232 



Pear trees are occasionally attacked by a woolly Aphid in Britain, 

 but the author has failed to infest them artificially with E. lanigerum. 

 It seems probable that the Aphid on pear is a distinct species, but the 

 point cannot be settled until the alate forms are found. In America, 

 pears are attacked by a quite distinct species, E. pyricola. Baker. 



CoLLiNGE (W. E.). The Starling : Is it injurious to Agriculture? — 



//. Ministry Agric, London, xxvii, no. 12, pp. 1114-1121, 4 figs. 



Owing to its enormous increase during recent years, the starling 

 is becoming a serious menace to agriculturists and fruitgrowers. The 

 injurious insects devoured by it only form 26-5 per cent, of its diet. 

 It has been calculated that 36-5 per cent, of its food is beneficial to 

 the agriculturist, 41 per cent, injurious, and 22-5 per cent, neutral. 

 Suggestions are made for reducing its numbers. 



Fletcher (T. B.) & Inglis (C. M.). Some Common Indian Birds : 

 No. 6. The White Wagtail [Motacilla alba) ; No. 7. The Magpie 



Robin or Dayal (Co/)syc///^s saM/ar?s). — Agric. Jl. India, Calcutta, 

 XV, pt. 6, November 1920, pp. 592-594 ; xvi, pt. 1, January 1921, 

 pp. 4-6, 2 plates. 



Motacilla alba feeds chiefly on small insects, such as beetles, ants 

 and various caterpillars, many of which are injurious to crops. As 

 this wagtail is not a permanent resident and does not breed in India, 

 it is not protected by law, except in Bengal and Burma. 



The food of Copsychus saidaris includes grasshoppers, crickets, ants, 

 weevils and other beetles, as well as a few bees, wasps and cutworms. 

 The bees are probably not taken alive. 



Ramakrishna Ayyar (T. V.). Some Local Practices prevalent in 

 South India in the Control of Insect Pests. — Agric. Jl. India, 

 Calcutta, xvi, pt. 1, January 1921, pp. 40-51, 3 plates. 



The methods of dealing with insect pests practised by the natives 

 in various parts of South India are reviewed. Many of these are 

 apparently empirical, crude, and often meaningless, but some may 

 prove useful as a basis from which scientific remedial measures may 

 be developed. In certain villages grain is kept free from pests by 

 storing it in underground pits. A small quantity of pure mercury 

 placed in the bin is said to be an effective preservative of stored food- 

 stuffs. 



DiETZ (W. G.). A New Species o£ Coptodisca (Lepid). — Canad. Ent., 

 London, Out., liii, no. 2, Februarv 1921, p. 44. 



Coptodisca kalmiella, sp. n., is described from New Jersey, mining 

 in leaves of Kalniia angnstifolia. 



Weiss (H. B.) & Beckwith (C. S.). Notes on Coptodisca kalmiella, 

 Dietz, a Leaf-miner of Kalmia angnstifolia. — Canad. Ent., London, 

 Ont., liii, no. 2, February 1921, pp. 44-45. 



The larvae of Coptodisca kalmiella probably hibernate in their 

 mines in the leaves of Kalmia angustifolia. They drop to the ground 

 prior to pupation, the latter stage requiring about two to three weeks. 



