77 



"mealies" is used in this country instead of corn.) This swarm 

 was so numerous that it stopped a railway train, the latter being 

 obliged to go back several times before it could cross it. The farmer 

 sprayed a semicircle about 60 feet wide in front of the swarm, using 

 the arsenical sjiray. As a result not a single locust escaped. It 

 seems that the sugar in the spray has a great attraction for them, and 

 they eat their fill of it to their utter destruction. 



As to the prevalence of malaria on our eastern line of railway, we 

 have at last succeeded in awakening the railway people to the serious- 

 ness of the situation. Next Tuesday we expect to start on a mosquito 

 survey of about 150 miles of railway, in cooperation with one of 

 the railway medical officers. I shall make accurate surveys of the 

 breeding places and the kinds of mosquitoes found, while the doctor 

 will make blood studies of the inhabitants, including the natives, 

 horses, sheep, goats, birds, and other animals. We are being fur- 

 nished with three cars — one for living purposes, one for a laboratory, 

 and one for kitchen and dining room. If I am not mistaken, I think 

 that this is the first time that any entomologist ever had the oppor- 

 tunity of conducting studies of this character under such favorable 

 circumstances. — C. B. Simpson, Entomologist^ Transvaal Defartment 

 of AgricultuTe^ Pretoria^ Transvaal^ Sovth Africa. 



THE CATERPILLAR OF ANTICARSIA GEMMATILIS INJURING VELVET BEAN. 



October 8. loo?), Ave received from Mr. A. Fredholm, Fort Drum, 

 Fla., numbers of the caterpillars of the Noctuid \\\oi\\^ Anticarsla gem- 

 matilis Hbn., found on velvet beans {Muerma ntUis). We have also 

 received a communication relative to the great injury accomplished 

 by this species in Florida (localities not stated). The insects were 

 stated by Mr. John Parker to occur in great numbers and to destroy 

 the vines by entirely denuding them of their foliage. Mr. Parker 

 thought that several generations were produced each season, as they 

 appeared to be well-nigh continuous breeders. The larvse are exceed- 

 ingly active, and at the slightest disturbance jump to the ground, 

 where they wriggle about rapidly until a place of security is found. 



Blackbirds and rice birds eat them, but the insects are often too 

 nimble for the more clumsy birds and many escaj^e. When, how- 

 ever, the birds are in large flocks, as frequently happens, they must 

 undoubtedly be of service. The " green sparrow " Avas said to be 

 the most active as well as successful enemy of the larvae. These 

 birds, however, do not occur in great numbers, but one of them would 

 get in under a vine and pick off larva after larva. The larva? remain 

 on the under sides of the leaves. 



The velvet bean is highly recommended for winter pasturage in the 

 extreme South, for hay, and for soil renovation; it is also used as a 

 nitrogen gatherer in orange groves. The occurrence of this insect, 



