375 



fertilized them, the case of Cucurbita ovifera would have been 

 complete, and in Wistaria how easy to take pollen from some ma- 

 ture flowers and impregnate the younger ones. It is tantalizing 

 to be put off with "incontrovertible" inferences and suggestions, 

 when the material for actual proof was so near at hand.— 

 T. Meehan. 



Colorado Potato Beetle destroyed bt the Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak. — I noticed last summer that great numbers of the Col- 

 orado potato beetle were destroyed by the Rose-breasted grosbeak, 

 Goniaphea Ludoviciana. 



The farmers hold these birds in great favor, and are very care- 

 ful to prevent their destruction. They were so abundant in this 

 region last summer as to hold in check the vast army of these 

 ravagers of the potato crop.— W. F. Bundy, Jefferson, Wis., Feb. 

 25, 1875. 



The Umbellttla. — A monograph of the genus has just been 

 received from Mr. Linclahl, published in the Swedish Transactions. 

 These polypes are sea pens, with a remarkably long stalk, attaining 

 the length of two or three feet. The species are of great rarity, 

 occurring at great depths off Spitzsbergen, Baffin's Bay, North 

 Greenland, and off Cape Finisterre. A second genus, Crinillum, 

 occurred in Banka Sea. 



Cigars Destroyed by Insects.— The disciples of Mr. Trask 

 will be glad to know that "the weed" is devoured by three kinds 

 of insects, and thus rendered unfit for the use of man. In a collec- 

 tion found by a friend in a lot of cigars, which they had ruined, 

 Dr. Horn enumerates three beetles: Catorama simplex, Xyloteresf 

 and Calandra oryzce. 



GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY. 



The Sand Dunes of the San Ldis Valley.— On our homeward 

 march while in the service of the U. S. Geological Survey (Dr. F. 

 V. Hayden's) during the summer of 1874, we passed close to the 

 Tvell-knosvn "sandhills" of the San Luis Valley lying at the base 

 of the Sangre de Christo Range opposite Musca Pass. They con- 

 sist of a range of angular dunes extending in horse-shoe form for 

 some ten miles, the central points of which will average over 

 seven hundred feet in height, making a very prominent object 



