ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



239 



may press them among- their lingers. 1 liave 

 known fenoe-bnilders to be bitten by them. 



Tlie centipede never emerges into open day of 

 its own aceord, but lies under old logs and stones 

 in damp iihues, whence it eomes forth at night 

 in quest of its prey. It is a ravenous eater, feed- 

 ing on every eharaeter of soft insect that erosses 

 its path, excepting earth worms — it ai)i)ears to 

 liave no tootli for them. To give the general 

 reader an idea of its appearance. 1 will say that it 

 is a snutl'-colored animal, from three to six inches 

 long, and from one-fourth to one-half inch wide 

 — something on the jilan of a creature that every- 

 body kuowns as a " thousand-legged worm." 

 It is divided into twenty-one joints, or parts, 

 exclusive of the head, each joint bearing a leg- 

 on either side, giving it forty-two legs. The legs 

 are divideil into live jt)ints, and taper rajiidly to 

 the extremities, tiuishing up in a kind of claw. 

 The legs on the posterior part or joint do not run 

 square out from the body like the others, but 

 range back and turn in slightly at the ends, 

 forming hooks. Upon its head it has a i)air of 

 long slender feelers, each ilivided into twenty- 

 live joints, and also a pair of keen little forceps, 

 or pinchers, which come out near the back part 

 of the head, and form about two-thirds of a circle 

 around it, meeting immediately in front, of 

 course. The underside of the animal is flat, 

 Avith a slight groove along the middle, Avhile its 

 back is inclined to roundish with two shallow 

 depressions running its full length, or, rather, it 

 is what would be called subconcave. Color of 

 underside is a shade lighter than that of back. 



We have, in the Southern States, several other 

 members of the same family that might be mis- 

 taken lor true centipedes; but there is a rule 

 which will always enable one to identify them : 

 the true centipede has forty-two legs running- 

 out from its body, while all its near tliough 

 harndess relations have but forty. 



Ukmkdy fok the Canker- wokm. — At a 

 \yinter discussion of the Iowa State Agricul- 

 ytural Society several gave their experience with 

 the Canker-worm. Sorghum is cheaper than 

 tar; besides, there is no danger of damage to 

 the tree by using it, as there is with tar, if it 

 is applied upon the bark. Thicken the sorghum 

 with flour, and when the worms have covered 

 it, kill them and daub on another coat. 



My remedy was burning with a light coat of 

 dry straw spread under the tree. Shake and 

 pole the worms all ofl", and immediately set fire 

 to the straw. T.akc a calm, clear dsiy, and be 

 careful not to burn the tree. S. Foster. 



\r 



ENTOMOLOGICAL JOTTINGS. 



[ Wi- prupu8i> to publinli IVoi 

 extmcts fVoni tlie letters of ou 

 worthy to be recorded. 

 ax\ iin'iKirlaiicc. Weliopi- our retidcrb 

 tuwurus the ^encml fund; uiid iu cat 



cientitic or of thei 

 ■ill contribute eacli their aeve 

 they are not pcr1i»:tl>^ < 



The Sritii'Ki) Cu<-i'Miiku Beetle ix a New 

 Hole — Spring Hay, Woodford Co., Ills., May 

 'ill, 1870. — Enclosed I send some insects whicli 

 1 discovered, oidy a few days ago, on my pear 

 and cherry trees, especially tiie former. These 

 insects attack the blossoms of the pear, and also 

 to some extent the cherry blossoms. Only six 

 days ago, I discovered the first of these pests on 

 iny pear trees; at that time they Avere few in 

 number, but to-day if a tree is shaken a cloud 

 of them flies away, only to return .igain in a few 

 minutes. 1 also send a few pear blossoms, in 

 various stages of destruction. The insect seems 

 to have a preference for the petals of the flowers, 

 especially the yet unopened flowers, which they 

 perforate first, and then eat all .around until all 

 or most of the petals arc consumed. Thei-e are 

 frequently two at work on one flowei-. Of cherry 

 blossoms they seem to pi-efcr the stamens of the 

 fully developed flower, and I think that cheri-ics 

 are not as badly injui-ed as pears. At least three- 

 fourths of my pears are already destroyed by 

 this destructive bug. I have dusted the trees 

 with caustic lime, with sulphur, and sprinkled 

 with water and coal oil, but without the least 

 ertect ; they seem to be as regardless of all such 

 things as the Colorado Potato Bug. I would be 

 pleased to learn from you whether this is a new 

 insect, or whether it is an old and well-known 

 kind that has lately acquired bad habits. 



J. G. Zeller, M. 1). 



[ The insects are the notorious Striped Cucum- 

 ber-beetle (Diabrotica ciltatu, F.abr., Fig. 1.51). 

 [Fig. I'll : It has long been known to devour the 

 leaves of a variety of different plants, 

 early in the spring before cucurbi- 

 taceous vines have formed much leaf, 

 but we never before heard of its 

 '^"'"yeuoi'^"""' injuring fruit trees to the extent you 

 set forth. You will find it diflScult to head them 

 ott', and we can recommend nothing with confi- 

 dence, never having had an opportunity to 

 experiment with them on trees. Wide mouthed 

 bottles filled Avith sweetened water hung up in 

 the trees, and fires built at night, might materi- 

 ally reduce their numbers, and should be tried 

 another season. The beetles will leave the trees 

 as soon as the cucumber and melon vines are 

 out of the ground. — Ei>.] 



