340 



ICERYA ROS^ IN JAMAICA. 



Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell has sent us specimens of Icerya rosw, E. and 

 H., which were found by Dr. Strachau, of Kingston, upon the leaf of 

 Amherstia. Other specimens were found upon rose in the same garden. 

 For the reason that this species is known in this country only at Key 

 West, we have anticipated that it would prove to be a West Indian 

 form, and this sending by our friend Mr. Cockerell is confirmatory. Mr, 

 Cockerell, by the way, is making a careful study of the Coccidse of 

 Jamaica, and has already obtained many interesting forms. 



THE PHYLLOXERA AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



According to recent advices Phi/Uoxera vastatrix is still spreading 

 into new territory m Cape Colony. The Agricultural Journal of the 

 Department of Agriculture at Cape Town, for January 28, 1892, states 

 that, the only safe plan as yet known is to find out which of the Phyl- 

 loxera-i)roof American varieties suits the particular soil, then to make 

 a nursery with such cuttings and graft the susceptible European vines 

 on them. Experience shows that this process is much easier in the 

 South African climate than in the older grape-growing countries. The 

 frequently recommended plan of growing the European vines from 

 seed is once more shown to be useless. Such vines are not resistant 

 to the Phylloxera. 



A NEW TREE BAND. 



The Philadelphia Record of March 3 describes a device which is said 

 to have been invented by Carl Hering the well-known electrician, for 

 the destruction of caterpillars which may be attempting to climb trees. 

 Mr. Hering's scheme is simply to run alternate wires of copper and zinc 

 around the trees at a distance of one-half inch apart. The supposition 

 is that the body of the caterpillar will form a circuit between the two 

 wires and that the insect will be destroyed, or at least deterred from 

 climbing higher. 



A TRUE BUG DAMAGING PEANUTS IN CHINA. 



M. A. G-iard, in the Gomptes Bendus of the Biological Society of 

 France, has published a short paper in which he reviews the damage 

 done by Halticm miimtus to the i^eanut crop in Cochin China. He 

 reviews the general subject of injuries by different Pentatomidoe, par- 

 ticularly by congeneric forms, and states that the enormous peanut crop 

 of French Cochin China is threatened with absolute destruction by this 

 insect. Kerosene is recommended as a remedy and the artificial culti- 

 vation of Micrococcus inseetorum is suggested. 



SARCOPHAGA IN THE HUMAN EAR. 



Under the title "Abnormal Living Entozoa in the Human Ear," Dr. 

 Walter B. Johnson, of Paterson, N. J., has published in a recent num- 



