THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. -17 



INSECT NOTES. 



Conducted by the Editor. 



The so-called sweet birch scale, Chionaspis saUcis-7iigrw (Walsh), was recently 

 taken by the writei- in the- Sierra Nevada Mountains in the districts around Yankee 

 Jims and Forest Hill (Placer County) at elevations varying from 3,000 to 3,500 feet 

 high. The sweet birch, Cennothus intefferrimus H. and A. is generally attacked at 

 the base near the ground and tlie infested areas appear whitewashed. In not a few 

 cases the entire bushes weie killed by the great numbers of the insect. The scale 

 appears to be exceedingly common in the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of the Sac- 

 ramento Valley. — November 22, 1913. 



Kermes cockereUi Ehrh. was collected in limited numbers by the writer at Colfax 

 (Placer County), California, at an altitude of 2,500 feet. It occurred upon the Maul 

 or Canyon oak, Quercus chrysolepis Licbm. — November 21, 1913. 



Roots bearing typical nematode in.iury have been recently sent in by County 

 Horticultural Commissioner Garden of San Joaquin County. The infested plants 

 include celery, turnip, parsnip and cherry. — Leroy Childs. 



Aspidiotus densiftorw Bremner has been taken by the writer on the leaves of the 

 Maul or Canyon oak, Quercus chri/solepis Liebm. at Colfax (Placer County), Cali- 

 fornia (altitude 2,500), November 21, 1913, and at Auburn (Placer County), (jalifornia 

 (altitude 1.360), 1912 and December IS, 1913. Bremner's type material was taken 

 on leaves of the tanbark oak, Pasania (Quercus) densiflora Orst. in Mendocino County. 



The pine-leaf scale, Chionaspis pinifoliw (Fitch) is exceedingly common on the 

 needles of tlie yellow pine, I'inus pandcrosa Dougl. in the vicinity of Forest Hill 

 (Placer County). — November 23, 1913. 



The black pine-needle scale, Aspidiotus californicus Colm. is very abundant upon 

 the needles of the yellow pine, ]'i)ius ponderosa Dougl. at Colfax (Placer County) Cali- 

 fornia (altitude 2,500 feet). — November 21, 1913. 



The devastating grasshopper, Melanophis devastator Scudd., M. cinereus Scudd. 

 and 8chistoccrca vcniista Scudd., were found in considerable numbers mating and 

 laving egg.s in the sunny places along the north fork of the American River, seven 

 miles from Towles. Placer County, California. — November 19, 1913. 



