1920 J ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 259 



The beginner in bee culture, W. A. Goodacre (Dept. Agr. K. S. Wales, 

 Fnnncrs' liiil. 129 (1920), pp. 19, figs. 5). — A popular summary of information. 



American honey plants, F. C Pellett (Hamilton, III.: Amer. Bee Jour., 

 1920, pp. 297, pl. 1, figs. 157). — The important honey plants are here considered, 

 toKt'ther with those which are of speehil value to the beekeeper as sources of 

 pollen, the arrangement being in alphabetical order. The more important 

 plants are illustrated by reproductions of photographs, which are largely tliose 

 of the author. 



The Argentine ant as a heusehold pe.st, E. R. Barber {U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Farmers' Bui. 1101 {1920), pp. 11, figs. 3). — This preseuts information on the 

 means of combating this pest in the household. Extended reports of studies ou 

 the species have been previously noted. (E. S. R., 35, p. 761"; 39, p. 155.) 



Some new parasites with remarks on the genus Platygaster (Hymenop- 

 tera), R. M. Fouts (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 22 (1920), No. //. pp. 6i-72).— This 

 paper contains descriptions of 8 new species of Hymenoptera in the United 

 States belonging to tlie superfamilies Serphidoidea and Mutilloidea. Among 

 these are Triftsolcus edessce reared from the eggs of Edessa bifida Say at New 

 Orleans, La.; Faridris brcvipennis reared from the eggs of Gryilus ahhrcviatus 

 Serv. at Brookings, S. Dak.; Platygaster legamivicolcc reared from the clover 

 seed midge (Dasyneura leguminicola Lint.) at Forest Grove, Oreg. ; P. feltU 

 reared from the gall of Walshomyia texana Felt on cedar at Austin, Tex.; and 

 Cephdlonomia kiefferi reared from the rice weevil at Wellington, Kans. 



Ichneumoniid parasites of the European pine shoot moth (Evetria buoli- 

 ana Schiff ) ; Perilampus batavus n. sp., C. A. L. Smits van Burgst (Tijdschr. 

 Ent., 61 (1918), No. 3-4, pp. 143-146). — Reference is made to several parasites 

 of this pest, and P. batavus is described as new. 



The western grass-stem savvfly, C. N. Ainslie (U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 841 

 {1920), pp. 27, figs. 16). — This is an account of Cephus cinetus Norton, a native 

 species which has been gradually coming into prominence by reason of the 

 change which the feeding habits of the larvae have been undergoing subsequent 

 to its discovery. Originally a grass feeder, it has become a serious menace to 

 the grain growers of the Northwestern States because of its appetite for small 

 grains, within the stems of which it now subsists. It was originally reared by 

 Koebele in California in 1890 from larva* that were mining in the stems of 

 native grasses growing in the vicinity of Alameda. It is now known to inhabit 

 the area bounded on the north by a line far into Canada ; on the east by the 

 Mississippi River, or probably a little east of that ; ou the south by latitude 

 3G° ; and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. 



Species of Agropyron and P^lymus appear to have been the original hosts 

 of the larvre but, since the modification of their feeding habits, 10 plants be- 

 longingTio other genera including wheat, durum wheat, spelt, rye, and probably 

 barley, are now attacked. Its choice of wheat for food lias taken place, so far 

 as known, only in Nortli Dakota and western Canada, although it is probable 

 that Montana wheat fields have been invaded. From present appearances, the 

 author considers it prol>able that its attacks will be confined to vegetation 

 growing within the area where spring wheat is sown. 



About 50 eggs appear to be laid by a female, the egg being placed within 

 the stem of the host plant, either in the stem cavity or in a hollow excavated by 

 the ovipositor of the female. In order to rear the egg under observation, the 

 author transferred it from the stem to a minute drop of water within a small 

 thin watch glass, which was then immediately inverted on a grass slip and sealed 

 with a ring of water to prevent undue evaporation. In order to continue the 

 requisite moisture supply during a period of several days, it was found neces- 



