482 



was delayed by the war. In the present volume the letterpress of 

 the second edition has been rewritten by the author, who also con- 

 tributes a chapter on bird protection. The history of bird protection 

 in Australia and other countries is briefly reviewed. The Bird and 

 Animals Protection Act of 1918 ensures complete or partial protection 

 to all birds and animals not " black-listed," with a close season while 

 breeding. All bird sanctuaries in the State are described. 



The book is divided into sections dealing with birds of garden, 

 orchard and field ; birds of forests and bush ; and birds of inland 

 plains, swamps, open forests and scrubs. 



Severin (H. C). The Black-horned Tree-cricket. — S. Dakota State 

 Ent., Brookings, Circ. 19, November 1920, 4 pp., 1 fig. [Received 

 5th August 1921.] 



The black-horned tree-cricket {Oecanihus nigricornis, Wlk.) is a 

 serious pest of fruit crops in South Dakota. Raspberry, blackberry', 

 currant and gooseberry bushes suffer the most damage, but twigs of 

 apple and plum trees, as well as of poplars, elders, sunflowers, etc., 

 are also attacked. 



Eggs are usually laid in the pithy stems of plants. One individual 

 may lay as many as 150 eggs, and a single stem may receive hundreds 

 of eggs. One row of eggs is often sufficient to girdle a stem, which 

 then dies. Sometimes the canes split open, exposing the eggs and 

 killing the stem, or the canes may break at the injured spot. 



The winter is passed in the egg-stage. In the following June the 

 larvae feed on Aphids and other soft-bodied insects, and on the leaves 

 and petals of flowers, etc. The adults emerge in late summer. The 

 larvae and adults are especially active at night, when feeding takes 

 place. There is only one generation a year. 



The remedial measures recommended are the cutting out and 

 burning of all infested canes either after the first heavy frost or in early 

 spring. All weeds likely to contain eggs should be destroyed. 



Severin (H. C). House Ants. — 5. Dakota State Ent., Brookings, 

 Circ. 20, November 1920, 9 pp., 1 fig. [Received 5th August 

 1921.] 



The species of ants that invade dwellings or stores in South 

 Dakota are Solenopsis molesta, Say, Monomorium minimum, Buck., 

 M. pharaonis, L., and Lasius niger, L.. var. americanus, Emery. 



S. molesta occasionally nests in buildings, and it swarms in immense 

 numbers over food in houses and stores. M. minimum and L. niger 

 nest out of doors, but enter dwellings in search of food. il/. pharaonis 

 nests in heated buildings, and is more of a pest than S. molesta. 



Many remedial measures have been recommended, but the author 

 considers poisoned baits and the carbon bisulphide treatment [R. A.E., 

 A, vi, 13] the most effective. Nickels' bait, which consists of 20 lb. 

 sugar dissolved in 10 U.S. pints water, thoroughly mixed with 1 oz. 

 sodium arsenite dissolved in a little water, was found attractive 

 to ants at first, but in the course of time became repellent, and 

 consequently Barber's bait [R.A.E., A, viii, 285] was perfected. 



A repellent bait consists of 3 grammes sodium arsenite thoroughly 

 stirred into ^ pint of karo syrup. This does not, however, kill the 



