REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



403 



THE COLORADO POTATO-BEETLE. 



This beetle Las also been more numerous and destructive than usual 

 at some points iu Nebraska this past summer, completely stripping the 

 vines of leaves, and even devouring the stems and potatoes when these 

 latter could be reached. This did not occur, however, until late in the 

 season, after the crop was far advanced and the tubers had all formed. 



I am pleased to be able to report no considerable insect enemies to 

 small grain in Nebraska this year. As requested, I have kept a close 

 vigilance for insects injuring wheat, oats, rye, and barley, and only found 

 one, the larvae of a moth, working in the stems of rye. This was met 

 with in moderate numbers only in one small field adjoining town, and 

 specimens were at once forwarded to Mr. Howard, who, in your absence, 

 pronounced it Gortyna nitela. 



Aside from this, I have heard of no other instance of injury to the 

 small-grain crop in the State during the year. There may have been, 

 and undoubtedly were, a few Hessian flies in the grain fields of the 

 river counties, as those counties which lie along the Missouri Eiverare 

 called, where it has been reported for several years. If so, they were 

 in numbers so insignificant as not even to attract attention. 



NOTES OF TEE YEAR. 

 CHINCH-BUG NOTES. 



Since the publication of a short article under this title in our report 

 for 1881-'82, the occurrence of greatest interest in connection, with the 

 Chinch-bug has been, without doubt, its so-called "invasion" of New 

 York State. In June, 1882, the work of the insect was first discovered 

 upon the farm of Mr. H. C. King, of Hammond, Saint Lawrence County, 

 some 3 acres of timothy grass being destroyed. In June, 1883, other 

 fields upon the same farm were discovered to be in the same condition, 

 and a search revealed the swarming destroyers both upon this and 

 neighboring farms. Timothy, "June grass," and "wire grass" were 

 alike destroyed, and great alarm was occasioned throughout the north- 

 ern part of the State. 



Specimens of the insect were sent to Mr. Lintner, the State entomol- 

 ogist, who published (October 10, 1882) a lengthy article in the Albany 

 Argus, following it by articles in the Country Gentleman and in Science, 

 and giving in the two first-mentioned papers a good account of the 

 habits and life-history of the species and the best remedies proposed 

 against it. Mr. Lintner also issued in the same month a circular en- 

 titled "Directions for arresting the Chinch-bug invasion of Northern 

 New York," which was widely distributed and in which he predicted a 

 continued increase in the diffusion and destructiveness of the bug and 

 urged a prompt and full compliance with the directions which followed, 

 and which consisted in a very good condensed summary of the best 

 remedies and methods of prevention. The reasons for this prediction 

 are here given in his own words : 



It has planted itself, maintained a footing, and shown a rapid increase under un- 

 favoring, unpropitions, and unnatural conditions such as these: 



First. It is regarded as a Southern insect (extending farther northward, as do most 

 animal forms, in the Mississippi Valley), yet it has appeared in the most northern 

 county of the State and upon (if the report be reliable) the Saint Lawrence Eiver. 



