683 



in the third, the inoculation material consisted of fluid pressed with 

 aseptic precautions from the leg of a dead or dying insect. As controls, 

 material was taken from the body contents of 10 healthy locusts 

 obtained from the field and was spread on agar in test-tubes. Nine 

 tests showed no growth, while one exhibited three colonies, possibly 

 contaminants. The controls remained in good condition for days 

 with but little diminished numbers. In addition, controls were made 

 of insects inoculated with Bacillus frodigiosus. The death of the 

 insects followed with about the same regularity and after as short an 

 interval as when the Coccobacillus was used. Another control series 

 was started with inoculations of the gut contents of an insect which 

 died at a station some distance from the laboratory. Insects died 

 as quickly after intra-abdominal doses of this material as after doses 

 of Coccobacillus. Field experiments were alike negative with both 

 strains. Inoculation with the accelerated strain caused death some- 

 what sooner than that with the stock culture The insects in the field 

 were mostly wingless and varied from nymphs just emerged from the 

 egg to those in the 5th instar. The infective material was sprayed 

 early in the day on grass or other food among and in front of the 

 advancing swarm. The experiments extended over a period of more 

 than 20 days and through one wet period, although for the most part 

 the weather was hot and dry. Later experiments in which the cultures 

 were mixed with rice polishings and syrup gave similar results. One 

 experiment conducted in an open rice field during a relatively wet 

 period gave partially positive results. The spray used was broth in 

 which were crushed a number of insects found dead in a corral experi- 

 ment. In no case was there any indication of a natural spread of the 

 infection in the swarm, and cultures from dead insects found in the 

 field and emulsions of body contents of these insects failed to give 

 positive results in subsequent spraying. The species concerned, viz., 

 CEdaleus nigrofasciatus, De Geer, and Locusta migratoroicles, R. and F., 

 as well as the prevailing high temperature, may have caused these 

 negative results. According to d'Herelle, the lack of success could be 

 attributed to a lack of strength of the virus. In the case of 

 Dociostaurus {Stauronotus) maroccanus, 56 passages were required 

 before a sufficiently strong strain was obtained. Judging from the time 

 necessary for the bacterium to kill the inoculated insect, the virulence 

 was quite sufficient. Experiments were continued on a new culture of 

 C. acridiorum obtained from Argentina. The culture was submitted 

 to 23 passages. In no case was there the least evidence of the spread 

 of infection in the field. 



VicKKRY (R. A.). Notes on Three Species of HeUojMa, which injure 

 Cereal and Forage Crops at Brownsville, Texas. — Jl. Econ. Eniam., 

 Concord, viii, no. 4, August 1915, pp. 389-392. 



The larvae of Cirphis {Heliophila) latiuscula, H. S. {subpunctata, 

 Haw.), C. unipuncta, Haw., and C. multHinea, Walk., have been found 

 injuring cereal and forage crops in southern Texas. The first species 

 has been found on maize, sorghum, sugar-cane, barley, oats and 

 Bermuda grass, the second on the same plants and also lucerne, the 

 third on sorghum and sugar-cane. These species are found in large 

 numbers from November until March and are rare or absent in summer. 



