240 



THJE OAl^ADtAN SPOKT^MAtt AND NATURALISE. 



unable to point out with positive certainty 

 the precise location and nature of the organs 

 of smell." Among the odorous substances 

 which Mr. Lintner mentions are, kerosene oil, 

 coal tar, napthaline, carbolic acid, gasdime 

 and bisulphide of carbon. These he says have 

 been successfully used to change the natural 

 odor of the plant with which the insect is 

 familiar, and while the latter is neutralized, 

 aggs will not be deposited on the plant, it will 

 be preserved from such attack as effectually 

 as if it were inclosed in glass." Mr. Lintner 

 deserves our thanks for this contribution to 

 enconomic entomology, and we trust that he 

 will continue the experiments. It would be 

 serviceable to Horticulture if some trials were 

 first made on the insects infesting the fruit 

 trees. By odorising the apple, pear, plum and 

 kindred species during the season when their 

 insect enemies are on the wing, some interest- 

 ing and probably important discoveries may 

 be made. We know that several of our 

 injurious insects are not particular what kind 

 of food they eat, and the checkmating of an 

 insect enemy on one fruit producing tree may 

 comjjel it to attack another of equal value, if 

 its odor leads the insect to it. Instance Telea 

 polyphemus which has been recorded by Mr. 

 W. Brodie, of Toronto, to feed on forty-nine 

 distinct plants. Can it be possible that plants 

 belonging to the Orders : Tiliaceae, Rosaceae, 

 Grossulaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Cupuliferae, 

 Juglandaceae, Betulaceae, and Salicaceae, have 

 similar odors to attract this moth ? That in- 

 sects possess organs of smell have been repeat- 

 edly illustrated, the difficulty is to discover 

 their location. It is indeed curious to notice 

 the mode in which some insects select food- 

 plants for their progeny. They appear to go 

 directly to the plant, but whether they discover 

 it from odor or the sense of sight remains a 

 mystery. Our experience is that when we 

 visit a swamp in summer, female mosquitoes 

 pounce on us greedily, but if a mixture of 

 coal-tar and olive oil is rubbed on our hands 

 and face, we remain there without being 



annoyed by insect parasites. They will cer- 

 tainly come and touch ue, showing clearly 

 that they do so by means of sight, but they 

 leave when the odor of coal-tar affects them . 

 Mosquitoes are diurnal and nocturnal in their 

 flight, and can be very vigorous during both 

 times, alighting on your face at night, is 

 evidence that their eyes at all events, are 

 suited for daylight and darkness. Why is it 

 that black flies which are so severe in open 

 air in daylight, will not touch a person within 

 a house ? I have seen, the panes of glass in 

 houses on the Island of Anticosti, covered 

 with these insects, but they did not annoy 

 the people while inside the house. The eyes 

 of the black fly are apparently intended for 

 light alone, as they retire on the approach 

 of night. — C. 



THE COW BIKD. 

 Molothrus ater, Bodd. 



More than usual interest is attached to the 

 history of this bird from the peculiar habit 

 possessed by it of depositing its eggs in the 

 nests of other birds, leaving to them the dut}' 

 of incubation and brood rearing. Although 

 few ornithologists have witnessed a cow bird 

 in the act of depositing its eggs, it is wel 

 known that this is accomplished in the ordi- 

 nary manner, during the owners absence from 

 the nest. The foster-parents selected are 

 usually birds of a small size, and it is inter- 

 esting to observe the actions of the various 

 species to whose care has been confided the 

 apparent^ not agreeable task of bringing up 

 the offspring of this vagabond bird. Some 

 species appear to view the introduction of the 

 strange egg with more complacency than 

 others. Dr. Brewer mentions a case in which 

 a Red-eyed Vireo hatched three of these eggs, 

 without laying any of her own, and as many 

 as rive have been discovered in nests of the 

 Black and White Creeper and Towhee Bunt- 

 ing. It is seldom, however, that more than 

 one egg is deposited in a nest, especially those 

 of such small birds as the Warblers or Chip- 

 ping Sparrow, this is usually laid soon alter 

 the completion of the nest, sometimes before 

 the owners are ready to lay, in which case the 

 nest is often abandoned. The Summer War- 



