754 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



smeared molasses on a piece of, cardboard, gummed it in 

 the bottom of a small box and, while the molasses was still 

 fresh, clapped it over the insects. Their jumping brought 

 them into contact with the sticky surface, and there they re- 

 mained secure and alive till they reached the office. Mr Ford 

 stated, under date of May 31, that this species was particularly 

 injurious to melon and squash vines. The general form of the 

 insect, though much enlarged, is shown in the accompanying 

 figure. It is a broadly oval, black or dark colored insect less 

 than .i- of an inch in length, wingless but provided with short, 

 thick hind thighs and also a peculiar, ventral springing fork. 

 The latter structure is peculiar to insects belonging to the same 

 order, Thysanura, and it is on account of this peculiar organ 

 that these insects are frequently known as " springtails." Dust- 

 ing affected plants thoroughly with plaster or ashes or, better 

 still, spraying them with a poisoned bordeaux mixture should 

 control the pests. 



Babbit botfly, Cuterebra ?cuniculi Clarke. This 

 species, closely related to the " warble fly " of cattle, which is 

 frequently known as " grub-in-the-back," was twice brought to 

 notice during the season — once, when infesting Belgian hares, 

 and in this instance the identification was in all probability 

 correct. The second case was that of a kitten four months old, 

 owned by D. F. Meskil of Highland Falls N. Y. The history of 

 the case as stated by Mr Meskil is as follows. About Aug. 7 

 the kitten " developed an abrasion on his side, midway between 

 the hind and fore quarters and 1 inch below the spine. It 

 rapidly developed into a suppurating protuberance," and by the 

 16th it was " an inch and a half long and as thick as a man's 

 thumb." It will be noted that this is just about the position 

 where this larva develops on the rabbit. The sore was cut open, 

 and a grub $■ of an inch long and nearly half an inch in trans- 

 verse diameter removed. The grub resembles the one from the 

 Belgian hare very closely, and they probably belong to the same 

 species. It only remains to add that the kitten recovered 

 rapidly after the removal of this disgusting pest. The accom- 



