ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 357 



Preliminary account of the life history of the leaf insect, Phyllium cruri- 

 folium, H. S. Leigh {Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1909, I, pp. 103-113, pi. 1; abs. in 

 Jour. Roy. Micros. Soc. [London], 1909. No. 5, p. 570). — "The Phylliums are 

 dependent upon a very warm and moist atmosphere, and are, therefore, more or 

 less confined to the islands in the tropical zone; in all stages they are very 

 similar, both in color and habits, to various plant structures." 



Notes on termites, F. Thomsen {Transvaal Agr. Jour., 7 (1909), No. 27, pp. 

 5hi-.').>i), p<i. 1). — In continuation of experiments previously noted (E. S. R., 19, 

 p. 959) the author reports in detail investigations conducted to determine 

 the value of different materials in protecting different kinds of wood from the 

 attacks of white ants. 



It was found that arsenic compounds are very effective. Pieces of wood 

 treated with tar, creosote, and carbolic acid were found to be eaten at the 

 second examination and these compounds can not be recommended for use. 

 Tobacco extract, oils, and paints were found to be worthless for the purpose, as 

 were also soaps, which are easily washed out by water. Pieces of wood which 

 had been thoroughly soaked in a saturated copper sulphate solution withstood 

 the attacks of termites, whereas those pieces that were only slightly tre.-ited 

 were eaten. Other chemicals, including mercuric chlorid, calcium chlorid. 

 sulphuric acid, sulphate of iron, sulphate of soda, hyposulphite of soda, carbon- 

 ate of soda, alum, and salt, proved to be useless after 2 years' test. 



Thrips in tea, H. M. Lefroy {Agr. Jour. India, 4 {1909), No. 3, pp. 282-290. 

 pi. J; Indian Agr., 3^ {1909), No. 9, pp. 281. 282).— Thrips are said to injure 

 tea shoots by scraping at the leaf, destroying the epidermis and projecting 

 veins, weakening the leaf, and interfering with its nutrition, so that it be- 

 comes brittle and loses its fresh green color. The leaf and shoot do not usually 

 die. but become unhealthy and remain stunted. Elxperiments with crude-oil 

 emulsion, soap, and rosin compound have shown the last named to be the most 

 effective and the cheapest. 



The rice bug or paddy fly, C. Drieberg {Ceylon Agr. Soc. [Pub.] 'fO, pp. 2, 

 fig. 1 ). — A brief account of Lcptocorisa varicornis and methods of combating it. 



The root louse of grapevines, D. Gunn {Transraal Agr. Jour., 7 {1909), 

 No. 27, pp. 508--') 12, y>/.s'. 2, pgs. 2). — The presence of Phylloxera vastatrix was 

 discovered toward the end of 190S in a vineyard in the Pretoria district. It 

 is thought to have been introduced from France on vines purchased several 

 years before. 



Contribution to the study of the biology of the Chermes, P. Marchal 

 {Comiit. Rend. Acad. Set. [Paris], 11,9 {1909), No'. 16, pp. 6JfO-6Jfl,, figs. 3).— 

 This article deals with the sexual generation of the Chermes occurring on pines 

 in the vicinity of Paris (C. pini and C strobi). 



A contribution to the knowledge of the scale insects and their dissemi- 

 nation, L. LiNDiNGKR iZtscltr. Wiss. Insektcnhiol.. 5 {1909), Nos. '/. pp. 10.3- 

 110; 5, pp. l-'f7-152; 6, pp. 220-225, figs. 9). — The host plants, distribution, etc., 

 of numerous species are noted. , A genus and several species are described as 

 new. 



Some experiments on flacheiie in the gipsy moth, W. Reiff {Psyche, 16 

 {1909), No. 5, pp. 99-105). — In this article the author first reviews the investi- 

 gations of E. Fischer on the susceptibility of caterpillars to this disease, also 

 known as flaccidenza and caterpillar cholera. He points out that Fischer 

 has shown that the first tendency toward the disease arises upon a decrease in 

 the nutritive value of the food of the caterpillars which suddenly induces a 

 disturbance in metabolism. As a result the causative organisms immediately 

 find conditions suitable for their growth, 



