341 



are of much less value. Two new ones are described, Parasetigena 

 platensis and Gymnostyla argentina, both from the province of Buenos 

 Aires. There is now reason to think that the injury done by the 

 bag worm can be checked in a very large measure. 



Jarvis (E. H.). Cane Pest Combat and Control. — Queensland Agric. 

 JL, Brisbane, xvii, pt. 3, March 1922, pp. 103-105. 



Suggestions on the use of carbon bisulphide as a fumigant for cane 

 grubs by means of the " Bank's injector " are given. Injections in 

 light soils among young plants should not be closer than Gin. from the 

 plants and 18 in. apart, and need only be applied on one side of the 

 stools. They should not be applied during high temperatures or 

 when the soil is dry or cracked. In red volcanic country treatment is 

 best a few days after heavy rain, and in sandy soils after a light rain. 

 The soil should not be cultivated for at least a week after treatment. 

 An application of carbon bisulphide improves exhausted soils and 

 destroys certain injurious bacteria. Before appHcation the roots should 

 be examined to ascertain the depth at which the grubs are working, 

 and the injections then made about an inch or two above them. 



Investigations on the longevity of beetles by Labitte [R.A.E., 

 A, V, 20] are quoted. The adult Melolontha melolontha, a beetle closely 

 allied to Lepidoderma albohirtum and of similar habits, lives only 

 31 days, and in the past seven years the author has found that 

 L. albohirtum does not live longer than three or four weeks. 



Scolia formosa, Guer., is recorded as a new parasite of L. albohirtum. 

 This wasp lived eight weeks in confinement and laid 24 eggs on larvae 

 of L. albohirtum, but refused to oviposit on those of Lepidiota frenchi. 

 The Hfe-cycle occupied 108 days, the egg stage lasting 3 days, the 

 larval 11 and the pupal 94. It is somewhat rare, and may therefore 

 be subject to attacks by hyperparasites. As it occurs in other countries, 

 it is likely that Macrosiagon pictipennis. Lea, a Rhipiphorid beetle 

 that is parasitic on wasps of the genus Campsomeris, xm.y find 

 S. formosa a readily accessible host. 



CuRRAN (C. H.). Revision of the Pipiza Group of the Family Syrphidae 

 (Flower-flies) from North Mexico. — Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., San 

 Francisco, 4th Ser.. xi, no. 16, 31st December 1921, pp. 345-393, 

 30 figs. 



Of the 49 species dealt with, 31 are described as new species and one 

 as a new subspecies. Keys are given to the genera and species of 

 Pipizella and Pipiza, the males and females of Heringia and Cnemodon 

 being dealt with in separate keys. 



YoTHERS (W. W.). Sulphur Compounds for Rust mi^s.— Florida 

 State Hortic. Soc. Proc, xxxiii, 1920, pp. 128-133. (Abstract 

 in Expt. Sta. Record, Washington, D.C., xlvi, no. 4, March 1922, 

 p. 355.) 



It is reasonably certain that dry sulphur compounds wall give 

 satisfactory results in controlling rust mites if used on the basis of 

 their sulphur content. In all practical tests where these were used 

 so that the sulphur in solution was very much less than that contained 

 in lime-sulphur solution, the latter was more effective. Future 

 experiments may show that they can be used slightly under the 



