389 



the ovary of the blossom is injured, resulting in deformed fruit. Later 

 in the season, the insects feed on the calyx and corolla of the blossoms 

 and on the young fruit and tender foliage. The favourite food-plants 

 are apricot, peach and plum trees ; trees with harder buds are much 

 less liable to attack. The habit of feeding upon fruit trees is evidently 

 an acquired one, as the early stages of the insect are passed in natural 

 streams, and the species was undoubtedly abundant before fruit 

 trees were ever planted in the valley. Upon examining the native 

 vegetation, especially along the streams, the stone-fly was observed 

 feeding to some extent on the leaves of wild rose, willows {Salix spp), 

 wild cherry {Primus emarginata and P. demissa), alder {Alnns tenuifolia) 

 and elm {Ulnms americana). The shores of the Colimibia River were 

 examined and the flies were found emerging in large numbers, thousands 

 of cast nymphal skins being strewn along the water's edge to 10 or 

 15 ft. above it. Evidently the adults fly to the trees as soon as their 

 wings are dry, mate in the orchards and return to the river after feeding 

 for oviposition in the water, where the eggs hatch. Whether the 

 nymphs complete their development in a single year, or require two 

 years or more, is not known. 



While it has not as yet been possible to carry out extensive 

 experiments in the control of Taeniopteryx, it was noticed in 1915 

 that plum-trees that had been sprayed with crude-oil emulsion and 

 nicotine sulphate for Aphids were not so badly injured as untreated 

 trees. Nicotine sulphate and soap also gave some measure of relief. 

 It seems probable that complete protection against stone-flies could 

 be effected by two ajDplications of a spray composed of 2 lb. lead 

 arsenate to 50 U.S. gals, water, the first as soon as the flies appear, 

 the second either just before blossoming or just as the petals are falling. 



Taenio*[)teryx ■nigripenius and T. paUida have been observed in pine 

 woods at an elevation of 3,000 ft., feeding on native vegetation along 

 the banks of a stream. The plants attacked were the thimbleberry 

 {Rubus ]Mrviflon(s), alder {Alnus tenuifolia), willow {Salix spp.), 

 wild rose {Rosa sp.), service-berry {Amelanchier sp.) and maple {Acer 

 douglasi). 



It is probable that a study of the habits of stone-flies in other parts 

 of the country, particularly of the genus Taeniopteryx, will reveal 

 other plant-feeding and therefore potentially injurious species. 



HoRTON (J. R.). The Argentine Ant in Relation to Citrus Groves. — 

 U.S. Dept. Agric, Washington, B.C., Bull. no. 647, 3rd May 1918, 

 73 pp., 6 plates. [Received 15th July 1918.] 



The subject matter of this bulletin has already been noticed [see 

 this Review, Ser. A, vi, p. 313]. 



CooLEY (R. A.), Parker (J. R.) & Seamans (H. L.). Grasshopper / y 

 Control in Montana. — Univ. Montana Agric. Expt. Sta., Bozeman, \X 

 Giro. no. 76. February 1918, pp. 119-147, 16 figs. [Received 

 15th July 1918.] 



This circular deals at length with the control of grasshopper out- 

 breaks by means of poisoned baits and catching machines. The 

 latter can be used in low-growing crops, such as grain (before ripening), 

 flax, potatoes, lucerne and grasses, and though the efficiency of the 



