343 



Daniel Berry, Carmi, 111., Mr. "W. E. Dingmau, of Newton, Iowa, and Prof. Charles 

 Lin(l<>n, Buffalo, N. Y., all agree that the Bot-fly has become much less troublesoiiio 

 in their several States of late years, and they ai)pear to think that the English Spar- 

 row is answerable for this good service, as they are supposed to capture the larva 

 as it is ejected from the horse in his droppings. If you will kindly aid us in this 

 matter by giving us your opinion as to the exact identity of the lly, we shall esteem 

 it a very great favor. — [W. Murphy, Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Associa- 

 tion, New Zealand, March 29, 1893. 



Reply. — I am pleased to receive the specimens, since they indicate the presence 

 in your colony of the old and well-known GasteropMlus nasalls Linn. You were per- 

 fectly correct in your identification, since G aster ophihis vetevinus Clarke is simi)ly 

 another name for the same species. Your account of its habits is also correct, 

 and (juite as we find them in this country. I think it quite likely that the idea that 

 the English Sparrow is of service in reducing the numbers of this insect is correct. 

 It is a prevalent notion in this country, and it is claimed by a number of observers 

 that the horse-bot has become almost unknown in certain localities since the advent 

 of the sparrovv. There is no proof of this statement, however, founded upon actual 

 observation of stomach contents, nor, so far as I am aware, have sparrows been ob- 

 served to feed upon the bots voided by horses. » In an examination of the contents of 

 522 sparrow stomachs made in this office, some four years ago, no sjiecimens of the 

 bot-fly or its larva were found. The details of this examination are given by me in 

 Bulletin No. 1 of the Division of Economic Ornithology, entitled, ''The English 

 Sparrow in North America, Especially in its Relations to Agriculture," by W. B. Bar- 

 rows, published in 1889.— [May 29, 1893.] 



Notes on some Gall Insects and Parasites. 



Ortliopehna diastrophi Ashm. was bred from galls of Rhodites radicum. If diasirophi 

 be not a misnomer, is it not curious to find it in a Rhodites gall? 



Bhodites (?) uiahensis Bass, is the producer of a gall found on the roots of liosa 

 blanda — very distinct from i?. radicum. 



Orthopelma Inieolator Gr. is a very common parasite in galls of Diastrophus turgidiis, 

 and has been so for the last tw^enty-five years. 



Orthopelma luteolator Gr. is a very common parasite in galls of Rhodites rosce, and 

 has been so ever since the galls appeared here. 



Entedon sp. is from galls of Gelechia gallw-solidaginis Riley, the pupa of the par- 

 asite remaining within the pupa case of the moth all Avinter and the imago comes 

 out the following spring. 



Torymiis rudlecTiia' Ashm. is from Cecidomyiid galls on stems of Desmodium acumi- 

 natum. 



Catolaccus sp. is from galls of Biorhiza forticornis and is very rare. 



Tetrastichus sp. is from galls of Ehoditcs vernatis and is also very rare. — [William 

 Brodie, Toronto, Canada. 



An Intruder in California Vineyards. 



Herewith please find a specimen of an insect called to my attention by a neighbor- 

 ing vineyardist which is alleged to be doing much damage to the young fruit buds 

 and blossoms of the Muscat grape vine at this particular period. This insect has 

 been recognized by many residents as a yearly visitor. It appears in spring, and 

 Avas heretofore known as a pest infesting rose leaA'es and doing much damage to the 

 young buds. 



They are said to be A^ery numerous on some A'ineyards, as many as hundreds to a 

 single vine. In one case about three acres are reported to have been completely 

 stripped of grape buds. Bordeaux mixture and Paris green in spray has been used 

 on the infested Aines without apparent benefit. 



