392 



killing all individuals which attempted to do so. The obstacles to success are, in the 

 first place, that by no meaus all of the lice crawl up the main roots, but issue from 

 the ground from rootlets near the surface, and crawl away to other vines; and in the 

 second place, that soils of differing characters have very different powers of absorb- 

 ing the mercurial vapor, becoming impregnated to different degrees or not at all. 



I regret that I can give you no more definite information as to the method of prep- 

 aration, but in view of the comparative success of the latest French work with the 

 American vine and bisulphide of carbon injected subterraneously, and in view of the 

 discouraging results of Professor Hilgard's California experiments with Mr. Bauer's 

 mixture, it seems to me that it would be hardly worth while for Dr. Grinan to spend 

 any further time with this mercury preparation. — [April L5, 1891.] 



Another Spider Bite. 



I have been much interested in the reports of spider bites which have been pub- 

 lished in Insect Life. What is wanted in such cases is positive, indisputable knowl- 

 edge, and to this end I will relate my experience regarding the biting ability of at 

 least one species of spider. When in Virginia, about 10 years ago, I was one day 

 standing by and looking out of a window. The sleeve and cuff were drawn up from 

 my wrist, leaving it exposed. A small black spider with, I think, a tiny red spot 

 upon its body, suspended itself from a web, and before I noticed it had alighted on 

 my left wrist, just above the pulse. I made a quick movement to dislodge the spider, 

 and felt a sharp pain, as if from the prick of a needle. There arose in a few moments 

 a hard spot, with a dot of red in the center, as from a mosquito bite. The next day 

 my wiist was swollen and the veins stood out prominently and black as far up as 

 the elbow, while sharp pains extended to the shoulder. The flesh around the bite 

 became purplish-black for a space of 2^ by 2 inches. Remedies were applied, but the 

 purplish flesh sloughed off until the sinews were plainly visible. My arm was car- 

 ried in a sling for a week or more, and it was some months before the flesh had filled 

 out and regained its normal condition. My recollection of the episode is very vivid, 

 for I was considerably frightened at the time. I did not feel any sickness other than 

 the throbbing pain, which was at times quite severe. Poultices and a tonic for the 

 blood were the remedies used. I would be afraid to make an assertion regarding the 

 identity of the spider at this late day, but have, of course, a right to my suspicion. — 

 [Emory E. Smith, 1409 Van Ness street, Saa Francisco, California. 



The California Peach-tree Borer. 



A short time ago I examined some nursery peach trees imported from Alabama and 

 Missouri, and found in both lots several larvae of Sannina exiUosa. More recently 

 some peach trees grown in the northern part of the State were brought to me for 

 examination, and I found in some of them what appeared to be the same kind of 

 larvae as the above, but I notice that in one of Mr. Klee's reports he refers to a native 

 species he found infesting peach trees, and the larvae I found may be the same as 

 this. He quotes your letter to him of September 4, 1888, in which you propose to 

 describe this Californian form under the name of Sannina pacifica, and that it con- 

 nects through S. exitiosa with S.Fitchii. I notice that Henry Edwards regards Fitchii 

 as being only a variety of exitiosa. Do you consider pacifica as being also a variety 

 of exitiosa, and is it found elsewhere than in California? I would also be glad to 

 know if the larvae of these two forms can be separated by any constant characters ; 

 or if their manner of forming their burrows is different in the two forms. 



The lower portion and roots of the tree first mentioned above were immersed for 

 2 minutes into a solution of 1 pound of whale-oil soap to the gallon of water, the 

 temperature of the solution being maintained at from 120^ to 130° F. I again ex- 

 amined these trees 5 days after the last one had been dipped, and all of the Sannina 

 larvae that I fouud were as lively and vigorous as ever. The dipping had been done 



