June 1, 1883.] 



SCIENCE. 



487 



whole, the book is singularly interesting, and 

 well worth reading. We may be able hereafter 

 to notice more in detail, and discuss more fallj% 

 some of the themes which Sir Henry Maine 

 has made so attractive. 



REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES EN- 

 TOMOLOGIST. 



Report of the entomologist (of the department of agri- 

 culture) for the fiscal year ending June SO, 18SS. 

 By C. V. Riley. Washington, Government print- 

 ing-office, 18S2. 167 p., 20 pi. 8°. 



The report before us, which is extracted 

 from the annual report of the department of ag- 

 riculture, is not only the most voluminous con- 

 tfibution to economic entomologj' of the 3-ear 

 just closed, but it presents the results of the 

 most extensive investigations in this field dur- 

 ing that period. The author, an entomologist 

 of unusual ability and experience, was aided 

 by a corps of very efficient assistants, and had 

 at his disposal a large appropriation. This 

 combination could not fail to produce impor- 

 tant results. 



It is to be regretted that the report reflects 

 the character of too manj- other public docu- 

 ments, in that much is printed which has not 

 the slightest permanent value; letters, for 

 instance, from correspondents, often in full, 

 which could have been advantageously reduced 

 to half their extent ; or accounts like that of the 

 invasion of the army-worm in New Jersey, 

 which is pleasant reading enough, and well 

 suited to a popular journal, but out of place 

 here in the form in which it is cast. Very dif- 

 ferent from these are the portions written by 

 the entomologist and the members of his staff : 

 these are direct, and to the point. 



As the volume containing this report may be 

 had for the asking, it will be in the possession 

 of all who are especially interested in eco- 

 nomic entomology. On this account, it is not 

 worth while to refer, in this place, to each of 

 the many topics discussed. A few of them are 

 of general interest. 



The circular which accompanied the seeds 

 of Pyrethrum, that were distributed by the com- 

 missioner of agriculture, is reprinted, and is 

 illustrated by two excellent colored plates rep- 

 resenting the flowers and leaves of P. roseum 

 and P. cinerariaefolium. The circular gives a 

 risum4 of what is known respecting the his- 

 tory of PjTethrum, the method of preparing 

 the powder, and the modes of using it. Dr. 

 Riley adds reports from persons to whom seeds 

 were distributed. Only a few persons suc- 

 ceeded in raising good plants. These were 



chiefly in the north. The failures were proba- 

 bly largel}^ due to drought and bad seed. A 

 report of experiments with the powder, by 

 Miss Murtfeldt, is also given. 



Acting under the direction of Dr. Riley, 

 Mr. Hubbard experimented upon scale-insects 

 with various insecticides, and especiallj- with 

 emulsions of kerosene and milk. These emul- 

 sions were the most efficient of the substances 

 used. 



Several insects infesting the rice-plant are 

 described. The rice-grub is the larva of a bee- 

 tle (Chalepus trachypygus) . This insect feeds 

 upon the roots of rice, and has done consid- 

 erable damage to rice-plantations. Howard 

 states that the larvae and adults are both 

 destroyed by the 'harvest-water;' and conse- 

 quently the breeding-places must be those 

 fields which are not flooded, and the patches 

 of volunteer rice. Therefore the insect can be 

 easily kept in check, except where upland rice 

 is grown. The rice-stalk borer (Chilo oryzae- 

 ellus) is a new lepidopterous insect described 

 by Riley. ' The habits of the larva, which are 

 indicated by the popular name, are reported 

 by Howard. 



Economic entomologists will note with espe- 

 cial interest the discovery of the larva of the 

 ' corn bill-bug ' (Sphenophorus robustus) . This 

 larva infests the stalks of corn at or near the 

 surface of the ground. If, as is now supposed, 

 the adult beetle hibernates in the stalk, plough- 

 ing up the stubble, and burning it, will be a 

 simple remedy. 



' The smaller corn-stalk borer ' (Pempelia 

 lignosella) is a new corn-pest which is very 

 destructive in the Carolinas and Georgia. 



In an article on the cotton- worm, a machine 

 for spraying the cotton-plant from below is 

 described, and illustrated by a full-page figure. 



Embodied in this report is a jjart of a re- 

 port on miscellaneous insects, made by Prof. 

 J. H. Comstock to the commissioner of agri- 

 culture ; the most interesting portion relates 

 to lac insects, of which two species are de- 

 scribed from Mexico and the adjoining portion 

 of the United States. 



MACGREGOR'S BALUTCHISTAN. 



Wanderings in Balochistan. By Sir C. M. Mac- 

 GREGOR. London, Allen Sf Co., 1882. 315 p., 

 illustr. 8°. 



This is a rather loosely written narrative 

 — with a tendency to slang expressions, such 

 as ' green funk,' ' make tracks' — of a recon- 

 naissance expedition undertaken in 1876-77, 

 in company with Capt. R. B. Lockwood, who, 



