365 



. Scynmus circularis n. sp. 



Eotundahis, convexiis, nigerrimus, piihe longiore palUde-grisescente irregularite)' vetihis, 

 fortiler ininctatus ; ahdomiue 7-ufescente, antenn'is tarsisque Jlaris, ad apices fiiscis. Long.y 



Thorax sparingly pancturecl, with a very small flavescent mark ou the anterior mar- 

 gin on each side. Elytra rather coarsely and not closely punctured, bearing a tine, 

 rather long, almost white pubescence; this pubescence is not depressed, and the in- 

 dividual hairs do not take a straight or parallel direction. Prosternal lines subparallel, 

 slightly currate at the anterior margin, and slightly sinuate behind. Metasternum 

 sparingly and rather coarsely punctate ; hind coxae very widely separated. Front 

 and middle cla^r with a long appendage extending the greater part of the length of 

 the claw, and with free sharp extremity, so that the claw appears bidentate ; claw of 

 hind foot with shorter lobe. 



This species has been found by Mr. Richard Helms, in 1884, atPicton, 

 South Island, New Zealand. A si)ecies smaller in size, but very similar 

 in color and outliue, has been found by Captain Broun on Fagus cun- 

 ninghami in the North Island. 



S. circularis is smaller and of much more circular form than S. resti- 

 tutor, and differs in the structure of the claws and other important par- 

 ticulars. 



A CASE OF lACHNOSTERNA DAMAGE. 



In the August number of Insect Life, pp. 58 and 59, we noted the 

 defoliation of young plum and cherry trees in an orchard belonging to 

 Mr. J. Luther Bowers, of Herndon, Va., occasioned by the attacks of the 



' Twelve-spotted Diabrotica. This very unusual habit of the Diabrotica 

 was accounted for in the article referred to by the fact that the trees 

 had been planted on land that had been in melons the previous year, 

 and we then felt little hesitancy in predicting that this beetle had not 

 formed a new food habit and would not again be thus troublesome. 

 We instructed Mr. Bowers to be on the lookout for it this spring, how- 

 ever, and on May 9 we received a telegram from him which read, " The 

 bugs are destroying everything." This, while somewhat indefinite, from 



i the previous experience with the Diabrotica, led to the inference that 

 this beetle had re-appeared in force. 



We immediately sent one of our assistants, Mr. C. L. Marlatt, ta 

 Herndon with spraying appliances, to learn the exact nature of the 

 present outbreak, and to use such measures as would be advisable to 

 prevent further injury. The following facts are gathered from his re- 

 port : 



Examination of the orchard, on the afternoon of May 9, showed that 

 for the Plums and Cherries the amount of injury had not been over- 

 stated bv Mr. Bowers. Certain varieties of the trees mentioned were 

 entirely defoliated and nearly all were more or less injured, the outer 

 half of the branches having been especially attacked. xVt this time, 6.30 

 r. M., the trees were comparatively free of insects ; a single specimen of 



