560 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOED. 



only a small part of the mosquito plague of the coast region. The salt-marsh re- 

 gion of Connecticut contains 34.79 square miles, or 22.264 acres, more than half of 

 which has in past years been drained for salt-hay farming. During recent years 

 the marshes have received little attention, the ditches have become filled and 

 probably breed more mosquitoes than they did 30 or 40 years ago. . . . 



"The cost of draining the Connecticut marshes will vary, but may be done by 

 contract at from $5 to $10 per acre, and should not average more than $8. The 

 entire salt-marsh area of Connecticut can be drained for lesis than $200,000. 



" The increase in yield of salt-marsh hay will soon pay the cost of draining 

 and may do so in a single season." 



Notes on mosquito eradication, G. W. McCoy (Piih. Health and Mar. Hosp. 

 Serv. U. 8., Puh. Health Rpts., 21 (1912), No. 26, pp. 1029-103.'i).— The notes 

 here presented are based upon the exi>erience of a rather extensive antimosquito 

 campaign undertaken in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii. The data relate to the 

 distribution of different species of mosquitoes; antilarvae agents and procedures 

 employed; and methods of treating diffei'ent breeding places. 



Fly larvae and rabies virus. — Lyssicide action and virus transm^ission, C. 

 Fermi (Centbl. liakt. [rte.], J. Aht.. Ohg., 61 (19J1), Xo. 1-2, pp. 93-97).— In a 

 first series of experiments the author fed fly larvje on the brains of rabies cases 

 and then tested their virulence by emulsifying and injecting subcutaneously. 

 In a second series a fixed virus and fly larvte were rubbed into an emulsion and 

 likewise injected subcutaneously. The I'esults obtained indicate that the rabies 

 virus can not be transmitted through fly larvae. 



It appears that the fly larvfe emulsion has an attenuating effect upon a fixed 

 virus, either through its dii'ect action upon the virus or through its indirect 

 action upon the organism. It possesses no absolute lyssicidal power, since a 

 virus mixed wilh fiy larvic emulsion is fovmd to be virulent when administered 

 subdurally. 



Note on a venomous dipteron, Teresa Joan (BoL Min. Agr. [Buenos Aires], 

 J.', (1912), Xo. J,, pp. 363-885, pi. 1, figs. i2).— This paper describes Melusina 

 ( SimuUum) dineUii. 



The grain flies, with particular consideration of their economic importance 

 and the dependence of their appearance on meteorolog'ical conditions, K. 

 Stromer and K. Kleine (Fiihling's Laiidw. Ztg., 60 (1911), Xo. 20. pp. 682-703, 

 figs. 3). — The species here considered are Hylemyia coaretata, LUnnophora sp., 

 Chlorops twniopus, Oscinis frit, O. pusiUa, Agromyza graminis, and HydreUia 

 griseola. 



The influence of frost on the development of different varieties of barley 

 in the presence of the frit fly, X. Litvinov (Trudy Bmro Prlld. Bot. (Bui. 

 Angew. Bot.), h (1911), No. 11, pp. 5. 'i 1-551). —Thin paper deals with the effect 

 of frost on barley and the relation of such to injury by Oscinis frit. 



The value of predaceous beetles in destroying insect pests, A. F. Burgess 

 and C. W. Collins (U. S. Dept. Agr. YcarhooJc 1911, pp. J,53-.',66, pis. 6, figs. 

 6). — This is a general discussion of the usefulness of predaceous beetles, in- 

 cluding native lady beetles and native ground beetles, facts concerning the 

 importation of several species of predaceous beetles, and a comparison of 

 Calosoma sycophanta, an account of which has been previously noted (E. S. R., 

 20, p. 350) with native Calosoma. 



Preliminary report on the alfalfa weevil, F. M. Webster (U. 8. Dept. Agr., 

 Bur. Ent. Bui. 112, pp. 1/7, pis. IS, figs. 27).— This is a report of investigations 

 commenced April 1, 1910, and covering the work up to November 15, 1911, con- 

 ducted in cooperation with the Utah Station (E. S. R.. 24, p. 458: 25, p. IGO). 



"Up to September. 1911. the insect had extended its area of diflusion directly 

 northward us far as Tremontou, east to Evanston, Almy, and Lyman, Wyo., 



