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black bees were found, and the dark varieties have been experimented 
with in regions where only yellow bees were natives. In this manner 
it has been readily and accurately determined that they generally work 
within a distance of 2 miles from their hives, although they will in rare 
instances go as far as 4 or 5 miles, and a resident of an island off the 
coast of Texas reported, several years ago, having followed his bees in 
a boat, and found them working on the mainland, a distance of 7 miles 
from their hives. But no practical bee-keeper would expect favorable 
results from pasturage located over 3 miles from his apiary, and marked 
advantage can only be awaited when the honey sources are located 
within 2 miles in a direct line from the apiary. 
NOTE ON THE WATER-BUG, FOUND BY REV. J. L. ZABRISKIE. 
By E. BERGROTH, M. D., Tammerfors, Finland. 
In INSEcT LIFE (vol. Iv, pp. 198-200) the editors have given a good 
description, with figures, of a very remarkable aquatic bug, found on 
Long Island by the Rev. J. L. Zabriskie. From the figures given it is 
evident that the insect is an adult form and belongs to the male sex. 
There can be no doubt as to these points. The presence of two ocelli 
and the remarkable structure of the antenne and of the hind femora 
are good generic characters of this insect. Asit was found on running 
water I presume the singular antenne are of good service to fasten 
the animal on moist and slippery stones and piles. A microscopic 
examination of the pale hyaline cushion of the third antennal joint 
would be of great interest; I think it will prove to be a sucking disk. 
The insect undoubtedly belongs to a new genus and species, which I 
propose to name Rheumatobates* rileyt. It is, with the recently de- 
seribed genera Hermatobates Carp. and Hemidiptera Léon, one of the 
most curious and interesting Hydrometridz hitherto discovered. 
THE LOCUST OR GRASSHOPPER OUTLOOK. 
There has recently gone out from Washington a popular article on 
insects used as food for man, with some of our writings of many years 
ago palmed off as current, and with a sensational introduction to the 
effect that grasshopper injury is predicted by the Department of 
Agriculture for this season. As the announcement is entirely unjusti- 
fied and without authority, we have concluded to reproduce here a 
summary of the situation as given by the Entomologist last August 
*‘Pedud=stream; Batyc—one who treads. 
24164—No. 9——3 
