ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 459 



The natural enemies mentioued include the predatory buj; Zicrona cwrulea, 

 a braconid parasite of the larva {Perilitus hrevicollis), a tachinid parasite of 

 the adult (Degecria funehris) which some years parasitizes 85 per cent of the 

 flea beetles and In an indirect manner prevents their reproduction, and the 

 fungus Bcauvcria (Sporotrichum) glohuliferurn. 



Notes on Podabrus pruinosus, H. F. Wilson {Jour. Eocm. Ent., 6 {lOlS), 

 No. 6, pp. 457-45U, fly. 1). — This beetle is said to have been abundant in the 

 Willamette Valley in Oregon during the past two years and one of the most 

 important agencies in the control of all forms of plant lice, the rosy apple 

 aphis (Aphis sorhi), the black cherry aphis (Myzus cerasi), and the vetch aphis 

 {Mai'rosiphum pisi) being the principal species held in check. The beetle 

 crushes the aphids with its mandibles and extracts the juices. 



The rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) in Samoa, R. W. Doane {Jour. 

 Econ. Ent., 6 {1913), No. 6, pp. 437-U2, pls. 2).— This is a report of studies 

 made by the author in Samoa during May, June, and July, 1913. 



New potato weevils from Andean South America, W. D. Pierce {U. 8. 

 Dept. Agr., Jour. Agr. Research, 1 {1914), A'o- 4^ PP- 347-352, pis. S, figs. 8). — 

 A number of shipments of South American potatoes during the year 1913 for 

 experimental propagation by this Department have been found infested with 

 live weevils. As a result the Federal Horticultural Board has excluded South 

 American potatoes from the United States. The author has made a study and 

 here presents information upon the weevils concerned with a view to assisting 

 the inspectors in their work. 



The three species thus far found are said to be very different in appearance. 

 An account of one of the weevils, namely, Rhigopsidius tucumanus, received in 

 potatoes from Peru, Bolivia, and Chili, has previously been noted (E. S. R., 

 29, p. 761). The two additional weevils each represent a new genus and species 

 and are here described as Premnotrypes solani and Trypopremnon latithorax. 

 P. solani was found alive in a potato sent from the mountain districts of Peru, 

 the adult weevil having been found just beneath the skin of the potato in a 

 small cell which evidently served as a feeding cell for the larva. The material 

 received indicates that the larva does not bore extensively in the potato. 

 Several specimens of T. latithorax were found in cells in potatoes received 

 from Cuzco, Peru, the species developing in a manner closely resembling that 

 of P. solani. R. tucumanus appears to be more widely distributed and the 

 source of greater injury than either of the other two species. 



The pathogenicity of Nosema apis to insects other than hive bees, H. B. 

 Fantham and Annie Porter {Ann. Trop. Med. and Par., 7 {1913), No. 4, pp. 

 569-579). — " iY. apis has been proved pathogenic to Hymenoptera other than 

 bees. It can multiply in the food canals of humble bees, mason bees, and 

 wasps, and can bring about the deaths of the hosts. Contamination of plants 

 with infected excrement occurs in the neighborhood of badly infected hives. 

 Such contaminated food is pathogenic to the larvae of cabbage white butter- 

 flies, cinnabar moths, and gooseberry moths, in which N. apis produces de- 

 struction of the tissue of the food canal in the same way as in bees. Both 

 imagines and larvae of these insects became infected with microsporidiosis when 

 supplied with food contaminated with Nosema spores. 



" Calliphora erythroccphala, the blow fly, becomes infected naturally by 

 ingesting Nosema spores contained in the sweet excrement of bees. This in- 

 fection has been repeated experimentally. Crane flies may also become in- 

 fected. 



"A member of the Hippoboscidse, Melophagus ovinus, has been infected suc- 

 cessfully with N. apis, which is pathogenic to the sheep ked. It is suggested 



