294 



Reply. — It is very interesting to know that our Clover-Seed Midge is found with 

 you. I have already had some correspondence with Mr. Inchbald on this subject 

 and have loaned him specimens of our form for comparison. He feels quite sure of 

 the identity of the two, but had not at the time of his last letter reared the adult 

 from the maggots found in England. He has promised to send me specimens of the 

 adult when they appear, but if you already have them and can send me a spare 

 male and female it will enable me to compare with my material at once. From the 

 large series of reared specimens which I have seen I should probably be able to de- 

 cide the matter. 



The other Cecidomyiid larvae which you found at the roots of clover is not C. irifoliiy 

 as the larva of the latter has a divided breastbone somewhat like that of leguminicola. 



I had already learned through the newspapers of your success in having Paris 

 green used in your orchards. I can understand the opposition as we have had to 

 overcome somewhat the same feeling in this country. As you know, however, the 

 arsenical mixtures are now in almost universal use here. — [December 17, 1890.] 



The Mantis not poisonous. 



A miner friend has just brought me a Mantis. He says it lives on grass in 

 the desert, is eaten by horses and mules, and causes death in 10 hours. The insect is 

 If inches long, with very short wing covers and enormous abdomen, probably filled 

 with eggs. The eyes are chocolate color, prothorax buff, fore legs green, wing 

 covers green, abdomen brownish. The finder is positive of its posonous qualities. I 

 occasionally see other species of Mantis ; have never before heard of their being 

 poisonous, and of course do not believe it. — [W. G. Wright, San Bernardino, Califor- 

 nia, October 19, 1890. 



Reply.— You are perfectly right in considering that none of these insects are 

 poisonous. The idea, however, that they cause death to horses and mules when feed- 

 ing upon grass is not new, and you will find a note upon page 199, Vol. i, Insect 

 Life, under the caption, "A remarkable insect enemy to live stock," where the same 

 statement is published as coming from Texas. If one of these insects was swallowed 

 whole it might for a few moments cause the animal considerable trouble by its strug- 

 gles, but that it should cause death is, I think, perfectly incredible.— [October 27^ 

 1890.] 



A Rose Cecidomyiid, 



I send you by this mail a box of buds from the Wooton Rose, afflicted with colonies 

 of a little white grub that destroys whole bunches of these rose buds under glass, so 

 that no bloom ie secured after all the pains and expense of a season's work. A per- 

 son largely engaged in growing cut flowers tells me that for a year past these grubs 

 caused him much loss, and only a few days back was he able to find anything that he 

 could fix as their progenitor, when he discovered the black fly in the bottle. This 

 fellow seems to have a peculiarity that I have not noticed in any insect before, that 

 of rolling up its wings into a little bundle. I am told that in this shape they will 

 go head first into the ground about the plants.— [Benjamin Hammond, Fishkill, New 

 York, October 25, 1890. 



Reply. — I believe that this little insect is a new enemy to the Rose ; at all events I 

 can find no notice of it in the hurried search which I have given. It will be necessary 

 to study its habits pretty carefully before a remedy can be suggested, and I would 

 therefore beg you to send me as much material as possible. The little white maggot 

 is the larva of a two-winged fly of the family Cecidomyiidce, to which the Hessian Fly, 

 the Wheat Midge, and a number of other injurious insects belong. The insect in the 

 bottle has nothing whatever to do with the maggot. It is one of the rove-beetles known 

 as Oxytelus insigniius, and feeds upon decaying vegetation. The true adult of the 

 maggot is a very delicate fly somewhat resembling a mosquito. Why does not the 



