[131] Report of the State Entomologist. 273 



better still, by exi^eriments with healthy larvte — the mortality of the 

 larvffi observed at Geneva, by Dr. Sturtevant, will certainly be an 

 event of unusual interest. It would appear to give us the means of 

 destroying a pest which, up to the present, it has not been possible 

 to control, while, at the same time, stimulating the infested crop and 

 thereby enabling it the better to resist all other forms of insect attack. 

 Nor would its efficacy be limited to this particular species, but it 

 would be doubtless available against many other insect enemies, 

 especially those that burrow in the ground, after the manner of the 

 Phytonomus. 



The fungus attack was subsequently studied by Professor J. C. 

 Arthur, Botanist of the Experiment Station, and his report upon the 

 same may be found in the Fourth Annual Eeport of the Station, 1886, 

 pp. 258-262. It is there fully described by him, and also illustrated 

 in four figures, under the name of Entomophthora Phytonomi. The 

 following extract is made of the conduct of the infested larvse and 

 their appearance under the attack: 



The sick larvse of all ages crawl up the herbage during the night, 

 and instead of again concealing themselves near the ground on the 

 approach of light, as the healthy ones do, ascend as high as possible, 

 and, if on grass, coil themselves in a horizontal position about the 

 apex of the blade, as in Fig. 41, or if on other objects, take a posi- 

 tion as nearly similar as the shape of the object per- 

 mits. If disturbed before the middle of the forenoon, 

 the majority are still able to crawl, although slug- 

 gishly: by noon most of them are quite dead, but 

 unchanged in appearance. It will be found that they 

 cling to the leaf with greater tenacity than during life. 

 Examining the under sides of the body will disclose Fia. 4i.— Fungus- 

 the fact that delicate, colorless holdfast have grown ''Attacked larva of 

 out from the median line, which, attaching themselves ^°''™''°.f ^f 7^^; 



, ,1 ^^^^^,^•Lrt^• i Xi- TATUS COlled about 



to the leaf, hold the insect nrmly m place. Late m ^.j^^ ^.j ^j ^ blade 

 afternoon the body has changed from the normal yel- of grass. Enlarged 

 lowish or pea-green and smooth appearance to velvety- five diameters. 

 gray. The next morning there is only a small blackened and shriv- 

 eled mass remaining, while the surrounding foliage is powdered with 

 a whitish, clinging dust, comj^osed of the spores of the fungus. 

 * * * This is the general course of the rapid and fatal disease. 



In 1886 and 1887 the insect did not appear on the grounds of the 

 station in sufficient number to invite attention, and no further obser- 

 vations were made on the fungus attack. 



PcEOiLOCAPSus LiNEATUS (Fabr.). 

 From Mr. E. S. Goff, of the N. Y. Experiment Station, some Hemip- 

 tera, in their larval and pupal stages, feeding in the garden of the 

 station upon sage, Salvia oficinalis, were received June 1, 1885. 



