[123] Report of ihe State Entomologist, 265 



massed in a breadth of three inches and one or two inches in thickness, 

 and extending thirty yards in length. Individually, they are but about 

 five lines long and a third of a line in diameter. M. Guerin-Meneville 

 has given interesting details of some of these assemblies observed by 

 him, some of which have been quoted in Figuier's Insect World, 

 pp. 46, 47. 



That some of the species of the genus may possess injurious habits 

 appears from the mention by Prof. Westwood, that Olivier had reared 

 three species of Sciara from wheat, of which account is given in Prem. 

 Mem. sur quelques Insectes qui attaquent les Cereales, Paris, 1813. 



Sciara pyri, of Europe, is said to injure the blossoms and fruit of 

 the pear, causing them to fall; while of other European species, 

 S. fucata lives in decaying potatoes, turnips and other vegetables; 

 S. quinquelineata breeds in diseased potatoes and is supposed, by some, 

 to cause the "scab;" S.pulicaria, S. vittata, S. longipes, and S. hyalipennis, 

 have also been bred from decaying potatoes; S. tilicola produces a gall 

 on the leaves of young linden trees; and S. Giraudii has been bred 

 from stems of Malm and Althcea. 



One of our American species, at least, is known to be injurious, viz., 

 Sciari mali (Fitch), the larvae of which destroy the interior of apples 

 by burrowing through them, while the fair exterior shows no indica- 

 tion of the concealed attack. A species of Sciara, apparently near to 

 S. nervosa, of Europe, has recently been brought to me (1889), as infest- 

 ing mushroom beds in Albany, where it has been regarded as injurious 

 to mushroom culture. Mr. Wm. Falconer has also sent me the same 

 species from mushroom cellars in Glen Cove, Long Island, but 

 does not consider it harmful. It will be given study, and reported 

 upon hereafter. 



The Osten Sacken catalogue of N. A. Diptera contains twenty-three 

 species of Sciara described by Say, Walker, and others, but of these 

 very few have been identified in present collections. For notice of 

 the habits of some of the Sciara, see Osten Sacken, in Proc. Ent. Soc. 

 Phil, i, 1862, pp. 163-165; and for references to writings upon them, 

 pp. 169-171. 



The Cabbage-fly. 

 Anthomyia brassicce Bouche. 

 A severe attack of this insect upon young cauliflower plants was 

 reported by Mr. D. W. Seeley, of Albany, and examples of the plants 

 badly eaten and having the larvae within and upon their roots, were 

 brought to me on June eighth. Mr. Seeley had made several appli- 

 34 



