ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 153 



extremely widespread in nature and are frequently found in eases of poisoning 

 through food, it is considered as far from being proved that they are active 

 agents in these occurrences. Such cases are considered as probably due to 

 ptomaines, etc. 



It is concluded that " microbic cultures which have l>een handled for moi-e 

 than 10 years by more than a million individuals, and which have been scattered 

 broadcast on bread or grain in many parts of the world and placed within reach 

 of domestic or other animals without causing any serious accident, can not 

 reasonably be considered dangerous." 



California ground squirrels, C. H. Merriam {Pub. Health and Mar. Hasp. 

 Scrv. U. .S\, Pub. Health Ruts., 23 (1908), No. 52, pp. 186 1-1 86-'/). —Three genera 

 and a dozen species of ground squirrels are said to occur in California. In 

 addition to the great losses to agriculture caused by these animals it has 

 recently been discovered that they can be infected with plague, a few cases from 

 this source having been reported. The beechey ground squirrel (CltcUus 

 bceeheyi). the species found to be a carrier and disseminator of plague, is 

 particularly considered. Attention is called to the importance of coyotes, 

 badgers, foxes, and the golden eagle as natural enemies, and directions are 

 given for trapping, poisoning, and destruction through the use of fumigants. 



Sug'g'estions concerning- treatment of seed corn with, deterrents against 

 crows, P.. M. DuGGAR and M. M. McCool {New York Cornell f^ta. Cire. 6, pp. 13- 

 ICi). — In the experiments reported the percentage of seed corn that developed 

 following ti-eatment with different substances was as follows: Treated with 

 pine tar, 98 to 100: with coal tar, 98 to 100; with turpentine emulsion for 3 

 hours, 38 ; with turpentine emulsion for 4i hours, 8 ; with pyridin solution for 3 

 hours, 98 to 100 ; and with anilin oil solution for 3 hours, 0. The results of 

 these experiments are considered as demonstrating conclusively that the use of 

 tar in no way prevents germination, and further that a protracted treatment 

 with turpentine is extremely injurious. It was found that tar at the rate of 

 2 tablespoonfuls per 10 qt. of seed was sutticiently effective to coat almost 

 every seed in the mass. 



"As a result of our own experiments it is not possible to say that the use of 

 tar will effectively deter crows, since no observations could be made upon the 

 effect of the treatment in repelling these birds. It was possible, however, to 

 determine that tar is obnoxious to fowl. . . . Seeds which had been treated 

 with a coal tar were also exposed in a room where mice had proved a nuisance. 

 None of the corn thus treated was touched. . . . 



"Corn freshly treated Avith either of the tar preparations could not be em- 

 ployed in the corn planter without experiencing great difficulty in uniformly 

 dropping the seed. On the other hand, it is found that when properly spread on 

 the dry floor the treated corn will completely dry out in a few days so that it may 

 be used without difficulty in a planter. According to the experience of others, a 

 quart or two of fine land plaster or sifted ashes may be mixed with the seed 

 immediately after the tar treatment, and the treated seed may in this way 

 be used immediately without serious inconvenience. In this case it would 

 perhaps be wise to xise a minimum amount of tar." 



How to attract and protect wild birds, M. Hiesemann, trans, bj^ Emma S. 

 BuciiHEiM {London, 1!>08, pp. 86, figs. 3). dgm. 1). — A small guide on bird iiro 

 tection and preservation, which has been translated from the (icrman. The 

 provision of suitable nesting places, feeding in winter, suppression of enemies, 

 etc., are considered at length. 



Eelworms, T. W. Kirk (Ncio Zeal. Dept. Agr. Ann. Rpt., 16 (1908), pp. 

 123-126, pis. Jf, figs. 5). — The species which have become injurious in New 

 Zealand are the stem eelworm {Tylcnchus devastatrix), the cucumber eel- 



