14 



such cases will only come from extensive improvements at tbe pnblic 

 expense in the way of the tilling- in and draining of the marshes. 



One word more in reference to water tanks. The use of kerosene is 

 of course out of the question in such receptacles. A note was pub- 

 lished in Insect Life (vol. iv, pp. 223-224) to the effect that the in- 

 troduction of carp into water tanks in the Riviera was productive of 

 the best results. This is a pertinent suggestion for trial in this country. 

 The U. S. Fish Commission can doubtless furnish a limited number of 

 carp for this purpose. All water tanks and barrels should, however, 

 be tightly covered, and only opened occasionally for the purpose of 

 aerating- the water. When thrown open for this purpose it will not be 

 difficult to ascertain whether larval mosquitoes (wrigglers) are present, 

 and if so, and the tank is not too large, they can De removed by means 

 of a tine-meshed hand net. 



OCCURRENCE OF BUCCULATRIX CANADENSISELLA CHAMB. ON 

 BIRCHES IN RHODE ISLAND. 



By A. S. Packard, Frovidincc, E. I. 

 My attention during the second week in September of last year was 

 called to the widespread occurrence of the larvte of this insect on the 

 leaves of BeUila populifolia. Over extensive tracts of woodlands and 



fields in east Providence and ad- 

 joining portions of Massachu 

 setts, the leaves of birch shrubs 

 and small trees had prematurely 

 turned sere and brown, few 

 healthy green leaves on a tree 

 having been left. 



The ravages of this worm seem 

 to have attracted attention else- 

 where, as an Attleboro corre- 

 spondent of the Providence Jour- 

 nal for October 6 reported that 

 almost every leaf of the White 

 Birch in Bristol County, Mass., 

 had been eaten by a worm ; the 

 account iindoubtedly refers to 

 this caterpillar. 



ThisTineidwasflrst described, 

 but without any information as 



¥lG. ZBucculalrix ca„adenM.sella: a, skeletonized ^^ j^g habits, by thC latC Mr. V. 



birch leaf; b. pseudo-cocoon: c,larva; d. head of ^" "^^"^ '^ '^" ' «7 



same; e, anal segments ot same;/, anal segment ry Chambers, iu tllC Canadian 

 of pupa; g, cocoon with extended pupa skin; ft, ' 



moth— all enlarged (original). Entoniologist for AugUSt, 18^5 



(vol. VII, p. 146). Some time ago Dr. J. A. Lintner wrote me regarding 



