ENTOMOLOGY. 55 



Recent investig'ations relating' to the control of the olive fly, A. Rkri.esk 

 (Atti R. Ist. litconinii. Xapoli, 6. so:, (>0 (tUOS), pp. n)3-22'i). — This is a brief 

 review of the subject. 



The horn fly, C. L. Mari-att (U. S. Drpt. A<jr., Bur. Eiit. Circ. UT). pp. IS, 

 figs. 6). — This circular describes the life history, habits, and uiethods of con- 

 trolling Hcematobia scrrata. 



The pest, first discovered in this country at Camden, N. J., in the fall of 

 1SS7, appears to have been introduced on European cattle in the early eighties. 

 It is a blood-sucking insect but the damage occasioned by it is chiefly the result 

 of irritation to cattle, which prevents proper feeding and normal assimilation 

 of food, and thus causes loss of flesh or lessened milk iiroduction. 



The eggs are laid singly on the surface of moist dung; the larva? upon 

 hatching descend into the dung, remaining, however, rather near the surface. 

 " The time elapsing from the egg to the adult is from 10 to 17 days, and there 

 are probably 7 or 8 generations annually in the latitude of Washington, with 

 more in the South, and continuous breeding in a tropical region like the 

 Hawaiian Islands. The winter habits as studied near Washington, D. C, 

 indicate that hibernation normally takes place either in the adult stage or as 

 puparia below the surface of the ground." 



The natural enemies of the larv;e include a scarlet mite, several species of 

 dung beetles, the Arizona dung-fly parasite {Eucolin impaticns) and 2 addi- 

 tional hymenopterous species {Spalangia hirta and S. lanaiensis). Means of 

 control include the use of repellants, dips and traps against the mature flies, 

 and the destruction of larvse and pupse in the dung. Two dipping vats used 

 in the control of ticks in Texas and applicable to the destruction of this pest 

 are described and illustrated. It has been found that if a splashboard be put 

 near the top of the vat on either side, about 4 ft. above the level of the dip, the 

 water will be thrown up violently as the animal plunges in and be cfiught by 

 this splashboard and then thrown back as a spray, filling the air space above 

 the animal and drenching and destroying the flies in their effort to escape. 



Facing the boll weevil problem in Alabama, W. E. Hinds (Alabama Col. 

 Stu. Bill. 1J,6, pp. 79-102, pis. 2, fig. i).— The life history and habits of the boll 

 weevil, the nature of its injury, and methods of control are considered. It 

 is stated that if the rate the weevil has been traveling eastward be maintained, 

 the general line of infestation may be expected to reach the Mississippi-Alabama 

 boundary l»y November, 1910. 



A description of several of the insects most frequentlj^ mistaken for the boll 

 weevil is appended. 



The clover root-borer, F. M. Webster (Z7. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent. Circ. 119, 

 pp. 5, figs. 4)- — This beetle (Hylastinus obscurus), introduced prior to 1S7S 

 from Europe, where it is widely distributed, has become established in fields of 

 red clover in some sections of the East and throughout the States of Oregon 

 and Washington. It frequently commits serious depredations by burrowing 

 in the roots, thereby destroying the plants. 



In the Ea.st there is but one generation annually, though this ai)pears to be 

 long drawn out, and scattering individual larva? and pupa> may bo found 

 throughout every month of the year. As a rule it passes the winter in the 

 adult stage within the roots where it developed. During May it abandons the 

 old roots and seeks out fresh plants or fields in which to lay its eggs. The eggs 

 are mostly deposited between the middle of May and June 20, more often in 

 the crown of the plant, sometimes at the sides of the root even 2 or 3 in. 

 below the crown. These hatch in about a week, and the larva? for a time 

 feed in the excavation made l)y the mother, but soon i)urrow downward into 

 the root, and before the first of August the majority of them have become fully 

 47147°— No. 1—10 5 



