30 



movement could not be determined. When the insect has been feeding on the whole 

 Ciuitharides, all these hairs on the back become rubbed off, those forming the ridge being 

 generally last to go, because, being on the downward slope of the body, they are not 

 exposed to the same amount of friction. Underneath, however, the hairs are shorter, and 

 do not become rubbed off as on the back. 



The larva consists of eleven segments, those at the ends being of a much deeper 

 brown than those towards the middle, and the six legs being inserted on the three an- 

 terior segments, each furnished with a short, straight claw. The skins are shed quite 

 often during the larval state, and are discarded by a slit nearly the length of the back, 

 terminating indifferently at either end, and through which the insect emerges. The shed 

 skins present a beautiful iridescent appearance under the microscope when viewed by 

 reflected light. 



These larvae feed on the cantharides all winter, and if in quantity, commit great 

 havoc, leaving only the hard exterior portions untouched, such as the upper portion of 

 the thorax, the green wing cases, and transparent wings. When their legitimate food 

 gives out they have no compunction about first eating their dead parents, and then each 

 other, but on this diet they do not seem to thrive so well. 



The beetle emerges in May or June, and is about one-eighth of an inch long, oval and 

 black, the upper parts being marbled and streaked with whitish and rufous, which are 

 rubbed off after death if the insect is subjected to any rough usage. 



Camphor does not kill these larvae, and after keeping some for a day in a small box 

 about a quarter full of camphor, +he only thing worthy of remark in their actions was 

 that they did not seem quite so lively as those kept without it. Camphor is not a remedy 

 but merely a preventive measure. The vapor of chloroform rapidly kills them, so that 

 by putting a small quantity of chloroform in a gallipot on the top of the infested can- 

 tharides, the heavy vapor will sink through it and destroy them. 



INSECTS AFFECTING DRUGS. 



By E. a. Schwarz, Washington, D. C. 



To the list of drug insects observed in this country, as given by Mr. Wm. Edwin 

 Saunders, I have two additions to make. One is the Tobacco-beetle, Lasioderma serri- 

 corne Fabr., a well-known pest in many cigar factories in the United States. I found 

 this in a drug store at Detriot, Mich., where the larvae had completely honeycombed a lot 

 of rhubarb. The same hadit of the species has been recorded by European writers. The 

 second addition is Cryphalus jalappce Letzner, a small, inconspicuous Scolytid beetle, 

 probably originating from Mexico, which has been carried by commerce all over the 

 world. It was first found by Mr. H. G. Hubbard and myself in 1874, in the Medical 

 Laboratory of the United States Navy Yard at Brooklyn, N. Y., and later observed by 

 myself in drug stores at Detroit, Mich., and Washington, D. C. It occurs only in Radix 

 jalappce. The species has to my knowledge never ^before been recorded from North 

 America, but will no doubt be found wherever the drug mentioned above is kept. 



DESCRIPTION OF A DIPTEROUS PARASITE OF PHYLLOXERA 



VASTATRIX. 



DiPLOsis 1 Grassator, n. s. 



By Rev. T. W. Fyles, Cowansville, P.Q. 



Larva, one-tenth of an inch in length — pointed at the head — rounded and blunt at 

 the hinder extremity. First three segments the colour of amber, and semi-transparent : 

 the rest of the body salmon coloured. Nine sets of hooks, or tentacles, in place of feet, the 



