ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 459 



height to allow it to be cut, it was not nearly mature and the hay was of a 

 correspondingly less value." 



Up to the present time the weevil has been found feeding and breeding in 

 Utah on 7 species of plants, namely, alfalfa, and burr, white sweet, yellow sweet, 

 red, white, alsike, and crimson clovers. In breeding cages the weevils refused to 

 feed on hairy vetch {Vicia villosa) and the buffalo pea (Astragalus utahensis). 



As regards distribution the author considers spring and summer flights to be 

 the most prevalent and noticeable means. The weevils are found flying for 

 a period of 6 weeks in the early spring, after which time the females appear to 

 be so heavy with eggs that they are rarely seen flying and then only for short 

 distances; the summer flight is shorter. There is thought to be very little 

 danger of its distribution in seed coming from an infested region, where such 

 seed has been properly cleaned by screening. It may, however, be carried with 

 articles shipped from an infested region, and on railroads, in wagons and auto- 

 mobiles traveling through the places where it occurs. 



The life history of the weevil for 1909 and 1910 is graphically illustrated by 

 means of charts. "A month or 6 weeks after the first emergence of the beetles 

 from hibernation there can be found all stages of the insect in the fields. With 

 our present data, the life history of any one weevil will thus approximate more 

 than a year in the adult stage or from the time the egg was laid to the death 

 of the adult, 45 to 60 weeks ; that is, the egg, 7 to 16 days ; first stage of larvse, 

 5 to 8 days; second stage of larvae, 12 to 20 days; third stage of larvae, 12 to 

 30 days; pupa, 6 to 14 days; and the adults 10 to 14 months." Observations 

 indicate that it lays from 200 to 300 eggs. 



Mention is made of a number of predaceous enemies but as yet no parasite 

 has been discovered. Under remedial measures the author discusses pasturing, 

 burning the fields, brush drags, wire sweepers, growing a second crop, gathering 

 machines, spraying, and trapping. " It is recommended that alfalfa be disked 

 in early spring to stimulate it to better growth. Cut the first growth when the 

 most of the eggs have been laid (middle of May) and then brush-drag the field 

 thoroughly. Sheep may be pastured on the fields at this time for 2 weeks and 

 alfalfa then watered and a good crop will usually be assured. Gathering 

 machines to capture the larvfe and beetles have given good results when used 

 on the fields at the time the insects are most numerous. Fields should be brush- 

 dragged again after the first crop has been cut. . . . Alfalfa should not be allowed 

 to grow more than 7 or 8 years in infested districts." 



A bibliography of 18 titles is appended. 



The plum curculio and methods for its control, W. W. Chase (Ga. Bd. 

 Em. Bui. 32, 1910, pp. 5-33, figs. 11).—'' The results of the 2 years' experiments 

 discussed in this bulletin show that curculio can be controlled largely by ar- 

 senate of lead at a ratio of 2 lbs. to 50 gal. of water, to which is added a milk 

 of lime solution made from 3 lbs. of stone lime. Two applications are recom- 

 mended, the first to be applied as the calyces or shucks are shedding, and the 

 second 2 weeks later. In thrifty, healthy orchards where the foliage growth is 

 dense, 3 applications are recommended. It is unsafe to spray weak trees more 

 than twice." ^ 



Technical papers on miscellaneous forest insects, I. — Contributions to- 

 ward a monograph of the bark-weevils of the g'enus Pissodes, A. D. Hopkins 

 ([/. /S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent. Bui. 20, pt. 1, tech. sen, pp. 68, jils. 22, figs. 9). — This 

 bulletin embodies information relating to the destructive bark-weevils of the 

 genus Pissodes that will serve as a basis for economic investigations and publi- 

 cations. " Heretofore comparatively little has been known about the North 

 American species, and consequently there has been much confusion in collections 

 and in published information, due to the possession of insufficient facts relating 



