363 



fouud a slender caterpillar, of a whitish color, with brown head. Some 

 of these larvne were quite large, nearly an inch in length, others not 

 nearly so large, bat all Lepidopterous, and, judging from their general 

 appearance, belonging to the Pyralidci'.* If Mr. Eraser S. Crawford 

 would solve the jiroblem of this insect, he would, I am sure, do his col- 

 ony a. great service, and if he will give us the results of his studies, he 

 will furnish American entomologists some very interesting information. 



Phytoptus pyri occurs generally throughout Australia, I believe, and 

 I found it affecting the foliage of pears in the garden of Mr. Bidencope, 

 of Hobart, Tasmania. 



The Grape Phylloxera occurs at present, I believe, in the colonies of 

 Victoria and N"ew South Wales, and it looks as though, without a com- 

 bined effort on the part of all of the colonies, the pest would soon get 

 a firm foothold and cause serious trouble in the future. 



What is known as the Bryobia Mite {B. speciosa) is quite injurious to 

 stone-fruit trees, and also to the apple tree. I saw it working on some 

 of the trees at the experiment farm at Dorkia, Victoria, and understand 

 that it is very injurious elsewhere. Professor J. L. Thomiison, of the 

 Agricultural College of Victoria, is of the opinion that the mite origi- 

 nates on the Almond, and spreads from there to other fruit trees. They 

 do not api)ear to injure the foliage, but cluster in great numbers on 

 the young shoots, especially at the forks. Mr. Crawford also says that 

 " they give a pinkish- gray color to the twigs, caused by the mixture of 

 the white of the moulten skins, the red eggs, the pink of the young, and 

 dirty green of the mature mites, all huddled together." 



While examining wheat straws, in a field of grain near Hobart, Tas- 

 mania, I found an adult fly, a Ghlorops, which was within the stem. In 

 another straw, in the same field, I fouud a larva which resembled that 

 of an Isosoma, but in attempting to secure it the wind blew it away, 

 and I failed to recover it. It migbt, however, have belonged to the 

 speciesofDiptera just mentioned. With this exception I failed to find 

 any wheat-destroying insects, and I know nothing as to what extent 

 the one observed might be termed destructive. 



The Eucalyptus Scale, Eriococcus eucalypti Cr., occurs in great abun- 

 dance about Hobart, Tasmania, as well as in Australia. In the vicin- 

 ity of Hobart, the scale is destroyed by certain Lepidopterous larvae 

 which live and move about within a web-like sac covered with excre- 

 mentitious matter. When these larvae were abundant there were few 

 Eriococcus. These carnivorous larviB may belong to one of the two 

 species mentioned in 'So. 10, Vol. I, of Inskct Life. If so, the breed- 

 ings of the adult will show it.t Almost an equally industrious enemy 

 of the Eriococcus, and very frequently associated with the preceding, 

 was a large black Scymnus, | which appeared to be in the midst of 



* This insect is a Crainbid which cxn uot be determined from the material brought 

 to Washington. 

 t This insect is evidently a Dakruma. 

 t Scymvus restitnior Sharp. 



