No. 115.] 143 



but the presence of one mature specimen of the gapes parasite 

 Syngamus trachealis. Reference is made to a prize treatise on the 

 Gapes by M. Megnin, a French investigator (published in 1882 ?), 

 an abstract of which is embodied in this and the following paper. 

 In this is briefly sketched the history of the disease in Europe 

 and description of the parasite given. M. Megnin's detailed 

 description conforms nearly to that given by Prof. Verrill, in 

 a paper published in 1870, which is here quoted and its 

 accompanying illustration of the parasite copied. 



Cause and Treatment of Gapes. (The County Gentleman for 



April 15, 1886, li, p. 289, c. 2-4—61 cm.) 



In treating of the life-history of the parasite, it is stated that 

 the eggs are only liberated by the death of the female and 

 destruction of its body. For their development, moisture and a 

 temperature of 68° Fahr. is required, and a period of about thirty 

 days. The disease is communicated by poultry consuming the 

 expelled syngame, and by taking up the embryos in their drink. 

 The nymphal stage is passed in the air sacs and pulmonary 

 bronchi. As remedies tor the disease, urine in the drinking 

 water has been found useful ; removal of the worms by a feather 

 or looped horse-hair, and mixing garlic and asafoetida with a 

 prepared food is given, and disinfection in infested localities. 



Birch-seed Insect. (The Country Gentleman for April 15, 1886 

 li, p. 287, c. 2— 8 cm.) 



A small, footless, orange-red larva found within the seeds of 

 the white birch, submitted, from Albany for name, is not recog- 

 nized. No insect is known with this habitat, and it will 

 probably prove to be new to science. Some of the infested 

 seeds have been carefully laid aside in the hope ot obtaining 

 shortly the perfect insect from them. 



Aphis mali — The Apple Plant-louse in Ontario Orchards. (The 

 Ontario County Times for May 12, 1886, p. 3, c. 6 — 50 cm.) 

 (Copied in the Watkins Express, N. Y., for May 20, 1886; 

 The Palmyra Courier, N. Y., for May 28, 1886; The Sentinel, 

 Trumansburg, N. Y., May 19, 1886.) 



The insects infesting orchards in and about Canandaigua, 

 N. Y., fi:8t noticed about the middle of April, are Ap/ds mail, 

 hatched from eggs of last autumn. The present season is 

 unusually favorable for their increase. Those now seen are all 

 females. One individual may produce in seven generations 

 729 millions. The A. mali has more than seven generations — 

 how many not known. Heavy rains at this season are destruc- 

 tive to them. The remedies that may be employed against 

 them are mentioned. 



