1920] ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 453 



derleinellus and Microphtliiriis n. g. The author recognizes 19 species of 

 Enderleinellus, of wiiicli 13 are descril)ed as new and one as helonging to the 

 genus Microphthirus. 



Experiments on the destruction of lice and nits {Brit. Med. Jour., No. 

 SOU {1919), pp. 703-705).— The first part of the paper, by A. Bacot and G. 

 Talbot, deals with the survival period of lice and nits {Pediculus Immanus) 

 when submerged in tap water and water containing 1 per cent of salt at 

 various teinperutures. The results obtained show that no reliance can be 

 placed on the simple soaking of verminous textiles in water even for so long 

 a period as 24 liours unless the temperature of the water is about 90° F. 

 Four per cent of the nits hatcheil after 22 liours in salt water at 91°, but 

 none in tap water. No apparent advantage is gained by the addition of salt, 

 plain tap water giving results just as good and in some cases better. 



The second part of the paper, by A. Bacot and L. Lloyd, relates to experi- 

 ments concerning the destruction of active lice (P. Jiumanus) by solutions of 

 crcsol .soap emulsion and lysol, and of lice and nits with kerosene, with a 

 view to the use of these remedies for the treatmont of verminous heads. While 

 the lice are able to survive immersion in fluids at temperatures somewhat 

 below that which they experience on man, when immersed in a 2 per cent 

 solution of lysol at 100 to 104° for 30 minutes they are destroyed. Where it 

 is not possible to use heated solutions, the complete disinfestation of garments 

 or bedding may still be achieved with cold solutions, provided their strength 

 is not less than 1.5 per cent with an immersion period of 1 hour and that the 

 solution remaining on the fabric after dipping be allowed to dry in. 



Lice and nits were immersed in kerosene at a temperature of GS° for a 

 period of 5 minutes. Most of the lice made active movements while immersed, 

 and one or two made slight movements imnjodiately after removal. The 

 fatality of active lice following immersion is thought to be due to the oil on 

 the surface of the insect or the object to which it clings obtaining entrance 

 to its body after removal from the fluid rather than during the short period 

 of immersion. 



The Achemon sphinx moth (Pholus achenion Drury) , R. L. Nougaket 

 (3/0. Bnl. Dept. Agr. Cat, 8 {1919), No. 10, pp. oGO-SSJf, ftg.-i. iS).— This moth 

 occurs throughout the United States, but is of economic importance only In 

 the vine-growing districts of California. It is most abundant in the warmer 

 centrally located valley of the San Joaquin, where local spoi-adic outbreaks 

 occur from time to time. At times it becomes a pest of considerable impor- 

 tance because of serious crop losses due to complete defoliation of the vine 

 through skeletonizing of the leaves. The sudden arrest in the vegetative func- 

 tions of the plant caused by defoliation reacts upon the development of the 

 fruit, which, if small and quite green, will shrivel and more often drop from 

 the stems, a total lo.ss of the crop resulting. If the fruit has reached a point 

 where the berries have begun to ripen, the maturing progress of the grapes is 

 arrested until a new growth of leaves, which continoe once more the trans- 

 formation of the sap for the benefit of the fruit. In the meantime the berries 

 have softened somewhat, they are not so firm in texture as a normal ripening 

 would produce, and they do not attain so perfect a state of maturity. 



The eggs are deposited singly on the upper surface of fully developed leaves. 

 No reliable data on the period of incubation have as yet been obtained. The 

 three larval instars last for an average of 7.G, 7.2, and 14.G days, respectively. 

 An average of 30 days is required from hatching until pupation and an average 

 of 54 days from hatching until the emergence of the adult. The larva is com- 

 monly parasitized by the tachinid fly Sturmia distincta Wied, 



