ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 351 



vestiffatioiis mado of tlio life history of Iridomyrmrr Innnilis, u general Mccount 

 of which lias hocii i)revionsly iiotod (E. S. R., 20, p. 252). 



On certain seed-infesting chalets flies, C. R. Crosby (.Ynp York Cnrncll 

 Sta. Bui. Sa.j, PI). SG7-3SS, p?.s. .), flgi^. 23).— A great majority of the chalcis 

 flies, of which more tlian 5,000 nominal species have been described, are bene- 

 licial since they prey as parasites on other insects. A small number, however, 

 probably not over 100 species, are known to have vegetable-feeding liabits. 



The life history of the apple-seed chalcis (Si/ntomasim drnparnm) previously 

 note<l (E. S. R., 20, p. 703) is here described. This species passes the winter 

 as a larva inside the apple seeds either on the ground or more rarely clinging 

 to the trees. In the latter part of May the larvie transform to pupie and in 

 June the adults appear. As a rule the smaller-size varieties of fruits are more 

 subject to the attacks of this insect. This species seems to be generally dis- 

 tributed in New York, but only two or three infested seeds were found in a 

 half bushel or various kinds of cider apples received from Randolph Center, 

 Vt. Mokshetsky reports that in Crimea the presence of the larva causes the 

 fruit to drop prematurely, but this does not seem to be the case in this country. 

 In some varieties, however, considerable injury is caused by the punctures 

 made by the female in depositing her eggs. These appear in the mature fruit 

 as minute black dots, occupying more or less distinct depressions and give 

 the apple a decidedly knotty form. "As the insect remains in the seed through- 

 out the winter a complete destruction of all the apples left under the tree in 

 the fall would doubtless prove an effective remedy. As the adults are good 

 fliers the treatment should be extended to as wide an area as possible." 



The sorbus-seed niegastigmus {Mcgustigmus hrcvicat(dis) has been found 

 bj' the. author to invest a large proportion of the seeds of berries from the 

 mountain ash at Ithaca, Weedsport, Jamesville, and Wayland, N. Y. This 

 species was described in Germany by Ratzeburg in 1852 from si)ecimens reared 

 by Bouche from berries of the mountain ash. The rose-seed megastigmus (J/. 

 aeulcatu-s) has been reared in numbers from botli wild and cultivated roses at 

 Ithaca, from wild roses from White Church and Wellsville, N. Y., and Wau- 

 kegan. 111., and from material from Durham, N. H. In the collection of the 

 V. S. National Museum there are a series of si)ecimens reared from rose seeds 

 importetl from Peking, China. The Douglas tir-seed chalcis (J/, .sijcniiotro- 

 phii-s) while a native of the western United States has been reported only from 

 Europe where it has become a serious pest. The grape-seed chalcis {Evoxy- 

 ftoina litis) which first atti'acted attention at London, Ontario, in ISGS has been 

 found badly infesting the seeds of wild grapes growing in the vicinity of Ithaca, 

 but examinations made of Concord grapes from Ithaca and Catawbas, Dela- 

 wares, and Dianas from Lake Keuka, N. Y., have failed to show any infesta- 

 tion. The seed-chalcis of the Virginia creeper {Proilccdtonttt j)li!/toi>li<i;/a) i)re- 

 viously noted (E. S. R.. 20, p. 1147) badly infests the native Virginia creeper 

 il'(irtli('noci.sf<tis qui)ifjti< folia). The closely related Japanese form (/'. tricua- 

 piilald), connnonly planted about buildings and known to gardeners as Aiii- 

 pvlopxi.s rcltchii seems to be immune. Tlie sumac-seed chalcis (HinjiloiiKi 

 rhoi.s} also previously noted (E. S. R.. 20. p. 1147) is abundant at Ithaca, and 

 sumac seed infestetl by larvie probably belonging to this species have been 

 received from East I^ansing, Mich. 



Descriptions of the stages so far as known are luvsented of the si)ecies here 

 considered. 



Fighting' the insect pests and diseases of orchard, field, and garden crops, 

 H. L. I'lucK (Virginiu i^ta. Virv. 7, pp. 2-ll,i, figs. .'il). — This is a pocket cir- 



