454 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The chalcis-fly in alfalfa seed, T. D. Ukbaiins {U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' 

 Bui. (j.U) {l91Ji), pp. 10, figa. 10). — The clover-.seeci chak-is-fly, accounts of 

 whicli have been previously uoted (K. S. II., 10, p. 72; 17, p. 10S9), is generally 

 termed the alfalfii-seed elialcis-tly by alfalfa seed growers. It has increased 

 so r.'ipidly that its destructive work is now causing a large annual loss, in 

 some sections even threatening the production of alfalfa seed. Investigations 

 of it by the Bureau of Entomology of this Dei)artnient were commenced in the 

 fall of 1U12 with a view to determining some practical method of control. 



Its development and habits, distribution, and nature of its injury are briefly 

 described. Tlie percentage of the alf.ilfa seed crop destroyed can only be 

 estimated by ojiening a large number of the seed ptxls and ob.serving the in- 

 fested seed. Seed pods collected«iu different localities and subjected to examina- 

 tion with a microscope showe^l that the chalcis fly destroys from 10 to 30 

 per cent of the seeds in the early crops and from 20 to 70 per cent of the seeds 

 in the late crops. Some samples have been examined which showed that S5 

 per cent of the seed had been destroyed by this pest. The loss has been observed 

 on different farms to vary from $5 to $60 per acre. 



While the methods for its practical control are still in the experimental 

 stage some of the fundamental practices which should be carried out by every 

 alfalfa seed grower to obtain immediate results include harvesting severely 

 infested crops, cleaning fence lines and ditch banks, winter cultivations, destroy- 

 ing the screenings, burning fence lines and check ridges, planting clean seeds, cut- 

 ting the seed crops, stacking the seed crop, destroying bur clover, and cleaning 

 the seed. The necessity of organized efforts is emphasized. 



Contributions to our knowledge of the British Braconidse. — II, Macrocen- 

 tridae, with descriptions of two new species, G. T. Lyle {Entonioloyist, 1ft 

 (1914), Nos. 617, pp. 257-262, pi. 1; 618, pp. 287-293) .—This second paper (E. 

 S. R., 31, p. 159) deals with Macrocentrus, species of which are gregarious or 

 solitary parasites of larvte of Lepidoptera. and with Zele, species of which are 

 solitary parasites of the larvtc of Lepidoptera. 



A new proctotrypoid egg parasite from the West Indies, A. P. Dodd {Ent. 

 News, 25 {191 Jf), No. 8, p. 350). — A teleuomid reared from eggs of a leaf- 

 hopper {Ormcnis sp.) collected at Rio Piedras, P. R., is described as Phanurus 

 flaviis u. sp. 



Beport of a trip to Africa in search of fruit fly parasites, F. Silvesxbi 

 (Bol. Lah. Zool. Gen. e Agr. R. Sctiola Sup. Agr. Portici, S (1914), PP- 3-164, 

 figs. 70). — ^A translation of this paper has been previously noted (E. S. R., 31, 

 p. 455). 



FOODS— HUMAN NUTRITION. 



Coloring matter of raw and cooked salted meats, R. Hoagland ( U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 3 {1914), ^'o. 3, pp. 211-226, pis. 2, fig. 1).—In this 

 paper are reported a number of spectroscopic and chemical analyses of salted 

 meats. 



" The red color of fresh lean meat, such as beef, iwrk, and mutton, is due to 

 the presence of oxyhemoglobin, a part of which is one of the constituents of 

 the blood remaining in the tissues, while the remainder is a normal constituent 

 of the muscles. When fresh meat is cooked or is cured by sodium chlorid, the 

 red color changes to brown, owing to the breaking down of the oxyhemoglobin 

 into the two constituents, hematin, the coloring group, and the proteid. globin. 



" On the other hand, when fresh meat is cured by means of a mixture of 

 sodium chlorid and a small proportion of potassium nitrate, or saltpeter, either 

 0.S a dry mixture or in the form of a pickle, the red color of the fresh meat is 



