ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 257 



Notes on the rice water weevil (Lissorhoptrus simplex), J. L. Webb (Jour. 

 Econ. Ent.,7 (Wl/f), No. 6, pp. /f32-Jf3S, pi. 1, figs. 2).— These notes are supple- 

 mentary to the accounts by Tucker (E. S. R., 27, p. 562) and Newell (E. S. R., 

 29, p. 259). Careful experiments are said to have determined that drainage is 

 still the safest remedy for the rice water weevil. 



Effect of temperature upon the oviposition of the alfalfa weevil (Phy- 

 tonomus posticus),^. II. Parks {Jour. Econ. Ent., 7 (lOUf), No. 6, pp. 417-421, 

 pi. 1, fig. 1). — The author reports upon a series of oviposition experiments with 

 P. posticus conducted at Salt Lake City in 1911 and 1912 in which the variation 

 in mean daily temperature throughout the oviposition period of the weevils 

 was compared with the rate of oviposition of the beetles kept in confinement. 



The relation between the curves representing temperature variation and ovi- 

 position record was vei-y noticeable, and the mean daily temperature seemingly 

 affects the progress of oviposition until well into the summer. The oviposition 

 record of 16 beetles in 1912 shows 1,184 to have been the largest number of 

 eggs deposited and 726 eggs per female the average for the series. In a series 

 of experiments with 11 females collected from hibernation on December 20, 

 1911, and allowed to deposit eggs in the warm laboratory room during the 

 winter and spring as high as 1,918 eggs were deposited by one female, the 

 average number of eggs deposited being 913. 



Relation of the Arizona wild cotton weevil to cotton planting in the arid 

 West, B. R. CoAD (U. S. Dcpt. Agr. Bui. 233 (1915). pp. 12, pis. 4).— This bulle- 

 tin deals with cotton growing in Arizona in its relation to the boll weevil, a 

 variety of which (Anthonomus grandis thurberice) has been found developing 

 on a wild cotton plant {Thurhcria thespesioides). Accounts relating to this 

 pest by Cook (E. S. R., 29, p. 458), Pierce (E. S. R., 30, p. 56), Pierce and 

 Morrill (E. S. R., 31, p. 350), and Coad (E. S. R., 31, p. 458) have been pre- 

 viously noted 



The author discusses the distribution of this weevil and Thurberia, the life 

 history of the weevil on cotton in the South and on Thurberia, nature of 

 damage to cotton, food preferences, the transfer to cotton, etc., and give de- 

 scriptions of the weevil stages. While existing on the wild cotton plant in some 

 of the mountains of southeastern Arizona, the weevil seems to be particularly 

 concentrated in the ranges surrounding Tucson. The author points out that 

 while its attack may be transferred from the wild cotton plant to cultivated 

 cotton in the Santa Cruz and Rillito Valleys, its present habits are such that it 

 would not injure cotton greatly, although its habits may be changed to a cer- 

 tain extent and more injurious ones acquired. " The present habits render it 

 quite probable that the control of the Arizona form will be a very different 

 problem from that of the cotton weevil and more easily solved. A careful 

 watch should be maintained for the first appearance of the weevil on culti- 

 vated cotton in order that it may be combated successfully." 



Notes on the life history of Prospaltella perniciosi, D. G. Toweb (Jour. 

 Econ. Ent., 7 (1914), No. 6, pp. 422-432 ) .—The author calls attention to the fact 

 that P. perniciosi, which he previously described as new (E. S. R., 29, p. 459), 

 is a true internal parasite, the larval forms living within the body tissues of 

 the female San Jose scale except during the last part of the second larval stage, 

 when the entire contents of the host are consumed by the larva, which then 

 pupates in the empty skin of the scale. 



While the number of eggs deposited by an individual has not been determined, 

 the author reports having obtained 1,364 developed eggs from 20 females selected 

 as they emerged, giving an average of 68 developed eggs apiece. By rearing 

 parasitized scales of the first stage in the laboratory at temperatures varying 



