15 
of about 9,500 feet, near the snow line, feeding on a species of wild Crataegus. Of 
course there is no horticulture carried on at this altitude, but stnce we are in the 
upper part of the cultivated district (east of Utah Lake) we find this Clisiocampa 
about as numerous and destructive as Hyphantria cunea isin the worst years at Wash- 
ington. It is confined to the apple trees, and only when these are utterly defoliated 
does it attack the plum trees which are in the immediate vicinity, and then only such 
as have their branches interlocking with the apple. The caterpillars are now full- 
grown and develop a marked migratory instinct; ¢. ¢., very few web-up on the 
apple trees, but they descend and wander about, webbing up in fence corners, and 
more especially between the leaves of other bushes and trees, and by this habit they 
become injurious also to the gooseberries, currants, etc., because the webbed-up 
leaves of these are drying up. The species will no doubt have parasites, but I fail 
to find any insect enemies, since there are neither Calosomas nor large Heteroptera 
to be seen in the gardens. But there is a bacterial disease raging among the cater- 
pillars, and thousands may be seen clinging, dead, to the fences or tree trunks. The 
pear and cherry trees are absolutely free from this pest, nor did I succeed in finding 
here a single specimen on the few wild-growing bushes (there are no trees here). 
Not a single other orchard or field-crop pest seems to exist here, but in the gardens 
of Salt Lake City the Woolly Aphis, Schizoneura lanigera, has fairly established itself, 
doing great damage there, but apparently not yet distribeted over the open country. 
The Cottony Maple Scale, Pulvinaria innumerabilis, is also at Salt Lake City on the 
box elder, Negundo aceroides, but not very abundant.—[E. A. Schwarz, American 
Fork, Utah, June 22, 1891. 
Reappearance of the Wheat Straw-worm in Kansas. 
I beg to inform you of the reappearance in damaging numbers of the ‘‘ Wheat 
Straw-worm,” your Isosoma tritici. It is quite prevalent throughout central and 
northwestern Kansas and the damage in some counties will be very severe. In this 
(McPherson) county, I do not estimate the damage to exceed 5 per cent. They occur 
usually above the joint near the head, showing that the eggs were deposited late in 
the season. As a result, but little damage is done, owing to the practical ripening 
of the head at this time and before the larva has had time to develop.—[ W. Kuaus., 
McPherson, Kans., June 18, 1891. 
REpPLY.—Thorough thrashing ought to reduce the numbers of this insect consider- 
ably ; but if it does any great damage, we also have a remedy in our hands by sac- 
rificing the straw and burning it, as so few of the insects will be found in the stubble 
that this source of reinfection 1s very slight.—[June 22, 1891. ] 
Allorhina Injuring Oaks. 
It would be difficult at present to estimate the extent of injury done by the insects 
of which a specimen was sent you. They seem to increase in numbers, and their size 
and the hardness of their wing cases prevent the insectivorous birds from doing them 
much harm, though the jay birds appear to eat a few of them. The mocking birds, 
- eatbirds, Bia: do not molest them. 
They bore into and extract the sap from the tender branches of the trees, and the 
leaves soon wither, the branch becomes dry, and either of its own weight or from the 
force of the wind, breaks and hangs down. The natural growth about the town 
consists principally of black and scrub or post oaks, and the insects seem to prefer 
the juices of the black oak, almost entirely neglecting the other variety. 
In feeding the insect confines itself, so far as I have been able to observe, to the 
_ tops of the trees, presumably because it finds there the new and consequently tender 
 growth.—[Frank Triplett, Springfield, Mo., July 22, 1891. 
NotE.—The beetle referred to is Allorhina nitida,—Eds. 
