August, '16] SCIENTIFIC NOTES 445 



or at least without intentional assistance from man, but the short 

 life cycle and the great prolificacy of certain insects suggests the possi- 

 bility of using some forms as an agent in rapidly transforming com- 

 paratively worthless materials into a food possessing not only nutritious 

 but appetizing qualities. In other words, there are possibilities in 

 rearing insects for food as well as for the production of honey, dyes or 

 silk deserving careful attention. 



Aphis or Aphid. The undersigned have carefully considered the question raised 

 by Dr. Chittenden as to the use of the words "plant lice," "aphid," etc., in pubhca- 

 tions of the Bureau of Entomology. It appears that the following terminology 

 relative to common names of species of Aphididse should be adopted in Bureau publi- 

 cations : 



(1) Aphis should be used in connection with some other modifying word as, the 

 "wooly apple aphis," "corn aphis," "box-elder aphis," etc. This conforms to the 

 practice adopted by the American Association of Economic Entomologists. 



(2) The word "aphid" or "aphids" (plural) should be used in referring to plant 

 lice in general. While the origin of the word "aphis" is unknown it has apparently 

 been latinized and should properly be rendered in English, as Dr. Chittenden sug- 

 gests, as aphidid or aphides. However, since the word "aphid" is given preference 

 in most dictionaries, and is almost exclusively used by students of Aphidida?, it does 

 not seem good policy to attempt to change a practice so well fixed. 



As regards the use of the word "plant-louse," this should be abandoned and "aphid" 

 employed in its place. 



C. L. Marl ATT 



A. L. QUAINTANCE 



W. D. Hunter 



Notes on the Distribution of the Clover-Leaf Weevil (Hypera -punctata 

 Fab.) in Kansas. In his paper "The Genera Hypera and Phytonomus in America, 

 North of Mexico" {Ann. Enl. Soc. Amer. 1911, Vol. 4, pp. 383-473), Titus records 

 Hypera punctata Fab. from North Topeka, Kansas. In so far as the writer can 

 learn this is the only record of this species being taken in Kansas. 



While investigating a cutworm outbreak m alfalfa near Independence, Kansas, on 

 May 25, 1914, the wi-iter found three adult clover-leaf weevils under a small pile of 

 alfalfa. On June 4, 1914, while engaged in similar work near Leavenworth, Kansas, 

 over one hundred specimens of this insect were found under a pile of alfalfa. 



On June 13, 1916, while collecting insects at Manhattan, Kansas, on submerged 

 vegetation following a heavy rain, the writer found three clover-leaf weevils clinging 

 to heads of peppergrass. Since then one of the collectors for the department has col- 

 lected specimens of this insect in limited numbers from widely separated fields in the 

 vicinity of Manhattan. 



These collections show the clover-leaf weevil to be present in Eastern Kansas in 

 widely separated localities, ranging from the northern to the southern parts of the 

 state. The infestation also extends into the state to a distance of at least one hundred 

 twenty-five miles. 



James W. McColloch, Assistant Entomologist, 



Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station 



