109 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



A Stomoxys Injuring Stock in Oregon. 



What is the name of this Ay 1 It made its appearance here two or three years ago, 

 and this year pesters our horses fearfally. Is tliere any apx)lication to the hide or coat 

 of the horse that will keep them otf f — [J. H. Albert, Salem, Oregon, June 29, 1668. 



Reply. — * * # This fly proves to be a species of the genus Stomoxys, and 

 is so close to the Eastern species calcitrans, that I hardly care to separate them, espe- 

 cially as your specimen was flattened and broken. S. calcitrans is a well-known bit- 

 ing fly in the United States, seldom entering houses just before or during a rain, and 

 its close resemblance to a common house-fly has given rise to the supposition that the 

 house-fly bites only in wet weather. The species are seldom abundant enough to cause 

 any injury to stock, although the present spring we have had accounts from Mary- 

 land and New Jersey of considerable annoyance caused to cattle by them. We have 

 found that fish-oil is the most admirable preparation to protect stock from the hites 

 of this fly and from the Buffalo Gnat. A reliable correspondent of ours states that 

 in the absence of fish-oil he uses tallow with snfiScient pine tar added to make it stick 

 the hair together but not enough to make it cause the hair to fall off, — [July 10,1888.] 



The Colorado Potato-beetle in Nova Scotia. 



* * * I wish to make known to your Department the interesting (not to farmers) 

 fact that the Colorado potato-bug is now common in certain parts of Nova Scotia, in 

 which province it became introduced about six years ago. 



In this particular locality I visited in fields two days ago and found it covered with 

 the young. Would you like specimens ? I should be happy to forward them. — [J. Mat- 

 thew Jones, Aylesford, Nova Scotia, July 14, 1888. 



Reply. — * # « Your statement in regard to the Colorado Potato-beetle is 

 very interesting indeed as I believe we have no published record of this fact. We 

 have for some time wished to secure specimens of this insect from its extreme north- 

 ern range in order to make notes as to variation, and have also wished to receive notes 

 from some good observer as to the life history in such localities, including particularly 

 the number of broods, duration of the different stages, etc. * * * —[July 24, 

 1888.] 



1888 Damage by Chinch Bug in Missouri. 



* * * In your favor of July 2 is the query, "Are the Chinch Bugs really doing 

 any damage in this vicinity, or have the rains killed them off?" They have and are 

 doing considerable damage, but the excessive rains of this season hav^e checked their 

 multiplication considerably, I think, and also enabled the infested crops to make a 

 strong growth and better resist the pumping operations of the insects. I am afraid 

 yet as the weather gets drier and hotter that the maize and millet crops will be very 

 much damaged . I was horrified yesterday to see the bugs swarming around the roots 

 and stems of the grass in a timothy meadow. They were running back and forth 

 over the ground like excited ants when their nests are disturbed- 



Since writing the above I have been through some fields of maize, oats, sorghum 

 cane, and millet, and the sight of the state of all these crops (though they were all 

 doing well two weeks ago) was enough to "make the heart sick." It is hard to say 

 which of the above crops has suff'ered already the most, though sorghum cane has 

 been "■ cracked up " to be neatly bug-i)roof. The cause of all this quick devastation 

 is apparently through there having been seven or eight days of hot, dry weather, 

 which has enabled the bugs to " multiply and replenish the earth " and get in their 

 work. 



On the ground, running in a restless, excited manner among the rootsof all the crops 

 mentioned, the bugs are to be seen by thousands, as if they had been let loose on 



