448 ZOOLOGY. 



object : e. g., the exclusion of the labrum and labium from the organ 

 was a beneficial simpli 11 cation, the great object being to bring the two 

 maxillre together; the latter organs were able to assume a greater 

 (leveiopment in consequence of the reduction of the former; this de- 

 velopment was further promoted by the abnormal method by which 

 food was obtained. The increase in the length of the tube was caused 

 by the depth which the nectaries of certain flowers exhibited, and by 

 which they excluded insects hurtful to them, while, at the same time, 

 this very depth allowed of the accumulation of a greater amount of 

 honey." 



Among other subjects treated of by M. Breitenbach in this connection 

 are tlie structure and functions of the so-called juice-borers, which are 

 discussed at considerable loogth. (J. K. M. S., (2,) II, 35-37, from 

 Jen. Zeitschr. Nat., XV, 151-214, with 3 pi.) 



Devastations by Insects. 



Many millions of dollars are yearly lost to the farming community 

 through the devastations of insects, and thereby the labors of tbe agri- 

 culturist are rendered more onerous than they would otherwise be, and 

 not infrequently unremunerative. In order to avert as much as possi- 

 ble the ravages of these in size insignificant but in numbers formid- 

 able enemies, it has been deemed the part of wisdom by civilized 

 governments to retain men skilled in the knowledge of insects and in 

 investigations of their habits, to learn and teach the best means of 

 meeting their attacks. The general government and several states 

 have their special entomological bureaus, and each year reports are 

 published in which some branch of economical entomology is consid- 

 ered. From the great mass of information relative to the subject 

 published in 1881 we select the following notes. 



The Phylloxera. — The devastations of the justly-named Phylloxera 

 vastatrix on the vineyards of various countries have attracted much 

 attention. The losses in many countries have been appalling. In 

 France, for example, of the 2,200,000 hectares (about 5,500,000 acres) 

 planted with vines nearly a quarter have been overrun and the plants 

 practically destroyed, while as many more have been attacked (A. N., 

 XV, 821). Strenuous efforts have been made to prevent the spread of the 

 insec<ts by different governments. In Italy, Spain, Turkey, Roumania, Al- 

 geria, and the Cape of Good Hope the introduction of all living plants 

 is entirely prohibited; in Germany the restriction extends only to vine- 

 ])lants, while in Switzerland, Austria-Hungary, and Portugal, introduc- 

 tion of "living plants" is permitted if attested by certificates to come 

 from uninfected localities (A. K, XV, 821). So rigidly is the law enforced 

 in some places that a cargo of potatoes arriving iji Cape Town from New 

 Zealand was destroyed for fear that the pest might be imported therein 

 (A. N., XV, 239). Objection has been made, however, to such stringent 



