170 FOKTY-THIRD REPORT ON TEE StATE MuSEUM, [74] 



Insects in Wheat — Not Injurious. (The Eural New Yorker, for 

 August 3, 1889, xlviii, p. 509, c. 1, 2 — 19 cm.) 



Small, shining, black beetles, from Nebraska, found in browned and 

 shriveled heads of wheat, are Phalacriis politus (Linn.). They are 

 scavenger beetles, belonging to the Necrophaga. Kemarks on the 

 family of Phalacricke. The wheat heads on which these beetles occurred 

 had been attacked by the "smut" fungus, and the beetles had undoubt- 

 edly been drawn to the infested heads to feed upon the fungoid material, 

 as is known to be the habit of an allied species, Phalacrus penicillatus 

 (Say). The species is therefore to be regarded as a beneficial insect, and 

 not an injurious one as was supposed by the sender. 



Oak-Tree Pruner. (Country Gentleman, for August 29, 1889, liv, 

 p. 651, c. 3, 4 — 12 cm.) 



Sections of branches of red oak received from McGregor, Iowa, show 

 the pruning by Elaphidion parallelum of unusually large branches. 

 One section of an inch in diameter was completely severed, with the 

 exception of a thin film of the outer bark. Another section of one inch 

 and one-fourth was not so completely cut. Eeference to a notice of the 

 insect at some length in the Countinj Gentleman of September 9, 1886. 



A Bombarding Beetle. (Country Gentleman, for September 5, 1889, 

 liv, p. 671, c. 1 — 23 cm.) 



The discharge of a "bombardier" is described and the effects of the 

 vapor. All of the species of Brachinus have this means of defense, of 

 which B. fumans is a common form. Bombarders are also found in 

 other genera, as in Anthomenus, of Europe. 



Black Blister Beetle. (Country Gentleman, for September 12, 1889, 

 liv, p. 694, c. 2 — 15 cm.) 



A beetle destructive to Chrysanthemums at Poughkeepsie, N. Y,, is 

 Epicauta Fennsylvanica De Geer. Its feeding habits are given. The 

 remedies for it are beating from the plants into a basin of water with 

 kerosene, or dusting with pyrethrum powder — one part to four of Hour. 



Mites in Bran. (Country Gentleman, for September 19, 1889, liv, 

 p. 711, c. 2 — 9 cm.) 



Inquiry is made from Holliston, Mass., of how to destroy a small white 

 mite infesting bran stored for summer use (no examples sent). The 

 mite is probably Tyroghjplius siro. The infested bran could be safely 

 fed to stock. Should it become necessary to arrest the multiplication of 

 the mites, they could be killed by tightly inclosing the infested bran, 

 after placing upon it an open vessel containing bisulphide of carbon, 

 in quantity proportioned to the amount of bran. The descending vapor 

 would destroy all the animal life present. 



The Peach Tree Borer — vEgeria Exitiosa. (Country Gentleman, for 

 November 14, 1889, liv, p. 861, c. 1-3—50 cm.) 



In reply to inquiries from Salem, N. J., are given: 1, the name and 

 food-plants of JEgeria exitiosa; 2, description and figures of the moths; 

 3, the egg-laying from June to September (see C.-G. for February 9, 1888) ; 



