INJURIOUS VERTEBRATES 1563 



day and even to shake the trees in order to bring down the infected fruit and 

 to burn it all. 



In 1910 a few specimens of Ceratitis were reared in entomological boxes 

 and it was observed that the mature larvae free themselves from the open- 

 ing of the fruit and bur>' themselves (August 19). Ten da3's later (August 

 29) five perfect insects 2 males and 3 females were winged ; the next day 

 (August 30) there were 2 new females. An almost ripe peach which was 

 placed in the box caused great agitation : the flies went backwards and 

 forwards, on August 31 the females crawled over the fruit, by the first of 

 September 2 of them were dead, and 3 others on the second. Experiments 

 made b^^ rearing them on pears and apples gave the same results, with a 

 rather longer incubation period (21 days instead of 10). 



On the growing fruit the larvae collect in the part of the mesocarp 

 next to the stone, and in fruits like oranges in the spaces next to the seeds. 

 In autumn when the temperature falls, Ceratitis pupates, and passes the 

 winter in the pupa at the foot of the tree a little wav below the surface of 

 the ground. 



The insect is dangerous in so far as it adapts itself readily to different 

 climates ; it is recorded from the West Indies, which should be its original 

 home, in the Islands of Hawai, in Oceania, in the regions around the Medi- 

 terranean, and in certain comparatively hot stunmers, in the neighbourhood 

 of Paris (i). It lives at the expense of fruits which are far removed from 

 one another and which ripen at very different times. 



Back and Pemeerton of the United States Department of Agriculture 

 record as parasites of the Ceratitis introduced by Silvestrt : Galesus sil- 

 vestrii, Dirhinus giffardii , Opius humilis ; Syntomosphyrum indicnni has 

 also been recorded (2). 



INJURIOUS VERTEBRATES. 

 1156 Cottontail Rabbits {Sylvilagus spp.) in the United States. — i^antz, d. e. in 



United States Department of Aricullin-e. Fainier's Bulletin Xo. 70:;, pp. 1-12. Fig. 1-5. 

 Washington, D. C, igif.. 



Over a great part of the United vStates cottontail rabbits (Gen. 

 Sylvilagus) cause more or less extensive damage in cultivated land, espe- 

 cialh' during the winter, when their ordinar}' pastures are covered with 

 snow and they are driven to attacking trees (especiaU)' apples) by gnawing 

 them and tearing oft' the bark ; in this way they are often responsible for 

 the death of fruit trees. 



The bulletin in question contains instructions for combating this 

 pest, legal regulations regarding himting in the various States, fornuilae 

 for the preparation of poisoned baits, and descriptions of two traps 1 Wel- 

 house and Walmsley) used successfully for catching these rodents. 



(i) See also B. Sept. 191 5, N. 9^)3. 



(2) See also B. Feb. 1914, No. 190. {Ed.). 



Axfredo Ruggeri, gerente responsabile 



