244 



THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



trees belong in reality to the very same natural 

 Family {Rosacea;), and two of them to the very 

 same genus {Pyrns), he appends the following 

 prctuous corollary, evidently supposing that a 

 Mountain Ash is an Ash: 



In these eases the affected trees, Plum and 

 Ash, stood close to apple trees covered with 

 barklice scales. This is very interesting, as 

 proving to my mind that the apple barklouse is 

 capable of living on trees, not onlv of different 

 genera, but also on those of ■widely different 

 families. After seeing this we can readily ap- 

 ])reciate the correctness of tlie declarations of 

 Mr. Curtis, that this insect is identical with the 

 Coccus arborum linearis of the Elm — a thing 

 which ajjpears inconsistent with the modern no- 

 tions of the habits of plantlice [barklice?] 



Whether or not it be possible for the very 

 same species of barklouse to live and thrive upon 

 species of plants belonging to distinct botanical 

 families, is another and a very different ques- 

 tion, which partly depends upon the meaning 

 which we may choose to attach to the term 

 ''species." But most certainly the facts, quoted 

 with such a flourish of trumpets by Dr. Shimer, 

 so far as they go, prove the exact opposite of 

 what he wants them to prove. For Mountain 

 Ash is not "Asli," neither is Horsechestnut 

 "Chestnut,'" nor is Buckwheat " Wheat," nor is 

 Fool's Parsley " Parsley." 



HOW THE CrUCULK) FLIES BY NKJIIT. 



•■The Curculio is a winged insect, unci will fly by 

 night ai^ well as in tlie day time. The Doctor had tested 

 that to his own satisfaction the past season. Jle had 

 put iloziMis in a i;lass vessel, and lietwcen dark and 

 break oldav. at ;m\' liuie ol ni.ulit when he was awake, 

 and he was'u|i IVeqienth-, lir eould bear them lall (rnm 

 the top of the glass Id Ih'r Ixilhuii, .-.bowing (■..nclii-ively 

 that thev are an in>rrl nf ii.Mfiniial iial.ils. ' ' — 7'>,.,n, a 

 Udvreim "Inxtvf y;.„ „,;-.■ ../' /'.v///,"' .A///', ,../ I,- imetjie 

 Mwurh (N. J.) Aurkulhiral ,^c(i/Wy, /■// I'r. 1. P. trhiiUe. 



If the Doctor were to be suddenly incarcerated 

 in some dungeon along with a few dozen other 

 mortals, and if, while there confined, he and his 

 companions should be wakeful and restless dur- 

 ing the night ; wonder whether it would prove 

 that man is by nature a nocturnal biped, and 

 further that he flies as well as walks in the 

 night time ! 



THE PERIODICAL CICADA— OUR FIRST BROOD ES- 

 TABLISHED. 



We learn from several of our exchanges that 

 the 17-year "Locusts" have made their appear- 

 ance in Connecticut. Thus the genuineness of 

 this 17-year Brood of the Periodical Cicada (our 

 Brood 1st) which Dr. Fitch recorded as having 

 appeared in 1818 and 1835, is established be- 

 yond all doubt. Look out for these insects next 

 year in the " Kreitz Creek Valley" in York 

 county. Pa. ! 



BE ON THE GUARD I 



In an article entitled " Mind how you pack 

 Insects " (p. 54) we have already warned our 

 readers of the evil that might result from the 

 careless packing of live insects which are to be 

 sent from one part of the country to another. 

 The following item from the August number 

 of the American Agriculturist, would indicate 

 that the dreaded Colorado Potato Bug has been 

 introduced into some of the Eastern States by 

 just such careless packing: 



CoLOitADO PoTx^TO Beetle. — That which we 

 feared has been done. The Colorado Potato 

 Beetle has been scattered along our Eastern 

 States. A friend in Paulding-, Ohio, sent speci- 

 mens in a thin pasteboard box which reached 

 us in ;i smashed condition, with one remaining 

 lar\a lo slmvr what it had contained. The per- 

 fect insci.-ts -M-Q doubtless distributed all along 

 the line of the mail route. We last year re- 

 qitested our friends to exercise care in this mat- 

 ter, for fear of some such accident, and It has 

 now happened. The beetles have escaped, and 

 we may look for them anywhere at the East. 



We shall watch with interest the result of this 

 carelessness. Paulding is near the Avestern 

 border of the State of Ohio, and persons along 

 the railroads which run through the northern 

 parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania, should be on 

 their guard, and use the utmost vigilance to 

 exterminate the pest wherever it first appeal's. 

 If nothing but larviB escaped from such a box, 

 the probabilities are that they would starve be- 

 fore finding fresh food ; but if perfect beetles 

 have been let loose, then we fear the worst. 



I'ROPHECY FULFILLED. 



Just as we pi-edicted nearly a year ago,* the 

 Colorado Potato Bug is spreading like a devour- 

 ing flame through the great potato-growing 

 State of Michigan. In reference to specimens 

 received from Branch, Kent, Ionia, Shiawassee, 

 Genesee, Kalamazoo, Calhoun and Jackson 

 counties. Prof. Cook, of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege, Lansing, Mich., replies as follows: 



These are the Colorado Potato Beetle {Dory- 

 phora 10-Uneata, Say). In traveling over the 

 State during the last week, I found them thor- 

 oughly scattered. How they have become so 

 suddenly diffused is hard to explain. — Western 

 Sural, July 29, 1869. 



►Amf.b. Entom., I. 1). a. 



To Banish Ants from Apartments . — Of all 

 the methods advised that of using rotten lemons 

 is the most effectual, as the odor completely 

 drives the ants away. — JI. Hamet in L'lnsecto- 

 logie Agricole. 



