586 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



Charles V. Riley. Buffalo-gnats. 



Report of the Entomologist, Department of Agriculture, 1886, pp. 492-517, pi. vi-x. 



Gives first a brief review, showing origin of names and the kind of injury done by them. 

 Treats in detail: The Southern Buffalo-gnat (Simuliumpecuarum, n. sp.) ; gives the geograph- 

 ical distribution ; the early history ; time of appearance; duiationof an invasion ; character of a 

 swarm; mode of attack; animals injured; effect of the bites ; how animals protect themselves; 

 preventives ; remedies for the bites ; attack on man and results ; damage done in various years; 

 popular opinions about the early stages of the Buffalo-gnat ; habits and natural history ; treat- 

 ing of the egg (not yet discovered) ; the larva, its habits and food, pupa and cocoon and imago ; 

 number of broods; enemies of the Baffalo-gnat ; technical description of S.pecuarum and S. 

 meridionale, sp. nov. Discusses the remedies tried and proposed against the larvae, the con- 

 nection between overflows and gnats, and number of brood. 



Charles V. Riley. The Fall Web-worrn (Hyphantria cunea Drury). 



Report of the Entomologist, Department of Agriculture, 1886, pp. 518-539, pis. x and xi. 



The paper contains subdivisions indicating its contents as follows: Natural history, giving 

 the life cycle of the species in all stages and in great detail ; injury done in 1886 ; proportion- 

 ate injury to different plants and shade trees ; peculiar effects of the defoliation on some 

 plants ; enemies of the web-worm other than insects ; predaceous insect enemies ; fungus 

 disease of the web-worm ; experiments to obtain percentage of diseased caterpillars ; true 

 parasites of the web- worm ; secondary parasites ; describes the new species Telenomous bifidus 

 (parasitic in the eggs), Meteorus hyphantrice, and Apanteles hyphantrice ; remedies ; review of the 

 various appliances for burning, pruning, and spraying ; arsenical poisons still most satisfac- 

 tory and effective. 



Charles V. Riley. Joint Worms. 



Report of the Entomologist Department of Agriculture, 1886, pp. 539-546. 



The common Joint "Worm (Isosoma hordei Harr.) has been increasing in number of late 

 years; comparison of injury with that caused by the Hessian Fly (Cecidomyia destructor). 

 Review of points at which injury was done. Isosoma nigrum Cook, is a re-description of this 

 old species. Some details as to breeding and some notes on parasites. The "Wheat-straw 

 Isosoma (Isosoma iritici Riley) has been carefully studied, and the results of the studies are 

 here given. The species proves dimorphic in the female form, the dimorphic variety having 

 been described as /. grande Riley. Details of manner in which this was established. Sum- 

 mary of life history. Geographical distribution. Appearance in Kansas for the first time. 



Charles V. Riley. Silk-Culture. 



Report of the Entomologist, Department of Agriculture, 1886, pp. 546-551. 



General work ; an experimental filature set up in Washington ; Osage Orange vs. Mulberry 

 as a food-plant ; the Serrell reel ; cost of work, a daily deficiency the result thus iar ; causes 

 leading to it ; the distribution of eggs and races preferred ; choking of cocoons ; table showing 

 cocoons produced in the United States in 1886, and the various States where produced. 



John A. Ryder. On the value of the Fin-rays and their Characteristics of Develop- 

 ment in the Classification of the Fishes, together with Remarks on the Theory 

 of Degeneration. 



Proc. V. S. Nat. Mus., IX, Aug. 26, 1886, pp. 71-82. 



John A. Ryder. On the Origin of the Heterocercy and the Evolution of the Fins 

 and Fin-rays of Fishes. 



Report U. S. Fish Com., XII, 1886, pp. 981-1107, 11 plates. 



John A. Ryder. On the intraovarian Gestation of the Redfish (Sebastes marinus). 

 • Bull. U. S. Fish Com., vi, p. 92. 



John A. Ryder. Preliminary Notice of the Development of the Toad-fish (Batrachus 



tau). 



Bull. U. S. Fish Com., vi, 1886, p. 4. 



John A. Ryder. On the earlier Stages of Cleavage of the Blastodisk of Rata eri- 

 nacea. 



Bull V. S. Fish Com., VI, 1886, p. 8. 

 P. L. Sclater. On Empidonax brunneus and its allied species. 

 The Ibis, 1887, pp. 64-66. 



Based chiefly on material belonging to the National Museum. The author maintains that 

 E. brunneus is the same as Muscipeta bimaculata d'Orb and Lafr., and that Empidochanes 

 vireoninus is identical with Ochthozca arenacea Scl. and Salv 



