466 



vi, p. 172]. [Certain parasites of Otiorrhynchus spp., such as the 

 Braconid, Blacus tuberculatus, are less well-known, as weU as some 

 Diptera. It is also suggested that attempts might be made to infect 

 these weevils with certain fungi that are known to develop readily 

 on other Curcuhonids, or some bacteria may be discovered that 

 are virulent to them. The natural enemies of 0. sulcatus should 

 be encouraged. After ploughing, when the larvae and pupae are 

 exposed, poultry and especially turkeys should be turned into the 

 vineyards ; hedgehogs also should be introduced into infested land, 

 the damage they may do to the vines being more than compensated 

 for by their value in controlling 0. sulcatus. 



Against the larvae, submersion, where practicable, is a successful 

 remedy. Liquid insecticides have not proved very beneficial as a 

 wash on the vines, the larvae being too widely disseminated in the 

 ground. Insecticides in the form of gas are better, especially carbon 

 bisulphide injected into the ground. From May to September, 

 while the adults are on the trees, solutions such as Bordeaux mixture, 

 nicotine-sulphur sprays, Bordeaux mixture with nicotine or aloes, 

 etc., act as repellents and stop the spread of infestation ; these need 

 renewing every 8 or 10 days during June, July and August. Arsenical 

 or other poison sprays appUed to the foHage also require constant 

 renewal. The latter treatments are not of much use except in con- 

 junction with the repellent sprays, otherwise the insects are simply 

 driven away from one centre of infestation to form another. The 

 destruction of other food-plants has not much effect as the wee\'ils 

 can live on the vine throughout the year. The most successful and 

 practical control of the adults has proved to be hand-collection. This 

 must be done at night, when the weevils are on the vines and they 

 can be picked off one by one, or, better, shaken off into a sheet or 

 basin of hquid. 



An account is given of the invasions of 0. sulcatus in Saint-Pierre 

 d'Oleron which the author has studied since 1913, and of the 

 work of the syndicate formed in 1914 to combat it [op. cit., ii, p. 229 

 and V, p. 40]. Owing to the energetic measures carried out, the infesta- 

 tion in 1915 and 1916 was of diminishing extent. The cost of the 

 three years' campaign was approximately £93 over an area of about 

 150 acres. The result of these campaigns was the almost total 

 disappearance of the pest in 1917, and it is urged that in the case of 

 similar outbreaks in other locahties the same measures should be 

 taken, i.e., the estabhshment of a syndicate to organise co-operative 

 collections encouraged by rewards. 



Paeis (P.). Recherches sur la Bionomie des Oiseaux des Vignes. — 



Ann. Service des Epiphyties, Paris, v (1916-1917), 1918, pp. 210- 

 229. [Received 1st September 1919.] 



Among the birds frequenting vineyards, some are distinctly 

 beneficial, a few are definitely noxious and the majority are sometimes 

 useful and sometimes harmful, the balance being very difficult to 

 determine in some cases. A complete Hst is given of birds that nest 

 in vineyards and feed largely upon injurious insects, the most useful 

 in this respect being a bunting {Emberiza hortulana), which is the 

 greatest enemy of Clysia ambiguella both in the larval and adult 

 stage. The only bird causing any serious injury to vines is the starling 



