THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 199 



With regard to insectivorous birds it is said that they seem to have 

 certain fancies of their own as to what they will eat among insects. The 

 canker-worm, which appears to be avoided by most birds, is eaten in large 

 numbers by doves, and the martin will store up in its nest quarts of the 

 common striped beetle of the potato, to the exclusion of other insects. 



Some interesting details are given in reference to the history and mode 

 of life of the May Bug, Lachnosternafusca, and also the Goldsmith Beetle, 

 Cotalpa lanigcra, both destructive to the roots of the strawberry. The 

 Bean Weevil, an insect which seems to be largely on the increase in New 

 England, is noticed, and some suggestions given in regard to checking 

 its further spread. The seventeen year Locust and other species of 

 Locusts are also referred to, as well as several other less injurious as well 

 as beneficial insects. 



A Distinguished French Visitor. — At the September 9th meeting 

 of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, among the distinguished 

 visitors present were Prof. C. V. Riley, of St. Louis, and Dr. J. E. 

 Planchon, professor of botany at Montpellier in France, the latter of whom 

 is now in this country under authority of the French Government, to 

 investigate our grape diseases. By invitation of the President, Dr. 

 Ruschenber, Prof. Riley gave an account of the Phylloxera or grape vine 

 root-louse, with his most recent discoveries in regard to the same. He 

 had little doubt but the insect was at the root of most diseases that attack 

 the grape in this country, as it was certainly in Europe. Prof. Leidy 

 inquired of Mr. Riley the true position of the insect in scientific classifi- 

 cation ; Prof. Riley replied that it was not yet well settled. Its appear- 

 ance brought it somewhere near the aphids, but it did not have successive 

 broods from one impregnation ; aphids did. In this respect it approaches 

 Coccus. He thought it between the two families. 



Prof. Planchon described the ravages of the insect on the grape-roots 

 in France, and thought them less destructive on the roots of American 

 species of grapes than the European ; and one of the objects of his 

 mission was to ascertain this fact definitely, so that in Europe some 

 American vines might be used as stocks for their vineyards. 



It was clear from the fact, that the European vines had been but 

 recently attacked by it, and had suffered so severely from it  while in 

 America — the home of the insect — the wild vines had done tolerably well 



