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Cryptolcemus montrouzieri, the ladybird which cleared the coffee plantations of 

 Hawaii from an allied scale insect; hut, in the meantime, as we are informed by 

 Senor Dieseldorff, of Coban, a native ladybird has developed in good numbers and 

 has practically freed most of the coffee trees from the scale insects. This insect, of 

 which he has sent us specimens, is Orcus cceruleus Mulsant, previously known from 

 Brazil, Chile, and Central America. 



Leaf-Beetle Injury to Coffee Trees in Guatemala. — June 1, 1898, specimens were 

 received of species of Noda cretifera Lef., and an unidentified species of the same 

 genus from Mr. E. P. Dieseldorff, Coban, Guatemala, with the information conveyed 

 in a letter, dated May 19, that they were doing harm to coffee trees in that vicinity. 

 This information was received from Mr. Javier Grijalva, who wrote : " About twenty 

 days ago a strong wind storm passed this plantation, and soon afterwards we noted 

 a great quantity of insects (of which herewith a few examples) which suck the 

 coffee leaves by making numbers of holes in them, thereby causing that they dry 

 up completely." 



The Giant Twig Girdler. — We have received from Mr. J. E. Duerden, curator of 

 the Institute of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica, a specimen of Oncideres ampiitator 

 Fabr., with a branch which it had amputated. According to Mr. Duerden this 

 insect cuts off branches of the cotton tree (Eriodendron anfracticosum), the Congo 

 pea (Cajanus indicus), and the horsetail (Casuarina eqiiisetifolia). This species is 

 very much larger than any of our native girdlers, and the branch sent by Mr. Duer- 

 den has a diameter of If inches, the incision made by the beetle measuring three- 

 eighths of an inch all round. 



Recent Injury by Blister Beetles of the Genus Pomphopcea. — March 17, 1898, 

 specimens of Pomphopcea texana Lee. were received from Dr. J. D. Burch, of Aurora, 

 Tex., with the accompanying report that the species had suddenly appeared at 

 Rbome, 2 miles from Aurora, on peach trees in bloom. In a brief time not a speci- 

 men remained and the beetles then departed for some neighboring plum trees. This 

 is, as far as we know, the first reported instance of damage by this species. 



Mr. D. L. Rozzell reports Pomphopcea amea as injurious in March, beginning about 

 the 15th, in 1898, in the vicinity of Short Mountain, Tenn., attack being observed 

 on the bloom of peach, which was eaten entirely off the trees under observation. 

 The beetles were reported to come in swarms like bees. When the trees were jarred 

 they dropped to the ground and flew back to the tree again later. 



Swarming of Western Willow Flea-beetle. — We have received a number of speci- 

 mens of this insect, which is Disonycha quinquevittata, from Mr. Herbert Brown, of 

 Yuma, Ariz. Mr. Brown writes that on October 18, from 2 to 3 p. m., an immense 

 swarm of these little beetles passed up the Colorado River. They held to the chan- 

 nel of the stream, and there appeared to be a belt of them about 20 to 25 feet thick 

 and about the width of the stream. They flew probably 50 feet above the water. 

 When Mr. Brown's attention was first called to them, he thought it was an immense 

 swarm of bees. This is a most interesting observation and nothing like it is on 

 record for this species. It seems that the ordinary cause of migration, namely, lack 

 of food, could not hold in this instance, and we are not informed as to whether the 

 peculiar sultry condition of the atmosphere which sometimes induces swarming in 

 other insects was present. 



New Food Plants of the Oil Beetle, Meloe angusticollis. — August 31, 1898, Mr. 

 Charles M. Shafer, of Rogers, Ohio, sent specimens of Meloe angusticollis found feed- 

 ing upon two species of touch-me-not, or jewel weed, Impatiens hiflora (fulva) and 

 Impaticns aurea {pallida). 



The Flat-headed Apple-tree Borer Damaging Quilts. — October 6, 1898, Mr. Edw. 

 B. Varney, Fall River, Mass., wrote that the larva of the flat-headed apple-tree borer, 

 Chrysobothris femorata, specimens of which he mailed to us, was found at Stevens 

 Mill in that city after these larvie had damaged several quilts by eating into them. 

 They had evidently come to the mill in lumber from which cases were made. 



Cosmopepla carnifex Attacking Mustard. — Mr. M. J. Furlong, of Fisher, Minn., 



