46 
lower sides of the leaves within their reach; and the ground at the 
base of the stalk would often be sprinkled with lice that had thus 
been dislodged.* 
Aphis maidis, Fitch. 
[Plate III, Fig.5; Plate IV, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.1 
The abundance of the common corn plant-louse in all the fields 
of sorghum and broom-corn visited has already been noticed. This 
very common and widely distributed species has received from ento- 
mologists far less attention than its importance would warrant, 
having in fact been studied only by Fitch, Walsh and Thomas, as 
far as the published hterature of the species indicates. It seems, 
by common consent, to have been left in the genus Aphis, to which 
it was assigned by Fitch, but the form of the honey-tubes assimi- 
lates it to the genus Rhopalosiphum of Koch, and distinctly sepa- 
rates it from Anhis, as limited by Buckton. These genera can 
hardly be considered real, however; and nothing is to be gained by 
disturbing the nomenclature of the corn plant-louse, especially as it 
has the general aspect of a true Aphis. The honey-tubes, swollen 
in the middle and dilated at the tip, will serve to distinguish the 
species from any other of our Aphides. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The following description of this species, given merely to render 
possible its distinction from the other plant-lice infesting these 
crops, is quoted in part from the Eighth Report of the State Ento- 
mologist’s office: 
“Mr. Walsh describes those he found infesting the roots [see 
Plate IV, Fig. 3,} as having the general color, both of the pupa and 
perfect insect, pale green; the female pupa usually has three short, 
transverse, dark lines on the thorax, and three similar ones on the 
abdomen. The antenne are unusually short, scarcely reaching the 
tip of the thorax; the honey-tubes are also rather short; the first 
discoidal vein is farther-from the second than the second is from 
the third, and the stigma is prominent and pointed at each end. 
He states that the pupa is dusted over with a whitish bloom like 
that of a plum, and with dusky markings. 
Winged female [aérial]. (Plate III, Fig. 5). Head and thorax 
of a shining black; abdomen pale greenish-yellow, dotted along the 
lateral margin with black; honey-tubes black, similar to those of 
the wingless individuals; legs dusky, pale at the immediate base; 
antenne about half the length of the body; beak very short, scarcely 
*This fact is an interesting illustration of the worthlessness of a priori conclusions 
respecting the habits of birds. In avery suggestive and ingenious article upon the rela- 
tions of birds and insects, by M. Edouard Perris, published in the Bulletin de la Société 
@ Acclimatdtion, for 1873, he remarks respecting plant-lice: “No one would seriously 
affirm that we should count birds among the agents of their destruction. * * * Birds, I 
repeat, do not amuse themselves with so minute a prey when they have so much other 
food; and I am convinced, besides, that plant-lice are not to their taste.” Ifas large a 
fowl as a chicken will “amuse itself” by the hour, as I saw several doivg, by picking indi- 
vidual plant-lice from the leaves, we may reasonably infer that there is neither distaste 
pete of trouble to interfere with birds interposing asa check upon the multiplication 
of Aphides. 
Nene aD 
