THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



123 



which had resulted from the moisture in 

 his "office" and the use of the French 

 '''cartons Hcgc's" which do not keep out the 

 moisture so well as wooden boxes; but we 

 are glad to learn from those who have 

 lately examined it that, as a whole, the 

 collection is yet in a state of good pre- 

 servation. It is valuable not only because 

 it contains the types of the insects de- 

 scribed by Fitch, but because of the notes 

 which accompany the specimens. Each 

 specimen has a number referring to these 

 notes, which fill 148 books and amount to 

 about fifty-five thousand. 



Efforts were made some two years ago 

 to have Dr. Fitch revise his Reports for 

 republication, and we believe that a bill was 

 passed authorizing such republication. We 

 also learn that the New York Legislature is 

 even now considering the question of ap- 

 pointing an entomologist as his successor. 

 We sincerely hope that the friends of the 

 movement will succeed, and that some ca- 

 pable, thorough and conscientious worker, 

 like Mr. J. A. Lintner, will be given the 

 means to follow in the footsteps of his 

 illustrious predecessor. The collection 

 and the unpublished notes should be well 

 cared for by the State, and the reports re- 

 published, so as to be placed at the dis- 

 posal of the many who desire them, but 

 who, because of their scarcity, cannot ob- 

 tain them. 



We are gratified at the hearty welcome 

 accorded our Bulletin on the Cotton Worm 

 by the press of the South. The facts con- 

 tained in it are being liberally quoted and 

 disseminated, and Congress has ordered 

 an extra edition. Applicants for the same 

 will most quickly obtain it by addressing 

 the representative or senator from their 

 district. The call for the Bulletin by Prof. 

 Thomas on the Chinch Bug is also great, 

 and Congress has likewise ordered extra 

 copies thereof. A Bulletin on the Hessian 

 Fly by Dr. Packard, from which we quote 

 in this issue, is going through the press. 



The Grain Aphis {Siphonophora avence. 

 Fabr.) is unusually abundant this spring. 



Flea -BEETLE on Young Tobacco 

 Plants. — Serious complaint comes from 

 the tobacco-growing sections, of the injury 

 of the " flea-bug," by which is meant one of 

 the common flea-beetles, and probably 

 Haltica \Epitrix\ cucumeris Harr., which 

 infests a great variety of different plants. 

 In many parts of Kentucky the young to- 

 bacco plants have been literally cleaned 

 off, and farmers are burning and sowing 

 new beds. 



Whether the species above cited is the 

 one concerned or not, we shall be glad to 

 [Fig. 47.] determine, if any of our Ken- 

 tucky subscribers will send us 

 specimens. 



Our common Epitrix hirt- 

 CucuMBER pennis Melsh., does considerable 

 Flea-beetle, (j^mage to tobacco plants On the 

 Bahama Islands by completely riddling the 

 leaves, and thus rendering them unfit for 

 use. In the States this species occurs 

 almost everywhere east of the Rocky 

 Mountains, but does not appear to be in- 

 jurious, as it feeds on the leaves of various 

 wild species of Solanu7n. E. brevis Schwarz 

 occurs on Solanum tiigriwi in the Southern 

 and Southwestern States ; E. fuscula Cr. 

 and lohata Cr. which in all probability 

 cannot be considered as distinct species, 

 occur frequently in the Southern States 

 upon many dift'erent species of plants, but 

 have not hitherto been common enough 

 to do any serious damage. Nothing is 

 known of the habits of the Californian 

 E. siibcrinita Lee. 



LF.g. 47.J 



Technical Names. — The subjects of 

 the insect world, for instance, are specifi- 

 cally so numerous that one common appel- 

 lation often includes a large and indefinite 

 number of species. So much so, indeed, 

 that it is rarely we can safely use the 

 definite article the in alluding to them. 

 Of what specific value are such common 

 names as " Pinchbug," " Dungbeetle," 

 " Hammerbug," " Woodborer," " Plant- 

 louse," " Grasshopper, " " Butterfly, " 

 " Moth," " Bumblebee," " Blowfly," or even 

 "Potato-beetle," " Curculio," and "Phyl- 

 loxera " — the last two being popularized 



