ENTOMOLOGY. 487 



the fly is said t<> be painful and produces a pruritis which exists tor sonic time. The 

 insect lives like related species on blood and is believed to be equally pathogenic 

 with Q. morsitans, G. paUidipes, and other related species. 



A revision of American siphonaptera or fleas together -with a complete 

 list and bibliography of the group, C. F. Baker (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 27 (1904 \, 

 pp. 365-469, pis. 27 I.— The present monograph is the result of about 14 years' work 

 on this group, during which time the author has received assistance from various 

 entomologists. The characteristic features of the anatomy of fleas are briefly noted 

 and the basis of classification is explained. Analytical keys are given for the deter- 

 mination of species, and an extensive bibliography of papers dealing with this subject 

 is presented. 



Display of bees at the World's Fair, F. X. Berthe (Iowa Agr., 5 (1904), No. 

 3, pp. 79, 80). — Brief notes on the nature and purpose of the exhibits in apiculture at 

 the World's Fair at St. Louis. 



The bee and the orchard | Queensland Agr. Jour., 15 (1904), No. 3, pp. 639, 640). — 

 A brief discussion is presented of the agency of bees in pollinating orchard trees. 

 The question whether bees injure sound fruit is also considered with particular ref- 

 erence to the orange. Apparently oranges are not attacked by bees until the skin 

 has first been perforated by some other insect. 



A preliminary investigation into the cause of the infectious bee disease 

 prevailing in the State of New York, V. A. .Moore and G. F. White i /•'/</• New 

 York Stale Dept. Agr., I" 1 1902), />/>. 255-260, pis. 2). — The infectious bee diseases in 

 New York are referred to under the names "black brood," "foul brood," and 

 " pickle brood." 



An investigation of a number of cases of "black brood" showed that Bacillus alrei 

 was present in every instance, while in outbreaks of "pickle brood" and "foul 

 brood" this organism was not found and no micro-organisms were definitely identi- 

 fied. The authors are inclined to believe that there is but one infectious disease, 

 namely, " foul brood," which appears under the three forms. 



Silk culture, C. W. Woodworth ( < 'alifomia Sta. < H.rc. 12, pp. 6 I. — Silkworms have 

 been raised for many years in California, but not with profit except for a brief 

 period, when there was a European market for silkworm eggs from California. The 

 present circular is issued for the information of correspondents who are interested 

 in silk raising. The station is making experiments for the purpose of determining 

 whether it is possible to reduce the cost of producing raw silk in California. Little 

 hope is expressed, however, of much success in this line. 



Cocoons that yield colored silk, J. ( '. Covert | U. S. I><j>t. Com. and Labor, Mo. 

 Consular Rpts., 1904, No. 287, pp. 36-38). — An account is given of the experiments 

 conducted by Comte and Levrat in Lyon, France, in attempting to influence the color 

 of silk by feeding silkworms colored food. It appears that the main purpose of these 

 experiments was not to gain any great commercial advantage in the natural coloring 

 of silk, but to determine why some breeds of silkworms produce white silk while 

 others yield a yellow or yellowish-green silk. 



According to the experiments it seemed that the coloring matter of the cocoons 

 was identical with that found in the leaves, and further experiments showed that the 

 coloring matter introduced into the intestines of silkworms may have an influence 

 upon the color of the silk produced. Silkworms were fed on leaves dipped into 

 different colored liquids, and it was found possible to produce in this manner silk of 

 a beautiful red color. Further experiments along this line will be carried out. 



The natural coloration of silk, A. Conte (Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 57 

 (1904 i. No. 25, pp. 54, 55 i. — This is a controversial article in which the author com- 

 bats the opinion of J. Villard, who maintained that the green coloration of the silk 

 of Aniherea yamamai and of Rhodiafugax was not due to chlorophyll. 



