487 



sprays in winter, before the buds begin to swell, but makes no men- 

 tion of tbe more practical course of spraying the plum trees with kero- 

 sene emulsion afrer the eggs have hatched. 



MADE INSANE BY DESTROYING CATERPILLARS. 



We see no reason to doubt the accuracy of the statement made in 

 the following item which we clip from the New York Sun of June 7, 

 1891. We have frequently met with people who have exhibited such a 

 strong idiosyncrasy against insects that similar results might follow 

 were they forced to do the work which this boy was obliged to do. 



Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, June 6. 

 Walter Sanders, 13 year^ old and son of a farmer livinf^ about 4 miles east of here, 

 has become insane. On Tuesday be was sent into the orchard to destroy tbe cater- 

 pillars and tbeir nests infesting tbe trees. He used paper, kerosene oil, and matches. 

 Tbe boy kept at tbe work for several bours, and the caterpillars would frequently 

 fall upon bim. In the course- of tbe afternoon be was taken with violent nausea, and 

 at uigbt his parents were aroused by bis moans. Tbey found bim tossiug wildly, 

 crying that tbe worms were eating bim, and be begged them to take them off. A 

 physician was hastily summoned, wbo, by a hypodermic injection succeeded in 

 quieting tbe lad, but other similar attacks followed, and tbe doctor says be will bave 

 to be sent to an insane asylum. 



NEW ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



We notice from the CaUforma Fruitgrower, May 2, 1891, that a new 

 society, entitled "The California Entomological Society," has been 

 founded and that it expects to hold quarterly meetings at San Francisco. 

 The first quarterly meeting was held April 24, at Xo. 220 Sutter street. 

 E. M. Ehrhorn is the president and at the first meeting read a paper 

 upon the San Jose scale, stating that Apheliiius fuscipennis Howard is 

 the most abundant parasite of this destructive bark louse. He has 

 also, however, reared Coccophagus citrinus Graw (a species which has as 

 yet, we believe, never been described) and Aphelmiis mytilaspidis Le 

 Baron from the same scale. He also suspects that the first named par- 

 asite is to be reared from the Greedy scale {Aspidiotus rapax). This is 

 quite likely, as A.fuscipennls is quite a general feeder and has been 

 bred at the Department from Aspidiotus perniciosiis^ Chionaspis cuonymi^ 

 Mytilaspis gloverii, and Mytilaspis pomorum . 



MORE CONCERNING THE BITE OF THE KATIPO. 



We are indebted to Mr. R. Allan Wight, of Pjproa, Auckland, New 

 Zealand, for the following matter concerning an apparent case of death 

 from the bite of the katipo. Seeing the item in the Auckland Weekly 

 News, Mr. Wight wrote to Dr. Ewart, the medical attendant, and his 

 reply is reprinted below the reprint of the newspaper item. 



