264 



good condition of their plants, while others destroy them on account of the fact 

 that they injure the appearance of the flowers by ejecting a dark fluid upon the 

 petals. There is no question that this insect is frequently found in greenhouses 

 towards the end of the season, and as it works around in the flowers it undoubtedly 

 bears the pollen from one to another and does some good work. Whether it is re- 

 sponsible for the seeding of this plant to the extent which has been claimed is very 

 doubtful. It is certainly by no means exclusively contined to these flowers. 



The Orange Fruit-fly in Malta. 



For some years past the orange groves of these islands have been infested with the 

 Ceratitis citriperda MacL., the ravages of which have produced so much damage to 

 the orange industry here that his excellency the governor has just appointed an- 

 other commission (of which I am a member) to inquire into the causes and to suggest 

 remedies for the evil. 



Of late years, too, it has been noticed that the number of insectivorous birds, in- 

 digenous and migratory, has greatly decreased. Do you think that this fact is ia 

 any way accountable for tlie unusual abundance of the orange-fly? Could you 

 oblige me with any information as to whether insectiA^orous birds, the ordinary 

 species, have any preference for the fly or its larvae? — [John H. Cooke, Malta. Janu- 

 ary 1, 1893. 



Reply. — * * ^ As you know, Ce/*a/?/Jscj/ri2>er(7a does not occur in this country, 

 although an allied species affects oranges across our border in Mexico and an insect 

 which we have identified as Ceratitis capitata Wied. (of which C. citriperda MacL. is 

 a synonym) injures peaches in Bermuda. The fruit-infesting species of the dip- 

 terous family Trypetidae are in fact rather scarce in the United States, and but one 

 species has attained any great economic importance, viz, Trypeta (Eliagoletia) pomo- 

 nella Walsh, the larva of which is known as the ''Apple Maggot" in our north- 

 western States. I think it altogether likely that the increase of the Ceratitis in 

 Malta is to some degree consequent upon the reduction of the numbers of insectivor- 

 ous birds, although there are no observations on record in this country with reference 

 to the Apple Maggot which would support this conclusion, and I regret, therefore, 

 that I can give you no information in direct answer to your question. I would call 

 your attention, however, to an article upon C capitata in volume iii of Ixsect Life 

 (p. 5), and also to the excellent remarks on pages 469 to 477 of Dr. O. Penzig's " Studi 

 Botanici sugli Agruni e sulle Piante affini," published by the Ministero di Agricol- 

 tura, Italy, 1887. Is not your insect C. liispan'ica? — [January 19, 1893.] 



Plant-Bugs injuring Oranges in Florida. 



I send a few Hemiptera for identification. 



Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 5 were found at Altoona, Fla. They were captured while punc- 

 turing the rind of nearly ripe or ripe oranges while still on the tree. They evidently 

 insert the tongue to the "pulp cells" and feed upon the orange juice. I have ob- 

 served them for several minutes remain perfectly still with their tongues thus in- 

 serted. They are easily frightened, and it is difficult to find them in the act of 

 inserting the tongue or to watch them long while feeding. I succeeded in cutting 

 the heads off from several with the tongue remaining in, and microscopic sections of 

 the rind containing the tongue thus cut off show the penetration to reach to the 

 pulp. How much damage they do, if any, I can not say. No apparent damage has 

 been observed. Mr. Cunningham, of Altoona, who first called my attention to them 

 as insects affecting the Orange, reports them as ''quite common." 



No. 3, Hubbard has described as an orange insect, I believe, possibly the others 

 also.— [H. J. Webber, Florida, December 7, 1892. 



Eeply. — * * * The insects which you send are: 1. Euschistus servus Say, 2. 

 Nezara viridiila. 3. Leptoglossus jyliyJlojyus. 4. Eiischistus servus (immature). 5. 



