26 



the electric light possesses to these moths. Uutohl numbers were thus 

 destroyed and prevented from iucreasiug, which otherwise would have 

 been the case, since but one parasite is known to prey upon it. From 

 caterpillars gathered out doors, and which i)upated June 25, one hymen- 

 opterous parasite issued August 2. Tiiis is a Gli/pta, and is closely 

 allied to rujiscutellaris^ Wesmael. 



The best remedy, and one that suggests itself at once, is the trimming 

 of the hedge at the i^roper time; that is, when the first indications of 

 the presence of young caterpillars is noticeable. The trimmed shoots 

 ought to be removed as soon as possible, at least before they have bev 

 come dry, otherwise these very active caterpillars will undoubtedly find 

 their wa3' back to the hedge, and thus thwart the design. Applications 

 of the various insecticides will also pro^ e effective, and, owing to the 

 protecting web of the worms, ought to be applied in form of a spray. 



NOTES. 



THE CHINCH BUG IN CALIFORNIA. 



In Bulletin 17 of this division and also in the annual report for 1887 

 Mr. Howard has reviewed the subject of the Chinch Bug on the Pacific 

 coast, and the summary of his investigation is to the effect that but 

 three authentic occurrences of this insect have ever been known in the 

 State of California. One was a single specimen collected in the vicinity 

 of San Francisco in 1885 by Mr. Kocbele. Another was a single speci- 

 men collected by some students of Johns Hopkins in 18S1 (particular 

 locality not known), and the third was the record by Mr. Uhler, of Cali- 

 fornia as one of the States which this insect inhabits. Mr. Uhler after- 

 wards wrote that the specimens which he had seen were collected near 

 San Francisco, probably by Mr. Henry Fdwards. The first two speci- 

 mens mentioned were of a short- winged form which has been found only 

 upon the Atlantic sea-coast, while Mr. Uhler states that his specimens 

 were of the long-winged form. Letters addressed to Mr. Koebele in 

 1887 brought out the fact that he was not aware of the importance of 

 his capture of this insect in 1885, and that he did not know just where 

 he found the specimen referred to. Since the publication of the Bulletin, 

 however, 3Ir. Koebele was reminded by its perusal of the fact that this 

 specimen was collected upon the sea-coast, and the present spring he 

 visited the shore near Alameda, with the result of finding a large num- 

 ber of specimens in the first, second, and third stages upon a coast 

 grass which has not yet been named. Specimens have been sent for, 

 and we hoi)e soon to place the entire facts upon record. This large 

 sending, however, places upon a firmer basis tban ever before the occur- 

 rence of this insect in considerable numbers on the Pacific coast, althougli 



