306 Forty-second Report on the State Museum. [164] 



A Grapevine Caterpillar — Thyreus Abbotii. (Country Gentleman, 

 for August 19, 1888, liii, p. 599, c. 2-4 — 43 cm.) 



A caterpillar taken from the "common ivy " is sent, with inquiry, as 

 "a revolting specimen" of insect life. Its common food-plants are 

 grapevine and Ampelopsis or the woodbine — the latter probably the 

 " ivy " named. The principal features of the moth and of the dimorphic 

 forms of the larva are described : The form marked by the large, 

 yellow, subquadrate spots is far from "revolting." No cause can be 

 assigned for these two quite distinct forms, which are not sexual, 

 seasonal, or dependent on food. The white color and the caudal horn 

 of the young larva are referred to, also the contortions, when disturbed, 

 of the adult. Absurd ideas of the poisonous nature of these Sphinx 

 larvaB are quoted. 



The Spittle Insects. (New England Homestead, for September 15, 

 1888, xxii, p. 333, c. 1-2 — 34 cm.) 



Insects on grass in a substance resembling spittle, at Auburn, Mass., 

 are Hemiptera in their larval stage, of the erroup known as "spittle- 

 insects." The "spittle" is produced, according to Uhler, by expul- 

 sion from the beak, while observations of DeGeer are quoted on its 

 expulsion from the anus. Different species are named and their food- 

 plants given. In Vermont they have seriously damaged the hay crop, 

 but they seldom occur in injurious numbers. 



[ For notice of these insects, see pp. 243-246 of this Keport.] 



Fly on the Heads of Cattle. (Country Gentleman, for September 20, 

 1888, liii, p. 705, c. 4 — 10 cm.) 



Inquiry is made from Hamilton Square, N. J., of a fly which is excit- 

 ing much interest and anxiety from its reported habit of boring in the 

 horns of cattle and depositing an egg, the grub from which burrows into 

 the brain and causes the death of the animal. Nothing is known of 

 such an insect. If such existed, it and its habits would have been known 

 to entomologists. It would, therefore, not be worth while to coat the 

 horns with tar, as is being done, for a preventive. 



[For notice of this insect, see pp. 220-227 of this Eeport.] 



The Melon Plant Louse. (Country Gentleman, for September 27, 

 1888, liii, p. 725, c. 2-3 — 30 cm.) 



Muskmelon leaves sent from Lowell, Mass., as showing destruction 

 of the crop when about half-grown, are infested with a plant-louse which 

 seems to be Aphis cncumeris Forbes. The aphis is desci'ibed, and its 

 history given, and a notice of a parasitic attack upon it in Illinois. 

 Some shoots of the plants also sent have been transformed into galls 

 which have disclosed a Cecidomyia. If undescribed, it may be named 

 as Cecidomyia cucumeris. 



The Hag-Moth Caterpillar. (Country Gentleman, for September 27, 

 1888, liii, p. 725, c. 3-4 — 17 cm.) 



A caterpillar found on an apple tree at Buckner's Station, Va., is sent 

 as an example of mimicry in insects, from its resemblance to a dead 

 and curled leaf. It is Phohetron pithecium (Sm.-Abb.), its common name 



