CUKKENT NOTES. 109 



The March number of the Can. Ent. contains an article entitled 

 " Precipitation in Eelation to Insect Prevalence and Distribution," in 

 which attention is drawn to instances of how humidity in the form of 

 ram or snow has been and is instrumental in either curtailing or aiding 

 the spread of insects over the country, particularly in the Prairie Pro- 

 vinces. The writer concludes that snow plays an important part m the 

 preservation of animal life and it also saves many a plant from 

 destruction. Specifically the author's opinion is that, with regard to 

 dreaded Colorado Potato Beetle, wherever the snowfall is light will 

 never prove a prolific breeding ground for that insect and that normal 

 conditions of heavy snow will afford protection to this economic pest. 



A suggestion is made in the Ent. Neirs as to the making of labels 

 by photography. The label can be hand printed in indian-ink a 

 number of times on a sheet of paper allowing the necessary spaces for 

 the date and then photographed down to size. Of course the prints 

 must be very thoroughly fixed. 



Prof. Cockerell has recently described a Coccid from Costa Rica 

 where it was discovered on twigs of Vacciniida growing at a height of 

 11,300 ft. on Mt. Irazu, probably " the hightest altitude yet known for 

 a Coccid." (Ent. AV/c.s.) 



In the Scottish Xatinalist for November Mr. Jas. W. Munro 

 examines critically, from an economic point of view, the life- history of 

 the Coleopteron IJi/lastes cuniculariuH. He sums up the results of his 

 study. (1) That the beetle undoubtedly breeds in Scotland and may 

 be common. (2) That it is a spruce-dweller, breeding below soil level. 

 (8) That it feeds in the roots in which it was reared and is probably a 

 formidable enemy of young trees planted in old spruce clearings on 

 account of its migratory habits. (4) That it is harmless in the larva 

 stage. The adult on the other hand injures or totally destroys newly 

 planted conifers of various kinds by its attacks on the roots. 



At times ants are a considerable domestic nuisance and many are' 

 the recommendations to control them, all of which are less rather than 

 more efficacious. Arthur Gibson of Ottawa, in the November number 

 of the Canadian Ent., states that he has on several occasions found 

 that dusting sodium fluoride in their haunts, runs, etc., has been 

 perfectly successful. 



We have recently received the following separata from the 

 Proceedini/s of the U.S. National Mmeinii : — " Report on Arachnida 

 collected by Messrs. Gurrie, Caudell, and Dyar, in. British Columbia," 

 by N. Banks ; " Some Diptera (Miorodon) from Nests of Ants," by T. 

 D. A. Cockerell and H. Andrews ; Descriptions of Miscellaneous N. 

 American Chalcidid Hymenoptera of the F'amily Eidaphidae (2 pts.)," 

 by A. A. Girault ; "New Genera and Species of Muscoid Flies," by C. 

 H. T. Townsend; "New and little-known Heteropterous Hemiptera in 

 the U.S. National Mus.," by E. Bergroth ; and "Some American 

 Fossil Insects," by T. D. A. Cockerell. 



A little booklet has come to hand entitled " Royston Heath, its 

 History, its Beauty, and its Typical Wild Flowers," new edition, pub- 

 lished in 1898. In it we read the following, " A peculiar characteristic 

 in the butterflies of the Heath is found in the large numbers, in most 

 seasons, of the pretty little Lcicaenidac, which comprehend those charm- 

 ing little Blues and Coppers, with t/heir wonderful tint markings on the 

 wings ; but more especially the Blues, such as the beautiful little 



