230 



term '^ epicraniiinf" used by Mr. Slingerland is no improvement on ^^ ver- 

 tex" (Scott's "crown of the head.") 



The penis in Psyllidse is not apaired organ as described by Mr. Sling- 

 erland but consists of a single very slender tube which is geniculated 

 in the middle. In most cabinet specimens it is either folded up and en- 

 tirely hidden from view within the trough of the lower genital plate or 

 only the angle formed by the geniculation of the middle is visible. 



Mr. Slingerland calls attention m a note to a stupid error in the 

 translation from Low in Insect Life (vol. iv, p. 127.). 



Original figures are given of the ^gg^ the fiill-grown nymph, the adult 

 insect, enlarged genital segments of the male and female, of the head 

 and antennse of the adult and of the venation of the wings. With the 

 author's permission and assistance we reproduce some of these. The 

 bulletin closes with a carefal bibliography and synonymy. 



THE LANGDON NON-SWARMING DEVICE. 



By Frank Benton. 



Complete control of natural swarming has long been regarded by 

 apiarists as one of the most desirable i)oints to accomplish in connec- 

 tion with their pursuit. Yet, up to the present time, notwithstanding 

 the improvements which modern ideas in apiculture have suggested in 

 this direction, they have had to admit it one of the most puzzling with 

 which they have had to do. 



The advantages in being able to suppress at will and without detri- 

 ment to the colony the desire on the part of the bees to swarm are nu- 

 merous. Chief among these may be mentioned: There need not then 

 be the great interruption to honey storing which the issuance of swarms 

 brings in the height of the honey yield. The apiarist could have all 

 his return in the shape of honey instead of partly in the form of 

 swarms, clearly an advantage when the number of his colonies had 

 reached the limit of his field or as many as he could well care for and 

 remunerative prices could not be obtained for the surplus stock. The 

 time and labor expended in watching for and hiving swarms would be 

 saved. Losses through the absconding of swarms would be avoided. 

 Even with all reasonable care such losses often occur. 



Centuries ago the Greeks recognizing some of the advantages which 

 the control of swarming would give to the bee-keeper, practiced with 

 their basket-hives furnished with bars across the tops, the transfer of 

 combs with adhering bees to new hives thus forming artificial swarms. 

 This is interesting to note as being the first recorded attempt to con- 

 trol swarming. Contardi, who wrote in 1768, describes these hives and 

 says: ^' When the bees should swarm those people do nothing but to 

 take out some of these bars to which the bees attach their combs, and 



