THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 31 



produced a sharp stinging sensation, much like a mosquito puncture, and 

 left a faint pale spot on the skin. Its rostrum was distinctly perceived to 

 be directed into my skin. The species has otherwise been collected by 

 me at the following places in Texas: Goliad, June i6, 1908; Pearsall, 

 July 12, 1908, taken on Croton weed; and at Dallas, August ir, 1908, on 

 cotton. 



The biting of these insects, as mentioned, may possibly be induced 

 by mere force of habit, since they live on many kinds of plants, but in 

 view of the supposition that they attack an animal by mistake, I had 

 doubted up to the time of my last experiences that they would actually feed 

 on blood. Really, I had not suffered myself to endure the stinging sensa- 

 tion of a bite long enough for an insect to effect more than a puncture, 

 until my last experience took place. 



MORTALITY OF AN ANTHOMYID FLY DUE TO FUNGUS. 

 The occurrence of dead flys hanging on the wire screening of the 

 insectary at Dallas, Tex., attracted my attention on March 29, 19 10. 

 On examination, fungus spores were observed in clusters on the bristles of 

 the abdomen and on the legs of the flies, which proved to be the species 

 Phorbia fjisciceps Zett., whose larvae are widely injurious to roots of vege- 

 tables. Maggots, which afterwards matured as this species of fly, have 

 been taken while depredating on bean roots in a truck patch at Dallas, 

 Tex., April 10, 1909. The disease, however, seemed to act upon the flies 

 during night, since the dead bodies were noticed in new places for several 

 mornings, being found attached to the leaves of an ash tree on April 12, 

 by Mr. H. Pinkus. Specimens were submitted to Vera K. Charles, of the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, Washington, D. C., who gave the following 

 report : " The fungus is a species of Empusa, probably Empusa musccE, 

 Cohn. This host is not represented in our collections, nor has the fungus 

 been reported upon it." 



DANGER OF POLLUTION BY HONEYBEE. 



At an open public privy in Hackett, Ark., on September 13, 19 10, 

 chickens and insects were observed to have free access from the rear 

 to the excrement on the ground. Although lime had been used to disin- 

 fect the place, the recent deposits on top nevertheless attracted numerous 

 flies, and among them a worker honeybee was seen investigating the 

 polluted matter. It alighted on and examined one vile spot after another. 



