310 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS 



[Dec., '22 



Notes and Ne\vs. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM ALL QUARTERS OF 



THE GLOBE 



Old Time Economic Entomology on Staten Island, New York. 



In an old book of records of the town of Northfield, Staten Island, 

 labeled "Town Records, 1783 to 1823," an agriculturist of the period 

 recorded at least two ways of combatting insect pests. It was thought- 

 ful of him to put his information in such a safe place, for of course 

 the book of town records was to be preserved, and our regret is that 

 he failed to fill up all of the blank pages with observations on the 

 natural history of Staten Island when he was trying out his experi- 

 ments with soft cow dung, water and "Eder sprouts." 



The recipes are as follows: "1. Tanse boiled and' Cabich or other 

 Plants Weterd with the Decoction prevents flys &c, Eating them. 



"2. Soft Cow Dung put in Water and Eder [Elder?] Sprouts 

 bruised and Steepd in the Water put over any plant prevents any insects 

 injuring them." WM. T. DAVIS, New Brighton, S. I., N. Y. 



The Moth Nacophora quernaria variety atrescens (Lep. : 



Geometridae). 



The black and white variety of Nacophora quernaria described by 

 Hulst in the Canadian Entomologist for June, 1898, under the name of 

 atrescens, appears to be very rare in collections. It is not represented 

 in the extensive collections of the American Museum of Natural His- 

 tory, the Museum of*the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences or in 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. The type came from 

 "London, Ontario, Canada ; from Mr. Moffat." 



Nacophora quernaria var. atrescens Hulst. 



In the summer of 1921 the senior author found a large Geometric! 

 caterpillar on wild cherry at Upper Montclair, New Jersey, and on 

 April 23, 1922, the female moth, reproduced in the accompanying figure, 

 appeared. It is one of the most beautiful of Gecmetrid moths, and, as 

 far as known, the first record of the insect from tins part of North 

 America. ERNEST SHOEMAKER and WM. T. DAVIS. 



