ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 453 



age extent of 96 per cent of tbeir food, or an average of 154 plant lice. Seven 

 of 17 snowbirds (Junco hyemalis) had fed upon plant lice, 5.2 per cent of their 

 food being composed of aphids. One of the 2 song sparrows {Melospiza melodia) 

 collected had eaten about 50 plant lice, which composed 80 per cent of its 

 food. A single titlark (Anthus rubescens) collected had eaten 100 or more 

 aphids, which composed about 70 per cent of its food. 



A fairly accurate census of the bird population on the farm on which the 

 investigations were, made, including, however, only those birds spending most 

 of the time among the aphis-infested grain, gave the following results : Gold- 

 finch, 300 individuals ; vesper sparrow, 2,590 ; savanna sparrow, 70 ; chipping 

 sparrow, 245; field sparrow, 20; snowbird, 70; and song sparrow, 6. 



Entomology, A. W. Morrill (Ariz<ma Sta. Rpt. 1912, pp. 692-695). — A brief 

 report of the occurrence during the year and work with insect pests, includ- 

 ing the citrus thrips, the harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex harbata), the woolly 

 apple aphis, the codling moth, the corrupted lady beetle {Epilachna corrupta), 

 the green June bug (Allorhina mutabilis), and the squash capsid (Pycnoderes 

 quadrimaculatus) . See also a previous note (E. S. R., 28, p. 853). 



[Notes on Philippine insects], C. R. Jones (Philippine Agr. Rev. [English 

 Ed.], 6 (191S), No. 3, pp. 141-143).— Mentwu is made of infestation of the 

 mango by the mango fruit fly (Dacus ferrugineus) ; of injury to the tomato 

 plant by the leaf-eating coccinellid Epilachna mgentioctopunctata; of injury 

 to com by the maize stalk boi'er (Pyrausta vastatrix) ; and of the locust situ- 

 ation In the Visayas. 



Insects injurious to the onion crop, F. H. Chittenden (U. S. Dept. Agr. 

 Yearbook 1912, pp. 319-334, pis. 9, figs. 10). — Of the insect enemies of the onion, 

 the onion thrips {Thrips tabaci) is the most important. It causes injury to the 

 onion crop practically throughout the country, producing a condition somewhat 

 generally known as "white blast," "white blight," and "silver top." It is also 

 the cause of " scullions," or " thick neck," terms used for the undeveloped and 

 unmarl^table bulbs. This thrips is now found in practically all cultivated 

 fields in the United Stntes. as well as in many uncultivated areas, so that there 

 is always danger of infestation to onions and other susceptible crops, whether 

 grown in new or in old land. Observations tend to demonstrate that in some 

 localities at least it makes little difference as to the previous crop. 



The life cycle has been found to require under the most favorable conditions 

 about 3 weeks. Thus a dozen or more generations might be produced during 

 a season. " Besides onions and related plants, this thrips attacks cabbage, 

 cauliflower, parsley, cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash, kale, turnip, tomato, 

 seed beets, blackberry, and strawberry. Of ornamental plants it does much 

 injury to carnations and roses and more or less injury to aster, blanket flower 

 (Gaillardia). honeysuckle (Lonicera), daisies, nasturtium, narcissus, mignonette, 

 candytuft (Iberis), four-o'clock (Mirabilis), and cone-flower or golden glow 

 (Rudbeckia). Very serious injury is frequently committed to cucumbers and 

 carnations in greenhouses, the damage sometimes amounting to the destruction 

 of entire plantings." 



Kerosene emulsion, whale-oil or fish oil soaps, and tobacco or nicotin extracts 

 are recommended for use, their application being commenced early in the season. 

 The importance of clean methods of field management, including the destruction 

 by burning of culls, tops, and injured plants after the crop is gathered, is 

 emphasized. Investigations in Texas and Indiana have shown the following 

 formulas to give the most successful results: (1) Nicotin sulphate 3.2 oz., 

 cresol soap 3 pints, and water 50 gah ; (2) nicotin sulphate 4.3 oz., whale-oil 

 soap 4 lbs., and water 50 gal. " When spraying is once begun it should be 

 continued at intervals of from 7 to 10 days, in case there is no heavy rainfall 



