316 FIRST ANNUAL EEPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



occurring on the sliady side of the branches, from which they sucked 

 the sap. 



The same species had been observed by Dr. Fitch, July 29, 1854, on 

 maple, and on the shad-bush {Amelanclder botryapium) \_A. Canadensis 

 var. botryapium]. It belongs to the PsocidcB, of which the " book- 

 louse" is a familiar example — called also, " dust-louse," from its be- 

 ing at times found abundantly in the sweepings of neglected chambers, 

 — known from its clicking call to its mate, as the death-watch [is 

 Clothilla pulsatoi^a]. It eats dried plants and insects — is readily de- 

 stroyed by camphor. 



The Maple Psocus is the largest of our species. Dr. Fitch had pre- 

 viously given it the MS. name of Psocus acem, and it is now described. 

 [It is the Psocus venosus of Burmeister : see Hagen's Neuroptera of 

 North America, 1861, p. 10.] 



1863, A briei account | of the most important | Injurious Insects | 

 of the I United States | — | By Asa Fitch, M. D. | New 

 York State Entomologist. | — 1 Albany: | Luther Tucker & 

 Son, 395 Broadway. | 1863. | Pamph., 12 mo, pp. vi (includ- 

 ing title-page, cover and index of subjects and illustrations) 

 •\- 293-331, from the Illustrated Annual of Eural Affairs. 



Contains general remarks upon insects, describes their several stages, 

 gives their divisions into orders and mentions other groups. Among 

 their economic divisions are noticed (often at considerable extent) : I, 

 Insects injurious to fruit-trees ; of which are these : the curculio, ap- 

 ple-tree caterpillar, fall web-worm, apple-tree borer, peach-tree borer, 

 and apple bark-louse. II. Insects injurious to grain crops ; among 

 which are the wheat-midge, Hessian-fly, four species of Eurytoma, 

 chinch-bug, Angoumois moth {Butalis cerealella), grain-aphis (Apliis 

 avencE Fabr.), grain-weevil {Galandra granaria Linn.), and cut-worms. 

 III. Insects injurious to gardens, as, the cucumber-bug, squash-bug, 

 flea beetle, rose-bug, and asparagus beetle. The above insects are illus- 

 trated in thirt3'^-four figures. 



1863. Insects. — The Grain Aphis, Wheat Midge, etc. (Transactions 

 N.Y. St. Agricultural Society, for 1862, xxii, 1863, pp. 32-38.) 



An essay read by Dr. Fitch at the Rochester State Fair, evening 

 meeting, October 1st, 1862. 



The Grain Aphis has existed in Europe from time immemorial. It 

 was named and described by Linnaeus eighty-one years ago, as Aphis 

 avencB. European accounts of it are meager and imperfect, but its 

 history had been completed by Dr. Fitch recently. Its sudden irrup- 

 tion last year in New York and New England was our first observation 

 of it. This year it extended westward over Canada into Michigan. It 

 had probably existed in this country in limited numbers for many 

 years, having been observed on wheat seventeen years ago. No aphis 

 had hitherto shown such a sudden excessive multiplication. During 

 the last of June two great changes occur : the scattered individuals on 

 leaves and stalks congregate on the heads, and change from grass-green 

 to yellow . 



