470 



Tucker (E. S.)- Louisiana Records of the Bindweed Prominent [Schi- 

 zura ipomeae, Ddy.). - Canadian Entomologist, London, Ont., xlix, 

 no. 8, August 1917, pp. 280-281. 



Specimens of a caterpillar collected on rose leaves in Baton Rouge, 

 Louisiana, in October 1913 and September 1914 appear to be those of 

 the bindweed prominent, Schizura ipomeae, Ddy., which also seems 

 responsible for slight injury to pecan foliage. An arsenical spray 

 would easily control this moth if necessary. 



HoLLiNGER (A. H.). A new Species of Phenacoccus (Hemiptera, Ho- 



moptera). — Canadian Entomologist, London, Ont., xlix, no. 8, 

 August 1917, pp. 281-284, 4 figs. 



Phenacoccus pettiti, sp. n., here described and figured, is recorded 

 from Missouri from a number of food-plants including : — Ambrosia tri- 

 fida, Rhus toxicodendron, Cercis canadensis and Fraxinus americana,. 



Galibert (H.). Conditions d'existence de VOhrium brujineum, Fabr. 

 [The Life-history of Obrium brunneum, F.] — Bull. Soc. Entom. 

 France, Paris, no. 11, 13th June 1917, pp. 183-184. [Received 

 7th August 1917.] 



In 1890 Bedel reported the Longicorn beetle, Obrium brunneum, F., 

 to be common on pines and firs, and the emergence of this species in 

 the middle of May and its development in dead lower branches of 

 Abies picea is now recorded in the department of the Tarn. 



Kehrig (H.). Les Oiseaux et I'Agriculture. Sur la Regime alimen- 

 taire de quelques Oiseaux. [Birds and Agriculture. The Diet of 

 some Birds.] — Bull. Soc. Etude Vulg. Zool. Agric, Bordeaux, xvi, 

 no. 7, July 1917, pp. 65-69. 



The author discusses the usefulness of certain birds which, far 

 from being classed among insectivorous birds as beneficial to 

 agriculture, have generally been regarded as noxious to the farmer, 

 but which are found upon investigation to destroy a great many 

 harmful insects. Examples of these are sparrows, larks and starlings, 

 which not only destroy insects, but also eat the seeds of many noxious 

 weeds. Blackbirds also destroy many insects and molluscs which 

 infest fields and gardens. In the author's opinion the complaint that 

 these birds eat beneficial insects is met by the answer that this is of 

 small account if at the same time they rid the fields of the noxious 

 species. 



GoDARD (A.). Importance des Services rendus par les Oiseaux. [The 

 Importance of the Services rendered by Birds.] — Bull. Soc. Etude 

 Vulg. Zool. Agric., Bordeaux, xvi, no. 7, July 1917, pp. 73-76. 



The economic value of many species of birds that destroy noxious 

 insects is emphasised. The large sums spent every year on insecticides 

 might be saved to a great extent by affording every protection to 

 insectivorous birds. 



