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Riviere (C). Sauterelles et Criquets. [Locusts and grasshoppers.] — 

 Bull. Soc. Nat. AcdimaU, Paris, ki, no. 16, September 1914, 

 pp. 535-540. 

 This article describes the damage done to vegetation by locusts in 

 North Africa. The infection of locusts by Isaria, Botrytis, Sporo- 

 trichum, EyitomojMhora, Lachnidium, or other fungi, though sometimes 

 successful in the laboratory, is not so in the open, chiefly because the 

 frequent internal and external moults of the insects constitute an 

 effective defence against infection. In any case, this is a method of 

 control which is difficult of application, as locust invasions occur at 

 wide intervals and only for short periods. The study of locusts has 

 been furthered by the work of Kiinckel d'Herculais, especially as 

 regards Dociostaurus {Stauronotiis) maroccanus and Schisfocerca 

 (Acridium) peregrina, the most important observation made by him 

 being the discovery of the frequent re-matings of the latter species. 



Rutherford (A.). Three Caterpillar Pests. — Trop. Agric, Peradeniya, 

 xUii, no. 3, September 1914, pp. 222-224. 

 In December 1913, lucerne at Peradeniya was badly attacked by 

 DicJwmeris iantlies, Meyr., a few of the caterpillars being parasitised by 

 a small Braconid. In April 1914, cassias were defoliated by Catopsilia 

 crocale, Cramer, the caterpillars of which habitually congregate between 

 the hmbs at the base of the tree. They were there fed with branches 

 of cassia, sprayed with lead arsenate, but these soon wilted in the sun. 

 A few Chalcids and several Dipterous puparia were observed on 

 C. crocale, but were not reared. The surrounding bushes and trees 

 were covered with pupae, of which crows and king-crows destroyed large 

 numbers. In March 1913, the fronds of Cycas revoluta were des- 

 troyed by the Lycaenid Euchrysops {Catochrysops) pandava, being 

 stripped to the midrib. 



Wenholz (H.). The Field Selection of Seed Maize. — Agric. Gaz. 

 N.S.W., Sydney, xxv, no. 9, September 1914, pp. 779-790. 



On the North Coast of New South Wales, the grain weevil [Calandra 

 sp.] and the Angoumois grain moth [Sitotroga cerealeUa] are the most 

 serious maize pests. Both are most troublesome in early maize, but 

 without doubt a large percentage of the damage they cause in the field 

 before any treatment can be applied, may be avoided by selection of 

 varieties with a well developed husk, as ears which are insufficiently 

 protected by the husk, are more liable to attack. An examination 

 of ears free from these pests in the field revealed, in most cases, not 

 only sufficient protection, so far as length of husk was concerned, but 

 also that the husk was closed tightly over the tip of the ear. That 

 the percentage of infection in the field may be diminished by selection 

 seems to be demonstrated by sowing the seed from different ears in 

 separate rows. Here some rows were badly affected by the weevil 

 while others were comparatively free, and investigation showed that 

 in most cases the character of the husk was to blame. There seems no 

 reason why, if attention be given to this matter of selection and also 

 to the subsequent treatment of the ears and grain when stored, growers 

 should not be able to cope more satisfactorily with these two pests. 



