356 



experiments on rearing Scarabaeid larvae, concluded that the under- 

 ground Tower cages made of wire gauze were the most satisfactory. 

 it appears, however, to be agreed that the kind of cage matters little, 

 provided the larvae receive good attention. 



Chapman (J. W.) & Glaser (R. W.)- A preliminary list of insects 

 which have Wilt, with a comparative study of their Polyhedra.— 



Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, February 1915, pp. 140-147, 14 figs 



The clinical aspects of " Wilt " are very similar in all the species 

 studied ; the disease is characterised by the formation in the bodies 

 of infected caterpillars of polyhedra- shaped, highly refractive, angular 

 bodies, which have their origin m the nuclei of the tracheal matrix, 

 hypodermal cells, fat cells and blood corpuscles. When death results, 

 they make up a great part of the saponified body tissues. Wilt first 

 appears in a chronic form, as conditions become more unfavourable 

 it becomes acute, and finally ends in a general epidemic. A con- 

 sideration of both external characteristics and the polyhedra is essential 

 to a complete diagnosis of isolated or chronic cases, because it can be 

 easily confused with fungus, protozoan or bacterial diseases. For 

 purposes of discussion, insects have been divided into three groups ; 

 group A contains, with the exception of the silk-worm, the insects 

 studied by the authors ; group B contains a fist reported by the 

 European investigators Prowazek, Escherich, Wahl, etc. ; group C 

 is made up of insects found in U.S.A. which have a disease resembhng 

 wilt in many of its clinical aspects. There is a striking similarity in 

 shape between the polyhedra of the different species of caterpillars 

 given in group A, including the Gipsy Moth, Apple Tent Caterpillar, 

 Army AVorm, Tussock Moth, Oak and Range caterpillars. The report 

 of European investigators on a disease of the Nun Moth and silkworm 

 caterpillars is lacking in detail, but enough is given to show that the 

 observers were not deahng with true polyhedral disease. The species 

 in group C are all of more or less economic importance ; the various 

 observers who have worked on the life-histories and habits of these 

 pests have made special mention of these maladies and their possible 

 importance as factors in controlUng the insects. The polyhedra in 

 the same individual and in different species vary greatly in size. This 

 difference tends to strengthen the view that the polyhedra are reaction 

 bodies. 



Felt (E. P.). MycodipJosis macgregori, n. sp.— J/. Econ. Entom.,. 

 Concord, viii, no. 1, February 1915, p 149. 



The new midge described was bred by Mr. E. A. Macgregor from red 

 spider on cotton ; it is readily separable from M. tsugae, Felt, by 

 differences in the antennae and male genitalia. 



Aldrich (J. M.). U.S. Bur. Entom. A new Sarcophaga parasitic on 

 Allorhina nitida.—Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord,vm, no. 1, February 

 1915, pp. 151-152. 1 fig. 



Sarcophaga utilis, sp. n., a parasite of Allorrhina nitida, is described,. 



