288 



The earlier records of Dvprion (Lophyrus) pini and D. {L.) sertifer 

 in Sweden are not reliable and our knoAvledge of these common species 

 is therefore very insufficient. To judge from the observations made 

 by the author, the eggs of D. sertifer hibernate, the larvae appearing 

 early in the summer, whereas tlie larvae of D. pini hibernate in their 

 cocoons and the larvae appear later in the summer. Both species 

 are probably one-brooded in Sweden. The chief outbreaks have 

 occurred in the south of Sweden, south of the line where the mean 

 temperature is 5° C. (41° F.). 



Glaser (R. W.). U.S. Bur. Entom. A Systematic Study of the 

 Organisms distributed under the Name of CocccbaciUus acridiorum 

 d'Herelle. — Ann. Entom. Soc. America, Columbus, Ohio, xi, no. 1, 

 March 1918, pp. 19-42. 



As opinions regarding the efficacy 6i Coccobacillus acridiorum in 

 the control of grasshoppers have been very conflicting, the author 

 has undertaken a systematic study of a number of cultures distributed 

 under this name. These proved to represent either different species 

 or varieties of the same species and this fact may explain the contrary 

 views of various investigators, and also demonstrates the need for 

 careful attention to the ordinary principles of bacteriology in entomo- 

 logical work. The various tests that have been made since 1909 

 with d'Herelle's Coccobacillus and the results arrived at are reviewed. 

 Literature on the subject shows that five out of nine articles report 

 encouraging field results. These successful instances all deal with 

 locusts of the genus ScJdstocerca represented by S. americana, S. para- 

 nensis and S. peregrina. The unsuccessful reports deal with such 

 genera as Dociostaurus (Stauronotus), Zonocerus, Oedaleus, Locusta 

 and Melanoplus. It may therefore be that the bacterium is effective 

 against certain species of Schistocerca, but is unsuccessful among 

 members of certain other genera. All the investigators reported that 

 the bacteria they used were pathogenic in their laboratory experiments. 

 Certain requirements that d'Herelle and other workers consider 

 necessary to the rapid spread of the disease on the field include canni- 

 balistic and migratory habits ; dense infestation ; absence of related 

 bacteria that might have an immunising effect ; no excess of normal 

 food ; high temperature ; and absence of excessive rain. The author 

 adds another essential, namely, the use of the same organism by 

 different investigators. 



Four different cultures were received from various sources and 

 carefully studied. These, which all purported to be Coccobacillus 

 acridiorum, d'Herelle, are all re-described in this paper and are con- 

 trasted in their actions. The bacterium sent by Dr. Ponce from 

 Honduras seems to be an organism new to bacteriology, and the author 

 has named it Bacillus poncei. It is not a Coccobacillus at all. It is 

 ob\'ious that different organisms are being distributed under the name 

 of Coccobacillus acridiorum, and the author suggests that d'Herelle 

 should re-describe the organism concerned in his grasshopper epidemic 

 more accurately for the benefit of other workers. 



Experiments with B. poncei proved this organism to be pathogenic 

 to Melanojdus femur-rubrum and Encoptohphus sordidus. In most 

 cases, however, attempts to recover the bacillus from the blood, the 



