CURRENT NOTES. 97 



Nearly a score of separata have been received during the last few 

 months from the Proceedings of the U.S. National Museam. Prof. T. 

 D. A. Cockerell deals with further fossil insects from the Eocene of 

 Colorado and Wyoming in two articles; S. A. Rohwer contributes 

 three articles on Sawflies, in one dealing particularly with description 

 and habits of the larv;e ; in two others H. L. Vierech and R. A. Cush- 

 man treat of Ichneumon-flies : the Coleoptera are the subject of three 

 papers by C. Schaeffer, A. B. Wolcott, and W. M. Mann, the last 

 describing three new myrmecophilcus species; galls and parasitic 

 Ci/niiiidae are dealt with in two papers by L. H. Weld ; W. Schaushas 

 a paper on new Lepidoptera from S. America; S. A. Rohwer contri- 

 butes one on wasps ; C. H. Kennedy one on Dragonflies ; H. E. Ewing 

 one on Spider Mites; R. V. Chamberhiin one on Centipedes; and C. 

 T. Greene and W. L. McAtee on Muscoid and Bibionid flies 

 respectively. 



The Annual Hcjiurt of the iSmit/txinticDi hiatitiitum for 1919 (published 

 1921), which has just reached us, contains an article, witli 15 plates, 

 on the " Division of Insects in the United States National Museum," 

 by J. M. Aldrich, Associate Curator ; another on the " Seventeen Year 

 Locust," with 5 plates, by R. E. Suodgrass, Bureau of Entomology; 

 and a third treating of " Entomology and the War," by Dr. L. 0. 

 Howard, Chief of the Bureau of Entomology, U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture. 



This Bureau employs "a very large staff of entomologists in 

 economic work throughout the United States," and aims at forming 

 " a large and well-classified collection of foreign insects," especially 

 with regard to their life-histories. The number of named species in 

 all branches of Entomology is given as 98,925, including 30,653 

 species of Lepidoptera, and the total number of specimens as 2,125,180 

 (Lepidoptera 275,920). 



Dr. Howard shows that "war conditions have intensified the work 

 of entomologists and have enabled them to make the importance of 

 their researches felt as never before." Besides the work done in 

 connection with typhus and trench fevers, special eft'orts were made 

 against the insects which injure grain and forage crops, and much 

 damage was prevented. Competent inspection and fumigation or 

 other requisite treatment of products stored for shipment was regularly 

 carried out by men experienced in the study of insect pests. Increased 

 production of honey due to intensive work on bee diseases, and 

 prevention of damage and loss of valuable timber required for 

 aeroplanes, are other results of their work. 



Incidentally, complaint is made of the lack of appreciation of their 

 work, even in " certain high official circles." — R.E.P. 



The South London Entomological Society have issued their pro- 

 gramme of fixtures for the summer and autumn, it includes field 

 meetings at Ranrnore Common, Canvey Island, Horsley and l^jastbourne, 

 with a I'ungus Foray later on. The papers promised aie by Messrs. R. 

 x\dkin, C. W. Young, W. J. Lucas, T. H. L. Grosvenor, and the 

 Rev. J. Waterston. In addition there are the usual evenings set 

 apart for the exhibition of members lantern slides and the Annual 

 l\xhibition. The Society seems not only to have coped successfully 

 with the strain of the past few years, but to have gained fresh vigour 

 and a much increased membership. 



