the Span-worm upon wild Goose- berry and Currant bushes in the woods, without however noticing the particular species of Goose- berry or Currant. C. J. S. Brernune. GRAPE-BERRY Motu—Shiloh, Ills., Sept. 29, 1869.—The Grape-berry worm is more numer- ous than éver. I have heretofore been in the habit of permitting my grapes to remain on the vinés, until they had attained their utmost maturity; but I ‘find that with, this practice many of the wornis escape, whilst if I gathered my grapes two weeks sooner, I should get most of the worms ,into the wine-press, and prevent them from propagating. As it is, I have the berries that drop, off the bunches picked from the ground with a great deal of labor, but find it impossible to have them all secured. I appre- hend too, that when I commence my late vin- tage many worms have already left the berries to change to pups. An earlier vintage will give me an inferior wine, but a much larger quantity, and will enable me to destroy most of the worms. ADOLPH ENGELMANN. PotyrHemus Morn— Vineland, NV. J., Aug. 25th, 1869.—The last week in July a fine large larva of the Polyphemus moth wound up, and on the 14th day of August a splendid moth came forth from the cocoon. It fed and wound up in the open air, and only the day before it came out Ieut the twig to which the cocoon was attached and brought it in, thinking that the pupa would remain as usual until next sum- mer, before its final development. Mrs. Mary Trear. an a aa HE x aro y —— AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 89 ==> = INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE—No. 4. | eGaiae 2 The Satellite Sphinx. (Philampelus satellitia, Linn.*) Like the Achemon Sphinx, figured and des- eribed in our last number,-this insect ocewrs in almost every State in the Union. It also bears a strong resemblance to the former species, and likewise feeds upon the Ampelopsis as well as upon the Grape-vine; but the worm may readily be distinguished by having five cream-colored spots each side, instead of six, and by the spots themselves being less scolloped. [Fig. 58.] Colors—(a and b) cream-color and reddish-brown; (c) pale- green and pink. ms In the latitude of St. Louis, this worm is found full grown throughout the month of Sep- tember, and a few specimens may even be found as late as the last of October. The eggs of this species, as of all other Hawk-moths (Sphinx family) known to us, are glued singly to the ‘leaf of the plant which is to furnish the future *The synonyms for this insect are Sphing lycaon, Cra- mer; Pholus lycaon, Huebner, and Daphni pandorus, Hueb- ner. We adopt Harris’s nomenclature for reasons already given in a former number. Mr. A. Grote (Proc, Ent. Soc Phil., I, p. 60), believes that the Sphinx lyeaon of the au- thors above quoted, is distinct from S. satel/itia, Linn., and would fain ‘* eliminate’? a third species (posticatus). For reasons which it would be tedious to give here, we prefer to regard /ycaon as a variety of satellitia. worm with food. When first hatched, and for some time afterwards, the larva is green, with a tinge of pink along the sides, and with an im- mensely long straight pink horn at the tail. This horn soon begins to shorten, and finally curls round like a dog’s tail, as at Figure 58 c. As the worm grows older it changes to a red- dish-brown, and by the third moult it entirely loses the caudal horn. When full grown, it measures nearly four inches in length, and when crawling appears as at Figure 58 a. Itcrawls by a series of sudden jerks, and will often fling its head savagely from side to side when alarmed. Dr. Morris* describes the mature larva as being green, with six side patches; but though we have happened across many specimens of this worm during the last seven years, we never once found one that was green after the third moult; nor do we be- lieve that there are ever any more than five full- sized yellow spots each side, even in the young individuals. The specimen from which our figure was made, occurred in 1867, at Hermann, ' Missouri, in Mr. George Husmann’s vineyard. The back was pinkish, inclining to flesh-colo?; the sides gradually became darker and darker, and the five patches 6n segments 6—10 inclu- sive, were cream-yellow with a black annula- tion, and shaped as in our figure. On segments 2, 3, 4, 5and6, were numerous small black dots, but on each of the following five segments there were but two such dots. A pale longitudinal line ran.above the yellow patches, and the head and first joint were uniformly dull reddish- brown, The most common general color of the full grown worm is-a rich velvety vinous-brown. When at rest, it draws back the fore part of the body, and retracts the head and first two joints into the third (see Fig. 58 }), and in this mo- tionless position it no doubt manages to escape from the clutches of many a hungry insectivo- rous bird. Dr. Morris, copying perhaps after Harris, erroneously states that the three ante- rior joints, together with the head, are retracted into the fourth, and Mr. J. A. Lintnert makes the same false assertion. It is the third seg- ment in this species, as well as in the Achemon Sphinx, which is so much swollen, and into which the head and first two segments are re- tracted. When about to transform, the larva of our Satellite Sphinx enters a short distance into the ground, and soon works off its caterpillar-skin and becomes a chrysalis of a deep chestnut- * Synopsis of N. A. Lepidoptera, p. 177. + Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., IlI., p. 659, 90 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. brown, and very much of the same form as that of the Achemon Sphinx, figured in our last num- ber. The moth (Fig. 59) makes its appearance in June of the following year, though it has been known to issue the same year that it had [Fig. pose of crawling out; usually, however, it sim- ply projects the front part of its body and crawls about without entirely quitting the case —carrying its house with it. There are various things recommended as a 59.) a Colors—Light olive-gray and dark olive-green. existed as larva. In this last event, it doubtless becomes barren, like others under similar cir- cumstances, as was shown in our last number (p. 55). The colors of the moth are light olive- gray, variegated as in the figure with dark olive-green. The worms are easily subdued by hand-picking. —————_ec12 9 —__{_ SOUTHERN NOTES. a BY J. PARISH STELLE, SAVANNAH, TENN. CrLoruErs-Morus.—We have several species of clothes-moths at the South, some of which work all through the winter as far up as Corinth, Miss. They are all troublesome enough, but the individual most to be dreaded is of a light buff color (Tinea vestianella,* Steph.), though we have another almost as bad (Zinea tapet- zella, Linn.), that is nearly black, with the tips of its larger wings white, or pale gray. These moths generally lay their eggs on the woolen or fur articles they intend to destroy; and when the larva appears it begins to eat im- mediately, making sad work in a very short time. With the hairs or wool it has gnawed off, it forms a silken case or tube, under the protec- tion of which it devours the substance of the article on which it has fixed its abode. The tube has the appearance of parchment, is open at both ends, but furnished with kind of flaps that the insect can lift at pleasure for the pur- *rusticella, Huebner. protection against clothes-moths. One ‘is’ to- bacco sprinkled among the clothes, another is — gum-camphor, and still another capsicum or. pulverized red pepper. Each of these are good, no doubt, but they are rather objection- able to some on account of their unpleasant effect on the olfactories. I have found alum to be all that is required, without being the least offensive. In case of furs it may be pulverized and sprinkled into them freely; or it may be dissolved in water and the liquid applied. The latter mode is the best for most goods. An ar- ticle well sprinkled with strong alum water will never be injured by moths. } Soor ror CapBacre Worms.—I experimented ast summer on the Southern Cabbage-worm (larva of Pieris protodice, Boisd.), and found soot to be a very good thing to prevent its ravages. The soot was taken from my chimney, and as I had burned a great deal of yellow pine, it was virtually Iamp-black. Having first wetted the cabbage with a fine rose I sifted the soot- — upon them; and, though it did not keep them entirely clear of worms, owing, I suppose, to the fact that I could not get it on all parts of the plants, I raised a very good crop, while not one of my neighbors matured a single head. The thing is worth trying, and in localities where pine soot cannot be had, I take it that common lamp-black would have the same effect. A LarcGe Broop.—l “hatched” in Septem- THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 91 ber last, from the cocoons on one tomato worm, (Sphinx 5-maculata, Haw.), two hundred and seventy-one small Ichneumon flies! If any per- son interesting himself in entomology can beat that for a single brood he may take the belt from me. Tue Sguasn Buae.—My last summer's expe- rience in this section with the Squash-bug (Co- reus tristis, De Geer), showed no difference in favor of any variety of squashes. I raised the ** White-bush Scallop” and found them to be as hard on it as on any other kind. The best means that I hit upon of saving my squashes from the pest, was to remove the earth from the roots of the plants as low as it would bear, and fill up with a mixture of dry ashes and salt. Without this precaution I found them going down into the ground on the under side of the vine, and working where I could not gct at them. In addition to the salt and ashes application, . I trimmed off all the leaves that touched the ground as soon as they came down, and spread them out under the plants, and upon examina- tion, mornings and evenings, I generally found about all the old bugs nicely housed away be- neath the leaves. I think leaves are far better to trap them under than boards or shingles. A decaying or wilting leaf seems to attract them; you will usually find them on such leaves when looking over your vines. So SSS SS SSS TOADS vs. BUGS. We make the following extracts from some passages in Fogt’s book ‘On Noxious and Beneficial Animals,” which are quoted at full length in the fourth number of Le Naturadiste Canadien. For the benefit of the American reader, we translate from the original French. *“A remarkable fact has lately been published in the newspapers. There is actually a consid- erable commerce in toads between France and England. eo —_____ TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS, The death of our associate will necessitate some change in the character of this journal. Instead of the thought and experience of two individuals we shall strive to freight it with a diversity of opinion, and to this end we solicit communications from our numerous readers, both scientific and practical. We have already, in closing the first volume, announced our in- tention to pay liberally for all communications that we publish. We make this change in the character of the American Enromotoeist the more willingly, that we deem it a great fallacy to suppose, that because an individual becomes an editor, he therefore constitutes himself a dictator of opinion. We gave this journal a national name for the very reason that we wished it to beat a national character. It is devoted to the Entomology of the whole coun- try and not merely to that of the particular locality where the editor resides. By studying to counteract the injuries caused by noxious insects; by illustrating the ever interesting phases of insect life, and by close attention to scientific accuracy, we hope to make it invaluable and indispensable, first, to the practical farmer, fruit-grower or gardener, who is seeking for relief from the scourge of insect pests which injuriously affect his crops; secondly, to the popular student of natural science, and lastly, to the purely scientific man. The publishers will spare no means to make the paper attractive in appearance, and the editor can safely promise to spare no labor to make its contents interesting and instructive. Let the readers but put forth a little effort to properly support it by inducing their neighbors to subscribe, and they themselves shall reap the benefit. We already have the promise of con- tributions from many able writers on Entomol- ogy, and in this connection we would remind our practical readers, that they should not defer sending for publication the results of their ex- perience and observation, because they are not able to rattle off the scientific names of the insects they write about. We shall always be glad to determine the particular species which accompany communications, and to make any other suggestions that may be found necessary. eee THE WALSH ENTOMOLOGICAL COLLECTION. Mr. Walsh’s last will was executed about two years ago, and though in this will he dwells minutely and expressively on almost everything that could possibly be made to cause trouble to Mrs. Walsh—even to stipulating that no funeral outlay should be incurred beyond that necessary to decent burial—yet no disposition whatever is made of his Entomological Collection. His wife is made sole executrix of his affairs, and the disposal of the cabinet consequently rests with her. For our own sake, and for the sake of the numerous scientific friends of the deceased, who in future years would like to refer to this collection, either in person or through us, we were naturally anxious to secure the cabinet. We were conscious, however, that the State of Illinois had some claim to it, and knew further- more that it was Mr. Walsh’s strict intention to prepare for that State a duplicate collection from it. We therefore, in our efforts to obtain it, besides making a cash offer, pledged our- selves so far to carry out Mr. Walsh’s intentions as to prepare this duplicate collection for the State of Illinois. Whether or not we secure the collection, will depend on whether Mr. Wm. B. Pettit, who now has charge of Mrs. Walsh’s affairs, receives a higher bid than ours; for we understand that it is to be sold to the highest bidder. We should not grieve if Louis Agassiz procured it, because it would then fall into the hands of Dr. Hagen, who was one of our associate’s dearest friends, and who is moreover well able to appreciate, take care, and make proper use of it. Nor should we greatly lament if it fell into the hands of Mr. E. T. Cresson, of Philadelphia, Pa., for there it would also be appreciated, and be of service to the world. But we are averse to its going East at all, for the reason that Mr. Walsh was essentially a Western man, and was well aware himself of the difficulties under which the stu- dent of Natural History labored in the Western States, for the lack of just such collections to refer to. The State of Illinois can certainly afford to pay Mr. Pettit as large a sum as can any individual or any society, and we confi- dently expect, and sincerely hope that the Goy- ernor will see that it is secured. We would also counsel Mr. Pettit not to act rashly in 94 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. disposing of it to other parties, because it is stipulated in the law, that the State Entomolo- gist shall prapare a collection of the insects of the State to be deposited in the Museum of the Industrial University at Champaign. Action in this matter should not long be deferred by the State, for without the attention of some one who understands taking care of such a collec- tion, it will soon be rendered valueless by fungoid growths, mites, Dermestes, and other museum perts. There are probably eight or ten thousand species in the collection—most of them dupli- cated. They are mounted on the short English pins, for Mr. Walsh hated the very sight of, and never would adopt our modern Entomological pins, which he termed ‘‘German skewers.” The specimens are all well dried, however, aad remarkably well set. Let us hope that they will fall into such hands that they shall be pre- served for centuries to come, and redound to the honor and credit of him who toiled so ardu- ously and yet so willingly to collect them— that long after we have followed their first owner, and have entered the Portals of Eternity with him, these insects may remain a lasting monument to his name, and that they may never become lost to the world, as have those of Thomas Say, and already some of those of T. W. Harris! = 2o-e— A STATE ENTOMOLOGIST FOR MINNESOTA, We are pleased to learn that at the late meet- ing of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society in Rochester, Minn., resolutions were passed earnestly recommending the Legislature to pro- vide for the appointment of a State Entomolo- gist. We hope their recommendations will be heeded, and that other States will soon follow the good example. Every State in the Union is cursed with some 1oxious insects peculiarly its own, and the greater the number ef workers in the field, the more quickly shall we become masters of the situation. It is really surprising that in a great agricultural country like ours, subject to such serious insect depredations, so few of the States have appropriated the pittance necessary to the prosecution of proper Ento- mological studies! —_____e + @ © tar There is yet a vast and unexplored field for the Entomologist in the South. Our South- ern brethren suffer from some of the most griey- ous inset foes, and their insect fauna is rich and diversified. We consequently take pleasure in announcing, that Mr. J. Parish Stelle, of Savan- nah, Tenn., is at work in the field, and will continue to send us the “Southern Notes” which he has commenced in this number. 2 > & (t@> As the insect world. is now, for the most part, wrapt in its hyperborian slumber, there are not very many questions for the ‘‘Answers to Correspondents” department; and as those questions which we have on hand do not re- quire immediate attention, we defer answer- ing them till next month, in order to make room for other matter. rn t2> To all persons interesting themselves in the AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST we will allow twenty-five cents on every dollar, on all over five names which they send. SSS ES SSS (= Remember, that every one who sends us five subscribers to the AmMpRIcAN ENTOMOLO- GIsT, is entitled to an extra copy free of charge! —0~<>-6— LOCUSTS IN INDIA. The recent foreign mails bring information that a cloud of locusts of incredible volume has lighted upon the fairest portion of the western provinces of India, which were previously de- pended upon to make up for the recent famine, and restore plenty to dependent millions. Rice advanced twenty-five per cent. on the appear- auce of this plague, while a gloom has settled upon the country in anticipation of the des- truction of all vegetation wherever they might alight. It is hoped that these destroyers may be speedily destroyed themselves by the wind that sometimes carries them into the sea, or the calamity must reach a fearful height, and tax all the resources of the government to mitigate it.—Hearth and Home. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 95 ON OUR TABLE. Dr. J. T. C. Ratzeburg’s great works on “Forest Trees, their Diseases and Insect Ene- mies,” and his work on ‘‘ Weeds of Germany and Switzerland”—Die Waildverderbniss (23 Thaler, gold); Die Standortsgewachse und Unkreuter Deutschlands und der Schweitz (43 Thaler); and Die Waldverderber und Ihre Feinde (4 Thaler).— Some time since we re- ceived from L. Agassiz, through Dr. Hagen, of Cambridge, the foregoing splendid German works for inspection and notice. These works have not their equal in the English language, and with their superb illustrations and vast fund of most desirable information, they should have a place in the library of every college where the German language is taught. We would especi- ally call the attention of the presidents of our different agricultural colleges to these works, The price of the three will probably cost over $40.00 in America; but, in order to introduce them into this country, the author has offered, through his booksellers, to make a liberal de- duction when more than one set is ordered, and Dr. H. Hagen, of Cambridge, Mass., has con- sented to receive subscriptions. The books were accompanied with the following notice from the pen of the last named gentleman, which we gladly make room for, as it contains valuable suggestions, and we have ourselves only found time to hastily glance over the works: Wood, and forests which produce wood, form almost as important a part of the natural wealth of a country as do metals, coal, and other minerals. In some views wood is even the more important article, since without wood no culture is possible or imaginable. Wood eannot in ai/-eases be replaced by iron or other bodies. Hence, we find that the regions which are entirely or in part destitute of wood never attain to a cultivated condi- tion (large tracts of Africa, Asia, etc.), while, on the other hand, a superabundance of forests forms an im- pediment to cultivation, as in many parts of America. It is only after the remoyal of this excess that cultiva- tion progresses rapidly. Where nature offers riches in great abundance, there the due standard of apprecia- tion becomes lost; and any one who has seen how the Mississippi steamers, as well as the railroads in the East and West, are often fed with timber that is valu- _ able for all purposes, will admit that this is an abuse, or, in other words, that expensive materials are thus wasted. Every waste, however, bringslts consequence, and in time necessitates a supply at high rates. There can be no doubt that in a country densely coyered with pristine woods, the clearing must precede cultivation, and this clearing has to be carried on in the most rapid and most destructive manner, in order to prove protit- able for the moment. But then, afterwards a period is sure to arrive when a stop has to be put to that devasta- tion, in order to forestall want. There can be no doubt that, in America, that time has come, or has eyen been transgressed, though the fact has not yet be- come very palpable, for the reason that from other parts, which are still well timbered, plenty of wood can as yet be temporarily imported. A cessation of this destructive practice is to be anticipated from an in- ereasing cheapness of coal as fuel for manufactories, railroads, and steamboats; but this cessation will come too late, in part, and generations to come will be sensi- bly affected thereby; for itis a well known and very im- portant fact that the same kind of timber that existed on a tract once cleared, cannot be immediately produced again, Nature has managed it so that quite a number of processes of vegetation have to be gone through with before the original trees of the primeval forest can re- sume their rights. Under the tropics, as well as in high northern latitudes, this change is wrought in the course of a few generations, but in the intermediate tem- perate zones a much longer time is required. Moreover, the species that immediately succeed those which were cut down are always such as furnish inferior wood. In America, which is endowed by nature with a great num- ber of species which afford the best wood for technical purposes, this fact, no doubt, becomes the moreimpor tant. It appears to me that the very excellence of American wood has essentially contributed to the rapid advancement of civilization. A great number of skilled pursuits are thereby essentially favored, since the firm- ness and durability of its material admit of a delicacy and care in their elaboration which, in Europe, is ren- dered impracticable through the imperfection of their wood. Add to this another cireumstance—one which makes this discussion suitable for the purposes of an entomolo- gical paper: So long as nature alone is opeiating, it very rarely (or perhaps neyer) occurs, that extensive damage to plants and trees is wrought by insects or other animals. It is only after the natural relations are altered by hu- man agencies, as, é. g., by the burning down or clearing of entire tracts, or by a subsequent compulsory forest- culture, that noxious insects are multiplied in excess, and require the energetic attention and interference of mankind. We haye lately had abundant proof of this in Germany. The well-known Pine Bombyx (Zombyx Monacha) had been harmless for about fifty years, when, in 1852, it reappeared. For three years little attention Was paid to it, and interference was not attempted until it had become too late. The result can only now, after the termination of the calamity, be fully estimated. From the Ural mountains through the entire width of Russia and Poland, and onward into the interior of Prussia, 175,000 square miles were, in those years, in- fested, and 55,000,000 cords of wood destroyed. In East Prussia alone (of the size of the State of Massachu- setts) 7,000,000 cords. I was myself an eye-witness to interminable trains of butterflies on their way in search of new breeding-places. In several cases they passed over sounds of fifteen miles’ breadth in search of intact forests. I believe that, in America, there exists no indepen- dent literature on this subject, and no observations are on record. Butitis quite plain that the experience of other countriescan be made available. The climate of Europe is, in many respects, very similar to that of the most richly wooded northerly States of the Union. The 96 THK AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. trees belong to the same genus, and several of the species are exceedingly similar to European ones. It is, hence, quite probable that many of the insects inju- rious to our forests are also quite nearly allied to those of Europe. In Europe, there are the excellent works of Professor Ratzeburg, who, in his capacity of super- intendent of a foresters’ university, has conducted his observations with untiring energy for forty years. His latest works contain his experience in a condensed form. In the ‘‘ Waldverderbniss,’’ ete., may be found all that the celebrated author has elicited concerning the growth and damage done to our trees through the agency of insects and other animals. Numerous wood- cuts in the text, and sixty-one plates of excellent exe- eution, adorn this work. It is highly interesting to see, inthe figured portions of the forest, how the injury done by insects has changed the entire character of the land- scape, The physiological parts, based on microscopical studies, abound in new facts. The healing process that the diseased or injured trees go through, has not only a scientific Interest, but also directly concerns the propri- etor. : Ratzeburg’s works possess the advantage of being almost entirely made up of personal observation, though the author has also considered the contemporaneous and past literature on the subject. Their greatest, and as I think, most important value for America, however, consist in this: that fhey all put the practical point in the foreground. It is not merely theoretical instruction which is there given, but it is positively money; for it either saves or makes money. - The sixth edition of his ‘‘ Waldverderber’? (Ilurt- ful Insects: Berlin, 1869. $4 00, gold,) with ten ex- cellent plates, gives, in a popular fashion, a good and instructive account of such animals as interest the farmer, the forester, and the entomologist, and itis the best work of this kind. Closely connected with the above is an older work of his—‘‘ Die Unkraeuter’’? (The Weeds), treating of one of the most important and interesting subjects for the agriculturist. I will here remark that more than two- thirds of the named weeds cover also the entire north of America, west to the Mississippi, and even farther west. Ratzeburg’s works are, no doubt, of the highest—of the greatest importance. It is my opinion that they ought not to be found missing in the library of any uni- versity, school of agriculture, or similar institution. To the observing entomologist, they are positively in- dispensable, and for such the world-wide celebrity of the author renders eyery recommendation superfluous. ANNUAL Rerort oF THE Board OF REGENTS or THE University of Wisconsin.—From W. W. Daniells, Prof. of Agriculture and Analyti- cal Chemistry. s List or tun Nests AND E«Ges or BirDs IN THE Musrum or THE Boston Society or Natural History. Tur AmERIcAN SuNDAY ScHOoL WORKER.— A new monthly journal, just started by J. W. McIntyre, of St. Louis, Mo. Towa AGRICULTURAL REuPORT FoR 1868.—From J. M. Shaffer, Secretary. Tae Country GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE— London, England. Simpkin, Marshall & Co. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Information wanted—W//. 4. Kendall, Pitzwil- lYiam, NV. H.—1st: The insects seen by you last summer, darting so quickly and noiselessly among the flowers of your lilacs, were, judging from your description, the gigantic Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa carolina, Linn.) You will find it figured and described on page 9 of our first volume. If you will send us specimens next year, we can decide positively; otherwisenot, 2d: The ‘‘wasp- ish looking thing ’’ on the left hand side of our cover, is the Q ofa long-tailed Ichneumon fly which may be popularly called the Lunate Rhyssa (Zhyssa lunator, Fabr.) It is one of the largest of our Iechneumon flies, and attacks certain wood-boring larve, and especially those of the Pigeon Tremex (Zremex columba, Linn.), which infest our elms and sycamores. By means of its long ovipositor this large Ichneumon fly is enabled to reach the wood-borer in its hidden retreat, and to de- posit an egg inits body. The larva hatching from this ege eventually destroys the original wood-horer. 3d: The odd looking insect at the right of our coyer, is the ot of the common Stick—bug (Spectrum femoratum, Say), a vegetable-feeder of sluggish movements. It receives its popular name from the remarkable habit which it has of stretching forward its two front legs and its anten- nx, in the manner represented in that fguge. It often. remains a long time motionless in this saatign , so that it in reality looks very much like a dead stick growing from the tree or shrub upon which it happens to be. Its scientific name refers to the immensely swollen middle thighs of the g’. For a fuller account of this singular insect, see Vol. I, p. 58. Insects named—Jos. 1. Chase, Holyoke, Mass.— No. 1, Zetropium cinnamopterum, Wirby. Nos. 2and3, varieties of No.1, No. 4, Boros unicolor, Say. No. 5, Saprinus pennsylvanicus, Payk. No. 6, Tenbrio molitor, Linn. nand, Say. No.9, Harpalus —— tus unicolor, Say. No. 11. Brachys ovata, Lee. No. 12, Prionus imbricornis (small dimorphous form). No. 13, Photinus neglectus, Lec. No. 14. Bryacantha 10- pustulata, Melsh. No. 15, Haltéca (Phyllotreta) striolata, Illig. No. 16, Noda parvula, De}. =? ovata, Say- No. 17, Chalcophana convera, Say. No. 18, Pediacus subgluber, Lec. No. 19, Aphrastus twniatus, Say. No. 20, Culligrapha multipunctuta, Say. No. 21, Clytus leu- coyonus, L. and G. No. 22, Listroderes. No. 28, Gal- cophana picipes, Oliv. No. 24, Galeruca haunatica, Lee. No. 25, Saprinus assimilis, Wr. No. 26, Hpdrocharis obtusatus, Say. No. 27, Colymbetes bigquttalus, Say. No, 28, Zydrophilus glaber, Hbst. No. 29, Berosus fra- ternus, Lee. No. 380, Podabrus rugulosus, Lee. We are indebted to Dr. Geo. H. Horn of Philadelphia, for the proper determination of several of the above named insects. ? No. 10, Colas- Disease in Wheat—A. LZ. Child, UM. D.—We re- egret to say that the ears of wheat which you sent last summer, were retained so long in the publishers’ office that nothing could be made of them when they were handed to us. In writing upon business matters al- ways address the publishers, but in writing on edito- rial matters, or in sending specimens, you should as invariably address the editor. No. 7, Philonthus blundis, Grav. No. 8, Haltica a VOL. 2. ST. LOUIS, MO., FEBRUARY, 1870. NO. 4. Ghe American Entomologist. ‘PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY R. P. STUDLEY & CO., 104 OLIVE STREET, ST, LOUIS. (00) 30 ..-Two dollars per annum in advance. CHARLES V. RILEY, Eprror. G95 ae Fae eee ORE tne mae / THE CECROPIA MOTH, CAG _ (Attacus Cecropia, Linn.) We cannot recall a single insect which has been so often sent to us for determination as the [Fig. 59.] Horned-caterpillar, which forms the frontis- piece to our first volume. The ground-color of the wings is a grizzled dusky brown with the hinder margins clay-yellow; near the middle of each of the wings there is an opaque kidney- shaped white spot, shaded more or less on the outside with dull red, and edged with black; a wavy dull red band edged inside with white, crosses each of the wings, and the front wings “next to the shoulders are dull red with a curved white and black band, and have near their tips an eye-like black spot with a bluish-white cres- cent; the upper side of the body and legs are dull red; the forepart of the thorax, and the hinder edges of the rings of the abdomen are white, and the belly is checkered with red and white. There is considerable variation in the Colors—Grizzled dusky brown, dull red, and white. Cecropia Moth. It is so conspicuous, whether in the larva, chrysalis or moth state, that it readily attracts attention. The moth (Fig. 59) is really a most elegant insect, and in our mind is second only in splendor to that of the Royal ground-color of individuals, some being quite dark and others quite light, but the female differs from the male in nothing but her larger abdomen and much smaller antenn or feelers. This insect belongs to the same family( Bomby- 98 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. cide) as the well-known Silk-worm, and is, in fact, one of our very best native American Silk- worms. The genus Attacus—meaning elegant— was founded by Linnzeus, and our moth received its specific name from the same author. As Cecropia was the ancient name of the city of Athens, and as it has puzzlcd some naturalists to divine why Linnzus applied this name to our moth, we give the following explanation by Dr. Fitch: ‘“‘The great legislator of this department of human knowledge, as he is ex- pressively styled by Latreille, it has been fre- quently remarked, was endowed with a genius that few of his disciples have inherited, for selecting names for natural objects, which are most appropriate and happy. The idea which was present in the mind of Linnzus, when he named this splendid moth, we think is suffi- ciently evident. The Athenians were the most polished and refined people of antiquity. The moths are the most delicate and elegant of insects; they are the Atheuians of their race. Cecrops was the founder, the head of the Athe- nian people. When the names of men were bestowed upon cities, ships or other objects regarded as being of the feminine gender, class- ical usage changed these names to the feminine form. The moths (Phalena) being feminine, and the name of Cecrops being more euphoni- ous in this form, probably induced Linnzus to change it in the manner he did. The name thus implies this to be the leader, the head of the most elegant tribe of insects, or in other words, the first of all the insect kind. What name more appropriate can be invented for this: sumptuous moth?” Tn regard to the generic name, we may as well state, that the genus Attacus has been badly cut up by modern systematists, as indeed have most of the old Linnzan genera. In bot- any it seems to have become the fashion to combine, and thus lessen the number of genera, and as this course greatly facilitates study, in the great majority of instances, it were devoutly to be wished that our entomologists would em- ulate the example of their botanical friends. But it seems to have been the rage among cer- tain entomologists to split up the old genera, until, as in the present case, generic differences have been based on what no one, who was not more anxious to further his own name than the true interests of science, would con- sider other than specific. The German Ento- mologist Hiibner, in 1816, separated the genus Attacus into several genera, of which his Samia includes our Cecropia Moth. After him, an English Entomologist, Duncan, constructed the genus Jlyalophora, to receive certain large moths with glassy spots in their wings (the word meaning literally ‘‘ elass-bearer”), and had the carelessness to refer our (/ecropia Moth, which has no such glassy spots, to this new genus of his. More recently, Mr. A. R. Grote has erected the! genus Platysamia, which sep- arates our Cecropia Moth from that of the Avrhindy Silkworm (A. Oynthia) to which Hibner’s original genus Samia is restricted. Yet it seems to us that no one but the most inveterate ‘‘cenus-grinder” would ever think of separating two insects which have so many points of resemblance. But as our views on this subject are very fully expressed in the arti- cle on ‘‘ Scientific Nomenclature” in the first number of the present volume of the AmmpRICAN ENTOMOLOGIST, we will not weary the reader with this rather unprofitable subject. Opinions will differ, and every man will be properly judged by posterity for the opinions which he held while living; and it is only neces- sary to state that in order to simplify the arrangement,we have followed Harris’s ex- ample, in using the older and more com- monly known generic names. During the winter time, the large co- coons of this insect (Fig. 60) may be found attached to the twigs of a variety of different shrubs and trees. We have our- selves found them up- on Apple, Cherry, Currant, Barberry, Hazel, Plum, Hicko- ry, Blackberry, El- derberry, Elder, K)m, Lilac, Red-root, Ma- ple, Willow and Ion- ey-locust. This co- — coon tapers both ways, and is invari- ably fastened longi- tudinally to the twig; it is formed of two distinct Jayers, the outer one, which is loose, wrinkled, and resembles strong brown paper, covering an inner oval cocoon com- [Fig. 60.] Color—Yellowish-brown. - THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 99 ~ posed of the same kind of silk, but closely woven like that of the common Silk-worm. Inside this cocoon will be found the large brown chrysalis (Fie. Gl.) (Fig. 61). The co- coon of the large Po- lyphemus Moth (sce AmeERICAN Entomo- Locist, Volume I, No. 7), which has Color—Light brown. been called by Mr. L. Trouvelot, of Med- ford, Massachusetts, the ‘‘ American Silk-- worm,” is rounded, and the silk is very closely and compactly woven: and though that of our Cecropia is not as valuable for utilitarian purposes, yet we have not a doubt but it will some day be propagated for the silk which it produces; and though it may not lay claim to the national title of THE American Silk-worm, it will nevertheless rank as second best, among those which are indigenous to this country. The following are some of Mr. Trouvelot’s reasons, as communicated to us, for prefer- ring Polyphemus to Cecropia: 1st. The silk fibre spun by the Jatter is not so strong nor so glossy as that of the former. 2ndly. The cocoon of the latter being double, pointed, and open at one end, makes it unfit to reel, as the water of the bath in filling the cocoon would sink it to the bottom, a very unfavorable circumstance, since it would cause the fibres of the different cocoons to entangle and break every moment. drdly. The larva of Cecropia is a very delicate worm to raise, it does not suffer handling, and when once feeding on a given species of plant, it does not readily bear changing to another, or even toa variety of the same plant. 4thly. It has the misfortune to be more generally attacked by birds and parasites, four-fifths of them being thus sacrificed, in a state of nature. We entirely concur in the first two reasons given, though until the silk of Polyphemus has been more suc- cessfully reeled off than heretofore, the second objection loses much of its force, since our own experiments would indicate that they both have .to be carded. As to the last two objections, though they undoubtedly apply in Massachu- setts, where Mr. Trouvelot made his experi- ments, they will not hold true in the West; for we have always been more successful with in- door broods of Cecropia than of Polyphemus, and with us the latter is fully as much subject to parasites as the former, as might have been inferred from its comparative scarcity. In the month of May, in the latitude of St. Louis, and earlier or later the farther north or south we go, our Cecropia Moth issues from its cocoon, and there can be no more beautiful sight imagined, than one of these gigantic fresh- born moths with all its parts soft and resplen- dent. The uninitiated would marvel how such an immense creature had escaped from the small cocoon which remains at its side, retaining the same form which it always had, and showing no hole through which the moth could escape. The operation—so interesting and instructive— can be witnessed by any one who will take the trouble to collect a few of the cocoons and place them in some receptacle which has sufficiently rough sides to admit of the moth’s crawling up, to hang its heavy body and wings while they dry and expand. The caterpillar has the won- derfal foresight to spin the upper or anterior ena of its cocoon very loosely, and when the moth is about to issue it is still further aided in its efforts by a fluid secreted during the last few days of the chrysalis state, and which is a ‘ dissolvent of the gum which so firmly unites the fibres of the cocoon.* This fluid is secreted from two glands, which open into the mouth, and as soon as the chrysalis skin is split open on the back, by the restless movements of the moth within, the fluid flows from the mouth and wets the end of the cocoon, dissolving the gum, and softening the silk to such an extent, that by repeated contractions and extensions of the body, the moth is at last enabled to separate the fibres, and to thrust out its head and unbend its front legs; after which it rapidly draws out the rest of its body, the mouth of the cocoon afterwards closing, by the natural elasticity of the silk. At this moment the body of the moth is much swollen and elongated, the wings are small, folded, and pad-like, and the whole insect is soft and moist; but attach- ing itself to the first object at haud, where it can hang its heavy body and clumsy wings, the latter become expanded in about twenty minutes, and the superabundant fluids of the body sufficiently evaporate in a few hours to enable the insect to take wing. The eggs of the Cecropia Moth are 0.09 inch long, sub-oval, flattened, and of a pale cream- color, shaded with light brown, and they are deposited in small patches on the plants which are to form the food of the future larve. They *In the Practical Entomologist, Vol. 11, p. 55, Mv. Walsh saw fit to deny the well-established fact of the use of this fluid by Silk-worm moths and especially by our Ceeropia, styling the statement as the nonsense of closet-naturalists. Of course it requires no great ustuteness to perceive thit such a fact could be proved just as well by a closet-natural- ist as by any other, and though we do not know that Mr. Walsh everexpressed any change of opinion in print, yet we confidently believe that he would have done so upon the first occasion that presented; for he finally became entirely convineéed that such a fluid is secreted, and freely acknowl- edged his former error, as he was always ready to do in such cases, 100 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. are deposited in June, and hatch in from six to ten days after being deposited. The young worms differ so much from the mature ones, and undergo such great changes in appearance in the course of their lives, that we are sur- prised that no account is to be found of these larval changes in any of our entomological works. When first hatched they are entirely black, with the tubercles placed in the same position, but being larger at the base and witha narrower stem than in the more mature individ- uals, the upper and smaller end being crowned with a whorl of conspicuous stiff black bristles. After the first moult the body is of a deep orange color, with the tubercles and head black, and with longitudinal rows of black dots run- ning between them. After the second moult, a still greater change takes place: the body acquires a beautiful yellowish-green tint, the tubereles on the back are blue on sequents 1, 12 and 13; coral-red on 2 and 3, and yellow with black spines and a black spot on the inside and outside of the stem, on 4—11. Those at the sides are blue, and the head is of the same color asbody. After the third moult, the black spots, except a row below the stigmatal row of tubercles, disappear; the tubercles themselves lose all black except the spines, and the head and body become delicate bluish-green rather than yellowish-green as formerly. After the fourth and last moult, the red tubercles near the head frequently become yellow, and when full-grown, the worm measures over four inches, and presents the appearance of Figure 62, the tubercles being respectively of the most delicate yellow and blue. Two weeks after the worm first began to spin, it changes to a chrysalis, and as already stated, passes the winter in this form, | there being but one brood each year. [Fig. 62.] Colors—Green, blue, yellow, and red. On the 20th of March, 1867, Mr. J. A. Jack- _ son, of Gooding’s Grove, Ills., brought to us a cocoon from which the moth had not yet escaped. Enclosed in the cocoon with the chrysalis was a kernel of corn, and Mr. Jackson was anxious to know how it got there. The only explana- tion we could give, was that the kernel had perhaps been accidentally dropped by some bird, and had fallen through the meshes of the loose silk and lodged while the worm was yet spinning its cocoon. It is one of those singular coincidences which occur once in a life-time, and we mention it in this connection, simply to place the fact on record. Parasites of the Cecropia Moth, ; Last year our Cecropia worm seemed to be unusually numerous in many parts of the coun- try, but it very rarely becomes sufficiently so to prove greatly destructive; though instances are on record of their having entirely stripped small apple trees. The principal reason is [Fig. 63.] Color—Yellowish-brown. because they are such large and conspicuous objects, that they fall a ready prey to birds, and to numerous insect enemies. We will conclude this article by referring to a few of the more con- spicuous of the latter. — THE LONG— TAILED ~ Opu1on—(Ophion mac- rurum, linn.) — This Z large yellowish-brown Ichneumon fly (Fig. 63) is often bred from the cocoons in place of the moth which one expects. It is one of the most common parasites of this large insect, and the females appear to be altogether more common than the males, for we have bred no less than seven of the former and not.a single one of the latter sex. The female, neue THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 101 according to Mr. Trouvelot, deposits from eight to ten eggs upon the skin of her victim, and the young lary soon hatch from them and com- mence to prey upon the fatty parts of the worm. But as only one of the parasitic larvee can find food sufficient to mature, the rest all die from hunger, or else are devoured by the strongest one which survives them. At first one would suppose that this deposition of several eggs by the parent Ichneumon, where only a single larva can develop, is a striking instance of mis- directed instinct; but we find a similar prodi- gality throughout Nature, for every individual is so subject to disasters of one kind or another in its struggle for existence, that a provision of several ova is often necessary to insure the future development of a single one, just as we often sow several seeds of some particular plait, in order to insure the growth of a single one. After the Cecropia worm has formed its co- coon, the parasitic larva, which had hitherto fed on the fatty portions of its victim, now attacks the vital parts, and when nothing but the empty skin of the worm is left, spins its own cocoon, which is oblong-oval, dark brown inclining to bronze, and spun so closely and compactly, that the inner layers when separated have the appearance of gold-beater’s skin. If we cut open one of these cocoons soon after it is completed, we shall find inside a large fat legless grub (Fig. 64), which sometimes under- (Fig. 64.] Color—Yellowish. goes its transformations and issues as a fly in the fall, but more generally waits till the fol- lowing spring. VY Tue Cecroria Tacurna Fiy.—The Ichneu- mon fly last mentioned usually causes a dwarfed appearance of the worm which it infests, and parasitized cocoons can generally be distin- guished from healthy ones by their smaller size. The larve of the Tachina fly, which we now introduce to our readers, as parasitic on the Cecropia worm, seem to produce an exactly opposite effect—namely, an undue and unna- tural growth of their victim. In the beginning of September, 1866, we received from Rockford, Ills., an enormous Cecropia worm. It measured over four inches, was a full inch in diameter, and weighed nearly two ounces; but like many other large specimens which we have since seen, it was covered with small oval opaque white egg-shells, clusters of four or five occurring on the back of each segment, invariably deposited in a transverse direction. The skin of the worm was black where the young parasites had hatched and penetrated. This large worm soon died and rotted, and in about twelve days a host of maggots gnawed their way through the putrid skin. These maggots averaged about one-half inch in length, and in form were like those of the common Blow-fly. The head was attenuated and retractile and furnished with two minute curved hooks, and the last segment was squarely cut off, slightly concave and with the usual two spiracles or breathing-holes which this class of larvee have at their tails. Their color was of a translucent yellow, and they looked very much like little pieces of raw fat beef. They went into the ground and remained in the larva state all winter, contracted to pupz in the April following, and the flies commenced [Fig. 65.] to issue the last of May. This fly is the Hxorista ce- cropia of our MS., or Cecropia Tach- ina Fly, but as it differs, from the Red-tailed Tach- ina Fly (Zvorista militaris, Walsh, Fig. 65), which similarly infests the Army-worm, in no other respect than in either lacking the red tail entirely, or in having only the faintest trace of it; and as in a lot of the militaris bred last summer from Army-worms, we find considerable dif- ference in this respect, we prefer, rather than multiply species on such mutable grounds, to consider it as a variety of that species. We infer that this same Tachina fly attacks the Cecropia worm in widely different parts of the country; for we have this winter received from Mrs. Mary Treat, of New Jersey, two dipterous pup which probably belong to this species, and which had also in the larva state infested a Cecropia worm. Tur Crecrorra CHaucis Fry—(Chaleis maria, N. Sp.*)—In May, 1869, we received from Mr. Colors—Gray and black. *Chalcis maria, N. Sp.—Q_ yellow, beautifully marked with black. Head, yellow with an arcuate black mark behind base of the antenne, connected with a fine short lon- gitudinal black line leading to lower ocellus, and from thence to posterior margin of occiput which is margined with black; prothorax with a medium black dot. Antenne (scape ~ 9 joints) 10-jointed; scape fulvous with superior edge black, flagellum dark brown or black. Thora with large shallow close-set punctures; mesothorax somewhat striuted transversely, trilinear with black, the three lines 102 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Vv. T. Chambers, of Covington, Ky., numerous specimens of the hitherto undescribed beautiful large Chalcis fivy figured herewith (Fig 66), (Fig. 66.] Colors—Black and yellow. which he had taken from the cocoon of the Polyphemus moth, which is quite common, and issues as early as the middle of February in that locality. He says, ‘‘I was satisfied that the cocoon did not contain a living Polyphemus and therefore opened it. It contained so little besides these insects and their exuviz, as to suggest strongly the old idea that the caterpillar had been metamorphosed into them (as in a sense it had). There were 47 of them, of which 23 were females. As all the males, and some of the females were dead when I opened the cocoon, I think it likely that the former never do emerge, and perhaps but few of the latter; otherwise Polyphemus would soon be exter- minated.” We can very well imagine that most of these Chalcis flies would die in their efforts to escape from the tough cocoon of the Polyphemus, but it so happens that these same parasites have been found by Mrs. Mary Treat, of Vineland, petiole yellow, black at tip above. inclining to ful inch. GO differs in the less pointed abdomen, and somewhat longer petiole, in the scape of antennx not being black superiorly and being much more robust; in the flagellum being of the same color as scape, and in the coxx having a plack line both above and beneath. Average length 0.15. Described from 100' 4 2 bred from Attacus polyphemusand 2812 bred from A. promethea. Variable in size, some Oo being much larger than some 9 9. Say’s amena, bred from a Thecla, in which no sexual difference is mentioned, somewhat resembles the 9 of this species, but differs from it principally in having the thorax quadrilinear with black, the petiole black, the pleura black, with four yellow spots, and in the thighs haying six or plgnt prominent spines, the superior one divided into three or four, New Jersey, to prey upon the Cecropia worm, from the cocoon of which they can much more easily escape. We take pleasure, therefore, in naming this pretty Chalcis fly in honor of that lady. ‘The same fly also attacks the Promethea worm—another of our large native Silk-worms —and Mrs. Treat has had a similar experience with Mr. Chambers, of finding them dead in its cocoon. She has upon two occasions found cocoons with a dead Chalcis fly fast in the hole which it had eaten to make its escape; and upon cutting open such cocoons they were found literally packed with dead Chalcis flies. It would seem that they all make their escape through the hole made by some one of their number, and that if this particular one fails in the undertaking, they all perish rather than make holes for themselves. Tue Divorced Cryprus—(Cryptus nuncius, Say; extrematis, Cresson).—Another Ichneu- mon fly infests the Cecropia worm in great numbers, filling its cocoon so full of their own thin parchment-like cocoons, that a transverse section (Fig. 67) bears considerable resemblance [Fig. 67.] to ahoney-comb. The flies differ sufficiently to have given rise to two species. We have bred7 9 and 29 ¢ from a cocoon of the Cecro- pia moth, and 6.9 from one of the Promethea moth, all the males agreeing with the species described by Say as : nuncius,* and all the fe- males agreeing with that described afterwards as extrematis by Mr. Cresson. *Say does not mention whether his description was taken froma d'or 9. —s ——_#-9-«- THE SPARROWS. — ,- The London Buwilder says: ‘‘One hundred and eighteen Sparrows have been offered upon the altars of science. The contents of the stom- achs of the victims have been examined, tabu- lated and recorded. Three culprits alone, out of this hecatomb, were proved by the unsparing search, guilty of having lived for the past four- _ and-twenty hours upon grain. In fact, there ie were three thieves out of the 118; all the other victims had worked, more or less, for their liy- ing. Beetles and grubs, and larve of all obnox- ious kinds -had been their diet. In 75 of the birds, infants of all ages, from the callow fiedg- ling to the little Pecksy and Flapsy that just twitter along the ground, hardly any but insect remains were detected.” ——s issue in June, and the sexes ~ THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 103 GALLS AND THEIR ARCHITECTS—2d ARTICLE. (CONTINUED FROM PAGE SEVENTY-FOUR- J (alls Made by Beetles. (Order, Coleoptera, Families Buprestis, Curculio, ete.) Tur Raspperry Gouty Gart—(Rubi poda- gra, new species.)—In the spring of the year, when Raspberry and Blackberry patches are being overhauled and pruned, many of the canes will often be noticed to swell out in particular places, (like a limb infested by the gout,) for the length of an inch or so, as shown in Figure 68. Instead of being smooth and of a uni- form color, like the healthy (Fig. 68.] parts, the swelled part of \ the cane, which is a true gall, always splits up lon- gitudinally into a great many short, rough, brown- ish slits, and on inspecting these gouty galls more care- fully, numerous little ridges will be observed, the gen- eral direction of which is round and round the axis } ofthe cane. Ifthe observer takes his knife and cuts into the ridges just now describ- ed, he will find under each of them the passage-way of a minute borer, filled with the brown excrement which he has left behind him; and either in these passage-ways or in the pith of the cane he will often detect the insi- dious little borer himself. (Fig. 69, b.) This borer is a small, thread-like larva, of a creamy white color, with the front part of its body much flattened out horizontally, as in the common Hammer-headed Borer of the +. (Fig. 09.1 Colors—That of the cane, with brown scales. Colors—(a) brown; (b) whitish; (c) coppery-red and black, Apple-tree, the head being small and retractile, with the jaws of a brown color, and the tail be- ing furnished with two long, slender, blunt- pointed, dark brown thorns or horns. When ‘fal-aieet it ranges in size from one-half to three-quarters of an inch. Like most other borers, this one in the earlier stages of his larval life burrows exclusively in the sapwood, thereby very generally—owing to the spiral course which he adopts—girdling and killing the cane that he inhabits. The same cane often contains several of them; and in that event the shape of the gall which they produce often be- cémes very irregular. Towards the end of April in South Ilinois, but probably rather later in more northerly latitudes, the larva penetrates into the pith, so as to be more secure from his insect foes, and there transforms into the pupa state; and early in the summer, and sometimes even as late as the fore part of July, the perfect beetle emerges to the light of day. Although we do not know, by direct observations, at what particular time in the preceding year the Raspberry Gouty-galls originate, yet as the beetles come out in June and July, we may infer by analogy that the sexes then immedi- ately couple, and that the female shortly after- wards deposits her eggs in or on the young canes, whence in the course of the same sum- mer there must necessarily hatch out the tiny young larve that are the architects of these galls. This beetle belongs to the same group (Bu- prestis family) as the well-known Ilammer- headed Apple-tree borer, (Chrysobothris femo- rata), and another species which is peculiarly attached to the Cherry, (Dicerca divaricata). Indeed all the species of this extensive and beautiful group burrow in the wood of different trees, each having its peculiar vegetable favo- rites; and some of the largest, which in the beetle state considerably exceed one inch in length and are gloriously resplendent with burnished copper and gold, are in the larva state most grievous pests among our Pines and Firs. The genus to which our Raspberry Borer belongs (Agrilus) differs from most of the other genera comprised in this Family by being of a very slender elongate shape, and by containing no species but such as are of quite a diminutive size, the largest of them being less than half an inch in length. Our species wasoriginally des- cribed in the year 1801 by the German entomol- ogist Fabricius, under the name of the Red- necked Buprestis (Agrilus r uficollis), in allusion to the brilliant coppery color of its head and thorax, (see Fig. 69, ¢); but—as very generally happens in such cases—thie author was entirely ignorant of its larval history. At length in 1846, that excellent entomologist, Prof. S. S. Haldeman, published to the world the fact of its destroying the stalk of the Antwerp Rasp- 104 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. berry, illustrating his Article on the subject by figures;* though, so far as we can find out, it does not appear that he was acquainted with the galls that it forms, or, at all events, that he con- sidered the swellings produced by it as being what they undoubtedly are—true, genuine, un- mistakable galls. Finally in 1869, through the kind assistance of Mr. J. B. Miller, of Anna, in South Illinois, who forwarded to us in the April of that year a bountiful supply of these galls, we were enabled to trace the species through all its transformations, and to complete its Jarval history as a true gall-maker. The fol- lowing remarksby this gentleman on its habits, under date of April 30th, 1869, will, we are sure, be highly appreciated by the horticultural world: These borers infest the Philadelphia and Doo- little Raspberry and the ‘Wilson Blackberry, but thev are seldom found in the High-bush or Rigid-cane varieties. Their habit, as it seems, is to girdle the cane in the previous season. in order to kill it. If they succeed in this, they are all right; otherwise, they appear to freeze out and die during the winter, per- haps owing to the superabundance of sap which then surroundsthem. In Blackberry canes this misfortune befalls them much more frequently than in Raspberry canes. [have heard many com- plaints during the last winter about the Doo- little Raspberries winter-killing; but I suspect that in reality it is this little borer, and not the cold weather, that has killed them. In fact all of mine that have perished, have perished entire- ly through this cause. I fear that this fellow will become in time pretty troublesome here, if raspberry-growers do not take the proper means to get rid of him. My own plan is to cut the infested canes out and burn them, before the perfect insect emerges from the pith; for itis there, as you will readily perceive, that he retires to pass into the pupa state, most of them, as I observe, having trans- formed into that state during the last two weeks in April. Nothing can be more scientifically correct, and, we may add, more practically important, than these last observations of Mr. Miller’s, as to the best method of fighting this destructive little pest. From our own observations, we in- cline to believe that the Red-necked Buprestis is much more likely to trouble the Raspberry and Blackberry growers in southern than in northern latitudes. About eight years ago we noticed a very large number of their galls in our own Raspberry patch at Rock Island, in North [llinois.. But although we gathered great quantities of them about the last of March, when we were pruning and thinning out the canes, and although we took the proper means Quarterly Journal of Science and Agriculture, 1846; see oe 2p) par: aes by the same atthor in the Farm Journal, 0. for breeding the beetle therefrom, we did not succeed in rearing a single specimen to maturi- ty; neither could we ever discover in succeed- — ing years a single gall in this very same Rasp- - berry patch, which contained about three or four dozen hills. Hence we draw the conclu- _ sion that, in ordinary seasons, the winters of North Dlinois are destructive to the species. We may add that our Raspberries belonged to two distinct varieties of the imported European _ species (Rubus Tdeus), to which also appertains the Antwerp Raspberry which Prof. Haldeman found to be infested by the Red-necked Bu- prestis. On the other hand, Mr. Miller obtained his galls from the Doolittle and Philadelphia Raspberries, which are cultivated varieties of our wild Blackcap Raspberry (2. occidentalis), and some of them from the Wilson Blackberry, which is, we believe, a mere variety of the Common or High Blackberry (&. villosus). Thus it results that the same indigenous gall- making beetle attacks almost indiscriminately three distinct species of the same botanical genus (Rubus) ; one of which, the Common Gar- den Raspberry, is an imported plant, while the other two, namely the Blackcap Raspberry and the Common Blackberry, are native Amer- ican citizens. For although in common parlance we speak of the Raspberry and Blackberry as distinct genera, all botanists agree in classify- ing them under one and the same genus. The Grape-vine Wound-gall, (Vitis vulnus.) In our former article on “‘ Galls and their Ar- chitects,” we described and figured two new galls on the Grape-vine, both of which are pro- duced by Gall-gnats. The gall which we are _now going to talk about is generated, not by a Gall-gnat, but by a Snout-beetle, and was de- scribed by us for the first time, but without assigning any name to it, in the Missouri Agri- cultural Report for 1868 (pages 131-2). lt first becomes visible upon the young canes, and more especially upon those of the Concord variety, towards the latter end of July, the Snout-beetle — which produces it generally coming out in the fore part of that month. At first it is, as usual with galls, small and inconspicuous; but to- wards the end of the season it assumes the ap- pearance of an elongated knot or swelling, which is for the most part situated immediately above or below a joint (Fig. 70, a). Almost invari-- ably there is a longitudinal slit or depression on _ one side, dividing that side into two checks, which’ generally have a rosy tint. Inside the was undescribed. - vulnus.’? THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 105 gall resides the larva of the gall-maker—a little, footless, white, cylindrical grub, with a large yellowish head and tawny jaws. When full- grown in the spring of the fol- lowing year, this larva meas- ures 0.28 of an inch in length, and very much resembles that of the Potato Stalk-weevil, which we figured in Volume I, No.2 (Fig. 12,@). During the latter part of June it trans- forms within the gall to a pupa, which also very much resem- bles that of the Potato Stalk- weevil, differing principally in the wings and legs reaching down to §ths the length of the body instead of but 4 as in that species. About two weeks af- terwards it changes into the Sesostris Snout-beetle (Bari- dius Sesostris, Le Conte), of which we present a sketch in Figure 71.* This beetle is of a uniform yellowish-brown color, without any markings what- ever; and it differs from most Snout-beetles by being highly polished, and especially by the peculiar glassy undulating ap- pearance of the wing-cases. We think it highly probable that this Grape- *As regards the correct nomenclature of this beetle, it is allowed on all hands that up to December, 1868, the species i In March, 1869, the Junior Editor de- scribed it, in the Missouri Agricultural Report as quoted above, under the name of ‘‘ Madarus vitis,’’ and gave nearly the same account of its larval and pupal history as hus been already presented to our readers. In December, 1868, or three months belore the Junior Editor published his Report, Dr. John L_ LeConte, ina Paper ‘‘On the species of Bari- dius inhabiting the United States,’’ published in Proc Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil., described it (page 364) under the name of ‘*Baridius Sesostris.’’? Consequently, Dr LeConte’s specific name necessarily takes precedence of the Junior Editor’s. In the paper on Baridius just now referred to, it is stated that B Sesostris ‘‘depredates on grape-vine, producing the gall deseribed by Mr Walsh as Vitiscunnus.’’ Now, the Senior Editor recollects having sent specimens of the beetle to Dr. LeConte in the summer of 1868, with an account of the gall that it generates; and in his private correspondence with that gentleman he may ‘possibly have given some name or other, no matter what, to the gall itself. He distineuly re- members, however, being soon afterwards favored by Dr. LeConte with a sight of the Manuscript of the Paper on Bari- dius, then ~early ready tor publication; and he can testify upon cath to his having erased in pencil th: ‘‘Vitiscunnus ”’ that appeared there, and substituted for that name the one which we have adopted in this Article, Bee “© Vitis In any case, no negative fact can be better (Fig. 70.] Color—Green, established, than that the Senior Kditor never described . in print this gall under any name whatever, as is errone- ously, and we doubt not unintentionally, asserted by the author of the Paper ‘fon U. 3s. Baridius.’? Con- sequently, as the Junior Editor did not give any scientific name to this gall in his Official Report, and as a mere men- tion by Dr. LeConte of any particular scientific name— erroneously supposed by him to have been given to this —_ by the Senior Editor along with a proper scientific description—amounts, according to scientific etiquette, to just nothing at all; the name which we now for the first time give it, being authenticated by # tw] description, must take precedence of any other As to the generic name of this Snout-beetle, we acknow!- edge that we still have our doubts whether it be properly referable to Baridius rather than to Madarus; but since Dr. LeConte is confessedly the King of the Coleoptera in this country, we yield at once to his authoritv in this matter, To vine Wound-gall is caused, more by the punc- tures which the female beetle makes in deposit- (Fig. 71.] ing her egg, and by the drop of poison, which from analogy we may infer that she instils from her abdomen into the puncture along with the egg, than by the irritat- ing gnawings of the larva. For frequently, in the one-year-old cane, we have noticed that the larva had burrowed two or three inches away from its original home in the gall, without its having caused a corresponding swelling in the part of the cane where we met with it. So far as we have observed, the Grape-wound Gall does not cause the death of the cane upon which it grows, nor to any material extent injure the vine upon which it grows. Should such an event ever happen, or should these galls increase to any considerable extent, so as to become formidable to the Vine- grower, their further multiplication may be readily checked by cutting off and burning the infested canes at any time before the Snout- beetle leaves them in the forepart of the follow- ing July. @olors—Shiny yel- lowish-brown, We have noticed in September, upon the leaf- stems of the common Virginia Creeper (Ampel- opsis quinquefolia), generally close to the leaf itself, a simple swelling opening externally with a large ragged discolored mouth. This is a true gall, and it is produced by what Dr. Le Conte considers as an undescribed species of the very same genus of Snout-beetles (adarus), to which we had ourselves originally referred the Sesostris Snout-beetle. This Virginia Creeper Snout-beetle (Madarus ampelopsidos, new spe- cies) is met with inside the gall in September, and it scarcely differs, so far as we can discover, from the Sesostris Snout-beetle, except in being a trifle more robust, and of a uniform shining coal-black color, instead of yellowish-brown. As the Virginia Creeper belongs to the same botanical Family as the Grape-vine, this, with us, was an additional argument for referring both these gall-producing insects to the same genus (Madarus), as we have done in the Mis- souri Entomological Report. For it is a very general rule that the same genus of gall-makers inhabits the same genus of plants, or at all events confines itself to such genera of plants as are very closely allied together. Still, as Dr. Le Conte has decided to classify the two insects under two different, but closely allied genera (Madarus and Baridius), we have, in deference to his deservedly high authority, adopted his nomenclature. 106 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. The curious reader will perhaps ask, why Dr. LeConte gave to this Grape-vine gall-maker the name of ‘‘the Sesostris Snout-beetle”’ (Baridius Sesostris). Sesostris was an ancient Eeyptian king, who lived three or four thousand years ago. What can he possibly have to do with a gall on an American grape-vine? Now, it so hap- pens that Dr. LeConte refers us to a passage in Herodotus,* for the origin of this name ‘‘ Sesos- tris.”” After a long and tedious search, we su¢- ceeded at length in finding a copy of this most amusing old historian in the original Greek; and we find that he tells us that Sesostris sub- dued the whole world ages and ages ago—that, whenever he had fought against a brave nation and conquered them, he set up a marble obelisk With a short inscription stating that Sesostris L-ad subdued such and sucha people, and that they were brave men—and finally that, when- ever he met with a nation that was too cowardly to fight against him, he set up another marble obelisk, with the corresponding inscription, that Sesostris had subdued such and such a people, but that they were effeminate and unmanly cowards. ‘‘And,” adds the gossiping old Greek, “ein the latter case he always sculptured at the end of the inscription an emblematic symbol (aidvia yvvatxd>), to stigmatize in the most significant and expressive manner their effemi- nate unmanliness.” As Herodotus informs us that Sesostris sub- dued the whole world, may it not be possible that the great Heyptian conqueror reached North America with his victorious arms by way of China and Kamschatka? And that this pecu- liarly North American Grape-wound Gall is a precious fragment of the ancient inscription, which he set up in this country thousands and thousands of years ago? knows? *Book 2nd, chapter 102. o> © REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENTOMOLOGY. READ BY THE EDITOR BEFORE THE MISSOURI SPATE MORTI— CULTURAL SOCIETY. In the preparation of my Annual Report, I have dwelt in detail on many insects that have attracted attention during the year, either by their injuries or benefits. In that report numer- ous illustrations will be used to appeal to the eye of the reader, and as it will be published in the same volume with your transactions, I deem it superfluous at the present time to dwell on the natural history of any one insect. Permit me, therefore, to cursorily refer to a few of the prominent entomological events of the year, and Quien sabe? -Who- afterwards to make afew generalizations, which it is hoped will prove of some little interest an value. : The year 1869 may be set down as one in which our crops, as a general thing, have suf- fered less than usual from insect depredations. At least such has been the case in Missouri, and, judging from extensive correspondence, the same statement would hold true of most of the northern and middle States of the Union. % True, the army worm (Leucania unipuncta, Haw.), and the Grain Plant-louse (Aphis avenw, Fabr.), appeared in many parts of the State in sufficient force to do considerable damage, and these two insects may always be expected in a tolerably wet year that was preceded by a very dry one. But.most insects, and especially those which afflict you as horticulturists, have be- haved exceedingly well, though it is difficult to say whether we are to attribute this good belia- vior on their part, to the increased knowledge of their habits which has been disseminated among those who have to deal with them, or to the more potent and unalterable workings of Nature. ; The Chinch Bug, whichin the dry summer of 1868, committed such ravages upon our grain crops in many portions of the State, and espe- cially in the southwest, was scarcely heard of in 1869, after the copious rains which char- acterized the past summer commenced to shower down. The Apple Worm, or Codling Moth has been altogether Jess injurious than it was the vear before, and in Adair, Buchanan, Cooper, Callaway, Cass, Lewis and Polk coun- ties, especially, and probably all over the State, our orchards have been loaded with fair fruit. This result was predicted by the writer, and may be attributed principally to the scarcity of the insect, resulting from the partial failure of the apple crop in 1868; but in some part to the improved methods of fighting the foe. For, as in our civil strifes, we introduce improve- ments in the machinery which is to slay the op- posing armies, so in this progressive age, we believe in introducing machinery to battle with our liliputian insect hosts, whenever it is avail- able. And the experience of the past year proves, that to destroy this insect, old picces of rumpled rag or carpet placed in the crotch of a tree, are to be preferred to the hay-bands wrap- ped around it, because it requires altogether less time to place the rags in their place than to fasten the hay-band; and the worms which spin up in them can be killed by wholesale, either — by scalding the rags or by pressing them through the wringer of the washing machine. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 107 Owing to the severe drouth of 1868, which was unfavorable to its successful transforma- tions, that dreaded foe of the fruit-grower, the Plum Curculio, was scarce in the early part of the season, and our plum and peach trees set a fuller crop than they had done before for years; but the subsequent moist weather was favorable to the underground evolutions of this _ little pest, and the new brood appeared in great numbers about the end of June and beginning of July, when they did much damage to stone- frnit and some damage to pip-fruit by the goug- ings which they made for food. As stated in an essay read before the State meeting of our Illinois horticultural friends, I have discovered a little cannibal in the shape of a minute yellow species of Thrips, which destroys vast numbers of the little turk’s eggs; and let us hope, that by attacking the Curculioin its most vulnerable point, this Zhr/ps may in the course of a few years reduce the numbers of the Curculio, as the ladybirds have done with the Colorado Potato- bug, or as the minute mite (Acarus mali) is known to have done with the common Oyster- shell Bark-louse of the Apple. The eggs of the Apple-tree Plant-louse (Aphis mal’) which last winter so thickly covered the twigs of the apple trees in many orchards, hatched and produced a prodigious number of lice as soon as the buds commenced to burst. In this immediate neigh- borhood they were soon swept away, however, by their cannibal insect foes, and by insectivo- yous birds, such as the warblers, ete.; but a physiological fact connected with this insect has been developed this year by Dr. E. 8. Hull, the able Illinois State Horticulturist, which is of such importance that I cannot pass it over even in this brief report. He has ascertained that we suffer from the injurious punctures of their little beaks long after the lice themselves have disappeared. In fact, he has proved to his own satisfaction that the so-called “scab” in apples, which prevailed to such an alarming extent last year, and rendered thousands and thousands of bushels valueless for market pur- poses, is actually caused by the punctures of these lice. I said that the doctor had proved this matter ‘‘to his own satisfaction,” because I believe that caution requires that we should not consider it as an established fact until all objec- tions to it can be dispelled. Personally I have made no observations on this matter, but the facts in the case all add weight to Dr. Hull’s theory, if such it can be called. Hitherto the cause of the ‘“‘scab’” on apples has been in- volved in mystery. It was supposed to have a fungoid origin; yet an examination will show that the scabby appearance is not caused by any live fungus, but by arrested growth of the cells which have become corky and cicatrized. The importance of this discovery of Dr. Hull’s, should it once be firmly established, cannot well be estimated; for when we have once ascer- tained the cause of a disease, it need scarcely exist any longer. By destroying the lice we shall prevent scabby apples, and experience teaches that they can be destroyed by a good syringing of tobacco water. We may expect, in this immediate vicinity, an almost total ex- emption from ‘‘scab” next year, for the apple trees are remarkably free from the minute black bead-like eggs of the Plant-louse with which they were so thoroughly peppered a year ago. The Tent Caterpillar (Clisiocampa Ameri- cana) was more abundant than usual in our orchards, and the Tent Caterpillar of the Forest (Clisiocampa sylvatica) also appeared in great numbers both on our orchard and forest trees. A worm which I have called the Pickle Worm, (Phacellura nitidalis, Cram.), and which had never been publicly noticed before, appeared in immense numbers, and did great damage to our cucumbers and melons by boring into the fruit, but as this insect, with others, will be fully treated of in my forthcoming Report, I will pass on to a more general subject. ‘ e—____—_ t= Now is the time for all those whose sub- scriptions expire with the first of this year, to renew. Those who appreciate our efforts should strive to send along with their own, the name of some one or other of their neighbors. The effort costs nothing, and besides that satis-— faction which every right-minded man feels in imparting to others useful knowledge, there is the reward which comes of having careful neighbors who fight their own insect enemies, and thus make it easier for you to subdue yours. In the three ancient — THE AMERICAN 2 ea BLADDER-PLUMS, For many years we have noticed in the mid- dle of June on particular trees of our common wild plum (Prunus americana), that many spe- cimens of the fruit were enlarged to thrice their usual size and were uneven and wrinkled on their external surface instead of being smooth and plumply rounded. On cutting into such speci- mens, they are found to be hollow and spongy inside, instead of solid and fleshy; and almost entirely detached from the exterior rind, there lies in the centre the juicy white stone which is found imbedded in the flesh of the normal plum at this season of the year. On the closest ex- amination, we could never detect in these dis- eased plums any tokens of the operations of insects. On June 9th, 1868, A. Gilbert, of Tipton, Towa, sent us two pressed specimens, similar to these which we had ourselves found on the Wild Plum, but gathered from his own plum- orchard. He did not specify what varieties of plum he had in cultivation, but he stated that with him the disease commenced about four years ago, and has now taken almost complete possession of his trees. Hence it would appear that, besides the Curculio, there is still another destructive pest which the unfortunate plumn- grower has to guard against: Verily, this work of growing plums seems to be ‘‘ the pursuit of fruit under difficulties.” We can guarantee that this bladder-like de- generation of the plum is not caused by any insect. What, then, does cause it, if insects do not? We answer that, in all probabilit;, it is caused by a peculiar parasitic fungus, which may, or may not, be identical with one which products very similar effectsin Europe. In the London Periodical called Science Gossip, for August Ist, 1869, we notice an observation that Bladder-plums, which are described as being almost exactly like our American ones, are common on the Sloe or Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) in England, and that they are said to be caused by a Parasitic Fungus (Ascomyces deformans). The fruit presents none of its or- dinary succulent characters, the stone is not formed, and the ovule is more or less atrophied, while sometimes a second carpel is produced. From a recent article on Peach Rot by Dr. T. C. Hlilgard of St. Louis, we learn that that gentle- man had had such specimens sent him from Europe by the distinguished botanist, Dr. G. Engelmann of St. Louis; and that from their showing ‘‘an empty, degenerated and inflated germ,” they were popularly known there as 113 ENTOMOLOGIST. “fools.” The tree on which they occurred is said by Dr. Hilgard to be ‘* Prunus padus,” which Gray describes as a small Bird Cherry, which is occasionally planted in this country, and resembles the Choke Cherry, but has longer and looser, and often drooping racemes, and a roughened stone. We have on one or two occasions received these ‘ Bladder-plums”’ from correspondents in Missouri, and Dr. L. D. Morse, and Jno. H. Tice of St. Louis, bofh have found them on the wild Chickasaw plum; but Dr. Hull of §. Illi- nois, informed us some time ago that he had never met with them, and that he was entirely unacquainted with any such disease. Hence we infer that however destructive it may have been elsewhere, it has not yet made its appear- ance in Southern Illinois, and possibly may never do so. _—- #@@ THE TRUMPET GRAPE-GALI, (Vitis viticola, O. 8.) [Fig. 76. ] “tl We A hb a?) UA y CAN fi X aN ASA \ “| uw Color—Crimson. On page 28 of the present volume of the AMERICAN ENroMOLOGIstT we presented the above illustration (Fig. 76) of this crimson Trumpet Grape-gall, and in answer to D. Mc- Claine of Piermont, N. Y., stated that it was produced by a gall-gnat, and that it was des- scribed in our manuscripts under the name of Vitis litwus. We have since been informed by Baron Osten Sacken that this gallis his V2tis viticola, very briefly described in the ‘‘Mono- graphs of the Diptera of N. America,” p. 202, as an “elongated, conical, red gall, 0.25 to 0.3 long; on the upper side of the leaves of the grape.” The gall will therefore be known by the last name, our Zitwus being invalid. Refer- ring to this gall in a recent letter, Francis 114 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. Walker, of the British Museum, informs us that an excrescence of very similar form, but black in color, occurs on the leaves of the Lime tree (Tilia) in England; but that the character of - the gall-maker has not yet been determined. A French naturalist has, however, detected mites in them, and we have little doubt but the galls are caused by these mites, for mite-galls of somewhat similar form, are common in many parts of this country on the Plum and Cherry, and we shall take occasion, ere long to describe and figure them. oo THE PARASITES OF THE HUMAN ANIMAL, if The Itch Mite. (Acarus seabiec, Linn.) [ In the fifth number of our First Volume, we gave, under the above caption, an account of the eight true insects that are parasitic on man, and briefly referred to some other ringed ani- mals, not classed with the true insects, which also prey upon him. Among these last is the common Itch Mite, a microscopic creature which causes that cutaneous disease—the com- mon Itch. We find such an interesting account of this parasite, by B. Joy Jeffries, A. M., M. D., of Boston, in the January number of Good Health, that we transmit the article 10 our columns.—ED. ] [Fig. 77.] Color—Whitish. Our chapter is headed by a magnified draw- ing of the little animal we are to describe. It is about one-sixtieth to one-seventicth of an inch in length, just visible to the naked eye. By living in the skin of man it produces the disease known as tich. To understand how to treat this troublesome affection intelligibly, we must first study the natural history of the animal, its habits and habitats. Before doing this, how- ever, it will be interesting and instructive to glance at the general history of this little crea- ture, called in English the J/tch-mite, and in Latin, Sarcoptes hominis, or Acarus scabiet. There is strong evidence in support of the idea that some of the diseases spoken of in the Bible as prevalent among the Jews were, in re- ality, due to the ravages of the Itch-mite in the skin. Probably, when mankind began to peo- ple the world, these insects began to people them, derived, by contagion, from the lower animals previously in existence. From a pass- age in Aristotle’s ‘‘ History of Animals,” it has been supposed that the insect was known to ~ him as the cause of the déch. The old Arabian physicians, in their writings, mention it quite plainly—A venzoar, for instance; but apparently ~ we must come down to the twelfth century for indisputable reference to the Itch-mite, in a work entitled ‘‘ Physica,” written, curiously enough, hy Saint Hildegard, the Lady Superior of the Convent on the Ruperts-Berg, near Bin- gen. From that time downwards, the insect has been seen and spoken of by the medical writers of the times, as Guy de Chauliac, Gra- lap, Benedictus, Paracelsus, Ambrose Pare, Scaliger, Fallopius, Joubertus, Vidius, Schenck, Haffenrefter, Riolanus, Mouffet, aud many oth- ers. These names carry us down to the early part of the seventeenth century, to Jansen’s discovery of the microscope, in 1619. The knowledge of the use of the then primitive in- strument soon spread, and the Itch-mite was studied by it, the first rough drawings of the animal being given by Hauptmann. During this (the seventeenth) century, the various wri- ters on medical topics show more or less know- ledge of this mite. We will not, however, tire our readers by quoting their names. Some of them mention the custom, which has been a common practice from that day to this, of ex- tracting the Itch-mite from the skin by means of a needle. Although, by this time, the mite liad been depicted, and its association with the Itch disease recognized, yet it was not till 1687 that Dr. Bonomo, of Leghorn, and Cestoni, an apothecary, studied our little friend in what we should now call a common-sense way, and thor- — oughly exploded the old ideas, handed down from one generation to another, that the Itch disease was due to thickened bile, drying of the blood, irritating salts, melancholic juices, and special fermentation—the presence of the Itch- mite, when admitted, being accounted for by equivocal generation. These observers saw and described the insects quite perfectly, found their eggs, and discovered the females laying — them, and came to the conclusion that the Itch disease or scabies arose solely from the presence THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 115 of an animal which is incessantly biting the skin, and thereby causing the patient to allay the itching by scratching. They alsoexplained the contagious character of the affection by the transference of the insects from one individual to another. Because these discoveries were true, they. were denied and combated by the medical writers of those days; yet nearly one hundred and fifty years passed before any bet- ter natural history of the mite appeared. fas George IL.’s physiciany Dr. Richard Mead, of London, reported Bonomo and Cestoni’s obser- vations to the Royal Society, and—published them in No. 285 of the ‘‘ Philosophical Trans- ~ actions.” We have given this little historital sketch to show how old the disease is, and how old a knowledge of its cause is also. Notwithstand- ing, from that time to this (1869) there has not failed to exist medical men or naturalists who deny the connection between the disease called Ttch and the Itch-mite. It is with medicine as with everything else iyi world—denial of truth excites notoriety, s@desired by the many. In view of what we have above said, it seems impossible to conceive that a correct knowledge of the Itch-mite should be, since Bonomo’s time, repeatedly lost in some of the great cen- tres of medical teaching, to be again regained. In 1812, a prize was offered in Paris for the dis- covery of the little insect; and a certain apothe- cary named Gales took it, by exhibiting before a medical commission the Cheese-mite. Conse- quently those who searched patients with Jtch did not find this animal, and a prize was once more offered; and Raspail showed the Cheese- mite again, and, when the judges were satisfied, proved it was such, and exposed Galés’ dupli- city. The cause of the Itch-mite had hencefor- ward its adherents and opposers; whilst, in yarions parts of the world, the lowest classes understood it, and the methods of its destruc- tion: for instance, the old women in Corsica, who picked them out with needles. Renucci, a native of the Island, probably familiar with these old ladies’ occupation, finally, in 1834, _ taught the Parisian medical world how to find the Itch-mite; and, from that time to this, the insect and its ravages have been more thor- oughly and scientifically studied, and the liter- ature of the subject grown up into quite a der- matological library. In 1846, Dr. C. Eichstedt, of Griefswald, and Prof. Kramer of Wiel, inde- pendently discovered the male mite. We who now-a-days, have treated the Itch disease, and the natural history of the Itch-mite, naturally feel as if we knew pretty much allabout it; yet so late as 1844, Prof. Hebra, of Vienna, gave the German physicians a knowledge or a new and terrible phase of this insect’s habits and habitats, in what is known as the Norwegian Scabies, the first recorded case having occurred in that country. And so it probably will always be in the ever-advancing science of medicine, the present generation smiling at the errors and ignorance of the preceding one. But when a truth, like the one mentioned of Hebra’s, is dis- covered, then others are rapidly and constantly being found to confirm it. Other cases were soon reported by observers in Germany. We suppose, by this time, our readers want to know a little m>re about the insect itself, and perhaps have had hardly patience to read down so far to learn about the strange-looking animal heading our article. At present we include the Itch-mite in the special class of Acarina, and if our readers want to know more about the other members of this class, as the Sugar-mite, the Cheese-mite, etc., we would refer them to an article in the September number of the Ameri- can Nuturalist, by our friend A. S. Packard, Jr., who gives nunicrous and beautitul illustra- tions, accompanied by pleasantly told descrip- tions. Our article will fill up this chapter for the Acarus scabiei, or Sarcoptes homini, or Itch-mite. The animal is tortoise-shaped. The head distinct from the trunk, with four pair of jaws. Hight legs, four in front and four behind. The larva has.but six legs. Beside the legs are long bristles. The maie differs from the female in appearance, as to-the bell-Shaped suckers on the ends of the legs, and also isnot so large. This insect has been found, not alone in man, but in the skin of the horse, lion, lama, ape, Neapolitan and Egyptian sheep, and the ferret. It has been thought, also, that the mites fonnd in many other animals are the same as man’s irritating companion, their growth being favored or re- tarded by their place of development, thus ac- counting for the apparent differences in shape and size. The Itch-mite lives in the skin, in little passages dug by itself, or, sometimes just beneath the epidermis or scarf-skin. These burrows the animal extends into the deeper layers of the epidermis, down to and into the true skin, or rete mucosum, as it is called. The Acarus moults three times, not, however, specially changing in form. The eggs are oval in shape, quite large for the size of the animal, and may be laid by the female to the number of fifty. We give here three drawings, to show how the animal gets into the skin to form the burrows, now called ‘‘acarian fur- rows” by dermatologists. 116 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. In Fig. 78 the mite has got down beneath the epidermis. In Fig. 79 it has commenced dig- ging the burrow longitudinally, and the place (f) where it was in Fig. 78 has, by the gradual [Fig. 78.] growth of the cells, come up nearer to the surface of the skin. In Fig. 80, the point (/) has thus come up to the surface, whilst the mite has gone along further with its burrow. An animal, when it gets on to the skin, crawls till it finds a suitable soft place, when it tips on-to its fore-leg3, and commences to work its way in. The female, as she progresses, lays her eggs behind her in the burrow, and when exhausted, dies. These eggs will be seen, in a regular row behind the female, in the burrow, under the microscope with one hundred multiplying power. It is not settled how long it takes the eggs to hatch,—from seventy hours to six or seven days. Propably’ one egg is laid every day. Now, it must be remembered that the skin is constantly wearing off, and as constantly renewed by ‘new growth from beneath; hence, as will be seen by these illustrations, the eggs hatched in the furrow will come to the surface in time for the animal to escape from its shell when fully formed. The canals which the fe- male acari burrow, have generally a serpentine form, and are from a twelfth to a quarter of an inch in length. They show on the surface of the skin a whitish dotted appearance, the dots corresponding to the eggs,—the female, as seen in the cuts, being at the blind end of the burrow. Ignorance or, forgetfulness of this fact has been the cause of the Itch-mite escaping detection. There willbe a little pimple or vesicle on the skin over where the mite went in; and, as we see from these figures, the animal is not there, but off at some distance deeper in the skin; hence, if we open the little vesicle, or cut — it out, the insect escapes us. The old women in Corsica, and other parts of the world, knew better, and with a needle dug out the acarus from the end of the burrow. | and one half-grown wasp larva. beans, and they have been on the increase ever | } as to whether some had not been counted al- ready. The larva became a pupa and about the middle of last May produced a very fine moth, which I now have. There was no room for mistake, as this larva, and one which I took a few days previously, and which had already “‘spun up” when I took this one, are the only two Luna larve that I ever saw, and both pro- duced the moths. I have met with no similar instance in my entomological reading, and I supposed that a parasite once in the body of its host, death invariably resulted. I can imagine, however, that one, or a few, parasitic larvee | might perish at an early stage of their exist- Five ence without destroying the host; but this would hardly happen with so many as there were in this instance, unless the present parasite had made a mistake in depositing its eggs upon the Luna larva, so that its progeiy consequently found an uncongenial habitat, and therefore perished. Vis Dae THE HanpsomE Diccrr Wasp as a Horse Guard, AGAIN—Clarksville, Tenn., Dec. 25th, 1869.—Allow me to state in confirmation of my previous remarks, that I saw one of the speci- mens of the Handsome Digger Wasp which was sent to you, carry a Horse-fly into its nest. I secured the wasp as it came out of its hole, then dug up the nest, which had five horse flies in it, I could pro- duce many witnesses to substantiate their habits | as I have stated them. Not only do they catch ° They are nearly as bad this | ravages soon, the culture of beans will have to | be given up here. Jas. ANGUS. (The weevil is the Bruchus obsoletus, Say, about which we publish an article from Mr. 8. S. Rathvon, in another portion of this num- ber.—Ep.] TIARMLESS PARASITES ON THE LARVA OF THE Luna Morn—Covington, Ky., Jan. 21, ?70.— Last summer I took, feeding on walnut leaves, a mature larva of Attacus duna, upon which I counted about 22 eggs like those of a Tachina fly; but I did not breed any parasites, and I cannot conceive what became of them. Not only was there a black patch under each egg, but under some I distinctly saw with a lens a minute orifice by which the parasite had entered the integument of the Luna larva. There may have been a few more than 22 eggs, as I counted that number and then desisted from uncertainty Horse-flies, but like the Bald-faced Hornet (Bembex fasciata), they catch house-flies also, though I do not know whether they provision their nests with these last, nor have lever known them.to catch grasshoppers. A. H, R. Bryant. MR. WALSH'S PORTRAIT. Our readers will be a little disappointed in not receiving with this numher, the portrait of onr late associate, which was promised last month. Bear with us yet a little while. A poor portrait is worse than none at all, and rather than hurry the artist, we have decided to give him plenty of time, and to send the portrait: with the next, instead of with the present num- ber of the Entomoxoeist. 2e0- i Remember, that every one who sends us five subscribers to the Amprican ENTOMOLO- Gist, is entitled to an extra copy free of charge! — ——— e+e Erratum.—Page 101, column 2, line 25, for ‘Cecropia’ read ‘Cecropia ;’ samecolumn, note, for ‘Chalcis maria’ read ‘Chaleis mariw. bt # . ‘ st AU ce THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. v ra° Tn order thi the proper authorship vel] given to such new species or genera as have been described in-the Enromoocist, it becomes, sal “necessary, now that our associate is no more, to explain in some part, the manner in which the editorial department was conducted.” It was so agreed. between Mr. Walsh anid our- selves, that in sconsideration of the” time we devoted to the illustrations and to other general editorial work, he should furnish on an average two-thirds and we but one-third of the reading matter, In point of fact, the articles written under the editorfal “we,” were made as con- ‘joint as possiblesby a constant interchange of individual facts-and experience; and it was decided that, whénever either one of us wished to publish any discovery peculiarly his own, or to describe a neW species in which the other had no interest+he should write under the individual signature of ‘Senior Editor” or “Junior Hditor oe Thus, all descriptions ot new species that have* heretofore appeared in these columns under the editorial “ we,” should be credited to eae, and Riley,” and such as appear uiider the signature of either one or the other. peeotatelys “should be credited accord- ‘inglya: { ——0-~>e- = = We regret exceedingly that our book no- tices, and notices of exchanges, have been una- voidably crowded out of this number. ial Missourr Enromonocicar Rerort.—In an- swer to several inquiries lately received, we will state that the First Annual Report of the State Entomologist of Missouri can. be had, without plates, by sending fifty cents.to OC. W. Martfeldt, Secretary of the State Board of Ag- reculture, 612 Noith Fifth street, St. Louis; or with uncolored plates and on superior paper by sending $1.00 to the editor of this Journal. - 312? o-+e ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Noricr.—Such of our correspondents as have already sent, or may hereafter send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species sent, are from other States than their own. Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwing light upon the geograph- ical distribution of species. But to make them of real yalue, it is requisite that we know for certain, whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. Scorpion in Kansas— XX. Kelsey, Ottawa, Kans.— The animal you send is a Scorpion—the Buthus caro- Uinianus of Beauyois—menticned by Dr. G, Lincecum, on page 205 of the first volume of the American Natur- alist, a8 i Texan species. You will find, by referring to page 59 of our fit t volume [Col. 1, 4. 1), that it often occurs in Missouri, but we were noe aware before that it occurred in K ansns, ; wy ‘The Grain Bruchus of Europe just Imported —A, §. Fuller; Ridgewood, N. 7.—The weevils which were found in some pods presented to the Farmers’ Club, (Fig, 85+) hi nN * Colors—Black, gray and white. are evidently the common Puropean’Grain Bruchus (Bruchus granarius). You say that the gentleman who presented the pods, gathered them from a tree in Swit- zerland. It were very much to be wished that he knew the kind of tree, and that he had had the good sense to examine the pods before he brought them to this coun- try. The seed-pod which yousent along with the beetles, looked to us very much like that of an Everlasting pea, but as it grew on a tree, it belongs in all probability to some species of Laburnum. new to us, and does not agree with any of the deseribed N. A. species, and Dr. Geo. H. Horn, of Philadelphia (who now has charge of Dr. LeConte’s large collection of beetles), to whom we sent a specimen, pronounced it new to the collections there. Concluding, therefore, that it was introduced from Europe, we had no diffi- culty, on comparing it with European deseriptions, in recognizing it as their common Grain Bruchus. Now this weevil is a most unmitigated nuisance in The weevil was entirely , Europe, where if is a very general feeder; and accord- — ing to the facts set forth in the article in our present number, entitled ‘‘Imported Insects and Native Amer- ican Insects,’’ if will prove even more injurious in this” country, if it once gets foot-hold. You will therefore see the need of immediate action in the matter, in order that by a little vigilance we may stamp it out of our You may rest assured that we so effectually put midst. an end to those which were received here, that they will never more see the light of cae We weoiee! you to call the attention of the Farmers’ Club to the article on Native and Imported Insects already referred to, and to the ‘‘Report of the Committee on Entomology,’ — which elsewhere appears in this number. ‘The Club should insist on the total destruction of every seed of this kind that has been distributed, for unless such action is taken, that body may do more harm in the introduction of one such insect, than it ean do good in the ext twenty eas: When the Swedish traveller, ee = one ier: —a, perfect beetle, buck view; b, same, side view; ¢, larva upa—iul highly magnified, the accom any ing ontlines showing the i SA e and /, mealies on infested pene 4 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ~ A} ¢ tq Kalm, discovered specimens of our own indigenous “+ Pea-bug ’? (Bruchus pisi) just disclosed in a parcel of peas which he had taken with him from America, no wonder he was thrown into such atrepidation, lest he should be the instrument of introducing so fatal an evil into his beloved Sweden; and the N. Y. Farmers’ Clu) may expect the anathemas of the farmers of the coun- try, if, with the vulgar, they deem this Bug matter beneath their notice. In order that our readers may become well acquainted with the appearance’of this weevil, we present (Fig. 85) figures ofits different states, both magnified and natural size, as found in Curtis’s Farm Insects, and quote from the same author the following account of its habits: ‘© This spocies, which is everywhere abundant as early as February on the furze when it is in blossom, ‘inhabiting also the flowers of various other plants in the beetle state, as the Rhubarb, Meadow-sweet (Sp7- rau ulmaria), etc., is 1 most destructive insect in our pea and bean fields, the larvx feeding in the seeds and sometimes destroying more than half the crop. They are exceedingly abundant in some parts of Kent, where they often swarm at the end of May, and are occasion— ally found as late as August; indeed I killed one in November, imported with Russian beans, which had been aliye since the end of September. It attempted to fly away in October; it then became torpid, but on warming it by a fire in the middle of November, it was as lively and active as in the height of summer, and I dare say would have lived through the winter. ‘* It is said that the female beetles select the finest peas to deposit their eggs in, and sometimes they infest crops to such un extent that they are eaten up by them, little more than the husk being left. The yarious kinds of beans are cqually subject to their inroads; besides the long-pods I have ailuded to, I have had broad Windsor beans sent to me containing these Bruchz; and Mr. CG. Parsons transmitted me some horse-beans in the beginning of August, 1842, which were entirely destroyed by them, Mr. F. J. Graham showed me some seed-beans which were inoculated by these beetles to a great extent, and some of them were alive in the seeds; yet to any one ignorant of the economy of this pest, there would not appear the slightest external indication of their operations. I also received froma gentleman residing in Norfolk a sample of seed-beans from Russia, for winter sowing, a large proportion of whieh was perforated by this Bruchus. ‘ft has already been intimated that as the beetles generally leave the germ uninjured, the vitality of infested seeds is not destroyed. I doubt, however, if they produce strong healthy plants; and from my own experience I have no doubt if peas and beans be sown containing the Bruchus granarius, that the bectles will hatch in the ground, and thus the cultivator will entail upon himself a succession of diseased pea and bean crops. Now to avoid this loss, the seed should he -examined before sowing, when to an experienced eye the presence of these beetles will be discernible, where to a common observer they would appear sound and good. The maggots, when arrived at their full size, gnaw a circular hole to the husk or skin of the seed, whether pea or bean, and even cut round the inner surface which covers the aperture, so that a slight pressure from within will force this lid off; these spots are of a different color to the rest of the seed, generally having a less opaque appearance, and often are of a duller tint; on picking off this little lid, a eavity will be found beneath containing either a maggot, pupa, or beetle. 2" Locust Borer—/. Jf Shaffer, Fairfield, Jowa.— JLFig. 86. The large yellow worms, variegated _With light brown, which Mr. Jas. Eckert found imbedded in the com- mon Black Locust; are the larvie of -the Locust Carpenter Moth (\eutus robiniw, Peek), tn insect which has long been known to attack the Black Locust, and which has materially helped the more common borer, which is the larva of a beetle ( Clytus robinéw) in killing our Loeust groves throughout the country. We repre- sent herewith (Fig. 86) for the benefit of the general subscriber, one of the female worms. It is not often that the sex of an insect can be foretold in the larva state, but there is such disparagement in size between the male and female of this Carpenter Moth that it is easy to do so in this instance, the male worm being searcely half} as large as our figure. They spin their cocoons within the tree in the earty part of the spring, and in time change to chrysalids (Fig. 87, Q). In the moth state, the difference be- (Fig, 87.) Color—Light brown. tween the sexes is not contined to size, for while the male (Fig, 88) is but two-thirds as large as the female, he is characterized further by being ot aumuch darker gray, and by haying the hind wings Fem, ochre - yellow, while she has none of that color about her, (See Fig. 89.) he moths issue from the trees Color—Dark gray and ochre-yellow. during the last days of June and first days of July. Both sexes are quite difficult of detection, as they de- light, to rest on old rough trees, their closed wings much resembling a piece of rough bark. ‘The worms are found more frequently in old trees than young, and we believe it is for the very reason thut the older gece afford the moths greater protection, The ovipositor of the female is extensile, the better enabling her to deposit her eggs in the deep notches, and dark bottoms 128 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. of crevices. ‘The eggs there elude detection, being of a dark-brown, inclining to purple. The young worms which hatch from them are also dark-brown, with large heads; they are active and commence spinning as soon us they are born. Luckily, this insect seldom hecomes numerous enough to cause serious alarm, as to combat it on a large seale would be difficult. Special trees may [Fig. 89.) Color—Light gray. be saved from its attacks by an application of soft soap us far up the trunk as possible, about the end of June, as it will prevent the moths depositing. At this time also, the moths may be caught and destroyed from off trees already infested, by visiting such trees early in the morning, for the moths are then quite sluggish, having emerged from the tree during the night, leaving their empty chrysalis skins protruding half way out of the holes. ‘Chis insect attacks the Oak as well as the Black Locust, and, judging from specimens which we received a year ago from Mr. J. Huggins, of Wood- burn, Ills., it also infests the Crab-apple. According to Dr. Fitch, it is more common in Oak in the Eastern States than in Locust; but we have found it more partial to the Locust in the West, Eggs of Snowy Tree Cricket on Raspberry Canes—J. B. loot, Rockford, Ilis.—The straight rows of punctures on your Doolittle Black-Cap Raspberry eanes, the punctures contiguous to each other, with an egg placed slantingly across the pith leading from each, are made by the Snowy Tree Cricket (@eanthus niveus, AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST, Vol. I, Figs. 38 and 39). Though these eggs may be mistaken at first for worms by the unskilled, yet no entomologist would ever mistake them for such. An ege—no matter how narrow or long it may be—can always be distinguished by its lacking entirely those articulations which are so characteristic of all insect larvee, and of most other worms. The cane will be very apt to die above these deposits, and to preyent the increase of the insect, the infested canes should all be cut off and burned before spring. Spotted Rove-beetle—J. H., Woodburn, Ilis.— The large gray insect with short wing-covers, which seemed to be very anxious to cover itself with filth, is the Spotted Rove-beetle (Staphilinus maculosus, Gry.) The Rove-beetles are voracious creatures, preying on decaying animal and vegetable matters. They are also found abundantly under heaps of putrescent plants, and, acting in the capacity of Scavengers, must be con- sidered beneficial. Raspberry Gouty Gall— (Chas. Curpenter, Kelly's Island, Ohio.—The swollen, gouty appearance of your (Fig. 9) J raspberry and blackberry vines is caused by the Red-necked Agrilus ( dgrilus ruficollés). You will find an lilustrated article on the subject in the present number, under the same caption that heads this paragraph. We had never before found fresh and living larve, as the galls which we had heretofore reteived were too dry when they reached us. But your galls came very opportunely, for we found three full-sized living speci- mens within them, and are thus en- abled to give a truer figure (Fig. 90) than that given. on page 103, and to add the following description for our scientific friends: AGRILUS RUFICOLLIS. — Larva — Color pale-yellow. Length 0.53 inch. Diameter 0.05 inch. Some- what flattened, especially at sides, Color—Whitish. {he width nearly twice as great as depth. A rufous vesicular dorsal line. Head brown; jaws black. Joint 1 about 14 wider than 2, and having 2 somewhat horny yellow patch above, shaped some- thing like a kite; joints 2 and 3 = 1 in length; 4 as long as 2 and 38 together; 5—10 sub-equal and longer than four; 11 half as long as 10; 12 swollen, somewhat horny below, and ending in two thorns, each with three blunt teeth on the inner edge. As little or no fruit matures above these galls, which are often quite near the ground, it is very likely, as you suggest, that this cause of unfruitfulness is not sus- pected by the casualobserver. All affected canes should be cut off below the galls and burned before spring. Parasitic Cocoons—G. C. Brackett, Lawrence, Kans.—Vhe little masses of light brown cocoons, all soldered together (Fig. 91) which you find lying on the [Fig, 91. . ground under your ‘ ; apple trees, are the cocoons of a little parasitic Tehneu- mon fly. The fly Color—Light brown. comes very near the genus Microgaster, but lacks the areolet, and will pro- bably have to form a new genus; but for the present ull that yoy, are inferested in knowing is, perhaps, that it is beneficial. It doubtless infests some worm which feeds on the leayes of your apple trees, and as Dr. Warder has sent-us some of the same cocoons, taken ~ likewise from your orchard, it seems to be quite com- mon with you. It would interest us to know upon what particular worm it feeds. The Pigeon Tremex in Apple—Jonathan Hug- gins, Woodburn, Ills.—The large tour-winged fly about 114g inch in length, with a black and rust-colored cylindrical body of the size of a common lead-pencil, — and with a stout piercer at extremity, is a 9 Pigeon Tremex (Zremex columba, Linn.) Your finding her piercing an apple tree is a new fact, for though this insect is well known to attack ouk and elm trees, it has _not her etofore been recorded as occurring in apple trees. The Lunate Rhysa—that large Ichneumon fly figured on the left of our coyer—seeks the larva of the Tremex in its hidden retreat, and by means of her jong oviposi- positor, deposits an egg in its body, which hatches out and destroys the wood-borer. Ohe American elle, | ‘PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY R. P. STUDLEY & CO., 104 OLIVE STREET, ST, LOUIS. LM i tc eee. DP WO dollars per annum in adv ance. CHARLES V. RILEY, Epriror. MR, WALSICS PORTRAIT. vf Nothing perpetuates so well the memo ofa departed friend as a good and life-like portrait. We may do our best to pen a truthful sketch of a man’s life, and yet fall far short of conveying x a just and correct impression to those who never saw him in the flesh. A good portrait, however—phrenology or no phrenology- BS ate once the mirror of a man’ s character, Giaces: generations will farts & ma rectly. he editor takes great plea e fore, in presenting the accompanying por Mr. Walsh, and feels that it is the best tribute he has the power of paying to his departed ass iate. We are much pleased with the plate, for it is a good likeness. In it the wonted humor yet twinkles from those eyes which are now closed forever in the quict rest of the grave, and the facetious smile yet lurks around those lips which are nevermore to utter word again! As a fitting accompaniment to the portrait, we publish the following resolutions, from among several others which we have received: ** Proceedings of the London Branch of the Entomological Society of Canada, at a meeting held December 3, 1869. “The following resolutions were unanimously adopted : ** Resolved, That we, the members of this society, have learned with deep regret of the sudden death of Benj. D. Walsh, Esq., State Entomologist of Llinois. We have long admired his zeal and earnestness in en- deavoring to advance entomological science, and we feel that our favorite study has lost in him one of its staunchest supporters and advocates, and those of us who had the privilege of his personal acquaintance, a warm friend. We tender our heartfelt sympathies to his bereaved widow and friends, and assure them that his labor of love, manifest in his many valuable contri- butions to entomological literature, will ever be fondly cherished in our memories. ** Resolved, That the Secretary be instructed to trans- mit copies of the above resolution to the widow of the late B. D. Walsh, and also to the editors of the Ameri- can Entomologist and Canadian Entomologist, with a request to insert the same in their next issues. **G. M. INNEs, President. ‘* EpMUND BAYNES REED, Sec’y and Treas.’”’ ** Ertract from the Minutes of the Mceting of the American Entomological Society, held January 10, 1870. ‘Resolved, That this Society has heard with the deepest regret of the great loss sustained by the science of entomology, in the death of our Jate member, Benj. D. Walsh of Rock Island, State Entomologist of Illinois. ** Resolved, That this Society hereby testifies to the great worth and scientific attainments of the deceased, whose pen was ever ready to defend, uphold and spread abroad the benefits der ived from the Reis 5! study and lutions, as a slight expression of the sym- ety with her in this great affliction. *’ Resolution passed by the Illinois State 7 | Horticultural Society . eWuntbaik, Wehaye learned with deep regret of the decease of Benj. D. Walsh, A. M., State Entomologist, * Resolved, That in view of his sctentalte acquirements, which had secured for him a national reputation, his zeal in investigation, and his practical mo f com- municating his discoveries, we consider ils, in the vigor of intellect, as a loss to the public not likely soon to be repaired. ARTHUR BRYANT, Sr., ** Chairman of Committee, ’’ ‘Preamble and Resolutions passed unanimously at the An- nual Meeting of the Kansas State Horticultural Socéety. “PREAMBLE: It haying pleased God to open the portals of eternity, and take from the earth—the great field of his usefulness—Benjamin D. Walsh, State Ento- mologist of Illinois and senior editor of the American Entomologist, it becomes our sad duty, in reyerently bowing to the divine behest, to admit the obligations under which the deceased bas placed us, in common with the eulturists of the West, by a patient, persever- ing devotion of “a lifetime to the science of entomology as applied to the highest material interests of this Associa- tion and the commonwealth of Kansas; therefore, be it “* Resolved, That we hereby formally express the sor- row inseparable from our great loss in the death of Mr. Walsh, in the midst of his great and increasing usefulness. * Resolved, That this preamble and resolutions be spread upon the records of this Society, and that an authenticated copy thereof be transmitted to the widow of the deceased, and to C. VY. Riley, Esq., surviving editor a the American Entomologist. *©G@. C. BRACKETT, Secretary.’* 130 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. : THE PLUM CURCULIO. (Conotrachelus nenuphar, Werbst.) A PAPER READ BY THE EDITOR REFORE THE ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AT ITS FOURTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. [Fig. 92.] &))- : J =) Ay Colors—(a and b) whitish; (c) brown, black and clay-yellow. Lapirs AND GENTLEMEN: You have invited me to read an essay on the Plum Curculio. I accepted the invitation with the intention of preparing an exhaustive paper on the subject. But the sudden death of my esteemed associate and your State Entomologist, the late Benj. D. Walsh, so completely upset my arrangements, and so increased my labors, that I have found time. only to substitute instead the following hasty notes. So much has been written on the habits of this one little insect, and on the best means of protecting our fruits from its injurious work, that one almost tires of repeating those estab- lished facts in its history which, at first thought, it strikes one that all interested should know. But this is a bustling, shifting, progressive world, and there are yet some mooted points to be settled in the natural history of our Curculio. When an experienced man is taken from our midst, the fund of wisdom and the store of knowledge which he had accumulated during a long and busy life-time, are in a great measure buried with him. His younger foliowers profit as much as they can by his recorded experience, but they must necessarily go over the same ground which he had been over before. Facts in Nature will consequently have to be repeated for all time to come; but it should be our object to reach beyond the facts already known, to obtain a knowledge of all things as far as the mind is capable of, and to delve still more deeply into hidden truths, so that by observation and perseverance, we may be enabled to read aright the yet unread parts of that great recorded book, which was printed, paged, collated and bound by the fingers of Omnipotence! Besides, there are actually many fruit-growers who do not know a Curculio when they see one. Thus three different correspondents have, during the, past summer, requested a description of the little pest, because, as they contended, they were not acquainted with ils appearance. And yet one of these gentlemen, as I afterwards ascertained from personal observation, was, at the very time when he penned his question, suffering from injuries caused by the ‘‘ Little Turk.’’ In this brief paper on the Curculio I shall, ‘therefore, necessarily have to repeat many of the facts which were published in your own Transactions for 1867, and of those which may be found in the First Annual Report on the En- tomology of Missouri. Established Facts in the History of the Curculio. In order to lay this question before you in the very clearest light, it will be best to divide this paper into two different parts. In the first part we will give only those facts which are estab- lished beyond all peradventure; and in the second part, we will consider only those points . upon which opinions differ. The Plum Curculio, commonly known all over the country as THE Curcutio, is a small, roughened, warty, brownish beetle, belonging to a very extensive family known as Snout- beetles (CURCULIONID™). It measures about one-fifth of an inch in length, exclusive of the snout, and may be distinguished from all other North American Snout-beetles by having an elongate, knife-edged hump, resembling a piece of black sealing-wax, on the middle of each wing-case, behind which humps there is a broad clay-yellow band, with more or Jess white in its middle. For the benefit of those who are either fortunate or unfortunate enough not to be acquainted with the gentleman, I have pre- pared the above side sketch, which will give at a glance its true form, and obviate the neces- sity of further description and waste of time. (Fig. 92, ¢.) This is the perfect or imago form of the Cur- culio; and it is in this hard, shelly, beetle state, that the female passes the winter, sheltering under the shingles of houses, under the old bark of both forest and fruit trees, under logs and in rubbish of all kinds. As spring ap- proaches, it awakens from its lethargy, and, if it has slept in the forest, instinctively searches for the nearest orchard. In Central Illinois and in Central Missouri the beetles may be found in the trees during the last half of April, but in the extreme southern part of [linois they ap- pear about two weeks earlier, while in the extreme northern purt of the same State they are fully two weeks later. Thus, in the single 131 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. State of Illinois, there is a difference of about one month in the time of the Curculio’s first appearance on your fruit trees; and I hardly need remind you that the time will vary with the forwardness or lateness of the season. As we shall see from the sequel, it is very important that we know just when first to ex- pect Mrs. Turk, and I therefore lay it down as arule, applicable to any latitude, that she first commences to puncture peaches when they are of the size of small marbles or of hazel-nuts, though she may be found on your trees as soon as they are in blossom. To prevent confusion I will use the word “‘peach,” not that her work is confined to this fruit, for, as we shall presently see, she is not so particular in her tastes, but because the peach is more extensively grown in your State than are any of the other large kinds of stone-fruit. Alighting, then, on a small peach, she takes a strong hold of it (Fig. 92, d), and with the minute jaws at the end of her snout, makes a small cut just through the skin of the fruit. She then runs the snout slantingly under the skin, to the depth of one-sixteenth of an inch, and moves it back and forth until the cavity is large enough | to receive the egg itis to retain. Then she turns around and drops an egg into the mouth of the cavity, and after this is accomplished, she re- sumes her first position, and by means of her snout pushes the egg to the end of the passage, and afterwards deliberately cuts the crescent in front of the hole, so as to undermine the ege and leave it in a sort of flap. The whole opera- tion requires about five minutes, and her object in cutting the crescent is evidently to deaden | the flap, so as to prevent the growing fruit from crushing the egg. Now that she has completed this task, and has gone off to perform a similar operation on some other fruit, let us from day to day watch the egg which we have just seen deposited, and learn in what manner it develops intoaCurculio | like the parent which produced it—remember- ing tliat the life and habits of this one individual are illustrative of those of every Plum Curculio that ever had, or that ever will have,an existence. We shall find that the egg is oval and of a pearly-white color. Should the weather be warm and genial, this egg will hatch in from four to five days, but if cold and unpleasant the hatching will not take place for a week or even longer. Eventually, however, there hatches from the egg a soft, tiny, footless grub witha horny head, and this grub immediately com- mences to feed upon the green flesh of the fruit, boring a tortuous path as it proceeds. It riots in the fruit—working by preference around the stone—for from three to five weeks, the period varying, as have amply proved, according to various controlling influences. The fruit containing this grub does not, in the majority of instances, mature, but falls pre- maturely to the ground, generally before the grub is quite full grown. [have known fruit to lie on the ground for upwards of two weeks before the grub left, and have found as many as five grubs in a single peach which had been on the ground for several days. When the grub has once become full grown, however, it for- sakes the fruit which it has ruined, and burrows from four to six inches in the ground. At this time it is of a glassy yellowish-white color, though it usually partakes of the color of the fruit-flesh on which it was feeding. It is about two-fifths of an inch long, with the head light brown; there is a lighter line running along each side of its body, witha row of minute black bristles below, and a less distinct one above it, while the stomach is rust-red, or blackish. The full grown larva presents, in fact, the appearance of Fignre 92, a. : In the ground, by turning round and round, it compresses the earth on all sides until it has formed a smooth oval cavity. Within this cavity, in the course of a few days, it assumes the pupa form, of which Figure 92, 6, will afford a good idea. After remaining in the ground in this state for just about three weeks, it becomes a beetle, which, though soft and uniformly reddish at first, soon assumes its natural colors; and, when its several parts are sufliciently hardened, works through the soil to the light of day. -So much for the natural history of the ‘ Little Turk.” Now let us mention a few other facts which it becomes us as fruit-growers to know. The Curculio when alarmed, like very many other insects, and especially such as belong to the same great Order of Beetles (Coleoptera), folds up its legs close to the body, turns under its snout into a groove which receives it, and drops to the ground. In doing this it feigns death, so as to escape from threatened danger, and does in reality very greatly resemble a dried fruit bud. It attacks, either for purposes of propagation or for food, the Nectarine, Plum, Apricot, Peach, Cherry, Apple, Pear and Quince, preferring them in the order of their naming. It is always most numerous in the early part of the season on the outside of those orchards that are surrounded with timber. It is also more numerous in timbered regions than on the prairie. 132 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. It can fly aud does fly, especially during the heat of the day; so cottou bandages around the trunk, and all like contrivances, are worse than useless. It prefers smooth-skinned to rough-skinned stone-fruit. The Miner plum, otherwise known as the Hinckley plum, Isabel plum, Gilett plum, Townsend plum, Robinson plum; and other varieties of that wild species known as the Chickasaw plum (Prunus chicasa), are less liable to its attacks than other kinds. Both the male and female puncture the fruit for food, by gouging hemispherical holes; but the female alone makes the crescent-mark above described. Scarcely any eggs are deposited after the pit of the fruit has become hard. The cherry when infested remains on the tree, and the preventive measures that may be ap- plied to other fruits will consequently not hold good with this. The larva cannot well undergo its trausforma- tions in earth which is dry or baked, and severe drouths are consequently prejudicial to its increase. It often matures in apples and pears, especially in early varieties, but in the great majority of instances the ege either fails to hatch or the young larva perishes in a few days after hatching. Many other facts might be cited, but in the foregoing remarks I have confined myself to that which I know, from ample personal experi- ence, to be the truth and nothing but the truth. Artificial Remedies. Now, gentlemen, it must be clear to you that, as practical men, this is a]l you need to know to enable you to fight and conquer this evil. Those mooted points which we shall presently consider are of great interest to the naturalist and to the scientific man, and although I do not quite agree with Dr. Trimble, that the hybernation of the Curculio, for instance, is practically of no consequence, yet the settlement of these ques- tions is not necessary to the carrying on of a successful warfare. We need not necessarily understand the morphology of a plant in order to make it grow; neither is it always necessary to penetrate into all the details of an insect’s history in order to circumvent its injuries. You can fight Cureulio without being a thorough Entomologist. The remedies are few. They consist of prevention, by destroying the fallen fruit which contains the grub, and by jarring down and catching and killing the beetles. There are a variety of means which can be em- and every year afterwards. ployed for destroying the grubs which fall with the fruit before they enter the ground. It can be done either by hand or by stock. Hogs and poultry are of undoubted use for this purpose. In the article entitled ‘“‘ Hogs vs. Bugs,” in the first number of the American EnTOMOLOGIST,— abundant proof in support of this fact may be found, and I have, since that was published, obtained much additional proof of a similar nature, and am convinced that our friend Dr. Hull underestimates the value of these auxili- aries. Of course, the first year they are used they do not in the least decrease the number of beetles, but wherever they can be used, a moct beneficial effect will be noticed the second year, As stated in the article referred to, the practical difficulties in the way of carrying out the system of subduing fruit-boring insects by hog-power are: ist, The necessity of having all the orchard land under a separate fence, which of course in many cases involves a considerable extra outlay for fencing materials. 2d, The necessity of giving up a practice; which is conceded-by the most intelli- gent fruit-growers to be otherwise objectionable, namely, growing other crops, such as small grain, corn, or small fruits, between the rows of trees in bearing fruit orchards. 3rd, The ne- cessity of giving up the fashionable theory of low-headed trees; for otherwise, if apple and peach trees are allowed to branch out like a currant bush from the very root, any hogs which range among them will manifestly be able to help themselves, not only to the wormy windfalls that lie on the ground, but also to the sound growing fruit upon all the lowermost boughs. The jarring process may be carried on in vari- ous ways, accordant with the extent of the orchard or the character of the trees to be jarred —always bearing in mind that a sudden jar, rather than a severe shake or knock, is neces- sary. There is no more thorough and expe- ditious way, however, than by means of Dr. Hull’s Curculio-catcher. Every member of this Society is probably familiar with the appearance of this machine; but, believing that a descrip-_ tion of it has never been published in your Transactions, I will give one in the Doctor’s own words. ad [A full and illustrated description of this machine will be found on page 220 of our first volume. ] Thave noticed that where this Curculio-catcher has been constantly used the trees have suffered serious injury from bruising, and would suggest that, by driving a spike (one with a shoulder to THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 133 it might be manufactured for this express pur- pose) into each tree at the proper height, this trouble may be easily overcome. This is more especially necessary with old and large trees, which do not vibrate so easily as do younger ones. Let us hope that the day is not far dis- tant, when this machine, or some improvement on it, will be in such general demand as to in- sure its manufacture by some of our implement dealers. It should be considered by all who wish to grow stone-fruit, as a horticultural im- plement, second only in usefulness to the plow. Before leaving this subject of remedies I will say that much can be done in a small way by crushing the egg with the finger-nail, or by cleanly eutting out the newly hatched larva. It will also suggest itself that, in planting an orchard with timber surrounding, the less valu- able varieties should be planted on the outside, and as the little rascals congregate on them from the neighboring woods in the early part of the _season, they should be fought persistently. It will also pay to thin out all fruit that is known to contain grubs, and that is within easy reach; while, wherever it is practicable, all rubbish and under-brush should be burnt during the winter. An Appeal. The burden of this essay is to impress upon you the utter futility of all other pretended remedies. One of our most eminent Eastern horticulturists has honored you, gentlemen, by calling you the most philosophical set of fruit- growers in the land. I want you to deserve this honor by showing your good sense in this Curculio matter. Tolerate no other methods of fighting this foe than the two above named. Iam thoroughly satisfied that there is no other remedy, and the sooner we are all convinced of it the better. For over half a century the agri- cultural and horticultural press has been flooded with wondrous remedies, and yet, aside from the two methods already indicated, there are but three out of the whole catalogue which have even the appearance of common sense, and these are altogether impracticable in an orchard of average extent. Lazy men may croak; they may declare that the days of profitable fruit-growing are gone by, that fruit-growers are going to perdition, and that the Curculio cannot be conquered! But sensible men know better. Witness the commo- tion which one of the thousand proposed Cureulio remedies recently produced among the members of the lately organized St. Louis Farmer’s Club. A gentleman claims to have a remedy, which is, however, a secret, as he wishes to make money withit. Forthwith an exciting discussion takes place, and Col. Colman offers a million dollars for a remedy—a million dollars fora remedy for the Curculio! Now, what did these gentlemen mean byaremedy? If they had ever read their State Entomological Report they would have found one there given. But no: they look for some panacea, some placebo, some Aaron’s rod wherewith to smite the hosts of the Curculio throughout the land with a single wave of the hand! They might as well trv to produce fruit without first planting and cultivating the tree which is to bear it, as to try to conquer the Cureculio by any other but the rational means we have set forth. We do not now live in the age of miracles; and if a man undertakes to feed five thousand persons on five loaves and two small fishes, he will fail most ignominiously in the undertaking. Just so long as we look for remedies of a miraculous nature, just so long will the Curculio retain the upper hand; but as soon as we abjure all washes, fumes and patent applications to the tree, of whatever sort, and confine ourselves to killing this little foe, either in the grub or perfect state, then shall we be able to raise fruit free from its injuries. Onur experiments should all-tend in the direction of improving the methods of destroying the grub, and of jarring down and killing the beetle. In fact, the jarring of the trees and killing of the little rascals must henceforth be considered as part and parcel of stone-fruit culture. You may argue, and with reason, that, with the utmost diligence, you can never succeed in entirely subduing this enemy, for it will breed in the forest, will in some few cases perfect in the fruit that hangs on the tree, and will come in upon you from your neighbors. Granted, in like manner, you may cultivate your land year after year, so that not a single weed shall ever go to seed upon it, and yet you can never en- tirely subdue the weeds. But would you there- fore cease to cultivate, and let the weeds overrun you? It is useless to seek for good without evil, and the man who wishes to raise stone- fruit without fighting the Curculio ought to read Henry Ward Beecher’s advice to him who wanted an easy place. The more united the effort to fight Curculio, the less work will there be for each; but even where one determined man is surrounded by negligent and slovenly neighbors, he will be rewarded for his efforts. If this Society could only devise some means to insure concerted action in this respect among its own members, a great point would be gained. The negligent 134 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. fruit-grower cannot be brought to duty by legis- lative means, but might not this Society, by resolution, make it obligatory on its members to fight Curculio, if they grow stone-fruit, by yoting itself plenary power to fine such mem- bers as prove recusant? At all events, as we were advised last winter by Mr. L. C. Francis, in his excellent essay on the Plum, let us fight it out on the jarring line, if it takes all summer, and it wit take all summer, for the trees should be jarred regularly, from the time the fruit is set until it is ripe. -T have little patience with those persons who claim that fruit cannot be protected from the Curculio by the jarring process; or that it will not pay to carry on the business when this work is necessary. As a general rule, such persons were never guilty of jarring a tree, or, if they were, they did not pursue the process svstem- _atically. All who properly pursue it for a number of years are successiul. Judge Brown, Dr. Hull, and many other members of this Society, can-attest the truth of this assertion. Dr. Trimble, of New Jersey, never once failed to obtaim a good crop of plums, apricots, and nectarines for ten successive years, though his more neglectful neighbors could not succeed. Ellwanger & Barry, of Rochester, N. Y., J. J. Thomas, of Union Springs, N. Y., and a host of prominent Eastern fruit-growers whom I might mention, all testify to its efficacy and success, when followed up year by year, and as to the cost, Mr. Parker Earle, of South Pass, in an able article in a recent number of the Rural New Yorker, demonstrated by the actual figures of those who had kept an exact account of the labor used, that it costs a trifle less than eight cents per tree to run one of Dr. Hull’s machines during the Curculio season! No one will claim that the crop is not worth saving at ten times such a cost! Natural Reinedies. Dr. Trimble has lately communicated to me the fact that he has discovered a true parasite upon the larva of the Curculio. The sooner it makes its appearance in the West the better, for no such parasite has ever been detected here yet. It was well known that ants destroyed the erubs as they left the fruit to enter the ground, but up to 1868, no other cannibals were known to attack it. In the summer of that year, my late lamented associate, Mr. Walsh, discovered several which habitually prey upon it, namely, the larva of the Pennsylvania Soldier-beetle (Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus, DeGeer), that of an undetermined species of Lace-wing Fly (Chrysopa), that of an unknown Ground-beetle (probably Ilarpalus pennsylvanicus, De Geer), and the Subangular Ground-beetle (Aspidi- glossa subangulata, Chaud.) Those who wish full descriptions, with figures, of these Curculio enemies, will find them in the October (1868) number of the AmeRIcCAN Enromotocisr. The Pennsylvania Soldier-beetle is evidently the most effectual of the four, for its larva is fre- quently met with; while the beetle itself, with its yellow jacket and two broad black spots near the tail, is very abundant during the months of September and October, on many of our com- posite flowers, and especially on the golden- rods, spireas, bigonias, privets, and on carrot blossoms. It does no harm to the flowers, being content with the pollen which they afford, and it should never be ruthlessly destroyed. But I have this year discovered an insect friend, which, though far more insignificant in appearance, is yet more useful to us in checking the increase of the Curculio than are all the others put. together. It is in the shape of a yel- low species of Thrips, of microscopic dimen- sions, the business of whose life seems to be to hunt up and devour the Curculio ege as soon as deposited. I had often wondered why so many Curculio eggs tailed to hatch, and was gratified last May to find the cause. A description of this Thrips would not edify you, and it suffices to state that the word ZYhrips is used in the Entomological sense, and not in the sense which many horticulturists use it, as in speaking, for instance, of the Leaf-hopper of the vine. The illustration which I have prepared will give you an idea of the contour of these little animals. The species in question is yellow, and scarcely measures one-twentieth of an inch. Thus far I have only noticed it in two orchards near Sulphur - Springs, Mo., and cannot yet tell to what extent it occurs elsewhere; yet who knows but this liliputian little friend may, in the course of a few years, rout the ubiquitous “Turk,” by attacking him in his most vulnerable point, just in the same manner that the Ladybirds routed the Colorado Potato Bug in many sections, by devouring its eggs; or that the reinute Acarus or Mite, described by Dr. Shimer as Acarus mati, and first noticed two years ago, has routed the Oyster-shell Bark-louse in many orchards? Verily, Nature’s ways are so varied—so com- plicated, and the phases of animal life are so intricate—so protean, that this much desired result may yet be consummated. Only this year, a worm which I have called the Pickle- worm, and which was never before known to cut up such capers, has everywhere penetrated THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 135 our melons and our cucumbers, and presents its ghastly self even in our choicest pickles. The ‘Struggle for Life” causes many a vacil- lation in the proportion of an insect and its parasite—the cannibal and its prey—and the Little Turk may yet find his match in this apparently insignificant Thrips. Mooted Points. We will now briefly touch upon a few points on which there is difference of opinion, and which will, it is to be hoped, elicit discussion, and draw out the opinions and experience of those present. There is conflicting evidence from different authors, as to whether the Curculio is single or double brooded each year, and as to whether it hybernates principally in the perfect beetle state, above ground, or in the preparatory state, below ground; the very earliest accounts we have of the Plum Cureulio, in this country, differing on these points. Thus, it was believed by Dr. James Tilton, of Wilmington, Delaware, who wrote at the very beginning of the present cen- tury, and by Dr. Joc! Burnett, of Southborough, and M. H. Simpson, of Saxonville, Massachu- setts, who both wrote interesting articles on the subject, about fifty years afterwards; that it passed the winter in the larval or grub state, under ground, and Harris seems to have held the same opinion. But Dr. E. Sanborn, of Andover, Massachusetts, in some interesting articles published in 1849 and 1850, gave as his conviction that it hybernates in the beetle state above ground. Dr. Fitch, of New York, came to the conclusion that it is two-brooded, the second brood wintering in the larva state in the twigs of pear trees; while Dr. Trimble, of New Jersey, who devoted the greater part of a large and expensive work to its consideration, decided that it is single-brooded, and that it hybernates in the beetle from above ground, and he recent] y informed me that he still holds to the same opinion. Since the writings of Harris and Fitch, and since the publication of Dr. Trimble’s work there have been other papers published on the subject. The first of these was a tolerably ex- haustive article, by Mr. Walsh, which appeared in No. 7 of the 2nd Volume of the Practical Entomologist, in which he takes the grounds that the Curculio is single-brooded; though subsequently, on page 67 of his First Annual Report, he came to the very different conclusion that it was double-brooded. In the summer of 1867 I spent between two and three weeks in Southern Illinois, during the height of the Cur- culio season, and closely watched its mancu- verings. From the fact that there was a short period about the middle of July, when scarcely any could be caught from the trees, and that after a warm shower they were quite numerous, having evidently just come out ot the ground, I concluded that the insect was double-brooded, and communicated to the Prairie Farmer of July 27th, 1867, the passage to that effect, under the signature of “ V,” which is quoted by Mr. Walsh (Rep., p. 67), as corroborative of its two-brooded character. Subsequent calculation induced me to change my mind, and [ afterwards gave it as my opinion, on page 113 of the Transactions of this Society for 1867, that there was but one main brood during the year, and that where a second generation was produced it was the ex- ception. My reasons for this opinion may be found detailed in the Missouri Entomological Report. Finally, our friend, Dr. Hull, of Alton, Illinois, who has had vast personal experience with this insect, read a most valuable essay on the subject, before the meeting of the Alton (I1].) Horticultural Society of March, 1868, in which he evidently concludes it is single-brooded, and that it passes the winter, for the most part, in the preparatory state, under ground; and judg- ing from an article recently published by him in the Prairie Farmer, he yet inclines to the same belief. Now, why is it that persons who, it must be admitted, were all capable of correct observa- {ion, have differed so much on these most in- teresting points in the economy of our Plum Curculio? Is there any explanation of these contradictory statements? I think there is, and that the great difficulty in the study of this, as well as of many other insects, lies in the fact that we are all too apt to generalize, We are too apt to draw distinct lines, and to create rules which never existed in Nature—to suppose that if a few insects which we chance to watch are not single-brooded, therefore the species must of necessity be double-brooded. We for- get that Curculios are not all hatched in one day, and, from analogy, are very apt to under- rate the duration of the life of the Curculio in the perfect state. Besides, what was the excep- tion one year may become the rule the year following. In breeding butterflies and moths, individuals hatched from one and the same batch of eggs on the same day, will frequently, some of them, perfect themselves and issue in the fall, while others will pass the winter in the imper- fect state, and not issue till spring; and in the case of a prangling green worm that is found on raspberry leaves, and that passes the winter under ground, and develops into a four-winged 136 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. fly (Selandria rubi, Harris) in the spring, I have known a difference of three months to occur between the issuing of the first and Jast individuals of the same brood, all the larve of which had entered the ground within three days. ar be it from me to pronounce that there is no such thing as rule in Nature, and that we cannot, therefore, generalize; I simply assert that we frequently draw our lines too rigidly, and endeavor to make the facts come within them, instead of loosening and allowing them to encompass the facts. It was my intention to have thoroughly and forever settled these disputed questions the past summer, but owing to a lengthy sickness of Mr. Walsh, I was overwhelmed with other matters, at the very season in which the proper experiments could alone be made. Such obser- vations as were made, however, only confirm me in my previous opinion, that it is single- brooded as a rule; but, in justice to Mr. Walsh I will say, that to the day of his death he held the contrary opinion of its being double-brooded. It was on account of this difference of opinion between us, that we could never editorially touch upon the point in the columns of the AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST; though we had each of us decided to come to an agreement, in ac- cordance with the facts to be elicited in discus- sion at this meeting. Alas! how inscrutable are the ways of Providence! He has been taken from our midst, and we shall nevermore listen to his bold, outspoken voice. Dr. Trimble writes: ‘‘I have a friend, an ac- complished ornithologist (companion of Audu- bon), with whom I frequently converse. Once, speaking about quails, I spoke of their having more than one brood a year. He said, ‘did you ever see a brood of quails, whether full-grown or half-grown, without the old birds with them?’ In thinking it over, I cannot remember that I eyer did. ‘The inference follows: the early broods of quails of this year, have the early broods the next year—the late broods this year, the late broods next year. Why not so with Curculios?’? On broad principles it may be stated that insects differ from other animals in so far that they do not breed an indefinite num- ber of times in the course of their lives, but that the females perish soon after depositing their first and only batch of eggs. But although a great many insects occupy but a few hours or a few days in laying this batch of eggs, yet many of them require a much longer time. This is eminently the case with our Plum Curculio, and indeed with most of the insects in the same great Order of Beetles to which it belongs; and I know that Curculios which hybernated may be found upon our trees even a few days after the first bred Curculios of the season appear. Again, few persons—eyen among those skilled in Entomology—are aware of the wonderful influence produced upon insects by climate or by the character of the seasons. To illustrate: the Oblong-winged Catydid (Phylloptera ob- longifolia, De Geer) in a state of Nature finishes depositing its eggs, and ceases its chirrup by the first of October in the latitude of St. Louis, and yet this very year, by keeping them within doors and feeding them on green apples, I suc- ceeded in keeping several which I had hatched from the egg, alive until the first days of Decem- ber; and though everything was bleak and bare outside, and the Catydids had been swept off by the early frosts nearly two months before, yet these continued to deposit up to within three days of their death. No one with the knowl- edge of such facts, would for a moment doubt that in certain southerly latitudes, it is possible for the Curculio to be double-brooded, and yet be single-brooded in more northerly regions; for several instances of a similar nature in in- sect life, might be cited. But that it is single- brooded as far south as the southern part of the State of Illinois, I feel quite satisfied. The Curculios generated from those which wintered over, never lay eggs the same season they are hatched; at least, no one has ever succeeded — in making them do so, though the experiment has been tried by Dr. Trimble, Dr. Hull, Judge Brown, and myself. Indeed, all analogy con- firms the belief in its one-brooded character, for it is admitted that the Plum Gouger — (Anthonomus prunicida, Walsh), the Apple Curculio (Anth. quadrigibbus, Say), the Pea- weevil (Bruchus pisi, Linn.), and many other closely allied species produce but one brood each year, and it is with good reason argued, that.if there were two generations of Curculios, — late fruit would be covered with their crescents, _ whereas we know that such is not the case. As to the hybernation of the Curculio, it is . only necessary to state, that I am positive that the beetles survive the winter, for I have fre- quently found them myself during this season of the year, under the rough bark of both fruit and forest trees, and they have been found in like situations and under the shingles of houses, etc., by several other persons. Dr. Hull, on the contrary, believes that they pass the winter in the preparatory state, and records in so many words, that he has found the larvee in January at a depth of from fifteen to thirty-six inches, and that in April he has found both larve, pups THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. and beetles below ground. Now, I have a good deal of faith in the accuracy of the Doctor’s observations, and accept these statements as truth, the more willingly because the Four- humped, or Apple Cureulio, which attacks our apples quinces and haws, does pass the winter in the larva state under ground. But had he not found the beetle in company with the larvee and pup, I should not so readily have accepted such proof, but, like Oliver Twist, should ask for more; for the larvie of several species of snout- beetles very much resemble each other, and we are all liable to make mistakes. Individually, I never found Plum Curculio larvie at a greater depth below ground than six inches, and my efforts to find them in the winter under trees from which infested fruit had fallen during the previous summer, have so far been fruitless. As to whether the Curculio is the cause of the Peach-rot, there can be no question whatever that it is greatly instrumental in spreading this dreaded disease. So muclvis this the case, that by protecting fruit in such a manner that no insects can get at it, vou may ina great measure save it from rotting: and this is an additional reason why trees should be thoroughly jarred and protected from the Cureulio. But I yet hold that the puncture cannot possibly be the first cause of Peach-rot. This is sufficiently proved by the facts, that much of the fruit is punctured long before the rctting season com- mences; that the fruit often arrives at perfect maturity, still containing the grub; that in cer- tain localities, and in favorable seasons, the rot is scarcely known, though the fruit is badly punctured; and, finally, that the crescent of the Curculio often (indeed, in the great majority of instances) heals up entirely, thus precluding the idea of any poisonous effect attending the puncture. It might, with equal reason,’ be argued that the Grape-rots, the Potato-rot, and all the innumerable other rots are also caused by insects: but as I have already devoted all the time I can spare to this paper, although many interesting facts have not even been al- luded to, and as this matter does not properly come within my province, 1 leave it for the discussion of the more wise and experienced. (= To all persons interesting themselves in the American ENnToMOLOGIST we will allow twenty-five cents on every dollar, on all over five names which they send. t=’ Should a number of the Entomo.oatsr, through whatever cause, fail to reach any of our subscribers, we will cheerfully send another one upon being informed of the fact. LARVA IN THE HUMAN BOWELS!! ONE OF MR. WALSH’S POSTITUMOUS ARTICLES, On July 5th, 1869, we received from Dr. J. T. Wilson, of Quincy, Ills., over a dozen of the curious fringed larvee, which we represent con- siderably magnified in the annexed drawing (Fig. 93). The circumstances under which they were found are detailed in the following ex- tract from Dr. Wilson’s letter :— _The specimens sent were discharged, along with sey- eral hundred others, from the bowels of one of my patients. Five months ago several hundred of the same =“nondeseript, but of much larger size, were discharged from the bowels of the same patient. Having 10 knowl- edge of this parasite, I sup- posed in the first instance that there must have been some mistake about the mat- ter, and therefore treated it with indifference. But on the second occasion, L satis- fied myself that they were really evacuated from the intestines. IL am fully per- suaded that they multiply within the alimentary canal; yet I think that they must have been originally introduced through the mouth. T confess that they are a strange parasite to me, and I find they are equally so to all the medi- cal gentlemen to whom I have shown them. I am very anxiotis to get all the information upon this subject that’ I can, and should like to learn all thatis at present known about it. From the structure of these larve, it is mani- fest that they belong to a section of a genus of Two-winged Flies, the Flower-flies (Antho- myia), which section was many years ago sep- arated as a distinct genus (/omalomyia) by Bouché. The true Flower-flies are named from the habit which the perfect insect has of set- tling upon flowers; but in the larva state most of them feed upon living vegetable mat- ter, and are usually smooth soft whitish mag- gots, of an elongate-conical shape, with the head end tapered to a point and the tail end more or less squarely docked. It is to this group that the Imported Onion-maggot Fly (A. ceparum), the Imported Cabbage-mageot Fly (A. brassicw), and an apparently indige- nous species which we have deseribed and figured as the Seed-corn Flower-fly (A. zew, Riley),* all of them belong. On the contrary, the larvee belonging to the other group (ZZoma- lomyia), iustead of feeding upon living vegeta- * Missouri Enfom. Report, 1:6), pp. 154-5, [Fig. 93.] Color—Brownish- white 138 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. tion, wallow in moist decaying matter, whether animal or vegetable; and as in such situations they would be sometimes stifled for want of air, if they breathed through the spiracles or breathing-holes with which all air-breathing insects are supplied, nature has replaced the spiracles by lateral “branchie” or gills, by means of which they are enabled, after the fashion of a fish, to extract the air from the fluids that surround them. On referring to our Fig- ure 93, 6, the reader will see at once the structure of these curious gills, which, however, are by no means peculiar to this genus of Insects, but occur in a great number of larve that inhabit the water, for example in those of the Mayflies (Lphemera family). These larve differ further from those of the true Flower-flies in the tail end being much less conspicuously docked, and in the body being considerably flattened, in- stead of plumply rounded in the shape of an elongate cone. It was probably in reference to this peculiar flattening of the body of the larva, that Bouché gave to the genus the distinctive name of “ Flat-fly” (Hlomalomyia), from two ‘Greek words which bear that meaning. In the perfect state—as sometimes happens with closely allied genera—the Flat-flies do not differ so materially in their structure and gen- eral appearance from the true Flower-flies as do the Jarve belonging respectively to these two genera. Still, as the larval hahits of these two genera differ so widely, and as the Flower- flies, in the original and more extensive signi- fication of the term, form a very extensive group—authors having described no less than 65 species of them as found in North America— we must consider the separation of this very large and unwieldy genus into two smaller genera as a judicious step. The minute details wherein the Flat-flies differ from the Flower- flies in the perfect fiy state, as they would only fatigue the general reader, will be found in the foot-note.* We have ourselves bred what Baron Osten Sacken, to whom we have forwarded specimens, thinks is in all probability a true Flat-fly, from larvye very similar to those figured above, but scarcely more than half as large (Homalomyia prunivora). These larve we met with in great abundance in a mass of tame plums so much *Thbrough the kindness of Baron Osten Sacken, we learn that Homalomyia is characterized by Schiner as haying much narrower cheeks than Anthomyia, whence the head is more rounded and prejects less on the underside of the eyes; and also by the abdomen being less hairy. On comparing a species of Homalomyia which, as will be stated hereafter, we haye ourselves bred frem the larva, with Anthomyia brassice, these generic distinctions are obvious, both the Jegs and the abdomen in the latter being rather bristly than hairy. decayed as to become almost semi-filuid. The fly produced from them is only about one-fifth ofan inch long; whereas from the largest spe- cimens sent us by Dr. Wilson we might expect to raise a fly at least one-third of an inch long. If, therefore, there was no other reason than this, we might be pretty sure that the two spe- cies are distinct. But, as the scientific reader will perceive from the descriptions given in the foot-note, there are other reasons for believing them to belong to separate species of Flat-flies.* *TIomALouyIA WILSONT.—Larva—Length when extended 0.37 inch; when contracted 0.28 inch, trom 34 to 5 times as long as wide. Color pale-brown, the sutures brown-black, but only when the body is contracted. Head entirely retrac- } tile, with its anterior extremity slightly emarginate, and with two minute black hooks on its inferior surface. Body 11-jointed, and _anal joint large and apparently composed of two confluent joints. The sutures in the contracted speci- mens forming a strongly elevated carina both: above and below, but in those that are elongated forming the usual impressed stria with a subobsolete carina in front of it. Joints 1—3 capable of being much elongated when the head is exserted. Joints 4—10 each with a.puir of lateral, trans— versely-arranged, fleshy, elongate-conical, bipectinate, branchial processes, each process about one-third as long as the body is wide, and the bipectinations, themselves a little sprangling, basally about one-third as long as the processes, and gradually decreasing in length towards the tip of the process. Joints 1—3 with only one such lateral process, which is shorter and shorter as each joint approaches the head; the 11th or large anal joint with six such processes 2 little longer than any of the rest, placed one behind another at regular distances allround the lateralsuture. Joints 1—11 each with a pair of small, transversely-arvanged, dorsal, tubercular branchiz, which are slightly ciliated and about as wide as high on joints 4—10, but on 1—3 are more aud more subobsolete, as each joint approaches the head, while on 11 they are twice as high as wide and twice as long as on the preceding joints, and are placed on the anterior halt of the joint exactly in range with the two anterior lateral pro- cesses. Ventrally joints 4—10 are each furnished with pseudopods, namely, two transverse rows of papille; the anterior row nearly attaining the lateral processes, and having its papille almost confluent, so as to look like a transverse carina; the posterior row: shorter, less distinct, and with papilla not contiguous. On joint 11 the posterior row of papillx is replaced by the anus, which forms a very large elongate tubercle with an elongate impressed slit in it, and has a small tubercle on each side of it.—Deseribed from 4 contracted and 5 extended specimens, received, as stated in the text, from Dr. Wilson ot Quincy, to whom the species is dedicated. 2 HoMALOMY1A PRUNIVORA.—Larva—Differs from the aboye only as follows:—Ist. The length when contracted is only 0.18 inch, and is?about 34 times as loug as wide. 2nd, The sutures are not brown-black when the body is contracted. 3rd. The sutures are never carinate. 4th. The lateral branchiz are fully half as long as the body is wide, and the bipectinations are subobsolete: as in Wilsoni, those on the thoracic joints are proportionally shorter. 5th. The dorsal branchie, when contracted, are about 24 times as long as wide and blunt at tip; but when extended are fully 4 times as long as wide, trumpet-shaped, almost acute at tip, and closely resembling the lateral branchie, towards the base they are slightly ciliate. As in Wilsont, those on the thoracic joints are not so much developed, and those on the anal joint are about one-fourth longer. 6th. The two transverse rows of ~ papille (pseudopods) on ventral joints 4—10 are each of them Tike the posterior row in Wilsoni. 7th. The anus is rather round than elongate.—Described from two specimens out of a lot from which, as hinted in the text, were bred Aug. 25th— Sept. 15th7 O'7 Q imagines 0.18—0.23 inch Tong, both sexes of a nearly uniform gray color except that the basal 4 or ? of the abdomen both above and below is of an obscure clay- yellow in @, and in is of a much puehiey yellow with a black dorsal line which is widely dilated before each suture. Such sexual distinctions seem to be not unusual in this group of flies; for Baron Osten Sacken informs us that ‘‘ the sexes in Anthomyia generally differ very considerably in size and colorings. Homatomy1a Lerpy1 —Larva—Judging from Dr. Leidy’s brief description of a larva which, as will be subsequently Stated in the text, was found on two occasions in the human bowels, and which—as he has given it no name—vwe haye here for convenience sake designated as Leidyi, is interme- diate in its characters between Wilsonit and prunviora, In length it is said to be from 0.25 to 0.29 inch. The dorsal branchiz seem to agree generally with those of prunivora, THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ‘We will now give such recorded cases as we have been able to glean, of the occurrence of the larvee of Flat-flies or other Two-winged flies in the human bowels, whether in this country or in Europe. In Europe there are two species in particular, respecting which such facts have been recorded, namely, the Puppy Flat-fly (//om. canicularis, Meig.) and the Ladder-fly (Hom. sealaris, Meig.) The larvee of the former are well known to occur normally in rotten vege- tables and decayed cheese, and the fly itself, from its being often noticed in houses, has been sometimes called ‘‘The Lesser Hlouse-fly,” though from the true House-fly (J/usca domes- tica) it differs by very conspicuous structural characters. The larvee of the Ladder Flat-fly are met with in human excrements, and from their being often found in the putrid contents of privies, the fly itself has frequently been characterized as ‘‘the Privy-fly.” The Rev. L. Jenyns, of Cambridgeshire in England, published 30 or 40 years ago a very detailed account of the larve of the Puppy Flat- fly having been discharged from the intestines of a clergymen.* Fallen records a similar case, though he thought that the larve might possibly belong to an allied species.t On the other hand, Westwood tells us that in two different medical works, one in the German and the other in the English language, the larvee of the Ladder Flat-fly are stated to have been found in the human body.{ Several other European cases are on record, where the larve of Two-winged flies have either been evacuated from the anus or vomited from the mouth; but in most of them the genus to which they belonged cannot be accurately determined. In the United States, Dr. Leidy, as quoted by Dr. Packard,§ has re- for they-are described as being similar to the lateral branchi:, whereas in Wilsoni they are mere tubercles. In one very remarkable respect, however, Leidyi differs both from Wil- soni and from prunivora; for instead of the dorsal branchiw on the anal joint being still longer and slenderer than those on the preceding abdominal joints, they are stated to be mere “‘prominent tubercles,’? and are erroneously considered as Spiracles. Again, in the arrangement of the ventral pseudo- pods, Leidyi seems to agree with TWi/soni rather than with prunivora; for according to the description, each yentral segment has the anterior row of papille cariniform, the carina apparently being considered as a ‘‘ subdivision ’’ of the segment. As Dr. Leidy’s description is short, and inaccessible to many of our readers, we reproduce it here in full:—‘‘ Larva 3—34 lines long, 1—1} lines broad; demi- elliptical, the articuli strongly marked, everywhere minutely shagreened; body anteriorly subacute, posteriorly obtuse. Head bipapillate, with a patr of hooks projecting from the mouth. Articuli furnished dorsally and laterally, each with six long posteriorly divergent flexible compound spines. Ventral segments transversely subdivided, the posterior subdivision furnished with a transverse row of papillie. Caudal articulus dorsally sloping, furnished with a pair of prominent spiracular tubercles, and fringed with six spines. Anus ventral.—Described from5specimens.’? (From Proc, Ac. Nat. Se. Philad. 18%, Biological department, page 8.) * Trans. London Entom, Soc, Vol. 2nd. t Quoted Westw. Introd. IL. p. 570, note, tIbid.p, 571. § Guide to the Study, &c. 367. corded a case where numerous larvx, supposed to be those of some Flower-fly (Anthomyia), were given to him for examination by a phy- sician, who had obtained them from his own person. This physician, it is added, had been seized with all the symptoms of cholera morbus, and in his discharges he had detected numerous specimens of this, to him, unknown parasite. The above circumstances took place in the latter part of summer, and it was suspected that the larvee had been swallowed along with some cold boiled vegetables. The very same kind of larva had been previously observed by Dr. Leidy in another such case, which was likewise accom- panied by the ordinary phenomena of cholera morbus. On referring to the description of these larve published by Dr. Leidy, we find that they are represented as having very nearly the same kind of lateral gills as those which we have figured above; and they must consequently appertain to the Flat-flies and not to the Flower- flies (Anthomyia), as was erroneously supposed by the author of the description. Of course, every one must perceive at once that a larva furnished with gills, and not liable to drown when immersed in fluid or semi-fluid matter, would stand a much better chance to live and flourish in the human stomach, than a larva that breathes the air much in the same man- ner as we ourselves do. But there is authentic evidence that larvee which breathe through spi- racles in the ordinary manner, and not through lateral gills, have been voided either upwards or downwards fromthe human body. For Dr. Leidy has further reported* a case where a number of specimens, which appeared to be larvex of the Blue-bottle Fly, were given him by a physician as having been vomited from the stomach of a child; and Baron Osten Sacken has kindly in- formed us, that in the winter of 1868-9 some smooth Dipterous larvee were handed over to him by a New York physician as having been voided in the excrement of a child; and that from one of them he reared what was apparently a specimen of the common House-fly (Musca domestica). So far as we are aware, this is the only case recorded by authors, where larvee dis- charged from the human body have been actually bred to the perfect Fly state. ; : ‘ The question naturally recurs here—‘* How in all these numerous instances did so many larvee find their way into the human body?” Two opinions, as the reader will have noticed, have been expressed above as to this knotty problem; one by Dr. Lefdy’s friend, that all the * Proc. Ac. Nat, Sc, Philad., 1859, Biological Department, page 8. 140 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. larvee had been swallowed alive, along with such vegetable food as had been introduced in the ordinary course of nature into the stomach; the other by our friend Dr. Wilson, of Quincy, who expresses his belief that a few larvee had been introduced through the mouth, and that then after getting into the alimentary canal had increased and multiplied there. Wemust crave leave to differ from both these gentlemen. In the first place, we can scarcely understand how larvee of such considerable size and of so soft a consistence could escape being crushed more or less by the human teeth during the process of mastication; and in ihe second place, although in the whole Class of Insects there is a single most remarkable and exceptional genus (JMas- tor), belonging to the Gall-guat (Cecidomyia) Family, which is known to propagate in the larva state, yet this is the exception and not the rule. For out of abouta hundred thousand dis- tinct genera of Insects which exist in the whole world, no other genus; so far as the records show, has the reproductive faculty developed until if reaches the mature or Perfect State. For these reasons, we incline to believe that larvee discharged from the human body, in the manner recited above, must all of them haye been originally introduced there in the egg state, and after reaching the stomach must have hatched out and fed upon the food taken from time to time into the stomach. No daubt, the great majority of eggs that are swallowed in this manner, even if they escape being crushed by the teeth, perish in the healthy human body, either before, or shortly after batching out, owing to the unnatural conditions to which they are necessarily subjected there, both as regards temperature, and want of air, and the presence of that powerful chemical agent—the gastric juice. But in a diseased and abnormal body, it may, and doubtless does, occasionally happen, that the average temperature of the stomach is reduced much below the normal point, or that large quantities of gaseous matter containing oxygen are formed there, or that an insufficient supply of gastric juice is secreted there; and in such instances as these, the eggs may probably hatch out, and the young larve may, without any material injury to their health, grow and reach maturity. It is not a very pleasant thing to have a stomach full of lively living maggots. Still, it should be borne in mind that, although such maggots may temporarily derange the health, there is no reason to suppose that they can ever cause death. Moreover, when more or less matured, such insects will always pass away, either dead or alive, by the ordinary modes in which such offensive matter is ejected from the human system; for it is utterly impossible that they can ever after developing into the perfect Winged state, propagate their species among the semi-fluid contents of the alimentary canal. Consequently, unless a fresh supply of eggs is introduced into the stomach, the original gene- ration of maggots will soon disappear; for with almost all the different Jarve of Two-winged Vlies that subsist upon decaying matter, whether animal or vegetable, the larval period is com- paratively quite short—say two or three weeks, or at most a moath. The nature of the substances upon which the larvee usually discharged from the human body naturally feed—that is, decaying animal and especially decaying vegetable matter—indicates at ouce the manner in which the eggs that produce these larve gain admission into the stomach. We have already stated that we have bred great numbers of a small species of Flat-fly from rotten plums; and we may add here that the plums from which we bred the Fly were most of them only partially unsound when they were gathered and placed in the Breeding-vase, and that after they were placed there no living insect could possibly have gained access to them in order to Jay its eggs npon them. Conse- quently, a good many of the eggs which after- wards produced the Winged Flat-flies must in all probability have been deposited in the open air upon plums that were only partially un- sound—say with only a third ora fourth part of their flesh discolored and soft. Such fruit would be grecdily devoured by many children, and by some grown persons who do not know any better. But we have ascertained by a some- what extensive experience in breeding insects, that fruit which is either wholly or partially decayed almost invariably contains great num- bers of the eggs of different Two-winged Flies, belonging to many different genera (Sciara, Scatopse, Drosophila, Homalomyia, and Mus- cd), the larvee of which naturally feed upon such ~ substances. When, therefore, such decayed fruit — is introduced into the human stomach, these — egos, being excessively minute, will doubtless many of them pass uninjured into the body; and if that body happens to bein a diseased and. unhealthy state, they will probably hatch out and develop into a whole generation of larvae. In ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, per- haps, these intestinal larvee will be voided with- out being noticed by any one; and the functional disturbance which they have caused will be attributed to cholera morbus, or summer com- Pee -~ plaint, or some other one of those numerous ailments which are especially prevalent in the summer season. And it will be only in the hundredth case, that attention will be called to their existence among the fwces; and even then probably not a hundredth’ part of such cases will be recorded in printed books, because most persons will be apt to confound together those lary which habitually live in decaying vegeta- ble matter, and the ordinary Intestinal Worms (E£ntozoa), the native home of which is in the body of some animal or other. Taking every- thing into consideration, we doubt whether, out of ten thousand cases, where the larvie of Two- winged Flies have existed in considerable num- bers in the human intestines, more than one single case has been recorded in print for the edification of the world by competent entomo- logical authority. And if this be a correct esti- mate, we may see at once how fearfully common such lary must be in the bowels of that most patient of all military heroes—General Public. Mora..—Avoid eating decayed fruit, espe- cially if you are in poor health, and from fruit which is only partially decayed pare away care- fully the unsound parts before you introduce the sounder portions into your stomach. Every entomologist knows what a pleasing pursuit it is to breed insects through all their stages in appropriate vessels; but to breed them in one’s own body is rather too much of a good thing. ————0.— PLANT-LICE AND THEIR ENEMIES. Early in September I found my Chrysanthe- mums badly infested with black plant-lice— the species most often attacking the Composite family of plants—and a few moments’ observa- tion convinced me that this would be a grand opportunity to capture and study the various insects that visited them; and [I concluded to sacrifice the plants, if need be, to this excellent opportunity of studying insects so close at the door. So, every pleasant day found me at my post, equipped with a low foot-stool for a seat, a good lens, and several glass tumblers in which to make my captures. In a few days I had taken over thirty distinct species of Jchnewmons, among which were rare ones that would delight the heart of an Ento- mologist to see. Some of these /chnewmons were attracted merely by the sweets given out by the plant-lice, which they eject through two honey-tubes near the extremity of the body. Sometimes there will be quite a little shower of this honey scattered upon the leaves below, as I have frequently felt it falling upon my hand. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 141 Various insects are attracted by this honey, which they lick off from the stems and leaves; while others, such as the Syrphus-flies, come for the purpose of depositing their eggs along the infested stems, which eges are soon hatched into larve that feed upon the plant-lice; and still others come for the purpose of depositing their eggs in these Syrphus-fly larve. There were several species of these gaily- dressed Syrphus-flies very busy about the plants; and I soon found that they were not attracted by the sweets like some of the other two-winged flies, neither were they preying upon their neighbors, like some other tribes that visited here, but they were depositing their eggs along the stems infested with the plant- lice. And I resolved to experiment with these different species. So, cutting several stems of Chrysanthemums, that were nearly covered with the black lice, I placed them in a small glass jar of water for keeping fresh, and coy- ered the whole with a large oval glass. I then caught several of the flies and introduced them under the glass, where they blindly knocked their heads against the glass in the hopeless en- deavor toescape. But finding all such attempts fruitless, they were at length resigned to their fate, and quietly settled down and began to examine the plants, and deposit their eggs among the plant-lice. The eggs hatched in a day or two into very minute whitish-looking, footless grubs; and here in the midst of their food, all the grubs had to do was to seize each a plant-louse, larger than itself, and, sucking out its juices, drop its lifeless body. These Syrphus larvee grew rapidly, and soon changed toa dark color, although I could not see that they changed their skins. Dark lines ran along the back, and the body was variously mottled with sober brown, very unlike their brilliantly attired parents. When fully grown some of the larger species were an inch or more in leneth, and at this stage of their lives, very quickly would they clear a stem of plant-lice. Eating was the grand business of their lives; almost too lazy to move along after their food, they would stretch them- selves to an incredible length in trying to reach a plant-louse, rather than take a step in advance. After one had seized its victim, it elevated its head perpendicularly, holding the plant-louse up in the air until its juices were extracted, and then with a sudden jerk throwing its lifeless body down. When they were ready to assume the pupa form they ceased eating, and became quite uneasy, and I found they could crawl quite 142 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. rapidly. Down the stems and jar they would come, and wander about over the paper on which the jar stood. I then consulted the books, and found that. ‘‘ the insect attaches itself by a glutinous secretion to the leaves and stems of plants; its body then contracts and hardens, and the insect assumes the pupa state within the larva skin.” So Ireturned them to the plants; I wished them to be scientific larvee, and did n’t the books say they assumed the pupa state on the leaves and stems? But it was of no use, as _ fast as [returned them, down they would come. They were determined not to be scientific. So I gave them a little box of earth into which they immediately disappeared, where they as- sumed the pupa state; and in about a week thereafter, the perfect insects—-the beautiful Syrphus-flies—made their appearance.* [* The great bulk of the Syrphus larva with which we are acquainted fasten themselves to the leaves and stems of pleats, before contracting to pup, but some haye long been known to transformin the ground. According to Westwood, the pupa of Cheilosia ruficornis has been found at the root of a tree by Fallen, while the Root-louse Syrphus-fly (Pipiza radicum W.& R., see A. BE. Vol. 1, p. 83) not only trans- forms under ground, but lives there in the larva state. In aw recent letter, touching on this subject, Dr. Wm _ Le Baron, of Geneva, llls., says: “Lhe pupw of S. ribesit have been found under stones, and Mr. Say discovered the pup of his S. concava attached by their ventral surface to rails From this it would seem that those laryze which live upon leayes desert these unreliable organs when about to pupate, and attach themselves to more permanent objects. Zetterstedt found the pup of Aphritis, Latr. (Mficrodon, Meig.) both under the bark of a tree and also attached to the stems of grass The larvee of Milesia, Criorhina and NXylota ave found inrotten wood, and probably they pupate in the same, or inthe ground beneath. The same remark may be made of the genera Syritta and Rhingia, whose lary inhabit the dung of horses and cows. The lary of Eristalis and Helophilus axe aquatic, and their larvze are known to burrow in the ground, in order to undergo their transformations.’? At our request Mrs. Treat has sent us some of the bred flies which are mentioned ‘in this article, and among them are three species of the genus Synphus and one of Helophilus. he latter is the H. latifrons [Fig. 04 ] of Loew. (Fig. 94.) Of the three Syrphus fies two are undetermined in our cabinet and the other one we illustrate herewith (Fig. 95.) Itisa quite common species, and we take it to.be the Philadelphia Syrphus- fly (Scava [Syrphus] philadelphicus, Macq.); but as there are at least three deseried N. A. species which bear avery close resemblance to each other, we forwarded a specimen to (Fig. 95.] Color—Black and yellow Dr. le Baron for his opinion, and here subjoin his reply: ‘‘This is a common species, and seems to be the American representative of the equally common Sceva ribesti of Hu- rope. The term Sceva is discarded ~ by the German and French ento- mologists, being merged in the older genus Syrphus. The Swedish and > ~| English entomologists, however, ee retain it. ‘The principal distinc- Color—Black and yellow. _ tions seem to be as follows: In Syrphus the abdomen is broader, being more oval than elliptical; the seta is some- times plumose, but never soin Sceva; in Syrphus the epis- toma descends more decidedly below the eyes; but the most conspicuous character is the painting of the abdomen, which in Sceva always consists of transverse yellowish bands, _ rarely interrupted in the middle, whilst in Syrphus it is either whol! re wanting or reduced to a few triangular spots. Ifwe conside: dently come into the genus Sceva. ‘This species comes very near Philadelphicus, but in those points in which Macquart distinguishes his Philadelphicus from the ribesit of Kurope, it " iS curious that our species actually resembles the latter, viz., in. the brown upper margin of the antennx (which, in Phila- dem hicus, ickish ies als 3, are wholly fulvwus), and in the presence of a Spot just above the base of the antennw: Our spe- 0: ames near, the S. concava of Say, but the antennie x the genera distinct, the present species will evi- | In two or three instances the rightful tenant did not come forth from the Syrphus pupa; but an entirely different four-winged, sprightly busy-body had killed the owner and taken pos- session of its house. for I had caught the busy Jchnewmon in the act of depositing her eggs in Syrphus larvee while the latter were engaged in feeding upon the plant-lice. 4 There is another enemy of the plant-lice, a minute Zchnewmon [doubtless some species of Aphidius—Ep.] which causes greater conster- nation among them than all of their other foes. The Syrphus picked his victim off so quietly that it never seemed to dream that danger was near, until it was kicking on the end of his pro- boseis. But this very tiny Zchnewmon, even smaller than its victim, would seta whole colony of plant-lice on astem in commotion. Bringing my lens to bear upon such a stem, I invariably found the author of the mischief perched upon the back of an unlucky plant-louse, which was vainly endeavoring to dislodge her by kicking and throwing back its antenne. But she was usually too firmly seated to be unhorsed, and patiently waited until quiet was restored, when This was all plain to me, she would introduce her ovipositor in the back ~ of the plant-louse and leave an egg to hatch into a tiny larva which should finally eat into the vitals, causing a slow and lingering death. After the TIchneumon had. deposited her egg, she quietly dismounted and proceeded to another plant- louse, which would in the same manner become restive, and again the alarm would be commu- nicated to all on the stem. They would hold on to the stem by their beaks, and kick, and in that species are described as pale testaceous I should remark here that I have in my possession only Macquart’s and Say’s and Wiedemann’s descriptions, Mr. Walker has described about twenty N. A. species, but the works which contain them, I believe, are not very easily accessible.”’ In July, 1867, we bred this fly from lary which were feeding on 2 large red plant-louse (Aphis rudbeckie, Fitch) which congregates in immense numbers, head downwards, on the stalks of the Goldenrod. When full Erown this Syr-— phus Javva measures 0.30 inch; the general color is pale- yellow, inclining 10 sulphur-yellow, and it is variegated on (Fig. 96.3 and brick-red, as in Figure 96, b. These larve contracted to pup upon the stems of the plant, and upon the sides of the vessel in which they were con- fined, We also know that the pupates sometimes upon stems, and Curtis (Farm Insects, p. ti, Linn., 1 : stem. ‘Thus it results (since this same species was also bred by Mrs. Treat from pup that form under ground) that the same species sometimes pupates above, and at other times below ground. Muy it not be, that those lary hatched during the summer months and which are destined to pro- duce flies soon after they become full grown, invariably transform on the plants where they reside; while those which are hatched later in the season, and which may have to puss the winter in the pupa state, prefer to enter the ground to transtorm?—ED.] Colors—(@and b) Sulphur-yellow, black, and brick-red. the back with black, brown, 80) figures the pupal of S. pyras- ikewise upon a, — closely allied Syrphus ribesti — sa 143 strike out in all directions; and this would set the ants—their attendants and protectors—hunt- ing around, to find the cause of the alarm, but they never seemed to recognize the true author of the mischief. Two ants meeting upon such an occasion would put their heads together and seem to consult for a m t, and then proceed to drive off all the harmless flies and wasps that were attracted by the sweets alone. Terrible was the fate of an unlucky Syrphus larva that happened in the way of an ant at such a time; the ant would take it in its mouth, and shake it as a dog will shake a wood-chuck. Several times I have attempted to rescue such a larva, but found it had always received its death wound and died shortly after. VINELAND, N. J. Mrs. Mary TREAT. [We gladly publish the above from Mrs. Treat, and hope her good example will be followed by other of our lady readers. It is really a wonder to us why the ladies do not more generally in- terest themselves in the pleasant and fascinating study of Entomology! There should be more Madame Merians. Original observations are always valuable, especially if accompanied by specimens of the insects spoken of.—Ep.] —— a _o—— ————— THE APPLE-TREE TEN'-CATERPILIAR. BY WM. LE BARON, M.D., OF GENEVA, ILLS. Colors—(a & b) b!ack, white, blueand rufous; (c) yellowish-gray ; (d) yellow- More than two dozen different species of insects are now known to infest and damage the Apple tree. Some subsist upon the root; some burrow into the trunk; some infest the bark; some select the opening buds; some de- vour the expanded foliage, and others, finally, revel upon the fruit. Thus beset by enemies on every side, it would seem that that most valuable of fruit trees, the good old Apple tree, must ere long succumb, and cease to occupy its place in the family of plants. And this it would undoubtedly do if all these enemies were per- mitted to go on unchecked in their operations. But owing to the incessant antagonism of par- asitic foes, and insectivorous birds, and human ingenuity, the ravages of these insects are kept within bounds, and the apple trev still lives. Of these numerous enemies of the Apple tree, five hold a bad pre-eminence, namely, the Round- headed Borer (Saperda bivittata), the Oyster- shell Bark-louse (Aspidiotus conchiformis), the Canker-worm (Anisopteryx vernata), the Tent Caterpillar (Clisiocampa Americana), and the Apple-worm (Carpocapsa pomonelia). Of these the most conspicuous, and, in some seasons and localities, the most destructive, is the insect generally known as the Tent, Caterpillar (Fig. 97, a and db), being the larva of a brick-colored moth (Fig. 98), known popularly as the Amer- ican Lackey moth. This insect is a native of the more northern Atlantic States, and has been introduced into the West in the egg state, at- tached to the twigs of young trees. Though the crab-apple tree, upon which this insect readily feeds, grows wild at the West, yet the caterpillar is not found upon it except in the neighborhood of cultivated trees. The eggs from which these caterpillars pro- ceed (Fig. 97, c) are deposited by the parent insect in the latter part of June or the beginning of July, upon the smaller twigs, in oblong rings, each of which contains about two hundred and fifty eggs. These eggs are little thimble-shaped bodies, about one-twentieth of an inch in length. The young caterpillar, whilst in the egg, is bent double, the fold of the body being at the smaller end. The same degree of warmth which ex- pands the buds of the apple tree, also hatches the eggs, so that the young caterpillars are born in the midst of abundance. It sometimes hap- pens, however, especially in the cold and wet springs of New England, that the growth of the leaves is arrested by an unfavorable change in the weather, after the young caterpillars, are hatched. To meet this emergency, these little insects are endowed with the power of sustain- ing hunger for a considerable time. When wholly deprived of food they will live from ten to twelve days. This species belongs to the tribe 144 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. of Tent-making Caterpillars, and during the first two or three days of their existence they commence constructing a shelter for themselves by extending sheets of web across the nearest fork in the twig upon which they were hatched. As they increase in size they construct addi- tional layers over those previously made, at- taching them to the neighboring twigs, and leaving space enough between them for the caterpillars to pass. The shape of the tent is necessarily very irregular, depending upon the situation of the branches upon which it is con- structed. The holes through which the cater- pillars enter are situated near the extremities or angles of the nest. This nest when completed is about eight or ten inches in diameter. The caterpillars retreat into it at night and in stormy weather, and at other times when they are not feeding. The silken threads of which the web is composed are drawn from the body of the insect through a minute aperture situ- ated behind the mouth, which is the outlet of two convoluted tubes, into which the ductile matter is secreted from which the silk is made. When going out to feed, the caterpillars always travel upon the upper side of the branches, and each one leaves a thread of sillk behind it, which probably serves as a clue to direct it back to the nest. The silken trails thus formed are at first scarecly noticeable, but become very obvious after a branch has been traveled upon for a considerable time. Thus the caterpillar not only lives in a silken house, but covers its roads - with a silken carpet. Like other larve, they shed their skins four times before arriving at maturity. When fully grown they are about one inch and three-quarters in Jength; but as they are widely known and easily recognized, I shall not here occupy space by describing them. The eyes of this caterpiller have the appear- ance of very minute black points, being ten in number, five on each side of the head. Their position is best seen by holding the cast-off skin of a caterpillar towards the light, and examin- ing it through a magnifying glass. Without claiming mathematical exactness, it may be stated that four of them are situated in a curved line, forming half a circle, of which cirele the fifth occupies the centre. Owing to the extreme minuteness of the eyes of caterpillars in general, they were formerly overlooked, and these in- sects were supposed to be blind. That they pos- sess the sense of seeing, however, and that, too, at a considerable distance, seems to be proved by the following experiments. Ifa nest of these caterpillars be taken from a tree and placed upon the ground several feet from it, they will return to it in a direct line. In another experi- ment a handful of caterpillars was placed in some tall grass between two trees, but nearer to one than the other. They first crept up the stems of the grass, as if for the purpose of taking an observation, and then took up their march for the nearest tree. The leaves of the Apple tree constitute the food of by far the greater number of this kind of caterpillar. Nests are, however, occasion- ally seen on the other common fruit trees, the Peach, Pear, Plum, and Cherry, particularly the Wild Cherry. When deprived of other food they will also eat the leaves of the Rose bush. The active period of this caterpillar, that is, the time from their hatching to their changing into chysalids, is from five to six weeks, and - when we consider their voracious appetites and that there are about two hundred and fifty individuals in each nest, we can easily form an idea of the extent of their ravages. Where there happen to be several nests on one tree, or where the tree itself is small, they often strip it of every vestige of foliage; and in neglecterl localities, whole orchards are sometimes seen as bare of foliage on the first of June as in mid-winter. It is at about this date that the caterpillars cease their ravages, and the trees subsequently make an effort to recover, and do actually throw out a new set of leaves, but their fruitfulness for the season is destroyed, and the tree itself must have received a severe shock to its constitution. After five or six weeks of voracious feeding, the caterpillars arrive at maturity, and then leave the trees, and are to be seen crawling in all directions upon the neighboring fences or other objects, in search of some suitable place in which to undergo their transformation into pups. They usually select some crevice or angle where they can get an attachment for their cocoons in two directions. Their favorite place is in the angle formed by the projection of the cap-board of fences or posts. In these positions they sometimes congregate so as to lie one upon another. When about to construct its cocoon, the insect attaches itself by its hinder- most feet, so as to leave the anterior part of its body free for motion; then extending its body, it draws some disconnected lines across from one side of the angle to the other, to serve as outlines or stays. Then, working down nearer home, it draws its lines more densely so that near its body they constitute a pretty close texture, like a piece of loosely woven cloth, through which, however, the insect can be seen. - ~ owner 145 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. When the web is finished, the insect emits a yellow fluid with which it besmears the inside of the cocoon, and thus effectually conceals itself from view. (See Fig.97,d). This species remains in the chrysalis state about twenty days. Some kinds of moths pass all the fall, winter and spring months, that is, three-quarters of the year, in this state. Some of these are enclosed in cocoons of such dense texture that the inner surface resembles glazed parchment, and would seem to be almost impervious to the atmosphere. This has given rise to the ques- _ tion whether insects in the pupa state cannot live without air, as well as without food. Some experiments performed with the chrysa- lids of the Tent Caterpillar go to disprove this notion. A number of cocoons were moistened with oil so as to exclude the air; in every in- stance the enclosed pupa perished without com- pleting its transformation. The nicety and compactness with which the parts of an insect are folded up in its pupal envelope is, indeed, wonderful. No effort of human ingenuity could replace it there, after it has once emerged. Goldsmith, in his entertaining but fanciful work upon Animated Nature, asserts that insects of this kind, when they have emerged from the pupal covering, expand their wings so rapidly that the eye can scarcely attend their unfolding. This is very improbable, in any case, and in the species now before us, as I have often witnessed, the expansion of the wings is very slow and gradual, and yet steadily progressive, so that the time’ occtypied in the operation does not usually exceed fifteen minutes. [Fig. 98.] Color—Pale brick-red. The American Lackey moth, when fully de- veloped, measures about one inch and a half from tip to tip of the expanded wings. It is usually of a pale brick color, but individuals are occasionally seen much darker, or of an ashy- brown color. Across the fore wings are two straight, oblique whitish lines. The antenns are moderately pectinate, or feather-like, in the male, and very slightly so in the female. The hollow tongue, or sucker, through which insects of this order imbibe their nutriment. is wholly wanting in this species, as, indeed, it is gener- ally in the particular group to which it belongs. Of course they take no food, and live but a short time. A number of these moths which were put into a box immediately after they had come from their cocoons, were alive on the third day, but were all dead on the fourth. Their short lives have but one object—the pairing of the sexes and the deposition of the egzs by the female, for a future generation. The following experiment illustrates some of their habits: Three female moths were enclosed in a glass vessel. They were quiet during the day, but became very restless as night approached, show- ing that like the moths in general, they are nocturnal in their habits. On the third day a twig of apple tree was introduced into the vessel. The moths immediately ran up upon it, and put themselves in position for laying their eggs. This was accomplished in the following manner. Placing herself transversely upon the side of the twig, she curved her abdomen under the twig and extended it up the opposite side as far as she could reach, and commenced de- positing her eggs, one after another, gradually withdrawing the abdomen till she had laid a row of eggs across the underside of the twig. She then, in the same manuer, deposited another row, parallel to and in contact with the first, Owing to their unnatural situation, or the ab- sence of the opposite sex, or to some unknown cause, these moths in confinement succeeded in laying but two or three rows of egos, whilst in a stute of nature they lay from fifteen to twenty rows, containing in all an average of about two hundred and fifty eggs. They subsequently cover the eggs with a coating of brown varnish which effectually protects them from the vicis- situdes of the weather. In no case, however warm or protracted the autumn may be, do these eggs ever hatch till the following spring. So that the Tent Caterpillar, unlike many of our noxious insects, never has but one brood in the season. Jlow is it that these little germs of being remain insensible to the heats of July, August and September, and yet burst into vitality at almost the first touch of spring? We know that if the young caterpillars came out in the fall, they would perish from inability to eat the tough autumnal foliage. But what natural law can we conceive of, that exercises such a discretionary power? Again, by what subtle and inscrutable instinct does the parent insect select those trees which are suitable for the deposition of her eggs, whatever may be their size, shape, or situation? How does this poor insect, of three days’ dura- tion, know that her future progeny can thrive upon the foliage of the Apple and the Cherry, whilst it would perish upon that of the Oak or 146 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. the Ash? The actions of the higher animals seem to be governed by a motive power very similar to reason, and differing from it perhaps only in degree, whilst the instinct of insects often lies wholly beyond its domain; and, there- fore, its nature will probably forever elude the grasp of the human understanding. Insects, with respect to their social habits, are divisible into two classes: the gregarious, which live together in communities, and the solitary, which seek their subsistence independ- ently, eaeh one for itself. This distinction is of vast importance in its relation to the destructi- bility of the noxious species. This practical point may be illustrated by the habits of the present species at different periods of the day. At one time a brood of well grown caterpillars will be seen scattered over every part of a tree, and the attempt to capture and destroy them would be a hopeless task. But wait an hour or two, and all these insects will return and congregate in a tent eight or ten inches in diameter, when they can be removed by a single grasp of the hand.— The solitary or separate feeding insects are generally beyond our con- trol, but there is no excuse for permitting our trees to be damaged by the gregarious species, of which the Tent Caterpillar is an example. A few of these insects may be found and de- stroyed in the moth and chrysalis state. A much larger number can be detected and de- stroyed in the egg state, especially on small or nursery trees; but they for the most part escape our sight on large trees, owing to their small- ness and to the fact that the varnish which covers them is almost precisely the color of the bark of the tree. But the tents of the cater- pillars, when a week or more old, are very conspicuous objects, and are easily discovered and destroyed, either by crushing them under the foot or throwing them into the fire. When too high on the tree to be reached by hand, they can be captured by thrusting a stick into their nests, and turning it round and round, so as to entangle the web and the caterpillars together. This caterpillar, like others, is subject to the depredations of parasitic insects, but their num- ber and names have not yet been determined. The insectivorous birds generally reject the hairy caterpillars, and therefore we get but little help from them in the extermination of the present species. The Baltimore Oriole, or Golden Robin, is sometimes seen pecking at their nests, but they do not make of them a common article of diet. The only birds that I know which devour them greedily are the American Cuckoos (Coccyzus Americanus and erythroph- thalmus). Mr. Nutall, the ornithologist, speak- ing of the former species, says he has known them to make their chief diet, both for them- selves and their young, of the Tent Caterpillar. But these birds are not numerous enough to effect. much in checking the spread of this pre- valent insect. Fortunately, however, owing to the gregarious habits of these caterpillars, we have it in our power to protect ourselves from their ravages, by the payment of a small install- ment of that eternal vigilance which is the price of the husbandman’s success. sao APPLE TREE BORERS. BY JOHN FP. WIELANDY, JEFFERSON CITY, MO. In Central Missouri the Flat-headed Apple- tree Borer, (Chrysobothris femorata, Fabr.) seems in many localities to be more common, and consequently more destructive, than its congener, the Round-headed Borer, and in most of the orchards [ have had occasion to examine, scarcely ten trees out of every hundred can be said to have escaped its ravages altogether. I have, last sammer, devoted a considerable share of my leisure time to an investigation of the habits of these mischievous insects, and my researches have resulted in satisfying me that a little care and attention are all that is necessary to guard trees effectually from the ravages of these borers. In my own orchard, containing several hun- dred remarkably thrifty young three and four- year-old trees, at least one-half were attacked last summer—not less than twenty eggs, per- haps, being deposited on one tree, in some instances—but, by a liberal use of soap, aided by an occasional application of the knife, used before the Jarvz were old enough to commit any material damage, I have succeeded in eradicating them so completely that not one single Chrysobothris is left in my orchard to tell ‘ so Tue “Praca Grup Man.”—L. E. K., of St. Joseph, Michigan, says of the ‘‘ Peach grub ~ man:” ‘He has been around here selling a pri- yate plan for keeping grubs out of peach trees, which seems nothing more nor less than banking up the earth around the collar of the tree ten or — twelve inches high in June and leaving it there until freezing weather in the fall. Yet simple as it may appear, it would seem by his sub- scription list that he has carried off a consider-_ able amount of money from these parts. The dose was administered at various prices, varying from eight to twenty dollars, according to the’ number of trees owned by the victim, The same plan has long been in use, I believe, by — some of our good cultivators. Now, it strikes me that it is bad enough to have our trees in- jured by the grubs themselves without having them attacked by a human vampire, who has. filched the experience of others and then bar- tered it as his own for gold or greenbacks.” L. E. K. evidently takes the papers, and is not to” be caught! THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 149 GAPES IN FOWLS. (Sclerostoma [Strongylus] syngamus.) BY N. H. PAAREN, V. 8S. [Big..99.]° Dr. Wiesenthal, Professor of Anatomy at Baltimore, U. S., writing in 1797, says: “There is a disease prevalent among the gallinaceous poultry in this country called the Gapes, which destroys eight-tenths of our fowls in many parts, and is most prevalent among young turkeys and chickens bred upon established farms. Chicks and poults, in a few days after they are hatched, are frequently found to open wide their mouths and gasp for breath, at the same time sneezing, and attempting to swallow. tion is slight, but gradually be- comes more and more oppres- sive, and ultimately destroys. Very few recover; they lan- guish, grow dispirited, droop, and die. It is generally known these symptoms are occasioned by worms in the trachea. I have seen the whole windpipe com- pletely filled with these worms, and have been astonished at the fowl’s being capable of respira- tionunder such circumstances.” What Dr. Wiesenthal wrote Color—Blood-red. last century applies well to Gapes as prevailing in different parts of this country at the present time. Pheasants and partridges are also liable to the disease, Dr. Spencer Cobbold says: “This parasite has been found and recorded as occurring in the trachea of the following birds, namely, the turkey, domestic cock, pheasant, partridge, common duck, lapwing, black stork, magpie, hooded crow, green woodpecker, star- ling, and swift. I do not doubt that this list might be very much extended if our British ornithologists would favor us with their expe- rience in the matter. Hitherto I have been sur- prised to find how few of those to whom I have mentioned the subject appear to be acquainted either with the nature of the parasite, or with the various methods to be adopted in curing the isease to which its presence in the winudpipe gives rise.” In the calf, the parasites are found in large numbers in the trachea, or partially developed in the substance of the lungs. It is the Slrongy- lus micrurus which is found in the calf, and occasionally in the horse and ass. In lambs * We are indebted, for this illustration, to Prof, Jos. Leidy, of Philadelphia, who has had the kindness to have it copied, after Siebold, trom Archiv. f. Naturgeschichte, 1836, plate Ill, where it is called Syngamus trachealis, The tigure is highly magnified, and the Jarge portion represents the female, and the smaller arm the attached male —KEp. At first the affec- and kids, the parasite is termed Strongylus jila- ria; and in the pig, Strongylus contortus. In Gapes, the parasite is Sclerostoma (Strongylus) syngamus occupying the trachea and bronchial tubes of fowls. We find, on examining the lungs of sheep at the slaughter-house, that almost all, in the first year of their lives, have indications of deposits in the lungs—at one time supposed to be tuber- cular, but which we now know is due to para- sitic productions. Strongyli are not easily killed. Ercolani has found them living thirty days after exposure to air. They were dried up, but being moistened with water, moved and gave other signs of life. The freed eggs, at the time of their maturity, contain ciliated embryo capable of active pro- eression. The prolonged action of moisture~ from without, aided by vigorous movements of the perfected embryo within, serves to loosen the end of the egg-shell, by the opening of which the animal is set free. Dr. Spencer Cobbold has recommended the following course to be adopted in this disease of birds: “Wirst. When the worm has taken up its abode in the trachea of fowls and other domestic birds, the simplest plan consists, as Dr. Wiesen- thal long ago pointed out, in stripping a feather from the tube to near the narrow end of the shaft, leaving only a few uninjured webs at the tip. The bird being secured, the web extremity of the feather is introduced into the windpipe. It is then twisted round a few times and with- drawn, when it will usually happen that several of the worms are found attached. In some in- stances this plan entirely succeeds. But it is not altogether satisfactory, as it occasionally fails to dislodge all the occupauts. “Secondly. The above method is rendered more effectual when the feather is previously steeped in some medicated solution which will destroy the worms. Mr. Bartlett, superinten- dent of the Zoological Society’s Gardens, em- ploys for this purpose salt, or a weak intusion of tobacco; and he informs us that the simple application of turpentine to the throat externally is sufficient to kill the worms. To this plan, however, there is the objection that, unless much care be taken, the bird itself may be injuriously affected by the drugs employed. “Thirdly. The mode of treatment recom- mended by Mr. Montagu appears worthy of mention, as it proved successful in his hands, although the infested birds were old partridges. One of his birds had died from suffocation; but he tells us that ‘ change of food and change of place, together with the infusion of rue and garlic instead of plain water to drink, and chiefly hempseed, independently of green vegetables which the grass-plot of the managerie afforded, recovered the others in a very short time.’ “Fourthly. The plan I have here adopted, by way of experiment, of opening the trachea and removing the worms at once. This method is 150 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. evidently only necessary when the disease has advanced so far that immediate suffocation be- comes inevitable; or it may be resorted to when other methods have failed. In the most far-gone cases, instant relief will follow this operation, since the trachea may with certainty be cleared of all obstructions. “Lastly. The most essential thing to be ob- served, in view of putting a check upon the future prevalence of the disease, is the total destruction of the parasites after their removal—a precau- tion, however, which cannot be adopted, if Mr. Montagu’s mode of treatment is followed. If the worm be merely killed and thrown away (say upon the ground), it is scarcely likely that the mature eges will have sustained any injury. Decomposition having set in, the young embryos will sooner or later escape from their shells, migrate in the soil or elsewhere, and ultimately find their way into the air-passages of certain birds in the same manner as their parents did before them.” I will in a few words give the results of my own observations. I have had, at different times, the disease amongst my own hens. Doc- toring them according to books has invariably failed with me. I concluded to experiment, even at the risk of a few, and succeeded with the last two I had suffering with the disease. One of these had the windpipe completely filled up, and was about suffocating. The only remedy with which I cess, is the carbolic acid, which= very serviceablg, bg®h as a preve pretty sure remedy, even in far following is my mode of treat Dissolve one grain of pure cr: acid in ten drops of-alcohol,/and add half a drachm of vinegar. Strip a swfall quill feather till within half an inch of the narrow end of the shaft. Secure the feathered patient, moisten the feather in the solution, and introduce it into the windpipe, turning it round once or twice, and then remove it. It will dislodge the worms, and bring back many of them adhering with slime on to it. Great dexterity is required, and some little knowledge of the anatomy of the parts: a slow, unskillful operator may kill the already half-suffocated bird, instead of curing it. Next I put the bird in a coop, with some shavings dipped in a solution of the carbolic acid (half an ounce of the crystalline acid, well mixed with one quart of water). Food and water is given in small tin boxes placed conve- nient to the bird. Administer flour of sulphur, with a little ginger, in poultaceous food, com- posed of barley-meal and coarse corn-meal. In the drinking water placed before the bird, should be mixed a few drops of the last-mentioned solution. The mouth and beak should be washed morning and evening with some of the solution. ve had suc- have found ive, and as a ecases. The (hg alline carbolic The shavings should be removed mornings, or be sprinkled well with the solution morning and evening. If at all curable, the bird will be free from the disease within three days. The bird should be kept in a dry, warm place, apart from the rest of the fowls. As a PREVENTIVE I feed young chicks twice a week with wheat, steeped in a solution of carbolic acid (the solution to be in the propor- tion of one teaspoonful of my above-mentioned solution to one pint of water). All wood and coal ashes from the house, is thrown into the nest-house, and on the floor of the roosting- house—having both houses separate. The roost- ing house is thoroughly cleansed every Satur- day, and some of the solution of carbolic acid sprinkled on the floor and roosts once every month. The disinfecting and deodorizing pro- perties of the carbolic acid, render it alike valuable as a preventive of contagion, and as a destroyer of vermin. : P. S.—As the carbolic acid is sparingly solu- ble in water, the solution recommended should — always be shaken before used. __ a _ INSECTSINJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE.—No. 6, The Blne Caterpillars Of the Vine, Besides the-Jarge Sphinx caterpillars, de- scribed and figured in previous numbers, every grape-grower must have observed certain so- called ‘‘ Blue Caterpillars,” which, though far from being uncommon, are yet very rarely suf- ficiently numerous to cause alarm, though in some few cases they have been known to strip certain vines. There are three distinct species of these blue caterpillars, which bear a suffi- ciently close resemblance to one another, to cause them to be easily confounded. The first and by far the most common in the West, is the larva of THe EIGHT-sporrep Forrster—- (Alypia [Fig. 100.] a- Colors—(a) black, white and orange; (c) black, white,. orange and yellow. octomaculata, Fabr.)—This larva (Fig. 100, a) me . , gov THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 151 may often be found in the latitude of St. Louis as early as the beginning of May, and more abundantly in June, while scattering individuals (probably of a second brood) are even met with, but half-grown, in the month of September. The young larve are whitish with brown trans- verse lines, the colors not contrasting so strongly as in the full-grown specimens, though the black spots are more conspicuous. They feed beneath the leaves and can let themselves down by a web. . The full-grown larva often conceals itself within a folded leaf. It is of the form of our figure, and is marked transversely with white and black lines, each segment having about ‘eight light and eight dark ones. The bluish appearance of this caterpillar is owing to an optical phenomenon from the contrast of these white and black stripes. The head and the shield on the first segment are of a shiny bright deep orange color, marked with black dots, and there is a prominent transverse orange- red band, faint on segments 2 and 3, conspicu- ous on 4 and 11, and uniform in the middle of each of the other segments. In the middle segments of the body each orange band con- tains eight black elevated spots, each spot giving rise to a white hair. These spots are arranged as in the enlarged section shown in the engraving (Fig. 100, b), namely, four on each side as follows: the upper one on the anterior border of the orange band, the second on its posterior border, the third just above spiracles on its anterior border—each of the three inter- rupting one of the transverse black lines—and the fourth, which is smaller, just behind the spiracles. The venter is black, slightly varie- gated with bluish-white, and with the orange band extending on the legless segments. The legs are black, and the false legs have two black spots on an orange ground, at their outer base; but the characteristic feature, which especially distinguishes it from the other two species, is a lateral white wavy band—obsolete on the thoracic segments, and most conspicuous on 10 and 11—running just below the spiracles, and interrupted by the transverse orange band.* *We quote here Harris’s full description of this larva (Correspondence, p. 286), a8 it agrees With ours, except in giving the number of transverse black lines as 6 on each segment, instead of 8, from the fact that he does not include the two which border the orange band, on account of their being interrupted. We have preferred to consider each segment of this worm as 8-banded, to distinguish it more readily from the other two species, which have respectively only six and four: ‘‘Length, when at rest, one inch and two- tenths, very pale blue, transversely banded with orange on the middle of each segment, the bands dotted with small black points, producing hairs, and surmounted by black lines, and between each of the bands six transverse black lines. A large, irregular, white spot on the side of the tenth and eleventh segments, and a series of smaller white spots on each of the other segments except the first three, Head orange dotted with black. Legs blackish ex- This larva transforms to chrysalis within a very slight cocoon formed without silk, upon, or just below, the surface of the earth, and issues soon after, as a very beautiful moth of a deep blue-black color, with orange shanks, )ellow shoulder-pieces, each of the front wings with two large light yellow spots, and each of the hind wings with two white ones. Our illustra- tion (Fig. 100, ¢) represents the female, and the male differs from her in having the wing spots larger, and in having a conspicuous white mark along the top of his narrower abdomen. We have on one or two occasions known vines to be partly defoliated by this species, but never knew it to be quite so destructive as it is represented in the following communication from Mr. W. V. Andrews, of New York city, which we take from the February (1869) num- ber of the American Naturalist : ‘‘That a man should desire to raise his own Isabellas is laudable and praiseworthy; and I see no reason why such desire should exist exclusively in the breasts of our bucolic friends. The inhabitants of New York, as a general thing, clearly are of the same opinion, as is evidenced by the number of grape-vines orna- menting the doors and trellis-work of the houses of our citizens; not, of course, in the benighted regions of Wall street, but up-town; say from Sixteenth street, northward. A friend of mine residing on Thirty-fourth street, showed me, in March last, a very fine vine, which he calculated would produce him sundry pounds of very choice grapes, and in the pride of his heart he invited me to ‘call along” occasionally, and feast my eyes on the gradual development of the incipient bunches. Thinking that August would be a good month for my visit, I ‘called along,” wondering in my mind whether my friend would, when the time of ripe grapes came, desire me to help myself out of his abundance ; or whether he intended to surprise me with a little basket of nice bunches, garnished with crisp, green leaves. ‘The first glance at the grape-vine banished all doubts on this point. There were an abundance of bunches on the vine, in a rather immature condition, of course, but of foliage there was not a trace. Of course I expressed my surprise, though, for certain ternally. The full-grown have a decidedly bluish tinge, entirely owing, however, to an optical phenomenon from the contrast of the white with the transverse black lines. The head is of a pale dirty orange or rusty yellow, with about eight black dots on each side; a semicircular plate on the top of the first segment and the anal valves are pale orange dotted with black, ‘There is atransyerse series of black dots on the second aid third segments, without an orange band. Each of the other segments is transversely banded with orange and dotted with black; the dots being in two alter- nate rows, and all of them emitting distinct, long, whitish Between each of the bands there are six slender, continuous, black transverse lines. The points are also con- nected by interrupted black lines. Legs at base orange, black externally and at tip, except the anal pair which sre orange, dotted with black. The large white lateral spot is common to the side of the tenth and eleventh segments. ‘The other lateral white spots are situated immediately behind the bands on the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth segments, the anterior spots being largest; and thence they diminish to the ninth, while again the posterior spot is very large and very disiinct ‘The orange bands are inter- rupted on the top of the seventh, eighth and ninth segments.’’ ' hairs. 152 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. reasons, I felt none; and asked my friend why he selected a species of vine for shelter, orna- ment, and use, which produced no foliage. He rebuked my ignorance pretty sharply, and told me that a few weeks before, the tree was coy- ered with leaves; but, for some inexplicable rea- son, they had all disappeared—eaten, he guessed, by something. He guessed right. There were at least a hundred of the larvee of A. octomacu- lata, the rear guard of a mighty host, wander- ing about the branches, apparently for the puar- pose of making sure that no little particle of a leaf was left undevoured. Pretty little things they were, with harmoniously blended colors of black, vellow and blue, but so terribly destruc- tive! I had the curiosity to walk through all the streets to the east of Third avenue, as low as Twenty-third street, and every vine was in the same predicament. If grape leaves, instead of fig leaves, had been in request for making aprons, and one Alypia had been in existence at the time, I doubt if in the whole Garden of Eden enough material would have been found to make a garment of decent size. The destruc- tion of the crop for 1868 was complete. “This was bad. Butit was not half so bad as the helpless ignorance which possessed nearly all of the unfortunate owners of vines. Scarcely one that I conversed with had the remotest idea of the cause of the disaster, and when IJ explained that it was the caterpillar of a beautiful little black moth, with eight whitish yellow spots on its wings, which had eaten_up the foliage, my assertion was received with such a smile of incredulity, as convinced me that there is no use in trying to humbug such very sharp fellows as are the New York grape-growers. “Tt is a little remarkable, however, that the destruction was confined to the eastern part ot the city. I saw several luxuriant vines on the western side; and across the river at Hoboken, and at Hudson City, not a trace of A. octoma- culata was discernible. ‘«The insect, then, is very local in its habits, and it is a day-flyer; and, from these facts, I infer that its ravages may be very materially checked. A little poisoned molasses, exposed in the neighborhood of the vine, would operate on the perfect insect; while a good syringing with soft soap and water, would bring down the caterpillars effectually.” Tne BrautiruL Woop Nymea— (Ludryas grata, Fabr.)—Here is another moth (Fig. 101), . [Pig. 101 ] Colors—Cream, brown and olive-green. surpassing in real beauty, though not in high contrast, the species just descril.cul. The front wings are milk-white, broadly Lordered and marked, as in the figure, with rusty-brown, the band on the outer margin being shaded on the inner side with olive-green, and marked towards the edge with aslender wavy white line: under surface yellow, with two dusky spots near the middle. The hind wings are nankin-yellow, with a deep brown border, which does not -extend to the outer angle, and which also con- tains a wavy white line: under surface yellow, with a single black spot. Surely these two moths are as unlike in general appearance as two moths well can be; and yet their caterpillars bear such a close resemblance to each other, and both feed upon the Grape- vine. The larva of the Beautiful Wood Nymph is, in fact, so very similar to that of the Hight- spotted Forester, that it is entirely unnecessary to figure it. It differs more especially from that species by invariably lacking the white patches along the sides; the hairs arising from the black spots are less conspicuous, while the hump On the eleventh segment is somewhat more prominent. The light parts of the body have really a slight bluish tint, and in specimens which we have found, we have only noticed six transverse black stripes to each segment. This larva, when at rest, depresses the head and raises the third and fourth segments, Sphinx-fashion. It is found on the vines in this latitude as early as May and as late as September, and it devours all portions of the leaf, even to the midrid. It descends to the ground, and, without making any cocoon, transforms to a chrysalis, which is dark colored, rough, with the tip of the abdomen obtusely conical, ending in four tubercles, the pair above, long and truncate, those below broad and short (Packard). Some of them give out the moth the same summer, but most of them pass the winter and do not issue as moths fill the following spring. ! Tur Peart Woop Nympu—(Lud. unio, Hiibner).—This is another pretty little moth, so [Fig. 102.] o CES Colors—(a and b) pale-blue, black and orange. closely allied to, and so much resembling the preceding species, that it is not necessary to produce its picture. It isa smaller species, and differs from the Beautiful Wood Nymph in hay- ing the outer border of the |front wings paler and of a tawny color, with the inner edge wavy — instead of straight; and in that ofthe hind THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 153 wings being less distinct, more double, and extending to the outer angle. The larva is said by Dr. Fitch to so much resem- ble that of the preceding species that ‘‘ we as yet know not whether there are any marks whereby they can be distinguished from each other.” (Report 3, § 124). The moth is more common in the West than its larger ally, and though we have never bred it from the larva, yet we have often met with a worm (Fig. 102, @) which, for various reasons, we.take to be this species. It never grows to be quite so large as the other, and may readily be distinguished by its more decided bluish cast; by having but four light and four dark stripes to each segment (Fig. 102, b); by hav- ing no orange band across the middle segments, and by the spots, with the exception of two on the back placed in the middle light band, being almost obsolete. The head, shield on the first segment, hump on the 11th, and a band on the 12th, are orange, spotted with black, the hump being marked as at Figure 102,c. Venter orange, becoming dusky towards head; feet and legs also orange, with blackish extremities, and with spots on their outside at base. This worm works for the most part in the terminal buds of the vine, drawing the leaves together by a weak silken thread, and canker- ing them. It forms a simple earthen cocoon, or frequently bores into a piece of old wood, and changes to chrysalis, which averages but 0.36 inch in length: this chrysalis is reddish- brown, covered on the back with rows of very minute teeth, with the tip of the abdomen trun- cated, and terminating above in a thick blunt spine each side. From the above accounts, we hope our read- ers will have no difficulty in distinguishing between these three blue caterpillars of the Grape-vine. But, says the practical grape- grower, ‘‘ what does it concern me to know whether the little blue varmints that are defoli- ating my vines, belong to this species or to that? All I wish to know, is how to get rid of them, and as they are all three so nearly alike, the remedy applied to one must be equally effectual with the others.” Gently, dear reader; it may prove of considerable importance that you know which particular species infests your vines! If you live in the West, and find the iarva of the Beautiful Wood Nymph, then you need feel no alarm, while if you live in the East and find that of the Pearl Wood Nympb, you may in like manner put your hands in your pockets and go your way with an easy mind; for neither of these species are likely to become troublesome in those respective sections of the country, since hereto- fore they have always heen quite rare in those parts. Again, the larvee of the two Wood Nymphs have a fondness for boring into old pieces of wood, to transform to the chrysalis state, and Mr. T. B. Ashton, of White Creek, N. Y., found that they would even bore into corn cobs for this purpose in preference to entering the ground, wherever such cobs were accessi- ble.* The Eight-spotted Forester, on the con- trary, has no such habit, and while the only mode of combating it is to pick the larve off and burn them, the Wood Nymphs may be more easily subdued by scattering a few corn- cobs under the vines in the summer—to be raked up and burned in the winter. --~ -—___*e0—__ — SOUTHERN NOTES. BY J. PARISH STELLE, OF TENNESSEE, ENTOMOLOGY IN THE SoutTH.—A person who has never passed a season in the South, can form no correct idea of the vastly increased numbers of insects which we have down here, compared to the numbers existing in the North. I verily believe tbat after crossing the old ‘‘ Mason and Dixon’s line,” each degree of distance south- ward doubles the number of every species, to say nothing of the hundreds of new species peculiar to a warm country, that are brought in by change of climate as one goes down. Why the South has more insects than, the North is a question easily answered. In the North the severity of the winter kills a large per cent. of them, and holds back those which it does not kill to a late start in the spring, while down here where there is, comparatively, no winter, almost every individual lives through, and is ready to propagate its species so soon as the proper season has rolled around. Even as far up as the southern portion of Tennessee, I could go out almost any day in mid-winter and make up guite a respectable cabinet of living insects. This morning (January 15), I took a stroll along the edge of one of our cypress swamps, and saw a goodly number of grass- hoppers and other insects moving merrily about the land, while a passable turn-out of dragon- flies were briskly skimming here and there above. the water. Undoubtedly the heaviest clog to the wheels of culture in the South is noxious insects; yet, and Iam sorry to say it, little or no steps are being taken witha view to making it otherwise. In some localities we occasionally suffer from drouth, and the people living there are now *Fitch’s Rep. 3, p. 82. 154 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. talking earnestly of irrigation; in others, our soil is thin, and there they are making arrange- ments to fertilize; but where is the locality that is taking any special stand towards encouraging a promulgation of entomological knowledge— the very thing, among all others, of which we are really in greatest need? I can form no reasonable hypothesis by which to account for this, unless it be, that since our new life, as it were, began, we have been too closely engaged in meeting our immediate necessities to be able to give proper attention to even our greatest wants. In fact, we can plead nothing else; for the good results that are coming to light in those States encouraging entomological research, though less cursed with noxious insects than our own section, renders it impossible for us to reasonably feign an igno- rance of the benefits to be derived. It is, undoubtedly, a mere question of time with us, and I hope our culturists and others who wish to see our section great, and know the channel through which her greatness must come, will take early steps to make that time as short as possible. Let us have a State Ento- mologist in each Southern State, and thus save to our interests, at a cost too insignificant to merit a mention, millions of dollars every year. A little agitation rightly put in will bring the thing about at no distant day—all required is for the proper persons to take hold of it with a determination to succeed. And I would urge upon every Horticultural Society, and every other club or society of culturists in the whole South, to leave no steps untrodden, in the mean- time, that could tend towards interesting the people in Entomology. Bring up the subject at your meetings—discuss it—read and post yourselves in the intervals of your comings- together, and, above all things, urge your peo- ple to benefit themselves by patronizing some publication devoted to the science. A good work towards checking the ravages of noxious insects may go on in this way before an Ento- mologist is officially in the field. Loox out ror A Bap Buc.—The Harlequin Cabbage-bug (Strachia histrionica, Hahn), re- ferred to on page 79, Vol. IL of this magazine, is moving northward with such rapid strides as to make me think it highly- probable that our friends above the Ohio will form its acquaint- ance in the course of the coming summer. In 1866 it appeared in Texas, and in 1867 we found it in the Carolinas near the coast, and in Geor- gia, Alabama and Mississippi, as far up as Macon, Tuscaloosa, and Columbus. In 1868 its fall brood (it hatches two broods each sea- son) appeared along the northern lines of Mis- sissippi and Alabama. In 1869 both broods hatched along these lines, working wholesale destruction, while its fall brood was noticed in Tennessee, above Humboldt, and almost as high as Nashville. So far, the change of climate does not seem to have affected this insect in the least—it was as numerous and as destructive along the southern line of Tennessee last summer as it had pre- viously been at any point further south. A careful study of its character has warranted me in predicting that it will scarcely stop short of the great lakes. A CuHEar Mosquito Bar.— There is a para- graph now going the rounds of the Southern papers to the effect that oil of pennyroyal scat- tered about a room in small quantities will keep mosquitos out. I know that pennyroyal is offensive to some insects, and never haying tried it on the mosquito, I might feel inclined to think that some other person had, did the paragraph vot go on further to state that “a handful of cucumber parings scattered about the house”’ would exterminate roaches, and that no fly would light on a window previously “washed with water in which a little garlic had been boiled.” It would be hard for one to put much faith in such a “‘roach exterminator ;” nor could he readily believe garlic so very ae agreeable to flies, since personal observation has so often told him that in the cities the best begarlic’d regions are the regions in which they do most delight to congregate. An association of all these things point to the conviction that the writer was no better informed on one branch of his subject than on the others, and that, conse- quently, pennyroyal would stand a fair chance, at least, of being a very unsafe thing to rely on as a mosquito bar. ‘But there is a cheap mosquito bar in vogue among the plantation-hands and boatmen in some parts of the South, which answers every purpose to the letter: it is common coal oil. A small quantity of oil is dropped on a piece of cotton and then squeezed out as dry as possible; after which the cotton is rubbed over the face and hands. No mosquito will alight where the scent has been left. I have tried it and then exposed myself to clouds of them on various occasions without experiencing the slightest annoyance. Thousands of them would hover within an inch of my face, and sing by the hour, but none would dare touch. ; Without having tried it, one would naturally suppose that the ‘smell of the coal oil would be very disagreeable: not so; one never smells it at all in five minutes after it has been applied. THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 155 ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. {We propose to publish from time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents as contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practical importance, We hope our readers will contribute each their several mites towards the gen- eral fund, and in case they are not perfectly certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities of which are to be mentioned, will send specimens along in order that each species may be duly identified.] Cow-kKILLER—Clarksville, Texas, Dec. 25th, 1869.—I never heard any reason given for apply- ing the term Cow-killer to Mutilla coccinea. It is very generally known by that name here, and 1 am under the impression that the male stings as well as the female. I have always been very careful in capturing them. ASH. R. B. [We assure our correspondent that he need take no precaution in capturing the winged or male Mutilla. The sting is a modified oviposi- tor, and is not possessed by any male bees or wasps. If you ever get stung by following our advice, we will come down to Texas, and in the interest of science, allow ourselves to be “blown” by the ‘‘Screw-worm,” and tortured to death by the ‘‘ Buffalo gnat,” so as to ascer- tain what these two insects really are, of which we have heard so much and seen so little. Will not some of our Texan correspondents enlighten the entomological world by giving us a full account of these two insects? We should also like to receive active, living specimens of the Osage-orange worm mentioned on page 186 of our first volume.—EbD. ] V THe Rare Burrerrty—New York, Jan. 24, *70.—In an article written by Chas. S. Minot in the last number of the ENTroMOLOoGIsT, it is stated that a few specimens of the Rape Butterly (P. rape) have been found in New Jersey. In and around Hudson City and West Hoboken they were very abundant last summer, and I venture to predict that next summer will see them more abundant still, and their sphere of action among the cabbages consequently enlarged. In the early part of the season, wishing to obtain a few larve, I asked a German gardener permis- sion to ‘‘interview” his cabbages. He flatly refused on the ground that I should damage them. In two months after that, he had not a cabbage worth—well, say a ‘‘cent.” But there were lots of P. rape flying about, giving his eabbage-garden an appearance similar to that it would have inasmall snowstorm. W.V.A. BuisteER BEETLES ON ComposITE FLowERS— Vineland, N. J.—The enclosed two species of Blister-beetles, did much damage to our Com- posite plants last summer, particularly to the dahlias and asters. The asters in this neigh- borhood were almost completely ruined by them. They would congregate on the flowers in the same way as the Rose-bug does on a rose, and it was only by eternal vigilance that I succeeded in saving any seed from some very fine dwarf asters from Vick’s. [The two species enclosed were the Margined Blister-beetle (Lytta marginata, Fabr.), and the Black Blister-beetle (Lytta atrata, Fabr.— Ep.] Tue HARLEQUIN CABBAGE BUG IN TENNESSEE —Savannah, Nov. 23d, 1869.—I send you one of our new Cabbage Bugs (Strachia histrionica, Hahn, Fig. 56). It made its first appearance in this region late in the summer, and completely swept out all our cabbage. It seems to be work- ing north, as it was at Florence, Ala., fifty miles south of us, last year. dea Ss Tut Pra-wervitc—New Harmony, Indiana, Feb. 1, °70.—The Pea-weevil (Bruchus pisi) might easily be kept down to a moderate num- ber if pea-growers could be moved to adopt a right method. I never plant a pea with a live weevil in it. I keep the peas two years, then, of course, the weevil is dead; and I take care that they do not escape before they die; conse- quently, instead of having a bug in every pea, and eating as many bugs as peas, a large num- ber of the peas are free from them, and are, therefore, pleasanter in idea, if not in taste; and we have some finer seed than we should have if we planted bugs as well as seed. As our neighbors cannot endure to provide seed two years in advance, they all plant bugs, or let their bugs escape; and, consequently, we are supplied with bugs from their gardens; but we do not have them so soon, nor in such numbers, as we should have by the usual plan. I dry the seed-peas until I think they will not mould, and then I put them in bags and hang them up in an airy place, taking care to tie the mouth of the bags close. Then, that they may not become too dry, about Christmas, I put the peas into bottles and cork them, and let them remain until the second spring afterwards. The peas are not in any way injured by being two years old. I have had three-year old peas grow very finely. MARGARET CHAPPELLSMITH. HorizontaL vs. Verticat Comsps— Water- bury, Conn., Feb. 15, ’70.—In the March, 1869, number of the Enromo.oaist, page 141, you say the nests of our social wasps are never built with the cell horizontal like the European spe- cies. August last I found a nest on a small bush built with the cells like you figure. I 156 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. captured the wasp on the nest, which I send for identification. The wasps were quite plenty on blackberries. I never before saw a wasp nest on a bush, but have seen many on fences and under eaves, which were all built with the mouth of the cell down, and, I think, the wasps were larger and different. L have found Humolphus auratus as abundant on Apocynum cannabium, var. glaberrinum, as it is on A. androsemifolium. The Dryocampa imperialis moves its scales in a small place on the back of the thorax, as if they were driven out and in by air from under- neath. W. H. Parron. [Since the article on wasps, referred to by our correspondent, was published, we have met with a small nest of Polistes metricus, Say, which was built in a yertical position, with horizontal cells, the nest being attached laterally by a central pedicel or point. The species sent by our correspondent is the P. fuscatus, Wabr., and we thus have two exceptions to the rule laid down in that article, that the American species of this genus build horizontal nests with verti- cal cells, while the European species build ver- tical nests with horizontal cells. We have never noticed the peculiar motion of the scales on the thorax of Dryocampa imperialis.—Ep.] Seuasnh Bue anp Wuirte Bush ScoLttop— Jefferson City, Mo., Web. 6,’70.—I think you make a mistake in stating that the Squash Bug does not touch the White Bush Scollop Squash (November No., p. 55). I have raised nearly all the varieties of squash for several years, and am sure that both the Squash Bug (Coreus tris- . tés) and the Striped Cucumber Beetle (Diabro- tica vittata) attack all more or less. But here is the difference: Some of the varieties have large, tender, succulent leaves and stems. like the Hubbard, for instance; and if they are planted in near proximity to the harder, tougher varieties, the bugs and beetles will attack the first in preference. That is all. I have never succeeded in raising the Hubbard, Boston Mar- row, Mammoth, or Turban; these the bugs will always take. The following varieties are likely to be slighted and passed by whenever the bugs can.get at the former: Barly Yellow Bush Scolloped, Harly White Scolloped, Early Bush Summer Crook-neck, Fall or Winter Crook- neck, and Yokohama. This latter excellent winter variety, from Japan, has very hard, ‘tough stems and leaves, and usually escapes unscathed. By planting the tender varieties here and there among the others, the bugs will congregate upon them, and can be destroyed more easily, and thus a crop can be secured, as the balance will escape. This is on the same principle of planting nectarines among peach trees to attractthe Curculio. J. F. WImLANDY. Tor MANGOLD-wuRZzEL Fty—New York, Feb. 4,’70.—The Rev. Mr. Haughton describes, in the “Quarterly Journal of Microscopic Science,” the fly whose larva has recently proved des- tructive to Mangold-wurzel. Until last year it seems that the male sex predominated, and con- sequently little harm was done; then, however, the proportions were reversed, the females be- ing estimated as twelve to one, and hence the extent of the injurious work. I find the above in the Notes and Memoranda of the ‘‘Intellectual Observer.” It is to be regretted that a journal devoted to science should make so important a statement in such a slip-shod manner. But assuming that the term ‘‘fly” has reference to some Dipterous insect, is it a fact that the males of that order copulate with more than one female? If not, it is difficult to see how a superabundance of females would lead to an increased abundance of larve. As a general thing, we know that males of most species, at least in Lepidaptera, preponderate. But we also know, that many species are periodically abundant and then again scarce. Now, is it, or is it not, a fact that this periodical abundance is at all due to the abun- dance of females of the previous brood? If so. is it possible to trace the law regulating the relative proportion of the sexes? Js the “‘influ- ence” meteorological? Has the abundance or scarcity of food anything to do with it? W. V. ANDREWS. TIME OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE PROLYPHE- mus Morn 1n LovIsiana anp Kentucky.—Copv- ington, Ky., Feb. 20th, 1870.—It is not very important, perhaps, but for the sake of being “right upon the (entomological) record,” I wish to correct an error as to Polyphemus and Chaicis marie in your last number. I thought I had stated—but perhaps I did not—that the specimens of C. marie were bred from a cocoon of Polyphemus, taken in New Orleans, where L spent last February. Polyphemus is disclosed there in February, but probably not earlier than the last of. May here. Your article conveys the impression that it is disclosed here in February. At New Orleaus it occurs by the million on the live oak, and, I think, cannot be very subject to parasites, as from over fifty cocoons I bred the moth, while only one produced the Long-— tailed Ophion (O. macrurum), and one the Chalcis marie. Here Polyphemus is very rare; more so than Luna. I have found in all my excursions around here only one cocoon of Polyphemus, and that produced nothing. ae V. T. CHAMBERS. [We differ from our correspondent in the opinion that the matter is not very important. It is of the utmost importance, and we thank him for making the correction.—Eb.] <= 157 : COMPLIMENTARY, We have good cause to be gratified at the many complimentary notices which our little Journal receives, and though, as before stated, it is of course exceedingly distressing to our modesty to dwell upon such subjects, yet we cannot refrain from laying before our readers the two following items which indicate the opinions of those who are thoroughly competent to judge: [From Dr. Warder’s Address at the late Annual Meeting of the Ohio State Horticultural Society .] TortTicutturaL Perropicars.—After speak- ing of the inestimable value of the periodicals devoted to horticulture and kindred subjects, and referring particularly to the Horticulturist, of New York, Gardeners’ Monthly, of Philadel- phia, and American Journal of Horticulture, of Boston, he said: “Among all the periodicals, however, there is none more absolutely necessary to the gardener and farmer than the AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST, published at St. Louis, Mo., and edited by the Entomologist of that State. From the very practical pages of this journal we may gather hints of the greatest value. This paper is the more valuable and essential to us from the fact that it is the only one of the kind in the coun- try, and because we have no officer in our own State whose duty it should be to supply the needful information to enable us to counter- work our insect enemies, and to protect our selves from their terrible ravages.” ; [From the Western Rural.] Usrrut Reapine.—During the long nights of winter a great deal of very valuable information may be obtained from standard works on Hor- ticulture, Entomology, etc. Every farmer’s library should contain standard works on sub- jects connected with agriculture and horticul- ture. There are several very useful books published on Pomology, Grape Culture, Small Fruit, ete. The American ENTOMOLOGIST con- tains a large amount of information about the habits of predatory insects, and the various modes of destroying them, or preventing their increase. It should be in the hands of every farmer and fruit-grower. The precepts learned by the attentive study of the best authors, may have a very beneficial effect when carried into practice in the orchard or garden, at the right time. The damage done annually to fruit by predatory insects is ixcalculable. ———_e-> o—______ Gapres in Fowrs.—Much has been written and much is being written about ‘Gapes in Fowls.” Young chickens, especially when they are two or three weeks old, are quite subject to this disease, and if one that has died of it, be examined, several small red worms one-half or three-quarters of an inch in length, and as large as a common sized pin, will be found in the trachea. Some of our subscribers seem to have been sorely puzzled by the contradictory state- ‘THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ~ ments found in the different agricultural papers, and appeal to us for information under the sup- position that these worms are insects. Thus, speaking of these parasites, Mr. Jas. H. Parsons, of Franklin, N. Y., writes: *¢The only theory I have ever seen advanced is that these worms when mature, crawl out of the windpipe, burrow in the earth, change to flies, and then couple and lay their eggs in the nostrils of the chick. The theory is plausible, but whether it has any facts to support it 1s more than I know. I wish you would solve the problem of the cause and cure of these Gapes.”’ Again, Thos. W. Gordon, of Georgetown, Ohio, writes: “Do Gapes in chickens depend upon small worms in the trachea? If so, to what species do they belong? What is their origin, and what is the best known means of destroying them and saving the fowls? Farmers here say the disease is caused by small worms in the throat, and that they lie embedded in mucus, and the chickens can be saved by removing the worms with a horse hair, a stalk of grass, or a small wire; but there are none who seem to be certain of the source of these little destruc- tive pests.” Again, some persons believe the ‘‘Gapes” to be caused by the larve of insects in the lungs, as the following, from Milton Conard, of West Grove, Pa., will show: bi 5 “7 have by a post mortem examination ascer- tained that the ‘Gapes’ in chickens are occa- sioned by the /arva of an insect preying upon the substance of the lungs, and have con- cluded that the spasms, termed ‘the Gapes,’ result from the effort of the worm or maggot to escape to the ground, having completed this first period of its existence in the chicken’s lungs, where it did much harm to the delicate structure of this important organ. And in tracing the track of these unteeling parasites through the body of the lung, I think I dis- covered that it originated right opposite the bone cavity under the wing, where there is only a thin membranous partition between the lung and the outer air; and my inference is, that the insect (probably winged), by instinct, seeks this point, as affording the means of easily depositing its eggs in the lungs. Now, what I want to know is, what is the character or description of the perfect insect? Is it described in any of the books?” The worm which causes ‘‘ Gapes,” like that large species (Strongylus gigas) whichis known to inhabit the kidneys of swine, and even some- times finds its way into the same organ in man, belongs to the Zntozoa (entos, within, and zoon, an animal), a class of animals included in the fourth great Branch or Division of the Animal Kingdom, known as Star-animals (Raprava). Therefore, since they do not even belong to the same Branch (ArricuLATA) with insects, they do not, strictly speaking, come within our 158 _ THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. province. But as some recent authorities, and among them Prof. Leidy, of Philadelphia, are disposed to class them with the Articulates, and as with the funguses, the AmmrIcAN ENTOMOLO- GIsT seems, by common consent, to be looked to for information about them, we take great pleas- sure in referring our readers to an article on “Gapes in Fowls” in the present number of our magazine, from the able pen of Dr. N. H. Paaren, Y.S., of Chicago, Ills. It must be remembered that none of these intestinal worms undergo any complete transformations as do true insects, and that the suppositions of Mr. Conard and Mr. Parsons are without facts. Prof. Leidy is of the opinion, that, from the destructive char- acter of any of the oils, fixed or volatile, to insects, worms, etc., olive, lard, or other oil, With or without a few drops of turpentine or other essential oil, applied by means of a feather, would be of service in ‘“‘Gapes;” while the fol- lowing paragraph from an old number of Turf, Field and Farm, speaks for itself: “‘A gentleman who has had much experience with poultry, in England, recommends a novel cure. He writes: ‘The whole apparatus con- sists in a thin piece of gut, such as flies are fastened on, coarser for chickens than for phea- sants, and tolerably stiff, about from four to six inches long, and fastened at the end of the loop with a piece of sealing wax, by way of handle. Put this gut down the windpipe, twist it round half a dozen times, and you will draw out the parasite that gives so much trouble; repeat the process two or three times, and let the chicken go. From being flexible, no harm is done to the tender tube of the windpipe. Wire kills as often as it cures.’ ” a ta As the spring season is at hand, and much may be done in the way of preventing the in- roads of noxious insects before the trees put - forth their leaves, we make room this month for several communications of a practical nature, and have necessarily had to omit several ‘‘An- swers to Correspondents.” o> o ta Now is the time for all those whose sub- scriptions expire with the first of this year, to renew. Those who appreciate our efforts should strive to send along with their own, the name of some one or other of their neighbors. The effort costs nothing, and besides that satis- faction which every right-minded man feels in imparting to others useful knowledge, there is the reward which comes of having careful neighbors who fight their own insect enemies, and thus make it easier for you to subdue yours. 2-@-e—___— Erratum.—Page 111, column 1, last line but one, for ‘‘Petris” read “Pieris.” ON OUR TABLE. Tue Pusiic LepgeR ALMANAC FOR 1870.— G. W. Childs, Publisher, Philadelphia. Tot HerraALtp or Heatta.—Wood & Hol- brook, New York. MontsLy Report ofr THE DEPARTMENT OH! AGRICULTURE, for November and December.— Washington, D.C. TILTON’S JOURNAL OF HoRTICULTURE.—J. BH. Tilton & Co., Boston. Cuicaco Mepicat Times.—R. A. Gunn, M. D.. and J. E. Hurlbut, M. D., Editors, Chicago. Once A Monto AND Home MaGazinE.—T. 8. Arthur & Sons, Philadelphia. WESTERN EpucaTIoNAL REview.—O. H. Fethers, Publisher, Jefferson City, Mo. Srconp ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ILLINOIS INDUSTRIAL UNIVER- SITY. Noricr oF THE CrusTAcEA—Collected by Prof. C. F. Hartt, on the Coast of Brazil in 1867, together with a List of the Described Species of Brazilian Podophthalmia.—By Sidney I. Smith, Assistant in Zoology, Yale College, New Ha- ven, Conn. The author has our thanks for this interesting pamphlet. SomE OF THE HINDRANCES AND HELPS TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF .AGRICULTURE.—An Address before the New York State Agricultural So- ciety at Elmira in 1869. By George Buckland, Professor of Agriculture in University College, Toronto. Prane’s Coromos—A Journal of Popular Art.—L. Prang & Co., Boston. Nothing could he better calculated to awaken aud increase the interest of the public in Prang’s celebrated Chromos than the attractive publication be- — fore us. Tar Horticutturist.—This old established monthly has rapidly increased in interest since under the charge of its present editor, Mr, H. T. Williams. We heartily welcome it to our table, and admire the spirit and ability with which it is conducted. , Tue WrsteRN PomoLocist—A Monthly Jour- nal of Horticulture and Floriculture. — Pub- lished at Des Moines, Iowa. Mark Miller and J. A. Nash, editors. The first number of this new monthly lies on our table. The field it pro- poses to occupy is a wide one, and is to a cer- tain extent unoccupied. Mr. Miller’s experi- ence as an agricultural editor, and as a practi- cal horticulturist, eminently fit him for the . position which he assumes. d THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 159 Tae AMERICAN NATuRALIST.—No. 11 of this excellent monthly is at hand, and the next num- ber will complete the third volume. The editors are performing a labor of love, and strongly appeal to the naturalists of the country to give the magazine that support which it well de- serves. The subscribers to the ENromoLocist who are interested in other branches of natural history, cannot do better than club with the Naturalist in renewing their subscriptions, as a liberal discount is made. The new volume is to open with an illustrated article on the Ancient Megalithic Monuments of Peru compared with those of other parts of the world, by the eminent archeologist E. G. Squier, and with another on Sponges, by Prof. Jos. Leidy, of Philadelphia. Tue Counrry GENTLEMAN.—Luther Tucker & Son, Albany, N. Y. the new year this sterling paper was enlarged, and the old heading was exchanged for one more beautiful and becoming. The Country Gentleman has no superior as a strictly agricul- tural paper, and we take this opportunity of thanking the editors for the many kindly notices they have given of the ENromoLogisT; and to assure them that their good will is appreciated. Tue Prarrie FarmMerR.—This old stand-by of the western farmer still continues to improve, and we rejoice in its success. With the new year it donned a new and improved dress, and it now appears more attractive than ever. The publishers have also engaged a special draughts- man and engraver, and more attention is to be paid to the illustrations. The price is but $2.00 a year, and every new subscriber gets a copy of the Prairie Farmer Annual, while every one sending two names and $4.00 receives a beauti- ful allegorical lithograph, entitled ‘‘ The Far- mer pays for All.” The Prairie Farmer ($2.00) and the American EnromoLouisr ($2.00) can be had for $3.00 by parties sending for both papers at one and the same time. Vick’s ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE AND FLORAL GuIpE For 1870.—Mr. Vick has our thanks for this beautiful pamphlet, which eclipses all former catalogues.. Every lover of flowers should send to Jas. Vick, of Rochester, N. Y., for a copy. Mice. Bros. & Kern’s Frorat CaTaLoGur. —Just as we go to press this catalogue reaches us, and we have not the space to give it the extended notice it deserves. We hardly sup- posed that anything so creditable could be got- ten up in the West, and Mr. Vick will soon have to look to his laurels, lest he be outdone, in the catalogue business, by some of our West- ern friends. We can confidently recommend the above firm to those of our readers who wish anything in the floricultural line that is thoroughly adapted to the Mississippi valley ; for we have long admired their strict integrity and courtesy. With the beginning of | ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Norice.—Such of our correspondents as haye already sent, or may hereafter send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species sent, are from other States than their own. Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwing light upon the geograph- ical distribution of species. But to make them of real value, it is requisite that we know for certain, whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. Pithy Blackberry Gall—S. C. Spaulding, Rose fill, Mo.—The woody blood-brown gall found on (Fig. 108.] Colors—(a) blood-brown; (b) yellowish-green; (c and d) white. Blackberry canes, over three inches in length and divi- ded longitudinally into five pretty regular ridges, is the common Pithy Blackberry gall, caused by the Misty Gall-fly (Déastrophus nebulosus, O. 8.) This gall was first described (Proce. Ent. Soc. Phil., Il, p. 36) by Baron Osten Sacken. Its shape varies, but there are always four or five of the wrinkled ridges more or less traceable along the stem (Fig. 103, a), corresponding to the rows of punctures which the female made in deposit- ing her eggs. It is really a deformation of the cane, chiefly due to a hypertrophy of the pith in consequence of the poison injected at the time of depositing. If a longitudinal section is made, the inside will present the appearance of Figure 103,), the flesh being insipid in taste. Near the edge the flesh in the fresh specimens is soft and green to the depth of about one-quarter inch, contrasting strongly with the yellow, pithy and woody interior, in which are found the cells, which vary in form from perfectly round to oblong-oval. At the pre- sent time the larva (Fig. 103, c)—which when straight- 160 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. al ened out measures 0.11 inch, and which is white with the mouth parts, an oval spot each side just behind the head, and the breathing holes, rufous—may be found lying curled up in its cell; but towards the end of March it gradually transforms to pupa (Fig. 103, d), and the fly, in your latitude, issues about the first of May. This fly belongs to the Cynzps family, but to the genus Déastro- phus, which is confined to plants of the Rose family just us Cynips is to the Oak family, and as Antistrophus, described on page 74, is to Composite plants. If you should keep one of these galls in a closed vessel till next summer, you would doubtless breed from it, besides the true gall-maker, a guest-fly or intruder (dulax sylvestris, O. S.) which sponges on the Déastrophus for board and lodging, and a little parasitic Chalcis-fly which serves to keep the gall-maker in check. By burning these unsightly galls at this season of the year, you of course effectually prevent the increase of the insect which produces it. Clover-worms—G, Pauls, Eureka, Mo.—VYou say: **TIn opening a stack of timothy hay, in which there was a little clover at the bottom of the stack, I found a lot of brown, grayish worms, that had nearly eaten all the clover, but not the timothy. 1 wanted to compare them with your description of the Clover-worm, but the number of the ENTOMOLOGIST containing it was not at hand. Are they the same thing?’’ Yes, they are the identical *‘Cloyer-worm’’—the only ‘‘Cloyer-worm?? known to prefer the dry to the green plant, and a winter to asummer existence! This is the first time we have heard of it in Missouri, though from haying caught numerous specimens of the moth in St. Louis, flying at the light during the summer nights, we knew that the worm must also occur not far off. The answer you refer to will be found on page 226 of the last volume, where figures are given of the insect in all its stages. This insect is very widely distributed, occurring in many parts of Europe, in Canada, as we are informed by Mr. C. J. S. Bethune, and in most of the Northern and Middle States of the Union. This is not to be wondered at. when we know how very easily it may be transported in the larva state in clover hay. Yet, com- mon as it is, nothing was known of its larval history till we published an article on the subject in the Prairie Farmer of Chicago. It would really be interesting to know whether or not this insect has the same habits abroad as it has with us, for we cannot believe, as stated by Humphrey, that it feeds on poplars in England. In the Pravze Farmer Annual tor 1868 we published the following relative to its proper nomenclature : “« Attacking and spoiling clover in the stack and mow. by interweaving and covering it with abundant white silken web, and black excrement that much resembles coarse gunpowder. ““Wull accounts were given of this insect, first in the Prairie Harmer of April 20th, under the name of Pyralis olinalis, and corrected in the following issue to dsopéa costulis. Itis only left to state that from all we can learn. this latter is the proper name. The two insects are remarkably alike, and easily confounded, though the olinalis, is contined to the United States, while costalis occurs both here and in Europe, no difference having been found between our American species and those ot Kurope. Both of them have been recently referred to the genus Asopza by a distinguished European Lepi- dopterist, in monographing the family PyRALID®, to which they belong; though the ditierences between Asopia and Pyrulis are very. trivial indeed, and to our mind there is no veal reason why our insect should not still be included in the latter genus, where Fabricius 4 first placed it. Our Clover-worm, with its synonyms, may be given thus: ““ ASOPIA CoSTALIS, Lederer. ** Pyralis costalis, abr. “« Pyralis fimbrialis, Steph. ‘*The student of Entomology is eternally harassed and perplexed by the many synonyms attaching to one in- sect, every modern monographer dividing up the old genera, till we have almost as many as we have species; and we sometimes wish that, instead of a hundred dif- ferent persons, in as many parts of the world, each cutting up the old genera and creating new ones, ac- cording to his particular idea, we could look to some universally recognized head, such as our American Entomological Society, for some jurisdiction and au- thority in this matter of classification. _ i —*The only figure we are able to find of this moth, is in Vol. I, pl. 45, fig. 18, of ‘The genera of British Moths, arranged according to the-plan now adopted in the British Museum, by H. Noel Humphrey;’ where it is called Hypsopyyea costalis, and the caterpillar is said to feed on poplars. The lithographs, however, are more faithful than the author’s pen, for in his text he most laughably confounds this insect with the common meal moth, Pyralis furinalis. ‘¢The simple ‘Clover-worm’ will, of course, fall far more pleasing and significant on the farmer’s ear than these synonyms, but they are given for those who take an interest in such matters. ’? ne Since the above was published we have added to our library several valuable works on moths; and we find that, up to a quite recent date, both the leading French and English authors place this moth in the old Linnean genus Pyralis. The moth is popularly known in Eng- land as the Gold Fringe. By making a good elevated foundation for your clover stacks, so that the air can pass underneath, and by sprinkling the first few feet with salt when building the stack, you will effectually preserve the hay against the attacks of this worm. Seed Vicks under Bark of Apple-trees—0O. B. Galusha, Morris, Jlls.—The minute 8-legged ‘‘in- sects’’ which infest the apple trees in Mr. Clapp’s orchard, harboring under the outer bark, are in reality not true insects. No insect has more than szx true legs, and though the larve of most Moths and Butterfles {order Lepidoptera], of Saw-flies [order Hymenoptera], of some Two-winged flies [order D¢ptera], and many beetles (order Coleoptera), possess from one to sixteen additional legs, yet all over the six anterior ones are simply membranous or prop-legs, and are lost when the insects attain their perfect state. Thus whenever you find an animal with eight true horny, jointed legs, you may safely conclude that it is not an insect. ‘The little animals you sent, were in fact ‘‘seed-ticks,’’ the young of one of our most common wood-ticks (Juodes unipunctata, Pack).* When recently hatched these ticks have but six legs, but they very soon acquire the additional pair. We do not think they will do any serious harm to the trees, and should judge that they_ do not oceur very generally over the orchard, Parasitic Cocoons—S. W. Beckworth, South Pass, Tlis.—The ‘‘nest of eggs’? which you send, and which you found near your door yard under some Red-oak - trees, are in reality the same kind of little parasitic cocoons, spoken of, and tigured on page 128 of our last number, in answer to G. C. Brackett. Of course they should not be destroyed. : Wicks and ‘Texas Fever—Thos. W. Gordon, George- town, O.—See what we haye said on this subject on page 28 of our first volume. * Guide to Study of Insects, p. 661, ST. LOUIS, MO., APRIL, 1870. Entomological Department. CHARLES V. RILEY, Eptror, 221 N. Main st., St. Louis, Mo. THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT. Our readers, no doubt, will be a little sur- prised, upon receiving this number, to notice the change in our title, and in the appearance of our cover. Well, we confess that we are fond of giving these little surprises, for which reason we have never even so much as hinted at this change, which we have long since had in view. Now, kind reader, how does the change suit you? You may be sure that it pleases us, or we should not have made it, and we can imagine an almost unanimous expression of pleasure frore the fairer portion of our sub- scribers, as well as from the great majority of the sterner sex. The success of the ENromoLocist in directing attention to the pleasure and importance of the study of Insects, especially of those affecting the interests of Agriculture and Horticulture, has been highly gratifying; and though there is often much truth in the trite French aphorism “Te mieux est Vennemi du bien,” yet we should make no true progress in this world, if we adhered to it too strictly. The two sciences of Entomology and Botany go hand-in-hand; they are, indeed, twin-sisters, and we have often thought, and the matter has frequently been suggested by friends, that the usefulness of our Magazine might be increased by broadening and extending its sphere of ope- ration so as to include a department of Botany. To us there is no branch of Natural History so captivating as Entomology, but lives there a field-entomologist who has not, over and over again, admired the varied and beanteous forms of plant-life around him, or who has not been impressed a thousand times with the absolute necessity of some knowledge of Botany to enable him to fully carry out his own studies? We trow not! It would be difficult to determine which of these two branches of Natural History has the greatest number of devotees amongst the priest- hood of Science; but it is very evident that Botany has the greatest number amongst the laity. For while the tender flower develops the wsthetic part of man’s nature, and draws out the sympathy of every child, the poor des- pised bug creates an equal degree of repugnance in the popular mind. This popular state of mind is owing principally to the fact that the eyes of but few have yet been opened to the hidden wonders and beauties of the Insect World. We know that there are hundreds of persons who will subscribe to a journal devoted to Plants, but who would never think of taking one devoted to Bugs, and if by the change we have inaugurated, additional readers are brought to our Journal, and a few only of them learn to appreciate the more generally despised of God’s creatures, we shall have accomplished a double purpose. The field of Nature may be likened to a vast Museum, where one may enter and view the most wonderful objects, and find on emerging that the great mass has left but an indistinct ~- and confused impression on the mind. But if a guide go with us and direct our attention in detail to the many curiosities, and point out their peculiarities, we shall find those objects indelibly stamped upon the memory. Now if, while striving to enhance the prosperity of the country, by describing, figuring, and suggesting remedies for the different insects which often blight the hopes of the producer, we can at the same time engage attention and study to the Vegetable Kingdom, which is so very intimately connected with the existence and comfort of the human family, we shall feel that we are effecting increased benefit. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that we introduce to our readers Mr. Geo. Vasey, of Richview, Ills., who will furnish from eight to twelve pages of botanical matter each month. Mr. Vasey has long been known in the West as an eminent botanist, and his reputation is a sufficient guarantee of the ability with which 162 THE AMERICAN that department will be conducted. But we leave him to lay his own plans before the reader. All letters on botanical subjects should be ad- | dressed to Mr. Vasey, at Richview, Ills., and all those on entomological matters, as usual, to the writer, CC. Vee ——_——__—_0—<>2_—_——. WHEAT RUST AND BARBERRY RUST. The article on page 85 of our present volume, entitled ‘‘A so-called ‘Vulgar Error’-no Error at all,” has called forth the following paragraph from the Country Gentleman: A Sineunar Inconsistency.—We have re- peatedly commended the American Entomolo- gist for its common sense and scientific accuracy. It has always been severe on the superficial errors of the day. But in a late number, it has somewhat deviated from this general course, and endorsed the opinion that the barberry causes rust in the wheat—although this opinion is not sustained with a tenth part. of the wit- nesses who assert that wheat is transmuted to chess. We never saw finer and fairer wheat than grew in immediate contiguity to barberry bushes, and in addition to this, the article in the Entomologist expressly quotes the state- ment of 8S. E. Todd, that ‘‘he had seen the finest crops of wheat growing close besidé the bush spoken of.” All which is as much as to say that they (the editors of the Country Gentleman), do not believe that the barberry causes rust in wheat, and that we ourselves have fallen into one of the superficial errors of the day. Very well, gentlemen, you have a perfect right to your opinion, but when you assail that of others, you must stand ready to defend your own. We throw down the glove, and if you wish to pick it up, you will find us ready! This fungus question does not properly come within our province, ane we freely confess that we do not even know the A B C of the science of mycology; but we are always ready to defend any position we have assumed, and will freely ‘confess the corn” whenever it shall be shown that we are in the wrong. We write for truth and not for victory, and in the present case we have taken up the cudgel in defense of the plain, practical farmer, because we feel quite confident that for once he is in the right. Nor have we based our belief upon any experience of our own, but upon the authority of Professors De Bary and Cirsted, and of Sir Joseph Banks, to -whose conclusions, founded on experiment, we beg leave to give the preference over all the opinions, assertions and asseyerations, not so founded, that ever were or ever will be thun- dered forth. Consequently the Country Gen- tleman, in the above-quoted item, in reality makes no charge against us, but disputes the veracity, and questions the ability and scien- tific accuracy of the authors named. It has been demonstrated by (irsted that a certain fungus (Podisoma sabine) infesting the branches of the Savin, is but a phase of another (Kestelia — cancellata) which attacks the leaves of the Pear; that one (Podisoma clavarisforme) which oceurs on the branches of the Juniper is but the first | asexual state of Restelia penicillata, which man- ifests itself on the leaves of the Apple and White Thorn; and finally, that Podisoma juniperinum, which alsé inhabits the leaves and branches of the Juniper, is identical with that of Restelia cornifera, which infests the leaves of the Moun- tain Ash. Does the Country Gentleman like- wise dispute the correctness of these physio- logical discoveries? We know that ever since this matter was first discussed, in 1774, it has been the fashion to deride the common belief of the farmer, and singularly enough this fashion has prevailed to the greatest extent with those who passed most of their lives amid piles of brick and mortar. We are all too apt to follow in other people’s footsteps, and to believe too implicitly what we were taught in childhood; and there always will be men who prefer to accept the fossilized and crude ideas entertained hundreds of years ago, rather than to make investigations and think for themselves. But this is pre-eminently an age of progress, and we find that many a dogma which for years may have had supreme hold of the public mind, has been shattered, so to speak, by modern investigation. Many an idea that was scouted as ridiculous and absurd but a decade since, is now accepted as a truth, and the discoveries that have been made during that time have convinced every candid and earnest naturalist, that life, whether animal or vegetable, is altogether more plastic and pro- tean than was formerly supposed; and the lower down in the scale we go, the more shall we find this to be true. As a striking and familiar example, we may mention that the Hydra tuba, Scyphistoma, Strobila and Ephydra were supposed by super- ficial observers to be perfectly distinct and dif- ferent animals, till they were all proved by experiment to be but different forms of the common Jelly-fish or Meduse; and hundreds of similar cases among the lower plants and animals might be cited, some even, as we have already shown, where the different forms of one and the same species have been ranked as distinct genera. It is only since a compara- tively recent period that by aid of our much ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. improved microscopes, the rusts and moulds have been properly studied. W. P. Schimper, in 1848, in his Recherches sur les Mousses, estab- lished, by experiment, that the so-called Con- Jervacee are the pregerminal phases of the leaf-mosses, notwithstanding which, they are yet very generally considered as sea-weeds or alge, under a spurious nomenclature. Again, each of the phases of the fermentative or original zymotic fungus have been separately named by those who have paid no attention to its development, as has been demonstrated by Prof. Hallier, of Jena, Germany, and by Dr. Hilgard, of this country; while the bread and preserve moulds, the blue moulds on apples and lemons, the cheese and stool ferments have all been proved to be but different forms of one species, by the latter gentleman. In our own special department we might mention several instances where closet-cntomologists, with a Supreme contempt for Jarval or pupal charac- ters, have fabricated two, three or more species out of what upon more profound knowledge have proved to be one and the same. Is it to be wondered at, therefore, with these facts before us, that we prefer, rather than accept the ipsisstma dicta of would-be ‘savans, to take the testimony of men who, having de- voted years to the study of funguses, announce that the Red rust in wheat is but a form or stage of the common Barberry rust. We attach more importance to a single fact, based upon well conducted experiment, than to ten thousand theories and ‘‘opinions” that have no facts for their support, though they may be acquiesced in by the so-called authority through- out the land. We always intend to be ‘‘ severe on the superficial errors of the day,’ and are especially down on scientific charlatanism. We have the highest respect for our friend and cor- respondent, Dr. Trimble, of New Jersey, but when, in speaking on this barberry-wheat ques- tion, he simply asserts that ‘this is an old tra- dition that I have heard from a boy, but there is no foundation for the belief”; and that ‘rust is produced by another class of causes ’—without explaining what those causes are—his words sound too much like hollow assertion, unsup- ported by facts. Such words from the Doctor appear the more astonishing to those who have watched his strenuous efforts to overthrow an- other superficial error, by demonstrating that on some soils shallow plowing is to be preferred to deep plowing, notwithstanding the latter has from time immemorial been urged and recom- mended, wit! qualification, by ad theorists. But we will not dwell any longer on this sub- ject at present. We have long since admired the courtesy and ability with which the Country Gentleman is conducted, and feel that the criti- cism we have quoted, was made in all candor. Calm and dispassionate argument and con- troversy usually results in good, and if our Albany friends will bring forth any argument that is worthy the name, in favor of their posi- tion, we may in future consider this matter at greater length, and perhaps get our Botanical Editor to give us his opinion, as it is really a botanical matter. We shall defend the farmer whenever we think he is in the right, for as in the old Fable of the Printer and the Lion, the scientific artist in the city who is every day pnblishing descrip- tions of men conquering lions in fair single combat, has a ereat advantage over the poor maligned agricultural lion in the country, who publishes nothing at all, and confines himself to the plain, practical occupation of gobbling up as many men as le can possibly get hold of. Whether or not the opinion that Puccinia yraminis and .Heidium berberidis are the alter- nate generatious of one species, is ‘* sustained with atenth part of the witnesses who assert that wheat is transmuted into chess,” is a ques- tion entirely foreign to the subject, the wheat- chess discussion having absolutely nothing to do with that of Wheat and Barberry zust. And as {o the opinion that Barberry can not cause rust in wheat because fine wheat has been grown in close contiguity to such bushes, it sounds too much like assuming that small-pox is not contagious because a certain unvaccinated person, living in a house where the disease pre- vailed, escaped without catching it; for as we may learn from the perusal of DeBary’s pam- phlets*, a certain condition of the atmosphere is necessary to the proper germination of the Wheat-Barberry fungus. Moreover, we have never assumed, nor will any sensible person ever assume, that healthy Barberry bushes, free from rust, will produce any rust in wheat. *Neue Untersuchungen ueber Uredineen, insbesondere die Entwicklung der Puccinia graminis. A. DeBary, Berlin, 1865. Zweite Mittheilung, 1866, o> ?e ‘“*THERE is no branch of Natural History so captivating as Entomology, and certainly none so easily gratified; for its pursuit brings us into immediate relation to Nature in her most attractive dress, in the woods, the fields and the gardens.”’—WMorris. o> — Erratum.—Page 97, over the illustration, for “Fig, 59,” read “Fig. 593.” 164 THE AMERICAN IS ANY KNOWLEDGE USELESS ? “There is no name of greater power at the present day than that of Science; and it is as awkward to say anything against the preten- sions of men of science as it once was to be a heretic of a different order. You cannot, it is true, be burnt alive, or put into an inquisition, but, which is almost as bad, you can be made to look extremely foolish. The men of science regard you through their spectacles with an air calculated to strike terror into the boldest heart, if you venture to question the advantage of their most trifling speculations. Any thing which by hook or by crook can be brought under the mantle of an ology is a sacred object, not to be touched by the profane vulgar. A poor savage sees a civilized being, capable of producing thunder and supplied with uulimited quantities of fire-water, devote himself for years to the pursuit of bugs—using that word in the Ameri- can sense. This strange creature will live for months in a wilderness, and be amply rewarded by collecting a boat-load of creeping, crawling things, which are not even good to eat. The savage thinks the white man must be little bet- ter than an idiot; and the white man, when he comes home, writes his book, and holds the savage up to the derision of-an enlightened public. ‘Here,’ he says in effect, ‘is a poor creature so ignorant as to think me a fool for spending a month in discovering the Hotonchro- nonthologus Jonesti—an animal which differs from all other Hotonchrononthologi in haying two more spots upon his nose, and an extra claw on his hind leg.’ Is it so plain that the white man has altogether the best of the argu- ment? Suppose that the beast in question had remained unknown, would the human race have been materially the worse? Or, to put it more moderately, could not the month be spent to more purpose in some other field of labor? Some distinguished martyr to science once planted a colony of some loathsome insect in his thumb, and heroically traveled to Europe with his bur- den, in the hope of discovering some new facts about the way in which the animal laid its eggs. Unluckily, if I remember right, the thumb mor- tified and had to be amputated within sight of land; and we have ever since been called upon to admire the zeal and heroism of the sufterer. Iam willing to do so, just as I admire St. Si- meon Stylites for standing for twenty years on a column, and saying his prayers one thousand two hundred and fourty-four times a day. Only I cannot help asking, in each case, whether so rare a quality of heroism could not have been turned to some better account? Zeal is not/a commodity of which we have such an abundance that we can complacently set it running to waste. Science often means nothing more than accurate and systematic knowledge of facts; and the question always remains whether the facts are really worth knowing. If a man of genius spends years in investigating the habits of a microscopic animalcule, it does not follow that the game was worth the candle simply because we give to the knowledge gained the mystic name of science.” _. We quote the above because it gives a fair idea of the views of those practical men whose sphere of mental vision is circumscribed by the question cuz bono? in other words, men whose minds, if placed in the centre of a good old- fashioned silver dollar, would be entirely con- tained within the periphery. The great value of most scientific facts lies not so much in the practical availability of the facts as in the correlation with other facts, and the light which they throw upon scientific questions of conféssedly high importance. The discoy- ery of the supposititious Hotonchrononthologus Jonesti might not be a matter of much conse- quence in itself, but its relation to the Darwin- jan hypothesis, and its effect upon our views in regard to species, might possibly be so impor- tant as to immortalize the discoverer. So, too, it might not be a matter of much consequence in itself how a certain Acarus propagated its species; but a study of the process in this par- ticular case might throw much light on genera- tion in general, and this is certainly worth the expenditure of a good deal of zeal and labor. Full and definite knowledge of any subject is only to be attained through long study, and by examining the question from every point of view, and under every variety of circumstance and condition. The processes of generation carefully investigated in the lower animals, have thrown great light on the corresponding processes involved in the reproduction of those of higher grade. Success in the breeding of domestic animals depends largely upon our knowledge of the causes that govern the varia- tions of species and varieties. It is not at all impossible, under certain contingencies, that a mere dot on a fossil shell, buried millions of years ago, might decide important questions in this connection, and lay the world under ever- lasting obligations to the observer of these mi- nute differences. The writer of the paragraph we have just quoted evidently does not appre- ciate the fact, that every thing in Nature is car- ried out strictly according to law, and that the most trifling fact is valuable as an index to these laws. We copy the foregoing, with the able com- ments of the editor, from the November number of the Manufacturer and Builder. We rejoice that there are few persons, even amongst those so-called practical men who hate the very sight of a Latin word, who take such a narrow-minded view of true science; and that their numbers are fast diminishing. It is entirely unnecessary for us to undertake to show how most of those discoveries which have in a great measure brought about our present advanced civiliza- tion, have been made by the study ot ‘small things,” and by the “accurate and systematic accumulation of facts.” But to show how, in our own Department of Science, the knowledge of a single fact which can only be obtained by — a proper study of one of these ‘ insignificant” creeping, crawling things, that are popularly called Bugs, may prove of great practical im- portance, let us instance one or of the many cases that might be brought forward. , \ . ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 165 It is well known that elm trees, as well as apple trees, in certain localities in the United States, are sometimes eaten almost bare by that common looping caterpillar called the Canker- worm; and that these worms have Ween checked and controlled by those who are acquainted with their peculiar habits, by fastening leaden troughs of oil round the butts of the trees. Like the larvee of many other moths, this worm buries itself under the ground to change into the pupa state; but unlike the great majority of moths, the perfect male has wings, and the perfect female has no wings at all, and is therefore compelled to crawl up the trunks of the trees to deposit her eggs, instead of flying on to the trees, as almost all other insects have the power of doing when in the perfect state. Hence the philosophy of the practice above alluded to, which depends for its efficacy on this trait in the natural history of the Canker-worm. Not very long ago, the elm trees which ornament the city of Baltimore were attacked by a larva that strip- ped them bare. Supposing it to be the notorious Canker-worm, the corporate authorities spent a good many hundred dollars in fixing leaden troughs filled with oil, after the most approved fashion, round their trees. They might just as well have built a tight board fence round a corn-field to keep out the crows and blackbirds. The insect that was afflicting their trees was not the Canker-worm, but the larva of a beetle (Galeruca calmariensis) imported by some chance or other from Europe, where it often strips the elm trees in the same way; and, un- fortunately for the City Fathers of Baltimore, the female of this beetle has wings, and was not in the least inconvenienced by the oil-troughs. A little time spent in investigating the habits of this beetle would have saved themall their trouble, A similar instance of just such entomological folly occurred a couple of years ago in Southern Illinois. A certain fruit-grower in Union county, for lack of a proper knowledge of the habits of that little pest the Curculio, took it into his head that this insect had no wings and could not fly, and that it could only reach the fruit, in conse- quence, by climbing up the tree. Hence he very sapiently went to work and fixed a band of wool around every tree in a large orchard containing about 10,000. Now, as the Curculio has ample wings, and can fly with the greatest ease, this procedure was of no earthly use in protecting this worthy fruit-grower’s peaches. He might just as well have wrapped the wool round his stove-pipe under the delusiye idea that he could thereby keep the flies and mos- quitoes ont of his house. There is a small timber-boring beetle—called Limexylon navale, or in English the Naval Timber-pest—which is very common in the Oak forests of the North of Europe, and occasionally occurs in such numbers in the Swedish and French dock-yards, as to do a prodigious amount of damage. About one hundred years ago the Swedish Government found out that this insect was doing millions of dollars’ worth of damage in their dock-yards by boring the timber full of holes, so that if it had been put into a ship, it would have let the water in like a sieve. The Swedish Government concluded that it wouldn’t answer to incur such a heavy annual Joss; and they did the very wisest thing that they possibly could have done. They applied to the celebrated Linnzeus—the father of the Science of Entomol- ogy—though to many perhaps he is only known asa great Botanist. Linnzeus took the matter in hand, and having investigated the habits of the insect, discovered that it came out of the timber in the perfect or winged state in one particular month only (June) when it flew around, paired, laid its eggs on any oak timber to which it had access, and shortly afterwards perished. So he said to the Swedish Govern- ment: ‘‘Gentlemen, all you have to do is to sink all your oak timber under water during the month of June, so that the female beetle may not be able to deposit her eggs on it; and you will be no more troubled for a great many years to come with Limexylon navale.’’ The Govern- ment did so; and the result was just what Lin- nus had predicted. Dr. Harris informs us that not very long afterwards the insect occurred in similar profusion in a French dock-yard; and although a nayal officer, who was also a good entomologist, suggested the Linnean remedy to the authorities, they neglected to apply it— having perhaps the common unfaith in Science, and thinking with the vulgar, that the study of bugs was alla humbug. As might have been expected, they reaped the reward of their ignor- ance, and suffered an immense amount of valu- able timber to be destroyed ‘by this'insect, which might just as well have been saved. Such instances might be multiplied ad injini- tum, but we forbear, and take consolation in the fact that anew erais dawning. There were men who had no faith in Fulton and his Steam- boat. There were men who had no faith in Morse and his Electric Telegraph. There were men who had no faith in Stephenson and his Locomotive. But if Fulton, and Morse, and Stephenson, had themselves had no faith, or had suffered themselves to be laughed down by the criticisms of the would-be wits and can’t- 166 THE AMERICAN be philosophers, the world would not now be where it is. The law of the age is progress. « oe A Srare EntomoLocist ror Wisconsin.— “The suggestion I have just made may be viewed differently by different members of this Society, but the suggestion [I have now to make will, I know, meet with your general approba- tion. We have long felt the need of a State Entomologist. As horticulturists we see and feel the importance and absolute need of such an officer—more so than does any other part of the community. Some of the older States—and, indeed, some of the younger States—have made such appointments. ‘And [ trust the time will soon come when our own State will follow their wise example. We are an agricultural people, and as such are afflicted with almost every plant-destroying insect on this side of the con- tinent. And while other countries and States are seeking, with success, for means to diminish or avert the ravages of such plagues, we should not be folding our hands awaiting for something to turn up, but be following the example of our more intelligent neighbors. Therefore, I sug- gest that before you separate you elect, as Ento- mologist to the State Horticultural Society, Professor Daniells, of the Wisconsin State Uni- versity. I venture to make this recommendation simply because the Professor is the best man I know of for the place, and because I know that he will spare no pains to serve the Society and the people.’—From President Hobbins’s Ad- dress, delivered at the meeting of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society, at Madison, Feb. Ist, 1870. HINDRANCES TO SUCCESSFUL FRUIT-GROWING. [From an Address delivered at the Fourth Annual Meeting of the Centralia (Ills.) Fruit-Growers’ Association, by B. PULLEN, the retiring President. } We are frequently asked, ‘‘ have we a fruit country?’ meaning, of course, our own imme- diate section. Our answer would be Yrs, pre- eminently so. How are we to satisfy any one who would ask such a question, with all the facts before him, that our answer is correct? He speaks knowingly of other sections, of im- mense and successive crops, great profits, &. This is our El Dorado—just what we are look- ing after. We take occasion to inform ourselves, and what do we find? why, the old story, that ‘distance lends enchantment to the view,’ and so we return again into our own holes, ‘‘ wiser if not better men.’”’ We might furnish statistics showing the relative value of this as compared with other well-known, longer-established fruit districts, and suffer none by the comparison. We know, of our own knowledge, that in the twelve past years but one entire failure has occurred. This was the summer following the winter of 1864 and 1865. We were disposed to call that an entire failure, and yet the finest and most profitable crop of strawberries we have ever seen was raised here in the summer of 1865. Do we pronounce an agricultural dis- trict a failure because bountiful crops are not every year raised, or because of the entire or partial failure of every one of the cereal crops grown there? Of course not. If we did, we should pronounce against one after another until we should have none left. Is it just to pronounce against a fruit region for the same reason? Where, then, is the trouble? There must be a cause for so muchcomplaint and disappointment. Is it not possible that we ourselves have proved failures? We only want to let ourselves down as easy as possible by blaming the country. I make the assertion, without fear of successful contradiction, that there is not one really suc- cessful Horticulturist in our Centralia fruit dis- trict, and for no other reason than that we ourselves are failures. This is not so much the result of ignorance as it is a criminal neglect on our part to make an energetic use of the know- ledge we already possess. The damage to the fruit-grower yearly by the depredations of the Curculio and Codling-moth are almost incalcu- lable, sweeping away at times entire crops; and yet how many run a Curculio-catcher, pick up the fallen fruit, keep swiue in their orchards, bandage their trees with a hay-band to afford a shelter and hiding place for the larve of the Codling-moth to undergo her transformations 170 THE AMERICAN in, and thus be entrapped; or scrape the body of their trees, dislodging and destroying all insect life there concealed? All these are well known, simple and efficacious remedies, at least to the extent of securing a good crop under ordinary circumstances. I suppose there is not a single person in our community who. practices all or even one of these simple reme- dies thoroughly. I know of none such, but I know of numbers who are ready to assert upon all occasions that fruit here is a failure. They seem to ignore the fact that the presence of these pests in such profusion only gives the lie to their assertion. Insects and fruit go together; they are one and inseparable. * * * * * I would, therefore, earnestly recommend to every member of this Association, and to every fruit-grower, that we combinedly operate to- gether in making war upon them, using all the knowledge and means in our possession to keep them in subjection. The bodies of our apple trees should be carefully scraped, and the larvee of the Codling-moth hunted out and destroyed. The fruit room, and all apple barrels and bins should undergo a similar process, before the moths make their appearance in the spring. The latter hiding places are thought by many to be the most prolific source of our annual supply of this insect, and should by no means be overlooked. The Curculio should come in for a large share of our attention. We should be prepared to run the Curculio-catcher with a vengeance, and take advantage of the information conveyed to us by our State Horticulturist (Dr. Hull), that the Lirrte Turks gather upon the trees ten or twelve days in advance of their depositing any eggs in the fruit, for the purpose of pairing off, and that if caught during this period, we not only get rid of the supply on hand, but of the generation which follows, which would not be the case if not caught until later in the season. I would also recommend the appointment of an active committee, whose duty it shall be to visit all the orchards possible in our vicinity monthly, to note the management of each, and convey to this society the results of their obser- vations. Much useful information might thus be obtained by the committee, and through them be conveyed to the Society for the general go 0. ad e * a * co ic ae ae You will perceive, gentlemen, that not much of the fanciful has occupied our thought in what has been said. We propose to leave this to those who choose not to dabble in the more practical part of our profession. Indeed, our mind has been so often toasted and feasted with \ x the beautiful imagery in connection with our subject, that when called upon to face some of the unpleasant practical realities, we have felt as if an emetic had been administered and that we were prepared to disgorge at once and tor- ever all that is not real. We must acknowledge, however, that we do sometimes find ourselves indulging in this weakness of feeding our fancy. Nothing occurs to us at this moment as being more likely to ensnare and captivate the senses than in contemplating some of the pleasures to be derived from a pursuit so God-given, trans- porting us into the very garden of our first parents. Like them we find there is the bitter with the sweet—the forbidden fruit—for we pluck the king of fruits—the Apple—and what do we find but the larvee of the Codling-moth? which has anticipated us and sipped, as it were, the very nectar from our lips. We turn from it in disgust to the queen of fruits—the Peach, and again what do we flnd? Why, gentlemen, the wriggling, loathsome progeny of the ever- lasting “‘ nigger in the wood pile”—the LirtLE Turk, and thus we are driven from the garden into the cold world to fight single-handed with our adversary, and when there, we are forced to exclaim, ‘‘ that all is not gold that glitters.” aa foo OS THE WORM EXTERMINATOR, The EnromoLoaisr is giving the venders of patent insect exterminators some home-thrusts, in the way of showing up the imposition prac- ticed. It is passing strange that people will submit to be humbugged by strangers of whom they know nothing. But it is true that people will patronize every itinerant vender of nos- trums who may perambulate through the rural districts of any State in the Union. We have before us a number of circulars received from parties who offer a fruit-tree invigorator and insect-destroyer, price five dollars for the right to use said nostrum. This circular claims that scientific and prac- tical cultivators have used and endorse the said invigorator, all of which we believe to be un- true. : We happen to know that several eminent florists and fruit-growers live in the immediate neighborhood of the man who offers this hum- bug mixture, but their names do not appear in the circular—and why not? Simply because these men are experienced horticulturists, and cannot be caught with such chaff. Our advice is, never patronize a stranger unless you know the value of the article offered for sale.-—Hearth and Home. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. — 171 SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE. BY W. V. ANDREWS, NEW YORK. Ordinarily, if we seek to convey information on any important subject, we make our language as plain and clear as our ability permits us. In treating ofscientific subjects some authors seem to reverse this common-sense rule, and to conceive that the harder and more unusual the words are in which they clothe their ideas, the more fitting and appropriate they are for the purpose of in- struction. This, at all events, is the most charitable construction we can put upon their conduct, for surely it is not the avowed object of the instructor to puzzle and bewilder his pupils. These remarks, although applicable to the language of scientific treatises in general, are especially so to those written on the “Natural Sciences,” and particularly to those on Botany and Entomology. With the former I do not propose to deal at present. Dr. Knaggs tells us that “pursuit of truth, with a love of nature, and a laudable desire to investigate the histories of the wonderful organ- isms which God has, in his wisdom, created,” are among the motives that induce men to be- come entomologists. Such being the case, it certainly is to be regretted that the enthusiasm of the young student should be at all repressed by the unfortunate fact taat his instructions are couched in a language which, as Horne Tooke observed of Dr. Johnson’s Dictionary, is as much the language of Hottentots as of English- men. It is of importance to remember that this is by no means exclusively the complaint of the amateur entomologist. Years ago, Jas. Rennie denounced the scientific jargon of professed entomologists in this wise: “Tn describing species, either well known, or ‘new to our ‘Fauna’ or our ‘flora,’ the current style, misnamed scientific, may be fairly charac- terized as a uniform tissue of pedantic barbar- isms, devised, it would appear, not for the diffusion, but for the concealment of knowledge. If the descriptions affect to be in English, the language employed is assuredly not English. Thus we have ‘flayous’ and ‘luteous’ for ‘yellow,’ ‘oriseous’ for ‘grey,’ ‘fuscous’ for dusky ; while similar words are not only compounded with Latin derivatives, as ‘ochraccous-fuscous,’ mean- ing, I conjecture, dusky buff, but with plain English, such as ‘testaceous-red,’ * hoary-grise- ous,’ ‘griseous-rosy,’’ ‘rusty-testaceous,’ and numerous others equally offensive to good taste.” I need quote no further from this author, because our every-day reading affords us in- stances of what I can not but consider useless displays of possible erudition. I say useless, because it is evident that the assertion that it is necessary to use terms derived from the “learned languages” in teaching a science which is some- times studied by persons not acquainted with the English language, will not bear a moment’s investigation. Ina work devoted to entomology I find the following sentence: ‘‘ Head and thorax, above, obscure brown mixed with ashen scales. Abdo- men, obscure testaceous-cinereous.” By reference to a Latin dictionary we find that ‘‘ testaceous” may mean ‘ brick-colored,” and ‘ cinereous” “ashen-grey.”” So ‘obscure testaceous-cinereous” means acolor which is an ‘‘obscure brick-colored ashen-grey ;”’ and anybody who is sufficiently versed in the English language to understand the phrase, ‘‘ Head and thorax obscure-brown,” would probably understand ‘obscure brick- colored ashen-grey ” just as readily as he would comprehend ‘‘obscure testaccous-cinereous,” the probability being that he would understand neither. The newspapers have been laughing at some contemporary for describing an oyster as a ‘marine acephalous mollusc of the lamelli- branchiate order of the genus ostrea;” but is there anything in this more absurd than is to be found in many a text book on entomology ? With reference to mere names, I have little objection to the use of ‘learned terms,’ for here there is some necessity for their use. I should have less objection if the terms selected conveyed any idea of generic or specific differ- ence, or gave any notion of the nature or ap- pearance of the thing thus named. For instance, no one can avoid seeing that the word ligustri is properly applied to a moth, the larva of which feeds on the privet, and crategei to one feeding on the black thorn. But it is notorious that names are not always thus judiciously bestowed, indeed very rarely so; and a recent English author, writing a book for the use of the young entomologist, thinks it necessary to give the following advice. After stating that it is necessary for the stu- dent to know the Latin names of insects, because they are current in all European languages, he says: ‘‘Another piece of advice is, don’t waste time in trying to puzzle out the meaning—the why or the wherefore—of the butterflies’ names. Now and then, certainly, they have some allu- sion to the insect’s appearance, or to the plant on which it feeds; thus, for instance, Gonep- teryx rhamni, the entomological name of the Brimstone Butterfly, means Angle-winged (but- terfly) of the Buckthorn, and this is very appropriate and descriptive; but in general there is no more connection between the name 172 THE AMERICAN and character of a butterfly than there is between a ship’s name—the Furious, the Coquette, or the Betsy-Jane—and the moral disposition or appearance of the vessel that bears it.” This, of course, is to be regretted; but so far as names already bestowed are concerned, the evil is irremediable. But may we not ask that those entomologists who devote their energies mainly to the description of genera and species should, in the future, take some little trouble to seek out names which convey an accurate idea of that which they wish to describe? and always accompany tt by a translation, so as to prevent any possibility of misconstruction of their mean- ing. There is another point of great importance. In forming a new species or genus, why not always give the distinctive differences that dis- tinguish the new species or genus from its nearest congener or family? Rennie, in his valuable synopsis of British LEPIDOPTERA, says: ACHERONTIA— Wings entire and acute, the jaws short. SrHinx— Wings entire and acute, jaws long- ish, and the antenne not clubbed at the tip. The inference here may be that Sphinx is distinguished from Acherontia by its longer jaws, and by not having the antennz clubbed atthe tip. But we are not told which sort of antennz Acherontia has, and the learner would certainly hesitate before drawing the above inter- ence. Why not say—“ Differs from Acherontia in such and such particulars?” What makes the matter worse, in this case, is the unfortunate use of the word ‘‘ club,” because the author has just told us that one of the distinguishiiig marks betwixt a Butterfly and a Moth is that the former has clubbed-tip antennze and the latter has not. While, however, making these complaints, we should remember that the fault does not entirely lie with the Clerks of the science. Ly- ing under great obligations to them, we have perhaps attached too much importance to their labors, while we have underrated the efforts of the ‘“‘ mere collector.” A little literary vanity may be excused under such circumstances; and - the show of possible erudition, which consists in the use .of words not comprehensible by the illiterate, may at one time have been harmless enough; but now, when a continuance in such a course acts as a bar to the advancement of the science, it is time to protest against that con- tinuance, and to insist that the language of the science shall be the language of every day life, 80 far as it is available. “The individual,” says Dr. Knaggs, ‘“‘ who sits in his library all the year round, up to his eyes in entomological dry specimens, and drier 4 literature, writing elaborate Latin diagnoses of probable new species, or turning out descrip- ~tions of improbable ones, at the rate of so many per hour, is apt to imagine that Ais occupation constitutes Entomology ; and, as a consequence, he too often looks down upon the poor fly- catcher with something like contempt; but for all that, the despised collector often, of the two, does the more for science, by which is here meant the acquisition and diffusion of sound knowledge, and not the art of piling up a synonymy for the bewilderment of future gene- rations. The observer, on the other hand, when his observations are conducted with caution and carefully recorded, is the most scientific; or in other words does more than the other two put together to acquire and diffuse knowledge.” As Ihave already said, I have no doubt that the superciliousness of the literary Entomologist may have some effect upon his language; but if he will remember that ‘‘ science must be catho- lic to be worthy of the name,” doubtless he will, henceforth, seek to obtain that catholicity by writing in as plain English as he finds himself possessed of. a Tomato FRuiIt-worm.—We learn from a re- cent number of Scientific Opinion, that at a late meeting of the London Entomological Society, Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited specimens of our Cotton Boll-worm Moth (Heliothis armigera, Hiibn.), which were bred from larvee which fed on the fruit of the Tomato. . As we have already shown (AmeEricAN Enromoxnocisr I, pp. 212- 213), this same species attacks our corn, and does great damage to our tomatoes by eating into the fruit; and the fact of its being bred from the Tomato in England, where this fruit is with difficulty grown, is interesting and sug- gestive. This same worm, as set forth in the second number of our second yolume, is now known to feed also on green peas and on the stems of the Gladiolus. sitet o> ) Attacks or Insucts AFFECTED BY CoLOR.— Darwin (Animals and Plants, ii. 277) states that ‘‘it is certain that insects regulate in many cases the range and even the existence of the higher animals, whilst living under their natural conditions. Under domestication light-colored animals suffer most; in Thuringia the inhabi- tants do not like grey, white, or pale cattle, because they are much more troubled by various kinds of flies than the brown, red or black cattle. An Albino negro, it has been remarked, was particularly sensitive to the bites of insects. In the West Indies it is said that ‘the only horned cattle fit for work are those which have a good deal of black in them. The white are terribly Vv tormented by the insects; and they are weak | and sluggish in proportion to the black.’ ” es ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 173 ey INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE.—No. 7, 4 on eal y Phe American Procris:” \ Proeris [Acolotthus| Americana.)* [From the-Seeond Missouri Entomological Report. } During the months of July and August, the leaves of the Grape-vine may often be found denuded of their softer parts, with nothing but [Fig. 107.) Colors—(a) black sat ea (b) honey-yellow; (c) whitish; (d and e) black and orange. the veins, and sometimes only a few of the larger ribs left skeleton-like, to tell of the mischief that has been done. Very frequently, only portions of the leaf will be thus denuded, and in that event, if we examine such a leaf closely, we shall find the authors of the mischief drawn up in line upon the yet leafy tissue, with their heads all toward the margin, cutting away with their little jaws and retreating as they feed. (Fig. 108.] : Colors—Black and yellow. These little soldier-like files are formed by worms in black and yellow uniforms which produce a moth popularly known as the Amer- ican Procris. The eggs from which they hatch, are laid in small clusters on the underside of the leaves, and while the worms are small, they _*This is the Aglaope americana of Clemens, Procris ameri- os Boisduval and Harris, and Ctenucha americana of alker, leave untouched the most delicate veins of the leaf, which then presents a fine net-work ap- pearance, as shown at the right of Figure 108; but when they become older and stronger they devour all but the larger ribs, as at the left of the figure. When full grown* these worms disperse over the vines or forsake them entirely, and each spins for itself a small, tough, whitish, flattened cocoon (Fig. 107, ¢), within which, in about three days, it changes to a chrysalis (Fig. 107, b), 0.30 inch long, broad, flattened and of a light shiny yellowish-brown color. In about ten days afterwards the moths (Fig. 107, d and e) begin to issue. This little moth is the American rep- resentative of the European Procris vitis; it is wholly of a black color, except the collar, which is of a deep orange, and the body ends in a broad fan-like, notched tuft, especially in the male. The wings are of a delicate texture, reminding one of crape, and when the insect is at rest they generally form a perfect cross with the body, the hind wings being completely hid- den by the front ones, which are stretched out straight at right angles, as in the genus Ptero- phorus, to which belongs the Grape-vine Plume. We have, however, on one or two occasions found the American Procris resting in the man- ner shown at Figure 107, d. This is the only North American Grape-vine feeding caterpillar which has a gregarious hubit, and as gregarious insects are always more easily subdued than those of a solitary nature, the American Procris need never become very de- structive. Its natural food is undoubtedly the wild grape-vines of our forests, and the Virginia Creeper, and Mr. J. M. Jordon, of St. Louis, has noticed that while it very commonly attacks the foliage of the Concord, yet it never touches the Clinton and Taylor in his vincyard—a taste which is remarkable and not easily accounted for, since the foliage of the latter kinds is more tender and generally more subject to insect depredations than that of the former. There are two broods of this insect each year with us, some of the moths from the second brood of worms issuing in the fall, but the greater part not leaving their cocoons till the *The full grown larva (Fig. 107, a) measures rather more than half an inch, and tapers a little towards each end, It is of a sulphur-yellow color, with a transverse row of six velyety-black, prickly tufts on each of the principal seg- ments, the lower tufts being less distinct than those on the back. The first segment is entirely black with a yellow edge, while the spots on segments 11 and 12 usually run into cone another. Head small, brown, and retractile, being usually hidden in the first segment Fine scattering hairs anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly. The young worm is of a very pale yellow, covered with numerous fine white hairs, with a slight grayish-brown tint on the head, and with the fifth and seventh segments paler than the rest, and having the black spots searcely visible. 174 THE AMERICAN following summer. During the month of June they may be seen in pairs about the vines, and we have also frequently observed around Her- mann, a very closely allied but smaller and different moth (Alcoloithus falsarius, Clem.) about the same season of the year. This last, though so closely resembling the other, may be distinguished by being scarcely more than half as large; by the body lacking the anal tuft and being comparatively much thicker and shorter; by the hind wings being comparatively larger; and by the collar being of a paler orange and divided on the top by a black point. The American Procris, though the fact is not mentioned by other authors, is subject to the attack of at least one parasite, with us; for we have bred from it a very peculiar little four- winged black fly belonging to the great Chalcis | family, and which Mr. Cresson, of Philadelphia, | refers doubtingly to Perilampus platygaster, Say. =. 6 THE DEATH WEB OF YOUNG TROUT, Aw Enemy to YounG Troutr.—The Piscicul- turist, Seth Green, is known throughout the land for his energy and perseverance in inquir- | ing into and ascertaining the cause of anything that may be new in his little world of interest or nature. Formany years Mr. Green has been | ata loss to account for the enormous destruc- tion of very small trout, but he has now ascer- | tained the cause, and gives to the public, for the public good, his discovery. He says in regard | to the matter: | “ There is a small worm which is the favorite | food of trout. and many other kinds of fish. This worm is one of the greatest enemies which the small fry have. It spins a web in the water to catch young fish, just as a spider does on land to catch flies. I have seen them make the web and catch the fish. The web is as perfect as that | of the spider, and as much mechanical ingenuity | is displayed in its construction. It is made as | quickly and in the same way as a spider’s, by fastening the threads at different points and going back and forth until the web is finished. The threads are not strong enough to hold the young trout after the umbilical sac is absorbed, but the web will stick to the fins, get around the head and gills, and soon kills the fish. I have often seen it on the young trout, and it has been a great mystery and caused me many hours, days and weeks of study to find out what was wound around the head and fins of my young trout and killed them. I did not find out until lately while watching recently hatched white- fish. These are much smaller than the trout when they begin to swim, and they are caught and held-by the web. I found ten small white- | fish caught in one web in one night. This web was spun in a little whitefish preserve, into | which I had put one hundred young fish. The threads spun by this worm seem to be much finer than the common spider’s web, and they are not visible in the water until the sediment collects upon them. They can then be seen very — plainly. These webs cannot be spun where there is much current, and cai be easily seen in still water by a close observer ” Probably hundreds of our readers have noticed this web in the water, but have never stopped to inquire into the matter, or whether it was a worm or a spider that inhabited the submerged . nest and made it. It has remained for Mr.’ Green to solve this mystery of the water. The above item appeared originally in Wilkes’ Spirit of the Times, and has been quite exten- sively copied. The mystery is, however, not yet solved, and we shall be glad, by the aid of such of our correspondents who know anything about it, to give an illustrated account of this mysterious worm. We have heard from Mr. Green, who promises to send us specimens. He | informs us that ‘‘ the word web hardly describes | the threads, which are not at all symmetrical | like the web of a spider, but in most instances an irregular mass of nearly parallel threads.” We learn from Mr. Fred. Mather, of Honeoye Falls, Monroe county, N. Y., who is an exten- sive trout-breeder, that he has seen a web in his hatching troughs, and that it often forms on the eggs strong enough to lift several in a mass; but that he always supposed it to be ‘‘a vege- | table growth or a product of the water, like Byssus.” Mr. E. Sterling, of Cleveland, Ohio, has also noticed the same web, and has been at a loss to account for it. 3 All we can at present say is, that no explan- | ation of the fact is yet on record, other than that given by Mr. Green. The worm is in all pro- bability the larva of some species of Caddice-fly (PHRYGANEID), for we know of no other true insects that spin a web in the water. These Caddice-fly larvee are case-bearers, but it was long ago ascertained by Willoughby and after- wards by Pictet, that many of them reside in immovable cases attached to stones, etc., and that they are consequently compelled to quit their cases and search for food in a naked state.* This may account for the fact that these cases were not observed by Mr. Green, who informs us that ‘‘ by taking up one of the worms on a twig and letting the former drop into the water, a fine thread will be found attached to the lat- ter.” Let us hear from our piscicultural sub- scribers, and living specimens of the worm will also be most: thankfully received. We always take delight in solving mysteries. — r ee u * Westwood, Introduction, II, p. 67. 175 IOWA BUTTERFLIES. The following species, collected in Grinnell, except as otherwise stated, are to be added to the Preliminary List of Iowa species reported by Mr. Samuel H. Scudder in Vol. I, Part 2, of the Transactions of the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Grinnell is on high rolling prairie, the summit level between the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers, by the Rock Island and- Pacific Railroad: Papilio Turnus, Linn. —Yellow yariety. mon. Papilio Asterias, Fabr.—Common. Papilio Philenor, Fabr.—Grinnell and Keokuk. Differs from Bolsduval’s Cescription in primaries not greenish; tail not whitish at base. Differs from Say’s in first thigh haying a conspicuous yellow line; crenwe yellowish-white. Two specimens—that from Grinnell expands near 4 inches. “Papilio Thoas, Linn.—Keokuk and Davenport. Papilio Ajax, yar. Marcellus, Cram,—Keokuk and Davenport. Argynnis Myrina, Cram.—__—_—_| ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. [We propose to publish from time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents as contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practi- cal importance. Wehope our renders will contribute eavh their several Mites towards the general fund; and in case they are not perfectly certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities of which are to be mentioned, will send specimens along in order that each species may be duly identified.] Is tHE New York WEEVIL THE CAUSE OF Prar Burcur?—Chicago, Ills., March 31st, 1870. —A gentleman of this city, formerly residing at Lake Forest, a suburb of Chicago, communi- cated to me a few days since, some facts he has observed in regard to the ‘‘ pear tree blight,” from which he has formed the theory that the blight is caused solely by the New York Weevil (Ithycerus noveboracensis, Worster). His obser- vations extended over some five years, and were briefly as follows:—He never observed any ap- pearance of the blight till after the appearance of the beetle, which, in four out of five years, occurred on the same day—June 19th, and in the fifth year on June 20th. That in addition to the depredations described in the AmERIcAN Enromorocist for July, 1869, the insect deposits on the bark of the twig or branch, a liquid sub- stance (whether excrement or saliva, he was uncertain, but supposed it to be the latter), which extended some inches in length by an eighth of an inch in width. That this liquid soon turned black, and seemed to penetrate to the heart of the branch, turning the wood also black. If the branch was of considerable size the tree would die; if quite small the poison would remain latent till the next spring, but in the end would certainly kill the tree. That by cutting away the deposit before it turned black no blight followed. That by stationing men to watch for and destroy the beetles as soon as they appeared, he saved his trees while those of his neighbors were affected. He has given me a specimen of the insect which he is certain, caused him the loss of a tree in the manner described. I take the liberty of communicating these statements to you, because I am unable ~ ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 177 ‘to form an opinion as to the correctness of his theory, and because if there be any probability of its correctness, it may be worth while to investigate farther. Should be pleased to hear from you in regard to it. TH. H. Bascock. {We have ourselves never observed this pecu- liarity in the New York Weevil, but do not doubt the correctness of the foregoing observa- tions. We have serious doubts, however, as to this beetle being the cause of the real Pear Blight, which is considered, by the most emi- nent horticulturists of the land (and we agree with them), to be of fungoid rather than insect origin. The work described by our correspond- ent very probably produces a sort of blight, And several bark-boring and wood-boring. bee- tles are known to produce a similar effect. But this insect-blight inust not be confounded with the far more subtle and destructive Pear-Blight so called; and the singular assertion of Dr. Packard, that “ the various species of Scolytus, Tomicus, and Xyloterus give rise to the disease called fire-blight,”’* is, to say the least, very loose and indefinite, and calculated to mislead. We hope to find time before long, to illustrate the differences between these different kinds of blight, but meanwhile, shall gladly publish more detailed statements from the gentleman from Lake Forest.—Ep. } Tue Ursuva Burrerty MORE COMMON THAN Disirrus IN sOME SECTIONS Or THE CouNTRY— Newport, R. I.—1 was showing Mr. Scudder a suite of Newport butterflies, and was asking him what the Darwinian theory could make of the close resemblance between the butterflies D. archippus and Nymphalis disippus, while the larvee are so utterly unlike, when he gave me your paper on ‘‘Imitative Butterflies.” Let me express to you the pleasure with which I have read it. It is so very ingenious and suggestive, whether true or not; and every one who, like myself, is inclined to the Darwinian theory, must be quite disposed to believe it. The only state- ment from which I shall dissent is that the 4 Ursula Butterfly “is everywhere quite rare,” at least, as compared with the other species. I have no doubt that this is generally true, but since removing here from Massachusetts, I have been struck with the fact that it is quite other- wise here. Iam very sure that in Newport it is one of the commonest of the larger butterflies, and decidedly more so than the Disippus. I will observe specially next summer, but am sure of ’ the fact. Mr. Scudder also spoke of its abun- dance on Cape Cod. This may, however, be ~* Guide, ete., p. 492. due to special causes, which, if known, would only further illustrate your theory—e. g., the absence of certain birds which attack the Ursula and spare the others. I do not know which birds do this; but our common fauna differs in some respects from that of Massachusetts. Tuomas WrENTWORtTH HIGGINSON. BLappER PLums—Al/ton, Jl/s.—I see in No. 4 of the EnromoLoaisT, an article on ‘ Bladder Plums,” and a statement of Dr. Ilull’s, saying that they are unknown in this locality. 1 found them here on the wild Plum (a blue variety) two years ago. The tree on which these abnor- mal plums grew had probably two or three bun- dred of them on if, all affected about alike. Lwas particularly struck with this appearance of the fruit, as it was new tome. I broke open several of them, and found them, as you say, hollow, and much larger than they would have been if healthy and natural; but these of mine had insectsin them.which much resembled in appear- ance woolly lice, being of a downy appearance, and of a bluish-white color. These lice adhered to the interior wall of the phantom plam, and the plums and insects resembled galls more than anything else. I noticed them very particularly, because they were something new. I have never seen their like since, and mayhap never shall. Gro. W. Corey. Corn Kerrne.s in Cocoons or Cecroria Mora —Geneva, Ills., Feb. 22d, 1870.—In looking over the AMERICAN EnTomMOLoaist, I see the curious fact stated (page 100) of a kernel of corn being found in the cocoon of a Cecropia Moth. TI have seen the same thing in two instances in cocoons brought to me for examination by a young gen-. tleman of this place. These repeated instances show that the corn could not have been dropped there by some bird accidentally, as you conjee- ture The only plausible explanation I can give, is that the corn is deposited there for safe keep- ing during the formation of the cocoon (or pos- sibly forced into the loose end of it after com- pletion) by some bird. And this bird, I have a strong suspicion, is the Blue Jay, which is well known to have the habit (like other Corvidw) of pilfering and hiding in holes and crevices, any small objects which attract its notice. Wa. LeBaron. THe Har _equin Cannace Buc—Austin, Tex., Feb. 28th, 1870.—Within the past few days we have gathered by hand over 47,000 (forty-seven thousand) of these bugs. This is a great bug country, and I have my share of them in grow- ing vegetables for market, and find your journal very useful in enabling me to tell my friends from my enemies. Bens. R. TOWNSEND. 178 THE AMERICAN Insect DestroyER—WNew York, Feb. 14, ’70.— «¢ \ weak solution of the chloride of lime is said to preserve plants from insects if sprinkled over | them. Flies are also got rid of in stables and other places by scattering chloride of lime on a plank. Mixed with half its weight of fatty | matter, and a narrow band of the composition smeared around the trunk of a tree, insects will | not pass it.” I find the above in an English publication, and think it worth trying. The only question is, will it bleach the leaves of the plant? W. V. ANDREWS. No Prant-Lick Eees— Warsaw, Ills., March 1st, 1870.—On page 107 you mention the fact that the apple trees in the vicinity of St. Louis are remarkably free from the eggs of the Plant- louse. A careful examination of my own trees to-day failed to reveal a single one. If Dr. Hull’s theory is correct, we shall escape that great scourge of the orchardist, the scab, for one year at least. A. C. HamMonp. 01> e “SCAB” IN APPLE vs. APPLE-TREE PLANT-LICE, On page 107 of the present volume we showed how Dr. Hull believes that the ‘“‘scab” on apples there expressed our opinion that the present year will prove an excellent one in which to test the validity of the Doctor’s theory, since the apple trees, wherever we had examined them, were entirely free from the Plant-lice eges. As this is a matter of great practical import- ance, and of still greater scientific interest, we earnestly ask our horticultural friends, in dif- ferent parts of the country, to watch carefully whether or not the Plant-lice appear in their own orchards, and whether subsequently their apples are accordingly attacked by, or are free from, ‘‘scab.” We shall gladly record any facts bearing on the subject. o> e_- i= We publish this month the first of a series of articles giving instructions how to collect and study insects, from Mr. F. G. Sanborn, of the Boston Society of Natural History. As one of the best field-entomologists in the country, and a collector of long experience, Mr. Sanborn is eminently fitted to give plain and practical directions, and will win’ the attention and re- ceive the thanks of a great number of our sub- scribers who have been requesting such inform- ation. y 2 se Microscopes.—We have received from Mr. Geo. Mead, Box 1,035 Chicago, Ills., one of his Novelty Microscopes. This instrument costs but $2 and will do well enough to amuse little folks. | and completes the work. | of Beetles.” is caused by the punctures of Plant-lice, and we | ON OUR TABLE. A GuiIbr TO THE StTuDY oF INsECTS.—By A. S. Packard, Jr., M. D., Salem, Naturalists’ Book Agency. Part X has been on our table for some time. It is about twice as thick as any of the preceding parts, and is embellished with three full-page plates. It contains an account of the Neuroptera, Arachnida and Myriapoda, with an Entomological Calender, Glossary and Index, We have had all the parts bound together, and they form a good sized volume which will be found of great value -and assistance to students of Entomology. We hope before long to find time to give a short review of the work as a whole. REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR 1868.—We might say much in favor of this Report had we space. Many improvements have been made since the Department has been under the control of its present commissioner, Colonel Capron. There are two Entomological papers in the volume before us. The first is the report of the Entomologist, Mr. Townend Glover, and is entitled ‘“‘ The Food and Habits It is an elaborate compilation, in- terspersed with some original observations, and is well illustrated. It will be found of value to a certain class of individuals, but, as with all such tabular papers, numerous errors have crept in. The author is doubtless as fully aware of this fact as any one. We know that Mr. Glover must have been greatly occupied with other matters at the time this paper was being pre- pared, and in:no derogatory mood, therefore, we suggest that any similar paper on the other Orders that may be contemplated, would prove far more valuable to the class of readers for which the Report is intended, if the avowed in- tention, stated in the preface, were more strictly | carried out, namely, to give the vulgar name by which the insect is known, or should be known. The tyro in reading and studying such a paper would also be much less confused if the author’s name were invariably attached to the scientific appellation of the insect. The other paper is entitled “‘ Practical Ento- mology for Farmers’ Sons,” and though anony- mously inserted, we presume it was written by Mr. C. R. Dodge. It is a well prepared paper, giving correct instructions how to collect and prepare insects. There is at present a great demand for just such information as is there given, and the author would render good ser- vice to farmers’ sons by striking off a number of separate copies, and transposing the head- ings. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 179 ENTOMOLOGICAL RECORD FOR 1869.—We learn from the Editor that the Record for 1869 will be out early in the spring. This work is published at considerable loss to the Naturalists’ Book Agency at Salem, Mass., and every entomolo- gist should encourage the undertaking. Pear CuLture ror Prorit.—B. P. T. Quinn— Press of the Tribune Association, N. Y.—A work which, though it has called forth some severe criticism, every pear-grower should have. We consider that portion on the diseases and insects of the pear, as singularly incomplete. Sma.v Fruit RECORDER AND CoTraGE GARD- ner.—A. M. Purdy (successor to Purdy & Johnson) of Palmyra, N. Y., has sent us copies of the above monthly. It is spicy and practi- cal, and we hope the energetic editor will not fail of success. Le NaturRAListe Canapien.—Vol. II, No. 1 of this ably edited little monthly, comes to us /in anew dress, with a much embellished cover, handsomer type, and a marked improvement in the character of the engravings. M.lAbbé Provancher is doing a good work in popular- izing the delightful study of Natural History, and we sincerely wish him success in his under- taking. INTELLIGENCE OF ANIMALS.—F rom the French of Ernest Menault—Charles Scribner & Co., publishers. This is a highly interesting little book, and the author is benignant and sensible enough to accord, with Montaigne, Réaumur, La Fontaine, Leroy, Cuvier, Spence, and others, a degree of reason and intelligence to the lower animals. The work is fully illustrated, and is full of amusing and instructive reading. ———_e+ o—_— — Ituinors State EnTOMOLoGISsT.—Just as our last form is going to press, we learn that Dr. Wm. LeBaron, of Geneva, Kane county, Ills., has been appointed to the office of State Ento- mologist, made vacant by the death of our late associate. Well done, Governor Palmer! Our Illinois friends have good cause to rejoice at the appointment! ———_—__e e—_— Missourr Revorts.—We can yet dispose of a few copies of the First Missouri Entomological Report, with uncolored plates, for $1.00, or of the Second Report for 75 cents, both separately bound. Citizens of Missouri can obtain the same, bound in with the Agricultural Report, by sending 50 cents for postage, to C. W. Murt- feldt, 612 North Fifth street, St. Louis, Mo. - ANSWERS T0 CORRESPONDENTS. NO'1CE.—Such of our correspondents as haye already sent, or may here- after send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species sent are from other States than their own. Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwing light upon the geographical distribution of species. But to make them of real value, it is requisite that we know for certain whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. We have lately received several small collections of insects to be named, and have, so far as our time w.uld allow, answered by letter, because a long string of names is dry and uninteresting to the general reader. It requires much time to conscientiously name the many lots of insects that reach us, and hereatter we can take no notice of them, unless they are properly mounted on entomological pins, and the locality given in which they were found. At least two specimens of each species should be sent when it is pos- sible to do so, and each species should be separately numbered. When there are but few, we shall answer as heretofore in the columns of the ENTOMOL- OGtsT, but when there are many we shall answer by mail. Insects Named—Miss Marion Hobart, Port Byron, Zlls.—The butterfly which you reared from nettle- feeding larve is Grapta comma, Harr., or the Comma Butterfly. Mr, Edwards long since found the larve of this species feeding on the Broad-leayed Nettle in the Catskill Mountains, though Dr. Harris bred his speci- mens from hop-feeding lary. The species is of quite uncommon occurrence with us, and we have only met with one specimen in seven years’ collecting. There are four other North American species belonging to this genus, namely, progne, J-album, faunus, and interrogu- tionis, which greatly resemble one another in the gen- eral appearance of the upper surfaces. We may at some future time take occasion to explain and illustrate the distinguishing features which separate these species. ) No. 2, which you bred from a ‘‘ black bristly cater- pillar, with reddish-brown transverse bands on the body,” is a small ¢ of the Great White Leopard Moth (Ecpantheria scribonia, Hiibn, = Phalwna oculatissima, Sm. and Abb.) No. 3, bred from hazel-feeding larva, is the Chain-dotted Geometer (Geometra catenaria), which also feeds on the Wood-waxen, otherwise known as Dyer’s.Green or Dyer’s Genista. No. 4, the large black tumble-bug with a rhinoceros-like horn on the head, and which was disinterred at a depth of two feet in frozen ground, is @' Xyloryctes satyrus, Fabry. No.5, Aretia virgo, Sm. and Abb. No. 6, Cotalpa lanigera, Linn. No. 7, feeding upon Hazel leaves, is Serica vespertina, Schénh, No. 8, on Milk-weed, is Letraopes 5-maculatus, Hald. No.9, Carabus silvosus, Say. You should always pin your beetles through the rigit wing- cover near the shoulder, and not through the seutel,. or through the Jeff wing-cover, < Supposed Trout Enemy—/Jved. Mather, Honeoye Falls, N. ¥.—The single small case which you send, and of which you noticed great numbers a few weeks ago with the head and legs of the bearer protruding, and climbing upon some spawn which you brought from Mr. Green’s—came safely to hand, but without an occupant. It is the case of a Caddice-fly larva, and looks much like those known to be made in Europe by a genus of these flies (Ser/costoma) comprising small species. The small dusky flies, with long antenne, two somewhat similar caudal appendages and strongly neryed wings, which flies are very thick on the snow around the ponds which do not freeze, breed in the water, as you rightly conjecture. They belong to the Perla family, and the species in question is Capnia minima, Newp., or in English, the Diminished Capnia. The lary of these insects live in the water, and in general form resemble the flies except in wanting wings, and the pupais said to be also active. The other two insects which were enclosed with these flies, and which were 180 THE AMERICAN taken in the house, were respectively the common Cheese-fly (Peophila cased) and the common Brown Spice-beetle (Ptinus brunneus). Eood for Trout—Seth Green & Collins, Mumford, N. ¥.—If you will send us specimens of the worm which forms such desirable food for your young trout, we may be able to suggest some method of propagating it artificially. Without specimens we are entirely ata loss as to the character of the worm in question. ‘rout Enemy—Z. Sterling, Cleveland, Ohio.—See u short article on the subject in this number. Best Practical Works on Entomology—/”. G. S. Franklin, Chilicothe, Ohio.—No entomological work ever written, condenses so much valuable in- formation on the general facts and details of the Science, as Westwood’s Introduction to the Modern Olussification of Insects. (London, 1838-40, two large octavos with 133 blocks of outline wood-ctts, and colored plate.) It is now out of print, but is occasionally to be had of book-dealers. Kirby and Spence’s Introduction (Lon- don, 1857, one stout duodecimo; no plates, price about 2.00) is a pleasantly written work, fraught with much valuable information on the general subject. Harris’s Injurious Insects is preéminently the practical work for the American student. (Orange Judd & Co., New York; price $4.00 uncolored, 46.00 colored). Next we should advise you to get Packard’s Guide to the Study of Insects, which has often been mentioned in our columns; and last, but not least, the Reports of Fitch, Walsh, Sanborn, and Riley. If you are conyer- sant with the French or German languages you may find several desirable books by sending for catalogues to B. Westermann & Co: or Balliere Bros. of New York, or to any other prominent book-dealers. We have in reality no good text-book on Entomology, for Dr. Pack- ard has signally failed to give to his Gucde that popular character, which would have rendered it so much more valuable as a text-book. It is a valuable scientitic work, and we doubt whether it is possible.to make a popular text-book that covers as much ground as does the Guide. HMair-Snakes—/. W. W., West Dummeiston, Vt.— The popular belief that these so-called **Hair-snakes?’ are *‘animated hairs?’ is of course a fallacy. Neither are they ‘‘generated by the common field cricket,’? though they are otten found protruding from the anus of crickets and grasshoppers, in which they are para- sitic. The species you refer to was probably the Vary- ing Hair-snake (Gordius varius, Leidy). Two species (G. varius, Leidy, and G@. aguaticus, Gmel.) are com- monly found throughout tne country, but the former is most abundant. Both species occur most abundantly on the banks of fresh water ponds and sluggish rivers. They are exceedingly prolific, and Prof. Leidy says that a 9 of 4. vardus laid 6,624,800 eges. It is generally believed that these eggs, which are extremely minute, ure drank in by insects and other animals, in whose bodies they hatch and develop, but from which abiding place they must finally depart in order to meet and copulate with some mate. But from the fact that these parasitic worms are found in many insects which are never known to frequent water, such as many of the Straight-winged Flies (Orthoptera), Ground - beetles (Carabide), and even Spiders, this theory hardly sat- isfies, and we are consequently glad to inform you that we expect shortly to publish an article on these curious parasites, from Dr. Leidy himself. These hair-snakes belong to the Intestinal Worms (Zxtozoa), which are Ringed Animals (ARTICULATA), and haye nothing whatever to do with the true snakes, which are Back- pone Animals (VERTEBRATA). Egg-sack of some unknown Spider—4d. Hn- (Fig. 109.) gelmann, Shiloh, Ills.—The eurious egg- sacks which Mr. E. W. West found “hanging from the twigs of an apple tree, and which we illustrate here- with (Fig. 109), are those of a spider belonging, in all probability, to the genus Zpecra, and perhaps those of the common Zpeira vulgaris. But we can not tell until we hatch the eggs with which the sack is now crowded. You will doubtless find full grown speci- mens of the spider on this same tree next May or June. Jolor—Dark gray. Do Worker Bees Sting the Drones to Death! —W. W. V., Middletown, Ct.—It is generally believed by apiarians that the workers do sting to death the drones when the mission of the latter is ended. Many careful observers assert that they have witnessed the operation, and as it is also believed by many eminent naturalists, we see no reason to doubt the say-so of Milne Edwards in his Manual of Zoology, though we can say nothing from our own obseryation. Red Spider—Z. H. Warder, Spencer, Ind.—The Red Spider (Zrombidium [Letranychus] telarium, Herm.) is an importation from Europe, and is a very minute species, pale yellow when young, becoming darker when older. It is best known in the green-house, but likewise does much damage in dry seasons on trees (especially ever- greens) in the open air, It thrives best in a dry atmos- phere, and we have found no difficulty im getting rid of it by a free use of its natural enemy—water. Ifa little soap is mixed with the water it will be more effec- tual, and we also recommend the insecticide used by M. Cloez, and described on page 86 of this yolume. Preserving Insects—Jos. UcGuade, Fort Rapley, Minn.—We commence in this number a series of arti- cles which will give you the desired information. Meanwhile, if you need full directions immediately, on the subject, upon receipt of 30 cents. R. B. Whitney, Lamar, Mo.—Your query is answered in the preceding paragraph. Imsect Named—W. Barret, Waukesha, Wis.—The flies you send are the Psocus venosus of Burmeister, belonging to the Order of Net-winged Plies (NEUROP- TERA). They feed on the lichens found on the bark are therefore harmless. Certain minute species of the same genus, however, and which are known as book- lice, are very destructive to books and to inseet collec- tions. { Vv To Destroy Plant-lice—JB. F. Lazear, Louisiana, Mo.—It you cannot so cover your house-plants as to give them a good smoking with tobacco, wash them well with strong soap-suds, or quassia-water, or sprinkle from tobacco factories. —— we will send youa small pamphlet containing an article of apple trees, as we haye ocularly demonstrated, and ~ them with the fine tobacco- dust which can be obtained | - ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 181 Raspberry Root-gall—Xatherine Parsons, Cam- bridge, Mass.—The galls found on the roots of a rasp- berry bush, and of one of which we here pro- duce the outline (Fig. 110) were long ago men- tioned by Harris (Jnj. Ins.,p. 549). They are produced by a little gall- fly deseribed by Osten VSacken as Rhodites radi- cum, and they occur on the roots of other plants belonging to the Rose family, and especially on those of the Rose itself. The little white larve which are snugly en- closed in the cells, seat- tered throughout the pithy yellowish sub- stance of the gall, will soon transform to pupe, and in time produce the flies; but the gall itself is so apt to be sponged upon by other guest-flies, and the gall- makers are so subject to the attacks of parasites, that flies belonging to the different genera Zurytoma, Calli- mone, Ormyrus, wd Lupelmus, have been bred from this gall, according to Baron Osten Sacken. Indeed, so unsafe is it to conclude that because we breed a certain fly from this gall, therefore said fly must be the gall- maker, that even Dr, Harris fell into the too common error of describing as the gall-maker, another fly (Cynips [?] semipicea) which was in all probability a parasite. It becomes a curious question, how so many ' guest-flies manage to discoyer this underground swell- ing of the root, or how so many parasites succeed in reaching the hidden gall-maker; and there is plenty of room for original observation and discovery in this, as in every other field of Nature. (Fig. 110.] Color—Brown, Spined Slug-worm—/evi G. Safer, Llizabeth, Ind. —The green oyal flattened object with lateral tooth- like appendages fringed with hairs, the two at the tail being larger than the others, is the larva of an unde- seribed species of Zimacodes or Slug-worm. It belongs to the very same family as the ‘‘ Saddle-back’’ [Fig. 36 of this volume]. When living, it is ornamented with a lateral row of minute ocellated spots, each with a black dot, and a dorsal row of darker spots with two of urich scarlet color. You will tind a colored figure of it in Harris’s Correspondence [PI. II, Fig. 7], and also a magnified view [Pl. LlI, Fig. 6]. We regret that you eannot tell upon what it fed. A. R. Bodley, Sturgis, Mich.—The green sprangling worm which you erroneously suppose was ejected by the larva of the Polyphemus moth, is the same species spoken of above. Fern Insects—Beulah S. Morris, Philadelphia, Pa. —The minute fern insects were dead and unrecogniz- able when they arrived. Please send us more ina tight vessel, according to the directions at the end of this Department. Ants do not Breed Plant-lice—J/. U. Raymond, Council Bluffs, Towa.—We lave not seen the copy of the Jowa Homestead which you refer to. Of course you are right about the ants, and the correspondent of the Homestead shows great ignorance on the subject. Apple-tree Insects—Z. Camfield, Benton Harbor, Mich.—The insects you send are as follows: No. 1, eocoon of the White Marked Tussock Moth (Orgyta leucostigma, Sm, & Abb.), containing the empty 3 chrysalis shell. No.2, the same. No. 3, the cocoon of the same species with the eggs of the 2 attached. These eggs would soon hatch out into beautifully tufted cater- pillars, which prove very destructive to the foliage; but by destroying the eggs at the present time you of course effectually prevent the hatching of the worms. You should, however, only destroy those cocoons which have eggs on the outside, as all the others either con- tain the harmless ¢ chrysalis shell, or else some parasite. At Figure 67 of our first volume, you will find an illus- tration of this worm. No. 4, are the silky cases of the Leaf Crumpler (Phycita nebulo.) They now contain worms, and should be carefully plucked and destroyed before the leaves expand. These worms, which attack both quince, crab and plum trees, produce little gray moths in June. Native Apple-tree Bark-lice—4. U'. Hammond, Warsaw, Zlls.—The apple twigs you send, which are speckled over with small white paper-like scales, are in- fested with the Native Apple-tree Bark-louse (Aspidiotus Harrisii), as you will at onee perceive by the accompanying Figure 111, which represents such an infested twig. You will find a full account of this insect, with the proper remedies suggested, in Mr. Walsh’s First Report, as acting State Entomolo- gist, or in our First Missouri Re- port. ‘The species occurs on the Pear and Mountain Ash, as well as on the Apple, and though it has in a few instances multiplied suf ciently to do serious harm, yet these are the exceptions, and not the rule, for it is so effectually preyed upon by parasites and can- nibals that itis little to be feared, Coiors—White, with blooa- ANd you need not feel as much red eggs underneath. yJarm as though you had the im- ported Oyster-shell species on your trees. Encourage the lady-birds, especially the Twice-stabbed Lady- bird, ‘which has several times heen figured in back numbers. (Fig. 111.) ‘a NICK ¢ Entomological Works—/’. W. Bryan, Pomonkey, Md,.—See what we have said in answer to Dr. G. §. Franklin in thisnumber. There is no work extant that meets your demands; nor do we belieye one could be made. We shall soon publish a table such as you sug- gest. Yes, we have published articles on the Peach Borer, and refer you especially to the practical one on page 180 of the first volume. Shall be glad to receive notes from your locality. : “ Novice,’ Amesbury, Mass.—We refer you to the above answers. J “ Sow-bugs —E£. P. Allis, Jr.—Sow-bugs (Por- celléo) are harmless, as they feed upon rotten wood and decomposing vegetable matter. They delight in damp places, and this is the reason you find them in your fernery. They are not true insects, hut belong to the same Class (CRUSTACEA) as the lobster. 1B Been inne THE AMERICAN 4 The Hedge-Hog Caterpillar—Huron Burt, Wil- ~—téamsburg, Mo.—The large caterpillar, covered with stiff black hairs on each end, and with reddish hairs in the mniddle of the body, is the larva of the Isabella Tiger (Fig, 112.) a Colors—(a) Brown and black; (b) brown; (c) dull orange and black. Moth (drctia Jsabella, Hiibn.) The moth is of a dull orange color, with the front wings variegated with dusky, and spotted with black, and the hind wings somewhat lighter and also with black spots. The cater- pillar is one of those which passes the winter as a cater- pillar, rolling itself up like a hedge-hog, and seeking some sheltered place. Inthe spring it becomes active and ‘‘ feeds up ’’ on the first green blades of grass which it can obtain, after which it undergoes its transforma- tionsin the usual manner. ‘These worms cannot be con- sidered injurious, and the supposition that they cause the fever, whence they are called ‘‘ Mever-worms’’ in your locality, is of course unfounded and erroneous. A much larger and entirely black prickly worm (larva of Lepantheria seribonia, Hiibn.), and closely allied to it, which occurs quite abundantly in the southern swamps, is likewise dubbed ‘* Feyer-worm’’ by the negroes, under sunilar false impressions of its injurious powers. As the miasma of the swamps induces ague, and as this worm is found abundantly in such situations, the two circumstances have doubtless been associated through ignorance, and some Ethiopean, right from Dixie, has perhaps perpetuated the name in your vicinity, by applying it to our more northern Hedge-hog Cater- pillar. The Isabella Tiger Moth is illustrated at Figure 112, w giving a baci view of the larva, 2 the cocoon cut open so as to show the chrysalis, and ¢ the moth. The beetles which you found under the bark of a fence rail, may be known by the name of the Sleek Horinus ~4-(Horinus Ievis, Oliy.) They feed on rotting wood. Chick-weed Geometer—/. Huggins, Woodburn, Llis.—The pretty little orange moth marked with pink, is the common Chick-weed Geometer (Hamatopis gra- taréa, Waby.), the transformations of which were first described in the First Missouri Entomological Report, where you will find the insect figured. The many- legged animal is Cermatia forceps, and is common in houses in this latitude. You will find your Canker- worm queries answered in the Second Missouri Report. Of course you are right about the absurdity of the sul- phur remedy. Bean-weevil—Geo. W. Copley, Alton, Ills.—The weevils which infest your beans are in reality the very same Obsolete Bean-weevil (Bruchus obsoletus, Say) spoken of on pages 118 and 125 of this volume. We have lately been informed by Mr. J. F. Wielandy, of Jefferson City, Mo., that his father, who is a resident of your county, has been much troubled with the same pest. The little case in the cartridge box is the larva- case of a small narrow-winged moth, belonging, in all probability, to the genus Solenobéa, and closely resem- bling that of Solenobia Walshella, Clem. We cannot believe that it gouged out the twig of the Bartlett pear; but incline to the opinion that this gouging was done by some other insect, and that the case-bearer simply took shelter in the hollow, to gain protection from the win- ter’s blasts. The species has never been bred, and we should be glad to have you send us as many cases 4s you can find. ‘The pretty little leaf-beetle, bearing some resemblance to the 12-Spotted Diabrotica is Cero- toma caminea, Faby. e THE SOFT MAPLES. There are two trees which are indiscrimin- ately called Soft Maple, namely: 1st. The Silver- leaf or White Maple (Acer dasycarpum, Ehrh) ; 2d. The Red Maple (A. rubrum, Linn.) They are called Soft Maples on account of the com- parative softness of their wood, which is due to their vigurous and rapid growth. They stand foremost in the rank of trees adapted to cultiva- tion either for the lawn and garden, or for fuel and timber. In general appearance these trees resemble each other so closely that many people fail to discriminate between them. In order to aid in their distinction we will give a short account of them. ; : The Maples, in their flowering arrangement, are polygamous; that is, the flowers may be either perfect, or the staminate or pistillate kinds may be separated in the same or in different _ ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 185 trees. Probably, however, the Soft Maples are generally diccious; that is, all the flowers of one tree are staminate, and all the flowers of another are pistillate. But, how many of our readers will say that they never saw maple flowers? Well, then, look abont you in this month of April, and you may find new pleasure in these beautiful trees. If, however, you are far south, you may be too late for the flowers this season, and may have to content yourselves with a view of the fruit only. First, let us describe the Silver-leaf Maple Acer dasycarpum, Ebrh, Fig. 116.) The flowers [Fig. 116.] Silver-leaf Maple. are in small clusters proceeding from lateral buds, which are developed before the leaves ap- pear. Each cluster or fascicle contains five or six yellowish or purple flowers, either perfect—7. e., with stamens and pistils—or containing only one kind of organs. The staminate flowers have each four or five stamens; the fertile flowers have each two pistils united below, and expand- ing into a pair of long, broad wings or keys (samara), which are quite downy when young, and when mature are about two inches long. The stalk or pedicel of these keys is very short at first, but it elongates so as to become an inch or more in length. Each key contains one large seed. They mature and drop from the tree in May. The leaves are large, with three to five lobes, pointed and toothed, or, sometimes again divided into smaller lobes. They are downy when young, becoming silvery-white on the underside. ‘The tree attains a large size, the wood is white, the bark ash-colored and smooth, except on the large trunks. The leaves present considerable diversity of form—our illustration shows leaf and fruit, a little less than full size. [Fig. 117.] A Red Maple. The Red Maple (Acer rubrum, L., Fig. 117) is usually a smaller tree, the twigs reddish, the branches gray, and the bark rougher than the preceding. The leaves are smaller, not so deeply lobed, whitish, but not st/very beneath, and more toothed and notched than the other. The flow- ers are usually bright scarlet with small oblong petals; the wings or keys smooth, when mature about an inch long, and on long, drooping stalks. The wings of fruit are smaller, smoother, less spreading or diverging from each other, and on longer pedicels than the other species. The tree usually grows in wetter ground, but will flourish when transplanted to high and dry soil. These are the usual and more prominent dis- tinctive points between the two species, but there is such a diversity in the leaves, that it is sometimes difficult to decide, without flowers and fruit, to which species a given tree belongs. 186 THE AMERICAN The presence of peéals in the flowers of the Red Maple, and the size and downy state of the fruit of the Silver-leaf Maple, will be reliable indica- ions of the species. In Southern Tllinois there will probably be no fruit on the Silver-leaf Maple during the present year on account of a severe frost which has injured the flowers just as they were about to expand. ——__e-—+> e_____ WHO SHOULD STUDY BOTANY ? The school boy and school girl, who so often ramble in the woods gathering flowers and seeking recreation and amusement, will find their interest in the fields and woods vastly increased by a knowledge of this science. They will be constantly making new discoveries in their search among rocks, by the brook, or in the fields and forest. Det them learn how to preserve specimens, and to arrange them in an herbarium, that they may have them at hand for comparison with other species, and that they may yield pleasure in wintry days when Nature is in her annual sleep. There are hundreds of young men and young ladies in our academies and colleges who study Botany much as they study grammar—in their text books—who would find their interest in the study vastly increased, as well as find health, and refreshment from their weary mental toil, by a daily ramble in the fields seeking plants and objects of interest in Nature. How few of those who finish their education in the colleges go forth with a practical acquaintance with Nature! Probably forty or fifty species of trees are in the forests around them, and yet few can accurately identify a dozen kinds. They are probably quite as ignorant in the other depart- ments of natural science. These things ought not to be. All persons of sedentary habits, including clerks, teachers, clergymen, and other persons whose occupation keeps them much within doors, would find relief mental and physical, vigor, rational and satisfactory enjoyment, by forming an acquaintance with the various na- tural objects presented around them. ‘Their enjoyment of a walk would be tenfold increased. They would find hundreds of objects of interest which before escaped their attention. Horticulturists and florists, from the nature of their business, have more or less acquaintance with Botany, and their toil is cheered and doubly rewarded by their knowledge of the beautiful science. But too few even of this class extend their inquiries beyond the immediate field of their labors. But what shall we say of the farmers, to whom everything is a weed which does not bring dol- lars, and whose plow and hoe are ready to cut down every plant which dares lift its head in the place allotted to cultivation? You haye plenty of room, dear friend, in the garden and in out of the way places, to give the flowers a chance, and you need their kindly influences to cheer you in your daily labors. Open your heart to the sunshine and beauty of Nature, and you may render your toil more agreeable. Perhaps no class of men are better situated for a study of Botany, or have closer practical rela- tions to it than farmers. The cultivation of that field of corn may appear a more dignified labor if you consider the history, the structure, and the value of that noblest grass which God has given to the human race. : Nothing is more calculated to increase our enjoyment of life than a love of Nature. We derive pleasure from an examination of works of skill in art. We look upon a painting per- haps, and we find our admiration excited by the display of the genius of the painter. The picture is life-like—there is harmony of color— there is expression—there is a just proportion of parts. But we need attention and culture in order to a full appreciation of the beauties of a painting. An uncultivated person might pass through a gallery of the finest works of art and not recognize their superior claims. So it is with the works of Nature. They are displays of the skill of the greatest Artist. They are the works of an unequalled Master. But we may spend a life-time among these objects and never half appreciate them. We need to cultivate habits of observation, thought, investigation. A glance at a rose gives us pleasure—its form is symmetrical—its color is attractive—its fra- grance is delightful. But if we also consider its structure, its various organs, the wonderful secrets of its vital operations—its relations and connection in the great system—it then gives us much greater pleasure. Many humbler, less showy plants we meet with daily, which, with a little investigation, would speak with equal force to us of the wisdom and goodness of the Creator. —____o— e—__ = : In some cases, where the nectarium of a flower is not perceptible, if the spur of such a flower— which usually becomes the depository of the nectar that has oozed from the capsules secret- ing it—be too narrow for the entrance of a bee, and even beyond the reach of its long tongue, it contrives to attain its object by biting a hole on the outside, through which it taps the store. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 187 BLOOD-ROOT. (Sanguinaria canadensis.) ig. 118.] Blood-Root The Blood-root is one of our prettiest spring flowers. It is usually found in rich woody slopes, among thickets of hazel, or in other warm sheltered places. Very few except the botanist, or those who are acquainted with its early habit, ever get into the woods in season to see its handsome white blossoms. The cut which we give of this plant represents the leaf more fully expanded than is common at that stage of the flower. The leaves are mostly quite small, and folded together when the flower expands, but during summer they spread out to be four or five inches across. That part which is commonly called the root of this plant is really a thick, prostrate stem, developing each year a new bud from its extremity. The small fibres which proceed from this stem (called rhizoma) are the true roots. The flower, as will be seen, is raised on a slender naked stem about six inches long. Before expansion it is wrapped by two large greenish leaves, which drop off as soon as the flower opens. It then displays usually eight or ten pure white, oblong petals, twenty or more small delicate stamens, and a pistil, or germ, which, after the decay of the flower, expands into a thick oblong pod, filled with seeds. The rhizoma, or ground-stem, contains an acrid juice of a reddish color, which has val- uable medicinal properties, and consequently the root is often sought for and collected for medical purposes. This plant is deserving of more attention for the garden. It may be transplanted with ease, and a small bed in flower will be a fine orna- ment. Its natural habit should be imitated as far as possible in cultivation. After flowering cover the bed with a thick coat of leaves or litter, to protect it from the heat of the summer sun. — > o—___——_ RED-BUD. (Cereis canadensis, L) The Natural Order Leguminosw embraces in this country only a few trees, the principal of which are the Black Locust, the Honey Locust, the Coffee-tree, and the Red-bud. The latter will engage our attention at the present time. The Red-bud (Cercis canadensis, L.) is a small tree occurring in most of the Western and Southern States. It seldom exceeds twelve or fifteen feet high. It is very ornamental, par- ticularly when in bloom. The flowering occurs before the development of the leaves, and from the size and abundance of the flowers the tree is a conspicuous object at a great distance, and where the trees are numerous the whole forest seems ablaze with their rose-colored flowers. After the fall of the flowers, when the tree gets into full leaf, it is still an object of beauty. The leaves are heart-shaped, three or four inches in diameter, of a lively green and smooth surface ; and when the pods are added, hanging in grace- ful clusters below the leaves, the appearance is highly attractive. The time of flowering varies 188 THE AMERICAN with the latitude of the locality: in Southern Iinois in April; farther south, earlier; farther north, later. This tree belongs to the second section or sub-order of the great Pea Family (Sub-order Cesalpinie). The flowers are in small clusters from the buds of the preceding year’s shoots. They are not strictly papilionaceous in their structure, the standard being smaller than the wings, and the lower petals not united to form a keel, and the ten stamens are separated. The pods, when mature, are flat, about three inches long, half an inch wide, and contain five to ten seeds. There is a tree of the same genus in Europe called Judas-tree (Cersis siliquastrwm) which tradition records as the tree on which Judas hanged himself. Another smaller and very ornamental species has been introduced into cultivation from Japan. A ee ahk THE GRASSES. The Family.of Grasses (Gramine) is one of the largest as well as most important in the Vegetable Kingdom. The term grass, however, has a more extended common signification than is strictly correct. Thus, it is commonly em- ployed for the Sedge Grasses (Carices), and other plants of the Natural Order Cyperacee. It is also applied to Bulrushes (Juncus), and frequently, also, but very erroneously, to any kind of plant cultivated for hay, as clover. Perhaps it is not practically important if we do include under the one general name of grass the plants of those two closely related orders. Still, it is quite necessary that we have an understanding of the scientific differences exist- ing between them, because we cannot be cor- rectly understood when speaking of any thing without precision in the use of words. The most prominent differences between the true grasses and the sedges may be stated as follows: The Grasses generally have the culm or stem hollow, except at the joints. When the stem bears leaves, they are two-ranked, or on alter- nate sides of the stem, and hence the stem is usually round. The leaves, where they issue from the stem, usually clasp it closely for a cer- tain distance, but are not united at the edges. A few moments’ inspection of a stalk of common Indian corn will show this character of the leaves. The Sedges generally have solid culms or stems. The leaves are usually three-ranked, and hence the stem is usually triangular. The base of the leaves not only sheathes the stem, — but the opposite edges are united for a certain distance, so as to form a tube, fitting closely around the stem. This arrangement may be dis- tinctly seen in many of the coarse sedges growing in wet ground. There are other differences of flower and fruit which it is not easy to describe without an analysis of specimens, but a little acquaintance with some representative plants will enable one readily to distinguish a grass from a sedge. ; There is another small Family of Rush-grasses (Juncace), which differs in character from either of the preceding, but have the general appearance of grasses, and are not ordinarily distinguished from them. Species of each of these three families will commonly be found in any of our natural meadows. All our cultivated grasses and grains belong to the family of true Grasses (Graminee). The number of species of these cultivated kinds is, however, only a very small proportion of the whole number of species in the family. The larger part of our native grasses escape general observation. They clothe our prairies and low grounds; they spread among our woodlands and forests; they extend over our hills and reach to the tops of the mountains. Some species are cosmopolitan and are at home in all parts of the -globe; the most, however, are especially adapted to certain kinds of soil, or climate, or elevation. In number of species the family of Grasses is second only to the large order of Compound Flowers (Composite). Over two hundred species are found in the Northern United States, east of the Mississippi river. Still more numerous is the family of Sedges (Cyperacee). A goodly proportion of these numbers may be found in almost every town- ship. It is singular that the New World has fur- nished only one additional species of grain to the agricultural resources of the husbandman; that one grain, however, is the Indian Corn (Zea mays, L.), of greater importance, perhaps, in usefulness and adaptation to a great variety of climates than any other. The Sedge Grasses are generally inferior in nutritive qualities as food for grazing animals, and hence none of them are cultivated by the farmer. In the natural meadows and sloughs, however, they form a very important part of the vegetation. They are particularly adapted to low and wet situations, furnishing there a permanent reliance for stock, especially in newly settled portions of the country. The most val- — uable of these are probably certain species of — the genus Carex, as Carex stricta, Lam., Carex ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 189 aquatilis, Wahl, Carex vulpiniodea, Michx., and Carex trichocarpa, Muhl. We may in future numbers take up these grasses and sedges, and examine them more in detail. soe THE SPICY WINTERGREEN, ( Gaultheria procumbens, Li.) We find the following in an old number of the Rural New Yorker, and it is written in so charming a style, and shows such an intimate acquaintance with the plant, that we print it in hope that it may give our readers as much pleasure as it has given us. The Wintergreen is little known at the West; in this State we only know of a few localities on the Lake shore north of Chicago. Our Eastern readers will readily recognize it. It is also sometimes called Checkerberry : Who does not love the Wintergreen with its pleasant, spicy flavor, and its rich scarlet ber- ries. How glossy are the leaves with their bril- liant green. And then how charmingly hang the pendant bowl-like blossoms, hid almost beneath those same beautiful leaves. Meek and humble though these flowers are, yet they guard treasures dear as life, which they hedge about with an unspotted garment of innocence. Would the casual observer suspect so much worth and goodness lay concealed in these humble plants? Among the fields of humble life, lie hidden many jewels of inestimable worth. Hearts throb in the lower walks of society that would honor angels, especially if the angels were earthly ones. So the most merit often makes the least show, and must be sought out to be kuown and > appreciated. Through all the vicissitudes of weather the Wintergreen holds its unchangeable greenness, being endowed by nature with a vitality that endures, unchanged, the rigors to which it is subject. As winter approaches we find the flowers have given place to beautiful scarlet berries. These are nearly globular, and at first sight show no particular singularity; and yet there is infinite wisdom displayed in that organ- jzation. There is a thorn-like filament extend- ing from the apex of the fruit. This is the persistent pistil, from which you notice five sutures, or lines taking their departure towards the stem, stopping, however, before half the distance is traversed. The divisions made by these lines are readily elevated, beneath which you discover a nice five-angled capsule with five apartments filled with seed, which are thus safely sheltered from wintry rigor. The envelop of the capsule is the original calyx of the flower now swollen into a berry, that will by spring have arrived to its full maturity, when its color is of deep scarlet and its flavor most delicious. The-generic name of the Spicy Wintergreen is Gaultheria, given it in honor of one Gaul- thier, a French physician of Quebec. It is in the Decandria Monogynia of the Linnean Sys- tem, classed naturally among the Hricacew or Heathworts, where are also found the Whortle- berries, Cranberries, etc. In this order are found sixty-six genera and one thousand eighty- six known species diffused in all parts of the globe, but more rarely in the torrid regions. But a few species of this order are poisonous, some are medicinal, while the fruits of others are wholesome and nourishing. a a Wis NOTES ON SOME WISCONSIN PLANTS. To one who is accustomed to look upon our species of the Evening Primrose—Qinothera bi- ennis, G2. fruticosa, U2. Missouriensis, or even the gaudy grandiflora—as types of that family, the little G2. pumila is, when beheld for the first time, quite a curiosity. Such it was to me last summer, when I found it unexpectedly in my travels in the northern part of Wisconsin. In this I purpose to give a brief description of this interesting little plant, its habits, ete., together with a few more of the most interesting plants I found in the same locality. In general all the representatives of this family we have are found scattered about among fields and waste places, while a few of the more showy ones have found a place among the garden ex- otics. This species of the Primrose I found growing in the richer portions of that exceed- ingly poor soil to the height of from three to ten inches, with the foliage having the general characteristics of our species, and the stem bear- ing upon the top one or two bright yellow flowers, as small proportionally as the plant, but having plainly marked the characteristics of the genus. Associated with this, though usually a little larger, was the Rock Rose (Helianthemum corymbosum), a delicate little plant of lighter foliage and lighter yellow flowers; also, the Sweet Fern (Comptonia asplenifolia). Grow- ing in the marshes and lower grounds of the same locality, I found one of the Orchidaceous flowers (Platanthera psycodes), that far excels in beauty many of our garden flowers. I usually found them about a foot high, each stalk bearing from two to four flowers, whose brilliant colors made the plant very attractive, either as seen in the distance or when placed among other specimens for preservation or ornament. Many have remarked that the State of Wis- consin was modeled after the State of New York in its laws and institutions. One would think that not only its laws, but also its flora, was an imitation of the same type, Nature having taken the lead and the people following in her train. I found there many plants that I had not seen since seeing them in the State of New York, suchas the Pipsisiwa (Chimaphila) , Wintergreen 190 THE AMERICAN (Pyrola rotundifolia), the common Winter- green (Gaultheria procumbens), Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium), and many others too numerous to mention here. Indeed, I might say that the whole general aspect of the middle and northern’ middle of the State resembles that of Central New York much more than that of either State does the flora of Illinois. In looking for a cause for this, it seems very probable that this simi- larity is due, not to any chance transfer of similar seeds to that particular locality, or to a similarity in climate, so much as to a similarity in geological formation, though both the others may have their influence. The central part of the State of New York lies mostly in the De- vonian or Old Red Sandstone formation, as also does the part of the State of Wisconsin above referred to, while the greater portion of Illinois (surface of course) is the Carboniferous or Sub- carboniferous. Jn the northern part, where we have the lower part of the Sub-carboniferous, or it may be the formation immediately below that, we have some plants characteristic of certain localities and conditions in New York where we also find the same geological formation, as the Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea); while further south, I believe, they are not found. My deductions may not be correct in this case, though if not, there is a strange coincidence of circumstances. Another interesting plant I found on my travels was the Hare Bell (Campanula rotundi- folia). Though that grows in Illinois to some extent, on the banks of some of our rivers, yet I have never found it in so great abundance as in some parts of Wisconsin. The soil seems to be more adapted to its growth, as I found it fre- quently from half a mile to one or two miles back from the rivers, its usual habitat being nearer the water. It may be that some of your readers would be interested in the general character of the soil of particular localities, as well as the flora. Ispent some time in Adams and Wood counties, Wis., and from my observations can say that, in an agricultural point of view, the soil is not very inviting. It consists mostly of loose sand, though itis not blown about asin some parts of Michigan, having some vegetable mould in its composition. There are places, however, where it is, to all appearance, nothing but sand, and looks about as inviting to a farmer as an ash heap. The only plants I found on such places were a species of Horse Balm (Aonarda punc- tata), a straw-colored Cyperus growing from ten to fifteen inches high, some’ Sand Burs (Cenchrus tribuloides), or something else of a similar nature. The forest trees are mostly Burr Oak (Quercus macrocarpa), so stunted as to have gained the general appellation of Scrub Oak, and Scrub Pine (Pinus Banksiana), with these not near enough together to be neighbors. This is not the picture of the whole country, for there are places where the soil has a larger mix- ture of humus, and in such places the Pines in a measure disappear, or stand like grim sentinels in the distance. In such places there occur the Black and some other kinds of Oak, with other trees; in the northern parts White and Norway Pines (Pinus strobus and resinosa), though the general timber country for these pines is still further north. Between these two extremes of good and bad are found places where the Scrub Pines do not disappear, but are seen to attain a more respectable size. This kind of pine is valued but very little for timber. Interspersed with these were Hazel bushes (Corylus Ameri- cana), Sweet Fern and Rose Willow (probably Salix tristis), with occasionally other varieties in the lower grounds. Among other marsh plants there were plenty of Cranberries (Oxy- coccus macrocarpus), which fruit, together with Blue Berries and Huckleberries, forms quite an article of commerce, by which the white inhabi- tants are enabled to obtain many little luxuries, and the Indians whisky. In some localities where the tillage had been good I saw good crops of wheat and rye grow- ing, though corn looked as though the plants grown last year would have to be wintered over and started again this spring in order to get a crop; and, as a whole, the cereals did not seem to be very remunerative. Hops seem to be the most productive crop that can be raised in that country, as they grow luxuriantly under the cultivation usually given them—even growing wild on the flats of the Wisconsin. As one might suppose, there is a great deal of this country that is not under cultivation, in some places the houses being from six to nine miles apart, and that on a stage road traveled every day. G. H. F. IRVINGTON, Ill. ) i Rep Snow.—In Alpine regions the fields of snow sometimes suddenly appear as if stained with blood. Upon close examination by the microscope, this phenomenon is found to be caused by a vegetable production of the simplest ‘kind, being but an immense crop of single cells without root, stem, leaf, or flower, yet impressed with the mysterious principle of vitality, and multiplying by constant divisions and subdi- — visions of the parent cells. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 191 EDITORIAL JOTTINGS. In a recent trip through Southern Illinois we made a few botanical notes, which we give our readers. The low bottom lands near the Ohio and Mississippi rivers are heavily timbered. One of the commonest trees is the American or White Elm (Ulmus Americana, L.) This has just passed the flowering stage. The Red Maple (Acer rubrum, L.) occurs frequently, and is also just out of flower. The Sweet Gum (Liquidambar) is abundant in many localities, alarge number of the prickly fruit-balls still remain upon the tree. That vegetable thief, the Mistletoe (Phoradendron flavescens, Nutt.), seems to have a particular attachment to the Elm trees, occurring much more frequently on them than on any other tree. It grows also on the Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis, L.), on the Red Maple (Acer rubrum, L,), on the Black Gum (Nyssa multiflora, Wang.), and on some other trees. Some large Elms seemed loaded with this parasite, a hundred or more bunches growing upon one tree. These masses of yel- lowish-green vegetation give the trees a peculiar appearance. In many cases the small branches of the Sweet Gum were covered with broad corky ridges; sometimes this occurred only on the lower limbs, and in other cases all the branches were free from the excrescence. These corky ridges are much like those which occur on the Winged Elm (U/mus alata) which also grows _ in the same places. On rocky ledges at Cobden we found old fronds of some interesting ferns, viz.: Cheil- anthes vestita, Swartz, Polypodium incanum, Swartz, Aspleniwm ebeneum, Ait., and Aspleni- um trichomanes, L. Old stalks were also abundant of the False Aloe (Agave Virginica, L.) This plant sends up a large and preten- tious stalk, but its flowers are insignificant. Patches of the small cane (Arundinaria tacta, Muhl.) were frequently visible, and at first sight might be mistaken for small willow bushes. The low and swampy grounds are everywhere be- coming verdant with extensive patches of the Copper-colored Iris (/ris cuprea, Pursh). Many other rare plants occur in this region, of which we shall probably have occasion to speak hereafter. ———__—_e+> eo —_____—__ Many plants could not be perpetuated but for the agency of insects, and especially of bees; and it is remarkable that it is chiefly those which require the aid of this intervention that have a nectarium and secrete honey. NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS. We have the following notes from Mr. E. Hall, of Menard county, Ills., and commend his inquiries and observations to the attention of our readers: Ground Nut—(Apios tuberosa, Meench).—Will the readers of this journal everywhere, during the coming season, make observations on the fruiting of this vine, and will those who are so fortunate as to find it in fruit examine carefully and report the conditions under which they so find it? Its habit of reproducing itself from the tubers is the supposed cause of its general infertility; and when found in fruit the tubers should be carefully unearthed, and their development and health noted, as well as their connections with the plant. I have only once met with this plant in fruitin the State of Kansas, and where I had no opportunity to examine the development of its tubers. Its flowers are very fragrant, thus attracting insects that may destroy the fertilizing elements of the female organs by undue irritation, or by producing premature dissemination of the pollen; but, whatever the cause, careful and patient observation will detect it. Quercus alba-macrocarpa.—A true hybrid, perfectly fertile, is growing near Athens, in Menard county, Ills. The mother tree was undoubtedly Q. macrocarpa of the variety called oliveformis, as young specimens, apparently of the same age as the hybrid of that species, are or were growing in its vicinity. In general character its paternal blood largely predomi- nates, its maternal characters are chiefly notable in the fruit, the younger branches, and in the form and pubescence of its leaves. From these several charac- ters its parentage is readily traced, and it affords a most interesting instance of a fertile hybrid of these two distinct species of oaks. The genus Quercus in Menard County, Ills. —The species of this genus here have prevalence in about the following proportions: White Oak (Quercus alba), 33 per cent. Yellow and Scarlet Oaks (@. coccinea), 25 per cent. Red Oak (Q. rubra), 10 per cent. Burr Oak (@Q. macrocarpa), 10 per cent. Chestnut Oak (@. castanea), 8 per cent. Post Oak (Q. obtustloba), 5 per cent. Laurel Oak (Q. imbricaria), 5 per cent. Black Jack (Q. nigra), 3 per cent. Pin Oak (Q. palustris), 4s per cent. Swamp White Oak (Q. prinos, var.), 1¢ per cent. I have placed the Yellow and Scarlet Oaks together from the fact that the species are not easily known or readily separated; even good botanists are often puz- zled to discriminate between them, and some have doubted the existence of both species, but the weight of opinion is at present in their favor. Their specific differences are to be sought chiefly in what might be called constitutional characters. Eleven-eighteenths of the species of the Northern United States east of the Mis- sissippi are represented in this locality—a much greater proportion than the general flora of the same region— showing that these kings of the forest have somewhat equal powers in competing for existence under the conditions here prevailing. Since the settlement of the county a new generation is springing up, which is somewhat differently proportioned. The above esti- mates are for the original forests. 192 THE AMERICAN From New Work.—You ask for some botanical notes from this part of our great country. Vegetation is yet mostly dormant, and we must confine ourselves to anticipation of what Nature will soon present. Here and there, however, in warm sheltered spots, by brush- ing away the masses of fallen leayes we may recognize some of our early spring flowers nearly ready to burst forth into life and beauty. Among these is the Liver- leaf (Hepatica), the Spring Beauty (Claytonta Oarolini- ang), and several kinds of violets. Of the violets [ must speak a little at large, although it is yet too early for their appearance. The commonest, and perhaps the most beautiful, is a blue violet growing in wet or damp grounds, especially in meadows and by the borders of brooks and streams, the Viola cucullata, Ait., which rendered into English means the Hooded violet, from the manner in which the young leaves are rolled together in the form of a hood. ‘The color of this violet is quite variable, from a light sky-blue to a dark purple, but always bright and attractive. Next we have, in low or wet grounds, the small White violet (Veola blanda, Willd.), with roundish, heart-shaped, or kidney-shaped leaves, and delicate white flowers on short stalks, seldom rising more than an inch or two from the ground. Then we have the low yellow violet (Viola rotundifolia. Mich.), which is found on wooded slopes and hill sides. This has small, bright yellow flowers, opening in early spring. The leaves, at the time of flowering, are about an inch broad and nearly round, but when fully grown they are often three or four inches across. The three species we haye mentioned are stemless violets, the leaves and flowers springing separately from the root or root-stock. Of the stemmed violets we have a number of species. In damp shady places the low leafy blue violet, a variety of Viola cantina, L,, or the Viola Muhlenbergz, Torr., the Long-spurred violet (Viola rostrata, Pursh.), in rich soils on wooded hills, the Striped-flowered violet ( Viola strzata, Ait.), and the large white violet (Vola canaden- sis, L.), which is the largest species we have in the country, common in rich, open woods, the flowers of good size, whitish, and delicately tinged with violet. Lastly, we have the large yellow violet (Vola pubescens, Ait.) which is common in open, and especially in sandy woods. Iwas much pleased the other day, in crossing 2 low place in a meadow, to observe the young flower-stalks, or spathes, of the Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus fetidus, Salisb.) just shooting into sight. With a knife I cut down into the ground, and severed some of these from the root, that I might examine their very singular structure. They consist of a roundish mass, or head, in which grow many small crowded yellowish flowers, the whole surrounded by a thick, leathery kind of leaf, of a purplish color, spotted and striped with yellow and green, and extending beyond the cob, or head of flowers, enwrapping and almost entirely concealing them from view. The young leaves are already beginning to press out of the ground, and when fully developed they form amass of large heart-shaped leaves, looking not unlike a head of cabbage, and, trom their strong and peculiar odor, meriting the name by which it is generally known. A plant of such offensive odor should have some com- pensating qualities, and we find that the root of this plant has a pretty well established reputation in the Materia Medica. Meagre as is the botanizing field among the flowering plants at present, we find it little more satisfactory among eryptogams. Several kinds of mosses have found warmth sufficient to make some growth, and send up fruiting pedicels and mature capsules. On the bodies of trees are several species of Orthotrichum (particularly O, stran- gulatum, Beauy., and 0. erispum, Hedw.) in little round patches, and occasionally large masses of the handsome Neckera pennata, Hedw. I often gather this in fine con- dition on the beech wood which is brought into market. Various other kinds of mosses are still under beds of snow, where they find conditions favorable to their growth, and when their fleecy covers are melted away they will please the eye with their bright and lively colors, and repay tenfold any labor taken in a close examination. These small delicate objects are worthy of more careful study. Pe Utica, N. Y., April, 1870. seo ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Plants to Name—J/s. B. §. Lake, Colorado.—tt is a pleasure to look upon such finely preserved specimens | as the Colorado plants you send. No.1 is the sky-blue Columbine (Aquilegia cerulea, Torr.), one of the finest ornaments of the Rocky Mountains. The flowers are larger and more showy than either the garden Colum- bine (A. vulgarzs, L.) or the wild Columbine (4. cana- densis, Lu.) of the Eastern States. It grows about two teet high, has large bright blue flowers, the spur of the petals being two inches long. It is well worthy of cultivation. No.2 is the smooth Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum, Torr.) Itis a small shrub, six to eight or ten- feet high, with small smooth leaves, somewhat three- lobed and toothed, and producing an abundance of the Winged fruit peculiar to the maples. No. 3is Oxytropzs Lamberti, Pursh., without any common name so far as we are aware. It belongs to the Pea Family (Legu- méinose). It is alow plant with perennial root, bearing all the leaves at the ground and sending up simple spikes of flowers, varying from light blue to purple, which are succeeded by upright cylindrical pods about aninch long. The plant is wide-spread over the plains and among the lower mountain ranges. No. 4isashrub peculiar to the Rocky Mountains, nearly related to the Hydrangea, and is botanically known as Jamesta Amer- tcama, T. and G., in honor of the discoverer, Dr. James, the Botanist of Long’s Expedition in 1820. No. 5 is a plant well known in the Western States, occurring in hazel patches and the borders of prairies, and is sometimes called Shooting Star, sometimes Pride of the Prairie (Dodecatheon Meadia, L.) Yt is a unique and beautiful plant of the Primrose Family. We do not mean the Zvening Primrose Family, but the ue Primrose Family (Prémulacew). The type of this family is the Primrose of Europe, of which genus we have but two species (both rare) in this country. The Dodeca- theon has a number of large, oblong, smooth Jeayes at the surface of the ground, from which rises a long naked stem a foot or two in length, and surmounted at the top with an umbel of from five to twenty flowers, which are nodding when fully open, but in fruit are strictly erect. It has been somewhat introduced into cultivation, and is well worthy a place in every garden. i i te, Pe | ST. LOUIS, MO., MAY, 1870. Entomological Department, — CHARLES Naz RILEY, a 221 N. Main st., St. Louis, Mo, THE GORDIUS, OR HAIR-WORM. BY PROFESSOR JOSEPH LEIDY, PHILADELPHIA [Fig. 119 ] Though by no means common, most persons, | at least those living in the country, are more or less familiar with the curious animal known under the various names of Hair-worm, Hair- snake, and Horse-hair worm. Usually a single specimen is observed ata time, sometimesinarain puddle in a hollow or wagon-rut by the wayside, or in a drinking-trough at a village inn, attract- ing attention by its active and incessant wrig- eling movements, bending fr 6m side to side and curving in all directions, and giving rise to the impression that it is writhing with pain. Its resemblance in form and color to a horse hair, coupled with the position in which it is ordi- narily noticed, has given rise to the world-wide popular belief that the creaturg is actually a transformed horse-hair—one that by maceration has become endowed with independent life, and | the inherent power of movement. I once saw, | in an old English periodical, an attempt at an explanation of the manner in which horse-hairs, in the process of decomposition, gave rise to movement, which induced me to try the experi- ment of making hair-worms. I need hardly say that I looked at my horse-hairs for many months without having had the opportunity of seeing their vivification. The Hair-worm is, however, a distinct animal, having no further relationship with a horse-hair than in its general likeness, which is by no means an exact one. When sought for in the proper places, as is the case with many other animals, the Hair-worm is much less rare than is generally supposed. In the latter part of summer or the beginning of autumn, in the search for the ani- mal, [ have frequently found it, while saunter- ing along the banks of a river or creek, in little hollows close to the shore. It requires some practice to discover it, as usually it is compara- tively quiet in such situations, and may readily be confounded with the blackened, decomposing vegetable fibres occupying similar places. Some- times it is found single, and at others a number are discovered coiled together in a loose, but in- tricate-looking knotted mass. Such knots, which had passed through {he water pipes and issued at hydrants in our city, I have seen on two occasions. Similar knots, no doubt, were the source of the scientific name of the worm, that of Gordius, applied to it by Linneeus, from the fabled Gordian-knot of antiquity. The Gordius, however, not only resembles the latter in the intricate condition into which it sometimes gets, but its history is yet in part a Gordian-knot to be unraveled. The worm is perhaps the hardest or most re- sistant to the feel of any of its Order, and it is tough and elastic. It is very tenacious of life, and when cut into several pieces will continue to live and move for some time afterwards. Linnzeus accepted a popular error in regard to the Gordius. In his System of Nature he says that, “if the worm is incautiously handled it will inflict a bite at the ends of the fingers, and occasion the complaint called a whitlow.” It is sufficient to refute such a fancy when it is learned that the animal has neither jaws nor other instruments by which it could either bite or sting. A number of species of the genus have been noticed in different parts of the world. Several European species have been described, and we have as many in this country which appear to be quite distinct from the former. The more 194 THE AMERICAN common American species of the worm I have named the Variable Gordius (G. varius) from its presenting some variety of character. The worm is cylindrical, of pretty uniform diameter, but slightly narrowed at the ends. It is smooth and lustrous, and varies from a light yellowish-brown to a chocolate-brown, some- times nearly black. It is usually much coarser than a horse-hair, to which it is so commonly likened. The head end is marked by a ring of darker color (see Fig. 119, a) than the rest of the body. The ring appears darker in contrast with the lighter condition of the latter, and may be obscured entirely in the nearly black varieties (Fig. 119, 6). The summit of the head appears as a convex whitish prominence included within the ring, and is composed of a thinner membrane than the rest of the integu- ment. [Fig. 120.] The tail end of the male makes one or two spiral turns, and terminates in being forked. The tail end of the female is straight, and ends in three lobes (Fig. 120, g h). The male varies in leugth from 4 to 63 inches, with the thickness from 1-5 to 4 of aline. The female ranges in length from 5 inches to a foot, with the thickness from { to } of a line. The males of this, which I have regarded heretofore as of one species, present two varie- ties, each of which I now suspect to indicate a different species. In the one variety, usually more robust than the other, the forks of the tail are not longer than the thickness of the body— as seen in Figure 120, k, which represents a dorsal view. Between the base of the forks, on the ventral surface (Hig. 120, 7), there is included a crescentic fold in which may be seen the genital pore. In the other—usually of more slender form—the forks of the tail are two or three times the length of the thickness of the - body (Fig. 120, 2), and the forks do not include at their base a crescentic fold as in the former. The genital pore is a little in advance of the division of the tail. The species, probably indi- cated in this last form, might be distinguished by the name of the Long-lobed Gordius (G. longilobatus) . A more delicate species than the former I have named the Linear Gordius (G. lineatus). It was indicated by half a dozen specimens ob- tained by Prof. S. F. Baird, from a spring in Essex county, New York. It is of a light clay- color, and has no dark ring encircling the head, which is represented in Figure 119, c. The tail end of the male (Fig. 120, m) is forked very much as in the Long-lobed Gordius, but the forks are furnished on their inner margin, ventrally, with a fringe of minute processes, such as are repre- sented, highly magnified, in Figure 120, n. The tail end of the female is blunt and unprovided with lobes, the genital pore occupying the centre of the extremity, as seen in Figure 119, 7, the similar end of a larger species, to be next described. The male measures from 5 to 7 inches in length, by 1-6th of a line in thickness. A single female accompanying the males was 9 inches long and 1-5th of a line thick. Numerous specimens of a much larger species of Gordius than any of the preceding, were sent to me some years ago by Dr. Wm. A. Hammond, who obtained them 525 miles west of Fort Riley, Kansas. They were discovered in large num- bers in a pond,'in company with the curious batrachian Siredon, or so-called Fish-with-legs. They swam actively just beneath the surface of the water, and occasionally protruded the head above into the air. They are of a light vellow- ish-brown, with the head end encircled by a narrow band of darker hue, as represented in Figure 119, e. The males are darker than the females. The tail end of the former resembles ~ that of the male of the Variable Gordius (Fig. 120, ik). The tail end of the female (Fig. 119, /) is blunt, and exhibits the genital pore in the centre surrounded by a brown ring. The body of this Gordius is more annulated than in any of the other species. The males measure from 8 inches ~ to 2 feet 2 inches in length, and 1-4 to 2-dths of a line thick. The females measure from 1) inches to 2 feet 6 inches in length, by 4d to 3-5ths of a line thick. The species I think to be the same as one pre- ~ viously described by me, under the name of the Robust Gordius (G. robustus), from a female specimen, about 6 inches in length, which was found parasitic in a Grasshopper (Orchelimum gracile), in New Jersey. Certain it is, the lat- ter agrees in all details with the female speci- mens from Kansas, except in size. The great Helminthologist, Dr. Diesing, of Vienna, from my description, named the species Gordius sub-— spiralis. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 195 _ Although the complete history of the Gordius remains unknown, it is nevertheless clearly established that it passes a great part of its ex- istence as 2 parasite in various species of insects. I have never had the good tortune to observe any of our species actually within, or proceeding from, insects, though I have, in a multitude of instances, seen the allied genus, Mermis, or White Hair-worm, within insects. eatied ONE DAY'S JOURNAL OF A STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, [This is one of Mr. Walsh’s posthumous papers. The duties therein defined may be con- sidered light, as will readily be imagined, when the number of letters received each day swells to fifteen or twenty, instead of six or seven, as we often find to be the case during the height of the summer season.—ED. ] Many persons have an idea that the office of State Entomologist is a snug little sinecure, such as the footman was in search of when he told the gentleman who proposed to hire him that he wanted a place where the wages were high, and where there was very little work to be done, except kissing the housemaid. We pro- pose, for the enlightenment of persons like these, to give, in the following paragraphs, a sketch of an average day’s work, such as the Bugmaster General of Illinois, or the State En- tomologist of Missouri, has to perform almost every day during the greater part of the year. 5 A. M.—Rose and went over to the office. Examined my breeding-cages; found the leaves beginning to wilt in five of them, in two of which I had larve feeding on oak leaves, while the larvee in the remaining three lived respec- tively upon hickory, plum and basswood. Took my cane and hat, and started out to get a sup- ply of fresh leaves. Had to walk a distance of a mile and a half, because there was no basswood growing any nearer to my office. Returned and shifted the larvee on to fresh twigs, placed, as usual, in water to keep them fresh as long as possible. Noted in my journal how many larvee in each cage had gone to pupa, and how many had died or disappeared from other causes. 7 a. M.—After breakfast, and while I was smoking my usual cigar, examined my breeding- jars, and the cages where I keep my pup. Found that seven moths had come out. Noted in my journal the lot of pups from which each of the seven had come out, so as to connect each separate species with its larval history. Killed the moths, and set out their wings in my drying-box. Before I could do this—as all the trays in the drying-box were brimming full—had to remove the setting-pins and setting-braces from a whole tray, and distribute the dried insects among the appropriate store-boxes, each group in a sepa- rate store-box along with the labels that belong to each species, and indicate its name aud his- tory as far as ascertained. Found that, in my breeding-vases, I had reared three species of insects that were quite new to me. Ascertained at once the name of two of them; but, after spending two hours in referring to a dozen dif- ferent authors, to find out the name of the third, am more in the dark than ever. Surely this must be a new and hitherto undescribed species. If so—but I must see about that to-night. 11 a. Mi—Run up to the post-office for my morning mail. Find there four letters from correspondents, enclosing specimens of bugs, and requesting an immediate answer, two such letters to be answered through the Enromo1o- GIsT, and a package of proof-sheets from R. P. Stndley & Co., St. Louis; also, a lot of political 198 THE AMERICAN and agricultural journals. Return home in a hurry, pitch the printed journals into the basket, to be examined when I have a little leisure, and answer per mail the four letters that require immediate attention. Luckily the insects sent With these four letters are all common species, and perfectly familiar to me; and, as I know them ‘‘like a book,” it does not take me long to write my four letters. 12:30 Pp. m.—After dinner, and while [ am luxuriating in a fragrant Havana, revise the proof-sheets. Find but very little indeed to correct. Have had proof-sheets from a dozen different printing offices in America, and from twice that number in England, and never yet met with such ‘‘clean” proofs as Messrs. Studley & Co. turn out from their magnificent estab- lishment. Open the two letters, enclosing specimens of bugs, and requiring to be answered in the EnromoLocist. One of them is all plain sailing, as the insects are well known to me, and are properly packed with some cotton wool in a little stout pasteboard box. The other cor- respondent has enclosed his specimens loose in his letter, and being soft, fleshy larve they are squashed into a most promiscuous mass. Puzzle along time over the head, which is the only recognizable part. Conclude that it probably belongs to some one or other out of fifteen dis- tinct larve. Puzzle again for half an hour longer to gwess which larva of the fifteen is the one that has been sent me. Alas! I am no Yankee, and have finally to give the job up in despair. Write the appropriate ““Answers to Correspondents,” and fully expect to be ‘“‘cussed”’ considerably by one of them, because I cannot distinguish every one of the thirty thousand ’ species of insects that exist in the United States by a fragmentary specimen of its head. 4p~.mM.—Go into my garden to examine the results of several experiments that I am trying as to the efficacy of different chemical prepara- tions upon several different noxious insects. Return and record the results, so far as they appear up to this day, in my journal. Walk out with my fly-net, and capture two males and one female of a rare insect, which is comparatively common here, and of which I have promised to send specimens to an Eastern correspondent, in return for his kind assistance in making extracts for my use from scarce and expensive Entomo- logical works, which at present are only to be found in the great scientific libraries in the Eastern cities. Heigho! I wonder if we shall ever get a public library in the West that is decently supplied with standard works~ on Natural History. I wish I was a rich man; would not I then send an order forthwith to Europe for $10,000 worth of Entomological books! 6:30 Pp. M.—Have just returned from the post- office and swallowed my supper. Ihave received two more letters on the great Bug question, that require immediate attention; and a long and most interesting letter from an enfomo- logical correspondent in Europe. Run my eye over the last, and find my modesty terribly shocked by his telling me that the EnromoLocisr is highly appreciated among scientific men on the other side of the Atlantic. Answer the other two letters, one of which contains some new and most important facts about a certain noxious insect, which throw great light upon a point in its history that has hitherto been wrap- ped in obscurity. What an accurate observer that last correspondent of mine is! I would just as soon trust his eyes—as to the operations of any particular bug—as I would my own! But then, of course. I know the correct, names of the different bugs better than he does. If I had but one hundred such correspondents, they would be as useful to me in my scientific in- vestigations as fifty pairs of additional eyes! And yet this man is nothing but an intelligent fruit-grower, with good, strong common sense, and that most invaluable habit of never seeing anything until he does actually see it. 8 p. ma.—Having now discharged the duties of the day, [am just about to sit down to prose- cute some further investigations into the correct name and classification of that bug that bothered me so much in the morning, when | hear a tre- mendous fluttering in one of my breeding-cages. Lo and behold! There are two large moths come out that I did not expect to make their appearance for a week or two. Chloroform them to stop their fluttering; and, after killing them and stuffing their abdomens with cotton, set out their wings on the little space that re- mains in the tray that I cleared in the morning. To-morrow, I suppose, I shall be obliged to clear another tray. Well—‘‘ Sufficient unto the day is the labor thereof.” feet se 9 p. M.—Set to work once more to puzzle over my supposed new species. Can find no descrip- tion to suit it in any work that I possess. Can it be really a new species? As usually happens in such cases, there are several species belonging to the genus, the descriptions of which are only to be met with in certain rare and expensive works which I am ‘not rich enough to buy. What shallI do? Ihaveit! I will enclose some specimens, so securely packed that they can not possibly come to any harm, in a letter to one of ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 199 my correspondents in the East, who has the happiness to have access to the very best scien- tific library in the whole country. At my re- quest he will, I know, compare the specimens sent with the descriptions to which he has free access every day, while I should have to travel a thousand miles to get to them. Ido this; and now, having done my best, I will calmly and peacefully await results. But by this time it is 10 p. M., and I am beginning to feel sleepy and tired. Suppose I adjourn to the county of Bed- ford ? ———1- 9 ______ ~ HOW TO COLLECT AND STUDY INSECTS—No. 2. RY F. G, SANBORN, BOSTON, MASS, One can scarcely walk a mile in the country without obtaining some object to grace his : cabinet, or observing some fact in natural history to add to his store-house of mental treas- ures. It should be borne in ) mind by the student collector that, notwithstanding he may propose to confine his studies to one Order of insects, he | should also contract a habit | of observing and collecting | those of other Orders, as well as such small and portable ) vertebrates and other inverte- | brates as bis opportunities may enable him to capture and preserve. Alcoholicspecimens of Mammals, Birds, Fishes, Reptiles, Mollusks, Crustacea, and facts concerning them, are marketable commodities || in the Exchanges of Science. || Especially should this plan be | carried out by the collector ! who may be established for a term of months or years ina region remote from libraries gj and museums. Such study and investigation in this field as his time permits, will of itself materially enlighten his mind upon the secrets of Nature; and, although destitute of books—those records of repeated fuilures and few successful attempts to unmask Nature’s protean face—he may learn the structure, habits and comparative intelligence of the creatures arouud him. A subsequent opportunity may occur for him to ascertain, if so disposed, the different technical names imposed upon ‘‘Mouse (Fig. 122.] No.7,” “Bird and nest, XII,” or “Bug No. 427,” and accepted by the scientific world. Should he care only to acquaint himself with the nomenclature of some limited group or order, and wish to increase his cabinet in that specialty, he will find that he has the powers of a capitalist to invest his miscellaneous collection of specimens and facts in such manner as he may prefer. Thanks to the diversity of tastes implanted in us, there is always some eager specialist—individual, or backed by an associa- tion—standing ready to give full value for, and “work up,” this or that portion of such ma- terial. The practice of noting (with ink if possible) in asmall blank book, or on cards, such facts and observations as he may make or discover, adds immensely to the value of any collection, and can not be too strongly recommended to the collector. The date of capture of a specimen, of the transformation from the egg, larva or pupa, of the appearance or disappearance from its usual haunts, and such other items of interest that arise in connection with the specimen, are of importance to the student, and should be therein set down. A small tag or ticket of paper attached to the dry specimen, or of parch- meut, leather, or soft metal tothe alcoholic, and . bearing a number corresponding to that in the note-book, renders the information thus obtained available, and sufficiently identifies the speci- men. As the collector pursues his investigations mouth after month, he will find his senses be- coming educated to a delicacy of touch and fineness of perception that can not fail to bea source of pride and gratification to him. He whose attention would not at first be diverted to the ragged leaves of a caterpillar-ridden tree, will in a few months notice instantly the slight convexity of outline on twig or leaf caused by the presence of a small insect, or the extremity of a branch cleanly cut by a Pruner-beetle. In the course of his observations he will be amused by the imitative shapes and colors of many forms of insect life, and will frequently be deceived by the Curculios, who successfully simulate buds and bits of bark. The caterpillars of some of the moths resemble so closely cylin- drical twigs, as many of the Loopers (Geome- tride); scales of rough or smooth bark, as the Hag-moth (Limacodes pithecium), and the Lap- pet-moths (Gastropacha velleda and americana). Some of the Beetles, as the Cryptocephali and Hister's, closely resemble seeds, as do certain Bugs, among them Corimelaena, and the two latter suggest such kinship as to cause them almost invariably to fraternize in the cabinet of 200 THE AMERICAN the amateur. These singular resemblances are called mimetic forms; and, existing every where in Nature, even if they have no high significance and serve no better purpose, educate our per- ceptive powers toa degree undreamed of by the careless horde of money worshippers. During the active season of the insect year the collector should make it a rule never to stir abroad without a cork-stoppered vial half filled with alcohol, for the temporary deposit of beetles, ants, or the larve or pup of any in- sects that it may be desirable to preserve in this way. The only insects that are irrecoverably injured by a few days immersion in pure alco- hol are the Butterflies and Moths. For these a small cork or pith-lined pocket box, of conveni- ent form and full one inch and a half in depth, containing a few insect pins of various sizes, is indispensable, and should be a constant com- panion. Upon a premeditated excursion of a day or more in duration, the collector will ‘naturally provide more extensive means of transportation, such as jars of alcohol, a vial of chloroform, a number of old envelopes, and a larger box slung on the side with straps, and a proportionate stock of pins. Some collectors continually carry, in a pocket made for the purpose, a wide-mouthed vial like a chernist’s test-tube, ‘‘of the same size all the way up,” containing at the bottom a few grains of cyanide of potassium, which is kept in place by a wad — of cotton, felt or thick cloth, neatly pressed down upon it. (See Fig. 122.) This prevents the cyanide, which is a deadly poison, from touching or soiling any delicate insect, and allows the powerful vapor to destroy, as it does almost instantly, the life of any insect that may be enclosed in the prepared vial. The per- manence of this poison (its virtue enduring fora twelvemonth or more), its cleanliness and cheap- ness, render it perhaps the most convenient and desirable ‘‘life-annihilator.” It is, perhaps, un- (Fig. 123.) necessary to mention that the vial should be kept tightly corked, and that the insect should remain therein not much more or less than ten minutes. A vial one inch in diameter and four in Jength, made of strong glass, is the most desir- ‘able size. Some collectors carry a small vial of chloroform, through the cork of which passes a very small tube of metal; what is called by jewellers ‘“‘hollow wire,” of minute aperture, is used for this |i purpose. (See Fig. 123.) This “Siu instrument is used for conveying a limited quantity of chloroform to the spiracles of the insect, without deluging and damaging much of its plumage, if furnished therewith. Ether, as well as chloroform, is sometimes used in lieu of the cyanide, but it has to be continually supplied from another reservoir. In some countries bruised laurel leaves are placed in the bottom of the vial, or a small packet of them pinned in a corner of the collect- ing-box, enclosed in a little bag or wisp of loosely woven cloth, such as lace, book-muslin, &e. All of these poisons act at first only as anesthetics, or stupefiers, and should be con- tinued in use sufficiently long to destroy vitality, . or to prevent the struggles of the insect; for by these struggles it injures itself, as well as its companions, after being pinned in the collecting box. ——_____e~<>e_______ NOTES AND EXPERIMENTS ON CURRANT WORMS.- BY W. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONT. The larva of Nematus ventricosus, alas, too well known under the popular designation of “currant worm,” has been very abundant in this neighborhood during the present season. In my own garden it has been a continual fight as to who should have the currant and gooseberry bushes, the worms or their rightful owner. Du- — ring the early part of summer, anticipating their attack, IT was on the lookout for them and by timely doses of hellebore preserved the foliage with but little damage. In about a fortnight later, having omitted inspection for a few days, I was surprised to find the bushes being stripped again; and this time the enemy had got so far ahead as to damage their appearance consid- erably. Another prompt dosing of hellebore brought relief. After this I hardly ever found all the bushes entirely free from them; a walk around the garden would reveal a few here and a few there, and I was perpetually hand-kill- ing and brushing off these smaller detachments. Four times during the season I found it neces- sary to apply hellebore freely, for the foes were a legion. During the middle of August, being occupied with other matters, the garden was neglected for a few days, when on visiting it again on the 19th, I found many of the bushes entirely leaf= less, and the foliage remaining on the others was rapidly disappearing. I felt discouraged and began to have some misgiving as to whether hellebore was after all such an unfailing panacea for this almost universal pest as we had sup- posed. I resolved if possible to satisfy myself fully on this point, and having mixed about 14 T, GLOVEF ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 201 oz. of powdered hellebore with a pail of water, was ready to proceed. I selected a leaf from two bushes, marked them and counted the num- ber of their inhabitants—one was occupied by forty-four worms of different sizes, crowding it above and below, and it was about half eaten; the other leaf had twelve nearly full grown on it. Having transferred the mixture of hellebore and water to a watering pot, the bushes were sprinkled with it. I returned to examine the results in three-quarters of an hour, and the leaf which at first had forty-four on it, had now only two, and these were so far exhausted that they were unable to eat, and could hardly crawl, while on the other leaf out of the twelve there remained three, but in the same enfeebled con- dition. All around under the bushes, the ground was strewed with the fallen foe, and I felt per- fectly satisfied that entire reliance might be placed on this means of defense. I did not anticipate such speedy action on ‘the part of the hellebore, or should have returned to the examination sooner, and the bushes were so entirely cleared, that excepting on one I had reserved for another experiment, I had no means of repeating the dose. There was one thing that struck me as some- what remarkable, the portion of leaf on which the greatest number were feeding, appeared to be of the same size as before the hellebore was applied; if smaller I could not perceive it. When the leaves dry, which have been sprinkled with liquid, a very thin coating of the powder, more or less regular, is found over them, and I had always supposed that death resulted from eating a portion of the leaf thus coated. Such is un- doubtedly the case when the hellebore is applied dry, but in this case a meal however small made by forty-four caterpillars on half a leat, must have materially diminished it. I am disposed to believe then that the death of most of these must have resulted from their imbibing or ab- sorbing some of the liquid as soon as applied. Many of them showed symptoms of the violent cathartic action of the remedy, having a mass of soft excrement hanging to the extremity of their dead bodies. Thad reserved one bush, on which were a good number, for another experiment. It sometimes happens, especially with those who live in the country, that hellebore is not at hand when the worms are first observed at work, and a few days’ delay in procuring it is perhaps unayoida- ble. In such cases the bushes may be entirely leafless, before the remedy can be applied. Hot water suggested itself to my mind as likely to be of some service, and being also an article readily procurable in every home. It is well known that many plants will bear such an application with- out injury, provided the heat is not too great. Taking some in a watering pot, a little hotter than one could bear the hand in, I showered it plentifully on the affected bush, and it was amusing to see how the caterpillars wriggled and twisted and quickly letting go their hold, fell to the ground, which was soon strewed with them. After the first excitement produced by the sudden heat was over, they remained as if wishing to ‘‘ cool off” before commencing work again. A few did not recover from the applica- tion, but most of them were soon as active as ever. Now what I would suggest is this, that where the hellebore cannot be at once procured, no time should be lost in applying the hot water, and when once on the ground the creatures may have the life trodden out of them by the foot, or beaten out with the spade or some other implement. In any’case many of them would never reach the bush again, for enemies beset them on every side. I was amused to see how busy a colony of ants were which had a home at the base of a tree near by, lugging these large caterpillars along, a sin- gle one of which would take three or four to manage. The worms were twisting and jump- ing about as if they wondered whose hands they had got into, and the ants were hanging on with their sharp jaws and slowly dragging the bodies along. By and by they had quite a little pile accumulated, which would no doubt furnish them or their progeny with a feast of fat things for some time tocome. Then there are the tiger beetles (Cicindelid@), with a host of others ever running about, looking for stray objects of this sort on which to make a dainty meal. I had observed on one of the bushes, betore applying the hellebore, some friends at work on these worms. They were immature specimens of a true bug belonging to the order Hemiptera, and probably the young of Stiretus fimbriatus. These creatures are nearly round, about the size— of a common ladybird, having the head, thorax and legs black, and the abdomen red with an elongated black spot in the center, divided across by a whitish line. Approaching a caterpillar, they thrust their proboscis into it and quietly suck its juices until it becomes so weak and ex- hausted that it shrivels up and dies. With the view of testing the probable amount of good these friends were thus capable of accomplish- ing, I shut up two of them in a small box, with a dozen nearly full grown caterpillars, and at the end of three days found that they had consumed them all; also six in another box with one bug, 202 THE AMERICAN and in this instance the rate of consumption was about the same, two caterpillars a day for each of these little creatures. The second time I fed them they did not get though their work quite so quickly; possibly they may have overfed themselves at first. While turning up the branches of some of my gooseberry bushes, I observed a number of whitish eges on some of the leaves, arranged lengthwise in regular rows at short distances apart, on the principal veins or ribs of the leaf. Usually they were placed singly in the rows, but here and there double. These were the eggs of the currant worm, they were about one twentieth of an inch long, four times as long as broad, rounded at each end with a whitish glossy sur- face. On the branch I was examining there were three leaves with these eges on; two of them had their principal veins pretty well covered, while the third had but a few on it, as if this had been the work of a single insect which had exhausted her stock before the third leaf was covered. 1 counted these, and found there were 101 in all. Having just then caught one of the parent flies, a female which was hovering about as if look- ing for a place on which to deposit her eggs, I squeezed some eges out of her body and com- paring them with those on the leaf, found they were only about half the size, showing that the first must have grown considerably after being laid and that they were probably nearly ready to hatch. In about three hours afterwards, 1 ob- served that several of tlhe young laryz had come out of the eges, and placing the leaf under a microscope had the good fortune to see some of them escape. The egg consisted of a thin elastic membrane sufficiently transparent to give a dim view of the enclosed larva. The black spot which is placed on each side of the head in this species, enabled me to determine the position the creature occupied. It was somewhat coiled up and resting on its side with its jaws against the side of the egg not far from its extremity. I could not perceive that it had any other means of rupturing the ege than by its mandibles, which were working visibly within. Im a short time the ege was ruptured and the head of the larva protruded from the orifice. Withdrawing its two front feet from the ege, it seized the leaf on which it was placed, and by raising up its back and working itself from side to side, it soon worked itself out. The time occupied in thus extracting itself, from the first appearance of the head, varied from six to ten minutes, for I watched several of them through the process. The egg was so thin and elastic that it yielded readily to the motions of the body, and adhered very closely to it, contracting and shrivelling up as the body was withdrawn. After the larva comes out it does not consume the ege or any portion of it, as is the case with most Lepidoptera, but sets to work at once eat- ing the leaf’ on which its considerate mother placed it. When just hatched the worms are about one-twelfth of an inch long; head large, dull whitish with a round dark spot on each side, and a few minute short hairs; mandibles pale brown. Body above and below whitish, semi-transparent, sometimes with a slight green- ish tinge. From this time it rapidly increases in size, becoming green then changing to green with many black dots, and finally reverting: to pale green again, tinged with yellow at the extremities, just before it becomes a chrysalis. I have a fact to communicate regarding the winter history of this insect. It has been uni- versally held, that the larve, when they leave the’ bushes in the fall, at once construct their cocoons, either at the surface of the ground or just below the surface, and change to pups either then or sometime before early spring. Possibly as a rule this may be the case, if so I have an interesting exception to record. On the 22nd of May I was trying some experiments in crossing gooseberries, fertilizing the flowers of the Houghton’s Seedling with some of the large ~ English varieties, and having operated on several branches, tied them up in new paper bags to prevent interference with the work, either from insects or otherwise. The particular bag I am about to refer to, was attached to an upright branch on the swmmit of the bush, about eight- een inches from the ground. While examining it on May 31st, nine days afterwards, to ascer- tain the result of my work, I found in one of the folds of the bag a cocoon of Nemantus ventri- cosus firmly attached to the paper. In this in- stance the larva must have remained unchanged during the winter, then crawled from the ground, attaching itself as related and constructing its cocoon after the 22d of May. A few days later, I found a similar cocoon attached to the bush, which from its fresh appearance I inferred had been constructed about the same time, although I am unable to advance any positive statement regarding it. During the summer I have found a considerable number of such cocoons fastened to the underside of the leaves of the bushes on which the lary have been feeding, and these have been observed in all positions from near the base to the summit of the bushes, showing’ ~ that it is not the invariable practice of the larva to undergo its change to chrysalis, either at the surface or under the surface of the ground. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. boa "3 ‘Bary [We copy the above interesting observations from the Canadian Entomologist, as an addition to the article published in the first number of our present volume. The Half-winged Bug spoken of on page 201, which so savagely attacks the Saw-fly larvie, has never yet been described. We paid Mr. Saunders a visit, at the time these Bugs were in the larva state, and have since received two specimens of the perfect insect. From these, we are enabled to publish the fol- lowing description through the kindness of Mr. P. R. Uhler, of Baltimore, who has sent us an advance copy from a paper (Fig. 124.) which is now going through the press of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Our Figure 124, @ giving a magnified view, and b show- ing the natural size, will en- able the practical reader to recognize this friend, and if he should ever notice it upon his worm-infested currant or gooseberry bushes, let him carefully pick it off tempo- rarily, and after the leaf-eating worms have been subjected to a shower of hellebore-water, or a blast of the dry and powdered article, let him tenderly replace it wpon the bush, that it may slay the last one, of the injurious army, which may have escaped the avenging storm.—Eb. ] Colors—Yellowish-brown and dark-brown. PopisUs PLActpus, Uhler.—Ovate, luteus, Head trun- cuted in front, the lateral margins slightly sinuate, black, recurved; each side of tylus a blackish, or brown, stre»k; a similar streak runs from behind each of the ocelli and curves towards the eyes, and sometimes coalesces with that on the tylus; the surface coursely, remotely punctured; ocelli red; tylus smovuth and cylindrical to near the tip, the tip depressed. Antenne yellow, tinged with rufous, the Miidle, almost to each end, of all the joints infuscated nbove; basal joint not reaching the tip of the head; second joint subequat to the third and fourth united; remaining Joints much stouter than the second; fourth and fifth sub- equal, Rostrum reaching to the venter; the basal joint shorter than the bead, Pronotum short, the surface aate- riorly rugose, coarsely, in patches aggregarely, punctured With purple; the posterior division more or less suffused with purple; each side of callosities with a black dot; middle line smooth, yellow: humeral angles prominent, blunt, the Jateral Ta ed smooth, yellow, anteriorily obsoletely sur- rated, Underside and legs yellow; » series of small black dots extends from behind the eyes to the penultimate ventral segment; tips of tibiae, and tarsi, more or less infuscated or suffused with rufous, Seutellum clouded wih purple, the middle line and tip remotely punctured, more distinctly yellow; the base with a few bure dots, the surface generaily closely punctured. Hemelytra purplish, closely, more finely pRocuured, the exterior margin snd principal suture yel- ow; Membrone embrowned Length 10 millims. Humeral breadth 5¢ millims. Inhavbits Canada, Washington ‘Terri- tory, and Massachusetts. —— To our SuBscriBERS IN CANADA.—Parties in Canada, who wish to subscribe for the AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST, can obtain it, postage free, by remitting $2.00 to the Rev. C.J. 8. Bethune, Secretary to the Entomological Soviety of Can- ada, Credit, C. W. MY RASPBERRY AND VERBENA MOTHS, AND WHAT .—Antenne long, setaceous; tarsi 4+-jointed. LoOcUSsTID®. +b.— Antenne filiform, generally rather short. ACRIDIDZ. Fam. 1—GRYLLID&. Gryllides, Latr.; Gryllina, Macleay; Achetide, Leach; Gryllodea, Burm.; Achetina, Newm. A.—Fore legs fossorial. b. Hind tarsi of the usual form. ¢. Tarsi 3-joinfed. d. Fore tibia hexadactylate . dd. Fore tibia didactylate. ce. Tarsi 2-jointed. bb. Hind tarsi flat, digitate. ¢. Four anterior tarsi 3-jointed. *Tridactylus, Oliv. ec. Hour anterior tarsi 2-jointed. *Rh¢pipterye, Newm. 4AA.—Vore legs not fossorial. b. Head concealed. bb. Head prominent. ec. Face rounded. d. Hind tibie with spines. e. Four anterior legs short, or but moderately long. £. Third joint of the palpi not distinctly truncated. g. Fore wings not very long. hh. Prothorax not very narrow. i. Hind legs stout, of moderate length. j-. Hind tibie with stout approximate spines. k. Tarsi 4-jointed. Acheta, Fabr. kk. Tarsi 3-jointed. 1. First joint of the hind tarsi setulose. Brachytrypes, Serv. H. First joint of the hind tarsi smooth. m. Head not ridged. n. Head not conical in front. 9. Oviduct very narrow. oo. Oviduet flattened. Platyxyphus, Haan. nu. Head conical in front. * Mogoplistes, Sexy. mm. Head ridged between the eyes. n. Hind tarsi not serrated. o. Fore wings regularly reticulated. *Zufuldsca, Wall. oo. Kore wings irregularly reticulated. p- Hind tibie not serrated. Cassidawa, Walk. pp. Hind tibie serrated. Nessu, Walk. 3J-_ Hind tibie with slender, wide-apart spurs. &, Fore wings generally abbreviated. 1. Legs not very hairy. m. Spines of the hind tibix not very long. *Nemohius, Sery. mm. Hind tibie with very long spines. Argizala, Walk. i. Legs very hairy. * Hapithus, Uhiler. kk. Fore wings complete. ?. Fore wings membraneous. m, Fore wings of the males not yery broad, n. Fore wings with transverse veins. o. Prothorax not broader than the head. p. Head not prominent between the eyes. g. Fore wings with veins beyond the tympanum ir- regular. * Orocharis, Uhler. qq. Fore wings with veins beyond the tympanum regular. ttura, Walk, Gryllotalpa, Late. Scapteriscus, Scudd. Cylindrodes, Gray. * Myrmecophila, Latr. *G@ryllus, Linn. pp. Head prominent between the eyes. Madasumma, Walk. oo. Prothorax much broader than the head. Lobeda, Walk. mn. Fore wings of the male very bread. o. Legs not very slender. * Fneoptera, Burm. oo, Legs very slender. * Phyllopalpus, Uhler. mm. Kore wings of the male very broad. n. Prothorax not narrower in front. Burepa, Walk. nn. Prothorax much narrowerin { Lerneca, Walk. front. Sulmania, Walk. i. Fore wings coriaceous. m. Fore wings not reticulated. mm. Fore wings reticulated. ii. Hind legs very long. 7. Fore femora and fore tibiz not spiny. k. Eyes not very prominent. 7. Second joint of the hind tarsi very distinct. . Podoscwtus, Scud. WZ, Second joint of the hind tarsi hardly apparent. m. Wings complete. * Platydactylus, Brulli. mm. Wings none. n. Spines of the hind tibix very short. Zaranda, Walk. nn. Spines of the hind tibiz long. *Zaoru, Valk. kk. yes very prominent. 7. Legs stout. 2 Orhega, Walk. i. Legs slender. Misitra, Walk. J. (Not represented.) hh. Prothorax very long and narrow. z. Head elongated. = Beanthus, Serv. zz. Head not elongated. *Laurepa, Walk. gg. Fore wings extremely long. hk. Body stout. Lurraga, Walk. hh. Body very slender. Nocera, Walk. ££. Third joint of the maxillary palpi directly truncated. Triyonidium, Ram). ee. Four unterior legs very long. J. Hind femora not abruptly attenuated. Luzara, Wilk. Scleropterus, Hag. aes Walk. Jf. Hind femora abruptly attenuated : beyond the middle. * Phalangopsis, Serv. dd. Hind tibie without lateral spines. é. Prothorax produced hindward. *Cycloptilum, Scud. ee. Prothorax not produced hindward. J. Body stout, Ornebius, Guer. Jf. Body very slender Yabea, Walk. cc. Face very flat. Platyblemmus, Serv. *Those represented in North America. ACHETA is restricted to Schizo- dactylus monstrosus of Blanch., Hist. Nat., lit. 31; Sery. Hist. Orth., 322. A LIST OF SPECIES OF GRYLLIDA NOT INCLUDED IN SCUDDER’S CATALOGUE OF ORTHOPTERA. Gryllus septentrionalés, Walk. pg. 18. Mexico, St. Dom. we ee luridus , 18 Vera Cruz. < determinatus, eis 1); _, Jamaica. on similariss ie F : a. St. Domingo. ; Cabins . ‘ a 3 poe pee of CONLINGENS 5 4 “1. aman, <¢ signatipes, ag 22 W. coast Am. Scudd., Pro. Bost. Mogoplistes occidentalis, Soc. Nat. Hist. Walk. p. 52. Tufalisea lurida, Walk. p. 53. Nemobius mevicanus , ds oT. Seudd., Pro. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. Walk. p. 57. Hapithus quadratus, Seudd., Cent. Dec. Gryll. Lower Cal. St. Domingo. Ojaco, Mex. ce curcumeinctus, . Mexico. Texas. Orocharis signutus, Walk. p. 61. Mexico. sf scitulus, ee 62. Honduras. ce ee Susiformis, ** = ace es ‘ ecudd., : t. 1 . annulutus, { Gia are Host f Cent. Am. Eneoptera insularis, Walk. p. 66. Jamaica. Phyllopalpus latipennis, ** 68. GU ot niqrovarius, ** 70. Mexico. Lebussa tenuicornis, Gi Ta. St. Domingo. Platydactylus similis, 8¢ 78. os LZuora cinctipes , Gi 89. Jamaica. GBeanthus nigricornis, Gu 93 Illinois. wy waricornes , ne 94. Mexico. « formosus , oY 94. Ob Laurepe valida, me 97. Jamaica. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 207 Scudd., Pro. Bost. TMbsan aly, S20: Nats Hist. con: Seudd., Rev. Foss. Crick.) a, 1 ph 1c bas ej Cent. Am. Beanthus nigricornus, Walk., Cat. Dermat. Salt. p. 93. “ Female.—Vestaceous, slender, shining. Head slightly elongated, with three black stripes extending from the hind border, one between the eyes and one on each side below the eyes. Eyes elongated, slightly prominent. Third joint of the palpi clavate, obliquely truncated, longer than the second, Antenne black, testaceous at the base, very much longer than the body. Prothorax slightly longer than broad, fore border and hind border testaceous; two longitudinal testaceous streaks in the disk. Ventral segments black. Cerci and oviduct a little shorter than the abdomen, the latter black. Legs black, very slender; fore tibiw slightly dilated and ex- cayated on the inner side near the buse; hind femora testaceous toward the base; hind tibia with six minute spines on the outer side, and five on the inner side. Fore wings cinerous, extending much beyond the abdo- men, regularly reticulated; mediastinal vein with nine oblique branches. Hind wings extending much beyond the fore wings. Length of body 71g lines. Illinois. Presented by E. Doubleday, Esq.’ IT give this in ertenso for the benefit of our Western Entomologists, who may not as yet have received Walker’s Catalogue. Cycloptilum squamosum, { Scaptericus vicinus, | ~~ > A GOOD WORD FOR THE TOAD, Mr. River: [I was much interested in some extracts from ‘‘ Fogt’s Book on Noxious and Beneficial Animals,” in your January number, and am induced to send you my own experience as another proof of the intelligence of toads. Loving flowers, even when a child, with that love which makes a happiness of labor and patient waiting, my earliest possession was a small flower garden. I had been told that toads were very useful in a garden, and conse- quently transferred them, as they were occa- sionally found, to my own especial domain, which happeued to be enclosed by a low brick wall and paling fence. Although my toads seemed none of them afraid of me, I soon fancied that one of them followed me about my flower borders; and, watching carefully, I found my fancy to be a truth. My toad grew more and more attentive with time, and I frequently talked to him as he seemed watching my labors, and sometimes he would hop immediately where I was digging, then I quietly lifted him on one side with my trowel, saying: ‘Tom, you are in my way.” One day I threw some sweet crumbs that were in my pocket towards him, and was much amused to see him catch them before they fell to the ground. You will readily suppose that after this ‘Tom Toad” was very liberally fed. He grew fast, and his skin became very glossy, and the spots very brilliant; and I soon found that he not only knew my voice, but also my step. ‘*My pet” became quite the jest of the neighborhood, and it was a common thing for my friends to sit upon the steps leading to the house, for me to call ‘‘ Tom,” and see him come hopping from some secluded place to catch his crumbs. The windows of the basement opened on to my garden. and as the servant girls would be ironing by the windows, the toad often hopped in to watch their labors. They always bore the call quietly, unless he hopped upon the table or into the clothes basket, when the screams were loud for me to “come and take care of my bird.” And thus, for about six years, Tom was made as comfortable and happy as a toad could be. He always burrowed his winter quarters for hibernation in oue place—directly by the kitchen window—and in carly spring, as the weather grew warmer, the earth would gradually loosen and heave up over his back, and all at once he would hop forth. I did not particularly notice his condition, but for a day his movements were rather sluggish. I sometimes used to uncover him when he had come very near the surface, and tell him it was “time to get up;” and f dug away once to see how far he went down for his winter nap, and found the hole about a foot deep. But at last, when I was about to leave home for along term at school, it was insisted that “Tom” must be carried away, they were so senselessly afraid of him, and I carried him tenderly to a beautiful spot by our beautiful river, and said “good-bye.” I never saw my toad again, and have never had such healthy rose bushes since. Not long ago, I was telling of my toad to a friend, when he said that ‘‘one day he observed a toad in his garden always hopping in his way. He impaled a fly and held it to the Toad, who snapped it off from the stick in an instant. Daily, for quite a length of time, he amused himself with feeding the toad, until once, in mischief, he held to it a bee, and he thinks the bee stung the Toad, for it would never again notice him. eye Ofousls- Bar MILLs, Minn. —____—__e+ eo —___—_ Insects Borinc Liquor-casks.—There is a very small species of wood-boring beetle, known as the Tomicus monographus, which has for a number of years past been very destructive in India to casks containing malt liquors, ore than one million of the small perforations made by this insect have been observed in one stave. Dealers in malt liquors suffer greatly from these pests, and are anxious to discover a preventive. This borer has lately been examined by British entomologists, who are endeavoring to ascertain whether this insect feeds on the oak staves for the liquor they contain, or because they are really fond of oak wood.— Hearth and Home. ae a ae ae 208.— sae ‘ THE AMERICAN INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE.—No. 8. The Grape Leaf-folder. (Desmia maculalis, West.) [Fig. 127.] Colors—(1 and 2) grass-green; (3) brown; (4 and 5) black and white. The subject of this sketch has long been known to depredate on the leaves of the Grape-vine in many widely separated parts of North America. Tt is not uncommon in Canada West, and is found in the extreme southern parts of Georgia. It appears to be far more injurious, however, in the intermediate country, or between latitude 35° and 40°, than in any other sections, and in Southern Illinois and Central Missouri proves more or less injurious every year. It belongs to the same family (Asorpmp~x) as our notorious Cloyer-worm, which attacks our clover stacks and mows. It was first described and named by Westwood*, who erected, for it, the genus Desmia. This genus is characterized by the elbowed or knotted appearance of the ¢ antennie, in con- trast with the smooth, thread-like 9 antenne; the maxillary palpi are not visible, while the compressed and feathery labial palpi are recurved against the eyes, and reach almost to their sum- mit; the body extends beyond the hind wings. The moth of the Grape Leaf-folder is a very pretty little thing, expanding on an average almost an inch, with a length of body of about one-third of an inch. It is conspicuously marked, and the sexes differ sufficiently to have given rise to two names, the female having been named Botys bicolor. The color is black, with an opalescent reflection, and the under surface differs only from the upper in being less bright; all the wings are bordered with white. The front wings of both sexes are each furnished with two white spots;+ but while in the male (Hig. 127, 4) there is but one large spot on the hind wings, in the female (Fig. 127, 5) this spot is invariably more *Mag. Zool., par M. Guerin, 1831; pl. 2. +Mr Glover, in the Agricultural Report for 1854, p. 79, says that the male has a semi-lunar mark of white on the outside of each spot, which in his figure, pe 6,ibid., is very distinct. In dozens of specimens bred in Illinois and Missouri no such mark appeays, though there is an apparent coinci- dent shade, barely distinguished from the black ground- color, on the outside of each spot in both male and female. or less constricted in the middle, especially above, and is often entirely divided into two distinct spots. The body of the male has but one distinct transverse band, and a longitudinal white dash at its extremity superiorly, while that of the - female has two white bands. The antenne, as already stated, are still more characteristic, those of the male being elbowed and thickened near ’ the middle, while those of the female are simple and thread-like. There are two broods in this lati- tude—and probably three farther south—during the year; the first moths appearing in June, the second in August, and the worms produced from these last hibernating in the chrysalis state. The egos are scattered in small patches over the vines, and the worms are found of all sizes at the same time. These last change to chrysalids in 24 to 30 days from hatching, and give forth the moths in about a week afterwards. The worm (Fig. 127, 1) folds rather than rolls the leaf, by fastening two portions together by its silken threads; and for this reason, in con- tradistinction to the many leaf-rollers, may be popularly known as the “Grape Leaf-folder.” It is of a glass-green color,* and very active, wiigeline, jumping and jerking either way at every touch. The head and thoracic segments are marked as at Figure 127, 2. If Jet alone these worms will soon defoliate a vine, and the best method of destroying them is by crushing suddenly within the leaf, with both hands. To prevent their appearance, however, requires far less trouble. The chrysalis is formed within the fold of the leaf, and by going over the vineyard in October, or any time before the leaves fall, and carefully plucking and destroying all those that are folded and crumpled, the supply for the following year will be cut off. This should be done collectively to be positively effectual, for the utmost vigilance will avail but little if one is surrounded with slovenly neighbors. We believe this insect shows no preference for any particular kind of grape-vine, having found it on well nigh all the cultivated, as well as the * We subjoin a description of this worm, as first given by us in the Prairie Farmer Annual for 1868. Average length, 0.80. Largest on abdominal joints, and tapering thence slightly each way. Color glass-green, always darker above than below. A narrow darker dorsal line, with each joint Swollen into two transverse wrinkles. Laterally paler or yellowish, and a large and distinct piliferous spot on each joint, with others scarcely visible with a lens. Head fulvous, polished, horizontal, with two small eye-spots and two larger dark patches. Joint1of the same color, and marked as in Figure 127, 2. Joint 2 has two small spots, with an intermediate larger one, oneach side legs yel-~ lowish. Acquires a carneous or pink tint before changing to chrysalis, which latter is of the normal color, size and form of Figure 127, 3, and has at the tail several yery minute curved hooks, joining and forming into a point ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 209 wild varieties. Its natural enemies consist of spiders, wasps, and a small undeseribed species of Tachina fly which we have ascertained to in- fest it in the larva state, and to which we have given the MS. name of desmiw. There is every reason to believe that it is also attacked by a small clay-yellow beetle, the Grape-vine Colaspis (Coetaspis flavida, Say), which, though a vege- table feeder, may often be found in the fold of the leaf in company with some shrunken, half- dead worm. emo -— ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. { We propose to publish froin time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents as contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practi- cal IpOrAR ces Wehope our readers will contribute each their several mites towards the general fund; and in case they are not poses certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities of which are to be mentioned, will send specimens along in order that each species may be duly identified.) Ror in PEACHES AND oTHER FRuiIts.—NVew Harmony, Ind., April 20, ’°70.—I grow but few peaches and observe those closely, and I believe that I have generally, if not always, found that the rot proceeds from a bite, which I suspect is often made by a locust or grasshopper (Locus- tade), but I know that it is very often made by a brown soft-bodied insect that I call a cricket: it is, I think, a little bulkier than the insect figured in the Enromoxoeist as the Snowy Tree Cricket. Ihave caught many of them while they were eating peaches and quinces. Shortly before the quince becomes tinged with yellow these creatures bite small pieces out of them; in cer- tain conditions of the quince and of weather the wound heals, but the bites made when the weather is wet, or the quince is ripening, are fatal. Rot commences around the hole and rap- idly spreads, and the small hole made by the bite is so obscure as not to be noticed by those who do not expect to find it. The same process goes on in the peach; it is attacked before it is nearly ripe, and in all its after stages; but the peaches do not fall until a mass of rotten matter almost obliterates the sign of the cause of the rot. Apples are injured in the same manner. Nearly all the rot that I have perceived in these yari- eties of fruit, I have found has commenced from the outside, and in that grown by ourselves I have found the sign of the bite, excepting where some, out of my reach, has been allowed to falland smash. In the fruit I have bought I -haye often found the same sign, but very often I forget to examine; and, of course, most of the bitten fruit is left to rot in the orchard, or is consumed by pigs, and is not examined by any one. e Errata.—Page 183, column 2, line 21 from bottom, for “Fig. 113” read “Fig. 115.” Page 188, column 1, line 16, for ‘‘ Cersis” read ‘‘ Cercis.” PULSATILLA. (Pig. 135.) American Pulsatilla or Easter Flower. var. Nuttalliana, Gr.) (Anemone patens, L., The genus Anemone is pretty well known, in some of its species, all over our country. ‘The name is derived from a Greek word signifying wind—given, as some think, because many of them bloom in the windy days of spring. The genus has representatives in all the principal divisions of the globe. In the Northern States _ we have eight species, including Pudsatilla, which until recently has been considered a distinct genus. It differs chiefly from other species of Anemone in having long feathery, or tailed seeds, as in Clematis, while in Anemone proper the seeds are short, and without the tailed append- ages. We present a figure of our American Pulsatilla (Fig. 135), which isa variety differing little from > ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 217 the European Anemone patens, and is distin- guished as the variety Vuttalliana, Gr. It grows somewhat sparingly on gravelly hills, or banks, in northern [linois, in Wisconsin and Minnesota more abundantly, and thence westwardly to the Rocky Mountains. The flower (Fig. 185, a) usually makes its appearance early in April. Itisof pretty large size, and of a bluish-purple color, varying toa light blue. The flower has not the usual two sets of floral leaves, 7. e., calyx and corolla, but only the external set of sepals, which, how- ever, are petal-like in texture and color. There are usually six of these sepals, from one to one and a half inches long, oblong, and covered ex- ternally with scattered silky hairs. The flower blooms before the development of the leaves, and at first seems to be closely sur- rounded by the involucre of finely dissected leaves which is just below it; but it gradually pushes itself up ona stem, which finally becomes two or three times as long as the portion of the stem below the involucre (Fig. 185, }). Finally the sepals and stamens drop off, and a head of fifty to eighty seeds, with fine silky tails an inch and a half long, is matured. During this time, also, the radical leaves (Fig. 135, c) are developed. The whole plant is at first covered with silky hairs, which mostly wear off with age. In the north of Europe this plant and a nearly allied species, Anemone Pulsatilla, are well known as the Pasque flower, or Easter flower, and they are often used to decorate the churches during Easter. The Pulsatilla has also attained great celebrity as a medicinal plant, especially in homeeopathic practice. ~~. 2: In tropical countries many species of plants live entirely upon what they obtain from the air. They usually grow upon trees, but not in the manner of parasites, because they do not insinuate their 100ts into the tissues of the tree, or plant, and draw from it its juices. These are called Epiphytes, or air-plants. It is stated that in the island of Java there are over three hundred species of Orchidaceous plants of this character. The Spanish Moss of our Southern States, which is seen hanging in long, tangled threads from the branches of trees, belongs to this class of air- plants. Many lichens growing on bare rocks are true epiphytes, as is also a species of lichen (Par- melia mollinscula, Ach.) which grows on the arid plains of the Rocky Mountain region. Parasitic plants differ from air-plants in not only growing upon other plants, but in drawing their sustenance from them. The Mistletoe strikes its roots into the branch on which it grows so tho- roughly as to be inseparable from it, VEGETABLE CELLS. BY DR. FELIX SCHAAN, CHICAGO, PART I. In our microscopical investigations we meet with two kinds of objects—those originating in the mineral kingdom, as erystals, their polariza- tion, decomposition, ete.; and those having connection with organic life. The latter are classed in two grand subdivisions, viz., the Vege- table and Animal Kingdoms. In both we find one common ground form of being, the cell. This is the foundation-stone of the entire Vege- table and Animal Kingdoms, and is a subject of overwhelming importance. We propose at this time to discuss the vegetable cells, in their different phases of generation, life and death. The vegetable cell is composed of an outer coat of cellulose, including closely another of nitrogenous matter, called the primordial vesicle. This contains certain substances, as starch, fat, _ crystals, chlorophyll, granular matters, gas, and a nucleus called cytoblast, which contains one or more nucleoli. Let us pass in review all these parts, in order to have an acquaintance with the whole cell. 1. The Cellulose.—The cellulose pure is white, transparent, diaphanic, insoluble in water, in spirit of wine, ether, or the fixed or etherie oils. Feeble solutions of acid exert but little action upon it, even by boiling; it is the same with feeble alkaline solutions. The resistance which the cellulose opposes to these reactives varies, however, with its cohesion; the newly built cellulose alters easier than that of older forma- tion, Concentrated sulphuric acid (S O*) transforms the cellulose into a substance called ‘‘ dextrine.” Nitric acid (N O*) transforms it into an exceed- ing combustible and explosive substance known under the name of ‘*cotton-powder.” Boiling nitric acid transforms cellulose into oxalic acid. Acetic acid does not attack the cellulose. The cellulose does not change its color by the addi- tion of an aqueous solution of iodine; but when the sulphuric acid has commenced its disaggre- gation, the iodine gives it a beautiful blue hue. This chemical reaction is one of those we use to prove the existence of cellulose under the microscope. The chemical composition of cellu- lose is represented by carbon”, hydrogen, and oxygen”, Some may wonder how we are able to give these facts on studying a membrane not thicker than one ten-thousandth part of an inch. We state these facts by way of isolation—by taking divers parts of vegetables and submitting them 218 THE AMERICAN — : successively to different chemical reactions which effect a destruction of all foreign matters adherent to the membrane in question. There is no difficulty in showing you this part of the vegetable cell. Take a potato, cut it, and take from the cut surface a very thin slice on an object-glass ; cover it with a covering glass plate, and adda drop of water. You will remark on the edges of the slice many cells, in some parts only a portion, rent, lacerated, and out of con- nection with the adjacent cells. If you have any doubt of that being a cellulose membrane, you add some solution of Lodine. Instantly you see the starch in the cell colored a deep blue. The membrane remains transparent, white as before. Add a drop of sulphuric acid and you will see, after a while, the membrane also take a blue hue, but not so intense by far as the starch bodies near by. The parts near the corner where you let enter the sulphuric acid are colored first, and the color advances gradu- ally in the other direction. I made some fine slices of the root of Valeriana oficinajis. In putting them between the glass plates I could not distinguish any cellulose mem- brane, or any indication of it. It was because the salts spread through the cells, and the in- erustations in their walls rendered the membrane opaque. In boiling the preparation, the water took so much of the soluble salts away that the cellulose membranes could be seen very clearly. This boiling can be performed in any vessel; but for our purpose it suffices to add some drops of water to the object glass, and hold it for an in- stant over the alcohol lamp. The jumping up and down of the covering glass-plate denotes that there is steam formed, whose expansive power is utilized in the locomotive. Now the cellulose membrane is degarnished enough to be observed, and we can try the same experiment with the iodine and sulphuric acid as alluded to before. It is indifferent which of the two you add first. I boiled the valerian root in water containing a few drops of sulphuric acid, and the membrane grew free to a greater extent, because the sulphuric acid is a strong dissolvent for organic as well as for inorganic salts. When you put this slice under the micro- scope, and add a drop or two of iodine solution, you remark easily the growing of the blue color at the margins before white. I tried the same experiment on a fungus which luxuriated upon an animal matter, but with a negative result. A fungus growing in a sugary solution should be : carefully washed, because the sugar, being trans- formed by sulphuric acid into dextrine, can take the blue color by adding iodine, The cellular - of the interference of the light. membrane of these two vegetables (potato and valerian) is smooth, without any pores. The successive coloring of the contents of an integer cell from the side from which the reactive comés, demonstrates that it is only by the law of Osmose, and not through pores or other holes in the wall that the coloring is effected. We find often at the inside of the cuticle of cellulose, layers of different form, thickness and arrangement. These layers have sometimes the form of a circle, sometimes of a spiral, sometimes of large deposits covering more or less the entire surface of the cell. When the cell contains one or more rings, it is called the cedlula [Fig. 126. ] annulifera, 22 Ss ring-bearing cell.! (SS We find these mixed with a \S S Tr rals in a trans- ransyerse cut of Hyacinth leaf. verse cut of a leaf of Hyacinth (Fig. 136). When the two ends do not grow together, then the layer inside the cell takes the form of a spiral; this spiral can run from the left to the right, or from the right to the left. The cells containing the spiral are called fibre cells, when the fibres are clearly separable from the cell wall. A trans- verse cut of Hyacinth shows very distinctly these spirals. And you can also distinguish some fibres running from right to left, and one running in the contrary direction. The same can be ob- served inafew cells out of the pith of Geranium. [Fig. 137.] b iia 9 @ PEs 7 GL Pith of Geranium Tn this example I had rent the spiral out of the — cell, and so I could study it more closely. I found it an elastic substance without hole in the in- terior, the breadth beme everywhere the same. In one part I distinguished that the fibre-ribbon was split in the middle (Fig. 137, aa) but soon coming together again, leaving a kind of button- hole. In the fibrous cell adjacent (Fig. 137, 6) I re- marked that, at the borders of the cell where the fibre-ribbon passed from above to below, there was a little white space (Hig. 137, c), the effect I followed the ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 219 spiral, and found at one end, where it was rent out of the cell, that it was also an entire fibre, and I could see that the white spots at the twin- ing was not occasioned by a pore or a hole in the wall of the cell. This observation was very interesting, because it gave me the opportunity of explaining such white spots at the ends of a tender line in the cells of a moss (Sphagiim Jimbriatum), which Iwas unable to do before (Fig. 138). (Fig. 138 ] cite ie Sphagnum fimbriatum. This tender line is nothing else than a spiral. This fibre could not be isolated from the cellu- lose, but it adhered very fast to it, and broke just at the same place as the cellulose, as you can remark in the lacerated cells of the edge of a slice. That might be considered as the tran- sition to the porous cells (cellulose porosa), in which the fibres are so grown together as to appear like a continuous membrane beset with little pores. Close by the fibrous cells you can find them in the pith of Geraniun (Fig. 137, c). It presented itself in the shape of ¢ ladder, the. pores are horizontally disposed at equal distances from each other; in the middle of each pore you'can see a transverse line divid- ing it into two halves—an effect of interference of light. In the thickness of the wall of the cell at both sides, and corresponding to the space between the pores, we remark a swelling of the cellulose; this is the result of the growing to- gether of the fibre and wall. [Fig. 139.] Longitudinal. Liber cells of Cinchona calisaya. When the inside layers are deposited merely on the entire surface of the cellulose wall, then we have a successive growing of the wall m a ‘Transverse. regular way, depositing ring upon ring, spiral upon spiral, porous layer upon porous layer; or the layers are deposited irregularly—the first is mostly the case. A transverse and a longitudinal slice of liber- cells of the Peruvian bark (Cinchona calisaya) gives us a splendid illustration of this. You can pursue the pores through the entire layer, which has the aspect of a series of boxes inclos- ing one another. (Fig. 139.) Orig: 40) In the starch-cells of the root of Sarsaparilla (Similax sarsaparilla) the pores are deposited with regu- larity. IL remarked that, by cutting A the slice, the pores near the edge did not rend: and by adding iodine, es wel the starch inside the integer cell i eal |S0|} (Fig. 140, 6), attached with its top rai 3 to the lower end of this lacerated cell, 2S||||O}| took its blue color merely in accord- Real e ance with the law of Osmose. The 55 8 starch granules near the top (Fig. Sol so 140, a), where they are (Fig. 1) gS a separated from the con- ‘ SHIl, tact of the iodine by : cl 5 (Led|||g || eve membranes, col- ) iToall||o ored first and more qj||L_J} intensely, because the : Sich ci. Capillarity sent a large Call Sareaparilla: amount of iodine in that direction. o> oe HOW TO STUDY THE GRASSES. The study of the grasses is attended with some difficulty on account of the smallness of the parts composing the flowers, and is under- taken by very few, even of those who study with some care the more conspicuous flowering plants. But for those who will have the patience to attempt their investigation, Nature spreads out au open and inviting field, and the explorer will be rewarded by discoveries of as great in- terest as in any other department. Let us notice some of the principal parts, or organs, entering into the flower structure of the grasses. The flowers of grasses are sometimes in spikes, as those of Timothy or Herd’s-grass, and sometimes in loose, open panicles, as those of Red-top. Each spikelet, or smallest subdi- vision of the spike or panicle, whether consisting of a single flower or of a number of flowers, has commonly a pair of outer husks called glumes. Each individual flower is composed of two inner husks or scales called pale, three stamens (each consisting of a thread-like stem or fila- ment), a pollen-box or anther, and a pistil, composed of the germ and two hairy or feathery 220 THE AMERICAN styles. ‘The outer pair of glumes is sometimes wanting, and in some cases one of the inner pair is either absent or imperfect. It is well to begin the study of grasses by examining first the structure of some of those having large flowers, as the common Oat (Avena sativa, L.) Were if we take one of the smallest spikelets, we find first a pair of large husks or glumes, one of them at the kottom rather folds over the other, and is affixed to the stem or rachis a little below it, hence it is called the lower glume; the other is called the upper glume. Just within these glumes will be seen two or three flowers, in each of which we may observe the two palets, and, if the specimen is collected in flower, we will find the stamens and styles, but if the ripe oat is examined we shall find within the palets only a grain; or, in- deed, one of the two or three flowers may be sterile or imperfect. : A wild grass (Stipa spartea, Trin.) growing on the native prairies and plains of the West, and sometimes called Wild Oats, or Porcupine grass, on account of the slender, twisted awn or bristle, four to six inches long, which encloses the seed, has very conspicuous glumes, one and a half or two inches long; but very few of our grasses have flowers of such magnitude, while in some species the flowers are less than one line in length. After acquiring familiarity with the floral organs in some of the larger specimens, the learner will have little trouble, with the aid of a common lens, and of the excellent figures in Gray’s Manual, in getting an acquaintance with any of the common grasses. We trust our readers will improve the coming season in an investigation of this subject. eaten Ee ee POISONOUS PLANTS. “At Walcott, in this county, on Monday even- ing, Harry, aged 54 years, son of Dr. T. Byrnes, and Willie, aged 7 years, son of Mx. Barche, died from eating the poisonous root known as wild parsnip or Hemlock. The children were play- mates, and about six o’clock took a walk along the railroad track, where they discovered the plant, of which they ate. The first intimation any one had of anything being wrong was about seven o’clock, when little Harry came home and told his mother that his playmate, Willie Barche, was down there (pointing to the railroad) sick. He said, ‘ Willie staggers like a drunken man, and he is sick, Mam, he is real sick; and I feel sick, too.’ Dr. Byrnes, who was at home, over- heard the remark, and, on looking, saw Willie lying down upon the ground. He immediately requested Mr. Peck, station agent, to bring the child to the house. This was done, but the poor Jittle fellow was then in a state of collapse, and soon went into violent convulsions, and died in half an hour. Mrs. Byrnes, when apprised by her little son that he was sick, consulted her hus- band, and a strong emetic was given the child. Being asked what he had eaten, he said, ‘Only two little roots about as big as my finger.’ The child continued to grow worse, and in a short time was seized with convulsions, and, despite al] remedies, died at midnight.”— Davenport Gazette, April 20. It is now an appropriate time to give a word of warning respecting poisonous plants. Every spring we find such accounts as the above in the public prints, of cases of poisoning from the use — of roots which are mistaken for those of esculent vegetables. A few years ago, we knew a strong, healthy young Norwegian, who, having found some roots just beginning to develop leaves, ate two or three of them, under the belief that they were parsnips. In an hour or two he was seized with pain and yomiting, and before medical aid was procured he was dead. The roots were those of the Spotted Cowbane (Cicuta maculata, L.), a plant which occurs all over the country in low moist grounds, and has been the occasion of many cases of poisoning. Two years ago, several children near Centralia, Ill., were poisoned from eating the roots of an- other plant, which grows in the southern part of the States of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, in similar situations with the preceding, and is botanically called Hulophus Americanus, Nutt. Tt has no definite common name so far as we know. - These two plants belong to the Natural Order Umbellifere, or to the same family as the Cara- way, Parsley, Carrot, Parsnip, &c. It embraces many poisonous plants, among them the Poison Hemlock (Coniwm maculatum, L.), the juice of — which, it is supposed, was employed by the ancients in the execution of criminals. Children should be cautioned against eating any wild roots without the sanction of those who are acquainted with them and know what they are. We shall hereafter give some illustrations of these poisonous plants. —_—____—__e+ 9 —___ Western Borany.—A large portion of the native vegetation of the States west of the Mis- sissippi, and particularly of the great Plains of Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado, is not described in the common Text-books of Botany. Hence our friends in those sections wili meet with dif- ficulty in becoming acquainted with the plants they meet with there. The names and descrip- tions of such plants are contained in Pacific Railroad Reports, and in published proceedings of various scientific societies. 221 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. (Fig. 142.] The Flowering Dogwood, THE FLOWERING DOGWOOD. (Cornus florida, L.) There are many kinds of Dogwood (Cornus), the most of which are shrubs varying in height from five to ten or fifteen feet, and distributed over nearly all parts of our country. But the most attractive and showy of all the Dogwoods is that species botanically called. Cornus florida, L. It isa small tree, growing from fifteen to twenty-five or thirty feet high, having a pretty wide range of latitude, from 47° N. to Florida, being rare, however, in the northern latitudes. Its natural situation is in rocky woods, and on the borders of streams. It is avery conspicuous object when in flower, from the profusion of large white blossoms, or rather what appear to be blossoms, for the appa- rent blossoms are not really such. The true flowers are very small, and clustered together in asmall head. Each of these minute flowers has all the parts proper to a perfect flower, calyx, corolla, stamens and pistil. Immediately beneath half long. the cluster is developed four large white leaves, looking like petals, but really forming what is called an involucre. These involucral leaves are inversely heart-shaped, and about an inch and a At a distance they look like the pro- per petals of a single flower, while the small head of true flowers which they surround looks like the central organs of a flower. A close ex- amination will readily detect the true nature of these parts. The wood of the Dogwood is very close-grained, hard, capable of an excellent polish, and useful for the manufacture of many articles requiring durability and firmness of texture. The bark of the tree is bitter, and has long been known and employed as a substitute for, or adjuvant of, Peruvian bark and quinine in the treatment of ague and malarious diseases. The tree is well deserving of cultivation from the showy appearance of the snow-white flowers, or floral appendages (Fig. 142), which contrast finely with the lively green of the foliage, and from the bright red berries which succeed the flowers. 222 THE AMERICAN OUR CULTIVATED GRASSES. The grasses which in this country are culti- vated for pasturage and hay-making, are chiefly Blue-grass (Poa pratensis, L.), also called June- grass, Red-top (Agrostis vulgaris, With.), and Timothy, or Herd’s-grass (Phlewm pratense, L.) Several other species are occasionally found in lawns and orchards, and an annual species called Millet (Setaria italica, Kunth), is somewhat extensively grown for hay or fodder. In some portions of the country Blue-grass has acquired an extended reputation as a pasture grass. In Kentucky, Ohio, and some other Western States, it is considered the most valu- able of all grasses for pasturage. There has been much discussion during several years past as to the real botanical name of the Kentucky Blue- grass, some contending that it was the Poa compressa, Which is also called Blue-grass, and which, in fact, is often found growing with Poa pratensis. The latter has an upright, round stem, or culm, while the former has a reclining and flattened stem, We think there is little doubt among botanists that the June-grass of the Northern States is also the Blue-grass of Kentucky, varied only by differences of soil and climate. The genus Poa includes a number of other species, which have more or less value as forage plants, the most important of which is, probably the Fow] Meadow-grass (Poa serotina, Ehrh.) This is found as a native grass in many parts of the country, forming, indeed, a con- siderable proportion of the grass of sloughs and wet meadows in Northern Illinois and Wiscon- sin. Though somewhat coarse, it is a very productive and useful grass. Red-top CAgrostis vulgaris, With.) is exten- sively employed in the Northern States as a pasture grass, especially on low, damp grounds. In Pennsylvania it is called Herd’s-grass, which name in the Northern States is applied to quite a different grass. Red-top is native both in this country and in England, where it is called Bent- grass. Two other nearly-related species, the White Bent-grass (Agrostis alba, L.), and the Brown Bent-grass, (Agrostis canina, L.) are occasionally found in meadows mixed with common Red-top, and they also are native in some localities in this country. All the species of Agrostis have one-flowered spikelets, in open panicles. Red-top has its name from the reddish color of the flowers and flower branches, which color is very peculiar and distinctive when a large quantity, or a field, is seen at once. The stems are erect, round and smooth, and the roots creeping. Asagrass for hay-making the Herd’s-grass, or Timothy (Phleum pratense, I..), is more ex- tensively employed than any other. Its .solid stems, and tall, vigorous growth, give a large product of highly nutritive hay. Its flowers are arranged in a compact, cylindrical spike, usually three or four inches long. The spikelets are single-flowered, of two stiff-pointed glumes, including two much smaller and shorter palets. This grass has been introduced from Europe, where it is native, and also extensively cultivated under the name of Cat’s-tail grass. On the high mountains of New Hampshire, and also on the Rocky Mountains, we have a native species closely related to the Timothy, viz.: Phleum alpinum, 1.., or what might be called the Alpine Timothy. In Europe there are also several other species belonging to this genus, none of which, however, have been cul- tivated. THE HONEY LOCUST. (Gledttschia triacdnthos, L.) The Honey Locust is a well known tree, prin- cipally of the Western and Southern States. It is one of our largest forest trees, the trunk fre- quently attaining a diameter of three or four feet; but, from its habit of early dividing up into large branches, it does not attain as great height as Inany smaller trees. It usually forms a broad, open head, with a beautiful light-green foliage, which waves gracefully in the summer breeze. Its trunk and limbs are usually beset with numerous horrible spines, or thorns, from three to six inches long, each of which has commonly two branches, whence the specific name ¢riacan- thos, or three-thorned. These thorns, however, are not constant, as trees are occasionally found which are entirely smooth. Some have supposed these were a different species, but they are in all other respects like the thorny kind, and the seed of either will produce thorny and thornless trees. The favorite locality ot the Honey Locust is in bottom lands, or following the course of small streams. It belongs to the Pea family (Natural Order Leguminose), but not to the same section as the Black Locust, which has true papillion- aceous flowers. Its relationship in the Pea family would not be suspected from the appear- ance of the flowers, but its pinnate leaves and_ long pods, or true leeumes, easily identify it. In its flowering habit it is polygamous—that is, the fertile and infertile flowers are either separate or variously mixed on the same tree. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, in short — spikes, proceeding from the axils of the leaves. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. The fertile ones produce flat, twisted pods, a foot or more in length, and an inch and a half broad, and containing twenty or more pretty large, flat seeds. The pinnate leaves, four to six inches long, are made up of about ten pairs of small oblong leaflets, which are nearly entire on the margin. The pods contain a sweetish pulp, which is said to be employed in some of the Southern States in fermenting a kind of beer. The tree is a vigorous grower, with a pretty dense, tough-erained wood, which makes excel- lent fuel. It is not much in request as an orna- mental tree, perhaps on account of its formidable thorns, but has been employed to make hedges, and by some is thought to be superior for that purpose to the Osage. It has also been recom- mended for timber plantations. +> e THE WOODY COMPOSITE, Perhaps no family of plants is more numerous in species than that of the so-called Compound flowers (Composite). In all that part of the country lying east of the Mississippi there is not a shrub or tree be- longing to this family. Some kinds, as various species of Sunflower (Helianthus), produce annually a large and heavy growth, but it inva- riably dies down to the ground at the approach of winter. The roots of many are perennial, but nothing above ground survives a season's growth. It is not so, however, with several kinds of Composite in the region of the Rocky Moun- tains, and particularly in the great basins of the western slope. These are various species of Artemesia and Linosyris, all generally classed under the name of Sage brush; and they forma prominent and distinctive feature of the Plains, and in some measure by their woody growth compensate for the absence of trees. The largest and most common Sage brush is the Artemesia tridentata, Nutt. It is very vari- able iu size; on dry upland plains not usually over two or three feet high, with a trunk two or three inches in diameter. In valleys and moist ground it often attains a height of eight to ten feet, with a thickness of as many inches. Usually there are a number of stems spreading out from one root. The wood is light and porous, somewhat resembling cedar, and it burns readily even in a green state, as also do the leaves, with a pleasant balsamic fragrance. It is the main dependence, for fuel, of immi- grants and travellers on the Plains west of the mountain ranges. It has no resemblance to our cultivated Sage-plant, except in its fragrance, and belongs to an entirely different family. Its annual growth is very slow. We have often cut bushes of moderate size which indicated forty or fifty years’ age, and undoubtedly many of them continue to grow for a century. Another species, the Artemesia cana, Pursh.. is seldom found away from rich moist valleys. It sends up more numerous stalks from one root, z. é., it grows in bushy clumps of twenty or thirty stalks, which are each about an inch in diameter. Still another species is the Artemesia arbus- cula, Nutt. This is very dwarf in habit, seldom growing over a foot high, but often covering hundreds of acres on low mountain slopes. The bushes of Linosyrus are quite similar in general habit to those of the Artemesia, but do not grow as large. There are also several spe- cies of that genus. \ —_________e @e—_- NEW BOOK, THE AMERICAN BOTANIST AND FLORIST, By ALPHONSO Woop, A.M., author of the Class Book of Botany. &. A. 8. Barnes & Co., New York and Chicago. This is a handsome, well-printed volume of nearly 600-pages, possessing some features of great merit. The part devoted to structural and physiological botany is an example of great condensation, and is profusely illustrated. The definitions are generally very clear and concise. In some instances, we think, technical names are unnecessarily employed, as for instance, pleurenchyma instead of fibrous tissue, and trachyenchyma instead of vascular tissue. Where English words will conyey the idea intended, we think they should be em- ployed in preference to foreign ones; thus head is a better word than capztulum, and cluster isto be preferred _ to glomerule, ete. The portion of the volume devoted to descriptive botany professes to record the characters of nearly 4,000 species of the native and cultivated plants of the United States east of the Mississippi river. The introduction of greenhouse exotics is, we think, carried too far; for instance, we have given us fifteen species of Begonia, a genus of which we have no native representative. As an accommodation to city classes, whose acquaintance with plants is mostly limited to the cultivated exotics, this may be well enough, but for students wishing to study the productions of their own country, we think this matter is superfluous, and that its space would be better filled by expanding the descriptions of our native plants. 2-0 , Ferns AND Mosses.—The Ferns and Mosses are beautiful objects and well deserving the study of young ladies. Good specimens are finely adapted to parlor collections for ornament as well as for study. There are about sixty species of ferns in the Northern States. Many of them are very delicate and beautiful. The fructification is generally in small dots or lines on the back of the leaves, 224 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS. Field and Meadow Mosses.—The species affect- ing these localities, and often by their abundance doing great damage to meadows, are Brywm argenteum, Lin. , Barbula unguiculata, Hed., Archidium Ohioense, Sch., Phascum cuspidatum, Schr., Phascum alternifolium, Brid., and Phaseum nitidulum, Schimp. Several others are occasionally found in certaia localities in less numbers. Hypnum polymorphum on clay lands is sometimes quite abundant and injurious. Phasewm triquetrum is varer. Bryum cespiticum, W., Atrichum augustatum, Bean, Fu- naria fluvicans, Mich., and Hypnum salebrosum, Hoft., are rarely found in such situations. Wedssta virddula, Brid., in some clay meadows is also found sparingly, and in very low swampy places, Hypnum ripariwm and Hypnum radicale frequently abound; but excepting the first six species little damage is sustained to the grasses by their presence. Bryum argenteum and Barbula un- guiculatw are specially obnoxious not alone in these situations, but in gardens and house-grounds where weeds are kept down, having the advantage of growing without much heat; in fact, flourishing most luxuri- antly when phenogamous plants are entirely at rest in the winter, they soon possess themselves of the whole territory, and finally choke out many herbaceus plants, and do great mischief to garden shrubbery and even trees. Underdraining would to some extent diminish the evil, but as all mosses grow chiefly during the win- ter and spring months, when moisture almost continu- ally abounds, no satisfactory remedy will probably ever be applied for this particular evil to agriculture and horticulture. E. HALL. Welvet-leaf (Abutilon Avicenne, Gaert.)—The In- dian Mallow, or Velvet-leaf, often so called, and also locally Stamp-weed, from a use formerly of printing butter with its pods, is an annual Hast Indian plant of the Mallow family. It is a vile weed, already well established in numerous localities in the West, as well as in the older portions of this country. Public atten- tion, if not legal enactments, should be directed without delay to some means of limiting its dissemination, or confining it to its present areas: eradication where established is not practicable, the seeds being appar- ently imperishable under all conditions to which time ’ ean expose them. The writer having carefully attended a small locality for sixteen years, finds the seeds that ripened probably sixteen years ago from a single plant annually making their appearance. The spread of the plant is not necessarily rapid, nor difficult to check. An instance occurs here, where the plant has grown for eight or ten years in a neighbor’s garden almost with- out hindrance, and has not yet crossed to an adjoining field, with only a fence and hedge of weeds between; but the plant, nevertheless, is rapidly extending its areas in the rich cultivated lands all over the West. Farmers are not aware of the pernicious character of the weed or the detriment their farms are subjected to from its presence on them. Fifty per cent. depreciation in in- trinsic value would probably be below rather than above the average loss in worth of farms stocked with it. I have seen farms in Central Illinois abandoned apparently on account of the impracticability of profitable cultiva- tion, it being more profitable to cultivate new lands than to own and cultivate farms infested with it; but this easy method will not long be ayailable. Those who have it on their farms cannot be too vigilant to prevent _ vation. further dissemination, and those few who are so for- tunate as to yet be free from it, cannot use too much watchfulness to keep it off. The plant, like most tropi- eal or subtropical plants, has a wonderful capacity of adapting itself to the situation. It only germinates with a high temperature, and when this and moisture, and other requisite conditions are provided, it com- mences operations without regard to time or seasons, but is never caught. Suiting itself to the circumstances surrounding it, it invariably accomplishes the object of its existence, z. e., matures seeds. It isa rapid grower, and apparently an exhaustive feeder, and no foreign or native weed is destined to work half the evil to agricul- ture if permitted to generally disseminate itself through the rich prairies of the North and West. ATHENS, Ills. E. HALL. ee ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Plants to Name.—/s. B. S. Lake, Colorado.— More of those nicely prepared specimens of Rocky Mountain plants. No. 6 is Pentstemon glaber, Ph. The genus Pentstemon is represented by only three species east of the Mississippi; but westward the species be- come very numerous, and many of them have large and conspicuous flowers. This species is very ornamental, and may be cultivated with perfect success. Itisnearly related to the Fox-glove family. No.7 is the Rocky Mountain Flax (Linum perenne, Li.) This, as its name indicates, is a perennial species of flax, growing from Missouri to the Pacific, and also in Europe and Asia. “It has a slender, branching stem, two to three feet high, and rather large, bright-blue flowers. No. 8 is Gzka aggregata, Spreng. The Gilias belong to the same Natural Order as the Phlox, ani are closely related to that genus. Many of them are very showy. This species has narrow, trumpet-like flowers, one and a half inches long, in loose clusters along a tall, slender stalk, They vary 1n color from white to bright scarlet. No. 9 is Castilleia integra, Gr. This may be called the Entire- leaved Painted Cup. It grows at considerable elevations on the mountains, and with its bright scarlet bracts lights up the mountain sides. Two or three other species there join with it in giving variety and beauty to the scenery. No. 10 is the Alpine Veteh (Astragalus alpinus, L.), a very pretty and delicate plant, growing on the borders of cold mountain streams. It is also found on some mountains in New England, and in Europe. No. 11 is Potentilla pennsylvanica, L. This oecurs under a variety of forms at all elevations in the mountains and valleys, and with its grayish-white leaves and yellow flowers has a pleasing appearance. Itis doubtful about its ever having been found in Pennsylvania, as would be inferred from the specific name, but it occurs ina few places in New England. Chus £. Billen, Philadelphia.—Y our plants are as fol- lows: No. 1, an exotic Spirea; we have not the means of determining the species. No, 2 is our beautiful native Yellow Lily (Lzliwm canadense, L.) No. 3 is called Knawel (Seleranthus annuus, L.), a weed introduced from Europe. No. 4 is the Butterfly-weed, or Pleurisy- root (Asclepias tuberosa, LL.) No. 5 is a kind of Milkwort: (Polygala fastigiata, Nutt.) No. 6 is Slender Gerardia (Gerardia tenuifolia, Vahl.) No. 7 is one of the Blazing Stars (Ziatris scariosa, Willd .), a beautiful plant, as are the other species of this genus, and well deserving culti- No. 8 is the showy Toadflax (Linaria oulgaris, Mill. ), a troublesome weed in many places. No. 9is the Hardhack (Sp7rea tomentosa, L..), » handsome shrub. No. 10 is an incomplete specimen of what appears to be Cynthia virginica, Don. These specimens are mostly well preserved, but some of them are on too small x. seale, not fully representing the species. THE A M E R I ITCAN aie | A itomalogist’: VOL. 2. ST. LOUIS, ‘MO. JUNE, 1870. NO. 8. Entomological Department. CHARLES V. RILEY, Rie He vis 221 N. Main st., St. Louis, Mo. GREAT DISCOVERY—CURCULIO EXTERMINA! TION os Li POSSIBLE ! The importance of his subject, the demand for prompt and persistent action, and the absolute necessity of arousing every peach, plum and stone-fruit grower to destroy the Curculio, have led the editor of the Her ald, as Secretary of the St. Joseph Fruit-Growers’ Association, to issue this extra. Nota single day should be lost, for with united action 500, 000 Cureulios may te killed in a single day. There is no doubt on this point. This morn- ing Hon. John Whittlesey called at the Z/erald office and stated that on the 14th inst. he killed 2,715 Curculios about the roots of 200 trees, and on the 15th, in four hours on the same trees he killed 1,500 by actual count. Mr. Whittlesey also stated that Mr. Ransom, Mr. Bonelle and himself had in five hours killed upwards of 5,000 Curculios in a portion of three small orchards. That he had himself alone, in two days of eight hours each, killed one- -half more Cureulios than were ever taken by three men with the old fashioned sheet in a week. Mr. Whittlesey is one of the most successful and scientific fruit-growers of St. Joseph, whose word is a bond; but he said, ‘** Do not believe me; go to Mr. Ransom’s orchard and see for yourself.” Entering Mr. Ransom’s orchard, the editor met Dr. Lyman Collins coming out. Dr. Col- lins is widely known for his successful peach culture. “‘ Well, Doctor, is it a success?” **Most assuredly. I tried the experiment on eight of my trees in the evening, and the next morning took 104 Cureulios. Lam going home to bug ny whole orchard in this manner.” Wm. B. Ransom, the discoverer of the new method of exterminating the Curculio, was found on his knees in the back of his orchard “examining his Curculio traps. This was at 10 o’clock A. M., and he had already killed 1,357 on 300 trees. The editor stooped down and lifted up a corn cob not six inches long, and found and killed seven Curculios. There is no doubt whatever, that the long desired means of exterminating the Curculio is discovered. Such is the burden of a little two-column extra to the St. Joseph Herald, which Mr, J. E. Chamberlain, editor of that paper, and Secre- tary of the St. Joseph Fruit-Growers’ Associa- tion, sent to us just as our last number was going to press. The subject is of such importance that we can forgive, in an editor, the somewhat sensational heading. The following account of the method em- ployed we soon afterwards received from the discoverer himself: Editor American Entomologist : As you are scienced in the matter of Bugs, it may be of some interest to you, and of practical importance to fruit-growers, to know that the Curculio— that pest e all stone fruits—can easily be de- stroyed, as I am now practically demonstrating. Last year I discovered that they gathered in pairs on the trunks of the peach trees, where the main branches diverge, and on the under side of the limbs, around the knots and black bark. I determined to watch their movements this year, and learn more of their natural habits, and see if there could not be some more speedy, effectual, and less expensive mode of destroying them than has hitherto been practiced. Some three weeks ago I examined my trees (peach, plum and cherry) but did not find any. The first of May brought warm days, and the same degree of. warmth which expanded the blossoms and the foliag ge, roused the Curculio to activity in this latitude. After two or three warm days, I went (May 4th) and closely exam- ined my trees, and found small numbers of the little pest on each tree. None were found copu- lating. The next day was warm, and | found a few in pairs. Next day it rained a little, and turned cold. “During the cold days and nights the Curculio stopped feeding on the leaves of the trees. On the 13th of May it was very warm, both day and night; and next day almost all the Cur- culios which I destroyed had fed. Fyrom their first appearance I searched for them around and under the trees, but found none. But after four days’ search, T knew they must be hid under leaves, chips, sticks, stones, or something. I laid myself down and examined more closely, and began to discover the little hump-back rascals. N ow, let me sum up my observations, and my mode of destruction. The warmth that brings out blossoms, brings the Curculios to their natural food and breeding places. They hide anywhere in the orchard where there is a cover. During sufficiently warm days and nights they go the tr ee—mostly crawling, I pr esume,—to feed and pair. I destroy them in this way: By experiment at first Lraked everything that they could possibly 226 THE AMERICAN hide under from around the tree, and made the soil smooth for a couple of feet around the collar; T then put a few pieces of bark, cach two or three inches long and an inch or so wide, down close to the tree. Ina few hours I went and examined them. Ah! there the pests were hid! I en- Jarged the number of traps. Yes, I had the fellows using my houses, as well as eating my fruit! I cleared my orchard under the trees; made smooth two or three feet of the ground around each tree, and put chips, corn-cobs, pieces of old leather, stones—anything to give them shelter—near the butt. The enemy can be at- tacked in his habitat. Go around any time in the day, turn the traps over, and there the pests are —singly, in pairs and in clusters. The weather on Friday night (13th) was warm, and the next day (14th) it was hot. Omitted killing one hot day, and next morming, from about seventy-five trees, I killed 1,648 Curculios in just one hour. I have told my neighbors, and some of them are destroying their Curculios in the same man- ner. Myr. J. Whittlesey this morning, from under about two hundred trees, Killed 2,514 in about two hours. In cool weather I find few, but during the first warm days they swarm. Let this method be unitedly tried, and we can save our fruit. W. B. Ransom. St. JosEri, Mich, May 16, ’70. We are really sorry to damp the ardor and enthusiasm of any person or persons, when enlisted in such a good cause, but truth obliges us to do so nevertheless. Of course, Curculio extermination is possible! but not by the above method alone, as our Michigan friends will find to their sorrow. For ashort time, early in the season, when the days are sometimes warm and the nights cold, and before the peach blossoms have withered away, we have succeeded in capturing Curculios under chips of wood and other such sheltered situations; but we have never been able to do so after the fruit was as large as a hazel-nut, and the Little Turk had got fairly to work. Our Michigan friends will, we fear, find this to be too truly the case. This process, furthermore, cannot well be called « discovery, because it was discovered several years ago, aS the following item from Moores Rural New Yorker, of January 28th, 1865, will show: How to Carcu CurcuLt10.—In May last we had occasion to use some lumber. It was laid down in the vicinity of the plum-yard, and on taking up a piece of it one cold morning, we discovered a number of Curculios huddled to- gether on the underside. On examining other boards we found more, so we spread it out to see if we could catch more, and we continued to find more or less every day, for two weeks. We caught in all one hundred and sixty-one. So I think if people would take a little pains they might destroy a great many such pests. These were caught before the plum trees were n flower. What is most singular is, that we never found a Curculio on a piece of old lumber, although we put several pieces down to try them. They seemed to come out of the ground, as we could find them several times a day by turning over the boards. Mrs. H. Wier. JOHNSONVILLE, N. Y. But though Mr. Ransom can not properly claim to have made a new discovery, and though this mode of fighting will not prove sufficient to EXTERMINATE the Curenlio, yet we greatly ad- mire the earnestness and perseverance which he has exhibited. In demonstrating that so great a number of the little pests can be entrapped in the manner described, Mr. R/ has laid the fruit- growers of the country under lasting obligations tohim. It isa grand movement towards the defeat of the foe, and one which, from its sim- plicity, should be universally adopted early in the season. But we must not relinquish the other methods of jarring during the summer, and of destroying the fallen fruit; for we repeat, that the Plum Curculio will breed in the forest. We are fast becoming perfect masters of this stone-fruit scourge. Already, through the kind- ness of Dr. Trimble, we have been enabled to breed several specimens of the first and only true parasite ever known to infest it; and, by a series of experiments now making, we hope, Deo volente, to be able to definitely clear up every mooted point in its history before Nature dons another wintry garb. P. 8.—About a week after the above article was in type, we found the following in the columns of the St. Joseph Herald of the 28th May: Mit 4 At ameeting held on Monday, the 23d inst., at Benton Harbor, Dr. LeBaron, State Entomo- logist of Illinois, said: ‘‘ The object for which I came to Benton Harbor was to collect some of the insects for future examination. I wish to secure and take home some of the larva to rear and observe their habits. From the habit of the curculio gathering under chips, not having been observed in Southern Illinois, 1 thought they might bea new kind. Besides the plum or peach curculio, there is another kind called the apple curculio, which we thought might be the one you are taking. Yet the difference is so slight that we have not been able to discover which it is. Ishall take some home and carefully com- pare them. 1 would be glad if any of the audi- ence would send me the larve of any new insects they discover, with the leaves on which they are found, for examination.” Dr. Hull, of Alton, State Horticulturist, said: They had heard of the new discovery, and had come over to investivate the curculio. He had never before heard, and knew nothing of this mode of destruction, and was surprised and eratified. It was certainly a great discovery. He thought it could not be the plum curculio, which he once thought were identical, until Dr. Walsh sent him his specimens and made clear 227 part of the apple crop of Illinois. The plum curculio stings, but does not breed in the apple ; the apple curculio makes a round cut, difficult to see with the eye. The worm remains where the ege was laid until it matures, when it comes out and goes into the ground. He hoped this would turn out to be the apple curculio. It is the apple or plum cureulio, for only one kind has been seen to-day. Curculio can not fly under a tem- perature of 70 degrees. They fly against the wind; but as yet he had been unable to determine the extent to which they migrate. Whether this be the apple or plum curculio, a great discovery has been made.” All which verily surprised us. What! the com- bined entomological and horticultural wisdom of Illinois not able to distinguish between the Plum and the Apple Curculio? Dr. LeBaron, so far as we are aware, has never claimed to be acquainted with the Apple Curculio, and we believe it is of quite rare occurrence around Geneva; he might therefore justly be cautions in the matter. But what shall we say of Dr. Hull, who has so often spoken of the Apple Curculio, and dwelt upon its habits, before horticultural bodies; and who must have slain such hosts of the Plum Cureulio with his powerful and pon- derous machine. Not able to distinguish be- tween these two insects? Why, they differ more in the eyes of an entomologist than a sheep does from a cow! The snout of the Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus yw nenuphar) hangs down like the trunk of an ele- phant; it is short, stout, and does not admit of being stretched out horizontally forwards; and, as may be seen by referring to our Figure 92, is scarcely as long as the head and thorax together, © and can be folded back between the legs, where there is a groove to receive it. The Plum Curculio is broadest across the shoulders and narrows behind, and moreover, the black sealing- wax-like, knife-edged elevations on the back, with the pale band behind them, characterize it at once from all our other fruit-boring snout-beetles. The Apple, or Four-humped Cureulio (Anth- onomus quadrigibbus, Say), is amuch smaller insect, with a snout which sticks out more or less horizontally and cannot be folded under, and which is as long as the whole body. This insect has narrow shoulders and broadens behind, where it is furnished with four very conspicuous humps, from which it takes its name. It has neither the polished black elevations nor the pale band of the Plum Curculio. In short, it differs generically, and does not attack the peach. If the St. Josephites were a wine-growing, instead of a peach-growing people, we might, in our own minds, have been able to account for this lack of discrimination on the part of one who has said so much about both insects; but as it is (for the tax on peach-brandy must certainly pre- clude its manufacture there) we can give no other explanation than—well, more anon! —_—__—__e-~—> e—__ THE DEATH-WEB OF YOUNG TROUT, [Fig. 143 ] EXPLANATION OF FIGURE 143,—(a) Larya, dorsal view, with fan-shaped appendages spread; (b) pupa, dorsal view; (c) same, lateral view; (¢d) same, ventral view; () thor- acic proleg of larva; (f) manner in which the circular rows of bristles are arranged at anal extremity—all the figures being enlarged. The culture of fish, and especially of the Trout, is attracting deserved attention in this country, from many persons who are at all favorably situated for carrying it on. The idea of propa- gating fish artificially is comparatively modern, and when we reflect on the success of the enter- prise, notwithstanding those who first talked about it were Jooked upon as idle theorists; we yet have faith that, some of these days, certain beneficial and parasitic insects will to some ex- tent be propagated and introduced into one country from another—utopian and chimerical as the idea may now appear to most persons. To-day fish-culture has grown to be a most important and lucrative business in some parts of Europe, and it is fast acquiring importance in this country. It is an art yet in its infancy, and the few enterprising men who embark in it, in this country, will naturally meet with ad- verses, and must gradually perfect their art by dear-bought experience. Anything which will lead to a better understanding of the obstacles which render the business precarious, will therefore tend to perfect the art, and must be welcomed by those interested. 228 THE AMERICAN On page 174, under this same caption, we published an account of a worm which, by spinning a web in the water, proved very de- structive to young trout in certain breeding ponds in the States of New York and Ohio. On page 211 we stated that this worm was the larva of a Two-winged Fly, belonging to the genus Simulium. The habits of these larve are not yet com- pletely known; and, as everything that bears upon the subject will prove interesting, and aid future observers, we make room for the follow- ing original observations of two of our corres- pondents. Mr. Seth Green, of Mumford, N. Y., says: We find these larve exclusively upon stones in swift-running and rippling water. In astate of rest, fastened by the “sucker” at the end of the tail, they stand erect and move around with a circling motion of the head. They move from place to place by fastening the ‘“‘tubercle” which is under the thorax, and by bringing up the tail end to it. The thread comes from the head end, but whether from the tubercle or not, my glass is not strong enough to discover. I think that this larva leaves a thread wherever it goes. At any rate, while putting those I sent to you into the bottle, they invariably dropped from the stick, leaving a thread behind them by which they could be lifted and moved from side to side in the water; and as, in taking away the stick, the thread became fastened upon the mouth of the bottle, we saw three or four at once actually climbing up these threads—not so fast as a spider would, but still at a pretty good pace. Writing of the same larva, Sara J. McBride, also of Mumford, N. Y., says: When about to change its position, it works for a few seconds with its maxille against the substance to which it adheres, and then, placing the last segments of its body firmly on the place thus prepared, moves its head off in another direction. Every time it moves its head, it leaves in the place a silken thread, something like a spider’s thread, but much more delicate and fine. After it has been in one place a short time it leaves a ‘‘ web,” which is uneven and irregular in its angles and outline. When frightened this larva remains suspended in the water by means of its thread. I have never observed it feeding on any aquatic plant, and so conclude its nourishment must consist of animalcules. Whether its web is for the purpose of securing its food, or the natural result of moving its head from place to place, I cannot ascertain. It exists in the larva state in running water, during the winter months, and spins a cocoon for its pupa of a conical shape, and closed at the lower end. Upon two occasions we have received speci- mens of this larva from Mr. Green; but each time the water became so foul during the tran- sit that the larve soon perished, and we were consequently unable to breed the perfect fly. While these larvze were in our possession, we made sundry observations on their peculiarities ; but the article which follows, from Baron Osten Sacken, on the transformations of the genus, is — so exhaustive, that we content ourselves with presenting the life-like drawings at Figure 143. The slight differences in form between our figures of the pupa and those of Verdat may be accounted for, either by a difference in species or in maturity. We will also premise that our pup, like Verdat’s and Scheffer’s, had four principal branches and eight tracheal filaments, each side; that the silk is spun from the mouth (apparently from lower lip), and that the fan- shaped organs either serve to spread the web- nets, so as to entangle the animalcules which form this insect’s food, or, what is more prob- able, serve, as do the cilise of many other small animals, to form a vortex by the rotary motion of the head observed by Mr. Green; and the animal- cules, thus engulfed in this miniature mzelstrom, are irresistably drawn towards the mouth. Aside from its curious transformations, and this newly-discovered destructive habit in the larva state, this genus possesses an unusual interest from the fact that it furnishes the well known Biack-Fry of the North, and the celebrated BurraLo- GEnaT of the Southwest; and, in order that the perfect ; form may be recognized, we ‘Galtsaeae present the annexed outline (Fig. 144, after Packard), of the former species, Simulium molestum. Where breeding ponds can be so protected as to prevent these flies getting at the water dur- ing the summer, it follows that the young fish will not be troubled with the web of the larvze; but it is doubtful whether any such protection can be given in the majority of cases. We shall be glad to publish any further observations on the habits of these larve that may be made by parties possessing the proper facilities for study, and will add that, according to Osten Sacken- besides this spinning larva of Stmulium, that of the genus Chironomus seems to weave the earthy sheath in which it lives, and that of Zanypus moves about in a light spun sheath, according to Lyonnet. : ee ta By a strange oversight we omitted the name of Cyrus Thomas in our list of contributors published last month. Mr. Thomas was, many years ago, well known as a writer on Illinois entomological subjects, and, knowing that he is with us, heart and hand, in our work, we owe him an apology for this oversight, _ ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 229 ON THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF SIMULIUM,. BY BARON RK. OSTEN SACKEN, NEW YCRK. [Fig. 145.] EXPLANATION OF FIGURE 145.—(a) Larva from a side view, enlarged, the hair-line above showing natural size; (b) same, from a back view; (c) pupa, ventral view, enlarged; (d) same, dorsal view; (e) pupal pouch, enlarged, the hair- line showing natural size. —After Verdat. Several excellent observers have studied the natural history of this genus, which, except in a few doubtful points, may be considered as fairly elucidated. The following account has been prepared by comparing my own observations, made upon a species which I found in the envi- rons of Washington, with those of Verdat and others. In this account, the discrepancies be- tween authors have been carefully noted, in order to draw the attention of future observers to those points which deserve to be investigated. It must be borne in mind, however, that some of these discrepancies may be due to the fact that the observed larve belonged to different species of the genus Simulium. The larve are frequently found in small streams of running water, in large societies, fastened by their tails to stones or to the leaves or stalks of water plants. They are about 0.85 of an inch long, subcylindrical, attenuated in the middle, incrassated towards both ends; the latter third of the body is stouter than the anterior third, and almost club-shaped; head subquadrate, yel- lowish, with a pair of small, approximate black dots on each side. Verdat took them for eyes, but I did not discover the slightest convexity in them. They are evidently below the horny shell of the head. Antenne slender, subuliform, apparently four-jointed. Epistoma horny, subtriangular; upper lip fleshy, fringed with long, delicate hairs ; its ordinary position is not horizontal, but almost vertical, at right angles with the upper surface ofthe head and as if lapping over the orifice of the @sophagus; (it can be perceived only by looking in the direction of the axis of the body, as it is concealed between the other parts of the mouth) ; between the mandible and the epistoma and close by the antenn the remarkable flabelli- form organs, peculiar to this larva, are situated ; they consist of a stout stem bearing a fan of thirty-five or forty delicate horny rays, each of the shape of a very long, slender scythe; they open and close like a fan; when closed, the tip of this fan is inside of the mouth and touches the tip of the mandibles; its opposite end forms an (Fig. 146.] EXPLANATION OF FicurE 146.—(a) Head of larva, from un- derside; () its mandible; (c) maxilla; (e) under lip; (/) upper lip—all enlarged; (d) larva natural size, attached to a plant; (yg) pupa natural size, within its pouch.—After Verdat. angle or knee with the stem. They may be compared to the antenns of the Melolonthide, only the rays are much more numerous. The mandibles consist of a pale-colored, apparently fleshy, basal piece, with a tuft of hairs on the inside, and to their upper extremity are fastened, Ast, a small, horny, black tooth, having the shape of an ordinary mandible, bifid at the tip, and with a very minute projection inside of this in- dentation; 2d, a brush of hairs, or perhaps of scythe-shaped organs analogous to those form- ing the fan. The mazille consist of a stout, fleshy basal piece, an elongated apparently two- jointed palpus (first joint cylindrical, second short, rudimentary), and an internal, rounded, thumb-shaped lobe, bearing tufts of hairs on both 230 THE AMERICAN sides. Under lip and mentum are represented by a horny, projecting, slightly emarginate and tridentate piece, behind which there is another piece, fringed with numerous hairs, especially on the sides. The body of the larva is smooth, of a dirty greenish-gray, this appearance being produced by numerous spots of this color on a pale ground. On the underside of the thoracic portion there is a subconical, retractile process, erowned with a circular row of bristles. If examined with a lens, this organ appears to consist of a system of parallel black lines; but if amuch stronger magnifying power is used, these lines prove to be dense rows of short, sharp bristles. The joints of the body are not distinct; still I could count twelve joints, five of which formed the club-shaped anal portion of the body, the four or five joints immediately preceding them are more apparent than the others. The anal extremity consists of a subcylindrical, trun- cated protuberance, crowned with rows of bris- tles, similar to those of the thoracic proleg. Immediately below it, on the underside of the body, there are three (Fries mentions only two) short, cylindrical, soft, curved, retractile tenta- cles, to which the large trachex lead. These are probably the organs of respiration. I did not discover any traces of stigmata, nor does any other author mention them. The strange fan-shaped organs are apparently used for procuring food. Under a strong mag- (Fig. 147.] nifying power, each of the scythe-shaped rays which compose itappears lined onthe inside with exceed- ingly minute hairs, the fringe of which is interrupted at regular intervals by short, conical projec- EXPLANATION OF FIGURE 147.— (a) Portion of a ray of the fan; tions. Thavealready (0) mandibles (©) masilay remarked above,that larged —Ajter Osten Sacken. the tuft on the mandibles consists, if I have seen right, of a row of small rays of 4 consist- ency similar to those forming the fan; it is prob- able that this tuft is used for cleaning the fan when it is closed and turned with its tip towards the mandible. The fan is usually spread out, put I have noticed that sometime before assum- ing the pupa state, the larva keeps it constantly closed, evidently because, at this period of its life, it ceases to feed. What the homology of these organs is, I am not able to suggest. They seem to be absolutely supernumerary, as the mouth, without them, is complete, that is, contains all the parts of a typical insect mouth. This is an interesting question, worthy of being inquired into. As to the use of these fans, it is undoubtedly for catch- ing the animalcules which constitute the food of the larva; but what those animalcules are, again we do not know, and have not been able to in- vestigate. The vague statement of Planchon, that in the stomach of one of the larvse he found - a prodigious quantity of round or elliptical ani- malcules, some dead, some still alive, cannot satisfy us. The larve are sometimes seen swimming by means of a jerking motion. They can also walk, by doubling their body and using alternately their anterior proleg and their anal protuber- ance. According to Verdat, the larva moults more than once. When full grown and about to un- dergo its transformation, it spins an obconical, grayish, semitransparent pouch, fastened to a plant or a stone; in this pouch the pupa is in- serted, its anterior end protruding above the upper rim. I have seen the process of spinning. The larva does not leave its foothold but re- mains in the centre of its work, usimg its mouth, from which the filament is drawn, and helping with its proleg. (According to an ob- servation communicated by Audouin to West- wood, the cocoon is first formed entire, closely resembling one-half of a diminutive egg, cut lon- gitudinally, and fastened by the flat surface to the leaf or stone; subsequently, the upper end is eaten away as far as a thickened arch, pre- viously formed. As I have happened to come across this remark long after I made my obser- vations, I am not able either to confirm or to reject it.) According to Planchon, the skin is not cast by the larva, but seems to dissolve and thus gradually to disclose the outlines of the pupa. (According to another author, the head alone is thrown off.) The pupa, on each side of its thorax, has a tuft of filaments, serving evidently for respiration. From a common root I saw eight principal branches proceed, which, at some distance, split in two, thus forming sixteen filaments. (Fries mentions and figures only four filaments on each side; Fabricius, ste; Werdat’s and Schefters’ larvee had eight. I do not know how to account for these differences.) Verdat mentions “a cylindrical body, at the basis of these tufts, appearing scaly at its root and conical, spongy at the tip.” I did not see anything of the kind. On the abdomen of the pupa, I perceived, along the posterior margins of the 3d and the 4th dor- sal segments, rows of eight very minute spines ; they are arranged in groups of four, separated — . 231 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. by a very short interval; near the tip of the ab- domen there is a row of still more minute spines. I did not see the exclusion of the perfect in- sect; but, according to Verdat, after 13—14 days spent in the pupa state, the thorax splits and the fly escapes, wrapped in an air-ball, which makes it rise rapidly to the surface of the water; during this interval, the limbs remain folded as in the pupa; but as soon as it reaches the surface, the limbs unfold themselves in an instant and the fly walks on the water towards the next stalk, where it remains until its wings have become sufficiently hardened. : The imago of S. reptans has acquired in Eu- rope, under the name of “‘the gnat of Columbatz,” areputation equal to that of Glossina morsitans, the African Tzétzé. Immense clouds of this bloodthirsty gnat infest the banks of the Danube on the Hungarian as well as on the Servian side, where the castle of the Columbatz is situated. Their numbers are such that animals attacked by them seldom escape death, as they not only cover the skin, but penetrate in every orifice, even the lungs, and produce the most intolerable inflammation. More than six hundred head of cattle were destroyed in that region in the single year of 1785. The same gnats are mentioned in Poland as far back as 1679, where, according to the (probably exaggerated) accounts of the time, thirty men were killed by them. In the Northern States and Canada, Simulium is known under v vthe name of Black-fly, and is, in some regions, very annoying. Inthe West, it is called Buffalo gnat, and I have heard of a case of destruction, caused by them to mules at Vicksburg, which fully equals that of Columbatz. AUTHORITIES. E1cunoRNn — Naturgesch. d. Kleinsten Wasserthiere. Danzig, 1774. Tab. VIL. Contains, according to a Statement in Thon’s Archiv, Vol. II, a rough figure of the larva. OTTo Fasricius—Schrift. d. Gesellsch. d. naturf. Freunde in Beriin, Vol. V, p. 254-259. (1784.) The article is entitled ‘‘Beschreibung d. Atlas-miicke und ihrer Puppe,’’ and contains a rough figure of the pupa, its pouch, and of the perfect insect. ‘The larva was not known to Fabricius, VERDAT—Mem. pour servir i Vhistoire des Simulies, présenté & la Soc. (hist. natur. de Bale en 1821. In Naturw. Anz. der Schweizer. Gesellsch ; 1823, Vol. V, p. 69, translated in German in Thon’s Archiv, IT, 2, pp. 66-69, with figures. This is the principal paper on the subject ; the figures are very good; they are reproduced on areduced scale in Westw. Jntrod., I, tig. 126, 19, 20. Although Verdat calls the species S. sericeum (syn. reptans), I am inclined to think that it is 8. ormatum. FriEs—WMonogr. Simul. Suecie (in Dissert. Academica: “Observationes entomologice’’), Pars I, fig. 6-7 (1. p.), 1824. Translated (without figures) in Meigen, Europ. Zweitl. VI, p. 809. Some discrepancies between Fries’ and Verdat’s account have been adverted to above. Meigen’s extract is evidently wrong in stating that the larva lives iz instead of on the stalks of plants, PLANCHON—Histoire dune larve aquatigue du Genre Simulium; Montpellier, 1844. Reproduction of already known facts, with some new details, and especially some remarks on the anatomy of the larva. No plates. S. rivularis, N. Sp. KOLLAR—Seurtheilung des von Dr. Medovicz an die Serbische Regierung erstatteten Berichtes iib. die Entste- hung und Vertilqung der Columbatzer Miicken. (Sitzungs- bes. d. Wien. Acad., 1848: with three plates). Medo- vicz’s report contained many errors; for instance he mistook another larva for that of Szmulium. Kollar corrects these errors, but otherwise gives nothing new, except the figure of the larva, which is drawn on a large scale from nature. ‘The figure of the pupa is bor- rowed from Verdat. SCHEFFER—In Rossi’s Diptera Austriaca, p. 14 (1848), S. reptans (sericeum). Short note; nothing new. WESTWoOOp—Gardener’s Chronicle, 1848, p. 204 (with figures). Extract from the former authors; figures copied from Verdat, on a reduced scale. K6LLIKER—Observationes de prima insectorum gen- esi. Turici, 1842. Dissert. inaug. Embryological re- searches on the development of the larya in the egg. (8. canescens, Bremi, 0. sp.) —____0— & —____— ’ BLACK KNOT, It was long ago shown in the Practical Ento- mologist by Mr. Walsh, that the Fungoid dis- ease known under the name of ‘‘ Black Knot” to infest the cultivated Cherry,was quite distinct from the disease of the same name which attacks the cultivated Plum; and that the former most probably took its origin from the wild Choke Cherry (Cerasus virginiana), and the latter from the common wild Plum (Prunus ameri- cana). Wence there followed the important practical consequence, that Black Knot could not spread from Cherry on to Plum or from Plum on to Cherry; cach parasitic fungus con- fining itself to its appropriate tree. In July, 1869, we were favored by Mr. B. N. McKinstry, nurseryman, of East Sumner, Kankakee county, Ilinois, with specimens of Black Knot growing quite abundantly with him, as he says, upon the Miner Plum, but not on any other cultivated plum. e VV TOADS VS. INSECTS. As summer advances the question of Toads versus Insects is sure to come up, and perhaps an experiment of mine on the capacity of a toad may be of interest. Dr. T. W. Harris remarked to me some twenty years ago, that he supposed the odor of the Squash Bug (Coreus tristis), would protect it from the toad, and to test the matter I offered one to a grave-looking Bufo under a cabbage. He seized it eagerly, but spit it out instantly, reared up on his hind legs and put his front feet on top of his head for an in- stant, as ifin pain, and then disappeared across the garden in a series of the greatest leaps I ever saw atoad make. Perhaps the bug bit the biter. Not satisfied with this, I hunted up another old toad, who lived under the piazza, and always sunned himself in one place in the grass, and offered him a fine Squash Bug, which he took and swallowed, winking in a very satisfied manner. Twenty other fine bugs followed the first, in a few moments, with no difficulty nor hesitation in the taking or swallowing, though, from his wriggling and contortions afterward, it seemed as if their corners did not set well within. The stock of bugs being then exhausted, I found a colony of smooth black lary on a white birch, each about three-quarters of an inch long, and fed him over a hundred of them. Touching one of them with the end of a straw, it would coil around it, and then, when shaken before him, he would seize and swallow it, at first eagerly, but with diminished zest as the number increased, until it became necessary to rub the worm against his lips for some time be- fore he could decide about it. He would then take it and sit with his lips ajar for a short time, gathering strength and resolution, and then swallow by a desperate effort. There is no telling what the number or result would have been, but the dinner bell rang as the 101st worm disappeared, and by the close of the meal he had retired to his den; nor did he ap- pear for four days in his sunning place. It is to be hoped he slept well, but there may have beeu nightmares. J. C. Hin. YELLOW SPRINGS, O. oS eee 2. Fow.s vs. Worms.—M. Giot, a French En- tomologist, has lately found new employment for fowls. He says that French farmers have, during the past year, complained bitterly of the prevalence of worms, which infest corn and other crops, the highest cultivated fields being the most infested. Fowls are known to be the most indefatigable worm destroyers, pursuing their prey with extraordinary instinct and tenacity. But fowls cannot conveniently be kept upon every field, nor are they wanted there at all seasons. Therefore M. Giot has invented a perambulating fowl-house, which is described as follows: ‘‘ He has large omnibuses, fitted up with perches above, the nest beneath. The fowls are shut in at night, and the vehicle is drawn to the required spot, and, the doors being opened in the morning, the fowls are let out to feed during the day in the fields. Knowing their habitation, they enter it at nightfall with- out hesitation, roost and lay their eggs there.” 238 THE AMERICAN SOUTHERN NOTES. ‘ BY J. PARISH STELLE, OF TENNESSEE. SCORPIONS AND TARANTULAS IN TENNESSEN.— A Canada Entomologist has written to ask if we [Fig. 150. have scorpions and tarantulas in Ten- nessee. [replied by letter, but thinking there may be others who would like the same kind of in- formation, I have concluded. to say, through the AMERI- CAN ENTOMOLOGIST, that we have. We have two scorpions in the highlands of Tennessee: the “Tong-tail”’ (Scor- pio [ Telegonus } boreus,Girard), and the ‘‘ Short-tail” ( Buthus carolini- Color—Brown. anus, Beauvois, Fig. 150). The sting of the former is, of the two, the most venomous, though neither is much to be dreaded. I would about as lief be stung by one of our scorpions as by a hornet. Length of body about one inch; color dirty greenish-yellow. The ‘ Long-tail” isa shade darker than the ‘‘ Short-tail.” Our boys sometimes call them teetotallers, from the fact that they cannot endure alcohol. A drop of alcohol, or whisky, deposited upon one of them will cause it to immediately commit sui- cide by stinging itself to death. As yet I have found but one species of taran- tula in Tennessee, the Mygale Hentzii of Girard, which you figured on page 111 of your first volume. ‘arantulas are very rare in Tennesse, owing, possibly, to the work of their deadly enemy, the Digger Wasp (Pompilus formosus, Say), which is quite plentiful here. Both scorpions and tarantulas increase in numbers as one goes down towards the sea-board. CENTIPEDES IN TENNESSEE.—‘‘ If you wish to see the old fellow himself just open that!” said a friend the other morning, as he placed a small paper parcel upon my office table. There was no need of opening anything, however, for in the next instant out from among the folds of the paper, now freed from my friend’s gripe, ran “‘ the old fellow himself” in the person of a true Centi- pede about four inches lone—the Scolopendra heros of Girard. One of my arms was resting upon the table at the time, and he made a sweep towards it as fast as his forty-two legs could carry him, having, doubtless, been favorably impressed with the cavernous appearance of my coat sleeve. I could discover nothing about him to make a favorable impression, especially when associating him with matters up my sleeve, con- sequently I made a sweep also—back from the table. And at all this my friend: laughed most excessively. It was as good a thing as he wanted—‘“ a worm putting an entomologist to rout ’—until I had impressed upon him what the creature was, and assured him that its bite was almost as venomous as that of a rattlesnake. A sudden transit ‘« From gay to grave, from lively to severe,’” took place as he thought of the danger his fingers had lately been in, making altogether as good a thing as J wanted. The Centipede was soon captured and bottled to the evident relief of my friend, who assured me that he had often met with them before with- out having the slightest suspicion as to their true character. He had regarded them as some kind of overgrown earwigs, and although he had heard of a terrible animal in Texas called a Cen- tipede, the thought had never occurred to him that there was such a thing in Tennessee. Nor was he more ignorant in that particular than most of his neighbors: until I had found and recognized the creature, I do not think any of our citizens were aware of the fact that we had centipedes among us. There are but few centipedes in Tennessee, and I think this point may be put down as about their northern limit. I found one ten miles above Savannah last summer, the furthest up that I have ever met with one. They are quite common in the Gulf States as we go down, however, increasing in number and size the further we go. Here they are small, four inches being about the greatest length to which they attain, but in the vicinity of Mobile I have found them over six inches long. Nine-tenths of the stories told about centipedes are untrue. I do not regard them as being very dangerous at all. They wild bite, and the bite is very poisonous, but you must confine or press them in some way to make them doit. A cen- tipede in one’s clothes or as a bed-fellow might not be just the thing to delight in, but there is little danger of their getting into such positions, for they abhor light or dry places. The greatest danger is to men handling old rails or pieces of wood that have lain upon the ground for a lone time—they are likely to turn them up where they are plentiful, and, without due caution, — 239 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. may press them among their fingers. I have known fence-builders to be bitten by them, The centipede never emerges into open day of its own accord, but lies under old logs and stones in damp places, whence it comes forth at night in quest of its prey. It is aravenous eater, feed- ing on every character of soft insect that crosses its path, excepting earth worms—it appears to have no tooth for them. To give the general reader an idea of its appearance, I will say that it is a snufl-colored animal, from three to six inches Jong, and from one-fourth to one-half inch wide —something on the plan of a creature that every- body knowns as a ‘ thousand-legeed worm.” It is divided into twenty-one joints, or parts, exclusive of the head, each joint bearing a leg on either side, giving it forty-two legs. The lees are divided into five joints, and taper rapidly to the extremities, finishing up in a kind of claw. The legs on the posterior part or joint do not run square out from the body like the others, but range back and turn in slightly at the ends, forming hooks. Upon its head it has a pair of long slender feelers, each divided into twenty- five joints, and also a pair of keen little forceps, or pinchers, which come out near the back part of the head, and form about two-thirds of a circle around it, meeting immediately in front, of course. The underside of the animal is flat, with a slight groove along the middle, while its back is inclined to roundish with two shallow depressions running its full length, or, rather, it is what would be called subconcave. Color of underside is a shade lighter than that of back. We have, in the Southern States, several other inembers of the same family that might be mis- taken for true centipedes; but there is a rule which will always enable one to identify them: the true centipede has forty-two legs running out from its body, while all its near though harmless relations have but forty. > —— REMEDY FOR THE CANKER-WORM.—At a winter discussion of the Iowa State Agricul- ural Society several gave their experience with the Canker-worm. Sorghum is cheaper than tar; besides, there is no danger of damage to the tree by using it, as there is with tar, if it is applied upon the bark. Thicken the sorghum with flour, and when the worms have covered it, kill them and daub on another coat. My remedy was burning with a light coat of dry straw spread under the tree. Shake and pole the worms all off, and immediately set fire to the straw. Take acalm, clear day, and be careful not to burn the tree. 8. Fosrer. ay ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. ( We propose to publish from time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents as contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practi- cal Dnperance. We hope our readers will contribute each their seyeral mites towurds the general fund; and in case they are not erfectly certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities ot which are to be mentioned, will send speciinens along in order that each species may be duly identified.) Tur Sermep Cucumber BeEerLe In A New Rote—Spring Bay, Woodford Co., Iils., May 3d, 1870.—Enclosed I send some insects which I discovered, only a few days ago, on my pear and cherry trees, especially the former. These insects attack the blossoms of the pear, and also to some extent the cherry blossoms, Only six days ago, I discovered the first of these pests on my pear trees; at that time they were few in number, but to-day if a tree is shaken a cloud of them flies away, only to return again in a few minutes. I also send a few pear blossoms, in various stages of destruction. The insect seems to have a preference for the petals of the flowers, especially the yet unopened flowers, which they perforate first, and then eat all around until all or most of the petals are consumed. ‘There are frequently two at work on one flower. Of cherry blossoms they seem to prefer the stamens of the fully developed flower, and I think that cherries are not as badly injured as pears. At least three- fourths of my pears are already destroyed by this destructive bug. Ihave dusted the trees with caustic lime, with sulphur, and sprinkled with water and coal oil, but without the least effect; they seem to be as regardless of all such things as the Colorado Potato Bug. I would be pleased to learn from you whether this is a new insect, or whether it is an old and well-known kind that has lately acquired bad habits. J. G. ZELLER, M. D. [ Nhe insects are the notorious Striped Cucum- ber-beetle (Diabrotica vittata, Fabr., Fig. 151). (Fig-61] Jt has long been known to devour the 7 ~~ leaves of a variety of different plants, early in the spring before cucurbi- taceous vines have formed much leaf, but we never before heard of its Color Fiackand injuring fruit trees to the extent you set forth. You will find it difficult to head them off, and we can recommend nothing with confi- dence, never having had an opportunity to experiment with them on trees. Wide mouthed bottles filled with sweetened water hung up in the trees, and fires built at night, might materi- ally reduce their numbers, and should be tried another season. The beetles will leave the trees as soon as the cucumber and melon vines are out of the ground.—Eb.] — 240 THE AMERICAN Larva in. Human BowEts— West Chester, Pa., April 14, ’70.—The article in the March number of the ENTOMOLOGIST on ‘‘ Larvee in the Human Bowels,” brings forcibly to mind a case in point, which I will briefly relate. About the last of September, 1852, my little daughter, azed four years and a half, while on a visit to a friend, ate a large quantity of Catawba and Isabella grapes, from the vines in the garden, to which she had free access. A few days afterwards she was violently attacked with dysentery, from which she died in about three weeks. During her illness the motions from the bowels were frequently and critically examined by myself and another physician in attendance with me, without detecting any larve. One year after interment, the old burial ground was required to be vacated,and the bodies were removed to a new cemetery. While superintend- ing the removal of the remains of my child, I requested the undertaker to remove the lid of the inner coffin, and to my great amazement I beheld hundreds of dead and dried larvee (such as represented in your Figure 93) adhering to the clothing and lining of the coffin. There were no evidences of the perfect fly, the larve seeming to have died while crawling about in vain eftorts to escape. J cannot be mistaken as to the larve, as I particularly noticed the ar- rangement of the branchial spines on the sides and back of one, with a pocket lens, and as they had all died in an extended position, the two black hooks on the inferior surface of the head were plainly visible. Having paid some atten- tion to entomology for some years previous, I recognized it as the larva of some Dipterous insect, with which I was unacquainted, and I wondered at their presence in such numbers, as the body was kept in a cold and darkened room, the weather being so cold at the time as to require fire throughout the house, and all flies having disappeared except the common House- fly. The conclusion at which I arrived at the time was, that the ova of these larve had been deposited on the body before interment. The question now arises, was the disease a symptom of the presence of these larvz, and were the ova taken in with the fruit? W.D. Hartman, M.D. Brrcu-Borine Larya—Detroit, Mich., April 9, 1870.—The accompanying rough sketch will give some idea of a boring lately observed by me in Beech-wood. I also enclose, in three dis- tinct stages, the larvee whose work this is. ‘The general direction of these borings is almost al- ways horizontal or at right angles to the grain of the wood, and frequently they are exactly parallel to each other as though laid off with mathematical precision. At first the passages are without the side branches or galleries, but after about the first inch, and sometimes before, these begin, as shown in my sketch, which is natural size. They are mostly at right angles to the mainway and perpendicular, or with the grain of the wood, and many of them are per- fectly parallel to each other. I found but a single larva in each boring. This seems a remarkable amount of work for so small an insect, notwith- standing its powerful jaws. The earliest stage of the larva is found in the simple, the more advanced stages in the compound or branched passages. The character of this excavation, though, appears to depend much on the quality of the Beech. Where the wood is smooth and even the perforation is correspondingly straight and symmetrical, and the side chambers do not so soon appear, or not for at least an inch; but where knotty, wrinkled or contorted grain is met with by these little engineers, we find their work less regular and with more tortuous wind- ings, the side chambers branching off sometimes at once in such cases. When encountering a knot or other similar obstruction they change their course in accordance, following the twisted grain on one side of it. Sometimes the excaya- tions do not enter the solid wood immediately, but wind between it and the bark for a few inches. I have also observed some instances of three or more mainways leading off from one general entrance, at angles of about twenty degrees. The entrance, in the bark, is some- what smaller than the interior, and is generally closed, being not easily perceived. These larvee were taken from their excavations on the first of April. ' On the ninth of April (this morning) I found several species of the beetle or perfect insect, some of which I also send herewith. These were usually in the small side chambers, but towards the entrance of the boring, as though making their way out. In two instances I took two of these beetles from a single chamber into which they were tightly wedged. They appear dor- mant at first, but afterwards are quite lively. I do not send specimens of the borings from the fact that the first I found, and from which my drawing was made, were unfortunately not preserved by me, and I have since failed to ob- tain as fair specimens. Indeed, it is rather diffi- cult to get them out without spoiling them. And in my eagerness to obtain the insects I was not as careful as I might have been to preserve their * dwellings, which I generally had to destroy in order to get the inmates, So you will have to 241 depend on my sketch in this respect. It gives a correct view (longitudinal sections) of one of two adjoining borings in a piece of smooth regularly- grained wood. Henry GILLMAN. (These larvee are interesting from the fact that they evidently belong to 2 genus (Colydium) of beetles which have long been known to bore under the bark of trees in the larva state, but have never been described as boring in such a regular manner, the passages described by Mr. G. very closely resembling those of the Pine Timber-beetle (Zomicus materiarius, Fitch). We shall be glad to receive numerous living specimens of the larvee and also specimens of the perforated wood, and hope that Mr. G. will make some effort to rear, or capture upon the tree, the perfect insect during the summer, as there are only three described N. A. species, the habits of none of which are known.—Eb. ] Pura OF THE GIRDLED SpHiInx— Vineland, N. J. April 2, 1870.—Last fall there was brought to me the largest larva of some Sphinx I ever saw. It was almost black in color, and was with- out caudal horn. I think it would have weighed as imuch as a full grown specimen of the Royal Horned-caterpillar. To-day I unearthed it and found the chrysalis dead. The chrysalis is black, or nearly so, and about a third larger than that of the Tomato-worm moth (Sphinx 5-maculata). I cannot find anything in Morris’s Synopsis that answers to a description of either the larva or chrysalis. I enclose the tongue-case, hoping you may recognize it by this. Mrs. Mary Treat. {From the description of the larva, and the character of the pupa tongue-case, the terminal half of which is curled up under the breast to- wards the head, we have little doubt that the insect is the Girdled Sphinx (S. cingulata, Linn.) which you will find described on page 188 of Morris’s Synopsis, under the generic name of Macrosila, and where it is said to feed on Sweet- potato.— Eb. ] To KILL THE PEA-WEEVIL— Vineland, NV. J.— I think I have a much better way of killing the Pea-weevil than Mrs. Chappelsmith. When I collect my seed I pour boiling water over them; this does not in the least injure the seed, and kills all the larve. But I do not see that there is much use in one person doing this, for my peas are generally stung from my neighbor’s “bugs.” NT; oe No ApriLe PLANT-LicE—Champaign, Lilinois, May 16,’70.—I have been unable to find a single specimen of Aphis mali this year, and do not believe that “scab” can be produced by it. Haw. 1. RECTED—Baltimore, Md., May 14, ’70.—Allow me to express my gratification at the improve- ment in the Enromoxocisr by the addition of Botany. It is like a neat, well-cultivated patch of garden to a convenient dwelling-house, not rendering the latter more comfortable inside, but adding cheerfulness and neatness outside. I ought, however, to call your attention to an error which has crept into your columns. In your note on page 175, you say: “Mr. Parker has been led into error by the English rendering in Morris’s Synopsis,” ‘‘ because Boisduval men- tions no such character in the original French.” Now, if T added without authority that the tail was whitish at base, it could not well be an “er- ror in rendering,’ butanunwarrantable addition. Boisduval, in his Species Général des Lépidop- teres Diurnes (Paris, 1836), when describing Philenor, does not mention the fact that the tail is whitish at base, but I did not translate my description from this book, but from Boisduval et LeConte’s Iconographie des Lépidoptires de VvAmerique Septentrionale, where he says ‘les queues sont courtes, étroites, noires, bordées de blane 4 leur base.” WasI in error? Was not Mr. P. right? Are you not wrong? Dr. Jno. G. Morris. [You are not in error; Mr. P. was right, and we are wrong—in part, Unlike the Pope, we do not claim infallibility, and it always gives us pleasure to have our mistakes corrected, especi- ally when, as in this case, they question the accuracy of fellow-workers. We do not possess the work from which you translated, and as the description in the Synopsis is credited to ‘“‘Bois- duyal” alone, and not to ‘‘Boisduyal et LeConte,” we made the unpardonable blunder of inferring that the description was condensed from the first mentioned work, which is the only one we know of by Boisduval himself, wherein Philenor is described. We were furthermore led into error by the description ‘whitish at base,” instead of “bordered with white at their base,” and would respectfully ask friend Morris whether there is not “jest a leetle” difference between the two phrases. In reality the tail is bordered more or less at base by the cream-colored sinuses each side, and so itis in almost all our different species of the genus Papilio; and yet their tails are not described as “‘whitish at base.” We all slop over sometimes.—ED. ] A Rare Carrure—ELvanston, Ills., May 17th, 1870.—Allow me to add to our Illinois Butterflies the beautiful Limenitis proserpina, Edwards. I have collected assiduously around here for three years, and never met with but one speci- men. E. G. Bourety. 242 THE AMERICAN THE GRAPE-LEAF GALL-LovSE— Montpellier, France.—Your remarks on page 248 of the first volume, in reference to the Grape-leaf Gall-insect are perfectly in concordance with the views of my brother-in-law, Dr. Planchon, and of my own. ns ae = You are perfectly right in your criticism of Dr. Shimer’s new family, Dactylospheride, as the globular hairs at the extremity of the legs are common to all Coccus and Coccus-like Leaf-lice, and Phylloxera stands very close to Coccus. ,J. LICHTENSTEIN. DEVELOPMENT OF EGG or ImporreD CURRANT Saw-FLy (Wenatus ventricosus)--London, C.W., May 11th, 1870.—1 send you a small tin box, containing some eges and a few young larve, just hatched, of Wematus ventricosus. I found them in the garden to-day, and hope they will reach you in good order. I observe that the freshly deposited eggs are much smaller than those from which the larva is about to proceed ; but cannot see that they are attached to anything more than the mere surface of the ribs of the leaves. If thisis the case, do the females use their saw-like appendage at all in connection with the depositing of eggs? The subsequent swelling of the eye must, T fancy, proceed alto- gether from the development of the enclosed larva. The texture of the enclosing membrane appears to be very elastic. Wm. SAUNDERS. A Rare Carrure—Covington, Ky., April 10, 1870.—The only notice that I have ever seen of Phymaphora pulchella is that in Packard’s Guide, and from that I infer it is very rare. It may therefore be worth while to record the cap- ture of a single specimen by me upon a plank fence around timbered land last summer. I do not remember the exact date, but I think it was about the last of April. It was left for some time among other material, and did not attract my attention until a short time ago. V. T. CuAmBers. BEECH-NUTS IN Cocoon OF THE CECROPIA.— {n the last number of the American EnToMOoLo- GIST AND BOTANIST, mention is made of kernels of corn being found in the cocoon of the Cecropia. Two similar instances have come under my notice. Twice I have found beech-nuts in the inside of the cocoon at the small end, between the caterpillar and the innermost layer of silk. The explanation offered by Dr. LeBaron seems hardly admissible under these circumstances. [Why?] On the other hand, the fact of no beech trees being within an eighth of a mile, would indicate that they must have been placed there by the blue-jays, or some other bird, as he supposes. C. 8. Minor, in Canadian Ent. THE WHEAT-BARBERRY RUST. Says the Country Gentleman: We have no controversy with the Hntomolo- gist on the scientific position it has taken on the fungoid parasites. The identity of the bar- berry rust and the wheat rust does not prove that the former plant causes the destruction of the wheat crop, any more than the identity of the apple and of the plum curculio proves that the apple destroys the plum tree. . The Entomologist has distinguished itself in exposing many popular errors, and im the last number mentions the common opinion at the South, that the hedge-hog caterpillar causes fever, because it is found in miasmatic localities; also, that of hair-snakes being water-soaked and ani- mated hairs. Itis precisely such hasty reasoning that induces many to believe that wheat turns to chess, and that the barberry bush rusts wheat. We admit that these two cases are unlike in character, but alike in the want of attempted proof, by close, accurate, repeated observation. The Lntomologist is thoroughly scientific in its character, and we infer from its last article on this subject, that it only argues for the identity of the wheat and barberry rust, adding ‘“‘we have never assumed that healthy barberry bushes, free from rust, will produce any rust in wheat.” When it has furnished a series of close experi- ments proving that the barberry manufactures rust and then scatters it far and wide over wheat fields, we will accept the proof as far as it goes. We would gently remind our contemporary that, in the first place, there is no identity be- tween the Apple and the Plum Curculio, and, in the second place, if these two insects were iden- tical, the analogy drawn in the first paragraph above quoted is a purely false and supposititious one. If there existed a curculio which in the larva state fed on apples, but which could only undergo its transformations to the pupa and perfect states in plums, such an insect might. furnish the illustration required. It does not become our Albany friends, after first criticising our position, to attempt to throw the burden of proof on us. We like not such modes of arguing a point. We have already furnished proof in support of our own position, and to deny in the face of it that barberry rust has any influence on wheat rust, is tantamount to denying, in the face of scientific evidence, that we derive the tape-worm from the cystadids which inhabit the liver and other parts of the hog. Until this last fact was proved by éxperi- ment, few could comprehend or imagine that we derived that dreaded parasite from one of our most common domestic animals; and though it may be equally difficult for some persons to com- prehend how the pregerminal form of a parasitic plant may be wafted hundreds—nay thousands— of miles from its place of development; or how it may be almost ubiquitous, and yet remain ~ ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 243 latent indefinitely, and not continue its destined course of growth until the requisite conditions present themselves—yet such we believe to be facts, nevertheless. \ We rest the matter here, for it does not belong to our columns; and we are perfectly willing that the reader shall form his own conclusions as to which of us founds his faith on assumption, and which on close experiment. —_____@ + e—____ THE APPLE CURCULIO. Tn order that our readers, and especially those who live near St Joseph, Mich., may recognize the Apple Cureulio whenever they see it, we present herewith its portrait (Fig. 152), @ giving [Fig. 152.] Colors—Dingy gray, inclining to rust-red behind, the natural size; 6 a side view, and ¢ a back view. Now compare this figure (6) with that of the Plum Cureulio (Fig. 92, ¢) on page 130 of this volume, and it will be next to impossible to confound two such widely differing insects. —__o > oe —_____ THE NEW CURCULIO REMEDY. , PA v As we always like to give a good reason for the faith that is in us, it will be well, perhaps, to report the results of experiments recently made to test the chip-trap Curculio remedy. On the 16th of May, at Kirkwood, Mo., we carefully cleared the ground around six stone-fruit trees (two peach, two plum and two cherry). We cleared it within a radius of at least four feet around each tree; and after depositing the requisite traps, and carefully examining them three times a day till the present time (May 29th), how many Curculios, good people of St. Joseph, do you suppose we captured? Just SEVEN, namely, two on the 20th, one on the 21st, one on the 22nd, one on the 25th, and two on the 26th. Not very rapid catching, but all we expected at this season of the year! —______¢e—>o—__—_—_— Errarum.—Page 211, column 1, line 20 from bottom, for ‘‘as” read ‘‘and.”’ ~— 2 (= Where there is one thorough entomologist among our readers, there are doubtless a hundred persons who know next to nothing of Entomology, and who do not understand the technicalities of the science. For this reason we always endeavor to evade such technicalities, as far as is consistent with clearness and precision, knowing full well that plain Anglo-Saxon is best understood by all. ooo t= Our labors have lately been interrupted by a rather tedious illness, and our correspondents will please bear with us for any delay in attend- ing to their questions. ——_____e» eo —____ t= Our readers will greatly oblige us by ad- dressing all letters of a botanical character to the botanical editor, as we have nothing to do with the botanical department. rr ooo ON OUR TABLE, A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE BUTTERFLIES OF Iowa. By Saml. H. Seudder, Chicago Academy of Sciences. THE TECHNOLOGIST. Industrial Publication Co., ’ [176 Broadway, N. Y. St. Louis. Vols. LandII. By ZYMOTECHNIC NEWS. MOoONOGRAPHIA CHALCIDITUM. F. Walker, British Museum, Tar APICULTURIST. Mexico, Mo. THE COSMOPOLITAN. New York. TROUT CULTURE. By Seth Green. Rochester, N. Y. OHIO CONVENTION REPORTER. Columbus, O. Tue Hus. Boston, Mass. _ADVERTISERS’ GAZETTE. Geo. P. Rowell & Co., PROCEEDINGS OF THE ILLINOIS PRESS ASSOCIA- TION, at its Fourth and Fifth Annual Meetings. Ham- sher & Mosser, Decatur. PREMIUM LIST OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL FAIR OF THE NEBRASKA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. BOWDOIN SCIENTIFIC Review. Brunswick, Me, Masonic TROWEL. Springfield, Ils. EUROPEAN Mati.—London, Eng. LAND AND WATER. London, England. Nature. London, England. TRANSACTIONS OF THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF Sciences. Vol. [., part 2. THE SOUTHERN AGRICULTURIST. Thomas J. Key. Louisyille, Ky. OUTLINES OF BEE CULTURE. Second edition, with additions and illustrations. By D. L. Adair. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE REGENT OF THE ILLINOIS INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY. ForsytTH BANNER. Forsyth, Mo. PHYLLOXERA VASTATRIX. Parle Dr. V, Signoret. MEMORIAL OF HERMAN TEN EYCK FOSTER; OF BENs. P. JOHNSON, and RATIONAL AND IRRATIONAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS. Three pamphlets from the New York State Agricultural Society. D. M. Dewey, Published by 244 THE AMERICAN ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. NOTICE.—Such of our correspondents as have plea sent, or may here- after send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species sent are from other States than their own- Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwin; light upon the geographical distribution of species. But tomake them o: real value, it is requisite that we know for certain whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. We have lately received several small collections of insects to be named, and have, so far as our time would allow, answered by letter, because a long string of names is dry and uninteresting to the general reader. It requires much time to conscientiously name the many lots of insects that reach us, and hereafter we can take no notice of them, unless they are properly mounted on entomological pins, and the locality given in which they were found. At least two specimens of each species should be sent when it is pos- sible to do so, and each species should be separately numbered. When there are but few, we shall answer as heretofore in the columns of the ENTOMOL- OGIST, but when there are many we shall answer by mail. Warantula of Texas—JL. J. Stroop, Waxahachie, Ellis Co., Tecas.—You ask whether the outline of the cephalothorax is correct, and the ocelli properly placed, in the figure of the Tarantula (Mygale Hentz, Gir.), which we published on page 111 of our first volume; and you state that, if the figure is correct, there must be two species, as the one occurring in your locality differs from the figure, especially in having the ocelli arranged around a small circular disk, or sessile style. We do not think there are two distinct species, for our figure, which was borrowed from the American Natural- ast, is not very correct in these points; and three Mis- souri specimens which we have in our cabinet, all agree with your description. Insects of Colorado—W. W. H., Ann Arbor, Mich. —Descriptions of the Beetles of Colorado have been given by Dr. Jno. L. LeConte, in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science. Ailanthus Silk=-worm Naturalized—“‘ MucH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ”’—4A. S. Fuller, Ridgewood, N. J. —The cocoons found on Ailanthus in Brooklyn, the worms of which were very numerous last season, so that the ‘‘Tree of Heaven,” though long exempt, has at last become the food of worms, are actually those of the Ailanthus Silk-worm (Atéacus cynthia, Hiibn.) It was introduced into this country in 1861, and has been fully experimented with since then. Dr. Morris of Balti- more published elaborate papers on the culture of this worm in the Patent Office Reports for 1861-2, and five years ago we made extensive experiments with it, and then and there stated our belief that its cocoon was of no more yalue than that of some of our native silk worms.* The Ailanthus worm has since become wild, and is rapidly increasing around the cities of Baltimore Philadelphia, Chicago, and, as it now appears, around Brooklyn. And yeta certain Prof. J. Q. A. Warren, who seems to have a sort of seri-mania, is now traveling over the country, and delivering, with an appearance of originality, to the scientific academies of our principal cities, the same lecture which he delivered, some time since, before your Farmers’ Institute Club—totally ignor- ing what has been done in past years, and soliciting goy- ernment aid in the introduction of this worm. If this should meet the Professor’s eye, he will know that the Ailanthus worm takes kindly to our climate without legislative aid. We would also suggest to him that he had better first post himself as to what has been done abroad by such men as Guérin Méneyille, and would ask him whether he thinks it worth while to preach so loudly, after the French haye tested this insect so thoroughly without any good result? Prairie Farmer, April 18th, 1866, Cypress-gall—J. P. S., Savannah, Tenn.—The gall [Fig. 153.] which occurs on the stems of the Cypress tree, so abundant in your swamps, is pro-+ duced by a little gall- gnat (Ceczdomyza), and as the gall is undeserib- ed, we represent it at Figure 153, a giving the more common form; } a section; c a more ex- ceptional form, and d the magnified head, showing breast-bone of larva. Fromits resem- blance to a miniature pine-apple, it may be called the Pine-apple Cypress-gall, and we D j subjoin the following description of it and its architect: GALL (Cupresst ananassa, N. Sp.)—Growing on the stems of the Cypress tree (0. thyoides). A pale brown gall, sparingly covered with a pruinescence, averaging over half an inch in length, with numer- ous transverse, knife-edged elevations, and in form and general appearance recallmg a pine-apple; some specimens are smaller, more spherical, and recall the appearance of an Harly Rose potato. Evidently an enlargement of the stem, the elevations correspond- ing to the leaf-scars. A transverse section shows the woody part of the stem through the axis of the gall, and around it are arranged from three to eight larvae, lying in the spongy mass which forms the interior of the gall, and which has the exact golden-brown color, and very much the appearance of spunk. CECIDOMYIA C. ANANASSA, N. Sp.—Zarva—0.07 long; deep orange, with a rather distinct lateral ridge, and with the breast-bone clove-shaped, and very dark brown—almost black. Pupa—Unknown. Pupal intequment—Non-characteristic; silyery-white, with antenne slightly brown; remains attached to out- side of gall. JImago— 0.05-).06 inch long, exclusive of ovipositor, which, when fully extended, is aslong as abdomen. ¢! 0.04-0.05 inch long. Color bright blood-red. Antennz brown, the two basal joints pale red; those of 9 14- jointed, with joints 1 and 2 twice as stout, but together only as long as 3; 3-14 very gradually less and less, each twice as long as wide, slightly constricted in middle, with short whorls and short pedicel; joint 14 with a terminal bud: those of ¢ also 14-jointed, with joints more con- stricted, whorls, which are rather longer than diameter of joint, somewhat more conspicuous, and pedicels longer. Head above and at sides black, with jet-black eyes. Thorax dusky superiorly, pale red laterally and beneath. Abdomen bright blood-red, verging to scar- let. Legs dusky, with basal half of thighs and thochan- ters paler. Wingssmoky. The whole body and legs with numerous hairs, and the wing-fringe long. Bred many specimens which commenced issuing April 25th, and are still (May 15, ’70) issuing, while some galls yet con- tain larve. Described from 3 63 9. Easily recog- nized by its small size and bright red body, in contrast with the black head and dusky thorax above—the red color being retained even in the dried specimens. Insects Named—Chas. S. Davis, Decatur, Jlis.— Your insects are: No. 1, pupa of Arctia virginica; No. 2, Dried larva skin, containmg a 4-winged parasite which we have often bred and which belongs to the genus Rogas, but is undescribed; No. 3, are the common Twig- borer (Bos- trichus bicaudatus, Say), repeatedly referred to in back numbers under this name. We repeat the annexed : sg b» Cut (Fig. 154), 5 giving a side view of Color—Brown. ', and 6 a back view of 2. We found a di and Q in each of the cuttings you sent. G. F. Merriam, Topeka, Kansas.—Your insect boring erape canesis the same Twig-borer. It is an old enemy. ——— Preserving and Mounting Beetles—G. C. B., Lawrence, Kansas.—Beetles to be sent away can be well kept in alcohol. Entomological pins can be obtained in Philadelphia, as per advertisement on our cover. Be sure and order the Klaeger pin, made in Berlin; else they will send you a worthless pin of American make, which in quality, strength and finish is as inferior to the genuine Prussian article as a squash is to a pine-apple in flavor. Bee Enemy—/’, Brewer, Waynesville, Mo.—The in- sect Which you sent and which you caught with a bee, is not the same bee-enemy which you sent last fall, and which we referred to on page 59. That which you now send is the Spotted Rove-beetle (Staphilinus macu- losus, Grv.), an insect of scavenger habits, and which would be more likely to devour a dead than a living bee. Orange Raspberry Rust—ZJsidor Bush, Bushberg, Mo.—The bright orange rust which is entirely covering the underside | ‘the leaves of many of your raspberry bushes, is the Orange Raspberry Rust (Uredo ruborum). _ Knowing that you have the back numbers of our maga- zine, we refer you to what was said about this fungus on page 288 of our first volume. There is no other available remedy than the complete destruction, root and branch, of every infected plant, and unless this remedy be unhesitatingly and thoroughly applied, you may expect in a few years to lose your whole raspberry plantation. Several other subscribers have lately sent to us this same fungus, which seems to be on the increase. This answer will suffi¢e for all. How to Kill Insects— W. HM. Grant, Davenport, Jowa.—You will find the in formation you want on page 199 of our last number, UA 246 THE AMERICAN Knots on Apple-tree roots, caused by Root- lice—B. WN. McKinstry, Hast Sumner, Jills —The knots on the roots of your one-year old apple root grafts are undoubtedly the effect of root-lice punctures. The fact that they occur only on those grafts which you bought, and not on those which you yourself grafted, would indicate that the grafts were infested in the nur- sery from which they came. These knots, as well as the roots upon which they occur, will eventually rot, and most of the grafts—not all—will cie. There were no lice on those you sent, but if lice still exist in your nursery rows, their presence will be made manifest by the bluish-white down which they secrete. Hither root up such infested grafts and destroy them, or try and save them by removing the earth and applying hot- water. Inarecent article, the Horticultural Editor of the Prairie Harmer (P. F. May 7, ’70), states that hot- water cannot possibly be of any practical use, but this statement, like one or two others in the same article, is made without sufficient deliberation. It will hold good in reference to large, deep-rooted trees, but we know, from experiment, that hot-water is the best remedy that can be used against these lice in the nur- sery, where the greatest damage is really done. Be cautious next time, and inspect your grafts before planting. Beetles Named—W. W. Daniells, Madison, Wis.— The smaller beetle which you send is the common Twig- borer (Bostrichus bécaudatus). The large gray snout- beetle found eating the apple leaves off just at their base, is the New York Weevil (Jthycerus noveboracensis, A. E., Vol. I, Fig. 157). The Missouri Reports are sent postage free for the price advertised on page 179 of the present volume. f Bag-worm— WU. MU. Hooten, Centralia, Llls.—The worms which you found on your peach trees, and which ‘-carry their houses on their backs and stand on their heads,” are the young larve of the common Bag-worm (Thyridopteryx ephemereformis, see p. 35). As they grow older they will let their houses hang down. Whe Larder Beetle—D. S. 1. Kriedelbaugh, Wis. —The brown hairy larve which taper from head to tail, and which are furnished with two short, curved, horny spines on top of the last joint, are the larye of the common Larder Beetle, also often called the Bacon Beetle (Dermestes lardarius). We never knew them to occur before in bee hives; but, as they feed on feathers, horn, hoofs, and other such (to us) indigestible sub- stances, it is not surprising that they also relish wax. Those you sent fed ravenously upon it; and, after changing their coats several times, became bectles. The | | account as possible of the habits of the insect, respecting which you desire beetle measures about 0.30 inch in length, and is dark: | brown, with a characteristic pale yellowish-brown band containing six black dots across the upper half of the wing-covers. Water Bug—Wm. H. Hurrington, Clinton, Iowa.— The long-bodied, brown water insect, with two long but stiff tail appendages, and with the front pair of legs somewhat resembling the front arms of the Rear-horse (Mantis), is the Dusky Ranatra (Ranatra fusca, Beauv.) It is tolerably common, and dashes with rapid and sudden jerks over the surface of the water. lV Gregarious Worms on Horse Chestnut— Wm. R. Howard, Forsyth, Mo.—The worms on Horse Chest- nut are, as you suggest, the larvie of Zortréx Réleyana, figured and described in your First Entomological Re- port. The eggs are deposited on the leaves. Yes, it has a parasite, for we have bred an undescribed species of Microdus from it. Pupa of the Disippus Butterily— Tyra Montgomery, Mattoon, lils.—The curi- ous brown and cream-colored pupa (Fig. 155), with a strange knife-edged projection that is often likened toa Roman nose, is the pupa of the Disippus Butterfly (Zimenz- tis distppus, Godt.) The butterfly is rep- resented at Figure 183 of our first volume, and is a tolerably common species. The larva feeds on willow and cottonwood, and passes the winter in a snug little retreat formed by part of a leaf. Prickly Rose Gall—J. Cochrane, Havana, Ills.— The round prickly protuberances found on a wild rose, are galls made by a four-winged fly belonging to the genus Rhodites, and first described by Harris under the: specific name of bzyolor. J. P. §., Tenn.—The green prickly galls with a beau- tiful rosy tint, found so common on one of your wild dwarf roses, ave the same as that mentioned above. [Pig. 155-] Imsects feeding on Sap of Black Walnut— Dr. M. Barret, Waukesho, Wis.—Yes, the flies you send belong to the genus Psoeus, and are the common venosus of Burmeister. Locust Borer—“ 47b0r,’’ Columbia, Mo.—The borer! you refer to is undoubtedly the common Locust Borer (Arhopalus robiniw). To prevent its attacks apply soft soap to the trunks of your young trees every summer about the first of August. cS To Exterminate Cockroaches—A. /. Weitbree, Birmingham, Ohio.—Use pulverised borax, and sprinkle freely in their haunts, It is harmless to the higher animals. uroley he TAKE NOTICE. All letters, desiring information respecting noxious or other inseets, should be accompanied by specimens, the more in number the better. Such speci- mens should always be packed along with a little cotton, wool, or some such substance, in any little paste-board box that is of convenient size, and never enclosed loose in the letter. Botanists like their specimens pressed as flat as a pancake, but entomologists do not. Whenever possible, larye (i, e. grubs caterpillars, maggots, ete.) should be packed alive, in some tight ‘tin box—the tighter the better—along with a supply of their appropriate food sufficient to last them on their journey; otherwise they generally die on the road and shrivel up to nothing. Along with the specimens send as full an ' information; for example, what plant or plants it infests; whether it destroys t Katydid Eggs—Jason Owen, Hikhart City, Ills.— The eggs you send are those of the Oblong-winged Ixatydid. (See A. H., I, Fig. 120.) ‘the leaves, the buds, the twigs, or the stem; how long it has been known to you; what amount of damage it has done, ete- Such particulars are often not only of high scientific interest, but of great practical importance. way- Our readers will confer an especin] favor by addressing all letters of a business character to the publishers, as the editor has no time to attend to such letters. DRAUGHTSMAN WANTED. We can give employment to a good Draughtsman, and especi- ally to one who has a taste for the study of Entomology, «nd is desirous of improving his knowledge in this department of Natural Science. None but those who haye had practice in drawing minute objects need apply. For particulars and terms address the editor of this deparnnent. Wanted.—We are desirous of obtaining living larve of Attacus luna and promethea. Can any of our entomological friends furnish them? Vv Potanical Department. Dr. GEORGE VASEY, Eprror, Richview, Ls THE LEAF AS A WORKER. BY DR. J. A, SEWALL, NORMAL, ILLS. We boast of our rich soil, of our magnificent forests, of our monster crops, of our yast deposits of coal that energizes machinery ina thousand ways, but where is the worker that made for us this deep, rich alluvium—these vast crops of corn and wheat—that covered the plain with the lux- uriant grass and beauteous flowers—that builds up the great forests—that made the inexhausti- ble coal beds? Where is the maker of all these? Can the chemist determine? Can the philosopher tell us what, and when, and how? Have these privileged interrogators of nature scen and known? We have all seen; we may all know. The green leaf is the laborer, the worker. And looking out upon the face of the broad earth, there is not a tree or shrub, from the gigantic cedars of California to the most delicate moss cup, but has been built up by this:green leaf. Away down the ages, anticipating man’s wants, it has built up, and stored away in the caverns of the earth, the coal that cheers our homes—that urges the steamship through the storm and wave —that drives our locomotives with fearful speed over the continent—that energizes machinery in a thousand forms, and for a thousand ends, in our great manufactories. More than this, the whole animal creation depends for its existence, directly or indirectly, upon this apparently feeble instrument—this fragile agent. Utterly destroy the whole human race—let it be annihilated from the face of the earth—and the course of nature need not necessarily be radically changed—a littlé readjustment, a little reconstruction, would be all that is necessary. But strip from the tree and shrub and herb the leaf (the trees and shrubs themselves may be left untouched), and the whole organic world would be utterly, completely destroyed. No beast would walk the plain or roam the forest— no bird float in the air—no fish would people the, ocean, or lake or stream—no insect hum—no ‘ verdure bloom. The streams even would be dried up, and the broad earth’s face would be one vast desert. The organic would die, and naught be left but the dead, pulseless, inorganic world—even as it was myriads of ages ago, at the evening of the second day. Verily the green leaf is the Adma Mater of the organic world. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 247 The leaf supplies us with food, with material for covering (you know our first parents made a short shift to accomplish this), and if pumps up the water from the earth and sends it down the mountain sides in cooling streams, and wa- ters the broad plain, and gives drink to the thirsty. It furnishes us with the very air we breathe. Ifow passing strange! The locomotive, that mighty beast, with nerves of steel and sinews of brass, plunging through the forest, thundering over the plain, with a rush and roar, while the leaf sways and trembles at its approach, though it made, wrought out, the very fuel that gives it power. The rain that falls in plenteous showers, refreshing the earth and gladdening the hus- bandman, was drawn up from the nether earth, and sent out into the ethereal medium, in parti- cles so small, that the eye could not see them— so subtle that even gravity could not seize on and hold them. The food we eat, whether ani- mal or vegetable, the leaf has elaborated for us, and our dress, whether it be of cotton or wool, or the skins of beasts, the leaf has woven for us. The air we breathe was prepared for us by this little leaf. But these are only assertions. Tell us how the leaf works. Let us. then, consider the leaf as a worker. Let us learn what it does, and how it does it. In the first place, let us fully understand what we mean by worker—or let us agree as to the definition of the term. To illustrate, we say of the locomotive, that it performs a certain amount of labor, it turms so many wheels, drives so many looms. draws so many cars so many miles an hour—we speak of it as a worker. So, too, of man—we speak of him as a worker. He per- forms so much labor, physical or mental. Yet the locomotive, with all its ponderous bars, its mysterious valves, its great levers, its hidden springs, can do nothing. It is dead, inert metal. True, too, of man—that wonderful combination of bones and muscles and nerves and tissues— can do nothing—but decay, and be resolved to dust again. The brain cannot think, the eye cannot see, the ear cannot hear, the nerves can- not thrill, the muscle cannot contract. In the same sense the leaf can do nothing. Yet in the swme sense, that 2 locomotive can draw a rain, or that man can think, and labor, is the leaf a laborer that outworks them all. The loco- motives 2 combination of material things so arranged that through or by them, we discover the operations of force. Man himself is nothing more. The leaf is the same. Better, perhaps, that we say that these are the workshop, wherein force exhibits itself, and produces results. When 248 THE AMERICAN did the leaf begin its work? It was the first to rise on creation’s morn and go forth to labor. Ere the almost shoreless ocean dashed upon the low Silurian plain, the leaf was at its work. And through all the long ages it has worked— worked to develop better and higher forms of life. And the earth’s broad face is written all over with the evidences of its faithfulness. Now, what does it do? It pumps water from the ground, through the thousands of tubes in the stem of the tree (the tubes which itself has made), and sends it into the atmosphere in the form of unseen mist, to be condensed and fall in showers. The very water, that, were it not for the leaf, would sink in the earth, and find its way perchance through subterranean channels to the sea. And thus it is that we see it works to give us the “early and the latter rain.” It works to send the rills and streams, like lines of silver, adown the mountain and across the plain. It works to pour down the larger brooks which turn the wheel that energizes machinery —which gives employment to millions. And thus a thousand wants are supplied—commerce stimulated—wealth accumulated—and _ intelli- gence disseminated through the agency of this wealth. The leaf does it all. It has been demonstrated that every square inch of leaf lifts three five-hundredths of an ounce every twenty-four hours. Now, a large forest tree has about five acres of foliage, or six million two hundred and seventy-two thousand six hundred and forty square inches. ‘This being multiplied by three five-hundredths (the amount pumped by every inch) gives us the result—two thousand three hundred and fifty- two ounces, or one thousand one hundred and seventy-six quarts, or two hundred and ninety- - four gallons, or eight barrels. A medium sized forest tree, about five barrels. The trees on an acre give eight hundred barrels in twenty-four hours. An acre of grass, or clover, or grain, would yield about the same result. The leaf is a worker, too, in another field of labor, where we seldom look, where it exhibits its unselfishness—where it works for the good ot man in a most wonderful manner. It car- ries immense quantities of electricity from the earth to the clouds, and from the clouds to the earth. Rather dangerous business, transporting lightning. I think it would be considered con- traband by the ‘‘U.S.,” or ‘“‘Merchant’s Union,” or any common carriers: but it is particularly fitted for this work. Did you ever see a leaf entire as to its edges? It is always pointed, and these points, whether they be large or small, are just fitted to handle this dangerous agent. These tiny fingers seize upon and carry it away with ease and wonderful dispatch. There must be no delay; it is ‘‘time freight.” True, some- times it gathers up more than the trunk can carry, and in the attempt to crowd and pack the baggage the trunk gets terribly shattered, and we say that lightning struck the tree. But it had been struck a thousand times before. This time it was overworked. As we rub a stick of sealing-wax or a glass tube with a warm silk handkerchief, so the air is always rubbing over the face of the earth with greater or lessrapidity. And what a huge electrical machine! But be not afraid, the leaf will see that it is taken care of. As we guard our roofs from the destructive action of light- ning—dashing to the earth—crashing, rending, burning on its way—by erecting the lightning rod, whose bristling points quietly drain the clouds, or failing to do this, receive the charge and bear it harmless to the earth—so God has made a living conductor in every pointed leaf, in every blade of grass. It is said that a com- mon blade of grass, pointed by nature’s exqui- site workmanship, is three times as effectual as the finest cambric needle; and a single twig of leaves is far more efficient than the metallic points of the best constructed rod. What, then, must be the agency of a single forest in disarm- ing the forces of the storm of their terror. Nature furnishes the lightning, and it fur- nishes the lightning rods. Take a hint, then, and plant trees. o> o- PRESERVATION OF FOREST TREES. It should be an object with us to preserve, in our villages, towns and cities, specimens of the native torest trees. If those having the care of public grounds would give a little attention to this subject, much beauty and interest would be added to these places. Even the rows of trees along the streets of our towns and cities might be made to represent the ancient forest, now rapidly being defaced and swept away by the all-devouring axe. What lasting beauty and variety would thus be secured for those grounds and streets! A public square filled mostly with trees of any single species, is a - beautiful object; but how much more beautiful and interesting it would be if it contained sixty different trees, and an undergrowth of hand- some and ornamental shrubs. Such places would at once give character to the locality, and attract to it people of taste and refinement. J. A. LAPHAM. p ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 249 THE OAKS. The genus Quercus, which embraces the Oaks, is very widely diffused over the countries of the Northern Hemisphere. Different countries vary much in the number of species which they produce. Thus, in the British islands, there are but two species; one with sessile or stalkless acorns (Quercus sessiliflora, Salisb.), and the other with acorns on a stem or peduncle (Q. pedunculata, L.) Indeed, these two forms have by some botanists been considered as but varie- ties of one species (Quercus rodur). The countries of Northern Europe are mainly limited to these two forms, but in France, Spain, and the Mediterranean States, several other species are introduced. New species occur again in Asia Minor, Koordistan, the Himal- ayas, Eastern Asia, and the Indian islands, so that some two hundred species have been de- scribed in different parts of the world. The North American Oaks are a very inter- esting group, and include a large number of species, each having a more or less extensive range. In the district east of the Rocky Moun- tains we have about twenty species; new ones occur in Texas, Mexico and California. The different kinds of Oaks manifest a dispo- sition to hybridize quite freely, so that we fre- quently meet with intermediate forms which are quite puzzling. We propose to give, in a series of articles, an account of the Oaks of this country, illustrated in most cases by such figures as may help our readers to a determination of the various kinds they may meet with. The principal characters of the genus are mainly as follows: Trees or shrubs, with alter- nate leaves, and with sterile and fertile flowers separate; the sterile ones on slender, thread- like, drooping stems; the fertile ones small and inconspicuous, consisting of a three-celled ovary, | enclosed by a scaly covering, which when en- larged becomes a kind of cup to contain the fruit or acorn. Although the ovary is at first three-celled, with two ovules in each cell, yet but one of the ovules is fertile, and that enlarges to fill the whole cavity. All our species of Oaks are divided into two sections, distinguished by the time occupied in the full development of the fruit, viz: first, those which mature the fruit in one season; and sec- ond, those whose fruit is two years in acquiring maturity. The first section includes the White and Chestnut Oaks, also the Live Oak of the Southern States. Of these the leaves usually have blunt lobes, and the acorns are sweet or , on uplands and bills. sweetish, and some of them edible. In this section the acorns are produced on the new twigs, and are generally more or less stalked. In the second section the leaves are either entire, or lobed and bristle-pointed; the acorns are bitter, and are matured on the twigs of the last season, and below the new shoots. This sec- tion includes the Red and Black Oaks, the Spanish and Pin Oaks, and the Willow-leaved Oaks. We present in this number the White, Bur, and Post Oaks, belonging to the first section. [Fig. 156.] White Oak— (Quercus alba, L.) The White Oak is one of our largest and most valuable forest trees. It is found in almost all the wooded portions of the country, particularly Its wood is compact, white, strong and durable. The bark of young trees is smooth and whitish, on old trees it is somewhat furrowed and roughened, but still of alight ash color. The leaves present consider- able diversity both in outline and in the number and depth of the side lobes. They are usually oblong, when mature five or six inches long, and more than half as wide; with from three to six oblong, obtuse lobes on each side, the middle ones longest, the divisions extending sometimes half way, and sometimes nearly to 250 THE AMERICAN the middle, and sometimes again partially divi- ded with smaller lobes. They are whitish or pale on the under side, bright green and smooth above, generally wedge-shaped at the base, and with short stalks, seldom over half an inch long. The cup is deep, saucer-shaped, roughened, and enclosing about one-third the acorn, which is smooth, oblong, and about two-thirds of an inch long. The fruit is usually short stalked, fre- quently two from the same stalk. [Fig. 157.] Bur Oak, Overcup Oak—(Quereus macrocarpa, Michx.) The Bur Oak, or Overcup Oak, is mainly a native of the Mississippi valley, extending spar- ingly into some of the Eastern States. It is a large tree, of irregular shape, with long angular limbs, and bark rather rougher and darker than the White Oak. It is the principal tree of the oak openings of the Western States, in which situations the wood is coarse grained and brittle ; but when growing in a dense forest the tree is more regular in shape, and the timber of a bet- ter quality. The leaves are obovate in outline, broad at the top, and narrow at the base, with three to five lobes on each side, the lower ones small, and the divisions reaching nearly to the midrib, the upper ones longer and broader. The under surface is white with a fine down, the upper surface glossy green. They are nar- row, wedge-shaped at the base, and with stalks an inch or more in length. The acorn is round- ish, about an inch long, and usually nearly enclosed by the cup, which is deep, and exter- nally rough, with pointed scales, at the edge becoming long and loose to form a mossy fringe to the border. [Fig, 158] Post Oak—(Quercus obtusiloba, Michx.) The Post Oak is usually a much smaller tree than either of the preceding. It is not very common in the Northern States, but becomes abundant at the South. In Southern Illinois are large tracts of low, flat land, principally covered with this species, and hence called post oak flats. Its wood is very compact and dur- able, and is highly valued for making fence posts. The leaves present considerable varia- tion, being generally obovate in outline with fewer and larger lobes than in either of the preceding species. The upper part of the leaf usually presents threc large rounded lobes, be- low is a triangular portion running to a point at the base. They are thick and leathery when mature, and of a yellowish-gray color on the under side. The acorns are smaller than those of the White Oak, one-half to two-thirds of an inch long, and about half covered by the saucer- shaped smooth cup. —_@—<>- 0 — ‘As THE influence of flowers is always refin- ing and ennobling, so the associations they bring are always the purest and sweetest. Who can imagine a person giving flowers to any but a friend? And did you ever know of a very bad person who loved and cultivated flowers ?— Mrs. T. A. E. Holcomb. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 251 THE HOP-TREE OR WAFER-ASH. (Ptelea trifoliata, L.) BY DR. E. M. HALE, CHICAGO. (Fig. 159.) Hop-tree or Water Ash (Pielea trifoliata, L.) The Hop-tree (Ptelea trifoliata, L.) is a shrub or small tree of the natural order Rutacew, to which belongs also the Rue of the gardens, the Prickly-ash (Zanthoxylum Americanum, Mill) and the Southern Prickly-ash (7. Carolinianum, Lam.) In some respects these last-named are medicinal as well as botanical analogues of the Hop-tree. The genus Péelea has polygamous flowers, 7. e., the perfect and imperfect flowers are variously mixed. They have four or five stamens, and a thin, wing-like fruit, which is two-celled, but one cell only perfects seed. Its name, Ptelea, is the Greek for Him, given be- cause of the resemblance of the wing-like or samaroid fruit. Its six known species are all North American. Three are Mexican. One Southern species (P. mollis) is clothed with a silky pubescence. Another species, Pfelea Bald- winii, of East Florida, has minute leaves with obtuse leaflets. The remaining species, the sub- ject of our sketch, known in Britain as Shrubby Trefoil, is indigenous throughout the United States, from the East to beyond the Mississippi, and even to Texas, in moist shady places, and on the borders of woods and among rocks. It is a tall shrub, but under cultivation at Gordon Castle, Scotland, it had, in 1835, reached the height of forty-five feet, with a trunk fifteen inches in diameter, and with branches extend- ing twenty-seven feet from side to side. Two varieties have been found—one with five leaflets (P. Penlaphylia, Moench), the other with the branches, petioles and under surface of the leaves clothed with a soft tomentose pubescence, even when old (P. pubescens, Ph.) It was originally sent to England by Bannister, but being lost was reintroduced by Catesby in 1724 from Car- olina. It is common in the gardens of Europe; and in the Jardin des Plants, at Paris, a tree may be seen the crown of which had in sixty years from planting attained a diameter of forty- five feet. The first mention of the Ptelea in the medical literature of this country is found in Rafin- esque’s Medical Botany. He observes that ‘‘the leaves are vulnerary, used for poultices. and an anthelmintic.” It is mentioned in Griffith’s Medical Botany: ‘‘The native species, Ptelea trifoliata, is said to be anthelmintic, for which purpose the leaves and young shoots are used in strong infusion. The fruit is aromatic and bitter, and is stated to be a good substitute for hops.” In Howard’s Botanic Medicine, 1836, it is described under the vulgar names of Cure- all, Ague-bark, Pickaway, Anise, and Wing- seed. It is in more or less repute by all the different medical schools for various medicinal virtues. It certainly is deserving of greater notice for cultivation than it receives in this country. ies Wi aasleebenal« ZANTHOXYLUM CLAVA-HERCULIS. During the summer of ’64, while a resident of the central part of the State of New York, my attention was called to a tree growing about fifteen miles south of Syracuse and two miles south of the place of the Cardiff Giant notoriety. The gentleman who pointed the tree out to me said he thought there was a tree I could not find aname for. The tree was standing in an open field, and looked stately and majestic at a dis- tance, having a symmetrical top, the trunk be- ing, I should judge, about eighteen inches in diameter, and free from limbs till it reached the height of twenty feet. The leaves were decompound, something like the Tloney-locust, though much larger, many of them measuring 252 THE AMERICAN over two feet in length, one I measured being twenty-seven inches. The tree owed much of its beauty to the multitude of leaflets that made up a single leaf, as the branches, when stripped of their foliage, had a rough club- shape, about as beautiful as‘some of our Sumacs under similar circumstances. I could not find any name in my botany, either scientific or common, that I was willing to call it, and all the name I could find by inquiry among the inhabitants, was ‘“‘The Tree.” People who had lived there more than forty years knew as little as I did about it; only that the tree had stood there from their earliest recollection, and had changed but little during that time. Being different from the rest of the forest trees, it had been left when the land was cleared, probably as a curiosity. J found upon inquiry that there was an old surgeon living at Pompey—a small place ten miles northeast—who could tell me about this wonderful tree. I wrote to him, and in reply he gave me not only the name of the tree but some other facts concerning it; however, I will give his description, using such parts of his letter as applies to this subject: “The tree you speak of on Mr. Winchel’s farm I recollect, as it was a rare specimen which I did not expect this side of Mason and Dixon’s: line. This tree is the Zanthoxylum clava-Her- culis, and it is a native of the West Indies, and not of the United States; it is also found on the coast of the Chesapeake Bay. The Zanthowy- lum fraxineum is indigenous to the Northern and Middle States, and was considered by Lin- neus as a variety of this species. About forty years ago there was a tree of the same kind growing in this town (Pompey), which attracted much attention, and was visited by DeWitt Clinton, former Governor of this State. He pronounced it the Zanthoxylum, and said he knew of no other tree of the kind this side of Louisiana. The original tree was cut down, but a few sprouts have been preserved, and are considered beautiful shade trees. A medicine has been extracted from the bark called Zan- thoxylin, which is found useful in rheumatism, and in quickening the blood. It imparts its virtues to water by boiling, or to spirits. This tree is so rare I think it would be profitable to cultivate all you can. JEHIHL STEARNS.” I wrote to Prof. Wood upon the subject a short time afterward, but he seemed to be ignorant of any such tree, nor have I seen this species referred to by Gray. The only reason I could assien for its being so far north was that it had been brought there by the Indians in some of their migrations from the shores of the Chesa- peake, perhaps, and planted there for its medi- cinal properties. In substantiation of this view, there are abundant evidences that the ground where both these trees stand was used long before the plow of the whiteman touched its soil for an Indian camping ground, as Indian relics are found there in such abundance as to indicate that it was not the transitory lodge for a day or two, but an often frequented resort, if not a steady dwelling place. Again, the tree I observed, though notvery large,isold. I counted the concentric rings of a limb less than an inch in diameter, and found that there were twenty- six yearly additions; another, a little more than an inch through, had over forty: so that if the body of the tree grew as slowly as the limbs, a hundred years would make but very little change in its size. I find, then, in a specimen I have before me, there are eighteen wood circles in five-sixteenths of an inch. That climate does not seem to be natural for it, as I noticed the next spring that it did not leaf out till long after the other trees had spread their leaves to the sunshine. It seems to be somewhat aceli- mated, however, for though late in putting forth its leaves, and also not maturing its young shoots ‘ always so but that they die near down to the — beginning of that year’s growth, yet it thrives and braves the winter winds and snows, slowly assimilating earth and air to its use during the more genial part of midsummer, when the cli- mate is nearer that of its native West Indies. Though it grows so slowly there, I am satisfied from its appearance that it would be a tree of rapid growth where the climate is more favor- able. G. H. FRENCH. IRVINGTON, ILUs. [Notr.—We invite attention to the subject of the above article. Zanthoxylum fraxineun, referred to in Dr. Stearn’s letter, is a synonym for our American Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum Americanum, Mill), which was also called by Linnzeus a variety of Zanthoxylum Clava-Her- culis. The Angelica tree (Aralia spinosa, L.), which grows in the Southern States (eacking also into Southern Ilinois), is sometimes called Prickly Ash, and is found in cultivation under the name of Hercules’ Club. If dried specimens of the leaves of the tree in question could be sent to a well informed botanist, we do not doubt the species could soon be determined.—Kb. | ——@—<—>e- A WORD or two, supposing we have flowers: In the genial spring time, after the close con- finement of winter, outdoor work is happiness. To hoe, to rake, to dig in the moist fragrant earth, seems to be what we shall always like to be doing. But itis not always spring. Plants are the most tyrannical of pets; they must be tended in season and out of season. Neglect is death; or worse, deterioration. Better have only a grass plat, than a garden gone to waste. It makes one think of the garden of Eden after — the fall. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. [Fig. 160.) The Prickly Pear—One-half natural size. THE PRICKLY-PEAR FAMILY. Rafinesque’s opuntia (0. rafinesquii.) [From the Journal of Agriculture. ] This family comprises a number of genera of different habits and appearance. They are mostly natives of sandy, arid soils, and are of a fleshy, succulent nature, destitute of ordinary leaves, having a skin or epidermis of such a nature that they part very reluctantly with any of their juices by exhalation, and hence are peculiarly fitted for growth upon our great Western plains, and especially on the more southern, almost rainless districts of Arizona and New Mexico. In the eastern part of our country we have only one genus, Opuntia, and but very few species. The common Prickly Pear of the East- ern States is Opuntia vulgaris, Mill, In some of the Western States, we have also Rafinesque’s Opuntia (Opuntia Rafinesquii, Engel.), and Opuntia Missouriensis, D.C. As we proceed westward and southward we find many new species, and several new genera. All travelers over the great Plains will remember the profu- sion of these plants in that region—so plentiful, indeed, as to seem to form the principal vegeta- tion. Many, too, will remember the grand and beautiful display sometimes seen, of miles in extent, covered with their large and hand- some yellow and red blossoms. Dr. Engelmann, of St. Louis, has carefully studied our Cacti. and classified them in the following genera: 1, Mammilaria; 2, Eehi- nocactus ; 3, Cereus; and 4, Opuntia. The last named genus is most numerous, and comprises within our limits over twenty-five species. It is divided into two sections, viz: the broad or flattened kinds, and those of a cylindrical form. Some of these, in Arizona and New Mexico, are woody and arbores- cent, giving a very peculiar appearance to those regions. The fruit, of ‘many species is pulpy and edible, and in some regions is an important article of sustenance for the Indians who inhabit the country. Theseed and pulp of othere furnish food for many small animals, and in the Rocky Mountains a species of rat, which makes its abode in the rocks, col- lects large piles of Prickly-pear and the spiny branches of Grease-wood, to barricade the en- trance to its nest. Our engraving gives a view of the Opuntia Rajinesquii, Engel., one of the handsomest of the genus. This is now introduced into cultiva- tion by some of our florists, among others, by Michel Bros., St. Louis. : tial Tue love of flowers is such an acknowledged virtue that many claim it who do not possess it. It seems to me that a lady who only hires a stranger to cultivate and cut her flowers, and has no other use for them than the adornment of her house or her person, evinces more admir- ation for herself than for her flowers; and I cannot help questioning the genuineness of that affection, which permits the last novel to make one forget to water plants, or the delicacy of one’s hands prevent cultivating them.—J/rs. 7. A. E. Holcomb. 254 THE AMERICAN . THE ROSE. The Rose is preéminently the flower of the millions. History, romance and poetry would not be complete without the rose. Many flowers are more distinguished for particular features of interest, but none possess so many elements of attraction and interest as the rose. Beauty and fragrance are here conspicuously wedded together. Not only has Nature made the rose the type of one of the largest Orders of the Vegetable Kingdom; but, in some form, she has diffused it over almost every portion of the globe. Over two hundred distinct species are enumerated by botanists, and the varieties that have been produced by cultivation and horti- cultural skill are almost numberless. Although the rose is in all nations a public favorite, itis not so because it has ever been made to serve the primary wants of man for food or clothing. But as an agent in the ele- gancies and refinements of life, where has it an equal? Attar of roses, conserve of roses, vinegar of roses, honey of roses, and rose water, are various preparations known to commerce as so many embodiments of the delicious perfume of this universal favorite. The North American species of this genus are few, ‘perhaps not exceeding a dozen, and not more than half of these east of the Mississippi river. The Prairie Rose (J?osa setigera, Michx.), which grows wild in nearly all the Western and Southern States, is a vigorous grower and pro- lific bloomer, and by cultivation has given rise to several double-flowered and highly prized varieties. Itis our only representative of the section with united and protruding styles. The Swamp Rose (Rosa carolina, L.) is a large shrub growing in swampy ground, or on low, wet margins of streams. It produces an abun- dance of large and showy flowers. Two other common indigenous species of wild rose, the Rosa blanda, Ait., and Rosa lucida, Erhr., are small shrubs of similar habit, and in some of their forms approach so near each other as to make it doubtful if they should not be reduced to asingle species. But the wild, or natural, state of the rose is not that condition which is most commonly ad- mired. The double condition of the rose is what gives it value with the horticulturist, although, in the eye of the botanist, that is regarded as an abnormal condition. If we examine a wild rose, we shall see that it has but five petals, while its stamens are very numerous, often fifty or more. These stamens arise from the same part of the flower as the petals, 7. ¢., from the calyx. Now, if we examine a double rose, we shall find that its petals have multiplied wonderfully, while the number of stamens has been greatly reduced, indeed in some instances there are hardly any discernible. How, then, has this change been effected? In answering this question we must refer to the fact that all the parts of a flower are but modifications of the leaves. The beautiful petals are but delicate colored leaves, and the stamens are but contracted leaves, altered to adapt them to a particular purpose. If we com- pare a fully expanded petal with a stamen, we notice a great difference, both in shape and size, but by examining a double rose we shall find some stamens just a little enlarged, others a little more expanded, so as to present some re- semblance to a leaf or petal, and so on through all the stages of transition to perfect petals. Hence we find that, under the stimulus of culti- vation, the stamens take on the leafy develop- ment, instead of contracting to their normal form. Occasionally we find roses which unfold to us still more clearly the structure of the floral organs, by a reversion of the pistils to the leafy state, so that the appearance is presented of one rose growing up through another. The subject of vegetable transformations is one possessing intense interest, and one which we shall have occasion to refer to again. soe DEFINITE AND INDEFINITE VEGETABLE DEVELOP- MENT. Plants inhabiting temperate and northern latitudes in which the seasons do not admit of indefinite growth, complete their growth and mature their seeds in longer or shorter periods of time as their situation in respect to length of period of growth may require. This is espe- cially true of those species that perform their functions in a single process, as Maize in culti- vated plants, and the Oaks of the indigenous. This definite or indefinite character of species in development and growth enables the cultiva- tor to determine approximately the latitudes of their natural habitats, and to give them that special treatment they require to obtain the best results. Species with a definite growth, as Maize, suffer from loss of time by neglect of the culti- vator, or by the unfavorable conditions of season or situation, but species of indefinite growth, as Cotton, the Castor-bean, and plants of the Squash family (Cucurbitacw), can be subjected to loss of time with comparatively little detri- ment, except from loss for want of time at the end of the season. Cultivators having these facts in view can more satisfactorily determine the several treatments required for each species. Premature planting of the definite class, or the neglect of suitable conditions, or of proper early cultivation, or any treatment that gives them age without corresponding growth, invariably diminishes the product. The definite class of tropical species requiring a high temperature for their development soon acquire the habit of suiting themselves to their new conditions, and complete their vegetative processes throughout ina much shorter time than when in their na- tural habitats, as if not to be defeated, by those unfavorable conditions, of the object of their existence, viz., the production of seed—the functions of growth are suspended in due time to allow for this to be accomplished, while the indefinite class go through the whole season maturing and producing vegetable growth as well as seed, and as the best results with this class are obtained by the longest time, the earli- est planting is most successful—age with this class is in nowise detrimental, rather profitable. The Squash family (Cucurbitacew), Potato fam- ily (Solanacee), Mallow family (Malvaceae), the Pea family, in part, and many other orders to some extent belong to this indefinite class. All the cereals, the Composite, and also the great majority of other orders belong to the definite class. E. Hatt. o> ee VEGETABLE CELLS. BY DR. FELIX SCHAAN, CHICAGO, PART II. The second part of the vegetable cell is the nitrogenous or primitive utricle (utriculus pri- mordialis). Itis a half solid delicate membrane of nitrogenous matter lining closely the interior of the cellulose membrane. (Fig. 161.] F In all cells mentioned above I was unable to discover the existence of this membrane, and ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 255 some days ago I wrote a note tending to de- monstrate that this membrane does not exist in fact. But being careful I discovered it in the hair which grows on the stem of Geranium. This hair has the shape of a pharos or light- house. It is composed of four cells, the infe- rior in connection with the epithilial cells is conical, having a large base, and diminishing until the half of the length of the hair where it is attached to the two other quadratic cells, also botK conical in shape. On the top of the third we find a larger spherical body which presents also the side wall of the cellulose membrane (Fig. 161, a) and lay shrunken on one side. During this time the cytoblast was distinctly to be seen. I was not satisfied with that result because I could not distinguish the membrane isolated, and the retiring of the contents could be ex- plained as a folding of any nitrogenous sub- stance without any genuine coat. That doubt left me considering the following experiment with the spherical head-cell of the hair. The successive action of the sulphuric ether upon it gave place to a hole in the cellulose membrane, which here also grew successively larger by the retiring of the contents. (Fig. 161, 6' &*). I remarked in this case also the cytoblast more distinctly. I also observed a double contour on the retiring membrane, but the conviction that it was really a membrane was enforced by the partial isolation of the utriculus primordialis, which I performed by a rubbing pressure of the covering-glass. The design presented itself as a leak or crevice (Fig. 161, 7) in the cellular membrane, permitting the primitive uéricle to escape in part, prolapse-like, showing its cytoblast clearly. Was that a mem- brane? The ether evaporated rapidly and formed a concave meniscus between the two glass-plates, like every fluid wetting the glass. The power of this retiring meniscus can be calculated by stated physical laws, into which I will not here enter. I will only state that this power of the retiring concave meniscus of the evaporating ether was strong enough to bend the prolapsed primitive utricle over the inferior edge of the leak in the cellular membrane. (Fig. 161, 2). By adding a drop of ether, the elasticity of the membrane equalized the bending again, and the prolapse took its prior shape. Was it a mem- brane? Acetic acid reiibsorbed most of the contents. (Fig. 161, 7). This part of my study was troub- led by losing the object out of sight a moment, and when I found it again, the primitive utricle 256 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. had shrunken at the inside corner of the cellu- lose membrane. The prolapse was gone, and the edges of the leak could be observed very fairly. Jt wasa membrane, and this membrane Was composed of nitrogenous substances, cor- roded by acetic acid! PART IIl. The third part to consider is the contents of the vegetable cell. This content conducts us into a labyrinth, because every thing we win out of the plants can be searched in the contents of the cell. Proceeding with order we may find Ariadne’s thread. : We may divide the contents into starch, fat, crystals, chlorophyll, granular substances, gases ; or we may have nothing but the cytoblast or nucleus. 1. Starch is so well known that I need not remind that it is colored by an aqueous solution of iodine, deeply blue, that it often has an amor- phous form, as in the root of Valerian, or a form of granules, or that of roundish bodies (as in the Potato) in most of the grains, and that of compound granules in Sarsaparilla. (Fig. 141.) 2. Wat is found in many cells. It looks under the microscope like a white or colored round spot. The microscope alone gives not the con- viction of the fatty constitution of these globules. It is by dissolving the fat in ether that we see it disappear, and after the evaporation of the ether we see the fat spots disseminated around the object-glass, often very distant from its primi- tive situation in the cell: a good object for this observation is the rind of an orange (Citrus Aurantium, lL.) e Tue Natural Order Leguminose furnishes many of the most valuable vegetable products: peas, beans and lentils for food; the Tonka bean and sweet clover for fragrance; the Brazil wood logwood and indigo for coloring matter; the rosewood, locust, and other trees for valuable timber; and a long list of medicinal substances, as liquorice, tamarinds, gum-kino, gum-catechu, gum-Arabic, gum-tragacanth, balsam of Peru, balsam of Tolu, senna, &c. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Poisonous Plants.—We notice with pleasure that Botany has been wedded to Entomology in your publi- cation, and beg your attention to the enclosed plants, which were received from the western borders of our” State, with statement that a tamily had used them as greens, and almost immediately sickened with symp- toms of poison, two of them haying died already. GEO. T. ANTHONY. LEAVENWOETH, KaNs. The specimens as they reached us were so wilted and dried up as to be in a bad state for recognition. They represented two herbaceous plants—one of them con- sisting of young and small specimens of Zroazmon cuspe- datum, Pursh, a plant of the Natural Order Composta, haying relationship in botanical characters to the Dan- delion, and sometimes called the Prairie Dandelion. It occurs sparingly in Northern Illinois, becoming more common in lowa and westward. It hasa long thick root with a milky juice, much like that of the Dandelion. We can hardly suppose that this plant is poisonous. We do not know that any American plants of this family are strictly poisonous, though some of them are acrid, and would be too disagreeable to be eaten im any quan- tity. The other plant we are not yet able to determine. It has the appearance of some species of Artemesia, but there is not sufficient material for identification. It has just started its growth, and consists of a small tuft, about three inches high, of rather wedge-shaped leaves, gashed near the top, and whitish wooly below. Let it be watched until it comes into flower, then it can be determined. If these are the plants which caused the poisoning, the public welfare requires that they should be known s0 as to be avoided. Plants to Name—J/. S. A. Forbes, Benton Ills.— The plants you send are from one of the most interesting botanical regions of this country, z. e., Southern Illinois. A large number of plants are found there whose native : home seems to be much farther South. These are mostly well dried and easily determined. No.1 is the large flowered Synandra (Synandra grandiflora, Nutt), a handsome plant of the Mint family. No. 2 is the Lyre-leaved Sage (Saluda lyrata, L.), also a member of the Mint family. No. 8 is a Wild Cat-briar (Smlax tamnotdes, L.) No. 4 is a species of Ground Phlox (Phlox biflida, Beck.) No. 5 is Obolaria Virginica, L., without a common name, a small and delicate flower of the Gentian family. No. 6, is one of the Winter-berries (Mex decidua, Walt.), belonging to the same genus as the Holly. It is a shrub growing six or eight feet high, and in places where it is abundant the appearance of the bushes in the winter is very beautiful from the abundance of the bright red berries. No. 7 is the low Blue-berry (Vaccinium vacillans, Sol.) No. 8 is the Farkle-berry of the South (Vuceinium arboreum, Mar- shall), which is an evergreen bush growing on rocky hill sides. No. 9 is the Small-flowered Valerian (Vale- riana pauctflora, Michx.) No. 10 is the Narrow-leaved Fever-wort (Ziostewin angustifolium, Lu.) considerably smaller than the common species, 7. penfoliatum, L.. No. 11 isthe Buffalo-clover (Zrifolium reflecum, L.; No. 12 is the Butterfly Pea (Clitorza Mariana, L.), a hand- some large-flowered plant of the Pea family, worthy of cultivation. No. 13 is the Water-locust ( @ledztschéa monosperma, Walt.) No. 14 is the Cucumber-tree (Mag- nolia acuminata, L.), alarge and beautiful tree, which is hardy much farther north, and ought to be cultivated for shade and ornament. THE AM zt (ey er AYE ER I JZ \ Ze ST. LOUIS, MO., JULY AND AUGUST, 1870, NO. 9. Entomological Pepartment. CHARLES V._ RIbEY, “Karon, 291 Ns Main st., St. Louis, Mo. ( THE WHITH-LINED MORNING SPITINX, : Detlephilu lineata, Faby.) 9 Tete. 152.) Colors—White, olive dnd rose. The very great diversity of form'and habits to be found amongst the larv:e of our butterflies and moths, has much to do with the interest which attaches to the study of these masked forms. We are moved to admiration and won- der as thoroughly to-day as in early boyhood, every time we contemplate that within each of these varied and fan- tastic caterpillars—these creeping and grovyeling “worms ”—is locked up the future butterfly, or > moth, which is destined, fairy-like, to flit through the air on its gauzy wings, so totally unlike its former self. Verily the meta- morphoses of the lower animals must prove a never-failing source of joy and felicity to those who have learned to open the pages of the great Book of Nature! But, beyond the general satisfaction experi- enced in studying these transient forms, there will be found ample food for the philosophic mind in the larval variations to be met with in the same species. In other parts of this present number we have instanced several curious varia- tions in Iarvee, caused by the character of their food-plant, and have also shown how some species (e.g. the common Yellow Bear) vary very much without regard to food- plant. Our Sphinx larvee, more par- ticularly, are subject to these yariations, and it is this reason that larval characters alone, unaccompanied by those of the perfeet insect, are of so little value in classification. The White-lined Morning Sphinx (ig. 162) presents one of the most striking’ cases of larval variation, as may be seen by comparing the dark form of Figure 164 with the light form of Figure 163. In the summer of 1863 we took both these forms on the same plant, and have repeatedly met with them since; but the moths bred from them show no differences whatever. This beautiful moth is called by Harris the White-lined Morning Sphinx, though its generic name means * Evening Friend.” It is distin- guished principally by its roseate under-wings, and by a broad, pale band running from the apex to the base of the dark-olive front wings. for (Rig. 163.) Colors—Green, crimson, orange wd yellow. It is a tolerably common insect, and may quite frequently be seen at twilight, and even during 258 THE AMERICAN the day, hovering, humming-bird-fashion, over verbenas and other flowers. The larva feeds upon purslane, turnip, buckwheat, watermelon, and even apple leaves, upon any of which it may be found in the month of July. It descends into the ground and, within a smooth cavity, changes to a light brown chrysalis, from which the moth emerges during the month of September. The most common form of this larva is that given at Figure 163; its color is yellowish-ereen, with a prominent subdorsal row of elliptical spots, each spot consisting of two curved black lines, enclosing superiorly a bright crimson space, and inferiorly a pale yellow line—the whole row of spots connected by a pale yellow stripe, edged above with black. In some specimens these eye-like spots are disconnected, and the space between the black crescents is of a uniform eream-yellow. The breathing-holes are either surrounded with black, or with black edged with yellow. The other form is black, and character- [Fig. 164 ] Colors—Black, orange and yellow. ized chiefly by a yellow line along the back, and aseries of pale yellow spots and darker yellow dots, as represented in our illustration (Fig. 164). Even this dark form is subject to great variation, some specimens entirely lacking the line along the back, and having the spots of different shape. This insect has a wide range, as it occurs in the West Indies, Mexico and Canada, as well as throughout the United States. Feeding as it does ‘principally on plants of but little value, and being very commonly attacked by the larva of a Tachina-fly, this insect has never become suffi- ciently common to be classed as injurious. o——@& DESCRIPTIVE ENTOMOLOGY. In a paper on the larval history of certain moths, from the pen of that earnest entomolo- gist, J. A. Lintner, of Albany, N. Y.., the fol- lowing passage occurs: Every faithful student will welcome each con- tribution, however trivial, which shall hasten the day when of each insect the egg, the larva, the pupa, and the imago, or perfect form, shall all be known, described and figured, and the discovery of a new species, however microscopi- cally minute it may be, shall be a triumph.* *Proc. Ent Soc. Phil., 10, p. 645. This is a noble burst of entomological enthu- siasm; but let us pause here for a moment and make a few calculations as to the probability of a consummation so devoutly to be wished ever being achieved. It is usually estimated that in the whole extent of this terrestrial globe, there exist about half a million distinct species of insects. We strongly incline to believe that, even if we double this number, we shall still be rather under than above the correct estimate. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side—for we always dislike to overstate a case—we will con- sider the customary estimate as a tolerably near approximation to the truth. Let us suppose now that Mr. Lintner’s idea is about to be car- ried into practical effect, and Jet us ask ourselves the following three questions: 1st. How much space upon our bookshelves will a work occupy, which describes and figures every insect in the world in each of its four stages? 2nd. How much time will it take to write such a work, and how much to execute the requisite drawings ? 3rd. What will be the cost, in dollars and cents, of print- ing, say 10,000 copies of such a work, and of executing the requisite colored draw- ings and colored engravings to illustrate half 2 million insects in their four distinct stages? Suppose we consider these three questions in the order in which they stand, numbering the answer to each, so as to correspond with the question itself. 1st. It will be allowed by every one, who has had much experience in such matters, that the four stages of an average insect cannot be accu- rately and satisfactorily described in less than one octavo page of ordinary brevier or bourgeois type. We should be inclined to double this estimate, but we are determined not to overstate the case. The illustrations of an insect in its four stages—considering that there are many insects so large in the perfect or winged state as to cover the whole surface of an octayo page, and considering further, that even such as are exceedingly small must be considerably magni- fied by the artist, in order that the drawing may be worth anything at all—will certainly occupy one-fourth of an octavo page. Thus, as an aver- age insect will oceupy 14 octavo pages, it results that, to describe and illustrate 500 insects will require 625 octavo pages, which is about the number of pages contained in one stout octavo volume. Moreover, it further follows, that to 259 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. describe and illustrate 500,000 insects will, of course, require just 1,000 times the space re- quired for 500, or 1,000 octavo volumes of 625 pages each. Now, with paper of ordinary thick- ness—weighing, say 50 pounds to the ream— such a volume when bound occupies just two inches of space on a book-shelf. Consequently, to hold 1,000 such volumes would require a length of shelving slightly exceeding 160 feet; or sup- posing the shelves to be 1 inch thick and allow- ing 11 inches space between each pair of shelves, the whole 1,000 volumes would just fill seven book-cases each 6 feet high and 4 feet wide. Truly, this would be a snug little entomological work, altogether ahead of the Japanese novel which was commenced forty years ago, and after being continued yearly at the rate of three vol- umes per annum, has at length, in the year 1870, been brought to a prosperous conclusion by the simultaneous death of the hero, the heroine, and the author! 2nd. Our own experience is that we cannot properly determine and describe any insect, in the winged state alone, at a more rapid rate than three species per diem. We know very well that many of the published descriptions extant have been thrown off by authors—currente calamo— in half an hour or an hour; and we may find, in the Proceedings of one of our Natural History Societies located not 5,000 miles from the very “Hub of the Universe,” descriptions that have been quite recently published, and from which nof one person in five hundred will recognize the insect described. What are such descrip- tions worth? Nothing at all! They are often written with entire neglect of the preparatory states, variations, or habits of the insect, and instead of laboriously examining several dozen specimens of either sex, and noting down care- - fully in the description every considerable varia- tion that occurs in any one specimen of either sex, such authors often describe from isolated specimens without mentioning the fact. In this Way our synonomy is multiplied, and the author’s work is often lost to the world, as it well de- serves to be, unless he is fortunate enough to leave behind him ticketed specimens of those insects he has himself described, so that subse- quent inquirers can recognize the insect intended, and give the world assurance of its identity. Instead of giving us the differences, whether structural or colorational, that on the most dili- gent search can be found to occur in a certain number of individuals, whether of the male or female sex, that belong to the species, some authors in describing, are in the habit of coolly throwing aside all but one which they pick out and are pleased to call the “ typical’? specimen ; so that such a description merely gives the indi- vidual and not the species. And yet such bas- tard scribblings are every day foisted upon the scientific world—not by the neophite, in whom such a course might be pardonable, but by some entomologists of experience—and in the estima- tion of many a young student, he that can publish the greatest quantity of such trash per annum, is the greatest entomologist of the day! Verily, posterity will be of a different opinion as to this matter; for, unless we are greatly mistaken, such descriptions will be confined to the same dusty immortality in which quietly repose, un- disturbed by the curious fingers of all genuine naturalists, the learned lucubrations of Rafin- esque, and of other authors of that stripe. But let us return from this digression, which was somewhat necessary to prevent our being accused of overstating the case, and to relieve the tedium caused by so much dry calculation. We will assume, to be on the safe side, that it requires not the third part, but only the fourth part ofa day, accurately to describe an average insect in its perfect or winged stage. We will make no extra allowance for the time expended in tracing the species through all its four stages, and making sure of the fact that we are not describing the egg of the bug A, the larva of the bug B, the pupa of the bug C, and the winged form of the bug D, as all belonging to the same species, which may be either A, B, C or D. Surely, therefore, when we consider that to thoroughly investigate the history and figure the four stages of many beetles requires from one to six years, and of certain Cicadas from thirteen to seventeen years, we shall not be accused of exaggeration when we assert that it requires at least one entire day’s hard work to describe any particular insect in all its four stages. On the contrary, those who have had most experience, will best understand how very low this estimate must be. Now there are 500,000 species to be thus deseribed. Conse- quently, upon the above assumption, it will require 500,000 days to execute the work. Sup- pose we allow 300 days as the working year of a naturalist, which, though fewer than he may sometimes have to work, is surely driving him hard enough in all conscience. Then it follows that, for the manuscript alone of our little Cabi- net Encyclopedia of Entomology, there will be required the labor of 1,666 years. Now let us- talk about the illustrations that will be required. We have considerable personal experience in this matter, and we assert unhesitatingly that few artists can execute good colored drawings 260 THE AMERICAN of an average insect in its four stages in anything like a day’s time. Indeed, in most cases, it takes much longer to make a good figure than to write out a good description, and, in our estimation, the person who makes a good and diagnostic figure of any of the transient preparatory states of an insect, is entitled to fully as much credit as the one who writes out the description; and we have always felt inclined to give Westwood as much credit for his excellent out-line block- illustrations, as for the still. more excellent text in his Introduction. But let us put the time required for this purpose at one day, which makes the time devoted to the drawings exactly equal to the time devoted to the manuscript of our proposed Pocket Edition of the little World of Insects. Then it follows, on the assumption that we have to add another 1,666 years to the 1,666 years already taken into account; which makes the sum total 3,332 years. Now, it is notorious that naturalists—being as a rule usu- ally moral and regular in their habits—live to a good old age, and we will make for them the liberal estimate of an average life of 80 years; but on the other hand, artists are generally loose in their mode of life, and we cannot, with the statistics before us, grant them a longer average term than 50 years. Consequently, the average life of the two classes of persons required, in equal numbers, for our Cabinet Encyclopedia will be only 65 years; and allowing 25 years for the education of each individual naturalist and artist, there will remain a clear available average surplus of 40 years as the average working life of each class. Let us now divide the sum total of 3,332 years by 40, which represents in years the working life of each of our workmen, and we atrive at the astounding conclusion that it will require the entire working life of 83 persons to execute the manuscript and the drawings for the little work which the eye of Mr. Lintner has pictured to himself as likely to exist, perhaps before he himself sinks into the grave! 3rd. The cost of printing, in the style of the AMERICAN Entomoroeist, 10,000 copies of an octavo volume of 625 pages, including type- setting, proof-reading, press-work and paper, but charging nothing for any wood-cut illustra- tions, would foot up about $1,000; and as we wish to be liberal, we will charge nothing for the binding. The cost of the 125 pages of colored illustrations, including the pay of the artists who execute the drawings, would range from $125,000 upwards into the clouds, according to the style of work required. This gives a total of at least $126,000 for each octavo volume; and as there are to be 1,000 such yolumes, we shall require for the practical carrying out of Mr. Lintner’s poetical conceptions, the snug little sum of very nearly ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY- SIX MILLION DOLLARS. The statistical reader will no doubt have noticed long before this, that we allow no pecuniary pay whatever to the naturalists who execute the manuscript of our imaginary work. We could not in conscience do so; for we believe there are scores of ento- mologists anxiously knocking every day at the doors of our Scientific Academies and Associa- tions with manuscripts in hand containing de- scriptions of their new species; and these MSS. are most distinterestedly offered for publication in the printed Transactions of such societies, their authors never dreaming of receiving the least pecuniary compensation for all the labor and trouble they have been at in preparing their papers for the press. The question is perpetually put to us, “* Why is there no work on the Entomology of the United States, which will enable us to identify and name any particular insect of the country with as much ease as the Botanical student can identify and name any particular one of our plants, by referring to Gray’s Manual of Bo- tany?” 'Tosuch questions as these we beg leave to reply as follows: Zn the first place, it is not true that Gray’s Manual covers the flora of the whole Union; for it professedly only comprises that of a region which forms less than one-eighth part of the territory now owned by Uncle Sam. In the second place, even in this very limited region, it entirely omits the most difficult and perhaps the most interesting part of the flora, that is the Mosses and Lichens, the Funguses and the Seaweeds (Algw); and even with such other families of the Cryptogamous or Flower- less plants as are treated of therein, namely, the Horsetails, the Ferns, the Club-mosses, and the Water-ferns or Hydropterides, the space allotted to these groups is scarcely one-thirtieth part of the space allotted to the Phanerogamous or Flowering plants. For any one, therefore, to consider Gray’s Manual—and we fully acknowl edge the unrivalled excellence of this work, so far as it goes—as a complete Flora of the whole United States, would be pretty much like claim- ing that the works of Dr. J. L. LeConte, on the one single Order of Insevts out of the whole eight Orders, namely, the Beetles or Coleoptera, are equivalent to a complete Entomological Wauna of all the Insects found in the entire Union. Jn the third place, it is generally estimated that the number of insects exceeds at least four or five- fold that of plants to be found in any particular region. Calculating upon several distinct bases ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. — 261 we have estimated that the number of distinct species of insects to be found within the limits of the United States amounts to at least thirty thousand; and from what has been said above, as to the labor and expense of describing and figuring half a million of species, we may easily, by the simple Rule of Three, form a pretty cor- rect idea of how much labor and money it would require to describe and figure even as small a number as thirty thousand. Perhaps, in thus bringing to the test of hard dry facts and figures the rose-colored dreams of one whom we have learned to esteem as aconscientious fellow-laborer, we shall be accused of being a kind of entomological Mr. Gradgrind. Perhaps it will be said that, by throwing cold water on the brilliant aspirations of many an ardent young ‘naturalist, we are in effect injuring the very cause which we profess to serve, and that we are a matter-of-fact cynical calculator, wholly devoted to the dull unpoetical Real, and careless of the beautiful etherial Ideal. Well, ‘‘ we are not careful overmuch about such things ;” but in thus considering the improbability of any such result ever being attained, as that which Mr. Lintner dreamed of, we nevertheless admire the spirit which gave birth to the thought, and only wish that more of our entomologists were im- bued with the same. It is good sometimes to seek after the Unattainable, and though we may not always reach the goal, and the distance gained in advance be but a few inches, yet at every step we are so much further on the road towards perfection. As the very term “species” is arbitrary, and many an one is ground out from what upon closer study and better knowledge would prove to be but a variety, we are fully of the opinion that the man or woman who, for the first time, gives to the world the complete history of any one insect in its four stages, does infinitely more for the cause of Entomology than the person who publishes dry descriptions of a dozen sup- posed species. In a private letter to us, that well-known and experienced entomologist, P. ©. Zeller, of Stetten Prussia, says: ‘‘ I care very little for the honor of being the author of a new species; it is far more meritorious and honorable to correctly observe and describe the natural history of a single species, than to describe— often with ridiculous and meaningless names— two dozen species after the reckless fashion of some authors;” and we cannot more fully en- dorse the sentiment expressed by Mr. Lintner— however fanciful and impracticable the project— than by commending to careful consideration this opinion of one of the leading entomologists of the day. THE TENT-CATERPILLAR OF THE FOREST. (Clisiocampa sylvatica, Harr.) nacre celia eee cay — “Trig? 165] Colors—(a) brown; (b and c) cream-color; (d) rust-brown. In accordance with the promise made in our last number (p. 245), we here give a brief ac- count of the Tent-caterpillar of the Forest (Clisiocampa sylvatica). We do so the more willingly because, as we shall presently show, this insect is very generally confounded with the common American Tent-caterpillar (C7. ameri- cana, Harr.), and because much confusion and uncertainty with regard to its habits exist in the minds of most farmers. In many parts of Mis- souri it has been very destructive during the past two summers, and we have had good opportuni- ties to closely and carefully study its habits. The species was first described by the great Massa- chusetts entomologist, Dr. Harris, who unquali- fiedly states that it lives in communities under a common web or tent; but with this exception gives a very clear and truthful account of it.* ITS NATURAL HISTORY. The egg-mass from which the Tent-caterpillar of the Forest hatches (Fig. 165 a, showing it after the young larvee have escaped) may at once be distinguished from that of the common Tent- saterpillar by its being of a uniform diameter, and docked off squarely at each end. It is usu- ally composed of about 400 eggs, the number in five masses which we counted ranging from 380 to 416. Each of the eggs composing this mass is of a cream-white color, 0.04 inch long and 0.025 inch wide, narrow and rounded at the attached end or base, gradually enlarging towards the top, where it becomes slightly smaller (Fig. 165 d), and abruptly terminates with a prominent cir- cular rim on the outside, and a sunken spot in the centre (c). These eggs are deposited in circles, the female moth stationing herself, for this pur- pose, in a transverse position across the twig. With abdomen curved she gradually moves as the deposition goes on, and when one circle is * Inj. Ins., p. 376. 262 THE AMERICAN completed, she commences another—and not before. With each ege is secreted a brown var- nish which firmly fastens it to the twig and to its neighbor, and which, upon becoming dry, forms a carinated net-work of brown over the pale ege-shell. These eges are so regularly laid and so closely glued to each other, that the sides are often so appressed, that the moth economizes space almost as effectually as does the Honey-bee in the formation ofits hexagonal cells. In confine- ment the moth very seldom succeeds in forming a perfect ring, but in her abortive attempts, deposits them in different sized patches; and as we have found such unfinished patches attached to an oak leaf out-of-doors, we may conclude that either from injury or debility of some kind, the parent’s instinct sometimes fails it even when all the conditions are normal and natural. The eggs are deposited, in the latitude of St. Louis, during the latter part of June. The em- bryo develops during the hot summer weather, and the yet unborn Jarya is fully formed by the time winter comes on. They hatch with the first warm weather in spring—generally from the middle to the last of March—and though the buds of their food-plant may not have opened at the time, and though it may freeze severely afterwards, yet these little creatures are won- derfully hardy, and can fast for three whole weeks, if need be, and withstand any amount of inclement weather. The very moment these little larvz are born, they commence spinning a web wherever they go. At this time they are black with pale hairs, and are always found either huddled together or traveling in file along the silken paths which they form when in search of food. In about two weeks from the time they commence feeding they go through their first moult, having first grown paler or of a light yellowish-brown, with the extremities rather darker than the middle of the body, with the little warts which give rise to the hairs quite distinct, and a conspicuous dark interrupted line each side of the back. After the first moult, they are characterized principally by two pale yellowish subdorsal lines, which border what was before, the dark line above described. After the second moult, which takes place in about a week from the first, the characteristic pale spots on the back appear, the upper pale line be- comes yellow, the lower one white, and the space between them bluish: indeed, the characters of the mature larva are from this period apparent. Very soon they undergo a third moult, after which the colors all become more distinct and fresh, the head and anal plate have a soft bluish velvety appearance, and the hairs seem more dense. After undergoing a fourth moult with- out material change in appearance, they acquire their full growth in about six weeks from the [Fig. 166] time of first feeding. At this time \ they appear as at Figure 166, and for those who are interested in such matters, we quote below* Dr. Fitch’s description of the full-grown larva, as it is the first accurate and detailed description that was published, and as we have occasion to refer to it further on. At this stage of its growth the Tent- caterpillar of the Forest may be seen wandering singly over different trees, along roads, on the tops of fences, etc., In search of a suitable place to form its cocoon. It usually contents TAiN\ itself with folding a leat or drawing Boreceaite several together for this purpose, andrufous. though it frequently spins up under fence boards and in other sheltered situations. The cocoon is very much like that of the common Tent-caterpillar, being formed of a loose exterior covering of white silk with the hairs of the larva interwoven, and by amore compact oval inner pod that is made stiff by the meshes being filled with a thin yellowish paste from the mouth of the larva, which paste, when dried, gives the cocoon the appearance of being dusted with powdered sul- phur. Three days after the cocoon is completed the caterpillar casts its skin for the last time and becomes a chrysalis of a reddish-brown color, slightly dusted with a pale powder, and densely clothed with short pale yellow hairs, which at the blunt and rounded extremity are somewhat larger and darker. In a couple of weeks more, *The Caterpillar, as seen after it has forsaken its nest and is wandering about, is an inch and a half long and 0.20 thick. It is cylindrical and of a pale blue color, tinged low down on each side with greenish gray, and is everywhere sprinkled” over with black points and dots. Along its back is arow of ten or eleven oval or diamond-shaped white spots which are similarly sprinkled with black points and dots, and are- placed one on the fore part of each segment. Behind each of these spots, isa much smaller white spot, occupying the mid- dle of each segment. The intervening space is black, which color also forms a border surrounding each of the spots, and on each side is an elevated black dot from which arises usually four long black hairs. The hind part of each segment is occupied by three crinkled and more or less interrupted pale — orange-yellow lines, which are edged with black. And on eich side is a continuous and somewhat broader stripe of the, same yellow color, similarly edged on each of its sides with black Lower down upon each side is a paler yellow or cream-colored stripe, the edges of which are more jagged — and irregular than those of the one above it, and this stripe also is bordered with black, broadly and unevenly on its — upper side and very narrowly on its lower side. The back is clothed with numerous fine fox-colored hairs, and low down on each side are numerous coarser whitish ones, On the under side is a large oval black spot on each segment except — the anterior ones. The legs and prolegs are black and clothed with short whitish hairs. ‘The head is of a dark bluish color freckled with numerous black dots and clothed with short blackish and fox-colored hairs. The second segment or neck is edged anteriorly with cream white, which color is more broad upon the sides, ‘he third and fourth segments have each a large black spot on each side. The instant it is immersed in spirits the blue color of this caterpillar vanishes and it becomes black, ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 263 or during the forepart of June, the moths com- mence to issue, and fly about at night. This moth (Fig. 165, b 2) bears a considerable resem- blance to that of the Common Tent-caterpillar (Fig. 167, 9), being of a brownish-yellow or [Fig. 167.] Color—Rust-brown, rusty brown, and having two oblique transverse lines across the front wings. It differs, however, in the color being paler or more yellowish, espe- cially on the thorax; in the space between the oblique lines being usually darker instead of lighter than that on either side; but principally in the oblique lines themselves being dark in- stead of light, and in a transverse shade, often quite distinct, across the hind wings. As in Americana, the male is smaller than the female, with the wings shorter and cut off more squarely. Considerable variation may be found in a given number of moths, but principally in the space between the oblique lines on the front wings being either of the same shade as the rést of the wing, or in its being much darker; but as we have found these variations in different indi- viduals of the same brood, bred either from Oak, Hickory, Apple and Rose, they evidently have nothing to do with the food-plant. The scales on the wings are very loosely attached, and rub off so readily that good specimens of the moth are seldom captured at large. So much for the natural history of our Forest 'Tent-caterpillar. THE LARVA SPINS A WEB. From the very moment it is born till after the fourth or last moult, this caterpillar spins a web and lives more or less in company; but from the fact that this web is always attached close to the branches and trunks of the trees infested, it is often overlooked, and several writers have falsely declared that it does not spin. At each succes- sive moult all the individuals of a batch collect and huddle together upon a common web for two or three days, and during these periods— though more active than most other caterpillars in this so-called sickness—they are quite slug- gish. During the last or fourth moult they very frequently come low down on the trunk of the tree, and, as in the case of the gregarious larvee of the Hand-maid Moth (Datana minis- tra), which often entirely denude our Black Walnuts, they unwittingly court destruction by collecting in such masses within man’s reach. IT FEEDS BOTH ON ORCHARD AND FOREST TREES. In the summer of 1867 this insect did great damage in Western New York, where it is falsely called THE “Army-worm.” From the fact that Mr. Peter Ferris, of Millville, Orleans county, N. Y., was greatly troubled with it that year in his apple orchard, and that he did not notice any of the same worms on the Oak and Walnut tim- ber of that section, he concluded that his Apple- feeding worms must be different from those feeding on forest trees. In an article signed “F., Orleans county, N. Y.”, which appeared in the Country Gentleman of July 23d, 1868, the same writer endeavors to prove his Apple- feeding worms distinct by sundry minute char- acters, as may be seen from the following extract: Now Lam not an entomologist, but still must be allowed to believe that there are several points, if not ‘distinctive characters,” in which our caterpillar differs from the Tent-caterpillar of the Forest, as described by Dr. Fitch. His larva is of a pale blue color, tinged lower down on each side with greenish-gray. In ours the pre- vailing color on the back is black; there isa sky- blue stripe on each side but no greenish-gray. Both have the white spots on the back much alike, though perhaps ours are more club-shaped, look- ing to the naked eye nearly the shape of ten-pins. Both have these spots surrounded with black; in ours there is quite a broad black stripe on each side of the spots. This black stripe is more or less filled with fine, crinkled, bright orange lines. In some, these orange lines are so plenty as to be seen plainly without the glass; in others the color to the naked eye is a fine velvet-black. In the larva described by Dr. Fitch there is much less of black and of the fine crinkled lines, which are pale orange-yellow. There is a somewhat broader stripe of the same yellow color, in place of a narrow orange one in ours. The lower yel- low stripe may be much alike in both, but what is sky-blue in one is greenish-gray in the other. In both, the head is of a dark bluish color, but in his it is freckled with numerous black dots; in ours, both to the naked eye and under a glass, itis plain. In his “ the second segment or neck is edged anteriorly with cream-white, which color is more broad on the sides. The third and fourth segments have each a large black spot on each side.” Both the cream-white edge and black spots are entirely wanting in our cater- pillars. The habits of the larve also appear to be dif- ferent. According to Harris and itch, the Tent- caterpillar of the Forest lives in large societies, under a tent or cob-web-like nest placed against the side of the tree, and comes out to feed on the leaves. Others, as well as myself, have watched our caterpillars and entirely fail to discover that they lived in communities, or in any one place that they went from and returned to. While small, they remain scattered over the smaller branches and on the leaves, and are first seen to begin to get together when about half grown, on some of the higher limbs in the sun. They only collect in large bunches on the trunk and lower limbs; when nearly full grown, and the 264. THE AMBRICAN weather is hot, they get in the shade; and then they never have any web or particular place they return to, or show any uniformity in the size of the bunches. But they only manage in this way while the leaves last. As soon as one tree is strip- ped they go to another, and when one orchard is used up leave for another. They are great tray- elers; on a smooth track, like a hard road or a fence cap-board, they get along quite fast. They do not try to keep together, but each one goes on his own hook. There is very little said about the Tent-caterpillar of the Forest traveling in this way. Then our laryee appear decidedly to prefer the leaves of the Apple-tree, and only feed on the leaves of other trees when the former are not to be had. Though Iam not prepared to say that they will not feed on Oak, Walnut or Hickory trees, under any circumstances, I have repeatedly found these trees in full leaf when not only Apple trees, but Ash and Basswood trees near by, were entirely stripped. The eges are sometimes laid on Ilard Maple shade trees, but the cater- pillars leave these trees as soon as they get much size, evidently in search of food more suitable to their taste. This may be the case in regard to Oak and Walnut trees. They also select different places for their co- coons. Dr. Fitch says the ‘ent-caterpillar of the Forest selects a sheltered spot for its cocoon, such as the corner or angle formed by the meet- ing of two or three sides. In this the cocoon is suspended. Our larva selects one or more leaves on any tree that is convenient. The edges of the leaves are drawn together, forming a shelter in which there is generally one cocoon; though when the space is large, and they are very numerous, there are often two or three cocoons together. The cocoon is not suspended, but fastened to the leaf. They spin their cocoons in the forepart of July, and the moths appear in the latter part of the month. The Tent-cater- pillar of the Forest. spins its cocoon about the 20th of June, and the moth appears in the fore- part of July. Now I think enough has been given to show that two distinct insects are under consideration, but, being only a farmer, I may be mistaken. IL would like to see Dr. Fitch’s yiews on this ques- tion. Undoubtedly he has read Dr. Walsh’s ar- ticle on ‘“‘ The Three so-called Army-worms,” in the Practical Entomologist, and can tell whether our caterpillar is a distinct insect, or only shows the variations that may be expected in the Tent- caterpillar of the Forest. Now since Dr. Fitch has not, to our knowl- edge, complied with Mr. Ferris’s courteous wish, we shall have to do so ourselves. We have taken upwards of 200 specimens from the same batch of Oak-feeding worms, and upon critically ex- amining them, find that Dr. Fitch’s description is accurate, and that the differences or variations mentioned by My. Ferris arise in every case, either from a misapprehension of Dr. Fitch’s meaning, or from variations which may be found in the same brood. The only real difference between the two writers lies in the statement of Dr. Witch that the worms live under a large cob- web-like nest, and that of Mr. Ferris that they do no such thing. Both statements should have been qualified, and were made without sufficient observation; for though the normal habit of the worms is to collect outside of their nests, we have seen exceptional instances of their collect- ing within or underneath it, especially when young. Now it is just barely possible that, in Western New York there may be a race of these worms that has taken to feeding on Apple and has lost all appetite or become incapacitated for feeding on forest trees; in other words, that there is a phytophagic variety, or a phytophagic species in process of formation. We could mention several similar occurrences among insects,* and to those who believe in the immutability of species these occurrences are incomprehensible enough; but to those who accept the more modern Darwinian views, and believe that species are slowly being formed to-day, just as they have been for long ages and ages in the past, they are most signifi- cant, and exactly what we should expect. But that such arace has yet been formed is rendered highly improbable from the following facts: 1st. It is spoken of both by Dr. Fitch and Dr. Harris as occurring on Oak, and by the latter as also occurring on Walnut, Apple and Cherry in the New England States. George E. Brackett, of Belfast, Me.,+ in referring to its ravages in the orchard, states that it also ravaged the forests in the summer of 1867, eating the leaves of most kinds of deciduous trees, though Poplar and Ash seemed to be their favorites. 2nd. We have, in this section, successfully transferred them from Oak to Apple, and from Apple to Oak, and now have a suite of moths bred from Jarvee which were fed half the time on the one and half the time on the other. Given an equal quantity of Oak, Apple, Plum, Peach, Cherry, Walnut, Hick- ory, Rose, they have invariably seemed to prefer and thrive best on the Apple. IS If bYER VERY DESTRUCTIVE? This question is raised by Dr. Fitch, who, on insufficient grounds, discredited the previous assertion of Abbot, that it ‘is sometimes so * For an account of such insects as are known to have phy- tophagi¢ varieties or phytophagic species we must refer the reader to Mr. Walsh’s papers on the subject in the Pxoceed- — ings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia for 1864 and 1865 But, as the most familiar and striking examples we will mention, first—the polyphagous black-pencilled larya of Halesidota tasseliata, Sm and Abb., found teeding on Oak, Hickory, Elm, Plum and other trees, and the mono- phagous orange-pencilled larva of H. Harvisti, Walsh, found exclusively on Syeamore; the moths from the two bein, absolutely undistinguishable. Second—the yellow-necke larva of Datana ministra, Drury, found on Apple and other trees, and the black-necked larva of the same moth found on Black Walnut and Hickory, ‘Third—the large Butternut and Walnut-feeding form of the common Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar, Herbst.) + Amer, Jour. of Hort., Sept., 1867. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 265 plentiful in Virginia as to strip the Oak-trees bare.” The destruction it caused in some of the Eastern States in 1866 and 1867 is sufficient to decide this question; but there is every reason to believe that in the South and West its injuries are of still vaster extent. We published last month (p. 245) an account of its injuries at Des Are, Arkansas, and for the past two years it has been quite destructive both to forest and orchard trees, in many parts of Missouri. In the Oak timber these worms prefer trees of the Black Oak group, and will seldom touch the White Oak in bodies, though when scattered among the other kinds, they attack it also. ARTIFICIAL REMEDIES. From the time they are born till after the third moult these worms will drop and suspend them- selves mid-air, if the branch upon which they are feeding be suddenly jarred. Therefore when they have been allowed to multiply in an orchard this habit will suge¢est various modes of destroy- ing them. Again, as already stated, they can often be slaughtered en masse when collected on the trunks during the last moulting period. They will more generally be found on the leeward side of the tree if the wind has been blowing in the same direction for a few days. The cocoons may also be searched for, and many of the moths caught by attracting them towards the light. But preéminently the most effective artificial mode of preventing this insect’s injuries is to search for and destroy the egg-masses in the winter time when the trees are leafless. Not only is this course the more efficient because it is more easily pursued, and nips the evil in the bud, but for the reason that, in destroying the eggs only, we in a great measure evade killing, and consequenlly codperate with, the natural parasites presently to be mentioned, which infest the worms themselves. A pair of pruning shears attached to the end of a pole, and operated by a cord, will be found very useful in clipping off the eggs; or, as recom- mended by Mr. Ferris, a more simple instru- ment may be made by fastening a piece of an old scythe toa pole. If the scythe is kept sharp, the twigs may very handily be clipped with this instrument. Tarred bandages, or any of the many remedies used to prevent the female Cau- ker-worm from ascending trees, can only be useful with the Forest Tent-caterpillar when it is intended to temporarily protect an uninfested tree from the straggling worms which may travel from surrounding trees. NATURAL REMEDIES. It is always wise to codperate, whenever we can, with our little friends among the Bugs, and it is consequently very necessary to be acquaint- ed with them. It happens, fortunately, that we have several which aid us in keeping the Tent-caterpillar of the Forest in check, and in the natural forest we must trust entirely to these auxiliaries, as the mechanical means that can profitably be employed in a moderate sized orchard are impracticable in broad extents of {imber. Indeed, these cannibals and parasites do their work so effectually that this caterpillar is seldom exceedingly numerous for more than two successive years in one locality. It pre- vails suddenly in great numbers, and again is scarcely noticed for years, very much as is the case with the true Army-worm. Thus, after attracting such general attention in 1867 in many parts of the East, it has scarcely been noticed since. This is its history everywhere, and we may reasonably hope that in those parts of the West where it has been cutting such a figure the present summer, it will suddenly be so subdued as not to be noticed for some years to come. Its undue increase but combines the assaults of its enemies, until they multiply so as to gain the ascendency. Then, from insufli- ciency of food these enemies suddenly decrease in numbers, and their natural prey has a chance to increase again. And so it goes on in the “Struggle for Life,” and in the great compli- cated net-work in which every animal organism is involved: a check here and a check there, and no one of all the myriad forms allowed to keep the ascendency beyond a limited time. The most efficient cannibal insects in checking the increase of this Forest Caterpillar, are the larger Ground-beetles belonging to the genus [Fig. 168.] Colors—Metallie green, purple and copper. Colosoma. These beetles will pounce upon the worms with astonishing greed, and are especially prone to attack them when helplessly collected together during the moulting periods. The Rummaging Ground Beetle (Colosoma scruta- tor, Fabr.), which every one will recognize from 266 THE AMERICAN the figure (168), is especially fond of them. The most common parasite which occurs abundantly in the West, as well as in the East, and which we have bred from several other caterpillars, is a maggot producing a Tavhina-fly, which differs only from the Red-tailed Tachina-fly (Hxorista leucanie, Kirk.), which infests the Army-worm, in lacking the red tail.* The other parasite which infests it in the Hast, but which we have not yet met with, is a species of Pimpla very closely allied to P. melanocephala, Brullé, but differing from that species in the head being red and not black.} SUMMARY. The Tent-caterpillar of the Forest differs from the common Orchard Yent-caterpillar princi- pally in its egg-mass being docked off squarely instead of being rounded at each end; in its larva having a row of spots along the back instead of a continuous narrow line, and in its moth having the color between the oblique lines on the front wings as dark or else darker, in- stead of lighter than the rest of the wing. It feeds on a variety of both forest and orchard trees; makes a web which from its being usu- ally fastened close to the tree is often over- looked; is often very destructive, and is most easily fought in the ege state. *Exorista leucania, Kirkpatvick=L. militaris, Walsh. We have bred the varie y lacking the red at tip of abdomen from larvee of Altacus cecropia, Linn., Datana ministra, Drury, v Agrotis inermis, Riley, and of two undetermined Agrotidians. tPractical Entomologist, If, p 114. <9 — A PLAGUE OF BuETLES.—A very serious plague of small brown beetles has occurred in Yorkshire, and during the last few days the Swede-turnip crop has been destroyed. ‘[his is especially so in the Wold district, many farms having no plants remaining. At Malton, on Saturday, the farmers obtained new stocks of seed, and re-sowing would commence cn Monday. ‘The beetles in myriads have also attacked the tare and pea crops. ‘The long drought is supposed to have favored this destructive visitation of insect life. [We find the above in a late number of Scien- tific Opinion; but why talk about such an un- usual visitation without even hinting at the species ?—EDp. ] ——* +2@> o—___ A correspondent of the Wew England Farmer says that last year he saved his onions from the maggot by removing the earth from the bulbs with his fingers, being careful not to disturb the roots while weeding them. A pound of copperas dissolved in a pailful of soft soap, and, when thinned with water, applied to the onions, is good to keep off the maggot, and to promote the growth of the onions. HOW 10 COLLECT AND STUDY INSECTS—No., 4. LY F. G. SANBORN, BOSTON, MASS. [Fig. 169.] EXPLANATION OF CuT.—(a) Larva; (b) winged male; (ce) worker, (d) soldier; (e) large female; (f) nymphe. There may be something under this old slab, which lies so flat on the surface of the ground; turn it over carefully. Sure enough, besides the earthworms of all sizes and ages that retreat hastily from the garish light of day into their smooth, cylindrical burrows, and the active spider that scampers off in the grass, here are some little whitish insects—a whole colony of a hundred or more—many upon the under surface ¥ of the slab, which seems to be channeled and grooved shallowly, exposing the cleaner color of the wood; and many more moving briskly about in corresponding channels on the ground, occa- sionally disappearing down the holes. These are the ‘‘ White Ants,” as they are im- properly termed, Zermes flavipes of Wollar. Those stupid and clumsy ones, with immense heads and long black jaws, are called soldiers; touch this one with a spear of grass and see how he rushes to seize it, snapping his jaws and ex- hibiting every sign of anger and ferocity. There is always a regiment of these soldiers or fighting men attached to every respectable colony of Termites, and their mission is solely to defend their weaker vessels, the workers, against ma- rauders of all kinds. These round-headed ones are the workers, and those tiny, white, helpless fellows are the young. Notice, if you please, how indefatigably the workers are seizing the little ones, one by one, in their mandibles, and carrying them carefully below to some place of security. They pinch up their tender skins on the back, with just sufficient force to get a good hold without harming the tender little creatures, and lifting them up, as a cat carries its kittens, conyey them safely away. What are these long, ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 267 _ black insects that seem to have something to do _ with the colony, but are furnished with long, white shining wings? These are the males, _ they are hurrying down out of sight as quickly as possible; you will never see one of them troubling himself about the care of the young. Nor will you ever see the soldiers doing this good work either; they, cowardly creatures, { have retreated into the burrows, and only occa- sionally the head of one appears at an opening, R nearly filling it, and obstructing the way of this - nmurse-worker, who is obliged to kick and punch the military blockhead repeatedly before he will _ suffer her to pass with her load. PY nae _ Make haste to secure the specimens you want of the males, put them in a small, dry vial and give them a drop of chloroform. Ifyou pin them - now, they won’t have a wing left on their shoul- ders when you get home, so loosely are these appendages attached. Put a few soldiers in alcohol in a small vial, and you will have ample , time to secure some of the brave little workers, - who are so earnest in their duties that they have remoyed almost all the young to the vaults be- low. There are only a few left, at the extreme points of the gallery, and here are two or three _ rayening enemies, in the shape of true ants, seizing and carrying off to their own homes for food the tender young Termites. Where are the soldiers now? Like policemen, not to be found when wanted, they are safely ensconced within the chambers of the dwelling. But we will do them the justice to say that, had not the terrible earthquake (from their point of view) unroofed the edifice and bewildered their faculties, they would have boldly combated the piratical ants, and sacrificed unhesitatingly their own limbs ~ and lives to save the helpless offspring of their queen. See this poor worker, with its feeble might endeavoring to rescue the little one from the powerful jaws of the marauder; regardless of danger and wounds, she opposes the two or three strong black kidnappers, but at last her soft body is gashed, and her tender limbs are torn off, by their powerful jaws—she has sacri- ficed her life in the vain attempt. And now the surface of the Termite’s home is deserted; most of the young have been saved; the soldiers are keeping guard in the subter- ranean galleries, and the workers are ministering to their little charges in the dark nurseries below. If we now dig a trench at the side of the space formerly covered by the slab, and slice off carefully, with a spade or large-bladed knife, the earth in thin sections, we shall get a fine view of the labyrinth of burrows, galleries and cham- bers of the Termite’s home. We shall perhaps discover, in a large commodious chamber deep down near the centre of the dwelling, a large, soft-bodied female, the true mother of the next generation. Her head, thorax and limbs are about the size of those of the workers, but her abdomen is expanded to a prodigious size, mak- ing it impossible for her to leave her cell, in which she is carefully tended and fed by the workers. They remove also the young as soon as they are born, and take the entire charge of nursing them up to maturity. Many naturalists believe the workers to be females which are unfit for becoming mothers ; the development of the ovaries being arrested, and the insect remaining in an immature con- dition, devotes itself to the care of its com- panions. Some also consider the soldier as a sort of undeveloped male; and more than one student of zodlogy regards the soldier and worker as pupal forms corresponding to the chrysalis condition of the butterfly. These questions re- main to be settled; and, as you will find in the pursuit of this class of studies, a vast field is open to every careful observer of Nature for in- vestigation and study. If you have been so successful as to find a female, deposit her carefully in a separate vial of alcohol, and, cutting out a cube of earth that contains the section of her cell, wrap it in your handkerchief, if you have not a box of the right size for it, and carry it in your hand; it is of sufficient value to be worth some labor and in- convenience in securing it for your cabinet. If you will preserve some of the workers and young alive in a small box with earth, or the fragments of their dwelling, you can place them under the compound microscope when you re- turn, study the interior of their bodies, and witness the contraction and expansion of the great dorsal vessel that serves insects for a heart. Their beautifully transparent skin enables us to investigate their internal anatomy while their vital functions are in full operation. You will find it most convenient to place the insect to be examined in a ‘ live-box,” as it is called, and if you have not got one, you can easily make a good substitute out of a strong pill-box and two round pieces of thin glass. Push the bottom of the box out, then fit both of the pieces of glass to the size of the énside of the cover; this you can easily do, if they are too large, by nipping off very small bits around the edge with a pair of common pliers. Now, cut a hole in the cover of the box, leaving enough of a rim to hold the glass cover pretty firmly; wipe both pieces of glass clean, and place the thicker, if there be any difference, in the cover. Put 268 THE AMERICAN your specimen of Vermes upon the middle of the glass, and lay the other piece of glass upon it; if the weight of the glass alone is sufficient to pre- vent its moving out of the field of view, you will not require the rest of the box; but if not, you will find, by gently pressing the box into the cover, that the friction is sufficient to hold the little insect without crushing it, or destroying life. A box for this purpose is generally made of brass; thinner glass is used in it than can easily be procured in most localities, and the cover slides or screws down upon the specimen. A skillful American boy can, without much dif- ficulty, construct one of permanent utility of brass, softer metal, or even of wood, and will find it of continual benefit to him if he owns, or has permission to use, 2 compound microscope. He will find it a more convenient instrument to use if he solders the smaller ring of the live-box to a slip of metal about the size of an ordinary slide as cut for the microscope—that is to say, about three inches long by one in width, and not so thin as to bend readily. He must, of course, cut or file a hole in the centre of this piece of metal of nearly the size of the ring which is at- tached to it, and both surfaces of the slip must be smooth and even. —e-e-e—______ vo THE RANSOM CURCULIO REMEDY, It is really Janghable and amusing to those persons who have no particular ‘“‘ axe to grind,” to calmly look on and watch the rankling dis- cussions which have been caused by the an- nouncement of Mr. Ransom’s method of fighting the Curculio. And itis likewise passing strange how ridiculously partial and unjust bias will render a man, and how often it acts as a stum- bling block to his clear and candid reason. Dr. Hull, upon his return from St. Joseph, published an account of his visit, and gave us his opinion of the value of the new process. The facts as he found them are almost precisely as we stated them to bein our last number, but when he gets on to opinions, the warp of the mind is clearly manifest, and he evidently deems the new method of but trivial import- ance, as may be seen from the following para- graph, which we quote from that article—the italics being our own: A query here presents itself, and one, too, of much practical importance. For example: Supposing no bugging by traps or otherwise had been done, up to the very morning of the day when Curculios commenced stinging the fruit, and on that morning a Curculio-catcher or other contrivance for thoroughly jarring the trees had been used, would not all the Curculios have been taken which had previously come into the orchard and been trapped, together with those which did not enter the traps? This query seems to us all the more important from the fact that at the time Curculios began to sting the peaches on those trees which had been most thoroughly bugged seemed to have Curculios enough on them to destroy all the fruit in a few day s. If all the Curculios on entering the orchard would go down under the cover pro- vided for them, then the new mode of catching them would be best, since the labor could be performed by women and children. But any method of catching which fails to tale all the insects, would not. lighten the labor of jarring the trees. We have long since determined that it makes no difference how many Curculios come together in the orchard for mating, or how long they are in doing so, provided the orchard is run in time to jar the trees twice before any of the fruit is stung. or aught we can now see, jarring trees may safely be delayed as long ahen trapping is not resorted to as where it is; and for this reason, we cannot understand how results of much practical importance can be realized by laying traps for Curculios. Of course, Doctor, you cannot understand how any good is to result from this new method. Don’t you see that the Curculio-catcher is in the way? But let us look at the other side of the question, for Mr. Ransom evidently views the matter in a different light, having but a few chips instead of a great machine, to intercept the clearness of his vision. We find in the columns of the same good old Prairie Farmer for June 11th, a long article from his pen, in which not one word can be found regarding the jarring process. On the contrary, the trap- remedy is held to be a ‘‘ perfect success,” and sufficient to save the fruit in the face of the many facts to the contrary that*were confirmed both in his own and his neighbors’ orchards before the article in question was written. There are a few statements in this article that will not bear criticism, but, with the exception of the apparent bias that pervades it, and a silly fling at the professional entomologist, Mr. Ran- som has narrated some important personal ex- perience, and we quote the last paragraph, which gives the gist of the whole: We have to gather some facts for future pub- lication. Ihave devoted much time for a month in watching and discovering their habits, and have many facts, as well as theories, which I cannot put into this already much too long com- munication. One thing is certain—it has been asuccess. I feel confident they can be destroyed easily, and our fruit saved. The method of preparing around the trees, or which late in the season is as good, or better, of putting cloth, leather or anything for then to crawl into and hide in the forks of the trees, will be prepared and published in season for next year. I have many facts of importance. . ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 269 It may be laid down as a rule, which will generally hold good, that editors are the most pugnacious of men—with their pens. A woman in her silken robes is vain; an Indian in his war-paint is vain; a turkey gobbler in his feath- ers is vain; but of all vain things on this earth _of ours an editor is, perhaps, the vainest! There is scarcely one of them—from the scribbler for the penny novel to D’Israeli or Victor Hugo—who does not think his productions unequalled and unsurpassed; and he who would take excep- tion to any of them must needs give mortal offense. It is not surprising, therefore, that the respective editors of the St. Joseph Herald and of the Benton Harbor Palladium, have had a pitched battle at pen’s point on this Curculio remedy. Nor is it surprising that their mode of reasoning is far more vicious than that of the champions of the two different methods. It appears that Dr. Winans, whom we know to be a perfect gentleman and an excellent obser- ver, recommended the Ransom process in the columns of the Palladium, and that the editor of that paper actually had the audacity to assert that “it was practiced many years ago in the central part of New York; but like many other discoveries seems to have been neglected and forgotten”! Whereupon the Herald cries, “shame ” —*‘ preposterous ’’—‘‘ this discovery ought not to be belittled by any one in the St. Joseph Fruit Belt.” Of course the Palladium mildly replies to these cutting attacks, and the Herald finishes the discussion by reiterating in two different editorials that Mr. W. B. Ransom is the discoverer of the new method of Curcu- lio Exrermination [!!]. That paper likewise (very justly) takes considerable credit to itself, and implicates us in the following manner: The Herald claims honor for what it did do. It claims that without its Hxtra, the Palladium would have attempted to steal the honor for some other one; that the jealous entomologists of Illinois and Missouri would have attributed the discovery to one of themselves, and for the proof thereof appeals to the intemperate article of the Palladium. Now, we are perfectly willing that the par- ties should, like the martyrs mentioned in Don Quixote, each heroically frizzle on his own coals; but we do implore you, gentlemen, to “stop this pother,” and, like men, admit the facts. The editor of the Herald does himself no great honor in the blind manner in which he vents his wrath on his bitter rival; but in making the astounding assertion that ‘‘the jealous Ento- mologists of Illinois and Missouri Would have attributed the discovery to one of themselves,” he makes himself supremely ridiculous, and simply pollutes his pen with the vilest slander. No doubt Dr. LeBaron is as capable as our- selves of proving that he had no grounds what- ever for any such assertion. With regard to the benefits accruing from this discovery, we must repeat what was said in our last number, namely, that it would be unwise in the extreme to rely on this method alone, and to abandon the jarring process. Since the method was first noised abroad it has been tried contin- uously by ourselves, by the horticultural editor and the Illinois correspondent of the Country Gentleman, by Dr. Trimble of New Jersey, by Dr. Hull, and by many other persons in different parts of the country, as well as at St. Joseph, and in every instance with the meagre and unsatis- factory results we predicted. Per contra, it would be equally unwise to follow the reasoning of Dr. Hull and abandon the Ransom method, for, from our own experience, we venture the assertion that it will prove the better remedy of the two fur the million; first, on account of its cheapness and simplicity, and, second, be- cause an energetic aud united effort for a few days early in the season, will do much—very much—to lighten the subsequent summer’s jar- ring in any given district. As to who is entitled to the credit of the dis- covery, we reiterate our former opinion. As then stated, we have often captured Plum Cur- culios early in the season under chips, bark, and other sheltered situations, and so have other persons; but these facts do not in the least de- tract from the honor due Mr. Ransom, but, on the contrary, they reflect discredit on us for not being wise enough to make a practical applica- tion of them. With the case of Mrs. Wier, however, it is quite different. She not only captured a large number, but suggested the method to others through the columns of an influential journal; and although her sugges- tions have never since been worked upon, she nevertheless made the first discovery and ap- plied it. It may be truly said that he who, by persistent appeal and untiring effort, suc- ceeds in applying and introducing to public notice a new and valuable invention, de- serves more credit than the inventor himself; and we repeat that all credit is due Mr. Ran- som. All honor to him or to any man who will give to the fruit-grower any practical and hith- erto unemployed method of destroying those insect pests which render fruit-growing so pre- carious. We presume he would not—suppos- ing he could—claim any particular recompense for the valuable facts he has made public; but he can rest assured that an appreciative public 270 THE AMERICAN will ever be grateful, and for our part we shall hereafter always speak of this remedy as the “¢Ransom Process.” Let it not for a moment be supposed that, as the Herald intimates, we envy any one who makes a discovery in economic entomolgy. No one but the veriest charlatan would ever enter- tain any such feeling. It is our province to disseminate the knowledge gained by others, and we take as much pleasure in doing so as in imparting what little we may have of our own. Onur columns are free to all! To the practical culturist especially we say: learn to think and observe for yourself, and do not think these small ‘‘bugs” beneath your study and attention. The professional entomologist is constantly busy in studying the habits of the thousands of different insects that affect the general farmer and gardener, and he cannot devote all his time to experimenting with the few that more particularly affect one set of men without doing injustice to some other set. The unprofessional man, on the contrary, very often has to deal with but two or three species, and as he is battling with these constantly he is, of all others, best situated for studying and experimenting with them; especially if he has acquired some knowledge of entomology. A thousand pair of observing eyes, scattered over a wide extent of country, will accomplish far more than a single pair possibly can in any one locality; and to imbue the producer with a due sense of the great practical importance of such observations—to show how these studies will render his business more pleasant, as well as more profitable—in short, to incite the cultiva- tor to observe and study these tiny and gener- ally despised creatures, and to show him how best to do so, is, in great part, the mission of this journal. ' More Upon the Same Subject. Since the above article was written we have spent a few days among the well-cultivated, neat and thrifty orchards of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, Mich., and among the plum orchards around London, Outario. We were highly delighted with the thorough and intelli- gent manner in which fruit-culture is there carried on, and were glad to observe that due reward is attending theirefforts. Last vear they shipped by boat from St. Joseph, over 708,000 baskets of peaches, besides nearly 40,000 bushels of the smaller fruits; and the present year the latter have been abundant, and there is a very fair crop of the former, with the exception of the late Crawford, which has overborne for the three preceding years. — Our visit was made partly to examine more ~ closely into Mr. Ransom’s Curculio remedy, so as to give our readers the benefit of full and impartial instruction. We found that so few Curculios had been caught under the chips after the first weck in June, that nearly everybody, — except Mr. Ransom, had for some time aban- doned the method, and were jarring their trees. In fact, it has turned out very much as we pre- dicted it would. Consequently most of the extensive growers are using a Curculio-catcher, and Mr. L. M. Ward has made some improve- ments on Dr. Hull’s machine, which, in our estimation, render it so much more useful and valuable, that we shall give a description of it as soon as the proper figures can be engraved. Mr. Ransom himself, by dint of unusual per- severance and great care in setting his traps, has had much better success than we had ex- pected he would. On the 15th June he caught 78; on the 16th, 97, and on the 17th, 71. For about a week after this, he scarcely caught any, but from the 24th to the 27th inclusive, he — caught about 300. On the 6th of July we ac- companied him around the outside rows of his orchard and caught five under the traps. We had no opportunity to use the sheet, but are satisfied that more could be jarred down. Mr. Rh. has a very fair crop of peaches, and—for- getting that crops have often been grown before with very little care, and that others around — him who have not bugged so persistently have fruit also this year—is very sanguine of his new method, and too much inclined, perhaps, to attribute his crop solely to this remedy. Nevertheless, contrary to the impression made by his published views, he was candid enough to admit that it might be found necessary to resort to the jarring process, after a certain sea- son of the year; and indeed the number of stung — peaches on the ground showed too plainly that there is no hopes of EXTERMINATION by the chip plan alone. The soil around St. Joseph is, for the most part, a light sandy loam, never pack- ing, and very easily kept in good cultivation. To this character of the soil must be attributed much of the success with the Ransom method; for we are satisfied, after full experiment, that in the warmer climate and heavier soil of St. Louis, it is of no practical use after the middle of May, or at the farthest, after the first of June. The few specimens that we have cap- tured*by this method at St. Louis, have been found under small pieces of new shingle; and Mr. W. T. Durry, who has 2300 trees in his orchard at St. Joe., also found this the best kind of trap. Mr. Ransom, however, prefers \ ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. : 2771 small pieces of oak-bark, which he places close around the tree with the inner or concave side appressed to the ground. Stones do not answer well, and corn-cobs are objectionable because it requires so much time to discover and destroy the Curculios, which hide in their deep cavities. Mr. D. N. Brown has apparently suffered more this year from the Curculio than any one else. He made the great mistake of supposing that there were none in his orchard early in the season; and ere he commenced to battle with them they had become a mighty host. After killing the beetles, he throws into barrels all the fruit which falls or is jarred off. In escap- ing from the fruit the worms naturally collect at the bottoms of the barrels, where they are killed by pouring water on them. The many barrels of shrivelled, shrunken and rotting fruit, spoke plainly of Mr. B.’s untiring efforts, and of the immense work he had on hand. We doubt if he will ripen a single plum. Passing into Ontario, we found the plum- trees overloaded with fine, unblemished fruit, and the contrast was great indeed. We found our friend, Mr. Wm. Saunders, of London, also much occupied with, and interested in, the Curculio question. He was, in fact, carefully counting different lots of this insect which had been re- ceived from different parts of the Dominion; for be it known, that the enterprising Fruit- Growers’ Association of Ontario, in its praise- worthy efforts to check the increase of the Cur- culio, offered a@ cent per head for every one which should be sent to our friend, who hap- pens to be secretary of that body. What would the people of the Western States think, if their different Legislatures, or their State Horticul- tural Societies should offer an equally liberal premium per capita for every little Turk cap- tured? Wouldn’t they set about capturing them in earnest, though! The Legislature might stand it, and we are not sure but that some such inducement, held out by the State to its fruit- growing citizens, would pay, and prove the most effective way of subduing the enemy. But the Horticultural Society that should undertake it, would have to be pretty liberally endowed. Just think of it; ye who catch from three to five thousand per day! The bugs would pay a good deal better than the peaches. However, very fortunately for the Ontario Fruit-Growers’ As- sociation, their good offer did not get noised abroad as much as it might have been, and the little Turk occurs in such comparatively small numbers, that up to the time we left only 10,751 had been received. ‘ We have much else to say, and some import- ant facts to communicate about this destructive insect, but must defer till our experiments are completed at the end of the season. Besides the parasite which we bred through the kindness of Dr. Trimble, we have discovered another which has this year destroyed nearly two-thirds of the Curculio larvee around St. Louis. at! \ f ; ~ —_—_—__e~+> oo —_____- A NEW HWESPERIAN,. y An undescribed species was found ‘by the writer, abundantly, on a grassy prairie slope, at Grinnell, Iowa, June 21, 1870. Thirty-one 3, two 2 were taken, all fresh. I have named it from the county, which was named from a friendly chief of territorial times. It is of the size of Hobomok, without spots, and is dark brown, with ochre-yellow on front border and nerves of fore wings; the underside of the hind wings is thickly powdered with pale yellow or ashy-white, With conspicuous white veins. The writer would exchange for butterflies not refer- red to in his list in the Amertcan ENTOMOLO- GIST, April, 41870, The following is a more particular description of this new species: Hsrerta POWESHEIK—N. SP.—o and Q. Ex- pands 1.16—1.26. Primaries trigonal, the edges nearly straight, angles but slightly rounded, and the length of the costal border to the internal as 68 to 40. Seconda- ries more rounded. Ground-color of both wings, above and beneath, silky dark brown, with a purplish gloss. Primaries are ochre between the costal edge and subcos- tal nerve, the color narrowing and shading off near the apex, where it appears mostly, if at all, on the nervules, as it does also brokenly and in_varying amount on the basal half or more of the other nerves, nervules and internal border. Sometimes the yellow scales encroach on the interspaces. Secondaries with long yellowish hairs, tinged green or brown in different lights, on the basal and central area. Fringe on both wings, aboye, is black in most ¢ specimens, with an intermixture of yellowish-white and ashy scales on the primaries, ex- cept near the angles; in a few individuals this inter- mixture, with pale roots and tips, occurs on both wings, more distinctly so in one of the two 2 Q collected, the fringe becoming almost wholly gray in the other. The underside of the primaries has the costal color somewhat narrower and paler, and the color is still paler as it is carried around the apex, Whence it ex- tends, most often narrowly, two-thirds the length of the external edge, shading into the ground color to- wards the disk; and there is a similar but lighter color on the branches of the subcostal and median nerves, sometimes almost gray. The underside of the seconda- ries is occupied by ochrey hairs and seales between the costal edge and costal nerve, and has a thick sprinkling of either pale yellow or hoary white (variable) in all the interspaces except a segment between the internal nerve and the second nervure therefrom, widening of course from the base to the exterior edge, where it occupies one-third of the marginal length; this space is wholly dark brown. All the other nervures are conspicuous with hoary white, and the internal border likewise. At a little distance, the surface generally seems to be nearly white. = The body, of the same length as the secondaries, is of the ground color above, with profuse yellow hairs on the sides of the thorax and top of the head, and is white and hairy beneath. ‘The hairy palpi, the antenne and the legs simply correspond in all particulars with the coloring of the body, above, laterally and beneath, with tho exception that the legs have not a dark shade of brown, and the short antennx, which are clubbed 272 THE AMERICAN only, show mostly the yellow, and are not annulated. On the posterior legs are two pairs of short spurs, the lower equal, the upper differing in length by one- -fourth. White encircles the eyes, obseur ely so above. The 1. differs from the male in a larger proportion of light color in the fringe, above and beneath. In both, on. the inferior surface, “the basal half of the fringe is ashy white, then nearly black, and barely tipped with yellowish white. The 2 antenne show annulations. This Hesperian agrees in some striking points with HH. alternata, Gr. and Rob. (Georgia) Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., Vol. I, page 3, but has marked differences. H. W. Parker. GRINNELL, Towa, June 23-4870, erchs Pi 2-3 " INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE.—No. 10. MM The Common Yellow Bear" (Spilosoma virginica, Fabr.) Colors—(a) Yellow or brown; (b) shiny brown; (c) white, black and or ange. This is one of our most common North Ameri- can insects. The moth (Fig. 170, ¢) which is very generally dubbed ‘‘the Miller,” frequently flies into our rooms at night; and there are quite a number of our Western farmers who, somehow or other, have got the idea that this ‘‘ Miller” is the insect that infests their bee-hives—that it is, in short, the Bee-moth. Of course no such ridi- culous idea could for a moment prevail among the readers of the ENromoLoeistT; but, unfor- tunately, there are yet many good souls in the country who think they know all about Bugs, and who would scout the idea of taking a journal devoted primarily to the history and habits of these little beings. Though the moth is so common, how few > persons ever think of it as the parent of that most troublesome of caterpillars, which Harris has so aptly termed the Yellow Bear (Fig. 170,a). These caterpillars are quite frequently found on the Grape-vine, and when about one-fourth grown bear a considerable resemblance to the mature larva of the Grape-vine Plume figured in our last number. They seldom appear, however, till that species has disappeared, and may always be P distinguished from it by their semi-eregarious habit at this time of their life, and by living exposed on the leaf (generally the under side) instead of forming a retreat within which to hide themselves, as does the Plume. The Yellow Bear is found of all sizes from June to October; and though quite fond of the Vine, is by no means confined to that plant. It is, in fact, a very general feeder, being found on a great varicty of herbaceous plants, both wild and cultivated, as butternut, lilac, beans, peas, convolvulus, corn, currant, gooseberry, cotton, sunflower, plantain, smart-weed, vyerbenas, geraniums, and almost any plant with soft, tender leaves. These caterpillars are indeed so indifferent as to their diet, that we have actually known one to subsist entirely, from the time it cast its last skin till it spun up, on dead bodies of the Camel Cricket (Mantis carolina).V When young they are invariably.bluish-white, but when full-grown they may be found either of a pale cream-color, yellow, light brown, or very dark brown, the different colors often appearing in the same brood of wornmis, as we have proved by experiment. Yellow is the most common color, and in all the varieties the venter is dark, and there is a characteristic longitudinal black line, more or less interrupted, along each side of the body, and a transverse line of the same color (sometimes faint) between each of the joints: the head and feet are ochre-yellow, and the hairs spring from dark yellow warts, of which there are 10 on each joint, those on joimt 1 being scarcely distinguishable, and those on joimt 12 coalescing. There are two broods of these worms each year, the broods intermixing, and the last passing the winter in the chrysalis state. The chrysalis (Fig. 170, 6) is formed in a trivial cocoon, constructed almost entirely of the cater- pillar’s hairs, which, though held in position by afew very fine silken threads, are fastened to- gether mainly by the interlocking of their minute barbs, and the manner in ovine the caterpillar interweayes them. The moth makes its appearance as early as the first of May in the latitude of St. Louis, but may often be found much earlier in stove- warmed rooms. It is easily recognized by its pure white color, by its abdomen being orange above, with three rows of black spots, and by the black dots on its wings. These dots vary in number, there being usually two on each of the front and three on each of the hind wings, though sometimes they are all more or Jess obsolete, except that on the disk of the front wings. It is fortunate for us that this caterpillar is attacked by a large number of insect parasites; ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 273 for, were this not the case, it would soon multiply to such a degree as to be beyond our control. We know of no less than five distinct parasites which attack it—some living singly in the body of the caterpillar, and issuing from the chrysalis without spinning any cocoon of their own; others living singly in the body, but forming a cocoon of their own inside the chrysalis of their victim, and still others infesting the caterpillar in great numbers, and completely filling the chrysalis with their pups.* The best time to destroy these worms is soon after they hatch from their little round yellow eges, which are deposited in clusters; for, as already intimated, they then feed together. With the exception of the Grape-berry Moth (Penthina vitivorana, Pack.t), of which we gave an account, which it is needless to repeat, on pp. 177-179 of our first volume, we have now described all the insects belonging to the Scaly- winged flies (Lepidoptera) that can be considered injurious to the Vine. There are several other species of Lepidoptera which may occasionally be met with in the vineyard, but they are either very general feeders, which only exceptionally stray on to the Vine, or of such rare occurrence that they cannot possibly be included in the list of Grape-vine depredators. In our next we shall commence on the different Beetles (Coleoptera) that belong to this list of bad Grape Bugs. *¥or the benefit of the scientific reader we enumerate the five parasites which we have ascertained to infest this cater- pillar: 1. Anomalon jflavicorne (Brulle, Hym. IV, p. 171). 2. Ichneumon subcyaneus, Cress. (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., II, p. 148), and Ich. pullatus, Cress. (Pro. E. S. P., IU, p. 146), deseribed as distinct species, but pullatus is evidently the male and subcyaneus the female of the same species, as we have bred from Spilosoma virginica three males all answer- ing to the description of the former, and two females both answering to the description of the latter. 3. Ichnewmon signatipes, Cress. (Trans. Amer, Ent. Soc., I, p. 308). 4 Ophion bilineatus, Say. (Ent. of N. A., I, P 379). 5 Asmall undetermined, and probably undescribed, Dipteron belong- ing to the Muscap-®. +Mr. P C. Zeller, of Stettin, Prussia, after examining specimens of our N. A. species bred from grapes, informs us that this moth is nothing more than the European Lobesia botrana, which has long been known to injure grapes in Southern Europe. Our Grape-berry Moth is therefore an imported species, and, in accordance with the law of riority, must henceforth be scientifically known by the Fnropesn name. ‘Thus we have still another of our most in- jurious species to add to the list of Imported Insects, and there is so great a similarity between our insect fauna and that of Southern Europe, that a knowledge of their species is often of great advantage in determining our own, ———_e-—> o—___—_—__ In a lecture on ‘Insect Pests,” delivered by Mr. Treat, before the Vineland Agricultural and Horticultural Society, the lecturer advised his hearers to carry all the toads they can find into the garden, as they devour immense quantities of insects. A toad will swallow the largest specimen of a tomato worm, although sometimes he evidently has a hard time of it. ———_e+ o—__—_—_ Erratum.—Page 244, col. 2, line 24, for “(C. thyoides)” read ‘‘(C. disticha, Linn.)” ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. ( We propose to publish from time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents ns contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practi- cal importance. Wehope our readers will contribute each their several mites towards the general fund; and in case they are not ply certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities of which are to be mentioned, will send specimens along im order that each species may be duly identified.) Cyrress-GALL—TuHEe WronG Tree.—Savan- nah, Tenn., June 24, 1870.—The Cypress-gall which I sent you, and which you figured and described on page 244 of this volume, was taken from the Taxodium distichum of Richard (Cup- ressus disticha, Linn.) instead of the Cupressus thyoides of Linnzeus, as stated in the description. The latter, growing in the lower Southern States, is a small tree known to us by the com- mon name of White Cedar, while the former is our Cypress of the swamps—the only tree we refer to as Cypress when not talking science. I take all the blame to myself, for the mistake dvubtless grew out of my neglect to mention upou what kind of cypress the gall occurred. tis Legs 1S): Ficgutine Curcutro—Centralia, Ilis., May 18, 1870.—We have made a grand war on the Cur- culio, and I think have saved our peach crop. The Little Turk has been caught here by thou- sands this season, and we never had so fine a prospect. M. M. Hooron. Ravisu Maccors—Newark, NV. J. June 8,70. —I send you some pup of Radish Maggots. These maggots spoil the greater part of my first crop of radishes, operating a little below the surface of the ground. At first there is a streak, slightly discolored, near the centre of the radish about an inch under ground, and soon there will be a depression opposite that part. In a little time this part of the radish will be com- pressed in size, and within, it will be perforated through and through, just as the apple is with the Apple Maggot (Zrypeta pomonella, Walsh.) Radishes planted later do not suffer. We now have the second planting, and it is almost free. I gathered the whole crop that was infected, putting them in boxes of earth, and then cover- ed them about two inches with more earth,:and I have hundreds in the pupa state—some to send to you, more for myself, and still more for some pet chickens that follow me closely in all my garden operations. Occasionally I have to shoot some roving tom cats, that think young chickens their game. Such dead cats I allow to lie in the walks, as a warning to other cats, till they become too offensive to be longer above ground. They are then buried about a foot deep. In eight days more, if the weather is hot, the little chickens scratch over those graves from morning till night. Sometimes I help them 274 THE AMERICAN With a hoe, and how we do find maggots, and how the chickens do grow as long as the mag- gots last! What think you about the morality of the transaction? The maggots eat the cats, the chickens eat the maggots, and we eat the chickens—so it goes. I feel no compunctions till it comes to killing the chickens. I. P. TRIMBLE. [These Radish Maggots we have long since been acquainted with. They are the larvee of the Radish-maggot Fly (Anthomyia raphani, Harr.), a little ash-colored, two-winged fly, with a sil- very gray face and copper-colored eyes. The best way of destroying them is by means of hot water.—Eb.] Cuip-TRAP CurcuULIO Catcuine—Wewark, NV. J.—You are right in stating that the St. Joseph method of catching Curculios can only be useful during a few days early in the season. I have been testing this trap business in the fruit orchards of my friend Pierson, following all the directions given. I catch a few spiders, agood many Jules, but never a Curculio. I. P. TRmmsLe. Drrrus To wHicH Cicapas co—Savannah, Tenn., June 16, ’70.—I am now operating in the Indian mounds for the Smithsonian Institute, and in digging we frequently take up Cicada pupze trom the solid earth, from six to nine feet below the surface. J.P. STeLye. Kee or IMPORTED CURRANT-WORM NOT INSERT- ED In Lrar—ZLondon, Can.—I have looked into that matter I referred to before, regarding the eggs of MNematus ventricosus, and have fully satisfied myself that they are not imbedded in the leaf-stalk at all, but fastened very slightly to the surface. Wm. SAUNDERS. ASH-GRAY BLISTER BEETLE ON BEANS—Chica- go, Ills., June 24, ’70.—I raise in my garden two patches of a large bean, which is little known here. Itis eaten green, and known in Germany by the name of ‘“‘Grosze Bohnen.” [have had the greatest trouble to save them, and have picked off thousands of Lytta cinerea, Fabr., every morning. It is wonderful how they continue to come in a straight line, pouncing on the leaves and greedily devouring them. Ihave wondered how they manage to find out a strange plant so unerrinely. Cuas. Sonne. [Mr. Walsh, many years ago, had a similar experience in attempting to raise this bean, whichis popularly known as the English Broad Beau. He found it almost impossible to keep off those Ash-gray Blister-beetles. They must, we think, be guided by, an exquisitely keen sense of smell.—ED. ] THE THREE-LINED POTATO BEETLE—Amesbury, Mass., June 26, 1870.—Enclosed I send you specimens of insects that are injuring my Harly Rose potato vines to a considerable extent. The Round Reds have a few individuals of the slugs (as I call them), and considerable numbers of the beetle. My attention was first called to the Early Rose vines by seeing the leaves curled upward from the sides to the centre; others were rolled up on one side, and were dead and dry. While opening the leaves, my attention was called to the enclosed striped beetle, which I at first took for the Striped Cucumber Beetle, but, on catching one, its red body and dark brown stripe, in place of the black body and straw- colored stripe of the Cucumber Beetle, showed me the mistake. On looking further, I found scores of them, some feeding singly, others coupled, on the vines. I found small nests of eggs in double rows, which I take to be the eggs of the beetles. In hunting for the beetles I first discovered the slugs, which were covered with their own excrements, and were of different sizes, some quite small and others full grown. I have never met with this insect before, and have asked one or two other persons about them, but no one seems to know them. Please inform me what they are. Jason E. CowveEn. [The insect is the Three-lined Leaf-beetle (Fig. 171. (Lema trilineata, Olivier), a por- ~ j trait of which we herewith repro- duce (Fig. 171). A full account of it, with illustrations, may be found on page 26 of our first volume. A second brood of the larve, or slugs, will appear in August. So, be prepared for them.—Hp.] ek Saal AEE Trout WerB-worm—Mumford, N. Y. June 10, ’70.—After I wrote to you last about Seth Green’s “‘spinning worm,” I endeavored to ob- tain some more specimens; but a slight rise of water in the stream seemed to have the effect of sweeping them all away. Now, however, anew batch is making its appearance. The worms are to be seen by thousands on the stones in swift running water. Iam endeavoring to hatch some of them out, and will soon send you (if I am successful) specimens of the worm, the case and the fly. I will pack some in glycerine, and also endeavor once more to send you some alive. A. S. CoLiins. [Our correspondent, Sarah J. McBride, of your town, has, by praiseworthy perseverance, succeeded in rearing the perfect fly from these Web-worms, and has been kind enough to send us specimens. It is, as we supposed it would - ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 275 be, a species of Simuliwm, and appears to be an undescribed species. As soon as we can find time to make the proper investigations, we shall publish a description of it.—Ep.] THE WALSH ENTOMOLOGICATL, CABINETD. We are very glad to learn that Dr. LeBaron has at last been successful in getting the State of Illinois to purchase the valuable collection of our late associate. We have not yet received any particulars of the purchase; but the cabinet has been temporarily deposited in the museum of the Chicago Academy of Science. There may it long remain! No better place could be found for it. Accessible as it is from all parts of the State; secure in a perfectly fire-proof building, and guarded by a curator who can appreciate it—we rest satisfied of its safety. Moreover, those excellent and experienced en- tomologists, Messrs. Charles Sonne and A. Bolter, will take pride in its proper preserva- tion, in memory of him who with his own hands prepared each specimen. o> Tue Curranr Worm!—Some of our more pretentious horticultural exchanges are still giving to their readers effectual remedies for TUE Currant-worm, and publishing accounts of how IT was kept from the red and white currants by interspersing them with bushes of the black variety. When will they learn that there are three distinct Currant-worms, and that what applies to one will not always apply to the others? We expect such looseness from corres} ondents, but editors ought to be able to give their readers more precise information. ——___—_e-~—> e—____—__- t=-In speaking of the time of year in which an insect first makes its appearance, in one stage or another, we have reference, unless otherwise stated, to the latitude of St. Louis. It may be laid down as arule which will almost invariably hold good, that the same insect will appear about a month earlier as far south as South Caro- lina, and a month Jater as far north as Vermont and New Hampshire. ——_e+we ££ (a Our notices of new books and pamplilets received, as well as many ‘‘ Answers to Corres- pondents,” are unavoidably crowded out of this number, for want of space. Such of the Jatter as are most urgent we shall send by mail. Articles that have been communicated will be published as soon as possible, unless returned. —___o—> —____—_- t= Those who do not understand why the present number covers the months of July and August, will bear in mind that the volume of twelve numbers is to end with the year. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Nor1or —Such of our correspondents as have already sent, or may here- after send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species sent are from other States than their own- Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwing light upon the geographical distribution of species But to make them of real value, it is requisite that we know for certain whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. We have lately received several small collections of insects to be named, and have, so far as our time would allow, answered by letter, because a long string of names is dry and uninteresting to the general reader. Iv requires much time to conscientiously name the many lots of insects that reach us, and hereafter we can take no notice of them, unless they are properly mounted on entomological pins. and the locality given in which they were found. At least two specimens of each species should be sent when it is pos- sible to do so, and each species should be separately numbered. When there are but few, we shall answer as heretofore 1n the columns of the ENTOMUL- O@tsT, but when there are many we shall answer by mail. Water Larva—Fied. Mather, Honeoye Falls, N. Y. —The aquatic larva which you found with young trout was too much injured to enable its proper recognition; but, from the fragmentary tail appendages, we suspect that it was the larva of some species of May-fly (Zphem- era). These larve hide themselves in holes in the banks of ponds and rivers, and feed on other minute aquatic animals. Insects in Corn Roots—(C. 2. Edwards, Bowling Green, Ky.—The corn roots you send seem to have been injured by some borer, We found a few maggot larve of some Two-winged Fly in one which was rotten, but incline to the belief that they were produced after the stalk was killed by the original depredator. We should like further specimens of these diseased roots, contain- ing, if possible, the culprit. Large Black Potato Beetles—/’. S. Elliott, In- dustrial Ag’t, Wilson Creck Station, Kansas Pacific R. R. —The large black beetles, which are so effectually stripping the potatoes between two and three hundred miles west of Kansas City, reached us in such a putres- cent and mutilated mass, that, notwithstanding onr olfactory nerves haye been well trained to endure such things, we were glad to fling the beetles very far from us the moment the lid was opened. From the glimpse we got of them, however, we have not much doubt but they are a large black species of Blister-beetle ( Zpicauta corvina, Lee.) common to Colorado and the West. ‘Try and send us other specimens in alcohol, and not in an empty box. Destroying Cherry Plant-lice—(@,. C. Brackett, Lawrence, Kansas.—The same methods employed to de- stroy other plant-lice will prove effectual in destroying the Cherry Plant-louse. Your method of dipping the extremities of the limbs in a weak solution of ‘‘concen- trated lye’? is good, but you could do much better work by obtaining a garden syringe, and doucheing the trees with the same solutiofi, or with whale-oil soap- suds, or even tobacco water. Dr, Hull, of Illinois, recommends dusting slacked lime on the trees when the dew is on, Caterpillars on Grape Vines— (eo. A. Watson, Maysville, Ky.—One of the caterpillars found on your Grape-vines is the larva of the 8-Spotted Forester, which we recently figured (Fig. 100. p. 150). The other is the larva of a speckled gray moth (Acronycta oblinata, Sm. & Abb.), a very common species, found on a great variety of plants, and especially on the common Smart-weed. Ash-gray Blister Beetle—?P. 1. Foster, Babylon, N. ¥.—The beetles found feeding on the Three-thorned Acacia (Gleditschia tricanthos) are the Ash-gray Blister Beetle (Zytta cinerea, Say). 276 THE AMERICAN Specimens Lost—(C. H. Roberts, Poughkeepsie, NV. Y. —The specimens you sent escaped on their way, as we found no signs of insects in the peaches. From your description of it as a ‘‘dark brown worm which bores into the stems of peach trees, and into the peaches them- selves,” we conclude it must be one of two insects; but of course there is very little use in guessing, and we shall therefore be glad to receive other specimens. The striped livid-brown and yellow larva of Gortyna nitela, known popularly as the Stalk Borer, infests peach twigs as well as the stems of a variety of other plants (See A. BH., 1, p. 206). But there is another smaller brown worm that is doing considerable harm the present year, which infests both the fruit and twigs. This worm produces a small, dark-gray, undetermined moth, of which we have lately received specimens—bred from the twigs of the peach and the fruit of the nectarine— from Mr. J. Pettit, of Grimsby, Ontario. This last is, in all probability, the insect which has troubled you. White Willow Worm—S. ZH. K.—The black, slug-like worms, with six black horny legs and fourteen pale blue prolegs, and ornamented with a row of twelve cream-colored spots along each side, are the larvee of a small black four-winged fly, known as Nematus ventralis, Say. Its transformations were first described by us, in an old number of the Prairie Farmer. This insect is quite abundant the present season in many parts of Missouri. It occurs on different species of willow, but being very partial to the white willow, it may appro- priately be called the White Willow Worm. The same remedies used for the Imported Currant Worm (Nematus ventricosus), or for the common Rose Slug (Selandria 7ose), Will prove effectual for this willow worm. Bark-lice on Grape-vine, and Raspberry Saw-fly—Saml. Thompson, M.D., Albion, Llls.— The large brown scale-insects on your Grape-canes are the Grape-vine Bark-louse (Lecaniwm [Pulvinuria] vitis,¥ Linn.), a tolerably common insect both in this country and in Europe. The white cottony substance encloses the eggs of the female, and these eggs were hatching when they reached us. The translucent green, sprang- ling, filse-caterpillar on the Raspberry is, im all proba- bility, the larya of the Raspberry Saw-fly (Selandria 7ubt, Harr.), and may easily be destroyed by dusting with air-slacked lime, or what is better, with white hel- libore. Canker-worm Trap—J/. B. Hambly, Portsmouth, Rk. J.—Thanks for your description of the trap used in your neighborhood. It is good, but too expensive, and there are several others, both patented and unpatented, which are preferable for many reasons. We cannot, therefore, publish your description; else our columns would soon be flooded with many others from parties interested. Chrysalids Named—S. W. Garman.—The chrys- alids of which you send sketches are—Ist, that of the Girdled Sphinx (Macrosila cingulata, Linn.); 2nd, that of either the 5-Spotted Sphinx (8. guinquemacalata, Haw.), or of the Carolina Sphinx (8. Carolina, Linn.) Specimens Lost—J. S. Mead, Chandlerville, Ills.— The Alder-galls you speak of never came to hand. Try and send more. No Pins for Sale—S. H. K., Clarinda, Jowa.—We lhaye no pins for sale. See what was said in answer to “¢G, C. B.” on page 245. ‘ Apple-tree Borer; variations in the Two- striped Saperda—D. B. Wier, Lacon, Mls.—You send figures and description of the perfect form of a Round-headed Apple-tree Borer, bred by you from a Duchess of Oldenburg. This specimen has the whole underside pearly-gray, and has two cinnamon-colored spots on the shoulders, one on each of the white bands, and you think that, as these characters are not men- tioned by Harris, your beetle must be distinct from the Saperda bivittata which he describes. Such, however, is not the case, and your specimen is but a variety of Say’s Saperda bévittuta, the same insect which was pre- viously named candida by Fabricius. We have often beaten this variety from Crab-apple trees, as well as the variety described by Harris, which has no shoulder spots and is pure white underneath; and if you had bred fifty specimens instead of a solitary individual, you would doubtless have found hoth forms. The variety with the spots is, if anything, more common in the West than that without them; but the latter is by far the most common in the WHastern States, owing, perhaps, to the fact that the thorn bushes have become more scarce there. Some Hastern entomologists, not aware of the above facts, have attempted to grind out two species from these two forms, but the fact that individuals are frequently met with by collectors, with a spot on one elytron and none on the other, is sufficient to prove that the spots haye no specific value. ‘The Tarnished Plant Bug (Capsus oblineatus, Say), which has injured your crops to the amout of $1,000, is very common this year all over the country. We shall have something to say about it in our next number. The Plum Curculio Breeds in Apple—Z. Lem- ing, South Pass, Jlls.—The eight Curculios which you bred from five apples are the genuine Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar). ‘The assertion which Dr. Hull is said to have made to the people of St. Joseph, Mich. , namely, that this insect does not breed in the apple, is, of course, erroneous. He made the same strange as- sertion in his essay on the Curculio, and in Z7lton’s Jour- nal of Horticulture for June, 1868. Since 1867 we have repeatedly bred it from apples, and published the fact on page 114 of the transactions of your State Horticul- tural Society for that year. Cecropia worm—/. F. Thompson, Corinth, Misa. —The immense worm which sometimes strips your apple-trees, is the Cecropia worm, of which we recently gave a portrait (Fig. 62, p. 100). Gigantic Rhinoceros Beetle—Z. G. Shafer, Elizabeth, Ind.—The immense beetle you send is a dark variety of the Gjgantic Rhinoceros-beetle (Dynastes Tityus, Linn.) Some specimens are uniformly dark brown; others pale green, with but a few black blotches. Roman-nosed Pupa—Z. D. Vun Winkle, Pleas- ant Hill, Kans.—The pupa found attached to a Siberian Crab, and of the exact form of one given in our last number (Fig. 155), belonged either to the Ursula But- terfly (Limenitis ursula) or to the Disippus Butterfly (ZL. disippus). It was dead when it reached us; but, from the fact that Ursula often feeds on the Crab, while Disippus is confined more especially to the Willow family, it may with tolerable assurance be referred to the former species. vf We Dr. GEORGE VASEY, Epiror, Richview, lls. ORIGIN OF PRAIRIE VEGETATION. Various theories have been propounded to ac- count for the existence of the Western prairies. By some they have been attributed to the an- nual burning of the grass by Indians; by some to the extreme fineness of the prairie soil, and by others to humidity and sourness of the soil, &c. One of the most recent theories on this subject is that of Prof. Winchell, whose views are developed in an article in the American Journal of Science and Art, Nov., 1864; and again presented, somewhat amplified, in his recent work, entitled ‘‘ Sketches of Creation.” These views are peculiar, and as the points involved come somewhat within the field of our - department, we propose to discuss the principal propositions which Prof. Winchell advances. The first proposition is that ‘the prairies are of lacustrine origin;” from which statement we see no reason to dissent, especially as it ap- pears to be the view entertained by geologists generally. The second proposition is that ‘lacustrine sediments contain no living germs.” This is a somewhat sweeping assertion. Let us consider itamoment. Itis well known that lake borders are the chosen locations of very extensive vege- tation. Wherever there is a shallow margin, some species of plants find a favorite home. Extensive patches of gigantic bulrushes (Setrpus validus, Vahl) grow in water six or eight feet deep, and stretch up several feet above the water, spreading out in many cases a mile inward. Great beds of Water-lilies (Wymphea and Nuphar), and allied plants, spread their broad leaves and expand their beautiful flowers on the bosom of the tranquil lake. Numerous kinds of Pond-weeds, (Potomageton) Eel-grass, Water-weed (Anacharis), &c., form large sub- terranean meadows, through which the canoe of the Indian finds it difficult to penetrate. Here, too, on the lake margin, the Indian finds his spontaneous fields of wild rice (Zizania aquati- ca, L.) Sagittarias, Sparganiums, and water weeds of various kinds, inhabit the shallow borders in abundance. Every year these plants mature an immense crop of seeds, which, except- ing such as are devoured by birds and other animals, fall into the water, and generally by their own gravity sink to the bottom, where they find, in the soft mud, a suitable place for many of these seeds are carried out into the deep portions of the lake, beyond the reach of those conditions necessary to their growth. Evidently Nature intended these seeds to ger- minate at the bottom of the shallow lake margin, and the only means they have for reaching that locality is their specific gravity. As in the case of land plants, Nature provides a surplus of seeds in order to insure a continuance of the species in spite of all ordinary contingencies. We then present a counter-proposition to that of Professor W., viz: that lacustrine sediments abound with living germs. We do not, how- ever, desire to make use of this proposition in accounting for the vegetation of the prairies, for whenever our lake bottom is drained it fur- nishes no longer the conditions necessary for the germination and growth of these plants, and the seeds would probably soon perish. But, whenever the soil is thus drained. the aquatic plants are speedily succeeded by others adapted to the new circumstances, the germs or seeds of which are introduced from outside. The third proposition of Prof. Winchell is as follows: ‘*Diluvial deposits, on the contrary, are found every where replete with living germs.” By diluvial deposits we understand those collec- tions of sand, gravel, clay, &c., which have been carried down by floods, or heaped together by violent action of the sea, or have been plowed up before the onward march of glaciers. Such deposits, Professor W. says are replete with living germs. In other words, they are filled with living seeds. This proposition is illus- trated by some examples which seem pertinent, . and by some which do not. It is stated that forests cleared of their timber are almost ‘‘ always followed by the appearance of certain unwonted plants known as fire-weeds, and it can hardly be doubted that the germs existed in the soil ready to germinate whenever free sunlight, warmth and atmospheric air should be permitted to rouse their vital energy.” The term fire-weed is commonly rather loosely applied to several different plants, chiefly to those botanically known as Prechtites hieraci- folia and Erigeron canadense. These are al- most as common as thistles, and like them have light feathery seeds, adapted to be carried to great distances by winds. Now, it appears to us to be agood rule to explain any phenomenon by the simplest and most obvious causes; and to our mind it seems much more natural to account for the appearance of the fire-weeds by the introduction of the seeds by means of winds, than to do so by supposing that the seeds of 278 THE AMERICAN those plants had: lain dormant in the earth for generations. The appearance of the Loblolly Pine upon abandoned plantations in the Southern States presents to our view no greater difficulty. The Professor inquires, ‘‘Let the waters ofa brine satu- rate a meadow, and how long before we would witness the appearance of Scirpus maritimus, Triglochin maritimun, ov some other salt-loving plant, whose germs, unless spontaneously de- veloped, must have lain dormant in the soil at a greater or less depth.” We cannot answer the inquiry as to how long, but we feel well asstured that so much time will elapse that we shall not have to accept the dilemma of spon- taneous generation or preéxistent germs. One of the plants mentioned, Zriglochin maritimum, is not well chosen inasmuch as it occurs in vari- ous places in the interior of the country, from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, without any regard to salt springs. It is true that, in the vicinity of salt springs in the interior, we often find plants which are otherwise confined to the sea coast, but this is not more difficult to explain than the occurrence of strictly Alpine plants on widely separated mountain peaks. We will not undertake to say how every mountain, sea, river, lake, forest and plain is first stocked with its appropriate vegetation. We confess ignorance. _ Again, Professor W. says: ‘* How soon does a dressing of undecomposed muck or peat de- velop a crop of acid-loving sorrel, and how readily it is again repressed by a dressing of some alkaline manure.” Now, we are not very well informed: in agricultural chemistry, nor in practical agriculture, but we would like to know if this method of producing and destroy- ing sorrel can be relied upon, particularly in a country like ours, where sorrel (wmex aceto- sella) is considered to be a foreign weed. We know plenty of places where it has made its appearance without any such agency, and have no doubt that many unfortunate farmers will be overjoyed to learn that it can be easily repressed, if not eradicated, by the application of a dress- ing of alkaline manure. One more assertion under this proposition deserves notice, it is this: ‘‘Earth thrown out of cellars and wells is generally known to send up a ready crop of weeds, and not unfrequently of species previously unknown in that spot.” This statement is unsustained by any instances, except under the next proposition, where a case is related of the appearance of some Beach-plum trees on ground that had been covered by sand brought up from a well at the depth of twenty feet. It is concluded that, inasmuch as no other Beach-plum trees were known to be within forty miles of the place, the seeds of these trees must have been brought up with the sand taken from the well. This example is hardly sufficient to sustain so general and sweeping a statement. But let us bring itto the test of experience. There are many thousand cellars and wells dug every year, there are thousands of places where the drift has been exposed in grading for railroads, hundreds of places where the soil has been brought up from great depths in digging for coal and minerals—and we ask, with what result ? In all this country how many new species have been brought to light by these means ? We venture to assert not one. Is it true that earth brought up from even a few feet in depth sends up a “‘ready crop of weeds,” for whose appearance we cannot readily account by the aid of winds, birds and water? We admit that there are some facts connected with the succession of forest trees that seem difficult to explain; but, even if we admit that, in such cases, the seeds of one kind of trees have lain dormant in the soil for the lifetime of another kind, and then have taken their turn in the production of a forest of a different kind, the adoption of that view does not give license to the opinion that these seeds would have re- tained their vitality for a geological age, if buried hundreds of feet beneath the surface. Some very absurd stories have been related respecting the vitality of seeds, and once started, these stories seem to pass without a question. Even Prof. W. is compelled to doubt some of the stories which he brings to the support of his theory; for instance, that of a beautiful Dahlia having grown from a 6u/b found in the hands of amummy 2000 years old. It is also stated that “it is generally believed that wheat is now growing in England which was derived from grains folded in the wrappings of Egyptian mummies, where they must have lain for two or three thousand years.” We confess that we fully share the doubts of Prof. Gray on this subject. ‘We now come to the fourth proposition of Professor W., viz: ‘‘The living germs of the diluvial deposits were buried during the glacial period.” The argument in support of this statement is that the fossil plants which have been discovered in the Tertiary deposits show a correspondence of genera, and in some cases of species, with those of the present date. During this Tertiary period the seeds of plants accumulated in the soil; then came the change of climate and de- — 279 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. struction of vegetation which attended the glacial period, during which the surface was plowed up by glaciers, and afterward exposed to the commotion of the sea, which overspread the land, burying everything in promiscuous ruin; but yet by this very means storing away the seeds which, when brought to the surface after the lapse of a geological age, are possessed of vitality aud able to reclothe the barren earth with verdure and beauty! Who can say that this prolonged vitality of seeds is impossible ? Who can say that it possesses the slightest degree of probability? Most cordially do we assent to the following observations of Prof. W: ‘It must be confessed that the crucial observation is yet to be made. If vegetable germs exist in the drift they can be discovered beforehand; and until they have been actually detected, itis probable that even the convincing facts cited above will fail to secure universal assent to our proposition involving the prolonged vitality of the seeds of preglacial vegetation.” It is the misfortune of science that too many plausible theories have been promulgated without first obtaining the crucial experiment. We pass to the consideration of the fifth prop- osition: “‘In proportion as the diluvial surface became exposed, the flora of the preglacial epoch was reproduced.” We may readily believe this to have been the case, if the fact be established that ‘the diluvial deposits were everywhere replete with living germs.” It will be observed that this proposition ap- plies, not to the prairie region, but to the older portions of the continent. The former became “fa vast inland sea, upon whose bottom gathered the lifeless sediments that Were to be the soil of the prairies.” When this surface was finally drained, it was left ‘‘a naked and lifeless expanse of vegetable slime,” containing no vegetable germs, and by its nature preventing the develop- ' mnent of any, in the diluvial matter below. But we hasten to the consideration of the final proposition—‘‘ The vegetation which finally appeared on the drained lacustrine areas was extra-limital, and was more likely to be herba- ceous than arboreal.’ The substance of this proposition seems to be that the vegetation which first clothed the prairie region was intro- duced from beyond its limits, by the three natural agencies of winds, running water and animals; and that because the seeds of trees, as the oak, hickory and walnut, were heavier than the seeds of grasses and herbs, they were not so easily dispersed, and therefore the prairie became covered with herbaceous vegetation exclusively. — We do not see that in this proposition any use has been made of the theory which has been so extensively elaborated by Prof. W., unless it be to account for the occurrence of that extra- limital vegetation which formed ‘a shining ridge of forest trees around the margins of the prairies.”” Where were these margins? The ancient lake, which finally became the prairie region, reached its arms into Iowa, and into northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. The margins of this lake, then, were in Iowa on the west, and in Indiana and Michigan on the northeast. The northern and southern bound- aries are not directly given, but we may reason- ably suppose them to have been as widely separated as those of the west and east. Here, then, was a ‘‘naked and lifeless expanse of vegetable slime.” Is this meant for a picture of a lake region rapidly drained ? If rapidly drained, a large portion of the lacustrine sediment would have been washed away, exposing, in thousands of places, the diluvial deposits; the living germs with which they were replete would then have been exposed to the genial influences of sun and air, and* would have reproduced the ancient vegetation. But no—the vegetation of the prairie region was ‘‘extra-limital,”’ and brought in by the agency chiefly ‘‘of winds, animals and running waters.” We have great faith in these agencies, and believe they are sufficient to ac- count in great measure for the vegetation, not only of the prairie region, but of the continent. In the prairie region the forests principally form belts around the large water-courses. These drainage channels furnished favorable localities for the growth of certain kinds of trees, particu- larly the Willows and Cottonwoods. These may be called the pioneers of the forest; their seeds are light, and covered with a cottony down, which causes them to be easily carried before the winds for great distances. They would naturally find lodgment and development in advance of many other forest trees with heavier seeds. But having established a line of trees, or of scattered groves, on the margin of a stream, they would be constantly visited by birds and animals, which would gradually in- troduce the seeds of other forest growths, and thus the boundaries of the forest would be ex- tended. The fruit of the wild cherry and plum, the mulberry, hackberry, black gum, and many other trees, are eagerly eaten by birds, and the pits are voided uninjured for purposes of vege- tation. As the veins of a leaf all converge from the circumference to a common point, so the lines 280 THE AMERICAN of timber, following the water-courses, con- verged to the great outlets, leaving many inter- mediate spaces which would earliest be occupied by the grasses and herbaceous. plants. The beginning of these timber lines would naturally be at the points of earliest drainage, 7. e., near the sources of the streams; but a line of com- munication having once been established to the outlet, the seed distribution would also operate up stream, whence it comes to pass that some southern species have extended northward in the bottoms of the larger rivers nearly or quite through the extent of the prairie region, as the papaw, the persimmon, and the Kentucky coftee-tree. We do not offer this as a full solution of the prairie question; probably the annual burnings by the Indians, and other influences not yet understood, operated in the production of these gardens of the West. One element to be taken into consideration in the discussion of this subject is the peculiar character of prairie vegetation. If it shall ap- pear that there is a class of vegetation which does not occur outside of the prairie region, we must then bring in other influences than those presented by the theory under consideration. We will refer to some of the plants which are usually regarded as of this character, viz: Ranunclus rhomboideus, Viola delphinifolia, Linum Bootii, Amorpha canescens, Baptisia leucantha, Geum triflorum, Potentilla arguta, Eryngium yuccefolium, Hulophus Americanus, Solidago Riddellii, Silphium laciniatum, Silph- tum terebinthaceum, Ambrosia bidentata and psilostachya, Helianthus rigidus and mollis, Coreopsis palmata, Cacalia tuberosa, Hieracium longipilum, Troximon cuspidatum, Castilleia sessiliflora Lithospermum longiflorum, Asclepias Sullivantii, Platanthera lencophea. We present these criticisms on the theory we have been discussing, not in a captious spirit, .but under a conviction that the cause of science demands a most rigorous investigation of all scientific theories. Prof. Winchell, in his ‘‘ Sketches of Creation,” manifests a profound knowledge of geological phenomena, and has woven together those phenomena into a world-history, with such skill and with such an agreeable style as to present all the charm of aromance. Asa popular réswmé of Geology, we believe it will do much good. seen = In South America the gigantic Guwaduas, an arborescent grass, attains a height of 50 to 60 feet. It blossoms so very seldom, that in the course of four years Humboldt was able only twice to procure the flowers. THE OAKS—No. 2. (Fig. 172.) ral! un NI q y Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) Willd. In the June number we gave an account of the White, Bur and Post Oaks. Next in order we may consider the Southern Overcup (Quercus lyrata, Mx.) This is a native of the Southern States, from North Carolina to Florida, and west — to Louisiana. It grows in swamps, and attains about the same magnitude and height as the Bur Oak of the Western States. Its leaves are long and smooth, with oblong, nearly acute, lobes, expanded above and ‘contracted below. The acorns are nearly round, and are almost entirely covered by the cup. In this section, also, we may briefly notice several species occurring in California, Oregon and the Rocky Mountains. The California White Oak (Quercus Hindsii, Benth.) isa noble tree, having very great resemblance in leaf and general appearance to the White Oak of the Atlantic States, distinguished particularly by — ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. the long, pointed acorn, two inches long by two- thirds of an inch thick. It grows, either singly or in open groves, on low mountain slopes, along the streams which course down to the coast. The wood is porous and brittle, in this respect quite unlike its congener of the East. The Oregon White Oak (Quercus Garryana, Doug.) is a large tree, sometimes reaching 100 feet in height. The wood is fine, hard-grained, and very white, strong and durable. Its acorns are sweet and edible, and constitute an import- ant article in the support of the Indians of that region. Several other species of less importance occur in California and New Mexico. But to return to the Eastern part of the con- tinent, we next come to a consideration of the Chestnut Oaks, which are distinguished from the White Oaks by having their leaves toothed, but not lobed. Here we have, first, the Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor, Willd., and Q. Prinus, var. dis- color, Michx.). a figure of which (Fig. 172), and of the next species, we copy from Dr. Brendel’s article on Oaks, in the Ill. Agr. Soe. Transactions. This tree is very widely diffused through the Eastern, Western and Southern States. Its [Fig. 173 } Chestnut Oak (Quercus castanea, Muhl.) favorite abode is in rich, alluvial lands, often forming a considerable portion of the forests covering the bottom lands of the Western rivers. The leaves vary in outline from obovate to ob- a wavy, coarsely toothed margin, with a soft, whitish down on the under surface, usually tapering to an acute base, and with a very short stem or petiole. The acorus are usually elevated on a stalk, or peduncle, sometimes an inch long. They are quite large, equaling, at least, those of the Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa, Michx.), with the scales of the cup prominent and sometimes mossy fringed on the border. In low bottom lands it fruits abundantly, and in some of the Western States the acorns are an important article for the fattening of swine, and with other hard fruits of the forest are called mast. The Chestnut Oak (Quercus castanea, Muhl., and perhaps also of Willd.) (Fig. 173) next claims our attention. This tree differs from the preceding in its size, being a much smaller tree; in its favorite situa- tions, which are rough or rocky hills; im its [Fig. 174] Chinquapin Oak (Quercus prinoides, Willd.) leaves, which closely resemble those of the Chestnut; and in the acorns, which are only about half the size. These points will be readily noticed in the accompanying figure (173). Dr. Gray, and most botanical authors, describe in this group, as a distinct species, a Chestnut Oak under the name of Quercus Prinus, L., which is said to be «common southward and searce north- ward.” We have not yet identified this species in the West. A variety of this species, called 282 THE AMERICAN Rock Chestnut Oak (var. monticola, Mx.) is also given as occurring in the Eastern States. There has evidently been much confusion in the nomenclature of this group of Oaks. Michaux, indeed, united into one species, @. prinus, L., not only the typical form (which is it?), but as varieties four forms, several of which are now regarded as good species, including those above described, and another which is known as the Chinquapin Oak, or Dwarf Chestnut Oak. This is made a distinct species by Willdenow under the name Quercus prinoides, and it is considered a good species by late botanical authors. It isa shrub of from two to six feet in height, with leaves closely resembling those of the Swamp White Oak (Q. bicolor, Willd.), but much smaller, with an abundance of small, sweetish acorns, and is usually found on poor soil. Itis common in the Eastern States, and occurs also in Wisconsin and Iowa, but not, so far as we are aware, in Illinois. We next take up a group of Evergreen Oaks, in which the maturation of the fruit is like the [Fig. 175.] Live Oak—(Quercus virens, Ait.) preceding, annual. (Another group of ever- green Species comes in the next section.) In Mexico and California are several species of this kind, but on the eastern side of the continent we have only one, the Live Oak (Q. virens, Ait.) This species is confined to the Southern and Southwestern States, being found from the coast of Virginia southward and westward. It has entire or nearly entire leaves, oblong and blunt, almost leathery in thickness, shining on the upper surface and whitish beneath. They are rather small, usually from 4 to 6 inches long. The acorns are oblong and pointed, the smooth- ish cup enclosing about one-third of the fruit. This species furnishes valuable timber. Michaux and some of the older writers classed this with the biennial fruiting species, but DeCandolle and later authors place it in the annual fruiting section, where, from its sweet acorns and the absence of bristle-pointed leaves, it would natu- rally seem to fall. o> 2e BOTANICAL MISCELLANY. Classification of Oaks. f Dr. F. Brendel, in the American Naturalist of May and June, furnishes a very elaborate article on the history, nomenclature and classi- fication of American Oaks. He goes back to the first mention by a botanical author of an American oak, in 1640, and follows up the his- tory of new discoveries, and of methodical arrangements, down to the latest enumeration of DeCandolle. We make the following ex- tracts, in which we think our readers will be interested: Andre Michaux explored, from’ 1785 to 1796, the forests of Eastern North America. He pub- lished in 1801 his ‘‘ Histoire des Chénes de VAmérique Septéntrionale,’ in which, for the first time, is pointed out a character very im- portant to the methodical arrangement of the. Oaks—the time of maturation. His arrange- ment is the following: I.—The leaves not bristle-pointed; fruit peduncled, annual, Under this division he further classifies : il penves 0 pee Quercus obtustloba, macrocarpa, lyruta, alo. 2. Leaves toothed: @. primus, with five varieties, palustris, monticola, acuminata, pumila and tomen- tosa. 7 3. Leaves entire: Q. vzvens; but the fruits are, ac- cording to him, biennial. (This is corrected in his later enumeration.) II.—Leaves bristle-pointed; fruit sessile, biennial. 1. Leaves entire: Q. phellos, with three varieties, @. cinerea, Y. ambricaria, @. laurifolia. 2. Leaves with short lobes: Q. aquatica, Q. nigru, Q. tinctoria, with two varieties, and Q. trzloba, 2. Leaves deeply lobed: Q. banisterz, Q. falcata, Q. — Catesbeei, (). coccinea, (). palustris and Q. rubra. Persoon, in his ‘‘Synopsis Plantarum,” 1805, _ enumerates eighty-five oaks, of which forty-six are American; thirty from the eastern part of North America, two Californian, and fourteen Mexican. In Pursh’s “Flora,” 1814, are mentioned thirty-four species; all are eastern except agrifolia, and comprising all the species of Michaux, with the additions of the younger Michaux and Willdenow. In his arrangement, the ripening of the fruit takes the first place as _ a diagnostic character; the second, the presence ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 283 or absence of the bristles of the leaves; third, the form of the leaves. Nuttall, in ‘Genera of North American Plants,” 1818, follows the same disposition, but the number of his species is thirty-two. Spach, in Vol. XI of his ‘‘ Histoire Naturelle des Veg. Phanerog.” 1842, gave a natural ar- rangement of the oaks, which is founded on the form and duration of the leaves, the cup, and the . Endlicher maintained the same disposition and characters, only changing the name of one of the sub-genera, and establishing for it three sub- divisions of the sub-genus Lepidobalanus, which includes nearly all our American species. De Candolle adopts the three sub-genera of Endlicher, adding two more, viz: the sub-genus Androgyne, formed by the single Californian species, Q. densiflora, Hook, which has the flowers of both sexes in an upright spike, male above, female below, the abortive ovules at the apex of the seed; the other new sub-genera is Pasana, with south Asiatic species. All the other American species belong to the sub-genus Lepidobalanus. The arrangement in the ‘Pro- dromus” is thus: I.—LEPIDOBALANUS. #1. Abortive oyules below; maturation annual. *Leaves deciduous. 1, Quercus lyrata, Walt.; 2, Q. macrocarpa, Michx.; 3, Q. olivaformis, Michx.; 4, Q@. bicolor, Willd.; 5, Q. prinus, L. (here he places as varieties @. castanea, Muhl., var. monticola and var. prinotdes); 6, Q. stellata, Wg. (which is Q. obtustiloba, Michx.; there are three varieties of this species given, one in Florida, Q. florédana, Shut., the var. depressa, Nutt., on the Upper Missouri, and var. utahensis, the only oak between Salt Lake and Sierra Nevada); 7, @. alba, L., with two varieties, repanda and microcarpa. Then follow five Californian and New Mexican species, which are nearly related to the European Q. robur, and of Mexican and Central American species twenty kinds. *Zeaves persistent. Of this section one only, Q. virens, Ait., belongs to the eastern part of the continent, the others are chiefly Central American. 2. Abortive ovules below; maturation biennial. he species in this section are all New Mexican, 23. Abortive ovules above; maturation biennial. *Zeaves deciduous. The Eastern species in this section are, 1, Q. falcata, Michx.; 2, Q. dllicifolia, Wg.; 3, Q. rubra, L.; 4, Q. palustris, DuRoi; 5, Q. Georgiana, A. Curt.; 6, Q. coc- cinea, WE.; 7, Q. Leana, Nutt.; 8, @. phellos, L.; 9, Q. imbricaria, Michx,; 10, Q. nigra, L *Leaves persistent (evergreen). 1, Q. aquatica, Walt.; 2, Q. cinerea, Michx, De Candolle supposes that of the species now known and described, about two-thirds are provisional, and that when all the species of America and Asia now adopted are as well studied as the European, the ‘‘ good species” will be reduced to about one hundred; then the American species would scarcely be more than fifty. This is credible when we perceive that the single species, Q. robur, as proposed by De Candolle, includes thirty-two varieties, and nearly a hundred synonyms. The American Agriculturist is undoubtedly doing much to form a popular taste for Natural History, by its numerous articles on that sub- ject, rendered doubly attractive and useful by its excellent illustrations. In the June number we find the following: fi The Prairie Apple (Pomme blanche). The species of our native plants are very numerous, but among them there are but few which furnish articles of food. Berries and perishable fruits are more or less abundant in their season; but those native products which can be stored up are limited in number, and as articles of food are at best indifferent. Neither in the variety nor in the quality of his food does the savage equal the poorest among the civilized. Acorns and grass-seeds are poor substitutes for corn and wheat; and, among the several more or less edible roots used by the Indians, there is none which approaches the potato in excellence and nutritious quality. A large share of the vegetable food of some of the Western tribes of Indians is the Prairie Apple, or Pomme Blanche, as it was named by the French voyageurs. Itis the root of a Psoralea (P. esculenta), which is found from Wisconsin westward to the Rocky Mountains. The plant grows about a foot high, has leaves with five divisions, and its flowers are clustered in adense head much resembling a large clover. The flowers are purplish-blue. The root is tur- nip-shaped, and somewhat farinaceous; and, though it would be considered scarcely edible by us, is gathered in large quantities by the Indians, and stored for the winter. —_—____ + o—_____ THE AMERICAN HOLLY. [Fig. 176.] The American Holly (Ilex opaca, Ait.) We have lately been shown a twig of the American Holly (dlex opaca, Ait.) which was collected on the banks of the Mississippi near Vicksburg. The leaves are evergreen, thick, and of a lively green color, and about three inches long. In this specimen they are nearly 284 THE AMERICAN oval in outline, with several short, stiff, prickly teeth scattered on the edge. Close around the stem and among the leaves are five or six dull red berries, about the size of peas. The Holly is a small tree growing near the seacoast from Maine to Florida; not common, however, to the North. It attains a height of from twenty to forty feet. Our botanical works do not mention the occurrence of the tree so far from the seacoast as the specimen from Vicks- burg. Our tree closely resembles the European Holly, but differs in several particulars: the [Fig. 177.] The European Ilolly (Ilew aquafolium, L.) leaves are not so wavy in outline, less glossy, and the berries of a darker color. We have a specimen from Florida, in which the leaves are smaller, obovate or almost wedge form, and With teeth only near the summit. In an article recently published in the Journal of Agriculture on the Holly, the writer, Mr. J. Parish Stelle, assumes that the Holly of the Gulf States and the Mississippi Valley is the Zlex aquifolium, L., identical with the European tree, and that it differs from the Holly of the Atlantic coast. This is a question which must be decided by careful observation, and the pre- paration of good botanical specimens. We com- mend this work to the attention of our botanical friends in the South. oo Sometimes an inch of water falls in a day, or even ina single shower. This is equivalent to about three hundred and sixty hogsheads to the acre, THE LEAF AS A WORKER—No. 2. BY DR. J. A. SEWALL, NORMAL, ILL. But if we regard the leaf only as a drawer of water, a lifter of earthy matter, a carrier of lightning, a gatherer of nourishing gases, a de- fense against zymotic diseases, we give it an inferior place—it is only a humble, common laborer. Man might invent and apply machinery to pump the water and evaporate it; he can enrich the soil, can put on his roof metallic con- ductors, and can escape epidemic diseases if he will breathe pure air. ‘‘Ah! there’s the rub!” for he can get pure air only as the leaf prepares it for him. Man can, ina measure, do the work of the leaf, but science has failed to demonstrate a way to do the chemical work that the leaf does. The leaf is not a common laborer, then; for, though it deigns to do this drudgery, its great field of Jabor is elsewhere. It is an analytical chemist of the noblest order, and, as such, per- forms labor that Liebig, and Fresenius, and Regnault, attempted in vain, and such as no chemist can ever perform. Here it is that the leaf asserts its superiority as a worker—becomes aright royal laborer. Here it uses the same re-agents that man is permitted to use, but with which he cannot succeed. And so the leaf looks down upon the great and learned chemist, and regards him as a bungler. Hvery exhaled breath of man, and of every animal on the face of the globe, is loaded with poison. The pro- duct of combustion, whether arising from the cheerful home fire, from the fire-box of the locomotive, from the furnace of the factory, or belching forth in terrible profusion from the yawning crater of the volcano, is pregnant with the same life-destroying agent. Millions of — cubic feet of this dread destroyer, one foot of which is sufficient to produce death, is being set free every second of time. Itis escaping from your lungs every four seconds. But be not frightened—no harm can come to you; for God has ordained the leaf as his agent to care for you—to disarm this deadly foe of its terrors— to seize upon it, anatomize it, take to itself a part, and give up the remainder as the pee = air of heaven! And what is the measure of its for cowie is the sum of its acting energies? I can only tell you what is its equivalent. I can give you the exact measure of its strength, and at your longest leiswre you can reduce it to the ordinary stand- ard of mechanical force, and determine the measure in horse-power. How much mechani- ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 285 cal labor, can all the men, women and children, all the animals of the earth, and all the loco- motives and engines on sea and land perform? The leaf does just as much as ail those combined. We have said nothing of the esthetics of leaves—of their beauty and variety (we must not forget that all flowers are leaves). There is not a leaf in the whole vegetable kingdom that does not excite emotions of the beautiful, either by its form, color, or odor. There is beauty in the leaves of the solitary palm, and beauty in those of the dense forest, crowded so thick that beneath them the ‘‘shadow hardly moves.” Beauty in the microscopic moss-cup, as well as in the palm whose leaves expand to thirty feet in cireumference—beauty and glory in them all. Not only, then, does the leaf supply all the ma- terial wants of man, but it also ministers to his spiritual nature—reveals the character of God, blesses man, makes him nobler, wiser and bet- ter. In autumn, when the cold winds blow and the leaves turn yellow and red, it is the popular belief that the frost has colored and killed the leaves, and caused them to fallaway. Not so. We mistake here a coincidence foracause. The time for frost and for falling leaves is the same —one has no relation to the other. There has been no work of violence wrought—no destruc- tion. The leaf has finished its allotted task, it has built up its appointed cycle, stored up the food for its successors, and now its work is done—Ah! well done. No duty has been neglected; it has finished its course; and now it arrays itself in its most gorgeous hues, for its hour of glory has come, and it rests upon the bosom of its mother earth. May it not teach us here a lesson—a marvel- ous lesson—how to live and how to die; how a true life is crowned by a triumphant death? ne POISON IVY. (Rhus tovicodendron, 1.) I will pluck a leaf with a pair of fire-tongs, at arm’s length, press it dry so as to make an exact drawing of it, and write a full account of this venomous plant. I will try to make the whole matter so plain that everybody can detect and avoid the vile thing which is making me so much trouble. These were some of my mid- night thoughts, as I feverishly turned in bed while suffering from its effects. Water, satu- rated with salt, was my only remedy. The poison was followed by two generons crops of boils, about fifty in number, lasting for over two weeks. Now I can only look at the plant with a sort of subdued feeling, as though it were more than a match for me. Look out for hus toxicodendron, which trails in the sand, or among the bushes, or lurks in the grass like a treacherous serpent! ‘To touch it means a face swollen to blindness, great irritation, itching, and smarting and burning of the parts affected. Poison Ivy, or Poison Oak, is a humble shrubby vine, with light-green leaves and clus- ters of greenish flowers looking something like the flowers of the grape vine. The leaves are compound, consisting of three leaflets, the size and shape of which are shown by Figure 178, [Fig. 178 ] Poison Ivy (Rhus tovicodendron, L.) which illustrates the veins of the underside. It belongs to the Sumach family, a group of plants which has rather a bad reputation, on account of several poisonous species it contains. To some people it is harmless, even when the sap is rubbed on the skin, while others are sure to be affected even by touching the naked stems and buds. I have known instances in which some members of the same family were easily poisoned while others were not at all affected. Why do we not get vaccinated, as it were, and never get poisoned a second time? Do our entomological friends find any insects that can eat the leaves? The plant most likely to be mistaken for poison Ivy is— 286 THE AMERICAN The Virginia Creeper, (Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Michx.) Both are woody vines, and more or less orna- mental in autumn. The Virginia Creeper belongs to the Grape, or Vine family ( Vitacee), bears blue berries like grapes, and hangs on by tendrils. The Creeper has five leaflets to a leaf, the Ivy three. [Fig. 179.] Virginia Creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Michx.) The Virginia Creeper is one of the favorites as a climber on old trees, shrubs, stone walls, and churches, on account of its rapid growth, hardiness, graceful appearance, and beautiful red leaves in autumn. Its manner of holding fast is worthy of notice. The tendrils grow very much like those of the common grape vine, and hold fast ina similar manner. But it can climb where the grape cannot—up the side of a brick or stone wall, bark of a tree, or siding of ahouse. This it does by expanding the tips of the tendrils, covering them with a sticky sub- stance—a natural prepared glue. This is held patiently to the place until the glue hardens, when the tendril makes a double twist, and hugs the vine closer to the wall. The tips of the tendrils which take hold of small limbs often make the coil more secure by sticking the end fast to the support. W. J. Bran. CHicaGgo, May 25, 1870. 4 2eo Figs grow very abundantly in South Carolina; they ripen twice a year, and compete, when dried and packed, with the foreign imported ones in the home market. SHA-SIDE CROWEFOOT, (Ranunculus cymbalaria, Pursh.) BY E. M. HALE, M.D., PROF. OF MEDICAL BOTANY, CHICAGO. [Fig. 180.] Ly \ Wy ; \\ Seaside Crowfoot (Ranunculus cymbalaria, Pursh.) Among all the Ranunculace, none are more beautiful than the little “‘Sea-side Crowfoot.’ We presenta figure of this little plant, by which it will be seen that itis one of the smallest of the Crowfoot family. It is also one of the most interesting. The plant has a short stem, which sends off long runners from the base that are rooting and leafy at the joints. The leaves are all roundish, mostly heart-shaped at the base, crenate-toothed, rather fleshy, and on long peti- oles. The flower stalks are leafless, and bear from one to seven or eight flowers. The petals are five to eight, and of a beautiful bril- liant yellow. Carpels (pistils) are in oblong heads, very numerous, short-beaked, and striate- veined on the sides. The flowers usually begin to appear about the first of June. In Chicago, for several years, I have found the first flowers on the 25th and 28th of May, but this year (1870) I found a few on the 20th of May. It has delicate, white, fibrous roots, two or three inches long. The fine slen-— der runners are sometimes several feet in length. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 287 Many of the Ranunculace are used in medi- cine, having acrid and stimulating properties. This species has but little of these acrid qualities. The root has a very slight pungent taste—a taste peculiar to all of this genus—which the leaves do not possess at all, but are succulent and rather pleasant. The seeds are, however, quite pungent, or “‘ peppery,’ when chewed. It is not probable, however, that this plant will ever be used in medicine. The most interesting thing relating to this pretty little plant is its habitat. Prof. Gray says it is found on the sea shore from Maine to New Jersey, and adds that it is also found at the Salt Springs, Salina, New York, to Illinois and westward. The question arises in the mind of the botanist, Why is it found away from the sea shore, if it isa marine plant? The fact of its being found near the Salt Springs in New York would seem to show that it has a liking for saline earth. Why should it be found on the shores of the great Lakes? Ido not know that it is found an the shores of Ontario, Erie, Huron or Superior; Foster and Whitney, in their re- port on the Lake Superior region (Geological), do not enumerate it among the plants found there. When I came to Chicago, in 1860, I found it growing all oyer the city, even to Twelfth street on the south, or as near to the river as was pos- sible on account of the population. From the mouth of the Chicago river, its habitat extended on the north, west, and south sides toa distance of two or three miles. Beyond that area it can not be found; at least I have not observed it in other localities. Why has it selected this locality? If it was once a marine plant, and has become accustomed to inland soils, why is it not found more exten- sively distributed all over the country? We know that there are several species of plants, supposed to be marine, which have apparently become accustomed to a different soil, and flourish in inland localities. Would it seem too fanciful to suppose the theory taught by some geologists, that the great Lakes, now fresh, were once salt, or that a sea once existed in the same location? If such was the case, we may suppose that, when the change occurred, it was so gradual that the flora on its shores was not subjected to such a sudden transition as to destroy it, but gave it, or a few species of it, sufficient time to become accustomed to its new soil and atmosphere. We must cither accept this theory, or another, namely, that the seeds of this species and others have been transported from the ocean, or salt water, to this locality. w AY I would like to inquire of the readers of this journal, if they have found the R. Cymbalaria on the banks of the Mississippi, or on the shores of the smaller lakes of the Northwest; and I hope this brief paper will call out some discus- sion on the subject broached herein. (The 2. eymbalaria occurs on the sandy and muddy banks of many Western rivers, as on the Platte at Denver, and on the west side of the Mountains in Middle Park, and still farther west on the Green river. We do not see that it has any claim to be considered a saline plant.—Ep.] ——_—_e + eo —_______ Corrections.—In an article on “Our Woody Compositx,” in the May number, it was stated that, east of the Mississippi river, we had no woody Composit. This statement was based on a hasty review of the Composite of the Northern States. Our attention has been called to the fact that in the Southern States there are several shrubby members of the family in ques- tion, for instance, several species of Baccharis, one species of Zva, and a Borrichia. We make the correction with pleasure. In our June number we gave, under the head of ‘* Plants to Name,” a list of specimens from Mr. 8. A. Forbes, in which we unintentionally did him injustice; as really the larger portion of the specimens were correctly named by him, and were contributions to the cabinet of the editor. —___—___e+ eo —______ In the Natural Order Leguminosae there are no doubly-pinnate leaves belonging to the sub- order Papillionacee; but in the sub-orders Cesalpinie and Mimose the pinnate form of leaf is found. No pinnate leaves are known in Gen- lianacew and Rubiacee. Simple and compound leaves frequently occur, not only in the same family, but in the same genus. —__0>—__—___ ‘Tr is singular that no mention of the beauti- ful arborescent ferns is to be found in the classic authors of antiquity ; while reference is made to Bamboos, to the Banyan, or Indian Fig tree, and to Palms. The first mention of arborescent ferns is by Oviedo, a Spanish writer, in 1530, in describing the vegetation of Hayti. ‘Among ferns,’ says this traveler, ‘there are some which I class with trees, because they are as thick and high as pine trees. They mostly grow among the mountains, and where there is much water.’ Between the tropics, on the declivities of the Cordilleras, the true region of arborescent ferns lies between about 3,200 and 5,350 feet above the level of the sea. They seldom descend lower toward the plains than 1,280 feet. The mean temperature of this region is between 64° and - 40° Fabr.” 288 THE AMERICAN NEW PLANTS. We have received from Mr. S. A. Forbes spe- cimens oftwo plants, which, ifnot really new species, are so remarkable in their appearance, and so different from the ordinary forms of any species to which they are related, that they cer- tainly merit description at least as marked vari- eties. They are a Saxifraga and a Heuchera, both growing on shaded cliffs near Makanda and Cobden, Southern Illinois. The Saxifraga in general appearance is intermediate between Saxifraga virginiensis, Mx., and S. pennsyl- vanica, L., or, as Dr. Gray suggests, between iS. erosa, Pursh., and S. virginiensis, Mx., ap- proaching nearest to the last-named. It is an herbaceous plant, presenting at the ground a cluster of half a dozen soft, hairy leaves, four to eight inches long, thin, lanceolate, and toothed on the margin, or sometimes nearly entire. From the root rises a flower-stalk two to three feet high, without leaves, but with a few slender bracts at the base of the branches. The upper half or third of the stalk divides into six or eight branches, forming a pretty large open panicle; the main branches again subdivide into very slender pedicels, with small flowers having the general characters of the genus to which it belongs. The stem or scape is clothed with rather sticky or glandular hairs. We append a botanical description and dedicate the species to the enthusiastic young naturalist who first detected it: SaxirraGa FORBESI (n. sp).—Leaves lanceo- late, or elliptical-oblong, rather thin and pointed, tapering into ashort margined petiole, pubescent, especially on the margin, veins and petiole, cre- nate or repand dentate, 4—8 inches long. Scape leafless, slender, viscid pubescent, two to three feet high; upper third or half forming an ample, loose and open panicle of 6—8 branches. Flow- ers small, in cymose clusters at the extremities of the branches; pedicels slender, bracts linear ; sepals obtuse refiexed, shorter than the linear (two lines long) white petals; filaments slen- der, nearly equaling the petals; pods two, small, slightly united below, divergent at the summit. Shaded cliffs, Southern Illinois. The plant differs from the ordinary form of S. Virginiensis, Mx., in its much larger size, in its larger and differently shaped leaves, in its more diffuse panicle, more slender pedicels, smaller flower, smailer, linear petals, and smali- er, more pointed and reflexed pods. Of the other plant mentioned, the Heuchera, we have not received sufficiently mature and perfect specimens to give it a complete descrip- tion, and we therefore will refer to it ata future time. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, Plants Named—Samuel Thompson, M. D., Albion, Tils,—The specimen you send is the Goat’s Beard (Spirea aruncus, L.), onelof the few dicecious plants of the Order Rosacex. It is not infrequent in rocky woods in Southern Illinois. Jonathan Periam, Chatsworth, Jiis.—Your plant is the Buffalo Clover (Zrifalium reflerum, L.); as Dr. Morse says, it is practically of no value—too stalky, and foli- age too scanty. é Arthur Bryant, Princeton, Ills—No. 1 “is the Red Ash (Fraximus pubescens) common in the northern and other sections of this State??? We haye met with it frequently in Northern Mlinois, near Elgin and Chicago, also near Peoria and Springfield. The Green Ash (7. viidis, Michx.) is of frequent occurrence in the same region, and still more common in the bottom lands of the Mississippi river, and some forms of these species approach closely to each other, and are not easily dis- tinguished 2. “In what part of the State is the Red Maple most common? All the soft Maples for miles around here produce apetatous flowers, and the broad- winged greenish seeds of dew dascycarpum. I have procured what was called the Red Maple from Ellwan- ger & Barry, of Rochester, and from Phenix, of Bloom- ington, but they were in no respect different from those growing here.’? The ¢rue Red Maple occurs in consider- able abundance on low rich river borders in Southern Illinois. We doubt if, in Mlinois, it extends much north of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. We have noticed that the Soft Maple shade trees of Bloomington are nearly all the Silver-leaved Maple (A. dascycarpum). 3. ‘An- other matter about which I am puzzled relates to the Populus angulata. and P. monilifera. The two species are usually confounded under the name of Cottonwood, and certainly the botanical difference is not very strongly marked. Cottonwood trees are usually difficult to split, and when sawed into lumber, warp and twist in every possible direction. Yet some of them, which haye heart- wood of a yellowish color, like that of the tulip tree, can be split into rails and shingles, and do not warp when sawed into lumber. Are these the P. ungulata, or a variety common to both species?’’? We have observed with great care the Cottonwoods in all parts of the State, and have failed to establish distinguishing marks for the two species referred to above, and have concluded that there was really but one species. We know some thorough Botanists in the West who coincide in this opinion. The distinction with respect to the wood, mentioned by Mr. Bryant, may furnish a clue by which to unravel the difficulty, and we hope that the trees which present these cood-défferences may be carefully observed, so that if any distinctive botanical characters exist they may be noted and recorded. Miss Mary Murtfeldt, Kirkwood, Mo.—No. 1, Scirpus lineatus, Michx., a coarse sedge with graceful drooping brown spikes. Nu. 2 is the Hair-grass (Agrostds scabra, Willd.) very common on damp clayey soils. When old the culms break off and are sometimes thrown into heaps against fences, &c. No. 8is the common Rush- grass (Juncus tenuis, Willd.), too common in many places. No. 4 is Melic-grass (Meléca mutica, Walt.), a tall and handsome. grass growing in thickets and in low, rich ground. No.5 is a sedge, a species of the very large pours Carex, and a form of Carex triceps, the Three- eaded Carex. No. 6 is the purple flowered Milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens, L.) THE CAN ST. LOUIS, MO., SEPTEMBER, 1870. NO. 10. Entomological Department. CHARLES V. RILEY, Eptitor, 221 N. Main st., St. Louis, Mo, THE ONWARD MARCH OF THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE. , ——— { A WORD TO OUR CANADIAN NEIGHBORS. Last July, while spending a few days in On- tario, we ascertained that this most destructive insect had just invaded the Dominion at two different points, namely, near Point Edward, at the extreme south of Lake Huron, and opposite Detroit, near Windsor, at the southwestern corner of Lake St. Clair. These are precisely the two points at which we should naturally expect to first meet with it on the Canadian border; for all such beetles as fly into either of the lakes from the Michigan side would naturally be drifted to these points. As we know from experience, many insects that are either quite rare, or entirely unknown, on the western side of Lake Michigan are frequently washed up along the Lake shore at Chicago; and these are 80 often alive and in good condition, and so often in great numbers, that the Lake shore is con- sidered excellent collecting ground by entomolo- gists. In like manner grasshoppers are often washed up on the shores of Salt Lake, in Utah, in such countless numbers that the stench from their decomposing bodies pollutes the atmosphere for miles around. We have not the least doubt, therefore, in view of these facts, that the Colorado Potato Beetle could survive a sufficient length of time to be drifted alive to Point Edward, if driven into Lake Huron anywhere within twenty or thirty miles of that place, or if beaten down anywhere within the same distance while at- tempting to cross the lake. How truly is Mr. Walsh’s prophecy being ful- filled, that the northern columns of this great army would spread far more rapidly than the lagging southern columns.* * Practical Entomologist, I, p. 14, Now, what will our Canadian: brethren do? Will they stand by and listlessly see this per- nicious insect spread over their territory like a devouring flame, as it has done over the Western and Central States; or will they make some de- termined and united effort to prevent such a catastrophe? Of one thing our friends across the border may rest assured—they have not here a sham and braggart Fenian army to deal with, but an army which knows no retreat, and whose members, though of small and insignificant stature, will fully make up in number what they lack in size. When we calculate the immense loss, amount- ing to millions of dollars, which this insect has cost the Western States during the past nine or ten years—when we contrast the healthful and thrifty aspect of the potato fields in Ontario and in those States to which this potato plague has not yet spread, with the sickly, denuded, or Paris- green-besmeared fields at home—but above all when we reflect that, nothing preventing, it will infest the whole of Ontario within, perhaps, the next two, and at farthest within the next three, years—we feel that it is high time to make some effort to prevent its onward march through On- tario, if ever such an effort is to be made. The warnings and instructions given by the agricul- tural press, and through our own columns, will avail but little, as they reach the few only. It may be, and doubtless is, true that successful culture, as our country becomes more thickly settled, will be confined to the intelligent and well-informed ; yet the fact nevertheless remains, that the masses will do nothing to ward off an evil until they are forced to it from necessity. The plodding, non-reading farmer will take no notice of the few bugs he first sees in his potato field, because they do him no material injury; but when the bugs have increased so as to make it a question of ‘‘ potatoes or no potatoes” with him, then his energies will be aroused. But alas! his best efforts, at this time, often prove unavailing, and he has to spend days to accom- plish that which a few minutes would have accomplished before. We therefore fully expect to see this great army of bugs continue its east- 290 THE AMERICAN ward march without hindrance, unless other preventive measures are taken than those already employed. A standing premium offered by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Carding, fora given number of beetles, or for the greatest number collected and killed in one season, or for the cleanest and best field of potatoes, of a given number of acres, within the infested districts alone the eastern shores of the lakes mentioned and those of the St. Clair river; might, and undoubtedly would, be the best means of stamping it out, and of keeping it out of the Dominion. No doubt that, in suggesting any expenditure of money for such purposes, our Canadian brethren will deem us over-enthusiastic about “small things,” and over-anxious for their wel- fare. Well, be that as it may, we don’t forget that there is considerable of Uncle Sam’s terri- tory beyond Niagara. It is a mere matter of dollars and cents, and we venture to say that, when once this insect shall have spread over Ontario, a million dollars would be freely spent to accomplish that which will then be almost impossible, and which a very few thousands would effectually accomplish now—namely, its extermination from the Dominion. An excellent chance is now afforded in Ontario —almost surrounded as it is by lakes—to keep this destructive enemy at bay. In the summer of 1869, reports of this insect’s ravages, and of its progress eastward, came thick from Wiscon- sin and Indiana; but no organized effort was made to check it, and indeed there was very little chance of doing so. It is now fast spread- ing through Ohio; and, according to Dr. Trimble of New Jersey, has already reached Pennsylvania. Uncle Sam can not well prevent its onward spread around the southern shore of Lake Hrie, through Pennsylvania and eastward; but, if it can be effectually resisted between Point Edward and the Detroit river, there will be little diffi- culty in preventing its crossing at Niagara. A victory would indeed be gained if, by intelligent effort, this grievous pest could be kept out of Upper Canada, while it is devastating the potato fields on all sides in the States; and Minister Carding would add to his well-deserved popu- larity by making the effort, whether it succeeds or not. PARIS GREEN AS A REMEDY. While on this subject it may be well to say a few words about the use of Paris green. This substance has now become THE remedy for the * Colorado Potato Beetle, and it is the best yet discovered. Having thoroughly tested it our- selyes, and having seen it extensively used, we can freely say that, when applied judiciously, it is efficient and harmless. If used pure and too abundantly, it will kill the vines as effectually as would the bugs, for it is nothing but arsenite of copper (often called ‘‘ Scheele’s green” by druggists), and contains a varied proportion of arsenious acid, according to its quality—often as much as 59 per cent., according to Brande & Taylor. But when used with six to twelve parts, either of flour, ashes, plaster or slacked lime, it causes no serious injury to the foliage, and just as effectually kills the bugs. The varied success attending its use, as reported through our many agricultural papers, must be attributed to the difference in the quality of the drug. We hear many fears expressed that this poison may be washed into the soil, absorbed by the rootlets of the plant, and thus poison the tubers ; but persons who entertain such fears forget that they. themselves often apply to the ground, as nourishment for the vines, either animal, vege- table or mineral substances that are nauseous, or even poisonous to us. Animal and vegetable substances, of whatsoever nature, must be essen- tially changed in character and rendered harm- less before they can be converted into healthy — tubers, and a mineral poison could only do harm. by being taken with the potatces to the table. That any substance, sprinkled either on the vines or on the ground, would ever accompany to the table a vegetable which develops underground, and which is always well cooked before use, is rendered highly improbable. There can be no danger in the use of sound tubers. But the wise and well-informed cultivator will seldom need to — have recourse to Paris green, as he will find it more profitable to use the different preventive measures that have from time to time been recommended in these columns. The poison may do harm, however, by being carelessly used, and it is most safely applied when attached to the end of a stick several feet long, and should not be used where children are likely to play. NATURAL CHECKS INCREASING. In many parts of the West this insect is being Se GBig, 181.1. kept in due check by its canni- “ vA _ bal and parasitic enemies, which Tf are still increasing. Thus we learn from many sources, that in Iowa and Kansas it is not nearly so injurious as it for- merly was, while in some parts of Illinois and Missouri it has also become less troublesome. Last year Mr. T. Glover published the fact that the Great Lebia (Lebia grandis, "Hentz, Fig. Colors—Y ellowish-brown and dark-blue, ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 291 181) was found devouring its larvee,* and though hitherto considered rare this Lebia has sud- denly fallen upon it the present year in many parts of Missouri. During a recent trip along the Missouri Bottom we found this cannibal very abundant in some potato fields belonging to Mr. Wm. Coleman, where it was actively engaged in destroying both the eggs and larvie of the Potato Beetles. The head, thorax and legs of this cannibal are yellowish-brown, in high contrast with its dark-blue wing-covers. This makes fourteen conspicuous enemies of our Colorado Potato Beetle which we have figured, and a dozen more, mostly of small size and inconspicuous markings, might easily be added to the list. Moreover, chickens have learned to relish the eggs, and have even acquired ataste for the young larve. So we need not wonder that the army is being decimated in those States first invaded by it. BOGUS EXPERIMEN It was recently reported to us that a neighbor had succeeded in driving away all his Potato bugs by strewing Elder branches among the vines. We went to examine the field, and found our friend enthusiastic over -his discovery; and indeed, though the vines were nearly devoured, there were but a few full grown lary to be found. But, as he could not tell us what had become of the “slugs,” we undertook to show him where they had gone, and after digging a few moments with a trowel, unearthed dozens of them, the majority in the pupa, but a few yet in the larva state. Our neighbor had, in fact, been misled by appearances, for want of better knowledge of his enemy. The larvee as they acquired their growth suddenly became so de- structive, that to save his vines he was obliged to try some means of killing them, and as an experiment he tried the Elder. The larvee were just ready to disappear of their own accord, and as the great bulk of them did really disappear in two or three days after the application, the appa- rently logical inference was made that they had been driven away by the smell of the Elder. How many of the published remedies that flood the country owe their origin to just such defective proof! The sun-scorching remedy, which consists of knocking the bugs off the vines on to the heated ground between the rows, and which has been so often recommended the present year, partakes a good deal of this character; for it can only be of benefit in a very dry season, and at a time of year when the bugs have done most of their damage. A goodly proportion of the larvee that are thus knocked off will always Ss. * Dept. of Agr. Rep. 1868, p. 81, manage to burrow into the ground and trans- form, or to get back upon the vines; and THE TRUE REMEDY consists in preventing them from becoming numerous so late in the season. Watch for the beetles in early spring, when the vines are just peeping out of the ground. Ensnare as many of them as you can before they get a chance to pair, by making a few small heaps of potatoes in the field planted: to these the beetles will be attracted for food, and you can easily kill them in the morning. Keep an eagle eye for the eggs which are first deposited. Cultivate well, by frequently stirring the soil. Surround your fields on the outside by rows of such tender-leaved varieties as the Mercer, Shaker Russet and Early Good- rich; but, above all, isolate your potato field as much as possible, either by using land surrounded with timber, or by planting in the centre of acorn field. Carry out these suggestions thoroughly and you will not have much use for Paris green, and still less for the scorching remedy. o> oe [From the Missouri Entomological Report for 1869.) THE TARNISHED PLANT- BUG. (Capsus oblineatus, Say .*) (UETEROPTERA CAPSID.] Quite early last spring while entomologizing [Fig. 182.] in Southern Illinois, I spent a day with Mr. E. J. Ayres, of Villa Ridge, and was sur- prised to learn that he had become quite discouraged in his efforts to grow young pear trees, on account of the injuries of a certain bug, which, wpon examination, 1 found to be the Tarnished Plant-bug, represented en- larged at Figure 182, the hair line at its side showing the natural size. The family to which this bug belongs is the next in a natural ar- rangement to that which includes the notorious Chinch-bug, and the insect is, like that species, a veritable bug, and obtains its food by sucking and not biting. The Capsus family is a very large one, containing numerous species in this country, but among them, none but the species under consideration have thrust themselves upon public notice by their evil doings. * This bug was originally described by Beanvois as Coreus lineolaris, but, according to Mr. Ubler, that author names it linearis under his plate. It was subsequently described as Capsus oblineatus, Say: Harris, in speaking of it, refers it to the genus Phytocoris, and popularly calls it the ** Little- lined Plant-bug.’?’ It in reality belongs to Fieber’s genus Lygus. As Suy’s description is the only one I have access to, [ have retained the name he gave It as being eminently appropriate. 292 THE AMERICAN The Tarnished Plant-bue is a very general feeder, attacking very many kinds of herbaceous plants, such as dahlias, asters, marigolds, bal- sams, cabbages, potatoes, turnips, etc.; and sev- eral trees, such as apple, pear, plum, quince, and cherry. Its puncture seems to have a pecu- liarly poisonous effect, on which account, and from its great numbers, it often proves a really formidable foe. It is especially hard on young pear and quince trees, causing the tender leaves and the young shoots and twigs to turn black as though they had been burned by fire. On old trees it is not so common, though it frequently congregates on such as are in bearing, and causes the young fruit to wither and drop. I have passed through potato-fields along the Iron Mountain Railroad in May, and found almost every stalk blighted and black from the thrusts of its poisonous beak, and it is not at all surpris- ing that this bug was some years ago actually accused of being the cause of the dreaded potato- rot. This Bug is a very variable species, the males being generally much darker than the females. The more common color of the dried cabinet specimens is a dirty yellow, variegated as in the figure with black and dark brown, and one of the most characteristic marks is a yellow V, sometimes looking more like a Y, or indicated by three simple dots, on the scutel (the little tri- angular piece on the middle of the back, behind the thorax). The color of the living specimens is much fresher, and frequently inclines to olive- green. The thorax, which is finely punctured, is always narrowly bordered and divided down the middle with yellow, and each of the divisions contains two broader longitudinal yellow lines, very frequently obsolete behind. The thighs al- ways have two dark bands or rings near their tips. As soon as vegetation starts in the spring, the matured bugs, which winter over in all manner of sheltered places, may be seen collecting on the various plants which have been mentioned. Early in the morning they may be found buried between the expanding leaves, and at this time they are sluggish, and may be shaken down and destroyed; but as the sun gets warmer, they become more active, and when approached, dodge from one side of the plant to the other, or else take wing and fly away. They deposit their eges and breed on the plants, and the young and old bugs together may be noticed through most of the summer months. The young bugs are perfectly green, but in other respects do not dif- fer from their parents except in lacking wings. they hide between the flower-petals, stems and Jeayes of different plants, and are not easily — detected. Late in the fall, none but full grown and winged bugs are to be met with, but whether one or two generations are produced during: the season I have not fully ascertained, though in all probability there are two. Remepties.—In the great majority of cases, we are enabled to counteract the injurious work of noxious insects the moment we thoroughly com- prehend their habits and peculiarities. But there are a few which almost defy our efforts. The Tarnished Plant-bug belongs to this last class, for we are almost powerless before it, from the fact that it breeds and abounds on such a great . variety of plants and weeds, and that it flies so readily from one to the other. Its flight is, how- ever, limited, and there can be no better pro- phylactic treatment than clean culture; for the principal damage is occasioned by the old bugs when they leave their winter quarters and con- eregate on the tender buds and leaves of young fruit stock; and the fewer weeds there are to nourish them during the summer and protect them during the winter, the fewer bugs there will be. The small birds must also be encour- aged. Applications of air-slacked lime and sul- phur have been recommended to keep them off but if any application of this kind is used, I incline to think that, to be effectual, it must be of a fluid nature; and should recommend strong tobacco-water, quassia-water, vinegar, and cre- sylic soap. Some persons who have used the last compound have complained that it injures the plants, and every one using it should bear in mind what was stated inthe preface to my First Report, namely, that the pure acid, no matter how much diluted with water, will sep- arate when sprinkled, and burn holes in, and discolor plant texture; while if properly used as a saponaceous wash it will have no such in- jurious effect. It must likewise be borne in mind, that the so-called ‘* plant-protector,” which is asoap made of the same acid, will bear very much diluting (say one part of the soap to fifty or even one hundred parts of water), and that it will injure tender leaved plants if used too strong. I have noticed that the bugs are ex- tremely fond of congregating upon the bright yellow flowers of the Cabbage, which, as every one knows, blooms very early in the season; and it would be advisable for persons who have been seriously troubled with this bug, and who live in a sufficiently southern latitude where the plant will not winter-kill, to let a patch of cabbages run wild and go to seed in some remote corner of the farm, in order that the bugs may be at- tracted thither and more readily destroyed than when scattered over a larger area, , 2p te 293 [This insect has been very injurious the pres- ent year, and by request we give the above ac- count of it. Mr. J. P. Jones, of Keytesville, Chariton county, Mo., complained bitterly to us this spring of its injuries to pear and apple trees in his section; and later in the season we found our friend H. D. Emery, of Chicago, almost baffled by its injurious punctures in his efforts to raise late-planted cucumbers. Mr. D. B. Wier, of Lacon, Ills., considers that it has damaged his crops to the amount of $1,000 ; and the ad interim committee, which lately visited his orchards, re- port but little fruit on the pear trees on account of its having poisoned and killed the blossom buds. No doubt the extreme dry weather has had much to do with the increase of these pests. Mr. Ayres tried many applications of different kinds this spring to ward them off, but even some cresylic soap, which we sent him for that express purpose, proved ineffectual, as the follow- ing experience will show. He writes, April 12,’70: I first tried it according to directions—one pound of the soap to ten gallons of water—and it was impossible to kill the bugs with it except by drowning; and they would swim in it an unaccountably long time before they would die. Ithen doubled the strength, using one pound of the soap to five gallons of water. After immers- ing one of them in this twice, he would get dry and fly away; but by keeping him wet with it for ten minutes, it would finally kill him. I am inclined to believe that it will not kill insects or keep them off the trees, unless made strong enough to kill the trees also. I thoroughly sat- urated several rows of trees with it at the strength above stated, and three hours afterward found the bugs as thick as ever, and sucking away at the buds and leaves as if nothing had happened. Not discouraged by this want of success, Mr. A. afterwards went over all his pear trees, about 2,000 in number, with a basin of soap-suds early in the morning, and shaking each branch, caused the bugs to fall into the water. It took about three hours’ time of three men, and by com- mencing early they were enabled to get through before it got warm enough for the bugs to be- come active. After pursuing this course for three successive mornings, during which time many thousands were killed, he had the satisfaction of seeing his trees unmolested, and thus saved. From the fact that these bugs suck the sap from, and do not masticate the plant, we have found the poisonous applications which are so effectual in killing many other insects of no ayail here; and there is no better way of killing them at present known than by shaking them off early in the morning. It will also be well to bear in mind that, as they winter mostly in the woods, they are at first found most numerous on the outside of our fields and orchards. ] ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. OSAGE ORANGE FOR THE MULBERRY SILK-WORM. Uran County, Uran.—Having been engaged in silk culture for three years past, I take the liberty of submitting to you a report of what I have done. In 1867 the Hon. Albert K. Thurber, of this place, on his return from a visit to London, Eng- land, presented me with a few silk-worm eggs of the old French variety. They made sixteen cocoons, producing three female moths. The fol- lowing year I raised five hundred worms, but not havfng sufficient mulberry leaves to feed them, I fed part of them on Osage orange; they ate it with avidity, all did well, and made cocoons of good size and color. Last season (1869) I fed five thousand worms on Osage orange, and they made five thousand cocoons. ‘This season I am feeding ten thousand worms on Osage orange, and they are doing well. I would here remark that I have never found a diseased worm since I commenced raising silk. I have fed a portion of my worms each season on mulberry and a portion on Osage orange, and those fed on the latter have thrived and done as well as those fed on the former. I do not sup- pose Osage orange is preferable to mulberry to teed silk-worms, but it may be of importance to some to know that they will do well uponit. I have fed worms on the two kinds of feed in close proximity, and have known them to leave the mulberry and go to the Osage orange. The dry- ness of our climate and the absence of thunder storms during the feeding season render Utah particularly adapted to the raising of silk, and perhaps may be more favorable for feeding Osage orange than a moist climate. Not having sufficient knowledge of the quality of silk to test it, 1 sent some cocoons to Mr. Mul- ler, of Nevada City, California, to be reeled and tested, and he reports that the silk is, to all ap- pearances, strong and of excellent quality. I intend to make a business of silk culture as fast as circumstances will permit. [Professor Glover, of this Department, four years since fed the silk-worm (Bombyx mori) with the Osage orange with success correspond- ing with the above experiment.]— Monthly Rep. Dept. Agriculture for May and June. [When facts of such vital importance as these are published, they lose the greater part of their significance by having no signature. No one can rely on statements of this character when given in sucha mythical manner. Five thousand cocoons from five thousand worms is something so unusual and unprecedented, that, under the circumstances, one is warranted in discrediting the statement. Prof. Glover, it seems to us, would have given weight to the above item by attach- ing the date and the writer’s name. We thor- oughly experimented with Osage orange this summer, but could not succeed in making any worms spin up on it, though some few were fed into the last stage.—Eb.] ‘ ——$—— — t= The Colorado Potato Beetle is said to be doing more damage than ever in Minnesota. 294 THE AMERICAN HOW 10 COLLECT AND STUDY INSECTS—No. 5. RY F. G. SANBORN, BOSTON, MASS. While speaking of the microscope and its uses in studying living insects, I should mention a method of preparing specimens and fragments illustrating the structure or anatomy of these minute beings, so that they may be preserved indefinitely for future use. The ordinary size ofa “slide” for the microscope is, as I previ- ously said, three inches in length by one in breadth. The slide should be cut from clear and rather thin lass, free from flaws and air-bubbles, and a few dozen should be kept constantly on hand; they can be easily and cheaply got out by any glazier from his waste slips. If the student Wishes to have them finely finished, he can grind the edges smooth upon an emery wheel, a com- mon grindstone, or even upon a flat surface with emery powder and water, at the expense of a little more time and labor. The ‘‘ covers” will cost him rather more care, as the exceedingly thin glass which is prepared for thi§ purpose is not to be procured except in large cities, where an ounce of circular covers of various sizes gen- erally costs about three dollars. The thinnest glass he can procure will answer for many ob- jects if clear; and even mica, which separates readily into thin plates, and can be readily cut with scissors, serves a very useful purpose, al- though liable to injury from scratches. The covers need not be round; square or oblong ones are just as good. Cut on an average one-half inch square; few will be required larger, and the majority of specimens will be covered by a one- quarter inch coyer. Having a supply of these ready for use, obtain a vial of fir or “Canada” balsam, thin it with chloroform and keep tightly corked. Whenever a small insect, a mite, a enat, or a young larva, just from the ege, is to be preserved, place it upon the centre of a clean glass slide, let a drop of the balsam fall upon it, and apply the cover. A little experience will enable one to avoid “‘air-bubbles” and such inconveniences, and show how long the prepar- ation requires to dry and harden, as well as what weight to apply to the cover. English opera- tors use a very effective and simple contrivance [Fig. 183.] of wire as in Figure 183, and easily made of different powers of compression suitable to the object. The specimens thus prepared should be kept in boxes lined with grooved slips of wood as in Figure 184, having the grooves op- [Fig. 184.] = =4 A posite, and of such depth and distance apart as to keep the slides separate and safe from breakage. The slides may be numbered or la- belled on the glass with a diamond, or bit of hard stone, such as a quartz crystal; or have paper “‘ adhesive tags” pasted on one end, as in our sketch, according to the taste and skill of the student. To return to our collecting. Let us follow the course of this old stone wall, from which have fallen at various times numbers of loose rocks; under many of these will be found forms of life to repay a careful search. But here on the very top of the wall is a crayyl- ing thing which we drop into our vial of alcohol with some little repugnance at the touch. ‘An Earwig?’ Not precisely, but sometimes impro- perly so called. It is not even a true insect, but belongs to the Centipede family of articulated or jointed animals. As you will see, it has too many feet for an insect, or even the larva of an insect. Some naturalists would by a careless use of terms consider it an insect, but we prefer, in accordance with the laws of priority, to con- fine that title to the true three-jointed articulates which have in the adult condition six legs only. — This, as you see, has many joints or segments, and numerous feet, although full grown. The Class to which it pertains is called Myriapoda, or many-footed animals, from this feat-ure (no pun intended) of its structure; and this species, Lithobius americanus, or the American dweller under stones, is very much unlike the true Earwig, Forficula, in everything but color, and is very abundant throughout the United States in damp localities beneath stones and logs. In fact, we should not have seen this specimen so high above the ground were it not for the moist condition of the lichen-covered wall after the recent shower. Here are others of the same kind beneath this stone, and a coiled Myriapoda looking like a small shell, closely related to the preceding, but very cylindrical and with a much harder covering; as we disturb it, and it en- deayors to make its escape, you perceive that its feet are still more numerous than those of Litho- dius, and move with a very beautiful continuous undulating motion along the sides, reminding one of ripples passing along the sides of a boat. — ENTOMOLOGIST 295 AND BOTANIST. Its name is Zulus, and from its form and hard- ness it is known in some sections of our country as the ‘‘ wire-worm.” The true “ wire-worms,” baptized long before, however, are the larve of the Snapping-beetles, or Elaters. This Zulus will preserve well in alcohol. INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE GRAPE-VINE.—No. 11. The Spotted Pelidnota. (Pelidrota punctata, Linnus.) [Fig. 185.] es Colors—(a) glassy-white; (b) yellowish; (¢) clay-yellow with black spots. This is the largest and most conspicuous beetle that attacks the foliage of the Grape-vine, and in the beetle state it seems to subsist entirely on the leaves of this plant, and of the closely allied Virginia Creeper. Though some years it becomes so abundant as to badly riddle the foliage of our vineyards, yet such instances are exceptional; and it usually occurs in such small numbers, and is so large and clumsy, that it can not be considered a very redoubtable enemy. Its larva has, for a number of years, been known to feed on the decaying roots of different trees, but has never, so far as we are aware, been described, for which reason we append below a description of it. Itisalarge clumsy grub (Fig. 185, @) bearing a close resemblance to the common White Grub of our meadows, and differs from that species principally in being less wrinkled, and in having the chitinous cover- ing (or skin, so-called) more polished and of a purer white color, and in the distinct heart-shaped swelling above the anus (Fig. 185, d). Towards the latter part of June we have found this larva in abundance, in company with the pupa (Fig. 185, b), in rotten stumps and roots of the Pear. In preparing for the pupa state, the larva forms a rather unsubstantial cocoon of its own excre- ment, mixed with the surrounding wood. The pupa state lasts but from eight to ten days, and the beetle (Fig. 185, c) is found on our vines dur- ing the months of July, August and September. It is not yet known how long a time is required for the development of the larva, but from analogy we may infer that the insect lives in that state upwards of three years. This beetle was named about a century ago by Linnzeus, who met with a specimen in the magnificent collection of shells and insects be- longing to Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden. It occurs throughout the States and Upper Canada, and is even met with in the West Indies. It flies and feeds by day. The wing-covers are of a slightly metallic clay-yellow color, with three © distinct black spots on each, and the wings themselves are dark-brown inclining to black; the thorax is usually a little darker than the wing-covers, with one spot each side; the abdo- men beneath, and legs, are of a bronzed-green. It is easily kept in check by hand-picking. PKLIDNOTA PUNCTATA, Linn.— Larva (Fig. 185, a)— Length 2 inches; clumsy, moving on the side. Head, bright chestnut-brown, smooth, rounded, with a short, impressed, longitudinal line on the top, and three shallow impressions in front; epistoma trapezoidal and darker; labrum rough, irregularly paneiate, and beset on the margin with a few stiff rufous hairs; antenn (Fig. 185, e) as long as epistoma and labrum together, 4-jointed exclusive of bulbus or tubercle in which they are inserted; joints cylindrical, proportioned in length as 2, 6, 4, 1, the terminal joint being often a mere bud; mandibles strong and black, with three denticulations at tip, and a very slight tooth at inner basal portion; max- ille town and subeylindrical on outside, angulated on in- side, bearing two lobes, each terminating in an inwardly curved coriaceous tooth, and each furnished on their inner narrow edge with stiff bristles, the outside one arising close by base of palpus, the inside one extending lower down, and recalling, by its form, the terminal joint of the front leg of a scorpion; maxillary palpi 4-jointed, joints cylindrical, short very gradually longer and longer from 1 to 4, the terminal joint more pointed and narrower than the others; labium quadrangular, labial al 2-jointed, the palpigerous piece strongly beset with bristles. Body, smooth with but a few wrinkles on thorax; eae translucent white, with faint bluish marblings on all but thoracic joints, which are slightly narrower than the rest; a narrow vesicular dorsal line, anda very slight yellowish horny plate in a depression on joint 1; a very slight pubescence observable, and a transverse tergal row of sparse but tolerably long hairs on posterior part of each joint; more dense and conspicuous hairs on lower sides of anal joint, which joint is short, cut off squarely, with a heart-shaped swelling (Fig. 185, d) sunk into a circular de- pression, each lobe of the heart with a darker oval coriaceous elevation; spiracles sub-elliptical, dark chestnut-brown, placed on a prominent swelling, the lateral openings al/ fac- ing the head, the Ist on joint 1, the rest on joints 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,9, 10 and 11, gradually becoming smaller and smaller from first to last Legs (Fig. 185. f) horny, light-brown and covered sparsely with hairs; coxe long and stout, witha rounded swelling at lower anterior edge; femora cylindrical, sometimes distinctly, at others indistinctly, separated from tibix, sometimes prolonged into a thorn below, with a distinet carina along the inside, at others not; tibiw cylindrical, in- crassated anteriorly, especially below; tarsi cylindrical and terminating in a distinct claw. Pupa (Fig. 185, b) of the form of Lachnosterna. Described from 12 living specimens. ——— — «+ « —___ t= We learn that the Chinch Bug did much damage in some parts of Illinois and Wisconsin during the dry weather. —____e~—> e—_____ t= Upwards of 1,200 Ibs. of Paris green have been sold at LaCrosse this season for the destruc- tion of potato bugs. 296 THE AMERICAN THE SLUG ON PEAR AND CHERRY TREES. “The insect generally called the pear or cherry tree slug (Selandria cerasi, Peck) has in our grounds been so few and so little injurious this season that we had almost forgotten to notice it, until, passing the orchard of one of our neigh- bors a few days since, we saw his pear trees almost entirely denuded of their foliage by rea- son of the slug. Itis a little singular that any cultivator can neglect to guard’ against such results, when merely dusting the foliage with lime, plaster, or even the ordinary dry soil, will at once destroy the insect. The first brood is now about over, but a second one may be looked for from the fifteenth to the last of this month, and they should be carefully watched for and ' destroyed by all who wish health and vigor to their young pear or cherry trees.” The above is from a correspondent of the Journal of Agriculture, who writes over the signature of ‘“‘Addi,” and whose articles abound in common sense, and are usually very correct; but, in stating that the Pear and Cherry Slug can at once be destroyed by ordinary road dust he has made a very pardonable error, and has been deluded either by hasty observation or by the unreliable testimony of others. Though not very troublesome in the West, this insect often does much damage in the more eastern States, and it has this year absolutely stripped many orchards of every vestige of green along the line of the Michigan Central railroad, leaving nothing but the seared and yellow leaf robbed of its parenchyma. We found that the popular remedy was sand, there being an abun- dance of this commodity along the Lakes; but, as our friend Mr. Wm. Saunders, of London, Ontario, has abundantly demonstrated, and as we have ourselves proved, simple sand does not kill. It sticks to Mr. Slug, so that he frequently falls to the ground, and thus it appears to kill him, but he very soon manages to divest himself of his sand-covered coat. Im fact he naturally sheds this coat several times during his growth, and if the sand is applied at the proper time it proves a positive advantage to him, by stiffening his old and useless skin and thus enabling him the bet- ter to crawl out of it. If it be applied a day or two before the proper time to moult has come, then, like a good philosopher, determined to make the best of the circumstances, he concludes with some reluctance to let the soiled habit go before it is quite worn out. Common road-dust is equally harmless, and even plaster will prove ineffectual, unless applied before the last moult takes place; for after this moult the slug bids adieu to his slimy coat. Moral: Never use sand or road-dust for the Cherry Slug, but rely on lime, Which will burn through the skin to the flesh; or on white hellebore water, which will poison. APPENDIX TO JOINT-WORM ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN VOL. I, NO. 8. The following Paper is the only one of a truly scientific nature which our deceased Associate left behind him. It was originally written as an appendix to the ‘“Joint-worm” article pub- lished in No. 8 of our first volume, and is twice referred to (pp. 156 and 157) in that article; but, after preparing it, Mr. Walsh concluded that it was too bulky, and of a too purely scien- tific character, to interest the majority of our readers. He therefore concluded to more thor- oughly elaborate it, and send it to Philadelphia for publication in the Transactions of the Ameri- can Entomological Society. Accordingly he notified Mr. Cresson, Secretary of that Society, that he should send him such a paper for publi- cation. About this time we were fortunate enough to breed, from the eggs of Phylloptera oblongifolia, DeGeer, both sexes of the curious little parasite, Antigaster mirabilis, n. sp., which is described at the close of this paper, and which Mr. Walsh had, till then, only known in the 9 sex. On the 23rd of March, 1869, we trans- mitted to him specimens of both sexes, with such facts regarding them as we possessed, and upon receiving them he deferred sending the Paper to Philadelphia until he should find time to add these facts, with a description of & Antigaster. But for a long time subsequently Mr. Walsh was too sick to do any but the most urgent and necessary work. When once his health had improved, and he had succeeded, in a measure, in attending to his accumulated correspondence, he wrote to Mr. Cresson, under date of October 15th, 1869, as follows: ‘‘I hope in about a week from now to send that article. There is about two days’ work to do on it, and for the last two months I have been trying in vain to get two leisure days to myself.” Suffice it to say that, from that time to the day of the fatal accident, he never found the needed leisure, and after his death the Paper was found un-— finished. Aware of Mr. Walsh’s intention, we - immediately sent this paper to Mr. Cresson for publication in the Transactions, accompanied with such of our own correspondence with the deceased as related to the matter. Upon being recently informed by Mr. Cresson that the amount of other MS. on hand was such that this Paper could not well be published there before next winter, and that there was a di-- position to stop publishing for a few years so as to accumulate the income to increase the capital of the Society; we concluded to publish it in - our own columns, and thus carry out the ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 297 original intention of the author, and render more complete the “‘Joint-worm” article already alluded to. This paper, from its importance, will commend itself to the scientific portion of our subscribers; and the generalizations con- tained in it will amply repay its perusal by the more general reader. We shall, as far as we are able, complete it, by adding a description of 3 Antigaster mirabilis. Epiror. On the Group Hurytomides of the Hymenopterous Family Chaleidide : WITIL REMARKS ON TILE THEORY OF SPECIES, AND A DESCRIPTION OF ANTIGASTER, A NEW AND VERY ANOMALOUS GENUS OF CHALCIDID.2&, BY BENJ. D. WALSIIT, M+As FAMILY CHALCIDIDA, Front Wings veined on the pattern shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9.* * This very difficult and very extensive family has hitherto becn almost entirely neglected by the entomologists of the United States. I have materials for the revision of all the different groups found in this country; but to complete such a Work would require far more space than is here available. Consequently, I shall in this Paper confine myself chiefly to the discussion of one subordinate group, Eurytomides, first defining and limiting such genera of that group as I find in my collection, and secondly describing the species in my possession appertaining to those genera, with such brief notes on their natural history as I am able to furnish, Of the other two Chalcidian genera that I shall have occasion to refer to, one is well known to N. A Hymenopterists, and the other is a decidedly new and most anomalous and remark- able genus. In the latter case, { shall, of course, be com- pelled to publish a new generic name; in the former case, for lack of space to treat the subject as it ought to be treated, Ishall simply adopt the established nomenclature. It will be seen at once, from my notes on the habits of the various species of Eurytomides, which it will be necessary to describe, that many of these Chalcis flies are parasitic upon several different species, and that occasionally the very same Chalcis fly is parasitic upon species belonging to differ- ent Orders. (E. g. Eurytoma studiosa, Say, and Decatoma nubilistigma, n. sp.) In several cases Kurytomidous forms, _ that appear to belong to the same species, present certain more or less constant differences when they infest different species of insects. Such forms seem to deserve a distinctive name, Which [ have accordingly given to them, classifying them as mere varieties. Whether they be really varieties, or whether they be distinct species, depends—according to my views—upon the difficult and almost insoluble question, whether such so-called varieties attack indiscriminately the different insects upon which the so-called species to which they are referred is found to be parasitic, or whether each of them exclusively attacks the particular insect upon which it is itself found to be parasitic. In the former ease I should classify them as varieties, in the latter case as species; for I have always considered the promiscuous interbreeding of two forms—whether actually ascertained or analogically inferved —as the true test of specific identity; and if such so-called varieties attack promiscuously the different insects upon which the whole so-called species is parasitic, the inference is that they derive that propensity, by the Laws of Inhe. it- ance, from interbreeding habitually with the other forms . comprehended under the so-called species. If, on the other * Iv is proper for me to acknowledge here that I have no acquaintance with Feerster's Monograph of Chaletdida, published in the German language in 1856, under the title of ** Hymenopterologische Studien, Part II, Chalvidide, Proctotrupii.” hand, such a so-called variety contines itself exclusively to that particular insect which it is actually found to infest, then I should infer that it can not interbreed habitually with the other forms referred tothe same so-called species; be- cause, if it did so, it would inevitably, by the Laws of Inheritance, require a propensity to attack all the different insects which are attacked by the other forms provisionally referred to the same species Consequently, upon this letter supposition, I should pronounce such a so-called variety to be in reality a distinct species. It is a very interesting fact that a Tymenopterous parasite found in Europe (Chrysis ignita), which is exceedingly vari- able, both in size, in coloring, and in the structural peeuli- aritics of the four terminal teeth of the abdomen—two of these teeth being in one variety (Merope) actually obsolete— uso exccedingly variable in the groups of insects upon which it is parasitic. Some, for example, attack the genus Odynerus (True Wasps), some the genus Cerceris (Digger Wasps), and some the genus Vespa (Social Wasps.) Mr, Fred. Smith has suggested, that the variation in size of this Chirysis is perhaps due to the variation in size of the larve upon which it preys.* May nof the structural and colorational variations, also, be due to similar causes, and may there not be distinct races—or, as I should call them, distinct species— of this inseet, which prey exclusively or almost exclusively upon distinet groups of Wasps, and have transmitted such propensities by the luws of inheritance to their descendants? In that ; 48 well as in the hypothetical cases just now referred to among the Chalcis flies, we should haye Ento- mophagic Varieties and Entomophagie Species, strictly an- alagous to what I have described as Phytophagic Varieties and Phytophagic Species. (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil,, Ill., pp. 403-430; V., pp. 194-216.) The club of the Chaleididous antenna appears to be nor- mally composed of about three connate and often more or less confluent joints. European authors, in describing the number of joints in the Chalcididous antenna, seem to have always counted the typical joints of the club as true joints. This I have never done, Ist, because they really are not true bona fide joints, and, secondly, because in the same species some specimens look as if they had a two-jointed, some as if they had a three-jointed, and some almost as if they hada four-jointed club. But, to prevent confusion, after stating the number of veri’ able free joints in the antenna—say, for instance, eight—I have always appended the formula ‘*Sceape -+6-4-Club,?? or *'Se.--6+-Cl.”? As to certain very minute joints which certain European authors have described as existing in certain genera between the pedicel or second joint of the antenna, which is generally short, and the generally elongate thitd joint or first joint of the flagellum; I believe them not to be true horny joints at all, but mere wrinkles of the connecting membrane. Cer- tainly, in the typical antenna, whether in Hymenoptera or in Coleoptera, the third joint is always a more or less elongate is Ss joint, and never a very minute one, as is so often the case with the pedicel or second joint + SUBFAMILY EURYTOMIDES, Westw. Collare very long and transverse-quadrate, as in Figure 8, B, e; hind thighs not swelled. Genus Eurytoma. (Fig. 1,¢ 9,0) Body partially contractile, as in Chrysidide, with a deep, finely-seulptured groove for the reception of the middle femora, reaching from the base of the middle coxa to a point immediately beneath this Chrysis, see Mr. Smith's Paper in Stainton's and 87. +I have throughout this ies cailed the first or long joint of the antenna the '* scape,” and considered the * flagellum" as commencing with the third joint, calling the small second joint, whenever I have occasion to give it a distinctive name. the * pedicel.” This agrees with Say’s definition of these terms, except that he treats the prominence or “radicle,” as it is technically termed, from which the antenna springs, as a distinct joint of the antenna. It appears also to agree with the terminology generally acnpted by Coleop- terists and Hymenopterists; at all events, I am informed by Baron Osten sacken that the terms are detined as aboye by Schiodte so far as regards Coleoptera. But in Diptera, as { am informed on the same authority, the universal practice is to consider the first and second joints of the antenna as forming collectively the “scape,” instead of calling the first joint alone the scape. *For the facts respectin Entomotogist's Annual for 1862, pp. 298 THE AMERICAN the insertion of the front wing. Antenne ¢' 9 usually as in Figure 1, e 9, f 3, 8-jointed or 9-jointed (Se.+-6+-Cl. or Sc. --7--Cl.), with a club composed of two or three connate and almost confluent joints. Head and thorax very coarsely punctate Abdomen as in Figure 1, c Q, d Q, 8-jointed, polished, and compressed, especially 9; the peduncle or first joint sculptured, ¢' about as long as the rest of the ab- domen, @ short; GO with the fourth joint, 9 with the fifth joint very long and finely and closely punctate below. Stig- ma o 9 simple. Tt is not very easy to see the sutures between the joints in the antenna of ¢' Euwrytoma; but by examining a great num- ber of QQ', where the antenni were much convoluted, I ascertained that the crook or elbow was always at the tip and never at the base of any peduncle. Consequently, the real suture is at the tip of every peduncle, as shown in the figure. Genus DrcaTomaA. (Fig.2,¢ 9,0.) Body contractile as in Eurytoma and with a similar groove for the middle femora, Antenne gi Q as in Figure 2, e 9, f <, gi i-jointed (Se.+-5+Cl.), filiform, the elub slightly compressed, 9 8-jointed (Sc.+6+Cl.), gradually clavate, the club consider- ably compressed. Head and thorax yery coarsely punctate. Abdomen as in Figure 2, ¢ 9, d 4, 8-jointed, polished, and compressed, especially 9 ; peduncle sculptured, ¢ not quite as long as the rest of the abdomen, 9 about half as long; oO With the fourth joint, Q with the fifth joint very long. Stigma ¢ @ thickened, widened and blackened, Gmnus Isosoma. (Fig. 3, b 9; fig. 4,a 9,b@) Body not contractile and with no groove to receive the middle femora. Antenne ¢' 9 as in Figure 4, e 9, f g, 9-jointed (Se.+-7-+-Cl.), gf filiform and with joints 3-9 subequal in length, 92 gradually clavate, joints 2 and 4-8 all equally short, 3 longer, 9 about as long as 7 and 8 put together. Head and thorax rather finely rugose. Abdomen as in Figure 4, c 9, d , 8-jointed, polished, cylindrical, ¢' with the peduncle short and sculptured, Q almost sessile; ¢! with joints £and 5 long, Q with joints5and6long. Stigma ¢' 9 simple. GENUS EURYTOMA. Synoptical Table to find the species described below. A- Antenne female, 8-jointed (Se. -+-6--Cl.) a. Head and thorax partly pale.....-.-sssceccnseserennene bicolor, n. sp. }. Head and thorax entirely black. 1. Legs, including cox and trochanters, en- 2 tirely or almost entirely pale.. me + Face mate with white hairs; temale banded with pale. Face male with golden hairs; abdomen re Ww female all bluck tee eenee auriceps, Nn. sp- Legs, except the black cox, entirely pale. + Antenne temale normal..............--ee0e punctiventris, n. sp, more sO..-.« +t Antenne female with joint 3 much apnormicornis n. sp » D. Sp. + Size large ---diastrophi, n. sp- longer than club- 8. All 6 coxe black, femora and tibixw partly : +t Size small.. os ---studiosa, Say. B. Antenne female distinctly 9-jointed (Sc.4-7-+Cl.)..-.-- gigantia, n. sp. 5 prunicola, n. sp. 9 black, each suc Eurytoma bicolor, n. sp.—g‘Q honey-yellow. Head sub- Opaque, confluently and very coarsely punctate and with short whitish decumbent hairs; disk of occiput, and a spot enclosing the three ocelli and occasionally (1 @') extending inasalient angle nearly to the origin of the antennx, but usually expanded in front so as only to leave a more or less wide pale orbit on each side, and usually more or less widely confluent behind with the occipital spot, all black. Antenne om Q 8-jointed, 3! with no pedunele at the tip of joint 7 and Jomt 8 only 3¢ longer than 7, 2 with joints 4-7 subequal in length; © with the scape honey-yellow except at tip; joint 2 glabrous, shining and black, the remaining joints brown-black. Thoraw sculptured as the head, but still more coarsely and with whitish pubescence Collare sometimes al 3) with only a dorsal black triangle, usually black on its entire superior and partly on its lateral surface, the black part occasionally (1 9) enclosing on each side a» pale dot. Mesothorax and metathorax aboye, except sometimes (1 2 ©) for a small space above the wings, black. Abdomen polished ane glabrous, but a little hairy towards its tip; black @, 2 black with the venter, and more or less of the lower part of the dorsum, honey-yellow. Legs, including cox and trochanters, honey-yellow, sometimes (1 o1Q) immaculate, generally with the femora and tibix, especially ©, more or less lightly tinged or vittate with dusky superi- orly, each succeeding pair of legs more obviously so. Wings hyaline; veins brownish-white, usually towards their trp end ranging into brown-black Length G'0.11, 9 0,03— 0.11 inch. Y Described from 1 G'2Q bred June 3d, from a rough, woody, subglobular, black fungoid swelling upon the twigs of Black Oak, which is infested by an undescribed Gali-fiy, and which also occurs upon Red Oak, but in both cases always very sparingly and sparsely, and never in profusion and locally like the true Cynipidous gall, Q. podagra,Walsh. This fungoid growth is the supposed gall referred to by Osten Sacken in Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. IV, p. 365, note. A very similar but more elongate fungoid growth, which pro- duces no Gall-fly whatever, but from which, as well as from the Oak-fungus, I have bred Trochiliwm hospes, Walsh, occurs locally, but in the greatest profusion upon the Pig-nut Hick- ory (Carya glabra). From this Wickory-fungus, I have bred the following Beetles: 1st, the rare Chramerus icoria, Lec. (Scolytide); 2nd, a Magdalinus? resembling at first sight 7. barbitus, Say, but structurally distinct, and 3d, a Cis which according to LeConte is most probably C, pumicatus, Mellie. Ihave no doubt that the Gall-fly obtained from the Oak- fungus is inquilinous, as well as the undistinguishable form bred by Mr. Bassett from galls on the stem of some plant supposed to be mustard. (See Osten Sacken, 1. ¢ ) Not improbably, the real gall-maker of these mustard-galls was some Gull-gnat (Cecidomyia). I shall have occasion on a subsequent page to quote several cases, where gall-flies be- longing to notoriously inquilinous genera are inquilinous in Cecidomyidous galls. Authors have been sometimes a little too apt to jump to the conclusion that, because a particular insect is bred from a particular gall, therefore it is the author of that gall. No mode of reasoning can be more unsafe and unsound. Eurytoma prunicola, n. sp. Head subopaque, confluently and very coarsely punctate, and with short white decumbent hairs dense upon the @ (Fig. 1) Black. face. Antenne gi often distinctly 9-jointed with joint 9 rufous, and always with a peduncle at tip of joint 7 but none at tip of joint 8; in the same 3 one antenna is 8-joimfed and the other distinctly 9-jointed; antennz Q always 8-jointed, with joints 4-7 subequal in length, and the club as long as_ 6 and 7 put together; with the scape except sometimes the extreme tip rufous, the other joints brown-black except sometimes the 9th joint Thorax sculptured as the head but stil] more coarsely, and with white pubescence. e—_____—_ A WORD FOR THE TOAD, During the past week the Striped Potato-bug (Lytta vittata) came into my potato patch, and in two days defoliated about a thousand hills, when four of us set to work gathering them. In one hour we gathered a full gallon. Where did such a quantity of these bugs come from in so short a time? But the most curious part is to come. A black boy who was helping me said he did not like to gather the bugs, because wher- ever they were numerous he found a lot of toads, and he was afraid of toads. This attracted my attention, as I had seen a number of toads my- self; and to my serprise I found that they were eating the bugs. One fellow ate twelve bugs, at the rate of four per minute. He would not eat any faster, although we ran the bugs all around and over him. Has any one else noticed this? It is certainly new to me, for I did not think anything would eat these Blister Beetles. The Ladybird is shy of them; and, so far as I have observed, none of the common cannibal beetles will attack them. S.-i De HANNIBAL, Mo., July, 1870. —__~~+ o_—__ —_ Insect Deprepations.—If I were to estimate the average loss per annum of the farmers of this country from insects at $100,000,000, T should doubtless be far below the mark. The loss of fruit alone by the devastations of insects, within a radius of fifty miles from this city, must amount in value to millions. In my neighborhood the peach once flourished, but flourishes no more, and cherries have been all'‘but annihilated. Ap- ples were till lately our most profitable and per- haps our most important product; but the worms take half our average crop and sadly damage what they do not utterly destroy. Plums we have ceased to grow or expect; our pears are generally stung and often blighted; even the currant has at last its fruit-destroying worm. We must fight our paltry adversaries more effi- ciently, or allow them to drive us wholly from the field.— Horace Greeley. ——__o-+ o—_______- Errata.— Page 276, column 1, line 8 from bottom, for ‘‘quinguemacalata” read “quinque- maculata ;” same page, column 2, line 16 from bottom, for “Shaffer” read ‘“ Saffer.” 302 THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGICAL JOLTINGS. (We propose to publish from time to time, under the above heading, such extracts from the letters of our correspondents as contain entomological facts worthy to be recorded, on account either of their scientific or of their practi- cal importance. Wehope our renders will contribute each their several mites towards the general fund; and in case they are not pertectly certain of the names of the insects, the peculiarities of which are to be mentioned, will send specimens along in order that each species muy be duly identified. ] DO NOY DISSEMINATE INJURIOUS INSECTS — Ridgewood, N. J—A few days ago I was asked to purchase some damaged grain for feeding out to stock; but, upon examining the same, I con- cluded that the best thing to be done with it was to burn or boil the same on the premises; and this course I advised without delay. It was all infested like the ear I send [with larvee of Angou- mois Grain Moth]. In the same room there were beans, all bored through by the Bean Weevil enclosed [ Bruchus obsoletus, Say]. You can well imagine my surprise to find this insect in such large numbers; and it is surely time that entomologists sounded the tocsin, and waked up our agriculturists upon this insect question. 1 know that there are thousands of farmers in our country who will not pay two dollars a year for the ENromMoLoGisT, just because they think it is economy not to do so, while at the same time they lose hundreds every year in consequence of their ignorance of what this periodical teaches. Not one farmer in a thousand would know this corn insect if it should come to him in purchased grain, consequently he would not hesitate to sow affected seed, and thereby bring ruin to himself and neighbors. I bid you God speed in your great work. If coaxing will not do, scold, fret and condemn, with an unsparing pen, those who will persistently ignore the value of entomology to our people. Itis a pity, as well as a disgrace to our nation, that we have no money to aid science—which is only another word for pros- perity—while there are millions to squander upon things, and even ideas, which will never benefit us as a people, nor bring happiness to one indi- vidual. A. §. FULtErR. A ROVE-BEETLE AS‘ A PARASITE ON THE CAB- BAGE Maccot—Boston, Mass., July 18, ’70.— Since I sent you the box containing larvee, &c., I have bred a new parasite from part of the same lot; perhaps some of your pups produced Staphylinade instead of Diptera. I )believe this fact new to science, at least it is so to us here. Early this spring my neighbor, Com. John Pope, called my attention to a fly larva destroying his young cabbage plants, just setout. Lalso found, on looking over my own, some that were wilted during the heat of the day, which proved, upon examination, to be caused by the same insect at work on the roots. I found from ten to thirty of different sizes on each infested plant. They destroy all the tender rootlets, and follow the centre of the main stock to the surface of the ground, finally killing the plant. This enemy, new to this particular location, I immediately took steps to become more familiar with. After transplanting some of my cabbages to my breed- ing cases, I left one strong, healthy stock, which I suspected of being infested, to remain in the ground until it was perfectly dead, when I opened the hill, June 20th, and took therefrom twenty- six pup, part of which I put into two boxes, one with moist earth the other dry. Onopening them, July 12th, I found in each a perfect fly, which proved to answer exactly to the deserip- tion given by Dr. Fitch, in the New York State Agricultural Report for 1866-7, of the Cab- bage Fly (Anthomyia brassice, Bouché). On again examining my boxes, July 15th, I found a pretty little black Rove-beetle (Staphylinus), 0.15 inch long, and new to my collection. I then presumed it came from a pupa acci- dentally put in the box with the soil; but when I again opened my boxes, July 17th, what was my surprise to find in cach three more of the same species of beetle. Upon further ex- amination, I found six of the fly pups with a rough hole gnawed through the side, and as my _ boxes were perfectly tight, I had but one con- clusion to come to. After a careful examination with the microscope of the remaining pups, I could detect no break in them, each segment or ring was entire. On examining the balance I found one live and’one dead imago in one pupa, and the rest fly pups alive; thus proving beyond a doubt that either the eggs, or what seems more probable, the young larvee of this Staphylinus entered the fly larvee long before they had arrived at maturity. Puiie §. SPRAGUE. [It would be well for our correspondent to determine the species of Staphylinus which plays in this new role, and we shall be glad to hear further from him.—Ep.] OysTER-SHUELL BARK-LICE IN MISSISSIPPI; APPLE-TREE RooT-LoUSE— Carthage, Miss., July 18, ’70.—I am satisfied that we have the Oyster- shell Bark-louse in this neighborhood. TI last winter cut down and burned about 200 apple trees which were infested with it. It was mostly on three or four large trees, from which it secmed to have spread to the others, which were small nursery trees. I kept afew of the limbs mostly infested, and thought that I should send them to you, but they have been mislaid in some way, so that lam unable to find them. There is no doubt, however, I think, but that it is the real Oyster-shell Bark-louse; it suits your de-. scription exactly. I examiued under a great ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 303 many of the “shells” and found most of them empty. I found the white eggs under only one -or two of the scales which I examined, the rest being apparently empty. I notice that, on page 213, Vol. II, in answer to B. P. Hanan, you say you can not repeat what you have already written, but refer him to an article in your first State Report. That is certainly very unsatis- factory to us down here, unless you have the - Reports to send out gratuitously to all who may be interested in this matter. We take the En- TOMOLOGIST in order to get information on such subjects. I hope you will let us have an ex- haustive article on the Oyster-shell Bark-louse. The ‘‘Apple-root Plant-louse” does not kill most of the trees which it infests in this part of the country. They are very troublesome, and I should like to know some expeditious way to destroy them; but I think they seldom kill a tree outright. The apple trees in this country are mostly liberally supplied with them. I notice that you advise scalding them. That will do very well where the water is poured around the tree as it stands in the ground; but, by way of experiment, I tried dipping the roots of small trees in hot water—the water being nearly boiling hot—and the trees I ‘‘dipped” were all killed. J. W. Mercwanr. [We shall defer our remarks on the Oyster- shell Bark-lice until we manage to get specimens from your locality, for at present we can only give opinions. We do not believe that the species can thrive, or even exist, in your latitude; and, from your remarks, incline to believe that your lice were imported and have died out. We have never heard of their injuries in Mississippi, and if they have ever proved injurious it will be easy enough to ascertain the fact. There are dozens of common and injurious insects of which we wish to give accounts, but, as every- ling cannot be published at once, we generally Vere priority to such subjects as are compara- - tively little understood, and which for the time interest the greatest number. It is not necessary to have the water in which to dip the apple trees too near the boiling point. A heat anywhere from 120° to 150° will suffice, and the roots must be immersed a different length of time according tothe temperature. It may be used much hotter, however, when poured on the ground.—Ep. } Nest oF THE BALp-FAcep Hornet—Carthage, Miss.—In your April number, in an article on the Bald-faced Hornet, by Henry Gilman, he says: “I once found in the woods, on the north side of Lake Michigan, a wasp nest nearly twice aslargeasaman’s head. * * * This was the largest nest I ever saw.’’ I haye seen them here as large as an ordinary water bucket, and over a foot in diameter. J. W. M. Queen TLlumMBLe-Bpee—LeRoy, N. Y.. June 1, 1870.—On May 24th L found this queen Humble- bee (which I now enclose you) inits nest, which was a deserted mouse nest. A mass of pollen found in this nest contained twelve eggs, which were placed ina circle, and upon their ends, around a small central ball of pollen. A single cell filled with honey was also found in this nest, and this cell had evidently just been completed when the queen was captured. I have always understood that no honey was collected until after the birth of the first brood—the cells thus emptied being then used as honey-cells. Of what species is this queen? it is marked 1; the other species, marked 2, is much less common here. J. CAMPBELL, JR. [No. Lis 9 Bombus pennsylvanicus, DeGeer, aud No. 2is Q B. ferviclus, Pabr.—Ep.] ATTRACTION OF MaLe Morus ro THE FEMALE —Fuirfield, Iowa, July 22, °70.—Enclosed find a cocoon of Altacus cecropia. It was brought from Pennsylvania last fall. Ten days ago it gave forth a moth, which was placed under a common flour sieve. In a very short time edeven moths of the same kind were under the sieve. The gentleman insists that eleven were “hatched” from this one cocoon. Tsuggested that only one could possibly have come from it, and that the others had been attracted to it, as is often the case. But how did the moths get under the sieve? There is no possible way for this to be done; and the folks are satisfied that the eleven moths actually came from the one cocoon—an- other impossibility. Can you solve the matter? I went to the house, saw the cocoon and moths, and am satisfied the people would not wittingly practice a deception upon me. ; J. M. SHAFFER. [The attractive power of the female moths, and especially of those belonging to the same family (Bombycide) as the Mulberry Silk-worm, is very great, and the only solution that can be given of the above problem [?] is that the moth hatched from the cocoon was @, and that the 33 were attracted to her, and managed to lift the sieve and get under it. It is well known that these @ moths will collect, or ‘‘semble” the 33 from long distances, though whether by some peculiar odor or by some other power is not yet satisfactorily decided. If all the circum- stances relating to the above occurrence were considered in detail, we should doubtless find nothing strange about it. Of course, no more than one moth issued from the cocoon,—Ep.] 304 THE AMERICAN Drata to House Frres—Marshall, Mo., July 18, ’70.—Provide yourself with a fine-mesh in- sect net, similar to that in common use among entomologists, or what would be better, a net shaped like an entomologist’s water net, and about a foot in diameter. Attach to this a handle long enough to reach the ceiling. Get. ready a vessel of scalding water, a common wash-basin filled answering very well. About dusk, when the flies have gone to roost on the walls, com- mence. Witha rapid motion move the net alone, gathering in the flies till the body of them are unsettled. What you have in the net make sure of, by grasping it next the hoop with the hand. Shake the flies to bottom of net, and dip in the hot water; and when they are dead turn the net and shake them out. By this time the rest will be settled, when proceed as at first. J. L. Townsenp. A Cormncipence—Baltimore, Md., August 4, 1870.—On a hot summer’s night in the country, a few years ago, I was reading Grote’s descrip- tion, and admiring the figure of his beautiful little Philomma Henrietta (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., Vol. III, p. 3, pl. m). I naturally desired to have a specimen of the insect; but as Grote in- dicated ‘‘Hastern States” as its habitat, I had no hope of securing one except by exchange or purchase. As I was thus reading and reflecting, lo! to my intense satisfaction—I will not say frantic delight—the identical species alighted wpon the very page which I was reading; the only specimen I had ever observed before or | y sp have seen since! Was not this strange? I will not philosophise about it, but I consider it worth mentioning. Ofcourse I took this stranger in and treated him accordingly. We, down here, do not reckon ours among the ‘‘Hastern States,” and if our New York friend does not, he will have to give his little beauty a wider geographi- cal range in his next edition. Jno. G. M. SEVENTEEN-YEAR Locust Two YEARS TOO LAtE—Baltimore, Md.—1868 was our Cicada septemdecim year. Early in July of this year I found a solitary individual behind time, and she looked as if she had no business here. She was the most desolate, companionless, forsaken thing imaginable. Her family had all perished two years ago; and though she came forth in full maturity, and was clean looking enough, yet she had not a single beau—the most solitary maiden you ever saw! I took her in, and gave her a dose of diluted alcohol, but that did not revive her, but made her so drunk that she died in asurfeit. I thought possibly it might be C. Oassinii, but Uhler compared her with anumber of specimens of the brood of 1868, and found her a true seventeener; she had much more red on the vent, and or the sides of the pronotum, than the C. Cassinii. What occasions the retardation in the development of some insects? It could not be climate or peculiarity of soil, or exposure to winds, or anything else I can think of, in the instance in question, for in 1868 the number pro- ceeding from the very same spot was countless. This reminds me of informing you that our Lancaster friend, Rathvon, was a little mistaken in presuming that this would be the year of the appearance of the Cicada in Kreutz Creek Val- ley, York county, Pa., as stated by him several months ago in your journal. I haye made diligent inquiry of persons familiar with that district,.and they report no locusts. Now, it may be that he gives that title to a district dif- ferent from that whieh I know by that name (for I was born in that vicinity), but the Kreutz Creek Valley, 7 or 8 miles east of York, and bordering on the Susquehanna, was not visited this year by this singular Cicada. It is a pity, for thereby we lose one proof, at least, of their regular periodic appearance, and that is not pleasant; but I hope that Mr. R. will be able to explain it, so that the old theory may still be maintained. Jno. G. M.. ) Foop-rLant OF THE SouTHERN CABBAGE But- TERFLY—Port Byron, Iils—In No. 3 of the present volume, you say that you do not know that the larva of Pieris protodice ever feeds on anything but Cabbage. Last summer I found one feeding on wild Pepper-grass, a plant of the same order as the Cabbage. I once found a chrysalis on a low hickory shrub, but that, of course, does not prove that it feeds on Hickory, else it also feeds on limestone, as the first chrys- alis of the kind I ever saw was attached to a lime rock. your most liberal publishers for the beautiful likeness of Cecropia in a late number. It seems to me perfect, and the most beautiful wood-cut lever saw. Marion Hopart. til INSECTS AROUND INDIANAPOLIS—June 28, 770. —The Currant Worm (Nematus ventricosus) has made its first appearance this year with us in limited quantities. There has also appeared on the Alder, in our river bottoms, a similar larva, which has completely devouted the foliage of these bushes. The Colorado Potato-bug has begun its work, and bids fair to be very destruc- tive. Jno. W. BYRKET. vo Cotorapo Potato BEETLE In Inprana.—The Colorado Potato Beetle has so injured many of the potato fields in Clark county, in this State, that they have been plowed up. L.G.Sarrer. And now I wish to thank you, and ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 305 Rearine Kees or Burrerrites.—I have been so successful this season in persuading female butterflies to deposit their eges in captivity, that T think it well to mention the matter in the Entomologist. Last season I found it impos- sible to induce P. marcellus to lay upon leaves or stems of pawpaw that had been cut. This spring I placed a nail-keg, from which the bot- tom had been knocked out, the top being covered with cloth, over alow pawpaw growing near my house; and on confining a female Ajax therein, she at once began to deposit her eggs, and continued till the number reached more than twenty. Ina few days the young larvie came out, and with very little trouble I suc- ceeded in raising several of them to the chrysa- lis state, in which they now are. (I expect to prove by this brood that A/arcellus and Ajax are but different broods of the same insect; a fact I have felt confident of for some years past, but which I could not absolutely establish for want of the link which this experiment will supply.) I afterwards treated other females of Ajax in the same manner, and with the same results. A C. philodice, confined in the same way with growing clover, at once deposited a great number ofeggs. So did Nisioniades lycidas and NV. pylades, Scudd., upon Hedysarum. In fact, in every instance so far tried, the females have obliged me with as many eges as I wanted; and I incline to think this mode of taking eggs will always be successful.—W. H. Hdwards, Coal. burgh, West Va., in Canadian Entomologist. —_e- oo _____ ON OUR TABLE, NOTES ON GRapTtas C. AUREUM AND [NTERROGA- TIONIS, Fab, By Wm. IL. Edwards. THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE, for June, 1870. London (Eng.):; Simpkin, Marshall & Co,, publishers. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIANA for 1869. Also, Maps and Colored Sections, accompanying the same. INJURIOUS INSECTS, NEW AND LITTLE KNown,. A.S. Packard, Jr., M D. March, 1870. GLIMPSES OF NATURE. A Magazine of Natural His- tory in allits branches. Kdited by Samuel M. Maxwell, Mauch Chunk, Pa. THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ONO STATE Hor- TICULTURAL SOCIETY, for 1869. MONTHLY REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRI- CULTURE FOR THE YEARS 1867-8. J. R. Dodge, editor. Washington, D. C. NATIONAL EDUCATION: An Address delivered before the Illinois Wesleyan University, at Bloomington, Ills., June 14th, 1870, by Rey. A. C. George, D.D., Editor of the ** Weekly Mail.*’” THE POULTRY BULLETIN. Issued monthly, by the Executive Committee of the New York State Poultry Society. THE CANADIAN POULTRY CHRONICLE, No. 1. To- ronto: July, 1870. PREMIUM List OF ILLINOIS STATE Farr. I Com- mencing September 26th, 1870. ENTOMOLOGY INDEED RUN MAD!—Our friend, Mark Miller, in the last number of the Pomo- logist has an article devoted to THE Currant- worm. The article treats ostensibly of the Currant or Gooseberry Span-worm (llopia ribearia, Fitch), which is a true moth (Order Lepidoptera) indigenous to America; but, by way of illustration, we are treated to the figures of a fly and sundry worms, which—though the first, in the venation of the wings, is unlike anything God ever made, and the lust might be taken for so many young alligators—are yet evidently intended to represent the Imported Currant-worm (Nematus ventricosus, Klug), which is a Hymenopterous importation from Europe, and of which not one word is said in the text. Is it any wonder that Economic En- tomology is under-estimated, or that it makes slow progress, when such loose trash will pass muster with our leading horticultural journals? What would our readers think, if we were to expatiate upon the excellencies of the Red Cur- rant, and, by way of illustration, should refer them to a bunch of Concord Grapes? Verily we are driven almost to distraction when we find such ignorance foisted on the public for knowledge. Mark Twain’s first teachings as an agricultural editor are gospel compared to the reckless and undigested stuff that is sometimes spread before the agricultural reader, under the cloak of that much abused word, ‘practical !”? sh bet BO bat nes bit Rep Sriper.—The ad interim committee of the Illinois State Horticultural Society report great damage done, in the northern part of the State, by.a new [?] Acarus, or Mite. We pre- sume they have got hold of that most trouble- some pest, the Red Spider (Trombidium tela- rium, Werm.), which is pale yellow when young. The young of most mites differ much from the adults, and many of them are 6-legged instead of 8-legeed, as they afterwards become. This mite is always injurious during hot, dry weather, and »a good rain will soon diminish its numbers. (BEES GIES ta We frequently refer our readers to back numbers of our Journal, in order to save time and repetition. We cannot continually repeat what has already been written about some par- ticular insect, and those who have not been subscribers from the start, or have not the num- bers to which reference is made, would do well to send to the publishers for them. oO t= We learn with pleasure that our Southern correspondent, J. P. Stelle, has been appointed Entomologist to the Tennessee State Horticul- tural Society. 306 THE AMERICAN ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, NoO1ICE.—Such of our correspondents as have already sent, or may here- after send, small collections of insects to be named, will please to inform us if any of the species’sent are from other States than their own. Lists of insects found in any particular locality are of especial interest, as throwing light upon the geographical distribution of species But to make them o real yalue, it is requisite that we know for certain whether or not all the insects in any particular list come from that particular locality, and if not, from what locality they do come. We have lately received several small collections of insects to be named, and have, so far as our time would allow, answered by letter, because a long string of names is dry and uninteresting to the general reader. It requires much time to conscientiously name the many lots of insects that reach us, and hereafter we can take no notice of them, unless they are properly mounted on entomological pins. and the locality given in which they were found. Atleast two Eaeatane of each species should be sent when it is pos- sible to do so, and each species should be separately numbered. When there are but few, we shall answer as heretofore in the columns of the ENTOMOL- OGIST, but when there are many we shall answer by mail. Insects Named—/J. XK. Kidd, Linwood, Mo.—The two flattish beetles with dark brown wing-covers, and a yellow thorax haying a central dark spot, are ase | eaters. ‘There are scyeral species, of which this Sdph peltata, Catesby, is the largest in the genus. They are related to the Burying-beetles (Wecrophila), and feed almost invariably upon dead animal matter, though occasionally on rotten vegetables. The brilliant green and copper-colored beetle, which had destroyed all the caterpillars in a nest on a crab-apple tree, is the Rum- maging Ground-beetle (Colosoma scrutator, Fabr.), a very predacious and useful insect, which we illustrated last month (Fig. 168), The large 'wo-winged Fly which had killed the Bumble-bee, and which so much resem- bles its yictim in coloration, is the Yellow-necked La- phria (Laphria thoracica, Faby.) We have here acurious instance of mimicry between a predacious Two-winged Fly (Order Dzptera) and a honey-producing Four-winged Fly (Order Hymenoptera), which, no doult, enables the former, by deception, to catch its prey with case. Though these large predacious flies usually attack a ereat variety of other insects, we have reason to believe that the species in question confines its attacks in a great measure to bees of the Bombus Family, in which the black and yellow are the prevailing colors, a ‘Caterpillar of White-marked Tussock Moth —G. C0. B. Lawrence, Kans.—The eaterpillars from a young apple tree are those of the White-marked Tus- er (Fig. 186.] Lat ented Colors—Black, white, yellow and red- sock Moth (Orgyia leweostigma). We reproduce here- * . [ane ONT . a with (Fig. 18 illustration taken from page 79 of our Speen . 7. . First Volume, where you will find some account of it. The male moth has curved peetinated antenn, and a white spot.on each frout wing near the inner hind angle. Tt sits when in repose in the form of a delta, or rather ofaheartof which the apex is at the head, and extends - forwards its long, heavily clothed front feet to their full length. The female is wingless, like the same sex of the Canker-worm moth, and never leayes the cocoon from which she has emerged till her death, having pre- viously deposited a great number of rounded white eges, covered with a blanket of froth. In answer to your question, *‘ will Saperda bévgttata continue to exist e—_______ A LIST OF PLANTS GROWING IN THE VICINITY OF CHICAGO DURING MARCH, APRIL AND MAY. BY H. A. WARNE. The district around Chicago might seem to one not personally acquainted with the country as a poor one for botanical collection, consisting mainly, as it does, of flat prairie; but our city botanists familiar with the region, have found it quite fruitful in species. Taking the city as a centre, within the area of a circle swept by a radius of thirty miles, I am inclined to think a greater variety of plants may be collected than within the same space in any other portion of this State. In the barren sandy soil along Lake Michigan we find plants suggestive of the sea shore, including a number of species limited elsewhere to the Atlantic coast, or the neighborhood of saline deposits in the interior. Passing to the prairie within five or six miles of the city, along the lines of several railroads, where a strip of land has been rescued from tillage and protected from cattle, we may still find the distinctive plants of the prairie in rich profusion. This is peculiarly true of Graceland and Hyde Park suburbs. For the species belonging to the woods and the moist river region we have our choice of following up the north branch of Chicago river, or at a somewhat greater distance, the course of the Des Plaines. A day’s trip to Glencoe takes us to deep ravines with their appropriate plants; while an excursion to Lake Calumet, or the adjoining county of Lake, brings us to a local flora of much interest; in the latter case the plants are associated with evergreens. Within such an area we might reasonably expect to find a varied vegetation. Our season here opens rather late compared with other sec- tions, but advances with rapid strides after the middle of April. My list for March includes only that odd plant the Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus fatidus), whose variegated spathes, just thrust above ground, suggest at once the tulip and some fleshy fungus. This abounds in swampy locali- ties north of the city, and along the Des Plaines river. It is our first spring flower, but to my surprise last fall, just as the Gentians were put- ting in an appearance, I found a solitary purple and green spathe of this plant. What abnormal condition caused this unusual blossoming I am unable to decide. It is paralleled in my own observation, however, by the appearance in autumn of the flowers of Viola pedata. Insuch plants the flower buds are so far advanced at the close of autumn as to yield to the first touches of spring, so that but little stimulus of a certain character starts them into bloom. Au- tumnal impulses may thus occasionally antici- pate those of spring. The Hepatica and May flower (Z/pigea) may doubtless be found in bloom under similar circumstances with any of the stemless violets. April ushered in the Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum Americana), its yellowish-green flowers clustered on the bare and prickly twigs, in the river district; while along the lake shore the low shrubs of the aro- matic Sumac (thus aromatica) displayed thin yellow spikes of blossoms. I noticed that the lower branches lying on the sand bloomed a week earlier than the upper ones, the warming up of the sand doubtless being the cause. The country a few miles back from Lake Michigan, especially in the region of the Des Plaines river, has an earlier season than the lake shore by a week or ten days. Here were found about the middle of April /Zepatica triloba, var. acutiloba, Blood-root (Sanguinaria Canaden- sis), the white Dog-tooth Violet (2rythronium albidum), the Rue Anemone (Thalictrum ane- monoides), Dicentra cucullaria and Claytonia Virginica. Old collectors report Jsopyrum biter- 314 THE AMERICAN ernatum from this region. We may add to our list also the following, collected May ist at Graceland suburb, a few miles north of the city: Of Violets, four species, viz., Viola cucullata, V. blanda, V. pedata, and V. sagittata; Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), Ranunculus fasci- cularis, the Wood Anemone (A. nemorosa), Phlox bifida, Antennaria plantaginifolia, Ara- bis lyrata, Cardamine rhomboidea, var. purpu- rea, and Trillium cernuum. A week later were found Uvularia grandifiora, and Polemoniwm reptans; and at Hyde Park suburb, the Ameri- can Cowslip (Dodecatheon meadia), the Hoary Stone-seed (Lithospermum canescens), the Larlk- spur Violet, (Viola delphinifolia), the Lance- leaved Violet (V. lanceolata), the wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis), Wood Rue (Lhalictrum dioicum), and Yellow Star-grass (dypoxis erecta). Along the lake shore here the Bearberry (Arctostaphylos wva-ursi) was beginning to bloom, but to our disgust was speedily scorched and blackened by a fire kindled on the shore by some vandals. Valeriana edulis was found in an old fenced field hereabout in the greatest abundance, the plants apparently of great age, forming solid woody clumps, half a foot in diameter. ereat abundance of this plant here, though sparingly found elsewhere, almost scriously suggested the notion of cultivation by the {n- dians in time past. The white Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium candidwm) seems to find a con- genial home in association with this plant, for a week later over a hundred specimens were collected in this field. Like its companion, it is not common, but occurs abundantly in a few places. A trip to the rich wooded district along the north branch of Chicago river about May 15th was quite fruitful, yielding the following species: Ranunculus abortivus, Viola pubescens (a form with remarkably large and beautiful flowers), Dentaria laciniata, the Creeping Crow-foot (Ranunculus repens), wild Turnip (Arisema triphyllum), Trillium recurvatum, Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), Red Cohosh (Ac- tea spicata), Feverwort (Zriostewm perfolia- tum), wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), wild Gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum), wild Black Currant (Ribes floridum), May Apple (Podo- phyllum peltatum), Five-finger (Potentilla Can- adensis), wild Ginger (Asarum Canadensis), Scarlet Thorn (Crategus coccinea), Black Thorn (C. tomentosa), wild Crab Apple (Pyrus coro- naria), Shad-bush (Amelanchier Canadensis), wild Plum (Prunus Americana), wild Black The | Cherry (P. serotina), Bur Oak (Quercus mac- rocarpa), White Oak (Q. alba), Red Oak (Q. tinctoria), Red Elm (Ulmus fulva, in fruit), Blueberry ( Vaccinium Pennsylvanicum), Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia resinosa), with that little oddity, the False Mermaid (#loerka pros- erpinacotdes), in great abundance. The procession of the flowers from this date to the close of May this season was astonish- ingly rapid, fully ten days in advance of the usual time. At Calumet, fourteen miles from the city, we found the delicate Bluets (Housto- nia cerulead) and Sweet Fern (Comptonia as- plenifolia). This peculiar locality affords rari- ties throughout the season; while Glencoe, a somewhat distant collecting ground, yields us now the Buffalo-bush (Shepherdia Canadensis). Along the lake shore we find on sandy hillocks two species of Prunus in bloom, the Choke Cherry (P. Virginiana), and the Sand Cherry (P. pumila). The shrubs of the latter are ap- parently very old, and of remarkable size for the species, some being from three to four feel in height. The Dwarf Birch (Betula pumila), is now to be found sparingly in the region of Rose Hill suburbs. An excursion to Hyde Park (May 29th) at- forded, among other things, Golden Alexanders (Zizia integerrima) and Thaspium aureum, 2 handsome wild Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceo- lata), the large Yellow Lady’s Slipper (Cypri- pedium pubescens), Blue-flag (Iris versicolor) , Cynthia Vireinica, the Painted Cup (Castilleia coccinea), yellow and scarlet varieties, Spider- lily (Lradescantia Virginica), Large Alum-root (Heuchera hispida), Marsh Pea (Lathyrus pa- lustris), Beach Pea (L. maritimus), and wild Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis). The beau- tiful little Collinsia verna has been collected at the Des Plaines river. In several excursions during the ratte part of May the following were collected: In fruit, the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginica), un- expectedly found near the city. In flower, at the same locality, the High Cranberry-bush (Viburnum opulus), supposed to be the original of the Snow-ball of the gardens, the Sweet Viburnum (V. lentago), and wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis). To this list we will only add the wild Indigo plant (Baptisia leuco- phew), wild Hyacinth (Sella Fraseri), Water Crow-foot (Ranunculus muitifidus), Seneca Snake-root (Polygala Senega), Maple-leaved Viburnum (V. acerifoliwm), Small-flowered Honey-suckle (Lonicera parviflora), and the Small-flowered Lady’s Slipper CCyerines ayn parviflorum) . Se BOTANICAL MISCELLANY. At a meeting of the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, Mr. Thomas Mechan said that ‘no one who examined the prevailing theories con- cerning the formation of bark and wood with numerous living specimens before him, could be Satisfied that these theories were in all respects correct. He had made numerous observations during the past year, which satisfied him that at any rate we had much to learn. Ile hoped to present these observations to the members at some future time, but at present wished only to direct their attention to a portion of a trunk of Yucca alefolia, which he exhibited, the structure of which, he suggested, could not be accounted for on any theory generally known. The general idea was that the sap of plants as- cended through the system, and was elaborated in the leaves, where the woody matter was formed, and afterwards descended—in exogen- ous plants forming a regular concentric layer over the last year’s wood, and in endogenous structures returning by the interior, pushing these descending columns of wood through the mass of cellular matter without order or system. It would be seen that in this endogenous Yweca the woody matter, if it ever descended at all, as our present belief demanded it should do, had descended in a very regular and beautiful man- ner; quite as systematic, in fact, as most exogens would do. The wood was arranged in annual rings, not entirely concentric, but some tropi- cal exogens did not have the woody annual layers always forming an entire circle any more than in this. In this case the annual layers of wood extended about two-thirds of the distance round the axis, and such layer was about the eighth of an inch thick. These annual layers were made visible by the bundles of fibres being packed more closely together towards the end of the season’s growth, just as they are in exo- . gens, from which, indeed, there was very little to distinguish this structure on a cursory exam- ination but the absence of the so-called medullary rays.” The active botanists of New York city have organized a botanical club, which they designate the Torrey Botanical Club, in honor of the dis- tinguished New York botanist, Dr. John Torrey. The club publishes a monthly Bulletin, the ob- ject of which is “to form a medium of com- munication for all those interested in the flora of this vicinity, and thus to bring together and fan into a flame the sparks of botanical enthusi- asm at present too much isolated.” We hail the advent of every such society as an indication of a growing interest in Natural Science, and as a means of increasing the number of learners and observers, and of thus directing into worthy channels much otherwise misemployed time and talent. We select from the Bulletin a few items which we presume will be of interest to our readers. Aristolochia serpentaria, L.—Mr. Wm. Bower has in his garden, in Newark, a plant of this species, which, beside the regular flower, sends up a number of small buds with flowers that do not open, somewhat in the manner of Specularia perfoliata, probably for self-fertilization. The same kind of flowers may be observed in the case of many well-grown wild plants of this species. These flowers, however, form perfect seed-pods. It would be interesting to examine whether Asarwm Canadense has also two sorts of flowers. Mr. Bower was the first to call my attention to this peculiarity, and I cannot learn that it has ever been noticed before. Judging from the plants I have seen, it would appear that seeds in greater abundance, and perhaps more perfect, are produced by these hermaphro- dite flowers. In the similar case of Amphicarpwa monoica, Nutt, I have found sometimes quite a number of pods with apparently well-formed seed. On the other hand Apios tuberosa, Moench, seems to compensate by its tubers for the very frequent abortion of its pods. These plants, with others, Specularia for example, afford an interesting subject for investigation on this point. iW: Hoek: FLOWERING OF THE DARLINGTONIA.—Dr. Tor- vey kindly gave me, early last winter, one of the several specimens of Darlingtonia, which he received from a correspondent in California. An empty aquarium tank was converted into a small conservatory for it, and it was planted in a mixture of swamp mud and sphagnum, the top of the tank being covered with a glass plate. The plant was kept in a cold room, where the moss was slightly frozen several times during the winter. The plant flowered early in April, and the specimen was placed in the hands of Dr. Torrey, to allow him to confirm his original observations, made upon dry materials, and he will probably add what may be necessary to com- plete the history of this interesting plaut. G. T. We learn from a correspondent (Mr. John Williamson) that New Albany, Indiana, has a Society of Natural History which has about 200 members that pay their dues and are interested in its welfare. Geology, Entomology, Conch- ology, Botany, etc., are represented by gentle- men well posted in those various branches. We believe some gentlemen of Louisville, Ky., also intend organizing a society. Dr. E.$. Crozier, of that city, edits a column of Popular Science in the Louisville Commercial. Errata.—Page 288, column 2, line 12, for ‘ Fraximus” read “‘Fraxinus;” same column, line 22, for ‘“‘apetatous” read ‘“‘apetalous ;” same column, line 23, for “‘Acw” read ‘‘ Acer.” 316 THE AMERICAN DESCRIPTION OF QUERCUS LEANA. BY DR. FY. BRENDEL, PEORIA, ILL. [Fig. 199.] Quercus Leana, Nutt. Quercus leana, Nutt, is a biennial fruited Oak, with deciduous leaves, which are obovate and mostly three-lobed at the apex, the lobes are bristle-pointed, tomentose when young, at last becoming nearly smooth. The fruit is short peduncled, single or in twos, the cup hemis- pherical, with a conical scaly base, half an inch wide; the acorn globular, half an inch long, about half immersed. This Oak seems to be a hybrid between Q. imbricaria and @. coccinea; the general ap- pearance is that of the former; the leaves are nearly entire, but the texture is not so firm as in Q. imbricaria, and of the old ones both sides are glabrous, when in a young state they are more tomentose, so that on the upper side the nervation is often hardly visible, as in Q. coc- cinea, to which it approaches in the much smaller fruit, the cup being deeper than that of Q. imbricaria, the scales looser and more dis- tinct; the acorn has at the apex a blunt conical knoll, which in @. imbricaria is smaller pro- jecting from a flat areola. ‘The bud is ovate, conical, slightly five-ridged, and less tomentose than in Q. coccinea, whereas in Q. imbricaria it is more rounded and smooth. A tree of this species in Hancock county has been known many years; besides it there are two others in Illinois: one in Fulton county and one near Peoria—the latter in the neigh- borhood of its supposed parents. From its similarity to @. imbricaria, it is likely to be overlooked, and may perhaps yet be found in other places. —— se EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE, We present our readers some extracts from a letter of Mrs. Kate N. Doggett, of Chicago, now in Europe. Mrs. Doggett is an enthusiastic Naturalist, and has made large collections in Botany and other departments of Natural His- tory. There are hundreds of ladies in our large cities who have time and means to devote to mental cultivation and the acquirement of use- ful knowledge. How much refined pleasure these ladies might find in the study of Nature. An active and interesting Botanical Society has been in operation for some time past in Chicago, embracing not only professional men, but also several ladies who are heads of families, show- ing that even maternal cares do not necessarily interfere with continued mental culture. When shall we have Botanical Societies in all our large towns and cities which shall interest both ladies aud gentlemen who have leisure for such pur- suits? Why should ladies leave all systematic pursuit of education when they leave their schools? We hope the day will come when it will be fashionable for ladies to take an interest in societies for the promotion of science. BRIENZ, SWITZERLAND, May 3d. Your letter came to me just as we were leay- ing Tunis, and this is the first moment I have had to answer it. * * * As yet I have not been able to collect any sea-mosses, although we have been nearly all winter on the shores of the Mediterranean, but in towns where, of course, were no beaches; but very soon we go to the British Isles, aud there L hope to do bet- ter. You are quite right in thinking I had not lost my interest in Botany. I do not believe that I shall do that till I lose my interest in life. A few months before we left home a half dozen ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 317 ‘persons formed themselves into a Botanical Society, doing me the honor to make me their president. When I left we numbered a dozen. Prof. Beal is the vice-president, and he is doing much in Chicago to interest his pupils in the study of Botany. * * * * We spent five weeks in the north of Africa, which is one grand flower garden, and wished we could lengthen the weeks into months. At Algiers we made the acquaintance of Signor Durande, an Italian, who has lived in Africa for twenty years, and has been one of the most important contributors to the *‘ Botany of Algeria,” now publishing by the French Government. But, like all works brought out by government, it progresses very slowly, and will be so expensive it will benefit butfew. Tor years Mr, Durande has done what IT would like to have you do, and what will, [ think, do much to excite interest in the study of Natural History, particularly among women. Something akin to it was initiated long ago in Salem, by. the Director of the Institute, “and has been so successful that nearly every person in Salem knows something of Natural Science. One day in the week Mr. Durande makes an excursion to some place in the vicinity of Al- giers, taking with him such students of the Medical College with which he is connected as choose to accompany him, and gentlemen and ladies living in the city or strangers sojourning there. We had the pleasure of joining two of these excursions; one to Blida, whither we went by rail, and one to Cape Matifou, to which we drove. Our party was made up of Danes, French, Germans, English and Ameri- cans. At Blida, one of the loveliest spots im- aginable, perfectly embowered in orange groves, we explored the Botanical Garden (the like of which is not in all America, and you must re- collect that so far as anything of this sort goes Algeria is but forty years old), several private gardens, and a wild ravine whose rocks were covered with mosses, ferns and lycopodia, Mr. Durande telling us names and explaining affini- ties, modes of culture, &c., &e., in the most charming way. At Cape Matifou we gathered flowers, one gentleman and lady collected shells, some sketched the ruins of the Roman city of Rusconia, which sent a bishop to the tirst Chris- tian council; and we hada most enjoyable day, to say nothing of the profit we derived from the teachings of Sig. Durande, and the conversation of intelligent people from different parts of the world. ———_e+ eo —__ -_— NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS, A Natural Graft Hybrid of Quercus alba and Q. tinctoria.—I was recently informed of a remarkable *¢Tndian graft of a Black Oak on a White Oak,” in the neighborhood of Petersburg, Ll., and having the almost incredible story from good authority, T was induced to visit the locality to learn if it was really true. To my great regret I found the tree prostrated by a storm, ap- parently about two years ago, and the top principally hauled off for fuel, but that portion where the union was formed, and the smaller portions of the limbs of the hybrid were left on the ground. ‘The story of the In- dian graft I found to be current in the neighborhood, and numbers of people knew all about it, It appears that the union was formed in a portion of the top of the White Oak about fifty-five feet from the ground, and, judging from the layers of wood, about 75 years ago. It seems that the Black Oak ( Quercus tinctoria, for such it really appeared to be) had fallen into the White Oak —as was evident from the remains of a decayed limb and the positions of growth—and had by some unae- countable means united with it, and had grown from the point of union a huge branching limb, more than twice the diameter of the limb of the White Oak upon which it was attached. No remains of a tree of Quercus tinc- toréa Was now in reach of the White Oak upon which this remarkable graft was growing, and the most pro- bable explanation of the modus operand? is that Quercus tinctoria, When falling, had dashed a rather large limb into the tork of the White Oak top with force enough to remove the bark from both species, and being so tirmly pressed by the fork that a union was effected. But what will most interest the botanist is, that the graft clearly shows hybridism, Of course no leaves could now be had, but the wood, bark and buds appear about equally to belong to both species, Q. alba showing strongly in the smaller limbs, and the rough bark of Q. tinctoria most fully developed at the point of union and ~ grading to the smaller limbs, where it may be said to insensibly disappear. This interesting and remarkable production may be recorded as adding another to the few known graft hybrids in the vegetable kingdom, ATHENS, Ills. E. HALL. Pp. S.—Tell your correspondent, G. H. French, that T will ‘‘go the cider?’ that his remarkable tree (deseribed in the June number) is the Kentucky Coffee tree ( Gym- nocludus Canadensis). Botanical Notes.—Mr. Epiror: In complying with your request for botanical notes from this portion of the State, I will confine myself, for the present, to the counties of Union and Jackson—a region not less interesting to the botanist for the number and peculiarity of its species, than to the tourist for the beauty of its scenery. It embraces a range of nearly 2,500 vertical feet of geological strat; and, as the drift formation is generally absent, the soil is made by decomposition of the under- lying rocks, and varies widely in character according to the rocks from Which it is formed and upon which it rests. From the Mississippi bottoms upon its western border —but little above the level of the Ohio at Cairo—it rises to the Cobden hills, among the highest in the State; and its surface varies from the lagoons and swamps of the former to the rocky and precipitous blufls of the hill country in the west. Its southerly situation gives it a genial climate, and the great compurative height to which portions of it are elevated protects them from late and early frosts. Consequently we find here an un- usual variety of species, many of them not known else- where north of the Ohio river, and nearly all of them appearing from two to six weeks eurlier than the dates given in Gray’s Manual. In the small portion of these counties ‘which I have been able to examine, I have observed—exclusive of forest trees, grasses, sedges and mosses—450 species, representing 290 genera and 90 orders. . The region may be conveniently divided, for the purposes of these notes, into the hills and blutts, the creek bottoms, and the Mississippi bottoms, each of which has a more or Jess characteristic flora, Upon the 31§ THE AMERICAN first are chiefly found our ferns. Of these I have col- lected 25 species, including the Polypodium incanum, Cystopteris fragilis, Cheilanthes vestita, Osmunda Clay- toniana, Camptosorus rhizophyllus, Asplenium pinnatifidum, trichomanes and ebeneum, Aspidiwm Goldianum, Allosorus, Pteris, ete. Of the last, a variety occurs quite frequently which is peculiar in lacking the ternate character of the frond. This variety has propagated itself without change for three years since I first observed it. It is along the borders of the bluffs, however—which here repeat in miniature the cascades and precipices of mountain scenery—that we obtain the most interesting results. Here the soil is mostly shaded by the overhang- ing trees, warmed by the heat reflected from the rocks, and moistened by the dripping surface waters carried off by the underlying strata. In such places only have T found, at Cobden, the Phacelia Purshiz, remarkable for the delicate beauty of its light-blue, deeply-fringed co- rolla, and at Makanda the Itchella repens, which seems to flourish with us rather where it receives the constant drippings of the rocks than in dry woods, as farther east. Along the blufis and upon the rocky hill-sides occurs _also the Azalea nudiflora, described by Gray as growing in the eastern swamps. ‘The profusion of light-pink blossoms which this shrub puts forth in early spring, lighting up the gloomy forests of the Pine Hills, or drooping in fragrant, cloud-like masses from the summit of the lofty cliffs, forms a feature of unusual beauty in the scenery of our opening year. Later in the season, the hill-sides are blue with the Dzpteracanthus strepens and D. céliosus, which remain in bloom until autumn, and in thickets the Clitoria Maréana, the largest of our leguminous flowers, is frequently met. The Agave Varginica and Vaecinium arboreum occur only among the dry hills, and the V. vaczllans, with its pleasant fruit— erroneously called a huckleberry throughout the coun- try—is quite common in the same situations. ‘This last occurs especially among the Pine Hills, on the eastern borders of the Mississippi bottoms. This region consists of a succession of sharp ridges of chirty limestone, separated by narrow, steep ravines; and frequently terminating, towards the river, in nearly vertical bluffs, from 100 to 500 feet in height. Its flora partakes to a great extent of its geological peculiarities, and many plants found sparingly elsewhere seem to have spread from these hills as acentre. Peculiar to them alone, so far as I have seen, is the Yellow Vine (Pinus mitts), found almost exclusively upon the summits and southern slopes of the ridges mentioned, the Viola ped- data, Verbena aubletia, ete. On the Makanda bluffs, which are frequently fringed with cedars, grows the Corydalis aurea, a Saxifraga re- sembling the eosa, but apparently not identical with it, and a Heuchera of a species unknown to me, specimens of which 1 sent you recently. Among others more widely scattered Imight mention Ascyrwm crux-Andrea, Sagina apetala, Rhus aromaticum, Trifolaumreflenum (which I have also found scattered in single stools through low woods in Franklin county), Passtflora lutea and Physos- tegia Virginiana. The Passion vine (Passifiora incurnata) has also been found upon the hills near Jonesboro, and grows readily in the open air. The Physostegia is one of the finest of our wild flowers—one of those ‘‘which no lady’s garden should be without.’? In cultivation it grows three or four feet high, sending up a cluster of stout stems, each bearing a close, four-ranked, usually compound, spike, six or eight inches long by two or three in thickness. The flowers are a light rose-color, marked with purple spots, and when massed in bloom are notable for their light and airy elegance. I will write you further of the lower lands and of the forest trees at another time. S. A. FORBES. Pine Barren Plants.—Who, except a botanist, would ever dream of the hidden floral treasures to be found in the uninviting, dreary-looking pine barrens of New Jersey? The hills and rocks of New England, the fine woodlands of the middle and western States, and the rich prairies of the West, must all yield the palm to the despised pine barrens of New Jersey for rare and beautiful plants. Years ago, every now and then a charming plant would reach me in my wanderings, labeled ‘ ‘pine bar- rens, N. J.’’ Surely such exquisite flowers must come from some enchanted fairyland; but no, there was the unmistakable label, with the portentous word ‘‘ pine barrens ;’’ so my dream of fairyland vanished amid the white, dreary sand of South Jersey. Still, with each sight of these beautiful flowers would come a longing to visit the home of their birth. My first excursion in the ‘‘barrens’’ was early in April, when, after a wearying march through brush and briers, in damp places, I suddenly came upon the little trailing evergreen, Pyxidanthera barbulata, Michx, This charming little plant is found in the natural Order Diu- pensiacee. Botanists give us only two plants in this order, and by many salina these two are made to form each a genus by itself. Déapensiu Lapponica, L., 18 a little Alpine plant found in the north of Europe and in the northern parts of our own country; but our little pine-barren Diapensza, or, according to Gray and other authors, Pyxidanthera, is the one under consideration. It is so limited in its extent that it has never received a pet name, but no plant more deseryes some common name suggestive of its rare loveliness. True, Thad received dried specimens of this plant, and thought it very pretty; but I was not prepared for the enchanting, graceful loveliness that rewarded me for my laborious search. It was growing in thick masses, studded all over among its numerous, tiny, bright green leaves with pinkish and white buds, with now and then a fully expanded blossom. It seemed like sacrilege to disturb it, hidden away as it was from human eyes, and called forcibly to mind Hmerson’s exquisite little poems *¢ Rhodora.”’ “Tn May, when sea-winds pierced our solitudes, I found the fresh Rhodora in the woods, Spreading its leafless bloom in a damp nook, To please’ the deserf and the sluggish brook. he purple petals, fallen in the ‘pool, Made the black water with their beauty gay; Here might the Red-bird come his plumes to cool, And court the flower that che: upens his array. HH *‘Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why This charm is wasted on the earth and sky, ! Tell them, dear, that if eyes were made for seeing, Then beauty is its own excuse for being: Ras Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose! , I never thought to ask—I never knew; bel But, in my simple ignorance, suppose The self-same Power that brought me there brought you. ”? In April and May we find in most of the shallow ponds among the barrens a curious water plant, which, al- though it cannot be strietly called a pine barren plant, yet, from its limited extent and interesting character, requires a passing notice. Its scientific name 1s Ovon- tium aquaticum, L., and it has received the very appro- ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 319 priate common name of Golden Club. It is found in the natural order Aracee, The leaves are large, ten or twelve inches in length and about half as wide; the upper surface of the leaf is alight velvety green, the under surface much paler, and very smooth and shining, on long radical petioles; from the midst of these leaves arise several scapes, or flower-stalks, which, from the base up to within a few inches of the top, are of a dusky purplish color, which gradually fades into the purest White, terminating in a rich golden-yellow spadix, covered with small, perfect yellow flowers. Leiophyllum buxifolium, EM., is another charming pine- barren plant, and has received the characteristic com- mon name of Sand Myrtle, It belongs to the order Gricacew,with our splendid Azaleas and Rhododendrons, which the European florists have coaxed into number- less varieties. Possibly this beautiful little shrub will be negleeted by us until the European florists sell it back to us at high figures, as they already have many plants of this family. The Letophyllum is an evergreen shrub, with leaves small, dark green, very smooth and shining, and strung thickly along the stems, which in May are terminated with thick, umbel-like clusters of small white or pinkish flowers. Gray and other botanists give the height of this shrub at from eight to ten inches, and this is its usual height on the dry sandy barrens; but in Atlantic county, near the coast, in damp soil, I found an acre or more of this shrub with an average height of about three feet. I found it while in full bloom, and it stood so thick as to exclude almost everything else. It was sur- rounded by a thick, almost impenetrable, tangled mass of shrub-growth, bound together by the climbing prickly Smilax, through which I forced my way, and was more than repaid for my toil by the beautiful sight, which can neyer be effaced from my memory. One of the most stately and beautiful pine-barren plants is Yerophyllum asphodeloides, Nutt. It is an En- dogenous plant, and found in the order Aelanthacew. ‘The foliage consists of a thick tuft of grass-like leaves, from the midst of which arises a single flower-stalk, from three to four feet in height, bearing a dense raceme of showy white flowers. Itis found in moist places, and commences blooming in May. Mr. Fuller, of earth and Home, remarked on tirst seeing this plant, that this alone was worth taking a trip from New York to see; and, florist as he is, this remark is a sufficient guarantee of its rare loveliness. But I would not have the reader think that the pine barrens exclude the charming flowers of his acquaint- ance: From the latter part of March all through the month of April, the air is redolent with the sweet fra- grance of the Trailing Arbutus (Zpigea repens, L.), grow- ing with a rich luxuriance in the white sand, with a simple mulching of oak and pine leaves. Also the deli- cute, early litthe Wind-tlower (Anemone nemorosa, L.) is found in abundance, with the ever-present, aromatic Wintergreen (Gaulthera procumbens, 1..), with its shin- ing green leaves and bright scarlet berries. The little trailing Partridge vine (Jitchellu repens, L.), with its scarlet twin berries—like the Wintergreen remaining on the plant all winter—greets us often in our early spring rambles. As the season advances so does the number of beautiful plants increase among the seemingly dreary pine barrens, of which I will try to make further repert from time to time. MARY TREAT. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Plants to Name—/J//. W. Patterson, Oquawka, Ills. —No. 1, Thaspium barbinole, Nutt.; No.2, Glycerta ner- vata, ‘Trin.; No. 3, Erigeron strigosum, Mulil.; No. 4, Carex Meadii, Dew.; No.5, @nothera fruticosa, L.; No. 8, Koleria cristata, Pers.; No.9, Panicum pauciflorum, Ell.; No. 11, Carex hystricina, Willd.; No, 12, Frigeron Philadelphicum, L.; No. 18, Cryptoteania Canadensis, D. C3; No. 14, Melica mutica, Walt.; No. 21, Hordeum pu- sillum, Nutt.; No. 22, Ptelea trifoliata, L.; No. 27, Hydrophyllum Virginicum, 1.; No. 28, Osmorrhiza longi- stylis, D.C.; No. 29, Polytania Nuttallii, D. C.; No. 30, Sanicula Canadensis, I. Turon Burt, Callaway, Mo.—No. 1, Annual Spear- grass (Poa annua, LL.) This is probably an introduced grass—it seems to follow in the line of advaneing civili- zation. Itis too small to be productive as «meadow grass. Mr. C. L. Flint, author of a ‘‘Practical Treatise ” on Grasses,’ says: ‘*This modest and beautitul grass flowers throughout the whole summer, and forms a very large part of the sward of New England pastures, pro- ducing an early and sweet feed exceedingly relished by eattle. It does not resist the drought very well, but becomes parched up in our pastures,’’ It is called an annual, but comes up as you say in the full from seed, ripens its seeds the ensuing summer and dies. No. 2, the common Rush-grass (Juncus tenuis, L.), very well characterized as ‘* Wire-grass,”’ and of little prac- tical value. No. 3 is called Cleavers, or Goose-grass, (Galium aparine, 1.) though not properly a grass, but a plant of the Madder family (ubiacee). No. 4 is the omnipresent Knot-grass, or Goose-grass (Polygonum aviculare, L.), Which everywhere takes possession of door-yards and paths, and thrives under the roughest treatment. Geo. L. Bodley, Battle Creek, Mich.—Vhe leaves you send are those of the Red Mulberry (Morus rubra, L.) On mature trees the leaves are seldom lobed, being ovate heart-shaped. Chas. E. Billen, Philadelphia.—No. 12, the cultivated Poet’s Narcissus (Narcissus poeticuxs). No. 11, Sedum ternatum, or Three-leaved Stone-crop, growing wild in rocky woods, also occasionally found in gardens, and often erroneously called a Moss. No, 13, Viburnum prunifolium, or Black Haw, a large and handsome shrub or smail tree. No, 14, Winter Cress (Larharea vulgaris, L.) No. 15, Daisy Fleabane (Lriyeron bellidifolium, Muhl.) No. 16, Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum, Linn.) : J. L. Townsend, Marshall, Mo., asks for information on the following subjects: Ist, Time to commence study- ing botany, whether summer or winter, 2nd, Books needed, their price, and where they can be purchased, 3rd, Magnifying glass, the size, number of lenses, where to be obtained, and price. 4th, Microscope for that class of students who wish to pay attention to the Cryptogamia, kind, price, and where obtained, th, Collecting box, size, material and cost. 6th, White printing paper, cost, whether best purchased of printers or dealers. 7th, Hints on preserving ripened capsules and seeds, so that the pressure will not scatter them, Sth, How to get the flowers and fruit from high trees, 9th, Books for the special students, and works describ- ing the medicinal plants for those who would be inter- 320 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. ested in this class. 10th, Kind of box, case, or cabinet in which to place the holders containing the specimens, and whether to let them remain loose in the holders or fasten by mucilage or otherwise. 11th, Make of knife to use in dissecting plants. 12th, Full directions about miking a portfolio for collecting specimens when on a journey. 18th, Method of preparing stone-fruits, so that they can be shown when ripe, 18th, How to ex— mnine dried specimens. This is quite a formidable list of questions, but we will take them up serdatém, and answer as well as we are able. 1. The best time to commence studying botany is during the period of vegetable growth, when plants can be observed in a living state. Certainly something can be learned about plants by simply reading or studying the text-books; and we know that some teachers pre- fer to have their classes commence in the winter term and study morphology, physiology and classification, and then in the spring term enter upon the analysis of plants. This is probably a good plan for colleges and schools, for all the analytic botany that is obtained there is that obtained during the spring term, as the schools generally close in June, and do not reépen until Septem- ber, when the best part of the season has passed away. 2, There is no lack of good books on structural botany. No man has done more to extend the knowledge of botany in the United States than Prof. A. Gray, whose series of botanical works are not to be excelled. Prof. Wood has also a number of excellent works on the same subject. Students of Botany in that part of our country lying east of the Mississippi river will find in the Manual of Dr. Gray and the Class-book of Prof. Wood descriptions of nearly every plant they will be likely to find, exclusive of the lower cryptogamic orders. As we go westward of the Mississippi river, we find species which are not described in the works mentioned; these species become more and more numerous as we advance to the Rocky Mountains. Botanical students in that region of country will be unable to identify many of the plants they meet with. Probably within a few years some work will be published embracing all our vast territory. We have not at hand a list of prices of the botanical works we have mentioned, but they may be obtained through the booksellers of the country. 3. Good pocket lenses of two or three glasses may be obtained in most large towns. ‘These will answer for the ordinary purposes of botanical investigation. There is 2 very neat arrangement of lenses, called Dr. Gray’s microscope for the use of botanists, so contrived that the lenses may be fixed on a standard, and both hands left free to mimipulate the object. This, we believe, costs from $2.50 to $4.00; but we do not know the manufac- turers. 4, ‘hat class of students who wish to study erypto- gamic plants, and to investigate the minute structure of the cells and tissues, ete., will need a compound micro- scope. We are hardly prepared to recommend any particular kind, further than to say that we would buy an American instrument. JExcellent ones are made at Philadelphia, Boston, and other places; Chas. Stodder, 66 Milk street, Boston, advertises microscopes in the American Naturalist, and will undoubtedly furnish price lists, etc., on application. 5. ‘The common collecting box is made of tin, ina cylindrical form, about two feet long and six inches in diameter, with a door or lid nearly the whole Jength. Specimens may be collected in this box, and if moistened will keep fresh for a day or two, and may be analysed at leisure. A box of this kind is especially useful to collect and keep material for analysis by a class; but most botanists, we apprehend, after a time drop the tin box and employ the portfolio, or collecting book. This is made of strong binder’s board, eighteen or twenty inches long and ten or twelve wide, and may be either asimple cover, to be filled with loose sheets, or the sheets may be bound in with blank pieces after the manner of a scrap-book. The paper should be astrong, smooth and thick manilla. Into this book the specimens should be placed when collected, and may remain there several hours, or a day, until an opportunity occurs to transfer them to the press. The book may be fastened with straps and buckles at the side and ends. anda handle may be attached for convenience of carrying. 6. White printing paper may be procured either of printers or dealers, as may be most convenient. The price varies with the quality; it is usually sold by weight, or rather the price per ream depends on the weight. 7. Specimens containing capsules or pods should be collected before the fruit-vyessels are fully ripe, when little trouble will usually be experienced from their bursting. If, however, the seed is likely to be scattered, it may be kept in a small paper sack, in the same paper with the specimen. Indeed, it isa good plan to have some seeds of every species kept in this way for ready examination. In cases where the seeds are too large, as in the oaks and hickories, they may be kept in suit- able boxes, properly labeled and numbered, 8. For getting specimens of flowers and fruit from high trees, the usual mode is by climbing. Nurserymen and orchardists have contrivances, such as shears at- tached to a long handle, long-handled chisels, etc., which might be turned to advantage in some cases. 9. Students wishing to pursue only special depart- ments of botanical investigation will require special works—as, for instance, Sullivant on the Mosses and Liverworts of the United States; Harvey on the Marine Algze of North America. The medical uses and proper- ties of our plants are treated of in the American Dis- pensatory, the Eclectic Dispensatory, Bigelow’s Ameri- can Medical Botany, and probably in other works with which we are unacquainted. 10. As to the final disposition of plants in the Herba- rium; some keep them in folios, some in pasteboard boxes, and some in drawers. Inevery case they should be excluded from sunlight, and from the approach of insects. Wherever the collection cannot be made sta- tionary and permanent, it will be better to use paste- board boxes. At some future time we will give details. We will only say now that the specimens should be gummed to the sheet, either by the direct application of mucilage, or by means of narrow strips of gummed paper fastened across the stems of the plants at suitable intervals. We prefer the latter method. 4 11. We know of no special pattern of knife for dis- secting plants. Any one with a sharp, thin blade will answer most purposes. 12. This has been answered under No. 5. _ 13. We know of no better way of preserving stone- fruits than by drying or keeping in alcohol. 14. In order to examine dried specimens, the flowers and small parts must be first thoroughly softened by immersion in hot water, or by means of steam. They may then be dissected in the usual way. a ee eee THE AMER! = — kgs — Ze of LE My N) ~ 4, \= if ‘ CHARLES V. RILEY, Room 20, Insurance Building, St. Louis, Mo. Epitror, ANNOUNCEMENT. We hereby announce, by the mutual consent of both publishers and editors, that the American Enromo.oaisr AND Boranist will be suspended during the year 1871. It is unnecessary to give the several reasons which have induced us to adopt this course. the labor required to conscientiously manage a journal of this character, and the health of the entomological editor has been so poor of late, and his other duties are so pressing, that he will be glad of the respite which this suspension will, in part, afford. The suspension of a journal is generally looked upon as portending failure and discontinuance ; but in the present case it has no such meaning. One more number, which will complete Volume II, will be issued before the end of the year, and, nothing preventing, Volume IIL will commence with the year 1872. All those who receive this announcement with regret, and who intend to renew their subscriptions in 1872, will do well to signify such intention to the publishers. —— / THE CODLING MOTH, _ ~. (Larpocapsa pomonella, Linneus.) AY-BAND Us. RAGS—ONE OR TWO BROODED, After a series of experiments, instituted the past sununer, we have proved that, after all, the hay-band around the trunk of the tree is a more effectual trap for the Apple-worm than the rags placed in the fork of the tree: There is no superi- ority in the rags over the hay-band, unless the former are made to encircle the tree as thorougly as the latter. Where rags are placed simply in the forks, many of the worms pass down the tree from the outside of the branches. If the rag is tied around the trunk, it will impede almost Few persons are aware of every worm that crawls down the tree from the fruit which hangs on, or that crawls up the trunk from the fruit which falls; and it then has a decided advantage over the hay-band, because it can either be passed through a roller or scalded, and used again. It has been very generally accepted in this country that the Codling Moth is double-brooded, and in all our writings on the subject we have stated it to be so, though no one, so far as we are aware, ever proved such to be the case beyond a doubt. Mr. P. C. Zeller, of Stettin, Prussia, ‘informed us last winter that it is only single- brooded in that part of the world, and Harris gives if as his opinion that it is mostly so. Now, such may not improbably be the case in northern Prussia, and the more northern of the United States, though we incline to believe otherwise. At all events, this insect is invariably double-brooded in the latitude of St. Louis, and its natural history may be briefly told as follows: The first moths appear, and begin to lay their eges, soon after the young apples begin to form. The great bulk of the worms which hatch from these eggs leave the fruit from the middle of May to the middle of June. These spin up, and in from two to three weeks produce moths, which pair and in their turn commence, in afew days, to lay eges again. The worms (second brood) from these eges leave the fruit, some of them as early as the first of September, others as late as Christmas. In either case they spin their cocoons as soon as they have left the apples, but do not assume the pupa state till to- wards spring—the moths from the late matured worms appearing almost as early as those from the earlier matured ones. The two broods inter- lock, so that in July worms of both may be found in the fruit of one and the same tree. We have repeatedly taken worms of the first brood, bred the moths from them, and obtained from these moths the second brood of worms; and we have done this both on enclosed fruit hanging on the tree in the open air, and on plucked fruit in- In the latter experiments the moths would often cover an apple with eges, so that. when the worms hatched they would enter from doors. 322 THE AMERICAN all sides, and soon so thoroughly perforate and devour the fruit as to die of starvation. This is a clear case of misdirected instinct in the parent, caused doubtless by confinement. From the foregoing facts, it becomes obvious that the rags or the hay-band should be kept around the tree, say from the first of May till the fruit is all off; and to be thoroughly effectual, the insects collected in or under them should be destroyed regularly every fortnight during that time. ro BOOK-WORMS. GY HENKY SHIMER, M.D, [Fig. 200.] In contemplating this subject, it is not my purpose to dwell on that inappropriate and in- elegant definition of this term given by Webster— ¢¢a student closely attached to books, or addicted to study”—but to briefly notice the work of in- sects in some of our libraries: for even our treasured volumes are not exempt from the ever-annoying pest of injurious insects. When the lover of books finds that his choice and elegantly bound volume, which was placed in its case for safe keeping, has been riddled and marred, and may be ruined, by some ruthless worm, he is as much annoyed as the polished gentleman who finds that his fine cloth suit has been the prey of moths; or the careful lady, who finds the fur separated from the skin of her muff, or cape, by the same relentless foe. Books have been infested with caterpillars, mites, and beetles, in foreign countries; and in our own country books have been occasionally injured by some of these insects; but, so far as J am informed, insects have not been very annoy- ing in American libraries. Harris, in his general work on injurious insects, makes no allusion to them. I have obseryed worm-eaten volumes occasionally in some old eastern libraries, espe- cially in New York city. Several species of Boring beetles belonging to the family Ptinide destroy books, as well as many other kinds of property, even furniture, clothing, produce, pictures, etc., ete. M. Piegnot informs us that one of these penetrated directly through twenty-seven large quarto volumes in— so straight a line that he was able to pass a string directly through and suspend the whole series of volumes. (Iforner’s Introd. to Bibliography, ~ 311.) During the past year I was not a little annoyed and surprised to find the larva of a species of Ptinus in some books in my office, from which I have bred the perfect insect, which proves to be the common Brown Ptinus (Piinus brunneus, Dufs.—P. frontalis, Mels.)* They had injured several of my books, as well as many of the volumes of a small law library that had been recently shipped here from Keokuk, Iowa. Be- sides these, I have only seen one or two volumes in other libraries in Mount Carroll containing the marks of their worl. They usually operate in leather-bound or half- bound volumes, by boring galleries along in the leather where it is joined to the back of the leaves of the book; most frequently about the linial angle formed by the board-back, and the edge of the back of the leaves. Sometimes they are in the middle of the back, or about the cor- ners of the book-back. They usually bore along quite under the surface of the leather, cutting it almost through; occasionally a small round hole penetrates through the leather to the outer sur- face. The galleries ave filled with the debris. This account of their work is, as I see it, where the insects are not yet very numerous; but I can readily foresee that they may, if unmolested, become so numerous as to eat up the binding _and entirely ruin the volumes of a library. Sheep-bound books seem to be their favorite resort; but I have found one larva in a cloth- bound volume about one of the binding cords where it is attached to the board, in all proba-— bility feeding on the paste used in the binding. These insects may be well enough in some places, at least on the pins in an entomological collection, but I do not like their notions of book-gnawing. So to teach them better habits, I searched carefully and destroyed all I could find, and afterwards subjected the yolumes to baking in an oven, being careful not to heat them sufficiently to burn the leather ‘brittle. A better plan would be to put them into some water-tight box, and to immerse the box with its contents in boiling water long enough to heat the books through and through to near 212° Fah. — If this does not clean them out, [ shall brush the *This and the following described insect were kindly de- termined by Dr. Horn. ENTOMOLOGIST AND mb 323 corrosive sublimate. - Should these insects become more numerous, I shall prefer a cloth-bound book because of less liability of such books to be attacked by the in- sects. The bookbinder might easily remedy the ‘difficulty by adding a little corrosive sublimate to the paste he uses; but to him there is an ob- jection on the score of health. Sen bis i is an imported insect, and therefore is all the more to be feared according to the teachings of Mr. Walsh, who endeavored to prove that all imported insects are worse than the indigenous ones. The causes of this may be various, but the grand reason is supposed to be that the ‘natural enemies in their native country do not accompany them in their migrations. Some en- tomologists, however, say that this species does at little harm. Another Boring beetle of the Ptinus family A Sitodrepa panicea, Thomas=Anobium pani- cewm, abr.), feeds on capsicum and other spices, ‘ wafers, farninacecous meals, etc., and are numer- ous about drug stores, as I have seen in this town. The same insect was found in a hand- some red bead made of some kind of colored paste, much to the annoyance of the young lady who was wearing it: for, strange as it may ap- ‘pear, nothing much more annoys a young lady than a harmless worm. I have had these beads in aclose box, and there has been developed a new brood every year since I placed them in this confinement. The eggs are white, ovate, and probably each female only produces a few. By ‘crushing a pregnant female I obtained six eggs. ‘The larva of these bead beetles is somewhat hairy, yellowish-white, 6-legged, and coiled up by retracting the abdomen under the thorax. It is considerably corrugated, especially along the sides. The head is smooth, horny, and white, ‘and the mandibles and parts about the mouth are black. It lives in the bead, and feeds so carefully that one would not suspect its presence were if not that the perfect insect eats a hole through the same to make its escape. Some- times, but rarely, two were found in a bead. When ground capsicum contains these insects it will be found cemented into somewhat irregu- lav hollow balls, attached around the sides of the vessel in which it is contained. It is strange that they will Jive and thrive equally as well in ‘such a pungent substance as they do in barley meal, if, indeed, they be one and the same insect, and I am not able to detect any marked difference between the capsicum, barley meal, and bead- inhabiting insects. The larva of the Brown Ptinus, or Book-bee- books over thoroughly with a strong solution of tle, is similar in appearance to that of this Spice- beetle (Sitodrepa), but close examination shows it to be much more hairy. I have taken them from the books and placed them in small corked vials, and observed that they soon buried them- selves in the cork, where they lived and fed for as much as two or three months. The Brown Ptinus matures in April and May, and at this time I have so often taken them ina basin or pail of water, during the past four years, that I conclude that it would be a good plan to set pans of water in the library for the purpose of entrap- ping the perfect insects. These two insects, though belonging to the same family, are quite different in appearance. Com- pared with the Book-beetle (Pinus), the Spice- beetle (Sttodrepa) is of a lighter brown, and is more nearly cylindrical. The antennz are much smaller and mostly retracted after death. The Book-beetle is of a darker brown, usually con- siderably hump-backed, with the thorax consid- erably narrowed just in front of the wing-covers. It is more densely covered with hairs, and with a lens the hairs are seen much more conspicu- ously—stiff and bristle-like. I thus speak of their differences in contrast because some have considered them the same. These insects produce a peculiar sound, which is supposed to be caused by striking their jaws against some foreign object, and which is, per- haps, made to attract their partners. This sound somewhat resembles the ticking of a watch, and ignorant and superstitious people believe it to be ominous of death—‘‘ the death watch.” When apples are stored near the library, the Codling Moth, upon leaving the apple and seck- ing a place to transform, may locate itself in a book, as I have upon several occasions observed. When it enters the book between the back and leaves, it gnaws and mutilates them very much to make a desirable place in which to spin its cocoon. On one oceasion I observed that the larva, after cutting through three or four leaves and spinning a good deal of silk, left for more desirable quarters. In this way many other caterpillars may injure books, when by accident they gain access to them. We read of various book enemies that have attracted attention from time to time. eo RUE-LEAVED SPLEENWORT. (Asplenium ruta-muraria, L.) BY J. WILLIAMSON, LOUISVILLE KY. [Fig. 229.] Rue-Leaved Spleenwort (Aspleniwm ruta-muraria, u,)* This fern is a spleenwort, belonging to the genus Aspleniwm of the great group of Polypo- daceus Ferns. This group is distinguished from the other two groups, Osmundaceew and Ophio- glossacee, by having their spore cases girt with an elastic ring. The word Aspleniwm was applied by old au- thors to those kinds of ferns that were supposed to possess some virtues in curing diseases of the spleen. Modern authors classify the Spleen- worts and all other Ferns on a more definite * EXPLANATION OF THE Figurr,—a, Plant, natural size; b, back of the frond, showing the sori or fruit dots; c, upper side of the fronds; d, young fronds growing from the tufted rootstock showing their circinate vernation; e, old fronds broken off, principle, that is, the arrangement of the fruit, or sori, and the form of the ¢ndusiwm, or fruit-— cover. Asplenium ruta muraria is a small evergreen fern two to four inches long; root tufted, fibrous ; stalk smooth, with one groove on the upper side, | slightly round on the back; fronds bi-pinnate below, simply pinnate above; pinnules rhombic- wedge-shaped, toothed at the apex, sometimes deeply cut, without a mid-rib, the veins rising” irregularly from the base of the pinnule towards _ each serrature; involucre or indusium elongate, : opening inwardly, with a sinuated margin, espe- cially so when burst; whole plant smooth and having a glaucous-green color. I found this fern and the delicate Rock-brake (Pellea gracilis) growing on the same rock, in a very exposed situation. Their tufted roots were embedded in the crevices of the rocks, so that it was with some difficulty that good speci- mens could be obtained; but by breaking phe rock and using a little patience the difficulty — was overcome. On visiting the same district on the 4th of July, I found some beautiful spe- cimens growing in a sheltered situation; their — roots were embedded in the moss which grew upon the rocks. Some of the fronds measured fully five inches in Jength. In England and Scotland this fern is named the Rue-leayed Spleen- a wort, or Wall-rue Fern. It is what is termed a _mural species, from its i general habitat, grow- } ine usually on old walls. ij It is found very fre- | quently on old castles, A 1 old towers, and old Part ot a frond magnified 24 times, bridges. Lime appears showing the fruit-dots in different a to be one of its chief (Fig. 230.) elements of nourishment, at least it is always found in a limestone region. I have seen an old Roman bridge in Scotland almost covered withit. Two other peculiar situations in Scotland in-— terested me very much: one was on the top of an old round tower, about eighty feet high; the other in a well about four feet from the sur-— face. There were only a few plants growing in each place, and no others within a radius of fifteen miles. It is strange that the spores would have settled in two situations so extremely dif- ferent. The specimens growing in the well were large, soft, and delicate; those on the tower small and crisp. The specimen in my herbarium is three and a half inches long, and something similar to the above illustration, with this exception, the pin- ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 381 nules are not so much cut off. It is from the west coast of Scotland. I found it growing with Asplenium marinum and A. adiantum nigrum, on exposed rocks that were washed by the waves of the Atlantic. From the above description it would be diffi- cult to define the exact habitat or range of this rare little fern. ~_———- ®@e THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ALPINE REGION. LY C. C, PARRY, WASHINGTON, D. C, (Selected.) The wooded belt of coniferous trees that, with irregular local interruptions, clothes the Rocky Mountain slopes, commences by a somewhat scat- tering growth near their base, at an average eleva- tion of six thousand feet above the sea. This belt acquires its densest growth, and exhibits the great- est number of distinct species, between seven thousand and nine thousand feet elevation, and terminates by an abrupt well-marked line at an average height of eleven thousand three hundred feet. These plainly recognized features are readily ex- plained by reference to the corresponding climatic conditions here exhibited. Thus the growth is most dense and varied where the exposures present a suitable condensing surface, and where there is the greatest and most regular amount of aqueous precipitation, caused by a mingling of the cool descending currents of air from the higher elevations meeting the warm ascending currents charged with moisture from the heated plains below; at this irregular point of junction, summer rains and dews are frequent, and the conditions for arborescent growth are most favorable. At still higher eleva- tions the actual limit of tree growth is determined by conditions of temperature, which satisfactorily explain the peculiar features of vegetation here met with. Most noticeable of these is the singular abrupt- ness by which this limit of upright tree growth is here marked. You are struggling through a tangled maze of fallen timber and dense underbrush, over- shadowed by tall trees with spreading roots bedded in a saturated spongy soil, when suddenly, without any sensible dwarfing of intermediate forms, you come upon open spaces, where stunted trees, fan- tastically gnarled and twisted, with depressed flat- tened summits, offer little obstruction to the open view above. ‘Through these obstructions, stepping on the very tops of matted trees, which a few rods below rear their pointed spires to a height of chirty to forty feet, you come upon the bare alpine slopes, which continue with variously interrupted rocky exposures to the dividing ridge two thousand to twenty-five hundred feet higher. In the absence of any continuous meteorological observations at or above the timber line, the most satisfactory explanation of the peculiar features here presented is this: The so-called timber line marks the extreme point of minimum winter tempe- rature, below which no exposed phenogamous vege- tation can exist. All that survives above this point does so by submitting to a winter burial of snow, beneath which protecting cover it is enabled to maintain its torpid existence. The early autumnal fall of snow commences in the latter part of Septem- ber, and receives constant additions through the fall and winter months, during which it retains its light feathery texture, and is not sensibly wasted by melting till the clear lengthening days of early summer dissolve them rapidly, giving origin to the dashing streams that pour down the upper valleys. It is the pressure of this accumulating weight of snow that gives the fantastic shape to the tree vege- tation, that struggles for existence above the well marked timber line, and we can readily note in- stances, here and there, where from some peculiar condition of wind, or a limited amount of winter snow in particular seasons, points and patches of dwarfed tree growth being left unprotected, have been blasted and destroyed. Otherwise we can observe still more frequently where ambitious up- per branches projecting into the sunlight of this Arctic winter, have been nipped and killed. In these unmistakable signs of the struggle for vegeta- ble existence are also exhibited some of the most peculiar and marked features of the Alpine scenery. This dwarfed tree growth, persisting above the timber line, is as we might naturally suppose con- fined to sheltered valleys, or on the lea-side of ab- rupt rocks, where the drifted snow lies heaviest. The point of greatest snow accumulation is mainly determined by the shelter afforded along the upper line of the timber growth, at which locations the snow drifting from the bare spaces above is lodged, hence early in the thawing season these locations offer the principal obstructions to travel, presenting treacherous fields of snow, often overarching rush- ing torrents; here also the vegetation is longest de- layed, and is comparatively meagre. It is on the more open exposures above that the alpine flora offers its greatest variety and most attractive fea- tures, and through a brief flowering period, ex- tending from June to September, presents a succes- sion of forms and colors, attractive to the eye of a naturalist, and such as is nowhere else so compre- hensively exhibited. As these alpine plants owe their existence to the protection afforded by winter snow, they naturally include a number of species that also flourish at lower elevations.. Thus in the accompanying list of alpine plants, out of one hun- dred and forty-two species, I note fifty-six as ex- clusively confined to the alpine exposures. The usual characters of ulpine plants here, as elsewhere exhibited, consist in a dwarfed habit of growth, late period of flowering and early seeding, the forms being almost exclusively perennial. Ot Phenogamous plants persisting to the highest 382 THE AMERICAN elevations, reaching to fourteen thousand feet and upwards, we may enumerate the following: Thlaspi cochleariforme, Claytonia megarrhiza, Trifolium nan- um, Oxytropis arctica, Saxifraga serpyllifolia, An- drosace chamejasme, Chionophila Jamesit, Eritrich- tum aretioides, Polemonium confertum, Gentiana Srigida, Salix reticulata, Lloydia serotina, Luzula spicata, Carex incurva, Poa arctica. Of the thirty-four natural orders represented in the alpine flora, thirty-one belong to Phenogamous plants, the remaining three include the higher orders of Cryptogams, of the latter, Ferns are repre- sented by a single species, not exclusively alpine (Cryptogramme acrostichoides, R. Br.) Mosses are more numerously represented, but are still com- . paratively rare, while Lichens are most abundant and afford the greatest number of species. Of the Phenogamous orders twenty-seven belong to Dicotyledons, four to Monocotyledons. Of these the natural order, Composite, comprises the largest number of species, viz.: twenty-four included in thirteen genera; Ranwnculacee has five genera, seven species; Crucifere, five genera, six species; Caryophyllacee, five genera, six species; Legumi- nosee, two genera, four species; Rosacee, four genera, five species; Saxifragacee, two genera, nine species; Primulacee, two genera, four species; Sorofulariacee, Six genera, ten species; Gentiana- cee, two genera, six species; Salicacew, one genus, four species; Coniferew, three genera, five species; Juncacee, two genera, seven species; Cyperacee, one genus, four species; Graminee, five genera, nine species. Of large families entirely unrepresented we may note Solanacee, Labiatece. The superficial extent of these bare alpine expo- sures can only be approximately estimated in the absence of any exact topographieal measurements. Taking the main mountain mass extending through Colorado Territory, or between 37°, and 419, north latitude, including the high offsets and detached peaks, rising above eleyen thousand feet, it would be safe to allow an average width of five miles, for the entire distance, in a straight line, representing in round numbers an area of from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred square miles. Throughout this extent there is great uniformity in the vegetation presented, though agreeably varied by the different exposures or conditions of soil and moisture. Wherever the peculiar texture of the underlying rock has favored disintegration, and the accumula- tion of soil, a rich alpine sward is presented, made up of densely matted grasses, carices, and plants adapted to pasturage. Here the mountain sheep the elk, and the Rocky Mountain goat, graze during the summer months, and the mountain ptermigan, and dusky grouse feed and rear their young. When once made accessible it will, no doubt, afford a favorite resort for summer pasturage, and may eventually yield choice dairy products equaling those of the Swiss Alps, or produce delicate fibrous tissues, rivaling those of the looms of Cashmere. As a sanitary retreat during the summer months it is unexcelled in the purity and! coolness of its atmosphere, the clearness of its flowing streams, and its picturesque extended views. There are no elevated points that cannot be safely ascended, and dangers from snow avalanches, or land slips, are so rare as not to be taken into consideration. Of the high culminating points met with in the district under review, including Long’s peak on the north, and the Sierra Blanea on the south, there is a re- markable uniformity in the average elevation; all as far as accurately measured rising above fourteen thousand feet. Gray’s peak in the dividing ridge, which is now a point of common summer resort, so far carries the palm in an elevation of fourteen thousand two hundred and fifty-one feet. Its asso- ciate peak (which it is most earnestly hoped may bear the appropriate name first proposed, of Tor- rey’s peak, in commemoration of the early botanical labors of our veteran American botanist) is thought to be somewhat higher, an interesting point which will no doubt be determined by Professor Whitney in his present summer’s exploration of that region. ——_—__.-—_____—__ Puants of the Cactus family are principally confined to the Western continent, and although most abundant in tropical regions, some forms extend far into the temperate zone, and some species even have an alpine character. Back, in his northern expedition, saw with astonish- ment the banks of the Rainy Lake, in latitude 48° 40’, entirely covered with the prickly pear (Opuntia vulgaris). Humboldt found on the Andes several species of Cactus on elevated plains from 9,000 to upwards of 10,600 feet above the level of the sea. Some have even been gathered at an elevation of 13,600 feet. In size and height the different kinds present re- markable contrast. In Mexico and Arizona many kinds assume anarborescent form. Other kinds have a globular form, some with a diame- ter of three feet, and attaining a weight of 2,000 pounds, while a Cactus in South America is so small and so loosely rooted in the sand that it gets between the toes of dogs. Paxtms are the loftiest and most stately of all vegetable forms. To these, above all other trees, the prize of beauty has always been awarded by every nation. Marked with rings, and not unfrequently armed with thorns, the tall and slender shaft of this graceful tree rears on high its crown of shining, fan-like, or pin- nated leaves, which are often curled like those of some grasses. Smooth stems of the Palm sometimes rise to a height of one hundred and ninety feet. It diminishes in size and beauty as it recedes from the equatorial toward the tem. perate zones. ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. Virarity or Sreps.—There is much mystery about this subject. We recently read in a New York paper that on the clay from a deep well, plants of Sinepis arvensis, the “Yellow Char- lock,” grew, the seeds of which “‘must have been there for ages.” As this is not an Ameri- can plant, but one which has followed the foot- steps of the white man, of course there must be an error here. We have no doubt it is so with all the cases of so-called vitality, not even the supposed well attested cases of forests of trees growing up after a fire in the West, different from that which grew before, from seed which had been for years in the ground. Farmers say that when they plow up old sod which has been that way for many years, and note the rag weed and white clover which spring up, that these seeds are natural to the soil, or have been there for a long time; but there is no doubt but that this is wrong. The most careful analysis of these soils fails to de- tect their presence, which it would certainly do if they were there. Though surely there is not near the vitality in seeds accorded to them, there is really much more than is generally sup- posed. It is rather how they are kept than any peculiar Jimit to their age which determines their goodness. We know the time when we supposed it necessary to keep Magnolia seeds moist from the time they were gathered till they were sown in the spring. Once we found a package which had been thrust under a rafter in a tool shed in the spring, which grew as well as any. More recently Mrs. Col. Wilder found a package of Magnolia soulanyeana seed in Mr. Wilder’s wardrobe, which had been there be- tween two and three years, and which on sow- ing produced a plant from every seed. Yet the belief is next to universal that Magnolia seed is one of the most transitory in its hold on vitality that we have. These facts show us that we really know little about these matters yet; and they should stimu- late practical men to careful experiment as to what are really the laws which govern the pre- servation and germination of seeds.—Gardener’s Monthly. ————+oe—_______- Stupy or Naturat Histrory.—‘ For many years it has been one of my constant regrets that no schoolmaster of mine had a knowledge of natural history, so far at least as to have taught me the grasses that grow by the wayside, and the little winged and wingless neighbors that are continually meeting me with a salutation which I cannot answer, as things are. Why did’nt somebody teach me the constellations too, and make me at home in the starry heavens which are always overhead, and which I don’t half know to this day? I love to prophesy that there will come a time when, not in Edinburgh sail but in all Scottish and European towns and villages, the schoolmaster will be strictly re- quired to possess these two capabilities (neither Greek nor Latin more strict), and that no in- genious little denizen of this universe be thence- forward debarred from his right of liberty in those two departments, and doomed to look on them as if across grated fences all his life!”— Carlyle, in Edinburgh Courant. 383 NOTES FROM CORRESPONDENTS. We have acommunication from Prof. G. H. French, relative to some interesting plants of Southern Illinois, observed during a vacation trip. Our space permits us to present only some of the more prominent statements: About two anda half miles from Makanda is a ledge of rocks known as Giant City, consisting of humerous large blocks of sandstone—a wild and romantic place. Here I found some interesting ferns, among which were beautiful specimens of the Walking Fern (Camptosorus rhizophyllus) Wood- sia obtusa, Cystopteris fragilis, Asplenium trichomanes and Aspidiwm acrostichoides. Besides ferns, I found here a rare Heuchera, the same as described in number 10, p. 310. It grows from the sides of the cliffs, and rarely on the ground at the base of the cliffs. The whole plant is viscid- pubescent, the scape a foot to eighteen inches high, the panicle about six inches long, and three to four inches wide. A ledge of rocks about four miles northwest of Makanda has the local designation of Fern-rocks. Among the most interesting things here was the Asplenium pinnatifidum. It grows in considerable abundance here, though I found it in no other place. This delicate fern is an interesting plant, both on account of its rarity and its manner of growth. It grows from crevices in the sides of the cliff, in the driest places, seeming to avoid moisture. The roots penetrate the narrow crevices, so that it is difficult to dislodge them with a knife. There is an inclina- tion, I see, among botanists to class this plant with the Walking Fern, and I should say with much propriety. Although I did not find it rooting at the end of the frond, I doubt not it would if it could find place to root. Growing from a moist moss-coyered rock near by I found a bunch of the delicate Asplenium Felix- femina, its large though delicate fronds contrasting strangely with some small specimens of Asplenium ebeneum growing at no great distance. But among the most beautiful is the M aiden-hair fern (Adiantum pedatum), that grows all through the woods in this vicinity Other ferns growing common here were the two Polypods (Polypodium vulgare and P. hexa- gonopterum), the common Brake (Pteris aquilina), the sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), Aspidium mar- ginale and A. acrostichoides. I found at the base of the ledges a peculiar Dode- catheon, The leaves are orbicular, crenate-dentate, or sometimes entire, of a pale green color and thin, obtuse at the base and not tapering to the petiole. Scape from six to twelve inches high, and from one to ten flowered. The flowers were all gone, but the capsules were not more than half as large as those of Dodecatheon meadia. It grows inthe sand made from the disintegrated rocks of the cliffs It is at 384 ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. least a marked variety of D. meadia, if not anew species. Various species of Desmodium grow here in the woods and fields, several of which are worthy of notice. In one place I found a specimen of Des- modium nudiflorum having two scapes, one naked the other bearing about midway a tuft of leaflets. The shape of the leaflets and other characters were decidedly D. nudiflorum. Near Cobden I found a specimen of Desmodium pauciflorum with the scape coming out at the base of the plant, as in D. nudiflorum, but having a tuft of leaflets at about the middle. In this plant the shape of the leaves was that of D. pauciflorum. 1 also found several specimens that seem to combine the habits of D. pauciflorum and D. acuminatum. They were not more than ten or twelve inches high, and about midway had a node of leaves from which rose a short scape, or flower-stalk, bearing a few flowers of the color and size of those of D. pauciflorum. The leaves were very much pointed, like those of D. acuminatum. Do these peculiarities show a hybrid- ization in these species, or are they variable forms of one species ? Prof. E. J. Hill, of Kankakee, Ill., communi- cates notes and specimens of a few interesting plants, from which we give the following ex- tracts: T inclose a specimen of Juncus Greenii. In some speci- mens the inyolucral leaf is 6 inches long. The pods are longer than the sepals, and blunt. It has one or two involute thread-form leaves at the base: The cymes are large, making a heavy head; and the plant stands up rigidly, growing from 18 inches to 234 feet high. Its loeality is the prairie north of the Kankakee river, and it was quite abundant. There was considerable sand in the soil. I find in the same soil Selerta trzglomerata, Michx., and a Pumbristylés which I take to be F. spadicea, Vahl. I mentioned to you Rhynchospora cymosa, Nutt. After a thorough reéxamination, I can make nothing else of my specimens. The leayes are linear, flat and keeled. The culm is leafy, triangular, smooth, 10 to 20 inches high, with terminal and axillary cymes. I found it in the sandy barrens west of here, growing in the edge of sloughs. The Fimbristylis grew in the same locality. I spoke to 3 ou ofa tall Hemicarpha subsquarrosa. By actual measurement I find the tallest 83 inches high. It was probably due to the fact that they grew in the shade, in the midst pf a dense growth of Hragrostis rep- tans, and various ;taller weeds, on a low inundated island of the riv’r; the richness of the soil and the struggle for sunlight stretched them out. TI inclose a specimen of Vonobew multzfida, Beuth., about which there seems to be some discrepancies of description. Dr. Gray says: ‘‘Upper lip of the corolla 3-lobed, the lower 3-parted. Style 2-lobed at the apex, the lobes wedge-form. Leaves opposite. Flowers small, solitary, on axillary 2-bractleted peduncles.” It is described by Michaux (Flor. Bor. Am.) as Cap- raria multifida. Te says: ‘Corolla campanulate, 5- pov 4.6 Pic parted, acute. Capsule 2-valyed, 2-celled, many-seeded. Leaves ternately verticillate, many-parted; pedicels solitary.”” ‘ j Sprengel (Syst. Veg.), under Caprarza, describes the capsule as 2-celled, valves 2-cleft. Under Herpestrzs he says: “Capsule 2-celled, 2-valyed, valves 2-parted.”’ The last is the case with this plant, the valves being finally 2-parted. Sprengel characterizes Conobea thus : “Calyx tubulous, 5-dentate, 3 bracts at the base; cor- olla 2-lipped, upper lip emarginate, lower lip 3-lobed; capsule 4-valved, etc.” By stretching a point the 2-lipped corolla can be made out, and the final result with the capsule is the 4 valves. But I find neither 3 bracts nor 2 (Gray), nor opposite leaves alone, but mainly verticillate, and the style more like that of Herpestrzs. The result I find to be a good specific distinction in Michaux’s Flora, but a mingling of the elements of three genera in my books, viz: Conobew, Herpestris and Cap- raria (as to the corolla). ~ We have examined the specimen sent by Mr. Hill, and also others from Southern [linois, and find his remarks as to the characters fully sus- tained. In the dried specimens we have not been able to make out the structure of the cor- rolla. Charles H. Peck, of Albany, N. Y., writes as follows concerning the white fruited form of Strawberry noticed in our last issue: Fragaria vesca, with white fruit, grows in Rensellaer county, in this State. A gentleman of my acquaintance transplanted some plants to his garden, placing both red and white fruiting varieties in the same bed. They have exhibited no apparent tendency to mix, or form intermediate varieties; but under cultivation they pre- sent a peculiar appearance. ‘The flowering stem be- comes dichotomously branched above, the branches growing quite long, and the primary ones being sub- tended by a well developed leaf. The fruit is produced throughout the season, so that these plants become an ¢*Bverbearing Strawberry.” os ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Plants to Name.—WMiss Maury LB. Uurtfeldt, Kirk- wood, Mo.—No. 1 is Astragalus Mexicanus; No.2, Coreop- sis aristosa; No.4, Commelyna Virginica; No. 5, Lespedeza violacea; No. 6, Hyperteum Drummondii; No. 1, Asten Nove Anglie; No. 8, Poa compressa; No. 9, Panicum dichotomum; No. 10, Mollugo verticillata; No. 11, Koleria cristata ; No. 12, Tricuspis purpurea ; No. 14, Eleocharis tenuis; No. 15, Pycnanthemum lindfolium ; No. 16, Acaly- pha Virginia; No. 17, Aster miser; No. 18, Aster tenut- folius ; No. 19, Cephalanthus occidentalis ; No. 20, Mul- gedium acuminutum; No. 21, Lactuca Canadensis. H. H. Mapes, Kalamazoo, Mich.—No.1is the Climb- ing Bittersweet (Célastrus scandens, L.); No. 2, Ginseng (Aralia quinquefolia, L.); No. 3, Penthorum sedotdes, L.; No. 4, Hypericum corymbosum, Muhl.; No. 5, Willow Herb (Zpilobium angustifoliun, L.); No. 6, Aster dumosus, L. 60 0% u > Cc Ee Pal 1 Ce q Re ae | o th eRe © ‘ 4 Se X r Pt bee on? 7 2 ORS: yo Gel Yai ae : ”, ay aie tea ea Ls « 's y } P i, . 104 Pte Moet) ie as, 3 ? : ed ee Wi Bi eee i ae YL a) © Ke Rat? ve | as a | 1262 6008