ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 861 



The house fly (Musca domestica), 11. 1. Smith {Nuith Carolina Sta. Itpt. 

 1911, pp. 62-69, figs. 2).— This paper deals with the breeding habits of house 

 flies and reports experiments in which formalin in milk was used as a fly- 

 poison, a brief account of which has been previously noted (E. S. R., 25, p. 662). 



To determine the feasibility of preventing the maggots from developing in 

 cow manure and at the same time adding to its fertilizer value, tests were 

 made of IG per cent acid phosphate by mixing lots of 200 lbs. and 400 lbs. 

 with about 2,000 lbs. of mauure. Entirely negative results were secured from 

 tlie standpoint of killing the maggots, as they were present by the thousands 

 in all piles when the experiment was discontinued and the maggots had com- 

 menced to mature. The manure treated with acid phosphate contained as many 

 maggots as the untreated pile. Similar results were obtainetl on substituting 

 400 lbs. of floats. 



The application of a 4 per cent water solution of formalin to a pile of manure 

 gave negative results. "The liberal use of disinfectants, such as creolhi, zeno- 

 leum, etc., applied 3 or 4 times a week to the walls and floor of box stalls serves 

 to keep flies out to some extent, but the writer's observations lead him to believe 

 that such applications are of comparatively little value as usually used. . . . 

 All the work conducted shows that the weekly removal of all stable manure, 

 and that accumulating in the yards or piletl outside, is the only way to really 

 prevent flies from breeding around the barns." 



Formalin was tested in various proportions, using 1 oz. to from 10 to 20 oz. 

 of whole milk or diluted milk. It was found that all proportions were quite 

 effective, but in some cases the strongest mixture seemed to repel the flies, 

 while the weakest did not kill them quickly, and probably a few at least revived, 

 after being partly disabled by the formalin. The mixture which the author 

 recommends consists of 1 oz. of 40 per cent formalin and 16 oz. of equal parts 

 milk and water. 



The work of poisoning flies in a calf barn and pig pen is briefly reported. 

 It is stated that in one experiment, which was started about 4 p. m., about 

 1,000 flies were dead or partly overcome by formalin within 30 minutes. Little 

 pigs at once commenced to eat the dead flies and consumed large numbers with- 

 out showing any ill effects. Dead flies killed by the formalin mixture were also 

 fed to chickens without any in.1ury. 



The life history of weevils, G. Fuchs (Naturw. Ztschr. Forst u. Landio., 10 

 (1912), No. 1, pp. J/S-SJi). — This paper consists of 2 parts, the first dealing with 

 the life history and bionomics of Otiorhynchus sensitivus (planatus), and the 

 second with the bionomics of IlyloMits ahictis. The author has occasionally 

 found the larvae of O. sensitivus to be parasitized by Mcgastigmus acideafus. 

 Bracon hrachycerus is said to be an important enemy of //. abictis. 



Notes on the host plants and parasites of some North American Bruchidae, 

 E. A. CusHMAN (Jour. Econ. Eiit., 4 {1911), No. 6, pp. Ji89-510).— In this paper 

 the author has brought together the information relating to the host plants 

 of the various species of Bruchidoe and their parasites, gained during the 

 course of investigations of the cotton boll weevil. " This group of beetles, at 

 least in breeding habits, approaching closely many of the weevils, attracts many 

 of the parasitic enemies of that group. A number of the most important of the 

 parasites of the boll weevil have been found to attack bruchids, and for this 

 reason many lots of infested material were collected and placed in breeding 

 cages and the issuing parasites recorded. All but 2 of the bruchid species 

 discussed here breed in the pods of leguminous plants." 



"At least S of the species of parasites reared from bruchids are known to 

 attack the boll weevil. Of these Ceratnbycobiiis cyaniceps is, on account of its 

 wide geographical and host range, by far the most important. It has been 



