308 PIEST A]S"N"UAL REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGI&T. 



1859. Entomology. Ko. XX.— The Parasitic Destroyer of the 

 Curculio. (The Country Gentleman, Oct. 6, 1859, xiv, p. 

 221 — 60 cm.) 



The Curculio regarded as our most injurious insect; at first, in 1746, 

 it seemed confined to nectarines, later it attacked tlie plums, and still 

 later, apples and cherries. A parasite had lately been received from 

 St. Catharines, Canada West, with its history as observed. It is an 

 internal parasite, and of this class, the " four very extensive families 

 named Ichneumon, Bracon^ Chalcis and Proctotrupes " are compared 

 by their venation and other features, virith a figure of the v^^ing of the 

 curculio parasite in illustration. The new parasite belongs to the 

 Bracon family, and is shown to be a Sigalphus, and the specific name 

 of curculionis is deemed an appropriate one. Its description with figure 

 is given, together with its habits and operations as drawn from those of 

 allied known species. The black-knot, in which this parasite is bred, 

 is a vegetable fungus analogous to the smut on corn. 



1859. Maple Leaf-Cutter. (The Country Gentleman, lb., p. 225 — 



11 cm.) 



In reply to inquiries made of some insects sent from North Claren- 

 don, Vt., the examples are identified as Ornix acerifoliella Fitch, de- 

 scribed in the Second Report on N. Y. Insects (pp. 269-273 of 1st and 

 2d Reports). [The species has been subsequently referred to the genus 

 Incurvaria of Hawortfi. Lord Walsingham thinks that Tinea iridella 

 Chambers (Canad. Ent., 1873, v, p. 86,), may be the same insect.] 



1860. Address, on our most Pernicious Insects, delivered at the An- 



nual Meeting- [of the State Agricultural Society], February, 

 1859. (Transactions N. Y. State Agricultural Society, for 

 1859, six, 1860, pp. 588-598.) 



Treats of five species of wheat insects, viz., the Wheat-midge, Grain 

 weevil, Hessian fly, Joint-worm, and Chinch-bug ; and four of fruit 

 trees, viz., the moth of the apple-tree caterpillar, the apple-tree 

 borer, the peach-tree borer, and the Curculio. 



1860. Address of Asa Fitch, M. D., Entomologist of the Society, on 

 the Curculio and Black Knot on Plum Trees. (Transactions 

 K Y. State Agricultural Society, for 1859, xix, 1860, pp. 599- 

 612.) 



The Curculio thought to be our most injurious insect. It was first 

 noticed near Philadelphia, in 1746, but we are still ignorant of its life 

 for three-fourths of the year. The beetle is described, and its earliest 

 appearance abroad said to vary from 1st of April to middle of May. It 

 continues until late in autumn. An account of the nature of its in- 

 juries in various fruits is given. A new brood appears in July, some 

 of which oviposit in the black-knot. The excrescence is described ; 

 on its surface the fungus, Splwria morbosa, is always found. But the 

 black-knot itself, is not a fungus, nor is it produced by insect attack. 

 Later, it is believed that the curculio oviposits in the bark of plum- 

 trees and butternut-trees Its only known parasite, Sigalphus curcu- 



