ENTOMOLOGY. 859 



larva', its life history, and its past history. The subject of parasites, 

 predaceous insects^ etc., is very briefly treated. Ditching and the use 

 of coal tar or kerosene in the ditches is the only remedy recommended. 

 A long series of letters is given which were received in reply to a cir- 

 cular sent out over the State. The most prominent feature of this is 

 the estimate of loss, which foots up about 8300,000. The greatest loss 

 noted by a single individual is $400. One is reported at 8300 and sev- 

 eral at $200. Among the damages done by the worm there is noted a 

 destruction of the uniformity of a lawn by their producing a ragged 

 appearance along t he edges of the walks. Swallows, My catchers, crows, 

 blackbirds, robins, catbirds, thrushes, meadow larks, bluebirds, sand- 

 pipers, the screech owl, sparrow hawk, and the skunk are mentioned, 

 each more or less at length, as enemies of the worm. The plates are 

 all colored. 



The red spider, Q-. H. Perkins ( Vermont Sta. Kpt. 1896-^97, pp. 

 75-8G,figs. J).— An account is given of the life history of the red spider 

 (Tetranychus telarius) taken partly from notes made by J. H. Worcester. 

 These so-called spiders vary in color more or less according to the food 

 plant upon which they are found and according to their age. < >n some 

 plants red mites may be very numerous, on others there will he found 

 few red, but many greenish or brownish ones. When young they are 

 light yellowish or whitish. Somewhat later 2 red spots appear on each 

 side of the back. These spots may be all the red that is developed, or 

 the color may spread and increase in depth with age so that the spots 

 become completely obliterated. Very fine webs are spun. 



The eggs, which are relatively large, spherical, and light yellow or 

 colorless, are laid at intervals of a few days, the female remaining in one 

 spot the while. In about a week, according to conditions of tempera- 

 ture, etc., an oval six-legged mite hatches out and 2 days later sheds 

 its skin, grows, and repeats the process twice at internals of 2 days. 

 Immediately after the third molt, if males happen to be present, the 

 female is impregnated by one or more and within 48 hours begins lay- 

 ing. From 2 to 8 eggs per day are deposited for as many as 3 weeks, 

 producing during that time a total of 50 to 100 eggs. One impregna- 

 tion suffices for a lifetime. If no males chance to be present the female 

 proceeds to lay unfertilized eggs, which hatch out males. This may 

 go on until the female is impregnated, after which a majority of female- 

 eggs may be produced. The mites show a very friendly ami peaceable 

 disposition. The males seldom quarrel, even over the possession of a 

 female. Occasionally, however, the males apparently tight, darting at 

 one another and apparently endeavoring to pull away one another's 

 tongues, which are thrust out and withdrawn. 



Under the head of remedies, the statement, based upon what seem 

 to be conclusive experiments, is made that the mites are not so injuri- 

 ously affected by excessive humidity of the atmosphere as to render 

 the method of saturating the atmosphere with water vapor, as is often 

 done in greenhouses, of practical value. But the mechanical action of 



