52, MANGOLDS. 
all, observed before in connection with Mangolds here. Last summer, 
besides the almost regular yearly attack of Leaf-blister Maggot, we had 
a bad infestation of the Black Aphis, the Aphis rumicis, commonly 
known as ‘Colliers’ (and as a crop-pest chiefly infesting Bean-shoots), 
on Mangold-leafage near Llandudno, in North Wales; also the Silpha 
opaca, or Beet Carrion Beetle, a rare attack, but sometimes exceedingly 
destructive where it does occur; and the Atomaria linearis, called, from 
its minute size, the Pigmy Mangold Beetle (also rare, and also very 
destructive from the myriads in which it occasionally ravages at 
the young Mangolds), were again observed. 
So far as I am aware, the above-mentioned kind of Black Aphis, 
the A. rwmicis scientifically, although in the words of Mr. G. B. Buck- 
ton it is “ almost omnivorous,” has not been previously trustworthily 
identified as a Mangold infestation. In 1885, when Aphis-attack was 
one of the chief crop troubles of the year, there was uneasiness, both 
in England and Ireland, lest the quantity of Black Aphides on the 
Mangolds should prove to be the Colliers, the well-known pest to the 
tops of growing Beans. This, however (speaking, of course, only of 
the samples of attack sent to me for examination), I could quite cer- 
tainly say they were not; but during the past summer I received a 
note of the appearance of this attack (that is, of Colliers) on Mangolds 
in one locality from Mr. Robert Newstead, Curator of the Grosvenor 
Museum, Chester. 
On August 9th Mr. Newstead forwarded me specimens of Mangold- 
leaves infested by quantities of what proved on examination to be 
Colliers in different stages, with the following information :—‘‘ The 
leaves of Mangold I sent by this morning’s post are infested with 4. 
rumicis, Linn., and as I never heard of the species infesting Mangolds, 
I thought you would be interested to have specimens.” 
Mr. Newstead wrote me that the attack was a very bad one, and 
the locality of the outbreak was near Llandudno (in North Wales, at 
the mouth of the Conway), and further, that if I wanted more specimens 
he had ‘‘an enormous quantity of infested leaves.’’ These, however, 
were quite unnecessary, for the quantity of Aphides forwarded appeared 
to me to leave little if any doubt of the attack being that of A. rumicis. 
The following description, chiefly taken from that of Mr. G. B. Buck- 
ton,* gives some of the chief characteristics by which this kind of 
Aphis may be distinguished from other black, or chiefly black kinds 
which are to be found on Mangolds or allied plants. 
Aphis rumicis: Wingless viviparous female. — Head, thorax, and 
abdomen almost confluent. This massing together of the chief divi- 
sions of the body is well shown in figure 4, p. 51, of the wingless 
* See ‘British Aphides,’ by G. B. Buckton, F.R.S. (Ray Society), vol. ii. 
