No. 115.] 151 



Carrot and Parsnip Aphides. (The Country Gentleman for Sep- 

 tember 16, 1886, li, p. 695, c. 1-2 — 22 cm.) 



The unusual prevalence of plant-lice this year has caused 

 attack of crops which had before escaped, as the potato, tomato, 

 and now the above mentioned. No mention of injury to these 

 is recorded by our writers ; is probably unusual in England. 

 Curtis mentions Aphis dauci (Fabr.) on carrots, and Lichtenstein 

 records seven other species. Dr. Thomas describes Siphocoryne 

 pastinacce as likely to occur on parsnips in this country, but not 

 yet detected ; two other European carrot-feeding species known. 

 Some remarks are made upon the cherry aphis, fMyzus cerasi, 

 reported with the above, as limited to one row of trees in the 

 garden. Winds may not have been favorable to its general 

 distribution. 



A Ham-infesting Mite. (The County Gentleman for September 



16, 1886, li, p. 695, c. 2-3 — 28 cm.) 



A piece of smoked ham, from Bedford county, Pa., is infested 

 with a mile, recognized as the cheese-mite, Tyroglyphus siro 

 (Linn.), identical with T. farince and T. saccharic from flour 

 and sugar. The same mite recently infested hams in a New 

 York City provision store, received from a western packing 

 house. De Geer has recorded it as infesting smoked meats in 

 Europe. The mite, unless very abundant, would become innocu- 

 ous in cooking the ham. The attack fails to be arrested through 

 washing with hot soap-suds or by re-smoking. A remedy would 

 be a wash of one part carbolic acid dissolved in ten of alcohol, 

 diluted with ninety of water. 



The Cockscomb Elm Gall. (The Country Gentleman for Sep- 

 tember 23, 1886, li, p. 713, c. 3-4 — 35 cm.) 



The galls, received from Mercer county, N. J., are described, 

 and their growth, with the life-history of their occupant, 

 Glyphina ulmieola (Fitch), given. The honey-dew that the 

 galls contain is noticed. The gall is believed to be confined to 

 young trees of the white elm, Ulm,us Americana. The aphis is 

 only vulnerable after leaving the gall, when it may be sprayed with 

 soap-suds and quassia or tobacco water. The synonymy and 

 bibliography of the species is given, under Bryoscripta, Thelaxes, 

 Pemphigus, Oolopha and Glyphina. 



U. S. Entomological Report. (The Country Gentleman for Sep- 

 tember 23, 1886, p. 715, c. 2-3 — 20 cm.) 



Notice of Prof. C. Y. Riley's Annual Report to the 

 Department of Agriculture for 1885, mentioning articles on silk 

 culture, silk-worm diseases, the periodical Cicada and several 

 other insect pests, and reports on various subjects by special 

 agents of the Entomological Division. 



