ENTOMOLOGY. 773 



Florida reports were received that the fall army worm (Jjaphygma fru- 

 giperda) has been unusually abundant and destructive during the late 

 spring and early summer of this year. In consequence of these reports 

 the author published this bulletin, which deals briefly with the food 

 plants of the insect, its manner of feeding, noting that in Florida it 

 stems to be partial to crabgrass and to crowfoot. Besides, there is 

 given a description of the insect in its different stages, of its habits, 

 natural enemies, and treatment. Among the insect's enemies the wasp 

 (Polistes bellicosa f) is noted. 



S] uaying with Paris green at the rate of 1 lb. to 125 to 150 gal. water is 

 advised. If the larva 2 are not observed until very much damage is done 

 and the grass is rapidly disappearing, the best remedy then would be 

 to plow them under as deeply as possible. In other cases a large roller 

 might be used to crush the larva-. Trees may be banded with cotton 

 to prevent the worms from ascending the trunks when their grass food 

 has given out. 



Tendons and muscles of Hymenoptera, (.'. Janet (iZtudea aur lea fourmis, lea 



gurpis.et lea dbeillea, 1 : mite. Limoges: (1895), pp. :■'>. ii</x. 11 ; aba. in -lour. I'oij. Micros. 

 *(><■. [London], 1897, No. •», pp. 376, 377). — The author describes the muscles and 

 tendons and articular membranes of bees, ant-, ami wasps. Each muscle lilier he 

 considers as multi-nucleated, the sarcolemma representing the cell membrane. 



The palps of butterflies, E. Reutek (Acta Soc. Fenn., :.' I 1896), pla.6; Ann. Mag. 

 Nat. Hist., 6.ser.,20 (1897). pp. 114, 115; aos. in Jour. Roy. Micros. Soc. [London]. 1897, 

 Xo.5, p. 370). — The author studied the palps of G70 species of butterflies belonging 

 to 302 genera. Special attention was given to external form, the hairy or scaly cov- 

 ering, and the basal spot — which is striated, pitted, and studded with numerous 

 conical hairy scales. The results obtained are used in au endeavor to erect a 

 geuealogical tree. The Hesperiida- are given distinct subordinal rank under the 

 term Grypocera. 



The natural history of ants, C. Jaxet (Paris: Soeiete Zoologvjiu de France, 

 pp. 36; aba. in Jour. Roy. Micros. Soc. [London], 189: , No. 5, pp. •-'; /. 375 I. — This i- a lec- 

 ture on the habits and life history of ants. As a type Myrmica rubra is chosen, and 

 successive stages in the life of the individual described. As a change iu the ani- 

 mal's habits it is noted that while many larva- spin a cocoon, others of the same species 

 do not. The subject of polymorphism is discussed and the functions and status of the 

 queen and workers compared with those of bees and wasps. After the nuptial flight, 

 the males are allowed to die or are killed, while such females as may be found are 

 brought back to the nest to add to the number of its queens. Various types of nests 

 are described and cases cited where 2 colonies apparently nested together. Such 

 cases may be mere accidental juxtaposition or it may be true association. There 

 may be also double nests formed by 2 different kinds of ants, as where Solenopsis 

 fugax makes its small galleries within the more massive walls of the nest of Formica 

 fusca and steals and devours the latter's nymphs. There may be also genuine mixed 

 colonies. Directions are given for making artificial nests, etc. 



The Embiidae, B. Grassi (Quart. Jour. Micros. Set. [London], n. ser., 40 (1897), pp. 

 55-75; abs. in Jour. Roy. Micros. Soc. [London], 1897. Xo.5, p. 372). — As an appendix to 

 his memoir on the termites the author gives the results of a study of this family of 

 insects. The external features of the larva- and adult male and female Embia solieri 

 are described in detail. No trace of wings is found in either insect at any stage. 

 The insects live in silken galleries which they construct under stones and in the 

 ground underneath. The silk is extruded as a liquid from the anterior legs and the 

 formation of a gallery takes from 12 to 15 hours time. The insects become adult 



