378 FORTY-hOVRTH REPORT ON THE StATB MuSEUM 



The Earth Worm — Liimbricus Terrestris Linn. (Country 

 Gentleman, for September 4, 1879, xliv, p. 567, cols. 2, 3 — 20 

 cm.) 



From eggs deposited in loose soil in July or August, the worms in 

 their complete stage, are developed the following spring. The sexes are 

 united in the same individual, but fertilization is a reciprocal action for 

 which two unite. Their principal food is earth, from which they extract 

 the animal and vegetable matter. They also feed on plants, drawing 

 within them the tips of grass or leaves and extracting the juice. Little 

 is known of their life-history. From their action in loosening the soil 

 their benefits exceed their injuries. 



Annual Address of the President [of the Entomological Club of 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at 

 Saratoga, N. Y., August 26, 1879]. (Canadian Entomologist, for 

 September, 1879, xi, pp. 163-175. Annual Report of the 

 Entomological Society of Ontario, for 1879, pp. 11-18. Ameri- 

 can Entomologist, for January and February, 1888, iii, pp. 

 16-19, 30-34.) 



Mainly a notice of the principal publications and investigations in 

 Entomology during the preceding year, of which, among others, are 

 these: Baron Osten Sacken's Catalogue of the Diptera of the U. S.; 

 Dr. Loew's Dipterological labors ; the entomological serials of the United 

 States and Canada; special studies in the Noctuidse, Tortricidse, Tinei- 

 des; local lists of species; life-history Indies of W. H. Edwards; publi- 

 cations on the biology and in the anatomy of insects ; biological collec- 

 tion of the Museum of Comparative ZoOlogy at Cambridge, Mass., 

 work of the U. S. Entomological Commission; studies on the pupation 

 of butterflies; discovery of immense western beds of fossil insects. 



Two Pests of the Clover Plant. (Country Gentleman, for October 



2, 1879, xliv, p. 631, cols. 3, 4— 32 cm.) 



A correspondent from Bristol Springs, N. Y., describes an insect found 

 in its three stages in and among the roots of clover, and its injuries to 

 the plant; also another observed creeping from the head, resembling the 

 wheat-midge larva. The former is identified as the clover-root borer, 

 Hylesinus [Hylastes] trifolii Mull., first detected in this country the pre- 

 ceding year; its operations are stated. The latter has only been known 

 and described the present year, as Cecidomyia leguminicola Lintn. ; its 

 present distribution is given. 



Apple Tree Insect. (Country Gentleman, for October 9, 1879, 



xliv, p. 648, c. 1 — 9 cm.) 



A coleopterous larva sent from Carrollton, Ky., can not be identified. 

 It may belong to the Carahidce, and if so, would not have caused the 

 suspected injury to the tree. Its description is given. 



