1881. ] Entomology. | 1009 
tent, in various counties of New York, of the larva of Crambus 
vulgivagellus, reciting the facts that have already appeared in our 
columns, in reference to this species and ephelodes violans, but 
giving, in addition, very careful records of observations as to the 
habits of the former. On an island onthe Roquette river, which 
had been absolutely denuded of grass, the worms had so thickly 
congregated under the shade of a solitary oak tree, that its base 
for about 18 inches was covered with a fine layer of silken web. 
The worms had evidently been forced, from sheer lack of food 
and shade, to migrate, and they naturally congregated under the 
first shade in their way, constantly spinning, as is their nature, 
until the compact web was formed. The term “ invasion” as ap- 
,Plied to the exceptional increase of this species seems to us un- 
fortunate and to convey a wrong impression. 
Mr. Edwards’s paper “ on an alleged abnormal peculiarity in the 
history of Argynnis myrina,” gave a number of facts from his own 
observations, which go to show that the history of this species, as 
well as that of de//ona, as related by Mr. Scudder, in his recent 
ome was quite incorrect. 
insect ravages,” gave his experience with carbolic acid as an 
insecticide. By mixing two quarts of soft soap with two gallons 
of water, and adding one pint of carbolic acid in the crude state, 
and then diluting one part of this mixture to fifty parts of water, 
he found that he could. protect his radishes from maggots, the 
flies being thereby kept away from them. He made the applica- 
tion once a week. He also found carbolic acid a good substitute 
for soft soap in protecting his apple orchard from borers. He 
gave further experiments to show the value of London purple as 
a preventive of the work of the apple-worm. In the discussion 
of this paper, Mr. Riley expressed his belief in the efficacy of 
London purple, for this purpose, but objected, on general princi- 
ples, to its use on fruits, and particularly on the more mature 
apples as against the second brood of worms. He believed that 
knowledge of its use, would prejudice purchasers. Mr. Claypole 
coincided with these view. Mr. Coo 
_ Mr. Claypole’s paper on Sericoris instrutana, gave an interest- 
ing experience with the insect, showing how its larva destroys 
the leaf stem of the buckeye. In the vicinity of Yellow Springs, 
Ohio, it is a common annual occurrence that shortly after the 
leaves of the buckeye (sculus glabra) have unfolded in the 
spring, many of the leaves begin to droop and wither, and become 
conspicuous enough to catch the eye of ordinary observers. This 
results from the work of the larva of the Sericoris, which after 
burrowing in the leaf-stem lives in the faded and rolled-up leaf. 
__ Mr. Claypole’s observations indicate but one annual brood, as no 
