196 



Keilin (D.). On the Occurrence of a Cephaline Gregarine, Leidyana 

 iinei, sp. n., in Lepidopterous Larvae. — Parasitology, Cambridge, x, 

 no. 3, April 1918; pp. 406-410, 1 fig., 1 plate. 



The new Gregarine, Leidyana tinei, here described, occurs in the 

 mid-gut of the caterpillars of a moth, Endrosis fenestrella, Staint., 

 and is the first Gregarine to be recorded as parasitic in Lepidoptera. 

 Related species are L. erratica, a parasite of Gryllus abbreviatus, Serv., 

 and of 6. pennsylvanicus, Burm., and L. gryllorum, a parasite of 

 G. domesticus, L. 



Speyer (E. R.). The Distribution of Xyleborus fornicatus, Eich. 

 (Shot-hole Borer of Tea,). -Ceylon Dept. Agric, Peradeniya, Bull, 

 no. 39, August 1918, 34 pp. 



This bulletin deals with the history of Xyleborus fornicatus in 

 Ceylon, and gives a detailed list of estates and tea gardens infested 

 to 7th June 1918. A list showing its vertical distribution is also 

 given, which indicates that the elevation at which it is now particularly 

 abundant is about 2,000 ft. above sea-level. In 1903 this beetle 

 was certainly established at elevations of about 4,000 ft., and there 

 does not seem much doubt that it spreads gradually upwards, attaining 

 an altitude of 5,000 ft., though it becomes less common when 4,000 ft. 

 is reached, and above 4,500 ft. it is no longer a serious pest. The 

 reason for its being less common at elevations above 4,000 ft. is that 

 development is longer by a period of some 3 weeks, as compared 

 with that at 2,000 ft. or under. At very low elevations, 100 to 

 1,000 ft., the beetle becomes again less abundant. The districts in 

 question are, however, extremely wet, and this may in part account 

 for the marked falling off in the infestation. 



Carpenter (C, W.). A New Disease of the Irish Potato.— P%fo- 



pathology, Baltimore, Md., viii, no. 6, June 1918, pp. 286-287. 



A new disease of potatoes in Hawaii was first observed near Honolulu 

 in May 1917, but was subsequently found to be prevalent and destruc- 

 tive in all the potato sections of the islands. This disease takes the 

 form of the drying up and death of the plants from the growing tip 

 dowTiwards, and is caused by the presence of myriads of minute 

 mites, being especially prevalent when there is a minimum of rainfall. 



A similar disease of the tomato has been recorded from Florida 

 which is due to the attack of another mite, Eriophyes (Phytoptus) 

 calacladophthora, Nal., and a disease of litchi, caused by an undescribed 

 species of Eriophyes, is described as prevalent in Hawaii. 



With an average rainfall the mites do not appear to become estab- 

 lished, but in dry years the losses due to them may be from 5 to 50 

 per cent, or more. Where potatoes are healthy except for the mites, 

 spraying with lime-sulphur or dusting with dry sulphur has been 

 found an effective remedy. For lowland plantings the suggestion is 

 usually made that seed should be planted in the autunm or winter 

 months so that the crop may mature before the dry season begins. 



