238 General Notes. | March, 
fly (Musca) and Eristalis, he finds under the hypodermis an ex- 
tremely rich plexus of ganglionic cells, connected on one hand 
with the chief nerve-centers, and on the other with sensitive term- 
inal nerve-branches. In a paper read at the same meeting by 
M. Jourdain, on sensorial Bo sett of the internal antenna of 
crustaceans, he states that while these have undoubtedly the 
characters of an or gan of sense, they cannot be those of smell. 
r. W. H. Ballou, in the Chicago Meld, gives an account of the » 
fisheries of eels in the Oswego river, New York, and a good ac- 
count of the habits of the fish. Mr. B. B. Redding of the 
California Fish Commission, recently read an article on the prop- 
agation of fishes before the ‘Academy of Sciences of that State. 
He dwelt especially on the enormous fertility of fishes as an in- 
dication that the sources of supply of human food were only 
beginning to be appreciated, and that the limit of human popula- 
tion as set down by the Malthusians is as remote as it ever was. 
ocourt of the Commission Scientifique de la Mexique, 
has recently investigated the structure of the scales of the Scincoid 
and other lizards with fish-like scales. He finds the former to be 
perforated ue ean which divide the scales into numerous 
areas. The similar scales of TZvrettoscincus, Gymnophthalmus 
and allies fren tropical America. are homogeneous in structure. 
ENTOMOLOGY.! 
OTES ON THE GRAPE PHYLLOXERA AND ON LAWS TO PREVENT 
ITS INTRODUCTION.—I have received the following letter from a 
well-known grape grower of St. Louis, Mo., who is largely en- 
gaged in the exportation to France and other countries of Ameri- 
can grape-vine cuttings, and as it touches a question of deep gen- 
eral, even international, interest, I will make it the text for brief 
Comnnent: 
* On page 3.0f your American Entomologist, you urge 
the grape- growers of California not yet afflicted with Phylloxera 
to exercise ‘the utmost vigilance to prevent the introduction into 
their own localities of infested vines or cuttings. This last word, 
to me at least is unsatisfactory. Why should you support that 
erroneous prejudice? Is it not true that in winter, when cuttings 
are made and shipped, it is impossible to find a live Phylloxera on 
them, or any eggs of this insect? The winter-egg, if it exists at 
all, does not exist on one year old wood, certainly not here nor 
in Southern France. Ask Aimé Champin ; ask Leenhardt, Robin, 
Planchon, oe they all looked for it in vain just as you did your- 
self. But while Spain, Italy, Hungary work to get the 
rohibitiog of the importation of cuttings repealed, as necessary 
. to their salvation and free from any danger of importing the de- 
structive insect, such a word from you may frustrate their bai 
deavors. Isipor Bus.” 
1 This department is edited d by Pror. C. V. seeeesk Bee. ee D. C., to whom 
communications, books for notice, etc., should be s 
