. OF WASHINGTON. 217 



the influence of deforestation on the multiplication of locusts in 

 connection with the recent invasion by these insects of the Island 

 of Cyprus, and similarly also on the multiplication of Melolon- 

 iha, such deforestation favoring the development of these in 

 sects. 



Prof. Riley remarked that he had no hesitation in saying 

 that the reason given for the increased multiplication of these 

 insects, viz., deforestation, was entirely valid. He referred to 

 the allied question which came up before this Society some 

 time since of the increased multiplication of wood-boring insects 

 resulting from forest fires, and said that it is now well known 

 that the multiplication of many insects, such as May beetles, 

 locusts, etc. , is greatly facilitated by the opening of forests by 

 any means, either by the clearing of large tracts or by burning. 

 He referred to the migration of the larvae of Melolontha, men 

 tioning the now well-known fact that such migration is gen 

 erally due to the undue multiplication of the species, and that 

 the larvae of May beetles are the last insects that he would 

 have suspected of assuming such a habit. He thought that the 

 migration of these larvae must have been very limited, as L,a- 

 mellicorn larvae are very sluggish, and cannot go more than a 

 few rods at most, unless when, as in the case of Allorhina, the 

 larva has the habit of crawling on its back. 



Mr. Fernow referred also to the very serious damage of these 

 insects to garden crops in Kurope, and mentioned a recent 

 method adopted in France of compassing the destruction of 

 these pests by disseminating a fungus parasite. 



Mr. Howard said that it would be very interesting to know 

 whether the migration followed or occurred in a wet season, 

 referring to the traveling of the larva of Allorhina nilida after 

 heavy rains. 



Mr. Fernow thought that wet weather would have no in 

 fluence, as the larvae in question have been found to be able to 

 live in submerged earth for months. He believed also that the 

 migration was in the soil rather than on the surface of the 

 ground. 



Mr. Schwarz called attention to the much greater damage 

 occasioned by the larvae of Melolontha in Europe to forests than 

 is occasioned by the Lachnosterna larvae to the forests of this 



