»£] Motes. til 



The " Rutherglen Fly." — When on the Australian Alps 

 last week I was greatly impressed by the immense numbers of 

 the small plant bug, Nysius vinitor, commonly known as the 

 Rutherglen Fly, when its name was legion, everything being 

 completely smothered with them. Even the leathery-foliaged 

 Snow Gums were not immune from attack, the bugs swarming 

 on their young shoots, while the low alpine shrubs were in 

 many instances almost hidden from view by the clustering 

 bugs, and if you lifted a stone hundreds of these insects would 

 be found beneath it. This makes one realize that later oh, 

 with favouring winds, they may descend to lower levels and 

 attack cultivated fruits and plants. A remarkable fact I 

 noticed was that snow had a great and fatal attraction for 

 them, and, as large quantities of snow still remain on the highest 

 peaks, immense numbers are being destroyed by this means, 

 but their numbers are so great that I doubt if this can make 

 any appreciable difference. Most of the snow patches are 

 quite altered in colour owing to their being covered with the 

 dead bodies of this insect. A large area of snow on the Omeo 

 road over Mount Hotham (6,100 feet, the highest road in 

 Australia) completely blocks it, and the coach has to leave the 

 road here and struggle up the side of the mount above the road 

 and then descend on the other side of the snow to regain the 

 track again. To enable the coach to descend, large chains 

 are wrapped round the hind wheels to assist the brakes : even 

 then it is a nerve-testing experience for both driver and horses, 

 and one feels glad to see them regain the road in safety. As this 

 patch of snow is still fifteen feet deep at the road, it should be 

 the means of destroying an immense number of these insects 

 before it finally melts and disappears. — H. W. Davey, F.E.S. 



[Numerous newspaper reports from various parts of the State 

 as to the numbers of this insect noticed this season bear out 

 Mr. Davey's apprehension as to their presence in lower country 



later on. — Ed. Vict. Nat.] 



Disease among Who Dicks.-- In connection with the 

 question raised at the January meeting of the Club regarding 

 the unusual mortality among water-fowl, the following extract 

 from the Victorian Poultry Journal ol 1st February will be read 

 with interest. The editor, Mr. H. V. Hawkins, says: — "A 

 disease has broken oul amongsi the wild duck at Winton 

 Swamp, near Benalla. Breeders will doubtless remember that 

 thousands died a few years ago. and I was instructed by the 

 Government to make a thorough investigation as to the 

 probable cause. Many old residents thought the mortality was 

 due to phosphorized wheat laid for rabbits, but it appeared to 



