590 



The most promising were with various Bordeaux mixtures, which 

 seemed to have a repellent effect on the beetles ; the addition of lead 

 arsenate also gave good results. A drawback to the use of liquid 

 sprays is the lack of spreading and adhesive properties in the flax 

 plant, and a suitable spreading agent remains to be discovered. 



The large green Capsid, Calocoris hipimctaUis , F., was very pre- 

 valent in 1921 ; it generally confines its attention to those parts of 

 the field near the hedges, and often near the one most sheltered from 

 the wind. Just before the flowering period the main stem of the 

 flax plant is pierced at, or just behind, the growing-point ; growth 

 of the terminal bud is arrested and lateral buds throw out branches. 

 The adults were observed in June in 1921 ; gravid females were noticed 

 in mid- July, but towards the end of that month they mostly left the 

 flax plants and settled on flowers of the corn marigold {Chrysanthemum 

 segetum) and other weeds. Eggs were laid during August on corn 

 marigold, ragwort, thistle, charlock, redshank, etc., but never on flax. 

 The eggs hatch in the following April or May. The obvious remedy 

 is to keep the flax fields and also fences and hedges free from weeds, 

 particularly ragwort, and to collect and burn any that remain after 

 the flax is pulled. 



Lygus pratensis, L. (tarnished plant bug) does exactly the same 

 damage to flax as the foregoing species ; its life-history is similar, 

 and remedial measures would be the same. 



The caterpillars of the moth, Phytometra (Plusia) gamma, L., were 

 numerous in early August and consumed a good deal of foliage of the 

 flax plants, but they are not regarded as a serious pest as the plants 

 are usually pulled before they have had time to do much damage. 



Cheesman (L. E.). Rhyssa perstiasoria : Its Oviposition and Larval 

 Habits.— Proc. 5. London Ent. & Nat. Hist. Soc. 1921-22, 

 London, 1922, pp. 1-2. 



Observations are described on the oviposition of Rhyssa persuasoria, 

 which, by means of its very long ovipositor, bores into larch logs 

 infested with Sirex gigas. The resulting larvae are predacious on 

 those of S. gigas. After twelve months the logs were split open 

 and examined. Only a few larvae of 5. gigas remained in isolated 

 burrows, while the logs were intersected by tunnels containing larvae 

 of R. persuasoria. 



Jackson (D. J.). Notes on Aphides from Sutherland. Part II. — 



Scottish Naturalist, Edinburgh, no. 125-126, Mav-June 1922, 

 pp. 85-92, 3 figs. 



In this continuation of a paper previously noticed [R.A.E., A, 

 X, 351] the species recorded are : — Br achy coins hold. Hardy, on Holcus 

 lanatus, causing short and stunted terminal shoots ; Aphis sambiicaria. 

 Pass., on leaves of elder {Sambuc^ts nigra), some of the alate females 

 being attacked by a fungus belonging to the Entomophthoraceae ; 

 A. urticaria, Kalt., on nettles, the oviparous female being described ; 

 Rhopalosiphum eriophori, Wlk., on Eriophortmi angnstifolium (originally 

 described from the apterous oviparous female and all stages being now 

 described), attacked by a fungus, probably Entomophtliora aphidis; 

 Anuraphis centauriella, Theo., on knapweed {Centaiirea nigra) amongst 

 colonies of Macrosiphum jaceae, L. ; M. urticae, Schr., on leaves of 

 nettle, the alate male being described ; Toxoptera graminum, Rond., 

 on grasses ; and Myzus persicae, Sulz. (dianthi, Schr.), on clover. 



